How to Use Crossbreeding to Improve Cattle Performance
Not many things in the livestock business are free, but heterosis — the bump in performance from crossbreeding — is one of them. Then, why don’t we take full advantage of it in our commercial beef cattle herds? It’s unfair to paint…
Here’s How Corn Harvest Stacks Up Among Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska
Corn harvest in the country’s top three corn-growing states is nearly complete for 2024. Here’s a look at how farmers are wrapping up this season and preparing for the next, according to data from the latest USDA Crop Progress report…
Dairy Barn Flooring Is the Foundation for Herd Health
Photo: Karl Burgi, Save Cows® Network Dairy barn flooring is more than a concrete slab. Your dairy barn floor may be impacting your herd much more than you think. While it’s easy to overlook, the barn’s flooring surface can have…
Pa. veteran-owned distilleries serve moonshine and whiskey with a story
Kim McLaughlin stands next to a Marine Corps flag in front of McLaughlin Distillery in Sewickley, Pennsylvania on Oct. 29, 2024. (Liz Partsch photo) SEWICKLEY, Pa. — “Enter here you gorgeous bastard” is the first greeting visitors are met with…
Retrofit your machinery to increase ROI
Photo: Courtesy of manufacturer Eight years between nearly any two pieces of equipment — whether cars, trucks, combines, or tractors — normally means two completely different machines. Technology changes fast, and manufacturers constantly update what they bring to market. But…
What Farmers Should Know Ahead of the November WASDE
Photo: Photo credit: Anton Petrus/Getty Images The November World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report is due Friday, Nov. 8. Going into the report, here is some context to know for the corn, soybean, and wheat markets and what…
Animal disease traceability rule set to take effect
EID tags such as these can collect data on an animal’s whereabouts at a specific point in time, which can be traced in the event of an animal disease outbreak. Some tags are readable both visually and electronically. The USDA’s new Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service…
IH 660: Big Red
Photo: Aumann Vintage Power The IH 660 was a hoss. No two ways about it. When it was brand new in 1959, it was the biggest farm tractor IHC had ever built. So, if that’s the case, why don’t you…
Allis-Chalmers 440: Fashionably Late — Sort Of
Photo: Aumann Vintage Power Whenever an Allis-Chalmers 440 shows up on an auction, it always grabs my attention. Granted, this one is prettier than most, but otherwise is no different. At any rate, the way these tractors came about is…
73 Acres of Illinois Farmland Sell for Over $17,000 per Acre
Here’s a quick look at three farmland transactions that transpired in summer 2024 in Illinois and Iowa. 73.49 acres in Bureau and Stark County, Illinois Price: $17,200 per acre Date: July 25, 2024 Productivity Index: 141 Twelve tracts totaling 856.59…