Cargill has developed the first ever robotic cattle driver to improve both animal welfare and employee safety. The robots are designed to move cattle from pens to the harvest area, reducing stress to the animals by minimizing their proximity to human activity. Employees operate the robots from a catwalk located above the pens, reducing safety risks by keeping those who …
Animal Ag Bites 10/22
The dairy checkoff has awarded 13 academic scholarships to students enrolled in programs that emphasize dairy and who have shown potential to become future dairy leaders. The National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, through Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff, annually awards $2,500 scholarships to each student. In addition, the NDB awards a $3,500 James H. Loper …
Alltech Trace Minerals Optimize Animal Health
Alltech is having great success with its organic trace mineral products that mimic nature’s organic trace minerals but are better absorbed by the animal. “We make the trace minerals in a way that they’re more absorbed and more retained in the body so we have better mineral status,” said Brad Rortvedt, Regional Sales Manager with Alltech. “By having better mineral …
Alltech Launches #iamAG Photo Contest
A picture is worth a thousand words — or a free trip to the ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19) held in Lexington, Kentucky, May 19–21, 2019. Alltech’s #iamAG online agvocacy photo contest invites American farmers, ranchers, producers and all agricultural workers to submit and share photos of their farms and ag lifestyle for the opportunity to win the trip. …
On-Farm Audits Improve Dairy Profitability
When Alltech On-Farm Specialist Jeff Johnson evaluates a dairy farm, he concentrates on three specific areas – the people, the cows and the milking equipment. Johnson said all three factors have to be integrated together for the farm to work efficiently and effectively. He said there are some challenges to maintaining equipment and the milking environment, including weather that can’t …
EDGE Dairy Cooperative Engaging in D.C.
EDGE Dairy Cooperative has been focusing on engaging more actively for its members at the federal level, according to Mike Torrey with Torrey Associates. Torrey said the cooperative has put together an effective effort in the nation’s capitol through fly in events, testimonies and social media campaigns to speak for America’s dairy farmers. “We need to think long term,” said …
Animal Ag Bites 10/15
Leading dairy organizations have united to host the inaugural California Dairy Sustainability Summit on November 27-28, 2018 at the Sacramento Convention Center. For more information, visit CADairySummit.com or dairycares.com. Garrett Slavik was recently named a Vita Plus dairy specialist and will serve dairy producers in central Michigan. Merck Animal Health has selected Sullivan Higdon & Sink as agency of record …
New Deere Forage Harvesters are More Efficient
Whether you are a beef or dairy producer, or a custom harvester, there is a new John Deere 9000 Series Self-Propelled Forage Harvester (SPFH) for you. Chris Borgman, Deere Product Marketing Manager for Commercial Hay and Forage Products, introduced the new models at the World Dairy Expo earlier this month in Madison, Wisconsin. “What it all boils down to is …
Calf Health Vital to Farm Success
Research trials at Hubbard’s Calf Research Facility provide important data to dairy producers on the farm. Dairy Research Nutritionist Ellan Dufour said more than 13,000 heifer calves have come through the facility, which is a partnership between Hubbard Feeds and the University of Minnesota. “A strong calf program is one of the most important things you can do on a …
Alltech Helps Dairy Producers Retain Employees
Reliable and trained employees are critical for dairy producers and Alltech is prepared to help them maintain a productive labor force. “Everything done on a dairy is done by hand,” said Alltech employee training specialist Jorge Delgado during an interview at World Dairy Expo. “We need to attract more people and try to retain people who come to work at …