Reader Response: Think component efficiency Regarding Brian Perkins' use of the term "dairy efficiency" to represent the ratio between milk production and dry matter intakes (in the January 20 Hoard's...
California's three largest dairy cooperatives are very close to having a draft petition ready to submit to USDA asking that a Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) be implemented there. If adopted it will...
Producers that make hay are beholden to Mother Nature. While you may mow hay when the sun is shining, an unexpected rain can damage a valuable forage crop. Bale loss is caused by microbial activity
Each person has approximately 40 chances – or 40 years – in his or her adult life to make a positive impact on the world. That is the basic philosophy of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation 40...
The rosy potential for dairy industry growth that first attracted California-based Hilmar Cheese Co. to Texas nearly a decade ago is already becoming reality. As and it does, the company's state-of-the-art...
Most by-product feed markets tend to track corn and soybean meal prices. Producers, therefore, saw little urgency to secure supplies as the price of corn fell during the summer months. But, while corn...
Export-focused powder facility will be built in Turlock, Calif. California's shortage of milk processing capacity got a shot in the arm yesterday with the announcement by Hilmar Cheese Company that it...
The January 6, 2014, Hoard's Dairyman Intel item "Is the US, EU or India the top milk producer?" taught us that the United States leads all countries in milk produced from dairy cows. There are two follow-ups...
Class III milk prices in 2013 were the third highest in history, adding to a string of recent producer income records that is likely to continue in 2014. Last week's announcement of the $18.95 per hundredweight...
The popular press pounced on Washington State University's study after grand assumptions were drawn about the CLA superiority of organic milk. As this sentiment sprung up across major news organizations,...
DDGS prices have actually gone up since last summer. If the price goes down for a commodity whose processing waste is a by-product feed for cows, then the price of that feed will go down too, right? So...
Fall 2011 PDCA showmanship scorecard changes are slow to be adopted. Old habits are hard to break. Forming new habits helps reinforce positive actions, but breaking old ones, can be challenging. In the...
Environmental alarm bells are ringing loudly in New Zealand and its growing dairy cow population is at the front of mounting public awareness about the potential of water pollution
While it's the largest federal milk marketing order (FMMO) in terms of area touching 10 states, it took only 107 farms to produce half of the order's milk, reported Central FMMO market administrators....
The Hoard Farm team headed up by Jason Yurs continues to be pleased with the performance of young sires' daughters. On December 13, a number of young bulls had daughters either scored for the first time...
By outlining animal care expectations with all staff, dairy farmers can ensure the best cow care possible. by After the dairy industry made national headlines earlier this month due to mistreatment of...
But simple practices can help calves survive and thrive, even after a difficult birth. Do you know how many calves you lost as a result of dystocia last year?
Preliminary research from Purdue University investigated the cost of using polled genetics over dehorning. Highlighted in the Penn State Dairy Digest, costs were modeled in a mathematical simulation to...
Japan has feed costs you won't believe. Dairy feed costs in Japan have always been high because most of it is imported, but in the past year, currency exchange rates have made them unbelievable. On December...
