The jargon in our industry can overwhelm the ordinary urbanite. The words we choose when talking to our dairy neighbor at the feed mill are different than the vocabulary used to talk to the teacher at...
For decades, other states have flirted with California dairies like they're the prettiest girls at the dance. There have been many suitors, too; a dozen from as far away as Wisconsin come to mind. South...
"Many retailers understand the science behind food production practices, but their customers do not," noted Charlie Arnot with the Center for Food Integrity (CFI), at the 2012 North American Strategy Conference...
After over two years of discussion, industry leaders have begun to publicly share draft documents which could one day guide U.S. genetic evaluations. The first document, known as the Cooperative Agreement,...
n a mere 6.5 hours, fourth grade students along with 120 parents, split into three shifts, were exposed to Wisconsin's agricultural industry while attending the fourth grade farm tour held in Jefferson,...
Common sense and awareness to your surroundings needs your full attention. Whether it was the 15-month-old toddler who crawled in a mixer, and lost his life when the operator unknowingly turned on the...
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...
Confirmation reached the Hoard's Dairyman offices that a BSE case had been found in a California dairy cow shortly after 2 p.m. Central time yesterday. Thoughts of "the Christmas surprise" of 2003 (the...
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...
Achieving excellent reproductive performance is a critical goal for any dairy enterprise because reproductive efficiency drives overall profitability. Although numerous factors affect reproductive performance,...
I have had the privilege to visit a number of dairy farms during my lifetime. Without a doubt, dairy farmers are friendly and interested in learning new concepts. During my travels, I have benefitted greatly...
Ultrasynch - a simpler program to breed cows. Improved preg rates has been just one positive result of using ultrasynch, reports Dave Stanton of Saylor Dairy (left) and Stevie Braun of COBA Select Sires...
Share the safety aspect of your operation to promote prevention by Hoard's Dairyman staff While the warm weather brings a smile to our face, it can be a time of danger. Animal projects for the summer fairs...
Hoard's Dairyman Webinar Archives April 9, 2012: "Choosing feed additives wisely" presented by Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois Brought to you by Elanco and its portfolio of dairy products. The webinar...
Comparing crop insurance plans might give us more insight on how to develop a better structure to protect and insure dairy. Crop insurance programs date as far back as the 1930s, but today's extensive...
Nature always has a way to restore balance. In the chase to capture the highest possible returns, countless crop farmers turned a blind eye to Mother Nature and planted continual rotations of corn, soybeans,...
Milk production is beginning to outpace demand even though domestic and international consumption remains strong. As this takes place, milk prices could soften. For good or bad, basic economics remain...
The group includes: a two-time grand champion, a bred-and-owned champion, and a national butterfat record holder. These cows not only look good . . . 19 of the 20 cows were bred by the five herd owners...