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milk but the components and quality too. We aren’t really driven to a fluid market, but for quality, getting that cell count under 100,000 every month while producing really good quality milk with protein and fat as high as we could, but not to the detriment of the cows.” The couple’s goal was to improve on the quality established by Kat’s father in the milking herd by attaining 100,000 or lower cell count each month. They wanted to prove that this goal can be achieved even in older facilities like they purchased. They made the target each month but one since taking the reins with four consecutive years of MMPA’s gold quality award and were twice nominated as finalists for National Dairy Quality Awards. The couple turned to rotational grazing early after buying the farm. Many people said it couldn’t be done. “People said we were mad, pointing their finger into my face and said I was an idiot,” Dave says. “But it is working for us.” The foundations for their rotational grazing experiences were laid in New Zealand and Ireland. Converting that knowledge to a system that works in Michigan’s climate is a continual learning process. Brooke Wilke and Howard Straub III of Kellogg Biological Station have been and continue to be great sources of grazing in-
formation and education along with members of the Grassroots Grazing Group with dairy members from Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. The Mageean’s hosted the group at their farm this summer where members walked the pastures, barns and milking facilities, giving honest feedback and suggestions on what the pair are doing well, and what can be done better. Eventually, the couple will open their financial and production record books to the group, as most group members do. Members critique and ask hard questions, all in the name of continuously paring down expenses and building up profit. It may seem that opening the books to other farmers is akin to walking into town wearing no clothes. Kat and Dave see it differently. “We are really open to change and advice where I think a lot of farmers are not,” Kat said. “We know that real numbers are going to help our business in the long run; it’s important to run our business accurately.” Pasture mixes include orchard grass, ryegrass, clovers, alfalfa, fescue, festulolium, and Italian ryegrass, a high sugar grass. The mix is constantly evolving to achieve the sweet spot between pasture and milk yields. The cows get fresh paddock every twelve hours and may get supplemental feed at different times through the year.
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Holstein Marketplace Sires Seeking Potential New Bulls Brattleboro, Vt.— Holstein Marketplace Sires, which provides a unique avenue for Holstein breeders to market their own genetics, is seeking potential new bulls for their line-up. Under the program, bull owners retain ownership of the bulls, and Holstein Marketplace Sires coordinates marketing and sales. Ideal candidates are genomic tested bulls with strong genetic merit and deep maternal pedigrees. Desired age is around six months. Holstein breeders with interWinter 2020
est in submitting a bull for consideration should email marketplacesires@holstein. com with the bull’s name and registration number by December 15. To see the strong line-up of Holstein Marketplace Sires available today, visit www.holsteinusa.com/marketplacesires. The site features complete pedigree and genetic information with many generations of photos from their maternal lines, and commentary from the bull owners.
“We are really open to change and advice, where I think a lot of farmers are not... it’s important to run our business accurately.”
Deadline for the
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“The mental part is harder than the physical part... You’ve got to keep busy.”
Herd genetics started with the Holsteins already on the farm, a closed herd in excellent health. They are crossing the Holsteins with Jersey, Ayrshire, and Norwegian Red to build a herd with smaller stature, high components and excellent feet and legs that fit into a grazing robotic dairy. Kat maintains her off farm job as a veterinarian to support the family. Their proximity to Ann Arbor opens possibilities for value added enterprises yet to be explored and eventually added to the system. “We have been busy putting the barn and infrastructure together to where we need to be,” Dave said. “The next step is to research where to further ourselves more, but we are a little tired at the moment.” “It will always be a work in progress,” Kat added.
Spring Issue of
Michigan Dairy Cattle News is
Feb. 10, 2021 Michigan Dairy Cattle News 11
