Ready for Spring Cattle Care!

Transcription

Heart of Missouri MFA AGRIServices Newsletter
660-338-2251
402 TENTH STREET GLASGOW, MO. 65254
Issue 1
1-800-257-4735
ARMSTRONG*BOONVILLE*FAYETTE*GLASGOW*LONE ELM*NELSON*NEWFRANKLIN*SALISBURY
March 2010
Ready for Spring Cattle Care!
Ryan McDowell
Inside this issue:
Nitrogen Stabiliz-
2
Seed Command
Program
3
Better Crops
5
Grain Contracting
6
Crop Production
7
Health Track
Right Track
8
Full Throttle
10
Ready to Plant ??
11
Intensive Crop
Scouting Program
Back Cover
Thankfully the bitter cold weather we had in December is
gone for now. The next challenge is fighting the mud. Just
because the temperature has warmed up does not mean we need to forget about
our cow herds. Cows slugging through the mud to get at hay and water can take a
lot of energy. Most of our cows are in the third period of gestation getting ready to
calve in March and April. The nutritional needs of these animals are even greater.
We need to pay close attention to our hay and cow supplementation. MFA has a
large variety of options for your supplementation needs.
Hand feeding cubes or a grind & mix is always a good option for the
farmer who can feed his herd daily or every other day. A benefit of hand feeding is
you get to see the condition of your cow herd and the cows stay gentle. When
hand feeding, the use of bunks are recommended so, you won’t loose a lot of the
feed in the mud. Tubs are a great option for the customers who have a second job
and can’t get out every day to feed the cows. MFA is now making there own tubs
out of the Centralia MFA feedmill, they are a dried distiller grain based tub. We
have a low intake and a high intake tub that will meet most customer needs. We
still have the molasses based tub for the customers that are use to using those.
QLF is another supplement option. QLF is a liquid supplement that can be used in
a lick tank or you can pump the liquid on to large round bales that are of poor quality to increase the nutritive value and increase intake. Some producers develop a
process of pouring enough bales to feed for 1 to 2 weeks. One of the newest options available from MFA is a limiter feed called Cruisin. MFA Cruisin’ pellet is set
up to control consumption for developing heifers and cows. Target consumption
levels are 1/2 % to 1% of body weight per head per day. Cruisin’ assists poorer quality forage situations to meet the animal needs and aid in production development.
This is a great option for developing heifers, gestating cows or even back grounding
cattle.
Grass tetany is caused by low magnesium in certain pasture situations. The
main strategy to offset grass tetany is to supplement magnesium in a well balanced
mineral program. MFA offers Hi Mag mineral and Mag ADE meal both products
adequately prevent grass tetany. Mag ADE meal is used in situations where we
need a higher intake of Mg. or if the cows are not eating enough of the Hi mag.
mineral. We start recommending putting Mag ADE meal or Hi mag mineral out
mid February until beginning of May. Good luck with your calving season, and let’s
hope for a drier spring. If you have any questions or concerns please come by to see
me or one of the other Heart of Missouri MFA managers.
Ryan McDowell
Fayette Manager
Heart of Missouri MFA Newsletter
Issue 1
Nitrogen Stabilizers for Urea and LAN: Ronnie Anderson
Today’s agriculture is about minimizing risk. All major nitrogen materials can be effective if
used in a wise and material specific way. Nitrogen management is critical in maximizing yield
and maintaining plant health. Peak demand for nitrogen is during the vegetative, pollination,
and grain fill stages. Our goal is to have enough nitrogen available for later stages of plant development. I will discuss further each of these products and how they are used.
Urea can become volatile within 24 hours if temperatures are greater than 70 degrees, wet
drying soils, under heavy residue. Since UAN is half ammonia nitrate and half urea, half of its
makeup is also prone to volatility under the previously mentioned conditions. There have
been products introduced into the market place that will help you minimize your nitrogen
loss. Listed and described below are a few products MFA sells which can help you minimize
the risk of volatility, denitrification and leaching.
Agrotain can be used in UAN and in Urea fertilizer to prevent nitrogen from volatilizing on
surface-applied applications for up to 14 days. The use rate in UAN is half gallon per ton and
can be tank mixed with herbicides and insecticides. The use rate for Urea is 1 gallon per ton
and can be mixed in when blending the product.
