Facility Focus
Better airflow, thoughtful pen design and improved daily routines are helping calves thrive like never before on these two dairies.
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.
Calf barns need excellent ventilation in all seasons, for different reasons. Evaluating calf barns to optimize ventilation can be done easily and at minimal cost with smoking or fogging tools.
Proactive off-season investments in your dairy operation not only enhance immediate performance but also set the stage for sustained success into the new year. Prioritizing these smart upgrades can lead to improved efficiency and less stress as farms navigate the colder months.
With the right setup and a clear plan, manure doesn’t have to be a headache. It can actually work for your farm, saving money, cutting waste and boosting long-term sustainability.
With lameness ranking among the most costly health issues in today’s dairy operations, a “set it and forget it” approach for footbaths is not an effective way to prevent the spread of digital dermatitis.
Cracked hoses, worn-out inflations, air bleeds—these are just a few of the common problems that can pop up when maintaining milking equipment.
Mastering the intricacies of data management has become a vital role on today’s operations.
As temperatures begin to creep their way higher, consider these strategies to help keep calves cool and healthy during the heat of the summer.
Technology can give labor productivity a welcomed boost.
Keeping cows, calves and employees comfortable during the winter months is a balancing act. However finding the right combination between keeping animals warm while also providing adequate air exchange is essential.
Though maternity pens can sometimes feel chaotic to manage, there are additional ways to help minimize stress and create a calmer calving environment for both cow and calf.
As the thermometer starts to dip lower and lower, now is the time to make sure your calf warming room is in tip-top shape.
Each region of the U.S. presents its own challenges with raising calves, with the varying landscapes often dictating the layout of calf facilities.
If raising your own beef-on-dairy animals pencils out, it’s important to make sure your facilities can handle the load.
Dairy farms can often be a slippery place for both farmers and cows to work.
Whether they’re used for pregnancy checking, herd health days or A.I. breeding, headlocks come in handy for a multitude of reasons. But are our cows spending unnecessary time locked up?
Tips to keep the heart and soul of your operation neat and tidy.
While prioritizing growing quality forage is a must, proper feed ingredient storage is equally important, especially during the hot summer months.
Keeping milk equipment clean is one of the most important factors to producing quality milk. However, taking the time to make sure the wash system is working correctly is a chore producers often skip.
Three dairy producers openly talked about technology must-haves and how ROI comes into play when making technology investments.
Oregon dairy farmers are being a target once again. This time a group of environmental, public health and animal welfare petitioned Oregon regulators to approve new rules targeting air pollution from large-scale dairies.
The On-Farm Milk Storage & Handling Grant provides grants for dairy farmers to access funds that support the purchase of equipment and other related costs that will improve milk storage, handling and energy efficiencies.
Making a big investment on a farm takes a lot of consideration. Often, owners meet with outside team members to help brainstorm and think through this process. The same holds true when producers look to purchase robots.
Many farmers have pushed pause on expansion plans since the pandemic due to the economic uncertainties facing agriculture. Farmers are still plagued with financial worries and wonder if now is the time to build or not.
When milk prices are high, producers begin to question if they should milk more cows to capitalize on that milk check. Leading experts say the answer lies in good management and good animal husbandry skills.
While raising calves in pairs is not cut out for everyone, the benefits are promising.