Many of my Progressive Dairyman articles address topics without a direct impact on cows, calves, facilities or feed. Such is the case with this month’s feature (“Take this dairy farm to be your life”), in which we dive into the emotional topic of generational transfers within the potential legal entanglements of divorce or death.

When brown water starts coming out of kitchen faucets and filling bathtubs, it is concerning for all involved. One of the first reactions is to point fingers. Local residents point to area dairy farmers and vice versa.

The abundance and quality of forages for dairy cattle are impacted by weather and growing conditions. Despite our best management efforts, there is always a looming risk that adverse events will lead to a shortage of home-grown forages.

Evidence shows feeding a negative dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) diet of -8 to -12 meq per 100-gram ration dry matter for the last three weeks prior to calving can help prevent a rapid decline in blood calcium around calving and improve cow health and performance in the subsequent lactation.

Non-nutritive feed components have become a lightning rod topic over the past six to 12 months. A promising growing season in 2016 yielded less than desirable quality and some contaminants in many regions.

Consistently achieving high milk production requires performing a balancing act. The goal is to produce the most milk with the greatest market value possible for the least cost. The cornerstone of most rations supporting high production while maintaining excellent animal health is high-quality forage.

One key to the future success of milk sales for America’s dairy farmers is the future of America’s youth – the millions of students who attend schools 180-some days a year. The dairy promotion checkoff is very active in increasing access to great dairy products in schools, helping those kids become lifelong dairy consumers.

The emphasis on animal well-being from industry, regulatory and consumer perspectives only continues to increase. Therefore, the ability to consistently and constantly monitor cow health in real time is gaining in importance because it is a meaningful way to ensure the quality of animal care.

Combined with the 24.9 million pounds of cheese and butter sold with CWT export assistance in the first quarter of 2017, CWT members will be sending the milkfat equivalent of more than 450 million pounds of milk into key overseas markets.