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“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 19, No. 1
February 25, 2017
Seven: A fortunate year “The goal is to always dream of the next thing...” - Sam Zimmermann
Marathon County couple receives Wisconsin’s 64th Outstanding Young Farmer Award By Cassie Olson
cassie.o@dairystar.com
RINGLE, Wis. – Forwardthinking. Relationship-driven. Cost-effective. These are three attributes that accurately describe Sam and Jenn Zimmermann. The couple resides in Ringle, Wis., where they are milking 170 Holstein cows, raising 180 heifers and four children, Mason, 13, Adele, 12, Neah, 9, and Garrison, 4. As they approach the completion of their seventh year as dairy farmers, the Zimmermanns are humbled to have received Wisconsin’s 64th Outstanding Young Farmer Award on Jan. 28 in Baraboo, Wis. Both Sam and Jenn have legacies in farming: Jenn having been raised on her family’s dairy farm near River Falls, Wis., and Sam on the farm on which
CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Sam and Jenn Zimmermann milk 170 cows on their farm near Ringle, Wis. The couple was recently recognized as the 2017 Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) during the 64th Annual OYF Awards Weekend, Jan. 27-29 in Baraboo, Wis.
A world of dairy Castaneda explains international trade, impact on farms By Cassie Olson
cassie.o@dairystar.com
WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – With the changing of presidential administrations, the topic of international trade is being examined more so than ever. Acronyms such as “TPP” and “NAFTA” are mentioned daily in mainstream media, but can easily be confused by the average citizen. Jaime Castaneda, Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Trade Policy for the National Milk Producers Federation, explained possible impacts of trade and its value on farms during an educational session on Feb. 10 at the FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative Annual Meeting at the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Castaneda said the United States is
well-positioned to compete in international markets. “You know how to produce milk; a lot of it. The United States has a very large, highly productive herd,” Castaneda said. “We are well-positioned to supply a lot of milk.” The United States dairy industry continues to grow. Milk production in the country has seen an average increase of 1.7 percent per year, more than any other country globally. Meanwhile, domestic use of milk in the United States also continues to grow, but at a slightly lower rate of one percent per year. Having a surplus of milk makes the United States strategically placed to compete well in international markets. One of the most recognizable trade agreements in the United States is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which rst began taking shape in 1989 as the United States made its free trade agreement with Canada. Negotiations began to take place with Turn to TRADE | Page 5
he milks today. A re in 1997 claimed the farm’s tiestall barn, leading Sam’s parents, Gary and Karen Zimmermann, to switch their focus from milking cows to raising heifers. After graduating from UW-River Falls in 2001, Sam worked for a farm credit institution before becoming a consultant for UW-Extension’s Dairy Farm Modernization Program. It was in this role he realized the feasibility of dairy farming on a smaller scale. “I knew a lot of people who did moderate, step-wise growth on their farms,” Sam said. “The goal is to always dream of the next thing, not necessarily milking more cows, but rather the next sensible step.” It was in 2009 that big changes started to be made on the Zimmermanns’ dairy. When Sam’s father began to experience kidney failure due to polycystic kidney disease that fall, he and Jenn made the decision to take over the family farm. Their family began building the low-cost swing parlor they use today, and in April 2010, the Turn to WIS. OYF | Page 7
Hendrickson’s dairying career coming to a close
Cows leaving, but not farmer’s love of good cows By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
BLANCHARDVILLE, Wis. – Is there really life after cows? Larry Hendrickson hopes so. This dairyman of 50 years is in the midst of selling his remaining registered Holsteins, both black-and-white and redand-white. The barn on Larry and Marie Hendricksons’ Green County farm in south-central Wisconsin was home to 45 cows a year ago, but now, just 15 cows and eight youngstock remain. Parting with 30 cows so far has not been easy. Half the tiestall barn is devoid of cows and has been curtained off, to keep cold air out and help keep the water pipes from freezing. “I love my cows,” Hendrickson said. Turn to HENDRICKSON | Page 6
RON JOHNSON/DAIRY START
Larry Hendrickson is down to 15 cows as he approaches reƟrement aŌer 50 years of dairying near Blanchardville, Wis.
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
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 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Amanda Thooft 320-352-6303 amanda.t@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Andrea Borgerding - Managing Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Ron Johnson (608) 874-4243 ron.j@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Jennifer Coyne (320) 352-6303 jenn@dairystar.com Cassie Olson (715) 245-6848 cassie.o@dairystar.com Brittany Olson (320) 352-6303 brittany.o@dairystar.com
Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication
Sales Manager - Jeff Weyer (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-8505 (cell) jeff.w@dairystar.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 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 Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@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 ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
North America dealers. A glance at what’s inside
Dairy Prole brought to you by your
At a time when some dairy farmers struggle to retain quality employees, Maristela Rovai, a dairy specialist for South Dakota State University Extension, plans to do something to help. She and a team of people developed the Upper MidwestPuerto Rico Educational Collaborative, which helps teach Puerto Rican citizens dairy laborer skills and places them on dairy farms in the Midwest. Since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, those living there are considered legal U.S. citizens. Could Puerto Rico help supply dairies with quality employees? To read about the program, turn to pages 12-13 in rst section. A group of dairy producers were able to get off the farm By Mark Klaphake and see dairying in a different part of the country Feb. 15-19 Editor while on the Minnesota Milk Producers Association Texas Dairy Tour. They visited a 1,640-cow dairy in Hico, Texas. This dairy is one of two dairies owned by Clemens and Karin Kuiper, who were originally from the Netherlands and immigrated to Texas in 2006. Read about the Kuipers’ dairy on pages 2-3 in third section. Along with visiting a dairy, the participants on the Minnesota Milk Producers Association Texas Dairy Tour were able to have a little fun, too. They visited the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Sixth Floor Museum where John F Kennedy was assassinated and the AT&T Stadium, the largest one in the NFL. They also put on their dancing shoes for learning the Texas two-step and tried their hand at golf. Another highlight included traveling to the famous Fort Worth Stockyards where they witnessed the daily cattle drive and watched the American Rodeo Semi-Finals. Check out the photo page of the tour on page 6 in third section. In this issue’s “From our side of the fence” feature, dairy farmers talked about technology in the dairy industry and on the farm. Find out what their favorite is and what they think has made the most impact. Read about it on pages 15-16 in rst section. This issue, we’re spreading the love for dairy farming by featuring producers who have been in the business 30 years or more. The “Heart for dairy” feature asks producers about their favorite memory and what they love about dairy farming, among other questions. Check out the feature on pages 22-23, 25 in rst section. We’re also excited to roll out a new feature for this issue called “Dairy ties,” which debuts on pages 18-20 in the second section. The goal with this feature is to highlight family members who dairy, but not together. The questions deal with anything from how often siblings talk about farming to what technology they have now they wished they had when they were children. It will be a fun feature to see the connections in the industry!
Favorite quotes from this issue:
“We have been producing at a loss and relying on the rest of the farming business to support the dairy.” - Mansel Raymond, Second Section pages 14-15
“Seeing this group, this is absolutely awesome and almost gives me tears. The seed was planted in the ground and they let it grow.” - Brant Groen, First Section pages 35, 37
By the Numbers
393: 30:
The number of dairy farms in Texas, the sixth-largest dairy producing state in the nation. (Third Section pages
4, 7)
Percent of the nation’s dairy exports going to Mexico. (Second Section pages 34-35)
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 3
It’s all inside...
SECOND SECTION Page 4 Riebes presented Distinguished Service Award at GDC Banquet Page 6 Organic Valley expands Grassmilk® production in mid-Atlantic Pages 8 - 9 Johnson grateful for second chance after suffering lifealtering car accident Pages 10 - 11 The “Mielke” Market Weekly Page 12 Dairy Markets
New Richmond
Deer Park
Kid’s Corner: The Van Dyk Family
Third Section: Pages 12 - 13
Eau Claire
Children Museum of Eau Claire Alan Manning hosts June Dairy Eastman, Wis. Month activities
Bayeld
Haugen, Wis.
Polk
Barron
St. Croix
Sawyer
Buffalo Mondovi, Wis.
Dairy Prole: Chuck and Fred Seyforth Page 39
Pages 16 - 23 Classieds
Christophs boast BAA of 110.4, breed for longevity First Section: Pages 10 - 11
Genoa
Women in Jeans: Jade Proksch
Clark
First Section: Page 36
Jackson Blanchardville
Hendrickson’s dairying career coming to a close
La Crosse Monroe
First Section: Pages 1, 6
Worth
Mitchell
Cerro Hancock Gordo
Floyd
Howard
a
ick
Ch
w sa
Bremer
Zone 2
Black Hawk
Bu
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
wford
Cra
Iowa
Dane
Grant
Fayette
Clayton
n
are
na
a ch
Richland
Allamakee
Winnebago
Winneshiek
Vernon
Pages 4, 7 Rising production in the Lone Star State Page 6 Minnesota Milk Producers Association visits Texas Pages 14 - 15 Dairy Calendar
Boyd
Price
Rusk
Eau Claire
Pepin
Montorville, Minn.
Page 25 Mid-American Hay Auction Results Pages 26 - 27 Dairy farmers help make breakfast super Pages 28 - 29
Page 9 Some Udder Stuff
Iron
Chippewa
Dunn
Pierce
Jason Reber
Recognizing 25 years of Carver County Dairy Expo
Kuipers move from Netherlands, thrive in Texas
Third Section: Page 11
Taylor
FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative hosts industry panel Page 22 Berning presents at Carver County Dairy Expo
Maintain prot when milk price dips Pages 38 - 39 Dairy Recipes THIRD SECTION Pages 2 - 3
Dairy’s Star Youth: Eva Doornink
n Trevor Kodesh
Burnett
Page 16
Pages 34 - 35
Second Section: Pages 20 - 21
Baldwin
Ashland
Pages 14 - 15 Dairying Around the World
DHIA Lifetime cows by $ value Pages 32 - 33 UW vet med professor explores options for mechanical ventilation
Family Ties: Sigurdsen
Second Section: Page 30
Douglas
Pages 14 - 15 Second Section
Barron
Croes family involved in local and industry organizations
Trempealeau
CAFO owners reminded of inspection requirements
Pages 15 - 16
ur
Page 30 Ramblings from the Ridge Page 31 Rural Roots Page 32 Just Thinking Out loud Page 33 Dairy Good Life Page 34 Something to Ruminate On Page 35
What is your favorite technology?
hb
Finding your values, mission, vision and goals
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
W as
FIRST SECTION Pages 1, 7 Marathon couple receives Wisconsin’s 64th Outstanding Young Farmer Award Pages 1, 5 Castaneda explains international trade, impact on farms Pages 8 - 9 Ag Insider Pages 12-13 Puerto Rico: dairy producers’ employment solution? Pages 18, 20 Repro Leaders: Metogga Lake Dairy Page 26 FSA News & Notes Page 27 The Transition Pen Page 28 Flying the friendly skies Page 29
w ela
D
Linn
Lafayette
Green
Dubuque
Jones
Jackson
Sumner
Heart for Dairy First Section: Pages 22 - 24
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 5
ConƟnued from TRADE | Page 1 Mexico about creating an agreement in the early 1990s. After hearing of this, Canada made a request for a trilateral agreement between the three countries. President George H.W. Bush, Mexican President Salinas and Canadian Prime Minster Brian Mulroney signed NAFTA in 1992. It was then ratied by legislatures of all three countries in 1993 before becoming law. NAFTA was created with the intent of reducing trade costs, increasing business investment and helping North American countries compete in the global marketplace. After NAFTA was introduced, many other countries began to examine the idea of trade agreements. From 2004 to 2012, the United States has negotiated 16 different trade agreements As for the dairy industry, producers have typically been skeptical of trade, Castaneda said. “To be honest, dairy wasn’t on the table. We didn’t like trade,” Castaneda said. Overtime, however, Castaneda said he has seen a shift in these mindsets. Following the elimination of the European Union quota system in 2015 as well as the rapid growth of New Zealand’s dairy industry, there has been an impact on global dairy markets. “New Zealand exports 95 percent of their milk,” Castaneda said. “With the removal of the E.U.’s quotas, we have seen an impact as their markets have grown rapidly in the last two years.” Castaneda said trade agreements help the United States compete in similar scenarios, but getting support on legislation continues to be a battle. “Many trade agreements have barely been passed. Most have been passed primarily on the Republican side,” Castaneda said. “These trade agreements have expanded your dollars on the farm
by giving you a larger market to service.” With a new administration in the White House, Castaneda said President Trump’s stance on trade is still unclear. While the United States has ofcially withdrawn from the Trans-Pacic Partnership, the President said the country still has a commitment to free and fair trade. “We are not sure where the President will stand or what his agenda is on trade,” Castaneda said. “We are looking for the best possible deal; while it might not be perfect, it needs to be the best deal for the United States to enter.” Castaneda said trade is a critical issue for dairy. The United States has seen a 10 percent growth in dairy trade in the last 10 years, exporting 4 billion pounds of milk product. Since 2003, 50 percent of the United States milk production growth – referred to as new milk by Castaneda – has been put into export markets. Additionally, Castaneda said dairy exports mean jobs. “For every $5 billion in dairy exports, there are 120,000 U.S. jobs. This is not limited to dairy farming, but also manufacturing and related sectors,” Castaneda said. “It is a serious matter for all of rural America.” Coming out of a tough year for dairy in 2016, Castaneda said now, more than ever, it is important for farmers to work with legislators and organizations to demand fair trade agreements that promote the consumption of dairy products from our country. “New Zealand and Europe are moving ahead of our country in dairy,” Castaneda said. “We need the support of dairy farmers to trust and work with us to nd new ways to improve our presence in the global trade economy.”
