by Sally Colby
Dr. Andrew Barragan, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science at Penn State, said uterine diseases are among the most prevalent diseases in dairy cows – as high as 50% in some herds. These diseases can cost between $106 and $360 per case, and cows suffering from uterine disease are more likely to get sick with other diseases. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Showing animals formed the beginning of Rugenstein Family Farm in Canandaigua, NY. Owned by Mike Pyra and his wife, Amy, the farm owns 21 beef cows and 6 pigs. Since the Pyras own just 2 acres, they house only the pigs and keep the cow herd at Amy’s parents’ home four miles away, where they have 15 acres designated for livestock. They also raise 75 acres of hay for the beef herd and to sell. (more…)
by Elizabeth A. Tomlin
Legislation is in the works that will greatly impact New York State agriculture, and on April 26, members of the agricultural community took the opportunity to have their testimonies heard by four members of the New York State Senate during the first of three public hearings held regarding the proposed Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
The Northeast Pasture Consortium’s annual meeting brought together agricultural professionals, researchers, industry representatives and stakeholder farmers dedicated to improving pasture management in the region. Grass-fed milk, organic dairy farming, and pasture forage management were some of the topics explored. (more…)
by Elizabeth A. Tomlin
Producers came from as far away as Hoosick Falls, NY to attend a presentation about multi-drug resistant Salmonella Dublin at Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Oneida County, where Marylynn Collins, Dairy & Livestock Educator, CCE Oneida County, teamed up with NYS Ag & Markets, Dr. Melanie Hemenway and Dr. Patrina Ashley, NY State Cattle Health Assurance Program (NYSCHAP) to inform producers on symptoms, management and prevention practices associated with this deadly disease found in both beef and dairy cattle. (more…)
We are counting on consumers to help us get whole milk back in our schools.
Getting whole milk back in our schools cannot be considered a political issue. We must get whole milk back in our schools for our children’s’ sake. It’s important that their bodies and their developing brains have real whole milk. With the majority of dairy farmers back up against the wall because of financial pressures, I feel that consumers will be the deciding factor to help get whole milk back in our schools. (more…)
Recent figures released by the United States Department of Agriculture illustrate that from 2008 to 2018, 19,659 dairy farmers left their farms across the United States.
However, the remaining 37,468 dairy farmers produced 27,593 billion pounds more of milk in 2018 than was produced in 2008.
Wisconsin dairy farmers clearly illustrated what is going on in the dairy industry. In 2008, Wisconsin dairy farmers were producing 24.4 billion pounds of milk. This figure increased to 30.5 billion pounds of milk in 2018. The amazing thing is, during those 10 years, Wisconsin lost 5,230 dairy farms. The number of dairy farms in Wisconsin is down to 8,500. (more…)
by Elizabeth A. Tomlin
Brown’s Brewing, Revolution Hall, Troy, NY, provided the perfect setting for New York Farm Bureau’s 2019 Feast-East fund raising event, where folks came together to socialize and support the Foundation as the educational arm of NYFB. (more…)
Monday afternoon I took 13 soil samples. Immediately upon returning home, I spread out each of the samples on newspapers on card tables on our front porch. Early this afternoon, all samples appeared to have dried sufficiently overnight to screen successfully. After screening, the separated soil was returned to the sandwich bag in which it left its field. The sealed baggie was placed in a small cardboard box to be sent with other samples to the soil lab in Ithaca. (more…)
Part 1: heterosis
by Sally Colby
EPDs are a great tool for cattle breeders, but there’s more to developing a breeding system than looking at numbers.
For years, beef cattle breeders have taken advantage of crossbreeding and the resulting hybrid vigor to develop good cowherds. Dr. Megan Rolf, assistant professor of genetics at Kansas State University, said the benefits of crossbreeding can be summarized by two main categories: heterosis and breed complementarity. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
CLYDE, NY — It’s easy to get nearsighted with the activities on one’s own farm and lose touch with industry trends. That’s why David M. Kohl, Ph.D., professor emeritus, Agricultural and Applied Economics College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, presented “Economic Radar Screen 2019-2020” at a recent open house at A.N. Martin Systems, LLC. (more…)
by Stephen Wagner
Hayley Springer cut to the chase by answering the question “What is antibiotic resistance?” It is the ability of bacteria to resist the effects of an antibiotic that would otherwise kill it or stop its growth. This is due, she said, “to a change in the bacteria. People think it’s a change in the animal or a change in the drug, but it’s a change in the bacteria that causes the disease.” (more…)
