Win Prizes During
Summer
DAIRY ST T R’s
SALUTE TO DA RY
DAIRY ST R
SEE PAGE 18 OF THE FIRST SECTION FOR MORE INFOMATION
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 21, No. 7
May 25, 2019
Pence hears dairy farmers’ trade concerns
Gajewski represents Wisconsin producers at event By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Vice President Mike Pence speaks about how trade deals and tariffs are impac�ng Wisconsin agriculture and industries May 16 at J&D Manufacturing in Eau Claire, Wis.
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Wisconsin dairy farmers had the opportunity to share their points of view regarding trade issues during a roundtable discussion with Vice President Mike Pence during a visit May 16 at J&D Manufacturing in Eau Claire, Wis. The roundtable discussion centered on the importance of trade deals such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the effect trade has on agriculture and other industries. Wayne Gajewski, a dairy farmer from Athens, Wis., and FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative board member, was invited to join the roundtable with Vice President Pence and ve individuals representing other areas of Wisconsin agriculture. Following the meeting, Pence addressed the crowd. “It was a great honor and privilege to be selected to take part in this discussion, representing FarmFirst members and dairy farmers from throughout Wisconsin,” Gajewski said. “I shared with the vice president how dairy farmers have been feeling the last four years and how each year things get a little worse.” Gajewski said earlier that week he had received a call from Julie Sweney, FarmFirst director of communication and marketing, asking him if he was interested in attending the event. Later in the week, he was informed he had been selected to take part in the roundtable discussion. Gajewski said having the support of other FarmFirst direcTurn to PENCE | Page 5
A new beginning
Opsahl gets life on track with dairy By Danna Sabolik
danna.s@dairystar.com
HINCKLEY, Minn. – Ryan Opsahl knows all too well the vicious cycle of addiction. But after spending nearly two years in prison on drug-related charges, Opsahl is ready to start anew – and as a dairy farmer. “I was a really bad drug addict for a few years and went through a lot of different treatment programs. They all say you have to create a better life – one that’s worth living without drugs,” Opsahl said. “I needed to live a life worth living, and for me, that was dairy farming.” After serving a 37-month sentence from July 2015 to August 2018, Opsahl began his dairying career. He now milks 50 cows on the farm owned by his grandparents, David and Mary Williams, near Hinckley, Minn. “I always wanted to be a dairy farmer when I grew up; it was the only thing I wanted to be. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else but farming,” said Opsahl who was raised on his grandparents’ farm. Every morning, Opsahl and his grandfather begin the day in the dairy barn. “He will help me with morning feeding just to keep me moving along,” Opsahl said. “I usually start milking around 6:30 a.m. and I have to be done by 8:10 a.m. when the milk truck comes.” Turn to OPSAHL | Page 6
DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR
Ryan Opsahl milks 50 cows on his grandparents’ farm near Hinckley, Minn. Opsahl began milking in the vacant dairy barn last October, six weeks a�er ge�ng out of prison.
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
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 (ofďƒžce) 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 Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Danna Sabolik - Staff Writer (320) 352-6303 • danna.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofďƒžce: 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 (ofďƒžce) 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 Amanda Hoeďƒ&#x;er (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Amos Denman (Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • amos.d@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 ďƒžnal 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 ofďƒžces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
North America dealers. A glance at what’s inside
Dairy Proďƒžle brought to you by your
June Dairy Month is almost here, and that means many fun events are happening. To help make it easier for you to ďƒžnd a nearby gathering, we have compiled a list of all the breakfasts and events in our coverage area. Here are a few examples. On-farm events In Minnesota there are several events in the evening such as the Meeker County Dinner on the Dairy on June 21 where dinner is free. Or Winona County Family Night on the Farm on June 26 that includes an opportunity to see a dairy, farm machinery, live entertainment By Krista Kuzma and a bounce house for the kids. Breakfast is also a popular option for many dairy events. On June 1, the Barron County Assistant Editor Dairy Breakfast will offer omelets, all-you-can-eat pancakes, deep fried cheese curds, sundaes and other foods on a dairy in Prairie Farm, Wis. In addition to a meal at the Trempealeau County “On the farmâ€? Dairy Breakfast June 8, the crowning of the new Trempealeau County Dairy Ambassador will take place. Helplines Look for a schedule of all the upcoming events in the ďƒžrst – Minnesota Farm & Rural Helpline, section. Summer Salute to Dairy campaign Dairy Star also has our own exciting campaign running this summer. It’s called Dairy Star’s Summer Salute to Dairy. For each issue from June through August, we will invite readers to submit photos and share them on social media to win prizes or potentially be shared in the paper. For the ďƒžrst issue in June, we want to celebrate milk and therefore want to see you milk toast. Send us pictures of how you enjoy your milk. Check out the ad on page 18 for more details. Cheers to a dairy-ďƒžlled summer!
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 8-9 First Section
Save the date Page 27 First Section
Ramblings from the Ridge
Mondovi
Bloomer
Eau Claire
Second Section: Page 8
First Section: Page 36
First Section: Pages 1, 5
Spring Meadow cow a farm favorite
Page 30 First Section
Women in Dairy: Erica Ullom
Madison
Pence hears dairy farmers’ trade concerns
Shelf-stable dairy beverages are focus of new beverage center Second Section: Pages 4, 9
Something to Ruminate On
Bayeld
Douglas
Iron
Page 31 First Section
n
Ashland
Westby
Westby Cooperative Creamery utilizes DATCP grant
Page 33 First Section
First Section: Page 38
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Polk
Barron
Sawyer
Price
Rusk Taylor
St. Croix Pierce
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
Dunn
Pepin Buffalo
Viroqua
Chippewa
Eden
Marathon
Milk quality top priority for Grahls
Clark
Eau Claire Trempealeau
Dairy Good Life
Burnett
W as
Page 32 First Section
hb
ur
Just Thinking Out Loud
First Section: Page 28
Wood Jackson Adams
La Crosse Monroe
Juneau
Vernon County Ag Women’s Network offers it all
Fond Du Lac
Vernon
First Section: Pages 29 - 30
ford
Richland
Columbia
Sauk
Craw
Dane
Iowa Grant
Zone 2
Lafayette
Green
Dodge
J
Rock
Monticello
Darlington
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
on
rs
e eff
Darlington Ridge Farms hosts Day at the Dairy
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
Monroe
Martin named 72nd Alice in Dairyland
Dierickxes hang up milkers after 40 years First Section: Page 25
First Section: Page 10
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
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‘08 N-H 1441, 13’ Discbine ............................ $13,950 ‘14 N-H H-7230, 10’ Discbine ........................ $17,900 ‘00 N-H 1465, 9’ Haybine ................................. $7,950 ‘08 J-D 946, 13’ Discbine............................... $15,000 ‘11 Mac Don R85, 13’ Discbine...................... $11,500 Hesston 1091, 9’ Haybine ................................ $2,750 (2) N-H FP-240, Crop Pro .............Starting at $19,000 ‘96 H & S 501 Forage Box and Wagon, 14’ ...... $4,950 (2) Meyer 4518 Boxes and 15 ton Wagon...... $12,500 ‘04 H & S 860 Forage Blower ........................... $4,500 ‘02 N-H BB-940 Large Square, Packer Cutter $29,500 ‘16 N-H 460 Rd Baler, Netwrap, Roto Cut ...... $29,500 ‘12 N-H BR-7060 Rd Baler, Twine Only, Very Clean .................................................... $12,950 ‘03 N-H BR-780 Rd Baler, Netwrap & Twine, 5500 Bales Only ........................................... $12,500 ‘00 N-H 688 Rd Baler, Twine Only .................... $6,950 ‘98 N-H 664 Rd Baler, Netwrap & Twine .......... $7,500 N-H 678 Rd Baler, Twine Only .......................... $9,950 ‘02 N-H 648 Rd Baler, Twine Only .................. $10,900 ‘12 J-D 568 Rd Baler, Netwrap & Twine ......... $27,500 ‘95 N-H 570w/72 Thrower................................ $9,500 ‘01 H&S BF12HC. 12 Wheel Rake .................... $5,400
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Anderson Dairy Systems, Inc.
Champion Milking Systems
East Central Dairy Supply
1312 13 1/2 Ave. • Barron, WI 54812 (715) 537-3300
23218 350th Street • Albany, MN 56307 (320) 845-4156
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Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems 105 3rd Ave. NW • Epworth, IA 52045 (563) 876-3087
Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. 423 U.S. 61 • Lancaster, WI 53813 (608) 723-4634
Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment 1400- 7th St. SE • Pipestone, MN 56164 (507) 825-3271
Lang’s Dairy Equipment, Inc. 2337 Millennium Rd. • Decorah, IA 52101 (563) 382-8722
Leedstone
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Professional Dairy Systems
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Tri-County Dairy Supply, Inc.
4107 N US HWY 51 • Janesville. WI 53545 608-757-2697
United Suckow Dairy
12687 Hwy 18 & 52 • Postville, IA 52162 (563) 864-7417 210 N. Industrial Pkwy • West Union, IA 52175 (563) 422-5355
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 5
Con�nued from PENCE | Page 1
Patz 500 Vertical TMR Mixer Call
New Artex SBX700 Manure Spreader - Call
GEA 8 Lagoon Pump $10,500
Balzer Disc Injector Manure Injection System - $36,000
New GEA 8 Lagoon Pump Call
Kuhn Knight 8141 Manure Spreader - $31,000
LOTS OF USED MANURE TANKS AND MIXERS COMING IN
USED MIXERS: • 3) Patz 615s • Patz 420 • Many Used Knight Horizontal Mixers
PHOTO SUBMITTED
FarmFirst members (from le�) – Joe Bragger, Independence, Wis.; Wayne Gajewski, Athens, Wis.; Brian Lueck, Bloomer, Wis.; Rich and Judy Meyer, Unity, Wis.; Brian Wozniak, Stanley, Wis.; Jean Reisinger, Spring Green, Wis.; David Bangart, Greenwood, Wis.; and Stephanie Hughes, Pi�sville, Wis. – a�end a mee�ng May 16 to hear Vice President Mike Pence discuss how trade deals and tariffs are affec�ng Wisconsin agriculture and industry in Eau Claire, Wis. tors and members in attendance helped him focus on the message he delivered. “I was a bit nervous knowing I had so much to share, but the vice president was very courteous and made the discussion very relaxed,” Gajewski said. “It was very comfortable talking with him. I felt that he was on the same page, wanting to get these trade deals passed.” When Pence arrived, each participant in the roundtable was able to introduce themselves and share how trade and tariff issues affect them in their businesses. Gajewski said Pence listened attentively and took notes during the discussion. Pence told the roundtable participants not to give up hope and assured them negotiations are continuing to progress in a positive manor despite what they might be hearing on the news which was good news to Gajewski. “Trade agreements have proven to be very important for U.S. dairy, which is why it is imperative to pass the USMCA,” Gajewski said. “Every day that passes without ratifying USMCA is another day that the U.S. dairy industry risks losing valuable market-share.” Jean Reisinger, dairy farmer in Spring Green, Wis., and FarmFirst board member, was one of the dairy farmers who made the trip to hear what Pence had to say. “As a farmer, I felt good about what
I heard,” Reisinger said. “The vice president acknowledged that the family farm is the hub of America. That’s important to me. We are fourth generation family farmers, and our farm has been in the family for 118 years.” Energized by what Pence had to say about the trade bill, Reisinger began rallying people to contact legislators, urging them to work together to ensure passage of USMCA while beginning to draft letters of her own. For members of FarmFirst and all dairy farmers, working together to provide leadership in the industry is important. “It is important to all members of FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative that our concerns are heard,” Gajewski said. “We look forward to the passage of the USMCA and for the tariffs to be lifted and hopefully soon on both accounts.” While he continues to follow the news about movements with the USMCA and other trade deals, Gajewski has also been able to reect on his experience of meeting Vice President Pence. “It’s something that I would have never thought I would be able to do and something that will stay with me forever,” Gajewski said. “With FarmFirst, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and connect with quite a few leaders in Washington, (D.C.), but this experience is one I’ll remember forever.”
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Mueller Regional Sales Manager Mike Jensen presenting Jon of Centre Dairy the Golden Cooler Award
Since 1993, Centre Dairy has been recognized by the Paul Mueller Company with the Golden Cooler Award for outstanding sales achievement. Call or see Jon today about your operation.We’re committed to products and repair work that provide you with the quality and value you need. Jon Stein 320-352-5762 • 1-800-342-2697 Henning Area 218-849-0211
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Seena and Dan Glessing talk with Vice President Mike Pence at a Minnesota Farm Bureau event May 9 in Glyndon, Minn. Before traveling to Wisconsin, Pence visited with farmers in Minnesota.
DAIRY EQUIPMENT CENTRE AND SUPPLY INC.
40625 State Hwy. 28 • Just West of Hwy. 71 • Sauk Centre, MN
Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
ConƟnued from OPSAHL | Page 1
Willmar, MN • 320.231.1470
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Ryan Opsahl feeds his cows outside May 10 on his farm near Hinckley, Minn. Opsahl began milking a herd of 35 cows Oct. 1, 2018, which he has grown to 50 cows. After milking and feeding, Opsahl feeds his youngstock and lets the cows outside, where he feeds them another wheelbarrow of feed. “They eat way better outside,” he said. “I don’t know why. I can have wet stuff from the oor in the barn and they just lick it clean out there.” Next, he cleans the barn and prepares as much as he can for evening milking. Then the day’s projects begin. “I’ve been working on emptying the pit, which is hard to do by myself,” Opsahl said. “I can only do about 10 loads a day, so it takes me a while.” When Opsahl moved home, he knew there would be a lot of work to do. “[My grandparents] sold the cows a few years before, so the barn sat empty for a while,” Opsahl said. “It was a lot of work, but I was able to clean it up and get it ready for cows again.” While there were no dairy cows on the farm site, Opsahl’s grandparents had not given up farm life. They raised
“I’ve decided that once you come to terms with the fact you’re not going to get rich and you’ll never have everything done, you’ll live a happier life.” RYAN OPSAHL, DAIRY FARMER
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a herd of beef cattle, and encouraged Opsahl to get involved with beef, as well, considering the dairy climate. “I just couldn’t walk past the barn everyday and know I didn’t give it a shot,” Opsahl said. “I was going to be a dairy farmer and there was no talking me out of it.” Last October, Opsahl purchased a herd of 37 cows with the help of his grandparents.
