The Great Christmas “GRAND” PRIZE
GIVEAWAY
See pages 24 and 25 of this section for details!
DAIRY ST R
November 14, 2020
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 22, No. 18
A modern-day family farm Ahlgrens install automation to address looming labor concerns By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
DARWIN, Minn. – When Rick and Sarah Ahlgren think of their dairy farm, one word comes to mind: family. In an effort to keep family a focus of the enterprise now and into the future, the couple recently installed robotic milking systems and an automated feeding system on their 160-cow dairy in Meeker County near Darwin. “Originally, this was my dad and I’s idea,” Rick said. “We wanted to keep the family farm without all the constant labor or schedule pressure. This all came about after eight years of touring, dreaming and researching, and we nally pulled the trigger.” The Ahlgrens and their children – Phillip, 13, Matthew, 11, Jacob, 9, Olivia, 7, Henry, 6, and Norah, 4 – use three Lely A5 milking robots, three Discovery 120 Collectors and the Vector Feeding System with a Turn to AHLGRENS | Page 6
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Rick and Sarah Ahlgren talk about how the mixing and feeding robot monitors feed in the bunks Nov. 9 on their dairy near Darwin, Minnesota. The Ahlgrens have been using the automated feeding system since June for their 160-cow herd.
Marine’s happy homecoming
Herdering returns from military to farm with dad By Carol Moorman Staff Writer
FREEPORT, Minn. – A yellow ribbon with “We Love Our Troops” hangs on the front door of Pam and Steve Herderings’ rural Freeport farm house, near a wooden American ag. Inside their dairy barn, Steve and son Luke work together. Sept. 1, 2019, Luke returned to the farm – North Oak Dairy – to work full time after four years in the Marines. When he joined the Marines, he thought he would make the military his permanent career but that changed. “I remembered fondly life on the farm and realized what I missed and the value of the farm,” he said Nov. 3 sitting around the kitchen table with his dad and his sister, Grace. This farm is where Luke’s mom and her siblings were raised, the children of Leo and Grace Eveslage. Pam and Steve pur-
CAROL MOORMAN/DAIRY STAR
The Herderings (from leŌ) – Steve, Pam, Grace, Ashley and Luke – stand inside their freestall barn Nov. 4 near Freeport, Minnesota. Luke returned home Sept. 1, 2019, to work on the farm aŌer four years in the Marines. chased it in 1987 and were married one year later. Back then, they were a 40-sow feeder pig operation with a 52-cow tie-stall barn. In 2002 they built a free-stall barn and in 2006, added a parlor sys-
tem. Today they milk 120 cows with close to 250 cattle on the farm, including young stock. “It’s more efcient,” Luke said, with Steve adding, “Laborwise, one person can milk and one
can move the cows.” While Steve and Pam worked together in the barn and in the eld, their children – Matt, Kristen, Luke and Grace – performed age-appropriate chores.
Luke was around 5 when he started feeding calves, similar to his siblings. “It was a requirement that they get up in the morning and do a little bit before school,” Steve said, with eighth grader Grace adding, “It still is.” The January before Luke graduated from Melrose High School in 2015, he enlisted in the Marines. He recalls telling his dad he was looking into joining the military while they were in the barn milking. “Like with all the kids, we tell them they are not staying on the farm,” Steve said. “You are leaving here and if you want to come back, okay.” Luke left Freeport Aug. 23, 2015, for boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, starting four years of active duty, followed by four years in the Individual Ready Reserve. The 13-week, three-phase boot camp was difcult Luke said, because learning how to be a Marine means a recruit puts themselves in a different mindset. Turn to HERDERING | Page 5
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
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 (ofďƒžce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Krista Kuzma - Editor/Wisconsin (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofďƒžce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofďƒžce) 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 Amanda Hoeďƒ&#x;er (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Julie Barnes (SE WI and Northern IL) julie.b@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Ashley Curry (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-539-7268 • ashley.c@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 ďƒžnal 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 ofďƒžces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
A glance at the other side
It’s that time of year. Dairy Star is once again hosting The Great Christmas Giveaway for dairy farmers and their children in our coverage area. While adults have the opportunity to win one of two $1,000 cash prizes, children ages 17 and under could win a heifer calf. In our Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota circulation area, registrants could win Port-Haven Silvers Jordana, a 2-month-old Brown Swiss heifer calf from the Portner family in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Make sure to enter your name to be eligible. Check out pages 22-25 for more information! Dairy Star likes to provide local stories, which is why we have two versions of the paper. Below are a few highlights from stories you will not ďƒžnd in this paper, but you can ďƒžnd online in zone 2. Find full editions on our website, www.dairystar.com, and click on the e-edition tab under the Dairy Star header. Sippel enjoys growing the giants When applying for a centennial farm award this year, Tony and Terri Kempen were surprised to ďƒžnd out their farm had been in the family for well over a century. The organic dairy farm near Brillion, Wisconsin started out as a chicken/egg operation 129 years ago. Tony’s father converted it to a dairy operation in 1958 and built the ďƒžrst milking parlor in Calumet County. Today, the Kempens milk 60 cows and farm 140 acres. Ehlers shares memories of 45 years on the route Larry Ehlers of Theresa, Wisconsin has been hauling milk since 1975. Braving Chicago rush-hour trafďƒžc, ice storms, snowstorms, and more, Ehlers has made many lifelong friends along the way and even met his wife through the route. This former dairy farmer currently hauls for Schmidt Farms during the week and for Gundrum Trucking on the weekends. Ehlers enjoys the thrill of hauling milk and views the farmers he has met over the years as family. Daniels and Searls looks forward to career after dairy farming Laura Daniels and Jarred Searls will watch their herd of 250 registered Jerseys traverse the sale ring on Nov. 19 during their complete dispersal held at their Heartwood Dairy farm near Cobb, Wis. Daniels and Searls have decided to close this chapter of their life, in preparation for moving onto whatever new challenge might come their way. They take pride at looking at the successes they have achieved in breeding a herd that has met their goals as dairy farmers.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 8-9 First Section
Bon Yankton Homme
Clay
Dickey
Severance Dairy wins North Dakota Dairy Excellence award
Page 22 Second Section
Second Section: Pages 3 - 5
Woodbury
Clay
Ida
Monona
Palo Alto
e Buena Vista
P
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Harrison Shelby
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Pottawattamie Cass
Fre
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Mon
Page
Ames
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mb
Hu
Kanabec
Washington
Worth
Mitchell Howard
Hancock Cerro Gordo
Floyd
Bremer Black Hawk
Grundy un Webster Hamilton Hardin
Greene Guthrie
Boone
Dallas
Polk
ll
ha
Story
rs Ma
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Ch
Wright Franklin Butler
Adair
Tama
Jasper
Fayette
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Benton
De
Jones
Linn
Iowa
Mabel
Clayton
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Bu
Adams Taylor
Madison Warren Marion Mahaska Keokuk
Union R
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old
Clarke
Lucas
Decatur Wayne
Iowa State’s creamery back in business after 51 years Third Section: Pages 6 - 7
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Kossuth
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Ca
Crawford Carroll
n mo
Zone 2
n inso Emmet
Dick
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Mills
Zone 1
Hubbard
O’Brien
Sioux Plymouth
Country Cooking
Wadena
Osceola
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Lyon
Houston
iek
ln
co
Lin
Winona
Fillimore
Mower
ake
Turner
Freeborn
Faribault
Martin
sh
Hutchinson
Jackson
ne
Charles Mix
Nobles
am
Douglas
Gregory
Murray
Rock
Wabasha
Cottonwood Watonwan Blue Earth Waseca Steele Dodge Olmsted
All
Tripp
McCook Minnehaha
Brown
First Section: Pages 22 - 23
Goodhue
Rice
First Section: Page 35
Clinton n Cedar
so
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Jo
Jackson
Women in Dairy: Mary Kuhn
Scott
Muscatine
n
Todd
Ha
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Moody
Nicollet
Monroe Wapello
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Davis
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Mellette
Miner
Lake
Redwood
Dakota
Scott
W in
Aurora
Brule
Sanborn
Brookings
Lyon
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Jerauld
Kingsbury
Carver
Sibley
Portners provide Brown Swiss calf for The Great Christmas Giveaway
Wa s
Lyman
Beadle
McLeod
Renville
Yellow Medicine
Hennepin
Sleepy Eye
iek
Hand
Buffalo
Deuel
Hamlin
Anoka
Wright
Meeker
sh
Jones
Hughes
Clark
Isanti
we
Stanley
Hyde
Kandiyohi
Chippewa
Lac Qui Parle
Codington
Sherburne
ms ey
Spink
Benton
Stearns
Pope
Swift
Grant
Ziebach Sully
Stevens
Ra
Day
Faulk
Potter
Big Stone
Pine
Mille Lacs
Morrison
Douglas
eu r
Edmunds
Todd Grant
Stuber nds milk is not only a food
Carlton
Su
Roberts
Marshall
McPherson
Otter Tail
Hugo
Aitkin
Crow Wing
Le
Dewey
Haakon
Richland
Sargent
Brown Walworth
The “Mielke” Jackson Market Shannon Weekly Bennett
Pages 8 - 9 Second Section
Campbell
Corson
Dickey
McIntosh
First Section: Pages 18, 20
Second Section: Page 14 Cass
Po
Fall River
Ransom
LaMoure
Emmons Sioux
Becker
Clay
Au
Custer
Cass
Itasca
go
Page 33 First Section Pennington
Bames
no
Cook Lake
isa Ch
Lawrence
Stutsman
Genetics, healthy cows drive protability for Schefers Bros. LLC
Koochiching
n
Grant
Adams
Come Full Dairy Meade Circle
Kidder
Logan
Page 32 First Section Butte
Burleigh
Morton
men
Mah
Wilkin
Page 31 First Section
Polk
Trail
Steele
Tra ver se
Stark Veterinary Wisdom Hettinger
Griggs
Norman
Oliver
Making Cents of Dairy Perkins
Harding
Foster
Mercer
Lincoln
Bowman
Wells
Sheridan
First Section: Pages 1, 5
St. Louis
Red Lake
Eddy
McLean
Beltrami
Pennington
Grand Forks
Herdering returns from military to dairy farm with his dad
Lake of the Woods
Marshall
Benson Nelson
Roseau
Pipestone
Slope
Page 30 Dunn First Section
Kittson
Walsh
Ramsey
McHenry
Ward
Pembina
n
Billings Golden Valley
Pierce
Dear County Agent Guy
McKenzie
Cavalier
Towner
Da vi so n
Williams
Rolette
io
Page 27 First Section Mountrail
Bottineau
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
Paynesville
Freeport
Jansen ofciates high school volleyball
bo
First Section: Pages 10 - 12
On the Road Renville with Princess Burke Kay
Divide
Third Section: Pages 3 - 5
Walters named Pope County’s farm family
Un
Page 26 First Section
Danube
du
Blackwelders progress dairy for future generations
Villard
Clearwater
Chokio
FSA News & Notes
on
rs ffe
Je
Van Buren
Louisa
Henry Des
Moines
Lee
Lisbon
Iowa-based company works to make matches Third Section: Page 10
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? First Section: Pages 15 - 16
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 5
ConƟnued from HERDERING | Page 1
“In the Marines you are part of something bigger than yourself,” Luke said. They were not allowed to use pronouns like I, me, we or us. “It’s about gaining that team mindset,” he said. Luke talks about the culmination of boot camp called the Crucible, which takes place over 54 hours and includes food and sleep deprivation and over 45 miles of marching. The nal test was climbing one of the steepest hills in Camp Pendleton, known as the Reaper, carrying an 80-pound backpack. Recruits motivate each other. “It’s all about teamwork,” Luke said. Luke recalls the emotion-lled ceremony on top of the hill as the sun rose, with the Pacic Ocean in front of them. ““The drill instructor hands you the Eagle, Globe and Anchor insignia and says ‘congratulations Marine,’” Luke said. “That’s the rst time you are called a Marine.” Luke trained as a heavy equipment operator. His permanent duty station was Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, with the 8th Engineer Support Battalion. He kept in touch with family, writing what he called “old school letters,” with return letters including the “farm report,” which tugged at his heart. “While I wouldn’t change my time in the Marines for anything in the world, after a few years I knew I didn’t want this to be my career,” he said. “I thought about how it was on the farm and it impacted me when I heard updates from the farm.” While in boot camp, Luke corresponded with Ashley Nathe, who he knew in high school, and they had their rst date Dec. 30, 2015, when he returned home on leave. They were married during a civil ceremony Feb. 8, 2018, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, with a church ceremony Feb. 9, 2019, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Spring Hill. Luke wore his dress blues and a few
CAROL MOORMAN/DAIRY STAR
This 215-foot-long ag bag with the words “Land of the free because of the brave” pays tribute to the military and law enforcement and is located just south of Steve and Pam Herdering’s dairy farm near Freeport, Minnesota. of his close friends, family and Marine buddies were groomsmen. While home on leave, Pam and Steve told Luke they were looking for a successor to their farm. He said he wanted to come back and work on the farm for at least one year, gauging if he would be that successor. “It was a ood of emotions,” Steve said. “You’re happy. You’re apprehensive.” Steve said at the time, from 2015 to 2019, they were coming off of nancially hard times in farming. Luke understood the responsibilities, nancially and physically, knowing his parents would support him, along with his brother, Matt, a mentor in farming and in life. What sealed the deal that the military was not the lifestyle for Luke was when his friend, Blake Hemker, died and he did not have leave time to return home for the funeral. “I thought, ‘I can’t miss those things any more,’” he said. He remembered words from one of his sergeants: “No one will look out for you as well as you can. If your priority is your family, you make sure they are taken care of at all times.”
