Look inside for the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference & Expo Tab!
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 19, No. 18
November 11, 2017
Moores aim to add value with cheese
Iowa dairy couple opening holiday shop in Maquoketa By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
MAQUOKETA, Iowa – It’s been said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” That’s true for Brandon and Heather Moore of Maquoketa, Iowa. The Jackson County farm couple began milking their rst cows three years ago. But, like many dairy farmers, they have felt the pinch of rather low milk prices. Their necessity was nding a way to add value to the milk from their 50 cows. Their solution was having cheese made from the herd’s milk and marketing it on their own. Heather and Brandon have rented a small storefront in nearby Maquoketa and will sell their cheese at their Moore Family Farms Holiday Shop. The store is scheduled to open Nov. 11. The thought that it would not hurt RON JOHNSON/ DAIRY STAR to make their milk more valuable and Heather Moore and her husband, Brandon, are the owners of Moore Family Farms Cheese of Maquoketa, Iowa. The Turn to MOORES | Page 5 couple uses the milk from their 50-cow herd to produce the cheese products.
Four Cubs Farm suffers barn, parlor re By Brittany Olson
brittany.o@dairystar.com
GRANTSBURG, Wis. – A deluge of love, support and gratitude has helped to cushion the blow in the wake of a devastating loss for the Peterson family. Gary and Cris Peterson, who milk 800 cows at Four Cubs Farm with their son and daughter-in-law, Ben and Nicki, and 18 employees, just east of Grantsburg, Wis., watched their 122-year-old barn and milking parlor burn to the ground as the snow ew on the morning of Nov. 1.
“We do a lot of tours with nursery school students all the way up to adults, and the barn was an iconic piece of those tours because of its history. We had been milking cows in that barn since 1895,” said Nicki. Gary and Cris rst spotted ames coming out of the barn, which quickly spread to the double-16 parallel parlor. Cris rushed in to make sure no one was inside, and if they were, that they were safe. Turn to FOUR CUBS | Page 7
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Scorched silos tower above the wreckage caused by a re at Four Cubs Farm, owned and operated by the Peterson family near Grantsburg, Wis. Their milking parlor and original barn burned down on Nov. 1.
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Amanda Thooft 320-352-6303 amanda.t@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Ron Johnson (608) 874-4243 ron.j@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Brittany Olson (320) 352-6303 brittany.o@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (715) 245-6848 danielle.n@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Jeff Weyer (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-8505 (cell) jeff.w@dairystar.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 megan.s@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
North America dealers. A glance at what’s inside
Dairy Prole brought to you by your
With 2017 coming to an end, Phil Plourd, of Blimling and Associates, detailed how he expects the dairy markets to look in 2018. While the market does not indicate much variance from this past year, there are several factors that continue to inuence dairy demand, including trade, consumer trends and the economy. Plourd expands upon these factors, among others that inuence market price, on pages 12-13 in rst section. During the last week of October, more than 67,000 FFA members and supporters gathered in Indianapolis, Ind., for the 90th National FFA Convention. Among the many FFA By Mark Klaphake members recognized for their success in the organization, Isabella Portner rose to the top with her agriculture prociency Editor for Dairy Production Entrepreneurship. Read about Portner’s FFA project developed from her own dairy herd and see the list of other FFA recognition winners in dairy projects from Dairy Star’s coverage area on pages 3-4 in second section. This year’s Winona County Farm Family of the Year recipient was awarded to two families who run the same farm, but are not related; however, their partnership has turned into a relationship that has made them feel like family. The Thicke and Crowleys have been dairying together since 2003 on their certied organic dairy farm near La Crescent, Minn. Read on pages 2-3 and 5 in third section about receiving the award and how their partnership turned into a larger family-like relationship. The Sobecks spent Halloween day trying to get more of their fall harvest done. It has been the latest harvest the Sobecks have experienced on their dairy near Winona, Minn. Although harvesting was a priority, there were plenty of other dairy chores to do that day, including checking on the 230-cow herd that is milked by robots along with hauling manure. Find out about the rest of the Sobecks’ day in the “A day in the life” feature on pages 16, 18-19 in second section. This is a time of year when many dairy farmers need a bit of extra help on the farm because of the harvest season. Sometimes, that help comes in the form a retired parent. In this issue, we featured parents who have retired from dairy farming, but still help on the farm now run by their children. Read about them and what they do on the farm on pages 6-7 in second section. Along with harvesting, fall also brings hunting season. In this issue’s “From our side of the fence” feature, we talked to dairy farmers who like to sport blaze orange and try to ll a tag. Read about what they hunt, what they enjoy about it and the best animal they have gotten on pages 15-16 in rst section.
Favorite quotes from this issue:
“We do not intend to grow our dairy herd and we don’t see much opportunity to purchase or rent more land. Sharing our lives with guests is a proven way for us to generate farm income with the resources we currently have.” – Margie Weiss (Pages 1415, Second Section)
“Sometimes cows have a curl to the toe on the front. People take the grinder and take the inside wall away to straighten the claw out. This causes permanent damage. If your hoof trimmer puts the grinder between the toes, for me that’s a pink slip.” – Karl Burgi (Page 6, Third Section)
By the Numbers
economic impact a $26K: The single dairy cow has in South Dakota. (Pages 22-23, Second Section)
20 MILLION:
Pounds of agriculture plastic collected last year throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin from Revolution Plastic. (Page 7, First Section)
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 3
It’s all inside...
Children Museum of Eau Claire hosts June Dairy Beth Wells-Leis Month activities
Pages 10 - 11 The “Mielke” Market Weekly Page 12 Hay Markets Pages 14 - 15 Dairying Across America Pages 16, 18 - 19 A day in the life of the Sobecks Pages 22 - 23 Stern pledges to grow state’s industry
Page 30
Foster reigns over Jerseys
Page 37
Bayeld
Douglas
Second Section
Baldwin
Third Section: Pages 12 - 13
First Section: Page 36
Iron
Don Boland
Mount Sterling, Wis.
Burnett
Polk
Barron
Sawyer
Onalaska
Rusk
Wauzeka
The unusual friendship of Mullikin and Henry the grouse
Pierce Lake City, Minn.
Buffalo
Hunting season Pages 38 - 39
Dairy Recipes
Chili, Wis.
THIRD SECTION Page 6 Burgi presents webinar about hoof health Pages 14 - 15 Star Youth: Valerie Sauder Pages 16 - 17 Some Udder Stuff Page 19 - 20, 22 Dairy Calendar Pages 24 - 30 Classieds
Clark
Eau Claire
Pepin
Jason Juers
First Section: Pages 36, 37
Chippewa
Dunn
Dairy Prole: Allen Mayer Page 39
Second Section: Page 20
Price
Taylor St. Croix
Women in Jeans: Mikayla McGee
Progress made in war against mastitis
Ashland
Page 25
Mid-American Hay Auction Results Pages 28 - 29 Crop and weather reports
First Section: Pages 1, 5
Sparta,Pages Wis.14 - 15
Barron
Extension agents visit Tanzania
Four Cubs Farm suffers historic barn, parlor re Nov. 1
Second Section: Pages 32 - 33
Eau Claire
SECOND SECTION Pages 3 - 4
Portner claims national title at FFA convention
Milltown
Keeping calves strong amongst the snow
Trempealeau
Page 30 Ramblings from the Ridge Page 31 Ready or not, here winter comes Page 32 Making Cents of Dairy Page 33 Dairy Good Life Page 34 Veterinary Wisdom
Milltown
n
Our experience with an automated calf feeder
Pages 15-16
ur
Page 29
What do you like about hunting?
hb
Cold weather preparedness for your dairy
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
W as
FIRST SECTION Pages 8-9 Ag Insider Pages 10 - 11 Kerfeld was stationed in Germany with rock ‘n roll legend Pages 18, 20 Top Performers Page 26 FSA News & Notes Page 27 The Transition Pen Page 28
Waunakee
Yahara Pride Farms Field Day focuses on conservation
Jackson
Third Section: Pages 8 - 9, 11
La Crosse Monroe
Worth
Mitchell
Cerro Hancock Gordo
Floyd
Howard
ick
Ch
w
a as
Bremer
Zone 2
Black Hawk
Bu
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
ford
Craw
Dane
Iowa Grant
Fayette
Clayton
n
are
na
a ch
Richland
Allamakee
Winnebago
Winneshiek
Vernon
w ela
D
Linn
Second Section: Pages 34 - 35
Lafayette Dubuque
Jones
Jackson
Monroe
Soft milk prices for 2018
Green Maquoket
Moores aim to add value with cheese First Section: Pages 1,
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
WINTER FIX SALES EVENT
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Hurry in—offers end December 31, 2017. 1Subject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply. Ask an associate for details. 2See your local New Holland dealer for full details and qualifications ©2017 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. CNH Industrial Capital and CNH Industrial Genuine Parts are trademarks in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. Productivity Plus® is licensed or sublicensed to Citibank, N.A. in the United States. MRC
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©2016 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or afÀliates. New Holland Construction and CNH Industrial Genuine Parts are trademarks in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or afÀliates. Any trademarks referred to herein, in association with goods and/or services of companies other than CNH Industrial America LLC, are the property of those respective companies. www.newholland.com/na MRC
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 5
ConƟnued from MOORES | Page 1
BUILDING A BETTER HERD... One Calf At A Time!
Programs and support for every stage...
pocket a larger prot occurred to the couple this past spring. “I think the dairy industry realized that maybe our markets aren’t quite as secure as we thought. We’re kind of looking to the future to make sure we can keep our market,” Heather said. The Moores considered other options. One was enlarging the dairy herd. Another was beginning to merchandize the genetics of their
“I think the dairy industry realized that maybe our markets aren’t quite as secure as we thought.” ȃ HEATHER MOORE, DAIRY FARMER
Turn to MOORES | Page 6
FEED THEM FAMO!
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N FLOO AR
PREVENT YOUR COWS FROM DOING THE SPLITS PRE
R
registered Holsteins. That will happen someday, Heather said. So, they chose a different alternative: making and marketing cheese. To test the nancial waters and keep their investment low, Heather and Brandon decided to not try to make the cheese themselves. Instead, their rst batch was made this past
September at Nordic Creamery in Westby, Wis. The Moores hired their regular milk hauler, Mark Rolfes, of New Vienna, Iowa, to truck 7,300 pounds of the farm’s milk 105 miles to Nordic Creamery. Moore Farm’s cheese will sell for $8 a pound. “I was a little concerned that we were charging too much for our cheese,” said Heather. “But everyone who has wanted to buy it has said that’s not a problem.” Indeed, approximately 200 of the 714 pounds of cheddar had already been sold via preorders before Heather drove to southwest Wisconsin to pick it up. The Moores have promoted their new business and product with Facebook and Instagram. Relatives and friends have signed up to buy the cheese. So have a few grocery stores, such as a Hy-Vee in nearby Dubuque, the Fareway in Maquoketa, and one in Bellevue. There’s also been interest from a winery and a local wine bar. Heather said an order arrived from Colorado for 35 pounds. The Moore’s store, at 204 S.
B
RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR
Heather Moore and her husband, Brandon, are opening a shop on Nov. 11 that will sell their farm’s cheese, along with other items.
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
ConƟnued from MOORES | Page 5
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PHOTO SUBMITTED
This is a sample of the mild cheddar the Moores had made from their farm’s milk.
Main St., Maquoketa, will offer more than cheese. It will also sell cheese curds made by Westby Cooperative Creamery, meat from the Edgewood Locker and pork from Brandon’s father’s farm. He raises Berkshire hogs for Berkwood Farms and will keep the store stocked with ham, bacon and pulled pork. “It’s good meat,” Brandon said. Other foods the Moores will stock include homemade Iowa jerky and honey. From Heather’s home area, Crawford County, Wis., will come handmade soap. Wooden toys made by Heather’s uncle will also be in the shop.
“We’ll see if it goes well. If it does, we’ll keep it. If it doesn’t, it was a good run and we tried.” ȃ HEATHER MOORE, DAIRY FARMER
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Heather and Brandon might add Iowa maple syrup, too. “We’re kind of open to anything,” Heather said. A week before the shop’s opening, the Moores had a long list of work to do. Coolers had just been installed, but a banner for the front of the building was not hung. The display window needed stocking and arranging, and a string of Christmas lights lay on the oor. Heather will divide her time between the shop and the farm, handling most of the twice-daily milkings. Two neighbors will ll in for milking as needed. She will also tackle the shop work, having it open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 31. Along with tending the shop, Heather will deliver the cheese locally. Brandon, meanwhile, has 800 beef cattle to tend to as part of his custom feeding business. He is also a regional sales representative for a feed company.
Heather and Brandon also must make time for their trio of boys. Tucker is 7; Cassidy is 4; and Cooper is 18 months. It’s an exciting time for Heather and Brandon. They said they would like to keep the shop open past Dec. 31, but, that decision hinges on how good business is. “We think it should do really well. It’s across from the movie theater and on the way to Walmart.” Maquoketa is a mere sevenminute drive from the Moores’ 80acre farm. The city of approximately 6,000 has been doing a good job of revitalizing the downtown over the past ve years or so, Heather said. If their edgling cheese business goes well, the Moores might take it a step farther. “I think, to make this really go, we need to have our own processing room,” Brandon said. The processing facility would be right on the farm and would make small batches of cheese plus curds, both from the herd’s milk. Brandon said the expenses of trucking milk away and hauling cheese back would be eliminated. The Holsteins, plus two Brown Swiss that the Moores house for 4-H members, are chugging steadily along. Heather said the farm is producing more milk this year, with 50 cows, than it did last year with 55. The cows hit a daily average of 80 pounds this past spring. In addition, the Moores had 40 cows scored. They averaged Very Good 85, Heather said. “It’s pretty cool,” she said. “We now have more cows over 90 points than under 80. And we have more Very Good cows than Good-Plus.” For now, Brandon and Heather hope to concentrate on the cheese business and the farm. “There’s only so much Brandon and I can do, and we’re almost there,” Heather said. As for Moore Family Farms Holiday Shop, she said, “We’ll see if it goes well. If it does, we’ll keep it. If it doesn’t, it was a good run and we tried.
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 7
ConƟnued from FOUR CUBS | Page 1 “The rst re department arrived within 10 minutes,” Nicki said. “All told, we had seven re departments here working to put the re out, as well as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Burnett County Sheriff’s Department and North Ambulance.” Fortunately, the re was contained in time before it spread to the freestall barn. After working to keep their employees and animals free from harm as the re raged and the crews worked to put it out, another monumental task presented itself. With no place to be milked, 800 cows that were accustomed to being milked three times a day had to nd new homes immediately. The snowy, slushy conditions would make travel treacherous with large semis and trailers as the day went on. “These sweet girls need some help getting to their new homes,” a post on the farm’s Facebook page read. “We have about ve farms lined up but can’t get them out fast enough – they are late for
milking and need water and feed.” Between word of mouth and social media, news coming from the Peterson farm spread and farmers from just down the road to the other side of the state showed up in droves to sort the cows onto trailers and take them to their temporary residences. “There were about 40 haulers, some of whom made multiple trips. We had two semis come from Newton, Wis., which is about ve hours away, and from Minnesota as well,” Nicki said. “Even that night we had truckers calling from Green Bay and Milwaukee to see if there was anything they could do to help.” Nicki estimated that from the time the rst trailer arrived to the nal trailer leaving the Petersons’ driveway it took just seven hours to move 800 cows, a remarkable feat considering the weather, road conditions and the sheer number of cattle needing to be relocated. Seven farms, all located within a
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The double-16 milking parlor was fortunately empty at the Ɵme of the re as cows were between milking shiŌs. All 800 cows were safe and relocated to other farms within a two-hour radius of Grantsburg, Wis.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Petersons – (from leŌ) Ben, Gary and Cris – own and operate Four Cubs Farm, an 800-cow dairy near Grantsburg, Wis. Not pictured is Ben’s wife, Nicki. In this submiƩed photo the Petersons are standing in front of the barn that burned. couple hours of Grantsburg, took the cattle under their barn roofs and will be caring for them for the time being. “The farmers that took the cows were texting and calling that night to let us know that the girls were settling in well and had been milked and fed,” Nicki said. “We all use the same [herd management] software, so we can keep track of how the cows are doing.” There is no question in any of the Petersons’ minds about rebuilding the parlor. As to what type of parlor they’d like to build, they are exploring all of their options. “We’re talking to contractors and guring out how quickly we can rebuild so we can get the cows home as soon as possible and get our 18 employees back to
work,” Nicki said. The events of that day are still surreal. Between the relief that no one – human or bovine – was hurt, the sorrow of losing their barn and parlor, and the tenacity that is pulling them through the transition period, one emotion rises to the surface: gratitude. “The biggest thing that comes to mind is the overwhelming support from friends and strangers between people coming from all over to move cows to strangers dropping off supplies and food,” Nicki said. “We want to thank everyone who brought meals and supplies, the area re departments for containing the re, to those who sorted cows, hauled cows and the farmers who have welcomed the cows into their herd.”
