Farm and Weather Summary Allee Demonstration Farm

Farm Comments Developments. The farm has decided to use ground hay as the main forage source in the cattle rations. The 124 acres of rented land will no longer be part of the farm so that the Allee Farm superintendent can assist with crop plots at the Northwest Research Farm at Sutherland. Field Days and Tours. One event was held, and a total of 307 people visited the farm. A farm swine tour included a veterinarian roundtable discussion of herd health, farm/vet relationships, alternative facility designs, and management to meet the need of antibiotic-free swine enterprises. Fourteen veterinarians and 74 farm guests attended. Youth involvement increases every year by hosting groups from 4-H, Girl Scouts, grade school children, and the Schoolto-Work program. New Projects. On-farm yield variety trials of corn, corn rootworm incidence, and nonlinolenic soybeans; USDA collaboration in animal health and feed safety epidemiology study; Iowa Pork Board hoop barn farrowing project; a new farm weather station; NRCS water table well monitoring; and a Practical Farmers of Iowa on-site cooperator. Livestock. Swine facility design and farrowing systems studies continue to evolve around minimizing labor and decreasing pen/hut set-up time. The Allee Farm purchased 43 bred gilts from the National Pork Board and sold the existing herd because of low conception rates. The gilts were farrowed in four alternative farrowing systems: the heated lean-to barn, the heated hoop barn, the summer hoop barn, and the pasture paddocks. The farrow-to-finish antibiotic-free swine operation produced 676 market pigs. The cattle feeding system continues to improve by using ground hay in the rations. Beef cattle feeding totaled 362 head.