Issuu

CHECK OUT THE

HEART

starting on Page 23 of this section!

DAIRY

Heart For Dairy Feature

DAIRY ST R

February 27, 2021

“All dairy, all the time”™

Volume 23, No. 1

Building blocks to achieve dreams Breyers enjoy benets of robots By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

BIRNAMWOOD, Wis. – With two sons who wanted to take over the family dairy farm, Doug and Cindy Breyer knew changes would need to be made, and the exploration led them someplace they did not anticipate: robotic milking units. The Breyers, and their sons, Dillon and Derek, were milking 60 cows in a tiestall barn in Birnamwood. Dillon completed the University of WisconsinMadison Farm and Industry Short Course in 2012, and Derek completed his studies at the University of Wisconsin River Falls in 2018. Both knew they wanted to return to the farm, becoming the fourth generation, so the family began to explore their options for the future.

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

The Breyer family – (from leŌ) Cindy, Derek, Dillon and Doug – milks 120 cows in their new roboƟc facility in Birnamwood, Wisconsin.

“The tiestall barn was getting worn out,” Doug said. “We knew we needed to add more cows for both boys to come home, and we looked at the opportunity to really focus on improving cow comfort.” The Breyers were planning to build a parlor with a new freestall barn; however, the sales representative they were working with convinced them to tour a facility that had recently installed the newly-released Lely A-5 robots. “We toured that facility, and from that point forward, we were pretty much sold on the idea of going with robots,” Dillon said. The Breyers began building their new robotic freestall facility, keeping focused on the goal of increased cow comfort. The new 3-row, tunnel-ventilated barn has sand-bedded stalls and grooved rubber matting in the feed alleys, and sprinklers for hot and humid weather. Turn to BREYERS | Page 7

Genetics driving force behind Sauers’ success Dodge County couple wins Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer award By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Jennifer and Shane Sauer, winners of the 2021 Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer award, own and operate Sauer Stone Registered Holsteins near Waterloo, Wisconsin. The Sauers built their farm into a protable business through a focus on geneƟcs.

WATERLOO, Wis. – Shane Sauer was 15 years old when he took over daily operations of his family’s farm with his brother, Shannon. The Sauer boys bought into the partnership with their parents, Bonnie and Jerry, when their father got a full-time job off the farm. Milking 30 grade cows in a stanchion barn, Shane started at the bottom and worked his way up slowly but surely with no handouts or special treatments. He went from a kid receiving a percentage of the milk check to being a sole member of Sauer Dairy LLC in 2012. Shane would continue improving the operation with his wife, Jennifer, by his side. Building their farm into a protable business through disciplined spending, smart decision-making and attention to detail, Shane and Jennifer were recognized for their achievements Jan. 23 when they took home the

Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer award, an announcement that brought tears of joy. “It was a shock,” said Jennifer, who grew up on a farm near Columbus. “We didn’t expect to win. It gave us a sense of feeling that we’re getting somewhere in our career.” Shane agreed. “We came home with new drive,” he said. “Everything we went through was worth it. This hasn’t been an easy road, but I guess it’s not supposed to be.” A prize awarded to farmers age 40 and under, applicants of the Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer award are judged on progress in ag career (50%), soil and water conservation practices (25%), and contribution to community, state and nation (25%). The Sauers also won the Speak up for Ag award, which recognized their contributions in promoting agriculture. The Sauers milk 150 cows, raise 180 youngstock and farm 650 acres under the prex Sauer Stone Registered Holsteins. Twenty-ve percent of their herd is Red and White. Shane is the third generation on the farm near Waterloo Turn to SAUERS | Page 5

Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

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 Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284 • kati.k@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

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. Midwest Dairy hosts virtual Minnesota district meeting Like many meetings in the past year, Midwest Dairy hosted its Minnesota district meeting in a virtual format Feb. 17. The meeting shared what the organization has done to promote dairy in 2020 and its strategic plan for the 2021 through 2023. One change moving forward is the number of districts in Minnesota, reducing from 22 to 18. The organization also to hopes to focus on messaging of dairy in the immediate future to combat the increasing belief that plant-based alternatives are healthier than dairy foods. Klingsporns work with MDI to move farm forward As the Klingsporn family members assess the future of their farm, they brought on the help of the Minnesota Dairy Initiatives. So far, they have liked the team approach of the organization. The meetings have improved the reproduction management for the farm’s 177-cow dairy near Pine Island, Minnesota. They are also using MDI to help them in farm transfer and determine what type of facility will be the most efcient for the next generation. Bolins given distinguished service to agriculture award Dave and Pam Bolin were given the Iowa Farm Bureau 2020 Distinguished Service to Agriculture award, which honors those who have played a signicant role in the agricultural industry at the local, state and national level. It is tting for the couple, who have been farming together since they married in 1978 and have been involved in many agricultural organizations to promote and advocate for their way of life. Hesses recognized for low somatic cell count The Hesse family at Harmony Hills Dairy LLC knows having clean cows and a clean farm translates to better milk quality. Because of their priority to this aspect on their dairy, the Hesse family’s herd received recognition as No. 1 in the state for lowest somatic cell count among herds that tested with DHIA in 2020.

WORLDWIDE LEADER IN SPREADING TECHNOLOGY Designed to meet the needs of any farming or industrial operation.

PS 200 Series ProSpread Rear-Discharge Spreaders ®

A SPREADER FOR EVERY OPERATION Our innovative, high-quality spreaders provide superior performance with years of low-maintenance service.

1200 Series EasySpread® Rear-Discharge Spreaders

Farmers' Implement Allenton D & D Farm Supply Arcadia Chili Implement Chili Cherokee Garage Colby Beaver Machine Coleman Kalscheur Implement Cross Plains

2000 Series ProPush ® Rear-Discharge Spreaders

Komro Sales & Service Durand Hillsboro Equipment Hillsboro W. H. Lien Hixton Eron Equipment Junction City Luxemburg Motor Co. Luxemburg Lulich Implement Mason

SL 100 Series ProTwin® Slinger® Side-Discharge Spreaders

Persha Equipment Mayville Lindstrom Equipment Mondovi East Side Farm Equipment Monroe Frontier Ag & Turf Osceola Turtle Lake Steinhart's Farm Service Platteville

Gruett's, Inc. Potter Priebe Sales & Service Ripon Tesch Bros. Implement Seymour Riesterer & Schnell, Inc. Shawano Eis Implement Two Rivers Gibbsville Implement Waldo

Visit your local Wisconsin KUHN livestock dealer today! INVEST IN QUALITY www.kuhn.com

PXL 100 Series ProSpread® Rear-Discharge Spreaders

Carl F. Statz & Sons Waunakee Spiegelberg Implement Weyauwega Triebold Implement Whitewater A.C. McCartney Durand, IL Peabudy's North Pecatonica, IL

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 3

It’s all inside... Columnists Birnamwood

Breyers enjoy benets of robots

Buffalo

Dairy Good Life Page 33 First Section

Jackson

Juneau

d for Cr

Lafayette Green

Dairy Prole: Keith Whitcomb Jr.

Carroll

Jefferson Waukesha

Rock

ens

h tep

Gratiot

Zone 2

Green Lake Fond Du Lac

Dane

Jo Daviess

Zone 1

e nn Wi

Columbia Dodge

Sauk

Iowa

Grant

Pages 10 - 11 Second Section

go ba Calumet

Waushara

The “Mielke” Market Weekly

Richland

e mi Brown

a tag

Adams

Monroe

Heart for Dairy

First Section: Pages 23, 25

Oconto

Shawano

Wood

Vernon

Arena

Page 38 First Section

Menominee

Portage Waupaca

La Crosse

Calf Chronicles

Langlade

Marathon

Clark

Eau Claire

Do or

hb Pepin

Ke w

Pierce

Page 32 First Section

Chippewa

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

Just Thinking Out Loud

Dunn

Menominee

ing

First Section: Pages 34 - 35

St. Croix

Forest

Lincoln

Taylor

Wa sh

Wallermans open on-farm store

ren

Oneida

Rusk

Barron

Norwalk

Page 31 First Section

Price

ett e

Polk

Trempealeau

Something to Ruminate On

Flo

Sawyer

Wa s

Burnett

Walworth go

eba

n Win

Racine Kenosha

DeKalb

Kane

Lee

Hen ders on

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

ren War

Lakeshore Technical College all-female class a rst for dairy herd management program Third Section: Pages 3 - 4, 6

Waterloo

Genetics driving force behind Sauers’ success

First Section: Pages 1, 5-6

Rock Island Mercer

Manitowoc

McHenry

Ogle

First Section: Page 39

Whiteside

Delta

Dickinson

Vilas

Page 30 First Section

Iron

aun ee

Ashland

Peanut

First Section: Pages 10 - 11

Bayeld

Douglas

First Section: Page 36

Bo o

Page 27 First Section

Women in Dairy: Jenny Vollmer

Michels family expands for next generation

First Section: Pages 1, 7

Sticking to it

Mt. Calvary

Lomira

Pages 8-9 First Section

Ma r

Ag Insider

FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: How do you adapt your calf care management for cold weather? First Section: Pages 15-16

Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

Building A Bin Should Be Simple, Right? Are You Tired Of.... • No Communication? • Additional Costs & Surprises? • Crews Not Showing Up? • Excuses, Lies & No Return Calls? • Picking Up After Bin Crews? • Lack of Quality & Care?

WINTER DISCOUNTS ARE HERE!

Milk more cows per hour with less labor with GEA AutoRotors

We Know You Have More To Do Than Babysit & Pickup After Bin Crews. You Simply Want A Competitive Price On A Quality Grain Bin! You Need It Installed Correctly, Done On Time, And A Contractor That Answers Your Phone Call For Service & Questions.

Whether it’s a fully loaded DairyProQ rotary with a robotic milking module on every stall, or a conventional rotary with the latest performance features – the foundation is a revolutionary platform system unlike anything GNUG QP VJG OCTMGV VQFC[ #UM [QWT )'# OKNMKPI GSWKROGPV FGCNGT CDQWV TQVCT[ RCTNQT QRVKQPU VJCV ƂV [QWT JGTF

Your Local GEA Milking Equipment Dealer

1-800-887-4634 (608) 723-4634

TRUST IN 50 YEARS OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS! CALL US TODAY OR VISIT WWW.AGRI-SYSTEMS.COM LITCHFIELD, MN (800) 246-6094

COTTONWOOD, MN (507) 530-2365

mdoering@agri-systems.com

bjeseritz@agri-systems.com

Dirty Water? CLEAN IT UP WITH

Pure 3000 Chlorine Dioxide Technology

A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WATER INJECTION SYSTEM W

Get your cows’ teat ends in TOP CONDITION!

Exfoliation

Advanced Dairy Systems

Advanced Dairy Solutions

AFTER

Exfoliation

• Reduces water, energy and

238 Main Street North • Pierz, MN 56364 (320) 468-2494

• Decreases cleaning time.

IRON, MANGANESE and SULFUR in water!

REDUCES:

• Respiratory • Crypto Issues • Salmonella • Scours • E-coli

Bob’s Dairy Supply

East Central Dairy Supply 2195 Hwy. 23 • Mora, MN 55051 (320) 679-1029

Professional Dairy Systems Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Anderson Dairy Systems, Inc. 1449 Homecrest Ave. • Wadena, MN 56482 105 3rd Ave. NW • Epworth, IA 52045 Athman Dairy Inc.

chemical use.

Removes

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST: • Prototheca • Staph Aureus • Mycoplasma • Pseudomonas

• Increases production capability.

Compare and Save!

FOR MORE INFO - CONTACT ONE OF THESE DEALERS...

540 E. County Rd. A • Dorchester, WI 54425 278 W. Court St. • Richland Center, WI 53581 (715) 654-5252 (608) 647-4488 1312 13 1/2 Ave. • Barron, WI 54812 (715) 537-3300

High Performance Single-Cycle CIP Acid Detergent Reduces equipment wear & $ • replacement costs.

• Dual Germicide: Primary: Chlorine Dioxide promotes a quick kill. Secondary: LAS promotes a long-lasting kill. • Effective against ALL Mastitis-Causing Organisms • Contains Lactic Acid to promote Teat Exfoliation • Teat skin conditioning – 12.4% skin conditioning package • Green coloring for easy identiﬁcation 9 State Rd. 29 • Spring Valley, WI 54767 (715) 772-3201

ONE SHOT BENEFITS

TEAT END ISSUES? BEFORE

S. S.

(218) 632-5416

D&D Ag Supply

133 Atlantic Ave. NE • Pennock, MN 56279 (320) 599-4466

(563) 876-3087

Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. 423 U.S. 61 • Lancaster, WI 53813 (608) 723-4634

Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment 1400- 7th St. SE • Pipestone, MN 56164 (507) 825-3271

Tri-County Dairy Supply, Inc.

4107 N US HWY 51 • Janesville. WI 53545 608-757-2697

Precision Dairy Equipment 24548 IA-13 • Elkader, IA 52043 (563) 245-2560

Lang’s Dairy Equipment, Inc.

LET OUR TEAM DO A COMPLETE WASH ANALYSIS Leedstone

1720 Freitag Dr. • Menomonie, WI 54751 (715) 231-8090

2337 Millennium Rd. • Decorah, IA 52101 United Suckow Dairy (563) 382-8722 12687 Hwy 18 & 52 • Postville, IA 52162 1467 West 5th Street • Winona, MN 55987 (563) 864-7417 (507) 452-5532 210 N. Industrial Pkwy • West Union, IA 52175 Leedstone (563) 422-5355 222 E Co Rd 173, Melrose, MN 56352 (320) 256-3303 24260 Cty. Rd. 27 • Plainview, MN 55964 (507) 534-3161

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 5

ConƟnued from SAUERS | Page 1 started by his grandparents, Oscar and Emma. In 2003, he and Shannon created an LLC with their parents and built the farm’s rst freestall barn and converted the stanchion barn into a atbarn parlor. In 2006, the brothers put in a double-6 milking parlor. “We dug it ourselves,” Shane said. “There was no money to be had.” In addition to working on his family’s farm, Shane was also a herdsman at another dairy. Owning a herd of registered animals was his dream. “I was buying cattle little by little, about a cow per month,” Shane said. “I bought what I could afford.” Shane focused on genetics, building up his herd through smart purchases, sound breeding choices and eventually utilizing embryo transfer. He poured blood, sweat and tears into his endeavor, committing himself fully to his dream. When Jennifer came on board, she shared Shane’s passion for ne cattle, and together, the two invested in developing the herd’s genetics. The Sauers lled their barn with stylish, hardworking cows that knew how to turn a prot. “It’s been the driver my whole life – to have a barn full of good, healthy, wellbalanced, productive cows,” Shane said. The Sauers breed for production, health traits and type. The herd’s BAA is 104.8. Cows average 80-85 pounds of milk, 4.25% butterfat and 3.1% protein with an 80,000 somatic cell count. “Jennifer and I are good with details, which has helped boost our milk quality,” Shane said. “We try to keep our components high and our somatic cell count low.” Their milk is shipped to Rolling Hills, and Shane has been on the board since March 2018.

To help ensure co-op members would not have to dump milk during the coronavirus pandemic, the Sauers bought 5,000 bags of cheese curds from the co-op and sold them to local individuals. Rolling Hills followed suit and sold cheese to local food pantries. “People couldn’t get enough cheese curds,” Jennifer said. “And nobody had to dump milk. We made it through.” From 2007-20, Jennifer worked rst as an A.I. technician for ABS and later in sales at Semex. She returned to the farm full time last June. Jennifer met Shane when working for ABS, and they married in 2009. In 2012, Jennifer and Shane took over the LLC. The couple has two children – Cole, 11, and Brooke, 8. Both kids love helping on the farm and are active in 4-H. The Sauers also have three part-time employees. Shane and Jennifer have given the farm a facelift over time, molding its exterior to match the quality of cattle found on the interior. They built a second freestall barn in 2017 that includes stalls for milk cows as well as dry cow, pre-fresh and maternity pens. A heifer shed and shop were also added in recent years. “Once we had the kind of cattle we wanted, we had to do the best for cow comfort in order to help them reach their potential,” Jennifer said. The Sauers also house cattle for select registered breeders and have done embryo ushing partnerships. Marketing their cattle has been an important source of income as well. “Showing at the Dodge County Fair opened the oodgates for us, and we started selling a lot of fresh 2-yearolds,” Jennifer said. “The Holstein Association has been really great as well in helping us market our cattle.”

COLD CALVES NEED MORE ENERGY!

Use Milkr Energize to keep them growing!

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• Provides additional energy to maintain consistent growth during bouts of cold weather as calves exposed to ambient temperatures below 59°F will utilize energy for warmth rather than growth • Reduces need for providing an additional feeding • Easy to handle dry formula • Easily mixed into milk or milk replacer

320-836-2145 or 800-450-2145

Check out our newly redesigned website to ½nd a Famo Feeds dealer near you!

www.famofeeds.com

Turn to SAUERS | Page 6

THE NO COMPROMISE FABRIC STRUCTURE

Quality Animal Bedding! Bags or Bulk

DAIRY, MACHINERY & HAY STORAGE

Commercial Agri Buildings

WE ALSO SELL REPLACEMENTTARPS!

Single and Truss Arch available from 20’-120’ wide Flo-Coat® Galvanized Steel Tubing Supplied by Allied Tube & Conduit Heaviest gauge steel in the industry Pre-engineered truss buildings

NELSON’S AGRI STRUCTURES

Dean Nelson • Central and Northern Minnesota • Grove City, MN • 320-857-2633, Cell 320-699-3297

RIVERSIDE HOOP BARNS, INC.

US Hwy. 75 At IA/MN Stateline • Steen, MN • 507-392-2870 • Fred A. Tilstra & Sons

LANGE CONSTRUCTION & CONCRETE Duke Lange • Swanville, MN • 320-290-0859

LAKESIDE HOOP STRUCTURES, LLC

Eastern Minnesota and Wisconsin • Harris, MN • 651-248-6302 • Craig Moline ASK US ABOUT GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR HAY STORAGE

952-442-5988

Penta 8030 TMR on 2011 International Truck $140,000

(Used) Kuhn Knight RC260 Reel Mixer $32,000

Penta 25’ Soil Finisher $13,900

25ft Penta Soil Finisher ....................................... $13,900 2020 GEA/Houle 5300 Manure Tank ........... Call for Pricing Penta 8030 TMR on 2011 International Truck..... $140,000 (Used) Artex SB300 Manure Spreader .................. $28,000 Westﬁeld 13”x31’ Auger ........................................ $4,500 Farm King Grain Vac with Dual Inlet Hose Kit ......... $21,000 Roto Grind 760 Tub Grinder ................................. $22,900 (Used) 42’ Houle Lagoon Pump .............................. $8,500 (Used) Outlaw Pump Trailer, 4,178.8 Hours, 400HP, Murphy Shut Down ................................... $67,500

www.komrosales.com

New and Used Nuhn Crawlers IN STOCK

Kuhn Primor 4270M $33,400

REMEMBER... Clean Cows Are Happy And Productive!

Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

ConƟnued from SAUERS | Page 5

Willmar, MN • 320.231.1470

EXPANDING OR REMODELING YOUR LIVESTOCK OPERATION? LANGE AG SYSTEMS SPECIALIZES IN:

Ŷ NEW FACILITIES

NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL

Ŷ RETROFITTING & REMODELING Ŷ TURNKEY PROJECTS Ŷ BARN DESIGN Ŷ INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS

ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ tĞ KīĞƌ͗ ͻ sĞŶƟůĂƟŽŶ &ĂŶƐ ͻ sĞŶƟůĂƟŽŶ ŽŶƚƌŽůƐ ͻ WŽƐŝƟǀĞ WƌĞƐƐƵƌĞ dƵďĞƐ ͻ ƵƌƚĂŝŶ ^ǇƐƚĞŵƐ ͻ DĂƩƌĞƐƐĞƐ ͻ tĂƚĞƌĞƌƐ ͻ ^ƚĂůů ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ͻ ,ĞĂĚůŽĐŬƐ ͻ DŝƐƟŶŐ ^ǇƐƚĞŵƐ

Lange Ag Systems is proud to offer Grain Bags, Silage Bags & Bunker Covers from Up North Plastics and Feed Fresh Silage Covers & Custom Size Bunker Covers from Raven!

t ^ >> E t Θ h^ 'ͳ ' Θ < >>z Zz E '' Z^

www.LangeAgSystems.com Repair vs. Replace

Electronic Dairy Board Repair Service

www.panningbrothers.com

Used Parts • Replacement Parts

FREE NATIONWIDE PARTS LOCATING We Buy Salvage Tractors 25060 651 Ave., Gibbon, MN Toll Free: 1-800-635-0993

Specializing in: WestfaliaSurge, BouMatic, & DeLaval pulsators & Takeoffs, circuit boards, Mueller milk tank circuit boards. Call: (c) 406-590-7764

www.circuitÀxer.wixsite.com/ boumaticboardrepair

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Shane and Jennifer Sauer and their children – Cole, 11, and Brooke, 8 – milk 150 registered Holsteins and farm 650 acres near Waterloo, Wisconsin. Cole and Brooke represent the fourth generaƟon on the family farm Shane began running when he was 15 years old. By utilizing technology in the eld and barn, the Sauers have improved feed quality, cow health and efciency. Shane and Jennifer use the Semex ai24 electronic monitoring system, and their farm was the rst to trial the product in 2015. The system has helped the Sauers with heat detection, conception and overall health. All heifers and cows wear the ai24 ear tag, which the Sauers said provides quicker response times and allows for preventative measurements. “We nd sick cows early and use less antibiotics as a result,” Jennifer said. “It’s also helped lower our somatic cell count. If there are any symptoms of mastitis, you can treat a cow before it happens.” Shane and Jennifer are active in the Waterloo FFA Alumni, Watertown Agri-business Club, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Holstein Association and Immanuel Deereld Lutheran Church. In addition, Jennifer speaks at schools and daycares, and the Sauers have also participated in Cows on the Concourse in Madison. In June, they are scheduled to host the Watertown Agri-business Club dairy breakfast. Fixated on continuous improvement, the Sauers plan to look into cameras and robots next. “The last couple of years, the ball

has been getting bigger and rolling faster, and we’re trying to nd a way for us to be in more than one place at once,” Shane said. Increasing acreage is another goal. Shane and Jennifer hope their children will become the fourth generation to run the family farm. “When we started, we barely had enough land to feed our cows,” Shane said. “We bought a lot of feed. Over the last few years, we’ve acquired more land and started cash cropping. Between that and selling excess animals, it freed up money to put back into land, facilities and equipment.” To protect against soil erosion, the Sauers put in waterways and tiling and also use no-till or minimal till wherever possible. They also plant cover crops of winter rye, winter wheat and alfalfa in their rotation. The Sauers follow their comprehensive nutrient management plan and market manure to neighboring farms for fertilizer. The Sauers have reached a point where they can pause and look back on all their hard work with pride. “It’s been a long, slow process to get to where we are today,” Shane said. “But we did it in steps. You have to keep after it and stay the course. Determination got us here, and we’re grateful for everyone who’s helped us along the way.”

TOP PRICES PAID & CONTRACTING AVAILABLE Your Market For:

Holstein Steers • Fed Dairy Cows • Lean Dairy Cows Your local area buyer for MN, IA and WI.

