New dairy research is putting a dollar value on a trait many producers have been focusing on for years: milk components. CoBank Dairy Economist Corey Geiger says the difference between top and bottom performing herds can add up to hundreds of dollars per cow annually
Geiger says that when the data is put into perspective the revenue potential can be surprising.
The analysis compared thousands of herds across multiple federal milk marketing orders, revealing some regional differences.
Geiger says that genetics play a major role, but management tools used by producers can also make a difference.
His research suggests that focusing on butterfat and protein production remains one of the biggest opportunities available to improve dairy farm revenue. Corey Geiger is a lead economist for dairy production and processing in CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange research division.
