Agricultural land in the Upper Midwest has experienced substantial appreciation over the past several decades, with the recent years standing out

During a recent calf study, most of my mornings were spent measuring grain refusals

recently, I have had breeders express to me a level of concern over the number of bulls whose proofs declined substantially once they had daughters

Often, we think of automated milking systems (AMS) as new technology that reduces labor to milk cows; however, we may forget about the importance of testing the mechanical function of the AMS equipment

A small but growing number of dairies are using rotary milking parlors to enhance milking speed and efficiency. In this set-up, cows ride on a rotating platform while being milked. This reduces th

We recently bought a cattle brush and needed a good way to put it up, so I built a stand out of recycled materials

Historically, criminals who have been sentenced to death have been granted a sumptuous last meal before their execution

Did you milk her for all she’s worth?” With due respect to my mentor and colleague, Don Sanders, who wrote a book by this title, I suggest that we leave a little gas in the tank for our retiring...

In the volatile world of dairy markets, risk management has become key to many producers’ success, enabling them to gain stability and control over their margins

Precision management is a hot topic in the dairy industry, and rightfully so

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program launched its latest Animal Care Program standards on July 1, continuing to provide science-based guidelines for the industry and...

Bad things happen to good people. Likewise, bad things can happen to good farms

When I stop at a farm for an assessment of the heifer program, the first thing I usually do is ask three questions

Can we assume that cows within a pen use all their resources uniformly?

Looking back 25 years, I was at a crossroads in my vision for what secondary education to pursue. At 17 years old, I’d developed curiosity in dairy farming and cropping, but I also enjoyed fixing...

A dairy sitting in the valley with Brown Swiss cows scattered across green pastures in the background is home to Carter Bratland and Viking Valley Farm

Mastitis, the inflammation of one or more mammary glands, is one of the most important diseases in dairy production

When you compete at this level, you will find geniuses that you didn’t know existed

One of the many perks of living on a dairy farm is the fact that we are surrounded by wildlife