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Difcult decisions to be made Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
There are a lot of asks coming in the upcoming farm bill debate. The dairy and cotton sectors are asking for changes in the farm safety net, while others are seeking more money for trade and research. “We’re going to have to make choices and some of those will be difcult,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway. “Some folks Ag Insider will be disappointed.” Conaway sees four priorities. “All of us have seen the big four things we need to x: cotton, dairy, the ARC-County payment scheme and the foot and mouth disease vaccine bank.” Conaway told reporters he hopes to move the farm bill through the House in late 2017 or early 2018.
Farm bills take a long time House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson have predicted the farm bill could move by early 2018. Texas A&M University Extension economist Joe Outlaw isn’t necessarily that optimistic. “I By Don Wick think they’ll try really hard. Sometimes they try and Columnist things don’t get done as intended. The chairmen on both sides want to get things done, but I also have experience that it takes a long time.” No matter the time frame, money will continue to be the challenge. “Pretty much across the board there will be downsizing, but I do believe cotton will be back in Title I protection, rather than insurance-only. I do believe dairy will get assistance. I think there will be modications of the nutrition title, specically SNAP. I don’t know if there will be signicant cuts, but I do believe there will be added requirements to garner votes from people in Washington.” Outlaw spoke at the Farmer Cooperative Conference in St. Paul.
farmers want legislation prompting the Food and Drug Administration to take action against mislabeled dairy products. “As we see more imitation dairy products on store shelves, we need to make sure they are in compliance with government standards of identity for what you can call a food. These imitation plant-based milks aren’t complying with existing regulations. The government denes milk as a product from a cow or another dairy animal. Therefore, if you’re making milk from nuts, seeds or grains, it doesn’t comply with those regulations.” The other labeling issue being addressed is the proliferation of absence claims, such as no-added hormones or no GMOs. “When there’s a disclaimer that says something doesn’t contain something, there’s something wrong with that or unsafe for the person consuming it and that’s not the case.” The joint NMPF-National Dairy Board-United Dairy Industry Association Convention was held in Anaheim, Calif. Low-fat and fat-free options A bill has been introduced in Congress that would allow schools to offer low-fat and fat-free milk, including avored milk, to students participating in the federal school lunch and breakfast programs. This bill would make permanent the administrative changes proposed earlier this year by USDA. If passed, it would allow school districts to determine which milkfat varieties it offers to their students. The National Milk Producers Federation and International Dairy Foods Association praised the introduction of this bill. Chalmers and Frassetto picked for state USDA Jobs Nearly one year after Donald Trump was elected president, the slate of Farm Service Agency and Rural Development State Directors has been announced. The Wisconsin selections bring experience to the job. Sandra Chalmers will lead the FSA ofce. Chalmers has been the assistant deputy secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and served as an executive ofcer for the Wisconsin FSA ofce. Frank Frassetto was the Wisconsin RD state director from 2001 to 2009 and has been the administrator for trade and consumer protection for WDATCP.
Agriculture monitors guestworker bill With a one-vote margin, the agricultural guestworker bill has passed in the House Judiciary Committee. This legislation would drop the current H-2A temporary visa program and replace it with the H-2C program. The bill moves Strong quarterly income for Land O’Lakes the regulatory oversight of this program from the Labor Department to USDA. For the third quarter, Land O’Lakes reports net earnings of $47.5 million. The American Dairy Coalition supports this bill, saying it helps resolve the That’s up from quarterly earnings of $8.1 million one year ago. The co-op labor shortage facing the dairy industry. reports strong performance in its crop inputs and animal feed divisions and Imitation labeling is not attering Milk is often described as Mother Nature’s perfect food. The industry is taking a stand against imitation dairy products. National Milk Producers Federation Senior Vice President of Communications Chris Galen said dairy
Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8
lower earnings from its dairy foods division. The merger between WinField and United Suppliers was completed in early October. The Land O’Lakes crop protection and seed business combined with United Suppliers two years ago and operate under the WinField United brand name. Cargill to acquire Diamond V Cargill has signed off on an agreement to acquire Diamond V Nutrition. Diamond V is based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and is known for natural and sustainable feed products. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but Cargill expects to close on the sale in early 2018. America’s Dairyland slogan defended Since 1940, the Wisconsin license plates have featured the slogan, “America’s Dairyland.” State Representative Scott Allen, Waukesha, is proposing a redesigned license plate, including the elimination of the slogan. Agriculture groups have voiced their opposition. Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Jim Holte said, “Wisconsin’s dairy
prominence should be celebrated, not eliminated.” Cheese donation made after Florida hurricane The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and the Independent Procurement Alliance Program worked with 17 Wisconsin dairy companies to donate 30,000 pounds of Wisconsin Cheese to Feeding South Florida. The food donation was designed to help those impacted by the recent hurricane. Trivia challenge Mrs. O’Leary’s cow is blamed for the famous Chicago re. That answers our last trivia question. For this week, Brie cheese originated in what country? We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
“It’s very convenient. She orders them and they are shipped directly to me...” What do you like about the DHIA tags? I like that they come printed with a barn number and have an American ID printed on one of the two ear tags. Tell us about the convenience of going through DHIA for your ear tags. It is very convenient. I just tell my Àeld representative the color, number sequence and how many tags I want. She orders them and they are shipped directly to me and I am billed at our next test. Why do you test with DHIA? It provides me with valuable information about our herd. Every month you can evaluate your herd and see what areas may need improvement. What other services provided by DHIA do you use? We do monthly testing and get our ear tags through DHIA.
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By Diane Leukam Staff Writer
ST. ROSA, Minn. – As Veterans Day rolls around each year, it’s natural for veterans to reminisce about their days in the service and Erv Kerfeld, a retired dairy farmer from St. Rosa, is no different. He has an involved set of experiences to remember, but one unique aspect of his military life has been carried with him since he was discharged in 1960. Tucked in his wallet is a worn black and white photo taken in 1959 of himself as a young man, alongside fellow serviceman Elvis Presley. “He was older. He got drafted but I volunteered; I gured I would get drafted anyway,” Kerfeld said. A graduate of the Class of ’57 in Melrose, Minn., Kerfeld had made up his mind to do something before he started farming. He was inducted on Feb. 8, 1958 at the age of 18. “Dad was kind of ticked off when I did that. He said, ‘Do you know what happens in war? It could be eternity,’” Kerfeld said. In July 1958, after training at Fort Hood, DIANE LEUKAM/DAIRY STAR Te x a s , K e r f e l d w a s Erv Kerfeld holds a keepsake book lled with photos and other informaƟon stationed at Ray Barracks in Friedberg, Germany. about his Ɵme spent staƟoned in Germany in 1958. Kerfeld served in the 3rd arThe barracks was used by mored division of the 52nd infantry, where he drove a personnel carrier. Kerfeld the German military for is a reƟred dairy farmer from St. Rosa, Minn. training in the ‘40s. A month later, Elvis was stationed there as well. “I was on guard duty at the back gate the day he got there,” Kerfeld said. “There was a railroad that came to the back part of the barracks and nobody was supposed to know he was coming, but the German girls were all there outside the gate across the railroad tracks. He was already famous.” According to Kerfeld, Elvis could have joined the United Service Organizations (USO) instead of doing the training, but he wanted to do the training like everybody else. During the time the men were both there, the two spoke numerous times while out in the eld for training. DIANE LEUKAM/DAIRY STAR “I thought he was a normal guy. He acted like it Erv Kerfeld carries this photo of him (right) and Elanytime I talked to him,” Kerfeld said. vis Presley in his wallet. It was taken in 1959 when During their time in Germany, he never heard Elvis the two were in the military, staƟoned in Friedberg, sing. Germany. Kerfeld was in the 3rd armored division in the 52nd infantry, while Elvis was in the 32nd tank division. Kerfeld explained that when driving into the barracks, to donate blood again on subsequent trips to Germany. the infantry division went straight down and the armored Rough trip home In January 1960, it was time for Kerfeld and his division made a right turn. In 1959, an open house was held at the barracks so company to return home aboard a troop ship; but unlike the German people were able to come on base and see their July trip over in 1958, the North Atlantic was rough. “When we came back the last ve days on the what was happening. The American military had their Atlantic, it was 35-foot swells day and night. When you equipment available for them to view. “This picture was taken that day,” Kerfeld said. “He went to sleep at night you had to strap yourself in the had his quarter-ton Jeep, and I had my personnel carrier.” bunk, and they were ve high, and you always wanted For entertainment during their time there, each to get the top bunk,” he said. Many of the men suffered from motion sickness. barracks had what was called a day room where the men “When we got back to New York, the ship was had a place to relax and play pool, ping pong, cards or covered with 2 inches of solid ice,” he said. “A lot of the whatever they chose to do. “We did our share of goong around, but we did a guys when they hit the ground they laid down and kissed the ground. They were so happy to get off the ship.” lot of training,” he said. The men then went to Fort Sheraton, Ill., where they Kerfeld found time for another important activity: donating blood to the German Red Cross. Kerfeld were discharged on Jan. 17, 1960. From there, Kerfeld donated several times in 1959, and on one of those ew to the Twin Cities and then took a bus to Melrose. occasions, Elvis was donating blood on the next couch Turn to KERFELD | Page 11 over. Because of that, either would have been eligible
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 11
ConƟnued from KERFELD | Page 10
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Kerfeld is pictured on top of his personnel carrier in 1958 during training in Germany. “I got to Melrose around 4 in the morning and it was 17 below,” he said. “The guy at the hotel wouldn’t let me in even though I had my dress clothes on.” There was a phone booth across the street and he called a taxi from Sauk Centre because they did not have one in Melrose, and because there was no phone on the family farm. He sat in the phone booth and waited. “It wasn’t a good homecoming at the time, not when it was that cold out. You had the clothes for it but even then it was cold,” Kerfeld said. “That’s the way it was.” Back home, the photo with Elvis found its home in Kerfeld’s wallet. “I didn’t follow his life a lot because once we got out I got married in ‘64 and the kids started coming and farming alone, I didn’t have time,” Kerfeld said. Even though he listened to The King’s music, that was about it. Kerfeld and his wife, Jeannette, raised a family of eight sons and one daughter, including Eugene, Glenn, Randy, Michelle, Kenny, Kyle, Keith, Craig and Chad. In 1985, Erv and Jeannette traveled back to Germany with his sister and brother-in-law to visit his nephew who was stationed in Frankfurt. They took the opportunity to go back to Ray Barracks where Kerfeld found a reminder of his time there. “We went to the day room. They had a lot of Elvis’ records that he had donated to that day room,” Kerfeld said.
He and Jeannette always planned to go down to Memphis, but they never got there. Elvis passed away on Aug. 16, 1977, and Kerfeld watched the coverage. Many years later, in 2009, Jeannette passed away. In mourning for his wife of 45 years, one thing that helped him through that period of time was reading. One of the books he read was “Elvis and Me” by Priscilla Presley. “Somebody gave me the book after my wife died, because I did a lot of reading then,” Kerfeld said. When speaking of what he read in the book, the compassion Kerfeld has for his fellow serviceman and feelings of regret at his ultimate demise are evident. “I think he got pushed too hard,” he said. “After they did a show they’d be up all night until early in the morning. Drugs were involved. That’s what a lot of people said, this Colonel Parker was his manager; he kept pushing.” One thing Kerfeld does not regret is his time spent in the military. “In my mind, I think it wouldn’t hurt every young guy to do it, even if it’s six months, to get some training like it was back then. There was no leeway…it has to be [like that] otherwise they wouldn’t stick together like they do.” When Nov. 11 rolls around, no doubt Kerfeld will mull over his time serving his country, and just maybe, he will pull that old photo out of his wallet and think of that time long ago when he stood shoulder to shoulder with the king of rock ‘n roll.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
Dairy forecast looks stagnant
Plourd searches for answers to market trends By Jennifer Coyne
krista.k@dairystar.com
MILBANK, S.D. – The dairy industry has been in a time of low milk prices and a glut of product with demand lessening across the domestic and international markets for nearly two years. As 2017 neared the halfway mark, there was hope this following year would be different. However, as forecasts are Phil Plourd predicting, not Blimling and much is expected Associates to differ in the year ahead. At Valley Queen Factory’s dairy outlook seminar Nov. 1, in Milbank, S.D., Phil Plourd, of Blimling and Associates, reported $1.63 for CME block cheddar this year and an estimated $1.65 per pound next year. In 2018, CME futures for trading are at an average of $1.69. “The cheese outlook is super unexciting, suggesting next year will be a lot like this year, which almost
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Phil Plourd, with Blimling and Associates, explains the current dairy market to farmers at a Valley Queen Cheese Factory meeƟng in Milbank, S.D. Nov. 1.
