- Thread starter c.w n.y
- Start date
landlord7012
Member
But, how many are milking 1,500 head or better compared to the 100+ head operations of the 70s? Quite a few "factory farms" in my area.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Some of the larger Dutch Factory farms around here have also qut. We have a small (60 + cows) left in our whole township.
olgentdc
Well-known Member
Foreighn Investment /1000cow farm,s milking round the clock faCTORY FARMS THAT USE THE ENHANCER MEDICENE THAT in 5 yrs . LEAVES A GOOD MILK COW SPENT AND DOOMED FOR mcdonalds DOLLAR MENU driveup wimdow.... Bet milk production is still high for the U.S. and adequete , albeit , the poor help worx for minimum wage , The decline in the # of Farms is DIRECT RESULT OF BIG BUSINEES wiggling into Ag and Dairy is no different , Vertically integrated , Poultry ,hoggs , some how beef Cow /calf herds are still Family farm oriented..... AMERICA HAD A LOT MORE STABLE AND SECURE MILK SOURCE 40 YRS AGO WHEN THE (GOOD HEARTS) WERE STEWARDS OF THE HERD....
Agree, I have toured automated dairy farms in the panhandle of Texas that are awesome. Cows are put onto turn tables to milk and they make one round and are backed out to the feed again. Amazing technology, computerized to the hilt, cows fed to the ounce what they need to produce, very impressive. I saw one cow put out 52lbs of milk! Some may have stories of more or say I am lying but I saw it and I was IMPRESSED. That was 6 years ago...what has technology done since then???
Definately not a guy or two milking a cow into a bucket and hoping that she had enough nourishment to make a full pail.
Definately not a guy or two milking a cow into a bucket and hoping that she had enough nourishment to make a full pail.
me and my dad run a 100 cow dairy ,only maybe 150 dairy cows in Jefferson county ILL.30 YEARS AGO their were alot more farms. with livestock,know the big grain farmers seem to buy alll the land and push small farmers out its ashame far the younger generation,with todays land prices they dont have a chance.
rockyridgefarm
Well-known Member
Hey Railhead ,
I don't know how you can call that "amazing". Very FEW of those cows you saw on that turntable will make 3 lactations. They're probably getting over 30,000 lbs a year out of them, burning them out. They'll never see a blade of grass.
You take their cow at 2 lactations of 30000 lbs, you get 1 heifer calf to replace her and one bull calf they'll likely knock in the head with a hammer, and 60000 lbs milk. One heifer calf per cow can't keep them in cows and they need to keep buying up small herds to keep the free-stall barn full. They're getting feed from all over - hundreds or thousands of miles and mostly on pivots drawing down the watertable. They don't know what to do with the manure. They're borrowed to the hilt and beyond with their million dollar parlor and multi-million dollar free-stall barns. Of course, they're probably using illegal labor because they can't pay more'n $10 an hour.
We had 60 cows and quit milking in 1996. When we quit, we were running a 21000ish lactation. Our oldest cow was on her 12th lactation and we averaged 6 or 7.
You take our cow at 6 lactations and 21000, you get 3 heifer calves to replace her, 3 bull calves for meat production, and 126000 lbs of milk. All our feed was produced within 5 miles of the farm (most right at the farm and some produced on rented property in the area). All the manure was spread on site. Our debt was high, but far less than a million dollars. We hired local kids whenever we needed help, but did most of the work on our own.
I just don't get how we were too inefficient to survive, but they can keep going.
Well your experience and involvement in the industry gives you knowledge WAY beyond mine. I just saw it as a big deal that had more engineering and research in it that I could accomplish on my own in a thousand lifetimes.
WTF DO I KNOW? I am a dryland wheat farmer and work for someone else to pay for my bad habit of farming.
WTF DO I KNOW? I am a dryland wheat farmer and work for someone else to pay for my bad habit of farming.
Well said!!
I used to work for the chicken factory here, and worked in some broiler houses in college. While I was amazed at some of the technology used in the houses and I ran "chickenbine" while working for the company, what is much more amazing to me are the folks who keep a yard flock and don"t have to eat the birds out of the store that have been fed all that "high quality protein" that makes a 6+lb bird in 56 days.
Dave
I used to work for the chicken factory here, and worked in some broiler houses in college. While I was amazed at some of the technology used in the houses and I ran "chickenbine" while working for the company, what is much more amazing to me are the folks who keep a yard flock and don"t have to eat the birds out of the store that have been fed all that "high quality protein" that makes a 6+lb bird in 56 days.
