For many people in the dairy industry, the phase-out of brown midrib (BMR) corn is akin to losing the four-wheel drive option in a pickup truck. Sure, the pickup will go most places, but there will be
While during any television broadcast of our local Milwaukee Brewers, the pitcher inevitably throws a neck-high fastball over the plate. Often, the batter unloads on such a pitch but misses by a foot
The ability of ruminant animals to turn forage fiber into milk and meat is the cornerstone process of livestock production, and it has a direct effect on the sustainability of human food systems. The
In a recent Hoard’s Dairyman webinar titled “A feed and forage outlook for the year ahead,” Mike Hutjens with the University of Illinois summarized the highs and lows of corn silage and
The colder months ahead require farmers to winterize hay equipment, take inventory of stored forages, and draw up plans to feed livestock. As we wrap up forage production for 2025, it’s a good time
In any debate, there are often two camps that form on either side of the issue and support opposing views of the topic at hand. Then, there are the people who sit on the fence. Over time, that fence g
Best corn silage feeding practices include removing only a day’s worth of material from storage to limit spoilage and ensure animals always receive fresh feed. But in order to maintain this feeding
Farmers can add weed control to the long list of benefits gained from growing alfalfa in crop rotations. According to Mark Renz, being a dense stand of perennial forage that is cut several times a year
Ten Mile Grade Dairy started baling dry hay and making baleage in 2024 — two jobs that had been hired out until then. Hayfields are seeded to limpograss, which was established after taking a sod
Kelsey Woldt is the oldest of the five daughters who were born and raised on Woldt Farms in Brillion, Wis. Now serving as the farm’s human resources manager, Woldt and her sisters have all been invo
With the country’s beef cow herd at its lowest level since the 1960s, the number of calves also continues to shrink. This puts a tight clamp on the availability of stocker cattle.Currently, CattleFa
One of the best ways to quickly orient someone to a lactation dairy ration is to compare it to the diets of a mama cow grazing native pasture and a feedlot steer. These are the two extremes
High-quality forages are the foundation of a productive and healthy dairy herd. However, the way feed is managed from the field to the cow is crucial for maximizing a producer’s investment in forages
Dry cows on a dairy farm remind me of Larry. They have no real obligations in life except to eat, drink, and take a nap. They are on a vacation from their normal vocation
Forages are the foundation for nutritionally sound, profitable, and rumen-healthy rations. When Randy Shaver with the University of Wisconsin-Madison surveyed high-producing Wisconsin herds, he calcul
Even if I yell at you, I still love you. Not exactly the definition of modern parenting, but it is my opening line when I teach my daughters to drive. As I sit next to them for the first time in the p