“I’m pretty lucky I had my grandparents to help me get started,” he said. The barn has 72 stalls and Opsahl is trying to ll it up. “I’m at about 50 milking cows now, and I just bought about 60 heifers from the sale barn that weren’t supposed to be bred, but a few are starting to bag up,” he said. Opsahl learned a lot of his dairy knowledge on the farm, but is changing things up a little. “I’m not doing everything the same as my grandpa and grandma,” he said. “I like to let the cows out after milking and they never did that. I think it’s better for the cows, and they seem to like it more.” Opsahl is still ne-tuning his farming philosophy, though. “I’ve also done a lot more A.I. breeding, but I’m keeping a few bulls around, too,” he said. “Grandpa doesn’t care for A.I. at all, so we butt heads a little on that front.” This spring, Opsahl is working on planting with his grandpa. “We have some corn and alfalfa to plant,” Opsahl said. “After three years of no dairy, I’m having to rethink the eld plans and gure out what I want for my herd. I have some peas and barley that I might chop and mix into the ration to see how they do on that. I want to try some new things.” Once eldwork is complete, Opsahl wants to continue making the dairy his own. The farm site still needs to be cleaned up a bit; Opsahl needs to replace fans in the barn and other pieces of equipment that are no longer working properly. “I’ve decided that once you come to terms with the fact you’re not going to get rich and you’ll never have everything done, you’ll live a happier life,” Opsahl said. “You’re also never going to have enough sleep.” While only a short time into his venture, Opsahl knows dairy farming is a method to keep sober. It is all a part of how he is building a better life for himself. “I want to milk cows for the rest of my life,” Opsahl said.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 7
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Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
New development in trade situations with Canada, Mexico President Donald Trump has lifted the steel Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. “Certainly, and aluminum tariffs on Mexico and Canada. “As the President’s concept of buying commodities for you know, for years Canada has been charging us humanitarian purposes may also be part of that.” The extremely high tariffs, as much as 285 percent or more new trade package is expected to cost between $15 for agricultural products, which is an absolute barrier and $20 billion, which is the general calculation of damages to U.S. farmers from the trade to our farmers being able to do business Ag Insider dispute with China. “We’ve asked our with them.” Trump said, “hopefully economist at USDA to be very precise Congress will approve the United States when calculating what we believe to be Mexico Canada Agreement quickly. And legally defensible trade damages done then the great farmers, manufacturers to our U.S. producers.” Perdue remains and steel plants will make our economy hopeful for the U.S. to reach a trade even more successful than it already is, if agreement with China. that’s possible, which it is possible.” New relief package to be more diverse USDEC, NMPF welcome trade news Trade assistance details are still being The United States dairy industry nalized. USDA Under Secretary for has applauded the U.S. decision to drop Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs metal tariffs on Mexico and Canada, Ted McKinney told reporters the new aid paving the way for the passage of the By Don Wick package would be diverse. “Some pieces U.S-Mexico-Canada Agreement. With Columnist may come and go, ebb and ow. Some this announcement, retaliatory tariffs of the programs seen in the last round of on U.S. dairy products, including duties of 25 percent on U.S. cheese exports to Mexico, payments are being considered and other things, too,” are gone. U.S. Dairy Export Council President/ he said. “We want to be robust and we want to make CEO Tom Vilsack said this news will “build vital sure farmers get the message while trade is preferred, momentum” for passing USMCA. National Milk the administration has their backs given the strife Producers Federation President/CEO Jim Mulhern they’ve been through.” McKinney said USDA doesn’t said dairy farmers needed some good news and this want to do anything to harm potential commercial announcement “certainly helps.” Mexico is the largest sales. customer for the U.S. dairy industry with $1.4 billion DMC enrollment begins in mid-June in sales last year. The past ve years have been very challenging for dairy farmers. National Milk Producers Federation USMCA is Next Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Jim Holte Senior Vice President of Communications Alan hopes the elimination of steel and aluminum tariffs Bjerga says the Dairy Margin Coverage program will help get the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement should be considered. “Signup is starting June 17 ratied in Congress. “Passing the USMCA is what is and you’ll see payments going out as soon as July,” said Bjerga. “As far as possible solutions in today’s needed next,” said Holte. policy environment, the Dairy Margin Coverage Administration to provide another round of trade program is effective, targeted assistance and we strongly encourage producers to look seriously at the aid USDA is in the midst of developing a trade $9.50 coverage level.” Bjerga says dairy farmers who assistance program for farmers. “We are assuming it participated in the old Margin Protection Program will contain direct payments for commodities,” said should also be looking for a refund.
Swine disease impacts demand for dairy ingredients The outbreak of African Swine Fever in China has resulted in the loss of an estimated 200 million pigs. According to a new report from Rabobank, this situation is having an impact on the U.S. dairy industry. With fewer pigs, there is less demand for dairy ingredients in feed, such as milk and whey permeate, whey powder and lactose. Rabobank estimates a drop in demand of 54,500 metric tons to 72,500 metric tons. The decline in demand is on top of the rising Chinese tariffs on U.S. dairy products. A difcult loan renewal season After four or ve years of low commodity prices, the farm nancial situation is in tough shape. Farm Credit Council President and CEO Todd Van Hoose said it was a difcult loan renewal season. “Really for the rst time this year, a lot of farmers sat down and couldn’t nd a way to pencil out any kind of prot.” Van Hoose remains long-term bullish about agriculture. “We know our job right now is to work with people to get them through this downturn and get them to the other side with success.” AgriBank reports 1Q nancials AgriBank reports rst quarter net income of just over $137 million, down from $146 million in the same period last year. Loan volume totaled nearly $93 billion, which is comparable to the previous quarter. Credit quality is strong with 98 percent of AgriBank’s loans classied as acceptable. In a news release, AgriBank said the farm sector’s declining working capital is a concern. Trade policy is seen as one of the biggest uncertainties. AgriBank said the new dairy provisions in the farm bill may help, but the dairy market remains very challenged. More time for input on gray wolf delisting The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is giving the public another 60 days to comment on the possible delisting of the gray wolf from the endangered species list. The comment period was originally scheduled to Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 end this past week, but the deadline has been extended to July 15. Holstein Convention is coming to WI Appleton, Wis. will host the National Holstein Convention next month. The National Genetics Conference will be held in conjunction with the convention with speakers discussing genomics, inbreeding and precision dairying. Farm tours, educational seminars and junior Holstein events are planned. The theme of the convention is ‘Making Legendary Leaps’ and the convention will take place June 24-17. A values-based vision at Ben & Jerry’s Ben & Jerry’s has created a dairy advisory council that will advance the ice cream company’s values-based vision. The Vermont company said it wants all of its products sourced from dairy farms that promote a dignied livelihood for farmers and farm workers. The vision also include a focus on animal welfare and prevents the usage of GMOs.
New Alice in Dairyland crowned Abigail Martin of Milton has been crowned Alice in Dairyland. Martin graduated UW-Madison with a degree in dairy science last year and is currently employed in the communications department at DeLaval.
DHIA: Now MORE than ever There is proof in the number
Trivia challenge The Super Bowl is the most popular day for pizza consumption each year. That answers our last trivia question. When did June Dairy Month start? 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.
Later this year we will reach 400,000 Milk Pregnancy samples tested at a Minnesota DHIA lab. Will it be yours?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A tremendous milestone and an essential tool used by many dairies.
The new normal?
ACCURATE, CONVENIENT, COST AND LABOR SAVING.
After years of low milk prices, it is clear to most people that this is not the dip in a cycle; rather, it is the new normal. The U.S. dairy industry has evolved to the point that the large dairies are very able to keep the market ooded with milk to the detriment of the prices. Lowering the price is not their goal, but it is the real result of their relentless growth. To help the smaller farms survive, the taxpayers could send them a subsidy check every month. In that case, expect the large dairies to lobby that they should get an even bigger check. A better option is a two tier price structure that has a $10 price spread. This would need to be based on a quota plan and preferably one where shares have no saleable value. An example would be $23 milk with over quota surplus milk selling for $13. This can be implemented with little cost to the taxpayer. The new farm bill buys some time, but we all know where the industry is headed if there are no changes made that control production.
Minnesota Dairy Herd Improvement Association 307 Brighton Avenue South Buffalo, MN 55313 1.800.827.3442 www.mndhia.org
Gene Zepper Perham, Minn.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dairy Star Newspaper welcomes letters to the editor. Every letter for publication must be 500 words or less, contain the author’s signature, address and telephone number. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and brevity. Letters can be mailed to Dairy Star, Letter to Editor, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378 or e-mail: mark.k@dairystar.com.
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
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MONROE, Wis. – Abigail Martin, of Milton, Wis., was named Wisconsin’s 72nd Alice in Dairyland during a ceremony May 11 in Monroe, Wis. Martin, the 22-year-old daughter of Joe and Bonnie Martin, will work as a communications professional for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in her role as Alice. Educating the public about the importance of agriculture in Wisconsin will be her primary job. “I was humbled and extremely honored to be selected as Alice in Dairyland,� Martin said. “I’m really excited to hit the ground running in June to kick off June Dairy Month.� Martin has been preparing for this moment her whole life, as becoming Alice in Dairyland was a childhood dream. Ever since Martin can remember, she has been learning about agriculture and the dairy industry in particular while gaining the skills necessary for someday taking on the role of Alice. “I’ve looked forward to being Alice in Dairyland for a long time,� Martin said. “I look up to the past ladies who have served as Alice. I really value what they contribute to our state and the agriculture industry.� Martin grew up on a registered Holstein farm north of Janesville, Wis., and fell in love with dairy cattle and agriculture at a young age. She showed cattle at local, state, regional and international shows, and was active in 4-H and FFA, holding director positions within each organization. Martin connected with industry members throughout her youth, further deepening her passion for agriculture. “I learned early on how important agriculture is to our state and had the opportunity to develop public speaking skills through my involvement with FFA,� Martin said. While attending University of Wisconsin-Madison, Martin was involved in the Association of Women in Agriculture, Badger Dairy Club, Collegiate Farm Bureau and was on the intercollegiate dairy judging team. After graduating in May 2018 with a degree in dairy science, Martin went to work for DeLaval Inc. in their North American marketing and communications department. She has also held previous marketing roles for Rock County 4-H Fair, East Central/Select Sires and Babcock Hall Dairy Store. Alice in Dairyland is a one-year term that Martin will step into June 3. She will travel 30,000 miles, giving a face to Wisconsin agriculture and sharing its diversity with others. Martin will work closely with media specialists and journalists during this time, appearing on television and radio talk shows. She will also visit classrooms to educate children about Wisconsin’s dairy and agricultural products. People hoping to bump into Alice in Dairyland can look for her at dairy breakfasts and county fairs this summer. She will also be attending the Wisconsin State Fair and will appear at World Dairy Expo to talk to farmers, producers and consumers from all over the globe. “I’m eager to get out there and meet as many people as possible,� Martin said. “I can’t wait to meet all kinds of Wisconsin agriculturists and consumers and then work to connect these two groups. For example, a consumer might live down the road from a dairy processor and not even realize what it is they do. I can make that critical connection between producer and consumer.� Martin’s love for agriculture and all things dairy will serve her well as she works her way around the state showcasing what Wisconsin agriculture has to offer not only to Wisconsin residents but to the world. “Wisconsin has so many dairy products to offer, including over 600 styles and varieties of cheeses and
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Abigail MarĆ&#x;n, of Milton, Wis., is named Wisconsin’s 72nd Alice in Dairyland May 11. MarĆ&#x;n will begin her duĆ&#x;es of promoĆ&#x;ng Wisconsin agriculture June 3. a large assortment of yogurt products,â€? Martin said. “We are the No. 1 cheese producer in the country, not only for volume but also for quality that’s recognized worldwide, and I plan to promote the Wisconsin Master CheesemakerÂŽ Program. We’re America’s Dairyland, and I’m excited to talk to consumers about all the different options available to them in the dairy case.â€? Martin is the fourth generation on her family’s 175-cow farm, Special M Holsteins. Growing up, Martin’s favorite cow was a Holstein named Always. Martin adored her personality, and said the cow was like the farm mascot. “She was a showoff that enjoyed being the center of attention,â€? Martin said. “She was one of my show animals and always the ďƒžrst cow to arrive in the parlor for milking.â€? In her spare time, Martin enjoys being on her family’s farm and showing cattle with her family. The people in the industry Martin looks up to most are her parents, who ignited her enthusiasm for dairy and laid the groundwork for her future success, supporting her ambitions to be a leader in the industry every step of the way. Martin also admires Nicole Barlass, her high school FFA advisor and a previous Alice in Dairyland. “Nicole sparked my interest in running for Alice and supported me throughout the process,â€? Martin said. The top ďƒžve Alice in Dairyland candidates for 2019 included Martin; Sarah Achenbach, of Eastman, Wis.; Cassandra Krull, of Lake Mills, Wis.; Mariah Martin, of Brooklyn, Wis.; and Tess Zettle, of Juda, Wis. For young ladies aspiring to become Alice in Dairyland one day, Martin said, “Don’t be afraid to let your passion shine through in everything you do. Whether you’re talking to someone involved in the industry or to someone who knows nothing about it – perhaps someone in your dorm even – don’t be shy about sharing your passion for dairy cattle and Wisconsin agriculture. For example, when I was a freshman in college, I had a roommate who grew up in Chicago. Dairy farming was a foreign concept to her, and I enjoyed telling her all about growing up on a farm. She learned a lot from me.â€? Dating to 1948, Alice in Dairyland is a program that has evolved substantially over the years. Alice is a public relations professional entrusted with safeguarding Wisconsin’s proud agricultural tradition as the state’s premier agricultural ambassador. And, Martin cannot wait to get started.
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 11
How to build risk management using DMC, Dairy RP By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
Dairy farmers need to have a risk management strategy in place to withstand the economic volatility the industry faces. There are many ways to achieve a successful plan by incorporating new tools, such as the Dairy Margin Coverage and Dairy Revenue Protection programs. “Some things in life are hard … guring out how to nd a meaningful price protection for your dairy is not that hard,” said Dr. Marin Bozic, professor at the University of Minnesota. “Dairy risk management is easy, and you should do it.” Bozic joined Compeer Financial dairy specialist Cassie Monger and crop insurance team leader Josh Newton in explaining why dairy farmers should consider enrolling in DMC and Dairy RP as part of their marketing plan. The trio were a part of a webinar, “What dairy producers need to know about the new risk management tools,” May 17 hosted by I-29 Moo University. “We didn’t have good risk management tools until recently,” Bozic said. Enrollment for Dairy RP began last October, and the results of the rst quarter reveal the program worked as intended in protecting a dairy business from market price uctuations. “At rst, we had higher prices, but then they fell off and triggered indemnity payments,” Newton said. “Looking forward into quarters two, three and four, they may not trigger indemnity payments when Class III nishes higher, and ultimately that’s what we’re shooting for. Dairy RP is an insurance product, so if milk prices are higher and we don’t use it, we view that as a win.” In quarter one, Newton and Monger booked 57 endorsements. Of those endorsements, 11 triggered indemnity payments in the amount of $135,000; eight using Class III options with an average payment of $0.66 per hundredweight and three using component pricing with an average payment of $0.43 per cwt. The indemnity payments ranged from $0.20 to $1.15 per cwt. for Class III endorsements while component endorsements ranged from $0.11 to $1.06 per cwt. “The rst day (Oct. 9) triggered the largest indemnity,” Newton said. “It was the rst day of a brand new product, so there was some hesitation. After we have the opportunity to explain how this works, more farmers will get on board and use this as a revenue protection tool.” Monger agreed. “Dairy RP adds an additional easy-to-understand risk management tool to the toolbox, so to speak,” she said. “Details can be complicated and overwhelming, but the information you need to know when making a decision is simple to understand and easy to incorporate into your business.” To date, about 25 billion pounds, or 12% of annual production in the United States, is protected under Dairy RP, said Bozic. He anticipates that value to increase. When deciding if the insurance program is right for the dairy operation, farmers should consider the markets long term rather than simply viewing the immediate quarter. “The key is consistency to keep up with the volatility of the market right now,” Monger said. Bozic agreed, referencing an example where 95% of milk production is covered in either class or components. Positive indemnities were received 28% to 33% of the time and a net benet of the program was reected similarly. “It’s like car insurance. There’s a 2% chance you’ll need it, but 98% of the time the car will do just ne,” Bozic said. “Over the last 40 quarters, 15 quarters paid back, so the net benet was positive, and it’s increasing on the horizon.” Small changes to the program will go into effect July 1. There are several factors to consider when using Dairy RP, and dairy farmers should work with a trusted insurance agent to determine the best options for their business. Beginning June 17, dairy farmers may also sign up for the highly anticipated DMC program.
During the webinar, Bozic urged farmers to enroll their rst 5 million pounds at the $9.50 coverage level for the ve-year duration of the program. “If we take a closer look at how DMC would perform on the last four miserable years we’ve had, in three out of the four years, most of the time it would have resulted in payments – and meaningful payments,” he said. “The last 20 years of data shows only in 2005 and 2014 DMC would not have returned back the premiums.” For 2019, DMC indemnity payments at the $9.50 coverage level have been revealed for January, February and March at $1.51 per cwt., $1.28 per cwt. and $0.65 per cwt., respectively.
A comfy
Additional resources regarding the DMC program are available on the United States Department of Agriculture’s website, including an informational video created by University of Wisconsin’s Dr. Mark Stephenson: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programsand-services/dairy-margin-coverage-program/index. Under the new farm bill, dairy farmers can incorporate multiple programs that will best meet the needs of their business, including DMC and Dairy RP among others. “Keep in mind futures prices are in our favor, so put something in place now to take risk off the table in your overall risk management strategy,” Monger said.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
DAIRYING IN TOUGH TIMES
Wilhelm continues farming for the cows By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
Editor’s note: In this series, “Dairying in tough times,” Dairy Star is catching up with dairy farmers who began milking cows in the last ve years. These farmers are sharing how they have been able to weather the market conditions and why they see promise in today’s changing industry. PRINCETON, Minn. – John Wilhelm began milking cows in October 2014. If he knew the dairy industry would tank as it has, he never would have lled the barn. “I’ve just been fortunate I had the equity and four months worth of good prices to carry me through,” Wilhelm said. “And honestly, it’s the cows that keep me going. I do this for them.” Wilhelm milks 60 registered Holsteins on his family’s farm in Mille Lacs County near Princeton, Minn. After Wilhelm graduated Ridgewater College in fall 2013, he took to dairy farming on the farm site his dad and uncle once milked. When Wilhelm rst began dairying, he emphasized quality feed and genetics to establish good production and herd health. With the onset of low milk prices, Wilhelm found ways to cut costs on herd management without sacricing the progress he made. “Back in 2003, when my dad and uncle dairied, you could afford to make mistakes,” Wilhelm said. “Now, you can’t. … You have to do all the little things right.”
