With all the moving parts on a dairy farm, many would think that determining ration costs would be a relatively easy endeavor. The industry also has many experienced and knowledgeable nutritionists to assist in this effort.

Editor’s note: This article was written as a follow-up to the piece, “Say goodbye to NPEs in teat dip,” published in the Jan. 19, 2015 issue of Progressive Dairyman. Editor's note: This article has been corrected to indicate the duties of the National Mastitis Council in recommending protocols, not testing for efficacy of teat dips. Recent action in international markets banning nonyl-phenol ethoxylates (NPE) in milk has raised U.S. dairy producers’ awareness of the substance in teat dips.

There are a lot of opinions on robotic milking systems in the dairy industry today. According to Mat Haan of Penn State Cooperative Extension in Berks County, science and experience are two important factors to consider when determining whether or not a robotic milking system is a good fit for your operation.

The primary focus of any dairy producer is to produce high-quality milk from healthy, well-cared-for cows. While this admirable goal seems simple, everyone involved in the dairy industry knows it is not as easy as it seems.