Dairy Digest
Edited by Dr. Jud Heinrichs, Professor of Dairy and Animal Science, Dairy Digest features articles by Penn State's experts in dairy management, engineering, herd health, and related areas. Dairy Digest has been published by the Department of Dairy and Animal Science and Penn State Cooperative Extension since 1963.
Pennsylvania consultants who are working with dairy teams to improve farm profitability can take advantage of the new web-based version of the Penn State Profitability Assessment Dairy Tool
A new tool designed to help evaluate the decision to feed pasteurized waste milk is available. This spreadsheet developed by Penn State and Virginia Tech extension educators calculates the cost of owning and operating a calf milk pasteurizer as well as costs to feed milk replacer or whole, saleable milk.
There are conflicting reports on the contribution of ruminants to greenhouse gas emissions (GGE). In these environmentally sensitive times it will help to put things in prospective.
Dr. Larry W. Specht, professor emeritus of dairy science, Penn State University, has compiled a history of polled Holsteins, naturally hornless cattle.
Your strategy should always be to optimize the use of energy to increase profitability and net cash flow.
Every dairy operation has its unique set of challenges; however there are a few management and nutrition options that can help maintain profit.
A properly designed and built tie stall barn can provide a comfortable and productive living and working environment for milking cows and their caretakers. There are several new resources available for those who are planning new or remodeled tie stall dairy barns.
There is little doubt that a major shift in the cost of producing milk has taken place and may continue for some time to come. Monitoring the COP for your dairy operation has always been important, but is even more so now.
Dr. Alex Hristov, Associate Professor of Dairy Nutrition, and Dr. Joy Pate, Professor of Reproductive Physiology and the C. Lee Rumberger and Family Endowed Chair in Agricultural Sciences
The USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) recently published part one of the results of the Dairy 2007 national survey. This periodic snapshot of current management practices provides insight into current trends and changes over time.
This is the second in a series that will explore the use as well as discuss some of the controversies concerning antibiotic therapy in dairy cattle.
In light of the recent tragic death of a Pennsylvania dairy producer by a herd bull I feel it is important to review once again the costs and risks of having a bull on the premises.
Depending on which utility company provides your electricity, your rate cap protection may have already expired.
Within a certain range of temperatures called the thermoneutral zone or TNZ, calves can maintain body temperature without needing extra energy.
To keep calves healthy, everything comes down to good hygiene.
While controversy continues as to the exact role of antibiotic use in animals and linkage to increased resistant populations of bacteria, many producers and veterinarians feel antibiotics do not work as well as they did years ago.
Stillbirth is a major issue within the dairy industry.
Significant changes have come to minimum wage laws. To understand how farmers are affected we must begin with laws that affect all employers.
All the information presented in this article is directed to dairy farmers who are classified as “commercial” or “industrial” customers of electricity. If you are classified as a “residential” customer, this article does not apply to you because your price for electricity is based on a flat (or nearly flat) rate of x cents per kWh (kilowatt-hour).
