LOOK INSIDE FOR OUR CENTRAL PLAINS DAIRY EXPO PREVIEW EDITION!
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 20, No. 2
March 10, 2018
“The future is not about getting a milk check.” – Sam Zimmermann How economic indicators are inuencing dairy’s future Zimmermann
A fraternity of like-minded American farmers
By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
Editor’s note: This is the rst of two articles on Dr. David Kohl’s presentation, “Positioning for success in cyclical economics,” hosted by Ridgewater College Farm Business Management Programs on Feb. 21 in Willmar, Minn. WILLMAR, Minn. – The agriculture industry has entered another year of troubling market conditions, and dairy farmers are holding their breath waiting for the next turnaround. “We have this elongated cycle that I call the grinder. It’s a grinder on nancials and emotions. Throughout the cycle, you redene success, and that will look differently for all of us,” said Dr. David Kohl, Professor of Emeritus at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. Whether success is nancial stability, peace of mind or even certain family matters, there are several obstacles in reaching success for dairy farmers. In Kohl’s presentation, he spoke of the many national and international economic indicators inuencing the dairy industry, and ultimately, every farmer’s version of success. The markers can be broken into ve categories – international partnerships and trade agreements, the U.S. dollar and general economy, the Federal Reserve System, weather and consumer trends. As the industry sits in a surplus-type of environment, international trade agreements will become more critical over the next six months. Last year, President Trump ended the United States’ partnership with nations in the Trans Pacic Partnership (TPP), and is currently negotiating trade deals with Canada and Mexico as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Turn to FUTURE | Page 5
joins the ranks of National OYF By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
RINGLE, Wis. – Sam Zimmermann maintains that success is more about the people you surround yourself with than it is about you. He credits his successes to all of the positive inuences and role models in his life. Zimmermann has experienced a great deal of success in his young dairy farming career, recently being named, along with his wife, Turn to ZIMMERMANN | Page 10
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Sam Zimmermann, along with his wife, Jenn, were recently named as one of the NaƟonal Outstanding Young Farmers in Sacramento, Calif. The Zimmermanns’ On-Q Holsteins is located in Marathon County, near Ringle, Wis.
Agropur expands its Lake Norden cheese plant
85,000 cows needed to meet facility’s capacity By Jerry Nelson
jerry.n@dairystar.com
LAKE NORDEN, S.D. – Agropur held a groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 27 for a $250 million expansion of its cheese plant in Lake Norden, S.D. The expansion project, with expected completion in early 2019, will triple the plant’s processing capacity from 3 million pounds of milk per day to 9 million pounds of milk per day. This increase will demand milk from approximately 85,000 additional dairy cows in order to supply the plant’s needs. “Agropur is committed to
JERRY NELSON/ DAIRY STAR
Doug Simon, Agropur President of U.S. OperaƟons, addresses a gathering of industry and business leaders during a groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 27 at Agropur’s cheese plant in Lake Norden, S.D. continuing its development in the North American market. This announcement is very
good news for the growing dairy industry and dairy farmers in the region,” said
René Moreau, president of Agropur. Agropur Inc. is a subsidiary of Agropur Cooperative, which was founded in 1938. Agropur’s headquarters are located in Saint-Hubert, Québec, Canada. Davisco Foods International constructed a mozzarella cheese plant in Lake Norden in 2003. Agropur purchased the facilities from Davisco in 2014. “The Lake Norden project is an important part of our longterm business strategy, which targets continued expansion through acquisitions as well as organic growth. We are eager to get to work on this new and important project,” said Robert Coallier, CEO of Agropur. Work on the expansion began several months ago. The Turn to AGROPUR | Page 6
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
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 - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Ron Johnson (608) 874-4243 ron.j@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Brittany Olson (320) 352-6303 brittany.o@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (715) 245-6848 danielle.n@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 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. From the editorial team
Dairy Prole brought to you by your
We say goodbye to one of our founding owners The end of February marked an important milestone for Dairy Star. We are now in our 20th year producing a paper with dairy-specic news for dairy farmers in the Upper Midwest. It is amazing what has changed in 20 years. From new technologies and evolving management styles, the look of many dairy farms has changed over two decades. That rst issue certainly did not feature any dairies that had recently installed robots. In fact, that rst Dairy Star in 1999 looked very different than it does today. At its beginning, Dairy Star came out as a one-section, 12-page paper for producers in Stearns County in central Minnesota. Our coverage area has expanded quite a bit in the years to follow. After many expansions, we now have become an information source for four states – Minnesota, western Wisconsin, northern Iowa and eastern South Dakota – and have a circulation of over 16,000. Plus, the paper is a mailbox ller with three sections, many times numbering over 100 pages. The staff has also grown and changed over the years, and the paper became a part of Star Publications. One of the most recent and unexpected changes in staff came when we laid to rest one of our founding owners, Dave Simpkins, who passed away on Feb. 23. Although Dave never had much of an agricultural background, he had such a zeal and enthusiasm for telling the stories of those around him. That is one part of Dave that will live on and one goal that has never changed at the paper: we continually strive to write and tell stories directly from the source and the people who live the life every day – dairy farmers. Whether sitting around a kitchen table or walking among rows of cows in a barn, we want to tell the authentic truth about what happens on dairies in our surrounding communities. If there is a dairy connection, we want to tell the story. Of course, in order to tell those stories and keep the paper circulating, we need our loyal advertisers. Without them, we would not be able to keep the paper free when it hits mailboxes. As you sit down to read this issue – or lean against the bulk tank or stand at a desk or wherever it is you read the paper – know that the staff of Dairy Star is working to publish a paper dairy farmers want to read. Don’t see a topic you want to know about? Know of someone with an interesting hobby? Want to give us feedback? Please call or email us. We would love to talk with you and chat about what is going on in the dairy community in your area. This is a paper for the dairy farmers, and we want to continue to be a valuable information source for the industry for many decades to come.
– The Dairy Star Editorial Team
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It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 8-9 First Section
The Transition Pen Page 27 First Section
Turtle Lake
Bascom offers insight toward dry, fresh cow management Second Section: Pages 8-9
Turtle Lake
Elk Mound
Take a stand against digital dermatitis
Colby
First Section: Pages 28
First Section: Page 39
Thorp FFA raises money for food pantry
Solberg builds rotary parlor for 450-cow herd
Second Section: Page 30
Thorp
Third Section: Pages 4-5
Dairy Prole: Phil Kroning
U.S. wool
Page 29 First Section
Spring Valley
Veterinary Wisdom
First Section: Page 36
Women in Dairy: Amanda Anderson
Page 31 First Section
Making Cents of Dairy
n ur Burnett
Polk
Barron
Variety of consignments at UWRF Falcon Premier
Pierce
First Section: Page 37
Dunn
Pepin Buffalo
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
Page 29 Second Section
Sawyer
Pittsville
Price
Consistent nutrition helps Lipperts achieve high production First Section: Pages 18, 20
Rusk
Chippewa
Marathon Clark
Eau Claire Trempealeau
St. Croix
River Falls
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Country Cooking
Iron
Taylor
Page 32
Page 33 First Section
First Section: Pages 1, 10
Ashland
hb
Page 30 First Section
Dairy Good Life
Bayeld
Douglas
W as
Ramblings from the Ridge
Ringle
Zimmermann joins the ranks of National OYF
Wood
Verona
Jackson
Sarbacker named Wisconsin Holstein Distinguished Young Breeder
Adams
La Crosse Monroe
Juneau
Spring Valley
Vernon
Ellefsons begin dairy farming on parents’ home farm First Section: Pages 23, 25
ford
Richland
Sauk
Craw
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Fond Du Lac Columbia
Dane
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Rock
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
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Menkes chronicle journey to robotic milking
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First Section: Pages 34-35
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
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ConƟnued from FUTURE | Page 1 “Trade is a black swan in agriculture,” Kohl said. Currently, the United States exports one in seven days worth of milk production, and 39 percent of that going into Mexico. With the threat of NAFTA’s termination, the southernbordering country has sought out alternative avenues for milk product and other commodities. “Europe has cheap milk. But with corn, Mexico has looked to Brazil and Argentina. They’ll have another source even if it costs them more,” Kohl said. “If we tweak NAFTA, we’ll be OK. If we toss it, we will be in a deep, deep farm crisis.” Likewise, with the United States leaving TPP, China lled the void of products. Fortunately, Japan has left an avenue for the United States to rejoin if the opportunity presents itself. “We’re export driven with 21 percent of net farm income coming from ag exports,” said Kohl, emphasizing milk’s 14 percent stake in the export market. While trade is certainly an indicator to monitor, Kohl wants to put more emphasis on technology and how it can be affected internationally. “I’m not worried about nuclear capabilities. I’m worried about cyber. The more we move to high technology, the more we become vulnerable to attacks,” Kohl said. “Ask your equipment dealership if they have preventative measures against that. We’ve put a lot of resources into industries, such as banking, but we haven’t done the same for agriculture.” The U.S. dollar was once very strong but has weakened since the start of the new year. While a weakening dollar is benecial in the international marketplace, it brings about woes to the
U.S. economy with ination and higher interest rates. “Currency is a double-edged sword,” Kohl said. “It helps our exports but then makes goods we import and those in a consumer-based economy more expensive.” These factors lead to a booming general economy, and today, the country has entered into its 104th month of economic expansion. “We’re in an asynchronized economy. When the general economy is hotter than a pepper sprout, the ag economies tend to suffer,” Kohl said. Although economic growth is reaching record levels, with 106 months being the second-longest growth period in history, Kohls has concerns with how the economy is growing. “This one is different from others, because it’s on the backs of the Federal Reserve. They basically articially created economic expansion,” Kohl said. “But does the Federal Reserve have enough say from the ag and rural areas?” From October 2017 to January 2018, agriculture economies were weak while the stock market jumped $1.8 trillion, Kohl said. The same scenarios are found elsewhere, such as in Australia and Canada. Around the world, 94 percent of stock markets are up over the last 15 months. “The stock markets are articially inated and making everyone feel good,” Kohl said. “It’s created the wealth effect.” Unfortunately, this phenomenon has contributed to the economy’s piling debt and is a cause for serious concern. Kohl noted credit card, auto and
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ConƟnued from AGROPUR | Page 1
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A group of business and industry leaders shovel dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 27 at the Agropur cheese plant in Lake Norden, S.D. Once completed, the expansion will require the milk from an addiƟonal 85,000 cows. groundbreaking ceremony was held on a stage that had been erected in a large, newly-constructed concrete room that still had a dirt oor. Dennis Daugaard, South Dakota governor, addressed the gathering of dairy industry leaders, farmers and interested local citizens. “Agropur has built a truly remarkable relationship with the Lake Norden community,” Daugaard said. “The company’s decision to reinvest in South Dakota – a decision that will have an estimated $1 billion annual economic impact in our state – is a prime example of how our dairy industry supports economic development from farmer to small town to processor and beyond. If you want an example of the right way to build a multi-milliondollar cheese plant, look no further than the partnership created among Agropur, the State of South Dakota and Lake Norden.” Tim Czmowski, midwest regional operations vice president for Agropur,
agreed. “This is a great day for Lake Norden, for South Dakota and for the dairy industry,” Czmowski said. “We are here because of the customers from all over the world who enjoy the cheese and whey products that are made at this plant.” As the 20th largest milk processor in the world, Agropur markets its products to 35 countries. The Lake Norden plant currently produces mozzarella, cheddar, provolone and parmesan cheese. Some of this cheese nds its way to customers that include the Papa Murphy’s take and bake pizza chain. An additional 125 workers will need to be hired after the expansion is completed. They will join the current workforce that numbers 225. “This is really a blessing for our town,” said Lake Norden mayor Jason Turn to AGROPUR | Page 7
ConƟnued from FUTURE | Page 5 consumer debt makes up $3.5 trillion on the nation’s $18 trillion economy. “Our saving rate is the lowest it’s ever been, and this debt is high cholesterol debt,” Kohl said. “It’s very, very dangerous.” An inated stock market also creates greater volatility. Kohl warns that if the stock market drops by 30 percent, the U.S. economy would be put into another recession. While much of what happens at the federal level is out of the control of farmers, Kohl suggests looking at indicators that can be inuenced by strategic farm management, such as weather patterns. Eric Snodgrass, a meteorologist with the University of Illinois predicts that if dry weather conditions in the southern plains continue from April 15 through June, those same conditions will be present in the Upper Midwest and affect commodity markets. “Farmers are going to be able to pick up 5 percent efciencies by weather management,” Kohl said. “You will measure the factors, like heat, humidity and wind, that are going to give you your advantage.” Last summer, Kohl and his son had plans to wrap hay, but there was an 80 percent chance of rain that particular day. By monitoring the weather radar, the Kohls completed their hay crop only minutes before rain fell. “Weather application is going to be very important,” Kohl said. “We use it for breeding our cows, too, with certain
temperatures and humidity.” Lastly, consumer trends will play a pivotal role in inuencing the future dairy markets. “Think about the future of agriculture and the future of beer. Think about who is driving the beer market, because they’re going to be your future market,” said Kohl, speaking of Millennials and their desire for specialty markets. In the United States, alone, 153 million individuals make up the Millennial and Generation Z consumer pool. This group cares deeply for the food they eat and where it comes from. Not only will domestic consumers inuence the dairy industry, but international consumers, as well. “When you look at this industry, study the European Union, Australia and Oceania,” Kohl said. “You will see food trends ve to 10 years there before you see it in the states. They get it.” As these various indicators become more prominent in shaping the future of the dairy industry, Kohl encourages farmers to remain condent and mold their business with these changes in mind. “You have to manage the things you can manage and manage around the uncontrollable,” Kohl said. The second article in this two-part series will be published in the March 24 issue of Dairy Star and include ways dairy farmers can nd success with theses economic indicators.
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 7
ConƟnued from AGROPUR | Page 6 Aho. “Agropur could have chosen to build anyplace, but they chose us. It’s an honor to have Agropur continue to invest in Lake Norden.” Lake Norden, which has a population of 470, has already seen benets of the expansion. A private individual recently constructed an 8-plex apartment structure for Agropur workers and is looking at building more. The town is so intertwined with the cheese processing industry that the slogan, “Cheese is our Whey!” has been emblazoned prominently across its water tower. “We have a very talented
workforce,” said Doug Simon, Agropur president of U.S. operations. “We are always striving to produce high quality products that will be sold around the world and our employees are key to that process. This expansion will make the Lake Norden facility the largest of the 39 processing plants that Agropur operates, Simon said. “This growth is being driven by the increasing milk supply in the region and by increasing product sales. The Lake Norden expansion will be an incredible improvement and a key tool for Agropur’s JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
Work is well underway on the expansion of the Agropur cheese plant in Lake Norden, S.D. The expansion, which will be completed in early 2019, will triple the plant’s daily capacity to 9 million pounds of milk per day.
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard (leŌ) poses with Lake Norden Mayor Jason Aho following a groundbreaking ceremony held at the Agropur cheese plant.
future,” Simon said. Last April, Agropur received the Breakthrough Award for Dairy Ingredient Innovation for its development of highly pure glycomacropeptide (GMP), a protein derived from whey. The award was presented in Chicago at the American Dairy Products Institute’s annual meeting. “Dairy is the No. 1 driver of economic activity in South Dakota’s ag sector,” Daugaard said. “All of the things that a dairy needs – the forages, the grain, the water, the space to
grow – are here. As governor, I have been working to recruit dairy farmers from other states and countries to relocate to South Dakota and have been encouraging our current dairy farmers to expand.” Recalling his boyhood on a dairy farm located at Dell Rapids, Daugaard said, “When I was a kid, it was a daily ritual to go down to the barn to help Dad milk our cows. Back then, in the 1960s, the state had about 200,000 dairy cows. This number dropped steadily until it was at about 80,000 10 years ago. There are currently
about 110,000 dairy cows in South Dakota, and the I-29 Corridor is the fastest growing dairy region in the United States. Our goal is to bring us back to the days when dairy was king.” Daugaard feels the state can reach that goal with the help of this plant’s expansion. “This is a very big deal for South Dakota,” Daugaard said. “Agropur could have chosen to build their expansion any place, but they chose Lake Norden. And we couldn’t be any more pleased.”
