Mielke Market Weekly

MARKETING MIELKE MARKET WEEKLY By Lee Mielke powder was down 5.2 percent and anhydrous milkfat was down 4.5 percent, after falling 2.6 percent last time. Skim milk powder was down 4.2 percent after inching up 0.7 percent.

Gains were led by rennet casein and GDT cheddar — both up 6 percent after the cheddar was up 0.6 percent higher last time. Butter inched 0.2 percent higher, following a 5.5 percent jump in the last event.

FC Stone equated the GDT 80 percent butterfat butter price to $1.8841 per pound U.S., up fractionally from the last event. Chicago Mercantile Exchange butter closed Feb. 7 at $1.8325. GDT cheddar cheese equated to $1.9513 per pound, up 11.5 cents, and compares to Feb. 7’s CME block cheddar at $1.93. GDT skim milk powder averaged $1.3186 per pound and compares to $1.3770 last time. Whole milk powder averaged $1.3786, down from $1.4663. CME Grade A nonfat dry milk closed Feb. 7 at $1.25 per pound. n Speaking of the global market, the USDA’s latest data shows December dairy exports topped year ago levels for the fourth consecutive month. Nonfat dry This column was written for the marketing week ending Feb. 7.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the first Federal order Class III benchmark milk price of 2020 at $17.05 per hundredweight. This is down $2.32 from December, but $3.09 above January 2019 and the highest January Class III price since 2014.

Feb. 7 Class III futures portended a February price of $17.07; March, $17.35; April, $17.44; May, $17.37; and June at $17.48. The peak was $17.80 in September.

The January Class IV price is $16.65, down a nickel from December but $1.17 above a year ago and the highest January Class IV price since 2014.

Powder and butterfat values pulled the third Global Dairy Trade auction of 2020 down, reversing the previous two upticks as apprehensive traders await the continuing fallout of the coronavirus outbreak. The weighted average of products offered fell 4.7 percent, following the 1.7 percent rise on Jan. 21 and 2.8 percent on Jan. 7.

Whole milk powder led the declines, down 6.2 percent, after it gained 2.4 percent Jan. 21. Buttermilk

See MIELKE, pg. 14 milk and skim milk powder were up 37.4 percent in December from a year ago, though year-to-date exports were off 1.7 percent from 2018. Whole milk powder exports were up 156.9 percent from a year ago while year-to-date exports were down 15.6 percent.

Dry whey was down 6.3 percent in December with year-to-date down 30.4 percent, much of that due to the drop in purchases from China, due to African swine fever.

HighGround Dairy says nonfat dry milk exports were the second strongest for the calendar year in December, but recorded losses to Mexico (the number-one U.S. export destination) for the third consecutive month. There was growth in exports to Indonesia and Vietnam and exports to Egypt were the highest since April 2013, says HighGround Dairy. South American demand also helped boost U.S. sales.

“The whole milk powder figure sticks out,” says HighGround Dairy, as the United States shipped the strongest December volumes since 2002 — driven by demand from Colombia and Saudi Arabia (an all-time high for the Saudis) as product has become tight from New Zealand. Volumes to Mexico were at a multi-year high.

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Total cheese exports amounted to 57.6 million pounds in December, down 9.3 percent from a year ago, but were 2.7 percent higher year-to-date than in 2018.

HighGround Dairy says December cheese exports were the lowest for the month since 2015 due to losses into South Korea, Japan, and China, adding, “The U.S. priced itself out of the global marketplace from August through December, hampering export opportunities throughout fourth quarter.”

Butter exports were down 41.5 percent in December and down 29.4 percent year-to-date. December butter imports were down 53.3 percent in December, but year-to-date imports were up 16.7 MIELKE, from pg. 13

MARKETING

percent.

n The United States continues to move product offshore via the Cooperatives Working Together program. Member cooperatives accepted nine offers of export assistance this week to sell 559,974 pounds of cheese, 83,776 pounds of butter, 330,693 pounds of whole milk powder, and 37,479 pounds of cream cheese.

