It's an obvious plan to start a dairy business: purchase some cows, build a barn, and get selling milk. However, anyone who has actually used one will inform you it's much more complicated than that. The animals you decide to buy and sell, the health checks you will perform and those you will not, the network you lean on to make and receive your sale of milk, each of these ads up long before the first liter is sold.
Many novice farmers find this out the hard way. They spend money on cattle that do not have any breed or health records and have low yield or keep having to spend more on vets and only then think about what they should have done in the first place. Any successful Dairy Farming Business is never by chance. All that is required are a few decisions, carefully made, and well informed.
It's where most new dairy farmers either find success, or suffer years of financial losses due to a bad start.
All breeds do not exhibit the same characteristics in all areas. A Murrah Buffalo with a high milk production capacity may not cope well with some environment as a Sahiwal Cow. A Gir Cow will be more resistant to disease than a Jersey Cow bred to give a regular milk crop.
One of the most critical aspects which distinguishes a successful dairy farm and a farm that will constantly struggle with low yield and high vet bill is the right breed for the right region, climate and purpose.
As well, it is essential to know the reproductive history and the health data of the animal before acquiring it. It is often a costly error to make when buying a cattle without proper verification of authenticity of breed, age and health.
There is a real risk to sourcing cattle in the traditional manner that is from informal local traders. The truth about conditions is lost, claims are not always substantiated and prices are not always clear.
This is the space which organized platforms in the dairy sector are now filling. The purchasing procedure ought to be systematic, with a documented verification of the inquiries asked, with documentation of the breed and health status, and a direct link with the sellers without the involvement of any intermediaries that would add to the price.
It is as important as the animal for the person running or starting a Dairy Farming Business. In fact, being aware of the product you're purchasing and from a reliable seller will definitely cut down on risk than simply going by word of mouth.
It's only half the battle though to select the right cattle. The other half is the ability to be able to sell at fair and competitive prices when it is right — be it milk or cattle for breeding or trade.
Those that have only a handful of buyers within a small radius of the farm have to accept low prices as there is no other option. The more people that are involved, the more likely it is to get better pricing and transaction speeds as well as a larger buyer base.
This is becoming more and more a shift towards the digital. The farmers, from across the nation are shifting from reliance on local cattle markets to platforms, which provide them direct access to a bigger and certified network of buyers and sellers.
There are a few common traits to a successful Dairy Farming Business — select the right breed for the right purpose, test the health and authenticity of the animals before purchase, and have access to a broad and open marketplace to both purchase and sell. If these are correct, the rest of the business will be much easier to run.
The biggest problem that Dairy Mitra is looking to solve is linking the verified buyers and sellers of verified dairy cattle – HF Cow, Murrah Buffalo, Gir Cow, Sahiwal Cow, Tharparkar Cow and Jersey Cow and eliminate unreliable middlemen.
What breed of cattle would you want to make your new farm a dairy farm?
This will vary from region to region and climate to climate. Murrah Buffalo and Sahiwal Cow are popular breeds for high yield, but breed reputation cannot be relied upon solely.
What can I do to check a cattle's health before I purchase a cow?
Request papers and documentation of their breeding and only deal with verified sellers.
Can one trust online deals of cattle?
Yes, if the platform confirms the buyer and seller and gives detail of the breed, age, health status etc. before making a sale.
Which of the following factors has the greatest impact on milk production?
It takes a combination of breed selection, climate suitability and proper care — yield is not solely dependent on one of these factors.
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