FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT

Farmers are problem-solvers; we have to be. Often, when the chips are truly down, there are few if any options in the way of assistance we can call in time to make a difference.

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.

Dave Bohnhoff’s frustration still surfaces when he recalls the dates of April 14-15, 2018. On those days, a heavy spring snowfall resulted in the collapse of numerous dairy barns in Wisconsin.

Just as parlours may be challenged by cold temperatures, robot barns are at risk of freezing too.

If you have been actively farming for as long as I have, you have seen more than a few changes in the machinery we use. Today’s farm machinery is more powerful, faster, “smarter” and more comfortable than ever before.

One of the jobs I enjoyed most as I traveled throughout eastern North America was visiting customers. These visits helped me to understand better how they were using their mixers, and on almost every visit I left with new knowledge I could share with others down the road.