Name: Hillary Burken
City, state: Clinton, Iowa
Reign year: 2021-22

Name: Kata Ruff
City, state: Meridian, Idaho
Reign year: 2021-22

Name: Bethany Knutsen
City, state: Harrington, Delaware
Reign year: 2020-22

Name: Lauryn Knott
City, state: Merced, California
Year: 2021-22

Most transition diseases occur during the three weeks after calving, many of which are triggered at birth. Creating a low-stress calving pen can have positive impacts on dairy cow welfare by limiting the amount of time cows spend in labor and allowing cows to perform maternal behaviors.

A dairy manager’s ability to walk a pen of cows and notice those that need a closer look or additional support is an invaluable asset. This cow sense has always been the staple of a well-managed dairy herd that optimizes cow health and performance, as well as farm profitability.

Who could possibly resist the cuteness of a newborn Holstein calf? How about a sweet and silly Jersey cow named Sparkle who loves the camera? One sixth generation Iowa dairy farmer has tapped into the power of social media to go beyond the adorable and produce popular content that is educational and entertaining.

We rely on cow data to make decisions every day. But what about calf and heifer data? Too often we only detect underperforming animals once they enter the milking string. Why is one cow falling behind her peers? Without data to inform us, we’re left guessing the reason.