The discovery has the potential to reduce reliance on antibiotics and ultimately help combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance in both humans and animals, said Adrian Barragan, associate research professor and extension veterinarian at Penn State and co-lead author on the paper.

The findings are particularly significant for the organic dairy industry where antibiotic use is restricted, he added, and may also pave the way for future studies in humans on the use of sugar-based formulations for uterine infections such as endometritis.

“The disease is an infection of the uterus that occurs after calving and it’s one of the top diseases that affect dairy cattle in the United States,” said Erika Ganda, assistant professor of food animal microbiomes at Penn State and co-lead author on the study. “We treat cows with antibiotics only when necessary to ensure their welfare, following strict withdrawal periods to prevent residues in milk. Minimizing antibiotic use helps reduce the risk of resistant bacteria that can impact farm workers, families and communities. Antimicrobial resistance in human and veterinary medicine is a growing public health concern, so the main goal of this research was to test an antibiotic-free alternative option against the current gold standard for treating this prevalent disease.”

The study compared two treatments for a common uterine infection, called clinical metritis, that can lead to serious health problems for dairy cows. The condition is typically treated using systemic antibiotics, like ceftiofur, which are effective in treating the condition, but may contribute to the growing antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals.

“We have been searching for alternative therapies that can effectively treat metritis without relying on antibiotics,” Barragan said. “We asked two main questions when studying an alternative: Do the animals get cured with this treatment? And do treated animals have similar performance? Although the alternative treatment had the same clinical cure rate as the antibiotics, the answer wasn’t as clear cut as expected since performance between treatment groups differed based on disease severity.”

The study focused on using intrauterine dextrose, a sugar solution, as a possible alternative treatment. Dextrose has been extensively studied in animal and human clinical research for its ability to plasmolyze harmful bacteria, essentially the strong sugar solution pulls water out of the bacteria, causing them to dry out and die, Barragan explained. The approach had shown some promise in human wound healing, but previous studies in cattle yielded mixed results.

“We were hopeful that we would find positive results, but we were definitely not expecting to find that both treatments worked similarly for mild cases of metritis,” Barragan said. “That was a very exciting discovery.”

To investigate the effectiveness of dextrose, the researchers conducted a study on a dairy farm in central Pennsylvania. They enrolled 77 cows diagnosed with clinical metritis and randomly assigned them to one of two treatment groups: intrauterine dextrose or systemic ceftiofur. The researchers then monitored the cows’ recovery and analyzed their uterine microbial communities using advanced DNA sequencing to better understand the overall health of their microbiomes.

Although the sample size was not ideal for assessing clinical cure rate, Barragan said, the results suggested that both treatments had similar clinical cure rates, meaning dextrose could be just as effective as antibiotics in treating mild metritis cases.

Additionally, the analysis of the cows’ microbiomes revealed that dextrose does not significantly disrupt the bacterial balance of bacteria in the reproductive tract, unlike antibiotics, which can alter microbial communities and potentially impact the long-term health of the cow, Ganda explained.

Further research is needed to understand the full potential of dextrose as an alternative to antibiotic treatment, Barragan said, but one day that potential could even extend to treating humans.

“Our findings may be applicable for reproductive disease in human medicine,” he said. “In fact, we were inspired by medical literature and sugar-based wound treatments for people.”

The other Penn State authors on the paper are Jennine Lection, who earned a doctoral degree from Penn State and is currently an assistant professor at North Carolina State University; Emily Van Syoc, postdoctoral scholar; Asha Miles, former postdoctoral research associate who is currently a research geneticist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); Julia Hamilton, undergraduate student; Marcela Martinez, research technologist; and Justin Silverman, assistant professor of statistics and of medicine and faculty fellow of the Institute for Computational and Data Science. Santiago Bas of the Germany-based feed company Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH also contributed to the paper.

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hatch Appropriations, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and the National Institutes of Health funded this research.

–Adrienne Berard
Penn State

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Other key findings in the report were:

• Of the 75.8 million hogs and pigs, 69.8 million were market hogs, while 6.00 million were kept for breeding.
• Between September and November 2024, 35.2 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms, up 2% from the same time period one year earlier.
• From September through November 2024, U.S. hog and pig producers weaned an average of 11.92 pigs per litter.
• U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.93 million sows farrow between December 2024 and February 2025, and 2.95 million sows farrow between March 2025 and May 2025.
• Iowa hog producers accounted for the largest inventory among the states, at 24.6 million head. Minnesota had the second largest inventory at 9.50 million head. North Carolina was third with 8.20 million head.

