It’s winter. You just got home from the farm sale across the county where you bought a low-hour tractor preloaded with precision ag electronics. You got a great deal on it. You pull into the driveway and what’s the first thing you do? Call your brother to gloat? Well, okay, maybe … but your second call should be to your insurance agent.

On the off-chance you have a power failure or internet outage at Thanksgiving, try this: Gather the group and play Thanksgiving ABCs.

One of my toys is a Mazda RX-7, 1979 – the first year the little rotary engine-powered sports car was available in this country. It’s like some equipment on a dairy in that it sees only occasional use. Part of occasional use is that you are not certain if it will start when you need it.

 By I’ve traveled around the country a fair amount in the last few years. I’m not on the road every week, but I’ve been around enough to develop a certain taste for where I choose to lay my weary head at night when I’m in Denver or Fort Worth, Missoula or Salmon.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s November World Ag Supply & Demand Estimates (WASDE) report reduced 2016 and 2017 milk production forecasts after adjusting cow numbers lower. Offsetting lower cow numbers, output per cow is expected to climb.

In the past several years, there’s been an increasing push for better animal welfare on dairies. Various organizations and companies have written guidelines for producers and given them criteria to follow, but how that’s carried out varies based on several factors, including the dairy’s size, location, management and resources.