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I am proud to be a part of the dairy industry in various ways. I am among the fifth generation of my family’s dairy farm, where I established the farm’s latest venture: the agritourism business, which entails on-farm activities, processing dairy products and Farmstead Adventure Camp.
After getting married this June, my husband and I settled into our new home on his family dairy in Washington County, New York, where I relocated my business as well.
The Progressive Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW) recently announced two exciting multi-day dairy tours in Wisconsin and Texas. Agendas for the tours are explained below.
In 2000, Malcolm Gladwell authored a book titled “The Tipping Point.” The tipping point, as he defines it, is that magic moment when an idea, trend or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips and spreads like wildfire.
Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, a drop in the crime rate.
How do you ever begin to put a value on one’s life? How hard would it be to see a loved one, employee or friend lose their life, a limb, hand or finger?
We all feel a bit overwhelmed at times tackling the never-ending to-do lists that are a part of our daily routines. We all know how hard it is to make time to focus on safety, especially with our fast-paced lifestyles.
Terms like “record crop” and “bin buster” in the headlines have dairy producers’ attention turned away from feed costs. It is easy to let fundamental news and reports from the USDA shape your attitude toward feed costs.
It happens slowly and with subtlety. We take in the headlines about a plentiful corn crop and gradually develop a bias that feed prices will be relatively low not only now but also indefinitely.
Family farm owners often struggle with handing off business responsibilities and decisions to the next generation, not to mention the farm itself.
Visalia dairyman Gregory O. “Butch” Dias Jr. was no exception. It wasn’t easy, but he says he feels good about how his two sons are handling their Delta View Farms & Rachelle’s Jerseys operations.
Editor’s note: This is the second article in a two-part series. The first article appeared in the May 7, 2014 issue of Progressive Dairyman.
Now that you have established a “master notebook system” for your milking parlor as I suggested earlier this year, let’s identify key design and maintenance issues you should track. Remember, the goal for your parlor should be to consistently, quickly, comfortably and completely milk every cow.
Just like our trucks and tractors, milking equipment requires regular service to ensure it operates optimally and safeguards the health of the herd. There are many benefits associated with a proactive approach to scheduled service in the milking parlor.
The payback associated with a scheduled service program can be seen in the form of increased production and less downtime due to unplanned interruptions in the milking process.
Most people consider searching Craigslist for a bike, couch or even a roommate. Not many can claim that an advertisement on this website is how they began a career as a manager for a 500-cow robot-milking herd.
Milking equipment that is installed properly and functioning at its best is a key part of optimizing milk quality, cow comfort and facility efficiency. In the following paragraphs, I will be offering some tips regarding the installation, operation and maintenance of milking equipment based on my observations over the last 25 years serving dairy producers.
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