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.
When it comes to dry period length, are we aiming for the right target? "Most people will say ‘I dry my cows up 50 days before calving.' But how do you know when she will calve?" Jose Santos from...
Introducing heifers to the milking barn or parlor before calving may be the ticket to reducing stress. When a dairy heifer has its first calf, its world changes dramatically. A first-lactation heifer is...
When we throw away food, we are tossing more than just nutrients into the trash. No doubt, water is a valuable resource. We use it every single day in a multitude of ways. When water supplies get tight,...
Brightly colored leaves hanging from the trees are one of Mother Nature's finest beauties and a sure sign that autumn is here. The fallen leaves can be a challenge for communities to clean up, but one...
Dairymen invest in heifers today in hopes that they become productive members of the herd in the future. Rearing costs vary from farm to farm, and the only way to truly measure that investment is to crunch...
One Wisconsin county is looking to take advantage of new manure treatment technology to turn manure into usable water. Manure may be animal waste, but a complete waste it is not. The nutrients in manure...
For the fourth year in a row, the nation's agricultural cooperatives posted records for both income and revenue. Net income rose 16.5 percent, to $6.5 billion, in 2014
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training is one way for cattleman to show consumers how much they care about animals and the food they produce. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to become Beef Quality...
Many farmers let out a frustrated sigh when restaurant chain Subway announced last week that it, too, would be making the switch to meat from animals raised without antibiotics
Genomic testing can benefit a dairy if the results are utilized; one Idaho dairyman shared his thoughts on the use of this technology on farm. When the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) held its...
Red meat is packed with protein, but it doesn't have the same punch of omega-3 fatty acids that fish provides. Those omega-3 fatty acids are believed to lower the risk of coronary heart disease and improve...
The success of a robotic milking system depends on four good feet to get each cow to the robot with ease. "Healthy feet are absolutely critical for success in robot barns," said Jack Rodenburg from DairyLogix...
The winning 4-year-old captured top honors at World Dairy Expo's International Jersey Show. Quality ran deep in the Jersey show, and Judge Michael Heath and his associate, Wayne Stiles, both of Westminister,...
A pair of cows from the Badger State was named Grand and Reserve Grand Champion at the International Junior Holstein Show. Holstein cows owned and exhibited by junior members paraded across the royal blue...
All four Minnesota teammates received All-American honors in their first-place finish at the 2015 Lely National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest.The University of Minnesota had a good day at...
Students interested in dairy and journalism are encouraged to apply for the 2016 Hoard's Dairyman editorial internship. College students often find themselves faced with the question, "What do you plan...
