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Don Bennink, owner of North Florida Holsteins in Bell, Florida, has been a standout in dairy industry advocacy and within the Holstein community.

It is now a standard feature on any bull evaluation page: the genotype for beta casein, better known as A2. Despite not being a trait, nor a genetic defect, the A2A2 genotype has grown to become an undeniable marketing tool.

Unlike the stock market where you can cash out on a bad investment, bad genetic decisions stick with your herd and stay for generations.

“The three largest expenses of a dairy business are feed costs for the lactating herd, labor and raising replacement heifers,” Dr. Joseph Dalton of the University of Idaho stated as he opened his presentation at the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference recently in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

For people with jobs that require them to stand for long periods of time on hard floors or concrete, anti-fatigue mats are often placed at the feet of their workstation.

With the market turmoil of the last few years, dairy producers are once again increasing stocking densities on their farms and enjoying larger milk checks from the increased milk shipped. It’s so easy to add a few extra cows and reap the rewards.