SILVERSTREAK DAIRIES

Silverstreak Dairy plays a vital role in transitioning cows from their dry period through calving and into the lactating herd. We milk 1,000 cows three times a day in a double-18 parallel parlor and house around 500 dry cows.

A newly built dry cow and maternity facility allows us to closely monitor and care for cows and their newborn calves before and after calving. Most of our springing heifers calve at the Lakin Group, with youngstock first raised in individual hutches. Once ready, heifers are sent to Kansas, while our beef/Holstein crosses are sold to neighboring farms.

In addition to livestock care, Silverstreak has a dedicated Crops and Manure Team responsible for growing, harvesting, and storing all silage, haylage, and feed commodities needed for the operation.

Focuses: Provide optimum care for our calves, dry cows, and fresh cows so they are healthy and productive through their next lactation.

Bluestreak Dairy was purchased in 2003 from the Loran and Mark Kaschmitter family. Since then, the site has been expanded, and we're proud to have Mathew Kaschmitter as a partner.

Today, Bluestreak milks 680 cows in a double-12 herringbone parlor. The dairy is home to our larger, older cows who are well-suited to the parlor setup and benefit from a shorter walk to the milking area.

The Silverstreak Crops and Manure Team manages all crop production and feed preparation for the year, including silage, haylage, and other feed commodities.

Focuses: Capturing the high feed efficiencies from our older cows though consistent milking practices and cow comfort.

Greenstreak Dairy, located in Borup, Minnesota, is home to our younger cows, where we focus on providing optimal care and promoting healthy growth. The facility milks 2,200 cows using a double 24-parallel parlor. Each day, a semi-truck transports fresh cows from our Silverstreak location to Greenstreak, returning with dry cows heading back to Silverstreak.

We proudly purchase all our feed and forage from local, neighboring farms.

Focuses: Diligent heat detection, consistent repro programs, and steady milking routines to aid in udder cell growth.

Warner Dairy, located in Warner, South Dakota, is home to 5,000 milking cows, a mix of mature cows and fresh heifers. Cows are milked three times daily, and all fresh heifers begin their milking careers here.

The farm plays a key role in monitoring heifer performance for Silverstreak Dairies, offering firsthand insight into fresh heifers arriving from Kansas. Herdspersons at Warner maintain close, ongoing communication with their counterparts in Lakin, ensuring smooth transitions and performance tracking.

This collaborative approach is essential to raising strong, productive cows that remain in the herd for years to come.

On the crop side, Warner purchases all feed and forage. The farm values strong relationships with local growers, neighbors, and the community to support this vital aspect of operations.

Focuses: Continual genetic improvement through our youngest cows. Here we use cow collars to monitor rumination and track activity.

Union Dairy is made up of three specialized areas: a dairy and milking facility, a springing heifer and dry cow facility, and a calf facility. Each year, more than 8,000 calves are born here—about half are Holsteins and the other half are Holstein-Angus crossbreeds.

Fresh cows remain at Union for 14 to 30 days after calving, during which they receive close monitoring and extra care. Because this site is dedicated to the health and transition of newly calved animals, it has a higher employee-to-cow ratio than our other locations.

Focuses: Providing optimum care to our young calves and ensuring all newly calved cattle are healthy and ready to start their lactation.

Westland is our oldest and most diverse dairy site, combining dairy operations with beef production, cropping, and manure management. As our business grows, we’ve come to rely more on trusted outside partners for harvesting and manure application, and value these essential relationships.

Westland Dairy milks 1,020 lactating cows three times daily in a double-15 parallel parlor, with cows housed in three freestall barns. Our team emphasizes cow comfort and proactive animal care to ensure timely breeding and overall herd health.

Westland Beef raises about 20% of Silverstreak’s beef herd, from weaning up to 800 pounds.

Westland Cropping and Custom's manages planting, spraying, tillage, and harvesting across all dairy sites. Each year, we harvest alfalfa four times, along with dry corn and corn silage in the fall. In spring and fall, the custom manure team handles nutrient application for every dairy in our system.

Focuses: Maintain healthy cows who will have longevity throughout many lactations, to raise quality beef for the finisher market, to grow sustainable crops, and to harvest quality and safe feed for our animals.

Alpha Foods, originally built in the mid-1990s under previous ownership, was expanded and modernized in the mid-2000s with a focus on cow comfort. Today, it supports 1,400 lactating cows and serves as a milking site for our older herd—similar to Bluestreak Dairy.

Older cows tend to be highly feed-efficient, and at Alpha, we aim to maximize that efficiency. We source all our silage, haylage, and feed commodities annually from local neighbors and partner operations, continuing our commitment to the community and sustainable practices.

Focuses: Producing high-quality milk from our older cows though consistent milking practices and cow comfort.

Cottonwood Dairy, established in 1999, was expanded and upgraded in 2008 with modern features to enhance cow comfort. It now supports 1,400 lactating cows and operates similarly to Alpha Foods, with a key difference—Cottonwood primarily receives first-lactation cows from Lakin Dairy. In fact, about 95% of the herd here are first-lactation animals.

We source all of our silage, haylage, and feed commodities each year from local neighbors and partner operations. Cottonwood plays a vital role in the Silverstreak Dairies system, supporting cows through the early stages of their productive lives.

Focuses: Providing an optimal environment for young cows, emphasizing consistent routines and a high-quality parlor experience.