guarantees that it’s wrong. We usually don’t ever see the same prices year over year,” Plourd said. While futures are forecasted, questions still remain as to what is driving prices and the trends that dairy markets continue to follow. International trends inuence U.S. market Over the last few months, milk production in the European Union (EU) has moved from unchanged year-over-year to an increase of 3
percent, which speaks volumes for the international markets. EU is the largest dairy-producing region – 1.6 times greater than the United States and seven times greater than New Zealand. “So, when [the EU] is up or down 1-2 percent, it’s a pretty big deal to other players on the dairy stage. When they go up 2 percent, compare it to the United States going up 3 percent or New Zealand up 14 percent. Those are big-deal kind of numbers that
continue to inuence the market,” Plourd said. While an increase in milk production was expected at the end of the quota system, the duration of time it has taken for production to stabilize is causing woes in the market. “We’re in year three or four of a seven-year process of rebalancing milk,” Plourd said. “We’re not well insulated for this, so as it ebbs and Turn to FORECAST | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 13
ConĆ&#x;nued from FORECAST | Page 12
ďƒ&#x;ows, it’s going to create a lot of noise in the U.S. market.â€? Possible parallels between domestic markets A decline in milk price has not deterred farmers from expanding and producing more milk over the last year. In 2017, cow numbers reached the highest level in decades with 69,000 more cows accounted for than in 2016. “We have more cows in the system now than ever before,â€? Plourd said. “There have been some tough times making milk, but across the board, we’re running pretty solid and cow power explains a lot of that.â€? Texas is a driving force in national production values, adding nearly 60,000 head. Plourd does not expect milk prices to recoup with more cows. In fact, unless corn prices rise, Plourd ďƒžnds it hard to imagine milk prices getting really high. “On a go-forward basis, it’ hard to imagine a milk price that gets to $18 and stays there for a long period of time without corn being greater than $4,â€? Plourd said. “The challenge is that ethanol became a 5-billion bushel story for corn from 2004 to 2014, and recreating a demand center that large doesn’t happen very easily. The ethanol era is over, so a lot of things have to go right in the dairy world to see $20 milk.â€? Additionally, there continues to be an oversupply of products in the United States and EU. Nearly 300 million pounds of powder are in U.S. storage, with the EU holding onto 800 million pounds. Solutions for market recovery remain unknown In 2017, of the three dairy producing regions across the globe, the United States was the only region with a positive year-over-year change in milk production. This resulted in $1.75 cheese and $2.35 butter, Plourd said. As 2018 is shaping up, all dairy regions are
,OWER COST THAN SORTED SEMEN
expected to produce more. “That’s one of the mental challenges we have to get through – if the best we could do in a bad environment was not great, what are we going to do in a good situation?� Plourd said. However, the U.S. economy suggests dairy demand should be strong. “Stocks have never been higher, gasoline is pretty cheap right now, and unemployment is at 4.2 percent nationally, which is technically full employment meaning people have jobs or access to jobs. We should have a strong demand for dairy products,� Plourd said. But as Plourd pointed out, dairy is not the only
“The world is changing pretty quickly, and how dairy ďƒžts into this is pretty important and I think we’re going to have to work hard to stay relevant.â€? Čƒ PHIL PLOURD, BLIMLING AND ASSOCIATES
market suffering. This downward trend in demand is apparent across the entire food industry. One study indicated a negative year-over-year volume change of the top 18 food companies – from JM Smucker at an 11 percent decline to Danone Wave at negative 2 percent. “What’s going on? What explains that? It’s strange,� Plourd said. Some suggest the way U.S. consumers are eating is changing, with more frequent snacking rather than three large meals throughout the day. Also, more people are working from home, resulting in a decline of lunch purchases. “Lunch is dead. There were 433 million fewer
lunch visits in 2016 than 2015. That’s $2.6 billion lost revenue from businesses and meals that tend to be cheese friendly,â€? said Plourd, citing The Wall Street Journal. To compensate for the lack of lunches, food companies have capitalized on the portion control trend and are offering small dairy packages, as well as partnering with meal-prep services to offer dairy. While these options eliminate food waste, they may not push dairy through the markets in the quantities needed to regain traction. Additionally, online delivery of foods is gaining popularity; but moving perishable products through this avenue is difďƒžcult. “The world is changing pretty quickly, and how dairy ďƒžts into this is pretty important and I think we’re going to have to work hard to stay relevant,â€? Plourd said. In a glimpse of hope, niche foods have gained popularity amongst retailers and consumers. “It’s never been easier to market yourself as a small food business. Distribution might pose an issue, but grocery stores are leaning towards small foods more than they were ďƒžve years ago,â€? Plourd said. “Ultimately, we’re still eating, but how we’re eating, where we’re eating and what we’re eating is different.â€? Will 2018 be a bullish or bearish year? As 2017 nears its end, dairy inventory remains abundant with declining demand, and the EU is ramping up for more production with U.S. production persisting. Likewise, trade and labor continue to be topics of conversation with policy makers in the year ahead – both of which greatly affect the dairy industry. With so many unknowns in the dairy market, it is difďƒžcult to know how 2018 will shape up. “The fact that everyone is so bearish might be the best reason to be bullish,â€? Plourd said.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 15
What do you like about hunting?
Beth Wells-Leis Sparta, Wis. Monroe County 45 registered Holsteins What do you like about hunting? For me it is about the friends and family whom you hunt with, the stories told and the memories made. It is about opportunity to unwind in nature – from the spring thaw, to a summer mushroom hunt and the fall rut. I enjoy being able to be surrounded by it all. What animals do you hunt during the year? In the spring, we hunt turkeys, and I am crazy about mushroom hunting. Morels are everyone’s favorite in early spring. Mid-summer and early fall the woods are abundant. I also hunt other mushrooms, including honey, chicken and hen of the woods, oysters and chanterelles. It is also a good time to see where the deer are pattering and bedding. I enjoy gun deer season. I can hunt from the barn. The gun is readily waiting by the door. Tell us about your most unique hunting experience. I can remember hunting squirrels alongside my siblings and cousins, chasing up and down hillsides, through crisp fall leaves; we would be gone for most of the day hunting but mainly playing and building make-shift forts. It was rewarding when we actually shot a squirrel and took it back to show our parents. Mom and dad milked cows so often we would hunt with our aunts and uncles. Uncle Kebo knew just where to put us so we would see deer. We also have lots of memories at the cabin. One of my most interesting is of snapping turtle trapping. Every summer, my sister and I would drag home from state fair just in time for turtle fest. Our older cousins and extended family had been there for days, setting and baiting traps in hopes for a giant turtle to become entangled. A 30-pound snapping turtle is a scary creature. We would paddle to the middle of the lake in a canoe and pull them up by hand, take them back to the cabin alive, where we would keep as many as 25. They let them lose and watered them down every day. Small children and dogs were not safe. We would then butcher them and make turtle soup. What is one of your favorite hunting traditions? Opening weekend at our family cabin, which is on 80 acres that had been purchased by my grandpa. This is where every opening weekend of my childhood was spent. We ran back and forth to my Grandma’s trailer for treats and goodies while we waited one of our parents to bring back a deer. If it was close to the cabin, we helped drag it back before it was hung by the old pine tree. That night we would have fresh venison, along with hearty sides made by my aunts. This tradition still continues to this day. A new cabin was built to accommodate the aging and growing family. I feel blessed my kids are making these same memories.
Jake Raethke Pepin, Wis. Pepin County 175 cows
Don Boland Mount Sterling, Wis. Crawford County 160 cows
What do you like about hunting? I love spending as much time as I can outside, but also the camaraderie of it all when we get together for a hunt.
What do you like about hunting? I like the peace and quiet, watching the sunrise and seeing the woods come to life.
What animals do you hunt during the year? I mostly hunt pheasants and deer, but sometimes I will still get out duck or turkey hunting.
What animals do you hunt during the year? I hunt white-tailed deer, mostly.
Tell us about your most unique hunting experience. One time I was in the popup blind turkey hunting with my cousin Cody before school, and a bobcat snuck up and jumped up by the window of the blind. I’m not sure if we or the bobcat were more scared when we saw each other, but we all got a good laugh out of it after he ran off. What is one of your favorite hunting traditions? Getting our crew of family and friends together for opening weekend; with that gang we wouldn’t need to see a single deer to have a great time, but sometimes we get a little lucky.
What is your favorite recipe or meal from game you have hunted? Dank Nuggs for the turkey version and venison fry. Venison, loins or any other cut Or wild Turkey, breasts only. Cut meat into one-inch cubes. Roll in our. Fry in butter with seasoning of choice. Our family prefers minced garlic. Simple and easy, enjoy with your favorite steak sauce. Usually not needed, or on a slice of buttered bread, which is simply amazing.
What is your favorite recipe or meal from game you’ve hunted? I had a family friend teach me to sear venison backstraps on the grill with a little marinade; it’s my favorite recipe and I also use it on duck and geese.
What is the best animal you have ever tagged? My junior year in high school was the year I shot the rst and only deer I ever got at home. My dad had seen a group of does and a buck run into standing corn eld. My dad set into the eld with his combine. Row by row the eld became smaller and smaller, and the shooting distance for my trusted 30/30 became longer and longer. Deer began to make a run for it across the wide open. I pulled up my 30/30, said a huge prayer, pulled the trigger and hit him. He fell a few short yards into the corn rows, where I red the nishing shot. It was a nine-point with an 18.5” spread in the middle of a corneld on a farm where there were never deer. Yes, my dad told an epic story of how I shot that buck for a few years.
What is the best animal you’ve ever tagged? The rst time my dog, Ruger, ushed and retrieved two nice roosters by himself. Pheasants are such a beautiful bird and it was cool to see all the work we had put in come together for that hunt.
Tell us about your farm. My husband and I own 160 acres in the hills and valleys of southwest Wisconsin. We call the little unincorporated town of Leon home. There are 40 tillable acres and the others are wooded. The cow yard is the attest area on the farm. Deer and turkeys are abundant. I maintain the milk cow herd, and Gabe has a job off farm as a boilermaker. We have four children: Maddy, Addison, Hadyn and Gage. We enjoy bonres, family and friends, and showing livestock.
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Tell us about your farm. I farm with my dad, Jeff, and two uncles, Chuck and Jon, on top of a bluff just a couple of miles from the Mississippi River. We milk 175 registered Holsteins twice a day with a rolling herd average of 27,000 pounds.
Tell us about your most unique hunting experience. The year before I was legal to hunt – I think I was 11 years old – my uncle took me with him for the hunt. He put me on a stand about 60 yards away from him, with a stick, and told me, “If a deer comes, chase it up the hill to me.” A nice buck almost ran me over; I waved my stick and yelled at him, he ran up the hill; and my uncle shot his rst buck. What is one of your favorite hunting traditions? Our extended family gets together Saturday night to catch up, discuss opening day success and failure, tell stories and lies, and enjoy the antics of some of my crazy, Irish uncles. What is your favorite recipe or meal from game you’ve hunted? Loin chops from a younger animal are hard to beat. I like summer sausage, also. What is the best animal you’ve ever tagged? Probably the nicest deer was a 12-pointer I got two years ago. After a quiet, cold, blustery regular season, the weather got nice midweek during muzzle loader season. I took a pot of coffee, some reading material, and my muzzle loader to my enclosed stand and was enjoying a beautiful, late fall day. Halfway through an article about corn planting populations, I looked up and there he was. So, I shot him. Tell us about your farm. We run a seasonal, grass-based dairy on 280 tillable acres. Turn to FENCE | Page 16
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
ConƟnued from FENCE | Page 15
Jason Juers Lake City, Minn. Wabasha County 100 cows What do you like about hunting? It is peaceful in the woods, and I like being outside. It is also fun to get together with our hunting group, which includes my brother, neighbors and friends from high school. What animals do you hunt during the year? Mostly deer. If I have time, I will hunt coyote. I do both shotgun and muzzle loader. Tell us about your most unique hunting experience. A couple years ago, I was sick during hunting season. My hunting group wanted me to go hunting. Even though I did not want to go, I got my stuff and headed out. They put me on the fence line and I ended up getting a doe. What is one of your favorite hunting traditions? Every opening weekend and sometimes the last weekend, one of the guys in our hunting group and his wife puts together a big lunch for our group. It is a huge feast. There is so much food. It is a fun time to get everyone together and spend time talking. What is your favorite recipe or meal from game you have hunted? When we cut up a deer, we cook the tenderloin at the same time. We season it with lemon pepper and butter. It tastes really good. We usually have the rest of the deer processed by someone locally, where it is made into beef sticks and sausage. Those are good, too. What is the best animal you have ever tagged? It was my rst time hunting when I was 14 years old. I saw a buck. I did not think I would get it, but I shot anyway. I took a lot of shots, but I got him on my last shot. It was a 7-point buck. Tell us about your farm. I farm together with my dad, Bryan, brother, Nate, and nephews, Brandon and Mason, in addition to a few part-time employees we have. Along with our herd of dairy cows, we have 110 beef cows and raise all our steers and heifers, which are housed on four farmsites. We also raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa, oats and peas. This was the rst year we had peas. Since the prices of corn and soybeans were low, we decided to try something different and dedicated land to peas. It was an opportunity to double crop and a place to haul manure so it has more benets than being a cash crop.
Chris Christensen Browerville, Minn. Todd County 40 cows
David Brown Audubon, Minn. Becker County 90 cows
Mike Seppelt Pierz, Minn. Morrison County 40 cows
What do you like about hunting? I like being able to sit in the woods and relax. It is a peaceful time to be there. It does not matter if I do not get any deer.
What do you like about hunting? I enjoy seeing nature. I’d rather watch the deer than shoot one. I just like being in nature.
What do you like about hunting? It’s a time to relax and get away from reality for a few hours.
What animals do you hunt during the year? I only hunt deer; years ago I used to hunt small game.
What animals do you hunt during the year? I hunt raccoons and deer.
Tell us about your most unique hunting experience. It happened just last week on the rst morning of the rst day of deer hunting when my son, Caleb, went out for the rst time and was able to shoot a deer. It was exciting to see him do that; the expression on his face, he was so excited. He did not think he would get one and was surprised when it fell over. It was an 8-point buck. It made him proud. Another unique experience was when Caleb was 7 and he wanted to sit on the deck and use my call. He called and had six deer in the yard, and I was hunting across the 40acre eld. What is one of your favorite hunting traditions? I enjoy preparing for the hunt. That includes putting down the food plots to keep the deer here and making sure I have the right foods to bring them into the area. Then I watch them all summer long. What is your favorite recipe or meal from game you’ve hunted? Summer sausage. We have Steve’s in Browerville do this for us and it is excellent summer sausage. What is the best animal you’ve ever tagged? I have a lot of 10 pointers on the wall. I enjoy hunting for the big bucks. I cannot pick a favorite of the six because they are all nice. I will not shoot anything smaller than an 8-point buck. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Jennifer, helps me full-time on the farm. We have one child, Caleb. We milk in a stanchion barn and have a mix of Jerseys, Guernseys and Holsteins. We plant corn and alfalfa on our 230 acres.
Tell us about your most unique hunting experience. My most unique experience is when I shot an 8-point buck in my third year of hunting. It was the rst day I was able to shoot in the three years I had been hunting. I saw deer but they were either too far away or on other property. He came about 50 yards away, and I shot and dropped it in one shot which was nice because I didn’t have to track. What is one of your favorite hunting traditions? Throughout the summer I like to watch and see where they are moving and what bucks are out there. What is your favorite recipe or meal from game you’ve hunted? My grandma slow cooked the back strap of the 8-point deer and made a bunch of xings with it. It was amazing. What is the best animal you’ve ever tagged? The 8-point buck I shot. It was opener morning, and he walked out of a bunch of trees. I was on the edge of the trees and he walked out to a clearing and I shot. Tell us about your farm. I help my parents, Jay and Anna, and do all the feeding for them. Dad does the milking and we do the eldwork together. We farm 500 acres and plant corn, oats, peas and alfalfa. I also work at the Perham Stockyards in Perham, Minn. on Mondays and any other day I need to work cattle there.
What animals do you hunt during the year? I hunt mainly deer, ducks and pheasants. Tell us about your most unique hunting experience. I wounded a big buck with a bow and arrow and tracked it for two days. Then, I ended up taking an airplane to look for him, but was unsuccessful. A couple days later, someone got it during rie season. It was a 10-point buck that weighed 243 pounds eld dressed. What is one of your favorite hunting traditions? Every year, a good friend and I go out the rst morning and bow hunt. We stay usually are out for three hours. It’s satisfying because it’s the culmination of the work we do to prepare. We do food plots, we trim brush off shooting lanes, we move our portable stands a lot, we spend every Sunday out there during the summer. The reward of sitting out there and relaxing the rst morning is great. What is your favorite recipe or meal from game you’ve hunted? I like to make sausage and venison sticks with about one-third pork. What is the best animal you’ve ever tagged? I shot a nine-point buck in 2014 with my bow and arrow. It came walking in and I ended up hitting it in the spine and dropped it in its tracks. It was the biggest deer I’ve got. Tell us about your farm. I farm with my wife, Brittaney, and we have a 15-month old son, Brett. She is a stayat-home mom. I rent 220 acres of tillable land and plant corn, soybeans and alfalfa. I milk in a tiestall barn and have been milking for over seven years. I love it.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 17
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R A S VER
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(beginning at 8:00 a.m.)