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
John Wilhelm milks 60 registered Holsteins on his family’s farm in Mille Lacs County near Princeton, Minn. Wilhelm began dairying in October 2014. The young dairy farmer runs 55 acres of hay ground but purchases most other feed inputs. He contracts grain through his dad and uncle, Mark and Tim, and also buys corn silage, dry hay and baleage. When purchasing forages, Wilhelm shops around looking for the highest
relative feed quality at the right price. He strives to provide his herd with a 190-plus RFQ. “Dairy farming is all about math,” Wilhelm said. “I talk with my nutritionist at least twice a week, bouncing ideas off of him and adjusting the ration to keep it balanced as we’re using different
forages.” Wilhelm is also willing to invest in higher-priced semen if the mating is right. “I’d rather spend $100 now on a straw, then skimp costs now and pay for it in two years when the animal comes in Turn to WILHELM | Page 13
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 13
ConƟnued from WILHELM | Page 12
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JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
John Wilhelm uses ground sheetrock as a bedding source for his milking herd at his dairy in Princeton, Minn. Wilhelm uses the alternaƟve bedding as a way to cut costs on the farm. to milk,” Wilhelm said. However, Wilhelm has changed his breeding philosophy. He once used to breed entirely for type, but now chooses bulls for positive components, a net merit of $800 or greater, positive health traits and a positive daughter pregnancy rate, and then type. “The genetics are here,” said Wilhelm of his herd. “Now, I have to focus on longevity and maintaining milk and type.” The investment in nutrition and genetics has boosted Wilhelm’s production with cows milking 83 pounds per day, giving him a rolling herd average of 24,000 pounds – up more than 1,000 pounds from last year. While Wilhelm’s short time dairy farming has garnered striking milestones, it has not been easy. “Last year, I made $12,000 before taxes,” Wilhelm said. “We’re living off one income.” Wilhelm’s wife, Alexa, is a registered nurse at St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minn. Together, the couple has two daughters, Chloe, 6, and Ariel, 7 months. The day after Christmas this past year, Wilhelm caught a re that started in the water heater in the tiestall barn. Luckily, the only damage was in the room surrounding the heater but the cost was unprecedented. “Stuff happens every day,” Wilhelm said. “It’s never a question of when a x will come, but how big is the x going to be.” To plan for the repairs, Wilhelm tries to keep cash on hand. He sets a price oor in his bank account and does not dip below that amount. Additionally, he has found areas on the farm to reduce costs which provides a better nancial cushion for the dairy business. In the last year, Wilhelm has stopped using chopped straw for bedding. He now spends $200 on 6 tons of ground sheetrock, sprinkling on top of the stall mattresses throughout the day.
Wilhelm has also restructured his herd health protocols. “I used to have herd check once a month, but now the vet comes out every three months,” he said. “I still vaccinate, but not twice during lactation like I used to. I vaccinate at dry off and then they get a booster two weeks before calving.” To help maintain a healthier herd, Wilhelm sold eight cows from the herd which were a part of the original group of animals he started milking. He replaced those animals with younger cows that hold more potential in the barn. “It was really a wash in price, but I gained in production,” Wilhelm said. In the future, Wilhelm wants to capitalize on his herd’s genetics, so he maintains membership in Holstein Association USA Inc. Currently, he ushes some but uses the embryos with his own lower-end genetic animals. “At the stage I’m at, I’m not ready to make money off of my registered genetics, so I’ve stopped registering my animals. That helps cut costs,” Wilhelm said. Over the last four years, Wilhelm has had to make decisions that have propelled his dairy business in the right direction. These decisions have also worn on his physical and mental health. “I have a good friend who wanted to start dairying. He found a herd and everything,” Wilhelm said. “I told him I’d love to see him milk cows, but I don’t want to see him dead either. It’s nearly impossible for someone to start from scratch right now.” After the barn re this past winter, Wilhelm’s wife posted a note on their fridge with resources Wilhelm uses when he feels defeated. Seeing the reminder every morning before he heads out to do chores and also the support he has found with family and friends keeps Wilhelm carrying on as a dairy farmer. “It’s hard. … I have to know there are things in life I can’t control,” Wilhelm said. “I take it day by day. It will all work out.”
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 15
From Our Side Of The Fence Graduates: How do you feel about starting a dairy career?
Morgan Lindner Loyal, Wis. Clark County 130 cows Mid-State Technical College, farm operations Tell us about your family’s dairy. My parents, two brothers and I have a robotic dairy and run about 650 acres of crop land. It is family operated and we all work together. Our daily chores are split between the ďƒžve of us. My dad and I take care of the feeding and milking of the cows, and my brothers and mom care for the youngstock. On the cropping side of things, my dad does the planting and harvesting, and my brothers and I do any other ďƒželdwork that needs to be done. What is your role on the farm since your return? I am a herdsman for our dairy farm. I do the milk treating, vaccinating and herd health records. I also help with any other chores such as feeding, ďƒželdwork and cleaning barns. How do you feel about starting a dairy career in the current dairy economy? Starting a dairy career in the current dairy economy is deďƒžnitely challenging, but I love to farm and it is what I have always wanted to do growing up. How has the current dairy economy affected your return to the farm? You have to keep a positive attitude, be efďƒžcient and take the good times along with the bad. What classes were most beneďƒžcial in preparing you for your dairy farming career? Crops and soil, and ag business and management. I learned a lot about growing crops and the nutrients they need to have in the soil. We looked at ďƒželds and took soil samples. It was all hands on which I liked. In the business and management classes, we went through proďƒžt and loss, business plans and future expansions. All of this is necessary to learn to run a successful farm. How has the farm accommodated you coming home? My parents have hired me full time on the farm. I get a percentage of the milk check. This year, I am renting some land to grow and harvest my own crops. I have been able to implement many of the things I have learned from school, and my parents have encouraged me to use these ideas to keep moving our operation forward. How do you think your farm and your role on it will change in 10 years? Ten years from now, I hope to own the farm and double our robot barn. I want to be married with a family and to raise my kids on the farm to teach them a good work ethic just how my parents raised my brothers and me.
Matthew Tyler Granton, Wis. Clark County 135 cows Mid-State Technical College, farm operations Tell us about your family’s dairy. I grew up on my family’s ďƒžfth generation dairy farm. My grandpa Tyler took over the farm in 1957 from his parents; he farmed 80 acres and milked 35 cows. My father took the farm over in 1996, and now we farm 700 acres and milk 135 cows. My father is the owner and manager of the farm, my mother is the full-time calf manager in addition to my grandparents and my siblings helping with the daily chores. What is your role on the farm since your return? I help with all aspects of the operation from helping our veterinarian with our herd health pregnancy checks to treatment of any sick animal to planting and harvesting our corn, soybean, oat and hay crops. How do you feel about starting a dairy career in the current dairy economy? I’m excited about starting my dairy career. No, the dairy economy isn’t ideal now, but then again if farming was easy everyone would do it. Every industry has its highs and lows, and I’m optimistic the dairy industry will be on the upswing in the next couple of years. How has the current dairy economy affected your return to the farm? We have increased our herd size from 100 cows to 135 cows. We started using sexed semen to have more replacement heifers and made small feed ration changes to minimize cost and maximize milk production. What classes were most beneďƒžcial in preparing you for your dairy farming career? All the classes I took at Mid-State were beneďƒžcial. My instructors, Mike Sabel and Teri Raatz, did an amazing job making sure I understood all the information they were teaching me. The class that stood out to me was the farm ďƒžnancial analysis and agribusiness management class. Knowing how to manage and budget your money is important in any business especially in the current dairy economy. How has the farm accommodated you coming home? We increased our herd size, looked over our procedures and protocols, and made them more efďƒžcient at the same time minimizing our expenses to expand our margin of proďƒžt. How do you think your farm and your role on it will change in 10 years? I would like our farm to expand to 150 milking cows and become more efďƒžcient and have higher conception rates, milk production and crop yields.
Noah Allan Seneca, Wis. Crawford County 50 cows Southwest Technical College, dairy technician Tell us about your family’s dairy. We have around 50 cows milking year-round, and I would be the fourth generation. My uncle is the operator of the farm, and I help as much I can. We run around 300 acres also. What is your role on the farm since your return? My role going back to the farm will be improving anything I can from what I learned from school. I want to be able to breed our cows and pick the bulls we use. I want to impact the farm from what I learned and be able to expand in the future. I am looking forward to being on the farm full time. How do you feel about starting a dairy career in the current dairy economy? I still feel pretty good about being in the dairy industry even with the economy the way it is now. I am hoping my skills will help improve income on the farm even though the dairy economy is the way it is. How has the current dairy economy affected your return to the farm? The current economy hasn’t changed me going back to the farm much but does make me nervous about being able to afford to expand in the near future. What classes were most beneďƒžcial in preparing you for your dairy farming career? Farm business management and animal selection classes. Those two classes have given me a lot of ideas to bring back to the farm to help it succeed. How has the farm accommodated you coming home? I have always wanted to farm and be able to manage my own farm, and having the opportunity to learn more and bring it back has motivated me even more to keep farming. How do you think your farm and your role on it will change in 10 years? My role in the long run is to manage and improve the farm the best I can. Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Andrew Fisher Watkins, Minn. Meeker County 75 cows Ridgewater College, farm operations and management, emphasis in dairy Tell us about your family’s dairy. My family farm is located north of Forest City, Minn. I will be the fth generation to farm. I work alongside my grandfather and father. My grandfather manages the calves and assists with eldwork and other jobs. My dad and I share the milking, feeding and all other chores. We milk 75 cows in a tiestall barn and raise steers. Our crops consist of corn, oats, alfalfa, soybeans and grass hay. What is your role on the farm since your return? My main role on the farm is overseeing herd reproduction. I primarily deal with close up springers and dry cows. As far as other roles on the farm, my dad and I share all other responsibilities equally. How do you feel about starting a dairy career in the current dairy economy? Owning and operating my own family dairy farm is still my dream and has been since I was a young kid. Today’s current economy has forced me to be more realistic with what the future may or may not hold for smaller sized farming. I have been hopeful for what my family and I can do with the farm, but we have also been looking at other sources of income during these tough times. How has the current dairy economy affected your return to the farm? For my family’s farm, my return has not changed the farming situation. If anything, it has forced us to become more efcient and be more diverse in our income sources. My dad and I have been in discussion that there is a possibility an off-farm job may be necessary to create a surplus of income. Thankfully, we are not at this point. What classes were most benecial in preparing you for your dairy farming career? I started the program with a strong knowledge base. I have learned a lot from my grandfather, father and uncle. The classes that added to this foundation were dairy nutrition, as this helped me understand reasoning behind nutrition changes; personal management taught me the skills I would need to lead a team and work with others; and all my farm management courses because they taught me about keeping records, the importance and details of taxes, and other nancing information necessary to run a successful business. How has the farm accommodated you coming home? We have increased our herd size to accommodate me. My dad and I have been researching and attempting to increase milk production and raise more steers. My dad and I understand that a workable farm also needs to reect an income for two people. How do you think your farm and your role on it will change in 10 years? In 10 years, I hope to own a larger percentage of the farm. If the dairy economy stays in its current state, our farm will have to change. We have discussed changing to primarily raise steers and expand our crop land acres. But if the dairy economy improves and has a strong outlook, we hope to expand our current situation to a larger dairy herd. This is a difcult question to answer considering the current state of the agriculture economy in general.
Matthew Kramer St. Cloud, Wis. Fond du Lac County 80 cows University of WisconsinRiver Falls, dairy science, management option Tell us about your family’s dairy. My parents began farming together in the spring of 1996. Both of my parents grew up on dairy farms, and we operate on my father’s home farm. My mom feeds calves, milks, does bookwork and a variety of chores daily. She also enjoys planting owers and tending to her chickens. My dad works the land, mixes feed, feeds cattle and does maintenance. My sister lives off the farm but helps with calf chores and milking a few times a week. My older brother works and lives off the farm but is only a phone call away to help with maintenance and nutrient management. I help milk, handle registrations, do chores and make a majority of the breeding decisions. We are employing a high school student as a part-time milker who has been with us for three years. She enjoys coming to the farm and loves to be around the animals. What is your role on the farm since your return? My role has not changed much. I intend on doing more management related work and updating our protocols this summer. How do you feel about starting a dairy career in the current dairy economy? I am excited to be back home with the cows and watching them develop. However, there are concerns about the future for a farm of our size, especially feed resources with the amount of winter kill we have had and the wet spring we are experiencing. How has the current dairy economy affected your return to the farm? It is too early to determine how the dairy economy has affected my return to the family farm as I just returned home after graduation. What classes were most benecial in preparing you for your dairy farming career? In advanced dairy herd management, we looked at a variety of aspects that pertain to managing a herd. We also utilized Dairy Comp 305 and did a project comparable to the dairy challenge where we evaluated a farm, analyzed their data and assisted them by making recommendations on changes that can be made. I learned a lot during lactation and milk quality labs in regards to the anatomy of the udder. Farm visits during class eld trips, ADSA, the Canadian Royal and Spring Fling have been insightful and great learning experiences. It has been a great learning experience to hear from producers about how they are running their dairies. How has the farm accommodated you coming home? My parents encouraged me to apply for the FSA Youth Loan. This opportunity allowed me to build my own herd of cattle. The loan was paid back via small payments that were taken out from my parent’s milk check. One particular animal has given me over a dozen descendants. This has allowed me to build my herd and generate equity. How do you think your farm and your role on it will change in 10 years? I would like to see some changes around the farm to help improve overall cow comfort. I am open to the opportunity of having either a full-time or part-time job off the farm if the right t presents itself. In that case, I would remain active on the dairy assisting in decision making and helping when time allows.
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Olivia Brandenburg Fort Atkinson, Wis. Jefferson County 70 cows University of Wisconsin Madison Farm and Industry Short Course, dairy herd management Tell us about your family’s dairy. I grew up on my family’s 70-cow dairy farm outside of Fort Atkinson, Wis., with my parents, Jim and Peggy, and my two younger brothers, Sawyer, 17, and Emerson, 13. Along with our milk cows, we have around 100 youngstock. What is your role on the farm since your return? My roll on our dairy farm consists of caring for our herd of elite show cows along with feeding and caring for the calves. How do you feel about starting a dairy career in the current dairy economy? Coming right out of college and returning to the farm, I can face a few challenges during this tough time but also be able to get by with what we have. It’s tough during this time knowing everyone is hurting in this industry and not just my family and the neighbors around us. With our mixed herd of Jerseys and Holsteins, the components and extra premiums are helping us immensely. How has the current dairy economy affected your return to the farm? I have returned home with an open mind knowing that each day you may have to make decisions you may never have had to do. Whether it may be going and buying more feed to feed animals, selling some breeding age heifers or cows, or maybe making a small simple decision during the day. What classes were most benecial in preparing you for your dairy farming career? I beneted from all the classes whether that was herd health class, dairy herd management class and my soils class. I took a little something from all of those classes and was able to bring the knowledge home. The dairy herd health class was by far my favorite. I was able to bring so much home that I know I could do things on my own without calling a vet to look at a cow that’s down, sick or whatever it may be. How has the farm accommodated you coming home? I was able to be more involved with making bigger decisions with breeding cows back, caring for calves and other small things. How do you think your farm and your role on it will change in 10 years? Within the next 10 years, I hope I can take most of the farm over from my parents and be able to run it with my brothers, mainly being in charge of the animals and my brothers being in charge of the eld work. Within the next year, we plan to build a 74-cow freestall barn with a swing-6 parlor and slowly convert to all Jerseys.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 17
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
Repro Leaders
Crossvent barn, consistency, conrming viable CLs key to reproductive success at Johnson Rolling Acres Johnson Rolling Acres Peterson, Minn. Fillmore County 1,200 cows What was your pregnancy rate average last year? Last year, our DHIA records showed 30% and our own records from Dairy Comp showed 34%. What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? For cows, the voluntary waiting period is 67 days. Heifers are bred at 13 months. What is your rst service conception rate? First service conception rate is 53%.
