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Small farm, big dream Donnays work toward farm transition, processing
By Tiffany Klaphake tiffany.k@dairystar.com
KIMBALL, Minn. — Anna Donnay has had a single goal for some time that she has been continuously working towards.
“I have always wanted to come back to the farm,” Donnay said. “I have always dreamed of having a yogurt or ice cream business on the farm.”
Donnay graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in dairy manufacturing and dairy production, and she is back home on the farm working in tandem with her parents, John and Chris Donnay, to transition the farm and eventually install a processing plant.
“I worked in the Davis Dairy Plant in Brookings and I made cheese and ice cream there, which was an eye-opening
experience,” Donnay said. “I just love the fact that you can take milk and make it into so many things and sell it directly to the consumer. I nd it just fascinating.”
Donnay and her parents milk 40 organic cows — a mix of Holstein, Jersey and Ayrshire — in a stanchion barn near Kimball. Since she graduated from college in December 2021, Donnay has been working on her family’s farm and on other farms across the country to learn more about dairy farming and onfarm processing.
“When I came back to the farm, I didn’t know anybody besides my dad and a few of his farming friends,” Donnay said. “I felt like I needed to get out and experience how other farms operate. While in college I was a distance runner on the Jackrabbits cross country
Turn to DONNAYS | Page 2
Award-winning gene cs
Henkes named Iowa Holstein Association Master Breeder
By Dan Wacker dan.w@dairystar.com
LUANA, Iowa — Being in charge of hosting the Iowa Holstein Association’s annual show means there must be trust involved with those you are working with. What show host Trent Henkes did not know was that the rest of the executive committee, and even his kids, were keeping a secret from him. During the awards ceremony, it was revealed that Henkes was winner of the 2025 Iowa Holstein Association Master Breeder award.
“It’s truly an honor to receive,” Henkes said. “Our family is good friends with Linda Pagel, and I’m very appreciative to receive the award she created in her husband’s mem-
ory. Russel bred a tremendous herd of high-producing cows. It’s a very impressive list of Iowa breeders that have already received the award, and I’m very grateful to be included in this elite group.”
Henkes, owner of Henkeseen Holsteins in Luana, currently milks 65 registered Holsteins and 10 registered Milking Shorthorns with a herd average of 28,726 milk and tests of 3.9% butterfat and 3.0% protein. The herd has a BAA of 110.6 with 24 cows currently scored Excellent. His herd is 96% homebred. Over the years, he has bred 184 Excellent cows.
A 1984 graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in dairy science, Henkes is the fth generation on his family farm. He has been active with
TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Anna Donnay takes a break in the hay shed March 31 at her family’s farm near Kimball, Minnesota. The Donnay family farm is cer ed organic.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Henkes family — Shane (front, from le ), Owen and Leigh Lange; (back, from le ) Ma , Leslie and Trent Henkes, and Marshall and Leah Lange — stand Feb. 22 in Gutenberg, Iowa. The Henkes family manages a 96% homebred herd that includes 24 Excellents.
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Anna Donnay cleans mangers March 31 at her family’s farm near Kimball, Minnesota. Donnay par cipated in the Dairy Grazing Appren ceship program and worked on a dairy farm in Vermont that has on-farm processing.
and track teams and because of that I couldn’t participate in a lot of the dairy clubs and trips.”
The summers of 2022 and 2023, Donnay spent working on an educational dairy farm in Pennsylvania that hosted summer camps. Then, she participated in the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program that led to her to spend 10 months working at a dairy farm in
Vermont that had an on-farm bottling facility.
“I heard about the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program and thought it would be a good t,” Donnay said. “I submitted my application on Friday and by Sunday I had 10 people reaching out to me asking to work for them.”
On her application, Donnay said she mentioned she would like to be on a farm that has on-farm processing since she would like to implement the practice on her own family farm. Donnay selected Miller Farm in Vermont because they bottled milk.
“I learned a lot while I was there,” Donnay said. “I helped them and they helped me. It was a win-win situation. It was an adjustment to be so far away from home but their family took me in as one of their own, which added to the whole experience.”
While there, Donnay helped on the farm where they milk 250 cows and
bottle a portion of their milk. She got experience with herd health, A.I. breeding, operations in the bottling facility, along with the business aspect of onfarm processing.
“The beautiful thing is that on the East Coast there are so many small dairy farms that are processing their own milk,” Donnay said. “It was a great vibe and it is slowly coming to the Midwest. So, it gives me a lot of hope that it is possible, what I want to do here.”
