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Happy cows producing more milk in new barn, farmer says

A dairy farm in Bonshaw, P.E.I., spent hundreds of thousands of dollars building a new barn and is now discovering a comfy cow can be a cash cow.

MacTalla Farms in Bonshaw says it is reaping benefits of new, comfortable stalls and feed rails

Shane Ross · CBC News ·
The new barn at MacTalla Farms in Bonshaw cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to build, Jeff MacQuuarrie says they are already seeing the benefits. (Stephanie Brown/CBC)

A dairy farm in P.E.I. is discovering a comfy cow can be a cash cow.

MacTalla Farms in Bonshaw has built a new barn with plastic feed rails and stalls that make it more pleasant for the cows to eat and rest.

The feed rails lean forward when the cows push on them, making it easier than tilting their heads through the old metal bars to reach the hay.

The plastic feed rails lean forward when the cows push on them, making it easier to reach the food. (Stephanie Brown/CBC)

"There's no abrasions on their neck, and it takes little effort to lean ahead and feed," said farmer Jeff MacQuarrie.

Building a new barn with the new technology cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. But MacQuarrie said he's already seeing the benefits of happier cows.

Jessie and Jeff MacQuarrie say milk production is up almost 10 kilograms per cow, per day since they installed the news feed rails and stalls. (Stephanie Brown/CBC)

Milk production, he said, is up almost 10 kilograms per cow, per day.

"They seem to like it, so we like it."

In the old barn, the metal rails would cause abrasions on the cows' necks. (Stephanie Brown/CBC)

With files from Stephanie Brown

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