It is often said that there is never just one diet that is fed to a group of dairy cows. There is the formulated diet on paper, the mixed diet in the bunk and the diet the cows eat.

Dairy producers must realize that improving first-service conception rates to 45%-60% is possible. This goal takes a multifaceted approach that starts in dry and transition phases and leans on superb management practices.

"Give Lehouiller an idea and it will happen" is how his colleagues describe this young veterinarian with big plans for the future of reproduction in the Eastern provinces.

When thinking about lactation length and milk production, one aspect to consider is maximizing the returns to your most fixed resource on the farm. Is your most fixed resource the cow or the stall she occupies?

Reproductive performance continues to improve across the dairy industry. Herds routinely achieve 21-day pregnancy rates above 20%, up from 14% reported as the national average in the 1990s.

A healthier herd. It’s a simple-sounding concept that’s proven difficult in practice. Finding genetics that resist routine pathogens across environments on dairy farms has been a focus of the industry over the last 10 years

What does it take to build a facility fit to house an outstanding herd, recognized for its high-caliber classification around the world? Years of preparation, says Steve Comtois of Victoriaville, Quebec’s Comestar Holstein.