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The Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) has announced the 2015 Reproduction Awards program, which recognizes outstanding dairy operations for reproductive efficiency and well-implemented management procedures. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2015 program.
The program for the 2015 Precision Dairy Conference and Expo is a partnership between University of Minnesota and University of Kentucky, along with key industry sponsors. The event will be held at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota, June 24 and 25.
As spectacular as the past summer was for the cattlemen in our area, it was equally disastrous for the farmers. Their crops suffered from smut and sawflies, hail that knocked down wheat and barley, and excessive rain late in the season that made kernels sprout right in the heads.
After much anticipation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published proposed regulations that would govern the operation of drones used for agricultural and other activities. The proposal would allow farmers and ranchers to operate drones, referred to in the rule as “unmanned aircraft” and “unmanned aircraft systems” (UAS), subject to requirements intended to address public safety and national security concerns.
Leadership – the word conjures all kinds of thoughts and descriptive phrases. Courageous, bold, outspoken, strong, resilient, honest … the list goes on and on. At times it seems that leadership roles in our fields of agriculture have noticeable voids. A major reason is that leadership also requires time and sacrifice.
I talked to a progressive producer at a winter show who said he had invested maybe $40,000 in precision and tracking technology that generated all kinds of data from his farm. Then he spread his arms about 18 inches wide and said, “I have a box full of information that I have no idea what to do with.”
Farm machinery has continued to get larger, helping farmers to be more efficient and productive. But with larger, heavier equipment has also come the risk of increased soil compaction, which can significantly impact crop growth and yield performance.
Whether mechanically harvested or grazed, most forages are managed with the goal of maximizing protein content. However, much of that sought-after protein is ultimately not used by livestock for the production of milk or meat.
