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Current Progressive Dairy digital edition

1. 0310PD: Breeders’ Circle ...: (A.I. & Breeding); The first progeny proven SHOTTLE sons With the release of sire summary data on Tuesday, January 12, ABS Global added 11 new Holstein sires to its active global line-up. Included in this group are four ...; Created on 03 February 2010
2. The View from Here: Italy helps in soil reclamation: (Guest Blog); The work of agricultural development requires coordination with many levels of government and non-government organizations. Recently, I spent a week at Tallil Air Base in southern Iraq. This is a trip ...; Created on 04 February 2010
3. On the Edge of Common Sense: A glimmer of hope for the wild horses: (Baxter Black); It’s been a long time since I’ve felt anything but sadness for the wild horses. I was a veterinarian in the Idaho-Nevada-Oregon sagebrush country the year that Wild Horse Annie managed to make wild horses ...; Created on 04 February 2010
4. Alfalfa harvest: Getting it right will return big dollars: (Feed & Nutrition); Alfalfa is an important forage for dairy cows because it provides fiber that effectively stimulates chewing while also providing energy and protein for milk production. The measure of fiber most commonly ...; Created on 04 February 2010
5. If ever there was a time to develop a strategic plan, it is now: (Management); Although some of life’s greatest travel adventures occur when a certain level of spontaneity is involved, unplanned activities can also lead to disappointment and disaster. As an old saying goes, “without ...; Created on 04 February 2010
6. Optimizing forage quality through proper harvesting, ensiling and feedout practices: (Feed & Nutrition); The winter hiatus between silage seasons allows time to review some of the more important management factors that can make the difference between producing top-quality forage and just having something ...; Created on 04 February 2010
7. Identify mastitis to effectively treat affected cows: (Herd Health); Currently robbing the U.S. dairy industry of $1.7 billion a year, mastitis can be debilitating to a dairy operation because of decreased milk production and increased chronic health problems. “With demand ...; Created on 04 February 2010
8. Five strategies for extending machinery life: (Barns & Equipment); Machinery ownership and operation is a major crop and livestock production cost. Several strategies when combined can significantly affect costs, improve machine reliability and improve profit margins. ...; Created on 04 February 2010
9. Many factors to consider when selecting a vaccine: (Herd Health); Building immunity and preventing disease are integral parts of achieving dairy wellness on your operation. Incorporating demonstrated vaccines into a well-designed vaccination protocol helps enhance the ...; Created on 04 February 2010
10. Methods for managing replacement heifer reproduction: (A.I. & Breeding); A dairy producer’s reproductive program is one of the most important factors in a successful dairy operation. However, many producers will admit that heifer reproduction is an area that can be improved ...; Created on 04 February 2010
11. Recruit and hire outstanding employees: (Management); Managers face a major challenge in finding and keeping quality employees. Finding quality employees is absolutely necessary if profitability, growth and excellence goals are to be reached. Family members ...; Created on 04 February 2010
12. On the Edge of Common Sense: Walkin’ in a winter wonderland: (Baxter Black); This winter is shaping up to be a reminder of why they sell more long underwear north of Interstate 40, which runs from Bakersfield through Amarillo and Little Rock then on to Raleigh. We’ve already had ...; Created on 03 February 2010
13. New York producers market cheese, high-type Holsteins: (People); The Murray family of Waterloo, New York, is no stranger to the concept of marketing. With nearly two decades of experience in merchandising Holstein cattle and genetics worldwide, the family has developed ...; Created on 03 February 2010
14. Mechanics Corner: Record keeping is worth thousands: (Barns & Equipment); Hydraulic pump = $600 to $2,400 Control valves = $400 to $600 Cylinders = $200 to $500 Clean the system with labor and repairs = $1,500-$4,000 Transmission rear axle and other related parts; overhaul ...; Created on 03 February 2010
15. Just dropping by... The Devil’s workshop: (Yevet Tenney); Back in the Dark Ages when I was in college, I was talking to someone about raising teenagers. He said, “Teenagers who commit suicide don’t feel that they are not loved; they simply feel that they are ...; Created on 03 February 2010
