Farms with more cows prove that animal welfare is still a priority. The average herd size for dairy farms in the United States keeps growing while the number of farms continues to decline. This trend is...
Herds are getting bigger and more productive, but the cost of employees is rising faster. Everyone who milks cows knows that the dairy industry is struggling with a labor crisis that is only getting worse....
Limited pen space on-farm often ties our hands when we attempt to develop a grouping strategy. The options, such as separating cows based on stage of lactation, reproductive status or body condition, are...
Many studies demonstrate that milk consumption improves health and lowers an individual's risk of chronic disease. For over 50 years, the concept of eating healthy has been synonymous with avoiding dietary...
Not everyone is a farmer, but a love for animals and people has drawn many to a career in agriculture. According to a recent survey, the agriculture industry is a pretty good place to make a living right...
Life does truly go full circle. Last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to be on the speaking docket with Scott Armbrust, D.V.M., at the Livestock Genetics Export Seminar in Madison, Wis
Digital dermatitis, commonly known as hairy heel warts, is a major cause of lameness on dairy farms. Digital dermatitis was identified in the early 1970s, came to the U.S. in the 1980s and has been a management...
Caring for others starts by caring for yourself. I recently received a newsletter from a charity that helps parents cope with children with Niemann-Pick Disease, a terminal illness. It listed 12 ways to...
When the call comes from the popular press, we must be prepared to answer it. by Amanda Smith, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor There are a number of people we willingly let on our dairies each day. Most,...
How does $10 per hundredweight income over feed cost sound? Even among other dairy market forecasters, predictions by marketing consultant Jerry Dryer are known for having a strong track record of accuracy....
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...
A field study done by Penn State Extension suggests water quality may be linked to dairy herd milk production. Penn State Extension recently completed a field study of water quality on Pennsylvania dairy...
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...
Another milk price year is in the rear view mirror, so it's time to sort through the rubble and see what it says. First, Class III prices for the year averaged $17.44 per hundredweight
Last year was a banner year for U.S. dairy product exports, which accounted for a record 13.3 percent of all milk production in the country on a total solids basis. That's roughly 26 billion pounds of...
Feeding dairy calves three times per day (3x) rather than two is quickly rising in popularity, according to results of a recent nationwide survey. It's a practice that benefits both calves and their owners....
The recent runup in 2011 Class III milk price futures at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange has brought both relief and a euphoria to the nation's milk producers. But, as we've said before, as prices have...
It's just one state and it may not reflect what is happening across the rest of U.S. agriculture, but it's still good news in an industry that can certainly use some: Farmland values in Indiana are shooting...
Margins are going to be squeezed for those of us in the dairy business. The cheese and butter prices that drive our milk prices are on the way down, and corn prices are on the way up. Butter prices dropped...
Chicago, Atlanta and Miami, or Beijing, Tijuana and Riyadh? One group of cities is the perception of where U.S. dairy products are sold; the other is the fast-growing reality and the future. Forecasters...