Agrotain Plus is for UAN and it provides protection in three ways:
1. Reduces volatilization losses for 7 to 14 days.
2. Reduces nitrogen loss form leaching.
Reduces nitrogen loss from denitrification.
This product would work in a surface application and an incorporated application because of
the different ways it works. The use rate is 15 lbs per ton and can be tank mixed with most
herbicides and surfactants.
Ronnie Anderson
Manager
Boonville
660-882-2786
Page 2
Issue 1
Page 3
Seed Command : Shawn Frevert
Another growing season is just around the corner. In the coming weeks many of you
will be hooking onto your planters and checking them over to insure they will be ready
for optimum performance this spring. Everything starts by placing the seed in the
ground. The manner in which this is done can greatly determine the success of this
crop.
Over the past couple of years seed cost have risen significantly. With the increase in the cost of seed it is
more important than ever to minimize waste. Not only are overlaps costly from the stand point of wasted
seed at planting, but it also creates lodging problems at harvest thus reducing yield in those areas.
Ag Leader Seed Command can greatly reduce overlap during planting with the use of
Auto Swath. This technology uses GPS to determine what portions of the field have been
planted and turns the row units on and off accordingly. Below is an example of the potential savings that can be seen by using Seed Command.
Seed Command Calculator
Acres of Corn
Cost of Seed Corn per bag
Planned Population
Acres Per Bag
Percent Savings with Autoswath
Total saving in seed cost/acre
Total corn seed savings
Corn Yield Savings
Acres of Corn
Overplanted acres
saved
Yield savings in overplanted area (bu)
Price of Corn
Dollars gained at Harvest
Total 1 Year Savings
1000
$215
32000
2.5
5%
$4.30
$4,300.00
Acres of Soybeans
Cost of Beans per unit
Percent Savings with autoswath
Total saving in seed cost/acre
Total soybean seed savings
750
$40.00
4%
$1.60
$1,200.00
1000
5%
5
$3.50
$875.00
$6,375.00
This numbers will vary depending on your operation, but as you can see the savings can be significant.
Call or stop by to learn more about how Seed Command can make your operation more efficient.
Shawn Frevert
Precision Farming Specialist
Heart of Missouri-MFA
(660) 338-5150
Issue 1
TOWARDS BETTER CROPS
Paul Smith
Stable or unstable nitrogen. That is the question?
One product that you should consider for 2010 is SUPER U. SUPER U is a precoated urea prevents volatilization and denitrification. As we all know urea by itself needs help. Depending on
soil temperature and moisture urea may be lost from the surface to the air. Likewise in the
soil, depending on temperature, moisture, soil type, urea can be lost to leaching. Introducing
SUPER U, which will address both of these forms of N loss. SUPER U will provide better nitrogen nutrition to all your cropping systems by having the N available when needed. When surface applying urea this year ask for stable SUPER U.
What’s hot in seed? With the hottest lineup in central Missouri, we offer seed corn and seed
beans from MFA, NK, and Monsanto. Up batting this season for the corn is MorCorn
3918VT3P, MorCorn 4207 VT3, NK72K-GT/CB/LL. NK73V-3000GT, DKC 63-42 VT3, and DKC
65-43 VT3. Coming out of the minors are new prospects like Genuity VT Double Pro or Smartstax brand. Rookies that will be tomorrow’s leaders.
In the other lineup are today’s soybean powerhouses. MorSoy 3807, MorSoy 4126, NK 39-A3,
NK 37-F7, Asgrow 3803, and Asgrow 4005. As new prospects go lets give a shake to the Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yields or MorSoy Liberty Link beans. Both lineups are sure winners. Put
these up against any other team and see who has the most winners in the harvest playoffs.
Excellent season discount’s still available.
Another cropping advance we hope to be looking at in the near future is using SST to build
seed recs. SST is an Oklahoma based company that we currently use in our nutrient management program. The SST software will help you build a seed placement guide, specific to your
farm.
Given enough information we will be able to place the best seed products in the right field on
your farm.
For now, helping plan your 2010 in season is job one.
Schedule an appointment to talk about your chemical, fertilizer, and seed needs for this spring.
