ATTENTION KIDS! Do you have a favorite farm animal?
DAIRY ST R
If so, we want to publish a photo of you with your animal. Please email your photos to andrea.b@dairystar.com
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 19, No. 9
June 24, 2017
“You just see everything that you’ve done and worked for, what my parents worked for … all gone in a matter of minutes.” - Chad Carlson
In the middle of Mother Nature’s fury
Carlsons recovering after storm destroys buildings, displaces animals By Jennifer Coyne & Mark Klaphake
PENNOCK, Minn. – Chad Carlson was going to attend high school graduation parties on the afternoon of June 11, but Mother Nature had another plan in mind as an early morning storm rolled through that Sunday. It was just after 6 a.m. when the storm approached, and within a matter of minutes, several animal housing facilities, a shed and the milking parlor were in shambles. Turn to CARLSON | Page 7
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Volunteers start picking up the debris that was scaƩered throughout several elds aŌer a powerful storm damaged several buildings June 11 on Carlson Dairy near Pennock, Minn. The heifer facility pictured above sustained major damage.
Saehrs expand step by step
Teamwork key to growth By Andrea Borgerding andrea.b@dairystar.com
PIERZ, Minn. – When Darrel and Amy Saehr look back at their farm when they started 24 years ago, they can see they have come a long way. But they also know it has come with a lot of hard work and a lot of faith. The Saehrs began with a 30-cow dairy in 1993, gradually grew their herd from within and added facilities incrementally to reach today’s 175-cow dairy, milking in a double-12 parlor and housing cows in a 154-stall freestall barn. Darrel and Amy credit their family, including children, Randy, 21, and Holly, 17, and a crew of hard working and reliable part time employees for their farm’s success. “Working together, without a doubt, has made this all possible,” Darrel said. “We’ve had good guys working for us. I’d credit that partly to where we are today.” Turn to SAEHRS | Page 5
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
The Saehr family (from leŌ) – Randy, Holly, Amy and Darrel – farm together near Pierz, Minn. The Saehrs have expanded gradually through the years and credit their success to teamwork.
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofďƒžce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Amanda Thooft 320-352-6303 amanda.t@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Andrea Borgerding - Managing Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Ron Johnson (608) 874-4243 ron.j@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Jennifer Coyne (320) 352-6303 jenn@dairystar.com Brittany Olson (320) 352-6303 brittany.o@dairystar.com Advertising Sales Main Ofďƒžce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Jeff Weyer (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-8505 (cell) jeff.w@dairystar.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofďƒžce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 megan.s@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute ďƒžnal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofďƒžces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
North America dealers. A glance at what’s inside
Dairy Proďƒžle brought to you by your
With the increased volatility of the milk price, dairy farmers are looking for ways to sell their milk in a way that generates more income. Three farmers – Blake Hansen, of Hudson, Iowa; Carla Kostka, of Osseo, Wis., and Pat Daninger, of Forest Lake, Minn. – share their experiences of processing their own milk and providing their specialized dairy products to retailers across the region on pages 12-13 in ďƒžrst section. Read about the trials each farm had to work through and what they learned, and ďƒžnd out if on-farm processing is the right niche market for By Mark Klaphake your dairy. As National Dairy Month, June is jam packed with Editor many dairies hosting on-farm events. In this issue’s “Day in the lifeâ€? feature, we talked to the Huppert and Kjos families about how they hosted this year’s Pierce County dairy breakfast June 17 on their 140-cow dairy near River Falls, Wis. Read on pages 18, 20-21 in second section about how the families prepared for the day and shattered attendance records. Area Red and White breeders had the chance to attend a national convention in their neck of the woods. The annual event was held this year June 7-9 in Kasson, Minn. The convention featured many farm tours of dairies in southeast Minnesota, several activities for youth members and a sale. During the convention, the Red and White Queen was named along with several awards that were given out. Many breeders from the Midwest received awards. Go to pages 22-27 in second section to see pictures and read about this year’s convention. Jay Richardson has combined his love for dairy farming with his hobby of racing cars. Almost every weekend, Richardson can be found behind the wheel of his black and white spotted cow car, racing around the track at local raceways near his family’s 1,300-cow dairy, Son-Bow Farms, near Spring Valley, Wis. Read on pages 10-11 in ďƒžrst section how Richardson balances the two and what he loves about each one. A lot of promotion happens during June Dairy Month. For this issue’s “From our Side of the Fence feature, we wanted to talk to people who actively promote dairy in addition to operating their farms. Read how they promote, what ideas they have for future promotions and their favorite dairy products on page 15 in ďƒžrst section.
Favorite quotes from this issue: “Farming was an integral part in my faith formation and a precursor to the priesthood, as family and faith were the foundation of my early childhood.� – Derek Wiechmann (Second Section, Page 5)
“Everyone who farms or works in the farming industry wants to see our soil last and be productive, and cover crops is just one tool in our toolbox that can help make that happen‌â€? – Angela White
(Third Section, Pages 6-8)
By the Numbers
of carbon dioxide in the 50: Percent atmosphere is ďƒžxed by algae. (Third Section, Pages 3-4)
pounds of cheese is 10: Million produced each year at Lye Cross
Farm in England. (Second Section,
Pages 14-16)
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Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 3
It’s all inside...
Pages 26 - 27
Thompson crowned national breed queen during convention in Minnesota Pages 30 - 31 Crop and weather reports Pages 38 - 39 Dairy Recipes THIRD SECTION Pages 3, 5 Algae: Dairy’s next food source? Pages 6 - 7 Producers using alternative crops throughout year Page 9 Dairy students top their class Pages 10 - 11 Harth represents Minnesota as state Jersey queen Pages 12 - 13 Kid’s Corner: The Schaaps Pages 14 - 15 Some Udder Stuff Page16 Dairy Calendar Pages 17 - 22 Classieds
River Falls
Spring Valley
Exeland
Second Section: Pages 18, 20 - 21
First Section: Pages 10 - 11
First Section: Page 16
Family races cars, operates dairy farm
A day in the life of the Huppert, Kjos families Eau Claire
Children Museum of Eau Claire hosts June Dairy Tim Servais Month activities
Bayeld
Douglas
Stoddard, Wis Pages 14 - 15 Second Section
Pasanens in third year with twin-20 corn planter
Iron
Lanette Harsdorf
Beldenville, Wis.
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Ashland Burnett
Polk
Barron
Sawyer
Price
Rusk
Ferryville
Cattle lanes main topic of Baird pasture walk
Taylor St. Croix Pierce
Buffalo
Rushford, Minn.
Clark
Eau Claire
Pepin
Trinity and Emily Johnson
First Section: Pages 35, 37
Chippewa
Dunn
Dodge Center, Minn.
Dairy Prole: Owen and Brenda Moe
Trempealeau
National red and white breed convention held in Minnesota
Page 15
Page 39
Jackson
Luxemburg
Women in Jeans: Sheri Gaul
La Crosse Monroe
First Section: Pages 3 - 4
Vernon
Winnebago
Worth
Mitchell
Cerro Hancock Gordo
Floyd
Howard
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Zone 2
Black Hawk
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For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
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Craw
Dane
Iowa Grant
Fayette
Clayton
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Allamakee
Pages 14 - 15 Dairying Around the World Pages 22 - 23
How do you relay a positive message about the dairy industry?
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SECOND SECTION Pages 3 - 4 Newell retires from Midwest Dairy Association Page 5 Freeport dairyman ordained a priest Pages 6 - 7 French family’s journey to organic started with letting cows out to pasture Pages 10 - 11 The “Mielke” Market Weekly Page 12 Dairy Markets Page 13 Area Hay Auction results
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
Winneshiek
FIRST SECTION Pages 1, 5-6 Saehrs expand step by step Pages 8-9 Ag Insider Pages 12 - 13 Farmers share challenges, triumphs of on-farm processing Page 25 Rural Roots Page 26 FSA News & Notes Page 27 The Transition Pen Page 28 Long hungry summer Page 29 Careful versus careless use of genomic evaluations by dairy producers Page 31 United as an industry Page 32 Just Thinking Outloud Page 33 Dairy Good Life Page 34 Something to Ruminate On
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Jones
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Dairy cows need high-quality water Second Section: Pages 28 - 29
Give milk production a push GEA’s FRone works around the clock to keep feed at the bunk, maximizing your cows’ production. Could your bunk management routine use a little extra push? GEA’s FRone automated feed pusher provides consistent, high-quality feed available day and night to boost production results from your whole herd. It’s easy to use, charges fast and contains twin batteries for maximum run time. With the help of GEA’s FRone, you can push the limits on your feeding program.
Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
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New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. CNH Industrial Reman and New Holland Construction are trademarks in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. www.newholland.com MRC
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SAUK CENTRE, MN 320-352-6543 • Hwy. 71 South
PIERZ, MN 320-468-2161 • Hwy. 27 West
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 5
ConƟnued from SAEHRS | Page 1
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
The Saehrs built a 6-row, 154-stall slaƩed freestall barn in 2012. The new construcƟon was the nal step of their gradual expansion. Looking at aerial photos of the Saehrs’ farm shows the progress made on their farm site. The key to their growth, Randy said, was taking gradual steps. “We always took one step at a time,” Randy said. “That’s why we went from 60 cows to 70, to 80, then to 100. We couldn’t go from 60 to 100 cows – we wouldn’t have made it. Step by step is key; to not jump in right away with both feet. You may sink so low that you can’t get back out of it.” The Saehrs made improvements to their facilities every year, starting in 1996, when they covered a cow yard to house dry cows. From 1997 to 1999, the Saehrs installed a TMR mixer, poured a concrete pit and built a shed to cover another cow yard to make room for their growing herd. In 2003, a third shed was built to house heifers and cows. By then, they were milking 77 cows and began switching cows. In 2006, the Saehrs built another barn with sand-bedded freestalls to switch cows. In 2010, they made a major step towards their ultimate update by covering more cow yard and incorporating an existing pole shed to house more cows. “We knew we were going to gear up to build this barn, and we didn’t know what we were going to do yet,” Darrel said. “That was the biggest chess piece we ever pushed – it was a big investment.” For ve years, the Saehrs visited many farms and received many ideas from other farmers. The family pored over building plans to be sure they thought of every detail for their new facility. Finally, in 2012, they committed to a six-row, slatted barn with 154
freestalls, 10 sand-bedded freestalls for the ICU pen, a vet station and a breeding chute. They chose a double-12 parlor with individual exits. With pre-existing facilities, the Saehrs had the large task of reorganizing their dairy’s daily management. Feed storage, water drainage, varying elevations, repurposing building structures as well as managing breeding, fresh and sick cows were all areas the Saehrs had to reassess. “Planning would have been totally different if we would’ve built an entirely new barn,” Darrel said. The Saehrs utilized a gating system and activity monitors to help ease the management transition. “We knew when we went into this barn, it was going to be a big switch,” Darrel said. “We had to rethink how we were going to deal with everything – breeding cows, fresh cows or a sick cow.” The Saehrs invested in activity monitors to help with breeding and a well-thought out gating system allows any one of the Saehrs to move cattle without help. Five years into their new facility and parlor, the Saehr family is still looking at what tweaks they can make to management to save time and be more efcient. “We do anything to save us time,” Randy said. “If we see anything that saves us ve minutes a day – we use it.” The four family members work together seamlessly – each having a specialty, but also knowing enough to ll in or take over each other’s jobs. We start each morning with Amy Turn to SAEHRS | Page 6
During June Dairy Month, we salute America’s dairy farmers for their hard work and dedication to producing wholesome, high-quality dairy products. These delicious and nutritious foods help keep our bones and our economy strong.
Thanks, dairy producers!
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
ConƟnued from SAEHRS | Page 5
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Swing over to a better way of milking your herd!
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Mother and daughter duo, Amy and Holly Saehr, milk cows together morning and evening in their double-12 parlor and Holly milking cows, Randy mixing feed and Darrel tending to the hogs and helping wherever he is needed. Holly feeds calves and manages the dehorning and ear tagging. Amy does all the breeding records with Randy or Darrel doing the arm service. Randy and Darrel will scrape alleys and bed stalls. In the evenings, Amy milks with hired help while Darrel and Randy stay in the elds with Holly oating between milking, feeding calves and helping in the elds. “We have 100 percent trust,” Darrel said. “I try not to stick the kids to one job. There isn’t one job on this farm that one of us couldn’t do.” Darrel stressed the importance of teamwork. “I couldn’t do all this alone,” Darrel said. Both Randy and Holly appreciate the opportunity their parents have given them on their family farm. Randy continued farming out of high school. He said he enjoys what he does. “If I wasn’t doing this for them, I’d be doing it for somebody else until I got my own farm,” Randy said.
Holly, too, feels farming has given her unmatched experience compared to her peers. “I enjoy it. The family time, good or bad, can be rewarding,” Holly said. “Even if something goes wrong, you can always x it. It doesn’t matter. We’re always here working together as a family.” Looking to the future, the Saehrs are pleased with where they are and don’t see further growth – just improvements in their future. Darrel and Amy said having the kids involved in the farm’s growth was key. “I wanted to do this before the kids were old enough to leave so they get some enjoyment out of it,” Amy said. “I’m really glad we did this.” Looking back at the aerial farm photos and even walking past the original barn brings feelings of nostalgia and respect for Darrel, Amy, Randy and Holly. They are not afraid to look back as a reminder to how far they’ve come as a family. “We loved our old barn. It had its drawbacks, but it got us to where we are today,” Darrel said.
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MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Randy Saehr pushes up feed the aŌernoon of June 14. Randy’s main job on the farm is mixing feed along with eldwork.
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 7
Con�nued from CARLSON | Page 1 “I saw a dark cloud looming from the southwest and thought, ‘We’re nally getting rain.’ I went into the barn and everything went in the opposite direction … I knew I wasn’t going to make it to church that day,” Carlson said. Carlson manages his family’s 1,700-cow dairy near Pennock, Minn., with his wife, Kindra; brother, Carl, and his wife, Kellie; and parents, Curtney and Louise. When the storm approached, Carlson was with an employee mixing the daily ration and pushing up feed. As the dairyman watched the wind pick up, he closed the overhead door to the freestall barn that he was in. Shortly after, the door blew in towards Carlson as he fed the lactating herd. “Within seconds of that door coming in, the north door blew right down the feed alley,” Carlson said. “It reminded me of a piece of paper coming right at you.” Remaining in the skidloader, Carlson watched as tin siding peeled off the barn frame. The storm brought strong winds from the southwest that removed roofs, sidewalls and crumbled rafters in the three freestall barns, including a maternity pen area and milking parlor. Additionally, a shop and heifer barn, built in 2015 and 2016, respectively, were destroyed entirely; a frame to another heifer barn was relocated several hundred feet from its original location. Cattle congregated in groups as far away from the damage as possible. “Fortunately, the barn that had all that damage was a freestall barn. The stalls and headlocks could support the trusses so they didn’t fall on the concrete or on the animals,” Carlson said. “That was a lifesaver – protecting them.”
