Coming Soon: Pocket Ranch and Creamery

Coming Soon: Pocket Ranch and Creamery

Posted on by Thomas

Joey Bingham grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Gooding, Idaho. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has four beautiful children. The couple chose to leave Gooding to further their education in Boise. Although Joey was eager to return to the farm and his hometown, his wife, having lived most of her growing up years in the Treasure Valley, wanted to make their home in Boise rather than moving back to Gooding.

Joey made his career in respiratory therapy and served in a trauma center in Boise for 12 years. Then one day shortly after their 4th child was born, Joey’s wife surprised him by suggesting that they move back to the family farm. She was tired of him working long hours away from home and felt that moving back to the family farm might allow their family more opportunities to be together.

Joey was so surprised that he called his father right away and asked if there was a spot for him to return to the farm. There was and a few months later they sold their home in the Treasure Valley and moved back to the farm in Gooding.

Shortly after Joey returned to the farm, his parents left to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Joey began the process of purchasing the operation.

 

Q. What changes have you made since taking over the farm?

A. Back in ’73 when my grandpa and my dad first moved here, the property was about three quarters sage brush. They developed a lot of it, and we have continued to do so as well.

My Dad’s cow management system was a little old fashioned, he was using a pinwheel, so adding herd management software was one of the first changes I made when I came back.

It took my dad a little bit to adjust, but not near as long as I thought it would. As soon as we started seeing a lot more data on our cows, I think I only showed it to him once and he said,” Ok, I am out. You take over from here.”

 

Q. What goals do you have regarding opportunities for employees?

A. One of my biggest goals in my operation is to create an environment or a place where everyone can grow. Whether they are family by blood or not I want them to feel valued, and that they belong.

Everyone that works for me, or I would rather say, with me, they have stake here and I want them to feel that way. That is where we gain our traction in progressivism. A lot of times in agriculture they talk a lot about sustainability. I hate that reference because it insinuates, we just want to keep doing what we are doing. I don’t think that creates a very good picture of the ag industry. We are not looking to be a sustainable industry but a progressive industry. In 10 years if we keep doing what we are doing today, we won’t be doing very well. We need to keep looking to improve.

I meet with my managers 2x per week. It’s not so much about the day to day, but the people in the meeting. If they are doing the best they can be, then we will be progressive. They need to feel like this is their forever home where they can learn and grow and someday retire and still have things left.

 

Q. How did you get the idea to start your own creamery?

A. Before my grandpa and dad moved to this farm they had a little 20 cow Jersey dairy in Twin Falls, Idaho. They had started a little ice-cream shop and fresh milk delivery system over there and they called it Milky Way. I had seen lots of their old-fashioned milk bottles and the paper caps they used on them, and I always thought it was really cool. I have always had a dream of having my own ice cream shop and selling fresh milk since I came back to the dairy in 2012.

I never had the drive to do it because we always had plenty to do, but as milk markets have become much more volatile and processors have put quotas on production, I have been looking for ways to diversify. In 2019 I decided I just had to jump and see how it goes. So, I decided to build an on-Farm processing plant. I thought we would be going to 2020, but here we are in 2023 and we are not quite there yet.

 

Q. What have been the biggest obstacles to overcome?

A. Never ending obstacles, building permits, programmers, etc. I purchased all the equipment from a retired milk processing plant. I had multiple industry engineers look at it, and we thought we were getting something a little bit different than we got. We ended up starting more from scratch than we originally thought we would.

The biggest obstacle by far has been programming for the equipment.  But we are finally getting closer!

 

Q. How have your experiences from working in the trauma center shaped how you run the farm today?

A. In my field of respiratory therapy especially at Saint Alphonsus where I worked, we were given a lot more liberty to practice than most facilities allowed. We tried a lot of new technologies in the field, and it has given me the courage to try new things that have not been proven before. One of the things I have brought back to the farm is the ability to utilize technology to be better at what we are currently doing.

 

Q. What products are available from Pocket Ranch and Creamery, and how does someone purchase them?

A. My vision for the creamery is not necessarily looking for a niche market as much as being able to provide fresh in-home necessities at a reasonable price. As the products begin to roll out, we will start with farm fresh whole milk, then cheese curds. We will make flavored curds and mozzarella cheese. Fresh butter with multiple flavors, chocolate milk, huckleberry milk, ice cream, and coffee creamers.

I have been doing a lot of beef on dairy crossbreeding and we will offer fresh beef for sale as well.

My youngest boy is a chicken connoisseur, so we are building a chicken flock to sell eggs, We are actually currently selling those now at our distribution point.

