They grow their own to reduce the cost of
feed and they use manure from their cows to
fertilize their fields.
Of the 4,500 acres they farm, 3,100 of that goes
to feed the animals.
They’ve become partially independent of
external suppliers to keep their cost down
and to keep in line with federal EPA
regulations that apply to dairy farms of
700 head or more. They have an on-site
nutritionist who analyzes the feed and
balances rations to optimize milk production
as well as cow health and performance.
“Our cows eat a way better diet than I do,”
Allen-Tully said, laughing.
Gar-Lin Dairy was purchased by Allen-Tully’s
parents from her grandparents in the mid-
1970s. At that time, they were milking about
40 cows.
Allen-Tully’s parents decided to expand the
dairy, and by the time she graduated from
high school, they were milking 300 cows.
When Allen-Tully returned to the farm after
college, her parents had doubled their herd
to 600 cows.
In 2006 the herd expanded to 1,100, and from
there it’s grown to the current size of 2,000
cows and 45 employees. Allen-Tully attributed
the growth as necessary to make a profit in an
industry with stagnant milk prices but inflation
in equipment and supply costs.
“Consolidation in the dairy industry is
happening way faster than I expected it to,” she
said. “I don’t think we’ll be considered a ‘big
farm’ for very long, I think we’ll be average.”