The author is the managing editor and covers animal health, dairy
housing and equipment, and nutrient management. She grew up on a dairy
farm near Plymouth, Wis., and previously served as a University of
Wisconsin agricultural extension agent. She received a master’s degree
from North Carolina State University and a bachelor’s from University of
Wisconsin-Madison.
Despite the oddities that 2021 brought, with the continuing pandemic and beginnings of rising inflation, University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mark Stephenson said it was still a good year for domestic
Many stories about California agriculture center around a lack of water, but that is not the case this week. The Golden State is being hammered by an intense storm that brought high winds, torrential
Many tasks on a dairy farm need to happen the same way, every day. From milking cows to feeding calves to mixing rations, many farms have protocols in place to ensure these processes happen consistent
After Bucky Henschel joined his parents, Jeff and Diana, on their dairy near Manawa, Wis., the family started looking at the opportunity to transition to robotic milking. They toured many farms before
Each farm seems to have its own sweet spot when it comes to the number of cows they house per group. While some dairies can overcrowd successfully, others struggle to maintain individual cow performan
As the dairy industry closes the book on 2022, there were chapters that featured high milk prices, greater expenses, supply shortages, extreme weather conditions, growing dairy demand, global impacts
Planting cover crops is not just a fad; a packed house at the 2022 Winter Wisconsin Cover Crop Conference held in mid-December represented the growing interest in this agronomic practice.During the me
Dairy cattle semen used for artificial insemination comes in 0.5 mL or 0.25 mL straws, and University of Idaho professor and dairy extension specialist Joe Dalton said that both product sizes offer ex
“Forward thinking will make the artificial insemination process go smoothly and allow us to retain the fertility inherent in the straws we purchase to generate those pregnant cows and heifers we...
When it comes to handling dairy cattle semen in a liquid nitrogen storage tank, University of Idaho’s Joe Dalton offers this advice: “Always work below the frost line.”During the December...
One major difference between a stack of manure and a compost pile is that the composting process takes place under controlled conditions. “That is the key distinction,” said field ag engineer...
The practice of treating all dairy cows with intramammary antibiotics at the time of dry-off has been a successful management strategy for decades. Dry cow therapy has been proven to cure existing mas
Whether it is a tractor-loving toddler or a teenager who grew up in the inner city somewhere, we need young people of all backgrounds and ethnicities to be excited about agriculture and help feed the world
It was purely coincidence that the recent Sustainable Agriculture Summit took place in Glendale, Ariz., a city in Maripoca County, which happens to be the county projected to lose the most farmland in
Forage production trends and forage markets are very regional, depending on what’s being grown, how it is being used, and local inventories. Still, the average alfalfa price for 2022 was a record...
With input costs on the rise, farmers across the country are looking for ways to improve profitability and reduce spending. Feed is a big cost center and one that often gets scrutinized, but during th
The high cost of healthcare is a financial burden for dairy farmers with limited or no health insurance. Unfortunately, these daunting expenses can prevent people from getting the care they need and f
Sign-ups for the Dairy Margin Coverage program are underway, with the December 9 deadline quickly approaching. Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) is one of the price risk management tools available for dairy
