It took researchers from Cornell to tell the real story of how much manure cows actually create. The comparisons also expose a paradigm that requires land mass to dispose of bovine waste that does not exist for human waste. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, June 26, 2017. A lawsuit filed against the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation claimed that a herd of 200 … [Read more...]
Larger dairy herds have a size advantage
Carl Zulauf evaluated USDA’s cost-of-production data to estimate the price to produce 100 pounds of milk among different herd sizes. It’s not fair to say that big farms are bad and small farms are good, or that farms milking more cows are better than those with fewer cows. What we can say, though, is that on average, larger herds are able to produce milk less expensively than … [Read more...]
5 strategies to improve a cow’s immunity
Transition cows benefit from more attention and care. Barry Bradford, an immunity specialist from Kansas State University offers his top five strategies to help these cows: Manage body condition Housing Antioxidants Anionic diets Tweak immunity Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, April 24, 2017. INSIGHTS: Transition is an ongoing discussion at every level of dairy … [Read more...]
Don’t leave the dishes in the sink
Maggie Seiler emphasizes the importance of cleaning procedures in dairies and reminds us of how susceptible dairy calves are to bacteria. Her cleaning tips are good for at home in our own sinks, in break rooms or areas where we clean animal care equipment. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, March 27, 2017. Particularly of concern are biofilm buildups that are hard to see and occur … [Read more...]
Organic or conventional – what’s better?
It’s hard to discuss organic versus conventional without using the word,“better”. A new paper written by University of British Columbia researchers looked into some of the pros and cons of each management style. Their summary helps shed light on some of the “betters” associated with both. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, April 3, 2017. Specifically, this study looked at … [Read more...]
68.2 percent fewer dairies since 1992
The number of dairies needed to produce adequate milk supplies continues to decline. The dairy industry is on track to have only half as many farms as it does today. The only question is which year during the 2030s it will happen. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, March 20, 2017. The biggest statewide declines have occurred in North Dakota (-94.4 percent) and Arkansas (-93.1 … [Read more...]
Latinos have changed our game
Latinos are key players when it comes to food product purchasing power, including dairy products. They also play strong roles when it comes to pet store spending. They’re willing to spend for food. Data from the HIS Global Insight Groups reveals Hispanics spent $103 billion on food at home. This is expected to grow 35 percent over the next five years, compared to 20 percent … [Read more...]
New perspective helps cull dairy heifers
Elanco’s John Lee offers catchy insight about replacement dairy heifer management from beef industry practices. “After three to four unsuccessful services and a maximum of six, 21-day cycles, stop breeding those heifers. In most herds, 95 percent of heifers will be pregnant by the third or fourth service and only 5 percent of heifers will be culled. However, these infertile … [Read more...]
FDA asked to clarify definition of milk
More than 30 members of Congress wrote a letter to the FDA, asking it to clarify its position on nondairy “milk.” Soy milk, almond milk, rice milk and coconut milk are alternatives to dairy, carry the same name but lack many of the health benefits real cows’ milk has to offer. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, January 16, 2017. The dairy industry is proud of its products and the … [Read more...]
Transition, we’re getting closer
A recent study from the University of British Columbia suggests both rumination monitoring and recording of feeding behavior are effective in gathering data for preventive health care. Sick transition cows tend to avoid eating much like humans with a stomachache or head cold. Preventative treatment then is all about getting out in front of these conditions and getting cows … [Read more...]
Transition time is critical for milk and more
Phil Cardoso, University of Illinois, shared his presentation, “Fine-tuning transition cow care,” with listeners on the monthly Hoard’s Dairyman webinar. He strongly urged producers to limit the change in body condition scores by 0.5 for the entire lactation and dry period. “It is tough, but we really need to minimize the condition shifts.” Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, … [Read more...]
Save protocols from procedural drift
Paul R. Biagiotti, D.V.M. shares his perspective about how employees in dairies can veer off course from standard operating procedures (SOP). Termed as procedural drift, he warns dairy managers to beware of shortcuts, to keep a watchful eye and mind the details. Source: Hoard's Dairyman, June 2016, page 408. For the details to be minded, we must observe our helpers and the … [Read more...]
