The Lucknow Sentinel, 2016-03-23, Page 22 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, March 23, 2016
New high-tech Huron -
Kinloss dairy farm is a
'palace' for livestock
CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 1
This box on the cow's collar also
records the hours a day the cow
spends chewing as well as moni-
toring its daily activity. This infor-
mation can tell the Farrells if one of
their animals is sick, among other
conditions.
"So for instance if they're not eat-
ing as much and they're not chewing
as much and they are not milking as
much, but they are a lot more active
that probably means they are at
stress and ready to breed," she said.
The barn also has a manure
removal system that scrapes the
floor of the barn seven times a day,
and they also have another robot,
which the Farrell's haven't bes-
towned yet with a name, that
pushes food towards the inclosed
pasture twice daily.
"Basically [the cows] are running
their lives, and we are their serv-
ants. We feed them. We just make
sure everything's working right and
they decide what they want to do
and when they want to do it. This is
like a palace for them," she said.
And the cows are happier, qui-
eter and healthier for it, she said.
Since moving into their new liv-
ing environment in late August the
cows have increased milk produc-
tion by 10 per cent, and Sandra
believes this number will continue
to climb.
That is good for business, she
said, which is just another benefit
to the new compost pack facility.
"It's basically the way of the
future and it's way better for the
cows. And it is easier for us, too. It's
not the physical labour. We're still
out here eight hours a day, but it's
more management than physical,"
she said.
Having automated a lot of the day
to day of the dairy farming business Cows eat feed that is brought to them twice daily by JUNO, a feed -pushing robot.
has loosened their schedule where
before no matter if it was Christmas
they'd have to tend to the cows
before opening gifts, the Farrells can
now literally rest assured that Sadie
has got it under control.
"If we want to sleep in a little bit
we can," Sandra said. "Put it on
snooze and roll over for 20 min-
utes, we can do that now where as
it used to, like I said, they were
creatures of habit."
And one of the biggest changes
they've experienced since they ret-
rofitted the barn is that they have
gone out to dinner.
"We've never done that before,"
she said. 'Almost 30 years of mar-
riage and the first time we actually
said, 'oh let's go out for supper
tonight' was three months ago,
because we'd never been able to
before. So that's a big change:'
When asked if they were going
out for dinner this July for their
30th wedding anniversary, she yes.
"We're going to Alaska," she
laughed. "Yes. We're doing a cruise."
TOWNSHIP OF
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TAXES DUE REMINDER
The first instalment of the 2016 tax levy is due on
March 31, 2016. Tax payments must be received at the
municipal office by the due date. Tax payments can be
made in person at the municipal office, by regular mail,
or at the CIBC Goderich branch only. Interac/debit card
services are accepted at the office as well as post-dated
cheques for your convenience, Telephone /internet
banking is available through most major banking
institutions. Pre -authorized payment is available by
completing a form from the office and providing a
VOID cheque. You may also go online to our website,
complete and remit this form/void cheque electronically.
After hour payments may be left in the letter slot
located at the front door.
Taxes not paid by the due date are subject to interest of
1.25% per month. Failure to receive a tax notice does
not relieve the taxpayer from responsibility for payment
nor the liability of penalty charges for late payment.
g1i 1l:10D
Darryl Coote/Reporter
The 16,000 -square -foot barn is mostly fully automated and climate controlled.
Cows form a line unbeckoned by a farmer to be milked by Sadie, the Farrell's quarter -million -dollar Astronaut A4 milking robot.
Esthetics by
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519 573 3042
517 Rose St. Lucknow
March Promo
Microdermabrasion
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TITCETIMMEMINIT
Birds the topic of choice in Dungannon/St. Helen's News
Shag Campbell
Dungannon News
Sunday morning at 2 a.m. we went
on fast lime. Snowmobiling is over for
this year but the trail stakes are not
down yet.
The daffodils and tulips are up
about three inches, the crocuses and
snowdrops are blooming. Our maple
tree has small buds on it. The syrup
season is over for the year.
They say the yield was average. We
spotted the first pairs of robins on
March 8, and the first of the gracldes on
March 9. We have a lot of birds already,
five blue jays, one cardinal, two
Downey woodpeckers, five doves, a
few goldfinches, and ayard full of star-
lings digging for bugs and grubs.
Menno Miller has one hen with
nine baby chicks, and another with
nine chicks.
On Friday I saw about 100 tundra
swans, along with about 50 seagulls in
a pond on the Belgrave Rd.
Don't forget to wear your green on
March 17 when the Irish comes out.
We will both be wearing our green
hats.
Got news? Call Shag at
519-529-7734.