LOOK INSIDE FOR OUR WORLD DAIRY EDITION!
DAIRY ST R
September 12, 2020
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 22, No. 14
Time to bring the calves home Muellers build barn to raise youngstock on their own By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
MELROSE, Minn. – In a few short weeks, Jamie and Shannon Mueller will be calving in their rst heifer that was born and raised through weaning in their dairy farm’s calf facility. “I’m really looking forward to that; it’s exciting,” Jamie said. After many years of having calves raised off-site, in 2018 the Muellers built a group-housing facility that accommodates the entire youngstock herd from birth to 6 months at their 170-cow farm in Stearns County near Melrose. The tunnel-ventilated barn, which stands at 112 feet by 36 feet, is equipped with space for seven calves in individual hutches. Those animals are fed by bottle twice a day until they are about 1 week old. Then, they relocate to a group pen of 10 to 15 animals that are fed with an automatic calf feeder.
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Shannon and Kaylyn Mueller oversee calf management at their family’s 170cow dairy in Stearns County near Melrose, Minnesota. The Muellers built a calf barn, with automated calf feeders, in 2018 aŌer their calf raiser reƟred.
Another group pen on an automatic calf feeder is available for older calves still on milk. After the calves are weaned, they are moved to one of two pens at the end of the barn, where they remain until 6 months old. At 6 months of age, the youngstock are sent to a heifer grower where they stay until one to two months prior to calving. “Our heifer grower is really happy with how they’re coming to him,” said Kaylyn, the Muellers’ daughter. Kaylyn oversees calf management on the farm with Shannon. She returned to the family business three years ago when more attention to the youngstock was needed. “Our calf grower was retiring, and we had to decide what to do,” Shannon said. “When he rst stopped, we raised our calves in hutches for about a year and that’s when we knew we wanted a calf barn.” Although the Muellers knew they needed a youngstock facility to accommodate the inux of calves, it took the family a long while and several barn tours before nding a design that Turn to MUELLER | Page 7
Blenkes living the American dream
Netherlands natives build thriving U.S. dairy By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Irena and MaƩhew Blenke milk 180 cows near Watertown, Wisconsin. They moved from the Netherlands to the United States in 2011 and built their dairy.
WATERTOWN, Wis. – When Matthew and Irena Blenke were looking for a new place in the world to farm, they chose the United States. Several things led them to America, including the country’s sound agricultural practices and products, free-market ideology and lower start-up costs. The couple was drawn to Wisconsin specically, seeing the state as the perfect place to make a fresh start. “Wisconsin is the heart of the world’s dairy industry,” Matthew said. “Everything is well developed here, and good service is close by.” The Blenkes moved from Saasveld, Netherlands, to Watertown in December 2011. They left behind the family farm where Matthew grew up – a farm that has been in the Blenke family for close to 500 years. Matthew’s nephew was taking over the farm, prompting the Blenkes to look for a new opportunity. The 160-acre farm in Watertown came with a stanchion barn the Blenkes replaced with a facility in 2012. Working with Fox Cities Builders, they built a four-row freestall barn for milk cows, dry cows and heifers. A second building houses calves and includes close-up and maternity pens, the milking parlor and selfcleaning holding area. “This place is similar to our farm in the Netherlands, only Turn to BLENKE | Page 5