Magazine

The New Year is here, and the first Progressive Dairyman issue of the year will prepare you for the upcoming challenges. First, see how 2017 tax reform will affect your dairy in 2018. Then find out how milk deductions are being made and how this is affecting “basis shrink.”

Another major focus of this issue is health traits in dairy cattle. See this genetic progress timeline, and find out how you can breed for a healthier herd. Good news for Holstein herds: There will be six new health traits in official sire evaluations.

Also be sure to read our columnist’s New Year’s articles.

The second issue of Progressive Dairyman is all about milk quality. Be disillusioned about these five somatic cell count myths. Got teat problems? Learn about the top five culprits and how to combat them. Lastly, take a fresh look at the five-point mastitis control plan. Also in this issue is the World Ag Expo preview; be sure to check it out.

Don’t forget to read your favorite columnists' articles: Yevet Tenney (“Turning my heart to my grandfather”), Tom Heck (The Big Bang), Ryan Dennis (The folks go abroad) and Tim Moffett (Fried weather).

The third issue of Progressive Dairyman takes a look at the niche industry of dairy goats. At the moment, goat’s milk and cheese is still a small market but has the potential for much more. Read more about its challenges here. Also, if you’re thinking of diversifying and starting up a goat milking operation, consider these pitfalls first.

Another focus in this issue is feed and nutrition. See how dietary fatty acids affect reproduction. Save money on feed costs by answering these three questions. Or find out how chromium supplementation increases both insulin sensitivity and milk production.

Don’t forget to read Yevet Tenney’s article, “Money isn’t everything.”

The fourth issue of Progressive Dairyman has valuable content on A.I. and breeding, fresh cow health, hoof care and much more.

One of the main subjects in this issue is management. Learn how you can better your business from the former executive vice president of operations for the Walt Disney World Resort, Lee Cockerell. Also, see how the new tax law benefits your dairy.

Also be sure to check out Yevet Tenney’s article, “The parable of the talents.”

The fifth issue of Progressive Dairyman concentrates on the state of the dairy industry. See how well the dairy industry is fairing in 2018 in different regions of the U.S. Also, find out what will have the greatest impact on dairying in the future.

Also included in this issue is calf and heifer raising. Consider these key design features before building a new calf barn. We will also compare milk replacer feeding strategies. Find out which will maximize growth, minimize cost and set calves up for early weaning.

Be sure to check out Tim Moffett's article, “Looking good,” along with all of our other columnists’ articles.

The sixth issue of Progressive Dairyman covers a myriad of topics, including management, cow comfort, manure, and facilities and design. See how Brooks Farm built a new facility so the next generation could move the business forward. Looking into robots? Learn what the true return of dairy robots is before you buy. Also, discover three keys to cow comfort in robotic barns. This and much more in this issue.

The seventh issue of Progressive Dairyman focuses on A.I. and breeding. How should you decide which cow gets which kind of semen – conventional, sexed or beef? Or check out how three dairymen are utilizing IVF to make the cows and bulls they want in their barn.

Also a major focus in this issue is milk quality. Is water a bottleneck to production on your dairy? See how increasing water intake could help production and quality. Also, find out how to maximize milk quality through cow comfort.

Also, don’t forget to read our regular columnists: Yevet Tenney (Which way does the tent face?), Ryan Dennis (The City of Soul) and Tim Moffett (Earth Day).

The eighth issue of Progressive Dairyman is all about equipment, tools and implements. Read our cover story featuring Hoffman’s Happy Holsteins and their robotic rotary milking parlor. Or if you’re more interested in the traditional milking robot, read several more articles on robotic milking. Also, see how you can increase parlor efficiency, or find out how you can improve hay quality with the help of technology.

The ninth issue of Progressive Dairyman is all about June Dairy Month. Join with us as we celebrate all things dairy and pick up a few dairy-licious recipes while you’re here.

Also in this issue is feed and nutrition. Get some tips on managing your feed to help your cows reach peak production and reproduction. Also find out what a young or beginning farmer needs to know to weather an industry downturn.

Also be sure to read Walt Cooley’s editorial and find your dairy’s “why.”

The 10th issue of Progressive Dairyman focuses on herd health. It will discuss the lack of availability of pain-relieving drugs for dairy animals and what producers can do about it. Did you know cows have preferences for where they calve? Find out how you should design and where to place your maternity and calving pens. Also, see how you can boost cow health and productivity by decreasing interruptions.

The 11th issue of Progressive Dairyman takes a look at A.I. and breeding. See how Aurora Ridge Dairy achieved success with IVF and ET technology. Or see how genomics has transformed A.I. semen production processes. Also, is A2 milk just a fad or is it worth breeding your cows to produce A2 milk?

Milk quality is another subject covered in this issue. Learn how to keep summer somatic cell counts low, or see how building the right team and developing protocols could help you achieve your milk quality dreams.

The 12th issue of Progressive Dairyman covers everything you need to know in order to design a new or retrofitted barn. Learn these 5 simple tips for building a more efficient barn, or learn how to design a barn that deters birds. Also, see how you can incorporate robots into a grazing dairy operation. Lastly, check out Herrema Dairy, where they run 900 cows with 12 robots and three people.

The 13th issue of Progressive Dairyman focuses on quality silage, in preparation for the upcoming season. Find out what kind of inoculant you should use on your silage in order to reach your goals. Or see this year-round approach to silage management. This issue also discusses a recent silage case study that negatively affected animal performance and how laboratory analyses were used to help troubleshoot the problem.

Also in this issue is a section on herd health. Check out this new rumen acidosis treatment, or learn nine ways to make overcrowding work. Also, see how you can combat salmonella and clostridial bacteria by feeding active microbials.

The cover story and focus of the 14th issue of Progressive Dairyman is calf and heifer raising. See how T&K Red River Dairy in Arizona is giving calves the tools they need to stay healthy and growing even during the heat of summer. Also discussed is group-housing dairy calves. What key management points should you consider?

Also included are articles centering around progressive technology. Find out what artificial intelligence can really do on a dairy farm. Automated bookkeeping, one form of A.I., could free up some of your time. Also, see how facial recognition technology could be used in time clock management and employee authentication.

The 15th issue of Progressive Dairyman gives you a sneak peek into the 2018 World Dairy Expo. See how you can participate and connect to WDE even if you can’t attend physically. See the dairy cattle show schedule or get a quick look at the seminars and virtual tours.

This issue also has a special focus on dairy youth. See how one teen bred a show-winning Brown Swiss. Find out how the Southeast Dairy Youth Retreat started and how it’s helping youth today. See how you can make it to the top of the showmanship class with these 5 tips. Or if you have time, read these feature stories of ambitious dairy youth.