Iowa State University agricultural engineer Jay Harmon has been named the interim director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center. Harmon, a professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering and an extension livestock housing specialist, brings expertise in pork production systems to the position, which promotes efficient pork production technologies in Iowa. His goal is to increase …Continue reading “Harmon named Interim Director of ISU’s Iowa Pork Industry Center”
On the Aug. 4 Agribusiness Report on WHO TV, Matt Darr, agricultural and biosystems engineering, said about two-thirds of every dollar spent on agriculture is focused on decisions of seed selection, fertility and land access. Mass amounts of data could have an influence on those decisions. “Because we’re trying to bring all this information together …Continue reading “Darr: Big data can help with farming decisions”
Iowa State University will host a conference Aug. 20 covering the latest biofilter technologies that can be used to reduce odors from animal-feeding operations. “Biofilters can be an effective means to reduce odor and other gas emissions from ventilated animal and manure storage facilities,” said Steve Hoff, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa …Continue reading “Biofilter Conference to Present Latest Odor Mitigation Technologies”
As the temperature and humidity level rise outside, producer need to address animal comfort indoors. Iowa Pork Industry Center interim director Jay Harmon said it’s the combination of air movement and wetting that help pigs. Wetting pigs is imperative because pigs don’t truly sweat like humans so. Wetting pigs is like giving them some artificial …Continue reading “Keeping pigs comfortable during high heat and humidity”
Air Management Practices Assessment Tool Evaluation of polymer to reduce emissions from swine finishing facilities Estimating methane emissions Anaerobic digestion’s impact on odor, ammonia Diets that reduce ammonia emissions from hen houses Environmental assessment of laying-hen housing systems Quantifying emissions from swine facilities Community assessment model (CAM) for odor dispersion Biofilters conference and educational modules …Continue reading “Selected current ISU livestock odor and air quality research and extension”
Water quality researchers and extension specialists at Iowa State University have joined with scientists at 11 other land-grant universities in the Mississippi River watershed and the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Hypoxia Task Force in a formal partnership to strengthen efforts to reduce the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Matthew Helmers, professor of …Continue reading “Helmers to represent ISU in new federal collaboration to address hypoxia in the gulf”
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will hold a three-day school beginning Aug. 19 to teach how to plan, layout, and install subsurface drainage systems. “The last several wet springs have shown the need for good drainage systems for profitable agricultural production. To function most efficiently, all components of a subsurface drainage system should be …Continue reading “Agricultural drainage techniques to be presented at Iowa drainage school”
Agricultural engineer Mark Hanna talked about ways to cut energy use. “I think the first thing is to take a look at your energy bill and see how much energy you used, say, this spring for diesel fuel, for field operations, maybe look at how many acres you spread that over, how did you use …Continue reading “Recent rains whet farmers’ appetite for issue discussion at Summer Field Day”
The expenses for tractor fuel can add up quickly during spring field work. According to a study conducted at the Iowa State University Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua a twenty percent or more fuel savings can be achieved by the ‘shift up, throttle back’ technique.
Cereal rye cover crops added to a corn-soybean rotation seem to have little effect on yield, according to a five-year study conducted by Iowa Learning Farms and Practical Farmers of Iowa. Ten Iowa farmers have devoted part of their acres to conduct the study.
Corn stover, used for decades as silage and bedding, is now being harvested for industrial use. Currently in Iowa, two cellulosic ethanol plants have biomass needs for corn stover. Producers can learn about engineering, agronomic and financial issues related to corn stover harvest in a new series of fact sheets from Iowa State University Extension …Continue reading “Corn Stover Gains Attention in Iowa for Industrial Uses”
