I really didn’t want to write this article. I really don’t like that we are fighting with the Canadians.

When Chace Fullmer was handed the reins of a 1,000-cow dairy at the age of 20, he was excited to build a life as a dairy farmer. Almost 20 years later, Fullmer has added 1,500 cows, built a new rotary parlor and maternity facility, improved the genetic value of his herd through genomic testing and adjusted his approach to dairy farming.

Chillingham cattle have captivated the interests of scientists for several reasons. Being the only untamed breed of bovines, researchers can study them to learn about cattle’s natural behavior before being influenced by humans. 

With dairy heifer replacement values at historic highs due to tight inventory, keeping high-producing dairy cows in a herd, especially those beyond their first lactation, is economically significant. Some dairies are turning to beef embryo transfer (ET) to keep productive cows in their herds longer.

Meet Tara Bohnert, performance specialist with CowManager.

Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) regional uniform milk prices fell in March compared to February, a trend likely to continue.

At Penn State Extension’s Women in Dairy Conference held on Nov. 19, Joanna Shipp, a seventh-generation dairy farmer from Virginia and chair of the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, reflected on what the next 20 years of dairy could look like in the U.S.

Ventilation, cooling, bedding, lighting, feed and water access are the main foundations of cow comfort. Focusing on these aspects when designing and building your dairy barn will greatly enhance cow comfort, leading to better milk production, reduced health issues and overall improved welfare.

As roasted high-oleic soybeans gain more attention and adoption in the industry, consider how they may find a place on your farm. With an automated milking system, the producer has a unique opportunity to embrace the technology in their system.