Category Archives: Guest Post

Biotechnology in Cattle: Artificial Insemination goals for dairy farmers


A few weeks ago, I started a series featuring biotechnology tools used in cattle herds across the country. David and Jennifer Heim are friends of mine and own a dairy farm in northeast Kansas. The Heims milk 85-100 Holstein cows and raise their heifer calves as replacements. They also raise corn, soybeans, hay, and other forages, mostly for feed. Jennifer greatly enjoys spending time with her breeding and genetics program and does an awesome job blogging about the events and decisions made on the farm. When she wrote this blog post describing their use of Artificial Insemination in the herd, I was pretty excited that she is allowing me to share it with you.

Holstein Dairy Calf Hutch Artificial Insemination

This little gal (who is not this little any more) is from one of the cows I personally bred, which is a very cool feeling. She’s out of the bull Boliver, who happens to be one of the few proven bulls we were using last year.

Breeding is important, but it really doesn’t matter what you breed a cow to if she doesn’t get pregnant. Last spring, we started using blood tests to confirm pregnancies. Since then we’ve tweaked our protocol to best suit our herd’s needs. Our milk hauler picks up our blood samples, and I am usually home on Sundays to draw blood, so every other Sunday, when our milk will be picked up on a Monday morning, I take blood samples from cows and heifers that were bred between 8 and 10 weeks prior who have not shown a heat since. The test can indicate pregnancy at 28 days, but we were observing a lot of heats just shortly after testing, and about a month after testing, when we were testing earlier. We’ve been on the every-other week at 8 weeks bred schedule for 3 or 4 months now, and have had very few come back in heat after being confirmed pregnant.

Several weeks ago we wrapped up pregnancy confirmations on all our cows and heifers that were bred in 2012. We tallied everything up, and here’s what we learned:

What are your conception rates with artificial insemination?

We started out the year with great conception – about 60%. Then we had two unexplained terrible months in March and April. Summer brought normal lulls due to heat, but was still better than March or April. After the heat subsided and the herd adjusted, we finished the year with solid conception and a lot of pregnancies, including several cows who were on their final attempts. Next fall may be busier than this one was.

How do you select sires with artificial insemination?

We used a lot of bulls – 34 total. Of many of these, we only used one or two straws as we were finishing a cane (the typical semen storage vessel, each holding 10 straws) as the year started or starting one as it ended. But, we were also only purchasing 10 units of most bulls. This wasn’t exactly unintentional. We were using mostly genomic bulls (the numbers come from DNA testing rather than daughter-proven performance), and since the technology is new, we like to balance our risk by using a variety. However, on paper, it was a little shocking,. We also hadn’t realized how few daughter-proven bulls we included in the mix.

What lessons have you learned with AI on the farm?

The excitement of genomics apparently went to our heads. We used 10 units of a sire named G W Atwood who has the show-rings buzzing with his fancy daughters, but in hindsight, that’s one of the worst investments we made. Don’t get me wrong, Atwood daughters are beautiful cows, but many are too tall for our stalls and less efficient from a feed intake vs milk production standpoint than daughters of other available bulls. That’s not what we’re looking for. Thankfully (I guess?), from the 10 units we only have two pregnancies, and they’re both short stocky old cows that should be complemented by Atwood’s dairy type, and their smaller stature will hopefully influence the stature of their potential daughters.

We also learned that conception is important. We knew this, but after the terrible time we had last spring, it really has started to hit home. One of my favorite bulls we used last year isn’t very fancy. His production isn’t off the charts. He’s just a decent bull, but he does his job – he gets cows bred. We purchased Shyster for two primary reasons – 1) his pedigree is a out-cross on almost everything we have (he’s not a cousin or brother to many of our cows) and 2) he was listed as a high conception bull. I’m not sure what his overall conception rate is in our herd now, but I know he was 3 for 3 on his first three breedings including a cow and a heifer who we had already given more chances to get pregnant than most farms would. Shyster gets cows bred, and that’s what breeding is really all about!

What plans does your farm have moving forward with AI breeding?

Our biggest take-away from all the data was the need to focus on our specific goals moving forward. Our plan for 2013 is to use more units of a few carefully selected proven bulls while still mixing in a variety of genomic bulls who best fit our goals, based on both numbers and pedigree. These steps will hopefully help us achieve the focus we feel we are lacking.

What traits are you looking for in dairy cows?

Holstein Dairy Calf Hutch Artificial Insemination

This calf is over a year old now, and we confirmed her bred today. She’s out of the bull Planet, who is still near the top of the proven lists, and is bred to sexed Grafeeti. We are milking two Planet cows currently, and we really like them.

Our ideal cows are moderate in size, convert feed efficiently into milk, and are durable and healthy to hopefully stick around for the long haul. In addition, we have started looking more closely at components (fat and protein), which are the portion of the milk we are actually paid for. Thankfully, components also happen to be very “heritable”, meaning that in just a few generations, they can be greatly improved. And if the cows look gorgeous while producing gobs of milk, that’s great, too.

