During the Fifth Annual Southeast Quality Milk Initiative Meeting held in Nashville, Tennessee, in November 2017, three representatives from two milk cooperatives sat down in an open panel to discuss current trends of the U.S. milk market.

Affiliates of Pinnacle Asset Management L.P., a commodities and natural resources investment firm, announced Jan. 17 they have entered into an agreement to acquire the U.S.-based cattle feeding assets and farms, collectively known as Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, from JBS USA, a global food company, for approximately $200 million.

Clay’s passion was always cattle. He wanted to get back to the home place in Starr, South Carolina, and start a cattle operation in the worst way and with the quickest route possible.

Last week one of our cows died unexpectedly. Fortunately, we experience minimal loss, but when it does occur, we are sad. I’ve heard negative commentaries suggesting ranchers don’t care about the lives of their cattle, but those of you in the fields with us know that nothing could be further from the truth.

If ever there was a busy time in a producer’s life, it is right around the time decisions are made for which animals head to the sale barn. At the end of long days, it is easy to skip over any further management for those cattle earmarked for sale and focus on the retained or growing herd that stays. A few simple considerations and actions, however, can be the difference in dollars per head once those cattle go through the sale ring.

Representing the future of the cow herd, replacement heifers must be managed with the end in mind – that is to maintain an efficient, productive cow-calf operation.

Projected milk prices aren’t good, and insurable margins using various safety nets and marketing tools aren’t much better, according to Alan Zepp, risk management program manager at Pennsylvania's Center for Dairy Excellence (CDE).

Winter is upon us. Many areas of the dairy need extra attention during the winter months to prevent broken pipes, sick calves, frozen water and, of course, mastitis.

Milk quality is affected by numerous factors, many of which we can control through appropriate management. One major area that encompasses many intertwined factors influencing milk quality is cow comfort, which is the focus of this article.