David Albers wishes he could say the reason he’s covering his lagoon and capturing methane is because he had a genius epiphany one day, but instead he says he’ll be producing enough commercial-grade methane to power about 1,200 homes because of persistence and luck.

We’ve become accustomed to the fact that if cows aren’t comfortable in their environment, milk production, reproductive performance and overall herd health will suffer.

Since the onset of the modern era of biotechnology in 1973, scientists have made impressive strides in developing new agricultural biotechnologies. Biotechnologies that enhance productivity and productive efficiency (feed consumed per unit of output) have been developed and approved for commercial use. Technologies that improve productive efficiency will benefit both producers and consumers because feed provision constitutes a major component (about 70 percent) of farm expenditures.

Few sounds capture the rhythm of agricultural economies better than the syncopated cadence of an auctioneer echoing across a clutch of farmers gathered around the auction block.

The following is the second of a two-part series about design specifications for feed and water spaces in freestall barns. Water plays an important role in milk production, temperature control and body functions for dairy cattle. Cows may consume 4.5 to 5 pounds of water from drinking and feed per pound of milk produced. Providing the opportunity for cows to consume a relatively large quantity of clean, fresh water is essential.

The wind is blowing the clouds in, with the hope of rain or snow. This time of year, you never know. We’ve had the first frost, and the vegetable garden is brown and tangled. We’ve eaten the last cucumbers, and the tomatoes that weren’t killed by the frost are ripening in the spare room.

To: Directors of HSUS, PETA and the Farm Sanctuary The first step in engaging an issue is to have the ability to understand your ‘opponents’ point of view. I have watched your criticisms as we in animal agriculture have become more productive.

Sand-laden manure may be handled using a scrape or flush system. The handling systems should allow for the sand and solids to separate from the effluent. The abrasiveness of sand may create problems when mechanically handling sand-laden manure. Manure weighs about 60 pounds per cubic foot (lbs/cf), whereas sand has a density of 120 lbs/cf.

We believe most dairy producers have become increasingly aware of the importance of replacement heifer health. Not only can disease episodes become a major financial problem, but these animals represent the future producing herd. Calves that require treatment for disease tend to be less productive in the long run, and production efficiency is negatively impacted if heifers fail to grow and begin milk production by 2 years old.

In reality, each country or even regions of countries have very different dairy industries. The emphasis on mastitis prevention and control vary greatly as does the economic value of the milk products. Public health concerns also vary as does the interest in milk quality. Therefore, principle-based mastitis prevention should be applied to accommodate for these geographic and regional differences rather than specific recommendations.