Swine Extension

A message from MN Department of Agriculture (MDA) The MDA offers safety tips for those maintaining equipment and applying and transporting NH3. Many farmers and custom applicators will soon apply anhydrous ammonia (NH3) after harvest. Even with a rush against time and the weather, safety should never be compromised. Accidents involving NH3 have proven how dangerous and deadly the fertilizer can be when not handled properly. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) offers the following tips to farmers, fertilizer dealers and custom applicators on how to safely field apply NH3: Always wear NH3-rated goggles and gloves. Never wear contact lenses. Be sure to have a clean and accessible emergency water supply of at least 5 gallons available. Exercise caution when making connections and disconnections of transfer lines, treating them as if they always contain NH3. Stand upwind when connecting, disconnecting, bleeding lines, or transferring NH3. Also, close, bleed, disconnect and secure ...

By Jason Ertl, Ag Production Systems Extension Educator in Nicollet and Sibley counties Originally printed in THE LAND - December 13/December 20, 2019 It’s no secret that crop producers in the upper Midwest faced numerous climatic challenges this past year. Snowstorms well into April led to a wet spring and delayed planting, and as we inched closer to harvest season, the question on everyone’s mind was whether or not the crop had reached physiological maturity. This concern became especially evident in the region’s corn crop, as late planted and those perpetually wet fields resulted in some higher harvest moistures and lighter test weights. When other harvest complications are added into the mix, such as LP shortages or weather-related delays, the risks related to grain quality and contamination become of greater importance. Since nearly 60-70 percent of the US crop is destined for feed, the implications of decreased feed quality could influence a large number of livestock produce...

Source: Kristina TeBockhorst and Shawn Shouse, Iowa State University via UMN Extension Minnesota Crop News Are you looking for tips on cooling and storing grain through the winter? If so check out the Extension Crop Team's blog, Minnesota Crop News where they recently posted an article from Iowa State University reviewing some tips and rules of thumbs for cooling and storing grain through the winter. Links to corn harvest and soybean harvest and storage resources are also given.

Heavy rains this summer and fall have caused concerns about the development of fungi molds in grain. Some fungi molds in grain can produce harmful compounds called mycotoxins. Pigs consuming mycotoxins above their tolerance level will face health and reproductive problems. Producers can find facts to help them manage fungi molds in feed grains here: https://z.umn.edu/ManageMycotoxinsInFeedGrain

By: Liz Stahl, Crops Extension Educator and Seth Naeve, Extension Soybean Agronomist As posted on the Minnesota Crop News Blog While almost impossible to accomplish in most years, harvesting soybeans at a moisture content between 13 to 15% helps maximize yields while minimizing harvest losses. Cool, cloudy, and rainy conditions this fall, however, have led to large increases in soybean moisture content. With cool conditions in the forecast, soybeans may be harvested at much higher moisture levels this fall than usual. Continue Reading