Invitation to dairy farmers

Nov 23, 2021

The Dairy Cost Study offers a cost of milk production analysis for participating Alberta dairy farmers.

Dairy Cost Study

‘Enrolment is now open for the next Dairy Cost Study program beginning January 2022,’ says Pauline Van Biert, research analyst with Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development.

‘A prime objective of any business is to have a good understanding of how well it is performing. Important parts of measuring that performance include tracking revenues, expenses, and profit margins.’

The Dairy Cost Study is an annual program where dairy farmers provide farm information over the course of a year. This information is compiled, creating a business analysis on the cost and returns of producing milk at their farm. This analysis is a tool to help identify and start the thought processes and conversations on how to manage costs.

The data of all the participating farms is then combined to produce an Alberta benchmark document called the Economics of Milk Production.

‘Farming is becoming more complex, and there is a need to go back to the basics to really know how your business is performing. It is important to know the details. Only once you have a complete picture of your business can you better manage its opportunities. Annual budgeting and planning are better when you use your own numbers. Having your own numbers in front of you helps assess farm management options.’

Van Biert uses these questions as some examples that the Dairy Cost Study final farm analysis will help answer.

How will the dry conditions of 2021 and increase in feed, fuel and electricity prices affect my cost of production?
How will the proposed increase to farm gate milk price affect my income?
My total vet costs are higher than I thought. Why? What can I do about it?
How much are my cows producing? Is this satisfactory, or should I try to up my production to fill my quota or buy some more cows?
What is my cost per kilogram of butterfat?

‘Being in the program and receiving your detailed farm analysis is free. The cost is the investment of time, and the payback can be huge.’

Van Biert adds a current participant found that the time invested in the program is well spent and the results are useful when making decisions. This participant has been in the program every year for over 10 years and continues to get value from the analysis.

‘Whether you join for one year or stay for many, you will get that value too,’ says Van Biert. ‘I will come out to the farm and explain the details. We make it as easy as possible to provide the requested farm information. I can work with the farm’s accountants or feed providers to fill in some of the blanks.’

Source : alberta

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.