Pharmaceutical products (vaccines, antimicrobials, other injectable or oral drugs, fly control products, dewormers, intramammary tubes, teat dips, etc.) represent a large investment that helps decrease incidence of disease, mitigate the severity of disease, and improve animal health and productivity.

Interest in crossbreeding is at an all-time high among commercial dairy producers internationally. Generally speaking, however, circumstances have changed regarding the historical superiority of pure Holsteins compared to crossbreds for profitability.

Pasture is the primary source of forage for grazing dairies. In the northern U.S., this requirement is typically met by a May-to-October grazing season, and profitability depends on pastures that provide a uniform, season-long supply of high-quality forage. However, in the northern U.S., seasonal variation in temperature and precipitation creates a challenge, as the predominant forage plants, which include perennial grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and smooth bromegrass, and legumes such as white clover, undergo a “summer slump” in production.

The typical dairy farm uses a large amount of energy during milking activities. This is due to the frequency of milking and the energy-intensive nature of harvesting milk, keeping it cool and cleaning the equipment with hot water.

Fly control is always a hot topic with dairy producers because there are not a lot of viable options to alleviate fly pressure. Nuisance flies are typically most active from May to October in northern regions and are active year-round in warmer climates.