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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 benets 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 protable 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 protable 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 prex 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