Dairy-Go-Round

What June is National Dairy Month, which is why we're focusing so much on Louisiana's dairy industry. There are only 140 dairies across Louisiana, down from more than 1,500 just 30 years ago. Despite the hard times, when Washington Parish Dairy is keeping the industry alive by putting a new spin on production, Twyla's Taylor Fry has the story from the dairy day at Duncan Anchor's Dairy. It's milking cows with a twist. Or turn. These cows don't just stand when they're milked, they ride on a carousel. We can milk around 200 cows an hour through this facility. A joy ride for the cows, but a time saver for Brent and Lori Duncan. We came from a flat barn, which is really the old style, into this rotary barn. And it was a big step up. A step up many Louisiana dairy farmers have never seen before, because this is the first milking rotary parlor in Louisiana. Just to see the carousel in itself is just an all. Which is why the LSU AgCenter and Washington Parish Advisory Council hosted Dairy Day at Duncan Anchor's Organic Farm. I think every year when we go to different farmers, seeing what they do and what makes their farm work or farm tech is very important. She says this year is quite different from years past when they hosted Dairy Day, because just in the last year, they have grown their farm. Having the carousel was different for everybody to see this year, and also our loafing barn. These loafing barns are exactly what they sound A barn where the cattle can loaf around. The 500 head can even come in to get a little something extra. A massage. And that brings their hair coat off and puts that all in, it keeps the flies off of them. So that keeps our fly population low. Glory says going that extra mile is worth it every time, because taking care of the animals always pays off. If you have a good product that you're putting on your fields and they're producing you more yield and a life longer cow. Commissioner of Ag and Forestry Mike Strain says those higher yields equal a stronger economy. It's the way to make things more efficient, more profitable. If we do that, then again it helps keep people in the dairy business and it helps them to turn a profit. And again, those dollars are spent throughout the economy. But even more than money, Mississippi dairy farmer Jason Shaw says it provides local dairy farmers in the area with hope. Whenever the older people was doing this, they sent their kids to school because they didn't want them to be in the dairy business because there was no future. Now that we're bringing what he's done, I mean it shows future to the dairy. As you heard, the Duncan's farm is organic, and the Duncan say 90% of the fords of the cattle eat is grown right there on their farm. And Kristen, I talked to several dairy farmers that day and they said that organic is probably going to be the way to go because of the funding and the money that goes into it. Organic or conventional, whatever it takes to keep those dairy farmers in business.