Why do dairy farmers belong to a milk marketing cooperative? With which areas of the cooperative are members most satisfied or dissatisfied? What factors most influence that level of satisfaction? Do cooperative members think they can influence their cooperative?

In the period leading up to the start of the Margin Protection Program for Dairy Producers (MPP-Dairy), a survey was undertaken to assess dairy farmer knowledge, attitudes, impressions and participation decisions. The survey had both mail and Internet form.

If cows could talk, they would say “thank you” to Dr. Ken Nordlund. From calf barn ventilation to freestall design to transition cow recommendations, Nordlund’s research at the University of Wisconsin – Madison was the basis for many of the gold standards that can be seen today on dairies across the country and around the world.

Like all well-run businesses, the management team of a well-run dairy operation will know and understand the key parameters that make them successful. When it comes to cow performance, these may include early postpartum health events, peak milk yield, total lactation milk yield, somatic cell count (SCC) and reproductive performance, just to name a few. To effectively manage these items, they must be measured.

Mathematics finds a number of uses in dairy herd management, from calculating the proper portions for a TMR to balancing revenue and costs. But imagine if one could actually predict the future, assigning the probability of an outcome down to decimal places. What potential does this power hold? A recent study published in the Journal of Dairy Science explores this prospect.