Landwise, rural American counties make up 72 percent of the nation's surface area. In terms of people, just 15 percent of the population lived in these counties last year. Population growth in nonmetro...
Do you group cows by production? If so, then you're a big step ahead in understanding why heat stress is worse than you may realize. THI (temperature humidity index; the "feels like" combination of temperature...
Fertility isn't just for cows by Amanda Smith, Associate Editor is vital, noted Eric Young, in a recent Miner Institute Farm Report. As in the cow, achieving maximum soil fertility requires a balanced...
It's definitely not an everyday occurrence on television, especially ESPN. However, after losing an NCAA Division I Men's Basketball bracket bet with co-host Mike Golic, Mike "Greeny" Greenberg made good...
Farm milk prices and margins were surprisingly strong this past winter. As we head into spring, prices may weaken, as they often do, as milk production marches toward its seasonal peak. Even so, prices...
Agronomists say that for all the plant growth you see above ground, there is an equivalent root mass found underneath the soil's surface supplying plants with life-giving nutrients. This living, breathable...
China and India's practices leapfrog a generation Farmers in the world's two most populous countries are updating production practices at a rapid pace. Even so, this modernization effort isn't without...
Before there were digital cameras and Photoshop software, print film and negatives dominated the world of cattle photography. That left less margin for error when taking cows photos. In addition to being...
Intel readers were fascinated by the item in our February 24 issue about a cow cooling method that uses very little electricity – cooling freestall beds from below – which had been exhibited...
Calves with maintained health and growth as young animals will deliver greater performance and value as cows. Industry research shows this, but often the most valuable insights come from dairy producers...
The U.S. and Canadian dairy industries face many of the same hurdles. A dwindling producer population and stagnant domestic fluid sales don't create a burgeoning dairy system. Yet, the U.S. has a competitive...
The latest Hoard's Dairyman bull list has many new names on it. That is in large part due to the accelerated progress being made in genetics these days. The threshold to even crack the Top 50 Net Merit...
As printed in our April 10, 2014 issue... AN ALL-MILK PRICE WITH A $21.70 midpoint was the latest projection for 2014 by USDA. That value grew by $1.60 since December's estimate. A RECORD UNIFORM PRICE...
I just read "Genomic bulls still have inflated grades" in the March 24 Hoard's Dairyman Intel. The industry's genetic improvement programs are delivering cows that produce higher percentages of components....
Reader Response: Genomics better, not perfect Good piece on genomics, "Genomic bulls still have inflated grades," in the March 24 Hoard's Dairyman Intel. It reminds me of the long-term study of Ben McDaniel,...
Bob Miller and Frank Regan are among the most respected people among dairy cattle breeders. Both purchased franchise cows early in their careers, transformed the Holstein breed and became household names...
What's your flood risk? by Amanda Smith, Associate Editor We've been stuck in a weather holding pattern. Some of us have been subjected to extreme cold and blizzard-like conditions for the last five months,...
Sooner or later, every dairy cow leaves her herd for some reason. But how long she stays seems to depend a lot on what breed she is. In the 2012 National Dairy Herd Information Association data compiled...
