5 steps to stay ahead of a colostrum slump

Posted on November 18, 2022 in Dairy Performance
Dr. Bethany Dado-Senn | If your farm has a seasonal decrease in colostrum production across the late-fall and early-winter months, the following proactive steps can help you maintain a constant supply of high-quality colostrum for your valuable replacement herd.

Don’t miss the chance to make good silage

Posted on August 30, 2022 in Dairy Performance
By Barry Visser | Most corn planting happened two to four weeks later than normal thanks to April rains and below-average temperatures. Despite the later spring, corn silage harvest is just around the corner, and for a few in outlying areas, it has already begun. A few strategies can help determine when to hit the fields and how to put up the highest quality forage possible.

11 tips for efficient corn silage harvest and storage

Posted on August 5, 2022 in Dairy Performance
By Steve Murty | Nutrients lost through forage shrink have a real cost to your dairy. Here are 11 tips to efficiently harvest, pack, and cover your corn silage to reduce shrink and add dollars to the bottom line.

Vita Plus Midwest Dairy Summit Recap

Posted on July 21, 2022 in Company News
Dairy producers and industry peers gathered together June 15 and 16, 2022, in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, to network and gain practical insight from agricultural leaders. This e-news provides summary articles from the event sessions.

How agriculture can navigate disruptions and changing policies for future growth

Posted on July 21, 2022 in Dairy Performance
The ping-pong game of Washington politics creates uncertainty as well as direct and indirect consequences for farmers across the U.S. During her presentation at the Vita Plus Midwest Dairy Conference, Constance Cullman, president and CEO of the American Feed Industry Association, highlighted some of the issues likely to affect dairy producers in the upcoming months.

Walking the tightrope: Dairy markets in 2022 and beyond

Posted on July 21, 2022 in Dairy Performance
“One of the things we do especially well in the dairy industry is volatility,” said Phil Plourd, president of Blimling and Associates, Inc. and host of The Dairy Download podcast, during his presentation at the Vita Plus Midwest Dairy Conference. Overall, Plourd said the outlook for U.S. dairy is mostly positive.

Dissecting the mammary gland: Understanding udder health and milk quality

Posted on July 20, 2022 in Dairy Performance
During their presentation and udder dissection lab at the Vita Plus Midwest Dairy Conference, Dr. Meghan Connelly, Vita Plus, Dr. Kolby McIntyre, Marsh View Veterinary Clinic, and Dr. Matt Schaefer, Waupun Veterinary Service, discussed udder health and its relationship to milk quality.

Growing a forage program from the ground up

Posted on July 20, 2022 in Dairy Performance
Steve Murty, Vita Plus forage specialist, discussed four steps to grow a forage program during his Vita Plus Midwest Dairy Conference presentation.

Looking beyond treatment rates: What are calves really telling us?

Posted on July 20, 2022 in Dairy Performance
Dr. Kendra Wells is a leader in the use of lung ultrasounds to identify potential respiratory challenges in calves and make valuable management decisions.

Producer panel: Current strategies for employee and business management in a chaotic environment

Posted on July 19, 2022 in Dairy Performance
Tim Kerfeld, J Hall, and Rebecca Davis own and/or manage vastly different operations, but all are intensely focused on the long-term success of their farming businesses. They compared their management strategies during a producer panel at the Vita Plus Midwest Dairy Conference.

The real reel of diversification

Posted on July 19, 2022 in Dairy Performance
McComish Farms' succession plan, industry price swings, the future of the industry and consumer trends, and building for their growing family's future all influenced Amber and Joe McComish's diversification goals.

Advocating within your wheelhouse

Posted on July 19, 2022 in Dairy Performance
Heather Jauquet is passionate about sharing her dairy story with the local community and beyond. During her presentation at the Vita Plus Midwest Dairy Conference, Jauquet shared examples of leveraging her networks and finding effective ways to share her farm’s story.

Automated milking systems: Why it was right for us and might be right for you

Posted on July 19, 2022 in Dairy Performance
Luke Laufenberg has joined his father and uncle full-time on the family farm and “technology implementer” is one of his many roles. Laufenberg shared the benefits of AMS his family has seen during his presentation at the Vita Plus Midwest Dairy Conference.

Maintaining focus when everything’s a blur

Posted on July 14, 2022 in Dairy Performance
Randall Greenfield, Vita Plus vice president sales and business development, recently came across an article in which a farm owner said he was focused on “avoiding any catastrophic mistakes.” During his presentation at the Vita Plus Midwest Dairy Conference, Greenfield shared five things to watch to avoid catastrophes in a dairy farm business.

Prioritize your heat abatement options

Posted on June 7, 2022 in Dairy Performance
By Dr. David Carlson Heat stress presents many challenges for dairy farms, including diminished milk production, reduced reproductive performance and stressed cow wellbeing. Long-term impacts can be felt for years in terms of the health and productivity of offspring. Prioritize your heat abatement options by identifying maintenance needs of existing systems as well as high-value

Keep flies from moving in

Posted on April 28, 2022 in Dairy Performance
By Barry Visser Now is the time to make fly control plans for your operation. Flies are a nuisance to farm workers and animals, transmit disease and cause significant economic loss. Flies cause livestock to expend extra energy fending them off instead of resting, feeding and milking. Fly control is critically important to all dairy operations to reduce the spread of disease and improve animal comfort, resulting in decreased stress and greater efficiency of growth or production.