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Luke was discharged from active duty Aug. 24, 2019, and joined the Select Marine Corps Reserve with the Marine Wing Support Squadron 471. He and Ashley, who is a social worker, moved to Avon Aug. 27, 2019, and Luke started working at North Oak Dairy Sept. 1. “It was like a breath of fresh air, working with Dad,” Luke said. It was different than working on the farm growing up. “I felt a lot more responsibility,” Luke said. “Now, I make sure the cows are okay because this is a huge part of your life. The responsibility is the farm and the family.” “And it was full time instead of part time,” Steve said. “It’s been a lot of fun to work with my kids.” Luke’s responsibility is feeding. “Every morning is dedicated to making sure every animal is fed,” he said. Twice daily milking is done primarily by part-time employees. “They are putting on the units, and I come in and assist with moving the cows,” said Steve, who manages medical treatment of the cows, breeding and does the computer work.
“Every cow has a medical record from birth, that goes into the computer,” Steve said. “We keep tabs on them their entire life on the farm,” Luke said. Smiling, Luke said there are father-son discussions when issues arise. “We’re both learning to work together,” Steve said. “I’ve never had a son work for me before.” Luke admits it is different than when he was in charge of ve or six guys in the Marines. “It’s a two-person team effort, and we lead and manage our employees together,” he said. Steve, 55, enjoys that management aspect of farming, along with the planting and harvesting. “It’s (farming) so diversied,” he said. Luke, 23, likes the interaction with the cows. “I blame my wife for making me the animal lover that I am,” he said, smiling. Both are happy to be working side-byside on the farm. A 215-foot long ag-bag with the words “Land of the Free Because of the Brave” on it just south of the Herderings’ dairy farm can be seen from the road. It was designed by Lori Austing with help from her husband, Dan, and painted by them, family and the Herderings. The idea stemmed from when Luke rst went into the Marines and his proud mom, as a way to support the military, painted a round ag-bag near the driveway with the words “Marines Rock,” followed the next year by “God Bless The USA,” and that grew into the rst message last year on a long ag-bag “Thank You For Our Freedom.” He treasures his time in the Marines. “Nov. 10 is the Marine Corps’ birthday,” he said. Luke’s happy he returned home – a proud veteran and farmer.
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ConĆ&#x;nued from AHLGRENS | Page 1
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The Ahlgren family – (front, from leĹŒ) Jacob, Henry, Norah and Olivia; (back row, from leĹŒ) Phillip, MaĆŠhew, Sarah and Rick – milk 160 cows on their dairy farm in Meeker County near Darwin, Minnesota. This past summer, the family began using milking robots and an automated feeding system to help manage their herd. kitchen to manage their dairy herd. The lactating herd is housed in a 180-stall cross-ventilated barn where two heifer lots once stood. Stalls are waterbeds bedded with chopped corn stalks or straw, depending on what is available. Each cow has the option of using any of the three robots which are located on the east side of the barn. The robots are speciďƒžcally designed to catch and sort fresh and special needs cows into a small pen that is adjacent to faroff and close-up dry cow pens and separate from the lactating herd. “Our dry cows were on an outside lot and in a loaďƒžng shed. With winter and ice, calving outside, we knew that having the dry cows in the freestall barn was a non-negotiable,â€? Rick said. “On
a daily basis of training cows, drying cows up, it’s perfect. And, the feeding system can ďƒžne tune the ration for them.â€? The feed system is installed on the far east end of the dairy barn. Nearly every hour, the mixing and feeding robot scans the feed bunks of the lactating and dry cow pens, and delivers an appropriate ration based on the amount of feed available to the cows at the time. Unlike some automated systems that use a silo setup to store feed, the Ahlgrens opted for the kitchen that uses a concrete slab to store small amounts of feedstuffs in a grid system. “Namely, for ease of loading and maintenance, we decided to put in the Turn to AHLGRENS | Page 7
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Forage is placed into the mixing and feeding robot with the use of a claw Nov. 9 at the Ahlgrens’ dairy farm near Darwin, Minnesota. The Ahlgrens opted for a kitchen setup that has the forages placed on a grid on the ďƒ&#x;oor.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 7
ConƟnued from AHLGRENS | Page 6 kitchen with the grabber,” Rick said. “We have several Harvestores, and I didn’t want the hassle and maintenance of a silo on a daily basis. For us, lling bunkers and piles is a lot quicker.” The Ahlgrens broke ground on their construction project in November 2019. By July 30 this year, the family was milking in the new facility. Rick and his father, David, rst considered automation almost a decade ago when they attended the inaugural Precision Dairy Conference and Expo in Rochester. They spent the following years deciding how the dairy could best benet from the incorporation of technology. In 2017, David passed away in a farm-related accident, leaving Rick and Sarah to decide the farm’s future. “I think he’d be really proud of you and this,” Sarah said. “Dad liked to get chores done and move onto other things for the farm. He would love having this but would say this is (Rick’s) building.” David’s passing sped up a succession plan for the Ahlgrens. In the summer of 2018, Rick and Sarah took over the dairy assets of the farm as Rick’s uncles continued the cash crop enterprise. The couple and their family were milking in a double-12 parlor with the help of three part-time high school employees. Cows were housed in a freestall barn built in the 1970s that was in need of repair to improve cow comfort. “We wanted something different, but we weren’t expecting to do this new build this soon,” Rick said. Yet, when the couple priced their options for improvement ¬– a new barn and retaining the use of the parlor; a new barn and robots; and a new barn and robots with the feeding system – the choice was clear.
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
A mixing and feeding robot makes its way down the feed alley of Rick and Sarah Ahglren’s barn at their dairy near Darwin, Minnesota. The barn is also equipped with three milking robots for the 160-cow herd. “We broke it out to see our options and what the upfront cost would be,” Rick said. “This was more efcient, and we could cash ow it. We decided to do it all up front, so we have the end goal right away, and we don’t have to go through this process again in a year or two.” Sarah agreed. “This is better for us, the cows and our hired help,” she said. Now, the family begins their days around 6 a.m. Rick and his ve oldest children and one hired employee start chores by fetching any cows, cleaning the stalls and lling the kitchen with feed for the day. They also feed the calves which are housed in a separate facility. While the Ahlgrens have only used
their new setup for a few months, they are pleased with the results. Namely, how well the herd has adapted and the exibility it has provided for the family. On average, each cow visits the milking robots 2.9 times per day. “We didn’t have to lay off any of the high school kids, and we’re not relying on our kids to be out here morning and then again the afternoon to help with milking and related chores,” Rick said. “It really frees us up on a daily basis.” But automation is not fool-proof, Rick said. He has received a few calls regarding technical glitches that needed his attention throughout the day. “It’s really hit or miss. Sometimes I’ll have to get up three times the same
night,” Rick said. “It’s like having small children and not getting a decent night of sleep. Going into this thinking you’re going to get a good night sleep is not going to happen.” The Ahlgrens are hopeful their new setup will provide more opportunities to diversify the farm, remodel the old facilities for better calf and heifer housing, and create a more positive experience of dairying for their young family. “This should put us in a better position than what the other barn could ever give us, even with the added debt initially,” Rick said. “And, it is something we feel good about the public seeing what modern dairy farming is all about and how the cows are taken care of.”
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Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
NMPF: Dairy industry is facing biggest challenge of a lifetime
During its rst-ever virtual annual meeting, However, medical groups and environmental National Milk Producers Federation Chairman Randy activists said banning these terms would discourage Mooney applauded the dairy industry’s response to consumers from shifting to more plant-based options, the coronavirus pandemic. “Are we out of the woods which is part of EU goals for human health and the environment. Meanwhile, EU lawmakers yet? Certainly not, the economy still has voted for a ban on terms like “milk-like” too many unemployed workers and too Ag Insider or “cheese-style” for plant-based foods many restaurants are closing for good. We that contain no dairy ingredients. The need the federal government to continue European courts already banned terms stimulating demand,” Mooney said. like “soy milk” and “vegan cheese.” Mooney said NMPF is ready to work with whoever is in the White House next Break the bureaucratic logjam year to help the dairy industry recover. The National Milk Producers Federation is asking the Food and Drug Exports help drive dairy markets Administration’s ombudsman to make higher sure the agency enforces the proper China is credited for boosting demand labeling of imitation dairy products. within the dairy markets. “There’s NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern good Chinese demand for things like By Don Wick said the ombudsman should “intervene to powder and cheese, giving that market Columnist break the bureaucratic logjam,” allowing quite a lift,” said AgResource Company products containing no dairy ingredients President Dan Basse. “The extension of the Farmers to Families Food Box program has use dairy terminology. helped.” Gray wolf removed from Endangered Species Act EU ramps up sales of US dairy products The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the The United States Department of Agriculture gray wolf from the list of protected species under Foreign Agricultural Service annual report on dairy the Endangered Species Act. The rule gives states product exports offered positive news for dairy like Minnesota the authority to manage gray wolf sales to the European Union. Due to the coronavirus populations and prevent livestock losses. A plan is pandemic, sales of milk, butter, cream, yogurt, low- being updated in Minnesota. Environmentalists are cost cheese and processed cheese are forecast to already promising to take the Trump administration’s increase. However, the FAS said exports of high-value decision on the gray wolf to court. Earthjustice, the cheese to the EU will decline due to the closure of Sierra Club and the Western Environmental Law most restaurants. FAS expects U.S. uid milk exports Center are among the activist groups saying they will will increase 5% over 2019, primarily due to strong legally challenge the delisting of wolves from federal protection. Chinese demand. Labeling dispute continues in Europe The European Parliament has rejected a proposal made by farmers to prevent plant-based products from using terms such as steak, sausage or burger. Farm groups claim these terms could mislead consumers.
Dairy consumption at a 60-year high Per capita dairy consumption totaled 653 pounds per person last year, which is a 60-year high. Dairy Management Inc. gives a lot of the credit to demand for pizza. That demand has continued during the
coronavirus pandemic. Frozen pizza has experienced double-digit growth during the pandemic. Pizza Hut and Dominos have also averaged 10% sales growth over the last two quarters. Diversied ingredients buys Preston plant Foremost Farms is selling its Preston, Minnesota, manufacturing plant to Diversied Ingredients. The sale is scheduled to close on or before Nov. 18. Diversied Ingredients is based in Missouri, providing products and services to the food ingredient, pet food and feed industries. The new entity will be called Preston Protein Products and will be a joint venture with Johnson Farms of Lime Springs, Iowa.
Developing elite cattle genetics Vytelle has announced an exclusive agreement with Synomics Insights Platform to fast-track genetic progress in cattle. Vytelle and Synomics are both part of the Wheatsheaf Group, which is an international investor in the food and agriculture sector. Vytelle ofcials said this deal will help cattle producers to more accurately predict cattle performance and develop elite genetics. Calyxt and S & W Seed partner on alfalfa traits Calyxt is collaborating with S & W Seed Company to identify quality enhancing traits for alfalfa. The new alfalfa seed will be sold as part of the S & W seed portfolio and branded IQ Alfalfa. The alfalfa trait will deliver improved digestibility for livestock. AMPI wins championship cheese contest For the second year in a row, Associated Milk Producers Incorporated won the Chairman’s Trophy following the National Milk Producers Federation Championship Cheese Contest. AMPI’s aged asiago cheese was named best of class in the Italian division and went on to win the overall competition. The award-winning cheese is made at the cooperative’s Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 plant in Hoven, South Dakota. American Butter Association elects a new president Associated Milk Producers Inc. Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Marshall Reece is the new president of the American Butter Institute. Catherine Fox of Land O’Lakes is vice president, and Mark Armon of Darigold is the rst vice president. FFAers embrace virtual convention format According to Minnesota State FFA President Ben Olander, FFA members are comfortable with technology and embraced the National FFA Organization’s virtual convention. “Although it looks a little different this year, it is something our generation can readily adapt to; it also allows members who were not able to attend in person to participate in every session this year,” Olander said. With young people comfortable with the online experience,
Olander expects the FFA to deliver a hybrid option for the convention in the future. Olander is a graduate of StaplesMotley High School and is now a student at the University of MinnesotaCrookston, studying ag business and agronomy. Trivia challenge The optimum temperature for serving milk is 40 degrees. That answers our last trivia question. For this week, how many servings of dairy products are recommended by the American Dietary Guidelines? We will 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.
“My husband, a complete non-computer user in 2013, uses this system (PCDART) every day and would be lost without it.” What are some of the DHIA tests you use?
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
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The Blackwelder family (from leŌ) – Kent, Mark, Amy, BreƩ holding Max, Callie holding Lila – operate County Line Dairy near Chokio, Minnesota. The Blackwelders milk 320 cows and grow crops on 2,750 acres.
