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PRESS RELEASE: March 2, 2012

Winter Dairy Management Group-Housed Calf Conferences in NNY March 21 and 22

How does a dairy calf’s pre-weaning daily rate of weight gain impact her milking performance as an adult? How can you improve your barn’s ventilation to protect calves’ lungs? How has raising their calves in groups and free-access milk-feeding systems benefitted Northern New York dairy farmers?

“If you feed calves right early, you can add 1,700 lbs of milk in their first lactation,” says Cornell University Dairy Nutrition Extension Professor Dr. Larry Chase.

Chase and a full line up of educators, veterinarians and farmers using group housing systems will share their experiences and knowledge at the 2012 Winter Dairy Management Conferences in Carthage and Chazy, NY, on March 21 and 22 respectively. The 10:30am to 3pm sessions, organized by Cornell Cooperative Extension associations of Northern New York, will be held at the Carthage Elks Club on March 21 and at Miner Institute in Chazy on Thursday, March 22.

Cornell PRO-DAIRY Dairy Housing and Waste Management Engineer Curt Gooch will present advances in draft-free ventilating for barns to protect calves’ young lungs.

Gooch says, “The success in group-housed dairy animals has always hinged on a viable ventilation system and it is even more important with calves which are susceptible to the drafts common in the winter months in Northern New York.”

In Carthage, veterinarian Dr. Mark Thomas of Countryside Veterinary Clinic, Lowville, NY, will talk about how group feeding and housing of calves mimics nature.

In Chazy, veterinarian Dr. Bob Ceglowski of Rupert Veterinary Clinic, Rupert, VT, will share how group feeding and housing moves calf raising closer to “nature’s way.”

In Carthage, Mary Kelly of Kelly Farms, Renssalaer Falls, NY, will share how converting to group housing has benefitted her dairy business.

In Chazy, Mark and Jenny Cary of Woody Hill Farm in Salem, NY, will offer their farm as a case study for finding success with group calf systems.

In Chazy, Animal Science Extension Specialist John Conway of Cornell’s PRO-DAIRY Program will compare mob feeders, robotic autofeeders and farm-fabricated self-feeders, and Kim Morrill, Ph.D., the new Cornell Cooperative Extension Dairy Specialist for St. Lawrence, Franklin and Clinton counties, will talk about how baby calf rate of gain affects lifetime performance in the milking herd.

A ready-made “warm box” will be on display at both events.

The $30 registration fee includes lunch and how-to materials from the sold-out December 1, 2011 Dairy Calf Group Housing Symposium in Syracuse.

Register for the Carthage conference by March 16 with Ron Kuck, CCE Jefferson County, 315-788-8450. Register for the Chazy conference by March 17 with Kim Morrill, CCE St. Lawrence County, 315-379-9192. # # #

 

In the 1960s, Dr. Robert F. Lucey of Cornell University had a vision of Northern New York as an agricultural production powerhouse, and he set out to found a Northern New York agricultural research program that is today known as the NNYADP Small Grants Program.

In 1961, Dr. Lucey prompted the New York State Legislature to appropriate funds to Cornell University to establish a research station at the State University of New York Agricultural and Technical College at Canton. Dr. Lucey established strong working relationships with that college and with the William H. Miner Agricultural Institute in Chazy, NY, and the Cornell Willsboro Research Farm in Essex County. He connected researchers, students, farmers and Extension educators for the task of evaluating the Northern New York factors that affect dairy farming and field crops.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program received its initial formal name in 1982. Dr. Lucey had established a program advisory committee of the region’s farmers, agricultural leaders and educators. Today, the Program remains farmer-driven and funds projects determined to be the most needed for NNY farmers.

Here are some comments on Dr. Lucey’s accomplishment:
Bob Lucey was a man who could see fifty years ahead of his time. He had the foresight to see the opportunities and the research needed to move agriculture in Northern New York forward into the 21st century — Jefferson County beef farmer and NNYADP committeeman Don Holman

The goal behind Bob Lucey’s program was to find the right crops to fit the Northern New York climate, soils and harsh winters. Bob’s work was instrumental in improving plant genetics and crop selection to make farming viable in Northern New York — dairyman and NNYADP committee member Bob Andrews.