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
On June 11 workers start to repair and clean off the roof of the milking parlor at Carlson Dairy, which was damaged earlier that day by the storm. After the storm passed, Carlson reached out to his family and employees, making sure all were OK. “Words can’t describe how I felt when I saw what had happened,” Carlson said. “You just see everything that you’ve done and worked for, what my parents worked for … all gone in a matter of minutes.” Knowing there were animals underneath the fallen debris, Carlson made a few phone calls to those closest to the dairy operation, asking for equipment and assistance in cleaning up. “It was hard for us to get a reading for how the animals were because the damage was so severe at the time,” Carlson said. “You don’t know what’s going on with the animals, all you know is that you have to make sure they’re
NOW IS THE TIME TO REPLASTER YOUR SILO/BUNKER WALL!
Marvin Metzger
Rock Rapids, Iowa
Marvin Metzger of MultiRose Dairy near Rock Rapids, Iowa, contacted Osakis Silo to replaster both sides of a 16x200 bunker wall last summer. Previously the surface was rough and the concrete was showing through the stones. Things look much better now.
“It looks good. I think it’s going to stay on pretty nice,” Metzger, who milks 1,500 Jerseys with his family, said. “It went well.”
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safe and take care of them.” But to Carlson’s surprise, an army of people arrived at the farm willing to help in any capacity, bringing equipment and trailers. “We’re very fortunate we’ve been able to have good, good people around us for a long time,” Carlson said. “We saw the worst of Mother Nature that day, but the best of mankind.” Of the nearly 3,000 animals at the dairy, 617 heifers were relocated to three farm sites. Two friends of the family live near Paynesville, Minn., and Renville, Minn., and had room for 417 animal units. Carlson’s brother-in-law is currently raising the dairy’s breedingage heifers, and was able to accommodate 200 more. The 310 milking cows in need of housing were transferred to Worthington, Minn., where the Vander Kooi family had space to accommodate the large number of cattle. “You just don’t know what you’re going to do in a situation like that. I thought right away that we wouldn’t have to get rid of any cows, but then my sister-in-law really suggested that we do so,” Carlson said. “Thankfully, we were able to save animals and nd homes for them, and thankfully we were able to keep most of our animals.” Now, nearly two weeks after the storm, the Carlsons are still cleaning up debris and developing a course of action to manage the aftermath. “There hasn’t been a day since the storm where we haven’t found something new,” said Carlson about the mass
of materials out of place. While the freestall barns and parlor are operable, roofs, siding and fans will need to be replaced. Unfortunately, the newly built shop and heifer barn will have to be completely rebuilt. “That was a tough one,” said Carlson, thinking about the fallen heifer barn. “I had just been in that barn nine hours earlier – I was sitting in the barn, telling myself what a nice barn it was.” As the facilities will be constructed anew, the Carlsons are hopeful they can salvage the stalls and headlocks, with only replacing a few fans. Also, updating the parlor may be an option because of the storm. “We’ve been struggling a little bit with our parlor the last few years and now this whole deal has accelerated that with tremendous damage to the front of the parlor,” Carlson said. “Right now, we’re guring out what’s best for the cows and trying to gure out if this parlor is a good t for us.” And in time, Carlson is looking forward to his cattle returning home. They would like to thank the many people that have stepped forward and helped since the storm. Whether it was moving cattle, helping clean up, delivering food to the farm, or being present in other ways, they are extremely grateful. “At the end of the day, nobody died and everyone was safe,” Carlson said, his voice cracking. “We have seen the best of a lot of people.”
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Cael Carlson, Chad’s son (second from le�) and Chad Carlson (third from right) talk with volunteers about what to do with the heifers that were going to be moved from the heifer shed.
Vilsack: USDA reorganization may not impact trade Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is moving forward with the reorganization of USDA, including the creation of an undersecretary position that focuses on trade. Former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack does not believe this change will result in any increased focus on trade. “I don’t see it moving the dial on exports, but I think it will satisfy people within the United States that they will have someone accountable to make sure the agriculture message is conveyed and pushed.� Vilsack is now President/CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.
Vilsack concerned about the focus on bilateral trade agreements One of the key issues for the U.S. dairy industry is the ability to protect common food names. The European Union wants to protect these geographic-based names, like Asiago and Gorgonzola, preventing other countries from using those terms. With the Trump Administration focused on bilateral trade agreements, the Red River Farm Network asked U.S. Dairy Export Council President Tom Vilsack how that would impact
this issue. “When the U.S. pulled out of the Trans-Paciďƒžc Partnership, we walked away from the protections in that agreement that would have created a due-process system.â€? Former Agriculture Secretary Vilsack said the United States will now need to negotiate these issues with each individual country. The European Union has been working on trade agreements around the world and are further along in the process than the United States. “It is incredibly important for us if we’re going to enter into bilateral discussions that we do so aggressively and we get some resolution with key markets on the GI issue. If we don’t, the European Union is going to ďƒžll that void and get commitments from Japan, Mexico and others and it will be difďƒžcult for us to reverse in any bilateral discussions that we have.â€?
Dairy groups support a modernized NAFTA The U.S. Dairy Export Council and National Milk Producers Federation pledges to work with the Trump Administration to update the North American Free Trade Agreement. The two dairy groups have two priorities,
safeguards to open trade with Mexico and deal with protectionist dairy policies in Canada. Canada’s new pricing strategies that prevent ultra-ďƒžltered U.S. milk from crossing the border has been the most recent point of contention.
Ag Insider
U.S. and China sign dairy trade MOU The United States and China have signed a memorandum of understanding that will give the U.S. dairy industry greater access to China. With this MOU, third-party auditors will evaluate U.S. dairy facilities to make sure they comply with the standards set by the Chinese. Per By Don Wick capita dairy consumption Columnist in China is far below what is seen in the United States, but the U.S. Dairy Export Council said the potential to increase exports is tremendous. Kind introduces dairy strategy Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind has unveiled his strategy to support the dairy industry. The plan includes ďƒžve key principles, including the opening of new markets for Wisconsin dairy farmers. Kind’s plan also reforms the tax code, expands agriculture research and deals with the country’s immigration policy. The ďƒžnal aspect of the Kind plan encourages the next generation of dairy farmers to enter the industry. Deadline extended for nutrition label revamp The Food and Drug Administration has pushed back the implementation date for its new nutrition labeling standards. Previously, the deadline was July 2018 for food companies to change the nutrition labels. The Trump Administration is now extending that deadline for another year. The FDA said this change gives companies more time to come into compliance. Preventing residues in raw milk The U.S. dairy industry is launching a pilot testing program which will include random testing of raw milk for the tetracycline class of drugs. Dairy processing plants across the country will participate in the program starting July 1. With this program, milk will also be tested for other drug residues, temperature, bacteria and added water.
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S/D report forecasts a small increase in the milk price In the USDA supply/demand report, milk production forecasts were lowered for 2017 and 2018. Cow numbers are expected to increase, but that will be offset by lower-than-expected milk output. For 2017, the average Class III milk price forecast was raised to $16.20$16.60 per hundredweight. Class III milk prices are being helped by an increase in cheese prices.
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Preliminary injunction granted Arla’s ‘Live Unprocessed’ advertising campaign was shutdown, thanks to a preliminary injunction granted by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Eli Lilly & Company and Elanco U.S. ďƒžled the lawsuit, saying the Arla Foods advertising made false and misleading claims about bovine somatotropin. The court also ruled Arla cannot claim that dairy products made from milk supplemented with Posilac is of lesser quality or less wholesome than other dairy products.
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New state FFA ofďƒžcer team named Ciera Ballmer of Clinton FFA is the new Wisconsin FFA president. Ballmer is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in dairy science and life communications. The ofďƒžcer team also includes Meikah Dado of Amery, reporter; Brooke Brantner of Menomonie, vice president; Ciara Koboski of Black River Falls, vice president; Morgan Fitzsimmons, Mineral Point, vice president; Sam Pinchart of LuxemburgCasco, vice president; Amelia Hayden of Big Foot, vice president; Liz Grady of Oregon, secretary; Sami Jesse of Lodi, sentinel; Kathryn Lampi of the Owen-Withee chapter, parliamentarian; Elisha Riley of Waupaca, treasurer. Stars shine at FFA convention Carley Krull of Lake Mills FFA was honored as the State Star Farmer. Erica Helmer of Plymouth is the Star in Agricultural Placement. Dylon Pokorny of Waupun was named the Star in Agribusiness and Amelia Hayden of Big Foot FFA is the State Star in Agriscience. More than 3,500 people participated in the Wisconsin State FFA Convention.
Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 Hall of fame recognition Three individuals were inducted into the Wisconsin FFA Hall of Fame; Louis Arrington, Richard Daluge and David Erickson. Arrington retired last year after a long career as a poultry specialist at UW-Madison. Daluge oversaw Wisconsin’s Farm and Industry Short Course and was the assistant dean at UW-Madison. Erickson spent 40 years with Cooperative Network as the director of member services and executive director for the Federated Youth Foundation. These three individuals volunteered countless hours to Wisconsin FFA. Trivia challenge Milk products contain up to 16 es-
sential nutrients, including Vitamin D, protein and calcium. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, what country leads the world in per-capita milk and milk product consumption? We’ll have the answer in the next issue of DairyStar. 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, June 24, 2017
The racing Richardsons
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BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
DOMINATOR® 12’ model
KUHN Krause offers a line of primary tillage tools that promote the breakdown of crop residue and allow for excellent root development for the next crop. These sub-surface tillage tools break up compaction while preserving the soil surface, promote aeration, limit erosion and runoff, and improve water infiltration which helps the soil retain moisture. 800-642-4104 or 507-228-8224 • www.ufcmn.com Main Office/Ag Service Center • 840 Pioneer Ave., Lafayette, MN Judson, MN • 507-947-3644 Used Dryers & Augers
Good Selection of Used Dryers - Call! Feterl 12”x72’, swing drive .........$8,500 WestÄeld WR8026 EMD .............$1,895 Sheyenne 13-70 Swing Dr.......... $12,995 Hutch 8”x62’ swig auger .............. $6,200 Sudenga 10”x71’ swing auger ..... $7,900 WestÄeld MK 130-71 swing drive auger ........................................ $13,900 Batco 2500 drive over hopper ...... $8,290 Sudenga 10”x41’ pto auger w/hopper .................................... $4,595
Tractors
Oliver 1365 .....................................$6,599 Agco White 8410, 4 wheel drive .........Call IH 1086 ...............................................Call
Combines
Gleaner R-62 w/heads .................$39,500 Gleaner A-75, 4 whl drive ........... $110,000
Skid Loaders
Bobcat S300, 2800 hrs, heat, ACS control, 2-speed ..........................................$26,900 ‘02 Bobcat 753, 265 hrs, heat ..........$18,900 Bobcat S630, 400 hrs, heat, 2 spd $34,800 Bobcat S590 heat 2-spd . (3) from $31,900 Bobcat S850, heat & A/C, 2-speed 2 units .......................Start @ $45,900 ‘15 Bobcat S750, A71 pkg., 2 spd $35,950 ‘16 Bobcat S740, A71, 2 spd ..... $34,500 Bobcat S550, heat, 2 spd., 300 hrs., ‘14..............................$31,800 Bobcat S550, heat, 2014, 2 spd. $29,900 Bobcat S130, heat, ‘12............. $22,400 Bobcat 753, heat, 265 hrs, bkt . $18,900 Bobcat 610 w/bucket ................. $3,250 (2) Bobcat T590 ...........Start @ $34,900 ‘14 Bobcat T590, A71............... $35,900 ‘14 Bobcat T590, heat, hi-Åow . $34,900 ‘12 Gehl 5240E, 2 spd., heat, 900 hrs.................................... $23,900 ‘14 Gehl V400, heat, AC, 2 spd ..$34,900 Gehl V330, heat & A/C, ‘12, 2400 hrs..................................$33,900 ‘07 Gehl 4640, single spd., heat $15,500 Gehl 4240E w/heat (3) Start @ $14,900 Case 430, ‘10 ...........................$24,900 Gehl R220, heat, 2 spd., joystick $31,900 Mustang 1750 2014 open cab .$36,500
TMR’s
Knight 5073, tow ......................$17,199 Knight 3250, stationary ..............$3,899 Knight 3050 ..............................$11,499 Knight 3150, tow ......................$22,499 Knight 3042, reel auggie...........$12,499
Tillage
JD 2700, 9-24 ...........................$23,900 JD 985 49.5’, 3 Bar...................$18,900 JD 980, 44.5’ ............................$19,600 JD 980 44.5’, 3 Bar...................$17,500 JD 512, 7 shank, 2013...................$29,900
JD Crumbler model 200, 45’ ........$10,500 CIH Tigermate II, 54.5’ .............$29,900 CIH 730B, 7 shank ...................$15,900 CIH 600PTX chisel plow, 38’, 3 bar harrow ...........................$29,800 2) CIH 370, 28’..........................$31,900 CIH PTX300 chisel plow, 34’ ....$22,800 JD 2210 4-bar, 2006, 45.5ft......$35,900 JD 980, 36’ ...............................$13,700 JD 610 chisel plow, 17’ ............$10,900 JD 331 disc, 28’ .........................$6,850 DMI 730 ripper..........................$10,900 DMI 730B .................................$13,900 DMI 527B .................................$14,900 Glencoe Soil Saver .....................$6,500 Wil-Rich 957, 9 shank ..............$29,900 Wil-Rich 957, 7 shank ..............$16,900 Wil-Rich 957, 5 shank ..............$16,500 Wil-Rich 513, 9-24....................$39,600 Wil-Rich 29’ chisel plow, ‘07 ........$22,800 Wil-Rich QX2, 60’, basket ............$49,900 Wil-Rich Q-5 cult., 4-bar harrow, 32.5’............................................$11,900 Great Plains Turbo Chisel, 11 shk $22,800 Krause Dominator, 12 ft. (2) from $29,900 Krause Dominator, 12 ft., 2015.$40,900 Krause 18’ w/reel.............from $33,000
Planters
White 8186, 16R30”, front fold .....$32,900 White 8186, 16R30” .....................$37,900 White 8824, 24R30”, Center Äll ....$83,900 White 8202, 12 row ......................$32,500
Spreaders
Knight 8032, slinger ..................$14,499 Knight 8114, (A088) ....................$8,949 Knight 8132, (B0077)................$19,899 Knight 8132 ..............................$17,899 Meyer 3954, (1250) ....................$4,949 Meyer 390 spreader ...................$9,750 H&S 430 w/end gate.................$19,300
Jay Richardson (right) and son, Jason, not only race cars, but also design and build cars for their customers at their shop in Spring Valley, Wis. Jay Richardson has been racing for 31 years and dairy farming for 23.
