I am spending nearly two weeks in Maysan Province in Iraq. The province is in the southeastern portion of the country, next to Iran to the east and the Arab marshes to the south. The Tigris River flows through the province.

You never know how much a leaky furnace will cost you until a very large utility bill arrives in the mailbox. Even though fixing the furnace would take an investment, the return of efficiency would be worth the cost in the long term.

Regular reproduction continues to be a challenge in dairy herds. Researchers at the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory of USDA have reported regional and national statistics on reproduction in the July 2009 issue of the Journal of Dairy Science.

The measure of somatic cell count (SCC) is critical in determining udder health. According to the National Mastitis Council, a herd with a bulk tank SCC of 200,000 cells/mL or greater is considered to be producing “abnormal” milk.

Over the last few weeks I have spent time on the phone with forage producers concerning the current dairy situation and the economy in general.

What crops are part of your total forage production? “Most of our forage production is based in haylage and corn silage which is produced for our dairy cows. We also grow ryelage, wheatlage and sudangrass which is generally used as part of our dry cow and heifer-feeding program.

Forage management strategies are as varied as the farmers who grow the forages. “Despite differing management plans, there are a few key concepts to remember with the advent of fall,” says a University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist.

Processed corn kernels in silage are readily digested, allowing cows to absorb more energy for milk production.

Farmers know that agricultural equipment can cause compaction in no-till crop fields, but Ohio State University researchers have found that, depending on soil type, compaction can be severe and persist for years.

Since stored feed is almost two or three times more expensive per animal or per day than pasture, extending the grazing season is one way to reduce the need for stored feed.