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CHOKIO, Minn. – When Mark Blackwelder returned to his family’s farm in 1984 to continue milking cows, his parents were working hard to build a successful dairy. Their goal was to give their son something to come back to. Thirty-six years later, Mark wants to give the same opportunity to his sons, Brett and Kent, who are the fth generation to operate County Line Dairy. “I put in a lot of time but my parents, Earl and Andrea, really put in the time,” Mark said. “They are the ones who got this all up and running. I just tried not to mess it up.” Mark and wife Amy own County Line Dairy near Chokio where they milk 320 Holstein cows in a robotic milking facility. They run 2,750 acres of cropland growing alfalfa, corn, wheat and soybeans. Their sons, Brett, 30, and Kent, 24, both returned to the family farm after each earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from North Dakota State University. Both Brett and Kent revealed that their intentions to return to the family profession came early in their lives. “I always gured I would come back,” Brett said. “Dairying is something I’ve always enjoyed.” Brett returned to the farm full time in 2014. Prior to his return, he began purchasing cattle, having up to 30 cows at one time. Today, Brett manages most of the
dairy including breeding, feeding, health treatments, calves, monitoring the milking cows and managing two full-time employees. “I like to keep challenging myself by always trying to improve the dairy,” Brett said. “Lately I’ve been looking more in-depth at lowering feed costs while maintaining production.” When Brett is not working with the cattle, he acts as a oat to help with eldwork. Kent’s focus has been crops since his return to the farm a year and a half ago. In addition to managing the cropland and working with the agronomist, Kent also started a seed dealership as a side business. “I enjoy the independence and working for myself,” Kent said. Mark works where he is needed, often being the rst in the barn to start mixing feed at 4:30 a.m. After mixing feed, he sets to any eldwork that must be completed. Otherwise, he can be found walking the barn checking cows. Amy works full time off the farm but continues to do bookkeeping for the farm. Although they all work in their own focused area of the farm, each family member shares a common goal of completing the work efciently and in the most cost effective way to ensure the viability of the farm. The farm is currently set up in a corporation with the goal of transitioning ownership to the boys. Mark and Amy will gradually transition out of the daily tasks of the farm. At that time, Brett will manage the dairy with support from Kent. Kent will manage the crops with help from Brett. “This way one of us doesn’t get stretched too thin,” Brett said. “If we can oversee our own area of the farm we will be able to catch things easier.” Until the day when transition comes, the two generations are honing their communication skills to keep good working relations. Mark said being open to new ideas has MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Mark Blackwelder walks the barn on his farm, County Line Dairy, Oct. 28 near Chokio, Minnesota. Mark walks through the barn daily to monitor the cows.
Turn to BLACKWELDERS | Page 11
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 11
ConƟnued from BLACKWELDERS | Page 10
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BreƩ Blackwelder checks over data provided by the roboƟc milkers on his family’s farm, County Line Dairy, near Chokio, Minnesota. BreƩ manages the milking herd and calves on the dairy. been key on his part. “I think I’ve been good at listening to their ideas for the farm,” Mark said of his sons. “We have tried some new things.” In turn, Brett said he has learned much from his father, especially in terms of managing people. “That’s something I wish I had taken more classes on,” Brett said of managing employees. “I speak Spanish, but sometimes I say too much and that’s when Dad comes in to smooth things over.” Prior to installing the robotic milk-
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
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versication in an unstable farming economy. “Brett was interested in continuing the dairy and it’s been good to us,” Mark said. “The cows pay the bills.” Brett, too, realizes the importance of being diversied. “Yes, dairy was tough from 2015-19, but at least now dairy prices were good before corn and soybeans went up in the last month,” Brett said. To continue planning for the future, the Blackwelders discuss future purchases and processes for the farm. All know that compromise comes with running a diversied farm. MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR “At times it is difcult to sit and gure out Kent Blackwelder manages the crops at the Blackwelders’ family farm near what is more important,” Chokio, Minnesota. Kent returned to the family business a year and a half ago. Brett said. “Kent will want something for the crop side, and I will want the funds to do something for the try to lay off some stuff,” Mark said. “I have to catch myself sometimes when I want to say something.” cows. We usually discuss and prioritize things.” Mindful of the opportunity his parents provided Keeping open lines of communication has been key in keeping operations running but keeping those for him, Mark knows being open to the next generalines open is something all the Blackwelders admit is tion is key to keep the Blackwelders’ farm going for future generations. As the fth generation, Brett and not a strong point for them. “If someone tells you they get along 100 percent Kent both appreciate the work invested by prior generations while also looking ahead to possibilities for of time they aren’t telling the truth,” Mark said. Brett and Kent appreciate their father’s balanced the family farm. “I really started thinking about it when we had approach to difcult decisions and often has a nal our son,” Brett said of his two children with wife, Calsay in decision making. Although, Mark admits he is trying to scale back lie. “We could possibly have a sixth generation here. I’m curious as to what the future holds for us.” his input. “I remember what it was like with my dad so I
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page g 15
What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? Paul Zimmerman Brooten, Minnesota Stearns County 80 cows How far along is your fall harvest? We are done with the harvest. We just have 20 acres
of plowing left to do. What was your yield like for fall harvest? The soybeans were good. They averaged around 60 bushels an acre. Our corn silage averaged around 20 ton an acre. We only combined a little corn and that averaged around 170 bushels an acre. All the rain we got in July and August hurt our yield some. We also baled 40 acres of corn stalks and ďƒžnished with 215 bales. What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? The super nice weather to get the harvest done. The nice weather is allowing us to put some tile in that we plan to start tomorrow (Nov. 11). What adjustments did you make for this year’s harvest? We bought an International 1460 combine and everything ran well. This year we had to take off 80 acres of land that we rented. We only had to dry it 3%; that was good. What has been your biggest challenge for this year’s harvest? The snow. We took 40 acres off before the snow and plowed it because it was all wet, and we weren’t sure what the weather was going to do. The other 40 acres we did after it warmed up. Tell us about your most memorable fall harvest season. Last fall was probably the most memorable because we rolled a manure tank. Our son was pulling with a tractor, and he overcorrected the wheel which turned him into the ditch and he rolled the tank. Tell us about your farm. I farm with my wife, Mary, and three of our children. We milk 80 cows and farm 280 acres. We plant corn for corn silage and dry corn, 110 acres of that is organic. We milk our herd in a double-8 parlor.
Hugh Hale Holmen, Wisconsin LaCrosse County 50 cows How far along is your fall harvest? We are pretty close to done. We have one small ďƒželd of corn left
and stalks to bale. What was your yield like for fall harvest? We did an 8-by-200, 8-by-150 bag and about 50 feet of an 18-by-60 silo with corn silage, which, if the tables and math is right, should be around 310 tons or so of corn silage. Maybe we don’t have quite as much corn as usual. After ďƒžlling the silo with high moisture shell corn, we usually have about 10,000 bushels left to sell and won’t have quite that much to sell for next year. Between my parents and I, we had maybe 34 or so acres of soybeans. We were pretty surprised with decent yield on those, close to roughly 1,900 bushels total. We haven’t made any stalk bales yet, but hopefully this weekend we can get some made. What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? What I might remember the most is the weather ďƒžnally straightening out and being close to normal and allowing people to get done in a shorter period of time. What adjustments did you make for this year’s harvest? I haven’t really changed anything this year as compared to other years. What has been your biggest challenge for this year’s harvest? I haven’t really had many challenges or problems, thankfully. Tell us about your most memorable fall harvest season. My most memorable would probably be 2014, when I married my wife. I worked up to and on the day of our wedding, which is in November. It kind of pushed the rest of harvest back for us, but we got caught up. Last year was also another one with it snowing so early and trying to get corn off in the snow. Tell us about your farm. My parents started renting the farm in the late 1970s then bought the farm in the late 1980s from the previous owner whose family we are friends with today. I’m an only child, so I’ve pretty much been working from an early age and the only one around to help them out. It’s been a little nicer the past few years since I got married to have my wife be able to help
Kurt Raaen Preston, Minnesota Fillmore County 55 cows How far along is your fall harvest? We have about 100 acres, which will take about one week, depending on the weather. What was your yield like for fall harvest? We harvested 20 tons of silage, 165 bushels of corn, 150 cornstalk bales and 20-30 cornstalk stacks. What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? The corn was dry, about 17% moisture. This was the ďƒžrst time in the last ďƒžve years we haven’t run the dryer for the corn. What adjustments did you make for this year’s harvest? I had equipment issues during corn silage and a neighbor came over and ďƒžnished up the last half. What has been your biggest challenge for this year’s harvest? I had a combine ďƒžre while harvesting beans Oct. 14. We had to get a new combine so it set us back about 10 days. Tell us about your most memorable fall harvest season. In 2011, my dad was sick with pancreatic cancer, and neighbors, family and friends came to help with the harvest. There were ďƒžve combines, 12 semis and four grain carts here. We did 26,000 bushels of corn in one day. Tell us about your farm. I farm with my wife, Tracy, and our three children, Tyler, 19, Taryn, 19, and Tori, 14. We farm east of Preston and raise corn, alfalfa and soybeans on 450 acres. I am on the Fillmore County Fair board, am a 4-H adult volunteer and a board member for the local cooperative.
Gene Bitzer Warroad, Minnesota Roseau County 75 cows How far along is your fall harvest? We ďƒžnished Nov. 8. What was your yield like for fall harvest? Corn silage was really bad. We usually have 350 loads. This year, we had 220 loads. No cobs, just junk. We had 210 acres of corn to harvest for corn silage. We will have to look to buy beet pulp to make up for the feed loss and quality. Milk production is poor. We never got soybeans planted; it was too wet. We have 400 acres that never got planted. What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? Compared to last year, at least we didn’t get stuck in the ďƒželds. The yield was really poor on everything. We’ve never had this poor quality of corn. What adjustments did you make for this year’s harvest? We did make any adjustments. What has been your biggest challenge for this year’s harvest? Finding enough quality feed will be a challenge. Doing ďƒželdwork was doing OK. The ground was good and solid. At least we could move through the ďƒželds. Tell us about your most memorable fall harvest season. Last year, when it was so wet. Once it started raining, it never quit. We couldn’t do anything. We had to wait until it froze to get in the ďƒželd. We were doing fall harvest all winter long and ďƒžnally ďƒžnished in the spring. Tell us about your farm. I farm in partnership with my son, Donald. We both own acreage separately and together run 2,500 acres. We grow wheat, sunďƒ&#x;owers, soybean, alfalfa and corn. We milk in a double-10 parallel parlor. Our farm is 1 mile from Lake of the Woods.
with some of the basic chores while in the ďƒželds. My mom grew up on a farm on the south side of Holmen. Around 2005, they sold her part of that farm, and we bought another farm closer, only about a mile away from our home farm. Plus, we were able to buy my dad’s home farm from his parents which is right behind our home farm and adjoins it. We have between 300-350 acres, growing a mix of alfalfa, corn and soybeans. We milk a mixture of Holsteins and Brown Swiss cows and raise a few Angus as well.
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Scott Swanson Pecatonica, Illinois Winnebago County 60 cows How far along is your fall harvest? Corn silage and soybeans have been harvested. We’re still working on harvesting the remaining corn. What was your yield like for fall harvest? We were able to make quality corn silage with good tonnage and moisture. Corn yields have been surprisingly high at about 235 bushels per acre with moisture ranging around 17%. Food-grade soybeans didn’t perform as well because of lack of rain in August. What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? The warm, dry weather has been ideal for making the last crop of hay and harvesting the crops. Also, the fall colors have been beautiful this year. What adjustments did you make for this year’s harvest? We planted corn and soybeans earlier in the spring using a shorter season variety corn. What has been your biggest challenge for this year’s harvest? I have had 20 cows and heifers freshen in the last few weeks. At the same time, I am trying to harvest soybeans and corn. Taking care of the new calves takes extra time each day. Luckily, my brothers help me with the harvest. Tell us about your most memorable fall harvest season. Due to the weather last year and wet crops, we didn’t nish harvesting until Jan. 21. Tell us about your farm. My dad started the farm in 1970, and I took over in 2000. Today, I milk 60 cows with a Lely A3 robotic milker that I installed in 2012. I planted 200 acres of corn, 100 acres of food-grade soybeans and 100 acres of hay this year.
Craig R. Fietzer Manawa, Wisconsin Waupaca County 425 cows How far along is your fall harvest? Our fall harvest is complete. We completed corn silage Oct. 16 and high moisture shell corn Oct. 30. What was your yield like for fall harvest? Corn yielded 190 bushels on average. Corn silage yielded 7.3 DMT on average and haylage yielded 4.3 DMT. We didn’t plant soybeans. Bedding bales yielded 3.5 bales per acre at 900 pounds per bale. What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? It started early and dry, which was different from the last couple years. What adjustments did you make for this year’s harvest? I was only getting 40-42 pounds per cubic foot density on the corn silage pile. My goal is 45 pounds or higher. I ran three tractors on the pile this year, instead of two, to accomplish this goal. I have not gotten to the new silage yet, so I don’t know if I was successful. What has been your biggest challenge for this year’s harvest? With all corn silage maturing at the same time, getting the custom harvesters here on time was a challenge because they were overbooked. Tell us about your most memorable fall harvest season. Nothing really stands out. Tell us about your farm. Fietzer Dairy Farms Inc. is a third-generation dairy farm. In 2016, we moved into our new robotic dairy barn. We have six Lely A4 robots that milk the cows about 2.8 times per day on average. We are averaging 93 pounds of milk per cow at 4% butterfat and 3% protein. We run 678 acres of land – 415 owned and 263 rented. We focus on silage production with 234 acres of alfalfa, 285 acres of corn silage and 130 acres of winter rye planted each fall. The rest is used for high moisture shelled corn, winter wheat and soybeans, depending on what works best in the rotation.
