CSI-DAIRY A COW-SIDE INVESTIGATION INTO MANAGING EXPANSION CHALLENGES “YOUR DEPENDABLE SOLUTION FOR YOUR DAIRY NEEDS” Numerous ‘culprits’ on dairy farms combine to rob herd performance and injure a dairy’s bottom line. Identifying and arresting the offender isn’t always easy, and a proactive investigation can help reduce chal- lenges before they arise. By Kevin Putnam In 2008, Bilow Farms, Malone, N.Y., was preparing for another expansion of both the dairy and farming operations. Owned by partners Vincent Bilow; his wife Trudy; son Andrew; and nephew Mike Poirier, the farm had grown slowly from 100 cows in the mid-80s to 1,000 cows in 2008. The current herd averaged 75 lbs. of milk/cow/day, with the high group averaging 110 lbs. Rations consisted of 47% forage with some purchased corn. The farm I Kevin Putnam produced adequate forages needed for the current herd is a Pioneer Dairy Specialist. size. Overall, the operation Contact him via was performing well. e-mail: Kevin. But, with major expan- putnam@ sion plans in place, Vincent pioneer.com; phone 585-245- knew refi ning his manage- 1239; or visit ment practices was a neces- www.pioneer. sity. Making the next jump com/forages. to 1,650 cows was a colossal investment and certainly one that needed to pay for itself. The expansion called for precision. Evaluating the entire operation was essential. Vincent understood the need for more effi cient time, money and management practices. A criti- cal component of success would be Vincent’s ability to produce enough high-quality feed to support his expansion. To take the herd to the next level would require more tonnage and more starch from corn silage acres. FYI Assembling the investigation team Vincent always worked with several experts Please turn to page 22 HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL MIXERS MANURE SPREADERS ONE TON BALE FEEDERS FEED DELIVERY UNIT