NNY Ag Development Program

Northern New York Agriculture

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NNYADP Research: Probiotic Supplementation for Neonatal Dairy Calves?

Two people with a dairy calf on a weighing scale.
Graduate student Taylor Turney, right, and Miner Institute Research Technician Salim Jones weigh a calf in the NNYADP kefir as probiotic reseach project. Photo: Cari Reynolds

Chazy, N.Y.; March 22, 2023.  Dairy industry researchers with Miner Institute are currently at the 2023 Smart Calf Rearing Conference in Germany to share the results of their Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP)-funded project investigating kefir as a probiotic supplement for newborn calves. This June, Miner Institute Research Scientist Sarah Morrison, Ph.D. and Cari Reynolds, a graduate student in animal bioscience, will present the project results at the 2023 annual meeting of the American Dairy Science Association in Ottawa, Ontario.

“This research provided the opportunity to consider a potential preventative care strategy to promote the health and growth of neonatal dairy calves,” Morrison said.

Kefir is a fermented beverage traditionally made with cow’s milk. It contains substantial amounts of probiotic bacteria, many with antimicrobial properties. This NNYADP –funded dairy research sought to determine if kefir could be used to decrease the risk of diarrhea in newborn dairy calves. Diarrhea is the leading cause of death in calves less than one month old.

Data was collected from calves in the Miner Institute dairy herd as well as at Hidden View Farm in Clinton County and Mapleview Dairy in St. Lawrence County. Datasets present information on feed nutrient content and intake, calf growth and health scoring, transfer of passive immunity, the incidence of diarrhea, and antibiotic usage for groups of calves supplemented with kefir and those that did not receive kefir.

A scoop of kefir probiotic supplement is being added to a feed bucket.
Preparing a calf feeding with kefir added as a probiotic supplement for calves in the NNYADP neonatal dairy calf research project. Photo: Cari Reynolds

Cumulative observations of diarrhea, also known as scours, in the calves at each farm did not differ between the kefir-no kefir treatments, nor did the likelihood of medical intervention with antibiotics to treat scours.

However, the report notes that on one farm “while treatment did not affect cumulative preweaning starter (feed) intake, calves in the kefir treatment group consumed nearly six pounds more starter than calves in the control group during the preweaning period.” The report also notes that calves fed kefir on another farm were more likely to meet or surpass their target weight at eight weeks of age.

One of the three farms in the project continues to use kefir as part of its feeding strategy.

“The increased starter dry matter intake in calves receiving kefir on one farm suggests a potential metabolic or developmental benefit to the calf that could be explored with future research. This project also suggests further exploring of the potential of probiotic supplementation in support of well-informed antibiotic stewardship,” Morrison notes.

This 2022 research project builds on the 2020 NNYADP project that worked with 16 dairy farms in northern New York to identify the main enteropathogens that contribute to diarrhea in neonatal dairy calves and the associated use of antibiotic treatment. That study indicated the need to develop a consistent and reliable way to identify the specific cause of a calf’s diarrhea to more effectively and efficiently treat the calf, and secondarily reducing unnecessary antibiotic usage. That earlier project evaluated the use of electrolytes and free choice water as supportive treatment practices.

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Legislature through the New York State Assembly and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

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3/29, North Lawrence: Economics of Co-Digestion of Dairy Manure & Food Waste

This flow diagram illustrates one scenario developed by the Cornell PRO-DAIRY Dairy Environment Systems program for its NNYADP-funded case study of the economic feasibility of co-digestion of dairy manure and food waste on a northern New York dairy farm. RNG is renewable natural gas. Graphic courtesy of Cornell PRO-DAIRY.

Learn the Economics of Co-Digestion of Dairy Manure and Food Waste: March 29 in North Lawrence

North Lawrence, New York; March 21, 2023. The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) has announced the opportunity to learn about the economic feasibility of the co-digestion of dairy manure and food waste. The free program, hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) North Country Regional Ag Team, will be held on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Stauffer Farms in North Lawrence, New York. Lunch will be included.

