70— Lancaster Farming. Saturday. March 13. 1976
Milk production problems studied
By DIETER KRIEG
CONWAY. Ark.-In 1968 a
major U.S. feed company set
up a 1900-cow dairy farm
near here for the purpose of
researching dairy
management and feed
programs under practical,
commercial conditions
which could be applicable to
moat any herd size in the
country. They had a lot to
I earn and readily admit this
fact.
Encountering one problem
after another both natural
and those due to
miscalculated planning
the 802-acre research farm
wasn’t spared any of the
difficulties normally
associated with the dairy
business.
Among other problems,
“Arkavalley Farm,” owned
by the Ralston-Purina
Company, encountered
levels of breeding problems,
retained placentas, and herd
deaths which are considered
to be abnormally high.
According to Purina dairy
research scientist. Dr. J. P.
Everett, the farm was en
countering not just in
dividual health problems,
but herd health problems
much of it due to a certain
amount of inexperience for
this type of an endeavor. He
and his associates willingly
confess that if they bad to do
things over again, they’d
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change no less than seven
major criteria. Currently the
research farm has six major
plans aimed at trying to
make dairying everywhere
more efficient and
profitable.
Located in a rather un
productive part of Arkansas
about 45 miles north of Little
Rock, it must be pointed out
that the Purina dairy
research farm has far
lessgood land to work with
than dairymen back home in
Pennsylvania. The site was
chosen at the time because of
a marketing agreement
which had been signed with a
nearby food distributor.
Furthermore, the area was
short on milk and the paying
price for milk was at
tractive.
In spite of a seemingly
negative footing,
"Arkavalley" is being
managed to produce at a
profit. In fact, Purina
spokesmen insist that the
farm must be commercially
viable, otherwise their ex
periences and research
findings would not be truly
applicable to other dairy
farms. With progress being
made in all directions, and
mistakes leading to im
proved management, the
research farm attempts to
(Continued on Rate 71)
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"Arkavalley Farm,"
located in central
Arkansas, is a dairy
research farm with
emphasis on
management. Although
operated on a large
commercial scale, most
findings from the dairy
are generally believed to
be applicable to most
herd sizes. Shown in this
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panoramic view is the
milking barn, left; with
feed storage facilities and
hospital barns off to the
side. Eight open free-stall
“barns” fan out from the
rear of the milking and
holding area. The smaller
roof areas between those
eight barns are over feed
bunks. The entire area is
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flushed with 160,000
gallons of water per day.
The long buildings in the
right foreground are
used for calf raising. A
national dairy conference
sponsored by Ralston-
Purina was held here this
week with approximately
1,000 visitors from al£
over the East and Mid
west in attendance.
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