FEED TROUBLES MAY BE LURKING If going from monsoon season directly to winter weren’t bad enough, Wisconsin’s dairy and livestock producers may need to keep their eyes open for something lurking in their feeds: mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are stable toxic compounds produced by some molds that can accumulate in the corn grain and the stalk, and lead to health hazards in livestock and humans.

This fall’s weather has set the stage for near-perfect growing conditions for several molds:

Gibberella/Fusarium (responsible for vomitoxin and likely to cause the biggest issues) and Diplodia ear rot, as well as Gibberella and Anthracnose stalk rot.

We often use vomitoxin testing to judge the severity of a mycotoxin issue. Though the presence of these molds does not automatically result in high levels of mycotoxins, early testing at our grain facilities is showing some instances of highly elevated levels of vomitoxin. Rock River Laboratory also reported elevated levels from the Midwest and eastern US. This graph is from their October 18, 2019 “Data Distillations” report.

Landmark is working hard to ensure safe feed production for our customers. All corn loads are being tested to ensure levels under 2.0 ppm vomitoxin. We’re communicating with suppliers regarding their testing and

labeling of products, and monitoring vomitoxin levels daily.

As you begin distributing this year’s feedstuffs, keep an eye on overall herd health. Cattle tend to be less susceptible than monogastrics, but serious economic loss can also occur in dairy cattle. Address questions with our nutritionist and veterinarian—in many cases, we can provide options to minimize the effects.

And as you wrap up this fall’s harvest and field work, be sure to bring up any mycotoxin concerns with your agronomist, who can help you select more Gibberella-resistant varieties, determine proper crop rotation and nutrient management, and schedule fungicide applications.

TM

JANUARY 2020

1401 Landmark Drive, Cottage Grove, WI | landmark.coop | 800-236-3276

800-236-3276 ext. 3140 · energyinfo@landmark.coop

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JANUARY 23ANNUAL MEETINGLandmark Members: Please join us at our annual meeting at 10:00 a.m. at our Cottage Grove headquarters.

MARCH 31-APRIL 2WPS FARM SHOWHead to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to check out the latest farming equipment, machinery, tools and services.

SECOND HARVEST FOODBANK RECAP For the seventh year, Landmark employees have participated in NBC15 Share Your Holidays event supporting Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin. The foodbank receives over one million requests for help with food insecurity in the 16 counties it serves.

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIESLandmark is looking forward to hosting interns again for the summer of 2020. The internships will run from May until August within several divisions throughout LSC’s trade territory.

During the internship program the students will learn and practice skills in their desired areas of interest that will benefit them in their future careers. “Our interns receive a combination of coaching and hands-on experience and are expected to work hard, but have fun doing it,” explains Brian Musser, talent acquisition partner of Landmark.

During the internship, students can spend a day or two in another department, getting a taste of the different job opportunities throughout Landmark. “We start off the internship summer with a formal orientation and networking event with leadership. Interns are also encouraged to go on ride-a-longs to learn about other divisions of the cooperative,” says Musser. He continues, “Ideally, the internship is the start of a long, successful career with Landmark.”

For more information on Landmark’s internship opportunities, visit https://landmark.coop/careers/

We want to express our sincerest gratitude to everyone for your generosity in participating in this cause and helping eliminate hunger. With our sponsorship and fundraisers we raised funds that provided 115,614 meals, far exceeding last year’s number of 81,982.

1401 Landmark Drive, Cottage Grove, WI | landmark.coop | 800-236-3276