When a person decides to become a dairy farmer, they aren't choosing just a career but a lifestyle. As many of you know, dairy farming is a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week job. Most dairymen and women live...
It's hot, it's humid, and it's only the beginning of summer. And there is still a long way to go before we start to see the anticipated cooler temperatures of fall. While some might be enjoying the warmer...
Spend some time analyzing your most valuable group of cows those that are so problem-free you almost forget they are present. We are all intimately familiar with our top cows those special ones that outrank...
Some feed efficiency factors are easy to overlook. DaireXnet article dove into a few of the feed efficiency factors that have an impact on farm economics, but are not always top of the mind the others...
It's about the experience, regardless of location. Take the farm to the people, instead of taking the people to the farm. June Dairy month brings excitement as the public sets foot on real dairies during...
Consumers will not hear what we have to say about the dairy industry unless we take the initiative and find ways to tell them. "To the consumer, our story doesn't exist unless we tell it." Dairy farmers...
Why evaporative cooling methods fit well on our farm. Growing up in the hot Kansas heat made it difficult to keep cows cool during the warmer summer months. When we decided to make modifications to our...
Custom hire is a smart business decision for our farm. While my husband and I milked our cows last night, a swather zipped through our fields, mowing down our first crop of alfalfa, along with the triticale...
As one of the biggest variables in calf care, the proper timing for weaning can be widely inconstant from calf to calf. Weaning is definitely not a one-size-fits-all activity. In fact, there are almost...
Nothing enhances learning more than a field trip. When it's June is Dairy Month, we want to tell consumers how proud we are to be dairy producers. But, not all of us are articulate or feel comfortable...
Farmers are a lot like baseball team managers, working hard to keep their top performers healthy and "on the field." I like to think of my milking herd groups like baseball teams and myself as the team...
PDCA showmanship guidelines are designed to help showmen prepare for the big dance. Stepping in unison, circling the ring. One partner wears white, while the other wears spots. Heads are up, tails are...
This June Dairy Month, share the steps you take to ensure a delicious and nutritious product. As we say goodbye to May and hello to June, it signals the time to celebrate June Dairy Month. Personally,...
Block, curd, or shredded, put it on your plate. "A can a week is all we ask." That was a very successful marketing campaign for Blue Diamond Almonds decades ago. I saw plenty of those commercials and almond...
A small study showed that selective dry cow therapy can maintain udder health while reducing antibiotic use in some cows. One topic of conversation at the Minnesota Herd Health Conference held in Bloomington,...
Are you ready to handle triplets on your farm? As farmers, we learn to always expect the unexpected. But when triplets arrive on the dairy, it is understandable to be in shock. Surprised was my reaction...
Top animal welfare expert praises animal care, impressed with newest lameness research. Temple Grandin visits Vir-Clar Farm in Fond du Lac, Wis. "I saw dairy cows who have a wonderful life today." That's...
The standard of excellence begins with the boss when it comes to animal welfare. What's the hardest part of initiating a training program for animal welfare on today's dairies? If you ask Luís Mendonça,...
During the heat and humidity of summer, extra measures are taken to care for cows before and after calving. Ninety-eight degrees in Georgia feels a good bit different than 98° in California. In Georgia,...
Friends, food, and funding are just a few perks. I've lived the majority of my adult life in Wisconsin, while all of my childhood was spent in California. Dairy breakfasts were not common in the Central...
