Identifying Priorities for Iowa's Future November 2003

Animals and Their Systems $19,016,000 in FY02 expenditures The Questions Experiment Station researchers work in areas that are both practical and fundamental, short-term and far-reaching. What key questions are researchers addressing for Iowans? Swine--$5,404,000 How can enhanced genetic selection tools, genetic markers and gene mapping improve meat quality and safety and reduce costs for swine producers? $3,223,000 How can improved nutrition management improve swine efficiency and increase producer profitability? $1,752,000 How can swine producers improve housing for their animals in ways that are economical as well as environmentally sustainable? $159,000 How can odors and gas emissions from swine operations be reduced? $270,000 Beef--$4,841,000 How can enhanced genetic selection tools and nutrition management improve meat quality and safety and reduce costs for beef producers? $2,377,000 How can beef producers achieve greater production efficiency, resource utilization and cost reduction? $289,000 What beef production management practices protect or improve the quality of Iowa’s natural resources? $2,175,000 Dairy--$2,687,000 How can enhanced genetic selection tools, genetic markers, and gene mapping improve milk quality and safety and reduce costs for dairy producers? $1,410,000 How can improved nutrition and production management improve dairy efficiency and increase producer profitability? $437,000 What factors determine milk product value and improve milk product quality? $187,000 What can dairy producers do related to production facilities to help protect water and air quality? $653,000 Poultry--$2,751,000 How is poultry production enhanced by decreasing the incidence of disease? $236,000 How is poultry production increased through genetic selection and evaluation? $2,135,000 What can poultry producers do to help protect water and air quality? $380,000 Basic Research--$3,333,000 How can enhanced genetic selection tools, genetic markers and gene mapping improve meat quality and safety and production efficiency for animal agriculture? $714,000 How can a better understanding of molecular structure and cell pathways improve meat quality and safety and production efficiency for animal agriculture? $2,619,000 Selected Impacts Research results often improve understanding, help solve practical problems and build to greater discoveries. How has Experiment Station research impacted Iowans? Swine Specific genes can be used in selection lines for improving the genetics of swine. The genes directly affect litter size, growth, backfat and meat quality. The research involves mapping the genome of swine and using gene markers to develop tests that allow swine breeders to identify animals that carry genes that correspond to traits. A major swine breeding company is using six of the identified genes. An intramuscular vaccine and the feeding of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) can help prevent dysentery, a costly swine disease. Research comparing conventional confinement facilities to deep-bedded hoop buildings identified production and economic trade-offs essential to producer decisions regarding investment and operating costs and returns. Management — of ventilation, nutrition and manure application timing and methods — is key to reducing odor emissions. Studies are comparing different swine systems to gain more information on odor emissions. Different processing methods for corn contaminated with mycotoxins improve utilization, allowing producers to efficiently utilize grain in years when contamination is a problem. Beef Research has developed EPDs (expected progeny differences) for beef body composition using ultrasound on live animals. The result: reduced cost and speedier genetic selection. Using ultrasound EPDs for selection has resulted in development of two lines of Angus cattle — a retail product line and a quality line. Currently 37 of the nation’s top 200 cows for percentage of intramuscular fat in the Angus breed are in the Iowa State herd. Identification of genes that affect skeletal muscle development and lean tissue deposition will allow producers to better select genetics for specific production efficiency and end product traits. The result: increased profitability and consumer satisfaction. Feed costs for pasture-based beef systems can be reduced significantly by using corn stalks and stockpiled pastures to extend the grazing season. A low-cost nasal swab was an effective diagnostic tool for Mycoplasma bovis, a costly respiratory disease in feedlot cattle. Coupled with genomic fingerprinting, the analysis provides a rapid determination of infection in a feedlot. Phase feeding of feedlot cattle and reducing protein as the cattle get heavier reduce both costs and nitrogen excretion. Cows grazing cornstalks during the winter did not affect soil compaction nor subsequent soybean yields. Studies of stable flies point to critical control points linked to time and temperature that indicate when control measures are most effective. Dairy Research is identifying genetic differences in cows that produce milk with known human health benefits, which will make the milk more valuable to consumers or processors. For example, studies show feeding more soy oil to selected cows can lower saturated milkfat. A protocol has been developed to improve mastitis detection and control measures in dry cows and post-calving cows. Result: reduced dependence on antibiotics. As many as half of U.S. dairy cows have mild to severe fatty liver problems in early lactation, costing millions of dollars in treatment and production losses. Research found that improved nutritional management will reduce fatty liver complications. Researchers developed management tools to identify noncycling dairy cows and the selective use of estrus synchronization products. Their use will increase cow fertility, improving calving and lactation intervals leading to increased milk production and cow longevity. Research is developing genetic selection tools to identify sires that will lead to reduced dystocia and perinatal mortality, thus improving survival, reproduction and premature culling in high-yielding dairy