This article was #15 of the Top 25 most well-read articles on www.progressivedairy.com in 2012. to jump to the article. It was published in the January 21, 2012 issue. Click here for the full list of the Top 25. In the fall of 2010, the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Veterinary Medicine launched The Dairyland Initiative program. This article discussed the information that producers could expect to find on the program’s website. Whether producers are looking to build new or remodel existing facilities, they are able to access a variety of useful tools and resources on the website.

When winter strikes in the northern climate, barn doors are pulled shut and curtain sidewalls are rolled up. The chill in the air keeps most people from thinking of cooling strategies in place on the dairy, such as misting lines and fans. Yet, one dairy producer in Michigan has found value in running fans year-round.

Have you been thinking about cow comfort within your freestall barns? One dairyman’s idea could help you cut down fan usage, your electric bill and keep air flowing at a high rate for cow comfort. Kevin Hoover, a Pennsylvania dairyman and owner of AutoVent LLC, has been using an idea he came up with for two years to improve cow comfort.

Most equipment used in dairy production – including milking and feeding machines, tractors, skid loaders, tillers, bale choppers and even manure digesters – contains several hydraulic hose and fitting components. While most pay little attention to the hoses of a hydraulic system until after a failure occurs, being proactive about proper safety and maintenance precautions can ultimately save dairy producers costly equipment downtime and the obvious effects – and legalities – of potentially lethal injection injuries.

Proper cleaning of milking equipment contributes to ensuring that high-quality milk is produced on the dairy farm. Goals of cleaning milking equipment are to prevent microbial growth and remove residual milk solids. Residual milk solids are called “soils” and contain both organic and inorganic materials. Soils that are retained on the inner surface of the milking system provide nutrients and areas for bacteria to grow, and these soils also reduce the effectiveness of the cleaning and sanitizing compounds.

It’s that time of year when people spend time with their families and wait to see what Santa brings them this year. What’s on your Christmas wish list? A new gadget? The biggest TV on the market? Maybe some new tools? Progressive Dairyman visited with two mechanics to see what was on their wish lists and what they believed should be on other mechanics’ wish lists this Christmas.

Representatives from Advanced Comfort Technology, Inc. (ACT, Inc.), were on site at the University of Kentucky, assisting with the installation of 54 of the company’s DCC Waterbeds (Dual Chamber Cow Waterbeds) in the College of Agriculture’s Coldstream Dairy Research Farm. “We are excited to have DCC Waterbeds at the University of Kentucky,” said Dean Throndsen, president and CEO of ACT, Inc. “For almost 13 years we’ve seen and heard from our customers that waterbeds provide superior cow comfort with the added benefits of less maintenance, lower labor and bedding costs, and a long lifespan. Now, through our partnership with UK, we can gather data to help support the testimonials we’ve collected from waterbed users around the world.” The installation at the University of Kentucky kicks off a two-year study overseen by Dr. Jeffrey Bewley, dairy systems management extension specialist in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Animal and Food Sciences, and led by Barbara Wadsworth, a graduate student in the Animal and Food Sciences program and the recipient of the ACT, Inc., Dairy Systems Management Fellowship.