Tour Information

Shea Dairy, Inc Tour: Shea Dairy is owned by Jerome & Marilyn Shea, Tom & Missy Shea and Jason Shea (and soon to be fiancé). This 3x - 400 cow dairy is currently producing 28,000 pounds of milk with a cell count of 182,000. It is a water bedded free-stall barn with an additional compost barn for special needs and pre-fresh cows. It is currently in the process of expanding to 600 cows.

Gar-Lin Dairy Farm Tour: Gar-lin Dairy is owned by Gary & Linda Allen, Dana Allen, Dean Allen and Gene & Phylis Speltz. It’s 1200 cows are milked in a new (November 2006) Westfalia-Surge Rotary Parlor on a 3x schedule with approximately 200 cows per hour. In 2004 they installed a Mclanahan Sand Separator. Dr. Dana Allen, herd manager, maintains control of all animals for feeding, breeding and health decisions by computer technology. This herd is approaching 30,000 pounds with cell counts under 200,000.

Nationally, forages are the third largest U.S. crop. Southeastern Minnesota’s rolling fields are uniquely suited for mechanically harvested forages and in many cases ruminant grazed forages. This tour will focus on a 700 acre operation that consists of over 350 acres of harvested forages using wrapped and chopped wet forage and also baled dry hays. This farm also utilizes rotational or controlled grazing 300 acres for over 125 purebred Angus cows and more that 100 Holstein dairy heifers.

Possible Topics:

1. Animal ID
2. Roundup Alfalfa Plots
3. Hybrid Alfalfa Plots
4. Corn Silage Plots
5. New Kura Clover Grazing Plots
6. Grazing System Design….Fences….Water Systems & Costs
7. Organic Dairy and Beef
8. Cattle Working Facilities
9. Estrus Synchronization and Breeding Programs
10. Demonstration of hay wrapper
11. Demonstration of new forage harvesting equipment:
    • Mowers
    • Rakes
    • Mergers
    • Choppers
    • Balers
    • Wrappers
    • TMRs
12. Beef Management Software AIMS (Angus Information Management Software)
13. Dairy Heifer Management Software (HeiferPro)
14. Forage and cattle related government programs CSP and EQIP