Ramsier’s Willow Spring Farm, LLC. and W.G. Dairy Supply, Inc. to host Open House Featuring Lely’s Astronaut A3 Next

Ramsier’s Willow Spring Farm, LLC. and W.G. Dairy Supply, Inc. will host an Open House Sept. 2-3, 2010, featuring Lely’s newest robotic milking technology ― the Lely Astronaut A3 Next. Attendees will have the opportunity to view the A3 Next in action, and have questions about robotic milking technologies answered by experts in the field.

“The Astronaut robotic milking system is taking dairy operations worldwide to new heights of consistency, economy and efficiency,” said Lely USA’s president, Peter Langebeeke. “We invite you to see how the Lely Astronaut A3 Next Robotic Milker is increasing productivity while reducing labor and keeping cows happier and healthier than ever.”

Open House Information

What: Ramsier’s Willow Spring Farm, LLC. and W.G. Dairy Supply, Inc. Open House

When: Sept. 2-3, 2010 / 9:00 a.m. — 4:30 p.m.

Where: 2477 Eastern Road, Rittman, Ohio, 44270

Information: Tours are by appointment only. Contact W.G. Dairy Supply, Inc. for more information (330-435-6522 or 800-821-3952)

Football season ... and chocolate milk!

We're into the final days of August ... September is threatening to bring the first signs of fall and schools all over the nation are filling up again after the summer break.

It's football season!

Eventually we'll all be huddled under blankets in local football stadiums, but for right now our players are facing high temperatures during practices in preparation for this much-anticipated sports season.

Dairy Herd Management and The Grand Rapids Press highlight physiologist Joel Stager's comments about how chocolate milk is a "catch-all workout recovery drink" with twice the carbohydrates and protein content of most sports drinks.

The below is an excerpt from Dairy Herd Management.

High school football players in Holland, Mich., chug plenty of water to beat the heat during summer workouts. And they also chug lots of chocolate milk to help chill out.

The kids love the dairy treat, and the team’s trainer tells the Grand Rapids Press that there is less complaining about soreness and cramping since they began drinking the chocolate milk, adding that it helps muscles recover faster.

Research by physiologist Joel Stager, director of the Human Performance laboratory at Indiana University, backs that position, according to the report. He says that chocolate milk is a "catch-all workout recovery drink" with twice the carbohydrates and protein content of most sports drinks.

Read more on Dairy Herd Management's website.

2010 World Dairy Expo

It's that time of year again when those in the dairy industry begin anxiously awaiting an event that will bring together more than 65,000 dairy industry enthusiasts.

That's right, it's just six weeks until we all meet at World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI, Sept. 28 -Oct. 2?!

While you're wandering the Expo, chowing down on grilled cheese sandwiches, ice cream and cheese curds, we hope you'll visit us Arena Building (booth numbers 461-483), as well as just outside the Arena Building in the Trade Mall (location, I).

Click here for online access to World Dairy Expo maps.

Once you've found us ...

See and learn how Lely's Astronaut A3 Next robotic milking system is allowing farmers the freedom to enjoy their social life, as well as taking dairy operations worldwide to new heights of consistency, economy and efficiency.

Check out the Lely Calm automatic calf feeder and learn how it supplies the correct portion and concentration of feed throughout the day, resembling the natural behavior of the calf.

We all know that the constant availability of feed stimulates extra cow traffic, especially during the night when feed is not normally pushed to the fence. That’s why Lely developed the Lely Juno feedpusher, which provides farmers with more flexibility on their dairy. See Lely’s Juno "in action" just outside the Arena Building!

We look forward to meeting you! You can also keep up-to-date on Lely USA's World Dairy Expo activities on Facebook and Twitter!

For more information about World Dairy Expo, just visit their website.

Knigge Farms and Central Ag Supply Inc. to host Open House Featuring Lely’s Astronaut A3 Next

Central Ag Supply Inc. and Knigge Farms, the first robotic milking farm in the U.S., will host an Open House on Sept. 14, 2010, featuring Lely’s newest robotic milking technology ― the Lely Astronaut A3 Next. Attendees will have the opportunity to view the A3 Next in action, and have questions about robotic milking technologies answered by experts in the field.

Ten years ago, the Knigge farm became the first robotic milking farm in the United States. On May 25, 2010, the Knigge’s replaced their original Lely Astronaut equipment with Lely’s latest technology, the Lely Astronaut A3 Next.

“We are continuously developing our line of innovative products to improve dairy producers’ financial and social wellbeing,” said Lely USA’s president, Peter Langebeeke. “We are proud that the Astronaut A3 Next does both and take pride in the fact that the Knigge family has trusted Lely, once again, for their farm’s robotic milking technology.”

The Knigges shared the following message on their Facebook page May 26, 2010: “We installed new Lely robotic milkers. The cows seem to like them quite well. Crew from Central Ag Supply Inc. have been here for 48 hrs now, sleeping in their truck to make sure it’s all working.”

Open House Information

What: Knigge Farms and Central Ag Supply Inc. Open House

When: Sept. 14, 2010 / 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Where: 4577 Poygan Avenue, Omro, WI, 54963

Directions: Knigge Farms is located 20 miles west of Oshkosh off Highway 21 (3 miles west of Omro). Go north on Poygan Ave. Knigge Farms is the second farm on the west side of the road.