And I’ll say it again, conception matters. The best bull in the world does us no good if we don’t get cows bred. Conception is affected by a lot of things – the cow’s feed and environment play a role along with our breeding techniques, but the semen plays a role, too. For most bulls there is conception data of some sort available, and we intend to take advantage of it. Semen that doesn’t get cows bred is money down the drain.

Every bull doesn’t have to meet all of these criteria; we look at more than numbers. And we do carefully mate, so we know the cow’s strengths play a role, too. That being said, I am very picky when I select bulls. I think I should be. These are our girls, and we have to do what’s best for them and their future daughters. Anything less would be selling our herd, our milk check, and ourselves short.

Follow Jennifer’s story and learn more about decisions made on her dairy farm through her blog, on Twitter (@jmheim33), and on Facebook.

What do you want to Ask a Farmer about Artificial Insemination or Biotechnology in Cattle?

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Common Misconceptions in Food and Agriculture


agriculture misconceptions jersey chocolate milk cow

Chocolate milk comes from brown cows? No, but that’s what people tell dairy farmers like Carrie Mess.

On a weekly basis, I usually receive 8-10 questions via my Ask A Farmer contact form from folks who just want to know more about agriculture in general. I’m just one guy with an opinion who is willing to share my opinion. I try to incorporate links with perspectives from others as often as possible when replying to these questions.

Being that last week was National Agriculture Week across much of the country, many folks have been sharing their opinions and expressing why they are proud to be a part of agriculture. One post that stands out for me is from Virginia Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, Matt Lohr (@Mjlohr71 on Twitter).

Matt has a Top 10 list of common misconceptions about agriculture. These are similar to many questions I receive, so I wanted to share another perspective on the issues. Below are the numbers 10-6. The final 5 can be viewed on the Virginia Department of Agriculture website.

#10 – Small farms are unimportant. In many ways, small farms are the backbone of Virginia agriculture. They range in size from three or four acres to 150 acres or so, but they probably do the best job of any farms to provide local food. Many small farms sell directly to the consumer through roadside stands, on-farm sales, farmers’ markets and events. They are at the heart of the Buy Local movement and not only provide food but also provide that all important one-on-one relationship between farmer and consumer. They are also one of the fastest growing segments of Virginia agriculture.

#9 – All large farms are corporate farms. In Virginia nearly 90 percent of our farms are family-owned and operated. Many family farms are incorporated for business purposes or to ensure an orderly transition from one generation to the next, but incorporated is not the same as corporate. The vast majority of our farmers live on the land they work, and they have a very special bond with the land that may go back generations. Their roots run deep.

#8 – Farmers are destroying the environment. This is absolutely not true. In fact, farmers are the original good stewards of land and water resources. These resources are, after all, how they make their living, so it makes sense to protect them. I find it interesting that many of the complaints to our Ag Stewardship Program about perceived environmental problems are unsubstantiated. What the public perceives as an environmental problem often is not. At the same time that farms give us environmental benefits such as green spaces and wildlife habitat, they use far fewer resources than the average urban or suburban home.

#7 – There’s no future in agriculture. I’ll admit that for a few years, many of us were concerned about the future of agriculture and the next generation of farmers. But things are changing. Fox News recently ran a feature that said ag degrees are the hot ticket for job growth. They quote data from the Food and Agriculture Education Information System that says enrollment in U.S. college and university agriculture programs are up 21 percent since 2006. The data show more than 146,000 undergraduates in ag programs. This growing interest is critical for the future of food production, as world population growth is creating a greater demand for food, and the average age of farmers in many states is near 60.

#6 – Farmers are uneducated. This is a persistent myth and one we need to bust. The days are long gone when you learned everything you needed to know about farming from your grandfather. That doesn’t mean we discount grandpa’s advice, born from years and years of experience. It does mean that today’s farmers need post-high school training in a variety of areas: animal science, agronomy, environmental science, business, marketing, communications, perhaps even law and psychology. Today’s farmers also need to be life-long learners. If you’ve been on a farm recently, you’ve probably seen a farmer using his cell phone in the field to make decisions about planting or applying pesticides or fertilizer. That’s the kind of on-the-job training every farmer needs these days to stay competitive and make a profit.

Read more on how Ag Commissioner Matt Lohr responds to misconceptions 5-1 on the Virginia Department of Agriculture website. These misconceptions include:

  • The cost of food goes directly into the farmer’s pocket.
  • Food costs too much.
  • Our food is unsafe.
  • Farmers abuse their animals.
  • All farmers are rich.

Did any of these address concerns you have about agriculture? What would be on your Top 10 list?

Submit your questions via the contact form on my Ask a Farmer page.

