Proper management is the key to success in any enterprise, and the dairy business is no exception. Each successful producer must have records which are accurate and reliable to make sound management decisions.

Selecting an employee is among the most important decisions a manager makes. Getting the right person in the right position is crucial for business success. But how can you do that?

Editor’s note: The following opinion editorial was submitted to Progressive Dairyman by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. Ethanol continues to take hits from detractors both inside and outside of agriculture. An article in an early January issue of Progressive Dairyman put the bull’s eye on the back of ethanol production in relation to the price of feed grains and a few other points. We appreciate this forum for response.

A lot more women are rising before the sun these days, and it is not to make breakfast, get the kids off to school or clean the house. They are milking cows, feeding calves and doing daily work on a dairy operation.

It is still possible to maintain good reproductive performance in dairy herds without synchronization and timed A.I. (TAI), but it requires an effective systematic heat detection program that identifies approximately 70 percent of all possible heat periods.

Almost since the advent of A.I. breeding, producers and researchers alike have anticipated the development of the ability to sort or select semen in order to produce more female offspring. This technology is now a commercial reality thanks to technological developments in recent years that have improved cell sorting capabilities.

The link between nutrition and reproduction has become more evident and supported through research in recent years. Through controlled research trials and on-farm experiences, we’ve known for some time that cows not eating well or eating an unbalanced diet won’t get pregnant as fast as those provided a sound ration.

Each dairy operation has its own set of unique challenges, but most dairy producers have a common concern: reproduction. When cows don’t maintain healthy pregnancies, money spent on animal health products, veterinarian visits and artificial insemination (A.I.) is wasted.

IPS releases No. 1 Red Holstein and much more As the result of the January 2008 sire summaries, International Protein Sires (IPS) added five highly qualified sires to their proven lineup, announced recently by Ron Sersland, President and CEO.

With Valentines a few days away, I can’t help but think about the bold-faced lies the media is telling our young people about this thing called love.When I was growing up, love meant something beautiful and enduring. L stood for Loyalty; O stood for obedience to God first; V stood for vigilance about virtue; and E stood for eternal bonds.