For a simple payback , take the full cost of a variable speed vacuum pump and divide by the annual savings. Low and no energy waterers increase insulation to limit heat loss. Offers rebates based on fuel savings, available year round , first come first served. Megan Denardo, CET, , Megan. Denardo cetonline.

MassSave is a utility sponsored energy efficiency program typically geared toward residential applications but can also include commercial operations, including lighting. Contact your local utility for more information on MassSave for your farm.

Gerry Palano , Agricultural Energy Program Coordinator, Jonathan Burns , Renewable Energy Coordinator, x NRCS provides funding for a variety of energy efficient technologies through their Environmental Quality Incentives Program EQIP.

NRCS Farm Energy Practice Senarios. USDA Farm Service Agency - FSA is the lending agency for USDA and provides a variety of loans and loan guarantees. Farm Credit East - Farm Credit is a private sector lender specifically for farms offering a variety of loans and financing programs.

Local Community Banks — check out your own local bank for potential financing offerings. Bridge Loan Resources — The MA Farm Energy Program has compiled Farm Energy Bridge Loan Resources.

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Cost Savings and Energy Technologies for Dairy Farms This guide outlines various ways that dairy farms can save energy through different technologies or enhancements. Skip table of contents. Show More Table of contents.

Table of Contents. You skipped the table of contents section. Seven Ways to Save Energy on your Dairy Farm. Dairy Farm Energy Cost Savings Summary Table Scroll left. Switch to LED lighting. Key Actions for Switch to LED lighting Visit Mass Save for Financing Learn about rebates through the Mass Farm Energy Program.

Plate Coolers. Refrigeration Heat Recovery Units. Minimum Daily Milk Production for an 8-Year Break Even on Investment Scroll left. Fuel Source Fuel Cost Min. Scroll Compressors. Key Actions for Scroll Compressors Sign up for an Energy Audit.

Efficient Ventilation. Variable Speed Vacuum Pumps. Low and No Energy Waterers. Financing and Contacts. Rebates MA Farm Energy Program MFEP Offers rebates based on fuel savings, available year round , first come first served. Jonathan Burns , Renewable Energy Coordinator, x USDA NRCS NRCS provides funding for a variety of energy efficient technologies through their Environmental Quality Incentives Program EQIP.

As soon as you turn mama back out the calf is gonna start sucking on her and its saliva has the same effect. Filtering milk before bottling and refrigeration is a very necessary part of the sanitation process.

Hairs, skin cells, bugs that flew in the bucket. Sure you can definitely use a cloth rag as a filter. We started with strips of old t-shirts, a rubber band, and canning funnel.

Cloth funnels are inconsistent and can take a painstakingly long time to strain the milk. I also hated the smell of spoiled milk rags in the laundry. Disposable paper towels are an option, but they can rip causing you to have to restrain the milk. After we started using filtering discs specifically designed for straining milk, we never went back.

How long do you want to spend straining your milk? Once again, a quick chill time is key to having the best milk that will last the longest in the refrigerator. So while you can use canning funnels and coffee filters and we have we made the investment into a large-capacity strainer funnel and get our milk in the fridge fast.

The best choice of jar is up to you. We use half-gallon mason jars because the size is easier for children to handle than a full-gallon jar. Make sure your jars are glass. Plastic containers are more difficult to clean and sanitize.

They will hold flavors that will permeate your milk. Milk will get between the threads and dry out. If you are blessed with a really, and I mean really, good cow she will patiently stand while you milk her without a treat. But for most of us, our cows would rather be back in the pasture grazing away instead of standing there while you mess around underneath her.

You can feed your cow a small ratio of grain which will help her maintain her body condition during her lactation, especially if she is a dairy breed instead of dual purpose or alfalfa pellets if you prefer grass-fed only.

It will save you so many headaches while moving cows later! This is especially beneficial for older cows whose skin dries and cracks more readily or for cows who cut their teats on briars for example.

You can purchase an udder balm or make your own. My favorite udder balm for cracked or cut teats is simply lanolin.

A mastitis test kit is an easy-to-use solution to help you detect mastitis before your cow gets sick from the infection. Early treatment is simple, quick, and has less of a milk withhold so your gal is healthy and milk is back in your fridge faster. With an early case of mastitis, you can use a simple homemade product with essential oils compared to a full-blown case that might require an injection into the teat to clear it up.

