Forage systems match modern cows and farms Alfalfa cutting schedules, corn silage's growing role in diets, and storage demands due to larger herds highlight changes to forage practices in the past 40 years
Get cows off on the right start. Every effort and dollar spent on transition cow well-being pays off in the following lactation. Managing far-off, close-up cows and springing heifers; Transition cow disorders;...
Research shows intense long and short-term effects result from skimping on feed for this group. Sometimes reality is harsh, and that can be the case when dealing with transition cows. Managing this group...
Is pregnant cows' milk really a health threat? A human health concern accuses milk from pregnant cows, which is customarily high in estrogens, of affecting blood estrogen levels in humans. High levels...
Members of the Hoard's Dairyman staff spent a day on farms to stay in touch with the magazine's roots. By The Hoard's Dairyman editorial team has a long standing tradition of being actively involved in...
Reader Response: Mature cows are profitable I found this short article, "Older cows digest feed better," in the July 5, 2016, Intel, to be very revealing. Many of us involved in dairy cattle genetics have...
What is the national cull rate? Cull rates are one of the bellwethers of herd health. However, herd health and dairy cow removal aren't the only factor that drives cull rates . . . the inventory of herd...
Older cows digest feed better. With the onset of sexed semen and other management factors, the average age of the American dairy cow is getting younger. That being said, many dairies still benefit from...
Spend some time analyzing your most valuable group of cows those that are so problem-free you almost forget they are present. We are all intimately familiar with our top cows those special ones that outrank...
During the heat and humidity of summer, extra measures are taken to care for cows before and after calving. Ninety-eight degrees in Georgia feels a good bit different than 98° in California. In Georgia,...
Determining which cows are open early speeds the reset process. While we all like to hear that a cow is confirmed pregnant, there also is value in knowing that she is not. At that point, she can be quickly...
Hoard's Dairyman Webinar Archives May 9, 2016: Strategies for nonpregnancy diagnosis in dairy cows presented by Paul Fricke, University of Wisconsin-Madison Brought to you by: Parnell (www.parnell.com)...
For years, California dairy and livestock farmers have grazed their cattle in Point Reyes National Seashore Park, but that partnership may soon come to an end. By Abby Bauer, Hoard's Dairyman Associate...
Ration strategies for groups of dairy cows summarized. Maximize production, but don't waste resources. That sums up the art and science of formulating rations for milking groups. The challenge is that...
For years, a great number of us have relied on immigrant labor to milk cows and handle other farm tasks because most locals are unwilling to apply for farm jobs. With improving economic conditions in Mexico,...
Overall, 94 percent of dairy cows come from two breeds - Holstein or Jersey. That's according to data collected by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in its recent Dairy 2014. The comprehensive,...
Strategize for ways to minimize heat stress. Even though we are not ready for sunglasses and shorts, warm weather will be here soon. Mike Brouk, Kansas State University, presented "The latest on beating...
