Friday night the first milk from a Strickler cow entered the collection stream in the dairy’s new milk parlor, built to replace one destroyed in a Jan. 21 fire. THE FIRE that destroyed the milk parlor — a critical 7,000-gallon stainless storage tank was saved — started from embers of an afternoon fire apparently started from welding repairs.
About 350 cows were shipped within 24 hours after the fire to several dairies, as far away as Syracuse, to maintain their production. The cows’ return began late last week and was completed when 95 arrived in three trucks at dusk Friday from Syracuse.
“I got a call from my herdsman late Friday night that milking of the first cow in the new parlor started at 10:42,” owner Steve Strickler said. “We still have a few springer heifers (those about to have calves) at a friend’s dairy near Newton.”
While mechanical milkers were off line during reconstruction, Strickler noted that six cows stayed at the dairy, a stone’s throw northeast of Iola’s city limit, and were milked by hand.
In an earlier story, Strickler mentioned milk cows are creatures of habit and some found it difficult to adjust to new surroundings. Those returned Friday night appeared immediately to recognize they were “home,” Strickler said, and needed no prompting to be lead to the huge barn where they’re housed.
Concrete stem walls and plumbing that connects milkers to the tank were reclaimed. The tank was particularly important; a new one would have had to be custom made.
“The new parlor isn’t completely finished but we can milk in it,” Strickler said.
Work remains on office and storage areas, which were added to what the structure originally contained.
THE COWS HAVE COME HOME
