There was a further drop in pick-up tanker milk samples testing positive for antibiotics in the United States last year . . . 445 out of 3.2 million samples, or 0.014 percent, were positive. This represents...
Healthy cows with healthy hooves are the most productive and efficient in a robotic milking system. "Healthy feet are critical in a robot milking situation," said Jack Rodenburg from DairyLogix Consulting...
"If we took the best haplotypes (genes) from all the cows genomic tested to date, we would have a cow at $7515 Net Merit," said Paul Van Raden with USDA's Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory
Launched in 1993, "Got Milk?" has been the dairy industry's slogan stronghold. One of the first iconic images, featuring Rice Krispies' Snap, Crackle and Pop, was created by Goodby Silverstein & Partners...
It's over half of the frozen desserts consumed. There was a time when ice cream was just for the affluent. With the advent of insulated ice houses in the early 1800s, it could stay cold. Ice cream is a...
Handy Hint: February 25, 2014 Great replacement for shoelaces My shoelaces always break due to extreme conditions around the farm, so I use weed whacker replacement string instead
Real dairy history took place when the President signed the new farm bill into law this past February. That momentous shift included the elimination of three underperforming dairy programs. Gone are dairy...
"You need science. But you never win debates on science, you win them by appealing to emotions." That recent quote from Larry Jensen, President and CEO of Leprino Foods Company, sums up the issue at hand...
As new farm buildings go up, older ones stand empty. When milking herds grow, there are more calves to raise. Does it make sense to repurpose empty buildings to house young stock?
Hypocalcemia is more than a "low calcium" problem Milk fever cannot be overcome in a reactive fashion. Prevention programs must be in place to help cows successfully transition into lactation. To better...
While it's not time to make hay just yet, it is time to get the wheels in motion for this year's cropping season. The bane of growing crops lies in our inability to predict the weather
A Canadian consultant shares his four cornerstones to designing barns for robotic milkers. By Abby Bauer, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor Robotic milking systems can fit in a variety of barn layouts,...
Reader Response: Corporations trump farmers on trade There is no doubt whatsoever that trade benefits both parties if done correctly, as eluded to in the January 27 Hoard's Dairyman Intel item "The U.S....
Reader Response: Must know feed efficiency Despite the work of Mike Hutjens and Victor Cabrera, most consultants and producers have not taken the time and made the effort to collect feed efficiency information,...
It costs money to raise your calves and heifers. Should you invest in facilities and raise your own replacements? Would you be better served utilizing a custom grower? Should you raise every heifer, or...
We try to safeguard our homes and farms from potentially dangerous situations, and for the great majority, we have been successful in lowering the total number and percentage of childhood (19 years and...
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...
The Lifetime Net Merit index (NM$) was introduced in 1994 with revisions made in 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2010. I think we can anticipate another revision to NM$ in the near future and there is some discussion...
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
