Kuhn Products are a Family Tradition

Born and raised on his family’s dairy farm, Sutherland grew up watching and learning from his grandfather, Ronald Bellfontaine. In 1992, Sutherland partnered with his grandfather to manage the crops and their herd of 50 dairy cows. Four years later, Sutherland became full owner.

Since 1997, the herd size has more than doubled. In 2007, improvements were made when a new dairy facility was added, which included a new freestall barn, two lagoons, and two pits for liquid manure. Although they’ve grown, family is still a key part of keeping the farm running. Heather Sutherland, Mark’s wife, manages the books and works off the farm as a dental hygienist, and his 81-year-old grandfather still helps with machinery maintenance. The farm also employs two workers, who play a major role in completing the daily work.

The herd of 120 Holsteins is milked twice a day in a parallel, double-eight milking parlor and has a 20,900-22,000 pound (9,500-10,000 Kg) rolling herd average. In addition to caring for the herd, 300 acres of crops are planted for forage. Eighty of these acres are planted with corn that is used for corn silage. To keep crop quality high and maintenance of equipment low, Sutherland continues his family’s tradition of purchasing reliable Kuhn machines.

For the Sutherlands, it all started with a long-lasting, reliable piece of machinery. “After the success with the first disc mower, we looked at Kuhn’s other forage tools and began to branch from there,” claims Sutherland.

Sutherland currently owns several Kuhn machines: a GF 5001 T Gyrotedder, which he purchased in the spring of 1997; a FC 302 G mower conditioner; a GA 4100 TH rotary rake; and an MDS 62 fertilizer spreader. He says these machines can take a lot of beating.

For Sutherland, the test of longevity that garnered his respect for Kuhn products was a disc mower owned by his family and used on the farm. “After ten years we finally had to trade it in because it was starting to rust,” states Sutherland, “that shows the kind of wear and tear these machines can take.”

When looking to purchase a new mower conditioner a few years back, Sutherland thought he would compare brands to ensure he was getting the best equipment for his operation. “All in the same day, my two hired men and I tried out a New Holland, a John Deere and a Kuhn disc mower. We all decided hands down to go with Kuhn.”

Sutherland credits Kuhn’s maintenance-free equipment for helping to keep his operation running smoothly. “The only problem we’ve ever had [with this equipment] is a belt wearing out, and that was our fault. The down time with these machines is very minimal.”

Keeping machinery running is vital to a farm’s success, but to keep up service, you must have a good service provider. Sutherland praises his Kuhn dealer’s excellent service for giving customers confidence in Kuhn as a high-performance, quality brand. “We have a great dealer who gives great service after the sale. He really looks after us,” Sutherland says of Central Equipment, Inc.

Sutherland’s collection of Kuhn hay harvesting products are coming in handy with the wet hay-making seasons they’ve been experiencing. “It’s been a battle with the weather to produce quality hay,” says Sutherland. And as dairy farmers know, the benefits of quality hay are important when feeding milking cows.

He uses his GF 5001 T tedder and the GA 4100 TH Gyrorake to overcome the elements and yield a successful harvest. Sutherland feels these two machines allow him to “double or even triple windrows.” When you have a small window of opportunity, Kuhn’s high-performance machines play an important role in providing quality returns to customers like Sutherland.