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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 19, No. 6
May 13, 2017
Stepping into the future Peaceful Valley Dairy milks with industry’s latest robot By Cassie Olson
cassie.o@dairystar.com
NORWALK, Wis. – For 30 years, brothers Brian and Steve Schmitz have been milking cows on their farm, Peaceful Valley Dairy, near Norwalk, Wis. After years of switching 135 cows through an 84-stall barn, the brothers decided it was time for a change. Last December, the Schmitz brothers installed three GEA Monobox robots, building a new freestall barn to milk their herd of 150 cows. Brian said they had always had an interest in upgrading their facilities; it was a matter of nding the right t. “We had looked at parlors in the past, but never felt that was the thing for us,” Brian said. “We felt putting in a parlor would mean expanding our herd and we simply have never had an interest in doing that.” Starting two years ago, the
CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Steve and Brian Schmitz milk 150 cows with three robots on their farm near Norwalk, Wis. The brothers had been farming together for 30 years when they decided it was Ɵme to upgrade their faciliƟes. brothers began looking into robots as a viable option for their farm’s size and needs. They
began taking bus trips with different dealers to nd a robot that was right for them. As
word travelled, dealers were soon showing up at the farm to make their pitch.
“When people know you’re looking, everyone starts pulling into the driveway,” Steve said. The robot they settled on was not one they had seen on a tour. Actually, it was one they hadn’t seen at all. After seeing a video for the robot, the brothers were intrigued enough to move forward with the project. “The rst time we saw these robots besides being on a video, they were on the farm,” Brian said. “We decided to stick our neck out.” Last March, ground broke for the construction of a new freestall barn to accommodate the three robots. Much like the Schmitz brothers pioneered the use of the robots, they also took a new approach to the freestall. The barn is similar to a naturally-ventilated barn, with overhead fans above the cows and side curtains. However, six uplift fans placed within six chimneys on the roof’s peak pull air in from the sides and up. Amish carpenters began construction on the barn in Turn to SCHMITZ | Page 7
Toddlers and tiestalls
Hanke shares dairy passion with children By Cassie Olson
cassie.o@dairystar.com
CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Melissa Hanke enƟces a calf to eat grain at her 100-cow dairy near Marsheld, Wis. Hanke said sharing life lessons daily with her children is one of the greatest joys of being a mother and dairy farmer.
MARSHFIELD, Wis. – Fourth-generation dairy farmer Melissa Hanke takes pride in two things: being a mother and caring for cows. Both have their challenges, but combined have made for a lifestyle she is thankful for. Hanke is raising three children – Madison, 3, Marvin, 2, and Maverick, 1 – with her husband, Michael. She also manages the dairy with her father. They milk 100 cows in the farm’s tiestall barn, raise 35 steers and 20 beef cow-calf pairs near Marsheld, Wis. Growing up, Hanke always loved her family’s dairy. After graduating from University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a degree in animal science, however, she decided to pursue a career off the farm in the breeding industry. Two and a half years later, in 2003, she returned to the farm to live out her calling. “I learned a lot during that time off the farm, but was glad to be back,” Hanke said. Seven years down the road, in 2010, Hanke was participating in an intramural softball league where she was rst introduced to Michael. After a date to the county fair that summer and a year of courtship that followed, the couple engaged before marrying in September 2012. Turn to HANKE | Page 6