Then, in the summer of 2024, Donnay heard about a tour with the U.S. Ayrshire Breeders Association to visit 16 farms in Great Britain. More than 100 participants from 10 different countries traveled with the group.
“It was an amazing experience to see another country and to network with farmers,” Donnay said. “I am grateful for all these experiences, memories, and connections I have made. However, since I have returned home it feels like home, and (I) know the farm is where I should be.”
Today, Donnay takes care of the livestock on the farm and gets help from her mom with milking. Her dad and brother take care of the feeding and the crops. Donnay’s three siblings come to the farm and help when they can even though they are each married and have children of their own.
Turn to DONNAYS | Page 5
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TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
John and Anna Donnay stand outside their barn March 31 at their farm near Kimball, Minnesota. Anna is working towards ownership of her family’s farm and intends to pursue on-farm processing.
“My family is all very supportive of me and the farm,” Donnay said. “Even though my siblings aren’t here all the time, I know they all have a passion for the farm and are supporting me. It’s a special place to be.”
When Donnay’s dad took over the farm from his dad, he was told to make it his own. That is when the farm went certied organic. Now, Donnay’s dad repeated the directive, telling Donnay to make the farm her own. And that is exactly what she plans on doing.
“I have always felt the call to feed our community,” Donnay said. “There are a lot of farmers markets and farm stands out there but there isn’t a lot of
dairy within that. I am passionate about giving back to my community and providing a food source to my community. That’s why I also feel passionate about coming back to the farm.”
Donnay said that she would like to start right away with on-farm processing, but she understands that it will take time to nd a system that works for their farm, family and community.
“I am just so grateful to have my parents’ support,” Donnay said. “It is a commitment and there are a lot of unknowns in the future, but I feel that I can get through them with God on my side, my parents and my community’s support.”
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the Iowa Holstein Association and a member for 43 years.
“I nd a great deal of pride in having a majority homebred herd,” Henkes said.
Henke has received the Progressive Breeders Registry award from the Holstein Association USA for 24 years. One of the qualications of the award is being at least 75% homebred.
The genetics at Henkeseen Holsteins started to take off when his dad purchased a cow from his neighbor’s herd sale in 1974. Henkes decided to breed her to a high Total Performance Index bulls to create the Henkeseen Chairman Mandy family, which includes Henkeseen Mark Marci. Mark Marci was classied Excellent 94 and produced over 170,000 pounds of milk in her lifetime.
With elite-level scores and high-production cows, Henkes felt his herd was trending in the right direction, but it was Marci’s daughter, Henkeseen M Hillary that garnered interest in Henkeseen Holsteins.
“Henkeseen M Hillary certainly put us on the map and brought worldwide interest in our herd,” Henkes said. “She scored high as a 2-year-old and was … (a high) protein-indexing cow. … This was in the 90s, when protein was rst becoming an important trait.”
Nellie, who was the District 1 Holstein Show grand champion.
Along with venturing into Red & White Holstein genetics, his son’s interest in Milking Shorthorns has created a new pool of genetics to work with and added another market for cattle, embryos and semen.
With interest in his cows, Henkes began to distribute genetics around the world. In all, 20 of Hillary’s descendants were sent to A.I., 13 daughters were Excellent and 19 were Very Good.
“We continue to use the best genetics available when breeding our cows and selecting a service sire,” Henkes said. “A great deal of time is spent Googling Holstein bull names. We do some ushing and (in vitro fertilization) work with our elite cows to hopefully produce more offspring from them. I also really enjoy working with the Red & Whites, which adds marketability to our cattle.”
One of those Red & White Holsteins that has continued Henkeseen’s tradition of high-scoring cows is Henkeseen Lad Nellie Red EX-92. She is currently milking and producing show heifers. Nellie Red traces back to his rst homebred Excellent, Henkeseen Wayne Noel
“We are enjoying success with showing and merchandising our Milking Shorthorns,” Henkes said. “We bred a Red & White great, great granddaughter of Hillary to a Milking Shorthorn that has developed into our top Milking Shorthorn cow family. We have bred several World Dairy Expo winners and have sold offspring from that family across the country.”
With the new venture into Milking Shorthorns, Henkes is co-chairing the National Milking Shorthorn Convention this summer, held at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Manchester. Henkeseen Holsteins will be a featured farm tour. The event will be a family affair as his wife, Leslie, is the nancial chair and his son, Matt, the sixth generation at Henkeseen Holsteins, is the sale chairman.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Trent Henkes stands with his Iowa Holstein Associa on Master Breeder award a er the annual mee ng Feb. 22 in Gu enberg, Iowa. Henkes milks 65 registered Holsteins and 10 registered Milking Shorthorns at Henkeseen Holsteins.
