No difference seen in regular, organic, and BST-free milks

Despite claims and/or inferences by those who market them, yet another scientific study has concluded that the only difference between BST-free or organic milk versus “regular” milk is their cost.

Writing in the May issue of the Journal of Dairy Science, Cornell University researchers said, “Results established that there were no meaningful differences that would affect public health, and all milks were similar in nutritional quality and wholesomeness.”

The researchers noted that consumers are becoming increasingly health conscious and food product choices have expanded, and choices in the dairy case include fluid milk labeled according to production management practices. Such labeling may be misunderstood and perceived by consumers to reflect differences in the quality or nutritional content of milk.

The study was a logistically daunting one: Buy samples of conventionally produced milk with no specialty labeling, milk labeled BST-free, and milk labeled organic; then analyze the fatty acid (FA) composition of all samples in a lab. A total of 292 samples were collected from stores in all 48 contiguous states.

“Without exception, the magnitudes of the differences in milk FA composition among milk label types were minor and of no physiological importance when considering public health or dietary recommendations,” concluded the researchers.

CWT announces tenth herd retirement

More herds will be retired this year — Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has just announced that it will be implementing another round of herd retirements after reviewing a number of economic benchmarks, including cull rates and cull cow prices. Bids will be accepted starting Friday, May 28 with a cutoff date of Friday, June 25.

“It is our belief that a herd retirement at this time will add to the positive momentum already building and should result in speeding up the milk price recovery already in progress,” said Jerry Kozak, president and CEO of NMPF which manages CWT.

This is the tenth herd retirement since CWT began operations in the summer of 2003. The most recent was conducted in the fall of 2009.

“With beef prices very strong, and replacement cow and springer prices still relatively low, CWT has determined that it will consider bids up to, but not to exceed, $3.75 per hundredweight,” noted Kozak. “However, there is no guarantee that a producer who bids at the maximum level will be selected.” Producers must still bid on a per-hundredweight basis, and CWT will continue to review and accept bids, beginning from the lowest bids received, moving up toward the maximum level. Farmers whose bids are accepted are paid by CWT for their milk production, and they also retain the beef value of the cows they send to processing.

Detailed information can be found on its website, including bid forms application, an interactive bid calculator to help estimate a farmer’s bid, and answers to frequently asked questions. All bids must be postmarked by Friday, June 25th, in order to be considered. All dairy producers submitting bids to sell their herds must be members of CWT effective January 2009, either through their membership in a fully participating cooperative or as an independent member of CWT.

Milk supplies putting pressure on prices

Expect gradual improvement in milk prices and margins, according to USDA's recent Livestock, Dairy, & Poultry Outlook. Corn prices are forecast to average $3.50 to $3.70 a bushel through this crop year, moderating to $3.20 to $3.80 longer term. Soybean meal price is expected to average $295 a ton this crop year and $230 to $270 longer term. Modest improvement in both feed and milk prices is not likely to ignite an expansion in U.S. dairy herd size. The number of cows is projected to average 9.07 million this year and to continue a gradual decline in 2011, to average 9.04 million. On balance, the higher milk per cow during the year is expected to offset the decline in herd size, leading to higher milk production. Prospects are for improved demand, both foreign and domestic, for dairy products in 2011. Higher domestic use is expected to support slightly higher imports next year. Meanwhile, global economic recovery is continuing apace, boosting international trade in dairy products. Domestic commercial use is expected to increase this year. A robust 1.2 percent rise is expected in commercial use on a fats basis while growth in use on a skims-solids basis is projected at a slight 0.4 percent rise. Stocks should tighten as use strengthens. Despite the improved demand outlook, prospects are for only modest price increases in 2011. Cheese prices are forecast to trend higher both this year and next, averaging $1.480 to $1.530 per pound this year and $1.505 to 1.605 per pound in 2011. Higher prices are also expected for NDM and whey for the balance of 2010 and into 2011. The prospect is for only moderate price increases in milk prices in 2011 as milk production continues to rise. The Class IV price is expected to average $14.15 to $14.75 per cwt. this year and only slightly higher next year at $14.15 to $15.25 per cwt. Class III prices are projected to average $13.95 to $14.95 per cwt. in 2010 and to climb to $14.25 to $15.25 per cwt. next year. The all milk price will average $15.65 to $16.15 per cwt. this year and rise to average $15.70 to $16.70 per cwt. next year.

