Sorting behavior starts with calves. Cows are creatures of habit, and as science is showing, the formation of their behavioral tendencies begins early in their lives. According to Emily Miller-Cushon,...
Fly control protocols for heifers set the stage for long-term mammary health. We all know the nuisance flies can be this time of year. Ruining picnics, dirtying white walls, and, perhaps most importantly...
Keep your cool this summer and keep those fans running. If June temperatures are anything to measure by, it looks like this summer is shaping up to be another steamy one
Consider everything to lower cell count. "Whenever you lose interest in being better at something, chances are you have already stopped being good at it," challenged milk quality specialist Andrew Johnson,...
The parlor isn't the place for treatment. National Animal Health Monitoring System data from 2014 indicated that 90 percent of farms use intramammary antibiotics to treat mastitis. According to Pamela...
In order to move forward, leaders and managers must focus on people, not the execution. The wheels are spinning, but the car isn't going anywhere. You haven't worked long if you've never experienced this...
Older cows digest feed better. With the onset of sexed semen and other management factors, the average age of the American dairy cow is getting younger. That being said, many dairies still benefit from...
Welfare and economics must both play a role in determining how many cows fill a barn. One size does not fit all. There are many areas on the farm to which this saying readily applies. One of the most pertinent...
Light: Milk's greatest enemy? Freshness is one of the most important sensory gauges of milk quality. When we talk about providing a fresh product, dairy farmers focus on things like high solids and low...
Data management is a daunting task, but identifying key metrics to monitor can help farms sort through the flood of information and bolster the bottom line
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...
How do cows capitalize on feedbunk sprinkler systems?That was the focus of recent research conducted at the University of California-Davis. Specifically, the scientists investigated how feedbunk sprinklers...
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...
Employee recruitment and training is by far one of the most difficult aspects of dairy farming today. "How do I recruit and train good employees?" is an ongoing struggle in many dairy circles. According...
Lameness scoring is important for gauging mobility and animal welfare on farms, but the buck cannot stop at identifying a problem. "All lameness evaluations do is say we have a problem. We must take it...
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,...
One of the best ways to improve dry matter intake and bolster milk production is by paying close attention to cows' feeding behaviors. At the recent Large Dairy Herd Management Conference, the University...
Humans are programmed to need 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep a night. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Every now and then that warning slips across our radar again. "Get enough sleep; it's important." It's also...
"You can't manage something you can't measure." At the recent Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference, Perdue AgriBusiness' Normand St. Pierre one-upped this old saying. "A number is meaningless unless you...
The feed center of a dairy farm can be equated to the kitchen of a popular restaurant operating anywhere from a few hours to all day. As it grows and changes, it will be judged on its ability to run smoothly...