cows. Researchers are identifying factors that define and impact air quality, helping establish science-based standards for animal agriculture. Research also is evaluating the cost and effectiveness of biofilters to reduce particulates and odor from facilities. Poultry Research shows altering poultry feeding programs reduces manure nutrient levels and can lead to improved water and air quality. Researchers have identified genes that enhance pre-harvest food safety efforts against Salmonella. Researchers are making advances in pathogenesis, surveillance, diagnosis and control of avian respiratory diseases. Researchers have determined that composting may be an effective, safe and environmentally feasible way to dispose of carcasses in the event of a catastrophic disease like avian influenza or Newcastle disease. Using unique genetic crosses of chickens allows the estimation of the number of genes controlling important economic traits of growth and carcass composition. The results will help direct future molecular genetic studies into areas that improve performance. The development of biophysical models for poultry production systems will help establish ammonia emission inventory data and investigate emission mitigation measures for U.S. poultry production systems. The models also will help develop alternative cooling systems to help the industry better cope with adverse summer weather, and will improve environmental conditions and animal well-being during the transport of day-old breeder chicks. Basic Research Procedures have been developed to reduce gene-mapping errors. This makes it possible to conduct more powerful experiments to detect genes that have significant effects on economically important animal traits. Research is developing models to implement gene mapping into animal production management decisions. As more is learned about genetic mapping, these kinds of practical methods are needed to link DNA information to the functions they control. Discovery of new genes that regulate interactions between neurons in developing animal nervous systems will lead to new insights into congenital neural defects. Better understanding of molecular structure will help researchers study cell growth, immune response, chemotherapy, dietary supplements and drug-resistant bacteria. Better understanding of cell development and behavior will allow researchers to better predict muscle growth, nutritional and eating quality of meats; properly time transgenic operations in genetically modified embryos; and study cell and tissue development more cost effectively. Selected Extension/Outreach What key extension or outreach activities are making science-based information available to Iowans and others? Swine Nineteen faculty and staff are associated with ISU’s Iowa Pork Industry Center. They cover animal science, economics, agricultural and biosystems engineering and veterinary medicine. John Mabry is director of the center. There are 28 extension field specialists who work with the Center to serve swine producers. Reproductive traits in swine are extremely important economically, but selection for the traits at the farm level hasn’t been feasible. Iowa State has been a leader in developing science-based technology (Best Linear Unbiased Prediction, or BLUP) to accurately estimate the genetic merit of animals for traits like reproduction. ISU Extension and the Iowa Pork Industry Center have developed a user-friendly interface that allows pork producers to use BLUP technology in conjunction with commonly used reproductive data management software. The Iowa Pork Industry Center offers numerous educational programs and products for producers. Topics include advanced animal health; environmental education; Pork Quality Assurance education; swine handling and transport education; value of swine nutrients for crop production; advanced swine breeding herd management; finisher facilities; ventilation systems; Iowa Manure Digester Conference; statewide Swine Welfare Assurance training; and ICN programs on market prices and manure issues. Real-time ultrasound is the most reliable method of estimating backfat and loin muscle area in live pigs. ISU research has resulted in a dramatic increase in implementation of this technology. A series of education and certification conferences have been held. Publications and products helping producers include the annual ISU Swine Research Report, “Minimizing the Use of Antibiotics” and “Group Tracker” software. Larry McMullen worked with Kirkwood Community College to demonstrate the use of dietary phytase to reduce phosphorus in swine manure. A 22 percent reduction was achieved, pig performance was not affected and diet costs remained the same. Beef Seventeen faculty and staff members on campus are associated with ISU’s Iowa Beef Center. They cover areas in animal science, agronomy, economics, agricultural and biosystems engineering and veterinary medicine. John Lawrence is director of the Iowa Beef Center. Sixteen extension field specialists linked to the center serve beef producers. Forage-planning software, developed by Daryl Strohbehn and Dan Morrical and incorporating research by Jim Russell, can help extend the grazing season to reduce stored feed costs for beef herds. The result: a monthly forage balance producers can use to evaluate alternative grazing systems. Extension field specialists trained producers in using the software at Cyclone Beef Days Forage Management Workshops. A feedlot short course developed by Darrell Busby and Dan Loy meets monthly, following a pen of cattle through the feeding period from beginning to end. The five-day curriculum incorporates hands-on learning with presentations by leading researchers on feedlot management, animal health, marketing and nutrition. The TriCounty Steer Carcass Futurity fed more than 10,000 cattle for 600 producers from nine states, using Iowa feedlots. With the help of Darrell Busby and extension personnel, individual erformance and carcass data was collected to help producers make better management decisions. ISU’s Iowa Beef Center worked with more than 30 feedlots to develop environmental management systems for their operations. Producers developed an environmental policy