Are we teaching youth a variety of dairy skills? As a 4-H member I remember attending monthly local 4-H dairy meetings. Held at a leader's farm, all members, from first year to the very experienced, were...

Blending my passions for words and cows led to one of the greatest formative experiences of my college career. In eighth grade, I developed a sudden interest in becoming a dairy farmer. I hadn't been around...

Understanding forage digestibility aids in maximizing production. Manager High-quality forage fiber in a milking cow's ration can help milk components, result in fewer metabolic disorders and foot problems...

One of the most widely known animal rights groups is no stranger to using emotional appeal to win over people's minds. We've seen them all when we view websites, videos or photos posted by anti-agriculture...

A dairy farm family showcases their love for agriculture through a tractor show. By Brittany Statz, 2015 Hoard's Dairyman Editorial Intern Brand loyalty runs deep in agriculture, particularly where machinery...

The less time a cow spends in the holding pen, the more time it has to engage in productive functions

When one Illinois farm family came to a crossroads, they took a leap into the unknown and reaped major rewards as a result

Herds are getting bigger and more productive, but the cost of employees is rising faster. Everyone who milks cows knows that the dairy industry is struggling with a labor crisis that is only getting worse....

Feeding heifers doesn't always have to be a guessing game

When it comes to animal handling, if a cow is not doing what we want her to do, there's a good chance we did not ask her in the right way

Postsecondary education provides many options for hands-on learning

My bout with an intestinal infection hardened my stance on raw milk. I spent most of my Christmas break helping my boyfriend on his 40-cow dairy in northwestern Wisconsin. The first couple of weeks of...

GenElite and Holstein Plaza help bring buyers and sellers together in today's evolving dairy genetics trade. I attended the 124th Wisconsin Holstein Association Convention on February 21 in Hudson, Wis

Crisis management is intimidating to address but essential for long-term success. When I was 12, my family had an experience that significantly altered our operation. At 11 p.m. in the middle of wheat...

Raising dairy steers can be a profitable venture, but consider how it will impact the rest of your operation before jumping in headfirst. Beef prices are exceptionally high. Beef cattle numbers are near...

If you have good prep and good milkers, the use of an automatic teat scrubber or more conventional prep routine should have little impact on production. Forestripping serves two purposes in the parlor:...

Watch the cows to be sure your facility provides the resting space they need. Cows are busy creatures, and one of the most important activities they do is rest. "We want to see high-producing cows lying...

Format that attaches at every stall attracted many lookers at World Ag Expo this week. Goodbye milkers. One of the busiest dairy exhibits at World Ag Expo this week in Tulare, Calif., gave an up-close...

While forage procurement and feeding play a huge role in the success of high-producing herds, they aren't the only factors. Reproduction and milk quality are critical elements, too. Each winter, 24 of...

In difficult economic times, we become better managers. Shrink is one area where we can tighten our belts. Dairy rations are balanced on the cents per cow that an ingredient will add to or cut from a feed...