We've all heard the benefits of separating our first-calf heifers from their older herdmates. It provides our new cows with a chance to adapt to their surroundings, learn a new routine and, literally,...
You may have heard Kelly Clarkson sing, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." However, Julia Ridpath, of the National Animal Disease Center/ARS/USDA staff, reminded dairy producers that in the case...
You may be facing challenges with the availability and expense of common bedding sources such as sawdust or the management of sand bedding. In recent years recycled manure solids have become a more prevalent...
Some farming operations have turned to agritourism as a way to share the value of agriculture with the typical consumer. While a small portion have turned this educational platform into a viable business...
Pennsylvania was the lone state among the top 23 that did not boost milk flow when this March was compared to the same time last year. The Keystone state's reduction was quite small, 0.6 percent. All other...
A recent article from The Wall Street Journal, paired with our analysis, shows agriculture majors still have some worth. It seems like agriculture majors just can't catch a break. Last year, The Daily...
The goal of silage face management is to minimize exposure to oxygen. In the presence of oxygen, yeast can metabolize lactic acid (a strong acid that keeps the silage pH low). When pH rises, undesirable...
Genomic adjustments will be included in this April's genetic evaluations. After reviewing correlations between genomic test results and actual animal performance, USDA's Animal Improvement Program Laboratory...
USDA's pilot insurance project can provide insights into producer's demand for different levels of margin protection and the price they are willing to pay. Livestock Gross Margin for Dairy Cattle (LGM-D)...
USDA's pilot insurance project can provide insights into producer's demand for different levels of margin protection and the price they are willing to pay
As printed in our March 25, 2012 issue... A $17.90 ALL-MILK PRICE is the latest USDA estimate for 2012. The projection is down 80 cents since January due to higher than expected gains in milk production...
Silage roll-up We created a homemade roll-up with 1-inch cable and a piece of pipe bent into a crank, then welded the cable to the crank. The cable length depends on the size of the bag. We use a 12-foot...
Here is some additional information to compliment the March 25, 2012 article on page 190 of Hoard's Dairyman. A video of the pumpkin catapult taken by barreAccess.org Visit Carter and Stevens Farm Store...
Use curtain strapping in front of stalls We use 2-inch strips of curtain strapping to keep cows from going forward in the face-in free stalls at the Hoard's Dairyman Farm. This polypropylene strapping,...
As printed in our March 10, 2012 issue... MILK PRODUCTION WAS UP 3.4 percent nationwide over a year ago in January. Cow numbers rose 76,000 head (+1 percent) from last year and 13,000 from December. Nation's...
Some good news came at year's end as Capitol Hill allowed two key ethanol subsidies to expire. That decision could have eased corn and soybean prices were it not for the 15.2-billion-gallon Renewable Fuel...
You can explain risk management and its potential benefits to milk producers all day long, but if they go away thinking it's too expensive or too complicated, then they probably won't try it. The dairy...
We were halfway through reproductive exams when Henry told me that they had sold a load of cull cows last week that averaged 1,900 pounds and that brought in over $1,100 each. At first, this seems very...
