Management Plan for Dairy Cow - Revision history

Gabrielle LeBlanc at 04:21, 2 December 2012

2012-12-02T04:21:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:21, 2 December 2012
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	Milk		Milk
	~~<html><iframe width='500' height='300' frameborder='0' src='https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Al0OZR0jopGfdGJ3ZHpQMlk5VHhFbHJ5dmp3bnVSZlE&output=html&widget=true'></iframe></html>~~

	Once a day vs twice a day milking:		Once a day vs twice a day milking:
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	=Cost/Benefit=		=Cost/Benefit=

			<html><iframe width='500' height='300' frameborder='0' src='https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Al0OZR0jopGfdGJ3ZHpQMlk5VHhFbHJ5dmp3bnVSZlE&output=html&widget=true'></iframe></html>

	Costs:		Costs:

Gabrielle LeBlanc: /* Reproduction */

2012-12-02T04:21:09Z

Reproduction

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:21, 2 December 2012
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	*Calves in spring		*Calves in spring
	*Milk her through fall		*Milk her through fall
	*Breed her in ~~October~~ (by bull service or using semen from a small bull, AI performed by a neighbor)		*Breed her in May (by bull service or using semen from a small bull, AI performed by a neighbor)
	*Dry Period: November-Calving		*Dry Period: November-Calving
	*Calves: keep them with her, perhaps wean if you'd like to acclimate the calves to people more		*Calves: keep them with her, perhaps wean if you'd like to acclimate the calves to people more

Gabrielle LeBlanc: /* FeF Dairy */

2012-12-02T04:11:13Z

FeF Dairy

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:11, 2 December 2012
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	Milk		Milk
	~~June~~: ~~2+ gallons per day~~		<html><iframe width='500' height='300' frameborder='0' src='https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Al0OZR0jopGfdGJ3ZHpQMlk5VHhFbHJ5dmp3bnVSZlE&output=html&widget=true'></iframe></html>
	~~July: 1~~.~~5 gallons per day~~
	~~August: 1+ gallon per day~~
	~~September:~~

	Once a day vs twice a day milking:		Once a day vs twice a day milking:
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	Yogurt		Yogurt
	*~~I experimented~~ with a wild culture, simply left it out overnight, by the next day it was fermenting. Drank some as kefir, then added lemon juice and pineapple juice, made a sweet curd that was reminiscent of ricotta. Delicious with raisins and cinnamon.		*Experimented with a wild culture, simply left it out overnight, by the next day it was fermenting. Drank some as kefir, then added lemon juice and pineapple juice, made a sweet curd that was reminiscent of ricotta. Delicious with raisins and cinnamon.
			*Kavitha gave us a culture that came with her from India. It makes a drinkable yogurt with a light, delicious flavor
			*Diversified by also using a greek yogurt culture, from some left over live greek yogurt. Great success.

	Cheese		Cheese

Gabrielle LeBlanc at 14:50, 24 August 2012

2012-08-24T14:50:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:50, 24 August 2012
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	Butter		Butter

			[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4DFBFixfmk&list=UUjvBN1r7UXXqmIbx_u7bIAw&index=173&feature=plpp_video Butter tutorial]
			[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pFtxCPYiD4&list=UUjvBN1r7UXXqmIbx_u7bIAw&index=172&feature=plpp_video Butter cont'd]

	Yogurt		Yogurt

Gabrielle LeBlanc at 14:46, 24 August 2012

2012-08-24T14:46:38Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:46, 24 August 2012
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	July: 1.5 gallons per day		July: 1.5 gallons per day
	August: 1+ gallon per day		August: 1+ gallon per day
	*This is when I switched to once a day milking
	September:		September:

			Once a day vs twice a day milking:
	*[http://chickensintheroad.com/barn/milking-a-cow-once-a-day/ Example] for managing a family cow		*[http://chickensintheroad.com/barn/milking-a-cow-once-a-day/ Example] for managing a family cow
	*[http://www.thecattlesite.com/articles/3038/once-a-day-milking-the-future-of-grass-based-dairies Once a day milking]		*[http://www.thecattlesite.com/articles/3038/once-a-day-milking-the-future-of-grass-based-dairies Once a day milking]

Gabrielle LeBlanc: /* FeF Dairy */

2012-08-21T14:43:02Z

FeF Dairy

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:43, 21 August 2012
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	=FeF Dairy=		=FeF Dairy=

	Milk - 2+ gallons per day		Milk
			June: 2+ gallons per day
			July: 1.5 gallons per day
			August: 1+ gallon per day
			*This is when I switched to once a day milking
			September:

	*~~So far it's all being consumed, Graham is drinking it more than he drinks water, so I'll forego serious processing until we have excess to work with~~. ~~Yoonseo has described it as "succulent and pure" and would value it at $12 per gallon in terms~~ of ~~taste, freshness, and accessibility.~~		*[http://chickensintheroad.com/barn/milking-a-cow-once-a-day/ Example] for managing a family cow
			*[http://www.thecattlesite.com/articles/3038/once-a-day-milking-the-future-of-grass-based-dairies Once a day milking]

