Real Dreams. Real Stories.
Read about how Cargill is helping their customers thrive.
Starting calves on the right hoof
When Mark Osterkamp moved from Southern California to West Texas to bring Osterkamp Dairy to life in 2003, he knew he wanted to continue his family’s legacy. Mark is a fourth-generation dairy farmer after his great grandfather began dairying in the 1920s. Today, Osterkamp Dairy is home to an efficient, productive Holstein herd all because Mark got the “bug” to follow in his family’s footsteps.
Better nutrition meant money on animal health
Calves just never seemed to get started right at Stony Brook Farms in Eastern New York. Respiratory disease was almost part of the SOP, and the dairy was spending a lot on vaccines and treatment. Once Gary Moore from Cargill got involved, calf health improved and the drug bill went down.
Solving a problem no one else can see
How do you resolve a problem that no one else can see? That was the predicament for Terri Tuckerman, who has been the calf feeder at Bergen Farms in Odessa, New York for the last 26 years. Read this story to find out how Terri’s compassion for her calves led her to finding a solution for better animal health.
Give your team the right tools to succeed
Paul Colgan’s belief and leadership in people enables him to run a church congregation of 225 people while simultaneously managing a dairy that is home to several employees, 1,375 cows and 1,260 heifers. Paul knows that in order for all to succeed, he needs to provide the right tools for success and empower others to use them.
Why else would you get up at 4 a.m. to treat a calf?
When Dale Van Weerdhuizen sold his cows in 2003, it certainly didn’t feel like the beginning of his future in the dairy industry. The Western Washington native decided to keep and raise a few heifers, but he was pursuing a career as an electrician to be his primary income. But, the dairy industry kept pulling on his heart, and soon he found his niche as a heifer raiser for large farm south of him.
#PutYourHerdFirst campaign donates 100,000 servings of milk!
Thanks to everyone who used the HerdFirst® Facebook frame and hashtag #putyourherdfirst to support The Great American Milk Drive. More than 65,000 people engaged with the campaign on Facebook we were extremely proud to provide all 200 food banks in the Feeding America network with 500 servings of milk! We launched this campaign to celebrate HerdFirst and live our mission of nourishing the world, and supporting the industries and communities we serve.
Taking calves to the next level
“One time, they [brothers Roy and Ray Dykeman] told me they didn’t want to be mediocre anymore,” comments Cargill Dairy Focus Ed Varnam. “So, we started improving things to be anything but that.” The first step was a new 60-cow rotary parlor, which greatly improved animal health, efficiency in the work force and boosted milk production to 90 pounds. Feeling confident from this positive experience, the Dykeman brothers said yes when their Calf and Heifer Manager asked to take the calf and heifer program to the next level.
We’re light years happier with how ours calves look
You don't do business with someone for 30 years unless they're doing something right. And when you’re taking care of the animals every day, sometimes you need a trusted expert to come in with a fresh perspective. Learn why the team at Stanton Farm, Coeymans Hollow, NY, has continued to work with Cargill for over three decades, and how they've recently improved their calf and heifer program with the help of a calf and heifer specialist.
Our drive is to make the dairy better for the future
From beginning with 51 cows to being one of the first dairies to have a rotary parlor, Grotegut Dairy Farm, Inc. has been focused on making the future better for the farm since 1965. Three generations in, Ashley Grotegut dreams of continuing to push forward just as the previous generations have, to keep the farm in the family.
Another set of eyes really makes the difference
Maple Leaf was one of the first dairies in the country to try HerdFirst™, and they have found success in encouraging calves to start grain early. “This is one of the places I see two-to-three day old calves eating grain.” Jennifer said, “It’s impressive.”
Healthy calves keep the barn full.
When asked what gives him satisfaction about his dairy, William simply and profoundly responded, “I like seeing my cows and my farm doing really, really well.” And that’s what his team at Cargill is helping them do.
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