In North America, there are many native ruminants, that is, herbivore animals with a complex digestive system, a major compartment of which is the rumen. Some present-day examples are the bison (Bison...
Dairy farmers easily get their 3-a-day, but not everyone can drink milk. Traveling through the badlands of South Dakota, the deserts of the Southwest, and many other desolate areas of this country, "Last...
Elevated levels of dairy product consumption during teen years has life-long benefits Dairy product consumption in adults has been associated with a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Tracing this trend...
Whether you work with bulls every day or once a year, remember to be cautious. We all know someone affected by an encounter with a dairy bull. These encounters don't end well for anyone involved and could...
Imagine a world where spreading manure on a field doesn't also spread odor. Think about retaining 90 percent of the nutrient value of the manure once it is on the field. Is it possible? The staff at USDA's...
"I became a believer in genomics when I saw how it consistently predicted how young, nonprogeny-tested bulls would rank to one another," Charlie Will, manager of Select Sires' Holstein sire selection group...
Research has been piling up for nearly 20 years that the old mantra of one pound of regular replacer powder per calf per day does little more than just keep them alive – and that's if the weather...
Volunteers are a special gift to many organizations and clubs – especially youth organizations. Not all parents have the time to be a soccer coach, club scout leaders or Sunday school teacher. Parents...
Those of us in the Plains may want an extra application of sunscreen this week. The National Weather Service is predicting spots from Oklahoma through South Dakota to match temperatures in Death Valley,...
This past weekend, Fort Atkinson Wis., the home of Hoard's Dairyman, hosted the second annual Fort Atkinson Half-Marathon, with over 500 participants. Once again, the Barnyard Clovers, a local 4-H club...
The arrest of several undocumented workers at a Colorado dairy farm almost two weeks ago and similar events in recent years has brought the issue of labor to the forefront in the dairy industry. Politicians...
My hometown has a population of about 5,000 people, and it is the largest town in my county. There were almost 450 students in my high school, and the surrounding schools had fewer students and were located...
USDA finally appears ready to make a decision on national ID. According to the May 24, 2011, Wall Street Journal, "USDA wants every cow to have a unique numerical ID, stamped on an inexpensive ear tag...
While at the sixth annual AgSTAR conference last week, Jerry Bingold had plenty to announce. First, he explained all the initiatives that the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy was taking part in, and they...
If your herd could talk to you about their pen dynamics, what would they say? Would they compliment the soft, bedded freestalls, the wide alley ways, and the roominess of the feedbunk? Or would they be...
Have you ever been in the middle of a huge mess or fight with no exit door? But when you think about it, you're not exactly sure what got you into the chaos in the first place? For those of us in agriculture,...
Talking about the federal budget for FY (fiscal year) 2012, which runs from next October to September 2012, seems a little like getting the cart before the horse. After all, Congress still is trying to...
The Cooperative Network, a federation of cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin, held their annual dairy policy and leadership conference yesterday and today in Rochester, Minn. On Tuesday, a panel of...
Every five years, the federal government releases updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, making recommendations on servings for the various food groups. Milk and dairy products continue to be an important...