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Allen Fredrickson Arlington, South Dakota Brookings County 180 cows How far along is your fall harvest? We just nished up harvesting the last of our corn
and soybeans. What was your yield like for fall harvest? Our corn silage yielded about 23 tons per acre, which is pretty close to normal for us. Our soybeans went 50 bushels per acre and our corn yielded between 170 to 180 bushels per acre. I was hoping the corn would yield better, but what we ended up with was pretty close to average. We harvested nearly four bales of corn stalks from each acre. What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? What I will remember most is how fast it went. All our corn came out of the eld dry. We had only one load that was over 15% moisture. What adjustments did you make for this year’s harvest? Because our corn came out of the eld so dry, we were able to haul it all into the elevator and store it in the grain bank. We normally grind and bag our corn, which takes a lot of extra time and fuel. It was nice not to mess around with the grinding and the bagging. The elevator didn’t charge us anything for drying, and we didn’t have any shrinkage. What has been your biggest challenge for this year’s harvest? We really didn’t have any. Everything went very smoothly except for a few minor mechanical issues. Tell us about your most memorable fall harvest season. Last year’s fall harvest season stands out most in my memory. The wet soils turned silage harvest into a nightmare. We pulled a lot of trucks out of the elds and twisted off a lot of drive shafts. The ground was so saturated we couldn’t even start making earlage until things froze in November. The cold temperatures made it a challenge to get the trucks started each morning. We often had to let the trucks idle overnight. We had one truck we didn’t shut off for a week. Needless
Brian Young Benson, Minnesota Swift County 110 cows How far along is your fall harvest? We got done one week ago. What was your yield like for fall harvest? We had 20 tons of corn silage, 190 bushels of corn, and we made about 725 corn stalk bales. What will you remember about the 2020 fall harvest? The weather was fantastic. We did not have to dry corn. What adjustments did you make for this year’s harvest? None; with the lack of rain, we could do what we wanted. What has been your biggest challenge for this year’s harvest? There really were none this year. Tell us about your most memorable fall harvest season. 2008. We had a fantastic fall and got our work done, and built a new shed for our dairy cows. Tell us about your farm. I farm with my brother, and we milk 110 cows and farm about 350 acres.
to say, we weren’t able to do any fall tillage. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Nicole, and I have four daughters, McKenzie, 12, twins Hayley and Paige, 9, and McKayla, 7. I operate this farm with my father, Bob. We farm about 1,200 acres and grow corn, alfalfa and soybeans. We raise our own replacement heifers, and Dad feeds out our bull calves. When the COVID-19 pandemic rst hit last spring, our girls had to stay home a lot. They began to help out quite a bit around the farm and now that they are back in school I miss having them here. The farm is too quiet without them.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 17
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
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Schefers Bros. LLC Ralph, Ken and Julie, and Jason Schefers Paynesville, Minnesota Stearns County 77 cows
What is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? 27,813 pounds of milk, 1,135 pounds of butterfat and 882 pounds of protein. How many times a day do you milk? We milk two times per day. We have never tried three times. Our goals were to breed a high producing cow that did not need to be milked three times per day. Do you contract your milk? Why or why not? We do not contract our milk; we prefer to use the available government programs, such as Dairy Margin Coverage and Dairy Revenue Protection. Describe your housing and milking facility. We have a traditional tiestall barn and milk with a pipeline. We do not have automatic take-offs. What is your herd health program? A reproductive herd check is done once a month. Cows are rechecked for pregnancy with Dairy Herd Improvement Association just before dry off. What does your dry cow and transi-
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
The Schefers family (from leŌ) – Jason, Ralph, Ken and Julie – milk 77 cows on their dairy farm near Paynesville, Minnesota. The family’s herd has maintained a 27,813-pound rolling herd average with 1,135 pounds of buƩerfat and 882 pounds of protein. tion program consist of? Cows are dry 50-60 days. They are housed in a bedded pack barn with an outside yard available in warmer weather. Cows are moved to a transition pens about 10 days before calving. The dry cow ration consists of
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ing upon each cow’s needs, the time in the pen will vary, but they usually go into a stall about 10 days after calving. Turn to SCHEFERS BROS. | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 19
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
ConƟnued from SCHEFERS BROS. | Page 18
What is the composition of your ration? What has been one of your most recent changes that has been successful for you? Our current ration is 36 pounds alfalfa haylage, 44 pounds corn silage, 14 pounds high moisture shelled corn, 10.6 pounds custom protein mix and 2 pounds grass hay. We have not made ration changes that resulted in large production increases. We have always worked closely with our nutritionist and have experienced a slow but steady increase in production since we started dairying. What is your average SCC, and how does that affect your production? Our average SCC is currently 65,000. Although the major reason for keeping SCC low is for milk quality, a low SCC also helps improve production. How much improvement is difcult to measure. Through the years you have been farming, what change has created the biggest jump in your herd MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
A group of cows stands in the Ɵestall barn at Schefers Bros. LLC near Paynesville, Minnesota. The Schefers family puts an emphasis on breeding for components. average? The steady increase of production of our herd we attribute to improved genetics. We have always used the best bulls available. Components have always been stressed so we could have cows that will produce a high dollar value of milk without as many pounds of milk. This helps us avoid the need for three-times-a-day milking.
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Jason Schefers holds a handful of oat hulls used for bedding on his family’s dairy near Paynesville, Minnesota.
What is your breeding program? What role does genetics play in your production level? Ken and Julie’s son, Jonathan, who works for Alta Genetics, takes care of our sire selection and mating. Ralph does all the breeding responsibilities on the herd. What type of improvements would you like to make that would further increase your rolling herd average? We believe that the most likely way to continue to improve our production is through genetics.
List three management strategies that have helped you attain your production and component level. We select the best genetics available. We keep cows healthy and clean. We feed high-quality feed and have an experienced person to balance the ration. Tell us about your farm. The farm we operate was purchased by Ralph and Ken’s father, Leander Schefers, in 1943. In 1979, Ralph and Ken formed a partnership and began the Schefers Bros. dairy. In 2016, Ken and Julie’s son, Jason, entered the business and formed Schefers Bros. LLC which consists of Ralph, Ken and Julie, and Jason Schefers. The farm consists of 77 dairy cows and 130 head of youngstock. The farm owns and operates 500 acres and grows corn, soybeans, alfalfa, wheat and grass hay.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 21
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Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
A great Brown Swiss Christmas
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KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Port-Haven Silvers Jordana, a 2-month-old Brown Swiss calf, is one of the grand prizes in The Great Christmas Giveaway. Jordana comes from the Portner family, who milks 280 cows near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota.
Portners provide calf for Dairy Star giveaway By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
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SLEEPY EYE, Minn. – Tom and Mary Portner admit the cow family of their 2-month-old calf, PortHaven Silvers Jordana, is not always at the forefront of their mind; however, the Portners appreciate having these animals as part of their herd to create a solid foundation. “It’s a cow family that is doing well, but you don’t know is there,” Mary said. “You don’t have to worry about them. They’re not on the top of your list of sick cows. They’re the wonderful silent constants. Every herd should have a whole pile of them.” The Portners are excited to give a young person the opportunity to share in this cow family’s genetics. Jordana is one of the grand prizes in The Great Christmas Giveaway 2020 in the 17 and under category. “I hope she ends up in a herd that can appreciate a good quality Brown Swiss calf, whether it is a Brown Swiss herd, Holstein herd or herd with other breeds,” Tom said. Tom and Mary farm together with Tom’s brother, Mark, on their 280-cow Brown Swiss dairy in Brown County near Sleepy Eye. “We’re more of a commercial production herd but still like good looking cows,” Tom said. “We’ve been a high production herd over the years. That’s important to us because we want to be able to pay our bills.” That is why Jordana and her cow family t so well in the Portner herd. They follow the family’s breeding philosophy with animals that are good quality type that can milk well. “She has a nice frame and looks like a uniform structured animal,” Tom said. “Her sire is a bull that has decent production and has good type.” The Portners also like the calf’s demeanor. “She appears to be gentle,” Mary said. “I think that says a lot about the way we handle our livestock.” Jordana, born Sept. 7, is an LA Rainbow Sweet Silver ET daughter with a net merit dollar value of 282 and 130 progressive performance ranking in the Brown Swiss breed. Her dam is Port-Haven Treasury Jodi, a cow scored Very Good 85 with a 305-day rst lactation record of 20,920 pounds of milk with 878 pounds of fat (4.2%) and 713 pounds of protein (3.4%). Now in her second lactation, Jodi recorded 112 pounds of milk for the most recent DHIA testing. She will be rescored in December. “I think she’ll go higher (than VG 85),” Tom said. Turn to PORTNERS | Page 23
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 23
ConƟnued from PORTNERS | Page 22 “She’s got an 85-point mammary, and I think she can improve on that.” Jordana’s granddam, Cie PortHaven Payslis 1638, is scored Very Good 87 and is milking in the herd as a 6-year-old with a lifetime milk record just over 100,000 pounds. Her great-granddam, IE Port-Haven Prontos 1024, was scored Very Good 85 and lived to be 7 years old with a lifetime production record of 171,689 pounds of milk with 5.5% fat and 3.8% protein. In 2016, this cow won the Minnesota Brown Swiss 2X production award in the 5-year-old category with a 305-day record of 31,996 pounds of milk, 1,842 pounds of fat and 1,218 pounds of protein. Energy corrected milk was 43,086 pounds. “They’re not necessarily the top show type,” Tom said. “But they’re good quality animals.” The cows have always been a favorite part of farming for Tom. “I love the challenge of having Brown Swiss and the opportunity to compete with the rest of the dairy industry at a high level,” he said. For Mary, the variety of dairy farming keeps it interesting for her. “Every day is different,” she said. “If I had to go to an ofce and do the same thing every day, I wouldn’t last very long. I like to say I’m the jack of all trades and a master at nothing.” In one day, Mary can switch roles many times – from milker, to accountant, to human resources to cook, among others. This winter, their daughter, Isabella, 22, will be graduating from Iowa State University and returning to work at the dairy. Their other daughters, Boston, 27, and Sabrina, 23, work off the farm while Crystal, 20, is a junior in
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Mary and Tom Portner are pictured with Port-Haven Silvers Jordana on their 280-cow dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. college and Sophia, 17, is a high school senior. In preparation for her return to the dairy, Isabella has been helping her parents and uncle with management of replacement heifers. “We’ve decided we have ballooned over our facilities and now is not the optimum time to put capital investment in more facilities,” Mary said. “Tom
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and Isabella have been very busy this summer. They’ve sorted through all the animals and created a list of animals to be sold.” Every animal is genomic tested as a calf. “So we have some new things coming out for us to draw Isabella into it,” Mary said. “She and Tom are developing new things for the farm since we’re
at maximum capacity and need to make decisions.” While the Portners would love to keep Jordana in order to add another animal with a solid pedigree of combined type and production to their herd, they are excited for a dairy youth to win Jordana to create their own Brown Swiss foundation.
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
+
DAIRY ST R
The Great Christmas “GRAND” PRIZE
GIVEAWAY
Grand Prize Drawing Will Be Held Wednesday, December 16, 2020 THE WINNERS WILL BE POSTED ON WWW.DAIRYSTAR.COM, MILK BREAK NEWSLETTER AND ON FACEBOOK.
ADULT “GRAND” PRIZE:
2) $1,000 CASH GIFTS!
17 & UNDER “GRAND” PRIZE “Grand” Prize Brown Swiss Calf: PORT-HAVEN SILVERS JORDANA
Grand Priz e Calf come s Born: September 7, 2020 from The Portner fa Dam: Port-Haven Treasury Jodi VG 85 m of Sleepy ily E ye Sire: LA Rainbow Sweet Silver ET Minnesota , Granddam: Cie Port-Haven Payslis 1638 VG 87
Tom and Mary Portner pictured with Port-Haven Silvers Jordana heifer calf that will be given away in the Great Christmas Giveaway drawing.