16. New hires – February: Dennis Devore: (People in the News); Dennis Devore Regional Representative Holstein Association USA Cedar Rapids, Iowa Territory: Southwest Wisconsin and Iowa Education I received my B.S. in dairy science from the University ...; Created on 03 February 2010
17. New hires – February: Ed Salettel: (People in the News); Ed Salettel Client Services Manager Animart Territory: USA and International Education I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a bachelorâs degree in political science ...; Created on 03 February 2010
18. New hires - February: Callie Unruh: (People in the News); Callie Unruh Regional Representative Holstein Association USA Education I graduated in May 2009 from Kansas State University with a degree in animal science with an emphasis in business. While ...; Created on 03 February 2010
19. I belong to... DFA: Perry Tjaarda: (People); Perry Tjaarda "Tjaarda Dairy is a Gold Standard Dairy, signifying a commitment to high standards for quality milk production and environmental stewardship, and was honored as a Member of Distinction Farm ...; Created on 03 February 2010
20. How postpartum uterine diseases affect dairy cows: (Herd Health); As a result of genetic improvement from years of selection, dairy cows have become more efficient in producing milk. New challenges face producers trying to optimize animal performance. For example, the ...; Created on 03 February 2010
21. Improving heat detection: (A.I. & Breeding); Artificial insemination (A.I.) has become one of the most common tools for a dairy operation’s reproduction program. It is advantageous over natural service because of dramatic gains in genetic improvement ...; Created on 03 February 2010
22. Heat detection accuracy and A.I. technician evaluation: (A.I. & Breeding); Reproductive performance has declined over the last few decades in U.S. dairy herds. The downward trend in reproductive performance is disturbing and has eroded the profitability of dairies. The loss of ...; Created on 03 February 2010
23. Reproduction efficiency is key to profitability: (A.I. & Breeding); Poor reproductive efficiency is one of the most costly problems facing the dairy industry. According to a USDA report, reproductive problems are one of the most common reasons for culling in U.S. dairy ...; Created on 03 February 2010
24. Lepto hardjo-bovis: Too costly to ignore: (Herd Health); Surely you’re familiar with the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This cliché actually offers valuable advice when it comes to stopping Lepto hardjo-bovis from robbing your ...; Created on 03 February 2010
25. Surviving the economic storm with ration balancing software: (Feed & Nutrition); Too much rain, too cool, too dry, too hot. There are some operating factors that dairy producers just can’t control. Some say you could add the current economy to that list of uncontrollable forces. ...; Created on 03 February 2010
26. ‘Their worst feed is better than average TMR’: (Feed & Nutrition); Can you imagine three different feeders mixing up your dairy’s ration four or five times per day and getting it exactly right every time? Nearly impossible, some would say. Nutritionist Dave Lidy says ...; Created on 03 February 2010
27. Shiloh Dairy has comfortable, happy cows: (People); At Shiloh Dairy LLC in Brillion, Wisconsin, the philosophy is simple: build better cows, not more cows. Gordon and Cathy Speirs currently milk 1,350 cows, have 150 dry cows and raise 1,500 youngstock. ...; Created on 03 February 2010
28. 12-month forage pays: (Feed & Nutrition); Dairies that use a 12-month double-cropping strategy maximize the return on their forage production dollar. Now is the time to plan for the 2010-2011 season. There was a time when a dairy’s annual forage ...; Created on 03 February 2010
29. Managing mycotoxin in contaminated dairy rations: (Feed & Nutrition); Dairymen can’t catch a break. Reports are that there will be a bumper corn crop in 2009 and prices will remain tolerable. However, the downside is that much of the crop could be contaminated with harmful ...; Created on 03 February 2010
30. Appraise forage for higher profitability: (Feed & Nutrition); In modern dairy operations, forages are typically the major component of the ration fed. However, there is still a broad belief that the best crops are those that look good and/or give the highest ...; Created on 03 February 2010
31. Dangers of mycotoxins may still be ahead: (Feed & Nutrition); With the harvest behind us, some producers, nutritionists and veterinarians may think their bumper crop and supply of feed went unscathed from the initial reports of possible molds and mycotoxins in this ...; Created on 03 February 2010
32. Could a little grass in your ration be a good thing?: (Feed & Nutrition); Grasses have been replaced by corn silage and high-quality alfalfa in Midwest rations, but Dr. David Combs, Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin – Madison, says there might be a place for ...; Created on 03 February 2010
