Although milk prices in 2011 are forecast to remain near this year's level, higher feed prices are expected to squeeze producer margins, impacting the size of the dairy herd in 2011, according to the USDA's...
I remember having to write an answer to this essay question in my high school English course. We were asked if we would rather be a second-rate artist or be known for making a first-rate soup. While most...
The trend continues. More and more milk. September was the seventh month in a row that U.S. milk production has been above year-earlier levels. September's growth in milk production across the nation was...
World Dairy Expo 2010 has come to a close. In a matter of a just a week, shows, sales, and contests were all held in Madison, Wis. Total attendance was up, with 65,136 attending. International visitors...
They aren't the cows you'll see in the show ring, but they're here in the Grazing Pavilion. The Grazing Pavilion, in its second appearance at Expo, is hosting 10 cows representing the Normande, Dutch Belted,...
The International Milking Shorthorn Show was held today, Wednesday, September 29. The show began with the milking classes, the champions, and then followed by the heifer classes. Two well-known cows of...
There are the cows, the trade show, and dairy enthusiasts…but, don't forget that about the food. After spending the morning walking around, we have come up with the best food finds on the Expo grounds....
After sorting through the plethora of product handouts, notepads, and writing utensils from the trade show, the cream of the crop freebies make themselves known. At the Cottonseed booth (EH 4107) you can...
On Saturday and Sunday, over 300 4-H, post-secondary, and college judging teams traveled southern Wisconsin for judging work-outs prior to the competition being held this Monday morning, September 27....
The Class III roller-coaster cycle we've come to hate will eventually swing back to $20. Count on it. Every down has been followed by an up, so it's important to plan for the inevitable recovery that's...
Last week, I received a newsletter from my local bank giving parents financial tips for their college students. Some of the items were common sense, but, if their children have never had to handle a budget,...
Despite the higher-than-normal temperatures experienced in many areas, U.S. milk production in August shot up 2.7 percent over a year ago. During August, there was a 2.9 percent rise in milk per cow over...
Rotary milking parlors were invented in the 1920s. The first industrial robot went into operation at a General Motors auto assembly plant in 1961. The microprocessor was invented by Intel in 1971. Robotic...
USDA's forecast milk production for 2010 and 2011 was raised from last month in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates released late last week. Producers continue to add cows to their herds,...
Over 600 people came to Knigge Farms of Omro, Wis., to celebrate the 10th anniversary of robotic milking in the United States. It was in August 2000 that Pete and Theo Knigge, and their son, Charlie, installed...
This is one of my favorite quotes. Past National Holstein Association president and dairy producer Doug Maddox of California encourages adults to see the value in giving a young person the chance to work...
The deep financial cuts suffered by Western dairy producers last year still have a long way to go before they heal, but attitudes out there really do seem to be getting better. In recent weeks, we've visited...
Released this afternoon, July milk from the 23 major dairy states was up 3 percent from July 2009 totaling 15.2 billion pounds from 8.37 million head. That gain is 2.9 percent higher than June totals....
Under the summer sun is a popular place to showcase the latest corn hybrids, new equipment, and the latest technologies at annual farm shows. One for example, Empire Farm Days, the largest outdoor farm...
Late last month, the entire Hoard Guernsey herd was appraised as part of June's scheduled rotation in Wisconsin. The youngest cow to receive a score was Dairyman Ben Neater, #1167. She calved on May 31...