Feed continues to be the highest individual cost in confined dairy production systems. According to the USDA Economic Research Service (2016), during 2015 feed costs represented 56 percent of the total cost of producing milk in the U.S., progressively increasing during the last decade.

If you are a dairyman or a dairy nutritionist, you’ve been there. You open up a new silage pile, bunker or silo, or begin to feed a new crop of hay and you pull the first samples, take them by the lab and that afternoon get the email … and the nutrient values or the digestibilities are not what you expected – not even close.

Transcriptomics, proteomics, microbiomics, metabolomics ... If you have read any scientific articles lately, chances are you have heard of one of these cutting-edge approaches. The development of technologies such as DNA microarrays, next-generation sequencing and advanced mass spectrometry have allowed for broad application in animal nutrition research.

After a few years of favorable calf prices, the fall market prices appear to be trending considerably lower.

According to Dr. Jeremy Schefers of the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, the rising levels of copper concentration in liver samples of dairy cattle received at the diagnostic lab remains a practical concern. The reason for the concern is the common usage of copper sulfate in footbaths on many dairy farms for the control of digital dermatitis.

Nowadays, everyone wants to know what to adjust on a self-propelled forage harvester to maximize forage quality and minimize fuel consumption.

It’s no secret dairies use a lot of electricity and, up to this point, dairymen have simply had to bite the bullet and pay the fees electrical companies charge in order to keep the milk flowing.

U.S. farmers spent $362.8 billion on agricultural production in 2015, down 8.8 percent from 2014, reversing a long-term trend of growing costs, according to the Farm Production Expenditures report, published Aug. 4 by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

For the first time in 13 years, the U.S. will be allowed access to export beef and beef products to the Brazilian market, according to a USDA press release issued on Aug. 1.

Most of us are required to hold regular documented safety meetings. The idea is that when safety matters are discussed and there exists a functioning safety committee, property damage and injury accidents will go away. There is much we can do to improve the safety of our family members and employees.