Planning For Success in Canada

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "Planning For Success in Canada"

Transcription

1 Cess Haanstra Greiden Farms Ltd. R.R. # 2 St. Marys, Ontario N4X 1C5, Canada Phone: haanstra@quadro.net Planning For Success in Canada History: It is a pleasure to talk to you about my business, the dairy industry, which I started in 1972 in Holland after I graduated from Agriculture College. My parents had a small farm in the Southern part of Holland and in 1970 they had a chance to move to the Flevopolder, a new area in Holland, land reclaimed out the sea. The farm of 40 hectares was a mixed farm cash crop with dairy cows. Since 1978 we farmed in a partnership with my parents, and my brother. In 1973 I traveled to the USA and Canada with 2 friends and since then I was convinced that there were more opportunities for farming in another part of the world. But since we were building up a new farm at home, which was a challenge too I kept building up my future in Holland, married Hinny, my wife for almost 29 years now and started a family. In 1983 the quota system got introduced and since we were milking 160 cows it gave us a start of 1.4 million liters milk. After that time we got a few quota cuts. In 1985 my parents retired and we took over the home farm. I bought my parents as well as my brother out, who started a cash crop farm at his parents in law. We bought more land in Holland but the thought of farming overseas was always in the back of my mind. With all the rules and regulations in Holland, the unhealthy tax environment, very high tax rate, lots of regulations for manure mineral balance, building permits, restrictions for expanding, high quota and land prices it made it for us easier to decide to relocate. Our first intentions was the States, because there was no quota system, had a free market, and was easy to expand the farm. We traveled quite a few times back and forth to the States and also to Canada and found an area in Canada with lots of opportunities to grow and to raise our family in a way we wanted. The biggest reason we chose Canada was social life and social security. In October 1991 we sold our farm in Holland with 120 cows and litre production and on January 9, 1992 we moved to Canada with our family of 4: 3 boys and a girl, then 7, 5,3, and 1 year old and a dog of 5 years. In the area of St. Marys, between Stratford and London we started from scratch, building everything on a nice open space with lots of opportunities to grow. 131

2 On 200 acres bare land we built a house, shop, bunker silos, free stall barn with milking parlor, holding area and a second barn for calves, close up cows and calving pens. We started with liters of milk and 110 cows incl. Dry cows. In those first years, when the facilities were not full, we were raising heifers for other dairy farms and did custom work., so that gave some extra cash flow., which is very important We focused more on buying quota than on buying land. Milk quota cash flows better than buying land. It was not too hard to rent land in our area. During the years we started growing to maximize the facilities with milking 2x and a production of 35/36 liter average and 12 hours intervals. It was time to start milking 3x. We got a response of 11 till 12 percent, that means 3-4 liters more per cow per day, and it is a lot better for the cows udder health. So we got a very good return on time and extra expenses. We added on to the buildings a couple times,.and during the years we were able to buy neighbors land. Farm Details: The key to a successful business is to start with maximizing your return on investment, no matter where in the world you milk cows. We farm 1200 acres, we own 600 and rent about another 600 acres. We own 550 kg quota, and milk 430 cows. There are about 500 milking cows including dry cows. We work with 5 full time employees and 4 part timers for the night milking. The milk times are at 4 am, pm and 8 pm. We do a bit of custom work. The field work, except the combining and baling, is done by ourselves. Most of the repair work is taken care of by us as well. Hoof trimming and 60% of the breeding is done by us. You will find me mostly at the hoof trim box so I can keep a close eye to all the activities in the barn. Farming Theory: I am convinced that high production is the key of low cost, spreading it out over more liters, even when the cost per cow is a little bit higher, it ends up being low on a per liter basis. It is not what you pay a good man per hour what counts, it is what he or she cost per liter of milk shipped. High production per cow starts with good genetics. We have 2 mating programs: Select Sires and Genervations. It is a recommendation for what we use for breeding. I look at good production, using a high milk bull, not giving up on other traits. Then combine type, feet and legs, udder and size. The dry-cow vaccination is administered by spread shots: a 3x vaccination with J5 for E-coli and mastitis, 1x for Corona and Corota virus and 1x with Bovishield four for BVD and IBR. All cows after 46 days freshen, will be started up on pre-ovsynch, followed by heifers natural in heat breeding program. Good high productive cows will be bred many times or we will use our own bull. Culling cows depends on how good she is with feet and legs, udder and production. We will cull cows when they produce less than 15/16 liters milk per day, depends on filling quota or incentives. 132

3 DHI is important for us by supplying information of individual cell counts, blood level urea, production etc. that we need for the breeding program. Classifying cows is also important for herd improvement. Field Crops The most important factor of how to get high milk production with good components and keep healthy cows, is the excellent quality of forage.it starts with good land, good varieties of hay- lage, silage, good yields, good digestion of crop and good equipment to harvest on time. Have your equipment ready to go when it is the right time to harvest, keep a good eye on the weather forecast, have enough capacity as well as men and machines when you want to start harvesting. We grow special corn silage varieties, the leafy ones with high digestion and high yields. Alfalfa crops that we grow is 90% with 10% added English rye grass (1 lbs/acre). We store the feed in 6 bunker silos, 5 bunks are 150 feet long and 25 feet wide and a wall of 10 feet. We push up the feed to about 16 feet high. One bunk specific for corn silage is 150 feet long and 45 feet wide and 10 feet high walls. Harvesting hay is done with a 16 foot disc mower with rubber conditioning rolls. This is picked up with a pull type harvester, rated up to 300 horsepower, there is a high dump behind the harvester. 1 or 2 dump wagons will pick the loads up and transport crops from the fields to the silos. We pack the hay with a 160 horsepower JD loader and sometimes need the help from a JD7520 tractor loader with duels. The corn silage is harvested with a 3 row corn head and transported and packed the same way as haylage harvesting is done. High moisture corn is stored in a Harvestore upright silo and in a bunk silo.we use preservatives on all forages and high moisture corn. Cow Comfort We built a 4 row dairy barn with 10 foot curtains on the side and a center feed alley, with all head locks. We use a manure scraper system on a solid floor and 3 dump pits. All floors and crossovers are grooved. The stalls are mushroom- style - free stalls with a canvas belt as a neck bar, which give some extra room when cows get up. The cows lay in a full pack of dry killed sawdust, no shavings, with a 2x6 bedding saver board behind the cows to keep the sawdust in the stalls. We add lime 4 times a week and we scrape the stalls clean every milking when the cows have to go to the holding area. We think bedding cleanness is very important, as well as the bedding for cows to lay down in. The manure scraper has to run 10 times in 24 hours. The small amounts of manure in front of scrapers keeps cows cleaner, easier for the milkers and less mastitis. We feed once per day in the morning, and we will push up the feed 5 /6 times per day. We group the cows in 4 different groups. In the back of the barn is a feed room and commodity shed. The holding area and milking parlor are attached to the barns. The dry cows are housed in a 2 row free stall barn with slatted floors We keep 133