Roundup Ready alfalfa awaits two rulings

Three years have passed since a U.S. district judge in San Francisco ruled that a more thorough evaluation of potential environmental impact was needed on Roundup Ready alfalfa. That ruling took the product off the market and sent interested parties back to the drawing board in an effort to update the product's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Late last year, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) posted the latest 1,476-page draft of the EIS online. That opened a public comment period which ran from December 18 to February 16.

Sources tell us that some 10,000 individual comments were submitted on the latest EIS this winter. Industry specialists tell Hoard's Dairyman that nearly 1,000 comments were submitted from alfalfa growers . . . the vast majority supported the conclusions of the EIS and recommended deregulation of Roundup Ready alfalfa.

APHIS is now working on a final EIS that considers new information or questions supplied by the 10,000 commenters. Those with working knowledge of the process are hopeful that a final EIS can be completed later this year. After a final EIS is published, APHIS will make a determination on deregulation. If they rule in favor of deregulation, Roundup Ready alfalfa will be back on the market soon thereafter.

On a related subject, the U.S. Supreme Court heard an appeal to the broad injunction imposed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on April 27. A ruling on that portion of the case is expected by the end of June. To learn more about the reasons that the U.S. Supreme Court decided to hear the case, a description is given at Monsanto's website. Click the title of this blog to read it.

Elite semen producers hit million-unit mark

Since Fisher-Place Mandingo first produced 1 million units of semen in 1994, 42 other Holstein bulls have been able to join him in this elite club. At the turn of the century, merely nine others had reached this mark; today that number has more than quadrupled. Most recently, Keystone Potter (sold by Accelerated Genetics) and Lutz-Brookview Bert (sold by ABS) have been able to attain this milestone, becoming the 41st and 42nd bulls in history to realize this remarkable accomplishment.

To achieve this feat, a bull must be a superior semen producer and have a long life span. He must also be able to transmit features to his offspring that are attractive to a wide array of producers. Both of these bulls are popular, domestically and internationally, selling units in over 50 countries. Potter’s genetics typically create daughters that mature nicely and milk at a superior level. Bert, a calving ease bull, tends to sire daughters that have outstanding feet and legs.

All millionaires to date have been from the Holstein breed because it is currently the only breed that has the market potential to sustain this level of sales. The United States leads the pack having 20 bulls that have reached the millionaire mark, while Canada follows with 12. Three other countries, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and France, also have bulls that have reached this level of production.

From an A.I. cooperative standpoint, Semex heads up the bunch with 11 millionaires; ABS is in a close second with 10 bulls. Eight other A.I. studs have had bulls reach this mark, as well.

Six bulls in this group have further separated themselves by joining the Super Millionaires Club. These bulls have produced over 1.5 million units of semen in their lifetime. The most recent bull to be included in this group is Fustead Emory Blitz (sold by Select Sires).

If you would like to see the complete list of elite bulls with over 1 million units of sales,
click here. Our thanks to Holstein International for compiling this list.

Also, today we posted a brand new video on our Bonnie's Brush with Hoard's blog! Check it out now.

Remarkable six-legged calf born in New York!

Just last week, a dairy farm in Troupsburg, N.Y., was home to a miracle. A difficult calving, thought to end with a dead calf, actually ended up with a live, healthy bull calf with some unique accessories. The farm is home to Brian and Lisa Robinson and their children, Logan and Shante. When a cow was having trouble during calving last Tuesday, they prepared for the worst but gave it their best try. Eventually, after the use of a calf-puller, a live calf emerged. One thing was different though — he had six limbs.

