Patz Equipment Success Story
Master Agriculturist relies on Patz for farm efficiency!
Mike Birling of Black Creek, WI, was named a 2008 Master Agriculturist by Wisconsin Agriculturist magazine. The Master Agriculturist Award Program, started by the magazine in 1930, recognizes more than a farmer's ability to raise crops and livestock. It honors the farmer who has also dedicated significant time to family, community, church, farm organizations and other local efforts.
Patz is proud to be a partner in progress with Mike and his family throughout many expansion projects since 1978. We congratulate Mike and thank the Birling family for choosing Patz for their manure and feed handling needs.
Read the story in the April 2008 Wisconsin Agriculturist issue online at www.wisconsinagriculturist.com.
In December 1971, Mike Birling returned from serving his country in Vietnam. The following spring, he purchased the family farm from his parents Alex and Elsie. The 80-acre farm in Black Creek, WI, had been home to the Birlings and their 32 cows since 1958. In addition to the cows they had raised chickens, a few hogs, and some rabbits. On July 17, 1976, Mike married Jean and together they began building the business into what it is today.
In 1978, Mike and Jean expanded the operation, adding stalls and bringing the herd total to 50 cows. At that time, the Birlings took the opportunity to replace their competitive brand gutter cleaner with two new Patz Model 400 Gutter Cleaners. In 1990, a heifer barn was added along with a third Patz Model 400 Gutter Cleaner and a Patz piston pump and manure storage pit. This expansion brought the cow numbers to 60.
"We really liked having this automated manure handling system eliminating daily hauling," said Mike. "All three of the gutter cleaners emptied into the piston pump and from there the manure was pumped to storage."
The family farm was soon dubbed Birling's Bovines and, in 1995, the first freestall barn was built allowing an expansion to 110 cows. Three years later, the Birlings purchased their first Patz mixer - a 380 cubic foot horizontal trailer mixer - to replace a competitive stationary barrel mixer. In 2001, the barn was extended bringing the total to 200 cows.
With a growing family and their enthusiasm for dairying, a further expansion began in 2005. Mike and Jean again extended the freestall barn, this time to 320 cows, and installed two Patz Model 1000 Alley Scraper units.
"The Patz alley scrapers really saved labor and allowed us to have the alleys cleaned every 2-3 hours instead of only 2-3 times per day," stated Mike. "This helps keep our SCC under 100,000, which is very important to us.
"We also like the fact that we don't have skid loaders speeding around the barn and the damage they can do to stalls, gates, doors, etc.," he added.
The 2005 expansion was the first step in a major initiative which included a new double 12 milking center - expandable to double 20 - and a special needs barn, both added in 2007, bringing herd numbers to the current 625 cows. With this expansion, the Birlings added another Patz Model 1000 Alley Scraper and a Patz Model 4444 Vertical Pump.
"When planning the special needs barn, there was no doubt in our minds that we wanted another Model 1000 Alley Scraper for that facility," said Mike. "We saw the advantages of having the scrapers in the main barn."
Birling's Bovines upgraded to a 615 cubic foot Patz Model 1100 Vertical Mixer after expanding to 625 cows in 2007. Pictured from left to right are Jim, Mike and Dan Birling.
Between construction projects, the Birlings upgraded to a Patz Model 1100 Single Screw Vertical Mixer capable of mixing 690 cubic feet. The larger sized mixer helped cut down on the time required to feed the expanded herd. In December 2007, the cows moved into the newest facilities and parlor. The Patz Model 4444 Vertical Pump - although installed outside - hasn't missed a beat, with no problems even with the "old fashioned Wisconsin winter!"
Second and third generations of the Birling family are now running the operation. Mike serves as general manager and still spends many hours in the parlor handling some of the milking shifts. Jean handles all the financial records for the dairy. Their four children and their spouses also have important roles in the business. Daughter Tammy Smith handles the dairy records. Daughter Cindy Du Chateau takes care of general farm duties while her husband Brian is involved with tractor driving for the cropping operation as well as serving as handyman. Son Jim is in charge of feeding and field operations. Jim's wife Sara helps as the relief calf feeder. Son Dan had been handling the herdsman duties, but with the latest expansion a full-time employee was hired to take that pressure off Dan as he is needed to help in most all facets of the operation.
Since the day they purchased the family farm, Mike and Jean have always had an eye on the future. Each expansion was planned with the futures of their business and their children in mind. Thirty-six years later it is apparent that their forward thinking has paid off. Many of their cows have averaged as high as 90 pounds of milk per cow per day. With their current expansion, Birling's Bovines herd is averaging 80 pounds and climbing. Milk quality is also very important to them and Mike and his family are proud of the fact that their SCC have been under 100,000 for many years.
Throughout the years, the Birlings have worked very closely with their local Patz Dealers while expanding their operation. Paul Anderson, a long time employee of Raymakers Inc., in Pulaski, WI, is a familiar face to the Birlings. Paul and his wife Deana are now co-owners of P & D Sales & Service, LLC, after having purchased the business from the Raymakers' earlier this year. Birling's Bovines can rest assured that Paul and his team will continue to provide excellent service and sales of dependable Patz equipment for years to come.
With the dedication and commitment to the dairy industry displayed by the entire Birling family, it's easy to see why they were named the "Master Agriculturist" for 2008. Once again, Patz salutes the entire Birling family on their achievements and we look forward to continuing to meet their feed and manure handling needs in the future.