Dr. Lucey helped make this region a focus area for Cornell by opening a revenue stream in support of regional research — Town of Lowville Supervisor and NNYADP committeman Arleigh Rice.

NNYADP committee member Frances Moore worked with Dr. Lucey on variety trials on her Franklin County farm. She says, I think he would be pleased to see the continuing support between the college and the local farmers.

St. Lawrence County Extension Field Crops Educator Peter Barney says Dr. Lucey earned farmers’ respect with his practical approach, and by being a good listener and a concerned researcher who spent a lot of time in the North Country regularly checking his test plots.

Dr. Robert F. Lucey died May 7, 2004, leaving behind eight children, 11 grandchildren and a legacy of vision and success for NNY agriculture.

Click on the links below to find information on the use of persistent biocontrol nematodes native to northern New York and the NNYADP year-to-year progressive reports re: 1) the development of the use of persistent biocontrol nematodes native to NY for the management and of alfalfa snout beetle (ASB), berry weevils, corn rootworm and other pests; and 2) the breeding of ASB-resistant alfalfa.
.. Alfalfa Snout Beetle Life Cycle and Management
.. Persistent Biocontrol Nematodes for Pest Management
.. Persistent Biocontrol Nematodes Rearing & Application Development Timeline
.. Persistent Biocontrol Nematode Application Techniques
.. Persistent Biocontrol Nematode Resources: Instructional Manuals & Videos

2022: Developing a Farmer-/Applicator-Friendly Persistent Biocontrol Nematodes Formulation for Field Application

January 2021: “The True Cost of Alfalfa Snout Beetle on Your Farm” by Elson Shields, Ph.D., Cornell University

2021: Breeding Alfalfa Cultivars with Higher Resistance to Alfalfa Snout Beetle: On-Farm Selection of Surviving Alfalfa Plants

Are Persistent Biocontrol Nematodes an economic benefit for your NNY farm and Where to Get Them

2019: Evaluation of Alternative Application Methods of Biocontrol Nematodes in Alfalfa and Corn

2018: Breeding Alfalfa Varieties with Resistance to Alfalfa Snout Beetle
2018: Evaluation of Alternative Application Methods of Biocontrol Nematodes in Alfalfa and Corn

2018: Impact of Biocontrol Nematodes on Corn Rootworm

2017: Impact of Biocontrol Nematodes on Corn Rootworm
2017: Breeding Alfalfa Varieties with Resistance to Alfalfa Snout Beetle

2016: Impact of Biocontrol Nematodes on Corn Rootworm During Corn Rotation
2016: Biological Control of Alfalfa Snout Beetle: Promoting New Farmer Adoption
2016: Breeding Alfalfa Varieties with Resistance to Alfalfa Snout Beetle

2015-2016: Promoting New Farmer Adoption of Biological Control of ASB
2015-2016: Breeding Alfalfa Varieties with Resistance to Alfalfa Snout Beetle

2015: Breeding ASB-Resistant Alfalfa Varieties
. . . Appendix A: Tables 1-2 with 1st and 2nd-year production results
2015: Extending Biological Control of ASB

2014-2015: Biological Control of Alfalfa Snout Beetle (ASB): Combined NNY projects to promote and advance awareness of ASB including adoption of biological control with entomopathogenic nematodes

2014: Control of Black Vine Weevil/Strawberry Root Weevil Complex in NNY Strawberries & Other Berries with NY Native Persistent Biocontrol Nematodes, 2014

2014: Biological Control Nematodes: Demonstrating their Culture, Application and Economic Benefit
2014: Impact of Biocontrol Nematodes on Berry Weevils
2012-2014: Breeding ASB-Resistant Alfalfa  . . . Table 2: 2013-2014 yields,  2014 % resistance to ASB
Photos

2013-2014: Biological Control Nematodes: Demonstrating their Culture, Application and Economic Benefit When Utilized to Control Alfalfa Snout Beetle

2013: ASB Control: Nematode Rearing & Application Handbook
Management of Alfalfa Snout Beetle Primer, NNYADP, January 2013

