As we move into spring, beef cattle producers are carrying out seasonal management tasks to prepare for grazing season. By now, many have either already begun or are getting ready for branding of calves and spring processing of cows. During the long but enjoyable days of gathering, sorting and processing, it is important to keep a few things in mind.

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Spring is in the air in the Pacific Northwest as we got our first two days of high 50 degrees. This is affectionately known in our area as “fake spring.”

At the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) 2025 Annual Dairy Policy Conference (ADPC) in February, farmers, industry stakeholders and a wide range of engaged delegates gathered in Ottawa around the theme “Dairy in Times of Change.” 

I’m not ashamed to admit that one of the happiest days of my life was in high school, and it was a revenge day. What’s worse, it was a revenge day exacted against an innocent person who had no idea I even had a stake in his tragedy.

When Hurricane Helene struck on Sept. 27, 2024, Biltmore Farms faced one of its toughest challenges yet after the storm brought relentless rains, howling winds and rising floodwaters that devastated the dairy farm and surrounding areas. Dairy manager Mike Corn recounts the chaos and hardships that unfolded over eight days without power and limited resources.

When my children were growing up, I tried to instill in them the idea of making crucial decisions in advance and sticking to them. Big decisions you only have to make once if you are committed to keep them. 

With each year that passes, it feels less and less likely that full and accurate accountability will ever be reached for the students of the Ayotzinapa Rural Normal School. However, by refusing to allow the world to forget what happen in September 2014, the families of the victims proved that not all heinous acts by those in power can be brushed aside easily. 

Dairy farming, like any other industry, operates with clear goals and strategic plans. In automated dairy systems, a vast array of data is collected from a variety of performance indicators.