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Current Progressive Dairy digital edition

1. Dear future self: What will you remember about this time in the industry?: (From the Editor); Our annual “State of the dairy industry” issue is where we take stock of where the industry has been in recent years, what the present picture looks like and what the future holds. This reflection ...; Created on 11 March 2016
2. First-in-the-nation co-op to adopt fatty acid analysis: (Industry News); St. Albans Cooperative Creamery is the first dairy cooperative in the nation to provide new information to dairy producer members regarding the fatty acids making up the milkfat in their cows’ milk. The ...; Created on 11 March 2016
3. Sustainable food: An appetite beyond the dinner table: (Industry News); Ready access to an affordable food supply is no longer enough to satisfy the American appetite. Increasingly, consumers are seeking greater context for the food they eat, particularly as it relates to ...; Created on 11 March 2016
4. It's That Time of Year Again: Spring grazing: (Management); As we head into spring, here are a few simple and practical ideas to help graziers through the transition of seasons (as shared by attendees of the GrassWorks Conference held annually in Wisconsin): When ...; Created on 11 March 2016
5. April Ridge Genetics Center: (People); At April Ridge Genetics Center, the view can’t be beat. “I love seeing the best of the breeding program right here,” Ed Peck says, looking out over his livestock from a loft viewing window at his genetics ...; Created on 11 March 2016
6. Checkoff helps keep dairy prominent in U.S. dietary guidelines: (Organizations); When the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services released the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) in January, it was clear: Dairy remains an important part of the dietary ...; Created on 11 March 2016
7. Local spotlight: Dietary Guideline for Americans 2015-2020: (Organizations); Local dairy checkoff staffs are taking a proactive, comprehensive, integrated approach to sharing results, highlighting the dairy recommendations with health and wellness partners, industry leaders and ...; Created on 10 March 2016
8. Great Lakes Dairy Conference provides milk price outlook: (Event Coverage); The 2016 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference attracted more than 450 dairy industry enthusiasts to Mount Pleasant, Michigan, on Feb. 4-6 to hear about the global dairy market and learn from other dairy ...; Created on 10 March 2016
9. California vs. FMMO milk pricing: (Industry News); Editor’s note: This is the last of four articles explaining producer payment systems for milk in the U.S. California produces a little more than 20 percent of U.S. milk and has its own unique payment ...; Created on 10 March 2016
10. Milk and manure: Dairy farmers as social psychologists: (People); In Purity and Danger, a classic book on social anthropology published in 1963, Mary Douglas points out how distinctions in many societies between “clean” and “unclean” are really about what is considered ...; Created on 10 March 2016
11. How to become a better boss: (Management); Are dairy managers more likely to ask how they can improve as a boss or how they can find better employees? My experience suggests that dairy farm managers are more likely to focus on finding employees. ...; Created on 10 March 2016
12. A case for higher feed prices: (Feed & Nutrition); There’s something farmers do when watching a weather forecast prior to chopping hay. It’s the same thing that’s done before an alfalfa or corn variety gets chosen – or a hand is revealed in a game of poker. ...; Created on 10 March 2016
13. Preparing your dairy for disaster: (People); The day after Christmas, the aptly named winter storm Goliath blew its way through the Southern Plains states. The snow and 80-mph wind ravaged dairy country in Texas and New Mexico. Like winter storm ...; Created on 10 March 2016
14. U.S. herd recovers from 2009; owners brace for next downturn: (Industry News); World The globe was awash in milk in 2015 as the EU removed its milk quota production restrictions and major dairy buyers remained on the sidelines. As a result of oversupply and low international ...; Created on 10 March 2016
15. Financial state of the dairy industry in 2016: (Industry News); A second straight year of declining milk prices will test – and potentially change – short-term management plans for many dairy producers, according to dairy accountants and lenders contacted by Progressive ...; Created on 10 March 2016
16. Future global demand for milk protein: (Industry News); The current world population is 7.4 billion people, and it is estimated we will reach the 8-billion-person mark sometime in 2024. By 2040, we should reach 9 billion people on the planet. Demands for food, ...; Created on 10 March 2016
