Dairy producers from 12 states recently attended the two-day 2013 Innovation Dairy Tour in western Michigan, hosted by GEA Farm Technologies, to see industry-leading technologies in action on five innovative dairies. Some of the things they saw included an automatic teat dipping system, a robotic milking system and several other new industry innovations. Producers "learned first-hand how to improve parlor efficiency, milk quality and overall herd performance," said President and CEO Matt Daley.

Visiting producers traveled throughout the western part of the state to tour a pocket of dairy operations.

“We chose this group of dairies because they represent new thinking and a variety of new technologies,” said Jerry Quellhorst, sales consultant, noting that these managers are getting more cows through the parlor per hour with fewer employees, are raising calves more efficiently and are better able to reallocate labor resources. “Overall, these operations are more efficient because of the technologies they’ve implemented.”

Producers attending the tour saw a hands-on approach and said it allowed them to have an open dialog with each other and the host dairies about the installation process of the new technologies and discuss tips for implementing them on the farm. Dairies visited on the tour and the technologies showcased:

Gingrich Meadows Dairy, Leroy : Owned by Amy Martin and Shawn Gingrich, this new facility was built in April 2012 and now milks 320 Holsteins with two MIone four-box robotic milking systems.

Amy Martin said the cows have transitioned into the system easily and that they have been able to reallocate labor resources to other areas of the operation.

“The cows are more calm and content than ever before and our employees have more time to manage cows and spend time monitoring the herd,” she said, explaining that cows enter the robotic system routinely to be milked up to five times per day.

“This is a new way of managing our farm that’s made our cows more content and helped our kids become interested in returning to the farm.”

Hillhaven Farms, Edmore : This facility started in 1998 by Mike Rasmussen. At the time, the producers built a 2x16 Magnum 40 Herringbone Parlor and later upgraded to DemaTron 70 detachers. With the goal of improved milk quality and parlor efficiency, the owners recently added the Apollo MilkSystem and FutureCow Prep System (FCPS).

Son Rise Farm, Westphalia : John and Debbie Feldpausch began this calf facility in February 2010. Today, these calf growers raise about 200 calves in individual calf hutches and 350 calves on four DairyFeed Automated Quattro Calf Feeders.

They also utilize a UV Pure, which uses ultraviolet light to purify calf milk – killing harmful bacteria while maintaining the vital nutrients naturally found in the milk. The growers credit the automated feeding system as a more efficient option for calf raising.

Vanderploeg Holsteins, Ithaca : This 72-stall AutoRotor Performer parlor was installed in October 2012 by Klaus, Mares and Tony Vanderploeg. Today, 2,250 Holsteins average 87 pounds of milk per head per day in the facility.

Farm managers at the facility said the rotary parlor has improved efficiency and reduced the number of employees needed in the parlor.

Cows enter one at a time through a system of gates and are then rotated to employees who each have a designated task. Through the system, four employees are able to milk 72 cows in an eight-minute span.

Rich Ro Colony, St. John’s : Owned by Glenn and Brett Feldpausch, this dairy averages 82.4 pounds of milk per head per day on 2,735 Holsteins. The herd is milked in a 2 x 44 Magnum 90i parallel stall parlor and each cow is prepped with the FCPS.

“This is the first summer that we never dropped below 80 pounds per head per day,” says Brett Feldpausch. “We credit part of this to changes in our milking routine. We’re milking fresh cows four times a day, then three times a day through lactation and two times a day as cows near the dry period.

“To keep milk quality up, we need to be consistent at each of these milkings and the FutureCow is helping with that. It’s the same brush and the same amount of dip each time – and that’s made a difference.” PD

—From GEA Farm Technologies news release

PHOTOS
TOP: Dairy producers from 12 states recently attended the Innovation Dairy Tour in Michigan. The producers toured Gingrich Meadows Dairy in Leroy, Michigan, where they heard from owner Amy Martin about her experiences with the MIone robotic milking system. Martin told the group that the system allows cows to enter and be milked up to five times per day, creating a calm efficiency in the parlor.

BOTTOM: Producers discuss the technology and implementation process of a rotary parlor during the tour, while cows look on from above. Photos courtesy of GEA Farm Technologies.