ZimmComm is headed out today to the 75th annual NAFB convention at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri. We first started attending NAFB in the mid-1980s and have been there every year since 1987. But there are lots of NAFB members who have been faithfully attending the annual meeting since before it started being held in Kansas City. …
Animal Ag Bites 11/5
This Thanksgiving, more consumers will be able to trace their Honeysuckle White turkeys to the family farm where they were raised, thanks to a blockchain solution that brings transparency to consumer’s food purchases. Through a simple text or by entering an on-package code at HoneysuckleWhite.com, consumers can trace their turkey back to the family farm, access the farm’s location by …
Alltech Yeast Products Help Dairy Efficiency
Alltech knows very well the benefits of using live yeast in a feed ration, and Territory Sales Manager Kurt Peterson was talking to farmers about that at the 2018 World Dairy Expo. “Right now, everybody is aware of low milk prices. So the focus really is still driving efficiency at the dairy, looking at the ways to increase production without …
CrystalBlox New Self-fed Cattle Protein Supplement
As cow-calf producers prepare for fall and winter feeding conditions, the makers of CRYSTALYX® have launched a new self-fed protein supplement for beef cattle to help improve forage utilization. CrystalBlox, developed by Ridley Block Operations which is part of the Alltech feed division, is the first supplement of its kind to be brought to the market in nearly 40 years. …
Technology Changing Life on the Dairy Farm
Technology is changing the way dairy farmers work, especially when it comes to data. More and more resources are available to collect data on nearly every aspect of a dairy, but with that opportunity comes the challenge of managing that information and using it to make decisions. “It’s amazing how many new types of data we have on dairy farms,” …
Animal Ag Bites 10/29
Cargill has developed an industry-first robotic cattle driver aimed at improving animal welfare and employee safety. The robots are designed to move cattle from pens to the harvest area, reducing stress to the animals by minimizing their proximity to human activity. Employees operate the robots from a catwalk located above the pens, reducing safety risks by keeping those who work …
NCBA Advocates for USDA to Oversee Fake Meat
Officers of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) reiterated their unwavering support for USDA oversight of lab-grown fake meat during a public meeting this week, hosted jointly by USDA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). President-Elect Jennifer Houston explained why USDA is well-positioned to apply current food safety processes to lab-grown fake meat products, since two-thirds of the facilities …
Fighting Mycotoxins in the Field
Dairy farmers must be diligent when it comes to managing mycotoxin levels and reducing the potential effects in feed. Because mycotoxins are a byproduct of molds found in the field, that is the place to begin. But strobilurin-based fungicides are not always the best answer based on university research, according to Brian Springer, North American Technical Manager with Alltech Crop …
Meet Cargill’s Cowboy Robot
Cargill has developed the first ever robotic cattle driver to improve both animal welfare and employee safety. The robots are designed to move cattle from pens to the harvest area, reducing stress to the animals by minimizing their proximity to human activity. Employees operate the robots from a catwalk located above the pens, reducing safety risks by keeping those who …
Animal Ag Bites 10/22
The dairy checkoff has awarded 13 academic scholarships to students enrolled in programs that emphasize dairy and who have shown potential to become future dairy leaders. The National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, through Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff, annually awards $2,500 scholarships to each student. In addition, the NDB awards a $3,500 James H. Loper …