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DAIRY ST R

Volume 22, No. 15

September 26, 2020

“All dairy, all the time”™

Koehl Farm celebrates centennial

Dairy builds parlor after milking in stanchion barn for 100 years By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

DARIEN, Wis. – A century’s worth of a fond family tradition has cycled through multiple generations at Koehl Farm. Celebrating its centennial this year, the farm was purchased by the Koehl family in 1920. Today, Koehl Farm near Darien is run by brothers, Mike and George “Butch” Koehl, and Mike’s son, Shane, who is the fourth generation on the dairy. Moving forward while keeping one foot in the past, the Koehls update and improve their farm while preserving its heritage. While many things have changed on this century farm, some things never change – like the size of the milking herd, which consistently stays

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

The Koehls – (from leŌ) Mike, Shane and George – own and operate Koehl Farm near Darien, Wisconsin. The Koehls milk 53 cows and farm over 300 acres.

around 50 head. Currently milking 53 cows twice a day, the Koehls put in a milking parlor this summer after 100 years of milking in a stanchion barn. “The parlor saves us close to three hours of labor per day,” said Shane, who has been on the farm full time for six years after spending 14 years as a teacher. The DeLaval double-6 parlor is a used model the Koehls eyed up 15 years ago when looking at freestall barns. They installed the parlor in their existing 50-stanchion barn built in 1953. The Koehls transformed the barn to accommodate a parlor setup, removing one side of stalls to make a return alley and creating a holding area out of the middle aisle. The plan is to remove the remaining stalls in the future and put in calf pens, leaving a couple stalls intact for treating cows. “Except for pouring the Turn to KOEHLS | Page 5

Minor fall creates major problems Farm accident becomes larger-than-expected ordeal for Hamm By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Don Hamm and his daughter, Heather, stand in the maternity area which was rebuilt in 2015 following a re on their farm. The Hamms milk 300 cows and farm 400 acres near Fredonia, Wisconsin.

FREDONIA, Wis. – Don Hamm has faced his share of hardships in life, yet he feels extremely blessed. Because of Hamm’s many hardships, including the fatal farm accident of a family member, barn res, hip replacements and cornea transplants, farm safety is of the upmost importance for him and his family on their 300-cow dairy Sandy Loam Farm in Fredonia. One of Hamm’s latest trials occurred last summer when he took a 3-foot fall off a hay chopper – an incident that nearly cost Hamm his leg. On a beautiful evening in early June, Hamm was chopping hay when he noticed the cord was not attached to the chopper deector. He stopped and turned off the equipment, waiting to make sure everything was done moving before trying to x it. He then turned the spout sideways to step on the chopper so he could hook the cord back up.

“I tripped crawling up there,” Hamm said. “I only fell a few feet and then slipped over the top of the guard. It felt like it happened in slow motion. As I glanced to my left, I wanted to avoid hitting my head on the wagon hitch so I instinctively rolled a little to the right so I would hit the tire instead.” Hamm got up and dusted himself off, but he was sore and had trouble breathing. “I wasn’t feeling very good, and when I looked myself over, I saw some blood on my sock,” Hamm said. “Then I noticed the back of my leg looked pretty bad.” Hamm caught his calf on a little piece of metal on the tandem of the chopper and tore open his leg. He called his wife and daughter, and they drove him to the emergency room. His breathing was heavy, but there was not much blood or pain in his calf. He received a CAT scan, X-rays and an MRI, which revealed he had torn the rotator cuff on his right shoulder and had two busted ribs but no internal bleeding. The cut in his leg was three layers deep, 4 inches wide and required 30 stitches. “They bandaged me up and sent me home,” Hamm said. “I behaved myself

Turn to HAMMS | Page 7

Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com

ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Krista Kuzma - Editor/Wisconsin (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Julie Barnes (SE WI and Northern IL) julie.b@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Ashley Curry (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-539-7268 • ashley.c@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal 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 ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.

A glance at the other side

Dairy Star likes to provide local stories, which is why we have two versions of the paper. Below are a few highlights from stories you will not nd in this paper, but you can nd online in zone 1. Find full editions on our website, www.dairystar.com, and click on the e-edition tab under the Dairy Star header. Leonards welcome daughter back into dairy business Since January 2018, Christine Leonard has worked alongside her parents, Tim and Amy, on her family’s 50-cow dairy farm near Waconia, Minnesota. By spending time off the farm after graduating college, Christine learned more about the dairy industry and how she would like to transform her family’s farm to be a more sustainable enterprise in the years to come. Rep. Peterson named Legislator of the Year Minnesota Milk Producers Association recently named Rep. Collin Peterson as the 2020 Legislator of the Year. While the award is typically bestowed upon a state lawmaker, the organization felt Peterson’s contributions to recent dairy policy garnered recognition. Peterson was instrumental in developing the Dairy Margin Coverage program within the 2018 Farm Bill and advocated for nancial aid to dairy farmers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program created this past spring. Family is backbone of Brand Farms Three generations of Brands – Richard, John and Aaron – work together to accomplish daily tasks on Brand Farms near Farmington, Minnesota. Each family member has added value to the farm, building on what the previous one has already created. The farm now consists of a 60-cow dairy, an apple orchard, a ock of laying hens, chickens raised for meat, a sunower patch for farm visitors and an on-farm store. Diversication on the farm with the most recent generation has been vital to its success as urban sprawl creeps closer; however, the farm’s close proximity to people creates a customer base for the growing lists of products available. Glendes receive county conservation award Land conservation is a priority for Paul, Jackie and Ben Glende on their 244-cow dairy in Winona County near Altura, Minnesota. Because of this, the family received the 2020 Outstanding Conservationists award from the Winona County Soil and Water Conservation District. Taking care of the land is important in the southeast Minnesota county that is known for having karst landscape, which makes ground water aquifers more sensitive to surface disturbances. Over the years, the Glendes have worked with the Winona County SWCD to install grass waterways, create erosion control ponds, have feedlot runoff control and build manure storage.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 3

It’s all inside... Columnists

Buffalo

First Section: Pages 34 - 35

Dairy Good Life Page 33 First Section

Livingston

Dairy Prole: Jeffrey Danz

The “Mielke” Market Weekly

La Crosse

Vernon

e nn Wi

Green Lake Fond Du Lac

Columbia Dodge

Sauk

aw Cr

Dane

Iowa

Jo Daviess

Carroll

For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com

eba

n Win

Burlington

Women In Dairy: Danielle Harris First Section: Page 36

Racine Kenosha

McHenry

Walworth

Ogle

Whiteside

Kane

Lee

Koehl Farm celebrates centennial First Section: Pages 1, 5 - 6

Rock Island Mercer ders on

First Section: Pages 37 - 38

Walworth

DeKalb

Hen

UW-Madison teaching herd returns after ve-month leave

Jefferson Waukesha

Rock

ens

h tep

Madison

Do or

go ba Calumet

Waushara

Lafayette Green

Zone 2

e mi Brown

for

Richland

Grant

Zone 1

Oconto

a tag

Adams Juneau

Shawano

Wood

Monroe

Section: Page 39

Pages 8 - 9 Second Section

Menominee

Portage Waupaca Jackson

Langlade

Marathon

Clark

Eau Claire

aun ee

Pepin

Menominee

Ke w

Pierce

Forest

Lincoln

Taylor

Chippewa

ren

Oneida

ton S he bo Milwaukee Ozauk M yg ee an anito wo c

Page 32 First Section

Hauschildt planning transition, sets breed-focused goals

Dunn

Price

Rusk

Barron

St. Croix

Flo

Sawyer

Delta

Dickinson

Vilas

ing

Polk

Iron

Bo o

Just Thinking Out Loud

Ashland

First Section: Pages 1, 7

ett e

Something to Ruminate On

Ellsworth

Bayeld

Trempealeau

Burnett

Page 30 First Section

Page 31 First Section

Second Section: Pages 14, 16 - 17

First Section: Pages 23, 25

Farm accident becomes larger-thanexpected ordeal for Hamm

Wa sh

Afdahl brothers win national model railroad contest

Fredonia

A day in the life of the Friemoth family

Douglas

Arkansaw

Ramblings from the Ridge

Second Section: Pages 6 - 7

Page 27 First Section

Elkhorn

Bigham moves from Ohio to begin dairy career

Wa s

Making corn silage

Abbotsford

Pages 8-9 First Section

Ma r

Ag Insider

re War

FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: What goes into planning meals for harvest time? First Section: Pages 15 - 16

Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 5

ConƟnued from KOEHLS | Page 1

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STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

The Koehls put in a used double-6 milking parlor this summer aŌer 100 years of cows being milked in a stanchion barn. The new setup is saving 3 hours of labor per day. concrete, we did all the work ourselves to save time and money,” Butch said. “We rebuilt the milking systems and used a lot of stuff we already had. This is the parlor’s third install, but it was only used for a total of two years.” Featuring in-oor heat, the parlor is a work in progress as the Koehls nish insulating walls, closing off old hay mow chutes and framing up everything. “Every year we do a farm-improvement project,” Mike said. “The parlor was this year’s project.” Mike and Butch’s grandfather, Fred Koehl, along with his brothers, Ferdinand and Louis, came from France in 1915 and purchased the 240-acre farm in 1920. In 1946, after returning from World War II where he served in the Navy Armed Guards as a gunner, Mike and Butch’s father, George Sr., bought his uncle’s share of the farm. Mike farmed in partnership with his dad for seven years before Butch came on board in 1980. The brothers then formed a corporation with their parents. Mike and Butch bought the land from their mother, Lorraine, in 2005 – four years after their father passed away. “When my dad and I started farming together, we were milking 75 cows,” Mike said. “We got it down to 60, but we were always switching about 10 cows. By the time my brother came on board, we got it close to 50 cows,

and that’s where we like it. Our goal is to keep cow numbers between 50 and 60. We only have so much land, and we don’t want to expand.” These do-it-yourselfers enjoy projects that drive efciency and keep work manageable without racking up debt. Rather than tear down and build new, the Koehls like to repurpose buildings whenever they can and retain the farm’s original structures. For example, the farm’s rst milking barn built in the 1800s now houses heifers. Recently, the Koehls xed some of the beams in the barn, put in concrete and added headlocks to one of the pens. In 1985, they converted a machine shed to a freestall barn for bred heifers and dry cows. The roof of the barn is made with boards from a wooden silo. “We do a lot of refurbishing,” Shane said. “There’s no waste here.” In 2008, the Koehls put up a silo and lean-to for feeding and mixing, and in 2012, they built a workshop with heated oors. In 2017, the Koehls built a new 65-stall, 3-row freestall barn for the milking herd and heifers, which replaced the loang shed built in 1960 that had been converted to freestall housing in 1979. “We never buy anything unless we have the money,” Butch said. “We

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Turn to KOEHLS | Page 6

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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

ConƟnued from KOEHLS | Page 5

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The milking parlor was retrot into the farm’s exisƟng 50-stanchion barn at their farm near Darien, Wisconsin. The Koehls removed one side of stalls to make a return alley and created a holding area out of the middle aisle. paid off our parlor and freestall barn as quick as we could.” The Koehls do not have a craving for the new and shiny. They are content with used items in need of a little tender loving care. “We have a lot of old equipment and like to x things,” Mike said. “For example, we recently bought a John Deere self-propelled chopper that we’re xing up. We like going to auctions and looking for deals online. We just bought our rst four-wheel drive tractor, and we bought it on the internet.” The Koehls grow 110 acres of corn, 80 acres of hay, 60 acres of soybean and 20 acres of winter wheat. Feed is stored in four silos and a 200-foot corn silage bag. Mike handles planting – a task he plans to soon hand over to Shane, who milks cows and oversees the herd. Butch takes care of feeding, breeding, hauling manure and feeding calves. Mike is slowly backing out of the farm, and Shane is taking over. These selfsufcient farmers do their own hoof

trimming and try to minimize vet bills by doing IVs and other veterinary work. “We didn’t put in the parlor so we could add more cows which is a question we often get,” Shane said. “We did it to be efcient and have more time. Adding more cows means adding more feed, land and storage, and we don’t want to do that. We want to remain debt-free.” To keep cow numbers where they like them, the Koehls sell cows in groups of six to 10 several times each year. As a second century begins at Koehl Farm, Mike, Butch and Shane continue to uphold the farm’s historical integrity while modernizing to meet demands of the current day. Tying the past into the present, the Koehls have pushed the farm into the 21st century without growing bigger. “There are not a lot of small farms like this around here anymore,” Shane said. “We’re still milking 50-some cows, and we plan to stay that way.”

