By Leo Timms, Extension Dairy Specialist / Associate Professor

Barely into fall but a little snow, a few freezing temps, and

some crazy wind chills have raised questions and concerns

about winter teat problems! We’re there again, and the same

old question pops up: To dip or not to dip? If so, with what?

And what else can we do to stop winter teat problems? Let’s

start with why dip?

The purpose of teat dipping is to provide a germicide that will

kill mastitis germs and apply skin conditioners that keep teat

skin and ends healthy. These are both essential to minimize

mastitis risks! In winter, we want these same things but want

to make sure that when we dip, we don’t compromise one for

another (frozen teats, more germs on teats). So initially (not

just winter) you need a dip that has a proven germicide and

excellent skin conditioning. We need to start and be here all

the time. But now, winter is coming? Here’s the choices!

Use the same good germicide, skin conditioning dip you’ve

been using!

- Most days, it’s not cold enough to freeze the drop on the

teat end so tally ho!

- In situations (cold wind chills and/or direct exposure

post milking), dab or wick the drop off the end with a

cloth towel. This takes very little time and effort. DO

NOT DRY THE TEAT as it removes the dip / condition-

ers. This has been proven to work!

- Never add extra conditioners to dip! It screws up the for-

mulation!

What about barrier dips?

- Not recommended in very cold weather and exposure

situations since they take 20+ minutes to dry, thus increas-

ing risks for teat end problems!

What about the winter formulation dips? High emollients

and/or powder dips?

- Designed to be used only during cold weather and high

risk situations where teats will freeze or dehydrate quick-

ly (like your fingers cracking)!

- Usually cost 2X your regular dip ( but evaluate potential

returns, not just investment!)

- High emollient dips: (usually > 50% skin conditioners):

Minimizes initial freezing risk post milking due to slow

evaporation; Make sure germicide is proven!; Teats stay

wetter and oily longer so may increase risks with pro-

longed cold exposure or dirty conditions (sticky teats!)

- Powder based dips: Function to keep teats dry (no liquid).

New formulations have germicide and skin conditioners.

Stalls, etc must be clean / dry, to avoid wicking on teats.

Need to get adequate (full teat) coverage so dip properly!

What about salves?

- NOT THE BEST CHOICE! High risks unless germicide

and skin conditioning are proven!

- Most germicides can be overcome by contamination!

- Greasy hands, greasy teats, greasy equipment! A mess

and a great way to spread things!

- Can coat / trap infections; grease attracts (dirt, etc.!).

- Research shows minimal or no effect ( some detrimental)

when more fluid salves are used.

- If you decide to use, use sparingly (only on the risky area

– teat end!)

FIELD FEEDLOT What about quitting dipping /doing nothing else?

- POOR CHOICE OR NOT EVEN A CHOICE!

- Teats are still wet after milking; teat skin conditioners

milked off; increased dehydration and cracking risks; Plus

no contagious mastitis germicides!

So there’s the dip choices! It’s a sure thing that winter will

come, a sure thing that teat end problems will occur (none of the

above can totally stop everything), and a sure thing that the best

way to deal with it is manage the risks. Weigh out the options

above and pick the one that you can manage the best. Couple

this to other management strategies such as minimizing direct

wind exposure post milking, clean dry stalls to prevent chilling

and organism growth, and excellent milking techniques and

properly functioning milking equipment that minimize other teat

stressors.

Joel DeJong, Crop Specialist

The Annual ISU Extension and Outreach Crop Advantage Se-

ries is designed to provide the latest information to producers

and helping them make profitable decisions for the upcoming

growing season. Each location has a variety of topics, including

crops, pests, soil fertility, and farm management. Locations and

dates of Northwest Iowa sessions include Jan. 5 in Sheldon, Jan.

6 at Okoboji, Jan. 12 in Storm Lake, Jan. 26 at Le Mars, and

Jan. 28 in Carroll.

Extension and Outreach Economists Chad Hart or Alejandro

Plastina will address “Managing Margins in 2016 and Beyond”

as a keynote address at Northwest Iowa conferences. In addi-

tion, each location features a full agenda of workshops that at-

tendees can choose from, developing a personalized meeting

agenda. Program topics that focus on local needs and production

issues are selected by the ISU Extension and Outreach field

agronomists for each meeting.

Each year I hear from attendees that they wish there were more

breakout sessions during the day. They are interested in many of

the topics and can’t be at every workshop. The topics are in de-

mand. It’s a great problem to have.

