What goes into a "next year's outlook" prediction? Paying attention all year long this year, talking regularly to producers, studying the economic horizon outside the industry, tracking trends, and decades...

As 2010 comes to a close, we reflect on the past year and plan for a positive 2011. When I look ahead, I think about the future through a young person's eyes – full of hope and the belief that positive...

It is December 7 and sire summary information has been released. It used to be a really exciting time when there were only two sire summaries per year, as the momentum would build in January and July....

As a group, the Hoard Guernsey herd had outstanding feet and leg scores, averaging 81.86 points on 342 cows at the most recent classification. There are a number of reasons for their solid feet and legs:...

As a group, the Hoard Guernsey herd had outstanding feet and leg scores, averaging 81.86 points on 342 cows at the most recent classification. There are a number of reasons for their solid feet and legs:...

Making milk in the nation's largest dairy state is expensive, and part of the reason why are workers' compensation insurance rates that are among the highest in the U.S. According to the 2010 survey of...

There is always something going on at the Hoard's Dairyman Farm. This week, one of the irons in the fire has been looking at the impact of buying 35 Jersey cows. Here's how we approached the issue: First,...

There is always something going on at the Hoard's Dairyman Farm. This week, one of the irons in the fire has been looking at the impact of buying 35 Jersey cows. Here's how we approached the issue: First,...

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just a week away? I almost did until of course, I spent a good hour of my evening going back and forth with family about what time the big "to-do" should be. One of...

This title is an often-heard phase. It tells us to select the best person to accomplish a given task. It makes sense. If you are good with numbers, work with finance. Good with your hands, choose tasks...

I remember having to write an answer to this essay question in my high school English course. We were asked if we would rather be a second-rate artist or be known for making a first-rate soup. While most...

This year has been plagued with countless accidents that have severely injured dairy producers, or worst, taken their lives. Rollovers, auto accidents, exposure to toxic silo gas, hay bale crushing incidents,...

Stephanie Aves' passion for showing dairy cattle demonstrated through her junior project work, has earned her the 2010 Merle Howard Award. The daughter of Kevin and Julie Aves of Popular Grove, Ill., Aves...

Signaling the start of World Dairy Expo week for those of us at Hoard's Dairyman is always the annual visit from the National 4-H Dairy Conference. Today, around 200 attendees from across the country (and...

The Class III roller-coaster cycle we've come to hate will eventually swing back to $20. Count on it. Every down has been followed by an up, so it's important to plan for the inevitable recovery that's...

For some, that day cannot come quickly enough. For others, there is simply not enough time. World Dairy Expo is the event that so many producers, cattle owners, allied industry representatives, and young...

The deep financial cuts suffered by Western dairy producers last year still have a long way to go before they heal, but attitudes out there really do seem to be getting better. In recent weeks, we've visited...

All too often we hear of tragic accidents in our industry that not only claim the life of a loved one, but the head of a dairy farm business. On August 26, Brian Krull of Lake Mills, Wis., was killed in...

2009 was an awful year for producer milk prices, but another good one for milk quality. According to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, average bulk tank somatic cell count (BTSCC) for...

August 17 is the release date for the DVD of the award-winning HBO movie about one of the livestock industry's most colorful and influential persons. The movie, Temple Grandin, is based on the writings...