Business Digest Highlights
New products and services
Puck rolls out Long Reach Agi
Puck is launching its most compact and versatile agitation trailer to date – the Long Reach Agi. This agitation trailer is fitted with the industry’s first-ever telescoping boom.
Designated as Agi 1708 X, the company developed the trailer to be the end-all-be-all solution for flexible agitation needs. This equipment can mix a wider variety of pits and slurry stores without the need to crane in an agitation boat.
To accomplish these objectives, the company equipped the trailer with the first-ever telescoping boom. This boom has a total length of 50 feet. The boom span means the trailer lives up to its name by having a maximum slurry store clearance height of 25 feet and a mixing reach of up to 25 feet. The boom’s intuitive telescoping functionality allowed the company to create an overall compact trailer design and machine footprint. When retracted, the two boom stages contract to a length of just 15 feet.
The boom turret has a 105-degree rotation of movement. Agitation nozzles boast 180 degrees of movement and have independent hydraulic gate valves. The trailer’s outflow gate makes the process of switching from agitation to transfer mode easy and doesn’t require operators to shut down the engine. An auxiliary hose reel is mounted to the trailer for added hose availability.
Better placement of greasable end pins allows for better access during routine upkeep. Boom cable carriers feature plastic disks that aim to reduce the chances of having carriers seize up. Nylon skid pads throughout the trailer increase durability and don’t require greasing.
Orders are now being taken. Call (833) 655-9200 or visit Puck for more information.
Trident unveils modular water and nutrient recovery system
Trident has launched a new modular manure treatment system. It allows dairies to remove nearly all suspended solids in their lagoon stream and to recycle large volumes of clarified water. The system benefits the performance of sand separation or flush systems and cuts land application costs. It can be integrated with existing primary separation, and its treatment capacity is designed for 250 to 3,500 cows per single unit.
The drop-in- ready 40-foot containerized module includes the process equipment, pumps, conveyance equipment and controls. The modular design makes for easy implementation, and it can eliminate expensive infrastructure or building expansions.
For more details visit Trident or call (800) 799-3740.
Cainthus introduces ALUS Behavior
Cainthus has released ALUS Behavior. The technology looks at cows 24-7 and their activities such as lying, eating, drinking and ensures that cows are displaying the behavior patterns that result in maximum milk production.
At time of release, the technology will deliver insights into lying time and time out of pen. This will be enhanced soon after to provide the full cow time budget including eating time, drinking time as well as standing time. Another key feature is the Cow Comfort Index, which can be used as an indicator of lameness and as an important validation of overall welfare.
The technology relies on a smart camera system that observes each pen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The company has developed artificial intelligence to turn visual inputs from cameras into real-time insights about feed management and animal behavior. These insights are displayed daily on any device available on the farm. For those who want to delve deeper into the data and management actions, detailed analytics of the information is available as well, in the palm of your hand.
Visit Cainthus for more information.
Industry news
Premier Select Sires scholarship opportunities total $20,000 in 2021
Premier Select Sires will award up to $20,000 to students within the Premier territory through the 2021 Premier Future Ag Leaders Scholarship Program. Two exemplary students will receive $2,500 scholarships through either the Johnny Daniel Memorial Scholarship or the Wayne Dudley Scholarship. Several other students will receive scholarships of $750 to $1,000 in value.
Scholarship application forms are available under the “News” tab of Premier Select Sires, by emailing office@premierselect.com or by calling (570) 836-3168. Completed scholarship applications are due Jan. 31, 2021.
Eligible students include high school seniors through college seniors presently enrolled or planning to enroll in an undergraduate agriculture-related major. The student or their parent or guardian must reside in the membership area and must be an active customer in good standing.
Agricultural industry group seeks nominees for safety awards
Do you know a person or organization who is a leader in agricultural safety, either through training, collaboration, promotion, education or research? The Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) seeks nominations for 10 categories of safety awards to be presented March 22-24, 2021, during the virtual North American Agricultural Safety Summit.
Honorees will receive complimentary registration to the summit, and one recipient will receive the WCF “Collaboration in Research to Practice” award and $2,500 cash prize. Nomination deadline is Jan. 6, 2021. Go to www.ashca.org for the nomination form and additional information.
Organization news
NMPF awarded USDA grant for biosecurity
The National Milk Producers Federation was awarded funding from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to develop and improve biosecurity on U.S. dairy farms.
As one of two livestock industry organizations chosen along with 16 state animal health authorities and 14 land-grant universities, NMPF will use the $488,603 grant to implement and coordinate the Secure Milk Supply plan and develop a biosecurity program area through the National Dairy FARM Program (FARM). The FARM Animal Care program places an emphasis on biosecurity as a key element of dairy herd health, and the grant funding will allow for further prioritization.
