Six months ago there was a 20-year commemoration (and re-airing) of the HBO mini-series “Band of Brothers.” I watched these programs when first televised, as well as a second time years later. This 10-episode real-life saga portrayed the Easy Company of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division. This ...

Despite dairy farmers’ best efforts, mastitis can occur. Contagious mastitis can be especially difficult to manage and requires knowledge of the problem and appropriate management tools. Dr. Adrian Barragan, Extension veterinarian and assistant research professor, Penn State, said mastitis is one of...

“Livestock can handle the cold if they’re acclimated,” Nancy Glazier, of the Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crop Team, said during the 2022 Catskills Regional Agriculture Conference. She also reminded attendees that non-farming neighbors often do not realize this, and it can be a freq...

A trio of young farmers are among the recipients of the National Dairy Herd Information Association’s (NDHIA) scholarships. Headquartered in Fitchburg, WI, the NDHIA works with the USDA, the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) and the Purebred Dairy Cattle Association (PDCA) to provide th...

When Reginald and Mary Jean Chester started dairy farming in 1970, their farm was much like others in St. Lawrence County, NY. “They milked 40 cows of every breed including an Angus and a Hereford,” said their son Allen. “They grew the herd to 75; I returned home from Cobleskill in 1985; and we’ve g...

Raising livestock on pasture offers operators a few key advantages; however, when it’s time for the birth of young stock, a few precautions can help ensure the survival of mother and offspring. A panel of operators presented “Lambing, Kidding and Calving on Pasture” as a recent webinar hosted by Foo...

I received a text with this disturbing title: “Meet the People Getting Paid to Kill Our Planet.” I thought, “Good play on words if you want to attract attention” within a very planned and convenient “Opinion” piece by the New York Times flying under the radar of litigation. I mean, really, farmers m...

Whether prices are high or low, most producers want to capitalize on the opportunity to make more milk, as long as it is done in a cost effective manner. Milk prices are currently quite good, but input costs are at record highs. Even with strong mailbox prices, the need to maximize production is as ...

MILLERS MILLS, NY – Finally, the ice is back, thick and strong, and “Frozen” fans can unite in song: “Ice has a magic that can’t be controlled, stronger than one! Stronger than ten! Stronger than a hundred men!” Besides Super Bowl Sunday festivities, the equally important Millers Mills Annual Ice Ha...

On Jan. 27, the bottom dropped out (temperature-wise) as the jet stream plunged way south, reaching down to south Florida. The official temperature at our Hartwick Post Office was -22º F. I had an early morning doctor’s appointment, and the fluids in our Rogue SUV (other than gasoline) had morphed i...

MIDDLEBURGH, NY – Zach Perrott’s love of cows began at a young age. At just eight years old, he began working at his neighbor’s dairy farm and his passion for cows was sparked. He always liked working with cows and around the farm, so naturally he got his own. Living on a seven-acre horse farm with ...

By now you’ve witnessed a few accolades for my media work. The stark irony, however, is I may never receive another award after this editorial. As an ole farmer, I’m okay with it because I’m experiencing personal strife over who decides what the future of agriculture should be, under the cloak of cl...

When the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) was finalized and put into effect in 2017, some livestock producers were concerned that they’d no longer be able to purchase OTC (over-the-counter) antibiotics to treat sick animals. Those producers were relieved to find that the VFD pertained mostly to medic...

To decrease waste on the farm, it is vital for producers to ensure they get the most value out of their inputs. Dr. Quirine Ketterings, nutrient management specialist with Cornell University, presented “Getting the Best Bang for Your Nitrogen Buck” at the recent 2022 virtual Corn Congress. Because n...

Tom Kilcer’s online monthly newsletter for February (Advanced Ag Systems Crop Soil News) recently landed in my inbox. Kilcer is a Certified Crop Advisor whom I’ve known for 45 years. The last 10 of those years, I’ve not been shy to ask him questions in the agronomy arena. Both of us are very concern...