Finances - Articles - Page 8

Economic Update: December 2023 Class I base price steady

Dairy cow culling remained slower in October and average farm wages were up.

November 27, 2023

Dave Natzke

Here’s an update on economic factors impacting your dairy finances as November 2023 comes to a close.

Economic Update: Ag loan interest rates nearing 9%

October’s Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program margin will be announced next week.

November 21, 2023

Dave Natzke

Here’s an update on economic factors impacting your dairy finances entering the final week of November 2023.

USDA outlook sees slower-than-expected growth in milk production

Recent gains in butter and nonfat dry milk prices have eroded more rapidly than previously expected.

November 10, 2023

Audrey Schmitz

Progressive Dairy reviews the USDA’s latest World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) and Crop Production reports to identify potential influences on dairy producer income.

Replacement cow prices rise to 8-year high

Prices for both replacements and cull cows are the strongest since 2015

November 2, 2023

Dave Natzke

With improving milk prices and margins and tightening cow numbers, average prices for U.S. replacement dairy cows moved to an eight-year high in October.

Economic Update: October FMMO milk class prices diverge

Meeting this week, the Federal Reserve Board’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) held interest rates steady.

November 2, 2023

Dave Natzke

Struggling cheese and protein prices weakened the Class III price, offsetting strong butterfat and Class IV prices and widening the Class III-IV price spread, adding substantial Class IV depooling incentives.

September DMC margin hits $8.44 per cwt

Overall U.S. average feed costs were lower and milk prices were up, pushing the milk income margin to the highest level since December 2022.

October 31, 2023

Dave Natzke

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its latest Ag Prices report on Oct. 31, including factors used to calculate September 2023 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) margins and indemnity payments.

What to know about installing used robots and parts

Used dairy robots are growing in popularity and offer producers a path to the benefits of robotics at a reduced cost. Protecting that investment, however, requires diligent research and an understanding of variables applicable to used robots.

October 27, 2023

Ben Guelker

Robotic dairy systems have been available to the public for nearly three decades. In that time, numerous manufacturers have entered the industry, providing consumers with a variety of robotic solutions for milking, feeding and even manure management.

KPI alphabet soup: Defining acronyms of high-performance dairies

Four KPIs that have considerable impact on dairy productivity and profitability are income over feed cost, dollars per pound of dry matter, energy-corrected milk efficiency and money-corrected milk.

October 23, 2023

Mark Hodge and Chad Jenkins

Interpreting dairy key performance indicators (KPIs) have you feeling like eating an alphabet soup sandwich? While there are hundreds of ways to slice and dice dairy metrics, this article will define and explore several KPIs that have a substantial impact on dairy productivity and profitability.