The Hoard's Dairyman Farm earned national recognition from the American Guernsey Association. The Guernseys on the Hoard's Dairyman Farm have proven once again that they can compete with the best Guernsey...
Social media should not replace face-to-face advocacy. Almost every co-op meeting, checkoff organization conference, or dairy industry event includes a speaker or breakout session about telling our story,...
These consumers got a chance to learn a little bit about dairy cows. So many times, the dairy industry discusses how we can better reach the general public with the story of milk. I would suggest one easy...
Who has the priority? Raising healthy, well-grown calves is more than putting milk in a pail and dropping grain in a bucket. A newborn's chance for success starts as soon as it hits the ground. Colostrum...
Research shows intense long and short-term effects result from skimping on feed for this group. Sometimes reality is harsh, and that can be the case when dealing with transition cows. Managing this group...
As summer comes to a close, so does the end of an internship. Just like every good book, the story must come to an end. My story was only 12 chapters long, one for each week during my internship here at...
Members of the Hoard's Dairyman staff spent a day on farms to stay in touch with the magazine's roots. By The Hoard's Dairyman editorial team has a long standing tradition of being actively involved in...
It's no easy road, but the Johnsons would rather do nothing else. Ryan and Abby Johnson of Luck, Wis., have shared many nights of little sleep since they started their own dairy in November 2014. They...
What can you learn while pushing up the feed? "Go push up the feed." Those were some of my least favorite words to hear as child growing up on a small dairy. I hated having to go push up the feed by hand,...
Fly control protocols for heifers set the stage for long-term mammary health. We all know the nuisance flies can be this time of year. Ruining picnics, dirtying white walls, and, perhaps most importantly...
NDQA seeks to recognize quality milk producers. As producers we can get caught in the rut of the day-to-day grind. We are doing things well, but sometimes it seems no one notices. It is days like that...
After completing major chopper repairs at one dairy, a bagger needed substantial repairs a few weeks later, and the mechanical dairyman worked calmly through that issue, too. "I'll be over by 2 p.m." That's...
Comforting a child during hard life lessons. Losing a favorite cow at any age can be heartbreaking, but it seems to sting even more when you're young. Not only do you lose an animal, but you also lose...
As the mom of kids who show dairy cattle, I love helping my kids develop into young showmen. So many important life lessons can be learned in the show ring. But as the mom who does her family’s...
Keep your cool this summer and keep those fans running. If June temperatures are anything to measure by, it looks like this summer is shaping up to be another steamy one
One Michigan dairyman took a unique approach at romance. You know you're a dairy farmer when . . . You propose to your girlfriend using cow manure. It may sound like a joke you would hear from a Jeff Foxworthy...
In order to move forward, leaders and managers must focus on people, not the execution. The wheels are spinning, but the car isn't going anywhere. You haven't worked long if you've never experienced this...
Thanks to his mechanical talents, this dairyman kept two first-crop alfalfa harvests on track. Near dusk on Sunday, May 22, I set out with our Hesston hay mower to cut the last field of first-crop alfalfa...
How youth activities helped me step outside of my comfort zone. Small, quiet, and shy. Those were some of the words that best described me as a young child. I preferred working with my animals and keeping...
