Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Hoard's Dairyman Blogs About Knigge Farms' Open House
The following is a 09/14/2010 blog entry by Hoard's Dairyman. Click here to see the blog entry on their website.
Open house marks anniversary of robotic milkers
Over 600 people came to Knigge Farms of Omro, Wis., to celebrate the 10th anniversary of robotic milking in the United States. It was in August 2000 that Pete and Theo Knigge, and their son, Charlie, installed a pair of A2, Astronaut robots in their new free stall barn. This May, just three months short of the 10-year anniversary, the Knigges installed the latest Lely robots, the Astronaut A3.
The Knigges told those in attendance that the new robots have some great improvements. Their modernistic design covers more of the working parts which reduces the potential for hoses and other components to get moved by cows as they are milked. The improved connection software makes for quicker milking machine attachment which has led to fewer milking failures. When a milking failure occurs, the Knigges must bring the cows up to the robot.
Another recent change to the Knigge operation is the addition of Juno which is a robotic feed pusher. On Knigge's farm, they set it up to push up feed every two hours. Since setting the system up a month ago, milk production has gone from 85 pounds per day to 94 pounds.
On average, cows are being milk three times a day. The highest-producing cow which is milking 140 pounds per day is going into the robot six times. In addition to a TMR, cows get a sweet grain mix to entice them to come into the robot. The average cow gets 9.5 pounds of that grain each day. The herd's TMR mix consists of first-crop haylage, 40.5 pounds at 36 percent dry matter (DM); corn silage, 34 pounds, 37 percent DM; high-moisture shell corn, 13.50 pounds, 67.5 dry matter; cottonseed, 5 pounds, 88 percent DM; protein mix, 2.5 pounds, 92 percent DM; third-crop hay, 2 pounds, 88 DM; and a mineral mix, .74 pounds; 95 percent DM.
One improvement the Knigges would like to see is a downward trend on their SCC which has gone up this summer. It now stands at 325 SCC. There are quite a few robotic herds that are under 200 SCC.
Pete Langebeeke, President of Lely USA presenting a plaque honoring the 10th anniversary of robotic milking in the US to Pete, Theo and Charlie Knigge.
Photo courtesy of Hoard's Dairyman blog.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Lely Featured in Eastern DairyBusiness
We are thrilled to share with you another Lely mention in the news, this time in Eastern DairyBusiness where the Blesy and Kilcer farms are featured.
To check it out, visit the online magazine website to begin reading the dairy technology piece titled, "The High Road to High Tech," as it discusses how dairies have adopted technology and made it work to improve their farms.
While you're there, be sure to flip to page twenty of the online magazine to read the article, "Less Labor, More Milk with Robotic Milkers," which highlights Nathan and Harold Blesy's dairy in Springville, NY, as well as Bill and Trina Kilcer's dairy in Genoa, NY.
It's so exciting to see how producers "Live Life Lely" all over the country!
To check it out, visit the online magazine website to begin reading the dairy technology piece titled, "The High Road to High Tech," as it discusses how dairies have adopted technology and made it work to improve their farms.
While you're there, be sure to flip to page twenty of the online magazine to read the article, "Less Labor, More Milk with Robotic Milkers," which highlights Nathan and Harold Blesy's dairy in Springville, NY, as well as Bill and Trina Kilcer's dairy in Genoa, NY.
It's so exciting to see how producers "Live Life Lely" all over the country!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Visit Lely USA at World Dairy Expo!
In three weeks Lely USA, along with more than 65,000 other dairy industry enthusiasts, will be stationed in Madison, Wisconsin.
That's right, September 28th marks the start of World Dairy Expo and Lely USA couldn't be more excited to see everyone!
We hope you'll stop by to see us in the Arena Building (booth 461-483) where you will see Lely's Astronaut A3 Next up close, while at the same time learn more about the Lely Calm automatic calf feeder.
Not only that, we'll have a second location just outside the Arena Building so be sure to visit us there, as well, to check out Lely's Juno feed pusher in action.
Join in the conversation with Lely USA, September 28 - October 2, 2010!
Learn how you can "Live Life Lely" and let us know what you would do with your extra time living life with Lely's line of innovative products.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Knigge Farms Featured in Eastern DairyBusiness
Below is an excerpt from Eastern DairyBusiness.
Ten years ago, Knigge Farms LLC, Omro, Wis. became the first U.S. family dairy farm to install robotic milkers. This summer, they replaced those original units with a new generation of dairy robots.
The farm is owned by Pete, his wife Theo, and Charlie, 34. Charlie has a 7-year-old son, Jacob. The operation includes about 125 cows, 145 head of young stock and 25 feeder steers. The Knigges grow about 600 acres of corn, beans, alfalfa and wheat, and do some custom planting/harvesting. Pete is the herd manager, does most of the AI, and serves as the dairy’s primary general manager; Charlie takes care of nutrition, cropping and maintenance. Theo’s responsibilities include calf care and cleaning the robot rooms.
(Two of Pete and Theo’s daughters have off-farm jobs, but still remain linked to the farm. Krista works for Charleston-Orwig, a communications agency primarily working with ag clients. Mary, who previously worked with the National Milk Producers Federation, became a staff member for the U.S. House Ag Committee last spring.)
Eastern DairyBusiness recently talked with Pete and Charlie, shortly after the 10-year anniversary of the installation of their first robotic milkers and the installation of two new units.
Click here to read the full article from Eastern DairyBusiness.
Ten years ago, Knigge Farms LLC, Omro, Wis. became the first U.S. family dairy farm to install robotic milkers. This summer, they replaced those original units with a new generation of dairy robots.
