Being a part of the Alltech Young Scientist (AYS) program has been an incredible and unforgettable experience.

I first got involved in research as an undergraduate studying food science and biochemistry, focusing on developing new analytical techniques for detecting antibiotics and other banned substances in food products. When my advisor suggested last year that I should submit my research paper to the competition, I never could have imagined what would come of it. The whole experience has been an amazing ride, and I know that it has had an enormous impact on all of the participants.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw that I had been selected as a regional undergraduate finalist — it was a great honor to represent North America, and I looked forward to presenting my research and meeting the other regional finalists.

When the global competition came, I headed to Kentucky with great anticipation. Meeting the incredibly talented scientists in the competition and learning about their areas of research could not have been more rewarding, and we all got an exciting up-close look at the innovative work that Alltech does to improve our agricultural systems.

Winning the global competition was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget. My time spent with the Alltech Young Scientist program has had an incalculable impact on my future plans and inspired me to work harder to help solve the problems that we face as a society. I am looking forward to beginning my Ph.D. studies, and I hope to continue working on the development of new methods to keep our food supply safe from contamination. I am deeply grateful for Alltech’s support in helping to achieve this very important goal.

In closing, I would wholeheartedly encourage all who are interested to apply to the Alltech Young Scientist program. Getting the opportunity to participate in an international event such as this, and being able to expose yourself to groundbreaking ideas and different perspectives, is as valuable an experience as any that a student pursuing a future in agricultural science could get. Take the chance and apply — it could be the best decision you ever make!

The following is an edited transcript of Tom Martin’s interview with Dr. Vaughn Holder, research project manager for beef at Alltech.

Click below to hear the full interview:

Tom: We’re talking with Dr. Vaughn Holder, research project manager at Alltech, where he leads the global nutritional research on beef cattle. Thank you for joining us, Dr. Holder.

Vaughn: Thank you.

Tom: How does a producer take a “head-out-of-the-sand” approach?

Vaughn: The idea behind the “head-out-of-the-sand” approach is that we want producers to identify the opportunities that they have available to them.

There is significant social pressure these days. People want certain agricultural species to change the way they’re doing things. I think oftentimes consumers don’t necessarily understand the way producers are operating or that they’re already doing those things.

A “head-out-of-the-sand” approach is a way of saying to the producers, “Let’s take the good in what you do and let’s get you paid for it.”

Tom: How can a producer bring unique, traceable and healthy beef to the world marketplace?

Vaughn: Beef producers are actually very good environmental stewards. We’ve been producing beef from the land for several hundred years, and beef is still a viable product today.

What traceability does — or what verification does ­— is allows producers to market it as a part of their programs. This all starts with age and source verification, which is easy for most farmers who take records. It’s just being able to tell when the animal was born and where it comes from.

Tom: What are the key industry resources that allow a producer to, as you say, "steak" their claim?

Vaughn: “Steak" their claim — that’s great. You need two things: First, you need to have someone who can verify what you’re doing and that it fits into a certain program. Whether we’re talking about age and source verification or non-hormone treated cattle, you need somebody to come in and verify or certify that that’s what you’re doing.

Secondly, you may need to use some technologies if you are looking at replacing either antibiotics or hormones, or whatever it might be. There may be some minor modifications that you must make in your production system, and you may need some technologies to help you do that. That’s where Alltech comes in.

Tom: Why is there a need to rethink the process of taking beef products to the marketplace?

Vaughn: Most of this has been driven by social pressures — by consumer pressures — or by retail pressures. Basically, what happens is there are requirements from our consumers for certain types of production processes — or for the absence of certain production processes. When we are in business, we need to satisfy our customers’ needs, and that’s where most of this is coming from.

Tom: In your view, how could the disruptive technology CRISPR impact beef production?

Vaughn: The impacts of CRISPR are probably beyond what someone could tell you. To give you an example, if we look at polled dairy cows — “polled” meaning dairy cows without horns — if we had to go through the process of using breeding technologies to remove the horns from dairy cattle, it would probably take a process of about 10 years. It would take another 10 years to get the milk production of the dairy cows back to where they were. CRISPR would allow us to do that in a single generation.

Essentially, what CRISPR does is it allows you to edit genetics on the fly; to edit the gene sequence of the animal on the fly. That has connotations well beyond even what we can imagine in agriculture. You can imagine the consequences for medicine, for example.

Tom: You were involved in the 2016 launch of EPNIX®, Alltech’s program designed to improve the health and profitability of beef feedlot cattle independent of the use of antibiotics or other pharmaceutical technologies. Though, it does work both with and without antibiotics. Can you provide a bit more detail on the program?

Vaughn: Sure. EPNIX was a program that was developed through our nutrigenomics and epigenetics laboratory at Alltech. We have those programs in multiple species. However, the nutrition program in beef has probably seen the most progress commercially.

The culmination of that research — probably about 11 years’ worth of research — has resulted in EPNIX, which is essentially just a program designed to improve the health and performance of feedlot cattle, regardless of the use of other technologies. And that’s important; we are not replacing those technologies. We’re not talking about another antibiotic or another hormone. EPNIX products work by a completely different mechanism than those technologies. So, they do work in every situation.

Tom: How is EPNIX being received in the industry?

Vaughn: We’ve had a lot of good response from this. Agriculture is a very conservative industry. It’s actually very difficult to gain ground with folks in that industry because they are naturally suspicious of people trying to sell them all the latest and greatest technology. However, we partnered with one of the preeminent feeding groups in the industry and one of the most trusted research institutions in the industry: Cactus Feeders. They perform their own internal research for their own purposes. They are wholly owned by themselves and do not consult for anyone else. The research is taken very seriously.

We chose the right partner, and that’s why we chose to do the endpoint commercial research on the program. We had validated it in the laboratory, but we needed a place that could be trusted to show what the program can do commercially. That’s what has led to EPNIX being broadly accepted by the industry.

Tom: Are you seeing significant results?

Vaughn: Yes. In fact, from the two experiments that we have completed at Cactus Feeders thus far, we were able to improve the production of the cattle above and beyond what they are already doing. That’s important because I think it can be easy to set up a control group to fail otherwise. You need to compare new results to their current best. You need to be able to show that you can do better if you want any kind of mainstream adoption. In successive trials at Cactus Feeders, whether antibiotics were used or not, this program has improved the bottom line of those cattle.

