Since my last editorial on supply management was published, I’ve received a few emails and phone calls about it, and it became apparent that my message might not have been clear.

Raising replacement heifers is one of the most costly aspects of a dairy farm. Heifers don’t bring a return for two years or more until they enter the milking string.

Since they aren’t making money in the milking string, dry cows can be overlooked on a dairy farm. Yet good dry cow care leads to better performance after they calve.

On a pleasant day in March, I arrived in Red Deer, Alberta, for the annual Western Canadian Dairy Seminars. It is always a week where I know I am going to learn something, but heading in I don’t usually know what exactly it will be.

People naturally put a lot of weight in a first impression. The orientation program (or lack thereof) will leave a lasting mark on your new employee and the time they are with your dairy.

Not only do farm accidents have a direct impact in the physical and emotional toll on the individuals involved but also an indirect effect in a loss of profits for the farm business. Mary Bauer, a compliance assistance specialist for the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), posed the question, “Do you have a good safety program or are you just lucky?”