They are generally much larger, too, although there are considerably fewer of them. Modern methods and equipment allow for greatly increased production from the farm unit. Even with modern, mechanized equipment, dairy farming is a very demanding occupation. Cows must be milked twice, fed, watered and otherwise cared for every day. In order to help them tailor their production to the needs of the marketplace, most farmers have a provincial marketing board which determines the amount of milk required from each farm.
Some dairy farmers belong to co-operatives which process the milk into dairy products.
In the latter case, the profits from such a venture are returned to the farmer-owners. The principal concern of the dairy farmer is the health of animals. Each of these in turn require appropriate skills. Weather plays an important role in farm management. Farmers attempt to anticipate weather variations and adjust their work routines accordingly.