Tom: What important future challenges does the industry face?

Vaughn: There are several. I think most of them pertain to the massive use of many technologies that the industry has grown accustomed to or has grown to rely on. The use of in-feed antibiotics is under a lot of scrutiny right now. I think it scares a lot of people — the thought that they might lose the use of those antibiotics, or as a worst-case scenario, that we might lose antibiotics altogether. I think it’s very bad if we end up in a situation where we can’t treat sick animals. That will not be good for the industry.

Tom: How does your work affect the average consumer in their kitchen table?

Vaughn: That is a very good question. The initial work that was done on the nutrition program was an effort to improve the quality of the meat. Now, it is quite difficult to implement when the beef industry is segmented. You have different entities involved in different parts of the production of meat. It becomes difficult to get one partner to pay for something that another partner will benefit from.

It has always been difficult to implement technologies that improve the quality of meat. However, because this program was based on improving quality initially, and now that we also have the health and performance aspect attached to it, we’ve seen that we can carry that benefit through. The main point of that is getting meat that has a longer shelf life and enriched micronutrient concentrations. You also get meat that is juicier and retains water better.

Tom: What do you enjoy most about your work?

Vaughn: I enjoy the act of taking something from a theoretical standpoint — from the laboratory standpoint — and coming up with an idea and seeing it applied out in the world one day. That’s the most satisfying part of the job for me. I think it can be frustrating to many scientists that you sit in the laboratory and do this amazing work, but if it doesn’t have an actual impact on the world, at the end of the day, it can become quite frustrating. So, to see this fed to real animals in real life and end up on people’s tables is quite satisfying.

Tom: Dr. Vaughn Holder, research project manager at Alltech. Thank you for joining us.

Vaughn: Thanks.

Dr. Vaughn Holder spoke at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17). To hear more talks from the conference, sign up for the Alltech Idea Lab.

How do you prefer your salmon: wild-caught or farm-raised?

When that question came up in dinner conversations 20 years ago, the answer likely would have revealed skepticism about farmed fish.

In those days, the industry was new. Salmon farms were being accused of polluting the oceans. Some were found to be harboring and incubating disease, turning a blind eye to infected escapees, and wiping out forage fish, up to 7 pounds of which once went into each pound of farmed Atlantic salmon.

But those negatives did nothing to dampen a growing world population’s appetite for fish. Seventeen percent of the protein people eat already comes from the sea, and demand is set to rise by 40 percent by 2050, according to the Norwegian Seafood Council.

“The consumption of salmon has tripled over the past 15 years,” said Keith Filer, research coordinator for aquaculture at Alltech. “The increased consumption would not be possible by relying on wild-caught salmon. Farmed-raised salmon is the only option for supplying the increase in demand.”

Still, it’s not unusual to encounter lingering debate and a host of misperceptions over wild-caught versus farmed salmon. And in this era of the smart device with details about our foods accessible at our fingertips, there has been commensurate pressure from consumer and wildlife advocates to reform aquaculture.

“Salmon farmers did a funny thing,” wrote The Washington Post contributor Tamar Haspel. “They listened. The survival of the industry depended on farmers cleaning up their act, and so that’s what they started to do.”

That has included an effort to boost consumer confidence and demonstrate a commitment to the environment through independent, third-party certification.

“The best-regarded of the certification programs will require record keeping, disclosure and transparency so the public can know that the fish they choose has been secured with care,” said Contessa Kellogg-Winters, communications director at the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).

The ASC has developed certification based on industry standards that address the adverse impacts associated with aquaculture. Thousands of NGOs, scientists, academics, farmers and industry experts contributed to the process.

According to Kellogg-Winters, the ASC standards:

• Regulate where farms can be sited to protect vulnerable nature areas.
• Help protect the surrounding ecosystems and biodiversity.
• Preserve the quality of the water.
• Mandate strict criteria for resources use.
• Regulate feed practices and mandate that farms use more sustainable feed.
• Require best practices that combat the spread of illness and parasites between farmed fish and wild fish.
• Proactively prevent fish escapes.
• Reduce the use of pesticides and chemicals.
• Set stringent controls for the use of antibiotics.

These standards not only raise the bar on the quality of production, but also serve to combat misperceptions about farmed salmon. Here are some of the more persistent among them:

Myth: Farmed salmon are raised with growth hormones and antibiotics

“An important misperception that I have come across is the use of growth hormones and antibiotics in feeds for farmed salmon,” said Gijs Rutjes, technical sales support manager at the fish feed producer Alltech Coppens. “This is not true for the growth hormones. Antibiotics are only used as a last resort in salmon farming to cure a potentially dangerous bacterial disease but never to prevent diseases or to get performance benefit. Just like we would go to the doctor when we are seriously ill.”

Myth: Farmed fish are raised in dirty conditions and generate pollution

Concerns that fish are farmed in dirty water and crowded conditions linger. The industry, however, has developed a better understanding of regional capacity — the total number of farmed fish an area can support, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. The result has been a decline in pollution as farms allow areas to recover before fish are replaced there.

Fish farmers “choose suitable sites for cage farming where the conditions and water quality are optimal,” said Rutjes. “They use feeds that keep the fish healthy and that ensure good growth. Nets are cleaned regularly to make sure sufficient water flow is there and to keep oxygen levels optimal. The salmon are kept at rather low densities, and they have spacious net cages that provide ample possibilities for natural behavior.”

Marine Harvest's salmon net cages in Norway.

For example, to prevent overcrowding, Norwegian law requires that salmon make up less than 2.5 percent of the pen’s volume. Each pen is made up of 97.5 percent water to allow for maximum comfort and a healthy growth cycle.

Salmon farms, he said, have been moving production to land-based recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS). These closed systems have no escapees, and the feces are collected and removed.

Salmon raised indoors at Marine Harvest in Norway.

Rutjes added that it’s in the fish farmer’s best interests to maintain a clean operation.

“A salmon farmer cares about his fish and knows the better he looks after them, the better the growth and flesh quality,” he explained.

Myth: Feed conversion rates are high and inefficient for farmed fish

Among lingering misconceptions is that a feed conversion rate of as much as 7 pounds of forage fish is needed to grow 1 pound of farmed salmon.

