I like to tell people that cows eat a more balanced diet than most people, because it’s true. We make a special mix of feed for our cows that contains four basic ingredients: haylage, corn silage, a special mix of vitamins and minerals, and corn gluten feed. This last...
It’s been an unusually cool summer, and that’s great for our animals. Cows love this weather: cool nights and days that don’t get too hot. We recently installed new fans and ventilation systems in our freestall barns, and of course, we haven’t needed them too much...
A few weeks ago, I had the chance to spend the day in Chicago at a meeting of the American Dairy Science Association to address dairy industry groups and university researchers. I was asked to speak about what I know best: running a modern dairy farm, caring for...
Well, there you have it. We’re all tired of winter, and we’ve been really glad to see that Mother Nature has finally decided to give us a taste of spring. So, what’s happening on the farm at this time of year? It’s too wet and cold to get into the fields yet, but...
It’s been a winter for the record books, and it’s not over yet. Cold weather on the farm means taking extra precautions for the safety and well-being of our animals and our employees. When it’s 10, 15 and 20 degrees below zero, we really appreciate how dedicated our...
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to host a tour of our dairy farm that included the livestock-handling equipment designer and autism expert, Dr. Temple Grandin. Since then, Dr. Grandin has become even more well known because of the movie that was made about her...
