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View Full Version : Milk prices: get a big picture



Matt
04-20-2007, 10:41 PM
Kickinbull's blue comments and following support rekindled some lingering thoughts I've had since the plains dairy expo in Sioux Falls. BTW kickinbull, hope your havin a better day, and hope you can find ways to be more profittable. There are ways.

Enjoyed seeing the exhibits at the dairy expo. Being pressed for time, I sailed through in about 2.5 hours. I was ready to escape the premesis, rejoin my wife for some shopping, and an NFO rep starts to bend my ear. I was in a big hurry, and a quick perusal of his literature and assessment of the "facts" he was spewing out provoked some thoughts that have been festering ever since. I had a VERY difficult time not being rude at the moment.

1. Milk prices are as low as they were 30-40 yrs ago. So? Cows happen to give 2-3 times as much milk now. And the list goes on. I was dumbfounded that in this day and age, the NFO was still alive and kicking. If I wasn't making money, I wouldn't turn to socialism. I'd quit and do something else.
If a dairy isn't profitable, ask why? There are so many resources available today, that there's no end to ways to improve to accomplish profittability. I know dairypersons are a tough and stubborn bunch, but we gotta be able to listen and learn to what experts tell us.

But now I'm getting into trade "secrets" , a subject that was covered in another thread here, where I said I was keeping to myself from now on so have a great night!

Dairy can make money (even at $10.00 milk and high inputs) with a little luck and good management.

Dave's Acre
04-21-2007, 09:41 AM
If we believe in the value of private ownership and the family farm,we must give the young sons and daughters a fair oppportunity to start and succeed!!
I have always felt that,we need a price for the good manager to start and be successful-and the established producer will be paying income taxes!We have the great privage to choose our way of life in this country,whats wrong with paying for the defence of that right?
P.S. Farmers spread their money around,a profitable agriculture is GOOD for the whole nation!!

FayeFarms
04-21-2007, 12:49 PM
Matt - Who are these 'Experts" you refer to?

Matt
04-24-2007, 09:01 AM
Matt - Who are these 'Experts" you refer to?
Experts, for lack of a better term, are people I consider part of my team. Dairy consultants, our vets, my nutritionist, extension agents, and some others. I'm selective of who I take advice from. For example, not just any old feed salesman cuts it here. Our dairy consultant charges like a lawyer, but his advice has made us literally tens of thousands.
A college professor once put it this way. Your farm operation is like a whiskey barrel. (tank) It will only hold as much as the shortest stave. No use extending the longer staves unless you've got the short ones fixed. A good consultant will look at all your staves, and make recommendations on the full picture of your operation.

FayeFarms
04-24-2007, 01:52 PM
Slay the Biggest Dragons first :)

dhgrjg
04-24-2007, 07:31 PM
buenos dias senor. donde viva? Quantas vacas ordenar? Yo ardeno 130 vacas en iowa. Quen usa por cosultanario del pastura? que esta tu $$ para CWT para pastura?

gracias

Matt
04-25-2007, 09:16 AM
buenos dias senor. donde viva? Quantas vacas ordenar? Yo ardeno 130 vacas en iowa. Quen usa por cosultanario del pastura? que esta tu $$ para CWT para pastura?

gracias

Viva en NW IA. Es mas frio de en SE IA.:rolleyes: :D Solamente ordeno 100 vacas. 2x. Que is pastura? Pasture? We're not organic. Leo Timms from ISU is a well known "expert" and will respond to emails. If you want to know our private consultant, you can send me a private message. Our last milk check was $16.25 with premiums from AMPI. Tiene un buen dia! (Con mucho dinero;) )

dhgrjg
04-28-2007, 07:27 PM
In the dialect that i learned, Pastura is "feed" or "hay". I've checked with some consultants in that area and they will not travel here. Not a pressing issue, but i would like to have another set of knowledgable eyes to look at my herd and info from time to time. I do my own ultrasounding for preg, and my own surgeries, so only see the vet every 9 months for calfhoods and he hardly does any dairy. also he says we are the "best managed herd he sees" - not impressed. (73lbs 2-1/2x milking) I've "herd" of Leo, i'll send a message-thanx.
(4.97/cwt feed cost) I think we should do better.
$15.46 with all premiums, -$.035ppd, $0.55/cwt trucking. Prairie farms. soon to be bst-free:confused: ($0.40/cwt premium-so they say)