The presentation began with an overview of the forage situation. In 2016, there was a summer drought in the west and northeast sections of the U.S. (and Canada)
A survey of Iowa dairy farmers revealed their efforts to enhance fresh cow care. The transition period is fittingly named, as a dairy cow goes through a flood of transitions the 60 days precalving to 30...
Block, curd, or shredded, put it on your plate. "A can a week is all we ask." That was a very successful marketing campaign for Blue Diamond Almonds decades ago. I saw plenty of those commercials and almond...
When used regularly, body condition scoring can help you recognize potential issues and act proactively instead of reactively. After a two-month vacation, our cows can calve in one of two ways: slow and...
121.5 million dairy farms exist on our planet. By Patti Hurtgen, Hoard's Dairyman Online Media Manager Yep! Those numbers are current. They are based on worldwide data. Initially, your reaction might be...
Disappointing milk price situation likely to get worse before it gets better. Since they became a key part of the worldwide dairy export pipeline, American milk producers have seen these "dots" before...
A clean environment, adequate cow comfort and footbath use all bolster your ability to prevent digital dermatitis. Lameness affects everything a cow does. Feed intake, fertility, milk production and, in...
When cows' light exposure is limited during the dry period, a milk production boost in the next lactation is likely. When light hits the eye, a cascade of hormonal events is triggered in the brain's pineal...
Delaying a herd's age at first calving to 25 months has the potential to cost $45 to $90 per heifer. Age? Weight? Height? If you ask three dairy producers what criteria they use to breed heifers, each...
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...
Now is the time to conduct a postmortem on your heat stress mitigation plan and evaluate potential modifications. With full bunkers and only a few remaining harvest tasks to check off the list, the warmth...
Adequate protein consumption is crucial. Beef can play a central role in meeting that need. Most people readily recognize the "Beef, It's What's for Dinner" slogan. Yet, higher than average beef prices...
The recently signed bill, which goes into effect on January 1, 2018, will restrict the routine use of antibiotics for disease prevention and bans antibiotic use for growth promotion. California has long...
Few people have the honor of traveling to Buckingham Place. Even fewer have the opportunity to meet Queen Elizabeth. James Duke, the owner and innovator behind ADF Milking has done both. In 2013, Duke...
Featuring deep classes and fancy cows, the International Brown Swiss Show did not disappoint. by Amanda Smith, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor The cows paraded in with the traditional fanfare of the...
Foreshadowing the demise of Waterloo, Expo visionary Alan Hetts took a leap of faith in Madison, Wis. We Need A Show chronicles that story and how Expo has developed over the past 50 years
Whether you're here to take in a cattle show, visit with trade show attendees or catch a few seminars, there's plenty to be learned at World Dairy Expo. To test that knowledge, an Associate Editor took...
Cedarcut Burdette Clove Colata won it all! Mary Creek, Hagerstown, Md., had her work cut out for her as she placed North America's elite Ayrshires on World Dairy Expo's colored shavings Tuesday. One 3-year-old...