Paul D. Smith
CCA Agronomist
Glasgow
660-338-2251
Page 4
Heart of Missouri MFA Agriservices
Issue 1
Page 5
What’s New for 2010 Seed News:
David Monnig
LOOK TO SEED TREATMENTS TO HELP
MAXIMIZE GERMINATION IN 2010
Mother Nature did her best to interfere with crop production in 2009 – from late planting because of a cool,
wet spring to a harvest plagued by frequent rains that delayed dry-down and harvest. While yield projections
remain high, the seed production market segment may be facing challenges with seed quality and germination. November reports from the Canadian border down through Missouri were showing significant concerns about the ability to get seed production out of fields with good germination and decent quality in tact.
For the 2010 season, that means growers will need to use tools that help their crops get off to the best start
possible. Seed treatments serve as an excellent tool to ensure good germination, quick emergence, even
stands and more vigorous crops. Syngenta Seed Care offers solutions for nearly all crop needs, including our
latest seed treatments: Avicta® Complete Corn nematicide/insecticide/fungicide seed treatment combination and CruiserMaxx® Rice insecticide/fungicide seed treatment.
An innovative and convenient seed-delivered technology, Avicta Complete Corn effectively protects corn
seedlings against early-season pests – nematodes, insects and diseases. There are currently few corn nematode control options on the market, none of which offer the convenience of a seed treatment or the triple
protection of Avicta Complete Corn.
SYNGENTA SEED CARE FEATURES CRUISER AS WORLD’S BEST-SELLING SEED TREATMENT
Cruiser® seed treatment insecticide has established itself as the world’s best-selling seed treatment. While
many growers focus on the insect protection benefits, many are unknowingly reaping the rewards of another
phenomenon called the Thiamethoxam Vigor Effect (U.S. Patent No. 6,753,296). Brazilian soybean growers
were the first to notice the phenomenon. Seeds treated with Cruiser produced crops that were bigger,
stronger and greener – and produced higher yields – compared to non-treated seed in similar pest environments.
Seven years of scientific research yielded this conclusion: Cruiser induces the biosynthesis of specific proteins
that defend plants against stress, which means plants need less energy to protect themselves and can instead
direct it toward more healthy, vigorous growth.
As a result, many crops have experienced the benefits of Cruiser through products like CruiserMaxx® Rice,
CruiserMaxx Beans, Avicta® Complete Cotton, CruiserMaxx Sunflower, Avicta Complete Corn and CruiserMaxx Cereals.
KNOCK OUT NEMATODES WITH AVICTA COMPLETE CORN
Corn growers will be able to achieve a higher level of protection for their high-value corn seed in 2010. Advances in seed genetics and traits have made corn seed a significant investment. Growers need to protect
yield potential, and ultimately, their bottom line.
SOYBEANS SURVIVE AN APHID-FRIENDLY SEASON
The cool, moist summer of 2009 allowed soybean aphids to thrive and spread much further south than normal. The pest was even found in regions south of the Ohio River. In fact, areas like east central Illinois experienced aphid populations so high that they became an issue beyond soybean fields, coating cars, bike riders and more.
DID YOU KNOW?
Approximately 85 percent of the world’s soybean crop is processed into meal and
vegetable oil. Virtually all meal is used in animal feed while the oil component is
The primarily used for human consumption, although the proportion used for biodiesel is
rapidly increasing.
Heart Of Missouri MFA AGRIServices newsletter is coordinated by Melissa Fuemmeler and printed through the Adrian Journal.
If you have any agronomy, feed, seed, animal health, or grain topics you would like us to address, please call Melissa at 660-3382251 or e-mail at [email protected].
Issue 1
Page 6
Contracting Grain For Fall Delivery
Nathan Oglesby
Forward marketing grain is a very useful tool that can be utilized in
every producer’s marketing program to maximize profit and continue to
grow your business. However, with almost every decision that impacts
our daily life or livelihood, there are pros and cons that need to be carefully weighed before we should proceed.
