America’s dairy farmers supply milk for some of the of the highest-quality cheeses in the world – made by our world-class cheesemakers. U.S.-produced Parmesan, feta, Asiago and other specialty cheeses regularly best European competitors at international competitions (if they are allowed to compete), earning American cheesemakers loyal consumer bases all around the globe.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that 15 additional states have enrolled in the National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS), bringing the total number of states to 28 in roughly one month since the program launched.

Skeletal muscle plays a crucial role in dairy cows’ health and productivity, but it’s also a very dynamic tissue. It can be mobilized to support milk production during periods of negative energy balance, but recovery of lost muscle is much slower.

Milking technologies have changed over many decades, so have feeding strategies incorporated on the dairy farm. For those using automation to milk cows, providing feed at the robot was thought to be paramount to the system’s success. Recently, some automated milking producers have started to rethink this approach.

Well-managed forage programs are a key aspect of any dairy operation, and tools such as MILK2024 are valuable metrics to help make decisions on both the quality and quantity of feed harvested. As technology implementation increases, it is critical to assess what works for an operation and what doesn’t. Understanding the potential impact of these decisions on milk production can help producers do just that.