Stuart dairy of Lowell wins milk quality top award again
By Cynthia Beach - Contributing writer
3 April 2025
The National Dairy Quality Awards (NDQA) recognized Lowell dairy farmer, Dan Stuart, for the second year with its top Platinum Award for Milk Quality. In January, Stuart received the prestigious Platinum again, which grants the farm “a quality bonus” - higher pay for its milk.
“I didn’t think it was achievable,” Stuart said. “We had gotten Gold and Silver before—but to repeat a Platinum? We give God all the glory.”
The NDQA explains its award: “Applications were evaluated for measures of quality, systems of monitoring udder health, milking routine, protocols for detection and treatment of clinical and subclinical cases of mastitis, and strategies for overall herd health and welfare.”
Mastitis “is an inflammation of the mammary gland caused from trauma or an infection, leading to abnormal and decreased milk production,” said the Cornell University of Veterinary Medicine site.
Stuart says winning this award has brought a smile to his face. “It proves you can do a really good job and put out top quality.”
In 1960, Stuart’s father began the dairy with less than ten cows, Stuart recalled. “Now we have 400.”
Currently, Stuart’s 370 milked Holsteins rotate through a milking parlor, with 16 cows milked at one time. The farmhands spend five hours milking the entire herd.
Stuart says concern and team effort in three areas helped the farm win the award. “We bed the cows on fresh sand. We keep the barn very clean, and we keep all our equipment up to the best standards.”
According to an on-line “Hoard’s Dairyman" interview, Stuart explains another failsafe. “We have trained all milking personnel to observe for clinical mastitis during prestripping, looking for visually abnormal milk and/or a hot, swollen udder and/or a sick cow.”
The years of working a dairy farm has taught Stuart something. “A lot of patience,” he said with a laugh. The Stuart Farm continues to be a family-run farm with Dan and Sandra Stuart and their adult children: James and Megan Stuart, Amanda Canfield, and Kayla Stuart.
The NDQA’s competition is open to dairy farms in the U.S. and Canada. Applications are submitted by industry experts like veterinarians, not from the dairy producers themselves. According to the “Michigan Farm News” site, 72 applicants applied and Michigan dairies won 17 awards.
According to the NDQA homepage, “Platinum award winners will receive international recognition.”
The National Mastitis organization looks at multiple factors. According to a January 30, “Michigan Farm News article,” “In addition to milk quality indicators, such as somatic cell count and standard plate count, judges looked at specific details about each operation, including milking routine, cow comfort, udder health monitoring programs, prevention and treatment programs, strategies for overall herd health and welfare, and adherence to drug use and record keeping regulations.”
The Dairy Teaching and Research Center of Michigan State University also won a second Platinum, said the “Michigan Farm News” article.