 

Q. How will customers place orders and where will they pick them up?

A. Our goal is to become a home delivery platform. Most of the sales will be placed online at our website  and will be subscription based. People can customize their subscription and pick which day they would like to pick it up or have it delivered.

Everybody contacts agriculture, even if they don’t know it and think that WALMART is where our food comes from. My hope is that I can create a platform where people can see where their food actually comes from.

I want people to experience fresh food. The subscription process is important so we only process what needs to be picked up. The goal is that everyone is getting quality fresh food that is healthier and minimally processed.

 

Q. Where is the distribution point?

A. That is another story in itself! Our distribution point was an old gas station that was no longer open. I purchased it just to use it as a distribution point, but I had some friends suggest that I open it up as a gas station convenience store in addition to being a distribution point. I attacked the endeavor, and the store is doing pretty well. That is also where the ice cream parlor will be.

 

Through all this I have learned, don’t give up, good things will happen! We are on the downhill slope and looking forward to when we can start processing milk.

 

Stay up to date with the progress at the creamery by following Pocket Ranch and Creamery on Facebook and Instagram!

 

 

 

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Interview with Cody Turner of Wild Cow Commodities and Turner Dairy

Interview with Cody Turner of Wild Cow Commodities and Turner Dairy

Posted on by Thomas

Cody Turner was just a Southern Idaho farm boy. Although just a farm boy, he had big dreams for the impact he would make in agriculture and in the dairy industry. Cody may have grown up on a farm, but he started from scratch to build what he has today. Early on he changed his focus from building a business and making money to building something that other people can benefit from. He has kept his focus on two things, feeding the world and providing opportunities for his employees to develop their talents and become their best versions of themselves.

 

What Benefits and Differences Have You Noticed With Organic vs Conventional Farming?

We do have 3 organic dairies and 1 conventional dairy. Some history that’s important, I originally started conventional 10 years before becoming organic. It’s not an easy transition back to organic, and I say back to organic because up to 50 years ago everyone was an organic farmer whether they knew it or not. That’s what organic is, returning to the most natural way we know how to farm. When I decided to become an organic farmer, I spent a lot of time talking to older farmers about how they used to do things.

Conventional Farmers have a lot of reset buttons. Organic farmers must be proactive and progressive. You have got to understand the bug cycles and you have got to understand the weed cycles, and how they strengthen each other too. It’s about understanding how the ecosystem works naturally. Through all of that we can meet or beat most county yields for conventional crops. What’s really cool is the most noticeable change would be our corn silage. There are years we would have an organic crop with conventional on all 3 sides, the Seed rep would inspect our corn field and would comment, “What’s going on with your corn fields?”

For all the years I was a conventional farmer it was normal to me to have the corn plants burn off the bottom leaves to fuel corn production. In our organic corn silage that doesn’t happen anymore. In fact, the corn fills out the end of the shuck every year even though we are not able to use fertilizers.

Overall health of the soil converts to healthy plants. We focus on doing healthy things for the soil and that converts into healthier plants. Which then results in healthier cattle. We can maintain respectable numbers on health, cull rates, and death loss on our organic dairies that would be comparable to a conventional dairy even though we cannot use even a single stich of medicine. Those things have been really cool things to learn.

 

What Benefits and Differences Have You Noticed between your Organic vs Conventional Dairies?

It is kind of intriguing, the way to manage organic is quite different than managing a conventional dairy. I don’t know maybe it’s because I have only known poor conventional dairymen, but it seems like on the conventional side we were always retroactive. We didn’t worry until cows were getting sick, and then we would do something about it.

In the organic world because it’s not possible to just jump on top of treating.  We have made environmental changes to help combat that. One thing we have been really excited about, we can use vaccines and probiotics. Things that offer preventative maintenance to the animal, and we have been able to see that brings a lot of benefit for the cow.  We have seen a real improvement by utilizing those things correctly and to their full potential.

 

How Is Your Labor Availability, And What Do You Do To Coach And Train Your Employees?

The most interesting thing, if you ask anyone who has had employees in the last 3-5 years, most will say it is hard to find people that are willing to work, and people who are good help, that care and are committed to their job. I’ll say just the opposite. We have more good, qualified people than we can use.

We have a tremendous amount of A+ people and enough once in a lifetime employees to supply a dozen businesses. I would have to take it back to this basic principle. A few years back I noticed in the Ag industry we have a really interesting situation coming at us. When you look at the statistics, most farmers are 60+ and nearing retirement age. Of those nearing retirement age, a huge percentage are actually 70+ and are still in the environment because they haven’t found a way to get out yet. There is no real retirement plan when you own an ag business if there is nobody that can take it over.

