Seniors! CELEBRATING OUR
See pages 12 & 13 of the Second Section for our High School Senior Feature!
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 22, No. 6
Reduce milk production but maintain cow numbers, capital Lormore offers three strategies for market demands By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
The novel coronavirus has caused mayhem throughout the dairy industry. For those who received notice from their cooperative or milk processor regarding the unprecedented need to reduce milk shipments, Dr. Michael Lormore, director of U.S. dairy cattle technical services at Zoetis, has offered strategies to reduce milk ows while maintaining a position for a successful re-entry into the market. “It’s rst important to recognize and understand the situation in the industry and what you’re personally up against,” Lormore said. “There is no perfect single answer for everybody.” If a dairy farm is faced with the need to decrease milk supply, there are three primary options that are the most effective when considering farm operations: transitioning from three-timesa-day milking to twice-a-day milking, extending the dry cow period and feeding calves whole milk longer. Limit milking frequency Extensive data has shown that increasing milking frequency from twice a day to three times a day results in an additional 7-8 pounds of milk per cow per day, Lormore said. “So, it’s reasonable to consider going from three-timesa-day milking to two times a day,” he said. “But, farmers have to understand this can’t happen without awareness to the challenges that come with it.” Depending on management strategies, a farm increasing milking frequency can increase production anywhere from 7-8 pounds of milk per cow per day; it is assumed the same will be lost when decreasing milking frequency. If a farm is requested to reduce production by 10% as
Turn to PRODUCTION | Page 5
May 9, 2020
A decade of growth
Sauer reects on years in industry, prepares for future By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
PIERZ, Minn. – It has been 10 years since Branden Sauer began his dairying career, and where he is today is almost unfathomable to the 30-year-old. “The rst day I woke up to a freshened heifer, and I knew that was the beginning of the next 40 years,” Sauer said. “Starting out was tough and looking back, I never thought I’d be this far.” Sauer milks 90 cows in Morrison County near Pierz. The cows are housed in a freestall barn and milked in a double-9 parallel parlor, which Sauer began using last month. Previously, the cows were housed at his family’s farm Turn to SAUER | Page 7
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Branden Sauer milks 90 cows in Morrison County near Pierz, Minnesota. The 30-year-old started farming a decade ago, and recently purchased a farm site with a freestall barn and parlor.
Farmers donate milk to those in need Sassy Cow Creamery, Marinette County dairies give back to community By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Taylor (leŌ) and Faith Baerwolf stand next to the Kindness Cooler they helped create to help area families in need during the COVID-19 pandemic at Sassy Cow Creamery’s retail store near Columbus, Wisconsin. The milk in the refrigerator is free to the public.
COLUMBUS, Wis. – Dairy producers across the state are doing amazing things during the current crisis to ensure milk is not wasted and the hungry are fed. Sassy Cow Creamery in Columbus, a dairy farm that bottles its own milk and makes ice cream, is making sure its customers who have fallen on hard times never go without milk. The creamery has placed a refrigerator outside its retail store lled with fresh, cold milk that is free for the taking. “The Kindness Cooler, as we call it, serves our neighbors, friends and people in the community who are laid off from work, lost their jobs, have kids at home, etc.,” said James Baerwolf, one of the creamery’s owners. “This is an easy way for them to have access to milk.” Sassy Cow regularly works with food pantries and groups in the community, but the Kindness Cooler hits a little closer to home. The response Turn to DONATE | Page 6
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
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 Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Krista Kuzma - Editor/Wisconsin (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.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 - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.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 Julie Barnes (SE WI and Northern IL) julie.b@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Ashley Curry (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-539-7268 • ashley.c@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.
A glance at the other side
Dairy donation shout outs For the next couple issues, we will use this space to recognize the organizations and businesses that are donating dairy products to food banks. Please contact us if you have a donation you would like us to list here. Sargento Foods donates $2 million in cheese to help food banks across the country To help feed families during this time of need, Sargento Foods Inc. is donating $2 million in cheese to Wisconsin’s anti-hunger leader, Hunger Task Force and its membership organization the Hunger Relief Federation of Wisconsin. To assist families outside Wisconsin, Sargento will provide donated cheese to Feeding AmericaÂŽ – the largest hunger relief organization in the U.S. The family-owned cheese company is providing relief by donating a total of 15.8 million cheese sticks which can feed more than 1.3 million households across the U.S. Here are a few highlights from stories you will not ďƒžnd in this paper, but you can ďƒžnd online in zone 2. Wisconsin Dairy Recovery Program Helping dairy farmers and processors stay in business during the COVID-19 pandemic is the driving force behind the Wisconsin Dairy Recovery Program – a partnership between the Hunger Task Force, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. This $1 million investment in dairy is designed to keep the wheels of the dairy industry turning while also feeding hungry mouths across the state. Farmers and processors are paid for their product, which is then delivered to food banks and pantries in Wisconsin free of charge. Appreciation for cows drives Mahoneys A love of cows has led Tom and Debbie Mahoney to continue with their small dairy herd, despite the trials and tribulations of the dairy industry in recent years, and the time constraints of each working full-time off the farm. The couple milks 18 cows on their Glenwood City, Wis., farm. They started their dairy herd 13 years ago and plan to continue as long as the endeavor brings them joy.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 8-9 First Section
Bon Yankton Homme
Clay
Lyon
O’Brien
Sioux Plymouth
Women in Dairy: Nancy Pechous First Section: Page 36
Ida
Monona
Palo Alto
P
Sac
Harrison Shelby
nt
mo
Mon
Page
Kanabec
go
eba
Kossuth
n Win
Washington
Ra
ms ey
Mitchell Howard
Hancock Cerro Gordo
t
old
mb
Hu
Worth
Floyd
Bremer
Wright Franklin Butler
Grundy un Webster Hamilton Hardin
ery
Greene Guthrie
Boone
Dallas
Houston
Story
Polk
all
Jasper
Black Hawk
Tama
rsh
Ma
aw
as
ick
Ch
lho
Ca
Pottawattamie Cass m tgo
as
nt
ho
a oc
Crawford Carroll
Fre
Zone 2
Clay
e Buena Vista
Mills
Zone 1
n inso Emmet
Dick
ke
ro
e Ch
Woodbury
Tabor
Hubbard
Osceola
Fillimore
Mower
e
ln
co
Lin
Freeborn
Faribault
Martin
iek
Turner
Jackson
ake
Hutchinson
Nobles
Second Section: Pages 3-4
Winona
am
Charles Mix
Rock
Wabasha
Cottonwood Watonwan Blue Earth Waseca Steele Dodge Olmsted
sh
Douglas
Gregory
McCook Minnehaha
Murray
Rice
ne
Tripp
on
ns
Ha
Moody
Nicollet
Brown
All
Todd
Miner
Lake
Redwood
Fayette
e war Dubuque
an
ch
Bu
Clayton
an
Benton
Dela
Jones
Linn
Iowa
Clinton
hn
Jo
Adair
Madison Warren Marion Mahaska Keokuk
Adams
Union
Taylor
g ing
R
old
Clarke
Lucas
Decatur Wayne
Monroe Wapello ose Davis
A
no ppa
on
rs ffe
Je
Van Buren
Jackson
n Cedar so
Muscatine
n
Aurora
Brule Mellette
Sanborn
Brookings
Farmstead creameries adjust during pandemic
Goodhue
W in
Lyman
Jerauld
Kingsbury
Lyon
gto
Buffalo
Beadle
Hudson
Dakota
Scott
Sibley
hin
Page 22 Second Section
Bennett
Hand
Carver
Wa s
Country Shannon Cooking
Hughes
Hamlin
Hennepin
McLeod
Renville
Yellow Medicine
sh iek
Jones Jackson
Fall River
Stanley
Hyde
Deuel
Po we
Custer
Sully
Anoka
Wright
Meeker
Chippewa
Lac Qui Parle
Codington
Clark
Kandiyohi
Isanti
eu r
Spink
Sherburne
Swift
Pine
Mille Lacs
Benton
Stearns
Pope
Third Section: Pages 3 - 4, 6
Carlton
Morrison
Douglas
Stevens
Grant
Faulk
Potter
Big Stone
Day
Aitkin
Todd Grant
Burkholder starting 18th year with cows on pasture
Crow Wing
Su
Dewey
Edmunds
Otter Tail
Claremont
go
Pages 10 - 11 Pennington Second Section
Roberts
Marshall
McPherson Brown
Walworth
Haakon
Richland
Sargent
Cass
Le
Campbell
Corson
Dickey
McIntosh
Cook Lake
isa Ch
Lawrence
Ransom
Emmons Sioux
Becker
Clay
First Section: Pages 12-13
Itasca
Wadena
Grant
Cass
LaMoure
Logan
Ziebach
The “Mielke” Meade Market Weekly
Bames
M
First Section: Pages 1, 7
Minnesota approves $1.25 million for milk, protein purchases
Koochiching
on
Stutsman
en
om ahn
Wilkin
Kidder
Morton
Perkins Page 33 First Section
Butte
Burleigh
Tra ver se
Oliver
Come Full Circle
Harding
Norman
Lincoln
Page 32 Adams First Section
Polk
Trail
Steele
Maplewood
Sauer reects on years in industry, prepares for future
St. Louis
Pipestone
Bowman
Griggs
n
Stark Making Cents of Hettinger Dairy
Slope
Foster
Mercer
Beltrami
Red Lake
io
Golden Valley
Wells
Sheridan
Pierz
Lake of the Woods
Pennington
Grand Forks
Eddy
McLean
Roseau
Marshall
Benson Nelson
Billings
Kittson
Walsh
Ramsey
McHenry
Ward
Pembina
Da vi so n
Page 31 Dunn First Section
Cavalier
Towner
Pierce
Veterinary Wisdom
McKenzie
Rolette
Un
Page 30 Williams First Section Mountrail
Bottineau
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
ub
Renville
First Section: Pages 10 - 11
Settergren brothers proud of family’s legacy
Au d
First Section: Page 27
Dear County Burke Agent Guy
Divide
Dassel
Family steps up as Richter recovers from surgery
Midwest Dairy donates $500,000 to area food shelves
Page 26 First Section
Wadena
Clearwater
Parker
FSA News & Notes
Louisa
Scott
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
How have you scheduled your day to balance your work and help your children with distance learning? First Section: Pages 15 - 16
Henry Des Moines Lee
Ivanhoe
Bristow
Third Section: Pages 10 - 11
First Section: Page 39
Kids Corner: The Popowski family
Dairy Prole: Robert Horst
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
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ConƟnued from PRODUCTION | Page 1 a whole, this strategy will help meet that goal. On a milking and dry cow basis, the U.S. dairy industry produced 64 pounds per cow per day in 2019. If milking frequency was reduced on the 75% of cows that are milked three times a day, this would reduce aggregate production by 5.25 pounds. “This needs to be done with a careful eye on milk quality,” Lormore said. “Cows full on milk are at an increased risk of mastitis and higher somatic cell counts.” One option farmers may consider is milking post-peak production cows, those more than 120-150 days in milk, twice a day and keeping fresh cows and high production cows milking three times a day. Extend days dry to 70 To quickly Dr. Michael eliminate milk cows Lormore in the herd without culling, farmers may dry cows off earlier than planned and extend the dry period. Current research recommends herds aim for a days dry target of 45-65 days, Lormore said. “We could push that target up to 70 days and reduce the number of milk days,” he said. By adding two more dry weeks to a typical 14-month calving interval herd, farmers would reduce milking days by 3.3% and decrease production by nearly 2.5%. On a national basis, this would decrease milk ows by 1.6 pounds of milk per cow per day, Lormore said. Yet, extending the dry period can have signicant setbacks to animal health. “We really don’t want to go beyond 70 days dry because of the disease risks associated with that,” Lormore said. When dry periods exceed 70 days, the risk of removal during the rst 60 days of the next lactation more than doubles. At 90 days dry, that risk is increased three times over. “Transition cow diseases become much more prevalent because the cows with extended dry periods are often over conditioned,” Lormore said. Feed whole milk to calves The third strategy to reduce milk production, or milk sold off the farm, is to feed calves whole milk for a longer period of time. “Most farmers are weaning calves at 7-8 weeks old. That’s a lot of milk replacer,” Lormore said. “There’s now an opportunity to use whole milk to feed calves. It’s also going to eliminate some costs with raising calves.”
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 5
Calves could receive about 2.5-3 gallons of milk per day. Lormore suggested keeping calves on milk up to 60-90 days where facilities can support it. Under the right circumstances, that period could be extended to 120 days while also including roughage to help with rumen development. “You’re going to have really high performing calves, and in two years, those will become high performing cows,” Lormore said. Because the calves will likely grow larger than if fed with milk replacer and on a shorter time frame, dairy farmers should decide if their housing facilities are able to accommodate bigger calves on whole milk. With these three strategies, dairy farmers can effectively reduce the amount of milk shipped without reducing cow numbers. “The thing to take into consideration with any decision is how you’re going to maintain cow numbers and capital,” Lormore said. “For most farms, culling may be part of the strategy, but we’re already seeing a lot of challenges with throughput in the beef processing industry.” Additionally, Lormore cautioned farmers against dramatically reducing cow numbers for the risk of not being compliant with borrowing base loans. When deciding which strategy is the best for a dairy, farmers should work with their team to develop an appropriate solution. “These are not decisions you should be making in a vacuum,” Lormore said. “It is ultra important to communicate with others. Include your family, your employees, nutritionist, veterinarian, lender and milk handler.” Regardless of the situation each dairy may be faced with, Lormore said there are things all farmers can do during these times – continue to communicate with trusted employees, take time for themselves and keep the business’ nancial house in order. “What happens today is normal for today,” Lormore said. “We have to accept this brutal reality, roll up our sleeves and get at it.” Over time, dairy farmers have adapted to become more sustainable in the industry. As these unprecedented times have many facing challenges they have never seen in their lifetime, farmers must also think about resiliency and how their business is able to respond to adversity. “When the markets do reopen, it’s going to be a walk, not a run,” Lormore said. “At that time, it’s going to be important to have the right cows, the healthy cows. So right now, focus on being nancially prudent, having a good disease prevention program in place, and maintaining performance and good husbandry for all animals, calves through cows.”
