Dairy cattle provide people with milk, often called nature's most nearly perfect food. About 72% of the calcium in the United States food supply comes from dairy foods. Below are links to information about dairy cattle production such as breeding and genetics, reproduction, forages, health, nutrition, management, facilities, marketing and manure management.
Dairy Cattle and Milk
Spotlights
Information Resources on the Care and Welfare of Dairy CattleUSDA. NAL. Animal Welfare Information Center.
A bibliography covering dairy cattle welfare concerns in North America and welfare issues as impacted by breeding and production methods.
Early Developments in the American Dairy Industry
USDA. NAL. Special Collections.
Describes, using images from NAL's Special Collections, progress made during the early years of dairy farming in America.
Dairy Farm Manure ManagementUSDA. NAL. Water Quality Information Center.
Searches for article citations in theNAL Catalog ((AGRICOLA)) on dairy farm manure management from January 2000 to the present.
U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center
USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
Scientists and staff emphasize a multidisciplinary approach to researching problems related to the production and utilization of forages by dairy cattle.
National Animal Health Monitoring System: DairyUSDA. APHIS. Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health.
Collects and archives reports and fact sheets on dairy animal health and nutrition management.
Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory
USDA. Animal and Natural Resources Institute.
Conducts research to discover, test, and implement improved genetic evaluation techniques for economically important traits of dairy cattle and goats.
Dairy Programs, Services, and ResourcesUSDA. Agricultural Marketing Service.
Find marketing reports, milk marketing orders, and a range of related material.
Dairy Commodity
USDA. FAS. Dairy, Livestock, and Poultry Division.
Consolidates information on the dairy commodity, from analysis of world market situations to special reports on hot trade issues.
Center for Dairy ProfitabilityUniversity of Wisconsin.
Find information on educational and applied research topics, including business management, production systems, and decision-making systems.
Dairy SciencePennsylvania State University. Department of Dairy and Animal Science.
Provides links to full-text documents on dairy-related issues, including dairy cattle reproduction and specialization.
North American Dairy BreedsOklahoma State University. Department of Animal Science.
This subgrouping of the Breeds of Livestock resource provides fact sheets on dairy breeds in North America.
Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research and DevelopmentUniversity of Wisconsin.
Designs and implements dairy educational programs for leaders, educators, and producers and fosters related research collaborations and exchanges around the world.