Bruce Belter • 507-429-0359

Holstein Steers • Lean Cows • Bulls • Fed Cows

Tyrel Lembke • 877-300-9298 Long Prairie, MN Lean Cows • Bulls

Green Bay Dressed Beef

Dean Derricks • 920-655-4730 Green Bay, WI Holstein Steers • Fed Cows • Lean Cows

Chad McQuade • 605-668-4275 Yankton, SD Lean Cows • Bulls

Mike Baczwaski • 800-445-0042 Gibbon, NE Fed Cows • Lean Cows • Bulls

Long Prairie Buying Station

Cody Ritter • 320-293-5212 • 320-732-8358 Long Prairie, MN

New Anderson Hybrid X In Stock

New Anderson RB200 In Stock

Hagedorn Spreader ............................................................ $16,900 Fliegl ADS100 Spreader ............................................................. Call Artex CB450, SB600, SB200 Spreaders ..................................... Call McHale Balers new and used.................................................... Call Used Anderson wrappers, 2020, 74 hours on engine . $33,900 Used 2019 Anderson Hybrid X...........................................$31,500 Teagle 8080 Wide Body Bale Processor........................ $14,900 Call Us At (715) 223-3361

Or visit us on-line at www.cloverdaleequip.com N13835 County Rd. E - Curtiss, WI 54422

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 7

ConƟnued from BREYERS | Page 1

The Breyers red up the two robots Aug. 12, 2019. In order to expand the herd, they purchased a herd of parlor-trained registered Holsteins from a retiring dairy farmer in western Iowa. Those cows arrived at the farm about a week prior to the start-up of the robots. “We moved all of the cows into the new barn so they could start getting used to it and milked them in shifts in the tiestall barn,” Dillon said. “It was kind of crazy, but it worked, and I think the cows actually adjusted pretty well.” The rst few weeks of robotic milking were difcult for the family. “The boys split days, one was here for 12 hours during the day and the other was here for 12 hours overnight,” Cindy said. … “There was a lot to learn for all of us, people and cows.” Overall, the Breyers said the transition went well for all involved, and they are pleased they had minimal culling through the process, with only two cows leaving for robot-related issues in the past 18 months. “We are very focused on our genetics, so we will go the extra mile and fetch a good cow if we need to,” Derek said. “But as the later lactation cows have calved back in, they all seem to have gured things out pretty well.” The Breyers are milking 120 cows, their target number for optimal use of the robots. The cows are averaging three robot visits per day and are averaging 91 pounds of milk per day, up from their 75-pound average in the tiestall barn.

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Cows stand in the Breyers’ 3-row, tunnel-venƟlated freestall barn on their dairy near Birnamwood, Wisconsin. Cow comfort was a priority for the Breyers when they built their new housing facility. “One of the things we were happiest about during the transition was that we had no cases of mastitis throughout the process,” Dillon said. “The highest somatic cell count we had during that time was 150,000.” The Breyers feed their cows a grain mix in the robots, a measure they feel allows them to have more consistency in the amount of concentrate consumed by the cows and is a cost-saving measure for them. The remainder of their ration is fed as a ration in the feed alley. One of the greatest challenges the Breyers have

encountered in moving into the new facility is learning how to manage the sand bedding. “Sand is great for the cows, but once it leaves the stalls, it becomes a real pain to deal with,” Doug said. They all agree the benets of the robots have outweighed the challenges, and their herd reproductive statistics have improved as has the foot health of the entire herd. “Our cows are going to last a lot longer,” Dillon said. “You can already see that.” The implementation of robotic milking allows the Breyers to keep their operation a

family-run affair. It also allows them the time to place their focus and efforts on improving aspects of their farm, including calves and their breeding program. “We use over 50% sexed semen and raise all our heifer calves,” Cindy said. “We like to keep a strong inventory.” Derek oversees the farm’s calves, and they are upgrading the tiestall barn to meet their calf-care needs. Calves are raised individually for the rst weeks and then are moved to small groups and fed with Milk Bar feeders. Future plans include the addition of automatic calf feeders.

Focusing on the genetic potential of their herd is a passion for both Dillon and Derek. They have made key purchases of animals from prominent cow families and have worked to develop their own branches of those families, following the mantra of breeding for type and feeding for production. “We select bulls based on type, looking especially at udder composite and foot and leg composite scores,” Derek said. “We also look at percent fat and protein, and now with the robots, we pay close attention to milking speed too.” They utilize embryo transfer programs to help increase the genetic merit of their herd. They have recently started work with Townlineacre King Doc Lena, the top genomic type heifer in the breed, at +3.65, to be plus for both milk and daughter pregnancy rate, on the December 2020 proof run. A Woodcrest King Doc, Lena is out of a VG-85 Doorman daughter of Gloryland-I Goldwyn Locket EX-94. The robots allow the Breyers to focus their energies on breeding animals that will move them to the next level in their operation whether through type or genomic merit. “They want their herd to be well-known, to be a name that is familiar to breeders throughout the industry,” Cindy said. “When they came up with the idea of robots, I couldn’t help but wonder how this could ever work; but I learned you just need to trust in the system.”

YOU’RE INVITED TO OUR

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY Thursday, March 18th Join us for lunch on us! 11 a.m to 2 p.m. Zumbrota Location PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED. PROFESSIONALLY SERVICED.

CALL US FOR ALL YOUR PRODUCT AND SERVICE NEEDS

ZUMBROTA, MN • 507-732-4673 MENOMONIE, WI • 715-235-5144 RENNER, SD • 800-705-1447 PROUD DEALER OF

501 22nd St. Zumbrota, MN 55992

10% DISCOUNT ON EVERYTHING (CASH ONLY)

USDA’s No. 1 priority is COVID response Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

With Agriculture Secretary-designate Tom Vilsack import tariffs. A few products had exclusions expiring awaiting conrmation, USDA Chief of Staff Katharine December 31. The Biden administration will have to gure Ferguson spoke on behalf of the Agriculture Department out how to deal with those.” An additional item the Biden at the Ag Outlook Conference. Ferguson said the administration will consider with China is benchmark purchases. “There are valid questions to ask. Department’s response to COVID-19 tops I think it’s worth agriculture thinking about. the agenda. “We cannot get our economy Ag Insider How would we like to engage with China?” back on track and we cannot build rural America unless we contain and end the Immigration reform COVID-19 pandemic.” Ferguson promoted An immigration bill has been introduced local and regional systems to improve access in Congress. National Milk Producers to healthy food. Ferguson also said the Biden Federation President and CEO Jim Mulhern administration will support farmers of color responded, saying immigration reform and the small-to-mid sized farms by reducing must include changes critical to the dairy barriers to land, capital and risk management. workforce. “These include extending to current workers and their families the legal Hope remains in ag amid division in protections they have earned and enabling Washington D.C. dairy farmers to use a guest worker program According to National Council of By Don Wick to supplement their domestic workforce Farmer Cooperatives President and CEO when needed.” Chuck Conner, a partisan polarization is Columnist happening in Washington D.C. “Members of Farm credit conditions improve Congress now, quite literally, fear members There was a dramatic improvement in farm credit across the aisle and their supporters or simply view them as un-American in some way. These feelings aren’t just conditions for the region in the nal three months of 2020. across party lines, there are these feelings among the same More than three-quarters of the ag lenders surveyed in the political party,” Conner said. “Working together seems fourth quarter by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis impossible and yet, against that terrible backdrop, is the reported an increase in farm incomes. Just under half of start of a new presidential administration. One reason for the lenders said loan repayment rates have increased. The hope among some of the darkest times in our nation’s value of non-irrigated cropland increased 3.6 percent from capitol is having Ag Secretary designate Tom Vilsack to one year ago. Cash rents for that ground rose more than 6 lead agriculture.” Conner said President Biden seemed percent. respectful of all views, but that doesn’t mean there will not be partisanship on key issues. Conner’s comments were Increase in in-home meals inuences AMPI’s scal year made during the NCFC annual meeting. With more meals prepared and eaten at home during How will the Biden administration handle trade tariffs? COVID, demand for cheese and butter was strong. Negotiating new trade deals is not the top priority for Associated Milk Producers Inc. nished its scal year with the Biden administration, but former Chief Agriculture sales of $1.8 billion, up from $1.6 billion in the previous Negotiator Darci Vetter said there are overlapping trade year. AMPI’s bulk natural cheese sales were 13 percent decisions the administration will be making soon on above year ago levels. With more than 640 million pounds tariffs. How the administration makes the decisions will of natural and processed cheese produced, AMPI is the signal how they’ll deal with future trade problems. “As largest cheese cooperative based in the U.S. Retail butter they review the phase one deal, there are hundreds of sales for the New Ulm, Minnesota-based co-op rose 21 billions of products we import from China currently facing percent. Net income before taxes totaled $19.2 million, up

from $16 million one year ago.

FarmFirst delegates weigh-in on dairy policy During the FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative’s virtual annual meeting, delegates reafrmed their support for the Dairy Margin Coverage Program. Regarding the Federal Milk Marketing Orders, the delegates approved policy to address negative Producer Price Differentials. FarmFirst delegates emphasized their support for fair trade agreements and their opposition to agreements that sacrice dairy interests for gains by other U.S. industries or ag commodities. AG’s ofce nes two dairies, cheese plant for pollution control violations Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has announced two large dairy farms and a cheese plant have been ned for violating the state’s pollution control laws. Tri-Star Dairy in Wood County was charged with allowing a large water storage facility to overow. The overow was caused by the farm failing to remove sand from the storage facility resulting in the release of 165,000 gallons of manure into a tributary of Mill Creek. Tri-Star Dairy was ned $55,000. Maple Leaf Dairy which has farms in Manitowoc County was suspected to have discharged contaminated runoff into a tributary of Fischer Creek, constructed three new facilities without the DNR’s approval and failing to submit engineering reports as required for the state pollutant discharge elimination system permit. Maple Leaf Dairy was ned $85,000. Mt. Sterling Cheese reportedly allowed an unpermitted discharge of wastewater, which contained chloride and other pollutants, which drained into a nearby pond. For violation of its WPDES permit, Mt. Sterling Cheese was ned $50,000. DCHA to host in-person annual conference The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association annual conference and trade show will be an in-person event April 6-8 in Appleton. This is the 25th anniversary conference for DCHA. Speakers include University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine Assistant Professor Terri Ollivette reviewing the industry benchmarks and best Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9

Bring Your Heifers West!

Dakota Valley Growers has room for 500 dairy heifers! We have specialized in developing healthy heifers for the past 17 years. Our 3,000 head capacity operation has rations that include beet pulp and alfalfa hay. All our heifers go into 30,000 lb. herds.

Russell Edgar 701-520-2027

• dakotavalleygrowers@gmail.com

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 9

ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 management strategies for raising dairy calves and heifers. Well known speaker Matt Rush will deliver the keynote address, highlighting the importance of telling agriculture’s story. Baldwin takes over ag appropriations subcommittee Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin is the new chairperson of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee of Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and related agencies. This subcommittee is responsible for writing the legislation that allocates federal funding for USDA programs. DeLaval names new CEO The Tetra Laval Group Board has appointed Paul Lofgren as president and chief executive ofcer of DeLaval, effective April 1. After 18 years in the role, Joakim Rosengren is stepping down after 18 years in the position. DeBriyn passes Former AgStar Financial Services CEO and President Paul DeBriyn has passed away. DeBriyn was at the helm of AgStar

for 26 years. He served on the Farmer Mac board and chaired the Minnesota AgriGrowth Council. DeBriyn’s many honors include AgriGrowth’s Distinguished Service Award in 2014 and the Siehl Prize in 2011. DeBriyn, 65, was born in Thief River Falls and lived most recently in Florida. Trivia challenge Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow represents the State of Michigan in Congress. That answers our last trivia question. For this week, what state does House Agriculture Committee Chair David Scott represent? We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.

Build a better milk check

“Everything you want to know about a cow and heifer is in PCDart.” What are some of the DHIA tests you use?

We do monthly milk testing, milk pregnancy checks, Johnes testing, Leukosis testing, MUN and fatty acids.

What do you like about the PCDart program? We have been using

PCDart since 2010. PCDart is easy to use and all of our employees are able to use the software. The program is very easy to set up for our sync protocols for breeding and for pregnancy checks for our herds. We are able to have multiple sync protocols for cows and heifers. PCDart syncs with our CowManager, SCR, and AÀAct activity and rumination monitoring systems. We are also able to view daily milk production of cows in PCDart because it syncs with our AÀMilk parlor milk meters. We have recently started tracking all health events for cows and heifers, so we can evaluate health challenges in our herd. We also are able to enter our hoof trimming records easily into PCDart. We have also started to use the trackers to track conception of service sires in our herd, as well as for health events. Everything you want to know about a cow and heifer is in PCDart.

Tell us about your farm. The University of MN WCROC dairy farm has been milking cows for over 100 years. We have an organic and conventional herd in a side-by-side comparison. We rotationally graze during the summertime with all of the cows. Our herd is about a third Holstein and twothirds crossbreds of the Montbeliarde, Viking Red, Normande, and Jersey breeds. We have 1,100 acres of land which includes 400 Brad Heins acres of pasture for cows and heifers. (University of Minnesota West Central We conduct research with dairy heifers Research and Outreach Center dairy) and cows that will help farmers become 300 cows • Morris, Minn. more proÀtable. Herd DHIA testing for 50+ years. 307 Brighton Avenue South Buffalo, MN 55313 763.682.1091 www.mndhia.org

DHIA: Now MORE than ever

Building Protein and Butterfat is Our Specialty Make KLC Farms Roasted Soybeans the cornerstone of your components.

KLC Farms Roasting, Inc.

Preferred By Bovines Everywhere

1-877-738-2326 Visit www.roastedbeans.com

Quality

Consistency

• Bunker Wall Restoration • Silo Restoration • Barn and house foundation restoration

Milk more cows per hour with less labor with GEA AutoRotors

Whether it’s a fully loaded DairyProQ rotary with a robotic milking module on every stall, or a conventional rotary with the latest performance features – the foundation is a revolutionary platform system unlike anything else on the market today! “When looking at what type of parlor to build, we quickly realized a rotary was the way to go. It was clearly very relaxing for the cows and much more labor efficient. Our cows and employees are our most valuable assets, so it seemed like the perfect fit. GEA, and Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. did a great job helping us bring these changes to fruition, and we look forward to working with them long term!” Leah Kieler, Kieler Farms Inc.

1-800-887-4634 (608) 723-4634 www.premiergunitellc.com

Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

Your Dion Chopper Specialists!

A decade of growth

Mike Schuetter 920.251.0140 mikeschuetter@gibbsville.net Reuben Rex 920.344.3864 reubenrex@gibbsville.net

Heavy Duty Round Bale Feeders ders with S Skids

SAVE HAY!

PMC

PEQUEA MACHINE

17804 HWY 133 E • Boscobel, WI 53805

800-873-1911

www.pequeamachinecorp.com

CORP

DEALER INQUIRES WELCOME

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

FARM-RITE EQUIPMENT, INC. INTEREST AS LOW AS 0% ON QUALIFYING EQUIPMENT

Please see your Farm-Rite Sales Rep for more details

Visit our website: www.farmriteequip.com

SALES - SERVICE RENTAL

One Of The Largest Skid-Steer Loader Dealers In The State Of Minnesota!

West Hwy. 12 • Dassel, MN

320-275-2737 • 888-679-4857

1515 West Litchﬁeld Ave. • Willmar, MN

320-235-3672 • 877-484-3211

810 Mayhew Lake Rd. NE • St. Cloud, MN

320-240-2085 • 844-262-2281 19612 US-71 • Long Prairie, MN

320-732-3715 • 866-514-0982

Feeling the Strain of Higher Corn and Soybean Prices? QLF Super 40 is an economical alternative to balance high production rations. 40% Crude Protein Improves Nutrient Digestibility Enhance Ration Palatability

Call Randy

Minimizes Feed Waste

Agron. Petro. Feed Feed: 320-468-6655 Toll Free: 877-468-6655 Agron./Petro: 320-468-2509 Toll Free: 877-438-3378

Kelly (from le�) and Marshall Feucht and Slick Michels stand in the 400-cow freestall barn at Michels Farms near Lomira, Wisconsin. The dairy is owned by Dan and Brenda Michels, who along with their family, milk 375 cows and run 600 acres.

Michels family expands for next generation

to a custom grower and return home when they reach breeding age. Kelly’s husband, Marshall, is the herd manager and has been working on the farm full time since 2016. His plan was to be a teacher, and he had one year of school left when he decided he wanted By Stacey Smart to farm instead. Kelly is a oater and lls in where stacey.s@dairystar.com needed while raising a family and doing computer LOMIRA, Wis. – Filled with expansions, updates work for the farm. and additions, the last 10 years at Michels Farms has Kelly and Marshall have three children: Harper, been a time of continuous growth and improvement to 5, Mara, 3, and McCoy, 8 months. Becky and her support a new generation. husband, Chad, have two kids: Eloise, 7, and Aubree, Inheriting their parents’ passion for farming, 3. Becky, Kelly and Tyler “Slick” returned to the family Slick does eld work and maintenance on the farm starting in 2011. Their homecoming brought farm and also has his own manure pumping business about big changes on the operation near Lomira – Slick’s Ag Service. Chad and Becky also own a owned by Dan and Brenda Michels. The family business – C&R Trucking – and Chad hauls manure launched into growth mode, adding onto the barn and with Slick as well. Brenda works full time at Lomira purchasing cows to ll the stalls. School as an administrative assistant – a position The barn was a work in progress since 1981 when she has held for 32 years – and also does the farm’s Dan purchased the farm and added stalls to the origi- payroll. Dan is in charge of the land and the books. nal structure. The Michels family transformed the Brenda and Dan also have two daughters who small building from a one-sided, loose-based housing work off the farm. Katie is employed at Hearing Life setup into a large, freestall facility with capacity for in Fond du Lac, and Molly works for the Lomira over 400 cows. school district and helps Becky a couple times a week Married in 1982, Dan and Brenda started out with with calves. 199 acres and milked 40-50 cows while raising ve In 2011, the Michels family made the rst of sevchildren. Today, the couple runs 600 acres and milks eral additions to the freestall barn, adding 110 stalls. 375 cows with three of their children and a son-in- Becky returned to the farm full time in 2012. At rst, law. she and Kelly milked the 120-cow herd, but as the “I remember one year dad said, ‘Am I selling the farm multiplied in size, a need for outside help becows or are you coming home?’” Kelly said. “I didn’t came necessary. Now, in addition to family, the farm want him to sell, so I came back.” has ve full-time and three part-time employees. She and her siblings held off-the-farm jobs while “We used to do all the work ourselves, but it got helping at home before choosing to farm full time. to be too much,” Brenda said. “As we started adding “We never really left,” Becky said. “Farming is in more cows, we needed more help. We work closely our blood. We love it.” with our ag program at school and Envision Greater Becky is the farm’s calf manager, raising calves Fond du Lac and the Agribusiness Council School-tofrom birth to 6 months. At 6 months, heifers are sent Work program. We’ve hired a lot of school-to-work kids who receive high school credit for working on our farm.” Previously, the barn was open on one side. In 2016, the Michels family added onto the other side, enclosing the building. The addition in 2017-18 made the barn longer on both sides. “The barn is so much nicer now,” Kelly said. A milking parlor was never part of any expansion the Michels family PHOTO SUBMITTED did. Cows continue to be The Michels family includes – (front, from le�) Aubree Alf, Mara Feucht, Harper milked twice a day in the Feucht, Eloise Alf and Aiden Stoffel; (back, from le�) Chad Alf, Rebecca Alf, Molly Michels, Marshall Feucht, Kelly Feucht holding McCoy Feucht, Dan Michels, Turn to MICHELS | Brenda Michels, Ka�e Stoffel, Brian Stoffel, Addison Stoffel, Lexi Westphal and Page 11 Slick Michels.

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 11

ConƟnued from MICHELS | Page 10

farm’s stanchion barn which holds 40 cows. A section of the original freestall barn acts as a holding pen, and headlocks were installed in the stanchion barn three years ago for added convenience. Milking with 20 units – 10 on each side – each batch of cows is milked in a half hour’s time, and the herd is milked in 4 to 4.5 hours. “It’s like a makeshift parlor,” Brenda said. “The units don’t move. We looked at building a parlor but decided against it. This was a way for us to keep costs down. We can actually milk faster in here than we would in a parlor.” The farm’s somatic cell count has stayed under 100,000 since July 2020, which is the longest length of time maintaining that number consistent-

ly. Marshall said it is a result of better training, cleanliness and maintenance of milking equipment. The Michels family has shipped milk to Sartori Cheese since 1985. “They’ve been wonderful, especially during the last couple years with co-ops dropping farms and dumping milk,” Brenda said. “We didn’t have to deal with any of that.” Last year, the Michels family put in a 6 million gallon manure pit, which has saved Dan from hauling four to ve loads of manure daily. Also in 2020, an additional 60 feet was added to the calf barn built in 2008 that doubled in size in 2012. Twelve individual pens were added, bringing the total to 66, along with a group pen for transitioning calves after

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Manure is stored in a 6-million-gallon manure pit on their farm near Lomira, Wisconsin. The Michels family began using the pit for the rst Ɵme Oct. 13, 2020.

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

The barn has been a work in progress since 1981 when Dan Michels purchased the farm and added stalls to this rst part of the original structure. The Michels family transformed the small building from a one-sided, loose-based housing setup into a large, freestall facility. weaning. “This pen is great for getting calves to eat hay and drink out of a group waterer,” Becky said. In the second addition, a positive pressure ventilation air system was installed in the calf barn to bring fresh air in and push old air out. Calves are fed pasteurized milk through a Calf Star milk taxi, with the switch to whole milk occurring in 2019.

The Michels family feels it is important to educate people about the dairy industry and have hosted numerous events, including Fond du Lac County Breakfast on the Farm, the Dodge County twilight meeting, and Day on the Farm – an event for 600 kindergarteners and rst graders. A period of steady growth has prepared the family for the future, and the Michels family feels they are in the perfect

place for the next generation to step into ownership positions. The plan is to start transitioning the farm in the near future. Becky said she will always be an active part of the dairy but wants to remain an employee rather than become an owner. “Figuring out the transition is our next goal,” Kelly said. “That takes priority over any future expansion projects.”

Use the CalfExpert whole milk feeding system with the Double Milk Jug cooling tank and Mini Flash calf milk pasteurizer for convenient calf feeding. Compatible with external dairy management software.

Mini Flash Double Milk Jug

G3 Power Systems Generators from G3 Power Systems are unsurpassed in value and quality unsurpas

Jim Schulzetenberg

320-987-3587

JIM’S ELECTRIC SERVICE

J I M ’S E L E C T R I C S E RV I C E

JIM’S ELECTRIC SERVICE • JIM’S ELECTRIC SERVICE • JIM’S ELECTRIC

CalfExpert CALF-STAR

CALF FE EDING SOLUTIONS Custom made for your farming needs! (920) 680-5976 info@calfstar.com • www.calfstar.com

Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

Is your farm resilient?

