Feeding waste milk to calves captures high-quality nutrients and adds value to a product that otherwise would be discarded. But recent research sheds light on concerns about the practice.
The VarcorTM system from Washington state-based Sedron Technologies converts dairy manure into high-value components in a continuous closed loop, all without tractors, manure spreaders, or waste lagoons.
Veterinarians and their staffs have a higher suicide rate than the general population. “Not One More Vet” is an organization dedicated to reversing that disturbing statistic.
Trace minerals are important to calves’ development, but these nutritional components can vary in source. It turns out some trace minerals are more palatable than others, resulting in differences in consumption.
Building a new autofeeder barn, or retrofitting an existing structure for autofeeders and/or group housing, is a tremendous investment. Calf raisers “in the trenches” offer their advice on how to do it right.
RNG is natural gas derived from the decomposition of organic waste material, including food waste; garden and lawn clippings; municipal wastewater; landfill waste; and – the biggie for livestock production – manure.
A recent study at a northern Colorado dairy showed whether cows had to wait a long time to be milked or a little did not have much impact on their subsequent activity and resting behavior.
The benefits of dry-period cooling for cows have been documented for several years. But what about first-calf heifers, who don’t technically have a “dry” period?
We now know the beneficial influence of feeding transition milk to calves. Is there a way to deliver that nutritional and immunological support and bypass the tedious process of harvesting and feeding transition milk?
The relationship between the digestive tract and brain function is receiving a lot of newfound attention. Ruminant nutritionist Mariah Gull explores the connection between the two and how stress can upset the balance.
More than 40% of the milk fat produced in the United States is used to manufacture cheese, and two-thirds of the European Union’s milk production goes into cheese and butter.
A more traditional approach to feeding ration elements separately could help address concerns related to overhead costs, labor shortages, and fuel usage.
Its name sounds like something that belongs in the pages of a Dr. Seuss book. But festulolium actually is a highly useful hybrid forage grass – the result of a cross between fescue grass and ryegrass.
"Dairy" farms are seeing a shift from the traditional business of selling milk and meat. Instead, farmers are leaning towards enterprises with a multitude of revenue streams.
The sooner calves eat enough dry feed to sustain themselves, the better equipped they are to bridge the nutritional gap between the fixed liquid ration and a weaned diet of solely dry feeds.
A new insurance concept is being launched to allow dairy producers around the world to financially insure against the production losses caused by heat stress.
Maternal colostrum is often considered nature’s “perfect food.” But does this “free” resource help calves achieve passive immunity as reliably as the guaranteed ingredients in a bag of colostrum replacer?
No matter the size of your dairy, staying on top of safety protects your employees and your business. Safety expert Chris St. Pierre shares his advice on safety elements that should be present on every dairy.
The new Calf Care & Quality Assurance program is ready to engage some arms and legs to carry out its mission. The second CCQA Instructor training is planned for June 2022.
Farmers are the original recyclers, and a company called repurposedMATERIALS is matching creative users with expired industrial products that otherwise would be headed for the landfill.
Putting up wetter forages as fermented baleage has definite feed-value and harvest-efficiency advantages. But rats and mice love baleage as much as cows do, especially if it contains grain.
It’s important to stay abreast of new research that can influence dairy management practices. That’s what happened recently at Rosy-Lane Holsteins, Watertown, Wis.
In the quest to find alternatives to antibiotics to fight disease in dairy calves, essential oils are the subject of a growing body of calf health research.
Access to livestock drugs through over-the-counter (OTC) channels was curbed considerably starting in 2017. Soon, OTC antibiotics may no longer be available through traditional channels at all.
After more than 20 years on the market in the U.S., robotic milking systems continue to gain popularity as farms battle the ongoing challenges of labor expense and shortages.
Farmland currently appears to be something akin to a modern-day gold rush. It can’t be bought up fast enough, while per-acre prices fetched for recent sales set record high after record high.
Ukraine produces half of all the sunflower oil on the world export market, along with 15% of the corn, and nearly 10% of global wheat exports annually.
