As you work to provide a consistent ration to your cows at the same time each and every day, the mixing operation is critical to your success. Today, I want to talk about getting the feed mixed and some of the factors that affect the quality of mix.

Have you even been looking for a bolt, found what you thought was the correct bolt, only to find it would not thread up? Or have you ever looked at the top of a bolt and wondered what those numbers or lines meant?

When you wake up in the morning, you have two jobs that must be done regardless of everything else – you need to get your cows milked, and you must get them fed. Everything else can be put on hold to ensure these two activities are completed.

 While our winter weather is behind us, equipment that wasn’t started (and even those that were) may begin to exhibit the battery drain of the past season.

Good help is hard to find … and those words are true in just about any industry you can imagine. Whether you are looking for a farm mechanic or a high-school basketball referee, a qualified person who is skilled, punctual and affordable is an elusive creature indeed.

We all know how expensive equipment is today. I often think back to the economic boom that was the 1970s in the dairy industry. One of my professors at Virginia Tech, the late William Etgen, called the ’70s the “Golden Age of Dairying,” and part of the outward signs of the truth of that term was the expansion of our equipment line on my home farm.

Advances in seed genetics and other crop inputs continue to help farmers achieve higher yields. However, even with today’s high-producing seeds, maximizing crop performance depends on consistent, accurate seed placement.

Variable-speed engines power almost all self-propelled vehicles and equipment. The correct engine speed, as revolutions per minute (rpm), will be the best compromise considering economy of operation, emissions, power needed (or speed needed, especially when running PTO-powered implements such as hay balers) and longevity of the engine.

Farmers are problem-solvers; we have to be. Often, when the chips are truly down, there are few if any options in the way of assistance we can call in time to make a difference. Winter weather can bring all kinds of challenges – frozen pipes, protecting livestock from the elements or simply being able to physically traverse to our tasks.

In the world of farming, efficient, effective and economical have always been valuable traits welcome in just about any setting or application. When it comes to tractors and implements, those traits take on a completely new level of importance and expectations.