Management

Editor’s note: The following is the first of two articles by the authors discussing precision farming techniques and their application on dairies today.

I have been an active practicing dairy veterinarian in Wisconsin for the past 45 years.

Managing a dairy herd is a complex, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year job.

Significant increases in dairy herd size have resulted in the need for hired labor to provide primary care and management to the cows.

Editor’s note: This is the second of two articles discussing milk pricing.

In the last issue, we explained how processors in Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMO) pay different amounts into the pool based on whether their milk will be used to produce fluid milk products (Class I) or manufactured products (Class II, Class III or Class IV).

Dairy farming is a complex business which demands accurate records and careful financial management. Both financial and production records are required in order to provide the information on which the farm manager can make critical decisions. Unfortunately, since farming is widely viewed as “a way of life” rather than a business, the financial management tools long available in other industries have not been universally embraced by producers.