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Focus on Energy to Hold Farm Tours on June 10
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 06/05/2008

Wisconsin Focus on Energy is providing two opportunities for the public to see how farms have created transition barns and made their dairy operations energy efficient. The Regional Dairy Modernization Task Force is organizing farm tours with FON on June 10 to see how farms are using technology to save on their energy bills.

The first farm stop is Triple D Farms, LLC, owned by Gerald, Bruce and Dan Dannenberg of Mineral Point. Their farm milks 300 cows in a parabone parlor. A key aspect to the dairy operation has been the successful transition barn, which is composed of three separate and distinct areas. The first area is for dry cows. Cows reside in this area between 45 and 60 days. The second area is for close-up calving. Cows are moved from the dry area to the close-up calving area and are kept in the close-up section for roughly 10 days. The third area is the post-fresh section. Cows leaving the calving area will go to the post-fresh section for roughly 21 days. The post-fresh area is where cows are observed for sickness and vaccinated. Once cows graduate from the post-fresh area they rejoin the herd in the large dairy free-stall barn. On average, the transition barn will house between 35 and 40 cows. The

The second farm on the tour is Stone-Front Farm, owned by Andy and Lyn Buttles of Lancaster. The Buttles milk around 350 cows, twice a day at their dairy facility. The transition barn on-site is composed of six pre-fresh pens that house 5-6 cows each. Five cows will be housed together for approximately three weeks and will rotate through to the post-fresh areas. The cows stay in post-fresh for approximately two weeks and then move back out in the main herd. Andy finds that keeping cows together through the process aids in maintaining a static social order. These consistencies aid in lessening stress and creating a better environment for the cows. They have also installed red fluorescent lights over the calving area. There is a separate area for sick cows or ones the vet will be visiting.

For exact times, directions and details, call 608-273-0182 ext. 23.


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