“The salmon industry has worked for many years to reduce the use of marine products in diets,” said Filer. “The feed conversion ratio for the industry has been reduced to as little as 1.6 to 1. The marine species that are used are not ones that are consumed by humans, and the major fish meal producers are much better at restricting the amount of fish harvested on a yearly basis.”

Alltech Coppens has yielded several new algae-based products that help reduce dependence on forage fish. These include the sustainable fish oil replacer ForPlus, an algae-derived fish oil substitute containing very high levels of DHA, which has been found to help reduce risk factors for heart diseases like high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Myth: Farmed salmon are not an environmentally friendly choice

According to Kellogg-Winters, a side-by-side comparison of the resources and emissions it takes to produce salmon, chicken, pork, beef and lamb has shown salmon to be the most environmentally friendly of the group.

“Salmon convert more of what they are fed into consumable protein for the end user and require fewer resources for their feed,” she explained. “Pound for pound, salmon farming produces less waste — and requires fewer raw materials — to produce more of the food our growing global population needs.”

Myth: Farmed salmon’s pink hue is the result of artificial injections

A Lerøy Seafood Group employee fillets farmed salmon raised in Norway.

Another concern voiced by consumers is the notion that farmed salmon get their pink color from artificial injections. Kiara Vallier, a writer for the submersible vehicle manufacturer Deep Trekker, notes, “Both wild and farmed salmon get their pink color from a carotenoid antioxidant in their diet called astaxanthin, which is traditionally produced by algae that wild salmon consume. Generally, farmed salmon are fed a diet that contains a chemically synthesized astaxanthin, so they get their color from the same antioxidant as their wild counterparts.”

Myth: Wild salmon tastes better than farmed salmon

Meanwhile, at the dinner table, how does wild-caught salmon differ in taste and texture from the farmed variety? Which is best?

To find out, The Washington Post assembled a panel of noted Washington seafood chefs and a seafood wholesaler for a blind taste test. They included Scott Drewno, executive chef of The Source by Wolfgang Puck; chef-restaurateur Kaz Okochi (Kaz Sushi Bistro, Masa 14); chef-restaurateur Bob Kinkead (Ancora); Bonnie S. Benwick, Tim Carman and Jane Touzalin of The Washington Post; and John Rorapaugh, director of sustainable initiatives at ProFish.

The fish, in order of panel preference (rated 1–10, with 10 being the highest score):

1. Costco farmed Atlantic, frozen in 4 percent salt solution, from Norway; $6 per pound (7.6 out of 10)

2. Trader Joe’s farmed Atlantic, from Norway; $10.99 per pound (6.4)

3. Loch Duart farmed Atlantic, from Scotland; $15 to $18 per pound (6.1)

4. Verlasso farmed Atlantic, from Chile; $12 to $15 per pound (6)

5. Whole Foods farmed Atlantic salmon, from Scotland; $14.99 per pound (5.6)

6. ProFish wild king (netted), from Willapa Bay, Washington; $16 to $20 per pound (5.3)

7. AquaChile farmed Atlantic, from Chile; $12 to $15 per pound (4.9)

8. ProFish wild coho (trolled), from Alaska; $16 to $20 per pound (4.4)

9. ProFish wild king (trolled), from Willapa Bay, Washington; $16 to $20 per pound (4)

10. Costco wild coho, from Alaska; $10.99 per pound (3.9)

Much has changed, and for the better, since the early days of salmon farming.

“We have certainly seen improvements in the performance of the aquaculture sector over the years, and we expect even more to come as a greater number of farms understand the imperative of operating with great care for the environment and those who work on their farms,” noted Kellogg-Winters. “The farms that voluntarily commit to the ASC have to operate in a transparent manner: they must keep records, work well with the community and improve their environmental performance to meet the standard.”

You can stay current on salmon and other seafood by checking FishWatch, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website. The site profiles six salmon species: chum, coho, chinook, sockeye, pink and Atlantic (both wild and farmed).

Want to try your hand at whipping up a great salmon dinner? Listen to a segment of NPR’s “America’s Test Kitchen” on cooking wild versus farm-raised salmon.

Also, check out these salmon recipes from Norway.

I want to learn more about nutritional solutions for salmon.

As the winter months near, you may be in the midst of harvest. Perhaps you’ve already started thinking about how to increase your crop quality or increase your yield next year.

As you consider how to better your crops, there are a few things you can do now to prepare your soil for the winter and the eventual spring.

Setting your soil up for success

1. Broadcast or drill in a cover crop

Topsoil has been a big topic of discussion across the globe. Each year, erosion eliminates some of our fields’ topsoil, and it takes many years to try and rebuild it, if it can be done at all. One way to maintain the top soil in your fields is to keep it covered throughout the winter by broadcasting or drilling in a cover crop post-harvest.

2. Apply a soil amendment

One of the challenges of minimum tillage or no-till practices is the buildup of residue on the soil post-harvest and pre-plant. To help reduce this buildup of residue and use it to benefit your soil, try applying a soil amendment like Soil-Set®. By breaking down that buildup of residue, it will turn into organic matter for the soil, and planting may be a bit easier, too.

3. Get your soil tested

Many people only soil test their fields on a biannual or triannual basis, making it difficult to have a solid understanding of what is going on in their fields year after year. By getting your soil tested post-harvest, you can have a better idea of what you need to apply in the spring to get the most out of your soil and ultimately grow a better crop. Many agriculture retailers offer this as a service and can help with the planning of proper nutrient placement and timing once the results are back.

Want to learn more about getting your soil set for success? Click here to contact us.

How do you gauge the success of your mineral formulation?

How much do you know about the mineral program on your dairy? What level are minerals used in your rations, and what type are they? The mineral program on your dairy has a big impact on the health and productivity of your herd. Dairy producers are generally aware that part of their feed cost includes the minerals they supplement but have no real way to measure the success of their program.

Forages and concentrates meet some of the mineral needs of dairy cattle. They do not, however, meet the total mineral requirements of healthy productive cattle. Therefore, supplemental trace minerals are required to maintain cow health, production, reproduction and adequate mineral stores in the animal.

