It's shaping up to be an expensive summer for hay in the West. By mid-April, prices for supreme and premium quality alfalfa were already over $300 per ton in some of the region's largest dairy states,...
Most of us grew up being taught that there was one gene and two alleles involved in the coat color of our Holsteins . . . with the black allele being dominant over the recessive red allele
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
Like many of you, the Hoard's Dairyman Farm met its match this winter. Amidst frozen feed, frozen pipes and a few calves lost too soon, we've battled unpredicted and unforeseen cold. And, as every member...
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...
Fresh, available drinking water is essential for healthy, high-producing dairy cows. A 1,500-pound lactating dairy cow consumes approximately 25 to 35 gallons of water per day. Drinking water meets 80...
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....
We are publishing this well-written poem by Bonnie Ayars, an Ohio dairy farm wife and The Ohio State University. We hope the poem, written in the verse and rhythm of Twas the Night Before Christmas, gets...
An 11-year-old Pennsylvanian author depicts the basics of dairying on his family's farm in his first book. by Amanda Smith, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor For many, the thought of writing a book of...
Each person has approximately 40 chances – or 40 years – in his or her adult life to make a positive impact on the world. That is the basic philosophy of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation 40...
Yearly family and farm goals help prioritize your daily to-do list. The new year stirs optimism and goal setting in many of us. Goals help focus your business and life. But before you charge forward with...
When the call comes from the popular press, we must be prepared to answer it. by Amanda Smith, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor There are a number of people we willingly let on our dairies each day. Most,...
The NFL announced another 5-year commitment to the program that encourages healthy eating and physical activity in schools across the nation. You could feel the excitement the minute you entered the door...
A mere 1 percent increase over 2012's October levels. While production in the 23 major dairy states was up 1.2 percent in October, the increase was a straight 1 percent nationwide. October's total milk...
Intensive management nets an extra $35 per heifer, without considering the value of additional milk. Replacement heifers have long been viewed as a two-year economic sinkhole. "While heifer programs usually...
Webinar focuses on maximizing feed inputs. "The crop year's over ... now what?" That was the topic of the webinar on Monday, October 14. Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois, presented the webinar and...
A growing world calls for more conversation about feed versus food and its impact on animal agriculture and you. Animal feed versus human food. It's an increasingly important global, societal conversation....
National 4-H week is celebrated October 6 to 12, 2013. While many think 4-H enrollment is just a necessary means to be able to show animals at the fairs, it brings value in the form of personal development,...
by Corey Geiger, Hoard's Dairyman Managing Editor 2013 Merle Howard Award winner: Cassy Krull A three-breed award winner equally well known in Red and White, Holstein and Jersey circles, Cassy Krull has...
The Penterman family of Holland's Family Cheese is embracing the Wisconsin cheese-making tradition and adding a Dutch flare. Marieke and Rolf Penterman have a passion for dairying that was larger than...
