Latest News From Feed costs

Guar is not a common crop grown in the U.S., nor is it widely used here as a livestock feedstuff. But that picture may be changing as alternative crops producers search for more affordable feed ingredients.

The terms profitability and cash flow are often used interchangeably. However, confusion between the two can cause producers to make decisions that are not in their best long-term profit interests.

If it’s possible to have a global milk production recession, that is, back-to-back quarterly year-over-year decreases in milk production in the key export regions – then we’ve been in one since Q1 2022.

Over the weekend, monsoon storms came through Arizona. A huge concern facing farmers in the western part of the U.S. is water scarcity, so it’s easy to understand why Arizona dairy farmer Casey Dugan welcomed the rain.

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.

California dairy farmer, Steve Maddox found a newfound love for Amazon Prime, who hauled premium alfalfa dairy hay from his Logan, Utah hay ranch to his Riverdale, Calif. dairy farm.

Corn and soybean values have tempered slightly since the near-historic highs of May and June this year, but dairy feed bills still will be hefty heading into fall.

A big opportunity for forward-thinking, elite businesses is to attend the 20th Anniversary of the Milk Business Conference at the Paris Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas December 13-15, 2022.

An often-over-looked expense is having excess corn silage inventory. The decision has to be made soon, when you are chopping—to sell it or use it on the farm.

Dairy farmers pray that roads stay open and power stays on as winds from thunderstorms aggravated the McKinney fire in Northern California, burning more than 60,000 acres as of Sunday evening, according to InciWeb.

Managing heifer inventories on a dairy farm is not always easy. Deciding which heifers to keep and which to sell, as well as breeding decisions, can be a challenge. Experts offer seven tips on selling surplus heifers.

Last week, the Federal Reserve enacted another 0.75%-point interest rate increase to help combat high inflation rate. This increase in interest rates adds an additional cost that the farmer must carry.

Learning by doing is the mantra for a lot of dairy farmers and Walter Graves is no exception. Graves was recently awarded a Young Jersey Breeder Award from the American Jersey Cattle Association.

As we soon will be flipping the calendar to August, you likely already have your chopper in the shop. Mike North, president with ever.ag says there is a narrow window to get things priced in terms of silage.

The high temperatures and lack of rain that face south-central Missouri have not only played havoc on Michelle Eilenstine’s mind, but also with her corn crop.

Markets begin the week on the right foot, including Class III and IV milk markets - as prices ended in the green.

Markets can be driven by trader psychology for a period of time and can result in prices being overdone to one side or the other. In the end, fundamentals rule. Recent reports may indicate the market may see a change.

Putting a value on corn silage, even when it never leaves the farm is also necessary. Gary Sipiorski says that most farms do not put any kind of a cost on planting corn for silage – and they really ought to.

When Mark Beer returned home after working an off the farm job, he knew he wanted to get into dairy farming. He also knew he didn’t want to spend his time in the parlor. The family installed their first robots in 2011.

The fall feed bill continues to look a little cheaper for dairymen.

The recent historic high milk prices have been overshadowed by the feed costs that continue to climb. However, producer, Ryan Junio, owner of Four J Jerseys, number one concern is water scarcity facing California.

USDA's July WASDE report shows just how brutal the drought has been this year. Cotton abandonment is now forecast to be the third highest on record at 31.5%. USDA forecasts the U.S. cotton crop to fall 1 million bales.

The thick layer of smoke has since disappeared since our barn fire in 2019. The days and weeks that followed were exhausting. Now looking back, I can offer these tips that helped us manage through an on-farm crisis.

Trent Dado’s phone rang nonstop yesterday with the consistent question, “Is now the time to buy?” The Independent Dairy Nutritionist and Management Consultant says the short answer is, “Probably, yes.”

Through hard work and chasing a goal, the Blase family farm illustrates how farms of any size can capture revenue by sharing their farm experience directly with the consumer.

