Many farmers who tell the story of their dairy farm have similar condensed versions about the operation’s origin: their grandparents purchased a farm, milked cows in a small barn and the farm grew over the years. One such farm is in Mercersburg, PA. Stoner’s Hijos Hill Dairy Farm ( hijos is Spanish ...

In the past, many dairy and beef producers had nothing nice to say about dairy progeny, which were usually purebred Holsteins, entering the beef supply chain. Dr. Tara Felix, associate professor and beef Extension specialist at Penn State, said that thinking has changed. “That’s a significant portio...

A good bull can make a cow/calf operation more profitable for years. A poor one can deliver a costly collection of calving complications, disappointing calves and missed opportunities. For beef producers preparing to buy their next herd sire, the difference between those outcomes starts long before ...

Protein is having a moment – high-protein diets, protein-fortified foods and even protein-fortified coffee. But it’s leaving dairy farmers and processors wondering why it’s not as easy to bump up protein in the bulk tank as it is to increase butterfat. According to Mike Van Amburgh, a professor of d...

Macy’s first Thanksgiving Day Parade occurred in 1924. It was created to celebrate the expansion of Macy’s flagship store and kick off the Christmas holiday shopping season. It featured floats, bands and live animals borrowed from the nearby Central Park Zoo. More recently, the commercial thrust for...

A manure pit full of liquid slurry is worth a lot. If it’s properly agitated, transferred to a tanker and applied correctly, it’s top dollar. Between agitation and manure leaving in a tanker for field application, Harry Inthout, GEA sales specialist, recommends manure sampling. “Manure can decrease ...

Does my dog need electrolytes on a hot humid day? Is my puppy growing properly? What about carbohydrates vs. proteins? These are common questions Dr. Rene Paschall, DVM, gets asked by owners of farm dogs. Paschall, a small animal internal medicine specialist and small animal veterinary nutrition res...

While some forms of renewable energy are quietly accepted by the public, the mere mention of industrial-scale solar construction on farm acreage is frequently met with protests. In some cases, integrating solar with an agricultural enterprise such as vegetable crops, hay, pollinator habitat or lives...

As mentioned in a previous Horse Tales column , we’ve just returned from a trip to Ireland on an ancestral journey that was anchored by two completely different family roots. On one end was a lengthy visit to my great-great-grandfather Patrick Hand’s farm in Drumiller, County Cavan, where he farmed ...