Genesys Energy Systems A New Standard for Ventilation Efficiency

Published on Wed, 09/21/2016 - 2:15pm

It is widely recognized in the dairy industry that greater animal health and animal comfort equates to increased product quality and greater profitability. One of the factors in this equation is the barn itself. By optimizing barn ventilation, animal health and comfort increases and so does the  milk product. That’s where Genesys Energy Systems (www.genesysenergysystems.com) headquartered in Sauk Centre, MN comes in. Genesys Energy Systems offers the complete package – a complete solution for automating the ventilation, curtains, lighting, misters and winter ventilation strategies. For brothers Joe and Jerry Borgerding, owners, Genesys Energy Systems has displayed incredible growth since its beginning three years ago when the brothers combined their electrical and computer technology expertise to design a total ventilation management solution.
According to the brothers, this design “allows dairy producers to now totally control their cattle’s environment with one system. Producers have found that the system has positively improved herd health, has cut energy consumption by up to 70 percent and with a touch screen interface that is easily programmed to customize the entire facility.” Reflecting on the past three years, Joe says, “It has been overwhelming and unbelievable how well the Genesys Livestock Comfort System (LCS) has been received. We spent three years of 

testing and field verification of the LCS. With multiple patents pending for the LCS, we continue to evolve the system for the future of the livestock ventilation industry.”
However, to get to this point, the brothers went into separate careers, after which they combined their talents to design the Livestock Comfort System.

In the beginning

Both Joe and Jerry grew up around dairy cattle. Joe became an electrician and in 2001 began doing the wiring for a lot of dairy farms. “In 2002, I did my first large dairy, wiring it from the ground up. Then in 2003, I got involved in the maintenance and making upgrades to a 1500 head dairy farm. During this time, I began to look at how much energy is required to make these systems work. I could see how much they were using, and I started to think about ways to improve these processes, including ventilation, heating, cooling, how we handle and run manure processes.” However, the upgrades were labor intensive and not a simple solution for the producers to control and adjust.
Meanwhile, Jerry’s road took him into the computer world and computer programming. He became skilled in information technology and managing and processing complex data. “I was building systems, but I was also looking for a change.”
Over the years, Joe and Jerry had talked about their careers and they realized that by partnering and combining their expertise, they could have a huge impact in the livestock industry. Three years ago they did just that and Genesys Energy Systems became reality. Now they specialize in a wide range of applications including livestock ventilation systems, waste handling process controls, thermal energy storage and utilization, intelligent grain handling systems and water conservation and water-energy utilization.
As Joe and Jerry worked together, their goal was to design systems that were user friendly, long lasting and energy efficient. Plus, they can design a system from the ground up and customize it to meet what the producer wants. The system actually controls all environmental conditions inside the facility based on internal as well as compensating for Mother Nature and is controlled through a simple to use touch screen control.
Customer satisfaction and repeat customers are a testament to the quality and service provided at Genesys Energy Systems.

Roerview Dairy

Roerview Dairy located north of Upsala, MN is a family owned dairy started by Roger Roerick and his wife, Diane in 1983. According to Stephen Roerick, he and his older brother, Craig joined their father in partnership in 2009. In November of 2015, they completed construction of a 132’ x 208’ robotic milking barn and worked closely with Genesys Energy Systems throughout the building process planning ventilation. According to Stephen, they have been extremely satisfied with their new facility. “We have the variable speed fan controller and use the EMA system to control the fans, curtains, and the four rows of lights. The system is very user friendly with an IPAD touch screen that is simple to use.”
The Roericks have also found the system to be extremely energy efficient. “We have expanded the size of our herd from 120 head to 180 cows, and even with the increase, our energy costs have remained virtually the same on an annual basis,” says Stephen. Even during the summer months during extreme heat and humidity, the system adjusts for the weather changes which have been a huge benefit for animal health and helping maintain milk production. “Another thing we like about Genesys Energy Systems is that they are constantly performing updates. We have already updated our software three times. Plus, their service is also very good.”

WB Stone Dairy

Anthony Anderson is an example of a customer that has utilized Joe’s expertise several times. “Joe and I go back a lot of years, to when he was working as an electrician. Joe wired and finished the entire job. I knew back then the importance of ventilation, and we worked through lots of things until we got the ventilation just the way I wanted it.”
More recently, Anderson turned to Genesys Energy Systems to design a ventilation system for WB Stone Dairy, which is located near Henning, MN. Currently a 450 head facility, Anderson was working with a barn with little ventilation. “We went with a cross vent system and turned the fans on June 21. I knew what type of environment I wanted for the cows, so we programed the system to maintain a 5 mph speed. It took some time to fine tune the settings, but when it did, the fans only had to work at half speed. Even when it got really hot and humid this summer, the cattle remained cool and comfortable and the milk production continued to increase.” Anderson adds that the system has showed great energy efficiency and the programmable system is very user friendly.    
According to Joe, today’s Genesys system is the result of years and years of tweaking. The bottom line is correct amount of ventilation directly impacts herd vitality. Listed below are the benefits of choosing a Genesys Energy system:
• System efficiency verification test performed on most major fan brands at Bess Labs
• Dramatic monthly cost savings up to 70 percent
• Ability to operate the entire ventilation system while controlling peak power consumption with selectable power levels
• Elimination of burnt belts and broken tensioners through soft starting
• Uniform airflow helps to keep facility surfaces dry year round
• Healthier animals due to year round enhanced environmental control
• Lower peak demand for reduced demand charges and the ability to set the maximum power consumed by your system
• Ability to overdrive fan speed when needed with Genesys Max Powder mode
• Smooth starts extend the life of all components
• Direct drive fan retrofit kits for most major fan brands and models

Automated Fan Speed

• One of the greatest benefits to health and comfort of your animals is the ability to control entire facility’s air movement uniformly

• Creates a uniform airflow throughout the entire facility
• Minimum ventilation above stalls is possible to keep stall surfaces and bed tops dry and air fresh

 

 

Touch Screen Interface

• Allows easy customization for your specific facility
• Real time monitoring showing how the system is performing
• Performance tests allow for quick verification of system performance, power consumption and barn optimization
• Manual override via touch screen, physical potentiometer

 

For producers heading to the 2016 World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI, Genesys Energy Systems will be at booths 678-679 in the Outdoor Trade Mall. This five-day event showcasing dairy cattle will be the perfect place to learn more about how a Genesys system can work in both new and existing buildings.