Players in the World Cup are amazing! Great players can kick a ball above their head, spin a ball so that it slides around the keeper and make a ball look like it is attached to their shoe string. We know that these players did not wake up one morning with these skills. They started with the basics. They needed to learn the simple skills like dribbling and passing well to make them great.

Are the feeders you work with doing a good job? How accurate are they when loading those expensive mineral blends or supplements into the mixer? How is their bunk delivery accuracy? These and others are some of the questions I ask herdsmen and managers when discussing feeding programs. Remember that feeders play a key role in the profitability of the dairy. Feed cost represents more than 50 percent of the cost of milk production. Therefore, the feeders’ work should be monitored periodically to ensure they are performing to your expectations.

Most farmers thinking about consistency of performance have focused on the milking herd. How consistent is the milking process? How consistent is the dry cow management program? How consistent is the feed preparation process? What about the heifer program? Is it consistent for developing heifers to calve at an appropriate age? On many farms, heifers are probably the most frequently ignored part of the dairy operation. This is one reason more and more dairies have been turning to custom heifer raisers where someone else will devote specific attention to heifer management. Consistent management practices are very important in developing a high- quality heifer for the future milking string.

The statement “youth are the future of the dairy industry” is often used when referring to our future dairy producers. However, this statement is also very true as it relates to the youngstock, as replacement heifers are the future of the dairy herd. The future profitability of the dairy herd relies on a good supply of well-grown, genetically superior heifers to replace the market cows or to expand the current milking herd. Considerable time and cost is required to develop quality heifers from birth to first calving. The trend of increasing number of cows per farm has prompted many producers to examine the need to provide more labor for the milking herd. This may mean additional work hours per day, increased labor force to handle the extra workload or perhaps recognizing that a custom grower would be able to take over the heifer-raising responsibility. In some instances, a custom grower may be able to raise healthier heifers in a more cost-effective manner. A successful custom heifer-raising arrangement can free up the dairy herd owner to concentrate on other management and labor needs with the milking herd.

I departed Iraq nearly two weeks ago. After three days in Washington, D.C., at our USDA national headquarters, I went home to Alma, Michigan.

When I first feed water to my calves, they drink the water and then won’t drink their milk. This is a very common observation. Some farms do not feed water to calves until they are several weeks old or even older. Then, when water is introduced, there is a tendency for them to drink lots of water. This is accompanied by lack of interest in milk at the next feeding. This is interpreted as support for not feeding water to young calves. “See, I told you so. If I feed water to young calves, they will not drink their milk.” Actually, if water is offered from day two, it is not a novelty to the calf and gorging on water is rare. I admit it is extra work to provide fresh water at least daily for young calves. Then, it’s a bit frustrating when most of them drink such a small volume – often as little as only a cupful daily.

When New Zealand holds its annual agricultural exhibition, one of similar size and exposure to our World Ag Expo show, the minister of agriculture makes an appearance. And sometimes more than just a one-day, couple of hours’ appearance. This past year he was on the Fieldays show grounds twice during the four-day event.