When you first step foot onto Davis Dairy in New Plymouth, Idaho you will be impressed not with just the size, cleanliness, and modernization of the facilities, or the quality of the herd, crops, and feedstuffs, but with the people. From the owners to the employees, Davis Dairy has a long history of hard work and honesty, while staying on the forefront of technology to secure their livelihood and way of life for generations to come.
Their story begins in 1983, when after working throughout their high school and college years on several dairy farms, Greg and Kathy Davis purchased an 82-cow dairy from the Christian academy in Battle Ground, Washington, where they had previously attended. In 1991they moved to a larger facility nearby, which upgraded them from a flat-barn milking parlor to a double ten herringbone to milk 130 cows.
Looking for more room to expand and provide for their growing family, in 1995 Greg and Kathy uprooted their three kids and 160 cows and moved to New Plymouth, Idaho on 147 acres and a double eight herringbone parlor (later expanded to a double – 11 parabone). It was here that the Davis’ continued to put in the long hours of hard work, while implementing new technologies in facilities, nutrition, and genetics that would help them to grow and become a more efficient business. It was also here that relationships with employees, suppliers, and dairy industry professionals were forged that make up the heart of what Davis Dairy stands for: integrity. If you ask anyone who works for or with the Davis’, they will tell you that it is their trustworthiness and good character that make them a joy to work with.
Quality Liquid Feeds (QLF) has had the privilege of working with Davis Dairy for over 12 years, providing them with a molasses-based liquid feed supplement that has been an integral part of their nutrition program. The milking herd, the dry cows, and the heifers are all on QLF products that have each played a significant role in seeing this herd grow to what it is today.
You see, Greg, Kathy, their son Travin and his wife, Tiffany, haven’t slowed down. In 2016, after outgrowing their facilities with 1,200 milking cows, they built a new 60-cow rotary parlor, a new close-up and fresh cow barn, as well as three new freestall barns, and are currently milking 2,800 cows (6,000 total head with heifers and dry cows). Within the first 30 days in the new facilities, the herd gained 16 pounds of milk/cow/day and decreased the somatic cell count to 93,000. The herd is currently at 94 lbs. of milk/cow/day with a 3.76% butterfat and 3.26% protein.
Like Davis Dairy, QLF continues to be a leader in quality and integrity, always striving to help their customers not just in the short-term but for years into the future. When asked about their success and what sets them apart, Travin answered, “We are always looking for ways to keep growing and keep improving in everything we do, and QLF plays a big part in that. It is their quality, consistency, and excellent customer service that helps us to achieve our goals.” When asked about his business philosophy, Greg replied, “It’s the people that matter. I trust people and believe people are good. I will always give them the benefit of the doubt, unless they prove otherwise. Look, we’re in this for the long haul, and we want to ensure that our grandkids have an opportunity to keep this going.”
QLF is in it for the long haul too. Everyday we are working to earn their business, as we continue get better at all that we do, and continue working together…for the future.
Oh, and if you do get a chance to visit Davis Dairy and you can’t find Greg or Travin, chances are they’re out with the cows or in the fields working, and usually with one of Travin and Tiffany’s kids right by their side. And they wouldn’t have it any other way.