If you sell into dairies, you don't need to spend an hour looking for a bird problem.
You need about 90 seconds.
The next time you're walking a dairy, don't just look at the cows, feed inventory, or equipment.
Look up.
Look around.
And most importantly, look at where the birds are feeding.
European starlings and other birds can congregate at dairies in large numbers, where they consume and contaminate livestock feed. USDA Wildlife Services identifies starlings as a major avian pest at livestock operations. APHIS
So before a customer tells you they have a bird problem, look for the signs yourself.
Here are three places to start.
The silage pile is one of the first places to check.
Freshly exposed silage can provide birds with an accessible food source, particularly when the pile or feeding area is open and birds can move between the feed and surrounding areas.
But don't just look at the silage itself.
Look at what is happening around it.
Are birds landing around the pile?
Are they feeding on exposed material?
Are they moving between the silage area and the feed bunk?
Are there large numbers of birds sitting nearby before or after feeding?
Those observations can tell you whether the dairy is simply near birds or whether the birds have started incorporating the operation into their feeding routine.
And that distinction matters.
“How much feed are you losing around that silage pile to spoilage and birds together?”
The customer may already be thinking about feed shrink.
You're simply getting them to consider whether birds are contributing to it.
Next, look at the commodity area.
This is where stored grain, feed ingredients and other materials can become attractive to birds.
Look for:
This is where a quick walk can turn into a much bigger conversation.
Because if birds have found an easy food source at the commodity area, they have a reason to keep coming back.
And once birds establish a regular feeding pattern, the problem can become much more noticeable as temperatures drop and natural food sources become less available.
USDA research has found that starlings selectively consume higher-energy components of cattle rations. That selective feeding can change the nutritional composition of the remaining feed. Journal of Dairy Science
That's an important point for a dairy operator.
The problem isn't necessarily that birds are eating all the feed.
They can be taking some of the ingredients the cows need most.
This is where I'd spend the most time.
The feed bunk tells you what the birds are actually doing when feed is available.
If you have 90 seconds, watch the bunk after feed is delivered.
Look for:
Where are the birds landing?
How many are there?
How long do they stay?
Are they feeding directly from the ration?
Are they moving along the bunk in groups?
Do they leave when the cows arrive and return later?
This is valuable information because you're no longer guessing whether birds are interested in the operation.
You're watching them feed.
USDA reports that 1,000 starlings can consume roughly 36–40 pounds of food per day, and birds can also contaminate livestock feed and water with droppings. APHIS
Research published in the Journal of Dairy Science also found that European starlings selectively consumed the high-energy fraction of total mixed ration, reducing the starch and crude-fat availability of the remaining ration. The researchers modeled potential effects on dairy productivity. ScienceDirect
That's why the feed bunk isn't just a place to count birds.
It's where you can begin connecting the birds to the economics of the dairy.
Once you've found the birds, the next question is:
Why should the customer care?
Because a large bird flock around a dairy isn't just an eyesore.
There are several potential costs.
Birds eat feed that was purchased for cattle.
USDA Wildlife Services cites research showing that 1,000 starlings using a confined animal feeding operation for 60 days during winter can consume about 1.5 tons of cattle feed, representing an estimated $200–$400 in feed loss at the prices used in that research. APHIS
The exact cost on a particular dairy will obviously depend on feed prices, bird numbers and how long the birds are feeding there.
But the principle is simple:
More birds + more time at the feed = more opportunity for feed loss.
This is different from simply losing pounds of feed.
Starlings don't necessarily eat the ration randomly.
Research has shown they can selectively consume the higher-energy portion of a total mixed ration.
That means the cattle may be left with a different nutritional mix than what was originally formulated. Journal of Dairy Science
For a dairy producer, that makes the conversation bigger than:
“Birds are eating my feed.”
It becomes:
“What are the birds taking out of the ration before my cows get it?”
That's a much more meaningful question.
Birds don't just eat.
They also leave droppings behind.
USDA notes that birds at dairies can contaminate livestock feed and that bird droppings in feed and water can contribute to disease concerns and reduce feed consumption. APHIS
USDA Wildlife Services also notes that starlings and other birds congregating at cattle operations can consume and contaminate feed and may contribute to disease transmission within and between livestock facilities. APHIS
That's why where the birds are feeding matters.
A flock sitting on a power line 500 yards away is one thing.
A flock walking through the feed bunk is another.
This is an especially important conversation for dairy customers right now.
H5N1 has been detected in U.S. dairy cattle, and USDA continues to emphasize enhanced biosecurity as an important tool for reducing the risk of disease transmission between premises. USDA specifically recommends preventing wildlife from interacting with livestock, livestock feed and equipment. APHIS
That doesn't mean you should tell a dairy operator:
“These birds are going to give your cows bird flu.”
That's too broad and isn't supported by current USDA evidence.
Instead, the conversation should be:
“You're already working hard on biosecurity. What are you doing to keep wild birds away from the feed and livestock areas?”
That's a much better question.
USDA's dairy biosecurity guidance specifically recommends monitoring and preventing wildlife from interacting with livestock and livestock feed and equipment. APHIS
And USDA currently describes biosecurity as a key defense against H5N1 spread between premises. APHIS
So bird management can be part of a larger biosecurity conversation, without claiming that bird control alone prevents H5N1.
Birds leave more than an empty feed bunk.
They leave droppings.
And those droppings end up on:
USDA Wildlife Services notes that bird feces on buildings and equipment can shorten useful life and increase cleanup costs.
And because bird droppings can be acidic, USDA notes that large bird concentrations can contribute to accelerated corrosion of fencing, corrals and other infrastructure. APHIS
So when you're walking a dairy, don't just look for birds.
Look for what they're leaving behind.
You don't need to walk into a dairy and announce:
“You have a bird problem.”
Instead, start asking questions.
“Are you seeing many birds around your silage?”
“Do birds get into this area during the day?”
“How many birds are normally hitting the bunk after you feed?”
And then the most important question:
“Has that gotten worse as we move into fall?”
You're not trying to sell the customer on a bird-control program in the first 90 seconds.
You're trying to find the opportunity.
Once you see birds, start estimating.
You don't need a perfect bird count.
If you see approximately 100 birds, think:
100.
If you see ten groups that size:
1,000.
If you're looking at several thousand:
Now you've got a conversation.
USDA research provides useful benchmarks for putting those numbers into context. For example, 1,000 starlings feeding at a livestock operation for 60 winter days was estimated to consume about 1.5 tons of cattle feed. APHIS
The question isn't:
“How many birds do you have?”
The better question is:
“What is that flock costing you?”
The next time you're at a dairy, make this your routine:
Look for birds feeding and gathering.
Look for exposed feed, spilled grain and bird activity.
Watch the birds after feed is delivered.
Then ask one question:
“How much of your feed do you think the birds are getting into?”
You may not get an exact answer.
That's okay.
You've started the conversation.
And if you see a large flock, don't try to figure everything out yourself.
Take a picture. Make a note of the account. Estimate the flock size.
Then reach out to Lloyd or Solomon.
They can help you figure out what you're looking at and what questions to ask next.
The best bird-control opportunities aren't always the ones where the customer says:
“We have a bird problem.”
Sometimes they're the ones where you walk past the feed bunk and notice 500, 1,000 or 5,000 birds feeding like they've been doing it all winter.
That's the opportunity.
See the birds.
Find where they're feeding.
Understand what they're costing.
Then start the conversation.