By Kendra Van Order
On May 16, a group of students from Michigan State University, including Michigan 4-H Dairy Educator Kendra Van Order, embarked on a ten-day educational experience in South Korea. Joining them was a group of Oklahoma State University students and staff. Part of the Cross Paths Program, the two groups explored the beef and dairy industries in both South Korea and the United States, gaining firsthand insight into agricultural practices, production systems and cultural perspectives. This article highlights one of the South Korean dairy farms visited during the program and provides a glimpse into the country's dairy industry.
The Youngmin Farm located in Pyeongtaek-si, South Korea, is a family-owned dairy operation that milks 65 Holstein cows using an automated robotic milking system. Each cow is equipped with an electronic identification ear tag that communicates with the robot, allowing the farm to accurately track milk production and individual cow performance. The farm operates year-round and markets its milk through a fluid milk system.
Milk quality is an important component of dairy farm profitability in South Korea. Farms receive premium payments for maintaining somatic cell counts below 200,000 cells per milliliter, while farms exceeding that threshold are subject to penalties. The somatic cell count measures the number of somatic cells (mostly white blood cells) in a milliliter of milk. The dairy visited by the group consistently demonstrated excellent milk quality, maintaining a somatic cell count below 100,000. The herd averaged approximately 70 pounds of milk per cow per day.
Source : msu.edu