We must change our thinking about raising replacements and selling cull cows. In a dairy animal’s lifetime, she can yield both milk and beef. The cost of replacement is not the cost of raising that animal, but it is the difference between its raising cost and the cull cow price multiplied by the probability of it being sold for beef.

Here is the news affecting dairies as we enter April 2024.

I’ve been spending the last few weekends watching middle schoolers play volleyball. This local league is an opportunity for girls who love the sport to practice their skills and gain experience on the court. On one day, I watched a pair of 16-year-olds rally and lead a team better than many adults.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its Agricultural Prices report March 28, which includes feed costs used to calculate February Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program margins and indemnity payments.

Here’s an update on news impacting your dairy during the last week of March 2024.