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Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
Dairy industry grieves the loss of John Pagel The dairy industry continues to mourn the loss diate action. The lawmakers recommend a retroacof John Pagel of Kewaunee County. Pagel, his son- tive x, returning to tax benets of Section 199. in-law and their pilot, died in a plane crash in rural Indiana. Pagel is the visionary behind Pagel’s Senators ask President Trump to rejoin TPP A coalition of 25 Republican Ponderosa Dairy with more than 5,000 Ag Insider Senators are asking President Doncows in the herd. Pagel also owned a ald Trump to rejoin the Trans-Pacic farm-to-fork restaurant in Green Bay Partnership. Trump pulled out the trade and a cheese shop in Luxemburg. Paagreement shortly after taking ofce, gel was also a founder and president of but recently said he may consider reEdge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. Dairy joining the TPP. Business Association President Mike North described Pagel as a leader. “He Milk production rises was bigger than life. His expression In the 23 major dairy production was always ‘living the dream.’ He took states, January milk output rose 1.8 pergreat joy in what he did and he was cent. Wisconsin milk production is up a someone we looked to for that spirit of fraction of one percent. In Minnesota, leadership.” By Don Wick milk production rose nearly 1 percent. Columnist California milk production increased NAFTA benets dairy farmers 2.2 percent. A new analysis by Informa Economics said U.S. trade agreements with Mexico are benecial to dairy farmers. In 2016, the United FARM receives global approval The National Dairy FARM Program now comStates shipped $1.2 billion worth of dairy products plies with the International Organization for Stanto Mexico. For every $1 of sales associated with dardization Animal Welfare Management, becomdairy exports, an additional $2.50 in output is suping the rst livestock animal care program in the ported elsewhere in the U.S. economy. U.S. Dairy world to receive the designation. The FARM proExport Council President and CEO Tom Vilsack said, “It’s important to preserve existing market gram was created in 2009 by the National Milk Proaccess to Mexico under the North American Free ducers Federation and Dairy Management, Inc. Trade Agreement.” Record earnings for Land O’Lakes Land O’Lakes reports record net earnings Seeking solutions to Section 199a snafu According to a letter signed by nearly 90 mem- of $364 million for 2017, up 14 percent from the bers of Congress, a portion of the new tax law re- 2016. The dairy foods division had earnings of $71 sulted in a dramatic competitive imbalance in the million, up $1 million from last year. The Land agriculture industry. While not intended, the law- O’Lakes crop input business reports net earnings of makers said Section 199A went too far and creates $230 million, an improvement of $27 million from a tax advantage for farmers who sell to cooperatives 2016. instead of private and independent companies. The letter asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan to take imme-
Key development for Michigan dairy plant The Michigan Strategic Fund has given its support for plans to build a new milk processing plant in Greenville, Mich. Foremost Farms USA, which is based in Baraboo, plans to build a $60 million processing plant utilizing more than 3 million pounds of milk per day. Patronage funds distributed Compeer Financial is returning almost $119 million in patronage funds to its member-owners. Of that total, more than $43 million is being distributed to the 11,000 members in Wisconsin. Compeer Financial was formed this past year with the merger of three farm credit groups and serves Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. Northey conrmed A four month hold on the conrmation of the USDA nominee for Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey has nally been lifted and the Senate conrmed the Iowa agriculture secretary with voice vote. The conrmation is good news according to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts. In a statement, Roberts said he has no doubt Northey will be a champion for farmers and ranchers at USDA. Doud conrmed Gregg Doud was conrmed by the U.S. Senate as chief agriculture negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative’s Ofce. Doud has been serving as president of the Commodity Markets Council. Previously, Doud was on the Senate Agriculture Committee staff and was chief economist for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Wisconsin farmer takes leadership role on dairy board Connie Seefeldt of Coleman, Wis. has been Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8
elected as vice chair of the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. Seefeldt chaired the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for ve years. Condolences David Simpkins, who was a champion for the newspaper industry and the communities they serve, has passed. Simpkins’ enthusiasm helped launch Dairy Star 20 years ago and will be missed immensely. We extend our condolences to Dave’s family and many friends. Trivia challenge The cow’s stomach has four sepa-
rate compartments. That answers our last trivia question. For this week, what type of cheese is the most widely purchased and consumed in the world? 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.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Losing leaders in the dairy business
This past week we laid to rest two respected men, John Pagel and Steve Witcpalek, in Kewaunee, Wis. In the dairy business they were leaders. John has been a visionary leader since the 1980s. Tragedies like this make the rest of those involved in the dairy business realize how important leaders are in our occupation. The many meetings they attend when they leave their farms and families, the countless hours of phone conversations, email messages, texts and letters to communicate the wishes and fears of farmers to decision makers, both within and outside dairy farming are immeasurable. We owe John, and others like him, a huge debt of gratitude for the service they provide for the many farmers who don’t have the time, talent or patience to express our feelings. Thanks, John and Steve. Jim Mlsna Hillsboro, Wis.
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Jenn, as one of the 2018 National Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) winners in at the National Awards Congress in Sacramento, Calif. The couple, along with their four children, operate On-Q Holsteins located near Ringle, Wis. They milk 190 Holstein cows, about 90 percent of which are registered, and raise all of their replacement heifers, while farming 450 acres in Marathon County. Jenn also works off the farm, operating her own business consulting rm. The OYF program rst entered the couple’s lives two years ago when they were rst selected as local winners in Marathon County. In the state contest, they were named Wisconsin’s OYF and applied to the national DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR level. Cows at On-Q Holsteins are monitored with SCR tags, which the Zimmermanns Wowed is how recently purchased for use on their farm. Zimmermann describes his impression of taking Zimmermann said of Bella. part in the National OYF In addition to her impact on their herd, embryos from process, which included nine other couples. “They’re large and small dairy farmers, Bella have been exported to France and China. Technology usage at On-Q Holsteins has been conventional and organic cash-croppers, and farmers that grow sugar beets and cotton from all over the aimed more at developing the genetics of their herd, United States,” Zimmermann said. “The diversity was using embryo transfer and IVF work using their own recipients. The Zimmermanns also use genomic just amazing.” During their time in California, the Zimmermanns testing to help them determine the best genetics within were interviewed by past National OYF winners, their herd. “We are in this for the long haul, so we can’t ofcers of the organization, industry professionals and extension agents. They also participated in a just stop spending money,” Zimmermann said of the need to continue to improve their operation through variety of agricultural tours, luncheons and dinners. Zimmermann said the nalists were not only technology. “We have to be smart about how we selected based on their progress in their agricultural spend it, though.” Recently, the Zimmermanns decided to purchase careers, but also on stewardship of land and their community involvement, as well as leadership SRC collars to build more management data on their herd. He is excited about being able to track and development. “The [National] OYF is there for us in the monitor rumination. “We haven’t really done anything to benet the challenging times, like now with milk prices,” Zimmermann said. “Yes, things can be depressing right cows in a while,” Zimmermann said of the tags. now, and it’s hard to stay positive. Our participation in “What we will be able to learn about the cows’ health this program has been a real nudge to keep me going. and the aid in heat detection should help pay for them, especially developing a protocol to back off the use of I tell myself, ‘I got here, I need to keep going.’” Zimmermann calls the National OYF program a hormones in our reproductive program. I can’t wait to fraternity, and said it has been a great experience for see what I can learn from these.” Last year, Zimmermann purchased a McHale him and his wife to cultivate friendships from all over silage baler to increase the quality of forages. the United States. With challenging labor situations, Zimmermann “These people have the same core family values that we have,” Zimmerman said. “As a group, we said he may consider robots. While he acknowledges the expense involved with purchasing robots, he also became very close.” Zimmermann’s own story in the dairy industry recognizes that labor is expensive. “Yes, labor is expensive, but bad or inconsistent began while he was growing up milking 45 head of labor is more expensive. Cows are creatures of habit registered Holsteins with his family in a tiestall barn. In 1997, they suffered a barn re right about the time and it’s hard to make an employee a creature of he was heading to the University of Wisconsin-River habit,” Zimmermann said. “I’m lucky to have some Falls to study dairy science. His parents decided to great people, but it’s hard to keep those people on a sell the cows and build a barn to custom raise heifers. smaller operation.” The Zimmermanns have seven to eight full-time “Part of our freestall barn today was built in 1998 for the heifer-raising operation,” Zimmermann said. and part-time employees on their payroll at any given “My dad built it so that it could be converted to a two- time. Diversication is another area that dominates row freestall barn in the future.” After college, Zimmermann returned home to Zimmermann’s thoughts on a daily basis. “With the low milk prices, it’s important to think help his parents raise heifers while working part-time about how we can diversify our farm,” Zimmerman with the University of Wisconsin Extension. In 2009, he made the move to convert the barn into the freestall said. “The future is not about getting a milk check. barn his father had planned for, and built a low-cost, The future of dairy farming is either getting bigger swing-12 parlor himself, based on extension design, and being more efcient, or staying small and being unique. How do I make the value of my milk higher?” and commenced his career as a dairy farmer. While Zimmermann acknowledges the challenges Zimmermann credits one cow with being the foundation of their herd. MS Brandys Bella-ET is facing the industry, he embraces the opportunity an RMW Armitage daughter, scored EX-92 and has to learn, grow and continue to nd his niche in the received Dam of Merit (DOM) designation from marketplace. “This business isn’t just about us, as individuals. Holstein USA. Her dam, at one time the breed-leading It’s about the people we surround ourselves and it’s a red-carrier cow, is an Excellent Shottle daughter of KHW Regiment Apple-Red-ET EX-96-4E-DOM. great testament to those people,” Zimmermann said. Bella has over 50 daughters and descendants in the “I was fortunate that my parents always believed in good genetics, and that my dad was very forward Zimmermann herd. “She’s been a great cow. She breeds back thinking. He helped pave my way in this industry.” regularly, and her daughters have beautiful udders,”
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 11
Take on a proactive approach
Detection key to preventing ketosis development By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
SEBEKA, Minn. – Many issues that arise in herd health can be prevented with a proactive, rather than reactive, approach; managing ketosis is no different. Ketosis is a metabolic condition that can be prevented or treated in its early stages before causing damaging challenges in herd health and the farm’s nancial position. “This disease can cause a domino effect,” Ray Seibert said. “You have to be on top of it and know the consequences ketosis has on your dairy before you start noticing them.” Seibert milks 80 cows with his wife, Ray Seibert Cheryl, and daughter, Dairy farmer Allie, near Sebeka, Minn. While Seibert has always monitored signs of ketosis on-set throughout his dairying career, he recently began routinely testing post-fresh cows. Ketosis occurs when a cow’s energy demand surpasses her energy intake, and the liver is not able to metabolize fat quickly enough and ketones are produced faster than absorbed. This is often seen early on in lactation when milk production reaches its peak. Subclinical ketosis develops when blood ß-hydroxybutric acid (BHBA) levels reach 1.2 mmol/L, according to Dr. Heather White with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Once BHBA levels surpassed Dr. Heather White have 3.0 mmol/L and UW-Madison physical symptoms are identied, the metabolic disease has transformed into a clinical problem. “Subclinical by denition means no symptoms,” White said. “We have to emphasize the importance of early treatment protocols, because once we notice a decline in feed intake and milk production we have already missed our rst opportunity.” If left untreated, clinical ketosis sets in and leads to larger health problems, such as a greater prevalence of displaced abomasum, coupled with long-term milk production trends. Reduced milk production within the rst 30 days of lactation affects the entire lactation. Additionally, subclinical ketosis can result in difculty breeding at rst service, White said. “There are many long-term impacts associated with not treating ketosis,” White said. White’s research has focused on the factors that cause some cows to transition from the dry period into lactation effortlessly, while others struggle. “When a cow struggles, she fails to meet her genetic potential with milk production,” White said. “What are the predisposed factors to successful transition or the challenges and frustrations of transition?” The results from White’s studies agree with others across the country, and that indicate 40 to 60 percent of cow have subclinical ketosis each lactation, which represents the incidence. This incident is roughly equal to 20 to 30 percent prevalence, the occurrence of elevated BHBA on any one day. “The average case of ketosis costs dairy
producers $290. Part of that cost is treatment and the risk of treating subsequent conditions, like a displaced abomasum,” White said. “Not only is it hard on the animals, but it becomes a denite potential economic loss.” When White monitored more than 500,000 fresh cows outside of her research trials, her observations mimicked the research – cows predicted to have subclinical ketosis were three times more likely to be culled within 30 days, at a greater risk for displaced abomasum, less likely to become pregnant and exhibited lower milk yields. “Looking at peak milk production in DHIA reports, animals predicted to be positive for subclinical ketosis are producing 5 pounds less milk. By accurately predicting cases without blood detection, we can ask, ‘What are patterns for ketosis development in the Midwest region?’” White said. On Seibert’s farm, he noticed a greater prevalence for ketosis because of overcrowding within his dry cow pen and milking barn, as well as heifer facility. “We’re trying not to crowd so much but we try to mostly calve in the summer and that puts a lot of stress on the facilities,” Seibert said. Overcrowding leads to less bunk space per cow, and perhaps more frequent pen moves, both of which have a negative impact on ketosis development. “Anecdotally, higher conditioned dry cows are more likely to develop ketosis, but our research demonstrates that this is only true for cows that are a body condition score of four or greater pre-fresh,” White said. “Also important is the loss of body condition across the transition period. When cows lose body condition, they’re mobilizing more fat and can be more at risk for ketosis.” Seibert monitors the rations to ensure there is the correct balance between proteins and fats. In the future, he hopes to also improve bunk space and eliminate the overcrowding issue on his farm. “We can’t always change facilities and cow ow, but there are a lot of things we can do to negate ketosis,” White said. “If you can support the animal nutritionally, and focus on early detection and treatment, you can avoid the lost milk and improve overall cow health.” White suggests using a blood or milk test in fresh cows to monitor the metabolic disease. Tests should be conducted one day each week for animals three to 18 days in milk for two consecutive weeks. “If you’re not actively testing for it, you’re probably missing it,” White said. Seibert agreed. “Don’t test if you don’t think you have a problem. But since I was a kid, ketosis has always been a problem,” he said. Last year, Seibert implemented a protocol for routinely testing his fresh cows using a milk test. Seibert now randomly picks a group to check once a week. “We’re testing more and catching more earlier. I haven’t had to do a [displaced abomasum] surgery in the last 10 years,” Seibert said. “I thought I was doing a decent job before, but now it’s much easier. We catch it and take care of it right away.” Since Seibert began testing for ketosis, he has watched his herd maintain body condition, and improve in reproduction and milk production. “Everything is back in shape and that makes a huge difference,” Seibert said. White recognizes tests might not be a long-term economical choice for all dairy farms, but she suggests using tests to determine prevalence on the farm and then proceeding with management strategy that best ts the operation. “The big thing is to know what you’re dealing with and identify patterns,” White said. Seibert agreed. “Knowledge is power, and in dealing with ketosis we have the power to do something,” he said.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
Doing what he was born to do
Sarbacker named Wisconsin Holstein Distinguished Young Breeder By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
VERONA, Wis. – When his parents and his wife convinced him to attend the Wisconsin Holstein Association’s annual convention being held in near-by Wisconsin Dells, Joe Sarbacker didn’t have a clue he was going to be honored as the Wisconsin Holstein Distinguished Young Breeder, a secret his family managed to keep from him. Joe is the third generation of his family to breed registered Holsteins under the Fischerdale Holsteins prex, which was established in 1958 by his grandfather. He joined his parents, Tom and Vicki, in farming outside of Verona, Wis., following his graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008. Joe’s wife, Sarah, and their three daughters, Payton, 8, Braelyn, 6, and Reagan, 4, are also involved with the farm. In addition to the farm, Sarah operates an event planning business in Madison. The Sarbackers milk 60 head of registered Holsteins and have a Holstein USA Breed Age Average (BAA) of nearly 110 percent, ranking them 133rd in the nation. They
achieved that recognition with 19 Excellent and 35 Very Good cows anchoring the herd. Their Rolling Herd Average (RHA) is 25,000 pounds of milk. “I’d gotten a letter last fall that someone had nominated me,” Joe said. “I was honored, and it’s always been a goal of mine, but I really thought I was too young to be selected.” According to the Sarbackers, the application included essay questions about future goals along with current cow and herd facts, as well as several letters of recommendations. Sarbacker plans to apply for the same award at the national level in the next few years, before he turns 40, which is the age cutoff for this award. A love of showing and breeding good cows has shaped Joe’s passion for the registered Holstein industry, dating back to his days as a junior member. “We’ve never bought a lot of cows,” Joe said. “Growing up, if we wanted to show, it was going to be something that we’d bred.” Competing in the show ring continues to play a role in the Sarbackers’ breeding program.
