General Communication

  • A group of people standing in a barn with a cow

    Dr. Jillian Bohlen, Associate Professor (706-542-9108 / jfain@uga.edu) Each year, the Commercial Dairy Heifer Project brings together a diverse group of young people with a common interest, the dairy heifer.  During their time in the project, these youth grow, develop, and learn not just about their heifer but also about the industry and themselves.  This project would…

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  • Group of holstein cows laying in the pasture with a Red barn with grain silo on the side in the background.

    Lane O. Ely, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus laneely@uga.edu Department of Animal and Dairy Science, UGA In the last DairyFax, I finished talking about the Dairy Buyout program in the 1980’s that resulted in the loss of 23% of the milk production in Georgia. This had a major and long-term effect on the Georgia dairy industry. Masstock There…

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  • NOTE: 1Minimum herd or permanent string size of 20 cows.  Yearly average calculated after 365 days on test.  Test day milk, marked with an asterisk (*), indicates herd was milked three times per day (3X). Information in this table is compiled from Dairy Records Management Systems Reports (Raleigh, NC). GA DHIA Herds By Test Day Milk Production…

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  • holstein calf in a small pen

    Note: Minimum herd or permanent string size of 20 cows.  Yearly average calculated after 365 days on test.  Test day milk, marked with an asterisk (*), indicates herd was milked three times per day (3X). Information in this table is compiled from Dairy Records Management Systems Reports (Raleigh, NC). GA DHIA Herds By Test Day Milk Production…

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  • Left: bar graph showing ambient temperature and relative humidity inside and outside a polyethylene hutch during a summer day. Right: picture of holstein calves in hutches under shade

    Caroline Guzi Savegnago, Ph.D. Student  Sha Tao, Ph.D., Associate Professor, stao@uga.edu/706-542-0658 Department of Animal and Dairy Science, UGA Heat stress continues to be a challenge for the dairy industry, causing major economic losses. High temperatures and relative humidity commonly seen in the Southeast create a challenging environment that negatively impacts calf performance and welfare. Calves…

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  • Venn diagram showing the foundations of effective employee management. The three circles representing trust, training and feedback

    Dr. Jillian Bohlen, Associate Professor and Dairy Extension Specialist 706-542-9108 / jfain@uga.edu Every business faces what are often called “hidden threats.” In production agriculture, those threats might be dangerous situations or unnoticed vulnerabilities. While such risks can take many forms, some of the most damaging are the ones that come from within the workforce itself.…

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  • Click to see the full Georgia DHIA Reports for June 2025-August 2025.

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  • Reunion

    John Bernard, Larry Guthrie, Joe West, Lane Ely and Warren Gilson in front of Nash Family Creamery Sign on Red Barn Wall

    Lane O. Ely, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus | laneely@uga.edu Department of Animal and Dairy Science, UGA This spring John Bernard, Larry Guthrie, Joe West, Lane Ely and Warren Gilson held a mini reunion of University of Georgia Extension Dairy Scientists. Joe West had commented that “the last time most of us were together was for Jim Smith’s…

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  • CREDIT: Penn State University. Dairy Cows Sitting In Barn on Straw

    Brad Heins, DVM, MFAM, Clinical Assistant Professor, Beef Production Medicine,  706-542-4312/bheins@uga.edu Emmanuel Rollin, DVM, MFAM, Clinical Associate Professor, Dairy Production Medicine, 706-202-7821/Emmanuel@uga.edu Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA With the significant demands placed on cows prior to calving and the onset of lactation, it is vital that the dairy manager…

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  • Note for Herds by Test Day Milk/Fat Production: Minimum herd or permanent string size of 20 cows.  Yearly average calculated after 365 days on test.  Test day milk, marked with an asterisk (*), indicates herd was milked three times per day (3X). Information in this table is compiled from Dairy Records Management Systems Reports (Raleigh, NC). GA…

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  • Cows in a pen with a few cows

    Anderson A.C. Alves, PhD – Assistant Professor, Department of Animal and Dairy Science (e: alvesand@uga.edu, p: 706-542-9105; web: www.alveslab.org0 Monitoring feeding and activity behavior in dairy and beef cattle has gained significant attention due to its strong association with productivity, efficiency, and animal welfare. Continuous behavioral monitoring in lactating cows allows farmers to detect early signs of…

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  • Holstein calf looking through wire fencing. black and white image.

    Taylor Strickland, DVM  MFAM Candidate, ACVIM Resident Emmanuel Rollin, DVM, MFAM, Clinical Associate Professor, Dairy Production Medicine – 706-202-7821/emmanuel@uga.edu Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia, Athens GA Diarrhea, or calf scours, is the most common cause of sickness and death in dairy calves. Calves that develop and recover from diarrhea have…

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  • A herd of black and white cows stands in a field during sunset. The cow in the foreground looks directly at the camera, with a serene sky of pink and blue hues in the background.

    NOTE FOR HERDS BY TEST DAY MILK/FAT PROD. REPORTS: Minimum herd or permanent string size of 20 cows.  Yearly average calculated after 365 days on test.  Test day milk, marked with an asterisk (*), indicates herd was milked three times per day (3X). Information in this table is compiled from Dairy Records Management Systems Reports (Raleigh, NC). GA…

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  • large group of 4-H youth holding notepads and pencils, preparing notes to talk their class.

    Jillian Bohlen, Ph.D. – Associate Professor & Dairy Extension Specialist (jfain@uga.edu) State 4-H Youth Events There is nothing that provides promise of the future more than our young people.  Between 4-H youth events and collegiate activities, the commitment of so many to the dairy industry’s present and future is inspiring.  Please enjoy reading more on how these…

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