The Crop Advantage Series provides a statewide message on

important issues yet retains local input on topics for that specific

area. Crop and pest management issues are different for each

area of the state and these meetings are tailored to fit the needs

of producers in that area.

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Launched in 2002, the meeting series has impressive at-

tendance numbers. We’ve seen tremendous growth in at-

tendance for the series. Response from producers has been

very positive. In addition to receiving the latest research

information from the university, the meetings have been a

valuable way for producers to provide input back to ISU

researchers and specialists on what their needs are. I also

find it to be a great opportunity to talk with crop producers

and agronomists from around northwest Iowa at each of

these sessions about how the season affected them, and

what issues of concern they have for the next year.

Each of the meetings is approved for Certified Crop Advis-

er continuing education credits. Every location also offers

the opportunity for private pesticide applicators to receive

continuing education credits, a kind of “value added” pesti-

cide training day.

Early registration for each location is $50 and includes

workshop materials, lunch, and refreshments. This year the

registration cost includes the price of the Private Pesticide

Continuing Education and Certified Crop Advisor credits.

Registration less than one week prior or at the meeting in-

creases to $60. Additional program details, registration

forms and online registration is available at

www.cropadvantage.org or from local ISU Extension and

Outreach offices. Check out the agenda for each site – they

do vary!

Kris Kohl, Ag Engineer

2015 was a near perfect year for growing crops in North-

west Iowa. With a record crop and low prices some farmers

will need to keep this crop beyond July. The 2015 corn crop

had excellent quality and should store exceptionally well.

Here are 5 Tips for storing corn longer than a year.

1. Test Weight

2. Moisture

3. Level & Core Bin

4. Bugs

5. Temperature Management

Test Weight

High test weight indicates good storage properties. Most of

the kernels will have few or no cracks that provide a place

for mold to start, with corn testing above 58 lb. per bushel.

Fewer fines and dryer corn are also associated with high

test weight. Grain that dried down in the field will often

have higher test weight. When choosing a bin of grain to

store over a year, choose the highest test weight, exceeding

58lb/bushel.

&

3

Moisture Dryer grain keeps longer. For corn that is going to be kept

over a year we need 14%. Try not to over dry the grain be-

yond the 14% mark because you are reducing the weight you

get to sell. Low moisture prevents mold from starting to

work on exposed cracked kernels.

Level & Corn Bin

By January 1, bins should be cored and leveled so that fans

can manage the temperature. Coring should be done to take

half of the peak out of the bins and then leveled. This re-

moves the foreign material that will spoil first and reduce air

flow through the center of the bin. When the bin is leveled

the fan will push a more uniform warming or cooling front

through the bin. If the cored loads taken to town are still of

high quality, then the rest of the bin is one that will keep.

Bugs

Corn is food for livestock, people and insects. Long-term

storage provides an environment that bugs often exploit.

Grain temperatures below 20 degrees will kill insects and

eggs. While management of the grain in the bin below freez-

ing is most critical, we would advise chilling the bin below

this level in January and February to kill the insects and eggs

that may be present in the grain and foreign material below

the floor. Choose days with no precipitation to chill the bin

completely.

Temperature Management Temperature is the most important tool we have to manage

and store grain for the long-term. After we have killed any

insects by chilling grain to below 20 degrees, we will need to

warm it up above freezing in April. For long-term storage we

will want to warm it below 40 degrees and try to keep it there

through the summer. Covering the fan will help prevent the

convection currents that will develop with cool core tempera-

tures and hot outside conditions that will occur in July and

August. The bin should be monitored twice a month through

winter and spring, and weekly during the summer.

Bins should be checked on top to be sure no crust is develop-

ing due to moisture migration. Fan covers should be removed

and the fan run for a minute to smell the grain, assuring it

smells pleasant.

This will require

two people, one

in the bin and one

at the fan control.

If the corn does

not have that clean, pleasant

smell then there is

a problem.

Good luck storing

your 2015 high

quality corn.

FIELD FEEDLOT & Dave Stender, Swine Specialist

The Swine industry is in consistent transition and will contin-

ue to face several issues. First, the abundance of market hogs

this fall pressed prices down. These prices have been relative-

ly poor compared to the past several years. According to the

Iowa State University budget, producers have been in nega-

tive profit territory. For instance, carcass prices in the sum-

mer of 2014 were up to $1.30/lb., this fall prices were just

over $.50/lb. The extreme change in the industries profit is

due mainly to the new swine disease called PEDv, killing

around 8 million pigs in the winter of 2014. Fortunately, the

disease did not cause a trade issue, U.S. pork products re-

mained the safest in the world. However, record profits from

2014 have turned to losses in 2015 because the pig death loss

from the disease in 2015 was dramatically lower. A larger

number of pigs reached the market and pressured prices

down. Death loss from PEDv was lower in 2015 due to many

factors, including the industries implementation of many new

procedures and technologies to reduce disease transmission.

