Here are this week’s top stories from Farm and Dairy:
1. Lawsuits seek class action status against Chesapeake Exploration
Columbiana County, Ohio, landowners have filed two lawsuits against Chesapeake Exploration, alleging that the company has attempted to evade paying the landowners full royalties.
The first lawsuit was filed by Zehentbauer Family Land, Hanover Farms and Evelyn Frances Young. The second lawsuit was filed by Hope Christian Fellowship of Wellsville. Both of these lawsuits allege that Chesapeake is selling the oil and gas being produced at prices much lower than the market sales price, instead of what the third party buyer is paying.
2. Cattle producers: Watch for signs of anaplasmosis
Indiana’s beef and dairy producers are advised to watch their herds for signs of anaplasmosis, a blood disease that causes severe and potentially fatal anemia. The disease is most common among middle-aged animals, and is less common among dairy herds.
Causes of infection include de-horning, ear-tagging, castration, injection and equipment that has not been properly disinfected after use on other cattle.
3. Hog manure could fuel your truck or car
In Missouri, an effort to create Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) is underway. It’s the largest livestock manure-to-energy project of its kind, and once it’s complete, 2.2 billion cubic feet of pipeline quality RNG will be produced annually.
The combined efforts of Roeslein Alternative Energy and nine Smithfield Foods Missouri hog production facilities will show farmers how they can make energy, reduce waste and be good stewards of land and water, according to Roeslein Alternative Energy Founder and President Rudi Roeslein.
4. How to overwinter perennials
Now is the time of year to dig up and divide perennial rootstock.
Farm and Dairy online columnist Ivory Harlow offers pointers for dividing rootstock. She also explains why perennial foliage can be cut back during fall or before growth begins in the spring and provides some basic perennial maintenance tips.
5. Although oil and gas production is up, Chesapeake reports 3Q loss
While Chesapeake Energy Corporation’s daily production during the third quarter was an average of 667,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe), the company reported a net loss of $4.695 billion during the same three-month period.
In Eastern Ohio’s Utica shale, Chesapeake drilled a record lateral length on a well and averaged two rigs. In the Marcellus shale, the company reached peak production on two test wells in Bradford County.
