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Current Progressive Dairy digital edition

1. Andy Whitman: You can't manage what you don't measu: (Guest Blog); This blog was posted to the "Where good comes from" website from the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. Author Andy Whitman is the director of the natural capital initiative for the Manomet Center for ...; Created on 19 September 2012
2. Manure Expo delights despite the aroma: (Event Coverage); While there is a lot that can be (and has been) said about a show about manure, to those who have a stake in the business this event is a sure delight. Held on Aug. 22, 2012, the North American Manure ...; Created on 19 September 2012
3. Industry Honor Roll: Minnesota dairy families honored; Horizon Organic awards scholarships: (People in the News); Dairy families honored by University of Minnesota U of M recognized 76 Farm Families of 2012, including several dairy industry families: Carlton County: Newman Dairy Carver County: Heuer Dairy Inc. ...; Created on 18 September 2012
4. Calf care essential to a dairy’s future: (Calves & Heifers); Calves are essential to a dairy operation, as they represent the future of the herd and its income. They are also the most vulnerable segment of a herd, highly susceptible to disease with the highest mortality ...; Created on 18 September 2012
5. What a difference a year makes: (From the Editor); One year ago, the difference between the value of milk and the cost of feed was much different than it is today. In this issue, we debut a new graphic that will follow the proposed national dairy margin, ...; Created on 18 September 2012
6. September 21, 2012 issue: Export watch: (Organizations); Click here to download the latest export watch, provided by the USDEC. PD; Created on 18 September 2012
7. Heifer breeding protocol at Diamond H Dairy: (A.I. & Breeding); Click her e to download a PDF of Heifer breeding protocol at Diamond H Dairy in Chowchilla, California.; Created on 18 September 2012
8. InFocus: The United States of Automation: (Barns & Equipment); Progressive Dairyman compiled the map below using installation data from robotic milking companies highlighted below. States with at least one robotic milking installation of any kind are shaded in ...; Created on 17 September 2012
9. Silage Day in California: (Event Coverage); A significant part of most dairies’ total mixed ration, corn silage is a crop that can lose its nutritional potential if not harvested and stored carefully. University of California dairy advisers and ...; Created on 17 September 2012
10. Select Sires offers open house and parade of bulls: (Event Coverage); For the first time in more than a decade, COBA/Select Sires offered facility tours and a parade of bulls at an open house for customer-owners on August 10 at the Select Sires Inc. headquarters. While ...; Created on 17 September 2012
11. Are we giving up on fluid milk sales?: (Industry News); Fluid milk sales continue to decline. Recently released USDA numbers show 2011 fluid milk sales at 53.2 billion lbs. Back in 1990, the number was around 54.8 billion lbs., nearly a 3 percent decline. ...; Created on 17 September 2012
12. What separates the most and least profitable dairies: (Management); The dairy industry has seen much change in just the past few years. Extend the timeline out further and it has seen tremendous change in terms of productivity, technology and even financials. The Northeast ...; Created on 17 September 2012
13. Does your dairy live in a world without consequences?: (Management); Imagine living in a world where there are no consequences. What do you think that would be like? At first, that sounds kind of intriguing, doesn’t it? You could eat whatever you want ... calories wouldn’t ...; Created on 17 September 2012
14. Drought lessons learned the hard way: (Industry News); The stressful growing condition much of the country is currently experiencing is the fourth time agriculture has been devastated by drought in the last 100 years. Most of us have at least seen documentaries ...; Created on 17 September 2012
15. How to use formal and informal power on your dairy: (Management); “I am the owner! Why do I feel so powerless?” “Why don’t my employees do what I tell them?” “I wish I had more influence with my partners.” “Employees frustrate me.” As I teach and interact with farm ...; Created on 17 September 2012
16. Estate tax time bomb’s clock is ticking: (Management); It’s been almost a year since my last article on the subject of estate planning and Congress’ extension of the federal lifetime exemption of $5 million dollars per person. This lifetime exemption is set ...; Created on 17 September 2012
17. Risk management: Big picture first, tactics second: (Management); A discussion of risk management can get very complicated very quickly. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the tactics at your disposal. What’s the right strategy? What has the best potential for long-term ...; Created on 17 September 2012