	Butter		Butter
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	*Milking into a pasta pot		*Milking into a pasta pot
	*Filtered through milk filters (leftover from goat project)		*Filtered through milk filters (leftover from goat project)
			*[http://www.homesteadersupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6_150&products_id=155 Now we use this filter]
	*Stored in large jars and refrigerated		*Stored in large jars and refrigerated

Marcin: /* Cost/Benefit */

2012-07-23T20:11:57Z

Cost/Benefit

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:11, 23 July 2012
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	**Milk: at least 2 gallons per day		**Milk: at least 2 gallons per day
	**FeF previously bought milk from the local grocery, in half gallon jugs, and paid $4 per half gallon plus a $2 deposit for the jug. Currently we consume all of GoodCow's milk, and if we were still buying this milk it would cost about $25 per day plus the cost of transportation.		**FeF previously bought milk from the local grocery, in half gallon jugs, and paid $4 per half gallon plus a $2 deposit for the jug. Currently we consume all of GoodCow's milk, and if we were still buying this milk it would cost about $25 per day plus the cost of transportation.
	**Earning her keep: $1262 capital investment/$25 worth of milk per day = 50 days until she pays herself back		**Earning her keep: $1262 capital investment/$16 worth of milk per day = 70 days until she pays herself back
	**She will be officially paying us back, considering ONLY the value of her milk, by late August. She'll still have months left of milk left in her, not to mention the calf coming next spring, and one more year of milk. After that year, we can choose to breed her, and her calf could be our up and coming dairy cow.		**She will be officially paying us back, considering ONLY the value of her milk, by late August. She'll still have months left of milk left in her, not to mention the calf coming next spring, and one more year of milk. After that year, we can choose to breed her, and her calf could be our up and coming dairy cow.
	*The only benefit that is easily quantified into capital is the dairy production, but the benefits to the land are highly valuable to anyone who wants to grow food in this soil. The manure will add nutrients, which will yield better plant growth, yielding better water retainment, mycelial growth, erosion prevention, and directly converts less useful weeds into more useful foodstuffs.		*The only benefit that is easily quantified into capital is the dairy production, but the benefits to the land are highly valuable to anyone who wants to grow food in this soil. The manure will add nutrients, which will yield better plant growth, yielding better water retainment, mycelial growth, erosion prevention, and directly converts less useful weeds into more useful foodstuffs.

Gabrielle LeBlanc: /* Health */

2012-07-22T23:38:10Z

Health

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:38, 22 July 2012
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	**Free choice diatomacious earth or kelp for gut issues in calves		**Free choice diatomacious earth or kelp for gut issues in calves
	*Daily monitoring for signs of illness		*Daily monitoring for signs of illness
	*Parasite management		*Fly Spray; 1 cup vegetable oil,2 cups vinegar,1 cup water 1 tablespoon essential
	**Fly Spray; 1 cup vegetable oil,2 cups vinegar,1 cup water 1 tablespoon essential
	oil, mix well, put in a spray bottle, need to shake while spraying, it will settle out		oil, mix well, put in a spray bottle, need to shake while spraying, it will settle out
	quickly, for use on animal not equipment or buildings		quickly, for use on animal not equipment or buildings
			*[http://www.nofamass.org/programs/organicdairy/pdfs/tech_livestocklist.pdf Organic Dairy Cow Health Management]

	==Reproduction==		==Reproduction==

Gabrielle LeBlanc: /* Health */

2012-07-22T23:30:46Z

Health

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:30, 22 July 2012
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	**Free choice diatomacious earth or kelp for gut issues in calves		**Free choice diatomacious earth or kelp for gut issues in calves
	*Daily monitoring for signs of illness		*Daily monitoring for signs of illness
			*Parasite management
			**Fly Spray; 1 cup vegetable oil,2 cups vinegar,1 cup water 1 tablespoon essential
			oil, mix well, put in a spray bottle, need to shake while spraying, it will settle out
			quickly, for use on animal not equipment or buildings

	==Reproduction==		==Reproduction==
	*Calves in spring		*Calves in spring

Gabrielle LeBlanc: /* Grazing Plan */

2012-07-09T16:49:26Z

Grazing Plan

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:49, 9 July 2012
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	*Grazing on land that isn't eroded, has <5% west-facing slope, and sufficient forage		*Grazing on land that isn't eroded, has <5% west-facing slope, and sufficient forage
	*WINTER: feed baled hay, using baler and adequate storage (future pole barn for storage of dry hay and tractors?)		*WINTER: feed baled hay, using baler and adequate storage (future pole barn for storage of dry hay and tractors?)
	*Water:
			Water:
	*station her near a pond, to be built		*station her near a pond, to be built
	*Keep her water trough full by pumping to it directly or carrying a tank to her with LifeTrac		*Keep her water trough full by pumping to it directly or carrying a tank to her with LifeTrac

			Pasture Timeline
			*Rotating in pasture on North side of HabLab (forage: wild carrot, ragweed, grasses)
			*Electrical Fence long-ways across pasture, making strips from the North to South end, with water stationed close to the HabLab
			*After that area is grazed down, move further and further north to the end of the property
			*After entire west side of trees is grazed down, begin grazing east side of the native trees (forage: clover, grasses, wild carrot)

	==Milking==		==Milking==
	*Twice daily, once at 6 am and 6 pm		*Twice daily, once at 6 am and 6 pm