Farm and Dairy’s week in review: 9/5

Here are this week’s top stories from Farm and Dairy:

1. Portage County Fair auction results

Be sure to check out the results and photos from the Portage County Fair auction, which took place Aug. 26 and Aug. 29. The sale totaled $529,553.40 with a total of 381 lots.

2. How to tell the difference between types of corn

If you’re not familiar with farming, you might not know that the corn fields you see along roadways are not all sweet corn. This guide describes the six main varieties of corn and what each type is used for.

3. Watch your herd’s fuel (feed) economy

Dairy Excel columnist Maurice Eastridge explains that dairy cows must be monitored for efficiency, especially at the end of summer when milk per pound (MPLb) of feed may be changing.

Feed prices may soften because of the upcoming harvest, so herds should be watched to manage efficiency. In addition, commodity prices should be closely monitored to maximize income over feed costs (IOFC).

4. Beans, beans, homegrown proteins

Beans were one of the components of the Native American Three Sisters garden, along with corn and squash. Shell beans once had a prominent place in homestead gardens, too. They offer protein and can be dried and used long after the harvest.

Farm and Dairy online columnist Ivory Harlow explains the difference between pole and bush beans and offers tips for how to grow and harvest shell beans in the home garden.

5. World economic woes hit home; soft grain trade, cattle to follow

The good news is that the United States doesn’t have to worry about a grain shortage. However, producers must concentrate on making margin. Net farm income will see its biggest drop since 1932, even though domestic gross farm income will be the fourth largest on record.

The strength of the U.S. dollar, which has trended upward since 2014, does not bode well for exports. Overall, the global factors affecting the U.S. cattle market are numerous and complicated.