Message from the NODPA Co-President: Tips for a more profitable summer

by Roman Stoltzfoos

Hope you’re having a happy spring time and that you had a good winter. It’s time to think about what you’re going to do different in the 2026 grazing season. How you start your season has a lot to do with your success through the season. A couple pointers:

Do not start grazing too early and keep cattle moving.
Provide shade where needed and when needed. Call Daniel King at 610-806-0291 for a reasonably priced shade.
Provide fly control. Arbico Organics 800-827-2847 has supplied our fly parasites for many years. Getting on farms, I realize we have less flies than most I get on. The other thing about fly control is that you need to keep your cow lot clean and not have areas with the right conditions for flies to reproduce. There are other methods of fly control, but this is the cheapest and the cleanest that I know of.

A word about fence controllers, and how they can cause problems in milking parlors and barns: Most milking parlors and barns have enough metal and concrete to attract stray voltage, let alone voltage you create on your own farm. Always be aware of keeping the fence charger out of the barn/diesel shanty and away from the buildings that house livestock. Please be aware that stray voltage will inhibit milk production and water consumption. Also, grounding is very important. You need a minimum of three 8-foot ground rods driven 8 feet apart for any fence charger up to 4 Joules and add another rod for every two joule increase beyond that.

And I can’t finish this article without encouraging you to consider a 100% grass fed Market. Most dairy farmers that are doing 100% Grassfed would not go back to feeding grain even if they could. Also, breed to A2 bulls to prepare for a market that might be coming.

Hope you have an amazing summer with enough pasture to feed your cows and enough hay for a winter supply of feed, and enough problems to keep you humble and reaching out.

Roman Stoltzfoos, NODPA Co-President

Phone: 717-278-1070, texting is preferred

Email: romanstoltzfoos@gmail.com

Posted: to Industry News on Fri, May 8, 2026
Updated: Sat, May 9, 2026