Every dairy producer wonders how much they dare overcrowd the freestall barn. When asked that question, I usually respond that they can go 15 percent over for a two-row pen and 5 percent over for a three-row pen. However, I do realize that’s likely the wrong answer for almost everyone.

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy’s seventh annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards were presented during a ceremony at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, on May 16.

Caseload statistics from the U.S. Courts indicate that for the three-month period ending on March 31, 2018, there were 116 Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings in the U.S. These Chapter 12 bankruptcies are designed for "family farmers" or "family fishermen" with "regular annual income."

Digest Highlights: The farmers’ share of food dollars shrinks as more food is consumed outside the home. Dean first-quarter milk costs declined. Florida FMMO ‘hurricane surcharge’ approved. Find these and other news summaries affecting dairy farmers here.

We all love to answer the question, “What are your favorite dairy products?” Your eyes glaze over and your mind instantly shifts to heaping bowls of ice cream, the cheese board at your cousin’s wedding last year or the doctored-up bowl of yogurt you annihilated for breakfast this morning.

Packing, preserving and properly feeding from the bunk silo relies on feeder knowledge of the chemistry behind the crop. That was the basic premise behind the two-day “Feeder Schools” held by Cornell Cooperative Extension last fall and hosted by dairy farms in different regions of New York.

The term "de novo fatty acids" has been popping up a lot recently thanks to emerging research on the fatty acid profile of milk, and specifically the level of de novo fatty acids within the profile. Some co-ops and Dairy Herd Improvement Association labs have started reporting these numbers on a routine basis; however, many dairy farmers are wondering what exactly de novo fatty acids are and why they should care about looking at them.

The USDA’s May World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report reduced 2018 milk production projections and offered a slightly better price outlook for the year.

While corn, soybeans and alfalfa hay prices have garnered substantial attention as feed costs rise, prices of other ingredients in dairy rations are increasing too. One such ingredient is blood meal, which is adding to feeding costs as producers struggle with low milk prices and higher break-even levels.

Digest Highlights: Informational meetings on the Farm Bureau’s Dairy Revenue Protection program are planned in Idaho. Arla to cut ties with 11 Wisconsin dairy farms. Multiple component pricing may get a hearing in Southeastern FMMOs. Find these and other news summaries affecting dairy farmers here.