Producers Take the Lead to Ensure Quality Dairy Product
by Mona Averbeck, WMMB District 16 Director

My husband Bill and I own and operate a 200-cow dairy operation near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. That and my recent election as a director of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc. combine to fill my days.

Just like any other operation across the state, we face the same day-to-day challenges in trying to produce quality milk. Regardless of a dairy's size–whether it has 20 cows or 2,000 cows–it's a constant challenge to produce and maintain a top-notch dairy product on a daily basis.

Certainly, it's in our best interest to focus on quality because it just makes good business sense. Quality-minded dairy producers present a positive image to our communities and, most importantly, consumers. If we want our dairy products to show substantial gains in market sales, we need to demonstrate to consumers that our industry and its products adhere to the highest quality standards. In the end, consumer confidence in our products hinges on where we choose to place "quality" on our dairy agenda.

During the past 10 years, our operation certainly has had its share of ups and downs. We had a severe case of mycotoxin mold that adversely affected our production and reproduction and later our dairy barn was destroyed by fire. As you can imagine, both incidents took their financial toll. And, as all dairy producers know, milk prices are on a continual roller coaster ride.

Despite the highs and lows, we dairy producers are persistent and we're always striving to become more efficient and enhance our bottom line. One of the ways to do that is by tapping into the quality premiums we can add to our milk checks. Every Wisconsin and Upper Midwest producer has the unique opportunity to receive some very nice premiums based on producing a quality product.

In Wisconsin, it's called the Milk Money Program, which was developed at the University of Wisconsin Madison to improve the quality of milk and enhance the profitability and competitiveness of the Wisconsin dairy industry in a global economy. Every month our dairy has been able to take advantage of a significant dollar benefit. However, that doesn't mean we no longer face challenges. On the contrary, it simply means that we must continually implement our quality strategies and diligently monitor our progress. Producing quality milk doesn't just happen. We, the dairy producers and our employees, are the ones to make it happen.

Of course, for some dairies quality or low somatic cell count can be very elusive at times. And that includes ours. However, we always need to be mindful that when quality begins to suffer, so does our milk check.

After our barn fire, we were battling a yo-yo effect regarding somatic cell. We worked hard to make sure our employees were using proper prepping techniques, handling and moving the cattle quietly and efficiently and keeping the parlor and milking equipment clean. Yet, all of these steps were not enough to lower our cell count from the 300,000 to 350,000 range.

And that's where the Milk Money Program came to our rescue. Thanks to our extension agent, we found out about the pilot program, which was implemented by Dr. Pamela Ruegg of the University of Wisconsin Madison. This program is available to any dairy producer who is willing to do whatever it takes to make necessary changes and implement different techniques to reduce somatic cell count. It's a team concept in which dairy producers involve key knowledgeable people in their dairies who bring new ideas to the table that might enhance milk quality.

For us, the key people included our extension agent (who served as moderator) our vet, nutritionist, milk plant field person and, of course, the owners and employees. We met once each month for six months discussing and focusing on areas that might be problematic and ideas that could be utilized to help lower and minimize mastitis.

When you're so closely involved in the day-to-day operation of your dairy, this team effort can be a real benefit because it offers another set of eyes and a host of fresh ideas. And as we've seen, the extra emphasis on quality pays significant dividends in the long run.

Mona Averbeck is the WMMB director for District 16, which covers Fond du Lac, Green Lake, and Marquette counties. She elected to the Board in 2002. She and husband Bill own and operate a 200-cow dairy farm near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. They crop 550 acres, most of which is used by the dairy for forages. The Averbecks have four children, two of whom oldest son Adam and youngest son Louis work for the dairy. Their son Nick works for a masonry contracting firm and daughter Courtney is employed by a day-care facility.

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