One of my favorite phrases is: “We are drowning in information while starving for wisdom.” I am sure everyone has felt this at some point in their life.

As today’s dairy producers look to the future, becoming an expert manager of the financial side of dairy farming is just as critical to future business viability as animal husbandry, agronomy, nutrition and every other hat dairy producers wear.

In a time filled with new ways to look at data, it’s easy to fall into a space of data overload. On dairy farms, there are several data management software programs to choose from, with multiple ways to look at hundreds of metrics on your farm.

Even with dramatic increases in productivity in the past 50 years, every dairy farm still has opportunities to improve efficiency and profitability. One way to do this is to harness and make sense of your farm’s data. Many dairies already collect much of this data, but never use it to the extent it could be used.

“That which is measured improves. That which is measured and reported improves exponentially.”
—Karl Pearson

Optimal forage management, from harvest to feeding, is essential to improve milk production, minimize health problems and increase farm profitability.

How do I compare to my competition? How do I know if I am ready to expand? These questions asked by Ohio’s dairy farmers sparked publication of the 15 Measures of Dairy Farm Competitiveness in 1997.