Dairy feed cost situation is night and day different from a year ago. The West is scorching, yet much of the Midwest and East are soggy. And while crops there generally got a very slow start, high soil...
While soft sales late last year do toss up a red flag, demand for dairy products in leading U.S. markets should remain strong throughout 2013. "Predicting U.S. dairy exports is always challenging, but...
A 20 percent drop in supply is predicted in 2013. A record corn crop and lower prices – keep your fingers crossed – are still forecast for 2013, but the same can't be said for whole cottonseed....
The drought has been hard on pastureland, so extra attention should be given to prepare paddocks for this growing season. The drought that affected much of the United States last summer will likely have...
With USDA's NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) division sequestration-imposed budget cuts (www.hoards.com/blog_NASS-milk-production-report-axed) now in effect, February milk production will...
Despite a slowdown the last six months, 2012 still turned out to be another record-setting export year for the U.S. dairy industry. The biggest achievement was a new record for the total value of dairy...
According to data just released by the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA), the number of Jerseys on Dairy Herd Information(DHI) test in 2012 rose for the ninth straight year and their actual average...
Family Dairies USA, Madison, Wis., the Manitowoc Milk Producers Cooperative, Manitowoc, Wis., and Milwaukee Cooperative Milk Producers, Brookfield, Wis., formally announced that they would begin member...
The combination of scorching heat and drought conditions heightens the potential for silo gas during harvest. Late-season rainfall on drought-stressed corn in manured fields could produce higher-than-average...
Genomic evaluations were officially released for the first time in January of 2009. The third anniversary gives us a good opportunity to review the accuracy of those initial predictions. There were more...
Higher culling rates have appeared to stem the robust buildup of dairy replacements by trimming inventories 41,000 head in January compared to last year's 4.57 million heifers. While that is welcomed news,...
Hip, hip hooray! Now let's do it again. Class III producer milk prices set an all-time record average of $18.37 per hundredweight in 2011. The old record was $18.04, set in 2007. Unfortunately, record...
Genetic evaluations are at a crossroads. Both the science of genomics and government's funding limitations are reshaping the field. As decisions are being made on a new structure to fund and calculate...
The dairy industry can be unpredictable at times, but the milk production trend from the major states is one of the most predictable, even at the month level. With genetic progress and new management techniques...
Herby Lutz of Chester, S.C. and his associate, Andrew Vander Muelen of Brighton, Ontario, Canada, selected Pine Have SSM Marmie as Grand Champion of the 59th All American Jersey Show. The winning 4-year-old,...
Herby Lutz of Chester, S.C. and his associate, Andrew Vander Muelen of Brighton, Ontario, Canada, are serving as officials for this year's 59th All American Jersey Show
As Halloween approaches, we are all wondering if 2012 milk prices will be a "trick" or a "treat." The "trick" would be a continuation of the three-year milk price cycle - two years of good milk prices...
Cash receipts from milk marketed last year totaled $31.36 billion. That was a 24 percent rise over 2009's $24.34 billion. Milk sales totaled $34.85 billion 2008. These numbers come from USDA's annual publication...
Any doubt that the U.S. is once and for all a major player in global dairy exports can be put to rest by its record achievements in 2010. According to the U.S. Dairy Export Council: • Total milk solids...
Only 1,805 fewer dairy farms last year Dairy producers proved they are a resilient lot. Despite tough economic conditions during the past two years, most producers kept milking cows as only 1,805 licensed...
