Overview

Wayside Dairy, situated in Wayside, Wisconsin; is one of our longtime clients.
Automation is nothing new to the Natzke family. The farm uses everything from automated milking systems to automated pump systems for second use water. Machine control at the farm covers everything from the parlor to the bulk gasoline pumps. Various computer-controlled machines watch everything from manure throughput to who’s going and coming at the farm. Just last year, as part of their long-day lighting program, they installed two barns’ worth of new dimming capable LED fixtures, along with a custom dimming system that lets them control exactly how much light is available for the cows during the night shift. The system is precisely controllable, using a combination of a plug-in programmer for fine schedule control, along with override switches for emergency light.
The manure processing system daily reclaims a great deal of sand that would ordinarily be lost for longer periods of time to the lagoons. The machine control system for this facility keeps the operators remotely aware; and in control, of nearly every aspect of the facility as needed. Text messages and emails from the control systems keep the operators on top of processes at the sand separation plant. Covering everything from process monitoring to preventing unauthorized access, the machine controls for this facility are continuously being upgraded to ensure smooth operation of the facility; and with it, the dairy.
The farm operates a local network that connects every available part of the enterprise, providing ease of collaboration and information sharing across the campus. Using a combination of wired and wireless linkages, network and internet access is available from every terminal on the farm. Everything from inter-farm memos to veterinary information flows across the network, ensuring that the family has consistent access to the most up-to-date information.
Surveillance systems at the farm provide security; but more importantly, insight into procedure; allowing unsurpassed supervisory access to what’s happening in critical areas.