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Legendary commentator Paul Harvey always ended his daily lunchtime radio broadcasts with the affirmation, “Now you know the rest of the story.”
I’m not so sure we’ll ever know the “rest of the story” when it comes to all the factors affecting total tract starch digestibility. In a previous issue of Progressive Dairyman this past spring, I explored the influence of corn silage processing on the resulting fecal starch.
Internal parasites can affect every segment of dairy production when animals have been grazing even for short periods of time. Parasite infections have a costly effect on cattle health and performance including reproductive losses, hampered immune responses, reduced appetite and lower weight gain.
With fall approaching, graziers are entering the season of opportunity. While year-round pasture management is essential, fall sets the stage for the quantity and quality of pastures in the spring.
This year fall pasture management will prove especially important, given the lack of rainfall many graziers in the southern U.S., and in Texas in particular, are experiencing.
Cow health is perhaps the most critical aspect of every dairy operation. Optimizing cow health not only optimizes production performance of the dairy, it helps ensure quality milk is produced by cows with reduced health issues and increased reproductive performance.
(click hereto listen to a podcast of this column)
The scriptures are full of references to repentance. On the day of Pentecost, Peter called for repentance. He “said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
How’s harvest going for you? With harvest season soon drawing to a close, hopefully you know where you stand with your equipment in terms of repairs and maintenance.
For those expecting a late harvest, there will be a big push to get the crop from field to storage, which will not only put pressure on operators and owners, but will also put tremendous pressure on the equipment.
This is the time to start refocusing on our record-keeping skills. Although record-keeping is a must year-round, it is very important to pay attention to even the smallest details when working your equipment day in and day out.
He walked towards me with his hand out and fingers spread as wide as they go. My hand was wet with dirt and sweat. I was going to wipe it on my jeans, but he grabbed it first. “I’m here for the day,” he said. “Just a place to come down to every once in a while, get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.”
My dairy background: My dairy background started 65 years ago (approximately 44 years before I was born!), when my grandpa moved our herd to its current location. My two sisters and I are the 4th generation to dairy farm in our family.
Year in school and area of study: I am currently a senior, graduating at the end of this winter quarter, majoring in agricultural communications with a minor in animal science.
If I wasn’t studying agriculture/dairy, I would be ... traveling the world. I love to see new, beautiful places!
Hometown: Garrett, Indiana
My dairy background: Growing up as the middle child with two brothers, I worked on my family’s fifth-generation, 200-cow dairy, 5,000 annual market hog operation, and I helped to maintain nearly 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and hay.
Year in school and area of study: I am currently a senior at Purdue University majoring in agricultural economics with a minor in farm management and animal sciences.
If I wasn’t studying agriculture/dairy, I would be ... most likely majoring in horticulture to start my own greenhouse business.
Hometown: Tillamook, Oregon
My dairy background: My grandpa started our dairy about 50 years ago in Forest Grove, Oregon. In the mid-70s we relocated to Tillamook. My dad now owns the dairy, which has about 200 head of registered Jerseys (with two Brown Swiss and a Holstein thrown in there).
Other than employing one milker, the farm is operated by my father, one of my three brothers and myself. I go back to the farm, which is about 100 miles from OSU, every weekend to work. We take pride in having a family-run operation.
Year in school and area of study: I am currently a sophomore in agricultural sciences, with a minor in animal sciences.
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