While June 20 marks the official start of summer, for many it begins as soon as the school year ends. As kids kick off their summer break, filled with outdoor activities under the hot sun, it is still important to keep one subject at the forefront – safety!

To me, there is no job more enjoyable than working a pen of cattle with a team of stockmen that I call friends. There are many places across the country where processing day is as much a community event as it is a cattle management task that just needs to be completed.

Is a $15 breakeven possible for a dairy farming business in 2024, given increases in input costs and inflation? Others may have their doubts, but I am a firm “yes.”

As the newest member of my company’s youngstock nutrition team and the most recent returning member to my family dairy, I value the efforts taken by my supervisors to identify and apply my skills and strengths effectively to get the job done.

Humans have five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Our bodies receive signals through sensory organs, which include our eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin.

While the cow-side benefits of monitoring technology are significant, don’t overlook the human benefits for your employees. These advantages go beyond simple labor savings.

While it is possible to have SOPs for many important tasks on a dairy farm, there are few more important than milking parlor procedures. 

The ranching industry often prides itself in long days and hard work. “There is always something to do” is the motto!

Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy in Wisconsin has created a welcoming team culture with low employee turnover. Since the farm started in 1963, it has grown from less than 100 cows to more than 800. Today, members of the second, third and fourth generations work on the dairy.