The farm's veterinarian believes the limbs are from a twin that fused during gestation. The limbs, while not fully reaching the ground, are connected to the spinal cord which makes an operation impossible. The family fittingly named the calf Mr. Miracle. The veterinarian also says he expects Mr. Miracle to live a long, healthy life. Watch this video below from a local news station about the miracle calf!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Raw milk reason prevails just in time

Political reason and common sense, which were nowhere to be seen in recent months as a proposal to allow dairy producers in Wisconsin to sell unpasteurized raw milk directly to consumers successfully worked its way through both the State Senate and Legislature, surfaced just in time when Governor Jim Doyle vetoed the measure on Wednesday.

Unfortunately, they might never have surfaced at all if not for the intense solidarity of opposition from dairy producers, processors, and animal and human health groups. Doyle had previously indicated he would sign the bill into law, despite overwhelming scientific evidence that it poses potentially fatal health risk to some people.

Both National Milk Producers Federation and the International Dairy Foods Association were among the loudest opponents of the idea.

“It is terribly ironic that, at a time when [federal] lawmakers are trying to pass a major food safety bill to protect consumers from food borne illnesses, states like Wisconsin are going the opposite direction,” said Jerry Kozak, CEO of NMPF.

Connie Tipton, President and CEO of IDFA, agreed. “There is absolutely no science behind the claims of raw milk supporters that pasteurization does anything other than make safer a potentially hazardous product.” She added that while raw milk accounts for less than one percent of fluid milk consumption, it is responsible for over 70 percent of food borne illness caused by dairy products.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, between 1998 and 2008 consumption of raw milk in the U.S. was responsible for 1,614 documented cases of illness, 187 hospitalizations, and two fatalities. FDA has also issued multiple public warnings advising consumers to not drink raw milk.

Practice safe farming this summer

Are you ready for the kids to come running off the school bus on the last day of school and right into the farm yard? Summer vacation for children raised on farms is usually filled with memory-making activities and surely no boredom. We remember the days of playing Little House on the Prairie with neighborhood friends. That, of course, included fetching water the old-fashioned way in nearby puddles and streams and maybe making a fort in the hay loft. But for one family, fond memories like that are now tarnished. We were deeply saddened to hear of one New Hampshire 11-year-old boy who tragically died two days after a silage pile face collapsed on him in late April. These stories should be a wake-up call to all of us. Take proactive steps now to avoid another tragedy like this.
In a recent weekly update from Western United Dairyman, we found some great key factors to prevent accidental injuries and deaths, in addition to preventing liability from accidents. These key factors include:

1. Access control: Dairy farms should have a policy for visitors that requires them to check in with a member of the staff upon arrival instead of giving them free-rein of the farm. If a visitor is near a hazard like a hay stack or feed pile, it should be noted to the visitor.

2. Posting: When biosecurity is a concern (places like parlors, hospital barns, and maternity areas), these areas should be posted for no access unless by authorized personnel. Manure lagoons or pits should be posted with warning signs, and roadways should have signs indicating truck and equipment traffic.

3. Rules and regulations: All employees should be trained on access policies and be instructed never to bring children or other nonemployees to the farm.

4. Housing agreements and rules: If employees live on the premise, housing agreements that are written and signed should be completed. Children should not be allowed to play in roadways or working areas of the farm and dogs should not be allowed to roam free.

5. Compliance : State OSHA compliance can reduce employee injuries by improving safety programs. If you're unsure about regulations in your area or if your farm needs to be in compliance, contact your local OSHA office.

Milk production keeps climbing

April milk production in the top 23 dairy states was up 1.7 percent over last year, according to the USDA NASS Milk Production report released yesterday. This rise in milk production surprised many industry observers. The combination of higher cull cow prices and low milk prices was expected to result in a larger drop in cow numbers and, perhaps, a drop in milk output.