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
ConƟnued from DONATE | Page 1
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to the cooler has been incredible with an average of 150-200 gallons of milk ying off its shelves daily. Some days have topped 300 gallons. “We primarily give away 2% milk as that covers the most common needs,” James said. “Chocolate milk is the hardest to keep stocked so we have to divvy that up to offer some variation.” Available 24/7, the fridge is restocked multiple times per day, and on the weekend, replenishing milk is a full-time job. The Kindness Cooler opened to the public March 24 and will continue until the end of the stay-at-home order. The idea for the cooler was that of James’ three daughters, Taylor, 18, Faith, 16, and Anika, 14. “We were talking about the coronavirus and how crazy it is, and wondered what we could do to help,” Taylor said. “Now, we’re using what we have to help others.” Faith agreed. “With schools and coffee shops shut down, we had extra milk, and we didn’t want it to go to waste,” Faith said. Taylor attends Fox Valley Technical College and is studying agricultural business and animal science. Like her sisters, she is home from school and able to help more at the farm and creamery. “It’s been a big plus for me in that I got my calf feeders back – morning and night,” James said. Owned and operated by James and his brother, Robert Baerwolf, and their families, Sassy Cow Creamery is home to two herds, milking 600 cows at their traditional dairy and 200 cows at their organic dairy. Milk is run ve days a week at Sassy Cow Creamery, and lately, they always do a little extra for the cooler. “Like everybody in the dairy industry, things were kind of normal for us one week, and the next week, everything turned upside down,” James said. “We wanted to nd the best way to be helpful with all the upheaval, and this is one thing we can do.” The Sassy Cow store has remained open throughout the pandemic, and trafc has increased times two. “We’ve never sold this much milk before, and ice cream takeout sales have doubled,” James said. “Consumers are scared to go to the grocery store or a busy area and are willing to pay more for things like eggs, cottage cheese, cheese curds and meat if it means they don’t have to be around a lot of people.” However, the creamery’s new Farmhouse Kitchen, featuring classic and signature grilled cheese sandwiches, has not really had a chance yet to get off the ground. “We’re doing takeout, but we lost a big chunk of our restaurant and coffee house business because of the virus,” James said. “State restrictions affect how we operate, and we see it rsthand on both ends – at our farm and at our store.” The cooler has sparked interest from other members of the community looking to make a difference, and people have been donating money to put towards stocking the fridge with milk. “Having people fund this cooler was never our intention,” James said. “But people want to help, and we appreciate that. The Kindness Cooler has given them that opportunity.” For dairy farmer Monica Schwittay, serving her fellow neighbor is part of everyday life. Schwittay’s charitable heart has been amplied during the
COVID-19 pandemic as she and other Marinette County dairy farmers and fellow community members established a milk fund to help feed families in need. Local dairy farmers teamed together and donated 80 gallons of milk to the Peshtigo and Crivitz food pantries April 15. An initiative started by Jason Malke at Straight Flush Sewer and dairy farmer Laura Finger, the idea soon took off as other dairies expressed interest to get on board and help. Finger Family Farms of Peshtigo, Drees Dairy Farm of Peshtigo, Schwittay Farms of Peshtigo, Van De Walle Farms of Crivitz, Nor Farms of Peshtigo, Kaufman Farms of Crivitz, Carviou Dairy of Marinette and Jason Malke generously donated. “We tried to stay anonymous,” Schwittay said. “Nobody in the group wanted to take credit for anything, but at the same time, we want to build more awareness for helping those in need. We just want others to see the need that we see. This includes helping to stimulate the dairy industry. We need to survive, too.” Schwittay and her husband, Jeremy, operate two farms in Peshtigo – Schwittay Farms where they milk over 300 cows with Jeremy’s brother, Jason, and Heifer Solutions, a custom heifer raising operation. The couple has been contributing to food pantries for years, donating milk, butter, cheese and meat. “Supporting our local food pantry has always been near and dear to our hearts,” Schwittay said. Going forward, Marinette County farmers will be serving four food pantries in Marinette County – Bread by the Bay in Oconto, Peshtigo Food Pantry, Crivitz Food Pantry and Pastor Fred’s Pantry in Amberg. The Peshtigo pantry feeds 30 families twice a month; Crivitz feeds 50 families twice a month; Oconto feeds 80 families twice a month; and Amberg feeds 160 families twice a month. “Our goal is to feed all those families two times a month in both May and June,” Schwittay said. “Therefore, we are hoping to donate 640 gallons of milk in May. Fluid milk is always a much-needed item at food pantries. Contrary to what many might think, they don’t always have milk. Butter is another hot commodity that pantries rarely see, and we’re considering doing a donation of butter for the month of June.” The pantries are partners with several grocers that are supplying milk directly to the milk fund. These include Lee’s Family Foods in Peshtigo, Witt’s Piggly Wiggly in Crivitz and Sal’s Foods in Wausaukee. “Sal Sarvello, owner of Sal’s Foods, said he would sell the milk at cost,” Schwittay said. “And due to his commitment to the community, he was willing to cover half of that cost. With just two locations, he’s not a big grocer so I thought that was rather gracious.” Word has spread fast, and many people from the community are pitching in to donate, handing checks directly to grocers to put towards the milk fund. “It doesn’t matter who you are – a business owner, dairy farmer or a consumer who lives in town – we just want everybody to help with the movement of helping others,” Schwittay said. “It’s about giving back, and we need to give back to our community. It truly takes a village.” Anyone interested in donating to the milk fund or helping in some manner is encouraged to contact Monica Schwittay, Laura Finger or Jason Malke.
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ConƟnued from SAUER | Page 1 site nearby. There, they were housed and milked in a 35-stall stanchion barn. “I was switching cows for eight years,” Sauer said. “It was not fun. When I was milking by myself, it took three hours.” Sauer rented the facilities, and purchased feed from his dad as he built his own land base over nine years. In 2019, a neighbor and former dairyman approached Sauer with the opportunity for the young farmer to rent 80 acres and purchase the farm site with 160 acres. Today, Sauer owns the farm site and runs 500 acres. “From day one, this was always my goal. Two years ago, I priced out a freestall barn and was working on a manure pit that I was going to build (at my parents’ farm),” Sauer said. “Then, this opportunity came by, and it’s a piece of land right across the road that will never come for sale again.” Sauer still houses his youngstock – from calves to springing heifers – at his family’s farm, with the milking and dry cows at the other property. “I’m slowly working on buildings and where I want everything,” Sauer said. “Hopefully by fall I will have everything moved over there.” Over the last decade, Sauer has strategically managed his farm business for growth and sustainability in the industry. He started his herd while nishing up his degree at Ridgewater College in Willmar in 2010. Sauer had a group of 20 heifers due to calve all around the same time, and then he purchased cows to ll the barn. “I fed calves for a few days with the milk, and then once I had enough to hit the agitator, that’s when I had enough to sell,” Sauer said. “I think my rst milk check came when I was milking six cows. I started in May, but my rst check didn’t come until the end of June. That was stressful.” Dairying over the last 10 years has not been easy, but Sauer has found ways to make it a viable career choice. All loan payments are automatically taken out of each milk check before Sauer receives the check. And, he makes sure all bills are paid before using any remaining income for purchases or personal savings. “It used to be that my rst check of the month
covered all the bills and the second check was mine,” Sauer said. “Now, I need both to pay the bills. Bills always have to come rst, because once you’re behind, you’re always behind. And you’ll never catch up.” To get ahead, Sauer took advantage of the years when the milk price was high. At those times, he paid off loans and pre-purchased commodities for the farm. Then, when milk prices started to slide, Sauer buckled down and focused on simply covering his expenses. “In 2015, I actually didn’t have a feed bill until June because I pre-bought so much feed. Then, I could buy a tractor that spring because I had no bills,” Sauer said. “I can’t say there’s no money in dairy farming, because that’s the only check I get, and I’ve done a lot over the last 10 years. You just have to keep after it and get better and better.” Part of furthering Sauer’s dairying career is paying close attention to the herd and its potential. He has bred and fed for high components, and strives for a low somatic cell count. Sauer credits his achievements to the work of his team, and the help of his dad and girlfriend on the farm. “I work with everyone – the agronomist, nutritionist, anyone who can help,” he said. “The neighbors are helpful. Last year, I had my big tractor go down, and we were late planting to begin with. They let me rent one of theirs.” After milking in a tiestall barn for almost a decade, Sauer was ready for a facility that was kinder on his body. Sauer’s trusted network and sound business plan helped make the decision to relocate the milking herd an easy one. “If this opportunity wouldn’t have come up, I don’t know how much longer I would’ve took it. I was tired,” Sauer said. “It was night and day difference. I think I’ve gained almost three hours of less chores, and I’m milking 20 more cows.” But the move was not seamless. “As soon as I got inspected, the cows were there the next morning,” Sauer said. “That rst milking in the parlor was a disaster, but it still only took two hours. Now, I’m down to about 1.5 hours to milk and wash.”
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Branden Sauer milks his herd of 90 cows in a double-9 parlor at the farm site near Pierz, Minnesota. Sauer purchased the farm in April. In the last 10 years, Sauer has accomplished more than he ever thought possible when he rst decided to milk cows. And with careful management, he plans to be a dairy farmer for the long haul. “Where I’m at now, I thought it would take 20 years to get here. It’s something that I want to keep doing,” Sauer said. “As long as the bills and loans are paid for, then I’m going to keep doing it whether it’s $20 milk or $12 milk.” Mark Klaphake contributed to this article.
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Signiďƒžcant losses in farm income forecast Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
A new analysis from Texas A&M University is acceptable what happened. It came out of China and it forecasting a massive decline in farm income. This is not acceptable.â€? Trump signed the phase one trade study projects net cash income for dairy farms will deal with China in January, and it took effect in middrop 58% this year. Income for beef operations will February. decline 47%. Agricultural economist Bart Fischer said feed grain and oilseed Trump discusses reopening of packing Ag Insider producers will see net cash income decline plants 15%. Following the release of this report, President Donald Trump, Vice National Milk Producers Federation President Mike Pence and Agriculture President and CEO Jim Mulhern said Secretary Sonny Perdue spoke with farm COVID-19 is “a grave danger for U.S. leaders and meat company executives dairies,â€? and the proposed payment cap in late April. The phone conversation in the federal disaster package is not centered on the use of the Defense adequate. Production Act to reopen meatpacking plants. Trump referenced that call during USDA rejects proposed change to remarks made in the Oval Ofďƒžce. “The federal orders farmers are very happy, and the ranchers The United States Department of and the companies that we’re talking Agriculture has rejected a request for about. They’re now being treated fairly; By Don Wick an emergency hearing for a temporary they’re thrilled and that whole bottleneck Columnist increase in the Class I milk price. Major is broken up,â€? he said. Trump said the dairy processors proposed a minimum United States has ample food supplies, $15.68 Class I milk price in June, July and August. but the pandemic caused a logistical logjam. Agricultural Marketing Service Administrator Bruce Summers said the proposal for a change in federal Midwest Dairy donates to local food banks milk marketing orders was turned down because of Midwest Dairy is donating $500,000 to food the temporary nature of the request and dairy industry banks to purchase dairy products for people in need. interest in alternative solutions to the COVID-19 crisis. The donations will be spread across 10 states including Minnesota Milk Producers Association Executive Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Typically, Director Lucas Sjostrom said the proposal would set dairy checkoff funds cannot be used to purchase dairy a precedent that has never been seen in the 80 years products, but the USDA is allowing Midwest Dairy of federal milk marketing orders. Rather than creating to use funds to meet the need. The program will also an artiďƒžcial price, MMPA supports the one-time direct allow local processors to keep their supply chains assistance in the current USDA coronavirus relief active while navigating dairy demand shifts. package, but with changes to the proposed cap on payments. Dairy farmers adapt to supply chain challenge The dairy checkoff is partnering with processors to United States considers trade retaliation against donate dairy products and meet the needs of local food China banks. “We aren’t asking for money from processor The United States is investigating the source of partners, but we are asking for help in delivering or the coronavirus and what China did to prevent the storing products for food banks,â€? said Allen Merrill, spread of the disease. “China is buying billions of South Dakota dairy farmer and chairman of Midwest dollars worth of our products, farm products and other Dairy. “There’s nothing more disheartening for a dairy products, and it is a good deal,â€? said President Donald producer than seeing a neighbor dump milk when Trump. “And then we noticed the virus and it is not there’s people who can consume the dairy products.
We just have to ďƒžnd a way to make that happen.â€? Merrill said the dairy supply chain continues to be challenged. “Everyone is working diligently to resolve that,â€? Merrill said. “There is still some milk being dumped, but that’s being greatly reduced, because everyone is trying to ďƒžnd a home for the milk. It’s still being processed for future consumption.â€? Lawsuit ďƒžled over new WOTUS rule Environmental activist groups have ďƒžled a federal lawsuit, challenging the new Navigable Waters Protection Rule. This rule updates the Waters of the United States. The lawsuit claims the public was not given enough opportunity to provide feedback. The environmental groups are also saying the new rule does not consider the impact to water quality. DOJ calls for divestiture The Department of Justice will only allow Dairy Farmers of America to acquire Dean Foods milk processing plants if it divests of three of its plants. Those three plants are in De Pere, Wisconsin, Harvard, Illinois, and Franklin, Massachusetts. Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim, from the DOJ’s antitrust division, said this is a difďƒžcult time in the dairy industry with Dean Foods and Borden Dairy Company in bankruptcy and COVID-19 resulting in the loss of demand for milk and dairy products. “In the face of these challenges and Dean’s worsening ďƒžnancial condition, the department conducted a fast but comprehensive investigation,â€? he said. Mental health does not get the same attention as physical health The Minnesota Department of Agriculture organized a webinar for mental health providers and crisis counselors to outline the current situation in agriculture. Minnesota Rural Mental Health Specialist Monica McConkey said farmers were already under extreme stress from ongoing weather and market challenges before the coronavirus pandemic. There is often a stigma within the ag sector regarding mental health challenges. “On any given morning prior to COVID-19, there were farmers meeting for coffee Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8
at Cenex in the morning talking about their aches and pains, but probably not talking about meeting with their therapist or taking their antidepressant or anti-anxiety pills. Their emotional struggles are not treated the same as their physical struggles,” McConkey said. The high cost of insurance was also cited as a barrier for farmers seeking mental health services.
Peterson conrmed Thom Petersen has been conrmed by the Minnesota State Senate as the state agriculture commissioner. Before joining the Walz administration, Petersen was the government relations director for the Minnesota Farmers Union. Eberhard leaves IDFA for Capitol Hill job Tony Eberhard will serve as the new chief of staff for North Dakota Senator John Hoeven. Eberhard was Hoeven’s deputy chief of staff and legislative director until 2017 and comes with 14 years of Capitol Hill experience. For the past three years, Eberhard has served as the vice president of legislative affairs for the
International Dairy Foods Association. Buschette honored with President’s Award Mary Buschette, director of alumni and constituent relations, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, received the President’s Award for Outstanding Service. Trivia challenge The National Cheese Exchange, which is where cheese was bought and sold up until 1997, was located in Green Bay. That answers our last trivia question. For this week, when did the rst Dairy Queen restaurant open? We will 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.
