As my daughter, Caitlin, and I have written our blogs for Hoard’s Dairyman, we have tried to emphasize the positives of being dairy farmers even though this past year has been extremely hard financially
Few things in life are free. Unfortunately for dairy farmers, even incidences of unwanted disease, like lameness, come with a price. The most obvious costs of lameness are associated with treatment
Make sure that you have high-quality colostrum in stock. The excitement that a newborn calf brings can be one of the best feelings in the world. Unfortunately, the disappointment you feel when you discover...
The "truths" told by advertisers sometimes go too far. I was in the Milwaukee airport recently for an early morning flight, and I stopped at a coffee vendor. While in line, I was reading their promotional...
Important nutrients and immune building molecules are all components of a calf's first meal, but that colostrum may also be a vehicle for some unwanted guests. Are bacteria derailing your carefully crafted...
Grocery stores, restaurants, and schools/work places were all popular locations for weekly food purchases. Dairy is what they have in common. Domestic dairy sales are an important part of dairy's business,...
4-H livestock projects were blasted at a recent HSUS annual conference. Like many of you in the dairy industry, some of my best memories and closest friends are from my time in 4-H
Social media should not replace face-to-face advocacy. Almost every co-op meeting, checkoff organization conference, or dairy industry event includes a speaker or breakout session about telling our story,...
Who has the priority? Raising healthy, well-grown calves is more than putting milk in a pail and dropping grain in a bucket. A newborn's chance for success starts as soon as it hits the ground. Colostrum...
Research shows intense long and short-term effects result from skimping on feed for this group. Sometimes reality is harsh, and that can be the case when dealing with transition cows. Managing this group...
As the number of dairy farms continues to consolidate, the enthusiasm of some young people who want to learn more about dairying does not. The Hoard's Dairyman Farm has provided one such opportunity
Local 4-H youth exhibit Hoard's Dairyman Guernsey cattle. As the number of dairy farms continues to consolidate, the enthusiasm of some young people who want to learn more about dairying does not. The...
NDQA seeks to recognize quality milk producers. As producers we can get caught in the rut of the day-to-day grind. We are doing things well, but sometimes it seems no one notices. It is days like that...
After completing major chopper repairs at one dairy, a bagger needed substantial repairs a few weeks later, and the mechanical dairyman worked calmly through that issue, too. "I'll be over by 2 p.m." That's...
Harvest season can be one of the most challenging, yet most rewarding, times of the year on a dairy farm. Let me start out by saying that everyone who grows their own corn for silage knows how hectic harvest...
This isn't just my work; it's my passion. I recently saw a quote that really struck me and made me think about how lucky we are in the dairy industry. The things you are passionate about are not random,...
Thanks to his mechanical talents, this dairyman kept two first-crop alfalfa harvests on track. Near dusk on Sunday, May 22, I set out with our Hesston hay mower to cut the last field of first-crop alfalfa...
How youth activities helped me step outside of my comfort zone. Small, quiet, and shy. Those were some of the words that best described me as a young child. I preferred working with my animals and keeping...
It's more than just a number. At the National Guernsey Convention held earlier this week in Minneapolis, Minn., members listened to a presentation on genomics by Laurel Mastro of Neogen Corporation. While...
