I met Doug in early 2016 at a Soil Heath Summit in Alexandia, MN. As an organic dairy farmer growing my milking herd I was looking for someone to graze my replacement heifers.
The 1st year Doug pastured around 40 head for us. We have increased the number of animals we bring to Doug every year since. This year we will bring around 160 head of Holstein and Holstein cross replacements to Doug for the Summer.
All the pastures that we bring animals to have excellent perimeter fence. With Doug’s heavy duty corral, load out in the pasture at the end of the season goes just as good if not better than back our dairy.
My experience with Doug is he treats our heifers just like if as they were his own. I have recommended Doug to a fellow organic dairymen as well.
In the fall of the year the bred heifer come back to our dairy in great shape to calve(we are a fall calving herd). They are very tame and mellow from the daily or more moves to fresh grass. They enter our milking parlor and stand to be milked slowly and quietly like 2nd and 3 lactation cows.
By having a large portion of our replacements with Doug for the summer we are able to grow our milking herd and still meet the organic pasture requirements. It all so frees up valuable time and labor to concentrate on our row crops.
Michael Schneider – Organic Dairyman Since 2000
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