A breeding ground for bacteria, bedding is a significant source of mastitis pathogens in a confinement system. The climatic conditions encountered in many regions of the country necessitate cattle housing....
Since pulsation came on-line, machines have taken a lot of flak for causing mastitis. Observations of the entire milking process, though, are needed to unroot the cause of milk quality problems. Since...
Automated calf feeding systems offer huge benefits but can also challenge management systems. Offering quicker gains, healthier calves and greater labor efficiencies, automated calf feeders have revolutionized...
Turnout at last week's 12th Western Dairy Management Conference almost set a record. There are three U.S. dairy industry events that are so well known around the world that milk producers often refer to...
"Fuel Greatness" campaign stresses breakfast for children. Breakfast sets the table for the day's activities. Starting the day with a meal is the fuel that helps us stay active. Studies have shown that...
Effluent planning can be done now to make harvest easier this year Growing up on a small dairy farm, silage effluent wasn't something I was overly aware of other than it smelled, and I tried not to get...
Drought, less acreage, and rising global demand are reasons why. Droughts in the West and rising demand around the world are increasing the price of hay and other forages for U.S. milk producers. And...
Format that attaches at every stall attracted many lookers at World Ag Expo this week. Goodbye milkers. One of the busiest dairy exhibits at World Ag Expo this week in Tulare, Calif., gave an up-close...
While forage procurement and feeding play a huge role in the success of high-producing herds, they aren't the only factors. Reproduction and milk quality are critical elements, too. Each winter, 24 of...
Two new apps are now available to help producers evaluate calves' respiratory health. Respiratory disease can be a devastating issue for the calf caretakers on your farm. According to Terry Ollivett from...
Record-dry January kicked off what looks to be a fourth straight year. It's raining today in big parts of California. A series of storms began pounding the northern half of the state earlier this week...
A PCR assay can enhance your milk quality diagnostics. The incorporation of a robust diagnostic strategy has been promoted heavily in recent years as a way to identify the predominant pathogens causing...
Judges not only evaluate cattle, they are communicators. You had success in judging contests as a youth. Now, you'd like to move onto the next level and judge dairy shows. What should you know? I spoke...
Research shows that healthy and unhealthy eaters alike select foods on taste over nutritional value. An apple is healthier, but why do we reach for the doughnut instead? Most likely because we know it...
Hints to help you save time and computer space. Ah, a clean desk. No piles of brochures and papers surrounding your computer. Few farm offices can claim a pristine desk appearance much less a decluttered...
Tell your farm's story for the betterment of agriculture as a whole I've come to the conclusion that the positive potential of sharing my farming story with the masses has to outweigh the fear. We hear...
There were some surprises in who signed up for the Dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP-Dairy), according to figures announced recently by USDA. The biggest surprise is who didn't sign up: almost half...
Lameness and hoof health have garnered a great deal of attention in recent years. At the Vita Plus Dairy Summit, veterinarian Gerard Cramer discussed how we can address hoof health globally. An often-mentioned...
Running a business has a lot to do with building and maintaining relationships, and for a farm, an extremely important relationship is the one with their lender. The foundation of that relationship is...