The products will go to Asia, Central and South America, and Oceania through April and raised CWT’s 2020 sales to 1.326 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 328,489 pounds of butter (82 percent milkfat), 644,852 pounds of cream cheese and 644,852 pounds of whole milk powder. In other trade news, China announced this week that it will halve the additional tariffs it imposed last September on $75 billion worth of U.S. imports — even as it deals with the escalating coronavirus outbreak there. China imports a lot of dairy products but most originate from New Zealand and the EU. However, easing trade relations with the trading giant holds great potential for the U.S. dairy industry.

n The United States has plenty of product to offer. December total cheese output crept up to 1.114 billion pounds, up 1.3 percent from November but just 0.2 percent above December 2018, according to the USDA’s latest Dairy Product report. Total 2019 cheese output amounted to a record 13.12 billion pounds, up just 0.7 percent from 2018.

Wisconsin produced 280.2 million pounds of the December total, down 1.4 percent from November and just 0.2 percent above a year ago. California output fell to 202.8 million pounds, down 6.9 percent from November and 8.3 percent below a year ago. The Golden State produced 25.5 percent less cheddar in December than a year ago. Idaho contributed a total of 88.7 million pounds of cheese, up 15 percent from November and 4.1 percent above a year ago.

Italian type cheese totaled 470.7 million pounds, down 0.7 percent from November and 1.7 percent below a year ago. Year-to-date output came to 5.7 billion pounds, up 1.9 percent.

American cheese totaled 456.7 million pounds, up 5 percent from November and 1.9 percent above a year ago. Year-to-date, American is at 5.2 billion pounds, down 0.6 percent. Mozzarella output slipped to 370.9 million pounds, down 1.6 percent, with year-to-date hitting 4.5 billion pounds, up 3.2 percent.

Milk was moved from Mozzarella to cheddar, the cheese traded at the CME. Cheddar output hit 331.6 million pounds, up 20.5 million pounds or 6.6 percent from November and 5.5 million or 1.7 percent above December 2018. The year’s cheddar output came in at 3.72 billion pounds, down 2.1 percent from 2018. See MIELKE, pg. 15

Weed control in soybeans a concern

SCHUELER, from pg. 12 crop seeds,” Schueler continued. “Cereal rye seems a favorite of just about everybody. But multi-species are also coming on to further increase the enzyme and biological activity in the soil. There’s a host of choices. We’ll be picking and learning as we get further into this new way to rebuilding our soils. I think there’ll be a ton of learning, but lots of exciting things happening too.”

Yep, this isn’t an overnight transition. Lots and lots of learning; cleaning up mistakes; starting over again as needed — if needed. “We’re hearing it’s at least a five-year learning curve to get into the techniques and hands-on wisdom of organic farming,” Schueler admitted. “Transitioning into organic farming isn’t into the public domain very much. Cover crops are now big however … almost like the new byword for farming today.” Schueler says, “My difficulty might be learning how to maintain weed control — especially in soybeans. I see the key to making this work is diversity … being willing to grow multiple crops in a programmed crop rotation sequence. We’re not going to be just corn and soybeans. Alfalfa also will be in there. Maybe even wheat and then cover crops. The more different crops growing in your soils, the more micro-organisms in your soil also. And that is the essence of healthy soils.

“Our soils mostly have a four-plus organic matter content. We’re okay, but recognize there’s room for improvement. I’ve learned three main things can negatively affect soil health: tillage, chemicals and sun (on bare soils). At 90 degree soil temps on bare soil, only about half of those soil micro-organisms will survive. And that’s why swift growing cover crops are vital to this rebuilding process of your soils.

This spring Schueler will be planting in 22-inch row widths. Corn populations at 34,000 seeds per acre. “Last spring we didn’t use treated seeds so germinations weren’t so good. Our field last year had the problems of most corn fields — wet soils and cool temps. A wet year is always a challenge … maybe even more so when we’re into organic seeds. But we’ll be living and learning as we move along.” v

MIELKE, from pg. 14

Butter production totaled 177.2 million pounds, up a hefty 21.7 million pounds or 14 percent from November and 6.8 million pounds or 4 percent above a year ago. This is the seventh consecutive month butter output topped that of a year ago. Year-to-date, butter amounted to a record 1.9 billion pounds, up 0.8 percent from 2018. Dry whey totaled 79.8 million pounds, up 6.3 percent from November and 7.1 percent above a year ago, with year-to-date at 974.2 million pounds, down 2.5 percent. Stocks totaled 72.3 million pounds, down 8.4 percent from November but 2 percent above those a year ago.

