CALF_News_Oct_Nov_2018

19 CALF News • October | November 2018 • www.calfnews.net Feeding the New Frontier GARY McDANIEL, OWNER PM CATTLE LLC  High Protein  High Energy  All Natural DIAMOND NUTRITION (806) 716-6222 info@cattlecubes.com minimum GUARANTEED ANALYSIS Crude Protein 28.0% Crude Fat 9.5% Crude Fiber 10.0% Phosphorus 0.5% “Diamond Energy Cubes have twice as much fat as any cube I know of. You cannot have too much fat in your supplements for a cow. The cattle probably wintered easier than I’ve ever seen and I probably fed half as much.” www.cattlecubes.com as well as embracing food safety, worker safety and sustainability in its operation,” says Joyce Fassl, editor-in-chief, ProFood World magazine. Now celebrating its one-year opera- tion anniversary, the DFA plant has had a marked impact on the local com- munity. Employing more than 60 team members, the milk plant’s arrival also brought the relocation of a contracted trucking company employing 75 people, and a host of other businesses to service their needs. The addition of this facility will benefit the area for many years to come. So, what’s sparking all of this dairy growth in Kansas? In the traditional dairy areas of the Midwest, urban sprawl is also gaining ground, taking over large areas of farmable ground, driving land prices up and placing urban neighbor- hoods right next to dairy farms. In some cases, residents petition for regulation on confined animal operations, limit- ing their growth by denying building permits. In some situations, dairymen may choose to pursue innovative opportuni- ties to make their operations more palat- able to the neighbors. They can create a “green” facility with manure digestors, robots that clean multiple times a day and enclosed barns with ventilation to help minimize odor. They could go the ever-popular route of adding an agri- tourism bit to their overall operational plan. Or, they could move part or all of their facilities elsewhere. The ques- tion becomes, how much does one want to manage for the sake of pleasing a neighbor? Moving operations to agriculture- friendly states such as Kansas offers many benefits. The first and maybe most obvious reason to move West is that it’s closer to the feed source, and dairy cows like to eat. Acquiring farmland can be much less expensive for larger quantities, but if you do happen to be in an area where available land is tight, you can procure large quantities of custom-grown feed products. Kansas’ rural communities also tend to be very accepting of new agriculture technolo- gies and expanding the industry – it’s the backbone of many local economies. As feedyards continue to merge and become larger conglomerates throughout the state, there are empty pens pop up fairly regularly. These empty feedyards can be easier to modify into a function- ing dairy than building a facility from the ground up. With a few modifications to pen structure and construction of a dairy parlor, most operations can be up and running in a few months. This is an ideal situation for a Midwestern dairy- man looking to relocate quickly. While new operations can cause feel- ings of threat or invasion in close-knit communities, it’s important to look at the benefits these new businesses offer. Large dairies tend to draw many other types of businesses with them that offer even more opportunity for community growth and economic development. Growth is good, and large agriculture Continued on page 21 