Handy Hints

Do you have an idea you’d like to share with other dairy producers? Send it our way! We pay $50 for Handy Hints printed in the magazine.

To be considered, all submitted hints must include a clear, print quality photo (at least 240 dpi and approximately 4" by 6” in size). Please send items to Hoard’s Dairyman, Handy Hints Department, P.O. Box 801, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. You can also email your Handy Hints to editors@hoards.com. Please include your name, full mailing address and a short description of the handy hint with each submission.


Click here to order our Handy Hints Book,
a collection of Handy Hints from our readers.



Here are a few Handy Hints from fellow readers.

Handy Hint: October 25, 2011
Oct. 19 2011
Weighted Barrel Protects Feed Bags Our bulls are kept outside. The bull ration in the 25-kilogram (55-pound) paper bags gets spoiled if rained on. So, we thoroughly cleaned an empty predip barrel and cut...
Handy Hint October 10, 2011
Sept. 28 2011
Handy Hint: October 10, 2011 Freezer is now mob feeder We made a mob feeder for calves from a nonworking chest freezer. We drilled four holes on each side of the freezer and attached "peach teat" nipples,...
Handy Hint: September 25, 2011
Sept. 1 2011
Homemade Grain Feeder We cut a plastic culvert pipe in half lengthwise and cut half circles of plywood for the ends. Metal hooks, made from rebar attached to the culvert, let it hang from the bars of the...
Handy Hint: August 25, 2011
Aug. 17 2011
Automatic teat dipper Richard Doran, Jr., is an engineer by training, but dairy farmer at heart. On his farm, Bush River Jerseys, in Newberry, S.C., he has used this money-saving innovation. In its 24-stall...
Handy Hint: August 10, 2011
Aug. 2 2011
Easier dehorning paste application We've found a better way to apply dehorning paste to calves. Instead of using a wood applicator, wear a disposable nitrile milking glove and spread the paste on with...
Handy Hints 2010
July 18 2011
Here are a few 2010 Handy Hints from fellow readers. Handy Hint January 10 Handy Hint January 25 Handy Hint February 10 Handy Hint February 25 Handy Hint March 10 Handy Hint March 25 Handy Hint April 10...
Handy Hint: July 2011
June 30 2011
Safe way to dispense formaldehyde We like to use formaldehyde in our footbath. We mounted the 275-gallon tank a few feet off the ground to give us enough head pressure to fill the 5-gallon container using...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint June 2011
June 2 2011
Handy Hint: June 2011 No longer need to remove skid loader attachment On our farm, we welded a few pieces of steel pipe to our feed scraper. This way we can push up feed and then later move bales without...
Hoard's Dairyman: Handy Hint May 25, 2011
May 13 2011
Handy Hint: May 25, 2011 Agitator dock saves money At the Gibson farm in Walton, Ky., the high cost of a floating dock for a manure lagoon agitator was daunting. So, a homemade version was made using 50-gallon...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint May 10, 2011
April 27 2011
Handy Hint: May 10, 2011 Calf protocol in ATV To remind calf feeders of strict protocols at Newalta Dairy in Pipestone, Minn., a square piece of dry erase board was fastened to the cage of the ATV which...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint: April 25, 2011
April 13 2011
Handy Hint: April 25, 2011 Pipeline notes status of cow Flowerbrook Farm in Hamburg, Minn., has created a way to mark cows in their tie stall barn that need extra attention or should not be milked. After...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint April 10, 2011
March 31 2011
Handy Hint: April 10, 2011 Plywood, nails, and tags track calves We found it difficult to tell employees which calves to feed, what type of milk, and how many times a day to feed each calf. Our solution...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint March 25, 2011
March 15 2011
Handy Hint: March 25, 2011 Dishwater rack screens water We always had problems with twine getting into sump pumps. We then started thinking of a way to make a sturdy filter that wouldn't easily clog but...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint: Cable prevents cows from getting caught in stalls
March 8 2011
Handy Hint: March 10, 2011 Cable prevents cows from getting caught in stalls After constructing their recent free stall barn, Jay and Amy Krahn of Brillion, Wis., advised their builder to include a cable...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint February 25, 2011
Feb. 21 2011
Handy Hint: February 25, 2011 They use silo to store wheat straw The Krahn Family of Brillion, Wis., uses wheat straw for bedding. "As our herd grew, getting enough straw blown into the old tie stall barn...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint February 10, 2011
Jan. 26 2011
Handy Hint: February 10, 2011 Screen Protects Truck Since the farm truck at the Steve and Carl Ayers Family farm in Perryville, Ohio, goes through many crossing guard gates, they added a frame around the...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint January 25, 2011
Jan. 12 2011
Handy Hint: January 25, 2011 Bracket keeps ball hitch handy Never look for the ball again. I took a piece of angle iron and bolted it to the cage of my skid loader. That way whenever I need the ball to...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint January 10, 2011
Jan. 5 2011
Handy Hint: January 10, 2011 Wire stops for calf hutches We found that filling discarded 15-gallon soap containers with a little sand makes for great stops for calf hutches. They can easily be cleaned,...
Best of 2010 Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hints
Dec. 16 2010
Handy Hint: Jan 10, 2010 Colored Tape Marks Distance During the winter months, my employees are so bundled up that they have a hard time turning around inside the skid loader to see behind them. This led...
Hoard's Dairyman Handy Hint December 2010
Dec. 13 2010
Handy Hint: December 2010 Skid moves calves to heifer operation To help move calves across the road to their heifer operation, the Steve and Carl Ayers Family of Perryville, Ohio, designed this small calf...
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