REGISTER FREE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
Register at participating businesses, online at www.dairystar.com or Àll out the form below and mail to: Dairy Star 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378 ADULT REGISTRATION
17 & UNDER REGISTRATION
Name:
Name:
Address:
Parents Name(s): Address:
Phone:
# of Cows:
Mail to: Dairy Star • 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. • Sauk Centre, MN 56378
Phone: # of Cows: Mail to: Dairy Star • 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. • Sauk Centre, MN 56378
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 25
IOWA
REGISTER AT THESE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES:
ALLAMAKEE COUNTY • Bodensteiner Implement Waukon • 563-568-3463 • 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 • 319-938-2222 • ViaÀeld Winthrop • 319-935-3336 CHICKASAW COUNTY • 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 DUBUQUE COUNTY • Bodensteiner Implement Dyersville • 563-875-2724 • Brunkan Equipment Worthington • 563-855-2434 • CJ Beeps Equipment Farley • 563-744-5010 • Helle Farm Equipment Dyersville • 563-875-7154 • Innovative Ag Services Cascade • 563-852-7245 Farley • 563-744-3337 • New Vienna Ag Automation New Vienna • 563-921-2896 • Skip Breitbach Feeds Balltown • 563-552-2393 • Scherrmann’s Implement Dyersville • 563-875-2426 • Ungs Shopping Center (IAS) Luxemburg • 563-853-2455 FAYETTE COUNTY • Bodensteiner ImplemenT Clermont • 563-423-5206 Oelwein • 319-283-4371 • ViaÀeld Arlington • 563-633-3415 Elgin • 563-426-5566 Maynard • 563-637-2285 FLOYD COUNTY • Livestock Systems Charles City• 641-220-5257 HOWARD COUNTY • Bodensteiner Implement Cresco • 563-547-2152 • Farmers Win Coop Cresco West • 563-547-3660 JACKSON COUNTY • Innovative Ag Services Andrew • 563-672-3228 JONES COUNTY • Bodensteiner Implement Monticello • 319-465-3515 SIOUX COUNTY • Rock Valley Hay Auction Co. Rock Valley • 712-476-5541 • Sioux Dairy Equipment, Inc. Rock Valley • 712-476-5608 WINNESHIEK COUNTY • Bodensteiner Implement Decorah • 563-382-2961 • Brynsaas Sales & Service Decorah • 563-382-4484 • Farmers Win Coop Burr Oak • 563-735-5427 Ridgeway • 563-737-2244 • Franzen Sales & Service Fort Atkinson • 563-534-2724
MINNESOTA
• First National Bank of MilacaGilman OfÀce • 320-387-2233 • Gilman Co-op Creamery Gilman • 320-387-2770 BROWN COUNTY • New Ulm Regional Vet Clinic New Ulm • 507-233-2500 CARVER COUNTY • Bongards’ Bongards • 952-466-5521 • Lano Equipment of Norwood Norwood/Young America 952-467-2181 • Storms Welding Cologne • 952-466-3343 DAKOTA COUNTY • Werner Implement Vermillion • 651-437-4435 DOUGLAS COUNTY • Midwest Machinery Alexandria • 320-763-4220 • Nelson Creamery Nelson • 320-762-0115 • Osakis Creamery Assn. 320-859-2146 • Pro Ag Farmers Co-op GarÀeld • 320-834-2271 FILLMORE COUNTY • Farmers Win Coop Rushford • 507-864-2161 • Hammell Equipment Harmony • 507-886-2255 Rushford • 507-864-2845 GOODHUE COUNTY • Ag Partners - Grain Site Bellchester • 651-923-4453 Wanamingo-Grain Site • 507-824-2231 Wanamingo-Agronomy Location 507-824-2215 • Ag Partners Farm Store Cannon Falls • 507-263-4651 Goodhue • 800-732-1439 Pine Island • 507-356-8313 • GB Feed and Supply Bellchester • 651-923-4425 • Midwest Livestock Systems Zumbrota • 507-732-4673 HOUSTON COUNTY • Farmers Win Coop Caledonia • 507-725-3306 Houston • 507-896-3147 Spring Grove • 507-498-5321 • Hammell Equipment Eitzen • 507-495-3326 KANABEC COUNTY • East Central Dairy Supply Mora • 320-679-1029 • Fluegge’s Ag Mora • 320-679-2981 KANDIYOHI COUNTY • D&D Ag Supply & Construction Pennock • 320-599-4466 • Farm-Rite Equipment Willmar • 320-235-3672 LE SUEUR COUNTY • Ag Partners - Agronomy Le Center • 507-357-6868 MCLEOD COUNTY • Arnold’s of Glencoe Glencoe • 320-864-5531 • Leedstone Glencoe • 877-864-5575 • Mueller Sales & Service Dairy Equipment Glencoe • 888-205-0974 MEEKER COUNTY • Farm-Rite Equipment Dassel • 320-275-2737 • Schlauderaff Implement Co. LitchÀeld • 320-693-7277 MILLE LACS COUNTY • Foreston Co-op Creamery/ ADM Alliance Nutrition Foreston • 320-294-5711 • First National Bank of Milaca Milaca • 320-983-3101 MORRISON COUNTY • Central MN Credit Union Little Falls • 888-330-8482 • Lash’s Auto Pierz • 320-232-0537
• Litke’s Veterinary Service Pierz • 320-468-6666 • Midwest Machinery Little Falls • 320-632-5469 • Modern Farm Equipment Pierz • 320-468-2161 • Pierz Co-op Pierz • 320-468-6655 • Sunrise Ag Cooperative Buckman • 320-468-6433 Lastrup • 320-468-2543 Little Rock • 320-584-5147 Pierz • 320-468-2168 OLMSTED COUNTY • Hammell Equipment ChatÀeld • 507-867-4910 OTTER TAIL COUNTY • Bongards’ Perham • 218-346-4680 • Farmers Elevator of Fergus Falls & Henning 218-736-3301 • PCCA-Country Store Perham • 218-346-7075 • Perham Stockyards Perham • 218-346-3415 • Pro Ag Farmers Co-op in Henning 218-583-2947 • Pro Ag Farmers Co-op in Urbank 218-267-2401 PIPESTONE COUNTY • Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment Pipestone • 507-825-3271 POPE COUNTY • Midwest Machinery Glenwood • 320-634-5151 RICE COUNTY • Ag Partners - Agronomy Morristown • 507-685-2700 SCOTT COUNTY • Ag Partners - Farm Store Belle Plaine • 952-873-3224 • Ag Partners - Coop Tire & Auto Belle Plaine • 952-873-3001 SHERBURNE COUNTY • Midwest Machinery Princeton • 763-389-3453 SIBLEY COUNTY • Gibbon Lumber Gibbon • 507-834-6366 STEARNS COUNTY • A&C Farm Service Paynesville • 320-243-3736 • Ag Venture Feed & Seed, Inc. Watkins • 320-764-9910, 800-779-8910 • Albany Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Albany • 320-845-2801 • Arnold’s of Kimball Kimball • 320-398-3800 • Arnold’s of St. Martin St. Martin • 320-548-3285 • Arnzen Construction/St. Rosa Lumber Freeport, In St. Rosa 320-836-2284 or 1-888-276-1751 • Central MN Credit Union Albany • 888-330-8482 Avon • 888-330-8482 Belgrade • 888-330-8482 Cold Spring • 888-330-8482 Freeport • 888-330-8482 Holdingford • 888-330-8482 Melrose • 888-330-8482 Paynesville • 888-330-8482 Sauk Centre • 888-330-8482 • Centre Dairy Equipment & Supply Inc. Sauk Centre • 320-352-5762 or 1-800-342-2697 • Coil’s Flags St Cloud • 320-253-8160 • Cold Spring Co-op & Country Store Cold Spring • 320-685-8651 • Dairy Star Sauk Centre • 320-352-6303 • Dairyland Supply Sauk Centre 320-352-3987 or 1-800-338-6455 • DHIA Sauk Centre 320-352-2028 or 1-800-369-2697 • Ecker Feed Service, LLC New Munich • 320-837-5800 • Elrosa Grain & Feed Elrosa • 320-697-5515
• Elrosa Lumber Elrosa • 320-697-5591 • Farm Systems Melrose 1-800-636-5581 • 1-800-247-0012 • Feed Co. Paynesville • 320-243-3938 • Freeport State Bank Freeport • 1-800-252-9856 320-836-2126 Greenwald • 320-987-2265 New Munich • 320-837-5297 Melrose • 320-256-7208 • Hartung Sales & Service, Inc. Freeport • 320-836-2697 • Lake Henry Implement Lake Henry • 320-243-7411 • Leedstone Melrose • 800-996-3303 • Melrose Implement Inc. Melrose • 320-256-4253 • Midwest Machinery Sauk Centre • 320-352-6511 Sauk Rapids • 320-252-2010 • Modern Farm Equipment Sauk Centre • 320-352-6543 • Nutrien Ag Solutions 320-352-6564 STEELE COUNTY • Ag Partners - Agronomy Owatonna • 507-413-8000 • Northland Farm Systems Owatonna • 800-385-3911 TODD COUNTY • Central MN Credit Union Grey Eagle • 888-330-8482 Long Prairie • 888-330-8482 • Farm-Rite Long Prairie • 320-732-3715 • Olson’s Custom Farm Service Staples • 800-477-7059 • Pro-Ag Farmers Co-op in Browerville Browerville • 320-594-2415 • Pro-Ag Farmers Co-op in Clarissa Clarissa • 218-756-2112 • Pro-Ag Farmers Co-op in Eagle Bend Eagle Bend • 218-738-2552 WABASHA COUNTY • Ag Partners Farm Store Lake City • 651-345-3328 Plainview • 507-534-2531 • Beck Implement Elgin • 507-876-2122 • Leedstone Plainview • 800-548-2540 • Wingert Sales & Service Plainview • 507-534-2285 WADENA COUNTY • Dairyland Equipment of Menahga Menahga • 218-564-4958 • Olson’s Custom Farm Service Verndale • 218-445-5500 Sebeka • 218-837-5749 WINONA COUNTY • Benson Farm Service Lewiston • 507-523-2188 • Elba Coop Elba • 507-796-6571 • S&S Dairy Systems St. Charles • 507-932-4288 WRIGHT COUNTY • Hobert Sales Inc. Cokato • 320-286-6284, 1-800-820-6455 • The Country Store/Munson Lakes Nutrition Howard Lake • 320-543-3517, 800-663-9177 YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY • Farmward Cooperative Wood Lake • 507-485-3153
SOUTH DAKOTA BROOKINGS COUNTY • W.W. Tire Brookings • 605-696-7400 CODINGTON COUNTY • Midwest Ag Supply Watertown • 605-882-2497 MINNEHAHA COUNTY • Central Valley Dairy Supply Brandon • 605-467-0812 • Midwest Livestock Systems Sioux Falls • 800-705-1447 ROBERTS COUNTY • Valley Dairy Supply Corona • 605-432-5224
BECKER COUNTY • Adkins Equipment Inc. Detroit Lakes • 218-847-3131 BENTON COUNTY • Arnold’s of St. Cloud Sauk Rapids • 320-251-2585 • Farm-Rite Equipment St. Cloud • 320 240 2085 *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 adult prize, or 17 years or younger and a son or
To view a complete list of participating businesses, log on to www.dairystar.com 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 14, 2020
Deadline for DMC program enrollment is Dec. 11
The United States Department of Agriculture began accepting applications for the Dairy Margin Coverage program Oct. 13 for 2021 enrollment. Signup runs through Dec. 11. DMC is a voluntary risk management program FSA News & Notes that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the allmilk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. DMC payments triggered for seven months in 2019 and three months By Ryan Brunn so far in 2020. More than 23,000 operations enrolled Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. in DMC in 2019, and more than 13,000 in 2020. If you chose the ve-year lock-in coverage, you must sign the contract and pay the $100 administration fee prior to Dec. 11. To determine the appropriate level of coverage for a specic dairy operation, producers can utilize the recently updated online dairy decision tool. The decision tool is designed to assist producers with calculating total premium costs and administrative fees associated with participation in DMC. An informational video is available too. Improvements to the decision tool, made in cooperation with representatives from the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin, include historical analysis that illustrates what DMC indemnity payments might have been had the program been available over the previous two decades. The analysis indicates that over the course of time, DMC payments made to producers exceed premiums paid. These decision tool enhancements provide a more comprehensive decision support experience for producers considering DMC. In addition to DMC, USDA offers a variety of programs that have helped dairy producers, including insurance, disaster assistance and conservation programs. Most recently, the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 1 provided $1.75 billion in direct relief to dairy producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19 in early 2020. Now, signup is underway for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2, which provides another round of assistance for dairy producers and many other eligible producers. For more information, visit the farmers.gov DMC webpage, or contact your local USDA Service Center. To locate your FSA ofce, visit farmers.gov/servicecenter-locator. 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.
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A time to be thankful
Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Brenna Connelly serves as the Minnesota dairy community’s goodwill ambassador. Throughout the year, Princess Kay helps people understand the dedication of dairy farmers to wholesome and nutritious food, and the way milk is produced. Princess Kay does many school presentations, represents dairy farmers at the Fuel Up To Play 60 events that are held in conjunction with the Minnesota Vikings, and is very active during June Dairy Month sharing the importance of dairy farming and dairy foods. Brenna grew up in Byron, Minnesota, working on her cousin’s dairy farm. She is a sophomore at the University of MinnesotaTwin Cities, studying agricultural education and animal science. When she is not showing cattle or participating in dairy judging, she loves to read and travel.
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chocolate milk, and I shared its nutritional benets. Additionally, each week we have heard from a nalist as they share their unique dairy story. As the holidays approach, I hope to share fun holiday recipes and ways dairy can be at the heart of special holiday moments. This season is a time to be thankful. My greatest blessing is my wonderful family that supports and encourages me through all aspects of my life. I am thankful for the time spent surrounded by their love and the memories we share. I am also thankful for good health and safety during this time. This year has brought many challenges, but the opportunities and experiences I have gained are irreplaceable. As we enter this season, take the time to reect on all the things you are thankful for. Wishing you a blessed, safe and happy Thanksgiving!