So that’s what I noticed a few years ago, and I was like Holy Smokes! We are going to have a huge avalanche of farmers that are going to need to quit and don’t have someone to pass it on to. I realized at that time, there will be more opportunities for growth than we will be able to take on. I determined it would not be the opportunities that would prevent our growth, or money that would prevent our growth. I think money is a make-believe thing, I have always been able to come up with the money for what I need. What would determine our ability to grow would be the quality and abilities of our management team.

We are only as good as the people that we have. We started having a morning devotional 2x per week at 6 a.m. Everyone is invited but it’s mostly the management team that shows up. We read self-help books, educational books, management books, but 90% of the time it gets tied back to God and how to be a better person, community member, better parent, etc. A big focus in our operation is holding ourselves and each other accountable to become the best version of ourselves that we can be. We have seen tremendous growth in our people by focusing on that.

Because our focus is on becoming the best version of ourselves that we can be, we attract so much higher quality people than we would otherwise because we are attracting people who want to learn and grow and become better.

When you hear someone say they can’t find good help, put yourself in the shoes of their employees. What does their employee have to feel when they hear their boss saying that about their team?

We have really changed our vocabulary, our outlook, and our focus to create a different environment. On top of that too, I have proven this to myself and to me team, and I say it about once per week, we are all sons and daughters of God and all of us being sons and daughters we have tremendous potential to become great. What we usually lack is someone to believe in us, push us, and hold us accountable for falling short.  As we hold each other accountable, and as we push each other to make better decisions and to take ownership, all of us can grow and become better than we currently think we can.

I have seen so many of our guys that were just normal workers change. One example is Fidel. Fidel was just a milker.  But now Fidel manages dozens of people. He trains, hires, and fires, and holds others to a higher accountability level than what he was even held to when he was a milker. He owns that job, and he takes high esteem to create the best team that he can because that is where his stewardship lies.

Our 2 newest farms are down in Preston, Idaho, 210 miles away. The teams down there are 100% green. The managers on both farms, have had 0 experience managing a dairy. I threw them at the wolves because I knew they were great guys and I knew they had potential to become great managers. They have all my confidence and trust and they know that. I work really hard at training and then empowering. I don’t micromanage, I let them run their own show and I try to let them figure out the good and the bad all on their own. I believe you learn from your own experiences not from the experiences of others.

 

How Has Adding A Commodity Mill Benefited Your Enterprises?

Originally that mill became certified organic because it has been my mill for something like 25-30 years. When I became organic, I urged the owner to convert to organic. Maybe that was a little bit selfish on my part, but it’s a smaller mill and I wanted them to be able to continue to work with them, so he did.

A few years later he reached retirement age and was looking for someone to buy his mill. I thought man, I don’t really want to own a mill. I don’t know anything about running a mill, but I also don’t want to go back to not having a mill to take care of me. There is no mill in the state of Idaho that could take care of us like, what is now called Wild Cow Commodities.

I decided it would be a great move to buy it and solidify it and even expand it. Now we broker quite a few organic commodities through there as a service to other organic farms. I think it is going to work out very well. There aren’t that many resources out there for organic dairymen. There aren’t mills, there isn’t people that just sell you ingredients, broker it, and figure out the logistics of trucking and storage for you. So that’s what we have been focusing on, not only for our dairies, but also any other dairy that can use that service.

On top of that we have really been able to dial in on the quality. It is important to have corn flaked or ground as optimal as it can be to get the most out of it for milk production. We rebuilt the roller mill and the grinder, and we have them on a maintenance schedule so we can keep the processing at optimum levels. Where we feed it to our own cows it keeps us on the hook. We aren’t doing a poor job for anybody as we monitor how the grain is feeding to our own cows daily. Every other dairyman that has their feed milled at our facility benefits from this optimum scenario.

In addition to the organic milling and commodity side, we bag conventional feed for over-the-counter sales. We make all sorts of different feeds, show feeds, chicken feed, hay bales, etc. We have customers that come from about 5 counties around us, and it has been a really good resource for the community.

 

Thank you, Cody, for sharing your motivation for feeding the world and for the betterment of your employee’s lives!

If you would like to know more about Wild Cow/Turner Dairy, you can follow them on their social media accounts and website listed below!

Facebook: Wild Cow/Turner Dairy | Gooding ID | Facebook

Instagram: Wild Cow (@wild_cow_) | Instagram

Website: Animal Feed | Wild Cow Commodities | Gooding

Immune Importance: Dairy Cows

Immune Importance: Dairy Cows

Posted on by Thomas

The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from harmful pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites. In dairy cows, a strong and healthy immune system is essential for maintaining good health, preventing disease, and optimizing milk production.