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 7

Con�nued from HAMMS | Page 1 for a day, but by the second day, I was driving around to pick up parts needed on the farm. The day after that, I got on our utility vehicle so I could drive around and manage things, but it wasn’t pleasant to ride with broken ribs. It took 10 days before I could sit up by myself because of the broken ribs, but they healed fast.” Sandy Loam Farm in Fredonia has been in the Hamm family since 1852. It is run by Hamm and his wife, Diane, his daughter, Heather, and his brothers, Randy and Rick, and Randy’s wife, Mary, who is Diane’s sister. Randy also breeds cows for Alta Genetics, and he and Mary have ve kids who help on the farm when not in school. Hamm has other siblings who also help when they can, and many of his nieces and nephews work on the dairy. Hamm’s nephew, Alan Hamm, who worked on the farm his whole life, passed away last October at the age of 33 after a 1.5-year battle with cancer. “It put a big hole in the farm when we lost him,” Hamm said. “He was a great guy and a really important part of this dairy.” The Hamms milk 300 cows three times a day and run about 400 acres. They also buy a lot of feed off neighbors’ elds, cutting about 600 acres of hay and chopping over 300 acres of corn. Hamm put off the surgery on his rotator cuff until right before Thanksgiving so he would be available to help with eldwork. Hamm has commitments that keep him busy off the farm as well. For 20 years, he has served as state president of the National Farmers Organization, working in the dairy department. Hamm was also a member of Dairy Task Force 2.0, has spent ve years as chairman for the town of Saukville, and is the nance chair at his church. Hamm seemed to be recovering from his accident just ne until he developed an infection in his leg. A few days after his fall, the leg swelled up three times its normal size. Hamm could not put his socks

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Don Hamm points out the metal piece where he cut his leg open when tripping and falling oﬀ the chopper last June on his farm near Fredonia, Wisconsin. The fall caused Hamm two broken ribs, a torn rotator cuﬀ, and a cut requiring 30 s�tches. Hamm later developed an infec�on that nearly cost him his leg. on, and the leg was red and hot. However, Hamm already had his priorities set for that Sunday, and a trip to the hospital was going to have to wait. He rst planned to give a speech at his priest’s farewell Mass and attend a special luncheon afterward. “I made a commitment that I had to keep, just like any farmer would,” Hamm said. Hamm made it through his talk and the meal, but he looked so bad that the priest gave Hamm the sacrament, Anointing of the Sick. Hamm went to the emergency room, and the doctor told Diane, “I’ll try to save the leg, but I’m not making any promises.” Fortunately, a threeday course of IV antibiotics was enough to knock out the infection with no further

intervention needed. “I was down for 10 days before I was back in the chopper,” Hamm said. “It was a little weird to go back out on the eld the rst couple times, but I’ve seen a lot worse than what happened to me.” Tragedy struck the Hamm family 31 years ago when Hamm’s brother, Joe, was killed in a farm accident. He got caught in an auger in the feed bunk, and Hamm was the one who found him. “It was very traumatic for the farming community around here,” Hamm said. “Farm safety is so important, and people don’t understand how quick things can happen.” After the accident, Joe’s girlfriend stuck around to help on the farm. Even-

tually, she became Hamm’s wife, and the couple has been married for 28 years. “I married my best friend,” Hamm said. “And I love her more every day.” The Hamms built a 64-stall tiestall barn in 1990 after a barn re in 1988 destroyed everything except the milkhouse. Over the years, they added a couple freestall barns, making additions to the main barn twice and extending the heifer barn three times. The Hamms were up to 200 cows milking in the tiestall barn until putting in a double-10 rapid exit parlor in 2012. Fire would once again haunt Sandy Loam Farm in 2015 when a skidloader caught on re, taking down the commodity barn and freshening pen. “We talk about safety a lot,” Hamm said. “Our people know what to do if certain things happen. When the re department got here, they were happy everyone was doing what needed to be done safely, such as moving cattle and equipment out of the way.” Hamm said they are very protective when it comes to children working on the farm. “We let kids be kids and wait until they’re of the right age and size to help out,” Hamm said. “It’s something we’re really cognizant of. We don’t press kids into service too quick. Farming is dangerous. It doesn’t even take sticking your hand in a chopper for bad things to happen. My accident was minor but caused so many problems. Everything kept snowballing. It all turned out for the best, and I can do everything like normal again. But if I would’ve lost my leg, that would’ve been quite challenging.” Despite the bad things he has endured over the years, Hamm said he and his family have been blessed beyond their wildest imagination. “The farm is a great place to raise kids and share time with your spouse,” Hamm said. “You just need to nd ways to do it safer.”

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President Trump announces relief at WI rally Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

During a gathering in Mosinee, Wisconsin, Sept. IDFA is seeking more transparency on Canada’s 17, President Donald Trump said the administration dairy pricing system and the elimination of these would offer another round of the Coronavirus Food programs. Assistance Program for farmers and ranchers. “My administration is committing an Gallagher and Kind propose dairy additional, you’ve been asking for this commission Ag Insider a long time, $13 billion in relief to help Wisconsin congressmen Mike farmers recover from the coronavirus,” Gallagher and Ron Kind have Trump said. introduced a bill that would create a dairy policy commission. This proposal USDA reveals more details of CFAP calls for a comprehensive study of milk 2.0 prices and dairy farmer income. The The United States Department of declining number of small- and mediumAgriculture will give farmers another sized dairy farms will also be evaluated chance for COVID-19 relief in the if this legislation becomes law. Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2.0. Payment calculations will be made USDA report forecasts milk for three categories of commodities: production increase price trigger commodities, at-rate According to the September USDA By Don Wick crops and sales commodities. The new World Agricultural Supply and Demand Columnist calculations offer at least $15 per acre Estimates, milk production for 2020 and for crops. Livestock payments will be 2021 was raised from the August report based on their chosen inventory within an April to due to an expected increase in milk output per cow. August time frame. Milk payments will be based on The export forecast was increased for the balance of production from April through August. There is a this year with expectations for strong global demand payment limit of $250,000 per person or entity for for cheese, butter and whey products. The Class III all commodities. The enrollment continues through milk price forecast for 2020 was reduced 15 cents Dec. 11. from last month to $17.25 per hundredweight. The 2021 Class III milk price is expected to average $16 Food box program contracts awarded per cwt. That is down a dime from the August report A third round of contracts for the Farmers to and down $1.25 from 2020. Families Food Box Program has been awarded. There will be an additional $1 billion in funding for Milk production continues to rise this program. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue U.S. milk production totaled 17.8 billion pounds said this will benet farmers and consumers. in August, up nearly 2% from the previous year. In Wisconsin, Minnesota, the size of the dairy herd Canadian milk pricing system challenged declined by 10,000 head and milk output declined The International Dairy Foods Association is 0.3%. upset with Canada’s implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The United Per capita dairy consumption on record pace States sought the elimination of Canada’s 6 and Per capita consumption of dairy products hit 7 price classications because it distorted global a record high in 2019. USDA Economic Research milk prices. Canada made that move but created Service data has been tracking dairy product new subclasses of milk that have the same result. consumption since the 1970s. “The trend has

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continued upward for ve straight decades, increasing 21% since 1975,” said Michael Dykes, president/ CEO, International Dairy Foods Association. In the past 10 years, domestic consumption of cheese is up 19%; per capita butter consumption is up 24% and per capita yogurt consumption is up 7%. US faces $3 trillion decit For the rst 11 months of the scal year, the annual decit for the United States has grown to $3 trillion. That compares to $1 trillion during the same time last year. Government spending went up sharply since March when a series of economic relief measures were put into place to deal with COVID-19. Near-zero interest rates The Federal Reserve will keep interest rates near zero through 2023. The Fed’s two-day policy meeting wrapped up at mid-month with this announcement. FCA reviews farm nancial situation In its quarterly review on the farm economy, the Farm Credit Administration said general nancial conditions are recovering from the big drop-off this spring. The FCA said income could decline sharply if government payments are reduced in 2021. There is a slight increase in level of stress for the Farm Credit System’s credit portfolio, but the lender said it remains well positioned to serve the agricultural market. Consumers value farmers, agriculture A new Gallup Poll lists farming and agriculture as the top ranked industry among 25 major industry sectors. This poll took place during the coronavirus pandemic. “In addition to farmers being recognized for their essential role, the Gallup Poll shows promise for job growth in the farming and agriculture industry,” said Chad Vincent, CEO, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9

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Kraft Heinz to sell natural cheese business to French company Kraft Heinz is selling its natural cheese business to the Lactalis Group, which is a dairy company based in France. This deal is valued at $3.2 billion and is expected to close in early 2021. A production plant in Wausau is part of the deal. Kraft Heinz is selling off its natural, grated, cultured and specialty cheese business in the United States, its grated cheese business in Canada and its entire international cheese business. Kraft Heinz will retain its Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Kraft Singles, Velveeta and Cheez Whiz brands. MOSES hires new leader The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service has a new executive director. Lori Stern has operated a community-supported restaurant for the past six years, focusing on local foods.

Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 9

Trivia challenge Go-GURT is a yogurt product for children. In Canada, it is known as Yoplait Tubes and in England, it is called Frubes. That answers our last trivia question. For this week, how much water does a dairy cow typically consume in a day? We will have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.

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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

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Klaphakes form partnership, carry on with automation By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com

FREEPORT, Minn. – As Kevin and Steve Klaphake review cow data on their computer in the dairy barn ofce, a single picture of the Klaphake men hangs on the wall behind them as a humble reminder of how the family farm has progressed in the last 10 years. “It’s unbelievable to think back when we rst started farming, it was JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR with 40 cows in a stall The Klaphakes – (from leŌ) Kevin, Steve and Mike – milk 113 cows with two barn and we’d feed with milking robots on their dairy in Stearns County near Freeport, Minnesota. Kevin wheel barrows,” Steve and his sons formed a partnership four years ago. said. “Now, with our milking robots and calf feeder, we’ve done it all.” ment of the dairy business. Steve and his sons, Mike and Kevin, milk 113 “We all make the decisions on purchases and or cows with two Lely A3 Next milking robots and raise anything we’ll be doing on the farm,” Steve said. their calves with one automatic calf feeder that were The partnership was created as a way to begin installed in August 2010 on their farm in Stearns transitioning the dairy from Steve and his wife, Pam, County near Freeport. to their sons. It, paired with the milking robots, has alOver the past decade, the family has used the lowed three families to be supported in some manner technology to improve efciency on the farm and also by the cows. provide an outlet for Mike and Kevin to become more “The boys have a lot of labor and sweat equity involved in the dairy operation. Four years ago, Steve into the farm,” Steve said. “They’ll eventually take and his sons formed a partnership to create Clay Hills over, but right now it just doesn’t pan out moneyHolsteins LLC. wise. Yet, the robots have let us all be involved more “I was in high school yet when Dad did all this. than we could if we didn’t have robots.” The rst month was a whirlwind and it’s just gotten When Steve thinks about his decision to use autobetter and better,” said Kevin who is a minority part- mation on the farm, it was a long-awaited goal he had ner with his brother in the arrangement. as a young dairyman. While the brothers also hold down jobs off the “I dreamt about robots 20 years ago,” Steve said. farm, Mike and Kevin take care of much of the day- “When they became available, that was my dream for to-day tasks on the dairy. the dairy. And now they’re here, and I’m still here.” Kevin hauls milk every other weekend, so a maThe Klaphakes were one of the rst families in jority of his time is spent on the farm. During the the area to use milking robots and an automatic calf days, he oversees calf care, such as feeding newborns feeder on their dairy. Their intentions were to build a colostrum, vaccinating and cleaning the pens. He also freestall barn and install the milking robots, but after mixes feed, scrapes the barn and beds the cows. touring farms and thinking about the farm’s setup, the Mike works as a welder at an area manufacturer Klaphakes decided to add the calf feeder at the same during the weekdays. By 4:30 p.m., he is available to time. help with evening chores. He also has the exibility to Through the expected challenges of adapting to be present for seasonal eldwork. the technology – specically the computer system and Steve continues to help on the farm where he is data collection – everyone is pleased with that deciable. sion made a decade ago. Since the Klaphake men formed a partnership, “There’s a lot that plays into purchasing robots they collectively assess opportunities for the better- and one factor is do you purchase everything right away or wait? We did everything, the feed pusher, calf barn,” Steve said. “Then two years later, we tore down the original dairy barn.” Kevin agreed. “Honestly, we’d probably still be raising calves in hutches if Dad didn’t do it all at the same time,” he said. “I’m glad our parents did this. There are certain times I think I wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t.” The family enjoys the exibility the technology lends them, allowing each to take time away from the farm. For Mike, it has allowed his sons, JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR The milking herd is housed in a freestall barn with maƩresses at the Klaphakes’ Case, 5, and Lane, 2, to farm near Freeport, Minnesota. The family built the barn and installed milking Turn to KLAPHAKES robots in August 2010. | Page 11

Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 11

ConƟnued from KLAPHAKES | Page 10

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Calves are housed in groups and fed with an automaƟc calf feeder at Clay Hills Holsteins near Freeport, Minnesota. The Klaphakes installed the technology 10 years ago when they also incorporated milking robots. grow up in agriculture. “We’ve gotten to move home and my boys love it here,” Mike said. “We all have more time for family, and we’re not worried about being in the barn to get the cows milked.” In the time the Klaphakes have had with the technology, they have learned a lot and made few changes. They have worked with their nutritionist to develop a ration that is best suited with the milking robots and a pellet that compliments the ration. The family has also diligently practiced a newborn calf protocol that helps prevent scours. Each calf is given colostrum and fed by bottle for ve days before moving to the group pen and automatic feeder. The Klaphakes also recently replaced the mattresses in the freestall barn to improve cow comfort and lower

somatic cell count. “We could maybe use 10 more stalls for comfort or the old barn to milk more cows,” Kevin said. “But as I’m driving truck, I see my fair share of farms and it’s crazy to know this is what we have. Dad made an awesome setup.” As Mike and Kevin work with Steve to become majority partners, they have intentions of improving components in the herd and diversifying the farm by raising steers. In time, the brothers would like to be able to return to the farm full time. And because of the decisions the Klaphakes made 10 years ago, the family’s aspirations are possible. “Thinking back to what we did, there was a lot of uncertainty with expanding and putting in robots,” Steve said. “Now we know. It was a chance we had to take.”