This was the second month this year that milk production was above year-earlier levels. March milk output in the top 23 states was up 0.9 percent.

In the top states, there were 155,000 fewer cows on farms in April than a year ago. However, there were 3,000 more cows in those states than in March.

Nationally, there were 186,000 fewer cows (-2 percent) on farms when compared to a year ago. However, there has been a 14,000-cow gain in the U.S. dairy herd since last December . . . 9.096 million head versus 9.082 million.

Milk per cow is the big story. Across the nation, April milk output per cow was up 3.5 percent from last year and averaged more than 60 pounds per day for the first time in history.

After being down for a number of months, milk production in California was up very slightly in April. Wisconsin milk production shot up 6.2 percent, mostly on a big, 5.8 percent jump in the amount of milk produced per cow. There were 5,000 more cows (+0.4 percent) on Wisconsin dairy farms.

Milk production in New York (+1.7 percent), Idaho (+3.3), and Pennsylvania (+2.8) was up. Both Texas (-2.2) and New Mexico (-1.7) were down.

How bulk tanks are made

Think back to those wonder-filled days of childhood — the days when a walk around your family's farm was filled with shock and awe of everything you stumbled upon. That large, shiny stainless steel tank in the milk house was likely no exception. Channeling the inner youth of our 125-year magazine, we wanted to know how those shiny dairy farm hood ornaments are made. We recently visited Boumatic's manufacturing facility in Madison, Wis., where we were treated to a tour of how milk bulk tanks come to life. While the entire process isn't included in the below video, one very cool step is. To see more pictures of the whole process, see our May 25 buildings and equipment issue, page 392. There, on the Young Dairymen page, you'll find the answer to the question, "How are bulk tanks made?"

What you're seeing in the video: In this early step in the process, the inner of two layers is being formed. You'll notice that the inside looks white — that's because during most of the manufacturing process the portion which will come in contact with milk is protected by a very thin layer of plastic. This protects the steel from scratches and contamination. The stainless steel moves through very heavy rollers to work its way up into a cylinder shape. At the end of the video, you'll notice one employee cleaning the edges and preparing them to be welded together.

Despite lower feed and energy costs, dairy farm losses mount

Now that the tax filing season is complete, farm accounting reports are beginning to be compiled and distributed to the dairy world. Those reports only quantify what we already know, 2009's losses were much higher than the previous year.

One of the early reports published was completed by Frazier and Frost, a certified public accounting firm. Their clients in California, Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, and the Texas Panhandle produce over 4.2 billion pounds of milk with some 231,000 cows . . . that's about 3 percent of the U.S. market.

California's San Joaquin Valley dairy farms were hit the hardest with losses of $962 per cow in 2009. At $585 per head, New Mexico farms lost the least amount of money for those tracked by the accounting firm. Losses for their dairy farm clients went up between $426 in Southern California to $1,284 per head in Idaho, compared to the previous year. The average was $860 for the five states. On a per-hundredweight basis, losses ranged from San Joaquin's $4.43 per 100 pounds of shipped milk to New Mexico's $3.05.

Feed costs actually fell for all regions except the Texas Panhandle where feed costs rose $276 over 2008. Among all regions, feed prices fell $476 in Southern California; $244 in Kern County; $156 in New Mexico; $143 in the San Joaquin Valley; $125 in Arizona; and $41 in Idaho.

As a result of negative cash flows, milk production fell in most regions, compared to a year earlier: 4.9 pounds in Southern California; 1.6 pounds in Idaho; 1 pound in California's Kern County; 0.5 pound in the San Joaquin Valley, and 0.3 pound in New Mexico. Milk production went up 1.3 pounds in Arizona and 1.9 pounds in the Texas Panhandle.

Low pay prices also directly impacted replacement prices. The actual 2009 replacement prices (with the drop from the previous year's price in parenthesis) are: Kern County, $1,505 ($295); Southern California, $1,490 ($860); Texas Panhandle, $1,448 ($377); New Mexico $1,378, ($225); Arizona, $1,377 ($810); San Joaquin Valley, $1,330 ($517); and Idaho, $1,290 ($365).

