Latest News From Taylor Leach

There’s a new face in the winner’s circle for the most lifetime milk produced by a U.S. Holstein cow, and it belongs to Chrome-View Charles 3044, owned by Mason’s Chrome View farm in Nottingham, Pennsylvania.

On June 11, 2023, the following antibiotics will no longer be available for purchase over-the-counter.

With no GPS equipment, Kansas dairy farmer Rob Leach freehanded the number 15, the jersey number of Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The result? A 100% organic manure mural to celebrate the Super Bowl.

There's now an 'alternative' to alternative plant-based meats. And the first ingredient just might shock you.

Somatic cell counts have long been an indicator of milk quality and udder health. But can a cow’s SCC get too low?

Have you ever noticed that cows who calve during the fall and winter months tend to produce less colostrum than their herd mates who calved during the spring and summer? Here's why.

Just like children letting off some steam on the playground, calves too could benefit from physical enrichment.

Inflammation creates additional stress at calving.

If you are experiencing a shortage in your straw supply, here are six bedding alternatives to consider.

“Similar to Staph aureus and mycoplasma, Prototheca [mastitis] is hard to detect, has no known cure, and is contagious by intermittently shedding from cow to cow."

On June 11, 2023, over-the-counter antibiotics will no longer be available through traditional retail channels. Instead, these antibiotics will now require a prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

Veterinarians can enhance their relationship and business with producers by identifying ways they can be more efficient. Two good starting points: management of the parlor and the parlor environment.

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, recently passed away at the age of 96. The late queen, who was well-known for her soft spot for animals, had a herd of 200 registered Jersey cows.

With beef prices soaring and milk prices in favorable conditions, producers are keeping a keen eye on cows who are not pulling their own weight.

While both beef and dairy farmers appreciate their animals each and every day, the second Tuesday in July serves as a day of national recognition.

Providing assistance too early during stage II labor may result in an increased risk of metritis.

As the thermometer starts to creep its way into the upper 80s, 90s or even the 100°F mark, nobody wants to put in physical work during the hottest part of the day - cows included.

Art Schaap, owner of Highland Dairy in Clovis, New Mexico, has been living a nightmare for the past four years. His nightmare is finally coming to an end, but not without the heartache of euthanizing 3,665 cows.

To help producers obtain a lower SCC, it is important to know what you are up against in the herd and how to treat for specific problems, says Peter Edmondson, DVM.

Progesterone is a key hormone in the establishment and maintenance of a pregnancy. Increasing its concentration can boost pregnancy rates and decrease pregnancy losses after embryo transfer.

Pardon the pun, but dealing with scours can be a real pain in the butt. It’s frustrating, it’s costly, and it can be downright messy at times.

Housing calves with at least one companion can improve animal welfare, calf growth, and consumer perception. But there are challenges, too.

More and more farms have made the switch from feeding calves individually to group autofed systems. However, disease detection in group-housed calves remains a challenge. Could autofeeders help detect sick calves?

Dairy cow numbers started 2021 at an all-time high in January, with 9.445 million animals in the U.S. milking herd. However, those numbers would steadily drop throughout the summer and fall months.

Similar to human fingerprints, cow noses are detailed, nearly unique, difficult to change, and remain the same over the life of an individual, making them ideal long-term markers of identity.

Have you ever had a cow come down with a disease while she was pregnant? Probably so. But does that illness impact the calf? Maybe not.

Michal Lunak, Extension Educator for Penn State, addresses the seven most common -- and costly -- management diseases that occur during the cow’s transition period on U.S. dairies

Here’s a breakdown of just how much these seven transition period diseases could be costing you.

To keep an efficient and profitable reproductive program humming, proactive reproductive management practices need to be practiced daily.

There’s not a clear answer to why heifers contract the disease, though studies have shown that teat canals of heifer calves can become colonized at very young ages.

When the mercury drops, preweaned calves expend more energy to maintain their body temperature. They often need added nutrients to keep them healthy and growing through frigid conditions.

If you or an employee treats an animal with a drug, it’s important to keep adequate and updated treatment records.

An estimated $2.4 billion is lost annually in livestock production due to the effects of heat stress, including roughly $900 million in the dairy industry.

While the road to becoming a better manager isn’t any easy one, there are a few steps you can take to not only improve your work performance, but your team’s performance as well.

As the thermometer climbs, farmers are eager to make sure their fans and sprinklers are running to keep lactating and dry cows cool. But just like adult cows, calves are also challenged by hot weather.

Prepackaged colostrum replacers are an easy way to quickly feed colostrum to a newborn calf. However, while they do come with many benefits, there are a few potential negative aspects of utilizing this nutritional tool.

While udder edema is a common occurrence on dairies, there are several methods to help prevent it from happening.

Utilizing an effective management team can help you. As the owner or leader of your business, spend less time on the non-urgent and non-important tasks or duties that pop up every day.

Failure is a part of life, but how we bounce back from it determines how successful we will become.

The three priorities Andy and Sarah Lenkaitis set out to accomplish when they began their renovation remain the same – take care of the cows, take care of the people and keep the farm around for generations to come.

Between 29% to 74% of heifers have mastitis pathogens present before calving, and an estimated 12% to 57% end up contracting the infection at first calving.

Just because a cow is resting does not mean that she is recovering properly. In order to maximize optimal rest on your facility, analyze these key areas.

While your dairy clients aren’t able to control what they receive for their milk, they are able make slight adjustments to the protein and fat levels in their bulk tank.

Merck will start manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine in its human manufacturing facilities later this month.

There’s no bull about it, artificial insemination has come a long way since its first use in dairy cattle during the late 1930s. While the technology has vastly changed, the basic principles still remain.

Unfortunately, ovarian cysts are one of the most common ovarian dysfunctions in dairy cattle. In fact, approximately one in 10 cows will become cystic at some point in her life.

A well-planned calving pen gives your clients the opportunity to provide the best treatment for both the cow and the calf. But what goes in to creating the ideal pen?

A recent survey published in the scientific Journal of Dairy Science showcased just how much today’s consumers pay attention to the marketing on their products.

Classic symptoms involved with Mycoplasma mastitis include multiple quarters infected, dramatically decreased milk production, and milk secretion with sandy or flaky sediments in watery or serous fluid.

Do you prefer a certain disbudding method over another? You may not be the only one.