NEWS

Important News on Biofuel:

A significant study has been published in the online version of Science magazine concerning the NEGATIVE impact of biofuel on global warming.  Read the abstract:

Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land Use Change
Timothy Searchinger ^1*, Ralph Heimlich ², R. A. Houghton ³, Fengxia Dong ⁴, Amani Elobeid ⁴, Jacinto Fabiosa ⁴, Simla Tokgoz ⁴, Dermot Hayes ⁴, Tun-Hsiang Yu <sup>4

1</sup> Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. German Marshall Fund of the U.S., Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute.
² Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD, USA.
³ Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA, USA.
⁴ Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.

Most prior studies have found that substituting biofuels for gasoline will reduce greenhouse gases because biofuels sequester carbon through the growth of the feedstock. These analyses have failed to count the carbon emissions that occur as farmers worldwide respond to higher prices and convert forest and grassland to new cropland to replace the grain (or cropland) diverted to biofuels. Using a worldwide agricultural model to estimate emissions from
land use change, we found that corn-based ethanol, instead of producing a 20% savings, nearly doubles greenhouse emissions over 30 years and increases greenhouse gases for 167 years. Biofuels from switchgrass, if grown on U.S. corn lands, increase emissions by 50%. This result raises concerns about large biofuel mandates and highlights the value of using waste products.

To read more or listen to a podcast on these findings, go to
http://www.sciencemag.org/magazine.dtl

Dr. John Smith: 2008 Outstanding Dairy Industry Educator/Researcher at the World Ag Expo, Tulare, California 

CDN would like to congratulate Dr. John Smith of Kansas State University for this award. Dr Smith is a valuable colleague to many at CSU as well as a “mover and shaker” among academics who support the dairy industry. Among his many accomplishments, he is a co-founder of the Western Dairy Management Conference, the Western Dairy Newsletter, and the High Plains Dairy Conference. 

Rocky Mountain Compost School 

Colorado State University is pleased to announce that it is sponsoring the second Rocky Mountain Compost School for large-scale composters from March 31- April 3, 2008 at the Agricultural Research and Development Center (ARDEC), Fort Collins, CO. 

This school will be useful to anyone who is involved in producing farm-scale or commercial scale compost, who is considering entering the composting business, such as dairy and feed lot personnel, who uses or promotes the use of large amounts of compost in landscaping or farming operations, or who regulate or permit compost facilities. We encourage livestock producers considering composting or who currently compost to attend. 

Topics to be covered include the microbiology of composting, evaluation of feedstocks for composting and creating successful feedstock mixes, hands-on compost making and monitoring, troubleshooting problems, monitoring and sampling compost, developments in testing compost, compost utilization, marketing, regulations, composting equipment, and other selected topics.  The course also includes a day-long field trip to visit several local compost facilities.  The information presented in this short course is designed to support the growing compost industry in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Colorado Farm Show

Highlights of the 2008 Colorado Farm Show included the succinct and thoughtful presentation on the Flow of Nitrogen between Rocky Mountain National Park and the Northern Front Range Corridor by Dr Brent Auvermann from Amarillo, Texas. This phenomena is difficult to understand but will certainly have an impact on air quality regulations that affect Front Range dairy producers. At every opportunity try to attend a presentation explaining this environmental event.

The annual Spanish School presented by Drs Noa Roman-Muniz and Celia Antognoli from the ILM group at Colorado State University was again an incredible success. This year the native Spanish speakers discussed replacement heifer rearing.  Next year the presentation will be expanded to 2 days. Mark your calendar and send your employees! 

The 19th Annual Colorado Dairy Nutrition Conference 2008

The Conference was held in Greeley, Colorado, and provided important information to aid the dairy producer faced with ever increasing energy and feed costs.

What is the Future of U.S. Dairy Genetics?
Dave Thorbahn, Select Sires, Inc, General Manager

The new tools of molecular genetics are here to stay and promise to speed and refine genetic progress in the U.S. dairy breeding industry. Analysis of embryonic genes along with pedigree information will better predict the performance and transmitting abilities of an individual, and far more quickly than traditional progeny testing.

Click here to download this presentation

Increase the Value of Field Testing on Dairies
Mark Engsrom, Diamond V

The pressure to incorporate and adapt new technologies has increased as margins tighten. However, producers want data that prove these technologies work for on their operation prior to making large investments. Thus, the demand for on-farm trials is rising. This paper reviews protocols and statistics essential to good trial design.

Click here to download this presentation

Characterization of Subacute Rumen Acidosis (SARA) in Dairy Cattle
Garrett Oetzel, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Current evidence suggests that low ruminal pH has to interact with some aspect of dietary fat feeding or time before milk fat depression results.

Click here to download this presentation

Five Years of Alfalfa Research with Roundup Ready Alfalfa at CSU
Phil Westra, CSU

Data from CSU research on roundup ready alfalfa.

Click here to download this presentation

Lipid Metabolism in Dairy Cattle During Transition
James Drackley, University of Illinois

To prevent disease problems associated with negative energy balance after calving, nutrition during the dry period must be carefully attended. The author discusses the use of high-straw, low energy TMR type diets fed to cows in the transition period.

Click here to download this presentation

Corn Prices Affecting the Starch Content in the Diet
Jay Giesy, Cargill

With rising feed costs, stretching every feed dollar becomes increasingly important. This presentation stresses the use of alternative ingredients to provide nutrients and keep costs down.

Click here to download this presentation

Status of Roundup Ready Alfalfa

USDA deregulated Roundup Ready Alfalfa in June 2005, and FGI commercialized the product in August of that year. In late 2006 the Center For Food Safety and others filed a suit against USDA in San Francisco Federal Court claiming deficiencies in the Environmental Assessment process used by USDA/APHIS for deregulating Roundup Ready alfalfa. The judge ruled in favor of the Plaintiffs, specifically finding that the USDA environmental assessment should have included a “hard look” at the potential impact of Roundup Ready alfalfa on the development of glyphosate resistant weeds and on the economic environment, including potential economic impact on organic alfalfa producers. The ruling required USDA/APHIS to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and stopped any new sale or planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa after April 1, 2007 pending the completion of the EIS and a new deregulation decision by the agency.

The judge did not question the food/feed safety of Roundup Ready Alfalfa and allowed the continued harvest of existing Roundup Ready alfalfa hay and seed. USDA/APHIS stewardship requirements for harvest, labeling and movement of Roundup Ready alfalfa hay and seed can be found at:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/alfalfa.shtml

During their preparation of the EIS, USDA/APHIS will be soliciting feedback from alfalfa producers. The best opportunity for feedback will be during comment periods. A 30 day public comment period on the Notice of Intent to conduct an EIS was announced January 7, 2007. Please see the Current News tab  at www.roundupreadyalfalfa.com for details on how to provide comment. Continue to check this page to learn when and how you can provide EIS feedback. Grower feedback is very important in this process. Your comments will make a difference.

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