To obtain an accurate measurement of the U.S. swine industry, NASS surveyed 6,046 operators across the nation during the first half of December. The data collected were received online through NASS’s Respondent Portal, by mail, telephone and through face-to-face interviews.

The Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report and all other NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov.

–USDA NASS

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I hope all of you will be able to look back on the year’s greatness. Put your pencil to paper as you consider all you learned from 2024; some very important lessons were sprinkled in there.

To give time for reflection and enjoyment this holiday season, we will not be sending out our daily emails the week between Christmas and New Year’s. The Morning Ag Clips’ daily email will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

There will still be news articles published on our site, so make sure to stay up-to-date by going to morningagclips.com. Every day there will be something new, and there will be an editor watching for breaking ag news every day. But like you, we all need a break, and the only way to get it is to be extremely intentional about it, so we are!

Here’s to you, your family, and a prosperous and healthy New Year! We will see you in 2025!

With love,
Kate

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Monday, February 17th: Embracing climate change – how to prepare for weather whiplash.
Droughts, floods, and tornados, oh my! How do we embrace climate change to establish resilient gardens? Tory Salzer and Tarah Young will cover eight strategies to help prepare your gardens for extreme weather conditions in every growing season.

Tuesday, February 18th: Non-traditional lawns
Lia Spaniolo and Jill Patrie will discuss alternative landscaping methods such as bee lawns, rain gardens and low maintenance turf.  Learn how native plants and non-traditional lawns can be utilized to adapt to changing weather patterns, support insect populations and reduce inputs.

Wednesday, February 19th – Replacement trees
Recent USDA growing zones have changed how we view tree selection, pest, and disease pressure. Quincy Sadowski and Emily Lindenfelser will walk you through how to make decisions when selecting replacement trees for a changing climate.

Thursday, February 20th – Planning and maintaining successful food forests
Learn how to design a functional and beautiful food forest that balances aesthetic goals, food production, and wildlife support. Olivia Olson, Tarah Young and Troy Salzer will cover plant selection, layering strategies, soil preparation, and maintenance techniques for creating a productive, sustainable food forest in any space.

Friday, February 21st – Adapting with integrated pest management
During this session you will learn how to use integrated pest management strategies to deal with our ever-changing pest pressures. Robin Trott and Katie Drewitz will focus on both plant and insect pest management.

Gardeners and landowners across Minnesota are encouraged to attend and may benefit from this series. Gardening from the Ground Up is a collaborative effort by University of Minnesota local Extension educators from across the state, representing Benton, Clay, Douglas, Filmore, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, McLeod, Meeker, Morrison, Otter Tail, Sherburne, Sterns, St. Louis, and Wright counties.

To join us for one or all of these webinars, please register at z.umn.edu/GardenUp. Registering once will provide you access to all five sessions. Pre-registration is required to receive the webinar link. Recordings of the webinars will be sent out at the conclusion of the series.

If you have questions about the webinar series or need assistance with registration, please call your local Extension office. Residents in Fillmore and Houston counties can call 507-765-3896 or 507-725-5807.

–Katie Drewitz, University of Minnesota Extension

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The Prime Promoter Award was started in 2017 by the Minnesota Beef Council and the Beef Checkoff Program and is given to recognize any group or organization who performs outstanding promotion of beef throughout the year. Winners of the Prime Promoter Award are provided with a plaque and $500 to go towards beef promotions. This year’s recipient of the award was Three Rivers Cattlemen’s Association.

Three Rivers Cattlemen’s is an active, local affiliate cattlemen’s organization. The association encompasses Dodge, Goodhue, and Olmstead county, as well as other surrounding counties. The group regularly goes above-and-beyond to assist in promoting beef. As a nonprofit organization, they promote and provide education to youth, public, and its beef producers about cow/calf and feedlot production, cooking, and nutritional information on beef.

The association gives back to youth organizations such as 4-H and FFA through supporting the beef project in each county that has members. Additionally, they provide a youth scholarship to a high school senior or freshman pursuing college education in agriculture.

