Written by Danielle Burch

burch-famWhen you google the words ‘dairy industry’ a lot of very opinionated information comes back at to you.  Articles on how cows are abused and neglected. Articles on how the products made from cow milk are going to send you to an early grave.  Articles that tell you that cows do not wish to have careers and that all they want to do is hang out with their friends all day.  Articles of all shapes and sizes that give you bite-sized information on how poorly I do my job.

So, I wanted to set the record straight, from a farmer’s perspective of our treatment of cows.  We get them up, give them antibiotics when they are sick, milk them twice a day and ensure their health and safety.  We incorporate them into our family’s schedule, we miss events when a cow is down and we feed them before we feed ourselves, even before we open our presents on Christmas morning.  We love our cows.

When our calves are born, we take them to the calf barn, and we send their mother into the parlor. We separate her milk from the rest and feed it to the calf.  This might seem horrible, but it is no different than a mother pumping and bottle feeding her baby.  We do this for both of their health: the mother does not risk milk duct diseases, and we can get her adequate food and water post-birth; the calf gets all the colostrum it needs and then the healthy hind milk that helps it to grow.  This way, moms don’t get mastitis and the calves get all the nutrients they need to start their lives out healthy.

Our cows stay with us their entire lives, living in a warm barn in the winter and green pasture’s in the summer.  Their dietary needs are analyzed biweekly by a nutritionist who takes samples of feed, looks at their milk outputs and overall health.  Their nutrition gets more analysis then our own.  When a cow gets sick, she is treated with antibiotics and best practices, giving her plenty of rest, but also getting her moving so she does not have sores, or other issues that come from a “down cow”.  We separate their milk from the rest and ensure that no milk influenced by antibiotics is mixed in with the milk that is shipped off the farm.  We take great strides to ensure a quality product leaves our farm.  And if we ever messed up and accidentally sent milk into the truck that was influenced by antibiotics, they whole load would be dumped; meaning not just our milk, but the milk of every dairy farmer on the truck. Products you buy NEVER have antibiotics used for cow health in them.

There are people out there who believe what I do is wrong, that my cows should be set free to roam about the countryside like elk or deer.  But, I have to tell you, there is no caring farmer, nutritionist, or kids to love on them out in the wilderness.  There are no barns to keep them warm and clean in rain or snow storms or to keep them cool on 90-degree heat waves.  There is no diligent farmer who sacrifices his time, sleep and back muscles to create the best possible environment to meet her every need.

Dairy farmers are underappreciated and overly criticized for their work, for their dedication to animal health and quality, for their way of life.  So the next time that you think a farmer is doing something wrong, you are certain there is foul play occurring, that a cow’s life is on the line – stop and talk to the farmer.  She will welcome you in to show you the ropes and he can explain best practices to ease your mind.

Quality products come from quality people, and every dairy product you receive in the store must come from a farmer who has been given a grade A rating – a level of highest quality. Because, as most farmers will tell you, those animals are more than just cows, they are part of the family.

Danielle Burch and her husband, Andy, and their children operate a 70 cow dairy farm in Columbiana County. They are former members of Ohio Farm Bureau’s Young Agricultural Professionals Advisory Team.

Labor has always been an issue, mainly because we are a seasonal operation. So that's a challenge finding somebody who only wants to work three months out of a year, sometimes up to six months.
Mandy Way's avatar
Mandy Way

Way Farms

Farm Labor Resources
I appreciate the benefit of having a strong voice in my corner. The extras that are included in membership are wonderful, but I'm a member because of the positive impact to my local and state agricultural communities.
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Ernie Welch

Van Wert County Farm Bureau

Strong communities
I see the value and need to be engaged in the community I live in, to be a part of the decision-making process and to volunteer with organizations that help make our community better.
Matt Aultman's avatar
Matt Aultman

Darke County Farm Bureau

Leadership development
Farm Bureau involvement has taught me how to grow my professional and leadership experience outside of the workforce and how to do that in a community-centric way.
Jaclyn De Candio's avatar
Jaclyn De Candio

Clark County Farm Bureau

Young Ag Professionals program
With not growing up on a farm, I’d say I was a late bloomer to agriculture. I feel so fortunate that I found the agriculture industry. There are so many opportunities for growth.
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Jenna Gregorich

Coshocton County Farm Bureau

Growing our Generation
Knowing that horticulture is under the agriculture umbrella and having Farm Bureau supporting horticulture like it does the rest of ag is very important.
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Jared Hughes

Groovy Plants Ranch

Groovy Plants Ranch
If it wasn't for Farm Bureau, I personally, along with many others, would not have had the opportunity to meet with our representatives face to face in Washington.
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Austin Heil

Hardin County Farm Bureau

Washington, D.C. Leadership Experience
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
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Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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