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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

Iowa dairy farmers quick to cut silage on elds attened by derecho

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By Sherry Newell Contributing Writer

STATE CENTER, Iowa – Kevin Blood thought his corn looked less than stellar after the Aug. 10 derecho that screamed across the Midwest. Then he saw what elds looked like further east of his State Center dairy. The derecho, a widespread, long-lived, straightline windstorm, left its mark across Iowa, Illinois and several other states with winds well over 100 mph. The devastation included attened crops across a wide stretch of Iowa just as many dairy farmers were planning silage harvest. A month and a half later, those same farmers have adjusted their harvest timing, chopping crews, equipment, rations and future eld work. In the meantime, they have cleaned up farmstead damage and worked with insurance adjusters while continuing the day-to-day challenges of dairying. “We run into these bad deals now and then,” Blood

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farm’s corn as well as that of a neighbor or two. It was his rst effort to expand from a custom baling business he started when he was 16. Franck joined his father, Ron, full time at their dairy in January. But chopping corn at on the ground was not what he anticipated, especially while his family was also picking up the pieces of their dairy which was destroyed by the derecho. His

chopper had a Kemper rotary head that he replaced with an older style row head he found in Wisconsin shortly after the storm. “It was chaotic and stressful,” Franck said of the work that is now nished. Franck chopped for four farmers in addition to his own. “Every eld is different; no two are alike,” he said. “You get in a eld and experi-

ment a little with what angle works best. You have to go with the way it lays, and oneway chopping is pretty hard on efciency.” It was also hard on his equipment. Two breakdowns left him glad he had a dealer who was, in his words, worth his weight in gold during the rush to get the crop chopped. Franck began chopping elds with snapped-off stalks and then moved on to those where the corn had bent. Last week, he chopped in a eld where he had to raise the head to only chop the very top of a damaged eld. The unusual condition of the elds also meant purchasing new equipment at Blood Dairy. They began harvest eight days after the storm with the help of a direct cut head they got after their dealer told them it was the only way to manage the downed corn. He said he hopes the new head will never be needed again. Blood and Franck both said custom choppers were in high demand. Franck had to turn down requests, and Blood found help from out of state. “When we saw how slow it was going, we hired custom choppers out of Minnesota, where silage hadn’t started Turn to DERECHO | Page 13

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 13

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A plugged-up chopper head slows down chopping for dairy farmer Nathan Franck, of Newhall, Iowa. yet,” Blood said. “We had to get it before it dried up.” Drying up before farmers had a chance to chop was a risk that developed quickly, said Iowa State University Extension Beef Specialist Denise Schwab. She was part of a series of disaster meetings that drew as many as 125 farmers in Benton and Linn counties. “There were lots of questions for our agronomists,” Schwab said. “The corn went from being a little too wet to too dry in a week and a half. At our rst meeting, we were telling them to check moisture. By the third, it was too dry, and we were talking about baling it up.” Disaster meetings were held in nearly every county along the derecho’s path. Schwab rode with one farmer on a chopper tted with what was called a hurricane kit, and saw it work well picking up the bent stalks. But she said stalks broken totally off were susceptible to mold, quickly creating a problem even for those who want to harvest for grain, bale or pasture the damaged elds. A 6-inch rain in eastern Iowa four weeks after the derecho complicated matters. “Our options have been fewer by the day,” Schwab said, speaking to the

concerns about how farmers will meet feed needs. “But remember, these are ruminants we’re feeding. We can feed them a lot of stuff, so there are opportunities. We have to think out of the box and be exible.” Blood said his silage appears to be good quality and tonnage is roughly three-quarters of normal, likely supplying the feed his herd needs. “But the harvesting cost is the big thing,” he said. While chopping silage is behind him, Blood still has corn to combine for grain and expects it will be tough going. Franck, meanwhile, is glad to have his rst chopping season behind him and is working with his father on plans for the new buildings that will replace the ones taken down by the storm. “That’s the only fun thing going on,” he said. Schwab’s advice goes beyond taking care of the damaged crops to the stress of working through the difculties the storm added to an already difcult year for farmers. “Take care of your neighbors,” she said. “COVID has isolated us, but check on them. There’s a lot of stress out there.”

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What goes into planning meals for harvest time?

Amy Penterman Thorp, Wisconsin Clark County 850 cows What goes into planning meals for harvest time? I try to make a list of meals ahead of time. Then, I lose my list and start all over. I make one big grocery run before chopping starts for my soda and bulk food purchases. We are fortunate to have a local grocery store that I can run to daily for the odds and ends or for the fresh ingredients. I try to buy as much prepped food to save time cooking. I get the to-go containers to put the food in. I look for restaurant-style containers to keep things warm and organized. I use Pinterest for inspiration. What type of meals do you like to make? I like to make the traditional farmhouse meals. I do not want the crew to go hungry. I pride myself on homemade, fresh meals; sometimes new creation meals. Dessert is especially important too. Always remember to stay in the palate of farmer-friendly, nothing too crazy. What is the most important tip you have for making a meal for a crew? Be organized and make sure you have time. Every year, I underestimate the time it takes me to prep, cook and prepare the meals. I spend most of my day getting ready, baking dessert or cooking the meals. After they go out the door, itâ€™s time to clean up the kitchen and get ready for the next day. At times, I feel guilty that Iâ€™m not running the tractor or doing something on the farm. I have to remind myself this is part of it too. We all have our part during chopping, and this is mine. Describe what a meal time looks like. Chopping is always a mad rush, as much as I would love to stop and have us all eat together, we do not stop to eat. I prepare the meals in to-go containers and keep them warm in insulated bags. I wrap my sandwiches in tinfoil to keep them extra warm. My pet peeve is serving cold food, and personally, I hate it when my food touches. I spend extra time making sure it stays hot and doesnâ€™t touch. My children take the meals out to the drivers as they come in the yard. They love getting involved in delivery process. We do provide soda or water. What is one of your crewâ€™s favorite meals? I change it up every year trying not to duplicate. I think the favorite this year is the philly cheesesteak sandwich with extra cheese. I did hear the crew was ďƒžghting for more of my homemade Boston cream pie bundt cakes. Tell us about your farm. My husband, Sander, and I dairy farm in Thorp.

Laurel Hartung Shullsburg, Wisconsin Lafayette County 80 cows What goes into planning meals for harvest time? I donâ€™t have a lot of time to plan big meals nor do I normally know when or how much will be needed. That being said, I do a lot of canning so that makes many meals fast to throw together. What type of meals do you like to make? I like to make casseroles because the guys all like them, and it will keep them full for a long time. What is the most important tip you have for making a meal for a crew? Donâ€™t go wild trying to make something spectacular. I ďƒžnd that most of the guys just want something that is fast and easy to eat. I love vegetables so it is hard for me to not put them in everything, but the guys mostly want meat and potatoes. They donâ€™t want to have to root through the casserole picking out what they donâ€™t like. Describe what a meal time looks like. All meals are delivered to each individual person in a disposable plastic container with plastic fork because they are sometimes left in the tractor. I also bring a bunch of different drinks for them to choose from along with bottled water. I put meals in a small cooler to keep them hot or cold, and it is easy for carrying everything to the tractors. What is one of your crewâ€™s favorite meals? Lasagna and garlic bread. Tell us about your farm. We have been farming for 13 years on my husband, Mattâ€™s, 140-acre family farm outside of Shullsburg. We started with milking 28 cows and grew to 80 cows. This is a good size for us to manage along with our three daughters Anna, 11, Hallie, 8, and Nora, 3. We hope our girls will want to join our farm.

We have ďƒžve children. I also work out of a home ofďƒžce as a crop insurance agent. We milk 850 cows and crop 1,300 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. Our cows are milked three times a day in a double-12 parallel parlor. We custom hire our ďƒželd work. Heifers are raised on the farm until 9 months of age then sent to a custom heifer grower. We have 14 fulland part-time employees.

Katie Grinstead Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Fond du Lac County 2,400 cows What goes into planning meals for harvest time? We try to plan a few meals at one time, and then I stock up on groceries. I will shop at our local grocery stores, and sometimes I will take a trip to Costco and really try to stock up. We usually plan more sandwiches in the summer and heavier, warmer comfort food in the fall for corn silage. Corn silage is usually a bigger stretch of time away from families and warm meals, so we do our best to provide those warm meals as a thank you. What type of meals do you like to make? For haylage, there isnâ€™t a lot of down time so we make sloppy joes, hot beef and hot turkey sandwiches. We have a go-to hotdish that they like with hamburger, which we have in the freezer, so that helps. I also started making little 7-inch pizzas that work out well. Chips, fruit, fruity type salads and a dessert are some of our summer go-tos. In the winter, we serve lasagna, hamburger gravy and mashed potatoes, spaghetti and meatballs, enchiladas, and chicken and stufďƒžng, to name a few. What is the most important tip you have for making a meal for a crew? I have several to-go containers to make sure things stay hot or cold if need be. We try to keep the dessert separate so it doesnâ€™t melt. We have a restaurant supply store in town that I like to support or I order online. I also use a lot of aluminum pans and toss them for easy clean up. Describe what a mealtime looks like. Meals are all individually packaged and taken out to the ďƒželd. We usually take them a soda. Sometimes I get milk, but it is hard when we are usually feeding 10 to 20 people and sometimes they are all over. What is one of your crewâ€™s favorite meals? They appreciate that we are feeding them a hot meal. They all would probably give me a different answer. Tell us about your farm. Vir-Clar Farms LLC is owned by my parents, Gary and Rose Boyke; my brother, JR Boyke, and his wife, Samantha; and me and my husband, Grant Grinstead. JR and I are the fourth generation on the farm. Grant and I have three children â€“ Colton, 13, Klair, 10, and Grifďƒžn, 7. We milk 2,400 cows in a double-30 parallel parlor and farm 3,000 acres of farmland that includes alfalfa and corn silage. We have 38 full-time employees, and our farmâ€™s methane digester produces electricity for approximately 800 homes. We raise all of our heifer and bull calves and custom raise some Angus calves. My responsibilities on the farm include managing the calf operation, bookwork and payroll, tours, fall festival and public relations, and I am also one of two farm chefs. Off the farm, I am president of the Fond du Lac Fair Board, president of the Charity Club and am on the Envision Greater Fond du Lac Board.

Ashley Ballweg Sauk City, Wisconsin Dane County 180 cows What goes into planning meals for harvest time? Most of the time, I get a day or a few hoursâ€™ notice of a possibility of a late night for farming. So most of the time, I make casseroles or things that can be kept warm for a long amount of time without getting too done. What type of meals do you like to make? When it comes to feeding hungry farming boys, I always go for a hardy and ďƒžlling kind of meal. Casseroles or egg dishes are always on the dinner list, along with thick, hardy soups in the fall and winter. Describe what a mealtime looks like. During an average farming day, the farmhands normally head home for breakfast and lunch. But on days where the farmhands are in the ďƒželd during the lunch hour, we normally take them a packed lunch which may consist of sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and of course brats. We tend to try to put together things they can eat onehanded so they can drive/work safely and get some food. When we have extra help in the ďƒželds, Patti, Grandma Lucy (mother of Scott and Joe Kippley) and I try to put out a small buffet style grab-and-go lunch. Again, aiming toward things that can be eaten single-handedly. We always have coolers of beverages available too. What is one of your crewâ€™s favorite meals? Brats, hotdogs, chips and homemade cookies tend to be the go-to items. Tell us about your farm. My husband, Danny, and I have two boys, Dennis, 5, and Devin, 19 months. I married into farming in 2013. We farm 850 acres. Growing up in the small town of Lodi, farming was something I watched from a distance, unknown to what my future had planned for me. Danny has been farming with his two uncles and grandfather since he was a very young boy. Dannyâ€™s father passed away in 1992 in a tragic farming accident in Lodi when Danny was just 3. So, he began coming to Roxbury to his motherâ€™s family farm. His grandfather, Virgil Kippley, and his two uncles, Scott and Joe Kippley, became his mentors. Scottâ€™s wife, Patti, became my mentor as soon as I had our ďƒžrst son. I watched as she juggled being a mother, wife, farm hand and bookkeeper for Kippley Farms. I couldnâ€™t imagine a better place to raise children, especially in the world we live in. They quickly learn respect, responsibility and reason. It also is the dream world for little boys â€“ being able to be up close to all sorts of equipment.

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ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Whitney Yager Mineral Point, Wisconsin Iowa County 300 cows What goes into planning meals for harvest time? Once I have a day that I know they will be here, I head to the grocery store to decide what meals will be made for the guys each day. I try to get my meal prepped and going in the morning when the kids are getting on the bus. What type of meals do you like to make? When I am feeding a crew, casseroles, slow cooker meals, anything on the smoker or grill are my go-to. I also have ordered pizzas from our gas station in town. I have done subs from Subway. Slow cooker and smoker meals are my favorite because they are so easy to do as I can nish my chores while they are cooking and not have to worry that they will be burnt or not done. I also love to make casseroles as they will feed everyone and are an easy throw-together meal. What is the most important tip you have for making a meal for a crew? Do it. These guys put in some of the longest hours this time of the year and spend a lot of time sitting in a chopper, combine, truck or tractor eating cold meat sandwiches. The group we have absolutely loves coming to chop for us because they know they will have multiple hot meals and to see them get excited for lunch or supper time tells me I am doing something right and makes me feel good. The crew we had here this week has had supper, lunch and will get lunch again on Friday. To hear this is more than some of them have eaten in a week makes me feel good. They have loved it all summer and fall so far. It makes them want to keep coming back to chop and combine for us, and I enjoy doing it. Describe what a meal time looks like. A normal meal consists of my fatherin-law, Mike, letting the guy running the chopper know lunch is ready. Everyone comes into our shop to eat. In the summer, we have a window air conditioner in there which keeps it nice and cool and in-oor heat in the fall. I have everything set out on a table so the guys grab a plate and start going through the line. Drinks are always included. Any leftovers go in the shop fridge so if anyone needs a snack that night, they know where they can nd it. I use my crock pot and roaster to keep food hot and will not pull stuff off the smoker until the guys are close to the shop or in the shop. We have a fridge in our shop which is usually always stocked with drinks. If the guys are not going to go late into the night, I wait until they shut down for the day and then supper is in the shop exactly the same way lunch is. I try to make sure I have a meal and then some kind of desert for them as well. What is one of your crew’s favorite meals? Smoked pork tenderloin with smoked baked potatoes, garlic bread, homemade smoked mac and cheese, and green bean casserole. Tell us about your farm. Road View Dairy Holsteins is in Mineral Point. I farm with my husband, Chadd, father-in-law, Mike, mother-in-law, Sherri, and our two kids Haylee, 12, and Grant, 6. I am the calf and heifer manager and keep the bookwork straight for the cows. We raise our livestock and run around 800 acres of hay and corn. We are milking 260 cows in our swing-12 parlor. We love to go camping, go to tractor pulls, watch the kids compete in sporting events and show cattle. Our motto has always been, “We work very hard but like to play harder,” and that will always hold true. Farming with my husband and kids is one of the most challenging, exciting, rewarding things we can do as a family.