Serving beef extensively throughout the region is also something the Three River’s Cattlemen’s Association believes in and facilitates. Of these events is the Burger Barn at the Goodhue County Fair where one of their feature items is the “Raging Bull Burger,” providing a t-shirt to customers who order it along with selling beef seasoning. Other events the association grills at includes the Goodhue Family Fun Fest, AGR North Star Classic Cattle Show, and the association’s annual meeting.

Present at the convention to receive the award on behalf of the entire Three River’s Cattlemen’s Association were Amanda Armstrong and Carl Sackreiter, both beef producers and members of the organization holding leadership positions. Carl is a cow/calf and feedlot producer as well as a nutritionist for a local co-op, serving as the President of Three Rivers Cattlemen’s.

“We’re very honored to receive the Prime Promoter Award,” said Sackreiter. “Our association has been around since 1989 and continues to support the beef industry by promoting and providing education to our producers and consumers.”

Three Rivers Cattlemen’s has an active social media presence and uses the platform to educate others on the many benefits of beef, including pertinent topics from both the Minnesota Beef Council and the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association.

To follow along with activities of this association, follow them on Facebook at Three Rivers Cattlemen. For more information on the Minnesota Beef Council, visit mnbeef.org.

About the Minnesota Beef Council
The Minnesota Beef Council was established in 1967 and is funded and managed by beef farmers and ranchers. Through the Beef Checkoff Program, $1 is obtained for every head of cattle sold. The council utilizes promotion, research, and education to strengthen beef demand and improve the marketing climate of beef. To learn more about beef, visit mnbeef.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Minnesota Beef.

–Minnesota Beef Council

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I expect the January Cattle Inventory report to show some additional liquidation has occurred leading to a smaller calf crop in 2025. It seems most likely that the summer of 2026 is the soonest substantial national heifer retention may begin. While there is recently elevated uncertainty around international trade that should not be overlooked, most anticipate domestic beef availability to decline perhaps by 2-3% per year (per person) in 2025 and 2026.

Given this setting and the opportunity for some extended armchair-pondering around the holidays, some context on economic concepts and an important historical reminder is prudent. Economists analyzing the beef industry use the term “demand” to refer to the willingness and ability to buy beef at a specific price. A change in beef demand is not triggered by changes in beef prices but rather by consumer income or wealth adjustments, changes in prices of other goods, or perceptions of beef quality evolving. To this later point, the clear improvement in overall beef quality (simple example is Prime or Upper Choice percentage versus past decades) has been core to beef demand growth (see K-State demand indices here: https://agmanager.info/livestock-meat/meat-demand/monthly-domestic-meat-demand-indices-usdabls-data/monthly-domestic-0 ).

As we turn to 2025 it is important to pause and connect the dots around things such as current feedlot supplies, future breeding herd size and corresponding beef availability, and what one may expect at the retail and food service level. Yes, lower beef supplies are expected and with that, most anticipate higher end-user beef prices. In fact, the industry should be hoping for that! Research with Melissa McKendree, Ted Schroeder, and Nathan Hendricks (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1093/ajae/aaz034 ) shows that feeder cattle sellers stand to gain the most when beef demand grows, and lose the most when demand falters.

If alternatively, lower beef availability is observed in conjunction with flat or lower beef prices, then beef demand clearly declined. In that unfortunate situation, economic viability for most in the industry also declines. While some younger market participants may dismiss this scenario, recall the 1980s & 90s was a period largely characterized by a shrinking herd, weakening beef demand, and overall decline in industry vitality. Indeed, lower beef volumes alone do not guarantee higher beef nor cattle prices. This experience is worth periodic reflection as the industry has made massive improvements that should not be overlooked or taken for granted. To the extent that beef prices increase reflecting stable or growing beef demand that indeed is a market outcome that should not only “be allowed” but encouraged. While the term “demand destruction” is likely to appear more in coming months, industry stakeholders are encouraged to take pause and in fact hope that higher prices develop reflecting stable or growing beef demand.

Finally, and most importantly I wish all readers a Merry Christmas, the ability to see the true reason for the season, and a joyous New Year.

— Glynn T. Tonsor, Ph.D., Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University

The post In the Cattle Markets: Dec. Cattle on Feed Report & Cautionary Note on “Demand Destruction” appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

Sessions will be held over Zoom, which can be accessed via your computer, phone, or other mobile device, and will run from 9:00 to 10:00 am Wednesdays, January 8 through March 26, 2025. Register once for all sessions at: z.umn.edu/SF2025.