• Keynote speaker, V.J. Smith, with his inspirational talk, “The Richest Man in Town”
• Catch the latest in Current Dairy Economics with Marin Bozic
• Breakout room for Spanish-speaking employees
• Tradeshow with 75 exhibitors
• Tradeshow with over 75 exhibitors • Annual dinner and special 40th Anniversary celebration • Annual Scholarship Auction • Networking continues in the hospitality suites
• Breakout room for new and transitioning farms • Night of networking and fun during the first Bowling Tournament
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
Top Performers
Nutrition plays role in increasing production on Pedley Dairy milking 3X a day for many years.
Keith Pedley Ocheyedan, Iowa Osceola County 300 cows What is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? Our herd averages stand at 31,050 milk, 1,163 butterfat and 946 protein. How many times a day do you milk? If you don’t milk 3X a day, have you tried it in the past? We have been
Do you contract your milk? Has it been successful for you? I have never tried to contract any milk. Describe your housing and milking facility. We have a double-8 parallel milking parlor that we built in 2000. In 2002, we added a 216- by 96-foot barn that has room for 200 freestalls. We bed all of our freestalls with sand.
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
Keith Pedley milks 300 cows near Ocheyedan, Iowa. Pedley credits nutriƟon and acƟvity monitors to increasing milk producƟon.
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
The freestalls at Pedley Dairy are bedded with sand. Their cows are milked three Ɵmes a day and the alleys are scraped twice a day.
What is the composition of your ration? What has been one of your most recent changes that has been successful for you? The TMR for the milking herd is made of corn silage, dry hay, haylage, cottonseed and a grain and protein mix. We haven’t changed our ration much over the past ve
years; we simply tweak it to reect our forage analysis. I have only two rations, one for the milking herd and one for the dry cows. Through the years you’ve been farming what change has created the biggest jump in your herd average? Turn to PEDLEY | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 19
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“...a real plus for milk quality. The investment is minimal...” — Jacob Moes
MODAK DAIRY, The Moes Family, GOODWIN, SD 2100 cows, 96 lbs/cow/day SCC dropped from 280,000 to 178,000 Greg Moes and his wife Julie and son Jacob are pictured by the MoDak Dairy wall that includes photos of employees and previous generations and memorably their son Scott, killed in a car accident a year ago, whose passion for the dairy helped steer its expansion and modernization. Jacob says he was led from construction work back to the 5th generation dairy by his brother’s encouragement and ideas and is glad to have had the chance to work with Scott, as brothers and co-herd managers, before his passing. Ron Visser (above) has served as co-herd manager.
“Our fresh cows are doing better since we started using Udder Comfort™. We calve 200 a month and saw right away the impact on reducing edema. Our goal is 10 applications on every fresh udder. We spray fresh udders 2x/day 5 to 7 days, and use color bands and CMT 2 days a week before removing the bands,” says Ron Visser at MoDak Dairy, Goodwin, South Dakota where 2100 cows are milked on the Moes family’s 5th generation Century Farm.
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“We believe in investing in our cows, and they pay us back with performance,” says Jacob Moes. “The Udder Comfort concept makes sense and investment is minimal, so why not do it? The company helped us in March with their spray gun.
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“Udder Comfort is a real plus for milk quality, the missing piece to all we do for cow comfort. Less than a year ago, SCC was 280,000. We couldn’t budge it. Now it is dropping like a rock to 178,000 and we’re down to 4 hospital cows.”
Call to locate a distributor near you. For external application to the udder only after milking, as an essential component of udder management. Always wash and dry teats thoroughly before milking.
Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
ConƟnued from PEDLEY | Page 18 Our herd average has been going up steadily, and I think that nutrition has played the biggest role in this. About 2.5 years ago, we tted our cows and heifers with collars that track rumination and daily activity. This has enabled us to get them bred on schedule and helps us detect sick animals quickly. Adding headlocks has also helped. When a heifer comes in heat, we no longer have to sort her off and haul her to another barn for breeding. What is your herd health program? We follow the recommended vaccination protocols and make sure every animal is vaccinated. The Worthington Veterinary Clinic comes to our farm
twice a month for herd health checks. We also work with our nutritionist to ensure the cattle are all receiving the proper levels of nutrition. What does your dry cow and transition program consist of? Our dry cows are kept outside on a bedded pack. About two weeks prior to calving, we move the dry cows into a transition pen. After they calve, we put them right in with the rest of the milking herd. I think they have less stress when they can be with their buddies. What role does genetics play in your production level and what is your breeding program? We have never bred
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
Keith Pedley uses the informaƟon gleaned by tracking collars to determine when an animal is ready to be bred and whether or not there are any animals in the herd that are having health issues. About 2.5 years ago, Pedley Ʃed his enƟre herd of 300 cows with collars that track their ruminaƟon and daily acƟvity. for milk; we have always bred for type. When selecting sires, we look for longevity and good legs and udders. We have done some genomic testing and ET work. We will typically use 25-30 different bulls over the course of a year.
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
The dry cows and the older heifers at Pedley Dairy are kept outside on a deep bedding pack. One of Keith Pedley’s goals is to build a barn to house his dry cows and bred heifers.
What type of improvements would you like to make that would increase your rolling herd average even higher? I wish we had a dry cow barn so the dry cows could be kept inside. We have also been told that we need to get our heifers
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a little bigger before they calve for the rst time. What would you say are the three most important factors for you that helped you attain your current herd average? At the top of the list is having a good nutritionist. Next, is having a good veterinarian to help with herd health issues. Last, but not least, is our employees. We couldn’t do it without all of the wonderful people who work for us.
Tell us about your farm. My wife, Barb, and I purchased this farm from my father in 1991. At that time, the dairy operation consisted of 60 cows and 30 heifers. Barb and I have two sons, David and Kyle, who joined the operation after they graduated from college. In addition to helping all around the farm, David and Kyle have a custom manure hauling business. During the fall, they are running pretty much 24 hours a day.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 21
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JD 9560 STS, ‘07, 1375 hrs., 925 sep, #142548.....................................................$129,000 9 JD 9570 STS, ‘08, 1563 hrs., 1084 sep, #115868.....................................................$139,500 6 JD 9650 STS, ‘01, 3720 hrs., 2515 sep, #142385....................................................... $78,500 8 JD 9670 STS, ‘10, 1250 hrs., 940 sep, #142154.....................................................$159,500 6 JD 9760 STS, ‘04, 2642 hrs., 1763 sep, #107702....................................................... $98,900 8 JD 9760 STS, ‘07, 2095 hrs., 1452 sep, #142194.....................................................$115,000 7 JD 9770 STS, ‘09, 2631 hrs., 1931 sep, #124372.....................................................$127,900 10 JD 9770 STS, ‘10, 2427 hrs., 1776 sep, #135046.....................................................$132,900 3 JD 9870 STS, ‘09, 3239 hrs., #134942$139,000 6 JD 9870 STS, ‘09, 2428 hrs., 1677 sep, #141914.....................................................$169,500 6 JD S550, ‘12, 1105 hrs., 720 sep, #134811.....................................................$179,500 6 JD S660, ‘12, 1812 hrs., 1385 sep, #133738.....................................................$175,000 4 JD S660, ‘13, 1607 hrs., 1027 sep, #135180.....................................................$196,000 7 JD S660, ‘15, 850 hrs., 525 sep, #117457.....................................................$259,500 8 JD S660, ‘14, 415 hrs., 261 sep, #142203.....................................................$269,500 8 JD S660, ‘17, 53 hrs., #142206 ............$345,000 1 JD S670, ‘12, 2368 hrs., 1711 sep, #128689.....................................................$159,500 4 JD S670, ‘13, 847 hrs., #134914 .........$227,900 1 JD S670, ‘15, 586 hrs., 366 sep, #124831.....................................................$299,500 3 JD S670, ‘15, 312 hrs., 168 sep, #125750.....................................................$325,000 8 JD S670, ‘17, 29 hrs.,#142208 .............$385,000 9 JD S680, ‘12, 1935 hrs., 1275 sep, #134377.....................................................$224,000 3 JD S680, ‘13, 1162 hrs., 881 sep, #140845.....................................................$265,000 8 JD S680, ‘17, 65 hrs., #142207 ............$425,000 CORN AND ROW CROP HEADERS 10 JD 643,#124401 ........................................ $14,900 5 JD 893, ‘97, #142624............................... $12,900 10 JD 893, ‘98, #138934............................... $16,500 10 JD 893, ‘99, #140414............................... $18,500 4 JD 893, ‘96, #134171............................... $19,000 8 JD 893, ‘06, #142418............................... $20,500 6 Drago 12-30, ‘08, #139217 .................... $29,500 8 JD 606C, ‘13, #132413 ............................ $53,900 2 JD 606C, ‘13, #132993 ............................ $53,900 11 JD 608C, ‘09, #142383 ............................ $42,500 4 JD 608C, ‘10, #142453 ............................ $44,900 7 JD 612C, ‘09, #126839 ............................ $52,900 2 JD 612C, ‘14, #134078 ............................ $85,000 8 JD 612C, ‘16, #134111 ..........................$109,000 7 Fantini 6RN, ‘12, #141882...................... $25,900 1 Geringhoff RD830B, ‘04, #132061....... $18,900 DISKS 3 Case IH 370, ‘14, #137899 ..................... $37,900 10 JD 2620, ‘13, #139728 ............................ $39,500 4 JD 2623 (5), ‘14, #134863 ...................... $41,900 3 JD 2625, ‘15, #141983 ............................ $56,500 1 Krause 8200, ‘13, #131061 .................... $34,900
259,500
11 Summers 9K4727, ‘15, #129015 .......... $79,500 GRAIN CARTS 1 Brent 780, ‘07, #142209 .......................... $21,900 11 Brent 780, ‘04, #141745 .......................... $23,900 5 Parker 838, ‘07, #142664........................ $21,900 3 Unverferth 1015, ‘10, #142393 ............. $32,000 7 Brent 1082, ‘12, #142445 ....................... $36,000 3 Balzer 1550, ‘12, #141992 ..................... $55,000 3 Brent 1594, ‘11, #125547 ....................... $62,900 5 Unverferth 1596, ‘15, #142431 ............. $99,500 RIPPERS 11 JD 510, ‘97, #141007...........................$10,400 5 JD 512, ‘04, #141408...........................$10,900 9 JD 512, ‘00, #141499............................... $13,875 4 JD 2700, ‘02, #133806.........................$14,900 1 JD 2700, ‘04, #140687 ............................ $15,900 6 JD 2700, ‘09, #118932 ............................ $27,900 8 JD 2700, ‘13, #134946.........................$29,500 8 Kuhn 4855, ‘15, #138368 ....................... $59,900 1 Case 530B, ‘01, #141085 ........................ $16,000 8 CIH 730C, ‘11, #135148 .......................... $30,000 ROW CROP TRACTORS 12 Case 2290, ‘81, 130 hp, 4300 hrs., #134161....................................................... $12,900 4 JD 4555, ‘90, 155 hp, 8384 hrs., #140253....................................................... $48,000 10 JD 4955, ‘90, 200 hp, 13645 hrs., #142214....................................................... $34,500 11 JD 4960, ‘93, 200 hp, 10115 hrs., #141012....................................................... $43,900 4 JD 7420, ‘07, 115 hp, 5301 hrs., #134042....................................................... $58,900 7 JD 7810, ‘97, 175 hp, 6783 hrs., #137231 ..................................................... $59,500 5 JD 7830, ‘08, 205 hp, 3332 hrs., #135361.....................................................$114,500 11 JD 7920, ‘03, 170 hp, 4910 hrs., #134912....................................................... $89,500 3 JD 8130, ‘06, 225 hp, 3580 hrs., #141472.....................................................$125,000 7 JD 6140R, ‘13, 140 hp, 2059 hrs., #139642....................................................... $91,900 11 JD 6145R, ‘15, 145 hp, 268 hrs., #120191.....................................................$122,900 8 JD 6150M, ‘14, 150 hp, 1021 hrs., #135969....................................................... $98,500 2 JD 6155R, ‘15, 155 hp, 170 hrs., #134317.....................................................$129,900 4 JD 6155R, ‘16, 155 hp, 75 hrs., #127619.....................................................$157,900 7 JD 6170R, ‘13, 170 hp, 1165 hrs., #139818.....................................................$134,900 8 JD 7210R, ‘15, 210 hp, 445 hrs., #141371.....................................................$169,500 8 JD 7210R, ‘15, 210 hp, 491 hrs., #141370.....................................................$169,500 11 JD 7215R, ‘13, 215 hp, 1639 hrs., #137258.....................................................$135,900 8 JD 7230R, ‘13, 230 hp, 1547 hrs. #140670.....................................................$147,900 4 JD 7230R, ‘15, 230 hp,195 hrs., #125073.....................................................$189,500 6 JD 7430 Premium, ‘10, 3710 hrs., #142442.....................................................$101,000 10 JD 8235R, ‘13, 235 hp, 1715 hrs., #127894.....................................................$149,000
JD S550, $ 2012, 1105 hrs., #134811
179,500
6 8 5 4 8 7 7 8 4 10 11 10 5 4 10 6 4 6 7 3 4 2 10 4 4 5 4 4 4 4 11 10 3
JD 8245R, ‘10, 245 hp, 2077 hrs., #140015.....................................................$136,900 JD 8245R, ‘17, 245 hp, 500 hrs., #142213.....................................................$209,500 JD 8270R, ‘10, 270 hp, 5140 hrs., #140901.....................................................$114,900 JD 8285R, ‘13, 285 hp, 324 hrs., #137303.....................................................$206,000 JD 8295R, ‘17, 295 hp, 440 hrs., #141853.....................................................$239,500 JD 8320R, ‘14, 320 hp, 2305 hrs., #127013.....................................................$219,000 JD 8345R, ‘15, 345 hp, 809 hrs., #136799.....................................................$239,500 JD 8345R, ‘17, 345 hp, 386 hrs. #141850.....................................................$279,500 UTILITY TRACTORS JD 2840, ‘79, 80 hp, #137677 ............... $13,000 JD 6200, ‘97, 89 hp, 9911 hrs., #141979....................................................... $28,600 JD 6400, ‘95, 100 hp, 10700 hrs., #142557....................................................... $27,000 JD 6400, ‘94, 100 hp, 7942 hrs., #129836....................................................... $29,500 JD 6430, ‘08, 115 hp, 1576 hrs., #132066....................................................... $74,900 CIH 115C, ‘14, 115 hp, 425 hrs., #142395....................................................... $63,800 JD 5083E, ‘10, 83 hp, 250 hrs., #140550....................................................... $48,500 JD 5085E, ’16, 85 hp, 241 hrs., #124729....................................................... $51,900 JD 5085M, ‘15 85 hp, 890 hrs., #141995....................................................... $45,500 JD 5100E, ‘16, 100 hp, 99 hrs., #124826....................................................... $54,900 JD 5100M, ‘15, 100 hp, 592 hrs., #118463....................................................... $62,900 JD 5105M, ‘11, 105 hp, 940 hrs., #142381....................................................... $56,000 JD 6105M, ‘14, 105 hp, 396 hrs., #132099....................................................... $71,000 JD 6105R, ‘13, 105 hp, 454 hrs., #135169....................................................... $91,500 JD 6105R, ‘14, 105 hp, 229 hrs., #127952....................................................... $99,000 JD 6110R, ‘15, 110 hp, 104 hrs., #119898....................................................... $99,500 JD 6120R, ‘15, 120 hp, 243 hrs., #124875.....................................................$118,900 JD 6125M, ‘13, 125 hp, 973 hrs., #126547....................................................... $85,900 JD 6125R, ‘13, 125 hp, 600 hrs., #134131.....................................................$103,000 JD 6130M, ‘16, 130 hp, 11 hrs., #127623.....................................................$106,900 JD 6130R, ‘16, 130 hp, 170 hrs., #138428.....................................................$110,000 JD 6135E, ‘15, 135 hp, 298 hrs., #124885....................................................... $71,900 JD 6330 Premium, ‘13, 105 hp, 3716 hrs., #137150....................................................... $72,900 CIH Maxxum 140, ‘14, 140 hp, 914 hrs., #140549....................................................... $78,500 NH T5060, ‘13, 105 hp, 1945 hrs., #140888....................................................... $39,000
JD S670, $ 2012, 2368 hrs., #128689
159,500
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
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Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Kramer Bros. Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United-Suckow Dairy Supply West Union, IA 563-422-5355 Postville, IA 563-864-7417
WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Waunakee, WI 608-849-5043
Mondovi Dairy Systems Inc. Mondovi, WI 715-926-5777 West Salem, WI 608-769-2113 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470 MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA D&D Ag Supply Pennock, MN 320-599-4466
East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Genex Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, MN 605-886-7401 Sioux Falls, SD 800-284-0015 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416
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The cost of soil erosion By Richard Halopka
Clark County UW-Extension
The 2017 growing season was one with many challenges. With talk of El Niño and climate change as a backdrop there was a storm brewing. Mild winter temperatures, then high rainfall, followed by snowfall prevented soils from freezing, which allowed water to inltrate into the soil prole. This is good in a normal year, but for 2017 with record rainfall the stage was set for soil erosion. The intense excessive rainfall this spring combined with saturated subsoils led to runoff of soil sediments and visible eroded elds. From the USDA soil portal, Primental (et al) estimated the cost of soil erosion at $44.39 billion in the US (Science Magazine, 1995). This value includes lost productivity, along with sedimentation and eutrophication of water reservoirs. Crosson (Journal of Environmental Economics, 2007) estimated lost farm income at $100 million dollars per year as a result of soil erosion in the US. In Wisconsin, what is the cost of soil erosion? Francisco Arriaga, UW Soil Scientist, estimated nutrients present in 1 ton of an optimum soil are 2 pounds of nitrogen, 9 pounds of phosphorus, and 31 pounds of potassium. The fertilizer value of these nutrients would total $12.80 per ton. If the average allowable soil loss is 4-5 tons per acre, that value is $51.00 to $64.00 per acre, just in lost nutrients, not including lost future productivity. Farmers, remember when sediments are eroding off your eld it is dollars washing away and it takes many years to replace what is lost in moments. In addition, what is the cost to society? Societal costs are paid by taxpayers to remove sediments from road ditches, lakes, and the ltration of drinking water. This doesn’t include the cost of the growing hypoxia zone in the gulf. What can farmers do to reduce soil erosion? First and foremost soil erosion will not be eliminated. Second, farmers cannot control the climate, but can manage their farms to reduce erosion. Here are a few options to consider: Residue management: Residue on the soil surface and growing plant roots in the soil are a rst line of defense. During planting season try to maintain a 30 percent residue cover after planting. Cover crops following corn silage or grain harvest may t into your soil management plan reducing potential soil erosion and improve soil health. Tillage management: Many soils are over tilled and residues that protect your soil are reduced or eliminated. Today’s equipment is heavier and moves faster across the eld breaking down soil structure and soil aggregates. Soil structure and soil aggregates are important to help reduce soil erosion. Clean tillage, year after year will increase the risk of soil erosion. Crop rotation: In the past, a perennial crop was included in the rotation. Today the rotation is multiple years growing annual crops, without much change in tillage management. Farmers need to consider methods to maintain residues on the surface and/or plant cover crops in the soil. This will reduce rainfall impact on the soil surface. Renew old practices: In the past farms had sod buffers or sod waterways and terraces in place to slow the ow of rain water. Over the years these soil conservation tools may have lled in or were tilled through. It may be time to reestablish the old practices on your farm and assistance is available from your local land conservation and NRCS. Management: Farmers are the manager of the farm. Everything right or wrong will be at their feet. Farm numbers are dwindling and society’s connection and understanding of farm practices is being disconnected. Society tends to favor what they read on the internet rather than what is true. Society’s rst impression of a farm may not be that of a concerned, hardworking farm family trying to conserve our soil, but their view is the farm is not managed properly and allowing soil erosion, thus increasing cost to society. Soil erosion cannot be eliminated. Farmers cannot manage the weather; however farmers have practices available to reduce soil erosion on their farm. Soil erosion has cost both to the farmer and society, short term and long term. Moving forward farmers must remember that if they don’t manage their farm, regulators will manage your farm for you.
