Progressive Dairy

January 1, 2025 Progressive Dairy digital magazine

January 1, 2025

Cheese and butter consumption hits all-time high in 2023

USDA data show American dairy per capita consumption across products consistently increasing each year, with 2023 up 3% over the past five years, 9% over the past 15 years and 16% over the past 30 years.

December 3, 2024

Audrey Schmitz

In the past decade alone, domestic per-capita consumption of cheese is up 19% and per-capita butter consumption is up 18.1%.

Progressive Events: Technology, AI and the dairy industry at nutrition field day

Five key takeaways from the Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Field Day on Nov. 14, 2024.

December 26, 2024

Kirby Krogstad and Jason Hartschuh

At the recent Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Field Day hosted by the Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference and allied industries, this topic took center stage. Speakers from various industry partners and academic institutions highlighted the promise and potential of technology in dairy farming.

Progressive Events: Pushing for reproductive progress at 2024 DCRC annual meeting

The Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council annual meeting brought reproductive professionals together to discuss methods in which progress might be made. Topics included embryo viability, sustainability efforts, beef-on-dairy trends, data management and more.

December 20, 2024

Matti McBride

Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) brought producers, academia and industry experts together for discussions, presentations and panels Nov. 12-14 at the 2024 annual meeting in Arlington, Texas.

Progressive Events: U.S. Dairy Sustainability Alliance meeting highlights industry efforts

More than 350 individuals from the dairy value chain gathered to highlight the industry’s sustainability progress thus far and collaborate on further advances.

December 10, 2024

Jenn Coyne

In a room filled with dairy producers, processors and customers, farmer Mitch Breunig looked around and announced, “I’m really impressed with how many people care about sustainability. … Everyone is this room is here because of the dairy cow, and improving the dairy cow is going to be the path to make this sustainability journey come together.”

Are your goals good enough?

To develop effective goals in your personal life and business, consider developing a timeline, communicate group goals with everyone involved and follow the SMART goal process.

December 30, 2024

Emily Krekelberg

Goal setting is important to both personal and business success. Goals help us work toward desired results and provide a point of guidance. They can be aimed at short-term issues, long-term projects and everything in between. No matter what type of farm you have or what stage you or your farm are at, goal setting is important. There are several questions to consider when setting goals.

Why dairy farmers invest

Dairy farmers invest in their operations for numerous reasons, including – but not limited to – planning for the next generation’s involvement in the farm, staying competitive, striving for continuous improvement, maximizing labor productivity and more.

November 26, 2024

Jim Moriarty

The reasons dairy farm families continue to invest and grow are rooted in the nature of dairy farmers and fundamental economic drivers. It is important to understand the drivers for investment decisions – both for planning on your own farm and for the industry overall.

Klebsiella mastitis: Stop it before it starts

Careful monitoring of the milking parlor, cow traffic areas, freestall management, teat disinfectant, teat skin health, vaccinations and nutrition can aid in fighting against Klebsiella mastitis.

December 13, 2024

Angela Rowson and Paul Virkler

Klebsiella is a gram-negative bacteria that can cause severe clinical mastitis in dairy cows. If they survive the illness, cows are often culled due to low milk production. This article describes some common ways Klebsiella is transmitted from the environment to teats and strategies on how to prevent Klebsiella mastitis cases on your farm.

How to prevent winter freeze with ventilation

Using a combination of inlet, circulation and exhaust fans can provide and circulate fresh air while removing moisture and helping to prevent freezing in the barn.

November 27, 2024

Abby Healy

To an extent, cows can handle cold environments if they are kept dry and if air speeds are not too strong. However, if barns begin to freeze, it can have a serious impact on the herd’s health and productivity. While freeze-related issues can be difficult to manage, ventilation can help alleviate them.

5 strategies to implement for winter feeding and cow comfort

Maintaining energy intake, considering the impact of cooler temperatures on feed, providing adequate water supply and keeping animals dry and comfortable will help maintain production levels during winter months.

October 1, 2024

Tamilee Nennich Adolph

An adjusted feeding program for winter that provides adequate nutrients to sustain increased energy demands at all life stages, coupled with practical farm management strategies, will help keep calves, heifers and lactating cows productive throughout the cold season.

