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16 THE RURAL VOICE
Since then Anderson has used the
video equipment in consultations on
about 50 different farms to study cow
behavior and how stall and barn
ergonomics affect performance. He's
been showing samples from the
videos and talking to farmers and
contractors across the province and
many have been picking up the
message.
Recently, for instance,
Anderson was called in by a
family to review plans for a
new barn. Applying what he has
learned about cow behaviour from
the videos, he recommended changes
that would add another four feet to
the size of the barn. The additional
cost for this I00 -cow facility would
be $30,000 but the family decided
this was a good investment,
Anderson says. Their math showed
why. In some more crowded barns
the cull ratio can reach 40-50 per cent
of the herd. In better -designed barns,
the cull rate can drop to 15-20 per
cent.
"You're now deciding
the cull instead of the
barn deciding."
"You're nowdeciding the cull
instead of the barn deciding," is how
Anderson describes the situation. The
producers realized that the additional
replacement heifers they could sell
instead of having to save to replace
their own cows under a higher cull
ratio, would quickly pay for that
additional $30,000 investment.
Some contractors and equipment
suppliers are also catching on,
Anderson 'says, though it can be a
tough sell for a contractor to try to
convince some farmers to change
their habits, especially if it means
higher initial costs.
But it often comes down to a
choice between paying more now and
saving later or saving more now and
paying later, Anderson says. If you
save money on a poorly designed
barn, you'll end up with more
veterinary bills, lost production and a
higher culling rate.
And if you have healthier, happier