Sessions will be very informal and open to all interested. Each session will start with a brief presentation by the discussion leaders for the day, followed by discussion framed around
farmer/participant questions on the topic. If you can’t join us live, all sessions will be recorded
and posted for later viewing at https://z.umn.edu/strategic-farming.

Guests from University of Minnesota, neighboring state universities, and experts from industry will join the program to discuss a wide range of topics including new trends in corn and soybean production, tracking crop disease and insect issues, and emerging technologies in weed management and drone use. For the full schedule of topics and speakers, visit the Strategic Farming webpage.

Register

There is no charge to participate, thanks to generous sponsorship from the Minnesota Soybean
Research and Promotion Council and the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council.
We hope you will take this opportunity to join with U of MN Extension in discussing commodity
crop production topics at our “Strategic Farming: Let’s Talk Crops!” program in 2025!

–Liz Stahl, University of Minnesota

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The Cooperative Development Grant Program is designed to help new cooperatives looking to finance business development strategies that will aid in the successful production, processing, or marketing of agricultural commodities, products, or services produced in Minnesota.

“Farmer-owned cooperatives have been the backbone of Minnesota agriculture for more than a century,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “With this grant program, we can help further strengthen the agricultural cooperative network across our state and expand opportunities for locally produced commodities, products, or services.”

The MDA will award approximately $160,000 in this round of Cooperative Development Grants. Projects must be completed by June 30, 2026.

Applicants may request between $2,500 and $50,000 per project and must commit to matching at least 50% of the total project cost.

Grant applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, February 20, 2025. Review the request for proposals (RFP) posted on the Cooperative Development Grant Program webpage for full application details.

–Allen Sommerfeld, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

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Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) President and CEO Barbara O’Brien pointed to a collective effort of national and local teams that delivered results this year.

“The checkoff is working, and we have achieved a lot in building the next chapter of our history,” said O’Brien, who outlined “now, next and future” checkoff strategies at this year’s joint annual meeting. “This success was made possible by the dedication and hard work of everyone across the checkoff federation. This was a strong year of results as we continue to work with and through others to catalyze action against our trust- and sales-building priorities.”

Checkoff-led highlights from 2024 include:

Increasing Dairy Access in Schools

A partnership provided hot chocolate milk to students during a pilot with Chartwells K12, which serves more than 2 million meals daily at 700 school districts. National Dairy Council (NDC) and Chartwells launched the Hot Chocolate Milk program in 58 schools, which features hot chocolate milk – with toppings such as cinnamon and peppermint – served during breakfast and lunch.

Another school pilot offered lactose-free chocolate milk and increased consumption and reached students who weren’t drinking milk because of real or perceived lactose intolerance. NDC and American Dairy Association Mideast worked with Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) to offer the country’s first single-serve lactose-free chocolate milk program. When compared to the rest of the district, the pilot schools experienced a 16-percent increase in milk consumption. The pilot was so successful that CPS is offering lactose-free chocolate milk in all schools.

Partnerships Growing Sales

The checkoff’s longstanding strategy of working with and through powerful partners continues to deliver results. For example, the checkoff supported Domino’s with its launch of cheese-centric items, including the New York Style Pizza and five-cheese mac and cheese.

This strategy of working with pizza partners also continues to find success internationally, a key tactic to reach the 95% of the world’s population that lives outside of the United States. DMI’s partnership with Pizza Hut Japan led to the chain announcing a permanent 30% increase of cheese use on all pizzas.

Other partnership innovations included working with General Mills to create YoBark, a yogurt-based snack designed to give families a tasty option and expand yogurt’s presence in the snacking category.

Sharing The Science of Dairy

One emerging research area is dairy’s impact on the first 1,000 days of life – encompassing pregnancy through a child’s second birthday. This is a critical period for brain development, which is impacted by nutrition and dairy can significantly support cognitive development, thanks to nutrients including iodine and choline. Checkoff organizations nationally and locally teamed with MilkPEP to elevate awareness and understanding of dairy’s contributions with expecting mothers and parents seeking nutrition guidance.

NDC also showed its ability to convene thought leaders when it hosted more than 100 national and international health and wellness experts for a two-day scientific conference addressing the dairy matrix, the concept of exploring the unique nutrient, non-nutrient and molecular compositions of dairy foods. Among the meeting attendees were representatives and speakers from major health professional organizations leading universities and organizations.