An easy keeper Heifer giveaway calf comes from balanced cow family at New Alta Dairy By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
PIPESTONE, Minn. – One lucky youth will be able to bring home a calf this Christmas to start or grow his or her dairy herd. This year’s Dairy Star Great Christmas Heifer Calf Giveaway is Newalta Light My Fire 9945, a Light My Fire daughter born Sept. 16, that comes from Newalta Dairy, which milks 2,300 cows near Pipestone, Minn. The Vander Wal family owns and manages the dairy. John and Berlinda Vander Wal farm together with their daughter and son-inlaw, Alisha and Trevor Ekkel, who have a son, John, 1. Two other daughters – Jenn Landman and her husband, Steve, and their children, Brooklin, 2, and Ryan, 10 months; along with Bernice – work off the farm but still in the dairy industry. Their youngest two children, Amy Jo and Ian, are nishing college and high school, respectively, and help on the farm when they are able. The family moved to Pipestone from Canada in 2005 and started milking 600 cows in their new facility in 2006. While growing their herd, the family bought grade animals, but have been working to register all the calves born on the farm. About 60 percent of the herd is considered to have an 87
percent registered Holstein ancestry. “We’ve always had registered Holsteins,” Alisha said. “We really like the pedigree side of it and keeping track of all their information, and being able to classify them.” Plus, the family likes to show animals during the summer months. The Vander Wals see potential in the young Light My Fire daughter. “She’s just a small calf yet, but so far she looks like she has good type with good stature, and good feet and legs compared to the other calves in the group,” Alisha said. The dam of 9945 is a second lactation Absolute daughter that is scored Very Good-86. “She’s a good milk cow that has a nice square udder and a good rump along with sound feet and legs. Overall she’s a very correct cow,” Alisha said. The September calf’s granddam is an Epic daughter, scored Very Good86. The Vander Wals bought her as an embryo from another Minnesota registered breeder. For her second lactation record, she produced 28,660 pounds of milk in 327 days. “She’s a good strong milk cow with no real faults. The family is not real showy cows, but they’re good milk cows.” Alisha said. The great granddam is a Ramos daughter score Excellent-91 and has a lifetime production record over 200,000 pounds of milk. “There are a lot of good cows behind this calf,” Alisha said. “They breed back well and they do their thing. We don’t notice them because they just t right in.” That follows their breeding
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 23
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
Alisha Ekkel and John Vander Wal (holding Alisha’s son, John Ekkel) show the Light My Fire heifer calf that will be given away in the Great Christmas Giveaway drawing. philosophy at Newalta Dairy. Trevor, who chooses most of the bulls to use, said they breed for a balanced cow without extremes one way or another. Good feet and legs, well-attached udders along with positive components and low somatic cell count are a focus for developing the herd. “If they’re genomic, they have to be over 2.8 for type or I don’t touch them. I don’t chase TPI or net merit,” Trevor said about choosing bulls. Some of the recent bulls Trevor has liked have been Beemer, Brandt, Teddy, Spur and Doorman. He used Light My
Fire because of his good milk and type and low somatic cell score. The bull also has good health traits and has produced daughters that do not have high pins, Trevor said. The Ekkels and Vander Wals are excited for this calf’s future. “She will probably produce well. She may not be a show calf, but she has some potential [to be in the show ring]. She has a well balanced cow family,” Alisha said. “Like her family, she should be an easy keeper. She should t right in anywhere. I think the winner will be happy.”
Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
+
DAIRY ST R
The Great Christmas
G I V E A W A Y
2017
Grand Prize Drawing Will Be Held Thursday, December 14, 2017
THE WINNERS WILL BE POSTED ON WWW.DAIRYSTAR.COM, MILK BREAK NEWSLETTER AND ON FACEBOOK.
Adults register for a Trip for two to Nashville for 3 nights
ADULT GRAND PRIZE
(air and hotel).
(one prize winner from each circulation area)
A WINNER FROM EACH ZONE!
We’ll also add $400 for each winner for a relief milker
17 & UNDER GRAND PRIZE
Grand Prize Heifer Calf: NEWALTA LIGHT MY FIRE 9945 Born: September 16, 2017
Dam: Newalta Absolute Genaven Sire: 250HO12879 Mapel Wood Light My Fire Granddam: Grand Melarry Epic Generosa-ET Grand Priz e comes Fro Calf Newalta D m the Vande airy, rW family of al Pipestone , MN.
2ND PLACE CHILDREN’S PRIZE ZE
Toy Pedal Tractor A WINNER FROM EACH ZONE!
A Alisha Ekkel and John Vander Wal (holding Alisha’s son, J John Ekkel) and the Light My Fire heifer calf that will be g given away in the Great Christmas Giveaway drawing.
Register free at any of the participating businesses for your chance to win!
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 25
REGISTER AT THESE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES:
IOWA
ALLAMAKEE COUNTY • Bodensteiner Implement Waukon • 563-568-3463 • Equity Livestock Waukon • 563-568-4501 • Innovative Ag Services Waukon • 563-568-3455 • Waukon Veterinary Services Waukon • 563-568-2487
BREMER COUNTY
• ViaÀeld Sumner • 563-578-3214
BUCHANAN COUNTY
• Bodensteiner Implement Rowley, IA • 319-938-2222 • ViaÀeld Winthrop • 319-935-3336
CHICKASAW COUNTY
• Ag-Land Equipment New Hampton • 641-394-4226 • Bodensteiner Implement New Hampton • 641-394-3061
CLAYTON COUNTY
• Bodensteiner Implement Elkader • 563-245-2470 • Innovative Ag Services Elkader • 563-245-1230 Monona • 563-539-2001
DELAWARE COUNTY
• Edgewood Feed Mill Edgewood • 563-928-6405 • Manchester Livestock Auction Manchester • 563-927-2540
DUBUQUE COUNTY
• Animal Health International Dyersville • 563-875-7555 • Bodensteiner Implement Dyersville • 563-875-2724 • Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Inc. Epworth • 563-876-3087 • Helle Farm Equipment Dyersville • 563-875-7154 • Innovative Ag Services Cascade • 563-852-7245 Farley • 563-744-3337 • Ungs Shopping Center Luxemburg • 563-853-2455
FAYETTE COUNTY
• Associated Milk Producers Inc. Arlington • 563-933-4521 • Bodensteiner Implement Clermont • 563-423-5206 Oelwein • 319-283-4371 • Unionland Feed and Supply West Union • 563-422-5022 • ViaÀeld Arlington • 563-633-3415 Clermont • 563-423-5293 Elgin • 563-426-5566 Maynard • 563-637-2285
• Brynsaas Sales & Service Decorah • 563-382-4484 • Franzen Sales & Service Fort Atkinson • 563-534-2724 • Langs Dairy Equipment Decorah • 563-382-8722 • NICC Dairy Center Calmar • 866-474-4692, ext. 107
WISCONSIN BARRON COUNTY
• Equity Livestock Barron • 715-537-5618 • Highway 48 Farm Serice, Inc. Rice Lake • 715-234-6788
CHIPPEWA COUNTY
• Associated Milk Producers Inc. Jim Falls • 715-382-4113 • Chippewa Valley Dairy Supply Stanley • 715-644-2350
CLARK COUNTY
• Cloverdale Equipment Curtiss • 715-223-3361 • Equity Livestock Thorp • 608-477-7420 • Horst Stables/Equity Livestock Thorp • 608-477-7420 • Joe’s Refrigeration, Inc. Withee • 715-229-2321 • Midwest Livestock Systems Owen • 715-229-4740
DANE COUNTY
• Argall Dairy Systems, Inc Belleville • 608-424-6110 • Field’s Mt Horeb • 608437-5561 • YES JCB Madison • 888-276-4365
DUNN COUNTY
• Midwest Livestock Ststems Menomonie • 715-235-5144
EAU CLAIRE COUNTY • Equity Livestock Altoona • 715-835-3104
GRANT COUNTY
• Argall Dairy Systems, West Platteville • 608-348-3385 • Bloomington Livestock Exchange Bloomington • 608-994-2020 • Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. Lancaster • 608-723-4634 • Innovative Ag Services Cuba City • 608-744-2287 • Scott Implement Platteville • 608-348-6565
GREEN COUNTY
• Equity Livestock Monroe • 608-328-8344 • Monroe WestfaliaSurge Monroe • 608-325-2772 • Tri-County Dairy Supply Inc. Janesville • 800-822-7662
FLOYD COUNTY
IOWA COUNTY
HOWARD COUNTY
JACKSON COUNTY
JACKSON COUNTY
LA CROSSE COUNTY
• Livestock Systems Charles City • 866-924-5292 • Bodensteiner Implement Cresco • 563-547-2152 • Innovative Ag Services Andrew • 563-672-3228
• Premier Cooperative Mineral Point • 608-987-3100 • W.H. Lien, Inc. Hixton • 715-963-4211
• St. Joseph Equipment LaCrosse • 608-788-1775
JONES COUNTY
LAFAYETTE COUNTY
WINNESHIEK COUNTY
MONROE COUNTY
• Bodensteiner Implement Monticello • 319-465-3515 • Bodensteiner Implement Decorah • 563-382-2961
• Center Hill Veterinary Clinic Darlington • 608-776-4083 • Equity Livestock Sparta • 608-269-3104
• Preston Dairy Equipment Sparta • 608-269-3830 • St. Joseph Equipment Norwalk • 608-823-7434
PEPIN COUNTY
• Anibas Silo & Equipment Durand • 715-285-5317
PIERCE COUNTY
• Western Wisconsin Farm Store Ellsworth • 715-273-5066 • Ag Partners Grange Hall • 715-647-5002
RICHLAND COUNTY
• Advanced Dairy Solutions Richland Center • 608-647-4488 • Equity Livestock Richland Center • 608-647-6151 • Premier Cooperative Richland Center • 608-647-6173 • St. Joseph Equipment Richland Center • 608-647-8804
SAUK COUNTY
• McFarlanes’ Sauk City • 800-627-8569
ST. CROIX COUNTY
• Dairyland Farm Services Woodville • 866-467-4717
TREMPEALEAU COUNTY • Centerville Cooperative Trempealeau • 608-536-3311 • D&D Farm Supply Arcadia 608-323-7001 or 800-657-6955 • Hegg Mill Ettrick • 608-525-4545
VERNON COUNTY
• Premier Cooperative Cashton • 608-654-5416 • Koon Kreek Feeds Coon Valley • 608-452-3838
MINNESOTA DAKOTA COUNTY
• Werner Implement Vermillion • 651-437-4435
GOODHUE COUNTY
• Ag Partners Bellchester • 651-923-4453 Goodhue • 800-732-1439 Wanamingo-Agronomy Location 507-824-2215 • Ag Partners Farm Store Cannon Falls • 507-263-4651 Pine Island • 507-356-8313 Wanamingo 507-824-2231 • GB Feed and Supply Bellechester • 651-923-4425 • Midwest Livestock Systems Pine Island • 507-356-8349
WABASHA COUNTY
• Ag Partners Farm Store Lake City • 651-345-3328 Plainview • 507-534-2531 • Beck Implement Elgin • 507-876-2122 • Dairyland Equipment Service Plainview • 507-534-3161 • Wingert Sales & Service Plainview • 507-534-4386
WINONA COUNTY
• Benson Farm Service Lewiston • 507-523-2188 • Elba Coop Elba • 507-796-6571 • S&S Dairy Systems St. Charles • 507-932-4288
To view a complete list of participating businesses, log on to www.dairystar.com
*Enter as often as you like. One entry per store visit, please. Winners must be 18 years or older and a Grade A or B dairy farmer for heifer, or 17 years or younger and a son or daughter of a Grade A or B dairy farmer for heifer calf. Winners must also live in the Dairy Star circulation area to be eligible and are responsible for transport of animal.
Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
CUSTOM-MADE HUTCHES
By Elrosa Lumber Company
CONTACT ELROSA LUMBER CO. FOR ALL YOUR BUILDING NEEDS... • Calf Hutches • Dairy Barns Standard • Pole Barns 5-stall size • Hog Barns or call for • Remodeling custom • Houses • Decks sizes • Garages
320-697-5591
P.O. Box 140, Elrosa, MN
www.dairystar.com HARMS MFG. LAND ROLLERS
12’ - $6,500 14’ - $7,000 16’ - $7,500 24’ - $14,000 32’ - $16,200 42’ - $19,500 BLACK, GREEN OR RED Other Sizes From 8’-62’ AgDirect Financing Available
715-234-1993 petestrailersales.com
Elections for the 2017 county committee
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee Elections are underway in Stearns County and throughout the state. It is important that every eligible producer participate in these elections because FSA county committees are a link between the agricultural community FSA News & Notes and the USDA. The 2017 election in Stearns County will be conducted for the representative Local Administrative Area (LAA) 3 which includes the townships of Farming, Munson, Eden Lake, St. Martin, Zion, Paynesville, Spring Hill, Lake Henry, Lake By Ryan Brunn George, Crow River, North Fork and Crow Lake. Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. This year, Stearns County has one nominee for the county committee. Dan Olmscheid completed his rst term on the FSA committee and is running for re-election. Dan farms near St. Martin with his wife, Bea. They have three grown children and two granddaughters. They raise corn and soybeans and feed out 150 head of dairy beef. Dan has been on the St. Martin Co-op Board for 20 years. He was an original board member for New Vision Alliance in Albany, which is now Centra Sota Feed and Grain. Currently, Dan is on the Paynesville Mutual Insurance Board serving as the secretary. County committee members are a critical component of FSA operations. Committees should be comprised of members who reect the diversity of producers involved in production agriculture in Stearns County. This means that producers representing underserved groups or communities should be on the committee to speak on behalf of their constituency. Underserved producers are beginning, women and other minority farmers and ranchers and land owners and/or operators who have limited resources. Other minority groups including Native American and Alaska Natives; persons under the poverty level, and persons that have disabilities are also considered underserved. To be eligible to vote in the elections, a person must: Meet requirement one (see explanation below) or meet requirement two, and requirement three (see explanation below). Requirement one: Be of legal voting age and have an interest in a farm or ranch as either: an individual who meets one or more of the following; is eligible to vote in one’s own right, is a partner of a general partnership, is a member of a joint venture or an authorized representative of a legal entity, such as: a corporation, estate, trust, limited partnership or other business enterprise, excluding general partnership and joint ventures; a state, political subdivision of a state or any state agency (only the designated representative may cast a vote for the entity). Requirement two: Not of legal voting age, but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm. Requirement three: Participates or cooperates in an FSA program that is provided by law. County committee election ballots were mailed to eligible voters on Nov. 6. The last day to return completed ballots to the Stearns County USDA service center is Dec. 4, 2017. Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs.
The empty nest stage The Transition Pen
By Laura Scholtz & John Rosenhammer Father/Daughter Farming Duo As I was growing up, holidays were something I looked forward to. A few more days of vacation from school and no homework; that was a small part of it. Stufng myself on everybody’s best home cooking and lling up with a slice or two of apple pie; well, that was another reason. But the real motivation was getting together with all the cousins for a competitive afternoon of sporting activity. Football was usually the rst choice. Coaxing my uncles to join us meant we were in for an afternoon of serious hard-nosed competition. Occasionally the afternoon would be temporarily halted for a pulled muscle, a nose bleed, a few gasps for oxygen or an argument of where out-of-bounds really was. The uncles tended to create the rules as each situation arose, but the joy of having them all out there with us outweighed the setbacks we were dealt. Of course, bragging rights for an entire year were at stake so no one wanted to quit until their team was ahead. With the shorter days, many outcomes were determined past twilight and well into the dark evening hours. Running over Grandma’s ower bed never seemed a big deal, but accidentally tripping over a young apple tree or running into a grown tree was the nal straw, or whistle, to call it a day. As we were raising our family we often heard comments from other parents. “I can’t wait for school to start again.” “It sure will be nice when they are all graduated and out of the house.” It seemed like that day would never come; when all ve of our children would be graduated and out of the house. But that day came for us this past May as Johnny graduated and left for college in September. Patty and I have always looked forward to having all our children around the table and at home with us. We chose to be involved in our children’s lives and they in ours. It was a sad day sending Joe to Canby, Laura to River Falls, Mary and Becca to Brookings and Johnny to Watertown. They each had become such a vital part in our dairy farming operation that we were unsure of surviving without them. So now that we have experienced the empty nest stage, what are our thoughts? For starters, the nest is rarely empty. When Becca moved out Laura came back, and Joey has tried his hand at custom farming and is just two miles from us. Laura met her husband, Chris, and after working in town he also often shows up at the farm. Mary has started a cow calf herd, using our farms facilities and pasture, so she is attached and coming back. Becca has pursued a degree in nursing, and I challenge her to study hard and learn well because some day she may be coming back and taking care of Patty and I. Johnny is getting his associates degree in diesel technology and loves to use his CDL by hauling grain to town on weekends. He is also back. Plus, he enjoys lling his truck with free farm gas to get through the coming week. We did assume that some things may be easier and less stressful with a quieter house. Three whole weeks went by before that changed. A desperate call came from Johnny. “Mom, my stomach hurts. It’s been hurting for three days, and I can’t even sleep at night or even walk across the street for class,” he grieved with constant, unceasing pain. An hour later he had surgery and his appendix was removed. Three hours later Patty went to see him and stayed overnight. The next four days he spent on our living room couch. He seemed concerned over what he was missing out on in Watertown. Rather uncharacteristic of the same young man who was never concerned about perfect attendance his senior year of high school. Two weeks later, Johnny developed the worst sore throat of his
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 27
life, again three hours away. He caught a ride home Friday, got no better over the weekend and entered the clinic Monday morning. After a series of tests, he is diagnosed with mono and spent another week at home on the couch. If this is the empty nest stage, it certainly is not empty or easier. Joe has jumped headrst into the custom work business. This venture is time demanding and seasonal. When people call he must drop everything to accommodate his customer’s wishes. This has created numerous situations where he calls his mother to make a parts, food or bank deposit run. Oh, and can you give me a ride, or pick me up at such and such a time? After all, we always have time since we are empty nesters. This summer we lined a small shed for him so he has a heated shop to x in this winter. The current project is moving a neighbor’s house on to his place for him to live in. He is too busy, but needs a basement built with all the trimmings and before
winter of course. “Dad, I will buy all the materials, but you have time to work on it, don’t you?” Of course, what else would I do? I don’t know if I am qualied, but my price is right. How can one argue with free? To be honest, we are amateurs in this empty nest stage. If the busyness of the last six months is any indicator, life is not going to slow down or be easier. But I think that we should thank God for the gift of family. That we are here to constantly serve others, rather than be served. May our example guide our children so they will look forward to the coming holidays. Whether it be for the food, ballgames, card games or companionship, may we come together in spirit so that the nest never becomes empty. John Rosenhammer farms with his daughter, Laura Scholtz, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and run 580 acres of cropland.
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McFarlane RD4020-RB6, 20 Ft, 19 In Front Blades, Rock Flex, Hyd Leveling, 6 Bar Chopping Basket, 3 Bar Spike Tooth,w/Rear Rolling Basket - $23,500
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
Revolution Plastics launches Recapture Bag Organization improves services with new program By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
SAUK CENTRE, Minn. – Over the last year, Revolution Plastics has taken the agricultural industry of Minnesota and Wisconsin by storm, collecting more than 3 million pounds of agricultural plastics at farms, which is then properly recycled. It has encouraged an alternative, ecofriendly method of disposal rather than the traditional means of burning or throwing it into a landll. On Nov. 6, the recycling group launched a new program, Recapture Bag, which is aimed to provide recycling options for dairy farmers who did not qualify for the dumpsters. The program is in addition to the already 1,400 recycling dumpsters in Minnesota and 4,000 in Wisconsin. “It was a common concern voiced to us that small farms were not able to ll the dumpster more than once or twice a year. So, we started thinking, how do we help everybody?” said Price Murphy, director of operations
“Landlls are taking nearly 2 million pounds less plastic than they used to. People are wanting to, and should be recycling.” ȃ PRICE MURPHY, REVOLUTIONS PLASTIC
for Revolution Plastics. “The bags are not replacing the dumpsters, but allowing every farmer the opportunity to recycle.” The program works by farmers purchasing a bag kit from any of
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Price Murphy, of RevoluƟon PlasƟc, displays the organizaƟon’s newest program, Recapture Bag, during a product launch at Blue Lake PlasƟcs, LLC, in Sauk Centre, Minn., Nov. 8. The Recapture Bag program is available for small livestock producers who do not qualify for the dumpster program.
three vendors – Blue Lake Plastics, LLC, in Sauk Centre, Minn., Jordan Ag Supply in Monroe, Wis., and KSI Supply in Sheboygan Falls, Wis. “We identied three key dealers that are supportive of the current recycling program and supply to a large number of farms in the area,” Murphy said. Each kit contains a roll of ve bags with individual bags designed to hold up to 200 pounds of plastic material. When all ve bags are full, generating 1,000 pounds of ag plastic waste – the equivalent of one dumpster load – the company will collect the bags for proper disposal. For Chris Kerfeld, at Blue Lake Plastics, LLC, he is anticipating this program to be a large success. With 450 bag kits ordered, Kerfeld had 300 claimed at the launch of the new recycling platform.
“The interest is there. … Farmers have just been waiting for the program to get setup,” said Kerfeld, who will sell the kits for around $30. Recycling plastic is becoming more commonplace as landlls are accepting fewer amounts of plastic, Murphy said. “Landlls are taking nearly 2 million pounds less plastic than they used to,” he said. “People are wanting to, and should be, recycling.” Once the dealers have sold out of their initial inventory, there is opportunity to restock for further distribution – for farmers and solid waste companies that farmers may already be working with. “If a farm is outside of our pickup area, we’ve setup centralized locations where the bags can be dropped off and we’ll pick them up,” said Murphy, referring to areas such
as Pine County, Minn. Unlike the dumpsters, which are returned to the farms for reuse, the bag kits are recycled and new kits must be purchased. However, the plastics from the dumpsters, as well as what will be collected from the bags, is made into the bag kits. “We distribute the product and it’s our obligation to get rid of it the right way, and with this program we’re able to bring everything full circle,” Kerfeld said. “[Revolution Plastic] is a great company to work with and we all want it to work out and do the right thing. It’s a win-win for everyone.” Murphy agreed. “We believe we can help everyone,” he said. “The dumpsters are successful and still thriving, and we’re hopeful this will be, too.”
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Our experience with an automated calf feeder
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 29
Maintaining the health and growth of dairy calves is important in their rst months of life. The calf program at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) has focused around group feeding of dairy calves. We have conducted calf studies on the economics of once per day feeding, optimal weaning time, as well as nutritional supplements for growing calves on milk. Recently, we installed an automated calf feeder at our research center to help answer questions that producers have about using these systems and how to effectively raise calves on automated feeders. In this article, I’m sharing our experience with retrotting a barn to add an automated calf feeder into our operation. It was a daunting task, but we made everything work and our calves are doing great. The University of Minnesota WCROC milks 275 cows and raises about 75 heifer calves per calving By Brad Heins season (spring and fall). So far, we will only be able to raise U of M Extension about one-half of our calves on the automated feeder. The remaining calves are housed in groups of 10 in outdoor super hutches and fed six liters of milk once per day. When we started thinking about installing an automated feeder, we were not thinking about the water softener, water heaters, calf pen waterers, etc., that had to be installed as well. At our dairy, we have fed whole milk for years, so we needed a system that could work with our whole milk feeding. We installed a Holm and Laue HL 100 automated calf feeder, with two calf hygiene stations for feeding. One of the hygiene stations has a forefoot calf weigh scale attached to record daily growth of calves. For feeding whole milk, we added a 200-gallon Milk Jug cooling tank from Calf-Star in New Franken, Wis. We also have a Holm and Laue Milk Taxi that can pasteurize milk and transport the milk to the Milk Jug and calf feeder. The biggest reason we went with this brand of automated feeder was because of the cleanliness features. After a calf visits the feeder, the mixing bowl is rinsed with clean water, and the nipple is rinsed with a mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide. We also set our systems to start a wash cycle automatically three times per day. In addition, we change the nipple in the hygiene station once per day for washing. We also have the Holm and Laue CalfGuide system that provides an interface to allow the monitoring of calf milk consumption, drinking rates, number of visits and body weights. We installed our automated feeder in a 60- by 60-foot barn that we retrotted to t the feeder. We have an unconventional system because we wanted our calves to have access to the outdoors even in the winter time. We have two pens in our barn with 15 calves each that will provide for 49 square feet per calf. We also bed with a lot of dry straw to allow calves to burrow into the straw and keep warm in the winter. We may be able to put more calves on each nipple feeding station, but we decided to limit ourselves the rst time we had calves on the feeder. We had already been feeding calves in groups of 10, so it was easy for us to increase the
Example calf from WCROC in the CalfGuide System.
group size number. For ventilation, we installed the FLIP DUCT calf barn ventilation design from Crystal Creek in Spooner, Wis. The design allows us to use the ventilation system during the summer and winter weather. The system will provide 46 cfm per calf in the winter and 109 cfm per calf during the summer, which will allow air volume in the group pens to change at 45 times per hour in the summer. Our calves are being fed eight liters of whole milk per day in two-liter increments. We start them on the feeder at 5 days of age and allow them to drink 6.8 liters per day. They are ramped up to eight liters within 7 days. We also will start weaning the calves off milk starting at 49 days and will wean by 56 days of age. Everything is looking good after having calves on the automated calf feeder. Calves are growing, they are healthy and they look good, and some calves are gaining 2.5 pounds per day. We have not had any health problems or scours in our calves. However, we do have excellent colostrum management, superb hygiene, excellent calf starter quality and consumption, and access to fresh, clean water at all times, which are important to raising healthy calves. In the future, I’ll provide updates on feeding calves with our automated feeder.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The automated calf feeder room at the WCROC has a Milk Taxi, Milk Jug and H&L 100 feeder.
