Dairy Production
Adron Belk uses data to cut costs, improve yields and make every decision, from fertilizer usage to what tire pressure he uses when planting. The precision-driven strategy is what’s helping drive profitability.
A powerful March storm buried parts of Wisconsin, leaving roads impassable and cutting off access to the Henschel dairy operation, but the story takes a heartwarming turn as their young boys stepped up to help.
Crowd gates are often one of the most used tools on a dairy. However, just like any tool, crowd gates can be used incorrectly and can sometimes negatively impact cow comfort and welfare.
Lessons forged on a wrestling mat and a ranch serve as a powerful reminder to separate your worth from your work. In the face of life’s hardest hits, it is the courage to share our stories that helps us find the way forward.
Dr. Adam Beard shares new research evaluating short-term contact between cows and calves and its impact on early calf health and growth.
As the limitations of manual culturing and visual inspection become more apparent, the industry is shifting toward passive detection — systems that monitor the cow without requiring extra labor hours. But this requires expert interpretation from veterinarians to ensure the data translates into actionable treatment.
Mastitis is a systems problem, not just an infection. Control requires shifting from reactive treatment to proactive management and using data to solve health issues at the source.
Diagnostic strategies help identify gestational nutrient gaps linked to stillbirths and weak calves.
One California dairy is taking a closer look at lighting for circadian rhythm, melatonin and dry cow management.
Early recognition and intervention can determine whether compromised calves recover or fall behind.
How quickly will La Niña exit this year, and when will El Niño enter the picture? Not all meteorologists agree with NOAA or one another, but the timing could have a major impact on weather this spring and summer.
A model developed by the Western Institute for Food Safety and Security at UC Davis shows how disease spread affects milk production and recovery timelines on a closed dairy.
One cattle veterinarian shares how point-based techniques could improve real-world food-animal care.
Why inconsistency in daily management quietly undermines calf health and how producers can help stabilize outcomes before disease appears.
When replacement heifers are limited, every pregnancy counts.
New research shows calves fed waste milk develop different immune cell and cytokine profiles than those fed salable milk, even when clinical health appears similar.
Effective scours treatment depends on correcting dehydration and acidosis early. Here, Dr. Geoffrey Smith reviews physiology-based oral and IV fluid therapy strategies.
Texas producers need to remain on alert as NWS continues to move north. The newest detection is in the state of Tamaulipas.
Knowing the forces that shape feed efficiency is only half the story; the next step is using them to your advantage.
Choosing the right hybrids and learning from last year’s harvest can set up a stronger silage season.
Many heifer intramammary infections begin months before calving, long before milking hygiene becomes relevant. Targeting prevention earlier can protect future milk production and improve overall herd health.
Walmart opened its second U.S.-owned milk processing facility in Valdosta, Ga., a $350-million plant supplying milk to more than 650 Southeast stores.
Three dairymen at the MILK Business Conference explain how steady, intentional decisions around people, technology and key metrics are helping their farms stay competitive and resilient.
Many larger dairies report having biosecurity protocols in place, according to a Farm Journal survey, but there are gaps in the relevancy of plans, farm security, hygiene and herd health practices, and training.
Dairy farmers are learning that managing water efficiently and sharing how they do it is increasingly important to consumers.
Long before calving, subtle biological signals can influence the health, growth, and future productivity of a calf. Understanding and utilizing these signals could lead to the next revolution in reproductive management for cattle.
Culling decisions should be just as important as breeding decisions. Here, two experts explain what to consider when replacing cows in a milking herd.