Birthday Blessings Down on the Dairy Farm

Although birthdays don't happen everyday down on the dairy farm, eating a nutritious balanced  diet is an everyday affair for dairy cows. Even our pregnant cows are provided a special diet formulated by our dairy nutritionist  for  the last two months of pregnancy to maintain  body condition, prepare for  the delivery of a healthy calf and  provide adequate calories  for   milk production  after having a calf.

 

 

This group of pregnant  cows will calve in the next two weeks and are being provided with grain, hay and a mixture of silage in a measured amount every day.

 

 

Although August is hot, it's a good month to be a dairy cow resting in the pasture, eating all you want and drinking lots of water as you wait for a new baby calf.

 

Healthy babies are always welcome blessings  on the dairy farm!

 

 

 

Twenty three years ago, we had a healthy birthday blessing  of our own down on the dairy farm.

( I did eat a nutritious diet but I didn't get a two month rest before I had this eight pound boy!)

 

 

Happy Birthday,Casey!

 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Volunteering as the Zoo Keeper at the Benton County Farm Bureau's Petting Zoo at the Benton County Fair for the last 13 years  has provided many opportunities to share agriculture's story in a very fun environment.

                                 I'm thankful for the fun  I've had watching  children and adults
                                   of all ages enjoying the chicks at the Benton County Fair!

Back to School Breakfast Tips

 

If you're getting back into the school moood this week,  make sure to include breakfast every day as part of the formula for your child's  success.

 

Midwest Dairy Registered Dietician Stephanie Cundith developed these  5 quick tips to help families incorporate a nutrient-rich breakfast into the morning routine:

1. Stock a mom-approved breakfast bowl with grab-and-go nutritious foods, like cereal, yogurt, string cheese, and fruit.
2. Mix it up! Mix oatmeal with milk instead of water. Or, use yogurt to whip up a smoothie or build a parfait for a simple kid-friendly breakfast that can be enjoyed at home or on the go.
3. Break breakfast boredom by thinking outside the cereal box. Consider eating lunch, dinner or snack foods like a ham and cheese sandwich, pizza or Rainbow Fruit and Cheese Kabobs.
4. Role model good breakfast behavior. When kids see breakfast is a priority for adults, they will be more likely to eat it themselves.
5. Take advantage of the School Breakfast Program, which supplies 25 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowances of nutrients that a child needs.

 

                                  You can find helpful Back to School nutrition information at

                                                                         Dairy Makes Sense.

                                                   

August Hay Marathon

Typical August hay baling in Northwest Arkansas  is usually as quick as a 100 yard dash because  the grass is short and it takes a day or less to cure before baling. With the combination of  an abundance of  late July and early August   rain creating a lush, thick field of grass and this week's  cooler temperatures and low humidity, hay baling this August  actually seems more like a  long distance marathon with the farmer  running slow and steady to complete the hay race.


                                    This field of mostly Bermuda hay was cut on Wednesday.

                 Finally after four days, it was cured enough for raking rows of mowed hay together.

 

 

Hopefully, tomorrow it will be baled into small square bales.

 

 

The ultimate  winners of this hay marathon will be these

young calves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

 

Ryan attended a Town Hall Meeting this week  hosted by our Congressman Steve Womack  in Bentonville. It was an opportunity for farmers  to speak about the need for immigration  legislation that will provide a stable workforce for agricultural production.

 

 

I'm thankful for this third generation farmer's passion for agriculture and the family farm!

Dairy Cow's August Treat

In the middle of last year's drought, we would never have believed  August 2013 would have more rain days than dry days! Even though the weather man was predicting possible showers through the next week, it  was  decided that Saturday  was the day  to begin the 'green chop' routine. Our dairy cows love this green energy and protein filled  treat and show their appreciation by giving more milk!

Our typical green chop routine is  to  mow enough of the sorghum Sudan grass to dry for a day before chopping it  and feeding to the dairy cows with their other feed ingredients. Our cows' diet   is formulated by our dairy nutritionist. Anytime a change is made to the diet, like adding 'green chop',  we consult with our nutritionist to make sure it continues to be  a balanced nutritious diet.

 In trying to think ahead of the possible rainy weather,  we managed to chop enough for two days of feed. We were on schedule until it rained...
                                                                   

 

It may take a few days of sunshine before we can get back to mowing and chopping in this very wet field, but  our cows are still eating a balanced and nutritious diet--it just doesn't have the nutritious cow  candy!

August Green

                               Did you ever see a color in the crayon box called August Green?

 If I were naming a crayon color for this school season, the green of our pastures and fields could be  called August Green. The normal  farm August color  in Northwest Arkansas is typically a burnt to the crisp brown color so--- it's easy to love August Green!  As I watched our Holstein  cows walking through the pasture to the milk barn for the evening milking, it was quite a beautiful sight.

 

Even though I won't get to name any color in the crayon box, I do have the awesome privilege of working every day  to produce high-quality nutritious milk for you and your family to enjoy at home and at school!