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PHOTO SUBMITTED
These are calf pens and venƟlaƟon systems in the barn at the WCROC. They are fed with an automated feeder.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
* Source: Sexcel field trial data. Results vary by bull
Still need Mom Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
Next month will make it three years since my siblings and I said the nal goodbye to our Mom. We had one thing on our side as I see it: We knew it was coming. It wasn’t the shock of a stroke or an unexpected heart attack; it was cancer, diligently eating away the Mom and Gramma we used to know. We had time to get those last pictures, have her record books for the grandkids, and spend time with her. In the end, did that make it easier? In some ways, yes, in others, no. During the last few months of her life, she wasn’t quite herself. The cancer had metastasized and was in her brain, so some of her behaviors weren’t the real her anymore. When I think about her now, I only think about the Mom we had before we had to share her with that villain cancer. That’s the Mom we need sometimes, for ourselves and our children. I’ve been working on updating the house a bit at the farm: painting, rearranging and making better play spaces for the little ones. I can’t help but think of her
constantly as I putter. How did she keep ahead on the pile-ups of ve children and a farming husband? Why on earth did she layer wallpaper, paint and wallpaper again? Would this color look good here? When did she have time to repaint the living room? When you feel like you’ve made the same meal three times in one month, what meal did you whip up? The most important question that comes to mind – this as I attempt painting in the midst of ve boys running through the house with their volume on high as Cora magically sleeps in her playpen – is, are my children as naughty as I think they are? There have been many days in the recent weeks I wished I could have called her up and asked her to take a wild child or two. My children need that unconditional gramma love she radiated. She would take them on simple adventures. It could be a park, the International Crane Foundation, a walk in the woods or just a day with her at her house. She possessed the patience for
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the endless rounds of show and tell my boys love to perform, which is something, I admit, I do not always have the tolerance for. I mourn to know that Henry and Finley won’t remember, and Cora and Remi (Thomas’ son) will never know what those gramma snuggles felt like. They won’t know rsthand how clever and crazy-fun she was. With- Ramblings from the Ridge out a doubt, the worst part is that they don’t know they are missing out on someone amazing. Ira, Dane and Oliver will mention things they did with Gramma from time to time. Despite the fact that I think they’re ne, that they’re older and they don’t need Gramma coddling, they still do. By Jacqui Davison It’s no different than me Columnist still needing a mom. Everyone needs that energetic, in-your-corner-with-imaginary-pom-poms cheerleader in his or her life. There are times to this day when I’ve accomplished something as small as cleaning out the pantry or as large as getting interviewed by the local television station that I want to call her to tell her all about it. I have gone as far as picking up my phone and thinking I could punch in the numbers and have her ready to listen as fast as I bleated “Ma” into the phone. I wish the boys and Cora still had a “Gramma Day” on every Tuesday, when she would take off work and watch children while I got as much work done as possible at the farm. I can still see the folded laundry piled high on the table, the cardboard box train, and the happy grins on their faces as I walked through the door after a hoof trimming day. Then us sitting down to one of her favorite meals of roast beef with vegetables, which she would smother in butter and cottage cheese. I miss her gardening advice, her innite knowledge of plants and where to place them, not to mention her ambitious fall bulb planting. In all my excitement about painting, I really wish she was here to help with it. She is the rst person I want to show my new sewing accomplishments to, because she would give them the proper appraisal. My children are fast approaching their preteen years, and I have no clue how I’m going to survive the emotional roller coasters to come. Are they naughty? Are they being boys? What am I doing wrong? What am I doing right? No matter the answers to these loaded questions, they are much easier to digest when they come from your mom. There are days that are “Mom Days.” The denition of this varies; it can be a day that I need her, a day where I feel her presence or a day that something pops up that makes me think of her. I know she would be so proud of all we have accomplished with our lives in the past three years; the way the children are maturing into decent humans and the way we are making a difference in other’s lives. Stacy and I like to say we got all of her extra energy when she died; she didn’t need it where she was going, so she left it with us to change the world. We all still need our mom, and undoubtedly, she’s smiling down on the new additions to the family, sending them all of her extra-special, one-of-a-kind gramma love. Jacqui and her family milk 700 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (10), Dane (8), Henry (3) and newborn, Cora, help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little boys, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos-and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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Ready or not, here comes winter
Ready or not, winter is coming. I am not ready and probably never will be. I don’t relish in double-digit snowfall occurrences. I’ve never been downhill skiing, and to my ears, the words “below zero” are complete lth. But, like it or not, I was born in Wisconsin. I could change that location if I chose, but I’m not any bigger on drastic life changes than I am on winter, so I choose to remain in the frozen tundra and tough it out. Please note, toughing it out doesn’t exempt me from complaining, even though it does no good. The beginning of November used to mark a change in the year’s activities for me. I transitioned from eight months of cow shows into four months of hockey mom mode. My son played hockey for 15 years, which might seem ironic considering my aversion to all things winter. Like most things I get involved in, I dive in head rst and become immersed. Hockey was no different. Austin came home from pre-school one day with a note and said, “Mommy, this says I can play hockey!” The note was advertising the Learn to Skate program put on by the park and recreation department and the local By Danielle Nauman youth hockey association. I had no clue what I was getStaff Writer ting in to when I went to the ofce and paid the $25 fee with the idea in mind that the amount was pretty cheap for him to learn to ice skate (something I never learned and never will). And, so it began. We went to the hockey rink to get his equipment the week before the program began. That night, I sat there wondering if I’d ever remember what got strapped on where. That year, we spent an hour every Sunday and Wednesday night from October to February at the rink. I learned a lot, like how tight skates have to be tied, skate guards on ice are no better than blades on concrete, how to tape a hockey stick and that some children (mine) consider plastic mouth guards edible. One of the greatest components to that program was the coaching. The on-ice coaches were members of our high school’s co-op hockey team, the Vipers. Those young men were wonderful coaches, and each played a great role in teaching my son about a whole lot more than skating or hockey. Anyone who has ever entered the world of youth hockey learns quickly about tournaments. Not just traveling to them, but hosting them. Hosting tournaments is a necessary evil for many youth hockey associations to create revenue for keeping the lights on and the ice in. When Austin was still in Learn to Skate, I ran into one of the more seasoned hockey moms at the grocery store one Friday night. She casually asked if I was busy the next day, and if not they could use extra workers at the rink for the tournament that weekend. I arrived at the rink the next morning, guring I’d end up selling hot chocolate in the concession stand. Instead, I was greeted with the question, “Do you know how to run the clock?” My answer was no, but I ended up running the clock anyway. Running the clock is more technical than ipping a switch when a whistle blows. You have to know the referee signals – off-sides, icing and penalties, power plays – and run time. There is always the pressure of forgetting to ip the switch and the mob of parents screaming “Clock!” Besides becoming one of those rare people who could run the clock, I became one of the stalwart parents who were at the rink at 5:30 on a Saturday morning to get ready to open up for the tournament, and my child became a rink rat. The natural evolution was getting drafted onto the youth hockey board. I served six years as the program coordinator, in charge of recruiting not only new players, but new families. I also spent four years as the secretary for our Wisconsin-Minnesota Hockey League. After probably thousands of hours logged, I morphed from being a youth hockey mom into being a high school hockey mom. Then I had four short years left in my hockey mom career. Eventually the nal season came with his senior year. He was the team captain, which made me the parent representative, serving as a liaison between the parents and the coaching staff. When the clock ran down to zero on the nal playoff game that ended Austin’s youth hockey career, I thought I would be sadder than I actually was. I had feared I would have a huge void in my life with nothing to ll the countless hours taken up by hockey games and practices. I was pleasantly surprised to nd that my rst winter without hockey passed quickly. I never went through any symptoms of withdrawal, and I only attended a couple of our high school’s games. I’ve come to realize that an activity like youth hockey is a lot like the dairy industry and agriculture in general. It’s all-consuming, has a lot of nay-sayers, and you certainly aren’t in it for the money or the glamour. Very few kids support their parents by making the NHL, just like very few cows win the big dance for their owners, but it becomes a way of life and embeds deep in your soul. And I’m pretty certain that those involved in either pursuit, like me, learn they would rather live their lives that way, than not.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 31
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I am so frustrated
Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
Tonight, I needed to print off a new calving list it, and thought I would go back to the dairy after for the week. I hit print on the dairy ofce computer writing this article to see if it worked. and out came three sheets of unreadable lines. The I know the employees at the dairy have similar printer had been warning me for weeks to check frustrations every day. I usually hear some of ink levels, but I always those when I arrive early think it’s a scam trying to in the morning. Our herd know the h employees l at the h get you to buy more ink I k manager, Bry, hears before you really need it. dairy have similar frustrations those frustrations all day Well, now it was empty. long, and Joe hears many But no problem, I was every day. also. Some problems are ready with a new bottle overstated and need to be of ink. I poured in the ink ignored, but most are real and hit print and again blank papers came out. So, and make the employees’ jobs more difcult than I thought there had to be a way to prime the new they should be. ink. I searched the priming procedure. Not so easy Let’s go for a walk in the freestall barn. Man because our internet server at the dairy had just passes on each end of every pen, so employees can burned up another connection for the fourth time enter and exit pens easily and safely, good. Gates this year. So, I went to my house to nd how to do with slam latches that work and a backup chain
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latch on every gate, good. Headlocks in every pen to manage cows for breeding, sorting, drying off, hoof trimming, pour on and vaccinations, good. Waterers that are easy to clean, good. Rakes available by all pens to clean back of stalls, not good. We Making Cents of Dairy need to buy some more. Dedicated skid loaders to scrape pens, push up feed and level stalls; yes, but a constant maintenance battle. We are experimenting with a robot feed pusher in one section of the barn, hoping that would free up labor resources and be more consistent at By Dave Vander Kooi pushing up feed. Columnist As we walk from the freestall barn to the holding area, one of the big changes we made this past summer is visible. We installed permanent concrete footbaths with drains, insulated one-inch water ll valves, and pre-calibrated chemical solution valves and tanks. No longer do the employees have to set out the plastic foot baths, string out the water hose, carry buckets of formaldehyde and then manually dump the foot baths at the end of the shift. Now we enter the milking parlor where multiple frustrations can appear. This is where money can be made and lost depending on the attitude of the employees and the cows. It’s also the hardest area to keep perfect because of the 24 hour a day use. I actually let one employee go a few weeks ago because she complained to me and everyone else so much that she turned a pleasant environment into a place nobody wanted to be. And yet, I need to listen to the real complaints employees have. For example, the washing machine for the towels must work, and the backup washing machine for the towels must be ready to work when the rst machine fails, and it will fail. Are all the hand gloves, detergents, teat dips, garbage bags, etc., ready to use and available? Are the employee bathrooms, lockers and kitchen facilities decent? Ours need some upgrades, especially in the lighting department. I value and trust my employees, and try to make their jobs less frustrating on a daily basis, but it works both ways. One of the little things they did drove me crazy. As all dairymen know, milk inspectors require hand soap on all bathroom and milk house sinks. I bought the nice-looking liquid soap dispensers like my wife has in her bathroom at home. Those little soap bottles have disappeared faster than the dollars in a milk check. So, I went to the store and bought cheap bars of Ivory soap and put one on each sink. That was nine weeks ago, and the bars are still there and square. Now I’m headed back to the dairy to prime my printer, and either become more frustrated, or go to sleep with a smile. Dave Vander Kooi operates a 1,200-cow, 3,000 acre farm with his son, Joe, and daughter-in-law, Rita, near Worthington, Minn. Send him feedback at davevkooi@icloud.com. Follow him on Instagram, @ davevanderkooi.
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So much better now
One of the things Auntie Konnie told me every time we talked was that Glen and I needed to nd some help. “You can’t keep working that hard,” she’d say. Or, “What if something happens and you both need to be away from the farm?” She was right. And, Glen and I both knew it. So after Konnie’s funeral, I doubled my efforts to nd someone to help us with chores. I could write a whole book chapter about everyDairy Good Life thing that went into that process. The highlights are that we kept trying, kept a positive attitude and kept an open mind. The result of that process, though, is that we now have someone helping full time with milking and miscellaneous chores as hours allow. The young man we hired is a joy to work with and has quickly learned our systems. To be completely honest, everything seems so much better now. It’s hard to describe the change between feeling stretched to the point of breaking and feeling well staffed for each day’s work. By Sadie Frericks Sure there have been some minor challenges. I Columnist don’t like payroll taxes and all the paperwork that goes along with being an employer. We had to gure out where on our farm we could create an employee break room and bathroom. We’re still adjusting to the new schedule we set up. But those challenges feel especially minor when compared to the benets we are reaping in return. Most importantly, dairy farming is enjoyable again. Instead of feeling like the chores will never end, the workload feels manageable with three of us here. We can delight in all the simple joys of farming – the birth of a special new calf, Daphne painting on the cows with tail paint, the kittens playing in the straw – without feeling like we’re drowning in the work. I also feel like we’re better farmers. We’ve actually had time to catch up on many of the small maintenance and improvement projects that we kept putting off until we had enough time. We’re checking jobs off the “should do” and “could do” lists on a daily basis. The psychological weight of feeling constantly behind is lifting away. Moreover, the pervasive guilt I used to feel is shrinking, too. For the past several years, I’ve struggled with feeling like I’m not enough. If I was in the house helping the kids or cooking or the thousand other things that need to be done inside I would feel guilty for leaving Glen to work alone. Most chores on our farm are easier, take less time, and are more enjoyable when two people work together. If I was in the barn all day (chores could literally take all day), I would feel guilty because it meant supper would be frozen pizza again or the kids might not get to bed on time. I could give a dozen more examples, but what’s important is that I no longer feel guilty about not being in both places at once. If I need to spend extra time in the house, I know that Glen has help outside. On the days when all three of us work together, we end up having enough time for family and fun. We took the kids out to eat one night last week, something we haven’t been able to do in a really long time. Glen went deer hunting this weekend, and our milker and I had morning chores all done by the time he got back. I’ve sat down to play a few songs on the piano more times in the past couple weeks than I have the past couple years. Konnie would be happy to hear about how much better life and farming are going for us. We are happy, too. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 75 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 10, Monika, 7, and Daphne, 4. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
The race always wins
In a recent Runners World article, “The Race Al- one has to work to x only what one can control, and ways Wins,” the author describes his attempts to im- in that way hopefully negate or reduce the negative prove his marathon time and experience. In spite of effects of those factors out of our control. When renumerous changes in strategy, he always falls apart in sults of any controllable process are poor it is almost the last six miles and nishalways due to one of two es feeling miserable. I have things. Either the process is have observed b d that h ffarmers are wrong, or the process is berun quite a few marathons I h ing performed incorrectly. and have had the same ex- no different than the rest of us Alternatively, one could say perience myself. For dairy farms, there when it comes to fixing problems. doing the wrong thing versus doing the thing wrong. are lots of words one could The distinction is important substitute for race in that sentence. For example: The weather always wins. The because doing the wrong thing usually results in conmarket always wins. Pick your own noun. There are sistently poor results, while doing the thing wrong many factors that affect success on a dairy farm that usually results in inconsistent results. In my 36 years of working on dairy farms, I have are completely out of the control of the farmer. There is no point trying to control these factors. Instead, observed that farmers are no different than the rest of
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us when it comes to xing problems. They often tend to see problems as doing the wrong thing and most xes as changing the process. That is why in trying to reduce the herd average somatic cell count, for example, many will purchase Veterinary Wisdom a new teat dip, or different liners, or take-offs or something else, when the real problem is inconsistent udder preparation or other errors in compliance. Or, some will make a variety of changes to the udder preparation process itself. It is almost always easier and quicker to change the process By Jim Bennett than it is to improve comColumnist pliance. This is especially true when employees are performing the process. Managing people seems to be harder for most of us than managing cows. Successful managers often use what I call the tightening the circle strategy to improve results when compliance is the problem. Circling the process means examining all the critical control points and looking for mistakes that escape the circle. Success means xing those mistakes, examining results and then circling around again looking for more mistakes. Fixing mistakes tightens the circle. Next managers examine results, and if still not right, circle again, continuing to tighten the circle. I watched a successful farmer signicantly improve udder health using this process. Yes, there were a variety of changes made in processes, but mostly this manager patiently kept tightening the circle for at least three years to solve the problem. New infection rates went from over 10 percent to 5 or 6 percent; chronic infections went from 16 or 17 percent to 6 or 7, and the herd somatic cell count dropped from 200,000-300,000 to just over 100,000. Even better, results are now consistent from month to month, even through the summer. Fixing the problem took a lot of time and persistence, but it was worth it because the problem was xed instead of inconsistently improved based on luck. Furthermore, the farmer can now move on to more pressing problems because maintaining success means continuing surveillance circling instead of making drastic or expensive changes. The other benet is that xing the problem made everyone’s life easier on the dairy because there are fewer mastitis cows to identify in the parlor, pull out of a string, culture, treat or identify to cull. If this farmer had instead chosen to make subsequent changes to the process it would have caused more work for employees and ultimately more stress since the results would still have been inconsistent. As for my own efforts to improve my marathon experience, I ran the Twin Cities Marathon with my 20-something, very t son at my side. He usually runs a lot, but due to injury he had done little training this summer. He decided to run the race really slow by tagging along with me, just for fun. I saw this a signicant change in strategy, or process, for me because I could use him to help my attitude and keep my pace more consistent. Hopefully I could perform better during the race. It went well until about mile 25.5. At that point I decided to run as hard as I could for the last one-half mile. Unfortunately for me, a marathon is 26.2 miles, not 26, so I found myself suppressing what would be an uncontrollable urge to up chuck about 0.2 miles from the nish. With great effort, I managed to cross the nish line before diverting off to the side of the course to unload. Perhaps the best part was that this was the rst year the Twin Cities Marathon offered a free photo of each runner’s nish. Mine shows my son with arms held high in celebration right under the nish banner, and me with one hand on my stomach, cheeks pushed awkwardly out and desperately heading for the sideline. It is my favorite race photo because it proves that in the end the race always wins. Jim Bennett is a dairy veterinarian at Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center in Plainview, Minn. He and his wife, Pam, have four children. Jim can be reached at bennettnvac@gmail.com with comments or questions.