Colorful trend is underway in U.S. dairy herds

A growing A.I. trend is literally changing the look of the U.S. dairy industry: Herds are becoming more colorful.

Black and white still dominates the landscape, but a gradual shift toward color is clearly underway. Breeding Holstein females to colored breed sires is a trend that has established a strong foothold on many dairies, and the resulting offspring already account for a sizeable amount of the nation’s total milk production.

In her presentation at the recent High Plains Dairy Conference in Amarillo, Texas, American Jersey Cattle Association director of development Cherie Bayer said in 2009 an estimated 6.6 percent of dairy cows in the U.S. were identified as being in herds that were mixed. That number was higher than every breed except Holsteins and was 135 percent more than in 2000.

What’s behind the cows with color trend? Bayer says the answer is easy: Multiple Component Milk Pricing adopted in Federal Marketing Orders in January 2000. “Dairy owners were looking at how they were going to be paid under that new system and were anticipating that increasing their production of milkfat and protein would increase their pay price,” she explains.

Bayer says while there is no way to know exactly how many crossbred animals are out there, “we know it’s a lot and we know it’s growing. Crossbreds are a significant component of the total U.S. dairy herd today, and we expect continued growth in their numbers based upon how semen sales by breed have changed over the past decade.”

Because the largest segment of growth in dairy product sales continues to be in manufactured products, more demand for milk with higher solids and protein is a trend that seems likely to continue.

Reading the milk price/feed cost tea leaves

Two releases in recent days help shed light on the milk price and feed cost scene in the months ahead. USDA's monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates and USDA's Crop Production were released earlier this week.

The WASDE report provided USDA's first look at 2011 milk supply, demand, and prices. Milk production for 2011 is forecast to go up as producers respond to improving returns. Cow numbers are expected to be lower than this year, according to the USDA, but the rate of decline is expected to slow. However, this prediction is interesting as cow numbers have been up slightly so far this year. Milk per cow, which has driven up total production this year, is expected to grow by about the same amount next year.

We could see declining stocks of dairy products as we move toward 2011, according to the agency. Both domestic and export demand should rise as economies here and abroad strengthen. However, we also might see a slight growth in imports.

Class III prices are forecast to be higher than 2010. USDA forecasts a Class III midpoint for 2011 of $14.75 with a range of between $14.15 and $15.25. The midpoint forecast for the All-Milk Price in 2011 is $16.20 with a range of between $15.70 and $16.70.

Corn futures rose after USDA released forecasts of inventory levels. Tuesday, corn futures shot up nearly 7 cents a bushel to settle at nearly $3.70. According to the Wall Street Journal, traders at the CBOT were looking at greater corn demand for export as well as for ethanol production. However, the corn crop appears to be off to a great start. Eighty-one percent of the corn is in the ground and 39 percent is emerged. Last year at this time, only 13 percent was emerged and the five-year average is 21 percent emerged.

DMI's quick-serve partnerships for long-term dairy growth

Last week we reported the recent jump in sales for pizza giant Domino's after launching its new recipe for pizza which coincidentally (or not so coincidentally) included 50 percent more cheese. Jim Montel, vice president of Strategic Partnerships at Dairy Management, Inc., said that a strong working relationship with Domino's was an important part of this recent recipe revamp. Domino's isn't the only one that DMI works closely with though.

McDonald's, the world's largest quick-serve food retailer has a long-standing relationship with checkoff programs. It is paying off, too. Have you noticed what McDonald's has been promoting lately? Besides the cheesy Angus burger launched last year, the new McCafe coffees contain plenty of milk. Montel affectionately referred to them as "coffee flavored milk" as they contain up to 80 percent milk. "Much of what McDonald's is promoting right now is dairy focused," said Montel. Besides the Angus cheeseburgers and McCafe, McDonald's is launching frappes and smoothies this summer in all 14,000 locations, in addition to creating improved shakes that will be served in clear plastic containers with whipped cream. Montel also pointed to the considerable dairy-focused advertising done by McDonald's during the Winter Olympics as a sign that they are committed to promoting these dairy-heavy foods.

