Replacements
The true cost of raising a dairy heifer from birth to freshening is surprisingly high. Raising replacements remains a capital-intensive portion of a dairy enterprise that often is overlooked.
They’re a danger to milk cows, to be sure. But mycotoxins in feedstuffs also can be damaging to the health and development of calves and heifers.
Holstein springer prices were all over the board in the past month.
Purchasing a couple of Jersey cows from a local sale barn in 1984 for their children, my in-laws Jim and Wanda Bohnert helped start a small 4-H project for their two sons, my husband, Scott, and his brother, Brian
Hunter Haven Farms recently showcased their dairy’s technological advancement during the Dairy Technology Tour hosted by the Illinois Milk Producers Association (IMPA) and the University of Illinois Extension.
The start of summer has seen Holstein springer values stagnate or drop in all reported markets nationwide.
New research studies suggest there are health and developmental benefits to feeding calves colostrum or transition milk well beyond the first day of life.
The cow of today may not be the cow you want to milk in the future. As standards change and technology improves, your ideal cow could look very different overtime.
Holstein springer values saw a healthy upward bump in the past month in California and Pennsylvania, while remaining essentially flat in Wisconsin and Idaho.
Stipulate details of arrangement so both parties have a clear understanding of expectations.
Holstein springer values changed little across the country in the past month, but dairy cow numbers, milk production and dairy product stocks continue to grow.
It’s a well-known fact that cattle are social creatures. But studies have shown that even the friendliest cow doesn’t enjoy making new acquaintances on a regular basis
10-year, 7-herd study also shows lower health costs.
Grants up to $5,000 are available to farmers in the Animal Welfare Approved program.
The actual number of heifers you need to maintain herd size can be quite surprising.
Each culling decision should be a bit individualized, based on a heifer’s genetic background and health history.
Holsteins have the genetic capacity to stay in the herd more than a year longer.
The annual Cattle Inventory report from USDA is showing that herd expansion is still happening with more replacements being retained.
Penn State Extension agricultural engineer Dan McFarland shares his thoughts on the key elements to successfully house heifers after weaning.
The physical and emotional toll of these circumstances are feeding a growing incidence of depression and anxiety among farmers, as evidenced in the results of a poll commissioned by the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Sorghum has a number of properties that make it a desirable dairy feedstuff, particularly for growing heifer rations.
University of Florida researcher Geoffrey Dahl shares how the detriments of in-utero heat stress impact the productivity of heifer calves for generations.
Producers are finding health advantages to placing newborn calves in a warm environment where they can be quickly dried and cared for during their first few hours.
The practice of tail docking is being questioned as a necessary practice on U.S. dairy farms.
As summer heats up, young calves can experience stressful highs during the day, and chilly lows in the evenings, exposing them to temperatures on both sides of their thermoneutral zone in one day.
Calf and heifer raisers share top motivations for attending the annual conference March 31-April 1 in Madison, Wis.
The most critical and most expensive period of calf growth in raising dairy calves is the pre-weaning period.
Automated feeders allow dairy operators to be calf managers, not just feeders.
Scholarship applications are due February 20, 2015.