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
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Family steps up as Wadena dairyman recovers from heart surgery By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
WADENA, Minn. – When Bruce Richter’s heart needed repair, the farm did not skip a beat. As Bruce recovers from triple bypass surgery in late April, his family – both immediate and extended – have stepped up to complete ďƒželdwork and daily chores on the 80-cow dairy near Wadena. “It’s just the way everybody pulled together. You can’t beat that,â€? Bruce said. “When you have all your family pull together, your kids and your cousins and the people you grew up with.â€? After months of shortness of breath and health tests that were inconclusive, Bruce was admitted to the St. Cloud Hospital for an angiogram April 22. “Doctors told us to have Bruce plan on staying the night in case they put stents in,â€? said Karyl, Bruce’s wife. “Instead, he had a triple bypass the next day. That was a seven-hour surgery.â€? When news broke that the 65-year-old would be unable to complete chores for some time, his children immediately came to ďƒžll the role of their father. The Richters farm in partnership with their son, Chris, and their daughter, Mandy, routinely helps with evening milking. “My dad was milking in the mornings and then
him and I were milking at night,â€? Mandy said. “Now, I do both.â€? With Mandy in the barn, Chris has taken to the ďƒželds. In the ďƒžnal weeks of April, the Richters had three ďƒželds of corn to harvest. While Bruce was recovering at the hospital, Chris and their other son, Adam, their grandson, Nick Wiese, and Bruce’s cousin, Gary Richter, combined the remaining ďƒželds and made cornstalk bales. Then, when Bruce returned home April 26, his brother and son coordinated efforts to prep the ďƒželds for planting. On April 29, seven Ford tractors arrived at the Richters’ dairy with plows in tow. “I was standing out in the ďƒželd and watched the tractors come,â€? Karyl said. “It was like the troops were here; the cavalry came. I knew we were going to get stuff done then.â€? One of Bruce’s brothers and fellow dairy farmer, Tim, nephews, Paul and Tommy, and Chris, Adam and Nick each took a tractor to the ďƒželds. Six of the tractors were equipped with moldboard plows and one with a disc plow. “I went over to see Bruce when he got home last Turn to RICHTERS | Page 11
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 11
ConƟnued from RICHTERS | Page 10 Sunday, and I asked Chris what all needed to get done,” Tim said. “I told him to pick a day and I could bring a couple plows, Mark (our brother) could bring a couple plows. It worked out well.” In one day, the clan worked 180 acres of land. “We did it because he needed the help. When they need it, you have to do something for someone else,” Tim said. “It was cool. That’s a lot of dirt that got turned over.” With the elds tilled, the Richters are ready to plant oat and corn. “I’ve never had this much eldwork left to do,” Bruce said. “You have no idea. … It was done, and we didn’t have to worry about it being done right. It was pretty awesome.” Karyl agreed. “This is such a relief,” she said. While Chris, Adam and Nick will nish up planting, Mandy remains in the barn milking the cows in a double-3 parlor twice a day. With the novel coronavirus pandemic, Mandy’s mornings begin on the farm before she helps package lunches twice a week for the Verndale School District where she works as a paraprofessional. By evenings, she is back in the barn, milking the herd. “I really enjoy the cows. It’s kind of my way to relax after a long day,” Mandy said. “Some people want a beer; I just want to chill in the barn.” Prior to Bruce’s surgery, Mandy helped milk in the evenings. “Chris does all the feeding and I do all the milking,” Bruce said. “But Mandy started coming out at night to help because she knew I was running out of air. She knew something was wrong.” Long before Bruce needed help
with daily chores, Mandy and him were often found in the parlor together. “We’re kind of a well-oiled machine. We’re both doing the same thing and crisscrossing, just cruising around,” Mandy said. “I’ve always liked talking about the day with him, going over stuff we’ve probably talked about 20 other times, the life lessons. Even growing up, just hearing everything he’s done in life.” Mandy took it especially hard when she got the news her father was undergoing heart surgery. “Dad means everything to me,” she said, crying. “I’ve always looked up to him. Anytime I have a question I think, ‘What would Dad think? What would Dad do? How would Dad handle this?’” As Bruce continues to recover, Mandy receives help in the parlor from her daughter, Morgan Wiese. “I’m proud of both of my kids for stepping up,” Mandy said. “They’re a big help, a big relief for me.” Bruce agreed. “With Morgan and Nick not going to school, it’s actually been a blessing with the way this has all unfolded,” he said. “They’re learning a lot this spring.” As the Richters reect on the events they faced this past month and the road ahead in Bruce’s recovery, they are condent in knowing their family is the reason they have been able to continue. “I wouldn’t trade any of this or anyone for all the money in the world,” Bruce said. “None of us are going to get behind because we know we can count on the rest of us. That’s the way we’ve always been. We’ve got your back when times get tough.” Mark Klaphake contributed to this article.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
Minnesota approves $1.25 million for milk, protein purchases
Second Harvest Heartland to distribute product to food shelves
based in Maplewood. In 2019, the food bank served over 500,000 people – more than 97 million meals – in communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The food bank acts as a wholesaler for local Feeding America food shelves. Every year, the organization re-
By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. – At a time when communities are in dire need of a safe, healthy food source and dairy farmers are in search of an outlet for their milk, state lawmakers and Second Harvest Heartland have partnered to create a solution. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill April 15 that allowed an additional $1.25 million in the state’s COVID-19 aid package for Second Harvest Heartland to purchase protein and milk food products to distribute to food banks across Minnesota. The funds were available April 20, and distribution began April 27. “For some people watching and reading the news, it can be confusing to hear stories of such need, followed by a report on dairy farmers having to dump milk,” Allison O’Toole said. “We are proud that Minnesota was able to step up and take action to address the needs of both people experiencing hunger and dairy farmers struggling now that half their usual market is no longer buying product.” O’Toole is the CEO for Second Harvest Heartland, one of the nation’s largest hunger relief organizations
“We hope farmers feel good about their role in the ght against hunger during this crisis.” ALLISON O’TOOLE, SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND
PHOTO SUBMITTED
An employee at Second Harvest Heartland organizes food inventory at the food bank in Maplewood, Minnesota. The food bank received $1.25 million from the state to purchase protein and milk food products to distribute to food shelves across Minnesota.
ceives funding through Minnesota’s Farm to Food Shelf program, which includes an annual $550,000 milk grant to purchase and distribute milk in Minnesota. The COVID-19 funding is a supplement to this program. “Just a few weeks ago, we had already exhausted our uid milk supply for 2020’s milk grant funding,” O’Toole said. “As thousands more Minnesotans seek out food assistance, many for the rst time, we want to make sure we can provide food shelves Turn to FOOD SHELVES | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 13
ConƟnued from FOOD SHELVES | Page 12
with the items people want most.” Dairy products are some of the most in-demand items at food shelves, O’Toole said. “Preferences have likely changed a bit in the last month to include more shelf-stable items,” O’Toole said. “However, we want to make sure we’re still providing our partners’ clients with a wide range of nutritious foods to keep them safe, fed and healthy during this crisis.” The food bank has spent the past few weeks connecting with processors to determine what food products are available, and likewise what dairy products area food shelves are in need of. “Given the changing circumstances, we had to know what they needed before we placed any new orders,” O’Toole said. Area food banks work with a local processor to source the milk. The ability for Second Harvest Heartland to move dairy products is a unique opportunity, one that has allowed milk processors to redistribute foods that would have otherwise been directed to schools and restaurants. “Because of our scale and operation, (we) are more able to take on bulk product … to repack and distribute to our partners in more manageable, family-sized portions,” O’Toole said. Earlier this spring, the organization relocated to a larger facility in Brooklyn Park that has increased its capacity and has allowed for better handling of the additional protein and dairy foods.
“With our new facility, we can handle more large deliveries of lean meat, dairy and produce across the region,” O’Toole said. “Now more than ever, we can showcase how important Minnesota’s dairy farmers are to our work at Second Harvest Heartland.” Previously, the food bank had 11,300 square feet of freezer and temperature-controlled cooler space and 19 dock doors. With the facility relocation, freezer and temperature-controlled cooler space has nearly tripled, six loading docks were added, and a new temperature-controlled repacking room is available. These updates further facilitate the organization’s ability for more efcient warehouse management. “Food shelves across the state have seen double, and in some places triple, the normal demand for food assistance,” O’Toole said. “Our team has been working nonstop since this crisis began to ensure Minnesotans in need continue to have access to food resources.” While these unprecedented times have upended communities in more ways than one, in working together for a greater purpose, communities are also adjusting and nding opportunities amid the pandemic. “We hope farmers feel good about their role in the ght against hunger during this crisis,” O’Toole said. “We hope that we can be a strong partner to our state’s dairy farmers as they work to rework their business models to deal with the swift change in the supply chain.”
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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 15
How do you balance work and distance learning?
Curt and Jolene Boeckermann Freeport, Minnesota Stearns County 98 cows Tell us about your family. Kyle, 13, is in seventh grade at Albany Middle School. Jackson, 8, is in second grade at Holy Family in Albany. Adalyn is 16 months. Tell us about your at-home setup for your kids. Jolene works as a social worker for CentraCare-Melrose and is the social services manager. Jolene has been working from home as well as working on campus. The boys have been completing their school work on the island in the kitchen or wherever they kind ďƒžnd a quiet spot to work. It can be challenging for them. Adalyn is into everything. How have you scheduled your day to balance your work and help your children with distance learning? Kyle typically goes outside around 6:45 a.m. to complete his chores in the barn. Kyle comes in around 8:30 a.m. to log into school so he’s not tardy and starts his homework. Since distance learning, Jack generally stays in and starts his homework by 6:30 a.m. He usually goes outside for a break by 9 a.m. The boys ďƒžnish their homework throughout the day and generally into the evening. Their teachers have been very understanding and easy to work with during this time. What non-school learning are you having your kids take on while at home? Curt is enjoying the boys being home as they help in the barn with chores and in the ďƒželd. The boys have been digging and picking rocks this spring. We’re ďƒžnding it hard to ďƒžnd time for the kids to read like they generally do at night as it’s nice outside, and they want to play. What has been the most difďƒžcult aspect of the current situation for you and your family? Trying to ďƒžnd time to complete homework and keep the boys motivated in school. How has COVID-19 positively impacted your family? It’s been great being able to spend time every day as a family since we don’t go anywhere during this time. Jolene is generally not home for the noon meal so being able to eat another meal some days together has been really nice. Jolene’s parents, Jerry and Mary Ann Geise, have been coming for dinner on Sundays and playing cards to pass the time. The boys have gotten quite competitive with who is winning the game. Tell us about your farm. Curt and Jolene bought the farm from Curt’s parents, Charlie and Sandy, in 2011. We raise corn, oat and alfalfa. In addition, we milk cows and have a Pilgrim’s chicken barn. Charlie is a great asset to us as he helps with chores and ďƒželdwork daily. The boys enjoy being able to see their Grandpa every day as well.
Shari Storkamp Pierz, Minnesota Morrison County 100 cows Tell us about your family. Chris Popp and I have four kids. Kloe is 16, and she is ďƒžnishing 10th grade. Gavin is 12 and ďƒžnishing sixth grade. Ashtin is 10 and ďƒžnishing fourth grade, and Zaryn is 4 and in preschool. Tell us about your at-home setup for your kids. The kids take different parts of the house to do their schoolwork. One boy is usually in the living room on the couch, one is in his bedroom. They both use Chromebooks and Zoom to talk to their teachers. Kloe is in her room to do her schoolwork. Zaryn uses an iPad, so we work with her when she’s able to sit down for a little bit. The biggest thing is making sure she doesn’t make too much noise so the other kids can get their work done too. How have you scheduled your day to balance your work and help your children with distance learning? Chris and I milk every morning. As he feeds, I do the calves and youngstock. The kids have online classes in the morning with their teachers until around noon. Then, we usually go out and do ďƒželdwork, like picking rocks or changing oil. Then, we milk at night, and I’ll take care of the calves and youngstock. If the kids need to ďƒžnish school, we try to work it in before bed. It is difďƒžcult because they all have different things and assignments, and they all learn so differently from each other. I have the older ones help the younger ones. What non-school learning are you having your kids take on while at home? Zaryn has gotten good at feeding calves. The boys are learning how to change the oil and other outside chores, helping Chris ďƒžx whatever he has going on. They are learning a lot about tractors. The kids have done a lot of rock picking compared to normal years. We forget they’d usually be at school. There have been a lot of extra chores. What has been the most difďƒžcult aspect of the current situation for you and your family? Learning how to do the homework and being patient to get the homework done. For me, it is so hard to act like you know something you do not know or sound smart when you are doing it. The kids get so upset because they can see right through you. It is hard for them too. Neither Chris nor I are good on computers, so we’re learning to ďƒžgure out the Chromebooks. How has COVID-19 positively impacted your family? We’re together a lot more. We’re totally in quarantine, so it’s nice to have them here and work together. It’s actually been pretty good. We’re becoming better friends. Tell us about your farm. Chris and I and the kids are the ones who do all the chores and ďƒželdwork. We do have one non-family person who works here. We milk in a parlor. We raise all of our youngstock; they all have names.
Justin and Daci Moss Luverne, Minnesota Rock County 700 cows Tell us about your family. Our eldest daughter, Brooklynn, is 17 and is a high school junior. Our younger daughter, Makenna, is 15 and is a freshman. Our eldest son, Zach, is 11 years old and is in ďƒžfth grade. Our youngest son, Tage, is 8 years old and is in second grade. Tell us about your at-home setup for your kids. Daci runs a daycare in our home, so she is always around. These days, she has been helping our kids with their assignments in addition to doing her usual chores around the house. The kids are pretty much doing their schoolwork by themselves. Daci is thankful she is working at home so she can help our kids when they need it. How have you scheduled your day to balance your work and help your children with distance learning? Each child has his or her own computer. They will have Zoom meetings with their teachers every morning until about 11 a.m. During the rest of the day, the kids will log onto a website called Seesaw to get their homework assignments or to have a virtual chat with their teachers. The younger kids’ teachers drop off a packet of homework on our doorstep once a week and pick up the homework that was completed the previous week. What non-school learning are you having your kids take on while at home? The kids have all been helping around the farm more. Together, we have ďƒžxed a fence that had needed ďƒžxing for many years and have ďƒžnally cleaned out the grove. Zach has to bake something every week for his math class. The older kids have been helping with the ďƒželdwork. This has been a good thing as we were able to complete our corn planting well ahead of schedule. What has been the most difďƒžcult aspect of the current situation for you and your family? The girls can’t see their friends, so they tend to bounce off the walls at night. The kids all miss socializing with their friends and participating in their afterschool sporting activities. The boys have been doing FaceTime with their friends, but it’s not the same as getting together with them to play. How has COVID-19 positively impacted your family? We have had a lot of family bonding time. With all of the afterschool activities canceled, we have experienced more togetherness. We don’t miss running around all the time to get to all of the activities. Tell us about your farm. We farm with Justin’s father, Jacob, and Justin’s uncle, Neal. We milk 600 head three times a day and farm about 650 acres. We have seven employees who do all of the milking. We do all of the rest ourselves, including feeding the cattle, raising our own replacement heifers and taking care of the crops. We have already put some of our springing heifers on pasture. It’s really nice to see the cattle grazing on the fresh green grass.
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15
Bartholome Farms LLC Jim and Lisa Bartholome Goodhue, Minnesota Wabasha County 500 cows Tell us about your family. Samantha, 19, is a sophomore in college; Madison, 16, is a junior in high school; Austin, 13, is in seventh grade; and Dominic, 11, is in fourth grade. Tell us about your at-home setup for your kids. Jim works on the farm, and Lisa works a full-time job off the farm in addition to handling the bookkeeping. This is a busy time of the year for Jim, and Lisa is continuing to work from home. We are using a conference room adjacent to our ofces as a setup for distance learning. Our older children are responsible for completing their school work, whether it be in the conference room, their rooms, our home or outdoors to break up the routine. How have you scheduled your day to balance your work and help your children with distance learning? Lisa works from home most days, but goes into the ofce once a week. Jim continues to do the daily farm work, sometimes starting earlier than normal to be able to help the children. It takes all of us working together to make everything work and run as smoothly as it possibly can. Our children are helping more on the farm during this time. This has been a good way for our children to communicate with their Dad on things they may need help with or to simply talk about their day. It’s also an opportunity to discuss how they are doing and feeling about the current situation. Dominic and Austin work on distance learning from 7 a.m. to noon. During this time, the older three do various farm chores. At noon, we take a break and eat lunch. Until 3 p.m., all children do school work until it is complete and then help with farm work if needed. From 3-6 p.m., all children do their typical farm chores of feeding calves. We have staggered the times throughout the day for our children to do their school work due to a lack of devices. This has been a challenge as the kids have live classroom sessions. Some days feel longer than other days. We are taking one day at a time. What non-learning are you having your kids take on while at home? Our children are helping with extra chores and responsibilities on the farm, especially as we prepare for spring eldwork. They are helping feed calves in the morning in addition to their calf chores in the evening, along with helping feed steers. They are driving tractors to help with eldwork, hauling manure, plowing, etc. Our older children help run errands and x things. They also assist with breeding, pregnancy checks, and giving shots and vaccinations. Our kids are taking on cooking more meals and cleaning responsibilities. What has been the most difcult aspect of the current situation for you and your family? Finding the right balance and making sure everything is getting done. Space can be an issue at times, and it is hard to keep everyone motivated, positive and getting along, especially as deadlines arrive quickly to submit assignments. The kids struggle with not being able to spend time with their friends, being involved in their activities and learning differently. Our children enjoy being home and helping on the farm, but it is additional responsibilities for them to balance. Another difcult aspect is transitioning to a different way of living our lives, and trying not to project our own fears and worries of the impact this pandemic is having on our world, communities and lifestyles. The economic impact remains unknown, and we are taking each day one day at a time. Having our children home and our family together brings some comfort. How has COVID-19 positively impacted your family? This pandemic has reminded us the importance and value of family. We are working together every day, and family bonds are being strengthened. Jim is happy to have our children home and helping on the farm. We are able to spend quality time together through working with one another, cooking and sharing meals together, and having fun watching movies, playing games and having meaningful conversations. Tell us about your farm. Our family operates a 500-cow dairy. Our dairy farm is a sesquicentennial, fth-generation family farm homesteaded in 1861, and we farm 540 acres. We are milking in a 10-parabone milking parlor three times a day. We have a couple facilities where we manage our heifers and steers.
