Business Commons^™

Methane Production By A Packed-Bed Anaerobic Digester Fed Dairy Barn Flush Water, Sean Richard Thomson

Master's Theses

Packed-bed digesters are an alternative to covered lagoon digesters for methane production and anaerobic treatment of dilute wastewaters such as dairy barn flush water. The physical media of packed-beds retain biofilms, often allowing increased treatment rates. Previous studies have evaluated several types of media for digestion of dilute wastewaters, but cost and media fouling have setback commercial development. A major operational cost has been effluent recirculation pumping.

In the present effort, a novel approach to anaerobic digestion of flush dairy water was developed at pilot-scale: broken walnut shells were used as a low-cost packed-bed medium and effluent recirculation was replaced …

The Effects Of Implementing Cow Cooling For Oostdam Dairy: Benefits From Milk Production, Feed Intake, And Reproduction, Mark Oostdam

Dairy Science

Heat stress has a major effect on management decisions for a dairy operation because of the decrease in the cows productivity. Dairy cattle loose efficiency of economic production due to lower milk yields and decreased pregnancy rates. Milk loss due to heat stressed cows in California averages a loss of 293 kg of milk/cow/year(St.-Pierre et al., 2003), and with milk prices reaching record highs, dairies are losing out on increased revenue opportunity. Increases in reproductive infertility from heat stress also affect revenue for a dairy operation by reducing conception rates (Hansen 1997) and pregnancy rates, which causes the average days …

Grass-Fed Dairy Steer Enterprise Analysis For Alexandre Family Ecodairy Farms, Joseph Jackson Alexandre

Agribusiness

Alexandre Family EcoDairy Farms (AFEF) is a family dairy farm, producing organic milk in northern California. In the last decade, AFEF has been expanding in value added natural food enterprises, including pastured free-range eggs, pastured pork and grass-fed beef.

This study focuses on the analysis of an organic grass-fed ground beef from dairy-beef cross steers coming from AFEF. The grass fed beef enterprise was analyzed by adopting a UC Davis cost and returns study, modifying it to AFEF production limitations and conditions. Through partial budgeting analysis, opportunity costs were discovered leading to breakeven prices for the final grass fed ground …

Increasing California Dairy Exports To Japan And South Korea, Kristina Soper

Dairy Science

The opportunities for increasing exports of California dairy products to the Japanese and South Korean markets were determined by identifying current obstacles in the California dairy industry and determining the characteristics of consumers in the Japanese and South Korean markets. As the largest milk-producing state and the supplier of 7.5% of total U.S. dairy exports, California’s economic activity greatly affects the rest of the nation and the world. The trends in the California dairy industry include increasing total milk production and per-cow milk production, a diminishing number of total dairy operations, and a rising number of large dairy operations. These …

A Business Plan For A Custom Dry Cow Transition Facility And A Calf Ranch, Landon Joseph Fernandes

Dairy Science

In recent economic times the dairy industry has witnessed historic lows in milk price and historic highs in feed prices. As a result many dairies have been forced out of business or have found other ways to diversify in order to offset the accumulated debt from dairying. One possible way a dairy can minimize debt is by sending its transition cows to custom transition cow management facility from dry-off through freshening. This management facility would give optimal care and attention to these cows to ensure metabolic and post calving health issues are minimal and that cows are returned to the …

Consumer Perception Of Organic Milk, Christina Puetz

Dairy Science

The objective of this study was to determine the potential factors, reasons and beliefs that contribute to college aged consumers’ choice to purchase organic milk. The data were from survey of students using questions that were modeled after consumer issues and concerns over conventional milk as discussed in the literature review. This study was particularly interested in exploring differences between students in agriculture classes and non-agriculture classes. The literature referenced came from a variety of sources, including scientific journals, online articles, milk advisory boards, and governmental agencies. According to the literature review, consumer concerns and reasons for purchase of organic …

A Business Model For The Small-Scale, Start-Up, Organic Jersey Dairy, Jim Moreda

Dairy Science

To determine the financial feasibility and stability of starting a small-scale organic jersey dairy in Northern California, given the changes and restrictions that must take place in all aspects of production while operating organically. Using a unique combination of ownership and borrowing, I have created a business model made to appropriately fit the organic dairy system, addressing every area of the operation whether it be business or animal related. Through experience, reviews, and research of organic techniques allowable to apply, I was able to reveal and identify specific areas of husbandry and financing in which I would need to excel …

Organic Replacement Heifer Enterprise Budget For Walker Dairy, Colton Brodt

Agribusiness

This study was undertaken to determine if Walker Dairy could raise replacement heifers cheaper than the current market price.

The main objective of this report was to calculate how much it costs Walker Dairy to raise a heifer per head. Data collected went into the development of a heifer enterprise budget and determining an average market price. Transfer value in (drop calf price), feed, labor, operating and fixed costs were all factored into the total cost per animal. Also, the data was broken into four different sections of a heifers’ life to aid management in evaluating the cost of raising …

Selecting, Marketing And Rebuilding A Herd Of Genetically Superior Animals, Katherine Rector

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

Formation Of Cull Cow Program For The Artificial Insemination Class, Brian O. Medeiros

Dairy Science

Cal Poly’s “Learn by Doing” philosophy is one of the great traits that the University holds. However it is this philosophy that is also one of the most expensive and hardest to maintain. “Production agriculture majors use more dollars per unit than any other major in the entire college,” as Dr. Golden stated during his talks about herd cut backs. Never the less the College of Agriculture prides itself on supplying knowledgeable and experienced students to the industry that supports it so much. One of the amazing classes that are offered at the university is the Dairy Science Artificial Insemination …