An environment for the people Employee management a focus at Driftwood Dairy
By Michelle Stangler Staff Writer
BALTIC, S.D. — At Driftwood Dairy, managing cows is only part of the job — managing people is equally as important. Just ask Oscar Rivera, the farm manager responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the 5,500-head Jersey-cross dairy farm.
Rivera said he believes the key to success lies in keeping employees engaged and involved.
Since joining the team in 2021, Rivera has focused not only on herd performance but on creating a welcoming and positive environment. He stepped into the role as the farm was implementing a new rotary parlor and has since analyzed efciencies to nd ways to grow the farm.
“Using a parlor like this just helps a lot being able to bring more cows in and still be able to milk them in a 7-hour
shift,” Rivera said.
During a recent DeLaval tour, attendees got a rsthand look at the new facility showcasing the technology and processes being used on the farm. But even with modern equipment, Rivera said success still comes down to the people.
Rivera’s tasks include managing the people on the farm, planning the day-to-day schedule and placing feed orders. His role also includes nding ways to increase milk production, with the long-term goal of expanding the herd in the coming years.
Today, he is thinking about ways to help Driftwood Dairy improve their statistics. The herd is averaging 72 pounds of milk per cow, with a butterfat content of 4.98% and protein at 3.76%. Rivera’s long-term goal is to increase that average to 75 pounds per cow, primarily by improving herd health and transitioning to a more youthful herd.
“We’re planning to sell the older cows and get a younger and fresher herd,” Rivera said. “Hopefully, with (more) rst and second lactation (cows), the milk is going to go up to 75 (pounds per cow). That’s our goal for this and next year.”
That goal will not be met by herd changes alone. Rivera said employee engagement is just as important. One of Rivera’s tasks is sharing performance metrics of the herd with employees, including milk testing results and somatic cell counts, to help them understand how their work impacts the farm’s success.
“(I) try to get them involved in the everyday tasks and the results of it so they can tell (if) they’re doing a good or bad job,” Rivera said.
The culture of open communication, Rivera said has created a welcoming environment. This has led to some employees asking Rivera for updates on herd performance so they can improve as employees.
“We encourage a nice environment and try to keep our employees, so we don’t have to train guys every two weeks,”
Rivera said. “There are guys that have been with us since (the farm) started a (few years ago) so that helps a lot.”
Employee retention can be seen as a big task to some, but
Rivera has found that building relationships and showing appreciation goes a long way.
The Industry Leader In Agriculture Curtains
SARAH MIDDENDORF/DAIRY STAR Oscar Rivera sits in the office March 25 at Dri�wood Dairy near Bal�c, South Dakota. Rivera is the farm manager at Dri�wood Dairy.
With a staff of 34 employees, Rivera said he knows that building a team-like culture is imperative for the farm’s success.
One way he keeps building on the culture is by promoting continuous education. While milking cows in a parlor can become repetitive, Rivera said periodic training sessions and refreshers keep morale high and skills sharp.
Rivera’s dedication to growth is not limited to his staff; he too enjoys learning. His own journey in agriculture began through a veterinary medicine program in college in Mexico. It was there he found his calling working with dairy cows.
“I always worked with dairy cows in Mexico when I graduated, and that’s how I got involved in the dairy business,” Rivera said.
Now, with perspectives of different areas in North America and hands-on experiences on a few dairy farms, Rivera brings both technical knowledge and a people-rst philos-
ophy to his role at Driftwood Dairy. The focus is not just on producing more milk, but on building a workplace where people feel valued and connected to the results of their labor.
SARAH MIDDENDORF/DAIRY STAR
Cows ride the carousel parlor March 25 at Dri wood Dairy near Bal c, South Dakota. The farm is averaging 72 pounds of milk per cow, with a bu erfat content of 4.98% and protein content of 3.76%.
(Right) Visitors view the carousel parlor March 25 at Dri wood Dairy near Bal c, South Dakota. Dri wood Dairy milks 5,500 Jersey crosses.
Genetic progress leads to formula changes
Jorgensen discusses April proof differences
By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
WAUPUN, Wis. — Driven by data, the dairy industry requires producers to constantly reevaluate information to make the best decisions for continued improvement.
Three times a year, new genetic information is provided by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding in the form of proofs. The most recent round of proofs came out April 1, with changes of note being made to the formulas for both Net Merit and Cheese Merit, as well as the 5-year base change.
