We are publishing this well-written poem by Bonnie Ayars, an Ohio dairy farm wife and The Ohio State University. We hope the poem, written in the verse and rhythm of Twas the Night Before Christmas, gets...
Producers that make hay are beholden to Mother Nature. While you may mow hay when the sun is shining, an unexpected rain can damage a valuable forage crop. Bale loss is caused by microbial activity
New research found that painful procedures, like dehorning, made calves more pessimistic. Dehorning causes some amount of pain, which we recognize based on behavioral changes, such as head shaking, ear...
Harsh winter temperatures raise the needs of all animals, especially young stock, on the farm. Another harsh, cold day is upon many of us across the country. Amy Stanton, animal well-being specialist...
By outlining animal care expectations with all staff, dairy farmers can ensure the best cow care possible. by After the dairy industry made national headlines earlier this month due to mistreatment of...
"People's lives are written on the fields of old farms." You know that moment when you bump into another farmer and he starts in on a story illustrating the love of what he does? The farmer says he could...
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...
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...
The Old West code is long gone; $5,000 fines are the new law. The Old West of cowboy lore is a distant thing of the past, yet plenty of critters are still being rustled on dairies, farms and ranches across...
We know how to calculate feed shrink. We don't know how to obtain accurate real-time measurements.Every dairy has a vested economic interest in reducing feed shrink. "Feed wastage occurs on-farm in four...
Welcome to Hoard's @ Expo! The staff at Hoard's Dairyman has prepared this section just for youwith pre-show stories, schedules, history, photos and our Hoard's @ Expo blog. We'll be posting new content...
Financial data from 1,500 agriculture students gives you a better feel for that number. It's that time of year. Across the country, millions of students have returned to their chosen institution of higher...
New faces and familiar ones mark the latest sire summary. by Patti Hurtgen, Hoard's Dairyman Online Media Manager Sire summaries occur three times each year. Sometimes it seems the top bulls rarely change;...
With record-low hay stocks, many farms will need to stretch their forage supplies. by Abby Huibregtse, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor The USDA recently released estimates for hay in storage, and it's...
Authorization is included in House Ag Committee's draft of 2013 Farm Bill. The emotional and growing revolt by California milk producers against what they say is their state's inadequate and unresponsive...
Some are already gone. More will follow. The big question is, how many can be saved? The greatest milk-producing machine the U.S. dairy industry has ever seen is breaking down. Doomsday feed prices and...
Cows will sacrifice feeding time in order to lie down when both resources are limited. There are a variety of reasons that can lead to overstocking in our freestalls. While it may be a short-term solution,...
Producers have options for identifying ketotic cows, but some methods are better than others. Cows that do not adapt to the negative energy balance experienced after calving are candidates for developing...
The dairy industry is a global industry, and the U.S. is a key player. India actually produces more Energy Corrected Milk (ECM) than the U.S, but for countries that only count cows milk, U.S. is the top...
