Barns & Equipment

Traditionally, success for automated milking has been measured by increased milk and reduced labor. One full year after starting up robots, Majestic Crossing Dairy is finding additional value in this investment through savings in hoof trimming, mastitis treatments and water use.

Promoting a surface on which cows want to lie down is about more than just comfort. The bedding material a dairy chooses plays a critical role in preventing mastitis, reducing injury, regulating temperature and fitting into the overall management system.

Whether planning to build new or working on a master plan, it can be overwhelming. Each farm sits in a different situation whether it be financial, age, land base, future goals or geographic regions.

Variable-speed engines power almost all self-propelled vehicles and equipment. The correct engine speed, as revolutions per minute (rpm), will be the best compromise considering economy of operation, emissions, power needed (or speed needed, especially when running PTO-powered implements such as hay balers) and longevity of the engine.

When building a dairy barn, choosing between natural and mechanical ventilation can be a tough decision; however, a novel design brings the two methods together to create a controllable environment with big time cow comfort payoffs.

Empty barns across America are a ghostly reminder of the dairy industry’s rapid exodus. Hollow and empty, they once housed the lifeblood of a farm, and are now begging a return to useful service for the farm family.