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Current Progressive Dairy digital edition

1. Market Watch: Cattle: (Organizations); Click a link below to see updates on Cattle from a specific issue of Progressive Dairyman. 2019 Issue 20, 2019: December 12, 2019 Issue 19, 2019: November 29, 2019 Issue 18, 2019: November 7, ...; Created on 16 October 2019
2. From the editorial team: (From the Editor); Today we introduce a small change with a big meaning. We have removed “man” from our name plate in order for the second part of our name to be as open-minded as the first. With the removal of that three-letter ...; Created on 28 June 2019
3. What happened? What’s next? - Planting progress and policies collide: (Industry News); You’re busy – milking cows, evaluating feed sources and taking a break to watch the dairy show at the county fair. With that in mind, Progressive Dairy looks at issues in the news impacting you and your ...; Created on 28 June 2019
4. Manage your risk: Dairy Margin Coverage sign-up is underway: (Management); U.S. dairy farmers have been struggling with suppressed milk prices for nearly four years. The first part of 2019 has been better, but improved milk prices have been overshadowed by tariff and trade issues, ...; Created on 28 June 2019
5. Value of milk per operation - 2018 State rankings: (Industry News); Click here or on the image above to view it at full size in a new window.; Created on 28 June 2019
6. Mailbox milk prices: What do they tell us?: (Management); Five years ago, I wrote an article for this magazine on mailbox milk prices. Since that article, much has happened in the dairy industry, especially with milk prices. Now it is time to take another look ...; Created on 28 June 2019
7. Increase dairy farm productivity using the Lean management approach: (Management); The extended economic stress in the dairy industry has farm managers taking a close look at all aspects of their operations to find areas to decrease costs, increase productivity and, ultimately, improve ...; Created on 27 June 2019
8. Focus on strategies for team effectiveness: (Management); Whether the dairy is a smaller operation, with the family all pitching in on whatever job needs doing, or a large operation with round-the-clock specialized crews, effective teamwork is crucial to performance. ...; Created on 27 June 2019
9. What is quality milk? It’s at least low-SCC: (Management); Ninety-four percent of dairy farmers agree that low somatic cell and low bacteria counts are part of the definition of milk quality. That’s according to a recent online survey conducted by Progressive ...; Created on 27 June 2019
10. Adding value to dairy-beef crossbreds: (Management); With replacement heifer-raising costs often exceeding cash value, a growing number of dairy owners are recognizing the need to limit investing in excess replacement heifers and have developed a strategic ...; Created on 27 June 2019
11. Beef bulls for crossbred performance: What Riverview LLP has learned over 10 years: (Management); For 10 years now, the interdependent crossbred calf system put into place between Riverview Dairy and Wulf Cattle, home to Limousin genetic seedstock, “seems to be working,” spokesperson Lauren Osborn ...; Created on 27 June 2019
12. Northeast offers emerging market for quality crossbred dairy beef: (Management); The crossbred beef market doesn’t yet have a clear identity in the Northeast. Producers – both beef and dairy – who are early adapters are seeing some success in the markets, and the potential to develop ...; Created on 27 June 2019
13. Using data to manage milk quality: (Herd Health); Advanced milking technology provides more data points than many dairies are able to use in their day-to-day routines and management decisions. With software and tools to monitor and track every step ...; Created on 27 June 2019
14. In vitro fertilization: It’s not just for seedstock anymore: (A.I. & Breeding); In vitro fertilization (IVF) on commercial dairies has steadily increased over the past few years. While the technology was originally limited to seedstock herds due to the higher cost per pregnancy, recent ...; Created on 27 June 2019
15. How to make your next preg check your best yet: (A.I. & Breeding); There are so many factors that affect how efficiently you can get cows pregnant. Cow comfort. Cow cooling. Nutrition. Herd health. Genetics. Dry cow, transition and fresh cow management. And the list goes ...; Created on 27 June 2019
16. Cows’ calcium needs jump 65 percent in early lactation: (News); Numerous studies confirm the periparturient period (immediately before and after calving) is when dairy cows are at greatest risk of developing diseases and involuntary culling. Cows transitioning ...; Created on 27 June 2019
17. Dairy welfare audits: Maximizing benefit for your farm: (Herd Health); Successful dairies have healthy cattle and consistent animal care. Dairy welfare audits aim to evaluate both and provide a structure for measuring performance of animal health and cattle care. Measuring ...; Created on 27 June 2019
