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Since my last editorial on supply management was published, I’ve received a few emails and phone calls about it, and it became apparent that my message might not have been clear.
Raising replacement heifers is one of the most costly aspects of a dairy farm. Heifers don’t bring a return for two years or more until they enter the milking string.
When removing manure from a storage pit, it typically must be agitated to minimize solids accumulation and create a uniform fertilizer for field application. However, the act of agitation can destroy certain storage liners if its features aren’t taken into consideration.
Since they aren’t making money in the milking string, dry cows can be overlooked on a dairy farm. Yet good dry cow care leads to better performance after they calve.
On a pleasant day in March, I arrived in Red Deer, Alberta, for the annual Western Canadian Dairy Seminars. It is always a week where I know I am going to learn something, but heading in I don’t usually know what exactly it will be.
Since learning by doing is one of the best ways to commit something to memory, students at Lakeland College, Vermilion, Alberta, will forever remember the things they’ve learned in their two-year animal science program.
People naturally put a lot of weight in a first impression. The orientation program (or lack thereof) will leave a lasting mark on your new employee and the time they are with your dairy.
Not only do farm accidents have a direct impact in the physical and emotional toll on the individuals involved but also an indirect effect in a loss of profits for the farm business.
Mary Bauer, a compliance assistance specialist for the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), posed the question, “Do you have a good safety program or are you just lucky?”
There is a lot to think about when hiring an employee, including recruiting, interviewing, checking references and selecting the right individual. Don’t let those efforts go to waste by not following through as they are welcomed into the farm.
Even though there has been variation within the marketplace, the overall value of milk components has risen in the past decade. Milk fat and protein are the principal drivers of prices paid to dairy producers. Plus, research shows greater net income from a 5 percent increase in milk fat or protein versus a 5 percent increase in milk yield.
