Robert Rohrer Sr. surveys the holding area of his new double-20 milking parlor. The
aisle Immediately In front of Rohrer is a catch aisle for cows needing treatment or arti
ficial Insemination. A head lock is located near the door, at the end of the aisle in which
Rohrer stands. At that door is the medical storage area, with Its refrigerator, shelves,
computer terminal, breeding wheel, and semen storage. The screening Is a one-inch
square plastic mesh that Rohrer said should last for some time. With the freestatl end
doors closed, the entire freestall and parlor complex becomes bird-proof.
Robert Rohrer Sr. uses a front-end loader outfitted with a rubber-tipped scraper to
push feed back into the feed bunk so the cows can get to it. The swinging, electrified
central gates move out of the way for the vehicle, while preventing cow movement out
of the central traffic aisle in the six-row, 569 free-stall building. An offset, open vent
ridge and sunlight panels are aspects of the roof that Rohrer opted to use. There are
vertical poles located Intermittently along the lip and the length of the free-stali’s feed
bunk. Eventually, If warranted, the poles are to be used to support a sprinkler and fan
cooling system.
Looking back to the farmhouse from the parlor entrance, to the right of the barn and
two silos is the Implement shed, the first building to go up under the recently com
pleted rennovation of the Rohrer family farm. The ATV in the foreground, saves time
and energy moving between areas on the large farming operation.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Juna 12,1993-A39
f r r f -at i a* » » * * * •«« * » >i « I n »
Rohrer
(Continued from Pag* A3B) operation - had been more than 1
operation has always teen to mate m^lion ds wi|h 380 headj
milk and sell milk Rohrer said. accordin^to Robert Sr .
The amount of milk per man He said Penn Sta|e University
I*r year-which is a measure of economists had advised lh / t
the cash-flow success of an (Turn to Pago A 43)
The computer terminal at the far end of the desk is linked
to a main computer located in the main office at the front of
the parlor where an Agri-Comp system Is used. While still
relying on a breeding wheel, the transition Is being made to
all computer-use. As cows cycle through on the wheel, the
information Is recorded on the computer and retired from
the wheel.
This traffic aisle and the animal flooring of the free-stall
building are floored with slatted, precast cement pannels
which allows manure and urine to pass through to a two
million gallon holding area beneath the building. Actually,
there are two 1 million gallon holding areas, running parallel
and 12 pumpout valves. The center feeding ailse in the
building is a solid divider between the two lengthwise hold
ing pits.
Family Dairy Farm
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