This question is being asked at industry meetings, policy workshops and is now a recurring topic among company executives. The answer to this question will affect the future of our industry and, as such, demands significant reflection.

Math is integral to your dairy operation. You routinely crunch numbers ahead of making important decisions. Those numbers tell you whether it’s wise to, for example, expand the herd, add employees and purchase new equipment.

Penn State Extension recently did a survey of the projected breakeven cost on 110 Pennsylvania-based dairy farms. The average projected breakeven was $19.04 per hundredweight, about $4 per hundredweight above the April all-milk price of $15 per hundredweight.

As I mentioned in my last article in the Aug. 7 issue, the following is a trick question: “Is yours a family-first or business-first family business?” Your answer should be “neither” and “both.” Running your business to only care for family needs will eventually crush a successful business.

Employees are the greatest assets an organization has; thus, knowing them and caring is top priority. The foundation of employee engagement during the summer months is no different than at any other time of the year.

Eighty dead calves in two weeks: “The dry cow ration is not working; colostrum quality is suffering; my calves are dying …” On a recent farm call from a producer, his calf-raising operation had taken a turn from being very successful to a state of emergency: 80 dead calves in a period of two weeks.

Let’s first agree that nearly all cows sort their feed to some degree. That is why the leftover “scrape out” feed is always the coarse, large and unpalatable portions of the feed. It is apparent, however, as we compare different herds and rations that the amount of sorting varies greatly.

During this busy time of year when we are harvesting and storing new silage, we are often reminded about the dangers of carbon dioxide gas and silage avalanches. As someone who has been working in the industry for more than 35 years, I’ve seen a lot of farm tragedies that could have been prevented, not just around silage, but all areas of the farm.

“Labor management, procuring employees … if it is not your biggest issue today, it will become one of your biggest issues,” Peter Coyne warned dairy producers at the Vita Plus Calf Summit.