Fatal design flaws can be found in many nonengineered buildings. Check with your structural engineer before proceeding with your next project. Every year, various pockets of the country experience a rash...
Polish seals marker We found that magic marker often wore off our tools. To permanently mark our things, we use ear tag markers, then cover it with clear coat nail polish for a durable finish. Ethan
After over two years of discussion, industry leaders will publicly share draft documents which could one day guide U.S. genetic evaluations. The first document, known as the Cooperative Agreement, details...
Subsurface drainage often is called "tile drainage," but as practiced today, that's a misnomer since very few drainage installations in farm fields still are done with clay tiles. Modern drainage systems...
Alarm rings when water pressure is too low Using a water pressure switch and a used bell from an old crowd gate, we installed an alarm that alerts us if the fountains in the free stall barn have low water...
Steel pieces improve palpation rail My palpation rail holds about 10 cows at once, but I normally need to manage five cows or less. My new device holds them in place. I made a bar out of a scrap piece...
by Scott Brown The author is a research assistant professor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Missouri. The elimination of the Western federal milk order sheds...
How this year's contest classes were placed BROWN SWISS - C A B D C A B D is my placing for this class of Brown Swiss cows. The class sorted itself into two pairs. The stylish C places over the dark A...
Genomic evaluations were officially released for the first time in January of 2009. The third anniversary gives us a good opportunity to review the accuracy of those initial predictions. There were more...
Nature always has a way to restore balance. In the chase to capture the highest possible returns, countless crop farmers turned a blind eye to Mother Nature and planted continual rotations of corn, soybeans,...
Milk production is beginning to outpace demand even though domestic and international consumption remains strong. As this takes place, milk prices could soften. For good or bad, basic economics remain...
The group includes: a two-time grand champion, a bred-and-owned champion, and a national butterfat record holder. These cows not only look good . . . 19 of the 20 cows were bred by the five herd owners...
Portable Electric Panel If you need a temporary place to plug in a lot of cords, this panel comes in handy. Your cords stay out of the snow or mud, it's portable, and it stores easy. Isaac Hackel
USDA's pilot insurance project can provide insights into producer's demand for different levels of margin protection and the price they are willing to pay
Those who support the legalized sales of raw milk do so with a zeal and passion that is rarely seen in our industry. Despite proponents' strong personal beliefs, science is not on their side. A study recently...
Most consumers have a positive perception of dairy farmers thanks to our track record of concern for our farms, our land, and our animals. With a proactive approach, we can ensure that credibility remains...
Silage roll-up We created a homemade roll-up with 1-inch cable and a piece of pipe bent into a crank, then welded the cable to the crank. The cable length depends on the size of the bag. We use a 12-foot...
For back-to-back years, U.S. milk output rose by a remarkably uniform 1.8 percent. However, unlike 2010 when higher production gains fell solely on improved milk per cow, the nation's dairy herd expanded...
Only 1,651 dairy operations hung up their milkers in 2011. That's the smallest drop, both percentage and actual, since 1992. After losing over 80,028 dairy farms since 1992, it appears the reductions in...
There's a new showmanship scorecard this show season Taking into account how judges actually evaluate during showmanship, the Purebred Dairy Cattle Association has improved its showmanship scorecard. At...
Use curtain strapping in front of stalls We use 2-inch strips of curtain strapping to keep cows from going forward in the face-in free stalls at the Hoard's Dairyman Farm. This polypropylene strapping,...