Dairy Cows Archives - Page 7 of 13 - Cornerstone AG Management

Dairy Pride Act Reintroduced to Fight Back Against Non-Dairy Products

May 21, 2021/in Dairy Cows /by info

The DAIRY PRIDE Act would require the FDA to issue guidance for nationwide enforcement of mislabeled imitation dairy products within 90 days and require the FDA to report to Congress two years after enactment to hold the agency accountable for this update in their enforcement obligations.

“Dairy farmers in Wisconsin work tirelessly every day to ensure that their milk meets high standards for nutritional value and quality,” says Sen. Baldwin. “Imitation products have gotten away with using dairy’s good name for their own benefit, which is against the law and must be enforced. Mislabeling of plant-based products as ‘milk’ hurts our dairy farmers. That’s why I’m reintroducing the bipartisan DAIRY PRIDE Act to take a stand for Wisconsin farmers and the quality products they make.”

Read the full article by Taylor Leach with Dairy Herd Management here.

Comparisons in the farm “kitchen”

May 11, 2021/in Dairy Cows, Research /by info

Choosing a nutrition plan isn’t a one-size-fits-all mentality. Check out this article for an interesting comparison to your favorite dinner entrée. At the end of the day, selecting the right silage blend warrants a team discussion and budget projections. We’re here to help, contact us to get the conversation started.

Read the full article by John Goeser with Hoard’s Dairyman here.

March negative PPDs continue to climb out of 2020 depths

May 7, 2021/in Dairy Cows /by info

“Uniform price announcements were released by Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) administrators, April 8-13, covering March milk marketings. As with February milk marketed through FMMOs, uniform or “blend” prices posted small increases from the month before. However, while PPDs improved somewhat, they remained negative in six of the seven orders utilizing multiple component pricing.”

Read the full article by Dave Natzke with Progressive Dairy here.

NMPF moving toward request for limited FMMO hearing | Progressive Dairy

April 30, 2021/in Dairy Cows /by info

“With the two-year anniversary of the implementation of the change in the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) Class I skim milk price formula near, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is closer to asking the USDA for an emergency expedited hearing to address the issue. Proposals from other organizations regarding the Class I pricing formula and other FMMO reforms may be forthcoming as well.”

Read the full article by Dave Natzke with Progressive Dairy here.

Rumen additive benefits dry cows | The Western Producer

April 16, 2021/in Dairy Cows /by info

“Getting nutrition right during a dairy cow’s dry period makes a huge difference to her health, the health of her calf, and the milk yield after calving. Now, new research from the University of Illinois has shown that diets that promote consistent energy levels and contain the rumen-boosting supplement monensin are the ideal approach during the dry period.”

Read the full article by The Western Producer, here.

Nutrient Knowledge: Feeding for Components

April 9, 2021/in Dairy Cows /by info

If you’re looking to bump up the fat or protein levels in your milk to add a few more cents to the final pay price, check out this article for five suggestions for each level.

“Although modifying feed rations to boost components may sound like an easy way to tack on a few cents per cwt. to your milk check, it’s important to understand the give-and-take relationship between milk fat and protein. Increasing fat content typically leads to a decrease in protein content, and vice versa. Therefore, producers should consider altering diets to take advantage of changes in the relative value of milk fat to milk protein, according to the specialists.”

Read the full article from Dairy Herd, here. Looking for help modifying feed rations? Contact us today, we focus on unbiased solutions and advice that are tailored to your Herd.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Lowering Feed Costs | Dairy Herd Management

March 29, 2021/in Dairy Cows /by info

This article is packed with great Do’s and Don’ts on finding ways to lower feed costs.

DO use a spreadsheet or feed management system

DO make a weekly appointment to review your feed costs

DO make your own feed

DON’T allow your feed to shrink

DON’T overfeed your herd

DON’T cut an ingredient just because of cost

Check out the full article by Dairy Herd, here!

Detect nutrition changes before you can see cow effects

March 19, 2021/in Dairy Cows /by info

“Herd monitoring technology tracks individual, group and herd activity to give farmers a heads-up on how animals are reacting to nutritional changes,” says Tara Bohnert, business development manager at Nedap Livestock Management. “The data empowers farmers to intervene and implement management changes before significant performance is lost.”

Check out this article for a quick overview of some big advantages of herd monitoring such as earlier intervention and quickly finding and addressing issues that might have otherwise been missed.

Read the full article here.

USDA Report: U.S. dairy farm numbers continue to decline | Wisconsin State Farmer

March 10, 2021/in Dairy Cows /by info

Since 2003, the U.S. has lost more than half of its licensed dairy operations, now just shy of 32,000 dairy operations.

In contrast, milk production per cow has steadily increased approximately 11.5% from 2011. In 2021, USDA predicts that daily output per cow will increase nearly 1.7%, which would be the highest rate of growth since 2014.

Read the full article by Michael Nepveux of Wisconsin State Farmer.

Low Cell Counts Key to Dairy Profits | Lancaster Farming

March 2, 2021/in Dairy Cows /by info

Michael Lormore, the current director of cattle technical services at Zoetis, led a 2014 study identifying the drivers of financial success for a dairy, using data from 110 farms between 2007 to 2018. The farms were in the Dakotas, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio. Check out this article for one variable worth keeping a close eye on.

“The bulk tank somatic cell count, to me, is the most important variable out there,” Lormore said.

Cell counts connect to milk production, cow turnover and longevity, and pregnancy rates, all of which affect net farm income.

“The revenue opportunity should be obvious,” Lormore said. “For every 100,000 increase in bulk tank somatic cell counts, it is a 5.7-pound decrease in milk production per cow per day. There’s a huge opportunity to continue to improve the quality of the milk we produce.”