Capture dairy’s opportunities

FROM dairyeditor’s BLOG • May 27, 2009

My positive message

My biggest positive message to my customers has been to maintain perspective and try to keep positive. I have told them that cutting some costs is prudent, but that each one needs to be evaluated. During good times, producers begin programs that they believe to be effective. If they are effective and profitable during good times, most will be that way during bad times. Evaluate all you do based on that outlook and it will help you eliminate those things that are just costs from those things that are calculated, established programs that were implemented to increase cash flow and profitability.

Kevin Fennell
Walco International Animal Health

Forward-thinking

Visiting with a very forward-thinking dairy producer, I learned a few things he has not cut back on:

1. DHI
2. Dairy nutritionist
3. Veterinarian service
4. Milking equipment dealer service

Barry Steevens
University of Missouri

Reduce on-farm shrink

Critically assess the values of feed additives, reduce on-farm shrink, minimize the overfeeding of cows, feed more forage and bring more attention to cow comfort and longevity. These are the key areas.

More and more dairies are moving away from one-group diets to multiple groups. This will, in most cases, reduce shrink (adding a larger package to the TMR … multiple small packages increase shrink) and being able to target much closer to the actual production of the group.

Doug Waterman
Shur Gain