Nonfat dry milk production totaled 164.3 million pounds, up 22.6 million pounds or 15.9 percent from November and 21.8 million or 15.3 percent above a year ago. Year-to-date, powder is at 1.8 billion pounds, up 4.1 percent from 2018. Stocks climbed to 248.4 million pounds, up 25.7 million or 11.5 percent from November but were 28.1 million pounds or 10.2 percent below the 2018 level.

Skim milk powder output climbed to 52.8 million pounds, up 9.1 million

MARKETING availability of milk. A growing number of contacts are pushing spot milk loads back onto the market to keep cheese production in balance with demand, says Dairy Market News. The record-breaking block over barrel CME price gap is also cited as “not being helpful to cheesemakers” and a growing number of contacts suggest it has become “the veritable ursine elephant in the room.”

Heavy milk supplies are also heading to western vats and cheese output is at or near full capacity. Inventories are relatively stable and able to cover most buyer needs; but contacts suggest demand is steady. Market participants are eager to see what fundamentals can shrink the gap between block and barrel prices.

Cash butter saw its Feb. 7 closing at $1.8325. This is 6.75 cents lower on the week and 46.25 cents below a year ago. Eighty-four loads exchanged hands on the week. n Central butter output has been higher this year compared to previous years, according to plant managers. With the bountiful abundance of pounds or 20.8 percent from November and 2.5 million pounds or 5 percent above a year ago. Year-to-date, skim hit 518.5 million pounds, down 8.5 percent from a year ago. n Dairy prices at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange came under some downward pressure the first week of February. The cheddar blocks fell to $1.8950 per pound on Feb. 6, but rallied to close the next day at $1.93 — up a penny on the week and 40.25 cents above a year ago.

The barrels lost 4.5 cents on Feb. 3, falling to the lowest level since March 13, 2019, and set a new record spread of 46.5 cents. After losing 11 cents the previous week, they closed at $1.4775, down another 2.25 cents, 10.5 cents above a year ago, but at an unsustainable 45.25 cents below the blocks. Twelve cars of block traded hands on the week and 40 of barrel.

Cheese plant managers cite the drastic shift in markets since fall 2019 and how they are negatively affecting orders, according to Dairy Market News. Others suggest 2020 sales have been steady. But one certainty is the cream from western and midwestern sources, churns are busy with cream trucks lined up outside. Butter stores are available and growing as producers prepare for the expected uptick in demand for springtime baking and holiday-related retail.

Western butter production is also active. Cream supplies are reportedly tighter than they have been, but there is still plenty to keep the churns full. Butter inventories are growing and adequate to meet any near term need, says Dairy Market News. Grade A nonfat dry milk fell to $1.2150 on Feb. 4, but closed Feb. 7 at $1.25. This is up a penny on the week and 25.5 cents above a year ago, with 13 sales reported.

CME dry whey finished at 39 cents per pound, up 2.5 cents on the week, all on unfilled bids, and 2.5 cents above a year ago.

A lower All Milk price and higher feed prices pulled the December milk feed price ratio down, ending five consecutive months of gain. The USDA’s latest Ag Prices report put the ratio at 2.55, down from 2.61 in November and See MIELKE, pg. 16

Proper ventilation is crucial for healthy calves

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Having proper and adequate ventilation for your calves is crucial for overall health and the prevention of respiratory disease. With winter on its way, it’s a good idea to review your ventilation now so you can avoid problems down the road.

A component of ventilation sometimes overlooked is the stocking density of your calf pens. Just like cows, calves of all ages have space requirements which need to be met in order to keep them comfortable and healthy. Simply measure your pens and calculate total square footage, then divide by the number of animals in the pen.

Baby calves, age 0-2 months, need a minimum of 30 square feet per animal. Weaned calves aged 2-4 months also need about 30 square feet. Heifers aged 4-8 months require 40 square feet of space per head, and heifers aged 8-12 months require 50 square feet. Those square footage measure

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Another important component of ventilation (and the one we probably think of the most often) is ventilating rates. Ventilating rates vary based on the age of the animal and the current weather conditions. The following rates are given in cubic feet per minute and measures the velocity of airflow. For baby calves age 0-2 months, the CFM requirements are 15 in cold weather, 30 in mild weather, 65 in warm weather, and 100 in hot weather. Note that these requirements are per calf, so if you have 15 calves in your barn at this age during cold weather, they would all together role in keeping your calves healthy. Knowing what your calves’ space and ventilation requirements are is the first step in making sure they are properly ventilated.

