A dairy farmer near Kleefeld says despite the hot summer we've had, milk production has still been good.

Roger Bohren of Oakmont Dairy says for optimum milk production and sufficient fat content in the milk, cows prefer cooler weather. He notes when overnight lows after a hot summer stay at plus 20 degrees or above, it can be tough on the animals. Bohren adds some recent barn and ventilation system upgrades have really helped. "Because we built part of a new barn last year, it's actually been better than the years before," says Bohren. He notes they are now able to keep the barn a bit cooler so it's easier on the cows and also makes it more comfortable for working in the barn.

In terms of new trends in the dairy industry, Bohren says more and more farmers are installing robot milkers in their barns. But he adds their family milks 110 cows in a tie-stall barn. Another trend he adds that has been very beneficial to their farm is an automated feeding system.

"It feeds several times a day. The right amount of feed, you enter into the computer system and it's a total TMR system," notes Bohren. "the fresh feed that gets dispersed constantly during the day helps their (the cows) intake because the feed is always fresh and it never gets bad in the manger." 

The automated feeding system in the Bohren family barn

Bohren explains that prior to having the system, feeding was a very time-consuming task which especially during summer evenings, should be time spent in the field. "I was doing most of the feeding and that meant every evening I was busy for two to two and a half hours. Well, the robot retired me from that so I guess that's part of my retirement plan," adds Bohren noting the system has been working very well and saves a lot of time. "Especially during harvest, it's always been in the chore time where we needed the most people and during chore time, that's when the combines and the bailers should be going on the field."

Roger and his wife Rahel moved to the Kleefeld area from Switzerland in 1996 along with their sons Silas and Jason. Roger explains he and Rahel are currently building a new house to slowly move off the farm a bit and adds it leaves room for their son Silas and his family to move into the farmhouse and take over the family farm.