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Diamond V TheTrusted Experts in Nutrition & HealthTM
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 December 2013
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Using on-farm premixes has gained popularity over the last few years, for good reason. There are some who have chosen not to use premixes for various reasons, but a good understanding of the economics around using premixes could shed some light on the advantages.Learn more Espanol
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We heard you. We thank you. And we'll continue fine tuning DairyAdvisor.
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Two dairymen show how taking a step back to look at the basics can pay dividends...and quickly.
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 DV Management News
Our survey results...and then some
Director, Global Research and MarketingDiamond V
Again this year, we received a wonderful number of responses to our DairyAdvisor reader survey. Nearly 300 of you took a couple minutes to give us your thoughts. Here's a sampling of what you told us: - Twelve percent said DairyAdvisor is too lengthy; 8% said it's too short and you want more. 80% said length and volume is fine as is.
- Technical stories are ranked highest or 2nd highest by 53%, while management and risk management news come in at the high 30s or low 40s. The message seems to be variety in topics, led by technical information, is still preferred.
- Monday morning is the most preferred distribution time; nearly 70% read DairyAdvisor always or frequently. Many print or download articles and pass them along to clients and colleagues
As for that most important question--what can we do to improve?-- the suggestions were as varied as they were thoughtful and helpful: More real-world dairy farm stories and case studies; more technical updates on nutrition, physiology and metabolism; more risk/hedging instruction and financial management tips; any and all "before and after" profit increase examples; dairy operations trouble-shooting; and anything that involves forage and silage.
All I can say is, we hear you. And we'll keep striving to improve. Let me say thank you for your continued readership and interest in all things dairy. And in the spirit of the holidays, I always want to make sure we at Diamond V take stock in the relationships we so greatly value with readers, clients and colleagues as we all continue the quest to produce the most nutritious, delicious and safest dairy products throughout the world.
Here's to an enjoyable holiday season and a wonderful new year.
Kind regards,
Mike
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Producer Spotlight
The basics thrive here
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William Van Die and George Wilgenburg
of Cloverdale Dairy
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Who: William Van Die and George Wilgenburg, co-managers
What: Cloverdale Dairy Where: Hanford, CA
How can we get better? Since the dairy started operating in 2000, Cloverdale has more than doubled its herd size to 4800 cows. Recently, William and George took a step back to look at the fundamentals. How is each cow being cared for? What can we change to improve results?
Those changes were a bit surprising in their simplicity and the results they produced.
It starts with communication. Said George: "We met with our vet, our herdsman and nutritionist and talked about getting back to the basics; how to treat a cow, why you treat her, how to diagnose problems early, how to use medications to their full potential."
One example was a simple approach to medication during lactation. "We might use two medications during lactation, yet one might have interfered with lactation while the other is OK.So, we hold off on that medication," said George.
Another success story, made possible by close communication with dairy employees, is taking fresh cow temperatures daily. "Before, we weren't temping daily. And employees were not on board,'" said George of starting a new daily temping routine. "At first, it seemed like a lot of extra work," said George, "but after a two or three weeks, everyone started seeing results, detecting problems much earlier, and we actually reduced some of the workload in the long run" by preempting more serious problems.
"We communicate very closely," said George. "If our employees (numbering about 40), see anything in any area, they let us know. They make suggestions and we agree most of the time, because they are doing their job every day and know how things work and can work better."
A simple change in schedule Another basic adjustment was the sequence of the cow care schedule. "We made our first priority the hospital cows, then fresh cows, then breeding cows. The sick cows get the earliest attention, and get treated during the coolest part of the day," said William. "The medications work more quickly with less stress for the cow, and we've had less sick cows in general."
Added William, "Even though we're using newer, more expensive medications, we're using them earlier, and using less of them. Our pharmacy bill has gone down over the last six months.
Rubber, meet the road. This renewed focus on fundamentals started early in 2013, and the return did not take long. "You can see results in a couple of months," said George. And such results are now being realized every day, including:
- Greater milk production; one of the best production years the dairy has seen, even with a hotter-than-normal summer;
- Improved reproduction rates;
- A reduced overall work load throughout the dairy;
- Better performance during peak heat stress months. "Anyone can milk cows in the spring time," said William. "The hot summer is where the rubber meets the road."
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See us at these industry events
Southern Dairy Conference
Jan. 13-15
Atlanta
National Mastitis Council Annual Meeting
Jan. 26-28
Fort Worth, TX
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 Diamond V
The Trusted Experts in Nutrition and Health™
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2525 60th Ave. SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
1-800-373-7234
Copyright 2013 Diamond V - All rights reserved
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