Cow Taters

Fried potatoes,baked potatoes,scalloped potatoes,potato soup, potato casserole--

let me count the ways we love to  eat potatoes with cheese and sour cream.

My family loves potatoes but this semi-truck pile takes it to a whole new 

level for my  tater-lovin' farmers!

Now this is a lot of potatoes.

It was unfortunate that freezing weather created havoc for the truck driver trying to get

 these Russet potatoes delivered to the potato processing plant in Oklahoma. 

When the load was refused due to freeze damage , he was looking

 for a place to deliver this nutritious

 product  rather than take it to a landfill.

It's not unusual to feed byproducts of corn or cottonseed to our  dairy cows

 but potatoes are not commonly available to us in Arkansas. 

Potatoes are high in energy, very palatable, and can be used to replace corn in the diet.

Fortunately for us, our cows will be enjoying potatoes in their feed ration 

as soon as our dairy nutritionist gets the feed ration designed for

 just the right amount  to include in the daily feed ration.

Everyday Dairy Farm Sustainability

The feed barn is one of my favorite places to be when

 the cows come to eat after being milked.

They really seemed to be enjoying every bite  this morning

 and weren't a bit interested in what I was doing!

At the request of our dairy nutritionist,I was actually on a mission 

to collect a sample of the feed they were enjoying. 

Sampling  the feed mix is done when we have added a

 new or different ingredient to make sure the total mixed ration is balanced.

Making sure the cows have a nutritious and balanced diet 

keeps them healthy and leads to high-quality milk.

Feed efficiency is extremely important to the sustainability of our farm.

Sustainability is not just a word, it's how our dairy farm family 

has lived for generations, working to improve and

 make life better for the next generation.  

Since 1944 when my mother-in-law was milking cows on our farm, 

dairy farmers across America are producing more milk

 using 90% less cropland, 

producing 76% less manure,

 using 65% less water, 

and producing 63% less carbon emissions.

All that has happened through innovation and efficiency improvements that

 have been provided through research,sound science and technology.

                                                     

Dairy Q&A

Question:

What is one of the dairy farmer's most important jobs?

Answer:

Animal care is one of the most important aspects of a dairy farmer's job. We spend the majority of our time everyday feeding our dairy cows and calves and monitoring the amount that is consumed.

From my front porch, I often  enjoy watching the soon to be mama cows cleaning up the grain mixture in the feed wagons. 

Even though these pregnant cows receive a special designed diet  daily  and have access to hay at all times, they never turn away a good meal or a tasty treat! 

Dairy Q&A

                                                                     Question:

                     What do you feed your milking cows?

           

Answer:

Our dairy cows in the milking herd enjoy a mixture of grain,hay and silage everyday of the year. This feed mixture is known as a total mixed ration and  is designed by our dairy nutritionist. 

A measured amount of each ingredient is mixed in the wagon to ensure that each cow will have at least 100 pounds of the  feed mixture.

We raise hay and silage on our farm but we purchase corn and other grain by-products from other farmers.

Our commitment to providing high-quality milk begins with taking good care of our cows by providing a nutritious diet.

             

Designer Dairy Diet

During today's monthly meeting with the  dairy nutritionist, we were sharing information about the new crop that is being chopped and test results from hay samples  that are being included in our cows'  daily diet.  Our dairy nutritionist could be described as a  cow diet designer!

With the help of our dairy nutritionist, we are constantly evaluating every ingredient that is included in their daily total mixed ration to insure that it contains the right proportion of nutrients for good nutrition and good health.

It's obvious when listening to the dairy nutritionist and the dairy farmer talk about the cows, our dairy cows are greatly respected, cared for and loved.

                                            I love watching our cows enjoy their designer diet!
                     Our dairy cows show their mutual appreciation for receiving a balanced,nutritious diet
                                                            by producing high-quality milk!