Posted by Reedy Fork Organic Farm on 8/17/2017 to
News
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Speaking of anniversaries, this marks our 30th year in the 'new' milking parlor. In 1987, our double three walkthrough milking area was worn out. It was older than George was at the time. We chose the Rotaflo Milking Parlor, an ingenious rotary milking platform that floats on water. At the time only the 7th in the United States.
We chose the Rotaflo for a couple of reasons. First off, it makes milking easier. Cows go through like an assembly line - one cow at a time is brought onto the continuously rotating platform, and is hooked up to begin milking. The machine's rotation soon brings up another milking station for the next cow. By the time the cow makes a complete circuit, she is fully milked, and is taken off the platform, and another cow comes on in her place.
One person can do an entire milking. Most machines require two people to do the job. Sixteen cows fit on the milking parlor at a time. Sixty cows can all be milked in one hour. (Fun fact: while conventional dairies milk their cows three times per day, we only milk our girls twice per day.)
Since the Rotaflo floats on water, there are less wheels and tracks and gears to wear out. The Rotaflo company advertises that their machines last 30 years - and counting - and we're living proof that that is true. We've had very little trouble with our parlor.
We've actually had this milking parlor longer than we had the one before! But we still call it the new dairy barn - even after 30 years.
Interested in a tour? Read about our prices and then call us to schedule a visit!
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