Katherine Boelen Brooklyn, Iowa Poweshiek County 1,500 cows What goes into planning meals for harvest time? My harvest meal planning starts about two weeks before the custom chopping crew arrives. The rst step for me is to make a menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner for an entire week. When deciding what dishes to make, I pay attention to what ingredients I already have on hand before looking at the grocery sale ads. Once my menu is complete and I have completed any shopping, I look back at my menu and see what I can cook now, freeze and reheat later without compromising quality. Breaded chicken, meatballs and cheesy potatoes are a few examples of what I commonly make ahead. What type of meals do you make? Classic comfort foods of meat and potatoes, mac and cheese, or anything off the grill goes over well. Sticking with tried and true recipes is a must. There is nothing worse than making a new recipe, in bulk, only to have it not turn out. That has put me in a pinch in the past, having to change the entire avor prole of a main dish after its already cooked. I have even thrown out an entire dish and started over. If I wouldn’t eat it myself, I will not serve it. What is the most important tip you have for making a meal for a crew? Save the easy meals for later in the week because you may need to move them up. Plans to slow cook a roast on Monday night may have been interrupted by shufing the kids around to their after-school activities. You will want those brats, chips and macaroni salad scheduled for Thursday night on standby. I am big on homemade cooking, but I have dished up Hamburger Helper with no complaints. They are grateful for every meal no matter how simple. Describe what meal time looks like. Our crew likes to keep moving. I package meals in to-go boxes. The guys packing silage in the bunker will call out to everyone on the radio letting them know when I have dropped off a meal. To transport, I place the meals in a laundry basket and use bath towels to help insulate and keep the food warm. Every load of silage gets weighed before being unloaded making the scale house the most convenient place for everyone to pick up their meal. The guys hauling silage make sure to drop a meal off to any chopper operators in the eld. For drinks, everyone keeps their insulated jugs in the tractors with them lled up with water, but no one turns down a glass of chocolate milk when offered at breakfast. What is one of your crew’s favorite meals? The meal most raved about this year was ribeye steak cooked medium and served with jalapeno creamed corn and cheesy potatoes. With all 900 acres of our corn down from the derecho storm that hit, it was a struggle to keep things moving and ll the silage bunkers. They told me perfectly cooked steaks was just the morale boost they needed to keep going. Tell us about your farm. I met my husband, Joris, while attending college and married into his family’s dairy farm. My husband was 16 when he and his family immigrated to America from the Netherlands in 2009. Selling out their 150-head dairy there, they bought a 300head dairy here in Iowa and have since expanded to 1,500 head. The primarily Holstein herd is milked three times daily in a double-24 parallel parlor.

Liz Vetsch Browerville, Minnesota Todd County 260 cows What goes into planning meals for harvest time? A lot of thought and planning ahead goes into meal preparation. I make a menu up to two weeks before our estimated harvesting week. Then I go through the menu and make my grocery list about a week before. If you can order your groceries online and pick them up, do it. It saves so much time and gives you more time to meal prep. I spend a good two days before harvesting prepping as much of the food as I can. This year, my 9-year-old daughter, Mackenzie, helped me which saved me many hours in the kitchen. I make a checklist of what needs to be done every day. From what freezer meals need to come out to what desserts need to be made, it’s all on my list. What type of meals do you like to make? I like making freezer meals and slow cooker meals. I can make the freezer meals a week in advance which saves so much time when we start getting busy. Slow cooker meals are great because I turn them on in the morning, and I can get my extra chores done while lunch is cooking. What is the most important tip you have for making a meal for a crew? Make the meals tractor-driving friendly. If they have to take it and run, it’s much easier to eat a hotdish verses a taco in a tractor. If your meals go out to the eld, use to-go containers. My husband operates our blade tractor during harvesting time, and he likes that he can close up his food and it’s not rolling all over the cab if he gets busy. Describe what a meal time looks like. Meal time is typically buffet style in our milkhouse. I set up everything in there, and the kids and I wave the crew in as they drive past. Hot meals go into the crockpot or on the wood pellet grill. The grill was new this year, and it was a game changer. I set the temperature at about 225 degrees, and it kept the food warm that couldn’t go into a crockpot. Cold food goes into the refrigerator we have in the milkhouse. We provide our crew with bottled water and pop. This year, I put a coffee pot of hot water out for hot chocolate, and it was a huge hit because it was so cold in the mornings. What is one of your crew’s favorite meals? My crew really enjoyed the hamburgers (my husband makes the best hamburgers) and, surprisingly, egg salad sandwiches. Not a fan of them myself but my crew sure enjoyed them. Tell us about your farm. My husband, Loren, and I started farming here in 2008 with his cousin. In 2013, we bought the farm from his cousin, and in 2017, we retrotted our double-8 parallel parlor into our 32-cow tiestall barn and added onto our freestall. We milk two times a day, with the exception of our high producing cows, which we milk that group three times a day. We have ve employees that work year-round and three that help during harvesting or when someone is on vacation. My father-in-law and brother-in-law help during harvesting as well which is such a huge help. We have four children that help with almost everything on the farm. Our 2-year-old daughter can feed a calf like it’s nobody’s business. I took over raising the calves this summer, and Loren takes care of the cows and eld work. We have an incredible crew behind us. We couldn’t do it without them. Making them meals is the least I can do to thank them for the long days they put in for us.

Angie Tauer Hanska, Minnesota Brown County 250 cows What goes into planning meals for harvest time? Before our haying and harvest seasons starts, I do a stock up trip for pantry staples – pastas, Gatorade, bottled water, favorite snacks, etc. I watch for sales at our local grocery store, Hyvee and Target. I also make sure we have meat in the freezer to choose from. During our busy season, I usually take a look a week in advance to what the schedule is going to look like along with who and how many I need to feed. I also keep a running list on the whiteboard in my kitchen of meal ideas to draw from. They don’t always happen, and I don’t have assigned days, because life happens. But it’s a great resource to pull from. I try to grocery shop with a bigger trip once every other week and then supplement with smaller trips once or twice a week as I’m in town. My mother-in-law is also a great help on days I’m unavailable for meal duty. What type of meals do you like to make? We prefer fresh, healthy and fun. Grilled food, wraps of any type and homemade sub sandwiches are a huge hit around here. Anything that can sit in a cooler and maintain heat/cold and freshness is key. I also take pride in our staff nding something fun and unique in their lunch totes on long days in the tractor. Meals that turn into snacks are also great. Cut fruit and veggies in a Ziploc that can be saved for later. Individual servings of cookies, chips, cheese sticks and yogurt are some of my favorite go-tos. We try to aim for things that can be eaten with one hand as well, but it doesn’t always happen. What is the most important tip you have for making a meal for a crew? Use thicker bread to avoid soggy sandwiches, like Texas Toast, sliced French bread, ciabatta. Wrap sandwiches and grill items in tinfoil as well to preserve heat and freshness. Your dishes aren’t ever coming back so use the cheap plastic containers. Stock up on lunch totes as they go on sale. They go missing too. Describe what a meal time looks like. Sometimes I deliver to the eld or hand out lunches as they drive through the yard. We always keep a cooler of drinks available for grab and go in the yard. We try to stop and have lunch on our patio or around my kitchen table at least a few times a week. It’s great for employee morale and great for ghting tractor fatigue. As a thank you to both our employees and amazing local businesses, we try to do takeout once a week, and we’ll gather around the patio for that. Carl’s Corner Pizza and smoothies from Sleepy Eye Coffee Company are some current favorites. What is one of your crew’s favorite meals? Ham and cheese sliders as well as roast beef and Swiss on kaiser rolls. Tell us about your farm. Tauer Dairy is a 250-cow, 450-acre farm. We are a third-generation family farm with a full-time herdsperson, four parttime employees and two interns hosted through the University of Minnesota MAST program. Our in-laws also work and live on site with us. My husband, David, and I have two kids, Ruby, 9, and Adam, 6, who love every minute of life on the farm. We are a closed Holstein herd with a focus on top genetics, quality milk and innovative agronomy practices growing corn, alfalfa and rye.

Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 17

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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

Repro Leaders

Berktolds keep reproduction program simple Matt Berktold Lake City, Minnesota Wabasha County 150 cows

What is your rst service conception rate? The rst service conception rate is 48% for cows and 66% for heifers.

What was your pregnancy rate average last year? 31%.

What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? We use a loose ovsynch program. I give them prostaglandin and then breed them. At our vet check every two weeks, we give prostaglandin to all the cows that are ready.

What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? Our voluntary waiting period for cows is 60 days, and we start breeding heifers at 13 months old.

Turn to BERKTOLDS | Page 20

KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR

MaƩ Berktold farms together with his dad, Tony, on their 150-cow dairy near Lake City, Minnesota. Last year, the Berktolds’ herd had a pregnancy rate average of 31%. KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR

A double-9 parlor is used to milk the 150-cow herd at the Berktolds’ dairy near Lake City, Minnesota.

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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

Con�nued from BERKTOLDS | Page 18

How do you observe for heat? We mainly rely on the ovsynch program; however, if we see a cow in heat during milking or as we are passing by the barn, we will breed her. But we do not schedule times during the day to watch for heat. It also helps that our A.I. technician milks for us part-time in the evening. She knows what to watch for when it comes to cows in heat. How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? Our veterinarian through Anderson

Vet Service comes every two weeks and does ultrasound. What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in bull selection? Our herd is mated through Genex so we do not look too much at the individual matings; however, we like cows with good feet and legs, and good production. Fertility is an important factor when breeding. We prefer bulls that are higher than average in this area.

KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR

Cows are housed in a freestall barn at the Berktolds’ dairy near Lake City, Minnesota. They are bred using a loose ovsynch program. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? The only difference when breeding the two groups is calving ease. We do not want heifers to be having large calves.

KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR

This Brown Swiss-Holstein cross calf is the oﬀspring of one of the best produc�on cows on the Berktolds’ dairy.

What do you do to settle hard breeders? We will try using Brown Swiss or Angus semen before making a culling decision. We do not use CIDRs.

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How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? We will breed a cow three times to Holstein and two times to Angus or Brown Swiss before culling. We also take into account production. If a cow is not pregnant at 150 days in milk or milking below 70 pounds per day, we will consider culling her. It helps that we have a lot of replacements to add to the herd.

Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? Not really. We like to keep our program simple. It has been the same for the past eight years. Tell us about your farm. I farm with my dad, Tony. Along with our herd of milking cows, we raise all our heifers and fatten our steers. We have about 1,500 acres of land where we grow alfalfa, corn and soybean.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 21

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1 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 584 hrs., 324 Sep Hrs., #157910 ...............................................................................$399,500 15 JD S680, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2612 hrs., 1958 Sep Hrs., #163765 .............................................................................$159,400 15 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 548 hrs., 383 Sep Hrs., #171851 ...............................................................................$394,900 9 JD S670, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1908 hrs., 1260 Sep Hrs., #153514 .............................................................................$179,500 9 JD S760, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 416 hrs., 282 Sep Hrs., #171825 ...............................................................................$299,000 16 JD S670, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1584 hrs., 1190 Sep Hrs., #161854 .............................................................................$179,500 16 JD S670, 2015, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 1540 hrs., 1048 Sep Hrs., #173607 .............................................................................$169,500 16 JD S770, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1356 hrs., 945 Sep Hrs., #173398 ...............................................................................$274,900 16 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1676 hrs., 1157 Sep Hrs., #170663 $179,500 16 JD S680, 2017, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Power Folding Bin Extension, 1136 hrs., 800 Sep Hrs., #173249 ..............................................................$299,000 16 JD 9860 STS, 2007, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 3763 hrs., 2268 Sep Hrs., #172083 ................................................................................$69,500 16 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2436 hrs., 1781 Sep Hrs., #159509 .............................................................................$179,500 16 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 421 hrs., 294 Sep Hrs., #169509 ...............................................................................$429,500 16 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 353 hrs., 234 Sep Hrs., #171003 ...............................................................................$429,500 16 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 471 hrs., 307 Sep Hrs., #169507 ...............................................................................$429,500 16 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 439 hrs., 300 Sep Hrs., #169508 ...............................................................................$429,500 5 JD 9770 STS, 2011, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 3640 hrs., 2 848 Sep Hrs., #165662 ..................................................................................$74,900 5 JD S680, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2855 hrs., 1904 Sep Hrs., #161858 .............................................................................$159,500 5 JD S670, 2015, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 894 hrs., 612 Sep Hrs., #173304.....$259,000 5 JD 9500, 1990, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 6020 hrs., 4304 Sep Hrs., #173621 .........................................................................................................$12,500 5 JD 9400, 1989, 2WD, Singles, 4595 hrs., 2986 Sep Hrs., #171530............$23,900 5 JD S680, 2017, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 931 hrs., 701 Sep Hrs, #168849......$349,900 11 JD S670, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 3567 hrs., 2557 Sep Hrs., #172954 $114,900 11 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 459 hrs., 324 Sep Hrs., #154461.....$399,500 8 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 678 hrs., 520 Sep Hrs., #171563.....$399,000 8 JD 9750 STS, 2002, Corn/Bean, 3800 hrs., 2575 Sep Hrs., #171897 .......$50,400 8 JD S670, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1677 hrs., 1265 Sep Hrs., #155388 $199,500