18. Time to start watching DSA’s proposed national margin: (Management); If the Dairy Security Act, as included in the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2012, or Farm Bill, were to pass Congress before the end of its current session in December, it would ...; Created on 17 September 2012
19. Put emotion to work for you in marketing: (Management); If it were as easy to program our emotions as it is to program our milk wash line, marketing would be as simple as setting a timer for great results. Unfortunately, it’s not. Your emotions can run rampant ...; Created on 17 September 2012
20. How to develop training skills for middle managers: (Management); Editor’s note: This is the second in a three-part series on developing middle managers. The first article in this series looked at determining the right ingredients and personality types for middle management ...; Created on 17 September 2012
21. PD POLL: One producer explains why tail docking should be permitted: (People in the News); YES, Tail docking in cattle should be permitted and the entire subject be left up to the owner and no one else – period! First, my safety and the safety of my children and any other who may milk for me ...; Created on 17 September 2012
22. 3 open minutes with Sonny Ramaswamy: (People in the News); In March, President Obama appointed Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy as director of the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Ramaswamy, an entomologist, grew up in India at a time when food was ...; Created on 17 September 2012
23. Waiving renewable fuel standards: Would it lower feed costs?: (Feed & Nutrition); It’s no secret that corn supplies will be low this year – and tensions are running high on what to do about it. Numerous organizations have signed on to a petition presented to EPA Administrator Lisa ...; Created on 14 September 2012
24. The world of social media: It doesn’t have to be that scary: (Guest Blog); I learned about computers during a time when punch cards, FORTRAN and COBOL were trendy terms. I’m not going to say that I remained stuck in the computerized era of the 1970s and ’80s. After all, I found ...; Created on 14 September 2012
25. Practical aspects of dealing with volatile feed markets: (Feed & Nutrition); Feed prices are at historic highs. Along with this, milk prices have not kept pace, causing extremely tight (many times negative) margins. High feed prices and variability in supplies have created the ...; Created on 14 September 2012
26. Experts share knowledge at Renaissance conference: (Event Coverage); Renaissance Nutrition, Inc. held its annual company educational conference in late July, with a lineup of 10 nationally recognized speakers from the dairy industry. A total of nearly 150 people from both ...; Created on 14 September 2012
27. World Dairy Expo grounds are ever-changing: (Organizations); There is something new coming to World Dairy Expo this year that you won’t want to miss. Actually, at 26,000 square feet, the New Holland Trade Center will be just plain hard to miss. “I’m really excited ...; Created on 14 September 2012
28. Social media brings World Dairy Expo enthusiasts together: (Event Coverage); “Cows” is the common language spoken every year at World Dairy Expo, says the show’s marketing manager, Liz Matzke. Whether in the show ring, on the commercial exhibit floor or online at the expo’s website ...; Created on 14 September 2012
29. Exhibitors bring many ‘firsts’ to World Dairy Expo: (Products & Services); Progressive Dairyman asked several companies exhibiting at World Dairy Expo to highlight a few of the new products that will be on display at the show. Heifer genomics guide With the introduction of ...; Created on 14 September 2012
30. Trade your feedback for a noggin cover at World Dairy Expo!: (Organizations); Share your feedback, earn a hat This year at World Dairy Expo, Progressive Dairyman is committed to hearing from readers. We invite you to stop by our booth in the Arena Building and tell us what ...; Created on 14 September 2012
31. Silage quality and tonnage: Can a dairy producer have it all?: (Feed & Nutrition); As a dairy producer, you may think it’s impossible to meet the nutritional needs of your herd with a high-quality corn silage without sacrificing tonnage. But with the wide selection of silage hybrids ...; Created on 14 September 2012
32. Studies take close look at effects of shredlage and snaplage: (Feed & Nutrition); A recent study at the University of Wisconsin Arlington Research Station shows that snaplage can be a viable way to feed dairy herds – but its effect on milk depends on how it is fed. The feeding trial ...; Created on 14 September 2012
33. California’s air quality regs: A future model for the U.S.?: (Industry News); California, as the country’s largest dairy state, likes its cows. But it’s also trying to clean up its air quality. So it’s asked dairymen to pitch in. Could the rest of the country someday request the ...; Created on 14 September 2012
