by Sally Colby
Veterinarian and researcher Dr. Doerte Doepfer has seen a lot of foot problems in cattle, but said the two standouts are foot rot and hairy heel wart.
Hairy heel wart (also known as strawberry foot, raspberry heel, interdigital papillomatosis or digital dermatitis) has been an ongoing problem for dairy farmers. More recently, the issue has been showing up in beef herds. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Not everyone has a clear plan for post-college pursuits, but while Austin Kolb was studying for a degree in animal science at West Virginia University, his future became clear: he’d continue farming on the Garrett County, MD, farm that has been in his family for generations. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Want to grow more wheat per acre? So did Dwight Bartle, a wheat producer in Brown City, MI. He achieved 140-bushel wheat and presented his findings at the Soybean & Small Grains Congress hosted by Cornell University Extension Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team earlier this year. (more…)
by Stephen Wagner
“I would argue that over the next five years what you’ll end up seeing is a convergence of precision ag platforms where you’re going to have platforms like Truterra which are going to do nitrogen management and carbon marketing at the same time.” So said Eric Rosenbaum, CCA, PA4R Alliance, senior agronomist, with Rosetree Consulting. “As time goes by you’re also going to see an overlap of those programs and I want you to get familiar with them now so that five years from now it’s not surprising you, and that you can go along every step of the way and understand what’s happening.” (more…)
by Sally Colby
It can happen at any time. A cow slips as she leaves the parlor, or perhaps she’s weak after calving or has milk fever. She’s down, and the goal is to get her on her feet as quickly and safely as possible. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Grazing one’s own land can provide an economic way to raise beef cattle; however, not every cattleman possesses enough land to effectively graze his herd. Whether he grazes his cattle on his own land or on someone else’s, it costs money. Father and son team Jon and Jared Luhman operate Dry Creek Red Angus. The family-owned direct market, grass-fed beef and organic cash crop farm is in Goodhue, MN. Their herd contract grazes on cover crops and crop residue, including their neighbor’s fields and at sites as remote as Nebraska. They shared their findings at “Contract Grazing Cover Crops for Winter Feed,” a recent webinar hosted by Practical Farmers of Iowa. (more…)
by Sally Colby
David Dickert grew up on a western Pennsylvania farm, and like most farm kids, started to learn his way around agriculture as a young man. “They raised potatoes and hogs,” said David’s son Ben, describing the early days on his parents’ farm in Mineral Point, PA. “My parents David and Joanna have raised beef cattle on this farm since 1997.” (more…)
by Karl H. Kazaks
Graziers throughout the Mid-Atlantic are familiar with the summer slump that comes with managing pastures dominated by cool season grasses. The slump presents itself not only as a drop in forage production but also, in fields dominated by endophyte-infected fescue, as fescue toxicosis, which affects the physiology and production of cattle. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
It’s always about the next big thing, whether it’s a new model of phone or the new “superfood.” The big thing in content creation and sharing right now is TikTok.
The short, vertical videos on the app, often accompanied by prerecorded sound bytes or music, are dominating social media, but they’re not just for teens. Viral success can happen overnight, even for farmers and growers. You just need the right equipment, some inspiration and a message to share. (more…)
by Sally Colby
It doesn’t take long for undesirable species to choke out unused pastures. The easy fix is herbicides, but managing them mechanically is sometimes a better option. (more…)
by Stephen Wagner
The COVID-19 pandemic has made itself at home in the U.S. for a year now. Michael Miller, a labor attorney with Eckert-Seamans, discussed how COVID is impacting the workplace in a virtual presentation through Penn State Extension. Insofar as vaccine distribution, Miller reminded us that there are three phases to that process. Phase 1a is dedicated to long-term care facility residents and professional medical personnel. The same is true of Phase 1b; people aged 75 and older are the main focus in this group, as well as first responders, correctional officers, postal workers and grocery store workers. Those ages 65 – 74 and 16 – 64 with high risk conditions are the main targets of Phase 1c, as of this writing. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Dairy farm managers value a reliable workforce, but how do they make sure that’s what they’re getting when they hire? Jorge Delgado, Alltech Dairy On-Farm Support, said the top two criteria dairy employers list for applicants include strong problem-solving skills and the ability to learn new concepts. (more…)