What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? No cows are bred before 67 days, and all cows are bred the rst time on a timed breeding. In a presynch program, cows are given two rounds of Lutalyse. When cows are between 6065 days, they are ultrasounded for a viable corpus luteum. If there is a viable CL, we give the cow lutalyse, and then she is bred three days later. If there is not a viable CL, the cow is given GnRH and checked for a viable CL in seven days. Then they are started on the ovsynch program. Then 32 days af-
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Trinity (from leŌ) and Mark Johnson, along with herdsman Walter Laumb are three of the people responsible for the reproducƟon program at Johnson Rolling Acres near Peterson, Minn.
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Two cows at Johnson Rolling Acres wear acƟvity monitor collars. Repeat and tough breeders are bred through the monitors rather than Ɵmed A.I.
ter breeding, the cow is given GnRH and pregnancy checked at 39 days. If she is open, she is resynched and bred again at 42 days. We think staying on a cow’s normal cycle is benecial. The extra GnRH improves conception immensely and was suggested by our veterinarian. It helps us make sure the cows are cycling correctly.
How do you observe for heat? Most cows are bred from timed A.I.; however, we also have an activity monitor to help us breed repeat and tough breeders. Being able to catch more cows with the activity monitors helps us get more cows pregnant and not have to resynch them again.
How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? We use ultrasound to conrm pregnancy. Our vet, Dr. John Rein, from the Harmony and Cresco Vet Clinic comes out weekly. Cows are checked 39 days after breeding and rechecked at 65 days. We also check for twins at this time. If a cow is going to have twins, she is dried off a Turn to REPRO | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 19
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
ConƟnued from REPRO | Page 18 week earlier and put in the prefresh pen one week earlier. That’s been huge for their transition and getting them going. What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in bull selection? All our cows are GMS mated through ABS Global. Our breeding philosophy has changed a lot in the last 10 years. We used to breed for feet and legs, and high production. Now we focus on components and health traits. After breeding this way for a few years, we are now starting to see if pay off. Our per-day production per cow is 88 pounds of milk with 4% butterfat and 3.2% protein. Fertility is also a big factor in our mating decisions. We only use bulls with a positive score for daughter pregnancy rate and high sire conception rate. In January, we started a new breeding protocol that will help us try to manage our heifer inventory. The top 30% of our herd is bred using sexed semen. The bottom 35% is bred using beef semen. The remainder of the herd is bred with conventional semen. We have more heifers than we need. Adding beef into our breeding helps us achieve only the number of heifers we need. It also helps us genetically improve our herd at a faster rate and breed the tough breeders out of our herd. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? For the past ve years, we have worked with De Su Holsteins to breed our heifers. They have a business that works together with an A.I. company to develop and produce heifers with high genetic quality. All our heifers are eligible to receive an embryo from highly genetic animals from De Su Holsteins. They are given two chances to carry an embryo before they
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Dry cows rest comfortably in one of several pens in the crossvenƟlated freestall barn at Johnson Rolling Acres near Peterson, Minn. are bred based off their GMS mating. The top 25% is bred with sexed semen. What do you do to settle hard breeders? If a cow is open after the rst two services, she is bred the third and fourth time to a high fertility bull. Beef semen is used on the fth service. If the cow is still not bred, she is put on a do not breed list and sold. If a heifer reaches about 18 months old and is still not bred, she is put on the DNB list and sold. How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? Five to six times. We have a hard cutoff at 250 days in milk. If she is not pregnant by then, she is sold. Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signi-
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE
SUMMER HEAT? Now is the time to check, clean and replace existing cooling systems and/or design a cooling solution to alleviate heat stress.
Tell us about your farm. There are six partners who own Johnson Rolling Acres. Three senior partners – Mark, Richard and Bradley Johnson – are the older generation. Three junior partners – Trinity, Zac and Lee Johnson – are the younger generation. One senior partner recently retired; however, he still comes to mix feed during the week. In addition to our milking herd, we nish 10,000 pigs each year. Our 2,900 acres are used to raise our own crops for the animals along with a small portion of cash crop. We harvest our own crops and haul our manure. The farm has 27 full-time and part-time employees, which includes all the partners. Our herdsman, Walter Laumb, has been with us for over 15 years.
cant improvement in your reproductive program? The rst is our crossventilation barn we built in 2012. It has the calving pens, and is where the prefresh and transition cows are housed. Taking good care of cows during this time is a big part of getting them bred back in a timely manner. Cows are ready to rebreed if they take off in transition after calving, are kept healthy and don’t lose body condition. Last year, we also brought our dry cows home. Now we don’t have to transport them to another farm which was another stressor. The second thing was adding a second shot of lutalyze 24 hours after the rst in our ovsynch program. That’s been huge for us. The third aspect is being able to rely on employees to give shots. The same three employees give shots at the same time each day. Three other people focus on the breeding. This consistency helps our breeding program.
Does your milking equipment need maintenance? We service all dairy equipment! Give us a call to schedule a visit. 1010 Hoeschler Dr. • Sparta, WI 54656
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 21
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ARTICULATED 4WD TRACTORS 14 JD 9630, 2009, Power Shift, Triples, Guidance-ready, 3918 hrs., #151999 .................................................................................... $154,900 14 Ford 9680, 1995, Duals, 5385 hrs., #158661 .............................. $36,000 17 JD 9370R, 2015, Power Shift, Duals, Guidance-ready, 971 hrs., #154699 ................................................................................... $219,500 1 JD 9410R, 2014, Power Shift, Duals, 1561 hrs., #146677.......... $219,500 7 JD 9470R, 2016, Power Shift, Duals, Guidance-ready, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 847 hrs., #158093................................... $259,500 15 JD 9520R, 2015, Power Shift, Duals, PTO, Guidance-ready, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 924 hrs., #158096................................... $289,500 15 JD 9560R, 2014, Power Shift, Duals, Hydraulic Pump: Big, Guidance-ready, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 4491 hrs., #158665......$179,500 15 JD 9560R, 2014, Power Shift, Duals, Guidance-ready, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 5121 hrs., #158666................................. $165,000 6 JD 9570R, 2017, Power Shift, Duals, 810 hrs., #150670............ $355,900 11 JD 9570R, 2018, Power Shift, Duals, PTO, Guidance-ready, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 142 hrs., #147190................................... $389,500 2 Case IH STX440, 2001, Power Shift, Duals, 5949 hrs., #156666 ...................................................................................... $89,500 MOWER CONDITIONERS 7 JD 535, 2005, #139187 ............................................................... $14,000 10 JD 630, 2014, #153621 ............................................................... $20,900 12 JD 630, 2015, #156597 ............................................................... $21,900 10 JD 820, 1994, #150306 ..................................................................$4,750 4 JD 835, 2014, #152233 ............................................................... $24,200 4 JD 946, 2008, #150133 ............................................................... $14,430 5 JD 946, 2014, #157889 ............................................................... $23,900 17 New Holland H7460, 2013, #144344 ....................................... $21,900 PULL-TYPE SPRAYERS 10 Redball 580, 2006, #151074 ..................................................... $18,900 10 Blum 750, 1979, #158936 ............................................................$4,900 9 Fast 9518, #158292 ................................................................... $25,900 1 Fast 9613, 2016, #157612 ......................................................... $29,900 15 Wil-Rich Blumha, #148336 .........................................................$5,500 5 Hardi Commander 1200, 2002, #150043 ................................ $14,900 4 Hardi NAVIGATOR 4000, 2010, #158476 .................................. $17,900 2 Hardi RANGER 2000, 2014, #155294 ........................................ $20,500 15 Top Air TA1200, 2008, #155358 ................................................ $16,650 ROUND BALERS 10 JD 457, 2004 Pickup: Mega Wide, Twine Only, PTO: 540, Width of Bale: 4 Feet,7500 Bale Count, #159175 ......................... $12,400 6 JD 468, 2012, Pickup: Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 4 Feet, 9500 Bale Count, #153396 ....... $28,900 9 JD 468, 2009, Pickup: Mega Wide, Wrapping: Both Twine and Surface Wrap, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 4 Feet, 19500 Bale Count, #158356 ...................................................................................... $15,500 11 JD 535, 1992, Twine Only, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, #151750 .........................................................................................$7,200 11 JD 535, 1990, Twine Only, PTO: 540, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, #151751 .........................................................................................$6,500 14 JD 535, 1993, Pickup: Regular, Twine Only, PTO: 540, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, #155784 ..............................................................................$4,520 14 JD 559, 2015, Pickup: Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, 2730 Bale Count, #158977 ........................ $31,350 12 JD 568, 2010, Pickup: Mega Wide, Twine Only, PTO: 540, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, 5422 Bale Count, #149676........................ $25,500 7 JD 569, 2014, Pickup: Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, 6800 Bale Count, #157756 ...... $34,500 6 JD 569, 2017, Pickup: Mega Wide, Wrapping: Surface Wrap Only, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, 6050 Bale Count, #143801 ....... $38,000 14 JD 569, 2013, Pickup: Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, 10900 Bale Count, #153558 ..... $26,500 4 Gehl 1465, Pickup: Regular, Twine Only, PTO: 540, Width of Bale: 4 Feet, #150085 .........................................................................................$5,100 10 Massey Ferguson 2846A, 2012, 1390 Bale Count, #155473 .... $24,900
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JD 9520RX, 2016, 1250 hrs., #143518
2 JD 458 Silage Special, 2011, Pickup: Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 4 Feet, 13444 Bale Count, #157883 ...................................................................................... $22,900 6 JD 460M, 2018, Pickup: Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 4 Feet, 4500 Bale Count, #152787 ....... $35,500 6 JD 560M, 2018, 6018 Bale Count, #155709 ................................ $42,500 8 JD 569 Premium, 2014, Surface Wrap Only, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, 12000 Bale Count, #148146 ...................... $26,900 7 JD 854 Silage Special, 2016, 250 Bale Count, #156233 ............ $47,900 6 JD 854 Silage Special, 2016, Pickup: Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, PTO: 540, Width of Bale: 4 Feet, Precut Knives, 6000 Bale Count, #151149........................................................... $31,300 6 JD 854 Silage Special, 2014, Pickup: Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, PTO: 540, Width of Bale: 4 Feet, Precut Knives, 7250 Bale Count, #151186 ...................................................................................... $29,500 2 New Holland BR7090, 2010, Pickup: Mega Wide, PTO: 1000, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, 8254 Bale Count, #155760 ........................ $22,000 10 New Holland BR780, 2004, Twine Only, PTO: 540, Width of Bale: 5 Feet, 3000 Bale Count, #152119 ...........................$9,900 SELF-PROPELLED SPRAYERS 4 AgChem 1074, 2009, Boom Width: 100-Foot, Tank: Stainless, 3650 hrs., #158291...................................................................... $56,900 16 Case IH 4430, 2013, Boom Leveling, Tank: Stainless, Tire Width: Narrow, Guidance-ready, 2655 hrs., #154198 ........................................ $209,500 10 JD 4920, 2004, 4600 hrs., #157917 ............................................ $69,500 8 JD R4038, 2018, Boom Width: 120-Foot, Nozzle Spacing: 20 in, 495 hrs., #150887...................................................................... $339,000 14 JD R4038, 2017, Hydraulic Tread Adjust, Guidance-ready, 508 hrs., #143961 .................................................................................... $346,500 14 JD R4038, 2018, 101 hrs., #155379 .......................................... $319,500 UTILITY TRACTORS 16 JD 2040, 1979, Configuration: Standard, 2WD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Mid, #157048 ...............................................................$9,900 16 JD 2840, 1977, 377 hrs., #157047 .............................................. $15,900 10 JD 6420, 2002, 6900 hrs., #154564 ............................................ $48,900 10 JD 5065E, 2018, 37 hrs., #156859 .............................................. $31,900 10 JD 5065M, 2012, Partial Power Shift, 2WD, Rear PTO: 540, 4975 hrs., #151388...................................................................... $21,900 15 JD 5100E, 2016, Cab, Power Reverser, MFWD, 2075 hrs., #149334 ...................................................................................... $46,900 5 JD 5100E, 2016, Cab, Power Reverser, MFWD, 1971 hrs., #145220 ...................................................................................... $46,900 4 JD 5115M, 2018, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid, Loader, 419 hrs., #143684 ...................................................................................... $78,900 4 JD 5115M, 2018, #143686 ......................................................... $78,900 4 JD 5115M, 2018, 187 hrs., #143688 ........................................... $71,900 11 JD 5115M, 2016, Cab, Power Reverser, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 315 hrs., #149192 ........................................................... $79,500 5 JD 6105R, 2013, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 1425 hrs., #156129...................................................................... $71,900 8 JD 6110M, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 315 hrs., #144493........................... $79,500 17 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 365 hrs., #144495 .......................... $99,500 17 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, IVT, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 257 hrs., #144497........................................................................ $97,900 15 JD 6110R, 2016, Cab, IVT, MFWD, 347 hrs., #144500 .................. $95,900 11 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, IVT, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 345 hrs., #142813 ...................................................................................... $99,500 11 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, IVT, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 378 hrs., #144499...................................................................... $104,900 14 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 409 hrs., #144496 ........................................................... $99,500 4 JD 6120E, 2018, 193 hrs., #143694 ............................................ $79,500 10 JD 6120E, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540,
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110,000
JD 7200R, 2012, $ 2780 hrs., #154425
369,000
$
134,900
JD 7210R, 2015, $ 825 hrs., #141370
Over 1200 items with pictures updated daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com
(3) = STEWART 78412 Co. Rd. 20
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JD 8245R, 2016, 676 hrs., #144535
Tire Width: Wide, Loader, 272 hrs., #124936 ................................ $69,500 10 JD 6120E, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Wide, Loader, 275 hrs., #124867 ................................ $69,500 11 JD 6120E, 2018, 36 hrs., #143692 .............................................. $79,500 2 JD 6125R, 2014, 780 hrs., #155293 ............................................ $67,500 11 JD 6125R, 2014, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 489 hrs., #158248 ........................ $115,000 14 JD 6130M, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 195 hrs., #124993........................................................................ $99,500 10 JD 6130R, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Tire Width: Mid, 187 hrs., #124987 .............................................. $96,900 17 JD 6130R, 2017, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 171 hrs., #147778......................................................... $109,500 6 JD 6130R, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid, 371 hrs., #142596 ............. $99,500 5 JD 6130R, 2015, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 265 hrs., #142595 ....................................... $99,500 8 JD 6130R, 2018, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, 130 hrs., #156512 ......... $115,000 8 JD 6130R, 2018, Guidance-ready, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, 120 hrs., #156488 .......................................... $125,000 8 JD 6130R, 2016, Guidance-ready, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, 2191 hrs., #156511 .......................................... $85,900 14 JD 6130R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 194 hrs., #144503 $99,500 4 JD 6135E, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Tire Width: Wide, 198 hrs., #142599........................................................................ $71,900 4 JD 6135E, 2018, 152 hrs., #143696 ............................................ $84,900 4 JD 6135E, 2018, 177 hrs., #143698 ............................................ $84,900 5 JD 6135E, 2016 Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Tire Width: Narrow, 327 hrs., #142600 ........................................ $74,900 WINDROWERS 6 JD 994, 2005, Conditioner: Steel, #145340 ................................. $13,500 4 JD 2320, 1981, Platform Size: 12, Conditioner: Rubber/Urethane, #150888 ........................................................................................$4,900 6 JD W235, 2014, Conditioner: Steel, 653 hrs., #135622 ............. $129,500 6 JD W260, 2016, Conditioner: Rubber/Urethane, 591 hrs., #140978 .................................................................................... $149,500
STEEL DEALS
COMBINE PLATFORM 7 JD 635F, 2006, #140683 ............................................................. $11,900 ROW CROP TRACTORS 14 JD 6175R, 2017, 175 hp.,182 hrs., #145241 ............................. $128,000 17 JD 6175R, 2017, 175 hp., 421 hrs., #144524 ............................ $139,000 10 JD 7200R, 2012, 200 hp., 2780 hrs., #154425 .......................... $102,500 11 JD 7210R, 2015, 210 hp., 804 hrs., #141370 ............................ $134,900 10 JD 8245R, 2016, 245 hp., 676 hrs., #144535 ............................ $184,900 SELF-PROPELLED FORAGE HARVESTER HEADS: ROTARY 6 JD 688, 2011, #140930 ............................................................... $23,500 6 JD 710, 2007, #115310 ............................................................... $33,000 6 JD 770, 2011, #138381 ............................................................... $29,700 SELF-PROPELLED FORAGE HARVESTERS 6 JD 7300, 2003, 5093 hrs., 3640 cu. hrs., #140932.........................$68,000 6 Claas JAGUAR 890, 2002, 2749 hrs., 2290 cu. hrs., #133756 ..... $96,000 TRACK TRACTORS 4 JD 9520RX, 2016, 520 hp.,1206 hrs., #143518 ......................... $369,000 6 Case IH QUAD 500, 2011, 500 hp., 2950 hrs., #155272 ........... $189,000
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JD 6175R, 2017, $ 182 hrs., #145241
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189,000
CIH QT500, 2011, $ 2950 hrs., #155272
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JD 6175R, 2017, $ 422 hrs., #144524
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
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Dairy celebrations for June Dairy Month Mayor’s Dairyfest Breakfast, May 31 The Mayor’s Dairyfest Breakfast will be on May 31 from 5:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. at the Central Wisconsin Fairgrounds, Expo Building, 513 E. 17th St., Marsheld, Wis. Cost will be $7 for adults, and free for children ages 6 and younger. Many activities will be available from the birthing cow simulator, live radio broadcast from 5:30 – 9 a.m. by WDLB AM 1450 Radio, DJ music/entertainment provided by the Candi Shop, Karaoke and DJ from 5:30 – 9:30 a.m., making a smoothie by peddling a stationary bike, door prizes, and so much more. The sponsors for this event are H & S Manufacturing Company, Dental Clinic of Marsheld, Nelson-Jameson, Inc., and Marsheld Clinic Health System. Crawford County Dairy Breakfast, June 1 Crawford County will host their Dairy Breakfast from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on June 1 at the Riley Family Farm, 44477 County Road W, Gay Mills, Wis. The Breakfast includes all you can eat pancakes with butter, sausage links, applesauce, cheese, pudding, ice cream, and more. There will also be entertainment, games, and door prizes all while enjoying the atmosphere of an actual farm. The cost is $2 for adults, $1 for children 6-12, and 5 and under are free. For more information, call Mary Jo at 608-391-0134 or Paulette Riley at 608-4853248. Jackson County On-the-farm Breakfast, June 1 On June 1, Jackson County will host the On-thefarm Breakfast from 6 a.m. - 11 a.m. at Eachibon Swiss & Mahoney-East Holsteins Farm, N1399 South Road, Melrose, Wis. Pancakes, local sausage, cheese, yogurt, milk, and cranberry juice will be served. The cost will be $8 for adults, $3 for children ages 12 and younger. Activities will include the Ag Artisan and Farmers Market Tent, wagon rides, kids’ games, scavenger hunt, face painting, tractor displays, dairy cattle judging, dairy product giveaways, Culver’s Custard ice cream, a live radio broadcast, and many more events. For more information, visit www.facebook.com and search for “Eachibon Swiss & Mahoney-East Holsteins”. Iowa County Dairy Breakfast, June 1 From 6:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. on June 1, Iowa County will host their Dairy Breakfast at the Iowa County Fairgrounds, 815 Fair St., Mineral Point, Wis. Come celebrate June Dairy Month with a hearty breakfast, fun activities for the kids, and live music. For more information, visit facebook.com/ iowacountydairypromotion.