I can think of two very realistic reasons that keep many producers on
the sidelines and from committing to future delivered grain: nervousness
of actually producing the contracted bushels and the potential for the
cash price of the commodity to be higher at delivery than the contracted
price of the grain to be delivered. Every year is different and we can
never be certain of what to expect, but even with the risks, I still believe
that contracting grain is a valuable tool and should be utilized. Having
said this, I believe that the attitude you approach marketing grain and
for that matter any challenge you face will ultimately dictate the outcome. If your motivation is to get rich by hitting the high of the market,
then chances are you will be disappointed. However, if you approach
contracting grain with the intent to lock in a profitable value on a portion of your estimated production with the goal being to minimize the risks associated with price decline, I believe that you will be satisfied with the outcome. I have heard it said that “It is hard to go
broke making money,” and to be profitable should be the goal of any business. According to the
American Heritage Dictionary, profit can be defined as the return received on a business undertaking
after all operating expenses have been met. This is what keeps doors open and expansion possible. It
is my belief that forward contracting can help achieve this goal.
I will make no attempt to hide the fact that I am a fan of marketing grain
in increments. Since we don’t know when the “high” will happen, I prefer marketing bushels in smaller bushel lots with more contracts spread over the growing
season. This will hopefully allow for a good average and will alleviate some of the
fears associated with not producing enough bushels to fill your contracts. As the
growing season progresses, you will have an easier time managing your risk contracting this way rather than pulling the trigger on every bushels that you were
thinking about contracting in one lump sum.
The second reason many producers shy away from contracting grain is the fear of grain prices
being higher at delivery than what they contracted their grain for. In all reality, when a producer locks
in bushels for fall delivery, it should be done hoping that those bushels will be your low. I say this because the vast majority of producers will not contract more than 25% of their estimated production. If
the markets are higher at fall harvest or immediately after, then the remaining bushels can be marketed for an even greater profit margin. If the markets are significantly lower at fall, then the producer will either have to store those bushels until the market comes back or sell those bushels at a
time and price that is less than optimal. Since I have been here, I have heard more producers say that
they wish they would have contracted more bushels than they did rather than wishing they would have
done less. (continued on next page)...
Issue 1
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Contracting Grain continued….Nathan Oglesby
The major advantages of forward contracting grain for fall delivery have to do
with price and peace of mind. The old rule of thumb is that at least 70% of the time the
highs in the grain market for any given year will happen prior to the end of June, and historically speaking the best times in general are between March and June. Obviously every
year is different, and with the markets being influenced primarily by outside elements,
most significantly the value of the U.S. dollar in relation to other world currencies, the
value of crude oil, as well as the influx of hedge funds into the commodity markets, we
have experienced a significant increase in the volatility of the markets. This volatility in
the market place has provided major swings in the cash prices of each commodity that we
have not experienced prior to the last 5 years, so much that the daily limits for each commodity have increased with measures put in place that would allow for even further expansion possible if certain criteria is met. This volatility has made it very important that
producers be aware of their breakevens for their crops so they can take advantage of
those values when and if they come available.
With the yield potential that can be achieved through proper seed
placement and soil fertilization, along with a lot of help from the
weather, there is another advantage of fall contracting that is seldom thought of, harvest space at the local coop. In the Heart of
Missouri MFA trade territory, we are blessed to have as much
storage space as we have, and even with the abundance of on farm
storage, it is still very difficult at times to find a home for all the
bushels that are grown in this region. Having all of our bins topped
off when harvest is over is a goal that we strive for every year, but it
is never a fun thing when we have to turn our friends and customers
away because we are out of room. As grain is coming into the
elevators and producers are filling their contracts, this enables us
to move those bushels out, which significantly helps us in our desire
to stay open for the duration of harvest.
In conclusion, with the price of land, equipment and input costs and everyday living costs in general that
are associated with farming, having a portion of your crop contracted to meet these anticipated needs should be
worth a lot to any producer. Though not without risk, I believe that the advantages significantly outweigh any of
the risks that are associated with contracting for fall delivery.
