730 times a year

[Up North]

The cows are rounded up into this holding pen. From there they proceed into the building on left, eat their grain, and get milked. Then they exit, drink water, and go back to their life of eating, sleeping, and creating whatever mischief they can
************************************************** *************

[milkinpigs]

You forgot pooping.........lots and lots and lots of pooping........

[sammyd]

that could fall under creating mischief

[susieM]

And farting...which creates global warming.

[Jcran]

Originally Posted by susieM

And farting...which creates global warming.

Cows have NOTHING on a group of 30 fifth graders in a closed room after lunchtime....give me a full milking parlor and methane moo-ers ANY day! 11 year olds create more global warming than any cow...although we teachers do create a lot of hot air too, according to some

[francismilker]

Good looking milk barn you got there UpNorth. Also a good looking bunch of colored milk cows. Lots of luck to you on your first Kansas winter which can't even possibly compare to the lows in Wisconsin. You'll probably be milking in short sleeves in January.

[Rockin'B]

They oughta have that program memorized!

[Shirley]

The cows are rounded up into this holding pen

Our dairyman friend has a dog that goes out twice a day and brings the cows in.

[Up North]

Originally Posted by milkinpigs

You forgot pooping.........lots and lots and lots of pooping........

A Gentleman at your preferred location could turn all that poop into black dirt , bag it up and sell it. Very popular for landscaping, flower gardens, and growers of the Veg.
Another income stream ???????

[Up North]

Originally Posted by Shirley

The cows are rounded up into this holding pen

Our dairyman friend has a dog that goes out twice a day and brings the cows in.

I purchased a VHS Video on training Border Collies.
Our dog watched that video 7 times, and he still don't get it

[Shirley]

Originally Posted by Up North

I purchased a VHS Video on training Border Collies.
Our dog watched that video 7 times, and he still don't get it

He is coming over in the morning, I will ask him how he trained his dog and how long it took to teach him to do that. Maybe his dog watched a different training video! LOL

[Sunraven]

Hey Up North, dogs aren't hard to train, assuming the dog has some instinct. You should go to Charlie Trayer's clinic next month. I don't think he's far from you and the price is real reasonable. Here's the info:

OCTOBER 13 & 14, 2007
WORKING DOG CLINIC
COTTONWOOD RANCH
COTTONWOOD FALLS, KS 66845
Cost is $75.00/day (Dog and Handler) $20.00/Day (Observer)
(Call 620.273.8472 to make your reservations)

[Up North]

Sunraven - Thanks for the info. I have looked at their website before. looks like good folks that know dogs alright. My old dog, though, why... he's been farming with me longer than my wife, LOL. He don't bother the poultry or cause no troubles, so we will just let him enjoy his retirement.

[Shirley]

How many cows do you milk twice a day? How do you bring them in "round them up" for milking?

[Up North]

Originally Posted by Shirley

How many cows do you milk twice a day? How do you bring them in "round them up" for milking?

We have 80 cows. At present 65 are milking and rest are dry. Most of the cows come in on their own, but there are always a few stragglers hanging back. We just walk behind them and herd the mob into the holding pen.

[Shirley]

Originally Posted by Up North

We have 80 cows. At present 65 are milking and rest are dry. Most of the cows come in on their own, but there are always a few stragglers hanging back. We just walk behind them and herd the mob into the holding pen.

80 cows, wow This dairy business has really caught my interest, I love cows anyway. How many milking cows do you need to call it a dairy business?
Walk behind them and herd them in, well, there is your exercise for the day! lol
I like having a quad. Easier than walking around 50 acres, the only problem is when money gets tight it is the first thing to be sold, they sell so quick!

[Up North]

Originally Posted by Shirley

How many milking cows do you need to call it a dairy business?

I used to think that there was "X" number of cows required to run an operational dairy farm that paid it's own way.
Now I realize that I was wrong.
In my studies and travels I have seen thrifty bachelors with 20 very good cows on a paid for farm who made a very good living. I have seen herds of 12-15 cows that turned all the milk into high priced specialty cheeses and made a good living.
And I have seen farms with 300 cows that couldn't pay their bills.
To my way of thinking, you could call it a dairy business if the cows paid their way and left something for the owner, regardless of the number of cows or the level of milk production.

[Shirley]

It is funny, I came from an area in Az with dairies all around us. Never paid much attention to them. Now, in our new home and State, all of a sudden I am interested. I pass a small production dairy going to town (like yours, under 100 cows) and we've met another small production dairyman, baling his hay. I guess I never connected the dairy business to anything less then 1000 to 2000 cows until I came here.
I wonder what dh would think if I run the idea past him to have a small dairy! LOL
Thanks upnorth for the conversation and for allowing me to dream.