by Sally Colby
Generational dairy farms make changes over the years, but Ron Holter has made changes that took the family farm in a new direction.
Holterholm Farms was established in 1889, and until recently, Holter operated the Jefferson, MD, farm like many other dairies – raising crops, milking Holstein cows and producing milk year-round. That changed in 1995 when Holter switched to rotational grazing. (more…)
by Evelyn Leubner
June is Dairy Month. You may have heard of this campaign. Every summer when June rolls around, I get very excited. Not because school is out, or there is finally nice weather in central New York. Well, I do get excited about that, but not as excited as I do about June Dairy Month. (more…)
by Katie Navarra
Respiratory disease in replacement heifers is costly. However, farms don’t often realize the full cost of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). During a Dairy Calf & Heifer Association webinar, Kevin Dhuyvetter, Ph.D., a cattle technical consultant for Elanco, detailed both the short-term costs of BRD and the longer-term effects on growth and milk production. (more…)
by Sally Colby
A quick look at market prices for various livestock species will show the most consistent prices for two species: sheep and goats. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Your smartphone is with you all the time, but you likely ignore one of its functions that could really benefit your farm: recording videos. That’s why MidAtlantic Women In Agriculture presented “Smart Phone Movies,” led by Michele Walfred, communications specialist with University of Delaware. (more…)
by Karl H. Kazaks
Virgina Tech has been hosting a series of livestock update webinars to keep producers appraised of information and strategies relevant to current market conditions. (more…)
by Katie Navarra
Organic producers can find it challenging to raise heifers. On non-organic operations, heifers are typically fed total mixed rations (TMR), a balanced diet that provides all the necessary nutrients. While organic producers can use TMR, organic feed ingredients are costly. Often organic dairy farmers turn to pastures to trim expenses, but grazing tends to produce lower weight gains. However, there are studies indicating that a legume-grass mix can improve weight gain in heifers on pasture-based systems. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Ben and Mary Brown started milking cows on the farm that had been in Ben’s family since the late 1700s. When Ben’s parents were managing the herd, milk was shipped to a co-op and the income supported the family of six. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
If you don’t know your soil, you won’t know how to amend it – or what to expect for yield. That’s why Sieg Snapp, professor of Soils and Cropping System Ecology at Michigan State University, presented “Measuring Soil Health.” (more…)
by Katie Navarra
Although mastitis results in changes in milk quality, it is not always caused by the same bugs. Mastitis is caused by several pathogen groups gram positive (Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp), gram negative (E. coli, Klebsiella spp.) and others. Even well-managed herds have some level of mastitis, which decreases milk quality and creates a loss in production and decreases the quality of milk products. Monitoring for and controlling are most important for keeping mastitis cases low, to less than 2% clinical cases on a farm. (more…)
Culling and extended milk feeding
by Sally Colby
Dr. Robert Van Saun, Penn State Extension veterinarian, and Dr. Jud Heinrichs, Penn State professor of dairy science, are well-known among dairy farmers and are often featured at events helping dairy farmers learn how to keep cows healthy in order to increase milk production. “We’re making efficient, quality milk, and now we have to face this very unusual challenge,” said Van Saun, adding that dairymen are being told to reduce production by close to 20%. (more…)
by Sally Colby
If there’s no contingency plan for your farm, it isn’t too late to develop one. If the farm has an outdated plan, now is a good time to review and revise. (more…)
