A year of crises: As if the drought of 2012 weren't enough, Owensville, IN producer Brian Rexing had another crisis to deal with this year: taking care of neighboring dairyman's cows after fire destroyed his parlor and barns. "I got a call at 4:30 in the morning," says Brian, of the day, Jan. 2, when he learned of the fire. "By noon the next day, we had 100 extra cows."
Over the next seven months, Brian's New Generation Dairy, built 4 years ago, would feed and milk the additional herd while new facilities were built on the neighbor's dairy. "We took the last cows back about a month ago," says Brian. "It's just one of those things you do."
This summer's drought has been no picnic either, but Brian has learned how to manage through difficulties and unforeseen stressors. "The drought hit us really hard," say Brian. While his grain yield was cut in half, he's had a good hay cutting and with recent rains, hopes to get another cutting or possibly two. His sudex harvest also produced 2500 tons, and his beans will come in close to the plan.
"We'll have a chance to put up a lot of feed for the winter," says Brian. "It'll all work out. The thing about a drought, it makes us better managers. It's been stressful, but hopefully we don't have to relive another year like this again."
The dairyman as manager: Managing has been on Brian's mind lately. His dairy milks about 1,000 cows and is owned solely by Brian and his wife, Ranell. However, things change and the Rexings have grown to appreciate new management approaches to running a dairy.
"Diamond V does a tremendous job," Brian says, "keeping an eye on how we're doing, always evaluating ways to make us better. If I've learned one big thing it's that I need to concentrate more on working 'on' my business than working 'in' my business. I can't do it all. I had to let go of some things. Let people learn through their own experience. My wife and I own the dairy and I still get out to the barns, but we're not just a mom and pop operation. I have to run this as a business."
And how does the higher business paradigm play into the future?
Growth through value: "Before I worry about expanding, I want to tap into what we have. To add more value to what we produce," says Brian. "Right now I don't know exactly what that will be. We work so hard to produce a truckload of milk. I want to do more with what we produce."