Hadrich’s presentation includes a cow’s breakeven point By Krista Kuzma

krista.k@dairystar.com

Being able to answer the question, “How much money is each cow in a herd making?” is important to know to keep a dairy business running. It is also the question asked Feb. 12 during a University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Dairy Initiative winter dairy series webinar, “Bessy’s Bottom Line: How much is that cow actually making you?” Joleen Hadrich, University of Minnesota Extension economist, presented the webinar with input from Francis Rynda, a dairy farmer from Le Sueur County near Montgomery, Minnesota. “How do we know our cow in our dairy herd is actually making us money,” Hadrich said. “It’s not just what she’s generating that year, but there’s a cost incurred to get her from when she was a baby calf to her rst calving and making sure we’re including that cost as well. That’s the main goal of this conversation.” Rynda included his opinions based on his records and what has worked on his 47-cow herd. Using records from FINBIN, a farm nancial and production benchmark database, Hadrich presented the cost of production, which includes labor and management, for dairy farms based on size in 2019. Here is the av-

erage price per hundredweight in order to breakeven: $20.28 for farms with 1 to 50 cows; $17.97 for farms with 51 to 100 cows; $17.94 for farms with 101 to 200 cows; $17.61 for farms with 201 to 500 cows; and $17.43 for farms with over 500 cows. “When we actually value the operator’s labor and management at true market rates, the herds with 1 to 50 cows on average lost about $386 per cow in 2019 while Joleen Hadrich U of M Extension the other farm sizes economist report a positive prot,” Hadrich said about the FINBIN data. “The one caveat I like to put in is that this is an average. We can have a number of our 50-cow dairies that are generating positive prot for their family to survive on and in other instances they may not be due to multiple reasons.” Rynda is one example of a protable farm in that category. Based on his numbers, Rynda calculated his 2020 breakeven price at $17.97 per cwt with an average milk price for the year at $19.66 per cwt. That’s a $1.69 per cwt prot for the year. “It’s all about knowing where you’re at,” Rynda said. “If my (cost of production) price is lower than what I’m actually receiving, then I have to look at my management practices or my feed costs or everything and see how I can be protable or if I need to get out.” Hadrich asked Rynda if he uses for-

ward contracting. “Being a smaller dairy, doing forward contracting doesn’t work (for me) because you have to do it in larger amounts,” he said. “But you have to know where you are with cost of production so you can know where you’re going.” Hadrich used a recent University of Minnesota study to show data about what makes a dairy farm resilient or non-resilient. The farms identied as resilient were those in the top 25% of their peers for four out of the seven years of the study based on the net farm income ratio. “Keep in mind that non-resilient does not mean they weren’t successful,” Hadrich said. “It just means they did not rank in that top 25% for four or more years.” The average farm size of resilient farms was about 100 cows while the average size of non-resilient farms was about 400 cows. Based on cows with consecutive lactation data, resilient farm cows gave 71 pounds of milk per cow per day while the cows on non-resilient farms gave 87 pounds of milk per cow per day. Daily energy corrected milk came to 76 pounds per cow on resilient farms and 93 pounds per cow on non-resilient farms. Daily feed cost per cow on resilient farms came to $5.44 while it was $6.44 on non-resilient farms. The age of a cow at rst calving was 25.98 months for resilient farms and 24.23 for nonresilient farms. Estimated cost for raising a heifer came to $2,236 for resilient farms and $2,116 for non-

resilient farms. On Rynda’s farm, he said raising a dairy heifer costs about $1,800. “That’s cost savings in terms of labor and what you’re feeding them,” Hadrich said. “This is a great example that the numbers we give are an estimate. It’s really important to know what the cost is to raise that cow from birth to rst calving.” Emphasizing heifer raising cost is

“Being a smaller dairy, doing forward contracting doesn’t work (for me) because you have to do it in larger amounts. But you have to know where you are with cost of production.” FRANCIS RYNDA, DAIRY FARMER

important, Hadrich said. That animal will need to recoup both her yearly expenses as a cow and close to $2,000 in expenses she incurred before she could produce milk. “So, if you only have that cow in your herd for two years, that means she has to be generating another $1,000 per year in revenue on top of what she’s doing to cover her costs that year so you’re not at a loss of raising that cow,” Turn to RESILIENT | Page 13

USED EQUIPMENT FROM A NAME YOU CAN TRUST!

Filters

ON SALE!

Wind and Rain Mineral Bookings Available CONTACT: Ron 320-224-8812, Jos 218-639-5993 or Blaize 507-271-7427

USED TRACTORS

2013 N-H T9.615, 2126 Hrs, Cab Suspension ......$199,000 2008 N-H TL-100A, Cab, MFD ................................$35,900 1975 White 2-85 ......................................................$7,950 1954 J-D 40, Restored .............................................$4,950 1957 I-H 350 ............................................................$3,950

USED SKIDSTEERS

ATTACHMENTS Check us out before you buy!

What is more important than fre fresh water?

CHECK OUT OUR LARGE SELECTION OF HAY EQUIPMENT AND TRACTORS!

TRY OUR

FINE ROLLED CORN

• Ritchie waterers AS LOW AS 400 MICRONS and parts Check us out for all your • Ice-melt heaters bulk feed and commodity needs at competitive prices! and devices

LITTLE ROCK, MN 320-584-5147

PIERZ, MN 320-468-2168

LASTRUP, MN 320-468-2543

BUCKMAN, MN 320-468-6433

(2) 5600 Toolcat, 1200 Hours and up, Hi Flow Aux .........................................Starting at $22,900 2013 T-870, Glass Cab with A/C. 3100 Hours ........$39,500 2014 T-770, Glass Cab with A/C, 3520 Hours ........$34,900 2011 T-650, Glass Cab with A/C, 4950 Hours .......$29,700 2015 T-590, Glass Cab with A/C, 635 Hours ..........$36,900 (2) S-770, Glass Cab with A/C, 2 Speed, 3850 Hours & Up ................................Starting at $28,900 2015 S-740, 2900 Hours ........................................$22,900 2014 S-650, Glass Cab with A/C, 2 Speed, 4200 Hours ..........................................................$28,500 2012 S-630, Glass Cab with A/C, 2 Speed, ............$22,900 2018 S-590, Glass Cab with A/C, 2 Speed, 2650 Hours ..........................................................$28,900 (2) 440 .....................................................................$4,950 1978 610 ..................................................................$3,950 2017 N-H L-213, Glass Cab & Heater, 250 Hours...$23,500 2017 J-D 323E, Glass Cab with A/C, 2650 Hours ...$38,900 2017 J-D 326E, Glass Cab with A/C, 2500 Hours ...$29,900 2005 J-D 332, Glass Cab with A/C, 1300 Hours .....$29,900

USED TILLAGE

2009 W-R XL2 32-34’ 4 Bar Harrow.......................$28,500 J-D 960, 30’ Cultivator, 3 Bar Harrow .......................$6,750 J-D 960, 24’ Cultivator, 3 Bar Harrow .......................$4,000 1991 Kent 18.5’ Cultivator, Spike Harrow .................$3,950 2012 W-R 513 Soil Pro, 11 Shank, Folding Frame .$39,500

Many used & new skidloaders ON HAND

2011 W-R 513 Soil Pro, 5 Shank............................$26,900 2011 Krause 4850-18 Disk Ripper .........................$24,500 2009 Wishek 862, 16’ Disk.....................................$18,500 J-D 910, 5x24 Ripper ...............................................$6,950 J-D 714, 9 Shank Chisel Plow ..................................$2,500 2010 Pepin 7 Section Harrow...................................$5,000

USED PLANTERS

1997 White 6242, 12x30-13/15, Liquid Fert ...........$17,900 (2) 1994 White 6100 12x30, Vertical Fold.........................................Starting at $10,500 J-D 7000, 4x36 Twin Row ........................................$3,900 2017 G-G YP825A, 8x30 Twin Row, 270 Acres Only .....................................................$31,500

USED HAY EQUIPMENT

2009 N-H H7230, 10’ Discbine ...............................$18,500 2004 N-H 1411, 10’ Discbine .................................$12,500 2013 Hesston 1006 Dsic Mower ..............................$5,950 N-H FP-230, Crop Processor ..................................$10,900 2002 N-H BB-940 Big Square Baler, Packer Cutter .$24,500 (2) 2016 N-H 460 Rd Baler, Net Wrap ..Starting at $29,500 2018 N-H 450 RD Baler, Rotor Cut .........................$31,500 2013 N-H BR-7060, Twine & Netwrap ....................$16,500 2000 N-H 678 Rd Baler ............................................$8,250 2001 Vermeer 605XL Rd Baler, Netwrap ..................$8,950 1996 Case I-H 8465 Rd Baler ...................................$4,950 1993 N-H 570 Small Square w/72 Thrower ..............$6,750 1995 N-H 565 Small Square w/72 Thrower ..............$7,500 N-H 316 Small Square w/70 Thrower .......................$5,500 (3) N-H 258 Rake ....................................Starting at $2,750 2014 H & S AR-1061, 10 Wheel Rake ......................$4,700 2019 H&S LW1100 Line Wrapper, 2568 Bales only $25,900

USED MISC

N-H 185 Spreader ....................................................$3,950 2008 Red Ball 1000 Gallon Sprayer, 60’ Boom ........$9,950

Equipment of Norwood LANO A family business since 1946 with the Lanos: Jack, Paul, Bob and Andy 952-467-2181

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 13

ConƟnued from RESILIENT | Page 12 Hadrich said. The study also explained when cows reached the breakeven point in their lifetime. Across all farms, only 14% of cows hit breakeven in the rst lactation. In the second lactation, resilient farms had 30% of their cows breakeven while non-resilient farms had over 21% hit that point. In lactation three, 14% of cows on resilient farms reached breakeven while 12% cows broke even on non-resilient farms. “A much larger percent of the cows hit the breakeven in their second lactation on resilient farms,” Hadrich said. “And the unique thing we found out is the resilient herds tended to keep cows in their herd longer. What this mean is that once this cow hit her breakeven in lactation two, she maybe stayed in the herd until her sixth lactation.” This gives those cows more time to generate more income for a farm. Nonresilient farms kept cows an average of two lactations, and overall 40%-60% of all cows in the sample never hit their lifetime breakeven. “Even when we factored in the cull price, she didn’t recover the cost of keeping her in the herd over that time period,” Hadrich said. Out of Rynda’s 47 cows he had on the herd’s most recent DHIA test, 23 cows were on their rst or second lactation; 11 of them were on their third lactation, four cows were in their fourth lactation, three were in their fth lactation and one was in her sixth lactation. “I could assume 50% of your herd should be contributing to your equity generation over time because if you’re like an average herd, they should have hit their breakeven by their third lactation,” Hadrich said. When it comes to culling, Rynda looks at several factors, especially milk quality and the ability to breed back quickly.

“I’m not afraid to sell the animals … if they’re causing issues or costing me money,” Rynda said. “If they’re high somatic, my premiums at the creamery go down. If I’m treating them, that’s costing money. If they’re in the barn milking, but not going to have a calf, that’s longer days in milk so that’s cost-

“It’s always a multitude of things and to have the assumption that every cow in your herd is going to breakeven is an unrealistic expectation.” JOLEEN HADRICH, U OF M ECONOMIST

ing me money.” Hadrich said Rynda’s farm is a great example of how the decision to keep a cow in a herd or not is not based on one contribution. “It’s always a multitude of things and to have the assumption that every cow in your herd is going to breakeven is an unrealistic expectation,” she said. It comes down to each farmer’s goals and how he or she wants to feed his or her herd. The resilient farms were lower in milk with a lower feed cost; however, they were getting 5% higher milk price due to premiums from the processor, Hadrich said. “Other farms are taking the high yield, high feed cost approach, but they may also be getting a volume premium tied to that,” she said. “So, there are different strategies of how you’re going to manage this moving forward.”

DO YOU HAVE AN UPCOMING AUCTION? Advertise It In The

DAIRY ST★R

Powerful PTO Pumps To Handle Liquid Manure

608-437-5561

FIE FI ELD’S Your Material Handling Source Trusted sales and service since 1966

Mt. Horeb, WI

Tanks Spread All Types Of Liquid Manure

Cheaper is NOT Better

Do you know how much chemical you should be using? Are you using too much or too little cleaning chemicals? Are you getting a bigger quantity to save money but compromising the strength and quality of that product by exceeding the expiration date?

Call (320) 352-6303 for more information.

SAVE EVEN MORE WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR A ROUTE WITH CENTRE DAIRY! Centre Dairy has quality GEA chemicals that can be brought right to your dairy, along with all your other milkhouse supplies. Try a Mini Bag or Handy Bag to carry your clipboard with you!

Calf Blankets: Machine wash & dry Quick release buckles Single or double insulation

uddertechinc.com 888.438.8683 *3M and Thinsulate are trademarks of 3M

Also, ask about the general maintenance services provided by the trained route staff at Centre Dairy! Jon Stein 320-352-5762 • 1-800-342-2697 Henning Area 218-849-0211

DAIRY EQUIPMENT E Q CENTRE AND SUPPLY INC.

40625 State Hwy. 28 • Just West of Hwy. 71 • Sauk Centre, MN

Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

Friendly & Knowledgeable Parts Deptartment

Your Go-To Shortline Dealer!

Dan, LaShana and Mike Replacement Parts For Your Dairy Replacement Axles

Silo Unloader Augers

Replacement Corner Wheels

J&D Pullmore & Super Hook Barn Cleaner Chain Replacement Parts For Hanson®

Badger Parts and Service

Replacement Barn Cleaner Drive Parts

Most Models In Stock. Service & Installation Available. Parts On Hand.

ALL POPULAR PADDLE LENGTHS AVAILABLE

Replacement Conveyor Chains

Whatever Your Needs, Give Us A Call!

Parts For VanDale®

Steerable Series Spreaderss

Quality Built To Last Longer

Vertical Mixers With More Management Versatility

LIQUID MANURE TANKS, PUMPS AND AGITATORS

• Process bales of hay, straw, cornstalks in the mixer as 1st step in mixing a TMR with other ingredients • Mix all pre-processed feedstuffs for feedlot Ànishing rations • Mix all the ration combinations in-between • No other mixing concept covers such a wide range of feedstuffs

Designed to Suit your Needs

Excellent maneuverability and control on all types of terrain.

Powerful PTO Pumps & Agitators To Handle Liquid Manure

The 600T Pull Type TMR has a maximum payload of 14,000 lbs, struck capacity of 549 ft³ or 641 ft³ with tub extension, and requires 100 horse power

Freestall Tilting Alley Scrapers

Penta 4430

ng and Ma eedi n

TMR Mixers

ur e

SAVE TIME & MONEY!

If y

ion .

ing Dealer

Minnesota’s

t es

Spreaders

nd l Ha

La rg

Available In Sizes From 350 Cu. Ft. To 1,660 Cu Ft.

so wwave a a w.d barn, we have y.com airylandsuppl

SUPERCART

AGRI CHOPPER

BEDDING CHOPPER

..and more!

SAUK CE CENTRE, OFF I-94 ON THE CORNER OF HWY. 28 & 71 SOUTH

From Our Side Of The Fence

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 15

How do you adapt your calf care management for cold weather?

Austin Bender Kingston, Wisconsin Green Lake County 140 cows Describe your calf facilities. Calves are raised in hutches from birth to 3-5 days old and fed by bottle. They are then moved into one of our two robot barns where they are group housed and fed with an automatic calf feeder. We also buy feeder beef calves that we house with our dairy calves. It’s nice not having to feed calves outside, and the calves switch to feed earlier and have a better rate of gain in this environment. What is your calf care protocol immediately after a calf is born? We give newborn calves the Inforce vaccine intranasally and colostrum as soon as we can. We also dip their navels. At weaning, we also administer Pyramid Presponse as part of our vaccination program. How do you adapt your calf care management for cold weather? We have two calf hutches – a traditional square Calf-Tel hutch and a PolyDome hutch. We use the PolyDome in winter because it heats up more than the Calf-Tel, keeping calves warmer. We bed with straw all year, but we’ll use sawdust in the summer if we have access to it. We only use calf jackets in really cold weather. If the temperature gets down in the 20s for a high, we put a jacket on the calves for a couple days. Otherwise, we try to avoid jackets because you can’t see changes in breathing patterns and could potentially miss a developing respiratory issue. We also like to take jackets off as soon as we can so the calves can adapt to the cold weather. We feed a 25% fat/25% protein milk replacer year-round. We’ll give aggressive drinkers a little more in the winter because these calves don’t sit in the chute as long. Each robot barn has two pens, and in the summer, we put 25 calves in each pen. In the winter, we only house 12-15 calves per pen. This helps prevent respiratory issues. We can’t keep the ventilation perfect, but this way, we treat less calves which returns more dollars at the end of the day. Tell us your best winter calf survival story. The rst winter we were in the automated barns, we had a handful of calves we thought were hopeless. We spent more time with these animals and pumped them up with uids, and they went from lying at to now being in our milking herd. There’s a large learning curve with automatic feeders, and we had a lot of issues at rst trying to gure out the system. Describe one winter health challenge that you overcame in your calves. One winter calf challenge we have had is respiratory issues. We overcrowded calves too heavily when the barns were new, and the positive pressure air tubes didn’t do enough to get the air exchange up. We eventually found the right pen capacity to ensure calves thrive. Also, now that calves consume more milk than they did when we rst started on the auto feeders, they are better equipped to handle adversity. Tell us about your farm. I am a third-generation farmer at Bender Family Farms, which was started by my grandpa in 1956. The farm is now owned by me, my

Kristin Quist (pictured with husband, Jacob) Deer Park, Wisconsin Polk County 1,200 cows Describe your calf facilities. Calves receive their rst two feedings of colostrum indoors in a heated warming room before they are moved to hutches. They are in the hutches for four days where they are fed a 25/25 milk replacer and then are moved into one of our two auto feeder barns. We have one barn we feed pasteurized whole milk with a balancer in and the other we feed a 25/25 milk replacer. Once they are weaned, they move out to our heifer barn. What is your calf care protocol immediately after a calf is born? Calves are licked off by their mother, and we assist by rubbing them off with a bath towel. The calf has its navel dipped immediately, and again after that she is placed in the heated room. Our calves are vaccinated with Naselgen 3 and Calf Guard at birth and fed a gallon of pasteurized colostrum 45 minutes later. They are then fed a second feeding of 2 quarts of colostrum eight hours later and are dehorned at this time with paste. How do you adapt your calf care management for cold weather? We provide extra deep bedding, increase milk solids and increase feeding plans by 1 liter from summer to winter. We also add Mistral bedding conditioner to our auto feeder pens to help keep the ammonia levels lower and the air fresher. Tell us your best winter calf survival story. We had a calf that lived inside our heated room in our calf barn for three days last winter. She had gotten dehydrated and cold, and we didn’t think she had much of a chance. But with persistent IV uids and a warm room for three days feeding her with a bottle, the third day she was waiting for us at the door. We had to distract her so we could mix up milk replacer so she wouldn’t drink it all. She rejoined her herd mates that day and has been great ever since. Describe one winter health challenge that you overcame in your calves. Respiratory issues in an up and down damp climate are a challenge. We had to relearn how to manage our ventilation in our calf barn after eight years of a solid protocol working year in and year out. Instead of opening the barn up at 30 degrees, we had to start opening it up at 15 degrees due to the humidity. It was very challenging and took a lot of patience to gure it out, but once we did, it was very rewarding. Tell us about your farm. I farm with my husband, Jacob, and parents, Kevin and Roxie Solum, at Minglewood Inc. We milk 480 of our cows with robots as well as crop farm and have an on-farm store, Minglewood Eats and Treats, where we have beef, cheese, honey and other local farm products for sale. older brother, Andrew, and our dad, Melvin. My brother, Jeff, also helps milk cows and care for livestock. We milk 140 cows and run about 1,000 acres. We raise our youngstock and nish 300 dairy/Angus steers each year.

Star Blends has been helping Midwest farm families by providing, high-quality feed, dairy nutrition, and commodity contracting for more than 20 years. Our state of the art mill can accurately blend anything from a custom pre-mix to complete feed, VSHFL¿F WR \RXU IDUP¶V QHHGV 2XU H[SHULHQFHG VWDႇ DUH UHDG\ WR GHOLYHU WKH KLJKHVW TXDOLW\ IHHG DW DQ HFRQRPLFDO SULFH DVVLVW in balancing diets, or work with your private nutritionist or dairy consultant.

Feeding your animals like they’re our own Contact Star Blends at:

800-462-4125 or StarBlends.com

Aimee Wittmann Wittmann Farms LLC Plain, Wisconsin Sauk County 260 milking cows Describe your calf facilities. We raise our calves in hutches until they are ready to start weaning. At about 2 months old they move into group pens until they are completely weaned. What is your calf care protocol immediately after a calf is born? As soon as a cow freshens and cleans her calf, we take the calf and put it in my heated milk house. The new calf will get two feedings of 1 gallon each of colostrum. I will vaccinate with Inforce and multimin, give it an eartag and dehorn all within the rst few hours after birth. Each calf will get moved into its own individual hutch outside. In winter they will get a calf jacket. They will stay in that hutch until they are ready for the weaning process. Around two months I will move them into group pens outside where they will remain until completely weaned, no later than 4 months old. How do you adapt your calf care management for cold weather? Living in Wisconsin we are used to all kinds of weather. As soon as the daytime temperature drops below 30 degrees each newborn will get a calf jacket. I don’t put jackets on any animals over 1 month old. During the coldest months I will add a third feeding, bumping calves up to 9 quarts of milk a day. Tell us your best winter calf survival story. During the winter months I get up throughout the night to check the maternity barn for fresh cows and heifers. One morning, it was double digit negative temps outside as I ran to the barn. I knew we had a large group of rst-calf heifers due to freshen soon. Sure enough, we had three new babies and a calf coming backwards. I was able to grab the calf jack and assist mama with delivering her little heifer calf. She lived. Describe one winter health challenge that you overcame in your calves. The hardest thing in the winter is feeding enough milk to prevent calves from losing too much weight from putting too much energy into shivering and illness. So by adding an additional feeding I’m able to continue to get my calves to gain weight during the winter months. Tell us about your farm. I was raised on a beef and dairy farm. My husband grew up four miles down the road on a third generation dairy farm. My dad picked up his milk. We married nine years ago and have four children. My husband and I, together with his brother and his wife, have taken over the farm from their parents. In 2016 we merged herds and built a parlor and freestall. Currently we are milking 260 cows, in hopes to be milking 400 after our second freestall is built. Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16

Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15

Tina Lehnertz Lehnertz Family Farm Rollingstone, Minnesota Winona County 150 calves Describe your calf facilities. We raise our calves in calf hutches until about 70 days of age. What is your calf care protocol immediately after a calf is born? We don’t get calves until they are about 3 days old. They are weighed and dehorned, and we draw blood for total proteins. How do you adapt your calf care management for cold weather? All our calves in huts have calf jackets on in the winter. They are bedded every other day with straw not only to keep them dry, but to provide a warm bed for them. We make sure there is always grain and plenty of liquids. We may have to do extra feedings in subzero temperatures. If any are slow or feeling under the weather, we will also provide electrolytes for them. When raising babies, paying attention to details and detecting what might be a problem early and responding accordingly are key to raising calves to be healthy milk cows. Tell us your best winter calf survival story. I don’t recall a best winter survival story, but when I save an animal from the repercussions of the cold or an illness, there is nothing more rewarding. The hard work and efforts were well worth it. It puts a smile on my face. Describe one winter health challenge that you overcame in your calves. The hardest thing to manage is what you don’t have control over – the weather and the temperature swings are the hardest. I would rather it stay a cold even temperature in the winter. Pneumonia is probably one of the greatest challenges when the temperature swings are so extreme. Making sure they are dry is key, along with paying attention to their intakes. Tell us about your farm. I farm with my husband, Dave, and my son and his family. My husband was born and raised here. It is a four-generation farm. His dad and grandpa both milked here. Dave and I milked until 2010. We then started taking care of heifers. We raise heifers from 3 days old to 1 month before calving. We raise some of the feed on 400 acres, 100 of which is rented ground. We take pride in raising a healthy animal and taking care of our farm.