The program will feature speakers from the Cornell PRO-DAIRY program who conducted a case study project funded by the NNYADP. Agricultural Sustainability and Energy Engineer Lauren Ray, who led the project with Agricultural Engineer Peter Wright, will be joined by Dairy Environmental Specialist Angela George to present information on food waste sources and tipping fees, digested effluent storage and nutrient management planning, and biogas generation and energy use options.

The project report, “Economic Feasibility Case Study of Co-Digestion of Manure and Food Waste on a Northern New York Dairy Farm,” prepared by Ray, Wright, and George with two on-farm case studies can be viewed on the NNYADP website under the Research: Dairy tab.

Dr. Stefan J. Grimberg with Clarkson University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and director of the Center of Excellence in Healthy Water Solutions, and CCE St. Lawrence County Natural Resources and Sustainable Energy Educator Nick Hamilton-Honey served as project collaborators.

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Legislature through the New York Assembly and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Stauffer Farms is located at 925 County Road 54 in North Lawrence. For more information, contact Lindsay Ferlito at 607-592-0290.

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WAMC Radio Puts Spotlight on NNYADP Birch Syrup Research

Jars of syrup made from beech trees
Left, beech syrup made using reverse osmosis; right, beech syrup made without RO. Photo: Adam D. Wild.

March 17, 2023.  WAMC Assistant News Director Jim Levulis has shared a link to his recent interview with Adam Wild about this result of Wild’s Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP)-funded project evaluating the economic feasibility of tapping birch trees for syrup production. The interview aired mid-day today on WAMC Northeast Public Radio, produced in Albany, New York. A shorter version will air today at about 3:50 p.m, or listen here: https://www.wamc.org/news/

Click here to read Wild’s NNYADP 2022 beech syrup product report

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NNYADP Dairy Employee E-Training Project Results Presented to National, International Audiences

Man looking at dairy learning page on a smart phone
A farm employee participating in the NNYADP-QMPS dairy worker e-training pilot project. Photo: QMPS

March 9, 2023; Canton, New York.  The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program announces that the results of dairy worker E-training research funded by the farmer-driven program, and conducted by Quality Milk Production Services, have recently been presented to the National Mastitis Council at its 2023 meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, and in an article now available worldwide through the JDS Communications Journal of the American Dairy Science Association. The journal is an open access resource that allows researchers to make their work globally accessible.

The article, “Dairy farm worker milking equipment training with an E-learning system,” reports the impact of the 3-year “Assessing the Effect of E-Learning Training Systems on Milk Quality and Dairy Parlor Performance” project that developed and tested online training with the help of 15 commercial dairy farms in northern New York. The article cites previous research noting that the lack of training has been considered “one of the main reasons for lower detection of animal health problems, poor animal handling and management of calving events, and poor milking routines,” whereas, it states that “farms with frequent training of milking personnel achieve faster milking speeds and lower rates of clinical mastitis.”

Veterinarian in a dairy farm milking parlor
Paul D. Virkler, D.V.M., QMPS, Canton, NY

“During farm visits, Quality Milk Production Services began to see a need for training dairy personnel about proper procedures for tasks in the milking parlor and for collecting aseptic milk samples. This project allowed us time to develop a cloud-based platform as an adjunct to face-to-face instruction to improve and enhance dairy worker knowledge and performance in the milking parlor with a related benefit to cow health,” project leader Paul D. Virkler, D.V.M., Quality Milk Production Services, Canton, New York, explained.

Fourteen of the 15 commercial dairy farms participating in the project had milking equipment problems as one of their top three risk factors for mastitis. For 13 of the 15 farms, inadequate milking routine was also a significant risk factor for mastitis.

Of the 95 dairy farm workers participating in this pilot project, 90 identified Spanish as their native language. The article notes the communication challenges inherent with language barriers and cultural differences as well as different levels of pre-farm arrival dairy experience and on-farm training.

