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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 20, No. 13
August 25, 2018
New facilities cure old barn problems
Robots allow Lohr to better manage 190-cow herd By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Greg Lohr walks through his freestall barn on his 190-cow dairy near Prairie du Sac, Wis. The new facility, equipped with four roboƟc milkers, has allowed Lohr to manage his cows beƩer.
PRAIRIE DU SAC, Wis. – When making repairs and trying to keep things functional in his 132-stall stanchion barn became a bigger part of his day than managing his dairy herd, Greg Lohr knew it was time to do something different. Lohr operates a dairy farm near Prairie du Sac, Wis., with his parents, Melvin and Doris, and his four children: Ivan, 21, Hunter, 19, Melina, 17, and Briar 15. While Doris manages the calves and takes care of the farm’s books and accounts, Greg manages the 190-cow dairy herd which was moved into a new barn with four DeLaval robotic milkers in April. The family crops 750 acres, growing all the forages needed for the herd.
Lohr plans to grow his herd from within, reaching 230 cows. While the building site was set to allow for the addition of a second robotic barn, Lohr does not have plans to expand to that level Greg Lohr unless one Dairy farmer of his four children chooses to join the dairy operation. “In the old barn, I’d become nothing more than a maintenance Turn to LOHR | PAGE 5
Wisconsin’s newest How Fairlife, Dairy Farmers of agricultural aƩracƟon Wisconsin draw consumers to dairy Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center encompasses diverse ag sector, educates consumers By Maria Bichler Staff Writer
MANITOWOC, Wis. – Passersby driving along Interstate 43 near Lake Michigan south of Manitowoc, Wis., now have a large red barn to catch their attention. The addition comes as the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center opened its doors to the public July 28. “The Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center is really an educational center focused on agriculture,” said Melissa Bender, the center’s director of education and programming. “It was envisioned over eight years ago by a gentleman named Norval Dvorak. … This shows the inspiring story of how farmers are committed to providing food, fuel and ber: humanely and sustainably.” Dvorak, who died in 2015 at 93 years old, envisioned the center and formed a committee in 2010 of Manitowoc County agricultural leaders. The committee oversaw the planning and fundraising portions of making the center a reality. Turn to CENTER | Page 6
Gruen, Vincent share insight about their organization’s strategies By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – In order to delve deeper into the success of two dairy organizations, two industry members offered insight during a panel about “Giving Consumers an Excellent Dairy Experience” during the Dairy Experience Forum July 26 in Bloomington, Minn. The panelists included Brad Gruen, vice president of marketing for Fairlife, and Chad Vincent, chief executive ofcer of Dairy Farm-
KRISTA KUZMA/ DAIRY STAR
Panel member Brad Gruen (center) talks about Fairlife’s markeƟng strategies on July 26 during the Dairy Experience Forum in Bloomington, Minn. Gruen is joined by panel member, Chad Vincent (leŌ), CEO of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, and moderator, Michael Dykes, CEO of InternaƟonal Dairy Foods Associaiton. Vincent stressed the imers of Wisconsin. Michael Dykes, CEO of International portance of recognizing how Dairy Foods Association, Turn to PANEL | Page 7 moderated the panel.