The farm is owned by Pete, his wife Theo, and Charlie, 34. Charlie has a 7-year-old son, Jacob. The operation includes about 125 cows, 145 head of young stock and 25 feeder steers. The Knigges grow about 600 acres of corn, beans, alfalfa and wheat, and do some custom planting/harvesting. Pete is the herd manager, does most of the AI, and serves as the dairy’s primary general manager; Charlie takes care of nutrition, cropping and maintenance. Theo’s responsibilities include calf care and cleaning the robot rooms.
(Two of Pete and Theo’s daughters have off-farm jobs, but still remain linked to the farm. Krista works for Charleston-Orwig, a communications agency primarily working with ag clients. Mary, who previously worked with the National Milk Producers Federation, became a staff member for the U.S. House Ag Committee last spring.)
Eastern DairyBusiness recently talked with Pete and Charlie, shortly after the 10-year anniversary of the installation of their first robotic milkers and the installation of two new units.
Click here to read the full article from Eastern DairyBusiness.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Lancaster Farming features Horning Dairy
Lancaster Farming recently featured Pennsylvania dairy farmers, Lewis and Amy Horning. They recently built a new free-stall barn with a Lely robotic milker for their 50-cow dairy.
Below is an excerpt from Lancaster Farming's website.
Earlier this month, the farm of Lewis and Amy Horning was a hub of activity as more than 200 farmers and their families gathered for an open house.
In such a difficult economic climate, it might seem strange that the Hornings would take on a significant investment to update their operations. However they said they realized if they were going to be profitable in the dairy industry, some changes would be needed on the family farm.
“When we started thinking about doing something, the milk price was much higher,” Amy said. But the price drop helped them to take a step back and make sure they had considered all of their options, she said.
The search for how to update the farm began in 2008. Both Hornings decided they wanted to continue milking cows, but needed a new milking facility. Before the update, they milked in a tie-stall barn that was used by Amy’s grandfather.
The Hornings built a new free-stall barn with a Lely robotic milker for their 50-cow dairy. The farm is now retrofitting the old tie-stall barn for heifers.
Lewis credits Amy’s father for suggesting the idea of robots for their farm. He told the couple that if he were a young farmer with a family, he would seriously consider the idea. With that, they began to weigh their options by visiting farms with different styles of robots. After the visits, they decided that a Lely milker best fit their needs.
Click here to read the full article.
Below is an excerpt from Lancaster Farming's website.
Earlier this month, the farm of Lewis and Amy Horning was a hub of activity as more than 200 farmers and their families gathered for an open house.
In such a difficult economic climate, it might seem strange that the Hornings would take on a significant investment to update their operations. However they said they realized if they were going to be profitable in the dairy industry, some changes would be needed on the family farm.
“When we started thinking about doing something, the milk price was much higher,” Amy said. But the price drop helped them to take a step back and make sure they had considered all of their options, she said.
The search for how to update the farm began in 2008. Both Hornings decided they wanted to continue milking cows, but needed a new milking facility. Before the update, they milked in a tie-stall barn that was used by Amy’s grandfather.
The Hornings built a new free-stall barn with a Lely robotic milker for their 50-cow dairy. The farm is now retrofitting the old tie-stall barn for heifers.
Lewis credits Amy’s father for suggesting the idea of robots for their farm. He told the couple that if he were a young farmer with a family, he would seriously consider the idea. With that, they began to weigh their options by visiting farms with different styles of robots. After the visits, they decided that a Lely milker best fit their needs.
Click here to read the full article.
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Country Today Features Pfaff's Prairie Dairy
The below is an excerpt from The Country Today.
Dairy farmer Tom Pfaff had researched milking parlors before his nephew persuaded him to check out a robotic dairy operation in eastern Minnesota.
Photo courtesy of Danielle Begalke. Vernon County 4-H youth watched as a robotic arm swung down to clean and milk a Holstein cow in the robotic milking system chute Aug. 11 at Pfaff’s Prairie Dairy in Melrose.
Dairy farmer Tom Pfaff had researched milking parlors before his nephew persuaded him to check out a robotic dairy operation in eastern Minnesota.
Pfaff was skeptical.
"We'd been looking at putting a free-stall and parlor up for some years," he said.
His plans changed, though, the moment he stepped inside the barn at the Minnesota farm.
"The cows were so quiet and the barn was so peaceful," Pfaff recalled. "When they told me the cows had only been in there 12 days, I was sold."
Pfaff's Prairie Dairy, which includes a 420-cow free-stall barn and seven Lely robotic milking units, was completed last November.
It sits a half-mile down the road from the Melrose farm his father, Tom Pfaff, purchased in 1962.
The new operation, installed by Preston Dairy Equipment of Sparta, is an upgrade from the home farm, where, at one point, the Pfaffs switched out cows to milk 160 in the 65-cow stanchion barn built in 1970. For a while they also milked in a 40-cow barn across the road.
"This took a lot of the physical work away," he said. "We have more animals, so we're still out here as many hours, but it's not that back-breaking work."
Ron Rodenberg, Pfaff's herdsman who started in November, said he has been most impressed with cow comfort in the new barn.
"You're really never pushing the cows," Rodenberg said, adding that most of the herd comes willingly to the chute.
"We always have a few we have to fetch," he said, "but we have a drop gate we can use on the few that don't want to come in."
Pfaff said that even cows previously milked in a parlor adjusted well.
He agreed that the cows are more relaxed in their new building.
Click here to read the full article.
Photo courtesy of Danielle Begalke. Vernon County 4-H youth watched as a robotic arm swung down to clean and milk a Holstein cow in the robotic milking system chute Aug. 11 at Pfaff’s Prairie Dairy in Melrose.
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