From the Desk of Gary Zimmer

Using all, or some, of these practices, will take you a long way in dealing with our extreme weather. Adding Rye to your rotation can certainly do that too. What else can you plant after corn/soybean harvest in the upper Midwest? When adding a practice like rye, you have to learn how to manage it. Change always requires knowledge if you want success.

Earn the Right | From the Desk of Gary Zimmer

Here we go again. In your farming career, you have about 40 chances. You could do the same thing every year. Make money, make life easy, and get rich when you sell the farm. But farming is not just about the money and getting rich, it’s also about responsibility and pride. We want to do what’s right for the land, the environment, and the consumer. Obviously, we wouldn’t have to regenerate anything if it was all being done perfectly.

Energy | Bailey’s Bit About Nutrition

Energy 
Energy is required for every single biological reaction in the body. Without adequate energy intake, vital organs do not operate properly; cells do not multiply, bones and muscle tissue do not grow, the mammary gland does not produce milk, and reproduction is halted. Energy is essential for maintenance, growth, health, lactation, reproduction, and gestation.
Maintenances are the metabolic processes, such as heartbeat, brain activity, respiration, and other vital functions. Physical activity is also classified as maintenance.

Combating Higher Nitrogen Prices in 2022 with the BioAg System

Global demand for nitrogen fertilizer is expected to increase in 2022, while the nitrogen supply is expected to be down due to reduced production and supply chain constraints. For growers, this equates to an increase in nitrogen fertilizer price as supply and demand forces react with each other.
 
Midwestern BioAg has always taken a system-based approach towards our fertility program. By balancing our customers’ soil chemical, physical, and biological needs, their farms can generally remain resilient through adverse weather conditions or …

Vitamins’ Role in Animal Health | Bailey’s Bit About Nutrition

Vitamins are very tiny organic molecules but play a huge role in livestock’s normal body functions.
  • Vitamin A comes from beta-carotene, a pigment in green plants that animals convert into vitamin A. Cows need 30,000 to 50,000 IU of vitamin A per head per day.
  • Vitamin D is formed from exposure to sunlight or other ultraviolet light rays that animals convert into vitamin D through their skin. Cows need 20,000 IU of vitamin D per head per day.

Bridging the Yield Gap with Soil Productivity

As farmers navigate the reality of higher production costs, the biological farming space will continue to draw attention. Many farmers identify yield gaps as a significant concern looking forward to 2022.
 
Yield gaps are those differences between what is applied vs. what is realized. We often think yield gaps are negative; however, yield gaps present opportunities for soil productivity. Opportunities for nutrient management recovery through enhanced soil productivity and biological farming systems.

Honoring Mike Lovlien, BioAg Consultant for 30+ years

If you’ve heard Mike speak, you’ll know his slogan is, “don’t guess, soil test.” He advises against assuming that you know what is going on with your soil – wisdom he has collected from his career.
 
Starting from the beginning, Mike always had a passion for agriculture since being raised on a dairy farm. He went on to school at Winona Tech in 1975 where Gary Zimmer was one of his instructors.

From the Desk of Gary Zimmer

Dear farmers and agriculturalists,
 
It sure seems strange that the corn and bean price can remain so high. If you drive the country, it’s all you see. Does anyone believe the price will stay high forever? The livestock producers and energy makers sure don’t like it. The sad part is the cost of production has gone way up and doesn’t always drop back to where it was when grain prices are reduced.

From the Ground Up | Fall 2021

Fall 2021 Newsletter

Goat Nutrition | Bailey’s Bit About Nutrition

Goats are small ruminant animals that have no upper incisors or canine teeth but a dental pad instead. The rumen is the largest part of the four stomach compartments, with a capacity of roughly 2-6 pounds. Some bacteria and protozoa are normal habitants of the rumen which break down food into volatile fatty acids along with vitamins and amino acids. Daily feed take of goats ranges from 3-4% of body weight as expressed in pounds (dry matter/head/day).