Today more than ever it is increasingly more difficult to keep the dairy operational. I would suggest two things to every dairyman and dairywoman. Number one....do the maintenance. This is so very important. Just like your car, your equipment needs to be properly maintained. A good dealership will let you know what the maintenance schedule for your particular equipment should be. Many times the farm can do a portion of their own maintenance. This will help cut cost. Many times a dairy equipment dealship is more than happy to work with you to help you to do some of your own maintenance. They may even be willing to assist you with putting together a schedule. Some of the maintenance you may want your dealer to perform. Be very careful that maintenance is done properly.
The second thing I would suggest is to keep your equipment running for as long as possible. Your dealer has no control over items being obsoleted. He or she can assist you with finding new parts from other dealerships or used good condition parts from another dairy. Every dealer wants to sell new equipment, however they also want to see your business succeed. Now keep in mind that there is a limit to how long you can use your equipment. This depends on the number of cows (goats or sheep) that you are milking and how well your equipment is maintained. Equipment age should not be considered in years alone. It should also be considered in milking time, abuse by the workers and maintenance done to units. Changing a hose once a year or changing inflations every six weeks does not constitute good maintenance. If you purchase a product from one of the larger companies and you are unable to get parts within two to three years...DON'T BUY FROM THEM AGAIN. Many dealers sell more than one line. You don't have to give up your dealer. Have them install a good quality used parlor that you can get parts for. Ask about knock off parts. A good dealer knows how to work for you.
OK. Enought of my ranting and raving. If you really can't find parts for your equipment you can contact me at suzanne@dairytrain.com. I specialize in finding hard to find part. Remember, do the maintenance and your equipment will have a longer life.
Suzanne
Monday, February 9, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Falling Milk Prices
Today I have been on the phone with a number of dealers across the country. The topic of falling milk prices came up a number of times. Milk prices effect the dairy equipment dealer as well as the dairyman. The one comment that I heard of number of times throughout the day was that many of the dairymen had put money aside during period of high milk prices that they were enjoying, until recently. I hope many of them did. The dairy business is very cyclical. Anyone in this industry for a couple of years knows how quickly things can change.
I live in Wisconsin. When I moved here we had a number of winters in the 30's. Not a lot of snow and very few cold days. That doesn't last forever. It is Wisconsin! It is cold from November to May (sometimes June). Everybody here knows it and deals with it. So what is my point? It is the dairy industry. It fluctuates. That's what it does.
I can only hope that the dairymen and women of today have put aside enough to make it through the falling prices. I looked at the futures today and the prices turn back upward after bottoming out in February. Let's think positive.
Suzanne
I live in Wisconsin. When I moved here we had a number of winters in the 30's. Not a lot of snow and very few cold days. That doesn't last forever. It is Wisconsin! It is cold from November to May (sometimes June). Everybody here knows it and deals with it. So what is my point? It is the dairy industry. It fluctuates. That's what it does.
I can only hope that the dairymen and women of today have put aside enough to make it through the falling prices. I looked at the futures today and the prices turn back upward after bottoming out in February. Let's think positive.
Suzanne
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The Holiday Season
Ok, It's December 23rd. I milk once in a while for a local dairyman. I am always amazed at the everyday....everyday....everyday, involved with owning a dairy. I can take a day off to be with my family. The dairy always milks, three times a day, rain, snow, holiday, family emergency...always.
I spoke to my uncle over the Thanksgiving holidays. This man is in his late 70's and has worked his whole life to support his wife and five kids. He told me that he has a tremendous respect for the police, firefighters and farmers. He was none of these professions but did work very hard. I am suprised at how the farmer/ dairyman of today is viewed. My uncle's generation has a tremendous respect for these professions. I hear it from my mom and other relatives of that generation. I don't feel that the younger generation feels that same way about these three professions. My only proof of this is the number of farms that are not being handed down to the younger generation. They don't want that lifestyle. It is very hard.
So with just days til Christmas, I would like to thank all of the men and women who don't get a holdiay with the rest of us. The police, the firefighters, the doctors and nurses and the farmers/dairymen and women. At the end of the day they are the ones that keep us going as a country.
Ok, that is my rambling for tonight. Let me know your thoughts.