34. What tools do we have to properly balance diets?: (Feed & Nutrition); Engineers had the slide rule. Nutritionists used Pearson’s Square to calculate the proper inclusion rates for two ingredients in order to achieve the desired concentration of a single nutrient. A lot ...; Created on 14 September 2012
35. Digital infrared thermography: An early warning system?: (Herd Health); Imagine taking a cow’s temperature simply by snapping a picture of her head. Want an early warning system to detect hoof disease or mastitis? Just snap a picture of the cow’s foot or udder. These and ...; Created on 14 September 2012
36. Harnessing the power of rumination: (Herd Health); It’s never difficult to spot a healthy, content cow. She’s the one chewing her cud after eating comfortably at the feedbunk. For generations, dairy producers, veterinarians and nutritionists have relied ...; Created on 14 September 2012
37. Producer roundtable: How do you use rumination monitoring?: (Management); With activity monitoring systems trending across the dairy industry, Progressive Dairyman reviewed how producers are using one specific system that tracks data not previously monitored – rumination ...; Created on 14 September 2012
38. Choosing the right cow traffic system for your robotic dairy: (Barns & Equipment); Just like snowflakes and udder conformations, no two farms are exactly the same. Robotic milking has certainly highlighted this fact as more North American dairy producers are preparing their farms for ...; Created on 14 September 2012
39. Part 3, Detection of bovine mastitis: A new ‘gold standard’: (Herd Health); Editor’s note: This is the final article of a three-part series. With traditional mastitis detection methods, complex media are used for the growth and isolation of bacterial organisms. On-farm preparation, ...; Created on 14 September 2012
40. The lowdown on low-temp CIP detergents: (Barns & Equipment); Typical alkaline detergents are effective in water temperatures from 170°F down to 120°F and, in most CIP situations, that’s an acceptable range. However, when called to diagnose CIP system issues, we ...; Created on 14 September 2012
41. When is the best time to introduce a calf to group housing?: (Calves & Heifers); Group housing in the calf barn has become an efficient way to house and manage dairy calves. Since our Grober Young Animal Development Center opened its doors in 2009, there has been a dedicated effort ...; Created on 14 September 2012
42. Bedding and housing are important to your calves: (Calves & Heifers); FEATURED ONLINE COMMENT This practical calf management article features tips for keeping calves comfortable throughout all seasons of the year. to jump to the article below. Authors Mark Hill, Gale Bateman ...; Created on 14 September 2012
43. Raising healthy calves: (Calves & Heifers); There’s been lots of discussion over the years as to what’s the best way to feed the neonatal calf. The calf-raising program on a dairy farm is a critical cog in the long-term profitability of that dairy. ...; Created on 14 September 2012
44. Roundtable: Which automatic calf feeder is best for you?: (Calves & Heifers); In the September 1 issue of Progressive Dairyman, we reached out to calf researchers and asked them to share their thoughts on the future of automatic calf feeding. For this issue, we’ve invited company ...; Created on 14 September 2012
45. The hidden magic of milk: (Feed & Nutrition); Calf management has become increasingly important for many dairy producers, as scientific evidence suggests that the early stages of a heifer’s development can have long-lasting effects on her future ...; Created on 14 September 2012
46. Calves need respiratory protection: (Herd Health); As summer fades to a close, take steps to help prevent the costly effects of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Changing weather conditions can create respiratory challenges for calves. Cooling temperatures ...; Created on 14 September 2012
47. Starvation ‘virus’: A non-infectious disease: (Calves & Heifers); It was a hot sunny day in southern California when I received a phone call to do a field postmortem. I immediately said yes – I like to do those farm visits because they give me a chance to see the ...; Created on 14 September 2012
48. 5 things I can't do without: Arie Roeloff: (Calves & Heifers); Arie Roeloffs comes from a family that has been dairying for generations. Southfield Dairy in Wendell, Idaho, began milking in 1992. They have almost 5,200 head and raise all of their own calves, with ...; Created on 14 September 2012
49. Understanding immunity: (Herd Health); Does vaccination equal immunization? How do animals develop immunity? What challenges do animals encounter when trying to develop adequate immune response? These questions come up occasionally as dairy ...; Created on 14 September 2012
50. Raising replacements for quality not quantity: (A.I. & Breeding); For several years, California dairyman Greg Hooker has been aligning his 4,500-cow dairy operation for what he says is a “large shift” in heifer rearing – a focus on quality and not quantity. “In the ...; Created on 13 September 2012
