If there was one job I truly despised as a kid growing up on a dairy farm, it was helping bed the calf barn, which housed our calves from 3 months of age to around 500 pounds. I just never found a way...
It was drilled into my head from a very young age to watch out for calves with droopy ears, sunken eyes and clear signs of illness. Many producers use physical and behavioral signs such as these to detect...
Print or digital, it's the same contest . . . with the same cows . . . and the same judges. The only difference . . . You can view the five classes and enter electronically. For 85 years the Hoard's Dairyman...
Strong production by most major dairy exporting nations during the second half of 2014 collided with weakening economies in much of the world to swamp global markets, cut demand, and trigger the rapid...
Global warming or not, the world's climate is changing. In the United States, greater variability in precipitation patterns, more pronounced differences in weather between regions, and rising average temperatures...
Research sheds additional light on the specific effects of mastitis on reproductive efficiencies. The dairy cow's internal balance can often be a fragile thing, and it is never more apparent than when...
Forage digestibility can be a game changer. For dairymen who were banking on the harvested tons to add some breathing room back in their forage budget, a crop like 2014's provided little relief
It's the time of year when children dream. And there is no better time to "dream big" than Christmas. There seems to be less guilt about asking for things during the holidays as compared to other times...
Discussing policy and practices with consumers is all about talking with them, not at them. by Maggie Seiler, Hoard's Dairyman Editorial Intern As a nation, consumers are no longer interested in just the...
Over the past year, I have repeatedly been asked how I became interested in dairy cattle considering I grew up in a state more well-known for beef and wheat. Many times, that conversation prompt leaves...
A cow that's come down with milk fever is easily recognizable. Oftentimes, the cow, unable to stand, has its head against its side, and its ears are cold to the touch
Holstein million-unit fraternity hits 50. Breeding and then marketing an elite bull is a tough undertaking, and only a few have been successful. Bulls need to appeal to a wide audience of producers, but...
Evaluating body condition throughout lactation and the dry period can be an important health indicator. This semester I decided to take a beef science course with the intention of comparing that industry's...
When mastitis was detected in the week after insemination, the likelihood of the cow carrying a calf was greatly diminished. A dairy's success or failure hinges on a number of variables, one of which is...
Meatless Monday is a global movement that began in 2003, encouraging consumers to refrain from eating meat on Mondays to better their health and save the environment
Marcie Feine's passion for calves clearly shined through as she spoke at a Land O'Lakes calf event last month. "I have the best job because I get the babies," she said. Marcie and her husband, Glen, are...
As I boarded the plane to leave World Dairy Expo last week, the imminent threat of snow had me dreading the predictions of an equally miserable winter to come. Maybe I am jumping the gun, but the Old Farmer's...
"It's a no brainer," remarked Matt Nuckols, a registered Holstein breeder from Virginia and a panelist at the genomics seminar. Extra cattle value and the ability to make more informed herd decisions are...
World Classic Sale sale averages over $23,000 By Patti Hurtgen, Hoard's Dairyman Online Media Manager The high selling animal at the World Classic 2014 was Lot 19, De-Su 1912-ET at $74,000. She is a Mountfield...