I spoke to my uncle over the Thanksgiving holidays. This man is in his late 70's and has worked his whole life to support his wife and five kids. He told me that he has a tremendous respect for the police, firefighters and farmers. He was none of these professions but did work very hard. I am suprised at how the farmer/ dairyman of today is viewed. My uncle's generation has a tremendous respect for these professions. I hear it from my mom and other relatives of that generation. I don't feel that the younger generation feels that same way about these three professions. My only proof of this is the number of farms that are not being handed down to the younger generation. They don't want that lifestyle. It is very hard.
So with just days til Christmas, I would like to thank all of the men and women who don't get a holdiay with the rest of us. The police, the firefighters, the doctors and nurses and the farmers/dairymen and women. At the end of the day they are the ones that keep us going as a country.
Ok, that is my rambling for tonight. Let me know your thoughts.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
EPA tax per cow
This last week there was an article on MSN.com that spoke about putting a tax on each cow of approximately $175. This tax was proposed by the EPA. The EPA denies that they proposed the tax. The tax would be put on any animal that produced methane or any other environmentally depleting substance.
OK, so here is my 2c on the subject. The EPA is back peddling because they know that the agricultural community will be ticked. Who ever made this comment has probably lost his job by this time. If they are going to go after something to tax they need to look at a way to really make money. By the way, how will that money help the environment? If they tax the cows and the American farmer gets rid of his cows, where will our beef and milk come from? Will Americans eat less beef and drink less milk? I doubt it. It might be a whole lot different quality.
OK, so what are your thoughts on this tax? What have you heard about it? Speak out.
OK, so here is my 2c on the subject. The EPA is back peddling because they know that the agricultural community will be ticked. Who ever made this comment has probably lost his job by this time. If they are going to go after something to tax they need to look at a way to really make money. By the way, how will that money help the environment? If they tax the cows and the American farmer gets rid of his cows, where will our beef and milk come from? Will Americans eat less beef and drink less milk? I doubt it. It might be a whole lot different quality.
OK, so what are your thoughts on this tax? What have you heard about it? Speak out.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Welcome to the Udder Truth
This blog has been started for all dairy men and women and the equipment dealer who work for them. I know that that sounds like a crazy group of people but they all fit together. For those of you who do not know about Dairy Train I will fill you in.
I started Dairy Train in December of 06. I was in technical support for a large equipment company when I lost my job. I knew it was coming. I refused to relocate to Chicago. There are no cows there. But that's all water under the bridge. I decided to start a company to provide dairy equipment dealers with the ability to fix things that were no longer sold by the big companies. The big companies do have to keep their inventories at a certain level to be profitable. Many times when a product is no longer sold by the big company, the dairy equipment dealer has a bunch of them on his shelf and no where to sell them. The dealer in Montania might have 50 of them and the dealer in Wisconsin might need 20 of them. Dairy Train tries to find these parts for the dealer in need of them, or tries to find a home for the old parts that a dealer might have.
So I am rambling on about Dairy Train. What is the purpose of this blog? I would like to know what is going on in your world. What equipment do you just love to own? What treatments have you used that you are really excited about? What new fix have you found for your equipment? What great thing are you doing for your employees? Let me know all about your life in the dairy world.
Suzanne
I started Dairy Train in December of 06. I was in technical support for a large equipment company when I lost my job. I knew it was coming. I refused to relocate to Chicago. There are no cows there. But that's all water under the bridge. I decided to start a company to provide dairy equipment dealers with the ability to fix things that were no longer sold by the big companies. The big companies do have to keep their inventories at a certain level to be profitable. Many times when a product is no longer sold by the big company, the dairy equipment dealer has a bunch of them on his shelf and no where to sell them. The dealer in Montania might have 50 of them and the dealer in Wisconsin might need 20 of them. Dairy Train tries to find these parts for the dealer in need of them, or tries to find a home for the old parts that a dealer might have.
So I am rambling on about Dairy Train. What is the purpose of this blog? I would like to know what is going on in your world. What equipment do you just love to own? What treatments have you used that you are really excited about? What new fix have you found for your equipment? What great thing are you doing for your employees? Let me know all about your life in the dairy world.
Suzanne
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