Mike Schultz, Purdue Extension dairy specialist, recently talked to Ohio’s Country Journal about keeping dairy feed costs in check during this lengthy period of high corn prices.
Schultz mentioned that the three highest cost factors for a dairy are labor, feed and replacement heifers – noting that two of the three factors are directly related to corn prices.
Some dairies are mitigating the damages of high corn prices by shifting their economic models – diversifying their operations by producing their own hay and grains for feed.
What are other options for dairy producers to cut costs?
Schultz suggests experimenting with the following options to further manage dairy costs, depending on the size of your herd and your dairy production:
- Calculating feed requirements
- Properly caring for forages
- Breeding back cows quickly
- Installing automated technologies
- Signing forward contracts
To learn more, read the article in its entirety here.
Tags: corn prices, Dairy, Ohio's Country Journal, Purdue Extension
