November 2025
Considerations to dairy growth
Karl Czymmek
New York state is recognized as a great place for dairy production and for this reason has attracted a level of new investment in processing not seen in several decades. The investment is creating a lot of excitement and will bring significant economic benefits to rural and urban areas.
The nutritional pathway to higher milk components
Alexandria Benoit and Mike Van Amburgh
Increasing the production of milk components has become the main goal for many dairy producers as they are paid based on the yields of protein, fat and other solids and not necessarily the total milk volume. With increasing consumer demand for higher-protein dairy products, new investments in New York dairy processing plants, and the recent increase in milk fat, the focal point has shifted to dietary and management practices that increase milk protein to meet these demands and maintain an adequate fat-to-protein ratio in milk. As the genetic capacity of the modern dairy cow continues to improve, how do we meet the nutritional demands to maximize milk component production?
Cornell University Ruminant Center (CURC): Beyond the cow
Kirsten Workman, Martin Perez, Jason Oliver and Quirine Ketterings
Cornell University Ruminant Center (CURC) conducts cutting-edge research in dairy nutrition and metabolism, reproductive physiology, and management and genomics. The facility was updated in 2013 to better represent modern dairy farm facilities and management and keep research relevant to Northeast dairy producers. It replaced the Teaching and Research Center built in the early 1970’s.
The importance of data quantity, quality, and consistency in dairy herd management
Julio Giordano
In today’s dairy industry, the difference between thriving and surviving might come down to one thing: data. Data quantity, quality, and consistency are the pillars of effective herd management. It’s not just about having numbers, it’s about having the right numbers, collected the right way, and interpreted correctly. Whether it’s milk yield, feed intakes, reproduction rates, or disease management, the ability to collect, interpret, and act on data has the power to transform how farms operate.
Advanced manure treatment, where do we stand?
Jason Oliver
Manure is the linchpin of biocircularity in dairy production systems. Nutrients in cow manure are recycled back to the land to produce crops, which are used as animal feed.
Dairy growth in New York: Biosecurity considerations
Rob Lynch
With the recent investments in dairy processing capacity in New York, demand for milk will increase. This may prompt dairy owners to consider herd growth, and advanced planning is critical for this to be successful. Expanding the herd through internal growth is the safest option, but takes a long time, and farms might miss out on economic opportunity in the meantime.
Growing forage for a growing dairy: Opportunities and balance
Joe Lawrence
In the Northeast and similar growing environments, home-grown forages are well-understood to provide the foundation of an economically and environmentally sustainable dairy cow diet. The emphasis on achieving higher levels of forage in diets and the need for the right quality in these feeds to achieve this goal remain very important. However, it is also important to recognize that the optimum balance is influenced by farm resources and tradeoffs should be considered, particularly when a farm business is looking to grow through increased cow numbers.
Maintaining environmental balance during growth
Kirsten Workman
New York and the Northeast are great places to be a dairy producer. Not only do cows thrive in the region’s climate, but so do the crops that are grown to feed them. Despite intensifying weather that can make field work challenging, the region’s soils, rainfall, and growing degree days are advantages when growing high-quality forage crops.