As beef prices reach new heights, beef-on-dairy breeding in the dairy industry shows no signs of slowing

There are several reasons why fall is my favorite time of the year. Dropping temperatures, cooler mornings, turning leaves, and perhaps most importantly, football. To be sure, the September games can feel...

In 2013, people were celebrating the birth of Prince George and the appointment of Pope Francis, watching “Frozen,” and enjoying Taylor Swift in her “Red” era

As we walk through the barns and pastures to check our cows throughout the day, it pays to watch the cows’ expressions. In a time where people either tend to stare at their phones while going about...

The very best way to determine if your heat abatement tools are working is to ask the cows. During an Iowa State University Extension webinar, Jennifer Van Os shared signs that help evaluate the effectiveness...

Working in the dairy industry, I have witnessed some moments I will cherish forever. From being able to watch a calf’s first breath to helping a cow recover from illness, there are many things I...

Anyone who has milked cows in a parlor has likely noticed that certain members of a herd have preferences for when they come in to be milked. There always seem to be cows that tend to wait around and make...

As we were moving some cows and heifers to our calving pen today, it hit me that the cattle we were moving all have due dates further out than my own

In March, you may have seen the article “Video game brings cow movement to life,” about our project to improve how people practice cow handling skills. We are excited to share some updates...

It is Corn Silage Harvest 2023 here at Hillcrest Farms. This year we have been blessed with rain and a good corn crop

Sometime during the summer, nearly every dairy-producing part of the country will experience enough heat to cause stress for bovines that results in reduced milk yield, poor reproductive performance, and...

The day of a cattle show can be stressful. Having someone follow the cows around with a manure pan is crucial in order to catch any excrement that comes out the back side

The calendar says it is officially summer, and temperatures in many parts of the country are heating up

Those in dairy circles have long known that the dairy cow has a unique ability to convert forages into nutritious milk

During my reign as the 2022 Virginia Dairy Princess, I was asked a particularly interesting question, “What do you think cows would say if they could talk?”

It seems crazy how a four-legged animal can determine the direction of your life

Let’s talk about first-calf heifers, or, as I like to call them, first-calf velociraptors

One of the reasons I love hanging out with people in the agricultural community, especially dairy farmers, is because it is so easy to start a conversation about all the classic debates

When we started milking in our robotic milking facility, we were fetching cows that hadn’t come up to milk on their own seven to eight times per day

They say the spots on a Holstein are as unique as a human fingerprint. There might be an even better comparison for cattle, though — the animal’s muzzle