The benchmark reports are interesting and folks tend to value them in different ways, but they are a little more than just a means to compare yourself with your neighbors or fuel a competitive spirit.

The number one goal of a feeding program is to promote healthy development from birth to freshening. Additionally, we want to maximize each heifer’s growth and genetic potential to its fullest – while also promoting healthy hair coats, good muscle tone and ideal body condition – when it matters most, show days.

“Overuse of antibiotics is a very significant threat to our industry,” stated Pamela Ruegg, DVM, Michigan State University as she addressed a crowd of dairy producers at the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. 

As the market for dairy robots has increased, so has the availability of used equipment. For producers interested in making a switch to automation, considerations around buying used or new do not differ greatly from traditional equipment.

Costs of production are a common theme of farm profitability. However, it is also often confusing, elusive and changing.

To capture the full potential of genetics, facilities, feed and precision technology, dairies need to establish and maintain a strong culture of goal-driven management and human accountability.

How to make sense of massive amounts of data generated on farms to help inform decisions, track progress and improve profitability.