4 them in 2 groups, the dry off and the close up group. They have the same stalls and bedding but a slatted floor with manure pit underneath. There is a calving area in a straw pack and the just born calves are housed in small calf pens for 2-3 days and will then be moved to the barn with the hutches. The calves are raised in hutches inside a calf barn. There are 60 hutches, with curtains on the sidewalls. The hutches stand on a sand bed. We put straw in first and after that sawdust. In the winter time we keep them on straw. The calves will be fed milk in pails with a nipple and they get hay and dry feed and water in the hutches. At 2 ½ months old they are taken off the milk, they will go to a barn with all straw pens and a feed gate. At 4 months they will move to the slatted floors with free stalls. The heifers are raised on rubber mats with saw dust on top, also mushroom stalls and slatted floors. Milking: 2x10 herringbone rapid exit milk metering automatic takeoff Boumatic system. Rubber flooring in the parlor and 1/3 in the holding area, 2/3rd of the holding area is a slatted floor. 1 person milks, with a capacity of cows per hour. We have daily pick up, and our tank holds about liters milk. Since we repair mostly ourselves, we have a workshop. There is an implement shed with a storage built for chopped straw, 2 small silos for brewers grain (size 15x40) and across the road a hay shed. Labour It is very important is to work with good motivated people, who all have an interest in their jobs. If we have to have a new employee we put an ad in the paper, invite them for an interview and a farm tour. I will explain the job, the expectations, the working hours, and the salary. Mostly I will train them myself.,i will tell them what to do and how to do it and explain why we do it a certain way. If they do a good job we will let then know, and make them feel important in the business and reward them with a good salary. It is important to thank them for the good job and their interest in our business and always take time if they have questions or concerns. Supply management It is a great system and a good thing to have. If you want to milk cows in Canada you got to have this system. It brings organized marketing and reliability. The negative point is the high debt, caused by the high quota prices. For young farmers it is very hard to get into the dairy business and it slows down the expansions too. You need to manage debt. It is best if the debt is kept under the $2,00 per liter. This number is meant for a farm that has lots of assets, like land. If you have a small land base and you have to buy a lot of feed or you do not have machinery, so you will have high custom expenses than $1,50 /$1,65 is more realistic. The milk prices need to be more sensitive to markets. We need to keep the imports out by perhaps taking a few cents less on the blend price. This would do more good in 134

5 growing the market and it will take the pressure off quota demand.that means a lower quota price. It would create more security for the future. My opinion is that DFO or DFC should sit more down with processors and talk about marketing.. We have a good system but we have to watch how to handle it in the near future, before we loose it. I think we have to step down a bit. We live and farm in good country with lots of opportunities, good climate to milk cows, good land to grow good crops a good infra structure. The industry is still profitable, but definitely less interesting than it was with lower return on investment. I am still growing the business and buying quota as needed, but there are economies of scale and what I am achieving now makes me think the opportunities to increase efficiency further are running out. The parlor is running 5 ½ hours per milking 3x, so there is almost no more milking time available. The Future: Shift time for one milking also works well from a labour stand point. Because of growing energy costs (to protect the dairy from this threat) and also to diversify and invest capital in something which will likely have a good return on investment, I am looking into a wind tribune. Little ones do not pay because they are not efficient enough. I am not interested in digesters because I do not see manure odour as a big issue on my farmstead and I see much more management and more maintenance and less net return for a digester than for a wind tribune. Robotic milking as a way to reduce the biggest piece of dairy farm labour interests me, but there are too many questions remaining for me to risk switching to robotic milking on this large dairy. I plan to keep an eye on other large dairies trying this and might start a smaller herd down the road to gain experience with robotic milking. With two sons interested in farming, I would like to set up a second dairy down the road or somewhere else. It will be a big challenge to set up and split up the farm in the right way for the next generation. Now is the time to think and talk about the future. I am convinced that Canada is one of the best countries to live and to raise a family and to milk cows. Besides running the business and my family life, I found some time to be active in the dairy industry as well. For 5 years I am a member of the Oxford Milk Committee and since this past December I am a delegate member of Zone 2 of Gea Lea Foods. Every month we as dairy farmers have a study club to go to with a variety of speakers and I am active in this committee as well. Last but not least I like to go on holidays too, either traveling around in different parts of the world or enjoying the sun on the beach in the winter months with my family. 135

Seinäjoki seminars, January 2015

Seinäjoki seminars, January 2015 How we manage a low milk price & RMS (recycled manure solids) on our farm Seinäjoki seminars, 29 30 January 2015 Paula Pönniäinen Äspetorp Stjärnhov Sweden www.aspetorp.se 1 Contents Situation in Sweden

More information

Other Unique Components

Other Unique Components Other Unique Components Situation Overview: A. Please detail additional areas that were part of the farm s project. As part of the project, we needed to approximately double our herd size. We were blessed

More information

Dairy Farms: Where Cows Come First

Dairy Farms: Where Cows Come First Dairy Farms: Where Cows Come First TM A Foundation of Respect Remember when milk came to the doorstep by way of the milk man? Our lives are dramatically different these days, and so are America s dairy

More information

More Feed = More Milk. Dry Matter Intake Used To Express Feed. Intake ASC-135. Donna M. Amaral-Phillips, Roger W. Hemken, and William L.

