Judges not only evaluate cattle, they are communicators. You had success in judging contests as a youth. Now, you'd like to move onto the next level and judge dairy shows. What should you know? I spoke...
Research shows that healthy and unhealthy eaters alike select foods on taste over nutritional value. An apple is healthier, but why do we reach for the doughnut instead? Most likely because we know it...
Digital dermatitis in heifers can change hoof shape without causing lameness. By Maggie, Seiler, Hoard's Dairyman Editorial Intern A good set of feet and legs is imperative for a cow to live a long and...
DHIA milk sample-based method is 91 percent accurate identifying herd prevalence. Next to mastitis, perhaps no subclinical health problem is as common, as unseen (if not outright ignored) or as costly...
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...
Tell your farm's story for the betterment of agriculture as a whole I've come to the conclusion that the positive potential of sharing my farming story with the masses has to outweigh the fear. We hear...
"I'm fine." How many times have family members commented when a loved one looks under the weather and got that response? I venture a lot if you deal with farmers. They are the "no excuses, gotta get work...
It was drilled into my head from a very young age to watch out for calves with droopy ears, sunken eyes and clear signs of illness. Many producers use physical and behavioral signs such as these to detect...
Your lighting decisions affect animals at all ages, not just lactating dairy cows. A recent Kentucky Cooperative Extension paper reminds us of the importance of both long-day and short-day photoperiods...
Slowly but surely, the average quality of U.S. milk is becoming amazingly good. In 2013, for the 12th year in a row, the nationwide average somatic cell count (SCC) for all cows on Dairy Herd Information...
Global warming or not, the world's climate is changing. In the United States, greater variability in precipitation patterns, more pronounced differences in weather between regions, and rising average temperatures...
Research sheds additional light on the specific effects of mastitis on reproductive efficiencies. The dairy cow's internal balance can often be a fragile thing, and it is never more apparent than when...
It's the time of year when children dream. And there is no better time to "dream big" than Christmas. There seems to be less guilt about asking for things during the holidays as compared to other times...
For students in Louisville, Ky., the North American International Livestock Exposition provides a unique opportunity for a lesson in agriculture. The North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE)...
Milk alternatives are still giving cow's milk a run for its money, but they may not be all they're cracked up to be. There's a resurgence in the debate between cow's milk and milk alternatives for children....
Discussing policy and practices with consumers is all about talking with them, not at them. by Maggie Seiler, Hoard's Dairyman Editorial Intern As a nation, consumers are no longer interested in just the...
Take a seat, have a taste . . . and say hello to farmer Frank. None of these are part of the grocery store shopping experience today, but "Supermarket Guru" and NBC Television Today Show food trends editor...
Simply guessing as to the cause is part of the problem. Death loss is a challenge to every producer. Minimizing early removals from the herd should be the goal, but it starts with an understanding of the...
"In the best-case scenario, we'll lose only 2 to 3 percent of our harvested forage tons to fermentation shrink," noted John Goeser, Rock River Laboratory, at the Penn State Dairy Nutrition Conference
Over the past year, I have repeatedly been asked how I became interested in dairy cattle considering I grew up in a state more well-known for beef and wheat. Many times, that conversation prompt leaves...
