NS Dairy Farming

1. NS Dairy Farming Kevin Bekkers, P.Eng. NS Agriculture, Antigonish

2. Dairy Farming is a Business.

3. NS Dairy Farming • 270 Dairy Farms in NS down from 350 less than 5 years ago. • Largest sector of NS Agriculture and the backbone of Antigonish Agriculture • Supply Managed Commodity under a Quota System measured in kg BF / day • 18350 kgs BF allocated to NS Dairy Farmers or 500,000 litres milk/day

4. Antigonish Perspective • 12% of NS Production • 36 Producers or 13.5% of the farmers • 20,000,000 million in Gross Farm Sales • Supports spinoff jobs through processing milk, equipment sales and repairs, feed companies, vets, farm jobs, fertilizer companies, seed companies, …….

5. Quota System • Each Farmer has to own the piece paper for the right to ship milk. • Currently in NS to purchase 1 kg BF or approximately 27 liters of production per day or the equivalent of one cows production • $28,000 / kg BF • For an average 55 cow farm the asset value would be 1.4 million just for the quota or piece of paper.

6. What we will see?

7. Milking Systems • Two Types • Parlor where the cow walks to get milked • Tie Stall where the farmers carries the milker • Relies on Technology and automation • Bulk Tank for storing milk • Quality Assurances for consumer safety

8. Milking – 365 days a year no exceptions! • Most farmers milk twice a day generally strive for a 12 hour rotation • Increase in Milking 3 times daily on an eight hour rotation, less stress for the cow, increased milk production, more labour, harder to get breaks on the weekends

9. Feed Bunks • Plates the cows eat from, • how they are managed daily • What they are fed • How many can eat at one time or bunk space • How the feed gets to the bunk • If cows are grouped or all eat together

10. Free or Tie Stalls • Free Stalls • Cows walk to feed bunk and stalls to lay down • Different types of bedding for the cows to lay on – Sand, rubber mats, sawdust • Spacing and length of stalls • Tie Stalls • Cow remains in one place, often let out for exercise • Receive their feed and water at there location

11. Cow Comfort • Ventilation • Lighting • Air Quality • Traffic of Animals • Access to feed, stalls, and water • Floor surfaces • Manure handling

12. New Buildings • Elaborate structures designed for cow comfort, efficiency, environmental considerations, technology, ….. • 100 cow barn - $1,000,000 easily today

13. Hospital Wards • Maternity pens for calving • Sick cow area • Hoof trimming stalls • Treatment areas, foot baths

14. Feed Storage • Bunker silo – stored on the ground • Tower Silo stored upright in large concrete tower • Both are used for storing grass/legume or corn silage

15. Silage compacted to remove air, allowing fermentation and storage Stored Feed Potato waste Bunker Silo

16. Commodity Feeds producing a TMR Totally Mixed Ration • Ration or Meal supplied to the cow is a balance of energy and protein • Farmers maximize the amount of silage they can feed and balance the remainder with other inputs, $$$$ • Soybeans, barley, wheat, minerals chocolate,…

17. NS Farmers are encouraged to have Environmental Farm Plans 12 month manure Storage

18. So what is Dairy Farming?

19. Dairy Farming Job Description“Farm Management Professional” • Animal Husbandry • Animal Health • Maximize Efficiency constantly • Harvesting crops at optimum yield and quality • Financial management • Equipment maintenance and skill • Technology – Computer, GPS, • Human Resource Management