When I talk with producers who installed automated milking systems, most say the first three days are the worst, the first three weeks are hard, and things are better within three months. By the sixth to ninth month, they say the automated milking system is better than the previous milking system, as both cows and people have adjusted to the major lifestyle change.  

Clinical mastitis cure versus bacteriological cure … is there a difference between the two? Does it really matter? In a word, yes. In a few more words, it matters because the difference between achieving one and not both can be the two things that make or break a dairy’s bottom line: lost productivity and increased costs.

When you make a teat dip change, plan for at least three to four weeks to start seeing a difference – and that’s if all other variables remain the same. Remember, you are using a teat dip to help prevent mastitis, not cure it.

Amid a decade-long labor shortage, dairy farmers recognize the importance of training their employees, both informally and formally. And they are leaning on their veterinarians, county extension agents, nutritionists and other consultants to support and carry out these trainings.

On July 1, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) released its recommended decision, which proposes to amend the pricing provisions in the 11 Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs). This follows the record-breaking 49-day hearing process that began in August 2023 and concluded in late January 2024.

I graduated college thinking I had learned everything I would need to know to be successful in a career in animal science. My first job as a calf-raising manager on a large calf ranch showed me that was far from the truth. I’m not saying college didn’t prepare me. It’s that I never would have expected to fail as much as I did.

From COVID-19 to governmental policy changes to H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks, the unpredictable is coming at us at a faster and faster pace. When making your contingency and continuity plans, here are some of the key areas of preparedness you should consider.

In this episode, Lucas Fuess from Rabobank joins host Kimmi Devaney to chat about economic conditions, the factors affecting them and key insights from recent Rabobank reports related to milk production, on-farm margins and more.