Thirty years ago, Dale Mortimer started milking five Jersey cows with his wife, Doris, after he moved to the outskirts of Rigby, Idaho, to raise his family. With the help of his dad, Mortimer says he was very selective when he picked out his original five cows because he wanted to start with good foundation cows.

Cow monitoring technologies bring real-time data to the dairy and are used to inspect every aspect of reproductive management, herd health and ration changes.

Get to know the dairywoman leading the FARM program’s technical writing group Dusting off a plaque presented by Dairymen Inc., Karen Jordan, DVM, recalled the competition her co-op held for younger dairymen and couples 27 years ago.

Jessica Scillieri Smith grew up wanting to become a veterinarian so badly she was determined to get into any vet school right out of high school. A friend recommended she apply to the University of Vermont because of their joint program with the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

Strapped for cash this year, farmers are looking for new ways to manage their bottom-line expenses. Buying brand-new equipment can be expensive and is not cost-effective if not used every day. Farmers today are facing pressure to rethink their balance sheet and get the most bang for their buck.

In the words of Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of the National 4-H Council, a true leader leads by example, works well with others, tackles tough challenges head-on and sticks with a job until it’s done.

Tears were shed as Joan Wortman watched each one of her Milking Shorthorn cows sell from Green Acres Farm in South Randolf, Vermont. Every single cow was born on the farm and was part of her close-knit family.

While Erika Nagorske was working through vet school at the University of Minnesota, she noticed a significant pattern of disinterest in calf health among dairy producers and veterinarians.

When she was offered the full-time milk tester job in high school, Becky Cook from Blackfoot, Idaho, turned it down. Little did she know that years down the road she would find herself milk testing for Madison County DHIA.

Water is one of the most important resources on a dairy farm, not only because it is essential for cow consumption, but also because it is heavily used to wash, clean and cool the dairy facility.