Milk components have been high the past couple of months — higher than normal seasonal values — yet many herds continue to search for additional pounds of milk. Producers may focus on the …
Providing adequate amounts of quality colostrum to dairy calves within the first hours after birth improves calf health, growth and lifetime performance. In the fall, many herds are challenged with …
The weaning and transition phases can impose many stressors on dairy calves and subsequent negative impacts on welfare and performance. These stressors may be related to nutrition, the environment …
It’s been an interesting growing season. Concerns of low snowfall and a potential summer drought quickly turned to saturated soil this spring. For some, the corn looks great. For others, …
Sunday, July 21, was National Ice Cream Day. Enjoying a couple of scoops of my favorite summer time treat offered me a chance to reflect on some of the best aspects of this great industry. …
Much of the Midwest has seen a rise in heat and humidity in the past couple of weeks. The effects of summer heat and humidity are well-documented in lactating dairy cows as we see decreases in dry …
A mild winter, periods of warm, dry weather and early south winds have led to reports of high bug pressure in alfalfa fields. Many types of insects are found on alfalfa. The beneficial insects …
For producers in the Federal Milk Marketing Order 30 or surrounding markets, a vast majority of the milk check is dictated by volume and value of milk fat and protein. While the pay price for milk …
This winter was one of the warmest we’ve experienced in the past several years. While the nice weather has advantages, these conditions also can be stressful for calves and heifers. Increased …
With today’s dairy economics, capturing every pound of marginal milk is essential to profitability. Marginal milk can be defined as the few pounds of increased production that can be gained by …
High oleic soybeans have been around for more than 10 years, mostly in the eastern United States. More recently, they have worked their way into the Midwest market, catching the attention of the …
Grouping cows on a dairy can have many benefits, including maximizing efficiencies, increasing income over feed costs and minimizing stress. Grouping strategies generally fall into two …
As dairy farm profit margins tighten, it is critical to evaluate on-farm nutrition strategies to determine if any potential changes can improve the dairy’s cash flow. Feed efficiency is an …
External parasites, like flies, mites and lice, are often easy to detect when observing dairy cattle behavior and appearance. Severe infiltrations of internal parasites can result in roughness of …
For most, the 2023 corn silage harvest is in the rearview mirror. Corn silage harvest came early for some as the summer heat provided plenty of growing degree days, and many areas experienced a perfect storm for drying conditions.
Corn silage harvest is at the doorstep for many dairy farms across the Midwest.
For some across the Midwest, recent rain has brought much-needed moisture.
In an era of higher feed prices and lower milk prices, it is hard to argue the value of high-quality forages.
A few unseasonably warm days in late April not only melted most of the snow but also reminded us to turn our attention to heat abatement.
The Dairy Calf and Heifer Association held its annual conference April 11-13 in Prior Lake, Minnesota, bringing together youngstock producers and industry experts from around the country.