Supporting Dairy’s Sustainability Legacy

 The checkoff is focused on deepening its knowledge and attracting the investment in research on practices and technologies that work from a mitigation standpoint, and tools and resources to support adoption. DMI is tracking more than $29 million in additional investment from partners for pilot projects and research that empower sustainability action. One example is the Greener Cattle Initiative, a collaboration which announced a second round $5 million funding for enteric methane mitigation research.

The checkoff launched the Dairy Conservation Navigator, a resource hub designed to provide farm advisors, stakeholders and conservation professionals with science-based information on sustainable practices and technologies. Checkoff scientists and others developed a list of 80-plus practices that have a positive environmental benefit.

Checkoff Sparking Innovation

 The checkoff showcased dairy innovation and its nutrition package to 70,000 people attending Natural Products Expo West, the leading trade show in the natural, organic and healthy products industry. DMI unveiled its www.InnovateWithDairy.com tool, which serves as a one-stop shop for anyone seeking information about dairy innovation.

DMI also kept its focus on future innovators with its New Product Competition. A University of Minnesota team took first with a creamy Norwegian-style, whey-based cheese spread.

More checkoff results, including financial reports, can be found at www.dairycheckoff.com.

About Dairy Management Inc.

Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) is funded by America’s more than 26,000 dairy farmers, as well as dairy importers. Created to help increase sales and demand for dairy products, DMI and its related organizations work to increase demand for dairy through research, education and innovation, and to maintain confidence in dairy foods, farms and businesses. DMI manages National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association, and founded the U.S. Dairy Export Council, and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

–Dairy Management Inc.

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“The Organic Grower Summit provides a platform for collaboration and learning, uniting stakeholders who are shaping the future of organic farming,” said Matt Jungmann, Farm Progress national events director. “This year’s enthusiastic participation underscores the growing interest in sustainable and innovative farming practices.”

The event featured a packed schedule of keynote addresses, educational seminars and live ag-tech demonstrations, all receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. With 86% of seminar participants awarding the program five out of five stars, the educational sessions covered critical topics like soil health, ag technology and market resiliency.

A major focus of OGS was the increasing importance of regenerative farming practices. Seminar sessions such as “Regenerating Soil Health with Organic Practices” and “Organic, Regenerative, or Both: What Does the Market Want?” attracted packed rooms and sparked valuable discussions among growers and retailers. Esteemed speakers, including Eric Brennan of the USDA Agricultural Research Service and Jennifer Lester Moffitt, USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, emphasized the role of innovation in building a resilient food system.

The summit also celebrated outstanding achievements in organic farming with the prestigious Grower of the Year Award. This year’s honoree, Dick Peixoto of Lakeside Organic Gardens, was selected for his pioneering contributions to the organic farming industry.

On the bustling trade show floor, leading brands and emerging startups showcased innovative solutions to advance sustainability and efficiency in organic agriculture. The expo provided opportunities to explore new products, network with peers and gain insights to enhance growers’ operations.

“It’s inspiring to see the organic community come together to share knowledge and celebrate progress,” said Jungmann. “We’re grateful to our sponsors, partners and exhibitors who made this event a success, and we’re already looking forward to an even bigger event in 2025.”

The 2025 Organic Grower Summit is scheduled to return to Monterey, California, from Dec. 3-4, 2025. For more details and updates, visit www.OrganicGrowerSummit.com.

About Organic Grower Summit
The Organic Grower Summit is a premier event that serves as a hub for organic producers and suppliers to come together and explore the latest trends, techniques and innovations in organic farming, now produced by Farm Progress. Connect with and learn more about Organic Grower Summit online at www.organicgrowersummit.com and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Thank you to the 2024 Organic Grower Summit sponsors and partners including Western Growers (presenting sponsor), Fendt (Grower of the Year sponsor) Western Farm Press, Strauss (Ag Tech Opening Reception sponsor), and Organic Grower.

About Farm Progress
As part of Informa Markets, Farm Progress is the largest, most diversified agriculture information business in North America. Through a robust network of live events, digital products, data, marketing services, broadcasting and local and national publications, Farm Progress enables the nation’s most economically significant farmers, growers and ranchers to connect and do business. It serves 80% of the 2 million farms and ranches in the U.S., and an estimated 85% of the nation’s annual agricultural gross domestic product. Visit our website at www.FarmProgress.com.

— Organic Grower Summit

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