17. What does the dairy industry look like in 2025?: (Management); Ten years from now, what will our U.S. dairy industry look like? It’s a fascinating question when you think about it. On one hand, 10 years doesn’t seem like that much time for change. That is, until you ...; Created on 09 March 2016
18. Opportunities and challenges of marketing milk in the future: (Industry News); Editor’s note: Mike McCloskey, CEO of Select Milk Producers and founder of Fair Oaks Farms, delivered testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and ...; Created on 09 March 2016
19. The agriculture issue of climate change: (Management); Climate change is real. It has happened, it is happening, and it will continue to happen. It is impacted by agricultural practices, and it impacts agricultural practices. Farmers will have to adapt, ...; Created on 09 March 2016
20. Approaches to climate change: (Management); From breeding and nutrition to manure management and education, efforts are underway to keep agriculture on the forefront of climate change solutions. Researchers, both within and outside government ...; Created on 09 March 2016
21. Climate change: Impacts at the dairy farm level: (Management); Climate change means more heat stress. Dairy herds under heat stress mean less milk production, more illness, less dry matter intake, decreased fertility, increased embryonic loss and poor growth. Farmers ...; Created on 09 March 2016
22. Climate change impact: Manure management: (Manure); Farmers need to assume climate change will cause changes in weather patterns and that it will require them to make changes. Efficient production is the key to lower agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) ...; Created on 09 March 2016
23. Farm perspectives on climate change: (Management); “Dairy farms do have some impact on climate change. Dairy farms do emit greenhouse gases (GHG). And, of course, the changing climate impacts dairy farms,” Al Rotz, USDA-ARS, said. Carbon dioxide is ...; Created on 09 March 2016
24. Climate changes and the global mycotoxin threat: (Management); Dairies around the world should be concerned about mycotoxins emerging on the farm as fungal threats continue to affect animal, plant and ecosystem health. Global disease alerts persist, and several ...; Created on 09 March 2016
25. Changing environmental risk picture changes dairy liability insurance needs: (Manure); Court interpretations of environmental laws, combined with increased financial risks related to the environment, are converging to create a new reality: Manure is manure until it pollutes, and environmental ...; Created on 08 March 2016
26. Create a wealth plan to suit your farm, family and future: (Management); Wealth planning is a process that should begin with a detailed review of all aspects of your financial life and a thorough understanding of your personal situation. The purpose of a wealth plan is to create ...; Created on 08 March 2016
27. South Carolina grazier relies on high-quality forages for high-quality milk: (Feed & Nutrition); It only takes a mere 30 seconds with Tom Trantham of Pelzer, South Carolina, to understand why he was named 2015 South Carolina Farmer of the Year. His passion for caring for dairy cows, improving ...; Created on 08 March 2016
28. Pasture management for improved profits: (Feed & Nutrition); Making and feeding hay and silage is a lot of work. It takes time and money. “Can we get the animals to do some of that work for us?” Penn State Extension forage specialist Marvin Hall asked attendees ...; Created on 08 March 2016
29. Life on the family farm under the open heaven: Doing what’s right even if it costs: (Guest Blog); We bought our farm in 1991, and I learned very quickly that it was impossible to get my crops planted early in the spring. By planting late, it really cut into my crop yields. Back then, I was way in debt ...; Created on 08 March 2016
30. The Milk House: The Kelly House: (Ryan Dennis); “Tennessee Williams lived in this house,” the landlord said. She was a quiet woman in her 60s who had tried to shut the door on me, having explained that she wasn’t showing the room today. I handed her ...; Created on 08 March 2016
31. Just dropping by ... A change of mind: (Yevet Tenney); “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he ...” —Proverbs 23:7 That quote is a powerful, life-changing statement. Our minds – or our thoughts – allow us to achieve greatness or to remain in abject ...; Created on 08 March 2016
32. Mechanics Corner: Skid steer loaders: (Barns & Equipment); Skid steer loaders and compact track loaders can be very versatile dairy tools, but with so many manufacturers and options, it can be difficult to figure out what machine really suits your operation best. ...; Created on 08 March 2016
