Common Questions: What about Snow? Why Not Robot Milkers?

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Thank You!

[@sammathias3498]

How about a brushroller for the skid steer to clear off cement path for feeders😊

[@donnalannan2978]

That was my thought 😊

[@WayneYoung-yv8ww]

Absolutely, a broom attachment for your skid steer will pay for itself in no time!

[@colin340]

They used them Alot at suny Oswego worked very nice

[@ajskab99]

He said in a previous video that they were going to get a brush for their skid steer. I’d be using it now just to keep the dirt and rocks off the driving path.

[@Trey4x4]

**Shits myself** 😊

[@beebop9808]

Worked control automation for 30 years. Saw many many people sent home from great jobs after my work was done. From my experience and opinion automation isn't all that many times. It's trading one set of problems for different problems and cost isn't always a given. People need jobs to take care of themselves and when they're good at what they do and honest workers, they literally can't be replaced in many situations. And personally find it rewarding to be in a position to give a neighbor a leg up where everybody wins. Speaking for myself. I applaud your efforts and good will. God bless!

[@TheStuport]

Very heartwarming Eric to hear how much you care for the younger generation in giving them opportunities to work on the farm! Part time yes, but it's the lessons learned on the job, the wholesome environment You and your Dad provide and the whole atmosphere in allowing the young people to build their own concept of responsivity and worth. This video was a real treat in you all sharing pertinent reasons for your Farm plans and trusting your viewers to understand the gravity of being open to a Q & A! Thanks much for the explanations, the openness you shared about your plans and goals and thank you for letting us sit at your table in the kitchen for a chat! MOO From COW-lumbus, Ohio 👋

[@philyoung1144]

Well said, I agree 100%

[@TheStuport]

@@philyoung1144 👋 Salute

[@Rok_Piletic]

Skid Steer with (Sweeper) Broom Attachment .... would be a thing for removal of > snow, stones/gravel on the path ... nice to support the local community /young people ...as in need, could step in help robots would not.

[@jasonwoods3384]

I like how you are thinking about keeping workers on the farm to milk the cows and using robotics for the feeding aspect

[@robynmorris2408]

YES, seeing the cows everyday is vital to keep “up” with those producing cows. Also, keeping work available to your community is very important for you and the community.

[@jasonwoods3384]

@@robynmorris2408 it is good to keep an eye on the herd

[@danediemer]

Agreed. I still think there is room for automation in the future. Maybe not in the 1 year or even 5 year future. Watching him the last few years…we’ve seen him optimize his farm. If he does automate a technology and farming sciences progress…he’ll still be able to retain his long term employees while still helping out the high schoolers and ag community.

[@karloarsch1579]

Keeping workers in work is the reason, why I do not use this self service cashier machine in supermarkets, I always queue up to a human cashier.

[@marierichards6922]

Thank you so much for the explanation you gave today. My 96 yr old mother and I enjoy learning the new tech which we never had on our farms. You look so happy and you should as it’s giving you 26 hours a day. We are so happy for your. God Bless you and your family.

[@CranialAccess]

I’m 70 years old and have watched you from the beginning. This has to be your best upload! The details you describe are so appreciated. As a former Retired RN and Director of Nursing I appreciate your concern about employing the youth and keeping loyal employees “Meghan”….. we look forward to every upload!

[@richardbradfield7437]

Great explanation of your reasons of going with this system! It’s wonderful that you embrace the use of technology, and the value of manual and the hands on aspects of dairy farming! Very happy to know you value being able to provide part time jobs and work experience to young people in spite of available technology! It’s heart warming to know young folks like you are still out there and willing to do this hard work to help sustain the lives of the rest of us! I’m proud of you and your family! You make America strong!

[@dfarmer9005]

One thing I have found out about robotic milkers. You are in the barn, just as often as if you are milking the old way. However, you can pick and choose the time you want to be in the barn.

[@bobdevine4906]

Nicely explained. It’s clear that you’ve given this a lot of thought. Great work!

[@Dan-qy1rg]

It's good to hear all the questions that folks have for you and your response to those. Some good points made! Have a good evening.

[@Gobucky63]

Eric, I have been watching you and your Dad for years. I have been so impressed with the way you/Dad put the cows and the farm first. It’s awesome that you’ve been able to be creative and utilize technology to assist you in some of the farm responsibly but still think of your farm, employees and community. Growing up in Wisconsin I’ve always had a love for farms, especially Dairies and so enjoy living dream through your channel. Thanks always for sharing and bringing us along your journey. God bless.

