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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 24, No. 4
Creating a lasting legacy McConkey discusses emotions in farm transitions By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
Transitioning a family farm from one generation to the next can be a stressful endeavor, full of questions that need to be answered and decisions that need to be made. OfMarcia Kramer ten times, McConkey those involved are so wrapped up in the what, when, why and how that they can lose sight of the who. Taking into consideration the feelings and emotions of both the older and younger generations was the focus of the Rural Resiliency Project’s March 23 webinar featuring Marcia Kramer McConkey’s presentation, “The Human Side of Farm Transitions.” McConkey encouraged families to use the ICR model – important, condent and ready – when beginning to look at the changes forthcoming during a farm transition. “Does the person think the change is important? Are they condent in their ability to make the change? Are they ready to make the change?” McConkey said. “When those stars align, we’ll see change happen. When one of the elements is not present, it will often look like resistance.” McConkey said that sometimes what might be construed by the younger generation in the transition as reluctance or unwillingTurn to TRANSITION | Page 7
April 9, 2022
Better before bigger Rotzes use automation to aid in herd improvement By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
PELICAN RAPIDS, Minn. – The Rotzes have long farmed with the philosophy that before they grow their herd and land base, they must rst become better with what they have. In keeping with that mindset, brothers Philip and Paul Rotz turned to an automated milking system for their dairy herd. “Dad has always said we can be small if we can be good at it,” Philip said. “We need to pay attention to details and be better before we can go bigger.” Philip and his wife, Stacey, and Paul and his wife, Carolin, are in partnership on the 66-cow dairy in Otter Tail County near Pelican Rapids. Over the last year and a half, the Rotzes updated their manure pit and built a cross-ventilated, slattedoor freestall barn that stands 82-feet by 133-feet. With that, they installed one DeLaval VMS V300 robot that became operational Sept. 7, 2021. “We were tired of watching the cows come in fresh and hoped they survive,” Paul said. “We wanted to build something that was nice and comfortable Turn to ROTZES | Page 6
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
The Rotzes – Carolin and Paul and Stacey and Philip – milk 66 cows with a DeLaval VMS V300 robot on their dairy farm in OƩer Tail County near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. The robot became operaƟonal Sept. 7, 2021.
High stocking density is a solution for more profits
Doherty explains keys to maximizing solids per stall By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – High stocking density rates have long been frowned upon in the industry with university research suggesting high rates negatively impact milk production and cow health. But what if dairy farmers could stock their pens high without inuencing the herd’s overall performance other than to increase the amount of solids produced per stall per facility? “Think about your farm’s protability and think about the milk solids produced
per stall because ultimately that’s what you’re getting paid for,” Tim Doherty said. “Take the same facility you’re already paying on, … and I challenge you think about what you’re doing to produce more solids that you can ship down the road.” Doherty, a dairy business manager with Form-A-Feed, used real-life examples to speak on improving prots through higher stocking densities during his presentation, “Helpful tips for manJENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR aging high stocking density in dairy cows,” March 30 at Tom Doherty answers quesƟons during his presentaƟon, “Helpful Ɵps for managing high stocking density in dairy cows” Turn to DOHERTY | Page 8 March 30 at Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.