\ " \ MICHIGAN FARM NEWS SERVING OVER 61,000 FARM BUREAU FAMILIES MAY 1, 1976 Petition inserted in this IIFarm News" Farm Bureau backs I'bottle bill" A statewide petition drive has All persons !iigning a given been launched 0 to place the petition must be registered in the-- question of banning nonretur- designated county. nable bottles on the November 2 3. Persons signing the ~tition ballot for voters to decide. This should' use the signature they drive is being led by Michigan employ on°any legal document. United Conservation Clubs with Women should be careful to not strong support from several sign as "Mrs. John Doe." statewide organizations in- 4. All petitions are valid ~ven if cluding Micl1igah Farm Bureau. not completely filled with A COpy OF THE PETITION signatures: Read instructions on IS-::ENCLOSED WITH THIS the petition carefully before ISSUE OF MICHIGAN FARM circula ting. NEWS. Farm Bureau members If placed on the ballot and are encouraged to circulate the appFQ.ved by voters, beverage petition(s) as widely as possible containers used for soft drinks, and return it by JUNE 1. The soda water, carb.onated natUral ~titions may be returned to 9C mineraJ wat-er, or otber Michigan Fann Burea:u. no~Vc ~.Bated dri~, The following rules should be !leer I aie, or ~fJler'fJ)a~iRkf of: ooserved in circula ting tlie any aleoholic -<;pnreiif' ~ be petitions; required to carq ~ ~epesit sr At 1. Tbe cir~laior must be a least 10 cents. Ho.wE!l¥er, such M~t~ \fg1et in .MichigaR. The beverage confliinets: that. are circulator shoJild not sign or date certified a,~ re~ble, by mQlie the ocertificate until after cir- than one manufacturer will be ool~t-inB the petition. required to carry a 5c deposit. 2. 'l'Jm: petition may be cir- Michigan Farm Bureau polic~ culated ANYWflERE within the adopted by voting delegates last It was an early spring in lower MkbIgan with record breaking tempetatD'tes and the state's far- county. The name of the county December strongly supportS a mers were where they wanted to be - in tbe fields. A late April cold snap put a d... ~ on much ef the must be entered in the space petition drive to deal with the enthusiasm, especially in fruit gro~ing country .. provided at the top of the petition. (Continued on page 15) Iodine toxicity in cows causes symptoms similar to PBB poisoning, MSU study shows Michigan State University dairy from 12 cows. No PBB was detected in this Using 14 cows from problem herds and Rough hair coat, slow lethargic researcherS believe they have isolated first herd. The grain ration was analyzed eight normal cows from the MSU herd, movement, reduced appetite and milk iodine toxicity as another dairy cow and found to contain 20 parts per million researchers used thyrotrophic releasing obesity were observed. Calves born from ailment. (ppm) iodine, and a bulk sample of milk hormone (TRH) to determine how the cows dosed with radioiodine, appeared "We came across this last December in contained more than five times the normal thyroid and pituitary glands responded to normal at birth but failed to grow nor- a herd of 64 Holsteins when invited by a amount of iodine. Blood thyroxine levels stimulation. Problem cows had higher mally. One calf weighed only 220 pounds local veterinarian to help solve what ap- indicated that both the cows and calves baseline levels of thyroid stimulating at eight months of age. At 10 months of peared to be a nutritional problem. We are were suffering from hypothyroidism, hormone (TSH) and lower levels of age, this heifer was fed iodinated casein, a currently looking at 26 herds that may be Hillman says. thyroxine in their blood than eonlrol cows. thyroactive compound. The heifer getting too much iodine," says Dr. Donald "Several of the herds checked were Also, after stimulation with TRH, problem responded in general appearance and Hillman, MSU dairy cattle nutrition shown to have four to five times the nor- cows produced exaggerated con- growth and at 19 months weighed 460 specialist. mal amount of iodine in the milk than they centrations of TSH in their blood, and pounds. Another calf lived only a few hours Iodine is fed to cattle in mineral feed should have had," Hillman says. lower levels of thyroxine than control after birth. supplements to prevent thyroid problems, He says researcpers have haa qramatic cows. Hypothroid cows that were nearly dry much in the same manner humans are fed results in. increasing milk produetion with "This indicates that the thyroid glands were fed iodinated casein (Protamone) at iodine through their table salt intake. But selected low-productive cattle in two were not functioning normally, says Dr. the 24th week of lactation. Milk production higher levels of iodine are included in herds. "Thyroprotein, a thyroactive Edward M. Convey, a research increased