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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 21, No. 22
January 11, 2020
Stuebers enjoy farming again Robots alleviate labor, efciency issues By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
STRATFORD, Wis. – Stueber Farms Inc. turned to robots as an answer to labor and efciency issues they were facing on their family dairy farm. Jake and Jason Stueber, along with their parents, John and Mary, operate Stueber Farms near Stratford. Before making the transition to robots, the Stuebers were milking close to 420 Holstein cows in their double-5 Surge autoow parlor which was built in 1997. When they transitioned to six Lely A5 robots last January, they reduced their herd size to 360 cows. “We were pushing close to 60 cows an hour through the parlor, but milking three times a day, we were operating the
parlor close to 20 or 21 hours a day,” Jake said. “That required a lot of employees, and we struggled with the labor market. It always felt like we were managing people more than we were managing our cows.” Because of labor, the Stuebers switched to milking twice daily. That was not the answer to their efciency problems, though. The Stuebers began considering the option of installing robots. Jason said he has always been a fan of incorporating robots and had the idea in his head for a while. Jake, on the other hand, was more leery. The labor struggles gave Jake the motivation to begin looking Turn to STUEBERS | Page 6
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Jake, John and Jason Stueber of Stueber Farms installed six Lely A5 robots on their farm last January as an answer to labor and efficiency struggles. With the installa�on of the robots, the Stuebers have been able to reduce their workforce, elimina�ng the need to manage employees.
Show barn delivers individualized care
Bragger sets his sights on big things New WFBF president is enthusiastic about future of ag By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Jenna Langer stands next to one of the box stalls in her show facility in DeForest, Wisconsin.
Langer’s facility takes cows to next level By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
DEFOREST, Wis. – When the Langer family was looking to grow their dairy, they expanded the operation in a unique way. Rather than
adding cows and buildings at the current location, they opted for a new site with a much different focus than the original dairy. They built a facility that caters to the needs of elite show cattle and cows of superior genetic value.
“We were getting big into registered cattle, and wanted a place to showcase these animals and help cows reach their potential – a place where we could give them the care they need,” Jenna Langer said. “The facility offers that next level of Turn to LANGER | Page 10
INDEPENDENCE, Wis. – A love of agriculture, a desire to learn and a determination to make things better are the things that make Joe Bragger tick. Those are also the things that fueled him into seeking the position of president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation at the group’s annual meeting Dec. 6-9, 2019. Bragger operates Bragger Family Dairy along with his wife, Noel, and his brother, Dan. The farm, located near Independence in Buffalo County, is home to 350 dairy cows located on three locations. The family also operates pullet facilities, raises brown trout and crops about 1,400 acres. Joe Bragger Bragger has been a part of the WFBF WFBF president board of directors since 2010, serving as the representative for District 4, which includes Buffalo, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe and Trempealeau counties. With the myriad of experiences Bragger has collected throughout his involvement in working with a variety of agricultural and conservation groups, Bragger is looking forward to the challenges of helping shape the future into a positive one. Turn to BRAGGER | Page 5