Who: A.J. De Jager
What: Hunter Ridge Dairy, milking 3000 cows
Where: Ault, Colorado
From the Central Valley to the Rockies: A.J. comes from a multi-generation dairy family who have been milking cows in Chowchilla, CA near Fresno. When looking to grow their dairy business, an exhaustive search process was launched.
"I looked all over the country for four or five years before deciding," said A.J. "You want to go where they need milk. Colorado has high demand for milk." A big driver of that demand and in A.J.'s location decision was a nearby, newly constructed Leprino Foods cheese plant. All of the dairy's milk is purchased by the plant, which began operations in fall 2011.
On silage management: One of the main transition tasks in moving to Colorado has been management of forage and silage consistency. There has been some variability among dry matter and fiber, and last summer's unusual drought conditions also made for new feed management demands. "I'm purchasing some forage now. Working with local growers is a new thing for me. I've always grown my own," says A.J., who still grows feed crops on 1240 acres.
"I'm using Diamond V as a stabilizing force. Because of low humidity, the ration is dryer. Diamond V is a buffer for that," says A.J. "I also think Diamond V is inhibiting negative immune response as well."
The slopes are calling: All in all, the move has been good. "My wife and children like it here. The cows really like it here, with cool, dry air," says A.J. "I love to ski, too, but haven't had the time yet. I am eagerly awaiting the invitation from Jim Sullivan (Diamond V regional sales manager), and I look forward to skiing next year!"
