Recently, my team finished a research project on stress sources for dairy farm employees. The majority of the U.S. dairy farm workforce is Latino or has Latino heritage, and their main concern as it relates to stress is the inability to communicate in English.

Feeding robot herds does not have to be intimidating. The cows still receive all the nutrients they need. However, instead of all of the nutrients being in the TMR, some are fed in the partial mixed ration (PMR), which consists of all the forages and some protein and energy sources at the feedbunk.

“I wasn’t able to talk for over two years about what happened with my grandfather,” a young farmer confides as he describes a bitter battle over the transition of land titles from his father’s father to him.

The Animal Agriculture Alliance gained insights at the 2019 Animal Rights National Conference that will help enable everyone in animal agriculture to protect their livelihood. Speakers from various animal rights organizations shared examples of their work and plans for upcoming strategies and tactics. Animal rights extremists are becoming increasingly aggressive in their efforts to end animal agriculture, so it is more important than ever to be proactive and prepared.

Proper silage harvest management is the key to quality feed all year long. We can’t always control or manage all aspects of harvest, but there are several we can. With forage inventories being low this year, it is more important than ever to make sure that the aspects of silage harvest we can manage, we do well.

Digest Highlights

• Dean Foods to pursue ‘stand-alone’ strategy
• August Class III, IV milk prices diverge
• Rhode Island: Wright's Dairy Farm named 2019 Outstanding Dairy Farm
• Reinford to chair Pennsylvania Dairy Future Commission
• California ‘quota’ process moves to phase two
• New Mexico Milkmaid, Cargill team up for milk donation campaign
• Pennsylvania CDE offers dairy team grants
• DFA seeking applicants for Accelerator program
• Milk Donation Reimbursement Program details unveiled
• Nomination period open for ninth annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards

The importance of transition cow management is well-known. But until recently, there have been unknowns about early disease indicators which impact the health of transition cows and heifers.

For the third month in 2019, U.S. agriculture turned in a trade deficit. It’s the first time the U.S. agriculture has recorded three months of trade deficits in a single year since 2006, according to data from the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service.

Raising healthy, strong calves is no easy task. It takes time, patience, good nutrition and plenty of knowledge. I asked my followers on social media what their favorite tips and tricks were when it came to caring for calves.

Just outside of Clovis, New Mexico, is a “lighthouse in the desert.” While not an actual lighthouse, it serves as a beacon of hope and service in eastern New Mexico for those in need.