Newsletter Articles
Money-makers in difficult times
Dairy Herd Management asked dairy farmers from across the U.S. to share the top five things they have turned to in recent years to add value to their operations. Here is what they had to say.
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Don't miss lame cows
Visual observation for lameness is a good practice, and one that you should employ often on your dairy. However, farmers often only identify about 25 percent of lame cows, says Nuria Chapinal, animal-welfare researcher at the University of British Columbia and the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College. Some of the challenges are that visual assessments are subjective, time-consuming and training is necessary.
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Lameness: The 'big No. 1' animal-welfare problem
As soon as Caledonia, N.Y., dairy producer Mark Callan got a hint of a lameness problem, he took action. It was a few days before Christmas. Callan recalls it well, because his son, Ryan, had just arrived home from college for the holidays. And, far from having a relaxing time ahead of him, Ryan was assigned the task of removing the brisket boards in the free-stalls.
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Corn collapses on USDA data; Class III shows vulnerable side
Spot prices held steady Thursday and, despite a sole bid in the blocks, futures prices fell. Simply put, you have to feed the bull and it went hungry yet again following days of nothing in the style of significant spot cheese price increases.
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Poll: How will you celebrate the 4th of July?
- Grill out with friends and family
- Fireworks
- Go to a parade
- Work
- Other
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Free Web access to The Dairyland Initiative for veterinarians
The latest information on "cow comfort” and healthy heifer housing has become even more accessible.
Veterinarians in North America may now register for a free two-year subscription to The Dairyland Initiative’s Web site, thanks to sponsorship from Pfizer Animal Health.
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Get manure’s full value
Recently, more and more dairy farmers have been considering the contribution of manure’s value to their cash flow in livestock operation budgets. But, determining the economic value of the nutrients in livestock manure can be tricky. To help, check out this spreadsheet that considers first-year fertilizer replacement value, possible residual value, and yield impacts, along with application cost.
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Drug residue pointer sheet
A one-page document discussing common reasons for carcass drug residues is now available for dairy farmers.
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Social media 2.0
While many organizations will tell you to follow them on Facebook and Twitter, not many of them tell you how to use these sites, says the Ohio Farm Bureau.
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New online maps help farmers cut manure runoff risk
New online tools can help Wisconsin farmers know when conditions are right to spread manure on their land, so it stays on the fields to fertilize the soil instead of risking pollution of streams and groundwater.
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How long should a new crop ferment before feeding?
Don’t jump the gun when feeding your new-crop corn silage. Feeding a crop that hasn’t properly fermented can lower dry matter intake (DMI), decrease milk production, and cause digestive upsets.
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- Vilsack: Taking time to remember the fallen
- Ag markets diverge just before the long holiday weekend
- Study suggests dairy herd water quality linked to milk production
- Wis. lawmakers question challenges to large wells
- Traders evening up positions ahead of the weekend Friday
- Bio-Vet and Keller break ground on new facility
- Seven jobs more dangerous than farming
- White House urges Senate to cut crop insurance in farm bill
- Class III futures close out quietly last week
- 4 rules for growing a business or industry
- Drop in U.S. underground water levels has accelerated
- Ongoing wave of Calif. metal theft prompts further legislation
