I recently received a question by telephone about rubber flooring and what it does for the animal. I would like to share this conversation with you, from a hoof trimmer’s perspective. I have to admit that it is a subject with differing opinions, environments, climates, and you name it, and that I certainly do not have all the answers to the flooring options that are available.

When people drive by your property, the care of your lawn is one thing they’re sure to notice. You want your yard and/or property to look welcoming to your friends, family and neighbors and one easy way to keep things looking up to par is to keep on top of your mowing. You’ll need a mower that’s dependable and gets the job done with as little hassle as possible, but looks like a professional landscaping crew was just at your place. With one of these models, you can enjoy that look, and you may end up enjoying your property and tending to it even more.

Case IH - RB 454

The Case IH RB 454 Series Round Baler packs more of your valuable crop into a weather-resistant and edible package for your cows. This baler’s pickup gently gathers as many nutrition-packed leaves as possible using more tines – from 72-128 depending on the model. These tines pick up wide windrows and eliminate the need for gathering wheels to fill the bale chamber’s sides for firm, square-shouldered bales. The pickup’s forward location allows you to see windrows feeding and the hand crank raises for convenient transport.

It is cold - bitterly cold.  Abruptly, you hear the heavy breathing and persistent crying of your pregnant cow.  Staggering to your feet, you pluck the soiled straw from your hair and look around anxiously.  Has she finally decided to give birth after all?  It seems like an eternity since she began showing signs of labor, and still, no results.  As your eyes adjust to the darkness, you distinguish your cow preparing to calf.  It is midnight, and as you race to gather the supplies together, you face the biting cold air.  Weary from a sleepless night in your

The Isle of Guernsey, a tiny island in the English Channel off the coast of France, is the birthplace of the Guernsey cow. About 960 A.D., besieged by buccaneers and sea rovers, the Island came to the attention of Robert Duke of Normandy. He sent a group of militant monks to educate the natives to cultivate the soil and defend the land. The monks brought with them the best bloodlines of French cattle - Norman Brindles, also known as Alderneys, from the province of Isigny and the famous Froment du Leon breed from Brittany - and developed the Guernsey.

I have received a few inquiries about the use of a ‘home-made’ boot or claw-bag for the treatment of serious lameness like foot rot. In this article, I would like to describe this tool and how to use it.

Agri-Plastics - Deluxe SL/EXL

In anticipation of more strict milk quality standards in the United States, A&L Laboratories is rolling out its new and comprehensive Quality Milk Program, to assist U.S. dairy operations in the quest for higher quality milk. 

There is a variety of opinions on how often a cow needs trimming. Could you give me a few hints to determine the best time frame for my herd? 

Udder Tech has created a new style of our popular Cloth Towel Pouch in Nylon, which is machine washable! Like all of our Cloth Towel Pouches, it saves time and steps by keeping your towels close to you, but these pouches offer the added convenience of being machine washable and dryable.

• Machine washable - The nylon pouches are less rigid than our vinyl and polyester pouches, so they can get clean in a washing machine (as with all of our products, please avoid bleach and other harsh chemicals)

Results from an intake and digestibility study have recently been published in Crop Science. The study was conducted by J.C. Burns and D.S. Fischer, using a low endophyte tall fescue (Cajun), two novel endophyte tall fescues (Max-Q and HM4), and Persist Orchardgrass. While the primary purpose of the study was to measure and document the nutrient values and digestible forage qualities without the “confounding influence of toxic endophyte,” the study also substantiates those same nutrient values and digestible forage qualities for Persist Orchardgrass. This may be particularly valuable for beef and dairy producers, as well as hay famers specifically as it relates to comparing Persist Orchardgrass to novel-endophyte tall fescues such as Max-Q.

The new Kuhn Knight-brand VTC 180 and 1100 Vertical Maxx mixers are the newest vertical, twin-auger commercial mixers that are the ideal choice for dairy and beef producers. These models have a rugged build with high-end features and are designed for commercial producers who are feeding around the clock. Improved feed movement provides a fast, complete mix for a consistent, fluffy and palatable ration.

More than ever, dairy producers need to save money wherever they can. Especially during the summer months, cows under heat stress can cost producers big bucks. Research has shown that milk production losses alone range from $1.50 to $3 per cow per day.

Johne’s disease is an important animal health, and possible human health, issue for dairy producers across the country and around the world. It is not unique to the US, as it has been found in all parts of the world, but it is known to affect a large portion of the U.S. dairy cow population. 

 Chronic stress on farm animals, including dairy cattle can have harmful effects on their health, productivity and welfare. We, as dairy producers, try to reduce the amount of stress cattle receive by the way we conduct our animal routines and care, as well as diminishing environmental stress—so our dairy cattle can be healthy and productive as possible.

In these difficult economic times, it’s important for dairy producers to get the most out of their soil nutrients—both on and off the farm. Carrie Laboski, associate professor and Extension soil scientist with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says whether nutrient needs are being met by manure varies with the size of the farm and its cropping pattern. “It’s not really a ‘one size fits all’ approach,” she says. 

Dairymen are looking forward to 2008, according to Dr. Dan Undersander. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Agronomy Professor and Extension Forage Specialist says although there is a lot of concern over high input costs, the high prices for all of the commodities, the grains and the hays and the milk, are causing a level of optimism that we haven't seen in a long time. The high price of hay means it's crucial for producers to maintain their forage stands - and that means turning over alfalfa after no more than three years.

Ariel Waldeck is a strong advocate of a college education. The University of Kentucky student is majoring in both Agricultural Communications and Integrated Strategic Communications; she’s also active with collegiate FFA.

As the dairy industry continues to consolidate, cows are being milked more rapidly through larger milking centers on larger dairies than ever before. Parlor efficiency is critical, however jeopardizing milk quality for the sake of speeding cows through the parlor could result in severe problems. 

While this is a simple, non in-depth overview of dairy calf rearing, it gives producers an idea of the general concepts needed to produce high quality, high producing future dairy cows. Raising dairy cows begins with simple preparation and a basic understanding of what is required of calves and what demands will be applied to them. First, a producer must ensure that cows have an adequate pen or box stall in which to calve.

The U.S. dairy industry has been steadily consolidating over the past thirty years, and analysts with USDA’s Economic Research Service say a big part of the reason has been what has been until recently the low cost of feed.

Many factors can require dairy producers to provide assistance to cows when the birth of a calf is delayed or complicated. The medial term dystocia is used to refer to this condition. Among general causes are oversized calves, calves that aren’t in the proper birth position (feet first) or an injured or sick cow. Genetics, nutrition and reproductive management are all important factors in reducing dystocia.

“It’s not about the size of the dairy; it’s about doing a good job with cows. Our highest goal is simply to be very good dairymen. We want to take great care of our animals, and treat our neighbors with respect,” says Harvey Van Ess about VanEss Dairy located in O’Brien County near Sanborn, IA.
 

Whether a dairy farmer has 20 cows or 20,000, the need for a comprehensive biosecurity plan has never been more important. Even though bioterrorism threats have increased in recent years, international biosecurity is just one element of a sound plan to prevent the introduction or spread of infectious disease in a dairy operation.