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...
This year's harvest marks two very different ends of the spectrum. Some dairies have been blessed with an abundance of forage to feed over the coming year
A small dairy area in far-northern California climbed aboard the anti-GMO bandwagon on Tuesday, when voters in Humboldt County approved the "Genetic Contamination Prevention Ordinance" by a 59 to 41 percent...
I'm not typically an early Christmas shopper, but in the more recent years I've learned to pay closer attention to what my dad needs when we are fixing something, milking the cows or working around the...
Automatic feeders and group housing are very trendy topics in calf raising today, and for good reason. The opportunity to feed more milk and provide social interaction appears to deliver great benefits...
Spencer County FFA wins 5th National FFA Dairy Judging title in 10 years. When you say you've won the National FFA Dairy Judging Contest, you have done more than just judged cows. The two-day contest encompasses...
A cow that's come down with milk fever is easily recognizable. Oftentimes, the cow, unable to stand, has its head against its side, and its ears are cold to the touch
Holstein million-unit fraternity hits 50. Breeding and then marketing an elite bull is a tough undertaking, and only a few have been successful. Bulls need to appeal to a wide audience of producers, but...
Even well-educated parents with access to healthy foods struggle to meet the nutritional needs of their children. The groundwork for a healthy life is built during childhood. Unfortunately, financial limitations,...
Evaluating body condition throughout lactation and the dry period can be an important health indicator. This semester I decided to take a beef science course with the intention of comparing that industry's...
When mastitis was detected in the week after insemination, the likelihood of the cow carrying a calf was greatly diminished. A dairy's success or failure hinges on a number of variables, one of which is...
Meatless Monday is a global movement that began in 2003, encouraging consumers to refrain from eating meat on Mondays to better their health and save the environment
Grain entrapment is a farming hazard year-round; however, with all of the grain transport vehicles on the road and combines in the fields, it brings year-round safety to mind
Limited pen space on-farm often ties our hands when we attempt to develop a grouping strategy. The options, such as separating cows based on stage of lactation, reproductive status or body condition, are...
First seek to understand, then act on the new farm bill's new dairy component. The recent Farm Bill eliminates the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) and replaces it with a Margin Protection Program (MPP-Dairy)....
Marcie Feine's passion for calves clearly shined through as she spoke at a Land O'Lakes calf event last month. "I have the best job because I get the babies," she said. Marcie and her husband, Glen, are...
As I boarded the plane to leave World Dairy Expo last week, the imminent threat of snow had me dreading the predictions of an equally miserable winter to come. Maybe I am jumping the gun, but the Old Farmer's...
Nothing is more frustrating than a problem without an answer. When we have a setback in production or a mastitis flare-up, the parlor can be a daunting place to start
Americans are drinking less fluid milk, but their taste for dairy is not waning. In fact, USDA data released last month shows that per capita consumption of dairy products has climbed from 539 pounds in...
