The threat of Hurricane Florence is raising concerns regarding North Carolina’s cotton crop. For dairy farmers, that translates into what impact the storm will have on cottonseed supplies and prices.

After Sept. 14, the full House is scheduled to be in session just 12 days prior to elections in early November. With limited days and a full slate of issues to tackle, dairy organization leaders continue to push Congress for a bill to address the industry’s growing labor needs.

The USDA’s September World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report reduced the 2018 milk production forecast by another 100 million pounds, but raised the 2019 forecast by an equal amount.

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.

Building a new calf barn and completely rethinking how to raise calves effectively and efficiently can be a daunting task. At the 2018 Vita Plus Calf Summit, June 20-21, three Wisconsin dairywomen shared their experiences as they tackled this challenge on their farms.