Since the last newsletter several articles on reproduction and feeding have been posted on www.milkproduction.com:

Trouble-shooting infertility problems in dairy cattle>>

Positive and negative effects of high energy consumption on reproduction in lactating dairy cows>>



Dietary energy density for the close-up dry cow – postpartum>>

Vitamins and minerals functioning as antioxidants with supplementation considerations>>

Strategies, benefits, and challenges of feeding ethanol by-products to dairy and beef cattle>>

Use of milk or blood urea nitrogen to identify feed management inefficiencies and estimate nitrogen excretion by dairy cattle and other animals>>

The European Commission proposes a Health Check on the Common Agricultural Policy, to improve the way it works and make it fit for new challenges.

They are looking at how to make the EU Single Payment Scheme more effective and simpler; how to make the EU market support instruments relevant in a European Union of 27 member states; and how to confront new challenges like climate change, bio-fuels, water management and the protection of biodiversity. Read more about the CAP Health check>>

Read the reports from the Agricultural conferences held during the Green Week, Grüne Woche, in Berlin in January:
"The Health Check of the Common Agricultural Policy: How do we get fit for the future?”>>
"Using the opportunities presented by the world market">>

During the Grüne Woche dairy farming conference Lior Yaron from DeLaval gave a presentation on the opportunities and challenges in Chinese milk consumption and production:
China’s milk hunger – China’s milk production>>

Our featured farm this month is the Gansu Holstein Breeding Centre outside Lanzhou City, China:

"We had 50 to 60 milkers with the old pipeline system, but with the new rotary we only need 10 workers. The herd management system - especially the activity meter - also makes our work more efficient," says farm manager Qi Guanghong.

The farm has a bio-gas plant where the manure is used to produce methane gas for electricity and energy. The dry matter is sold to neighbouring farms and the liquid is spread on the fields. Read more about this state-owned farm in China>>

We had a very encouraging 40% increase in visits to the Milkproduction.com web site in 2007: 112 000 visits, averaging more than 300/day.

The statistics also show that the number of visitors increased by almost 30%, reaching 96 000. The 69 new articles added to the library in 2007 were viewed 116 304 times, 60% more views than the articles posted the previous year.
The most popular article since the start in 2000 is still Automatic Milking: Experience and Development in Europe from 2002 by Kees de Koning, Yvonne van der Vorst and Albert Meijering. In second place we find the IFCN report from 2003: Milk prices and costs of milk production - A global comparison

Read more about the milkproduction.com statistics 2007>>