If robots are the next evolution of milking cows on a large scale, then the future is here already. Except it is happening slowly and not at all in the U.S. . . . yet
I grew up listening to my grandpa talk about the "good ol' days" when computers did not exist and cellphones were a figment of the imagination. For better or worse, I have never known agriculture without...
Tracking feed inventory is a valuable strategy for any size farm, especially with the growing unpredictability of Mother Nature and a more volatile commodity market
Record milk prices give milk producers a financial opportunity that is simply too good to ignore – dry pen and hospital pen cooling. They're no-brainer investments whose benefits touch every area...
With spring approaching, runoff concerns come to mind for many dairy farmers around the country. Managing or redirecting the water that could run to or through manure storage facilities and confined animal...
A Canadian consultant shares his four cornerstones to designing barns for robotic milkers. By Abby Bauer, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor Robotic milking systems can fit in a variety of barn layouts,...
Farmers who plan ahead for tax management maximize their benefits. by Ali Enerson, Hoard's Dairyman Special Publications Editor Tax time can bring mixed feelings for farmers. Some are worried about pulling...
DDGS prices have actually gone up since last summer. If the price goes down for a commodity whose processing waste is a by-product feed for cows, then the price of that feed will go down too, right? So...
Make sure your bedding is doing its job by evaluating cow cleanliness and comfort. Cost and ease of handling are often the first considerations when it comes to bedding for dairy cattle. Ideally, bedding...
Plan ahead to maximize your crop's performance. Joe Lauer, University of Wisconsin, shared "Growing high yield and high quality corn silage in the northern Corn Belt" on the December 9 webinar, sponsored...
To avoid this, the nation must sustainably grow milk production at a price the consumer can afford. The European Union leads the ranks in world milk production. But, on an individual nation basis, India...
When genomic testing became commercially available a few years ago, it was almost immediately incorporated into genetic evaluation systems for dairy cattle. Today, genomic data is used to select young
Investments in pasture and people are key to a successful grazing program. "Are we still heading the right direction with grazing?" That is the question Joel McNair, editor of Graze magazine, asked the...
Animal agriculture is sustainable and essential to feeding a growing world. Even after significant improvements in sustainability and contributions to society over the last several decades, animal agriculture...
Intensive management nets an extra $35 per heifer, without considering the value of additional milk. Replacement heifers have long been viewed as a two-year economic sinkhole. "While heifer programs usually...
A growing world calls for more conversation about feed versus food and its impact on animal agriculture and you. Animal feed versus human food. It's an increasingly important global, societal conversation....
Study shows that children are detached from the agri-food production cycle. Fewer Americans understand where food originates, how it's produced or how purchasing decisions affect the entire agri-food system....
Hoard's Dairyman webinar discusses considerations when going to robots. Larry Tranel, Iowa State University, spoke on robotic milking during the August 12 Hoard's Dairyman webinar, titled "Is robotic milking...
Shade, ventilation and water are critical for them. Record heat across the West in recent weeks has driven home a sad and expensive reminder for some dairies: heat stress can kill calves. For those that...