Kevin Jorgensen, senior Holstein sire analyst for Select Sires Inc., said the 5-year base change is the measure of genetic progress made within each breed over ve years. To readjust genetic levels, Jorgensen said the 2020 cow population becomes the base of zero. Changes will be applied to production and type, as well as health and tness traits.
Jorgensen compared one of the more dramatic adjustments in the Holstein breed — 74 pounds of combined fat and protein — to the adjustment made two base changes ago in December 2014 of 29 pounds.
“It’s really telling how much genetic progress we’ve made, particularly in the production traits,” Jorgensen said. “We’ve made revolutionary changes, especially in (combined fat and protein). When you speak to producers, this astronomical increase in CFP is pretty
direct, most people see it in their bulk tank and components on their farm. It’s not entirely genetic — there have been amazing breakthroughs in how we’re feeding cows — but genetic selection has really intensied in the last generation or generation and a half.”
The base changes are applied equally to all bulls in the population, Jorgensen said, using the example of a bull previously at 174 pounds CFP would now be at 100 pounds. Despite the change in index, the bull will remain in the same percentile. Jorgensen said like every new proof run, additional daughter data will ultimately factor into the bull’s nal ranking.
Jorgensen said changes to the Net Merit and Cheese Merit formulas are based on changes in economic values since the last formula revision. Fat will be factored into the index at 31.8%, with protein applied at 13% and milk at 3.2%. Health and tness traits will continue to comprise 21.2% of the formulation, while calving and fertility will account for 8.7%.
“Net Merit is geared for producers that want a commercially-friendly cow,” Jorgensen said. “There is more emphasis on pounds of fat, relative to protein; more emphasis on reduced body size and on the Feed Saved traits; less on productive life, but more on livability, which makes sense because cull cows are worth more at this stage of the game. There’s probably a little less emphasis on daughter fertility — they reduced a little bit on (Daughter Pregnancy Rate) and increased cow and heifer
conception rates, but not to the degree that DPR was moved down.”
Cheese Merit is calculated similarly, but with a nod to cheese yield; milk is factored in at -2%, focusing on fat and protein, which comprise 48% of the formulation, Jorgensen said.
Jorgensen said the base changes and formula changes are needed to keep pace with the advancing world of dairy cattle genetics, and the speed of those advancements are the reason for some of the dramatic adjustments made.
“The reason we have a base change every ve years is that used to be the span of a generation,” Jorgensen said. “With our accelerated genetic progress, our generation interval in this genomic selection era is about 21 months now. We’re accounting for 2.5 generations in that same period of time. It’s a credit to the genetic progress we’re making.”
Jorgensen said he speculates that the increased percentage in semen sales from genomic bulls over proven bulls has factored into the rapid increases and shrinking generation intervals.
Jorgensen said the volume of young bulls genomically tested is the cornerstone of that progress.
“Our selection pressure is so intense because of the critical mass of testing so many calves,” Jorgensen said. “That selection pressure is so deep that it is very rare anymore that a bull that is a huge minus on fat test would make it to a marketing lineup — he’d have to be so extreme in the other 70-some traits.”
Jorgensen said Select Sires tested 7,684 Holstein bulls in 2024, out of about 25,509 tested industry–wide. From that pool, Jorgensen said 275 bulls — just over 3% — entered the Se-
lect Sires lineup. Jorgensen said he encourages producers to look inside their operation when weighing the various indexes in their own breeding programs.
“It’s really important for a producer to know exactly what they want,” Jorgensen said. “With the reduced number of replacement heifers we have, every heifer counts, because you don’t have another to take the place of ones you don’t like. We’re at historical lows of female replacements. Our cows are going to have to live longer.”
Jorgensen does not see that trajectory changing.
“No one is going to stop making those little black calves,” Jorgensen said. “They are way too lucrative; they can’t take that revenue stream out of their operation. It’s a huge paradigm shift in our industry. Some people might be rethinking what the right amount of heifers is and making slight adjustments there. We’re seeing a slight increase in sexed semen sales because of that. They are trying to make enough heifers with the fewest uteruses possible, so they can devote more to making those black calves.”
With rapid advancements and constant changes, Jorgensen said he advises producers to use the tools and data provided in the proofs and indexes.
“If we believe in genetics, we believe in the next generation,” Jorgensen said. “It’s not always perfect, but I believe with the genetic progress we are making, this system is far more accurate than the measures we were using in the pre-genomic era.”
