The Associated Press picked up on a story out of Columbia, Missouri this past weekend about a Nebraska dairy farmer who found that spraying milk on his pastures improves the grass – and the cows love it. The original story from the Columbia Daily Tribune came out of a small conference that was held in Linn, Mo., on growing thicker, … Read More
Hawaiian Dairies Post Increased Milk Production
Congratulations to Hawaiian dairy farmers! For the first time in 11 years, they posted an increase year-over-year in milk production! Hawaii milk production increased 15 percent in 2009, the first time in 11 years the state has seen a year-over-year production increase, according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hawaii’s total milk production in 2009 … Read More
High Volume Dairy Implements Robotic Palletizing
Packworld.com recently released this information about a new plant packaging for butter products using robots. This is pretty cool. For more information, download the white paper on this topic here. California Dairies’ Turlock, Calif., plant produces more than 170 different SKUs of butter in case sizes ranging from 8 to 55 pounds. This Motoman case history describes the plant’s transition … Read More
Dairy Producer Masters Social Media to Tell Story
Here is a positive story about a dairy producer in California who is standing up and speaking out to tell the real story of production agriculture. Her name is Barbara Jackson, and her story was recently printed in the Modesto Beef in an article titled, “Ag Tries Twitter,” a feature by Robert Rodriguez that describes how farms are feeding info … Read More
Building Knowledge On Transition Cow Management
Farmers Weekly Interactive recently posted an article titled, “Building Knowledge On Transition Cow Management,” and it offers tips and trips for dairy cow management during the early stages, transition period and once the cow has calved. This is a solid piece that could be beneficial to many dairy producers. Check it out. The dry period is a critical time for … Read More
New DeLaval Swinging Cow Brush Makes Cows Happier, More Productive
A new study by Cornell University shows that dairy cows using the DeLaval Swinging Cow Brush (SCB) register higher milk production and lower clinical mastitis cases. The SCB is a grooming device that allows a cow to brush and scratch herself at her leisure! The study compared different groups of cows housed in pens using the Swinging Cow Brush to … Read More
Animal Antibiotics, Resistance and Human Health
Adam Anson, from TheDairySite, recently wrote an interesting article on use of antibiotics in animals, antibiotic resistance and how it relates to human health. This thorough report deals with both sides of the issue in an educational platform that reminds all of us just how far the agriculture industry has come. Antibiotics are a vital component to rearing healthy livestock, … Read More
Export Incentives for Dairy Products
Dairy producers should keep a watchful eye on the new provisions Secretary Vilsack is making on the Dairy Export Incentive Program, with allocations of 68,201 metric tons of nonfat dry milk; 21,097 metric tons of butterfat; 3,030 metric tons of various cheeses and 34 metric tons of other dairy products, as well as individual product and country allocations will be … Read More
Land O'Lakes to Close Wis. Butter Plant
Land O’Lakes Inc. plans to close its butter manufacturing plant in Madison, Wis. and lay off 120 employees. The cooperative based in St. Paul, Minn., said Madison Dairy would close within 60 days because it no longer is economically feasible to operate. Spokeswoman Jeanne Forbis said other Land O’Lakes plants around the country would make up for the lost production. … Read More