Dave and Robyn Garfoot insist there is only one secret to getting a 26,000-pound average from their 100-cow dairy herd.

The secret, Dave says, is finding the right people and trusting them. The one-time schoolteacher and Mt. Horeb, WI, producer insists that milk production like theirs is something most dairy producers can achieve.

"Anyone using AI (artificial insemination) has the potential," Dave says. "We've never used BST (bovine somatotropin). Maximizing the potential of a cow is more a matter of finding the right people to help me. I don't understand it all. I simply have to trust them and carry out their recommendations."

The Garfoots have put together a good network of people and reward them with their trust, says Rachel Turgasen, AMPI field representative. "It takes a lot to put your faith in other individuals and Dave and Robyn rely on that network to help them make decisions."

When finding the right people, Dave looks for those who are willing to evaluate and then fine tune what is already working. He seeks those who "don't seem to have all the answers before they hear the questions."

The Garfoots' nutritionist is a good example of looking at the big picture, Dave says.

The right nutritionist
"He looks at how they are eating, how they chew, their feet, their manure, the water they drink, and the light they are getting," Dave says. "He takes a very comprehensive view of the animal and herd health."

Since signing on with their nutritionist, the herd average has gone from 22,000 to 26,000 pounds with twice a day milking. Some of the changes implemented include using a hammer mill for the corn and adjusting the lighting.

"Both had an immediate impact on milk production," Robyn says. "He measured the foot candles of light and changed the location of light bulbs so they were right in front of the cows. We figured a five pound increase from lighting alone and four pounds from more palatable corn."

The right breeder
The Garfoots also trust a consultant with their herd breeding program. Although they have been part of a young sire program and had several daughters showcased, Dave doesn't claim to be an expert here either. Whether it is getting a healthy calf on the ground, a healthy heifer into the herd, or matching the right bull to a high-producing cow, Dave works closely with his consultant.

"We identify calving-ease sires as a priority for first-calf heifers," he says. "If you get a two-year-old to calf safely, a lot of the battle is won. If not, it sets back the whole lactation."

The right grower
At the three-month point, calves are moved to a custom heifer grower. Turning the future of the herd over to someone else takes a lot of trust, the Garfoots admit.

Before the grower started raising heifers, he operated his heifers about three years ago, the Garfoots became a customer.

"I look at the heifers and I can see they are well fed," Dave says. "Their hair looks good and the facilities are well kept."

When the heifers are tall enough to breed, they return to the Garfoot farm. Unless there is a space shortage or the Garfoots have more replacements than are needed, the heifers and cows stay as long as they continue to produce. That can be a long time in this well run dairy.

The herd's high producer is pumping out 34,500 pounds of milk, 1,297 pounds of fat and 1,004 pounds of protein a year. Cows on the lower end may get a second chance, though Dave admits he would rather milk a two-year-old than an old cow that's struggling. Even so, it is production, not age, that is the guiding factor.

The right veterinarian
From the time a calf is on the ground until it one day leaves the herd, it is part of a herd health regime and subject to a disease control program. The Garfoots rely on their veterinarian to advise them on how to deal with diseases and their prevention.

Biosecurity is an important element of disease prevention at the Garfoot dairy. "Everyone from me to the feed salesman wash their boots before we enter a barn," Turgasen says. "Their barn always looks good, every day of the year. They pay attention to detail and that helps them with quality and quantity."

The right partner, employees
It's easier for Dave to focus on the details since he and his brother Duane split the family farm in 1997. Dave kept the dairy and his brother took the cropping operation. Duane now produces nearly all of the dairy's feed.

"I can talk to him about the feed quality we need and he is really good about providing what we want," Dave says.

The brothers' working relationship has also enabled them to share one full-time employee. In addition, Dave and Robyn employ several part-time employees and their son Bryan, a high school senior who helps with weekend milking.

Employees afford Dave and Robyn the extra time they need to tighten the communciation links between all members of their team. Continuous communciation is essential, Dave says.

He points to his work with a new AMPI communication tool as an example. Through a Web-based milk quality analysis tool known as DairyPerformance.com, both the Garfoots and their herd nutritionist can easily monitor milk production.

"When our butterfat dropped in late summer, he knew right away and could check our feed in case the drop was connected to feed quality," Robyn says.

Though they are still looking for a solution, they have identified the problem and are working with their team of employees and consultants. It's another example of why the Garfoots say there is only one secret to milk production: the right people.