For the second straight year, California's cost to produce milk jumped over 10 percent. Nearly all the higher costs were due to higher feed prices. Rising feed costs were the root cause of the higher costs...
Why California dairies should plan on having strict emissions regulations forever. If dairies in California need a reminder about why they operate under the most strict air quality emissions regulations...
We aren't dealing with salmon or deer. It's much more difficult to get our cows pregnant. "If dairy cows were like salmon, it would be easy to get them bred. Salmon turn red before they ovulate. If dairy...
"C'mon Charlie Brown, I'll hold the football and you kick it." The latest installment of California's longest-running dairy soap opera, "We're Begging You For More Money," unfolded again this week. On...
Among the 504 dairy farms in the Northeast Dairy Farm Summary, the net cost of production was $18.23, up 12 cents from 2011. The cost to produce 100 pounds of milk rose for the third straight year for...
Authorization is included in House Ag Committee's draft of 2013 Farm Bill. The emotional and growing revolt by California milk producers against what they say is their state's inadequate and unresponsive...
Foot health impacts reproduction, production and early culling. Nigel Cook presented theHoard's Dairyman monthly webinar on Monday, May 13, 2013, entitled "No more lame excuses." Lameness prevalence has...
Little things can be overlooked when preparing for showmanship. I attend several youth dairy shows throughout the year as a spectator, but participated in dozens during my junior years. Showmanship is...
Cash grain farmers have experienced one of the best financial runs in the history of American dairy farming. How much longer will it last? For those growing corn, soybeans, wheat and other small grains,...
Some are already gone. More will follow. The big question is, how many can be saved? The greatest milk-producing machine the U.S. dairy industry has ever seen is breaking down. Doomsday feed prices and...
Does it still benefit farmers or does it discourage product investment and innovation? I don't have the answer, but because exports now account for more than 13 percent of all milk solids made in the U.S....
State Assembly Ag Committee votes 6-0 in support of better parity with FMMO values. May Day was a good day for California dairy producers – and an unusually crowded one for members of the State...
The drought has been hard on pastureland, so extra attention should be given to prepare paddocks for this growing season. The drought that affected much of the United States last summer will likely have...
A moderating drought in Oceania has caused prices to drop slightly from the recent highs. However, tighter than expected global supplies should keep dairy product prices stronger than originally expected....
In back-to-back days, dairy celebrated sustainability efforts already in action and renewed focus on future projects. In honoring herds milking 50 cows all the way to those with several thousand, the Innovation...
Delegates to the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) veto a reduction to a 400,000 SCC. Once again, a National Milk Producers Federation proposal to bring the U.S. somatic cell count...
The old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" could be used to describe fluid milk packaging. Milk packs nine essential nutrients and is part of a healthy diet for children and adults
Whey, the liquid by-product of cheese making that is often disposed of as waste, is being made into vodka by a large-herd dairy farmer in England. No kidding. Naturally, the mere fact he is doing it has...
Spreaders and other implements are beginning to hit fields across the country as we begin the 2013 cropping season. But have you taken the time to evaluate your nutrient recording keeping system lately?
Dairy cows struggle to maintain normal blood calcium levels at the start of each lactation. Colostrum and milk both use a large amount of calcium, and the cow must suddenly adjust for this rapid nutrient...