Nathan Oglesby
Grain Originator
Glasgow
660-338-2251
Issue 1
Page 8
Health Track ...Right track Cattle News
Jon Roberts
Dwight Yoakam wrote a song several years ago called “Things Change” and in the chorus
he says “there ain’t no need in laying any blame ‘cause...baby things change.” I kind of
like the strategy of not pointing fingers, making accusations and laying blame. Better to
just “roll with it, baby.” Let me tell you what I see changing in the feeder cattle market
today. The gap between the highest price per pound and the bottom has narrowed considerably with
relation to weight brackets. This gap narrows even more profoundly when comparing 600 wt. cattle
and 800 wt. cattle. Bigger cattle don’t see the price discount that we saw in years past. Unweaned,
non-vaccinated cattle sell at a significant discount to weaned, value-added, preconditioned cattle. Bulls
sell farther behind steers than previously observed. Buyers are more accepting of condition on cattle,
as they equate increased condition with an increased health status of the animal. The increased emphasis on health status has been brought about by a lot of changes in the industry, and here’s a little laundry
list of them.

Most cattle are sold on a grid basis as opposed to live on the hoof. Health affects quality
grade a and quality grade affects carcass value.
Labor is more expensive, as is rescue treatment costs—with new generation antibiotics
being close to $30 for a single dose.
Preconditioned cattle require less step-up period and perform better, turn around faster
and are easier to manage.
Animal agriculture is coming under increased scrutiny by regulatory agencies that push
To decrease use of oral or injectable antibiotics in the finishing process.
Preconditioned cattle require less of both.
With these explanations in mind, some producers still ask me, “What’s the big deal about Health Track
cattle? Why are they better than commodity cattle?” So, let’s peel away the outer layer and get to the
meat of the nut: A common scenario could play out like this. A farmer wants to sell
cattle at a Thursday auction. He takes them to the sale barn Wednesday afternoon to
get in the early part of the run when the buyer activity seems to be the best. The barn
had a large run, which is good because nobody wants to be in a sale with few cattle. It
wraps up late Thursday with the buyer filling his card with a hundred 500# steers— a
load going to a yard in western Kansas. Those cattle leave early Friday and get to the
yard late Friday. If they have a Saturday processing crew, they will get vaccinated at
that time. If they don’t process on Saturdays, the calves will get vaccinated on the following Monday. The clock started ticking on these immunologically naïve calves Wednesday at 1 p.m.
and their immune system has a vaccine introduced 72 or 120 hours later—depending on the Saturday
crew. It takes the calf’s immune system several days to mount an effective response enough to create
resistance. All this time the incubation period of the organism had a major head start. Continued…..
Issue 1
Page 9
Health Track ….Right Track continued…...
Couple that with the fact that the calf might have only known his mother’s milk,
pasture and pond water as familiar groceries. It now sees a strange environment,
strange pen mates, unfamiliar feed and a black box with blue balls poking out the
top as the only, and yet undiscovered, source of water. Had that calf been afforded
the opportunity to experience some of these changes over a gradual time frame
and not when it was exposed to pathogens with no acquired immunity from vaccination, it would definitely fare better.
How much better you ask? Morbidity rates drop from 10% to 2%; mortality rates will drop
from 5% to 1%. Remember, a vaccine’s performance is better when stress load is reduced and
the nutritional plane is high. This group of calves were gathered up Wednesday morning,
sorted off the cow, loaded on a truck, transported to a sale, sorted again for size, sex, color,
weight, then sold, resorted to a buyer’s pen, reloaded, hauled, unloaded, processed, and
turned out Saturday afternoon to run up to the bunk and chow down. Do you think they
could use a cigarette about now to calm their nerves?
Health Track cattle in contrast were at the very minimum eating 10# per head, per day of a nutrientdense, vitamin-fortified ration during the vaccination process. Some of them even had the process initiated while they were still on the cow under minimum stress. They are exposed to the stress of marketing only after 45 days—when blood titers are at their peak performance for resistance to pathogens.
That, my friends—in a nutshell—is why Health Track cattle are more highly sought after than commodity cattle.
Another tasty nugget for a cattle buyer to salivate over is the fact that US Premium
Beef has committed to a $35 per head premium for source- and age-verified cattle
through May 2010. With today’s pricing on MFA branded products and your homegrown inputs, feed costs for that calf gain should be in the $.60 range. Getting back to
the feeder cattle market strategy, you probably want to cash out under 850# to leave
a little for the next guy. If he cant’ make money on your calf, he doesn’t want it.
If you have an interest in making your feeder cattle more attractive to buyers and increasing your profit
margin while improving the beef industry at the same time, then stop by any Heart of Missouri
MFA location or give me a call any time.
