CONTACT:
Dick Nelles, Engineered Storage Products Company, Inc., DNelles@engstorage.com, 815-756-1551; or,
Jon Anderson, OPEN ROADS, janderson@openroads-bgdn.com, 414-227-1000 ext. 4.
VIRTUAL FARM TOUR -- EXPANSION REQUIRES PROGRESSIVE FEEDING AND MANURE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
MADISON, Wis., (September 21, 2006) – As part of the World Dairy Expo virtual farm tours, Michigan producer Wendell Loew will spotlight how his expansion plans required progressive feeding and manure management systems. Held at noon on Saturday, October 7, in the Exhibition Hall, room Mendota 1, this virtual tour documents a recent 2-year expansion process.
Loew operates Indian Trail Farm, Byron Center, Mich., along with his sons and brother. The younger Loews are fourth-generation farmers. The operation has been no stranger to expansion – since 1960, the herd has expanded gradually from 125 cows to 770.
With 14 blue structures rising above the horizon, it’s obvious that Indian Trail Farm depends on Harvestores for preserving feed quality. The oxygen-limiting structures fit well with the group feeding strategies. The Loews store different qualities of forage separately. They are able to build rations based on the needs of individual cow groups – dry, springing, early lactation, first lactation and mature cows. With a RHA of 24,000 pounds of milk, they believe the best results can be achieved by more closely trying to match rations to the specific needs of individual groups. The herd’s total mixed ration consists of haylage, cornlage, high moisture corn, dry hay, cottonseed, corn gluten and minerals.
Along with the updated feeding system, the Loews had to focus on expanding their manure management system, too. With new homes going in less than two miles away, responsible manure handling is a key consideration for the dairy’s future. The Loews added a second of two Slurrystores at the time of the 2004 expansion. Manure is scraped into reception pits and then pumped into the Slurrystores. The six-month storage capacity means that manure is hauled late in the fall, again in the spring, and covered as quickly as possible. Loew says there’s no concern about leaching with the above-ground systems, plus the units are safe with no chance of anyone falling in, fencing is not needed, all the waste is easier to handle and the farmstead stays neat and clean.
The virtual tour also will feature the addition of four new buildings: 1) a 108’ x 420’ free stall barn, 2) a 30’ x 60’ shavings storage barn, 3) a calf barn, and 4) a herd management barn which includes sick pens, a hoof trimming table, a new parlor and holding pen used for treated and just-fresh cows, a veterinarian/herd health room, a palpation lane, a sort gate and 3 sort pens.
