DAIRY ST R FALL & WINTER
Calf & Heifer Special Edition
November 12, 2022
The solution that brought youngstock home Group housing makes efcient use of Kuechles’ time, resources By Jennifer Coyne Contributing Writer
EDEN VALLEY, Minn. – Five years ago, the Kuechle family transitioned from having their youngstock custom raised to caring for their animals all on site. In the time since, they have only looked to the future of their dairy operation. “There are still areas of the facility we could improve on, but I was looking for a change and this has been the solution for that change,” Brenda Kuechle said. Kuechle and her siblings – Perry, Rhonda and Becky Haag – milk 250 cows in Stearns County near Eden Valley. The family showcased their relatively new youngstock barns as part of a farm tour series for Minnesota Dairy Initiative July 7. In 2017, the Kuechles built a naturally-ventilated
calf barn for animals 2 weeks of age through weaning which begins at 8 weeks. They also constructed a monoslope facility for weaned calves up to 5.5 months old. Previously, Kuechle was a practicing veterinarian, and the heifers were raised off the farm until breeding age. “I was looking to be more involved on the farm, and we were also looking to raise the calves ourselves,” Kuechle said. The calf facility provides up to 60-square-feet per calf in one of six pens that are 16 feet by 27 feet. The barn also includes positive pressure tube ventilation and a tiled drain system under the straw bedding. “The tiling helps keep moisture out of the pen,” Kuechle said. “We also buy top quality straw that is easy to spread and keeps the pens dry.”
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Brenda Kuechle talks about her farm’s youngstock faciliƟes July 7 near Eden Valley, Minnesota. The Kuechles milk 250 cows and built a naturally venƟlated calf barn for animals 2 weeks of age through weaning in 2017.
Every few weeks, the entire barn is cleaned, which often falls in line with when the Kuechles move cattle from the pre-weaned to weaned pens.
Youngstock in the weaned barn are housed in groups up 14, allowing 60 to 65 square feet per calf in every pen. It also includes a drainage tile and a 10-foot scraping lane.
Pens are bedded with corn stalk bales. Turn to KUECHLE | Page 2