Optimistic and happy-go-lucky, Alex Peterson has held many roles—college student, intern, dairy farmer, and his most recent, National Dairy Board chairman. His passion for everything dairy could fill a barn.

With the extreme weather across the country farmers have a different opinion about water. Two Oregon farmers on opposite sides of the Cascade mountains, have different thoughts about the wetter than usual weather .

The Neuenschwander brothers have thrived during a tough dairy economy because of their ability to maximize cow comfort and produce excellent genetics on their Indiana dairy.

The long over-due market turnaround has dairy farmers smiling, but financial experts advise producers to review their profit and loss statements to truly understand the strength of their farm’s financial portfolio.

Ongoing issues with grain moving to areas of the Southwest and West due to delays in rail service has California dairy producer Darlene Lopes frustrated. She worries that soon no corn will be available to feed her herd.

The increased cost associated with raising heifers has made producers retool their thinking. Earlier management decisions are happening on dairies, with a more dialed-in, strategic breeding philosophy being adapted.

Unaware of what’s coming next, Arizona dairy farmer Craig Caballero always keeps his eyes on the ball — something he learned from his time behind home plate as an MLB catcher in the mid-90s.

The 80-1 long shot, Rich Strike reminded us that hard work and perseverance pays off in the end. Dairy farmers also have the formula for success. The formula being hard work, character and tenacity.

While feed costs have significantly increased year-over-year, leading dairy nutrition consultants says don’t shortchange feeding heifers, even if they are viewed as an expense for your dairy.

A more traditional approach to feeding ration elements separately could help address concerns related to overhead costs, labor shortages, and fuel usage.

While April U.S. cow numbers were unmoved from March, the April Milk Production report showed a decline from last year. Despite high milk prices, cow numbers were 98,000 fewer than last April; unchanging from last month

Analysts predict the possibility of $10.00/bu. corn in the coming year is not out of the question.

Chobani has made a large contribution to the construction of the nation’s largest research dairy in Idaho. The donation was made to the University of Idaho-led Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment.

The biggest conversation in 2022 for McCarty Family Farms, LLC has been centered around finding a balance of taking care of their cattle and land and avoiding any catastrophic mistakes.

Milk prices have soared and producers are looking at each line of the milk check to learn just what the money maker is. The takeaway is that strong component prices easily help drive that price per hundredweight up.

This ongoing Oregon water issue has become a headache for many farmers, like Jos Poland. Less water doesn’t only mean fewer aces for his cows to graze on. It has forced Poland to sell 40% of his herd earlier this year.

USDA announced April’s Class III price to be $24.42/cwt., the third-highest on record. With 2022 forecast showing high prices, it is of no surprise that enrollment in the USDA’s 2022 DMC program showed a decline.

There are a lot of dynamics going beyond just the higher prices we have seen lately in the dairy market. Closely monitoring dairy culling rates, economists look at what the drivers are and where milk prices could go.

Four months have passed since Kent and Coreena Meyer opened a letter from their milk processor, Wakefern Food Corp., owner of Readington Farms, informing them they no longer would pick up their milk.

As of May 1, USDA estimates 14% of the U.S. corn crop has been planted. That compares to a five-year average of 33% planted.

With so much uncertainty swirling on both the income and cost sides of the ledger, Phil Plourd with ever.ag says that's a reason to be proactive about risk management, not complacent.

Rising early to feed his cows is part of Wisconsin dairy farmer, Chris Pollack’s morning routine. He paused long enough from his routine to go on live network television to talk about issues that impact his dairy.

Once farmers get to the field, they will have plenty of tractor time to think about all the challenges that face them. Reach out to your dairy team leaders to to maximize your dairy’s profit while you're in the field.

Like it or not, feed prices have dramatically risen year-over-year, and leading experts advise producers to gain some control over their feed costs.

A fifth-generation Florida dairy farmer says that from PMVAP to immigration reform, there are real missed opportunities for congress to truly understand how to help dairy farms, like hers.