Harrisonburg, VA - (540) 433-9117 ~ Rocky Mount, VA - (800) 572-2123

Three Generations of the Heatwole family who operate ShenMount Dairy
 

WILLIAMSVILLE, VA – Dairy farm families produce more than fresh milk, they strengthen their industry by passing on their commitment to the next generation. Born and raised as a farmer, Clair Heatwole first partnered in a dairy farm with his brother, Gerald Heatwole, in 1978. Clair discovered that he appreciates the cattle and being outdoors. Along with the variety that comes with day to day production, Clair states “There is very little about dairy farming that I don’t like. You can farm and have the children with you while you work”.

Today, Clair Heatwole and his three adult sons manage all aspects of ShenMount Dairy LLC on 340 total acres west of Staunton, Virginia near Williamsville. ShenMount Dairy represents professional cooperation with Clair Heatwole as General Manager and sons Rodney in the position of Herd Manager, Brad is responsible for feed and Jared is in charge of mechanics and clean-up.
 

  
 From Left, Clair Heatwole and his sons, Jared,                            Cow-friendly Sturdy Built headlocks
 Bradley, Rodney                                                                                                                    

Since May, 2005, ShenMount Dairy has been milking a 200 cow herd; the Heatwoles’ team focuses on top priorities including keeping costs down, cleanliness, cow comfort and health.  It will come as no surprise that their biggest challenge is “putting milk in the tank; that is what pays the bills”.  The good news is that since startup cow production drastically increased and has maintained.

 
   Cascade Parallel parlor with Maestro cabinets                         Mueller bulk milk cooling and storage

In order to facilitate a cost effective and well managed environment, ShenMount dairy chose a Delaval Blue Diamond Dbl 12 parallel with the Germania Herd Management System, meters only. With the Germania AfiFarm System they get easy access to daily milk weights. The meters are DHIA approved and accurate to 4/10^th of a pound.  These units are fully adjustable to milk the cows the way Rodney gets the best results.  The Cascade Parallel is designed for fast cow flow while maintaining cow and operator comfort.  The Blue Diamond Crowd Gate is an integral part of the fast through put the Heatwoles get.  According to Jared, “Milking that many cows an hour with one person keeps you moving”.  Also adding to the efficiency is the variable speed vacuum pump which runs very quietly and the variable speed milk pump called the Smooth Operator.  The Smooth Operator is part of the very effective cooling system which uses the extremely cold Williamsville well water to do much of the cooling before the milk gets to the Mueller 6000 gallon tank with energy efficient compressors.  The push button controls make clean up and operation easy.

 
AfiFlo 2000 meter with Germania top unload claw     ShenMount cows enjoy Sturdy Built freestalls
                                                                                                                     w/ Zartman mattresses.

As far as critical equipment goes, the AfiFarm meters, Sturdy Built headlocks and Sturdy Built stalls rank as leaders.  According to Clair, "We really like the headlocks for herd checks and there is no stress to the cow." On another level, Zartman mattresses are in place and recommended for their durability cow friendly comfort. 

ShenMount Dairy has trusted Dairymen Specialty for generations.  According to Clair, his Father Simeon Heatwole was a customer and only used Dairymen Specialty because he was impressed with the service.  Today, a solid relationship continues with Dairymen Specialty.  The Heatwole team relies on the “peace of mind to know when they need service that Dairymen Specialty will be there."

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ShenMount Dairy

Situated south of Smith Mountain, in scenic Chatham, Virginia, is the new, state-of-the art dairy operation of Mountain View Farm.  Owned by Roger Jefferson, this immensely impressive dairy farm houses many features, facilitated by Dairymen Specialty, that are unlike any other dairy operation in existence.

The goal of every dairy farmer is to milk more cows in less time, with less labor and downtime.  Roger Jefferson made it happen for his contemporary operation, with Dairymen Specialty.  Milking three times a day, year-round, with a maintenance-free rotary that operates around the clock, this operation uses the absolute best equipment from every angle, with features that are exclusive to this operation.

Only at Mountain View Farms, can you see the custom-built, progressive Germania/Rota-Tech hybrid deck.  Legendary Germania deck and decking equipment came together with innovative Rota-Tech deck features to create the most efficient decking system possible.  Dairymen Specialty helped Jefferson work with both big-name manufacturers to ensure that the end result was what he had in mind.

Managing his growing herd the high-tech way, Jefferson’s manager, Dale Birdsall, chose to incorporate the Afi-Farm information system from Dairymen Specialty.  Measuring individual-cow benchmarks for production, activity, and conductivity, the Afi-Farm information system automatically and effortlessly provides accurate information on the health and milk quality for each cow.  Measuring and recording each step taken by each cow, comparing typical milk production that is unique to each cow, and checking for higher conductivity in every cow in the operation, the Afi-Farm system works to provide far greater simplicity and efficiency in cow management, while recognizing potential problems faster.  By simply clicking on the health report generated from the Afi-Farm system, Manager Birdsall is notified of cows that need medical examination; and those cows are automatically isolated from the herd with help from Jefferson’s superior Germania Herd Reduction Crowd Gate System that automatically assists with physical direction for the herd.

Operating with the State of Virginia’s first direct loading system, quality Mueller chillers, Mueller plate coolers, and Mueller cooling compressors, Jefferson receives the highest-level of milk preservation without the need for milk tanks.

DeLaval vacuum pumps offer Jefferson a variable speed control, which provides greater energy-efficiency by applying new technology that only runs the motor as fast as it is needed per application.

Taking cow-comfort into consideration, Jefferson protects his operation by using rubber mats in the holding pen and feeding troth areas, and by bedding with sand, reducing the growth of bacteria.  To ensure cleanliness for both his operation and the environment, Jefferson employed the Integrity Nutrient Control System, a model of efficiency.  The INCS uses advanced engineering to separate wastes and automatically apply fertilization to designated areas and re-route liquids for treatment and on-site recycling.

With a growing herd and unlimited potential, Mountain View Farm is making history and leading the way for other dairy operators with its ground-breaking design, industry-superior equipment, and high-tech management applications.  By combining the durability of world-famous names like Germania with expert service, advice, and implementation from Dairymen Specialty, the operation of Roger Jefferson at Mountain View Farm is a one-of-a-kind model for modern dairy farmers.