Kayla Asmus pictured with her mom, Bonnie Rinde Rinde Farms LLC Long Prairie, Minnesota Todd County 250 cows Describe your calf facilities. Our calves are born on a straw-bedded pack in our 6-row barn and then moved into individual huts for seven to 10 days. After that, they are moved into our automatic calf feeder barn where they stay until they are weaned. What is your calf care protocol immediately after a calf is born? We have been working closely with our vet so our protocols have been evolving over the last year. We get the calf off the bedded pack and put them into a warm room in the same barn. The mother gets milked up there, and then we feed the colostrum immediately to the calf. All colostrum gets checked to make sure it is good quality. The calves also get their navels dipped and heifers get Inforce 3. How do you adapt your calf care management for cold weather? During cold weather, we tend to keep the calves in the warm room a little longer, at least until they are drinking well. When they go to individual huts, they get a eece calf coat. We also make sure they have lots of uffy straw to lay in. When the calves are moved to the barn, they get to keep their coats on until they are at least 1 month old. Tell us your best winter calf survival story. It doesn’t happen often, but there has been a time or two we needed to bring a calf into the house and warm them up in the bathtub. I (Kayla) remember as a kid we had a small Jersey that got to live in the bathroom for a couple of days after we got her warmed up. Describe one winter health challenge that you overcame in your calves. Pneumonia has always been a struggle for us, especially when the temperatures have a big swing. Like I said before, we’ve been working closely with our vet and have revamped our tunnel ventilation in the calf barn and added some vaccines to our protocol. We have had good success by doing so. Tell us about your farm. We have a family farm my parents started, and both myself and two brothers are partners in the farm. We milk cows in our double-8 herringbone parlor with automatic takeoffs. The cows walk down from our 6-row barn where they have sand-bedded stalls. We feed a TMR mix and have a robotic feed pusher so they always have access to feed. We also run just shy of 3,000 acres. We are always looking at ways to improve our operation, and the cows will be getting some automatic brushes installed soon.

Brothers Jamin (not pictured) and Adrian Aho Adrian is pictured with his wife, Tamra, and children Lane, Wes, Lars and Rykynn J&A Dairy Frazee, Minnesota Becker County 500 cows Describe your calf facilities. The calves are born in a straw pen and moved immediately to individual Calf-Tel calf pens in a hoop barn. Calves are bucket fed with pasteurized whole milk using the Milk Shuttle from Urban. After three to four weeks, they are moved to another hoop barn and penned with nine calves. They are fed milk replacer with a mob feeder until weaning. Calves are bedded two to three times per week at both locations, along with the maternity pen. What is your calf care protocol immediately after a calf is born? The calf is fed 3 quarts pasteurized colostrum, t with a calf jacket and moved to its individual pen. The new Amish Thinsulate calf jackets are a worthy investment. Our colostrum pasteurizer/warmer has also been a great investment. How do you adapt your calf care management for cold weather? Bedding is No. 1. Long straw for deep bedding. Make sure calves are equipped with jackets to keep core body heat and preserve energy. Timely feeding. Making sure the calf feeder says a prayer for patience and is also dressed properly to do the job correctly. Tell us your best winter calf survival story. The best calf survival stories are the ones where the calf is born where it’s supposed to be born, in the maternity pen, clean and dry. Describe one winter health challenge that you overcame in your calves. Pneumonia. It was overcome by the addition of a new calf barn with good ventilation, upgraded ventilation at the existing barn, proper bedding, early treatment of sickness in calves showing symptoms and vaccinations with Inforce 3. Tell us about your farm. We are fourth-generation farmers with our wives and children. We milk 500 Holstein cows and farm 1,500 acres of land. Our dad, Reino, and two uncles, Raymond and Harry, are involved with the crops. We milk two times per day and employ part-time help from neighbor kids.

Stray Voltage Consulting

Blue Hilltop, Inc.

Concerned your operation has stray voltage?

Your Mixer, Spreader, Hay Processor Headquarters

Is your herd performance not where it should be? Are your livestock lapping water? Are your livestock having excess health issues? Give us a call today – we will give your operation a thorough stray voltage checkup!!

320-220-1342

Jared Brouwer Castlewood, South Dakota Hamlin County 550 cows Describe your calf facilities. Shortly after they are born, the calves go straight to individual hutches where they will stay until they are weaned at about 9 weeks of age. After weaning, they are taken to our calf barn and put into group pens that hold eight or nine head. What is your calf care protocol immediately after a calf is born? Our calves are born in a maternity pen that has a deep bedding pack. We dip their navels in iodine and make sure that they get 2 to 3 quarts of high quality colostrum. They are all given ear tags and administered a handful of vaccines. How do you adapt your calf care management for cold weather? We put calf coats on our calves for the rst 2 to 3 weeks of their lives and feed them a winter formulation of milk replacer that contains a higher level of fat. We also bump up the volume of milk replacer we feed the calves and make sure their hutches always have plenty of clean, dry bedding. Tell us your best winter calf survival story. Each fall, we move our calf hutches to a spot that’s better for the wintertime. Even so, we will sometimes get a blizzard that will ll the openings of some of our hutches with snow. We will call up our kids, give each of them a shovel and tell them to dig until they nd a calf. Our three kids enjoy helping out all around the farm. Describe one winter health challenge that you overcame in your calves. How did you manage it? We often have to deal with respiratory problems in our young calves. We usually go to pharmaceutical options to help manage this issue. Tell us about your farm. This is very much a family operation. I farm with my brother-in-law, Jeff TeKrony, and his family. I joined the operation about 10 years ago and am now in charge of calf care. We have a great crew of employees who do our twicea-day milkings. We grow our own feed. We also raise our replacement animals and feed out all of our steers. Our plan is to keep on improving our operation and strive to become more efcient.

• Vertical beater manure spreaders

We carry:

www.rotomix.com LLC

Dana Berreau

507-879-3593 / 800-821-7092 Box 116, Lake Wilson, MN 56151

• Tanks

(320) 249-7579 brandonstang23@gmail.com

• We offer full service or assisted loading/hauling • Newer reliable equipment Call for questions and scheduling

• Track skidloader • Front and rear open roof box

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 17

Find this cow!

for your chance to win a $100 Gift CertiÄcate or Farm Systems Apparel! $

CF1000A Calf Feeders

Swinging Cow Brush & Mini Swinging Brush MSB Designed to improve cow health, comfort and welfare – and delivers even more!

DeLaval calf feeder CF1000A features the most powerful computer available for calf feeding - the ALPRO® computer.

DeLaval OptiDuo™

Robotic Feed Refresher

Instead of compressing feed, OptiDuo™ remixes it - making it much more appetizing for cows. Ideal for farms operating a once-per-day feeding frequency.

Jamesway

Nutritional Supplements Bovine ne IgG

Calf’s Choice Total® HiCal

Push

™

Calf Nutritional Paste

RumiLife miLife® CAL2 CAL24 AL2 24™ Nutritional Supplement

DeLaval VMS™ V300

A SYSTEM APPROACH • Contributes to Improved Farm Proﬁtability • Contributes to More Milk per Labor Hour • Contributes to Healthier Cows Contributes to Highest Milk Quality

Dura Chain Scraper Vertical Pump Prop Agitator Hammermills

Find this cow!

4 of 24

for your chance to win a $ 100 Gift CertiÄcate or Farm Systems Apparel!

**One entry per customer** • Winner will be notiÄed Cow must be identical to cow on this form (size may vary).

Q. On which product is the cow located?

Name: Phone: Address:

Drop oɈ/mail/email your entries to: 58 Interstate Drive N.W. Melrose, MN 56352 or hand oќ to your service tech DAIRY ST R melrose.farmsystems1@gmail.com

Let us know you saw our ad in the Dairy Star!

WE ARE HIRING!

Proudly serving you from Brookings, SD; St. Peter, MN; and Melrose, MN. 58 Interstate Drive N.W., Melrose, MN 56352 | 800-636-5581

Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

Breeding Focus

Bred & Butter Dairy emphasizes genetics to improve herd potential

Bred & Butter Dairy LLC Greg Sabolik Kensington, Minnesota 500 cows

and any trait that increases her level of orneriness. I don’t like cranky cows. Describe the ideal cow for your herd. The ideal cow is one I see outside the parlor three times per year. Once at calving, once at breeding and once at dry off. If she can come to work every day and not need any extra attention, she will be protable.

Describe your facilities and list your breeding management team. We have a 500-cow sand-bedded freestall that has grown in three stages. We have one key employee, Tony, primarily dedicated to reproduction while a few others dedicate a small amount of time to it as well. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? How do you get animals pregnant? We use a combination of ovsynch, double ovsynch and activity monitors. We use the protocols and then listen to what the cow is telling us based off the monitor data. It has been very effective. What guidelines do you follow to reach the goals for your breeding program? We stick to the basics by making sure she is in good health, well fed and under the least amount of stress as possible.

What role does genetics have in reaching the goals of your farm? We have placed more emphasis on genetics and have started to genomic test every animal. We’re hoping this will escalate the improvements in our genetic potential over the coming years. DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR

Tony (leŌ) and Greg Sabolik manage the breeding on Sabolik’s family’s farm, Bred & BuƩer Dairy LLC, near Kensington, Minnesota. Tony is the head breeder on the 500-cow dairy. If all those are accounted for, the reproduction will fall into place. What are the top traits you look for in breeding your

dairy herd and how has this changed since you started farming? I never have put that much emphasis on traits. I typically fall back to net merit if I had to choose one specic

thing. What are certain traits you try to avoid? We avoid any trait that will drastically reduce the physical size of my cows

What percentage of your herd is bred to sexed, conventional and beef semen? We use sexed semen on our females with the highest genetic potential. We try to manage that usage to produce a heifer rate of about 75% of our herd. We don’t want any more heifers than we Turn to SABOLIK | Page 20

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 19

ASABE AE50 Innovation Award TridentPulsation™ is a recipient of an ASABE AE50 award for outstanding innovation in agriculture.

This innovative new product is the result of several years of research and six patents. This is more than a pulsator – it is a milking process managertm providing the fastest, most efﬁcient, and reliable milking in the world.

www.TridentPulsation.com

The Air King M-30 series are extremely versatile and can be used individually in smaller spaces or in multiples for larger areas to establish positive airflow patterns that will enhance the effectiveness of the units. The T-style configuration of these units has inlets on both ends and exhausts the filtered air from the center of this unit.

FEATURES & BENEFITS

No other product offers this range of technology: user selectable rate/ratios, liner held full open on attach/detach, brief stimulation after attach, continuous real time functional pulsation monitoring, auto on/off with detach, integrated positive pressure fresh air system. The result is a full/proper attach each time with very fast milking.

TridentPulsation™ System 607-849-3880 • 607-759-1037

www.TridentPulsation.com

Trident@TridentPulsation.com

• Disposable filters • Self-contained • Easy installation & maintenance • Four way louvers Russ Pierson

SALES & SERVICE

• 16 gauge powder coated construction • Filter change indicator (optional) • Multiple filter configuration available • Easily relocated

MUELLER SALES & SERVICE Glencoe, MN • 320-864-3556 OR 888-205-0974

She’s doing her part. We’re committed to doing ours.

Commit to 10 to 12 applications pre- and/or SRVW IUHVK DQG À QG RXW ZKDW WKHVH FXVWRPHUV DOUHDG\ NQRZ 2QO\ WKH EHVW ZLOO GR “Udder ComfortTM “Udder Comfort is the one that works works like a charm! to soften udders after calving It is the best for so milkers stay on better and fresh cow comfort milkout is more complete. and mastitis Spraying fresh udders after milking prevention, the one we rely on for IRU WKH À UVW WR GD\V UHDOO\ JHWV routine use in hospital groups and for them in great shape, fast. fresh cows at the start of lactation.” Quality udders and quality milk - Erik Hagedoorn, Bos Dairy LLC, 8000 cows, Lovington, New Mexico are what Udder Comfort delivers.” “Udder Comfort really works. It is a good, successful product for us. We use it for our fresh cows, especially 2-yr-olds. We use it to speed up circulation and bring out any swelling they might have.” - Tom Kestell, Evergreen-View

130 cows, Waldo, Wisconsin

- Alan Kozak Clover Patch Dairy, 486 cows, Millersburg, Ohio

Quality Udders Make Quality Milk

Maximum Results Minimal Cost 1.888.773.7153 uddercomfort.com

Call to locate a distributor near you

For external application to the udder only, after milking, as an essential component of udder management. Wash and dry teats thoroughly before milking.

Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

ConƟnued from SABOLIK | Page 18 need, so we aim to get the right amount to keep our herd productive and healthy. All other cows get bred to beef semen or implanted with Angus embryos. What is your conception rate? How does this differ with different types of semen? Our conception rate on sexed is 61% and is 56% for beef semen. We haven’t had nearly as good of results implanting embryos but are in the learning stages of that. What is the greatest lesson you have learned through your breeding program? It’s important to utilize all technology available and become an

What is the age of your heifers at rst service? We target a 13.5-to-14-month age for our rst service on heifers. How does your heifer inventory affect your breeding program? We try to produce a 75% heifer rate. We don’t want any more than we need.

Completely Perfec ct Milk kin ng

Get your cows ready for Winter WITH A SCHURR COW BRUSH Make sure that it’s Schurr

The highest level of parlor automation with high speed interactive microprocessor to effectively manage your

Heavy Duty, German Made

• Milking • Pulsation • Herd Health • Washing

Call for Details.

Keep It Cold!

Sales • Installation • Service • Dairy Route Supplies • Bulk Milk Coolers • Internal bulk tank repairs • Service all models and makes of dairy equipment and bulk tanks

Tell us about your farm. Bred & Butter Dairy LLC is owned and operated by the Sabolik family, including my wife, Marisa, and brother and his wife, Gary and Beth. We are entering our third generation, with seven children between the four of us. The farm started in 1968 by my parents, Arlen and Ruby, with 36 cows and has grown to its present size of 500. We strive to be the best stewards of the land, caretakers of our animals, and foster a culture that brings out the best in all our family and employees.

early adapter to it. What we’ve learned and the tools available now are nothing short of amazing compared to what it was when I was growing up and even when I started dairying.

IS E R O T S E IN L N O R U O Y, A D A S R U O H 4 2 N OPE 7 DAYS A WmEpaEreKou.r pr!ices on nce and co Shop at your convenie e products, and more. nc fe c tri ec el er gh la al fountains, G

Call for Demo

Norman N Borntrager, Owner

SHIP IT CARDS AND CAN ! WE ACCEPT CRED OR DO UR YO T TO YOUR ORDER RIGH

CO., INC. RURAL MFy.G81., PO Box Q

Cell: 319-330-2084

Tri-County Refrigeration

820 N US Hw Freeman, SD 57029 7135 Toll Free 1-800-477925-4174 560 Fax Ph. 605-925-7135 •

Keep it Cold!

~Ice Machines ~Walk-ins~ Dairy Route Supplies~ Commercial Refrigeration ~Milking Equipment Repair ~ Bulk Milk Coolers ~Sales ~Installation ~Service

.com

Fax: 641-737-2380

Flex-Pen System

Geyer & Hosaja Mats and Rolled Mats

Starter Pen

Calf Hutches

Poly Group Hutch

Single-Chain Elevator

www.RuralMfg

SA HU VI G NG E S!

641-737-2396

4351 March Ave. • Osage, IA

Best time to buy DEEPEST DISCOUNTS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!

Ventilation

Vinyl-Strip Door

60240 US HWY 12, Litchfield, MN 55355 P.O. Box 40 Loyal, WI 54446

1-800-472-2341 1-800-472-2341 E-mail: info@loyal-roth.com www.loyal-roth.com

Rugged Equipment... Priced Right... Since 1956!

Monday- Friday: 7:30am - 5:30pm Saturday: 7:30am - 12:00pm www.schlauderaffimplement.com • (320) 693-7277

Standard Farm Bins Accessories

Heavy-Duty Farm Bins Farm/Comm Bins

CAMar20-1B-WS

MFG Co.

FREE 92-Page Printed Catalog FREE 80-Page Printed Catalog

Fans/Heaters Hopper Bins

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 21

1.75% Financing for up to 60 months PLUS a new set of sweeps on qualiÀed Àeld cultivators

JD 980 1996 ##179443 17944 4433

JD 2210, 2009, #175257

Case IH 200 2014 #176029

12,900

SunÅower 5035 $ 2016 #177191

28,900

45,000

47,500

JD 2210, 2011, #168037

JD 2210 2011 #179192

49,400

39,900

Financing subject to pre-approval through JD Financial. Some restrictions apply. See dealer for details.

JD 2210, 2012, #173629

35,900

Elmers 6400, $ 1991, #178092

14,900

Equipment and pictures added daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com AIR DRILLS & SEEDERS 14 JD 1990, 2018, Width: 42, Spacing: 15”, #179654 .................................................. $90,900 DISKS 10 JD 235, 21 ft, 3-Section Folding, Spacing: 9”, 178330 ...............................................$8,900 10 JD 2620, 2016, 26 ft, 3-Section Folding, Spacing: 9”, 175512 ............................... $34,500 7 JD 637, 2011, 45 ft, 5-Section Folding, Spacing: 9”, 166177.................................. $34,900 15 Sunflower 1550-50, 49 ft, 5-Section Folding, 172168 ....................................... $38,400 FIELD CULTIVATORS 14 JD 960, 1989, 42 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, 165959 .........................................$6,900 15 Case IH 4300, 45.5 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, 176927................................. $10,400 2 JD 980, 1996, 38 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, 179443 ...................................... $12,900 4 JD 980, 1996, 44 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, 169542 ...................................... $13,900 14 Elmers 6400, 1991, 41 ft, 3-Section Folding, S-Tine, 178092 .............................. $14,900 15 JD 2210, 2005, 34 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, 179755 ................................... $25,900 10 Sunflower 5035, 2016, 24 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, 177191 ................... $28,900 5 JD 2210, 2010, 45.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, 178291 ................................ $33,400 2 JD 2210, 2012, 32 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #173629 ................................. $35,900 16 JD 2210, 2011, 45.5 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #179192 .............................. $39,900 7 Case IH 200, 2011, 50 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #178082 .......................... $43,500 5 JD 2210, 2009, 55.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #175257 .............................. $45,000 14 Case IH 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #176029 .......................... $47,500 7 Case IH 200, 2012, 55 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #178072 ......................... $47,900 17 JD 2210, 2011, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #168037 ................................. $49,400 4 JD 2230FH, 2019, 44 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #177180 ............................ $97,900 HEAVY HARROWS 3 Summers Superharrow, 2011, #176832 .......................................................... $22,900 LARGE SQUARE BALERS 2 JD L330, 2016, 7000 bales, #179376 ...................................................................... $89,900 MOWER CONDITIONERS 7 New Idea 5212, 1992, #177618 ..............................................................................$5,650 11 JD 956, 2008, #179757 ............................................................................................ $12,400 7 JD 635, 2009, #173285 ............................................................................................ $16,500 17 Hesston 1372, 2010, #178648 .............................................................................. $17,400 6 JD 946, 2010, #179286 ............................................................................................ $18,500 8 New Holland H7550, 2014, #167351 ................................................................. $19,900 10 New Holland H7230, 2015, #176984 ................................................................. $22,400 10 JD 635, 2017, #166698 ............................................................................................ $22,900 10 JD 956, 2010, #172718 ............................................................................................ $24,900 11 JD 956, 2016, #177925 ............................................................................................ $28,900 MULCH FINISHERS 9 Glencoe SF4300, 22 ft, 3-Section Folding, #172068...............................................$5,600 6 Sunflower 6331, 32 ft, 3-Section Folding, #174316...............................................$5,900 2 JD 724, 1990, 20 ft, 3-Section Folding, #174088 .......................................................$8,500 PLANTERS 10 JD 1750, 1996, 6R30”, Rigid, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel hopper, #179650...................... $13,000 4 JD 1750, 1997, 6R30”, Rigid, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel hopper, #176829 .................... $13,900

4 JD 1750, 2000, 6R30”, Rigid, Vacuum, 3.0 Bushel Hopper, #176783 ..................... $16,900 14 Wil-Rich PT2200, 2005, 24R22”, Wing Fold, Vacuum, 3.0 Bushel Hopper, #177551, ..................................................................................... $39,900 7 JD 1790, 2008, 16/32 Row 15/30”, Flex Fold,Vacuum, Central Fill System, #179686 ...................................................................................... $65,900 8 JD 1770NT, 2013, 16R30”, Flex Fold, Vacuum, 3.0 Bushel Hopper, Row Command, #177779........................................................................................... $75,900 2 JD 1775NT, 2019, 16R30”, Flex Fold, Central Fill System, Row Command, Electric Drive, #174754 .............................................................................................$149,500 5 JD DB44, 2013, 24R22”, Flex Fold, Vacuum, Central Fill System, Row Command, #179347.........................................................................................$159,900 16 JD DB66, 2017, 36R22”, Wing Fold, Exact Emerge, Central Fill System, Row Command, Electric Drive, #175194 ..................................................................$349,500 14 JD DB66, 2019, 36R22”, Wing Fold, Exact Emerge, Central Fill System, Row Command, Electric Drive, #179655 ..................................................................$399,400 14 JD 7300, 1995, 12R30”, Wing Fold, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #179656 ........... $11,500 3 JD 7300, 1992, 12R30”, Wing Fold, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #175563........... $11,900 15 JD 1710, 24R22”, Wing Fold, Vacuum, 3.0 Bushel Hopper, #168140..................... $19,900 8 JD 1720 CCS, 2012, 16R30”, Wing Fold, Vacuum, Central Fill System, Row Command, #176499........................................................................................... $65,900 PULL-TYPE SPRAYERS 1 Hardi NAV550, 2005, #179504............................................................................. $10,400 9 Demco Conquest, #178381 .................................................................................. $11,500 14 Redball 132’ walking tandems, #176938...................................................... $14,900 10 Hardi Navigator 1000, 2007, #169543 .............................................................. $15,000 16 Hardi CM4400, 2008, #178288 ............................................................................. $19,900 7 Fast 9508, 2008, #169075 ...................................................................................... $23,900 3 Hardi Navigator 4000, 2013, #179001 ............................................................. $24,000 15 Top Air TA1600, 2015, #177863 ............................................................................ $38,400 3 Top Air TA2400, 2011, #179435 ........................................................................... $44,900 ROUND BALERS 2 NH 664, 1998, Twine, 540 pto, 5’ bale, #171161 ........................................................$4,950 1 Challenger RB46, 2003, Twine, 1000 pto, 4’ bale, 1238 bales, #178031...............$8,500 11 New Holland BR780, 2003, Regular, Twine, 540 pto, 5’ bale, #169873 ................$9,900 4 JD 558, 2009, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap, 5’ bales, 11000 Bales, #176828............. $12,900 6 JD 567, 2002, Mega Wide, Twine, 540 pto, 5’ bales, 8312 bales, #179041 ............ $13,400 4 NH Rollbelt 450, 2011, Pickup Twine Only, 540 pto, 4’ bales, 1200 Bale Count, #173712 ......................................................................................... $17,000 2 NH BR7070, 2008, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 4’ bale, Precut Knives, 7890 Bales, #175751........................................................................... $19,900 10 JD 459 Silage Special, 2014, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 4’ bales, 15900 bales, #178525 .................................................................... $19,900 6 NH Rollbelt 460, 2015, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 4’ bale, 9000 bales, #178946 ...................................................................................... $20,900 10 JD 569, 2013, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bale, 19368 bales, #177245 ................................................................................................ $21,500

