Gary Huddleston, left, and Eric Walton make sure Southern States provides the Stamps' Jerseys with the perfect feed ration

Feed Made to Order
The Stamps Farm Jersey cow dairy herd is healthy and productive on custom-feed formulas from Southern States.

Eric and Alecia Stamps are accomplishing something that is rare in the American dairy industry today. The couple run a thriving Jersey dairy farm on a specialized feed program with only the help from their four children.

In an industry dominated by megaherds of thousands of big blackand- white Holstein cows, Stamps Farm of Simpson County, Ky., milks a modest 120-cow string of tan Jerseys-the smallest of the traditional dairy breeds. Though small, the Stamps' Jerseys are surprisingly productive-not far below the volume of milk produced by the average Holstein.

Crucial to that productivity are the custom-feed rations provided to them by Southern States for the past four years. Located just 40 miles south of the cooperative's Park City, Ky., feed mill, Eric and Alecia work closely with the mill's technical representative, Eric Walton. It is Walton's job to ensure that Stamps Farm gets the exact ration the cows need for high production and good health.

At each dairy or beef farm he serves, Walton analyzes the nutrition content of the forage, hay and silage in a herds' diet. Then, using his 20 years of experience in the mill operation and the most modern laboratory equipment, he calculates the precise feed ration that Park City Mill will custom-produce for the various farms.

"We take pride in matching the specific nutrition needs of every customer," says Park City plant manager Gary Huddleston.

Alecia, Katlyn, Kent, Kendall, Karly and Eric Stamps run their 120-cow Jersey farm together as a family.

The mill Huddleston oversees is one of 10 in the Southern States system. Each one is well-located and ready to provide the specialized service and industry-leading quality that Southern States feeds are known for throughout the Southeast.

Walton recently brought the Stamps a detailed analysis of a new forage they had switched to. The new nutritional data was used to make some adjustments in the custom-feed ration the Park City Mill produces for the Stamps' Jersey herd.

"The two people I talk to most about my cows," says Eric Stamps, "are Eric, my Southern States technical feed representative, and my vet. When it comes to feed, we don't even shop around anymore."

Eric says the family plan to grow the herd to around 250 cows in a few years "so Alecia and I can hire a little help and take a day off." But for now, the couple, with assistance from the kids (aged 12 and below) go it alone seven days a week, 365 days a year.

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