EARS
Extension
Accomplishments Reporting System
NDSU Extension Service
Justification
The ND3P focus is to retain and grow our existing dairy farm families by enhancing their income and improving their lifestyles, or otherwise assist them in a successful transition.
Economic Impact
With the help of the ND3P facilitator, dairy farm families monitor and measure the impact of the decisions formulated by the advisory committee and adapted for the farm, the dairy enterprise, and the family. Since the inception of ND3P, nearly 15% of the current dairy farms (NDDA, January, 2005) have participated in the program. Gross annual economic impact.
Community and Industry Impact
Dairy is the original value-added agricultural industry. According to university research, for each dollar spent in dairying, the community can expect it to be reinvested 2.67 to 7.00 times in the form of locally purchased supplies, hired labor, equipment, taxes, etc.
Quality
of Life Impact
The program=s intent is not only to enhance dairy farm profit, but to develop strategic alliances between the dairy and its providers. Many intangible benefits are derived as a result of ND3P participation and include: methods of evaluating enterprise growth, establishing long-term business relationships, reducing professional barriers, improving communication and setting personal goals and professional strategies.
Accomplishments from selected farms (Gross annual economic impact)
Farm #1 - Implementation of herd changes resulted in an increase of 9 pounds of milk per cow per day. This represents an additional 2,735 pounds per cow per lactation. Using this years average base price of $14.70 per hundredweight, resulted in an additional $402.17 per cow or $20,108.50 for this 50-cow herd.
Farm #2 - Changes in nutrition management yielded an addition 4.8 pounds of milk per cow per day and an added $1,047 to cash inflows.
Farm #3 - Methods to reduce environmental challenges in housing dropped somatic cell count 76,000 SCC. This equated to $4,052 more income from higher milk incentives.
Farm #4 - A 70,000 somatic cell count reduction increased milk quality incentive payments worth another $4,697 for the dairy enterprise this year.
Farm #5 - The cost of replacement heifers is the second largest drain on the dairy business. By implementing changes that reduced the cull rate by 5% improved farm income by $23,100.
Farm #6 - Expanding with an additional 46 head to better utilize their dairy facility, this dairy increased gross annual income by an additional $140,917.
Farm #7 - This collaborative debt management team effort reversed the farm financial stress. Changes in business management techniques reduced the debt load that resulted an additional $367,000 of annual gross economic return.
Farm #8 - Two farms combined procurement of feeds creating a more economical approach to utilizing trucking by avoiding no empty hauls. Milk production increased another four pounds per cow per day in one month by improving feed delivery management, resulting in an additional $500 per day in gross revenue.
Farm #9 - By structuring the wages from hourly to shift payment the employees became more efficient saving the dairy $2000 per month.
Dairy Marketing Club - The South-Central Dairy Marketing club focuses on dairy farmers. It is lead by a ND3P facilitator who assists them in addressing current topics related to dairy marketing, livestock risk protection, animal health, dairy records, contract agreements, and price protection.
(56 farms have been involved in the program since it started)
KEYWORDS= dairy, profitability, advisory team.
Filename: Ears Diagnostic Program #5
Updated: February 10, 2005