Division of Extension
Raising replacement heifers is a large investment for farmers to create the next generation for their herd. The cost of raising a replacement heifer on average is $2,500 with feed accounting for approximately 50% of the total rearing cost.1,2 The average age at first calving (AFC) has been decreasing in the United States because farmers […]
There are three stages to the birthing process, or parturition: dilation of the cervix, delivery of the calf, and delivery of the placenta. Knowing the normal birth process will help you decide whether or not to intervene.
Preconditioning dairy-beef calves for success as beef Various marketing opportunities exist for dairies to market dairy-beef cross calves including selling them ‘wet’ (i.e., preweaned, younger than 8 weeks of age). Dairies may retain ownership, marketing preconditioned or backgrounded feeder calves at approximately 400 or 700 lbs. Dairies may also finish beef cross cattle. Let’s take […]
Cocktail forage mixes have become popular due to their use after a cereal forage harvest, their good forage quality, and their ability to apply in-season manure. In general, cocktail forage mixes are a blend of annual grasses (warm and/or cool season) and legumes. The warm season grasses are usually sorghum-sudangrass, sudangrass, or millets, and cool […]
What is corn silage? Corn silage is a unique feed that combines high non-fiber carbohydrate (starch) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). It does not feed strictly like a forage or a concentrate. Corn silage is also unique when looking at the NDF fraction of the feed. If corn silage is separated into its two primary […]
By Donald C. Sockett, DVM, MS, PHD, DACVIM (large animal); Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, UW-Madison It is important for livestock barns, calf pens, and calf feeding equipment to be properly cleaned before the disinfectant is applied. If surfaces are not properly cleaned, the disinfection step is much less effective at killing disease-causing microorganisms. Many disinfectants […]
Preventing new mastitis cases and treating existing cases is essential to excellent milk quality.
Ammonia emissions are predominantly released from human activities. Agricultural activities are the major contributor to ammonia emissions, particularly from livestock manure and fertilizer application. Ammonia can affect human health or form other substances, such as particulate matter, that have negative health and environmental impacts.
Deciding when and how a dairy cow departs the farm is different on every operation. Making the decision to remove a cow from the herd is not always an easy one, but determining when the cow leaves and how is equally important. Changing the vocabulary from cull cow to market cow is a way to focus on what kind of animals are leaving the dairy.
Publication ID: A4192-005/AG-919-05 Composting Animal Manure (A4192-005/AG-919-05) Introduction Technology Basics Performance Cost Environmental Benefits and Trade-Offs Return to Top Introduction Composting is the process in which microorganisms degrade organic feedstocks in a controlled manner to produce a high quality, stable product that can be used as fertilizer. Composting is a process that can be implemented […]
Discover how biochar transforms agricultural waste into “black gold.” This carbon-rich soil amendment boosts crop yields, sequesters carbon, and slashes greenhouse gas emissions—all while protecting groundwater from harmful leaching. Learn why biochar is the ultimate tool for sustainable soil health.
Screw press separators can be used to separate manure into a solid and liquid fraction.