Family drives cars, operates dairy farm By Brittany Olson
brittany.o@dairystar.com
SPRING VALLEY, Wis. – People who frequent the Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, Wis., more than likely know the black-and-white car zipping down the track on Friday nights. That Holstein-colored vehicle, known as the cow car, is driven by dairy farmer Jay Richardson of Spring Valley, Wis. On top of racing, Richardson and his wife, Kristi, own and operate Son-Bow Farms, a 1,300-cow dairy 10 miles south of their home and shop in Spring Valley. On Friday nights, the cow car is usually found in Menomonie. Meanwhile, it can be spotted at Eagle Valley Speedway in Jim Falls, Wis. “Saturday nights are open, so we rotate between three different tracks on Saturday nights,” Richardson said. Richardson has been racing longer than he has been dairying, spending 31 years in the driver’s seat as opposed to 23 with the cows. “My dad and I went to the races a couple times a year, and the summer I was 15, he asked if racing was something I was interested in,” Richardson said. “I turned 16 in November and bought a street stock car, a 1972 Chevrolet Impala, and started racing that next spring.”
Miscellaneous
Parker Grain Kart 838 .................$19,900 Brent 540 Box...............................$9,900 Loftness Chopper 20 ft...............$14,600 Valmetal 5600 RD bale chopper .$13,800 Used grain legs............................... Call Woods 3 pt. chopper, 20’ ...........$5,950 EZ Flow 300 bu. box ..................$1,950 Used Snowblowers ........................ Call Hardi 1,000 gal., 60’ boom .......$11,500 Demco 600 gal., 66’ bom .........$10,500 Red Ball 670, 1200 gal., 66’ boom$13,800 Unverferth Cart 9200 1000 bu. $19,950 Red Ball 1200 gal, 90 ft. boom 570 $18,800 H&S 12 wheel Hi Cap rake .........$8,275 J&M 1151, scale & tarp ............$48,900 Vicon disc mower .......................$5,950
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BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
A “Got Milk?” bumper sƟcker adorns a welder at SSR Race Cars and Parts, owned by dairy farmer Jay Richardson in Spring Valley, Wis. In addiƟon to milking 1,300 cows at Son-Bow Farms, the Richardsons are also regulars at local race tracks.
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Dairy pride is evident when looking at any one of the race cars owned by Jay Richardson of Spring Valley, Wis. Richardson can be found driving his cow car every Friday and Sunday night in either Menomonie or Jim Falls, Wis. Richardson started racing in street stock classes at Menomonie, which was a board-run track. He eventually found himself on the board and served as president for a couple years before taking a 10-year hiatus. He then joined the board again as well as the WISSOTA board of directors, which is the sanctioning body for numerous race tracks in the Upper Midwest and several Canadian provinces. “I’ve been involved in all aspects of dirt track racing in every form,” Richardson said. “I have been a driver, car owner, promoter and now we are car builders, as well.” In addition to farming and racing, the Richardsons own a NAPA store and build cars for other people from scratch. Their son, Jason, works in the garage building and repairing cars, along with a few employees. The team builds about 15 to 20 cars per year. “The designs are kept close to the chest,” Richardson said. Today, Richardson has two of his own cars: one for WISSOTA-sanctioned tracks and one for open classes. Jason has his own car for the Midwest modied class, and his business partner, Jake Hartung, has two cars. Their race car and parts business, SSR Race Cars and Parts, also has its own car. “We stick to modieds so there’s no need for more than two cars per driver. The only reason for more is different sanctions,” Richardson said. Richardson’s focus is more on nishing the race than speed, even though he’s been clocked over 100 miles per hour a handful of times. “I actually don’t like to go too fast, but I’ll usually go around 100 on half-mile tracks and between 70 to 80 on smaller tracks,” Richardson said. SSR has also won its fair share of races. Hartung Turn to RICHARDSONS | Page 11
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 11
Con�nued from RICHARDSONS | Page 10
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
The cow car, driven by dairy farmer Jay Richardson, can be spo�ed on the race track every weekend. won the Border Battle race in 2016, and friend Mike Anderson just won the Minnesota Modied Nationals. Both races had payouts of $10,000. “Both events are among the more prestigious races in the Upper Midwest,” Richardson said.
“Like everything else, technology has evolved. The cars are more expensive, more sophisticated and faster.” JAY RICHARDSON, FARMER & RACER
Just like his farm has evolved, from the initial 50-cow tiestall barn in 1994 to 1,300 cows today, Richardson said racing has also changed over the decades. “Like everything else, technology has evolved. The cars are more expensive, more sophisticated and faster. The goal is to be the fastest and nish races,” Richardson said. “It’s at the point where the biggest job of sanctioning bodies is to hold down that progress so it doesn’t get out of hand.”
Richardson, whose role at the farm is managerial, stays as busy on the dairy side as he does in the ofce or shop. He’s especially busy with one project in particular. “We’re installing a wastewater treatment plant to convert manure into clean, dischargeable water,” Richardson said. “We’ve got one more building to put up.” The plant, Richardson estimates, will lower the dairy’s cost of production anywhere from $1.50 to $1.80 per hundredweight with preliminary calculations. “People have sand separators and water separators, but this is one of the rst on-farm plants that will have all those dots connected,” Richardson said. Even now with all his irons in the re and the rubber meeting the road, Richardson would like to slow down eventually. “Someday I’d like to just drive the truck that hauls the cars,” Richardson said. Between the farm and the race track, and back again, the Richardson family knows how to move fast. Even as the farm continues to grow, it is about guaranteed the cow car and the racing Richardsons will be at the track every weekend.
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
A collec�on of hardware sits prominently in the office at SSR Race Cars and Parts, which is also the home office for Son-Bow Farms, a 1,300-cow dairy owned by Jay and Kris� Richardson of Spring Valley, Wis.
Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
A closer look
Tricks of the trade
by Jennifer Coyne
Farmers share challenges, triumphs of onfarm processing With market prices naturally volatile and a consumer-driven demand for locally produced foods, on-farm dairy manufacturing is growing in popularity. In Wisconsin, alone, there are more than 20 farms that process their own dairy products for retail, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). “As milk prices on the open market continue to be unstable and low, farmers look for innovative ways to produce more income,” said Peter Haase of DATCP, who oversees the Bureau of Food and Recreational Businesses. But as veteran processors have found, providing a quality product to the public is easier said than done. “Our banker once told us that it takes about 10 years for a business to be fully ripe, and he couldn’t have been more right,” Pat Daninger said. “It took seven years before there was air for us to breathe. We still have crises, but they are fewer and further be-
Industry news addressed with help from your neighbors
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
On-farm processing of milk into cheese, ice cream and other dairy products is becoming more popular for farms looking for a niche market to sell their milk.
had our backs to the wall and we had to do something different,” Daninger said. Blake Hansen agreed. “Farming is a tough business with the milk prices,” he said. “We wanted to see more of a prot for the work we do by, if possible, eliminating the middle man and working with the cows we had.” Hansen co-owns Hansen’s Dairy Farms with his family – parents, Jay
tween.” Daninger manages Autumnwood Farms near Forest Lake, Minn., with his wife, Sharlene, where they supply 60 stores and coffee shops in the Twin Cities area with bottled milk from their 60-cow dairy. The Daningers began processing their own milk nine years ago as a way to create additional income from the farm. “Like most farmers can relate, we
and Jeanne; and brothers, Brent, Brad and Blair. Together, the family milks 150 cows and processes varieties of milk, butter, ice cream, cheese and heavy whipping cream on their farm near Hudson, Iowa. The Hansens bottled their rst gallon of milk in 2004, and have since built two retail stores and also sell their products through wholesale. Before developing a plan for the on-farm processing facility, Elaine Santi, with the Minnesota Department of Ag, urges farmers to research the market for their intended product. “There is a lot of work and money investment involved to process and sell dairy products, and you want to make sure you can sell your product,” Santi said. “Producing and processing good quality milk and milk products takes a lot of time, dedication and good management to be successful.” Both Hansen and Daninger spent three years researching on-farm processing plants, touring farms and working with their local and state ofcials to approve the facilities. For Carla Kostka, launching Castle Rock Organic Dairy was many years in the making. After the land became certied organic in 2000, Kostka purchased a dairy herd and began processing milk and ice cream in 2005; two years later, she expanded into the Turn to ON FARM | Page 13
Still Need Forage? Summer Annual BMR Forage is hard to beat! 1. Sorghum-Sudan & Hybrid Sudangrass & BMR Pearl Millet
Talk to your local Byron Seeds dealer or call Rick or Brad for the best plant and harvest option for your farm
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2. Forage Sorghum • Planted with corn planter (using low output sorghum plates) • Harvested like corn silage • Best option for Prevented Planting There are a number of harvest options. Burkholder Seeds
For more info or dealer Claremont, MN inquiries - please call: Dwight
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Gerard Becker
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Hy View Feeds 507-493-5564 Mabel, MN
Valley View Ag Russ Funke Dyersville, IA (563) 590-6939
Schueler Farms
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Sherman Schueler 330-987-3159 Willmar, MN John Dockendorf (320) 894-4808 Greenwald, MN (320) 290-1240 Cleeson Mill Travis Schlosser Altura, MN Miltona, MN (507) 458-5907 218-639-1727
Luxemburg Feed Service
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Jack Stamschror Kellogg, MN (507) 259-0269
Timberline Dairy Service Joe Graber Kalona, IA (319) 656-3527
Dale Ommodt, CCA Crop & Livestock Nutrition Atwater, MN (320) 212-3190
Winscher Seeds Mike Winscher 320-282-6748 Shawn Winscher Royalton, MN (320) 420-4516
Lee Kurtenbach
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Benjamin Arlt
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Tim Huffman 608-574-7918 Nelson Horst Adam Decker 608-988-6855 Canton S.D. Kevin Zimmerman (605) 359-0765 608-574-7918
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Jason Mickelson Frazee, MN 218-849-3137
Mervin Beachy St. Ansgar, IA (641) 381-0054
DJ Cattle Co.
Daryn Yoder Leon, IA (641) 344-6002
Chad Tesch Canton S.D. (605) 759-5622 Dan (Boone) Uphoff, Sioux Falls S.D. (605) 321-1862
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Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 13
ConƟnued from ON FARM | Page 12
on-farm store or other retail market requires multiple farm inspections, milk tests, pasteurization equipment inspections and added ingredient tests, among many more. “I didn’t realize it was such a regulated business as it is until we began,” said Kostka, whose sons, Barry and Jake, also help with the farm business. In addition to the high risks of operating a business that meets all regulatory requirements, there are the added challenges of selling a quality product and remaining competitive within the market. “Research has shown that when adults are asked what brand of milk they purchased at the store, they don’t know … all they know is that it’s in a jug,” said Daninger, who has chosen to sell milk in glass bottles. All farmers have focused on transparency to sell their product – sharing with the consumer how the farm operates and how the products are made. At Hansen’s farm, they host farm tours throughout the
year. Although most of Kostka’s customers are acquired through word of mouth, she struggles to attract new customers based on her location. “Location, location, location,” Kostka said. “If I could change one thing, it would be where I’m located. Our farm is on a township road and it’s very difcult for people to get here.” Despite the trials of managing a dairy farm and on-farm processing facility, Hansen, Daninger and Kostka continue moving forward with the market, catering to their customers’ wants – moving away from low-fat dairy products to whole milk, rich ice cream avors and raw cheeses. “It’s not easy, and it’s challenging with the highs and lows of the market, just like in dairy farming,” Hansen said. “But like in dairy farming, when you take care of the cows, the cows take care of you – when you take care of your customers, they’ll take care of you.”
CowManager wins head-to-head comparison DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
Carla Kostka prepares cheese curds at her on-farm processing facility near Osseo, Wis.
cheese market. “I visited small operations that had been in the industry a while. I was always asking questions – what worked well and what would work with my setup,” said Kostka, who milks 120 cows near Osseo, Wis. Although each state has different regulations for the production and sale of food, there are many similarities. “The farm would have to obtain a retail or a dairy plant license,” Haase said. “They would also be required to construct a licensable processing facility, where the products would be made and sold at.” In Haase’s experience, the biggest challenge he sees farmers face when entering this venture is constructing a facility that is acceptable for use as the processing plant or retail store. “The cost of a plant or store can totally outweigh the benets of making and selling your own products,” he said. When Hansen created a building plan for the creamery, current facilities, cow numbers and economic feasibility determined how large the processing facility could be. “Looking back, it would have been nice to build
“Looking back, it would have been nice to build a larger creamery because we’re now maxing out its production capabilities.” BLAKE HANSEN, DAIRY FARMER
a larger creamery because we’re now maxing out its production capabilities,” Hansen said. “But we couldn’t predict the future. At the time, the cost input was great and we didn’t have it.” Hansen, Daninger and Kostka were all in contact with their local dairy inspectors immediately after committing to on-farm processing. Through these connections, the farmers were able to move forward with their project plans in a timely manner. “We want to get involved at the very beginning so we can do our best to help the individual make the right choices to meet all regulatory requirements they would be subject to,” Haase said. Daninger agreed. “We were hopelessly naïve, and we couldn’t have known all there is to know. The department of ag was very helpful as we got started,” he said. Now, several years after the initial inspection, all farms are routinely monitored for compliance with local, state and federal regulations. Providing dairy foods from the farm in either an
Hilltop Dairy LLP The Reuvekamp Family Elkton, SD 2200 cows Installed CowManager: Spring 2017
Wilfried Reuvekamp
“Years ahead” of competition Early in 2017, Hilltop Dairy purchased a new eartag monitoring system. This spring, they also added the CowManager® system so they could test both products head-to-head at the same time on a full pen of close-up and breeding cows. Wilfried notes, “This was like comparing apples and oranges. The difference is so big that we decided to go for the superior CowManager -- it is years ahead. CowManager gives us the most accurate and timely health alerts combined with excellent heat alerts.” In just a few months, they improved their preg rate 7% and have fewer cull cows per week.
