The power take-off (PTO) shaft is an efficient means of transferring mechanical power between farm tractors and implements. This power transfer system helped to revolutionize North American agriculture during the 1930s. It is also one of the oldest and most persistent hazards associated with farm machinery. This article discusses several aspects of PTO safety.

It is common knowledge that texting while driving a car increases your risk of an accident – even talking with a hands-free device requires the brain to multitask and can be risky behavior. The same goes for driving a tractor or using other heavy equipment. Today’s tech tools – like cell phones, music devices or tablets – are “tractor distractors” and are unsafe to use while operating heavy equipment.

A cow’s comfort level affects her health, productivity and performance if not assessed routinely over time. How are you gauging the comfort level of your cows, especially when it comes to the farm’s cow housing environment, particularly freestalls? “We all understand the importance of cow comfort,” Rick Grant, president of the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, says. “There’s nothing more important to the cow’s comfort in terms of her environment than her lying surface.” There are several indices currently used to determine how comfortable the animals are in relation to their housing environment. Grant points out that three of the principal indices are the cow comfort index, the stall standing index and the stall use index.

“There is a lot you can tell about a person just by looking at their shoes.” If this saying is really true, I believe there is a lot you can tell about mechanics by looking at their shops. Recently, I was buying some used equipment and ended up making a drive to Middleton, Idaho. There, I purchased a used diesel engine for a good price. I was excited about the buy, but even more excited when the seller took me into his shop to show me the engine.

Summer is here and temperatures are soaring throughout the country. If you are sweating up a storm while working on your dairy, imagine how your cows feel. What methods are you using to mitigate the summer heat and its effects on your herd? Whether you provide your cows with shade, install fans or misters, or use a combination of these options on your dairy operation, make sure cow cooling is a top priority, especially during the summer months. In this article, Progressive Dairyman has asked companies that provide cow cooling products for updates on existing products or new offerings available to producers. Continue reading to see what company representatives had to say.

It is a beautiful day and age to live in. Bill Gates once said, “Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time.” The age of innovation is now. It does not matter if a person is making reference to computers or dairy equipment – technology is changing both of these industries at a rapid pace. Technology aids in doing more with less manpower and in less time than ever before. Industries are changing, and the technicians that accompany them must change as well.