DB-LanoMter Farming, Saturday, March 26, i«M
Dairy Farmers Establish Institute To
Study Diet,
BATON ROUGE. La. The
National Dairy Promotion and Re
search Board announced that it
has approved funding to establish
the Dairy Institute on Diet, Gene
tics and Heart Disease at the Pen
nington Biomedical Research
Center of Louisiana State Univer
sity.
The National Dairy Board,
funded by dairy farmers from
across the nation, will provide
$1.6 million over three years to
create the Dairy Institute. The
Dairy Institute’s research program
will investigate the effects of
varying levels of fat in the diet on
risk factors for heart disease and
how these risks may be influenced
by genetic factors.
“We are very enthusiastic about
the prospects of this exciting re
search, which will address the
leading cause of death in the
U. 5.,” said John Peachey. Florida
dairy farmer and chairman of the
National Dairy Board’s Dairy
Foods and Nutrition Research
Committee. “We look forward to
meaningful results that will lead to
improved quality of lilfe for all
Americans.”
Louisiana Commissioner of
Agriculture Bob Odom said the
Pennington Center’s ability to at
tract a program of such vital inter
est to the nation demonstrates the
quality of work now being per
formed at the research center. “Es
tablishment of the Dairy Institute
will boost the Pennington Center’s
reputation in the nation’s scienti
fic community even further.”
Low-fat diets have been widely
promoted as an effective means to
reduce the risk of heart disease.
Disease Prevention Increases
DON ROBINSON
Lancaster Conservation District
“Queen of the Forage Crops”
may seem a regal name for a crop
as commons as alfalfa. But as
Pennsylvania dairy farmers know,
alfalfa is a major source of protein
in their feed programs. As silage
or dry hay, it often accounts for 25
to SO percent of a program. Given
its importance, this crop deserves
the royal treatment.
The success of a stand can de
termine the success of the feed
program. Most growers realize
that good establishment practices
lead to longer-lasting stands and
higher yields. A number of fac
tors, however, can limit a stand’s
potential. With vulnerable seed
lings, there may be no greater
threat than the presence of disease.
With many pests, like insects
and weeds, growers see a direct
influence on the health and pro
ductivity of a stand but the ef
fects of soil-borne diseases can be
overlooked. Robinson worked ex
tensively with alfalfa while an
adult farmer teacher in Lancaster.
If seedling diseases like damp
ing-off and root rot, caused by Py
thium and Phytophthora respec
tively, infect root systems, Robin
son says growers can see an
immediate stand reduction at first
Genetics, Heart Disease
according to Paul Roheim, M.D.,
who will direct the Dairy Insti
tute’s research program.
“But previous research has de
monstrated that such reductions
may not be beneficial for every
one. We will examine whether
certain individuals may actually
be more at risk when consuming a
low-fat diet,” said Roheim, direc
tor of the Division of Lipoprotein
Metabolism and Pathophysiology
at the LSU Medical Center in New
Orleans and professor of medicine
and physiology at the LSU Medi
cal Center and' the Pertnington
Center.
To identify individuals who
may increase their risk of heart
disease by consuming a diet low in
fat, investigators at the Penning
ton Center will study levels of
cholesterol and other lipids in the
blood of 100-120 male volunteers
and how these levels are influenc
ed by genetics and changes in diet,
particularly intake of dairy fat, he
said.
The study includes three six
week feeding periods. During this
time, all volunteers’ meals will be
prepared and served by the Pen
nington Center’s metabolic kitch
en. In each of the three feeding
periods, the percentage of total fat
and saturated fat in the meals will
be varied. The study is expected to
begin early this summer.
Michael Lefevre, Ph.D., who
will serve as co-principal investi
gator on the project, said a low-fat
diet reduces risk for heart disease
by also reducing saturated fat in
take, which, in turn, reduces LDL,
or “bad,” cholesterol levels in the
blood. “Some people respond very
Alfalfa Productivity
cutting. Losses vary, but at its
worst, disease can eliminate an en
tire stand. Sometimes the damage
is not always that noticeable. With
infected roots, alfalfa loses some
of its ability to over-winter, which
can decrease yields in later years
and shorten the productive life of a
stand.
Both diseases are an annual
threat. The region’s cool, wet
springs provide ideal conditions
for the development and spread of
disease. While all soils can con
tain these disease pathogens,
poorly drained, low areas are es
pecially susceptible.
Disease control must begin be
fore disease is present There are
few measures that can control Py
thium or Phytophlhora once they
infect a plant, so it becomes essen
tial to incorporate preventive man
agement practices. If possible,
don’t plant in low areas or use
conservation practices like terrac
ing or contouring. And’ rotate
crops, particularly in fields that
have a history of disease.
Selection of disease-resistant
alfalfa varieties with a seed treat
ment also can limit disease im
pact. But often these safeguards
are only temporary. Preventive
well to this therapy, but others re
spond only modestly, if at all.”
The catch, he said is that a low
fat diet also reduces HDL, or
“good,” cholesterol and increases
tryglycerides. Low levels of HDL
and high levels of triglycerides are
additional risk factors for heart
disease. “So if a low-fat diet low
ers HDL levels and increases tri
glycerides in an individual with
out significantly lowering total
cholesterol levels, such a diet may
be doing more harm than good.”
