How cows eat and ruminate is just as important as the nutritional composition of the feed in front of them. Make the most of every minute at the bunk by understanding dairy cow behavior and incorporating that into daily herd management.

A move to temporarily reopen the federal government while budget negotiations and debate over “the wall” continues has dairy and agricultural organizations hopeful the 2018 Farm Bill can start to be implemented.

In a marketplace increasingly crowded by plant-based imitation dairy products, the results of two new surveys show that customers are confused about whether those products are indeed dairy foods and whether they carry the same nutritional value.

“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” —General George S. Patton Jr., one of the top U.S. commanders in World War II Although not necessarily directly in combat, dairy producers can relate with the legend’s drive in trying times. Nicknamed “Old Blood and Guts,” the general got results as a masterful strategist. His ideas were frequently contrary to common thought processes.

Resolutions, goals, words to live by – whatever you call it, it’s the same concept. You’re starting the year off by promising yourself and anyone who saw your Facebook post that you’ll be better than last year.

As farmers, sometimes we think that we can power through without help. We work when we’re hurt; we work when we’re sick; sometimes, we even work when we’re in labor with our fourth child. But we need to know that asking for help doesn’t make us weak. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Like getting a cast on our arm to heal a break, seeing a mental health professional can get us on the road to healing. As my mother-in-law recently told me, “We can’t always be superman.” Don’t let mental health be your kryptonite.

All USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices nationwide will soon reopen to provide additional administrative services to farmers during the lapse in federal funding and partial government shutdown, according to U.S. Secretary of Ag Sonny Perdue.

Like the stories of many Midwest dairy farm families, the Benthems’ history is one of steady growth and improvement, focused on quality while adopting technology, with family at the center of the circle and a vision of creating room in the business for future generations. Benthem Brothers Inc. of McBain, Michigan, was featured in a virtual tour during the 2018 World Dairy Expo.

At a time when thousands of U.S. dairy operators of all sizes are starved for revenue, declaring bankruptcy or selling off multi-generational operations, the latest inequity is a particularly cruel twist of the knife.

Part of a nutritionist’s job is to give recommendations for the target level of refusals needed for maximum profitability. A typical goal is 2 to 5 percent, but this varies a lot from farm to farm, with a few farms even having a goal of zero refusals.