Easy-to-use Herd manager Filipe likes the easy-to-use CowManager smartphone app. He utilizes the colored graphs (eating, rumination and temperature) and monitors how quickly a cow recovers after each treatment.
Properly monitors every cow Wilfried concludes, “CowManager is a gamechanger and I recommend it to any producer. With CowManager, you can properly monitor every cow in the herd. I think in the future a dairy can’t function without such tools for fertility, health and nutrition. CowManager is not only an activity system but a complete monitoring system.” For more information:
In Iowa & Illinois, call 888-464-5282 In Minnesota M & North Dakota, call 800-795-1233
CowManager is a registered trademark of Agis Automatisering.
®
Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
Thank you dairy farmers!
MAXIMUM MANEUVERABILITY
The SPSL30T is equipped with hydrostatic 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steering and crab steering mode, with a turning radius of 14’9’’. This makes the SPSL far more maneuverable than competitive chassis, making it easier and safer to get around the farm.
We have the equipment for a smooth operation.
FASTER LOAD/MIX TIME
With top speeds of 40km/24mph and a 150hp milling cutter with 111 knives, the SPSL30T travels and loads faster than conventional processors. With variable auger speeds up to 45RPM and a second auger sweep, it processes and unloads quickly and efÄciently.
LESS FUEL CONSUMPTION
The SPSL30T is equipped with an efÀcient 240HP FPT Tier 4 Diesel Motor. That motor combined with faster loading, processing and travel times and the elimination of a loading vehicle results in reduced fuel consumption and labor requirements on the farm.
MORE CONSISTENT, ACCURATE MIX
The milling head brings in feed more consistently and offers more processing control. The SPSL30T offers a quality mix by taking ingredients directly from the pile or the bale, ensuring the same quality feed every day. The SPSL30T is robust enough to load frozen silage bales, but also capable of loading cornmeal or even the refusals from the barn Åoor. With available Load Halt, the SPSL30T can be programmed to only bring in what the ration calls for, automatically stopping the milling head and preventing overloading commodities.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 15
How do you relay a positive message about the dairy industry?
Bridget and Mike Lux Eden Valley, Minn. Meeker County 125 cows How do you relay a positive message about the dairy industry? We think it is valuable to promote our product in small ways in our own spaces. The past two years we have provided chocolate milk for our high school football team after each game. Since chocolate milk has the best carbohydrate to protein ratio, is high in potassium and is nutrient dense, it is the perfect athlete recovery food. We have had great cooperation from EVW’s Activities Director and Food Service Department. We are also intentional about serving dairy products at potlucks, 4-H meetings and family events. What is a dairy promotion you felt was effective? Local efforts have impact. Cheeseburger days, breakfasts on the farm and FFA barns at fairs are great ways for individuals to use their personal interests to promote our industry. What ideas do you have to move more dairy products? As an industry we should work to maintain the integrity of the word milk. Certainly from a nutritional standpoint, and partially from a legal, labelling standpoint, we can proudly claim authentic dairy milk products. While there is a place for alternative products in the marketplace, they are not milk. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Why? It would be great to see uid milk consumption trend higher instead of lower. While other dairy products see consumption increases, milk seems to have lost its place at the dinner table and in American eating habits. What do you think is the most important dairy message consumers need to hear right now? There are lots of important messages, but as a way to encourage milk consumption, we like the research and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations that toddlers under the age of 2 drink whole milk for best brain development. What is your favorite dairy product? Chocolate milk and chocolate ice cream. Tell us about your farm. We are 27 years in to this dairy farming adventure, and have been happy to raise our two boys on our 125-cow farm south of Eden Valley. We also raise corn, soybeans and alfalfa on 1,100 acres.
Here Today. Gone Tomorrow.
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Tim Servais Stoddard, Wis. Vernon County 350 milking How do you relay a positive message about the dairy industry? My family tries to relay a positive image by inviting people to our farm. Many people and families are so interested in farming and agriculture once they realize that is what I do. We have had gatherings and meetings on our farm, and people love to come. They see rsthand how we take care of our animals and work toward sustainability. We also have a Facebook page and try to educate and inform our followers. My wife and I have also served on numerous committees and boards. What is a dairy promotion you felt was effective? Since this is June Dairy Month, I would have to say the county dairy breakfasts. They are such a huge opportunity to get people to a dairy farm. Promoting so many things at once: product, farming, support of agriculture and farm families. Also, the educational experiences are terric and it is family friendly. We need to get kids and parents excited about knowing where their food comes from. What ideas do you have to move more dairy products? It was suggested at our dairy breakfast that consumers can have a collective impact on the currently depressed dairy industry, by eating one more pizza a week. Farm families are going through a tough time right now. And, if we relay to people that eating one more meal with cheese each week would help, I think they would feel that this is an easy way to show support. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? The probiotic benets and protein levels in yogurt make it an easy choice for healthy living. Yogurt is a favorite for kids and doesn’t seem to get much attention. I believe one yogurt a day helped keep my children free of illness for so much of their childhood years. What do you think is the most important dairy message consumers need to hear right now? Cow’s milk (or for some, goat’s milk) has always been the standard life line for nutrition since birth. Milk supports our systems throughout our entire lives and should always be a part of our diet. There are new options, but that is simply because of imagination and technology. Dairy milk has been, and always will be Mother’s milk. What is your favorite dairy product? Butter. Butter makes everything better. Tell us about your farm. My wife and I have an organic dairy near Stoddard, Wis. We milk 350 Holsteins, and a few Jerseys, and grow corn, alfalfa and oats on 1,300 acres. We have 17 employees, most of whom are part-time. We recently built a new milking parlor that has made things easier for our cows and employees. We have three children who are interested in farming and hope to take over some day. They would make an amazing team.
Trinity and Emily Johnson Rushford, Minn. Fillmore County 1,200 cows How do you relay a positive message about the dairy industry? We are the chairs of the Fillmore County ADA, as well as on multiple social media outlets, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, with our closest friends and family. We also hosted the Fillmore County Dairy Night on the Farm June 17 with over 1,200 people visiting Johnson’s Rolling Acres. Every April, we host the Rushford-Peterson preschool classes at the farm for a fun-lled day. Emily teaches at the school and promotes dairy products to the preschool classes. Our farm donates the milk to the preschool classes for the year to get the youngsters drinking milk at a young age. Our oldest son, Caden, is also a dairy ambassador for Fillmore County. He promotes the industry by throwing cheese sticks at the local parades, serving milk at local banks and serving malts in the county malt stand. Our other children, Carson, Teigen and Adeline, also help us promote when they can. What is a dairy promotion you felt was effective? We think the best thing going now is the collaboration with the fast food restaurants, like Dominos and McDonalds. These partnerships help use millions of pounds of milk and other dairy products annually. What ideas do you have to move more dairy products? We believe the public feels like they are being lied to. We need to show them how modern agriculture is done. Their image of a dairy is out on the green pasture and happy cows. If we educate and show people how our systems work, we believe they will get a new and better understanding of how farming has evolved and the reasons why. The consumer wants to know where the products they are feeding their families are coming from. We need to promote ourselves and modern dairying. The family farm comes in all sizes and types. It doesn’t matter if you milk 100 cows or 1,000 cows, we all need to support each other. There are less then 2 percent of us who are farmers and a growing number of activists who are telling our story. We need to show that it is not the right story. The public wants to see that we are real people, and that our products are safe and used by us, as well as the rest of the world. We also need to get on the green bandwagon and show the consumer what we are doing. We are portrayed as bad stewards of the land and environment. If we say nothing, they are proving it right. We need to tell our family stories every chance we get. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Why? The cheese curd is by far the most underrated product we have. It is an easy, quick snack that can be enjoyed either cold or deep fried. When you get outside Minnesota and Wisconsin people have no idea what it is. It is a clean, easy, simple snack for all ages. What do you think is the most important dairy message consumers need to hear right now? The consumer needs to know that we take great care of our
Lanette Harsdorf Beldenville, Wis. Pierce County 550 cows How do you relay a positive message about the dairy industry? Anytime I introduce myself and people ask what I do, I tell them I’m a dairy farmer. They always get excited and interested because most people have never seen a dairy farm. Then, I get to tell them about our passion for taking care of the cows and our sustainability story. What is a dairy promotion you felt was effective? Dairy tours are one of the most effective ways of communicating to the consumer what dairy farmers do. Another thing we’ve done is worked with CEOs of Walmart and McDonalds to take them to farms, tell dairy’s story and increase their comfort level with dairy. By doing the tours and taking them to farms and cheese factories, we help consumers embrace what dairy is all about. What ideas do you have to move more dairy products? We need to tell our nutrition story better. The research is there proving that dairy fats are healthy, including the cover of TIME magazine. Milk is a pure product, and it’s superior to the competition out there. The research is good, but it takes a while for doctors and nutritionists to get up to speed. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? All cheese is great for you, but Wisconsin cheese is truly superior due to the level of craftsmanship and skill that goes into making cheese. I think we need to start labeling our cheeses better so people know it’s lactose free, as well as lactose-free milk so people who can’t digest lactose don’t have to feel like they need to completely write off dairy. What do you think is the most important dairy message consumers need to hear right now? All dairy is good for you. All dairy is nutritious. All dairy is regulated and safe. We don’t need to put qualiers on dairy because it is all good. Dairy fat is good for you. What is your favorite dairy product? Cheese. Tell us about your farm. We have two locations, raising our youngstock at our home in Beldenville and milking 550 registered Holsteins and Jerseys near Spring Valley, about 22 miles from our home. We expanded from 200 cows a couple of years ago and milk in a 28-stall rotary parlor.
animals and land to ensure they will in turn take care of us. A happy cow makes a happy farmer, which in turn make a happy consumer. We only use technology that is safe and well researched. We also are large consumers of dairy products and its greatness. What is your favorite dairy product? Trinity: My favorite dairy product is cheese. Emily: A cold glass of milk. Tell us about your farm. Our family farm, Johnson’s Rolling Acres, is a third generation farm. We are diversied in hogs and crops, as well as dairy. The farm supports eight families, with six active partners. My (Trinity) three uncles, Mark, Bradley and Richard, are the senior partners and my cousins, Lee and Zac, and I are the junior partners. My uncle and aunt, Gerald and Ellen, as well as my grandma are also still on the farm.
Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
Making every square foot count Pasanens in third year with twin-20 corn planter By Brittany Olson
brittany.o@dairystar.com
EXELAND, Wis. – With the average cow in his family’s herd milking approximately 90 pounds per day, dairy farmer Scott Pasanen knows it takes a lot of quality feed to reach such production. “Our production is the best it’s ever been,” Pasanen said. Pasanen, who milks 750 cows with his brother, Kevin, just east of Exeland, Wis., is maximizing the potential of his farm’s 2,200 acres with the help of a twin-20 corn planter. Pasanen oversees the crop side of the farm. “We’re in our third year with this planter,” Pasanen said. “Before, we were just planting 30-inch rows with a 12-row corn planter.” The twin-20 planter, which plants two rows of corn every 20 inches and consists of 48 seed boxes oriented in pairs, arrived at the Pasanen farm in 2015 as part of an incentive with their seed dealer, Stine Seed Company.
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
ScoƩ Pasanen milks 750 cows near Exeland, Wis. He is in his third year of using a twin-20 corn planter as part of a lease agreement with his seed dealer. The incentive, stemming from their seed dealer’s belief in the potential benets of growing twin-row corn, gives growers the opportunity to buy the planter after leasing it for two years for about a third of the planter’s retail value. In addition to boosting the number of seeds being planted, the idea behind a twin-20 is to create an earlier shade canopy
between corn plants to lower soil temperature, decrease erosion and reduce weed pressure. High population varieties, which are bred to be stockier and shorter with a more upright leaf, and are less prone to breakage or lodging from the elements, are standard use with planters such as the twin-20. When the new planter arrived at Pasanen Farms, so did
a new learning curve. Tailoring population settings for high population hybrids to their 1,500 corn acres, which consists of sandy, rocky ground with a thin layer of topsoil, was just the tip of the iceberg. “With our northern location, we can’t use as many of
once.” As for taking the corn off in the fall for silage and grain corn, Pasanen no longer has to follow rows with the chopper or combine. “I just set the GPS and go with the heads at a 15-degree angle,” Pasanen said. As far as bushels and tonnage are concerned, Pasanen has seen considerable yield bumps after using the new planter. He noted a 15 percent yield gain for grain corn after the rst growing season with the twin-20, which averaged about 130 bushels per acre in years prior. Silage corn was no exception. “Before, we got about 20 tons of silage per acre with the old planter. Last year and the year before that, we had about 26 ton to the acre,” Pasanen said. While Pasanen has been happy so far with the twin-20 planter, he does caution that it is not ideal for everyone. “The 30-inch planter is much simpler to run after this,” Pasanen said. “It takes a lot to run this planter. You need a special tractor, computers and more.” Another issue Pasanen ran into is that he can’t spray for weeds as early as he used to.
“The rows are so close together they look like hair. It’s interesting running that many rows at once.” SCOTT PASANEN, DAIRY FARMER
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
A twin-20 corn planter plants corn in twin 10-inch rows 20 inches apart from the next set of twin rows. The Pasanens have seen considerable yield bumps for both grain and silage corn since using the planter.
