Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Annual Corn Crop Survey

Jan 09, 2025

Every fall, IDALS samples new corn crop around the state for the presence of mycotoxins – fungi that can contaminate grain, creating health issues for livestock.

Because of last year’s growing conditions, IDALS anticipated the study would show low levels of mycotoxins. However, 94 percent of corn samples showed the presence of vomitoxin, also known as deoxynivalenol or DON. Four of 99 samples showed vomitoxins that exceed the FDA guidance level. Based on the prevalence of vomitoxin around the state, IDALS recommends feed mills test their stored corn and work with livestock producers who may be affected.

As the name implies, vomitoxin consumption can cause vomiting and feed refusal in livestock. Swine and poultry producers, especially those feeding a large percentage of their protein as DDGS (which concentrates vomitoxin levels), should watch for these clinical signs. If questions or concerns arise, livestock producers should contact their herd veterinarians and nutritionists.

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Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.