33. Soil testing can make or break 2010 profitability: (Feed & Nutrition); If you’re trying to increase the profitability of your dairy by eliminating unnecessary expenditures, you’re not alone. The harsh climate of the dairy industry today has many dairy producers cutting costs ...; Created on 03 February 2010
34. Supply management: Pro vs. Con: (Industry News); How the dairy industry could benefit from a price stabilization plan “The volatility in dairy product prices and dairy producer milk prices is extremely difficult for dairy producers, milk processors ...; Created on 03 February 2010
35. PD POLL: Growth management: (Industry News); Should any growth management plan include a market access fee on all of the milk produced or just for the new milk produced? What should that price be? In the last two issues, we have discussed possible ...; Created on 03 February 2010
36. Progressive Events: 2010 Keystone Farm Show: (Event Coverage); Despite the brisk temperatures during the first week of January, more than 10,000 agricultural producers and industry professionals attended the Keystone Farm Show, held at the York Fairgrounds January ...; Created on 03 February 2010
37. Practical steps to improve communication with your workers: (Management); The economic impact of labor efficiency on operational profitability is a topic of increasing importance among dairy producers. Appropriate management skills and effective communication play an important ...; Created on 03 February 2010
38. How to motivate change and train to retain: (Management); Productivity can be defined as the result of the worker’s ability (or “can do”) and the worker’s motivation (or “will do”). Motivation is a term often overused in businesses – dairy operations, heifer ...; Created on 03 February 2010
39. Good health practices for farm workers: (Management); Many factors can affect the personal health of farmers and farm workers, including physical well-being, knowing limitations, stress and drugs and alcohol. Temperature, humidity, soil conditions and terrain ...; Created on 03 February 2010
40. Stay focused on what is really important . . . family!: (Management); One of our readers writes – “Times are tough and our guys are coming home each day in foul moods. We need tips on how to stay positive in negative times. With hints on how to explain to the kiddos that ...; Created on 03 February 2010
41. Reduce energy consumption, reduce your costs: (Management); Despite being considered the engine that drives the world’s economy, energy is something many of us take for granted, and even more of us don’t understand. But energy is worth understanding, especially ...; Created on 03 February 2010
42. Living without NT in milk replacers: (Calves & Heifers); In an effort to curb the usage of sub-therapeutic antibiotics, the FDA has ruled that milk replacers may no longer be manufactured with the combination drug of neomycin and oxytetracycline, better known ...; Created on 03 February 2010
43. Manage the margin to protect profitability: (Management); The volatility in both milk and grain futures has no doubt been unsettling for many dairy producers worrying about their profitability this year following what has been a very challenging time in the industry ...; Created on 03 February 2010
44. Avoid a vicious cycle of market emotions: (Management); For every market there is a chart. The chart defines that market’s price over time. However, what makes up a price? What influences its movements? Some will say supply and demand. Others will contest ...; Created on 03 February 2010
45. Does DMI's MOU mean an IOU for producers?: (Manure); This headline: “USDA Announces Agreement with U.S. Dairy Producers to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions” was a shocker to me, so I read on. “ COPENHAGEN — December 18, 2009, The U.S. Department of Agriculture ...; Created on 03 February 2010
46. Are you missing something?: (From the Editor); Someone recently asked me what the pulse of the dairy industry was. My answer: Paused. Most in 2009 just tried to survive each day and week. Few strategized for the future; the now was more important. ...; Created on 03 February 2010
47. Flies on the dairy: Why are they here, and how do we get rid of them?: (Management); We often wonder why some critters were put on the face of this earth, especially flies. In reality, the entire group of filth flies serves a very important purpose. The main “job” that flies perform, ...; Created on 27 January 2010
48. Managers Academy 2010: (Event Coverage); More than 75 dairy producers and allied industry leaders convened in Seattle, Washington, for the sixth annual Managers Academy. The three-day event included executive-level training by business coaches ...; Created on 27 January 2010