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
ConƟnued from HENDRICKSON | Page 1
Willmar Ag Show March 14-15
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“It’s going to be very, very hard. When I go back to hit the switch for the barn cleaner and I get back to where it’s been empty all winter – it’s hard.” Hendrickson said he sometimes stands behind the empty stalls and remembers each cow – one by one – that once stood there. Each one had a name. But back problems and age have taken their toll on Hendrickson, thus the reason for bidding goodbye to the cows. On March 1, Hendrickson will have lived on his farm 50 years. His parents rst rented before buying this farm, which sits on the Dane and Lafayette county line. “I was 15 when we moved here, but I was milking cows when I was 10 years old,” Hendrickson said. It wasn’t unusual for him to milk alone in the evening, while his father labored in the elds. Hendrickson liked working with good cattle so much that, after high school, he worked seven years as the herdsman on a nearby farm. Next, it was on to eastern Wisconsin, where he worked three years as a barn boss for Great Northern Land and Cattle Company in Fond du Lac, Wis. That rm held monthly production sales, offering excess cows from area farms. It also held an occasional elite consignment sale, where some cows fetched as much as $40,000. From then, it was back home to the farm near Blanchardville because his father needed surgery. Hendrickson’s two younger brothers were still in school, so Hendrickson helped shoulder the burden of the farm work. “Once I got home, I realized, home’s pretty nice.” Hendrickson said. Hendrickson and his dad worked out an arrangement that gave the younger Hendrickson 20 percent of the milk check for his contributions to the 36-cow farm. They milked grade cows then, but Hendrickson soon started building a registered herd. “I was looking for something to get me rejuvenated,” Hendrickson said. His rst registered Holstein – a blackand-white one – set him back $3,500. “That was a lot of money back then,” he said. Red-and-white cattle came to Larlee Holsteins by accident, Hendrickson said. Hendrickson had a cow that was extremely difcult to get pregnant, so he had her bred to a bull known for being just the ticket for hard settlers. The resulting calf turned out to be red-and-white. So Hendrickson decided to create his own line of red-and-white cattle. “I thought the calves were kind of cute,” Hendrickson said. Over time, the situation with Hendrickson and his father evolved into a 50-50 arrangement. But, one day the elder Hendrickson said something that has stuck with his son. That was, “’You know, Hendrickson, I thought we were in the business to sell milk, not buy it,’” Hendrickson said. Another farmer once told Hendrickson something similar: “’What’s important isn’t what goes in the tank, but what goes in the bank,’” Hendrickson said. His dad was not happy about buying so many inputs in an attempt to coax more milk out of the cows. So Hendrickson began cash renting the farm on his own and making all the decisions. “In a few months, when I couldn’t pay the feed bill, I understood what my father meant,” Hendrickson said. So Hendrickson eased up on pushing the cows. He decided to aim for a lower herd average and lower expenses in hopes to make more prot. It’s a philosophy that has stood the dairyman in good stead. Even today, Hendrickson gures his herd is at its most
protable producing 22,000 to 24,000 pounds per cow. The herd average is at approximately 23,500 pounds now, with a 4 percent fat test, a 3.2 protein test, and a somatic cell count of 110,000. Hendrickson traces his now-satised hunger for ever-higher milk production to winning an award many years ago. “The worst thing that ever happened to me was when we had the top cow in Green County one year. I got a nice, big plaque, and that’s when I started pushing the cows pretty hard. I was going to have the top herd average,” he said. To be sure, Hendrickson doesn’t totally shy away from honors and recognition. In the past, he has done well when he exhibited his cattle at local and state shows, and World Dairy Expo. In addition, he has sold a couple bulls into A.I. But those days are gone as Hendrickson is in the process of selling the rest of his herd. It’s not the scenario Hendrickson once envisioned. “My dream was, when I hit 60, I wanted to cut down to 30 to 35 cows. And then when I got to be 65, I wanted to cut down to 20 to 25 nice, registered cows and just monkey with them and let the world go by,” he said. The cost of farming these days bothers him. “[Especially] the debt young people have to take on,” he said. “I used to fret and stew when I had to borrow $20,000 to buy a chopper. I fretted and stewed until it was paid for.” Hendrickson has been selective in the way he farms his 120 acres. For instance, he has never fed a total mixed ration and does not have a freestall barn. You won’t nd a silo on the place, either. Instead, Hendrickson has his hay round baled and wrapped in plastic, to make baleage. And, he’s a fan of hay that’s a blend of alfalfa and tall fescue. Another favored crop is triticale, a cross of wheat and rye. “I seem to get more milk out of it,” Hendrickson said. Nearing the twilight of his dairying career, the veteran dairyman believes there’s still a place for smaller farms. It’s possible to still make a good living with 45 cows, he said. “Keep your expenses down and your debtload down,” Hendrickson said. “Don’t buy your milk. Make your land, your homegrown forages make your milk.” As his herd continues to shrink, Hendrickson continues to think. He remembers the words of a good friend and neighbor who died a year ago. “One thing he said to me was, ‘Hendrickson, there’s life after cows. Get rid of your cows and enjoy life,’” he said Hendrickson and Marie enjoy having their 11 grandchildren out to the farm. The youngsters enjoy the cows, horses, miniature donkeys, dogs, cats and chickens. Hendrickson especially likes the rooster. “I’ve got to have one rooster, so I can hear it crow,” he said. “That’s what makes a farm.” When the cows are all gone, Marie will continue working at the Monroe Clinic and helping on the farm – Hendrickson called his wife “the best calf feeder there ever was” – while Hendrickson tends the remaining livestock. If he could turn back the clock, yes, he would choose dairying as a career again. “It’s tough,” he said. “But I’ve gained friends and relationships from being in the registered Holstein business. I have great neighbors. When I need a hand, I can call one of them.” Hendrickson admitted that he will no doubt cry as the last of his beloved cows leaves. “I’ll go to my grave loving a good dairy cow.”
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 7
ConƟnued from WIS. OYF | Page 1
CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Sam explains the freestall barn conversion. As the Zimmermanns transiƟoned the farm from a heifer-raising operaƟon to milking, they converted one of the heifer barns into a freestall at minimal cost.
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Dairy safety net dominates House hearing Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
In more than 2.5 hours of testimony before the Trump said NAFTA will be ‘tweaked’ with CanHouse Agriculture Committee at mid-month, more ada than half of the time was devoted to dairy policy. There has been a lot of rhetoric about trade and The Margin Price Protection program the North American Free Trade AgreeAg Insider was seen as one part of the current Farm ment. President Donald Trump said Bill that needs to be improved. Univeronly minor changes will be made in sity of Missouri Extension economist the trade deal with Canada. “We have Scott Brown was asked for ideas to ima very outstanding trade relationship prove MPP, including a lower premium with Canada,” Trump said. “We will for farmers. “I found dairy producers be tweaking it, doing certain things very disinterested in making payments to benet both of our countries. It’s a for premiums and getting nothing in much less severe situation than what’s return,” said Brown. “I’m not certain taking place on the southern border. On lowering premiums generates additionthe southern border, for many years, the al participation in the program.” House transaction wasn’t fair to the U.S.” CaAgriculture Committee Ranking Memnadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau By Don Wick ber Collin Peterson said dairy farmers emphasized the relationship between Columnist are expecting a change in farm policy the United States and Canada. “We that would provide more support than know by working together, ensuring the the current safety net. The Minnesota lawmaker continued effective integration of our two econosaid it is more likely that Congress will ne tune mies, we are going to be creating greater opportunithe current Margin Price Protection program in the ties for middle-class Canadians and Americans now next Farm Bill. and well into the future.” Getting serious American Farm Bureau Federation Senior Director of Congressional Relations Mary Kay Thatcher said 2018 Farm Bill discussions are about to get serious. “These are the rst hearings of the year. They won’t be the last, but I think both sides have said they are going to start this out by really listening to farmers and other people affected by the Farm Bill, and then they will start putting pen to paper and moving forward.” The budget will be a difcult part of the conversation. “We have a big decit. People will be looking for other places they can take a cut. We already know we have less money in this Farm Bill to build a bill with a good safety net, nutrition program, etc., than we did the last time. The budget will play a big part in it.”
Ryan discusses dairy trade with Trudeau It is not known if President Trump and Prime Minister Trudeau discussed dairy policy during their meeting, but House Speaker Paul Ryan did bring it up. Ryan, who is a congressman from southern Wisconsin, said he urged Trudeau to improve market access for U.S. dairy products. Ryan also brought up dairy trade policy in a discussion with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council and International Dairy Foods Association claim Canada has new policies designed to limit U.S. dairy imports. Soybean groups oppose Dairy Pride Act The American Soybean Association and the Soyfoods Association of North America are chal-
lenging the proposed legislation that would restrict the marketing of soymilk. Dairy-state lawmakers want to prohibit the term milk from being used with anything but dairy products. The soybean trade groups downplayed any confusion over the terminology and said soymilk is an important connection point between farmers and consumers. Production drops for major dairy exporters Milk production in the top ve global dairy exporting regions declined nearly two-and-a-half percent in December. According to the U.S. Dairy Export Council and USDA, the United States was the only one of these regions with a year-over-year increase in milk production. The other four major dairy exporting regions are the European Union, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina. Dean Foods anticipates lower earnings in ‘17 For the fourth quarter, Dean Foods is reporting net income of nearly $33 million. That’s up from $18 million a year ago. Dean Foods is the largest dairy processor in the United States. Looking ahead, the company is downplaying its prot outlook. A downturn in milk consumption and costs associated with its recent joint venture with CROPP, an organic dairy cooperative. Voluntary recall expands Due to possible listeria contamination, Sargento Foods has a voluntary recall of some of its cheeses. The Feb. 10 recall was on some of the Sargento brand Colby cheeses. Seven days later, the recall was expanded to some other cheeses. Indiana-based Deutsch Kase Haus supplied the cheese to Sargento Foods and has been dropped as a supplier for the company. Pagel named Top Producer of 2017 Top Producer magazine has named Kewaunee dairy farmer John Pagel as its ‘Top Producers of Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
www.fullersmilkercenter.com
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8
the Year.’ Pagel operates the largest family-owned dairy operation in Wisconsin. In addition, Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy has three cheese manufacturing facilities and a farm-to-fork restaurant in Green Bay.
keton is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. Most recently, Marketon was a human resources and recruitment specialist for Wakeeld Pork. Trivia challenge Fleckvieh is a dual-purpose cattle breed that originated in the 19th century by crossbreeding Simmental cattle. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, how much cheese does the average American consume each year? 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.
WI dairy farmers picked for AFBF Advisory Committees Three Wisconsin farmers have been appointed to American Farm Bureau Issue Advisory Committees. Dave Daniels, of Union Grove, will participate on the farm policy committee. Joe Bragger, of Independence, is part of the water committee and Dick Gorder, of Mineral Point, joins the trade advisory committee. Daniels, Bragger and Gorder are all dairy farmers and members of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. WFBF hires communications director The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation has named Sarah Marketon as its communications director. Mar-
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Dale and Gloria Christoph of Midnite-Blu Holsteins near Boyd, Wis., milk 52 cows with a BAA of 110.4. Their cows are bred for type, strength and longevity.
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BOYD, Wis. – When it comes to the art of breeding good cows, Dale Christoph prefers to kick it old school. “We’re using bulls from the 1970s like Linjet, Jethro and Charles,” Christoph said. “I also have used a lot of Hanover-Hill Triple Threat-Red blood. Most people haven’t heard of those sires anymore.” Christoph, with his wife, Gloria, and children Trystan, Travis, Trevor, Trisha, Trent, Trace and Treyton, milks 52 cows at Midnite-Blu Registered Holsteins a few miles south of Boyd, Wis. They feel their breeding philosophy and love of genetics has kept them successful and protable. After their most recent classication in December,
the Christophs’ herd netted a breeding-age average (BAA) of 110.4 with many of their cows scoring 2E or higher. “We also have seven kids, so we really try to keep our herd between 50 to 55 cows. Anything over that just gets to be more work,” Christoph said. The cows at Midnite-Blu are bred for massive, yet stylish and balanced frames with strength and width to convert feed into milk, and aAa (Animal Analysis Associates) breeding is heavily used to mate a cow’s faults to a sire’s strengths. The Christophs were regulars at World Dairy Expo, even winning grand champion junior female with 3-D Christoph Starbrite-Red in 2005. However, their family has grown and judges’ tastes have shifted. Turn to CHRISTOPHS | Page 11
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Midnite-Blu Key Hailey is scored Excellent-93 3E, and is a granddaughter of Ter-Lyn-Tam Black Jack Hawaii EX-93 4E DOM.
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 11
ConƟnued from CHRISTOPHS | Page 10
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Midnite-Blu Redliner Starlite EX-94 2E is a daughter of Starbrite-Red, the winter yearling who took grand champion junior female of the Red and White Show at World Dairy Expo in 2005. She is 8 years old. Ten years have passed since their last walk on the colored shavings. “Our cows wouldn’t do well at shows now because they’re considered to be too old-fashioned,” Christoph said. “But, a lot of cows you see in the show ring don’t have any width anymore.” More than just feet and legs, and udders are taken into account when Christoph mates cattle. “No one looks at a cow’s head anymore, especially the muzzle. I breed for wide muzzles as well,” Christoph said. Bulls like Ilinni-Ivy Inspiration, whose dam was the rst cow to score 5E in the Holstein breed, still carry inuence at Midnite-Blu. “A cow can milk well as long as she has the frame to do so,” Christoph said. “I look at bulls with deep pedigrees with at least ve or six generations of Excellent-scored dams behind them.” The cows are also bred to mature more slowly and last longer. Several of the cows in the Christophs’ barn are
“There’s no reason why 50 percent of a herd can’t live to be 10 years old with proper feeding and care.”
DALE CHRISTOPH, DAIRY PRODUCER
over 10 years old, with one of their foundation cows, Ter-Lyn-Tam Black Jack Hawaii Excellent-93 5E DOM, passing away at the age of 17. “It’s fun to watch them develop from heifers into cows,” Gloria said. Christoph agreed. “A slower-maturing cow tends to last longer,” he said. “There’s no reason why 50 percent of a herd can’t live to be 10 years old with proper feeding and care.” The Christophs strive to keep their expenses low and try not to push the cows’ production, which hovers between 20,000 to 26,000 pounds per year depending on an individual cow’s age. “We aren’t about pounds, but about protability. We feed baleage and corn silage with some dry hay. Sure, you can feed this and that to boost production and make 100 pounds of milk a day, but 20 or 30 of those pounds has to go back to paying for those inputs, so you might as well make 65 pounds a day without those added expenses,” Christoph said. “I’ve been there, done that.”
Christoph’s farming career began a few months after he graduated from University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 1992. “I worked off the farm for three months and decided that was enough, so I went back to the family farm in Luxemburg, Wis., and trimmed hooves,” Christoph said. His parents had been using genetics from various young sires that didn’t quite pan out in the barn or bulk tank, so Christoph began buying his own semen to use on those cows. “We started using bulls like Browndale Skyline, and all but one of his daughters have gone Excellent in our herd,” Christoph said. He took a group of approximately one dozen calves to serve as the foundation for his herd. One of those calves was Black Jack Hawaii. In 2007, he and Gloria moved across the state to their current farm in Chippewa County after encountering stray voltage issues that couldn’t be resolved. In addition to completely remodeling the barn by putting in tiestalls and raising the neck rails to accommodate their large animals, Christoph tried using new genetics in his herd for a year with little success. “Calves from cows with huge frames and wide rumps would come out scrawny, and when they calved in they looked pathetic,” Christoph said. “I would end up selling them as 2-yearolds.” During December classication, the classier accomplished something at Midnite-Blu he hadn’t done in months. “He said, ‘I gave out more E’s today (as in 2E cows and beyond) than in the past several months,’” Christoph said. Balanced breeding has led to another major perk that isn’t always listed in a sire catalog or a pedigree. “We’ve noticed that docile cows come with balanced breeding,” Christoph said. Gloria concurred. “All of our kids can milk all the cows. We don’t have to tell them not to milk a certain cow because of this or that,” she said. “They’re our babies.” After moving across the state, reviving a barn and continuing to use the breeding philosophy that works for his herd, Dale Christoph has achieved milestones that many registered breeders dream of. “Our rst 5E cow, our rst AllAmerican, and a homebred cow scoring Excellent-94 – the genetics are why I farm,” Christoph said.
Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
A closer look by Jennifer Coyne
Industry news addressed with help from your neighbors
Puerto Rico: dairy producers’ employment solution?
SDSU launches training, hiring program
BROOKINGS, S.D. – On many farms, managing labor is one of the most difcult responsibilities, and with the intentions of the new administration, that job is becoming increasingly more difcult. However, with a challenging economic environment and national unemployment rate of 12 percent, could Puerto Rico be the labor solution for U.S. dairies? Maristela Rovai thinks so. “We’re at a time of immigration reform, but have a possible solution in regards to our dairy workforce,” said Rovai, South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension dairy specialist. In late 2015, Rovai and her team of Dr. Karla Hernandez and Dr. Alvaro Garcia explored different avenues for farm laborers, and developed the Upper Midwest-Puerto Rico Educational Collaborative (UMPREC).The team was awarded a Community Innovation Grant by the South Dakota Community Foundation to help fund the project. The primary goal for the project de-
velopment was to resolve labor shortages in the Midwest, particularly South Dakota. Coincidentally, the Spanishspeaking U.S. territory was also experiencing a severe economic downturn, leaving many Puerto Ricans without employment. “Our rst concern was nding enough skilled, well-trained laborers,” Rovai said. “This collaboration could be a good way to help with Puerto Rico’s economic problem and also our challenge here.” As a U.S. territory, those living in Puerto Rico are considered legal U.S. citizens upon arriving on U.S. soil and must abide by the U.S. constitution; although, the territory also has their own constitution. Because of these circumstances, proper hiring of Puerto Ricans for dairy farm employment must go through the Puerto Rican Department of Labor. “U.S. dairy farmers have to go through the system and create a formal job offer, explaining the job requirements,” Rovai said. However, if a dairy producer places an advertisement for hired help, and a Puerto Rican discovers the notice and reaches out to the farm, the hiring process does not need to be monitored in the same capacity. Over the past 18 months, Rovai
has hosted several meetings with South Dakota dairy producers and community members to further enhance the project – identifying needs of area dairies, as well as addressing concerns. Rodney and Dorothy Elliot, of Lake Norden, S.D., have attended these meetings and provided input, alongside two of their Puerto Rican employees. Three years ago, the Elliots were amidst a challenge on their 4,500-cow dairy, Drumgoon Dairy, struggling to nd and retain workers. “It was a staff crisis,” said Rodney Elliot, who employs 50 individuals. “It was tough to nd people willing to work hard and stay.” In the years that followed, the Elliots worked with an agency to legally hire Puerto Ricans for jobs on their dairy. However, with inconsistency within the agency’s contract and lack of skilled workers, the Elliots only retained three employees from the many who arrived at the dairy. “Sometimes, I was picking them up at the airport and bringing them back the next day. We weren’t getting any work done,” Elliot said. “On the bright side, the ones who stayed have brought success to the farm.” Because of their previous unsuccessful searches for new employees through a third party organization, the
Elliots expressed concerns for UMPREC’s approach. “We can’t sugar coat this. Farming is not an ideal job for everyone, but when you have a family to feed, it’s a good job,” Elliot said. “This is a new idea to nd people, and I think going through the Department of Labor is the correct route.” Also joining the efforts were Stan Moore, with Michigan State University. In December, Rovai and Moore traveled to Puerto Rico to visit with Carlos Román Román, assistant deputy director for the Employment Service Division of the Puerto Rico Department of Labor. “The [economic] crisis on the island has affected thousands. If people manage to get jobs on U.S. dairies, they could be a part of a new workplace,” Román Román said. Together, the group hosted several orientation sessions that explained the purpose of the collaboration and what the commitment would be. “Puerto Ricans are searching for the American Dream, a promising new start for future generations to come,” Rovai said. “they seek nancial security, but the priority is an embracing community for them and their families.” Now that the program has gained interest from both dairy producers and Turn to PUERTO RICO | Page 13
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Maristela Rovai hosts an educaƟonal seminar to interested workers in Ponce, Puerto Rico, this past winter. This spring, Rovai will conduct more educaƟonal and training seminars for those willing to work on U.S. dairy farms. potential employees, Rovai and her team are establishing a thorough training program that would prepare workers for daily tasks at the dairy. “We want to recruit workers that understand daily dairy operations and are able to handle the responsibilities,” Rovai said. “Most of them don’t have any dairy experience and don’t know that they might be working up to 12-hour days, six days a week.” The trainings will begin this spring at the University of Puerto Rico Research Station, exposing job candidates to real on-farm scenarios, and further educating them on basic dairy knowledge including milking procedures, safe cow-handling practices and proper animal welfare practices, among many more. “This will be crucial because we want to protect both sides, the dairy farmers and these workers,” Rovai said. “We really want to nd people who are committed.” Additionally, once the Puerto Ricans arrive in the United States, they will undergo more specic training with dairy producers and become integrated into
the communities through social training classes. “This program will provide us with the opportunity to expand on what we’re doing already; to further embrace different cultures, knowing people are more likely to stay if they feel a part of our community,” said Stacy Aesoph, with the Brookings Economic Development Corporation in Brookings, S.D. “This could directly benet dairies, but also the local communities.” As UMPREC further develops, Rovai is hopeful this may be an option to better the labor concerns in the Upper Midwest, and eventually, across the entire nation. Dairy producers, like the Elliots, are cautiously hopeful this program may be another source of labor, in addition to the local hired help, and those working under J1 and TN-2 visas. “Nobody said it would be easy, and it’s denitely not going to be easy, but something has to happen,” Elliot said. “Puerto Rico could be a part of our cocktail of labor options.”
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
ConƟnued from TECHNOLOGY | Page 15 Trevor Kodesh Haugen, Wis. Barron County 325 cows What has been your favorite technology you’ve ever incorporated into your dairy? It’s a simple one, but my favorite technology has been oxygen barrier silage lm. It’s a saran-wrap type material that goes on top of silage piles, but under the silage plastic. It has saved tons of feed on our dairy, and has saved us from having to shovel rotten feed off the tops of our piles. We started using it in 2013, when we purchased our own packing tractor and started building haylage piles. Prior to that, we bagged haylage. This was the year we were selling large square bales for $150 each. We were pulling our hair out throwing away spoiled feed, so we decided to give it a try. We are currently feeding a pile of third crop that was harvested 20 months ago. This particular pile we ran out of this product on; half was covered with it, half was not. The part that was not covered had 6 to 8 inches of spoilage. The part that was covered had none. What factors do you consider when deciding if a technology is right for your dairy operation? Because we are a very labor intensive dairy, the main factor we consider is if we will actually have the time to use the technology and whether or not it will save us time. If price wasn’t an issue, what technology would you incorporate into your dairy? A new robotic barn. I think robots are a great thing. They always show up to work, are able to measure all sorts of data, cannot be overstocked and you don’t have to worry about cows being treated with poor stockmanship. When you throw money into the equation, it’s a technology that needs a lot of research, I feel. What technology do you feel has made the biggest impact in the dairy industry? I’m going to go with sexed semen ooding the country with cows. We are guilty of using it as well. We like the calving ease factor a heifer calf has on a heifer, and an abundant amount of cows has put us in a very good business situation. We’d rather sell cows than be short. What technology is out there now that you are researching? Explain. I wouldn’t say I am researching anything currently, but I wish we could have more measurement tools in our milking facility. I believe we could monitor the cows much better with measurement tools, but it’s just not practical in the facility. What kind of technology do you wish was available, that isn’t? Why? I really don’t have an answer. There are so many great technologies out there already that we don’t use, so I’m not going to think up more. Tell us about your farm. We are a family owned and operated dairy farm on the northern end of Barron County, eight miles north west of Rice Lake. We farm 1,200 acres around the Haugen area. Last year we grew 800 acres of corn, 300 BMR chopped and a little over 500 combined. We also grew around 300 acres of alfalfa and the rest is grass for dry cows and heifers. This coming year, we will be incorporating soybeans into the rotation. On the dairy we have 325 Holsteins, 275 of which are milking on our twice a day schedule. Cows are housed in a sand bedded freestall barn. Cows are taken to an old tiestall barn for milking, built in 1904 and holds 42 cows. Two people milk, and each person runs six automatic take off units. There are six Kodeshes involved. My brother and I feed in the mornings. Then he spends the rest of his day in the shop. He does a lot of the eld work and is the only one who runs our forage harvester and combine. My dad and I take care of the cows, and my mom does calves. My sister-in-law, Chrissy, works part time taking care of calves as well. My wife, Kaylie, helps when needed, but due to our wedding last summer and being pregnant, she hasn’t had a lot of time to help. We have one employee, Terry Drost, but would like to hire another employee. Me, Mom, Dad, and Chrissy take turns milking. We also have many family members and neighbors who help out when needed and during eld work.
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What has been your favorite technology you’ve ever incorporated into your dairy? Fifteen years ago, I added automatic detachers and 4 more milking units for a total of 8 units in my double 4 milking parlor. It makes milking easier and faster with only one person in the parlor.
What has been your favorite technology you’ve ever incorporated into your dairy? Heat detection collars. I started using collars so we could minimize the amount of drugs to get cows pregnant. It has been an efcient way to catch cows that show low or even silent heats.
What factors do you consider when deciding if a technology is right for your dairy operation? Cost, and if the new technology will add more maintenance and upkeep. If price wasn’t an issue what technology would you incorporate into your dairy? I would add a heat detection system. With smaller herds such as mine, there are less cows to spread out the costs of the system per cow. What technology do you feel has made the biggest impact in the dairy industry? Robot milkers. They have kept more dairy farmers in the industry who have had a hard time nding hired labor. What technology is out there now that you are researching? A water treatment system for the cow’s drinking water. If your cows drink more water, they will give more milk. What kind of technology do you wish was available, that isn’t? Why? A pause button for the cows. You could push the button and put them on pause and take some time off. Tell us about your farm. I am the 4th generation of our family to farm here since 1888. I milk 65 head of Holsteins. My wife, Dianne, works as a Registered Nurse at Avera in Tyler, Minnesota. Our oldest daughter, Rachel, works at Valley Queen Cheese Factory in Milbank, South Dakota. Our second daughter, Krista, will graduate from South Dakota State University this spring with a degree in Dairy Manufacturing and has taken a job with DFA in Kansas City. Our son, Ross, is a freshman at SDSU where he is studying Agronomy.
What technology do you feel has made the biggest impact in the dairy industry? The TMR, because it has made it much simpler to feed and manage large amounts of cattle and to ensure the proper ration is delivered to every animal the same way. What technology is out there now that you are researching? Calf-Vantage. I am currently doing a study with Calf-Vantage on our farm that grows heifers 24 percent faster. I feel this can have a great impact on any dairy’s bottom line. What kind of technology do you wish was available, that isn’t? Calving tags. I would like for there to be a tag that would mount onto the cows tails that will sense her calving and send an alert. I feel it would be benecial for problem calvers and to ensure calves are taken care of in a timely matter. Tell us about your farm. We currently run 480 acres and milk 250 cows with robots in Crawford County.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 17
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
Repro Leaders
Preg rate success a team effort at Metogga Lake Dairy Metogga Lake Dairy Ray, Bridget, Tim, Brian, Nick and Dan Pieper; Tracy Cemensky; Chrissy Duhme New Prague, Minn. Rice County 425 cows
How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? We have a weekly vet check where we use ultrasound on both cows and heifers to be conrmed pregnant or open. If an animal is open, she will go on ovsynch.
What was your pregnancy rate average last year? Last year, our pregnancy rate averaged 28 percent.
What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in bull selection? We like to use quality high net merit and high milk bulls. When selecting bulls to use, we focus on net merit, milk, fat, protein, somatic cell score, productive life, foot and leg composite, udder composite and sire conception rate. We also look at fertility, and it truly does make a difference. Chrissy chooses a few bulls from four genetic companies that t into our criteria, and then a genetics company mates the cows for us using the bulls Chrissy chose.
What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? For cows, our voluntary waiting period is 60 days in milk. For heifers, we will breed them at 12 months if they are big enough. Otherwise, we start them on lutalyse at 14 months. What is your rst service conception rate? For cows, the rst service conception rate is 50 percent while it is at 63 percent for heifers. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? All cows are in a G-6-G synch program. At 42 days, we give
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
The Piepers family – (from leŌ) Brian, Nick, Tracy Cemensky, Dan, Tim and Chrissy Duhme – along with their vet, Dr. Dan Kreuser (right) work as a team to keep their 425-cow herd’s average pregnancy rate at 28 percent. The Piepers farm near New Prague, Minn. prostaglandin, then GnRH at 44 and 50 days. At 57 days, we give prostaglandin again followed by GnRH at 59 days before being bred at 60 days. We’ve been using this program for six years. All heifers are bred off standing heat from 12
to 14 months. If we don’t see a standing heat, we give prostaglandin at 14 months and again two weeks later. Heifers that show no heats from prostaglandin are given GnRH at 14 months 3 weeks of age and then bred at 15 months.
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How do you observe for heat? We watch our heifers when we clean and scrape barns daily for about 15 minutes each day. Cows are observed for heat when walking to the parlor at milking time twice a day.
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How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? The only difference for cows and heifers is we make Turn to PIEPERS | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 19
“Udder Comfort works… without handling. Just spray it on. — Adam Faust
AUSTONE HOLSTEINS, Adam Faust CHILTON, WISCONSIN 70 registered Holsteins, 75 lbs, SCC 150,000
“I am sold on this product. It gets edema out fast for a complete milkout.
“I picked up an Udder Comfort™ sample on the first day of the 2016 Oshkosh show. Two days later, after using it on a high-pedigree 2-yr-old, I had my hired man go back to buy a whole gallon. That fresh heifer had not been milking out completely and was giving well below her production potential. “I sprayed her udder after each milking, and by the 3rd time, she was milking out to a dishrag. Her 7-day average rose quickly from 15 to 94 lbs after the Udder Comfort straightened her out,” explained Adam Faust of Faustone Holsteins, Chilton, Wisconsin. Recently, Adam was named one of 5 statewide finalists for Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer.
“We spray Udder Comfort on all fresh udders after each milking for 7 days. I see them get going and SCC come down faster, and far fewer high-count cows. I tried other brands but did not see benefits, so I was skeptical that this would do anything without massage. Udder Comfort works, and it works without handling. Just spray it on.”
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
Con�nued from PIEPERS | Page 18
sure to use calving ease bulls on our heifers. Heifers are bred in headlocks and our cows are sorted during milking to a holding pen and bred in a small pen with a palpation rail. Brian does most of the breeding, but Tim and Nick also help when needed. What do you do to settle hard breeders? We use an extremely high settler, outcross bull on cows that have been bred four times or more.