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Mikha and Glen Mormann New Vienna, Iowa Delaware County 700 cows Tell us about your family. We have twin boys: Max and Miles. They are 8 years old and in second grade. Mclane is 7 and is in rst grade. Tell us about your at-home setup for your kids. Glen and I both work on the farm so the boys are always outside with us helping with chores. I do work at the Regional Medical Center Hospital in Manchester once every two weeks, but the boys stay home with Glen while I am gone. How have you scheduled your day to balance your work and help your children with distance learning? To balance our work ow, I try to get in the house a little earlier to catch up on my bookwork and then take the time to make sure the boys are fed supper and get their reading minutes in. What non-school learning are you having your kids take on while at home? Usually from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. we are outside doing chores. It is great for the boys because they help us count cows and read their number tags, which is great for their math skills. Each night when we come in the house, we try to read for 20 minutes and work on ST math. Some days are busier than others, so we don’t always get homework done, but we try at least ve days out of the week. What has been the most difcult aspect of the current situation for you and your family? The most difcult part of this current situation is having to keep a closer eye on the boys with all of the equipment around on our farm, with them being home every day. It’s hard because they don’t get to see their friends and have a steady routine like they did at school. I hope they don’t fall behind when they go into their next grades because they aren’t learning as much with not being in school. How has COVID-19 positively impacted your family? COVID-19 has positively impacted our family by getting to enjoy each other more. We are not running around to sporting events, and the boys actually get to plant corn this year with their dad, which they love to do. Tell us about your farm. Our farm is called Mormann Dairy LLC. Glen’s parents, Dan and Sandy Mormann, started the dairy in 1983, and in 2015, Glen and I became part of the LLC. We milk around 700 Holsteins. We milk three times a day in a double-14 parallel parlor. We run about 900 acres. Eric and Melissa Speltz Altura, Minnesota Winona County 775 goats Tell us about your family. Gabby, 18, is a freshman in college; Gable, 17, is a junior in high school; Grayson, 10, is in fourth grade; and Greenlee, 8, is in second grade. Tell us about your at-home setup for your kids. Melissa is a dental assistant and has been off from work since the pandemic began. She is able to help Grayson and Greenlee with their distance learning. Greenlee and Grayson use an iPad and computer with the Seesaw app. Gable uses a school-issued computer and Schoology. Gabby’s classes are also continuing online. How have you scheduled your day to balance your work and help your children with distance learning? Our day starts at 6:30 with Grayson and Greenlee doing dog chores. Then we have breakfast and start the school day between 7:30-8. We try to keep things on schedule. By about 11, we are nished with computer work and then we go outside. What non-school learning are you having your kids take on while at home? Gabby continues to work at Bonnie Rae’s Café in Rollingstone. She looks for recipes for cooking on Instagram and online. Gable feeds the milking herd every day and then does anything else that needs to be done on the farm. This might include plowing elds, hauling manure, picking rocks or moving goats. Grayson and Greenlee have enjoyed hiking, biking, puzzles, baking and helping in the ower garden. What has been the most difcult aspect of the current situation for you and your family? Not having daily interaction with friends and teachers, and not going to church. How has COVID-19 positively impacted your family? We have been able to spend more time together as a family. We have been hiking and biking on trails rather than participate in all our sporting events. Tell us about your farm. We started milking goats in 2008 on the same farm Dad and Grandpa used to milk cows. We grew from 250 milking in 2008 to 900 in 2019. We milk 775 in a double-20 parallel parlor with automatic takeoffs. Our milk goes to Saputo in Lancaster, Wisconsin. We run 225 acres of alfalfa which is fed to the goats. In 2013, we started a baling and wrapping business. We are thankful for the many farmers, neighbors and friends who have made it successful.
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 17
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Hands-on management, efciency keeps Retzlaffs herd producing Nathan and Tajia Retzlaff Belle Plaine, Wisconsin Shawano County 208 to 216 cows What is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? 34,435 pounds of milk, 4% butterfat and 3.09% protein. How many times a day do you milk? If you do not milk 3X a day, have you tried it in the past? We have been milking 3X a day since May 2015. Do you contract your milk? Has it been successful for you? On the suggestion of our milk company and the COVID-19 situation, we have contracted our milk. It is too early to say if it is successful. Describe your housing and milking facility. Cows are milked in a DeLaval double-8 parallel parlor and housed in a ve-row, sand-bedded freestall barn built in 2014 and expanded in 2017. The freestall barn has three milking groups, a dry cow area, a maternity pack pen, bred heifer area and breeding age heifer area. Youngstock are housed at the second homestead down the road. Turn to RETZLAFFS | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 19
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“We wouldn’t want to be without it!” — Roger Aldinger and Jeff Hackbarth At 2019 Central Plains Dairy Expo (l-r) Jeff Metz, Jeff Hackbarth, Roger Aldinger
Roger Aldinger, WINONA, MINN. — 70 cows, RHA 27,000, SCC 80-110,000 Jeff Hackbarth, Houston, MINN. — 50 cows, RHA 20,000, SCC 150,000 “We wouldn’t want to be without it. We love Udder Comfort™,” say Minnesota dairymen Roger Aldinger of Winona and Jeff Hackbarth of Houston. They have both been using Udder Comfort for 9 years. “It really softens udders and heads-off potential problems in fresh cows. This sets them up for a better lactation,” says Hackbarth. He checks fresh cows with his Mas-D-Tec® hand-held conductivity meter 3 days after calving. “If I see readings of 4 or 5 or higher, I apply Udder Comfort after each milking for a few additional days.” “Our need for antibiotics is almost zero, and we save money and milk, with less worry,” says Roger about his routine. “I use Udder Comfort on fresh cows 2x/day for 5 to 7 days to get swelling out of the udders. Cows are calmer, and they take off in quality and performance,” adds Roger. “We start every lactation with Udder Comfort.”
Quality Udders Make Quality Milk
Keep the milk in the system 1.888.773.7153 1.613.652.9086 uddercomfort.com Call to locate a distributor near you. For external application to the udder only after milking, as an essential component of udder management. Always wash and dry teats thoroughly before milking.
Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
Con�nued from RETZLAFFS | Page 18
What is your herd health program? We installed the Cow Manager system in 2018 which has been helpful, saving us time and money. It’s our extra set of eyes, monitoring rumination, temperature and heat activity. It will ag cows that need attention based off activity, and we check those cows regularly. Our vet comes every other week for herd health checks. Previously, we used all CIDRs for breeding, but now we barely use any since the system monitors for estrus. What does your dry cow and transition program consist of? Prior to dry off, we modify their feed ration and taper down milking to twice a day until production is at a low enough level for drying. All
cows receive SRP at dry off and Bovi-Shield Gold two weeks post-fresh. Our dry cow ration consists of straw, conventional corn silage, decab and protein supplement. We do random pH tests on the dry cows. Closeup cows are moved to the pack pen two weeks before freshening and go into the third milking group after freshening. This group is a low-key group of fresh cows and heifers along with slower moving and nonaggressive older cows. We do not have a traditional transition pen area. What is the composition of your ration? What has been one of your most recent changes that has been successful for you? BMR corn silage, haylage or cocktail mix,
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Tajia Retzlaff (le�) and employees, Kaitlyn and Taylor Dillenburg, milk cows in the farm’s double-8 parallel parlor. Cows are milked three �mes per day with three people on every shi�. long-stem baleage and grain mix. Last year, we applied cocktail mix when we were short on haylage, and the cows seemed healthier. We lost a little milk but gained fat and protein, and had less cows off feed provided the feed is fermented completely.
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Ray (le�) and Oliver Retzlaff interact with a cow on their family’s farm in Belle Plaine, Wisconsin.
Through the years you have been farming, what change has created the biggest jump in your herd average? Cow comfort has played the biggest role in boosting our herd average. When we switched from a tiestall barn to a freestall barn
with milking parlor, production took off. They love the deep sand-bedded stalls and the automatic brushes. Our cows are comfortable and stress-free in this barn. Furthermore, the ve-row barn offers the cows more opportunities for eating. The ability to have three separate milking groups allows our rate of return to stalls/feed to stay at a minimum. Our cows do not stand in the holding area long. One hour max per group reduces standing time which in turn keeps stress on the cows low and aids in their comfort.
What role does genetics play in your production level, and what is your breeding program? At 60 days fresh, cows are checked by the vet. If all is good, we will breed them at next heat. Our Cow Manager system detects the heats. If not bred by 90 days, we’ll do an ovsynch CIDR protocol. We don’t use top-end bulls, but we don’t use bottom-end either. We watch carefully for feet and legs and teats. We work with many A.I. companies and Turn to RETZLAFFS | Page 22
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 21
0.9% Ànancing for 60 months on 2010 and newer 200HP+ row crop tractors through May 31st. Financing subject to pre-approval through JD Financial. Some restrictions apply. See dealer for details.
JD W260, 2018, 500 hrs., $ ##1163376 7644 #163764
169,500
Claas 3100/FRC & 9100RC, 2011 #160472
JD 7215R, 2013, 2761 hrs., $ #167434
114,900
NH H7550, 2014, 13’ cut #167351
$
NH 460RB, 2014, 4x6 rd, $ #1165591 910 #165910
JD 8335R, 2012, 2573 hrs., $ #167926
JD 8400R, 2018, 225 hrs., $ #148294
49,900
$
JD 8295R, 2018, 813 hrs., $ #163758
251,900
20,500
174,900
24,900
314,900
Over 1200 items with pictures updated daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com 7 5 8 8 10 11 8 8 10 16 5 15 1 2 7 10 1 2 11 17 14 10 10 2 4 6 6 11 8 10 8 2 10 4 6 5 17
MOWER CONDITIONERS Hesston 3312, 2007, #167802.......................................................................................... $15,500 JD 835, 2012, #164224........................................................................................................ $18,900 JD 635, 2013, #169331........................................................................................................ $19,900 New Holland H7550, 2014, #167351 ............................................................................. $20,500 JD 635, 2017, #166698 ....................................................................................................... $23,500 JD 946, 2014, #168983........................................................................................................ $24,400 JD F350R, 2019, #166686................................................................................................... $27,000 JD R990R, 2019, #166685 .................................................................................................. $65,300 PULL-TYPE SPRAYERS Blum 750, 1979, #158936.....................................................................................................$4,900 Hardi NP1100, #168425 ................................................................................................... $12,750 Top Air TA1200, 2008, #155358 ....................................................................................... $16,650 Hardi RANGER 2000, 2014, #163524 ............................................................................. $17,900 Hardi 4000, 2011, #166560.............................................................................................. $19,500 Hardi RANGER 2000, 2014, #155294 ............................................................................. $20,500 Fast 9508, 2008, #169075 ................................................................................................. $23,900 ROUND BALERS JD 375, 1990, Twine Only, 540 pto, 55’ bales, #161836 ........................................................$6,200 JD 535, 1989, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 5’ bales, #151310.............................$8,325 CIH RBX561, 2002, Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 9000 bales, #160144 .....$9,900 Vermeer 55XL, 2005, Twine Only, 540 pto, 5’bales, #160364 ...........................................$9,900 JD 567, 2001, Mega Tooth pickup, Twine Only, 540 pto, 5’ bales, 16500 bales, #161325$10,900 NH BR780A, 2007, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 15900 bales, #167206............................................................................................................ $11,900 NH BR7090, 2009, Mega Wide pickup, Twine Only, 540 pto, 5’ bales, 6484 bales, #167794 ................................................................................................................................. $14,500 NH BR7060, 2012, Twine Only, 540 pto, 4’ bales, 2900 bales, #166079.......................... $18,500 JD 558, 2010, Mega Wide, Twine Only, 540 pto, 5’ bales, 1153 bales, #163653..................19900 JD 854, ‘10, Mega Wide Pickup, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 11400 Bales, #159849 ........................................................................................................... $20,900 NH BR7060, 2011, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 540 pto, 4’ bales, 7300 bales, #169262 ................................................................................................................................. $23,900 JD 469 Silage Special, 2015, Mega Wide Pickup, Surface Wrap Only, 1000 pto, 4’ bales, 9500 bales, #166199................................................................................................ $24,900 NH 460RB, 2014, Mega Wide Pickup, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bales, 7500 bales, #165910................................................................................................ $24,900 JD 568, 2007, Mega Wide Pickup, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 7000 bales, #169336.............................................................................................................. $26,900 JD 854, 2011, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bales, 8170 bales, #160884.............................................................................................................. $29,500 JD 459, 2013, Mega Wide pickup, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 4’ bales, 4000 bales, #169330.............................................................................................................. $31,900 JD 569 Silage Special, 2013, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 5’ bales, 5500 bales, #169189................................................................................................ $32,500 JD 450M, 2018, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine Only, 540 pto, 4’ bales, 690 bales, #163947 .. $33,500 JD 469, 2017, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bales, 2600 bales, #167879.............................................................................................................. $37,400 JD 560M, 2019, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 5500 bales, #166321 ................................................................................................................................. $43,900 JD 460M, 2018, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bales, 5985 bales, #164359.............................................................................................................. $49,900 JD 560M, 2018, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bales, 3311 bales, #165961.............................................................................................................. $57,900
(1) = GLENCOE 4561 Hwy. 212
9 4 15 17 11 16 3 2 4 5 8 1 12 15 17 1 3 2 14 17 8 8 7 6 9 16 15 2 17 6
ROW CROP TRACTORS JD 7810, 2000, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 15042 hrs., #168906 .. $34,900 Case IH MX240, 2001, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, 7624 hrs., #167682 . $43,900 JD 4955, 1991, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, 8691 hrs., #169280 ............... $44,000 JD 8300, 1995, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, 10129 hrs., #158662 ............. $49,500 JD 8100, 1995, Cab, Power Shift, 1000 pto, 7920 hrs., #163584 ....................................... $59,500 JD 7230, 2010, Cab, MFWD, Partial Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 1966 hrs., #168726 ................................................................................................................ $69,995 JD 6175R, 2015, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 5043 hrs., #156490 ............... $78,900 JD 6145M, 2017, Cab, MFWD, Partial Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 2650 hrs., #156660 ................................................................................................................ $85,000 JD 6155R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Singles, narrow tires, 1879 hrs., #169034 ................................................................................................................................. $99,000 JD 8330, 2007, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 5598 hrs., #168270...................$105,000 JD 7200R, 2013, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals,, 2067 hrs., #168168 ................$107900 JD 6145M, 2016, Cab, MFWD, Partial Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 464 hrs., #166650....................................................................................................$112,900 JD 7215R, 2013, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 2761 hrs., #167434 ................$114,900 Case IH Magnum 290, 2011, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, 2850 hrs., #167254 ...................................................................................................$115,900 JD 6175R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Partial Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 2008 hrs., #157577 ..............................................................................................................$128,000 JD 6145R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 313 hrs., #147212..$129,500 JD 6145M, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Partial Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 100 hrs., #168135....................................................................................................$129,900 JD 6145R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 283 hrs., #153238 ...$134,900 JD 6155M/ 640R Loader, 2019, Cab, MFWD, Partial Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 100 hrs., #153304 ......................................................................................$134,900 JD 6175R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 1729 hrs., #169033 $134,900 JD 6155R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 136 hrs., #147651..$136,900 JD 6145R, 2019, MFWD w/Suspension, Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 244 hrs., #153237 ................................................................................................................$137,900 JD 8335R, 2011, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 4937 hrs., #165966$139,000 JD 6145R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 254 hrs., #153236..$139,500 JD 6145R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 436 hrs., #167089 ................................................................................................................$142,900 JD 8320R, 2014, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, 3246 hrs., #155355 ..............................................................................................................$149,500 JD 7210R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 861 hrs., #163755 ..................$154,900 JD 6175R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 145 hrs., #168137..$157,000 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 2002 hrs., #165917 ..............................................................................................................$158,400 JD 7210R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 878 hrs., #153518 ................................................................................................................$159,500 JD 8335R, 2012, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 1954 hrs., #157884 ..............................................................................................................$159,500 JD 8335R, 2012, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 3200 hrs., #165963 ..............................................................................................................$159,500 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 1827 hrs., #165918 ..............................................................................................................$163,900 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow tires, 1043 hrs., #153517 ..$169,500 JD 6175R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 72 hrs., #148777 ..................................................................................................................$172,900 JD 8335R, 2012, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 2573 hrs., #167926 ..............................................................................................................$174,900
Visit one of our 17 locations in Central Minnesota! (7) = ALEXANDRIA (9) = PRINCETON (4) = ST. CLOUD 1035 35th Ave. NE
