John D. Peck knew that his family’s small dairy needed to make some changes. And in 2014, with $2,400 in start-up funding from the New York Farm Viability Institute, Peck formed a dairy profit team for Peck Homestead Farms at Great Bend, N.Y.

Acting on team suggestions led to a new record high for the 50-cow milking herd. The farm shipped it’s first-ever 7,000-pound load of milk in 2016.

Peck formed the team with an eye toward increasing efficiency and maximizing income opportunities, particularly when milk prices or production fall off. And, it’s working.

DAIRY ENERGIZER: John D. Peck formed a dairy profit team in 2014 and planted his first no-till corn crop. Today, his 50-cow dairy enjoys milestone results. Photo: Brian P. Whattam

From 2010 through 2012, the then-grass-based dairy with 50 milking cows averaged 44.5 pounds of milk per cow. Hot dry conditions in 2013 hurt pasture quality, supporting only first-cutting hay. Milk production dropped to 40.6 pounds. Then during winter, it plummeted even lower.

Profit team to the rescue
Peck’s profit team included his father, John E. Peck; brother Brian; nutritionist Dr. Jennifer Nightingale, DVM; Farm Credit’s Matt Wendig; Cornell Ag Extension coordinator Jay Matteson; and veteran ag industry leader Ron Robbins of North Harbor Dairy. Matteson served as team facilitator.

“My goal was to reach a 65-pound average,” says the young farmer. “But that wasn’t attainable without a feeding program including corn silage fed in a mix with haylage, pasture, round bales and grain.” He was especially interested in assistance with his first corn crop and adding corn silage for extra energy to help the cows maintain good condition and production despite winter’s cold.

With team input on seed selection and fertilizer, Peck decided to trial-planted 20 acres of no-till corn – the first corn planted here since his great-grandad’s time . “The team stressed having a crop plan with a harvest date for chopping the corn myself or for putting a custom service on watch, and being ready to go either way when the time was right.”

He hired a custom cutting service, saving the expense of buying equipment and time for harvesting. It also allowed him to continue harvesting high-quality haylage. Previous to the change, forage supplies weren’t enough to last until pasturing season, forcing him to buy hay in late winter.

Since 2014, Peck has planted 30 acres of corn or more, producing enough forages to carry from one harvest to the next. “Before planting corn, I was constantly tweaking my feed mix.

“Ron advised establishing a consistent ration with the corn silage. As the cows adjusted to the new diet, milk production stabilized and results started showing in the milk check.”

The herd’s steady increase to the 65-pound average impressed the family’s patriarch, John E. Peck. “That first transition year was a huge success,” he recalls. “And, we saw our best cow health record that year to set us up well for 2015.”

Extended pasture benefits

From January through May of this year, the herd produced more than 500,000 pounds of milk, more than half of its 2015 total. “After going out on pasture this spring, the cows produced a 70-pound average,” says a very pleased younger Peck. “And, we’ve hit the highest pounds of milk picked up, at or above 7,000 pounds.”

He directly attributes it to high-quality forages harvested last year, cows freshening without difficulties and a well-maintained rotational grazing program for spring and summer. “The team experience for me speaks to the value of mentoring younger farmers. Veterans like Ron are great to bounce ideas off, and they can say, ‘Been there, did that. Try this for better results,” adds the younger farmer. Better results indeed!

7 tips for transitioning to higher dairy profits
More than a dozen teams formed in Jefferson County, alone, since 2005, the first year of the DPT project in New York State. “Over the years, we’ve seen successful results with teams organized to meet short-term needs,” notes Matteson, “and with teams that still meet as a way to improve operations on a continuing basis.”

Matteson offers these pointers for boosting dairy profits:

* Form a profit team for expert advice.

* Don’t rush changes.

* Develop well thought-out goals, and plan accordingly.

* Calculate nutritional values needed to meet feeding, health and production.

* Invest in practices that add efficiency and profit.

* Use benchmarking and recordkeeping to monitor progress.

* Be patient for results; it can take several months to see benefits.

For new details on forming a dairy profit team in New York, contact Aileen Randolph, 315-453-3823 x 102, or email [email protected].

Dunn writes from her farm in Mannsville, N.Y.