Latest News From DAIRY

Farm Journal and the National Institute for Animal Agriculture Team Up to Help Animal Ag Share Its Story
Farm Journal and the National Institute for Animal Agriculture Team Up to Help Animal Ag Share Its Story

Consumers are interested in how animal agriculture affects health and wellness, environmental stewardship, animal welfare and worker safety. Now is the time for a more robust and meaningful conversation.

Air Force Pollution Forces New Mexico Dairy to Euthanize 3,665 Cows
Air Force Pollution Forces New Mexico Dairy to Euthanize 3,665 Cows

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.

The 411 on Festulolium
The 411 on Festulolium

Its name sounds like something that belongs in the pages of a Dr. Seuss book. But festulolium actually is a highly useful hybrid forage grass – the result of a cross between fescue grass and ryegrass.

7 Steps to Start Calves on Starter
7 Steps to Start Calves on Starter

The sooner calves eat enough dry feed to sustain themselves, the better equipped they are to bridge the nutritional gap between the fixed liquid ration and a weaned diet of solely dry feeds.

Should Dairies Take out Heat Stress Insurance?
Should Dairies Take out Heat Stress Insurance?

A new insurance concept is being launched to allow dairy producers around the world to financially insure against the production losses caused by heat stress.

Prime Time for Fighting Flies
Prime Time for Fighting Flies

Flies are a nuisance and contribute to lost productivity on the dairy. Controlling flies requires an integrated management plan that includes inspection, sanitation, treatment and monitoring. 

How to Calculate Your Personal Inflation Rate
How to Calculate Your Personal Inflation Rate

See how rising costs impact you and your family.

“Hybrid” Approach Helps Maximize Colostrum Quality
“Hybrid” Approach Helps Maximize Colostrum Quality

Maternal colostrum is often considered nature’s “perfect food.” But does this “free” resource help calves achieve passive immunity as reliably as the guaranteed ingredients in a bag of colostrum replacer?

The Gift My Late Mother Gave Me
The Gift My Late Mother Gave Me

The power of a mother is enormous. A mom is more than a chauffeur, a cook or someone who does the laundry. A mom shapes self-esteem and responsibility in her children and makes endless sacrifices to empower her children.

Merck Animal Health Donates $250,000 to Iowa State University for New Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Merck Animal Health Donates $250,000 to Iowa State University for New Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Merck Animal Health announced a $250,000 donation to Iowa State University to support the new Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Calf Care & Quality Assurance Instructors Sought
Calf Care & Quality Assurance Instructors Sought

The new Calf Care & Quality Assurance program is ready to engage some arms and legs to carry out its mission. The second CCQA Instructor training is planned for June 2022.

5 Ways To Address Heat Stress And Keep Cows Cool
5 Ways To Address Heat Stress And Keep Cows Cool

Keep an eye on water intake and feedstuffs. Avoid vaccinations when heat levels are high. Address the environment for management steps you can take to improve cow comfort.

How to Pick the Best Electrolyte for Your Calves
How to Pick the Best Electrolyte for Your Calves

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.

Give Dairy Calves a Toothpick
Give Dairy Calves a Toothpick

Young animals often benefit from stemmy, lower quality forages. WIth regard to nutrition, this may seem counterintuitive but research indicates that's the case.

Sole Ulcers: Don’t Blame the Ration
Sole Ulcers: Don’t Blame the Ration

A high incidence of sole ulcers in a dairy herd is probably not the fault of the ration.

Probiotics May Pose Risks to Animal and Human Health
Probiotics May Pose Risks to Animal and Human Health

Probiotics may not be as beneficial for animal and human health as people think, according to recently published research at Kansas State University. Here's why.

Late Maternal Stress Proves to be Real
Late Maternal Stress Proves to be Real

It’s important to stay abreast of new research that can influence dairy management practices. That’s what happened recently at Rosy-Lane Holsteins, Watertown, Wis.

Dairy Semen Sales hit 17-Year-Low: What Will the Trend be Going Forward?
Dairy Semen Sales hit 17-Year-Low: What Will the Trend be Going Forward?

With the cost of inflation impacting every corner of a dairy, the producer’s breeding strategy has been forced to become finetuned. More and more producers are keeping just enough replacements to fill the pipeline,.

Essential Oils Earn a Seat at the Calf Management Table
Essential Oils Earn a Seat at the Calf Management Table

In the quest to find alternatives to antibiotics to fight disease in dairy calves, essential oils are the subject of a growing body of calf health research.

Impact of Increased Use of Non-GM Feed on Animal Feed Industry
Impact of Increased Use of Non-GM Feed on Animal Feed Industry

Continued demand for non-GMO feed for livestock will increase greenhouse gas emissions on farms, and raise consumer prices for meat, milk and eggs, according to a study by Iowa State University.

Over-The-Counter Access to Antibiotics is Going Away
Over-The-Counter Access to Antibiotics is Going Away

Access to livestock drugs through over-the-counter (OTC) channels was curbed considerably starting in 2017. Soon, OTC antibiotics may no longer be available through traditional channels at all.

USDA Publishes Origin of Livestock Final Rule for Organic Dairy
USDA Publishes Origin of Livestock Final Rule for Organic Dairy

A long-anticipated “origin of livestock” final rule has been released by the UDSA that illustrates the uniform standards for transitioning dairy cattle to organic production.

FDA Makes Breakthrough Decision on Genome Edited Livestock
FDA Makes Breakthrough Decision on Genome Edited Livestock

This first-of-its-kind decision by FDA opens the door for progress on other genome editing efforts.

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What Her Gut Can Tell You

A researcher explores the intricacies of fecal pH and explains how changes in the metric can be an early signal of digestive and health disruptions in dairy cows.

