Genetic advances in the cattle industry have resulted in animals with rapid growth rates and increased production efficiencies, requiring critical minerals and vitamins. As cow-calf producers strive to become more efficient through extended grazing programs such as fall/winter swath and bale grazing, the industry standard of providing free-choice mineral and vitamin supplements to herds often results in sporadic consumption by individual animals.

Collecting and recording cattle health and production data is a worthwhile endeavor, but even more important than where to store it is ensuring it’s of high quality. To meet this standard, it should be confirmed, useful and actionable for producers and experts alike to deliver the right information at the right time.

By the time you are reading this, my family will be less than two weeks away from celebrating my great-aunt’s 100th birthday. At the end of our lives, each of us will leave a legacy for others to remember us by. What do you want your legacy to be? What do you want to be remembered for?

I spent the day after Mother’s Day helping our hoof trimmer. Since our herd is relatively small, we do not have sort gates and chutes that maneuver cows in a different direction when needed.

Sometimes thinking outside the box can pay off in ways you don’t anticipate. Agriculture is usually a high-risk, high-reward venture, and for Ryan Schleis of Schleis Farms, switching a Holstein herd to Fleckvieh was an investment he was willing to make in exchange for higher fertility.

It was a sunny, beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest, and I decided to take the kids to Retired Farmer Disneyland. It’s a place that sells the best burgers in the area.

While many people were focused on college basketball games and brackets during the month of March, another competition was generating excitement and raising funds to support innovative programs in the dairy industry.

When Jesus was on the Earth, He healed the sick, made the blind to see, the lame to walk and raised the dead. We often look at those miracles as far away and long ago, but they still happen today.

Despite the numerous sources of anxiety that can affect those in agriculture, farmers tend to be reluctant to ask for help. While there is still sometimes an unfortunate stigma around addressing mental health issues, farmers are also conditioned to be independent.

Jackie Sanford, Heather Lifsey and Becky Heim found that balancing these roles with their responsibilities on the farm and careers required creativity, resilience and a willingness to lean on others. Their journeys reveal not only the struggles of caregiving but also the profound strength it takes to navigate this path.