Researchers are delving into animal personalities and the effects they have on production. They have personalities. For anyone who has managed cattle or spent much time around them at all, it is pretty...
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...
Performance evaluations identify the milking routine bottlenecks that are holding your herd back. Farms operate on pennies and seconds. The pennies saved per head after a ration reformulation can equate...
Feed makes up the bulk of cattle rearing costs, but other expenses chip away at profits, too. Today's high price for beef may entice more dairy producers to raise some steers as a second enterprise. Mixed...
Computers and the internet are becoming an integral part of every day farm life. The internet can provide a wealth of information for dairy producers . . . if they have access to it. A frustration across...
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...
Illumination improvements yield energy and cost savings if you avoid common upgrade stumbling blocks. Incandescent. Compact fluorescent. Light emitting diode. Metal halide. From antiquated to efficient,...
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...
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...
Proper selection and preparation can make a difference. Like milk, beef has a unique combination of nutrients that support a healthy body. Beef is surprisingly lean. Over time, cattle have become more...
Research in calves may have unlocked the key to treating a certain respiratory disease in children. Whether you are a caregiver for calves or children, your top goals are to keep them safe, growing and...
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...
Not all cases of mastitis need to be treated. Let the causative pathogen be your guide. "Do not administer antibiotics to cows that will not benefit," cautioned Daryl Nydam, Cornell University, at the...
We are a bigger part of that industry than ever before, and it is not likely to change anytime soon. by Dennis Halladay, Hoard's Dairyman Western Editor Earlier this month I took off my dairy hat and went...
Cattle can be efficient users of leftovers. By Patti Hurtgen, Hoard's Dairyman Online Media Manager Last week I blogged about different management types that produce beef. One of the interesting facts...
There are some benefits to be gained when manure is injected directly into the soil rather than applied on top. By Abby Bauer, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor Manure smells like money to farmers because...
Class 4b increase starts August 1 and will last 12 months. by Dennis Halladay, Hoard's Dairyman Western Editor It wasn't as much as dairy producers asked for, and the duration is only half as long, but...
