Owning and managing a dairy brings a large number of different challenges on a daily basis; this, in turn, often results in overlooking the basics of raising calves. Getting your calves off to a good start can be the key to raising quality heifers.

Last year, the Progressive Dairy Operators (PDO) surveyed members about the feeding, management and health of their pre-weaned calves on the farm. PDO received survey replies from 154 farms. The average farm milked 136 cows, with a range of 22 to 630 cows milked on the day the survey was completed.

The large, air-filled spaces or “macropores,” in untilled soil often resemble the branching vessels of the human circulatory system. Taking advantage of this similarity, a team of Nordic researchers led by Per Schjønning combined computed tomography (CT) scanning with traditional measurements of air exchange to “diagnose” the long-term impacts of soil compaction on the hidden, but vital, soil pore network.

Monsanto Co. and DuPont Co. each recently struck deals aimed at expanding “data-driven analysis of dirt for farmers,” according to a report by Jacob Bunge of The Wall Street Journal.

Since the first commercial sale of Posilac on Feb. 4, 1994, it has helped deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits, according to Elanco, in addition to helping today’s dairy producers meet a growing demand for milk.

Upon further requests from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the USDA has extended the public comment period for proposed rules allowing the importation of beef from 14 states in Brazil.

Much expense and many long hours go into harvesting and storing hay for winter feeding. So why waste it? There are many ways to reduce your hay losses.

Jim Schuurmans
District Sales Manager
Elmira, Ontario
Alta Genetics