Randy Mooney, of M&M Dairy, hosted the June 2
nd Lunch and Learn event on his dairy farm in
Rogersville, Mo. A coalition of
Missouri agricultural groups promotes the Lunch and Learn series to educate the community and its leaders. Several state representatives, including Charlie Denison, Shane Schoeller and Jay Wasson attended.
Mooney used the opportunity to speak about his dairy operation and his preference for grazing. He started grazing his cows in 1991 “without knowing much,” Mooney said. He traveled to New Zealand to learn more about grazing practices, such as rotational grazing. Every 12 hours, the cows are moved to a new pasture to graze. Mooney monitors all 196 acres of pasture for nutrient levels, specifically protein. He then balances the protein levels within the cow’s feed for optimum protein levels.
Mooney is also crossbreeding Holstein cows with Jersey cows. The end result is a cow that has higher levels of milk solids, can deal with the heat better, and will also graze better.
As the Chairman of the National Milk Producer’s Federation and the Vice Chairman of Dairy Farmer’s of America, Mooney said he understood the impact a farm can have on a community and is conscious of the impact. For him, fitting into the community is very important. He strives to always be aware of how his farm may affect the community.
Dairy farming is a $234 million a year industry in Missouri that benefits rural economies. There are around 1800 dairy farms in Missouri, 98% of which are family-owned.
Mooney used the opportunity to speak about his dairy operation and his preference for grazing. He started grazing his cows in 1991 “without knowing much,” Mooney said. He traveled to 
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