PHOTO COURTESY ERRIN HILTBRAND PHOTOGRAPHY
Joe Sarbacker milks 60 cows near Verona, Wis. Sarbacker was recently recognized as the Wisconsin Holstein DisƟnguished Young Breeder. “It’s about pride,” Joe said. “Showing is fun, and something we enjoy as a family. It was pretty fun watching Payton and Braelyn show at the district show for the rst time last summer.” Growing up with that mentality has helped shape Joe’s breeding philosophy, which he is using to advance the genetics in the herd.
“We choose bulls that will help us reach our goals,” Joe said. “We want to breed Excellent cows that are highproducing. We want cows that are competitive at the shows and protable in the barn. Cows that make us money are the end goal.” With today’s dairy climate, Joe said he’s placing more emphasis on bulls that are plus
milk and sire daughters with good components. Health traits such as daughter pregnancy rate (DPR) also factor heavily into his decision-making process. “I won’t use a bull that isn’t high-type, though,” Joe said. “I sincerely believe that each mating is the tool to continue to breed and build a better cow.” One of the challenges Joe nds in selecting sires is sifting through the thousands of bulls available in the Holstein breed today, and trying to nd the ones that best suit his breeding philosophy and needs. All heifers born on the farm are raised as replacements for the Fischerdale herd. The Sarbackers will typically consign ve or six animals each year to various sales, and will sell some 2-year-olds for dairy replacements. “We try not to keep too many animals here on the farm,” Joe said, noting that the average age of the milking herd is nearly 4 years of age. Cow families factor into the Fischerdale breeding program and the herd is founded on a couple cow families that have bred successfully for the Sarbackers. In order to maximize the genetics of their best cows and families, the Sarbackers do embryo transfer Turn to SARBACKER | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 13
ConƟnued from SARBACKER | Page 12 and IVF work. One successful family descends from Fischerdale Champ Explicit EX-94-3E. Explicit has 23 daughters, ve of which are scored Excellent. Daughters and descendants of Explicit have done well in the showring, with several capturing all-American and junior all-American nominations. “With the sheer number of daughters, Explicit and her family have dominated our herd and our showstring,” Joe
said. “They have ushed really well for us.” Another standout is Fischerdale Sid JWOWW, who became their rst, sixth-generation homebred Excellent cow during their herd classication last fall. JWOWW has two daughters that could potentially represent the seventh generation of Excellents cow carrying the Fischerdale prex: an Atwood yearling and a Monterey calf. Fischerdale Damion Reality EX-93 is another
PHOTO COURTESY ERRIN HILTBRAND PHOTOGRAPHY
Joe (leŌ) and Sarah Sarbacker agree that raising their children on their family’s dairy farm is priceless. Joe is the third generaƟon of his family at Fischerdale Holsteins.
PHOTO COURTESY WISCONSIN HOLSTEIN ASSOCIATION
Sarah and Joe Sarbacker and their children – (from leŌ) Payton, Reagan and Braelyn – were named this year’s Wisconsin Holstein AssociaƟon’s DisƟnguished Young Breeders at the organizaƟon’s recent annual convenƟon. The Sarbackers operate Fischerdale Holsteins with Joe’s parents, Tom and Vicki, near Verona, Wis.
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favorite, having been named the 2011 Junior All-American 2-Year-Old, as well as being nominated junior all-American again in 2012. Reality was nominated All-American Summer Yearling in 2010 following a third place nish at World Dairy Expo. While Reality was lost relatively young due to an injury, she has several daughters and sisters that remain in the Sarbacker’s herd. While he has checked winning the Wisconsin Distinguished Young Holstein
Breeder award off of his bucket list, Joe hasn’t stopped looking forward to his goals and keeps a list on a piece of paper in the barn by his breeding books. “I want to maintain the production in the herd and work to continually raise our BAA each time we classify,” Joe said. Sarah expressed her feelings about watching her husband accomplish his dreams, despite the economic challenges facing today’s dairy farmers. “I reected on how special
this award is. When I met Joe in college, the breeding and the genetics were always his passion,” Sarah said. “His Grandpa started it, and then his dad and now he is working to keep it going. It’s so cool to watch someone do what they were born to do. For Joe to get this award, I felt like it was a nod from above, from his Grandpa Joe, telling him he’s right where he needs to be.” Joe smiled and nodded, agreeing with his wife on this, that he is right where he needs to be.
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From Our Side Of The Fence Why do you attend winter seminars and workshops?
Andy Buttles Lancaster, Wis. Grant County 1,150 cows Why do you attend winter seminars and workshops? Continuing education is very important to our operation. What is one of your favorite events to attend? The PDPW Business Conference. It has so much information packed into only two days. We can send multiple people from the farm and everyone can ďƒžnd different sessions that are of interest to them. What seminar or workshop topic did you learn the most about? I like sessions that focus on ďƒžnancial management and employee development. The quality of PDPW’s programming in these areas is outstanding. How have you taken information gathered at a winter event and implemented it onto your dairy? One of the biggest challenges we have as our dairy farm grows is making the transition from working with cows to doing more managing of people. I have improved how I manage people by the training I have received and the workshops I have attended. This is one area I can always continue to improve upon and continued training and education are key to improvement. How has attending seminars and workshops made you a better farmer? In today’s world you have to keep improving. Going to educational events helps to see areas where your operation has opportunities to improve and helps give ideas to make progress in these areas. What topic would you like to see covered in future events? Robotics is going to be a topic I would like to learn more about. I think, without changing farm labor, that it is going to be an exciting area going forward. Tell us about your farm. Stone-Front Farm is a family farm in Lancaster, Wis. On our dairy, our family of employees focuses on outstanding animal husbandry and breeding genetically elite cattle. We also grow most of the feed for our herd on the beautiful rolling hills of the Driftless Region.
Mitch Breunig Sauk City, Wis. Dane County 450 cows Why do you attend winter seminars and workshops? To learn how to improve my management. I also look for ways to improve our cost production and lower input costs. What is one of your favorite events to attend? The PDPW Business Conference. There are world class speakers and vendors. I also enjoy catching up with other farmers and comparing our thoughts and ideas for improving. I always leave with a more positive attitude. What seminar or workshop topic did you learn the most about? I am taking a ďƒžnancial literacy class that has been tremendous. Learning how to structure debt and understanding how to develop and use our ďƒžnancial documents on our farm has been good for us, especially considering current milk prices. How have you taken information gathered at a winter event and implemented it onto your dairy? I have developed a budget and then scenario tested with ďƒžve different possibilities from selling more cows and embryos to cutting all expenses by 3 percent. The biggest help was a 10 percent increase in milk price. How has attending seminars and workshops made you a better farmer? It makes you reďƒ&#x;ect on things you do on your farm. Just because you have always done something doesn’t mean it is the best way. Getting off the farm can be helpful to recharge your drive to improve your business. I also learn from talking to other farms. You can ďƒžnd out other people have the same challenges you do. What topic would you like to see covered in future events? More information on forward contracting and hedging. When margins are tight, being able to improve your income or limit the downside price risk helps improve the ďƒžnancial sustainability of your farm. Hands on simulation would help improve the learning curve to gain a better understanding of how tools work. Tell us about your farm. We have 450 registered Holsteins and farm 1,050 acres. Our current production is 32,000 pounds per cow. We work on genetic improvement. By keeping our cull rate low, we have been able to sell 100 to 120 dairy replacements every year for the last 12 years. We also have sold embryos to China this past year. We are trying to diversify our farm to have income from sources other than milk.
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What seminar or workshop topic did you learn the most about? Hay in a day was probably the most valuable topic I have gone to this year. We grow all grass for hay silage needs, and I think this will help us improve our forage quality. How have you taken information gathered at a winter event and implemented it onto your dairy? I always try to take one or two things from every meeting that I can take action on as soon as I get home or make a plan for how I am going to do something better in the near future. How has attending seminars and workshops made you a better farmer? I like listening to other farmers’ good ideas and try to ďƒžgure out how to make them successful on our farm. What topic would you like to see covered in future events? I’d like to attend more meetings on cover crops/ double cropping to learn more about how to preserve our soil health and how to maximize return per acre. Tell us about your farm. I milk 60 registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss with my wife, Darci, in a tiestall barn. We have two children, Weston, 2, and Sadie, 1. We own 130 acres and grow BMR corn silage, grass silage and soybeans.
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What is one of your favorite events to attend and why? I enjoy attending the PDPW workshops because they’re close to home and full of discussions. What seminar or workshop topic did you learn the most about? Why? This past year I really looked into culturing mastitis to lower the treating rate and selective dry cow therapy as well. How have you taken information gathered at a winter event and implemented it onto your dairy? I attended a seminar about managing people and used techniques I learned there to solve issues between our employees. How has attending seminars and workshops made you a better farmer? I like to think it’s made me a better farmer. There is always something to learn and implement from the workshops. What topic would you like to see covered in future events? Why? I’d love to attend and see more economic seminars. The Wall Street Journal 24/7 reported in the ďƒžrst weekend of March 2018 that cheese and retail related items were up 26.7 percent over 10 years. Butter was up 42.1 percent over 10 years, while prices have shrunk 10.4 percent over the last 10 years in class III history. Why is that? Tell us about your farm. I farm with my dad, Tom, my brother, Blayde, my uncle, Tony, his son, Justin, my uncle, Ted, and his children, Hailea, Jazzi and Traycen. We milk 430 cows and run around 1,500 acres close to the Chippewa Falls city limits.
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What is one of your favorite events to attend? I enjoy going to PDPW’s Business Conference in Madison, Wis. There are so many sessions that I have a hard time choosing which one to attend. I also like getting to talk with my mentors and peers to share ideas and hear about what is going on with them.
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
ConƟnued from FENCE | Page 15 Jeff and Chandra Pagel Eyota, Minn. Olmsted County 70 cows Why do you attend winter seminars and workshops? We like the networking and socializing aspect of workshops. It’s fun to meet new people. Plus, you never know when those people have a skill or are a part of a company that could help your dairy. It also helps us keep up with the times. We get to learn new things or refresh our memory on old things. What is one of your favorite events to attend? We go to about six to eight each winter. Our favorite is the Farm Bureau LEAP Conference. It’s for the organization’s young farmers and ranchers to discuss leadership, education, advocacy and promotion. We like it because it’s not commodity specic so there are a wide variety of topics covered to stay well rounded. There are a lot of young farmers to interact with. It’s fun to talk with other young farmers throughout the state. We get to learn about their operations and how they do something we might be able to implement on our farm. It’s also nice to know you’re not the only young farmer trying to make it work. What seminar or workshop topic did you learn the most about? We learned about the farm bill and NAFTA. For NAFTA, we need to make sure we can get trade agreements worked out. For the farm bill, it’s important to get updates on what will be in it, what we need and what we need to change. All this information is important because we need to have conversations with our legislators about what we want and need in farming. We try to keep in contact with our legislators. How have you taken information gathered at a winter event and implemented it onto your dairy? We have learned a lot about cover crops and have tried different techniques for our cover crops. In fact, we are making more changes this year. We will be experimenting with planting oats this spring and then no-tilling beans into them. We will also be experimenting with putting in a cover crop when corn is cultivator height. That way when the corn harvest is taken off, there will still be something on the eld. We will see how it works. We also attended a workshop that talked about transition cow management and dry cow rations. We are interested in making changes in that area so we will be implementing a few ideas from that seminar. How has attending seminars and workshops made you a better farmer? It helps us keep up-to-date on new information. There is so much information in the industry that if you don’t keep up with the times, you might get lost. Attending seminars helps us improve our operation, both nancially and efciently. What topic would you like to see covered in future events? We want to continue to learn about how to meet consumer demands and effectively tell our story of what we do on our farm. We need to engage with consumers. If they’re not buying our product, we need to gure out why. Tell us about your farm. We farm together with Jeff’s parents, Ron and Lori. In addition to working on the farm, Chandra and Lori both work off the farm as teachers. Along with our dairy herd, we have a small herd of beef cows. We also raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa, peas and a revolving list of cover crops.
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Travis and Melissa Marti Vesper, Wis. Wood County 460 cows Why do you attend winter seminars and workshops? We know how important it is to never stop learning. Things change all the time on a farm. We do not still farm the way Travis’s dad and grandpa did 30 years ago. Attending seminars and workshops is a great way to stay on top of the latest news and advances in agriculture and connect with others who can share information. Winter seminars and workshops are especially useful because, as farmers, it’s much harder to attend seminars during the rest of the year when you’re competing for time with planting and harvest. Winter is when many farmers can nally take a breath. What is one of your favorite events to attend? Travis’s favorite event is the PDPW’s Business Conference. It is such a well-organized conference with a wealth of information available in just two days. There are sessions on labor, regulations, cow health, public perception, production, international relations and technology. This year, we’re especially looking forward to the sessions about how to best use data (DHI records, activity system data and genetic information) to manage our herd optimally, and the sessions about how to keep costs in check during this down market to improve margins. What seminar or workshop topic did you learn the most about? This winter, Travis participated in PDPW’s Financial Literacy class in Madison, Wis. It has required Travis to dig into the nancials for our dairy farm; something that is generally pushed aside while he focuses on other more hands-on aspects of the farm. It has been great for him to examine all the numbers and get a better understanding of budget planning, calculating cost of production and the metrics bankers use to evaluate your farm. How have you taken information gathered at a winter event and implemented it onto your dairy? One of the winter courses we participate in every year is a peer group offered through Chippewa Valley Tech College with Maria Bendixen. The course involves being placed in a group with ve or six other farmers from your region. Each farmer takes a turn hosting the others in the group at his/her farm. They do a tour of the farm and then everyone sits down to discuss the questions/concerns the host farmer has. We expanded our farm in the fall of 2015 and by the time the class started in January of 2016, we were feeling overwhelmed. Travis was trying to do everything himself and manage everything. That was one of the topics we chose to talk to our peer group about that month. Many of the farmers in the group suggested Travis look into hiring a herdsman to oversee the day-to-day cow needs so he could focus his time more on other areas that needed his attention. It was hard for him to let go of some of the responsibility, but they talked him through it and encouraged him, and it was ultimately the best decision he could have made. How has attending seminars and workshops made you a better farmer? Travis grew up on the farm and already knew a lot about farming, but attending seminars and workshops has allowed us to continue to hone our skills. We’ve learned more about how to keep cows comfortable, which in turn allows them to produce more milk. We’ve learned more about watching our nancials, which allows us to retain some of the prot that we otherwise may have lost. We’ve had our eyes opened more to the negative public perception the agriculture industry is facing, which has lead me to start our Marti Farms Facebook page and reach out to consumers, hopefully making a small difference. What topic would you like to see covered in future events? Next winter, Travis is hoping to take a course on dairy cow nutrition. A lot of money is spent each year on dairy farms purchasing protein and other minerals for cows’ feed. Travis is looking forward to better understanding how we feed our cows and why we feed our cows what we feed to improve production. This will allow him to collaborate more with our nutritionist to help keep our cows as healthy as possible. Tell us about your farm. We are a third-generation farm in central Wisconsin, started in 1954. We milk 400 Holstein cows and farm 1,100 acres to produce feed. We are a young family with four children, determined to continue to produce high quality food while helping our farm remain sustainable for the next generation.
