Nationally, the average 2024 DHI test-day herd SCC was 181,000 cells per milliliter, unchanged from 2023, according to a summary report from the Council of Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) and compared to previous reports from CDCB and the USDA’s Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory.

Managing herd health and reproduction on a dairy farm is a constant challenge that requires keen observation, experience and timely interventions. For Calori-D Dairy, implementing the CowManager monitoring system in December 2022 marked a turning point in how they managed their cows – both for health and reproduction.

When Hurricane Helene struck on Sept. 27, 2024, Biltmore Farms faced one of its toughest challenges yet after the storm brought relentless rains, howling winds and rising floodwaters that devastated the dairy farm and surrounding areas. Dairy manager Mike Corn recounts the chaos and hardships that unfolded over eight days without power and limited resources.

The U.S. milk production per capita for 2024 was 664.1 pounds, down 7.8 pounds (-1.2%) compared with 2023.

When Ryzebol Dairy purchased a feed efficiency service from Afimilk, its goal was to identify cows not only producing more milk but also converting feed into milk well. The service determines each animal’s feed consumption efficiency based on data that represents the relationship between daily average milk yield and daily average feed consumption. It indicates whether increasing the feed yields more milk.