My daughter, Caitlin, decided to return to the farm after graduating with a degree in diversified agriculture to manage our herd health and reproduction programs
A good herdsperson not only observes but takes action. In college, I fielded many questions about my agricultural communications degree that went something like this, "So you're studying to be a cow whisperer?"...
Young calves demand much care and patience. My two siblings and I grew up showing Holsteins, and from the time I was pretty young, I seemed to be the one who always ended up showing the flighty animals....
Jim Baird, gifted Hoard's Dairyman Art Director, passes on We would consider ourselves lucky to be really good at one thing – something that truly symbolized the essence of our being. But to be...
California's dairy industry highlighted during annual event. It was the first time in the 127 year-history of the Rose Parade, the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) had a float entry. The organization...
When used regularly, body condition scoring can help you recognize potential issues and act proactively instead of reactively. After a two-month vacation, our cows can calve in one of two ways: slow and...
Gadgets and devices aid – not replace dairy management. All that cool technology that people use to communicate, record exercise levels and monitor their sleep patterns, now are being applied to...
The old saying goes, "the first step to fixing a problem is knowing you have one." I would argue the second step is knowing what and how significant that problem is
College students can't solve their own problems according to psychologists and professors, but farm kids are raised differently. by Maggie Seiler, Special Publications Editor I was 16 or 17 years old,...
A clean environment, adequate cow comfort and footbath use all bolster your ability to prevent digital dermatitis. Lameness affects everything a cow does. Feed intake, fertility, milk production and, in...
It was a full 85 years for World Wide Sires' Willard "Bill" Clark. A cowman, businessman and art collector, World Wide Sires Founder, Bill Clark was unafraid to pursue his passions. Born in the Central...
When cows' light exposure is limited during the dry period, a milk production boost in the next lactation is likely. When light hits the eye, a cascade of hormonal events is triggered in the brain's pineal...
Recently hired employee also wounded five animals. Four cows were stabbed to death early this month and five others badly injured by an employee at an Arizona dairy who admitted to having used methamphetamine...
Genomic testing can benefit a dairy if the results are utilized; one Idaho dairyman shared his thoughts on the use of this technology on farm. When the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) held its...
Ohio team returned for redemption to take the highest honors in the contest. Last year, the Ohio 4-H team ended the season with a close miss, getting second in the National 4-H Judging Contest. This year,...
National judging winners share their good-fortune stories. For those competing at the highest level, dairy judging is serious business. Hours and years of practice and preparation go into the one contest...
A dairy in southwest Indiana has reaped major benefits from installing precision dairy technologies on their farm. When one visits the Koester family farm in far southwestern Indiana, they'll notice a...
Feeding a high forage diet alters feeding behaviors, health parameters and milk production in fresh cows. Transition cows are much like a puzzle that is missing a few pieces; we're still working to develop...
Class 4b increase starts August 1 and will last 12 months. by Dennis Halladay, Hoard's Dairyman Western Editor It wasn't as much as dairy producers asked for, and the duration is only half as long, but...
Legendary dairy cattle judge and professor Fred Foreman passed away on July 22, leaving behind a grand legacy of teaching and passion for the dairy industry. He was born on a small farm in Kansas, but...