 

Infectious Disease

Dairy cows are susceptible to a range of infectious diseases all of which can significantly impact milk production and quality.

  • Mastitis, a bacterial infection of the udder that can cause pain and inflammation, and result in decreased milk yield.
  • Pneumonia, a respiratory disease that can lead to coughing, fever, and reduced appetite.
  • Metritis, an infection of the uterus that can cause infertility and reduced milk production.

Immunometabolism-The cost of disease. The cow makes a lot of adaptations to make sure the immune system has what it needs to combat infection.

 

 

Healthy Immune System

A healthy immune system is crucial for preventing and combating these infections. When a cow is exposed to a pathogen, her immune system will recognize the invader and launch a response to eliminate it. This response involves the production of antibodies, which are proteins that can identify and neutralize specific pathogens, as well as the activation of immune cells, such as white blood cells, which can engulf and destroy invading microbes.

 

In addition to fighting off infections, the immune system also plays an important role in maintaining overall health and well-being. For example, the immune system helps to remove damaged cells and tissues, regulate inflammation, and promote tissue repair and regeneration.

 

Influencing Factors

There are several factors that can influence the strength and effectiveness of a cow’s immune system.

  • Genetics
  • Nutrition
  • Housing
  • Management practices
  • Environmental factors.

Ensuring that cows receive adequate nutrition, proper housing and management, and appropriate vaccinations and treatments can all help to support a healthy immune system.

 

In conclusion, the immune system plays a critical role in the health and productivity of dairy cows. By understanding the importance of immune function and implementing appropriate management practices, producers can help to ensure that their cows stay healthy and productive, while also promoting animal welfare and sustainability in the dairy industry.

 

 

Disclaimer: The following material has been generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The content and information provided are based solely on patterns and data available up until September 2021. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies present in the generated content. This material should not be considered as professional advice or a substitute for human-generated content. Users are encouraged to verify the information independently and consult relevant experts or sources for specific guidance. The responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided lies solely with the user. The AI model, OpenAI, and its developers bear no responsibility or liability for any consequences or damages that may arise from the use of this material.

Use Your 5 Senses When Walking Cattle

Use Your 5 Senses When Walking Cattle

Posted on by Thomas

Cattle can’t tell you what is going on with them. As you walk the pen use your 5 senses to identify any animals that might not be feeling well, find those that are in heat, and observe how the pen interacts as a group.

 

SIGHT

Cattle are prey animals and will do their best to cover up any sickness or weakness they may have, so my observations often begin by sight 1 or 2 pens away from the group I want to observe. I am on the lookout for any animal that is off by itself, animals that are refusing to eat, and animals that might be lame.

As I get closer to the pen, but not in it yet, one very important thing I evaluate is cud chewing. The best time to observe cud chews is a few hours after feeding when all the cattle are resting. Ideally, we want over 60% of the group to be chewing their cud.

After entering the pen, I begin looking at manure, body condition score, and for any cattle with labored breathing.

 

LISTEN

Next time you walk cattle, close your eyes and listen for the quiet. Quiet means animals are happy and resting. Loud sounds such as balling, or a lot of movement mean the animals may be hungry or stressed.

 

FEEL

Believe it or not, there are a lot of things you can assess by feel when you walk cattle. Feel the ground, is it hard, wet, or dirty? If so, cattle may be expending more energy than they should standing or trying to keep warm. Soft, dry bedding allows for cow comfort and will make them more apt to rest and be more efficient in feed conversion.

Feel the feed. Does the chop length look right? How’s the moisture? Are there any foreign objects? All things to consider.

Feel the air. Is it hot, cold, humid? Is there enough ventilation? Is there too much of a draft, could cattle benefit from a wind break? All these factors could impact performance.

 

SMELL

“Smells like money”, is what I like to say when someone comments on how cattle smell! But in all seriousness, the different smells associated with an operation can tell you a lot about what is going on and maybe even a little bit about how the money was spent.

On a calf operation, smell of the manure can tell you a lot about the health of the animal. When walking older animals, the smell of the manure may not tell us as much, but there are other smells that can.

Smell of the feed. Did the silages ferment well? Is the feed in the bunk heating?  How about the grain? Any smutty, foul, sour, or moldy smells may give us hints to feed quality and hopefully help us prevent problems with the animals when they are fed.

