Compliments – what’s so hard about giving and receiving them? You’d at least think that receiving them would be easy. But it seems many people feel uncomfortable receiving a compliment too. Why? We just don’t hear them very often. Think about it. How many times in the course of a week do you receive a genuine compliment? If you can recall a few compliments you’ve received recently, it’s probably because they’re so rare they actually stick out in your mind.

Is peak production stressful? No! Peak production is the result of a healthy animal consuming high-quality feedstuffs and living in comfortable facilities. With that said, peak production is not without risks. A common expression is “Don’t sweat the small stuff!” When it comes to achieving and sustaining peak performance and high-quality milk in a dairy herd, attention to every aspects of the cow’s life is critical. Peak production requires sweating the small stuff.

The 2010 Winter Olympics were held this past February. I always enjoy watching the best athletes in the world compete. Whether they’re snow skiing, snow boarding, bobsledding or ice skating, they’re at the top of their form, having devoted many years of their life getting to where they’re at.

A one-size-fits-all fly control plan for all dairies doesn’t exist. Each dairy has its own unique facilities and management, and each fly management program will have to be individually designed to meet the dairy’s specific needs. However, the one overall item that will generally result in the largest economic return for your investment is effective sanitation. This includes not only manure management but also the elimination of any moist, decaying organic matter such as spilled feed, silage, rotting hay, etc. Remember that generally 90 percent of your dairy’s flies will be developing in less than 10 percent of its physical area; therefore, the elimination or cleaning up of those areas will greatly decrease your fly production.

Mastitis is the most costly disease of dairy cattle. Estimated losses due to mastitis approach $200 per cow per year in the United States. Sources of loss include reduced milk production, discarded milk, premature replacement costs, extra labor, drugs and veterinary service. This translates into an estimated annual loss of nearly $400,000 for a herd with 2,000 lactating cows.

Managers of dairy businesses should take time to evaluate their dairy businesses and identify areas where change is needed. Then, a game plan for accomplishing these changes needs to be designed and implemented.

It happened to Brett, a country boy in college on a rodeo scholarship. His folks sent him off to college in a well-used 3/4 ton pickup with mud and snows and a grill that looked like the gate on a Russian prison, a 16’ stock trailer the color of camouflage, and an antique gas-stingy hatchback coupe.

I have just returned to Baghdad from my final leave in Alma, Michigan. During my 16-month temporary duty assignment, or TDY, I was given three two-week rest-and-recuperation breaks outside of Iraq. The first one in May 2009 found me back home and realizing that I still have a long ways to go on my deployment.

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A veterinarian…an agricultural engineer…a biochemist. These are just some of the careers mapped out by the winners of the 2010 Agricultural Education Scholarship. Foremost Farms USA has awarded 10 scholarships to the children of dairy producer member-owners. Five graduating high school seniors and five college students have each been awarded $2,000 scholarships to put toward their educations. The scholarships are funded by the Foremost Farms USA Charitable Foundation. The winners are highlighted below.