When the Seattle Seahawks' young quarterback took the field on Sunday, he was prepared. The familiarity of the opposing quarterback to high-pressure games far exceeded this second-year player's resume....
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,...
We are publishing this well-written poem by Bonnie Ayars, an Ohio dairy farm wife and The Ohio State University. We hope the poem, written in the verse and rhythm of Twas the Night Before Christmas, gets...
U.S. butter usage in 2013 hit its highest level in 40 years, due in great part to growing publicity about the negative effects of trans fats commonly used in margarines. How yummy is that news? According...
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...
Cows spend their days doing core activities, like sleeping and eating, and luxury activities, like playing and exploring. Luxury activity will decline when time or energy resources are limited during stress...
Farmers who plan ahead for tax management maximize their benefits. by Ali Enerson, Hoard's Dairyman Special Publications Editor Tax time can bring mixed feelings for farmers. Some are worried about pulling...
daho dairy leaders say total milk production in the country's third largest dairy state fell in 2013 for just the second time in 23 years. The dip was tiny - 0.9 percent - according to Brent Olmstead,...
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
Each person has approximately 40 chances – or 40 years – in his or her adult life to make a positive impact on the world. That is the basic philosophy of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation 40...
"The development of resistant bacteria over the past 50 years stands testament to the power of evolution. While scientists have discovered or created hundreds of antibiotics to kill bacteria, those bacteria...
Genetics and management will change the way we feed cows. Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois, presented "Feed efficiency – What's new?" on Monday, January 13. His 50-minute presentation was fast-paced...
New research found that painful procedures, like dehorning, made calves more pessimistic. Dehorning causes some amount of pain, which we recognize based on behavioral changes, such as head shaking, ear...
Yearly family and farm goals help prioritize your daily to-do list. The new year stirs optimism and goal setting in many of us. Goals help focus your business and life. But before you charge forward with...
Fall 2011 PDCA showmanship scorecard changes are slow to be adopted. Old habits are hard to break. Forming new habits helps reinforce positive actions, but breaking old ones, can be challenging. In the...
The Hoard Farm team headed up by Jason Yurs continues to be pleased with the performance of young sires' daughters. On December 13, a number of young bulls had daughters either scored for the first time...
Caring for others starts by caring for yourself. I recently received a newsletter from a charity that helps parents cope with children with Niemann-Pick Disease, a terminal illness. It listed 12 ways to...
By improving heat detection efficiency, reducing heat detection errors and honing our inseminating skills, we can get more heifers bred. When it comes to heifer fertility, reproductive experts say to focus...
Taking the time and effort to prevent hay fires has never made more sense. Dairy hay has never been more expensive than in recent years, making it vital to make sure that hay fires don't happen. University...
