November 28, 2020 Dairy Star - Zone 2

Page 1

The Great Christmas “GRAND” PRIZE

GIVEAWAY

See pages 24 and 25 of this section for details!

DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™

Volume 22, No. 19

November 28, 2020

A new home for youngstock Schleis family rebuilds after re claims calf barn By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

KEWAUNEE, Wis. – The Schleis family never expected to build a new calf barn six years after building their previous facility. But on a bitterly cold January night in 2019, the farm met disaster head on. Their calf barn built in 2013 burnt to the ground from unknown causes. The blaze spared nothing, leaving the structure in ruins and taking the lives of 130 calves. “It was 20 degrees below zero that night with a 30 to 40 mph wind, and the smoke was blowing bad,” said Steve Schleis. Steve farms with his brother, Marvin, his son, Ryan, and his daughterin-law, Tasha. Marvin’s 16-year-old daughter, Taylor, also works on the farm. Steve’s wife, Denise, works at the local post ofce, and Marvin’s wife, Julie, works for a company that manufactures stainless steel hydraulic lines. Turn to SCHLEIS | Page 6

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

The Schleis family – (front, from leŌ) Cadence and assistant calf manager Chelsea Nichols; (back, from leŌ) Marvin, Steve, Tasha and Ryan – stands in their new calf barn on their 440-cow farm near Kewaunee, Wisconsin.

Cooking, food are her love language

Hanke enjoys sharing meals with others in need By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Melissa Hanke, pictured with her family – husband, Michael, and children, (front) Manning; (back, from leŌ) Maverick, Madison and Marvin – makes meals for those in needs, especially at Thanksgiving. The Hankes operate a 90cow dairy where they also raise and direct-market beef with Hanke’s parents.

MARSHFIELD, Wis. – Sharing her talents and the bounty life has given her helps Melissa Hanke show gratitude each year during Thanksgiving. For the past several years, Hanke has provided meals both at Thanksgiving time and others when a need arises. “Food is my love,” Hanke said. “I love to cook and provide meals for people. When I was pregnant with my second child, a group of women whom I got to know provided a meal train for my family, so I could spend more time with them then cooking. It was wonderful.” Since that time, Hanke has pro-

vided hundreds of meals to families experiencing a time of need and distress. This year alone, she has provided at least 25 meals to families, not including those she will give during the upcoming holiday season. “I have provided meals to families who have had someone pass, babies being born, people having surgeries, a family that had their house burn down; people in need,” Hanke said. “I am also currently providing a meal each month to a family that is doing foster care, so that they can focus more on their family than spending time cooking.” Hanke is a proponent of participating in online meal trains for people to help families in need. She rst learned of the concept while involved in a mother-of-preschoolers group. “People can sign up from all over, and the receiving family isn’t overwhelmed with a ton of meals at once,” Turn to HANKE | Page 5

Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 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 (ofce) 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 Ofce: 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 (ofce) 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 Hoe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 nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.

The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.

A glance at the other side

The Great Christmas Giveaway 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 Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan circulation area, registrants could Crisdhome Solo Angel-ET, a nearly 2-month-old Holstein heifer calf from the Kruschke family in New Richmond, Wisconsin. 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 nd in this paper, but you can nd online in zone 1. Find full editions on our website, www.dairystar.com, and click on the e-edition tab under the Dairy Star header. Farm, family t together for Rosenhammers Having family be a part of the farm is the No. 1 goal for the Rosenhammers who milk 200 cows near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. It is because of this focus they received the 2020 Brown County Farm Family of the Year award. Now three generations work together on the farm with the help of a few part-time employees. Other focuses have been breeding for good type animals and giving the herd the best possible environment they could. Mallerys always trying to improve land The location of the Mallerys’ farm – atop the bluffs along the St. Croix River – makes land conservation the utmost importance to the family, who milks 250 cows on their dairy, Mallery Jerseys, near Shafer, Minnesota. It is because of their work to preserve the environment that the Mallerys received the 2020 Chisago County Outstanding Conservationists. While taking care of their natural resources has always been a part of the farm, the Mallerys took even more steps starting in 2009 to ensure they were doing their part to care for Mother Earth. While working with the county Natural Resources Conservation Correction Service along with the Soil and Water Conservation District, the Mallerys put in In the Nov. 14 issue, Dairy Star incorbuffers, diversions, control basins, grade stabilizations and made adjustments rectly printed information in the story, to their nutrient management plan. “University creamery back in business.” The following sentence in the Maus family has successful deer opening weekend second paragraph should be omitted: Deer hunting is one pastime the Maus family can enjoy together, and this “Now the space houses the university’s year’s seasons they did just that. Over Minnesota’s opening weekend, James Department of Food Science and Huand his kids – Lynnea and Justin – each bagged deer Nov. 7 near the family’s man Nutrition.” Dairy Star regrets the dairy farm near Osakis, Minnesota. error.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 3

It’s all inside... Columnists Sparta

Madison

Sturgeon Bay

Second Section: Pages 3-5

First Section: Page 38

First Section: Pages 10-12

Finding ways to save energy

Wells-Leis embraces direct marketing Bayeld

Pierce

Just Thinking Out Loud

hb Dunn

Pepin

Buffalo

Page 32 First Section

d

First Section: Page 39

Richland

Dane

Maple Leaf Cheese Cooperative looks for temporary home for milk

Carroll

Walworth go

eba

n Win

e

on

ens

h tep

S

Monroe

Rock

on

Jo Daviess

Jefferson Waukesha

Bo

Lafayette Green

Zone 2

Green Lake Fond Du Lac

Columbia Dodge

Sauk

Iowa

Grant

Pages 8 - 9 Second Section

Zone 1

o ag Calumet

eb

nn Wi

Wa sh

Vernon

Dairy Prole: Dale and Mariah McCullick III

Waushara

for

The “Mielke” Market Weekly

Wauzeka

Oconto

ie am Brown

O

aw

Page 33 First Section

Juneau

Ogle

Whiteside

Racine Kenosha

Two Rivers

Women in Dairy: Vanna Leichtfuss First Section: Page 36

McHenry

DeKalb

First Section: Pages 28-29

te

g uta

Adams

Monroe La Crosse

et

Shawano

Wood

Cr

Dairy Good Life

Menominee

Portage Waupaca Jackson

in

Langlade

Marathon

Clark

Eau Claire

ar

Menominee

Do or

St. Croix

Page 31 First Section

Forest

Lincoln

Taylor

Chippewa

M

ce

aun ee

Third Section: Pages 5-7

Oneida

Rusk

Barron

ren

Ke w

Polk

Price

Delta

Dickinson

Vilas

ett e

Something to Ruminate On

McNamara develops candle making business

Iron

Flo

Sawyer

Trempealeau

Page 30 First Section

Burnett

Emerald

Wa s

Filling the freezers

ur

n

Ashland

ton S he bo Milwaukee Ozauk M yg ee an anito wo c

Douglas

Page 27 First Section

ing

Better with butter

Jerseys cow of choice for Schmidt family

qu

Pages 8-9 First Section

Ma r

Ag Insider

Kane

Lee

Rock Island

Hen ders

For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com

on

Mercer ren War

FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: What are you thankful for this year? First Section: Pages 15-16

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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 5

ConƟnued from HANKES | Page 1 Hanke said. … “It is just one less thing for people to think about when they are going through a stressful time. They don’t need to cook or wash dishes; they can focus on what is important: their families and themselves.” Hanke shares her intentions of providing meals to those in need through social media and invites people to contact her. Each year she stocks up on extra turkeys and hams in preparation for making holiday meals. So far this year, she knows of several meal requests and is also providing the unprepared ingredients for a meal for the recipient to make at their leisure. Hanke also does a great deal of Christmas baking. “The goodies and other canned goods may get randomly dropped off on someone’s porch,” Hanke said. “Providing gifts of food to people is

“Most people can’t say no to the offer, and it can be like a breath of fresh air for someone who is struggling through a difficult time.” MELISSA HANKE, DAIRY FARMER

my love language. My philosophy is to give when I can, because I never know when I might be the one in need. … I have food, we raise animals for meat, and my garden always provides very well for us to be able to share with others.” One tip Hanke shares for anyone wanting to share the gift of a meal is to use disposable containers so there is no obligation for the recipient for returning items. Extending her passion for cooking to help people is not the only thing that keeps Hanke busy. She farms with her parents, milking 90 cows and raising their youngstock, while her husband, Michael, works off the farm. In addi-

tion to the dairy herd, they also run a 20-cow herd of Red Angus and raise the beef steers and Holstein steers, marketing meat to consumers. On 350 acres, they raise feed for their animals. The farm has been in her family since 1900, and she is the fourth generation to farm there. Melissa and Michael hope their children – Madison, 7, Marvin, 6, Maverick, 5, and Manning, 3 – will comprise the fth generation. The holidays play an important role in Hanke’s life, giving her reason to put everything in perspective. “Thanksgiving is a time to reect on what we are thankful for, and what we are able to give others,” Hanke said. “I always say we need to give to others when we can, because we never know when we will be in need.” The holidays will look different for Hanke this year, as they will for many. “We usually go to my in-laws and have a huge Thanksgiving with a lot of people,” Hanke said. “The distance has kept us away a couple of times, and this year we won’t be able to get together because of COVID-19.” Not wanting to let the changes dampen her spirit, Hanke is planning to make the most of enjoying her family during the holidays. “We are just having a small Thanksgiving with our family and my parents at my house,” Hanke said. “I am honestly looking forward to having a small Thanksgiving at home. We are not traveling and hurrying back home to do chores. I can’t get enough of my family, so any chance I get to just spend time with my kids and my husband is so worth it to me. Plus we get all the yummy leftovers that a meal at home provides.” Besides giving of her own gifts, Hanke urges others to join in the expression of fellowship. She encourages people to provide meals to those in need. “Reach out to people; most people will not reach out to you when they need something,” Hanke said. “Most people can’t say no to the offer, and it can be like a breath of fresh air for someone who is struggling through a difcult time.”

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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

ConƟnued from SCHLEIS | Page 1

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STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Calves start out in individual pens and are then paired up with another calf at 4 weeks of age for the Schleis family near Kewaunee, Wisconsin. Ryan and Tasha have three children who also help on the farm – Cadence, 9, Killian, 5, and Ainsley, 3. Steve and Denise also have a son, Tyler, who is a prison guard. He and his wife, Lonnie, have two children – Madison, 12, and Zander, 7. Both Steve and Ryan have served on the re department for many years and assisted in ghting the re that night. “We could see the ames over the treetops from where we live a mile and a half away,” Tasha said. The weather showed no mercy in the days to follow as it dug even deeper into below zero temperatures, and all the water used to ght the re froze solid until April. As life marched on, new calves entered the world shortly after the re. The rst ones born were named Phoenix and Ashes. Filled with a determined spirit, the Schleis family picked up the pieces and started over. “The community came forward to help us,” Tasha said. “Farms lent us their hutches. Calf jackets and other items would just show up at our farm. Our feed company knew we needed stuff to feed calves and sent us things free of charge. A lot of companies really helped us.” Construction on the farm’s new 66by-222 calf barn began that July, and calves moved into the building in October. The barn houses 190 calves from

birth to 16 weeks. “We built in the same spot, and it’s almost identical to the rst barn,” Steve said. “We just changed the layout a little and added a couple new features. The new barn is also slightly longer.” Schleis Farms was established in 1916 and is home to 440 cows milking and dry. The herd is 80% Fleckvieh – a breed Tasha introduced to the farm after doing an internship at a bull stud in Germany in 2006. Studying the economic value of the breed, she wrote a paper discussing her ndings, which sparked Ryan’s interest. The Schleises started breeding their Holsteins to Fleckvieh in 2008. “Fleckvieh come in every shade of black, white, brown and red, and in every hair texture,” Ryan said. “Some have tight curls on their whole body.” When building their new calf barn, the Schleises added a wash bay and more storage for feed and bedding. They also installed a dishwasher for washing and sanitizing milk bottles and water buckets and changed the lighting to LED. Changes in housing and feeding styles took place as well as the Schleises switched from group housing and bucket feeding to individual housing and bottle feeding after lessons learned in the previous barn. “We have Salmonella Dublin on Turn to SCHLEIS | Page 7

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STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Cadence Schleis poses with her calf, Kool-Aid, Oct. 29 at her family’s farm near Kawaunee, Wisconsin. Cadence has about a dozen of her own animals and likes to show Jerseys.

Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 7

ConƟnued from SCHLEIS| Page 6 our farm,” Tasha said. “It affects calves, not cows or older heifers. At 5-15 days old, it suppresses the immune system so much that calves get pneumonia and become septic. Fleckvieh are very aggressive drinkers on buckets. They put their whole nose in the pail and drink so fast they aspirate the milk, which made this problem worse.” Before switching feeding protocols, death loss was high at 22%. Now, the death loss for calves age 0-11 months is 1.8%. Calves are fed milk replacer three times a day. From birth to 7 days, calves receive 2 quarts of milk per feeding. At 7-14 days, they get 3 quarts per feeding, and by 14 days, calves are drinking a total of 3 gallons of milk daily, receiving 1 gallon at each feeding. “We follow an aggressive feeding schedule,” said Tasha, who is in charge of calves. Big calves skip to 1 gallon per feeding from the beginning, and everyone is bottle fed. Calves start out in individual pens and are buddied up at 4 weeks. “They wean better, and grain intake improves,” Tasha said. “It creates competition, but the calves are also more curious. We usually pair them up, but sometimes we’ll do a group of three. With the buddy system, we don’t see a knockback at weaning time.” The Schleis family practices a stepdown weaning approach, moving calves from 1 gallon of milk down to 3 quarts and pulling away one feeding each week. Tasha said calves must be at least 5 weeks old before a reduction in milk begins. Calves remain in hutches for one week after being weaned. Calves are weighed in and weighed out with the average daily gain for this age group at 2.1 pounds. Weaned animals are housed eight to 10 animals per pen

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

The calf barn at Schleis Farms near Kewaunee, Wisconsin, measures 66 feet by 222 feet and houses 190 calves from birth to 16 weeks. with pens measuring 24 feet wide by about 18 feet long. Average daily gain for this group is 2.8 to 2.9 pounds. “We work closely with our nutritionist and vet and really try to maximize growth during the rst 16 weeks to get the biggest bang for our buck,” Tasha said. Another modication to the new barn was air ventilation tube style and location. Tubes are now placed above the calves, and one more row of tubes was added. The ap duct system is dic-

tated by temperature to provide the optimum in winter and summer air. The barn features a two-piece curtain system in which the top curtain rolls down, and the bottom curtain rolls up. If it starts raining, curtains close automatically. “We have less ies in by the calves during the summer, and calves also stay drier in the summertime,” Tasha said. Hutches are steam-cleaned between calves, and a washroom for hutches was another new feature the Schleises

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added. Newborn calves start out in the washroom – a warm place to give colostrum and dip the navel. Once dry, calves are moved to the main facility. The Schleises said they are seeing less pneumonia as a result of individual housing, the use of bottles, a better feeding program and a more effective air tube system. Turning a tragedy into new opportunities for improvement, the Schleis family is happy in their new calf barn, nding it even better than the rst.

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Biden to deliver small changes in ag policy agenda Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

With President-elect Joe Biden, Michael Torrey members of the transition team worked on nutrition Associates owner Mike Torrey expects to see a different programs. approach to trade, and the agricultural agenda will change slightly. “With a smaller margin of Democrats One thing is certain after the election in the House and an expected Republican-controlled There will be new leadership for the House and Senate, it’s got to make it difcult for a Senate agriculture committees. With Rep. Ag Insider really progressive agenda,” Torrey said. Collin Peterson’s loss, the chairmanship “Climate change may be one of those for the House Agriculture Committee is issues. Ag groups have been working up for grabs. The ranking member on together for some time trying to come up committee, Texas Congressman Michael with a plan on climate change, rewarding Conaway, did not seek reelection. farmers for their practices that the business Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman community and consumers are expecting. I Pat Roberts, of Kansas, did not seek don’t know what this looks like, but there’s reelection. That leaves Michigan Sen. less pressure for Congress to act on that Debbie Stabenow, the ranking Democrat right now.” on the Senate ag committee, as the only one in leadership that has been through the farm A Biden White House and GOP Senate bill process. could be a win for agriculture After the election, analysts are trying to 85 years of experience no longer at the By Don Wick read the tea leaves for any clues about the table Columnist economy. CoBank Knowledge Exchange According to The Russell Group Division Manager Tanner Ehmke sees a President Randy Russell, the agriculture reason for optimism. “With a Biden administration and community is losing signicant experience from the a Republican-controlled Senate, people in the business agriculture committees. “(Kansas Sen.) Pat Roberts community are saying this could be the best of both was in ofce for 40 years and was the only person to worlds,” Ehmke said. “We lose some of the uncertainty serve as both the House and Senate ag committees,” on trade and you have Mitch McConnell putting the Russell said. “(Minnesota Rep.) Collin Peterson was in handcuffs on Biden and saying no to new taxes.” The for 30 years and (Texas Rep.) Mike Conaway was in for government stepped in to help farmers in the past 15 years. That is 85 years of experience no longer sitting two years with MFP payments, CFAP payments and at the table.” Russell fully expects the individuals that increased food purchases. Ehmke does not expect that move into those leadership roles to do well, “but, that’s kind of intervention in the future. very big shoes to ll.” Limited production ag experience on Biden transition team Former United States Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Robert Bonnie is leading the Biden transition team and its review of USDA, the Farm Credit Administration and Farmer Mac. Bonnie leads the Bipartisan Policy Center at Duke University. There are 17 individuals on the transition team. More than 75% of this group previously worked at USDA during the Obama Administration. Former Farm Service Agency Administrator Jonathan Coppess will bring production agriculture experience to the panel. Most of the other

Peterson backs Scott for ag committee chairmanship House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson is supporting Georgia Congressman David Scott to be his successor. Peterson wrote a letter to Scott, voicing his support for the seniority system. The Minnesota lawmaker followed the rst Hispanic chair of the House Agriculture Committee, Kika de la Garza, of Texas. Scott will be the rst African American in this role if selected for the chairmanship. Institutional knowledge lost on Capitol Hill Policy Solutions President Jay Truitt cites

Congressman Collin Peterson’s experience with very specic commodities, like the dairy program. “Peterson’s understanding of dairy policy and what really goes into that in the U.S. makes him one of a dozen people in Washington, D.C. that understand that,” Truitt said. Truitt said there are only a few members on the House Agriculture Committee that represent hard-core rural districts. “Almost everyone else on the committee will be more interested in SNAP programs and incidental conversations about promoting markets and those kind of things as opposed to fundamental production agriculture issues,” he said.

A volatile dairy market November has been a rough month for the cheese market. In the last two weeks, there has not been an up day in cheese. Prices have been either even or down on the day. Total Farm Marketing Commodity Consultant Dustin Jonasson said cheese has moved below $2 a pound. “I think a portion of this has to do with the uncertainty of what a Biden win might mean for that (USDA) food box program that has led to a lot of government buying this past year,” Jonasson said. Jonasson reminds dairy farmers to take advantage of opportunities when they come up. “2020 has been a good reminder of that,” he said. “We had this rally in August that nobody saw coming and it was pretty counter-seasonal, but we had opportunity to lock in on feed.” Europe targets U.S. dairy products for retaliatory tariffs In a dispute over subsidies paid to airplane manufacturers, the European Commission has released a list of agricultural products facing retaliatory tariffs. That list includes cheese and concentrated milk proteins. National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Jim Mulhern said Europe already discriminates against U.S. dairy products and limits market access. NMPF is calling on the EU to meet the terms of the World Trade Organization. Dairy industry and EPA sign MOU The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy has signed a

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Memorandum of Understanding with the Environmental Protection Agency. The MOU allows the EPA to be a member of the Dairy Sustainability Alliance. This group works together on sustainability goals and the long-term viability of the dairy industry. Compeer Financial releases 3Q ďƒžnancials Compeer Financial has reported total third quarter assets of $23.7 billion, up from $22.2 billion one year ago. Despite the ramiďƒžcations of COVID-19, Compeer Financial said credit quality remains solid. There was a small drop in nonaccrual loans, going from 0.6% as of Sept. 30, compared to 0.8% in December of last year. Ebersberger appointed to DATCP job Wisconsin Agriculture Secretarydesignee Randy Romanski has appointed Eric Ebersberger as the assistant deputy secretary. Most recently, Ebersberger was a policy advisor for the Department of Natural Resources. A familiar face returns to WFU Nicholas Levendofsky will return to the Wisconsin Farmers Union as its new government relations director. Most

Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 9

recently, Levendofsky was the director of external affairs for the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. Previously, Levendofsky worked for WFU and the Kansas Farmers Union. Dairy industry leader passes A world-renowned cheesemaker and dairy scientist, Vincent Leo, died. Leo, 96, was one of 13 employees who purchased Schreiber Foods in 1962 and went on to become a senior executive with the company. Trivia challenge Adults are recommended in the American Dietary Guidelines to consume three servings of dairy products per day. That answers our last trivia question. For this week, what Christmas beverage is also known as milk punch? 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 ďƒžve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.

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STURGEON BAY, Wis. – Jerseyland Dairy may only be eight years old, but those at the helm of the operation are not new to dairying. Over the years, the Schmidts went from milking cows to raising heifers and then back to milking STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR cows – switching breeds Dairy manager Tanner Schmidt stands in one of the barns at Jerseyland Dairy from Holstein to Jersey. A re in 1996 pointed the near Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The Schmidts milk 3,000 Jerseys. Schmidt family in a new direction that would later encourage a conversion to Jerseys. “Jerseys are efcient,” said Tanner Schmidt, the farm’s dairy manager. “They’re a smaller animal that eats a lot less than other breeds, and they have a smaller carbon footprint. Jerseys also have better feet and reproductive capabilities.” The Schmidts milk 4,000 Jerseys between two sites – milking around 3,000 head at Jerseyland and nearly 1,000 at another farm they bought in 2007 known as Peninsula Dairy. The family farms close to 10,000 acres of land, which includes winter wheat, alfalfa, corn, soybeans, triticale, sorghum, rye and barley. Keeping a family tradition alive, three generations farm alongside each other at Jerseyland Dairy near Sturgeon Bay. Schmidt and his brothers are the fth generation on the farm which was established in STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR 1902. Schmidt returned to the farm to run the dairy Calves are housed in modular buildings at Jerseyside of things at age 20 after graduating from Fox land Dairy near Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Each temValley Technical College with an associate degree in perature-controlled calf barn contains 74 stalls and agricultural business and science technology. Schmidt is set to a comfortable 70 degrees from November farms with his younger brother, Devin, and his older through March. brother, Derek Schopf; his parents, Randy and Dena; and his grandparents, Adrian (Ace) and Kay. The farm ing. Pursuing a new business model, the Schmidts bealso employs 70 people. gan raising heifers for neighboring dairies in 1997. In Devin handles planting, manure hauling and har- addition to farming, Randy and Dena also worked off vesting while Derek works in the farm’s shop doing the farm full time. The Schmidts continued to expand repairs and working on equipment as well as help- their heifer operation, building freestall barns and taking with harvest. Randy oversees the entire operation ing on more clients, ultimately reaching 7,000 head while Dena manages the ofce and payroll with help of Holstein heifers under their care. In 2001, Randy from ofce assistant, Bonnie Hale. Ace can often be returned to the farm full time, and Dena came back in found in the elds, running tillage equipment, cutting 2004. hay and much more. Kay is the farm’s groundskeeThe purchase of Peninsula Dairy triggered interper, working hard to keep the dairy looking nice at all est in the Jersey breed. Facilities at the dairy were too times and especially festive during the holidays. small for Holsteins, so the Schmidts lled the barn “I love working with my family,” Schmidt said. with Jerseys instead. In 2012, S&S Ag Enterprises “It’s great. We all have certain roles, but we ll in became S&S Jerseyland Dairy when the Schmidts’ wherever help is needed.” custom heifer raising operation was transformed into The Schmidts were milking around 70 Holsteins a milking operation. Cows returned to the Schmidt when a re took down their milking barn, resulting in Turn to SCHMIDTS | Page 11 a decision to sell the cows and take a break from milk-

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Visitors to Jerseyland Dairy are welcomed by this special mascot – a 14-foot-tall berglass Jersey cow named BuƩercup. Jerseyland Dairy is the largest dairy farm in Door County.

Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 11

ConƟnued from SCHMIDTS | Page 10

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Cows at Jerseyland Dairy are milked three Ɵmes a day in this 70-stall rotary parlor that was built in 2012. homestead that November and the Schmidts began milking there as well once again. The farm’s 42-inch- wide stalls, which were made for Holstein heifers, were the perfect t for a smaller cow like the Jersey. “My family loved the Jerseys,” said Schmidt, who manages both dairies. “They t well, and we didn’t have to revamp our facilities.” To prepare for the transition, the Schmidts put up a new freestall barn with maternity area that year along with a 70-stall rotary milking parlor and ofce space. The last of their seven freestall barns was built in 2014. Peninsula Dairy focuses solely on milking and houses only lactating animals. Dry cow, maternity and hospital facilities

are located at Jerseyland with all calving taking place at the larger dairy. “With this setup, we don’t need a maternity/hospital crew at each farm, and throughput in the parlor is easier at Peninsula where we milk in a double-12 parallel,” Schmidt said. Cows are milked three times a day at both facilities. The rotary can milk 450 cows per hour but is currently not at capacity. In 2015, the Schmidts built a new calf facility about a mile from the main farm and began raising their own heifers. Previously, calves were custom raised from birth to 6 months. Under this arrangement, death loss and pneumonia Turn to SCHMIDTS | Page 12

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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

ConƟnued from SCHMIDTS | Page 11 rates were higher than the Schmidts liked. Therefore, they brought heifer raising inhouse to place tighter quality control on calf care. “It was a great investment,” Schmidt said. “Jersey calves are so little, and we struggled with custom calf growers over the years to raise a good quality calf, so we decided to raise them ourselves. It’s a very efcient setup with three full-time employees for 1,200 calves.” Calves on milk are housed in temperature-controlled, all-in, all-out calf barns for around nine weeks. From November through March, calves enjoy a comfortable 70-degree environment. “During the winter months, a 55to 60-pound Jersey can’t withstand the cold,” Schmidt said. “You can’t feed enough to keep their calories up. This is the only way to raise Jerseys in a cold climate.” The modular buildings mimic a double-wide trailer with each one containing 74 stalls. Seven individual barns are connected by one central hallway under one roof. “This is a very unique, one-of-akind facility,” Schmidt said. “There are only a few others like it in the state. The barn is great for both employees and calves.” At 30 days of age, temperature is decreased by 1 to 2 degrees per day to help ease calves into a cooler environment before weaning. This ramping feature cools the building down to 45 degrees in the winter before calves are moved out. Weaned animals are sent to a bedded pack barn, and at 4 months, heifers transition to a freestall barn before returning to the home farm at 7 months. Calves are fed a half-pasteurized, half-milk replacer mix via bottles, and

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Three generaƟons of the Schmidt family – (from leŌ) Dena Schmidt, Devin Schmidt, Adrian Schmidt, Kay Schmidt, Randy Schmidt, Tanner Schmidt, Lauren Schmidt holding Koen, Kayla Schopf, Derek Schopf – milk 4,000 cows at two farms – Jerseyland Dairy and Peninsula Dairy – and farm 10,000 acres near Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. individual waterers are provided for each stall. Cooling cells and fans ensure adequate airow in the summer months. The Schmidts use a slatted hard rubber surface that requires no bedding in the calf stalls. Urine and manure drain into a 2-foot pit beneath the oor, which is sloped to send all waste to storage. As the largest dairy farm in Door County and the county’s only concentrated animal feeding operation, Jerseyland Dairy places special emphasis on conservation. Protecting land and water is a priority for the Schmidts, who continually adopt new conservation practices.

“It can be a challenge dealing with new rules and regulations,” Schmidt said. “This has forced us to continually explore and implement leading-edge technologies in order to maintain and improve soil health to ensure we are protecting our ground water. We do a lot of no-till, minimal disturbance tillage and cover cropping to safeguard the soil from erosion. We have also installed many waterways in the past few years. My brothers regularly attend meetings to get new ideas about land, soil and water conservation. We do everything we can to protect these resources.” The Schmidts have not yet hit their peak, as expansion and future growth

are imminent. “The plan is to build another barn in the future,” Schmidt said. “I want us to keep expanding and growing – whether here or in other states. Starting a farm in South Dakota is a dream of mine.” Schmidt and his wife, Lauren, who is a nurse, have a 16-month-old son named Koen. Derek is married to Kayla, who is also a nurse, and the couple is expecting their rst child – a boy – in February. “We hope to keep rolling and bring in the next generation someday,” Schmidt said. “I hope that one day my son will want to farm.”

Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 13

for Alfalfa Foliar-applied to aggressively managed alfalfa to maximize:

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Below Ground Effects of alphajoule Drive Above Ground Performance

This chart shows the effect of alphajoule when applied at green-up to each crop during the 2020 growing season to an aggressively managed field in Northeast, WI. Note the expanding yield advantage of the alphajoule treated acres versus the check strip as the season progressed.

More Seasonal Milk with alphajoule

The photos were taken after fourth crop. Pits were dug side-by-side for the untreated check and treated acres. The ten best plants from each dig were positioned for the photos. The alphajoule treated acres had a 12.1% yield and a 15.6% milk per acre seasonal advantage over the untreated check strip.

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This chart shows the effect of alphajoule when applied at green-up to each crop during the 2020 growing season to an aggressively managed field in Northeast, WI. Note the expanding milk per acre advantage of the alphajoule treated acres versus the untreated check strip as the season progressed.

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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 15

What are you thankful for?

Rebecca Hilby Hazel Green, Wisconsin Grant County 15, housed with a herd of 350 cows What are you thankful for this year, familywise and farmwise? This year I am thankful to have a job to look forward to every day, where so many of our community members and businesses didn’t always have that constant with COVID-19 happening. I’m thankful for a healthy family, healthy cows and for continuing to be able to do what I love every day. How do you show appreciation for the people you work with every day? I probably say thank you an annoying amount of times to my coworkers. I also like to bring donuts or buy lunch every now and then because food is our love language at the farm. How do you and your family typically celebrate Thanksgiving? Typically, I’ll do chores, and we spend the afternoon with family. This year plans are still up in the air, but if we can’t celebrate with our whole family, I will be thankful to spend it with my husband and kids. Who is one person who reminds you to be thankful? Many people come to mind, but the one that rises to the top would have to be God. I see his blessings every day. While not every day is magical, he is always reminding me to be thankful through little reminders, whether it be a gorgeous sunrise or a miracle on the farm. This has been a tough year overall for many, but I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had this year as well. Tell us about your farm. I am fortunate to have my herd of dairy cattle on a farm in Platteville where I have worked for almost 12 years. We milk around 350 cows, three times a day, of mostly Holsteins, Brown Swiss and a few Jerseys. My husband and I live on his grandparents’ farm, and we raise Brown Swiss steers to provide meat for our community. We also raise pigs, chickens and turkeys. And, cats.

Brian Peters West Bend, Wisconsin Washington County 55 cows What are you thankful for this year, familywise and farmwise? I am thankful for all the blessings the good Lord has given me, including the health of family and friends. On the farm side, I am thankful for the diverse farm operation I’ve worked to develop and the ďƒžnancial stability it brings along with it. How do you show appreciation for the people you work with every day? I work with my family and try to take time to do things with them when we can, like go on vacations, etc. I also have two little girls I love spending time with. How do you and your family typically celebrate Thanksgiving? Being a dairy farmer, it’s hard to get away, but we try to take the afternoon off and spend it with extended family and have good meals. We usually have two Thanksgiving meals that day – one with my side of the family and one with my wife’s side of the family. Who is one person who reminds you to be thankful? I have two people who remind me – my daughters, Vivian, 7, and Morgan, 5. They are both gifts from God. They remind me every day to be thankful for what I’ve been blessed with. Tell us about your farm. I am a ďƒžfth-generation dairy farmer. Maple Woods Dairy Farm has been in my family since 1888, and I bought the farm from my dad four years ago. Besides milking 55 cows, my wife, Elizabeth, and I ďƒžnish a few steers and pigs every year for private sale, sell horse hay, and run 300 acres of cropland consisting of corn, soybeans, hay, wheat and oats. Last, but not least, we also grow 8 acres of pumpkins to sell at a roadside stand

John and Lori Kokett Little Falls, Minnesota Morrison County 76 cows What are you thankful for this year, familywise and farmwise? Our son and daughter-in-law were married in October. We are also thankful that we have been blessed with good health and protection from any serious farm accidents over the years. We are also thankful we were blessed with a bountiful growing season. How do you show appreciation for the people you work with every day? By telling and showing them that whatever they do is important, even if it doesn’t seem to be. How do you and your family typically celebrate Thanksgiving? We get chores done and then attend Thanksgiving Mass. We usually eat dinner around noon. Who is one person who reminds you to be thankful? We are thankful for our Lord Jesus Christ because of what he did on the cross for us. Tell us about your farm. Our farm consists of 254 acres. We operate our land on a ďƒžve-year hay, pasture and corn silage rotation. We milk in a stanchion barn and rotationally graze during the growing season. We also run a small laying hen operation. The farm has been in our family for 115 years.

by our farm. We’ve been doing that for 15 years and grow over 80 varieties of pumpkins in all kinds of colors – white, yellow, pink, blue – if you can ďƒžnd it, I usually try to grow it. I’m almost like a kid in a candy store when it comes to that time of year. Growing pumpkins is something I really enjoy.

Joe Borgerding (pictured with his grandson, Brady) Elrosa, Minnesota Stearns County 185 cows What are you thankful for this year, familywise and farmwise? Toni and I enjoyed three weeks in Australia and New Zealand with friends just prior to COVID-19 restricting travel. The grandkids are all healthy, and we have been able to all work together, outdoors and in the ďƒželds without many restrictions. Can’t help but feel blessed to be farmers in times like we are in. Thankful that consumers are buying more dairy for their home-bound families and the great fall harvest. How do you show appreciation for the people you work with every day? It’s important to thank everyone and remind them how they help make up our great team, working for a clearly worthy cause. How do you and your family typically celebrate Thanksgiving? We have too many in-laws for our house, but try to make sure they are welcome to join our family for homegrown food at the farm if their family can’t make it home to join them. Every person gets a piece of paper after dinner where they must write what they are thankful for this year. Starting with the youngest, they read it out loud, and it feels good to realize how blessed we are as a family. Who is one person who reminds you to be thankful? When I see the people in big cities faced with riots and lockdowns it reminds me why watching the grandkids romping around our farm is so special. All the work and worries seem like a fair price to pay. Tell us about your farm. We operate a very diverse dairy and crop farm that my parents bought in 1946 and are now transitioning again to keep it going into the future. We farm 1,200 acres and we plant corn, soybeans, barley, rye, winter triticale, a lot of grass, kernza and spelt.Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16

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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15

Sandy and Don Van Eck Ruthton, Minnesota Murray County 60 cows What are you thankful for this year, familywise and farmwise? On Nov. 4, 2019, our farmhouse caught re. Within minutes, dozens of friends and neighbors were at our farm, helping to put out the re and assisting us with salvaging anything we could from the house. The next day, a group of neighborhood farmers nished our corn harvest. People donated supplies, clothing, food and money, and they volunteered to help us with anything we might need. We can never thank our friends, neighbors and members of our church enough for all they did to help us get through this difcult time. We are thankful we were able to move into our new farmhouse Aug. 25 after being homeless for 10 months. Familywise, we are grateful everyone in our family remains healthy and happy. We are happy our family grew by two during this past year when our son, Cody, and our daughter, Kiley, got married. How do you show appreciation for the people you work with every day? Cody works full time as a parts man at Kibble Equipment in Pipestone but comes to the farm after work every day to help. Don’s father, Corky, is 90 and helps during the growing season. We show our appreciation to them by making sure they have all the butter, cheese and meat they want. We also take our kids and their spouses out for supper. How do you and your family typically celebrate Thanksgiving? We would normally get together with each set of our kids’ grandparents. We would share the noon meal with one side of the family and the evening meal with the other side. We would eat so much food we would have to walk around in between meals. The size of these gatherings ranged from 2030 people, but they were often much larger. Who is one person who reminds you to be thankful? Carter DeRuyter, 9, is the son of family friends. This past summer, Carter set up a roadside stand and sold refreshments and candy to the workmen who were putting up wind turbines in the area. Carter recently asked his mom, Ashley, if he could have $10 of the money he made during the summer. Ashley asked Carter why and he said, “I missed the fundraiser for Don and Sandy, and I wanted to give them some money and some candy.” The zip lock bag Carter gave us contains 10 $1 bills we will never spend and Twizzlers we will never eat. Carter’s thoughtfulness brought us to tears. Tell us about your farm. We farm 450 acres and raise corn, soybean and alfalfa. This farm has been in our family since the 1930s. Corky grew up with nine siblings in the farmhouse that burned. Cory’s wife, Jade, comes to the farm and helps feed calves. Our daughters, Kaitlin and Kiley, along with their husbands, Justin Schaap and Eric Wiering, help when needed. The girls and their husbands do eld work and chores, and will help with milking in a pinch.