Minglewood Dairy combines tradition and innovation for premium milk quality

Minglewood Dairy prioritizes employee training, rumination boluses and on-farm culturing to ensure cow health and milk quality.

January 1, 2025

Audrey Schmitz

Ever since 1894, Minglewood Dairy has upheld a tradition of exceptional care for their cows and land, evolving significantly over the past 130 years.

Address lameness while the trimmer is away

Ideally, all lame cows should be treated within 24 hours of the cow becoming lame. However, many producers face the challenge of how to assist a cow that becomes lame in between hoof trimmer visits. That challenge can be resolved with proper employee training.

December 18, 2024

Lee Erickson

It is important to provide excellent hoof care to cows because lame cows can go from bad to worse quickly. If a lame cow has to wait to be treated, she can experience longer recovery time, and more necrotic tissue and permanent damage to her pedal bone.

Transition cow: Immune suppression or a state of immune robustness?

Multiple lines of evidence indicate the term “immune suppression” to describe the dynamic immune system around calving should evolve. Some aspects of the immune system are downregulated, but other aspects are upregulated and robust.

December 17, 2024

Lance Baumgard and Julie Opgenorth

Fresh cows are more susceptible to disease than at any other point in their lactation, and this is traditionally attributed to a suppressed immune system around calving.

Faber's Food for Thought: Vitamins and UFOs

January 1, 2025

Dwayne Faber

Welcome to 2025! Like you, I will no doubt be writing checks for the next three months with 2024 scratched out in the top corner.

Life on the Family Farm: Not what I want, but what he wants

January 1, 2025

Tom Heck

We had an old Farmall tractor that we used for years on the farm to do a lot of light work. My son, Joshua, ran it a fair bit and owned half of it.

The Milk House: It’s cheddar not to steal

January 1, 2025

Ryan Dennis

In October 2024, an establishment in London suffered the devastating theft of £300,000 (about $380,000) of inventory. It’s a loss that’s going to be tough to come back from. However, it wasn’t precious jewels or priceless artwork. It was cheese.

Just Dropping By: Rituals to combat the time thief

January 1, 2025

Yevet Crandell Tenney

The time thief has struck again! We are knocking on the door of a quarter of a new century. I wish I could find culprit who keeps giving steroids to that chubby little baby New Year and keeps needling the old man New Year to hobble faster and faster.

Flowers, football, food and a growth mindset

January 1, 2025

Jenna Hurty-Person

New Year's Day, a day for flower-covered parade floats, football, chips and dip and new years resolutions. My earliest memories of New Year's Day are of my dad coming home with a dozen donuts and all of us sitting on the couch eating donuts and watching the Rose Parade. As a kid, I remember people talking about New Year's resolutions, but I never had one and I still don’t make them. Instead, I work to maintain what I like to think of as a growth mindset.

Our Publications

Progressive Dairy

January 1, 2025

Digital edition

January 1, 2025 Progressive Dairy digital magazine

News & business

Cheese and butter consumption hits all-time high in 2023

Progressive Events: Technology, AI and the dairy industry at nutrition field day

Progressive Events: Pushing for reproductive progress at 2024 DCRC annual meeting

Progressive Events: U.S. Dairy Sustainability Alliance meeting highlights industry efforts

Management

Are your goals good enough?

Why dairy farmers invest

Topic Articles

Klebsiella mastitis: Stop it before it starts

How to prevent winter freeze with ventilation

5 strategies to implement for winter feeding and cow comfort

Minglewood Dairy combines tradition and innovation for premium milk quality

Address lameness while the trimmer is away

Transition cow: Immune suppression or a state of immune robustness?

Departments

Faber's Food for Thought: Vitamins and UFOs

Life on the Family Farm: Not what I want, but what he wants

The Milk House: It’s cheddar not to steal

Just Dropping By: Rituals to combat the time thief

Flowers, football, food and a growth mindset

January 1, 2025 Progressive Dairy-Canada digital magazine

January 1, 2025 Progressive Forage digital magazine

January 1, 2025 Progressive Dairy - French digital magazine

FREE NEWSLETTERS

SUBSCRIBE to Leading Industry Magazines

I'm looking for ________

[Podcast] Best of 2024: Top articles, podcast episodes, dairy news stories of the year