How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? We get over 90 percent of our cows and heifers pregnant on the rst three breedings. We will go up to ve breedings depending on her production, days in milk and the history of the cow. It always depends on each cow, but if a mature cow is milking less than 80 pounds of milk she will probably be put on the do-not-breed list while heifers milking under 60 pounds of milk will be on the do-not-breed list.
Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? We work closely with our vet, Dr. Dan Kreuser. Our breeding seems to get better every year, which we think is the result of breeding solid, sound cows to good healthtrait bulls. Tell us about your farm. Ray and Bridget Pieper purchased the farm in 1973. Although they are still involved on the farm, it is now mostly run
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Chrissy Duhme looks over a sire summary book in the office on her family’s dairy.
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Dan Pieper and Dr. Dan Kreuser walk behind a group of heifers they are pregnancy checking on the Piepers’ dairy near New Prague, Minn.
by six of their children – the second generation to operate Metogga Lake Dairy. Our farm seems to keep growing little by little every year. We focus on putting up quality feed, maintaining healthy cows, cow comfort, improving efciency and communication. In 1988, the farm went through its rst expansion in the stall barn, growing to 60 cows from 35. In 1997, a freestall barn was
added and the stall barn was converted into a double-10 herringbone parlor to milk the herd, which had grown to 200 cows. In 2010, the most recent expansion happened with another freestall barn to accommodate the farm’s increasing cow numbers. In between all those years, there were also three heifer barns added for the youngstock.
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 21
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FIELD CULTIVATORS CIH 200, 2011, #129150......... $55,000 JD 985, 1995, #130971 .......... $18,000 JD 2210, 2009, #131140 ........ $44,900 JD 2210, 2005, #120515 ........ $39,500 JD 2210, 2006, #119500 ........ $37,900 JD 2210, 2007, #102810 ........ $37,900 JD 2210, #135359 .................... $32,000 LARGE SQUARE BALERS JD L330, 2016, #125537 ......$125,900 JD L330, 2015, #135164 ......$109,000 MOWER CONDITIONERS JD 635, 2013, #134300 .......... $21,900 JD 635, 2008, #126498 .......... $15,900 JD 830, 2015, #134944 .......... $25,900 JD 835, 2015, #133943 .......... $26,500 JD 835, 2012, #130580 .......... $24,000 JD 835, 2008, #131315 .......... $18,500 JD 946, 2014, #126997 .......... $32,000 JD 946, 2014, #126629 .......... $30,900 JD 946, 2011, #126500 .......... $25,500 JD 946, 2009, #132018 .......... $23,500 JD 946, 2005, #130363 .......... $17,500 JD 956, 2013, #121134 .......... $28,900 JD 956, 2011, #126054 .......... $27,900 NH H7150, 2012, #126620 .... $24,500 NH H7150, 2011, #122976 .... $19,900 PLANTERS: DRAWN JD 1750, 2013, #131524 ........ $36,500 JD 1750, 2001, #127462 ........ $20,500 JD 1750, 1998, #123390 ........ $20,000 JD 1760, 2005, #134967 ........ $39,700 JD 1760, 1997, #135651 ........ $27,900 JD 1770, 2011, #132629 ........ $72,500 JD 1770, 2004, #120099 ........ $42,900 JD 1780, 2001, #134553 ........ $42,500 JD 1780, 2001, #135591 ........ $34,900 JD 1780, 1997, #127222 ........ $28,500 JD 1770NT, 2014, #134722 ....................................$127,330 JD 1770NT, 2012, #117386 ... $89,500 JD 1770NT, 2014, #120447 ... $89,500 JD 1770NT, 2010, #134770 ... $78,732 JD 1770NT, 2010, #123272 ... $77,500 JD 1770NT, 2010, #131019 ... $75,000 JD 1770NT, 2010, #120512 ... $71,500 JD 1770NT, 2006, #135018 ... $64,000 JD 1770NT CCS, 2013, #125129 ....................................$115,000 JD 1770NT CCS, 2012, #135066 ...................................... $99,500 JD 1790 CCS, 2004, #125700 ...................................... $67,900 JD 1790 CCS, 2004, #124998 ...................................... $61,900 JD DB44, 2015, #132329 .....$169,000 JD DB44, 2005, #134620 ....... $89,900 JD DB44, 2008, #131589 ....... $58,500 JD DB66, 2009, #101972 .....$149,000 PULL-TYPE SPRAYERS Hardi 4400, 2011, #135264 .. $37,900
129,900
2015 JD 6155R $ #134317
3 Top Air TA1600, 2013, #134895 ...................................... $52,000 ROUND BALERS 12 JD 458, 2009, #131244 .......... $18,900 6 JD 469, 2013, #131787 .......... $30,900 7 JD 469, 2014, #121911 .......... $30,900 5 JD 568, 2011, #126221 .......... $32,900 9 JD 568, 2008, #119918 .......... $30,000 1 JD 568, 2007, #122377 .......... $25,900 11 JD 568, 2007, #131763 .......... $18,900 8 JD 568, 2007, #131030 .......... $17,500 8 JD 569, 2012, #134619 .......... $42,000 7 JD 569, 2015, #135163 .......... $41,000 8 JD 569, 2015, #134021 .......... $40,500 10 JD 569, 2013, #126055 .......... $38,900 8 JD 569, 2014, #124210 .......... $38,900 4 JD 569, 2014, #135360 .......... $37,000 2 JD 569, 2013, #135012 .......... $26,900 2 JD 458 Silage Special, 2010, #132415 ...................................... $19,500 4 JD 459 Silage Special, 2013, #134718 ...................................... $32,500 5 JD 468 Silage Special, 2012, #132115 ...................................... $31,900 2 JD 468 Silage Special, 2011, #126398 ...................................... $30,900 4 JD 468 Silage Special, 2012, #134462 ...................................... $26,000 6 JD 569 Silage Special, 2015, #134962 ...................................... $44,500 10 JD 582 Silage Special, 2006, #132056 ...................................... $18,500 10 NH BR7090, 2012, #133944 .. $22,900 11 NH BR7090, 2008, #123046.. $21,900 1 CIH RB564, 2008, #129522 ... $23,000 TRACTORS 12 JD 2950, 1984, 10321 hrs., #134614 ...................................... $24,500 1 JD 4255, 1991, 11822 hrs., #133470 ...................................... $27,900 2 JD 4560, 1993, 4640 hrs., #135362 ...................................... $56,000 8 JD 4955, 1989, 8190 hrs., #133760 ...................................... $52,900 10 International 5488, 1982, 8140 hrs., #129314 ...................................... $24,500 10 JD 6400, 1994, 7825 hrs., #129836 ...................................... $34,900 4 JD 6400, 1997, 12549 hrs., #134717 ...................................... $29,700 11 JD 6420, 2005, 4279 hrs., #135510 ...................................... $58,000 8 JD 6430, 2010, 696 hrs., #128336 ...................................... $72,500 10 JD 6430, 2008, 3072 hrs., #125897 ...................................... $64,500 4 MF 6616, 2014, 898 hrs., #127776 ...................................... $99,500 4 JD 7420, 2007, 4776 hrs., #134043 ...................................... $64,900 4 JD 7420, 2007, 5301 hrs., #134042 ...................................... $58,900
86,900
2013 JD 6125M, $ 125 hp., 243 hrs., #123591
10 JD 7520, 2007, 13300 hrs., #134769 ...................................... $34,900 8 JD 7630, 2007, 3782 hrs., #131106 ....................................$105,000 4 JD 7830, 2008, 3289 hrs., #135361 ....................................$114,500 11 JD 7920, 2003, 4910 hrs., #134912 ...................................... $94,900 6 JD 8100, 1994, 3510 hrs., #134258 ...................................... $81,900 4 JD 8220, 2004, 1640 hrs., #132349 ....................................$122,000 8 JD 8220, 2002, 5469 hrs., #127863 ....................................$108,500 11 JD 8330, 2006, 4009 hrs., #121999 ....................................$124,900 6 CIH 145 PUMA, 2013, 755 hrs., #134447 ...................................... $84,500 10 JD 5075M, 2009, 385 hrs., #135624 ...................................... $39,500 4 JD 5075M, 2013, 100 hrs., #125138 ...................................... $38,000 6 JD 5085E, 2016, 241 hrs., #124729 ...................................... $51,900 12 JD 5085M, 2012, 1610 hrs., #125293 ...................................... $45,900 6 JD 5100E, 2016, 99 hrs., #124826 ...................................... $54,900 7 JD 5100M, 2015, 295 hrs., #118463 ...................................... $62,900 4 JD 5115M, 2012, 611 hrs., #129621 ...................................... $66,500 6 JD 6105E, 2016, 292 hrs., #124868 ...................................... $63,900 4 JD 6105M, 2014, 320 hrs., #132099 ...................................... $71,000 4 JD 6105R, 2014, 106 hrs., #127952 ...................................... $99,000 2 JD 6105R, 2013, 414 hrs., #135169 ...................................... $91,500 4 JD 6110R, 2015, 104 hrs., #119898 ....................................$105,900 12 JD 6120E, 2016, 125 hrs., #124883 ...................................... $73,900 8 JD 6120E, 2016, 267 hrs., #124871 ...................................... $67,900 4 JD 6120R, 2015, 132 hrs., #124875 ....................................$118,900 5 JD 6125M, 2013, 657 hrs., #126547 ...................................... $91,000 11 JD 6125M, 2013, 359 hrs., #123591 ...................................... $86,900 4 JD 6125R, 2013, 500 hrs., #134131 ....................................$103,000 7 JD 6125R, 2014, 505 hrs., #135212 ...................................... $99,500 3 JD 6125R, 2014, 479 hrs., #128687 ...................................... $99,000 10 JD 6130D, 2015, 223 hrs., #123740 ...................................... $69,500 11 JD 6130D, 2011, 4100 hrs., #134834 ...................................... $44,900
JD 5085M, 2012, $ 85 hp., 1610 hrs., #125293
47,995
10 JD 6135E, 2015, 1 hr., #124880 ...................................... $76,900 4 JD 6135E, 2015, 298 hrs., #124885 ...................................... $71,900 7 JD 6140D, 2014, 15 hrs., #133561 ...................................... $68,900 10 JD 6140D, 2013, 378 hrs., #131138 ...................................... $62,500 9 JD 6145R, 2015, 268 hrs., #120191 ....................................$122,900 9 JD 6150R, 2013, 698 hrs., #127915 ....................................$119,000 2 JD 6155R, 2015, 170 hrs., #134317 ....................................$129,900 1 JD 6155R, 2015, 179 hrs., #124983 ....................................$129,500 8 JD 6175R, 2015, 650 hrs., #135147 ....................................$148,000 1 JD 7200R, 2012, 729 hrs., #135070 ....................................$129,900 1 JD 7215R, 2013, 447 hrs., #117213 ....................................$149,500 4 JD 7215R, 2013, 1150 hrs., #133909 ....................................$142,000 2 JD 7215R, 2012, 2848 hrs., #135525 ....................................$123,100 1 JD 7230R, 2014, 447 hrs., #126805 ....................................$193,000 2 JD 7230R, 2015, 88 hrs., #134308 ....................................$187,500 1 JD 7230R, 2015, 446 hrs., #126922 ....................................$171,500 3 JD 8235R, 2013, 1636 hrs., #127894 ....................................$159,000 8 JD 8245R, 2015, 767 hrs., #134375 ....................................$192,900 4 JD 8245R, 2015, 494 hrs., #135325 ....................................$185,500 3 JD 8245R, 2014, 429 hrs., #107406 ....................................$172,900 5 JD 8260R, 2013, 1527 hrs., #125130 ....................................$179,000 6 JD 8270R, 2015, 223 hrs., #117210 ....................................$247,000 2 JD 8270R, 2015, 100 hrs., #134459 ....................................$239,000 2 JD 8285R, 2011, 1345 hrs., #118552 ....................................$226,900 8 JD 8295R, 2015, 911 hrs., #134373 ....................................$224,900 7 JD 8320R, 2014, 2084 hrs., #127013 ....................................$227,500 1 JD 8320R, 2010, 2557 hrs., #117098 ....................................$185,000 3 JD 8335R, 2013, 2029 hrs., #127896 ....................................$219,000 4 Kubota M100GX, 2014, 450 hrs., #131537 ...................................... $49,000 6 CIH MAGNUM 180, 2010, 1227 hrs., #131001 ....................................$103,500 2 CIH PUMA 230 CVT, 2012, 760 hrs., #121468 ...................................$159,000
JD 6140D, 2013, $ 140 hp., 378 hrs., #131138
62,500
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
Wood
Shavings BULK
OR
BAG
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For February, we asked dairy producers who have been milking cows for over 30 years what they love about dairying.
HEART
Put the PLUS+ in your farm
DAIRY
™
™
Doug Pierce Dairy Farming for
44 Years
Doug Pierce milks 60 cows near North Bend, Wis.
Milk Quality Productivity
How many years have you been dairy farming? I have been farming for 44 years on my own, but have been on a dairy farm since I was 3. Tell us about your farm. I currently have 60 cows. I grew up on a farm in La Crosse, Wis., before purchasing my rst dairy in Galesville, Wis. Eventually I made my way to North Bend. I milk in a double-8 parallel parlor which I put in six weeks ago as my 63rd birthday present to myself. This is my third time getting back into farming; four years ago, I sold the cows and six months later started milking again. A year ago in June, I stopped milking, but I’m back again. I’m not ready to quit. No matter how upset I get on the farm, I can’t say no.
Herd Health
What has been the key to the longevity of your dairy career? Never giving up. There is no secret to dairy farming; it’s just all I’ve ever wanted to do. It is easier to go out to the barn and work hard.
Your partners in dairy production We offer a complete range of products to our customers. We service what we sell to help keep your farm in top shape. Our goal is to make you more profitable and more efficient through innovative equipment, aftermarket solutions, scheduled maintenance and 24 hour emergency services.
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Mondovi Dairy Systems Inc. Mondovi, WI 715-926-5777 West Salem, WI 608-769-2113 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
What do you love about dairy farming? I love to see how cows perform. I love a happy, healthy cow that milks a fair amount. I’m happy as long as I don’t have to call a vet. Any cow that has no issues is a good cow to have. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in your dairying career, and how did you overcome it? I was young and had a 16 percent interest rate when I bought this farm in the 80s. The milk price went up, and I was able to pay it off. You can get through tough times by doing the best job you can and by getting better each day.
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IOWA Kramer Bros. Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United-Suckow Dairy Supply West Union, IA 563-422-5355 Postville, IA 563-864-7417
What has been your most memorable dairy farming experience? The day I was honored enough to buy this farm. I was at an auction when I heard about this 100-acre farm. Having grown up on sand, this farm was pure gold. People said it was some of the best acres in Jackson County, and it has proved to be true. It is a great farm; I have built all the buildings myself, which means a lot to me.
