World Ag Expo Dairy Seminars Run February 9–11

News EditorWorld Ag Expo

2010 World Ag ExpoIt’s hard to believe that it’s time once again for World Ag Expo! The 43rd annual Expowill run February 9–11 at the International Agri-Center show grounds in Tulare, Calif. This year, the show will present will present three days of seminars, in the newly expanded Expo Seminar Center, with a different emphasis each day. All of World Ag Expo’s seminars are provided free of charge with a paid admission.

Western DairyBusiness magazine once again hosts Dairy Profit Seminars at World Ag Expo, the largest annual show of its kind in the world, which attracts one of the largest gatherings of dairy exhibitors and dairy producers in the nation. The magazine brings together some of the best speakers and analysts who will provide insight into the latest dairy industry developments.

This year’s dairy seminars will include speakers addressing such topics as supply management, the availability of business financing, economic ups and downs impacting the producers’ bottom line, and the growth and challenges seen in the farmstead/artisan cheese industry. Prior to the popular lunch program, which will be hosted by Dairy Management Inc., members of the DMI board from the West will provide updates on how producers’ Dairy Checkoff dollars are being spent and what their programs are accomplishing for the industry at large.

Baron Takes the Prize with Plugra Butter Sauce

News EditorButter, Media

2009PlugraConsumerRecipeContestCongratulations to Jasmin Baron of Livonia, New York, for being named Grand Champion in the 3rd Annual Plugrá European-Style Butter Magnifique Recipe Contest—Le Saucier. Plugrá is marketed by Keller’s Creamery, a division of Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.

For this year’s competition, Plugrá invited food enthusiasts to share the recipe for their favorite butter sauce and complementary culinary creation. Baron impressed the judges, a panel of chefs from the Plugrá Culinary Institute, with Soy-Ginger-Lime Wasabi Butter Sauce served with Crispy Panko Tilapia over Wilted Spinach.

“The Soy-Ginger-Lime Wasabi Butter Sauce immediately caught our attention as an Asian adaptation of a classic Beurre Blanc. What’s beautiful about this sauce is the use of on-trend flavor combinations and the way it works both on its own and to elevate the accompanying dish,” said Plugrá Chef Cari Price.

As the Grand Champion, Baron is the recipient of $2,500 and an all-expense-paid culinary tour of New York City. Ten runners-up each received a Williams-Sonoma® saucier collection and Raymond Sokolov’s cookbook “The Saucier’s Apprentice: A Modern Guide to Classic French Sauces for the Home.” All finalist recipes are published on www.plugra.com.

Le Saucier celebrates the resurgence of sauce-making as a refined culinary art. Sauces made with Plugrá European-Style Butter are an excellent way to add a burst of flavor or inject a spark of creativity into signature entrées, vegetables or desserts.

Professional chefs have long known that Plugrá European-Style Butter is the secret ingredient for smoother, creamier sauces with a richer flavor profile and full-bodied taste. Slow-churned to create less moisture, Plugrá is also the secret to higher cakes, flakier pastries, and lighter, fluffier soufflés.

Source: Plugrá and Dairy Farmers of America

Hawaii Dairy Farm Pampers Cows, Featured in USA Today

Amanda NolzAnimal Health, Milk

usatoday Robbie Dingeman with USA Today recently reported on a dairy farm that is pampering their cows with water beds. Water beds? Is this for real? In an attempt to treat their cattle better and promote increased milk production, a Hawaiian-based dairy farm is testing out their theory of water beds for their cows and are discovering amazing results. Read the excerpt below and tell me your thoughts. Water beds for cows? Ridiculous or smart?

Water beds for cows. That may sound like a fanciful title for a novel but it describes the latest investment of a Hawaii farm pumping out fresh locally produced milk. Island Dairy owner Bahman Sadeghi explains it this way: “Happy, healthy cows produce more milk.”

So, “a cow that is not at peak health and is in stress is not going to produce as much milk as a comfortable relaxed cow.”

And that’s where the plan for a new 320-cow barn full of waterbeds comes in. The company said the pampered cow approach has produced measurable results.They cited reports that cows with waterbeds installed in their barns are producing 10% to 20% more milk.

A Fitting Job for the Farm Show

Amanda NolzCompetition

LF20100102_CSparling04_sm I recently read this article in the Lancaster Farming written by Dick Wanner titled, A Fitting Job for the Farm Show, highlighting a professional dairy cattle fitter and describing the ins and outs of a day at a cattle show. Coming from my experiences showing beef cattle, I can definitely relate to the hard work and long hours it takes to get these animals ready and glamourous for the show ring. Here is an excerpt from the article…

One of the busiest guys at the 2009 Pennsylvania Farm Show was Brian Sparling, of Ralston, Pa. But he wasn’t showing, selling, scooping or judging. Sparling is a professional fitter, whose business it is to get dairy cows ready for the showing and the judging.