 

TASTE

Okay, I will be honest, this is not one sense that I use much when walking cattle, but I know many people that do. Often, I will see farmers test the kernels in corn silage with their teeth, and taste to test the sweetness. Others may like to try additives, starters, electrolytes, etc. before letting their cattle eat them.

Use all your 5 senses to come up with your own subjective judgement on how the pen is doing as a whole.

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Cost of Dairy Disease

Cost of Dairy Disease

Posted on by Thomas

Although income over feed costs is a very important number in evaluating herd profitability, it is not the only measure of profitability that producers, nutritionists, and veterinarians should be evaluating. Health issues have a huge impact on cow performance, which affects current profits and the future value of the cow. Disease influences profitability both directly and indirectly.

A farm-level economic model created by the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky gives us a greater understanding of those costs associated with disease.

 

Common Dairy Diseases

Mastitis: commonly caused by pathogenic bacteria invading and multiplying within the mammary gland.

Lameness: foot or leg condition caused by various factors.

Retained Placenta: presence of fetal membranes 24 hours or later after calving, or fetal membranes retained for more than 6 hours. Widely considered a predisposing factor for metritis.

Metritis: inflammation of the uterus due to bacterial invasion.

Left-displaced abomasum: the abomasum is filled with gas and becomes trapped by the descending rumen to the left side of the abdominal cavity.

Ketosis: negative energy balance.

Hypocalcemia (Milk Fever): low plasma calcium levels following calving.

 

Disease Cost

Herd performance and market conditions are extremely influential in determining the cost of disease. These values of course change over time and from farm to farm, however, using the economic model given by University of Kentucky, we gain an idea of the general cost for each dairy disease.

Economic costs considered by the model include:

Veterinary and Treatment

Labor

Discarded Milk

Decreased Milk Production

Culling

Extended Days Open

Death Loss

  

CLINICAL DISEASE TOTAL COST
HYPOCALCEMIA
Lactation 2+ $246.23
KETOSIS
Lactation 1 $77.00
Lactation 2+ $180.91
LAMENESS
Lactation 1 $185.10
Lactation 2+ $333.17
LEFT DISPLACED ABOMASUM
Lactation 1 $432.48
Lactation 2+ $639.51
MASTITIS
Lactation 1 $325.76
Lactation 2+ $426.50
METRITIS
Lactation 1 $171.69
Lactation 2+ $262.65
RETAINED PLACENTA
Lactation 1 $150.41
Lactation 2+ $313.49

 

Keep in mind all these costs were adjusted for the year of 2015.

Practical Application

Knowing the cost of disease on your farm is an important part of evaluating true farm profitability. Keeping accurate records is important in determining if any management changes or improvements need to be made. There are many computer software programs available to make record keeping easier.

Many of these may even help you to figure out how much the cost of disease is on your farm. In my neck of the woods DHI-Plus is a common dairy record keeping program. One helpful feature is a report folder called, What’s it’s Cost. The reports found in this folder are a simulation of the lost production that each individual disease may result in on a particular farm.  If you have DHI Plus and you would like to look at this report, it can be found in the Report List of the Cohort Group Analysis.

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

 

Source: Estimating US dairy clinical disease costs with a stochastic simulation model – Journal of Dairy Science

Not all Direct Fed Microbials are Created Equal

Not all Direct Fed Microbials are Created Equal

Posted on by Thomas

Cow Biology is COMPLEX. A SYMBIOTIC blend of additives is Paramount. The importance of the symbiotic relationship between the digestive system and the immune system cannot be overstated! As the largest immune organ in the body, the gut plays a major role in whole body immunity. Therefore, establishing a healthy gut translates to increased immunity. IMMUNOMETABOLISM is how the immune system regulates ALLOCATING NUTRIENTS between growth and survival.

 

Direct Fed Microbials

In an attempt to optimize rumen health direct fed microbials (DFM), including yeast, enzymes and probiotics, are often added to a diet to improve feed intake, feed efficiency, fiber fermentation, microbial protein synthesis, milk yield, rumen pH, and digestion.

 

Achieve Trial Results

A study was conducted in 2014 with the University of California, Davis, CA. Experts evaluated 2 different yeast-based products and their influence on both post rumen effects and performance of high producing Holstein cattle.

Yeast-based products used were a Competitor Product and Achieve from MicroBasics. Post rumen effects included superior plasma levels of both total essential amino acids (EAA) and total nonessential amino acids (NEAA) for those cattle consuming Achieve.

Performance effects resulted in increased milk flow from cattle consuming Achieve. This increase in milk production resulted in a greater amount of total fat and protein produced.

 

Why is this important?

