The profit margin landscape has deteriorated for dairy producers since our last update in the spring as forward milk prices have declined more than feed costs, thus limiting projected profitability looking out to 2014.

Balancing schoolwork, an FFA judging team, track and chores during high school is difficult. All of these things and a nationally ranked research project is unthinkable. Except for Pennsylvania native Shawna Weller.

The ingenuity of farmers should never come into question. They’ve come up with hundreds of ways to utilize twine and duct tape. When times are tough, farmers find solutions. That’s why its no surprise that in times of drought farmers rekindled an old idea of stretching their feed supplies further.

Before the cows can be raised and the crops harvested, a dairy must have a name. After submitting four different dairy names that were already taken, Marylou Graf found her inspiration from a box of pre-packaged Kellogg’s Rice Krispies treats on the counter.

The dry cow, in my view, is the most important care element for the dairy herd. What happens to the dry cow in that period makes or breaks a fresh cow. For those farms that trim cows at dry-off and take the time to inspect feet, I commend your proaction, but I wish to point out a few subtleties that may give pause for thought.