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PARLOR
www.delaval.com
Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Kramer Bros. Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United-Suckow Dairy Supply West Union, IA 563-422-5355 Postville, IA 563-864-7417
WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Waunakee, WI 608-849-5043
Mondovi Dairy Systems Inc. Mondovi, WI 715-926-5777 West Salem, WI 608-769-2113 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470 MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA D&D Ag Supply Pennock, MN 320-599-4466
East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, MN 605-886-7401 Sioux Falls, SD 800-284-0015 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416
is a registered trademark of Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. and “DeLaval” is a registered trade/servicemark of DeLaval Holding AB © 2019 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. www.delaval.com
Monroe County Dairy Breakfast, June 1 From 7-11 a.m. on June 1, Hall Dairy Farm, 10317 County East, Tomah, Wis., will host the Monroe County Dairy Breakfast. Ham and cheese omelets will be served along with pancakes, toast, coffee cake, cheese, Culvers Sundaes, milk, and coffee. The cost is $5 for adults, $3 for ages 6-10, and free for children ages 5 and younger. There will also be educational displays, children’s activities, dairy farm viewing, antique tractor displays, horse drawn wagon rides, and an animal education area. For more information, email cen36181@ century.tel.net. Polk County Dairy Breakfast, June 1 Polk County is set to host their Dairy Breakfast at the Milltown Community Center, 301 2nd Ave. SW, Milltown, Wis., from 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. on June 1. For more information, visit www.co.polk.wi.us/tourism. Barron County Dairy Breakfast, June 1 The 45th annual Barron County Dairy Breakfast will take place on June 1 from 6 a.m. – 11 a.m. at Cory and Janelle Picknell Family Dairy Farm, 790 6 ½ Avenue, Praire Farm, Wis. The all Wisconsin omelette, all-you-can-eat pancakes with real maple syrup, butter, cheese, Culvers Custard sundaes, deep fried cheese curds, applesauce, milk, and coffee will be served. Activities will include horse drawn wagon rides, live music, an antique tractor display, door prizes, and a self-guided farm tour. Adults are $6 per person, children 6-12 are $4, and 5 and under are free. Chippewa County Dairy Breakfast, June 1 Chippewa County will host their Dairy Breakfast at the Cadott High School Commons, 426 Myrtle St., Cadott, Wis. from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Pancakes, ham, maple syrup, butter, fruit, ice cream, milk, and coffee will be served. Free will donations are welcome. Many other dairy promotional activities will also be on-site. Visit www.travelwisconsin.com for more information. Stratford FFA Alumni Dairy Breakfast and Farm Tour, June 2 The Stratford FFA Alumni will host a Dairy Breakfast and
Turn to CELEBRATIONS | Page 23
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 23
ConƟnued from CELEBRATIONS | Page 22 Farm Tour on June 2 from 7 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Country Aire Ballroom, F1312 County Road P, Stratford, Wis. All you care to eat pancakes, butter, cheese, fresh maple syrup, milk, ice cream, sausage, coffee, and orange juice will be served. The cost will be $6 for adults, $3 for ages 6-11, and free for children ages 5 and younger. Email shirley.hein55@gmail.com for more information. Marathon County June Dairy Breakfast, June 2 Marathon County will host a June Dairy Breakfast on June 2 from 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Northcentral Technical College’s Agriculture Center of Excellence, 6625 County Road K, Wausau, Wis. Delicious scrambled eggs, pancakes, real maple syrup, cheese curds, and ice cream will be served. The cost is $8 for adults, $3 for children ages 6-12, and free for children ages 5 and younger. Farm tours including the viewing of the robotic milking and feeding system, equipment display, the on the moo-ve program featuring an incredible ber glass cow, photo with a calf, face painting tractor pull, needle in a haystack, pen the pigs game, gunny sack races, and the run like no udder 5K run/walk. Visit www.marathonppa.org for more information. Dodge County Dairy Brunch, June 2 Dodge County will host a Dairy Brunch on June 2 from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Schwandt Family Farm, W5660 County Road S, Juneau, Wis. The cost will be $7 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-11, and free for children ages 4 and younger. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ dodgecountydairy. Abbotsford Dairy Breakfast, June 2 The Abbotsford Dairy Breakfast will be held on Dean and Sue Benders Farm, 5769 Reynolds Avenue, Dorchester, Wis., from 7 a.m. – 12 p.m. June 2. The cost is $6 for adults, $4 for children 6-10, and children 5 and under are free. For more information, visit clark.uwex.edu. This event is sponsored by Clark County Dairy Promotion and the Abbotsford FFA Alumni. Granton Dairy Breakfast, June 2 The Granton Dairy Breakfast will be held on Gary, Margie & Bryan Dahl’s Farm, N3870 Pelsdorf Avenue, Granton, Wis., from 7 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. June 2. The cost is $7 for adults, $3.50 children K-5, and preschool free. For more information, visit clark.uwex.edu. The event is sponsored by Clark County Dairy Promotion.
Lafayette County Dairy Breakfast, June 8 Lafayette County is set to host a Dairy Breakfast on June 8 from 6:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at Cottonwood Dairy, 9600 County Road D, South Wayne, Wis. Scrambled eggs with ham and cheese, sausage links, donuts, cheese, pudding, milk, juice coffee, and ice cream will be served. Cost will be $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 10 and younger, and free for preschool age. Activities will include live music, pedal pulls, petting zoos, door prizes, and a children’s corner. Visit www. facebook.com/lafayettecountydairypromotioncommittee for more information. Tri-County Dairy Breakfast, June 8 The Tri-County will host a Dairy Breakfast on June 8 from 6:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at the Washburn County Fairgrounds, 8000 W. Beaverbrook Ave., Spooner, Wis. Enjoy a delicious breakfast of pancakes, local maple syrup and honey butter, sausage, Wisconsin cheese, milk, and ice cream. Activities also include face painting, a petting zoo, FFA alumni silent auction, door prizes, horse and wagon rides, music, and the famous cow. For more information, visit www.travelwisconsin.com. Rock County Dairy Breakfast, June 8 Rock County will be hosting a Dairy Breakfast on June 8 from 6:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. at the Kersten Farm, 4522 West Mineral Point Road, Janesville, Wis. The all-you-caneat breakfast includes yogurt, cheese sticks, ham patties, applesauce, milk or coffee, and ice cream. Also on-site will be the Rock County Ag Ambassadors, dairy recipes, small animal display, tractor wagon rides, kids’ games, crafters and more. For more information, visit travelwisconsin.com/events/ animals-agriculture/rock-county-dairy-breakfast-43921 or call 608-290-4921. Washington County Dairy Breakfast, June 8 Washington County will host a Dairy Breakfast on June 8 from 6:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. at Highland Dairy, 1207 Highland Drive, Kewaskum, Wis. This robotic farm will be featuring their new free stall barn, milking center, pump room, and robot rooms. As well as serving breakfast rain or shine. The cost is $6 for adults in advance and $7 at the door, and free for children ages 3 and younger. Call 262-644-0015 for more information. Sauk County Dairy Breakfast, June 8 Sauk County Dairy Breakfast will be on June 8 from 7 a.m. - 11 a.m. at the Lohr Farm, S9591 Church Road, Praire du Sac, Wis. The breakfast includes scrambled eggs with ham, cheese, pancakes, applesauce, milk, juice, coffee, and frozen
custard. The cost will be $6 for adults, $3 for children ages 7-12, and free for children ages 6 and younger. Educational and historical displays will also be on the grounds along with a petting zoo and live music. Call Sandy Knuth at 608-524-2684 or saukcodairybreakfast@yahoo.com for more information. Dunn County Dairy Breakfast, June 8 Dunn County is set to host a Dairy Breakfast on June 8 from 7 a.m. - 11 a.m. at Alfalawn Farm, E2850 Wisconsin Highway 72, Menomonie, Wis. Enjoy Dad’s Belgian wafes with real maple and other avored syrups, dairy products including white, chocolate, and strawberry milk, Cady Cheese sticks, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery deep-fried cheese curds, McDonald’s Yoplait Go-Gurts, and Swiss Miss pudding snacks. Activities will feature a bake sale by St. Henry Church in Eau Galle, an antique tractor display, a petting zoo, tractordriven hay wagon tours of the farm, and door prizes. For more information, contact committee member Katie Wantoch at the Extension Dunn County Ofce at 715-505-8161 or katie. wantoch@wisc.edu. Dane County Dairy Breakfast, June 8 The Dane County Dairy Breakfast will be on June 8 from 7 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at Klondike Farms, 4592 Highway 92, Brooklyn, Wis. The meal includes cheesy scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, yogurt, cheese, custard, milk, and coffee. The cost is $8 for adults 12 and up, $4 for children ages 3-11, and children ages 0-2 are free. Activities include live music by The Soggy Prairie Boys, Dane County’s Fairest of the Fair, beanbag games, Bessy the Dane Dairy Cow, large machinery displays, Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair, cow spots and face painting. For more information, visit danecountydairy.com/ breakfast-on-the-farm or call 920-979-7611. Trempealeau County “On the Farm” Dairy Breakfast, June 8 Trempealeau County will host “On the Farm” Dairy Breakfast on June 8 from 6 a.m. - 11 a.m. at Gierok Farm, W26747 Bugby Lane, Independence, Wis. Enjoy pancakes, sausage, Wisconsin cheese, butter, apple juice, coffee, milk, batter fried cheese curds, and ice cream. The cost is $7 for adults, $3 for children ages 6-12, and free for children ages 6 and younger. Activities include live music from 7:00 – 10:30 a.m., the crowning of the new Trempealeau County Dairy Ambassador at 10:30 a.m., radio broadcasting on farm, and much more. For more information, visit trempealeau-countytourism.com.
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
IT’S DAIRY DAYS AT ddzťȄƟƕ dijdzɼď
Just 2 years after a storm hit their Century Farm, the Carlson family invites you to Dairy Days at their farm near Willmar!
Saturday, June 15, 2019 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Things to Do:
Things to See:
» Listen to, and watch—KWLM Broadcasting Live
» 60-stall GEA DairyProQ rotary, robotic milking parlor
» Take a farm tour
» Combine Simulator & AgCentric Technology Trailer
» Enjoy free milk, cheese, and shakes
» 1,800-cow herd
» Visit with Kandiyohi County Dairy Princess & ADA representatives
» Energy-efficient cross ventilation freestall system
» Get info from GEA, Leedstone, AgCentric, Ridgewater College, Select Sires, Vita Plus, Nedap, and Munson Lakes Nutrition
» Automated feeding baby-calf barn
» Sand bedding w/sand settling lane recycling
» Wish the Carlson family success in their future!
Hope to See You HERE! Carlson Dairy Farm 4951 120th St NW Pennock, MN 56279
Stop in and see one of the first GEA DairyProQ robotic rotary parlors in the U.S.
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 25
Dierickxes hang up milkers after 40 years By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
MONTICELLO, Wis. – In a couple short weeks, the hum of the milking units will be a mere memory for Craig Dierickx and Alice Carroll-Dierickx. After 40 years of dairying together, the couple is selling their herd of 60 cows June 7 at their farm in Green County near Monticello, Wis. “We’ve realized our biological clocks are ticking, and we still want to be able to visit our grandkids, have time to enjoy our home and maybe nd other jobs to do in the work world,” CarrollDierickx said. “This auction is a celebration of milking cows and us exiting the dairy business. Now, we’re ready to turn the page onto the next chapter of our lives.” The couple – Dierickx, 74, and Carroll-Dierickx, 73 – began dairying together in 1979 when they wed. Previously, Dierickx had milked his own herd in Iowa for eight years as CarrollDierickx managed her own cattle, too, on her family’s century dairy farm in Wisconsin. She began dairying in 1968. “I always wanted to dairy farm in Wisconsin,” Dierickx said. “There were a lot of cows and facilities, and I knew farmers over here.” The two raised three children on the 140-acre farm. “Our biggest accomplishment is our children,” Carroll-Dierickx said. “When our last one graduated college eight years ago, we sold half the herd in the fall. We were tired of working and wanted to take a break. In the spring, we had 25 rst-calf heifers come in, so we decided then if we would get back at it, and we did.” Throughout the years, Dierickx and Carroll-Dierickx set an example for their children – an example of determination and drive. The dairy farm paved the way for the Dierickx children to be involved in 4-H, FFA and other extracurricular activities in the farming community. They then graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Illinois and are employed in the agriculture industry.
