2021 Corn silage overview
Joe Lawrence and Allison Kerwin
The growing season across much of the Northeast started with average to slightly above average heat unit accumulation and below average precipitation. This provided relatively good conditions for corn planting, with trial locations planted between May 7th and May 19th. Conditions remained dry, with most locations receiving designations of abnormally dry or moderate drought from the U.S. drought monitor in May and June. The exception was Aurora, which received more timely rainfall throughout May and June.
At NY locations, this changed in July with rainfall well above average through July and August; however, the Alburgh, VT location remained in Moderate Drought (U.S. Drought Monitor) through harvest. This season provided another example of how seasonal rainfall totals can be misleading in a year such as this but the timing and amount of rainfall at certain stages of plant development can be very impactful.
Furthermore, certain areas within the region experienced rainfall extremes far exceeding what is represented in these trials. In these areas, greater shifts in management strategies may be needed to make adjustments in feeding programs.
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Nutrient management SPEAR program groundwater guidance available
Cornell NMSP has a new guidance document Groundwater Protection Guidelines for Agriculture (2021). This document combines previous groundwater protection guidelines into an updated, more concise reference for planners and farm managers. It provides an overview of the areas associated with increased risks related to manure spreading, offers a step-by-step assessment method to help determine where risks exist, and outlines specific manure management practices to help mitigate the high-risk conditions identified. This document is intended to support planner and farmer efforts to plan and implement site-specific recommendations in comprehensive nutrient management plans (CNMPs) or stand-alone nutrient management plans (NMPs) for manure application rates, timings, methods, and setbacks to reduce groundwater risks. Guidelines are intended to supplement the baseline manure application criteria found in the NRCS-NY Nutrient Management Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) 590. For questions, contact Greg Albrecht (Greg.Albrecht@agriculture.ny.gov) or Quirine Ketterings (qmk2@cornell.edu).
Exploring co-digestion on dairy farms: Possibilities for anaerobic digestion of dairy manure and food waste
Dec 2, 2021 | 12:30 – 1:30 PM Webinar (Zoom)
Hosted by Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY, Cornell Cooperative Extension, NYS DEC, NYS Pollution Prevention Institute (P2I), and Ag-Grid Energy, LLC, this virtual seminar will focus on dairy farm opportunities and challenges of utilizing co-digestion of food waste with manure as an additional enterprise for a single farm or group of farms. The goal is to share information about the opportunities and challenges in developing anaerobic digestion and co-digestion systems to help move dairy farms and society toward sustainability. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.
Managing Performance online course registration closes Friday
Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development's Managing Performance, six-week online course, is offered as part of the Agricultural Supervisory Leadership Certificate program. Live weekly Zoom discussions will be held from 3 to 4 PM EST each Tuesday from November 16 through December 21. Participation in the live sessions is highly encouraged and provides a valued opportunity for peer to peer learning and networking. Registration closes November 12 and cost is $275. Course topics will include:
- Understand motivation
- Harness the power of performance feedback and coaching
- Build clear and effective workplace communications
- Set safety expectations
- Conduct effective performance improvements
Labor Roadshow V
offered by New York’s Ag Workforce Development Council
Ag Workforce Development Council is hosting Labor Roadshow V as a virtual event. A series of six two-hour webinars will be held online through Zoom at noon on November 22 and 23, and December 2, 3, 9 and 10. Registration cost is $55 per person to attend all six webinars and to receive links to the webinar recordings and roadshow materials.
New York Labor Road Show V is an opportunity to learn about regulation changes and how to best position your business for compliance and success. Several important changes to state regulations occurred in 2021 that farm employers need to understand, and better employee management is the key to farm success during and after our current farm labor crisis.
Labor Roadshow V topics include: worker’s compensation, employee handbooks, labor cost trends and management strategies, COVID issues for farm employers, NY farm labor law compliance, preventing turnover, employee housing management, employee wellness programs, NY farm unions and immigration enforcement, H-2A for beginners, and understanding NYS paid sick and family leave.
