The Secret to Building a Turn-Key Dairy
In business, keeping the “how-to’s” secret can be essential for success. For Lon Baptistia, President and CEO of Cal Coast Dairy Systems, Inc. (Cal Coast), there’s really no need to hide anything. As he sees it the secret to building a turn-key dairy is simple. “Finish on time, within the budget and build the highest quality operation possible.” And since 1969 that’s exactly what Cal Coast has been doing.
Cal Coast is a full service general contractor based out of Turlock, CA. The company specializes in the complete design and build needs of the agricultural industry, dairies in particular. Baptistia has over 25 years of experience in all phases of dairy design and construction. He and his team oversee the entire process from start to finish. His project managers are skilled at optimizing each project by evaluating a customer’s specific needs and customizing each phase to fit.
“We pride ourselves on working well with our customers,” says Baptistia. “The entire Cal Coast team knows that satisfying the client must come first. That’s why we consider them part of our team during the design and build – together, we’ll all create the ideal, turn-key dairy for that specific individual.”
Years of experience in the dairy business means Cal Coast knows what works. At the same time, Baptistia strives to be on the cutting edge, creating designs the implement the latest technology as well as meet the ever-changing environmental demands placed on producers. As he sees it, there really is no one-size-fits-all plan for building a dairy. In this day and age, every dairyman has a unique set of needs from air and water quality to noise abatement and pest management, which must be addressed.
At the same time, Baptistia is a businessman and knows the importance of making a profit. He and his crew strive to create dairies that not only ensure compliance with various regulations, but also are the most cost-effective. Animal comfort and operational flow play an essential role in building each dairy. “The dairyman has got to be able to make a living and the work we do helps ensure that his facility aids him in that process,” notes Baptistia.
Hank Jongsma of Henry Jongsma and Son Dairy in Orland, CA would certainly agree that Cal Coast is dedicated to meeting the dairyman’s every need. “Lon and his crew got it done and were so easy to work with,” says Jongsma. “We needed the facility done right, done well and fast – they made it happen.”
Jongsma is now milking 1,700 head in the turn-key Cal Coast facility. The operation was built in 2007 and consists of double 24-herringbone free stalls, commodity barn and hay barn. Jongsma had heard of Cal Coast’s work and their reliability, ability to stay on budget and come in on time. “Everything I’d heard told me these were the guys to get the job done and they were.”
Bob Borba of Dairy Central in Hilmar, CA was another dairyman with great expectations. “I asked Cal Coast to build this dairy on a very short deadline, plus I expected big results. Not only did they meet the deadline, they provided top quality work and honored all my requests.”
And Borba had some major requests. His new facility, completed 17 months ago, is a state-of-the-art dairy. It’s the only one of its kind in California, designed to meet every possible environmental need and then some. Borba felt the time had come to be part of the solution and set out to build a dairy that showed how this industry could be the best stewards of our natural resources.
Every aspect of the operation takes into consideration the possible impact it could have on air, water and soil quality. For instance, his waste management system includes a 100 percent mechanical dry scrape. “We don’t use any water to flush our barns,
says Borba. All the systems were designed to not only meet but exceed all known environmental regulations and set the newest standard in commercial dairying.
Borba notes that Cal Coast was instrumental in bringing this model dairy to life. He and the crew worked in partnership to entertain both new, innovative ideas along with the traditional aspects of a working dairy. “We had to figure out how to work smarter to make milk and manage our waste and impact,” recalls Borba. “That meant blending the new with the old.”
So far, the experience has been a success. “The current state of the industry aside, this has been one of our best decisions. The folks at Cal Coast were open and accepting of this idea and together we built the next generation dairy.”
While building custom dairies is Cal Coast’s strength, the company has also served other segments of the industry. In 2007 Max Olvera with Turlock Livestock Auction Yard brought the Cal Coast team on board to help expand the facility. “We began work in winter 2007 and gave them 90 days to essentially build another yard.” Baptistia and his crew were up to the challenge.
In that time, Cal Coast designed and built new ring air gates, a perimeter fence, cattle guards, 42 pens large enough to hold up to 250 head and finish a partially built barn. “We gave them a short time frame, very specific demands and a high standard – they came through for us on all fronts,” notes Olvera.
“More then anything, Cal Coast is ‘Johnny on the Spot.’ They are hardworking, efficient, mindful of a budget and when we need them, they make it happen.”
For more information on Cal Coast, visit www.calcoastinc.com or call 800-732-6826.
Pictures:
Turlock Livestock:
“Cal Coast added essentially another yard to our operation,” notes Max Olvera of Turlock Livestock Auction Yard. “Their craftsmanship and customer service are equally superb.”
Jongsma:
Cal Coast built the entire Henry Jongsma and Son Dairy in Orland, CA in 2007, including turn-key free stall, commodity and hay barns.
Borba:
Every aspect of Dairy Central in Hilmar, CA was built with environmental stewardship and profit maximization in mind. “Cal Coast worked as our partner to blend the old and new ways of dairying,” says Bob Borba, owner of Dairy Central.
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