PRODUCER PANEL

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR CONSULTANT? Interviews with 6 producers, all very progressive. Three have permitted lots and CNMP, size from 4000 to 12,000. Three have lots under 1000 head and dont need to do NMP.

SUMMARY Make me money. Save me money. Make my life simpler. Keep me legal.

CONSULTANTS, CROP AND FEEDLOT Four areas popped up. 1. everyone is doing 2. some are doing but more is needed 3. little available but potentially needed 4. new on the scene

EVERYONE Grid soil sampling Reduce crop input costs Manure analysis Acreage histories pH and lime recommendations

CNMP Where required, it MUST be done by a professional.

SOME ARE DOING Insecticide and herbicide rec. Crop scouting and pest management Isolate land where manure gets best return and show dollars Use manure to upgrade soil nutrient profile and tilth

LITTLE AVAILABLE BUT MORE NEEDED Corn variety recommendations, independent of what you sell Really good manure analysis, history of them and application rates Variable rate app. of manure Hybrids best for cattle feed Field by field budgets

NEW ON THE SCENE NMP records, input forms, check on timeliness and accuracy, protection from error on NMP COMPLETE management of NMP Tillage practice effects on P index

DONT HAVE ENOUGH OWNED LAND Value of manure over commercial fert. Planting oats for summer hauling, can it pay for my neighbor Trade manure for corn stalk bedding Selling manure by analysis N in cattle manure, how much available and when

ALL SAID THIS It must work for me, independent of commercial fertilizer. The focus must be on my operation only.

FEEDLOT CONSULTANTS

EVERYONE Balance rations Supplement recommendations Focus on ration costs, performance and cost of gain Ca:P ratios with coproducts

SOME ARE DOING Nutrition and health tie together, Sulfur, and other micronutrients Recommend how much coproduct to feed based on pricing Water quality and availability

LITTLE AVAILABLE BUT MORE NEEDED Time to look at cost of gain and not performance based on low cost ingredients Tie farm and feedlot together tighter Filter the mountain of info. coming out Challenge with suggestions but priortize according to return potential

NEW ON THE SCENE Using the extra P output to enhance value of manure, own or selling it Ability to adjust rations quickly based on different analysis of coproducts, either from different plant or from plant problems

ALL SAID The focus must be on my own bottom line