the dairy operation
Dairy Facility
The actual dairy sits on a 62 acre site comprising all of the animal housing, the milking facility, feed and manure storage, as well as shop and maintenance areas.
Milk Production
Currently milk production is almost
15,000 gallons of milk per day.
Equivalent to:
14,000 Pounds of Cheese or
6,150 Pounds of Butter or
10,750 Gallons of Ice Cream
Farm Land
Replacements
Surrounding the dairy facility is over 2000 acres of crop land supporting the cattle, with another 500 acres a short distance way south of Massey.
Replacements
Replacements
1500 young animals from birth until calving are raised as replacements for the milking age animals. A strong focus on genetics ensures top level animals filling our barns. Top animal care and nutrition allow those animals to reach that genetic potential.
Milking
Lactating cattle are milked three times daily in our double 20 parallel parlor. Cows teats are sanitized and prepped prior to the machine being attached. Individual production is closely monitored and recorded. The machine is automatically removed when milking is complete. Actual machine time averages under 4 minutes per cow with production per milking averaging 30 pounds.
Milk Marketing
All of our milk is sold through Dairy Farmers of America, a nationwide, farmer owned cooperative.
DFA is made up of more than 15,000 diverse family farmers from across the country. And while their family traditions vary from one farm to the next, some things are always the same - like their commitment to the land, their animals, and the families they feed.
There is a good chance that DFA milk touches some part of your daily food intake.
Click below for more information on DFA brands and workings.
Sustainability
Rumination
Ruminants have served and will continue to serve a valuable role in sustainable agricultural systems. They are particularly useful in converting vast renewable resources from rangeland, pasture, and crop residues or other by-products into food edible for humans.
Home Grown Feed
Over 85 percent of our cattle feed is grown on the farm. Mineral, vitamins and soybean meal are the main purchases. We grow corn, soybeans, triticale, barley, wheat and rye.
Manure Recycling
Manure is a valuable nutrient and is used to provide a lot of the nutrients to the crops we grow. We use a manure separator to separate larger manure fibers from the liquid portion. This allows us to better time our application and rates of nutrients to meet the different plant needs. The end result is high quality feed for our cattle.
Solar
Our solar system has generated well over 3.03 GWh of clean renewable energy since starting in 2014. This is equivalent to preventing 2,369,978 lbs of coal being burned or 241,344 gallons of gasoline being used to drive 5,389,021 miles. It would have taken 35,747 trees over 10 years to remove the same amount of greenhouse emissions from the atmosphere.
Environment
As proud residents of the Eastern Shore we take our responsibility of environmental stewardship serious. We strive to keep growing crops in the fields through double crop rotations and the use of cover crops. We primarily use no-till or minimum till practices. We work closely with a certified agronomist to develop a nutrient management plan to best utilize our manure nutrients and reduce commercial fertilizer . We have a long time relationship with Shore Rivers on wetland projects which help filter water and provide wildlife habitat.
Environment
We work with the Kent County Soil and Water Conservation District to identify and address resource concerns on our land. The Kent Soil & Water Conservation District partners with local, state and federal agencies to help protect the Chesapeake Bay. The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a special place and we plan to help ensure its healthy survival.