by Edith Tucker
MILFORD, NH – In line with longstanding tradition, the latest recipient of New Hampshire Green Pastures Dairy Farmer of the Year award was recognized at two different events, held in adjacent states nearly five months apart: in September 2019 at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA, and in February at the Farm, Forest & Garden Expo in Manchester. (more…)
by Michael Wren
COOPERSTOWN, NY – On March 10, dairy farmers gathered to learn the latest trends in the industry. The annual Central New York Dairy Day conference and trade show are sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension. This year’s conference showed that with current market increases in the price of butterfat and protein content there may be opportunities for farmers to boost revenue – and how pathogen-based treatment might lower your overall expenditure. David Balbian, dairy management specialist, introduced the speakers. (more…)
by Laura Rodley
Manning Hill Farm sits at the end of Old Manning Hill Road, where a farm once flourished in the 1800s. When partners Sarah Costa and Sam Canonica purchased the Winchester, NH, property in 2006, they named it Manning Hill Farm (MHF) and brought it back to life. (more…)
by Enrico Villamaino
They say there’s safety in numbers. There’s also security, sales and success. (more…)
Committing to what’s already there
by Sally Colby
Dairy farmers who want to increase herd size or make barn improvements have several choices: grow the herd and construct new buildings, or maintain the same herd numbers and refurbish an existing barn. Those who have tie stall barns may have penciled in a plan to convert to free stall housing at some point, but milk prices made that option impractical. (more…)
by George Looby
Outbreaks of new and emerging diseases are forever lurking in the shadows. The target of the ongoing viral disease caused by a coronavirus is the human population. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
Any person who has worked with animals knows coronaviruses are not new to livestock and poultry. In humans and birds, the viruses can cause respiratory tract infections; in cows and pigs, they can cause diarrhea. (more…)
by Laura Rodley
Sheila Litchfield has served as the Superintendent of Goats at the Heath Fair for nine years. She coordinates the fair’s American Dairy Goat Association-sanctioned goat show, which sees 180 to 200 entries in all registered dairy breeds in junior and senior categories. She has served as secretary for the Franklin 4-H Advisory Council for three years. (more…)
by Sally Colby
The sight of triplet lambs is a thrill for some, but most seasoned shepherds aren’t impressed when one ewe gives birth to more than two lambs. Although some ewes successfully raise more than two, most can’t do it efficiently and lose significant body condition by the time lambs are weaned. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
Whether you’re grazing animals on perennial pastures or baling your alfalfa for hay, keeping your stands healthy and high-yielding takes management. Some factors can be controlled, while others, such as damage from winter kill, are contributed to Mother Nature. While farmers can’t control the weather, there are some manageable factors which impact the winter hardiness of forage stands. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
To help farmers make better use of their woodlands, Michigan State University Extension educators Julie Crick and Kable Thurlow presented “Agroforestry: Silvopasture Options” as a recent webinar. Crick said agroforestry includes five practices: forest farming, silvopasture, alley cropping, riparian forest buffer and windbreaks. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Pork is up, beef is steady and chicken is somewhere in between. That’s the nutshell version of what John Hinners, vice president of industry relations for the United States Meat Export Federation (USMEF), explained at the recent PennAg Industries Animal Agriculture Expo. (more…)
