The National 4-H Dairy Conference brings together 200 young people with a strong interest in the dairy industry from across the U.S. for an educational and networking event each year in Madison, Wis. On...
Over 250 dairy judges and their coaches converged on the Hoard's Dairyman Farm this morning. Two Guernsey cow classes were presented to the contestants in preparation of Monday's national dairy judging...
Cows in Wisconsin had a lot, cows in California did not. Two very different songs sum up what milk production per cow was like in the nation's two biggest dairy states this summer. In Wisconsin it was...
USDA slightly cuts its average bushels per acre forecast. Across the U.S., cornfields are clearing out and silage bunkers are filling fast. And as they do, USDA has slightly changed its mind about just...
Webinar stresses the importance of diligent administration protocols. "People are not perfect," stated Pam Ruegg, D.V.M., with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For that reason, every attempt should...
Over Labor Day weekend, I checked milking in a tie stall barn off my bucket list. Hoard's Dairyman editors stay close to the business of dairying through involvement on their home farms and the Hoard's...
Average cost is approximately one-third higher than it was in 2006. The cost of making milk never seems to go down, a hard reality that data from the nation's largest dairy accounting firm drives home...
Article in Washington Post is a huge and high profile challenge to common perceptions. We in agriculture are often angered by articles about food or farming in publications with huge readerships that...
As dairy and livestock producers, many of us consider our animals not just as a source of income, but a part of the family. My Aunt Lois – my dad's youngest sister – had a very special friendship...
Futures prices this far out already point to belt-tightening in the first half of 2016. Plenty of change could still happen in the next few months – both good and bad – but right now the milk...
Are we teaching youth a variety of dairy skills? As a 4-H member I remember attending monthly local 4-H dairy meetings. Held at a leader's farm, all members, from first year to the very experienced, were...
Genomic testing allows a dairy to be more selective about which heifers to keep as part of the future herd. By Our Hoard's Dairyman Farm began genomic testing Jersey heifer calves last year. Those test...
Blending my passions for words and cows led to one of the greatest formative experiences of my college career. In eighth grade, I developed a sudden interest in becoming a dairy farmer. I hadn't been around...
Third biggest harvest in history is predicted for 2015. For the second year in a row and even with disappointing milk prices, dairy producers will probably be smiling as they shop for corn this fall. If...
Divisive attitudes toward others in the dairy industry will get us nowhere, especially as more farmers are choosing to leave the business. As a member of several dairy industry groups on social media,...
Contest will give two California juniors very special seats for the 2016 Rose Parade. New Year's morning 2016 will be one that two young Californians will remember forever, because the dairy message videos...
Pathogen-based and selective antibiotic use reduces your residue risk and adds dollars to your bottom line. By Amanda Smith, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor We're under a microscope. Whether the topic...
Understanding forage digestibility aids in maximizing production. Manager High-quality forage fiber in a milking cow's ration can help milk components, result in fewer metabolic disorders and foot problems...
A dairy in southwest Indiana has reaped major benefits from installing precision dairy technologies on their farm. When one visits the Koester family farm in far southwestern Indiana, they'll notice a...
It could last a month or more and will be unlike anything the state's dairy industry has ever seen. California's dairy industry asked for it, and on September 22 at 9 a.m., it may get to see an example...
