In the winter months, people often take extra precautions against illnesses like the flu or the common cold because they understand the benefits of staying healthy. Every farmer knows that simple on-f
In a cow’s perfect world, over 80% of rumination should occur when the cow is lying down. The technical terms would be sternal recumbency and recumbent rumination. Resting with the sternum, or breas
In 2021, cheese and butter absorbed 60.5% of all dairy fat in 2021. Cheese topped the list, according to USDA data, at 42.1%. Meanwhile, butter accounted for 18.3% of all dairy fat coming from U.S. da
Staphylococci are the most prevalent bacteria isolated from bovine mammary secretions. In the past, we would call them CNS, as in coagulase-negative Staphylococci. However, another classification sche
One of the greatest blessings Duane and I received this year was during one of the most difficult times. My mother had been ill for a few years, so her passing was not a total surprise. Her 91-year-ol
For both crops and animals, timing often means everything on a farm. Following the appropriate timeline can be the difference between a healthy outcome and one that fails. On the cow side, that means
What do you think the fastest growing segment is among the U.S. population?If you guessed Gen Z . . . you’d be wrong. Instead, it is the other end of the age spectrum – adults 85 and older....
With input costs on the rise, farmers across the country are looking for ways to improve profitability and reduce spending. Feed is a big cost center and one that often gets scrutinized, but during th
Outside of cheese, China is the number one importer of essentially every major dairy product. Globally, the world’s most populated country purchases 27% of all traded dairy products on a milk solids
I recently ran into a person who told me she sets a “gratitude” alarm on her phone. Four times a day, her phone rings to alert her that it is time to be grateful.I was not quite sure how to...
Compared to beef from straight dairy animals, and even in some cases, conventional beef animals, dairy beef crossbred meat has a lot to offer. Breeding in beef traits has helped create meat that is mo
When a cow calves, its body is off to the races going through a number of changes giving birth and then quickly ramping up milk production. And although early lactation is when we will see cows be mos
Corn grown for grain is harvested too late in the fall to establish a cover crop in more northern climates. This uncovered soil presents environmental concerns and is a missed opportunity in terms of
