Rotary Milking Parlors and Robotics
Upon the completion of their new dairy facility in 2015, Milk Barn #1 started harvesting milk very efficiently from approximately 15,000 Jersey and Jersey crossbreeds, shipping approximately one million pounds of milk every day. Two 106-stall rotaries complemented by three robots each provide the pre-milking sanitizing, stimulation of the udders, and post-milking teat spray sanitizer.
Utilizing programmable logic control technology, robotics, and state-of-the-art heat recovery technology, Millenkamp operates two rotary milking parlors that milk 212 cows at a time, 22 hours a day. The remaining two hours are devoted to a complete cleaning of the milking centers and sanitizing of the milking equipment to maintain the highest standards of hygiene.
Jersey Girls Future
The new Cattle Processing Barn will be completed in 2019. This barn is where all “just fresh” cows are milked and the daily calf crop is nurtured in preparation for the journey back to the calf ranch in Jerome. The processing barn is where all incoming and outgoing cattle will be processed. In addition, it includes offices, conference rooms, hoof trimming chutes, a milk quality lab, and supplies.
Additional infrastructure at Idaho Jersey Girls includes the totally enclosed Feed Commodity Barn which was completed 2019. This barn significantly reduces feed loss and dramatically improves all other operational efficiencies related to feed distribution.
The next planned milking facility, Milk Barn #2 will house four 106-stall rotaries, 12 more robots, and will provide the equipment to milk an additional 20,000 cows housed in two cross-vent, free-stall barns. This phase of the buildout is projected to be complete in 2022.
Everyone who has the privilege to work at or visit Idaho Jersey Girls recognizes the remarkable cleanliness and productivity flow at the operation. The livestock are clean, calm and comfortable, and the workforce exhibits a high level of pride and performance day in and day out.
Idaho Jersey Girls is where animal husbandry, environmental stewardship, technology, common sense, pride, respect, sustainability, efficiency, profitability, and a gratifying work-smart-work-hard attitude is a way of life.
Proud Member of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association
