ISU Extension
IA State Univ.
IA Dept. of Ag
IA DNR

Northwest Area Extension

November 2003

In this issue
SWAP
Preconditioning Your Calves 
Manure Management Thoughts for Fall 
Conference Looks to the Future 
CCP on 2003 Corn Crop Authorized 
Non-Starlink Settlement Update 

SWAP
by Jerry Weiss, ISUE Swine Field Specialist

The Swine Welfare Assurance Program (SWAP) is designed to help producers assess their operations compliance with the guidelines given in the check-off funded Swine Care Handbook.

As a pork producer, your livelihood depends on the welfare and performance of your livestock. If an animal is mistreated or under stress, it will need to eat more feed to grow, will be more susceptible to disease and will generally not thrive.

There is no scientific consensus about the "ideal" tool to measure animal welfare. It is generally accepted that there are three indications of welfare that should be measured together. These are:

1. Performance and Health
2. Behavior
3. Physiology

SWAP covers the stages of production in two sections: (1) Gilts, Sows, Boars and Neonatal Piglets and (2) Nursery and Finisher Pigs. Either or both may be applicable to your operation.

If you are interested in SWAP for your swine operation contact your County Extension Office and your Swine Field Specialist will work with you on this program. 

Preconditioning Your Calves
By Dennis DeWitt, ISUE Livestock Field Specialist

You can add value to your calves by participating in the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association sanctioned green tagged sales.  Sales will be held from December to March at auction barn locations in Algona, Sheldon and Spencer.

This year’s sales will offer the traditional green tagged as well as a new “Double Tagged” option.  The existing mandatory procedures of vaccinations, castration, dehorning, 30-day weaning and 60-day ownership will have the following mandatory procedures added to the “Double Tagged” program.

• Two modified-live vaccinations must be administered for the 4-way viral, Clostridial group and Haemophilus

• Second vaccination required a minimum of 1 week prior to sale

• A Pasteurella vaccine is required

• Internal parasite treatment is required

Both the old and new preconditioning programs will be offered at the following locations:

Algona - sale on Friday at 12:30
January 9 & 30
February 20
March 12

Sheldon - sale on Saturday at 12:00
December 20
January 10
February 7
March 6

Spencer - sale on Saturday at 12:30
December 13
January 3 & 24
February 14
March 13

If you have any questions about the two preconditioning programs contact:  Craig White, ICA District 2 Director, 712-362-4963  cmwhite16@yahoo.com

Manure Management Thoughts for Fall
by Joel DeJong, ISUE Crops Field Specialist

Manure can be an effective source of nutrients for upcoming crops, and with present nitrogen costs, we can probably make some money if we manage that manure well!  Kris Kohl, the area Agricultural Engineer, has noted in some of the manure samples he pulled this fall from swine units that N levels in many look to be down some from previous tests.  Why?  Possibly, according to Swine Specialist Dave Stender, it is because lysine is cheaper and soybean meal is more expensive.  So what?  Well, in many swine rations there has been a significant reduction in soybean meal per ton of feed - replaced with lysine and more corn.  This still balances the ration - and leaves less excess protein in the ration - which means less excess N for swine to excrete.  This could be one of the factors lowering N levels in manure.  So, what should you do?  Make sure you have the manure sampled for nutrient levels!

Here are a few additional management reminders for this fall, focusing on liquid swine manure:

1. If you have a manure management plan, you must follow it.  Dig it out, look at what it says, follow it or alter it appropriately to fit the acres you need to apply on for this year.

2. If your plan is based on N levels (almost all are right now), that is the application rate you must follow.  Also, that is the total amount of N you can apply to these acres, unless you have good evidence that either you under applied on these acres (then you can make up the difference with fertilizer), or the late-spring N test says you are short on the field. 

3. I think liquid swine manure is a very good source of N.  Our research quite consistently shows that 100% of the N from liquid swine manure is available in year 1 (of course, don’t forget losses at application time).  Corn with swine manure N often out-yields corn with the same rate of commercial nitrogen applied.

4. Do the little things right!  Test the manure before applying to find out target application rates, and during application to make sure it is still the same (I like 3 samples when applying:  one from one of the first, middle, and almost last loads).  Apply uniformly - I think I can trust the nutrient value, I don’t always trust uniformity of application. Calibrate application equipment. 

5. Remember that in liquid swine manure about 2/3 of the nitrogen is in the ammonium form.  That means when soils are warm after application in the fall, this portion can change to nitrate quite rapidly  leaving you susceptible to N loss - like with anhydrous application in the early fall.