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As we enter the month of November, I am always reminded to take extra time to appreciate all the amazing things I am thankful for. Although this year has looked different in many ways, it is important for all of us to focus on the positive aspects of our lives. I hope you join me in lling your heart with gratitude this season. On the Road with Each season brings its own joy and Princess Kay excitement. Fall is a time of cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and pumpkin-flavored foods and drinks. Most importantly, fall is lled with the sight, sound and smell of harvest. I am thankful to live in a beautiful state where I get to experience the joy of changing seasons and By Brenna Connelly see the beauty of fall. 67th Princess Kay of the During these times, Milky Way I am thankful for the opportunity to represent the dedicated farmers of Minnesota who work around the clock to complete a bountiful harvest. I am constantly reminded of the resilience and perseverance of dairy farmers. The hard work does not go unnoticed, as the work in the eld and in the barns provides our state with a plentiful supply of wholesome foods. As the harvest season will soon come to an end, we will enter the holiday season. This year it may look different for many families. When I think of the holidays, I am reminded of the time surrounded by
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 27
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I am constantly l reminded i d d off the resilience and perseverance of dairy farmers. loved ones and the delicious foods that are a part of our memories and traditions. For me, the holidays would be incomplete without cheesy potatoes and platters of dessert. I hope this year you are able to enjoy your favorite foods and safely connect with loved ones. Although different, it is important to nd gratitude during this holiday season. In the last month, I have been busy posting on our social media accounts. I have enjoyed getting to share some of my favorite dairy foods or recipes that incorporate dairy while I am at college. Chocolate milk was also the ofcial beverage of Halloween. I spent the day sharing a few fun recipes that incorporated
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 Joe Armstrong armst225@umn.edu 612.624.3610 Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130 Hugh Chester-Jones chest001@umn.edu 507-835-3622 Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184 Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391 Sandra Godden godde002@umn.edu 612-625-8177 Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu 612-626-5620 Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277 Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711 Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104 Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu 612-625-3108 Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334 Emily Krekelberg krek0033@umn.edu 507-280-2863 Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109 Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435 Erin Royster royster@umn.edu Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093 Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu 612-624-1205 M. Scott Wells mswells@umn.edu 612-625-3747
www.extension.umn.edu/dairy
Rearing dairy calves with cows
Most organic dairy producers in the United States use individual housing methods to raise dairy calves, meaning each calf has their own pen for the rst several weeks of life. In a new research project at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, Minnesota, we are raising calves on cows in our dairy system as one of the experimental treatments. The WCROC was recently awarded three grants totaling $2.1 million through the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture to further research in the areas of pre-weaned By Brad Heins calf rearing options, disbudding alternatives University of MN for organic dairy calves and the effect of high-legume diets on milk quality. For the project on calf rearing options, Brad Heins and Marcia Endres will compare individual housing, group housing, pair housing and raising calves with cows on pasture in the context of calf health, behavior and welfare. Ultimately, the team will provide recommendations on best calf rearing practices for organic dairy producers. The overarching goal of the calf rearing project is to identify the best calf housing option to enhance positive calf welfare. The results will help improve the long-term protability and social sustainability of the dairy industry by improving its public image. Through this project, we will provide recommendations on best calf rearing options for organic dairy producers to impleTable. Growth measures for calves by treatment Group fed calves fed free choice Variable Birth weight (lbs.) 80.5 60-day weight (lbs.) 232.1 60-day hip height (cm) 96.9 60-day heart girth (in) 42.4 Daily weight gain (lbs.) 2.49
ment based on welfare outcomes, health benchmarks and management feasibility. The dairy industry needs to improve calf rearing methods to balance health and animal welfare to meet the demands of stakeholders as well as consumers. During the spring of 2020, we started a small pilot study to evaluate calves raised on cows on pasture compared to calves raised in individual pens or calves raised in groups on an automated calf feeder. For the study, there were 15 group-fed calves, 16 individual calves and 14 calves raised on cows. Growth data for calves to 60 days of age are shown in the Table. For all groups, calves were weekly weighed and scored for health and body condition, and behavioral observations were taken. At 60 days of age, the calves raised on cows had greater body weight (245 pounds) compared to group-fed calves fed 8 liters per day (210 pounds) and individually fed calves (207 pounds). Calves raised on cows had greater heart girth than the other groups of calves. Average daily gain for calves raised on cows was much higher (2.7 pounds per day) than calves groupfed 8 liters (1.7 pounds per day) or individually fed 8 liters (2.1 pounds per day). Calves that were fed free choice in an automated calf feeder had higher body weights than group-fed calves just fed 8 liters of milk. Calves fed free choice in group housing had the second highest average daily gain at 60 days of age. Health scores indicated no difference in health or hygiene for calf groups, but the sample size was small. The larger project that is just getting started will include about 400 calves, and we will be able to evaluate these rearing options in more depth. Stay tuned.
Group fed calves fed 8 liters
Individual calves fed 8 liters
Calves raised on cows
84.1 187.3 96.2 40.3 1.73
82.8 207.2 96.6 41.1 2.07
84.7 245.4 97.9 45.0 2.71
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Monitoring BCS maximizes productivity, prevents disease By Zelmar Rodriguez & Luciano Caixeta University of MN
Body condition score is a good indicator of the amount of energy stored in the cow’s body. Because a dairy cow’s BCS varies throughout her lactation cycle, it is important to monitor these changes to understand milk production and reproductive performance results. For this reason, a close evaluation of the dynamics of BCS throughout lactation is essential to avoid energetic imbalances that can jeopardize health and productivity. What is the body condition score system? The BCS is a visual scoring system used to estimate cow’s body reserves, in special fat accumulation. This scoring system uses a ve-point scale with 0.25or 0.5-point increments, with a thin cow being scored as 1 and an obese cow being scored as 5. This visual assessment of dairy cow’s body condition is a simple and practical technique that producers, nutritionists, veterinarians and consultants can use to assess if the cow has the adequate condition for each given stage of her annual cycle. Assessing BCS at specic times during the cow’s annual cycle is an inexpensive practice used to identify management and nutritional opportunities to optimize milk production, reproductive performance and overall health. What to observe? When assessing BCS, the rater needs to observe the amount of fat covering the short ribs, backbones, hook and pin bones, thurl and tail head areas. If necessary, palpation can help determine the amount of fat covering these areas of interest. When to observe? In order to have a complete understanding of the variation in the dairy cow’s body reserves during her annual cycle, we recommend assessing BCS at least three times during an entire lactation. Ideally, BCS would be assessed at calving, around peak milk production (70-90 days in milk) – a reasonable time for this assessment would be the rst time a cow is checked for pregnancy – and at dry off. Keep the balance. Maintaining the balance is usually the answer, and BCS is not the exception. Targeting a BCS at calving of 3 to 3.25 will maximize milk production while decreasing the risk for metabolic and infectious diseases. During early lactation, fat deposits will be mobilized to fulll energy demands for milk production, and when cows produce as much milk as expected,
they will likely lose BCS until they reach peak production. It is common for cows to lose between 0.5 to 1 point between calving and peak lactation. Losses of more than 1 point have been associated with impaired reproductive performance and should be avoided. As soon as cows enter a period of positive nutrient balance, they will replenish the body reserves depleted in the rst third of their lactation. As a rule of thumb, the BCS at dry-off would be similar to the BCS at calving, and cows will not gain BCS during the dry period. Although we do not expect cows to gain BCS during this period, it is common to have dairy cows increase their BCS by 0.25 to 0.5 points during the dry period. In this case, cows should have a lower BCS when dried off to avoid obesity at calving. What are some of the problems when BCS is not ideal? Obese cows will have a greater reduction in appetite around calving and will mobilize greater amounts of fat around parturition than cows that have an ideal BCS during the dry period and calving. These factors are some of the reasons for the increased chance of developing hyperketonemia and fatty liver by obese cows. Another negative effect of elevated BCS at calving is the impairment of the immune response leading to greater chances for the development of infectious diseases such as metritis and mastitis. Fat cows are also more likely to lose more BCS and will take longer to get pregnant after calving. Previous research has reported a 10% decrease on conception rate per each 0.5 unit of BCS lost in early lactation. On the other hand, when cows are too thin at calving, they will produce less milk because of the lack of energy reserves available to overcome their decit in energy intake. Another possible consequence of low BCS at calving is the increased risk of lameness because dairy cows will mobilize the fat accumulated in the digital cushion within their hoof resulting in claw horn disease such as sole ulcers worsening animal welfare and decreasing milk yield. Body condition scoring is a practical, accurate and low-cost method to evaluate fat reserve in dairy cows. The monitoring and implementation of management and nutritional strategies to maintain BCS within the recommended limits are important to maximizing performance while lowering the incidence of metabolic and infectious diseases. Therefore, producers and advisors are encouraged to utilize BCS as another source of information to make appropriate decisions at the individual and farm level.
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 29
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Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
The joke goes something like this: An something completely out of their league and fail are inexperienced blonde decided that she wanted to ride cast as idiots or, worse, dumb blondes. But let that a horse. She chose a likely steed and bravely climbed same person succeed and even the biggest dweeb is aboard. The horse instantly took off at a brisk pace. The hailed as a hero. Just look at Bill Gates. blonde became frightened I was bitten by the and cried “Whoa,” but the horse bug some years ago. horse kept on galloping. I was bi bitten b by the h h horse b bug Thinking back, I wish it had As the blonde began to slip been a horsey. from the saddle, she yelled, some years ago. Thinking back, We had a pasture “Stop! Stop!” But, the horse I wish it had been a horsefly. where we kept our dry cows. paid no heed. It often became necessary The blonde fell to the to move a cow from the ground where she was at pasture to our cattle yard, an the mercy of the pounding hooves. She had almost arduous undertaking on foot. lost consciousness when an employee of the Walmart Our two then-preteen sons had been nagging that rushed out and unplugged the horse. we should have a horse to make managing the pastured I’ve always admired people who do not let a silly cows easier. That we would have a horse available little thing like a total lack of experience stand in for recreational riding must have also crossed their the way of an exciting new idea. Folks who attempt scheming little minds.
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One autumn, despite the fact that I had no experience, I visited a horse trader. I came home with Jack, a hulking roan quarter horse gelding. The whole experience had been new and exciting. Horsey Jack, as he came to be known, was Dear County Agent Guy an instant celebrity at our farm. Our two boys doted on Jack, feeding him oats, apples and handfuls of grass torn from the lawn. But Horsey Jack’s popularity lasted only a short while. He quickly fell out of favor when I tried to pass off his daily chores onto the boys. By Jerry Nelson All that long winter, Columnist I carried hay and grain to the thankless beast. Whenever I felt disgruntled about stoking my “hay burner,” I tried to imagine how things would be next summer: I would throw the saddle onto Jack, and we would tear off across the pasture in pursuit of some surly bovine. I would feel Jack’s powerful muscles ripple beneath me; the mere sound of his thundering hooves would strike fear in the cows’ hearts. It would be just like a Marlboro ad. OK, so I would not exactly be in the rugged badlands west of the Pecos. And yes, the cattle would be placid old Holsteins instead of wild Longhorns. But it is the feeling that counts, and with a humungous horse like Jack, I assumed that this sort of feeling simply had to happen. Spring nally arrived, and none too soon as I was tired of schlepping feed to Horsey Jack. In a t of spring fever, I decided to put Jack out onto the pasture with the dry cows. Jack trotted out and joined the herd. He seemed quite content. About a month later, I found myself in need of Jack’s services. I went out to the pasture and summoned Jack with my special call, which consisted of shaking oats in a bucket. This never failed to bring Jack at a dead run. Within a matter of minutes, I had saddled Jack and was ready to rock and roll. “C’mon Jack!” I urged. “Let’s go get her! Giddyap!” Jack seemed to sense the magnitude of our mission and instantly broke into a gallop. We ew across the prairie, the wind in my face, my mighty charger’s feet scarcely touching the earth. I felt like a real, live cowboy. It almost made me want to start smoking just so that I could justify buying a pack of Marlboros. When he reached the cows, Jack abruptly slammed on the brakes and skidded to a halt. It is a good thing the saddle horn stopped me, or I would have landed in the next county. Jack dropped his head and began to graze. Nothing I did or said could convince him to canter, trot or even lope. He must have seen no reason to go anywhere since he was back with his herd. I sold Jack at a loss shortly thereafter and used the proceeds to purchase a used dirt bike. I gured that at least I would not have to carry feed to a motorcycle all winter long. And it was all the more exciting because I did not have any experience with dirt bikes. Jerry is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, South Dakota. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry currently works full time for the Dairy Star as a staff writer/ad salesman. Feel free to E-mail him at: jerry.n@ dairystar.com.