More Feed = More Milk. Dry Matter Intake Used To Express Feed. Intake ASC-135. Donna M. Amaral-Phillips, Roger W. Hemken, and William L. More Feed = ASC-135 More Donna M. Amaral-Phillips, Roger W. Hemken, and William L. Crist Feed intake governs the amount of each nutrient a cow receives and the amount of milk she can potentially produce.

More information

PROJECTING CASH FLOWS ON DAIRY FARMS

PROJECTING CASH FLOWS ON DAIRY FARMS January 2002 E.B. 2002-04 PROJECTING CASH FLOWS ON DAIRY FARMS By Eddy L. LaDue Agricultural Finance and Management at Cornell Cornell Program on Agricultural and Small Business Finance Department of Applied

More information

Quality, Care, Comfort

Quality, Care, Comfort Quality, Care, Comfort Today s California Dairies 3800 Cornucopia Way, Suite D Modesto, CA 95358 800-871-3444 Care of Dairy Cows in California The California dairy industry is committed to producing the

More information

This time the article about Light. Author:

This time the article about Light. Author: This is a series of 7 articles about CowSignals to improve health production and welfare of your cows. Content 7 articles: feed, water, light, air, rest, space and health. This time the article about Light.

More information

This guide examines the financial feasibility of

This guide examines the financial feasibility of AGRICULTURE Converting an Existing Dairy to the Missouri 75-Cow Grazing Dairy Model This guide examines the financial feasibility of creating a new Missouri grass-based dairy by converting an existing

More information

EC Estimating the Most Profitable Use of Center-Pivot Irrigation for a Ranch

EC Estimating the Most Profitable Use of Center-Pivot Irrigation for a Ranch University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Historical Materials from University of Nebraska- Lincoln Extension Extension 1974 EC74-861 Estimating the Most Profitable

More information

MARKETING QUALITY HAY

MARKETING QUALITY HAY MARKETING QUALITY HAY Tom Keene Hay Marketing Specialist University of Kentucky When marketing quality alfalfa hay, you basically have two markets that you are going to try to target. First, you are going

More information

Summary of Manure Handling Systems in the Context of Hullcar

Summary of Manure Handling Systems in the Context of Hullcar Summary of Manure Handling Systems in the Context of Hullcar A part of the Hullcar Situation Review Nutrient Management Practices - Technical Report October 2017 File No. 631.700-6 Prepared for: POLIS

More information

Your Dairy In Transition

Your Dairy In Transition Your Dairy In Transition Ag. Eng. 123SR942 A.R.M.E. E.B. 94-19 Animal Science Mimeo #177 A Planning Process for. Considering Dairy Farm Expansion * Appendix * Worksheets for Analyzing and Planning Your

More information

Selecting a Beef System by Pearse Kelly

Selecting a Beef System by Pearse Kelly Section 3 23 16 Selecting a Beef System by Pearse Kelly Introduction If the aim is to maximise profits per hectare, it is important to have as few systems as possible, know the targets achievable for them,

More information

FARMFEED LIMITED. Adding value to Zambian crops through livestock SOME OF THE BASICS FOR DAIRY FARMING IN ZAMBIA

FARMFEED LIMITED. Adding value to Zambian crops through livestock SOME OF THE BASICS FOR DAIRY FARMING IN ZAMBIA FARMFEED LIMITED (IN ASSOCIATION WITH SPESFEED (PTY) LTD) POSTNET BOX 442 P/BAG E891 Adding value to Zambian crops through livestock LUSAKA ZAMBIA 0211 240314 /244111 Peter.farmfeed@gmail.com SOME OF THE

More information

FARM VISIT : Vincent Besse s herd

FARM VISIT : Vincent Besse s herd FARM VISIT : Vincent Besse s herd Mixed beefy type, docility and calving ease June 2015 Ø Let s go back to the history of the herd We have been breeders for several generations, so it is quite a long story

More information

Robotic Milking: What Producers Have Learned Jim Salfer and Marcia Endres UM Extension University of Minnesota

Robotic Milking: What Producers Have Learned Jim Salfer and Marcia Endres UM Extension University of Minnesota Robotic Milking: What Producers Have Learned Jim Salfer and Marcia Endres UM Extension University of Minnesota salfe001@umn.edu Introduction: Although relatively uncommon in the United States, worldwide

More information

Achieving Excellence in Dairying. Central Sands Dairy. Dr. Gordie Jones. Location: Wisconsin Golden Sands Area

Achieving Excellence in Dairying. Central Sands Dairy. Dr. Gordie Jones. Location: Wisconsin Golden Sands Area Achieving Excellence in Dairying Central Sands Dairy Moving from 75 to 95# Dr. Gordie Jones Partner Central Sands Dairy, LLC. Dr. Gordie Jones Partner Central Sands Dairy, LLC. Dr. Gordie Jones 15 years

More information

Business Plan. Improved production Supplies/cow. Increase sales of dairy cattle EBIT/cow

Business Plan. Improved production Supplies/cow. Increase sales of dairy cattle EBIT/cow Business Plan Situation Overview: A. Why did the farm need a business plan? The business plan process started for the farm in 2007 after evaluating if there was a future in the dairy industry for our family

More information

CONTRACT FEED PRODUCTION ARRANGEMENTS

CONTRACT FEED PRODUCTION ARRANGEMENTS CONTRACT FEED PRODUCTION ARRANGEMENTS Joe Stellato Crops and Soils Agent Shawano County UW-Extension Introduction Economic necessity and a desire to manage risk are causing many Wisconsin farm operators

More information

2008 Wisconsin Dairy Modernization Survey M.W. Mayer and D.W. Kammel 1

2008 Wisconsin Dairy Modernization Survey M.W. Mayer and D.W. Kammel 1 2008 Wisconsin Dairy Modernization Survey M.W. Mayer and D.W. Kammel 1 Abstract A survey was conducted on 99 Wisconsin dairy farms representing 30 counties that had recently modernized their dairy facilities.