Dave Buck Goodhue, Minnesota Goodhue County 900 cows What are you thankful for this year, familywise and farmwise? I am thankful for a combination of having modern medicine and oldtime remedies. I am also thankful for sunny days after long periods of rain and vice versa. It’s reinvigorating to have the weather change on the farm. Rain is needed as much as the sun. I am thankful for our children who have given us our 18 grandchildren. I like having the day-to-day routine of the farm chores while also being able to have changing seasons. I am also thankful for the ability to look back and learn from the past while also looking forward to the future. How do you show appreciation for the people you work with every day? When our employees have a birthday, Ann likes to make them a pie. Or when they are all doing well with their work, we make them goodie bags. We also try to be exible with their time off along with showing them we are willing to do the fun and not-so-fun jobs right by their side. How do you and your family typically celebrate Thanksgiving? On Thanksgiving, we are together with both sides of the family – anyone who does not have a place to go for Thanksgiving is welcome. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we have an extended Buck family gathering. We make typical Thanksgiving Day food. Who is one person who reminds you to be thankful? I really can’t choose one because a lot of people in my life remind me how truly blessed I am. With the health issues I’ve had over the past year, it has shown me how many people care. Many people sent me messages wishing me well and saying prayers for me. People who don’t go to the same church as my family told me they prayed for me at their Sunday service. Stuff like that makes me more thankful than ever to live in a good community. Tell us about your farm. I farm together with my wife, Ann, and two of our sons, Chris and DJ. Chris focuses on the dairy along with raising steers while DJ specializes in the crop work and also has his own custom chopping and manure pumping business. We milk 900 cows between two farms. We are currently building a cross-ventilated freestall barn in order to bring all the milking cows to the home farm. We also nished putting in a new manure pit. I am thankful for the good weather we had this summer and fall to be able to work on these projects and get fall eldwork done.

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Josh Kelm Faribault, Minnesota Rice County 200 cows What are you thankful for this year, familywise and farmwise? Familywise, I am thankful our children are homeschooled instead of having to play the game of having them in and out of school in-person versus distance learning. It has been a blessing in our family. My wife, Brittney, and I have three kids: Ava, 7, Payton, 5, and Colton, 4. On the farm, I am thankful we are already done with eldwork. This is the rst time in some time we have been done with eldwork before Thanksgiving. I look forward to being able to sit down at the table for Thanksgiving and not have to worry about being out in the eld. I am also thankful the harvest year was a good one. We had plenty of rain, which made plenty of good hay and silage. We nished up our harvest the rst week of November. How do you show appreciation for the people you work with every day? I farm with my parents, Jerry and Colleen, and we don’t have any employees. To show appreciation to my parents and others who we do business with, I try to make sure they understand my appreciation by giving compliments on a specic task they did well. If I want to show a little extra appreciation, sometimes I will give them a bag of Snickers or another type of candy. How do you and your family typically celebrate Thanksgiving? For the past six years, we have celebrated with just our family of ve. We like doing things on a smaller scale to develop our own traditions with our kids. We make a traditional Thanksgiving meal and then will look through the Black Friday ads. At night, we will take the kids to get ice cream at McDonald’s and nd Santa somewhere in town. Then at Midnight, we will stop by Kohl’s to go shopping. It’s our secret to go at this time because hardly anyone is there and the panic shopping from earlier in the evening is done. The kids look forward to it every year. We are hoping to do it this year, but if not, we will have to improvise. Maybe we will nd a new tradition. Who is one person who reminds you to be thankful? My wife, Brittney. She is very caring, and she is constantly serving others – people at church, her friends and especially our children. She is the one who homeschools them so I appreciate all she does with that. It allows us to be able to be exible with our days. Without homeschooling, I would not be able to see my kids as much as I do. I am very thankful for her and that opportunity to be with family. Tell us about your farm. We installed robots at the end of 2015, which gives us the advantage to be able to manage our farm with just three of us. It also gives us exibility with our schedule. If I want to go look at Christmas lights with the kids at 7 p.m., I can. It allows us to pick our hours instead of having them dedicated at a certain time each day. While the majority of our cows are milked by the robots, my dad milks about 30 cows in the tiestall barn. These are cows that need section attention. This is also where cows calve. Along with the cows, we manage 600 acres of farmland.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 17

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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

Repro Leaders

Breeding service, herd manager propel Drumgoon Dairy to a 35 percent pregnancy rate Drumgoon Dairy Lake Norden, South Dakota Hamlin County 5,100 cows, 4,633 currently in milk What was your average pregnancy rate last year? Our pregnancy rate was 34% last year, and it’s currently 35%. We haven’t had a bull on the farm for three years. What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? The voluntary waiting period for cows is 76 days. We breed our heifers when they are 385 days old. What is your rst service conception rate? Our rst service conception rate is 52%. Our second service conception rate is also 52%. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? We use sexed semen on all of our heifers and the top 10% of our cows. The rest of our cows are bred to Angus sires. We use ovsynch on cows that haven’t shown signs of heat by 103 days in milk. How do you observe for heat? We use GEA CowScout collars to monitor cow activity and detect heats. How do you conrm pregnant or

JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR

The management team at Drumgoon Dairy, of Lake Norden, South Dakota, includes – (from leŌ) Rodney and Dorothy EllioƩ, herd manager Andy Weber and David EllioƩ. Drumgoon Dairy had a pregnancy rate of 34% last year, and it is currently at 35% for their herd of 5,100 cows. open cows? We conrm pregnancies ourselves with an ultrasound scanner. We check for pregnancies at 29-36 days after the last service.

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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

ConƟnued from DRUMGOON | Page 18

composition, good milk production and lasts a long time. We select about ve to six sires that we use for a few months. If a bull isn’t performing, we will switch to another sire. We look for higher genomic metric bulls that are minus in stature and have a low DPR. When we select Angus sires, we look for traits that the meatpacker will want. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? We breed our cows and our heifers the same. We are currently using a crossbreeding rotation that involves Holstein and Jersey sires. We like the hybrid vigor of the F1 crossbreds.

What do you do to settle hard breeders? We don’t do anything different for hard breeders. We have a sufcient number of replacement animals, so we don’t have to fuss with hard breeders. How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? We give her four chances to get pregnant. If she doesn’t settle by then, we will put her on the do not breed list and milk her until she isn’t protable anymore. Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? In 2015, we decided to expand by purchasing

1,000 heifers. We knew this would stretch our work crew to the limit, so we looked for a way to take something off their plates. We decided to hire Alta Genetics to do our breeding for us on a six-month trial basis. This worked so well for us that we decided to continue with them. Hiring Andy Weber to be our herd manager brought another level of professionalism into our operation. Andy went through our records and found and eliminated all of the ghost cows in our system. Andy’s skills have proven to be a great asset for us. Tell us about your farm. Rodney and Dorothy Elliott and their son, David, along with three others, make up the manJERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR

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Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

Shop local for all your dairy needs

Guernsey greatness

PHOTO COURTESY DAIRY AGENDA TODAY

Judge Chris Lahmers congratulates Kim Grewe as he selected Malt as the Grand Champion of the NaƟonal Guernsey Show during the North American InternaƟonal Livestock ExposiƟon Nov. 7 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Malt shakes things up at the North American International Livestock Exposition By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

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CUMBERLAND, Wis. – The brutal reality of their trip home, from 80-degree temperatures in Louisville, Kentucky, through severe thunderstorms, to the cold and snow of northwestern Wisconsin reassured Brandon and Kim Grewe they had not been dreaming Tuesday afternoon when their homebred Guernsey cow, Valley Gem Atlas Malt-ET EX-92, was selected as the supreme champion of the North American International Livestock Exposition dairy show; the rst Guernsey to achieve the honor. Before being named the supreme champion, Malt took the top honors in the 5-year-old class before being selected as the senior and grand champion of the National Guernsey show Nov. 7 by judge Chris Lahmers of Marysville, Ohio, and his associate Matt Day of Springeld, Missouri. She was also selected as this year’s winner of the Nasco Type and Production award and also the Total Performance Winner, following in the footsteps of her dam who captured ehd same award eight years ago. “Without stating the obvious, this probably is the easiest class winner we have had all day,” said Lahmers of Malt. “This rst cow comes out and grabs you. A beautiful dairy cow, tremendous udder, fresh six weeks; I don’t know how she could look any better being that recently fresh. You love the hardness of top, the beautiful mammary system she has, the snugness of attachments, tracks out on a great set of feet and legs. That makes her quite comfortably your rst-prize winner today.” The rst impression Malt made on the judges during her class stayed with them throughout the remainder of Turn to GREWES | Page 23

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Valley-Gem Atlas Malt-ET is named the Grand Champion of the NaƟonal Guernsey Show and eventually the Supreme Champion of the North American InternaƟonal Livestock ExposiƟon held earlier this month in Louisville, Kentucky. Malt is bred and owned by the Grewe family of Valley Gem Farms in Cumberland, Wisconsin.

Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 23

ConƟnued from GREWES | Page 22 the day. When all the winners returned to the green shavings of Freedom Hall, in the eyes of the judges, no other cow could hold a candle to her. “This cow just sticks out, she’s going to be senior champion; there is no need for me to circle around three times to do what everyone knows we are going to do,” Lahmers said, selecting Malt as the senior champion, before moving on to the grand champion selection. “To no one’s surprise, that has a pulse or has been around dairy cattle, it’s going to be this cow. She’s a great cow, and I think the future is bright for this cow.” Two purple and gold banners were not enough souvenirs for Malt. The Grewes set out to capture the third during the supreme champion drive Nov. 10. “I think this is a tremendous champion for the North American. I think I speak for a lot of the judges here; this is a cow you dream about when she hits the ring,” Lahmers said of Malt after her being voted in as the supreme champion by the judges of all breeds. “At the end of the day, it is going to be tough for anyone to complain about her being supreme. A beautiful uddered cow, tracks out on a great set of feet and legs, it is tough to nit-pick this cow anywhere.” Kim, although a seasoned professional in the showring, admits to a few butteries taking over as the group of open show judges perused the cows vying for the title of NAILE Supreme Champion. “I was very nervious, for sure; very anxious,” Kim recalled. “I remember just staring at the judges, hoping one of them would make eye contact with me, to just give me a nod or a look that said, ‘you’ve got this.’ I was wishing so much for it to be Malt’s time, her year to win it all.” While she took Louisville by storm this year, just six weeks fresh with her

PHOTO COURTESY DAIRY AGENDA TODAY

The crew who prepared Malt for the Supreme Champion selecƟon includes – (from leŌ) Haley Beukema, Grant Fremstad, KaƟe SchmiƩ, Kim Grewe on the halter of Malt, Brandon Grewe holding their daughter Brynn and ScoƩ Weisensel. third calf, winning is not something Malt is unfamiliar with. In 2019, competing as a 4-year-old, she captured the championship banners at NAILE, World Dairy Expo, the Minnesota State Fair and the Wisconsin State Guernsey Show. She was also selected as the supreme champion of the Minnesota State Fair, on her way to earning all-American accolades. As a junior 3-year-old, Malt was named the reserve all-American in 2018. The Grewes, who milk 170 cows with Brandon’s parents, Roy and Gina, have been building a breeding program that has turned Valley Gem Farms of Cumberland into a perennial showring powerhouse. In addition to Malt’s wins in Kentucky, the Grewes took home the Premier Breeder and Exhibitor banners,

as well as exhibiting the reserve senior and reserve grand champion cow and the reserve intermediate champion cow. In addition, they house the cow selected as the intermediate champion for Haley Beukema of New Richmond. They said they pride themselves in developing a herd with the high-quality genetics of cows that have outstanding functional type and above average production. Malt is a direct result of this breeding philosophy. “Our breeding program emphasizes selecting elite show cattle that produce high quality milk,” Kim said. “Our desired Guernsey has an exceptional udder, sound feet and legs, and possesses tremendous strength.” Malt’s classication score, the maximum she could achieve in her

second lactation last year, includes individual type-trait breakdowns of 94 points in both udder, and foot and leg. She will be reclassied and eligible for more points later this year. Malt has proven she is more than just another pretty face and is one of the top producers in the Grewe herd, with a top lactation record at the age of 4 of 26,750 pounds of milk in 305 days, with a butterfat test of 5.5% and 1,482 pounds of fat; and a 3.3% protein test, totaling 889 pounds of protein. She is sired by Hollow-View Storm Atlas and is a daughter of Mi-Wil Tiller Malibu EX-94. “She is just fun to work with, a real dream come true,” Brandon said. “You never expect to get a cow like this, but when you do, the feeling is unimaginable.”