Visit one of our 17 locations in Central Minnesota! (1) = GLENCOE 4561 Hwy. 212

(4) = ST. CLOUD 1035 35th Ave. NE

(2) = HOWARD LAKE (5) = GLENWOOD 5845 Keats Ave. SW

1710 N. Franklin

(3) = STEWART

(6) = SAUK CENTRE

78412 Co. Rd. 20

1140 Centre St.

(7) = ALEXANDRIA (9) = PRINCETON 320-763-4220 5005 Co. Rd. 82 SE

3708 Baptist Church Rd.

(8) = PAYNESVILLE

16069 Hwy. 27 E.

725 Lake Ave. S.

2 NH BR7060, 2011, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 540 pto, 4’ bales, Precut Knives, 7300 bales, #169262........................................................................... $23,900 12 JD 469, 2015, Mega Wide, Twine Only, 540 pto, 4’ bales, 8060 bales, #175511 ... $23,900 5 JD 568, 2008, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 13500 bales, #176786 ....................................................................................................23900 17 JD 569, 2014, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 15560 Bales, #179194 ................................................................................................ $25,900 8 JD 569, 2016, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 1000 pto, 5’ bale, 8352 bales, #176841 ......................................................................................................26400 10 JD 469 Silage Special, 2013, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bales, 7928 bales, #177623 ........................................................................................28900 4 JD 459, 2014, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 4’ bale, 3600 bales, #177752 .................................................................................................. $29,400 6 JD 569 Silage Special, 2013, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 9540 bales, #177861 .................................................................................... $29,400 5 JD 569, 2013, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 8000 bales, #172972 .................................................................................................. $30,900 6 Claas 480RC, 2017, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 540 pto, 4’ bales, Precut Knives, 5165 bales, #179187........................................................................... $31,500 10 New Holland Rollbelt 460, 2015, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 4’ bales, Precut Knives, 4553 bales, #178211 .............................................. $33,500 9 JD 450M, 2019, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 4’ bales, 1045 bales, #177758 .................................................................................................. $34,500 6 JD 459 Silage Special, 2017, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap, 4’ bales, 3800 bales, #177855 ...................................................................................................................... $35,900 4 JD 468, 2011, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bales, 2972 bales, #175425 ................................................................................................. $36,400 2 JD 469 Silage Special, 2016, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bale, 4900 bales, #177354 ..................................................................... $36,900 2 JD 569, 2015, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 7222 bales, #179148 .................................................................................................. $37,500 2 JD 569, 2012, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bale, 3300 bales, #173254 .................................................................................................. $38,400 8 JD 560M, 2018, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 4251 bales, #177359 .................................................................................................. $41,400 10 JD 569 Silage Special, 2015, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 5’ bales, 3300 Bales, #178210 ...................................................................... $41,500 6 JD 560M, 2019, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 7200 bales, #179188 ...................................................................................................................... $42,400 6 JD 460M, 2018, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bales, 5985 bales, #164359 .................................................................................................. $43,900 4 JD 560M, 2019, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 2100 bales, #179000 .................................................................................................. $45,500 10 JD 560M, 2019, Mega Wide, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 2400 bales, #179138 .................................................................................................. $45,900 6 JD V461R, 2019, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bales, #17910............... $69,400

CALL TODAY! (320)365-1653 (12) = AITKIN 1120 2nd St. NW

(10) = LITTLE FALLS (13) = BAXTER (11) = WADENA 62505 US Hwy. 10

7045 Foley Rd.

(14) = ELBOW LAKE

(16) = BENSON

(15) = MORRIS

(17) = MADISON

110 2nd St. NE

23604 State Hwy. 9

380 Atlantic Ave. 516 1st St. E

SEE OUR COMPLETE INVENTORY WITH PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS AT: www.mmcjd.com

Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

DAIRYSTAR.COM

KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR YOUR DAIRY NEWS

Join the Robotic Revolution

By Danna Sabolik Contributing Writer

with the innovative DeLaval VMS™ V300

Early bird pricing until

MARCH 31ST

DISCOUNT OFF ENTIRE

2021

VMS V300 project

$10,000 VOUCHER for each VMS V300 robot purchased

Be a part of this growing movement in robotic milking with VMS V300. ACT NOW!

SCAN ME

www.delaval.com

Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United Dairy Systems, Inc. West Union, IA 563-422-5355 WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713 DeLaval Dairy Service Kaukauna, WI 866-335-2825

Dougherty shares tips on soil, nutrient management

Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0267 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470

MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA D&D Ag Supply Pennock, MN 320-599-4466 East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, SD 605-886-7401 Sioux Falls, SD 800-284-0015 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416

is a registered trademark of Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. and “DeLaval” is a registered trade/servicemark of DeLaval Holding AB © 2021 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. Data collected at test and pilot farms. Results will vary from dairy to dairy. Nothing in this document shall constitute a warranty or guaranty of performance. www.delaval.com

Liquid gold or waste product. Depending on your point of view, manure can be either. Brian Dougherty, eld agricultural engineer with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, sees it as the former. Dougherty presented how to make the most of manure nutrients as part of Iowa State University’s Virtual Dairy Day 2021. He covered manure economics and nutrient management, stressing the importance of individualized programs for manure management. “When it’s compared to other nutrient sources, manure is a high-density product of nutrients for elds,” Dougherty said. Calculating the nutrient value of manure depends on many factors, but from a typical manure slurry, Dougherty found an average 1,000-gallon sample of manure contained 10% nitrogen, 25% phosphorus pentoxide and 40% potassium oxide. “That’s $25 per a thousand gallons,” Dougherty said. “And that’s not counting the additional value in organic matter and micronutrients.” To make the most of manure nutrients, Dougherty outlined three goals: reduce pathways for nutrient loss; apply manure at a consistent rate at the right time; and recoup your investment. To reduce pathways for nutrient loss, an important step to consider is denitrication or the converting of nitrogen in the soil to nitrogen gas. “This (denitrication) can be done by improving drainage and preventing soil from becoming anaerobic,” Dougherty said. “It’s also important to note the volatilization or ammonium to ammonium gas on the surface of the soil.” Water contamination is also an area of concern, either through leaching or surface runoff. Another challenge when applying manure is the rate of application to maintain consistency. Dougherty suggested keeping equipment calibrated and maintained to get the best bang for your buck. “Avoid early fall application or plant a cover crop to avoid nutrient loss over winter,” Dougherty said. “Also, keep in mind you already paid for that manure as soon as the feed truck came in your driveway.” To make the most of manure investment, Dougherty encouraged taking credit for other legumes and not overapplying nitrogen. “It’s best to take samples to know what you’re working with – from both the soil and the manure,” Dougherty said. From there, a grower can prioritize application locations and amounts. “Cover crop can capture nutrients and work really well with manure,” Dougherty said. “(Cover crops) encourage better soil cycling if managed properly, and we’ve seen in the data, it can bring back a lot of benets year after year.” Treating manure like a valuable asset encourages lower fertilizer costs, better land management and healthier crops, Dougherty said. “If you’re thinking about getting started on cover crops, try it on easy acres like corn silage,” Dougherty said. “Start with a simple mix and seed early so the crop can become established before winter.” He also suggested watching carbon to nitrogen rations in manure when working with a cover crop as differing amounts will affect crops differently. “If you manage your manure like fertilizer and your cover crop like a cash crop, this model will lead you to success,” Dougherty said.

DAIRYSTAR.COM KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR YOUR DAIRY NEWS

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 23

Farmers share their heart for dairy HEART

HEART

DAIRY

Dan Menth

Dan & Brenda Citterman Dan Menth (leŌ), with employee Tony Ertl, milks 83 cows in Carver County near New Germany, Minnesota.

How many years have you been dairy farming? I grew up on the farm but ofcially took over in 1994. Tell us about your farm. Growing up we had a farm across the road but my dad, Eldert “Fuzzy” Menth, bought this place from his dad when I was a kid in 1969. I took over in 1994 and put up a new heifer shed and bin. I am milking 83 cows and raise everything here except Holstein bulls. I have full-time hired help, Tony Ertl, who helps me every day. He grew up on a dairy and has been doing this all his life. We get along like brothers. I also have help with fall eldwork because I could not do this on my own. I run about 600 acres of corn, soybeans, alfalfa and oats. Tell us about your family. I’m not married. My brother, Bob, was farming with me full time until ve years ago when he retired. He helps with eldwork. What has been the highlight of your dairying career? I haven’t once regretted my choice to stick with farming. I love being my own boss and wouldn’t want to do anything else. What do you love about dairy farming? I love working with the animals and being with the cows every day. I also like being able to be outside in the country and not be stuck in a building all day long. What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in your dairying career and how did you overcome it? I had back surgery last January and couldn’t be in the barn for over two months. In August 2019, I had some bad back issues and couldn’t x it with cortisone shots or therapy so the doctor recommended surgery. My fourth lumbar was deteriorated, and he told me if I put it off in another year, I wouldn’t be able to walk. It had gotten so bad I couldn’t even sit in a tractor for fall eldwork. I knew I’d have reliable help with Tony and a few other relief milkers, so I went through with it. It’s been like a miracle since. I’ve had no issues postrecovery. I’m very thankful I overcame it. If you don’t have your health, you can’t face other problems that come up. What has been the best decision you have made on your farm? I breed Angus to all my rst-calf heifers. I decided to do that about 15 years ago. I’m happy with that decision, because I can raise my own beef instead of buy them. I have a strong herd with my Holstein genetics, and the Angus genetics help me get a different animal. I have plenty of replacements, and it works well for me. Who has been an inspiration to you during your dairying career? My dad is my biggest inspiration. He’s the one who taught me everything I know about dairy farming. He passed away seven years ago this March, and we all miss him on his four-wheeler checking elds and making sure chores are done around the yard. He helped me make a lot of big decisions and was a mentor to me. I always asked his advice before doing something. I didn’t always take his advice, but I made sure to ask.

Brenda and Dan CiƩerman, pictured with granddaughter Sophie Walker, milk 100 cows in Lincoln County near Canby, Minnesota.

How many years have you been dairy farming? We have been dairy farming for 31 years. Dan ofcially took over from his dad in 1990. Tell us about your farm. This farm has been in the Citterman family since it was purchased from the railroad in 1887. When I was a kid, we milked with standing buckets. It was a big deal when we got a pipeline. We used to store our forages in upright silos, but now we use silage bags, which means that we have unlimited storage capacity. The genetics of our herd has also improved greatly over the years. Tell us about your family. Brenda and Dan got married in 1985. In addition to working on the farm, Brenda is a pharmacy tech, a CNA and a paramedic. We farm with our son, Bob, and his wife, Sarah. Bob and Sarah have three sons, Jacob, 2, Jackson, 4, and Jason, 6. Our oldest daughter, Becky Paluch, and her husband, Brandon, and their family are also part of the operation. What has been the highlight of your dairying career? That would be when Bob decided he wanted to farm and joined the operation. It’s wonderful to know our family’s dairy farming tradition will be carried forward by the next generation. What do you love about dairy farming? When we are milking, we’re spending time with our family. The camaraderie we share is nice. If there’s a problem, we will all gure it out together. What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in your dairying career and how did you overcome it? Dan caught COVID-19 in September and is dealing with the aftereffects. Dan was hospitalized ve times, including three times in Sioux Falls. He was on supplemental oxygen until just a short time ago. During a recent doctor’s appointment, the pulmonologist said he hadn’t thought that Dan would make it. Last fall when Dan was sick, neighbors and family pitched in to help get our crops harvested and complete the fall tillage. Becky and Brandon combined corn all night, then went to their jobs in the morning. It brought home how important family and community are to us. What has been the best decision you have made on your farm? One of our best decisions was buying our skidloader with the tracks on it. That thing has helped us get through a lot of mud. Who has been an inspiration to you during your dairying career? Dan’s dad, Norbert, was Dan’s biggest inspiration. Norbert was Dan’s best friend for 63 years, until he passed away two years ago. Norbert loved to drive the skidloader. We would sit on buckets and visit for a while, then Norbert would climb into the skidloader and go feed the dry cows and do any other small tasks that needed to be done. He really enjoyed the cattle and working with his family and watching his grandkids grow up on our farm.

AVAILABLE AT: www.jcb.com

jcb.com/agriculture

Best-in-class visibility. The new JCB Series III agricultural telehandlers feature an all new, next generation cab designed speciﬁcally to meet the needs of the agricultural customer.

A&C Farm Service, Inc. Jct. Hwys. 55 & 23 Paynesville

320-243-3736

www.acfarmservice.com

Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

NEW EQUIPMENT DOUBLE ROLLS!

#017131 LX Anderson RB200 Bale Wrapper Call For Price

#012201 LX Anderson 800HS Bale Wrapper Call For Price

#016734 RC H&S LW1100 Bale Wrapper Call for Price

#008027 LX MF DM255P Disc Mower Call for Price

#008554 EY NH Roll Belt 450 Round Baler Call For Price

#016313 LX Kuhn VB3190 Round Baler Call For Price

#006320 EY Kuhn GMD 240 3 PT Disc Mower $9,950 Blowout Priced!

#012019 RC Kuhn FC 3160 TLR Discbine Call For Price

#014354 NW MF 1393 Hay Conditioner Call For Price

#015485 RC CIH DC133 Discbine Call for Price

#013882 RC Kuhn GF5202THA Tedder Call For Price

#012017 NW Kuhn GF7802T GII Tedder Call For Price

#003103 RC Kuhn SR310 10 Wheel Rake Call for Price

#009238 LX Kuhn FC10030D Triple Mower Call For Price

#013651 LX Fendt 942 Vario Gen6 Call for Price

#015863 RC CIH Maxxum 150 Tractor Call for Price

#015325 LX CIH Farmall 75C Tractor Call for Price

#014527 LX MF 1840MH w/FL2611 Loader Call for Price

#016872 LX MF GC1725M Compact Call for Price

#014621 RC Simplicity Legacy XL33 Call For Price

#014350 EY Great Plains 1006NT Drill Call For Price

#013461 NW Bobcat E35 Mini Excavator Call For Price

#016807 NW Bobcat T66 Track Loader Call For Price

#015120 NW Bobcat S76 Skid Loader Call For Price

#015084 RC Case SR270B Skid Loader Call For Price

#017571 RC H&S 370 Manure Spreader Call For Price

#014669 LX Geringhoff Truflex 40 40’ Flex Head Call For Price

#016844 NW Diamond Mowers 72” Rotary Skid Steer Mower Call For Price

#015193 LX CIH 6150, 4WD, Hillco Call For Price

#015314

#015959 NW Bobcat MT100 Mini Track Loader Call For Price

#016651

#013342 LX Kuhn Krause 8005-14 Excelerator Call for Price

#015475 LX Walinga 7614 Grain Vac Call For Price

#018164 RC Roto Grind GG10 Grinder Call For Price

#015699 LX ‘06 MF 5455 Tractor w/Bomford Boom Mower $55,900

#017124 EY ‘18 Kubota M7-151 Premium $129,700

#017386 LX Agco 5760 Loader Tractor $13,900

LX CIH 6150, 4WD Call For Price

RC Hardi Ranger 550 Sprayer Call For Price

USED EQUIPMENT

#017370

#015738 LX 2011 CIH Magnum 315 $119,985

LX ‘11 CIH Magnum 340 $125,000

#017558 LX ‘18 Fendt 1042 Vario $289,000

#017688 LX ‘13 Fendt 828 Vario $175,000 ONLY 600 ACRES!

#018130 RC ’90 JD 2355 w/Alamo Boom Mower $15,900

#018249 LX ‘17 CIH 8240, 4WD $315,000

#016791 LX ‘11 CIH 7088 Combine $119,985

#015196 LX ‘18 Geringhoff Northstar 630 Corn Head $44,500

#018467 LX ‘13 Geringhoff Northstar 630 $35,000

#017869 LX ‘11 CIH 3020 Flex Head, 30’ $17,500

#017526 EY ‘14 NH Roll Belt 560 Baler $19,800

#016920 EY ‘18 Kubota BV5160R Round Baler $24,900

#016553 LX ’95 CIH 8465 Round Baler $5,500

#017099 RC ’05 Vermeer WRV10 10 Wheel V Rake $3,950

#015348 EY Gehl 520 10 Wheel Bi-Fold Rake $4,900

#018226 LX Gehl 970 Chopper Box $4,500

#016865 LX Landoll 20’ Stalk Chopper $3,500

#015910 LX Sovema RTX2 300 10’ Tiller $7,500

#017685 RC ’00 Landoll 2200 Weather Proofer $8,950

#017838 LX ’14 NH 195 Spreader $12,900

#015413 EY ’18 Brillion WFP42 $32,700

#015849 LX ‘15 Komatsu PC228US LC-10 $119,985

#018436 LX CIH 4300 28’ Field Cultivator $7,500

#018209 LX ’15 Case 850M LGP $95,000

#017479 EY Kubota SVL95-2S $50,900

#018107 LX ‘14 Trioliet I-1300L TMR $16,900

#017121 LX ’19 NH L220 Skid Loader $34,900

#015763 LX ‘11 Kuhn Knight VT 1100 TMR on ‘15 Peterbilt $135,000

#017121 EY ‘19 NH L220 Skid Loader $34,900

#015504 EY ‘08 Supreme 900T TMR $15,000

#016883 LX ‘00 Hardi TR500 Sprayer $2,950

#018165 LX ’08 Supreme 500 TMR $17,900

#018215 LX ‘10 Supreme 500T TMR $39,500

WWW.STJOSEPHEQUIPMENT.COM

#011449 EY 2014 Kubota RTV-X1120DWL $10,900

#012732 NW ‘18 Bobcat 5600 Toolcat $47,900

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 25

ConƟnued from HEART | Page 23

HEART

DAIRY

Scott & Dawn Kasper

Darwin & Barb Kasper ScoƩ and Dawn Kasper milk 240 cows in Steele County near Medford, Minnesota.

How many years have you been dairy farming? 35 years (Scott) and 33 years (Dawn). Tell us about your farm. This farm has been in the Kasper family since 1898. I (Scott) worked off the farm during high school but helped when I could. I made dairy farming my career in 1985 when I joined my parents, Darwin and Barb. Dawn joined us after we got married in 1988. In 1995, we gutted the barn and put in a double-8 parallel Germania parlor, holding area and maternity pens along with an ofce and utility room. We also built a 240-cow freestall barn at the same time along with transitioning from silos to bunkers for feed. We have built something almost every year. Our son, Patrick, now farms with us too. Tell us about your family. We have two boys. Patrick farms with us full time, and Derrick has a full-time job off the farm but helps when he can. What has been the highlight of your dairying career? Scott: Being able to work with family and still being able to get along well. I have especially liked mentoring my two boys and helping them become who they are today. Dawn: Even though we miss out sometimes on vacations or being able to take weekends off, we compensate by doing things in between chores or after milking. In the summer, we like to load up the boat and go to the lake after nishing evening milking. What do you love about dairy farming? We like having the variety and the freedom to do our work how we want as a dairy farmer. What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in your dairying career and how did you overcome it? Other than the milk price, our biggest obstacle was when we expanded the milking herd in 1995. We seemed to be bottlenecked in other areas of the farm since those areas had not been expanded yet. To overcome this problem, we had to upgrade to larger equipment, more heifer builds and a larger manure storage area with efciency in mind. What has been the best decision you have made on your farm? In 1995, when we expanded, we either had to expand or get out. We could not keep going in the tiestall barn. Beyond that, we don’t think any one decision stands out more than the next. Everyone involved in the farm throws in their input. From there, we agree on the best plan and move forward. Who has been an inspiration to you during your dairying career? Scott: If it was not for my dad, we would probably not be dairy farming. I don’t think anyone wakes up one morning and says I want to be a dairy farmer. It is something you are groomed for from working together with someone. Dawn: We watched Barb and Darwin, and learned how to work together. Discussions might get heated, but we learned to work through it. And we can still laugh together after it. We also have other dairy farming friends we nd inspirational.

HEART

DAIRY Jerry & Deb Nelson Deb and Jerry Nelson milk 45 cows in Iowa County near Arena, Wisconsin.

How many years have you been dairy farming? We have been dairy farming for 45 years. Jerry bought into the operation in 1976 at the age of 21. He met Deb in 1978, and his parents sold him the farm 10 days before the wedding in 1979. He came in for breakfast that morning and his mother told him to get cleaned up as they were going to an attorney that morning to sign the land contract to sell him the farm. Tell us about your farm. Our farm is located in a valley in the hills south of the Wisconsin River in northeastern Iowa County. The 160-acre farm was purchased in 1915 by Jerry’s grandfather, Henry. He doubled the size of the dairy barn and added 60 acres. Jerry’s father, Merven, purchased the farm in 1941 and added 40 acres to make it 260 acres with about 100 tillable. Mervin also added another 40 feet to the dairy barn, along with a two-story building for calves and hogs. He built a 12-by-40 stave silo the week Jerry was born in 1955. Later he added a 14-by-40 silo. The dairy herd was grade, bull-bred Holsteins. Jerry purchased his rst registered Holstein in 1973. After he bought into the farm in 1976, he built a 12by-60 silo for high-moisture ground corn. The other purchase Jerry made at the time was a skidloader to help speed up manure hauling. Jerry attended A.I. school and began to breed the cows. We were married in mid-October 1979 and immediately built a 30-by-30 addition to the dairy barn, which would hold a new milk house with a pipeline and larger bulk tank along with an area for storage and an ofce. The new milk house allowed us to become a grade A producer, and we joined Associated Milk Producers Inc. We added a machine shop, a solar-roof calf and heifer barn and a walled cow yard to control run-off. We remodeled the stanchion barn to convert to tie stalls with mattresses for cow comfort. We also added an adjoining 80 acres to the farm in 2006. Tell us about your family. We had six children. Karl and his wife, Ann, along with our

Darwin and Barb Kasper milk 240 cows in Steele County near Medford, Minnesota.

