FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT

When baling and handling large round bales, you must recognize and understand potential hazards and follow the manufacturer’s operating recommendations for each piece of equipment you use.

Ownership and operational costs of modern farm equipment are major expenses on [today’s] farms. Today’s tractors, combines and farm implements are both impressive and pricey.

It is remarkable to see what they can do when working well. Breakdowns, however, can be quite costly and frustrating. I have great respect for mechanics who can keep machines properly adjusted and efficiently running.

Just like snowflakes and udder conformations, no two farms are exactly the same.

Robotic milking has certainly highlighted this fact as more and more North American dairy producers are preparing their farms for the latest in milking technology.

Many factors on dairy farms will affect cattle fertility, and facilities are yet another to consider. Production and reproduction objectives, as well as management program style, must be reflected upon from the initial facility design for any dairy.

Functional facilities will have a long-lasting and rewarding impact on an operation as a whole. This article’s goal is not to give technical recommendations for building but rather to highlight crucial elements of a building’s design to consider from the reproductive standpoint.

Albert and Alyson Wolfe immigrated to Canada 16 years ago from the Republic of Ireland.

At home, they had a small dairy herd of about 30 cows but were unable to expand due to prohibitive costs.

Designed and managed properly, freestall shelters can be a good choice for growing dairy heifers.

The building footprint (square feet) and bedding requirement is less for a bedded-pack shelter for an equal number of animals.