Ask any dairy producer what their number one expense is, and they’re likely to say, “feed.” The average 800-cow dairy farm spends more than $150,000 on feed each month and over $1.8 million every year.

I really enjoy studying cars. Most cars that really appeal to me are way beyond my price range. Adding to this addiction is the fact we live in a time where I can actually buy any car I see … I just can’t afford to pay for it.

Growing up on a farm in Iowa, I saw my share of on-farm injuries. When I was in fifth grade, my foot was crushed between a loader bucket and a concrete wall. And I wasn’t the only one.

Teat-cup liners are one of the most important pieces of the milking system; it’s the only component in direct contact with live tissue. Choosing the right liner for your herd can be a difficult and confusing decision.

Understanding the basic principles of calf barn ventilation is essential in evaluating the many different ventilation options available today. There is no single ventilation system that will work for every situation because each calf barn is unique in its structure and layout.

Calves are future producers in a dairy farm, and many studies demonstrate the animal’s health and growth in early life influence its future productivity. The impacts of both pre- and post-natal heat stress on pre-weaning calves need to be recognized because they significantly influence calves’ growth, health and future performance.

In the current economic climate, dairy farmers are looking to increase efficiency across their business and reduce costs. Although it is viewed as a small portion of the dairy enterprise, nearly 20 percent of the production costs incurred on a dairy are attributed to raising replacement heifers.

This morning, I walked in the new plowed earth thinking of the changing seasons. My feet sank deep into the rich brown soil. I remember the many gardens I had planted and watched the plants grow to harvest. I love to garden, and I owe that love to my mother.

My Irish housemates, Kieran and Tommy, were sick of me trying to explain American sports to them. In retaliation, they forced me to choose an English Premier League soccer team to follow. I was already prejudiced against a sport that didn’t have cheerleaders and could end in a 0-0 draw, but I played along.

They called it the “turd hearse.” It was a Korean War-vintage 10-wheel former military truck with a liquid manure tank mounted on the frame.