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K & R EQUIPMENT INC. Fountain • (507) 268-4425 FLUEGGE’S AG INC. Mora • (320) 679-2981
KBS INC. Plainview (507) 534-3855
WISCONSIN
ALTHOFF’S SALES & SERVICE Bangor • (608) 486-2032 ANIBAS SILO & EQUIPMENT INC. Arkansaw • (715) 285-5317 BAKER IRON WORKS Platteville • (608) 348-7182
BINDL SALES & SERVICE Reedsburg • (608) 524-6339 CHIPPEWA FALLS SERVICE INC. Chippewa Falls (715) 382-5400 GEHRING SALES & SERVICE INC. Rubicon • (262) 673-4920 HIGHWAY 48 FARM SERVICE Rice Lake (715) 234-6788 L & L SALES & SERVICE INC. Kaukauna • (920) 766-0606 MAKI FARM SERVICES Curtiss • Edgar (715) 613-7308 NORDSTROM CONST & LUMBER Melrose • (608) 488-2401
PODEVELS FARM SERVICE Marshfield (715) 384-6193
REINKE EQUIPMENT INC. Kewaunee (920) 388-4858 RUF’S FARM SERVICE INC. Darlington (608) 776-4048 STEINHART’S FARM SERVICE INC. Platteville (608) 348-9401 SIKORA EQUIPMENT INC. Colfax (715) 568-4747 SVH SUPPLY INC. Darien (262) 882-5677 TRI-COUNTY EQ CO. Withee (715) 229-2000
Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
Top Performers
Consistent nutrition helps Lipperts achieve high production everything. Our re-synch starts a week ahead of the vet check, giving them a shot of GnRH a week before.
Grass Ridge Farms LLC Matt Lippert and sons Paul and Carl Lippert Pittsville, Wis. Wood County 550 cows What is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? The entire herd is averaging 92 pounds of milk per day for the bulk tank, with a 3.7 percent fat test and a 3.2 percent protein test. The Holsteins are averaging 96 pounds with a 3.6 percent fat and 3.2 percent protein. We have 55 Jerseys that are averaging about 70 pounds of milk with 4.9 percent fat and 3.6 percent protein. How many times a day do you milk? If you don’t milk 3X a day, have you tried it in the past? We milk three times per day. Do you contract your milk? Has it been successful for you? We don’t currently contract milk. We had in the past, but it didn’t really seem to benet us at the time. Obviously right now we wish we had contracted. Describe your housing and
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Brothers Carl (leŌ) and Paul Lippert own and operate Grass Ridge Farm LLC., with their father, MaƩ Lippert. The farm is located in Wood County, near PiƩsville, Wis. milking facility. The cows are milked in a double-12 Boumatic parallel parlor with rapid exit. The parlor was retrotted two years ago. The milking herd is housed in sand-bedded freestalls. We’ve remodeled or
replaced all of the freestalls in the last 16 months. We re-did the brisket boards and made stalls wider. What is your herd health pro-
gram? We have herd health with our vet every week. We ultrasound for pregnancy and then sex all the pregnancies when we re-check. We use a double-ovsynch for the rst service and do a double-lut for
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What does your dry cow and transition program consist of? The dry cows are housed in sand-bedded freestalls. However, at least seven months of the year they are rotationally grazed, which provides the majority of their forage. We believe the exercise they get from grazing is benecial at calving time, and we see less trouble in the calving and post-fresh pens when the cows are grazed. We have the most trouble with calvings in February, when the cows have spent their entire dry period in the freestalls. It’s almost like they become couch potatoes, not really doing anything but lying around. Our pre-fresh cows are on a bedded pack. We feed them a good D-CAD balanced ration. The post fresh cows are their own group. We refuse to overstock that pen. We run an 80 to 100 percent stocking rate, and we recently added on to that pen. Since adding on, Turn to GRASS RIDGE | Page 20
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 19
Fly Problem?
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“Udders are soft and let milk down faster for better milking.” — Nestor Gomez
J&S DAIRY, The Worms Family, MELROSE, MINN. Nestor Gomez, herdsman 900 cows, 75 lbs/cow/day SCC 210,000 down to 178,000 Big smile when asked what he loves about his job as herdsman: “Taking care of the cows!” “We see Udder Comfort™ working and are thankful for this product. It takes the swelling away. Instead of being tight and slow to milk, the udders are soft and let milk down faster for better milking,” says Nestor Gomez at J&S Dairy, owned by the Worms family near Melrose, Minnesota. Josh Worms says Nestor, the 900-cow dairy’s herdsman, has been working Udder Comfort into their fresh cow routine since bringing home samples from Central Plains Expo in March. “We see the biggest benefit in fresh heifers with the most edema and cows with big udders,” says Nestor after 3 months of use. “We do spray all fresh udders with Udder Comfort for 3 to 4 days (after milkings). “We like using this for all hospital cows. They recover faster. We used to use a regular mint, but Udder Comfort brings so much more. It’s easy to recommend it for fresh cows: The spray is easy to use, a gallon does 35 to 40 fresh cows, and the results help them.”
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
Con�nued from GRASS RIDGE | Page 18
we are now able to keep those cows in there a little longer. It makes a huge difference for those cows. What is the composition of your ration? What has been one of your most recent changes that has been successful for you? We feed home-grown corn silage, haylage and snaplage. We recently switched from ground corn to feeding ne, steam-aked corn because it’s the same price right now, and it helps with the digestion. We also feed gluten pellets and canola meal. Our mineral has bloodmeal and an amino acid balance. We feed a little bit of distillers grain. We started feeding palm fat as our only fat source about six months ago. We started using palm fat to help with our fat test, and it has helped. Because of the price, we’re going to look at things closely and reevaluate to see if the cost is worth the benet. Through the years you’ve been farming what change has created the biggest jump in your herd average? We saw the biggest jump in our averages when we switched from a simple corn silage, haylage and soy ration about four or ve years ago to adding the corn gluten and the canola. Adding more digestible ber, when we couldn’t grow it to that digestibility ourselves, was key.
What role does genetics play in your production level and what is your breeding program? Genetics are extremely important to us. We spend the money to use the top genomic young sires throughout the herd. We use sexed semen on the top 5 percent of milking cows and the top 20 percent of heifers. Up until about one month ago, we genomic tested all calves and had done so for the last ve years. As a cost-saving measure, we now test the top 20 percent based on their parent averages. We still want to know which ones are our best for ushing work. We’ve ushed the top 3 percent of our heifers over the past three years to improve the overall genetics in the herd. We focus our sire selection on net merit and functional type. What type of improvements would you like to make that would increase your rolling herd average even higher? We keep exploring better hybrids and working to have better agronomy practices to grow forages with more digestible ber. List three management strategies that has kept you profitable. You have to treat your people and your cows the right way, with respect. Treating the cows well gets them to perform at their best. We have sold quite a few dairy replacements, even while we were expanding. Over the last three years, we’ve added 150 cows and still been able to maintain replacements to sell. That speaks to the overall
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
All stalls in the freestall barn have been remodeled or replaced within the past 16 months. The update is part of an effort to improve the overall comfort of their cows. health and reproductive soundness of the herd. We focus more on keeping cows around and preventing illnesses like ketosis, pneumonia and mastitis. Adding on to the transition pen has decreased problems we see in the post-fresh group, too. In the past year, we’ve focused on lowering our drug costs. We’ve started culturing on-farm, using a quad-plate. We’re treating about 25 percent fewer cows for mastitis. With our calves, we are focused on keeping them healthy. We’ve added probiotics and are using better bedding. We don’t just give antibiotics to
calves that are a little off. We’ll start with electrolytes and vitamin B, and usually that takes care of any trouble they might be having. What would you say are the three most important factors for you that helped you attain your current herd average? Focusing on cow comfort and health in the transition times and keeping the cows’ nutrition consistent. Our nutritionist comes weekly, and we work with our forages on a threeweek average. We spend good money on our ration to get our cows to perform like they do.
Tell us about your farm. We milk 550 registered head of Holsteins and Jerseys and raise all our own replacements. Genetics and registered cattle are important to us. We have about 1,500 acres of crop ground and pasture. The farm will be a century farm this summer and has been home to three generations of our family. Matt is the majority partner and deals with nances. Paul is in charge of herd health and managing the labor. Carl heads up the nutrient management plans, crops and the feeding.
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FIELD CULTIVATORS 6 CIH 200, 2011, 60 ft., #129150 ......................... $55,000 1 JD 980, 1998, 44 ft., #143425 .......................... $14,900 17 JD 980, 1996, 38 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144447............................................................ $15,500 15 JD 980, 2001, 45 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144448............................................................ $15,900 16 JD 980, 1995, 5-Section Folding, #145326 ....... $14,000 3 JD 985, 1998, 49 ft., #143979 .......................... $22,000 14 JD 985, 60 ft., #145566 .................................... $17,500 6 JD 2200, 2003, 46 ft., #142441 ........................ $26,000 7 JD 2210, 2013, 56 ft., #140858 ........................ $59,500 5 JD 2210, 2013, 33 ft., #143827 ........................ $29,000 9 JD 2210, 2013, 26 ft., #143846 ........................ $28,900 7 JD 2210, 2013, 27 ft., #143876 ........................ $28,500 15 JD 2210, 2011, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144451 ........................................................... $45,500 17 JD 2210, 2012, 46 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144452............................................................ $59,500 16 JD 2210, 2012, 48 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144453............................................................ $61,000 17 JD 2210, 2013, 51 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144454............................................................ $57,500 16 JD 2210, 2012, 48 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144455............................................................ $61,000 15 JD 2210, 2014, 55 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144456............................................................ $58,000 16 JD 2210, 2008, 31 ft., #144457 ........................ $24,500 14 JD 2210, 2005, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144458............................................................ $29,500 17 JD 2210, 2008, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank #144459............................................................ $44,500 14 JD 2210, 2010, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank #144461............................................................ $53,900 15 JD 2210, 2014, 56 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #145264............................................................ $56,000 16 JD 2210, 2014, 50 ft., #145295 ........................ $57,780 17 JD 2210, 2007, C-Shank, #145356 ................... $25,500 5 JD 2210LL, 2017, #145567 .............................. $39,000 16 Wil-Rich QUAD 5, 1997, 50 ft., #144479 ......... $14,900 5 Wil-Rich Quad X, 2005, 55 ft., #138553 .......... $20,900 7 Case Tiger Mate II, 50 ft., #143937 ................ $21,450 8 CIH Tigermate 200, 2010, 50 ft., #140723 ..... $45,000 3 DMI Tigermate II, 2002, 50 ft., #145252 ........ $23,500 PLANTERS: DRAWN 9 JD 1750, 2013, 8R30, #131524 ........................ $33,000 4 JD 1750, 2014, 6R30, #141859 ........................ $32,000 7 JD 1760, 1997, 12R30, #137790 ...................... $28,050 3 JD 1760, 1996, 12R30, #140452 ...................... $27,500 15 JD 1760, 2004, 12R30, #144405...................... $27,500 17 JD 1760, 1997, 12R30, #144407...................... $23,500 17 JD 1760, 1998, 12R30, #144408...................... $29,500 5 JD 1760, 1998, 12R30, #145568 ...................... $19,900 4 JD 1765, 2015, 12R30, #138495 ...................... $79,900 8 JD 1765, 2015, 12R30, #140333...................... $72,900 4 JD 1770, 2011, 12R30, #132629 ...................... $59,000 7 JD 1790, 2013, 31 rows, #140721 .................. $104,900 8 White 8200, 2013, 12R30, #137538................ $37,000 15 JD 1770NT, 2014, 16R30, #144409 .................. $85,000 16 JD 1770NT, 2008, 24R30, #144417 .................. $62,000 9 JD 1770NT CCS, 2013, 16R30, #142692 ......... $103,000
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JD 1770, 2011, $ 12R30, #132629
JD 6105M, 2014, 470 hrs., #132099
ARTICULATED 4WD TRACTORS 15 JD 9560R, 2013, 3184 hrs., #145194 ......$165,000 DISKS 11 JD 2623, 2014, #126286 ...........................$33,500 10 JD 2623, 2013, #126300 ...........................$26,000 11 Summers 9K4727, 2015, #129015..........$65,000 1 Krause 8200, 2013, #131061...................$26,000 FIELD CULTIVATOR 9 JD 2210, 2005, #120515 ...........................$29,500 5 Case IH 200, 2012, #135767 ....................$41,900 $41,900 2 JD 985, .............................$10,500 8 1993, #138938 #138938.............................$10,500 $ 00 MULCH FINISHER 14 JD 2210, 2005, #144458 ...........................$29,500 11 JD 2310, 2008, #124769 ...........................$32,500 4 JD 726, 1995, #135555 .............................$16,000 NUTRIENT APPLICATION 14 Fast 8224, 2013, #144437 .......................$39,500 PLANTERS: DRAWN 4 JD 1770, 17700, 2011, 201 0 1, #132629 ...........................$59,000 8 White White 8200, 2013, #137538 #13753 5 8 ....................$37,000 9 White Whit i e 8186, 8 2005, 200 #139731 #1397331 ................. ....................$26,000 . ...$266,00 0 0 11 White Whi h te 8524, 8524, 2013, 20013, #140624 #1406 #1 40624 24 ....... ....................$67,000 ...... .......... ...... . .....$67 $67,00 ,0000 17 JDD 177 1770NT 1770NT, 0NT,, 200 2008, 8, #14 #14441 #144416 44166 .... ......................$56,000 ...... ................... ...... $56 $56,00 ,00 0 0 TRACTORS ROW CR CROP OP TRA TRACTO CTORS RS 11 JD 614 6145R, #120191 ........$105,000 1 5R, R, 2015, 201 0 5, 426 26 hrs., hrss., #1 hr #1201 0191........$10 105,0 5 000 5,0 5 JDD 8320R, ......$178,000 8320 320R, R, 2014, 201 24311 hrs., hrs , #127 hrs. ##127013 127013 013 ......$17 $1 8,0 8,000 0 7 JD #136799 ........$219,500 JD 8345R, 834 R,, 2015, 8345 2015, 918 hrs., hrs., #1 #1367 36799 99 ..... ..... ...$21 $219,5 9,500 00 15 8245R, ......$169,500 1 JDD 824 2445R, 5R 2014, 2014, 4 1169 1169 hrs., hrs hrs. rs., ##144534 144 44534 44 534....... 534 ..$16 $169,5 99,550 500 00 16 Case Case IH IH MAGNUM MAGN MAGN G UM 340, 34 , 2013, 340 2013, 2546 2546 4 hrs., hrs , #145086 #11450 45086 86 ..................................................$135,000 .............. .. ........ . .... ...... ...... . ... . ... .. ................ . ........ . $13 135,0 5,0000 SELF-PROPELLED SELF-P SEL F-PROP F-P RO ELL ROP ELLED ED FOR FORAGE AGE G HARVESTER HAR A VES VESTER TER HEADS: HEADS HE ADS:: ROTARY ROTARY ROTA RY 6 JD JD 676, 676 76, 1995, 1995 #108982 #10898 #10 89 2 ...............................$17,900 ......... . ... ...... ...... .. ... ...... ............$17 $17,90 ,9000 6 JD JD 710, 710, 2007, 2007, #115310 #11531 #11 53100 ...............................$33,000 .... ........... ...... .. ... . ........... ...... . . $33 $33,00 0000 SELF-PROPELLED SELF-P SEL F-PROP ROPELL ELLED ED FORAGE FORAGE HARVESTERS HARVE HA RVESTE STERS RS 6 JD JD 7400, 7400,, 2004, 7400 2004, 4278 4278 hrs., hrs.,, 2918 hrs. 2918 cutter cutte cu tterr head head #122051 #1220 #1 22051 ....................................................$99,000 ....................................................$99 $99,00 0000 4 JD 5730, 1986, 4980 hrs., 4980 cutter head #124367 ....................................................$25,000 6 JD 6810, 1997, 4100 hrs., #142671 ..........$25,000 SELF-PROPELLED SPRAYERS 8 JD 4730, 2008, 1058 hrs., #128705 ........$139,500 TRACK TRACTORS 16 JD 8345RT, 2014, 1786 hrs., #144550 ....$195,000 ... $270,000 16 JD 9560RT, 2014, 1005 hrs., #144560 ...$270,000 UTILITY TRACTORS 4 JD 6120R, 2016, 280 hrs., #124875 ........... $89,900 4 JD 6105M, 2014, 470 hrs., #132099 .........$58,500 JD 5115M, 5115M, 5115 M, 2017, 2017, 127 hrs., hrs., #1 #1345 34546 46 ....... ...... ..... $63 $63,00 ,0000 4 JD #134546 .........$63,000
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JD 1770NT, 2008, $ 24R30, #144416
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STEEL DEALS
