Business Digest Highlights
New products and services
Haybuster launches H-1135, 11-foot tub grinder upgrade
Haybuster unveiled its H-1135 Haybuster tub grinder. This 11-foot tub grinder is an upgrade for the H-1130 tub grinder. Improved features and benefits include:
- The all-new belt drive features a simpler, low-maintenance drive that can handle the big horsepower.
- Super Single tires and rims allow more machine weight capacity with higher transport speed.
- Electronic governor controls eliminate manual valves and offer a smooth, more reactive tub feed control. The governor also helps with maintenance schedules by monitoring both grind hours and total job hours.
- Remote control allows user to operate the machine from the comfort of the tractor, including tub stop, direction and conveyor up and down.
Call (701) 252-4601 for more information.
Red Wing Software releases CenterPoint version 15.16
Red Wing Software has released CenterPoint version 15.16 for all CenterPoint Accounting and Payroll products. Support for the new Form 1099-NEC is available, charts and graphs can be added to the dashboard, and files attached to invoices and sales orders can be included when emailed. These features and many more were added in the new version.
For customers requiring what has traditionally been a Form 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation, the new Form 1099-NEC is supported in this version. For easy viewing of charts and graphs, a new feature allows users to add data from reports or the ratios module to the customizable dashboard. Also new is the ability to include files attached to a customer invoice or sales order to be included as attachments when the invoice or sales order is emailed to customers. Users can decide per attached file, whether it is emailed or not.
Visit Red Wing Software for more information.
Industry News
Efficient dairy data exchange the focus of a new international network
The largest ever international dairy data partnership was launched in October 2020. It brings together milk recording organizations and national databases across 13 countries. The International Dairy Data Exchange (iDDEN) represents approximately 200,000 dairy herds and 20 million dairy cows. The new organization is aimed at streamlining data exchange among dairy herds, milk recording organizations and dairy equipment manufacturers as well as other dairy-related organizations.
The partnership was established to operate as a non-profit organization by seven groups providing dairy data services in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the U.S.
The managing director of iDDEN, Reinhard Reents, said two-way flow of data between farm management software and milk recording organization databases is key, particularly as the volume of data available on-farm increases and systems move to cloud-based solutions.
The partnership purchased the Nordic Cattle Data eXchange (NCDX) platform and is investing to enhance the functionality of the software, including integration with cloud-based systems. iDDEN will integrate the International Committee for Animal Recording Animal Data Exchange (ICAR ADE) guidelines and standards where possible.
The partnership is headquartered in Germany, and the founding organizations are:
- CRV (Netherlands)
- DataGene (Australia)
- Lactanet (Canada)
- National Dairy Herd Information Association (U.S.)
- NCDX (Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden)
- RDV (Austria and Germany)
- Vit (Germany)
Visit The International Dairy Data Exchange for more information.
DataConnect goes live
The cloud-based DataConnect system that enables the exchange of machinery data between CLAAS, 365FarmNet and John Deere is now commercially available.
The system enables the exchange of essential machinery data among different platforms, allowing users to view their mixed-brand fleet information within the single data platform of their choice.
The structure of this new direct, cloud-to-cloud solution enables a seamless and automated data flow without any effort required by the customer. The real-time data exchange allows a live overview of the whole machinery fleet. Furthermore, the system works without additional hardware or software components and ensures secure data handling.
Customers can view five different machinery datasets for their fleet:
- Current machine location
- Historical machine location
- Fuel tank level
- Status of the machine in the field
- Machine speed
Further partners and functions will follow at a later date. Visit CLAAS for more information.
VES launches all-new fully integrated barn operating system: VES DairyBOS
VES launched the all-new DairyBOS fully integrated barn operating system. Through the system’s easy-to-use interface, dairy farms now have the tools to automate performance based on time of year, time of day, as well as real-time environmental conditions both inside and outside of the facility.
This level of visibility and control allows the system to adjust cow cooling based on internal and external factors.
Visit VES for more information.
Dairy Business Association sets Dairy Strong speakers, programs
The Dairy Business Association announced the program lineup and keynote speakers for Dairy Strong, which is set to take place Jan. 19-21. The conference, which will be virtual, will explore the future through innovation, sustainability and government policy. Each day of the conference will focus on one of those themes.
Featured speakers will be Peter Sheahan, Matt Lewis, Ray Starling and Michael Torrey.
Peter Sheahan will talk about business growth and innovation. He is a best-selling author, world-renowned speaker and founder of Karrikins Group.
Matt Lewis is the senior columnist for the Daily Beast and an author. He is a CNN political commentator, contributing editor for theweek.com and a former senior contributor for the Daily Caller.
Ray Starling works in agricultural policy and most recently served as the chief of staff for Agricultural Secretary Sonny Perdue. He was a clerk for Supreme Court justices, worked in the White House and for the USDA.
Michael Torrey is the founder of Michael Torrey Associates and provides guidance and management for those in the agricultural industry. He has more than 25 years experience in legislative and regulatory policy development, fiscal management and lobbying strategy. Torrey is a federal policy consultant for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.
The conference will feature topics such as how employee personality tests could become a normal part of dairy farm management, driving innovation through retail and food service, and research on environmental and economic sustainability. A panel discussion will focus on the relationship between farms and processors, highlighted by a virtual visit to a dairy and a processing plant.
DBA will also announce its Advocate of the Year.
Visit Dairy Strong to learn more.