51. Designing cow-centered facilities for replacements: (Calves & Heifers); Cow-centered dairy farms include animal- and worker-friendly procedures and facilities for raising dairy replacements from birth to pre-calving. They provide clean, dry and comfortable living spaces ...; Created on 13 September 2012
52. Channel system reduces amount of sediment entering lagoons: (Manure); Lagoons and ponds are required storage facilities for large cattle operations. Their purpose is to collect watershed from the livestock areas and hold it until it can be properly dispersed according to ...; Created on 13 September 2012
53. Must-know items for generating carbon credits for California’s Cap-and-Trade program: (Industry News); California’s Cap-And-Trade Regulation took effect on January 1 this year and marks a significant shift in how carbon credits from dairy digester projects built throughout the U.S. will be generated and ...; Created on 13 September 2012
54. Researchers report on ways to reduce nutrient losses: (Manure); In an effort to reduce nutrient losses from manure applied to cropland, a number of best management practices have been created. They were crafted using the best available information at the time and, ...; Created on 13 September 2012
55. Deflate and inflate tires from the driver’s seat: (Barns & Equipment); As crops come off the fields this fall, it will be time to start emptying manure storage and hauling the “black gold” back and forth to the fields. For some, those fields are contiguous to the farm where ...; Created on 13 September 2012
56. HERd management: Expo holds special memories for young dairy couple: (Guest Blog); Editor’s note: Since this is our World Dairy Expo issue, we thought we’d use this HERd management column to catch up with Kim Wilson, who wrote a blog for our Proud to Dairy network in 2010. She shared ...; Created on 13 September 2012
57. The Milk House: The geography of a family: (Ryan Dennis); Our family’s history starts with a pond on top of a hill. It was first dug by my great-grandfather, Claire Dennis, as a watering hole for cattle. He lived and milked there for two years without electricity. ...; Created on 13 September 2012
58. Just dropping by ... Ten Christian principles to consider when voting for president: (Yevet Tenney); The most important election of our lifetime is fast approaching. Some of us have made our decision and will punch the card for the candidates we have followed on the news networks. We have weighed the ...; Created on 13 September 2012
59. MECHANICS CORNER: Are you practicing farm machinery safety?: (Barns & Equipment); One of the areas we tend to have good intentions about practicing is farm safety, but sometimes our good intentions get set aside. I realize this is not intentional, but we must make an extra effort ...; Created on 13 September 2012
60. On the Edge of Common Sense: Dog DNA: (Baxter Black); The Earth recycles naturally. Plants give off oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Animals take up oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. Animals eat plants, digest and deposit it as fiber, minerals and nutrients ...; Created on 13 September 2012
61. Booths to promote special show offers: (Event Coverage); Check out a sampling of some of the unique booth promotions and educational offerings at this year’s show. Free copies of business book ‘Great by Choice’ Stewart-Peterson Inc. (EH 1605, 1606) is offering ...; Created on 13 September 2012
62. More new products to launch at World Dairy Expo: (Products & Services); European plywood replacement now available in U.S. EcoSheet recycled plywood is a durable, weather-resistant building material for a variety of agricultural applications. It is made in the U.K., where ...; Created on 13 September 2012
63. The View from Here: Comprehensive nutrient management plans: We can do better: (Guest Blog); My USDA official duty station is East Lansing, Michigan. I am here at the state Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office. The challenge is shifting my work towards domestic challenges from ...; Created on 13 September 2012
64. On the Edge of Common Sense: Praise where praise is due: (Baxter Black); If there are any heroes in the abandoned/neglected/abused horse quagmire, it is the BLM Wild Horse Program. The “unintended consequences” of Wild Horse Annie’s dreams have taken the pendulum of reasonable ...; Created on 13 September 2012
65. /MORE: Links to trending topic articles: (From the Editor); For our readers' convenience, we've compiled a list of all of the trending topic articles features. July 1, 2013: A.I. company hand-picked its preferred activity monitor system June 11, 2013: Flavor ...; Created on 30 December 2011
66. Market Watch: Cattle [2012]: (Industry News); Click a link below to see updates on Cattle from a specific issue of Progressive Dairyman. Issue 18 2012: December 11, 2012 Issue 17 2012: November 21, 2012 Issue 16 2012: November 1, 2012 Issue ...; Created on 27 December 2010