Investing in robotic milking doesn't always mean buying new equipment. Just ask Sarah Sacker, who farms alongside her husband, Joshua Schenck, in Monroe, Wisconsin. For their dairy operation of approximately 100 Holstein cows, Lely Certified Pre-Owned robots offered a more cost-effective path to automation, helping address labor challenges while creating greater flexibility in their daily routines. In this episode of Dairy Downloaded, Sarah shares how robotic milking has changed life on their farm. "We're averaging 2.9 visits a day," Sarah shared. "I joke with a couple of my friends that I would have a 5 p.m. chore time anxiety because 5 o'clock would hit, and I would be like, oh, we gotta get the barn scraped." With robotic milking, Sarah says their family no longer has to plan every day around a traditional milking schedule. "You have more flexibility in when you do things. If you've got stuff you wanna do in the evening, you could get your chores done at 3 o'clock instead of waiting until milking time because you're always milking." Then, Lely experts take listeners behind the scenes of Lely's Certified Pre-Owned program, exploring the extensive reconditioning process that gives previously owned milking robots a second life. From thorough cleaning and replacing more than 100 parts to updated software, comprehensive testing and warranty coverage, Lely experts explain how the company prepares Certified Pre-Owned robots for their next farm. The process is designed to deliver reliable robotic milking technology at a more accessible price point. The conversation also explores financing options through Lely Finance. Whether an operation is large or small, financing solutions can be tailored to each farm's unique needs, goals and financial circumstances. In this episode, hear from: Segment 1: Sarah Sacker - Sacker Farms, Monroe, Wisconsin Joshua Schenck - Sacker Farms, Monroe, Wisconsin Segment 2: Juli Nunnikhoven - Lely Finance (financing options) Lance Brown - Technical Service Support Manager, Lely North America Ryan McFarland - Project Manager, Lely North America Zach McCombs - Reconditioning Center Team Lead, Lely North America