More information

Keeping Your Herd Profitable in Today s Economic Environment

Keeping Your Herd Profitable in Today s Economic Environment Dairy Keeping Your Herd Profitable in Today s Economic Environment Jim Salfer, University of Minnesota Extension, salfe001@umn.edu TAKE HOME MESSAGES Maximize income over feed cost. Examine feed costs

More information

A Study into Dairy Profitability MSC Business Services during

A Study into Dairy Profitability MSC Business Services during A Study into Dairy Profitability MSC Business Services during 2006-2009 July 2010 Authors: Michael Evanish, Manager Wayne Brubaker, Consultant Lee Wenger, Consultant Page 1 of 43 Page 2 of 43 Index Part

More information

FARM FACT SHEET. Name:

FARM FACT SHEET. Name: FARM FACT SHEET Use whatever is appropriate from the list below to create a farm fact sheet. It can be distributed on farm tours and also to neighbors and community members. Your fact sheet does not have

More information

The Ins And Outs Of Commodity Feeding

The Ins And Outs Of Commodity Feeding The Ins And Outs Of Commodity Feeding Michael J. Gamroth Extension Dairy Specialist Oregon State University 1993 WESTERN LARGE HERD MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE LAS VEGAS NEVADA 207 The Ins And Outs Of Commodity

More information

Internal Herd Growth Generating Profits through Management

Internal Herd Growth Generating Profits through Management Internal Herd Growth Generating Profits through Management What is Internal Herd Growth Generating more dairy replacements than you need to maintain herd size. Interaction of two components: How many replacements

More information

Introduction BEEF 140

Introduction BEEF 140 Beef Cattle Introduction Markets and price drivers Recent years have seen greater volatility in the market. Reasons range from the effective closure of the EU beef intervention scheme, the horsemeat scare,

More information

Success Factors for Robotic Milking

Success Factors for Robotic Milking Success Factors for ic Milking Jack Rodenburg My son is a Lely dealer, West Coast ics, in British Columbia My daughter is a small dairy farmer in Ontario and milks with a Lely robot 1 ic Milking Worldwide

More information

2013 Dairy Farm Labour and Calf Management Survey

2013 Dairy Farm Labour and Calf Management Survey 2013 Dairy Farm Labour and Calf Management Survey In early 2013, the Progressive Dairy Operators surveyed members about the labour required to operate their farm, and the wages paid to employees. In a

More information

Managing Dairy Heifers Profitably in a Pasture System Denis Turner Turner s Heifer Haven Hartville, Missouri

Managing Dairy Heifers Profitably in a Pasture System Denis Turner Turner s Heifer Haven Hartville, Missouri Managing Dairy Heifers Profitably in a Pasture System Denis Turner Turner s Heifer Haven Hartville, Missouri General Information Management Intensive Grazing since 1994 600+ Dairy Heifers 40% Fescue/40%

More information

2/9/2015. Meadow Spring Farm PA DAIRY SUMMIT 2015 ANDREW AND THOMAS BOLLINGER. History FROM 1940 TO NOW

2/9/2015. Meadow Spring Farm PA DAIRY SUMMIT 2015 ANDREW AND THOMAS BOLLINGER. History FROM 1940 TO NOW Meadow Spring Farm PA DAIRY SUMMIT 2015 ANDREW AND THOMAS BOLLINGER FROM 1940 TO NOW 1 First Farm Photo 1948 Meadow Spring Farm 1962 2 The farm was first purchased in 1940 by Christian Bollinger Abram

More information

An Economic Comparison of Organic and Conventional Dairy Production, and Estimations on the Cost of Transitioning to Organic Production

An Economic Comparison of Organic and Conventional Dairy Production, and Estimations on the Cost of Transitioning to Organic Production An Economic Comparison of Organic and Conventional Dairy Production, and Estimations on the Cost of Transitioning to Organic Production Produced by: the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont

More information

Fall Calving in North Dakota By Brian Kreft

Fall Calving in North Dakota By Brian Kreft Fall Calving in North Dakota By Brian Kreft A fall calving herd was established at CGRC in the fall of 1992 to gather a data base to determine the economics of fall calving in North Dakota. North Dakota

More information

Custom Grazing. Lessons Learned

Custom Grazing. Lessons Learned Custom Grazing Lessons Learned It Must Work For Both Parties Manage them like you own them. If they look sick, doctor them. High quality water. Solid drinking pads, no mud. Finding Cattle Ads in farm

More information

I am the Clog. The Clog is a farmer. A really nice farmer. But with a farmer s accent. EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL POLICY GROUP 7 8

I am the Clog. The Clog is a farmer. A really nice farmer. But with a farmer s accent. EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL POLICY GROUP 7 8 I am the Clog The Clog is a farmer. A really nice farmer. But with a farmer s accent. Produced by This story is part of the European Story Suitcase. So! Good morning or good afternoon, what is it? I need

More information

Reproductive Management of Commercial Beef Cows. Ted G. Dyer, Extension Animal Scientist

Reproductive Management of Commercial Beef Cows. Ted G. Dyer, Extension Animal Scientist Reproductive Management of Commercial Beef Cows Ted G. Dyer, Extension Animal Scientist Reproductive efficiency has long been recognized as the most important aspect of commercial beef production. If only

