\r\n\r\n
Day 1 \u2013 Visit to Summitholm Dairy<\/h2>\r\n
We left Saint-Isidore at 8 a.m. to head toward Summitholm Dairy. As soon as we hit the road, Tim Hortons coffee and donuts were shared among the group. Lunch was enjoyed on the road, courtesy of Serval Canada, with boxed meals prepared by La Binerie in Plantagenet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Farm Overview<\/h3>\r\n
Summitholm is a family-owned operation that has been in business for over 80 years. Today, the farm milks 440 cows three times a day in a double-16 milking parlour.<\/p>\r\n
The farm\u2019s primary goal is clear: to maximize kilograms of fat produced per cow per day, with a target of 2 kg\/cow\/day. This approach explains the presence of older cows in the herd, as additional lactations lead to higher component production.<\/p>\r\n
The visit began in the dairy barn and ended at the creamery.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Key Management Highlights<\/h3>\r\n
1. Rigorous milking performance tracking<\/strong> 2. Dry cow management focused on minimizing stress<\/strong> A rear alley allows cows to be moved without using the scrape alley, avoiding the need to disturb multiple groups of animals\u2014an important advantage given the high number of movements related to calving.<\/p>\r\n 3. Annual strategic meeting<\/strong> Action items are posted in the employee lunchroom to ensure follow-through and accountability.<\/p>\r\n\r\n With quota limiting expansion, the farm explored alternative growth opportunities. The initial idea was to install a self-serve milk vending machine on the farm.<\/p>\r\n The concept evolved to include cheese curds, then a small storefront, and eventually expanded into Summit Station\u2014a full-scale processing facility.<\/p>\r\n\r\n All milk used in the creamery is A2A2 milk, stored in separate bulk tanks on the farm. Although no premium is currently paid by the federation, this remains a strong marketing advantage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The day concluded with a group dinner at a restaurant.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Boernview operates a cross-ventilated tunnel barn equipped with 10 Lely milking robots.<\/p>\r\n A key management feature is that fresh and treated cows are housed in a separate barn with their own robot, eliminating any risk of milk contamination.<\/p>\r\n An additional robot is located in the former parlour barn, where heifers, dry cows, and fresh cows are housed. This setup allows cows to remain in the same environment after calving, reducing stress.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The calf nursery is equipped with an automated feeder that delivers pasteurized whole milk. Milk is pasteurized in the main barn and transported using milk taxis.<\/p>\r\n Two designated days per week are set for moving one-week-old calves. This system ensures:<\/p>\r\n\r\n Lunch was enjoyed at the Mennonite-operated Anna Mae\u2019s Bakery, sponsored by Farm Credit Canada.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n A 100-cow Jersey herd milked three times per day, producing 1.9 kg of fat per cow per day.<\/p>\r\n The barn is tunnel-ventilated and located on a hill, benefiting from strong natural airflow.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Stalls are bedded with sand, which the owner considers essential for maximizing cow comfort, despite the maintenance challenges.<\/p>\r\n\r\n No footbaths are used. Instead, prevention relies on:<\/p>\r\n\r\n The decision to milk Jerseys is driven by land availability. Jerseys require less feed than Holsteins, making this a sound business decision rather than a preference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Dinner was held at Match Eatery & Pub at the London Casino.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n The farm uses an automated feed kitchen for concentrates, ensuring precise ration preparation before mixing.<\/p>\r\n Observed benefits include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n Bunker silos are also maintained annually with a protective tar coating to prevent deterioration.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Calves are housed in individual pens and fed using a rail-mounted robotic feeder (three meals per day with whole milk).<\/p>\r\n Each calf has a detailed record card displayed at its pen, including:<\/p>\r\n\r\n This system allows for complete traceability throughout the animal\u2019s life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Employee retention is a major strength:<\/p>\r\n\r\n The farm supports retention by providing housing, and all employees are local.<\/p>\r\n\r\n A flush system reuses water from the parlour to clean the holding area, resulting in:<\/p>\r\n\r\n Thank you to JEFO for sponsoring lunch at Chuck\u2019s Roadhouse.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The use of Afimilk software allows the team to generate detailed monthly reports on each employee\u2019s milking performance.
The goal is not to penalize, but to identify areas for improvement. This approach ensures consistency, even with multiple employees involved in milking.<\/p>\r\n
The dry cow barn operates on an all-in, all-out system. During its design, one guiding principle stood out: minimize disruption.<\/p>\r\n
Each year, the farm owners, management team, and key partners (nutritionist, genetics representative, etc.) meet to review challenges and identify improvement opportunities.<\/p>\r\nCreamery Development<\/h3>\r\n
About the Creamery<\/h3>\r\n
Evening<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\nDay 2 \u2013 Visits to Boernview and Hendriks<\/h2>\r\n
Boernview<\/h3>\r\n
Farm Overview<\/h4>\r\n
Calf Management<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n \t
Lunch<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\nHendriks Dairies<\/h3>\r\n
Farm Overview<\/h4>\r\n
Cow Comfort<\/h3>\r\n
Hoof Health Management<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n \t
Strategic Herd Choice<\/h3>\r\n
Dinner<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n\r\nDay 3 \u2013 Visit to Ringia Farms<\/h2>\r\n
Feeding<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n \t
Calf Management<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n \t
Human Resources<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n \t
Milking Parlour<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n \t
\r\n \t
Lunch<\/h3>\r\n
Thanks to our partners<\/em><\/h3>\r\n
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