There are no shortcuts for reducing the lameness rates on dairy farms. It takes a lot of hard work and cooperation from the dairy farm team, but it is well worth the effort to reach the goal of 1%-2% lameness on the dairy. 

More than $125,000 has been raised in support of two semi drivers, Tanner Liefting and Brandon Johnson, who lost their lives on Aug. 28 while transporting show cattle from the Western Canadian Classic (WCC) Junior Dairy Show in Brandon, Manitoba, back home to British Columbia.

Trace minerals are the minerals required in small quantities, normally added in milligrams or micrograms to dairy cow diets. Required trace minerals include cobalt, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium and zinc.

Focus on optimizing MUN through sugar supplementation to enhance production and animal performance and reduce protein feed waste and nitrogen excretion.

Bunker silos are a popular option for storing large volumes of silage for animal feed; however, due to their large surface area and exposure of contents to precipitation, these structures present a unique challenge for effluent management due to infrequent flows with high nutrient concentrations, high biological oxygen demand and low pH.

Without rubbing salt in the wound, we all know fall is not easy for a farm’s cash flow. Milk cheques are often at their lowest at the end of summer, and field crops consume a lot of cash flow during this time as well, making autumn a difficult time of year.

Proper fall protection and ladder safety are necessary to prevent serious injuries on the farm.