More information

Transforming a Milking Parlor at Low Cost Developing Dairy in Iowa

Transforming a Milking Parlor at Low Cost Developing Dairy in Iowa AS 654 ASL R2314 2008 Transforming a Milking Parlor at Low Cost Developing Dairy in Iowa Larry Tranel Iowa State University Recommended Citation Tranel, Larry (2008) "Transforming a Milking Parlor at Low

More information

Redtail Ridge Dairy, LLC Joe & Diane Thome Malone, Wisconsin, USA

Redtail Ridge Dairy, LLC Joe & Diane Thome Malone, Wisconsin, USA Redtail Ridge Dairy, LLC Joe & Diane Thome Malone, Wisconsin, USA 1963 Mother & Father bought the farm 1 ½ years old 2 nd oldest of 9 kids 26 cows 98 acres (40 hectares) 1982 Joe & Diane married Purchased

More information

Cow Comfort and Cooling. Joseph M. (Joe) Zulovich, Ph.D., P.E. Extension Agricultural Engineer University of Missouri

Cow Comfort and Cooling. Joseph M. (Joe) Zulovich, Ph.D., P.E. Extension Agricultural Engineer University of Missouri Cow Comfort and Cooling Joseph M. (Joe) Zulovich, Ph.D., P.E. Extension Agricultural Engineer University of Missouri Keys for Cow Comfort Adequate feed access Adequate water access Clean, dry, comfortable

More information

Drought-Stressed Corn Silage for Beef Cows

Drought-Stressed Corn Silage for Beef Cows Volume 17, Number 11 November 2011 Drought-Stressed Corn Silage for Beef Cows Due to the summer drought, many producers chopped drought-stressed corn for silage. Corn silage from drought-stressed corn

More information

Robotic milking technology. making successful decisions

Robotic milking technology. making successful decisions Robotic milking technology making successful decisions 2 Introduction Changing your milking system to robotic technology requires careful evaluation based on several factors: cost, annual running costs,

More information

Business Planning and Economics of Forage Establishment and Cost of Production in Nova Scotia

Business Planning and Economics of Forage Establishment and Cost of Production in Nova Scotia Business Planning and Economics of Forage Establishment and Cost of Production in Nova Scotia Prepared by: Christina Jones, Economist, Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture Although care has been taken

More information

Recent Labor Trends DFBS* Same 136 Farms,

Recent Labor Trends DFBS* Same 136 Farms, Rising Labor Costs: Strategies and Approaches Jason Karszes Senior Extension Associate, Dairy Farm Management PRO DAIRY, Department of Animal Science College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Cornell

More information

HRM and Dairy. Research Questions. Purpose of the Study. Dependent Variable. Explanatory Variables

HRM and Dairy. Research Questions. Purpose of the Study. Dependent Variable. Explanatory Variables HRM and Dairy Managing for Commitment: How Human Resource Management Practices Affect Dairy Employee Attitudes Richard Stup, Ph.D. AgChoice Farm Credit Popular press is filled with articles, information,

More information

-54- ALFALFA PRODUCTION AND MARKETING - Reeves, Alfred and Gene Davie Alfalfa Producers, Pennyroyal Alfalfa Company, Hopkinsville

-54- ALFALFA PRODUCTION AND MARKETING - Reeves, Alfred and Gene Davie Alfalfa Producers, Pennyroyal Alfalfa Company, Hopkinsville ALFALFA PRODUCTION AND MARKETING - Producer Story Reeves, Alfred and Gene Davie Alfalfa Producers, Pennyroyal Alfalfa Company, Hopkinsville Mr. Reeves Davie -54- Our decision to plant a hundred acres of

More information

The Effective Fibre Source for Livestock

The Effective Fibre Source for Livestock Australian oaten hay The Effective Fibre Source for Livestock Inside: Oaten Hay 2-5 Feed Analysis 5 Story 6 How Oat Hay is produced 6 Bale Sizes 7 Contact Details 8 Oaten Hay (Avena Sativa) is an annual

More information

Virginia Tech Dairy 2015

Virginia Tech Dairy 2015 VT DAIRY CENTER 2015 Virginia Tech Dairy 2015 Relocation of the VT Dairy Why???? Why? Current facility was completed in 2005 A bit of history Long convoluted political process Vetoed by Governor Gilmore

More information

BARNS!! are they worth it?

BARNS!! are they worth it? 1 BARNS!! are they worth it? Putting in a barn is a big decision, it s a big building, a big project, with a big price tag. It needs to be thoroughly discussed by everyone on the farm. Step 1. Why do I

More information

Livestock Enterprise. Budgets for Iowa 2017 File B1-21. Ag Decision Maker

Livestock Enterprise. Budgets for Iowa 2017 File B1-21. Ag Decision Maker Livestock Enterprise Ag Decision Maker Budgets for Iowa 2017 File B1-21 This publication contains estimates of production costs for common livestock enterprises in Iowa. Estimates are intended to reflect

More information

Economic, Productive & Financial Performance Of Alberta Cow/Calf Operations

Economic, Productive & Financial Performance Of Alberta Cow/Calf Operations Benchmarks for Cattlemen Economics & Competitiveness Economic, Productive & Financial Performance Of Cow/Calf Operations Southern Fescue land, Mixed land & Moist Mixed land Production Year - 2002 Jan.