How many years have you been dairy farming? 60 years (Darwin) and 59 years (Barb). Tell us about your farm. This farm has been in our family since 1898. My (Darwin) greatgrandpa, grandpa and dad all farmed here before me. I started farming when I graduated from high school in 1961. Barb joined me when we got married in 1962. We bought the farmsite from my dad in 1964. Now we farm here together with our son and daughter-inlaw, Scott and Dawn, along with their son, Patrick. The barn was built in 1958 and was a one-story tiestall barn that held 86 cows. In 1995, we gutted the barn and put in a double-8 parallel Germania parlor, holding area and maternity pens along with an ofce and utility room. We also built a 240-cow freestall barn at the same time along with transitioning from silos to bunkers for feed. We have built something almost every year. Tell us about your family. We have four sons. Our son, Scott, and his wife, Dawn, farm with us. What has been the highlight of your dairying career? Darwin: Having our kids in 4-H and watching them show. We also sold a bull, Kashome Bell Jurist, to a bull stud in the early 1980s. We gave tours of our farm to people from all over the world to come see his daughters. Barb: We also enjoyed going to meetings and seeing other dairy farmers at those meetings. We had a lot of friends all over the country. What do you love about dairy farming? We love working with our family. We also were lucky to work with and be friends with so many other dairy farm families from dairy industry boards. We liked to be involved. Plus, we sold cattle across the country and to other countries. What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in your dairying career and how did you overcome it? Barb: We have to be efcient to make enough money for all our families to be able to pay bills. We are constantly working on how to make the farm more efcient. The upkeep of the farm to make it presentable while giving tours was also a lot of extra work I did. It was a working farm, but we liked and expected it to look nice. It took years. Darwin: Transitioning to the next generation has also been a big project to take on. We have been working on it for the last 10 years and it is not done yet. What has been the best decision you have made on your farm? We have made a lot of good decisions to keep the farm efcient and be able to make money. It was not just one decision. Who has been an inspiration to you during your dairying career? There is not just one person who was inspirational. We had interactions and friendships with so many other dairy farmers. They all inspired us. Darwin’s dad was also an inspiration. He had registered Holsteins and is part of the reason why we loved the registered business so much. grandson, Jack, live across the road. They both have off-farm jobs but pitch in often. Karyn works for Taylor County Land Conversation and lives in the Medford, Wisconsin, area with our grandsons, Jake and Matt. The boys come help whenever they can. Kirsten joined the Air Force and met her husband, Ricky. They are stationed in England with our grandsons, Freddy and Henry. Kelly Jo died at 1 week of age from an inoperable heart defect that went undetected until she was 5 days old. Kaitlyn is a high school art teacher. She met her dairy farmer husband, Bob, three weeks into her rst and current teaching job. They are parents of our rst granddaughter, Caroline, and grandson, Raylan. Kristopher works for an implement dealer and has begun to work into our farming operation. What has been the highlight of your dairying career? Hosting the Iowa County Dairy Breakfast in 2015. Another highlight was being selected to represent Iowa County Farm Bureau as their outstanding young farmer at the state competition. We nished in the top 10 and traveled to Washington, D.C. Another ongoing highlight has been being involved in our milk co-op. It has given us the opportunity to connect with other dairy farmers across the Midwest and keep abreast of what is happening in the dairy industry. We have enjoyed keeping in touch with those people we have met over the years. What do you love about dairy farming? We love working with cows and the land. It is nice to be our own boss. We loved being able to work out schedules that allowed us to spend time with our kids at school and 4-H activities. It was fun to watch our kids grow up on the farm. Those kids are the reason our dairy herd now includes Jerseys and Ayrshires along with the Holsteins. Yes, there are long, sometimes stressful days, but it is satisfying to know at the end of the day we are doing what we love. What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in your dairying career and how did you overcome it? Curing the ‘80s when the farm economy collapsed. Luckily our debt load was manageable, and we were able to survive by watching what we spent. The latest obstacle has been the extremely wet weather we have dealt with the last three years. We have had ooding which has led to wet cropland due to high water tables. We were nally able to get into some of our elds for the rst time this past growing season. Kris bought an all-wheel drive tractor that allowed us to get crops in and out of some of the wetter areas as the water tables dropped. What has been the best decision you have made on your farm? The decisions that have had the most impact included A.I. breeding and milk testing to help improve the herd; adding the heifer facility was another. Who has been an inspiration to you during your dairying career? Jerry’s inspiration was the neighboring dairy farmers who gave him encouragement and ideas when he was getting started. Deb grew up on a family farm in central Wisconsin that grew green beans for the canning industry. Her inspiration was her parents, who taught her what it was to work side-by-side with a spouse on a farm. As the oldest child, her dad taught her how to run and maintain farm equipment. It made for a good partnership for Jerry and Deb.

Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

Disaster assistance available for livestock losses By Steve Frericks

County Executive Director Stearns County FSA Oﬃce

With the extreme cold weather upon us, the Farm Service Agency would like to remind producers of options available for livestock producers. If you have lost livestock as a direct result of the extreme cold conditions we have experienced, please review the article below and contact your local FSA ofce. The Livestock Indemnity Program provides assistance for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather, disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law. For disease losses, FSA county committees can accept veterinarian certications that livestock deaths were directly related to adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry and management. For 2021 livestock losses, you must le a notice within 30 calendar days of when the loss is rst apparent. You then must provide the following supporting documentation to your local FSA ofce no later than 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the eligible loss condition occurred. – Proof of death documentation, copy of grower’s contracts and proof of normal mortality documentation. The United States Department of Agriculture has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight range of eligible livestock, i.e. adult beef cow = 1.5% and non-adult beef cattle (less than 250 pounds) = 3%. These established percentages reect losses that are considered expected or typical under normal conditions. In addition to ling a notice of loss, you must also submit an application for payment. For more information, contact your local FSA ofce or visit the FSA LIP fact sheet: https://www.fsa.usda. gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/ livestock_indemnity_program_lip-fact_sheet.pdf. USDA offers secure options for signing, sharing documents online Farmers and ranchers working with FSA or Natural Resources Conservation Service can now sign and share documents online in just a few clicks. By using Box or OneSpan, producers can digitally complete business transactions without leaving their homes or agricultural operations. Both services are free, secure and available for multiple FSA and NRCS programs. Box is a secure, cloud-based site where FSA or NRCS documents can be managed and shared. Producers who choose to use Box can create a username and password to access their secure Box account, where documents can be downloaded, printed, manually signed, scanned, uploaded and shared digitally with staff. This service is available to any FSA or NRCS customer with access to a mobile device or computer with printer connectivity. OneSpan is a secure eSignature solution for FSA and NRCS customers. Like Box, no software downloads or eAuthentication is required for OneSpan. Instead, producers interested in eSignature through OneSpan can conrm their identity through two-factor authentication using a verication code sent to their mobile device or a personalized question and answer. Once identity is conrmed, documents can be reviewed and e-signed through OneSpan via the producer’s email address. Signed documents immediately become available to the appropriate Service Center staff. Box and OneSpan are both optional services for customers interested in improved efciency in signing and sharing documents with USDA, and they do not replace existing systems using eAuthentication for digital signature. Instead, these tools provide additional digital options for producers to use when conducting business with FSA or NRCS. USDA Service Center staff are available to help producers get started with Box and OneSpan through a few simple steps. Visit www.farmers.gov/servicelocator to nd your local ofce and let staff know you are interested in signing and sharing documents through these new features. In most cases, one quick phone call will be all that is needed to initiate the process. Visit www.farmers.gov/mydocs to learn more about Box and OneSpan, steps for getting started and additional resources for conducting business with USDA online. To learn more about program exibilities and Service Center status during the coronavirus pandemic, visit www.farmers.gov/coronavirus.

Sticking to it

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 27

We have made it almost two months sticking to our New Year’s resolution to cut back on sugar and salt. Knowing the weight we have been gaining during the pandemic is going to be hard to work off, it is pressuring us to keep at it. All fall I have been squeezing into my jeans. I know if we eliminate some of what we are eating, it might be easier when spring comes and we start working more outside and in the elds. Honestly, it should not be so hard to break the bad eating habits, and with more physical work, my By Tina Hinchley jeans should get more Farmer & Columnist comfortable after the snow disappears. A large portion of the sugar we have consumed is in soda. I have stopped buying any pop. The only time we are drinking soda is when we run through the drive-thru to pick up lunch, which is rare. Thanks to the whole COVID-19 thing, trying to avoid getting sick has helped with that. Drinking milk or water with meals is what we typically do, but all summer and fall it was the can of soda in the tractor, combine or in the car running to pick up groceries, parts or other errands. There are no more cases of soda left, so we do not have to struggle with the desire. Taking a moment to ll up a bottle of water and then out the door is refreshing and an easy way to make sure we are getting enough uids in for the day. This winter, I have been baking a lot, and that is the other source of sugar. There is something satisfying after eating a good meal to have dessert. So, I will not stop baking. I gure as long as we only have one cookie or one piece of cake or pie, we are

Th There is i something hi satisfying if i after eating a good meal to have dessert.

going to help in the long run. Frozen pizzas are another quick lunch meal we are trying to limit. The salt in our favorite frozen pizza is 760 mg for three slices as a serving with 33% of the sodium for the daily value. Well, my husband can eat the whole pizza, and that would be 99% of his whole sodium intake for the day. This has encouraged me to make homemade pizzas. I canned pizza sauce this summer, and when I make homemade pizza in the cast iron pan, it is so good. My daughters and son-inlaw will come back over even after working together all day to eat with us when they know it is pizza night. The last snack item of our solution to limit our salt is potato chips. It is hard to stop eating potato chips once the bag is opened. I know it says 15 chips is a serving, with 170 grams of sodium. But my hand gets out of control, and before we know it, the whole bag is gone. Also, the cost for the chips has gone up during this time when we are all staying at home. The

last time I looked at a bag of chips it was less than one pound for $5.09. This is another one of the items I refuse to buy. If it is not in the pantry, we cannot eat it. I do not want to stop eating potatoes, so one more of the fun things I have learned how to make during the pandemic is oven baked potato chips. Two medium potatoes will make three cookie sheets of chips. I slice the potatoes to get very thin slices. Drizzle with olive oil or spray with cooking spray, coating both sides, and place them on a single layer on parchment paper. Bake 10 minutes on each side in a 425 degree oven until they are golden brown and crispy. Then salt before or after baking, just a little is all it takes. They are so good. Tina Hinchley, and her husband, Duane, daughter Anna, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchley’s have been hosting farm tour for over 25 years.

We have the right hut to fit your needs from the Mini Dome to the Mega Hut.

M INI D OME for smaller breeds or goats

W ARM C LIMATE H UT super ventilated

C ONVERTIBLE H UT for indoor or outdoor use

H IGH D OOR P OLY D OME for use with fence panels

O NE -P IECE H UNTING B LIND a completely customizable do-it-yourself blind

P OLY D OME the Nursery that ingnited an industry

M EGA H UT Expandable for large animals

P OLY S QUARE has multiple feeder options

All PolyDome shelters are made from high-impact UV stabilized polyethylene making them light enough to move easily, yet sturdy enough to withstand the elements.

& 91-03" t% 0.& the aﬀordable backyard observatory

Now you can sit inside a true observatory sheltered from the wind and annoying neighbor's porch lights. Made from virtually indestructible, UV stabilized polethylene.

"TL GPS PVS DPNQMFUF DBUBMPHT GPS "HSJDVMUVSBM 1SPEVDUT "RVBDVMUVSF &YQMPSBt%PNF PS )VOUJOH #MJOET

good. It can be a challenge when the cookies are on the cooling rack and if the cake or pie is in the middle of the kitchen table. Out of sight, out of mind. Cookies go into the cookie jar or in a bag to go into the freezer. The pie gets covered with foil, and cakes are in a glass covered container that makes a clanging noise if it opens. I feel guilty and busted if I am trying to sneak another piece. The other part of the resolution is cutting back on salt. This is almost harder. There is a lot of salt in so many of the foods we take for granted. Cheese is one of our favorite go-to snacks, and being dairy farmers, we always have cheese to munch on. We are slicing our favorite cheeses into thinner pieces, and often eating it with fruit or nuts. We cannot go without cheese, so making smaller snack portions is hopefully

Roller-Grinder

I F A

More milk less feed with uniform Àne-grind Solid cast rolls All belt-electric drive Single or double mills USA & International sales Replacement rolls available for most mills Used mills and tumble mixers on hand Hammer Mills

Phone: (319) 634-3849 • Toll Free: (800) 426-0261 web: www.ifamill.com • email: ifamill@netins.net

PROTECT AGAINST SLIPS & FALLS • • • •

Traction in all directions Reduce animal stress Aids in heat detection Cost effective & practical

1-800-328-7659 We offer grooving & scarifying

BEST FOOTING CONCRETE GROOVING

Strum, WI

Many other farm products available. Visit www.polydome.com for more.

715-579-0531

www.bestfootingconcretegrooving.com

CALL TODAY!

• AG VENTURE FEED & SEED Watkins, MN • 320-764-9910 • LINDELL SALES & SERVICE Cannon Falls, MN • 651-258-4311 • MCINTOSH DAIRY McIntosh, MN • 218-563-3740 • ADKINS EQUIPMENT Detroit Lakes, MN • 218-847-2079 • GALEN FICK Boyden, IA • 712-439-1359 • INWOOD HATCHERY Inwood, IA • 712-753-4736

• DAIRYLAND SUPPLY Sauk Centre, MN • 1-800-338-6455 • STEARNS VETERINARY OUTLET Melrose, MN • 1-800-996-3303 • FLOODWOOD FARM & FEED Floodwood, MN • 218-476-2233 • GERTKEN’S SALES Richmond, MN • 320-597-2207 • TESKE FARM SERVICE Avon, MN • 320-356-7211 • BJERGA FEED Motley, MN • 218-352-6383 or 6379

www.polydome.com • FARMERS CO-OP OF LAFAYETTE Lafayette, MN • 507-228-8224 • SIOUX NATION VET SUPPLY Marshall, MN • 507-532-3716 • FEDERATED CO-OPS Princeton, MN • 763-389-1567 • NEW ULM FEED STORE New Ulm, MN • 507-359-7500 • PIERZ CO-OP Pierz, MN • 320-468-6655 (Randy) • MICHAEL MACK Watertown, SD • 605-881-0365

• GORTER’S CLAY & DAIRY EQUIPMENT, INC. Pipestone, MN • 507-825-3271 • STEVE’S FEED Sleepy Eye, MN • 507-794-3831 • ROBERT FAUST Strawberry Point, IA • 563-933-6561 • SE MN SILO EQUIPMENT St. Charles, MN • 507-932-4560 • SHELDON FARMERS MARKET Sheldon, IA • 712-324-3721

Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

Making money from manure

Renewable natural gas market offers alternative revenue streams for digesters In a panel entitled, “Money from manure: Strategies for alternative revenue streams,” MADISON, Wis. – In panelists discussed the ins their early days, manure and outs of manure processing digesters were mainly used and potential revenue options. for odor mitigation and Hosted by Greg Steele from power generation. Compeer Financial, Now, digesters are the panel included becoming a soughtNiekrasz, Josh after means of Meissner from producing renewable Norm-E-Lane Farm; natural gas – a Brian Dolski, CFO lucrative market that of Pagel Family rewards digester use Businesses including to a greater extent than Pagel’s Ponderosa does the electrical Dairy; and attorney, market, offering new Jessica Niekrasz Jordan Hemaidan, opportunities to dairy Clean Fuel from Michael Best. Partners farmers. “There’s a “To be part of big demand for dairy a digester now is a great digesters within the renewable opportunity for the farm natural gas marketplace,” said community,” said Jessica Dolski, who has experience Niekrasz, president of in the compressed natural gas Clean Fuel Partners, during business. “Dairy digesters the virtual Dairy Strong generate more credits per conference held Jan. 19-21. unit of energy than any other “RNG systems take a lot of type of fuel out there and will investment but also pay pretty displace a landll project or well because of the markets food waste digester project.” that are out there.” Renewable natural gas By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

PHOTO SUBMITTED

The Meissner family – (leŌ to right) – Sheri, Josh, Dawson, Diane, Jerry, Jordana and EmmeƩ – operate Norm-E-Lane Farm in central Wisconsin where they milk 2,600 cows. The Meissners are in their 13th year of operaƟng a digester from which they produce bedding for their cows and electricity to sell to their uƟlity company.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

This pile of separated digested manure solids has about 65% moisture and smells like earth. After spending approximately 25 days in heated tanks, a good porƟon of the pathogens have been killed throughout the slurry.

can be used as vehicle fuel Dolski said. “You need to get in the form of compressed the gas into a pipeline that’s natural gas. According to connected to other interstate pipelines and could the panel, the largest theoretically end up RNG market is in in California to be California, created sold as transportation by the state’s Low fuel. If you’re not Carbon Fuel Standard near a pipeline, you program. This program have to pump gas and mandates greenhouse truck it to the nearest gas emission pipeline.” reductions for the fuel To obtain the industry in the state of Brian Dolski environmental California, resulting in CFO, Pagel a niche market worth Family Busi- attributes of renewable natural gas, the title 200 million gallons. nesses must be transferred Niekrasz said Oregon from the project and California have LCFS markets, and seven producer to the CNG end user other states are considering who will use it as transportation fuel. There are many ways such a market. To generate credits and this can be done, Dolski said, monetize manure, a farm must but typically involves the demonstrate both a physical producer selling it to a gas and contractual pathway after marketer who takes title of the gas when on the interstate making the gas. “If you’re within 5 miles pipeline. The gas then gets of an interstate pipeline, sold to a CNG company who consider yourself very lucky,” owns the stations where it is

NO WIRES

NO RUSTING METAL, NO WATER “We Protect Your Silage”

Increase Ef¿ciency By Feeding TMR!

Made in U.S.A.

130-370 cu. ft. capacity Two largest models will process whole round bales

Are you tired of tossing whole tires? Finally, there’s an alternative to weigh down your bunker silos!

Call Toll-Free

Turn to MANURE | Page 29

Stationary Vertical TMR Mixer

100% Nylon, Bias Ply Truck-Tire Sidewalls

• Eliminate silage contamination from rusting metal • Avoid cutting your hands, arms, clothing or tarps • Reduce labor costs by working more effectively • Get much more effective, broader coverage than passenger tires

dispensed and sold as vehicle fuel. Credit brokers match up buyers and sellers of RNG credits. Dolski is not worried about dairy farms surpassing California’s demand for renewable natural gas. “If a milking cow generates 150 gallons of fuel and the market is 200 million gallons, you’re talking enough capacity to hold 10%-15% of the U.S. dairy herd,” Dolski said. “RNG presents a massive market opportunity for the dairy industry.” Under the federal renewable natural gas program, the CNG market has a 400 million gallon demand. A farm can participate in both programs but will only get LCFS credits for gas sold into California. “There’s tremendous incentive to get into the state

• No stagnant water that breeds insects and microbes (e.g., West Nile Virus) • Improve safety and hygiene • Durable and long–lasting • Environmentally friendly • Conveniently stackable • One–time investment

Twin augers and nearly vertical sidewalls eliminate dead spots

Demand Exceeds Supply!

All Stainless Steel mixing chamber for extremely long life Input power options include electric motor or 540 PTO

Reserve Now for 2021!

www.tiresidewalldepot.com

1•888•581•5488 | Danny Nadler | nadler@videotron.ca

Free Brochure!

1.800.436.5623

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 29

ConƟnued from MANURE | Page 28

Seven Oaks HD is an underground construction contractor specializing in Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and Land Improvements

PHOTO SUBMITTED

This digester produces renewable natural gas from the manure of ve area farms. The facility was purchased by Clean Fuel Partners in 2015 and sold to Brightmark in 2019 and is located near Waunakee, Wisconsin.

of California,” Dolski said. One cow produces approximately 20 MMBtus. Dolski said the physical or natural gas is worth about $3 per MMBtu which equals $60 per cow per year. The federal credit is $1.50 which translates to $17 in MMBtus totaling $340 per cow per year. In California’s LCFS program, Dolski said every project is unique and gets its own Carbon Intensity score. Generally, it is four metric tons or four credits per cow valued at $200 per credit amounting to $800 per cow per year. As a result, the total potential value per cow is estimated at $1,200 annually. “About ve years ago, this was under $500 a cow per year,” Dolski said. “I remember selling LCFS credits for $20 per ton and now they’re $200 per ton. We’ve seen a lot of volatility to the upside of these markets over the last couple years.” Revenue has to be shared among all players – the credit broker, gas marketer, CNG company, etc., but the RNG project owner gets the lion’s share. Norm-E-Lane milks 2,600 cows in central Wisconsin and is in its 13th year of operating a digester. Capturing gas to make electricity, the farm entered into a ve-year power purchase agreement with their utility, Dairyland Power, in 2008. In addition to generating power, the digester also produces bedding. “Bedding is a big benet for us and our initial goal for the digester,” Meissner said. “We went from mattresses and sawdust to deep-bedded stalls, which has saved us $200,000 to $250,000 per year.” On the operational side, the farm is at a breakeven point with utility sales equaling engine company contract costs and operations costs. “Our utility has continued to nd value in green energy, and we’ve been in a position to capture it,” Meissner said. “Our power purchase agreement will come to an end in the next 1.5 to two years, and we plan to look at some of the new CNG opportunities available. I feel we’re in a position to play in that category in the near future.” When getting involved with a digester in the RNG market, a farm may choose to sell its manure to an offsite digester or share ownership with a developer. When working with a developer, farms need to consider certain risks. Who carries the risk of manure that does not meet the developer’s expectations coming into the digester? How much is the farm going to commit to certain chemical constituent levels? How much is the

farm willing to divert waste streams away from the digester? Who will pay for any capital expansion or alternation to make manure compliant with California rules? “In order for developers to justify this kind of investment, they enter into 20-year agreements with ve or 10year extensions,” Hemaidan said. “It is a generation’s worth of a relationship. Farms have to be very careful about what that looks like and how risks are allocated.” A n o t h e r option when producing RNG is for the farm to own Jordan Hemaiden the digester. Michael Best “I know of one farm that’s successfully done this in Wisconsin,” Hemaidan said. “You need to think about the risks. What’s going to happen to the LCFS price? It’s not a guarantee. You must go into this relationship with eyes wide open.” Hemaidan said the minimum herd size to justify a digester when selling into an LCFS market is nothing less than 1,500 cows but typically 2,000plus, while some developers want 3,000. The number is site-specic, Dolski added, and sitting on a pipeline versus trucking it affects the number of cows needed to justify the investment. Clean Fuel Partners has a history of owning and operating digesters and purchased a digester near Waunakee in 2015, which they sold to Brightmark in 2019. Clean Fuel Partners continues to manage and operate the digester, which now produces renewable natural gas from the manure of ve area farms. A farm selling its manure will need a person to analyze the value of the manure/gas independently of the developer. The farm also needs good legal counsel to allocate risks appropriately and make sure the project is done in a way that would be enforceable in court if things went badly. When a farm and developer own and operate the project together, more technical and economic expertise is required of the farm. If the farm plans to own the digester, a more expansive team is needed – complete with experts and consultants for every step of where the gas is made and dispensed. Manure is much more than waste. It can be a moneymaker for dairy farmers. By offering a new revenue stream for digesters, the renewable natural gas market is putting money in farmers’ pockets.

BENEFITS OF USING DIRECTIONAL DRILLING INSTALLATION INCLUDE:

Ŷ Continuation of Normal Operation Ŷ Avoidance of identi¿ed Infrastructure Installation Ŷ Maintain Integrity of Driveway, Roadways, Buildings, and Natural Features Ŷ Little to No Disturbance to Wetlands or Other Sensitives Areas Ŷ Many Unique Installation Capabilities Vs. Open Cutting/ Digging (Entering under Buildings or Tanks) Ŷ Minimal Site Restoration

PRODUCT INSTALLATION Ŷ Gas Lines Ŷ Power Wire/ Lines Ŷ Communication/ Fiber Optic Ŷ Water Lines/Water Mains Ŷ Drainage/ Tile Lines Ŷ Forced/ On Grade Sewer Ŷ Manure Transfer Lines

Land Improvements Drain Tile Design/ Installation Ditch Cleaning & Grading • Fenceline Clearing

Changing weather and higher inputs got you down? Using Drain Tile to manage excess moisture in the soil pro¿le is the foundation for increasing pro¿tability per acre. - Less compaction - Better soil Structure - Allows more days per year for ¿eld operations - More Yields with same or less inputs

Call Us to Discuss Your Project Now!

920-450-2844 Jon Lamers 920-378-5163 www.SevenOaksTeam.com Chad Van Asten

Peanut

Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

As far back as I can remember, there has been a dog near me on the farm. Pictures of me as a toddler include a spunky pup named Molly, whom I don’t technically remember, but her name is on the back of the photo. Then along came D-O-G, a stubby legged, black and white creature, who traipsed after us kids as we went hither and yon through the pastures on adventures. Looking back now, I wonder how that short-legged mutt of a dog had the energy to make it up and down all the hills and across the creek bed. Tristan was a pup from a litter from the well-loved D-O-G. He was my 14th birthday present and we were inseparable when out and about on the farm. He saw me through my teens and rst two years of marriage. Bessie was a true farm dog. By the time she began to call the farm home it had grown in size, but she seemed happiest when in the parlor by the action or playing an endless game of catch, rather than by

the house. Then there was Bull; I have written of him before, but this dog will forever hold a place in my heart. The biggest, calmest, sweetest, most loving of all the dogs I have had. He set the bar pretty high, as far as farm dogs and dogs for children go. We said goodbye to Bull and Bessie this past summer, and now they rest eternally in my daylily bed at the farm. The farm sat quiet for months. There was no barking, no padded feet following me to and from the barn. I was so accustomed to looking over my shoulder to check for Bull’s bulky frame following me at a slow pace, I caught myself doing it for months. The farm has all sorts of creatures, yet without a dog, it felt like something was missing. The chickens weren’t altogether too excited about being petted, and some days you just need to pet something to set the world right. Lynzie, Peter’s wife, has been known to bring

WE’RE ) *+4+0 Leedstone is a unique and growing business, headquartered in Melrose, MN. With branches in Glencoe, MN; Plainview, MN; and Menomonie, WI, we are in the heart of the dairy industry and strive to help keep families on the farm. We serve the needs of the dairy and beef industries, providing: • Animal health & pharmaceuticals • Dairy and sanitation supplies & services • Dairy performance analysis & services • Installation & service of milking equipment, including robotics We are a trusted dealer for GEA, Lely, Mueller Refrigeration, AIC Waikato and BECO milking equipment.

