My travels in Australia last month included a visit to a dairy farm and milk processing facility. One-hundred-twenty Guernsey cows grazed the pastured hills in Maleny, in the state of Queensland, Australia,...
Dairy cows struggle to maintain normal blood calcium levels at the start of each lactation. Colostrum and milk both use a large amount of calcium, and the cow must suddenly adjust for this rapid nutrient...
Can you hear a quiet question floating in the spring breezes: "Is it time to lock in feed?" With grain markets down, milk futures up, and crop outlooks rosy - not to mention bad memories that are still...
Earlier this week, we addressed Ryan Gosling's letter to NMPF (National Milk Producers Federation) in regards to the practice of dehorning (www.hoards.com/blog_dehorning-calves)
Few things can irritate a person like finding out they overpaid for a product or did not sell their own for its true value. In the April 8 Hoard's Dairyman "Reviewing forage and feed costs – What's...
The farm bill came very close to passage last year. As part of that comprehensive national farm law, the Dairy Security Act (DSA) would have become the dairy portion of the farm bill
When is chocolate milk not "milk"? I must admit when I first read blog posts that indicated aspartame could be added to milk and hidden from consumers, it both irritated and confused me at the same time....
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...
For decades, high concentrate, low forage diets were a staple on dairy farms. As economics have shifted though, there has been a push to produce higher quality forage and maximize its inclusion in the...
Members, delegates, directors and employees of the Associated Milk Producers Cooperative met in Bloomington, Minn., for its annual meeting on March 25 and 26
After presenting various terms to describe those that work with dairy cattle everyday, we have the results of our survey, mentioned in our blog a few weeks ago. In total, there were 97 respondents. Men...
With USDA's NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) division sequestration-imposed budget cuts (www.hoards.com/blog_NASS-milk-production-report-axed) now in effect, February milk production will...
On conventional dairy farms, antibiotics have a place in treating sick animals but never in the milk or meat sold by the farm. Consumers can drink milk happily and safely thanks to the efforts put forth...
Ev Thomas of the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute shared his experience with growing forages, especially alfalfa, on the March 11 Hoard's Dairyman webinar, "ABCs of alfalfa harvest."
After reviewing the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announcement from Tuesday, March 12, it became crystal clear that dairy contributed the largest cost savings for NASS' mandated budget...
This week, March 10 to 16, is recognized as National Groundwater Awareness week. Groundwater is one of our most valuable resources, needed by people, animals and crops every day
A firsthand look at what dairies are already doing to make, save and reduce energy use will be on display March 19 at Ballard Family Dairy and Cheese in Gooding, Idaho
"The concept of a billion has become devalued as we have gone through the global financial crisis," noted David Hughes, Imperial College-London, at the 2013 Western Canadian Dairy Seminar
