Management

One of the many challenges of understanding dairy financial statements, and dairy operations as a whole, is understanding how to handle the biological and seasonal fluctuations so prevalent in the industry.

At Son-Bow Farms near Spring Valley, Wisconsin, the sand-laden manure from 1,400 cows no longer goes straight to the lagoon.

Since the beginning of the genomic era, the De-Su prefix has dominated high-ranking Holstein lists, leaving a lasting impact on the breed with bulls like Observer, Bookem and Balisto, just to name a few.

Conflict is a daily reality. Some conflicts are relatively minor and easy to handle. However, conflicts of greater magnitude require a strategy for successful resolution to prevent them from creating constant tension. The strategy requires using the best conflict style for each situation.

Robot milking systems have allowed some farms to reduce labor costs and introduce new technologies. However, understanding the cost structure and how it will impact the business has been a challenge for many lenders. That challenge has kept farms in Pennsylvania and other regions from adopting the technology and benefiting from the innovation.

While working alongside dairy producers, I hear a lot of myths about raising heifers. Producers often end up “hoarding” their heifers, even though the investment required to raise every heifer is draining their bank account.