Shrink is hard to define, but committing to best management practices during harvest, ensiling and feedout can reduce its impact. Over the past few years, sustainability has earned its status as a dairy...
Spring has barely begun, yet things already look grim. Bad turned to worse for California's drought situation in 2014, which is why, on the first day of spring this year, California's 2015 water situation...
A breeding ground for bacteria, bedding is a significant source of mastitis pathogens in a confinement system. The climatic conditions encountered in many regions of the country necessitate cattle housing....
Researchers and extension specialists in Texas, New Mexico and at the High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (HICAHS) in Colorado are in the earliest stage of developing what...
New school lunch policies improved food consumption and minimized waste in one school district; can we do even better? By Abby Bauer, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor When the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids...
Turnout at last week's 12th Western Dairy Management Conference almost set a record. There are three U.S. dairy industry events that are so well known around the world that milk producers often refer to...
For those looking to shed pounds, dodging dairy fat may be bad for your waistline. Fat is having a heyday. For decades, the standard recommendation within the nutrition community has been to avoid fat...
Last year, the United States saw another drop in farm acres and number of farms, but productivity filled the gap. Our nation's farmers are faced with the continuous challenge of doing more with less. The...
Elite breeders have simple advice for dairies about how to get started. Genomics technology has taken the dairy breeding world by storm, giving milk producers tools to make dramatic improvement in their...
Only 1,631 farms left, but it was still the 22nd yearly decline in a row. "Get out while the getting is good" saw 1,631 U.S. dairies leave the industry in 2014. According to data released earlier this...
Effluent planning can be done now to make harvest easier this year Growing up on a small dairy farm, silage effluent wasn't something I was overly aware of other than it smelled, and I tried not to get...
Drought, less acreage, and rising global demand are reasons why. Droughts in the West and rising demand around the world are increasing the price of hay and other forages for U.S. milk producers. And...
If you have good prep and good milkers, the use of an automatic teat scrubber or more conventional prep routine should have little impact on production. Forestripping serves two purposes in the parlor:...
Complimentary professional services for dairymen are available to Wisconsin farmers. When things get tough for dairy producers, they look for help. A family member, friend or trusted confidant can be...
Dairy challenge competition allows students to connect the dots between classes, experiences and instinct. I was the buzzer beater in junior dairy bowl. I studied and studied the questions, and on many...
Format that attaches at every stall attracted many lookers at World Ag Expo this week. Goodbye milkers. One of the busiest dairy exhibits at World Ag Expo this week in Tulare, Calif., gave an up-close...
Volatility and opportunities exist in the peaks and valleys.Producing milk is full of peaks and valleys. We love the highs and dread the lows. Understanding your financial status can help your herd maximize...
