23 October 2009

2 minute read

North America

"Our goal is to help dairy producers improve milk quality and quantity," says Jodi Ames, Vi-COR vice president and director of marketing. "When implemented, this programme improves efficiencies, saving the dairy owners time and money."

While the Milk to the Max programme was launched in 2003, Vi-Cor believe that it is more timely today than ever in helping dairy owners maximise production efficiencies. Milk to the Max customer support specialists are bilingual in English and Spanish, a key element of the programme. According to a 2009 survey by the National Milk Producers Federation, 41.4 per cent or 57,146 of the nation's 138,124 dairy employees are immigrants and the majority of these workers are Hispanics.

Milk to the Max customer support specialists evaluate the dairy environment and milking procedures and provide feedback to the nutritionists and owners, including a presentation to the workers specific to each dairy. The report summarises findings and provides recommendations for improving milk production and herd health. In order for a dairy to participate, Milk to the Max must be prescribed by a nutritionist, veterinarian or feed company. The dairy can also contact Vi-COR directly to see if it qualifies for this beneficial free programme.

According to Ms Ames, the programme shows dairy producers and their employees that it is often the non-nutritional areas that are causing bottlenecks and limiting production. "They learn that a cow's place of rest is a contributing factor in milk production," explains Ms Ames. "They also learn that a calm, consistent milking routine will improve the amount and quality of milk." Insights like these, provided by Milk to the Max support specialists, have led to increased productivity and lower somatic cell count for many Vi-COR dairy producers, says Ms Ames.

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