AHRENS FARM —
MARATHON, WI
Operated by Russell
and Gary Ahrens, and some part-time help, the Ahrens are milking
about 130 cows in a new parlor in their original dairy barn with
free-stall housing and a manure pit. But they didn’t grow
from 46 cows to this level in a year. Instead they took their
modernization in steps and were able to do many of these from
their farm cash flow. (See time-line below.) Most recently, after
moving 4000 yards of granite to level off a great building site,
the Russ and Gary partnership built the freestall barn in 2002
that now houses their 160 cow herd. After a period of switching
cows, Russ and Gary built a retrofit double 9 pit parlor in their
existing dairy barn. Parlor milking began November 2004 but and
the Ahrens continue taking their modernization in steps, and is
an excellent example of incremental growth based on a vision and
hard work.
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1996
Milking 46 cows
in original stanchion barn.
1997
Added 40 ft onto
heifer loafing barn, herd size 52 cows.
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1998
Built a new milkhouse,
office and utility room. Installed 27 sand-bedded freestalls
onto heifer loafing barn for dry and milking cows. Purchased
a used parlor, low line vacuum pumps and milking equipment.
(no stalls) Purchased a portable 375 cu.ft. TMR
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1999
Built a windbreak
for heifers and also for 10 month old to calving age. Relocated
feed bunks and purchased a 28 ton tank. |
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2000
Built 30x70 canvas
hoop barn for dry cows and feed storage. Purchased a 10’
bagger to store more feed.
2001
Purchased a used
200 HP four wheel drive tractor to cover more land for feed. |
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2002
Built a 98’x180’
4 row freestall barn with 154 sand bedded stalls, a 250,000
gal slope wall concrete manure pit. Cows moved into south
side of freestall barn in December. |
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2003
Finished south
side of freestall barn, moved cows in April. Purchased used
parlor stalls, installed a 2500 gal bulk tank.
2004
Began installing
parlor in existing barn, began milking in November
2005
Finishing parlor
walls and windows. Adding freshening pens to back of holding
area. Building a pit for 1,000,000 gal manure capacity.
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