When you first think about dairy farming, you might picture an old man in overalls, face hidden by a straw hat, kicking a footstool and aluminum bucket into place as he prepares for an early morning milking in the barn.
While this might be the image of a dairy cattle farmer in cartoons and children’s books, make your way to a dairy farm today and you’ll see something much more modern and sophisticated.
At
Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), our Cooperative is made up of nearly 10,000 family dairy farmers across the United States caring for their cows, their land and their communities. Our farmer-owners aren’t large, corporate operations. Not only are DFA farms family-owned, our average herd size is only 114 cows.
As family-run, family-operated businesses, dairy farming looks a little different at each one, but DFA farms milk their cows responsibly, sustainably and
ethically.
So, what does milking cows look like today?
Cows are milked two or three times a day in milking barns, called parlors, typically using machines. The type of machine used for milking looks a little different on each farm.
On one farm, you might find a farmer milking 50 Jersey cows in a herringbone parlor, where the cows snuggle into their stalls at a 45-degree angle and can be milked from a variety of vantage points; while on the next farm, several thousand Holstein cows get milked in a robotic rotary parlor. And while those dairy farmers all operate their dairies differently, they share a focus on
responsible farming, being efficient, improving the health and comfort of their herd and producing high-quality milk.
Milking cows explained
- Before every milking, the cow’s udders are cleaned and sanitized
- A milking machine is attached and removes the milk through a gentle suction
- Fresh milk is quickly chilled and kept cold at 32ºF in a bulk tank until a milk truck picks it up
What else goes into milking a cow?
Keeping their cows comfortable is a high priority for
DFA farmer-owners, and great milk starts with happy cows.
Dairy cow nutrition is where it all begins. To keep their cows feeling good, dairy farmers (also sometimes called milk producers) feed them a healthy, balanced diet throughout the day that includes all the nutrients they need in one optimal mixture (usually a mix of hay, grains, protein sources, vitamins and minerals). Dairy cows also always have access to fresh water and get fresh bedding daily to lounge on. In some barns, cows have a waterbed or mattress (similar to the human version,) topped with fresh sand for comfort. During the summer, fans and misters keep the cows cool, and during the winter heating systems and curtains keep the barn toasty warm.
All of these comfort items and more ensure the happiness and healthiness of dairy cows.
A day in the life of a dairy farmer
Dairy farmers have far more responsibilities than just milking their cows (although that’s a big part of their job, of course.)
Their
day often starts off bright and early with no shortage of chores. Keeping a farm running means lots of maintenance tasks, such as mending broken fences, repairing farm equipment and ensuring facilities and buildings are in tip-top shape.
Cows are creatures of habit and like to be milked at the same time every day, two or three times a day. So, everything else has to happen around their milking schedules. Depending on the size of the parlor and how many cows need to be milked, it can take dairy farmers several hours to do each milking.
Farmers also feed the cows multiple times a day. In fact, each cow eats about 100 pounds of food in 24 hours! Farmers also have to check the cows’ water troughs to ensure they’re full of fresh, clean water. One cow can drink the equivalent of a bathtub of water in a day. The calves, which are the future of the herd, also have to be cared for, given bottles and provided fresh bedding.
DFA farmer-owners also often grow crops and hay. These crops help feed their herd, and some dairy farmers sell their extra crops to neighboring farms for another source of income. When growing crops, dairy farmers often use regenerative agriculture practices. These are special practices that care for the land, soil and water to ensure the crop fields are strong for generations to come.
Some regenerative agriculture practices dairy farmers use include:
- Planting cover crops to protect and replenish soil during the winter
- Using low-till or no-till field practices to reduce disturbance to the soil
- Using natural fertilizers on the fields, such as manure
Every day looks a little bit different, but dairy farmers also work with and train their employees, meet with veterinarians and nutritionists and do office work.
Technology on dairy farms today
With so much to do, dairy farmers use technology to help them be more efficient. In fact, most dairy farms today use technology in some way. As business owners, each of our farmer-owners apply technology on their farm differently based on what works best for them. Factors like the farm’s location, herd size, labor needs, milking frequency and the farmer’s personal preferences all determine how they use technology.
By automating the normally labor-intensive jobs involved in cow management, dairy farmers can care for their cows and be more efficient while they do it.
Ways dairy farmers use technology on the farm:
- Fitbit®-like devices with sensors track cows' movements to provide insights for dairy farmers on the health of each cow
- Mobile phone apps that allow dairy farmers to track how much milk each cow produces and other statistics
- Robotic feed pushers make life easier for cows and farmers. Roaming feed lanes at specified times, these futuristic farmhands push feed within easy reach to keep cows full and happy, leading to increased production and happier herds
- Milking robots make it possible for cows to be milked on their own schedules. When a cow is ready to be milked, she enters the pen, and the robot recognizes her based on the sensors in the collar she wears. After her udders are cleaned and sanitized, a robotic arm extends to milk the cow and a feeding box swivels out to give her a small snack to enjoy while she waits the five minutes or so it takes to be milked. When finished, a gate automatically opens and she heads back into the barn. With the ability to eat, rest and be milked whenever they choose, the cows are calm, comfortable and produce more milk
What does sustainability look like on a dairy farm?
DFA farmer-owners have always been stewards of the environment. While milking and caring for their cows is their biggest job, they also focus on
sustainability initiatives, such as promoting healthy soil,
recycling water and using renewable energy, among other methods. They’re committed to reducing their carbon footprint and preserving the planet for a
sustainable future for generations to come.
How can I support family dairy farmers?
With the herd and the land cared for, our farmer-owners ensure that only the best quality milk leaves their farm. At DFA, we make sure our farmers’ milk stays that way when it’s taken for milk processing — to transform raw milk into the delicious and nutritious dairy products you love like butter, cheese, ice cream and more.
When you purchase from a
DFA farmer-owned brand, you can enjoy these delicious products knowing that the highest level of care and quality goes into them.
Caring for their herd while stewarding the land and nourishing the world with safe, delicious dairy is a big responsibility, but our farmer-owners know there’s way more to dairy farming than just milking cows — and they’re happy to do it.