For a dairy producer, the milk, feed and energy price fluctuations have a huge impact on cash flow, equity and profitability. So naturally, you want to know the outlook for 2014. If I used this space to write about what’s going to happen in the 2014 markets, the facts would change before the ink was dry.

Many people who work with cows on a daily basis have a solid understanding of cow behavior. Cows are fairly predictable. What about the people you work with? Is their behavior predictable? How do we influence co-workers to perform day-to-day activities in a way that continually improves such things as safety, cow health, production and profitability?

Those who grew up in the ’80s or before may remember the popular TV series, “The A-Team.” In that series, the team patriarch John “Hannibal” Smith coined the phrase, “I love it when a plan comes together.” At the Center for Dairy Excellence, we have the opportunity to watch time and time again as dairy farm families experience the benefits of seeing a plan come together.

“Dear Panera Bread Company, you’ve lost a customer.” Blogger and southern Wisconsin dairy farmer Carrie Mess – or Dairy Carrie, as she’s known to her online fans – describes herself as honest and frank.

The Professional Dairy Producers Foundation (PDPF) is seeking applications for educational grant dollars that will help build dairy producer professionalism and public trust in how dairy products are produced. Eligible organizations may apply for grants of up to $5,000 by Dec. 1, 2013.

At the end of September, the American Dairy Science Association held a Discover Conference on the topic of feed efficiency. This was the 26th in a series of scientific gatherings designed to encourage in-depth discussion of issues related to food-animal agriculture.

“You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” —William Hewlett, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard Company

When given access to drinking water, lactating dairy cows can handle iron (Fe) concentrations of up to 4 parts per million (ppm) without decreasing the amount of water they consume, according to results of a recent study entitled, “Preference and drinking behavior of lactating dairy cows offered water with different concentrations, valences and sources of iron.”

Lactating dairy cattle require large amounts of water to produce milk. Though water is one of the most important nutrients for dairy cattle, water quality is often overlooked. Water, other than providing hydration, can also supply minerals vital for bovine health. Mineral composition can vary in water based on region and water source.

In light of the fact that dairy cattle can survive up to 60 days without food, yet barely a week if deprived of water, the importance of clean water sources on a dairy farm will come as no surprise. The details of what it means to “have clean water,” however, may hold some surprises even for veteran farmers.