5 steps to start up your own dairy farm

19 Jan

Posted by dairyequipment as Uncategorized

A dairy farm is an agricultural facility dedicated to raising and maintaining animals kept for
their milk. Classically, a dairy farm houses cows, although it is also possible to raise goats,
sheep, yaks, and other animals for their milk. The goal of a dairy farm is to produce high
volumes of good quality, safe milk and milk products, and to export them to the surrounding
region.

Humans have been keeping animals for their milk for centuries, but the dairy farm didn’t
really catch on in a big way until people figured out how to handle milk safely. Historically,
many communities had a few milk animals which were handled and driven communally, and
establishments such as abbeys might keep animals for the purpose of making cheese and
other goods for sale. Individual farmers and landholders generally made their own milk and
cheese as needed from their cows, sheep, and other animals.

With the advent of storage tanks, pasteurization, refrigeration, and roads accessible to milk
trucks in the 1800s, the modern dairy farm began to evolve. Most dairy farms today have
large numbers of animals, in the hundreds or thousands as opposed to the dozens found on
small farms through the early 20th century, and they produce huge volumes of milk.

The farm includes pasture and shelter for the animals, along with areas for sheltering cows
while they labor and give birth. Dairy farms usually keep a bull on hand, or order semen for
artificial insemination to get access to especially good bloodlines, and they also have a
facility known as a milking parlor, where the cows are milked. Historically, this was done by
hand, but modern milking parlors usually utilize milking machines. The milk is transported in
sterile tubes to tanks so that it can be tested for pathogens before being pooled on a milk
truck. The milk truck takes the milk to a central location for processing.

A dairy farm may also have fields for the purpose of growing fodder, to cut down on costs for
the farm. Farms which serve special markets like people seeking organic products can also be
found.

Small dairy farms may make their own cheese, butter, yogurt, clotted cream, and other dairy
products for sale in the community. This requires special skills and additional licensing and
inspections, leading many farmers to prefer to sell their milk to dairy cooperatives or specific
manufacturers of products like cheese rather than handling it themselves. When consumers in
the store buy Milk Brand X, they are usually buying milk from a large number of farmers
who sell their milk to Milk Company , rather than milk from cows belonging to that
particular brand.

An efficient breeding program is essential to a dairy operation, since production is dependent

on dairy cows’ lactation, which can happen only after they give birth. Dairy farms may also
specialize; for example, they may produce milk only for use in cheese, cream for ice cream or
all-organic milk. Startup costs for a dairy farm can be substantial, however, so follow these
steps to minimize your risk.
Starting your own dairy farm can be a matter of full-time employment, hobby farming or
anything in between.

5 steps to start up your own successful dairy farm:

1.
Work for a dairy farmer before you consider starting your own farm. Many dairy farmers
were raised on farms and either inherited from their parents or branched out on their own. If
you weren’t born into farming, however, you need to work on a farm before buying one for
two reasons: first, because this is the only way to know if you truly enjoy dairy farming and
second, because the experience you gain as an employee can’t be learned in a classroom or
from books.

2.
Start with 45 to 50 of the best cows you can buy. Minimize debt by renting land and buying
used equipment; you can always upgrade these later. But if you begin with poor-producing
cows, you’ll always be trying to rebuild your herd and you may never be able to catch up.

3.
Use family labor. Coerce your relatives to help you work the farm, if you can. The fewer
people on the payroll at first, the better. Keep costs as low as possible.

4.
Connect with other farmers. Chances are you aren’t the only dairy farmer in the area. Find
others with whom you can swap tips, share equipment and grazing pastures and purchase
supplies in bulk.Helps dairy farmers get together and help each
other.

5.
Consider education. Most universities with agriculture departments have dairy specialists on
their faculties. Major in Animal Science with an emphasis on dairy production, and minor in
biology or botany.

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