and within three weeks equaled mineral and protein supplements to compound, was added to the ration in the physiologist in the Department of Dairy the mghest initial level attained during the prevent "foot rot' and soft tissue lumpy amounfM 10 to 15 grams daily. The cows Science at MSU, who cooperated in the same lactation. jaw in cattle. Cattle may get an excessive doubled in milk production from 18pounds experiment. Cows with damaged thyroids that failed amount of iodine by an accumulation from of milk daily to 36 pounds of milk daily," The researchers are currently con- to show evidence of estrus came into heat several sources. Also, several mineral and Hillman explains. ducting similar experiments in other herds and were bred after a period of treatment salt mixtures on the market provide too Two cows in the first herd producing 29 to confirm these findings. with thyroprotein. much iodine when mixed into the grain and 31 pounds of milk daily, increased to Hillman says that symptoms of The Tennessee workers noted thyroid ration at rates that farmers normally use, over 60 pounds daily, within a week after hypothyroidism in cattle have been iodine uptake, thyroid secretion rate, Hitlman says. receiving thyroprotein. Both herds reported by research workers in Ten- plasma protein bound iodine, and heart Hillman explains some of the symptoms responded similarly in milk production. nessee. rate were all substantially reduced in the shown in cattle apparently having too high Hillman says that in both herds there They were able to induce lactating hypothyroid heifers. However, an iodine intake include tearing eyes, was a history of having fed 75 to 150 hypothyroidism in dairy cattle by oral body weight was similar to their twin nasal discharge, bulging eyes, ner- milligrams (mg) of iodine daily for a year oos'ing with radioactive iodine. Initial milk control heifers. vousness, and loss of hair. Eventually they or longer. "High levels of iodine had not yields of cows with damaged thyroids Other research workers have reported become lethargic, have rough hair coats been fed for a period of six months prior to averaged 76 percent of the control group that high IE?vels of iodine aggravate and produce poorly. our experiment. The evidence s~gests and de.clined to 26 percent of the control clinical conditions due to infectious or BeeatlBe of the similarity of the symp- tha t those cows suffering from group at 44 weeks in lactation. Milk yield noninfectious insult (such as disease or toms to those attributed to polybrominated hypothyroidism, could respo-nd to an was greetly reduced in comparison with malnutrition) and that response to routine biphenyl (PBB), fat biopsies were taken eXogeBOU5 source of thyroxine," he adds. previous lactations. medical therapy is poor. ~, MAY 1, 1976 On Washington trip Mem'bers are standouts Once again it has been my privilege to attena a items on the evening news in central Michigan. Washington Legislative Seminar sponsored by the Farm Once in Washington the legislative leaders outdid Bureau Women. This year's seminar was an outstanding themselves as they jawboned with their congressmen at success in all areas. the legislative breakfasts. They were not shy and the Each year as the Farm Bureau legislative leaders go to discussions were serious and issue oriented. A good part Washington there are issues of concern to farmers. Issues of Michigan's congressional delegation now knows from which need to be discussed with our senators and first hand knowledge how farmers feel on today's crucial representatives. As the legislative leaders went to the issues. nation's capital this year the matter of estate tax reform With farmers a small minority of the population today, was on the front burner and our members came prepared. it is vital that all farmers become informed on the issues They had facts, figures and examples at their finger- and communicate with their congressmen at both the tips. And they used this information well as they visited with their congressmen and talked with the news media. st4ite and national levels.' Farmers also need to become involved in their local government bodies. Without such The news media coverage at the Lansing airport was most gratifying. Reporters from newspapers' and radio personal commitment we cannot hope to get a fair shake stations were there as well as camera crews and news in the legislatures. With it we can be heard. broadcasters from several TV stations. They wanted to The annual Farm Bureau Washington Legislative know the details of the estate tax reform issue and the Seminar is one successful example of how concerned farm members gave them the answers. Farm Bureau members. people working together can be heard in today's complex and their concern for estate tax reform became featured .