I went from being a third-generation dairy farmer with my family on the farm I grew up on to a first-generation dairy farmer in 2009. In 2021, I left the dairy farm I helped start and co-owned for 12 years.

I slipped my husband’s boots on to grab the mail this week. It was cold and wet outside, and I didn’t want to go through the effort of digging mine out of the closet, so I grabbed his that were sitting next to the door.

Comfort first has long been the philosophy for Jake Peissig and JTP Farms; focusing on improving animal well-being and allowing production, herd health and performance to fall into place.

Unfortunately, there is no magic recipe that will guarantee the preservation of your family relationships and the perpetuation of the dairy. There are, however, five key ingredients that if not planned for will almost assuredly lead to blackened heartache, tasteless family dynamics and burned chances of the dairy succeeding generationally.

Calf hydration isn’t just for hot weather. A year-round plan for feeding water and electrolytes can help calves stay healthy and productive through all seasons and temperatures. Water is key to hydration and for calves, has major effects on starter intake, rumen development and overall health.

With the arrival of cold weather comes the increased threat of bovine respiratory disease (BRD), or calfhood pneumonia, that often comes with it. Having a plan to prevent, diagnose and treat this common yet serious disease is key to help protect your dairy’s future.

Today, DPR is not the only resource to gauge reproductive success of efficiency in a herd. Cow Conception Rate (CCR) was introduced in 2010 as a tool to analyze fertility.

“Feeding and supporting a growing population” was the theme of the 2022 Global Dairy Experience (GDX), which focused on large herds and was held Dec. 6-8 in Las Vegas. Speakers discussed a variety of topics including sustainability, technology and caring for our communities both on and off the farm.