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What is the most costly disease in your herd? Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 31
Historically, mastitis has been the most common and most costly disease in the dairy industry. Our practice has monitored rates of diseases in dairy herds for quite a few years. It used to be common to see new clinical mastitis Veterinary Wisdom case rates (number of rst clinical cases for the lactation per herd size) of 3%-4% per month, or roughly, 36%48% per year. Herds with great milk quality used to run new clinical case rates of less than 2% (24% annually) per month, and total clinical case rates of less than By Jim Bennett 3% per month (36% annually). Milk sold Columnist with an average somatic cell count of less than 200,000 was considered high quality. Today, we expect well-managed dairy herds to have monthly new clinical case rates of 1% or less, and total clinical case rates of 1.5% or less (12% and 18% annually). The average SCC for the Upper Midwest Federal Milk Marketing Order in 2018 was 182,000, so clearly, 200,000 is no longer excellent. For lameness, a typical monthly rate of new clinical cases is around 3%, and a typical rate for all clinical cases is around 4%. That means roughly 36% and 48% annual case rates, respectively. Reasonable goals for well-managed herds are 2% per month (24% annually) and 3% per month (36% annually). Thus, lameness has become more common on well-managed farms than mastitis. Over one-third of cows can be expected to have at least one case of lameness per year. This is a big deal. Using an estimated cost of $500 per clinical case, a 500-cow dairy would be losing $120,000 per year due to clinical lameness. That same dairy can expect to spend over $40 per cow on foot bath
treatments per year, or another $20,000. There are move cows carefully and slowly. Remember that also hoof trimming and other treatment costs. One cows prefer to move slower than humans. Be also has to consider indirect and non-monetary costs especially careful with fresh cows, because parts of of reduced animal welfare, including consumer the hoof’s suspensory apparatus are relaxed due to perception. hormone release around calving, making the hoof The major causes of lameness in dairy herds have more prone to injury. Utilize a foot bath regularly. changed over time. For Use your hoof trimmer for example, clinical foot rot preventive and corrective is less common, probably O Over one-third hi d off cows can b be trimming, not just for because of widespread foot lame cows. In a typical bath adoption. Interdigital expected to have at least one freestall herd, most cows hyperplasia, or corns, is case of lameness per year. will need trimming twice also less common today, per lactation. For digital most likely because of dermatitis, detection and more routine hoof trimming and better genetics. treatment in heifers is often important, because On the other hand, digital dermatitis has become animals infected as heifers may become chronically endemic in dairy herds and is one of the major infected and show up with clinical disease when causes of lameness in many herds. Corkscrew claw they are cows, unless they are treated as heifers. of the rear claws might be less common, while it is Identify and treat lame cows promptly. Cows that more common in front feet than in the past. Sole are lame for longer periods of time cost you more ulcers and white line disease were common in the and are much more likely to be culled. Record all past and continue to be so today. cases of lameness and then use your records to As far as the predisposing causes, housing determine overall rates of lameness, including rates cows on wet, dirty concrete and overstocking have of second and more cases per lactation, and the become more important than muddy cow lots. primary causes of lameness on your dairy. Review Excessive standing on concrete results in hoof causes with your hoof trimmer and veterinarian. wear, damage to the sole corium, and increased Keep key people on your dairy in the lameness/ white line hemorrhage and separation. Slipping hoof health loop. Does your veterinarian have your and turning on wet concrete may contribute to hoof trimmer’s email address or phone number and white line disease as well. It is quite common to see vice versa? increased sole ulcers and white line disease in the Lameness is a substantial challenge on most fall following hot summers, because cows need to farms today. With knowledge and the proper tools, stand up to dissipate heat, and increased standing perhaps we can make similar progress to what has on concrete is detrimental to hoof health. been achieved with mastitis control. What is a farmer to do? Bennett is one of four dairy veterinarians at Well, rst, prevent problems when you can. Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center Reduce standing time. This might mean less in Plainview, Minnesota. He also consults on dairy crowding, smaller groups in the parlor, better farms in other states. He and his wife, Pam, have stall comfort or reduced lock up time. Design and four children. Jim can be reached at bennettnvac@ maintain concrete ooring to minimize slipping. gmail.com with comments or questions. Use rubber where appropriate, such as in the parlor and holding area, and perhaps scrape alleys. Always
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Moving Mom Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
My 96-year-old mother is in failing health. She days, but when that infection hit her, she was setting has lived alone the last 13 years in her own home records for pushing her emergency button. Because and has done fantastic until a few weeks ago. The of the infection, she was very uncomfortable and downhill spiral started with a u vaccine that hit her a confused, and it kept getting worse. The home health little hard, and then she fell nurse strongly suspected on her tailbone on carpet problem and secured Because off the h iinfection, f i she h was the causing a stress fracture that B medication to treat it. In is not repairable and needs very uncomfortable and confused, the meantime, I went from time to heal. Then she got a chasing into town every few and it kept getting worse. urinary tract infection that hours to staying with her changed everything for a every night. Those rst few week. nights were horrible, getting In my last article, I mentioned that Mom had woke up every couple hours by a person that really fell, and we installed a home emergency calling was not the mom I knew for 60 years, to help her with device so she could push a button on her wrist and a her needs, as she was not strong enough to get up company would immediately notify one of us that she herself. needed help. She did not use or need it the rst few Thankfully, during the day, my wife would stop
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and help her, and the home health nurses would give her a shower and do many other tasks. My daughter, Tae, would bring her a small fresh tasty meal at noon every day. We gured out Mom was better off with small portions of really tasty food than with the Making Cents of Dairy bland meals on wheels fare. Mom especially likes the ham and pineapple pizza from our station. Once the infection was under control, things improved greatly. Mom sleeps all night and is back to being her pleasant, quiet self. By Dave Vander Kooi She cannot arise from a Columnist sitting or laying position by herself, but once she is up, she walks with a walker with one of us steadying her. My brother, Stan, and his wife have been coming to help for a couple days at a time to give us a break, which has been a lifesaver for us. Mom knows she is a burden, and she begged us to get her into assisted living or a nursing home. All four of us siblings agreed that should happen, and we started to make plans for that to happen. That is when things started to get really interesting. The nursing homes and assisted living places in southwest Minnesota are all on lockdown because of COVID-19 and are not accepting new residents at this time. Tae suggested I try places in Sibley, Iowa, because they are under different rules, and Sibley is a short 15 miles from our house. There are two nursing homes in Sibley, and I asked several friends who I knew would know which nursing home would be the best for my mom. When I called the recommended nursing home, the lady was so helpful, and yes, they would take my mom. Of course, I had to give her all kinds of information, and we had to secure a negative COVID-19 test for my mom. This all was happening on a Monday morning, and I found out there was a drive-thru testing site at a local clinic on Monday afternoon. My younger sister, Kristi, who lives in California, and is a high-powered medical supply salesperson, made the appointment for my mom to get the test. The results were supposed to be back by Thursday noon. So, Monday afternoon my brother and I struggled and succeeded in getting my mom into my pickup to go get the test. It would have been easier if we could have put her in a rocking chair and lifted her in the back of the pickup for the ride across town. Thursday came and went with no test results, Friday came and went with no test results, even though my sister called and emailed the clinic every couple hours. The ironic part is my sister had just closed on the sale of millions of dollars of rapid COVID-19 tests to large hospital chains on the east and west coasts. Yet, she could not secure one rapid test for her own mother. Now it is Sunday, and my mother is in her home being cared for by family. Hopefully tomorrow we get some results, and hopefully the results are negative and Mom can get her wish of being in a safer environment where her caregivers know what they are doing. Vander Kooi operates a 1,800-cow, 4,500 acre farm with his son, Joe, and daughter-in-law, Rita, near Worthington, Minnesota. Send him feedback at davevkooi@icloud.com. Follow him on Instagram, @ davevanderkooi.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 33
A saying that is often tossed out to youth to instill the idea of thinking before acting is, “Make good choices.” It seems that could be applied to most of the many decisions we need to make in every aspect of daily life, especially lately. An election nally happened, and I am so glad it is over. Many have been obsessed with whether to vote for one candidate or another and how the choices and resulting outcome would affect our future. I am one who sees a vast gray middle ground and not so much a far-left or a far-right Come Full Dairy Circle agenda for the country. I would prefer compromise and working together to solve problems and to reach amiable solutions that can be of benet to all of us. But, of course, it is not as easy as all of that. Like anything worthwhile in life, it will take a great deal of hard work. As farmers and rural dwellers, we are in a minority in our country and probably in our local communities as well. That means educating our leaders as to what is needed for keeping the business of agriculture healthy and able to function well is always in order. When we hit a pause at the end of harvest, it By Jean Annexstad makes sense to spend some time reaching out to those Columnist newly elected people who represent us on a local level and explain what we do, what is important to us and why it matters. It certainly could not hurt. These folks will have many critical choices to make in the months to come, and they might appreciate the input. In the busy days of trying to wrap up our harvest, get corn stalk bales made and hauled back to the farm, hauling manure and preparing livestock facilities before the cold and snowy winter that was here for a while; there are too many priorities. It is overwhelming. Making daily choices on what to do when and how to leverage every available person and every hour to get the work done before an impending stretch of rain or snow will shut it down seems crazy. Sometimes there is no choice but to keep going and try to do as much as possible. “We will sleep when we are dead,” someone once said. Since the rst of October through the rst week of November, there have been 45 head due to calve on our dairy. I have not kept track, but this seems like a record amount for our herd of 200 head of lactating cows. Choosing to check cows, feed nnew babies their colostrum and rearrange the calf barn to Since the Si h fi first off O October b t all the new babies into pens through the first week of has been necessary. It is good be near the end of this busy November, there have been 45 to stretch. Perhaps I will be able head due to calve on our dairy. to pick some different tasks to sspend my time on when the ccalves are weaned or the bull calves are sold. I made a choice to attend the virtual Dairy Girl Network Forward Together conference last week. I was really looking forward to it; however, I did not actually have time to focus on the sessions when they were taking place. There were too many new calves and other outside tasks that needed attention during the favorable weather. So now I will plan to catch up on the recorded sessions gradually over the next few weeks as time allows. A poorly-planned choice can sometimes be salvaged and savored in a better way. The pandemic, which has limited most in-person meetings and conferences, seems to be a game-changer by providing a lot more virtual opportunities. Many events I have thought about attending but could not due to the time spent away from the daily farm commitments can now be joined at the click of a keyboard and placing my smiling face in front of a screen. I nd the problem now is that there are too many choices. There are webinars, annual meetings, educational seminars on every dairy topic imaginable, virtual tours of new facility installations, cow shows and so much more. I need to nd a new framework to decide what is most important to spend my time with and how much time I actually have to join in and fully participate. I am learning that it takes a lot of energy and focus to sit at a screen and engage. Like many others who do this for their school classes, work and social life, it takes a learning curve to get used to it. I would much rather interact in person. When faced with an innite amount of what to watch on a screen, sometimes the choice to head out to the barn and interact with the calves and cows seems like a better one to make. Jean dairy farms with her husband, Rolf, and brother-in-law, Mike, and children Emily, Matthias and Leif. They farm near St. Peter, Minnesota, in Norseland, where she is still trying to t in with the Norwegians and Swedes. They milk 200 cows and farm 650 acres. She can be reached at jeanannexstad@ gmail.com.
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
Mixing milking with refereeing Jansen ofciates high school volleyball By Mark Klaphake
mark.k@dairystar.com
DANUBE, Minn. – There are many fall farm events that make 60-year-old Odie Jansen smile. A calf being born, nishing harvest of corn or soybean, tilling the soil or just working with his two sons, Bob and Sam, on his 130-cow dairy near Danube. It is also during this time that Jansen gets off the farm to do something he has relished for many years, referee high school volleyball games. “It’s an unexplainable deal,” Jansen said. “Who ever thought when I started playing that I’d be able to be an ofcial someday. When you get done and parents and kids thank you for doing a good job; I don’t do this for the money whatsoever. It is absolutely a calling. To love the sport and be able to do something that I can do.”
Jansen was introduced to the sport when he watched his girlfriend play on the Renville High School team. After watching and studying what good players did and the basics of volleyball, he knew he wanted in. “I never played volleyball anywhere really until I was 31,” Jansen said. “In a summer tournament, a fellow dairy farmer was their ofcial, and
“Who ever thought when I started playing that I’d be able to be an official someday.” ODIE JANSEN, DAIRY FARMER
he drove me to become better and we became best friends. He was my mentor.” Soon Jansen would be hustling through chores to make the three leagues he Turn to JANSEN | Page 35
BEN LUNDSTEN FOR DAIRY STAR
Odie Jansen takes a break before refereeing the Minnesota Valley Lutheran volleyball match against Springeld Oct. 29 near New Ulm, Minnesota. Janson milks 130 cows with his sons, Bob and Sam, and also referees high school volleyball games.
Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 35
ConƟnued from JANSEN | Page 34
competed in. He continued by playing in weekend tournaments with friends. Spiking, blocking, serving and balancing his hard work at home with a fervent hobby. “I never had an opportunity to do any sports of any kind in high school,” Jansen said. “I started playing and it just hooked me. I could jump, and I could block. I couldn’t pass but I got by. The better the volleyball, the more it consumed me.” While he was still competing, he was asked to be a ref for the Minnesota Sports Federation, who was in charge of putting on adult league state tournaments. Jansen obliged. He enjoyed making sure players were following the rules of the game, plus it gave him an opportunity to see others enjoying a sport that meant so much to him. After playing and sweating through thousands of sets of volleyball, Jansen said it was time to quit. He had a couple back surgeries and then retired in 2005.
