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SAVINGS, GS S W WHILE H HILE INVENTORY V R LLA LASTS, A ONLY TIL DEC 31.
l a n o i Reg VOLUME 13 NUMBER 49
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015
Canada’s most modern milking system makes Hausteins smile MOUSH SARA JOHN WEEKENDER REPORTER The automated barn at the Haustein farm in Erskine looks no different from a modern barn from the outside. Yet what is going on within, from milking to feeding to cattle bedding are some of the most advanced in the country. At the family-run operation located a mile south of Erskine on Hwy. 835, one of the Haustein brothers, Conlee takes care of the dairy, while Calvert manages the crops, and his wife Amanda manages the beef from aspect of the business. Their father Doug Haustein and mother Bernadette Haustein, along with Lory, Conlee’s wife take care of the young animals and help whenever needed. In addition, the children of Calvert and Amanda help around the farm, depending on what needs to be done. “We milk crossbred cows (Fleckvieh x Holstein) because we feel they are more profitable,” said Calvert Haustein. “Our cows are stronger healthier and give us less problems.” Although the barn has been in operation with its state-of-the-art facilities since March this year, the journey to where it is now has been a long and meticulous process. “We started gathering
ideas for the barn in 2010 after attending a progressive dairy conference regarding robotics and automation,” said Calvert. “After deciding what type of milking system and housing system we wanted, we started with the barn layout design in 2012.” Earthwork began in the spring of 2013 and the construction of the building started late summer 2013. “We were in need of a new milking facility as the previous barn was undersized, nearly 80 years old, having been a dairy barn for 41 years, and required lots of labour to milk cows,” added Haustein. “We wanted a low-maintenance barn with low-operational costs.” Instead of having an anaerobic flush, the Hausteins decided to go with an aerobic flush barn, the only one of its kind in the country. “Building an aerobic flush barn with a robotic milking system and a free-stall housing system seemed to be the most logical choice to achieve this,” said Conlee Haustein. “The main inspiration for this was the fact that our parents, who have a big role on the farm aren’t getting any younger and therefore something would need to be changed if we were to maintain the same level of income once they decided to retire.” continued on page 2
Photos by Moush Sara John/ Weekender reporter
Above: Haustein brothers, Calvert (left) and Conlee at their automated barn with Lely robot Juno, which helps move feed towards their cattle, gliding down the large barn and pushing hay towards the cows. The milking robot at the Haustein’s automated barn in Erskine, milks the cows as they come through the turnstile.