As the mom of kids who show dairy cattle, I love helping my kids develop into young showmen. So many important life lessons can be learned in the show ring. But as the mom who does her family’s...
Good nutrition plays a key role in hoof health. Hoof issues are a concern for many dairy producers. They can limit feed intake, sacrifice milk production, and impair cow comfort. Along with a comprehensive...
Harvest season can be one of the most challenging, yet most rewarding, times of the year on a dairy farm. Let me start out by saying that everyone who grows their own corn for silage knows how hectic harvest...
One Michigan dairyman took a unique approach at romance. You know you're a dairy farmer when . . . You propose to your girlfriend using cow manure. It may sound like a joke you would hear from a Jeff Foxworthy...
This isn't just my work; it's my passion. I recently saw a quote that really struck me and made me think about how lucky we are in the dairy industry. The things you are passionate about are not random,...
In order to move forward, leaders and managers must focus on people, not the execution. The wheels are spinning, but the car isn't going anywhere. You haven't worked long if you've never experienced this...
Youth take a "go big or go home" approach to competition. "You are betting all your points in Final Jeopardy," stated the moderator when speaking to California's Alexandra (Alex) Gambonini. The 120 points...
Thanks to his mechanical talents, this dairyman kept two first-crop alfalfa harvests on track. Near dusk on Sunday, May 22, I set out with our Hesston hay mower to cut the last field of first-crop alfalfa...
How youth activities helped me step outside of my comfort zone. Small, quiet, and shy. Those were some of the words that best described me as a young child. I preferred working with my animals and keeping...
Silage bag slip-n-slide, backyard camping, cow bedding sand piles, and nature exploring all lead to summer farm fun. Dairy farm kids find lots of ways to make their own summer fun. Once their chores are...
Feeding the best possible ration to your herd takes true teamwork between the farmer and nutritionist. I have other dairy farmers ask me questions about the analysis of the rations we feed at our farm....
Learning more about different breeds of dairy cattle can be beneficial. I'm not colorblind, but I only see black, white, and brown on my family's dairy operation. Our 40-cow herd is made up of mostly Holsteins...
Welfare and economics must both play a role in determining how many cows fill a barn. One size does not fit all. There are many areas on the farm to which this saying readily applies. One of the most pertinent...
As caretakers of animals . . . whether farm animals or companion animals . . . we often face tough decisions. When an animal is ill or injured, it's our great responsibility to decide if we can to save...
As the competition began, door guards checked back tags, known in the dance world as competitor numbers, and made final calls for late entries. Tardiness was rarely accepted as 8,057 entries crossed...
For farms struggling to find enough employees or looking for more flexibility in their daily routine, robotic milking systems have become an intriguing option
It's about the experience, regardless of location. Take the farm to the people, instead of taking the people to the farm. June Dairy month brings excitement as the public sets foot on real dairies during...
Consumers will not hear what we have to say about the dairy industry unless we take the initiative and find ways to tell them. "To the consumer, our story doesn't exist unless we tell it." Dairy farmers...
Custom hire is a smart business decision for our farm. While my husband and I milked our cows last night, a swather zipped through our fields, mowing down our first crop of alfalfa, along with the triticale...
