When mastitis was detected in the week after insemination, the likelihood of the cow carrying a calf was greatly diminished. A dairy's success or failure hinges on a number of variables, one of which is...
Completeness, balance and strong udders described the cows that Judge Molly Sloan found to the top of the classes throughout the day at the Junior Holstein Show on Tuesday
Decades ago, cows gave far less milk and reproduction came easy. Today's cows produce high volumes of milk, but are still expected to calve back consistently. There was a downward trend for fertility until...
With strong milk prices, farms may wish to bring more cows in to help fill the bulk tank. Outlets for purchasing dairy cattle are plentiful, but so are the disease risks new animals can bring to your herd
This volatile business of milking cows has rewarded many of its caretakers with handsome returns. We always must remember this is a business demands a great deal of capital, planning, time and good old-fashioned...
What ration do your cows eat? The ration created on paper often differs from the one that is delivered, consumed and digested. Only when we deliver a consistent ration and cows consume it according to...
The top 25 counties are now home to one-third of the nation's entire dairy herd. That compares to one-fifth of the cows just 20 years ago. With 489,436 cows in the most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture,...
It takes preventative strategies and early detection to keep cows walking comfortably on all four feet. Do lame cows get better on their own? According to Gerard Cramer, D.V.M, associate professor from...
Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) has a long history of both use and disuse in the U.S. "Since commercial sales began in 1994, rBST has been given to approximately 35 million cows," noted Dale Bauman,...
Handy Hint: August 10, 2014 Makes great footing for cows I made this grooving bull float to create good traction on the concrete in our dry cow yard. I bought a 4-foot magnesium bull float for $90 and...
it may not be the leading cause of improved milk production, but behavioral research in Europe has shown that cows that listen to music produce more milk. While it remains a relatively unstudied field,...
In Japan, not only are people enjoying a treat from Starbucks, some cows are, too. Starbucks purchases somewhere around 400 million pounds of coffee globally each year, according to Bloomberg Businessweek
For the U.S. dairy industry, mastitis carries a $1.7 billion to $2 billion price tag. Reducing the infection risk takes a multi-pronged approach, but keeping cows on their feet a bit longer postmilking...
Hoard's Dairyman Webinar Archives June 9, 2014: "Update on starch utilization by dairy cows" presented by Randy Shaver, University of Wisconsin-Madison Sponsored by Calibrate® Technologies (www.calibratetechnologies.com)...
Hoard's Dairyman Webinar Archives May 12, 2014: "Update on mineral nutrition of dairy cows" presented by Bill Weiss, Ohio State University Sponsored by Zinpro Performance Minerals (www.zinpro.com/dairy)...
Heat abatement is not just for the milking herd. Dry cows that are cooled are healthier, breed back sooner and produce more milk. Heat stress has substantial impacts on milk yield during lactation
Milk fever impacts fresh cow health, production, reproduction and immune function. As our cows transition into lactation, their calcium requirements elevate two to three-fold over their dry period needs....
"Farm size is a lightning rod for criticism in agriculture," said Dan Weary as he spoke to those attending the April 14 Hoard's Dairyman webinar, "Cow welfare and farm size – challenges and opportunities"
