Over Labor Day weekend, I checked milking in a tie stall barn off my bucket list. Hoard's Dairyman editors stay close to the business of dairying through involvement on their home farms and the Hoard's...
Average cost is approximately one-third higher than it was in 2006. The cost of making milk never seems to go down, a hard reality that data from the nation's largest dairy accounting firm drives home...
Performance evaluations identify the milking routine bottlenecks that are holding your herd back. Farms operate on pennies and seconds. The pennies saved per head after a ration reformulation can equate...
Nearly 60,000 openings each year for new graduates, but do students have the right skills? "Not only will those who study agriculture be likely to get well-paying jobs upon graduation, they will also have...
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...
Autumn is the perfect time to promote farm health and safety. National Farm Safety & Health Week, September 20 to 26, is the perfect time to reiterate why safety matters. Whether it's your first or 51st...
As dairy and livestock producers, many of us consider our animals not just as a source of income, but a part of the family. My Aunt Lois – my dad's youngest sister – had a very special friendship...
Futures prices this far out already point to belt-tightening in the first half of 2016. Plenty of change could still happen in the next few months – both good and bad – but right now the milk...
Are we teaching youth a variety of dairy skills? As a 4-H member I remember attending monthly local 4-H dairy meetings. Held at a leader's farm, all members, from first year to the very experienced, were...
A falling birthrate and growing Mexican economy are keeping potential employees south of the border. To thrive, dairies are dependent upon a reliable labor source. While some of our farms survive with...
Divisive attitudes toward others in the dairy industry will get us nowhere, especially as more farmers are choosing to leave the business. As a member of several dairy industry groups on social media,...
Contest will give two California juniors very special seats for the 2016 Rose Parade. New Year's morning 2016 will be one that two young Californians will remember forever, because the dairy message videos...
Understanding forage digestibility aids in maximizing production. Manager High-quality forage fiber in a milking cow's ration can help milk components, result in fewer metabolic disorders and foot problems...
To beat the heat, the nation's cows are concentrated in more temperate regions of the United States. know that cows tend to seek out the coolest places on the farm: beneath shade, under sprinklers and...
It could last a month or more and will be unlike anything the state's dairy industry has ever seen. California's dairy industry asked for it, and on September 22 at 9 a.m., it may get to see an example...
Not all cases of mastitis need to be treated. Let the causative pathogen be your guide. "Do not administer antibiotics to cows that will not benefit," cautioned Daryl Nydam, Cornell University, at the...
There are options for those who deal with the issue. "It's like the worst stomachache of my life. Someone is punching me in the gut. That is followed by nausea and diarrhea," shared the 23-year-old when...
With the global population expected to grow by 3 billion in the next century, AgriCorps volunteers are doing their part to help train the farmers of today and the future. By Abby Bauer, Hoard's Dairyman...
One of the most widely known animal rights groups is no stranger to using emotional appeal to win over people's minds. We've seen them all when we view websites, videos or photos posted by anti-agriculture...
We are a bigger part of that industry than ever before, and it is not likely to change anytime soon. by Dennis Halladay, Hoard's Dairyman Western Editor Earlier this month I took off my dairy hat and went...