18. Just dropping by ... Songs of patriotism: (Yevet Tenney); It seems there is a concerted effort today to destroy American heritage. Statues of bygone days are being torn down, mottos are being erased, and values are being demolished. The rights of the offended ...; Created on 27 June 2019
19. Equipment Hub: Rake settings for quality hay and forage: (Barns & Equipment); The 2019 hay season is shaping up to be a rather challenging one with the seemingly endless rain and lower temperatures across most of the nation. With the widespread winterkill in many alfalfa fields ...; Created on 27 June 2019
20. The Milk House: Measuring the value of work: (Ryan Dennis); A significant proportion of my childhood happened in the silence of a tractor cab. There was a brisk manner in which the morning moved from milking to feeding calves to feeding cows, but the afternoon ...; Created on 27 June 2019
21. HERd Management: ‘We’re still holding on’: (Guest Blog); Ask a dairy farmer how things are going, and I bet you’ll get a familiar answer: “We’re still holding on,” which is the polite way of saying “It’s really hard right now. We’re struggling to make ends meet. ...; Created on 27 June 2019
22. The Manure Spreader: Good ol’ days: (Tim Moffett); I hate to sound like that old guy on a bench, drinking free coffee at the hardware store, but remember when things were simpler? The good ol’ days before social media, Uber and Double-Stuf Oreos. Back ...; Created on 27 June 2019
23. Predicting bull fertility using genomic data: (A.I. & Breeding); Reproductive management of dairy cows has advanced significantly in the past two decades with the advent of ovulation synchronization protocols, improvements in nutrition and cow comfort, and the incorporation ...; Created on 21 June 2019
24. Managing robot housing is key for quality milk: (Management); When you walk into your home after a long, hard day of work, you’d probably like to enter a space that’s clean, calm and comfortable. Messy, disruptive and uncomfortable living quarters can cause stress ...; Created on 04 June 2019
25. Animal care includes providing dairy cattle with opportunities for important behaviors: (Calves & Heifers); As long as a cow or calf is healthy and productive, she has good well-being, right? No, not necessarily. An animal’s welfare – how well she is faring – also includes how she’s feeling. For the ...; Created on 29 May 2019
26. ‘Marginal’ milk can drive profitability: (Management); Dairy farmers struggling to remain profitable face a dilemma: What’s good for an individual operation may not be beneficial for the industry as a whole. “The more milk we produce as an industry, the ...; Created on 17 May 2019
27. April 2019 proofs review: 10 years of genomics, current genetic trends and what new traits mean for you: (A.I. & Breeding); 2019 marks 10 years of genomic selection. Most livestock genetics conferences that are held this year will have a scientific seminar celebrating this milestone. It’s been a decade since our cattle genetic ...; Created on 25 April 2019
28. Are you a ‘real’ farmer?: (Guest Blog); If I had a dime for every time I heard, “He’s [or she’s] not a real farmer,” I would probably make more than I do currently milking cows. Actually, I don’t milk cows. I hate milking cows. In my opinion, ...; Created on 23 April 2019
29. Pen settling: The simple secret to increasing intakes and reducing stress: (Herd Health); Whether moving weaned calves into a new group or bringing springing heifers into the transition barn, many dairy producers have come to accept that a pen move will likely result in temporarily decreased ...; Created on 19 April 2019
30. How to protect your livelihood from activist videos, protests and endangerment: (Guest Blog); Farm security is not always top of mind for producers, but unfortunately, it’s necessary to protect the safety of your animals, people on your property and your livelihood. Animal rights activists will ...; Created on 10 April 2019
31. Renting facilities? Consider these factors first: (Management); When contemplating renting a facility for animals, it can be difficult to know how to calculate the value. There are standardized formats for renting other properties and assets, but no simple formula ...; Created on 21 February 2019
32. Voluntary waiting period adjustments can improve profitability: (A.I. & Breeding); An opportunity for capturing higher profits may be hiding in a herd’s voluntary waiting period (VWP). “With better control of when cows get pregnant, you can then control the timing of the pregnancies ...; Created on 21 January 2019
33. Drive heifer-raising costs down and profitability up with better repro: (A.I. & Breeding); Improved heifer raising and reproduction results in fewer total days on feed, earlier return on investment, improved cash flow by having fewer heifers on feed and more milking cows, increased first-lactation ...; Created on 13 November 2018