Building new and recycling the old barn

DOUGLAS — The Schultz Farm was in need of expansion. Their 1972 dairy barn was dark, overcrowded and looking tired.

Boss cows dominated the water bowls, feed mangers were too small for the timid cows and the 35-year-old stalls were built for a time when cows were smaller. Even the sawdust beds became a problem. Local sawmills just don’t have a sawdust supply available.

Everything pointed to change and expansion. The hardest part about going forward was the paper work, said Steven Schultz. Referring to nutrient management requirements: "It was pretty thick." So, they called the Eastern Crop doctor to do their Nutrient Management Plan, strategy and update.

The plan was cost effective. Instead of discarding the old barn, the three partners (Steven, his father Wilbert and uncle Ralph) added on. The 70 ft. by 84 ft. addition allowed them to upgrade more than increase herd size. They are milking 85 but can eventually milk 118.

All the signs of modernity are here: a higher ceiling, sidewalls with air-filled curtains that can be lowered for an 8 ft. opening and a feed bunk twice the size so you can drop in round bales when needed. Ventilation and stall size are the major highlights, Schultz said. "The barn used to get warm in the summer. Now we’ll get a cross-breeze."

The biggest glitch was when they had to connect the two barns. Jack hammers on the old cement floor guaranteed the cows would stay away. Their milk production dropped two litres a day per cow.

The milking parlour also needs an upgrade but that’s the next phase. They plan to upgrade from a double-4 herringbone to a double-6 or double-8. At the same time, they’ll recycle the old barn by increasing stall size. They’ll also pour a new foundation around the outside and erect new steel trusses over the roof.

Steven, and wife Nancy, have three children: Emily 14; Curtis, 12; and Jamie, 9. So far, it seems like "Curtis is the farmer, through and through," Nancy said.