“Most people think they know what they are good at. They are usually wrong … and yet, a person can perform only from strength.”
I came across these words from business guru Peter Decker inside Strengths ...
I’d like to talk about cantaloupe. Specifically, a 2011 situation when a cantaloupe operation in Colorado was the focus of a deadly food safety crisis.
A nasty bug – Listeria monocytogenes – contaminated ...
More than 250 dairy producers and industry representatives gathered at the University of Florida in Gainesville, on Sept. 18, for the 55th Annual Florida Dairy Production Conference.
While the morning ...
You’re busy milking cows, doing post-harvest machinery maintenance and wondering where your winter boots and gloves are hiding. With that in mind, Progressive Dairy looks at issues in the news impacting ...
For decades, our accounting firm has produced quarterly dairy farm cost studies for our dairy clients and others to use for benchmarking and profitability improvement.
The accompanying illustrated ...
Milk secretion is a defining characteristic of mammals. Milk composition varies by species, by stage of lactation, age and there are dietary influences, as well.
In developing a product to replace ...
When selecting a liquid feeding program for growing calves, there are benefits and drawbacks to consider, including nutrient intake targets for growth goals, program management, economics and potential ...
We often think the weaning period is the only traumatic transition period for calves; however, the entire pre-weaning period consists of many difficult and stressful periods of transition.
Following ...
Jerseys are the fastest growing population among dairy breeds, and it’s no surprise the industry is hungry for more data on how to better feed and manage them. With respect to feeding Jersey calves, there ...
With heifer raising accounting for roughly 20 percent of total farm expenses, paying close attention to heifer nutrition and management is essential for raising quality replacement animals without adding ...
Balancing hours spent working on a dairy farm with family time can prove to be quite a challenge for many in our industry. With countless farm tasks that need to be completed each day, it can be difficult ...
Picture this: An adorable one-year-old boy donning a red bandana and cow-print diaper nestled next to a dazzling white and black speckled Holstein calf lying in a picturesque green pasture.
That’s ...
To this day dairywoman Judy Springstroh, age 75, gets up at 3:30 every morning to milk cows alongside her daughter Amber on their 65-head tiestall dairy in Freedom, Wisconsin. Springstroh grew up on a ...
When it comes to commemorating a milestone, what is the best way to celebrate? With cake, of course. The cake to celebrate the milestone in this story is carefully baked, decorated with purple frosting ...
Most humans consider caring for animals a moral responsibility. But for farmers, it is more than this. It is a farmer’s fundamental purpose to nurture and protect animals. Their livelihood depends on being ...
During 2018, Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) members, who are also researchers, reviewed and updated DCRC’s recommended list of estrous synchronization protocols.
The updated protocols are ...
As dairies seek to mitigate financial risk, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is moving to the forefront as a tool to capitalize on the best genetics in their herds through timely pregnancies, shorter calving ...
No two dairies are exactly the same, but one belief is consistent worldwide: Healthy cows are more profitable and more enjoyable to work with.
In the last 10 years, we have seen a significant push ...
Reality check: John has worked on his family’s farm since he was 12 years old. He is 38 years old and has three children. John had just finished loading silage into the silo and was approaching the tractor’s ...
The USDA has clarified that acreage seeded to alfalfa-and-grass-mixture forage crops is not eligible for federal payments under the Market Facilitation Program (MFP).
The MFP is part of the 2019 Trade ...
“Every adversity, every failure, every heartbreak carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” — Napoleon Hill
I have followed the thread of adversity through my life and find Napoleon ...
Being a goal-oriented person has never been a “thing” I would normally associate myself with. This was something I acquired recently in my life. I am a full-time farmer, a mother and a part-time gelato ...
I tend to be a quantity-over-quality type of guy. Instead of a nice pair of jeans, I’d rather have three cheap pairs of Levis to take the pressure off washing.
Rather than a Ferrari, I’d take a dented ...
My grandpa always had a saying, “There is no house big enough for two families.” And that’s why he was the greatest single-wide trailer salesman ever.
He also would say, “This ain’t no Motel 6. The ...
Disease risks on the dairy farm constantly change. Therefore, it’s important to evaluate and update vaccination protocols regularly with your veterinarian to protect heifers and cows against the challenges ...
It’s become a tradition for the Progressive Dairy team to scope out new products, ideas and innovations to share with readers following World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. The 2019 show, with the theme ...
Let’s be honest. Whenever we eat something, do we always check to see if it’s FDA or USDA approved? No. We may have a quick look if we care and have the time. Maybe we see the marketing labels and check ...
Due to the cyclical nature of the industry, resiliency is a valuable trait for dairy operations. But it’s especially important as operations return to profitability.
It’s easy to fall into the trap ...
Houses. Relationships. Businesses. What do all three have in common? They all are built from a solid foundation, and calf hutches are no different.
The type of hutch foundation you choose can impact ...
Keith Cunningham went from zero to $100 million and lost it in a period of 3.5 years.
Emotions, excessive pride, greed and arrogance slipped into the way Cunningham ran his business, and he lost it all. ...
“I think cows in general are beautiful creatures. I easily get inspired by personalities, coloring, spots, wrinkles or folds, if they have fluffy ears or long eyelashes, droopy eyes or nose freckles – ...
Whether you’ve had auto-feeders for five months or five years, you know how important it is to make sure your investment is paying off with improved calf performance from the start.
One area to capture ...
Created on 15 May 2019
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