Poster with information on NNYADP dairy worker e-learning project
This poster illustrated the NNYADP, QMPS dairy worker e-learning project results at the 2023 National Mastitis Council meeting in Atlanta, GA. Photo: Paul D. Virkler, D.V.M.

“Our research documents the importance of and need for efficient dairy worker training and employee-manager communications. The use of E-learning systems can serve dairy farms as a tool for developing an on-farm learning culture that incorporates effective training programs to support employees, management, cow health, quality milk production, and sustainable farm businesses,” Virkler said.

“This project addresses an information gap with an on-farm, real-world approach to improve dairy employee performance with related positive impact on milk production and quality. We are pleased to see this study being published in a forum that can help farms not only here in northern New York but nationally and internationally to keep the dairy industry strong,” said Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Co-Chair Jon Greenwood, Canton, New York.

The authors of the “Dairy farm worker milking equipment training with an E-learning system” article are Virkler; Valeria M. Alanis, a Cornell University graduate student from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; W. Recker, Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York; Paula A. Ospina, D.V.M., Lechear LLC, King Ferry, New York; and Wolfgang Heuwieser, D.V.M., Professor Emeritus, Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany.

A link to the article (https://www.jdscommun.org/article/S2666-9102(22)00081-3/fulltext) and the 2019-2021 NNYADP project reports for this 3-year project are project are publicly accessible at https://www.nnyagdev.org under the Research: Dairy tab. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Legislature through the New York State Assembly and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

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NNYADP Research: Untapped Economic Potential of American Beech Trees

Jars of syrup made from beech trees
Left, beech syrup made using reverse osmosis; right, beech syrup made without RO. Photo: Adam D. Wild, Uihlein Maple Research Forest, Lake Placid, N.Y.

Lake Placid, N.Y.; March 1, 2023.  The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has announced the results of research into the economic feasibility of producing syrup from American beech trees. Conducted by Adam D. Wild, director of the Uihlein Maple Research Forest in Lake Placid, New York, the research examined the yield potential and economic feasibility of tapping beech trees for syrup production.

American beech is an abundant hardwood species in northern New York forests. Based on current pricing in some areas of $4.50 per ounce of beech syrup, a gallon would price at $576, but before you start tapping beech trees, be sure to read Wild’s report.

Beech trees with sap collection tubing
Photo: Adam D. Wild

“The tapping of beech trees for syrup production has potential for creating a new product that would allow the utilization of a tree that currently has low economic value. There is a market for beech syrup, and even a beech beverage, with the potential for value much higher than maple; however, more research is needed to develop best practices for tapping and processing,” says Wild.

“Cooking beech sap down into syrup produced a delicious product with notes of raisin, dried plums, and dried pears, but required a significant amount of concentrating to produces 1 gallon of syrup from 140 gallons of beech sap,” Wild points out.

Due to the limited amount of sap produced for this small-scale project, Wild used a steam kettle and stovetop to process the beech sap into syrup. His report notes the higher mineral content of the beech syrup as well as data recorded for sap flow timing, sap yield and sweetness, tree health and taphole closure, and economic calculations.

“This research is a first step toward determining whether the abundant beech saplings with prolific root sprouts could yield enough sap for profitable syrup production for northern New York’s maple producers. At this time, it looks like tapping beech trees has great potential and does not impact the growth of the trees,” Wild explains.

Northern New York’s maple industry value has increased over the past 14 years from $3.25 million annually to more than $20 million with room yet to grow. Beech syrup production, beech-maple syrup blending, and beech beverage bottling are among product options for additional research.

Beech syrup samples were provided to the public during the 2022 New York State Maple Weekends at the Uhilein Maple Research Forest and at maple producer conferences in northern New York and the Hudson Valley in early 2023.

You can read the “Feasibility of American Beech Syrup Production in Northern New York” report on this website under the Research: Maple, Beech, Birch and Honey tab. Tree syrup producer, Michael Farrell, Ph.D., CEO of The Forest Farmers in Lyon Mountain, New York, is a project collaborator.

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Legislature through the New York State Assembly and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.