Women in Dairy: Debra Weaver

Tell us about your family and farm. First off, I married Dave, which brought me into the dairy farm life. We’ve been together over 38 years. We have three daughters, all grown up now. We run a 500-cow dairy operation and raise our own replacements. We have no outside help.

What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? I help with milking twice a day in our double-8 parallel parlor. I do clean up, feed milk calves, wean babies and help with moving new fresh cows and babies to their pens. I also vaccinate, tag and dehorn, assist with vet checks and help during harvest in the fall by driving the tractor with silage wagons to the bagger.

What decision have you made in the last year that has benefited your farm? We decided last year that we were going to bag all our feed. We bought a bagger to bag corn and rye. We had been piling it on a pile and covering it. With the change, we have seen a lot less mold and waste, cleaner feed for animals and fewer stomach problems.

Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. Watching our children and grandchildren enjoying the dairy life — feeding baby calves, milking the cows, running around on the side-by-side. Another moment was when our youngest daughter won the South Dakota dairy princess contest, which was an honorable moment.

What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? Over the years, I have enjoyed seeing our own farm-raised heifers growing up and now milking in the herd. We have a lot of good cow families started. We pushed genetics, and it shows in the milk tank.

What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? Getting the somatic cell count under 100,000 and keeping it there. We work hard every day to make our product safe and good for the public.

What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? Cow Planet Dairy is the name of our business. Our slogan is “Our milk is out of this world.” We sell milk to a local cheese plant, Valley Queen Cheese. During the holidays, we give away a lot of cheese to friends and family. Our town has a cheeseburger day in June for Dairy Month.

What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? Take time for yourself. After a hard day at work, just take a few minutes to recollect your thoughts. I personally make a trip to my favorite coffeehouse in town to pick up a coffee. It makes my day easier.

What is a challenge in the dairy industry you have faced, and how did you overcome it? Well, we know milk prices are low, but in the past, we always had to deal with milk prices being low or high. You learn that, when it’s low, you need to manage better and make wiser decisions. Always have a positive outlook that it will get better.

When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I work part time at our local hospital as a dietary cook. I do like to garden and enjoy baking, too, when I have time. I love spending time with my husband, my kids and my grandkids.