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the high-population varieties. We were advised to go to 42,000 seeds per acre, but after noticing stagnant cobs that didn’t ll out, as well as being out-yielded despite being under a pivot [irrigator], we plant our silage corn at 36,000 and grain corn at 34,000,” Pasanen said. “The plants are thicker and more shaded at 36,000.” The elds themselves resemble lush jungles in the summer with the close spacing of rows. “The rows are so close together they look like hair,” Pasanen said. “It’s interesting running that many rows at
“I used to spray before the corn came up, but now I have to run corn over to get the spraying done. It comes back just ne, though,” Pasanen said. With two growing seasons using the twin-20 planter under his belt, Pasanen is looking forward to another year of continued yield bumps and, ultimately, more feed for his high-producing cows. To achieve that goal, he’ll need to make every inch count. “The idea is to have a corn plant every square foot,” Pasanen said.
Bongards’ Creameries
Has been a quality market for MN dairy farmers for over 100 years. MN producers provide one of the country’s most distinctive brands of cheese that is still made using the same Old World craftsmanship and has been combined with cutting-edge technology to produce cheese that delivers unforgettable taste with unparalleled quality. MN Dairy farmers and Bongards, quality that stands the test of time. We offer a competitive base price, premiums, and the best Àeld representatives in the industry. 13200 Co. Rd. 51 Bongards, MN 55368 (952) 466-5521 Fax (952) 466-5556 110 3rd Ave. NE Perham, MN 56573 (218) 346-4680 Fax (218) 346-4684
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 17
ATTENTION DAIRY PRODUCERS:
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Use these examples to estimate your potential if you are harvesting 15,000 bushels
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HARVEST EARLIER
The high-moisture advantage could be as high as 6%. One example:
®
6% x 15,000 bu. = 900 bu. x 2.50 = $2,250 Your figures:
6% x _____=______x $4.50=$______ (bushels fed) (bushels saved)
ELIMINATE DRYING COSTS
The high-moisture advantage when dried down from 20 to 14%. One example:
15,000 bu. x 7-1/2 cents = $1,125. Your figures:
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The high-moisture advantage could be a 5% feed efficiency improvement, and often is much higher. One example:
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
Repro Leaders
Fresh cow changes, heat abatement help reproduction at Lone Wolf Dairy Jaime and Sarah Wolf Lone Wolf Dairy Plainview, Minn. Wabasha County 235 cows What was your average pregnancy rate last year? Last year, our cows had a pregnancy rate of 31 percent, and our heifers had a pregnancy rate of 34 percent. What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? The voluntary waiting period for our cows is 60 days. Heifers are bred starting at 12 months. What is your rst service conception rate? First service conception rate for cows is 45 percent, while it is 64 percent for heifers. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? We synch the cows with a presynch program, which consists of a prostaglandin shot on day 21, 34, 55 and 56, and a GnRH shot on day 47 and 57. If a cow is checked open on exam day,
she will get a GnRH shot that day, a prostaglandin shot seven days later and a GnRH shot two days after that. Heifers are watched for heat until 14 months. If they haven’t shown a heat by then, they receive a shot of prostaglandin. How do you observe for heat? We have a few different ways to watch for heat. The rst is our smart dairy program from Boumatic. All cows wear transponders on their front leg that reads their activity and sends the information to the computer in the ofce. On the computer, we can sort out the high activity cows without even walking into the barn. The second way we watch for heat is through an A.I. company. Art Hoffman, from Genex, comes every day to walk the herd and visually watch for heat. How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? Our vet, Nate Eversman, from Plainview Vet Clinic, does our herd checks every Tuesday and ultrasounds to check for pregnancies. Turn to WOLF | Page 20
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
The crew at Lone Wolf Dairy includes – (from leŌ) owners, Jaime and Sarah Wolf; and employees, Jose Loemli, and Ann and Butch Mussell. The Wolfs bought the cows from the Mussells in 2014 and are currently renƟng the farm near Plainview, Minn. Last year, the 235-cow herd had a pregnancy rate of 31 percent.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 19
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
ConƟnued from WOLF | Page 18
What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in bull selection? When selecting bulls, we look at feet and legs, udders, combined fat and protein, and a daughter pregnancy rate that is higher than +0.2. If we can’t get offspring to breed back, then it’s hard to keep calves on the
ground. Having a good staff of employees helps with nding fresh cows who need extra attention. There are eight employees. We’ve found if a fresh cow can get back to her normal self in the rst week after she calves, she will breed back right away. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a differ-
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Cows rest in a transiƟon pen, which the Wolfs created by moving pens around. They said adding this area for the transiƟon cows has helped the herd’s reproducƟon and overall health. ent philosophy for breeding both? Both cows and heifers are bred using A.I. We tend to use the same philosophy on both cows and heifers. The heifers are not on a synch program and get bred to sexed semen on their rst breeding. What do you do to settle hard breeders? If we have a harder breeder, we will breed that cow to an Angus or Herford bull, which have a little bit better conception rating. KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Fans and a sprinkler system added two years ago at Lone Wolf Dairy has helped keep the pregnancy rate from dropping in the summer. Before this addiƟon, reproducƟon would dip during the summer months.
How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? We will breed a cow up to 200 days in milk, which is about four to ve times.
Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? We have changed our fresh cow protocols. For the rst three days after calving, a cow will receive a TDM bolus, probiotic bolus, aspirin, magnet, vitamin B and a pour on each of those rst three days. If the cow is second lactation or older, she will also receive a calcium bolus each of those days. We’re realizing it gets to be a lot, so we’re still working on the protocol and trying to simplify it. We also changed pens around so we could get a fresh cow pen. They stay in that pen up to 21 days in milk. We added more
fans and a new sprinkler system two years ago. This helped us keep consistency with pregnancies throughout the year. We used to dip in reproduction during the summer, but now that dip isn’t as large. Tell us about your farm. We are a 235-cow herd with another 228 head of youngstock. A portion of the youngstock is housed at the farm, while about 100 or so are sent to a heifer raiser where they are bred and brought back at three weeks before calving. Sarah and I bought the herd in May 2014 and are currently renting the facilities and some land for the dairy.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 21
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Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
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Select Sires Inc., Accelerated Genetics to join forces The board of directors for Select Sires Inc., and Accelerated Genetics have reached a unanimous decision to unify the two cooperatives. Under the planned agreement, Select Sires will acquire the assets of Accelerated Genetics, joining forces of employees and independent sales representatives in each of their geographical member organizations. This decision coincides with an already collaborative business relationship that began in 2001, where each shares ownership of World Wide Sires, Ltd. World Wide Sires serves as the international marketing arm for both companies in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania. Accelerated Genetics and Select Sires Inc., are built upon the same cooperative business principles and share similar operating structures. Each organization stems from a root of innovative breeders, who had a common vision to move the dairy and beef industries forward. Both cultures value the input of their member-owners and recognize the importance of their guidance in driving the need to produce superior genetics and outstanding reproductive programs. On June 22, 2017, Accelerated Genetics delegates will come together to cast the nal vote on the direction of the cooperative. The goal is to create a unied cooperative that is second-to-none in the market place dedicated to the producer. This impending endeavor will create a wellrounded genetics program and solution-based animal health care product line that will t the needs of dairy and beef producers worldwide. Producers can expect to continue working with highly qualied, passionate individuals, who know and understand the cattle breeding industry.
Consumer demand drives organic milk industry expansion
Despite the current excess supply environment rising demand points to a bright future for the U.S. organic milk industry, leading a record number of dairies to transition to organic milk production according to a new report from CoBank. Organic milk generates the highest sales of any certied organic commodity, and steady demand growth will lift organic uid milk market share and further stimulate product innovation. “The substantial gap between organic and conventional on-farm milk prices, combined with more price stability, is driving the transition,” says Ben Laine, CoBank senior dairy economist. “We are seeing increasing herd sizes for many existing organic dairies looking to take advantage of size efciencies and price premiums.” The 12-month average national organic milk mailbox price in April 2016 (near the widest point in the price spread) was $36.25 per hundredweight (cwt) compared to a conventional average of $14.89 per cwt. This sizable pay difference and the extended pressure on conventional milk prices provide considerable motivation for dairies to undertake costly three-year process to become certied organic. In addition, the year-long contracts common for organic production may temper the monthly price volatility often found in the conventional milk market.
Engaging with consumers: Integrating dairy’s story in the farm-to-fork experience
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 23
This June, I’ve been on a farm-to-table exhibit. the road attending Midwest With 30,000 visitors exDairy Division board meetings pected each year, the farm-to-tathroughout the 10-state region. ble exhibit shows how dairy ts We kicked off our meetings within our overall food system; in Sioux Falls, S.D., one of the key goals of and afterward toured the Undeniably Dairy the recently opened campaign that recently Stockyards Ag Expelaunched. The national rience, located in the campaign has a goal of heart of Sioux Falls at reminding people how Falls Park. The visit much they enjoy dairy was gratifying because foods, while showcasthe museum’s exhibit ing the values, pracdevelopment is partices and innovations tially funded by Mid- By Lucas Lentsch of the farm families west dairy farmers, Midwest Dairy who provide them. not only those from Association CEO This exhibit does just South Dakota, but also that, positioning dairy from Iowa and Minnein the larger context sota. For me, the tour proved to of how all our favorite foods – be an engaging way to tell the including pork, beef, corn, soy, farm-to-fork story, showcasing wheat and dairy – get from the the critical role dairy foods – in farm to our dining table. conjunction with all commodiThanks to the support of ties – have played and will con- our dairy farmers, the exhibit tinue to play in feeding people already has an impact. Since within the region, as well as opening in March, the Stockacross the globe. yards Ag Experience has had This interactive exhibit is in visitors from 32 of the 50 states. a renovated barn, dating to the During our tour, we heard a sto1880s, which offers great infor- ry about a physician from Conmation for food enthusiasts of necticut who works for Sanford all ages. The exhibit educates Health and was visiting with his about food production with its wife. After touring the exhibtwo exhibits. The rst takes its, he said, “I feel I can better visitors on a journey through relate to my patients from this the history of the Sioux Falls region now that I more fully unStockyards from its opening in derstand their history.” His wife 1917 to its closing in 2009; the said, “I’m going to start drinksecond honors contemporary ing milk again. I had no idea farming and farm families with how clean the barns or the cows
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Midwest Dairy staff along with South Dakota Division board members a�ending the Stockyards Ag Experience, Sioux Falls, S.D., are (le� to right) – Bob Lefebvre, Roger Scheibe, Annelies Seffrood, Ron Krogstad, Whitney Jerman, Gary Jarding, Doug Ode, Lucas Lentsch, Jim Neugebauer and Dr. Vikram Mistry. are.” These exchanges show that dairy farmers’ investment is paying off; the exhibit is connecting with consumers while recognizing the interdependence of the entire agricultural industry. The dairy farmers’ story was highlighted as part of the display with Boadwine Farms, Baltic, S.D., featured in a 360-degree, interactive video that gives visitors the feeling of being on the farm. This video, along with the other interactive displays, provides a snapshot of how agriculture connects direct-
ly to what’s in our refrigerators at home. It was fun to see children and adults spend time at an interactive display consisting of a play kitchen stocked with more than 90 food products. When you open it, you learn more; each product includes a Universal Product Code (UPC) barcode, which when scanned reveals interesting facts. Dairy is well represented with cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese. Our dairy farmers are pleased to invest in such an engaging exhibit that helps us join in the conversation with families and connects agriculture
with our daily lives. I encourage anyone traveling through the Sioux Falls area to make this a must-visit stop on your itinerary. Lucas Lentsch was named CEO of Midwest Dairy Association in April 2016. In that role, he serves the dairy farm families of 10 states including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. Midwest Dairy works to foster innovation and inspire consumer condence in dairy products and practices.
Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
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Morning coffee made better with cheddar Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 25
Several slices of extra-sharp ched- you had to haul your milk yourself to dar cheese and a mug of black coffee the local creamery. You didn’t want to fuel body, mind and soul as I write this travel a long distance because the roads on a ne, June morning. sometimes became mudThe coffee is a daily stady messes. During cold Rural Roots ple for me, and the cheese conditions, they turned with it is ever-so approinto frozen ruts. priate during this June Along with that, you Dairy Month. had plenty of work to get I specically selected done, so you didn’t want Wisconsin cheese for two to spend more time than reasons. First, I’m writing necessary lugging your about the Badger State’s farm’s milk to the creamtrademark food. Second, ery. You had cows to milk I’m writing about the by hand and livestock to historic buildings where feed, not to mention crops cheesemakers labored to tend, water to pump long while conducting the and rewood to cut for the By Ron Johnson cooking magic that conwinter. Staff Writer verted thousands of hunSome of those creamdredweights of milk into eries of yesteryear remain tasty and nutritious food. with us to this very day. But, sometimes In Wisconsin, many cheesemakers it takes a keen eye to spot one. That’s yet ply their craft. I’m told that as of because many of those old creamerlast year Wisconsin was still home to ies now wear disguises. They’ve been 144 creameries. converted into houses that often blend In 1899, it’s estimated that 1,500 in with their newer kin. When I’m drivcreameries dotted the Wisconsin land- ing, I play a game of seeing how many scape and inside each and every one vintage creameries I can spot. labored at least one cheesemaker. Many of the creameries I nd are Those cheesemakers of a century one-story affairs; that is, one story long gone are long gone, too. Yet their above ground. And, they’re often lonlegacy lives on in every ounce and ger than a typical ranch-style house. A pound of cheese in every store and location at a crossroads is a strong hint kitchen. that I’m looking at a converted creamThe legacy also lives on in the eries. Another clue is the presence of creamery buildings themselves. I see the intake, the doorway where milk one every so often as I make my Dairy cans were brought into the creamery. Star forays throughout southwest Wis- Sometimes the structure’s new owners consin and into Iowa. have not bothered to hide or remove the Most of those humble creameries intake. were strategically built at road intersecEvery so often I notice a house that tions. Imagine for a moment that you has glass blocks instead of regular winare a dairy farmer in 1899. At that time, dows in one of its outside walls. That’s
the kind of glass often used in milk County, there’s a concrete block creamhouses on farms, and it’s a clue that a ery that I remember when it was still former creamery lives there. Not all operating. It’s home to a feed business creameries were just one story. I know now. Mount Sterling Cheese, where I of several two-story creameries. The worked for a time during the summer top oor was for the cheesemaker and after I graduated from high school, his family to live in. is still there and still in business. It’s Just off the top of my head, I can owned by a cooperative and produces pinpoint the locations of several cream- cheese from goats’ milk. eries. One that’s near and dear to my A yellow sheet of metal with black heart is perched close to Richland numbers and letters hangs on my ofCounty’s Ash ce wall. It’s Creek. I mana 1958 license aged to nd IIn 1899 plate I dug out 1899, iit’s ’ estimated i d that h a list from of an old pas1913, and 1,500 creameries dotted the ture. Along it included Wisconsin landscape and inside the bottom of a creamery the plate is named Lower each and every one labored at proclaimed in Ash Creek. bold letters, least one cheesemaker. My fa“ A m e r i c a ’s ther bought a Dairyland.” 100-acre farm with Ash Creek curling Wisconsin has worn that title since through it in 1961. The cheesemaker’s 1939, when the state legislature apson and daughter and I went to the same proved it for the plates. It’s a title still one-room school. I learned the pipe well-deserved today. Last year, Wiswhere whey from the creamery dumped consin’s 9,000-plus dairy farms and into the creek was a great place to nd their 1.3 million cows produced the giant craysh. Apparently the protein milk that went into 3.1 billion pounds and minerals in the whey made the of cheese. That number makes Wisconcrustaceans grow to trophy size. sin the clear leader when it comes to A recent drive down that road re- U.S. cheesemaking. vealed to me that the Ash Creek creamI can’t begin to imagine a pile of ery is gone. It has suffered the same fate 3.1 billion pounds of cheese. But I can as many others. Yet, others still stand. imagine the cheesemakers of yore, toilThere’s a small creamery in down- ing and tending their kettles and vats of town Star Valley in northern Crawford milk. Seeing some of their old creamerCounty. Rhein Hollow Road, a few ies still struggling against the ravages of miles from where I hang my hat, has a time gives me new appreciation for the vintage creamery hugging it. Fairview, people who built our industry. Without also in Crawford County, is home to a them, I’d have to make cheese myself. two-story creamery. I wonder how that would taste with my Farther up Highway 27 in Vernon morning mug.