Dave
shaun wallace
Well-known Member
Hey Ken46 that outfit isnt PSF/Smithfeild is it?
flying belgian
Well-known Member
Yes that is interesting but the stats are the same in many industries. Use to be a school at the intersection of every county road. Now only two left in the whole county. Use to be one farm family on every 160 acre grain farm. Now one family running 4000 acres. Use to be a grocery store every five blocks in town. two in the 300 pop town just up the road. Now there is none in any town less then 1000 pop and only 4 in the 60,000 pop town. Use to be an imp dealer in every small town and three in most towns. Now only two left in whole county. use to be 2 hardware stores in town of 200. Now town after town with no hardware store. The only industry that gained numbers is the lawyers. Use to be one column in the yellow pages of phone book. Now there are 24 pages of lawyers listed in phone book. I don't know where I'm going with this but you get my point.
Leprino Foods is running cheese factory in Roswell, NM that can process 16 million lbs of milk a day, so the dairies are everywhere and big. Used to just be a couple of local daries with a couple hundred head each. To top it off, these idiots bought prime alfalfa land and built the dairies on that instead of going a few miles further and building on cheap pasture land that can"t be farmed. Our farm was bought in 1980 by a 3000 cow dairy from Arizona and they put it right on one of the best fields in the valley. A quarter mile away is a 40 acre pasture that is salt grass that would have been perfect.
I was reading some stats last week... and what I found quite interesting was the cost per HL or hundredweight... however you want to express it.
Basically... at 200 cows you capture most of the available efficiency. Perhaps you're 70% as efficient as the largest herds. The curve then levels out up to around 600 head where you're probably 98% as efficient as the very best... and then I think it basically flatlined out to several thousand head, just gradually declining in production cost.
The bottom line... at 600 head you're about as efficinet as you're going to get because the ineconomies of scale (bureracy/management) that come with an operation of that size outweigh most of the economies that can be had by bulk purchases... and equipment/overhead starts growing into multiples of big ticket items... so you're not really gaining anything.
On the other end... the small 30 head tiestall setups often had costs that were 3-4 times higher than even the 600 cow herd. Basically... most of the overhead is still there because you still need a lot of the same equipment anyway... and you don't have the cows to carry it.
People who b!tch about large herds need to decide wether they want cheap milk or small farms because those two don't travel together. That essentially applies to all other forms of agriculture as well.
Rod
Basically... at 200 cows you capture most of the available efficiency. Perhaps you're 70% as efficient as the largest herds. The curve then levels out up to around 600 head where you're probably 98% as efficient as the very best... and then I think it basically flatlined out to several thousand head, just gradually declining in production cost.
The bottom line... at 600 head you're about as efficinet as you're going to get because the ineconomies of scale (bureracy/management) that come with an operation of that size outweigh most of the economies that can be had by bulk purchases... and equipment/overhead starts growing into multiples of big ticket items... so you're not really gaining anything.
On the other end... the small 30 head tiestall setups often had costs that were 3-4 times higher than even the 600 cow herd. Basically... most of the overhead is still there because you still need a lot of the same equipment anyway... and you don't have the cows to carry it.
People who b!tch about large herds need to decide wether they want cheap milk or small farms because those two don't travel together. That essentially applies to all other forms of agriculture as well.
Rod
We have four 80 to 100 cow milking dairys an four raising show cattle in a 15 mile radius. The fellows that are milking get cows from the show herds. This gives them top quality cows to milk. The show cow owners want production record. The cow or heifer freshen on his farm and is move to the milker and back home to freshen. Milking herd is on test so if they do not milk they go home.
You have all heard "Show cows do not milk". Well how about 24 to 26,000 lbs. in 305 days, and lasting 8 to 12 Years. The super dairys milk about 16 to 20 and turn over every two years.
gitrib
You have all heard "Show cows do not milk". Well how about 24 to 26,000 lbs. in 305 days, and lasting 8 to 12 Years. The super dairys milk about 16 to 20 and turn over every two years.
gitrib
Nebraska Cowman
Well-known Member
Everybody wants country living and town wages. And so far inflation is making to work. But I am old and don't care for the fast life.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
is... with all the "Walmarting" of America, where's everyone supposed to get a job? I don't see how it's going to get fixed.
When I moved to a small farm-town here in Otsego County, NY in 1979, we had 70 dairy farms just in this one small town. Also a good Deere, IH, Allis Chalmers, Case, Oliver, and Ford dealer within 20 miles. Now have two farms left and NO real old-time tractor dealers. Most just want to sell lawn mowers and compact "toy" tractors. The Regan-era farm-buy-out knocked out more then half in an instant. (I'm not knocking Regan, he's one of my heros). The new Interstate # 88 also destroyed many farms. Same trend all over this area. Some who want to continue, including the Amish, are buying farms up in the Tug Hill region in Jefferson and Lewis Counties. Less taxes and cheaper land there. Shorter growing season also.
When I was a kid in New Jersey, early 1950s, there were small farms all over the place only 10-15 miles from New York City across the Hudson River. Many thrived there originally from NYC horse-manure (before cars, trucks, and subways).
