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2017 Pennsylvania Dairy Industry Producer Survey
Published by the Center for Dairy Excellence
*
1.
Is your operation CURRENTLY producing milk for sale?
(Required.)
Yes (
move directly to question #2
).
No (
move directly to question #3
).
2.
If you answered yes to question #1, what Pennsylvania county are all or most of your dairy cows housed in?
3.
If you answered no to question #1, please answer the following questions then scroll to the bottom of the survey and hit 'submit'.
What year did you exit dairying?
How many dairy cows did you have when you exited the business?
What was your approximate total, annual production when you exited the business?
What was your reason for exiting dairy farming?
4.
How many DAIRY COWS are currently on your operation?
Total dairy cows (
including
dry cows and first calf heifers
):
How many of these total dairy cows are currently being milked
(exclude
dry cows
):
5.
How many
HEIFERS
are currently on your operation, including heifer
CALVES
?
6.
How much milk was produced on this operation yesterday (
one day's production, in pounds
)?
7.
Approximately how many pounds of milk were produced on this operation in 2016?
8.
What was the typical Somatic Cell Count for your herd for the past year
(only check one)
?
Under 100,000
100,000 - 150,000
150,000 - 200,000
200,000 - 350,000
350,000 - 500,000
Over 500,000
9.
In what year was the primary operator born and gender of the primary operator?
Primary operator's year born?
Primary operator's gender (
male or female
)?
10.
How many
other individuals
(partners) are involved in the day-to-day management decisions for this operation?
Include
both family and non-family partners but
exclude
other hired workers.
11.
Referring to question #10, how many of these individuals are in the following age groups?
Under 40 years of age:
40 to 60 years of age:
Over 60 years of age:
12.
How many
HOUSEHOLDS
,
including your own
, share in the profit/loss of this operation?
Number of HOUSEHOLDS?
How many of these households have
NO
family relationship to the primary operation?
13.
When you consider retirement, is it likely a
relative
would continue the dairy operation?
Yes
No
14.
When you consider retirement, is it likely a
non-relative
would continue the dairy operation?
Yes
No
15.
In which type of
FACILITY
do you currently house most of your cows that are being milked?
Tie stall or stanchion
Free stall
Group housing such as bedded pack, compost facility, etc.
Other (please specify)
16.
In what
year
were your facilities last upgraded, expanded or significantly improved?
Milking facilities
Milk cow housing facilities
17.
Where do you see this dairy operation in the next
five years
?
Continuing milking cows (
move directly to question #18
).
Discontinuing milking cows
due to retirement or selling of herd (move directly to question #19).
18.
Please estimate your number of milk cows in 2022.
19.
If you
sell your herd
within the next five years, what will be the most likely reason?
Retirement, no one to take over.
Better opportunities for off-farm employment.
Developer will buy land.
Shift to beef, cash crops, or other agriculture entity.
Health Issues.
Want more time for family and other interests.
Economics, can't make it financially.
Retirement, someone else is taking over.
20.
Approximately what percent (%) of your annual gross income is from the sale of the following:
Milk:
Beef / Veal:
Genetics / Breeding Stock:
Crops:
21.
Do you use a parlor milking system, and/or expect to use one in 2022? (
Include all types of parlors.
)
Currently (
YES or NO
)?
In 2022 (
YES or NO
)?
Do you use robotics or expect to in 2022 (
YES or NO
)?
22.
Do you use intensively-managed rotational grazing or intend to in 2022?
Currently (
YES or NO
)?
In 2022 (
YES or NO
)?
If you
currently intensively graze
your cows, then
how many acres do you use
to graze your milking cows?
23.
Did you invest in FACILITY improvements or additions in 2012-2017? (Check all that apply)
Cow comfort improvements
Housing facilities for milk cows
Housing facilities for heifers and dry cows
Feed handling systems including storage facilities
Milking system or facility
Manure handling systems including storage facilities
Renewable energy or energy conservation practices
24.
Do you plan to invest in FACILITY improvements or additions in the next five years? (Check all that apply)
Cow comfort improvements
Housing facilities for milk cows
Housing facilities for heifers and dry cows
Feed handling systems including storage facilities
Milking system or facility
Manure handling systems including storage facilities
Renewable energy or energy conservation practices
25.
(Check all that apply):
In the last five years,
have you done any of the following:
Have you used financial consultants or accounting services?
Have you been using a professional feed nutritionist on a regular basis?
Implemented a systematic breeding program such as a timed A.I. program?
Developed a written business plan for my dairy operation?
Developed a formalized succession or transition plan?
Have you used Crop Insurance?
Have you used Risk Management programs OTHER THAN Crop Insurance?
Have you participated in Risk Management education?
Have you had problems with milk quality or udder health?
If
YES,
to previous question, did you have enough assistance to help you correct the problem?
Have you had your premises tested for stray voltage?
Have you completed or maintained a manure management plan for your farm?
Did you use artificial insemination on at least 75% of your breedings?
26.
(Check up to THREE items): What are the
THREE
most limiting factors to increasing the size of your dairy operation?
I have no desire to expand.
Inadequate or unavailable labor
Access to financing
Family or other personal considerations
Commercial and residential development in my area
Concerns about how my neighbors will react if I expand my herd
Land availability
Excess debt
Risk too great
Lack of support and knowledge about how to grow my dairy business
Zoning / permitting obstacles in my township, or other regulatory obstacles
Other (please specify)
27.
(Check up to TWO items): The following statement best describes my farm's future:
I likely will need to modernize my facilities in order to meet my profitability and family goals.
I likely will need to grow the size of my herd in order to meet my profitability goals.
I likely will need to change my style of dairying (e.g. to grazing or to fee stall parlor) in order to meet my profitability goals.
I am confident in my ability to meet my profitability goals at my current herd size.
I am not confident that my profitability goals can be met through any action that I take.
28.
Crop and pasture acres questions?
What are the total crop and pasture acres on your operation?
What are the total crop and pasture acres owned?
What are the total crop and pasture acres rented?
What are the total acres used for feed on your dairy operation only?
29.
How important are the following in improving business performance for your dairy in the next 3-5 years?
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Increasing milk production per cow
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Increasing milk components per cwt
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Improving udder health
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Decreasing cost of production per cwt
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Stabilizing milk price volatility
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Increasing herd size
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Maximizing milk price per cwt
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Decreasing purchased feed amount/maximizing homegrown feed production
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
30.
(Check all that apply): What
MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS
do you expect to make within the next 5 years on your dairy operation?
Feed Management (feed analysis, grazing, utilize nutritionist, etc.)
Genetic Improvements (mating review, genomic testing, etc.)
Calf & Heifer Health Management (vaccination and nutrition programs, etc.)
Milking Herd Health Management (udder and reproductive health, etc.)
Environmental Improvements or Conservation Practices (buffer strips, manure incorporation)
Financial Management (accounting, profit teams, business planning)
31.
Rate the importance of these factors needed for your dairy operation.
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Facility Upgrades or Housing Improvements
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Loan Availability
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Labor Availability - (full-time, part-time, relief milkers)
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Computerized Systems - (financial records, breeding or production records)
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Outside Advisors - (financial, legal, nutritional consultants)
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Land Availability
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Milk Hauling Services
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
32.
Have you received income from natural gas related activity within the past 5 years?
Yes
No
33.
If you received funds from natural gas related activity, did this:
Encourage investment in the modernization of your dairy operation?
Discourage investment in facitilites?
34.
Optional
- We are asking for your email address so we can notify you of the results of this study and other information from the
Center for Dairy Excellence
in a way that avoids paying for postage (all information is confidential).
Name
Email Address
Phone Number