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JD S690, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2148 hrs., 1563 Sep Hrs., #153332 $179,500 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 747 hrs., 524 Sep Hrs., #171380.....$399,400 JD S680, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2042 hrs., 1638 Sep Hrs., #166363 ...185,900 JD 9770 STS, 2009, Corn/Bean, 2250 hrs., 1700 Sep Hrs., #171960 .......$85,400 JD S670, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Singles, 2250 hrs., 1481 Sep Hrs., #172751 ......................................................................................................$139,500 JD S690, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Singles, 2225 hrs., 1638 Sep Hrs., #161532 ......................................................................................................$189,500 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 700 hrs., 533 Sep Hrs., #171103.....$404,400 JD S690, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2159 hrs., 1700 Sep Hrs., #171382 $164,400 JD S790, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 726 hrs., 405 Sep Hrs., #171378.....$441,400 JD S680, 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1368 hrs., 929 Sep Hrs., #172496 ..$295,000 JD S690, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1802 hrs., 1395 Sep Hrs., #171923 $179,000 JD S690, 2014, PRWD, Duals, 1946 hrs., 1317 Sep Hrs., #145222 .........$169,500 JD S690, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1633 hrs., 1161 Sep Hrs., #167773 $199,900 JD S680, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2384 hrs., 1739 Sep Hrs., #154637 $149,500 DISKS JD 2623, 2013, 33 ft, #149511 ..................................................................$34,900 MISC 12’ Disk, 12 ft, #169500 .....................................................................$1,200 Kuhn Krause 8300, 2012, 32 ft, 3-Section Folding, #173581 ..............$29,999 JD 637, 2002, 29 ft, 3-Section Folding, 9” spacing, #172913 ...................$33,500 JD 637, 2011, 45 ft, 5-Section Folding, 9” spacing, #166177 ....................$42,000 Sunflower 1550-50, 49 ft, 5-Section Folding, #172168 ........................$38,400 Landoll 7431-26, 2013, 26 ft, 3-Section Folding, 9” spacing, #169295 $35,900 Sunflower 1434-26, 2005, 26 ft, 3-Section Folding, 9” spacing, #169729 .........................................................................................................$24,900 JD 2623, 2013, 20 ft, 3-Section Folding, 9” spacing, #168622 ..................$26,900 Wishek 862-NT, 2009, 33 ft, 3-Section Folding, #163465 .......................$26,900 RIPPERS JD 2720, 2014, #155362.............................................................................$29,500 JD 2700, 2008, #167873.............................................................................$19,400 JD 2700, 2014, #173091.............................................................................$18,500 Sunflower 4530-19, 2014, #169870 ......................................................$34,900 Case IH 870, 2012, #163215 .....................................................................$37,900 JD 2700, 2004, #172537.............................................................................$15,900 JD 2720, 2013, #162185.............................................................................$26,900 JD 2700, 2013, #172985............................................................................$18,900 JD 2730, 2019, #168106.............................................................................$94,900 Case IH 730B, 2004, #166047 ..................................................................$14,900 Case IH 730B, #172919 .............................................................................$13,900 JD 2730, 2015, #167250.............................................................................$50,900 JD 2730, 2015, #166178.............................................................................$74,000 JD 2720, 2013, #161404.............................................................................$23,900 Case IH MRX690, 2005, #171565 ............................................................$11,900 Case IH 870, 2013, #160533 .....................................................................$34,900

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Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

Start planning for tomorrow, today. 0

The United States Department of Agriculture announced a second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program will be available for crop and livestock farmers as the markets continue to be disrupted by COVID-19. There are several changes to the aid package from its initial installment this past spring. Dairy payments will be determined as $1.20 per hundredweight on a farm’s production during the last nine months of 2020. Payments will be based on actual milk production from April 1 to Aug. 31, and milk production from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31 will be estimated by the Farm Service Agency based on the average daily production from April through August. Farmers’ cattle inventory of bull calves and dairy steers are eligible for payment but not breeding stock. The payment is set at $55 per herd on the maximum inventory between April 16 and Aug. 31. Payments for row crops will be determined by a specic payment rate, crop marketing percentage and the farmers’ weighted 2020 actual production history approved yield. Alfalfa payments are set at $15 per eligible acre. CFAP 2.0 payment limitations are expanded to include trusts and estates for both payment rounds. This means those restricted last spring will have their situation resolved. Additionally, the entirety of the payments will be made once a farm’s eligibility is established, unlike in the rst payment program where there was a 20% holdback. Applications for the new round of aid are accepted now through Dec. 11. For more information, contact a FSA agent or visit www.farmers.gov/cfap.

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The World Forage Analysis Superbowl will once again provide educational opportunities with its Dairy Forage Seminars, held virtually in 2020 on the new World Forage Analysis Superbowl YouTube channel. This year’s seminars, led by professors, researchers, producers and industry experts, will address various topics related to forage production, harvest, storage and feeding. Six Dairy Forage Seminars will launch following the Brevant seeds Forage Superbowl Luncheon on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 30 and will be available for viewing at your convenience. The slate of Dairy Forage Seminars includes: How We Produce High-Quality Dairy Forage, Harry Adams, Jr., Forage Producer, Byron, Illinois. Conserving Round Bale Value – Dry Hay and Baleage, Kevin Shinners, Professor, Biosystems Engineering Dept., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin. Why Inoculate Silage?, Kevin Panke-Buisse, Research Microbiologist, USDA-ARS, US Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin. Tread Lightly: Impact of Wheel Trafc on Alfalfa Yield and Soil Compaction. Brian Luck, Asst. Professor, Biosystems Engineering Dept., University of WisconsinMadison, Madison, Wisconsin. Maximizing Nutrient Digestibility of Corn Silage, Luiz Ferraretto, Asst. Professor, Extension Ruminant Nutritionist, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin. Celebrating 40 Years of Research and Impact at USDFRC, Dennis Hancock, Center Director, USDA-ARS, US Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin. The Dairy Forage Seminars will be broadcast on the World Forage Analysis Superbowl YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpD8r676iw0tuWQqaoxw/featured?disable_polymer=1 ).

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 23

Riding the imagination express Afdahl brothers win national model railroad contest By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

ARKANSAW, Wis. – Ingenuity and imagination have served as the magnet that attracted brothers Bo and Ian Afdahl to the world of model railroading. Earlier this summer, the pair used that ingenuity and imagination to take top honors in the youth team division of the virtual Walther’s Trains National Model Railroad Build-Off. Bo, a 15-year-old sophomore at Durand High School, and Ian, a 13-year-old seventh grader, live with their parents, Brad and Kristin, on the family’s 47-cow registered Holstein dairy farm near the small town of Arkansaw in scenic Pepin County. The boys said much of the inspiration for the awardwinning railroad display came from looking out their own back door at their family’s farm and the area they live in. “The settings we like to build for our trains come from the things around us,” Bo said. “We like to have farms because that is what we see.” The hobby started for the boys a couple of years ago when Brad purchased Ian a

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Bo (le�) and Ian Afdahl show oﬀ their model railroading display at their family’s farm near Arkansaw, Wisconsin. The display captured top honors in the youth team division of the Walther’s Trains Na�onal Model Railroad Build-Oﬀ earlier this summer. train set for Christmas, because the boy had loved the character Thomas the Tank Engine when he was younger. Soon, Bo became intrigued by the hobby as well, and the two began putting their proclivity toward craftsmanship to work. “We started out with three trains and little bit of track,”

Bo said. “From there it just started to grow.” The boys now have 23 train engines between them, all of which are in working order. The brothers enjoys switching the engines out and creating trains to travel though their own make-believe countryside.

Over the past couple of years, the boys have invested in their project using the money they earned from doing chores, making their creations mean all that much more. They also won a prize of $1,000 for their top-placing in the Walther’s contest, which they split and ultimately chose to reinvest in

additional pieces for their railroading hobby. “Dad pays us for working on the farm, and then we can buy the things we decide we want,” Ian said. “Doing that teaches us a lot about how to be responsible and what money really means and is worth.” The boys have collected their railroads and pieces online, from antique shops, train stores and companies such as Walther’s. They have had good luck buying pieces from other collectors who vend at train shows they have attended. They have even been gifted with items from other model railroaders who are happy to see young people embrace the hobby. Each piece is carefully selected and chosen on the merit of its value to them. Not every piece comes to the boys in perfect condition. They have gotten locomotives that have developed loose connections during shipping. The pair has taught themselves the ner points of soldering and rewiring the engines to get them up and running again. Buildings for the various towns come in pieces, requiring the boys to build, paint and decorate them. “A lot of the people who are into model railroading are older,” Bo said. “They have some really nice stuff. They have spent many years and a Turn to AFDAHLS | Page 25

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 25

ConƟnued from AFDAHLS | Page 23

lot of money collecting it.” They are currently anxiously awaiting some of their newest acquisitions, purchased with their prize money, which are on order from Germany. When it became apparent that model railroading was more than just a passing fancy, with the help of their dad, the boys renovated the farm’s old milkhouse into their own little model railroad world. The center of the building features a table that has the train set that belonged to their grandfather, which they have continued to build upon, growing the backdrop of scenery and towns the train travels through. The perimeter of the room features another train track along with a wide and varied countryside for the trains to travel through on those tracks.

The Afdahl boys are serious about the accuracy and intricacies of their model railroading and make sure not to mix the scale sizes of trains and features. The trains on the table are O-scale trains, while the trains traveling the countryside lining the perimeter are HO-scale, Bo said. “Everything, the tracks, the trains, the buildings, all of the details are the same scale size for each set,” Ian said. The brothers rst learned of the Walther’s contest last spring, and ironically, the novel coronavirus pandemic worked in their favor, giving them extra time to create their contest entry. “When we rst heard about it, the original deadline had passed,” Bo said. “But they had extended the deadline

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

The Afdahl family (from leŌ) – Ian, Brad, Bo and KrisƟn – have 47 head of registered Holsteins on their Pepin County farm near Arkansaw, Wisconsin. Bo and Ian Afdahl use the old milkhouse building to house their model train hobby.

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Bo and Ian Afdahl’s model railroad project includes intricate details and personal touches, including a sign welcoming visitors to Afdahl Flats.

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said. “We used what we knew from living on a farm.” Once they were satised with their nal product, photos were submitted to a website. Bo and Ian were elated to learn in late July they had made it to the semi-nals and could hardly believe when they learned they had taken top honors in the contest in August. The boys will not be defending their title in the youth team division in 2021. Based on the age requirements, Bo

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because of COVID.” The boys submitted an entry fee and were given a basic farm set-up for their category. The boys used their life experiences to embellish the project, creating a tiny working farm complete with cows grazing behind a fence, a vegetable garden and a sign welcoming those aboard the train to the idyllic little village of Afdahl Flats. “We had to be creative with the farm to make it unique,” Bo

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will have to move into the adult category. He is not sure he is of the skill level to compete in that arena just yet. Ian is uncertain if he has the eye for the ne details to create a display worthy of winning the youth individual category. Their mother, Kristin, is happy to see her boys engaging in an activity that requires them to use their brains and develop skills that will last them for a lifetime. She considers the attention they have gotten from their placing in the contest as a bonus. “They are doing something constructive with their free time,” Kristin said. “As a family, we have always enjoyed history and visiting museums and depots and things like that. This has been a great extension of those excursions.” For Bo, the greatest enjoyment comes in the details, some so delicate they require tweezers and magnifying glasses. Ian enjoys the prospect of creating and planning the layout of the terrain and countryside the trains traverse. What do the brothers do when their little world becomes overpopulated with traveling trains and tiny villages? Ian, the grand planner, said the logical thing would be to add a second story and keep creating. Bo, on the other hand, looks to the smaller and ner points. “Keep working on this to keep making it better,” Bo said.

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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

FSA outlines Marketing Assistance Loans, Loan Deciency Payments The 2018 farm bill extends loan authority through 2023 for Marketing Assistance Loans and Loan Deciency Payments. MALs and LDPs provide nancing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains, soybeans and other oilseeds, pulse crops, rice, FSA News & Notes peanuts, cotton, wool and honey. MALs provide interim nancing after harvest to help meet cash ow needs without having to sell commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows. A producer who is eligible to obtain a loan, but agrees to By Ryan Brunn forgo the loan, may obtain Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. an LDP if such a payment is available. Marketing loan provisions and LDPs are not available for sugar and extra-long staple cotton. The Farm Service Agency is now accepting requests for 2020 MALs and LDPs for all eligible commodities after harvest. Requests for loans and LDPs shall be made on or before the nal availability date for the respective commodities. Commodity certicates are available to loan holders who have outstanding nonrecourse loans for wheat, upland cotton, rice, feed grains, pulse crops (dry pea, lentil, large and small chickpea), peanuts, wool, soybeans and designated minor oilseeds. These certicates can be purchased at the posted county price (or adjusted world price or national posted price) for the quantity of commodity under loan and must be immediately exchanged for the collateral, satisfying the loan. MALs redeemed with commodity certicates are not subject to adjusted gross income provisions. To be considered eligible for an LDP, you must have form CCC-633EZ, page 1, on le at your local FSA ofce before losing benecial interest in the crop. Pages 2, 3 or 4 of the form must be submitted when payment is requested. Marketing loan gains and loan deciency payments are no longer subject to payment limitations, actively engaged in farming and cashrent tenant rules. Adjusted gross income provisions state that if your total applicable three-year average AGI exceeds $900,000, then you are not eligible to receive an MLG or LDP. You must have a valid CCC-941 on le to earn a market gain of LDP. The AGI does not apply to MALs redeemed with commodity certicate exchange. For more information and additional eligibility requirements, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov. 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.

