Starting a dairy farm

[RichZ]

I started up a goat dairy several years ago in upstate New York, the regulations are exactly the same. Make sure you contact NYS Dept. of Ag and Markets. They will have to approve your milking equipment, and your whole milking parlor set up. Don't build it without them first looking at what you plan to do first. If they won't approve it, you'll have to spend an awful lot of money to come into compliance. If you still have an old parlor and equipment in the barn from years ago, you won't be grandfathered, because you haven't been milking, you'll have to get approved all over again.

Have you thought of who you are going to sell your milk to? Here in New York State, your best bet is typically Stewart's. They usually give an extra dollar per hundred weight than anyone else does. You'll also need to contact Stewart's or whatever dairy you want to sell to before you get too far to see if they'll put you on their milk run.

 

[Waldershrek]

I started up a goat dairy several years ago in upstate New York, the regulations are exactly the same. Make sure you contact NYS Dept. of Ag and Markets. They will have to approve your milking equipment, and your whole milking parlor set up. Don't build it without them first looking at what you plan to do first. If they won't approve it, you'll have to spend an awful lot of money to come into compliance. If you still have an old parlor and equipment in the barn from years ago, you won't be grandfathered, because you haven't been milking, you'll have to get approved all over again.

Have you thought of who you are going to sell your milk to? Here in New York State, your best bet is typically Stewart's. They usually give an extra dollar per hundred weight than anyone else does. You'll also need to contact Stewart's or whatever dairy you want to sell to before you get too far to see if they'll put you on their milk run.

Thanks for that. That's something I had not thought about yet. Like I said, I'm doing just heifers at first to control costs on having to buy milking equipment but eventually it's something to think about.

 

[Duffster]

Thanks for that. That's something I had not thought about yet. Like I said, I'm doing just heifers at first to control costs on having to buy milking equipment but eventually it's something to think about.

What size heifers are you getting and how soon do you think you will start milking? Are you going to get a bull too?

 

[Waldershrek]

At his point I'm looking for whatever I can get but younger ones preferred. How soon I start milking will be determined by how quickly I can save money and get all my necessary equipment bought. I will be looking for a bull eventually probably although honestly I haven't really done any research in whether a bull or AI is better.


Does anybody know any online dealers I can try to start getting prices on tie stalls and watering bowls as well as other miscellaneous barn supplies?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

At his point I'm looking for whatever I can get but younger ones preferred. How soon I start milking will be determined by how quickly I can save money and get all my necessary equipment bought. I will be looking for a bull eventually probably although honestly I haven't really done any research in whether a bull or AI is better.


Does anybody know any online dealers I can try to start getting prices on tie stalls and watering bowls as well as other miscellaneous barn supplies?

I'm sure there will be different opinions, but I think AI is great. Not only do you have better production in the next generation, but you don't have to deal with a bull.

 

[Waldershrek]

I need to get rid of the old around the head stanchions and put in a new tie stall set up. How much would it cost for say a 40 cow tie stall setup brand new? Any ideas?

 

[Barry Bowen]

Best advice: STAY OUT OF DEBT! No matter what you do or how you do it, do not borrow money. Start with just a few milkers and build from there. Have you considered goats instead of cows? They eat less, cost less, and with the right research and marketing you could find the right market. Find a niche in your area, maybe organic, making cheese or butter even. Some of the large dairies have found that milking 3 times a day, at roughly 8 hour intervals increases production by as much as 30% with no increase in feed cost. Where cows have access to completely automatic milker (250K-300K per unit) the cows go through 3 times a day when they are full. You will be giving up your life and tied to the farm every day of your life now either until you stop or die which ever comes first. And the most important tip of all, STAY OUT OF DEBT! (I did it for the first 5 years of my hay making operation, do hay for horses only, but now I have one payment on a round bales, 189 per month. If I can do it, you can too)

 

[Western]

I'm no dairyman but I knew a bunch when I lived near Stephenville Texas. If it were me at your age, I would look into Christmas tree farming and/ berry production. Green houses ect tra.

I would research what is a hot commodity like blue berries and go that route. I have met 2 guys, 1 who started with 25 aces in the Christmas tree business. Last I spoke with him he owned or leased a total of 1500 acres and was a millionaire. The other guy I met when I lived in Colorado, was a millionaire from growing grapes. Seems to me prized vegetation is a better route..

I do know the dairymen I knew, you hardly ever saw them and when you did it was "worry" about the "market". The biggest complaint I heard for 11 years was the fact that foreign producers could come to the states and get low, like 2% loans for start up, many went belly up left the debt and went back home.. Of course that way what do you have to loose.

 

[mjarrels]

One of the biggest things in the dairy business is controling the percent butterfat... customer wants 10% this month, 12% next month, 8% two months later! Can't flip a switch to make that happen! Heard management is a big deal.

mark

 

[Iplayfarmer]

One of the biggest things in the dairy business is controling the percent butterfat... customer wants 10% this month, 12% next month, 8% two months later! Can't flip a switch to make that happen! Heard management is a big deal.

mark

When Dad had a dairy he'd control the butterfat a little by keeping some Jersey, Guernsey, and Brown Swiss cows in the herd. If he needed more butterfat, he'd put their milk in the tank, if he needed less, he wouldn't. I don't know what he did with their milk when he needed less butterfat. I know we drank some, but there had to be more than what we drank.