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7 201 2018
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 19, No. 21
December 23, 2017
Schmitts keep Nigons have long-standing nudging milk Christmas tradition production higher Several factors contribute to 33,250-pound average By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
FORT ATKINSON, Iowa – Cow management at Schmitt Dairy, Inc. is a lot like a total mixed ration (TMR): Many ingredients make it successful. But there’s another kind of TMR. This one is a total management recipe. Over the years, the Schmitts have developed their own. One measure is milk production. The Schmitts’ 550-cow farm near Fort Atkinson, Iowa, has a rolling herd average of 33,250 pounds of milk, according to Glen Schmitt, the milking herd manager and a farm owner. His brother, Greg, is another owner and manages the calves, along with taking care of the payroll and bills. Some 60 plaques adorn the walls of Greg’s ofce at the front of the milking center. Many are production awards bestowed by the Winneshiek County Dairy Herd Improvement Association. The awards show that the Schmitt herd hit the 25,000-pound milestone 17 years ago. Half a dozen years later, in 2006, the 30,000-pound mark was broken. “From 2000 to 2006, we jumped 5,000 pounds (or an average of 833 pounds a year),” Glen said. Just this past April, the Schmitt herd posted a 33,000-pound average, Glen said. But he is never quite satised with the mostrecent accomplishment. “You hit one goal, you start another one. You hit that one, you start another goal. My goal was to hit 35,000,” Glen said. Glen hinted that along with milk per cow, he would also like to nudge higher the milk’s component percentages. He said the fat test is 3.95 percent and the protein is at 3.1 percent. A good point to start tracking the farm’s production increases Turn to SCHMITTS | Page 5
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
The Nigons, Kathy and Marty, have a long-standing tradiƟon of a beauƟful holiday lights display on their farm, Nigon-View Dairy, where they milk 70 cows near Greenwood, Wis.
Thousands of lights adorn Greenwood farm each year By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
GREENWOOD, Wis. – For over 25 years, to the delight of neighbors and passers-by, Kathy and Marty Nigon have been adorning their farm with thousands of twinkling Christmas lights. Nigon-View Dairy is located along Highway 73, just south of Greenwood,
Wis. in Clark County, and is where Marty and Kathy have raised their now-grown family including their son, Luke, who is now married to Amy with a son, Dylan; and sons, Tyler, Brandon and Cyrus, and daughters, Kristyn and McKayla. The Nigons milk 70 head of registered Holsteins and crop 1,000 acres. They operate a custom cropping business,
doing an additional 1,000 acres each year. They have a pumpkin patch, which Luke and Amy have taken over, and also sell colored mulch. They also make about 150 gallons of maple syrup each year. “I like the lights,” said Kathy of her yearly tradition. “They look nice and it draws attention to our farm.” Turn to LIGHTS | Page 6
RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR
Glen SchmiƩ manages the 550 cow milking herd at SchmiƩ Farms, near Fort Atkinson, Iowa.
Nigon-View Dairy is lit up by Christmas lights near Greenwood, Wis.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR