Outside perspectives can benefit your herd in many ways. We recently took my nephew Michael out to our family's dairy barn for the first time. At just under four months of age, Michael couldn't say what...
Animal activists are becoming bolder in their actions; even events like dairy shows could attract guests with ulterior motives. You've lined up the judge, secured the award sponsors and ordered the ribbons....
Farms with more cows prove that animal welfare is still a priority. The average herd size for dairy farms in the United States keeps growing while the number of farms continues to decline. This trend is...
An array of factors help this Illinois dairy farm maintain a below average somatic cell count month after month. When it comes to milk quality, Sycamore, Ill., dairyman Bill Deutsch focuses both inside...
There are real benefits for herds that can achieve a 25 percent pregnancy rate. One common goal all dairy producers share is getting cows bred in a timely fashion. What is a realistic target for which...
Colostrum offers newborn calves benefits beyond immunity, including critical energy used early in life. Carrying around a few extra pounds of holiday weight gain, some of us in colder climates may joke...
One Wisconsin city rings in the New Year by dropping a big piece of cheese. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's an . . . 80-pound Styrofoam cheese wedge . . . falling from the sky . . . at midnight? Yes, it...
Make a ride in the cattle trailer safer for your young bovine passengers by following these AABP guidelines.There are times we need to get our livestock from Point A to Point B, and that process often...
The employment rate in rural America is slowly recovering after the recession. Many of us working in agriculture, myself included, grew up in the country. I think most "country kids" would agree that small...
A warming box can save young calves born during the frigid cold. There's definitely a chill in the air, and for those of us in Northern climates, that chill is not going away any time soon. Falling temperatures...
Action can be taken to reduce feed losses during the TMR mixing process. Now you see it . . . and now you don't. Just like that, feed that was once available for your herd can be lost due to mold, pests,...
Introducing heifers to the milking barn or parlor before calving may be the ticket to reducing stress. When a dairy heifer has its first calf, its world changes dramatically. A first-lactation heifer is...
When we throw away food, we are tossing more than just nutrients into the trash. No doubt, water is a valuable resource. We use it every single day in a multitude of ways. When water supplies get tight,...
One Wisconsin county is looking to take advantage of new manure treatment technology to turn manure into usable water. Manure may be animal waste, but a complete waste it is not. The nutrients in manure...
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training is one way for cattleman to show consumers how much they care about animals and the food they produce. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to become Beef Quality...
Genomic testing can benefit a dairy if the results are utilized; one Idaho dairyman shared his thoughts on the use of this technology on farm. When the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) held its...
The success of a robotic milking system depends on four good feet to get each cow to the robot with ease. "Healthy feet are absolutely critical for success in robot barns," said Jack Rodenburg from DairyLogix...
Hoard's at Expo Photo Galleries 2015 10.4.2015 Views from World Dairy Expo – Saturday 10.3.2015 Views from World Dairy Expo – Friday 10.2.2015 Views from World Dairy Expo – Thursday 10.1.2015...
When thinking about a person who is an all around contributor to an industry, the name of Lorne Ella of Rock Ella Jerseys of Hornby, Ontario, Canada, quickly jumps to mind. He is the 74th winner of the...
