Story & Photos by Brandon Covey

Dairy Housing of the Future – Opportunities with Low Profile Cross Ventilated (LPCV) Housing was a two-day conference held in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, area and was hosted by Kansas State University.

On September 10, the program included presentations related to LPCV technology given by John Smith and Joe Harner of Kansas State University, as well as other university specialists from Kansas State University, the University of Missouri and Louisiana State University. Topics included design, airflow, fans, air quality, lighting, dealing with weather, insulation, traffic patterns and economic considerations. A producer panel concluded the day’s session.

On September 11, the group toured Pater Dairy and Helmer Dairy across the border in Minnesota. Approximately 160 people were in attendance for the conference. PD

ABOVE: Joe Harner of Kansas State University helps conference attendees visualize airflow in a cross-ventilated facility by setting off a smoking flare inside a barn at Pater Dairy in Pipestone, Minnesota. Photo by Brandon Covey.

ABOVE: A young cow at Pater Dairy standing in one of the cross-ventilated barns. Photo by Brandon Covey.