To identify these individuals,
the Dairy Institute will follow up
on previous research funded by
the National Dairy Board, which
identified a gene marker believed
to be linked to the risk of heart dis
ease.
‘There is evidence that this
gene marker controls the size of
the LDL particle. The particle size
may be a predictor for both those
who will and those who will not
benefit from a low-fat diet,” said
Lefevrc.
A technique based on this dis
covery will be used to screen
volunteers according to their
genetic makeup. In conjunction
with information from the feeding
studies, the results should provide
insight into the role genetics and
levels of fat in the diet play in the
risk for heart disease, said Ro
he im.
“Hopefully this information
will allow us to tailor dietary re
commendations to individuals
based on their gentic traits.” he
said. “This would be a significant
step toward reducing the risk of
heart disease.”
applications with a fungicide like
Ridomil® 2E increase protec
tion.”
Despite the continual threat of
disease many growers still don’t
know enough about fungicides to
use them during stand establish
ment. The cost of an additional in
put and one more trip into the field
may discourage some growers.
The most dramatic results are in
the first year. In my lest plots,
plant counts and yield in stands
treated with a fungicide was con
sistently higher than untreated
stands, especially in wet years
when plants are prone to disease.
In 1990, we had a very wet
year. But when plant counts were
made, the fungicide-treated fields
averaged nearly 40-percent more
plants per square foot than un
treated acres, which translated
into a 28-percent higher yield.
That’s a dramatic difference.
A healthy stand in the first year
increases productivity throughout
the life of the stand. If growers can
improve a stand by 20 percent,
they prevented a 20 percent loss.
These “extra” plants mean higher
yields in following years. It may
even extend stand life.
Austin Blaksslse, chairman of Monroe County Conser
vation District board of directors, center, and the district’s
head naturalist, Roger Spotts, right, accept the Conserva
tion District of the Year award from Zeneca Ag Products
manager-Agribuslness Affairs Dick Foell at the National
Association of Conservation Districts’ annual convention
In Phoenix. Monroe County CD was recognized for Its Inno
vative conservation education programs.
Alfred State Calls
For Ag
ALFRED, N.Y. —> Building
upon Alfred State College’s
strong reputation in the field. Col
lege President Dr. William D. Re
zak is spearheading an effort to
match Alfred State agriculture
programs with industry needs for
the 21st century.
Recently Rezak called together
some 40 agribusiness leaders from
Western New York to begin dia
log on the future of agriculture
education in the region.
The Agriculture Strategic Plan
ning Council will focus on chart
ing a course in which Alfred
State’s agriculture programs can
bolster the economic foundation
of Western New York, he said.
“This is a highly talented group
dedicating time and energy to help
create the future for agriculture/
food science programs in the 21st
century.” said Rezak.
Keynote speaker for the initial
meeting was Richard McGuire,
New York State commissioner of
agriculture and markets.
In addition, state Sen. John
(Randy) Kuhl (R-Bath) attended
along with representatives from
Cornell University and the State
University of New York Agricul
tural and Technical Colleges at
Cobleskill and Morrisville.
Council participants include
successful growers, dairy farmers,
processors, and distributors from
every aspect of agribusiness.
During the group’s first session
Feb. 17, Rezak, who is council
chair, presented an overview of
current agriculture programs and
asked the council members to help
Alfred Slate identify educational
programs which could best ad-
Bible Becomes
President
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Ed
Bible has been named president of
the American Polled Hereford
Association, headquartered in
Kansas City.
A 20-year employee and senior
vice president of the national beef
breed association, he assumed his
new post in early February.
He first joined the association
as editor of the breed publication,
Polled Hereford World, and as
Dialog
dress their needs. He also charged
the Agriculture Strategic Planning
Council to determine ways to at
tract students to these programs.
The council was bom out of a
determination to “rejuvenate” the
agricultural offerings at Alfred
State College, said Rezak.
“Those in the agricultural field
tell us we have excellent pro
grams,” and our “grads our sought
after,” he said, but enrollment in
these programs is on the decline.
“Alfied State is the only college
in the western part of the state of
fering a full spectrum of two-year
post-secondary educational pro
grams in agriculture and related
curricula,” said Rezak. “If these
programs are to flourish in the
21st century in response to the
needs of agribusiness in the west
ern part of the state, we must do
something differently.
“Like land, human resources
are one of the few assets which ap
preciate over time,” said Rezak.
“It is essential that Alfred State be
able to focus on the human re
source needs of agribusiness in
Western New York in order to
provide a continuing supply of
well-educated professionals so
critical to the success of the food
enterprise.”
The Agriculture Strategic Plan
ning Council will meet throughout
1994 to map Alfred State Col
lege’s future role in agriculture
education.
In early 1995, the council will
produce a report making recom
mendations regarding agriculture
and related programs that Allied
State College will offer. The
group will next meet in late
spring.
director of communications.
Besides his magazine, advertising
and promotion duties, he is also
director of the association’s field
staff.
He has served as president of
the Livestock Publications Coun
cil, as a national officer of the
National Agri-Marketing Associa
tion, and was that group’s Ag
Communicator of the Year in
1993.