Berks County Dairy Adds New Level To Milking
(Continued from Page A 26) John said there is a coincidence
dairy bam,’* John said. between the dates when his father
That farm had 83 acres, was a started milking in the then
single family operation with a advanced daily setup and the star
-32-stanchion bank bam. tup date of the family’s newest
In 1967 he built a 110-stall setup,
frees tall bam and a single-six side “Wc started the new parlor with
opening Surge milking parlor. “ five days of 30 years when dad
This is the milking floor of the parlor with the claws and
automatic takeoffs. The floor Is actually suspended on six
air bags, each with a 10,000 pound capacity. The vinyl cov
ering is over a metal frame to which railroad rails were
added to increase floor weight for better stability on the air
bags. The floor Is adustable to accommodate the height and
reach of the milker. From its lowest position, it can move uo
about 11 inches.
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starting milking parlor. I think he
started on Dec. 10, and we started
Dec. 15.
“In 1967, it was the oddball
(daily fann). More or less, this one
is now," be said.
The decision to build a new bam
and parlor actually began about 10
years ago, John said.
“It Rally goes back to 1987. We
remodeled the milking parlor
down on the home farm, that-''
single-row six (parlor) we made
into a double-4 side opening in
1987, and the plan was to use it
until we built a new facility.
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ila* jiTiu isfiidU
The outside feeing stalls allow especially good ventilation for cows lying down
chewing cud and making milk. Studies have shown that cows make more milk lying
down than standing up. Between the cows and outside is a wide board and high ten
sile fencing. Plastic bird mesh is kept on the outside of the framework, but underneath
the curtain. The dividers allow plenty of head room for cows to get up easily. The cow
mattresses are covered with dried saw dust.
f ajuuj,
He said the double-4 was
equipped with automatic takeoffs
and was designed for one person in
the parlor. The plan was to use it
for five years and build a new
parlor.
"Then in the early 19905, we
slatted taking tours of diffcßnt
milking places, mostly in New
York, and that was our first eye
opening experience to see what
was being built in the 19905.
"We came home realizing we
didn’t want to build a new parlor
where we were at," Johns said.
“You don’t realize how bad or
My calendar has 365 days
he Ephrata National Bank has been providing
loans and other banking services to farmers
since 1881. Many of the philosophies that
helped ENB enjoy more than a century of
growth are as important today as they ever were
Take the way we calculate interest on loans. The traditional
way to calculate interest on a loan is to use the number of
days in a year, which on my calendar is 365. Many, if not
most, lenders use a 360-day year.
What does that mean to you? Well, on a
$lOO,OOO loan at 81/2% (the current prime
rate), your interest bill at ENB would be W?*'*
$8,500. If you paid interest on the basis of a
360-day year, your loan would cost you t
$8,618, or an annual difference of $llB.
If you prefer the traditional way we n o k
calculate interest, give me a call. We’ve got 1 —
lots to talk about. “ > Boh Aoak , IP
Ag Lending
For more ag lending information call 717-733-2911
‘lhe *Epfurata tbjgtUfruU 'Banf^
MEMBER FOIC
( AA i * 011,1
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July It 199&A27
System
good it is at home until you go
somewhere else.”
He said that started them to real
ly take in tours of other facilities,
and going to open houses to see
what people were building and
how they were being built.
The existing facility is its own
creation, an amalgam from mesh
ing the cnvisionments of John and
equipment and builder
representatives.
“I always tell people, between
what the equipment dealer and I
envisioned, this is not the same
(Turn to Page A 29)
S7tS fat Seen a fuvtt
Sakata, Mote
1221. Ifa fauitUop
at 110 Sait'MCeU*
Stout toOA tit
Sk*i 4 Home from
im <00*1925
Serving
fanners
since
1881