Patz Equipment Success Story
Derenne Farms - "Eliminating downtime headaches is priceless."
The Derenne Family saves time and labor with dependable Patz equipment. Pictured from left to right are Matt, Dennis and Jesse.
In 1911, Given and Mary Derenne purchased their farm with twelve cows on 120 acres of land in Luxemburg, WI. When Given fell ill, his 16-year-old son Richard took over the farm. Richard and his wife Arlene operated the farm from 1947 to 1990, increasing the size to 42 cows and 140 acres. The couple also added the first silo in 1979, installing a Patz Model 98B Silo Unloader and a Patz Model 400 Cattle Feeder at that time.
In 1990, their son Dennis, and his wife Diane, Derenne took over the family operation and have expanded several times since. They expanded the herd size to 52 in 1993 and then to 100 cows seven years later. In 2007, Dennis and Diane expanded to the current herd size of 130 cows, 250 total head including youngstock. They also installed a Patz Model 400 XH Gutter Cleaner and a Patz Model 1512 Pump. Derenne Farms now run 500 acres with approximately half of it owned and the balance rented. Sons Matt and Jesse are the fourth generation of the Derenne family now working on the farm.
Throughout the years, the Derennes invested in equipment to run their dairy operation more efficiently. They chose Patz equipment for its durability and the expectation of dependable performance.
According to Dennis, "All of the Patz equipment has worked as expected. It's been very dependable day in and day out."
Choosing Patz equipment has provided the Derennes with tremendous dividends over the years in time and labor savings.
"When we installed the Patz (Model 1512) Manure Pump, we saved 45 minutes of labor every day," stated Dennis. "With our old hydraulic pump, someone had to stand by to make sure it would work. Now we turn on the Patz Gutter Cleaner and pump and let them do their jobs while we do ours!"
The Derennes purchased a Patz Model 400 XH ("extra heavy") Gutter Cleaner along with 600 feet of Patz XH Chain using Model 467 "hi flites." The flites are four inches high at the end of an 18-inch flite. The added height helps prevent rollback of the slurry manure and carries more material, speeding up cleaning time. The Derennes' are very happy with the reliability of their Patz Gutter Cleaner and Manure Pump. Their previous pump had been high maintenance, while the Patz Pump has been trouble free.
"Saving 45 minutes of labor daily saves us labor dollars. But eliminating downtime headaches is PRICELESS," adds Jesse.
Derenne Farms doesn't just rely on Patz for their manure handling needs, they also count on Patz to help them make the most of what goes into their cows. Their first Patz Vertical Mixer was a 300 cubic foot low profile Model 1100. As their herd expanded, the traded in their mixer for a 420 cubic foot Patz Model 1100 Vertical Mixer.
"Buying a Patz Vertical Mixer was a great investment," stated Dennis. "We saw better herd health and a 10 pound per cow increase in milk production."
They also have a Patz Model 166 Conveyor and a Patz Model 400 Cattle Feeder for distributing the well-blended Total Mixed Ration from their vertical mixer to their herd.
"We are very satisfied with how the Patz equipment is working for us on our farm," said Dennis. "We only wish we would have bought it sooner!"
The Derennes are also very satisfied with Randy Vanden Plas, and Dan Glander, of Spartan Construction, Inc., their local Patz Dealer in Luxemburg. Dennis said they appreciate how responsive their dealer is to their service needs.
"When we call, they (Spartan Construction) are there," he said. "Randy was very helpful in layout designs - especially the last expansion with the pump and cleaner."
Let Patz be your partner in progress. Contact your local Patz Dealer to find out how you can eliminate downtime and increase your bottom line!