Latest News From Maureen Hanson

A researcher explores the intricacies of fecal pH and explains how changes in the metric can be an early signal of digestive and health disruptions in dairy cows.

Fecal pH monitoring is a logical tool to keep a handle on what’s happening in the digestive tract, and detect early signals of digestive disruption.

Prior to prohibition in the U.S. more than 80 years ago, hemp was a significant commodity crop in many parts of the country.

U.S. dairy cow inventories rounded out 2021 at 67,000 head lower – a 1% drop – compared to the previous year.

Dairy calf and heifer raisers from across the country will have the opportunity to learn, share, and exchange ideas at the 2022 Annual Conference and Trade Show of the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association.

A protocol overhaul helped the team at Singing Brook Farms, Imler, Pa., up their game in colostrum delivery. Two of their key managers share how they now seamlessly deliver high-quality colostrum to every newborn calf.

It is well-known that sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is a harmful and costly condition for adult dairy cows. But when calves get SARA, is it bad news for them, too? A Canadian researcher’s conclusion: maybe not.

Providing free choice water to newborn calves has been shown to deliver a wide array of benefits in terms of calf health and performance. But it’s also a huge challenge for some farms in the winter.

Distinct drawbacks make BMR corn silage far from the all-encompassing silver bullet it was once hoped to be.

Understanding the mechanisms leading to ketosis in dairy cows is the focus of a new study launched at Texas Tech University.

TMR consistency and composition are important to efficient and reliable nutrient delivery in lactating cow rations. But the impact of those factors actually can span much further.

Are all calcium boluses equally effective? According to a study by a group of Canadian researchers: no.

Contraband meat entering the United States illegally is on a dramatic upswing, creating risk to the safety of U.S. livestock herds and poultry flocks.

Holstein springer prices through January 2022 were a mixed bag that netted out at mostly steady month-over-month.

There are a range of efforts underway worldwide to curb methane production by cattle.

The dairy, beef, and veal sectors are collaborating to form a first-of-its-kind program to promote the health and welfare of calves throughout the supply chain.

Learning from their peers, tradition, and strategically embracing new technology were three prominent themes among western Canadian dairy calf raisers.

Emerging antibiotic resistance, along with zoonotic multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria, have driven decision-making changes in how we treat food animals.

Habits formed early in life – whether good or bad – often carry through to adulthood. Like little children, calves, too, need to be trained on positive behaviors, including the way they eat.

Virtual meetings – once a bit of a novelty – now dominate the weekly or even daily schedules of many professionals.

The recent, meteoric rise in dairy markets have dairy producers feeling cautiously optimistic, but high feed costs are tempering that optimism for those who purchase much of their feed.

Can you imagine what the industry will look like in the next 50 years?

Anti-caking agents make the pellet manufacturing process easier, and can help prevent ground feeds from doming, bridging, and sticking to equipment.

Breakdowns in the global supply chain are hitting home for U.S. livestock producers and the veterinarians who serve them, in the form of shortages of commonly used medications.

Amidst light trade through the December holidays, Holstein springer values mostly held their month-over-month values to round out 2021.

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) recently released a first-of-its-kind document on cattle vaccine guidelines.

It may sound like the title of a middle-school science fair project, but the CowToilet is a real invention, and may soon be operating on commercial dairies around the world.

Dialing into greater ration precision can greatly enhance likelihood your calves are routinely receiving the ration you intend for them.

When the three most popular heifer housing types – confinement, dry lot, and pasture – were evaluated, University of Kentucky researchers determined that pasture was the hands-down economic winner.

As one of the top scourges to calf raisers, cryptosporidium is an ever-present challenge that rarely takes a holiday.

Alfalfa is the fourth most widely grown crop in the United States, and a primary livestock feed source.

As feed prices currently challenge U.S. livestock producers, Feedipedia can be a resource for incorporating non-traditional feedstuffs into innovative rations.

A U.S. Department of Labor survey workers on U.S. farms are quite loyal to their employers, and like their bosses.

Drought throughout most of the country, severe weather, and even flooding in parts of the Northeast made the annual adventure of corn silage production an interesting one.

The intricacies of transition-cow nutrition and its role in lactation success may be made a bit easier with the Liver Functionality Index.

Over time, the anaerobic environment created in a well-packed, well-sealed, inoculated silage crop allows the beauty of fermentation to flourish.

In the blink of an eye, tragedy can strike on the farm. The Center for Dairy Excellence in Pennsylvania is striving to keep dairy farm workers safe, with both educational tools and personal testimonials.

Holstein springer values remained stalled in Wisconsin, but saw an upward tick in all other reported markets over the past month.

Switching to autofeeders and group housing is a significant change that has been met on dairies with both success and failure.

Transitioning to freestalls can be challenging for young heifers, and behaviors learned early in life can carry through as cows enter the lactating herd.

It appears that making sure dry cows are comfortable and encouraged to rest influences the survival of their newborns.

Looking for a reliable cottonseed supplier near you?

If you are prone to occasional – or even not-so-occasional – procrastination, are you lazy, incompetent, and unreliable?

The rumen may be taking center stage in digesting another global challenge: plastics

When it comes to forage and cover crops, winter rye offers rock-star versatility that makes it easy to love.

A record 4.3 million people quit their jobs in the United States in August 2021, a historic high that has far-reaching effects on American life in general, and agriculture specifically

“The more we understand about how specific nutrition components influence health and performance responses, the more we can support cows in their production cycles.”

Wintry weather demands extra attention for preweaned calves, and that includes the temperature of their liquid feedings.

A novel program in the Southwest is providing hands-on training, education, and networking opportunities for budding dairy professionals.

Winter ushers in a season of high tide for scours and pneumonia in preweaned calves. The sooner their sickness is detected, the more effective treatment and supportive therapy will be. Here’s a list of 10 ways to help.