Partnerships like these are certainly proving to be efficient uses of our checkoff dollars. That's the goal of the relationships says Montel who remarks that they remain focused on long-term growth of dairy product use. As a result, competitors are launching similar products to go head-to-head with McDonald's, for example. Wendy's large Bacon Blue burger that is covered with blue cheese crumbles launched after the Angus burgers certainly may fit into that category.

Working off the farm, to back on the farm

Judging by the mail you've received lately, you'll know that graduation season is upon us. Yes, mortar boards and tassels are being thrown everywhere this month. We've picked up on that graduation theme and are telling you about some outstanding young adults who have taken the brave leap to get into the dairy business shortly after graduation. If you watched our video post last week, we told you about one young woman, who headed home to manage her family's farm in Michigan after college. This week, we're visiting with Greg Nye of Mountain View Dairy in Delta, Utah, who is an operations manager at the Nye's family farm. Greg didn't start out wanting to work on the family farm, but he found his way back there after educational and work experiences he had across the country shortly after graduating.
Also, don't forget to visit Bonnie's Brush with Hoard's today for a new video post!

Stray voltage award Wisconsin's largest for a dairy farm

Stray voltage by its very name and nature is a difficult entity to trace. And when it is suspected of causing harm on a dairy, it can be a testy condition to eliminate. Such was the case at Bollant Farms in southwest Wisconsin. According to published reports, the Bollant family dairy farm had not one, but two separate stray voltage issues.

The family first noticed a problem in 2002 when cows began acting irritable and kicked off milking machine units more frequently than the average cow. Other problems arose including dead and deformed calves. The family experienced large losses of both calves and cows. Those complications, the plaintiffs argued, occurred when their electric provider replaced copper power lines with single-phase. The problem was pinpointed by consultants, and then it went away when three-phase power came to that region of Grant County.

The plainiffs then argued that the problem resurfaced when the electric provider installed an automatic meter-reading device. According to reports, the device was not properly installed, and, when it was fixed some three years later, the herd's production and health started to improve.

After listening to all the testimony, the jury ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and awarded them $5 million in damages. Of that money, $3.75 million was for economic losses, while $1.25 million was for pain and suffering.

To read more, click on the title of this blog to read a full report published in the Grant County Herald Independent.

Air quality and cows: What goes in could be the real problem

Air quality researchers in California’s San Joaquin Valley got an unexpected surprise recently when they accidentally discovered that what comes out of cows may not deserve nearly as much blame for the area’s high ozone levels as it's been getting.

Instead, a bigger culprit may be what goes into them.

“Feed sources might be more important than all of the things we’ve been caring about in the past,” said Michael Kleeman, a professor in the University of California, Davis Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Kleeman heads a team of researchers who for four years has been studying ozone levels in the valley as it struggles to meet federally-mandated reductions. Significant control measures have been implemented, yet ozone levels remain largely unchanged.

Over the years, blame has shifted from one end of cows to the other, then to uncovered manure lagoons. Now, according to Kleeman’s team, a bigger “smoking gun” for harmful air emissions is fermenting silage. Specifically, silage that is not stored in air-tight bags.

Action on the researcher’s findings appeared to have been taken very seriously. Associated Press reports that the executive director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is planning to ask its board in June to require dairies to bag their silage.

Last year's price drop had big dollar impact

There was a 30 percent drop in the value of milk marketed by dairy farmers last year, according to the USDA-NASS publication, Milk Production, Disposition, and Income released last week. That was a drop of more than $10.5 billion. The value of milk and cream sold in 2008 was $34.85 billion. The number for 2009 was $24.34 billion. The value in 2008 was down just slightly from the $35.48 billion for 2007.