Keep your cool. As this year has proven, unpredictable things can happen. Marsh & McLennan Agency’s dairy specialists understand your business, operating environment, and unique needs. When things get heated, we’ll be there to protect you. C O N TA C T U S

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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 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 Holstein Calf: CRISDHOME SOLO ANGEL-ET

Grand Priz Calf come e sfro Born: September 26, 2020 Crisdholm m e Farms LLC Dam: Milksource Aftershk Aimee-ET EX94-3E New Richm , ond, Sire: Walnutlawn Soloman Wis. E Granddam: Milksource Goldwn Africa-ET EX95-2E

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 28, 2020 • Page 25

REGISTER AT THESE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES: WISCONSIN

CHIPPEWA COUNTY

• Chippewa Farm Service, LLC Chippewa Falls • 715-382-5400 • Chippewa Valley Dairy Supply Stanley • 715-644-2350

CLARK COUNTY

• Cloverdale Equipment Curtiss • 715-223-3361 • Premier Livestock Withee • 715-229-2500

DANE COUNTY

• Argall Dairy Systems, Inc Belleville • 608-424-6110

DUNN COUNTY

• Leedstone Menononie • 866-467-4717 • Midwest Livestock Systems Menomonie • 715-235-5144

GRANT COUNTY

• Argall Dairy Systems, West Platteville • 608-348-3385 • Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. Lancaster • 608-723-4634 • Innovative Ag Services Cuba City • 608-744-2287 • Scott Implement Platteville • 608-348-6565 • Sloan Implement Montfort • 608-943-8888

GREEN COUNTY

• Compeer Financial Monroe • 608-328-5934 • Monroe WestfaliaSurge/Koehn, Inc. Monroe • 608-325-2772

JACKSON COUNTY • W.H. Lien, Inc. Hixton • 715-963-4211

LAFAYETTE COUNTY

• Center Hill Veterinary Clinic Darlington • 608-776-4083

MILWAUKEE COUNTY

• Yes JCB Milwaukee • (262) 790-8902

MONROE COUNTY

• Preston Dairy Equipment Sparta • 608-269-3830

PEPIN COUNTY

• Anibas Silo & Repair Arkansaw • 715-285-5317

PIERCE COUNTY

• Ag Partners Grange Hall • 715-647-5002 • Western Wisconsin Farm Store Ellsworth • 715-273-5066

RICHLAND COUNTY

• Advanced Dairy Solutions Richland Center • 608-647-4488

SAUK COUNTY

• Central Ag Supply Baraboo • 608-356-8384 • Central Ag Supply Juneau • 920-386-2611

VERNON COUNTY

• Koon Kreek Feeds Coon Valley • 608-452-3838

WALWORTH COUNTY

• Triebold Outdoor Power Whitewater • 262-473-2464

IOWA

ALLAMAKEE COUNTY

• Bodensteiner Implement Waukon • 563-568-3463 • Innovative Ag Services Waukon • 563-568-3455 • Waukon Veterinary Services Waukon • 563-568-2487

CLAYTON COUNTY

• Bodensteiner Implement Elkader • 563-245-2470 • Innovative Ag Services Elkader • 563-245-1230 Monona • 563-539-2001

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

JACKSON COUNTY • Innovative Ag Services Andrew • 563-672-3228

MINNESOTA DAKOTA COUNTY

• Werner Implement Vermillion • 651-437-4435

HOUSTON COUNTY

• Farmers Win Coop Caledonia • 507-725-3306 Houston • 507-896-3147 Spring Grove • 507-498-5321 • Hammell Equipment Eitzen • 507-495-3326

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

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

WINONA COUNTY

• Benson Farm Service Lewiston • 507-523-2188 • Elba Coop Elba • 507-796-6571 • S&S Dairy Systems St. Charles • 507-932-4288

To view a complete list of participating businesses, log on to www.dairystar.com

*Enter as often as you like. One entry per store visit, please. Winners must be 18 years or older and a Grade A or B dairy farmer for adult prize, or 17 years or younger and a son or daughter of a Grade A or B dairy farmer for heifer calf. Winners must also live in the Dairy Star circulation area to be eligible and are responsible for transport of animal.

Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

FSA county committee elections underway

As November draws to a close and Thanksgiving is here, it may be difcult to nd things we are thankful for this year. For me, I am grateful to FSA News & Notes the Farm Service Agency staff who have been here and worked in all different circumstances to administer the programs FSA has to offer. It hasn’t been easy, but they have risen to every challenge and change thrown at them this year. I am also thankful for the ability By Ryan Brunn to serve our farmers and Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. ranchers that continually support and strengthen our local communities and a food source that never fails. Your perseverance is truly admirable, and I cannot thank you enough. We also appreciate your patience and exibility while working with us through all different circumstances this year. A reminder that Dec. 11 is the deadline to enroll in 2021 Dairy Margin Coverage and Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2. Please contact your ofce if you need to complete these tasks. The United States Department of Agriculture has mailed ballots for the FSA county committee elections to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country. To be counted, ballots must be returned to the local FSA county ofce or postmarked by Dec. 7. “FSA has over 7,000 county committee members nationwide who serve their communities by providing input on our programs at the local level,” said FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce. “We value their knowledge and judgment as decisions are made about the services we provide, including disaster and safety-net programs.” Each committee has three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of ofce, and at least one seat is up for election each year. Newly elected committee members will take ofce Jan. 1, 2021. County committee members help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support, conservation, indemnity and disaster, and emergency programs and eligibility. Producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation(s) but may not have applied or received FSA program benets. Also, producers who supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm but are not of legal voting age may be eligible to vote. Producers can nd out if their local administrative area is up for election and if they are eligible to vote by contacting their local FSA county ofce. Eligible voters who did not receive a ballot in the mail can request one from their local FSA county ofce. Visit www.fsa.usda.gov/elections for more information. 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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Cultured butter is made from cultured cream. longer than a year. It is something I will continue as Cultured butter has a rich complex avor. Ideal my supply is getting low, and the holidays baking for baking because the lower moisture content supplies sales will be starting. As for the types of butter, I must be fairly produces akier pastries and ufer cakes. As I read through the list, I found myself nodding simple in my cooking and baking. Maybe I will look for new menu ideas and my head in agreement and these other butter varieties also because I was learning in recipes and try something more about butter for my W We all ll llove to sample l new different. We all love to own needs. I knew about sample new things, especially salted and unsalted for things, especially when it is when it is made with butter. cooking, baking and using made with butter. Everything is better with on top of everything from butter. toast to baked potatoes. We Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their all love butter, and I really think we consume a lot more than 6.2 pounds annually. I am sure we could daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres triple that in the Hinchley family. I watch for sales on butter and will often will buy of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. They have in bulk and freeze it. I really have never had it last been hosting farm tours for over 20 years.

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At a recent meeting I attended, I was given a packet of information on butter. As the holidays approach, baking becomes part of the celebrations. I bake with real butter in pies, cakes and cookies along with using butter in cooking the savory meals that we all gather around to enjoy. This year more than ever before, consumers are reaching for more dairy in the grocery store and putting more on to their tables. Baking and cooking with butter is By Tina Hinchley Farmer & Columnist a natural way to make cookies and pies taste wonderful. It also makes main dishes rich and creamy. As I ipped through the pages, I found the basics: Unsalted butter is best for cooking and baking; while salted butter is best for using as a condiment or spread. – Real butter must contain at least 80% cream. – It takes 2.4 gallons of milk to make 1 pound of butter. – On average, Americans annually consume 6.2 pounds of butter. – Wisconsinites buy 36% more butter per person than the average American. Fresh butter is best, but when you need to stock up follow these tips for freezing. – Freeze in original packaging. – Salted butter will freeze for up to 12 months; unsalted 4 months. – Thaw butter by placing in refrigerator for 6-7 hours. – Use thawed butter within one month to maintain freshness. Claried butter is developed when butter is melted and made clear by separating and discarding the milk solids and water. This is the perfect choice for high heat cooking like frying, sautéing or a dipping sauce for seafood. Ghee is a type of claried butter that has a unique, rich nutty taste due to the browning (caramelization) of milk solids before being discarded. Like claried butter, Ghee cooks without much splatter or burning. European style butter is made from cream that is churned more slowly and for a longer time. It has a butterfat content higher than standard butter which is benecial for cooking and baking.

Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 27

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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

Maple Leaf Cheese Cooperative looks for temporary home for milk Departure of longtime cheesemaker forces co-op in new direction By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

MONROE, Wis. – Dec. 7 is the last day that Maple Leaf Cheesemakers will pick up milk at the farms of Maple Leaf Cheese Cooperative members. After that, members of the 110-year-old co-op will have to send their milk elsewhere. The disappointing news came Oct. 8. As of Nov. 17, about half of the 25 members had found new homes for their milk with hope that new homes would be secured for all by the end of the week. The homes are meant to be temporary – up to six months at most. Board members and dairy farmers, Bob Bade and Jeremy Mayer, are working hard to ensure there is a co-op for Green County farmers to come back to in the near future. These

young farmers want to preserve Wisconsin’s small family farm, therefore, maintaining the co-op’s integrity far into the future is the goal. “Any time you hear you’re going to lose your milk market, you’re shocked,” Mayer said. “When you have to walk into a producer’s barn and tell them this news, they’re taken aback. But our members have been overwhelmingly supportive of the co-op. We’re like a family.” The news was not as surprising to Mayer and Bade, who along with other board members, had been trying to negotiate with Maple Leaf Cheesemakers for nearly a year. But the two parties could not strike a deal. “We knew back at our annual meeting in February

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Bob Bade, treasurer of Maple Leaf Cheese CooperaƟve, milks 52 cows near Monroe, Wisconsin. Bade has been a member of the co-op since he began farming in 2013.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Maple Leaf Cheese CooperaƟve owns this cheese plant in Twin Grove, Wisconsin where their milk is made into cheese by Maple Leaf Cheesemakers. Although the agreement between the two parƟes expires Dec. 7, the 110-year-old co-op hopes to line up a new cheesemaker and conƟnue making cheese at the plant.

this was a possibility,” Mayer said. “And it was humbling to see the show of hands of who wanted to stay with us – every single patron wanted to come back. A co-op is more than a building and equipment – it’s the farmers. And our members seem to be committed to that idea.” The co-op began working with Maple Leaf Cheesemakers in the early 1980s. Starting out as a one-man show, Maple Leaf Cheesemakers grew dramatically over the years and now owns a variety of companies. They made various cheeses from the co-op’s milk at the plant in Twin Grove, including cheddars, goudas and jacks. The cheesemaker also made other private label cheeses.

