Jim Dickrell

Jim Dickrell is the editor Dairy Herd Management and is based in Monticello, Minn. He has 27 years of publication experience, and also operated his family’s Wisconsin family dairy farm for three years following graduation from the University of Wisconsin—River Falls. He also holds a Masters Degree from Hamline University, St. Paul, Minn.

Latest Stories
‘In our analysis, 120% was the optimal stocking rate in terms of maximum profit per stall.’ –Albert De Vries, University of Florida.
Age at calving and the herd’s overall cull rate have a huge impact on heifer raising costs.
DMI scans news and social media to respond immediately and appropriately to reinforce the good dairy news and limit the impact of the bad.
Two dairy producers discuss the nitty-gritty of vertical integration.
Necropsies help define the cause of death and inform producers about the types of problems that occur on the farm.
To date, no dairy farms have been forced to evacuate, though some cattle have been moved to higher ground.
An analysis of bulk tank somatic cell counts in four Federal Milk Marketing Orders suggests the 400,000 cell/ml European Union (EU) threshold may be having a positive impact on U.S. milk quality.
Year-to-date, 1,818,000 dairy cows have been sent to slaughter, up 3.2%.
Milk production declined in most major western states: California, down 3.5%; Arizona, down 2%; Idaho, down 1.1%, and Oregon, down 0.9%.
The ban could disrupt world dairy markets, creating an opening for U.S. products.
Returns to management, when all costs such as labor and fixed costs are included, quickly bleed red ink.
It will be part of House/Senate Conference Committee negotiations, says Sen. Debbie Stabenow, chairperson of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Shipments of non-compliant milk dropped from just under 10% in January 2012 to 6% in June.
The bill contains dairy margin insurance but no market stabilization program.
A new report identifies better business practices, herd health and risk management as opportunities for higher profitability.