While the brothers carried Wisconsin to the winner's circle, the team edged out second-place Pennsylvania by 22 points. By Amanda Smith, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor A one-two punch, brothers Ben...
The National 4-H Dairy Conference brings together 200 young people with a strong interest in the dairy industry from across the U.S. for an educational and networking event each year in Madison, Wis. On...
National judging winners share their good-fortune stories. For those competing at the highest level, dairy judging is serious business. Hours and years of practice and preparation go into the one contest...
Over 250 dairy judges and their coaches converged on the Hoard's Dairyman Farm this morning. Two Guernsey cow classes were presented to the contestants in preparation of Monday's national dairy judging...
Students interested in dairy and journalism are encouraged to apply for the 2016 Hoard's Dairyman editorial internship. College students often find themselves faced with the question, "What do you plan...
Researchers are delving into animal personalities and the effects they have on production. They have personalities. For anyone who has managed cattle or spent much time around them at all, it is pretty...
USDA slightly cuts its average bushels per acre forecast. Across the U.S., cornfields are clearing out and silage bunkers are filling fast. And as they do, USDA has slightly changed its mind about just...
Over Labor Day weekend, I checked milking in a tie stall barn off my bucket list. Hoard's Dairyman editors stay close to the business of dairying through involvement on their home farms and the Hoard's...
Average cost is approximately one-third higher than it was in 2006. The cost of making milk never seems to go down, a hard reality that data from the nation's largest dairy accounting firm drives home...
Performance evaluations identify the milking routine bottlenecks that are holding your herd back. Farms operate on pennies and seconds. The pennies saved per head after a ration reformulation can equate...
Nearly 60,000 openings each year for new graduates, but do students have the right skills? "Not only will those who study agriculture be likely to get well-paying jobs upon graduation, they will also have...
Circulating chilled water through a waterbed may be another avenue to alleviate heat stress. As the latter half of the year looms, our thoughts have started to turn toward harvest and our winter checklists....
Autumn is the perfect time to promote farm health and safety. National Farm Safety & Health Week, September 20 to 26, is the perfect time to reiterate why safety matters. Whether it's your first or 51st...
As dairy and livestock producers, many of us consider our animals not just as a source of income, but a part of the family. My Aunt Lois – my dad's youngest sister – had a very special friendship...
Futures prices this far out already point to belt-tightening in the first half of 2016. Plenty of change could still happen in the next few months – both good and bad – but right now the milk...
Illumination improvements yield energy and cost savings if you avoid common upgrade stumbling blocks. Incandescent. Compact fluorescent. Light emitting diode. Metal halide. From antiquated to efficient,...
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...
Genomic testing allows a dairy to be more selective about which heifers to keep as part of the future herd. By Our Hoard's Dairyman Farm began genomic testing Jersey heifer calves last year. Those test...
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...
Third biggest harvest in history is predicted for 2015. For the second year in a row and even with disappointing milk prices, dairy producers will probably be smiling as they shop for corn this fall. If...