The minerals supplemented to dairy cows are classified in two ways: macro and trace minerals. Macro minerals are minerals that are fed in quantities of grams, including calcium, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, sodium, chlorine and sulfur. Trace minerals are those fed at milligram quantities, including zinc, copper, iodine, selenium, cobalt and molybdenum. Alltech is an industry leader in organic trace mineral programs, with extensive research and industry-leading technologies such as Bioplex® and Sel-Plex®.

Achieving optimal mineral formulation can be a challenge

Designing an effective mineral program is difficult, especially considering the small inclusion in the diet and variation in mineral content. The National Research Council is generally referenced as a guideline to formulate diets; however, the guidelines are not always up to date and are often ignored. As a result, arbitrary levels are chosen to supplement.

Mineral interactions can cause antagonistic effects. For instance, molybdenum, iron and sulfur are some of the minerals that reduce the absorption of other minerals supplemented. Mineral source also has an impact. Organic minerals have been shown to have greater bioavailability than inorganic minerals. Bioavailability of Bioplex® Zinc, for example, is greater than zinc sulfate (J.L. Pierce, et. al. 2006). Considering all the factors at play, correct levels of supplementation are difficult to accomplish.

A firsthand look at mineral supplementation in Midwest dairy cattle

A survey by the University of Wisconsin-Madison on liver samples from dairy cattle in Wisconsin confirmed the challenges of supplementing trace minerals. Analysis of liver samples indicated that copper was elevated and potentially detrimental (Lyman, 2013). It is important to note, however, that differences in geography and feeding practices within the dairy industry mean that knowing the challenges that are unique to your area are critical when formulating your mineral programs.

This past summer, through the help of a local veterinary clinic and an Alltech summer intern, we set out to measure the success of mineral programs along the Interstate 29 corridor. Ben Sieve, Alltech intern, and Dr. Corale Dorn of Dells Veterinary Clinic collected liver samples from dairies along Interstate 29. Liver biopsies on seven cows from five dairies were collected for a total of 35 cows. Samples were analyzed at Michigan State University. Water and TMR were also collected and analyzed by Dairyland Laboratories. Sampled cows averaged 100 days in milk. Average herd size was around 2,000 cows milking.

What we learned from the dairy cows along Interstate 29

Elevated copper levels in liver samples were not as common along Interstate 29 compared to the data collected in Wisconsin. Using Michigan State University’s laboratory for analysis, six of the 35 cows measured showed elevated copper levels. Average copper concentration in South Dakota was a 132 parts per million (ppm) wet weight, which compared to an average ppm wet weight of 163 in the Wisconsin survey.

Interestingly, we found that zinc deficiency may be more prevalent than we realize. Fifty percent of the sample results were deficient in zinc, according to Michigan State University standards.

Selenium levels in South Dakota are often a concern due to elevated selenium in the soil. Elevated selenium levels were observed with some of the dairies surveyed.

On-farm responses

It is well-documented that organic minerals have higher bioavailability than inorganic ingredients, such as zinc and copper sulfate. Research conducted on Bioplex minerals has identified programs in which 100 percent of the minerals supplemented from organic sources delivered positive performance response. In that trial, cows on 100 percent Bioplex minerals produced 442 kilograms (972 pounds) more milk in a 305-day lactation and had 34 percent lower somatic cell count (SCC) (Kinal, 2007). These programs decrease the excretion of unused minerals, decrease the risk of antagonists and have demonstrated strong production responses in research trials.

One of the dairies involved in the Interstate 29 mineral study implemented these practices into their mineral program. Hilltop Dairy started feeding Bioplex minerals in fall 2016. By using Bioplex, they required lower levels of minerals. The results from the liver survey showed Hilltop Dairy more appropriately in the ranges suggested by Michigan State University.

“After nearly a year, our dairy’s SCC is down 43 percent, and we are up in milk production compared to last year,” said Hilltop Dairy owner, Wilfried Reuvekamp. “Normally in the summer, SCC goes up and production goes down. We have never had a summer like this!”

Learn more information on Bioplex® and Sel-Plex®.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my dairy.

There’s a coolness in the air, and leaves are starting to turn. The onset of fall weather means harvest season is upon us. During this time, farmers have much work to do in a short time. That sense of urgency can lead to accidents and damage that might otherwise have been prevented.

While we want you to accomplish your tasks efficiently, we’d like to ensure you do so safely. Therefore, we’ve compiled some recommended safety guidelines that should be useful reminders during your busy season.

Equipment and operator safety

Harvest inevitably means long hours spent behind the wheel of heavy machinery, and the safe completion of related tasks depends on both overall knowledge and attentiveness. It’s perfectly normal for us to take pride in our work, especially if that means putting in long hours in pursuit of a common goal. This is particularly evident in harvesting operations. Yet exhaustion and sickness regularly contribute to accidents in the field. It is important to recognize what your body is trying to tell you. If you aren’t feeling your best, consider turning the operation over to a trusted friend while you recover.

Keep in mind these safety tips:

• Take regular breaks to aid in divvying up the monotony of machinery operation.
• Turn off engines, remove keys and wait for all moving parts to stop before getting out of machinery.
• If you are going to eat in the field, climb down from the combine and relax for a little while.
• Dress with both comfort and safety in mind. Wear protective footwear and close-fitting clothes.
• Proper safety gear should be worn at all times around dangerous noise, dust or hazardous materials.
• Turn equipment off before making any repairs or adjustments.
• Do not remove safety shields, roll bars or guards. They are there to protect you.

Grain bin safety

Farm workers should all know the hazards of flowing grain and how to prevent a grain entrapment situation. When grain is being unloaded from the bottom of a bin, it flows downward from the top center, creating a funnel effect. If a person is on top of the grain in a bin being unloaded, they can be pulled into the flowing grain within a matter of seconds, likely rendering them helpless and potentially resulting in suffocation. Anybody who works with grain, in any capacity, must be aware of the dangers.

If you must enter a bin, it is vitally important to follow these safety precautions:

• Shut off and lock all unloading equipment before entering a bin.
• When possible, ladders should be installed inside grain bins as emergency exits.
• Avoid entering the bin when possible. A long pole can be used to break up crusted grain instead of having a worker enter the bin. Grain that has crusted can cover open spaces, which likely will not support the weight of a person.
• Wear a harness that is attached to a properly secured rope.
• Stay near the outer wall of the bin. If the grain starts to flow, move to the bin ladder or safety rope as quickly as possible.
• Never enter a bin alone. Have at least one person stand outside the bin, someone who can help you should you become entrapped. It is best to have two people available who are properly trained to follow all safety procedures for entering the bin.
• Wear a dust filter or filter respirator when working in a grain bin, especially while cleaning.
• Do not allow children to play in or around grain bins, wagons or truck beds.