Study confirms noncompliance with scour vaccine label requirements
For years, farmers have implemented a dam-level scour vaccination program to help prevent newborn calf scours. Despite these vaccines, incidence of scours has not improved in more than 20 years. To better understand why calves are still getting sick, a leading animal health marketing research firm completed a survey capturing the deviation level outside of vaccine label requirements. The study represented 100 dairies and 77,154 lactating cows nationwide. Results confirmed that nearly 80% of operations were noncompliant with label requirements, leaving calves unprotected and farmers wasting money.
According to the study, about 40% of farmers did not vaccinate all first-calf heifers. Of the heifers vaccinated, more than one-third didn’t receive the second shot required for primary vaccination. And then, farmers missed nearly 25% of cows with the necessary annual booster for previously vaccinated lactating cows.
Farmers reported that more than one-third of first-calf heifers received the required second dose outside the label-required time period pre-calving. In addition, almost two-thirds of farmers administering the annual booster to lactating cows estimated they gave it earlier or later than prescribed. Furthermore, label requirements assume that farmers can pinpoint the actual calving date. In the survey, farmers reported that 20% of cows calved two or more weeks off the projected calving date. This discrepancy likely puts these cows outside of the critical window needed to maximize scour-preventing antibody concentrations in colostrum.
Because protocol drift is a constant challenge with vaccination programs, farmers and veterinarians are seeking alternative treatments that deliver specific antibodies at the gut level – without a vaccine.
Organization news
Select Sires reveals dynamic website with advanced sire search
Select Sires’ new website has been refreshed with a modern design, improved functionality and responsive, mobile-friendly technology.
The sire search has been redesigned with faster processing and an easier-to-use interface. Farmer-owners will still be able to filter and sort sires with a detailed list of criteria and export data in a format they choose. In addition to the new look, the search tool now offers a compare function that allows users to compare traits and industry indexes for a selected group of sires.
A new Discover section will be home to news, resources, expert advice and educational materials to help farmer-owners achieve genetic and reproductive goals for their herds. This section will also house the cooperative’s video library with customer interviews and commentary from sire analysts.
The Careers tab will host job opportunities from across the nation and around the world.
Visit Select Sires for more information.
PRO-DAIRY Forage Management Online Course held in 2021
Cornell PRO-DAIRY is offering a seven-week online Forage Management Course Jan. 15 through March 15, 2021. A discount of $25 applies for registrations completed before Jan. 2.
This course will focus on practical information for day-to-day management and decision-making of forage crops from crop selection to feedout on a dairy farm. Aspects of the course will be specific to northeast U.S. growing conditions and horizontal silos, but most of the material will be applicable to any dairy operation and storage structure.
This course has been approved for a maximum of 2.1 CEUs.
Visit Cornell Cals - degree & programs for more information.
Jersey Learning Center released by USJersey
The American Jersey Cattle Association has released the Jersey Learning Center. It is a comprehensive website designed to make managing your Registered Jersey herd more efficient through the use of the infojersey.com website.
Based on programs and services available on infoJersey, the tutorials walk customers through processes or programs on the website such as registration, running a mating on JerseyMate, using BullsEye for bull selection, plus more. The step-by-step guides are available in multiple forms. In the future, more tutorials will be added to aid in the use of infoJersey programs and services.
Visit USJersey Learning Center or USJersey for more information.
New Midwest Grazing Exchange website
The Midwest Grazing Exchange is a free matchmaking service that aims to connect graziers and landowners who live in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. Graziers can search for forage to graze and landowners can search for livestock to graze their land. The website lets users:
- Search listings, including through an interactive map with filters for criteria like season, land or livestock type
- Create listings of what land or livestock they have to offer
- Create a free account to save listings of interest, add new listings, see contact details and message other users
- Browse a curated list of grazing resources, including examples of grazing lease agreements and contracts
- Explore the benefits of regenerative grazing for both landowners and livestock owners
The website also lists grazing specialists and organizations offering grazing support for each state participating in the exchange.
For questions, contact Meghan or (515) 232-5661.
Discount available for Pennsylvania dairy producers who enroll in ‘Farm Spanish basics’ course
The Center for Dairy Excellence is offering a $100 discount to Pennsylvania dairy producers who sign up for the “Farm Spanish Basics” online course this winter. The eight-week Spanish course is being held on Jan. 12 – March 4, 2021, and is led by dairy farmer Katie Dotterer-Pyle.
The “Farm Spanish Basics” course is held online with live classes that are recorded for dairy farmers to watch at their convenience. The 16 classes include two one-hour classes per week. Classes are interactive with in-class work and participation as well as homework. The course will begin with Spanish basics and expand to include specific dairy vocabulary that will help farmers better communicate with employees.
Pennsylvania dairy producers should visit The Center for Dairy Excellence - Spanish Basics to sign up. For dairy producers outside of Pennsylvania, visit Cow Comfort Inn Dairy to register for the course.
DCRC recognizes dairy herds with outstanding reproduction
The Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) presented awards to 24 dairy operations that excel at reproductive efficiency, fertility and well-implemented management procedures during its annual meeting, held Nov. 10-12. Platinum recognition went to Davis Family Dairies, Nicollet, Minnesota; Hendriks Dairies, Brucefield, Ontario, Canada; High Noon Dairy, Hereford, Texas; Holmesville Dairy, Argyle, Wisconsin; Patterson Farms, Auburn, New York; and Riverside Dairy, Reedsville, Wisconsin.
Introducing ‘The Dairy Show’ – World Dairy Expo’s new podcast
World Dairy Expo announced the launch of its new podcast, “The Dairy Show.” Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and online at World Dairy Expo, new episodes of “The Dairy Show” are added on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. The expo’s podcast features a new guest during every episode discussing topics related to the dairy industry. 
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Jenna Hurty-Person
- Field Editor
- Progressive Dairy
- Email Jenna Hurty-Person