This article was submitted by Emily Wilmes, University of Minnesota Extension. v require 225 CFM. For calves and heifers aged 2-12 months, CFM requirements are 20 in cold weather, 40 in mild weather, 90 in warm weather, and 130 in hot weather. So if you have 15 older calves in hot weather, their CFM requirement is 1,950.

Calf ventilation plays an important

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Join The Land Online! Facebook.com/TheLandOnline Twitter.com/TheLandOnline Instagram@thelandmagazineonline MIELKE, from pg. 15

MARKETING ed, and “fortunately, dairy can do that.”

Also adding to the “dairy is dead mentality” are the plant-based products that call themselves after dairy names and plant-based meats, which Geiger admitted has a growing market. But, the founder of Chobani, Hamdi Ulukaya, was at the Forum and told attendees, while his company has an oat product, it refrains from using dairy terms to describe it because “There is a difference. All it is, is a couple nuts with a bunch of water mixed in with it,” he said, “and it doesn’t have the same nutrients as dairy.”

Lee Mielke is a syndicated columnist who resides in Everson, Wash. His weekly column is featured in newspapers across the country and he may be reached at lkmielke@juno.com. v Dairyman managing editor Corey Geiger. Reporting in the Feb. 10 Dairy Radio Now broadcast, Geiger discussed a presentation by International Dairy Foods Association CEO Dr. Michael Dykes, on how the media covered the bankruptcies of Dean Foods and Borden, insinuating that the dairy industry is dead.

Dykes reported dairy product consumption has risen sharply since 1975, according to USDA data. But, he said reporters see the dairy industry as a glass of milk that you drink and, while fluid milk consumption is indeed down a whopping 41 percent, that milk is still being consumed via hard products like butter, cheese and yogurt. Those sales are up 71 percent from 1975, he said.

Consumer demands have changed, according to Dykes, they want “grab and go, easy convenience,” Geiger statLooking at the cow side of the ledger, the December cull price for beef and dairy combined averaged $59.30 per cwt., up $1.60 from November, $7.50 above December 2018, but is $12.30 below the 2011 base average of $71.60 per cwt.

National Milk adds, “The margin for December 2019 under the Dairy Margin Coverage program was $11.95 per cwt., 26 cents lower than the November DMC margin, with falling milk prices more than offsetting a drop in feed costs. The margin remains well above the trigger necessary for DMC assistance.”

n It was American author, Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, who was once asked by a reporter to comment on a rumor that he was dead, to which Twain replied, “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

You might say the same about the dairy industry, according to Hoards compares to 2.07 in December 2018. The index is based on the current milk price in relationship to feed prices for a dairy ration consisting of 51 percent corn, 8 percent soybeans and 41 percent alfalfa hay. Today, one pound of milk purchases 2.55 pounds of dairy feed containing that blend. The U.S. All-Milk price averaged $20.70 per hundredweight, down 30 cents from November but $4.10 above December 2018. California’s All Milk price was $19.80, up 30 cents from November and $3.27 above a year ago. Wisconsin, at $21.30, was down $1.10 from November, but $5.10 above a year ago.

The national average corn price averaged $3.71 per bushel, up 3 cents from November and 17 cents per bushel above December 2018. Soybeans averaged $8.70 per bushel, up 11 cents from November and 14 cents per bushel above a year ago. Alfalfa hay averaged $175 per ton, up $2 from November but $4.00 per ton below a year ago. Tips for managing pasture cattle in cold weather work harder to keep themselves warm. Some cattle will eat twice the amount of feed they do in the warmer months. At the very least, ensuring there is a higher density of energy in the feed will help cattle maintain their body temperature.

In addition to feed, keep in mind that cattle still require a lot of water. If you do not have a heated waterer, make a point to manually provide warm water several times a day to your cattle.

