Pam
Will Facial and Video Recognition Manage Tomorrow’s Cows? 
Will Facial and Video Recognition Manage Tomorrow’s Cows? 

Will Facial and Video Recognition Manage Tomorrow’s Cows?  Technology continues to revolutionize dairying as we know it, offering valuable tools to address labor shortages and improve overall herd management. Most dairy producers are familiar with robotic milkers and herd management systems that use radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, collars or leg monitors to track individual animal data. These tools have become essential for streamlining workflows and monitoring herd health.  But the next evolution in dairy technology is here, and it’s looking your cows right in the face. Thanks to advances in computing power and artificial intelligence, facial recognition is emerging as […]

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Total Mixed Rations (TMR) for Dairy Cattle 
Total Mixed Rations (TMR) for Dairy Cattle 

Total Mixed Rations (TMR) for Dairy Cattle A Total Mixed Ration (TMR) is a feeding method in which all feed ingredients, including forages, grains, protein sources, minerals, and vitamins, are combined into a single, uniform mix.  This type of feeding program is often used in feedlots and dairies—especially dairies.  It helps ensure that each bite a cow takes provides balanced nutrition for optimal milk production and health. TMRs are particularly beneficial for high-producing dairy cows, to minimize feed sorting and to ensure consistent nutrient intake.  A separate TMR can be developed for different groups of cattle.  Rations are often formulated […]

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Upgrading Dairy Parlors 
Upgrading Dairy Parlors 

Upgrading Dairy Parlors  Traditional dairy parlors are the roots of the dairy industry. These systems were the backbone of dairy farms for generations, and they were characterized by their simplicity, labor-intensive nature, and a strong connection between the farming family and their animals.   A traditional parlor system consists of a long barn with a central alleyway. On either side of this alley, individual stalls are arranged in a row, each equipped with a stanchion, a locking mechanism that holds the cow’s head in place while she is being milked. This design is fundamentally non-mechanized, and for the most part, in […]

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Dairy Flooring

Proper Dairy Flooring and Mats Improve Cow Comfort and Health

Dairy cows are fine-tuned highly specialized animals that are healthiest and most profitable if they are comfortable. The flooring in dairy barns and stalls is very important so that cows can lie down comfortably, and also have adequate (but not abrasive) traction when walking to and from the milking parlor. You don’t want them slipping […]

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Improvement in Dairy Cows

Importance of Genomics for Genetic Improvement in Dairy Cows

The greatest improvements in milk production in dairy cows in the past several decades have been due to genetic selection.  We have learned more about genetics in recent years.  Research has enabled scientists to look at the genome (complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or individual animal—all of the DNA […]

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thought

Critical Thoughts for Facility Building, Planning and Updating

Expanding or updating existing farm facilities is a decision that’s never made lightly. It’s one that requires careful thought, commitment and critical thinking. And even with confident decision making, all the moving parts involved can make the to-do list feel endless. At the end of the day, nearly every element of farm functionality ties back […]

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usda

USDA Announces the Phased Reopening of Southern Ports for Livestock Trade

(Washington, D.C., June 30, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced risk-based port re-openings for cattle, bison, and equines from Mexico beginning as early as July 7, 2025. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), following extensive collaboration between USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) experts and their counterparts in […]

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Featured Story

Regenerative Agriculture on a Dairy Farm

Paul and Erin Kernaleguen are dairy farmers and soil consultants near Birch Hills, Saskatchewan, committed to regenerative practices in growing forage for their cattle. They farm with Paul’s Parents, Jos and Brenda.

“We were a very conventional dairy operation until 2012 when we started looking at doing some things differently because our weather was super-wet for a couple years.  Our average annual precipitation is about 12 inches of moisture, but we’d had two years in a row with about 40 to 50 inches, which made farming extremely difficult!” says Paul.

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Twin Rivers Media

Publisher of American Cattlemen and American Dairymen magazines. Founded over 30 years ago, Twin Rivers Media serves the information and marketing needs of America’s beef and dairy producers.