September 5, 2017 at 3:32 p.m.
Faith Acres Dairy increases production with 3x milking, TMR
David Bertram puts a milking unit on a cow during morning chores. The three times a day milking has helped Faith Acres Dairy achieve their current RHA. <br /><!-- 1upcrlf -->PHOTO BY MISSY MUSSMAN
David Bertram
Hewitt, Minn.
Ottertail County
136 cows
What is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? Our herd average is 30,043 pounds of milk with 1,124 pounds of butterfat and 895 pounds of protein.
How many times a day do you milk? If you don't milk 3X a day, have you tried it in the past? We milk three times a day.
Do you use BST? If so, what is your protocol? Yes, we use BST. We start using it when they are confirmed pregnant or if we are having trouble getting them bred back.
Do you contract your milk? Has it been successful for you? No, we don't contract our milk.
Describe your housing and milking facility. We house our cows in a tiestall barn on our farm.
What is the composition of your ration? What has been one of your most recent changes that has been successful for you? We feed 35 pounds of haylage, 30 pounds of corn silage, 16 pounds of high moisture corn, 9 pounds of protein and mineral mix, 0.25 pounds of an energy booster and 3 pounds of top dress.
Through the years you've been farming, what change has created the biggest jump in your herd average? Milking three times a day and using the TMR have done that for us.
What is your herd health program? We do pregnancy checks every two weeks and do a nine-way vaccination in the fall.
What does your dry cow and transition cow program consist of? We have one pen of dry cows that we feed 28 pounds of silage and 4 pounds of a corn and mineral mix along with free choice mixed round bale.
What role does genetics play in your production level and what is your breeding program? It plays a big role. We use top end bulls on our heifers and mostly young sires on our cows.
What type of improvements would you like to make that would increase your rolling herd average? As of right now, we don't have any improvements we want to make.
What would you say are the three most important factors for you that helped you attain your current herd average? Switching over to three times a day milking, using a TMR along with high quality feeds and using high quality bulls.
Tell us about your farm. I started farming in 1969 with my dad. We built a new tiestall barn in 1980 for 80 cows and added a second addition later for 42 cows and maternity pens. We also added two Harvestores and a stave silo. At the present time, we employ my oldest son, Eric, my brother, James, and Patrick Harris. My youngest son, Cory, and niece, Keisha, and my grandchildren help with chores. Eric's wife, Angie, does the morning calf feeding. We have five irrigation systems and also have 60 head of beef cows. We planted 280 acres of corn, 500 acres of soybeans, 115 acres of oats, 145 acres of alfalfa and 86 acres of an alfalfa and grass mix. My dad, Ted, and I do most of the field work.[[In-content Ad]]
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