Transition Cow Tuesdays webinar series
Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension are hosting Transition Cow Tuesdays, a transition cow management webinar series, from 12:30 to 1:00 PM EST, Tuesdays from November 2, 2021 through December 14, 2021. The webinars are short, to the point, and just 30 minutes. Grab your lunch and join us. Generous sponsors have enabled us to offer this series free of charge. Registration is required. One registration provides access to all the webinars in the series.
- NOV 16 - Selective Dry Cow Therapy, Daryl Nydam, DVM, Faculty Director, Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine
- NOV 23 - Facility Considerations, Lindsay Ferlito, NNY CCE Regional Dairy Specialist
- NOV 30 - Calving Considerations, Rob Lynch, DVM, Cornell PRO-DAIRY, and Margaret Quaassdorff, NWNY CCE Regional Dairy Specialist
- DEC 7 - Post Calving Monitoring, Rob Lynch, DVM, Cornell PRO-DAIRY, and Margaret Quaassdorff, NWNY CCE Regional Dairy Specialist
- DEC 14 - Evaluating Transition Management, Judy Moody, Agricultural Resource Management Specialist, Dairy One
Healthy, Hardy Heifers: A fall 2021 virtual series
CCE Regional Ag Teams are wrapping up an eight-week series on heifer management topics from post-weaning to calving. The final session on November 19 is Pre-Calving Comfort and Facilities with Dr. Katy Proudfoot, UPEI. Sessions are about 30 to 45 minutes in length, with a question and answer period at the end. This program is offered at no cost thanks to our generous sponsors but registration is required.
Growing a Greener Planet
190th Annual NYS Ag Society Annual Meeting & Forum
January 6, 2022 | Syracuse OnCenter
Our very livelihood in the agri-food system and natural resource industry depends on environmental stewardship. Reducing our footprint is a win-win for our communities and our long-term viability as competitive food and fiber providers globally. As new technology and research comes online, our industry will take on a larger role as carbon harvesters. Join advocates, decision-makers and aspiring leaders in-person January 6, 2022 at the Syracuse OnCenter for the historic 190th Annual Forum.
Northeast Dairy Conference
Presented by Northeast Dairy Producers Association and Cornell PRO-DAIRY
March 9 – 10, 2022
Syracuse/Liverpool, NY
Presented by Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY and Northeast Dairy Producers Association NEDPA, the Northeast Dairy Management Conference is a designed for all progressive dairy farmers and industry professionals in the Northeast, to interact and relate to the latest thinking and issues in the dairy industry. Dynamic and informative sessions will challenge your thinking to re-energize your business and improve performance. Connect with other dairy producers and advisors to build your network for long-term success.
Online dairy worker training in Spanish: Capacitación en Línea para Trabajadores Lecheros
Efficient communication — Safer conditions — Healthier cows
The Online Dairy Worker Training Program presented in collaboration with University of Vermont Extension is a free self-paced training certificate program offering Spanish-speaking workers the opportunity to build their practical skills in dairy farming. Each module focuses on common dairy worker areas of responsibility. All materials are presented and written in Spanish. Topics covered include: handling cows and calves, cow and calf nutrition, herd health, milking routines, reproduction and breeding. Participants watch an online video and pass a quiz to become certified in the topic(s) of their choice. Visit cals.cornell.edu/education/degrees-programs/spanish-online-dairy-worker-training or email dairy@uvm.edu.
Modules Available for Certification:
- Manejo de Vacas / Cow Handling
- El Movimiento de Vacas Hacia y Desde la Sala de Ordeño / Movement of Cows to and from Parlor
- Trabajando con Becerras / Working with Calves
- La Nutrición de Vacas Lecheras / Dairy Cow Nutrition
- Los Básicos de la Alimentación del RTM / The Basics of TMR Feeding
- Alimentación de Becerras / Feeding Calves
- La Salud del Rebaño / Herd Health
- Monitoreo de Vacas Frescas / Monitoring Fresh Cows
- Video: Cojera en Vacas Lecheras / Lameness in Dairy Cows
- La Calidad de Leche y El Sistema del Ordeño / Milk Quality and Milking Systems
- Rutinas de Ordeña / Milking Routines
- Mastitis I - Sacando Muestras y Tipos de Mastitis / Culturing and Types of Mastitis
- Mastitis II - Tratamiento Basado en el Tipo de Mastitis / Treatment
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