April 10 2023
We needed a more reliable way to thaw and heat colostrum, so I took a 15-gallon plastic barrel and cut it to the correct height so the heating element wouldn’t touch the bottom
April 10 2023
lately I have been thinking about how a dairy farm lifestyle fits into a world of instant gratification
April 4 2023
We tend to assume that in automated milking systems (AMS), cows spend little to no time waiting to be milked compared to cows that stand in a holding area, waiting to be milked in the parlor
March 28 2023
In the simplest terms, price volatility is the change in a commodity’s price over time. Daily, weekly, monthly, and annual periods are often typical points to track to reference price movements....
March 28 2023
Women have always been integral to the operation of a dairy farm, through work on the farm itself and decisions made at the kitchen table. USDA’s latest Agricultural Resource Management Survey reports...
March 28 2023
I was in the middle of a right displaced abomasum (RDA) surgery when the lights went off. Yes, it was later than we usually do these procedures, but Dave and his crew had been busy chopping hay and a cow,...
March 27 2023
Despite how commonly calves are transported, surprisingly little research has been conducted to evaluate this practice. In addition, the research that has been done has mostly focused on physiological...
March 27 2023
They come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, but one tool that every dairy farm uses to get jobs done each day is the tractor. From fieldwork to feeding, these machines make chores easier
March 27 2023
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
March 27 2023
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’...
March 15 2023
On our silage bunkers, we bolt 2-foot pieces of 1” by 4” boards using concrete anchors every 12 feet to hold down the vapor barrier plastic. This way, the wind can’t get a hold of it,...
March 15 2023
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...
Feb. 27 2023
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
Feb. 27 2023
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
Feb. 27 2023
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
Feb. 27 2023
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...
Feb. 15 2023
It was confusing figuring out which valves needed to be turned if we wanted to shut off the water to a certain part of our dairy barn. We took blank ear tags and wrote on them which part of the barn t
Feb. 15 2023
Our daughter played basketball in college. The team had a saying they often threw around the court: “Teamwork makes the dream work.”
Feb. 8 2023
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’
Feb. 8 2023
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...
Feb. 8 2023
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