HD Notebook

For over 40 years, Mark "Bud" Kerschensteiner diligently worked for the company that his great grandfather, Governor William Dempster Hoard, founded in 1870. With his passing, an era comes to a close, as Kerschensteiner was the last direct relative to work for Hoard's Dairyman and the W.D. Hoard and Sons Company. Read more

Several hundred friends came out to pay their respects to the late Dr. David Dickson on July 14. Some great tributes and stories were told by those attending the event. At the conclusion of the memorial service, Dickson's sister, Linda Sorstokke, shared a poem that hung on his wall discussing those who judged dairy shows. It is believed that Dickson wrote it himself.

It goes like this . . . Read more

The annual meeting of the American Dairy Science Association is currently underway in Denver, Colo. The event is home to presentations on the very latest in dairy research — we've seen research presented regarding a gamut of dairy topics from lameness to crossbreeding to cheese chemistry to animal welfare. The event began on Sunday and concludes this afternoon. Read more

Research shows that eating breakfast is one of the best ways to fuel both the body and mind. Students who eat breakfast also perform better in school.

Forecast milk production for 2010 and 2011 is raised slightly from last month in USDA Supply and Demand Estimates released late last week. Cow numbers have remained higher than expected, and milk per cow is expected to increase more rapidly than previously forecast. Read more

One of the foremost authorities on dairy cattle judging passed away Friday, July 9, in Madison, Wis., after a courageous battle against cancer. During his distinguished career, David Dickson judged more shows (13 total) at World Dairy Expo than any other official. Read more

Efforts to rid the U.S. cow population of tuberculosis have been underway since 1917, when scientists developed the first accurate early detection test. After nearly a century of increasingly more diligent scrutiny and culling programs, total eradication remains elusive. Read more

Cooperatives Working Together announced yesterday that it has tentatively accepted 194 bids as part of its latest (tenth) herd retirement. A total of 209 operations had submitted bids. The bids accepted represented 34,442 cows and 653,893,409 million pounds of milk. Read more

Okay, so the title may sound like a bit of a second grade playground dare. But, we do want you to take this as a challenge. Dairy Management, Inc. (check-off organization) along with its social media guide and website, myDairy, have launched the Why I Love Dairy Video Contest. Read more

“In the summer of 2009, the Hoard Farm was on the verge of single-digit pregnancy rates,” noted Jason Yurs, Hoard’s Dairyman farm manager. Prior to the 2009 World Dairy Expo, the farm was sitting at a 10 percent pregnancy rate. Read more