“I didn’t even think we had stray voltage!” Roger Lange milks 100 head on his family dairy at Crofton, Nebraska. Until recently he was often forced to sell his fresh heifers because they wouldn t let down their milk. “We called Stray Voltage Consulting, and Jerry found the problem within half an hour.” Roger said. “I was very impressed with Jerry. He’s a former REA guy, so he understands both the farmer and the electric company. Being able to work with both sides is a key component to his success.” “I haven’t had a single problem with our fresh heifers since Jerry corrected our stray voltage problem. I would highly recommend Stray Voltage Consulting to anyone who thinks they might have stray voltage!”
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
Summer reminders
Now that summer is here and the days keep rolling by, I wanted to remind producers of deadlines and programs that may affect operations during the summer months. The deadline to report your crop acres is July 15 and appointments are lling up fast. Call your FSA ofce to make an appointment today. The deadline to enroll in the ARC-CO, ARCIC or PLC program is August 1. This needs to FSA News & Notes be completed on an annual basis. The FSA ofce will try to complete this when you’re in for acreage reporting, so make sure you bring any lease agreements to your appointment. With the recent storms, weather-related By Ryan Brunn disasters have occurred on farming operations. If Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. these events have led to livestock deaths, loss of pasture, loss of harvested feed, or loss of trees and vines, FSA has programs to assist. The following are programs that are available: • Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP): offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather. Eligible losses may include those determined by FSA to have been caused by hurricanes, oods, blizzards, wildres, tropical storms, tornados, lightening, extreme heat and extreme cold. Producers will be required to provide veriable documentation of death losses resulting from an eligible adverse weather event and must submit a notice of loss to their FSA ofce within 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is apparent. • Tree Assistance Program (TAP): provides assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers for qualifying tree, shrub and vine losses due to natural disasters. Producers must submit a notice of loss to their FSA ofce within 90 days of the disaster event or the date when the loss is apparent. • Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP): provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs. ELAP covers physically damaged or destroyed livestock feed that was purchased or mechanically harvested forage or feedstuffs intended for use as feed for the producer’s eligible livestock. In order to be considered eligible, harvested forage must be baled; forage that is only cut, raked or windrowed is not eligible. Producers must submit a notice of loss to their FSA ofce within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent. ELAP also covers up to 150 lost grazing days in instances when a producer has been forced to remove livestock from a grazing pasture due to oodwaters. For beekeepers, ELAP covers beehive losses (the physical structure) in instances where the hive has been destroyed by a natural disaster including ooding, high winds and tornadoes. As always, we hope to avoid all bad weather but sadly, we know it happens. Contact your FSA ofce if you think they can be of assistance if you’re facing any of these adversities. 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.
Value, involvement, challenge The Transition Pen
By John & Laura Rosenhammer Father/Daughter Farming Duo This afternoon, our farm had the privilege of hosting a tour for AMPI Young Cooperators and their families. To prepare, we spent hours washing windows in the parlor, power washing walls and ceilings, and tidying up the yard. With the extra dose of motivation, I nally got my ofce organized again and Dad made repairs to the freestall that had been put off. While we waited for the buses to arrive, I looked around our farm and took time to admire everything – from the freshly mowed lawn to the clean white ceilings in the parlor. The cows were lying comfortably in their stalls with the sprinklers on and fans running. I can’t express how excited and proud I am for each opportunity I get to showcase our dairy. It’s such an amazing feeling of accomplishment seeing everyone pitch in to help clean up and take time out of their day to be there. I was stationed in the parlor. As expected, I gave details about our equipment, milking procedure and special features like our rapid exit. However, to me, our parlor is so much more than that. We milked the rst cows in the parlor in 2009 during my junior year of high school. I explained that I remember touring farm after farm with my dad and uncle looking for ideas. One that stood out was having a single step down into the pit, rather than several steps. This allows nearly anyone to walk right into the parlor and see the cows milking up close. Additionally, it permits whoever is milking to see directly out the large windows at the front of the parlor, so you can view whatever else is going on at the farm, rather than be isolated. My dad and uncle allowed me to have input on these details and that is what kept me interested in the farm. I sat in on several planning meetings and even skipped school so I could help milk the rst few shifts. I’ll never forget seeing how frustrated my dad was during the very rst shift. He couldn’t tell which cow he was milking because he could only see their udders, unlike the full cow he always saw in our tiestall barn. The cows didn’t want to enter the parlor and didn’t understand they needed to turn the panels that separated each of them. I helped push cows into the parlor along with our project manager. I searched for the show cows in each group. These cows had been halter broke and would allow me to lead them into the parlor rst. The rest of the cows would follow. This system improved the cow ow and we were able to bring cows in with less physi-
cal labor. Knowing my actions made a difference in the situation made me feel valuable. Looking back, memories like this are what stimulated my interest in coming back home to farm. Feeling valued, involved and challenged are the top three reasons why employees stay at a workplace (core.com). I certainly would not have come back home to farm if I didn’t feel each of these objectives. I nd value each time I add something to the operation, such as an idea to add a second driveway or new, easier way to move calves. Taking care of weekly bills, keeping track of our nancial records, and setting up meetings gives me a sense of involvement in the whole operation. While I appreciate days that are a breeze, I take note of the days that bring unexpected challenges, such as a down
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cow or sick calf. Days like this remind me I can’t control what happens, only my reaction to it. When I drive home at night after putting a down cow in the oat tank or giving an IV to a sick calf, I look forward to the next morning and am hopeful for their improvement. It delivers a greater sense of fulllment when I overcome a challenge I wasn’t sure I could, and when I fall short, I am motivated to nd a way to improve. Each day is a new day, another opportunity to pursue those feelings of value, involvement and challenge. Laura Rosenhammer farms with her father, John, and uncle, Greg, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and run 580 acres of cropland.
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Long hungry summer Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
We have been hosting farm school trips for over 20 years. In the spring, the tour includes baby animals beyond just newborn calves. We have chicks, goslings, lambs and goat kids for the kids to pet, hold and feed. The teachers book their reservations according to their curriculum topic of the farm or Wisconsin. This tends to be a big unit, and it is the perfect way to end the school year. Some reservations are made a year in advance, so the teachers will start or nish their educational program at our farm. We open for visitors in April, when it can be raining and snowing with cold winds or even be sunny and warm enough for baby animals to go outside. The weather is something we discuss during the reservations. We do not cancel tours unless it is severe weather. One of the rst things I do in the morning is check the radar on my phone. If there is a concern, I speak to the teachers before they get to school if there is a possibility of cancelation. We rarely By Tina Hinchley cancel, partly due to the bus companies being unable to Farmer & Columnist credit fees for transportation. Some days, the kids come off the bus wearing winter coats, hats, mittens and warm boots. Other days, they are wearing shorts and sunglasses. It is Wisconsin, and the weather changes daily. This spring it rained, but the tours all went on as scheduled. After the buses pull in and the children get off, the teacher and parent chaperones pull in the coolers with milk cartons and lunches. Lunch time is important and is scheduled during their visit. It is common to have a portion of the children ask, “When are we going to eat?” within the rst hour on the farm. Even with all the excitement of seeing baby animals, going on a hayride and milking a cow, kids tell us they are
hungry. I know we need to stop for lunch. These kids burn up energy so fast they need to get some nourishment to help them focus and refuel to nish the tour after lunch. Many of the schools have breakfast, lunch and after-school programs where these children are eating healthy, well-balanced meals complete with milk. There are a few schools that also furnish back pack snacks for low income children to take with them for the weekend. This food is budgeted, and often at risk of being cut along with other programs that were designed to help children learn and perform their best at school. I asked several teachers about the summer programs in their school districts and if the children still have access to healthy meals, milk and opportunities to keep up their reading and math skills. The schools have some programs, but the parents must enroll their children. Even children who need additional educational instruction don’t always receive it, and most programs do not have breakfast, lunch or evening meals. If one in six children don’t know where their next meal is coming from, what does this say about the future? Without the schools helping to feed these hungry little ones, making sure they have vegetables, protein and milk, many children will have a hard time getting the nourishment needed to grow and learn. Children cannot pay attention, focus or behave appropriately when they are feeling the pains of hunger tugging in their bellies for the two hours they are at our farm. These teachers are managing many students for eight or more hours. Teachers know and care about the families and the nancial situations that surround their communities. When the students leave for the summer, their teachers worry about these kids who have been a part of their lives for a year. For too many kids, it will be a long, hungry summer, waiting for school to start again. Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 120 registered Holsteins and farm 2,500 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wis. They have been hosting farm tours for over 18 years.
Over the past month, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection focused on nding a short-term solution for the dozens of Wisconsin dairy farm families who suddenly lost their milk market. Thankfully, on May 1, 99 percent of the milk had found a new home, at least temporarily. While we will continue to assist farmers through the Wisconsin Farm CenBy Ben Brancel ter, it is now time DATCP Secretary for us as an industry to keep the conversation going and look long term. The lessons we have learned should be what guides the future of Wisconsin’s dairy industry. The current situation has shown us all the importance of communication.
or crops grown. As farmers, it is our job to understand their expectations and educate them on the reasons why we do what we do. We may use seeds that allow us to save water or housing systems that keep animals safe. Research, done by universities and companies, will be vital to meeting different customer specications. In our promotion and marketing, we need to react to what consumers want. Families may never drink as much milk as they did in the past, but they may buy more proteinpacked yogurt and artisan cheeses than ever before.
Lessons learned should guide dairy’s future
Lesson No. 1: Communication with processors Communication needs to start between the farmer and the processor. Processing plants and farmers will have to work together directly to determine how much milk is needed. We cannot produce milk that does not have a nal market. These decisions need to be made by industry and not mandated by government. It is important that if a farmer is considering making a management change to in-
crease milk production, that information is communicated to the processor and trusted advisors, including the lender and accountant, before investments are made. When lenders ask farmers to consider how they can increase cash ow, the rst instinct cannot be to add more cows if the processor cannot handle the additional milk. The connection between the farmer and the processor will need to be tighter than ever in the future. Even though some farmers contract their milk through a handler, it is still important to know the milk truck’s nal destination of who the processor is and what products are being made. Agreements and contracts need to lay out the expectations and have terms that are amenable to both parties. Arrangements should be made that benet both the farmer and the processor. Lesson No. 2: Communication with consumers Milk is transformed by processing plants and value is added by making innovative ingredients that go into other products and nutritious dairy foods. Although farmers will rarely get the opportunity to meet the consumer who may live on the other side of the world, it doesn’t mean we all shouldn’t understand who they are or what they desire. Consumers have a lot to say about where their food comes from. They have ideas about how animals should be raised
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Lesson No. 3: Communication with policymakers Our dairy industry’s future depends on free, fair and transparent trade. We must build upon current trading relationships and identify new ones. We all need to be engaged in policy conversations, interact with decision makers and ensure our voice is heard, sharing what is important to our family farms and local businesses. Part of the reason Wisconsin’s dairy industry is so strong is that our farms are so diverse. It is simple. Some farms are small, and some farms are large. All of Wisconsin’s dairy farms rely on a dependable and skilled workforce year-round. Some succeed using low-input strategies, such as grazing, while others utilize the latest technology to gain efciencies.
Both production methods have the means to be successful. Government can’t hinder advancement. Local, state and federal governments need to be consistent and predictable in their permitting and enforcement. The regulations and standards need to keep up with advancements in technology, such as ultra-high temperature processing, and be clearly communicated to ensure we have a safe, nutritious and reliable food supply for years to come. The future When considering the future of the dairy industry, we will need all the players represented around the farm table: farmers, processors, milk handlers, lenders, agricultural organizations, universities and government ofcials, alike. There needs to be open and honest dialogue about the role we will all play in the years to come. For more than a century, the words Wisconsin and dairy have gone hand in hand. I truly believe that in another century, long after I’m gone, people will still recognize Wisconsin as the dairy state. Although it may look different, it will still be lled with productive dairy cows, rich soils growing quality feed, and the families that make it all possible. This is a time of opportunity for us in agriculture to learn from the lessons of our past, refocus and move forward together.
