More Cows In The Drainage Of 11Pt.

[jdmidwest]

New Organic Dairy Farms.

Has anyone in the area heard about this new dairy operation moving into Kosh yet? Looks like a pretty large scale operation. While I am not opposed to farmers making a living, large scale commercial operations tend to lead to concentrated water pollution problems. I am not sure that is what the area really needs.

[rgriff49]

JD,

Good leg-work on the research of this possible issue. I think that if the owner(s) comply with the MDC and USFS with regards to water quality on the Eleven Point then it should turn into a non-issue and good business venture for the area. However, you are right that we should keep an eye on it and make sure the river stays as clean as it is.

ryan

[Justin Spencer]

I've read some on this new venture and it looks like a great company, raising livestock in a responsible manner that is healthy for people and the animals. As with any livestock operation the environment is usually the main concern, already tons of small dairies and cows everywhere (I'd be more worried about these than any new ones), so as long as it is being monitored correctly I think it will be a good thing for the entire area.

[gotmuddy]

I've read some on this new venture and it looks like a great company, raising livestock in a responsible manner that is healthy for people and the animals. As with any livestock operation the environment is usually the main concern, already tons of small dairies and cows everywhere (I'd be more worried about these than any new ones), so as long as it is being monitored correctly I think it will be a good thing for the entire area.

There probably arent as many dairies around as you may think. Fulton county had 30 ten years ago, now there are 4.

[Mark]

The only time I've floated from Thomasville down to Cane Bluff, we encountered cattle in the stream. Cow crap all over the place and in stream. Our last time of floating that section.

[2sheds]

In mid-summer, I have encountered cows in the river at 2 spots: about 2 miles upstream of the Narrows (entering from east bank) and in the first mile below the 142 bridge (also entering from the east bank). Hope the new business has the initiative to be a good neighbor.

[Coldspring]

Land is cheap here. Just buy a forest, bulldoze it, and put some dairy cows on it.

I know the locations, but couldn't attach the files.

[Justin Spencer]

At least this company will be careful rotating their animals, they aren't allowed to use pesticides or chemical fertilizers that I'm sure would have been used by other owners. Anyone who has studied range management knows that if done right it will be a healthy ecosystem in itself that will in some ways act as a sponge, lowering runoff and filtering pollutants. I don't know it for a fact, but assume the land they purchased was already cleared, as most landowners with good forest log it before selling it and then turn it to pasture. I wish all the cattlemen in the area would use this type of organic system and would guess this company will be more carefully scrutinized than most daires because of their size and location. Interesting to me (but not surprising) they said they couldn't find 32 local people to fill their positions and expect to add more in the next year or two so if anyone needs a job give them a call!

[jdmidwest]

It is not a very nice job to have since the milking barns are filled with the aroma of cow dung and ammonia, the hours suck, and it is hard work working with the animals.

The trouble with dairy farms is they tend to concentrate the cows in a small area and the runoff from the manure and urine gets into the drainage. It is not like a normal beef cattle ranch other than the feedlots. The cows don't range out into pastures like beef ranches. The organic part may lead to higher E. Coli in the runoff. And the article states, it is located in the Karst region that feeds springs in the region. The article points out several concerns about the water usage and containment, but everything may go well as planned.

[Justin Spencer]

We already have many small non-organic probably not very well maintained dairies in the Ozarks, quite a few right here in the NFoW drainage, you don't really see them unless you are looking but there are more around than you think. If you study up on free range organic dairies you will see the cool thing about them is they are free range well managed pastures that the cows spend all of their time in except for milking times. There will be lots of waste still from the barns, but the article states that because of the location they are larger and concrete lined to lessen chance of raw waste leaching into the soil. Only time will tell how this goes, but I am a drinker of organic milk (don't want growth hormones and other drugs going in to me or my kids) and if I am going to consume a product it would be hypocritical to wish it was produced in someone else's back yard.

Mountain Grove has an organic dairy sells in glass bottles with a deposit on each bottle, it's good stuff!