Lastly, if you are expecting any calves in the colder months, make sure you are ready to promptly care for newborn calves. Keep expecting cows and heifers close, or check on them several times a day. Calves should be dried off as soon as possible to prevent hypothermia and other cold-related illnesses.

This article was submitted by Emily Wilmes, University of Minnesota Extension. v ST. CLOUD, Minn. — With snow on the ground, it’s a good time to think about cold weather preparedness for pasture cattle. This has become an important topic after the tragic losses caused by winter storms around the country in recent years. Ten of thousands of cattle have been lost, and the economic impact on ranchers is still being felt.

Although farmers cannot control the weather, there are many steps that can be taken to ensure pasture cattle are ready for the winter.

First, ensure there is some form of shelter or windbreak for your cattle. Whether it is a tree line or simple three-sided shed, cattle will actively seek out coverage from the wind-so it’s important to have something provided for them.

As the temperatures drop, cattle’s energy needs increase, as they need to

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Always follow stewardship practices in accordance with the Product Use Guide (PUG) or other product-specific stewardship requirements including grain marketing and pesticide label directions. Varieties with BOLT ® technology provide excellent plantback flexibility for soybeans following application of SU (sulfonylurea) herbicides such as DuPont ™ LeadOff ® or DuPont ™ Basis ® Blend as a component of a burndown program or for double-crop soybeans following SU herbicides such as DuPont ™ Finesse ® applied to wheat the previous fall.

Always follow grain marketing, stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Varieties with the Glyphosate Tolerant trait (including those designated by the letter “R” in the product number) contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate herbicides. Glyphosate herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate.

Always follow grain marketing, stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Varieties with the Genuity ® Roundup Ready 2 Yield ® (RR2Y) trait contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup ® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup ® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Genuity ® , Roundup ® and Roundup Ready 2 Yield ® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC used under license. Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.

Varieties with the DuPont ™ STS ® gene (STS) are tolerant to certain SU (sulfonylurea) herbicides. This technology allows post-emergent applications of DuPont ™ Synchrony ® XP and DuPont ™ Classic ® herbicides without crop injury or stress (see herbicide product labels). NOTE: A soybean variety with a herbicide tolerant trait does not confer tolerance to all herbicides. Spraying herbicides not labeled for a specific soybean variety will result in severe plant injury or plant death. Always read and follow herbicide label directions and precautions for use.

Varieties with the LibertyLink ® gene (LL) are resistant to Liberty ® herbicide.

Liberty ® , LibertyLink ® and the Water Droplet Design are trademarks of Bayer.

DO NOT APPLY DICAMBA HERBICIDE IN-CROP TO SOYBEANS WITH Roundup Ready 2 Xtend ® technology unless you use a dicamba herbicide product that is specifically labeled for that use in the location where you intend to make the application. IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW TO MAKE AN INCROP APPLICATION OF ANY DICAMBA HERBICIDE PRODUCT ON SOYBEANS WITH Roundup Ready 2 Xtend ® technology, OR ANY OTHER PESTICIDE APPLICATION, UNLESS THE PRODUCT LABELING SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZES THE USE. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with soybeans with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend ® technology. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Soybeans with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend ® technology contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate and dicamba. Glyphosate herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend ® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC used under license.

Varieties with Enlist E3 ™ technology (E3) are jointly developed by Dow AgroSciences and MS Technologies ™ , L.L.C. The Enlist weed control system is owned and developed by Dow AgroSciences LLC. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are the only 2,4-D products authorized for use in Enlist crops. Always read and follow label directions.

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Pioneer ® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. TM ® SM Trademarks and service marks of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. © 2019 Corteva. PION9SOYB060

To protect assets, more are employing farm security systems

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer Emeritus

MINNEAPOLIS — One of the many vendors at the Minnesota Pork Congress was David Nelson of Atwater, Minn. The annual Congress took place Jan 29-30 at the M i n n e a p o l i s Convention Center. I caught up with Nelson at the Ag Tech Security booth. Farm and home security systems are a big part of Nelson’s life these days.

“Yes, (security systems) getting to be big business for us,” said Nelson, indicating installing farm and commercial biosecurity systems are keeping him busy. “A growing business because of the simple fact that vandalism, theft and biosecurity issues are becoming a growing concern throughout rural Minnesota and America.”

