In the past several months, there have been several articles published in Progressive Dairyman about direct tanker loading (DTL) of milk at the dairy farm. The third article in the series concluded with a suggested discussion topic concerning the use of silos and chillers for milk cooling and storage. This article will look at several possible cost-saving advantages to this system that dairymen should consider when expanding or building new facilities. Every farm is different with different circumstances, so some considerations will have more significance than others on individual dairies.

Building a new milking facility – or renovating an old one – can be nerve-racking. There are so many decisions to make, and you need to move quickly so production can begin as soon as possible. But as we uncovered, it doesn’t pay to cut corners by installing equipment that isn’t up to the task. You may save a few dollars in upfront costs, but if your system is inadequate to allow for proper cleaning, your premium losses will be criminal.

Providing clean, dry bedding for dairy cows is imperative to maintaining a healthy herd and providing for the overall welfare of the animal. Dry bedding prevents bacterial growth, growth that contributes to high somatic cell count (SCC) and mastitis, a leading herd health problem. A wide variety of bedding surfaces are found in freestall and tiestall barns – and proper management of each system plays a key role in cow comfort and herd health.

Good weather and daylight hours always seem to be at a premium when you’re trying to harvest a crop in top condition. Planned maintenance and skilled equipment operation can curb downtime and reduce the potential for accidents during harvest. Preventing accidents is the key to a safe harvest.

Progressive Dairyman compiled the map below using installation data from robotic milking companies highlighted below. States with at least one robotic milking installation of any kind are shaded in purple. The next most likely states to see a robotic milking installation, according to the contributing companies, are shaded in light purple.

Just like snowflakes and udder conformations, no two farms are exactly the same. Robotic milking has certainly highlighted this fact as more North American dairy producers are preparing their farms for the latest in milking technology. Before the robots are delivered to the farm, many planning decisions need to be in place. How should I design the layout of my barn? Which cow traffic system should I use? What about feeding strategies, bedding management and cow comfort?