There are many tools available to dairy farmers to achieve a high 21-day pregnancy rate, but what rate delivers the best return?

While a 20% pregnancy rate was once the standard goal, that is not the case today

Pregnancy rate might be the best key performance indicator to evaluate the reproductive performance of the herd. It is a function of heat detection rate and conception rate

With sales of $6.5 billion in 2020, U.S. dairy exports could net $7.3 billion by the end of the current fiscal year. What’s the feasibility of achieving that growth rate? Extremely likely

Leaving potential money on the table is something no farmer wants to do. Most often, we hear this fear in terms of risk management — it’s easy to put off locking in milk prices, or even feed...

Raising heifers economically isn’t just about feed prices, as herd management practices can make a big impact on the bottom line

The pile up of tight financial years since 2015 has caused many producers to take incredibly sharp pencils to their operating budgets

Perhaps you’ve heard the saying “milk does a body good.” That’s true, but dairy products deserve respect for more than just the calcium, vitamin D, and protein they contain

Dairy trade: Think beyond the exchange rate by Corey Geiger, Managing Editor The Mexican peso buys less goods and services these days when compared to the U.S. dollar. While that is true, USDA's Gabriel...

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...

There are real benefits for herds that can achieve a 25 percent pregnancy rate. One common goal all dairy producers share is getting cows bred in a timely fashion. What is a realistic target for which...

Last year was a blast from the past for dairies: feed costs dropped below 50 percent of income

by Abby Bauer, Associate Editor Reproductive performance is instrumental to farm profitability, but no single measure can capture all facets of a reproductive program. One important number we can look...

I remember having to write an answer to this essay question in my high school English course. We were asked if we would rather be a second-rate artist or be known for making a first-rate soup. While most...

"In the summer of 2009, the Hoard Farm was on the verge of single-digit pregnancy rates," noted Jason Yurs, Hoard's Dairyman farm manager. Prior to the 2009 World Dairy Expo, the farm was sitting at a...

"In the summer of 2009, the Hoard Farm was on the verge of single-digit pregnancy rates," noted Jason Yurs, Hoard's Dairyman farm manager. Prior to the 2009 World Dairy Expo, the farm was sitting at a...