The Quality Milk Alliance (QMA) and the Southeast Quality Milk Initiative (SQMI) are two USDA projects focusing on improving milk quality in the U.S. The two projects are similar but use different methods to determine what producers are doing well and not so well when it comes to producing high-quality milk.

Mastitis is the most common disease and the leading cause for antibiotic use on dairy farms. Due to consumer demand, antibiotic use is becoming more scrutinized in animal agriculture. This year at the National Mastitis Council meeting, Dr. Pamela Ruegg from the University of Wisconsin – Madison discussed how treatment practices could lower antibiotic use on farms and save money. Ruegg listed five steps and considerations for making optimum mastitis treatment decisions.

The Net Merit (NM$) Index is a dairy selection index that incorporates many different traits that have economic value associated with them. After the most recent revision of the index, it was calculated that an increase in genetic progress is worth $8 million per year to the dairy industry on a national basis, when using NM$ as the selection index.