Dairy Science Digest

The A2 protein variant was identified back in the 60s as a genetic difference among cattle. Recent consumer interest has driven a demand for A2/A2 milk, resulting in increased prevalence in the dairy industry...

The trajectory of the success for a dairy cow begins with mammary development, long before lactation begins. Dr. Benjamin Enger, Associate Professor for The Ohio State University in Wooster, has worked with his team for...

Embryo transfer has become increasingly popular on US dairy farms to rapidly advance the genetic profile of the herd. This month’s feature article looks at the associations between fertility traits on the success of...

Sorghum costs less to plant and requires less water to generate productive tonnages. For years, sorghum has been ignored as a dairy forage, because the starch filled berry was nearly impossible to process, limiting the...

Seventy percent of the protein your herd uses for lactation is derived from the microbial population in her rumen. Researchers from UC Davis and Feedworks USA sought to learn more about how different substrates might...

DSD 6.12 | Brachytic corn for increased production The brachytic gene mutation results in corn that is shorter in stature but an improved digestibility profile. Through a reduction in intranode distance, the corn plant...

DSD 6.11 | The sweet spot - Insemination timing for peak profit With changes in the marketplace, coupled with increased reproductive performance of your herd there is an increased opportunity to improve net return...

DSD 6.11 | The sweet spot - Insemination timing for peak profit With changes in the marketplace, coupled with increased reproductive performance of your herd there is an increased opportunity to improve net return...

Individual housing for pre-weaned calves has long been gold standard, since it was first introduced in the 40s. However, interest has emerged around paired and group housing for this phase of production. Intermittent...

DSD 6.9 | Surplus calves are a perishable commodity This robust beef market is having a direct impact on the bottom line of dairy calf buyers and possesses the ability to radically impact dairymen’s bottom line long...

DSD 6.8 | That is where you should put your money For years researchers have sought out to better understand control mechanisms for a successful transition into lactation from the dry period. We’ve learned changing body...

It’s always exciting to watch a group of replacement heifers develop and anticipate their performance in the milking string as the top genetics of your herd. There is just about nothing more devastating than freshening...

DSD 6.6 | How much variability is allowable? Timing of insemination is still one of the most common question Dr. Paul Fricke , Extension faculty for the University of Wisconsin, gets from farmers. This month he and...

For decades, ethanol production has generated affordable biproducts to feed. A new distilling method has generated a product with ~50% protein. Dr. Billy Brown , assistant professor of dairy science at Kansas State...

Most dairy farms are trying to push the envelope from the conventional 4L of milk replacer per day to a higher volume to support lean structural growth of replacement heifers. Concerns of ruminal leakage resulting in...