Magazine

Recently I had the occasion to review DHIA and financial records with a Pennsylvania dairy producer. I began by noting five key components of herd performance. Those five are: 1. Production in terms of pounds [Read More …]

The art of feeding protein to cows in early lactation

Protein choices in early lactation impact economic returns Providing either more protein in the ration or providing ration protein that better matches the amino acid needs for milk production can result in improved milk yield, [Read More …]

Butterfat Continues Price Increases

Butterfat continues to increase in price. How much longer will this continue? Chart I below lists the record setting prices of butterfat over 25 years. Record highs for butterfat have been reached 23 times over [Read More …]

Pavelski brings new expertise to Nedap’s dairy team

Steven Pavelski named Large Herd Application Expert of Nedap North American dairy team. Nedap’s North American team is making a strategic expansion to bolster large herd applications. As the global leader in dairy data management [Read More …]

When and How to Safely Involve Children in Farm Tasks?

This article provides practical information that farm parents, or any caregiver, can use to decide when children can be on the farm worksite, the type of tasks that can be assigned to the children, and [Read More …]

National Genetic Evaluations Foster Healthier Organic Cows

Selecting for good genetic merit for disease resistance is important for the profitability of organic and conventional dairy farms. With only 3% of the US dairy cow population certified organic, the majority of data underlying [Read More …]

DairyBusiness News (USDA, Flickr/Creative Commons)

Significant dairy policies in the works in Washington, D.C.

July had started off with a bang for the dairy industry, which is fitting as we celebrated our nation’s Independence Day. While the halls in the Texas Capitol are quiet, there is a lot to [Read More …]

Preventing Tractor Rollover

Tractor and machinery incidents continue to be the leading cause of farm-related fatalities in Pennsylvania. There are ways to protect yourself and practical ways to reduce the risk of a tractor rollover. Rollover Protection Structure [Read More …]

Checkoff’s Domino’s Partnership Keeps Delivering Innovation

There’s a bit of a culinary debate going on with the Domino’s New York Style Pizza. Do you fold the large slices in half, or do you eat them with a knife and fork? Either [Read More …]

Do You Know About Mycoplasma bovis?

Help protect your calves against a leading contributor to BRD and lifelong profitability implications. Most producers know that calfhood pneumonia, or bovine respiratory disease (BRD), is one of the leading health concerns impacting calves on [Read More …]

Productive Life Series: Hoof Care

Welcome to the second installment of our Productive Life Series, where we delve into the essential aspects of dairy farming that set the stage for a successful and sustainable operation. In this article, we will [Read More …]

Embracing Lactose-Free Dairy For Optimal Health

Lactose intolerance is a common concern among many people that impacts their ability to enjoy the nutritional benefits of dairy without discomfort. Many people are excluding milk and dairy foods from their diet in response [Read More …]

Magazine

Follow Safety Protocols When Filling Silos and Bunkers

Over the next several months, farmers will be harvesting forages and putting high-powered equipment to work. While that equipment poses its own safety risks, the upright silos and bunkers that store the forage offer another [Read More …]

Class III Prices are Low. What Can be Done?

Class III milk for cheese makes up more than 50% of the total U.S. milk usage and the price is low. The current Class III milk price index published by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) [Read More …]

What If Stuff Happens?

There is a process that I like to complete each year with my Clients, usually in the early months of the year. I call it the “Objectives & Challenges” process. The Objectives setting part of [Read More …]

How To Freeze Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, and Other Dairy Foods

Using your freezer is one of the best ways to save money and reduce food waste. It’s also a great way to store meals and smoothie ingredients you prep in advance. But can you freeze dairy foods? [Read More …]

U.S. Dairy Education and Training Consortium: Nurturing Future Leaders in Dairy Management

The U.S. Dairy Education and Training Consortium (USDETC) stands as a beacon of opportunity and innovation in the realm of dairy education. Established in 2008, this program has emerged as a pivotal platform for students [Read More …]

Livestock Water Quality

We regularly test our soil, plants, manure, and feed, so why aren’t we testing our water? Water is an aspect often overlooked but has important implications to livestock nutrition and feed intake. You may think [Read More …]

New Research Shows Reduced Clinical Mastitis Risk and More Comfort with Bovikalc® Dry

Intervention at dry-off has a ripple effect on cow health through the entire next lactation. “Our industry has done a great job getting cows to produce more milk,” said Luciano Caixeta, DVM, PhD, associate [Read More …]

Checkoff Strategy Moving Dairy Through Retail Channels

Grocery sales in 2023 totaled $678 billion, with about $90 billion of those purchases coming from an online source. Interestingly, about $470 billion – or nearly 70 percent – of all grocery sales were digitally [Read More …]

Strategic Feed Decisions: Some of the Most Profitable Choices You Can Make

Strategy involves setting a specific course of action to achieve your goals. When it comes to feed inputs, strategic planning helps optimize the largest variable cost of production on the dairy. Attention to detail and [Read More …]

Is it time to revisit your dry-off procedures?

With volatile milk prices and razor-thin margins, dairy producers often seek new ways to reduce production loss. It might be easy to overlook more routine procedures — like dry-off. Although quick, the process of drying [Read More …]

Don’t Forget the Other Biosecurity Threats

We have recently heard a great deal regarding a new threat to biosecurity on dairy farms. The avian flu virus has mutated into a form that can infect dairy cows and cause reduced appetite and [Read More …]

How Early-Stage Nutrition Helps Animals Reach Full Genetic Potential

Producing resilient animals requires optimal conditions at early life stages, wherein strategic nutrition solutions support future growth processes and performance outcomes. Five key considerations for long-term health are prevalent across agriculturally important species—swine, poultry, ruminants [Read More …]

Are You Paying Attention?

In a recent article by Joshua Becker entitled Controlling Your Attention: The Most Important Skill of the 21st Century and How to Do It, he points out that we are all constantly being distracted by [Read More …]

Why is Class III Milk Priced so Low?

The statistics below are based on the Upper Midwest March 2024 payments for milk and their 12-month Averages. They are taken from the USDA monthly reports. Table I below lists the value of each class [Read More …]

Innovative Partnership Between NUI, Interfood and Stonex Will Develop A New Futures Curve For The Mexican Dairy Market

Three parties with their own expertise in digital agri-trade solutions, international dairy trade, and market intelligence have joined forces to build a first-of-its-kind dual-stream buy/sell platform focused on the trade of non-fat dried milk (NFDM) [Read More …]

Strategies to include sorghum silage in lactating cow rations.

The expansion of dairy cattle inventory in the Texas Panhandle is increasing forage demand while groundwater levels decline. Sorghum is a drought-tolerant forage alternative with low input costs, and production of sorghum for silage has [Read More …]

Harvesting Love: Celebrating Dairy Farmer Moms

Celebrating mothers who are dairy farmers is a testament to their dedication and hard work in providing nourishment not only for their families but also for their communities. These resilient women rise early and work [Read More …]

Recommendations to Minimize Influenza Transmission at Dairy Cattle Livestock Exhibitions