Robots. Computers. Automation. Just a few decades ago, none of these words would have been used in a conversation that talked about dairy farming, but today they’re used regularly. Our grandparents and the generations before them put in back-breaking work to milk maybe a few dozen cows with bucket milkers and step-savers, technology that seemed revolutionary at the time. Today, that technology is a thing of the past, but what I wouldn’t give to be able to take my late grandfather to some of the more high-tech dairy facilities we have today.
One operation, in particular, I’d like to take him to would be Zwemmer Dairy, located in Elkton, Mich. More than 20 years ago, owners Jake and Saskia Zwemmer made the life changing decision to move across the Atlantic Ocean from their small town in the Netherlands to the U.S. Today, they operate three different dairy operations throughout Huron and Sanilac County and are living their dairy farm version of the American Dream.
When the Zwemmers first came to the U.S., their sights were set on building an efficient operation to not only support their family, but employees and community as well. As time progressed, wear and tear began to accumulate across the facilities, and reliable labor was becoming harder to find. In 2018, the decision was made to add a few high-tech upgrades to one of their parlors to improve efficiency while also reducing the need for labor.
“Trying to find reliable people that show up every day can be pretty difficult, so we started looking at different forms of technology to help us do certain things in an efficient way,” says Carmen Zwemmer, Jake and Saskia’s daughter.
“We knew our labor problem wasn’t going to go away,” she adds, “so we looked at a bunch of different robots and decided to go with a DeLaval teat spray robot TSR.”
This robotic system solved two problems for the Zwemmers. It helped cut down on labor costs, while also increasing the consistency of their postdip applications. For dairies interested in implementing
high-tech solutions on their farms, it’s important to consider the potential return on investment first, says Brett Olinger, sales director of DeLaval Dairy Service.
Start Simple
For the Zwemmer family, they knew it was time to make an investment in their operation. “I was doing a lot of the filling in when someone wouldn’t show up for their milking shift, and it was starting to get really old,” Zwemmer says. “So, my parents and I, along with brother Paul, made the decision as a team to invest in a solution that fit our needs.”
While the labor shortage pressure is certainly felt across the industry, investing in a robot is not the solution for all dairy farmers.
“Sometimes the best way to make upgrades to your parlor is to start simple,” say Matt Roberts, eastern regional sales manager of GEA.
“The first thing I like to have producers look over is what’s costing them money. I think a lot of guys make the mistake of putting the wants before the needs. You really need to evaluate where your problems are before you decide to make new investments.”
Some easy places to start include looking over milk meters, detachers, liners and crowd gates to help cut down on service costs while also capitalizing on parlor flow.
“People get caught up in wanting to buy newer technology, but they aren’t addressing the problems they’re facing today,” Roberts adds. “Just starting with some of the small stuff can make a big difference.”
Evaluate Your Needs
Though it’s easy to get distracted by the latest and greatest forms of technology, it’s crucial to evaluate what your needs are today while also keeping a keen eye on where you want to be in the future.
For the Zwemmers, they knew their labor shortage would continue to be a problem they’d face in the future. However, they weren’t quite ready to become fully automated.
“I think technology is going to be the way of the future, but we’re starting off with the things we need to address first,” Zwemmer says. “I’m excited to see what kind of technology we’re going to incorporate next because in my lifetime, there’s going to be a lot more new tools developed. Labor is going to continue to be an issue for us, so I’m hoping to add in some more robots down the road if they make sense for us.”
Staying focused on your needs while also planning for the future is a crucial step when it comes to investing in technology, Roberts says.
“When I’m out in the field with producers, I want to help them make the right decisions and keep them headed in the right direction,” he says. “One thing I like to do is sit down with them and talk through their plans and goals. Talking over these plans allows us to figure out where our focus needs to be and identify some of the key pieces of technology that can help get us there.
Be Ready for Adjustments
Learning the ins and outs of new technology can come easy for some while proving difficult for others. While robotics, automation and data processing can help simplify our lives, it can also throw framers a major curveball. When the Zwemmers installed their robotic teat sprayer, they knew it was going to take some time to get used to.
“Like with everything new you do on the dairy, there’s going to be a huge learning curve that needs to be worked out,” Zwemmer says. “I’m not going to say everything worked out beautifully when we first installed the TSR. There were definitely some growing pains, but we had reliable people from our DeLaval dealer that we could call on to help us figure everything out, and you have to be ready to learn and understand some of the adjustments that come with new equipment.”
New technology can bring with it the feeling of excitement, but it can also cause one to feel overwhelmed and confused. Therefore, it’s important to form a sturdy relationship with your dealer and have them help you better understand what this valuable information means.
“Adding new technology to your farm is the first step, but maximizing your investment is really in the details,” Olinger adds. “It’s important to have a good working relationship with your dealer so they can advise and support you through the process, especially when it comes to managing data. The information available to producers from their technology could be the key to unlocking better performance and profitability.”
How Far We’ve Come
When you look back at the generations before you, imagine yourself in their shoes. Think about all the new technology that has been developed since your parents first started farming, let alone since your grandparents and great-grandparents began. Now look toward the generation ahead of you. What pieces of technology are going to help propel them toward their goals? That answer is uncertain, but according to Roberts, consistency and reliability will play a large role.
The next time you consider adding a new piece of technology to your operation, start with the basics, evaluate your trouble areas, and be prepared to encounter a few obstacles along the way. But above all else, take a moment to hit pause, look back at how far your operation has come, then look forward and keep that momentum going.