“When you considered the amount of bills the co-op had along with trying to pay farmers a fair price, it wasn’t matching up,” Bade said. “Something had to be done. We told Maple Leaf Cheesemakers last September that we weren’t going to renew our existing contract.” The co-op and cheesemaker have been working under a temporary contract since April. For now, some local factories will be taking a portion of the milk, while other farms are teaming up with larger organizations. Bade, Mayer and the other board members did not yet have a place to take their Turn to MAPLE LEAF | Page 29

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Jeremy and Kelsi Mayer milk 50 cows near Monroe, Wisconsin. Jeremy has been a member of the Maple Leaf Cheese CooperaƟve for two years and became president of the board this year. milk. Finding markets for the co-op’s members took priority, said Bade. Bade, who milks 52 cows south of Monroe, grew up on a dairy farm in central Illinois where his family still farms. He attended graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying dairy parlor and milking equipment efciencies. Bade held jobs in the industry with BouMatic and GEA before starting to farm in 2013. His wife, Liza, works off the farm, and the couple has 3-year-old twin daughters, Lola and Everly. “I’ve been with Maple Leaf the whole time,” said Bade, who has been on the board for ve years and is the co-op’s treasurer. “I really enjoy being involved in the co-op. It’s an opportunity to stand up for farmers a little bit, and this is a good group of farmers.” Mayer agreed. “Our co-op members are the driving force,” Mayer said. “Most of them plan for their farm to be in the family for a long time. They have kids who want to farm and therefore have a vested interest in seeing the co-op succeed long term.” The typical Maple Leaf Cheese Coop member milks 60 to 70 cows. The largest milks 250. “Everyone can’t milk 500 cows in our rolling hills,” Mayer said. “It’s not possible in this topography. If there aren’t small co-ops willing to carve out a niche, it could be hard for the farms in this community. I think our co-op still has a chance on a small scale to be an exception to the norm.” A member for about two years, Mayer became president of the board this year. He milks 50 cows north of Monroe on a farm he and his wife, Kelsi, purchased from Mayer’s grandpa in 2012. At age 19, Mayer bought a herd of cows after nishing the Farm and Industry Short Course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2002. He brought the cows to his grandpa’s place, and after xing a few things, ipped the switch and started milking in a barn that had been empty since 1992. At age 22, he began cash renting the farm. The herd is split evenly between Brown Swiss and Holstein. “My goal was to have all Brown Swiss, which I did for two months until I met a Holstein girl,” Mayer said. Maple Leaf Cheese Cooperative has been around since 1910 and moved to the Twin Grove plant in 1992. Prior to that, its plant was located near Albany. The co-op owns the factory, but Maple Leaf Cheesemakers owns most of the equipment inside the building and will be moving it out by the end of

the year. “Ideally, we’d like to buy their equipment,” Bade said. The board is working with a consultant, Will Hughes, and looking at all alternatives and exploring several options. “We have a good plan coming along,” Bade said. “Our ultimate goal is to keep it a cheese plant and remain in charge of our destiny. That gives us more control over the market. But nding a partner interested in leasing or buying the factory with our current producers providing the milk is another possibility.” Bade said Hughes has helped the co-op a lot. “There are only ve patrons on the board and being a board member takes a lot of time,” Bade said. “Also, these are big companies we’re dealing with. It’s a cut-throat business. Thirty-some years ago, ve farmers could manage it. But times have changed, and now we need outside help.” The plan is to nd a new processor and make a new line of cheese, establish a market, and pay farmers competitively while offering additional incentives beyond a milk check, such as stock dividends. The board also sees this as an opportunity to separate the co-op from the Maple Leaf name and come up with a new brand. “We want to instill pride in the coop and become the co-op that everyone wants to be a part of,” Bade said. Not wanting to be swallowed up by larger milk cooperatives and wishing to give young farmers and future farmers a chance to succeed, Bade and Mayer have members’ best interests at heart. “Everyone understands,” Bade said. “They know it’s important to protect our milk market, and there has been a lot of support from the community.” Mayer is the father of two boys – Brantley, 2, and Landon, 7 months. “I don’t know if my kids will want to farm someday, but I want to give them the chance,” Mayer said. “We have a beautiful factory, a great group of farmers and a vision. That’s the key to success.” Bade, Mayer and the other board members plan to ensure the co-op is around for many years to come. “We have one of the brightest young cheesemakers in the state on board with us moving forward,” Mayer said. “He’s a local guy from Monroe and is sold on what we’re trying to accomplish. Things fall into place as long as you have the right people working on it. We’re committed to this, and it’ll work out. It has to.”

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You’re going to miss this Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

“You’re going to miss this someday” Are the wise words the old folks say Their advice I must heed, Rather than wishing the years pass with speed So I take a breath, slow and deep Hoping that my memory can keep The images from these challenging years, Of these children, my four growing dears

I will miss the walks to the barn Listening to Cora spin a good yarn Her tiny soft hand warm in my big one Her stories, you never know when they are done Though my patience is tested, day in and day out This girl reminds me what life’s all about “I can’t come with you yet, I’m pulling a calf”

There’s not much to do, but shake my head and laugh Henry has a temper that ares so fast I often wish this season would be past Yet his hugs are so sweet, so tender Many a time they are a mood mender His smirk shows the mischief he likely is thinking He’ll be driving a tractor soon if I keep blinking All too soon he will toss aside his sandbox toys And be out working alongside the bigger boys I hope Dane keeps his special insight He seems to recognize when something’s not right He is great at offering a helping hand In the barn or the kitchen, he’s quite grand I try to capture the images as he grows tall

Even the times he and Ira brawl These boys how they rumble, yet talk into night, Usually forgetting about why they ght I marvel at Ira, becoming a man The oldest of my fastgrowing clan A born farmer, this strapping teenage boy Hard to believe he was my rst joy He and I like to spat No shock about that He is of his own mind, But, in ways, we are two of a kind

Ramblings from the Ridge

By Jacqui Davison Walks to the barn, in all kinds of weather Columnist Remind me it is nice to work together Standing in the yard staring up at the sky Constellations, the moon; these years will pass by The wonderful hugs that catch me off-guard, The things I’ve said, thinking they’re scarred The meals where they bicker and complain The inside jokes that are hard to explain The books we’ve read, the things we’ve done Even if they aren’t always fun I will miss much of this time in their lives I hope for the strength of my mental archives Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira (12), Dane (10), Henry (5) and Cora (3), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.

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World Dairy Expo® is excited to announce the launch of its new podcast, The Dairy Show. Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and online at worlddairyexpo.com, new episodes of The Dairy Show are added on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Expo’s podcast features a new guest during every episode discussing topics related to the dairy industry. “Without the global dairy industry gathering in Madison, Wisconsin for World Dairy Expo 2020, we wanted to give people a place to still gather, just digitally,” shares Katie Schmitt, WDE Communications Manager and host of The Dairy Show. “The Dairy Show is focused on discussing topics ranging from cows to the colored shavings to cutting-edge technology while introducing a new guest during each episode to provide unique perspectives.” To date, The Dairy Show has published four episodes discussing the founding of World Dairy Expo, understanding milk markets, the connection between commercial dairying and the Showring, and how one young dairy producer has diversied her operation using cheese. Future episodes will continue to explore more facets of the dairy industry yearround. Serving as the meeting place of the global dairy industry, World Dairy Expo brings together the latest in dairy innovation and the best cattle in North America. Crowds of more than 62,000 people, from nearly 100 countries, will return to Madison, Wis. for the 54th event, Sept. 28 through Oct. 2, 2021, when the world’s largest dairy-focused trade show, dairy and forage seminars, a world-class dairy cattle show and more will be on display. Download the World Dairy Expo mobile event app, visit worlddairyexpo. com or follow WDE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube for more information.

Evaluate nutrition strategies with higher feed costs

Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 31

Dairy economics in 2020 have been ďƒžlled with volatility and uncertainty. The recent surge in feed costs is just one more example. Soybean and corn markets climbed at harvest time fueled by lower carryover Something to Ruminate On stocks, higher export demands and South American weather concerns. Protein and energy sources quickly followed suit. Common protein sources – such as soybean meal, canola meal and corn distillers – have seen 15% to 20% increases the By Barry Visser past few weeks. Nutritionist As proďƒžt margins tighten, it is critical to evaluate on-farm nutrition strategies to determine if any potential changes can improve the dairy’s cash ďƒ&#x;ow. Milk production is the income generator for your dairy business, so saving 10 cents in feed cost, but losing 20 cents in productivity, is not a good economic decision. Consider several key nutrition and management strategies to help maximize income over feed costs. High-quality forage reduces supplemental feed costs. Current forage inventory is established, but the value of harvesting high-quality forages this next season may be greater than ever. Harvesting forages at the correct moisture and maturity is a critical component. Hybrid selection can be part of the solution to improved forage quality but needs to be balanced against input costs. Feed shrink can be deďƒžned as any ingredient that enters the dairy but is not consumed by the cow.

F d efficiency Feed ffi i iis an important economic measure used to evaluate the amount of milk produced per unit of feed. With current prices, going from 15% to 5% feed shrink accounts for savings of greater than 50 cents per head daily. Some shrink to forages in inevitable, but with proper packing and storage practices, these losses can be minimized. Evaluate ingredient handling and storage as well. Byproducts can be a great buy but may lend themselves to double-digit shrink values under certain conditions. Maximize dry matter intake to maximize milk production. One pound of additional DM can lead to 2 pounds increase in milk production. In some cases, the percentage of leftovers may be reduced below 5%. Feed distribution, push-up frequency and overall bunk management need to be excellent to make this happen. Feed efďƒžciency is an important economic measure used to evaluate the amount of milk produced per unit of feed. Using energy corrected milk will give credit to the milk component contribution. Several factors will impact feed efďƒžciency: – Multiple groups of milk cows versus one group; multiple groups allow for better targeting

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of nutrients and additives designed to improve feed efďƒžciency. – Overcrowding to the point where performance is negatively affected. – Cow comfort and heat abatement for milk and dry cows. – Culling strategies to remove low-end producers. – Aggressive reproduction strategies to have more cows in peak lactation. – Proper particle size and moisture in the TMR. – Adequate water access. Two common non-productive assets related to nutrition expenditures are forage inventory and heifer replacements. If a farm is sitting on eight to 12 months of carryover on a given forage, managers may consider harvesting fewer acres to remove some crop input expenses. With heifer

replacements, take a hard look at the number needed versus inventory. In addition, recognize the feed costs associated with calving heifers less than 24 months of age on most farms. Work with your nutrition consultant to review and ďƒžne-tune your feeding program. Any feeding changes that potentially jeopardize milk production or future cow health need to be carefully evaluated; do not sacriďƒžce long-term gains for short-term savings. Develop your list of potential changes, evaluate the positives and negatives of each potential change and prioritize which nutrition changes will have the largest effects on your cash ďƒ&#x;ow. In some cases, no changes will be made. In other cases, signiďƒžcant changes can be made, resulting in greater income over feed costs. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.