For more information on manure, here are some excellent references:

Managing Manure Nutrients for Crop Production, ISU Extension Publication Pm1811, found here: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1811.pdf .

The Iowa Manure Management Action Group web page (IMMAG), with almost anything you ever wanted to know about manure management issues in Iowa: http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/immag/default.htm

The Iowa Odor and Manure Management Newsletter had good articles this spring and summer about the work John Sawyer has been doing with liquid swine manure and crop yield response. Go to this page for the newsletter.  It’s great reading! http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Pages/communications/EPC/Spring03/homepage.html

Conference Looks to the Future
by Beth Ellen Doran, ISUE Beef Field Specialist

One thing is for sure - the cattle industry is changing.  Recent cases of BSE in Canada and Japan are not only having a profound effect on cattle prices, but also on product accountability and documentation.  The issue of Country of Origin Labeling is about to be surpassed by the issue of a national identification system to track food safety in livestock.  Food purveyors are demanding changes in the way livestock is produced.  This is shaping and creating a new market place.

Iowa State University Extension and the Iowa Beef Center invite feedlot producers and allied industry staff to participate in a beef feedlot conference, "Access and Success in the Future Marketplace," on November 18-19 at the Gateway Center in Ames, IA.  Starting at 1 p.m., the conference will focus on what the future marketplace will look like.  Dr. Bill Mies of eMerge Interactive will discuss new consumer trends and what this means to cattle feeders.  Other topics, such as the future of antibiotics, the National Identification system to track animal diseases and process control in the feedlot, will also address the look of the new marketplace.

The Tuesday morning sessions feature marketing management and cost control measures to compete in the new marketplace.  Dr. Robbi Pritchard, SDSU Feedlot Specialist, will visit about nutrition and management for carcass value and profit.  Other topics include an Iowa Quality Beef update, ethanol co-products research and Optaflexx, a new technology from Elanco.

For information about the ISU Feedlot Conference, contact your local County Extension Office or check out the web site: www.iowabeefcenter.org. The cost is $125 for registrations received on or before Nov. 1 and $150 for on-site registrations and those received after Nov. 1. The registration fee includes dinner, breaks and all conference materials.

CCP on 2003 Corn Crop Authorized
By Ron Hook, ISUE Farm Management Specialist

The season average market price for the 2003 corn crop is expected to be less than $2.32. As a result a counter cyclical payment (CCP) of 22 cents has been authorized by the Secretary of Agriculture.  The maximum corn CCP for the 2003 crop corn is 34 cents per bushel.

Producers may elect to receive the counter-cyclical payments in three installments: a first in October, a second in February and the final at the end of the marketing year.  Producers may also wait until the marketing year is over and the amount of the CCP is known for certain before requesting payment.  The marketing year for the 2003 corn crop began September 1, 2003 and will end August 31, 2004, when the actual CCP rate will be determined. 

The partial payment rate was determined using crop supply and demand information provided in the October World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report.  No CCP was authorized on 2003 crop soybeans since the season average price is not expected to fall below the $5.36 level necessary to trigger a CCP on this crop.

Non-Starlink Settlement Update
By Ron Hook, ISUE Farm Management Specialist

Some corn loss proof of claims filed in the non-Starlink farmer litigation have been returned as being incomplete.  Practical guidance for meeting the November 15 deadline to fix those deficiencies can be found at   (http://www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/legal/pdfs/StarlinkDeficiencyNotice.pdf).

The farmdoc website article was written by Donald Uchtmann, University of Illinois Professor of Ag Law.  It outlines a four step process for dealing with the deficiency.

1. Don't Panic.

2. Read your notice very carefully and categorize the perceived problem.

3. Determine the action apparently needed to solve the perceived problem(s).

4. Complete requested actions and postmark by November 15, keeping a file copy.

Under step one, “Don't Panic,” he notes that many farmers across the Corn Belt have received the notice.  Under step two he points out the two most common problems and provides direction to learn about other less common problems.  Step three includes some "how to" examples.  Step four simply reminds one to document the response.  The examples of response to a code FAS (using a producer print from the FSA office) and code FON (previous farmer's name on FSA-578) are particularly helpful. 

There is also a toll free number, 1-888-833-4317, which can be called to get more information. Knowing the three letter deficiency code included in the letter will help you get information pertinent to your situation.  Remember, if you receive a notice that your claim is incomplete you have until November 15 to respond.  At this point the best thing to do is to monitor your mail and respond immediately if you get a notice that your claim is incomplete.

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