Enhanced biosecurity is the best defense

A Holstein cow enters the milking parlor on an Iowa dairy farm. Cows that are infected with the bovine influenza A virus experience a sudden and dramatic drop in milk production, and their milk can take on a colostrum-like appearance.

Since the initial detection and identification of H5N1 in dairy cattle in March, all facets of the dairy industry have been working diligently to learn more about the disease, how it is spreading and …

From a covered wagon to 2024

Lori and Bob Calkins smile in their freestall barn April 2 on their dairy farm near Blue Earth, Minnesota. The Calkins’ dairy farm has been in existence since Bob’s great-great-grandfather came in a covered wagon in November 1863.

BLUE EARTH, Minn. — Pioneering travels and tragedy cloak four 161-year-old trunks resting from their adventures in the attic of the Calkin family. Bob and Lori Calkins own a …

A career devoted to registered cattle

Mike and Marcy McCullough sit next to two Excellent cows, Rock-N-Hill G Chip Fran EX-91 (left) and Rock-N-Hill G Chip Marie EX-92, Jan. 6 on their farm near Juda, Wisconsin. The McCulloughs were named the Wisconsin Holstein Association’s 2023 Distinguished Holstein Breeder Feb. 24 at the association’s convention in New Glarus, Wisconsin.

JUDA, Wis. — Mike McCullough had 16 head of cattle when he left home in 1973 to start farming with his wife, Marcy. Renting a farm in Illinois, it was only a matter of time until they would …

A shock to the system

Dylan and Bryanna Handel take a break April 17 at their farm near Barneveld, Wisconsin. The Handels milk 60 cows and have been struggling with stray voltage since December 2023.

BARNEVELD, Wis. — Starting a first-generation dairy farm has not been easy for Dylan and Bryanna Handel, but they are not ones to complain. The pair has grown a 60-cow herd of …

Side by side in the barn for over four decades

GREY EAGLE, Minn. — Jerry Pohlmann said it finally hit him when he closed the tiestall barn door after the last of his cows left the farm. He was truly retired from dairy farming.

Grilled cheese for every taste bud

CHARLES CITY, Iowa — At A Shred Above food truck, sandwiches with flavor palettes as far apart as PB&J and a Reuben still find common ground in one key ingredient: cheese.

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Milk flows fresh

ALBANY, Minn. — A crowd of around 30 gathered May 6 in the cafeteria at Albany Area Secondary School in Albany to celebrate the instillation of two milk dispensers. Present were …

Roping a survivor

BLAIR, Wis. — The Killian family will never forget the day one of their beloved Jersey cows, Lemondrop, fell in the manure pit. Steve and Amanda milk 75 Jerseys and Holsteins on their farm …

High replacement rate is not always less profitable

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. — Having a source of high-quality replacement heifers dictates the future of dairy farms. Many variables come into play when a producer considers the source of these …

Measuring to manage

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — As consolidation continues in the dairy industry and herd sizes grow larger, management practices are evolving to include more automation. Producers lean on technology …

A day in the life of the McManama family

WATERTOWN, Wis. — The sun was shining, and the wind was blowing when James McManama took to the fields May 1 for the first time this year. Planting corn was the goal for McManama and his …

More than dairy cows

ALBANY, Minn. — The sound of goats bleating while they roam his farm south of Albany is something that Tyler Gerads has heard for more than a year. Milking is not a foreign concept to …

From dairy farmers to restauranteurs

EPWORTH, Iowa — Imagine operating a dairy farm, running a restaurant, raising children and organizing registered cattle sales — all at the same time. For quite a few years, that is …

From the farm to Dairy Star

Hello, readers. I am Sarah Middendorf, daughter of Steve and Julie Middendorf. I started working for Star Publications in the middle of February as the special sections coordinator and recently …

Scoop shovel 2.0

The timeworn phrase, “Kids sure have it good nowadays!” has never been truer than it is nowadays. …
Mastitis in 1918

I was doing housecleaning the other day and revisited an old book that my brother gave me years ago. …
Wedding season

It’s wedding season. I honestly have no idea if there’s actually a defined best time for weddings …
Bees: Agriculture’s backbone

Spring is perhaps our favorite season on the farm. After the long doldrums of winter, most northerners …

Record cheese exports leave US soil

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the April federal order Class III benchmark milk price …
Beef for breakfast

As a former Tri-County Beef Queen, it is my duty to continue to promote my favorite source of …
Testing underway to prevent the spread of bovine flu

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with state animal health officials to collect data …