The transition period is a critical time. As the fetus requires maximum nutrients from the cow, the cow’s dry matter intake decreases by 10 to 30 percent – in addition to the onset of lactation.

The landscape of North Dakota before farming was dominated by prairie. The prairies thrived for thousands of years and consisted of grasses and broadleaf plants that deconstructed sediment minerals, releasing nutrients they needed, such as phosphorus, potassium and zinc, and tending to conserve and recycle them close to the soil surface.

The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. —Vincent Lombardi

In pesticide application, two important factors are pesticide efficacy and spray drift management. The goal is to achieve 100 percent pest control with 0 percent spray drift. As with most situations where you can’t control all the variables, achieving this goal is a tall order.

A study with four rake types conducted in Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin shows about 70 percent of relative forage quality (RFQ) in alfalfa results from leaf percentage. Every time drying alfalfa is moved in the field, leaves are lost and RFQ is reduced.

USDA moved another step in the possible creation of a California federal milk marketing order. House members are asking for answers from EPA regarding funding used by environmental activists. Proposed legislation would create USDA funding for small cheesemakers. This and other U.S. dairy policy news can be found here.