Incorporating strengths of both older and younger generations helps dairy operation expand, succeed
Bown Dairy in Sanpete County is a six-generation operation with no plans to slow down anytime soon. “There’s no doubt that on a dairy, there’s work to be done seven days a week and 24 hours a day, but that doesn’t mean we don’t prioritize family,” said Bob Bown. “Family and family values are very important to us.”
William Bown Sr. was the first to homestead the land in the mid-1800s and raised cattle and sheep. He worked for other ranchers and accepted cattle as pay to help build his herd. William Bown Jr. acquired more ground while his own family of 10 children grew and eventually the expansive operation covered a large portion of Boulder Mountain as well as operations in Sanpete County. Bob explained, “But then they lost most of it during the Depression because of unfortunate business decisions. My grandpa (Elton) kept the original homestead in Fayette where the dairy is today.”
Together, the Bowns continue to work that same land and focus on dairy cows and crops needed to feed their herds. They have optimized their resources for several generations and are now expanding again. As of January 1, they completed the acquisition of the Batemen Dairy in Levan.
“We acquired about 800 cows from that dairy and 600 to 700 acres of farm ground with the dairy facility,” Bob said. “It was a good fit for our operation and a good way to insure that there would be enough work for a new generation to come back to the farm.”
I wish the average consumer knew the intricacies of production agriculture. It’s not just like we throw a few seeds in the ground or go to the barn and milk the cows. Those days are long gone. –Bob Bown
“For us, it’s all about attitude,” Bob said. “A good attitude along with a good work ethic, family values and ability to work together are what makes this place work. We haven’t found anything we enjoy more than what we’re doing. Mon- ey is not the issue because every one of us could make more money elsewhere, but we really enjoy what we’re doing.”
The Bowns have been successful in passing down the legacy of their dairy heritage as well as embracing change.
“If I come in and say ‘This is the way it’s going to be,’ things would get antiquated real quick,” Bob said. “You have to listen to the young kids. You have to listen to their ideas. Decisions based on group discussion and input are far better than any one’s individual opinion.”
Bob coordinates closely with his brothers Clark and Kenneth as well as his sons Trent and Casey. “And now we’ve got Clark’s teenage sons, Logan and Landon, who are doing a fantastic job for us and working incredibly hard.”
He said the younger generations are very comfortable expanding and using tools and technology that haven’t been available for dairy operations in the past.
“There are a lot of tools that come out of new technology and social media that help our dairy thrive,” Bob said. “My sons are constantly communicating with dairymen in other places and together they can identify various problems and solutions. They’re very connected to other dairies and are doing a very good job of networking. You wouldn’t think it has the potential, but social media has helped us tremendously.” Trent and Casey spend most of their time managing the new dairy in Levan and integrating new technology and computerized tools.
“Technology is evolving really quickly and it’s hard to keep up with, but I like to try,” Trent said. “This new dairy had the Affi system in place which puts pedometers on the cow’s legs. I’ve been in charge of learning it and the information we can collect just blows my mind. For example, 60 to 70 percent of our breeding decisions come after reading those pedometers. We can immediately read body temperature and how long she’s resting. The more you dig, the more you can find.”
Trent said they’ve also installed computerized “easy feeds” on all their feeding tractors at both locations allowing them to manage from their office computer. “Within five seconds, I can make ration adjustments in the field from my computer,” he said. “The information goes right out to the feed tractors. It is an easier and more precise way to manage our feed.”
Bob agreed, “We can tell where the feed wagon is within about a three-mile radius of the dairy. From his computer, he knows which cows have been fed, what rations they’ve received, how much they’re eating. We monitor how much they don’t eat. We measure all their dry matter intake from day one. ... Ultimately, we’re measuring how much feed they’re eating versus how much milk they’re producing and how profitable each individual cow is.”
Using GPS and other electronic tools, Trent can guide the efficiency of the tractors
in the field as well. “If I can make every pass within an inch of the last, I can make the most of our land and seed and fuel,” he said. “Across 200 acres of crops, if you overlap a foot every time you pass, the costs add up really quickly.”
Check out, The Cream of the Crop: A Look Inside Utah's Cream Pitcher Dairy >
Bob said, “I wish the average consumer knew the intricacies of production agriculture. It’s not just like we throw a few seeds in the ground or go to the barn and milk the cows. Those days are long gone. Using a tremendous amount of science, our cows have a better-balanced diet than probably 95 percent of the population of the world and that means better health for consumers as well.”
The Bowns hire a nutritionist and a veterinarian to visit their dairies every week and help maintain their high standards of herd health and nutrition.
“One thing we do really well is raise healthy calves,” Bob said. “Our death rate is unbelievably low. We have less than half of one percent death loss. But it’s because of our protocol and the things we do. For example, our employees take the temperatures of each one of those calves everyday for the first three weeks of life. We’ve learned that their temperatures are going to rise long before they exhibit symptoms. So the quicker we can get on and treat that, the more we can prevent scours and all kinds of sickness.
“We thought our employees were going to fight us when we talked about taking temperatures that often,” Bob said. “But it does so much for disease prevention, that now, they insist on doing it. If their thermometer breaks, they’d rather go out and buy a new one themselves rather than risk miss- ing the early signs of sickness. That one procedure
really cuts down on their overall workload because they aren’t having to treat sick animals. It really is the simple things that can’t be overlooked and can make all the difference.”
Because the Bowns do all they can to keep calves clean, dry and as healthy as possible, they’ve been able to export healthy cattle to Russia, Mexico, Brazil and other places.
Another recent transition for the Bowns’ operation is new emphasis on re-selling their uniquely blended compost. Bob said his brother Clark is passionate about this segment of their business and has dedicated his efforts to see it grow.
“We’ve developed a product that’s unbelievably good,” Bob said. Semi-loads of their blended compost are shipped out every week for clients maintaining landscapes at Las Vegas casinos or farmers with organic orchards in Payson as well as award-winning sweet corn and flower growers across Utah and Idaho. “Once they use our compost, they keep coming back. We can’t keep people away from it,” Bob said.
Trent said, “As for the future, I would hope that we continue to evolve, grow and adapt so we can stick around in the industry. I see our operation only growing bigger and making room for the next generation who wants to come.”
Bob added, “It’s a great opportunity for us to make a living doing something that we’re very passionate about.”
Also read, IFA Nutritionist Helps Lunday Dairy Keep Milk Production Stable >
Written by Stacy Duce and originally published in the IFA Cooperator magazine (vol. 81, no. 2) Summer 2015.