Nelson pointed out because livestock numbers keep increasing, as does valuable farm shop tools and equipment, farmers more and more recognize they need a monitoring system to keep the unscrupulous people away from their farms and their feedlots; or videotape their activities if these unsavory elements are intent on stealing.

It works like this: Land owners and/or farmers contact Ag Tech Security. “We then drive to your farm; make a walk-through inspection of the barns, the farm shop and any other buildings you might wish to interconnect. We can then network your farm; install cameras as needed. Cameras will feed back to a main hub recording any/all activities taking place. And the camDavid Nelson

eras don’t make mistakes. If you’re there and you’re not supposed to be, that camera has nailed you.”

Nelson says the cost of installing a system mainly depends upon how many cameras are needed. “On a fourcamera system, we’re in the ball park of about $4,500 including installation. We have a three-year warranty on our cameras and now have systems out there 6 and 7 years without problems. We’re not into this business long enough yet; but we haven’t had any cameras fail.” Photo by Dick Hagen

Cameras are made in China, but corporate ownership of these manufacturing facilities is American stockholders. “So this is extremely dependable equipment. We’ve got to give the Chinese people credit … their security camera equipment is the best. And shipments from China are quick — about one-and-ahalf weeks,” said Nelson. Installation on your farm is then merely a one to two-day deal.

“Always a first response is farmers telling us they are overwhelmed with the quality of the pictures these cameras generate,” said Nelson. “And many compliments on our service too.”

Customers can even access video activity via their cell phone so they can see what’s going on at the home farm wherever there is internet access.

More information on Ag Tech Security can be found at http://agtechbusiness.com. v

World Pork Expo is back in Des Moines

DES MOINES — The 2020 World Pork Expo is back at the Iowa State Fairgrounds for its 32nd year. The expo will take place on June 3-5, providing pork professionals with three full days of education, innovation, and networking.

“We’re excited to welcome all members of the pork industry back to Des Moines after a brief hiatus in 2019,” said David Herring, NPPC president, and pork producer from Lillington, N.C. “The 2020 Expo gives us an opportunity to connect across the industry to share knowledge and discuss the state of the industry together.”

Out of an abundance of caution, the 2019 World Pork Expo was canceled due to reports of African swine fever in China and other countries. Professionals in the pork industry worked together across the globe to understand the situation and evaluate risks presented with ASF.

The 2020 Expo will have increased biosecurity onsite during the show. Additional changes to the 2020 World Pork Expo include the decision to relocate the live swine show to reduce an already negligible risk. Registration will soon be available online for those who plan to attend the 2020 World Pork Expo. The Expo’s website is https://worldpork.org/. This article was submitted by World Pork Expo. v

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How to get the sow to move off the piglet, however, was a challenge, Rooda tried an electrical stimulus which wasn’t effective. “It stressed out the sow.” They then tried using a Tens-Unit, a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation which worked to get the sow to move or stand up — but didn’t stress the sow. “We had to develop something to put on the sow.” Rooda tested 60 different adhesives and in doing so discovered that a medical adhesive stayed on the sow the best. The end product is called SmartGuard.

SwineTech wanted to try out SmartGuard, and worked with Kansas State University in November, 2017 on behavior trials. The results showed that SmartGuard worked in producing a less stressful response in the sows. It took two years to refine the technology in the system. The end product is the SmartGuard system that reads data to accurately locate and alert the sow, via vibration through the wearable device adhered to the animal, to move if a piglet is getting crushed. The system also has automated pen heating, is portable and waterproof.

Rooda believes the only competitor to SmartGuard is 24-hour staffing in an operation, having someone there to constantly check on the piglets to ensure they aren’t being crushed by the sows, and would virtually eliminate piglet deaths. However, having 24-hour staffing simply isn’t feasible for all hog operations. Rooda feels that SmartGuard is the alternative to having eyes and ears 24/7 in the hog barn. Rooda admits that SmartGuard isn’t right for all hog confinements. If the facility has a very low piglet By KRISTIN KVENO The Land Staff Writer

Piglet mortality is an unfortunate fact of life, but Matthew Rooda was frustrated with the sheer number of piglets being crushed by sows. So much so that he decided to take matters into his own hands and try to reduce piglet mortality rates.