East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Genex Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, MN 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 © 2017 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. www.delaval.com
What advice do you have for people considering dairy farming as their career? Farming is not an overnight success. You don’t get in it with the expectation of making big money. You need to be dedicated; if you can’t work seven days a week, there is no way you are going to be able to succeed. You have to love the land and love the cattle. The farm is number one; if you walk away when there is trouble, you’re going to have bigger problems down the line. Work rst, play second. What is your favorite dairy product or prepared dish with a dairy product in it? I love milk; I could drink milk all day long. Turn to HEART | Page 23
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 23
ConƟnued from HEART | Page 22
HEART
DAIRY Tom & Beth Kearns Dairy Farming for
32 Years
Sarah, Tom and Beth Kearns milk 150 cows near Seneca, Wis.
Tell us about your farm. In 1985, we bought a herd of cows and rented a barn in Pennsylvania, to get our start in farming. Neither of us grew up on a farm. We bought all our feed and concentrated on the cows. In 1993, we moved to Wisconsin and bought our farm with 250 acres. We moved 40 milk cows and 45 heifers and a little bit of equipment with us. Our farm was a traditional Wisconsin dairy, with a 61-stall stanchion barn. We bought a neighboring 85 acres of cropland in 2001. In 2007, we installed a swing-9 parlor in this barn and built a freestall barn. We currently have 150 cows, mostly Holsteins with a few Jerseys. We farm about 275 acres, all corn and hay. We have ve children, who have all been involved in the farm over the years. What has been the key to the longevity of your dairy career? We thoroughly enjoy what we do. We are always striving to get better, always looking for new and different ways of doing things, and trying not to be afraid of change.
women. Also, developing some really good cow families that include TOMBETH Jolt Erin EX94 4E and TOMBETH KK Iatola Visa EX94. The majority of our herd traces back to these two cows. What do you love about dairy farming? It’s such a blessing to be able to work with my wife and children. Also, seeing the whole cycle of life, planting to harvest, mating a cow and seeing the resulting offspring. Also, knowing you’re following the Lord’s plan for your life. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in your dairying career, and how did you overcome it? We’ve faced numerous challenges over the years, from low milk prices to herd health issues. We try to look at the different options each challenge presents and sometimes be willing to change our way of thinking. What advice do you have for people considering dairy farming as their career? Surround yourself with positive, knowledgeable people. Always strive to learn more. Be willing to try different ways. Remember that cows pay the bills, so focus on what will improve their lives. Get as much eldwork custom done as possible when you start. Add value to your milk with high components and a low SCC. Learn how to raise healthy calves. Encourage people to drink whole milk: It’s 96.75 percent fat free. What is your favorite dairy product or prepared dish with a dairy product in it? A glass of milk right out of the bulk tank at 38 degrees. A slice of extrasharp, 8-year-old cheddar cheese. Turn to HEART | Page 25
What has been your most memorable dairy farming experience? Raising our family on the farm and watching them become responsible young men and
HEART
DAIRY Lee & Nancy West Dairy Farming for
36 Years
Lee and Nancy West milk 35 cows near Lewiston, Minn.
How many years have you been dairy farming? 36 years Tell us about your farm. Our farm is Lee’s family’s farm. He is the second generation to dairy here. We both grew up on dairy farms and were involved in 4-H. We met at the state fair – Lee worked on the rst oor of the 4-H building among the exhibits and Nancy worked as dorm staff. We both attended the University of Minnesota. We graduated in the early ‘80s, and returned to farm with Lee’s dad and older brother. In 1990, his brother left and we farmed together with Lee’s dad until he passed away ve years ago. Nancy does calf chores every day, along with working off the farm as the secretary for Lewiston-Altura Elementary School. We have two adult daughters who grew up on the farm and now have their own careers. What has been the key to the longevity of your dairy career? Dairy farming is part of who we are. It’s our identity. We didn’t want to do anything else. But, having an off-the-farm job helps give us stability. It gives us insurance and allows us to better ride out the ups and downs of dairy farming. What has been your most memorable dairy farming experience? Running over the bulk tank. It was a about 25 years ago. We were milking a lot of cows and they were making a lot of milk. That was a goal. We took pictures. What do you love about dairy farming? We love the independence of dairy farming, and we like managing cows, not people. That’s why we’ve stayed small. Dairy farming also has a variety of jobs. There’s always something different every day. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in your dairying career and how did you overcome it? In the early 1990s, we had Johnes in our herd, but it was before people really knew what it was. We knew about as much as the vet did. At one point, we had a 30 percent infection rate. We started getting things turned around and we had a barn re in 1996. Those two things forced us to cut down our herd size. But we got through the re, and started learning about Johnes and how to prevent it. What advice do you have for people considering dairy farming as their career? You have to be dedicated and willing to work hard. It’s not a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job, so if that’s what you want, this is not for you. What is your favorite dairy product or prepared dish with a dairy product in it? We like cheese, especially sharp cheddar. I (Nancy) use it a lot in cooking. We like grilled cheese sandwiches.
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 25
ConƟnued from HEART | Page 23
HEART
HEART
DAIRY
DAIRY
Terry Schwichtenberg
Philip & Carol Uhlenhopp
Dairy Farming for
32 Years
Dairy Farming for
Terry Schwichtenberg milks 35 cows near Waterville, Minn.
How many years have you been dairy farming? I took over my family’s dairy farm in 1985.
41 Years
Philip & Carol Uhlenhopp milk 45 cows near Sumner, Iowa
Tell us about your farm. Our farm has been in our family for over 100 years. My wife, Cindy, and I are the fth generation. Along with our cows, we also have 160 acres with 120 tillable. We grow corn, soybeans and alfalfa.
How many years have you been dairy farming? Forty-one as a married couple. Tell us about your farm. We own 80 acres and 40-45 cows. We raise all our corn and buy all other feed. We raise all our heifers as replacements and sell our bull calves at a few days of age.
What has been the key to the longevity of your dairy career? I think keys to longevity are hard work, help and support from family, and smart business decisions.
What has been the key to the longevity of your dairy career? Communication and commitment.
What has been your most memorable dairy farming experience? I think every day is memorable. There are new and different experiences all the time. Since they are all memorable, I can’t hang my hat on just one.
What has been your most memorable dairy farming experience? Our cow had triplet heifers, and they all made it into the milking string. What do you love about dairy farming? We enjoy working with the cows and seeing the circle of life from birth to the milking barn.
What do you love about dairy farming? I love the daily challenges and the rewards that come with it. Some days are better than others. It feels good at night when you’re done for the day and can go to sleep knowing you did your best that day. We feel our kids have had a huge advantage in life being raised on the farm. They know the value of a good work ethic and the expression, “You’re not done until the job at hand is done.” They know what pride in a job well done feels like. It’s a reward knowing they’ve learned these life skills.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in your dairying career, and how did you overcome it? Being able to nd a farm with dairy facilities. We rented two places before we found and bought the farm we are on now.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in your dairying career, and how did you overcome it? Low milk prices. I’ve learned to get through the hard times by making sure the cows get the best of care and the best of feed. Personally, some expenses that aren’t needed have to be cut back. It also helps to have a second income. Cindy is a registered dental hygienist. That has made a big difference.
What is your favorite dairy product or prepared dish with a dairy product in it? Phil likes a cold glass of milk, while Carol enjoys any avor of ice cream.
What advice do you have for people considering dairy farming as their career? Take it slow and easy. Milk quality cows. Watch your debt load.
What advice do you have for people considering dairy farming as their career? Work hard, be careful and don’t get in over your head. What is your favorite dairy product or prepared dish with a dairy product in it? Cold milk from the bulk tank, buttered popcorn, ice cream with strawberries, peanuts and chocolate, and rice pudding.
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507-279-0292 Justin 507-456-0006
Gerard Becker
Long Prairie, MN (320) 290-9261
Hy View Feeds 507-493-5564 Mabel, MN
Valley View Ag Russ Funke Dyersville, IA (563) 590-6939
Schueler Farms
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Sherman Schueler 330-987-3159 Willmar, MN John Dockendorf (320) 894-4808 Greenwald, MN (320) 290-1240
Jack Stamschror
Altura, MN
Crop & Livestock Nutrition Atwater, MN (320) 212-3190
Cleeson Mill
(507) 458-5907 Luxemburg Feed Service
Luxemburg, MN (320) 252-1513
Winscher Seeds Mike Winscher 320-282-6748 Shawn Winscher Royalton, MN (320) 420-4516
Timberline Dairy Service Joe Graber Kalona, IA (319) 656-3527
Kellogg, MN (507) 259-0269
Dale Ommodt, CCA
Jason Mickelson Frazee, MN 218-849-3137
Lee Kurtenbach
Mechanicksville, IA (319) 241-5105
Peak Forage Products LLC
Benjamin Arlt
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Tim Huffman 608-574-7918 Nelson Horst Adam Decker 608-988-6855 Canton S.D. Kevin Zimmerman (605) 359-0765 608-574-7918
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Mervin Beachy St. Ansgar, IA (641) 381-0054
Big Stone City S.D. (651) 331-8865
DJ Cattle Co.
Daryn Yoder Leon, IA (641) 344-6002
Chad Tesch Canton S.D. (605) 759-5622 Dan (Boone) Uphoff, Sioux Falls S.D. (605) 321-1862
Natures Best Roger TeSlaa
Inwood, IA
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Look to FSA to help mitigate risk for crops
Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
“I didn’t even think we had stray voltage!� Roger Lange milks 100 head on his family dairy at Crofton, Nebraska. Until recently he was often forced to sell his fresh heifers because they wouldn t let down their milk. “We called Stray Voltage Consulting, and Jerry found the problem within half an hour.� Roger said. “I was very impressed with Jerry. He’s a former REA guy, so he understands both the farmer and the electric company. Being able to work with both sides is a key component to his success.� “I haven’t had a single problem with our fresh heifers since Jerry corrected our stray voltage problem. I would highly recommend Stray Voltage Consulting to anyone who thinks they might have stray voltage!�
Stray Voltage Consulting Over 30 years of experience
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The next issue of the Dairy Star is published March 11th.
WE DELIVER
Solutions
Becky Heinz
Farm Production Consultant BSAS, PAS Dairy & Beef Nutrition & Forage Quality SDSU graduate If things aren’t on track with your herd give me a call. I can work with you to build and meet your goals to maximize your operation. At Centra Sota we utilize cutting edge technology and we’re equipped with the most up-to-date technical information in the industry. We offer feed and animal health programs from several major suppliers so we can manufacture almost any formula necessary for your livestock needs. I work Come see within a team of highly trained and knowledgeable us at the nutritionists so you’re backed by one of the top Central MN overall companies in the market.
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BIO SECURITY
Farm Show, Feb. 28 - March 2
We monitor farm feed inventories to maximize the use of on-farm feedstuffs. We help our customers with their feed management and ingredient purchasing including forward contracting of commodities such as soybean meal, whole cottonseed, canola, corn gluten pellets, distillers grains and more! Our team provides facility and ventilation consultation on new or remodeled construction of calf and heifer facilities.
We offer calf and steer proďŹ t projections for any size operation. We offer bunker density testing to ensure a proper fermentation, and we can check for hot spots in the bunker with infra-red heat detection. Feed testing for nutritional values of home grown feedstuffs, and we will do a complete mycotoxin testing program if needed. We help monitor herd health issues with routine walk-thru inspections of all aspects of the operation
Bio security is one of our top priorities. We protect the end user from having transport vehicles on their farm that have the potential for spreading disease.
PUT OUR EXPERIENCE TO WORK FOR YOU!
Wayne Holck 320-250-6828
Jos Melse
218-639-5993
Alan Peterson 320-250-8268
Kayla Blake
612-308-7266
Jordon Przybilla Becky Heinz 320-360-1809
763-218-8114
Centra Sota Feed Division Sauk Centre Country Store | 320-351-2227 Centra Sota - Little Falls, MN | 320-632-3631 Centra Sota - St. Martin, MN | 320-548-3245 Centra Sota - Upsala, MN | 320-573-2186 Centra Sota Feed & Grain - Albany, MN | 320-845-4086
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STOP THE SHOCKS
As a friendly reminder, we are asking that you please inform our ofďƒžce of any changes to your farming operation as soon as you can as we are preparing for the 2017 crop year. This can be a change of address, business name or type (corporation, LLC, partnership, etc.) or adding land to your operation whether by lease or purchase. For the ofďƒžce to make a land change, we re- FSA News & Notes quire the producer to provide a signed lease agreement or a recorded deed for proof of purchase. The ARC/PLC signup is also underway, so stop in the ofďƒžce and take care of this before ďƒželd work begins. We can email or fax ďƒžles for a signature as well if that is more convenient. As I attend a number of crop insurance meetings and give updates on FSA’s programs, I am reminded that not every crop farmer’s grow is eligible for regular crop insurance coverage. I feel it is a good time to remind those farmers that FSA does offer a program to By Ryan Brunn help mitigate risk for those crops. Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. At FSA, we have NAP coverage for losses from natural disasters on crops for which no permanent federal crop insurance program is available. These include perennial grass forage and grazing crops, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, ďƒ&#x;oriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass, ginseng, honey, syrup, bioenergy and industrial crops. Spring-seeded annual crops, both grain crops and vegetables, have a NAP application deadline of March 15, 2017. NAP basic coverage is available at 55 percent of the average market price for crop losses that exceed 50 percent of expected production. Higher levels of coverage are available, up to 65 percent of their expected production, at 100 percent of the average market price available, including coverage for organics and crops marketed directly to consumers. Crops intended for grazing are not eligible for additional NAP coverage. For more information on NAP, service fees, premiums and sale deadlines, contact your FSA ofďƒžce. Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs.
