On the farm, the need for a smartphone depends on the user. But I could make the case that each farm could have one if they wanted. Your extra costs are about $100 initially (over two years) for the phone,...
If you're not F.A.R.M.ing, you may want to look into it. The National F.A.R.M. program (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) is operating as a partnership of the National Milk Producers Federation
Last year was a banner year for U.S. dairy product exports, which accounted for a record 13.3 percent of all milk production in the country on a total solids basis. That's roughly 26 billion pounds of...
Whether you are looking for tips on sand separation, thinking about using nitrification inhibitors or just looking for your next spreader, the North American Manure Expo was the place to be this morning
Sire summaries are calculated by the United States Department of Agriculture three times each year in April, August and December. Hoard's Dairyman compiled the August data on the seven dairy breeds and...
Leave it to farm kids to come up with creative ideas. When gathered with family over the 4th of July, Clymer, N.Y. brothers, 18-year-old Justin and 9-year-old Fred White decided to respond to the recent...
Bad has turned to worse for milk producers in the nation's largest dairy state. Few, if any, California dairies managed to fully recover from the 2009 cost:price crisis before another outbreak in 2012
Corn, soybeans and hay aren't the only dairy feed staples expected to have more limited supplies this fall. A slightly smaller U.S. cotton crop is also forecast, which means the amount of cottonseed available...
We have all read stories, seen comments, and observed television interviews that contain less-than-accurate information on our industry and our practices. We get irritated, but wonder if it is worth the...
While it may no longer be June Dairy Month, educating the public is a year-round challenge. As summer shows and fairs get into full swing, do you take the time to educate the public about your animals,...
On Friday June 15, the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding released its road map for operational and financial aspects of how U.S. genetic evaluations might be carried out once USDA takes a step back from...
In the brief period that the number of licensed U.S. dairies has been tracked (19 years), the trend is as frightening as it is obvious: the total gets smaller every year. That trend is a warning for every...
You shred bills, rarely give out credit card information, and have an anti-virus program installed on your computer. Your smartphone, though, can communicate more than you would like. If a smartphone is...
For decades, other states have flirted with California dairies like they're the prettiest girls at the dance. There have been many suitors, too; a dozen from as far away as Wisconsin come to mind. South...
"Many retailers understand the science behind food production practices, but their customers do not," noted Charlie Arnot with the Center for Food Integrity (CFI), at the 2012 North American Strategy Conference...
After over two years of discussion, industry leaders have begun to publicly share draft documents which could one day guide U.S. genetic evaluations. The first document, known as the Cooperative Agreement,...
Did your herd's average somatic cell count drop a little in 2011? Chances are it did, according to USDA and the National Dairy Herd Improvement Association. The annual report by the Animal Improvement...
Within farm nutrient variation, estimates are needed to determine feed sampling and ration re-formulation schedules. by Hoard's Dairyman staff "Good ration formulation is a form of risk management. Diets...
