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,...
Managing corral conditions year round in open-lot dairies is important for cow health, comfort and production in the rainy season. In the areas of the country where open-lot dairies are popular, the onset...
A deep dip in rumination during the week prior to calving could hint that a cow is on track to develop a health disorder. While it's strongly driven by a cow's diet, rumination time is influenced by much...
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...
The winning 4-year-old captured top honors at World Dairy Expo's International Jersey Show. Quality ran deep in the Jersey show, and Judge Michael Heath and his associate, Wayne Stiles, both of Westminister,...
A pair of cows from the Badger State was named Grand and Reserve Grand Champion at the International Junior Holstein Show. Holstein cows owned and exhibited by junior members paraded across the royal blue...
All four Minnesota teammates received All-American honors in their first-place finish at the 2015 Lely National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest.The University of Minnesota had a good day at...
Students interested in dairy and journalism are encouraged to apply for the 2016 Hoard's Dairyman editorial internship. College students often find themselves faced with the question, "What do you plan...
Sanitary feeding equipment is a vital part of the calf health equation, especially early in life. The equipment used to feed calves on your farm may look clean, but is it really? Oftentimes, there's more...
Feed makes up the bulk of cattle rearing costs, but other expenses chip away at profits, too. Today's high price for beef may entice more dairy producers to raise some steers as a second enterprise. Mixed...
Computers and the internet are becoming an integral part of every day farm life. The internet can provide a wealth of information for dairy producers . . . if they have access to it. A frustration across...
Illumination improvements yield energy and cost savings if you avoid common upgrade stumbling blocks. Incandescent. Compact fluorescent. Light emitting diode. Metal halide. From antiquated to efficient,...
