Darwin Bischoff of Wilford, Idaho, is one of the last producers still milking cows in his area. He says that 20 years ago there were six dairies within a mile of his home. Now there are about that many in his county.

No one likes to run out of a feed. What should you do if you run out of a feed? When you run out of corn, get some [more] as soon as possible. However, oftentimes this is an inevitable situation, and luckily there is a temporary solution for it called feed substitution. The substitute for a feed is one or two feeds with a similar nutritional make up, on a protein, energy or fiber basis.

Planning an energy budget is difficult, but with higher costs of natural gas, heating oil and other energy sources, budgeting for the increased price of fuel and electricity is imperative. Fortunately, there are alternative methods dairy producers can employ to lessen the strain of skyrocketing energy costs.

The other day I heard the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing the traditional Thanksgiving song “Come Ye Thankful People Come.” Tears of gratitude filled my eyes as I thought of the glorious harvest we have gleaned this year.

I am sure you have heard the old saying, “Variety is the spice of life.” Most agree that meeting new people, learning new ideas and having interesting experiences makes life more delightful. There is also good evidence that people who live fulfilling, interesting lives are more productive.

In the years since the formation of the Newaygo Dairy Testing Association, the first Cow Testing Association (CTA) that started in America in the fall of 1905, production records have become the foundation for herd improvement. This was noted in the early years by the fact that the name was changed nationally in 1927 to the Dairy Herd Improvement Association or DHIA.

Production agriculture is unique because raising replacement animals is a normal part of day-to-day business operations and are commonly treated as operating expenses. The replacements are also an asset on the balance sheet and, for most dairies, become the primary productive asset of the business.

Reporting from Bagram, Afghanistan…

A dairy herd’s reproductive program is one area that often leads to large profit losses. This [article] takes a look at the economic considerations associated with reproduction.

Many small and mid-sized dairy operations need to upgrade their milkhouse wastewater systems. Producers want systems that perform reliably, meet environmental regulations, fit their management practices and are economical to install and operate. This [article] reviews some of the available options.