Looking at the top dairy states, 2009 cash receipts from milk marketed (2008 values in parentheses) were California, $4.54 billion ($6.92 billion); Wisconsin, $3.27 billion ($4.57 billion); New York, $1.68 billion ($2.38 billion); Idaho, $1.43 billion ($2.1 billion); and Pennsylvania, $1.51 billion ($2.1 billion).

During 2009, the average All-Milk Price, according to the report, was $12.93 per hundredweight. That was down $5.52 per hundredweight from 2008's $18.45.

Ten states reported a manufacturing milk price. They were California, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The average manufacturing milk price was $12.03 per hundredweight, and the average fluid grade price was $12.94. Ninety-eight percent of the milk supply last year was fluid grade.

The average fat test of milk marketed in 2009 was 3.67. It was 3.68 in both 2007 and 2008.

Total milk production last year was 189.3 billion pounds. However, when you take out milk fed to calves, that produced by institutional herds, and that sold directly to consumers, actual milk

marketings for 2009 were 188.3 billion pounds. That compares to 188.9 billion pounds marketed the year before.

Domino's Pizza sales soar with new recipe

Domino's is a friend of ours. Last year, the well-known delivery pizza chain launched and heavily promoted (with some help from the check-off) their American Legends pizza line which came with 30 percent more cheese. This year, the chain took an honest look at its longtime recipe for making pizzas and decided to do a revamp. They even publicized real comments from customers that compared their crust to cardboard and sauce to ketchup. Domino's new reformulated pizza included a re-do of the crust, sauce, and even cheese. The pizzas now come with 100 percent real mozzarella cheese flavored with just a hint of provolone . The sauce is kicked up with spicy red pepper, and the crust has a new garlic butter flavor. Jim Montel, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at DMI says that the new pizza utilizes 50 percent more cheese than the previous recipe.

Just this morning, USA Today is reporting a "historic leap" in sales for Domino's. In just four months, sales climbed 14.3 percent. The company's CEO J. Patrick Doyle says that jump ranks as one of the largest quarterly same-store sales jumps ever recorded by a fast-food chain — all this at a time when the pizza delivery business is taking a 3 percent hit from the recent recession. An impressive 28 percent of all cheese is consumed on pizza, and 43 percent of milk is used to make cheese. We're hoping this jump in sales equates to more cheese consumption — it should. From the sales end, Montel reports that after discussing with one of the country's major pizza cheese suppliers, in the fourth quarter of 2009, sales were up a remarkable 48 percent.

Back to the farm

We're hearing about more and more young adults heading back to the farm. No doubt dairy's economic woes in recent years were on their mind. However, there is just something about working with cows and family every day and seeing the family farm continue its legacy. Recently, we visited with Aubrey Lettinga of Walnutdale Farms in Michigan about her choice to return to her family's farm shortly after graduation from Michigan State.

Bonnie's Brush with Hoard's has a new video today. This time, we're continuing our visit with former magazine Art Director James Baird. Today he'll share with us more about the cows in his original artwork.

Interactive product search now available

World Dairy Expo just launched an interactive tool on its website that allows users to search for exhibitors by product category, keyword, or even booth location. The search feature allows dairy enthusiasts to search through the 750-plus trade show participants that exhibit at the show. Among the many options are:

• The opportunity to see the complete list of World Dairy Expo exhibitors by product category, booth location, and web address.

• The ability to go through the Exhibition Hall, Outdoor Trade Mall, Arena Building, Coliseum, and Grazing Pavilion, and scroll over booth location and find company addresses, phone numbers, and web addresses.

• The capability to enter specific products and search all companies at the show that sell a specific product. For example, entering the word "rubber mats" revealed eight companies that sell rubber mats. Meanwhile, entering the word "rubber" displayed 17 companies selling rubber products.

To search the well-designed site for yourself, click on the title of this blog.