In the popular movie “What Women Want,” Mel Gibson’s character is involved in a freak accident that leaves him with the ability to read women’s minds. Many times, employers wish they had that ability as they spend a lot of time wondering exactly what employees want.

Teat end exposure to mastitis- causing bacteria is the root of all mastitis problems. When the cow is standing, the probability for exposure is minimal. Eventually, cows will find a place to lie down, placing their teat ends in jeopardy. If the bedding material beneath the cow is clean and dry, the potential risks for mastitis are reduced. Cows evolved on pastures, so providing a resting environment closely simulating the cushion of grass is ideal.

Researchers have provided dairy producers with tools to improve reproductive performance in their dairy herds, yet the results continue to be less than desirable. Nationally, the 21-day pregnancy rate averages 13 to 14 percent; however, some herds are far above average. What do these herds do to attain success when many herds struggle with reproduction?

A big part of the cowboy culture is the music that celebrates the West; the trail drives, the danger and the romance of the life.

I wrote of our Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) Course a few articles ago. The facilitated portion of the course is now done. In this article, I comment on the course and what we accomplished.

Dairy cow rations are based on the amount of dry matter, the resulting feed when water is removed, that can be fed to cows to maintain health and achieve high production.

This past month I visited Great Britain, specifically Scotland and England, for the first time.

More than 110 representatives from 19 different countries accepted an invitation from Lallemand Animal Nutrition to attend the company’s nutrition symposium and dairy tours in Edinburgh, Scotland, in June.

Pastures and grass silage packs are the mainstays on David Brewster’s Scottish dairy.

The 12th annual Distillers Grains Symposium, hosted by the Distillers Grains Technology Council, was held May 21-22, 2008, in Kansas City, Missouri.