2013: Breeding Alfalfa Cultivars with Resistance to Alfalfa Snout Beetle
. . . Field Trial Photos

2012-2013: Breeding ASB-Resistant Alfalfa

2012-2013: On-Farm ASB Bio–Control–ASB Demonstration Plots as Educational Tools and Validating Establishment for Producer–Applied Fields

2012: Hands on Training for On–farm Application of Nematodes to Control Alfalfa Snout Beetle
2012: Breeding ASB-Resistant Alfalfa

2011-2012:  On Farm Rearing of Biocontrol Nematodes for Alfalfa Snout Beetle: Improving outreach communications with multimedia approaches

2011: Hands on Training for On-Farm Application of Nematodes for ASB Management
2011-12: Breeding Alfalfa Varieties with Resistance to Alfalfa Snout Beetle. . . Table 1, photos

2010: Nematode Persistence Across Rotations

2009: Biological Control of Alfalfa Snout Beetle Using Nematodes
2008-2009:  Breeding Alfalfa Varieties with Resistance to Alfalfa Snout Beetle

2008: Developing a Farmer-Friendly Rearing & Application to Speed the Spread of Biocontrol Nematodes
2008: Breeding ASB-Resistant Alfalfa Varieties

2007: Biological Control of Alfalfa Snout Beetle With Entomopathogenic Nematodes
2006-2007: Breeding ASB-Resistant Alfalfa Varieties

2006: New infestation of ASB in NNY, NNYADP, 2006

2004: Biological Control of ASB: Using Insecticidal Fungi
2004: Developing Biological Controls for Alfalfa Snout Beetle
2004: Development of ASB Larval Mass Rearing Techniques
2004: Breeding Alfalfa Snout Beetle Resistant/Tolerant Alfalfa Varieties
Older reports archive

Impact of Biocontrol Nematodes on Berry Weevil Complex
Control of Black Vine Weevil/Strawberry Root Weevil Complex in NNY Strawberries & Other Berries with NY Native Persistent Biocontrol Nematodes, 2014

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: February 21, 2012

Contacts: Joe Lawrence, CCE Lewis, 315-376-5270; Michael Hunter, CCE Jefferson, 315-788-8450; Rick Levitre, CCE Franklin, 315-483-7403; Brent Buchanan, CCE St. Lawrence, 315-379-9192

Alfalfa Snout Beetle Control Workshops Set for March 6, 14, 15

The Cornell Cooperative Extensions (CCE) of Northern New York will offer free hands-on trainings on the on-farm rearing and application of nematodes to control alfalfa snout beetle (ASB) in early March. The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is providing funds for the workshops that will take place on March 6 in Copenhagen, March 14 in Malone, and March 15 in Canton. Each workshop will run from 10am to 2pm and include lunch.

In areas where alfalfa snout beetle is unchecked, it is a highly destructive crop pest able to destroy an entire field of alfalfa in one season. Crop damage can be as much as $1,500/acre for complete loss of a second-year stand of alfalfa harvested to feed dairy herds and as a cash crop.

The March workshop participants will learn the farmer-friendly techniques for growing and applying native Northern New York nematodes as a biological control for ASB.

Participants will also receive a coupon to cover the cost of the nematodes for application to one field on their farm in 2012. Farmers will be responsible for applying the nematodes to their fields with guidance from local CCE educators.

The workshops will also include an update on the breeding of alfalfa snout beetle-resistant varieties of alfalfa.

The workshops will be held:

• Tuesday, March 6, Grace Episcopal Church, Copenhagen, register with CCE Jefferson County, 315-788-8450 or CCE Lewis County, 315-376-5270
• Wednesday, March 14, Emergency 911 Building, Malone, register with CCE Franklin County, 518-483-7403
• Thursday, March 15, Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County Learning Farm, Canton, register with CCE St. Lawrence County, 315-379-9192.

The development of the application of microscopic worms (nematodes) to destroy ASB, and the breeding of ASB-resistant alfalfa varieties have been made possible long-term by the farmer-led Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. The New York Farm Viability Institute has provided additional funding for educating farmers about this cost-effective on-farm biological control solution. #