Jan and Chris Kappers of Olspank Dairy were the first to adopt the new A4 milkers and they appreciate the new features that come with them
by DON STONEMAN
Olspank Dairy, east of Sweaburg, is notable for two reasons. Operators, father and son Jan and Chris Kappers, are the longest running farms with robotic milkers in Ontario. They are also the first in the country to upgrade to the newest generation of robotic milkers.
A year ago, the Kappers replaced their original A2 machines, installed in 1999, with three A4 machines, and were milking 175 cows with them as of the beginning of March. Jan Kappers says the machines have the capacity to milk more cows – 63 to 65 cows each – and he wants to buy more quota.