More information

Determining Your Unit Costs of Producing A Hundred Weight of Calf

Determining Your Unit Costs of Producing A Hundred Weight of Calf Managing for Today s Cattle Market and Beyond Determining Your Unit Costs of Producing A Hundred Weight of Calf By Harlan Hughes North Dakota State University Unit Costs of Production Astute beef cow producers

More information

2007 PLANNING BUDGETS FOR DAIRY PRODUCTION IN MISSISSIPPI COSTS AND RETURNS. 112 and 250 COW DAIRY ENTERPRISES LARGE BREED CATTLE MISSISSIPPI, 2007

2007 PLANNING BUDGETS FOR DAIRY PRODUCTION IN MISSISSIPPI COSTS AND RETURNS. 112 and 250 COW DAIRY ENTERPRISES LARGE BREED CATTLE MISSISSIPPI, 2007 2007 PLANNING BUDGETS FOR DAIRY PRODUCTION IN MISSISSIPPI COSTS AND RETURNS 112 and 250 COW DAIRY ENTERPRISES LARGE BREED CATTLE MISSISSIPPI, 2007 MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICE MISSISSIPPI

More information

Lely Vector automatic feeding system flexible, fresh feeding

Lely Vector automatic feeding system flexible, fresh feeding Lely Vector automatic feeding system flexible, fresh feeding Efficient high quality milk production largely depends on the way you can feed the concept that can take care of this and will do even more;

More information

Selection and Development of Heifers

Selection and Development of Heifers Selection and Development of Heifers Bob Sand Animal Science Department University of Florida, Gainesville Introduction One of the most expensive phases of the production cycle is the development of replacement

More information

Brown Cattle Company

Brown Cattle Company Brown Cattle Company A Case Study of a Cow/Calf Business Plan Jay Parsons, Agricultural Economist Figure 1. 1 Table of Contents Executive summary 3 Business organization 3 History and overview of operation

More information

Stray Voltage and Robotic Milking

Stray Voltage and Robotic Milking Stray Voltage and Robotic Milking Jack Rodenburg, DairyLogix email jack@dairylogix.com, phone 519-467-5294 Having studied stray voltage extensively during the 1980 s I am somewhat skeptical about the real

More information

2011 STATE FFA FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEST PART 2. Financial Statements (FINPACK Balance Sheets found in the resource information)

2011 STATE FFA FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEST PART 2. Financial Statements (FINPACK Balance Sheets found in the resource information) 2011 STATE FFA FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEST PART 2 Financial Statements (FINPACK Balance Sheets found in the resource information) Please use the Market Value when making the calculations for the Zimmerman

More information

Industry Presentation The New Era of Herd Management with Today s Lower Cost Identification Systems

Industry Presentation The New Era of Herd Management with Today s Lower Cost Identification Systems The New Era of Herd Management with Today s Lower Cost Identification Systems Robert H. West WestfaliaSurge, Inc. Naperville, Illinois Identification, Software and Technology Help Large Herd Managers Retain

More information

The automatic feed system. The economic and tough solution for animal-friendly feeding

The automatic feed system. The economic and tough solution for animal-friendly feeding The automatic feed system The economic and tough solution for animal-friendly feeding feedstar Overview feedstar is the economic, flexible system for automatic feeding. The feedstar belt automatically

More information

The State of The Art And Future Innovations in Hay Harvesting Equipment Joseph L. Weicksel1

The State of The Art And Future Innovations in Hay Harvesting Equipment Joseph L. Weicksel1 The State of The Art And Future Innovations in Hay Harvesting Equipment Joseph L. Weicksel1 Since ancient times, forage crops have served as a marvelous and valuable source of feed and nutrients for animals

More information

Dairy Labour and Milking System Survey 2016

Dairy Labour and Milking System Survey 2016 Dairy Labour and Milking System Survey 2016 A summary of the results Surveys were sent to PDO producer members early 2016. Survey replies were received from 160 farms. The average farm milked 160.3 cows,

More information

Managing For Today s Cattle Market And Beyond: A Comparative Analysis Of ND - Demo Cow Herd To North Dakota Database

Managing For Today s Cattle Market And Beyond: A Comparative Analysis Of ND - Demo Cow Herd To North Dakota Database Managing For Today s Cattle Market And Beyond: A Comparative Analysis Of ND - Demo - 160 Cow Herd To North Dakota Database By Harlan Hughes Extension Livestock Economist Dept of Agricultural Economics

More information

Dairy Freestall & Parlor Planning Guide

Dairy Freestall & Parlor Planning Guide Dairy Freestall & Parlor Planning Guide LESTERBUILDINGS.COM 800-826-4439 Overview Overall Dairy Considerations 1 Overview Expansion of a dairy operation requires much thought and planning. As with anything

More information

How we feed our beef

How we feed our beef The particulars of our grass fed Beef We are really excited to be able to offer grass fed beef to all of you. We have a very nice herd of registered Red Angus cattle roaming our 60 acres of certified organic

More information

Managing For Today s Cattle Market And Beyond A Comparative Analysis Of Demo Herd 1997 Herd To McKenzie County Database

Managing For Today s Cattle Market And Beyond A Comparative Analysis Of Demo Herd 1997 Herd To McKenzie County Database Managing For Today s Cattle Market And Beyond A Comparative Analysis Of Demo Herd 1997 Herd To McKenzie County Database By Harlan Hughes Extension Livestock Economist Dept of Agricultural Economics North

More information

Forage and Grain Programs for Dairy Farms with Varying Cow-Land Ratios

Forage and Grain Programs for Dairy Farms with Varying Cow-Land Ratios NEW YORK'S FOOD AND LIFE SCIENCES BULLETIN NO. 27 February 1973 CORNELL UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES, A STATUTORY COLLEGE OF THE STATE

More information

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY UNIFIED AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT OFFICE MEMO

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY UNIFIED AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT OFFICE MEMO DATE: April 12, 2006 SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY UNIFIED AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT OFFICE MEMO TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Permit Services Staff Sheraz Gill Dairy and Feedlot PM 10 Emissions Factors Purpose: The purpose

More information

Dairy farming in the Czech Republic

Dairy farming in the Czech Republic Dairy farming in the Czech Republic A key to efficient farm management? Focus on details! The EDF Congress 2017 was held in Prague from 27 th to 29 th June. Czech EDF members invited members, partners

