Owning and managing a dairy presents different challenges on a daily basis, which can often result in overlooking the basics of raising calves. Getting your calves off to a good start can be the key to raising quality heifers.

In 1980, it felt like a leap of faith to follow the advice of the researchers who said, “Move your calves outside. They won’t freeze, and they won’t die.”

Plenty of things have changed in the world of dairy farming. Advancements in milking systems mean that robots, not people, can perform the several-times-per-day task of milking cows.

In response to requests from both the farming community and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms program monitored feed storage capture systems on working farms to determine their effectiveness.

This summer, the EPA proposed a new set of regulations aimed at curbing methane emissions. This announcement has drawn a sharper focus on methane, a greenhouse gas almost 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.

It’s a hidden, silent danger on a growing number of farms across the U.S. Each year, manure pit-related incidences claim lives of farmers and their family members across the nation – and as more and more producers begin to implement these tools on their operations, the number is sure to rise. 

The race for the presidency heats up with the primary season just around the corner and the general election only a year away. Lost among the debates, the negative ads and the relentless analysis by pundits is the fate of farming on voting day.

The year is coming to a close, leaving in its wake a thousand memories both good and bad. Memories of camping in the mountains with my family, the birth of a new grandchild and time spent with my aging parents.

“Keep shields (guards) in place!”  We’ve all seen these warning signs on nearly every piece of equipment we own. So why is it that so many PTOs, shafts and pulleys have no cover and operate almost daily on our family farms?