• The dairy industry is the largest sector of Saratoga County’s agricultural industry. There are roughly 6,000 cows on about 60 dairy farms in the county. The farm sizes range from 20 to 600 cows.
• Dairy farms maintain extensive cropland and support land for their operations.
• Most farms raise their own feed, primarily consisting of forage and grain.
• The average cow in Saratoga County produces 15,800 pounds of milk per year, the equivalent to 1,837 gallons or 7,349 quarts of milk. That’s enough milk and cheese to supply 61 people, based on a national annual average consumption of 258 pounds of milk per person. While the retail price for a quart of milk is around $1.30, the farmer receives about 27 cents per quart.
• Approximately 20 percent of the milk produced by county farms is sold to Saratoga Dairy, a local processor with over 100 Stewart’s Shop in this area. The remainder is delivered to markets in the northeast.

Bull—male cattle.
Calf—young cattle, can be either male or female.
Cow – female cattle.
Dry Cow—A cow that is not currently producing milk. Forage—Animal feed consisting of entire plants which are harvested. Forages provide fiber and nutrients essential to a cow’s diet.
Freshen or calving—to give birth to a calf and begin producing milk. The gestation period for a cow is about 285 days.
Heifers—female cattle that have never had a calf.
Lactation period—the length of time a cow gives milk following the birth of a calf.
Milk letdown—The process in which the cow relaxes and releases milk in the udder so it can be milked out.
Production—The amount of milk a cow or group of cows is giving. A cow gives in the range of 5 to 13 gallons of milk per day.
Rotational grazing—during the growing season, pastures are divided into sections, and animals are moved from one section of the pasture to another to allow for unoccupied areas to re-grow so as not to overgraze. This technique can be applied to any grazing herd.
Silage—Corn, grasses, alfalfa, or other plants which are chopped during harvest and packed tightly in a silo or other structure. The material then ferments due to the production of lactic acid by bacteria.

ALL ABOUT BEEF

• Beef cattle can withstand cold temperatures in the winter and often require only a windbreak of trees to protect from winter wind and summer sun, or they can be housed in barns or sheds.
• Beef cattle can convert forages efficiently into protein, energy, and most nutrients needed for health. When an animal is pregnant or nursing, they may be fed a special diet to help meet their additional nutritional needs.
• Some beef by-products include: soap, fertilizer, leather, antifreeze, candles, marshmallows, cosmetics, gelatin product, insulation.