Dairy Production
By acting swiftly to redirect milk supplies and collaborate across state lines, Pennsylvania not only helped its own economy but also established a blueprint for managing agricultural disruptions effectively.
A growing population of younger cows in most dairy herds brings a hidden risk to calf health. Fortunately, it’s also a manageable one.
Infection may not directly impact herd health, but it can have implications for nutritional management.
Focusing on the fundamentals of feedbunk practices is often all it takes to support healthier, more productive cows.
The ebb and flow of market factors require dairies to be nimble in their management strategies. Situation currently at hand: not enough heifers to meet typical demand. That’s why Wisconsin veterinarian Ryan Leiterman advises dairies to embrace their older cows.
As ethanol plants adopt new technologies to separate and concentrate nutrients, the resulting high-protein byproducts are reshaping feeding strategies.
The next step to battling NWS is using swormlure, a synthetic bait designed to attract adult screwworm flies, combined with an insecticide to combat the pest.
As heat indices soar, how can you keep your livestock and pets safe during dangerous temperatures?
Buffers can often be an overlooked tool in dairy nutrition, yet they play a crucial role in maintaining rumen health, improving feed intake and helping cows cope with heat stress.
Dr. Taylor Engle of Four Star Veterinary Services shares how producers can improve calf health outcomes by rethinking everything from pre-birth to bunk.
Small changes in milking parlor protocols can unlock major efficiency gains, boosting cow flow, milk output, and income without adding labor.
As dairy producers increasingly use beef semen to capitalize on calf value, longer gestation lengths are straining pre-fresh pens, pushing the industry to rethink cow flow, facilities, and future genetics.
The careful execution of calf management protocols and daily tasks that keep calves healthy can and should incrementally add up to more milk produced on the dairy, according to consulting veterinarian Scott Earnest.
The May Milk Production report reflects significant growth and expansion in the U.S., driven by strategic management of herd sizes and processing capabilities.
As the fight to keep the flesh-eating parasite out of the U.S. intensifies, the economic impact on ranchers and the industry is top of mind. “This pest will be one that leaves quite a mark on our economy,” says one veterinarian.
Native to east Asia, the ALHT was first detected in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, it has spread to more than 20 states with recent confirmations in Illinois, Michigan and Iowa.
Making silage out of soybeans is highly possible, and may be a growing trend in homegrown dairy forage production.
Rising heat and humidity can drive up SCC, but with proactive management and attention to detail, summer doesn’t have to compromise milk quality.
Protecting the future performance of the herd starts with cooling the cows who are carrying it.
Cattle are naturally foragers, but not everything they consume is naturally good for them.
The start of June could bring high heat and drier weather, which is a stark contrast from the forecast for the last week of May.
China is one of the biggest importers of American breeding pigs and other livestock genetic material such as cattle semen. These lucrative niche export markets had been growing, but have dried up since the start of the U.S.-China trade war.
The debate regarding whether and when to feed hay to preweaned calves is ongoing, with compelling cases for and against the practice. Penn State University Extension Dairy Specialist Cassie Yost offers some specific examples in which feeding hay is advised.
USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says climate models have consistently shown a ridge across western North America that could lead to drought development, drought continuation or even drought expansion across portions of the Plains and West.
The dairy of the future doesn’t have to be flashy—it just needs to be efficient, sustainable, and built around cows, labor, and market access, says Pennsylvania farmer Steve Harnish.
Record-breaking heat hit areas of the U.S. this week with snow in the forecast for the weekend. As the disparity of moisture plays out, Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass says he’s still concerned about the risk of drought.
The global feed survey data estimates world feed production increased in 2024 by 1.2% to 1.396 billion metric tons. What does this mean for the year ahead?
More colostrum would be welcome on virtually every dairy farm, especially if it also had higher quality. A team of Cornell University researchers explored whether a dose of oxytocin could help fresh cows deliver either, or both.
Running a dairy farm is tough work. But for Lorraine Thiele of Cabot, Pennsylvania, it’s also a canvas for creativity.
A crop that was initially developed for the human food market is now being served up in heaping portions to the humble dairy cow.