During periods of heat stress, inefficient use of environmental control systems on dairies, such as lights, ventilation, cooling systems; have a negative impact on milk production and energy bills.
To learn how to evaluate their facilities and implement positive changes to their operation, dairy producers are encouraged to attend one of three hands-on workshops co- hosted by SDSU Extension and University of Minnesota Extension. These workshops are supported by the North Central Risk Management Center and USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2012-49200-20032.
"This workshop will provide dairy producers with tools and techniques to evaluate their barn's environment and establish a baseline for their system," said Erin Cortus, Assistant Professor & SDSU Extension Environmental Quality Engineer.
Registration for this event is $20 for the first person, and $10 for each additional person from the same farm. Lunch is included.
During each workshop, the morning session will cover the costs of heat stress and how to reduce the impacts of heat stress with the ventilation and cooling system. The afternoon session will be an open-house format consisting of hands-on stations around the farm where presenters will share information on specific topics such as lighting, fan capacity and efficiency, air speed through the pens, observing heat stress, energy audits and sprinklers and misting systems.
2014 Workshop Locations
Aug. 1, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Morrison County, MN)
Enchanted Dairy
Ron, Jeannie & Marv Miller
17646 133rd Street, Little Falls, MN
Farm Features: Milking about 1900 cows in a rotary parlor with both natural and cross ventilated barns.
Aug. 19, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Minnehaha County, SD)
Cottonwood Ridge Dairy
Brad, Monica, Brittany & Stephanie Nussbaum
25321 488th Ave, Garretson, SD
Features: Milking about 100 cows with Robotic Milkers. The slatted floor barn is tunnel-ventilated with light-transmitting wall panels.
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