Rooda’s drive and ingenuity is part of his DNA. He came from a long line of pork producers who sought creative solutions for obstacles found in pork production. That passion for caring for pigs was ingrained in him at an early age. Raised near Pella, Iowa, Rooda had a strong interest in animal agriculture but “I was kind of encouraged to do something else.” Rooda decided that becoming an obstetrician would be a great profession as he enjoyed animal husbandry and working with people, and that meshed the two well.

It was while attending Hawkeye Community College in 2013, Rooda became assistant manager of a farrow-to-finish operation in Waterloo, Iowa. While Rooda was managing that operation he became frustrated there wasn’t really anything that could stop piglets from being crushed by the sows. “I wanted to find a way to solve it.”

After receiving his associates of liberal arts degree, Rooda went on to the University of Iowa where he majored in genetics and biotechnology. Rooda and his best friend, Abraham Espinoza, set out to create a solution to reduce piglet crushing deaths and started SwineTech in August, 2015. This desire to engage in finding a meaningful solution to piglet mortality led Rooda to focus his career ambitions to animal agriculture innovations. Rooda and Espinoza’s presentation at the 2015 John Pappajohn Founders Club Fair, where University of Iowa students showcase their businesses, earned them first place and allowed them the ability to continue in their quest to develop their ideas further.

In doing research they discovered that 92 percent of the pork producers surveyed were interested in finding a way to stop piglet crushing in their pork operation. “Producers asked for a proactive tool, and that’s what we did,” Rooda said.

Through their company, SwineTech, Rooda and Espinoza partnered with John Rourke to continue in their advancement of improving piglet mortality rates. Rourke developed an algorithm for the sound a piglet makes when being crushed. They also worked to figure out how to decipher where the piglet that was being crushed was located in the barn. Photos submitted While working at a farrow-to-finish operation in Waterloo, Iowa, Matthew Rooda was frustrated with the inability to prevent piglets from being crushed by sows. He and Abraham Espinoza developed the SmartGuard system which alerts sows when a potential crushing situation arises.

The SmartGuard warning system warns sows to move before piglets are crushed.

mortality rate, then SmartGuard wouldn’t make that much of an improvement in piglet survival. “For the average 80 percent of the industry we’re going to make a big difference.”

Producers who are interested in the product reach out to SwineTech directly. “We’ll conduct a site survey.” The site survey along with a cost analysis will help the producer see if SmartGuard would be the right addition to their swine safety arsenal. SmartGuard has been sold to producers in eight states and in one province in Canada.

SwineTech began with three people and there are currently 12 people now part of the company which is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “Every person you bring on brings new incredible experience,” Rooda said. He has hired individuals from many different sectors — from Boeing to the Pentagon. Rooda believes their wide range of depth and skill has been an asset to SwineTech.

One of the biggest joys of creating SmartGuard is the satisfaction of making a difference. “Saving our first pig was really exciting,” Rooda said. The latest study shows a 25.3 percent reduction in pre-weaning piglet mortality when using SmartGuard at day five. According to their data, SmartGuard has now protected over 1,000,000 piglets. Rooda attributes the success of SwineTech to the people who are part of the company. “There’s a lot of joys around the team.” While research and development of products can at times be frustrating, Rooda has learned to celebrate the good stuff along the way. “It’s recognizing the small things, the small wins. It’s a great place to work.”

In September, SwineTech was given the THRIVEForbes Innovation Icon Award. According to Forbes, “The THRIVE Midwest Challenge is a pitch competition for startups developing ag biotechnology, livestock and animal health and digital crop technology relevant for Midwest farmers and producers.” Along with the award, SwineTech was presented a $100,000 investment from SVG Ventures and advertising in Forbes magazine.

Rooda will always be a farm kid at heart — working to create a better, safer environment for sows and piglets. Reducing piglet mortality was once a dream of his; but through dedication and unending effort, the SmartGuard system is a reality and one that Rooda feels is not only saving piglets but allowing pork producers to have another tool in efficiency which could help with their overall bottom line.

“No better group of people in my mind that we could be serving. Today, we can help solve problems.” For more information on SwineTech, visit swinetechnologies.com. v