Learning to compromise
to be bred on Thursday and mark those cows with tail her one chance. If we disagree on a sire to use, I show paint so he can easily locate them in the groups. Every him records as evidence, but he still gets the nal say. morning I check our CowScout Activity Monitoring At times, it’s difcult when he doesn’t follow my mating list or breeds a cow that system for heat attentions has been bred far too many and review each cow on the times, but I have learned list. Then, I notify my dad of I respect hi his authority h i as an it’s not worth ghting every which ones need to be bred battle. I respect his authorand how many times they owner and trust in his ability ity as an owner and trust have been bred so he can to make good decisions. in his ability to make good choose a higher conception decisions. Once you have Holstein sire or Angus bull established trust and respect if needed. Altogether, we have learned to compromise in between you and your coworker/dad/boss, you can order to reach our goals. I’ve learned he isn’t as com- reach any goal you put your minds to. Laura Rosenhammer farms with her father, John, puter savvy so I take care of entering and analyzing data in PCDart. I’ve learned he is a very good breeder and uncle, Greg, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy Eye, so I don’t ask questions if he says a cow is not in heat Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and run 580 acres of or needs to wait a few hours. When we disagree on cropland. whether or not to mark a cow as do not breed, we give
The Transition Pen
By John & Laura Rosenhammer Father/Daughter Farming Duo Molding two generations together on the farm can have its challenges. There’s one big question I am always asked about this generational difference: How do I get my dad to work with me and my ideas? First, we identify our priorities. Reproduction is a top priority on our farm. No one enjoys when we have to sell a cow that has been a top producer but won’t settle or when we can’t take a cow to the county fair because she hasn’t freshened since the previous fair. We agree it is a goal to get each cow pregnant as quickly and efciently as possible. In order to achieve this, we work together, and together we are the dream team. The gopher grad enrolls each cow in the appropriate synchronization protocol and takes care of giving all the shots. The jackrabbit grad does all the breeding. However, lots of effort goes into this strategy. My dad loves reading semen company magazines over and over again, and searching for the perfect bull to mate with his favorite cow, Allison. With Allison, he has to be rm in his decision because she usually gets pregnant on the rst service and always calves in April. She is our ‘Thomas,’ like the Sheehans’ prize cow. He likes seeing herd records written down, as well as seeing the dam and sire written in each calf’s ear tag so he can know their genetics just by looking at them. I, on the other hand, have no desire to look at sire catalogs or listen to sales pitches. I prefer to work with a Select Sires mating specialist to create a list of traits I want in a sire. The specialist then generates a list of qualifying sires I can pick from to purchase and use on my herd. Once I pick which bulls to use, we mate the entire herd. I use PCDart to keep track of our herd’s records, entering the data from our DHIA yellow sheet (Dad’s hand-written copy) into the computer so both my dad and I are up to speed. Utilizing PCDart has given me the ability to stay organized while using multiple synchronizations programs; rst lactation are on ovsynch, second lactation are on presynch-ovsynch, and mature cows are on a double ovsynch. When I get a letter in the mail stating my Select Sires rep is coming soon, I run a report of each sire’s conception rate on heifers and cows, as well as other reproductive measures, such as conception rate by days in milk. Taking time to analyze this data monthly has aided dramatically in making changes quickly, such as eliminating a poor conception sire from our line-up, or backing up our waiting period from 65 to 70 days because of more successful services. Each Monday I write down a list of cows that need
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 27
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Flying the friendly skies Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
Farming-related conventions and conferences seem to be conveniently planned during the cold winter months when farmers would love to attend and spend time learning and networking with others. We look for the events in warmer locations and think of them as a vacation. We make our reservations, book our room and try to nd an affordable ight. I look up the airlines or even check Cheap O Air to search ights which will transport us from Madison or Milwaukee to the location, hopefully, with a direct ight. Most often that doesn’t happen, so I look for the ights without too many layovers. When I nd what I am happy with, I book the ight, print out the itinerary and tuck the information in the calendar. Feeling satised that it is booked, I can relax and look forward to getting off the farm for a while. I get anxious as the date gets closer. Packing is always done in a rush, usually the night before and bags are left by the door with tickets and passports on the table. Planning to leave
By Tina Hinchley Farmer & Columnist the farm requires coordination with employees and family. Long notes are composed and last minute text messages are sent. When we are nally on the road to the airport, I always ask myself, “What did we forget?” Certain airlines book our reservations with all of us sitting together. Other airlines want to charge us to pick our own seats, and they even have extra fees for luggage. This usually all adds up to a lot more than what was originally thought of as the most affordable ight. This leaves us to cram all of our clothes into carry-on bags and take whatever
seats they assign us. To ensure you have your seat on the ight, you must be checked in at least 10 minutes prior to the departure time or the airline staff will sell your seat to someone else. We have been late in the past and have watched the door close to the jet bridge as we were running up. Our tickets were sold to someone on standby, and we had to take another ight. During our last trip, we arrived to the terminal for our seat assignment, and the airline staff announced they needed four volunteers to take another ight because this ight was overbooked. The lucky volunteers would be able to get a later ight and receive a $300 voucher to y within the United States. Looking around at the other passengers, I thought about who would want to give up their seat and wait to get to their nal destination? It was obvious there were people traveling for business; they had on suits and were holding a cup of coffee. I doubted they would be able to miss meetings. Would the families with kids? All of
the children were holding their miniature luggage. They were not going to wait a few hours. Even the couples in shorts and ip ops didn’t seem interested in the deal being offered by the airline. The offer was repeated in an announcement several times, but there were no takers for the deal. The airline employee was the only one behind the desk, and she seemed to be getting stressed as time passed. Eventually, the price went up to $400, then $500. What would the cost be to the airlines to cover the overbooked seats? I guess $500 was the right amount for a few travelers. The woman from the airline called out groups to board the airplane, giving out vouchers and recommendations about later ights at the same time. As our group number was called to board the airplane, a young man approached the desk and inquired about getting on the ight. The airline issued him a voucher, but he didn’t have a ticket so he wasn’t able to board. We walked past him
and walked down the jet bridge and waited to board the plane. I am always looking forward to warm weather, sunshine and meeting up with others whom we only see once a year. We found our seats throughout the plane and settled in for the four-hour ight. As we were taking off, I noticed there were many seats open. I looked to the stranger who was sitting next to me and mentioned my observation to him. He was a well-seasoned traveler and had experiences with vouchers. He was able to ll four hours with his stories of airline travels and mishaps. The time ew by as I laughed about the crazy things he shared with me. When the plane landed, I had made a friend, and we both wished each other safe travels as we said good bye. Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 120 registered Holsteins and farm 2,500 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wis. They have been hosting farm tours for over 18 years.
Westby Cooperative Creamery reports a year of growth, prot The 113th Annual Meeting of Westby Cooperative Creamery was conducted on Jan. 19, 2017, in the lower-level auditorium of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Westby, WI. As codied in the Cooperative’s by-laws, an annual meeting of patron-member-owners must be held to report on the nancial performance of their business for the scal year just concluded. A room-lling crowd of over two-hundred member-owners, employees, and business partners assembled in the auditorium. First, to enjoy a luncheon prepared and served by church volunteers; then, to participate in the business meeting and election by members of two new representatives to their Board of Directors. With a quorum of members ruled as present; the meeting was called to order by Board President, Loren Oldenburg, at precisely 12:30 p.m. Independent nancial auditors and business operations managers reported to members on another year of continued growth and prot for their cooperative dairy business. General Manager, Pete Kondrup, provided the audience with a summary-recap of performance highlights over the past dozen years. From scal year 2004 to 2016: • The number of family dairy farm patron-member-owners has doubled from 110 members to 220 members.
• These members now supply, as dened by the dairy industry, two types of milk to their cooperative; conventional-milk and certied-organic-milk. This makes Westby Cooperative Creamery one of just a few dairy cooperatives across North America to receive both types of milk from its members. All milk is Grade-A and rBST-free. • The annual volume of milk supplied by members has also doubled, from 83 million pounds to 166 million pounds. The volume of organic milk supplied has grown each of the past several years, now representing over 60 percent of total milk delivered by memberowners. • From this milk, the total annual pounds of award-winning dairy foods produced by the Creamery manufacturing facility has more than tripled; from just under 7 million pounds to over 26 million pounds. • Dairy food products produced now include an expanded line of Cottage Cheeses, Sour Creams, Dairy Dips, all types of Yogurts, Cheese Curds and Hard Cheeses; including many organic dairy food products. Packaging capabilities now range from single-serve cups to 2500-pound reusable totes. And, Westby Cooperative Creamery is the only manufacturer of Cottage Cheeses in the state of Wisconsin; a product category experiencing growth.
We’ve moved
and expanded our practice to a total of three veterinarians! 121 1st Ave. | P.O. Box 67 Freeport, MN 56331
320-836-2788
Dr. Tom Czeck: Specializing in milk quality analysis with years of experience running a successful milk culture lab and tailoring a treatment plan to your needs. Dr. Lee Michels: Specializing in reproductive record analysis and ventilation investigations Dr. Steve Baldwin: Specializing in calf ventilation and calf barn design Clinic open Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Emergency service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week After hour emergency calls are made directly to the veterinarian on call, not through an answering service Servicing Benton, Morrison, Stearns and Todd counties Visit us at www.freeportvetservice.com or Freeport Vet Service on Facebook
• In addition to Westby brand products; the business manufactures numerous Private Label Brand, Food Service, and Food Ingredient products for an expanded base of customers. • From what had been little; the Cooperative now contributes, annually, about $200,000 worth of dairy food products to local food banks and other charitable organizations. • The total number of employees has tripled from 45 to 135; with more growth projected. • Over $8 million in capital investments have been to the Creamery manufacturing facility to improve productivity, efciency, and safety. In 2012; a new Distribution Center, featuring a 10,000 square-foot refrigerated warehouse, was constructed; along with General Ofces. • Annual business revenues have more than tripled, from $17 million to $73 million in FY-2016. Kondrup concluded his remarks with a thank-you to employees for their dedication, teamwork, and hard work that resulted in another record-setting year for the business in total pounds of the highest quality dairy food products produced, and revenues generated. He further said that the business continues to meet the stringent requirements of the SQF
Code for food safety and quality as certied by the Food Safety & Quality Management System (Number 108139). The next step of business at this Annual Meeting was the election of two new members to the seven-member Board of Directors. Long-serving Board members, Kay Yanske and Loren Oldenburg, had reached their term limits on total years of board service and could not run, again, as candidates. Kay had served for 13 years, with eight as Secretary/ Treasurer; and Loren had served for 14 years, with the past ve as Board President. A record number of eight member-owners had submitted their names as candidates for these two Board seats. After the submission and counting of paper-ballots, members in attendance of this Annual Meeting elected Robert Anderson and Art Thicke to their Board of Directors. Each will serve a threeyear term. Mr. Anderson, and his wife, Kari, own and operate a 35-cow organic dairy farm, just northwest of Westby, Wis. Mr. Thicke, and his wife Jean; along with Chad and Melissa Crowley; own and operate a 95-cow organic dairy farm, north of La Crescent, Minn. Anderson and Thicke join Ryan Dunnum, Chuck Fremstad, Ralph Petersheim, Keith Rach, and Thomas Schaub on the Board of Directors of Westby Cooperative Creamery for scal year 2017.
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Finding your values, mission, vision and goals
Whether you like to admit it or not, you are a leader on your farm. There has always been debate about the differences between leaders and managers, or perhaps bosses is a better word. In my mind, every dairy farmer is both – a leader and a boss. You have many jobs on the farm, but those two jobs can’t be forgotten. One way to not forget them is to integrate them into your daily work. How to accomplish this is what you’re probably thinking now. The answer: by knowing your values, mission, vision and goals. Values Google the word values or the phrase core values and millions of hits will show up. Lists of values, worksheets about values, research on values – anything and everything you’d ever need to know. Values are the traits or attributes which are important to you. Values are your highest priorities and are By Emily Wilmes closely tied to your belief system. You demonstrate them in your actions and use them in your decision-making process. U of M Extension Values are an important part of who we are as people, so knowing what our values are and understanding them is crucial. Values could include such items as family, faith, community and wisdom. Get started by taking time to think about and identify your values. Try to narrow your values into a top 5 list – something you can refer to. If you want to take it a step further, you can write your values into value statements. These are short sentences that express your core values and may be a good way to express the values of your farm business to others. Mission and vision Many people use mission and vision interchangeably, as if they mean the same thing. However, they are two distinct things. Knowing both the mission and vision for your farm are important. Like your values, they drive decision making and communicate the culture of your farm business. Let’s start with mission, as we are all familiar with the phrase mission statement. A mission is tied to your core ideology, or your core values and purposes. Your mission is to live out those core values or, to put it another way, to live your purpose. The mission of a business or organization focuses on the present – it is all about what you are doing now to uphold your values. A vision focuses on the future; it outlines not where you are, but where you want to be. Your vision for your business is about the future and its possibilities. Vision can be used as a motivator and a tool to keep you and your business moving forward toward your future. Like your mission, your vision is tied to the foundation of your business – it is a core part the business. Unlike your mission, however, it is possible that your vision may change over time. Perhaps your vision was once to double cow numbers and now it has evolved into creating a business that is sustainable to support multiple families. Both mission and vision are an important part of your farm business as they look at your present and future. Goals The importance of goals to your farm business cannot be understated. I have talked about SMART (specic, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely) goals in the past, so I will take a different route to discuss goals. Goals help give your business direction. They dene what you are working for or towards. Coming up with goals and discussing them with others on your farm may seem like a mundane task. However, it should be an exciting thing for you to do; you are looking into your farm’s future after all. If you are having trouble thinking about what your goals should be, take a step back and ask yourself some key questions. First, what do you want to have happen? Write down all of the things you want for your farm business. Think about what goals can help you get what you want. Next, what do you need to have happen? Write down all of the things you need for your farm business. It is possible some of your wants are actually needs. It is also possible that there are needs not being addressed because of your wants. Consider how your goals could help address these needs. After that, what do you expect will happen? You know your business and the people you work with better than anyone. Thinking about the expectations you have for your farm may better help you dene your wants and needs, and set goals. Lastly, what do you fear will happen? Think about what you fear could happen on your farm, and how certain goals could address those fears. Your values, mission, vision and goals are important aspects of your farm business. Knowing these key pieces can help you be an effective leader and manager on your farm. Providing quality building materials and friendly service since 1971
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 29
Commitment. Relationships. Trust.
