Fly control protocols for heifers set the stage for long-term mammary health. We all know the nuisance flies can be this time of year. Ruining picnics, dirtying white walls, and, perhaps most importantly...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Are you ready to handle triplets on your farm? As farmers, we learn to always expect the unexpected. But when triplets arrive on the dairy, it is understandable to be in shock. Surprised was my reaction...
Survey shows: dairy producers believe in the power of prevention. Prevention is key. This was a favorite mantra of my family's veterinarian. Every time he came out to diagnose a particular problem in the...
Electrical fire serves as wake-up call. Fire. There might not be another word so capable of quickly igniting fear in the hearts of farmers. I'm sure you can imagine the level of panic we felt after smelling...
Our actions need to speak louder than words when working with livestock. Cows may not speak like we do, but that does not mean that we cannot communicate with them. We must simply interact in ways they...
Animal activists are becoming bolder in their actions; even events like dairy shows could attract guests with ulterior motives. You've lined up the judge, secured the award sponsors and ordered the ribbons....
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?"...
Action can be taken to reduce feed losses during the TMR mixing process. Now you see it . . . and now you don't. Just like that, feed that was once available for your herd can be lost due to mold, pests,...
Managing corral conditions year round in open-lot dairies is important for cow health, comfort and production in the rainy season. In the areas of the country where open-lot dairies are popular, the onset...
FARM program has moved up its deadline to stop the practice by 2017. Time is running out faster than ever on the routine tail docking of dairy cows - and it can't end soon enough. The biggest step taken...
Buyers came from near and far to take home the best The International Guernsey Classic Sale averaged $3,638 on 25 lots. The high seller was Four Winds DC Cupid-ET. She was consigned by Clark and Joy Vilter,...
As dairy and livestock producers, many of us consider our animals not just as a source of income, but a part of the family. My Aunt Lois – my dad's youngest sister – had a very special friendship...
Pathogen-based and selective antibiotic use reduces your residue risk and adds dollars to your bottom line. By Amanda Smith, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor We're under a microscope. Whether the topic...
Enclosed spaces can be death traps. Farmers are busy people with a long list of tasks to complete and a shortage of daylight. However, a little extra time to think through a situation could save a life....
California irrigation districts sue the state water board after it demanded they stop using pre-1914 water rights. As California's drought woes worsen and tempers keep climbing, you just knew it would...
