2009 / 2008 / 2007 / 2006

Viewland Farms Ltd. - Oxford County

(Left to right: Dave Older; Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Leona Dombrowsky)

Dave Older of Viewland Farms Ltd. installed a dairy compost bedding pack system, adapting the design and implementation from an innovative system used in Minnesota. The barn is designed differently to allow a large pack area and tractor/aerator access. The cost savings from this barn design are substantial, as it uses clay versus concrete floors; requires no stalls to buy or install, and there is substantially less liquid manure to store and pump. The longer storage capacity results in long-term composting, reducing and concentrating nutrients into a more dense material. When the bedding is excavated from the barn, there is virtually no odour and it spreads like dust. This innovation represents a 'greener' bed that results in an excellent compost product, improved animal health and decreased labour costs.