(2) = HOWARD LAKE (5) = GLENWOOD 5845 Keats Ave. SW
1710 N. Franklin
(3) = STEWART
(6) = SAUK CENTRE
78412 Co. Rd. 20
8 15 5 14 17 11
1140 Centre St.
320-763-4220 5005 Co. Rd. 82 SE
3708 Baptist Church Rd.
(8) = PAYNESVILLE
16069 Hwy. 27 E.
725 Lake Ave. S.
4 2 6 15 15 4 15 4 14 1 14 10 10 1 16 16 16 16 14 6 16 16 8 4 2 15 11 1 16 8 16 16 16 16 16
CALL TODAY! (320)365-1653 (12) = AITKIN 1120 2nd St. NW
(10) = LITTLE FALLS (13) = BAXTER (11) = WADENA 62505 US Hwy. 10
JD 7210R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 540/1000 pto, Duals, Loader, 810 hrs., #163862 ............$179,500 JD 8345R, 2014, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 50K Transmission, 3305 hrs., #166449 ..............................................................................................................$189,900 JD 8320R, 2014, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Narrow Tires, 2001 hrs., #167228 ..............................................................................................................$196,400 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 1065 hrs., #162058 ..$199,900 JD 8345R, 2014, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 2113 hrs., #167776 ..............................................................................................................$199,900 JD 8270R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 994 hrs., #163842 ...............................................................................................................$204,900 JD 8245R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, 193 hrs., #148229 ............$204,900 JD 8270R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 540/1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 994 hrs., #163841 ................................................................................................................$209,500 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 1208 hrs., #162059 ..............................................................................................................$212,900 JD 8370R, 2015, Cab, MFWD w/Susp., IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 2759 hrs., #167919 .........$214,900 JD 8360R, 2013, Cab, MFWD w/Susp., IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 1293 hrs., #167687 .........$219,000 JD 8245R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 249 hrs., #148226 ................................................................................................................$228,900 JD 8370R, 2015, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, 2011 hrs., #156835 ..........$229,500 JD 8270R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, 1 27 hrs., #148233 ................................................................................................................. $234,900 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 395 hrs., #169249 ................................................................................................................$239,500 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 542 hrs., #169246 ................................................................................................................$239,500 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 547 hrs., #169247 ................................................................................................................$239,500 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 hrs., Duals, Narrow Tires, 829 hrs., #169248 ................................................................................................................$239,500 JD 8345R, 2016, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 1930 hrs., #166297 $239,900 JD 8295R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 813 hrs., #163758 ..........................................................................................$251,900 JD 8345R, 2016, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, Power Shift, 1000 pto, Duals, 1591 hrs., #146351 ..............................................................................................................$259,000 JD 8320R, 2015, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 452 hrs., #163735..$262,400 JD 8295R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 135 hrs., #166651 .$291,900 JD 8320R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 99 hrs., #152537 ..................................................................................................................$299,500 JD 8345R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 hrs., Duals, 226 hrs., #156041.$299,500 JD 8320R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 hrs., Duals, 131 hrs., #155882.$299,500 JD 8345R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 357 hrs., #147199 .$299,500 JD 8400R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, 1000 pto, Duals, 225 hrs., #148294 ........$314,900 JD 8400R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, 1000 pto, Duals, 223 hrs., #148295 ........$314,900 JD 8345R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 hrs., Duals, 139 hrs., #165247 .$319,000 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 724 hrs., #169242 ................................................................................................................$319,500 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 921 hrs., #169244 ................................................................................................................$319,500 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 691 hrs., #169243 ................................................................................................................$319,500 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 740 hrs., #169241 ................................................................................................................$319,500 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, Narrow Tires, 899 hrs., #169245 ................................................................................................................$319,500
7045 Foley Rd.
(14) = ELBOW LAKE
(16) = BENSON
(15) = MORRIS
(17) = MADISON
110 2nd St. NE
23604 State Hwy. 9
380 Atlantic Ave. 516 1st St. E
SEE OUR COMPLETE INVENTORY WITH PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS AT: www.mmcjd.com
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
Con�nued from RETZLAFFS | Page 20
DeLaval Parlor P500 milking system
96
”
max ceiling height requirement for DeLaval SynchroArc™
Up to
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
56
Cows wait to enter the parlor at the Retzlaffs’ dairy near Belle Plaine, Wisconsin.
%
reduction in exit cycle time with DeLaval SynchroSweep™
3
cow flow control options
ZERO
obstructions at cow exit
www.delaval.com
Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA 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 Mondovi Dairy Systems Inc. Mondovi, WI 715-926-5777 West Salem, WI 608-769-2113 Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0267 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 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, SD 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 © 2020 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. All facts and figures are the result of data collected on test farms and pilot farms. Data compared to DeLaval Champion. Results may vary and are not guaranteed. www.delaval.com
do pedigree mapping. We use bulls with high milk and high components and focus less on type. We like short, wide cows with big, wide fronts. What type of improvements would you like to make that would increase your rolling herd average even higher? We would like to focus more on genetics and making sound cows. Sire companies are pushing for net merit and not pushing traits. Therefore, heifers don’t always end up making the cut due to poor feet and legs. Another improvement we would like to make involves feed storage. We use silage bags, but it’s hard to keep the moistures consistent; therefore, we do a lot of feed sampling and moisture testing. We would like to change to a more consistent feed storage option, such as a bunker or pack to keep the feed more uniform. List three management strategies that have kept you protable. Hands-on management, efciency and consistency. We are somewhat non-traditional in our approach. Our breeding standards do not conform to the industry, and our strategies do not always reect what other people do to achieve high milk production. Our emphasis is on the cows, and we are a total hands-on operation. My wife, Tajia, and I are in the barn every day. We spend a lot of time with the cows and know each one by heart. We are involved in every aspect of the dairy, and every cow is like a pet to us from the day she is born. Tajia is the only person who feeds calves – nobody else is allowed to touch her babies. One of us is here for every milking. The parlor is built so one person can handle the work, but we have three people on each shift to move cows. Cows are checked manually to ensure they are properly milked out before leaving the parlor. We’ve found that it’s the little things that matter and doing things the same way every day. Our cow health issues are manageable within the milk groups; therefore, we do not have a need for a separate sick pen. We try to address problems before they escalate. We like to stay ahead of the game rather than playing behind. Our cow stress is low because we pay attention to the details and do things consistently day in and day out. Tell us about your farm. Our farm has been in the Retzlaff family since 1863 and is believed to be the oldest family farm in Shawano County. We bought it from my parents in 2013, and I am the sixth generation to farm here with my wife and our two sons, Ray, 10, and Oliver, 7. We also have eight team members who assist with milking, barn cleaning, feed mixing, cow care and eldwork. Of these, we have three sets of siblings. The older set are retired farmers who we would be lost without. The youngest set are the Krueger girls: Macey and Riley. And the middle set is Kaitlyn and Taylor Dillenburg. Kaitlyn has been with us since June of 2016 and is nishing up her rst year at Fox Valley Technical College studying agribusiness science and technology-animal science. Taylor has been with us since November 2017, graduates in May from Shawano Community High School and will be attending the University of Wisconsin-River Falls for the pre-veterinary medicine program. Our team is blessed to be working with a diverse herd of cows consisting of Holstein, Jersey cross, Milking Shorthorn, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire, Fleckvieh, Charolais cross, Normande, Lineback and the latest addition, Guernsey. We have about 500 total head of livestock and farm around 500 acres on two homesteads with rented land.
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 23
Rosy-Lane Holsteins wins U.S. dairy sustainability award
Healthy, long-lived cows main driver of efciency By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
WATERTOWN, Wis. – Breeding cows that live longer, healthier, more productive lives is one of the keys to sustainability success at Rosy-Lane Holsteins. By focusing on this aspect of genetics, the farm has increased efciency so they are producing 1.7 pounds of milk for every pound of dry matter fed to milking cows. This translates to 728,175 more gallons of milk per year using the same amount of feed and other resources. Rosy-Lane Holsteins is owned by Lloyd and Daphne Holterman, and their partners, Tim Strobel and Jordan Matthews, who milk 955 cows and farm about 1,800 acres near Watertown. Rosy-Lane’s daily dedication to cows, people, environment and community won the farm a national award for Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability April 22 from The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. The farm’s extreme efciency is a result of excelling in the areas of genetics, people, animal housing, nutrition, herd health, milk harvest, technology and calf care. Rosy-Lane genetics zero in on pro-
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Daphne and Lloyd Holterman, part-owners of Rosy-Lane Holsteins, recently won the U.S. Dairy Sustainability award. The Holtermans milk 955 cows and farm 1,800 acres near Watertown, Wisconsin. ductive life – a trait Lloyd has bred for since 1994. Experts at creating cows that last, the folks at RosyLane Holsteins have mastered the art of doing more with less by breeding a relatively trouble-free cow they can milk for many years. “Genetics has made the biggest difference for us in terms of sustainability,” Lloyd said. “We breed for longevity instead of type and have multiple generations of high productive life cows.” The Holtermans think not of
short-term success but of longterm performance and protability achieved on minimal resources. Their herd is lled with efcient cows that stand the test of time, breed back quickly and rarely call in sick. “Cows must be bred for resilience,” Lloyd said. “At the farm level, we’ve greatly reduced our cost to produce milk – not by traditional ways – but by breeding better, healthier, longer-living cows. It’s a big reason why we
won this award.” Fixed on breeding cows that produce more milk throughout their lifetime, Rosy-Lane has bred 166 cows with over 200,000 pounds of lifetime milk production. The farm’s rolling herd average is 32,155 pounds of milk, with 4% butterfat at 1,296 pounds, and 3.2% protein at 1,020 pounds. Cows average 102 pounds of energy-corrected milk per day. The farm follows a specialized breeding template focused on
productive life, daughter pregnancy rate and Dairy Wellness Prot, allowing them to attain more milk with fewer cows. Their breeding philosophy results in cows that perform higher over a longer time period while incurring lower veterinary costs. Low cattle turnover is evident in the farm’s cull rate which has averaged 25% for the last years. at Rosy-Lane is lower than the norm. “It’s really paid off to intensively breed for productive life,” Lloyd said. “We’re milking older, healthier, fertile, disease-resistant cows. That’s where the money is. If you really want to cut costs and increase production, you have to do this. You can breed for more milk, but if she doesn’t last, it’s futile. Reducing a herd’s replacement cost is the low-hanging fruit for protability.” Rosy-Lane is a farm where the older girls often outperform the younger ones. “Our fourth-calf cows are our highest producers,” Lloyd said. “And we have eighth-calf cows that are outproducing our secondcalf cows. Forty percent of our herd is at three or more lactations.” Lloyd said they raise 30% fewer replacements than the average farm but still have enough animals to sell replacement cows. “We do intensive selection for Turn to ROSY-LANE | Page 25
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 25
ConƟnued from ROSY-LANE | Page 23 daughter pregnancy rate,” Lloyd said. “It takes generations to improve fertility, but we’ve been doing this for 15 years and have seen an improvement in genetic fertility. Most of the cows we culled in the past were open. Now, most cows breed back troublefree.” The Holtermans worked with Dr. Paul Fricke and Dr. Milo Wiltbank from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on implementing reproduction strategies. Lloyd said his farm’s breeding strategy costs no more
“We believe healthy cows and a healthy planet go handin-hand. That’s the essence of sustainability.”
DAPHNE HOLTERMAN, DAIRY FARMER
than other approaches. “Our breeding budget is the same as before we went down this path,” he said. “The bulls we use are not necessarily the highest priced. Prices are based on production and type, not longevity, so there are some real bargains out there.” The farm is currently using these sires: Rome, Solution, Arrowhead, Windu, Media, Magnitude, Tuner and Ragnar. “Our cows were getting too big so now we breed a smaller, rounder, tougher cow,” Lloyd said. “We pick average to below on stature, but they still need to be strong. Reducing frame size has dramatically improved mobility. We breed a cow that’s extreme in cheese yield while living longer and healthier. Our cows are also more resistant to disease which has greatly reduced our use of antibiotics.” Whittling away at the cost to produce
100 pounds of milk, the Holtermans have learned how to achieve maximum production on minimal resources. “We believe healthy cows and a healthy planet go hand-in-hand,” Daphne said. “That’s the essence of sustainability.” The Holtermans place a high emphasis on cow health and breed for cows that resist mastitis, ketosis, displaced abomasums and other ailments. The outcome is fewer sick animals and a lower cost per hundredweight of milk. Antibiotics have not been used on the milking herd for more than seven years as cows only receive antibiotics at dryoff, not during lactation. The farm’s vet cost is 32 cents per hundredweight, whereas 90 cents to $1 is typical, Lloyd said. When dealing with things like mastitis, the focus is on prevention. When mastitis does occur, it is treated via uid therapy, not antibiotics. “Our cure rate went up when we started doing this,” Lloyd said. “Fluids stabilize the cows and they usually get better in less than a week.” The Holtermans and their partners have bred two No. 1 genomic females. RosyLane Delta 10090-ET obtained top genomic status in 2015, and two years later, her daughter, Rosy-Lane LLC Frazzled 11270ET, took the No. 1 spot. “The Delta daughter’s livability score is over 5, which is very extreme at more than two deviations over the standard,” Lloyd said. “She has great mobility, fertility, and resistance to mastitis and disease. She has 50 offspring and ve sons in A.I. and is the epitome of what we’re trying to breed here.” Lloyd said the power of genetics to transform a farm should not be underestimated. “You can start changing what you’re breeding for tomorrow,” he said. “It’s an investment, and each generation gets better. Things don’t improve overnight – it takes two to three generations to see a difference,
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Tim Strobel (leŌ) and Jordan MaƩhews are partners with Lloyd and Daphne Holterman and part-owners of Rosy-Lane Holsteins. Strobel and MaƩhews have worked at Rosy-Lane since high school. so you have to be patient and keep at it. You also have to measure and track your numbers.” Daphne agreed. “We collect numbers from all areas of the farm and enter them into the computer on a regular basis,” she said. “These measurements tie everything together and are extremely helpful in guiding us as we strive to be more efcient and sustainable.” Daphne also attributes their efcient, highly-trained and motivated staff of 20 employees as critical to the farm’s success. “Without great people, we couldn’t do all of this,” she said. Sustainability is procured at Rosy-Lane through a combination of large and small efforts, and Daphne said they constantly
evaluate what is providing the best return. Although they have found genetics pulls the biggest bang for their buck, they push for efciency and sustainability at every turn – in caring for their land and crops and in using water, electricity and other resources. “Work towards sustainability, better cash ow and long-term debt reduction and watch your operation grow in nancial strength,” Lloyd said. “People think sustainability has to cost more without getting better performance, but we would argue that’s not the case. By rening our protocols and focusing on genetics, we’ve become more sustainable and protable at the same time.”
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By Ryan Brunn, Stearns County FSA Executive Director & Shannon Olson, county operations trainee
As a reminder, Farm Service Agency ofces are open by phone appointments only at this time. Please call your local ofce to make an appointment, or we will work with you to complete your FSA paperwork by mail or email. The United States Department of Agriculture announced additional disaster assistance available to agricultural producers, including producers impacted by drought and excess moisture as well as sugar beet growers. Through WHIP+, USDA is helping producers recover from losses related to 2018 and 2019 natural disasters. FSA opened signup March 23 for producers to apply for eligible losses of drought (D3 or above) and excess moisture. USDA is also entering into agreements with six sugar beet processing cooperatives to distribute $285 million to grower members of those cooperatives who experienced loss. In June 2019, more than $3 billion was made available through a disaster relief package passed by Congress and signed by President Trump. In December 2019, Congress passed, and Trump signed, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 that provides an additional $1.5 billion for the continuation of disaster assistance program delivery. WHIP+ new qualifying disaster events The bill added excessive moisture and D3 and D4 drought as qualifying losses for WHIP+ assistance. Beginning March 23, producers who suffered either of these types of loss in 2018 and/or 2019 can apply for WHIP+ assistance at a FSA ofce. For drought, a producer is eligible if any area of the county in which the loss occurred was rated D3 (extreme drought) or higher on the U.S. Drought Monitor during calendar years 2018 or 2019. WHIP+ sugar beet loss assistance As also directed in the bill, USDA will provide $285 million through sugar beet processing cooperatives to compensate grower members for sugar beet crop losses in 2018 and 2019. Details will be nalized in agreements between USDA and participating sugar beet processing cooperatives. Sugar beet producers who are members of these cooperatives and experienced losses may contact their cooperative for more information about how this sugar beet crop assistance will be administered.
