Alachua CSA/Dairy

[Guest guest]

Pancaratna ACBSP wrote:

 

> The dairy component is progressing slowly.

 

Slow and steady wins the race. It's good to see this caution.

 

> WE are now planning out the milk

> shed to meet state inspection requirements. One devotee has offered to

> donate the first cow.

 

Genetics are everything. Make sure it's an excellent cow. I would still bid

for Brown Swiss (southern acclimated) -- for the following reasons:

 

1. Excellent, friendly temperament -- more people willing to be cowherds.

2. Good disease resistance

3. Excellent milk yeild, long lactations (Gita-nagari milke a Brown Swiss for

4-5 years)

4. Long lactations with HIGH YIELDS, means fewer bulls produced per gallon of

milk (I'm still thinking you'll have problem recruiting ox drivers)

5. All bulls will have high-density black hooves -- will be able to work

better

and longer with not (fatal) hoof problems, which sometimes appear in

white-hoofed Holsteins.

 

> We have worked out a breeding program as follows:

>

> a) breed just one cow per year

> b) breed a cow no more than twice a lifetime (unless one of her calves dies)

>

> IN this way after some years we plan to have a stable herd of 20 animals of

> which no more than 4 would be giving milk at any one time (depending on how

> long they lactate sufficiently to make it worthwhile to milk them). Another

> 4 oxen would be engaged in plowing and other farm work, including

> irrigation. THe rest would be either too young, in training (for oxen), or

> retired.

>

> WE plan to meet all the requirements for pasture, hay and grain from about

> 40 acres which we have in hand.

 

The big missing point in this report is TRAINING.

 

Naveen Krsna quotes Srila Prabhupada:

 

"Lack of success is due to lack of training."

 

Have you ordered subscriptions to Hoard's Dairyman and especially

Stockman Grass Farmer http://www.stockmangrassfarmer.com/

 

Call our office at 1-800-748-9808, or fill out our brief

online form to receive a Free

Sample Issue of The Stockman Grass Farmer. No strings

attached. Really.

 

Southern soil is a cow herd's challenge. Unless your cow herds have excellent

training in management intensive grazing techniques, you will not be able to

make in on your own soil -- you'll have to buy from outside. The cost of

outside hay and feed will become astronomical once the Iraq war and oil scare

kicks in. Please factor this in.

 

Get enought training so you can really be self sufficient.

 

Who is going to a Grass Management workshop? Who is going to a Tiller's

workshop?

 

***************

 

Anyway, maybe you have training issues under control. If so, we'd like to hear

about your training plans. If not, think again about Prabhupada's statement:

 

"Lack of success is due to lack of training."

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi