CHECK OUT THE
HEART
starting on Page 23 of this section!
DAIRY
Heart For Dairy Feature
DAIRY ST R
Volume 24, No. 1
February 26, 2022
“All dairy, all the time”™
The drive to pursue a lifelong dream
Robinson began dairying in 2020 By Grace Jeurissen grace.j@star-pub.com
LESTER PRAIRIE, Minn. – When Brad Robinson speaks of his dairy the biggest grin comes across his face. At 49 years old, Robinson changed careers and has not regretted his decision yet. “I trucked for 25 years, but I have always wanted to have a dairy farm,” he said. After looking for a farm near Arlington, Robinson’s realtor convinced him to take a look at a farm along the Crow River in Lester Prairie. For the last ve years, since purchasing the farm site, Robinson has put in countless hours building and renovating his facility to be suitable for a milking herd. “It was everything I wanted,” Robinson said. “My wife didn’t like the idea of me milking. She told me I was going to have to do it myself. Now, she helps me every night.”
Robinson and his wife, Nicole, milk 54 cows in a step-up parlor built by Robinson with the help of family and friends. Robinson’s introduction to the dairy industry came in high school when he helped his grandpa on his farm and helped neighbors milk. His grandpa bought Robinson his rst Jersey calf which he showed at the county fair for 4-H. Robinson then had to sell the heifer because his grandpa was not set up to milk. “She was milked by the family that bought her for 11 or 12 years,” Robinson said. A deep passion for dairy, and a love for that Jersey cow, is part of the reason Robinson pursued a herd of Jerseys. “Everything here is a big deal to me,” Robinson said of his farm. “I came here with nothing. All I had was the building site.” The barn was empty and gutted when MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR the Robinsons purchased the farm site. There was no setup for a herd of dairy Brad Robinson stands in his farmyard Feb. 14 on his 54-cow dairy near Lester Prairie, Minnesota. Robinson trucked for many years before starƟng his dairy cows and no equipment for milking. career in the fall of 2020. Turn to ROBINSON | Page 6
Sellners recognized for outstanding SCC Twice predipping credited for low bacterial counts By Grace Jeurissen grace.j@star-pub.com
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Mike and Judy Sellner talk about the protocols they have to keep their somaƟc cell count low Feb. 14 on their 120-cow dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. The Sellners have received a SCC plaque from First District AssociaƟon for 24 years.
SLEEPY EYE, Minn. – Since Mike and Judy Sellner have been farming, herd health has been a priority. Keeping their cows dry and clean with an eye on somatic cell count is something they have always strived for on their 120-cow dairy Sleepy Eye. This dedication has led them to be recognized by their creamery many times for maintaining a low somatic cell. Since 1988, the Sellners have received many somatic cell count plaques in 24 of the past 27 years from First District Association. “At one time, they paid for somatic cell count,” Mike Sellner said. “Now, they don’t pay as much but you get better production, breeding and pregnancy; everything goes hand in hand.”
Mike and Judy milk 120 cows and were most recently recognized at First District Association’s annual banquet, highlighting the family’s SCC in 2021. “This gives me something to strive for,” Sellner said. “It makes me want to do good. You have to have a little luck too.” Their cows are housed in a compost barn, which is bedded down with sawdust every eight to 10 days in the winter; the dry summer air doubles the life of the sawdust. Sellner credits much of his SCC success to his routine, dipping the teat ends twice, before attaching the milking unit to help manage bacterial counts. “I go in and I dip with 1% iodine pre-dip,” Sellner said. “Then I strip them, re-dip, wait at least 30 seconds and wipe.” Turn to SELLNERS | Page 7