We’ll have you whistling a happy tune all the way to the bank!
Jon Roberts Area Sales Manager
Livestock Products
660-641-1333
660-647-2403
[email protected]
Issue 1
Page 10
Full Throttle Cattle News…. Ryan Brooks
Struggling economy hit the United States and now we have to be careful with our dollars and
cents. This is true when deciding what is best to feed your calves for an economic outcome. As the economy changes so does the producers marketing habits. Cattle today are being pushed much harder earlier on so we can hit the market at the right weight, at the right
time. Full Throttle feed is showing to be the way to get this accomplished.
Full Throttle’s first year has shown exceptional gains when used in the producers feeding program correctly. Full Throttle is a higher Protein high energy, ration that most producers are not accustomed to using, so consulting a MFA feed representative to maximize your
profit by fitting your feeding operation is recommended. The exceptional gains and profits this
year came from using a program based off of these guide lines:
“How” Should I Use Full Throttle?
Creep Feed – Cattle Charge and Cadence
Get them started with Cattle Charge
Transition to Cadence and corn 50/50
Self feed with confidence
Helps establish enhanced marbling
Wean calves – Full Throttle for a minimum of 14 days
Maximum performance
Keeps building marbling
Grow calves on Cadence and Corn
Keeps them growing on similar diet
Self feed with confidence
Level of performance is up to you
Tough economic times will have producers looking in directions of cheap options to lower input costs. Remember when doing this to always figure feed conversions, because it takes quality products like Full Throttle and Cattle Charge to unlock your cattle’s potential.
Ryan Brooks
Manager
Salisbury
660-388-6421
Issue 1
Are You Ready For the Planting Season??
Greg Stowers
As I look outside the window I would think nothing about spring or Planting season. But
then I look at the calendar and it is only 6-8 weeks away. With another spring lining up
like the last two we will all be very busy getting fertilizer applied, working ground,
spraying and planting. So I pose the question what can we do to make the spring go
smoother. I believe readiness is the answer, and making sure one of the most important machines is ready “the planter”. First, I would suggest that you have the corn meters calibrated. Calibration will ensure that the meters deliver the seed for the most
accurate spacing every time. Second, lubricate and check all drive chains to make sure
they are working freely and do not have kinks that will cause irregular operation.
Third, make sure that all bearings and bushings are still movable and have not seized up
over the winter. Fourth, make sure the double disk openers have the proper spacing so
that they cut a proper trench for the seed to be placed in. Many use a business card to
space that gap correctly. Fifth, check to see that your seed tubes are still in good shape
with no cracks, splits or abnormal wear at the bottom of the seed tube. You may also
want to drop seed down each tube to test that the seed sensors are also working correctly. Lastly, make sure the closing wheels are aligned properly. The trench of the
double disc openers should be right in the middle of the closing wheels. MFA is now a
full line dealer for Precision Planting, Ag Leader and Trimble so ask your local Precision
Advantage rep. what more you can do to be more efficient with every acre. Hopefully
these tips will get you a head start in making sure your planter is ready for another successful year.
Greg Stowers
Regional Sales Manager
MFA - Inc. Columbia
Page 11
Intensive Crop Scouting
Crop scouting is an essential tool in today’s
farming industry. Heart of Missouri MFA has
offered an intensive crop scouting program to growers for the
last three years and continues to grow each year.The scouting program consists of making four trips across a grower’s field at key times throughout the
growing season. Using a GPS handheld receiver allows us to pinpoint exact
problems in fields and relay that information to the grower with reports and
digitized field maps. By using this system we have been able to isolate problems in certain fields or even parts of fields resulting in significant cost savings
and yield increases to the grower. We have what it takes to customize the
scouting program to fit your farming operation.
For more information contact
Matt Schreiner 660-728-0130
Heart of Missouri MFA AgriServices
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ARMSTRONG*BOONVILLE*FAYETTE*GLASGOW*LONE ELM*NELSON*NEWFRANKLIN*SALISBURY
402 10Th Street
Glasgow MO 65254
Main: 660660-338338-2251
Fax: 660660-338338-2056
Email: mfuemmeler@[email protected]
Visit us on the web at www.heartofmissourimfa.com