He says that while initially this is more expensive than traditional road salt, CMA may actually be less expensive in the long run because corrosion and environmental damage expenses do not have to be considered. Large scale testing is being done on Minnesota roads this winter. Gibbons hopes to bring his corn de-icer to South Dakota within the next few years. This research is being funded by the South Dakota Corn Growers, the SDSU Agricultural Experiment Station, and other partners. It has been a fairly mild winter so far, but winter is not over yet.
Frostbite can sneak up on any dairy herd.
Symptoms, such as blisters or discoloration, will appear after the animals have been frostbitten. The affliction can be difficult to stop however because an udder is like a hand without a glove in cold temperatures. One complication of frostbite is mastitis. Post-dipping will help fight this infection. Increasing certain vitamins in the cattle's diet with also help fight the disease.