Foolproof Colostrum Protocols Makes all the Difference
Foolproof Colostrum Protocols Makes all the Difference

A protocol overhaul helped the team at Singing Brook Farms, Imler, Pa., up their game in colostrum delivery. Two of their key managers share how they now seamlessly deliver high-quality colostrum to every newborn calf.

Could SARA be “Good” for Calves?
Could SARA be “Good” for Calves?

It is well-known that sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is a harmful and costly condition for adult dairy cows. But when calves get SARA, is it bad news for them, too? A Canadian researcher’s conclusion: maybe not.

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Bottle Beats the Bucket in Providing Winter Water

Providing free choice water to newborn calves has been shown to deliver a wide array of benefits in terms of calf health and performance. But it’s also a huge challenge for some farms in the winter.

CowToilet is Coming to a Farm Near You
CowToilet is Coming to a Farm Near You

This invention keeps Bessie's urine and manure separated. There are some excellent reasons why this makes sense, and there are several benefits.

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Pros and Cons of Raising Calves in Paired Housing

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

Consistent Cow Routines Depend on the Right Mix
Consistent Cow Routines Depend on the Right Mix

TMR consistency and composition are important to efficient and reliable nutrient delivery in lactating cow rations. But the impact of those factors actually can span much further.

Calcium Boluses are Not Created Equal. Consider the Differences
Calcium Boluses are Not Created Equal. Consider the Differences

A research team, led by Walter Verhoef with the Bureau Vétérinaire de Richmond, Richmond, Quebec, Canada, evaluated three different, commercially available calcium boluses. Here are their conclusions.

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8 Things to Know and Do When you Receive Beef-Dairy Cross Calves

During the recent Academy of Veterinary Consultants conference, Dan Altena, DVM, Valley Veterinarians Inc., offered some take-home points to help veterinarians with crossbred calves in the feedyard.

Multiple Routes to Cattle Methane Reduction Explored
Multiple Routes to Cattle Methane Reduction Explored

There are a range of efforts underway worldwide to curb methane production by cattle.

Calf Care & Quality Assurance Unites Dairy, Beef and Veal Industries
Calf Care & Quality Assurance Unites Dairy, Beef and Veal Industries

The dairy, beef, and veal sectors are collaborating to form a first-of-its-kind program to promote the health and welfare of calves throughout the supply chain.

Global Farmer Survey Highlights Profitability, Innovation, and Technology Adoption
Global Farmer Survey Highlights Profitability, Innovation, and Technology Adoption

Report reveals a shift to technology to support existing farming practices as globally producers look to innovate in the face of changing market pressures.

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Colorado Gov. Polis Transparently Undercuts Agriculture

Colorado ranchers say they are “under attack” by their governor after hiring a director of the Bureau of Animal Protection who has ties to Mercy for Animals and leads a project that promotes plant-based food choices.

Slug-feeding Starter May Create Bad Habits for Life
Slug-feeding Starter May Create Bad Habits for Life

Habits formed early in life – whether good or bad – often carry through to adulthood. Like little children, calves, too, need to be trained on positive behaviors, including the way they eat.

Could Autofeeders Help Detect Calf Disease?
Could Autofeeders Help Detect Calf Disease?

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?

Cow Numbers Witnessed a Rollercoaster Ride in 2021
Cow Numbers Witnessed a Rollercoaster Ride in 2021

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.

A 360° Approach to Mastitis Management
A 360° Approach to Mastitis Management

Mastitis infections are divided into one of two categories — environmental or contagious — based on the source of the infection.

A Stepped-Down Approach to Weaning
A Stepped-Down Approach to Weaning

Dairy farmers and calf raisers have tried to adapt calves to solid calf starter as soon as possible to save money. If this is done poorly, calf raising costs can soar due to increased levels of sickness and even death.

Are Cow Noses the New Fingerprint to Unlocking Livestock Facial Recognition?
Are Cow Noses the New Fingerprint to Unlocking Livestock Facial Recognition?

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.

EXCLUSIVE: Dr. Fauci on COVID Pandemic — "It Will End"
EXCLUSIVE: Dr. Fauci on COVID Pandemic — "It Will End"

Rural communities are likely to see an outbreak of the COVID-19 variant omicron later than big cities but Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci says the pandemic will eventually end.

The 411 on Anti-caking Agents
The 411 on Anti-caking Agents

Anti-caking agents make the pellet manufacturing process easier, and can help prevent ground feeds from doming, bridging, and sticking to equipment.

Supply Chain Issues Hamper Animal Medicine Availability
Supply Chain Issues Hamper Animal Medicine Availability

Breakdowns in the global supply chain are hitting home for U.S. livestock producers and the veterinarians who serve them, in the form of shortages of commonly used medications.

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Which Dairies will be the Most Profitable in 2022?

The most profitable parts of the U.S. in 2022 will be the Northwest and Northeast, but smaller farms in those regions won’t participate in this success. Here's why.

Cattle Veterinarians Have New Vaccination Guidelines
Cattle Veterinarians Have New Vaccination Guidelines

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) recently released a first-of-its-kind document on cattle vaccine guidelines.

Crypto in Calves: Better Managed with a Shovel than a Needle
Crypto in Calves: Better Managed with a Shovel than a Needle

As one of the top scourges to calf raisers, cryptosporidium is an ever-present challenge that rarely takes a holiday.

Does Dam Health Affect Daughter Performance? Maybe Not
Does Dam Health Affect Daughter Performance? Maybe Not

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.

Six Ways to Help Preweaned Dairy Calves Succeed in Group Housing
Six Ways to Help Preweaned Dairy Calves Succeed in Group Housing

Factors for consideration include colostrum management, group composition and dynamics, bedding and space, nutritional management, early disease detection and the need for "real life" observations.