Released December 31, 2008

FARGO, N.C. -- 2009 is here, but despite holiday wishes and New Year resolutions, the reality is that milk prices appear to be at or below break-even prices, depending on contracted expenses such as fuel, fertilizer and feed costs.

“So as dairy managers, make economic decisions and be careful that saving a dollar today doesn’t lose $10 six months from now,” says North Dakota State University Extension Service dairy specialist J.W. Schroeder.

The 2009 NDSU Extension Service Dairy Cow College, scheduled for late January, will help dairy managers make more informed decisions. The program will include three rules of thumb for producers to consider. They are:

• Avoid decisions that intentionally give up milk yield because income will drop faster than expenses. One pound of ration dry matter can cost 9 to 11 cents. One pound of dry matter above maintenance can support 2 pounds more milk. Reducing 1 pound of dry matter saves 10 cents while losing 36 to 40 cents of milk income potential.
• Maintain milk components. Milk protein was worth about $3.26 a pound and milk fat was valued at nearly $1.80 a pound just a month ago. Low milk components can reflect incorrect feeding program changes and impaired rumen function, and most certainly result in lost milk income potential.
• Guard against feed changes, such as reduced fertility and impaired herd health, that can impact the dairy herd long term. While correcting lost milk yield and/or recovering from low component yield can be accomplished in only a few weeks, the challenges of getting cows pregnant or lame cows to walk, or reducing somatic cell counts to improve milk quality can take months or even an entire lactation to improve, and ultimately may require culling.

Other Dairy Cow College topics will include an update on the National Animal Identification System implementation from James Clement, North Dakota animal identification coordinator; rules for cutting feed costs; cattle traceability in North Dakota; calculating the cost of changing feeds; feeding flax to dairy cattle; and what can go wrong with silage. The program also will include Midwest Dairy Association promotion highlights and an American Dairy Association district meeting.

Dairy Cow College registration begins with coffee at 10:30 a.m. local time at the five following sites:

• Monday, Jan, 26 - Linton, Auditorium, Emmons County Courthouse
• Tuesday, Jan. 27 - New Salem, Youth Building, Morton County Fairgrounds
• Wednesday, Jan. 28 - Dickinson, Elks Lodge, 501 Elks Drive
• Thursday, Jan. 29 - Towner, Ranch House, 217 Main St. S.
• Friday, Jan. 30 - Valley City, Eagles Club, 345 12th Ave. N.E.

All meetings run from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

This program is a joint NDSU Extension Service and Midwest Dairy Association educational effort in cooperation with county Extension offices and the NDSU Animal Sciences Department.

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http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/newsreleases/2008/dec-31-2008/2009-dairy-cow-college-dates-set

Contacts: J.W. Schroeder, (701) 231-7663, jw.schroeder@ndsu.edu

Ellen Crawford, (701) 231-5391, ellen.crawford@ndsu.edu