Mobile Milking Parlor Helps Get Into Dairy

2015 - Volume #39, Issue #5, Page #17

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A mobile milking parlor in Maine may make it easier for younger farmers to get into the dairy business. The experimental 8-cow parlor can be picked up and moved as needed, whether from pasture to pasture or from one farm to another.
  “The mobile parlor will let us move it as we move the cattle to different areas,” says Dave Herring, executive director, Wolfe’s Neck Farm. “It could also be a lower cost entry for new dairymen. Instead of buying land and building or retrofitting a dairy, they can lease land and buy this type of parlor. If they need to move to a new farm, they can take the parlor with them.”
  Wolfe’s Neck bills itself as a demonstration farm and educational resource center for innovative and sustainable practices in agriculture and natural resources. As part of a new organic dairy training program at the farm, they are building a herd of 60 cows. Working with the University of Maine extension service and a grant from Stoneyfield Organic, Wolfe’s Neck investigated mobile dairies.
  While on sabbatical, Rick Kersbergen, University of Maine, Cooperative Extension, visited Mark McAfee (see FARM SHOW’S Vol. 31, No. 3) in California and also some European dairymen with mobile parlors.
  “Dairymaster is an Irish company that makes a mobile parlor that’s available in 6, 8, 10 or 12-cow models,” says Kersbergen. “It can be trailered into position and raised or lowered on its hydraulic legs.”
  Features include a tank for wastewater, a small bulk tank for cooling the milk, an auto-washer and an on-board boiler.
  Cows step up and onto the parlor deck and, once secured, the deck raises up to a comfortable milking height. Once cows have been milked, the platform is lowered, the cows leave and the next group enters.
  When it is time to move the parlor, it is raised on its legs and the trailer backs under it. The parlor is lowered, the legs are retracted, and it’s moved to the next site.
  Wolfe’s Neck bought an 8-cow model. However, some changes needed to be made to meet Maine and U.S. dairy and environmental regulations.
  “We worked very closely with the regulators, including dairy inspectors, to modify the parlor,” says Herring.
  Dairymaster (www.dairymaster.com) made the changes and shipped the parlor. A representative of the company was on site to assist in set up. Herring expected the parlor would be up and running by the end of August.
  “We expect to milk 48 cows per hour,” says Herring.
  Concrete pads with docking stations for electricity and water connections will be set up at each of 2 or 3 pastures sites for warm weather milking. During the winter months, the parlor will sit inside a building at the home farm.
  “The ideal scenario would be to be more mobile, but we don’t expect to move it often,” says Herring. “We are trying to do this in a cost-effective manner.”
  Herring reports that purchase, shipping and setup cost around $100,000.
  “We hope to be able to bring the cost down,” he says. “Mobile parlors are deployed in dozens of situations overseas, but not in the U.S. We are hoping to prove it can be a cost-effective tool here to get more young people into the industry.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Wolfe’s Neck Farm, 184 Burnett Rd., Freeport, Maine 04032 (ph 207 865-4469; general@wolfesneckfarm.org; www.wolfesneckfarm.org).

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Mobile Milking Parlor Helps Get Into Dairy DAIRY EQUIPMENT & IDEAS A mobile milking parlor in Maine may make it easier for younger farmers to get into the dairy business The experimental 8-cow parlor can be picked up and moved as needed whether from pasture to pasture or from one farm to another “The mobile parlor will let us move it as we move the cattle to different areas ” says Dave Herring executive director Wolfe’s Neck Farm “It could also be a lower cost entry for new dairymen Instead of buying land and building or retrofitting a dairy they can lease land and buy this type of parlor If they need to move to a new farm they can take the parlor with them ” Wolfe’s Neck bills itself as a demonstration farm and educational resource center for innovative and sustainable practices in agriculture and natural resources As part of a new organic dairy training program at the farm they are building a herd of 60 cows Working with the University of Maine extension service and a grant from Stoneyfield Organic Wolfe’s Neck investigated mobile dairies While on sabbatical Rick Kersbergen University of Maine Cooperative Extension visited Mark McAfee see FARM SHOW’S Vol 31 No 3 in California and also some European dairymen with mobile parlors “Dairymaster is an Irish company that makes a mobile parlor that’s available in 6 8 10 or 12-cow models ” says Kersbergen “It can be trailered into position and raised or lowered on its hydraulic legs ” Features include a tank for wastewater a small bulk tank for cooling the milk an auto-washer and an on-board boiler Cows step up and onto the parlor deck and once secured the deck raises up to a comfortable milking height Once cows have been milked the platform is lowered the cows leave and the next group enters When it is time to move the parlor it is raised on its legs and the trailer backs under it The parlor is lowered the legs are retracted and it’s moved to the next site Wolfe’s Neck bought an 8-cow model However some changes needed to be made to meet Maine and U S dairy and environmental regulations “We worked very closely with the regulators including dairy inspectors to modify the parlor ” says Herring Dairymaster www dairymaster com made the changes and shipped the parlor A representative of the company was on site to assist in set up Herring expected the parlor would be up and running by the end of August “We expect to milk 48 cows per hour ” says Herring Concrete pads with docking stations for electricity and water connections will be set up at each of 2 or 3 pastures sites for warm weather milking During the winter months the parlor will sit inside a building at the home farm “The ideal scenario would be to be more mobile but we don’t expect to move it often ” says Herring “We are trying to do this in a cost-effective manner ” Herring reports that purchase shipping and setup cost around $100 000 “We hope to be able to bring the cost down ” he says “Mobile parlors are deployed in dozens of situations overseas but not in the U S We are hoping to prove it can be a cost-effective tool here to get more young people into the industry ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Wolfe’s Neck Farm 184 Burnett Rd Freeport Maine 04032 ph 207 865-4469; general@wolfesneckfarm org; www wolfesneckfarm org

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