Recently, I received a dairy product promotion email. The title was “How do nut milks compare to cow’s milk? First of all, stop calling it nut milk! It is nut juice or beverage or drink
Likened to a sieve, the digestive tract of a newborn calf is a catch-22 for everything in its environment. Immunoglobulins, nutrients, and bacteria alike have free rein in the digestive tract
The good kind of cover-up. While a criminal trying to "cover up" a crime is a bad thing, crops used to "cover up" fields between cropping seasons are just the opposite. And even though cover crops are...
Understanding immunity promotes calf health. Vaccinations are designed to stimulate the immune system. They aren't cures, but tools to help the calf defend its body from viruses, bacteria and parasites....
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...
Herds are getting bigger and more productive, but the cost of employees is rising faster. Everyone who milks cows knows that the dairy industry is struggling with a labor crisis that is only getting worse....
It appears some current NBA players should have listened to their mothers when they were children and drank their milk. While injuries are almost to be expected in the life of a professional athlete,...
The Spaghetti Western film - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - had a complex plot where three cowboys form an uneasy alliance to find hidden gold. Of course, good triumphs over bad . . . and good eventually...
Limited pen space on-farm often ties our hands when we attempt to develop a grouping strategy. The options, such as separating cows based on stage of lactation, reproductive status or body condition, are...
Many studies demonstrate that milk consumption improves health and lowers an individual's risk of chronic disease. For over 50 years, the concept of eating healthy has been synonymous with avoiding dietary...
Not everyone is a farmer, but a love for animals and people has drawn many to a career in agriculture. According to a recent survey, the agriculture industry is a pretty good place to make a living right...
Healthy cows with healthy hooves are the most productive and efficient in a robotic milking system. "Healthy feet are critical in a robot milking situation," said Jack Rodenburg from DairyLogix Consulting...
Digital dermatitis, commonly known as hairy heel warts, is a major cause of lameness on dairy farms. Digital dermatitis was identified in the early 1970s, came to the U.S. in the 1980s and has been a management...
Typically, inflammation of any kind is considered to be a bad sign, a response to some sort of injury or disease. In the case of dairy cattle, inflammation of the udder is most often associated with mastitis....
Caring for others starts by caring for yourself. I recently received a newsletter from a charity that helps parents cope with children with Niemann-Pick Disease, a terminal illness. It listed 12 ways to...
When the call comes from the popular press, we must be prepared to answer it. by Amanda Smith, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor There are a number of people we willingly let on our dairies each day. Most,...
How does $10 per hundredweight income over feed cost sound? Even among other dairy market forecasters, predictions by marketing consultant Jerry Dryer are known for having a strong track record of accuracy....
Hoard's Dairyman Webinar Archives August 12, 2013: "Is robotic milking a good deal?" presented by Larry Tranel, Iowa State University Brought to you by DeLaval VMS (www.delaval-us.com) "Is robotic milking...