statement, conducted an assessment to determine priorities and implemented an action plan to operate their business in accordance with environmental regulations and their own stewardship principles. ISU’s Iowa Beef Center offers many programs and products that target producers, including Grid Market Analyzer software, Feedlot Monitoring Program, Forage Planner Software, SPA Analysis and Summary, Estrus Synchronization software, Cyclone Beef Days and workshops, the grid-marketing Market Cow Feeding Demonstration and sire and tenderness progeny testing. Publications and products designed to help producers include the annual ISU Beef Research Report, “Solutions for Small Feedlots,” “Marketing What’s Under the Hide,” and “Marketing Corn Through Cattle.” More than 9,600 head of cattle from Iowa and seven other states were fed in southwestern Iowa as a part of the Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity Cooperative, resulting in an extra $3 million spent in Iowa for feed, trucking and associated costs. Adoption of a beef cattle sire profit comparison project that measures differences in progeny market value can improve feedlot producer profit by $58 per head. Hundreds of beef producers and agribusiness personnel attend the annual Cornbelt Cow/Calf Conference in Ottumwa. Producers used information from the conference to implement management changes that increased returns by 8 to 13 percent and production efficiency by 11 percent, and decreased labor input by 16 to 19 percent. Beth Doran, Allen Trenkle and Dan Loy investigated the value of ethanol co-products in beef cattle production. Samples from three northwest Iowa ethanol plants will be analyzed to determine any variability in nutritional content. Dairy Ten faculty members on campus have expertise in dairy science and are available to assist producers. Eight extension field specialists assist dairy producers. Publications to assist producers include annual DHI averages by breed; the ISU Extension View Dairy newsletter; the annual ISU Dairy Research Report; Teat Condition Portfolio CD-Rom; Milk Quality Issues and Programs For Transition Cows and Heifers; and Evaluation of Bovine Teat Condition in Commercial Dairy Herds. Several programs and products that target dairy producers include regional Dairy Days; Milker Training Schools; Dairy Feeder Schools; Dairy Herdsperson Schools; Dairy Challenge Competition; Beginning Dairy Farmer course and curriculum; Manure Application Field Day; Iowa Manure Digester Conference; and on-farm dairy management teams. Dairy farmers with milk quality problems increased annual income per cow by approximately $190 when they adopted Extension's milk quality suggestions. Dale Thoreson provided one-on-one educational assistance to 120 livestock operations. As a result, producers implemented changes that included a new feedlot monitoring program, different milking procedures and remodeling facilities. Producers said the economic impact of these efforts ranged from $1,074 for a 92-cow dairy herd to $15,210 for a 1,300-head feedlot. Poultry Six ISU faculty members (Darrel Trampel, Sue Lamont, Hongwei Xin, Don Reynolds, Dong Ahn, Kristjan Bregendahl) have expertise in poultry production and provide support to producers. Farm visits and diagnostic assistance are a part of extension and outreach efforts. Extension activities that target poultry producers include the annual Iowa Poultry Symposium, area meetings for poultry producers, Pullorum schools and the video, “Exotic Newcastle Disease and the California Outbreak.” Darrell Trampel provided diagnostic assistance to Iowa poultry producers through 376 cases. A rapid diagnosis allows early actions that greatly reduce disease and losses in affected flocks. Partners Many individuals and groups support Experiment Station research and education in ways that go beyond dollars. Here are a few samples. Surebeam has provided use of irradiation facilities. In-kind support has been provided by many companies and associations, including the National Swine Improvement Federation, Seghers-Newsham, Babcock Swine, ABS Global, American Angus Association, West Agro Inc., Alcide Corp., IBA Inc., Westphalia Surge, Boumatic Inc., Gallo Dairy Farm, Land O’Lakes, Milk Specialties, Merricks Inc., and American Protein Corp. Iowa Pork Producers Association sponsored development of a four-state ventilation workshop series. Two beef farms, a dairy farm and three swine farms have allowed ISU manure management and water quality scientists to collect data and bring visitors to the sites for several years. Practical Farmers of Iowa and Iowa Farm Bureau farmer cooperators provided field plots and in-kind labor and equipment for a six-farm study of swine hoop manure composting and compost utilization. Several Iowa egg companies have provided the use of their commercial laying hen houses for research and extension projects. Poultry breeding companies provide contributions of genetic stock, biological samples and measurement of phenotypic traits. Syngen provided DNA samples of pigs in infectious disease trials. Northeast Iowa Community-Based Dairy Foundation provides access to facilities for research and extension. Trans Ova Genetics has provided access to facilities and equipment for research and transfer of embryos from endangered species. Henry Doorly Zoo has provided access to facilities and equipment for research, donations of embryos and donations of labor. More than 90 producers participated in the grid marketing demonstration by sharing their carcass data. Several farmers regularly host educational field days for grazing systems and environmental structures. TriCounty Steer Carcass Futurity and its consigners provide cattle and detailed animal data for research use. The Iowa Quality Beef database is shared with Iowa State to develop carcass benchmarks. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association purchased water quality monitoring equipment for use by ISU researchers. Seven local research farm associations have provided land to researchers to work on regional agricultural topics dating back to the 1930s. Work has centered on crops, soils, water quality and livestock.

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