Adding Installation & Service Technicians—All Locations!

Leedstone is growing and actively seeking full-time professionals to add to our Minnesota and Wisconsin equipment teams. Hired candidates will assist in the installation and service of milk harvesting equipment, including automated milking systems. 3WCNKƂGF %CPFKFCVGU *CXG • Valid state driver’s license; good driving record • High school diploma or equivalent • Understanding of equipment—parlors, robotic milking systems, etc. (preferred, not required) 'ZRGTKGPEG KU C 2NWU • Plumbing • Electrical

• Refrigeration • General equipment maintenance

Training provided and paid for by Leedstone. .QECVKQPU *KTKPI Melrose, MN; Glencoe, MN; Plainview, MN; Menomonie, WI $GPGƂVU Medical, Dental, 401k, Paid Time Off (start with 3 weeks) To apply, please email your resume or application to resume@leedstone.com. An application can be found online at www.leedstone.com/about/careers.

Feeding Flexibility & Durability in One Mixer 9 Different Sizes to choose from 175 cu. ft. - 1,300 cu. ft.

STAINLESS STEEL CONVEYORS

Go to www.cloverdaletmr.com for more information.

5 YR. OR 5,000 LOAD WARRANTY ON MIXING TUBS, AUGER,, FLOOR AND FRAME.

Contact your local dealer to learn more! Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment of MN, Inc. Pipestone, MN 507-825-3271

Isaacson Sales & Service, Inc. Lafayette, MN 507-228-8270 888-228-8270

Ross Equipment Co., Inc. Lonsdale, MN 800-645-7677 507-744-2525

Hartung Sales & Service, Inc. Freeport, MN 320-836-2697

Arkansaw, WI 715-285-5317 DEALERS STOCK REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR OTHER BRAND MIXERS

We Offer the Following Agricultural Services:

Barn Lighting, Sheds, Fans, Trenching, Irrigation, Homes & More!

.M. ELEC E.A Bob Meyer TRI . B Master Electrician, Owner Lic. #CA03435

- Matt and Ethan Deutsch, Eden, SD

Anibas Silo & Equipment

“We switched from a three auger mixer to a Cloverdale. This is a bigger mixer but it pulls easier. We can feed more roughage now and have a very consistent mix.”

Decorah, IA www.brynsaas.com 563-382-4484

" %

Need an Electrician?

Brynsaas Sales & Service, Inc.

home the occasional premature calf or two, or even a few goats. Occupational hazard, one could say, as she is a veterinarian with a big heart. Late last fall, she brought home a tiny Golden Retriever puppy. Eight weeks old and still small enough to t in Ramblings from the Ridge her hand. He was a little brown peanut, so Peanut became his name. Peter and Lynzie nursed him back to health. He thrived under their care. As the days grew colder, and he became more rambunctious, Peter started bringing him to the farm. Cora had never been around By Jacqui Davison a puppy; her life had Columnist always had old, gentle dogs in it. The learning curve was steep. She was convinced he should be able to sit nice and listen to her read him a book. Peanut had other ideas. Eating the book was the rst one. Climbing all over Cora was the second. From my standpoint, the best thing was that they wore each other out and would nap about the same amount of time each afternoon. From the get-go, Lynzie told me that Peanut would be my (our) dog, and as he grew, she was certain that there was no way she wanted to haul around three big dogs in her vet truck. I will readily admit that taking care of a puppy worried me far more than it probably should have. Peter and Lynzie asked if Peanut could have a few sleepovers here while they were out of town, knowing full well that I needed a nudge to do it. Now, he is my sidekick. He goes where I go – farm, home, town. I was never going to have a dog in the house. Nor was I going bring home a dog that loves to nibble on calf manure. I was also not going to have to walk a dog in the morning to go the bathroom. I was denitely not going to have to look over my shoulder constantly to see what is getting chewed up this time. Yet, two months later, here I am. Typing this as this furry brown 6-month-old creature sits at my leg contentedly chewing on a stick – which is an improvement from chewing on the chair legs. Sometimes I think I must be mellowing as I age. Peanut invokes much laughter, provides many needed smiles, and causes a great deal of mischief. All things considered, he’s not much different than a toddler. Messy, lovable, snuggly and hungry for things they shouldn’t put in their mouths. The boys delight in building snow tunnels that he can follow them through, and Cora has learned that “duck and cover” is the best way to handle him when he comes at her full force. He loves sledding, as it gives him things to chase and a chance to show off his good, loud bark. This Peanut puppy has a great look of innocence when he knows he did something wrong. He has yet to gure out that helping the new mother lick her calf isn’t always seen as helping from the mom’s point of view. He has thick fur that loves to be petted, and a bit of that everyday does seem to right the world, if only for a little while. I’m denitely looking forward to the rest of this Peanut chapter and all of the memories that will ll it. Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (14), Dane (12), Henry (7) and Cora (4), 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.

E lectric Cell:

320-761-1042 Serving Central Minnesota

Dairy replacement costs impact herd protability Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 31

My November column focused on reducing feed costs and mentioned heifer replacement costs as an area to evaluate. At that time, we could see the tidal wave of higher protein and energy costs building. Today, this wave has hit shore and washed away much of the prot margins experienced the past several Something to Ruminate On months. I served on the planning committee for the recent virtual Carver County Dairy Expo, and we were pleased to have a great lineup of speakers. Dr. Jud Heinrichs, Penn State University, shared a timely topic titled “Keeping a Check on Dairy By Barry Visser Replacement Costs.” Nutritionist He had several key take-home messages to maximize your investment in non-productive dairy replacement assets. The cost to raise a heifer from birth to calving is $2,025 per head in Pennsylvania. This cost is similar to that reported by the University of Wisconsin. Both gures are prior to this most recent uptick in corn and protein prices. The current market value of springers varies across the country, but reported values are about half or less of true input costs to raise a heifer. The days of selling springing heifers for a prot appear to be behind us. It is important to predict how many heifers you need to maintain herd size. Heifer culling rates and reproductive success have a huge impact on the number of replacements needed within a herd. Sexed semen and beef semen are common strategies to control heifer inventory on farms. Heinrichs focused on the following three key factors to reduce the cost of raising heifers. – Culling rates. The average culling rate across the United States is 38% or 2.6 years of productive herd life. Dr. Albert De Vries at the University of Florida generated a model showing the value of a mature herd. Herd replacement costs decline as culling rate decreases. Heinrichs showed an example where a 20% reduction in culling rate (40% to 32%) results in 24.6% reduction in heifer raising costs. However, genetic opportunity costs go up with lower cull rates and fewer additional young animals with higher genetic potential. – Age at rst calving. As an industry, we see a continued reduction in age at rst calving. The ideal AFC target is dependent on several factors and somewhat herd specic. Heinrichs suggested that most herds’ AFC should be between 22 and 23 months. He indicated that reducing AFC by one month will result in 4.3% reduction in heifer-rearing costs. – Heifer feed cost. Feed costs are by far the largest input for heifer production in most systems and can account for 10% to 15% of the total farm expense. The most expensive period to raise a heifer is the rst two months of life. The cheapest time to raise a heifer is post-weaning. A 2020 Cornell study found $3.25 per-day feed costs and $1.70 per-day labor costs for preweaned calves. This decreased dramatically in the few months post-weaning ($1.50 per-day feed and $0.22 per-day labor). Your costs may vary from this, but the relative trend is likely consistent. Heinrichs cautioned that overfeeding milk is expensive and can also limit starter grain intake. Introducing starter grain and free-choice water to

We BUY, SELL, TRADE used dairy equipment and milk tanks WE SPECIALIZE IN USED DAIRY EQUIPMENT.

Milking machine equipment, bulk milk tanks and cooling equipment. Give us a call, we will be glad to help you with any of your milking machine or bulk tank needs.

We also BUY your used equipment and milk tanks.

SALVAGE HOUSE

424 Third Street, Fullerton, NE 68638 • 800-844-5427

calves within the rst few days of life results in the production of volatile fatty acids essential for papillae development in the rumen wall. Calf health and performance are both compromised with poor rumen development. It is common to see daily gains plateau at weaning in calves that are not consuming adequate starter. Heinrichs recommended weaning calves somewhere between 6 to 8 weeks for most farms. A growing heifer can capture more energy from a given feedstuff because her rate of passage is lower than a lactating cow. Feed efciency in older heifers is dependent on feed types and feeding strategies. Heinrichs shared data supporting increased feed efciency by limit-feeding heifers versus feeding ad libitum. However, this feeding approach requires several management factors to be in place, such as adequate bunk space and frequent feed pushups. The goal of raising dairy heifers is to minimize

costs without sacricing future production potential. Several management systems can work well, depending on individual farm facilities, resources and management preferences. Look for opportunities to control heifer numbers, reduce age at rst calving if above 23 months and keep feed costs under control. Heinrichs offered these heifer-raising savings opportunities: – Keep mortality and morbidity low. – Do not overfeed liquid feeds. – Wean at reasonable ages with good rumen development. – Grow calves and heifers at the right rates. – Use good breeding management. – Take advantage of improved feed efciency in growing heifer rations. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.

Cows don’t give milk Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

The readings for the rst Sunday of Lent focused on Jesus in the desert for 40 days. During this time, he removed himself from distractions so he could clear his head, nd his center, take a deep breath and move forward in his mission. Between COVID-19 and not milking cows right now, we nd ourselves in a desert of sorts. We are nding a sense of quiet with the removal of daily chores, distractions and clatter. We are clearing our heads and nding our center and our starting point for the next step. But taking that rst step is so hard. We know all the ways we can fall, but we forget all the ways we can get back up. Imagine a baby’s rst step. I witnessed our granddaughter Emma taking her rst steps this past summer. She was just 10 months old but determined to catch up and keep up with her older brother. She didn’t know how this walking thing was going to work, but she was determined to move. Her rst steps were not perfect. They were tenuous, cautious and hesitant. She stutter stepped. She stumbled and tumbled. Her rst step into the unknown was the hardest step she took. But she took it. When she fell, she got back up. Watch out world, here she comes. It is too bad we are smarter than a baby. We recognize all the dangers and pitfalls. We consider all of the what ifs before we take our rst step. A baby looks ahead to where they want to go. They have a nish line in sight and a target to reach. They don’t focus on all the other distractions. They get moving. We can sometimes get caught up in the what if game. It is a game we can never win. The Vikings have

better odds of winning a Super Bowl than we have at winning this game. We can sometimes let this game stop us in our tracks. Fear of the unknown or fear of change is normal. We can’t let it paralyze us. Fr. Mike said, “All fear comes from our desire to be in control. … What if God were enough to take care of it?” Now this doesn’t mean we sit back and let him do all of the work. We have to keep working, keep moving, keep milking cows. Bear with me. As dairymen, we sometimes forget that cows don’t give milk. Think about that. Try to clear your mind from distractions and focus on the words. Cows don’t give milk. Here is the story behind that line. A peasant farmer used to say to his young children, “When you are 12, I will tell you the secret of life.” When his oldest turned 12, he anxiously asked his father what was the secret of life. The father said, “I will tell you, but you can’t tell your brothers and sisters. The secret of life is this: The cow does not give milk.” The boy looked confused and the father went on to explain. “The cow does not give milk, you have to milk it. You have to get up early every morning and fetch her from the eld. You’ll have to cross swampy muck to bring her home. You’ll need to tie her up in the stall and pull up your stool. Once you have the bucket in place, you will have to do the work of lling up the bucket. That is the secret of life. The cow does not give milk. You milk her or you don’t get milk. There are some people who think the cow gives milk. That all things are just there and free. They think that

FINANCE

.9%* for

Natalie, Mark and his brother Al, farm together near Rice, Minn. They milked 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are grown up and all involved in agriculture with hopes of someone returning to the farm. For questions or comments, please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.

WE MAKE IT EASY!

48 MONTHS*

SEE YOUR H&S DEALER AND MAKE YOUR BEST DEAL ON A QUALIFYING MANURE SPREADER....

THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF H&S FINANCE’S LOW RATE R ATE IINTEREST! NTEREST!

Now through March 31, 2021, get 2.9%* for 48 months* o n: on:

* 3100 Series Box Style Manure Spreaders * 4100 Series Hydra-Push Manure Spreaders * 5200 Series Top Shot Manure Spreaders

+ 6 )LQDQFH LV R໤HUHG WKURXJK DQ DJUHHPHQW EHWZHHQ '// )LQDQFH DQG + 6 0DQXIDFWXULQJ Co., Inc. $OO ILQDQFLQJ E\ + 6 )LQDQFH LV LQ LWV VROH GLVFUHWLRQ VXEMHFW WR FUHGLW UHYLHZ DSSURYDO DQG RWKHU WHUPV FRQGLWLRQV

715.387.3414

if ‘I wish, I ask and I obtain.’ Some have become accustomed to getting whatever they want the easy way, but no. Life is not a matter of wishing, asking and obtaining. The things we receive are the efforts of what we do. Happiness is the result of effort. Just Thinking Out Loud Remember, cows don’t give milk. You have to work for it.” What will our rst step be? I don’t know. The calendar says we have three weeks before our oldest heifer is due to calve. Looking across the heifer lot, we just grin as we see potentially the next By Natalie Schmitt generation of excellent Columnist cows. It is exciting and terrifying at the same time. We know it will be hard work, but it is work we enjoy. We have many unanswered questions about our future, but these days spent in our desert away from daily distractions are helping us to nd our starting point as we take the rst steps in a new direction.

HSMFGCO.COM

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER TODAY! • Lano Equipment of Norwood Norwood, MN • Ironhide Equipment Bemidji, MN • Melrose Implement Melrose, MN • Schlauderaff Implement Litch¿eld, MN • Lake Henry Implement Paynesville, MN • Farmer’s Implement Store Mineral Point, WI • Scott Implement Platteville, WI • Beck Implement Elgin, MN • Caledonia Implement Caledonia, MN • Domeyer Implement Ellsworth, MN • Hammell Equipment Chat¿eld, Rushford, Eitzen & Harmony, MN • Kalmes Implement Altura, MN • Midwest Machinery Co. Wadena & Little Falls, MN • Northland Farm Systems Owatonna, MN • Helle Farm Equipment, Inc. Dyersville, IA • Mark’s Tractor & Implement Osage & Dumont, IA • Roeder Implement Dubuque, IA • Birkey’s Farm Store Polo, IL

Queen of the 9 x 13

At one of Dan’s pre-school doctor’s appointments, the nurse asked him a series of questions designed to gauge his social and intellectual development. Nurse: “What do you do when you’re cold?” Dan: “Put mittens on.” Nurse: “What do you do when you’re tired?” Dan: “Go to sleep.” Nurse: “What do you do when you’re hungry?” Dan: “Look for food.” Fast forward 10 years and not much has changed. Dairy Good Life My hungry kids still rummage through the fridge looking for food. Except now, as fast-growing teens, I think they eat twice as much. Daphne had her own well child visit last week. The questions asked by the nurse have changed quite a bit since her last visit. She was asked, “How many evening meals do you eat with your family each week?” and “How many take out/restaurant meals do you eat each week?” I’m proud to say that Daphne’s answers reected the value our family – and many other farm families – places on home cooked meals. My go-to strategy for putting supper on the By Sadie Frericks table most nights and making sure we have leftovers Columnist available for rummaging is the humble 9 x 13 pan. I know many home cooks who rely on their Crock•Pots® and InstaPots® for making supper prep easy. I used to make a lot of skillet meals and I still like a quick sheet pan dinner. But, these days, I’m a queen of the 9 x 13. The things I like most about making supper in a 9 x 13 are that 9 x 13 recipes usually make enough for multiple meals and when supper is done, I can put a cover on the pan and put the whole thing right in the fridge. Everyone in our family knows that if there’s a 9 x 13 pan in the fridge, there’s something tasty to eat. I admit that making supper in the oven isn’t as exible, time-wise, as using a slow cooker, but it works well for me now since Dan and Monika are old enough to take the pan out of the oven if I’m not in the house when the timer goes off. Our best-loved 9 x 13 suppers are usually a delicious combination of meat and cheese – lasagna, meatloaf, and sausage egg bake. But we also enjoy classics like tater tot hotdish and chicken n’ biscuit casserole. Another great use of 9 x 13 pans is for reinventing leftovers. Everybody around here groans if I heat up last night’s spaghetti or chicken alfredo for supper, but if I mix the leftover pasta and sauce together, spread it out in a 9 x 13, cover it with mozzarella cheese, and put it in the oven for half an hour – voilà! I have another hot supper that everybody enjoys. I also make most of our desserts in a 9 x 13. When I rst started baking, I couldn’t understand why any recipe was created for an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan. A small pan of bars or cake doesn’t last long enough to be worth baking. I automatically double those recipes to make them family-size. My latest 9 x 13 dessert victory was the cheesecake I made Glen for Valentine’s Day. I have a traditional springform pan for making fancy round cheesecakes, but a 9 x 13 pan is just way more practical. Maybe next month I’ll share the cheesecake recipe. For now, though, here’s my recipe for a 9 x 13 pan of Pizza Meatloaf. Enjoy! Pizza Meatloaf makes one 9 x 13 pan; 12 – 16 servings Ingredients 2 eggs 24 ounce jar marinara sauce, divided 2 cups oatmeal 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or oregano 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 pounds ground beef 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 12-24 pepperoni slices (optional) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat eggs, then mix in 2 cups of marinara sauce, oatmeal, spices, and salt. Gently mix in ground beef. Transfer beef mixture to prepared pan and press into place to ll pan. Spread remaining 1 cup marinara sauce over top of beef mixture. Sauce layer will be very thin. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over sauce. Top with pepperoni slices, if using. You can also add a few pinches of Italian seasoning or dried parsley akes for garnish. Bake for 10 minutes more. For extra deliciousness and presentation points, nish the pizza meatloaf under the broiler until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. 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.

DRIVE-THRU ELECTRIC GATE SPRING LOADED GATE

Adjustable 13’ - 19’ Standard Adjustable 18’ - 24’ also available

Call for a FREE Catalog

Watertown, SD

1-800-658-3998

www.koehnmarketing.com

Tell the advertisers you saw their ad in the Dairy Star!

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 33

FRITSCH FORAGE FACERS

HARDEST TEETH IN THE INDUSTRY • Available In 6', 8' & 10' Drum Widths • 2 Direct Drive Hydraulic Wheel Motors (No Chains) • Quick-Tach Available For Your Loader

Fritsch Products That Will Improve Your Dairy Operations. Watch Our Videos & Believe.

THE ONLY MATTRESS THAT RIVALS SAND BEDDING!! • About 1 3/4” of air cushioning • 100% waterproof • #1 for hygiene • No need for a top cover

WATCH THE EGG DROP

FRITSCH POWER BEDDING GROOMER

PATENTED

• Grooms & aerates freestalls using deep bedding including compost & sand • Breaks up the hard, compressed chunks of the alternative & lime bedding • Grooms the toughest beds without riding over **tractor model available**

Call the U.S. distributor Fritsch Equipment

Euphoria Cattle Brush A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness • Adj. control of force, rotation, and reversing • Starts to rotate on contact • All pivots rotate on ball bearings • All parts in stock $ • 110 volt or 220 volt 1,575

1,875

HYDRAULIC HOSE ENDS & QUICK CONNECTS

For all your hydraulic connection applications, we provide a wide variety of hydraulic connection options, including Flat-Face couplers, Poppet-Style couplers, Screw-Type couplers, Volvo TEMA couplers, and Multi-Coupling units. WithQUICK name brands like Faster, Stucchi, CONNECTS Parker, and Holmbury, we provide a wide variety of cancouplers, provide custom Poppet-Style couplers, hydraulic options to best Multi-Coupling units. With name Àt your needs! we can provide custom hydraulic

P510 MultiFaster MultiCoupling units significantly improve the ease of connecting hydraulic lines

IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPPING! CALL US FOR PRICING

(920) 532-6292 For Videos & More

www.fritschequipment.com

Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

Direct marketing increases Wallermans’ sustainability Norwalk dairy opens on-farm store By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

NORWALK, Wis. – After considering a store to market goods from their farm, Doug and Amanda Wallerman took the plunge and opened up The Bossy Cow County Store at their farm near Norwalk. “We have been talking about it for a few years,” Amanda Wallerman said. “But we had been talking about doing it in town, not on the farm. To us, that seemed easier to do.” Then because of the coronavirus pandemic and the empty grocery store shelves found early in the pandemic, the Wallermans decided it was now or never to take the rst step into creating a market to increase diversication on their farm. “We had been selling some bulk beef, but with COVID-19, we had people calling and asking about buying single cuts which we couldn’t do,” Wallerman said. “I started thinking now was the time. We have a good friend who was working to start an on-farm store and was actively working at marketing her meat.” The Wallermans milk 375 cows on their family’s Monroe

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Amanda Wallerman and her family own The Bossy Cow Country Store on their 375-cow farm near Norwalk, Wisconsin. The family took the iniƟaƟve to enter the world of direct-markeƟng on their farm last fall. County dairy farm, Ridgeville Holsteins Too LLC, with their two children Charlie, 11, and Maddie, 10. With the turmoil the early months of 2020 brought to not only the dairy industry but life in general, the Wallermans began to rethink the idea of creating their storefront in town and looked instead to the existing garage attached to their home. “Rather than take on the overhead of a store in town dur-

ing uncertain times, we would invest in xing up our garage,” Wallerman said. “If it didn’t work out, we’d still have a pretty nice garage.” In the spring, the Wallermans started investigating what it would take to turn their garage into The Bossy Cow Country Store. It turned out to be a bit more of a project than they rst expected when they sought estimates to re-pour the concrete oor.

Ag Curtain Systems FOR F OR THE MODERN DA DAIRY AIRY BARN

“We found out the garage was off the foundation by about 5 inches,” Wallerman said. “That required it be jacked up and the entire thing poured new. That was the most time-consuming and most expensive part of the project.” New windows and a new garage door were installed, and the electrical work was nished. The interior was painted to begin the farmhouse-style motif that Wallerman would follow through-

T BES UES VAL

TRACTORS

Allis Chalmers WD45 Case IH MX 270 FWA, 16.9R30 Fr Dls, 20.8R42 R Dls. 5,615 hrs MF 4610 FWA cab tractor, MF 936 Self-Level Loader & Bucket NH TL100A, 2007, FWA, 6,600 hrs, loader & 7’ bucket NH TC29DA Compact tractor w/72” midmount deck 1,596 hrs.

