Business Management
Solid business management skills are essential as the dairy cattle industry grows more competitive, complex, and challenging. Dairy producers will find information and tools to utilize in their daily routines, as well as opportunities to connect with other professionals and dairy experts. Find resources for running a dairy operation – from market trends and insights to resources management, dairy herd metrics, record-keeping, and cash-flow planning.
Dairy Farm Management
While raising cattle and managing dairy production, dairy farm owners and managers need to also stay informed and adapt to changing variables such as cattle feed prices, dairy market trends, and regulations.
In this section, you can access many other Penn State Extension resources on dairy farm management, such as our milk production record book to monitor herd productivity, and feeding records for monitoring feed intakes and forage dry matters.
Information is also available for entrepreneurial dairy producers interested in value-added dairy products, such as cheese, butter, and yogurt. From resource planning and management to production, marketing, they can access a variety of all Penn State Extension insights on value-added dairy production.
Tools and Apps for Dairy Producers
Useful tools for dairy producers are also featured in this section, such as the Penn State Dairy Herd Metrics mobile application and the Milk Production and Feeding Records app.
Calculation tools allow producers to get a clearer picture of their dairy expenses and income and how they relate to other farm expenses. Such useful tools are the Farm Margin mobile application for calculating a dairy's break-even cost of production, the DairyCents Mobile App for income over feed costs, and the CropCents Mobile App for actual costs to produce home-raised feeds.
Dairy producers can also find records management systems for determining the actual costs of raising replacement heifers, colostrum management, metrics for monitoring culling strategies, protein and phosphorus monitoring, and many more.
Risk Management for Dairy Producers
Risk management for dairy producers accounts for volatility in milk markets, farm costs, and other factors, so that an unforeseen setback does not cost you your business.
Make the best of Penn State Extension resources on managing risk for dairy operations. Topics include managing income over feed costs, tracking milk prices and feed costs, using milk futures to lock in profitability, risk management for reproduction programs, dairy margin coverage, as well as many others. In addition to these, you could see how to use the USDA Risk Management Checklist to develop or assess your risk management plan.
Dairy Farm Finances and Market Trends
A profitable dairy farm is sustained by adept business and financial management. Dairy producers are constantly monitoring production costs and staying informed of market trends and impending regulations.
Here you can find numerous resources to keep up with market information and help your business stay profitable. Penn State Extension is regularly publishing Dairy Outlook information with current market trends. The Dairy Sense series is also a useful resource for various business management topics.
In addition, producers can find advice and tools for dairy finances, such as these five steps to monitor the financial health of a dairy business. Tips on cash flow management are also available, and you can download our annual cash flow tool to identify cash inflows/outflows for the dairy enterprise.
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ArticlesDon't Skimp on Health Costs
Regardless of high or low profit margins, the investment in health care for calves, heifers, and cows should not waver. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: When Research Meets Real World
There are several key factors that come into play when determining how much a farm may benefit from a new product or management practice. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: What Is Soil Health?
Soil health affects soil fertility and production potential, which affects crop yields, quality, and production costs. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Unlocking Added Potential
The transition period, early lactation, and breeding age heifers are the keys to unlocking added potential for milk income. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Troubleshooting Low Milk Production
Experience has shown that there is normally not just one area that is causing low milk production or performance. It is usually multifaceted. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: The Value of Optimizing Heat Abatement
The short-term duration of hot weather can have long term ramifications to total milk pounds for the year, components, reproduction, and milk income -
ArticlesDairy Sense: The Missing Link: Financial Health
The financial health or profitability of a dairy operation is often the missing link of the farm's financial picture. When the financials are broken, any attempt to make production improvements may not result in financial progress. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: The Margin Still Rules
Margin, either on a per hundred weight basis or per cow basis is the gold standard for measuring an operation's financial status and milk price alone is a minor character in the narrative. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: The Major Influencer of Cash Flow Mechanics
Focus on total pounds of milk produced, not milk per cow, for positive cash flow. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Stay the Course
The dairy industry as with any commodity deals with the peaks and valleys of the markets. Focus on making adjustments that improve upon what is already being done. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Sustainability of Component Fed Herds
According to the 2017 National Agricultural Statistics Service the average number of milking cows is 76. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Small Grain Silage for the Lactating Herd
Double cropping corn silage acres with a small grain is a strategy that provides additional forage inventory and maintains cover on fields. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Reviewing the DHIA 202 Sheet
Records and data are commonplace when operating a dairy. The Dairy Herd Information Association (DHIA) provides both a holistic and current overview of what is happening with the cows. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Qualifying for the Six Pound Club
Increasing milk components can boost milk price even if milk volume stays the same. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Preparing for Mycotoxin Problems
Uncooperative weather patterns can increase the occurrence of molds and mycotoxins. Minimize their growth in storage by proper management of harvest, storage, and feed out. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Options for Limited Forage Inventories
Variable rain leaves dairy producers with reduced forage inventories. Corn for silage within fields and farm is extremely variable in regards to plant height and corn grain fill. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Milk Income and Ration Perspective for Milk Fat
A balance between components and volume may be the best strategy to optimize milk income. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: More Sugar, Please
Adding sugar to the ration can complement many diets and takes the pressure off starch as the only energy source used to maintain production and components. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Managing Information Overload
Today's technology provides the opportunity to collect a lot of data related to crops, cows and financials. Managing that information is essential. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Managing Family Living Expenses
Taking an owner draw that exceeds milk income can create financial strain. Here's a simple method to calculate what the operation can cover for family living expenses. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Know Your Herd's Feed Costs?
Maintaining positive cash flow on dairy farms requires good management of cropping, feeding, and financials. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Keeping the Dairy Right Sized
Regardless of the dairy's herd size, there is one key theme that applies to everyone, a land base that matches the number of cows and heifers in the herd. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Keeping Milk Components Strong
Maintaining strong levels of milk fat and protein are important to animal performance and for optimizing milk income. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Keep Purchased Feed Costs in Perspective
Learn the return on milk volume and pounds of fat and protein in regards to the price of feed. -
ArticlesDairy Sense: Heat Stress Aftermath
Heat stress can impact animal performance weeks beyond the initial occurrence, lingering in the fresh cow period and ultimately affect overall production.