4 JD 330G, 2016, Cab, AC, Air Ride Seat, Ride Control, 84” Bucket, 600 hrs., #140027 ........................... $53,000 10 JD 332D, 2012, Cab, AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 84” Bucket, 812 hrs., #127231 ........................... $36,900 16 JD 332E, 2014, Cab, AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 84” Bucket, 1408 hrs., #132664 ......................... $38,900 11 JD 332E, 2015, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 84” Bucket, 168 hrs., #135560 ..... $49,500 7 JD 332E, 2016, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, EH Controls, 84” Bucket, 390 hrs., #139118 ........................... $54,500 10 NH L218, 2013, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 76” Bucket, 1767 hrs., #145300 ......................... $23,900 7 Bobcat S185, 2003, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, 72” Bucket, 1550 hrs., #141064 ........................................... $18,900 10 Bobcat S510, 2014, Cab Enclosure, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, 1578 hrs., #145271 ....... $25,900 11 Bobcat S650, 2013, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, 859 hrs., #140188 ............................................. $37,500 7 Bobcat S70, 2015, Cab Enclosure, Foot Controls, 218 hrs., #145275............................................................ $21,995 3 Gehl SL4835SXT, 2003, ROPS, 72” Bucket, 1685 hrs., #143757............................................................ $14,850 UTILITY TRACTORS 2 CIH 95, 2010, 972 hrs., #143823 ...................... $37,900 10 JD 5400, 1995, 3700 hrs., #143991 .................. $18,500 10 JD 6200, 1997, 9911 hrs., #141979 .................. $28,600 4 CIH 115C, 2014, 425 hrs., #142395 .................. $63,800 4 JD 5045E, 2015, 150 hrs., #143514 .................. $21,900 4 JD 5075M, 2015, 175 hrs., #143519................. $37,500 12 JD 5095M, 2010, 1735 hrs., #144023............... $54,900 17 JD 5100E, 2016, 1309 hrs., #144491 ................ $47,500 11 JD 5100M, 2017, 219 hrs., #134586................. $69,500 4 JD 5100M, 2017, Cab, 117 hrs., #134588 ......... $71,900 4 JD 5115M, 2017, 110 hrs., #134578................. $74,900 4 JD 5115M, 2017, 23 hrs., #134580................... $74,900 4 JD 5115M, 2017, 412 hrs., #134584................. $79,500 10 JD 6105E, 2016, 285 hrs., #124882 .................. $65,900 11 JD 6105M, 2013, 300 hrs., #145329................. $75,000 2 JD 6105R, 2013, 454 hrs., #135169 ................. $91,500 15 JD 6105R, 2013, 1000 hrs., #144492 ............... $72,500 12 JD 6110M, 2017, 99 hrs., #132912................... $95,900 15 JD 6110M, 2016, 76 hrs., #144493................... $81,900 10 JD 6110R, 2017, 198 hrs., #132073 ................. $99,500 6 JD 6110R, 2016, 193 hrs., #133619 ............... $112,000 4 JD 6110R, 2017, 140 hrs., #142813 ............... $116,000 14 JD 6110R, 2017, 100 hrs., #144496 ............... $129,064 15 JD 6110R, 2017, 123 hrs., #144498 ............... $104,900 14 JD 6110R, 2017, 100 hrs., #144499 ............... $142,391 15 JD 6120R, 2017, 100 hrs., #144501 ............... $109,500 15 JD 6120R, 2016, 322 hrs., #144502 ............... $102,900 8 JD 6125M, 2014, 1006 hrs., #143939............... $79,000 4 JD 6125R, 2013, 600 hrs., #134131 ............... $103,000 10 JD 6125R, 2013, 1500 hrs., #143649 ............... $92,500 14 JD 6125R, 2013, 6500 hrs., #145274 ............... $58,500 4 JD 6130R, 2016, 170 hrs., #138428 ............... $110,000 14 JD 6130R, 2016, 150 hrs., #144506 ............... $119,500 4 JD 6135E, 2017, 92 hrs., #134655 .................... $84,900 6 JD 6430 Premium, 2007, 3725 hrs., #143744 $68,000 10 CIH Maxxum 140, 2014, 914 hrs., #140549 .... $78,500
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JD 1775NT, 2015, 24R30, #144419 ................ $209,500 Wil-Rich 24-22, 2009, 24R22, #139224.......... $53,900 JD 24R22, 2004, 24R22, #145337 ................... $39,000 JD DB44, 2017, 24R22, #141612 ................... $255,000 JD DB44, 2017, 24R22, #144422.................... $207,500 JD DB66, 2016, 36R22, #140442.................... $239,500 JD DB66, 2005, 36R22, #141473.................... $125,000 SKID STEER LOADERS JD 240, 2000, 78” Bucket, 1383 hrs., #138075.. $14,900 JD 270, 2000, Cab Enclosure, 72” Bucket, 580 hrs., #145321............................................................ $22,900 JD 325, 2008, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 78” Bucket, 3177 hrs., #138043 ........................................... $19,900 JD 260-II, 2003, ROPS, Hand Controls, 78” Bucket, 1355 hrs., #144042 ........................................... $20,900 Caterpillar 272D, 2015, Cab, AC, 2 Speed, 72” Bucket, 1475 hrs., #145200 ........................................... $34,500 JD 318D, 2013, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 72” Bucket, 925 hrs., #135024 ........................... $29,500 JD 318D, 2012, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, Less Bucket, 2346 hrs., #143720 ....................... $23,500 JD 318E, 2016, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, 72” Bucket, 20 hrs., #125466 ............................. $34,900 JD 318E, 2014, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 66” Bucket, 762 hrs., #135937 ........................... $33,500 JD 318E, 2015, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 72” Bucket, 2811 hrs., #140525 ......................... $25,900 JD 318E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 72” Bucket, 335 hrs., #142491 ........................... $34,000 JD 320D, 2013, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 76” Bucket, 1023 hrs., #133492 ......................... $26,900 JD 320E, 2015, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 72” Bucket, 1734 hrs., #134169 ......................... $30,900 JD 320E, 2014, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 1101 hrs., #135139 ........................................... $34,900 JD 320E, 2014, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 72” Bucket, 475 hrs., #135901 .......................... $35,900 JD 320E, 2015, Cab, AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 72” Bucket, 645 hrs., #138375 ........................... $37,600 JD 320E, 2016, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 72” Bucket, 79 hrs., #140280 ............................. $39,900 JD 320E, 2014, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 76” Bucket, 470 hrs., #142118 ........................... $35,900 JD 320E, 2015, Cab, AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 76” Bucket, 260 hrs., #143386 ........................... $42,900 JD 320E, 2016, Cab, AC, Hand Controls, 72” Bucket, 2489 hrs., #143842 ........................................... $27,500 JD 324E, 2016, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 76” Bucket, 104 hrs., #137786 ........................... $45,000 JD 326D, 2012, Cab, AC, EH Controls, Joystick, 78” Bucket, 210 hrs., #135673 ............................................. $40,500 JD 326E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 84” Bucket, 387 hrs., #118578 ........................... $36,900 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 84” Bucket, 65 hrs., #126370 ............................. $45,900 JD 326E, 2015, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, Self-Leveling, 72” Bucket, 537 hrs., #134033..... $39,500 JD 326E, 2016, Cab, AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 84” Bucket, 1105 hrs., #141601 ......................... $38,900 JD 326E, 2016, Cab, AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 72” Bucket, 150 hrs., #142477 ........................... $46,000 JD 328D, 2010, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 410 hrs., #141011 ............................................ $38,900
AL
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$
ST
41,900
CIH 200, 60.5’, $ 2012, #135767
JD 2210, 45.5’ 2005, #120515
29,500
$
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
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Submitted by Nicole Kamholz Editor’s note: Nicole is the daughter of Chris and Amy Kamholz. The Kamholz family milks 50 cows – Ayrshires and Jerseys – near Juda, Wis. Nicole, 17, wrote this essay for a school assignment. She also has a brother, CJ. I awoke with a feeling of anticipation mixed with distress. As a girl of 4, taking naps was simply a necessity, but I was not about to sleep through the most exciting part of my day. I lay on our great, enveloping couch snuggled in blankets. I could feel the radiating warmth of the wood stove in the corner of the living room comforting me and urging me to fall back asleep. The clomp of my dad’s work boots in the mud room and the rustling as he pulled his large winter coat over his shoulders echoed through the house. This was the signal for something that became a very important part of my life skills, although I did not know that at the time: It was now time to go milk the cows. I leaped off of the snug couch and rushed to throw on my little coat and boots. As I delightedly followed my dad outside and grasped his hand, I could feel the crisp winter air pricking my ngers and turning my cheeks bittersweet red. I did not have a care in the world, though. I adored the feeling of the cold, fresh air. The snow crunched beneath our feet as my dad and I made our way to the massive cherry-colored barn where some of the most memorable of my childhood memories had taken place. The lights ickered on in the old stanchion barn; all 50 of our milking cows that lined either side stood up almost in unison, knowing that it was milking time. As my dad got the milking machines equipped for milking, I ed to the calf pens toward the back of the barn to acknowledge and spoil the little wonders with affection. My dad always told me that by giving the calves attention when they were young, I made them calm and used to human interaction, which made milking the cows easier as they got older. I took that to heart and made it a part of my daily routine to visit the calves. I could hear grain crumbling into the worn berglass feed cart in the manger as my dad opened the chute in the ceiling leading to where the grain was stored. I raced to the manger and snatched a metal feed scoop from the cart to help my dad measure the proper amount of feed for each cow, petting each cow as I progressed down the manger. Finally, it was time to begin milking the impatient cows that groaned restlessly with udders full with milk. My dad ipped a switch in the milk house, and the milk pump hummed to life. The milk cart shook as he pushed it with the milking machines, dip bottles and towels hanging on to the farthest end of the barn. I could not carry the milking units from cow to cow, for I was not strong enough; however, I helped in every way I could. The dark liquid of the iodine dip dripped between my ngers while I prepped each cow for milking. Recognizing the touch of my warm hands on their sides, the cows welcomed me to step in between them to do my work. I continued to help my dad as we moved from cow to cow down the barn, pushing the milk cart with us as we went. “You are really great help,” my dad spoke to me and smiled. “Do you wanna feed the babies?” I nodded excitedly. Feeding the newborn calves their milk was my favorite part of helping my dad in the barn. The warm, creamy milk ooded into the pail with a splash as my dad measured enough for me to feed three calves. He carried the pail to the calf pen area and handed me the bottles to feed the calves. “Thanks, Dad,” I said before getting to work. My dad only smiled and walked away with a smirk on his face that made me feel like he was proud to have me as his little farm girl. The calves suckled on the bottles until no milk was left. The last few droplets dripped down from their fuzzy little chins, and they circled and pranced around me in the straw-bedded pen with sudden energy similar to how a child acts after given caffeine. I closed the gate to the pen and petted the calves one last time before proceeding back to help my dad milk. My dad and I worked together to nish milking, him trying to teach me new things along the way such as how to tell when a cow is not feeling well and how to tell when a cow is going to have a calf soon. I soaked in this information like a sponge. I was always interested in the things he told me. When we nished all of the work, my dad shut the lights off in the barn, reached for my hand and smiled as we progressed over the crunching snow, back to the house. I could hear the faint “moo” of one of the cows in the barn as we got further away. Spending this time with my dad still means the world to me. He has taught me that I need to work hard for what I want, and he never accepts less than my best. I still go through a very similar routine to this day, minus the napping, and I am strong enough and tall enough to carry the milking units now. But, even today, I never fail to walk arm in arm with my dad as we walk back to the house once we have nished all the hard work involved with farming, which is not only our occupation, but our way of life each day.
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 23
Filling the barn with life once again Ellefsons begin dairy farming on parents’ home farm By Brittany Olson
brittany.o@dairystar.com
SPRING VALLEY, Wis. – Seven years ago, thirdgeneration dairy farmer Rick Ellefson watched as his parents’ herd of dairy cows left on trailers and went down the road to new homes. “It was so eerie to come down here and not have any life in the barn,â€? Rick said. Nowadays, the Ellefson barn east of Spring Valley, Wis., is nearing full capacity once again as Rick and his wife, Jada, are building a small herd of 25 Jersey cows on the farm where Rick grew up with his parents, Mike and Sherry, and three siblings. “The barn only holds 25, but we’ve got a couple of cows and heifers coming fresh soon,â€? Jada said. The husband-and-wife team decided to investigate their desire to dairy a little deeper in the summer and fall of 2016 but decided to ask their parents what they thought ďƒžrst. Jada, who grew up on a small dairy farm in Chili, Wis., was expecting
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Rick and Jada Ellefson milk 25 cows on Rick’s home farm near Spring Valley, Wis. The Ellefsons returned to the farm last fall. all of their parents to call them crazy for wanting to start up in a period of depressed prices. “I thought they were going to tell us we were nuts, but they had our backs 100 percent,� Jada said. Before they were going to invest any money in purchasing cattle or machinery, Rick and
Jada had the forethought to secure their milk market ďƒžrst, which was no easy task for a small herd. “We talked to our parents and refused to put any money toward the farm until we had a market for our milk,â€? Jada said. “Mike and Sherry were previous patrons at Ellsworth, and that
helped us get in. We enjoy being members. They’re fairly close by, and while we can’t compete with larger farms for volume we can focus on quality.� That drive to produce quality milk ended up leading them down the road toward becoming Jersey breeders. Both Rick and Jada grew up around
Holsteins, but it was Rick’s idea to consider Jerseys in the ďƒžrst place. “I grew up milking grade Holsteins, but I showed Jerseys, and I thought he was crazy,â€? Jada said. Rick admitted he was not sure what to expect, either, but one thing weighing on his mind was the size of the stalls in their barn. The cows he grew up with were on the smaller end for Holsteins and trying to house large-framed cows would have been problematic. “Now that we’ve got them, we love them and their personalities. They’re like big dogs that follow us everywhere, and with milk prices like this they’re more proďƒžtable with their components,â€? Rick said. With a home for their milk locked in, the couple got to work readying their barn for housing dairy cattle once again. The milking equipment was still in place in the milkhouse, other than the milking units being sold after the cows ďƒžrst left in 2011, and no major repairs were needed in the barn. “My parents sold them to a farmer for $100, and then when he sold his cows a year or so ago he sold them back to us for $100,â€? Rick said. New cow mattresses were installed, and the stanchions Turn to ELLEFSONS | Page 25
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 25
ConƟnued from ELLEFSONS | Page 23 were converted to tiestalls to increase cow comfort. Gutter grates were put over the deep gutters in the barn, and the calf nursery on the east end of the barn was retrotted with new panels for newborn and postweaned calves. “We got a lot of freebies from my home farm, too,” Jada said. In addition, the feed room was rebuilt and two silos that had seen better days were torn down. “We store corn silage in a bag and haylage in the one silo left now,” Jada said. “We also have a bulk bin for dry corn, too.” While they certainly did a lot of work themselves, Rick and Jada are both quick to give their parents credit for helping them
get the dairy up and running. Jada’s parents, John and Joan Martin, made the long drive from Clark County to St. Croix County to help their daughter and son-in-law out. “My parents sold their cows about 14 years ago, but their barn is just like ours,” Jada said. “My dad has been here for weeks at a time sometimes helping us out.” Because Rick and Jada live nearly 20 minutes away in Knapp, Wis., Mike and Sherry go to the barn late at night to check for new calves or keep an eye on sick cows when Rick and Jada go home for the evening. “They love coming down to the barn because they don’t have to work in it every day,” Jada said. “We really couldn’t have done this without our parents because they have our backs 100 BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
The Ellefsons use conversion stalls to convert the old stanchions into Ɵestalls to increase cow comfort on their dairy near Spring Valley, Wis.
BRITTANY OLSON/ DAIRY STAR
The Ellefsons use new maƩresses for their dairy herd to improve cow comfort. They installed the mats before lling the barn with Jerseys over the course of 2017.
percent. If we had tried to really go out on our own, the bank probably would have laughed at us.” The couple purchased a large percentage of their Jerseys from Phil Linehan, of River Falls, Wis., along with a few head from other Jersey breeders in western Wisconsin and began calving in their rst cows in the fall of 2017. Their rst load of milk left the milkhouse a short time later. “With all these fresh cows right now, our bulk tank average is around 54 pounds a day, but it’s typically between 51 and
52,” Jada said. “We’re running around a 5 percent butterfat and 3.4 percent protein.” The Ellefsons’ plans for the future include revamping their many acres of pasture, but they do not include getting bigger. “The rst question people ask us is, ‘When are you expanding?’ and we really don’t want to. We’re landlocked and have just enough acreage to make feed for what we have now,” Jada said. Rick agreed. “We’re not in it to get rich, but hopefully make enough to pay our bills and put a roof
over our heads,” Rick said. “We both grew up on small farms. It taught us good work ethics, and we want to raise our kids here someday.” Even though milk prices are not the best, Rick and Jada are staying positive through the ups and downs of the life they love, just as they learned to do from their parents. “It’s rare to start up farming with everything hitting the fan like it has been, but things are going well here,” Jada said. “So far, so good.”
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 WWW.DAIRYSTAR.COM
“I didn’t even think we had stray voltage!�
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Submit loan requests for early ďƒžnancing The farm loan teams in Minnesota are already working on operating loans for spring 2018. It is important that potential borrowers submit their re- FSA News & Notes quests early so they can be timely processed. The farm loan teams can help determine which loan programs are best for applicants. FSA offers a wide range of low-interest loans that can meet the ďƒžnancial needs of any farm operation for just about any purpose. The traditional farm operBy Ryan Brunn ating and farm ownership loans can help large and Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. small farm operations take advantage of early purchasing discounts for spring inputs as well expenses throughout the year. Microloans are a simpliďƒžed loan program that will provide up to $50,000 to eligible applicants. These loans, targeted for smaller operations and non-traditional operations, can be used for operating expenses, starting a new agricultural enterprise, purchasing equipment and other needs associated with a farming operation. The FSA ofďƒžce can provide more details on farm operating and microloans and provide loan applications. Loans to beginning farmers and members of underserved groups are a priority. Other types of loans available include: Marketing Assistance Loans allow producers to use eligible commodities as loan collateral and obtain a nine-month loan while the crop is in storage. These loans provide cash ďƒ&#x;ow to the producer and allow them to market the crop when prices may be more advantageous. Farm Storage Facility Loans can be used to build permanent structures used to store eligible commodities, or for storage and handling trucks, or portable or permanent handling equipment. A variety of structures are eligible under this loan, including bunker silos, grain bins, hay storage structures and refrigerated structures for vegetables and fruit. A producer may borrow up to $500,000 per loan. Call your local county ofďƒžce if you have questions about any of the loans available through FSA. 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.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 27
Make the best of the cards you are dealt The Transition Pen
By John Rosenhammer & Laura Scholtz Father/Daughter Farming Duo Have you ever played cards and no matter who dealt them or how you cut the deck, the good cards just weren’t falling your way? You shufe them longer and shorter, but the end result is not favorable. You deal them one, two or three at a time and nothing seems to help. If you happen to play for money, usually pennies or nickels, you expect that sooner or later your luck will change. But, no matter what you do, by the end of the night you are out of money. It is time to go home, and the pile of money of those playing with you just keeps on getting bigger. It’s the fun you had with the people you enjoy being with; that is what you will remember in the end. More important than winning or losing, though, is that you took the time to be with your friends, enjoy laughter and occasionally learn something new. Cards not falling your way seems to parallel with the falling milk prices. It has not been just a few days, weeks or months, but over three years worth of painful, hard-to-break-even prices. In the midst of such a slump, it seems like it will take forever for things to change. I have heard it said, “Adversity builds character.” Well if that is true then dairy farmers should be full of character. Whether it’s the daily grind of chores or the low milk prices, they can be named with a positive attitude and healthy lifestyles. No matter what the price is or how well or not things are going, we all have an inner need to ll by attending events and getting off the farm occasionally. Some of my best experiences were the result of me contemplating if I should go or stay home. Choosing to go required more effort, but I brought home more energy and an idea that was so timely for the situation I was presently dealing with. Calves, for the most part, have been doing well and on cruise control since last fall. Outside of the fact that too many of them have been bull calves in the last year, feeding them has been taken for granted as a fast, easy chore. The last month has been more of a wake-up call. I don’t know that we have lost any, but scouring, unthrifty appearance and poor appetites after a week of age have been all too common. Lots of electrolytes, a few IVs and way too much time has been spent with them. You beat your head over and over trying to nd the source of the problem. You pray for the day when they will again buck the bottle out of your hands, and you even question yourself and if what you are doing is proving any good. God sends us wake up calls such as this to humble us and to remind us once again of who is really in control. After all, it is Lent isn’t it? Forty days of being tempted by Rota Corona, E. coli and Crypto bugs to see if we can eliminate these sins from our calf barns and create pure clean calves again. As timely as God is in our lives, a calf meeting, sponsored by Southern Minnesota Dairy Initiative Board, took place in Sleepy Eye, Minn., and was well attended. Throughout the discussion, it was apparent farmers were not alone in battling calf scours. Dr. Jeremy Scheffers said calf scours peak this time of the year due to the amount of moisture in the air and the constant swings in temperatures. He also stressed the importance of antibodies in a cow’s colostrum and the benets of feeding small amounts for the rst two weeks of a calf’s life. Feeding three quarts the rst few hours is still the gold standard, but following that up with small amounts the next two weeks is the other half of the story that has gotten overlooked and underestimated. All too often we try to x a problem with another drug, additive or nutritional pill that we think we need. We try to band-aid a short cut when in reality nature provides the perfect food. We just have
to administer it over a longer period and capture the benets of that all-important rst milk. The knowledge we gained at that meeting, complimented by the ne lunch, and rubbing elbows with other neighbors battling the same problems, was worth more than the effort we put in to attend the meeting in the rst place. Through it all, I admire Laura’s determination to overcome this bump in the road without becoming bitter and letting it get the best of her. At times, she admitted needing help but was appreciative when Mary, Patty or I helped to IV a calf or give that extra feeding of electrolytes. It is moments like this when we realize that alone we are limited, but together we can achieve so much more and share that with others in their time of need. To celebrate the calves returning to health, we spent last Sunday afternoon sledding on 6 inches of
fresh snow. I, along with all of my kids, a few signicant others and a few younger kids packed into a big sled to see how far the Gator could take us. The goal was to stay on the sled as long as possible despite Johnny’s crazy driving. The snow condition was perfect for snowballs and snow angels. The competitive kid in me decided to ride along rather than watch and let them have all the fun. The next morning I was reminded by a sore and achy body that I was no longer a kid anymore. The back pain was a reminder of the fun I had just experienced. Nothing that time and a dose of Advil can’t x, right? John Rosenhammer farms with his daughter Laura Scholtz and brother, Greg, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and run 580 acres of cropland.
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
Kiss a cow, feed the needy Thorp FFA raises money for food pantry By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
THORP, Wis. – Members of the Thorp FFA chapter chose a unique way to raise money for their local food pantry as part of National FFA Week festivities. They had a penny drive for the students to determine which of ve faculty members would have the pleasure of kissing a bovine beauty named Milly. Junior sentinel, Courtney Frese, and sophomore historian, Brooke Webb, worked together with their FFA advisor and agricultural education teacher, Matthew Christian, to plan the fundraiser, which raised over $160 to be donated to the Thorp Food Pantry. “We had three teachers, our principal and our superintendent agree to take part in the contest,” Frese said. “In the penny drive, students put pennies and dollar bills in jars for each staff member to count as points. Silver change
cancelled out the points. Our English teacher, Mrs. Kaiser, and our superintendent, Mr. Humphries, won the contest and got to kiss the cow.” Students and staff had the week to pour their change and dollar bills into the jars, which were tallied Thursday morning. During the lunch hour Milly arrived at the high school for her date with English teacher, Nikki Kaiser, and superintendent, John Humphries. Milly is a 1.5-year-old Red and White Holstein heifer owned by Webb and her parents, Sander and Amy Penterman, who milk 850 cows on their dairy farm. “I picked her to bring because she’s denitely my tamest heifer,” Webb said. “I’ve worked with her the most and have shown her at a lot of fairs. I knew she’d be calm.” “Everyone was really excited to see her when we brought her into the school,” Frese said. “It was kind of funny because Thorp has a lot of cows.” While Thorp is in the heart of central Wisconsin’s dairy industry, neither Kaiser nor Humphries come from an agricultural background. “They were both really willing to do it,” Frese said.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Courtney Frese is a junior at Thorp High School and the FFA chapter’s senƟnel. Frese worked with FFA advisor MaƩhew ChrisƟan and fellow FFA member Brooke Webb to coordinate the Kiss-A-Cow contest, which raised money for the Thorp Food Pantry.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Thorp English teacher Nikki Kaiser (leŌ) and Superintendent John Humphries (center) kiss Milly, while Brooke Webb looks on. The Kiss-A-Cow contest took place during NaƟonal FFA Week at Thorp High School in Thorp, Wis. “They said she was a lot softer than they expected,” Webb said of the teachers’ impression of Milly. “They said she was nice and clean, too.” Bringing a cow into a high school requires some logistical planning. “We put rugs down for her to walk on so she wouldn’t fall on the tile oor,” Webb said. “We had a couple of other ofcers that followed her with a bucket to keep her from making a mess on the oor.” Thorp School District Superintendent John Humphries was pleased the students in the FFA chapter took it upon themselves to raise money for those less fortunate in their community. “We have a lot of families in need in our community,” Humphries said. “Clark County is one of the most rural counties in the state, and has the lowest income level. A penny war contest like this to raise money was a lot of fun and something unique to a small community.” Humphries shared that someone put a 20-dollar-bill in his collection jar, assuring that
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he would indeed be the winner of an opportunity to kiss the cow that came to school. He did his research before the event. “Our Spanish teacher told me that cows have long tongues, and that I should stay away from the front of the cow, which I did,” Humphries said. “I was really impressed by how calm and well-behaved the cow was. It was really neat to have her in the commons area of the high school and to have all the students so engaged in the activity.” Thorp Food Pantry Director, Lori Pajak, expressed appreciation that the FFA chapter took it upon themselves to raise money for the less fortunate in their community. “These kids making this effort are greatly appreciated because we need all the help we can get,” Pajak said. “It’s especially comforting to our whole community; students are essentially helping students because this money will be used for our backpack program. With the backpack program, we serve 38 students in 20 families, sending home a backpack of food with the students each week.”
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In addition to the backpack program, Pajak said the Thorp Food Pantry serves an additional 40 local families. The FFA chapter, which has over 130 members, sponsored other activities throughout the week to promote FFA in their school, which is home to 175 students. They held dress up days that featured Farmer Day, American Day, Red versus Green Day (tractors) and Blue and Gold Day to celebrate FFA. They also hosted a beanbag tournament and a Drive Your Tractor to School Day. Both Frese and Webb are looking forward to planning a repeat of the fundraiser next year. “It was a lot of fun,” Frese said. “We have ideas how to make it better. I don’t think a lot of people really understood what we were going to do this year.” Frese thinks that now that people understand what the idea is, participation will increase. She said they are planning to take their collection jars to the basketball games to increase the amount of money collected.
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“One sock, two socks, red socks, blue socks,” was the beginning of my children’s favorite book. It was a book about matching and making pairs. Socks, mittens and shoes. I carried the theme of the book to laundry day. My kids loved to play the matching sock game. Whoever got the most sock matches won the game. It was an easy way to get that whole basket of socks paired up. I have a thing about socks. If I could afford to wear a new pair every day, I would be in heaven. Since I am on my feet all day, my feet need to feel comfortable, and my socks must satisfy my feet. First, my socks must match. If there is a green strip on the toe on one, the other sock must have it too. Secondly, no holes. I grew up with darned socks. Bless my grandma for taking that task on, but it always made the socks lumpy. Third, they must feel good. If my girls are not working, they change out of By Tina Hinchley the working socks and have these little ones that are Farmer & Columnist thin and low. I simply can’t wear those. Since they have been doing their own laundry, they no longer roll their socks off their feet into donuts, but for years they did and that drove me nuts. Now, they try not to turn their socks inside out, but often I nd one or two. My socks must always be dried in the dryer. To put them on the line to dry makes them too stiff. The uffy lint inside the socks is what helps keep my feet happy. This winter has been hard on my feet. It has been cold and my work boots make my feet sweat. So, my wet socks get cold and then my feet start to hurt. I sadly can’t get all my work done in one spell, since I have to go into the house to warm up. Then I have to heat up my feet by the vent in the laundry room. Then I put on another pair socks or a double pair We own 15 TTarghee W h sheep h and d of and head back out again. a bunch of new lambs as of In early December, I ask what everyone would January. So, we tend to be a like and what do they need. little protective of U.S. wool. Everyone always needs socks. This year I received a box of three Smartwool socks. I looked over the package and noticed they were 57 percent Merino Wool, 40 percent Nylon and 3 percent Elastane. Made in the United States of imported yarn. What? Now that is not smart wool. The United States is home to thousands of sheep. Wool breeds, meat breeds and dual purpose. I also know many sheep are living in Colorado, where these socks were made. In fact, I just heard on This Week in Agribusiness that there are sheep ranches and farms in every state. We own 15 Targhee sheep and a bunch of new lambs as of January. So, we tend to be a little protective of U.S. wool. The breed is dual purpose known for a nice carcass, and their wool is soft, too. But, I think Merino is best known for the softest wool. We shear our sheep once a year. My daughter, Anna, and I took two classes to learn how to shear. We bought the shears and had the best intentions, but it is hard work. I don’t need to feel pain from wrestling sheep, so we have a shearer come out. He can move fast and efciently and doesn’t nick up their skin. Later, we skirt the wool to pick out the vegetable matter, otherwise known as hay, and pull off any manure tags. Then we roll it up into a bag for safe keeping if it is nice or put the wool into a big gunny sack if the shearer is going to purchase it.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 29
Fleece from a ram is pretty big. This brings me to a story I heard at the Targhee National Sheep Show in Montana. The story was of an older shepherd who told of bringing a bag of wool to a mill to have socks made. To his surprise, that bag of wool from his ram made over 200 pairs of socks. Not little thin ones either. Now that’s the kind of socks I like. Thick and uffy and warm all day long. That is smart wool. While looking through a sheep magazine, I noticed an Olympic athlete wearing a patriotic sweater with mittens and a hat that was made from U.S. wool. The wool was from sheep grazed on an Oregon high desert ranch. They were made by Ralph Lauren, an ofcial outtter of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams. I watched Team USA march into the South Korean stadium for the Winter Olympics during the opening and closing ceremonies, looking forward to seeing all of the athletes wearing these wool items. I couldn’t help but think that there were many others whose hands helped make these items. Pride in these wool sweaters, mittens and hats comes from not only the farmers and ranchers that raised the sheep, but every single person working the mills spinning, dyeing and knitting all of these wool products. Those workers put love, hope and best wishes into each one of these items our athletes wore. As I watched the end of the closing ceremonies, I thought about these amazing athletes that worked so hard to get to South Korea. I was proud of all of them, but especially Team USA who looked beautiful in very smart looking, U.S. wool Olympic gear. Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 135 registered Holsteins and farm 2,500 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wis. They have been hosting farm tours for over 20 years.
