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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 20, No. 7
Riley selected as 2018 Alice in Dairyland
May 26, 2018
“It was a really long debate – sheep or goats – for a couple months.” – Amber Tews
A different type of dairy
Young woman reigns Tews family starts from Jersey farm in milking sheep Crawford County By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
GAYS MILLS, Wis. – A dairywoman is Wisconsin’s new Alice in Dairyland. Kaitlyn Riley, 25, from Gays Mills, Wis., was selected for the honor the night of May 19 during the Alice in Dairyland Finals in Adams Wis. “Everything is a little surreal,” said Kaitlyn Riley Riley, the 71st Alice in day after Dairyland the nals. “I don’t think it has sunk in yet.” Her parents, Jody and Paulette Riley, milk 70 registered Jerseys and grow corn, alfalfa, soybeans and cover crops on their 200-acre farm in northern Crawford County. As the state’s 71st Alice in Dairyland, Riley succeeds the 2017 Alice, Crystal Siemers-Peterman from Cleveland, Wis. This is Crawford County’s second Alice in Dairyland. The rst was Cheryl Ann O’Brien from Eastman, Wis., who earned the title in 2009. Riley was chosen over ve other nalists: Kristen Broege, Janesville, Wis.; Sydney Endres, Lodi, Wis.; Alexus Grossbier, Elk Mound, Wis.; Jacqueline Hilliard, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; and Megan Schulte, Hammond, Wis. Riley will start her Alice in Dairyland duties June 4. She will work as a communications professional within the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Riley said she is looking forward to living and working Turn to ALICE | Page 5
By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
ORFORDVILLE, Wis. – Despite their childhoods of growing up on cow dairies, Amber and Kyle Tews wanted to take a different route when it came to being involved in the industry. “It was a really long debate – sheep or goats – for a couple months,” Amber said. In January 2017, the couple started milking sheep on their 40-acre farm, Tews Ewes, near Orfordville, Wis. Amber does most of the work on the dairy, milking their 132 ewes, while Kyle helps where he is needed and works together with his parents on their cow dairy a few miles down the road. “I like the sheep, and now KELLY KENDALL/ DAIRY STAR we’re glad we didn’t go with Amber and Kyle Tews along with their daughters – (from leŌ ) Dorthy, Liza and Vera – milk 132 goats because … [the dairy goat milk market] is getting sheep on their dairy near Orfordville, Wis. more saturated,” Amber said. “And sheep are just so different. Milking them is unheard of in this part of the state. It’s more common in the western side and up north.” Before their venture, the Tews family had no experience with sheep. “We jumped right in,” Amber said. “Most people thought we were crazy …” The biggest challenge was their lack of a milking facility. Sheep started lambing before their parlor was nished. Amber milked two by hand on a goat stand before deciding to borrow a bucket milker from a dairy goat neighbor when the third one freshened. By the time the parlor deck was ready, Amber was milking 30 sheep. When the pipeline became operational, there were 80 fresh sheep milking. Milking had been taking four hours. Now Amber milks in a single-12 parlor stand with six milking units. “This year was a breeze,” Amber said. “This year we also started running yearlings through the parlor in December [before they freshened] so I didn’t have to train any to go through.” Milking ewes receive grain in the parlor. The Tewes have been learning the most about management of sheep while working day-to-day with the animals. How to sort the sheep is one lesson they learned right away. “When you chase sheep or try to sort sheep you throw everything you know about cows away because they’re very different KELLY KENDALL/ DAIRY STAR to handle,” Amber said. “With sheep you can’t really sort one out Amber Tews dips a ewe during a recent milking. The Tews famfrom the rest. They know if you’re after them. They’re a little ily milks their ock of sheep twice a day in a single-12 parlor more skittish. They don’t want to be separated.” stand with six milking units. Turn to TEWS | Page 6