“When I step on a dairy farm, it is my goal to evaluate the management goals, the opportunities and the possible bottlenecks on the farm to help the farm owner maximize efficiencies and set realistic milk production levels,” Christmann says.

Backed by the cooperative philosophy of offering goods and services to help member- owners make the most of their operations, Christmann works with the team at NCC and other strategic partners to bring the best feed sources to producers.

“We start with a feed analysis of the forages and other crops grown on the farm. From there, we can begin to build the ration to meet the protein, energy and nutrient levels needed to reach the individual farmer’s goals. Providing the ration analysis and subsequent recommendations are all part of the service we provide our members.”

Given the recent downward trend in milk prices, Christmann believes today, more than ever, producers need to be deliberate in their ration balancing, being careful not to overspend on unnecessary ingredients.

“Because of our diversity, we are able to bring in different feed sources, supplements and minerals to meet our producers’ needs. We also work with our supplier partners to bring additional services to our members. Together, we can help our producers weather the downward prices while maintaining realistic production levels.”

NCC serves farmers in Indiana and Michigan by offering a wide range of agronomy, grain, feed and energy products and services. Having a diverse mix of products allows Christmann and his team to begin managing the ration at the seed level when the farmer begins selecting forage and grain hybrids. From there, the NCC team works with the farmer to optimize the genetic potential of the seed from planting to in-season management and harvest. Each year, NCC hosts a dry-down day in the Fremont area to begin evaluating the moisture content of the silage and establish target dates for harvesting.

“We help producers pinpoint the traits they need in their seed selection based on fiber digestibility and other factors relevant to dairy producers to help them make the best seed selections,” he adds.

Additional Storage Capacity Added in Indiana

A recent investment by NCC and Ag Plus at their Synergy Feeds facility in Indiana is increasing the load-out capacity and ingredient storage bringing total capacity to 1,275 tons of ingredient storage. The mill also added seven additional bins to accommodate the increase in dairy feed production and eight new load-out bins to increase overall efficiencies.

“We continue to make investments in our facilities to keep pace with the needs of our member-owners,” says Mark Tullis, NCC CEO. “Additional storage and load-out capacity at Synergy Feeds allows us to continue to grow as our members’ needs grow.”

Dairy producers interested in learning more about efficient ration balancing can contact Erwin Christmann at 231-590-3188 or visit the NCC feed locations in South Whitely, Ind. (Synergy Feeds) and Fremont, Mich.