Articles
Articles
Articles Penn State Dairy Cattle Nutrition Workshop
Coleen M. Jones, Jud Heinrichs
Annual event provides continuing education for feed industry professionals. More
Articles Growth Charts for Dairy Heifers
Coleen M. Jones, Jud Heinrichs
Comparing to a breed standard can indicate if heifer growth is progressing normally. More
Articles Ionophores: A Technology to Improve Cattle Efficiency
Tara L. Felix
This article explains how the use of ionophores--antibiotics that shift ruminal fermentation patterns--can improve cattle production efficiency. More
Articles FSMA and VFD: How Is My Dairy Farm Affected?
Ginger D Fenton, PhD, Robert J. Van Saun, DVM, MS, PhD
Enacted to further improve the safety of our food supply, these laws will impact most farms. More
Articles Feed Me the Scoop on Veterinary Feed Directive
Capri Stiles-Mikesell, Greg Strait
Description of in-feed medications and how they fit into the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) rules that took effect January 1, 2017. More
Articles Conduite des Genisses Laiteres
Jud Heinrichs, Bruno Martin
L’amélioration du troupeau laitier est possible lorsque les vaches de réforme sont remplacées par des génisses de deux ans bien alimentées, saines, génétiquement supérieures et bien conduites. More
Articles Growth Monitor: Compare Heifers to Breed Standards
Coleen M. Jones, Jud Heinrichs
Spreadsheet tools for tracking dairy heifer growth in comparison to breed standards. More
Articles Using the Body Condition Scoring Excel Spreadsheet Series
Coleen M. Jones, Jud Heinrichs
Instructions for the Body Condition Scoring spreadsheet series, used to evaluate body condition in cows and heifers. Spreadsheet series is designed for a scale of 1 to 5. More
Articles Nutrition, Immunity and Mastitis
Robert J. Van Saun, DVM, MS, PhD
The role of nutrition in mastitis prevention is reviewed relative to its impact on immune response of dairy cows More
Articles Heifer Nutrition Modifications to Reduce Manure Production
Jud Heinrichs, G. I. Zanton, G. J. Lascano
Replacing forage dry matter with concentrates offers potential to improve the efficiency of heifer feeding, while maintaining similar rates of gain and reducing excretion of manure and nutrients. More
Articles Trends in Age at Calving of Heifers in Pennsylvania
Jud Heinrichs, Coleen M. Jones
Age at first calving impacts the total costs of raising heifers. This article examines DHI data on age at first calving in Pennsylvania Holsteins. More
Articles Precision Feeding Dairy Heifers: Strategies and Recommendations
Jud Heinrichs, Geoff Zanton
Provided feed intake is restricted to allow for an optimal average daily gain, high concentrate, precision-fed rations can be fed to dairy heifers successfully. More
Articles Feeding During Shortages of Home-Grown Feeds
Jud Heinrichs, Virginia A. Ishler
Filling a forage gap may require reducing forage intakes or purchasing additional feeds. Economics and nutritional value of potential feeds should be considered when developing a plan. More
Articles Use of Commodity Ingredients for Dairy Cattle
Virginia A. Ishler, John Tyson, Peter Tozer
Explore ingredient storage, nutrient composition and variability, and considerations for managing a commodity-based feeding system. More
Articles Pasturing Dry Cows and Heifers
Kathy Soder
Pasture can be a cost-effective feed for dry cows and heifers, but must be managed to ensure animals meet performance goals. More
Articles Recommendations for Calf and Heifer Housing Dimensions for Jerseys
John Tyson, Dan McFarland, Robert Graves, Ph.D., P.E.
Summary of design suggestions for planning calf and heifer housing systems for Jersey cattle; a starting point for the design process. More
Articles Recommendations for Calf and Heifer Housing Dimensions for Holsteins
John Tyson, Dan McFarland, Robert Graves, Ph.D., P.E.
Summary of design suggestions for planning calf and heifer housing systems for Holstein dairy cattle; a starting point for the design process. More
Articles Free Choice Feeding of Phosphorus Containing Minerals
Virginia A. Ishler
Environmental concerns have forced the animal industry to re-evaluate phosphorus levels formulated in diets to avoid excess intake and excretion. More
Articles Heifer Economics
Jud Heinrichs, Peter Tozer, Matthew Gabler, Trent Schriefer
Heifers are an important investment in the future of successful dairy operations. More
Articles Dairy Heifer Contracting Fundamentals
Sarah Cornelisse, Jud Heinrichs, Coleen M. Jones
Understanding the importance and components of a written contract is essential for custom heifer growers and for dairy producers using these services. More
Articles Feed Efficiency in Dairy Heifers
Jud Heinrichs, Coleen M. Jones, Xavier Suarez
Discussion of ways to improve feed efficiency in dairy heifers. More
Articles Monitoring Dairy Heifer Growth
Jud Heinrichs, Coleen M. Jones
Success of a heifer-rearing program can be evaluated by monitoring height and weight of heifers and comparing the results against the herd's growth goals. More
Articles Don't Skimp on Health Costs
Virginia A. Ishler
Regardless of high or low profit margins the investment in health care for calves, heifers and cows should not waver. More
Articles Non-lactating Animals Count Too
Virginia A. Ishler
Dry cows and heifers take up on average 20 percent of the farm’s total feed costs (home raised and purchased). More
Articles El entendimiento de los costos involucrados en la cría de vaquillas debe ser una cuestión importante para los productores en la industria lechera. More