I’ve always enjoyed farm tours, especially when other farmers are on them. It’s not the big picture of the farm itself that’s all that interesting…wood, metal and concrete. It’s often not the farm manager that is that interesting either, although we’ve met some memorable ones. When on other’s farms, most farmers I’ve traveled with are looking at the little things …clever fixits that save a few minutes each day… that they hadn’t thought of…and could adapt to their farm. A diff

For many years, fat supplementation in dairy diets was viewed primarily as a way to increase the energy density of the ration. This concept remains true, particularly for high-producing cows with substantial energy demands, but recent research has shown that the response to fat supplementation depends not only on the amount of fat supplied but also on the specific fatty acids being fed. In other words, nutritionists are shifting their attention from "feeding more fat" to "fee

Last month I wrote about the critical weed-free period in corn. This month I’ll continue the theme by discussing why you may still be seeing weeds growing in your fields weeks after the corn was sprayed. While herbicides are very effective at controlling weeds when everything goes well, the reality is that many dairy operations end up with more weed material in their corn bunk than they would like to admit.

In last month’s Farm Report I introduced and discussed the hydrology of an edge-of-field monitoring project that was designed to assess the impacts of no-till corn silage production on field hydrology and nutrient losses. In this article we’ll discuss the impacts the no-till treatment had on nitrogen (N) transport from the field.

With the arrival of July comes lots of activity around the farm! Our four Summer Experience in Farm Management students are settling in and currently alternating between milking, feeding, crops, calf care, and herd health rotations, each a week long.

It is well known that the largest contributors to morbidity and mortality in preweaning calves are digestive issues and pneumonia (Urie et al., 2018; NAHMS, 2014). High levels of disease have substantial economic consequences in dairy heifer rearing systems, as the cost of raising a dairy replacement heifer to the close-up period is approximately $2,619 in 2026 USD.

We’re hearing reports of heavy first cuts of alfalfa and alfalfa-grass. This combined with some cool, wet weather in late May resulted in some hay crops being ensiled before they were dry enough for proper fermentation. At 30% DM or lower there’s an increased chance of butyric acid produced by Clostridial bacteria.

Protein supplements represent one of the largest feed costs on most dairy farms, making ingredient selection critical for both animal performance and profitability. Soybean meal has long been considered the benchmark protein supplement because of its high crude protein (CP) content and excellent digestibility. However, canola meal has become increasingly available throughout the Northeast and often provides a more economical source of metabolizable protein. To better understa

Hello everyone! My name is Abby Allen, and I am a new graduate student joining Miner Institute. I grew up in southern New Hampshire and recently graduated from the University of Findlay (UF) in Ohio with Bachelor of Science degrees in Animal Science, Equine Business Management, Western Equestrian Studies, and a minor in Chemistry. Looking back on my childhood, the farming community has always played an integral role in my life. My love for cattle grew (particularly the Holste

William Miner was known as a great philanthropist. In addition to his huge Heart’s Delight Farm, he funded the building of the Chazy Rural Central School and the Physician’s Hospital in Plattsburgh, NY. He also built a series of hydroelectric dams, including one in 1911 that cost $1 million, equivalent to about $33 million today.