COMBINES & HEADS

• 100% maintenance-free • 7 year limited warranty • 16 oz. high quality vinyl material • Available with manual geardrives or fully automated to control your curtains 24/7 WE HAVE MULTIPLE OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM Clear View Curtains • Double Rollup Curtains Drop & Roll Curtains • Center Rollup Curtains

INSULATED PARLOR CURTAINS AVAILABLE

FREE Curtain & Installation Quotes Available Phone: 715-267-4394 Cell: 715-255-2355 N12642 Highway 73 Owen, WI 54460

VISIT WWW.CURTAINSFOR BARNS.COM TO LEARN MORE!

Gleaner S67 Combine, 2011, 1451 sep, 2263 eng. Gleaner S67 Combine, ‘11, duals , 1187 sep, 1558 eng, nice Gleaner S77 Combine, ‘12, duals, 1,670 sep, 2373 E. hrs. Gleaner R75 Combine, 2004, Duals, 1982 Sep, 2719 E, very nice Gleaner 8000-20 Flex Head Lateral Tilt, 2005 Gleaner 500-20 Flex Head, R mounts, needs work, sold as is Gleaner 3000 630R Corn Head, 2002 Gleaner 3000 630R Corn Head, 2008 Gleaner 3000 830R Corn Head, 2012 Gleaner 3000 830R Corn Head, 2004 Gleaner 313 w/Renn 5 belt pickup header, will ðt newer LTL combines Harvestec 4308C Cutter Corn Head 8 Row 30” GL Mounts Harvestec 4308C Cutter Corn Head 8 Row 30” JD Mount Harvestec 4308C Cutter Corn Head 8 Row 30” NH/Case IH Mount ‘08

SKID STEERS

Bobcat S750 Skid Steer, ‘15, cab, AC, 2 spd., H/F ctrls. Case SR220 Skid Steer, Cab, Heat, A/C, 2 Speed, 3417 hrs. Mustang 1750RT, ‘18 track loader, pilot controls, 2 speed, 76 hrs Mustang 2700V skid steer, ‘13, cab, AC, 2 spd.,, w/3,314 hrs. NH L228 Skid Steer, 410 hrs, H/F Controls, 2 speed, cab

TILLAGE/FIELD CULTIVATORS

Landoll 875 Soil Finisher Wil-Rich 5830 43’ Chisel Plow DMI Ecolo-Tiger 730B, 7 shank, Straight Front Coulters, Closing Disc Sunñower 4511-11 shank disc chisel, 2014, low acres

out the remainder of the staging process for the new store, which celebrated its grand opening in November. “We knew the meat sales would be the biggest draw and would be what would sustain the store,” Wallerman said. “But we really wanted to make everything as complete an experience as possible.” Wallerman said she is focused on working with local people to source goods for her store and has the goal of sourcing most of her inventory from within a 100-mile radius of the farm. “I’d like to be able to give people a place to market their goods, especially this year with so many craft shows canceled because of COVID-19,” Wallerman said. The Wallermans raise the beef sold in their store and sell it as individual cuts. They also continue to schedule locker appointments for bulk beef sales. They source their pork and lamb from local farms. Fresh chicken and duck eggs are available from Wallerman’s own ock, and this spring they will begin raising broiler chickens and turkeys, and will be stocking those farm-fresh meats as well. “The meat sales have been phenomenal, even more than I anticipated,” Wallerman said. “People really like knowing where their meat comes from,

Turn to WALLERMANS | Page 35

NH BR7090, 2011, round baler, 11,755 bales, Corn Stalk Special New Holland BR7070, 2014, round baler, 14,059 bales, Crop Cutter New Holland RB560, 2017, Round Baler 1,176 bales, like new Vermeer 504N round baler Krone BP4X4XC 4X4 Large Square Baler, 2012 with 19,000 bales Krone Swadro 810 rotary rake, 2-point mount H&S HC12 high capacity wheel rake w/center kicker H&S V10 cart rake, very good condition JD 946 Mower Conditioner, 2-Point Mount, 2013 MF 1329 3-pt. Disc Mower, 9’ cut, 2013 Art’s way 240C Stalk Chopper, 2015, 20’ Width, Low Acres

ROW CROP, DRILLS & SPRAYERS

Hardi Navigator 4000, 2012, 90’ Boom,120” Axle, 5500 rate controler Hardi Navigator 1000M w/60’ boom, foam, ñush N rinse, chem. inductor Great Plains YP1225-24 Twin Row 30” Planter, ðnger pick-up, 400 gal. LF Great Plains 1520P Drill 15’ w/GP CPH Coulter Caddy, 15” Spacing, Markers White 8516 Planter, Central Fill, LQ Fert

GRAIN CARTS & WAGONS

Gehl BU960 Forage Box H&S Twin Auger 16’ box, 614 tandem gear, 12.5-15 tires H&S Twin Auger 16’ box, 614 tandem gear, 12.5-15 tires H&S 30’ Feeder Wagon w/Tandem Axle Notch 10-ton running gear & 9X16 wood ñat rack, 9.5L-15 tires J&M 750 Grain Cart, Green, 30.5 Diamond Tires, Roll Tarp, 16” Auger Unverferth 470 Grain Cart Brent 610 Grain Cart Brent 880 Grain Cart w/Diamond Tires, Roll Tarp, Scale Ready Demco 650 Grain Cart EZ-Flow 300 Gravity Box w/EZ-Trail 1074 Gear. 12.5-15 Tires

MANURE SPREADERS

H&S 430 Western Manure Spreader, coming in H&S 425 Hydra-Push Manure Spreader, 19Lx16.1 Tires H&S 5126 Topshot, 19LX16.1 tires, 2011 Knight Pro Twin Slinger 8040 Spreader, 28L-26 Tires New Holland 3110 Manure Spreader, 16.5X16.1 Tires

GRAIN EQUIPMENT Good Selection Of Used Augers

MISCELLANEOUS

Virnig 96” Hydraulic Angle Broom, New Brushes Westendorf WL-42 All-Matic loader with White tractor mounts Consign HAY & FORAGE, STALK CHOPPERS Bush Hog HTDH5 3-pt Finish Mower w/anti scalp roller, 2020, 15 hrs. Use King Cutter Cat1 3-Point Middle Buster Teagle 8080WB Bale Chopper Mahindra 60” Mid-Mount Mower Deck (Came oσ Max 26 XLT), like new Case 600 forage blower, light use older unit in good shape Berlon Square And Round Bale Squeezer, Opens To 7’ Skid Steer Mount John Deere 582 Silage Special Round Baler 4X5, 19,434 bales Art’s Way 7’ 3-Point Rotary Cutter MF 2250 3X3 square baler, ‘16, approx. 30,000 bales Landpride AFM4214 Batwing Finish Mower, 14’ Pull Type McHale V660 Round Baler, 4X6, Cutter Baler John Deere 72 “ sand shooter (MenchM115)

38241 County 6 Blvd. Goodhue, MN 55027

(651) 923-4441

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 35

ConƟnued from WALLERMANS | Page 34

712-722-3626

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

SERVICE AFTER THE SALE

Amanda Wallerman locally sources most of the stock carried at The Bossy Cow Country Store. and that quality brings them back.” They stock a variety of cheeses from Nordic Creamery and butter from Grassland where they ship their milk. “We have talked a bit about looking into creating a farmstead cheese with our milk and labeling, but that is not something we are planning to actively pursue right now,” Wallerman said. In addition to meat and dairy products, they stock a variety of Amish-made candies and noodles, locally raised honey and a wide variety of crafts. One local artisan soap maker takes some of the milk from the Wallermans farm and makes batches of milk soap bearing their label, adding to the uniqueness of the inventory. Wallerman was able to procure a retail wine and beer license, opening up another avenue for the store. “Our township had one open license; we applied and were approved for it,” she said. “We stock some craft beers, and we work with a local winery that makes a lot of cranberry-based wines. Being able

to carry beer was great during deer hunting season. It made us a one-stop shop for hunters.” Wallerman plans to host wine and beer tasting events this summer. Other plans include creating a petting-zoo for people to be able to see and interact with some animals on the farm. Thus far, Wallerman has relied on social media and word-of-mouth as her primary forms of advertising. The experience of operating an onfarm store has been a good one for Wallerman, and she said her family has enjoyed the relationships developed with regular customers. The most challenging thing has been learning to operate the business end of the enterprise. “I have been amazed at the response we have had,” Wallerman said. “We have regular customers who come each week to get their meat for the week. I was surprised to learn how far people will drive for a quality product and to have that assurance of where their food is coming from.”

Who do you call? It’s 30 below zero and you break an auger.

Who do you call?

You’re Àlling your silo and you blow up your distributor or Àll pipe.

Who do you call?

You’re running feed out and your gear box fails.

Are you going to fork the feed out?

It’s chore time, you throw the power switch and nothing happens.

Who do you call?

An electrician will not climb up there or be out in a timely manner.

Osakis Silo will answer the call and handle these problems year round! We will get you up and running anytime and under any conditions.

IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM CALL US TODAY!

Bring out the best in yorur investment

WE SELL, INSTALL AND SERVICE • Belt Conveyors • Belt Feeders • Hydraulic manure pumps The Best Service Crews, The Best Replacement Parts, The Best Service... That’s The Osakis Silo Advantage To You!!!

Dennis Thyen

Dealer Inquiries Welcome!

46310 164th Street Watertown, SD 57201 605.881.0647 Email: ddthyen@gmail.com

Call Anytime

320-808-3936 300 E Main St., Osakis, MN • 320-859-5340

24 Hours 7 Days A Week

Visit us online at www.osakissilo.com

Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

Women In Dairy Jenny Vollmer Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin Fond du Lac County 34 cows Family: My dad, Richard Vollmer, passed away a few years ago, so now it’s my mom, Janice, my little brother, Joey, and myself running the farm with seasonal help from my two older brothers, Jim and Dennis, and my older sister, Cheryl. Tell us about your farm. My family’s farm is a little, old farm with a 1980s setup. We run just shy of 150 acres of tillable land and plant corn, oats, alfalfa/ grass mixes and soybeans which we roast and add to our milking cow ration for protein. We have a 34-animal tiestall barn where we house both milking and dry cows together. They get let out into two separate groups to eat during the day with milking cows being fed a total mixed ration in a bunk and dry cows eating baled timothy hay top dressed with a little corn silage. I am proud of the fact that in my 27 years on the farm, we have only had one D.A. which we attribute to the fact that we keep fresh animals in the dry yard for three days after calving. Being that our farm is old school, we have pens that we hand pitch and still throw about 6,000 to 8,000 small square bales of hay and straw up into the haymows every year. What is the busiest time of day for you? The busiest time of the day for me is in the morning. That’s when I feed and bed heifers, milk the cows, breed any animals in heat and take care of any heat synchronization functions that need to be done. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? When I am lucky enough to have free time, I like to read, hike, work with and show my chickens at poultry shows, work in the garden, or hang out down by the creek or in my orchard of dwarves (that’s what I like to call my mini-orchard full of dwarf varieties of fruit trees). Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. My most memorable farm experience would be pulling a premature calf. One of the cows started calving almost three weeks early, and I thought being so early

the calf would be dead. So, I left the cow alone and kept working on my chores. Before heading in, I went to check on her and saw the head was out but still in the sack. I thought the calf’s eye was open which was odd for what I thought was a dead calf, so I icked her in the face and she blinked at me. I caught the calf and placed her in front of her mom. It was a tiny heifer calf who earned the name Shrimp. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I enjoy the sense of accomplishment you feel at the end of a long day when you look back and see all the work you did physically laid out in front of you. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I stay connected to others in the industry by going to open houses and connecting with old friends. I also attend seminars put on by the University of Wisconsin Extension and companies, such as Compeer Financial, which is an opportunity to make new friends. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My dad inspired my love of farming. It was always neat to watch him go down the line with his milk stool tied around his waist and watch him milk the cows and later in the day x anything that broke. I just wish I would have understood his ingenuity around the farm enough to ask about more things before he died. And honestly, I would say all of the old-timers who made it inspire me because farming is such a hard life and to make it to a ripe old age while farming is just downright impressive. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? I would give a tour of my farm to any and every one. I love showing people around and watching their faces light up at all the different animals we have and explaining how everything works.

SERVING CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR OVER 50 YEARS

What is the best vacation you have ever taken? Being raised on a small farm and having no hired hands, we never took an all-out vacation. We did take part of the day off on holidays, and I always loved it when we went out by my aunt and uncle who live on a lake. They took the whole family, including all of the aunts, uncles and grandparents, out on the lake on their pontoon boat, and we would go swimming and shing. It was the only time we really got off the farm and didn’t have to think about the farm.

Catch the Dairy Star’s Mark Klaphake with Joe Gill at 6:45 a.m. the 2nd & 4th Fridays of the month on KASM!

What are some words you like to live by? Suck it up. You can do it. Just push through it.

FARM INFORMATION STATION Joe Gill • Farm Director

PO Box 160, Albany, MN • (320) 845-2184 • Fax (320) 845-2187

tfn

WHICH BARN IS BEST FOR YOUR HERD? Patz 500 Vertical $21,000

Patz 420 Vertical $16,500

Patz 500 Vertical $21,000

Birds just love this barn. The webs in these trusses are easy nest areas for birds. They also restrict air flow which leads to poor ventilation and moisture buildup in the building. Patz 615 Vertical $22,000

Patz 620 Vertical TMR Mixer $30,000

Patz 420 Vertical $15,500

Lots of Used Mixers • Variety of Manure Pumps and Tanks Used Manure Spreaders • All on Hand! 1660 Jordan West Rd., Decorah, IA

563-382-4484

VERTICAL TMRS LLC

www.brynsaas.com

Starwood Rafters Uses Pole Sheds • Free Stalls Riding Arenas Pavilion Shelters Machinery Storage

The arched rafters create a more open barn allowing better ventilation. Also since there are no open webs in the trusses, there are no places for birds to nest.

• Spans up to 72 ft. • Up to 12’ spacing depending on the load you desire • Bird nesting control • Better ventilation & visability • No feed alley post obstruction • Additional ceiling height

Starwood Rafters Lam-Ply Truss

ANOTHER QUALITY PRODUCT FROM STARWOOD RAFTERS

STARWOOD RAFTERS, INC. 715-985-3117

W24141 Starwood Ln. • Independence, WI 54747 Website: www.starwoodrafters.com

888-525-5878

Small grains, big potential Cuba City farmer feeds small grains as a winter forage By Danna Sabolik Contributing Writer

Resourcefulness is dened as having the ability to nd quick and clever ways to overcome difculties. Josh Tranel ts this description well and has taken advantage of a great opportunity in his dairy operation. As part of Iowa State University’s Virtual Dairy Day Feb. 12, Tranel, a Cuba City, Wisconsin, dairy farmer, spoke on small grain benets as a forage source for dairy farmers. Tranel farms with seven of his cousins on a 600-cow 2,000-acre organic dairy farm. “On our dairy, we have started using small grains as a forage source as well as a cover crop,” Tranel said. “It ts nicely into some windows of crop rotation, keeps soil covered, reduces weed pressure and helps keep ration costs down.” Tranel said growing a small grain silage is cheaper than alfalfa or other typical plants. They began by growing winter rye and triticale as nurse crops and cover crops, then began sorghum sudangrass and summer annuals, eventually going all in and embracing the new crop cycle of smaller grains. “We had grown a lot of wheat and barley but it saw fallow so we cut it early, chopped it and put something else on that eld,” Tranel said. On Tranel Family Farm, winter wheat, triticale, winter rye/Italian ryegrass, oat and sorghum sudangrass are grown and rotated into their cash crops. Through his presentation, Tranel highlighted pros and cons to each crop and how to apply them in a rotation. Winter wheat Winter wheat has a lot of benets, which is probably why it is one of the more common cover crops used in the Upper Midwest. “One of the best things about winter wheat is its winter hardiness,” Tranel said. “It’s easy to kill off for the next crop. We chop it every June and

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 37

feed it to our dry cows. Because of its low potassium content, it works rumens really well.” However, there is a lower yield potential if the crop is not wellestablished before winter. Tranel recommends planting early in the fall to establish the crop prior to the rst frost. In a rotation, Tranel suggests using winter wheat while transitioning land to organic or in areas that suffer from heavy runoff with snowmelt in spring. Oats Oat is an easy commodity to establish any time of the year but struggles through the winter. “In our rotation, we use it as a nurse crop or to patch areas of overrun pasture, or if we need to grow forage quickly before winter,” Tranel said. Winter/Spring Triticale High quality and yield potential are two of the benets to triticale, but a lot of the success surrounding the crop depends on fall tilling. “We use triticale as a nurse crop for spring seed and alfalfa,” Tranel said. Winter rye Winter rye is another crop with high yield potential, and excels at weed suppression. “We use winter rye in our rotation after corn and have found it forms great sod,” Tranel said. “We drill it in in late fall but have struggled to kill it off without chemicals.” Sorghum sudangrass Sorghum or sorghum sudangrass grows best in dry, hot summers. For Tranel, the past few summers have been wetter than average, and the stand has lost quality. “That past few years we’ve started to grow other plants with this, a sort of cocktail mix,” Tranel said. “It really depends on the area and what your soil needs, though. … There are a lot of uses with this crop.” Tranel said this rotation has worked well for them on their operation. “This is a great way to grow highquality forages,” he said. “There is also a lot of exibility depending on what your operation needs.”

Does your milking equipment need maintenance? We service all dairy equipment! Give us a call to schedule a visit. 1010 Hoeschler Dr. • Sparta, WI 54656

DAIRY EQUIPMENT INC. Celebrating over 40 Years in Business

Phone: 608-269-3830 Toll Free: 1-888-863-0227 Email: prestonde@prestonde.com

6$8. &(175( 01 3KRQH

ZZZ PPFMG FRP

2016, 1607 Hrs, RWA, Kernel Processor, Active Fill Control, Integrated Inoculate System, Harvest Lab and Guidance Ready, 900R42 Tires,

304,900

8800, 2018, 1064 Hrs, RWA ............................ $369,000 8800, 2016, 1607 Hrs, RWA ............................ $304,900 8600, 2016, 785 Hrs, RWA .............................. $359,000 8600, 2017, 849 Hrs, RWA .............................. $329,000 8600, 2015, 1197 Hrs, RWA ............................ $262,500 8600, 2015, 1531 Hrs, RWA ............................ $236,400 8500, 2017, 103 Hrs, RWA .............................. $429,000 8500, 2016, 862 Hrs, RWA ............................. $315,000 8300, 2017, 350 Hrs, RWA .............................. $336,400 8100, 2016, 519 Hrs, RWA .............................. $241,900 7980, 2013, 1921 Hrs, RWA ............................ $185,900 7780, 2014, 1270 Hrs, RWA ............................ $212,400 6850, 1998, 2324 Hrs, RWA .............................. $69,500 6710, 1993, 4050 Hrs, RWA .............................. $49,400 5400, 3360 Hrs, RWA ........................................ $16,900 All hours listed are “cutter hours”.

Call today for details on our Easy-Lease financing!

Other machines available for lease also. Subject to credit approval. Call for details.

Stop cutting corners (and nipples) Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021

We have all been there. It is 15 to digest milk or milk replacer. Just degrees outside, your hands are numb, to help you better understand the you have a list of chores a mile long, and difference between a calf and a cow’s the newborn calf is taking what seems digestive system, when a calf is born like hours to drink her the abomasum makes up bottle. She nally nishes 60% of the newborn’s Calf Chronicles and you get ready to feed stomach capacity and the next newborn in line, this amount decreases but now you have an idea: to 8% for a mature cow. Why not cut the nipple, just On the ip side, a calf’s a little bit, so more milk rumen goes from making comes out? How much up 25% of her stomach harm could that possibly capacity to 65% as a do? And it will save mature cow. So, for all you at least 15 minutes. intents and purposes, a Sometimes working newborn calf is basically smarter, not harder is the a monogastric animal. key to success, but there are If the esophageal By Ellen Cushing times when cutting corners groove is not stimulated Columnist is not the smarter option. to open, it will allow Cutting nipples is one of milk to enter into the those shortcuts that seems too good to rumen and reticulum, which can result be true, and that is because it is. in bloat and excess gas if the milk When you cut bottle nipples, it does not move quickly enough into the allows milk to quickly ow into a calf’s abomasum. When a calf is tubed, the mouth, which in turn has some negative milk ows fast enough that it does not sit impacts. The calf can choke at the in the rumen long, even without opening amount of milk coming in at once. And the esophageal groove. However, with if there is so much milk that the calf is bottle feeding, the milk has more time unable to swallow as it comes in, the to sit in the rumen, and that is when you milk can end up in the lungs, which can can see bloating or excess gas occur. lead to pneumonia. As a rule of thumb, the opening Additionally, if the nipple is free of a bottle should be large enough that owing milk into the mouth, the calf’s the calf does not have to struggle to get suckling reex is less likely to be milk out. What is a good test? Turn the stimulated. When a calf is nursing her bottle upside down and milk should mama, or a bottle, that sucking motion slowly drip out, one drop at a time. If triggers her suckling reex, which then milk is pouring out, the hole is too big. stimulates the esophageal groove to One thing to also check is the vent hole open, allowing the milk to bypass the in your bottles. A lot of issues can be calf’s underdeveloped rumen and go blamed on a vent hole that is sealed or straight into the abomasum – where it clogged. belongs. Unfortunately, bottle feeding For the rst two weeks of a calf’s newborn calves can become tiresome, life, calves can only use the abomasum but try to keep in mind that these babies

PHOTO SUBMITTED

A cut nipple allows milk to quickly ow into the calf’s mouth which may lessen the likelihood of the calf’s suckling reex to be sƟmulated and can cause choking.

require extra patience and nurturing. They came out of a nice warm place into a cold, new world, and although it might take them time to adjust, setting them up for success on day No. 1 is the key to your dairy operation’s future success. So, when you nd yourself with a newborn that is taking a little too long to latch on to that bottle and drink, try to imagine the stellar cow she will become one day, and do not let your frustrations lead you to cut corners. Ellen is the First Defense regional sales and marketing manager for Wisconsin and Minnesota. She’s a problem solver who loves walking calf hutches and diagnosing protocol drift. A great day is a day spent helping dairy and beef farmers keep their baby calves healthy! Ellen can be reached at ecushing@immucell.com.

Available at Madison Location

Menomonee Falls

W136 N4901 Campbell Dr. Menomonee Falls, WI 53051

Hyundai HL930A XT 2.5YD Loader 133HP Cummins Op. Weight of 25,355lb

Milwaukee

11715 W. Silver Spring Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53225

JCB 3TS-8W & 3TS-8T

Madison

7001 Manufacturers Dr. Madison, WI 53704

Vermeer 504 Pro Baler Kubota SSV65 5x4 Variable Chamber 80HP Required Endless Belts

Wheel or Track

74HP T4F 3200lb+ Cap. 13’ Lift

64HP T4F Diesel 1950lb Capacity Vertical Lift Path

Available at Madison Location

WE ARE HIRING - SALESPEOPLE & TECHNICIANS - APPLY TODAY!

Call Us @ 888-310-3902

www.YESEquipment.com

Let us help you raise healthy, robust calves! Feeding pasteurized milk with a Westwaard Calf Milk Pasteurizer will save you money compared to using powdered milk replacer, while providing healthier, faster growing calves. From 20 to 800 gallon capacity, we have a calf milk pasteurizer to accommodate your dairy that can also pasteurize colostrum for those ﬁrst feedings. In addition to preparing milk the right way to feed calves, it is important to sanitize milk bottles and nipples to promote healthy intestinal bacteria. We also build eﬃcient washing solutions tailored to your needs. Nipple/Bottle Washer WBW90

150 gal. Calf Milk Pasteurizer WP150G

WESTWAARD FABRICATORS for DARITECH

800-701-3632 • www.daritech.com

Dairy prole

Dairy Star • Saturday, February 27, 2021 • Page 39