News
Good to Great - Goal Setting
The fourth quality we will be discussing is goal setting. We all have a dream to have a low cost of production with a high return, but how do we get there? It’s setting micro goals on a daily basis to get to the big goal. I recently had the opportunity to visit with Brooke Vanderloop of the AVA Group, Inc...
Good to Great - Data Tracking
The third quality we will be discussing is data tracking. How do we know where we are going, if we don’t know where we have been? Allowing data to help make decisions removes all the guess work. Recently I had the pleasure of visiting with Bethany Marks, a manager at Halls Calf Ranch in Wisconsin. She has ~8,000 calves from 30 different farms under her care at one time...
Good to Great - Training
If we expect our employees, or even ourselves to succeed, we need to provide the training and the tools to do so. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Arlindo Gomes, a farm manger in Southern Idaho. Arlindo mentioned how lucky he has been his entire life to have good trainers and mentors that were willing to take the time to teach him on the dairy, and in his professional life...
Good to Great - Team Work
The first quality we will be discussing is teamwork. Working together as a team is very important for success. Each team member should feel valued and know the importance of their job. Communication as a team is crucial in problem solving, and overall success of the operation. I had the pleasure of visiting with Shilo Hawks, the manager at Three Rivers Calf Ranch in Parma, Idaho. Here are some thoughts he shared regarding teamwork on his operation...
Back to Basics - Supplementation
After birth it is essential for calves to receive clean, high quality colostrum. This colostrum is important to them, as it is high in nutrients, and contains compounds that will “kick start” immune function and gut development...