Farm equipment road safety

If you need to drive your equipment on any roadways, you should consider the following safety tips:

• Increase visibility by using the equipment’s lights and flashers, especially during inclement weather or when light is low (early mornings and evenings).
• Avoid busy roads whenever possible.
• If there is a line of cars behind you and a suitable shoulder is available, pull over and allow traffic to pass before proceeding.

It is our hope that, by following these and other appropriate farm safety guidelines, you will have a productive and safe harvest not only this year, but for many years to come.

You may be wondering, “When is the right time to begin building healthy soil?” While this answer may surprise you, the right time is always now. Whether you are choosing the seeds for your next crop or have just finished harvesting your fields, planning your sustainable soil management strategies should always be top of mind. 

Through seasons of use, soils can become depleted of nutrients and organic matter. If left unattended, this will lead to a decrease in yields for the grower. Additionally, soil depletion is not a phenomenon that is limited to the farmer; the home grower and gardener can face the same issues in their own front or backyards. 

Proactive growers work for their soil to ensure that it works for them.

Healthy soil — which is soil that has a high organic matter content, a balanced structure and high nutrient availability — provides an excellent basis for plants. It can decrease the amount of inputs that a grower needs to use, since many of the nutritional requirements of the crops will already be supplied through the soil. This increased nutrient availability can also help plants to develop stronger roots and become naturally more resistant to environmental stressors. 

The four tips included below will help increase your soil health in a sustainable way and will lead to noticeable improvements for years to come. 

Increase soil organic matter

Between all the animals (like worms and insects) and the millions of microbes that make their homes in the ground, healthy soil is teeming with life. Each of these creatures plays a role in nutrient cycling, which is the process of breaking down crop residue, such as corn stubble, and degrading it into organic matter in the soil. Once the breakdown process is complete, the nutrients then become available for use by the plants. When plants use the nutrients that are available in the soil, growers can begin using more specific additives and fertilizers instead of deploying widespread “just in case” spraying. 

Minimize tillage

Tilling can damage the soil environment and should only be used to improve problem areas, including where the soil is compacted or where drainage issues are heavily impacting the fields. Tilling can also increase the number of weeds in a field by bringing them to the surface, where they can germinate and grow. These weeds will compete with the intended crop for nutrients and take over precious field space, potentially decreasing crop yields.

Keep the surface of the soil covered

Using cover crops has become increasingly popular, and for good reason. Not only do cover crops offer another opportunity for growers to improve their soil makeup, since their use increases the availability of nutrients like nitrogen in the soil, but they also significantly reduce the likelihood of soil erosion. When fields are kept uncovered after harvest and during the winter, they become susceptible to erosion from wind and rain, which leaves the grower a step behind in building a healthy foundation for springtime crops.

Rotate crops

The type and amount of nutrients used by different crops will vary depending on which crop is being grown. Different crops also will increase the availability of different nutrients, which can be used by the crops that follow. Crop rotation also plays a part in preventing soil erosion. Not only does the field remain covered, but as each crop’s roots grow to varying lengths, they will hold onto the soil at different depths throughout the seasons, maintaining stability against heavier rains and winds.

While these steps are great ways to improve your soil and ensure that it will continue to be the hardworking first step toward producing a healthy plant and a profitable yield, their results can be maximized when combined with other management tools. Soil testing throughout your fields, for instance, will help you pinpoint areas of concern. Field scouting during the growing season will help the grower catch any areas where there might be a nutrient deficiency or disease pressure before the problem becomes widespread and requires more intervention. By combining all the tools at their disposal, growers can give crops the best possible foundation for seasons to come in a proactive and sustainable way.

Want to learn more? Sign up for Top Crop, our newsletter full of information on sustainable management practices, grower stories from around the world and news from Alltech Crop Science.

Working in Wisconsin, the dairy capital of the world, I see many dairies and parlors on a daily basis. I know the milking routine is very important in all dairy operations, because a lot of milk can either be gained or lost in the parlor. When I go into a parlor, I look for what I call “cowsistency.” I like to see the milking technicians following the same milking routine between milkings, between sessions and between months. We want all the technicians doing the same routine calmly and consistently, because the milking routine is so important to the quality of the milk produced and the safety of the dairy herd.

Brushing

One of the first things that we talk about when assessing a milking routine — and a lot of people miss this — is brushing. When the cows come in and we get ready to prep them, brushing should be one of the first things done, to get sand or soil off the teats.

I am often called to a dairy because the cows are “dancing” while they are being milked. This is partially because the technicians have left the sand on and covered it in pre-dip solution, and then they are unable to wipe the sand off completely when it is wet.

One of the most important things you can do in your routine is get a dry towel and brush gently, to remove sand and soil from the cow’s teats, prior to doing anything else.

Forestripping

The next step we like to do is called forestripping. The goal should be to get two to three squirts out of each teat. This is important to the milking routine because it releases a powerful let-down hormone and makes the cow think that her calf is there.

Forestripping also gives us the opportunity to check the milk to see if there are any abnormalities about it. Additionally, those first few squirts of milk will give a good indication of whether a cow has mastitis.

Another important part of forestripping is from a milk quality standpoint, because those first few squirts of milk are high in somatic cells, so we can lower the somatic cell count of the milk just by forestripping prior to milking.

Pre-dip

Another vital aspect to the milking routine is the pre-dip. In this step, we want to completely cover the teats with a pre-dip solution to adequately kill bacteria on the outside of the teats.

When the milking technicians come back through the second time, make sure that dry, clean towels are used with a downward circular motion technique. Also, as a follow-up to this step in the milking process, be sure to flip the towel over and use it to clean the teat ends. Getting the teat ends clean is very important to decreasing the environmental challenges that can lead to mastitis, and to keeping the cows and the milk safe from harmful bacteria.

