Summary: In this article, Attica Veterinary Associates' Sam Leadley compares the nutrient needs of three sizes of heifers. He advises that for a 170-pound heifer to gain one pound a day in warm weather, she'll need to be eating between 3.5 and 4 pounds daily. Because this article was so popular, we asked Sam Leadley a follow-up question: Q: Why do you think this topic was of interest to producers in 2011? A: I believe most of us have fallen into the trap of “same old, same old” when it comes to feeding grain to weaned calves. What we were doing in the ’90s we kept doing the next decade as well. Why change? Heifers were alive, reasonably healthy. And who is checking on rates of gain? Underfeeding weaned heifers, primarily grain, is a silent thief. Letting these young heifers stand still or gain at a slow rate when their maintenance needs are low sets us up for having to pay for much more expensive gains later in life. When farm managers become aware of the potential profits that can be claimed by a small change in management they often want to know the details. How will size of heifer determine feeding rate? Will weather make a difference? These are down-to-earth questions that managers want answered by practical articles in Progressive Dairyman. —Sam Leadley, Calf Management Consultant, Attica Veterinary Associates [See the full list of the Top 25 articles of 2011. See the list from 2010.]

A bright future for the dairy industry has been forecasted after taking a sneak-peek at the future leaders of the dairy industry. Sixty-eight of Wisconsin’s brightest and motivated dairy students gathered to attend the 2010 PDPW Youth Leadership Derby, which was held on Nov. 6 and 7 at DeForest High School in DeForest, Wisconsin. The 24-hour lock-in gave students 15-18 years old a look at the multiple career choices in the dairy industry and what it takes to reach their goals.

The 2010 Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge was held in Batavia, New York, October 28-30. More than 110 students from 14 colleges and universities participated in the three-day event.

On Wednesday, Nov. 3, Jeremy Peake of Waukon, Iowa, hosted the last pasture walk of the season for the Northeast Iowa Grazers. He has been milking since 2001 and transitioned to organic in 2006 with 36 Jerseys milking. The event focused on how this dairyman plans to out-winter his heifers.

Junior, University of Wisconsin - Madison Intern with CRV USA U.S. office based in Madison, Wisconsin Background Q: In what area are you pursuing a degree? My area of study islife sciences communication with a business emphasis. Q: What is your agricultural background? For the past 11 years, I have worked at Four Winds Farm owned by Clark and Joy Vilter and shown Guernseys on the national level with them as well. I represented the breed as the 2009 National Guernsey Princess and 2008 Wisconsin Guernsey Princess. I am also heavily involved with the American Guernsey Association and the Wisconsin Guernsey Breeders Association.

The business of dairying includes more than feeding and milking the bovine animal. At a time when the government is regulating the environment and labor force, consumers want to be informed and prices – paid and received – are more volatile than ever, the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW) took two days to get briefed on what is happening in the industry.

So few young people are willing or able to return to the family farm these days, and those who do are often bogged down with family dynamics and power struggles. The Risser family of Bainbridge, Pennsylvania, was able to avoid these problems when welcoming in the next generation by growing the operation.