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CNN Eatocracy: Celebrate National Agriculture Day and talk to a farmer


How long has it been since you visited a farm? Vote in the poll.

In case you missed it, yesterday was National Agriculture Day. I had the opportunity to share a few words on CNN Eatocracy and hopefully encourage folks to consider how agriculture impacts our lives daily.

Even though farmers and ranchers may be overlooked when it comes to influence on our food supply, this group of folks has a huge impact on our daily lives. Most of the non-food products we use on a daily basis include by-products from livestock animals and crops. Cotton fibers make up a large amount of our favorite clothing and many crops are used to generate energy and fuel. Agriculture has a huge impact on rural business and economies, providing jobs, sources of tax revenue, and many farm organizations make large food donations possible for crisis and hunger relief.

One of the first steps in transparency for our agriculture systems is encouraging folks to become more aware of what actually happens in agriculture. Can you help make this happen?

Read more of my thoughts in the full post on CNN. Be sure to share this with your non-farm friends and encourage others to answer the poll at the bottom of the post.

CNN Eatocracy Agriculture Day 2013 Farmers

Click image to view entire post on CNN Eatocracy

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National Agriculture Day Through the Eyes of Farm Bloggers


Naitonal Ag Day 2013Today is National Agriculture Day. the one day of the year when Congress encourages everyone to  stop and think about agriculture.

We are thinking  about all the people involved in agriculture and all of the things they are accomplishing!

  • Farmers who are producing food for their families and a few neighbors as well as the farmers whose crops are sold on the larger market.
  • The many people who work in co-ops and farm supply stores, providing important services and products for farmers regardless of the production practices employed.
  • Employees at grain elevators, cotton gins, distribution centers, barges, trucking companies and more are ensuring grain, fiber, fruits and vegetables continue to move through the system.
  • People are buying and selling products to fill the shelves at the local market or to deliver critical food aid to a country in crisis.

What is their day like? And what are they thinking about as they observe National Ag Day? Read the following blog posts to find out!

  • Planting Knowledge in Others – Illinois State University Student, Steven Beisswenger, discusses the technology and management that goes into conservation work for corn farmers across the country.
  • Food Ethics - Liz from the Wyoming Stock Growers Association takes a look at the progress Agriculture has made in food production since the 1950s and the conservation work they’re doing to feed a growing population in the future.
  • Relish the Food Choices Available – Katie Pinke of North Dakota emphasizes her appreciation on food choices instead of food guilt when it comes to choosing food for her family.
  • The Farmer, Ag Week Special – Kathy Hasekamp of Missouri shares what she’s learned while farming with her husband raising cattle, hay, corn, soybeans, and wheat.
  • Teaching Our Grandchildren – Wanda Patsche of Minnesota is proud an honored to share the experience of raising hogs, corn, and soybeans with her grandchildren.
  • City Girl Meets Ranch Life - Briána Belko was a city girl with a Liberal Arts degree when she decided to work on a family member’s calf ranch in California. Now she’s sharing her passion for agriculture through her urban roots.
  • Slow Money Farm – Jan Hoadley, an Alabama farmer, recognizes that we seek out the experts in many life situations, why not look to farmers when it comes to food?
  • Shouldn’t We Have Parades – Suzie Wilde, wife of a Texas cotton farmer, is looking for a little fanfare to be tossed the way of farmer for Ag Day.
  • My Other, More Exciting Self – Lara Durben utilizes her experience working with Minnesota poultry farmers to shed some light on the truths of raising food.
  • Pride, Humility, Courage and the Long Haul - Beyond the Rows provides some perspective on farmers and the way they approach their days at work.
  • From One Generation to the Next: National Ag Day – North Dakota rancher Val Wagner says ”Generations Nourishing Generations” is almost our farm’s motto – and as we raise the next generation, we strive to ensure that we’ve done our best for the future.
  • My Plans for National Ag Day - Janice Person talks about the typical day in agriculture for her as she works in agricultural communications in St. Louis.
  • Ag Proud on National Ag Day – Taylor Short from Missouri is proud to be a part of agriculture and works to share that message with college students
  • The Daily Cowman is Ag Proud – Larry Olberding, a Washington cattleman, takes time to spell out why he is agriculture proud and gives thanks to those who have contributed to his journey.
  • An Ag Day Poem: A Day in the Life of My Farmer – Iowa farmwife Val Plagge wrote a poem for ag day talking about some of the things her husband is doing as they raise corn, beans, pigs and kids.

Be sure to check out the Agriculture Proud posts from earlier this month celebrating National Ag Day:

Be sure to catch some great interaction online with farmers, ranchers, and the agriculture community throughout the week. On Twitter follow the hashtags #FoodD and #AgDay.

Tune in tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern as the AgChat Foundation hosts an Ag Day party. Follow on Facebook through this event page or join in on Twitter by following the #FoodChat stream.

Go. Celebrate National Agriculture Day! Have you thanked a farmer?