Below are the featured articles from recent issues of Hoard's Dairyman.


Sept. 25 2011
There is an old saying in rural America: Farmers don't want to own all the land in the county, just the land that touches their property. With hot demand for farm commodities and the need for additional...
Sept. 15 2011
A crucial goal for dairy nutritionists is to provide as much energy as possible for maximum milk production while main­­­­­­­­­­­taining the health of the cow
Sept. 10 2011
What we've learned about genomics . . . so far Three years ago, genomic testing became available and changed the genetics industry. Four experts recently shared their experiences in a town hall meeting....
Sept. 10 2011
Surplus moisture during vegetative growth appears to have the greatest effect on reducing NDFD (neutral detergent fiber digestibility)
Sept. 10 2011
Even at a very early age, Bert Stewart was a consummate student who studied those who did well at their trade . . . be it judging, showing, coaching, farming, or even playing fast-pitch softball. It led...
Aug. 25 2011
Some new uses for genomics data were reported at the ADSA meetings in New Orleans, La., this July. Scientists at AIPL searched through genomic databases to find "haplotypes" that existed at relatively...
Aug. 25 2011
It was not too many years ago that dairy farmers' eyes would glaze over when someone would start a rumor about $20 milk
Aug. 10 2011
Beginning about 10 years ago, considerable field interest surfaced regarding harvesting corn silage at higher chop heights, primarily in an effort to improve neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD)....
Aug. 10 2011
To get a better handle on hoof health, researchers at the University of California-Davis partnered with a hoof trimmer who exclusively trimmed feet at three California dairies. In all, 2,247 sire-identified...
Aug. 10 2011
With so much uncertainty in the world, the only constant is market volatility. The extreme swings will be too much for some producers to manage; those who prepare for this new world have the potential...
July 15 2011
Effective communication is the glue that binds members to their organizations. Without proper and timely dissemination of information, you can't have open debate, initiatives get stalled, and organizations...
July 15 2011
As we assess the entire Foundation for the Future (FFTF) policy package, among many other things, we wanted to know how it would affect our business and yours. Since we wanted to use actual numbers, we...
July 15 2011
Part of each dairy operation's evaluation of the Foundation for the Future (FFTF) proposal is how it affects its own business
June 15 2011
Of all the valiant efforts of diet and health do-gooders, trying to get flavored milks out of schools ranks among the most misguided. It is a classic example of an idea that glows with good intentions...
June 1 2011
We've fine-tuned how we feed and handle cows in our newer facilities and changed our old facilities to meet the needs of our growing herd. Our initial plan going back to 2006 was to build two free stalls...
May 25 2011
Editorial: We should feed the world, how? One really has to wonder how we possibly could double global food output. Elanco's Jeff Simmons tells audiences that, by 2050, we will have 50 percent more people...
May 25 2011
During the past week, several producers have approached me with information regarding potential feed ingredients to use as an alternative to corn. That is no surprise with corn prices soaring. Unfortunately,...
May 10 2011
Much discussion has been de­­­voted to the decline of dairy farming in the Southeast. Here's an attempt to describe what occurred between 1995 and 2010 and make projections for the year 2025...
May 10 2011
Here's a look at Foundation for the Future. Let us know what you think
May 10 2011
Hoard's Dairyman cow Judging Contest: 490s top Junior and Senior divisions. The winners placing in the top four or twelve in their respective divisions came from a remarkable eighteen states and one Canadian...