[@JL-od3ik]

I am an 85 year old man who was never a farmer. I have watched your channel for over 4 years. My praise and admiration go to you. The fact that you care about your employees and the young people is hearting in this era of greed and selfishness. You exemplify the concept of stewardship. Thank you for all that you are and that you do.

[@PartyOf8Please]

It cracks me up that so many people are asking about and tossing out solutions to weather issues. I said all along that I know a lot of things about farmers, and the #1 thing about farmers is this: They are PLANNERS! They plan for everything, and they spend a lot of time looking at all of the possible variables. And here you are … telling us all about the plans that you and your Dad have done in putting this system in! Thanks, Eric!

[@davidbishop4015]

Thanks for explaining in detail the inner workings of your farm. Your family is a great provider for your community. It's good to see in this day and age. Keep up the good work. Stay safe.

[@tedmogsm7037]

love your point about seeing the cows, i grew up on a dairy farm where we milked twice a day, and nothing can replace seeing your cows daily, you get to know them very well and know by them how they are, know if they are sick, lame or anything else, nothing can replace this aspect of farming, great job

[@jazzerbyte]

Good overview of your thought processes! If you use de-icer in the winter, consider using one of the less corrosive, since I can imagine that it will find its way into any metal near the bottom of the robots.

[@MorganOtt-ne1qj]

Count your blessings that you can find young people to WORK! Megan is an asset, and earns her pay. The feeding robots are a good fit for y'all, and they look like they will pay you back. God Bless and keep at it! I love your videos.

[@MrTonyharrell]

I think a rotory brush for your skid steer is gonna be needed to keep the pathways clear.

[@brez85]

They have one that he’s used to clear out the bunkers in the past.

[@Diesal3]

Absolutely! A blade would not be good to use to clear snow and ice from the tracts. No matter how careful you are, it’s going to damage the tract at some point.

[@leghumper83]

I'm pretty sure it can also be used (or at least appropriate bristles purchased) to clear snow. I feel like that's the obvious solution for the snow.

[@DC92309]

I really like the way your family approaches the operation of your farm. It's clearly so much more than a business with the way you keep a level of focus on nurturing your community in more ways than just feeding them. Providing young people with honest work and the life lessons that must come from being around your and your dad, it really is something you should be incredibly proud of. Every industry needs more people like Eric and family. Keep it up!

[@markalan1501]

Some of the skidder brush attachments are very good at keeping things clean. They're not all the same. Consider a line bore two inch plastic to the low point with a horizontal screened scupper at the problem area. Very economical to install.

[@rickwhitescarver8526]

Haha. That poor lone cow stretching across licking at the food just outa reach during that explanation toward the end of the video cracked me up. Stretch sista stretch!

[@randyabernathy1958]

Yes, you're so right. not going to Robot and give the kids opportunity to learn the dairy farm. Thanks, God bless.

[@richardarmida8151]

Seems like the collective of your dad, your uncle and you are on the right path. Big bucks though! Looks like it is addressing the right issues and will have an ROI as expected.

[@joelkoskamp798]

Im a 200 cow dairy farmer in south western Ontario with a Lely vector system and a parlour for 2 years now. Love it. Wouldn’t wanna go back to tractor and mixer.

[@10thgenerationdairyman]

That's awesome, I haven't heard from many guys milking in a parlor with the Vector. Are you running the grabber with the feed kitchen?

[@joelkoskamp798]

@@10thgenerationdairyman yup. 1 mfr and the feed grabber.

[@10thgenerationdairyman]

Nice

[@williammerry4746]

Yes wise thinking...very helpful explanation How good of you to consider providing work for local youth. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@erikmallea1014]

Great discussion, you are a prime example how every farmer is a CEO, CFO, CMO, and solely responsible for the success of their family’s enterprise. I hope that this spurs other KZbin farmers to deep dive into the “Why” of their practices and touch on the financial impact of it all

[@paultijink4235]

Thanks for this video and for answering all those questions. You and your dad are doing a fantastic job, I always enjoy watching your videos. Happy to see the new system is working well! Regards, Paul

[@dobberaaron6658]

I really enjoy your Channel I've been watching you since day one I love what you do I wish there were Farms like yours here I would work for free I love farming and dairy work thanks for taking me along looking forward to seeing everything down the road say hello from Utah take care God bless

[@robinghunt]

The payback is reportedly 5 years on the vector system so it’s amazingly quick payback period. Most large purchases see an average of 8 years so this is a great investment. The labor savings alone is phenomenal alone and having additional time to dedicate to herd health is a huge benefit. The milking systems are great too but they don’t observe the cows for health issues like a human milker does. You are already milking 3 x daily which is what the robot milkers usually get to over time. Great planning is evident in this system Eric so congratulations to you all for a great investment in the future.

