This article was #2 of the Top 25 most well-read articles on www.progressivedairy.com in 2013. It was published in the May 1, 2013 Extra e-newsletter and the August 11, 2013 print issue. Click here for the full list of the Top 25. Last winter, JTP Farms in Dorchester, Wisconsin, set a new production record for the DeLaval VMS system. In a period of seven days, the dairy – owned by Tom and Peggy Peissig and Jake and Tolea Peissig – harvested an average of 6,453 pounds of milk per milking station from their 247-cow herd, equaling 104.5 pounds per day. Jake Peissig attributed this accomplishment to the farm’s focus on cow comfort and animal welfare in their new facility.

Manure systems have certainly evolved over time – from pitching stalls to extracting dischargeable water. They vary depending on bedding type, performance and desired end products. Producers choosing to use sand for bedding have seen a variety of options to reclaim the sand. One of the most popular systems Bob Komro with Komro Sales & Service, Inc. has been building thus far is the flush flume, closed-loop system.