Better feed ASSIMILATION- intake, digestion and absorption. Dry Matter Intake and Milk Production were highest in the Achieve groups however there was no difference in digestibility in any of the three treatments.

Due to the increased absorption efficiency and increased production exhibited by the cattle fed Achieve we can conclude that the digestive process was enhanced from the inclusion of Achieve in the diet.

Enhancement of the digestive process fuels growth of new intestinal cells and absorption of more nutrients that can be utilized by the animal. In addition to greater amounts of overall essential and non-essential amino acids cattle fed, Achieve had significantly higher levels of plasma threonine, tryptophan, glycine, and asparagine. These amino acids play important roles in the animal.

Threonine: an essential amino acid utilized by the gut to create a protective mucus barrier, used to make T-lymphocytes that work to fight off infections, regulates fat metabolism and prevents fatty liver.

Tryptophan: an essential amino acid that may play a role in the regulation of appetite and feed intake. Tryptophan is a precursor to Melatonin which may serve as a signal for the synchronization of the feeding and digestion processes.

Glycine: a non-essential amino acid that is one of the most common amino acids in the body, promotes muscle growth, hormone production and regulation, and is a building block of tissue in the digestive tract.

Asparagine: a non-essential amino acid that optimizes brain and nerve cell function.

 

Further research will tell us more about how post rumen effects are influenced by DFM’s. For now, our takeaway shall be that not all yeast-based products are created equal. Achieve combines three strains of live yeast with a highly concentrated yeast culture, a proprietary blend of probiotic cultures, several broad-spectrum digestive enzymes, yeast cell wall, yucca schidigera, and IPS (Immune Positioning System) a unique blend of biologically active polysaccharides and polypeptides. Consult with you nutritionist to determine if Achieve might be a good fit for your feeding program.

Interactive Brochure

Learn More

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Early Life Microbial Colonization and Effects on Immunity

Early Life Microbial Colonization and Effects on Immunity

Posted on by Thomas

In the calf world we talk a lot about average daily gain and the effects that better gains early on in life have on lifetime production. Although gains early on in life are important and do affect productivity, much of the growth and development affecting lifetime productivity may be taking place in utero, even before the calf is even born.

 

In Utero

Fetal growth and development are profoundly influenced by the in-utero environment. In humans approximately 20% of stunting has in-utero origins. Growth deficits in-utero are associated with maternal or placental inflammation and infection. This suggests that there may be a role that the microbiome plays in fetal growth and development. It is also very likely that these same mechanisms come into play when we talk about neonatal calf growth and development.

In the United States, and likely many other countries, poor intrauterine environments may occur due to: 1) malnutrition, 2) insufficient energy supply, 3) heat stress or other stressors, 4) overweight mother cows. Each of these stressors influences the nutritional status of the dam as well as her microbial population. In turn affecting the growth and development of the fetus.

A poor uterine environment during the first trimester can have significant impacts on the development of the mammary gland, ovaries, and development of homeostatic mechanisms in the liver and pancreas. Proper development of these organs is critical for future lifetime milk production, heart, lung, pancreatic, kidney, and placental health. Other performance outcomes influenced by intrauterine growth are the development of the small intestine and muscle, weaning weight, and reproductive performance.

 

Establishment of Gut Microbiota

Vaginal delivery plays a key role in colonizing the calf with beneficial microbiota at birth. Typically, vaginal microbiota is dominated by one of four Lactobacillus species. These bacteria are swallowed by calf and colonization of the digestive tract begins. Other bacteria are also ingested by the calf as it enters a new environment. These bacteria are not always helpful. It is important to provide the calf with a clean area to be born so that harmful bacteria do not outcompete the beneficial ones during colonization of the digestive tract.

Colostrum is important not just for passive transfer of IgG, but also for the colonization of the gut. Bacterial composition of colostrum can be highly important for microbial colonization as fresh colostrum contains Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Escherichia, Staphylococcus, Coliforms, and Streptococcus. Additionally, colostrum contains certain oligosaccharides that serve as substances for growth of the establishing bacterial community and for preventing pathogens from binding to the intestinal epithelial cells.

As the calf continues to grow and transition to dry feed the composition of gut microbiota continues to shift until the calf becomes a fully functioning ruminant.  Although the rumen provides a home for a diversity of bacteria, the lower digestive tract still proves to be a very important player in digestion and the immune system.

 

Immunity

Early development of gut microbiota is thought to be very important for the proper development of the immune system. Dynamic interactions between gut microbes and the innate and adaptive immune systems of the calf play vital roles in promoting intestinal homeostasis and inhibiting inflammation.

