We are publishing this well-written poem by Bonnie Ayars, an Ohio dairy farm wife and The Ohio State University. We hope the poem, written in the verse and rhythm of Twas the Night Before Christmas, gets...
Farmers who plan ahead for tax management maximize their benefits. by Ali Enerson, Hoard's Dairyman Special Publications Editor Tax time can bring mixed feelings for farmers. Some are worried about pulling...
daho dairy leaders say total milk production in the country's third largest dairy state fell in 2013 for just the second time in 23 years. The dip was tiny - 0.9 percent - according to Brent Olmstead,...
"The development of resistant bacteria over the past 50 years stands testament to the power of evolution. While scientists have discovered or created hundreds of antibiotics to kill bacteria, those bacteria...
Fall 2011 PDCA showmanship scorecard changes are slow to be adopted. Old habits are hard to break. Forming new habits helps reinforce positive actions, but breaking old ones, can be challenging. In the...
By improving heat detection efficiency, reducing heat detection errors and honing our inseminating skills, we can get more heifers bred. When it comes to heifer fertility, reproductive experts say to focus...
"People's lives are written on the fields of old farms." You know that moment when you bump into another farmer and he starts in on a story illustrating the love of what he does? The farmer says he could...
W.D. Hoard's Notice to the Help set the standard for all farm staff over a century ago. The recent video showing employees at a northeast Wisconsin dairy mistreating dairy calves and cows is very disheartening....
The NFL announced another 5-year commitment to the program that encourages healthy eating and physical activity in schools across the nation. You could feel the excitement the minute you entered the door...
To avoid this, the nation must sustainably grow milk production at a price the consumer can afford. The European Union leads the ranks in world milk production. But, on an individual nation basis, India...
Getting your employees to work more cohesively could be as simple as three words: mission, vision and values. Every farm should have mission, vision and values statements. Did you just stop reading? Are...
A prep routine checkup may provide an opportunity that ties directly to your wallet. Cows love routine. Proper, repeatable milking procedures are your best friend when it comes to harvesting high quality...
Know your numbers to better know your financial standing. Gary Sipiorski shared his wealth of banking experience within the dairy and agricultural community on the Hoard's Dairyman webinar on Monday,...
Avoid negative energy balance, which has been shown to lead to negative reproductive performance in dairy cows. High milk production is oftentimes linked to poor reproductive performance in dairy cattle....
Facility design, space and frequent stirring are essential elements in successful compost bedded pack barns. "Compost barns are not your grandfather's bedded pack," explained Jeffrey Bewley, assistant...
After sluggish production last year, Europe and New Zealand milk production is now expanding. The U.S. is steady. While milk production never really missed a beat in the U.S., even with last year's drought,...
Over 55,000 are expected to converge on Louisville, Ky., this weekend. The National FFA Convention and Expo is a highlight for many FFA members. With nearly 580,000 FFA members in every state, along with...
Buy land, build a plant and start processing milk, right? Ha! Every state, county and city likes to claim it is "business friendly" in hopes of attracting new companies and the economy-sustaining jobs...
Webinar focuses on maximizing feed inputs. "The crop year's over ... now what?" That was the topic of the webinar on Monday, October 14. Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois, presented the webinar and...
If done well, grazing can lower forage costs and still maintain growth rates for dairy replacements. Raising calves and heifers can be the second largest cost on a dairy operation, shared David Combs,...