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Careful versus careless use of genomic evaluations by dairy producers
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 29
Genomic evaluations of young dairy bulls have altered the landscape for A.I. bull usage in herds. However, it seems some dairy producers, as well as many journalists who write about genomic evaluations and marketing personnel of A.I. companies, tend to infer the genomic evaluation of a young bull (or heifer) is the ďƒžnal answer (or very nearly so) on genetic worth of that individual. In reality, that isn’t the case. For a young bull, the ďƒžnal answer for his genetic evaluation isn’t achieved until he has hundreds, if not thousands, of daughters spread across many herds with lactation performance. By Les Hansen, Just how much do the gePh.D. nomic evaluations for highlyU of M, Dairy Cattle ranked individual bulls change Genetics Specialist with time? The answer is a lot. I’ve provided the genetic evaluations for the top 10 genomic-only young Holstein bulls that were ranked on the Net Merit selection index in August 2013 (obtained online from Holstein World) along with the subsequent genetic evaluations of the same bulls 3.75 years later in April 2017 that are based on daughter performance. The No. 1 bull in August 2013 had genomic evaluations of $683 net merit, +654 lbs. milk, +40 lbs. fat and +28 lbs. protein. Later, in April 2017, when the same bull had 1,271 daughters contributing to his proof, his genetic evaluations plummeted to $277 net merit, -955 lbs. milk, -24 lbs. fat and -19 lbs. protein. Yes, a loss of 1,609 lbs. milk from a genomic-only to a daughterbased evaluation. Notably, two of the top 10 genomic bulls in August 2013 became giants among proven Holstein bulls 3.75 years later in April 2017: Seagull-Bay SupersireET and Co-op Robust Cabriolet-ET. These two bulls share the same sire, Robust. Supersire was ranked fourth among the August 2013 genomic-only bulls at $670 net merit, but in April 2017 increased to $866 net merit. Cabriolet was eighth among genomic-only bulls at $646, but in April 2017 increased to $875 net merit. Only one additional bull among the top 10 in August 2013 ended with a higher net merit based on daughter performance than on his genomic-only evaluation. All of the other seven bulls among the top 10 in August 2013 dropped for net merit (as well as for all the production traits). So, what does this tell us? Genomic-only evaluations for individual bulls, especially those ranked near the top of a breed, often change when their actual daughter performance becomes available. Consensus in the industry is the most highly-ranked young bulls at any point in time are more likely to be over-evaluated than those ranked low. This may be contrary to what many have been led to believe. Genomic-only evaluations have good stability for groups of bulls within designated levels (stratiďƒžcations) for a trait or index, but the genomic-only evaluations for the most highly-ranked individual bulls at any point in time are prone to substantial change. Therefore, dairy producers deciding to use genomic-only A.I. bulls must make use of a large group of young bulls at all times to spread the risk of change across the group of bulls instead of cherry-picking a small number of highly-ranked individual young bulls. The marketing of individual highly-ranked bulls based only on genomics in the same way that proven bulls (that have a large number of daughters with performance information) are marketed is a questionable practice that isn’t the norm in other countries. Also, the group of genomic-only young bulls used in a herd
200 good quality Holstein heifers, 6-8 months bred, for sale at all times, shots & trucking included.
Change of genetic evaluations for the top 10 genomic bulls from August 2013 to April 2017. 2013 Name Rank Cookiecutter Petrone Halogen
1
Number of daughters
Proof Date
8-2013
0
4-2017
1,271
Change 2
Coyne-Farms Jabir-ET
3
Coyne-Farms Jetset-ET
Seagull-Bay SupersireET
Bomaz AltaArmani-ET
Stantons Catalyst
De-Su 11308 Judah-ET
Co-op Robust CabrioletET
De-Su Nominee-ET
Stantons Camaro
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-24
-19
-64
-47
-107
36
13
-226
-1196
-42
-29
8-2013
0
673
1209
69
43
4-2017
1,975
456
391
40
15
-217
-818
-29
-28
8-2013
0
670
2018
92
63
4-2017
12,816
866
2262
108
70
+196
+244
+16
+7
666
566
43
40
8-2013
0
4-2017
1,636
407
-376
14
10
-259
-942
-29
-30
8-2013
0
652
1435
65
43
4-2017
80
517
331
41
10
-135
-1104
-24
-33
8-2013
0
647
1467
52
40
4-2017
250
440
880
17
23
-207
-587
-35
-17
8-2013
0
646
1102
76
46
4-2017
4,247
875
960
101
50
+229
-142
+25
+4
8-2013
0
645
1333
57
53
4-2017
953
682
1260
56
48
+37
-73
-1
-5
8-2013
0
642
792
60
38
4-2017
113
511
-101
46
18
-131
-893
-14
-20
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Change 10
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Change 9
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Change 8
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Change 7
Protein
1089
Change 6
683
Fat
677
Change 5
Milk
0
Change 4
Net Merit $
8-2013 Change
C
MILLER CATTLE 612-201-1613
ic evaluations are highly reliable to use for selection among heifers. If the sires of heifers are genomiconly bulls, then their daughters may have changes in their genomic evaluations when their sires eventually have many daughters with performance information. Again, genomic evaluations are updated every four months, and they may change from one evaluation to the next for an individual young bull or heifer. Please carefully, rather than carelessly, use genetic evaluations that are based only on genomic predictions.
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needs to be changed periodically within a year. New and updated ofďƒžcial genomic evaluations are released at four-month intervals. If the sire of highly-ranked genomic-only bulls has a substantial drop in his genetic evaluation for a trait or index based on daughter performance, then all his sons will likely drop substantially for that trait or index, too. Lastly, some dairy producers also seem to believe the genomic evaluations of young heifers are the ďƒžnal answer on their genetic worth and, therefore, genom-
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More than meets the eye Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
This past weekend, we were at a graduation party has learned. She introduced me to her two daughters for a past employee’s son. The food was amazing, the and snuggled Cora right off while being amazed at conversation was lively, and it was great to see how my brood of children. When she knew me, I was still proud they were of their son’s accomplishments. Our childless and in college. families have stayed in touch; they’ve been at all our Having my children with me in the barn helps weddings, farm parties and always visit after babies me gauge people’s personalities better. We’ve had a are born. Their family has become an extension of young man in the past who adored my kids. He came ours. from a large family himself, While at the party, I ran so little ones were fun to be Having i my children hild with i h me into a couple who worked H around. He and Henry were for us in the early days of in the barn helps me gauge quite the pair. Henry referred the parlor on our farm; when to him as “my buddy.� One we ran 200 cows through a people’s personalities better. year when then 2-year-old step-up parlor at the end of Henry was awoken by my our original stall barn. Since great-white-hunter brother leaving our farm, they went to another area farm to at 5:30 a.m., and needed to come to the barn while work doing similar things. She has furthered her edu- I milked, he asked if I needed help and took Henry cation by attending MATC for a variety of things, in- to help scrape the pens. After his own little boy outcluding learning to breed cows. She was adamant that grew a pile of clothes, he kindly brought two garbage the things I taught her (drying cows, treating cows) bags full, washed and folded, for Henry and Finley to were stepping stones to her learning. She was excit- use. He always made a special effort to stop and say ed to tell me about how she’s doing those things on hello to the little boys as they played or ask to snuggle the farm now and has received diplomas for all she Cora.
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The thing about all of these stories is that the central characters are Hispanic. The ďƒžrst family I mentioned is very close to all of my family’s hearts. We watched their little boys grow-up as their youngest is the same age as my oldest. The father had a scary accident on the farm this past fall and it has taken months for his brain trauma to heal. We threw them a Ramblings from the Ridge wedding reception at the farm years ago. They adored my mom and always made a point of visiting her when they were in Hillsboro. They also had close ties with the area Amish community, bartering for animals and such. The current political climate has made people By Jacqui Davison who used to greet them Columnist on the street turn their nose up at them and walk by. They’ve had to have conversations with their children that we, as Americans, will never have to have with ours. Their children live in fear of going home one day and not having one or both parents there because they may have been deported. They hold their breath when they see a police car driving down the street because what if today is the day they take their mom and dad? They discuss what to do if any of these situations do arise with their children to keep things open and honest. He has no qualms about knowing they are here illegally, but wants to do the best thing possible for his children and their future. The second woman I mentioned has improved her English-speaking skills. Her eyes just glowed as she talked to me. We were the second farm she worked at upon coming to the United States, and she didn’t speak much English at the time. It was invigorating to listen to her talk about going to school to learn things in between having children, and the advances she’s made in her job position because of it. There are a great number of Americans who don’t take steps to further themselves in the world or even try to become better humans, and she had the desire to learn and sought out the education. My last story has a few unďƒžnished chapters. I explained his actions to my children this way, “When you think you are in trouble, you try to run and hide, right?â€? Needless to say, he acted in a similar way, and because of a mess of legal mumbo-jumbo, he’s locked in a detention center. I can only imagine how his two children feel about; I know we miss his smile and cheer at the farm. There’s always a bigger story to their lives. They come here to work and usually are sending most of their earnings home to support family. They are working, not taking jobs away from other people. Because it turns out that not many people actually want to do physical labor on farms. They’ve all left positive footprints on our lives; be it in teaching the boys to say simple Spanish words, being a strong member of the church and community, or being a beacon for others who want to go to school. Good people come in all sorts of packages. Jacqui and her family milk 700 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her boys, Ira (10), Dane (8), and Henry (3) help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little boys, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos-and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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United as an industry
I was a young girl when I rst became involved in the dairy industry – leasing a 4-H heifer from my neighbors. As the older club members helped me ll out the paperwork correctly, and by deadline, and then a few months later guided me through the tting process, I could already tell there was something different, something special about this industry. As many years have gone by, that belief has not wavered. In fact, it’s only been solidied time and time again with beautiful reminders of the unity the industry possesses, unlike any other community I’ve been a part of or witnessed. The morning of June 11 was no different. I awoke before the sun as thunder crackled against our tin roof and trees bent so the tops could touch the ground below. I prayed our two heifers in the pasture were safe and our ock of chickens were nestled in their coop. The storm was on its way out, and we were left unharmed. A short time later, my husband, Willie, received a call from his dad and I a text message from my coworkers. The Carlson family, of Pennock, Minn., fell victim to Mother Nature’s unruly temperament, and they were in dire need of help. By Jennifer Coyne As Willie made phone calls to those close to the Staff Writer situation, I went online to see if there was any more information available. Almost immediately, we both learned of the seless acts many people so graciously offered. From the time of the storm’s destruction to late afternoon, people arrived from miles away – from southern Minnesota to Wisconsin – hurrying to clear debris off the animals and around the farm site; tractor-trailers waited in the driveway to load the cows and heifers for relocation. The rural community buzzed like a suburb as vehicles moved in and out of the farm site, helping in any way they could. And those who couldn’t physically be there were giving their condolences and support online – spreading the news, searching for more lending hands. My editor, Mark Klaphake, was able to spend time with the family that Sunday TTogether, h we are united i d iin our afternoon, helping in any despair and celebration, and we way possible. He took photos have to take every opportunity to in the wake of destruction, but also captured the triumph share that message... of the dairy industry coming near and far to help someone in need. Unfortunately, this is not the rst time a family within the industry has suffered unthinkable pain beyond their control. However, with each scenario, the industry has stood united in guiding those families back towards the path of normalcy. And, although we do none of this for attention, people notice. I brought my car in for a repair Monday following the storm, and the entire service department was commenting in admiration of the support the Carlsons received the day prior. As the clean-up continues, the support is still resilient. With the end of June Dairy Month approaching, it’s been quite a month to reect on the industry’s importance to our communities – from boosting the local economy to fullling a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. But more importantly, it’s been an opportunity to show consumers our dedication to the industry and one another. Whether its picking up torn pieces of metal from corn elds after the skies clear or standing alongside the show ring of a 4-H show ready to take control of an spunky heifer, our actions speak volumes to the public. Together, we are united in our despair and celebration, and we have to take every opportunity to share that message with our neighbors. Now, grab a bowl of ice cream and continue advocating – National Ice Cream Month is upon us.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 31
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WHEN: Tuesday July 11, 2017, registration from 6:30AM-8:45AM HEADQUARTERS: Clear Springs Cattle Company ADDRESS OF EVENT: 30819 250th Street, Starbuck, MN Come ride a chartered bus around the scenic Glacial Ridge Trail and visit area beef farms and ranches. For both the experienced cattlemen or if you are just wanting to learn more about the beef industry. Registration is $35 at the door. Registration includes breakfast, lunch, steak supper, chartered bus tour and trade show! Pre-registration is encouraged but not required by emailing glacialridgecattlemen@gmail.com or calling 320-444-1113.
Spreading the word Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
June Dairy Month has become the kick off to summer for many farmers and consumers. It is like a large family reunion. A time to catch up, reconnect and discover what is new in each other’s life. Families across our area have been waking up early, packing up and trekking out across the elds for an adventure on the farm. Thousands have gobbled down syrup soaked pancakes before they head out to the barns to discover what’s new on the farm. For many families, Breakfast on the Farm in the rst summer event. What a great tradition. We also consider Breakfast on the Farm a family tradition to attend, even though many are leaving when we are just arriving. Chores have to be done before we can pop over for breakfast and a tour. Just like everyone else on the tour, we are looking to learn something new. Even though we are collecting different information than the other families, we are all there for the same reasons. We want to learn and to
connect with each other. While some “ooooh” and “aaahhh” over the baby calves and friendly cows, we are excited to see their calf facilities and ventilation system. It seems strange to be looking at the same scene, yet focusing on completely different things. These non-farming families have a genuine interest in learning where and how their milk is made. They are giddy with excitement when an overly curious heifer comes up to the fence to check them out. It is hard to tell who is more enthralled, the heifer or the people. The highlight of the day will be if the heifer tries to lick them with her long, rough tongue. What a great memory and a positive connection to our story. We’ve had many promotional campaigns over the years to help keep us connected to our customers. I think the REAL seal and Got Milk? campaigns have been two of our best promotions. I miss looking for the REAL seal on dairy products. When I moved to Minnesota, I had never heard of the REAL seal, but
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quickly learned to always look for the red milk drop symbol. How do we expect our customers to know they are getting real dairy products when they go to the store today? Just because they picked up milk in the dairy section of the grocery store doesn’t necessarily mean they Just Thinking Out Loud grabbed our milk. One of my pet peeves is how the word milk has been hijacked by other beverages to market their non-dairy products. We have worked hard over the years to develop a positive and healthy image associated with milk and dairy products. So why do I nd almond By Natalie Schmitt milk in the dairy secColumnist tion? I have yet to nd a mammary system on an almond tree. I heard a report on the BBC News which brought this thought to mind. They reported the European Court of Justice ruled plant based foods can not be sold in the European Union using terms such as milk, butter and cheese. A soyfu/tofu company was challenging a 2013 EU regulation which stated that designations such as milk, butter, cheese, cream and yogurt can only be used for marketing and advertising products which are derived from animal milk. When will our USDA/FDA step up and make the same regulation? However, there are four exemptions to the EU ruling. I understand coconut juice looks like milk and was misnamed years ago. I’ll give them that one. I don’t understand the EU’s problem with ice cream. It must have something to do with people thinking cream is a type of ice cube? I mean, really, what screams real dairy like ice cream? I guess you can’t make butter out of peanuts but at least they aren’t trying to market their product in the dairy case. You’ll always nd peanut butter next to the jam and jellies. The fourth exemption is almond milk. I don’t understand how the EU let that one slip through the cracks. It ies in the face of their regulations and rulings of plant based products using dairy terms for marketing. I Googled “what is milk” to see what would pop up. Thank goodness the rst thing on the list of nds was from dairygood.org with correct, sound and researched based information. It is great to actually see our check off dollars in use combating misinformation and at out fake news. The other sites had me shaking my head in disbelief. No wonder people are confused about what we do and the products we produce. If people don’t have a physical or emotional connection, how are they going to spot the mistakes? It’s like being in grade school learning to understand math. You learn and just know that 2+2=4, so when you see it equaling 5, you just know it is wrong. People haven’t been taught the basics of dairy and don’t know when the information they are looking at is wrong. We need to continue to help consumers develop their connection to food so they can lter out misinformation. We need to continue to keep our message up front and the rst thing to pop up on Google searches. We need to continue to connect one-on-one with our neighbors in town and out in the country. Just because June has come to a close, it doesn’t mean we pack up our message until next year. June is our kickoff to spreading the good news about dairy. Natalie, Mark and his brother, Al, Schmitt farm together near Rice, Minn. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are great help around the farm and are pushing Natalie out of several jobs. Therefore she is thankful to have something else to do. For questions or comments please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.
