A 6000-head dairy is now complete near LeMars, Iowa.  The 80-acre site is located approximately seven miles north of LeMars on Highway 75 then 1½ miles east.  Owner, Darin Dykstra, originally from California, was drawn to Iowa to build a dairy to supply milk to Wells Dairy in LeMars.  Dykstra's father currently owns and operates a large dairy in California.  Darin and his family have moved to a farm site across the road from the dairy.

The site includes six 100'x528' barns housing 3000 milking cows.  The Dairy will use sand for bedding the cows.  The sand will be reclaimed and reused.  In addition to being comfortable for the cows, the sand reduces bacteria growth.  The 3000 head cow-calf herd will be raised in open lots.  The facility will utilize an anaerobic lagoon for waste treatment and storage.  The lagoon will reduce odors as well as reduce the acres of cropland needed for manure disposal.

The Dairy will use in excess of 100,000 gallons of fresh water per day supplied by a rural water system and a new on-site well.  The site also features storm water detention ponds, paved roads and a state-of-the-art parlor which will milk cows around the clock.  Sioux Dairy Equipment of Rock Valley, Iowa, is the equipment supplier and general contractor.

Jacobson-Westergard & Associates was involved in this project by writing the documents necessary to obtain the construction permits as required by Iowa DNR.  They also designed  the lagoon system and provided all construction staking.  

Some other livestock operations we have obtained permits for are as follows: