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Ration formulation decisions are not taken lightly. But when it comes to ration modifications, two questions steal the show: “What will this cost me?” and “What financial return can I expect?”
The answers to these two questions are often the driving force behind change or the decision to keep things just the way they are.
The use of commodity feeds, such as corn gluten feed or soybean hulls, in dairy rations is not a new concept to the dairy industry. Commodity feeds have been used by feed companies and larger dairies for many years.
Age: 57
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas
My dairy’s history: (# of generations, family members, etc.) I’m a third-generation dairy producer. In April 1972, I assumed major dairy operations after my dad took on a full-time job and told me I could either “milk or sell.” Today, my wife, Susan; our two sons, Cody and Casey; and I milk 300 cows and also have an Angus beef operation.
“It’s not my fault! I didn’t do it! I can’t do it! It’s too hard! The devil made me do it! I saw it on TV. I couldn’t help myself. It’s an addiction.” The excuses never end. It is easy to look outside ourselves and blame others for our predicaments.
This is the concluding segment on electrical systems. In the future, however, I will be discussing specific areas of electrical systems.
The battery, starter and alternator are the three electrical team players. Without them, nothing will happen. In past columns, we have discussed the battery and the starter. Now we’ll move on to alternators.
Batteries only last a certain period of time and you can only make so many starts. Not only that, when the battery starts the engine, the energy taken from the battery storage has to be replenished. The alternator is the part that restores energy back into the battery in a safe manner.
An interviewer asked me how one can make a living in the cow business. Actually he said, “As we’re heading into the next couple of years with declining cattle numbers and steady prices, how do you think you should position yourself to take advantage of the market?”
Starting in 2011, the somatic cell count (SCC) in bulk tank milk (BTM) must be less than 400,000 cells per ml for milk or milk products exported to the European Union (EU). Most milk in California is marketed by cooperatives, and nearly all of them or their customers are exporting milk to the EU.
This means all dairies are ultimately affected. How difficult is it to achieve SCC less than 400,000, and are we up to the challenge?
