So few young people are willing or able to return to the family farm these days, and those who do are often bogged down with family dynamics and power struggles.
The Risser family of Bainbridge, Pennsylvania, ...
The objectives of federal milk marketing orders (FMMOs) are to assure consumers of an adequate supply of wholesome milk for beverage purposes and to promote greater producer price stability and orderly ...
How much is $13,552,485,816,852? Let’s consider one billion first. One billion seconds ago it was 1959. Now multiply one billion by 13,552 and you have our national debt. But don’t stop there – it is constantly ...
With the exception of the spot period for nearby Q4 2010, the forward profit margin outlook for dairy producers is unfortunately poor as negative returns are reflected throughout next year. In our last ...
As we enter the fall months of the year, it appears that we finally have milk pricing that would put us in the black once again, but how long will it last? We are already seeing the Class III market on ...
The day after the auction of the cattle and equipment provides a mix of emotions for a dairyman. There is a bittersweet sense of relief that he is no longer responsible for milking and feeding his herd, ...
Research by Dr. David Mertens, formerly of the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center and now retired, indicates that a rain event in a bunker silo can affect milk production by up to 6 pounds of milk per ...
TRENDING TOPIC ARTICLE: FEED & NUTRITION
Published: November 1, 2010 print issue of Progressive Dairyman
In this past article, nutritionist John Hibma outlined the different forms of fats available and ...
The extremely volatile economic situation experienced over the last few years underscores the need for effective record-keeping and sound business planning. The time to start is now.
I have compiled a ...
President Obama signed the new tax bill into law on Sept. 27. This law contains several new provisions as well as extensions of older provisions that were scheduled to expire at the end of 2010. Many of ...
One thing I like about working with dairymen is they are not afraid of taking risks to be successful.
Initially, we were asked to talk about expansion opportunities for dairy operations. While that sounds ...
Since mid-2008, we have seen milk prices as low as $10 and as high as $22. Corn, corn silage, soybean meal and other feedstuffs have also experienced significant price volatility. Day-to-day operation ...
The road to better marketing continues for Dave Geiser and Deb Reinhart of Gold Star Farms. After choosing a marketing consultant in November 2009, Dave and Deb began their journey toward better control ...
Extended workers’ compensation, leaves and other disability leaves present an ongoing challenge to employers. For dairy producers, these challenges are magnified by the typical dairy’s lack of additional ...
Compared with the general business world, our dairy farm businesses are small, even referred to as micro businesses. The business definition of a small business is often one with less than 500 employees; ...
The general public is increasingly concerned about air and water quality, especially as it relates to manure management. In response, governing bodies pass laws and regulatory agencies develop regulations ...
“The use of copper sulfate footbaths is no big deal. Don’t worry about it!” Is this what you and your neighbors are saying? Let’s evaluate that position and see if it holds water. First, we need to understand ...
The fundamental design for the dairy barn is to provide cow comfort, labor efficiency, economic viability and waste management efficiency. Solving the manure collection and removal problem will result ...
In early October, construction was completed on a solar energy system at Whitesides Dairy near Rupert, Idaho. This is the first dairy operation to install a solar energy system of this size in the state ...
A few years back, I was working on a big project. I needed to plant 120 acres of triticale for a dairyman. I got everything greased, lubed and fueled up the night before and thought I was all ready to ...
In 2003, Northern Plains Dairy introduced the practice of mortality composting to Minnesota. As the first dairy in the state to dispose of dead cows via composting, it has refined and replicated the ...
When planning a dairy cattle freestall housing system, focus on the cow and the freestall where you expect her to spend half her work day, resting and making milk. The size of the resting and lunge areas ...
Maintaining a low bulk tank somatic cell count has always been a good dairy management strategy. Low somatic cell counts are associated with improved milk quality, increased shelf life and cheese yield ...
While cleaning up around the farm, it is a good time to take a look for possible chemical contaminants that could impact the health of your animals or the safety of the products they produce. Dairy farmers ...
Speaking with a friend of mine who is a high school teacher, I learned a valuable lesson about how to deal with sudden, messy situations. He told me that while waiting at a stop sign to leave the parking ...
There was a horse sold this summer down in Missouri. Probably the most famous horse in the world…Trigger. RFD-TV paid a lot of money to own the mounted figure of this celebrity equine, Roy Rogers’ Paramount ...
It was one of those calving wrecks that just seemed to get worse and worse. Clay’s brother said he had never seen a pickup give birth. The first pass through the calving pasture that morning, they observed ...
The yellow leaves of autumn are sprinkling the trees. Soon they will be full-blown orange and red. The world will be a panorama of beauty. Summer will be forgotten, and thoughts of winter will come with ...
In the many years writing this column, now just a year short of two full decades, I have written of expeditionary work. By my last count, the effort and energy spent in a dozen countries along with situational ...
The past year has been full of celebrity infidelity and scandal. I’ve always been a news junkie, and it’s amazing to me how tabloid gossip has gained newsworthy status. In one of the “news” stories Tiger ...
An egg can support a large amount of weight. Its strength comes from its dome shape. Some research has shown that chicken eggs can handle as much as 17 pounds on the end. This amazingly strong shell ...
This article was #24 in PDmag's Top 25 most-well read articles in 2010.
Summary: The National Dairy Producers Organization was established in the early fall of 2010. Doug Maddox and Gary Genske, both ...
Created on 22 October 2010
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