When faced with the facts, it’s hard to argue that production agriculture is not a dangerous line of work. Recently, I read a Forbes article that ranked farming and ranching as the fourth most deadly occupation in America.

With the growing costs of utilities, more dairy owners across the nation are turning to renewable energy alternatives. There are many benefits to using renewable energy, such as the long-term savings, less maintenance, decreasing your carbon footprint and even saving money on your taxes.

Producers nationwide know well the California Mastitis Test and the California Net Energy System. These now-commonplace industry tools began as research at the University of California, says Deanne Meyer, one of the university’s cooperative extension dairy specialists.

It can be a challenge to keep cows healthy on a dairy with common diseases such as mastitis, lameness, metritis and others negatively impacting herd profitability. A review of existing research shows that per-incident cost of some health events can approach $500, and that nearly one out of every three cows that experience a significant health issue may be culled.

These protocol sheets were assembled by members of the Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC).

Immigrant workers in Wisconsin deserve a fair opportunity to build productive lives here as a vital part of the workforce, Gordon Speirs, president of the Dairy Business Association, said last Thursday.

Things aren’t just black and white at Majestic Crossing Dairy. For brothers Dean and Darren Strauss, a three-way crossbreeding program has added colors to their barn, components to their milk and cash to their bottom line.

The “forests” of microbes that naturally grow in babies’ guts are increasingly recognized as key players in childhood health and nutrition.

Editor’s note: Balchem Corporation sponsored a post-conference seminar focusing on milk protein production following the 2015 Penn State Extension Dairy Cattle Nutrition Workshop held recently in Grantville, Pennsylvania.

Take a moment and make a mental picture of the most profitable cow in your barn. Is she the stylish, large-framed and open-ribbed 2-year-old who catches everyone’s eye?