Attachment and post-dip

Once we get the cows cleaned and prepped, we come back and attach the unit squarely at the base of the udder so that we milk all quarters out correctly. At the conclusion of milking, once the units are detached, we come back with a high quality post-dip, making sure to gently but completely dip the teats, submerging them over the point where the film of milk ends. If we don’t do an adequate job and only get part of the teats in a post-dip, all the milk remaining is an organic load, making food for bacteria.

Milking claw

The milking claw is vital in our milking routine, because it gets the milk from the teat to the tank. One of the things I look at on the milking unit is whether the liner in the shell is lined up straight in relation to the outer shell. If the liner is twisted, we cannot adequately milk out that quarter.

Another very important portion of the claw to look at is the hose support. How well are we supporting the claw in relation to the square base of the udder?

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In “The corn conundrum,” we looked at some of the causes of the dreaded “fall slump.” Now we will look at some of the ways to prevent the slump as well as tools to help diagnose it.

Dry matter at harvest

We all know the importance of proper dry matter at harvest. Checking whole plant dry matter for each field is a good first step to having the correct dry matter at harvest.

Chopping too early can lower the starch content of the corn silage and impede fermentation, which can also contribute to the environmental issue of leachate. On the other hand, chopping too late (>40 percent dry matter) can lead to a separate set of problems, such as mycotoxins, poor fermentation, yeast production, decreased starch digestibility and a longer window for total starch digestion.

If we monitor the seven-hour starch digestibility and ammonia levels of fresh corn silage, it can tell us a lot about how the corn is fermenting. Typically, fall corn silage will be low in both the seven-hour starch and ammonia. As the silage ferments over 240 days, the ammonia levels rise and the starch digestibility increases.

Silage inoculants and crop quality

We know that inoculants can speed up fermentation and lower pH, thus saving energy for the cow. Inoculants enable us to get into the piles, bags, bunkers and silos even faster than before.

Future outlook is strong is this area. Work is being done on combinations of inoculants and enzymes to assist in both starch digestion and fiber digestion, which will serve to further our efficiencies.

Inoculants can cater to front end fermentation or feed out protection. Cater your inoculant to your individual situation.

Inoculants coupled with a quality mold inhibitor can be the ultimate line of defense against molds, top spoilage and stability issues. Mold-Zap®, a buffered propionic acid, has been the gold standard in alleviating seasonal total mixed ration heating, but very keen dairymen also use it for preventing top spoilage in bunkers, drive over piles and on silage faces.

Corn Silage Processing Score

Shredlage, a new corn harvesting method for silage, is gaining acceptance. Most importantly, shredlage processing has led to a renewed interest in proper corn silage kernel processing with the choppers many producers already have. With proper corn silage processing, the kernels can be processed down to the new standard of ¼” kernels.

The Corn Silage Processing Score (CSPS) is a great testing tool that is run at virtually all the forage labs in the U.S. because it will assess how well the corn silage has been processed. A Corn Silage Processing Score in the 40–60 percent range is common in unprocessed corn silage and can equate to lost milk. Setting a goal of achieving a processing score above 70 percent will help you reduce the corn silage slump and the impacts it has on your herd.

Before we get CSPS numbers back, is there another way to know if we are correctly processing the corn silage? A new technique involving “floating” fresh corn silage is getting some attention, and it’s easy to find articles and images of the procedure online. The process is very simple and can be accomplished in the field, right at the chopper, but you will need a sample of fresh corn silage, a 5-gallon bucket and some water.

1. Fill the 5-gallon bucket three-quarters full with water.
2. Take a 32-ounce cup of fresh corn silage and pour it into the bucket of water.
3. Stir it around for a few minutes.
4. Sift out the fiber particles that float to the top.
5. Dump the water and be sure to save the kernels.
6. Inspect the kernels to ensure that most of the kernels are quartered. The old concept of “nicked” kernels being sufficient is now antiquated advice.

Monitor the back end

It is a dirty job, but someone really does have to do it. Manure can tell you a lot about how things are working inside the cow.

It’s worthwhile to consider a couple of tools that have been around for a few years.

The Penn State Particle Separator has been used for years to monitor fiber levels in the diet. The particle separator’s “messy” cousin, the manure screen, can tell you just as much, if not more. The true value of manure screening is monitoring over time and with ration changes. With the transition to new crop corn silage, you can see the impact of the new feed. Many times with new crop corn silage, you will see the kernel remnants in the middle screen and fiber changes in the various screens. Benchmarking your manure screens is a great approach because it will enable you to see what the rumen is doing and you can make ration adjustments quicker than if you use a paper-only approach.

While we are messing around with the manure, there is yet another tool that is underutilized, and that tool is fecal starch. Fecal starch testing is done at most commercial feed labs and can tell you a lot about kernel processing and starch digestion, so it can help you to confirm your CSPS scores and the level of starch digestion. Your goal should be to keep the fecal starch under 3 percent, even though you can commonly see the levels initially rise with new crop corn silage samples.

Aiding in the new crop silage transition

Some of the undigested corn can bypass the rumen and cause hindgut fermentation, which can lead to indigestion and rumen upset. The starch-digesting enzyme Amaize® and certain strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae can assist in breaking down starch and maintaining a proper rumen environment.

Additionally, we know that soluble protein and ammonia levels are at lower levels in fresh corn silage. Products that assist in adjusting the rumen degradable protein levels can help jumpstart the rumen microbial production and assist in starch and fiber digestion. Optigen® can help fuel the rumen in the absence of good new crop soluble protein and ammonia levels.

Don’t feed it, but if you must…

Ultimately, the best way to reduce the fall corn silage slump is not to feed it. It may be frustrating to receive that advice, but it remains true. Starch digestion is often slow, and new crop corn silage should be given three months to properly ferment. Obviously, the longer the fermentation, the better, but there should be a plan in place to have a few months’ carryover of your corn silage crop.

When we must feed fresh corn silages, the tools discussed above can help to reduce the corn silage slump. Ask your local Alltech representative for more information on how we can help you to reduce the new crop corn silage blues.

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The first animals to be domesticated by humans were wolves, although the jury is still out on when exactly this occurred. Now a menagerie of animals is considered companion animals or pets, from the fuzzy chinchilla to the majestic horse. The original reasons for domestication were as varied as the species themselves: protection, hunting, travel and companionship.