[@sdrailfan892]

Being one of the milkers and knowing your herd is important. I think you made a good choice for your operation. I seen a dairy fail because of too much hands off and they lost touch with their herd and started to loose cows.

[@MahnerFarms]

I know several farms that went to robot milkers, and all of them have gotten rid of them recently. They've all switched to either rapid release double up parlors or rotaries for the big operations. The robot milkers just have a lot more headaches and a much lower ROI than what the salesmen advertise. All the advice I've gotten from farmers who have run robot milkers for more than a couple years is to avoid them like the plague.

[@jonplante7589]

I like your keeping workers. Great job for young folks. Great video!

[@joepfeiler5911]

We hire a lot of high school students and we have had great success with them doing the feeding. You have to train and put the ones who are qualified in charge of feeding.

[@jorgesantana7931]

How old were you when you started working in the family business? Have you ever worked anywhere else? Awesome work your family must be really proud of you. Did you go to college?

[@10thgenerationdairyman]

I started full time straight out of high school and did not go to college.

[@jdschini]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences thus far with your new feeding system. Clearly you and your family have put a lot of thought into making this huge investment into your operation. I like your new robotic feeding system because it sure looks much more labor efficient than your old system. And I think it has removed a lot of stress from you and your dad. Because I remember watching you have to deal with all of the weather issues while using the old “bunkers”. And now you no longer have to deal with all of that frustrating plastic covering, the old tires, the frozen wet feed, and some times moldy feed. So savings from less wasted feed! And be sure to include a value for the reduced labor and stress factor for you and your dad. Thank you so much for posting another wonderful video as always! Have a blessed weekend!

[@danfinley3690]

Yea, thank you for a great explanation of the process and awesome that you give the younger generations the opportunity to work god bless y’all

[@BlenderRookie]

I look forward to seeing how well they handle the snow and ice. While I have never been a farmer and I am not a potential customer of a system like that, I find the automation intriguing.

[@jakeboudreaux4580]

I really appreciate you being honest with your answers even at the cost of being vulnerable, says a lot about your character! I personally loved this type of video, felt like I got to know you better. Any new merch coming soon? I definitely could use another hoodie for this cold season coming up. God Bless you and your family.

[@dougdiplacido2406]

This video was a wealth of information. Your care and knowledge of your farm is amazing. I also love how you wish to provide jobs for your community. Thank you for another great video.

[@larrywiegel1015]

Eric thanks for explaining the process of switching to the robot feeding system. I can only imagine the cost of installing it. But I can also imagine the long term benefits of not losing feed and the cost of plastic for the bunkers plus the time and effort to fill them. Keep up the good job. God Bless. 👏👍🙏🇺🇸

[@coynemike]

I think your snow removal would be helped tremendously with a rotating sweeper brush attachment for your skid steers. It would be less likely to damage the metal track like a bucket. Could also be used for snow removal in other areas as well as a sweeper to remove dust, dirt, stones etc. from all your concrete paths.

[@gallmeyer17]

10:12 I totally agree. In the long run it’s personal preference.

[@tonymckeage1028]

Great Video, In New Zealand we have a grass based system, I only have direct contact with a milking system based on lely and a ex dairy farmer who now works for lely installing and supporting lely systems! Hands down those who have been involved directly with milking cows say the milking robots vastly improve the human and cow interface, in the one i have been involved with the previous it was just the husband involved in milking the cows, post robots the whole family enjoy the robot experience, thanks for sharing

[@adamhemmelgarn3300]

Definitely something to say for wanting to teach teenagers work ethic. And in your savings it’ll be hard to calculate how much less stress it is on you and your dad, or the opportunity benefit you’ll have now that you can be more hands on with the animals. Thanks for the video!

[@buynsell365]

I can't wait to see the numbers when it comes to the reports that the feeding system will create..........I think you guys made the right decision long term.

[@JamesBrown-ux9ds]

Thank you for taking us and sharing! ... maybe tougher decision times could come for you when used Lely milking systems (of the size and use you would want and need)would be avaliable second hand. I think Lely milking systems still are a growing and non-mature market. Here in the Eifel of West Germany usualy three Farms of 200 to 250 cows merged into one bigger unit during the last 10 to 12 years a lot already. And they stayed three farmers owning together the whole thing, but progress in efficiency - together with a Lily system for 650 cows - made them a better life with holiday breaks without sorrows possible. Two weeks skiing in the alps, two weeks sailing the canary islands? No problem whatsoever - one always may have two weeks off ocasionally. Lily therefore has a strong presence here - and they do a good job I hear. (You may look up their adress here, very well choosen most of the farmers think too, 'Auf Risch 4, 54636 Fließem, Deutschland' - and it's exactly at the route belgian and dutch farmers and their families use to travel from their farms to Switzerland, Austria and the alps, a perfect place to pop by eventualy and say hello and look whats new with the whole family, on a friday for instance.)