A career to celebrate “Our children are grown and have their own families, but maintain contact with the farm and help when we needed it,” Carroll-Dierickx said. “We’ve bred and owned many Excellent cattle, but we’re most proud of raising our family here.” As the children left the house, Dierickx and Carroll-Dierickx have welcomed many more neighbor kids to learn about dairy farming by helping with chores or showing animals at local shows. “We wanted to give others the opportunity to know what farming life is like … give them the exposure they wouldn’t have had otherwise,” CarrollDierickx said. “They’ve all been good kids and are like family to us.” The couple has not only inuenced the youth of Green County but has been a staple in the state’s dairy community by volunteering with 4-H, FFA and other dairy events. For the past 30 years, Dierickx has received milk quality awards every year. In 1970, Carroll-Dierickx was the rst woman in Wisconsin to be recognized as a Jaycee Outstanding Young Farmer. Later, she was named Wisconsin’s Farm Wife of the Year. “I wore denim long before other women did. Men wore jeans, and I was outside cleaning calf pens, planting corn and doing barn chores just like them,” Carroll-Dierickx said. “In some ways, I feel like I’ve paved the way for other women in farming.” Despite health problems, the couple has followed their lifetime dream of dairying. Carroll-Dierickx contracted Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA) after laparoscopic knee surgery 10 years ago. What should have only taken a few days to recover quickly became a ve-month healing journey. “The doctor told me I’d never be able to walk again, but I’m not a quitter,” Carroll-Dierickx said. “I did extensive physical therapy, and in a couple months I was driving tractor and milking cows like I used to.” Then, six years later Dierickx broke both ankles after falling on ice. He was sent to the nursing home to recover while Carroll-Dierickx ran the farm. Most recently, Dierickx had hip replacement surgery. “It’s time to move on,” Carroll-Di-
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SUE MOEN OF THE POST MESSENGER RECORDER
Craig Dierickx and Alice Carroll-Dierickx milk 60 cows near MonƟcello, Wis. After 40 years of dairying, the couple will sell their herd June 7. erickx said. Following the sale, the couple will continue raising heifers and farming the land. “I’ll be able to do chores peacefully and not rushed,” Dierickx said. “I’ll work on my old tractor and maybe nd a part-time job.” Carroll-Dierickx agreed. “I’m not sure anyone will be willing to hire me, but I want to get out of barn clothes,” she said. “We still have many productive years beyond farming.” This summer, Dierickx hopes to
work on his threshing equipment, such as the 730 John Deere. He also has an Allis Chalmer Roto Baler, made in 1954, he looks forward to using and putting on display. While the couple will certainly miss milking cows, they will always cherish the memories made in the barn and look forward to continue farming. “Yes, we’ll miss the daily routine of milking cows, but we’ll still be outdoors,” Carroll-Dierickx said. “As long as I can be on a tractor at the top of the hill, that’s as close to Heaven as I might get.”
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
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USDA announces March income over feed cost margin triggers The United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency announced that the March 2019 income over feed cost margin was $8.85 per hundredweight, triggering the third payment for dairy producers who purchase FSA News & Notes the appropriate level of coverage under the new Dairy Margin Coverage program. DMC, which replaces the Margin Protection Program for Dairy, offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all milk price and the average By Ryan Brunn feed cost (the margin) Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. The signup period for DMC opens June 17. Dairy producers who elect a DMC coverage level between $9 and $9.50 would be eligible for a payment for January, February and March. For example, a dairy operation that chooses to enroll an established production history of 3 million pounds (30,000 cwt.) and elects the $9.50 coverage level on 95% of production would receive $1,543.75 for March. Sample calculation: $9.50 - $8.85 margin = $0.65 difference $0.65 x 95% of production x 2,500 cwt. (30,000 cwt./12) = $1,543.75 DMC premiums are paid annually. The calculated annual premium for coverage at $9.50 on 95% of a 3 million pound production history for this example would be $4,275. Sample calculation: 3,000,000 x 95% = 2,850,000/100 = 28,500 cwt. x 0.150 premium fee = $4,275 The dairy operation in the example calculation will pay $4,275 in total premium payments for all of 2019 and receive $8,170 in DMC payments for January, February and March combined. Additional payments will be made if calculated margins remain below the $9.50/cwt. level. All participants are also required to pay an annual $100 administrative fee in addition to any premium, and payments will be subject to a 6.2% reduction to account for federal sequestration. Operations making a one-time election to participate in DMC through 2023 are eligible to receive a 25% discount on their premium for the existing margin coverage rates. For the example above, this would reduce the annual premium by $1,068.75. On Dec. 20, 2018, President Trump signed into law the 2018 farm bill, which provides support, certainty and stability to our nation’s farmers, ranchers and land stewards by enhancing farm support programs, improving crop insurance, maintaining disaster programs and promoting and supporting voluntary conservation. FSA is committed to implementing these changes as quickly and effectively as possible, and today’s updates are part of meeting that goal. FSA announced the availability of the DMC decision support tool as well as repayment options for producers who were enrolled in MPP-Dairy. For DMC signup, eligibility and related dairy program information, visit the DMC webpage or contact a USDA service center. To locate your FSA ofce, visit http://www.farmers.gov/service-locator. 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.
Save the date
As we head into our sixth month of having our cows being milked with our new Lely Astronaut 5 robots, we have learned that some people in town had no idea what was being built in our pasture. A few thought we were building a manure pit. Our neighbors to the south thought the excavators were moving soil to comply with erosion regulations while a handful of people who drive by less frequently did not even know we have a new barn out back until they heard others talking about it. Cambridge is a small town. Most people usually know everything that is going on in everyone else’s By Tina Hinchley Farmer & Columnist back yard or pasture. Our barn has been discussed by many in the grocery store, post ofce, co-op, restaurants and especially at the bar where I run in to pick up our Friday sh fry. The bartender rst noticed we were coming in to pick up our dinners before 8 p.m. He drives by our farm daily and was observing it all through the building process. He knew when I stopped milking cows. The friends, neighbors and family who did know about us building a new dairy barn had mixed reactions. Most were excited for us and congratulated us for focusing on the future of the dairy industry. They are curious what is going on at our farm. How do you like your robots? Are you missing milking your cows? A few questioned us. “What are you thinking?” “The dairy prices are the lowest they have been since the 1980s. You must be crazy.” “You could lose it all if milk and corn prices don’t improve. Are you sure this was a good decision?” Great conversations were started over these questions. It gave me opportunities to share what has been happening at our farm and to talk of what we have built for our cows. I cannot help but be excited for this is the future for our family. Most of these people I am talking to do not have a clue how important cow comfort is, and I cannot help smiling and pouring my pride into telling them about all the little things that have been put into our new barn to make our cows so happy, comfortable and relaxed. I have talked about the robots that scrape the manure through the slatted oors into the pit where the it gets stored. They picture a Roomba buzzing around. I love giving the details how the robots push our feed into the cows every two hours while I was only pushing feed in twice daily. I cannot help but be amazed about our lights slowly dimming as the night goes on and brightening as the sun comes up. It is comforting for me to ease into a new day and wind down before heading up to the house.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 27
I like talking about the waterbeds that lesson the rubbing on the cows’ hocks as they ruminate while they are resting. We had many cows with swollen hocks. Those have disappeared. So many inventions, new studies and technology for cows. Rubber over the slatted oor to protect their hooves from the rough concrete. Brushes that grooms the cows as they push against it. On and on I can give their imagination a vision to think about. Our farm has changed in the last ve months. Some neighbors notice everything. The tiestall barn lights are not on at 4 a.m. anymore. The manure spreader is not pulling out of the driveway at 5:30 a.m. with the bright orange ashers blinking. We do not have a yard full of cars from my milking helpers, the breeder, nutritionists, veterinarians and other people who help us farm. The milk truck does not have to pull into the opposite lane of trafc to wait until it is safe to back into our driveway. In fact, most of the time our car and truck are
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parked in the shed, and people do not think we are home anymore. No, robots do not make it so you can leave the farm for days on end, but we can do more throughout the day and evenings instead of milking. We have decided the best way to show our friends, neighbors and the farmers that read my column is to have an open house or really an open barn. You all are invited, so join us from 12-4 p.m. Saturday, June 29 at 2844 State Road 73, Cambridge, Wis., 53523. Argall Dairy Systems will have an opportunity for farmers to win a cow brush. Sign up at http://www. lely.com/learnargall. Come early; the drawing will be at 3 p.m. There will be live music, milk, cheese and crackers, and drawings throughout the day. We cannot wait to meet you all. Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. They have been hosting farm tours for over 20 years.
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
Milk quality top priority for Grahl
Fond du Lac County farm wins silver category award from National Mastitis Council By Stacey Smart Contributing Writer
EDEN, Wis. – Elizabeth Grahl is a stickler for milk quality. Every pound of milk produced at Dinnerbell Farms in Eden, Wis., must meet her specic quality guidelines or it does not enter the bulk tank. Alert to all aspects affecting milk quality, Grahl is devoted to producing only the nest milk. “I believe in taking time to do the job right,” Grahl said. “Why go through all of that work to produce a poor-quality product?” The Grahls recently received a National Mastitis Council Quality Award in the silver category – proof their hard work is paying off. Designating platinum, gold and silver winners, the National Dairy Quality Awards recognize the very best in quality milk production, honoring dairy producers across the United States who successfully place priority on producing milk of the highest quality. “I am really particular about milking, especially when it comes to cleaning teat ends,” Grahl said. “I have a certain way that I want things done, and if an employee isn’t doing it right, I let them go. There’s no room for error here.” Grahl is in charge of the dairy while her husband, Adam, the fth generation to run his family farm, takes care of crops and maintenance. The Grahls farm in partnership with Adam’s parents, Dale and Ann Grahl. The Grahls milk 260 cows twice a day and farm 1,100 acres. The herd contains a mix of breeds with the majority being Holsteins along with
purebred Brown Swiss, Brown Swiss crosses and Ayrshire crosses. Grahl does not have written protocols for employees to follow; rather, she teaches by example. Grahl, who has been milking cows since she was 5 years old, can be found milking in the parlor every morning. This hands-on owner feels her direct involvement with the cows is critical to the herd’s success. “I know all my cows just by looking at them,” she said. “I don’t need to read their tags.” Grahl and her daughter, Abigail, and Grahl’s nephew, Jarrod, are all part of the milking crew. Abigail and Jarrod will both be graduating from high school this spring. The Grahls also have a 12-year-old son, Maverick, and a 7-yearold daughter, Temperance. In addition, Dinnerbell Farms employs ve other people who share in milking duties along with feeding calves and doing other chores. For the past 10 years, the Grahls have consistently produced high-quality milk, regularly achieving a somatic cell count between 40,000-50,000 and treating only about two cases of mastitis per month. The farm’s award-winning milk quality is ensured through vigilance in all areas that can impact milk quality. “If you let the little details slide, then you’re going to end up with a lousy product,” Grahl said. “It’s actually easier to stay on track versus letting cell counts get out of control and then trying to bring them back down.” Prior to milking, teats are fully covered with Epic teat
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Adam and Elizabeth Grahl with their children – (from leŌ) Temperance, Maverick and Abigail – milk 260 cows in Eden, Wis. The Grahls recently won a milk quality award from the NaƟonal MasƟƟs Council in the silver category. dip, which is a mix of iodine and chlorhexidine. Grahl said they are careful not to suck a lot of air before putting the milker on, or sucking anything off the ground, as she said that can lead to mastitis. Cows are dipped with an iodine barrier teat dip post-milking. Furthermore, milking staff do not wet down the milkers during milking to prevent contamination from bacteria in the water. Grahl treats cows with Quartermaster at dry-off and seals teats with an internal teat sealant to prevent mastitis during the dry period. Grahl’s close contact with the animals keeps her tuned into cows’ needs, and she is quick to pick up on any abnormalities that would indicate a cow might be coming down with mastitis. Mastitis is not tracked the typical way at Dinnerbell Farms as pre-stripping is not part of the farm’s milking protocol. Rather, mastitis is detected through visual inspection of the udder and the cow herself. “If I see a rm quarter or
signs of sickness, I know we need to begin treatment right away,” Grahl said. Cow cleanliness is another contributor to the Grahls’ topnotch milk quality. Freestalls are cleaned twice daily – before or during each milking – and bedded with sand once per week. “It’s not a deep sand bed,” Grahl said. “Rather, we place sand on top of a mat. There’s no comparison to bedding with sand versus straw like we did in our old stanchion barn. Before moving into the freestall barn in 2011, it was more of a struggle keeping somatic cell counts low.” Grahl keeps a close eye on cell counts, paying special attention to higher-count cows. Those with a cell count between 300,000-400,000 are agged with pink duct tape, and their milk does not get put in the bulk tank but instead is pasteurized and fed to calves. Grahl might also treat these high-count cows in the vein or quarter. Cows marked with purple or orange duct tape fall
under 200,000 for an individual cell count and are milked manually, meaning the automatic takeoff on the milking machine is not used to ensure these cows are milked out completely. Grahl also follows family lines closely to weed out troublesome cows prone to higher cell counts. Any cow with consistent mastitis problems is culled. In addition, Grahl strives to breed cows genetically predisposed to lower cell counts and less mastitis, selecting A.I. bulls that transmit this and other health traits. The Grahls ship their milk to Cedar Valley Cheese in Belgium, Wis., and have been told by the cheese plant that in terms of milk quality, Dinnerbell Farms is their No. 1 patron 10 years running. The Grahls also receive annual awards from AgSource for being one of Fond du Lac County’s top producers in milk quality. “I love what I do and take pride in the fact this is a family farm producing quality milk,” Grahl said.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 29
Connection, networking, education
Vernon County Ag Women’s Network offers it all By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
VIROQUA, Wis. – What began with a vision of bringing like-minded women in Vernon County, Wis., passionate about agriculture together over two years ago has continued to blossom and grow into a group of nearly 30 members active in the Vernon County Ag Women’s Network. Julie Larson, founding member, saw a need in the community to help women from all aspects of agriculture have the opportunity to meet, connect and network with others of similar interests. “I started thinking about starting a group like this back in 2014, and a couple of years later I had an experience that propelled me from thinking about it to doing it,” Larson said. “I was setting up my company’s trade show booth at the World Beef Expo, and I introduced myself to the lady at the booth next to me, asking her where she was from. When she replied that she was from Viroqua, I said, ‘That’s it. We are starting an ag women’s group.’ It hit me as sad and unfortunate that as small as the ag community is, there was another woman involved in the ag industry right in my own community that I had never met. Three months later, the group began and the rest is history.” The woman Larson met that day was Dani Wodill. Wodill became a member of the group and has transitioned into a leadership role earlier this spring, taking on the responsibility of coordinating the group’s activities and meetings. When the group formed, Larson did not want it to become another thing on
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Members of the Vernon County Ag Women’s Network gather May 16 to learn more about different cuts of meat, the beef checkoff and marketability of dairy and dairy-cross steers.
er, not to create another expectation,” Larson said. “Instead the focus of the group is networking, professionalism, connection, socializing and fun.” Larson and Wodill both said the value of the group comes from the connection and the informality of the group, allowing members a time to socialize in their already busy schedules with little expectation. “How many times do women leave home without anything to bring?” Larson said. “Almost never. … That is just the way women are wired. We are a big stakeholder in everything we do.” The structure of the network is informal with no membership requirements or dues. Communication is done through a closed Facebook group that requires administrator approval to join, ensuring the page is only available to those who are connected with the group and have an interest and passion in agriculture. “The group has grown primarily through word of mouth. Active members invite other women involved in agriculture,” Wodill said. Women from all areas of agriculture in Vernon County are invited to join the group. Members are involved in aspects of agriculture including conventional and organic dairy, livestock and crop producers, veterinarians, feed consultants, ag sales and marketing, processors, retailers, ag education teachers and ag lenders. “These women are deeply connected to ag in their personal lives and careers. They understand the challenges within the industry, as well as balancing a family, a career, animal caretaking and the organizational responsibilities so many of us have,” Wodill said. JULIE LARSON, VERNON COUNTY AG WOMEN’S NETWORK “There is value in being surrounded by like-minded people who can sympasomeone’s to-do list, something to add thize with you.” more to already busy and sometimes In the two years it has been in exisoverwhelming schedules. tence, the group has grown to nearly 30 “My goal was to bring women to- active members, all from Vernon Coungether to share, learn and grow togeth- ty. Attendance at the group’s events can
“My goal was to bring women together to share, learn and grow together, not to create another expectation.”
vary from a few individuals to almost the entire membership. The group’s gatherings tend to have an educational component with topics such as nance and investments, energy and personality assessments; however, some meetings are merely held for socializing and networking where discussions might
include ag industry topics and educating group members on what is happening on farms and in ag business careers. “We make [the network] a casual commitment and not an expectation,” Larson said. “No one is expected to attend each time. You can come and go as your schedule allows. I want these women to have something casual like this in their life because there are so many expectations.” Larson and Wodill see a great deal of value in groups like this because of the importance agriculture plays in many of our rural communities despite the number of people involved in the industry making up such a small percentage of the population. “Agriculture is so vital to our community, but we are only 1.5% of the population,” Larson said. “Ag women who share that connection are really a special group because ag is a bond that you feel inside you; it’s an innate feelTurn to NETWORK | Page 30
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Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
The name game It started out as a mood lifterThis naming of calves done by my sister Now, the excitement is growing twofold These heifers are calving-a sight to behold.
I’ve learned these new heifers as they come along Names to a face, I’m seldom wrong It has improved my memory of the herd And secures my status as a cow nerd
We have a long traditionWe name calves with a mission. You must use the rst letter of the dam This is serious business, not a sham.