33. The language of nutrition: uNDF and iNDF: (Feed & Nutrition); What is iNDF or uNDF? A: The fiber that is locked within lignin and never (ever) capable of being digested is now termed indigestible NDF (iNDF). We use undigested NDF (uNDF) at 120 or 240 hours of digestion ...; Created on 08 March 2016
34. HERd management: Summarizing the year: (Guest Blog); When I got asked to write the HERd management column for the “State of the Dairy Industry” issue, I knew it could be a challenge. After all, how do you summarize an entire year into so few words? But ...; Created on 08 March 2016
35. The Manure Spreader: Clichés: (Tim Moffett); Clichés are the English versions of ancient Chinese proverbs. I think people who use clichés are actually saying to you, “I don’t have the time or patience to talk to you about your problem, so here is ...; Created on 08 March 2016
36. The basics for building your best barn: (Barns & Equipment); Let’s look at what it takes to build the best barn for your operation, starting with understanding the basic concepts and the most common errors in barn design as well as other design options or technologies ...; Created on 08 March 2016
37. What can an energy audit do for you?: (Management); With tax season upon us, the last thing you probably want to hear is the word “audit.” However, not all audits are created equally, and one type – an energy audit – can actually save you money. In ...; Created on 08 March 2016
38. Three producers adopt manure application techniques for soil conservation: (Manure); As more and more is learned about nutrient application and soil conservation, three innovative Wisconsin farmers have changed how they apply manure. Dan Brick, Ben Peterson and Bob Uphoff shared what ...; Created on 08 March 2016
39. Six requirements for clean milking equipment: (Barns & Equipment); When it comes to producing high-quality milk, clean milking equipment is a crucial part to achieving this goal. Monitoring milk quality counts, and keeping your milking equipment cleaning on track is a ...; Created on 08 March 2016
40. On the Edge of Common Sense: The tranquilizer gun: (Baxter Black); Unless you’re a tiger trimmer in Tanganyika, the tranquilizer gun has not lived up to its potential. During its preliminary promotion, it was touted as the greatest invention since the rope. But in the ...; Created on 08 March 2016
41. Cool stuff we saw at World Ag Expo 2016: (Event Coverage); Progressive Dairyman Editor Walt Cooley attended World Ag Expo in Tulare, California, Feb. 9-11, 2016. He walked the show seeking out booths that were stopping traffic or displaying something new that ...; Created on 22 February 2016
42. Our IVF experience: (Guest Blog); Last spring we purchased a 9-month-old heifer, an unusual move for our farm. She was 200 GTPI points higher than anything tested in our herd, positive for all the traits we watch in genetic selection and ...; Created on 17 February 2016
43. Expanding the conversation about the health benefits of milk: (Guest Blog); Milk – it’s a four-letter word that carries so many connotations. Today, milk is old fashioned and unexciting. It’s not new. It’s not exciting. It’s the same milk our parents were drinking. Perhaps that’s ...; Created on 28 January 2016
44. Beaty brothers adapt management for Tennessee challenges, opportunities: (People); Tennessee weather can be unforgiving in its ability to deliver extremes, from the heat of the deep South to the winter cold of the North. But it is also a region that delivers plenty of good grazing, ...; Created on 15 January 2016
45. Add value to manure: (Manure); Utilizing manure as fertilizer is one common approach to capturing the inherent value in manure and reducing the costs of off-farm inputs. But the approach has its limitations; particularly in situations ...; Created on 26 October 2015
46. Carbon credits: Where are they now?: (Manure); There are many things a farmer can do to help the environment. In the dairy industry, utilizing anaerobic digesters to capture methane gas and produce electricity is a primary way to reduce greenhouse ...; Created on 26 October 2015
47. Idaho dairy lives by the motto 'The only thing better than cheese is more cheese': (People); At their annual company meeting in August, Progressive Publishing employees had the opportunity to tour and sample the products at Ballard Family Dairy and Cheese in Gooding, Idaho. Steve Ballard shared ...; Created on 15 October 2015
48. 4 reasons why anaerobic digesters fail: (Manure); In partial response to the energy crisis in the early 1970s, anaerobic digesters were installed at nearly 200 dairy farms across the U.S., only for the vast majority of these systems to shut down or fail ...; Created on 29 June 2015
49. Women’s work: Operating equipment isn't just for the boys: (People); Jennifer Warner from New Holstein, Wisconsin, may have spent five years in the U.S. Air Force, but on her family farm is where she is most comfortable and can be found today. She isn’t afraid to drive ...; Created on 02 April 2015