Download - Producer Panel: Planning and Barn
Producer Panel: Planning and Building a New Dairy Barn
Harold House and Tom Wright, OMAFRA
John ThornburnMont Pleasant Farms, Paisley
Kathy WilsonIndian Maiden Farms, Teviotdale
FARMSMART, 2013
What motivated you to build a new facility?
What types of designs did you consider and why did you choose the one you built?
How did you go about planning for your new facility? E.g. Barns visited, people you talked to, business advisors, etc.
What financial factors did you consider and what impact did they have? Eg. Low interest rates, etc.
Did current quota policies influence any of your decisions?
Questions we asked John and Kathy
What was the best thing that happened during planning or construction? The worst (or most unexpected, perhaps)?
What’s the most important thing you would tell others to look for when choosing a builder?
How did the cows and staff adjust to the new place?
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to someone considering changing their facility?
Questions Continued
Mont Pleasant FarmsJohn & Lisa Thornburn
Paisley, ON
Layout• 52 Tie Stalls
• Heifer Pens
• 172’ x 80’
Milking• 4 units
• Automatic take-offs
Tie Stalls• 52 Tie stalls
• Tail-to-tail
Special Needs• 4 Maternity pens
Heifer Pens• Raised walkway
• Wagon for straw
Heifer Pens• Scrape alley
• Gutter cleaner transfer
Manure Management• Solid manure
• Liquid run-off storage
Feed Management• TMR mixer
• Silos
• Baylage
Ventilation• Natural ventilation
• HVLS fans
Indian Maiden FarmsHarold, Lorna & Kathy Wilson
Teviotdale, ON
Layout• 2 Lely A4 Milking
Robots
• 284’ X 96’ Pack Barn
Milking• 2 Lely A4 Milking
Robots
Milking• 2 Lely A4 Milking
Robots
Compost Bedding Pack• 184’ x 61’
• 100 to 110 ft2 per cow
• Sawdust & drywall paper
What motivated you to build a new facility?
What types of designs did you consider and why did you choose the one you built?
How did you go about planning for your new facility? Barns visited, people you talked to, business advisors, etc.
What financial factors did you consider and what impact did they have?
Did current quota policies influence any of your decisions?What was the best thing that happened during planning or construction? The worst (or most unexpected, perhaps)?
What’s the most important thing you would tell others to look for when choosing a builder?
How did the cows and staff adjust to the new place?
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to someone considering changing their facility?
Questions we asked John and Kathy