Divinely driven Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

When we welcomed in the New Year eleven months ago, there was a sense of optimism for a new decade, a new direction for our farm and our lives. The view ahead of me was wide open with possibilities, as it is every year. I can honestly say I didn’t really see what was coming down the road. Our view was from the windshield looking forward, and the road was wide open. Now when I glance in the rear view mirror, I see every jog, turn and pothole we’ve been through on this journey and realize I wasn’t driving this bus. Carrie Underwood’s rst big hit was “Jesus Take the Wheel” where she cries out for help as she loses control on the icy roads and in her life. I think sometimes God takes control when we don’t realize we need help. As I look in my rearview mirror, I see how this year has been divinely driven. There is no way we could have organized and planned everything that put us in the right place to sell the milking herd

and hit pause on dairying. The view is so clear looking back. When the repair man never had time to x the stall mattresses this past spring, it turned out to be a good thing. Now we can x them while the barn is empty if we move forward. When our regular classication schedule fell in August, we were able to have the girls scored without paying extra fees. When World Dairy Expo was postponed, Katie was available to use her job skills in designing our sale catalog and advertising campaign. When the pandemic changed how business is conducted, we were able to have the sale online. Even when it snowed on the morning of the sale, it was like a hall pass from eld work for dairymen to take a skip day and come to the sale, to bid, to see the cows or just to be here for us. There is no way we could have maneuvered through all those detours without help. I didn’t realize I needed extra help but my friends

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did. Neighbors dropped off cookies and bars to help feed the kids as they spent days in the barn clipping cattle. Some sent maroon and gold mums to brighten my day in the house. In a way, it was like a funeral as friends reached out to support us as we Just Thinking Out Loud closed a chapter in our story. I even had three college friends from Indianapolis and northern Illinois travel to help me. They showed up on my doorstep the night before the sale announcing they were here to help. I gave Beth a paintbrush to cover chipped spots on a feed By Natalie Schmitt door. I handed Lauren a scrub brush to clean the Columnist front barn wall by the barn cleaner, and I left Jane in charge of the dishes in my sink. They knew I really didn’t need their help with jobs, but what I did need was their support, laughter and hugs. Mark is slowly weaning off of milking. He has a handful of cows to milk every morning and night. At least he is sleeping in in the morning. It is nice to start milking at 7 but on the back side, 7 at night for a handful of cows feels like overkill. The paperwork on the cows heading to Canada is almost complete. The cow going to Michigan to be a lawn ornament is ready to be dried off and shipped out too. We fed the last of the cow concentrate, so it is time for them to go. As the temperatures start to drop and stay cold, we need to get the barn ready for winter. We need to blow out the water lines in the drinking cups, run the barn cleaner one last time, park the feed cart, shut off the radio and lights and close the door until next spring. Then we can start to take a break for a few months. Mark has already found some perks in a lighter work load. When we were rst married, he would milk crazy hours just to be able to go deer hunting in our woods. That drive to provide meat for the family faded as the kids got older and they wanted to go hunting. Mark would stay in the barn and let the boys trounce through the woods. All three of them were able to shoot a young buck. Now it was their dad’s turn. As we pushed to nish up fall eldwork, Mark never had the time to sight in his gun before deer season. He hadn’t hunted in years. Mark was excited to go out. He was heading to his deer stand at the far edge of the alfalfa eld when he noticed something moving in the ditch line heading toward his deer stand. He thought he missed his chance at a deer. If he had headed out 10 minutes earlier he would have been in position. He pulled up his gun to see what he was missing. As he focused his scope on the animal, he got excited. It was the biggest rack he had ever seen, yet he was standing out in the open hay eld, one movement away from spooking the deer. The buck slipped back in the ditch, and Mark kept walking until he spotted him again. This time Mark slowly dropped to one knee, took aim … missed. The deer took off to the woods. Mark continued walking to his stand in the woods. As he got closer, a deer popped up, wobbled and stumbled back down. It was the deer. He had hit it. It turned out to be a nine-point buck with a score of 162. I guess that is good. I know Mark has provided meat for the table and a new wall decoration to the house. Right place. Right time. Divinely driven.

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The coronavirus, cardamom, and milk The last thing I want to write about right now is the coronavirus. Like all of you, I wish this pandemic was over. But the coronavirus is touching Dairy Good Life every part of our lives, so there aren’t many stories to tell without s o m e mention of this wretched virus. In the By Sadie Frericks beginning Columnist of the pandemic, the virus seemed very far away and was hard to fathom. For the past couple months, though, we’ve watched the virus get closer and closer. We now have parents, friends and neighbors who have been infected, all with drastically different symptoms and severities. The full impact of COVID-19 hit hard earlier this month when our neighbor lost his battle with the disease after a six-week ght. As the virus has come closer, we talk more and more, as a family, about the inevitability of us contracting the virus. We’ve explained to the kids that pandemic viruses continue to spread until they can’t anymore. Without vaccination, most people get infected. We’ve also explained that while we might not be able to prevent infection, we can take steps to make our immune systems as strong as possible, with the hope that our infections are on the milder end of the range. Eating well, getting enough movement, and getting adequate sleep are the best ways to ensure strong immune system function. We’re taking extra Vitamin D, too, because we drink unfortied milk. We can also increase our chances of having a mild case by taking steps to reduce the amount of virus we’re infected with. Wearing masks around non-family members and avoiding crowds are the best proven ways to reduce viral load. While I tend to think that, as farmers, we have robust immune systems, I am not naïve enough to think we aren’t vulnerable. The neighbor who lost his life was an active, healthy farmer too. As I mentioned above, COVID-19 is touching every part of our lives. Even the food magazines I read are laced with mentions of the disease. While reading a recent article about foods that support our immune systems, I came across an ingredient I never expected: cardamom. The article stated that, while more research is needed, some studies show cardamom helps activate natural killer cells, the white blood cells that kill tumor- and virus-infected cells in our bodies. I don’t need to wait for more research to convince me to consume

more cardamom. Cardamom is one of my favorite spices, likely due to my early exposure to the cardamom bread made by all the Finnish grandmothers in our community. After reading the article, I tried adding cardamom to my nightly cup of hot milk. It was delicious. The taste reminded me of a chai tea latte, which makes sense because cardamom is one of the spices in traditional chai tea. When it comes to spices, I follow the more is better philosophy, so I tried adding a few more chai spices to my mug of hot milk. My new favorite blend, which includes cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and black pepper, is even more delicious than the original. It tastes like a chai tea latte or a pumpkin spice latte but without the tea or coffee. It also reminds me a bit of the homemade, not-supersweet eggnog my dad used to make when I was a kid. And, the additional spices add even more nutritional power. Ginger helps digestion. Cinnamon stabilizes blood sugar. Turmeric reduces inammation, especially when combined with black pepper. In addition to the warming spices, I also add unavored gelatin for an extra boost of protein. Most folks think gelatin contributes to strong hair, nails and connective tissue, which it does, but gelatin also helps maintain gut health, which is important for a strong immune system. Plus, don’t forget about the milk. A full cup of whole milk provides protein, healthy fat, and low-glycemicload carbohydrates. When combined with gelatin, the protein and fat in milk improve absorption of the gelatin. All in all, this hot spiced milk is one of those win-win recipes – tastes good and good for you – that become everyday staples. I’ll keep sipping a mug long after the pandemic is over.

Hot spiced milk 1 cup whole milk, divided 1 tablespoon unavored gelatin 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric Pinch of ground black pepper Optional: a bit of honey Pour 1/4 cup of the milk into a mug. Stir in gelatin and spices until gelatin absorbs milk. Heat remaining 3/4 cup milk (in microwave or on the stove). Pour hot milk into gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin is dissolved. I like this drink without any honey, but some palates might prefer a bit of additional sweetness. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children – Dan, 13, Monika, 11, and Daphne, 7. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.

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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

Finding ways to save energy

Free farm audits can pinpoint cost-saving opportunities By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

MADISON, Wis. – Learning how to be more energy efcient can save money while also preserving natural resources. Farms can uncover where potential savings might be hiding during an energy audit. These audits are performed in Wisconsin by FOCUS ON ENERGY® and participating utilities at no cost to the dairy farmer. “We want you to save energy and therefore, dollars, on your operation,” said Jessica Mlsna, energy advisor for Focus on Energy. “During an energy audit, an assessment provider will come out to your farm to learn more about your operation. They will compile a list of opportunities and work with you to prioritize. Following the audit, you will receive a written report, and an assessment provider will follow up in person to discuss the results.” During a recent Dairy Signal hosted by the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, Mlsna highlighted what to expect during an energy audit while also offering tips for conserving energy on the farm. An energy audit will pinpoint the most cost-effective areas for targeting energy savings and paybacks. The audit is comprehensive, considering lighting, ventilation, milk refrigeration

equipment, waterers, irrigation systems and more. “Lighting is a very cost-effective upgrade that usually has a pretty quick payback,” Mlsna said. The lighting portion of the audit focuses on bulbs and xtures. Upgrading to energyefcient lighting xtures, such as LED, is recommended. “LED is the Jessica Mlsna most efcient Energy advisor technology we have,” Mlsna said. “If you switch to LED, you might be able to change your layout a little or have fewer xtures, depending on the lighting level. LEDs provide instant, bright light and tend to distribute their light a little better than traditional lighting options. Something as simple as turning off the lights can also help save energy.” Perhaps the biggest energy user on a dairy farm is milk refrigeration equipment. If upgrading compressors, Mlsna recommends upgrading to scroll compressors which she said are more efcient than reciprocating compressors. “Make sure you’re getting your refrigeration equipment serviced in late spring or early summer,” Mlsna said. “This might save on a really expensive emergency service call. Get your refrigerant checked, make sure the heat exchange system is working correctly,

and ensure everything is free of dust and debris.” Invest in the correct size plate cooler and identify the water to milk ow ratio to avoid having milk travel through too quickly. If the plate cooler is too small, milk will not cool properly. Consider a plate cooler upgrade if the cooler is undersized. “It’s a waste of money if milk is not cooling to its full potential and efciency before it enters the bulk tank,” Mlsna said. “Pipe diameter and length of pipe might also affect ow rate.” For farms milking more than seven hours per day, a variable frequency drive on the vacuum pump might be a good option. Variable frequency drives on milk transfer pumps control the speed at which milk goes through the plate cooler to ensure the most efcient cooling. VFDs can also be installed on conveyors, augers and most anything with a motor that varies in speed, Mlsna said. Drives should be sized properly for the equipment, installed in the correct location and set correctly. Refrigeration heat recovery units can capture heat from compressors and use it to heat water needed for washing, for example. Correct sizing will depend on how many hours the compressor is running, number of milkings and how much hot water is being used. A larger farm may benet from multiple heat recovery units. “A heat recovery unit is a great piece of energy-saving equipment because it takes the heat off of your compressors as they’re cooling the milk,” Mlsna said.

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1.25

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When it comes to ventilation, work with a ventilation specialist and make sure fans are properly sized for your building. Putting fans on a variable speed drive can help as fans ramp up and down according to temperature. Mlsna recommends replacing existing fans with a more efcient model upon failure or when they reach their estimated useful life. Make sure nozzles are spaced

“It’s a waste of money if milk is not cooling to its full potential and efficiency before it enters the bulk tank.” JESSICA MLSNA, ENERGY ADVISOR

properly on irrigation systems, and get uniformity testing on wells and pumps every couple years. “Maybe you can downsize your well pump by some horsepower and save energy that way,” Mlsna said. “Sometimes the older ones are way oversized. Putting a variable speed drive on your irrigation system is also something that can save energy. We often see that on a eld that has elevation changes, and the need for pressure might change throughout the eld.” Turn to ENERGY | Page 35

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SILAGE CRM

LBS/A MILK ADVANTAGE

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102

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108

1,803

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112

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55

29.45 vs 27.50

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Data is based on an average of 2019-2020 comparisons made in Minnesota and Wisconsin through December 11, 2020. Comparisons are against all competitors, unless otherwise stated, and within +/- 5 silage CRM of the competitive brand. Product responses are variable and subject to any number of environmental, disease and pest pressures. Individual results may vary. Multi-year and multi-location data are a better predictor of future performance. DO NOT USE THIS OR ANY OTHER DATA FROM A LIMITED NUMBER OF TRIALS AS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN PRODUCT SELECTION. Refer to www.pioneer.com or contact a Pioneer sales representative or authorized dealer for the latest and complete listing of traits and scores for each Pioneer ® brand product. By texting HARVEST, you agree to receive recurring autodialed marketing text messages at the phone number you provide. Your consent is not a condition of purchase. Message and data rates may apply. pioneer.com/privacy Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. TM ® SM Trademarks and service marks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. © 2020 Corteva. PION0LOCL055_TP