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 35
The unusual friendship of Mullikin, Henry the grouse By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
WAUZEKA, Wis. – Mike Mullikin has an unusual way of hunting. He hops onto his four-wheeler and drives to the woods at the back of his farm. Once there, he tramps through the brush and hollers, “Henry. Henry, old boy. Where you at?” Sometimes Henry walks in, clucking all the way. Other times, he drifts in on straight wings and drops out of the sky. Sometimes, Henry does not show up at all. Henry is a ruffed grouse. Mullikin, a dairy farmer in southwest Wisconsin’s Crawford County, has been playing hide-and-seek with Henry for four years. The game began in October of 2013. Mullikin was cutting rewood on his 400-acre farm. While driving a tractor, he spied a grouse in the brush. Unlike other grouse, this one did not ush. It simply watched Mullikin drive past. “At rst, I thought he was wounded because he wouldn’t y. And he doesn’t y very often. That’s the thing about him,” Mullikin said. The next day, Mullikin was cutting some of the 50 pickup loads of wood that he goes through each year. As he rested, a grouse showed up again. “Pretty soon here he came walking right up toward me, jumped up on the log I was sitting on, walked right in front of me and right past me,” Mullikin said. “I thought that was pretty odd.” A few days later, the little game bird
RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR
Mike Mullikin has an unusual friend in Henry the ruffed grouse. Mullikin and Henry struck up a friendship four years ago, while the farmer was cu�ng rewood on his dairy near Wauzeka, Wis. met Mullikin again in the same area. “As time went on,” Mullikin said, “I started to look for him. I named him Henry right off the bat.” In the ensuing days, the human-bird relationship evolved. Mullikin would call Henry, and if he was nearby Henry would come to visit. The grouse showed no fear, walking right near Mullikin. One day, Mullikin placed his cap over Henry and caught the bird. “Boy, he didn’t like that,” Mul-
likin said. “But I just kept working with him and got to the point where he’d get on my hand. He used to battle me real bad and peck my hand. Eventually, he calmed right down.” Now, Henry comes when Mullikin calls. The bird walks in, but occasionally takes to the air for his entrance. Once he landed on the all-terrain vehicle Mullikin was driving. With four years to ponder the question, Mullikin is not certain why Henry
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the grouse struck up a relationship with a creature not of its own species. But the farmer does have a theory. “I think he’s lonely,” Mullikin said. “Of course, I don’t know that for sure.” The loneliness theory could be rooted in fact. Mullikin said he has not seen another grouse on the farm since rst encountering Henry. Mullikin said there are not many grouse in his area of the county. “I used to hunt them when I was younger,” said the 64-year-old. “When I was in high school, you could kick up 60 in a day.” Theories vary as to why ruffed grouse are scarce. One notion is species that were not in the area years ago – coyotes, turkeys – are competing with the ruffed grouse. Mullikin said he’s read and heard that grouse favor new growth in the woods. And for new trees to grow, some of the existing trees must be removed to let sunlight reach the ground. Maybe, Mullikin said, that’s why Henry hangs out where rewood is being cut. Another piece of the Henry puzzle is why this particular grouse has managed to live so long. Mullikin thinks Henry hatched in 2012, making him more than 5 years old now. Most grouse do not even come close to Henry’s life span. According to Scott Walter, a wildlife biologist with the Ruffed Grouse Society, for every 1,000 grouse eggs that hatch in the wild, 110 birds would be Turn to MULLIKIN | Page 37
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
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Family: I farm with my dad, Todd, and grandpa, Dean. My mom and sisters are off the farm. My older sister, Anneliese, farms with her husband, Tom, and my younger sister, Eva, is a student at the University of Minnesota. Tell us about your farm. I am the fth generation on our family farm, established in 1912. We raise all of our own youngstock on the farm, as well. What’s the busiest time of day for you? I start at 5 a.m., and the rst hour of the day is usually the busiest. When you get a spare moment what do you do? My husband, Matt, has a Harley so we like to go for motorcycle rides when the weather permits. I also like to go camping. Otherwise, I just enjoy being at home.
Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. I’ve been back on the farm for a few years now, and as I’ve taken over departments and made changes it has been rewarding to see the effects of those changes. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I enjoy working with the cows, as well as the farming community and dairy industry. I also like not having to dress nice for work every day.
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How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I attend a couple of conferences each year not just to network, but to continue my education and keep up with what’s happening in the dairy industry.
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In your opinion, what’s the importance of women in today’s dairy industry and how have you seen that change over the years? Compared to 20 years ago, more women are taking on management roles. Women often have better communication and organization skills, which helps with things such as managing employees. Women just get stuff done. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? Ellen DeGeneres. I can tell she cares about animals, but she advocates for PETA and HSUS, and she needs to see a real farm. Plus, she’s funny.
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What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken? I went to Nashville once and loved it so much that we are going back in December. I especially enjoy the music.
1st Far Farm m Credit Credit Ser Service vices, s, AgSta AgStarr Financ Financial ial Serv Services ices,, Badger Badgerland land Fin Financi ancial al and and Compe Compeer er Finan Financial cial are tra tradema demarks rks of Compe Compeer er Finan Financial cial,, ACA. Com Compeer peer Fin Financi ancial, al, ACA is an an Equal Equal Cred Credit it Oppor Opportuni tunity ty Lende Lenderr and and Equal Equal Oppo Opportun rtunity ity Prov Provider ider. ©2017 ©2017 All righ rights ts reser reserved. ved.
What are some words you like to live by? Be open minded. I’m not always good at it, but I try. Also, be kind and have fun.
(605) 352-7728 • (605) 354-1055 www.brosnanfarms.com
Huron, South Dakota
DID W We are in our third generation of raising and selling alfalfa. I’ve seen a lot T ! U Y S a O bus e’ve KNO OU GE akot Y R of people jump in and out of the hay business... our family has been doing this our ? W? ine be DID OW the LAouth D e s entire lives.We know what it takes to make hay in South Dakota and we know how to n s N f S K o sin in treat a customer. When you buy alfalfa from us either you are 100% satisfied or we’ll make it right. ne in o rs re duce a We a Pro alf Alf
Our goal is to have you for a customer a long, long time. We deliver anywhere in the USA! -Mike & Yvonne Brosnan-
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 37
Con�nued from MULLIKIN | Page 35
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Henry strikes a classic rued grouse pose on a log. alive one year later. After another year, only 60 would be alive. When another year has passed, just 30 of the original grouse would remain. That means wild grouse 4 or 5 years old are rare. What’s not all that rare is Henry’s afďƒžnity for people. Walter said grouse have been known to follow people as they mow their lawns. Another grouse reportedly made a habit of following a bow hunter to his tree stand. Once there, the bird perched on a nearby branch or on the hunter’s shoulder. Like Henry, those birds were males. And, like Henry, they lived in woodlots that had few other grouse in them. Again, like Henry, they seemed to be drawn to the sounds of engines – like Mullikin’s tractor, ATV and chainsaw. It’s thought that the machine noises seem similar to the drumming of other male grouse. Henry does not get any handouts from Mullikin to help him live day to day. Mullikin said he has never fed the bird. “I don’t want him to get dependent on people,â€? he said. But, Mullikin has witnessed Henry’s survival instinct in action. One day when Henry had followed Mullikin into an alfalfa ďƒželd, the bird suddenly lit out for the woods. “I looked up. It seemed like a mile high, but there were predators ďƒ&#x;ying,â€? Mullikin said. Henry has managed to dodge all sorts of dangers. The Mullikin farm is home to bobcats, coyotes, eagles, fox,
RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR
hawks and owls; all of whom would ďƒžnd Henry a tasty hors d’oeuvre. To gauge Henry’s reaction, Mike once ďƒžred a shotgun at blackbirds when the grouse was near. Said Mullikin, “That son of a gun, he took off like a bullet and went into the cornďƒželd. Ten minutes later, he came out.â€? Although Henry has demonstrated his survival skills, Mullikin still worries that a hunter might be the bird’s demise. “We let everybody know that you don’t shoot that bird. No grouse at all,â€? he said. More than 20 people have met Henry in his wood lot hangout. They include Mullikin’s wife, Julie, and many of the Mullikins’ ďƒžve children and 18 grandchildren. Thanks to the time Mullikin has been able to spend with Henry, he has come to appreciate the subtle beauty of the bird. There are the feathers on Henry’s head that make up his crest and the webbing on his feet that keeps him from sinking in soft snow. Mullikin said Henry has also deepened his respect for wildlife. Plus, the bird has emphasized to him the need for wildlife conservation and creating habitat. The farmer understands his relationship with his friend the grouse must end someday. “I know,â€? said Mullikin, “one of these days he’s going to be gone. But now, I just like to go out there and look at the beauty of him.â€?
8600, 2016, 148 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ......$409,500 8100, 2016, 250 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ......$259,000 7780, 2014, 1301 Hrs, RWA .....................$239,000 7580, 2013, 610 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ......$274,900 7950, 2012, 694 Hrs, RWA .......................$274,900 7850, 2008, 1600 Hrs, RWA .....................$179,500 7550, 2012, 1825 Hrs, RWA .....................$205,000 7550, 2010, 1344 Hrs, RWA .....................$209,500 7550, 2008, 1359 Hrs, RWA .....................$189,500 7450, 2009, 1550 Hrs, RWA .....................$189,500 7450, 2010, 2985 Hrs, RWA .....................$139,000 7350, 2008, 2950 Hrs, RWA .....................$149,000 7800, 2007, 1885 Hrs, RWA .....................$159,500 7700, 2007, 1570 Hrs, RWA .....................$169,500 7500, 2005, 2423 Hrs, RWA .....................$135,000 7400, 2004, 2918 Hrs, RWA .....................$124,900 7400, 2005, 1516 Hrs, 2WD .......................$98,000 7300, 2003,3637 Hrs, RWA ........................$79,000 6850, 1999, 3120 Hrs, RWA .......................$79,500 6850, 1998, 3100 Hrs, 2WD .......................$74,500
6710, 1995, 2908 Hrs, RWA .......................$68,500 5830, 1991, 3700 Hrs, RWA .......................$39,900 5730, 1986, 4980 Hrs, RWA .......................$35,900 Claas 970, 2008, 3000 Hrs, RWA ............$175,000 Claas 900, 2005, 2848 Hrs ...................... $115,000 Claas 890, 2002, 2290 Hrs, RWA ............$129,000 All hours listed are “cutter hours�.
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LOOKING TO ADVERTISE? In Northern Wisconsin Call:
Megan Stuessel
608-387-1202 megan.s@dairystar.com
In Southern Wisconsin & Northern Illinois Call: Lori Menke
563-608-6477 lori.m@dairystar.com
RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR
Mullikin starts his ATV as a call signal for Henry. It is believed that male grouse, are a�racted to the sounds of engines.
DAIRY ST R
Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017 • Page 39
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Allen Mayer Chili, Wis. Clark County 130 cows
this. It is a way of life I enjoy. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? Being my own manager. I cannot say boss, because I am not the boss, the cows are the boss. Every day I wake up, I never know what I will nd, good or bad.
How did you get into farming? I started farming right out of high school on our family farm. Harold Christensen helped me buy my rst cows.
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? I would tell other farmers to not listen to every sales person or university study that comes along. That is a good way to waste a lot of money. You need to think for yourself, and listen to the cows. They will tell you what is right and what is or is not working. Just because something looks good on paper does not necessarily mean it works in practice. When the abnormal becomes the normal, then you know you have a problem.
What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? I am concerned about the future of the industry. It does not look good. Over production is a big problem, and I am not against a quota or supply management system. I do not know where this over-supply is going to take us or who can nancially survive it. I am close enough to retirement that I will be OK, but it is not right for the young people who want to get started. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? Anderson sells a stray voltage monitor, which cost about $1,000 when we put it in last year. It has a red light that ashes if there is any issue, and a green light when everything is running OK. Once we installed it, we saw our somatic cell count (SCC) drop from around 400,000 to about 125,000. There are things that can cause
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Allen Mayer milks 130 head of registered Holsteins on his Chili-View Dairy near Chili, Wis. He farms with his son and nephew.
problems that you would never begin to think of. My wife got a new vacuum cleaner in the house and plugged it in, and that set the stray voltage monitor off. We were alerted right away of an issue with our heated waters when we turned them on last winter, too.
What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? Going off rbST has been good for us. I believe that played a role in our SCC dropping so dramatically, along with the stray voltage monitor. The cows are breeding back better, too. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employee(s)? My son and my nephew farm with me, and then we have an Amish man who helps with milking four times a week. We also have Jackson Klueckman, who is a young kid who can do pretty much whatever you need him to do, whenever. We keep a good working relationship by treating everyone decently, joking around and trying to enjoy ourselves. We also try to rotate the not-so-fun jobs around, so no one person has to do them every day.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Chili-View Dairy is located outside the town of Chili in Clark County, Wis.
Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I am not sure I have any special skill that makes dairy farming easier for me. I guess I was just born into
What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? The skidsteers and then the stray voltage monitor. I also like the battery powered tools, being able to use them without cords. Whoever thought that up was pretty smart. What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? I would say surviving has been the biggest accomplishment. What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? In the next year, we plan to continue doing what we are doing, trying to make ends meet. In the next ve years, I am going to be looking at retiring at some point. The question will be if my son wants to continue on. That will be up to him, so that is uncertain right now. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? There is not much time left over after all the work is done. We like to visit family. Our daughter lives in Indianapolis. Our granddaughter is a good softball player and plays on a traveling team. We like being able to see her games. I also like getting to cow shows and sales.
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 11, 2017
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Your Local GEA Milking Equipment Dealer: Advanced Dairy Solutions Richland Center, WI 608-647-4488 • 800-772-4770 Centre Dairy Equipment Sauk Centre, MN 320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697 Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Epworth, IA • 563-876-3087 Fitzgerald, Inc. Elkader, IA • 563-245-2560 Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. Lancaster, WI • 800-887-4634
Hobert Sales, Inc. Cokato, MN • 320-286-6284
Monroe WestfaliaSurge Monroe, WI • 608-325-2772
Leedstone, Inc. Melrose, MN 320-256-3303 • 800-996-3303 Glencoe, MN 320-864-5575 • 877-864-5575
Preston Dairy Equipment, Inc. Sparta, WI • 608-269-3830 • 888-863-0227
Midwest Livestock Systems Menomonie, WI • 715-235-5144 Owen, WI • 715-229-4740 Pine Island, MN • 800-233-8937 Sioux Falls, MN • 800-705-1447 Beatrice, NE • 800-742-5748
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