Here in Upstate New York the effects of mid-winter are being felt across the farm. With the holiday season behind us, the dairy team is back in full operation and focused on managing the remainder of the winter months. Short days and long nights present ongoing challenges, but we are fortunate to have a committed staff prepared to work through the season.

Subacute ruminal acidosis, often called SARA, is a common herd-level issue on commercial dairies and is most often triggered by ration changes that increase fermentability. In simple terms, SARA occurs when the rumen spends too much time being more acidic than it should be — not enough to cause obvious sickness, but enough to disrupt normal rumen function.

Choosing a milk replacer is one of the earliest and most important nutritional decisions made on a dairy farm. Because pre-weaned calves have an immature digestive system and limited immune defenses, both the type of protein and how that protein functions in the gut can influence calf health, treatment rates, and overall program success.

Small grains are harvested for feed on many dairy farms. These can be great additions to the forage inventory and can be incorporated into lactating dairy diets. Often the juggle of other forage inventories, crop rotation, nutrient management programs, and weather may all influence the decision of when to harvest small grains. The planning and execution of harvest timing relative to forage maturity may influence the nutritional composition and digestibility of the harvested f

A cow doesn’t need to be sick to be struggling. Often stress shows up quietly on farms through reduced intakes, reduced lying time, or a fresh cow that just never reaches her full potential. These cows may seem fine as you walk through the pen, but the little things add up quickly. Stressors will limit milk production, weaken their immune system and set the stage for the rest of their lactation.

Nutritional strategies that increase the energy content of the diet without compromising rumen function are critical during the immediate postpartum period. Supplemental fatty acids (FA) and oilseeds in diets have been used to increase postpartum energy intake. Specifically, whole cottonseed (WCS) is commonly included in dairy cow diets due to its high FA and crude protein content. However, more research is needed on how WCS and FA supplementation interact, and the effect of

Watching a cow groom herself with an automated brush is often a highlight for non-farm visitors to our farm. The skill with which a cow maneuvers the bristles around her body never ceases to amaze those in attendance. Providing access to a brush promotes natural grooming behavior in cows, improves cow hygiene, and helps visitors feel confident about the care our cows receive. Grooming brushes are not unique to our farm. They are becoming more common on farms for several good

Automated activity monitoring systems have become a common management tool on many herds and are often used to detect estrus and ovulation of cows more easily. These tools can help identify groups of cows that may act and respond differently to common reproductive practices and potentially be managed under a more individualized or targeted approach.

The transition period is a crucial time for dairy cows, as they experience many concurrent changes during a time that already has the highest occurrence of metabolic disorders and infectious disease. With changes in hormones, metabolic stress, and nutritional challenges, most cows decrease their dry matter intake (DMI), thus entering a negative energy and protein balance.

Our wonderful team here at Miner Institute has achieved something pretty incredible! According to our last DHI test, our herd has a Rolling Herd Average of a little over 33,000! That's over 55,000 pounds of fluid milk produced by our herd each day! We also recently received an award for the high quality of our milk, presented to us by Agri-Mark, our milk cooperative.

The preweaning period is a pivotal stage that can have lasting consequences, influencing growth and future milk production. It has been found that calves experiencing illness within the first four months of life have negative effects on first lactation 305-d mature equivalent milk, actual milk, protein and fat production (Heinrichs and Heinrichs, 2011). Antibiotics are a common way of preventing or treating illness during this timeframe, and they can significantly decrease mi

In my September Farm Report article, I discussed why taking feed samples correctly is one of the most critical steps in building accurate rations and preventing unexpected dips in cow performance. I emphasized that feed values can fluctuate significantly from one day to the next, and while some of this variation reflects true changes in the feed — especially depending on storage method, face management, or where material is removed —sampling errors can add additional variabil

Corn grain is a major source of starch in dairy cow diets, and the way this grain is processed can directly affect digestibility and animal performance. Traditionally, finely ground dry corn is the most commonly used form on farms. However, other options, such as high-moisture corn and reconstituted corn, have been used as strategies to improve starch availability in the rumen.

“Kanpai”, the Japanese word for “cheers”, was a word I found myself saying often during a recent trip to Japan. This visit was more than a cultural experience but marked a significant milestone for Miner Institute: 30 years of research collaboration with ZEN-NOH, the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations. This partnership is the longest-running research collaboration in Miner Institute’s history and has delivered practical benefits to dairy farmers in b

When the corn is in the bunk and field work wraps up for the season, some forage producers already start thinking ahead about what they are planting next year. A few operations may even choose to purchase seed before the end of the year to take full advantage of early-purchase discounts. While these discounts may not look like a lot, they can amount to tens of thousands of dollars for large operations.

Dairy is the heart of so many dishes that make the holidays special. From creamy mashed potatoes to festive desserts, dairy brings comfort, richness, and warmth to every celebration. I am sharing a recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies- a treat that highlights the classic dairy flavors in a sweet, cozy way that is perfect for November.

Our cows have maintained strong production levels, averaging approximately 102 pounds of milk per cow per day. Milk composition remains consistent, with 4.3% fat and 3.2% protein, which aligns with our typical herd performance.

A group of us from Miner Institute recently attended the Cornell Nutrition Conference in Syracuse. It had a great lineup of speakers this year and the program was very good. One of the speakers was Dr. Barry Bradford from Michigan State University. He has a dual appointment for research and extension and was able to share some of his recent work in collaboration with Martin Carrasquillo Mangual on evaluating feeding programs on Michigan dairy farms.

Once dairy calves are weaned, how we balance metabolizable protein (MP) and metabolizable energy (ME) in the diet becomes a key factor in shaping the kind of growth they achieve. It’s not just about how fast they grow — it’s about what kind of tissue they’re putting on.

Water, known as the “universal solvent” is a crucial nutrient for life and it makes up about 60% of the human body. In dairy cattle, water is the most consumed nutrient, and it makes up about 65% of a mature cow’s body composition, and about 80% of an unborn calf. Water serves very essential purposes in the metabolism of dairy cows, including digestion, transport of nutrients, regulation of body temperature, waste removal, and importantly, milk production (85% of milk is made