Next to grain training, breaking your cow to a halter or lead rope is going to be one of the dairy supplies to own. It will make life with your new dairy cow easy breezy. Brushing your cow down before milking is not only a great way to bond with her but also removes any debris that may fall into your milk bucket later.

But it sure is handy to have if you do. There are several anti-kick devices available. You can find different types of hobbles but we prefer a simple bar that hooks under the flap of skin between the back leg and udder then up over the spine.

Going out to the pasture, bucket in hand to stoop beneath your cow while she peacefully stands grazing as you milk is totally romantic! Totally Ma Ingalls, I hear you, and I love the image it conjures up.

A stanchion serves as a milking center to store all of your supplies needed nearby. Grain bucket, feed, probiotics, iodine, etc…. We recently started using a rubber anti-slip mat on our stanchion and are very happy with it.

You can always build your arsenal of supplies as time goes on.

Iodine-based teat dip is quick and does the trick. Can you blame her? Cow pies are warm. On those days we carry out a bucket of warm, soapy water and scrub her down.

Try a gentle, natural cleaner such as castile soap , but a squirt of dish soap will work as well. What you use to wash the teats with before milking is a matter of preference… and how much laundry you like to do. My personal preference is to dispose of the paper towels that are filthy after washing a cow.

We tried reusable wash rags at first. All the while bacteria are growing on them. Disposable paper towels are the best solution for us when it comes to time, savings, and cleanliness. We use about one roll every week in the winter, and every two weeks in the summer.

This seems like a no-brainer on a dairy supplies checklist, right? There are some that are ridiculously priced, but others are much more reasonable. Why stainless steel though? It all comes back to sanitization. What size bucket you need will depend on how much milk your gal is likely to give.

We have three 2-gallon buckets for our home dairy. One is our winter Wash Bucket, one is the Under Cow Bucket that the milk gets squirted into, and the other is our Transfer Bucket. The Under Cow Bucket gets poured into the Transfer Bucket a few times while milking.

Just in case. There is nothing worse than getting to the finish line only to have the cow shift and spill the whole bucket of milk. It makes me want to cry. This is to kill mastitis-causing pathogens from getting into the teat after milking. As soon as you turn mama back out the calf is gonna start sucking on her and its saliva has the same effect.

Filtering milk before bottling and refrigeration is a very necessary part of the sanitation process.

Hairs, skin cells, bugs that flew in the bucket. Sure you can definitely use a cloth rag as a filter. We started with strips of old t-shirts, a rubber band, and canning funnel. Cloth funnels are inconsistent and can take a painstakingly long time to strain the milk. I also hated the smell of spoiled milk rags in the laundry.

Disposable paper towels are an option, but they can rip causing you to have to restrain the milk. After we started using filtering discs specifically designed for straining milk, we never went back.

How long do you want to spend straining your milk? Once again, a quick chill time is key to having the best milk that will last the longest in the refrigerator.

So while you can use canning funnels and coffee filters and we have we made the investment into a large-capacity strainer funnel and get our milk in the fridge fast.

The best choice of jar is up to you. We use half-gallon mason jars because the size is easier for children to handle than a full-gallon jar. Make sure your jars are glass.

Plastic containers are more difficult to clean and sanitize. They will hold flavors that will permeate your milk. Call or email for a quote! Farm and Ranch Depot is a family owned and operated small business, but we pack a big punch in our farm and ranch supply offerings.

And because we are family-owned and operated it makes a difference in the service we provide. Farm and Ranch Depot is an authorized online dealer for: Coburn Company, E-Zee Milking Equipment, LLC, Pride of the Farm, EndureQuest, Bock's Identi Company, Schlueter, Magister Hydraulics, Agromatic, Double T Saddles, and more!

We offer a wide variety of milking equipment that includes milking machines, portable milkers , bucket milkers, cow, sheep and goat milking products and equipment, milk pasteurizers, butter churns, cream separators , and much more!

Like our dairy farm equipment, the rest of our product is reasonably priced and includes cattle scratchers and oilers , fly control for your cow and horse barn, cattle guards, cattle feed storage bins, grain storage silos and hopper bottom bins.

Our goal is to provide you with essential pieces of farm supply equipment that are not available at the local feed store. Featured products Free shipping.

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