Barns & Equipment

Just like a doctor that works on patients all the time, your mechanic knows your machine, and the machines like it, best. They get a lot of the same problems and usually can give you ways to avoid the major problems with minor improvements or maintenance tips.

Gunner Kyser, a former student of mine and a service foreman at a local dealership, told me about some of the common problems and quick adjustments that will save owners a lot of money.

Historically, dairy barns were constructed like houses, striving to keep barns closed-in to protect cows from winter weather. But building them that way ignored the fact that cows have a different temperature comfort range than people.

“Cows are much more cold- tolerant than we are and much less heat-tolerant than we are,” said Jeffrey Bewley, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture assistant extension professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences. “Of course, even in the Southeast, we experience winter days where cold stress is a concern.”

Two main responses cows usually have to heat and humidity are to eat less feed and produce less milk. Another problem that often occurs with heat and humidity stress is an elevation in the somatic cell count of the herd. Below are some suggestions for reducing these summer stress responses of your cows.

1. Ask your nutritionist to check your rations for changes that will help maintain intake and milk production.
Also check to be sure your cows are receiving adequate levels of vitamins A and E, and selenium.

The economic consequences of heat stress to the dairy industry have been calculated to be approximately $900 million annually. This sum reflects not only milk production decline, but reproductive losses, increased lameness, prematurely replacing animals in the herd, rumen acidosis, a decrease in milk fat, premature calving, retained placenta and many other health implications. While many producers consider only the decline in milk production in the economics of heat stress, the losses are indeed greater.

So buying equipment and whether or not to buy it new or used, becomes an important choice. What should go into a buying decision and what should you consider next time you try to choose between new or used?

There’s a famous saying that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and they – whoever “they” is – are right.

And while it’s a well understood cliché, in this recession, most people would be happy with a free appetizer. Or maybe a free drink – anything to help offset the costs of the overall meal.

Now, apply that logic to energy efficiency projects on your farm. Sure, it’s unlikely someone’s going to drop an energy-efficient motor or pump at your front door, but there are ways you could get some of the costs reimbursed for your energy-saving efforts.