“I don’t do this for the money. I do this for the love of the game.” ODIE JANSEN, DAIRY FARMER
“I played for 15 years,” he said. “It was the greatest 15 years of my life because I was in such good shape. The competitiveness and the people you meet. I can hardly go to a town anywhere and someone doesn’t recognize me – a player or an ofcial. It’s awesome.” But because volleyball had become such a fabric in his life, he knew he had to stay in touch with the game. A short time later, there was a shortage of high school refs and a friend asked him to ref a game. Jansen was ecstatic. “The rst time I ever ofciated, it was with an ex-dairy farmer,” Jansen said. “We connected so well. Every time I made a mistake, he corrected me. That was the growing of it. The most fun I have is watching the junior varsity kids grow up as they go from JV to varsity. It’s just like you turn on the lights and holy cow, in one year
these kids that were like stumbling now are just amazing. They really grow into themselves. Especially from sophomore to junior year.” For better than 15 years as the days drift into late August, Jansen prepares for another season of volleyball. He, along with another assigned referee, are in charge of the junior varsity and varsity events on Tuesday and Thursday nights. “People come up to me and recognize me as a guy that refs volleyball out of the blue,” Jansen said. “You visit so many teams you’ve been around.” Most of the matches he is assigned to are within a 60-mile radius of his farm which means he is heading down the driveway around 4:30 p.m. to meet the other ref and head to their destination. In a normal season, he does anywhere from 16 to 22 matches. “You want to make sure those girls have a great experience,” Jansen said. “It’s my job to be non-judgmental and make sure they’re both treated fairly. I’m impressed that people actually know me and tell me that. It makes me feel really proud. And it’s the best when a team that doesn’t win comes up and thanks me after a hard-fought game.” Back at the farm, Bob and Sam go about making sure everything gets done in orderly fashion. “I tell the kids I have to go,” Jansen said. “Sam does all the bedding, and Bob mixes about 90% of the feed. I’ve got a milker and scraper for each milking because that takes four hours twice a day. I got them trained a few years ago for bedding and mixing feed.” Besides the milking herd, the Jansens farm around 700 acres and raise corn, soybean and alfalfa. To get the work done, Jansen often will work later into the night on non-volleyball nights. Others might look at Jansen’s schedule as being hectic, but not Jansen. He nds great enjoyment in his part-time job as an opportunity to give back to a game that means so much to him. “I don’t ever foresee quitting for at least 10 years,” Jansen said. “I don’t do this for the money. I do this for the love of the game.”
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
Women In Dairy Mary Kuhn Mabel, Minnesota Fillmore County 300 cows Family: My husband, Marvin, and I have four children: Stephanie, 30, and her husband, Tom Feldman, and their kids, Chase, 3, and Maren, 6 months; Lindsey, 28, and her husband, Nick Bohr, and their kids, Easton, 1.5, and Everly, 6 months; Mitchell, 23; and Ryan, 20. Tell us about your farm. When we were rst married, I worked off the farm in Rochester. In 1992, we went into partnership with Marvin’s parents, and in 2001, we bought out his mother. I stopped working off the farm in 2003 to work with Marvin and our family on the farm. We have 500 acres of corn and alfalfa for our feed. We have a freestall barn and milk 300 Holsteins in a double-8 parallel parlor, three times a day. We have a calf barn with automatic feeders. My main management duties are the calves, DairyComp, bookkeeping and human resources. We have three employees who milk, and our two sons who work off the farm help us on the weekends whenever they can. What is the busiest time of day for you? My busiest time of day is in the morning. I milk with one of our employees and take care of the calves and fresh cows. After morning chores, we do all our extra work that needs to be done with the cows and calves. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? In my spare time, I like to spend time with our family, especially our grandchildren. I also enjoy working in my ower beds, scrapbooking, making cards and camping. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. My most memorable experience on the farm is working side by side with our children and now seeing how their work ethic has been a great advantage in their current careers. Also having our two non-farming nephews and one great nephew stay with us for a couple weeks in the summer. It gave them an understanding of our farm life, and we also got to enjoy them and get to know them better.
What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? The great people I’ve meet. I don’t think there are any industries like farming where people talk and tell each other the best and worst things in their businesses. They talk and tell each other how they solved the same problem or how they might try to. Experience gives people so much knowledge. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I stay connected by attending seminars and meetings to keep learning and stay in touch with other farmers. This year has been an exception to that. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? Other dairy women I have met at seminars or meetings have inspired me. It is always fun and interesting to learn and feed off other women doing the same work I do. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? I would have the president of the Human Society of the United States, Kitty Block, come to my farm. They have a ght called, “Improving life of farm animals.” I would like to show her how we care for our animals on a day-today basis. There is a lot of hype about abuse on farms, but she needs to see those farms are few and far between. They only show the bad farms when there are millions of farms that treat their animals like family, because they are family. There is so much for this organization to see and learn about family farms and their love for their animals.
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What is the best vacation you have ever taken? My best vacation I have ever taken is any one with my children. We took them to Mexico a few times to see things but mostly to relax. When you work side by side every day, vacation is a great time to get away and connect on a different level with each other.
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Beth Gierke (from leĹŒ), Mitch Kappelman, A.J. Kenneke and Erin Kenneke run Meadow Brook Dairy Farms near Manitowoc, Wisconsin. They milk 420 cows and farm 1,100 acres.
Lung ultrasounds, colostrum, cleaning critical to success By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
MANITOWOC, Wis. – Understanding the signiďƒžcance of quality calf care and how it impacts the future milking herd is embedded in siblings Beth Gierke, Erin Kenneke and Mitch Kappelman, as well as Erin’s husband, A.J. The siblings are the ďƒžfth generation to run Meadow Brook Dairy Farms near Manitowoc where they milk 420 cows and farm 1,100 acres. Pete and Shellie Kappelman remain majority owners of the farm, which is managed by their three children and son-in-law. The four members of the younger generation bought into ownership in 2017. Mitch is the herdsman, Erin is in charge of calves, and Beth does bookwork and helps A.J., who is in charge of crops, with ďƒželdwork. A.J. also feeds and does mechanical work. Doing lung ultrasounds, feeding higher quantities of colostrum and following rigorous cleaning protocols are recent improvements the farm has made to its calf program. As a result, health and growth rates have improved. For the past 1.5 years, the farm has conducted lung ultrasounds to look for
pneumonia. Working with Dairy Doctors Veterinary Services, of Plymouth, the procedure has proved beneďƒžcial in making early treatment and culling decisions. “We haven’t treated a clinical pneumonia case in months,â€? Erin said. “We’re really careful not to lose growth rate. If a calf is sick enough to go off feed, you don’t get that back. We like to take a preventative approach.â€? Prior to doing ultrasounds, the farm was seeing some pneumonia in 2- to 3-month-old calves. “When the weather changed, they would go off feed,â€? Erin said. “They didn’t look great. Now, we’re catching pneumonia at 3 to 5 weeks. We’re treating early, and they never stop eating.â€? Calves receive one to two ultrasounds, starting near 1 month of age. If the test is positive, a follow-up ultrasound is done to ensure the calf is doing better. “It’s a helpful management tool,â€? Erin said. “If we get high scores on the ultrasound, we can make adjustments within our program.â€? Feeding more colostrum is another practice that has beneďƒžtted the farm’s youngstock. “We want to give calves as much protection as we can,â€? Erin said. “We’re very careful about getting in the ďƒžrst gallon of colostrum within two hours, and we focus on that when training new Turn to MEADOW BROOK | Page 38
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020
ConƟnued from MEADOW BROOK | Page 37
people.” Calves receive another half-gallon during the rst 24 hours and an additional feeding the next day. “We want to give them as much as we can of the good stuff,” Erin said. “By adding that second feeding, we’re seeing a lot of success. The third feeding is a bonus. In following this system, we know calves are getting the energy, nutrients and antibodies they need.” The farm tests all colostrum and gives the best quality milk to its heifers. They shoot for a Brix score above 22 but like to feed colostrum with a score over 25, if possible. Blood samples are also taken to test calves’ serum total protein. “We’d rather add more tasks than more treatment,” Erin said. “The serum total protein is one more piece of data. The protein is tested on a meter and is a form of checks and balances on our colostrum protocols to see if passive transfer through colostrum has been achieved. If not, we can be quicker to treat with antibiotics.” In 2014, the dairy built four calf barns each with an automatic feeder. Calves are allowed 14 liters of milk per day, but most drink between 1012 liters or 3.17 gallons daily. Calves are fed pasteurized milk with pasteurized milk balancer. Newborns start out in Calf-Tel pens before moving onto the automated feeder at approximately one week of age. Calves are weaned at 60 days but re-
main in the same barn for three months. Average daily gain at 65 days is 2.1 pounds. The family started out housing 25 calves per barn but have found 17 calves to be the optimum capacity. “We want to make sure a high genomic animal is not the runt of the group,” said Beth, who fed calves before Erin took over. “Even when we housed 20 calves per barn, there was always a runt. But at 17 calves, we have no runts.” Before the automated barns were built, calves were fed in hutches twice a day and bottle fed 2 quarts at each feeding. “We didn’t have a lot of death loss, but we’ve gone from a par calf program to right where we want to be,” Erin said. “We have greater consistency.” Better cleaning techniques are also making a positive difference on the farm. Using the recommendations of Dr. Donald Sockett, the family follows an all-in, all-out cleaning process using a system of detergent, rinse, acid, rinse, chlorine dioxide and rinse. Before returning to the family farm, Mitch, Beth and Erin had to rst meet their parents’ requirement of working off the farm for a period of time. “They wanted us to experience what it was like to have weekends off, get paid vacation, a company car, insurance and other benets before diving into this,” Beth said. Beth worked in the market-
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Erin Kenneke takes a blood sample Oct. 27 to test for serum total protein at Meadow Brook Dairy Farms near Manitowoc, Wisconsin. ing department at CP Feeds and also held a variety of part-time jobs before coming back to the farm. Erin worked in the sales department at AgSource. Mitch spent two years at Accelerated Genetics as a herd analyst and sire analyst. A.J. worked for a crop research company in Madison and began working at Meadow Brook Dairy in 2012, followed by Mitch and Beth in 2015, and Erin in 2016. “I returned to the farm because I liked the thought of working with my family and being my own boss,” Beth said. “The exibility of the job and ability to make decisions is what really drew me in. Not
needing full-time daycare and being able to bring my kids along sometimes are perks as well.” Beth and her sister are working moms whose unwavering dedication to family and farming helps them effectively balance their roles on the dairy with the demands of motherhood. Their children attend the same daycare part time, and Beth and Erin help each other with picking up the kids, supplying diapers and formula, etc. Beth and her husband, Greg, have three children: Kenny, 4, Lucy, 2, and Ellie, 3.5 months. Erin and A.J. have two children – Claire, 2.5, and
Colton, 9 months. Erin works the early morning shift at the farm, taking care of calves from 4:30-8 a.m. while A.J. is home with the kids. When Erin is done at the farm, she and A.J. swap places. Erin then comes back in the evening to feed calves. “There’s an exceptional amount of effort put into our calves before they’re even born,” Erin said. “Decisions about the calves begin a year prior with Mitch’s mating program. A great deal of time and thought is invested into each calf by the time they arrive in the calf barn, and the next two months really determine their future – it’s a crucial time period, and we want to do it right.” Beth agreed. “Mitch has created a lot of value for the farm through his Brown Swiss embryos and genomics,” Beth said. “A great deal is riding on these animals’ futures, and we need to get them to the milking herd successfully.” The farm focuses on health traits and does genomic testing on all animals. A sharp focus on calf health and growth works hand in hand with nurturing the dairy’s elite genetics. “We like doing things the best way and the right way all the time on all areas of the farm,” Erin said. “With our farm’s genetic program, we have to do a good job in the calf barn. We can’t lose an expensive animal.”
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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 14, 2020 • Page 39
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outdoors is a positive too. What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Follow your passion. If this is truly what you want to do, just put your nose to the grindstone. There are a lot of great people in this industry, and all you have to do is talk to them. They will put you in contact with people if they don’t have the answers.
How did you get into farming? My brother, Todd, and I got into farming at a very young age. We grew up on our parents’ 60-cow dairy where we did chores from the time we were young. We continued to help on the farm until buying our parents out in 2000. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? Our main concern right now is the effects that COVID-19 is going to have on the milk markets moving into 2021. We are coming off strong prices now, but can we continue to carry them forward into the rst quarter of next year? Knowing our cost of production for next year helps us in our marketing decisions so we can lock milk. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? Two of the latest technologies we implemented are activity monitors and a self-propelled mixer. Both of those technology decisions were based on labor. With the labor force shrinking, it allowed us to do the same amount of work with one less person in the barn and one less in the feeding position. We used to feed with two people, and now all the feeding is done with one person. The labor and fuel savings more than pay for the new machine. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? We have gone to 100%
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Todd (leŌ) and Aaron AugusƟan milk 1,000 cows in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. The brothers bought the farm from their parents in 2000. cover crops and reduced our tillage. This saves money on labor and fuel. We also started to haul manure on growing crops which has reduced our fertilizer cost. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? Some of the cost-saving steps we have implemented involve doing more of the barn maintenance ourselves. We used to hire this out, but with freeing up a guy from mixing, this has given more time to do that work. We also transitioned over to cover crops and planting green in the last couple years, so this helps save money on tillage and eld prep in the spring. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? Once a month, we have an employee meeting with an outside consultant. If
an employee doesn’t feel comfortable discussing a problem with us, he can call this human resources team at any time and voice his concerns, and then that information is communicated back to us. This seems to have opened up the lines of communication with our predominately Hispanic workforce. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. One of the skills we possess is being mechanically inclined. We do all the maintenance on the farm in our shop. This saves us money by not having to call the dealership or take the machine in for repairs. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? The best part of dairy farming is working with the animals and the land. You get to see the complete life cycle in a short period of time. Working
What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? The best purchase on the farm is our hardworking employees. Without them, our operation would not run 24/7. We do purchase new equipment to help make their jobs easier, but ultimately, they are our best investment. What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? One of the things we are really excited for is the whole no-till cover crop process that we are implementing on our farm. Not only does it lower our cost, but it in turn helps protect the water quality in our area. We farm about 1 mile off of Lake Michigan, so protecting the surface water is very critical. What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? In the next ve years, we will be looking into manure technologies extensively. With the last couple years being very wet, I think we have to look at handling our manure in a different way. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? Todd races stock cars in his spare time and enjoys camping with his family. I like to golf, hunt, ride motorcycle and snowmobile.
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