Water hydrant won't freeze We had problems with our outdoor water hydrants freezing at the base (underground), making the hydrant useless until early spring. To fix this, we dug a hole about 12 inches...
Discussing the ideal size for a cow can be a contentious topic. Some prefer large cows because their udders are further from the ground which makes milking easier in a tie stall setting, and of course...
She has the IT factor," said the voice of the veterinarian who trained me to be a practitioner. Of course, I hold what he says in high regard, but I honestly didn't know what he was talking about. I asked...
Being tight with a buck may bring the highest net per cow and hundredweight, but with high-quality management, profit is still possible. More milk won't equal more money if a producer only focuses on efficiencies...
What's in your milk? This article appeared in the January 25, 2012 issue of Hoard's Dairyman on the Young Dairyman page. The article discusses the components of typical farm milk from dairy cows
Handy Hint: October 25, 2012 Caps Identify Colostrum Quality We use half-gallon jugs to store colostrum on our farm. Using a 2-liter soda crate to hold the jugs upright in a freezer, we can quickly identify...
As printed in our October 10, 2012 issue... THE LEADERSHIP IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES did not bring the farm bill up for a vote in September and left for a six-week election recess. WITH NO ACTION, THE...
Is it getting more difficult to successfully A.I. breed dairy cows? That was the question posed by colleagues in a scholarly review of research and history involving A.I. breeding of dairy cows. What follows...
Dairy industry veterans have long memories. Many in our industry have weathered a number of economic storms that took place in 2002, 2006, 2009 and now 2012. Whether comparing income-over-feed costs or...
The United States has maintained a commodity market focus. But by studying New Zealand's Fonterra Cooperative, we see that entering the value-added market could provide combined advantages
As printed in our September 25, 2012 issue... GLOBAL PRODUCT PRICES WERE $1.44 per pound in early September trading at the Global Dairy Trade. Those composite index values are up 6 cents since late August...
Handy Hint: October 10, 2012 Tote Bag Unloaded We used to have a lot of problems unloading heavy tote bags full of supplements. This plugged the augers and spilled when it was windy. I took an empty teat...
Grandma Hardesty gave us the pennies from her purse. We dutifully divided them equally, even with the cousins not present, and saved them in our piggy banks. A few times a year, our banks were heavy enough...
We know that dairy cows and rumen microbes do not have an actual starch requirement. Rather, rumen microbes require adequate fermentable carbohydrates (starch, sugars, soluble fiber and digestible fiber)...
Making more milk is not the answer as the law of diminishing returns kicks in this year. As commodity prices continue their ascent, evaluate whether your herd's production level can offset the cost of...
The simple design can limit induced stress. When used routinely, cattle can accommodate to its function, leaving a positive impression. She wrote this series with Paul Rapnicki, D.V.M., formerly with the...
Handy Hint: September 25, 2012 Vapor lock saves feed To prevent grain from spoiling on the concrete floor of my calf shed, I made a vapor barrier by laying 2-inch treated lumber down and fastening a piece...
As printed in our September 10, 2012 issue... COW NUMBERS WERE DOWN 44,000 HEAD this July when compared to April's nationwide peak of 9.27 million. As a result, milk production grew only 0.7 percent, the...
