Rearing costs are high, but calving heifers too early may adversely impact lifetime milk production. by Abby (Huibregtse) Bauer, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor The earlier a heifer enters the milking...
State Legislature unanimously passes resolution calling for an end to the federal ethanol mandate. Using food to make fuel has found a distasteful audience among California politicians. Last week, a resolution...
Ensure chemical safety on your dairy. Employers have a duty to keep their employees safe. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) promotes employee safety through The Hazard Communication...
Analyst's forecast has grabbed a lot of attention, but we are wary. It's been just a year since corn prices spiked to over $7 per bushel, which is why this recent headline grabbed so much attention and...
New business opportunities are helping small herds stay in business. Washington was the only state in the country to increase dairy farm numbers in both 2011 and 2012, adding 10 herds each year. Jay Gordon...
Picture-day planning starts far in advance. The Hoard's Dairyman Farm typically pictures cows at the farm once each year for promotion, marketing and advertising purposes. This generally occurs in summer...
Wall St. Dairy graciously hosted Red and White Convention attendees. Wall St. Dairy hosted Red and White breeders as part of the national convention's day of tours in Chautauqua County, N.Y. It was the...
By getting to know the parts of a calf's respiratory "engine," farms are better equipped to troubleshoot breakdowns in defense. "It's tough to fix an engine until you know how it works. The same is true...
Chinese consumption and U.S. production are growing at the same rate. Sourcing safe, local raw milk remains expensive in many nations. Countries that are currently in a milk deficit will continue to struggle...
All-American Dairy Show celebrates golden anniversary. This September marks the 50th Anniversary for the All-American Dairy Show (AADS) in Harrisburg, Pa. There are six prominent families that stepped...
How can the dairy industry work against the odds? The way we grow up has more of an affect on our habits than one would think. Specifically, we are influenced by the actions of our parents. If you grew...
Creating solutions to forage needs. Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois, presented "Playing the crop-year cards we've been dealt" webinar on Monday, July 8. Labeled the "perfect storm" by Mike Rankin,...
Across the four monitored milk-marketing orders, a 5.9 percent drop in somatic cell count was achieved. U.S. dairy producers continued to make strides toward lowering bulk tank somatic cell count (BTSCC)...
Despite public perception, growing herd size does not have to equate to less individualized care for animals. by In a conversation about animal welfare, or more specifically poor animal welfare, oftentimes...
Shade, ventilation and water are critical for them. Record heat across the West in recent weeks has driven home a sad and expensive reminder for some dairies: heat stress can kill calves. For those that...
High feed costs force heavier culling. Frazer Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, LLP prepare accounting records for dairy operations in seven western states – Washington, Oregon, California...
Association appraisal team apply final scores. by Patti Hurtgen, Hoard's Dairyman Online Media Manger The Hoard's Dairyman Farm began in 1899 and Jerseys arrived in the fall of 2009 to join our long-established...
Association appraisal team applies final scores. The Hoard's Dairyman Farm began in 1899 and Jerseys arrived in the fall of 2009 to join our long-established Guernsey herd. Last week, the Jersey herd was...
New dairy farm technologies were center stage at the Precision Dairy Conference last week. Just as cellphones are slowly phasing out landlines, some current mechanics and methods of operation on dairy...
Regancrest Farm strives to balance quality genetics and management. In the dairy community, Regancrest is associated with elite Holstein bulls like Regancrest Elton Durham-ET and deep cow families, like...
