Is this the best dairy in the world? That depends on how excellence is defined. If success is measured by scale or throughput, perhaps not. But if it is measured by how long cows remain healthy, comfortable and economically productive, this family-scale herd makes a compelling case.

Although it has become commonplace in our standard daily routines, we don’t think about all the ways AI tools are and can be utilized on dairy operations. These powerful tools can not only simplify day-to-day tasks, but they can also help drive decision-making and profitability.

The early days of a calf’s life can be perilous. With limited immune function of their own, they are reliant on the protection provided by maternal colostrum. That protection goes beyond antibodies (immunoglobulins or IgG) and remains an area of active research.

In 2014, a bold vision took shape in Blairstown, Iowa, to build a dairy farm with the goal of creating a modern, efficient cow capable of excelling in freestall environments with few health issues and high feed efficiency. That idea became GenoSource LLC, which stands as a testament to vision, persistence and the power of collaboration.

Immune-based biologics are a solution with the potential to reduce (and perhaps eliminate) antibiotics use across dairy farms worldwide and ultimately mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Looking at optimizing the entire transition period may seem like a daunting task at first, but it gets easier when we break it down into three key time periods: 60 days pre-fresh, 30 days pre-fresh and 30 days post-fresh.

Winter dysentery is unpredictable but inevitable; daily use of a proven probiotic supports healthy, productive herds and helps maintain normal GI function.

Managing inflammation isn’t the sole solution for transition cow health, but it unifies how environmental, nutritional and management factors influence the cow’s success or failure during transition.