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Greener thumbs
I’ve always had two brown thumbs, probably because I’m an animal person more than a plant person. But I’m growing my appreciation for plants and my ability to keep them alive. Since Christmas, I’ve been successfully tending a spider plant and Christmas cactus that I grew from babies. Then, this spring, my bolstered horticultural condence compelled me to take on outdoor gardening. For the past 10 years, Glen’s dad (who happens to be a master gardener) took care of lling the owerpots on our patio with wave petuDairy Good Life nias. And on the rare occasion that I expressed interest in growing something other than weeds in my owerbeds, Glen’s dad pretty much took care of the ower selection and planting for me. I just had to pull weeds – something I love to do anyway, and remember to water them – which is harder than it sounds. Unlike kids and critters, plants don’t complain when they don’t get enough attention – they just shrivel up and die. Anyway, thanks to my newfound interest in plants, I now have a beautiful collection of potted owers adorning our patio and a brand new rock garden – and I’m feeling pretty darn proud of myself. The patio owerpots are lled with white alyssum, By Sadie Frericks blue trailing lobelia and dark purple calibrachoa. I’ve always loved alyssum’s dainty owers, and last sumColumnist mer I became smitten with lobelia’s petite blossoms. I added the calibrachoa for more variety. As I pondered the palette of owers at the greenhouse – color, bloom size and shape, plant height and spread, etc. – I realized how much ower gardening is really an art. After I had all of my owerpots arranged on the patio, an area by our front door looked empty. I had extra plants. Apparently guring out how many plants a girl needs for a planting project takes a little experience. So I repurposed a plastic dry cow lick tub into an extra large planter for next to the door. I sanded the tub lightly and coated it with stone-colored texturized spray paint. Then I lled this upcycled planter with the extra alyssum, lobelia and calibrachoa. It just might be one of my best ideas yet. My second best idea was the grouping of containers I threw together to hide the well cap in our front yard. I grabbed the stainless steel shotgun can we didn’t use for milk anymore, lled it with rocks, sand and potting soil, and planted white wave petunias in it. Then I convinced Dan to help me retrieve the old steel milk can that was buried behind hay bales in the back of the machine shed. He scrambled down into the cobwebs to tie a twine string on the can so I could hoist it up over the bales. I added a owerpot with alyssum and lobelia, and the grouping looks rather chic. With ower gardening, like so many other things in life, one thing leads to another. As I was planning my container plantings, I started thinking about the raised owerbed next to the granary. For the past several years, I’d dreamt about expanding it, but dreaming was as far as it got. This year, I made it happen. I cut away the sod next to the existing owerbed in a half-circle shape and laid down a piece of old silage bag plastic. I cut holes in the plastic for owers and covered the plastic with eldstones that we picked out of the corneld this spring. The resulting rock garden looks way better than I had ever dreamed. I went back and forth a hundred times while deciding between annuals or perennials for the rock garden. I eventually decided on annuals because I couldn’t commit to a color scheme for perennials. I planted snow white euphorbia and blue compact lobelia in the old raised part of the owerbed. The new rock garden part is lled with white bacopa and dark purple mini-petunias. One of my favorite parts of creating the new garden was pronouncing the ower names for Daphne every time she asked and hearing her carefully recite them back to me. She saved all of the ower tags and played with them while I planted. The second best part was seeing bumblebees ock to the bacopa. I had no idea bacopa was a bee-friendly plant. I just selected it because it was pretty. After Daphne and I watched the big bumblebees for a while, she decided to put the ower tags back by the plants so the bees would know which owers they were. Several weeks have passed now since I nished all of my planting projects, and I haven’t killed any plants yet. Monika is my chief helper when it comes to watering them. As I revel in the joy the owers bring and reect on this new pursuit in my life, I realize how much I thoroughly enjoyed the process. Even when I felt like I didn’t have time to be ddling with owers, the moments I spent gardening were incredibly rewarding. Now, I nd myself daydreaming about bulbs to plant in the rock garden this fall – tulips and bluebells, and who knows what else. And I’m already planning new color schemes for next summer’s containers. The possibilities are endless and delightful. I think I can feel my thumbs turning greener. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 75 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 10, Monika, 7, and Daphne, 4. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife. com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 33
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017
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Factors impacting feed efciency in dairy heifers
The goal of most dairy replacement management this results in reduced daily weight gain. Heifers are programs is to rear heifers at a low economic and able to dissipate heat more effectively than cows, but environmental cost while maximizing efforts should be made to implement future lactation performance. The Naheat abatement strategies in these aniSomething to Ruminate On mals, tional Research Council (NRC) Nutrias well. ent Requirements of Dairy Cattle proProviding shade is valuable to vides well-dened nutrient guidelines heifers in open lots. Heifers in confor dairy heifers. We have several nement require adequate air exoptions for feed ingredients to meet change. Heifers typically consume these requirements. one to 1.5 gallons of water per 100 We often hear the phrase heifer pounds of bodyweight per day. Water feed to describe a lower-quality forconsumption may increase by 20 perage or feedstuff. While these feeds cent or more during hot weather. Acmay not yield the best feed efciency, cess to a continuous supply of clean, they can serve to satisfy the nutrient fresh water is essential to help cool requirement of these animals. Some and maintain performance in growing By Barry Visser feeds need to be offered in moderaage heifers. Keeping heifers within Nutritionist tion because they are high in certain their thermoneutral zone during hot minerals such as sulfur or phosphoweather can keep them comfortable, rus. Fat content and overall energy levels also need help maintain daily weight gain and improve conto be monitored in several of these feeds. Minimiz- ception rates at breeding age. ing energy can be a challenge when lactating total Any environment or housing system that inmixed ration (TMR) refusals are offered in varying cludes well-bedded and managed freestalls or bedamounts to certain groups of heifers. Often times, ded packs will improve feed efciency because of lower energy, bulky feeds are used to dilute this en- lower maintenance costs. However, any housing that ergy content. Limit-feeding can be an option to re- allows heifers to be dirty and wet or allows animals duce energy intake if adequate bunk space is avail- to be heat- or cold-stressed will decrease feed efable. ciency due to increased maintenance energy requireSeveral variables can impact heifer nutrient ments to maintain a normal body temperature. requirements beyond the specic animal factors Although their energy demands are not as great, of breed, body size and gestation status. Seasonal older heifers still require careful consideration of variation and housing can have a signicant impact their nutritional needs and those needs vary greatly on maintenance costs. The thermoneutral zone for between farms and facilities as well as with the seamature dairy cows is 40 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. sons. Work closely with your nutritionist to evaluGrowing heifers will be about ve degrees above ate your facilities and available feedstuffs to design this. When temperatures exceed the upper level of the best program to meet the nutritional needs of the the thermoneutral zone, feed intake is reduced to next generation of your dairy herd. minimize heat production in the body. For heifers,
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 24, 2017 • Page 35
Cattle lanes main topic of Baird pasture walk Crawford County grazier farming three years, building his herd By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
FERRYVILLE, Wis. – Setting up a farm for managed grazing takes time. That point became evident June 6 during a pasture walk at Christopher Baird’s farm near Ferryville, Wis. The beginning dairyman purchased the farm from his parents in the fall of 2014, and began converting the 80 acres in northern Crawford County to a full-edged, pasturebased operation. The Great River Graziers’ Pasture Walk was Baird’s third in three years, as he continues to seek answers to many questions and evolving situations. This time, Baird wanted advice and opinions on placing and building travel lanes for his 41 registered Jersey and crossbred cows. He also sought expertise on building a shed to give his cattle supplemental feed in, constructing a feeding lane, and the condition of his pastures and how he might improve them. Approximately two dozen people turned out for the
event. Baird and Crawford County Extension Agriculture Agent Vance Haugen guided them through areas of the pasture, discussing possible routes for new cattle lanes. Baird said he is still waiting for approval from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on his Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) application. Baird would like partial funding to help pay for graveling the old cattle lanes or building new ones, building a new center-line fence and installing two cattle waterers. The dairyman applied for EQIP funding last year. He expressed a bit of dissatisfaction with the delay. “They kept telling I was a month or two out,” Baird said. “Now they’re telling me I’m two or three years out [from approval].” Even without EQIP paying part of the cost, the center fence will go in, Baird said. He said it will be steel posts and four strands of barbed
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wire. On the day of the pasture walk, Baird said he wanted help from his fellow graziers. “Look at the lanes and see if there are any stopgap measures we can take until
the NRCS comes through,” he said. It was easy to see the farm’s cattle lanes are in rough shape. In parts of the lanes, the cows have worn a pair of deep ruts from walking
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Cows line up on the main travel lane on the farm of Christopher Baird near Ferryville, Wis. Baird hosted a pasture walk June 6, hoping to get advice on improving the lanes.
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Con�nued from WALK | Page 35
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Crawford County Extension Agriculture Agent Vance Haugen (right) oers suggesďż˝ons for repairing and replacing caďż˝le travel lanes on Christopher Baird’s farm. NRCS grazing specialist who worked in Minnesota, offered his thoughts on the lanes that Baird said have been in place 12 to 15 years. “We’ve got some really challenging lanes,â€? Zinn said. “A lot of it is just how steep they have to be.â€? Zinn said the location of the present lane was good, because they are not in spots that receive ďƒ&#x;owing water. But, if Baird wants to start from scratch with new lanes, he should look for a nose of land, Zinn told the group. A nose is a place where the ground is crowned so water moves away from it. Trouble was, Zinn said such a nose might be in a spot that would not allow Baird to easily subdivide his pasture the way he wants. To prevent soil erosion from the lane, Zinn advised using earth-moving machinery to restore a crown. Doing so would keep water moving off the lane and would also divert some of it. Another part of such a project would be building a series of steps and diversions. “That’s expensive enough,â€? Zinn said. “But the really expensive part is going to be getting some base materials in there.â€? Zinn said the base layer for new lanes might be coarse rocks, maybe 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Rocks of that size will be needed to keep water that’s rushing downhill from washing them away. Gravel would go on top of the large rocks. Limestone screenings are typically spread on top of the gravel, Zinn said. And any new lanes or rebuilt ones should be at least 8 feet wide, Zinn said. That’s because dump trucks will bring in the three layers of lane material. “It’s probably going to cost about $4 a lineal foot,â€? Zinn said. Baird said the lane will be about 4,000 feet long. That means the lane would cost approximately $16,000. “The good news is, the base material should last a really long time,â€? Zinn said. “The bad news is that the screenings on the surface – depending on how many steps you’re able to put in – need to be refreshed periodically.â€? Make sure the limestone screenings are top quality, Zinn said. He noted that several quarries sold screenings that contained particles of ďƒ&#x;int. Zinn said Baird and he talked about ďƒžnding a temporary solution, such as ground bark from where power line rights-of-way are cleared of trees
and brush. Such bark is often free, but sometimes must be loaded and hauled. One suggestion was to build any new lanes so they do not run straight up and down the hills. Haugen, the Extension agent, said having curves in lanes and letting them follow the land’s contours makes a lot of sense. Do not place cattle lanes in grass waterways, Haugen said. He tried that on his dairy farm in southern Minnesota. “It was a terrible idea,â€? he said. Another thing to keep in mind, according to Haugen, is the shape of paddocks. With lanes and temporary fencing, paddocks can be made any shape. Just don’t make them long and narrow, or the animals will trample much of the feed. “We’ve got the data that shows that’s the worst thing you can do,â€? Haugen said. “The best shape is square or a rectangle.â€? Whatever a farmer – grazier or otherwise – chooses to do, make sure it’s cost efďƒžcient, Haugen said. “Is the juice worth the squeeze?â€? he said. “If you want to throw enough money at it, we can make anything work. But is it worth it?â€? Haugen said Baird is milking 41 cows, intending to build his herd by a dozen or so more. “The government (through EQIP) will spend some money to help you out. But it can’t do everything,â€? he said. Behind Baird’s older, two-story barn, the group discussed the placement of a feedbunk or concrete feeding pad. One suggestion was to buy a tractor equipped with mechanical front-wheel drive. “Then you’ll be able to feed anywhere,â€? Haugen said. Whatever Baird decides to do, the graziers advised him to make sure the feedbunk, pad or feeding shed can be expanded – maybe to one day accommodate 60 cows. Also, consider ease of use, they added. “You’re 10 foot tall and bulletproof now. But eventually you’ll get old, and it won’t be quite as much fun,â€? Haugen said. Baird said his plans call for growing his herd to 50 to 55 cows. If all goes well, he said, he should have 21 heifers calve next spring. As for the progress he has made in 3.5 years of grazing, Baird said things are going. “I’ll get there. Eventually,â€? he said.
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