Cows must be milked twice or three times per day, 365 days of the year. For this reason, the milking center is an extremely vital part of every dairy farm.There are primarily two types of milking facilities...

Few things in life are free. Unfortunately for dairy farmers, even incidences of unwanted disease, like lameness, come with a price. The most obvious costs of lameness are associated with treatment

Farmers join together for safe drinking water by Abby Bauer, Associate Editor Northeastern Wisconsin is home to a growing number of dairy cows. In fact, Kewaunee County is one of the nation's most densely...

A survey of Iowa dairy farmers revealed their efforts to enhance fresh cow care. By Abby Bauer, Hoard's Dairyman Associate Editor The transition period is fittingly named, as a dairy cow goes through a...

Safe bunks require top planning. Corn silage harvest season is upon us. While chopping in the southern United States may be wrapped up, many locations in the North are just gearing up for this busy time...

You can have your plastic and eat it, too. Grocery store aisles are filled with foods wrapped in plastic packaging. While useful, these thin plastic films create a lot of nonrecyclable waste, and in reality,...

Heat hits reproduction hard. A drop in feed intake and loss of milk yield are some of the immediate impacts hot weather can have on a dairy herd, but the aftermath of steamy summer days can last long into...

Cropland value takes uncharacteristic dip by Abby Bauer, Associate Editor The recently released USDA "Land Values 2016 Summary Report" announced an average $40-per-acre decline in cropland values across...

A case of distracted eating. Eating is a big part of our lives. Food is central to many social events; it brings us comfort; and most importantly, food provides the nutrients we need to survive. Despite...

Invest where it matters most. When margins are slim, farmers are forced to make tough decisions. While it is tempting to cut corners wherever possible, not all cuts yield comparable results. The key is...

Dairy doesn't bait kids with bright colors. Bright colors attract the attention of children. That's why we see brightly colored toys, vibrantly illustrated books, and vividly animated movies. The same...

Which country tops the beef export charts? Since the turn of the century, India's beef exports have expanded rapidly. With that growth, the South Asian country surpassed Brazil to become the world's largest...

Salmonella is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States, responsible for an estimated 1 million cases of sickness every year. In people with weakened immune systems, young...

Opening a door to the enemy. Dairy farmers are not the only ones under the intense scrutiny of consumers and animal rights groups. The poultry industry has also found itself being critiqued by those outside...

The good kind of cover-up. While a criminal trying to "cover up" a crime is a bad thing, crops used to "cover up" fields between cropping seasons are just the opposite. And even though cover crops are...

For farms struggling to find enough employees or looking for more flexibility in their daily routine, robotic milking systems have become an intriguing option

It is very common to see celebrities on commercials or in advertisements, promoting the latest sports car, the next hottest shoe, or the newest food or drink items on the market. At times, the dairy industry...

Move over, bacon. Cheese wants to share the spotlight. The widespread popularity and almost cult-like following of bacon makes it an easy choice for sprucing up common menu items at any restaurant, from...

A Pennsylvania cow wins big at the World Dairy Expo International Guernsey Show

The winning 4-year-old captured top honors at World Dairy Expo's International Jersey Show. Quality ran deep in the Jersey show, and Judge Michael Heath and his associate, Wayne Stiles, both of Westminister,...