Handy Hint: Sept 25, 2010 Easy access four-wheeler battery Rather than replacing the hard-to-reach battery that's under the fender on our farm four-wheeler, we made our own battery bracket by welding angle...
Handy Hint: Jan 10, 2010 Recalibrated seeder saves time We decided to recalibrate our seeder so we wouldn't have to pour excess alfalfa seed into it. Additionally, we could ensure that we were getting...
2009 was an awful year for producer milk prices, but another good one for milk quality. According to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, average bulk tank somatic cell count (BTSCC) for...
How deep a financial hole did milk producers dig in 2009? It was "Lassie, go get help!" deep. It was a horribly serious situation whose magnitude was simply absurd. High feed costs and a collapse in milk...
The dairy breeding industry has had a boisterous 2010. Genomic predictions needed a course correction, and one was applied this past April. "Boisterous" is not the adjective that everyone involved would...
Bloomington, Minn., is the site of this year's National Holstein Convention. Excellent weather welcomed Holstein breeders and juniors from across the country. Sunday's host day tours featured visits to...
National Dairy Quality Award Winners From more than 220 applicants, these operations stood out for having produced high-quality milk consistently. Applications were evaluated for measures of quality, systems...
My placing of this class of Jersey cows is B A D C. B logically comes to the top of the class. She excels in her mammary system, having the highest, widest rear udder and the strongest, most clearly defined...
I placed this class of Ayrshire aged cows B A C D. I place B over A for her great advantage in dairyness and size and scale. B is a taller, longer cow with more angularity over the withers, back, hooks,...
It is a pleasure to place this class of Guernsey cows D B C A. D leads out this class as she excels in overall style, balance, and dairy strength and easily has the best udder in the class. She places...
I place this class of Holstein cows D C B A. In a close placing, I give D the advantage in width of rump and levelness from hooks to pins. D also shows more veination and quality in her fore udder. I do...
A terrific class of Brown Swiss cows which I placed C B A D. Starting the class with a cow that excels in so many categories, that being cow C. She catches your eye with her outstanding frame, straightness...
Five classes of dairy cows are featured on the covers of our January through March 10 issues, representing five of the dairy breeds. Click the cover image to see the official placing for the class, the...
April 10, 2010 Handy Hint Sliding doors offer light, ventilation Instead of installing several large windows, the Kremers at Donkelman farms in Tillsonburg, Ontario, installed large sliding glass doors...
January 25, 2010 Handy Hint Text cows and heifers in heat We issued cell phones to all our employees. As part of the agreement with our employees for using the farm-issued cell phones, we want employees...
Feb 25, 2010 Handy Hint Best milk replacer mixer I use a 12-inch milk filter spring to mix batches of milk replacer, and I've found the spring is the best mixer ever; it's stainless steel so it's easy...
Easy and clean way to move newborn calves I wanted an easy and clean way to move newborn calves to our hutch area which is on the other side of the farm. I cut off the top of a 250-gallon portable water...
Handy Hint: Jan 10, 2010 Colored Tape Marks Distance During the winter months, my employees are so bundled up that they have a hard time turning around inside the skid loader to see behind them. This led...
Handy Hint: March 10, 2010 Place Water Lines Within Tile Lines Whenever we replaced or put in a new water line, we ran the plastic water pipe through a 4-inch drainage tile. Doing so allows us to replace...