Aerosmith aborted, then jumped a wall Pepito, perhaps the shortest of all Harper and Eleanor, tall and grand Bronwyn, a nut, can’t be calm and stand
Back in the day we had a family with M Moola, Megabucks, twins Mitze and Midge-lots of them. Easy to remember with our naming trick My brain pulls up their images quick
Ruby and Nora-so beautiful and white Aztec and Colette-black as night Stella, Lizette, Belinda-stout little gals Hedy, Marcella, Miriam-bovine pals Revlon, her mascara on 24/7 Giselle, a frame sent from Holstein heaven Fern and Idgie-full of vigor and vim Preemies that were kept on a whim
Sweet Pea is not even close to sweet Bianca, a brute, has gate leaping feet Watson looks regal, head held high Cruella’s white eyebrows-give the evil Ramblings from the Ridge eye Sassafras freshened and on grew her lineSarsaparilla her name, perfectly divine Ireland had Israel, a clever t Comanche had Cherokee; we name with wit Named for weather, for birthdays, for seasonsBy Jacqui Davison Kids pick out names with Columnist seemingly no reasons Love Cheek, Bubblegum, Sparkles, and OatmealGetting to pick names is a fairly big deal. Names for events, for important leaders, The Olympic team, book characters-we’re a bunch of readers Sesame Street, cereal avors, the cast of Friends Candy treats, car club nicknames; the fun never ends! New heifer calves grow into their namesDumbo and Leprechaun, with their already large frames Cecelia; lovely, petite, feisty-all three After my great-grandma, ts her to a tee. On we continue to name each new girl, The thrill in the naming keeps us in a whirl. The smiles that are granted by this little venture Have more than once been a bad mood quencher. 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 (12), Dane (10), Henry (5) and Cora (toddler), 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.
ConƟnued from NETWORK | Page 29 ing. I love that this group has brought together women that work in, live and love agriculture. We have a wide diversity of age and backgrounds, yet our conversations all collaborate to one common connection, and that has been rewarding.” For Wodill, the sense of community and support is a benecial factor of being involved in the group. “As the ag economy has continued its toll, on dairy especially, we’re really trying to reach out and encourage women involved in dairy farming or agribusiness supporting dairy to attend,” Wodill said. “Taking a break from your regular schedule, to spend with other like-minded women is therapeutic in a way. You are surrounded by people who are understanding and offer a variety of perspectives, and the educational meetings are recharging.” Larson would like to see the group explore inviting women from neighboring counties to join or create groups in their own areas. “I realize it would be more of a drive for events,” Larson said. “I’d like to reach out to women in neighboring counties, and also explore welcoming high school and college women to attend for mentoring and the encouragement of seeking a career in ag. Someone offering positive encouragement can make all the difference.”
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What to expect from this year’s rst-cut alfalfa For some farms, inventories are tight and new crop haylage cannot be harvested soon enough. Cows ate well this winter, low cull prices kept barns full the past several months, and many areas reported lowerthan-average yields on their late 2018 cuttings. The option to purchase historically high-priced hay is not for many. Something to Ruminate On feasible Most alfalfa stands have been evaluated for winter survival at this point. Reports of mild to severe winterkill are present across the Midwest. In most cases, interseeding or other corrective actions have already occurred. If you are in the unfortunate position of dealing with a By Barry Visser high percentage of Nutritionist winterkill, work with your agronomist and nutritionist to devise an alternative cropping plan. The environment plants develop in plays an important role in what the actual forage quality will be at a specic stage of maturity. Temperature is the driving force behind most physiological processes that occur in a plant, such as photosynthesis, respiration and cell wall formation. Alfalfa grown during cooler conditions has a tendency for slower rate of maturity, larger stem diameter, increased plant height and less lignication, resulting in higher ber digestibility. Soil moisture also has a signicant impact on alfalfa growth and forage quality. Wetter conditions tend to accelerate plant maturity, increase plant height, decrease the proportion of leaves to stems and generally increase ber percentages. Cooler temperatures have resulted in less growing degree days this spring, but moisture has been plentiful in most areas. As these two environmental interactions offset, the potential exists for high-quality haylage. Plant maturity is the most important factor affecting quality. With maturity comes more cell wall constituents, including lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. Proportionally, we see a drop in the digestible cellular contents such as soluble proteins, sugar, starch, fats and pectins. Not only does neutral detergent ber increase and forage energy content drop with maturity, but also the accumulating NDF becomes less digestible. Although rst-cutting alfalfa offers the opportunity for harvesting the highest amount of digestible ber in the growing season, forage quality declines at a faster rate for rst cutting compared to subsequent cuttings. It can change even faster if grass is present in the stand. Timely rst cut is essential if high forage quality is the objective. No simple guidelines apply every year or on every farm. Generally, you can wait longer during periods of cooler temperatures and wetter conditions like most areas have experienced this spring. Several farms will have an added challenge of managing unplanted corn or soybean acres at about the same time rst cut is ready. With a few rare exceptions, the best decision is to put up the haylage. Scissor cutting is a tool that has been around for many years to determine the ideal time to cut. A second tool, the Predicted Equation for Alfalfa Quality, helps you make your own eld estimates. Both measurements evaluate the standing crop and do not account for the change in quality due to wilting, harvesting and storage. A good rule of thumb as hay nears cutting is an average decline in relative feed value of four units per day under average weather conditions. Although maturity and quality of alfalfa silage at harvest is one of many factors affecting the bottom line of your dairy, high-quality homegrown forages can save you in purchased feed costs. That is why putting up top-quality alfalfa silage should be a priority of your forage team. It is in the best interest of your cows and your pocketbook. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 31
Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
Who is on the planter? I gave Mark two choices: spring break or graduation. We were going to Florida one way or another to visit Michael. He has been at the University of Florida for the past two years and was set to graduate this spring. We had not made the trip to visit him yet and time was running out. Mark chose graduation. I reminded him that it was the rst weekend in May – the head of corn planting season for us. He stood his ground and re-afrmed his choice of graduation despite the date. I clicked conrm on the airline tickets, and we were booked to y into Florida May 1 and return May 5. I marked the dates on the calendar and ipped it back to the reality of winter in January. It turned out to be a good decision not to travel for spring break. Michael was buried in research and writing his dissertation. We were plunged in the deep freeze and buried by record snowfalls. We were all putting in long days trying to complete our projects to make it to graduation day. As the reality of our trip came closer, Mark started to question his timing. If we are gone, who was going to plant
the corn? This has been Mark’s sole responsibility for the last 45 years. One spring, his dad decided it was time for someone else to run the planter, so Mark climbed on the tractor and headed out to the back eld by himself to start planting. He wanted to make sure he had the hang of it by the time he was planting the elds next to the road for the neighbors to see. By trial and error, adjustments here and there, Mark started to gure out how to plant corn. He had no fancy monitors to alert him of when he ran out of fertilizer or seeds. He was climbing off the tractor every couple of rounds to check on the planting depth and population. He learned and survived his rst planting season. There was enough feed for the animals that year, and he inherited a new responsibility. It looked like Austin was going to have to be ready to start planting for Mark this year, and that was OK. Or, was it? Was Mark ready to give up the reins on running the planter? As our departure date drew closer, weather forecasts were watched closely. It looked like it was going to be a late planting season. The ground was still too cold and
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wet to start before we left, but maybe by Saturday Austin could head to the elds. Mark and Austin worked on getting the planter ready to go. Mark wanted to take Austin and the planter out for a quick run to explain how the monitors worked, how to nd the right speed and other words of experience, but Just Thinking Out Loud the lessons would have to wait until we returned. Florida in early May is great. The snowbirds had migrated back north, and the college kids were back in classes. The sweltering humidity of summer was still a month away. It was a perfect 90 degrees and sunny, especially after a long and cold winter. We enjoyed tooling around By Natalie Schmitt the gulf coast and strolling Columnist along the beach on Honeymoon Island even though we were far from honeymooners. A Schmitt family trip is not complete without a trip to a dairy farm. Michael arranged for us to tour North Florida Holsteins where they milk 7,000 registered Holsteins. We picked the brains of the owner, Don, and his farm manager, JC, about sire selections, genomics, herd health and calf care. It was fascinating how Don moved his herd of 125 cows from the New York/Pennsylvania area in the early 80’s and grew to be one of the largest herds in Florida. We learned about experiments they are working on with calf raising and breeding protocols. Most of their freestall barns are open sided with massive fans and sprayers used to keep the cattle cool during the hot, humid days. The newest freestall barn is a tunnel ventilation system with closed sides. They feel they will be better able to control cow comfort in this type of system. Five hours of learning were never so much fun. Of course, the highlight of our trip was watching Michael walk across the stage to receive his Master’s Degree in Dairy Science, Genomics and Economic Analysis. He did his research on genetic traits and the economic impact or return on investment. It is way over my head, but I get the jest of it. With his scientic analysis of breeding and his father’s art of breeding, we demonstrate the big bang theory of art and science unraveling the mystery of how to breed good dairy cattle, and their discussions can sometimes end up in a big bang. Al and Austin held down the fort and things were running smoothly. Austin was keeping Mark posted on how things were going with daily reports. On Sunday morning, just as we were wrapping up our visit to Florida, Austin sent Mark a text saying he had started planting corn. When we had left for this trip, Mark was comfortable with the idea of Austin planting, but now that he had started on his own, Mark was concerned. There were many decisions yet to be made. What elds to plant rst, what varieties and at what populations? They had not talked about any of these things. There were so many things Austin did not know when he climbed up on that planter to start putting the crop in the ground. It was almost history repeating itself. I reminded Mark that Austin could not plant that many acres between milkings to cause too many problems. If the corn was in the ground, it would come up, and there would be feed for the cows, which is the whole purpose of growing our crops. It would be OK. He knew that was true. He and the farm survived when he started planting corn, too. But, he sure wished they had discussed and developed a game plan before Austin headed out to the elds. The next morning during milking, Austin let his dad in on a little secret. Yes, he had started planting corn, but he only put a few kernels in the ground by hand just to say he started planting corn. Mark was relieved. There was still time to have those discussions and make those nal plans. Time still to share his observations and little knacks of getting the crop off to a good start. Mark put in the corn crop and turned the reins over to Austin to put in the soybeans. Step by step. We were able to nish planting our crops by May 18, but I think we may be one of the few. As soon as they parked the planter, the rains and cold temperatures returned. Now, we wait to see how the crop will emerge. I am in Illinois for a long overdue family visit and high school graduations. Flying over Iowa and driving the back roads of home, I see very few elds worked. Some corn was planted back in April. Those elds are stitched with faint green rows, but the corn is struggling to grow. There has been so much rain between here and home that there will be many new lessons learned this planting season regardless of who is in the planter. Be safe out there. Natalie, Mark and his brother Al, farm together near Rice, Minn. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are grown up and all involved in agriculture with hopes of someone returning to the farm. For questions or comments, please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.
Making bunnies
With any luck, by the time you read this, there will be half-dozen or so baby bunnies snuggling in a nest box in our rabbit hutch. Last year, Monika decided she wanted to show a rabbit at the fair. If you read my last column, you’ll recall rabbits are one of the species that t our requirements for non-dairy fair animals. But, two weeks before the fair, the rabbit she chose was bitten by its hutch-mate, so she didn’t go Dairy Good Life to the show. The bunny recovered from the injury, and we ended up keeping her for a pet. This spring, Glen’s dad suggested breeding Monika’s rabbit so there would be young rabbits for both Monika and Daphne to show at the fair. Of course, the girls loved the idea. So, we came up with a plan for making bunnies. The rst step was nding a daddy bunny. A 4-H friend of ours offered to let us borrow one of her bucks. On Easter Sunday, Glen’s dad brought the buck to our place for the mating. If, like me, you’re not as familiar with rabbit reBy Sadie Frericks production as you are dairy cow reproduction, allow me to share what I’ve learned. Essentially, female rabColumnist bits ovulate on demand. They don’t have estrus cycles like other mammals. Instead, they release their eggs shortly after mating. Dang! Just think of how convenient dairy cow reproduction would be if cows simply ovulated as needed. Anyway, we put the buck into an empty cage and then put the doe into the cage. Apparently, if you try to put the buck into the doe’s hutch, she will attack him. The girls crowded around the cage to watch. Like most children raised on farms, our kids have a basic understanding of how life starts. We don’t have any bulls on the farm, since we only use articial insemination. But, we’ve explained the process. The analogy we use is that, through articial insemination, we’re putting seeds into the cow’s body and, if everything goes right, one of those seeds will grow into a baby calf. Our kids have also seen the natural process countless times – we have freerange chickens and free-range cats. They mate all the time. So, I gured the rabbit mating would be fairly uninteresting. I gured wrong. The rabbits got right to it and, just as quickly, the questions started. “Why is he biting her?” “Why is the mommy bunny just laying there while the daddy bunny does all the work?” “How exactly does the daddy bunny get the seeds into the mommy bunny?” Thankfully, the mating didn’t take long, because I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep a straight face while replying with, “I’ll explain that another time.” I did explain, however, that even though the rabbits mated, there was no guarantee we would end up with baby bunnies. First, the seeds would need to grow, and then the mommy bunny would need to take good care of them when they were born. I found out later that one of the kids prayed for the baby bunnies in the prayer circle at school. I hope that was all that was said. Another thing I learned about rabbit reproduction is the gestation period is approximately 31 days. That means I only had to answer 31 days’ worth of “When are the baby bunnies going to be born?” Today is day 29. We put the nest box in the mommy bunny’s hutch with some shavings and straw. She immediately started pulling the uffy white fur out of her dewlap and mixing it with the straw. I’m told this nesting behavior is a good sign she’s about to kindle. No, she’s not going to start on re. The technical term for birthing in rabbits is kindling. Cows calve, sheep lamb, and rabbits kindle. The technical term for baby bunnies is kits. If all of the hoping and ngercrossing and praying go our way, there will soon be a number of kits for Monika and Daphne to cuddle and tame. Monika is hoping for a spotted rabbit. The mommy bunny is an albino and the daddy bunny is a broken red (i.e. white with red markings), so there’s a good chance we could end up with some of each. Daphne said she’d be happy with any bunnies. She already has their greeting written on our walkway with sidewalk chalk: “Welcome to the world baby bunnies!” 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.
Stray voltage can develop at any time on any dairy. Have you noticed the following symptoms in your herd? • Increased somatic cell count • Poor reproductive performance • Decreased milk production
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 33
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
Students learn outside the classroom
Darlington Ridge Farms hosts Day at the Dairy By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
DARLINGTON, Wis. – The chilly, damp day provided by Mother Nature did not dampen the excitement that was palpable in the air as nearly 400 Lafayette County fourth graders descended on Darlington Ridge Farms LLC for the seventh annual Day at the Dairy program
to learn about Wisconsin’s dairy industry and rich agricultural history. Darlington Ridge Farms is owned and operated by Jim and Katie DiGangi and family, and is home to 2,800 milking cows in Darlington, Wis. The farm, established in 2008, consists of 2,000 acres of land used to raise corn, silage and alfalfa for the dairy. The cows are housed in sand-bedded freestalls which were built in 2012 along with expanded manure and feed storage as well as a sand recycling system. The Day at the Dairy program is a collaboration be-
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Students learn about the dairy industry during the seventh annual Day at the Dairy at Darlington Ridge Farms LLC in Darlington, Wis.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Jim and KaƟe DiGangi, along with daughter Mila, are the managing partners at Darlington Ridge Farms LLC.
tween the DiGangi family and three other Lafayette County dairy farm families: the families of Brian and Kaye Larson, Randy and Tammy Larson, and Jim and Laurene Winn of Cottonwood Dairy; the families of Jay Stauffacher and Jean Stauffacher of Highway Dairy Farms LLC; and the family of Steve and Lisa Carpenter of Redrock View Farms. Each year, the location of
the event rotates among the four farms with all the families involved in planning and facilitating the event. “Imitation is the sincerest form of attery,” Katie said. “We had heard about other like-minded dairy farmers collaborating like this and decided we should learn more to put an event into action locally.” A Day at the Dairy was born with the inaugural event in
2013. “Our goal is to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of dairy and where their food comes from,” Katie said. “Food does not come from the grocery store. Science and technology help us produce the best milk, and there are a ton of opportunities in agriculture for Turn to DAY AT THE DAIRY | Page 35
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 35
ConƟnued from DAY AT THE DAIRY | Page 34
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their future careers.” Over the past seven years, the group has opened their collective farm doors to over 2,600 area fourth graders, their teachers, bus drivers and chaperones, sharing the message of the dairy industry with each attendee. “Lafayette County is one of the major agricultural counties in the state and is home to many specialty cheese makers, dairy farms and grain farms,” Jim said. “Agriculture provides approximately 58% of the jobs in Lafayette County, and it pumps about $1.3 billion into the local economy. In our eyes, it is critical to continue to connect the next generation to agriculture and open our doors to how food is produced. Our local community has been built on agriculture, and this event brings it all together.” Despite its roots being deep in agriculture, fewer and fewer of the fourth graders that visit the farms each year have a connection to farming. “We have seen it change even in the seven years we’ve hosted this event,” Katie said. “At rst, about ve to seven kids in a group of 20 had been on a dairy farm. Now only one or two have been to a dairy farm before. This is our opportunity to share our story and make that connection with them. That is why this event is critically important.” Hosting an event of this size and scale is not something that simply happens. The Day at the Dairy organizers plan the event throughout the year with the goal being to continue to ne-tune the program.