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Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
Three boys, a busy little lady This Cora girl; she’s going to be a feisty one. She yells at the boys if they take her toys away and makes some good growling noises when she drives their trucks around. Cora Marian turned 1 this past week, and I had to shake my head. How on earth did I survive this past year? With boys at ages 11, 9 and 4, and this little girl growing so fast every day there are parts that are a blur. I feel as though I’ve become calmer as a mother with baby number four. I don’t freak out near as much for that mouthful of sand or if she’s screaming in her barn playpen. I have to tell myself that safe, warm and screaming is a better alternative to being cold and in harm’s way, and a bit of sand and other unexplainable matter is a means to inoculation. If you met my busy little Cora, the rst thing you would notice is how quick she is to smile. The second thing you would catch is that she’s a thumb sucker. She’s a heck of a good grinner and nally has a tooth
(and another almost through) to add to her contagious smile. She is good-natured unless she doesn’t feel good or is tired and hungry. Can’t fault her for that though. We all get that way. When she’s tired, that thumb gets popped in her mouth, and her other hand is usually holding my hair as she sticks to my hip as I go about my work. Throughout the past year, it was as if I had a house full of football commentators. “Mom, Cora rolled over.” “Mom, here she comes. She can crawl today.” “Mom, she’s standing up again.” Sufce to say, all of the boys in her life adore her and are her biggest cheerleaders when she learns a new skill. Henry is quick to notice when Cora’s dexterity improves and insists upon announcing it to any human who walks through the door at the farm. He also has a pair of watchful eyes when she’s playing. “That’s not a safe Cora toy, Mom.” It is nothing short of heart-warming to peek in the milkhouse door unbeknownst to them
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and see him trying to hug her and comfort her with singing when she’s agitated during night milking. He hasn’t lost his fascination with her, and I’m certain his love has only grown in the past year. Even when Cora gets into his toys, he’s still patient with her. I tell him that she’s the tornado that wrecks the eld he was just plowing on the carpet. Dane is by far the Ramblings from the Ridge most tolerant of the boys when they are enlisted to be baby entertainers in the barn at night. He has a special talent of being able to calm her down when she’s a fulledged screamer. This is somewhat of a doubleedged sword for him. He knows he’s good at it and does love her but By Jacqui Davison gets frustrated when he Columnist has to stay inside with her rather than running around outside. He told me that his secret weapon is that if Cora is tired he takes his hat off and sits by the playpen so she can hold his hair while she sucks her thumb. I was humored and amazed by this ingenious method of calming her down, and I’ve witnessed how it actually does work. He’s the rst one to hit the oor to play with her after school and will pull her into the rocking chair to read her books. Ira is denitely the oldest. It’s becoming more and more evident as time goes on. He’s bossy about what the younger ones can and cannot do with Cora and is ercely protective of her. There are times when he’s busy scolding Henry for doing things that could be dangerous around Cora that I let y. He will read her favorite book (Sandra Boynton’s “Doggies”) over and over again, snuggling her close on his lap in the rocker. He can be trusted to watch her by himself in the house for a while if I have to run outside for something and is strong enough to hold her when she’s angry and ailing. Ira is becoming a great help with both of the little ones, even if he grumbles about it. Cora is already wild about the farm animals. She toddles about in the feed alley and taste tests the cow’s TMR. She reaches to touch them as they curiously sniff at her. She squawks with delight when the boys bring the barn cat into her playpen for quality petting time. She loves to snuggle and scold the dogs when they are in the house. I swear she says get to them while lifting her leg high in the air to try and kick them. I should add that she’s on my hip while I push cows in at night and sort cows weekly. She loves books, and the addition of a new book to her playpen can give me a few added minutes of scream-free time in the barn. Watching her delicately page through them and jabber to herself as I cleverly peek around the door is one of my favorite sights. She loves Stacy dearly, and while a denite Momma-baby, she will reach to go to her and Keith. She loves her time with Pa (Keith), and I’m certain after watching her excitement when Henry was on the tractor with him she, too, will be out there in the near future. This Cora of ours has been an incredible ray of sunshine and source of innite giggles in the past year, and I’m anxious to see what the next years bring. Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (11), Dane (9), Henry (4) and Cora (adventurous crawler), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 31
It hurts, Doc
Nobody should be surprised that cows and calves and castrate once the block is in effect. Meloxicam feel pain. As animal caretakers, it behooves us to try or Banamine can be given to help control pain after to reduce and control their pain when methods are surgery. reasonable. Also, pain control is now reLame cows certainly feel pain. quired by the NMPF’s FARM program. Veterinary Wisdom Sometimes it is almost painful to watch There are a number of common condithem walk. Unfortunately, lameness pain tions that can result in signiďƒžcant pain is more often chronic than acute, and we where we may be able to help. Dr. Sarah do not have practical methods to control Wagner, of North Dakota State Univerchronic pain in cows. Twice daily IV sity, gave a presentation about pain in injections of ďƒ&#x;unixin would be helpful, cattle at the recent Minnesota Veterinary but this is seldom practical. Meloxicam Medical Association Annual Meeting. could be used orally every day or every Much of what follows is adapted from other day (extra label), but milk has to be her presentation. discarded, making chronic use unlikely Dehorning is perhaps the ďƒžrst thing in most cases. What about aspirin? Asmany of us think of regarding pain in catpirin is not effective for pain control in tle. Dehorning clearly hurts. Dehorning cows due to very poor (20 percent) abBy Jim Bennett should always be done when calves are sorption from the rumen. Perhaps the best Columnist as young as possible. In dairy calves, it way to try to help control pain in lame should be possible to make sure dehorncows, other than corrective trimming, is ing is always done in the ďƒžrst two weeks of life. Re- to move them to a bedded pack or similar soft surface moving small buds is preferable to removing horns if possible. that are fully attached to the skull. A local anesthetic Dystocia is likely often a painful procedure for should always be used in a local block, except when the cow. This seems pretty obvious. What is less obdehorning paste is used. The procedure is simple, easy vious is the pain that the calf experiences during and to do and effective. In the last few years, meloxicam, after an assisted birth. Ribs can even be broken during a human anti-inďƒ&#x;ammatory drug, has successfully an extraction. Meloxicam can be given orally right afbeen used to help control pain of dehorning, espe- ter birth to control pain. Meloxicam can last up to 48 cially once the local block wears off. Meloxicam can hours in calves, and withholding for slaughter until only be used in extra label fashion upon the order the drug clears is not usually a problem, so this drug of a veterinarian. Recently, a new, pour on version could be a practical and useful treatment for pain in of Banamine was approved by the FDA for relief of these cases. pain caused by foot rot in cattle. It is not approved for Speaking of calves, enteritis can often be quite suckling calves, but likely could be used in an extra painful. Meloxicam has been used as an early treatlabel as well for controlling dehorning pain. ment for pain in scouring calves and may help keep Castration is certainly a painful procedure, too. calves eating and perhaps shorten the duration of Pain can be reduced by an injection of lidocaine in the symptoms. cord above the testicle. The problem is that it takes a Metritis may be a painful condition. Controlling few minutes for the block to work, and waiting some- pain may help cows by maintaining dry matter intake. times can slow down the procedure, particularly if Cows treated with an antibiotic requiring milk discard calves are being run through a chute. For small calves could be treated with meloxicam without discarding that can be done without chute restraint, it should be additional milk. possible to block several calves and then come back Mastitis certainly can be painful, as anyone who
has been kicked after touching a sore udder knows. Mastitis cows are often reluctant to lie down because of udder pain. Flunixin is often used to treat the inďƒ&#x;ammation associated with toxic mastitis, but pain control is seldom practiced for grade one or grade two cases. Certainly for grade two mastitis, which is when the milk looks bad and the udder is inďƒ&#x;amed, ďƒ&#x;unixin or meloxicam may be appropriate treatments. Major surgery like a laparotomy for correction of LDA, or Caesarian section, is most certainly painful for some time after surgery. Cows given meloxicam prior to surgery have been shown to lie down more following the procedure, so this drug may be useful in such cases, too. We will not likely eliminate pain from the life of all cattle anytime soon. We only have a couple of practical choices of drugs to help reduce pain. We are also somewhat limited by milk and slaughter withholds when using these drugs. Nevertheless, there are times where drugs can be used effectively and practically to reduce pain and suffering, and we should not hesitate to use them. Jim Bennett is a dairy veterinarian at Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center in Plainview, Minn. He and his wife, Pam, have four children. Jim can be reached at bennettnvac@gmail.com with comments or questions.
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Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
We lost $0.27 in January What a difference ve years makes. Five years feed cost on milking cows only is $6.54/cwt. Our ago, I wrote a column about our feed and other cows averaged 85 pounds per cow per day with a costs for February 2013. Back then, I priced our 3.75 percent butterfat and 3.07 percent protein. Our corn fed to the cows at $7.30/bushel, corn silage at dry cow and heifer feed costs run $1.70/cwt., and $56/ton, and wet haylage at $125/ton. In January ve years ago that cost ran $2.79/cwt. Our total of this year I used $3.30/ feed costs per cwt. of milk bushel corn, $32/ton corn shipped is $8.24/cwt. Five Probably b bl the h bi biggest surprise i silage and $75/ton haylage. P years ago, it was $12.08. Our mailbox milk price in to me when looking at the I always wonder if other 2013 was right at $18.80, numbers was a slight drop in businesses and governand in January 2018, our ment agencies could opermailbox price was $14.44. non-feed costs. ate with such wild swings Five years ago, we made in costs and income. $.47 cwt. after all costs, Probably the bigand this year we lost $.27. gest surprise to me when looking at the numbers Early in 2013, our feed cost/cwt. on milk cows was a slight drop in non-feed costs. Non-feed costs only was a whopping $9.29/cwt. This year, our include labor, electricity, insurance, repairs, etc.,
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but not debt payments or depreciation. We went from $5.25/cwt. ve years ago to $5.04 this year. Granted, we are shipping 35 percent more milk because of expansion, but our labor bill has almost doubled from $2-$3 higher wages and add- Making Cents of Dairy ing 3-4 people. Possibly the differences could be the one-month snapshots, where a $15,000 repair happened ve years ago but not this year. Otherwise it maybe proves that the more cows you milk the more efcient you are. That could be By Dave Vander Kooi another article all by itself. Columnist I have not included depreciation in any costs because that is non-cash. Instead, I like to use monthly principle and interest payments. Five years ago, we were right at $1/cwt., and now we are at $1.43/cwt. I’m sure my readers are asking how a barn that is ve years older can have higher payments. No, we did not renance and take out a second mortgage. In the last year, Joe and I have added 600 new stalls, and totally redid 1,400 older stalls. We have almost doubled the holding area square footage and are in the process of installing a new crowd gate that is gentle on the cows. All the ventilation fans in both barns are brand new, new curtains are thermostat controlled, and we have new hydraulic doors to drive into the barn. We repainted the 17-year-old ofces and bathrooms, put in all new lights and xtures, and even the ofce heat and air conditioning work now. Some of you might be asking how does this work, especially when the future months look bleak for dairy prices. Well, it kind of doesn’t work, especially when we didn’t contract any milk for those months (Feb.-June) earlier when it was protable. One factor that changes the numbers quite a bit is when I add back in cull cow sales. In 2013, the value of selling cull cows and bull calves added $1/ cwt. to up the prot to $1.47/cwt. This past January, cull cows and bull calves added $.87/cwt. to bring a $.27 loss to a $.60 gain. Also, as we look to potential losses in the months going forward, the dairy will just not pay Joe or myself for all of the feed raised. We can keep track of what is owed, be our own banker so to speak and pay it later when we return to protability. This works well on a limited basis for a short period of time, but eventually we need that money for farm payments, rents, input costs and machinery payments. This article took a lot of thinking and research to write, however, it was a great exercise for me to see the bigger picture of our dairy. I need to keep examining that picture on a monthly basis, but I know I won’t because it’s way more fun to go cut alfalfa. Everyone’s situation is different so running your own numbers is crucial to making good decisions. Vander Kooi operates a 1,800-cow, 4,500 acre farm with his son, Joe, and daughter-in-law, Rita, near Worthington, Minn. Send him feedback at davevkooi@icloud.com. Follow him on Instagram, @davevanderkooi.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 33
Income over trouble
Annual meeting season for the cooperatives we belong to is in full swing. So is nancial analysis season on our farms. That means there are lots of evaluation measures oating around: debt to equity, return on investment, net farm income, and others. We also just tested milk, so we’ve got a new batch of performance indicators for our cows: income over feed cost, production index, fat corrected milk, etc. (Speaking of FCM, could somebody add cheese Dairy Good Life yield to our DHIA reports? Fat corrected milk is no longer sufcient; we need to consider protein production as well as fat production). This week, I’ve been thinking that we need to add a new performance indicator for certain cows: income over trouble. Every time I walk into the barn, I look at Lauren and shake my head. Lauren has a behavior problem. She constantly runs her drinking cup over. The drinking cups in our barn face into the stalls, so both her stall and her neighbor’s stall are continuously washed free of the chopped straw and shavings we bed our cows with By Sadie Frericks morning and night. Columnist Even more frustrating, all that water runs into the gutter. Water-lled gutters make for wet tails, which make for very unhappy dairy farmers. Lauren’s income over trouble score is pretty high, at least by my calculation. However, my calculation might weight emotion a little higher than Glen’s calculation. He tends to balance emotion with logic and economics better than I do. In other words, if it was solely my decision, Lauren would nd a new career. But she produces a fair amount of high quality milk, and she’s due to calve again this summer. Income over trouble could help us determine how Lauren’s production compares to the amount of water and bedding she wastes – and the level of irritation she induces in her farmers (well, at least one of them). Like Lauren, Sissy has a behavior problem. But Sissy’s problem is altogether different. Sissy has become a bully. In the beginning, I thought Sissy’s behavior was just a personality issue between the two of us. Certain cows like me more than Glen; others like Glen and don’t like me. Sissy falls into the latter category. The rst time she acted aggressively toward me, I didn’t even recognize the behavior. Sissy and I were out in the cow yard together, she walked up and started rubbing her head up against me. I honestly thought she was just being affectionate. Sissy’s mother, Shine, was one of Dan’s show calves, and she loves having her head and neck scratched, even when she’s out in the pasture or cow yard. The next time Sissy came for a rub, she started to push me backwards. Affection immediately turned to alarm. I quickly backed away and scrambled over the closest fence. I told Glen about Sissy’s behavior, and he couldn’t believe it. Sissy acts like a puppy dog around him. But then, Sissy started deliberately coming after me more and more often, with her head lowered and at a rather aggressive pace. Thankfully, she’s never actually charged. But as soon as she looked my way, I’d skeedaddle. One day, I wasn’t paying attention. I turned around and Sissy was right there. I jumped into the feeder wagon to get away from her and Glen had to come chase her away so I could get out. In hindsight, we should have sold Sissy then. It’s challenging, though, to decide what’s economical, what’s practical, and what’s an emotional reaction. It was still only me that Sissy was aggressive with. And, she was already bred back. Plus, she has some of the best genetics for butterfat and protein yield in our herd. Her daughter, Spring, is currently our record holder for solids production. Our solution, then, was that I simply wouldn’t go into the cow yard to get cows. We also warned the kids about Sissy. (Misty, a cow we used to have, didn’t like kids, so our kids are well aware that not all cows are harmless). But last week, just before she calved, Sissy went after Glen’s dad and our relief milker in the same day while they were working in the dry cow yard. Now, Sissy’s income over trouble score is as negative as a score can get. Sissy will be sold as soon as it is practical. For now, she is conned to a stall and has a red T (for trouble) marked on her forehead so everyone remembers to stay clear. Gutter-ooders like Lauren might be annoying and irritating, but bully cows like Sissy are dangerous. Aggressive behavior is never acceptable. Farmer (and employee and farmkid) wellbeing is always more important than a cow’s solids production, income potential, or any other merit. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 11, Monika, 8, and Daphne, 5. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
Menkes chronicle journey to robotic milking Grant County herd growing to accommodate younger generation By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
HIGHLAND, Wis. – A full-color, hard-cover book will become a Menke family keepsake. Titled, “Menkes’ Robotic Barn, 2016-2017,” the two photo books they created chronicle the construction of the new dairy center at Menke Swiss Farms near Highland, Wis. The Grant County family started moving earth for the dairy center that includes a freestall barn that features four
robotic milkers in July 2016. At the same time, Adrienne, the daughter of Jim who is one of the farm owners, began snapping away with her camera to document the momentous event. One of their keepsake books is kept in the dairy center and is shown to visitors. The other copy was given to Lorraine Menke, the mother of farm owners Jerry, Jim and Bob, and the grandmother of Matt and Kurt. Matt is Jim and Nancy’s son. Kurt is the son of Bob and his wife, Jane.
RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR
The Menke family – (from leŌ) MaƩ, Jim and Jerry – began milking with four roboƟc milking systems Feb. 8, 2017 on their dairy farm near Highland, Wis. Not pictured are Kurt and Bob Menke.
RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR
Menke Swiss Farms’ housing and milking facility is 324- by 128feet, and includes four roboƟc milkers.
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Work on the 324- by 128foot dairy center wrapped up Feb. 8, 2017. That same day, the Menkes handed the milking over to their four robots. Two years ago, the Menkes began considering a robotic milking system. They sold their sows at the same time and ended the hog nishing business that had been part of the farm for decades. Even
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though the hogs only took about an hour of labor each day, the brothers decided there wasn’t enough money to be made from them anymore. The Menkes continue to raise and feed out 250 Holstein steers each year, because they have enough labor and homegrown feed. But now they’re focusing more on the dairy cows. They’ve long generated
the bulk of the 1,345-acre farm’s income. “Matt was graduating from college, and he wanted to come back and farm,” Jim said. “We knew we were going to have to milk more cows, but we were spending enough time in the parlor already.” The Menke farm does Turn to MENKES | Page 35
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 35
ConƟnued from MENKES | Page 34
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Menke family – (from leŌ) Jerry, MaƩ, Jim, Kurt and Bob – dairy farm near Highland, Wis. Since February 2017, they have been using a new dairy center that includes four roboƟc milkers. not have any nonfamily employees. To keep it that way and yet milk more cows, robots seemed like the perfect solution. To learn more about automatic milking systems, family members visited 15 farms in Wisconsin and eastern Iowa. To make full and efcient use of the robots, the Menkes are expanding from 160 cows. Jim said they expect to milk 240 this spring, toward the limit of what the robots can accommodate. The herd – half grade Holsteins and half grade Brown Swiss – has adapted well. Jerry said they haven’t had to sell any cows due to not adjusting to the robots, and they only have to fetch about 10 percent of the cows. “Heifers seem to adapt fast,” Jim said. “They were more kicky when we milked in the parlor. After the rst milking, they adapted really well.” A pelleted feed delivered at each robot entices the cows to saunter into the milking areas. A radio frequency identication (RFID) tag on each cow lets the milking system’s computer know who she is, so it can meter out the correct amount of feed based on her milk production. The computer also keeps tabs on cows’ rumination, letting the Menkes notice and treat sick cows sooner. For instance, Jim said the number of
“Now, with the robots, we can really compare them. The Brown Swiss have been running about the same test as the Holsteins.” JIM MENKE, DAIRY FARMER
displaced abomasa (DAs) has been halved. Reproductive efciency has improved too, he said. That’s partly because the computer advises them as to the best time of day to breed each animal. In addition, the robots’ computer system helps the Menkes dry cows off. “The computer starts cutting them back on feed 14 days before they go dry. So, the cows sort of quit going in,” Matt said. The Menkes have a free-ow system, meaning cows can enter the milking boxes whenever they please. But the Menkes have it programmed so a cow can’t be milked more than every six hours. Thanks partly to more-frequent milking – an average of 2.8 to 2.9 times a day – milk production has risen
to about 75 pounds per cow per day, an increase of ve pounds, Jim said. Production is up despite the fact that the milking string is now half heifers, Matt said. The somatic cell count (SCC) has stayed the same, in a range between 100,000 and 150,000. And the fat and protein percentages of the milk have held at 4.2 and 3.3 percent. Holsteins and Brown Swiss have shared the Menke barns for years. In the new barn, the Holsteins occupy one side and have their own set of two robotic milkers. On the other side are the Brown Swiss, also with their own robots. “Now, with the robots, we can really compare them,” Jim said. “The Brown Swiss have been running about the same test as the Holsteins.” The two generations of family members mesh well in managing the Menke dairy. “The younger generation knows how to run the computers,” Jerry said. Jim agreed. “We do the manual stuff,” he said. The Menkes’ new facility also features sand bedding, automatic alley scrapers, headlocks, LED lights and sidewall curtains that adjust automatically, based on the barn’s temperature. Large fans help cool the cows; the stalls are 4- by 9-feet; and cows can get groomed to their hearts’ content by four automatic brushes. Instead of an open ridge, the Menke barn’s ridge has fans. And, the ridge is covered with clear plastic to let light enter. Along with the robotic milkers, the Menkes opted for a robotic feed pusher. It’s set to sweep feed to within reach of the cows every hour. Jerry said having that machine frees up a person from doing the sweeping. About the only thing the Menkes said needs adjusting is the manure system. The scrapers take manure to an alley at the end of the barn where it’s supposed to ow through a pipe and into the manure pit. Jim said the manure doesn’t ow well. To x the problem, the Menkes said they might install a pump. As for the robots in particular, Jim said, “They’re working better than we ever thought they would. Probably the only disadvantage is that the computer can call you in the middle of the night to x a problem. You have to keep up on your maintenance.” Freed from the daily chore of milking, the Menkes nd it easier to get away. Bob and Kurt like to sh; Matt is a deer hunter. Jerry said he doesn’t miss milking. “It felt kind of strange at rst, going home and not having to milk cows,” he said.
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
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How do you stay connected with others in the industry? My sister and my dad both have their own farms. I also attend our Women of the Farm event that our cooperative hosts each year. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My dad. I see how driven he is, and he has been successful. He respects farming as much as farming has respected him. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? Ellen DeGeneres.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 37
Variety of consignments at UWRF Falcon Premier
6$8. &(175( 01 3KRQH $VN IRU 5DOSK RU 6WHYH
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By Brittany Olson
brittany.o@dairystar.com
RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The nation’s largest collegiate dairy club from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) hosted its biannual Holstein heifer sale, the Falcon Premier, March 3 at the university’s Mann Valley Lab Farm west of River Falls, Wis. UWRF students Andy Helmer and Matthew Kramer served as sale committee chairs, with dairy club members Tim Abrahamson, James Ehlen, Erica Helmer, Clint Irrthum, Mason Jauquet, Jimmy Jens, Katie Kovalaske, Bethany Marcks, Sam Minch, Jessica Steger, Kayla Wilson, Kaila Wussow and Brittany Vanden Heuvel making up the remainder of the sale committee. Tom Morris, of Amery, Wis., took bids and his wife, Sandy, clerked with dairy club alumni Katie Bue, Todd Doornink, Lance Kamm, Brynn Kasten, Randy Kath, Tom Knegendorf, Jim Powers, Tony Schefďƒ&#x;er and Carla Stetzer making up the sales force. Tyler Endres and Trenton Styczinski provided ďƒžtting services for the day, as well. The top seller was lot No. 13, Wildpaffs Lucky Baby-ET, a fall calf sired by High Octane and consigned by Olivia Pfaff and Kole and Beau Trapp, for $4,100. The overall sale average was $1,893 with cattle sold to buyers from Iowa, Minnesota, New York and Wisconsin.
8600, 2016, 785 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ......$359,000 8600, 2016, 148 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ......$409,500 8600, 2015, 436 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ......$349,000 8500, 2016, 665 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ......$329,000 8100, 2016, 250 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ......$259,000 7780, 2014, 1301 Hrs, RWA .....................$239,000 7580, 2013, 610 Hrs, RWA .......................$259,500 7950, 2012, 694 Hrs, RWA .......................$274,900 7850, 2008, 1600 Hrs, RWA .....................$179,500 7550, 2012, 1825 Hrs, RWA .....................$205,000 7550, 2010, 1344 Hrs, RWA .....................$209,500 7550, 2008, 1359 Hrs, RWA .....................$189,500 7450, 2009, 1550 Hrs, RWA .....................$189,500 7450, 2010, 2985 Hrs, RWA .....................$139,000 7350, 2008, 2950 Hrs, RWA .....................$149,000 7800, 2007, 1885 Hrs, RWA .....................$159,500 7700, 2007, 1570 Hrs, RWA .....................$169,500 7500, 2005, 2423 Hrs, RWA .....................$135,000 7500, 2003, 3100 Hrs, RWA .....................$128,000 7400, 2004, 2918 Hrs, RWA .....................$124,900 7300, 2003,3637 Hrs, RWA ........................$79,000 6850, 1999, 3120 Hrs, RWA .......................$79,500 6850, 1998, 3100 Hrs, 2WD .......................$74,500
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BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Lot 21, Mahoney Diamond McKayla-Red, is sold for $2,700 at the Falcon Premier March 3. She was led by Tony Scheer, of Zumbrota, Minn.
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BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Ka�e Bue, of Alma Center, Wis., leads Lot 13, Wildpfas Lucky Babt-ET through the sale ring at the Falcon Premier on March 3. Lucky Baby was the highest selling animal of the sale at $4,100.
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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
“DEPENDABLE
PEOPLE AND CONSISTENT YIELDS. THAT’S WHAT WE NEED. THAT’S WHAT WE GET.”
Emily Carolan DuPont Pioneer Territory Manager
Brent Fetzer Dairy Producer
Kevin Niebur Pioneer Sales Professional
Wade Crosby DuPont Pioneer Area Manager
The Silage Zone® resource combines proven products, unmatched support and forage management solutions to help you achieve success. See more at pioneer.com/silagestories.
PIONEER® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. ® TM SM , , Trademarks and service marks of DuPont, Pioneer or their respective owners. © 2018 PHII. DUPPFO18020VA_DS_031018
Dairy prole
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018 • Page 39
sponsored by
Phil Kroning Colby, Wis. Clark County 71 cows How did you get into farming? I grew up on my family’s dairy farm near Soldier’s Grove, Wis. About nine years ago, I started working as a farm manager for Christensen Sales Corporation. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? Mostly I’m concerned about milk prices being too low. It really scares me, actually. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? About 10 years ago, automatic take-offs were added to increase milking efciency. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? Becoming more consistent with the feed has been benecial. Keeping everything the same has improved everything, including lowering the somatic cell count. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? I have been working harder to catch issues earlier before I might need to call in the vet to save on the vet bill. This includes being even more observant of the cows’ behavior.
the best I can and keeping our communication open and honest. We try to x things before they become big problems and work together instead of against each other. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I have a lot of patience with the cows, and I really enjoy working with them. It helps to catch issues faster to know each cow and what her normal is.
How do you retain a good working relationship with your What do you enjoy most about employee(s)? Since I’m the dairy farming? I enjoy working employee, I work to maintain with the cows the most. a good relationship with my employer by doing my job
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? My motto is to treat your cows like you’d treat your kids. It’s always worked for me.
her over time and got her to make 40,000 pounds in 365 days, two lactations later.
What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve What has been the best purchase years? I’m actually considering you’ve ever made on your farm? leaving dairy farming. Times are The best purchase we’ve made so uncertain, even though I love was replacing our TMR mixer. dairy farming, moving on might be the best thing I can do for my What has been your biggest family. accomplishment while dairy farming? What I have done How do you or your family like with the cows. I’m proud of the to spend time when you are not Excellent cows I’ve bred. I’m also doing chores? We like spending proud of a cow that came here time together and doing things as a 2-year-old making 12,000 like going to the park and playing. pounds of milk. I worked with We just try to enjoy each other and the time we have together.
Star Blends is a full service feed manufacturing facility. We provide custom complete feeds, supplements and minerals. We utilize modern technology to produce your needed products on demand with the highest quality feeds at the best cost. We also offer a wide selection of commodities, ingredients and additives. We are focused on dairy, efficiently delivering to farms in Western Wisconsin. Give us a call, we’d be happy to discuss our commodities or custom products and services with you and your nutritionist.
1919 Riley Road Sparta, WI 54656 | 800.462.4125
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D • AC E C The only automated in-liner post-dipping system for conventional parlors with an AMDERC approved and FDA accepted milk safety valve.
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 10, 2018
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Post-dipping, done right No mistakes. No contamination. No brainer. When post-dipping is done right, you can’t go wrong. GEA’s Apollo™MilkSystem gives you automated post-dipping inside the head of the liner, before unit removal, for full and consistent teat-dip coverage on each teat, at every milking. After removal, the unit is automatically cleaned and sanitized through the backflushing process to reduce contamination from cow to cow. With increased efficiency and milk quality all while decreasing your labor needs — GEA’s Apollo™MilkSystem is truly a no brainer.
Your Local GEA Milking Equipment Dealers Advanced Dairy Solutions Richland Center, WI 608-647-4488 • 800-772-4770 Centre Dairy Equipment and Supply Inc. Sauk Centre, MN 320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697 Fitzgerald, Inc. Elkader, IA • 563-245-2560 Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. Lancaster, WI • 800-887-4634
Leedstone, Inc. Melrose, MN 320-256-3303 • 800-996-3303 Glencoe, MN 320-864-5575 • 877-864-5575
Monroe WestfaliaSurge Monroe, WI • 608-325-2772
Midwest Livestock Systems, Inc. Menomonie, WI • 715-235-5144 Owen, WI • 715-229-4740 Pine Island, MN • 800-233-8937 Sioux Falls, MN • 800-705-1447 Beatrice, NE • 800-742-5748
Colton, SD Service 800-944-1217
Sioux Dairy Equipment, Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-5608 • 800-962-4346
Edgerton, MN Chemical Sales 507-920-8626