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Virtual Tour - Facilities
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This is
the milking center. It operates 24
hours per day milking each cow three
times each day. |
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The cows are
entering the parlor. There are
sequencing gates to the cows left in the
picture. The cows must go to the last
gate and it will turn allowing the next
gate to turn. Cows turn the gates and
stand side by side for milking.
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Cows are prep for milking and the milking unit
is attached. The milk flow has a sensor on the
hose. When the milk ceases, the vacuum is
automatically shut off and the unit is
automatically removed from the cow.
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The
cows stand side by side until milk out is
complete.
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Then the entire rail rotates. Cows exit and
return to the free stall barn for feed and
relaxing. The next line of cows enter the
parlor and the process repeats. |
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Once milking is complete, the cows go back to
the free stall barns where fresh feed and water
is available as well as a comfortable place to
lay down. |
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The feed is fresh and available at all times.
Well over half the feed is grown at Shenandoah
Dairy in the way of forages including: hay, corn
silage, oats or ryegrass, and sorghum |
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The cows have free access to stalls (free
stalls) that are bedded with sand. The beds are
groomed and fluffed twice per day so that the
sand is soft and comfortable |
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These are the free stalls, groomed and fluffed
ready for cows. These stalls are prepared in
this fashion twice per day…every day! |
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There are high-pressure 800 misters attached to
a stainless steel line powered by a 15hp pump.
This creates a 1500 psi mist that is readily
absorbed in the air dropping the temperature by
as much as 10 to 15 degrees depending on
atmospheric conditions |
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There are 46 fans at the exhaust end of the free
stall barn creating a tunnel effect for airflow.
These fans suck the air through the barn and
exhaust it at this end. There is 1.2 million
cubic feet per minute of air flow creating a 10
to 12 mile per hour wind speed inside the barn |
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This is an outside picture of the exhaust end of
the tunnel ventilated free stall barn |
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The cooling, cleanliness and comfortable beds
allow cows to rest in the sand bedded stalls.
Cows are working hard while lying down. Their
system is busy converting nutrients consumed
into milk |
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The feed wagon mixing all the feeds into one mix
that is delivered several times per day. The
tractor pulls the wagon through the barn. The
cows are on the opposite side of the feed rail
allowing easy passage of the tractor |
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The cows are always under observation. Here is
Ed Henderson looking at clean, healthy, high
producing dairy cows |
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Cows are free to roam around the inside of the
barn and even wander around at the entrance area |
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This is a view of the 700 x 102 foot free stall
barn. 600 cows are housed in each of the barns |
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