Jessica and Alexandre: Acing the switch to robotic milking

Dairy farmer Alexandre Bernier can’t say enough good things about Jessica Dallaire. He considers the Nutrinor Coopérative agronomist and ruminant agri-advisor part of the family, saying her support was one of the main reasons his farm was so successful in transitioning to robotic milking.

Located in Normandin, in Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Québec, Alexandre’s farm has 106 Ayrshire dairy cows and 300 hectares of field crops. Alexandre’s parents, Denis and Pascale, are still involved in its daily operations, and his sisters, Karine and Sabrina, work there a few days a week. “Ferme des Mésanges is a family business, through and through!” Alexandre says proudly.

In February 2024, the Berniers made the leap to robotic milking. “My main job was to reassure them,” Jessica laughs. She makes a good point—there’s always an adjustment period when a farm switches to robotic milking, both for the cows and (some would say, especially) for the farmers. “Since this was my first time helping a farm make the transition, I enlisted the help of some specialized colleagues,” she says. “We pooled our expertise and made sure the Berniers knew exactly what they had to do to make it work.”

Jessica was a part of the process from the very beginning. “When we visited other farms to choose a milking robot, she came with us to provide an outside perspective,” says Alexandre.

When the time came to start up the robot, Jessica was there, too. The next day, she was back on the farm. And the next day, and the next. Until she felt that the cows and the farmers were on the right track.

Ever since then, milk production has gone up every week, and butterfat has stayed strong. The farm went from 125 kilograms per day on its last day with tie-stalls to over 135 kilograms per day with robotic milking. “In the first year after switching to robotic milking, most farms have trouble making quota,” says Jessica. “But at Ferme des Mésanges, they’ve been making quota and then some since April. Not bad at all!”

“It’s not every day you get such a smooth transition,” adds Alexandre. “We have our team, and especially Jessica, to thank for that.”

An agri-advisor who answers the call

There’s no two ways about it: for Alexandre and his farm, nothing is more important than family. “That’s why it was so important to me to find a way to make the switch without stressing anyone out,” he says. “And Jessica was there through it all to help me manage the change.”

This summer, on his way out of town for a well-deserved vacation in the US with his wife, Alexandre gave his agri-advisor a call. He was worried about his parents and sisters, who were holding down the fort.

“So, I stopped by to check on the farm,” says Jessica. “I checked the numbers and did a round of the barn. Everything looked great. I checked in with everyone, listened, and reassured them. By the time I left, I could sense that they were all a little calmer and more in control.”

Stories like that show the vital but often invisible role of agri-advisors in the Sollio Agriculture network. “They’re not just advisors, they’re basically therapists,” Alexandre laughs.

Three generations of cooperation

Cooperation has always been big in the Bernier family. Alexandre’s grandfather was deeply involved in his local cooperative. “And my father is the biggest cooperative man you’ll ever meet,” says Alexandre. “He was the administrator of La Coop des deux rives until its very last day, and he’s literally wearing his Nutrinor cap and coat right now!”

Like his father and grandfather before him, Alexandre is glad to be part of our network. “We know that the agri-advisors are working to achieve our goals and are committed to our farm’s success. Just like Jessica.”

When asked to describe his agri-advisor in one word, Alexandre hesitates: “Because she’s so many things! Diligent, hard-working, determined…” Smiling, Jessica adds: “Anyway, I think it’s safe to say that our farmers appreciate us a lot. It’s a privilege to work with families like yours.”

That’s the power of cooperation—farmers and agri-advisors sharing the same pride in their work.