Humans love antibiotics
Antibiotic zealots better include the human animal when they lobby for prudent antibiotic. That’s according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in early May. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, June 27, 2016. Per 1,000 members of the U.S. population, an estimated 506 prescriptions were written annually. Of these, 353 were deemed appropriate based … [Read more...]
Increase in dairy herd size in last 25 years is noteworthy
The average herd size in dairies has increased nearly 300 percent, while the midpoint of near 900 cows is a 600-plus percent increase. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, April 25, 2016. Just 20 years ago, farms with less than 100 cows, 135,000 in total, were home to half of the nation’s milk cows. That same group, under 100 cows, had only 17 percent of the total in 2012. Meanwhile, … [Read more...]
DFA reimagines the future
The Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) cooperative conducted its annual meeting in Kansas City in late March. The meeting focused on reimagining the future for its dairy members. DFA has more than 14,000 dairy farmer member-owners on nearly 8,500 farms in 48 states. The cooperative directed the marketing of 62 million pounds of milk in 2015 from members and non-members representing … [Read more...]
Humans need vaccinations, too
Our Animal Health Digest team believes that animal health professionals are the best advocates for proactive disease management protocols, including vaccinations. While we study potential side effects and challenge select original duration of immunity terms, animal health pros in unison can advocate for preventative care in all species, including our own. This article shares … [Read more...]
Do you know dairy?
A fun quiz features statistics and perspectives about the U.S. dairy industry. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, April 4, 2016. Dairy farming in the U.S. is an amazing industry. It is big, yet it is getting smaller all the time. Its basics are the same everywhere, yet how they are done differs everywhere – and often dramatically. … [Read more...]
All saleable milk is antibiotic free
Antibiotic testing is part of milk collection and management. According to the National Milk Drug Residue database, dairy producers increased the number of antibiotic free milk loads to 99.988% of all loads of milk delivered in 2015. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, March 7, 2016. Every load of milk delivered to dairy processing plants is tested for the presence of antibiotics. … [Read more...]
Milk still does a body good
Almost every week we see something in the media about vitamin D deficiencies, sources and its value to human health. This article reviews study results and trends among U.S. adults, where osteoporosis and low bone mass concerns. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, February 29, 2016. Fluid milk is the main vehicle that carries vitamin D. In fact, recently released results from a … [Read more...]
Understand the milk replacer label
Learn about five areas on the milk replacer tag or label to understand milk replacer choices and their value. Adam Geiger, walks through label sections and their meaning in this article. It is a good reference for sales representatives and veterinary teams who service dairy producers. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, January 25, 2016, page 62. (direct link unavailable) Consider … [Read more...]
Dairy – Top ten things learned in 2015
Top ten lists are a quick way to keep in mind topics that may impact business in the coming year. Learn what Dennis Halladay, Hoard’s Western Editor views as top tens. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, December 28, 2015. The Upper Midwest has muscle. With South Dakota, Michigan and Wisconsin leading the way, the Upper Midwest is “producing like its life depends on it,” according to … [Read more...]
Editorial – High cell counts have consequences
60,000 or more dairy producers and industry persons subscribe to Hoard’s Dairyman. 5% of subscribers are dairymen Only 1.7% are veterinarians Nearly 80% own more than 50 cows More than 55% of subscribers are younger than 55 years old 30% of subscribers are younger than 44 years old As VFD oversight begins, veterinarians must pay careful attention to what … [Read more...]
Hoard’s Dairyman on intranasal vaccines and colostrum
Two articles from the November 2015 issue of Hoard’s Dairyman are worthy of consideration when interacting with dairymen, herdsmen and/or their veterinarian. 1) Geof W. Smith, D.V.M., NC State Raleigh, NC, walks through the features, functions and benefits of intranasal vaccines and makes some general recommendations for when to use them. 2) Colostrum efficacy is discussed … [Read more...]