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Editor’s note: The following article is the third in a series discussing electrolyte formulation and function in calves. Click here to read the first part, and click here to read the second in the series.
Earlier in this series, we saw that strong ions fully dissociate from other substances when they dissolve in water. This dissociation not only affects the electrolyte solution being fed to the calf, it also has profound effects within the animal itself.
As stewards of the environment, many dairy producers are concerned about their impact on the land, water and air. Much has been learned and understood about land and water, but producers still feel ill-equipped to deal with air emissions.
All it took was a whack of a broom, and a new concept was born.
Perhaps it was a moment of frustration or the thought of trying something different, but when Rejean Houle, president of U.S. Farm Systems, and his colleagues were trying to rid manure build-up from a separation screen, they found an easier way to get the job done.
They struck the screen with the end of a broom and watched as the vibrations sifted the solid material off the top of the screen.
Manure application is a big business. Commercial manure services and custom haulers or applicators are a very important component to agriculture, providing services that allow livestock producers to focus on livestock concerns and crop producers to focus on production practices.
It has been a journey, but you have finally completed the task of developing a nutrient management plan (NMP) or having someone else develop an NMP for your farm; now what?
Producers often think of themselves, with considerable justification, as stewards of the land and the environment. With that responsibility comes the task of balancing business goals with regulatory compliance. Ideally, the ultimate goal should be to maintain a perpetual state of proactive compliance.
Though it is almost always less costly over time to prevent an environmental problem than to fix it, producers can run afoul of regulations. Chemicals and nutrients, which producers work with regularly, can pollute.
Ensuring cows are bred soon after the voluntary waiting period and subsequent open cows rebred in a timely manner is critical to the profitability of a dairy operation.
Heat detection is one of the key components in the management of dairy herds. A delay in breeding either at first or repeat services will increase the number of days open and extend calving intervals. The cost of poor heat detection adds up with a greater risk of culling and reduced milk production and is the real driver of higher replacement costs, all affecting your profitability.
Utah dairywoman Maria Nye jokingly uses a line from one of the main characters from J.K. Rowling’s famous Harry Potter book series to describe what makes her A.I. and breeding program work – constant vigilance.
Cow fertility is a critical issue for modern dairy production enterprises. Dairy producers spend a lot of effort getting cows pregnant because every pregnancy is critical to the future economic success of the dairy herd.
Could reproductive performance be holding your dairy back? The primary reason for poor reproduction is the inability to determine which dairy cows are in heat and which cows are ready to be bred. With each missed heat, the number of days open increases, total annual milk production decreases and operating profits are reduced.
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