Milk producers made tangible progress last year in their uphill battle to recover from the financial disaster of 2008-09, according to summary data from the largest dairy accounting firm in the country
With high summertime temps looming, it is time to start paying attention to Temperature Humidity Index values to manage your cows' heat stress. Just like the kids at the local swimming pool who are cooling...
For a good part of my childhood and most of my high school and college years, I have been the employee at my parents' 150-cow dairy in Valley Center, Kan. Like most farm children, I headed up calf care
While the 2001 National Research Council (NRC) has been an ally of nutritionists for years, Bill Weiss' research and experience have proven that some of the minimum levels set in the NRC guidelines are...
"SNP chips are information powerhouses," says Tami Smith with Neogen Corporation. Smith addressed the audience at the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association's annual conference last week. A SNP (pronounced...
Several swollen hocks or neck abscesses might tell us that our stalls need more bedding or our neck rail height needs to be adjusted. Similarly, bruises on a carcass can reveal a lot about welfare once...
Everyone struggles with taking time away from their daily workload to attend a conference, but it's especially difficult for some dairy farmers to hand the reins over for a few days
Tighter heifer management could be a window of opportunity for many herds. A heifer needs to make about 33,000 pounds of milk to repay her rearing costs, said Cheryl Marti, a dairy production specialist...
While it's not time to make hay just yet, it is time to get the wheels in motion for this year's cropping season. The bane of growing crops lies in our inability to predict the weather
When the Seattle Seahawks' young quarterback took the field on Sunday, he was prepared. The familiarity of the opposing quarterback to high-pressure games far exceeded this second-year player's resume....
daho dairy leaders say total milk production in the country's third largest dairy state fell in 2013 for just the second time in 23 years. The dip was tiny - 0.9 percent - according to Brent Olmstead,...
Producers that make hay are beholden to Mother Nature. While you may mow hay when the sun is shining, an unexpected rain can damage a valuable forage crop. Bale loss is caused by microbial activity
Genetics and management will change the way we feed cows. Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois, presented "Feed efficiency – What's new?" on Monday, January 13. His 50-minute presentation was fast-paced...
Harsh winter temperatures raise the needs of all animals, especially young stock, on the farm. Another harsh, cold day is upon many of us across the country. Amy Stanton, animal well-being specialist...
Through June, cash flow on milking cows ranged from minus 59 to positive 80 cents per hundredweight. Net farm incomes in the West have been varied, according to mid-year reports assembled by Frazer, LLP....
The country's milk cow population has dropped 20 percent this year. China, with the world's biggest population, is gradually developing a taste for dairy products, particularly because parents want to...
New HumaneWatch.org report reveals continued inaction by HSUS when it comes to aiding animals by funding shelters. Ads for dogs and cats in undesirable conditions make many of us uncomfortable. They are...