The vaccine producers are using, especially on herds that

once contracted the disease, is very effective. Additionally,

one good exposure to PEDV induces immunity in sows.

In addition to financial stress, next year producers will be

facing FDA’s implementation of guidance papers 209 and

213. It states that medically important antibiotics will no

longer be used for growth performance, many over the coun-

ter medications will transition to prescription or a Veterinary

Feed Directive (VFD) medication. This will be a relatively

complicated change for producers. Upcoming Regional Pork

Conferences will address this issue along with other topics.

Meetings will be held on February 22 at NCC in Sheldon

from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and February 23 at the Carroll Exten-

sion office from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Another issue facing swine producers is The Common Swine

Industry Audit (CSIA). Since the official booklet came out in

October of 2014 there has been a pilot training for audi-

tors. This pilot training revealed areas in the audit that need-

ed clarification. The committee forwarded the recommenda-

tions to the certification board for approval, once approved,

the training will begin and the program will be officially

rolled out. Until then the packers utilize the tool with their

own auditors. The ‘official’ Professional Animal Certifica-

tion Organization Inc. (PAACO) certified common swine

industry audit will be finalized and implemented sometime

during 2016. Workshops are being scheduled to help swine producers develop and keep records essential for the audit.

The Iowa Pork Producers will be mailing postcards with

workshop dates and locations, contact your county Extension

or local swine specialist for more information.

Windbreaks 101 SHELDON, Iowa – Do you have a windbreak on your farm or acreage? Do you need one? How do you start?

Are there any financial incentives to help with the cost?

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach is sponsoring an informational meeting on windbreaks at

Northwest Iowa Community College, Building A, Room 117 in Sheldon, Iowa on Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 from 9:30

a.m. to noon. The address of the college is 603 West Park St., Sheldon, Iowa 51201.

Dr. Jesse Randall, ISU Extension Forester, will conduct the meeting. Participants will learn about the value of

windbreaks, how to design and select trees for a new windbreak, how to plant and maintain trees, and what to

look for in old windbreaks in terms of disease and insects. Randall will demonstrate ISU Forestry’s new online

windbreak program that takes a lot of the guess work out of new windbreaks. Attendees are encouraged to bring

photos of their existing windbreak and Randall will answer questions as time allows.

The meeting is free and open to the public but we ask that you pre-register by Jan. 21. For more information

and to pre-register contact Margaret Murphy at mmurphy@iastate.edu or at the ISU Extension and Outreach

office in Lyon County at 712-472-2576.

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Lyon County Leadership 2016 ROCK RAPIDS – Registrations are currently being accepted for Lyon County Leadership 2016, a program

designed to maximize the strengths and skills of current and future community leaders.

Lyon County Leadership 2016 will include six weekly training sessions focusing on topics that include

understanding ourselves and others, dealing with controversy and conflict, and leading effective meetings. The

sessions will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on six consecutive Thursdays, beginning Jan. 14, at the

Rock Rapids Public Library. Sessions will be taught by ISU Extension and Outreach staff members affiliated with

the Community and Economic Development program.

The program is being sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach – Lyon County.

Registration is $50 with a Jan.7 registration deadline. Lunch is included in the program. Enrollment is limited to

just 30 participants, so sign up early to reserve your spot in the class.

Newly-elected and appointed officials are encouraged to register for the program, as well as long-time leaders

interested in polishing their skills, and individuals interested in getting more involved in their community.

Registration forms may be picked up and returned to the ISU Extension and Outreach Lyon County office,

710 N 2nd

Ave. E, Suite 103, Rock Rapids; or obtained from Lyon County Leadership planning committee

members Laura Beyenhof, Scott Heibult, John Hulshof, Angie Jager, Cassie Radtke, Steve Simons, Chuck

Sjogren, or Cheryl Van Beek.

For more information about the program, please contact: Jane Nolan Goeken, ISU Extension Community

Development Specialist at jngoeken@iastate.edu or 712-240-2504; or Lyon County Extension at

xlyon@iastate.edu or 712-472-2576.

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If no one calls to schedule an appointment, the DVD will not be shown