The formulation and management of dairy cow diets has become increasingly more dependent on computer programming and modeling over the past two decades.

A question faced by many dairy farmers is whether or not they should grow their own forages. In most cases, dairy farms already own or have access to many acres on which they spread their manure. It makes sense they would utilize that same acreage to grow some portion of the forages needed to feed their herds.

For all dairy farms, big and small, managing and disposing of manure is a never-ending job. It’s bothersome to have around and the odor can be offensive, by far the number one reason the non-farming public criticizes animal agriculture.

Many dairy farmers across the U.S. continue to look to their pastures as a source of nutrition for their milking herds.

The successful raising of the neonatal calf can be one of the most rewarding jobs on the dairy, or it can be one of the most challenging, costly and frustrating.