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.
Livestock feed prices are on the rise, and there’s no clear sign when that trend will reverse. These escalating costs may have dairy farmers reconsidering their current rations
Temperature swings and rainy days are often par for the course when it comes to spring. Although warmer weather is welcome after a cold winter, it can leave cattle housed in outdoor yards standing in mud
The concept of a brisket locator emerged as freestall housing grew in popularity for dairy cows. The traditional “brisket board” was, quite literally, a wooden board placed near the front...
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
Prior to moving his cows to their new home, Alan Waybright made a few fairly modest changes to the facilities that paid back quickly. He shared his most beneficial modifications during a Center for Dairy...
Matt Kaschmitter, a managing partner for Silverstreak Dairy, shared his insight in building connections between livestock producers and crop farmers at the Midwest Forage Association’s virtual annual...
The most important employees on a dairy farm are the cows. What we do for our bovine employees during the dry period plays a big role in how they perform once they re-enter the milking herd
“Dairy farmers don’t consider themselves beef producers, but they should,” said Aerica Bjurstrom, a University of Wisconsin Division of Extension agriculture agent, said during a “Badger...
For New York dairy farmer Jim Davenport, a hoe is one of the most important tools on his dairy. It helps him maintain a 33,583 cells per milliliter (mL) average annual somatic cell count (SCC)
A combination of factors contributes to high-quality milk, but for New York dairy farmer Jim Davenport, he believes a low somatic cell count begins at the teat level
Farm work often requires road travel, whether it is driving equipment from field to field, trucking animals from one location to another, or hauling milk
Natural ventilation is used successfully in many dairy barns, and it has been for years. As our dairy farms grow and as milk production climbs, some may wonder whether natural ventilation will be able...
While it has been a somewhat mild winter so far in parts of the country, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been cold days and nights, especially for people working outside and for calves housed...