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WHIP+ for quality loss In addition, producers have reported widespread crop quality loss from eligible disaster events that results in price deductions or penalties when marketing the damaged crops. The appropriations bill expands WHIP+ to include assistance for crop quality loss. FSA is gathering data and input from producers and stakeholders regarding the extent and types of quality loss nationwide. To be eligible for WHIP+, producers must have suffered losses of certain crops, trees, bushes or vines in counties with a presidential emergency disaster declaration or a secretarial disaster designation (primary counties only) for the following named natural disaster events: hurricanes, oods, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, snowstorms, wildres and now excessive moisture that occurred in 2018 or 2019. Also, losses located in a county not designated by the secretary as a primary county may be eligible if the producer provides documentation showing that the loss was due to a qualifying natural disaster event. For drought, counties having a D3 or D4 classication in any portion of the county anytime during calendar year 2018 or 2019 will also be eligible. For more information, visit http://www.farmers.gov/ recover/whip-plus. The U.S. Drought Monitor is available at https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/. Because livestock losses are covered by other disaster recovery programs offered through FSA, these losses are not eligible for WHIP+. 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.
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 27
Midwest Dairy donates $500,000 to area food shelves Checkoff dollars redistributed with USDA exception By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
PARKER, S.D. – In a move never seen before, Midwest Dairy is reallocating $500,000 worth of checkoff dollars to food banks in the 10-state region the organization represents. The funds will be used to purchase dairy products for people in need during the novel coronavirus pandemic. “We know that a growing number of individuals and families are experiencing tough times right now leading food banks to see an increased demand in food, especially those that are high in nutrients like dairy,� Allen Merrill said. “We’re hoping this doAllen Merrill nation will help those who are Midwest Dairy facing food insecurity have more board chairman consistent access to dairy foods.� Merrill serves as the Midwest Dairy board chairman and is a dairy farmer from Parker. When the dairy organization became aware of the challenges food banks were facing, they submitted a proposal to the United States Department of Agriculture to use checkoff dollars to get dairy into the hands of people who are food insecure. Typically, checkoff money cannot be used to purchase product The proposal was approved, and Midwest Dairy has invited milk processors throughout the region to be involved in the program. According to a press release, the following processors were invited to participate in the program: Agropur, Associated Milk Producers Inc., Anderson Erickson Dairy, Bel Brands, Bongards, Cass Clay, Dairy Farmers of America, Dean Foods, First District Association, Hiland, KanPak, Kemps, Land O’Lakes, Midwest Dairymen, Plainview Milk Products, Prairie Farms, Valley Queen and Wapsie Valley. These partnerships will help determine which dairy products are available, and then connect processors to food shelves that have the need for such dairy products and the ability to increase their dairy inventory and distribution. “Making this connection between processors and food banks also helps dairy farmers because it helps move more milk through the supply chain and into
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stantial portion of their daily nutrition, and schools have had to get creative about how they serve those meals during school closures,� Merrill said. “(This equipment) will help students to continue to receive dairy products through alternative feeding methods.� As a dairy farmer, Merrill hopes these donations, as well as the unique way in using checkoff dollars, will further build the relationship between the dairy industry and consumers. “Though this ($500,000) donation is outside the usual scope of checkoff activities, this project aligns with (our) goals to bring dairy to life for consumers by making sure all consumers have access to enjoy nutritious dairy foods, particularly during challenging times,� Merrill said. “We hope this donation continues to inspire trust in our products and builds upon valuable relationships within our community for years to come.�
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the hands of individuals and families who need it and can enjoy it,� Merrill said. With USDA’s approval of Midwest Dairy’s proposal, the funds became available immediately. Midwest Dairy is encouraging food shelves to use the money to purchase dairy products as soon as possible but no later than the end of June. In addition to the monetary donation, the dairy organization has provided communities with supplies to effectively distribute dairy. The organization donated 68 commercial refrigerators to food shelves across the 10-state region, many of which are in rural communities. They have also provided schools with additional refrigerator equipment – more than 1,500 cooler bags and 100 barrel coolers – to help keep dairy products cold as students receive delivery meals. “Many children rely on school meals for a sub-
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 Joe Armstrong armst225@umn.edu 612.624.3610 Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130 Hugh Chester-Jones chest001@umn.edu 507-835-3622
www.extension.umn.edu/dairy
What do we do now?
Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184 Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391
By Kevin Janni, Melissa Wilson, Erin Cortus & Chryseis Modderman
Sandra Godden godde002@umn.edu 612-625-8177
University of Minnesota
Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to spread. One challenge is that some dairy producers are being told to dump their milk because their processing plant does not have a market for their milk. News reports when this article was written indicated that no farms in Minnesota have had yet to dump milk. But what would you do if you were told that your milk is not wanted and will not be picked up for quite a while? As in many cases the answer depends on your situation and conditions. Some farms can dump the milk into their manure storage and land apply the milk and manure mixture at rates consistent with their nutrient management plan. Some farms may land apply the milk directly to cropland at rates that are within their nutrient management plan. Another option is to feed the milk to animals. Check with your veterinarian and your nutritionist if you plan to feed raw milk to your animals. There are disease and nutrition issues that need to be identied and addressed. In each case, there are logistical challenges and questions to answer. If you plan to add the milk to your manure storage, how many days of milk can you add to your storage before it will be full and need to be emptied? If you plan to land apply daily, which elds will you use and what will you do during wet weather? Do you have a neighbor with manure storage capacity or land that could take some milk? Milk added to a manure storage or land applied can generate strong odors; what will you do to manage the odors? Milk is nutritious, and it is important that the nutrients be accounted for in the nutrient management plan for the cropland used. Each 1,000 gallons has the equivalent of 46 pounds of nitrogen, 26 pounds of phosphorus and 17 pounds of potassium. To get information on the nutrient value of the milk or milk and manure mixture, samples should be collected and sent to a lab for analysis to gure out how much can be land applied. Use good record keeping to document the nutrient loading. To help farmers sort through issues with land application of surplus milk, University of Minnesota Extension faculty published a blog post. The post is available online at http://z.umn. edu/5gpd. There are tips for direct land application of milk and land application of a mixture of milk and manure. It is noted that milk is highly degradable and can generate strong odors when directly land applied or added to manure storages. Avoid land application when the risk of rain events and runoff is high. Farmers are also encouraged to record the date, volume of milk, reason for
Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu 612-626-5620 Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277 Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711 Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104 Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu 612-625-3108 Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334 Emily Krekelberg krek0033@umn.edu 507-280-2863 Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109 Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435 Erin Royster royster@umn.edu Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093 Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu 612-624-1205 M. Scott Wells mswells@umn.edu 612-625-3747
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dumping and where it was disposed of in case there is a state or federal program to help farmers with their losses. The blog also has links to a University of Wisconsin publication (https://ipcm.wisc.edu/download/pubsNM/UW-LandspreadingMilkConsiderations2020.pdf) about land spreading of milk or milk and manure mixtures. There are also links to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency materials (https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/les/wq-f811.pdf) and a guidance for disposing of excess milk (https://www. pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/les/wq-f6-81.pdf). One thing not to do with the milk is dump it down the drain with your milk house wastewater. Milkhouse wastewater treatment systems are not designed to handle large raw milk quantities. The biological oxygen demand will overload the treatment system. For more information about the milkhouse wastewater systems, go to the research page of the Onsite Sewage Treatment Program at https://www.septic.umn.edu/research. A second challenge that some conned animal feeding operations might have to deal with is an increase in animal numbers above their CAFO designation threshold. The animal number increase can be caused by processing plants closing, which under certain circumstances could cause an animal feeding operation to have an increase in animal numbers above thresholds for their CAFO designation. If your farm must house more animals than your CAFO designation, be sure to check out the MPCA guidance at https://www.pca.state.mn.us/covid-19/covid-19-response-agriculture. As you face a new problem and are trying to gure out what to do next, there are people willing to help problem solve. The University of Minnesota Extension website has links to all livestock groups and the manure management group. The URL is https://extension.umn.edu/animals-and-livestock. For general farm-related questions, contact the Farm Information Line. The Farm Information Line is a statewide service backed by a network of local Extension educators that provides reliable, research-based answers from Extension agriculture and natural resources experts. You can reach the Farm Information Line by calling 1-800-232-9077 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday from now through June 30. Leave a voicemail if you call after hours and someone will return your call the next business day. You can also send emails to the Farm Information Line at l@umn.edu. Finally, be open with family and employees about your decisions. They have invested time and energy on the farm as well and would appreciate knowing reasons for the actions you take.
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When I usually sit down to write my Dairy Star articles, I am at my desk in my ofce in St. Cloud. Today, I am at my aunt and uncle’s kitchen island at their house in Coon Rapids. What a difference a few months make. As I look at the past, I realize how different the future is going to look. This is a season of change. I do not only mean spring. The way we live our lives changed in the blink of an eye, and the way we will live our lives after this global pandemic will look different. In what ways, I am not sure. Change is not always a bad thing. It is usually an uncomfortable thing, though. I speak from a lifetime of experience with change. I also speak as someone in my own season of change. A couple months ago, I got divorced, sold my house and temporarily moved in with relatives while I got my feet under me. The plan was to stay a month or so, nd an apartment and keep working. Then COVID-19 hit. I am fortunate to be working (from home), have a safe place to live and a great support network. But, life is not crazy enough for me so let us throw in another change. On April 27, I started my new position with University of Minnesota Extension as the Extension educator for farm safety and health. I will be based out of our RochesBy Emily ter ofce and have statewide responsibilities related to farmer Krekelberg mental health, tractor safety, grain safety, livestock safety and U of M Extension many other topics. I will always cherish my time as the livestock Extension educator in Stearns, Benton and Morrison counties; my seven years in central Minnesota were nothing short of amazing. Thank you to all the amazing people I worked with. Why am I telling you all this? Because change is hard. Yes, change can be good, but it can still be hard. We are living in a world that is changing by the hour. We are in a constant state of uncertainty, living from one update to the next. Some days it feels like business as usual. Some days we wonder what universe we have been transported to. And that is OK. We all cope with change in different ways; resilience does not look the same for everyone. The important thing is we are coping. We are working to nd ways to make it work. There are so many things that are out of our control right now. A great strategy to keep us from feeling overwhelmed is to focus on what we can control. We can control ourselves. We can take care of ourselves. We can work toward daily goals. As I write this, farmers are going gangbusters in the elds. The farmers I have talked to have commented that it is nice to have something normal in their lives. It is good to have those things that feel familiar in such uncertain times. Remember those moments and how they feel. Focusing on positive emotions (happiness, peace and amusement) is a great way to build resilience. In times of change, it is especially important to focus on building and maintaining strong relationships. A key way to do this is through communication. Recapping the day, discussing the good and the bad, and working together to nd solutions can make us feel at ease with our circumstances. Being a good communicator includes two parts: talking and listening. Be an active listener when someone else is sharing. Listen to understand, ask questions and review what the speaker is saying to make sure you understand what they are saying. Speaking of communication, it is important to be open with people during seasons of change, especially in a family setting. Be open with your spouse, children and parents. Humans have a tendency to protect others by trying to keep information they think may be distressing. As we all cope with this season of change, we need to keep everyone in the loop with problems, ideas, solutions and upcoming decisions. The most crucial part of being resilient in a season of change is practicing self-care. Taking care of our three-legged stool (physical health, mental health and emotional health) will help us be adaptable, think clearly and feel well. Self-care is any activity we do to take care of ourselves. This can include eating, sleeping, grooming, reading, walking, cooking, connecting with friends, journaling and so much more. Self-care does not need to be an elaborate routine. In fact, the best self-care is a part of our everyday life. Taking care of ourselves ensures we are able to take care of others. Remember, you cannot pour from an empty cup. As we navigate seasons of change, we need to remember that change can be difcult, and it is OK to give ourselves a little grace. Change looks different for all of us; when we control the things we can control, communicate clearly and practice self-care, we are setting ourselves up to be resilient to the change that surrounds us. Everything is going to be OK.
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A zzy lesson Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
Our education system is a lot like the weather. Everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it. This has changed thanks to the current coronavirus situation. Many parents are now teaching their children at home, locked in a sort of warfare wherein the parents are struggling to force education upon their offspring while the kids have formed an underground learning resistance movement. This has caused many parents to discover some harsh truths. For instance, some have learned their child’s naughty classmate who constantly interrupts the teacher is, in fact, their progeny. Also, that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and touchscreens do not go well together. There have been copious amounts of crying and whining and loud declarations of, “I just want school to start again.” Schoolchildren have also been quite
vociferous regarding the situation. I do not claim to have any answers for this dilemma. All I know for sure is that nothing compares to the educational experience I received at the vacation Bible school which was held each spring at First Lutheran Church. Even though it ate up a whole week of perfectly good summer, Bible school was the only school I ever looked forward to. This was because the whole experience was so enjoyable. For instance, each day began with all of the students assembling to sing Bible-related songs. I lip-synced like I always do, but nobody ever called me on it. After the assembly, we were herded to our classrooms where we passed many a pleasant hour coloring, cutting and pasting various projects which illustrated Bible-related stories. And here is the best part of vacation Bible school: nobody ever unked.