When we spotted him in the dairy barn last January, Sparling was putting the finishing touches on Lola, a spiffy looking Brown Swiss that was part of the Kir-Kare Dairy Farm in Millville, Pa. Karen Cramer — the “Kare” part of “Kir-Kare” — was at the Farm Show with 15 Brown Swiss, one Jersey and five little Cramers. Husband Kirk — the “Kir” part — stayed home to tend to chores.

Jersey Association Reports Year End

News EditorJersey Association

09_registrationcountdownThe American Jersey Cattle Association has announced it had processed 95,557 registrations for 2009, topping the previous record of 94,774 set in 2008.

The AJCA also reported all-time records for total cows enrolled on performance evaluation programs; for total cows and herds enrolled in the comprehensive REAP service; and for cows scored in the Jersey functional type traits appraisal program. All replace category records established in 2008.

2009 caps a decade of dramatic Jersey breed growth:

· A 50% increase in registrations from 63,776 in 2000 to the December 31, 2009 final count of 95,557;

· A 41% increase in performance program enrollments from 92,369 cows in 2000 to 130,810 on December 31, 2009;

· A 50% increase in REAP cow enrollments from 84,448 cows in 2000 to 127,023 on December 31, 2009; and

· A 61% increase in cows scored in the Jersey type appraisal program, from 51,956 in 2000 to 83,431 in 2009.

Source: American Jersey Cattle Association

U.S. Grains Council Voice In Egypt

Chuck ZimmermanAudio, International

Corn MissionThe face and voice of the U.S. Grains Council in Egypt is Dr. Hussein Soliman pictured in the center of the USGC Corn Mission group I traveled with last month. He has been working on behalf of U.S. grain producers for almost 20 years and has not only seen Egypt become one of our top importers but can take a lot of the credit for helping make it happen. You won’t find anyone more passionate about what he does. All of us on the team are very appreciative of his assistance and guidance while visiting this week.

I spoke to Dr. Soliman while we were at one of the Mirhom Farag Farms, owned by Suzanne Basilios, also in center of the photo. She treated us to a wonderful meal at her dairy and I’ll have a video clip of it coming up soon.

Dr. Soliman provides a very good summary of the work the USGC has done in Egypt and the results he’s seen over the years. The market is far from mature and in fact will grow tremendously, especially when the poultry sector gets back to normal. In the meantime, the biggest opportunities lie in beef and dairy production.

You can listen to my interview with Dr. Soliman below:

USGC Corn Mission In Egypt Photo Album

The New Year Should See Higher Milk Prices

News EditorIndustry News, Milk

Here’s some good news for dairy farmers New Year: milk prices are starting to rise.

The December all-milk price, according to the USDA, is $16.30 per hundredweight. That is up 44 percent from the lows registered this past summer. USDA used the $16.30 figure to compute the milk-feed ratio released in Wednesday’s “Agricultural Prices” report.

Here are the all-milk prices for 2009:
Jan. $13.30
Feb. $11.60
March $11.80
April $11.90
May $11.60
June $11.30
July $11.30
Aug. $12.00
Sept. $12.90
Oct. $14.20
Nov. $15.30
Dec. $16.30*
*Preliminary

Source: USDA & Dairy Herd Management

Dairyline Markets In Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

DairylineDairy Markets Week in Review

Cash cheese prices at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange ended the year on a down note and corrected the unusually large price spread, but prices are sharply above those a year ago. The block price closed New Year’s Eve at $1.45 per pound, down 11 3/4-cents on the holiday shortened week, but a whopping 31 3/4-cents above that week a year ago when they tumbled almost 14 cents, to $1.1325. This week’s loss was in addition to the previous week’s 13 1/3 cent decline.

Barrels closed at $1.43, down a penny on the week but 30 cents above a year ago. Sixteen cars of block traded hands on the week and three of barrel. The NASS surveyed U.S. average block price hit $1.6917, up 1.7 cents. Barrel averaged $1.4994, down 1.5 cents.

Butter held all week at $1.3275, 19 3/4-cents above a year ago. Nothing sold. NASS butter averaged $1.3556, down 8 cents. NASS nonfat dry milk averaged $1.3327, up 4.3 cents, and dry whey averaged 37.25 cents, up 0.3 cent.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.