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Nesting
Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
With farmer-number-four due to arrive anytime, mode. I’m in full nesting mode. According to the Urban In the house, I’ve reorganized the bag/foil/saran Dictionary, the denition of nesting is a “ritual per- wrap drawer so one can actually see what is in it. I’ve formed by pregnant women in ridding the house, the been cooking freezer meals for a few weeks. We don’t nest, from anything potenwant starvation to ensue tially harmful to the soon when I’m home with a baby. to be born child.” I would F Once I make a list of freezer For this hi pregnant woman, expand this denition to inmeals and how to program clude, “cleaning like a mad- nesting isn’t limited to the the oven, I think Peter will woman, cooking like crazy house. It carries over to the barn. have the daily lunches unand trying to organize evder control. This may sound erything.” crazy to some, but it makes Having three children in me feel better knowing the the house already, I feel like the number of dangerous guys and girls working will still have food ready after things is pretty low. At this point, I worry about Lego morning chores. It’s something that has always been ingestion, but I have a while until number four will be my department, and I know that no one else has time mobile enough to eat them. I was hanging clothes on to make a meal with their chore schedule. the line and a friend asked if I was nesting. I’m pretty I’ve been a maniac. Ira and I cleaned the Tuppersure I could be diagnosed with being in full nesting ware cupboard. The only time that ever gets reorga-
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nized is if I can’t shut the door anymore, or I’m in full nesting mode. The microwave is scrubbed, the pantry is clutter free, bathroom shelves are in order with baby supplies t into the right spots. At this moment, I’ve made enough meals to last for a good week and went grocery shopping. Laundry is completely caught up for a day or two; baby clothes and blankets washed and waiting. All the Valentine and Christmas Ramblings from the Ridge decorations are down, except for the ones that a giant pregnant woman should not climb to get off the tops of the cupboards. Never mind how I might have gotten them up there two months ago. For this pregnant woman, nesting isn’t limited to the house. It By Jacqui Davison carries over to the barn. Columnist I need to make sure all my lists are up-to-date. I need to be sure Melanie has a good handle on how to enter the information and which lists to print every week. I’m lucky she speaks Jacqui, because she understands my margin notes on the clipboard sheets. She understands my organizational system for marking which heifers get vaccinated and moved up (it’s a high-tech collection of triangles and stars by each heifer). As I’ve been moving slower to the barn the past few weeks, she often beats me to vaccinating the fresh cows, and I couldn’t be more relaxed about leaving the cows in her capable hands while I’m at home with baby. She always has Stacy to ask for help, and I’m only a phone call away. I welcome cow question phone calls to help keep me in the loop when I’m not in the barn. One of the biggest jobs on my before baby to-do list was scrubbing the shower and the kitchen oor at my house. If you’ve ever been 12 months (as my husband says) pregnant before, you know those jobs aren’t the easiest to accomplish in that physical state. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to walk if I tried either one. Women are usually prone to saying, “It’s okay, I can do it,” or, “I’ve got it under control.” Sometimes we are lying to ourselves and others who genuinely want to help when we respond this way, or our pride gets in the way. Granted, there are people who offer to help but don’t mean it. They just say it because it seems to be a common courtesy. Then there are those who really, truly mean it and will follow through with their words. My Aunt Karen is one of the latter crowd and offered to help me get ready for baby this past weekend, and those responses were on the tip on my tongue. I’ve had three babies; what did I need help with? Then I took a look at my oor and asked if she could do the two things I simply can’t do. She said it wasn’t a problem at all, and my bathroom is now so clean I could live in it. The kitchen oor is nice and sticky-free. She did mention that maybe all the boys in the house should use a tree outside so it would stay clean longer. I brought that idea to them, but they weren’t thrilled. She was glad to be able to help, and I couldn’t possibly be more appreciative. My house feels fresh and clean, which helps my mind be in a place that’s a little more ready to be slightly cooped up in the near future. Jacqui and her family milk 700 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her boys, Ira (10), Dane (8), and Henry (3) help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little boys, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos-and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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Gloomy winter days emphasize need for sun’s rays
“You are my sunshine…” “Sunshine on my shoulders…” Rural Roots “Keep on the sunny side…” Yes, it seems that sunshine has been on the minds of song writers and other wordsmiths for quite some time. Sunshine – or the lack of it – has been on my mind, too. And rightly so. I’ve read that most of January – and part of February – was lled with gray skies instead of blue. My own observations bear that out. True, January here in Crawford County waltzed in with a clear, blue sky. But after that, the rst month took a moody turn for the worse. Jan. 2 brought fog and light rain. As a consequence, Jan. 3 dawned with a layer of ice. Then the cold set in. Jan. 7 brought a frigid temperaBy Ron Johnson ture of 0.2 degree below zero. Three days later, we were Staff Writer socked by rain and freezing rain. Then it was, for the most part, more clouds and more snow. Here’s a journal entry from Jan. 17: “Got up to 38 degrees today. The ice is off the mulberry tree in front of the house.” Now, that’s worth writing about: The ice has nally melted from the mulberry bush. Come Jan. 19, the fog kicked in, big time. Melting snow from the warmer air generated fog that did not lift until noon or later. I wasn’t able to see my mailbox, just 0.15 mile up the driveway, until noon or later. Jan. 20 and 21 repeated the foggy refrain. When the fog nally ed, we were still blessed with more overcast skies, making the days as gray as a banker’s soul. Add to the mix more snow, more ice – and the fact that the main blower on our gas furnace went on the fritz – and January was most assuredly not a cheery month. We made keeping our pair of wood stoves fed and blazing, and hauling ashes and lugging chunks of oak and elm part of our early morning and evening chores. Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, did nally deliver a snippet of sunshine. But, that wascally woodchuck spied his fat shadow, portending six more weeks of winter. What Jessica and I – and probably many of you, too – really needed was a heavy, regular dose of blue sky and sunshine. Well, I am pleased to announce that we now have instant sunshine at our command – as long as the electric grid survives. My articial sunlight machine perches on a table just to the left of my desk. The device is white, plastic (of course), and emits brilliant light that is said to duplicate that from a bright, brilliant, blue sky day. We’d heard and read for years about a dreaded condition called SAD. That acronym is short for seasonal affective disorder. According to the venerable Mayo Clinic, SAD is a temporary depression. It’s linked to the ebb and ow of the seasons. As such, SAD‘s symptoms usually start to show up in the autumn. They linger into the winter, making a person feel less energetic and more moody. One antidote for SAD is to simply get more sunlight. Of course, that’s sometimes easier said than done. This past January set records for the number of cloudy days, in some places. I don’t have an exact count for where I live, but Chicagoans, for example, suffered through eight days in a row when the cloud cover averaged 100 percent, according to the National Weather Service. Anyway, Jessica might have solved our SAD situation by buying our electric sun machine. It’s touted as giving off 17,000 Kelvins of light that does not contain any ultraviolet rays. Yes, I did have to look up the denition of Kelvin, since it’s not a term I bandy about every day – or every decade, for that matter. I won’t bore you with the details, but zero Kelvin is the same as 459.67 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, or 273.15 degrees below zero Celsius. Either way, that’s mighty cold, and I suspect that was the temperature my toes reached during one November deer hunt in Clark County, when my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches froze into bricks. Does the sun machine work? I don’t know. But I do know that having it shining on my face for 15 to 30 minutes in the morning hasn’t done me any harm. Of course, the best remedy for lack of sunlight is – sunlight. We’ve gotten several blue sky days lately. The knowledge that the days are lengthening and that spring slips ever nearer also helps my mood. According to my calculations, we have approximately three weeks to go until the Vernal Equinox arrives and spring is ofcially here. Already, the sap is circulating in my maple trees. I’ve seen and heard more than one red-winged blackbird, heard a robin cackle, and watched as a turkey vulture soared overhead. On some mornings, the geese honk nonstop as they ply the sky over my house, while on their way between the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. If things continue at this pace, I’ll soon be able to unplug the sunlight machine and stow it under the bed until November.
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 31
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Social season Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
No one knows exactly when or who invented the nation and a southern belle coming out in a debutante compass, but it has been giving direction to travelers ball. This is the time of year when we normally would since ancient times. The four main points (cardinal be crawling out from under piles of snow and winter directions) of the compass are North, East, South and gear to meet up with neighbors and friends at various West. The four half-points (ordinal directions) origi- ag meetings, appreciation dinners and farm shows benated between these major directions (NE, SE, SW, fore we get swept up in the spring rush. NW). Later, more points of directions were develOur social season began with a cattle sale just oped to gain more precise bearing until, nally, 32 west of us. Whoever picked the date of Feb. 17 for an points were used to create outdoor cattle sale in Minthe compass rose. nesota should have bought This iis the h time i off year when h I imagine the four sea- Thi a lottery ticket. It could sons of a year can also be we normally would be crawling have been a blustery day, at divided to develop more best, or a blizzard, at worst. precise bearing on our jour- out from under piles of snow It could have been a day of ney through another year of and winter gear to meet up sub-zero temperatures or farming. Even though the a winter heat wave of 20 calendar says we are still in with neighbors and friends... above. It turned out to be a the winter season, I feel like perfect day for the sale. we’re past the half-point Farmers from a and leaning more towards spring. Think of it as WSS, wide area showed up for the sale. We all looked like winter spring direction. It can still feel like a cold a bunch of bears stretching as we woke up from our winter day with a biting northwest wind, yet there is a winter hibernation. Stocking hats were replaced by smell of spring in the air, which brings a sense of re- seed caps. Insulated coveralls were passed up for a lief. We’re on the backside of winter. Any storms that warm jacket and maybe long johns. Insulated winter hit us now won’t last long, and the deep cold nights boots were replaced with tingly rubber boots to slosh are but a memory. through the mud and melting snow. A friend had his So what is the season between winter and spring? wife wash up his insulated coveralls the night before Looking at my calendar, I would have to call it the so- and didn’t even need to wear them. Everyone was cial season. It is between a bear coming out of hiber- chatting to catch up on the latest news of winter sur-
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vival and plans for the coming year. The sale was a great kick-off to the social season. The next event on the calendar was the annual Gopher Dairy Club banquet. We’ve been going to the banquet since Jonathon started college. It has become a reunion of sorts, as Just Thinking Out Loud we reconnect with family dairy farmer friends from across the state. We look forward to catching up on what the kids are doing and where they’ve moved. We talk about the latest additions to our families and changes being made to our farms. Since we all speak the same language, By Natalie Schmitt we nod our heads in agreeColumnist ment as we completely understand the struggles and joys we share. It is so encouraging to meet up with these families to see how others have navigated through these changing times and developed a precise destination for their business. As we were driving southeast to the cities for the banquet, I was expecting to see tulips and crocuses blooming or catch a faint green haze in the tree line. The bright sunshine and rising thermometer indicated we were in a growing season, but the compass point isn’t quite there yet. The only color appears to be painted on the elds as Jon Hackett cleans out the manure pit. He says he is making the neighborhood smell fresh? I don’t know if they would agree with that description. The warm weather has pushed many farmers to clean out their sheds and lots before the ground gets too soft. It also looks like road restrictions are going on this week because of the early warm weather. It won’t be long before the frost is gone and the lakes in the eld start to recede. Of course, there are the annual creamery meetings, customer appreciation dinners, all-breed convention and farm shows coming up on the social calendar for the next month. What a great chance to reconnect with friends and neighbors. I have noticed one thing in common with all of these events – food. It is like everyone wants to fatten us up before we hit the elds, so we can survive a long spring. I look at it as a mini vacation from cooking during the week. Everyone wins during social season. Hope to see you out and about as we celebrate the social season of farming. Natalie, Mark and his brother, Al, Schmitt farm together near Rice, Minn. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are great help around the farm and are pushing Natalie out of several jobs. Therefore she is thankful to have something else to do. For questions or comments please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.
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In almost every discussion of low milk prices, somebody blames sexed semen. Indirectly, what they’re contending is that more heifer calves mean more milk cows which means more milk produced than the market has demand for. Lately, the issue has been producing more milk than processors have capacity for. Likewise, sexed semen gets blamed for the decline in replacement heifer prices. Recently, I received an email from a gentleman blaming sexed semen for higher dairy cow cull rates and lower age at culling. I don’t agree with him, because I don’t believe higher cull rates or lower age at culling are bad. When Dairy Good Life you take a closer look at the issue, we’re not culling dairy cows at younger ages because they’re no longer productive cows. We’re culling dairy cows at younger ages because we have enough heifers calving in to replace them. Sending younger cows to market (usually) means higher prices and, ultimately, higher quality beef for consumers. Whatever the issue, blaming sexed semen is short sighted. Is there a connection between the national herd size and milk prices? Absolutely. Does having more heifer calves reduce the demand, and thus the price, for springing heifers? Yes. Is there a connection between number of replacement By Sadie Frericks heifers and mature cow cull rate? Without a doubt. Columnist Is sexed semen the reason for our increased national herd size and increased number of replacement heifers? No. Sexed semen might contribute to these increases, but it cannot be held solely responsible. Several other signiďƒžcant advances in dairy farming in the past 20 years have contributed to increased cow and heifer numbers. First, we’ve made considerable strides in calf and heifer rearing. More calves get adequate colostrum. That colostrum comes from cows vaccinated with diarrhea-prevention vaccines. We’re feeding calves more milk, which leads to better growth and better immune system function. We have better housing with more space and better ventilation. If calves do get sick, we have better protocols for helping them recover, including one-dose antibiotic treatments, which improve cure rates. Second, we’re growing and harvesting higher quality forages. When used in properly balanced rations, higher quality forages contribute to better heifer growth and health. More heifers are entering the breeding group and calving in at younger ages. Those higher quality forages also mean better nutrition for our milking cows, which leads to improved fertility and higher pregnancy rates. When I was a teen, I didn’t know any dairy farmers with a 25 or 30 percent pregnancy rate. Now, I know of countless farms where this is the norm. Better reproduction is also the result of better heat detection systems, reproductive programs, the ability to select bulls with higher fertility, better transition cow care, improved cow comfort, and a number of other factors. Quite frankly, I don’t believe sexed semen would be effective or make economic sense without improved dairy calf health and dairy cow fertility. Nor do I believe sexed semen results in as many extra heifer calves as some tend to think. We use sexed semen selectively on cows and heifers with superior genetics. Most farms follow a similar selection strategy and many take it one step further by using sexed beef semen on cows and heifers with lower genetic potential. We also have to factor in the lower conception rates associated with sexed semen use and the fact that sexing technology doesn’t guarantee a heifer calf – it only increases the likelihood. Our last cow to calve in with a sexed semen calf delivered a bull calf. I calculated the effect sexed semen had on the number of heifer calves born on our farm in 2016. Of the 107 calves born, 52 were heifer calves, giving us a heifer calf rate of 48.5 percent. Six of those heifer calves were the result of sexed semen. Using a 50 percent heifer calf rate to adjust for the sexed semen use, we would have had a heifer calf rate of 45.7 percent if we had not used any sexed semen. Seven of those heifer calves were either DOA or born twin to a bull, so that leaves us with 45 heifer calves for replacements – 42 percent of all calves born. Whether we had 65 percent heifer calves born or 45 percent, it wouldn’t matter if we didn’t get those calves off to a good start. The bottom line is that we have healthier cows delivering more calves overall and we’re doing a better job caring for those calves. The impact of sexed semen is highly debatable. Our primary job as dairy farmers is to do the best we can and strive for continual improvement. It’s unfortunate our improvement has led to unfavorable market conditions, but that doesn’t mean we should vilify one technology while ignoring the contributions of the rest. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 75 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 10, Monika, 7, and Daphne, 4. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife. com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 33
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
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Nutritional impacts of overcrowding
The number of cows a facility can hold is a common discussion point on farms. While not all cows are housed in loose housing, hopefully you can pull out a few concepts that relate. First, let’s consider optimal stocking density Something to Ruminate On from an economic perspective. A recent paper by Dr. Albert De Vries from the University of Florida in the Journal of Dairy Science assessed the economics of variable stall stocking density. Researchers calculated the effect of stall and bunk stocking density on lying and feeding behavior by evaluating prot per stall using multiple performance indicators. A stall stocking density of 120 percent showed the maximum economic return across all model inputs. But that number may have further negative implications to cow health and performance. By Barry Visser I recently participated in a roundtable discusNutritionist sion with Dr. Rick Grant from the Miner Institute in Chazy, N.Y. The team at the Miner Institute has done extensive research over the years looking at time budget requirements for a cow and studying the negative inuencers to these tasks. Lactating dairy cows should spend 12 hours lying down during the day. Research has shown a linear reduction in lying time for any level of stall stocking density above 100 percent. Past work at the Miner Institute has shown that cows will sacrice eating time to compensate for lost resting time. Grant shared that, for every 3.5 minutes of lost rest, cows will sacrice one minute of eating time. Overstocking also diminishes a cow’s ability to exercise her natural behavior. Previous research at the Miner Institute has shown higher stocking density reduces feeding time and increases aggressive behavior at the bunk. Overstocking can also increase meal size and the rate at which feed is consumed. The nutritional implications of overcrowding go beyond feed bunk behavior. Grant shared the Miner Institute’s most recent research looking at stocking density at 100 percent versus 142 percent for both stalls and headlocks. The study also included two different dietary treatments with a high and low rate of physically effective ber and undigested NDF (uNDF). Higher stocking density increased the time rumen pH was below 5.8 and tended to increase the severity of sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA). Although researchers observed a dietary impact on rumen pH, greater stocking density had a larger effect on ruminal pH than diet. By far the greatest risk for SARA was the treatment with lower ber and higher stocking density. Manipulation of the feeding environment can help mitigate the negative effects of stocking density. So, what is the ideal stocking density for your freestall facility? While 120 percent is used as a general guideline, the optimal number is different on every farm. Cow comfort, group dynamics, nutrition programs, feeding strategies and bunk management are just a short list of factors that explain why the target stocking density is not a static number. The next time you think about how many cows to cull, keep in mind that overcrowding in any environment has negative consequences. While mild overcrowding may provide some economic incentive, recognize the implication may go beyond what we see in the bulk tank. These changes may impact the rumen dynamics and animal health. Barry Viser is a dairy specialist for Vita Plus. To contact Visser, email bvisser@ vitaplus.com.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 35
CAFO owners reminded of inspection requirements Zero discharge allowed into Wisconsin’s surface waters By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
DODGEVILLE, Wis. – Farmers who own or run dairies classiďƒžed as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) were reminded of inspection requirements during a meeting held by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff Feb. 7 in Dodgeville, Wis. For the most part, Wisconsin deďƒžnes a farm as a CAFO if it has 1,000 or more animal units. For dairying, one milking or dry cow is 1.4 animal units, according to the DNR. That means a farm with 714.2 or more such cows is considered a CAFO. A bull also counts as 1.4 animal units. But heifers - smaller and producing less waste - are considered 1.1 animal units each if they weigh 800 to 1,200 pounds. Heifers weighing 400 to 800 pounds are considered to each be 0.6 animal units. Mark Cain, a DNR wastewater engineer, said a farm that is a CAFO is required to have a Wisconsin Pollution Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit. Under the terms of this permit, various kinds of runoff are regulated, as are manure storage and application. Cain focused on production site
compliance. A production site is not an entire farm, but kind of everything at your main building area, he said land where manure is applied is not part of the production site, but headland stacking sites, where manure is temporarily placed in ďƒželds, are part of the production site. A primary part of a farm’s production site is its manure storage facility. Besides manure, it contains wastewater from the milking center, plus anything that leaches out of feed storage areas. Overďƒ&#x;ows from manure pits, tanks and lagoons are prohibited except in one situation. That’s when a 25-year, 24-hour storm strikes and makes the manure storage structure overďƒ&#x;ow, Cain said. Monitor, inspect CAFO owners and operators are required to monitor and inspect certain areas of their production sites. Some inspections are supposed to be done each day, while others are looked at weekly, and still others are supposed to be examined every three months. Cain said the DNR requires written records of what was inspected, what was found, what was repaired and who did the inspecting. Before a CAFO’s ďƒžrst WPDES permit is issued, a DNR employee conducts an inspection. More inspections take place every ďƒžve years, unless problems occur. “This (monitoring and inspection program) is a very, very important part of your permit,â€? Cain said to the approximately 40 people at the meeting. “It’s typically one of the very ďƒžrst items in your compliance schedule.â€?
