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There is no doubt that robotic milking is a suitable solution for large dairies, as there are several examples of successful dairies working under different conditions around the world.
Imagine receiving income from various sources without recording where it came from or how much came from each source and then paying it out and likewise not recording how it was spent.
You would simply end the year wondering why you did not have much left to show for all the work you did. Sound familiar?
“What group does that cow go in?” This was a question posed to me a couple of years ago by a young man trying to re-organize a neglected dairy.
He had so many questions that I ended up writing a three-part article titled “How to Bring Your Dairy Back to Life” back in 2011 for this fine magazine.
If you had to choose just one cut of haylage to feed your milking herd for the entire year, which one would you select? I would hazard a guess that about 98 percent of producers and closer to 99.9 percent of nutritionists and veterinarians will choose the first cut.
Some would say the best part about living on their family farm were the discussions of weather, livestock and crop yield around the dinner table. For 18 college students this summer, the dialogue goes from dawn to dusk.
“My father was a farmer and my mother was a farmer, but my childhood was very good.
“I am very grateful for my childhood because it was full of gladness and good humanity.”
—Roberto Benigni
Recently, I was asked to investigate a spike in clinical mastitis cases on a dairy that I knew used excellent sanitation practices.
Surprisingly, the cause turned out to be rather simple: a relief milker not wearing milking gloves.
At certain times of the year and in certain climates, environmental bacteria can be a real challenge. Bedding conditioners have been developed to help reduce bacteria levels in the stall.
