As temperatures plummet, both people and animals exposed to the cold are at risk for frostbite. According to the Center for Disease Control, frostbite is an injury to the body caused by freezing. When conditions are right, this can happen within just minutes of exposure to the elements.

From schoolchildren to politicians, Vir-Clar Farms hosts a variety of groups looking to learn more about modern dairy production, and the addition of a new visitor center right on the dairy will take that experience to a whole new level.

The recent addition of an 80-stall rotary parlor will bring a Wisconsin dairy up to over 5,000 cows between two milking sites. “Efficiency is always the goal,” Chris Matsche says.

Harvest season is upon us, and while you may be counting your corn silage by the ton and beans by the bushel, I’m counting my zucchini … on one hand.

For years, 50 to 60 days has been branded as the ideal length of time between calving and first service, but a recent study is looking at how giving dairy cows closer to 90 days before breeding could impact reproductive performance, and the results may surprise you.

If you are looking for dairyman and crop farmer Ron Brooks, there is a good chance you will find him in his “office.” “I’ve got a great view from my office,” Brooks says. “It changes with every pass.”

From the folding seats of World Dairy Expo’s iconic Coliseum, spectators watch the procession of beautiful cows glide across the colored shavings as they compete for top honors in the international show.

Like many other dairy producers, Dave and Stacy Jauquet and their family don’t shy away from educating the public. They’ve hosted their county’s annual breakfast on the farm, and hundreds of school children have touched a cow for the very first time while touring their 600-cow dairy.

Whether you are actively dairying, transitioning the farm or just starting out, there are major decisions to be made, and each comes at a price. Luckily, a new set of resources from Iowa State University’s Extension and Outreach Dairy Team can help estimate the income and expenses associated with conventional, organic and pasture-based dairy operations.

“Labor management, procuring employees … if it is not your biggest issue today, it will become one of your biggest issues,” Peter Coyne warned dairy producers at the Vita Plus Calf Summit.