Daily inspections “[Daily inspections are supposed to include leakage from] all water lines that potentially come into contact with pollutants or drain to storage or containment structures or runoff control systems, including drinking or cooling water lines,â€? Cain said. These daily inspections are for cattle waterers, barn sprinkler systems, and water lines in milking parlors and milk houses. The DNR provides a calendar for jotting down details of these daily inspections. “It’s a great tool,â€? Cain said. “We really like what it does for us.â€? Weekly inspections “Weekly inspections are done to ensure the proper operation of all storm water diversion devices and devices channeling contaminated runoff to storage or containment structures,â€? Cain said. These weekly inspections should include places feed and manure are stored, he said. Look for cracks in manure lagoon lines, bad pipe connections and animal damage to earthen berms. But these inspections should also include areas behind bunker silos. Especially be watchful for cracks in silos. “Make sure you check areas you don’t typically walk right by,â€? Cain said. Spots where manure is temporarily stored at the edges of ďƒželds are also on the list for weekly inspections, to make sure there’s no runoff. “We have seen quite a few problems with headland stacking sites,â€? Cain said. And don’t forget to give places
storm water ďƒ&#x;ows a once-a-week examination. These include grass ditches, tile drains and culvert drains, roof gutters, diversion berms, and storm water ponds. Cain said a CAFO should have on hand a diagram that shows all the areas that need weekly inspections. Such a diagram should denote the locations of tile outlets, drain intakes, storm water outlets, tile lines around bunker silos and the main ditches that carry storm water. Permanent markers Along with checking the condition of structures that hold manure and wastewater – and making repairs – a weekly inspection includes measuring and recording the levels of the liquids in them. Write down how many feet or inches the liquid is above or below the margin of safety. Cain said the margin of safety is one of three permanent markers the DNR expects to ďƒžnd with a manure lagoon. For most farms, the margin of safety before overďƒ&#x;owing starts is one foot from the top. Another marker is the maximum operating level. “[That is the] maximum amount of manure you should ever have in a pit,â€? Cain said. When the maximum operating level is approached or reached, it’s time to start removing manure. The third permanent marker is placed at the point where the lagoon has 180 days of storage left in it. This point might be the bottom of the pit, or it might be at a pipe inlet, Cain said. In either case, farmers should be able to see the 180-day mark in the fall. Turn to CAFO | Page 37
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When you get a spare moment what do you do? It depends on what’s in season, but I love to go deer and duck hunting and ďƒžshing. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. One time Ethan left to go to the sales barn, and I had 10 does kid within two hours. It was crazy. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? Of course, I enjoy the animals, but also the people I meet. Having dairy goats, you become close friends with other goat people. We are always willing to help each other out. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I mostly stay connected through Facebook. In your opinion, what’s the importance of women in today’s dairy industry and how have you seen that change over the years? Women are very important. We do the housework (when we can), make the food, take care of the children, and most of us do almost the same (if not the same) amount of farm work as our husbands. Women still face the issue of not being taken as seriously as men in this industry. But it is getting better with more women having their own farms. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be and why? Michelle Obama, since she had the White House garden to teach children where veggies come from. If she toured the farm, she could learn what goes into getting milk and meat to market for consumption. What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken? When I went to Hawaii a few years ago. It was a family trip with my mom, sister and brother. I have not gone on a trip since I have had my own family. What are some words you like to live by? Relax is the main word I live by. I try to take a breath to relax, stop worrying so much, or relax when I have a minute.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Page 37
ConĆ&#x;nued from CAFO | Page 35 Cain said the DNR wants to see very visible permanent markers. The markers can be lines painted on the concrete sides of a lagoon, or posts denoting various levels of liquid. Solid manure Turning to the topic of solid manure, Cain said scrape-out areas at the ends of barns are not necessarily considered storage, but are staging sites. “They have to be empty at night,â€? he said. “You can’t be storing manure in those.â€? In addition, solid manure is supposed to be stacked on a pad designed for that purpose. And, there must be a means to collect any runoff. “Keep the stack on the pad and keep manure away from the edges,â€? Cain directed. “Clean up spillage and treat separated sand as manure.â€? Headland stacking “Stacking sites (in ďƒželds or near them) are considered part of the production area and are required to meet the same discharge requirements at the production area,â€? Cain said. “These sites should be included in weekly inspections, to ensure that best-management practices (BMPs) and water diversions are functioning properly.â€? Farms operating under WPDES permits are allowed to only have manure at headland stacking sites eight months. “They need to be managed as zerodischarge systems,â€? said Cain. This is the case no matter how much rain or snow they’re subjected to. Quarterly inspections CAFO owners and operators are
For more information about regulations affecting CAFOs in Wisconsin, visit this website: dnr.wi.gov/topic/agbusines. also required to inspect their production areas every three months. Outdoor animal pens, barnyards, lanes, cattle walkways, calf hutch areas and places where raw materials are stored are on the list, as are outdoor areas that are vegetated. DNR inspections Inspections by DNR employees typically take place every ďƒžve years, but more often if problems have occurred, Cain said. These inspections focus on record keeping. Cain advised making sure records are up to date, and that they include manure applications and an emergency response plan. With more employees expected to be hired, some CAFOs might be inspected more often than every ďƒžve years. “We haven’t quite established how we’re going to do that, or when,â€? Cain said. Penalties Penalties can be assessed when a CAFO violates the terms of its WPDES permit. Cain said they range from a notice of noncompliance being issued to the matter being referred to the Wisconsin Department of Justice. “That can come with some pretty substantial penalties,â€? Cain said. Penalties can range from $10 per violation for each day the problem is unresolved on up to $10,000 per violation, per day.
Winneshiek County Dairy Promotion Board seeking nominations
The 54th Annual Winneshiek County Dairy Banquet will be held Saturday, April 8, 2017 at the DeSales School in Ossian. The board is seeking help in nominating county dairymen, dairy women and youth for their hard work and accomplishments. Nominations are needed for the following awards: Deadline is March 8, 2017. Outstanding Young Dairy Producer – The award honors young dairy farmers, age 40 and younger, who have excelled in management, production and respect within the dairy community. Distinguished Service – This award can be anyone who has made a huge impact or contributions to the dairy industry in Winneshiek County. Distinguished Dairy Family – A family award in which the entire family must be involved in the dairy farm, local youth programs and a strong supporter of the dairy industry. Pioneer Dairy Producer – The producer has made a signiďƒžcant contribution to the dairy industry. This person(s) must be no longer involved in the production of milk. Dairy Promoter of the Year – This award is given to businesses or individuals, who are strong supporters of REAL dairy products in the community or their business. Outstanding Dairy Employee – This award is designed for an employee on a dairy farm who has gone above and beyond to achieve success for his or her employer. Scholarships – College scholarships will be awarded to eligible students pursuing an agriculture related career. Must be a resident of Winneshiek County. Royalty sought In addition, the Winneshiek County Dairy Promotion board is seeking candidates for Little Miss Squirt, Little Mister Herdsman, and Winneshiek County Dairy Princess/Ambassador. The deadline for candidates is March 8, 2017. The Little Miss Squirt and Little Mr. Herdsman contestants must live in Winneshiek County or the family may be employed in Winneshiek County in the dairy industry. The child must be between ages of 9 – 11 years old on or before March 31st, 2017. Dairy Princess Candidates/Ambassadors must live in Winneshiek County or the family may be employed in Winneshiek County in the dairy industry. The candidate must be between the age of 16 – 21 years old on or before March 31st, 2017 and active in the dairy industry. For scholarship applications, award nomination forms, royalty candidacy applications or questions, please call Ruth Hageman at 563-532-9878 or email: winndairypromoters@gmail.com or the Winneshiek County ISU Extension Ofďƒžce at 563-382-2949. All nomination forms must be returned to the Extension Ofďƒžce or a member of the Winneshiek County Dairy Promotion board by March 8, 2017.
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Chuck and Fred Seyforth Mondovi, Wis. Buffalo County 50 cows How did you get into farming? The farm began in 1880 and has been raising registered Jerseys since 1895. We were both born and raised on the farm. Chuck always enjoyed doing eld work, but now he enjoys working with the cows. Fred started farming in 1960, after serving in the Navy for four years. He has rarely missed a milking in the 54 years he has been dairy farming. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? The cost of all our inputs verses the price of milk. It is hard for small farms to be competitive when businesses continue to charge more for inputs. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? Chuck enjoys the genetics of the herd while watching it grow and improve with the next generation. Fred enjoys watching young calves grow to be better cows and bulls within the herd. What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Surround yourself with positive people. Stay away from the negative. Keep pushing through the tough times. What has been the best purchase you’ve ever made on your farm? The grapple bucket; it is a time saver. What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? How did you achieve this? Picking the right bulls to improve the next generation. We did this by building a good cow trait family. Fred’s proudest accomplishment is having Chuck take over the farm as the sixth generation.
What is your favorite dairy product? Fresh cheese curds. What is your favorite tool? Milwaukee impact wrench. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? We love sports; the Packers and the Badgers. We also enjoy going to Chuck’s daughter’s gymnastic meets.
What is your favorite technology? Farm machinery; it makes things easier. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you? We are optimistic. We like to learn from yesterday and look forward to improving for tomorrow. If you could have a celebrity help you with chores for a day, who would it be? Garth Brooks or Jordy Nelson.
What are your plans for your dairy in the next ve years? We would like to build a freestall barn and switch to a milking parlor. What is your favorite thing to do on the farm? Chuck’s favorite is mowing hay because he loves the smell of fresh cut hay. He also likes milk testing day because he can see each cow’s production. Fred enjoys taking care of the calves and helping where he is needed.
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 25, 2017
CONSISTENT, TIGHTLY WRAPPED BALES
RW ROUND AND SW SQUARE
BALE WRAPPERS
r .QY RTQƂNG FGUKIP HQT OCZKOWO UVCDKNKV[ CPF IGPVNG WPNQCFKPI r %QPUKUVGPVN[ YTCRRGF VQ OCKPVCKP HQTCIG SWCNKV[ VJTQWIJQWV UVQTCIG r 2CVGPVGF RTG UVTGVEJGT YKVJ CNWOKPWO TQNNGTU HQT GCU[ ENGCPKPI r 'CU[ VQ QRGTCVG sRQKPV OQWPVGF CPF VTCKNGF OQFGNU “ UCVGNNKVG QT VWTPVCDNG
New Kuhn Knight Vertical Maxx VT 180, #2981 -
Call
New Kuhn SL 118, #3589 - Call
+08'56 +0 37#.+6;ÂŽ
KuhnNorthAmerica.com
New Kuhn Knight VT156, #2993 - Call
New Kuhn Knight SLC 132, #3636
New Knight 2044,
New Kuhn Knight 2054, #3557 - Call
New Kuhn Knight SL 114, #3558 - Call
New Kuhn Knight SL 124, #3480 - Call
Call
#3625 -
Call
Salesmen: Tony Steinhart (608) 778-3491 or Joe Ryan (608) 778-2900
4116 Hwy. 80 S. Platteville, WI
OfďŹ ce: (608) 348-9401 or Toll Free: 1(888) BUY-PATZ www.steinhartsfarmservice.com
4116 Hwy. 80 S. Platteville, WI