[@CK-yi6pc]

I don’t think you’ll have any problem having that system pay for itself. Great work,

[@stropefarmsllc7630]

Great video Eric pretty awesome that you guys employ young people in your community that was one my first jobs on a dairy really enjoyed it

[@user-iw9oz7dn5f]

Eric, I like your thinking about the employees. It's very interesting, seeing all of the equipment and robots coming together. Keep up the good work. I love your content and am a faithful watcher. Bryan from kansas

[@mariodumais2153]

You guys are the bomb. I just love the way this was thought through. There's is no doubt you will achieve your goals as it's always a matter of working hard and smart. Farmers are the best!

[@jimjohnson9237]

Giving young people the opportunity earning pride and responsibility in a job well done is immeasurable for their future careers. Thank you

[@rossbrashear535]

There is upfront cost, but over ten years this system will be free on what you save on feed and labor. It was the right decision. Of course it was your money and not mine, so of course I say it was a good decision.

[@mabmachine]

The herd is your revenue stream and being personally involved in the milking is a huge benefit in being able to interact with all those animals.

[@jamesmisener3006]

That was very interesting, Erik. Your lucky to have good help available and I'd say lucky for them to work with you all. Cheers 🇨🇦

[@philipasbury9173]

Great video, mag flakes or salt will help keep the run ways clear. You’ve made a massive investment on a relatively small dairy unit, but it looks extremely well run and managed. 100% agree with you on the robot milking, can’t beat staying hands on with cows. Protocol drift is something we struggle with on our units, but good training and engaged staff help massively. When staff see and understand the investment you have made to help run a smooth operation they want to work with you not against you. Credit to your father, yourself and your team.👍

[@Mwolfi400]

If you want to keep milking (I see the benefits), your next upgrade should be to your parlor. That old swing milking system without milk monitoring (paying someone to visit) should be next on your herd management! Keep up the good work! 🇺🇸

[@donaldfoltz4649]

Thanks for the explanation, you did a great job and I can see why your family made this important decision.

[@farmingfishingfamilyontari2814]

From one dairy farmer to another, lots of time goes into making changes. It’s what we think about as we work. I’m not ready to switch to milking robots either. Our best workers also come from our church. It’ll be good to see your project working over the years to come.

[@deckdogsllc3832]

Long time watcher... moving to the robots feeding looks like a lot of maintenance. You went from a tractor,mixer, and a loader. Now you have multiple unloaders, augers, wagons, conveyors. Tons of wear parts that now have to be maintained 24 hrs a day not just when you are using it. Hopefully you dont regret this decision.

[@Farm-cattle101]

Yup, I totally agree with what you’re thinking. That makes perfect sense about the robots, wanting to look at the herd everything.

[@beckyumphrey2626]

Great video...I think hand milking cows is a more personal experience for the cows and humans. Your herd is so chilled out and comfortable. Kudos to.your.Team.

[@mr.rogers1962]

Maybe you can get a brush to put on your 4 Wheeler. Electric motor or an attachment for a skid loader and just blow it all off with A broom attachment

[@TheBloodypete]

It totally makes sense why you went for the feeders, as it really felt like feeding is a high intensity, high focus job at times of the day when you're exhausted (super early and late), so its quite high cost risk which people might not understand, and your dad (and you in a few decades) deserve a more relaxed and better quality of life! Automated systems should be there to remove the boring and grinding aspects of life, and I think a farm like yours is the perfect example for these kinds of technologies! Plus your secondary business, youtube, will get a massive boost from things like this, and that can't be overlooked too! Everyone loves tech toys! Are there bedding robots? As that seems like the next grinding job, with quite large health effects from the dust, so automating it would be a double benifit.

[@rossbrashear535]

Thanks for answer the snow question. That's been concerning me.

[@TronVila]

Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should. People need jobs, manual labor jobs especially. After watching you for years, your thoughts on the topic are exactly what I figured they’d be. Good on you

[@susansmart8086]

I really like that you’re thinking about your community as well as the farm.

[@paulreis1648]

You folks have definitely did your research and thought it all threw . Keeping employees is very good to. You guys will do great thank you

[@johnc8112]

I'm not a farmer but we have to go with the flow everything is moving towards automation. Labour is the most expensive and the work force is not there everyone wants to work 20 hours or less in any type of field. Keep up the awesome work you do with your family and crews

[@lampshadehighforlife7600]

The robot feeder was definitely the way to go! You should put a camera on one of a robot and just do a Timelapse of it workin! I love watching it drive around loading and unloading!

