FOCUS ON FAMILY: AIROSA DAIRY

摘要

The emphasis placed on the importance of family in the registered Holstein business is hard to parallel. The legacy of farms being passed down from generation to generation gives anyone who's experienced it a special sense of pride, and responsibilityto take the operation into the future. The same goes for developing the potential of a good cow family, it lies in the hands of those who care for it. At Airosa Dairy near Pixley, CA- Joey takes both of these responsibilities seriously. One hundred years ago, Joey's great grandfather immigrated to California from the Azores Islands with his four sons, where they milked twenty cows a piece by hand until 1938. At this time Joey's great-grandfather went back to Azores and the next generation purchased what is now called the "Home Ranch". The Airoso family has shipped Grade A milk from this same facility for over 70 years. In 1963 Joe Airoso took over the dairy at age 25, and four years later purchased the first registered Holsteins. That was when Joey joined 4-H and started showing. "Needless to say, we've been hooked ever since!" In 1979 the new ranch was purchased fourteen miles south of the home farm near Pixley, and is where the new dairy is located. The cows are split between two facilities- the "home" facility is used for transition cows as well as dry cows, fresh cows, and some older cows who don't do well in free stalls, and enjoy dry open lots. Fresh cows are milked three times a day here with the rest of the cows being milked twice a day ina 28 cow California flat barn.