More information

STRATEGIES FOR A PROFITABLE AND COMPETITIVE SHEEP PRODUCTION SYSTEM

STRATEGIES FOR A PROFITABLE AND COMPETITIVE SHEEP PRODUCTION SYSTEM STRATEGIES FOR A PROFITABLE AND COMPETITIVE SHEEP PRODUCTION SYSTEM Thomas K. Cadwallader UWEX Livestock Agent Lincoln, Langlade and Marathon Counties Merrill, Wisconsin There is no one sheep production

More information

HOUSING FOR DAIRY CATTLE

HOUSING FOR DAIRY CATTLE HOUSING FOR DAIRY CATTLE An efficient management of cattle will be incomplete without a wellplanned and adequate housing of cattle. Improper planning in the arrangement of animal housing may result in

More information

Managing the Milking Parlor on Economic Consideration of Profitability

Managing the Milking Parlor on Economic Consideration of Profitability Managing the Milking Parlor on Economic Consideration of Profitability M.J. VanBaale Natural Milk Production 1408A Hwy. 44 Suite 200 Harlan, IA 51537 712-235-4631 712-235-4630 FAX mvanbaale@wenterprises.org

More information

Chapter 7. Dairy -- Farm Management Wayne A. Knoblauch, Professor George J. Conneman, Professor Emeritus Cathryn Dymond, Extension Support Specialist

Chapter 7. Dairy -- Farm Management Wayne A. Knoblauch, Professor George J. Conneman, Professor Emeritus Cathryn Dymond, Extension Support Specialist Chapter 7. Dairy -- Farm Management Wayne A. Knoblauch, Professor George J. Conneman, Professor Emeritus Cathryn Dymond, Extension Support Specialist Herd Size Comparisons The 171 New York dairy farms

More information

NASDA Enumerator Survey Training

NASDA Enumerator Survey Training NASDA Enumerator Survey Training Prices Paid March 2017 (FEED FARMER DEALER PP) (FERT CHEM FARMER DEALER PP) (FUEL FARMER DEALER PP) (MACHINERY FARMER DEALER PP) (RETAIL SEED FARMER DEALER PP) United States

More information

2013 Ohio Farm Business Analysis

2013 Ohio Farm Business Analysis 2013 Ohio Farm Business Analysis Dairy Enterprise Analysis Summary Including Benchmark Reports For information on participating in the Ohio Farm Business Analysis program analyzing your farm s 2014 performance,

More information

TB204: Organic Milk Production in Maine: Attributes, Costs, and Returns

TB204: Organic Milk Production in Maine: Attributes, Costs, and Returns The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Technical Bulletins Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station 6-1-2010 TB204: Organic Milk Production in Maine: Attributes, Costs, and Returns Amelia

More information

Background and Assumptions

Background and Assumptions 2016 Costs and Returns Estimate. Cow-Calf Budget: 250-head Northern Idaho Summer on Private Range, Winter Feeding Necessary Ben Eborn, Jim Church and Neil Rimbey Background and Assumptions University of

More information

Custom Machinery Rates Applicable to Kentucky (2010)

Custom Machinery Rates Applicable to Kentucky (2010) Custom Machinery s Applicable to Kentucky (2010) AEC 2010-03 March 2010 These custom rates are based on reported surveys in Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Kansas. The rates calculated here

More information

Real Herds Real Heifers: The Cost of Raising Today s s Dairy Heifer

Real Herds Real Heifers: The Cost of Raising Today s s Dairy Heifer Real Herds Real Heifers: The Cost of Raising Today s s Dairy Heifer Developed & Presented by: Abby Huibregtse & Tina Kohlman UW-Extension Oconto County & Sheboygan County Dairy Calf and Heifer Association

More information

Farm Energy Audit Workshop Dairy: Phase I day 1 (8 hrs)

Farm Energy Audit Workshop Dairy: Phase I day 1 (8 hrs) Dairy: Phase I day 1 (8 hrs) I. Overview of Dairy Farm Operations and Energy Use A. Background on Farm Energy Use B. Farm Operations Milking - Stanchion Milking (Stall, Tie-stall) - Milking Parlor Housing

More information

Changing Times... The Wisconsin Dairy Industry. Herd A: The Organic Grazer. A Tale of Three Dairies

Changing Times... The Wisconsin Dairy Industry. Herd A: The Organic Grazer. A Tale of Three Dairies The Dairyland Initiative: Animal Welfare Challenges Associated with Confinement Housing of Dairy Herds Nigel B. Cook MRCVS School of Veterinary Medicine University of Wisconsin-Madison Changing Times...

More information

Kent and Linda Solberg

Kent and Linda Solberg Kent and Linda Solberg Summer 2015 Continuous Living Cover Series Kent & Linda Solberg Profile Verndale, MN July 7, 2014 When Kent & Linda Solberg moved to their farm in 2003, they found thistles and sandburs

More information

Grass-fed and Organic Beef: Production Costs and Breakeven Market Prices, 2008 and 2009

Grass-fed and Organic Beef: Production Costs and Breakeven Market Prices, 2008 and 2009 AS 658 ASL R2684 2012 Grass-fed and Organic Beef: Production Costs and Breakeven Market Prices, 2008 and 2009 Denise Schwab Iowa State University Margaret Smith Iowa State University H. Joe Sellers Iowa

More information

HOW CONTAMINATED WATER AND FEED CAN AFFECT BIOSECURITY ON FARMS. A BAMN Publication BIOSECURITY OF DAIRY FARM FEEDSTUFFS

HOW CONTAMINATED WATER AND FEED CAN AFFECT BIOSECURITY ON FARMS. A BAMN Publication BIOSECURITY OF DAIRY FARM FEEDSTUFFS A BAMN Publication BIOSECURITY OF DAIRY FARM FEEDSTUFFS This guide is published by the Bovine Alliance on Management and Nutrition (BAMN), which is composed of representatives from AABP (American Association

