We try to safeguard our homes and farms from potentially dangerous situations, and for the great majority, we have been successful in lowering the total number and percentage of childhood (19 years and...
Cows spend their days doing core activities, like sleeping and eating, and luxury activities, like playing and exploring. Luxury activity will decline when time or energy resources are limited during stress...
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,...
Producers that make hay are beholden to Mother Nature. While you may mow hay when the sun is shining, an unexpected rain can damage a valuable forage crop. Bale loss is caused by microbial activity
Each person has approximately 40 chances – or 40 years – in his or her adult life to make a positive impact on the world. That is the basic philosophy of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation 40...
Digital dermatitis, commonly known as hairy heel warts, is a major cause of lameness on dairy farms. Digital dermatitis was identified in the early 1970s, came to the U.S. in the 1980s and has been a management...
"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...
New research found that painful procedures, like dehorning, made calves more pessimistic. Dehorning causes some amount of pain, which we recognize based on behavioral changes, such as head shaking, ear...
DDGS prices have actually gone up since last summer. If the price goes down for a commodity whose processing waste is a by-product feed for cows, then the price of that feed will go down too, right? So...
Five days and a dozen people helped revamp our educational offerings. The first five issues of the year of Hoard's Dairyman are best known for their covers, launching yet another round of the annual cow...
Harsh winter temperatures raise the needs of all animals, especially young stock, on the farm. Another harsh, cold day is upon many of us across the country. Amy Stanton, animal well-being specialist...
The Hoard Farm team headed up by Jason Yurs continues to be pleased with the performance of young sires' daughters. On December 13, a number of young bulls had daughters either scored for the first time...
By outlining animal care expectations with all staff, dairy farmers can ensure the best cow care possible. by After the dairy industry made national headlines earlier this month due to mistreatment of...
Caring for others starts by caring for yourself. I recently received a newsletter from a charity that helps parents cope with children with Niemann-Pick Disease, a terminal illness. It listed 12 ways to...
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...
Through June, cash flow on milking cows ranged from minus 59 to positive 80 cents per hundredweight. Net farm incomes in the West have been varied, according to mid-year reports assembled by Frazer, LLP....
Taking the time and effort to prevent hay fires has never made more sense. Dairy hay has never been more expensive than in recent years, making it vital to make sure that hay fires don't happen. University...
"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...
Make sure your bedding is doing its job by evaluating cow cleanliness and comfort. Cost and ease of handling are often the first considerations when it comes to bedding for dairy cattle. Ideally, bedding...
