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Fresh from the
Field is a weekly album showcasing transformative impacts made by
partners supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Editor: Falita Liles Sept.13, 2018
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Success Stories
Washington State Wildfire Protection Could Save $26 Million in Firefighting Costs
Working forests throughout Washington State are losing
vigor and trees are dying off due to drought, overly dense stands, bark beetle
epidemics, and wildfire. Washington
State University (WSU) Extension worked with state and USDA partners and
stretching educational services to neighboring Oregon and Idaho landowners. They taught
a series of classroom-based and “out-in-the-woods” educational lessons that
helped 1,500 landowners implement forest health and wildfire hazard mitigation
practices across 125,000 acres of their ownerships. The wildfire protection
practices are expected to save at least $26 million for firefighting costs.
This active management will also save costs related to watershed protection,
infrastructure damages, and human health.
NIFA supports this research through the Renewable
Resources Extension Act Capacity Grant Program.
Contact: Andrew B. Perleberg, WSU Extension Forester. Photo Credit: Andy Perleberg/WSU Extension.
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News Coverage
Successful Transition Cow Program Could Save Iowa Farmers $1.2
Million
Dairy
producers throughout Iowa were able to re-evaluate best management practices
for their transition cow program. Project Director Jennifer Bentley notes that
while transition cow management encompasses only 20-30 percent of a herd, it
ultimately influences the milk production and health of 100 percent of the
cows.
Six hundred producers took
part of online training to increase awareness of risk management and best
practices for dairy cattle.
Nearly 3,200 cows, about
20 percent of the milking cows in Iowa, were represented by producers taking
part in this program. One producer noted they will reduce their calving cost by
$400. This equals a $1.2 million total potential in reduced cost or increased profitability
for this group of producers. Overall, producers are seeing a 60 percent reduced
incidence in metabolic disorders, 20 percent less calf mortality, less pelvic
inflammatory disease, and over 2,000 pounds more milk.
NIFA
supports this research through the North Central Extension Risk Management
Education Program.
Read more at the Extension
Risk Management Education’s page. USDA Photo.
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Library
Mucosal
Environment of Older Pigs Helps Newborn Piglets with Intestinal Injury Recover
Researchers from North Carolina State
University (NC State) have found that the intestinal mucosal environment of
juvenile pigs can stimulate repair of intestinal injuries in newborn piglets. The
findings have implications both for understanding why newborns of many species
– including humans – are unable to repair these injuries on their own, as well
as for potential future treatments.
Intestinal ischemic is a painful
condition that makes it difficult for the intestines to work properly. This injury
occurs when blood flow to a portion of the intestine is cut off, resulting in
the loss of epithelial cells that line intestinal walls. Once this barrier is
damaged, intestinal contents can leak into the bloodstream, causing sepsis and
often fatal infections. Infants are particularly vulnerable to these injuries;
this research shows it may be because they lack the ability to quickly repair
the damaged areas.
“In these intestinal injuries, the epithelium
sloughs off and creates small holes through which bacteria enter the
bloodstream,” says Amanda Ziegler, NC State postdoctoral researcher and lead
author of a paper describing the research. “Older animals and human adults can
repair these holes within minutes to hours, but newborn pigs cannot. We want to
understand the repair mechanism – or lack of it – in newborns.”
Future studies to identify and rescue
specific defects in neonatal intestinal repair mechanisms will drive
development of novel clinical interventions to reduce mortality in infants
affected by intestinal ischemic injury.
NIFA supports this
research through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
Read the full story at NC State News. Photo: iStock.
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Tweet of the Week
#NIFAIMPACTS
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NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension that solve societal challenges. NIFA’s investments in transformative science directly support the long-term prosperity and global preeminence of U.S. agriculture. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural sciences, visit www.nifa.usda.gov/Impacts, sign up for email updates or follow us on Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAImpacts.
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