Where Do We Go From Here? Tina L. Struyk Sheboygan County Extension Dairy & Livestock Agent UW-Extension Dairy Team “Modernizing Wisconsin’s Dairy Farms” Train-the Trainer Module June 20-21, 2002

Getting Started Evaluate your current situation Understand your options Gain knowledge  Attend modernization seminars & workshops  Visit farms  Read popular press articles  Talk with local service people Define your goals  Short-term & Long-term HAVE AN OPEN MIND!

Getting Your Business Plan Together It’s the brain cell of every manager Includes all aspects of the business  Financial  Production  Crops Organize-you have most of the records already!  Past financial records  Milk and crop production records  Herd Health records  List of assets

Financial Support Bankers, lenders Farm Service Agencies Dairy 20/20 Early Planning Grant

Use your resources!

Team: A small number of people with complementary skills, who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. -Kazenbach & Smith

A Team Approach to Dairy Facilities Planning and Construction Family Veterinarian Crop Consultant Nutritionist Employees Farm Management Consultant Lender/Investors Milk Plant Land Conservation Representative UW-Extension Agent Facilities Consultant Contractor Equipment Dealer Project Supervisor

Modernization Advisory Team Who do they include?  Owners or stakeholders  Nutritionist  Veterinarian  Extension Agent  Banker  Other service people  Key People from the farm Diversity & Knowledge is the KEY!

Why advisory teams? Expertise in specific areas Teams divide the work up Teams multiply the results

Benefits of an advisory team for the producer More effective communication Greater source of ideas Greater return for time spent Knowledge of what others are doing Establish priorities Confidence & more positive attitude

Benefits of an advisory team for the consultant Better understanding of farm goals Ideas from others Improved skills in problem solving More profitable farms Improved attitudes

Concepts of the advisory team Identify farm challenges Discussion and brainstorming New ideas Discuss advantages & disadvantages Provide new options or suggestions Formulate goals and action plans

The 1 st meeting… Walk-thru Introductions Team roles Ground rules SWOT analysis SMART Goals

S.W.O.T. Analysis S S trengths W W eaknesses O O pportunities T T hreats

S.M.A.R.T. Goals S S pecific M M easurable A A chievable R R elevant T T imely

Sheboygan County Advisory Team Consisted of:  Owners & wives  Accountant  Banker  Nutritionist  Veterinarian  Agronomist  Extension Agent  Contractor

Prior to expansion 280 cows 173 tie-stall barns Milking took 6 hours with 4 milkers 60 lbs/cow/day 225 SCC average hour work day

S.W.O.T. Analysis Strengths:  Each member liked different duties  large number of animals  Family Labor  Excellent source of consultants Weaknesses:  Time  Labor pool Opportunities  Land Threats  Milk price  LLC Transfer  Purchase animals/biosecurity

S.M.A.R.T. Goals Milking 400 cows in a freestall/milking complex within 2 years House all cattle on main farm Renovate existing 173 tie-stall barn for heifers Reduce individual work hours Develop organization charts Estate transfer

Sheboygan County Advisory Team July 28, 1999 to August 23, 2000 Met 10 times Began construction April 2000 Moved into new facilities August 2000

During the year the team… Developed & implemented biosecurity plan Decided to have purchased heifers raised by a grower Designed & built special needs barn Completed job preference survey for owners Facilitated LLC transfer to next generation Developed organizational chart with job descriptions Developed employee handbook

Prior to expansion 280 cows 173 tie-stall barns Milking took 6 hours with 4 milkers 60 lbs/cow/day 225 SCC average hour work day

After expansion… 280 cows 173 tie-stall barn Milking took 6 hours with 4 milkers 60 lbs/cow/day 225 SCC average hour work day 570 cows Double 12 parlor 6 ½ hours with 2 milkers for each milking 85 lbs/cow/day 180 SCC average 8-10 hour work day

Positive things the farm had to say about team… Liked team effort Opened communication between family members Resource people brought in a set of “fresh eyes” Resulted in better planning Confidence in what they were doing

Use your resources!

Where Do We Go From Here? Tina L. Struyk Sheboygan County Extension Dairy & Livestock Agent UW-Extension Dairy Team “Modernizing Wisconsin’s Dairy Farms” Train-the Trainer Module June 20-21, 2002