Today, pets are considered by their owners to be members of the family. They have their own toys, a special place on the sofa or even their own room.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans individually spent an average of $500 on their pets for a collective total of $66.75 billion, three times more than 20 years earlier. Their growth in spending is being outpaced by China, where pet lovers are estimated to spend 50 percent more by 2019. With a human population 4.5 times larger than the U.S., this may soon become the world’s biggest market. The European pet industry is also fairly substantial and, according to EuroDev, is expected to grow to $36.4 billion USD by the end of 2017, with the biggest markets being France (16.5 percent), Germany (16 percent) and the U.K. (15.3 percent).

As the population increases, the middle class grows and new geographic markets develop, opportunities abound in the pet sector. Additionally, advances in technology that have been disrupting many other industries are certain to have an effect. Traditional pet products and emerging technologies are converging, opening up never-before-seen opportunities.

Following the eight digital technologies framework* I’ve used in previous blogs, what could disrupt the companion animal market?

1. 3D appendages?

These doggie knee implants are created using a 3D printer. Image courtesy of 3D Systems.

3D printing can offer veterinarians novel life-saving techniques for pets. 3D Systems has partnered with Rita Leibinger Medical to create and print titanium orthopedic knee implants for dogs. They have reported nearly 10,000 successful implants using a procedure they call tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA). TTA eliminates the need for a veterinarian to repair the ligament because it stabilizes the joint using a titanium implant, which speeds up both the surgery itself and the animal’s recovery time.

While it may sound expensive, TTA actually costs significantly less than traditionally hand-built prosthetics. There are many incredible tales of second chances — a duck with a new silicone foot, a cat’s knee implant and a pup’s prosthetic legs. Though not designed solely for animal and veterinary use, several companies have now created prosthetics for animals: NovaCopy, Stratasys, MakerBot, 3dyn and BTech.

2. Are robotic dogs man’s new BFF?

Move over, Fido, man’s new best friend is…a robot? Robotic “Rover” has certainly done well in Japan, where Aibo (Sony) engineered a robotic dog in 1999 that was designed to learn about its owners and to react appropriately to their emotions. These robots used both sensors and artificial intelligence to create such a real impression. In fact, so genuine was the appearance that owners in Japan were holding funerals when their pets “died.”

While this original design was for fun and companion purposes, there seems to be an opportunity to create robotic dogs to replace some of the service animals we have today. Japanese company NSK created Lightbot, a guide robot of sorts, but the design leaves much to be desired when compared to a snuggly pup! Alternatively, robotic dogs or cats could be an ideal solution for families with severe allergies that are prohibitive to real animals.

MiRo is a programmable robotic canine created by Consequential Robotics that has sensors for detecting its surroundings, facial recognition technology and is designed to be emotionally engaging. MiRo won the Best Demonstration Award at the 2017 Human-Robot Interaction conference in Vienna, Austria.

CHiP, made by WowWee, is an intelligent, affectionate robot dog. Using smart technology and advanced sensors, your responses will determine CHiP’s behavior. Cozmo is yet another example.

There is also a robotic company that designs robots resembling animal-like frames called Boston Dynamics. Though these robots are intended less for companion purposes and more for practical applications, they are designed to learn and adapt to their environment. Once you watch a video of their robot, Spot, it’s hard not to imagine how it could easily segue into the pet world with just a little “prettying” up.

3. Drones for lost doggies

There are some practical applications for drones in the pet industry. For one, a drone is capable of searching and finding missing pets. They are able to cover a wider area than a human could and, when combined with other technologies such as the GPS wearables discussed below, could zoom in on the lost animal. Drones have already been used to track and count strays in urban areas such as Houston, Texas. The World Animal Awareness Society used drones to film strays to increase awareness and compassion for the issue.

A few months ago, IBM filed a patent for a drone that could act as a pet sitter or trainer, providing your dog or cat with constant monitoring while you’re away at work. It could train your pet or provide entertainment should your dog get restless or lonely. Potentially, the drone could allow the dog in or out, and also dole out food or treats at mealtimes or for training purposes.

Netherlands-based Tinki.nl thinks the 100 million kilos of dog droppings that are neglectfully distributed in his country create quite the nightmare. Teaming up with Space53, the companies use a drone equipped with thermal imaging and recognition software to locate the mess and apply GPS coordinates to its location. Then, a robot receives the coordinates and cleans the area. It's an incredible way to combine technologies to address a real problem.

4. Sensors for Spot

Sensors for pets, particularly in the form of wearables such as GPS-enabled collars, have seen significant growth over the last few years.

WonderWoof BowTie is a dog activity tracker that can set daily recommended activity targets for your pet based on size, breed and age. It records movement and sends owners progress reports (or reminders to get the dog to be more active!) via an app.

The Buddy by Squeaker glow-in-the-dark LED collar takes this a step further, using GPS and Bluetooth technology to track and organize daily activity. Not only does it use geofencing and real-time tracking, but it will also determine your dog’s temperature and set the thermostat in your home to make your pet more comfortable. It is waterproof and connects to your smartphone for real-time health analysis and updates.

PetPace, designed for dogs or cats, monitors health and alerts owners when something is wrong. Other examples of health monitoring devices include the iotatracker, FitBark and Tailio for cats.

What about fish? FishBit monitors your aquarium, including temperature and fish/coral/plant stock, and it reminds you when the water needs to be changed, all through an app on your smartphone.

Wearables offering GPS monitoring include PawTrack, specifically for cats, Whistle for dogs and Tractive for both dogs and cats. Petkit not only offers a wearable that monitors activity and food intake, but also assesses an animal’s mood, and so does DogStart’s TailTalk. PawTracker is also designed for both dogs and cats and uses GPS locating to keep track of your pet.

However, sensors go beyond wearables. Tired of scooping kitty litter? Litter-Robot has a space-age-looking enclosed litter “box” that senses when your cat is done and cleans the box for you. It also alerts you when the box is full so all you have to do is dump the drawer.

Perhaps the most practical opportunity for sensor technology is in automatic feeders. PetNet makes an automatic feeder that gauges the amount of existing food and reorders more if levels run low. CatFi does much the same, and also uses 3D facial recognition to track how much each individual cat is eating.