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Heck, they did not even hand out grades. It did not matter if you colored outside the lines or pasted Naomi where Ruth belonged, everybody passed. While class was enjoyable enough, what I looked forward to most was recess. There Dear County Agent Guy was no playground equipment at the church, so we vacation Bible schoolers had to create our own recess-related entertainment. We played such games as tag and ring-aroundthe-Rosie, and spin in place until you get dizzy and fall down. Recess was always great By Jerry Nelson good fun, especially at Columnist noon when you could sometimes persuade a little kid to spin in place immediately after he ate lunch. It pains me deeply to say this, but like all schools, vacation Bible school had its share of problems. Indeed, vacation Bible school is where I was rst introduced to the idea of substance abuse. And I am not talking about some little kid eating mint-avored paste, either. No, this involved the hard stuff. This involved Fizzies. You have to be of a certain age to know what Fizzies were. Fizzies were avored effervescent tablets which were dropped into a glass of water. They worked like Alka-Seltzer except that they made the water taste better instead of worse. I had opened my sack lunch one day and was just about to plop my root beer Fizzies into a glass of water when my cousin Jim happened by. Jim was older than me and knew a lot of stuff. He lived right there in Volga, so he was also streetwise. “Wait a minute,” said Jim. “You aren’t going to put those Fizzies in that water, are you?” “Um, yeah,” I replied. “I guess so. Why?” A sly look crossed Jim’s face. “You don’t know about Fizzies? Give me one, and I’ll show you.” Jim broke off a sliver of Fizzies and … snorked it up his nose. Jim’s eyes rolled back and he began to moan and quiver. “Whoa,” he said presently, making a show of collecting himself. “That was great. You should try it. It’ll put hair on your chest.” Well. What 8-year-old boy does not want hair on his chest? I copied Jim. I broke off a chunk and snorked it up my nose. A violent sizzling and popping instantly erupted inside of my sinuses. I cried and ran in circles; I thought my head was going to explode. It nally occurred to me to blow my nose and rid myself of that chemical blowtorch. I looked over at Jim. He was also wiping away tears, except his were the kind that came from laughing too hard. About then is when I began to develop the sneaking suspicion that maybe, just maybe, I had been had. I learned a lot at vacation Bible school that day. And you could always tell when Jim had tutored another pupil because that kid would go around for the rest of the day with a trickle of Fizzies juice on his upper lip. Jerry is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, S.D. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry currently works full time for the Dairy Star as a staff writer/ ad salesman. Feel free to E-mail him at: jerry.n@dairystar.com.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 31
J I M ’S E L E C T R I C S E RV I C E
to determine the proper incision site. Normally their jobs. Others have died, and more will die. one looks for legs to grab somewhere near the Going to the grocery store feels like a trip into the middle or front of one of the horns, but I could hot zone. You, America’s farmers, can help show feel no legs in this case. So, I cut where I thought the rest of us a way out of the Upside Down. So I would have the best exposure for closure and often I have seen farmers show fortitude and a reached in. I was able to get a leg, then the head, certain steadiness during difcult times. Planting a then another leg out of the incision. A third leg crop between rains when it is already three weeks seemed to want to come late, facing a lost crop or along, so I pulled that collapsed barn following a one out as well. We then Th Thanks k to COVID COVID-19, 19 it seems storm, or weathering years pulled on the two front of low prices are things legs but to no avail. Just we are in the Upside Down most farmers will do in like before, everything right now. their career. Continuing to wanted to come together. produce food for the rest Frustrated again, I of us while everything increased the size of the incision. No dice. We seems turned inside out is just another storm. pulled on the head alone. More frustration. At Thank you for everything that you do, including this point, delivery should have been easy, but it showing us how to navigate the Upside Down. was not. The calf was dead, so to get more room I Bennett is one of four dairy veterinarians quickly amputated the head. We pulled again, and at Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine again, no dice. I then pulled up the fourth leg. We Center in Plainview, Minn. He also consults pulled hard and nally, the whole thing came out on dairy farms in other states. He and his wife, with a whoosh. I looked to the ground and saw Pam, have four children. Jim can be reached that we had delivered a schistomus retroexus, a at bennettnvac@gmail.com with comments or condition sometimes described as an inside out questions. calf. The front and rear legs were extended over the back all the way until they came together. The abdomen was open with organs exposed. It JIM’S ELECTRIC SERVICE • JIM’S ELECTRIC SERVICE • JIM’S ELECTRIC looked more like an octopus than a calf. Relieved, I explained what we were seeing while I started Serving Central Minnesota since 1977 closing the uterus. The plan forward was clear and something I had done many times before. There Taking care of all was light at the end of the tunnel. your electrical needs Thanks to COVID-19, it seems we are in the fast and efÀciently. Upside Down right now. There are food shortages The experienced crew - Jim Schulzetenberg along in the grocery stores, but farmers are dumping with Mike, Dennis, and Jim Schulzetenberg milk. Slaughter plants are shutting down, but Jared give you the best job. and crew are here to give hamburger can be hard to nd. Milk prices have you the best job! 320-987-3587 crashed, and uncertainty about the future reigns. JIM’S ELECTRIC SERVICE • JIM’S ELECTRIC SERVICE • JIM’S ELECTRIC Nearly everything is canceled. Millions have lost
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In the Netix series “Stranger Things,” the Upside Down is another world that exists as an alternate dimension to the real world. Sometimes it is hard not to feel that one is in that alternate For example, the Veterinary Wisdom reality. other night I was called to help with a dystocia. The farmer said there were three feet and a head, and he just could not gure it out. Upon examination, indeed there were three legs and a head within reach. Further examination revealed a fourth leg. Two legs appeared to By Jim Bennett be rears, and the others Columnist were fronts. The most likely scenario was twins. It was also possible the legs were from the same calf, but the positioning suggested this was not likely. The third possibility was a severely deformed fetus, but this was even less likely. In such situations, one may have a choice of which calf to deliver rst, and in my experience one can always choose and then proceed to deliver both calves without excess difculty. In this case, however, I could not get either set of legs or the head to move without the other set of legs coming along. Something did not seem right. Finally, I suggested a cesarean section. I was frustrated. All indications were that I should be able to deliver the calf or calves vaginally but clearly was not reality that night. Necessity made the farmer and I move to step two, a C-section, something neither of us wanted to do. But that was our reality, the Upside Down. The heifer was clearly tired, so I moved quickly. Once inside the peritoneum, I palpated the uterus
COVID-19 for a 14-year-old farm boy Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
His math skills are average at best, but his ability to make a 10-second statement into a 5 minute soliloquy is surpassed only by our minister. This is how he turns in his hours, with no total, so the paymaster (me) has to add them up. - April 1: scraped manure, loaded cattle to Kansas, 11 hours. - April 2: sorted cattle at Seth and Kia’s, and scraped manure, 6 1/2 hours. - April 9: leveled tile lines at Vance farm, and fed calves at dairy, 5 1/2 hours. - April 11: hauled manure at Paul’s, and at old feed at Berket’s, 6 hours. - April 13: hauled manure at my house, 6 1/2 hours. - April 16: hauled manure at my house, 1 hour. - April 17: helped at shop with eld cultivator, 8 hours.
We are paying super high real estate taxes on our land to support the local public school system. That could be another story all by itself, especially in Worthington. We pay tuition and donate money for private Christian kindergarten through eighth grade schools all my grandkids attend. And now I am paying my 14-year-old grandson to drive tractor during school hours because he is not really in school. Well kind of, maybe, sort of, partially, in a social distancing sort of way. While the rest of us suffer nancially from depressed prices, job layoffs or reduced hours, Vince will graduate from eighth grade without entering a real classroom for three months and get paid besides. Vince turned in his hours yesterday to the paymaster at Ocheda Dairy for the month of April. Now Vince does not estimate or guess when it comes to hours.
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- April 18: helped hook up rock picker at Paul’s, and rock picked at both Vance elds, 7 hours. - April 20: hauled manure at my house, and dug Lindon’s and Vance north farm, 13 hours. - April 21: eld cultivated, 10 hours. Making Cents of Dairy - April 22: brought seed to the planter and eld cultivated, 10 1/2 hours. - April 23: eld cultivated, 9 hours. - April 24: eld cultivated, 8 hours. I totaled them once, came up with 96, and gured close enough for a kid who would rather By Dave Vander Kooi drive tractor than be in Columnist a class room any day of the week. There were some serious lessons about tractor driving and farming safety that Vince learned this past week. He was doing so well over thousands of acres and even moving the 9RX and 60-foot eld cultivator down the road between farms. Then he was rounding a curve on a tar road, and he did not stay far enough on his side of the road and a shovel on the folded up cultivator took a mirror off a neighbor’s pickup. There is probably more to that story than I will ever know, but thankfully no one was hurt. The very next day he was trimming the edge of a eld on the nal pass, and the harrow and rolling basket clipped a three-phase REA power pole and split the pole in half. The wires stayed up, thankfully, and again no one was hurt. I immediately took a picture of the pole and sent it to a lineman friend of mine that works for Nobles Cooperative Electric. I also called it in to the co-op ofce as required. The line crew made a special afterhours repair that night yet because strong winds and rain were forecasted for later that night. They did not want the pole to go completely down. The lineman friend also reminded us about how close that accident was to being very serious. He also gave Vince the big brown insulator off the broken pole as a souvenir and reminder to respect power poles. Troubles usually come in threes, and Vince proved it is true. After those two mishaps, he was putting fuel in the tractor from the portable fuel trailer. Apparently, the bearing between the gas engine and the actual diesel pump failed, causing heat, smoke and maybe even a little re. Vince shut it off and threw water on it, which luckily got it out. But water was probably not the right choice. Again, Grandpa and Dad have not adequately trained our youth in safety procedures. I wish I knew the answers to how much and how early we let teenagers do work. If we do not allow them to do anything until they are 20 years old, will they know any better by then? Just a follow-up on last month’s article on COVID-19. As many of you are aware of, Worthington is a hotbed of infection, somewhat related to a large hog processing plant located here. So far as of this writing, we are all OK. All of our employees are OK. Our three semi loads of milk are being picked up daily, and that is much appreciated. Milk prices are down to under $12 per hundredweight, but cull cow prices have already improved dramatically. We are blessed. Vander Kooi operates a 1,800-cow, 4,500 acre farm with his son, Joe, and daughter-in-law, Rita, near Worthington, Minn. Send him feedback at davevkooi@icloud.com. Follow him on Instagram, @ davevanderkooi.
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Dog days of delight
Chloe, our farm dog, is narrating her take on her job at our dairy for this month’s column. (My apologies to Spencer Quinn, author of the “Chet and Bernie Mystery Series” where the dog in the crime-solving duo, Chet, narrates the stories and where I found this idea.) It is 4:15 a.m., and Mike and I are walking through the pasture to the farm on this ne spring morning. Smells are great. Do I sniff some cats, rodents, other critters in the long grass? I hope I nd out later today. Maybe someone will re up a mower or an air compressor to make the critters run. I love when that happens. I can race around the windbreak or lie with my nose stuffed in the culvert under the driveway where a critter might be hiding. Come Full Dairy Circle But right now, it is my time to check the perimeter of the farm and stay on alert for predators. I usually have to bark for an hour or two while I do this. They can hear me all of the way in the parlor and the house. Mike is busy in the barn, raking stalls, cleaning alleys, feeding, moving cows. It’s pretty routine. He doesn’t need me to supervise, usually. Although I do like to once in a while run through the barn, nipping at the cows’ noses and lapping up something yummy from the feed alley. I smell something pungent this morning. Is it By Jean Annexstad coyotes? Another small animal? Extra barking and checking is needed. A lot. OK, I’m done. Columnist Next, I walk proudly down the cow lane, stopping to greet the heifers in their pen and arrive to stand at the end of the parlor pit. My tail goes back and forth. I am smiling. I can’t help it. My other people who live at the farmhouse are there. When will they quit doing stuff to the cows and come over to rub me? Jean says hello to me, but she isn’t coming over. Oh, well. I can catch up with her in the calf barn later. Here comes Rolf. He gives me a nice rub and talks to me. OK, now I go out to lie in the grass with my belly hair blowing in the nice breeze. Ah, feels great. A long wait. Some more people I love came out to help, and they stopped to rub my belly. Mike and Rolf’s brother, Eric, is here many days because he is planting corn and soybean. He is one of my favorites. Will is another, because he always take time to rub my belly. My tail wags when I see them. I just love how there are more people here now. I can get many belly rubs in every day. Here’s Jean, nally. Oh, boy. I have to make sure the cats know I am in charge. They come to drink milk and eat their food while she is pouring up the milk for the calves. I run through and make sure no unsavory cats are there. If there is an imposter, I chase them away. Why does Jean say, “No Chloe, cats are our friends.”? Certainly, we don’t need any more of them around, do we? Geez. Now to the calf barn. I hope it’s a mouse day. I May we allll take M k in and d savor can smell them under empty the sights, smells and tasks of feed sacks. I patiently wait until she moves them. Then these ne spring days. I pounce and get a mouse in my mouth, tossing it up in the air. It’s not moving. I get praised and rubbed. I know we don’t want the mice in the feed, and I am so proud to be the best mouser on the farm. (Not hard, those cats are a tad lazy.) My tail circles round and round. I am so happy. The only time I get happier is when the hoof trimmer comes. That is the best. I don’t have to explain it, do I? I help with almost all of the calf feeding just in case a calf gets out and chasing is needed. I am good at this job and know exactly which way the calf should go. I listen well. If I am not doing the right thing, I will hear, “Chloe, mom says, ‘No.’” Then I know I did the wrong thing. Oops. This warm spring day I have smells to investigate in the meadow between the calf barn and the road. I should not go across the road, but sometimes I go incognito to the culvert that goes under the road. It is wet there now with critters and really great smells. They won’t notice that two-thirds of my body is soaking wet, will they? Now morning chores are done. Mike says, “Chloe, time for breakfast. Come on.” I am ready. Lois will have food and fresh water dished up for me along with a nice soft rug to lie on right outside of the door so I won’t miss my chance to go back to the farm for more fun. May we all take in and savor the sights, smells and tasks on these ne spring days with a dog’s sensibility for pleasure in the little things. Jean dairy farms with her husband, Rolf, and brother-in-law, Mike, and children Emily, Matthias and Leif. They farm near St. Peter, Minnesota, in Norseland, where she is still trying to t in with the Norwegians and Swedes. They milk 200 cows and farm 650 acres. She can be reached at jeanannexstad@ gmail.com.
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 33
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
Settergren brothers proud of family’s legacy
Meeker County dairy surpasses 100 years By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
DASSEL, Minn. – Don and Peter Settergren are humbled to be working the land their grandfather rst farmed in 1919. Last year, the brothers’ 55-cow dairy farm in Meeker County near Dassel was recognized as a century farm. “This was our grandfather’s farm, and I think our family has been milking cows since 1881,” Don said. The bachelor brothers have run the family’s farm since they returned home from college in 1975, and worked alongside their parents until their passings in 2011 and 2019. “Dad worked with us until he was 95 years old,” Peter said. “He was mechanically inclined. If something would break down, I’d drop it off with him and then go do something else until it was xed.” Peter, 64, oversees much of the crops and eldwork on the farm’s 190 acres. He went to school at the University of Minnesota-Waseca for diversied ag production. “I mostly enjoy sitting in the tractor all afternoon,” Peter said. “I like
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Peter and Don SeƩergren stand in their Ɵestall barn on their 55-cow dairy near Dassel, Minnesota. The brothers are the fourth generaƟon of SeƩergrens to farm on this locaƟon.
Turn to SETTERGRENS | Page 35
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 35
ConƟnued from SETTERGRENS | Page 34
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and milking is my favorite part,” Don said. “It’s where you’re making your money, and it’s where you monitor how the cattle are doing.” To keep up with the industry, the Settergrens have continually improved their farm operations – a practice their father was adamant about. Over the years, the family has put up silos for feed – one of the rst in the area – a manure pit and designed the tiestall barn to last through the times. Don and Peter’s dad was also an early user of haylage. The family even found ways to work around Minnesota Highway 15 built on their land, dividing the property in half, after World War II. “Dad wanted to make sure we were going to keep going, so that’s why we did all this,” Don said. “It’s been a gradual process and out of necessity.” As the Settergrens could afford onfarm improvements, they made them. The brothers’ dad was careful with how he spent the farm’s money. “We are thrifty,” Don said. “Dad never spent anything extra.” The same sentiment has been true for Don and Peter, as they have taken the reigns of the farm. “This is our only income,” Peter said. “Without kids and stuff, our living expenses have been low and that’s how we’ve been able to manage the low prices.” Don agreed. “We purchased the farm on a contract for deed over 15 years, and we took out a loan to purchase the cows. That’s the only loan we’ve ever taken out between the two of us,” he said. “Since we’ve been here, everything we buy or do, we pay for.” The Settergrens are dedicated to dairying and the legacy of such a career in their family. Yet, they do make time for activities. Both are involved in their church and have served on local agriculture boards in the past. Peter enjoys watching TV when he is not busy in the elds, and Don has season tickets to watch the University of Minnesota Golden Gopher men’s basketball team. “Really, we don’t do much other than farm,” Peter said. “It’s what we know how to do.” And dairying – on their family’s century farm nonetheless – is a humbling opportunity the Settergren brothers embrace. Mark Klaphake contributed to this article.
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These two aerial shots display how much the SeƩergren farm has changed throughout the years near Dassel, Minnesota.