Gut microbiotas metabolize proteins and complex carbohydrates, synthesize vitamins, and produce a large amount of metabolic products that mediate communication between the gut epithelial and immune cells. Gut dysbiosis can also dysregulate immune responses, cause inflammation, and oxidative stress.

 

Management Factors Influencing Gut Colonization

We have come to know so much about the effects that gut microbiota have on the immune system. There is still much to learn, but here are some key takeaways that you can easily apply on your farm today.

1. Manage stress and inflammation in pregnant and transition cows. Provide proper nutrition and modulate the gut environment and the immune system with a direct fed microbial. (Achieve)

2. Not every calving is perfect. Calves experiencing a difficult birth, or that did not get adequate colostrum are good candidates to receive supplemented levels of lactobacillus. (Sync)

3. Every calf gets adequate amounts of high-quality colostrum and transition milk if possible.

4. Clean calving pen to prevent inoculation of harmful bacteria.

5. Avoid using oral antibiotics if possible. Turn to products that bind and remove pathogens instead. (Surveillance)

6. Provide the calf with appropriate starter feed and fresh water.

 

Sources:

Hang BPT, Wredle E, Dicksved J. Analysis of the developing gut microbiota in young dairy calves-impact of colostrum microbiota and gut disturbances. Trop Anim Health Prod. 2020 Dec 28;53(1):50. doi: 10.1007/s11250-020-02535-9. PMID: 33369699; PMCID: PMC7769786.

Malmuthuge, N. Effect of Early-Life Microbial Interventions on Health and Immunity. Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, 2018.

Schoonmaker, J. Effect of Maternal Nutrition on Calf Health and Growth. Purdue University, 2013.

(PDF) Effect of maternal nutrition on calf health and growth (researchgate.net)

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Welcome to the Team – Lauren Woloohojian

Welcome to the Team – Lauren Woloohojian

Posted on by Thomas

MicroBasics has a new team member! We are excited to welcome Lauren Woloohojian to our team! Lauren’s work experience includes ranch management, producer relations for Danone NA, and technical sales. She will be serving dairy and beef customers in the Pacific Northwest. Here is a little more about her.

Q. Lauren, where are you from?
A. I am originally from Rhode Island, but we moved to Bridport, VT where my family owns a small herd of Guernsey cattle and focuses on genetics and continual improvement of the Guernsey breed. I got involved in agriculture through 4-H, which provided myself and my family the opportunity to “dive head-first” into both raising and showing a variety of livestock.

Q. Where did you go to school?
A. I did my undergraduate at Virginia Tech University and received a B.S. in Dairy Science. I then went on to Graduate school at Texas A&M and earned a M.S. in Agronomy.

Q. What are some of your interests and hobbies?
A. I really enjoy being outdoors and I try to spend most of my free time outside. I have horses and dogs, so if I’m not working with them, I like to hike, bike, fish and workout!

Q. What you are most excited about with your new position with MicroBasics?
A. The enthusiasm behind the entire MicroBasics team is contagious and I am so excited to be part of that. We have some of the most incredibly innovative and beneficial products on the market! I am excited to bring them to dairy and beef producers in the Pacific Northwest.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Yeast and Yeast Derivatives – What’s the difference?

Yeast and Yeast Derivatives – What’s the difference?

Posted on by MicroBasics

Yeast and yeast derivatives have been demonstrated to have a wide range of immune enhancing benefits. It can be confusing trying to differentiate what kind of yeast is included in a feed product and understanding what it does. Let’s discuss this a little further in depth!


Whole-Live Yeast: single celled fungi.

Improved oxygen utilization in the rumen: live yeast use up the oxygen in the rumen and promote the growth of very important anaerobic bacteria and ciliate protozoa.

Improved fiber digestion: the yeast activates helpful bacteria that digest hemicellulose and cellulose.

Stabilized rumen pH: yeast stimulate the growth of lactate consuming bacteria. These bacteria use up the lactic acid in the rumen which helps to stabilize the pH at 6.2 or higher.

Improved gains and feed conversion efficiency: result of improved rumen environment, nutrient availability, and improved digestion.

 

Mannan Oligosaccharide (MOS): glucomannan protein complex on the outermost part of the cell wall.

Binds pathogens: mannose molecules act as binding site for pathogens.

 

Yeast Cell Wall: gives the yeast cell shape, composed of beta-glucan, mannoprotein, and chitin.

Binding pathogens: MOS portion of the cell wall works by binding pathogens on mannose molecules.

Activation of white blood cells: provides nutrients to increase efficiency of white blood cells.

