Click a link below to see updates on cattle from a specific issue of Progressive Dairy.
2021
Issue 2, 2021: January 19, 2021 Issue 1, 2021: January 1, 2021
2020 Issue 20, 2020: December 12, ...
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me about the horrible “factory farms” that dominate modern agriculture today, I’d be retiring next year. This is especially true anytime I go home to visit ...
With world and U.S. milk production on the rise, building markets for U.S. dairy farmers is critical. In April, the Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) export assistance program expanded the dairy products ...
Misled, uninformed and agenda-driven groups love to use social media to spread misinformation about how you farm and the milk you produce. The checkoff is doing something about that. Consumer confidence ...
Robotic milking, automated calf feeding, daily body condition scoring, in-line sensors and monitors for just about every function of a dairy cow’s day and more were covered at Precision Dairy 2015. ...
Two years ago, I wrote an article about a challenge to the federal marketing order for raisins. Then, the Supreme Court held that raisin growers who had a portion of their crop seized for “reserve marketing” ...
Today, almost all packaged fluid milk, as well as many other dairy products sold to consumers, has the following or something similar printed on the product’s package: “This milk is produced from cows ...
Versatility and flexibility have become two of the greatest characteristics built into products in the 21st century. My wife has a watch that doesn’t just tell the time; it also counts her steps throughout ...
For the U.S. dairy farmer, global food security may seem irrelevant or idealistic, but as 10 college interns are discovering this summer, this issue affects everyone, especially farmers.
“Global ...
During a recent interview with a 94-year-old family business patriarch, he kicked off the conversation with the following statement. “I am not in control of this business anymore. And I don’t like it.” ...
Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series.
In the world of dairy nutrition, with sophisticated models, curvilinear optimization and five-plus decimal accuracy, one of the greatest problems ...
Yeast-derived carbohydrates (YDCs) indirectly act through a number of mechanisms to alleviate production issues. YDCs block the entrance to the gut subway, preventing pathogens from boarding trains and ...
The term “microbiome” is used to describe a community of microscopic organisms living in and on a host organism. Currently, there is a lot of interest in learning more about how specific microbiomes ...
There has been a lot written and discussed about increasing the digestibility of starch in dairy diets, and for good reason. Starch comprises, on the average, 25 percent or more of most dairy rations. ...
Crude protein (CP) is a required nutrient for dairy cattle and typically ranges from 15 to 18 percent on a dry matter basis. Dietary CP is often the most expensive macronutrient, and there has been considerable ...
The robotic milking manufacturers’ offerings continue to change, bringing with them new innovation each year. But one thing has stayed constant through all the technology changes: the need for a supplement. ...
The increased milk production possible with modern dairy cows helps shine the spotlight on the role of essential amino acids in herd production and performance. The production benefits for monogastrics ...
At nearly 7 million pounds of milk per month, Loudon County is the largest dairy-producing county in Tennessee. Neighboring Greene County has the largest number of individual dairy herds, producing ...
“Our cows are only as productive as the forages we produce for them.” There is nothing closer to the truth than this quote by a dairyman a few months ago. Forages are the foundation for high-producing ...
Watch out for the Maillard gang this summer. Across the country, these guys sneak into barns and burn them down. Official police documents may list the cause as “suspicious” or “spontaneous combustion,” ...
It is absolutely essential to capture the proper degree of kernel processing and chop length in corn silage. Processing kernels through the roller mill affects the degree of starch digestion, while setting ...
Time spent thinking about, planning for and dealing with forage varies from farm to farm. However, we find one thing very consistent among our clients and our team of nutritionists: We all expect each ...
Fungal disease of corn can cause a multitude of problems including yield loss of the corn, mycotoxin contamination and a decrease in plant quality for animal feed. In 2012, fungal disease caused a 10 percent ...
Across the U.S. dairy industry and around the world, fermented and ensiled forages and grains have become popular feedstuffs in dairy herd diets.
Fermentation and ensiling allows dairy farms to preserve ...
It’s time to get ready for harvesting 2015 corn silage, as the crop has an early start in many areas of the U.S. With current corn prices, corn silage may be the most economical forage source available ...
Whether your business is raising dairy calves or milking, no one wants to lose productivity to pests. Insects such as flies, ticks and lice pose a threat to dairy producers, as they can transmit disease, ...
Mike Larson, general manager of Larson Acres, says they were surprised to learn just how many of the cows in their herd had subclinical ketosis. Since there were no symptoms, the condition went undetected ...
Tony Louters invested in rumination monitoring technology because he wanted to make sure there were no gaps in his transition and close-up cows, and along the way, he made a discovery that has changed ...
Cud chewing – both the sights and sounds of rumination – is a key monitor of dairy cow health and has been for years. A drop in rumination time signals something is impacting rumen function or animal well-being ...
It’s impossible to assess the rumen pH of a dairy cow just by looking at her. Yet, impaired rumen digestion can be silently lowering herd production and health.With careful observation, there are subtle ...
Nutrition is always of paramount importance to dairy producers. But during the transition period, one particular nutrient becomes a central focus: calcium.
With calcium supplements available in ...
If we regulate “industries” but trust “professions” to regulate themselves, could dairy production become a profession? Some recent developments around farm-animal welfare make me think it can and should. ...
Crisis: A time of intense difficulty, trouble or danger; a time when a difficult or important decision must be made.
Crisis situations are not fun. No one looks forward to them or wishes they would happen, ...
Dairy producers may not transport cattle as often as beef producers, but knowing how to handle cattle and being prepared for difficult situations is knowledge every dairyman should have.
“We are motivated ...
To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose
under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, ...
FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative recently announced its 2015 scholarship recipients. They were selected based on leadership, scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities, essay responses and their future ...
My husband and I are finally expecting our first child.
It is something that hasn’t come easy. There were two losses, lots of doctors and lots of tears from me. But we are finally getting closer and ...
“They’re going to be happy chickens,” he said, pointing to the fence that took up most of their lawn. “The happiest chickens in town.” I was visiting friends in Germany, watching them build an elaborate ...
Picture this: a panoramic background, the green Okanogan Valley, pines and quakies with contrasting colors of a splendid autumn. The artistic eye discerns a lone riderless horse, a bay with four white ...
Paul Berdell Robotic Milking Sales Specialist GEA Farm TechnologiesArlington, Texas
What education are you bringing with you to this position? I got involved in robotic milking in 2001 when ...
Created on 13 July 2015
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