MAY/JUNE 2002

Tim, 52, operates the fourth-generation dairy in partnership with his sons, Paul, 30, and Alan, 29. “We managed our dollars, paid attention to costs, and stuck to a budget,” said the elder Slowey.

Financial Reviews

With finances being scrutinized on a regular basis, changes were also made to upgrade forage quality, find more efficient feeding practices, bolster cow health, and get more out of genetics. Every detail was weighed in the search for improvements. Tim said the details couldn’t have been addressed in all those areas without the involvement of his sons, who became full partners in the operation six years ago and now share in both the labor and decision-making of the dairy.

Paul focuses on caring for crops and machinery, while Alan manages the dairy cattle. As the senior partner, their father oversees the finances. They are now milking 365 cows and plan to expand to 800 milkers in the near future.

With his sons managing key areas, their father has been able to give more of his time and energy to farm finances. “I’m a better financial manager than I was before,” he said. “When we run into problems, such as not having enough money to pay for something, I find out why we have a shortage and deal with it. Before, we sometimes let bills build up, which was bad for us financially.”

The family’s financial management plan includes monthly meetings with a financial consultant from Land O’ Lakes, the regional dairy producers’ cooperative that takes their milk. These meetings, held in the Sloweys’ home, also include their herd nutritionist. Mrs. Slowey, Susan, records all farm costs in a computer program. These costs are then reviewed at each monthly meeting.

Value In Accountability

“Having to be accountable to our consultant helps us control spending,” Tim said. “At the beginning of each year we put together a budget. At each meeting we review our costs for the month and see if we have spent more than we should have in certain areas. Then we try and cut back wherever we can. These meetings are very helpful. They make us give a good accounting for what we’re doing. We have to answer to somebody.” The results have been gratifying. Average herd milk production has increased from 19,000 to 26,000 pounds in five years. Cow longevity has also increased. The average age of cows in the milking herd is now five years. Milking cows are culled at a rate of only 22 percent per year. Putting up high-quality forage is, of course, one of the keys to getting good milk production. The Sloweys grow most of what they feed on about 1,200 acres, evenly divided between corn and alfalfa.

Controlling Leafhoppers

Paul says the control of leafhoppers is an important way to ensure that alfalfa haylage is of the best quality possible. “Leafhoppers suck on the leaves and stop the growth, causing leaves to dry up and fall off,” he said. “I usually spray for leafhoppers twice a year. It’s more common in our area to spray only once.” Leafhoppers are sprayed seven to 10 days after cutting the alfalfa.

Before spraying, he sweeps for insects to determine if the population is large enough to warrant the effort. If he collects seven leafhoppers in 10 sweeps, Paul figures it’s cost-effective to spray.

He also monitors soil pH, aiming for a neutral pH of 7, which provides the best soil conditions to grow alfalfa and corn. When the pH level is low, he applies lime. “I keep good records of what the pH levels are and when fields were limed,” he said. “I soil test every other year. With a neutral pH level, everything in the soil works better. The plants’ uptake of nutrients is better, and the manure we apply breaks down better.” Soil potash levels also are watched closely, since alfalfa is a heavy user of potash.

Long-Season Corn

Early Disease Detection

Finding and treating diseases early is an important way they keep the cow herd healthy and production up to par. Early signs of disease are detected by daily review of computerized milk records. Cows are milked three times a day. Individual meters weigh the amount of milk each cow gives at every milking. These weights are translated into a computer program.

The program alerts Alan, the herdsman, to any cows dropping in production by more than 10 pounds relative to the previous several milkings. “Looking every day at milk production is the main way I can tell whether or not there are problems,” he said. “It helps me catch potential disease problems more quickly and check them out before they become major problems.” Weekly visits from a veterinarian also help the Sloweys stay on top of herd health.

Letting each partner focus on the area of management best suited to his skills and interests works well in this family. “Several years ago we decided, as a family, who would take care of what jobs,” said Alan. “I don’t like to drive a tractor, but I like to take care of animals. My brother is just the opposite. Because he likes the machinery work, he takes care of the field work. It works out tremendously. We run our individual areas of the operation nearly like two separate businesses.”

“By focusing on our individual areas,” Paul said, “we’re able to concentrate more of our time and more of our thoughts on fewer things. That helps us get jobs done more economically and more productively.”

Both of Tim Slowey’s sons are optimistic about their future in dairying. “It’s a good life,” said Alan. No doubt the lessons they’ve learned in recent times about turning the economic tide of their dairy toward profitability will stand them in good stead for many years to come.