Mitigation of negative effects of stress: pathogen binding and improved gut environment make the animal less likely to be negatively affected by stress.

Improved feed intake: result of improved gut environment and mitigated stress responses.

 

Yeast Extract: soluble portion of yeast cell, that provides additional nutrients to the animal.

Improved nervous system function

Improved metabolism

Production of red blood cells

 

Each yeast component contributes to cattle health and performance in different ways. Benefits can be claimed by feeding any one component separately or in combination with each other. Be sure to read feed labels when comparing products, and consult with your nutritionist to determine which components will have the most benefit in your feeding program!

Here at MicroBasics we utilize yeast and yeast components in our products!

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Farm to Table- Ray Robinson (High Desert Milk)

Farm to Table- Ray Robinson (High Desert Milk)

Posted on by MicroBasics

Recently, as input costs have skyrocketed, more and more producers are turning to marketing their own product to consumers. While marketing a consumable product is not feasible for everyone, it can be an opportunity for some.

This week we will get to hear a few words of wisdom from Ray Robinson, as he shares some of his experiences of maximizing opportunities for growth as they come, and how he and some of his neighbors came to found High Desert Milk.

 

A LITTLE ABOUT RAY AND HIS GROWTH AND EXPANSION OVER THE YEARS

I built my first dairy myself and milked about 250 cows. I had one hired milker, and I fed and did all the other work.

In 1998 we started Moo Mountain Milk and built the first barn there.  A couple years later we built a second barn and purchased the Butte Feedlot. Then a year or 2 later we bought East Ridge over towards Jackson. And then a couple years later we bought South Ridge over towards Golden Valley.  About that time, we also took over the heifer yard over near East Ridge.

Presently, we have crossbred calves in the Harris Fed Yard, dairy heifers in the Simplot Feed Yard out to Malta and we also run an Organic Dairy (Nature Ridge) out in Raft River. All together totaling about 23,000 milking cows.

Some of our cattle are milked twice a day and some of them three times a day.  We also farm a good amount of land. I oversee 10,000 acres of farm ground, and we farm considerably more. I never ever thought we would get this big.

In 2008 we started building High Desert Milk and in 2009 we started running it.  As opportunities come, we just take them on keep moving forward.

 

WHAT GAVE YOU AND OTHERS IN YOUR GROUP THE IDEA TO START PROCESSING YOUR OWN MILK?

We came up with the idea just through different conversations we had with each other about what opportunities we could see were out there. Originally, there was 10 of us that sat down at the table to hash it all out. We all knew one another, but only 6 of us stayed to see it through, the other 4 got up and left that first meeting.

 

WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES YOU OVERCAME AS YOU BUILT YOUR PROCESSING PLANT?

Getting everyone on the board to agree with how to do it and what to do, was the hardest. At first, we would meet every week, now we meet about once per month, unless there is a pressing need.

Three different individuals owned the property that High Desert Milk sits on, we bought it, and construction began.

We started out making just a non-fat 34 powder. Today we also produce butter and MPC 70. We are looking at adding on again to do some other products that would fall in the class 4 market.

 

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A FARMER OWNED PROCESSING PLANT?

It is an advantage, but also a disadvantage. We all bought quota in the plant, so we must stay within 10% of our quota, but it is nice to always have a home for our milk.

In the beginning our goal was to achieve an income equal to Class III. Sometimes we make a little extra money and sometimes we lose a little, but over the years I feel like we have averaged about that Class III price.

One thing that is nice when you are tied to a plant is that the people at the plant help you to know a little more of what the current market is doing.

 

WHERE ARE YOUR PRODUCTS SOLD?

Our product is marketed all around the world. To date, we have sold product in 49 different countries. Some is sold in the U.S.A., but the majority is export.

Originally, we started out just making one-pound cubes of butter, but as time went on, we started packaging our own quarter pound bars as well as picking up some contracts to manufacture for a few other brands. High Desert Milk Butter is sold locally in Ridley’s, Stoke’s, and WalMart stores in the “Idaho Products Section”

Recently our non-fat and buttermilk powder has become available on Amazon in 1-pound pouches.

 

WORDS OF ADVICE FOR ANYONE ASPIRING TO PROCESS THEIR OWN MILK

When you first start, nothing will go like you think it will. It will all go backwards, but you have to prove to the public that you can make a quality product and do the things you say you will do. If you are going to do it as a group, make sure that you can all get along together.

 

Thank you, Ray, for sharing some of your insights regarding growth and milk marketing with us! We appreciate your knowledge and your commitment to provide quality milk products to the public.

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.