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cutting hay, and chopping corn silage is fun. It’s peaceful to just drive back and forth.” The Settergrens have a diverse land base. They work in both high and low ground to grow mostly corn and alfalfa, and some wheat and oats. “With our land varied so much, we have always had a crop,” Peter said. “We’ll never have the bumper crop some farmers get, but all we have to do is get enough feed for the cows.” While Peter is mostly in the eld, Don, 68, works with the cattle. “Peter feeds the calves, but I do all the feeding for the cows. We both milk,” said Don, who went to school at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and received his doctorate in veterinary medicine. The Settergrens also have a brother, David, who helps wherever needed on the farm throughout the year. “He’ll help with eldwork,” Don said. “And when we’re lling the silo, he’ll unload while Peter is chopping, and then I’ll take care of the cattle.” Throughout the years, the Settergrens have always been present for farm chores. “It’s been over 50 years since a non-family member has done all the chores,” Don said. Peter agreed. “In this barn, a Settergren has always been here,” he said. The Settergrens’ great-grandparents, John and Gertrude, came to the United States in 1881, immigrating from Sweden. In 1907, Don and Peter’s grandfather, Peter purchased the rst part of the family’s farm and then later purchased the remaining farm site in 1919. On the farm, the Settergrens’ grandparents, PJ and Ulma, raised 12 children. During their time dairying, they went from milking cows by hand to using machines, and using horses for eldwork to tractors. After serving in the Army in World War II, Don and Peter’s father, Harry, married their mother, Doris. In 1948, the couple purchased the family farm. In the 1980s, Don and Peter took over the farm from their parents. As the Settergrens aim to maintain the farm’s rich history, much of the dairy has changed over the years. The cows were milked in a stanchion barn until the Settergrens’ father built a parlor soon after he took over the dairy farm. He also built a loose housing barn for the cows. “We grew up milking in the parlor,” Don said. “Dad had back problems and just switching that took care of the problems. We had to have had one of the rst parlors in the area.” Then, in January 1977, a re destroyed the barn that housed the milking parlor, holding area and some calves. For the following two years, the family covered the parlor area with canvas tarps to be able to still milk the cows as they built a new barn. “If we wanted to keep milking cows we had to do something,” Don said. “At that point, freestall barns weren’t a big thing yet. We were in the registered business, so we went with a tiestall barn.” In 1981, the family also built a freestall barn for heifers. The Settergrens grew up in 4-H, FFA, school and sports. Don continues to keep up with the animal pedigrees within their 100% registered Holstein herd. “I like working with the animals,
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020
Women In Dairy Nancy Pechous pictured with grandchildren – (from left) Olivia, Georjia, Reid, Gracie and Blake Pechous Pechous Dairy Tabor, South Dakota Yankton County 240 cows Family: My husband’s name is Bob. Our oldest son, Justin, and his wife, Josie, have two daughters, Gracie and Georjia. Our son, Kyle, and his wife, Erin, have three children, Blake, Olivia, and Reid. Kyle and Erin have a baby on the way in June. Our daughter’s name is Jennifer, and she has two dogs named Myla and Rip. Tell us about your farm. In 1980, we started milking with Bob’s parents. In 1985, they quit milking, and we built a dairy barn with a double-6 herringbone parlor with automatic take-offs. We milked there for 30 years. The facilities were worn out so we needed to decide to quit milking or build new. We farm with Kyle, and he wanted to continue in the dairy business. We weren’t ready to exit. We decided to build a robotic dairy barn in 2016. We milk 240 cows with four Lely Astronaut robots. We raise our dairy calves, calve out 100 head of stock cows and have a 900-head feedlot. We have row crops of corn, soybean and alfalfa to feed our livestock. There are three employees who help us. In 2019, Bob and Kyle built a mono slope calf barn with 60 stalls. It made feeding calves so much easier than in huts. It cut the time in half to do chores. The calves are more comfortable, healthier and bigger at weaning. I love the new calf barn. What is the busiest time of day for you? I’m busy all day long. The day starts out doing calf chores. After that, I go to the milk barn. I also help with eldwork, hauling manure and working cattle. Whatever the guys are doing, I’m usually there outside helping, and not to forget there is always cooking, cleaning and bookwork in the house. I am also watching grandchildren when needed. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I enjoy baking and spending time with my family. I attend grandchildren’s baseball, softball and basketball games. I like watching my daughter barrel race. Another favorite is playing fetch with my dogs.
FARM INFORMATION STATION Joe Gill • Farm Director
SERVING CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR OVER 50 YEARS Catch the Dairy Star’s Mark Klaphake with Joe Gill at 6:45 a.m. the 2nd & 4th Fridays of the month on KASM!
PO Box 160, Albany, MN • (320) 845-2184 • Fax (320) 845-2187
tfn
Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. I was discing and I went through a waterway. I heard a loud bang and broken glass was suddenly all over me. I looked around, and all the windows around me were shattered. I called my husband and said, “I think someone shot a gun and broke the windows out of my tractor.” It didn’t take him long to get there. He started looking around analyzing the situation. He found that the leveling crank on the disc broke off when I went through the waterway and ew right above my head, shattering the back and side windows. Being short was a blessing that day. Anyone taller would have been killed. God was with me that day. What have you enjoyed about dairy farming or your tie to the industry? Raising calves and watching them perform in the milk barn to the genetics they were bred to. I got to watch my children grow up and help on the farm, and now my grandchildren are with me helping as well. I am blessed to have my family live so close to me. How do you stay connected to the dairy industry? I follow Facebook dairy moms as well as calling and talking to other dairy farmers. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My dad. He was a dairy farmer most of his life as well. I worked side-by-side with him growing up. He taught me so much about farming. He passed away in 2015. I still say, “I wish Dad was here; he would know.” If you could give a tour of your farm to prominent women in today’s society, who would it be? The First Lady of the United States. I want her to tell President Trump how proud and hard a family farm has to work to keep the farm going so it can be passed from generation to generation. All we want is a fair price for all our products so we can make a decent living nancially. What is your best vacation you have ever taken? In 2012, we went on a cruise and land tour to Alaska with two couples. The scenery and wildlife were beautiful. The entertainment and food on the ship was awesome. I would go back to Alaska again. What are some words you like to live by? Be kind to everyone. Think it, don’t say it.
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A resurged role in Minnesota agriculture Krekelberg furthers career as farm safety, health specialist By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
ROCHESTER, Minn. – After nearly a decade of Minnesota farmers being without a University of Minnesota Extension educator speciďƒžcally working for the safety and health of the agriculture community, the role is ďƒžlled. Emily Krekelberg stepped into the redeveloped position April 27, leaving behind her job as the local livestock Extension educator for Benton, MorEmily Krekelberg rison and Stearns UMN Extension counties. “I’ve always had a passion for helping farmers,â€? Krekelberg said. “If I can play one small role in positively impacting their lives, that helps me sleep better at night.â€? Krekelberg now acts as the farm safety and health educator based in Extension’s regional ofďƒžce in Rochester. She will work with fellow educators to provide resources, host workshops and be an advocate for farm safety and health throughout Minnesota. “I took this job because it will
“It’s so important to stay safe, stay well and take care of yourself. Self care is not selďƒžsh.â€? EMILY KREKELBERG, UMN EXTENSION
push me out of my comfort zone and force me to think out of the box,� Krekelberg said. “I love that.� While the position and initiatives Krekelberg will lead are still being ironed out, she said she will work with state organizations, such as Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Minnesota Farm Bureau Association, in curriculum development for youth tractor, and grain and livestock safety, and COVID-19 response work, among other topics. “More and more we’re seeing deaths and entrapments happening on farms,� Krekelberg said. “It was time to ask what can Extension do.� The specialist’s interest in assisting the agriculture community stems from growing up on a dairy farm near Le Sueur. “Farmers are such extraordinary people,� Krekelberg said. “While
farming is not for me, I have this huge passion to get involved.â€? Her personal experiences with both farm safety and health have made Krekelberg the perfect ďƒžt for this newfound role in Extension. “Farm safety is something I really care about. I’ve seen the impacts accidents have on families, and I don’t want any family to go through what mine has had to go through,â€? Krekelberg said. “And in speaking of health, I’ve recently had my own experiences with mental health. We can’t expect to be under stress and taking shortcuts without the increased risk of accidents.â€? In addition to Krekelberg’s new position, she will continue her work as director for the Rural Stress Task Force. By pairing these two responsibilities, Krekelberg is hopeful to create a stronger connection between the organizations in a way that further assists her agriculture and rural family audiences. With everything, though, there will be challenges in Krekelberg’s job. She anticipates some people not being receptive to certain recommendations to address safety on farms. “There are so many groups and people across the state that have worked with this,â€? Krekelberg said. “We all need to share a uniďƒžed message and get information into the hands of farmers. I’m really looking forward to it.â€? When one thinks of farm safety and health, there are many aspects. One of Krekelberg’s key points of interest is suicide and decreasing the prevalence of farmers taking their own lives. “Another goal I’d like to accomplish is getting farm safety to be a part of farm culture,â€? Krekelberg said. “How do we get it integrated into farmers’ daily work?â€? In the past seven years, Krekelberg formed lasting relationships and social connections with dairy farmers, and others in the agriculture community, throughout central Minnesota. While no longer based in the tricounty area, Krekelberg is looking forward to continuing those relationships. “Through my previous job in Extension, I’ve gotten on farms, I’ve heard people and what is on their mind,â€? she said. “That’s helped me make this career move. I’m excited to collaborate with other people and reach the same and new audiences. As always, their support is tremendous.â€? As Krekelberg familiarizes herself in her new role, she wants to be accessible and approachable to meet the needs of farmers as she works to promote farm safety and health. “It’s so important to stay safe, stay well and take care of yourself. Self care is not selďƒžsh,â€? Krekelberg said. “You hold the key to having a good day.â€?
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 37
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Udder
News and Dairy Views from across the region
MDA assists livestock producers, processors during COVID-19 pandemic Due to market and supply/demand changes for meat products during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is helping livestock farmers and processors in addressing these current challenges. The recent closures of some meat processing plants around the region due to COVID-19 is disrupting traditional animal markets and the meat supply chain. The MDA is working to limit this disruption for producers of smaller herds or ocks by matching them with slaughter facilities and identifying other marketing opportunities. Farmers with smaller herds or ocks seeking new processors, alternate markets, or increased storage, please contact Jim Ostlie, 320-842-6910, Jim.Ostlie@state. mn.us or Courtney VanderMey, 651-201-6135, Courtney.Vandermey@state. mn.us. The MDA is working with existing “Equal To” processors (plants under continuous inspection that are able to produce and process meat and poultry products for wholesale within the State of Minnesota) to expand capacity. We are also developing an expedited approval process to enable plants that currently do not sell wholesale within the state to do so. If these establishments meet the minimum requirements, they will be granted a 90-day provisional grant of inspection. Processing plants interested in expanding their slaughter capacity, have additional processing capacity, or wanting expedited licensing, please contact Jennifer Stephes at 651-248-2566. The MDA is providing additional nancial assistance by awarding over $345,000 in AGRI Value-Added Grants to nine Minnesota meat processors. The companies will be using the funds for facility improvements, such as increasing freezer space and new equipment for slaughter and processing capacity. Many of these grantees are required to make updates to be compliant with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This new funding is in addition to the nearly $1 million in Value-Added Grants in FY20, in which meat processors received a signicant amount of the total grant funds. A new grant program, the AGRI Rapid Response Mini-Grant for Livestock Processing, is intended to assist processors and certain producers respond to market issues caused by COVID-19. This grant will be launched by April 30 and will be available to eligible Minnesota processors of meat, poultry, eggs, and milk, and to livestock producers who need storage capacity for processed products until existing markets return or new markets are developed.
University of Minnesota Extension has a new cow podcast, The Moos Room The University of Minnesota Beef and Dairy Teams are now producing a cow podcast called, The Moos Room. The podcast is hosted by Joe Armstrong, Brad Heins, and Emily Krekelberg, and is made for both beef and dairy producers. The Moos Room is free to stream or download and available on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. The cattle focused podcast discusses relevant topics to help Minnesota beef and dairy producers be more successful. The information is evidence-based and presented as an informal conversation between the hosts and guests. “Our goal with The Moos Room is to help Minnesota producers be more successful,” said co-host Dr. Joe, “We want to discuss topics we see from our experience on farm in a way that is fun and constructive to listen to. Brad, Emily, and I have developed a friendship that is built on banter, having a good time, still somehow staying on task, and our love of cows. I think listeners will be able to hear that in the podcast.” Make sure to subscribe to The Moos Room to get the most recent episodes on your listening platform of choice: Apple Podcasts: z.umn.edu/themoosroomapple Google Podcasts: z.umn.edu/themoosroomgoogle The Moos Room will cover a wide range of topics, from markets to disease prevention to mental health and wellbeing, “The goal is really to arm producers with tools and resources they can use in the real world,” said Dr. Joe. For more news from U of M Extension, visit www.extension.umn.edu/news or contact Extension Communications at extnews@umn.edu. Call Iowa Concern for help coping with the stress of COVID-19 Social distancing, self-isolation, quarantine: the changes from COVID-19 can be hard to handle. However, Iowans can turn to Iowa Concern for help, says Tammy Jacobs, coordinator for the long-time service from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. With a toll-free phone number, live chat capabilities and a website, Iowa Concern services are available 24 hours a day, seven days per week at no charge. Iowa Concern provides access to stress counselors and an attorney for legal education, as well as information and referral services for a wide variety of topics. To reach Iowa Concern, call 800-447-1985 (language interpretation services are available) or visit the website, https://www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern/, to live chat with a stress counselor one-on-one in a secure environment. Individuals can also email an expert regarding legal, nance, stress, or crisis and disaster issues. “All personal information given to Iowa Concern, whether on the hotline or through e-mail or live chat, is kept condential,” Jacobs said. She also suggests visiting Human Sciences Extension and Outreach’s “Finding Answers Now” (https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/disasterrecovery) website for additional information and resources on dealing with stress.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 9, 2020 • Page 39
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Robert Horst Bristow, Iowa Butler County 200 cows
Tell us about a skill that you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I can do most everything to care for our cows. I am a good cow man. I know the business and love what I do.
How did you get into farming? I grew up on a dairy farm. I raised replacement heifers and was a hoof trimmer for 22 years. The last six of those 22 years we were milking 40 registered Jerseys. In 2007, we expanded the milking herd and stopped trimming.
What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? Seeing people other than ourselves enjoy the fruits of our labor. There is something new every day, and I enjoy working outside. What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Stay focused on your objective. There will be better times. Think about what a supply management program would look like through your co-op or processor.
What are your thoughts and concerns for the dairy industry for the next year? It’s going to be hard to cash ow and more dairies will go out of business. There will be more consolidation at all levels.
What has been the best purchase you ever made on the farm? A WeCover barn in 2008.
What is the latest technology you implemented on the farm and purpose for it? No signicant updates since the 2008 expansion. We have a basic operation.
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Raising two incredible daughters.
What is a management practice you changed in the past year that beneted you? No changes worth mentioning. Always small adjustments here and there, however.
What are your plans for your dairy farm in the next ve years? God willing, continue efciently producing the best product possible. Upgrade our milking parlor.
What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? Nothing major. We have been running lean for several years.
How do you and your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? For myself, eating and sleeping – sometimes not in the same order. We like to mix it up. We also enjoy spending time with the kids and grandkids.
How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? Treat them like family. Communicate about things other than work every day. Reward and thank them for their hard work.
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Your Local GEA Milking Equipment Dealers Advanced Dairy Solutions Inc. WestfaliaSurge Monroe WestfaliaSurge Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Advanced Dairy Solutions Leedstone, Inc.Fuller’s Milker Center,Monroe Richland Center, Monroe, WI • 608-325-2772 Monroe, WI • 608-325-2772 Epworth, IA • (563) 876-3087 Richland Center, WIWI Melrose, MN Lancaster, WI • 800-887-4634 608-647-4488 • 800-772-4770 320-256-3303 • 800-996-3303 608-647-4488 • 800-772-4770 Leedstone, Inc. Sioux Dairy Equipment, Inc. Sioux Dairy Equipment, Inc. J Gile Dairy Equipment Glencoe, MN Central Ag Supply, Inc. Melrose, MN Rock Valley, IA City, WI • (608) 744-2661 Rock Valley, IA Cuba Centre Dairy Equipment 320-864-5575 • 877-864-5575 Baraboo, • 608-356-8384 712-476-5608 • 800-962-4346 and SupplyWI Inc. Plainview, MN •320-256-3303 800-548-5240• 800-996-3303 712-476-5608 • 800-962-4346 Juneau, WI MN • 920-386-2611 MN Colton, SD Service 800-944-1217 Sauk Centre, Menomonie, WIGlencoe, • 715.231.8090 Colton, SDPreston Dairy Equipment 320-864-5575 • 877-864-5575 Edgerton, MN Chemical Sales Sparta, WI • (608) 269-3830 320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697 Service 800-944-1217 Centre Dairy Equipment and Supply Inc. 507-920-8626 Midwest Livestock Systems, LLC Sauk Centre, MN Midwest Livestock Systems, Inc. Edgerton, MN Stanley Schmitz, Inc. Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. Zumbrota, MN • 800-233-8937 320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697 Menomonie, WI • 715-235-5144 507-920-8626 Central Ag Supply Inc. Chemical Sales Chilton, WI • 920-849-4209 Lancaster, WI • 800-887-4634 Menomonie, WI • 715-235-5144 Owen, WI • 715-229-4740 Sioux Falls, MN • 800-705-1447 Juneau, WI • 920-386-2611 Fitzgerald, Inc. Pine Island, MN • 800-233-8937 Beatrice, NE • 800-742-5748 Baraboo, WI • 608-356-8384 Tri-County Dairy Supply Elkader, IA • 563-245-2560 Sioux Falls, MN • 800-705-1447 Janesville, WI • (608) 757-2697 Beatrice, NE • 800-742-5748