More information

Makin Me Dizzy Pen Moves and Facility Designs to Maximize Transition Cow Health and Productivity. Clinical and Sub- Clinical Disease Prevention = +

Makin Me Dizzy Pen Moves and Facility Designs to Maximize Transition Cow Health and Productivity. Clinical and Sub- Clinical Disease Prevention = + Makin Me Dizzy Pen Moves and Facility Designs to Maximize Transition Cow Health and Productivity Nigel B. Cook MRCVS Clinical Associate Professor in Food Animal Production Medicine University of Wisconsin-Madison

More information

BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM GUIDELINES. Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation Programme

BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM GUIDELINES. Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation Programme BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM GUIDELINES Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation Programme INTRODUCTION 03 Under 16 Month Bull Beef (Suckler) (High Concentrate) 04 Under 16 Month Bull Beef (Suckler) 06 Under

More information

Remodeling Options are Endless. Remodeling Retired Dairy Facilities for Raising Steers. The Design Process

Remodeling Options are Endless. Remodeling Retired Dairy Facilities for Raising Steers. The Design Process Remodeling Retired Dairy Facilities for Raising Steers Remodeling Options are Endless David W. Kammel BSE- UW-Madison The Design Process Develop the steer management plan Investigate and develop alternative

More information

Canadian Dairy Commission Dairy Farmers of Ontario

Canadian Dairy Commission Dairy Farmers of Ontario Annual Report 2016 A Co-operative Project of: Canadian Dairy Commission Dairy Farmers of Ontario Released June 2017 -2- ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This report is indebted to the 65 dairy producers who willingly participated

More information

Ongoing improvement on automatic milking, forage harvesting and sustainable energy production

Ongoing improvement on automatic milking, forage harvesting and sustainable energy production Ongoing improvement on automatic milking, forage harvesting and sustainable energy production by Evert Niemeijer (Lely Industries) The Netherlands 1. Introduction: Due to increasing cost of labor and energy,

More information

Breeding Great Cows... The Science and Art. Morgan Lundy. Jefferson, WI

Breeding Great Cows... The Science and Art. Morgan Lundy. Jefferson, WI Breeding Great Cows... The Science and Art Morgan Lundy Jefferson, WI The Role of Type One of the fundamental rules of biology and genetics is like begets like. Offspring resemble their parents. If you

More information

Cattle Confinement Systems

Cattle Confinement Systems Cattle Confinement Systems Why choose confinement? At Ten Corp., Inc. we understand that building a slatted cattle confinement can seem like a massive financial undertaking. While this is a somewhat true

More information

Economic, Productive & Financial Performance Of Alberta Cow/Calf Operations

Economic, Productive & Financial Performance Of Alberta Cow/Calf Operations Benchmarks for Cattlemen Economics & Competitiveness Economic, Productive & Financial Performance Of Cow/Calf Operations Comparing:, Profitability & Production Management Groupings Production Year - 1998

More information

Guidelines for Estimating. Beef Cow-Calf Production Costs 2017 in Manitoba

Guidelines for Estimating. Beef Cow-Calf Production Costs 2017 in Manitoba Guidelines for Estimating Beef Cow-Calf Production Costs 2017 in Manitoba ................................................. Guidelines For Estimating Beef Cow-Calf Production Costs Based on a 150 Head

More information

With Farm Robotics, the Cows Decide When It s Milking Time

With Farm Robotics, the Cows Decide When It s Milking Time Name: Date: Read the following article: With Farm Robotics, the Cows Decide when it s Milking Time. As you read the article, summarize each paragraph in the right hand column and make note of connections

More information

2018 BALE WRAPPERS. Prototype shown.

2018 BALE WRAPPERS. Prototype shown. 2018 BALE WRAPPERS Prototype shown. 2018 BALE WRAPPERS Protecting bales and their nutrient value helps ensure your livestock can enjoy high-quality feed throughout the year. This is especially important

More information

THE COST OF PASTURE VERSUS HAY

THE COST OF PASTURE VERSUS HAY THE COST OF PASTURE VERSUS HAY Kenny Burdine Extension Economist University of Kentucky Whenever I discuss the economics of grazing, I like to start by thinking about hay production costs. Regardless of

More information

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE August 1972 FCR-83 cooperating with New Mexico State University COSTS NOV

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE August 1972 FCR-83 cooperating with New Mexico State University COSTS NOV U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE August 1972 FCR-83 cooperating with New Mexico State University COSTS NOV 2 1872 and RETURNS FARM COSTS AND RETURNS STUDIES This report is part

More information

Kid Creek Pastures Mt. Shasta California

Kid Creek Pastures Mt. Shasta California Kid Creek Pastures Mt. Shasta California Farm Conditions 3 4 5 Kid Creek Pastures is situated on acres of irrigated pastures that are rotationally grazed 6 months out of the year. An additional 30 adjacent

More information

Bedded Pack Management System Case Study

Bedded Pack Management System Case Study September 2009 E.B. 2009-16 Bedded Pack Management System Case Study John M. Thurgood Paula C. Bagley Challey M. Comer Daniel J. Flaherty Jason Karszes Mariane Kiraly Department of Applied Economics and

More information

Keeping it Green and Growing: An Aerial Seeding Concept

Keeping it Green and Growing: An Aerial Seeding Concept Principal Investigator Andy Hart R., C. and A. Hart Farms 10723 Cty. Rd. 11 NE Elgin, MN 55932 507-876-2269 Olmstead County Project Duration 2006 to 2008 Staff Contact Mark Zumwinkle 651-201-6240 Keywords

More information

Determining the costs and revenues for dairy cattle

Determining the costs and revenues for dairy cattle Determining the costs and revenues for dairy cattle Regional Training Course on Agricultural Cost of Production Statistics 21 25 November 2016, Daejeon, Republic of Korea 1 Definitions Production costs

More information