Summer months, and the stress that comes with them, can take a substantial toll on herd health and productivity. Understanding heat stress is critical for producers managing herds in warm, humid climates.

Kernel milkline (starch deposition) should drive the time to start harvesting corn silage, not plant dry matter. For some, this statement may be puzzling, as in the past using plant dry matter was a key tool for harvest timing.

Although some dairy herds do have excellent reproductive performance, the average Canadian herd is still showing unsatisfactory performance with an insemination rate of 44.1 percent, pregnancy rate of 17.6 percent and conception rate of 40.5 percent; those performances were shown to be similar in other countries.

The U.S. dairy industry is evolving, progressing from a commodity-driven producer of domestic products to a top three exporter of dairy ingredients. More attention is being placed on creation of value-added consumer goods and the proliferation of innovative, direct-sourcing models throughout the supply chain.

Benchmarking – comparing your operation against the performance of your peers and yourself over time – can identify ways to create dairy farm business efficiencies and increase profitability.

For dairy producers across the U.S., 2017 has the potential to be a year of growth and opportunity – but financial success hinges upon four key factors. “The best time to grow is when everybody else is hunkered down,” Mike Boehlje, Purdue agriculture economics professor, told dairy producers at the 2017 PDPW Manager’s Academy held in San Diego, California, earlier this year.

Scott and Steve have been partners for 24 years. They have worked together for 38. And they have been brothers for 50. They know each other like the back of their hands. Each brother’s relationship with his sibling is likely to be the longest of his life.

Form I-9 is required for all new hires in the U.S. – both citizens and non-citizens – and the federal government has the authority to audit, or check the accuracy, of an employer’s Form I-9 paperwork. Think of it this way: The government requires citizens to pay taxes and submit tax returns annually.

Is your dairy losing money because of subclinical mastitis? Most of my customers look puzzled when I ask them this question because unless they’re seeing physical mastitis symptoms – abnormal milk, udder swelling, fevers – it doesn’t exist.