The grant is funded by the 2018 Farm Bill as part of an overall strategy to help prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the U.S. and reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions through advance planning and preparedness. APHIS will distribute funding through the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) as well as the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN).
NMPF will apply the grant funding to advance biosecurity on dairy farms by partnering with stakeholders and experts including the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, dairy farmers, veterinarians, dairy cooperatives and processors, and state and federal animal health officials.
Visit The National Milk Producers Federation for more information.
2021 AABP Recent Veterinary Graduate Conference registration is open
The fourth annual AABP Recent Veterinary Graduate Conference will take place Feb. 12-13, 2021, in St. Louis, Missouri. Registration for virtual and in-person attendance is now open. In-person attendance is limited to recent graduates; however, all AABP members can register for virtual conference attendance this year.
The theme, “Building Resources for Life,” was developed to offer newer graduates information and skills to feel knowledgeable and confident in their clinical practice. This conference is developed entirely by a program committee of recent graduates and will offer great CE for this demographic of AABP members as well as older practitioners.
There will be three preconference seminars on Feb. 11: Seminar 1, DairyCOMP 305; Seminar 2, ruminant surgical procedures; and Seminar 3, practical dairy nutrition and disease workups. The scientific program Feb. 12-13 will include a keynote address by Dr. Morgan McArthur on how to communicate with clients and staff.
Other general session topics on Friday will include mental wellness, handling burnout, immunology, vaccination and mixed-animal topics. Friday and Saturday sessions will include beef, dairy, clinical skills, consulting skills and more.
At the dinner on Friday, attendees will be asked to share their less-than-ideal experiences and how they worked through them. How did they demonstrate resiliency? Is there a time in practice that they felt they have shown resilience? What is that story that an attendee can share to uplift everyone?
Conference attendance is limited to current AABP members. Visit AABP Recent Veterinary Graduate Conference to see an overview, schedule and register for the conference.
NMC opens registration for its 60th annual meeting
National Mastitis Council (NMC) will be “moovin’ and groovin’” on the virtual highway in January for the organization’s 60th annual meeting. The event kicks off with an optional two-part short course on Jan. 7, followed by 15 more optional short courses scheduled for Jan. 19-21. From Jan. 26-28, join NMC for the general sessions, awards program, business meeting and time zone-friendly social gatherings.
Go to National Mastitis Council Registration to register. Some short courses have limited enrollment, so register early to get your top choices.
Other highlights include a virtual 5K Fun Run/Walk and recognition of the National Dairy Quality Award winners, NMC Award of Excellence for Mastitis Prevention and Control recipient, and NMC Scholars.
Animal Agriculture Alliance virtual summit to help turn ‘Obstacles to Opportunities’
The Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2021 Stakeholders Summit, set primarily for May 5-6, will be hosted virtually and themed “Obstacles to Opportunities.” The annual summit brings top thought leaders in the industry together to discuss hot-button issues and out-of-the-box ideas.
Registration for the summit will open in early 2021, and a tentative schedule will be shared at that time. Check animalagalliance.org for the most up-to-date information. For general questions about the summit, email summit@animalagalliance.org or call (703) 562-5160.
Holstein Association USA board holds fall meeting
The Holstein Association USA Inc. (HAUSA) board of directors met in Hartford, Connecticut, for the fall meeting Nov. 18-19. The board approved the 2021 Management-by-Objective Business Plan and associated budget, as presented by management.
The association implemented a program in the spring to give 10 free registrations to members simply by filling out a form and having it sent to the office postmarked by May 31, 2020. The hope for the program was to take a little burden off of members during these trying times. The free registration program was well received, as 1,034 members took advantage of it, and those participating had a combined savings of $85,000.
The board approved moving forward with a three-year research project which was submitted by Dr. Chad Dechow from Penn State University. Dechow’s research, titled “Genomic Evaluation of Diet Digestibility” focuses on the genetic variation of digestive efficiency within Holsteins.
Recommendations from the show committee which the board approved include:
- A tentative list of 2021 National Shows from summer through fall as planned in Ohio, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Kentucky
- Adding three individuals to the National Judges List
- Adding five individuals to the Qualified Judges List
Plans are to hold the 2021 Judges Conference with the Northeast Spring National Holstein Show. If the conference cannot go on as planned at that time due to COVID-19, the association will waive the five-year requirement for participants to attend a Judges Conference in order to be eligible for the 2022 judges list. Visit The Holstein Association USA Inc. for more information. 
