Agriculture, and dairy production in particular, can be a risky endeavor. There are many types of risks, and they can generally be put into one of five categories

Not that long ago, high genetic merit bulls with evaluations based on milking daughters topped the A.I. sale charts. Then came sexed semen and genomic testing. Flush with high-end replacements, that d

The fresh cow requires neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from high-quality forages such as brown midrib (BMR) corn silage, alfalfa, and even nonforage sources of fiber

several years ago, Duane and I took advantage of a cost share program with our county conservation organization

My tools were getting unorganized, and I would not know where the last person put them. So, I came up with a simple idea. I hung all my tools in the right place and traced them with a permanent marker

When the Maddox family expanded their dairy herd to 3,200 cows in the late 1970s, there weren’t many farms of that size in California or across the country

In the 1960s a statewide milk income pooling plan was adopted in California because the state was not eligible to be part of the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) program since geographic isolation meant...

my mother often tells the story of when she was a young child and went on a trip with her sister, mother, aunt, and two cousins

Over the past decade, inseminations to sexed semen have grown from 9% of Holsteins and 23% of Jersey heifers and cows in 2009 to 21% of Holstein females and 46% of Jersey females in 2020

Even though Federal Milk Marketing Order reform may not be top of mind in Congress, we can debate and coalesce around potential solutions. Not only could strong industry-generated consensus propel pos

It's Monday morning and you start the day by feeding calves as the sun comes up over the hills

Farmers continue to perfect both the art and science that goes into raising dairy cattle. With that has come more milk per cow per day.“

Do you need a handy way to hold your dipper when milking cows?

A decade ago, I received the news that my mother had gained her angel wings. That day is forever etched in my brain and heart as if it were yesterday

The wins in the beverage category have been few and far between. While whole milk began reversing a decades-long sales spiral, overall per capita consumption has slid to the depths not seen sinc

The benefits of feeding sugar, often by means of molasses, to dairy cows have been well-researched. From a physiological standpoint, sugar supplementation improves microbial efficiency and supports fiber-digesting...

Whether your dairy farm is staffed entirely by family, brings in a few outside workers, or employs dozens of people, providing a safe, desirable work environment is key to making sure you have people to...

We always have shoe booties (shoe covers) for visitors at the entrance door of our barn for biosecurity reasons. We made a wooden box that is 2 feet long, 1-foot wide, and 1-foot deep

One thing my husband, Duane, and I have noticed over the years is the significant impact of a state university. We especially see it when there is a group of farmers gathered

Canada and Japan largely stand alone with supply control systems governing, and at times protecting, their respective dairy industries. Realizing supply controls hinder both internal and external comp

When President Biden tapped former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State John Kerry as the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, the newly elected President issued a clear signal that mi