Another option is to purchase all feed or purchase a built in roughage ration fed along with home grown hay. Elimination or reduction of field crop responsibilities provides more time for herd management. Consider cooperating with surrounding farmers by sharing and perhaps jointly purchasing machinery. This is an area fraught with dangers but also opportunities. The possibilities are endless, from bringing a younger partner into the business to forming a partnership with one or more other dairies.
Every dairy farm has different opportunities, different goals and different resources.
With the changes occurring in the dairy industry it behooves every dairy producer to examine their business and consider possible changes. Putting an incentive program into practice can be like playing a game. All employees can win bonus earnings if they meet or exceed established performance levels that improve milk quality. Even though offering employee incentives sounds simple, successful incentive programs require careful planning. Using incentives without careful thought given to the design of the program can lead to undesirable or unanticipated results.