by Laura Rodley
Three generations work at Hatchland Farm in North Haverhill, NH: Howard Hatch, his son Preston, his daughter Kristen (Hatch) May, her husband Dave May, and his granddaughter Emily. It covers 600 acres, give or take a few (some of it is leased). (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 Enrico Villamaino
A confederation of cultivating clans has created a lucrative creamery. The joint venture of three family farms in western New York, Eden Valley Creamery has been operating in South Dayton for nearly a year since first opening in July 2019. (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 Katie Navarra
Immature heifers leave a long shadow over a herd that cannot be remedied. Early calving may get milk faster, but over time total volume is comprised. During the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association (DCHA) Virtual Conference in April, Gavin Staley, technical services specialist, Diamond V, shared his evaluation of DairyComp305 production records, which sheds insight into the significant impact of heifer immaturity on whole herd production. (more…)
by Katie Navarra
Today, maybe more than ever before in our country’s recent history, our supply chain is being tested. Agriculture advocates need to think about all the perspectives that need to be considered to ensure a bright future for American agriculture and all the people it represents. (more…)
by Edith Tucker
Governor Chris Sununu announced his plans for allocating nearly half the total federal CARES Act coronavirus relief fund (“flex funds”) that New Hampshire has received on May 15. (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…)
