A dairy farm business needs a significant amount of money and effort for you to get it off the ground – perhaps even more than a meat business. So, whatever you put into this business, be it capital or hard work, it has to be in a wise manner that maximises the chances of getting it to become successful.
And when it comes to starting and executing a successful business, there are certain things that should be followed. No matter what background or experience you hold in milking cows, these tips will certainly help you make your way ahead towards success. So let’s take a look at these important things.
Start with a Business plan
Like others, a dairy farm is also a business and should be started with a proper and detailed business plan. All the necessary things like weakness, strength, resources, side effects and opportunities should be mentioned in it in order to make your goals clear.
Also think about the key points like how much cows will be milked; how would you advertise your business and in which area; do you need employees to assist you and if yes then how many; how much money you will need to pay electricity and food bills and how much cash you will require in hand after clearing all those bills. Make sure that your plan defines each and every aspect of the business and explains the strategy in details. It will surely help you get the investors easily.
Take some advice from experts
No matter whether you’ve grown up in a dairy farm milking and feeding cows or are a newbie in this field, you should consult an expert before making it your own business. This will help you know several ins and outs of it that you might not be familiar with.There are some people like farmers, veterinarians, agronomist, nutritionist and even bankers who can really advise you by sharing their perspective on cow farming and dairy management.
For this, you can visit a number of dairies in your area and see how they work; what techniques they follow to manage their farm and how much of them work. Absorb all these things carefully and then implement them in your dairy business, as per your animals and resources.
Come up with a feeding program
In order to ensure that the quality of milk meets the general standard, you need to provide cows with the required nutrition in their diet. Since you are managing a lot of cows, there are chances that some of them will be lactating. So, ensure that you are paying special attention to such cows. You could even meet up with a nutritionist and discuss the best diet you can have in place for lactating cows, as they also have a calf to feed and grow.
Create a waste management plan
It goes without saying that cattles produce a lot of manure, which can be difficult to handle without a proper waste management plan. But if the manure is used properly, it can turn out to be a great fertiliser. If you are working on double cropping system, then this will definitely help you produce a good amount of feed on your land that’ll eventually cut down on ration and save you a significant amount of funds.
Regular Grooming
Your cows are the primary attention of your business and the only source of your bread and butter, so make sure you are not taking their grooming for granted. See to it that you are bathing them regularly, trimming their hoof and maintaining cowhide with quality products, which you can easily find at our store. To know more about us and the products that we offer, feel free to get in touch.
Also, keep their surroundings neat and clean to keep them germs and bacteria at a bay, as it might lead to several diseases.
After ensuring that all the above points are taken into consideration, it’s time to play your manager role which is to take care of all the things in the farm including cattles, resources, property and employees (if any).
We hope these tips will help you establish your dairy business successfully.