[@BenHarold-w8r]

Yes brush sweeper for bobcat would be good investment

[@robfl07]

I agree with other comments that a rotary brush for the skid steer is the way to go. Not only for snow removal, but other cleaning tasks as well.

[@belfast479]

Eric, great vid. You seem to have a plan for your farm, don't let anyone/anything deter you from your goal.Best wishes, God bless from Cape Cod!!!

[@khoughton411]

Youz a bad bad MAN! Keep em' squirtin! You need a rotary brush for the skid steer. Easy peasy! It looks like dust accumulation will become a nuisance. Maybe consider a rubber curtain to segment off the loading area.

[@robertmunro4816]

You might want to try a sweeper on the skid steer to clear your concrete. Also try a liquid de icer . Some good products on the market.

[@brycekirby1567]

Your views on milking are spot on, crital time for cow work and noticing cow health

[@oliviafrost1808]

Fantastic explanations Eric, thank you.

[@davidkimmel5153]

Really enjoyed your comments. Thanks for sharing

[@billcampbell2943]

Glad u like hands on milking and keep young people employed. Ur upgrading ideas are great.

[@2cylinderjohndeere720]

I like the carousel milking parlors better than I do robots but you need a bigger herd to have one of those. Your parlor should be fine for many more years!

[@jacobdeangelis7702]

This is great. Awesome to see you take a big risk with the debt and back yourself. I’ll be a viewer to see how it shakes out. Very impressive

[@alexbaker4903]

could turn the bunks into beef feedlot areas and really maximize the usage on the robots.

[@lewisreed3409]

You may want to consider a power brush for the skid loader to clear snow off the feeder track, it may be nice to use it periodically to clean the concrete also.

[@emilyboller7588]

I appreciate that you place a priority on providing jobs for young people and those looking for part time work. Milking seem like it would be a good fit for high schoolers - a few hours in the evenings and then they're done.

[@desross2002]

I truly think you did the right thing in your situation.

[@JimWhitaker]

All very interesting, thanks. I've been watching a British channel where she has been getting robot milking set up and working. (Charlotte Ashley). Interesting to see what suits different people's different situations.

[@Don-pq5gg]

Excellent answers to very good questions. You have thought this through thoroughly. Best of luck.

[@Bizznichw]

Word is Lancaster and Berks are gonna be under 20" of snow for the winter season this year... so you can ease into some smaller storms and see how the robots take it on. No need for a 30" noreaster haha....Thanks for all the videos again from Morgantown

[@JackieDannenberg]

What about a rotating milking parlor ? You’d still get the hands on but it’s a lot quicker than your current parlor, isn’t it ? Nice to see your family is so people oriented ! Kudos to you ! You’re going to go far in this business !

[@TheRealJesseStoltzfus]

A rotary is not cost effective for 200 cows. Nevermind the fact that you’d never be able to get it slow enough for a cow to milk out on a single revolution of the rotary.

[@jonathonfitzgerald1991]

You make 100% perfect sense like hearing stories and enjoy watching your videos

[@Lavin4411]

Great job family!!

[@arjendijkstra5634]

I would invest in a brush for the kubota, keeps the snow off in winter and gravel in summer

[@jeroenae]

Bravo Eric and dad!

[@williambell868]

Look at getting a poly or rubber cutting edge for your bucket so it can handle the height difference while also being able to skip over the cracks and turnouts.

[@darcyrautenstrauch7000]

You might find a front mounted snow brush for your Skid steer might solve snow issues for your tracks with less wear and tear on your paths and guides.

[@kaurkoop]

Put some concrete sidings for the hay trailer so you can back it up and it will just go into place

[@andrewmaiden3738]

Well done for sticking to your ideals/principles as regards work for the community and next geberation. What you may not realise is your creation of aspirations in those youngsters.More industies should follow the same example. If you remove the kindling, you extinguish the fire!!!!

[@SteveSeas]

Nearly every state in the country wants to hug and kiss PA for making all the difference in the last election. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

[@brennus7894]

Put on a sweeproller in front and a saltbox (old fertilizerspreader) on the back of a tractor and you got ice free concrete. Use it on sidewalk who need to be ice free in Norway wich has a loooot more snow compared to you. We Use a blade or a blower on first run if its more then 15-20 cm.

[@irvenrathburn9421]

Hi Eric, I am sure you will have things working just fine, it just takes time, it's nice that it is giving your dad a rest.