Seven generations of dairy farming by Dopps Dairy

For seven generations Dopps Dairy Domain has been a staple of dairy farming in Central Wisconsin. Throughout that time they have kept the tradition alive while continuing to grow and advance with the latest industry standards.

Currently the farm is run by Dan Dopp, who took over for his parents Phillip and Karen. Dan and his wife Kristin plan to pass the farm down to his children in the future – Mason, Liam, Thomas, and Alyssa. 

Dopps Dairy is home to 360 Holstein cows, including 40 dry cows. The farm spans 1,700 acres, but that is not all cows. The family had more land than they needed, so the extra space was rented out to grow potatoes, corn, and hay. 

The life of a dairy farmer runs around the cow’s schedule, but thankfully they thrive on a structured routine. “It’s a different adventure every day,” shared Dan. This was evident the day of my visit, which happened to be cow hoof trimming, or as Karen Dopp called it, “spa day.” This routine is done every other month by a health professional who also completes a health checkup on their feet. 

“Without hoof trimming, the cow won’t move as much. This will in turn affect the cow’s milk production,” informed Dan.

On average a cow will produce 80-85 lbs of milk (about 9 gallons) a day. Dopps Dairy produces about 3,300 gallons a day, which stored in their 6,000 gallon holding tank. Typically the tank is emptied at 5,500 gallons, which is picked up daily. 

Dan can keep a very close eye on every cow with the help of collars and pedometers around each of their necks. Those connect to a computer that tracks each cow’s activity levels, how much they have eaten, how much they have moved throughout the day, and how much milk they have produced. The system will also notify Dan if something is off with one of the cows. This helps the Dopps identify the cow that may need a health checkup, getting them the care they need sooner.

Technology in the agriculture industry has changed drastically over the years and continues to evolve daily. 

Dopps introduced their new Lely milking system about a year and a half ago. The process is all voluntary on the cows’ part. The machine can identify each cow coming through, and tracks how much milk they produce. On average it takes about six minutes per cow to be milked. The feeling mimics a calf to help stimulate milk flow. 

When the process is complete, the machine cleans the utters and applies a protectant. The cow then receives a protein treat that provides essential nutrients. Cows love this treat, and some will try to enter up to 15 times a day! The machine goes through a “refusal” process to help prevent the over-milking of any cows trying to pass through too many times. 

It took about two weeks for the cows to fully adjust to the new procedure. “I would rather train a cow than a human,” laughed Dan.

The new process was built with the comfort of the cows in mind. Before cows were driven together into the milking parlor. This would usually put stress on the cow, but the new process allows the cows to have more freedom to milk when they want. 

“This new process lets the cows be cows,” stated Dan, “I have really seen their personalities open up more with this new sense of freedom.” The cows now see the humans more as caretakers than ever before.

Dopps Dairy Domain continues to grow and evolve alongside the agriculture industry. This won’t stop anytime soon, as the next generation of Dopp dairy farmers eagerly prepares to step up when the time is right.