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.

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High August temperatures are likely to blame. High temps are particularly hard on fresh cows, causing them to eat less and have more digestive upsets.
Permanent Farm Law requires the Secretary of Agriculture to set the dairy price support between 75 and 90% of parity if the current Farm Bill expires.
The percentage increases are dramatic—up 12% over a year ago and up 15% over July.
Aflatoxin is a known carcinogen for both humans and livestock. The Food and Drug Administration prohibits the sale of milk with more than 0.5 parts per billion.
Feeding yeast culture led to an average increase of 3.5 lb./cow/day of fat-corrected milk and 3.6 lb./cow/day of energy-corrected milk.
Dairy Today magazine and its website, DairyToday.com, won 10 writing awards in competitions this summer.
Although the number of derogations continues to climb, it is not nearly as high as once expected.
Both the feed cost adjustor and trigger price are the highest ever calculated.
Hurricane Isaac could offer enough moisture to to germinate and grow emergency fall grains such as oats, rye or wheat in the southeast and as far north as Missouri.
The number will climb since USDA has still not issued rulings on bulk derogations submitted by a number of large cooperatives.
A two-ton per acre forage yield is worth about $300 in forage feed value.
“Even the best performing financial result showed not enough revenue to cover variable costs. The lowest breakeven price was $23.41/cwt.” Robert Tigner, University of Nebraska Extension.
August-planted oats can yield two to three tons of dry matter per acre, more than double that of other fall-seeded small grains or winter wheat.
“The first significant rainfall to moisten the upper soil profile will stimulate microbial activity, causing a flush of nitrate nitrogen to be released into the soil system,” says Kurt Steinkewith Michigan State University.
In June, as many as 10% of Upper Midwest dairy farms were not in compliance. Deadline is today.