Archive of Articles

2009 Dairy Summit

Hosted by Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders, the 2009 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit will take place Wednesday, February 11 and Thursday, February 12 at the Lancaster Host Resort, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Achieving Success With Systematic Breeding Programs

It is worth reviewing once again the requirements for success that are common to all systems.

Acidosis in Dairy Cattle

Subclinical, or chronic, ruminal acidosis is best described as a syndrome related to a fermentative disorder of the rumen.

ADSA: Production Management and Extension Section Highlights

Advanced Accounting Workshop Designed for Producers, Bookkeepers in All Ag Fields

Penn State Dairy Alliance is offering an accounting workshop to help producers and bookkeepers in dairy and all agricultural businesses learn how to better manage their accounting systems and improve their profitability.

Age at Weaning and the Cost of Raising the Milk Fed Dairy Calf

The age at which you decide to wean a dairy calf will have a definite impact on the cost of raising that calf.

Air Quality - Why Should Pennsylvania Be Watching California?

Because of the current events surrounding EPA’s air quality consent agreement (AQCA), people assume we are comparing apples to apples or ammonia emission to ammonia emission. Actually, what is happening in California is very different from the AQCA.

Altered Feeding Behavior Occurs in Both Primiparous and Multiparous Holsteins During the Periparturient Period

Strategies that increase feeding time during this critical period may be useful in increasing DMI.

Animal Health Can Influence Embryonic Loss

Many factors have been identified for the apparent reduction in fertility and there is no doubt the current problem is multi-faceted and not easy to resolve.

Antibiotic Basics

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.

Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing as an Aid to Mastitis Treatments: How Can Test Results Be Used To Make Good Decisions?

Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing is commonly used as an aid to determine which drug (antibiotic) has the greatest chance of killing or stopping growth of mastitis causing bacteria. The information can be used to improve the odds of eliminating a mastitis infection if the recommended antibiotic is then used to treat the infected quarter of the cow whose milk sample was analyzed. It can also be used to establish a herd pattern for mastitis causing bacteria and determining what mastitis antibiotic protocols work and don't work in YOUR herd over time.

Antibiotic Usage in Dairy Herds in Pennsylvania

Antibiotics are used in livestock production as therapeutics, growth promoters, and prophylactics. Therapeutic use of antibiotics is often required to manage clinically apparent diseases.

Apply for Fuel Tax Refund Before September 30

Any person who uses liquid fuels in the actual production of agricultural products is eligible for a tax refund. Over the last several years, the refunds have amounted to approximately $3 million dollars each year spread over an average of over 8,000 claims each year.

Apply Now for Fuel Tax Refund

Any person who used liquid fuels in the production of agricultural products is eligible for a tax refund.

Are there Holes in Animal Care and Well-being Programs?

Over the past few years much has been written, talked about, or broadcast on TV regarding the care or at times the lack thereof of animals raised in production agriculture. This has caused many of us who have been working in animal agriculture for years, to stop and look around and try to understand what has caused some of the fuss.

Are You Considering On-Site Electricity Generation?

With all the talk about electricity prices increasing when the rate caps expire within the next year or two, you may be tempted to consider generating your own electricity. After all, you probably already have a back-up generation system to provide electricity during blackout periods.

Are Your Cows Getting Enough Rest?

At the recent Penn State Dairy Cattle Nutrition Workshop, Dr. Nigel Cook from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin presented results of on-going research into the daily time budgets of cows. Their studies use video surveillance to determine how cows spend their time and how management practices and facility designs influence cow behavior. The findings are summarized in this article.

Automatic Milking Systems, How Are They Doing?

Automatic Milking Systems (AMS, robots) are reliable and dependable at attaching milking machines to cows with no direct human oversight or intervention.

Become an Employer of Choice

We think we have it tough finding dairy employees in Pennsylvania, but we ain't seen nothin' yet!

Bedded Pack Barns for Dairy Cattle

The basic bedded pack can be a quick and simple way to house a variety of dairy cattle including young heifers, dry cows, milking cows and special needs cows.