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Making corn silage With every tour of our farm, I spend quite a bit of time explaining silos. What goes in them and why they symbolize dairy farming. I am always amazed at the idea that these folks have driven by and looked at farms their whole life and have never understood or even thought about what goes in them. Most of our visitors understand that every dairy farmer works long hours every day. But what they do not know is that when it comes to harvesting feed for cows that will be stored, fermented and fed for the year, the farmer will work even longer hours, far beyond his normal 14hour days. Feed is so important By Tina Hinchley that it can make or break Farmer & Columnist the farm. If we do not grow enough corn, if the weather is too wet or too dry, we may not have enough feed, or the quality will not be the best. Our cows will suffer for the whole year. If we run out of feed, farmers do not get to go to the pet store and buy more feed. They have never thought of all these things. After all, isn’t all this corn just for cows? I then point out the grain bins, that another type of corn is stored dry there. That corn can have many uses: ethanol, animal feed, or even for corn akes, chips or mufns. I help them visualize that our 100-year-old barn was built to hold 35 milking cows, just like all the other barns down our road. There are actually 20 dairy barns on Highway 73 from Interstate 90 to I-94, but now only three of us are dairy farming. The silo that stands by all of these empty barns was lled every fall to feed the cows that were living in those barns. The silos were lled with a blower attached to the power take off on a tractor that is spinning very fast to blow the chopped stalks, leaves, cobs and kernels to the top of the silo through the tube that still hangs on the side. I explain the dangers involved in unloading, and working around a blower and PTO. I tell them if the protection shield is removed for repairs and not put back on, it can tangle loose clothes and rip off limbs or worse. I mention the gas that is produced during the fermentation process that has taken many farmers lives, and every one of us farmers knows someone who has died or had near misses with accidents. This week, while discussing making corn silage with our guests sitting on a wagon, they were observing the tractor pacing in the eld, pulling the chopper lling the dump box while the tandem truck raced back from dumping the load into the bunker. The curiosity about the big mounds of white plastic with sliced tires is usually admitted and often it is thought that is where we pile our manure. Yes, I agree when there is a little seepage it can be stinky, but farmers love the smell of feed. We are always smelling it for quality control. If there was anyone in my group that had grown up farming, they nod their head in agreement. Fresh cut hay smells amazing. We work on cutting hay right after we are done planting in the spring, and then every 28 days throughout the summer into fall. The hay is put into a bunker and is fermented into haylage. This is the other part of the ration that I compare to an athlete’s diet. As September rolls in this fall, and the pumpkins are bright orange, it is time to get moving on to corn silage. We outgrew our upright silos as we expanded

I F A

Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 27

our herd of cows, and as we have gotten older, it is too hard to climb up those tall silos. Just as we are getting older the unloaders inside are too, and making repairs is difcult and dangerous too. The bunker silos look easier with the tarps draped down the sidewalls, all straight and tight. The kids love to watch the loader rocking back and forth pushing up the load that was just dumped by the tandem. Even with the bunkers, accidents happen. As the pile gets higher, it is obvious that it could be tippy for the tractor driver. Hanging plastic and working around tractors moving tires, there is always the risk that something could happen. With farming, there always seems to be a rush to make sure we get it done as fast and efciently as possible. We have had a few breakdowns this fall. Even though we want to be done, we shut off the tractors and truck to make sure the harvest crew gets out for

a little downtime to rest and come back refreshed the next day. As we add on more long days, everyone gets tired, and stress and tension can be a factor in making sure we all are being safe and observant of each other. In the end, it makes a huge difference when everyone is here for the next day, safe and ready to roll again. After getting the group past the bunker silo, our guests have a new appreciation and understanding of cow feed, lling silos and what harvest is for farmers. Visitors often ask when we will be done, and the perfect reply is Thanksgiving. That is when we give thanks to have made it through the season safely. Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. They have been hosting farm tours for over 20 years.

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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 Joe Armstrong armst225@umn.edu 612.624.3610 Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130 Hugh Chester-Jones chest001@umn.edu 507-835-3622 Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184 Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391 Sandra Godden godde002@umn.edu 612-625-8177 Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu 612-626-5620 Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277 Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711 Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104 Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu 612-625-3108 Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334 Emily Krekelberg krek0033@umn.edu 507-280-2863 Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109 Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435 Erin Royster royster@umn.edu Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093 Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu 612-624-1205 M. Scott Wells mswells@umn.edu 612-625-3747

www.extension.umn.edu/dairy

Palmer amaranth in feed ingredients By Nathan Drewitz, Jared Goplen, Adam Austing and Chryseis Modderman University of Minnesota

Keep an eye out for Palmer amaranth hitching a ride into Minnesota via contaminated feed ingredients. Minnesota has at least one infestation in the state that arrived via contaminated cattle feed. The potential for this to happen again is high, especially when sourcing feed ingredients from areas where Palmer amaranth and other problematic weeds are more common. Pay attention to weeds growing around livestock feeding areas, near manure storage areas or in elds with a history of manure application. These are likely the areas where Palmer amaranth and other new weeds will show up rst. Palmer amaranth is a highly competitive pigweed that is closely related to waterhemp. Like waterhemp, Palmer amaranth emerges throughout the growing season, and can grow 2 to 3 inches per day, causing large yield reductions if it goes uncontrolled. Control is often challenging, as Palmer amaranth has resistance to many herbicides. Palmer amaranth is on Minnesota’s Prohibited Noxious Weed Eradicate list. Palmer amaranth looks similar to waterhemp but typically has very long petioles (longer than the leaf blade), and the seed head is typically longer than waterhemp (1 to 2 feet long). While weeds can nd their way to your farm via wildlife and other uncontrollable factors, many new weed seeds are brought onto the farm from normal farm activities. Most of the new infestations of Palmer amaranth have been brought in via equipment (especially used equipment purchased from an area where Palmer amaranth is more common), contaminated seed or contaminated feedstuffs. The amount of risk for contamination with weed seeds depends on the type of feed and where it originates. Feed that has been ground, pelletized or ensiled is less concerning compared to less-processed feed ingredients. Feed ingredients most concerning: – Feedstuffs from southern states: Palmer amaranth is more common further south. Any feed ingredient that was produced where Palmer amaranth is present in elds is more likely to become contaminated. Cottonseed and sunower screenings have been the source of several infestations in the Midwest. Other feed ingredients, including hay and animal bedding, produced where Palmer amaranth is more common, are also concerns. Additionally, herbicide resistance is more common further south, meaning other weed seeds that may travel in with the feedstuffs, including waterhemp, may be herbicide resistant. – Forages from weedy elds: Any forage produced in

weedy elds will likely contain weed seeds, whether harvested as dry hay or ensiled. Ensiling forages will help reduce the viability of weed seed. This is especially the case for grass weed seeds. Even hard-coated seeds like pigweed can be degraded during ensiling. Palmer amaranth seed viability can drop by 40%-60% after one month of ensiling alfalfa or corn silage (Simard and Lambert-Beaudet, 2016). Though it will reduce weed seed viability, feeding contaminated feed to livestock will not eliminate all Palmer amaranth seed. Grass and soft-coated broadleaf seeds are more easily destroyed in digestion than hard-coated seeds like Palmer amaranth. In ruminants like cattle, nearly 30% of amaranth seed survives digestion (Blackshaw and Rode, 1991). The gizzard digestive system of poultry is highly effective at destroying weed seeds. For instance, only 3.5% of Palmer amaranth seeds fed to ducks were recovered and found viable (Farmer et al., 2017). Internal heat generated by properly composted manure will kill most weed seeds – even Palmer amaranth. Aged manure is not composted manure. Weed seeds are killed in composted manure due to warm temperatures (greater than 140 degrees F) for several days. In typical on-farm composting sites, weed seed viability is typically reduced by more than 90%. This percentage is even higher in the best-managed compost sites. Even with ideal feed and manure management, weed seed from contaminated feed ingredients can survive the process and cause weed management issues. It is much easier to manage Palmer amaranth and other new weeds with prevention. Be on the lookout for Palmer amaranth and other new weeds around feed storage areas, feeding areas and in elds with recent manure applications. If you suspect Palmer amaranth on your farm, contact one of the numbers listed below. Early detection is key in preventing Palmer amaranth and other invasive species from becoming widely established. – Arrest the Pest, www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/ arrest-pest, arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us or 1-888-545-6684. – Denise Theide, densie.theide@state.mn.us or 651-2016531. – Anthony Cortilet, anthony.cortilet@state.mn.us or 651201-6538. – Shane Blair, shane.blair@state.mn.us or 507-884-2116. – University of Minnesota Extension IPM specialist Bruce Potter, bpotter@umn.edu. – UMN Extension agronomy educators, www.extension. umn.edu/crop-production/contacts-crop-production.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 29

Fall has arrived and with it comes many changes. One change is the sharp decline in daylight hours. In Minnesota, we lose approximately 1.5 hours of daylight in both September and October. We go from roughly 13.25 hours at the beginning of September to around 10.25 hours at the end of October. We lose another hour in November ending with a little over nine hours. Daylight hours based on sunrise and sunset times range from 8.75 hours in December to 15.5 hours in June in Minnesota. With decreasing daylight, we rely heavily on articial lighting. Research in the ‘90s found that lactating cows given light continuously for 16 hours each day at 20 footcandles or higher intensity increased milk production from 5% to 16% (8% being typical), increased feed intake about 6% and maintained reproductive performance compared to By Kevin Janni cows receiving 13.5 hours or less of light. The recommendUniversity of MN ed 24-hour lighting program is 16 to 18 hours of continuous light followed by eight to six hours of darkness. This type of lighting program is called extended day lighting. Twenty-four hours of continuous light is not recommended. The response to an extended day lighting program may take two to four weeks or longer to develop assuming that nutrition and other management conditions are acceptable. Dry cows and heifers in the last two months of gestation are recommended to have short-day lighting (12 hours of light or less per day) to enhance cow and heifer response to enhanced lighting during the subsequent lactation. Producers that used extended day lighting commonly reported that increased and better-quality light improved cow movement, observation and care. Cows moved more easily through uniformly lit entrances and exits. With better cow observation and care, sick animals can be more quickly spotted and treated. Workers also reported that a well-lit area was a more pleasant work environment. Increased cow performance and well-being and better working conditions make lighting an important environmental characteristic in a dairy facility. Table 1 lists recommended light levels for several common work areas on dairy farms. Higher light levels are recommended for activities where higher visual capabilities are needed, such as surgery and inspecting bulk tanks. Light levels are measured with light meters and are expressed in foot-candles (fc). Foot-candles have units of lumens per square foot. Lumens are the amount of light put out by a light source. Light levels on a work surface depend on numerous factors. Key factors are the number of lumens emitted and the distance between the light source and the work area surface. Lights should be mounted below structural members and equipment to avoid casting shadows in cow areas. Light should also be mounted high enough so that they are not damaged by cows or equipment. As light xtures age, they generate less light. The lamps, which produce the light, slowly decrease their output over time. Most light xtures have covers called diffusers that both spread the light more uniformly from the xture and protect the lamp. Over time, diffusers can be covered with dirt and y spots that reduce light from the xture and light levels at work surfaces. Lamp replacement and light xture diffuser cleaning can maintain the recommended illumination levels needed to do important work. Some producers with freestall barns install small light xtures that provide around 10 fc of light at waterers that are left on continuously (24 hours/day) to encourage drinking during dark periods. Extended day lighting can be controlled with a timer and a photocell in series or a timer alone. The timer and photocell in series is the most energy efcient. The timer turns the lights on and off at set times, while the photocell overrides the timer (turns the lights off) when there is sufcient natural sunlight. The photocell needs to be shielded from both interior and exterior electrical lighting to work properly. A timer alone turns the lights on and off to provide 16 to 18 hours of light. In this case the lights are on even if there is plenty of sunshine. In work areas, light switches can be used to manually turn lights on and off as needed. Motion detectors can be used to automatically turn lights off when no one is working in an area (i.e., ofce or equipment room) to save energy. Today light emitting diode (LED) lamps and uorescent lamps are very common light sources on dairy farms. They are much more energy efcient, producing more lumens per watt of electricity, and longer lasting than the old incandescent and halogen lamps that are no longer available. LED and uorescent lamps also have good color rendition index values, which means that the color observed is like that seen in sunlight. Light xtures used in agricultural buildings should be made of non-corrosive materials and rated for use in damp environments. Table 1. Recommended illumination levels (ASABE, 2019) Work area or task Illumination Work area or task level (fc) Freestall feeding area 20 Milking Parlor Housing and resting area 10 General lighting Holding area 10 Operator pit Treatment and maternity areas Milk room General lighting 20 General lighting Surgery 100 Washing area Utility or equipment room 20 Bulk tank interior Storage room 10 Loading platform Ofce 50

Illumination level (fc) 20 50 20 100 100 20

Preservation season Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

10,000 plus tons of quality forage Packed down tight for winter storage Quart upon quart of delicious treasures Filling the shelves with cold weather pleasures Months ago they planted, fertilized and sprayed, No doubt there were moments they even prayed All summer we planted, weeded and coaxed I admit, I would compare mine to other folks’ When the chopper hit the farm, kids were excited “Can I ride in a truck?” Cora and Henry were delighted. A carrot so long it was almost Cora’s height Henry exclaimed, “Someone in China is taking a bite!”

Quality was good; the smell was fantastic By Saturday night we were ready for plastic Beet and bean yield was high, we were impressed Hot water bathing, pressure canning – I am slightly obsessed

They stand back, grimy hands on hips “That’s our fastest time ever,” Peter proudly quips I wipe my hands on my apron and admire “These jars are so beautiful,” gazing at them, I never tire

The roll of plastic unfurls like snow sliding on a tin roof Tighten ‘er down so the bunker becomes waterproof Everything washed, cut, hot and ready to go I watched the canner carefully for fear she’ll blow

We’ll have ample haylage and corn silage it seems Harvest is almost done, fullling farmers’ dreams Peaches, pie lling, pickles and tomatoes just right Squash soup getting frozen, for many a cold night

Tires were thrown from wall to wall Wind snaps the loose spots, the air smells like fall Rings were tightened, jars heated for their time Ah, that precious ping! Food preserved at its prime

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Soon the bunkers will be full and sit at the ready To feed all the cows and hold their milk production steady Soon jars of all colors will be ready for bellies From the sauces, to the butters, right down to the jellies Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira (12), Dane (10), Henry (5) and Cora (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 ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.

