Stockmanship Training with Curt Pate: It’s All about Pressure

You’ve been handling cattle for years, and you do it every day, so what’s there to think about? At the recent Dairy Managers Training Program, Curt Pate, a rancher and stockmanship expert from Montana, ...
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June 3, 2019Dairy Facilities, Herd Management

Dairy Manager Discussion Group links strategies for profitability: Genetics, heifer inventory, and beef cross calves

Dairy managers from around the SCNY region have been meeting for the past several years each winter, focusing on discussion of topics they have in common.  Managers that attend these discussion group meetings tend ...
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April 17, 2019Farm Business, Herd Management, Success Storiesheifers

Class participants assist live birth in Calving & Neonatal Calf Care workshop

Specialized skills and knowledge of potential issues facing cows and calves through the birthing process is key for dairy herd managers. As farms strive to become more self-reliant and provide better care for their ...
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April 3, 2019Herd Management, Success Storiescalf care

12 Agricultural Smartphone Apps for Farmers

There are times when a latex milking glove only holds so much information, or a pen can only take being used like a pry bar so many times before it doesn’t write. Pretty much ...
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March 6, 2019Crops, Farm Business, Herd Managementrecord keeping

Consider Bedded Pack Barns for Cow Comfort and Manure Management (Part 2)

A panel of farmers who have used bedded packs were featured at the NY Certified Organic (NYCO) meeting on January 8, 2019, in Jordan Hall, 630 West North Street, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY. NYCO ...
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January 23, 2019Dairy Facilities, Events, Herd Managementbedding, cow comfort, manure

Footbath Quick Check

Skimping on foot health is never a winning strategy, even in the wintertime.  Lameness is a costly disease, and maintaining foot baths to stay ahead of pathogens such as hairy heel wart is a ...
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January 16, 2019Herd Managementlameness

Consider Bedded Pack Barns for Cow Comfort and Manure Management (Part 1)

Small dairy farm operators in New York may soon be faced with the prohibition of winter spreading of manure by the State Department of Environmental Conservation. As an alternative to winter spreading, farmers considering ...
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January 9, 2019Dairy Facilities, Herd Managementbedding, cow comfort, manure

Lameness: Early Detection and Prevention

When asking producers about lameness, often the response I get is in the form of a yes/no answer. “Yes, she’s lame”, or “No, she’s not lame.” The problem with this is, lameness is not ...
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September 26, 2018Dairy Facilities, Herd Managementcow comfort, lameness

Controlling Arthropod Pests: Integrated Pest Management Guide for Organic Dairies

Controlling arthropod pests on dairy cattle improves their general living conditions, which can directly affect farm profitability. Inadequate pest control can cause pain and irritation to animals, resulting in reduced milk production and a ...
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September 12, 2018Herd ManagementIPM, organic

The Law of Diminishing Returns: How do we know when we’ve reached it?

Today’s economy has every producer struggling to find ways to increase cash flow. We fill stalls, add a few more cows, keep plentiful heifers in the pipeline and estimate our projected inventory of first ...
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August 1, 2018Dairy Facilities, Farm Business, Herd Managementcalf care, heifers