Extension Offers Tours of Robotic Milkers

Posted By Gary Geske

In celebration of June Dairy Month, the ISU Extension has put together a “Robotic Milking Farm Tour” for interested dairy farmers or members of the general public.

These on-farm tours will give attendees a chance to see how the robotic milkers work.  More importantly, there will be opportunities to hear stories from the herd owners and ask questions about how this robotic technology has affected their animal’s well being, business success and family life.

No preregistration for the tour is needed, just visit the extension webpage or contact Extension representatives listed below for additional information on tour times and meeting places.  Extension tour dates, places and times are postedbelow.

As a preview to the tour, here is a video of one farm family implementing robotic milking technology that was featured on Iowa Public Television’s Market to Market.  Click here for their story.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPcDTbLp1tw&feature=player_profilepage[/youtube]

ISU Extension Farm Tour Dates, Times and Meeting Places:

  • June 7, 10 am, South Wayne, WI. Jack Wiegel Farm, 10037 Phillipine Rd, South Wayne, WI.  Lely installation.  From Browntown, Wi take MM north which turns into M at the Lafayette Co line. At Woodford go west (left) still on M.  In one mile go south on Phillipine Road and it is the second farm on the right.
  • June 7, 1 pm, Stitzer, WI. Jim Lepeska Farm, 1683 Hopewell Rd, Stitzer, WI. DeLaval installation.  From Montfort, go south on Hwy 80 2 miles, 5 miles west on Hopewell Rd.
  • June 14, 9:30 am, Monona, IA. Mark and Sandra Ehrhardt Farm, 567 Big Foot Road, Monona, IA.  Lely installation.  From Monona, take CR-X26 6 miles, then turn right onto Big Foot Rd. for 2.4 miles, farm on right.
  • June 14, 1:30 pm, Caledonia, MN. Heintz Badger Valley Farm, Doug and Julie Heintz, 8903 State Hwy. 76, Calendonia, MN 55921. Lely installation. From Caledonia, take Hwy 76 North 8 miles, (long driveway), If coming from North- it is 3 ½ miles south of Houston, MN.
  • June 15, 10:30 am, Buffalo Center, IA. Hawktree Dairy/Mike Bauman, 3100 Hwy 9, Buffalo Center, IA (just east).  Lely installation. 563-583-6496.
  • June 15, 1:00 pm, Buffalo Center, IA. Stacey’s Dairy/Bruce Meinders, 2307 380th Street, Buffalo Center, IA. Lely installation. From Buffalo Center, west on 9 for 2 miles, South on R14 for 5 miles, west on 380th Street ¼ mile.

For more information about these tours, please contact ISU Extension Dairy Specialists Larry Tranel at 563-583-6496 or Jenn Bentley at 563-382-2949.

Agriculture