To all the avid Hoard’s Dairyman readers out there — thank you! Over the nearly 15 years since graduate school, I’ve written articles for different publications

Crop protection often refers to the field and to agronomy. In agronomy, crop protection can take different forms, including insecticides or fungicides, with both aiming to maintain plant health when c

We know that inbreeding rates accelerated after the introduction of genomic selection in 2009. Part of this shift is simply because we are turning our generations over more rapidly, which raises inbre

Clinical mastitis continues to be the number one health problem identified by dairy producers. It affects 25% of all U.S. dairy cows

High-forage diets for dairy cattle are becoming more popular due to the cost-effectiveness of homegrown forages and potential benefits on milk components

Farmers make many critical decisions prior to, during, and after harvesting forages. These decisions directly impact how well forage will ferment and be preserved for future feedout

Most dairy farms today collect data by which they attempt to make informed decisions about how to manage their herds

More and more I get questions about the proper chop length for silages and what is a desirable particle distribution for a total mixed ration (TMR) when using the Penn State Particle Separator

After being vaccinated, have you ever felt feverish and tired? Have you sprained your ankle and experienced swelling, or was your ankle even warm to the touch?

A cliché is an overused word or phrase that can deviate from or even betray the word’s intended meaning. In some cases, clichés are used so frequently that they become unnoticeable...

Dairy producers are well aware of what milk fever does to a cow. Muscle weakness and recumbency are the most visible signs, and if the condition is left untreated, it can lead to death

Homegrown forages are vital ingredients in dairy diets with corn silage being one of the anchors in rations for dairy cows. High-quality corn silage not only supplies energy for maintenance

Right now, you are likely experiencing sticker shock from looking at nitrogen fertilizer prices in late 2021 compared to the prior year

A relatively new trend in calf raising is feeding transition milk to calves in early life. Dairy producers have long understood the importance of quickly providing newborn calves with colostrum

Alfalfa is known for its high nutritional value, and that makes it a valued forage source. However, alfalfa is often hindered nutritionally because of the indigestible lignin components

The long awaited publication of the eighth edition of Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) includes a chapter on calf nutrition

When temperatures are between 59°F and 82°F, a dairy calf can manage and control its body temperature with relative ease. “They are generating metabolic body heat and have normal exchange...

deciding when and how a dairy cow departs the farm is different on every operation

Scours is one of the most common calfhood illnesses, and it remains a widespread issue on farms. According to the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s Gold Standards, farms should aim for less than...

Carbohydrates often make up 60% or more of the ration dry matter and provide 70% to 80% of the cow’s energy needs