Dairy Herd Management: Farm Journal's Dairy Magazine, Content and Editors
Profile updated November 2026
Dairy Herd Management is Farm Journal's dairy magazine and one of the best-known management titles for U.S. milk producers. In its 2021 media kit, Farm Journal described the magazine as a go-to resource for dairy management information for more than 57 years, which places its start in the 1960s. Today it works alongside MILK magazine, DairyHerd.com, newsletters, a podcast and the MILK Business Conference.
| Publisher | Farm Journal, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Age | More than 57 years of publication as of 2021 |
| Companion titles | MILK magazine (launched 2016), MILK Business Quarterly |
| Website | DairyHerd.com |
| Circulation | 52,505 total listed in the 2021 media kit |
| Editorial director | Karen Bohnert, since 2021 |
| Official website | DairyHerd.com |
History of Dairy Herd Management
Dairy Herd Management has been published for more than half a century and became a core part of Farm Journal's livestock portfolio alongside titles such as Drovers and Pork Business. Farm Journal's 2021 media kit counted more than 57 years of service to dairy producers and their advisers.
In 2016 Farm Journal launched MILK, a companion magazine aimed at the owners of larger, business-oriented dairies, and the two titles were sold together to advertisers. The 2021 kit listed a combined total circulation of 52,505, including more than 6,000 veterinarians and about 2,700 nutritionists and consultants. It also noted that the magazine is the official publisher of the World Dairy Expo program, produced each year for the show in Madison, Wisconsin.
Anna-Lisa Laca was dairy editorial director and editor at the time of the 2021 kit. Karen Bohnert has led the dairy content since 2021 as Farm Journal's dairy editorial director, overseeing Dairy Herd Management and MILK Business Quarterly.
Dairy Herd Management Today
Most Dairy Herd Management content now appears first on DairyHerd.com, which publishes news daily and supports the Dairy Herd Daily newsletter and the MILK Business Podcast. The brand also runs the MILK Business Conference and a State of the Dairy Industry report.
Recent coverage in late 2026 has included beef-on-dairy calf values, labor and immigration pressure on dairy farms, record butterfat levels in national milk production, leadership changes at Dairy Management Inc. and the International Dairy Foods Association, and comparisons of robotic milking on 200-cow and 3,000-cow dairies.
What Dairy Herd Management Is Publishing Now
Herd management
Reproduction, calf and heifer raising, nutrition, cow comfort and milk quality, often told through producer case studies.
Business and policy
Milk markets, labor and immigration, dairy checkoff and processor news, and congressional races that matter to dairy farmers.
Events and programs
The MILK Business Conference, the World Dairy Expo official program and industry reports.
Dairy Herd Management Editors and Staff
Farm Journal's author pages and media materials name:
- Karen Bohnert - Dairy Editorial Director, Dairy Herd Management and MILK Business Quarterly
- Anna-Lisa Laca - Former Dairy Editorial Director and Editor
Bohnert grew up on an Oregon dairy farm and, with her husband, runs Bohnert Jerseys, a 750-cow dairy in East Moline, Illinois. She previously worked for Swiss Valley Farms and the American Jersey Cattle Association.
Who Reads Dairy Herd Management
Readers are dairy owners and herd managers, along with the veterinarians, nutritionists and consultants who advise them. The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted about 1.9 million U.S. farms, and dairy remains one of the largest animal sectors, with USDA ERS reporting $41.8 billion in 2021 dairy receipts.
Dairy Herd Management readers can calculate the value of a beef-on-dairy calf in their heads, but even a 3,000-cow operation needs a break. farm.FM supplies farm satire and farm humor for parlor crews and herd managers, plus ranch humor for anyone who has sold calves to a feedlot. Its farm jokes are cheaper than a new robotic milker and arrive without a service contract.
farm.FM got there first as the nation's first satirical farm site, and it backs the writing with Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Here is one contributor's collection of farm satire to start with.
Dairy Herd Management Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- DairyHerd.com: Karen Bohnert - editor bio and recent stories.
- Farm Journal: DHM and MILK media kit 2021 - circulation, audience and brands.
- USDA ERS: Dairy - federal dairy market data.
- USDA NASS: 2022 Census of Agriculture - national farm numbers.
- Ohio State University Extension: Dairy outlook - land-grant dairy market analysis.
Dairy Herd Management FAQ
Who publishes Dairy Herd Management?
Farm Journal, Inc., which also publishes MILK magazine and runs DairyHerd.com.
Who edits Dairy Herd Management?
Karen Bohnert has been Farm Journal's dairy editorial director since 2021.
How old is Dairy Herd Management?
Farm Journal said in 2021 that the magazine had served dairy producers for more than 57 years.
What events does Dairy Herd Management run?
The MILK Business Conference, and it publishes the World Dairy Expo official program.
With daily web news, a podcast and a conference, Dairy Herd Management remains a central information source for American dairy managers.