The dairy farming journey of Troy and Barb DeRosier and their son Jordan of Crystal Ball Farms has been anything but straight and short — long and winding would be a more accurate description
National, regional, and state show honors adorn nearly all of the cows in the 93rd annual Hoard’s Dairyman Cow Judging Contest, and these animals represent the best of their breeders’ and owners’...
Sometimes I am reminded that not everyone has the same values we carry; trust and strong character are a part of a farmer’s makeup. Our handshake is as good as a signed contract, and we don’t...
One of the reasons that corn or sorghum silage has become the leading forage choice for larger dairies is the consistency from day to day throughout the entire silage-feeding year
A required nutrient must be supplied to cells for the cow to maintain normal health, produce milk, and reproduce. Just because a nutrient is required, though, does not mean that a specific requirement
Before container ships began to pile up off the California coast, lumber prices skyrocketed, and car manufacturing came to a standstill, the agricultural industry was thrust into the spotlight
Wildfires are nature’s way of renewing the landscape. However, Mother Nature’s wildfires have grown larger and raged longer in recent years, driven by larger reserves of stored fuel across...
Inspire” served as the overarching theme for the 2023 Dairy Forum as the industry’s processors, leaders, and greater dairy farming community from across the globe gathered to discuss the sector’
Surprising comments rolled into our office following our coverage of a northern Wisconsin county’s plan to require milk haulers to purchase permits to haul milk during the spring thaw. Perhaps we...
In the United States, adults, on average, claim they wash their hands 96% of the time after using public restrooms. Research has shown that this number is dramatically lower than reported. A case stud
The topic of self-locking stanchions is on my mind. As I write this article, I have just read a thought-provoking piece in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel, “Lock-up time is lost milk time,” about...
Cold air has settled into the area. I am not referring to a little chill in the air; I am talking about the extreme cold that blows through every article of clothing and settles in our bones. It is th
The medallions placed around their necks were not first-place blue, or even runner-up red. You’d never know it, though, because third-place white had never looked as good to the members of the Purdue...
As I open the sliding patio door, I’m reminded very quickly that grilling season has come to an end. The wind is blowing, and the snow is flying around. I can hardly see my neighbor’s house...
This is a time of year that we spend reflecting on the past and looking toward the new year. When we sit down with the accountant, the first, last, and in between figures we dissect are milk productio
I had the recent opportunity to team up with a milk cooperative adviser to provide assistance to a member farm. As I finished up and returned home, I sent a short text thanking her for the support. Sh
Many A.I. studs are now offering straws of semen that contain sperm from multiple bulls. To understand the potential advantage of a mixed, or “heterospermic,” A.I. dose, let’s review...
We all know that dairy farming is a challenging business under the best of circumstances. Hoyt Hill Farmstead has experienced additional stress over the past two years as Scott and Amber Hoyt have dea
Changing economics and shrinking margins on dairy’s home front have been a strong driver in herd demographics throughout the United States. When Hoard’s Dairyman partnered with the American...