At the beginning of September, I had the opportunity to participate in an agricultural tour in Idaho, my home state. When I’ve done these tours in the past, it’s been when I was visiting a new place. I’ve seen megaranches in Florida, carrot farms in Arizona, dairies in Washington and pistachio orchards in California.

It comes as a surprise when some of your herd’s top performers drop off in milk. Nothing has changed regarding cow management, and you verify the diet is still high quality.

It’s common for dairy producers to experience a “fall slump,” or a time when cows fail to reach their full production potential. Producers also might notice decreased feed intake or loose manure.

When following a recipe, it's often necessary to grab the correct ingredients at the store in order to get the optimal desired outcome. Similar to whipping up a cake or mixing your favorite dry rub, creating a dairy ration requires specific ingredients.

Whether you’re a custom chopper or harvesting forage for yourself, there are several adjustments you can make to your self-propelled forage harvester to meet the quality forage needs set by your customers’ (or your own) nutritionist. 

The farm has been in Peter’s family for 151 years, but he is the second generation to farm it, since previous uncles and great uncles had been country doctors and rented out the parcel. Peter took over the family dairy when his father passed away in 2001 after being in partnership together.