Years ago, the barnyard was a common feature on a farmstead raising dairy animals. Before the days of indoor plumbing, there were no water bowls in the dairy stables and the cows were turned out twice

Many dairy farms have old buildings and sheds that owners would like to make more useful, but these buildings present a challenge

When every dollar counts, dairy producers must decide where to invest their time and resources. For some, hiring custom operators for cropwork and manure hauling allows them to focus on the dairy side

Calving is one of the most stressful events a dairy cow will experience during a production cycle. During this time, the cow must be able to cope with a painful labor along with changes in its environment

Winter grains, primarily winter triticale or winter rye, are growing in popularity. With management backed by research, yields have moved from 1.5 to 2 tons of dry matter

With a wealth of information about the care and treatment for calves on dairy farms available, it can be easy to forget some of the basics that have the biggest impact on calf health

The plant breeders who developed reduced-lignin alfalfa probably didn’t spend much time considering its use in alfalfa-grass seedings

Cows in early lactation have markedly higher energy requirements, which are not entirely met by energy intake. As a result, cows mobilize fat reserves to compensate for the negative energy balance

When it comes to milk quality, we are often found discussing “counts” or “values.”

During our careers, we’ve had the privilege of seeing not just one, but several new plant genetic technologies dramatically change the crop production landscape

very dairy has cows with chronic high somatic cell counts (SCC). My definition of a chronic high SCC cow is one that has a SCC of 400,000 or higher for two or more consecutive tests

As a dairy management trainer, I am fortunate to visit farms all over the world. It still amazes me what I can learn from these visits. I especially remember one particular farmer

Balancing micronutrients in rations is increasingly important as milk production intensifies and farms strive for efficient production. In the past, trace nutrient formulation was often overlooked and

Trying to successfully treat a case of clinical or subclinical mastitis with intramammary tubes can sometimes be a crapshoot, as cure rates are typically 50 percent or less

What is a herd health plan, and why do I want one? A herd health plan is essentially a road map of our cows’ lives from birth to their humane death

Housing and management play an important role in the performance and health of fresh cows. Much of that impact is mediated through the effects of those factors on the behavior of dairy cows

It’s never too early to begin planning for late summer and early fall management of alfalfa (and alfalfa-grass). First, check your recent soil analyses, and take soil samples for a new analysis

Lameness can be a major health concern on many dairy farms. Not only is this an animal welfare issue, but various reports indicate that each case of lameness can cost $90 to $300

since the early 1970s, we have had a magical drug that has benefited dairy cow breeding programs — prostaglandin F2α (PGF)

Dairy producers have been battling digital dermatitis (DD), more commonly known as hairy heel warts, for decades. Digital dermatitis was first discovered in Italy in 1974 and has been detected in herds...