Not long after we reached the back side of the pasture, the sun peeked over the horizon and the chaos erupted. It was every cow for itself, running and dodging or bawling and standing to fight.

I’m pretty good at doing a lot of things at a high level of mediocrity. Not unlike a good share of the folks I know, I have several irons in the fire, as it were. Too often, I’m afraid, one of the most common byproducts of my activity – or malady, depending on your viewpoint – is that some of my projects are poorly done, done late, done late poorly or not done at all.

I do not need to convince dairymen that milk is the most nutritionally complete food source, but I would like to make the point here that milk does not always provide adequate supplies of vitamins and minerals to the young calf.

Protein and amino acids are the most expensive nutrients for raising young calves and heifers. For the growing calf and heifer, protein can be supplied in several different ways. The animal’s stage of life, relative to ruminal development for it becoming a functional ruminant, dictates the types and amounts of protein and amino acids that are of benefit for growth, health and ruminal maturation.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) causes significant economic losses in dairies across the U.S. While vaccination is available and necessary, it isn’t always effective. Delivering trace minerals via injection, in conjunction with BRD vaccinations, can potentially enhance the immune response and increase vaccination success.

Many agree raising quality, healthy heifers is one of the most important goals for any dairy producer. It is surprising, though, that most discussion regarding heifer raising immediately gravitates toward cost.

Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a national farmer-owned dairy cooperative, and Vanguard Renewables, a Massachusetts-based renewable energy developer, formed a strategic partnership to help bring anaerobic digestion technology to more farms across the country.

“Rules of engagement are rules or directives to military forces (including individuals) that define the circumstances, conditions, degree and manner in which the use of force ... may be applied.”

Is your farm energy-efficient? How can you tell? If you add up all of your electricity use for a year that is used for milk harvesting or cow housing and divide by the number of milking cows, you will likely be in the range of 800 to 1,200 kilowatt-hours per cow per year.

The history of agriculture in most Western nations follows the same pattern. Humans on the European continent domesticated the aurochs early on in their evolution and eventually produced the dairy cow.