Information: Contact Central Ag Supply (920-386-2611) or Knigge Farms (920-685-5531)

NMC Farm Tour, September 8

This year's NMC Regional Meeting will feature a farm tour of Michigan State University's W.K. Kellogg Biological Station where researchers recently installed Lely's Astronaut robotic milking system.

The below is information from NMC's website:

Robotic Milking System and Pasture-Based Dairy Center at the Michigan State University W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Hickory Corners, Michigan

Date and time: Wednesday, September 8, 11:30 am - 5:00 pm
Tour size limit: 40 people.
Fee: $50 (includes lunch and transportation to and from the farm)

The Kellogg Farm at the Michigan State University Kellogg Biological Station transitioned from a confinement dairy with 3X milking to a pasture-based dairy with automatic milking (robotic milking) in the summer of 2009 (see Michigan State University YouTube video below). In July, the herd of 100 lactating Holstein cows was moved from the old dairy facility to the new pasture dairy barn. Cows were first trained to use the robotic milking system before being introduced to the pasture later in the summer. Cows will have access to the pasture for approximately a six month grazing period each year and will be confined to the dairy barn for the remainder of the year.

Tour participants will have an opportunity to see the robotic milking system in operation and learn about management of the dairy and our experience as we transitioned to the new dairy system. Drs. Janice Siegford and Santiago Utsumi, Michigan State University Department of Animal Science, will report on changes in animal behavior and health as well as changes in milk quantity and quality during this transition. Drs. Siegford and Utsumi will also discuss future research involving robotic milking systems and pasture-based dairy management.

Registration closes August 31. Early registration is recommended as there are limited spots available.

Click here to read full farm tour details online.

What's YOUR Definition of a Family Farm?

Dairy Herd Management recently posted an online editorial that presented the excellent question, "What defines a family farm?"

Wikipedia defines a family farm as, "a farm owned and operated by a family, and passed down from generation to generation."

When we conduct a Google search for "family farm" images, about 1,440,000 results pop up (yes, images only!). This fun "family farm" photo is brought to you by http://www.orrfamilyfarm.com/:

Not quite what you were thinking? What about the below image, provided on the USDA website?

Still not what quite what you had in mind? While Wikipedia and Google are great, we'd like to hear more from those of us in the industry.

Do you consider your farm to be a family farm? If so, why? Has your definition of a family farm changed at all while you've been in the industry? What image would fit your definition of a family farm?

We look forward to your feedback!

Below is an excerpt from Dairy Herd Management's editorial, "What Defines a Family Farm?"

On the surface, labels are convenient. They organize items, people, even farms into clean, tidy categories, or so the theory goes.

The problem is the definitions are not always equally clean and tidy. It’s well defined and understood what a teacher or a pilot does, because the public readily crosses paths with those professions. But today, the public no longer crosses paths with folks in agriculture. Consequently, they have little idea beyond story books what a farmer or rancher does, much less what constitutes a “family farm”.

Today, the labels factory farm and family farm are tossed about freely and easily, yet with conviction. They are used to pass judgment about what is wholesome, fair and right.

But, what constitutes a family farm? The definition literally depends on the individual—even amongst those of us in agriculture.

Often people point to the farmer’s market vendor as a family farm. In reality, that may or may not be the case, depending on the market and where the vendor gets his or her products. Just as often any farm producing organic or natural goods is granted the same consideration, even though a growing number of those are large corporations.

That raises another reasonable point, for tax purposes and any number of other reasons farms and ranches, regardless of size, organize as corporations, limited liability partnerships or other business structures. Are they family farms?

Is a farmer who raises hogs on contract for another producer on a farmstead that’s been in his family for four generations a family farm? Is a second-generation farm now owned by four siblings, but who rent the land out still a family farm?

Then there’s the size issue; at what point is a farm too big to be a family farm? I would argue that size doesn’t matter.

The 20-cow dairy involving a husband, wife and three kids is a family farm. But so is the dairy owned by two adult brothers who milk 3,000 cows, which involves their families and 15 employees.

Read the full article on dairyherd.com.

STEM Mentor Program Visits Robotic Dairy

The below is an excerpt from a recent post by the STEM Mentor Program blog.

On June 19 the STEM Mentor Program – an innovative partnership between The Rochester Area Colleges Center for Excellence in Math and Science (The Center) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester (BBBS) - visited Springdale Farm in Ogden, New York.

Springdale Farm provided a wealth of STEM education and activities for the Bigs and Littles in the program, which matches fourth, fifth, and sixth graders from the Rochester area with adult mentors who have a background or passion in STEM fields.

Owned by Monroe County and operated by Heritage Christian Services, the 200 acre farm is a working agricultural education facility open to the public. It boosts a petting zoo, greenhouse, duck pond, nature trails, picnic area and playground.

The farm is also home to Riedman Robotic Milking Center - a working dairy that utilizes a robotic milking machine to milk sixty cows. Springdale Farm was the first public demonstration farm in the Northeast to install this cutting-edge technology.

STEM Mentor participants took a tour of the Riedman Robotic Milking Center and got to see this amazing technology first hand.

The tour elicited many questions–by the Bigs and Littles alike. “I have a question,” said Little Brother Raajon as he watched a cow being milked and a nearby tank filling with the cow’s white milk, “Where are the cows that produce the chocolate milk?” The Springdale Farm tour guide proceeded to answer the question with great detail for the entire group.

Read the full blog at The Stem Blog.