As energy prices increase so does the initiative to reduce the carbon hoof-print of the dairy industry.

John Worley, an associate professor in the biological and agricultural engineering department, said engineering extension programs have been working to improve energy efficiency in dairies for the past 20 years.

“We have worked with dairies all over Georgia and helped improve their energy efficiency, but there is always room for improvement,” Worley said in a telephone interview Thursday.

Because of his past research in the topic, Worley was asked to be an educational seminar speaker at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., on Saturday.

His presentation, centered on maximizing the benefits of minimized electricity use, discusses both equipment and management techniques to improve a dairy’s efficiency. In a summary of his speech, Worley said farmers generally try to cut back on energy bills during hard economic times, while instead they should make such changes “when times are better and [they] have money to invest in improvements.”

“Dairies use a lot of energy to heat water and cool milk,” he said.

Additional contributions to energy use include vacuum pumps that move milk from the milking parlor to a cooling tank, ventilation and lighting in the barn and parlor.

By using more energy efficient equipment, such as variable-speed vacuum pumps, dairies can save about 50 percent on their energy bill, Worley said.

Worley’s seminar is sponsored by ACME Engineering and Manufacturing Corporation.

Bobby Harris, the national sales manager for the agriculture and horticulture division of ACME, said, though the company does not normally sponsor a speaker, the topic of energy conservation gained their attention.

“[ACME] is very interested in energy conservation and what we can do to promote a green environment,” he said in a telephone interview Thursday. “We’re trying to get the word out.”

Harris said that, though it’s hard to determine specific cost savings, one Florida dairy barn compared its electricity bill using energy efficient systems versus older systems, and it had saved $20,000 a year in electricity. The importance of energy conservation is not just economic, but environmental as well.

“Farmers are concerned,” Harris said. “They’re doing it to save as much money as possible and, in the long run, lower carbon emissions in the air.”

He said some power companies are even giving additional returns for farmers who invest in more efficient ventilation systems. He said a rebate of up to $100 per fan could be granted, comparing this to the “Cash for Clunkers” program.

Worley said the cost of such equipment, even with rebates, is a turn-off to many in the industry.

“It’s important when building the dairy to choose efficient fans in the first place,” he said. “Putting a few more dollars in it can save you a lot of money in the long run.”

He said, though he could not recommend a specific brand, he advises dairy owners to look at independent rating organizations when deciding on equipment to use in their barns.

Harris said it was difficult to rate the energy efficiency of existing dairies, but the main measurement criteria is to determine the standpoint of kilowatt-per-hour of energy used each year.

One of the reasons this determination is difficult, Worley said, was having to evaluate each piece of technology and management technique individually in terms of efficiency.

“A lot more people are interested in it now,” he said. “Farmers in general are concerned about the environment and want to do the right thing.”