National Mastitis Council seeks Award of Excellence nominations

The National Mastitis Council is now accepting nominations for its coveted Award of Excellence for Contribution to Mastitis Prevention and Control. This award recognizes an NMC member who has provided sustained contributions to mastitis prevention and control through research, extension and/or education, clinical practice or service to dairy producers. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, the award carries a cash honorarium and travel stipend to attend the National Mastitis Council 60th Annual Meeting, Jan. 25-28, Dallas, where the award will be presented. To nominate an individual, complete the nomination form, which can be found at: https:// www.nmconline.org/award-of-excellence. In addition to the completed form, submit two or three letters of support. These letters should describe how the nominee has met award criteria, including time in the dairy industry, positions held, major contributions to mastitis prevention and milk quality, research, publications, leadership roles, participation in NMC activities and industry involvement. Also, include the nominee’s CV (curriculum vitae) and/or resume. Nominations are due Oct. 31.

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Ramblings from the Ridge

High moisture corn, as we turn the calendar page By Jacqui Davison We’ll wait ‘til its right, Columnist checking the moisture gauge Apples in abundance, last in line for preservation Then my canners can take a needed vacation.

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Corn silage cutting height eld evaluation

Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 31

Corn silage harvest is complete for many dairy farms across the Midwest. Reports are mostly positive in terms of yield and quality. There are certainly a few exceptions such as the damage in Iowa. Something to Ruminate On Where did you have your cutter bar set when chopping corn silage this season? The advantages and disadvantages of high-cut corn silage have been widely discussed. There is a tradeoff between reduced yields and higher quality as more By Barry Visser stalk residue is left in the eld. Nutritionist Dr. Greg Roth from Penn State University summarized results of 11 peer-reviewed articles that compare yield and nutritional value of regular-cut corn silage averaging 7 inches to high-cut corn silage averaging 19 inches. These results will be referenced with the data presented. Allow me to share a few real-world evaluations on cutting height conducted the past couple weeks to satisfy producer curiosity and corroborate years of research.

data 4.7%). – 10.5% decrease in undigestible NDF-240 hour (PSU data not reported). – 3.4% increase in predicted milk per ton (PSU data 5.2%).

What about yield? We were not able to collect accurate yield data in all situations. Where we were able to capture this, our yields averaged 26.5 tons per acre with low-cut and 23.6 tons per acre with high-cut (35% dry matter basis). This equates to just over 11% yield reduction by leaving 2 feet of stumps in the eld compared to an average of 8 inches. Upon seeing the high-cut strips in the eld next to the regular-cut, one producer expressed, “That’s a lot of silage left in the eld.”

4x11

Field evaluations Samples were collected on eight elds on multiple farms representing several corn hybrids across geographies. The starting cutter bar height ranged from 7 to 9 inches. On one farm, we did three increments of cutting height. The upper cutting height on all elds ranged from 23 to 25 inches. We inadvertently achieved a wider average cutting range than the composite of studies done at PSU. Our regular-cut corn silage averaged 8 inches and high-cut corn silage averaged 24 inches. In addition to raising the chopper heads in the elds, we did some further evaluation using a chipper to evaluate eld corn plants. Some of this data is referenced as well. Dry matter differences The bottom couple feet of a corn plant contains not only higher levels of lignin but also higher moisture levels. In addition, the ear represents a larger proportion of the tonnage in higher cuttings, and the grain is drier than stover at harvest time. Our high-cut corn silage averaged 7.6% higher dry matter content compared to normal cut. The PSU summary showed an average of 6% higher DM content for high-cut. With all these comparisons, keep in mind the PSU data summary had a smaller range from high- to low-cut. Quality measurements All our samples were analyzed for nutrient quality through a commercial forage lab. Here is what our high-cut silage delivered, on average, compared to regular-cut silage: – 2.5% increase in protein (PSU data 2%). – 8.5% decrease in neutral detergent ber (PSU data 7.4%). – 4.5% increase in starch (PSU data 5.9%). – 4.8% increase in NDF digestibility (PSU

Future considerations If high-chop corn silage is being considered, more acres of silage will need to be planted to realize the same tonnage as a low-cut silage. Haylage quality can also inuence the desire to shift to higher cut at corn silage harvest. High-chopped corn silage is not for every farm. The term high-cut also implies that we need to get to a nite 20 to 24 inches of cutting height. Moderately increasing cutting height will still move the needle on forage quality. Work with your nutritionist to decide what cutting height works for your dairy. I would like to thank the collaborating farms to allow me to interrupt their chopping routine and gather this data. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.

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Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

In the early ‘80s, we were told by bankers, me. Our favorite Friday night TV show is Blue Bloods. economists and a bunch of smart people that we It is about a family whose business is to be cops. The needed to run our farms like businesses if we were youngest son, Jamie Regan, is asked why he became going to survive the nancial crisis. Farming was not a cop. He earned a law degree from Yale and had his supposed to be a lifestyle. It ppick of law rms. He said, was a business and needed to don’t do it because of the h priceless i l iincidentals id l ““I be managed with that mindset. IIt iis the money. Sitting around the Many farms took that advice that no balance sheet can table listening to the stories to heart, and I sometimes of the job, not one story was think we have lost the heart calculate that make the about how much money or of our family farms. Numbers return on investment work how high of salaries like are crunched to nd the most law school friends. I want returns. Cattle are culled for us. to tell stories of adventures by the production criteria aand take pride in the family bbusiness.” regardless of their potential. Some farms have grown so much they require extra We do not farm because of the money. That is not help outside of the family. Where does the family t our focus or our purpose. Now do not get me wrong, into the family farm? I am not against money. I like to have enough to I know this is going to seem off track but bear with pay my bills and still support our family. But return

on investment is not our driving force to farm. The driving force is passion. It is the priceless incidentals that no balance sheet can calculate that make the return on investment work for us. Listening to Mark and the kids swap stories around our table of the adventures and experiences shared on our farm during Just Thinking Out Loud their years of growing up are worth more than any high-paying salary. Instead of working away from home, we worked together, building memories and instilling character and virtues. When the kids decided they needed to talk in the middle of the day, they knew where to nd us, By Natalie Schmitt and we stopped to listen. Columnist Mark’s career path was set when he was 8. He always knew he wanted to be a dairyman. He was able to take his passion and create a life for himself and his family. I always knew I wanted to be a farm wife who worked beside her husband and raised their children together on the farm. Our hearts found their way to home. Now it is time for our children to nd their hearts’ home. My dad always said there is a much bigger world beyond the end of the farm gate. We made sure our children took the opportunities to explore beyond our farmyard as they searched for their passion. Then we let them go. All four have found careers in agriculture. Jonathon is a dairy agronomist for a cooperative. Michael is a genetic analyst. Katie tells the stories of World Dairy Expo. Austin is learning different ways of dairying in South Dakota. They all loved growing up on the farm, but they also recognize the commitment and sacrices we have made. They do not know if they are ready to take that leap right now. They do not know if their hearts are calling them home. Yes, farming is a business, but it is also a passion that drives you through the tough times and rejoices in the small details. With that in mind, we have to take a step back and hit pause. We recognize we cannot keep our business going the way it is without extra help and it is time. It is time to see what is beyond the end of the driveway after 5 p.m. Our passion continues to be cattle and family, but it will take on a different look. Forty-three years ago, Mark bought a big black cow on a herd sale when he was in high school. This was the start of his adventure story. In October, the story will come to a close as we host our own herd sale, giving someone else the opportunity to nd the cow that will nurture a passion for adventure and a lifetime of stories. Like I said, we are only hitting pause for now. We are going to sell the milking herd and springing heifers but keep the calves and yearlings. Neither one of us can imagine life without some cattle around the farm. There will be chores and animals to feed, but we will not be able to use the excuse of milking time to skip out on events. We could actually go somewhere, but the pandemic seems to have put a limit on that plan. So, I guess we will have to stay around home, and Mark can nally start working on the honey-do list I have been writing for the past 30 years. Natalie, Mark and his brother Al, farm together near Rice, Minnesota. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are grown up and all involved in agriculture with hopes of someone returning to the farm. For questions or comments, please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@ jetup.net.

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Mystery calves It all started two years ago with BLT. When Glen checked the maternity pen the morning she was born, there were two calves – a heifer and a bull. Both fresh cows, Blanca and Luna, were licking the heifer calf off and the bull calf was lying in the corner by himself. For Dairy Good Life the rst time in the history of our farm, we had a heifer calf we couldn’t positively identify. Later that summer, another mystery calf By Sadie Frericks was born. Columnist Paula and Solstice freshened in the pasture. Neither rst-calf heifer was by either of the two calves we found – a live heifer calf and a stillborn bull calf. I entered the heifer calf in the computer with the name PS until we got the results of the genomic test back. Then, last year, on the same day Goldsh calved, we found three newborn heifer calves in the pasture with Hosanna and London. It was clear that either Hosanna or London had twins, which meant another set of genomic tests to gure out which calves belonged to which cows. With these rst unidentiable calves, at least we could narrow the dam down to one of two cows. This week, we had an unidentiable calf that takes mystery to a whole new level. This mystery started on Saturday morning when Paul and Mary, the neighbors who live next to our far-off dry cow pasture, called to say they had spotted a newborn calf. Glen and Monika searched the woods and pasture, but didn’t nd a calf. They also didn’t nd a dry cow who looked like she had recently calved, which left Glen a bit befuddled. On Sunday morning, Paul called to say they had spotted the calf again and thought it had been hiding in the soybean eld next to the pasture. Paul also added that he doubted we’d be able to catch this calf. When he approached the calf, it took off like a ash and, as Paul said, “It’s fast!” This time, Glen took Dan, Monika, and Daphne along to comb the pasture. (I was out of town, so I missed all the excitement.) Again, the search yielded no calf. On Sunday night, Glen and I discussed the possibilities of where this mystery calf came from. Could it be Zinny’s calf? Zinny calved 10 days early in the far-off pasture on Tuesday. She had a stillborn bull calf. Perhaps she actually had twins and this calf was hers. But if so, what was the calf living on? Surely it wasn’t surviving on soybeans and pond water. Was it nursing one of the dry cows? Could it be a neighbor’s calf? Glen called Joe and Kim, the only other dairy farmers close to the far-off pasture. They weren’t missing any calves. All the other dairy farms in the area seemed too far away. Then, on Monday morning, Mary called to say the calf was with the dry cows and the herd was headed toward the barn. Glen dropped everything, grabbed a pail of grain, and headed over there with the truck and trailer. Sure enough, there was the mystery calf, trotting along behind Legend, one of the dry

cows. Like they always do, the dry cows came right into the corral to get the grain. The calf, however, stopped 100 yards short of the corral. Glen moved to circle around the calf. The calf, much too wary for a newborn, bolted for the pond. Glen tried to intercept its path and the calf turned toward the road. County Road 17, a busy, paved highway, runs adjacent to the far-off pasture. “It won’t go on the road,” Glen thought, sprinting after it. The calf zipped through the ravine, up the embankment, and onto the road. The calf took a left and headed west at full speed down the highway. Done with sprinting, Glen headed back to the corral, loaded Legend into the trailer, and was driving out to go look for the calf when his phone rang. It was another neighbor, Tim. “You missing a calf?” Tim asked. “I might be,” Glen said. “Well, John [a friend of ours] is holding onto one in the road ditch by Lake Sylvia.” “I’m on my way,” Glen said. A second later, Glen’s phone rang again and John’s name popped up on the screen. “You missing a calf?” John asked. “I’m on my way,” Glen said. Lake Sylvia is a full mile west of the spot where the calf took to the road. When Glen got there, he found ve cars parked on the side of the road and John holding the calf, which, at this point, was as calm as could be. “No way is that the crazy calf I just chased through the pasture,” Glen thought. They loaded the calf into the trailer as John told Glen the whole story. John’s son was on his way to school when he spotted the calf. He stopped his truck, jumped out, and grabbed the calf. Then he called his dad and said, “Hey, come hold this calf or I’m going to be late for school.” John came, took over holding the calf, and started making phone calls. Thank goodness for neighbors willing to catch and hold calves on the side of the road. Who knows where that calf would have ended up! Glen got the mystery calf – a heifer, of course – and Legend back home. A quick check told us that the calf didn’t belong to Legend. And, as if we needed further proof, Legend delivered a set of twins on Tuesday. The calf’s exam revealed a semi-wet navel, which added to our confusion. If she is Zinny’s calf, her navel should have been mostly dry by now. It was also apparent the mystery calf had been nursing a cow, but she took a bottle surprisingly well. On Monday night, the coyotes overwhelmed the quiet stillness with their yips and howls. There was a group west of us, near the far-off pasture; a group just south of us, in the soybean eld; and a group east of us, in the neighbor’s grove. “They’re everywhere,” Glen said. “Which makes it even crazier that this calf is still alive.” We haven’t decided if we’ll name her Mystery or Sylvia. As least she won’t be remembered as the mystery calf that disappeared. P.S. If any of the dairy farms within a one or two mile radius are missing a heifer calf – we have it here. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 13, Monika, 11, and Daphne, 7. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com

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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

Big dreams with brown cows

Hauschildt planning transition, sets breed-focused goals By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

ELLSWORTH, Wis. – When Hayden Hauschildt asked for a Brown Swiss calf for his 4th birthday, he could not possibly know he was planting the seed that would grow into his future passion. “That is where it took off,” Hauschildt said of Waydeloo Andy’s Willie, the birthday calf who became the foundation of his Jaden Brown Swiss herd. Hauschildt is dairy farming outside of Ellsworth with his parents, Jim and Diane. The family has begun discussions that will lead toward Jim and Diane’s retirement over the next ve years or so. They are milking 145 cows in an 86-cow tiestall barn. About one-fourth of the herd consists of Hauschildt’s Brown Swiss, while the remainder of the herd is Holstein. “We are looking at ways to cut back to allow me more time to focus on individual cow care. With the current cow numbers, there just aren’t enough hours in the day so spend netuning the cows, getting them where I want them to be,” Hauschildt said. “Either cutting back to what would t in the tiestall barn, or back further to about 40 cows and me having an offfarm job as well.” Since returning to the farm follow-

