A decline in cow numbers was offset by stronger milk output per cow, pushing August 2018 milk production up 1.4 compared to a year earlier. However, cow numbers were up from July 2018, reversing course from last month’s 9,000-cow drop.

Digest Highlights

• Dairy Revenue Protection webinars scheduled
• Federal order BTSCC improved in 2017
• Americans drank less milk but ate more dairy in July
• Cattle hide values falling
• DFA Kansas plant suffers fire
• FDA unveils five-year antimicrobial plan
• UW – Madison Dairy Science Department sets fall visit date
• CDI appoints Anderson as COO

With milk prices low and margins tight, dairy farmers seeking a quick infusion of some cash may want to get to the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to apply for payments under the Market Facilitation Program (MFP).

Typically, when the topic of heat stress comes up, northern New York is not the first region that pops into most people’s minds. Although it is true we do not tend to suffer from prolonged, extreme heat here in the north country, it is also true that it does not take much heat for high-producing dairy cows to begin experiencing the physiological distress that can ultimately lead to compromised production, immune function and reproduction.

New Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) regulations were implemented on Jan. 1, 2017, by the FDA and required producers to get authorization from a veterinarian before purchasing and administering antibiotics that can also be used to treat human diseases for livestock.

When it comes to colostrum, its value to the calf cannot be overstated. Most dairymen are well aware that colostrum contains high levels of immunoglobulins that protect calves against diseases present on the farm.