Designed by animal-loving neurosurgeons, CleverPet is an automatic feeding system that is also designed to engage and challenge your pet to ease boredom. OurPets Wonder Bowl is paired with a collar tag that allows only the animal it is connected with to eat, which is great for people with more than one pet or animals on special diets. Eyenimal offers a wide range of products, from invisible fencing to no-bark collars, cameras and automatic feeding devices. PetSafe offers all manner of pet products, including food dispensers, automatic ball launchers, electronic pet doors, laser toys for cats and more.

There is no shortage of variety of sensor applications. Most of these are wearables in the form of collars, some are feeders or toys. Almost all will connect to your smartphone, where appropriate.

Astro: Garmin’s handheld tracking system

Catspad: Programmable automatic cat feeder

Gibi Pet Tracker: Attaches to any pet collar and connects to your phone

iFetch: Automatic ball thrower

LINK: Wearable uses AI to determine what constitutes intense activity

Tabcat: Lightweight tracking collar, specifically for cats

MarcoPolo: Long range, waterproof, lightweight tracking collar for dogs and cats

Nuzzle: GPS location collar and activity tracker

PetPace: Collar collects pet’s vitals including temperature, activity, pulse, calories consumed (and burned), etc.

Poof: Daily activity tracker (includes sleep!)

Voyce Sensor tracks activity, heart and respiratory rates, quality of rest, etc.

5. Using artificial intelligence (AI) to talk to your pet

No need for your pet to be bored while you’re away — AI can be used to entertain, challenge and even reward him. Image courtesy of Petcube.

The next step in AI might be talking to and understanding your pet! Not long ago, Amazon said it would be selling pet translators within the next 10 years. Already, there is an app available in the U.K. that is a “human-to-cat translator,” but it does not necessarily claim to use AI and reviews are mixed as to its effectiveness.

As already mentioned, robotic dogs can use AI, and sensors provide a means of collecting information for AI to make real-time decisions. PetBot uses AI to recognize your dog, give it treats when you choose (through an app) and take pictures that are sent to your smartphone. Felik is an intelligent pet companion that uses AI to create the same movements a human does when using a laser pointer to play with a cat or dog, keeping your pet entertained while you’re away. Petchatz also allows owners to chat with their dog and release treats to reward their attentiveness.

6. Create your own pet through augmented reality

Augmented reality, sometimes referred to as “mixed reality,” offers its own version of what the future of household pets might be. Rather than robots, what about holograms? This is just one of the many applications of Microsoft’s HoloLens using Actiongram. These holographic pets are able to interact with their owners and fetch balls, perform tricks for treats and even display personalities and emotions like shyness and happiness. These digital companions will build intelligence and learn to interact with people.

British company INDE has created all types of AR systems for many top organizations, including an interactive dinosaur display for National Geographic. Who’s to say what other AR companies may move into the pet industry?

7. Virtual reality allows for much cleaner “pet” homes

This imploring face may be created in a virtual world, but it still demands love and attention. Image courtesy of Foopets.

VR technology is proving to be an effective training tool, including within veterinary education. Future animal surgeons can learn extensively from this technology in the classroom, but there are other, less serious functions for the technology as well.

Google Cardboard has made it easy for anyone to use VR apps such as Virtual Reality Pet. HTC Vive, the creator of Konrad the Kitten, has really upped its game recently with a new design using Oculus Rift’s handheld touch controller, which allows users to not only see a virtual pet, but to physically touch, pet, hold or cuddle one. FooPets offers both puppies and kittens as adoptable virtual pets that require food, love and attention.

Reading about VR in the pet industry almost begs the question: Will pets experience VR as well? Pawculus Rift was a pretty good April fools’ joke by Cramer, but who’s to say that one day there couldn’t be a use for it? Could VR for your pet keep them entertained while you’re at work? Could it be used to train them? As quickly as technology is moving, new opportunities arise every day, and it may not seem so strange to imagine.

8. Blockchain could verify your pet’s pedigree

Undoubtedly, blockchain technology has the capability to revolutionize transparency in pet pedigrees. Privacy is always a concern within a series of transactions, such as the sale of a pet through multiple owners, but blockchain is designed in such a way that the digital records are not centrally located, nor controlled by one entity. No one can manipulate the data, and it is fully secure. This leaves it virtually impregnable to hackers or information seekers with malintent.

The biggest benefit of blockchain is the ability to share all types of information. From an animal’s breeding history to its yearly veterinary care, health records, dog show awards, training certifications, etc., Blockchain can actually store information from any device, even robots, sensors and microchips.

Internet of things (IoT) becomes the internet of pets

Any of these eight digital technologies can become part of the IoT. It is IoT technology that interconnects them, even in ways we may not yet comprehend. For example, IoT connects the camera in your living room with the smartphone on your desk, allowing you to monitor your pet while you’re at work. It’s also IoT that connects your phone back to the treat feeder, allowing you to reward your pet for behaving while you’re at work! IoT enables the collection and interconnectivity of data. This is extremely important when considering the health and well-being of your pet.

Big data and the microbiome

In recent years, discussion has evolved about the role of the microbiome, or the bacteria in your stomach, and the effects a healthy gut can have on humans. The same is true for animals. Studying an animal’s microbiome and the effect nutrients has on it is not easy. Thankfully, there is another new type of technology called nutrigenomics (the study of how nutrients affect an organism’s genes). It uses a gene chip that allows researchers to test different nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, yeast fractions, probiotics, prebiotics and even essential oils, to see how adding them to an animal’s diet can improve their digestive efficiency.

Why is this important? By improving the microbiome, or gut, of your pet, you can improve their overall health. It will reduce their chances of getting sick and improve their energy levels. There are very few nutrigenomics centers in the world, and most are dedicated to human research. Alltech has built the only one dedicated to animals and has collected a tremendous amount of data, challenging traditional analytical systems, but big data algorithms have been developed that allow for this information to be analyzed and understood as never before.

The eight technologies, the IoT and the advent of big data described here are digital disruptions affecting nearly every aspect of modern life, including even our four-legged companions. While some of the concepts may seem hard to fathom, given the speed of innovation, concepts that don’t exist today may quickly emerge and become a reality. Advances in the pet industry are already apparent, and new technologies arrive on the market on a daily basis, growing the market ecosystem map. From a commercial standpoint, it’s clear: The pet industry is growing by leaps and bounds, and there are exciting (and profitable!) times ahead for those who cater to people’s love for their companion animal family members.

*The framework for these eight technologies was first proposed in a PwC article.