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Hayden Hauschildt milks 145 Holsteins and Brown Swiss with his parents, Jim and Diane, near Ellsworth, Wisconsin. Hauschildt plans to eventually take over the farm from his parents, with intenƟons to conƟnue to grow his herd of registered Brown Swiss. ing his graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2013, Hauschildt has been taking over the cow management duties. In the quest to reduce the herd size, the Hauschildts have started to breed the lower end of their Holstein herd to Angus as opposed to selling replacement heifers or culling for reduction. Angus semen is not used for the Brown Swiss herd, as Hauschildt’s goal is to have a 100% Brown Swiss

herd, focused on individual type and deep cow families, with the ability to merchandise breeding stock from that herd. “Right now, I don’t sell too many Brown Swiss, as I am working to build my herd,” Hauschildt said. “But having that ability to sell animals is something I am working toward in the future.” In working to build his herd, Hauschildt occasionally purchases an animal he feels will help propel his

breeding program in the right direction; however, he takes the most pride in the things he is able to accomplish with the animals that carry his Jaden prex. One of his recent purchases was a fall calf purchased last year that descends from the My T Fine WhisperTW 2E90 family. “She is starting to spring up now, and she looks really good,” Hauschildt said. “She is probably the one I am the most excited about right now.” One family that has become a cornerstones of the herd is the descendants of Beu Dell Polkem Daisy 3E91, who was a former world record holder as a 2-year-old for three-times-per-day milk. “That family is proving it is able to do it all,” Hauschildt said. “They milk well, they score well, they have great longevity, feet and legs and udders; over time and the generations, they are getting where they need to be in the showring.” One granddaughter of Daisy, Jaden Legacy Dipsy Jane 3E94, reached the breed’s then-pinnacle score of 94 points while making 50,000 pounds of milk during that lactation, a feat that still brings a smile to Hauschildt’s face. Hauschildt has a type of cow in his mind’s eye, and he works to create that cow by making deliberate mating decisions. “Feet and legs are crucially important, and I agree on that 100 percent,” Hauschildt said. “That is a big reason why I have really grown to love the Turn to HAUSCHILDT | Page 35

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Dairy Star â€˘ Saturday, September 26, 2020 â€˘ Page 35

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One highlight of Hauschildtâ€™s career as a Brown Swiss breeder was when Jaden Total Chaos was selected as the winning junior 3-year-old and the Intermediate Champion at the North American InternaĆ&#x;onal Livestock ExposiĆ&#x;onâ€™s Brown Swiss Show in 2017. Brown Swiss breed. Instead of working for generations to correct a problem, I prefer to work with the breed that has great feet and legs, plus all of the components to be proďƒžtable, to begin with.â€? Breeding competitive show cows is a primary focus of Hauschildtâ€™s, and he said in order to have show cows, it is crucial they become pregnant each year, so he pays a great deal of attention to the daughter pregnancy rate of the bulls he uses. â€œCows have to calve in and be fresh in order to show,â€? Hauschildt said. â€œItâ€™s rare to ďƒžnd a cow that can be in top show condition 20 months into her lactation.â€? Production is important to Hauschildt as well. â€œNo matter how pretty a cow is, she has to milk,â€? he said. â€œIf she does not pull her own weight in the bulk tank, she canâ€™t stay in the herd.â€? Some of the current service sires he is using include Jo-Dee Royal Hill Rasta-ET, Brown Heaven R FamousET and KĂ¤lingen Calvin GlenwoodET. The Brown Swiss herd boasts eight Excellent cows and 18 cows scored Very Good with none falling below 85 points. Hauschildt hopes to maintain those statistics when the herd is scored again during a special classiďƒžcation in October. The Brown Swiss herd carries a rolling herd average of over 23,000 pounds of milk with a 4.3% butterfat and 3.7% protein test. While Hauschildt cherishes the

successes he has had in the past, he is determined to chase bigger dreams and successes. â€œIn 2010, I exhibited both the junior champion, Jaden Premium Nastia-ET, and the senior and grand champion, Random Luck KB Louise-ET, of the junior Brown Swiss show at World Dairy Expo,â€? Hauschildt said. â€œTo my knowledge, Iâ€™m the only person to have done that at this point in time.â€? That feat came near the end of Hauschildtâ€™s junior showring career, and he quickly learned that moving into the open show arena of competition would require him to bring his game to a whole new level. â€œI decided to set some goals for myself that I could work to obtain, so I decided I wanted to try and have 10 animals that carry my preďƒžx nominated all-American before my 30th birthday,â€? Hauschildt said. That birthday is looming this winter, and Hauschildt has nine of those nominations under his belt. With the cancellation of World Dairy Expo, he is hoping his animals will compete well at the two largest shows remaining for the year in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in October and Louisville, Kentucky, in November, garnering him that magical 10th nomination. â€œSetting those strategic goals gives you something concrete to work for,â€? Hauschildt said. â€œSmaller goals are the building blocks for the big goals. I just need to stay focused and work on taking care of the cows, and they will take care of me.â€?

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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020

Women In Dairy Danielle Harris Burlington, Wisconsin Racine County 255 cows Family: I have been married to my husband, Heath, for 14 years. We have three wonderful children – Connor, 10, Carson, 7, and Cadence, 4. I work daily with my brother, Mark Wilson, his wife, Jenny, and their daughters, Kayla, 23, and Kate, 13, and son, Sawyer, 11. Tell us about your farm. MJ Dairy is located in southeastern Wisconsin close to the Illinois border. My brother purchased the farm from our mom which included 240 tillable acres and rents an additional 120 acres. The original stanchion barn was remodeled with a double-8 herringbone parlor for 90 cows in 1998. Now, we milk 230 cows twice per day. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a dairy science degree in 2006. Soon after, my brother approached me to be his rst herdsman on the dairy. We determined my strengths and main responsibilities would be caring for the fresh cows, vaccinating, breeding, working with the vet for pregnancy check, entering all cow-related paperwork into our SCR computer program and My Agsource, and feeding all groups of animals with the TMR mixer. Although these are my primary responsibilities, it would not be unusual to see me ll in driving tractor for any other necessary eldwork. What is the busiest time of day for you? The busiest time of day depends on the cows. If I have any fresh cows or any sick cows, they are my rst priority after milking. This year, I have been picking my 4-year-old daughter up off the bus at 11:30 a.m. I plan my day to nish all my hands-on cow work, breeding, shots, IVs or any other in-pen work to be completed before I pick her up. Then she helps me nish mixing feed, picking up around the farm and doing paperwork. I try to nish all my farm work around 2 p.m. We head home to prepare supper before my two sons get off the bus, and we have to head out to sports practices or games. Honestly, my entire day is a very blessed busy. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I love to work in my ower beds, plant ower pots and work in my vegetable garden. On bad weather days, I love to reorganize and clean in the house. In the winter, I enjoy coaching my son’s basketball team. As a family, we love to take our UTV out around the

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farm property or on county trails and enjoy nature around us. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. My most memorable experiences are when the whole family is involved and working together to accomplish a task. We are all together covering the feed piles and moving hundreds of tires, or in the elds picking rocks. Even the precious one-on-one time I now get with my daughter in the skid loader and tractor singing songs and hearing about her hopes and dreams. My heart overows with joy and happiness that my family has these opportunities and experiences together. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming? I enjoy setting goals and working toward their accomplishment. The feeling of success is a driving force to set minor goals that may be achieved monthly but also long-term goals that take patience, mental strength and stamina. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I rely on Facebook and other group pages. My two favorites would be Dairy Moms and Exchange by Dairy Girl Network. This year would be an exception, but I always look forward to the county fair and World Dairy Expo to reconnect and see what is new with industry professionals but also with personal friends we see at these events every year. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? I am inspired by attending presentations sponsored by our vet clinic on new ways to improve our herd. I am also often inspired by my fellow alumni with what they are accomplishing and are improving at their own farms. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? I would rather it be to a group of young women in a high school ag class or 4-H club. I would share with them the opportunities and possibilities within agriculture from daily farm work to the vast number of people it takes to bring supplies to farmers, and hopefully inspire them to continue down a path in agriculture. What is the best vacation you have ever taken? Every vacation has been so incredibly memorable. I am so grateful we can offer new experiences and show our kids new places every summer. Time spent as a family and watching our kids light up experiencing new adventures and seeing new places is always the best. What are some words you like to live by? Don’t put off until tomorrow on what you can accomplish today.

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Cows head back to campus

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Cows return to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus Sept. 1 aĹŒer a ďƒžvemonth stay at the Emmons Blaine Dairy CaĆŠle Research Center in Arlington, Wisconsin. Cows leĹŒ campus March 27 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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MADISON, Wis. â€“ After a ďƒžvemonth hiatus caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, cows were kicking up their heels Sept. 1 when they returned to the Dairy Cattle Center located on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. As trailers pulled into town bringing the cows back home, students also arrived to begin a new school year. â€œThere was a lot of excitement,â€? said Jessica Cederquist, UW-Madison dairy herd administrator. â€œThe staff and students were happy to once again see cows on campus and to be back working in a building so dear to our campus community. There was a lot of work to be done, and we had to really hit the ground running, but everyone was eager to do that.â€? Surrounded by other university buildings, the teaching and research-focused center can house up to 84 cows in the facilityâ€™s tiestall barn. The center also includes a double-6 herringbone milking parlor, evaporative cooling ventilation system, two upright 60-foot silos, grain bins, feed mixing equipment, teaching arena and teaching lab/classroom, allowing students hands-on access to cows during lab sessions. The Dairy Cattle Center is used by undergraduate, graduate and professional students in UWâ€“Madisonâ€™s dairy science,

veterinary medicine and Farm and Industry Short Course programs for hands-on training and research studies. It is also used for research projects requiring close proximity to campus laboratories. The cows are part of the Allenstein Dairy Herd, named after the late Lee Allenstein, a beloved veterinarian in the state. UW-Madison also has dairy research facilities at the Emmons Blaine Dairy Cattle Research Center located at the universityâ€™s Arlington Agricultural Research Station and the Marshďƒželd Agricultural Research Station/USDA-ARS Institute for Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management in Marshďƒželd. Built in 1956, the Dairy Cattle Center replaced the original dairy barn built in 1898. From 2012-13, the center underwent a $3.5 million renovation to update feed storage, milking facilities, ventilation and living conditions for the cattle â€“ a project that also required cows to be moved off campus. An $800,000 remodel of the classroom, laboratory and locker room spaces took place in 2017. Last school yearâ€™s early closure sent cows packing their bags March 27 when the center was temporarily closed due to the spread of COVID-19. With no students on campus for the end of spring semester or summer term, the cows were moved to the Emmons Blaine Dairy Cattle Research Center in Arlington. Lab courses that use the facility were not able to meet in-person as all UWMadison courses moved online in midMarch. Instructors adapted course content for remote learning, but the Farm and

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ConƟnued from UW-MADISON | Page 37 Industry Short Course program the cows at the Dairy Cattle had already concluded its regu- Center. However, nine days aflar schedule for the year, so those ter the cows returned, classes at the university went virtual once students were not impacted. “Research projects were again due to an increase in COVdelayed or moved to one of our ID-19 cases on campus. The another research dairy facilities,“ nouncement to take classes from said Heidi Zoerb, associate in-person to online had faculty dean of external relations and and animal care staff scrambling advancement for the College of to make arrangements. In light of Agricultural and Life Sciences. the recent change in university “Because very few people were operations, no undergraduate working on campus during the students are working at the censpring semester, many research ter. Instead, professional staff, projects in all areas were de- graduate students and veterinary layed. During this same period, students are caring for the herd. In-person classes are exthe cooperative that collects milk from the Dairy Cattle Center was pected to resume as soon as Sept. asking members to reduce pro- 28. Until that time, undergraduduction, and taking the facility ate classes will not meet in the off-line helped UW meet that re- Dairy Cattle Center, and instructors of those courses are teaching quest.” Typically, a combination of remotely. The cows will remain professional animal care staff in the center, and other activities, and paid student staff care for including milking and research

BRYCE RICHTER/UWͳMADISON

A student hangs idenƟcaƟon paperwork above caƩle Sept. 1 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s teaching and research-focused Dairy CaƩle Center. The center can house up to 84 cows in the facility’s Ɵestall barn.

BRYCE RICHTER/UWͳMADISON

Brandon Strupp (leŌ) and Luke Kastenson work in the center’s double-6 herringbone milking parlor Sept. 1 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. projects, have continued. “At this time, instructors are planning to deliver lab courses in person in the Dairy Cattle Center when COVID cases decrease,” Zoerb said. “When restrictions are lifted, we expect in-person laboratory courses – especially teaching labs for veterinary students – to continue later in the semester.” The start of the 2020-21 school year included new protocols pertaining to COVID-19. Face coverings and at least 6 feet of distance between people are required for all faculty, staff, students and visitors on campus as well as increased hygiene protocols in spaces like the classroom

and locker rooms. Research projects continue in the Dairy Cattle Center with researchers following public health guidelines. Fifteen courses use the space during a typical academic year, but this year will see fewer classes taking place in the center. The College of Agricultural and Life Science Farm and Industry Short Course program and the School of Veterinary Medicine hold the majority of courses in the center during the fall semester. However, the short course program will not use the Dairy Cattle Center this school year as that program has moved online for one year. The dairy science lacta-

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tion physiology class, which typically uses the center, was moved online prior to the start of the semester. For that course, the teaching assistant collects samples from the animals and uses them for online virtual lab discussions. Four courses are planned in the Dairy Cattle Center for the spring semester. People may wonder, if the in-person class restriction is prolonged, would cows have to leave campus again? According to Zoerb, it seems like the cows are here to stay. “We expect the cows to remain on campus for research and instruction,” she said.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 26, 2020 • Page 39