“In our eyes, it is critical to continue to connect the next generation to agriculture and open our doors to how food is produced.” JIM WINN, DAIRY FARMER
The hosts try to add new learning stations and experiences to the tours. The program changes a little each year based on the layout and location of the host farm and the uniqueness of each dairy.
The team works with the host farm’s veterinarians, nutritionists and vendors to plan the stations, and those people each play a role in developing and leading the stations. In addition to industry people, local FFA students help lead station activities and tour the school groups around the farm. “This event would not be possible without the sponsors and volunteers that believe in our mission right along with us,” Katie said. “There are over 75 businesses that support us monetarily or by providing support items or volunteers for the day of the event.” The 2019 Day at the Dairy featured 17 stations where students toured and learned about the freestall barns the cows live in, how the parlor works, the sand separator and the farm machinery used on the farm. They also learned about how calves are cared for, cow nutrition, careers available in agriculture, dairy breeds, farm safety, and soil and water conservation. Students heard from the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, sampled cheeses, learned how to put a milker on and make a smoothie using a bicyclepowered blender. Three tractors and wagons provided students the opportunity to take a wagon ride around the farm. Besides the knowledge and experiences gained during the day, each student left the farm with a T-shirt and a goodie bag complete with coloring books, dairy farming facts and donated goodies. “It never seems to deter the smiles on their faces,” Jim said of the weather. “This year it was a cold, rainy day, but you would have never guessed based on their attitudes. No matter the weather, the kids always look like they are having a blast.” The Day at the Dairy organizers encourage others in the dairy industry to take full advantage of the learning and sharing opportunities available to educate students and the community. “This event is truly a team effort,” Katie said. “Our advice would be to build a team and partner with allies. Hosting an event of this magnitude takes a lot of work, and it is refreshing to rotate to a different farm each year and to work with individuals that are just as passionate as you are.”
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
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Bloomer, Wis. Chippewa County 65 cows Family: husband Travis; daughter Hannah who nished her freshman year of college; son Fritz who will be a senior in high school next year. Tell us about your farm. I’m lucky enough to be able to farm with my parents Don and Liz Mayer at Mayerlane Holsteins where we milk 65 cows three times a day. Our herd is mostly Holsteins and a couple of Jerseys. Also at the farm are my sister Sam, Hannah and Fritz and some part-time high school and college kids. We buy all our feed because our farm is six acres. What is the busiest time of day for you? I guess that depends on the day and where I need to be; I know that doesn’t answer the question, but that is how our farm operates. We all have a side job and the kids are active in cattle showing, sports and other activities. We all adjust each day to what is going on. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I love to be able to sit and hang out with my friends or family. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. I have many, and some of them are getting ready for classifying. We are busy for a couple
Your hopes. Your dreams.
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days before, and it’s exciting to see everything come together. I also love Expo time. We have tours come through the farm and get to see some of our friends from all over the world. I also enjoy being out there every day. Whether at the end of the day if it was good or bad, I enjoy all the time I get in the barn. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? Denitely the friends I have made. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I’m on the Wisconsin State Holstein Board, so I get to talk to a lot of people who are connected to dairy at conventions and other events. Also, going to cattle shows and talking with others.
Whether you’re running the farm, raising the kids or doing both, we understand. Many of our team members are too. And we’re here for you with the resources, knowledge and expertise to help make your hopes and dreams very, very real. Let’s get started today.
Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My parents because they are who I learned most of my dairy knowledge from. Heather Jaquet. Though there are many inspiring people in the dairy industry, Heather is one who stands out to me the most. Her work with juniors has reached a national level with many of her teams of dairy bowl, speaking and dairy jeopardy. She is truly one of the best people I know; she is also one of the most knowledgeable. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? I do not have one person because a prominent problem we face is a many person movement. The anti-farm/dairy voices on social media. I’d love to have them come and spend a day at the farm and see what a real farm is like. What is the best vacation you have ever taken? Hawaii. It was one of the rst big vacations I had ever taken and it is so beautiful there.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 37
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
6$8. &(175( 01
Experiencing the stressor of farm life ďƒžrst hand Moynihan becomes rural stress advocate after starting dairy career By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
BELLE PLAINE, Minn. – Most people know Meg Moynihan as the stress lady at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, directing farmers to use resources to get through stressful times; however, what some people may not know is it was Moynihan’s experience becoming a full-time dairy farmer in 2016 that made her realize her position was needed. “When I went back to the department [after a leave of absence in order to farm], they asked me what I wanted to do. Meg Moynihan I said, ‘It’s bad out there. Farmers are really struggling,’â€? she said. “While farming, I saw up close what other people in our neighborhood and farmer friends around the state were struggling with.â€? Since then, Moynihan has become a rural stress advocate and openly shares the story of how the stress of her dairying journey found her searching for resources for help. “I think people appreciate the deep understanding that they are not alone in the struggles they’re feeling,â€? said Moynihan, who milks 60 cows near Belle Plaine, Minn. “Sometimes it doesn’t feel like mental health. It just feels like, ‘I have a lot of crap to deal with.’ It’s OK to talk about this stuff even though it’s uncomfortable and scary.â€? Through her work in the organic realm at the MDA, Moynihan met and married her husband, Kevin Stuedemann, an organic dairy farmer, in 2012. When she moved to the farm, Moynihan would help with chores when she had time; however, since Moynihan did not grow up on a farm, she did not know all the ins and outs of dairying. That changed in 2016 when the couple received a letter from their organic milk cooperative that stated it was stopping its route to their farm due to distance. “That really knocked us for a loop,â€? Moynihan said. “But, I arrogantly thought, ‘I’m the organic lady. I know the organic world. I’ll make a few calls, and it won’t be a problem.’ But it was a big problem.â€? They could not ďƒžnd a milk market and had to start dumping milk until they could ďƒžnd another place for their product. “The dumping milk really knocked Kevin over. It was extremely hard for him emotionally to see that. He felt like a failure. He decided to do what he knew would earn us revenue, which was long-distance household furniture moving,â€? Moynihan said. That left Moynihan at home to run the farm. She took a leave of absence from the MDA to be the operator of the dairy. “At that point there were a lot of things I couldn’t do when I took this on – I couldn’t use the TMR mixer, I couldn’t back anything up. But, I thought, ‘It’s spring, I know how to ďƒžx fence, I know how to ďƒžx water lines, I know how to milk cows and I have a phone. I can call people if I need to,’â€? she said The learning curve was large, and Moynihan quickly experienced stress factors of farming. “When something broke I didn’t know how to ďƒžx it. And sometimes I didn’t know who to call, and I was leery of calling people too many times and asking for help because you don’t want to wear out your welcome. Learning to do things myself, and ďƒžguring out what I could and couldn’t do was hard,â€? Moynihan said.
The length of each day and the physical labor was also hard, she said. “Because I was inexperienced and not as physically strong as other farmers, everything took me that much longer,� Moynihan said. “I ate a lot of cereal and slept about four hours a night. It’s a good thing I am a skilled sleeper. Some days, 10-minute naps were a godsend.� The experience also opened her eyes to other farming stressors – price, weather, markets, neighbors, elderly parents, multi generations on the farm, siblings who have left the farm versus siblings who stayed on the farm, illness, debt or losing rental ground to a competitor among other issues. “The emotions during that whole time really came fast and furious. I felt angry, scared, worried, inadequate, in over my
If you or someone you know is in a stressful situation and needs help, please reach out to the Minnesota Farm & Rural Helpline at 833-600-2670 or go to www.minnesotafarmstress.com. head, frustrated,â€? Moynihan said. “I would cry a couple times a day. I would scream and yell and slam doors. I sent my husband mean texts. I felt resentful.â€? That is when Moynihan realized she needed help and reached out to her doctor. Eventually, the couple found a conventional market for their milk for six months before ďƒžnding an organic route to pick them up. Stuedemann still works in household moving, but does not take as many long trips. Moynihan continues to farm nearly full time on the dairy while also working for the MDA. Through this experience, Moynihan said she learned a lot about herself. But more importantly, she discovered a new purpose in her off-farm career. “There are deep stressors in farm life that people have throughout their lives,â€? Moynihan said. “I look around and think if it had that profound of an impact on me and I only had to go through it eight or nine months, what’s it like when you have to go through it for 20 years?â€? That is why Moynihan is such an advocate for helping people with rural stress and mental health. “I have really felt supported [by the MDA Commissioner’s Ofďƒžce and administration]. We had to ďƒžgure out how we work together and help farmers ďƒžnd what they need quickly,â€? she said. Not all farmers need the same type of help, Moynihan said. Some might need a doctor or therapist while others need access to a banker or lawyer. A pastor who knows about farming might be needed for a listening ear. “The question is: How do we make it easier to help people ďƒžnd what they need,â€? Moynihan said. She has been reaching out to more than farmers. Other people such as lenders, farm business management instructors and Extension educators, among others, are key in helping farmers with rural stress. “Sometimes it’s not calling the doctor, sometimes it’s just spending an extra ďƒžve minutes with the vet in the yard and talking,â€? Moynihan said. “It’s equipping everybody to be on the watch for others who need encouragement and support.â€? Although mental health sometimes carries a negative stigma, Moynihan said people need to get past it for the good of the dairy community. “I think it’s going to get worse unless we – all of us involved in dairy – get better at it,â€? Moynihan said. “If we don’t pay attention, take care of ourselves and take care of each other it’s going to get us. But, I think we have the ability to care for ourselves and each other, and make difďƒžcult decisions. I don’t know anyone more resourceful or braver than farmers.â€?
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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019
Bagged yogurt, dispensers add value
Westby Cooperative Creamery utilizes DATCP grant By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
WESTBY, Wis. – Adding value and increasing demand for their patrons’ milk are just two of the reasons the Westby Cooperative Creamery, of Westby, Wis., is working to develop a yogurt to work in concert with an innovative bagged yogurt dispenser that has been developed by Perfect Parfait Holdings LLC of Frisco, Texas. Westby Cooperative Creamery was approached by Perfect Parfait four years ago to develop bagged yogurt that would work in their machines. The dispensers were targeted for use in the hotel industry, but Westby Cooperative Creamery General Manager Pete Kondrup had other ideas. “It made sense to look at the schools here in Wisconsin,” Kondrup said. “They are basically self-contained, they refrigerate the yogurt at 38 degrees, there isn’t a lot of clean-up involved with the machines, and 98% of the yogurt in the bag is evacuated. They are similar to milk dispensers.” Working with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the cooperative was able to obtain a matching-funds grant to be used for marketing, development of the bagged yogurt and to assist school districts with purchasing the dispensers. Ten Wisconsin school districts
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Russ Vulpi�a (from le�), Brad Pfaff, Kaitlyn Riley, Pete Kondrup, Mark Rutlin and Bud Paffrath gather around the Perfect Parfait Yogurt Dispenser with Westby Coopera�ve Creamery yogurt. A grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protec�on will expand distribu�on of this innova�ve bagged-fresh-yogurt dispensing system to schools, colleges and hospitals across Wisconsin. will be home to the yogurt dispensers when school reconvenes in the fall. The schools are located in the Madison area, but Kondrup feels they will be in more schools throughout the state soon. In working to meet the needs of schools and hospitals, the cooperative is working to formulate a yogurt that will dispense easily from the machines in bagged form as well as working to lower the added sugar content and remove certain stabilizers from the yogurt. Vanilla, strawberry and plain yogurts are being developed for use in the machines. “The yogurt will still have the natural sugars, but we are working to remove the added sugars,” Kondrup said.
“It will be healthier and have fewer ingredients which will better meet the needs of schools and hospitals that have to watch nutritional guidelines.” While the creamery does not produce great volumes of yogurt for retail sale in stores, they do produce 5-pound tubs of yogurt for distributors and also produces about 4 million pounds of bulk yogurt each year for a company that makes freeze-dried yogurt snacks for infants. In addition to developing and marketing the bagged yogurt, the grant from DATCP will allow the cooperative to assist school districts in purchasing the dispensers at a reduced cost. The dispensers will feature the Westby Co-
operative Creamery logo. The logo will also appear on the dispensers placed in hotels and other venues, creating a greater awareness of the cooperative outside of their home area. “That will identify Westby as the supplier of the yogurt which is really great for our branding,” Kondrup said. “Once people experience the quality of our product, they will look at others like our cottage cheese that is our agship.” The partnership with the Wisconsin school districts is opening doors for the creamery as they are talking to schools about their cottage cheese and sour cream. “We continue to work to reduce the salt in our cottage cheese and lower the fat in our sour cream to meet the needs of these markets,” Kondrup said. “We’ve reduced 20% of the salt content in our cottage cheese in the last 25 years.” Westby Cooperative Creamery is driven to increase their market shares in order to increase the demand for the milk produced by their patrons, allowing them to pay a higher price for the milk they purchase. The cooperative is made up of nearly 200 member-owner family dairy farms that supply the creamery with 165 million pounds of milk annually; an amount that has more than doubled over the past 10 years. “The whole idea of value-added products is to create demand for dairy products and increase the value of the milk our patrons produce,” Kondrup said. “We try to do anything we can to add value so we can pay our patrons more for their milk.”
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Dairy prole Angie Connor Mayville, Wis. Dodge County 61 cows How did you get into farming? I am a third-generation farmer, working with my mother and father, Kathy and Michael Zastrow, on the farm where I was born and raised. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? I wonder how all the little family farms are going be able to keep going. We work so hard to keep our passions alive, but times are really tough right now. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? We are always making improvements to cattle comfort, equipment, nutritional needs and calf care because all these things add to the overall health and well-being of the cattle, which is ultimately what we want and strive for. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? The way we raise our calves. They are the future of the farm, and if they are not raised right, then the rest of their lives will not be as productive as they could be. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? We already run a strict management to keep costs low. We also have a crossbred herd that produces high butterfat and protein, and a low somatic cell count. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employee(s)? We don’t have employees as we are a family-run operation, but that in itself is hard at times. We all have our ways of doing things, old versus new, so you have to keep an open mind and work out new ways of doing things. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. Work smarter not harder. There are always ways to improve.
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 25, 2019 • Page 39
with Angie Connor of Mayville, Wis.
What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? The fact that my children are being raised the way I was. Yes, it’s not an easy life, but in the long run, they are learning the love of animals and the value of hard work. There is always something to do every day. I am denitely never bored. What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Don’t be afraid to try different ways of doing things. Farming is trial and error. What works for one may not work for others, but the only way you will gure it out is to do it. What has been the best purchase you’ve ever made on your farm? We are big into cow health the natural way, so I would say the best purchase has been probiotics and vitamins that we feed daily. My father has done his work on nding the best stuff out there for the cows. The overall health of the girls is huge. If they are functioning properly, it makes our job a whole lot simpler each day, and they are going to give us more milk. What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? We have always strived for quality not quantity, and we have made personal records in the last year with butterfat hitting an all-time high of 5.57 percent, protein at 3.63 percent and a one-month average somatic cell count of 60,000. Those numbers are what keep us going. Also, we’ve made many improvements to the way we raise our calves. So much has changed from when I was a youngster feeding the calves. I have done hours of research into calf care, learning the hows and how-nots. I love talking with people to see what they do in regards to raising
calves. If they want to talk, then listen. Keep your ears open. We are all in this together. What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? Hopefully we can keep going in the dairy industry. It is a hard career to be in right now. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? I love spending time with my family. I have an 8-year-old son, Hunter, and a 6-year-old daughter, Kenzie. My husband, Jeff, works a regular job off the farm, so when we get to spend time together, we make the most of it. In our spare time, we all enjoy shing, hunting, gardening, horseback riding, and baking or cooking. We each have our own hobbies, but family time is the best of all because we get to make memories.
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