Now all that is 100% gone and so is all the wildlife.
I then moved to Orange County New York mid 70s and watched it happen all over again.
I then moved to Northern Vermont along the Canadian border and saw much of the same.
Then to this area of New York and saw it all again.
Hoping to move out of this "mess" one more time, but not sure where to go - if there is any stable place left in the USA.
When I was a kid in New Jersey, early 1950s, there were small farms all over the place only 10-15 miles from New York City across the Hudson River. Many thrived there originally from NYC horse-manure (before cars, trucks, and subways).
Now all that is 100% gone and so is all the wildlife.
I then moved to Orange County New York mid 70s and watched it happen all over again.
I then moved to Northern Vermont along the Canadian border and saw much of the same.
Then to this area of New York and saw it all again.
Hoping to move out of this "mess" one more time, but not sure where to go - if there is any stable place left in the USA.
supergrumpy
Member
I did a search on Shangri-La, turned out to be a resort casino in Las Vegas or something like that
the stinkers in Albany and DC sure make you look for greener pastures
if you do spot some, please advise
the stinkers in Albany and DC sure make you look for greener pastures
if you do spot some, please advise
That time frame pretty much coincides with land prices going through the roof when farms became worth a whole lot more for development than what could actually be produced from the land. My Father bought his 120 acre farm on the GI bill in 1948, $17,000 with equipment,3 plow horses and 16 Ayrshire cows. Milk prices must have been good for the times because he had it paid off by the mid fifties. Adjust for inflation all you want and you will never find a farm at a comparable price this day and age. There is just to much non farm money in competition for the land.
Harvey Brinker
Member
In the local paper this week it states,"According to USDA Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food, the lowest average of any country in the world." It also states the share of the foodbasket dollar going to farm famlies has continued to decline.
Born in the 40's all of our family were in dairy, one by one all my uncles dropped out, then finally Dad and I threw in aside too. Almost everybody had to work an outside job to suplement the milk check.
I don't want to specifically blame the nnalert, nor the nnalert, but during my lifetime it has apparently been National policy to keep food prices low,,at the expense of the farmers. Consequently, a good decent way of life has passed before our eyes, gone forever.
Word on the street around here is that current land prices are going high because China has all those American Dollars and once things move to the next step,,they are going to be buying lots, and lots of American food. That's about all we have left to export anymore.
Maybe those farmers of the next generation will make a decent living,,,but during my lifetime, it has been very tough to survive.
Harvey
Born in the 40's all of our family were in dairy, one by one all my uncles dropped out, then finally Dad and I threw in aside too. Almost everybody had to work an outside job to suplement the milk check.
I don't want to specifically blame the nnalert, nor the nnalert, but during my lifetime it has apparently been National policy to keep food prices low,,at the expense of the farmers. Consequently, a good decent way of life has passed before our eyes, gone forever.
Word on the street around here is that current land prices are going high because China has all those American Dollars and once things move to the next step,,they are going to be buying lots, and lots of American food. That's about all we have left to export anymore.
Maybe those farmers of the next generation will make a decent living,,,but during my lifetime, it has been very tough to survive.
Harvey
cadet trooper
Well-known Member
Where I live the big question came about in the early 70's do you want to milk cows at $10 to $11 bucks @cwt or do the three crop rotation Beans/Corn/Florida. Now we have a friend of mine who raises and works 25 high quality Holsteins on a rented dairy operation that the owner rents the ground out to a grain farmer and my friend buys grain from him and makes hay wherever he can. He seems to do alright with that also he found someone to take his manure. He sells off his young over stock with papers to bigtimers. We have a few guys like that throughout the county otherwise they are big Dutch dairies battling with the EPA and the locals at 600 to 700 head per location. It's been the sign of the times here for over 35years.
Bruce from Can.
Well-known Member
- Location
- Woodville, Ontario, Canada
You are right on old son.
Bruce from Can.
Well-known Member
- Location
- Woodville, Ontario, Canada
It is indeed a sad thing that cheap food for the masses/voters out weights common sense and good farming practice , but regrettably ,it does.
J.ReinkeFarms
Member
Just a word on the replacement schedule for these big operations. In Michigan's thumb I know a guy that raises heifers/cows for 3 operations - a 1750 head, 3490 head and one operation that collectively owns 14000. Those are just rough numbers. But anyway, he doesn't have a bull on the place, he buys all his semen pre sexed so there is a 98% chance that all offspring will be female. Fewer bull/steers, fewer wasted gestation cycles, better return.
Near Bad Axe, if it ever gets off the ground, there is supposed to be a dairy going in with fully automated robotic milkers. one man, one 8 hour shift to maintain a 350 head operation.
Near Bad Axe, if it ever gets off the ground, there is supposed to be a dairy going in with fully automated robotic milkers. one man, one 8 hour shift to maintain a 350 head operation.
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