ConƟnued from ENERGY | Page 34

To avoid leaving heaters on all day, engine block heater timers can be useful for tractors, skidloaders and other equipment that nd it difcult to operate in Wisconsin winters. Setting the timer so the heater turns on a couple hours before equipment is needed will help save energy. For example, a 1500-watt heater used two hours a day versus 10 hours can produce an annual savings of $126. Savings can be more signicant if multiple heat blocks are in use. Throughout her talk, Mlsna stressed the importance of maintenance. Keeping equipment clean and in good working order increases efciency and can help prevent expensive repairs down the road. Mlsna said there is no limit to how often an audit can be done, but every ve years is a good rule of thumb. When dairy farmer Eric Walker noticed his electric bill escalating this past summer, he knew something was wrong. Bills for August and September were more than double their usual cost, prompting him to seek help from his utility, Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, as well as Focus on Energy. A team of ve people did a walkthrough of Walker’s operation as part of the audit, taking a look at everything using electricity on the farm. Focus on Energy discovered the bulk tank was running a lot longer than seemed necessary. Walker’s dealer made sure the tank shutoff was at the right temperature and calibrated correctly. But that was not the issue. There was also a leak in the air compressor, causing it to run non-stop, and a small leak in the water heater. Walker replaced the valve at the top of the water heater and bought a new air compressor. He also replaced the

Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 35

switch designed to shut the compressor off earlier and xed a leak in the air line. In addition, Walker xed two small water leaks that were found in the freestall barn. Even after these repairs, his bill barely dropped. Attention turned back to the bulk tank, and it was soon discovered the culprit was a heat sensor under the tank. The insulation by the sensor was soaking wet. Over a period of time, water had leaked into the insulation around the sensor, causing the sensor to remain on and the bulk tank to run all morning instead of a couple hours. Two 5 horsepower motors on the compressor were running several extra hours each morning and night. “The sensor was one of those things you’d never even dream of,” Walker said. “It wasn’t an easy thing to nd.” Walker and his wife, Diane, farm in partnership with his brother, Lynn, and Lynn’s wife, Bernadette. Walker’s grandson, Benjamin, also works on the farm. Farming halway between Augusta and Osseo, the family milks 220 cows and crops 440 acres. Now, the Walkers’ electric bill is the lowest it has been in 2.5 years, for a savings well over $2,000 compared to their bill in August. “The Eau Claire Energy Co-op and Focus on Energy were extremely helpful in this process and served us well,” Walker said. “We’re very thankful to them. We couldn’t afford to keep paying that kind of electric bill.” Farmers can get more information about saving energy from the Agriculture Energy Best Practices Guide, which details energy efcient best practices for agribusinesses. The guide is available at focusonenergy.com/ guidebooks.

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AM1 – Optimum® AcreMax® 1 insect protection system with an integrated corn rootworm refuge solution includes HXX,LL,RR2. Optimum AcreMax 1 products contain the LibertyLink® gene and can be sprayed with Liberty® herbicide. The required corn borer refuge can be planted up to a half-mile away. AM – Optimum® AcreMax® insect protection system with YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2. Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for aboveground insects. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax products. AMT – Optimum® AcreMax® TRIsect® insect protection system with RW,YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2. Contains a single-bag refuge solution for above- and below-ground insects. The major component contains the Agrisure® RW trait, the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and the Herculex® I gene. In EPAdesignated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax TRIsect products. AMX – Optimum® AcreMax® Xtra insect protection system with YGCB,HXX,LL,RR2. Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above- and below-ground insects. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax Xtra products. AMXT (Optimum® AcreMax® XTreme) – Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above- and below-ground insects. The major component contains the Agrisure ® RW trait, the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and the Herculex® XTRA gene. In EPA-designated cottongrowing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax XTreme products. Q (Qrome ®) – Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above- and below-ground insects. The major component contains the Agrisure ® RW trait, the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and the Herculex® XTRA gene. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Qrome ® products. Qrome products are approved for cultivation in the U.S. and Canada. They have also received approval in a number of importing countries, most recently China. For additional information about the status of regulatory authorizations, visit http://www.biotradestatus.com/. YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2 (Optimum® Intrasect ®) – Contains the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and Herculex® I gene for resistance to corn borer. YGCB,HXX,LL,RR2 (Optimum® Intrasect ® Xtra) – Contains the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and the Herculex XTRA gene for resistance to corn borer and corn rootworm. RW,HX1,LL,RR2 (Optimum® TRIsect ®) – Contains the Herculex I gene for above-ground pests and the Agrisure ® RW trait for resistance to corn rootworm. AML – Optimum® AcreMax® Leptra® products with AVBL,YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2. Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for aboveground insects. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax Leptra products. AVBL,YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2 (Optimum® Leptra®) – Contains the Agrisure Viptera® trait, the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene, the Herculex® I gene, the LibertyLink® gene and the Roundup Ready ® Corn 2 trait. HX1 – Contains the Herculex® I insect protection gene which provides protection against European corn borer, southwestern corn borer, black cutworm, fall armyworm, lesser cornstalk borer, southern cornstalk borer and sugarcane borer; and suppresses corn earworm. HXRW – The Herculex® RW rootworm protection trait contains proteins that provide enhanced resistance against western corn rootworm, northern corn rootworm and Mexican corn rootworm. HXX – Herculex® XTRA insect protection contains the Herculex I and Herculex RW genes. YGCB – The YieldGard® Corn Borer gene offers a high level of resistance to European corn borer, southwestern corn borer and southern cornstalk borer; moderate resistance to corn earworm and common stalk borer; and above-average resistance to fall armyworm. LL – Contains the LibertyLink® gene for resistance to Liberty® herbicide. RR2 – Contains the Roundup Ready® Corn 2 trait that provides crop safety for over-the-top applications of labeled glyphosate herbicides when applied according to label directions. AQ – Optimum® AQUAmax® product. Product performance in water-limited environments is variable and depends on many factors, such as the severity and timing of moisture deficiency, heat stress, soil type, management practices and environmental stress, as well as disease and pest pressures. All products may exhibit reduced yield under water and heat stress. Individual results may vary. BMR – Brown MidRib Corn. Herculex® insect protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred. ® Trademark of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. YieldGard®, the YieldGard Corn Borer Design and Roundup Ready® are registered trademarks used under license from Monsanto Company. Liberty®, LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design are registered trademarks of BASF.

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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

Women In Dairy

Tell us your most memorable experience working on the farm. I’ve been working on farms my whole life so I have many great experiences, but seeing our children grow up on the farm is like reliving all of the wonderful times I remember as a child. Also, when we are classifying cows and have cows score Excellent, those days are pretty cool.

Vanna Leichtfuss Two Rivers, Wisconsin Manitowoc County 220 cows Family: My husband, Mark, and I have four children – Emerson, 5, Everett, 3, Loretta, 2, Excalibur, 8 months. Tell us about your farm. Mark and I started farming in Green Bay in 2010 and moved to our current location in June 2019. We milk 190 registered Holsteins in a swing-8 parallel parlor. We grow the majority of our crops on rented land, and they are custom harvested. Mark handles all of the feeding, breeding, bookkeeping and maintenance on the farm. I do majority of the milking, along with feeding calves and heifers. Heifers are raised here until just before breeding. They are then sent to a heifer raiser and return home a few weeks before calving. I milk by myself in the mornings. Mark brings the pens of cows to the holding area between mixing batches of feed for the cows. We have three part-time employees. One or two of them help milk in the evenings. What is the busiest time of day for you? Denitely mornings. The day starts at 2:45 a.m. Excalibur comes out to the barn with me so he doesn’t wake up the other kids. I check for fresh cows before setting up for milking. I try to get milking done before taking Emerson to school. Then the other kids are awake. We have a quick breakfast before going back out to the barn for feeding calves, scraping barns, vaccinating, taking care of newborn calves, catching up on paperwork, etc. I milk some evenings (while trying to keep the kids occupied too) with one of our employees, and the other evenings we have two milkers so I stay busy with other chores and feeding calves. When you get a spare moment what do you do? I love to bake. Most of the time it’s cookies, cakes and cupcakes. I’m always up for trying new recipes. I enjoy being with the kids and having them help on the farm. I have a passion for showing cows and try to go to two or more shows each year. I enjoy attending cattle sales and love searching for farming antiques in old barns.

What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming? Watching our children grow up on the farm is truly awesome. We also love working with good cow families. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? The majority of our friends are dairy farmers or are in the dairy industry, so it’s not hard to stay connected with them, as we see or at least talk to many of them on a regular basis. Many are often involved in the same organizations Mark and I are involved in. I currently serve as secretary for our county Holstein Association, and it’s great to be with others who are so passionate about registered Holsteins and showing cows. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My oldest brother, who was managing my parents’ farm back in the day, fueled my passion for cattle at a young age. I always tagged along as he did chores, and it was then that I realized at a young age I wanted to have a farm of my own one day. But none of what we have today would be possible without the help of my husband. It’s all a team effort. Every single day, it’s about working toward our goals. If you could give a tour to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? I’d rather take a tour of a successfully ran dairy, regardless if it is operated by a man or a woman. We have given tours to the local technical college’s dairy herd management class, and I do enjoy talking to people who are just getting started farming and are optimistic about the industry, because we started from scratch. What is the best vacation you have ever taken? We don’t get away too often, but we do love to go to weddings that are a bit too far away to drive home late at night. We nd a babysitter and ask our employees to cover the next morning shift. We stay at a hotel and sleep in. It’s a chance to reset. Going to cattle shows, although it’s a very busy time, is also time away from the daily chores. The past two years Mark and I have attended the Wisconsin Holstein Association Adult Convention. It’s always a great time away from the farm, and we get to see many great cow people.

FARM INFORMATION STATION Joe Gill • Farm Director

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What are some words you like to live by? “Children do not grow up too fast. If you truly enjoy it, you will nd they grow up at just the right speed.” “Find your passion and fuel it.” “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life.” “The frosting-to-cake ratio should always be 1:1.”

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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 37

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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.

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,â€? 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 ďƒžnally pulled the trigger.â€? 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 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 specifically designed to catch and sort fresh and special needs cows into a small pen that is adjacent to far-off 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 nonnegotiable,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

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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020

ConƟnued from AHLGRENS | Page 37 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 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 benet from the incorporation of technology. In 2017, David passed away in a farmrelated 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.

JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR

A mixing and feeding robot makes its way down the feed alley of Rick and Sarah Ahlgren’s barn at their dairy near Darwin, Minnesota. The barn is also equipped with three milking robots for the 160-cow herd. “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. “We broke it out to see our options and what the upfront cost would be,” Rick said. “This was more efcient, 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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Dairy Star • Saturday, November 28, 2020 • Page 39

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Dale and Mariah McCullick III Wauzeka, Wisconsin Crawford County 40 cows

What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I enjoy the cows. I could spend all day in the barn, but I hate driving tractor.

How did you get into farming? I didn’t grow up on a dairy farm, but Mariah did. I worked on my relatives’ dairy farms growing up, and in high school I worked for a hoof trimmer in the summers. In 2014, I bought a group of springing Holstein heifers and made an arrangement to keep them at and work for Chad Sime. He really helped me get my start.

What advice would you give other dairy farmers? I would advise other dairy farmers to maintain good foot health. The cows perform a lot better with four good wheels. What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? We have a lot of water that will run in the one side of the barn when it rains and ll the gutter. I bought a highpowered sewage pump. It helps make the bad days not quite so bad.

What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? I worry about the rollercoaster ride we are on with prices. I also worry about all the empty barns you see around that will probably never have cows in them again. That makes it really hard for a young guy like me to get started. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? We just started on our own about a year ago in a rented barn, so we haven’t implemented any real technology updates. In the future, I would like to get good automatic take-offs. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? Anything that is over 100 days in milk and hasn’t shown a good natural heat, we ovsynch; if they

What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Paying off my rst group of cows.

don’t have a CL, we use a CIDR. That has been working well for us. We’ve been having good success with it. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? I quit feeding milk replacer and started feeding whole milk. It pencils out at $80 a bag for milk replacer versus $14 milk. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees?

We are small enough we do not have any employees. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I have a lot of patience with the animals, even when they are being difcult to work with. I am very observant and can notice little things that might be off. I also have a pretty good memory for remembering due dates, calving dates, etc.

What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? I would hope to be able to purchase a place or to nd a place with a longterm lease. We are losing the lease one our current farm in the spring. I just really want to be able to stay in the game and keep dairy farming. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? We spend a lot of time doing chores and at the barn, but we enjoy hanging out with friends, and sometimes trying to get out for a nice supper somewhere.

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