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.
Fluid milk consumption has been on the decline for decades, but some milk categories are bucking that trend. In the year that ended on November 1, 2015, flavored milk came out as the real winner. According...
Last week, San Francisco-based Memphis Meats posted a video online revealing what they say is the world's first lab-grown meatball. That meatball was created in their laboratory, where they have been working...
Farms with more cows prove that animal welfare is still a priority. The average herd size for dairy farms in the United States keeps growing while the number of farms continues to decline. This trend is...
Taking the plunge and investing in precision technology like activity and rumination monitors is a big decision. The return on investment is dependent on how a producer uses this new wealth of information...
An array of factors help this Illinois dairy farm maintain a below average somatic cell count month after month. When it comes to milk quality, Sycamore, Ill., dairyman Bill Deutsch focuses both inside...
Dairy farmers might not think twice about when Easter falls on the calendar, but the timing is actually very important for dairy markets. "Easter comes early this year, on March 27," stated Mary Ledman,...
There are real benefits for herds that can achieve a 25 percent pregnancy rate. One common goal all dairy producers share is getting cows bred in a timely fashion. What is a realistic target for which...
What would you do with an extra 10 pounds of milk per cow per day? No doubt, any additional money in the milk check could be put to good use on the herd or around the farm . . . but the benefits go beyond...
Colostrum offers newborn calves benefits beyond immunity, including critical energy used early in life. Carrying around a few extra pounds of holiday weight gain, some of us in colder climates may joke...
In some livestock species, multiple births are preferred, but that certainly is not the case in dairy cattle. "Nobody likes to have twins. Twins are an incredible problem," said Paul Fricke, a dairy cattle...
Yes, it's true. The menu at McDonald's has the potential to get a little cheesier. If it receives positive customer feedback in a trial market, mac and cheese may become the next dairy-centered addition...
One Wisconsin city rings in the New Year by dropping a big piece of cheese. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's an . . . 80-pound Styrofoam cheese wedge . . . falling from the sky . . . at midnight? Yes, it...
Federal safety net programs are designed to protect farmers, who actively share in the risk of a farming operation, against unanticipated changes in the marketplace. Farmers who receive such payments are...
When is field runoff risk the highest, particularly in more northern climates? "March is the month," says Amber Radatz, co-director of the University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms. She explained that March...
Make a ride in the cattle trailer safer for your young bovine passengers by following these AABP guidelines.There are times we need to get our livestock from Point A to Point B, and that process often...
The employment rate in rural America is slowly recovering after the recession. Many of us working in agriculture, myself included, grew up in the country. I think most "country kids" would agree that small...
Select the cream of next year's corn crop. As one corn harvest season comes to a close, plans are already underway for the next growing season. Many critical agronomic conversations happen around the kitchen...
A warming box can save young calves born during the frigid cold. There's definitely a chill in the air, and for those of us in Northern climates, that chill is not going away any time soon. Falling temperatures...
Move over, bacon. Cheese wants to share the spotlight. The widespread popularity and almost cult-like following of bacon makes it an easy choice for sprucing up common menu items at any restaurant, from...
Action can be taken to reduce feed losses during the TMR mixing process. Now you see it . . . and now you don't. Just like that, feed that was once available for your herd can be lost due to mold, pests,...
