This article was #17 of the Top 25 most well-read articles on www.progressivedairy.com in 2013. It was published in the August 22, 2013 Extra e-newsletter. Click here for the full list of the Top 25. Freelance writer Kelli Boylen combined key points from two presentations at the 2013 Four State Dairy Nutrition Conference. Dr. Phil Cardoso said that cows fed a controlled-energy diet as opposed to a high-energy diet three to four weeks before calving tend to have fewer health problems, similar milk production and better reproduction. Kevin Lager’s presentation focused on using the metabolic profile to diagnose and treat transition cow problems.

In the most recent FG Poll, we asked readers: If farm supports were further cut to reduce federal spending, which program should be cut the most?

The USDA on Wednesday released its annual report, Expenditures on Children by Families, also known as the Cost of Raising a Child. The report shows that a middle-income family with a child born in 2012 can expect to spend about $241,080 ($301,970 adjusted for projected inflation*) for food, shelter, and other necessities associated with child-rearing expenses over the next 17 years. This represents a 2.6 percent increase from 2011. Expenses for child care, education, health care and clothing saw the largest percentage increases related to child rearing from 2011. However, there were smaller increases in housing, food, transportation and miscellaneous expenses during the same period. The 2.6 percent increase from 2011 to 2012 is also lower than the average annual increase of 4.4 percent since 1960.