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President Donald Trump announced a new 10% across-the-board tariff on all countries. Individualized higher reciprocal duties are being imposed on countries in which the U.S. has the largest trade decits. “April 2nd, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed and the day that we began to make America wealthy again,” Trump said, also saying unfair trade practices have harmed U.S. agriculture. “Today’s actions [are] also standing up for our great farmers and ranchers who are brutalized by nations all over the world,” he said, pointing to high Canadian dairy tariffs and European Union restrictions on American poultry. Trump also criticized Australia for banning U.S. beef while beneting from $3 billion in beef exports to the U.S. last year. Canada and Mexico will be exempt from all the new tariffs. The preexisting 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico is still in effect, and goods that comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will continue to receive preferential treatment and are exempt.
Level playing eld sought
“It’s just
to track everything for your herd.”
three main reports that I use are the lactation report, herd summary and heifer calf listing. Those give me most of the information that I’m looking for.
Which is your favorite and why? The rst one I go to is the somatic cell count report, both herd and individual. It helps me cull problem cows.
How do you use them within your dairy? We use the production and SCC reports for culling decisions and use the fat, protein, and MUN reports to evaluate feed ration changes.
How does testing with DHIA bene t your dairy operation? It gives me paperwork to track all the cattle and reports on which cows to breed. It’s just great information to track everything for your herd. You have a lifetime of information on them, where they came from, when they born, their sire and dam, and so much more.
Tell us about your farm. My wife Becky and I and our children milk 40 cows. We also farm 220 acres of corn, wheat and alfalfa. My dad comes out and helps as needed too.
Tariff uncertainty pressures dairy markets
Dairy markets are feeling the strain from the new trade tariffs. Mark Newman, a market analyst with Commodity & Ingredients Hedging, noted Class III milk prices have dropped signicantly in recent months. “You know, we were at $19.50, even $20. And now you’re seeing nearby Class III at $17 so it’s fallen to $2 from $3 just from these tariffs,” he said. In response to uctuating prices, dairy producers are taking steps to protect their margins, particularly on feed costs. “A lot of our clients have been booking their meal, whether that be canola or soybean meal,” Newman said, also emphasizing the importance of maintaining exibility in risk management strategies, particularly during the seasonal lull in demand.
Export challenges and cheese surplus weigh on dairy market
The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council released a joint statement in reaction to President Trump’s tariff strategy. NMPF and USDEC said this plan can be positive if it is used as leverage to x trade barriers. “A rm hand and decisive approach to driving changes is most needed with the European Union and India to correct their distortive trade policies and mistreatment of American agriculture,” said Krysta Hardin, CEO, USDEC. Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the NMPF, agreed. “If Europe retaliates against the United States, we encourage the administration to respond strongly by raising tariffs on European cheeses and butter,” he said. “We also appreciate the president’s recognition of the sizable barriers facing U.S. dairy exports into the Canadian market.”
Trade uncertainty and rising cheese production are pressuring dairy prices. Sarina Sharp, a market analyst with The Daily Dairy Report, discussed the market during the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls. “Unfortunately, I think that lower is the more likely path, especially for producers in this Central Plains region who mostly get Class III milk revenue,” Sharp said. Uncertainty surrounding trade policies is also affecting international demand. Sharp noted that while buyers are still purchasing, they are cautious about future commitments.
Common names bill resurfaces Legislation has been reintroduced in the House and Senate to dene a list of common names for ag commodities, food products and terms used in the marketing and packaging of products. The bill directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative’s Ofce to defend the right to use common names in foreign markets, like parmesan and asiago.
Glen Christen 40 cows • Sauk Centre, Minnesota Testing with DHIA since 1977
The
Con nued from AG INSIDER | Page 10
Glessing testies before Congress
Minnesota Farm Bureau President Dan Glessing testied before the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, emphasizing the need for a reliable transportation system to support American agriculture. “The products we grow and raise must travel far beyond our farm gates to reach markets, processors, and consumers,” he said. Glessing urged Congress to address supply chain challenges and reafrmed the Farm Bureau’s support for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, National Highway Trust Fund fees, and exemptions for agricultural haulers. Glessing is a dairy farmer from Waverly, Minnesota, and a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation board of directors.
Shipbuilding proposal has unintended consequences
The Ofce of the U.S. Trade Representative is hearing from agriculture groups regarding its investigation into China’s shipbuilding dominance. The Trump administration is considering fees of up to $1 million for Chinesemade or operated ships when in U.S. ports. The International Dairy Foods Association said the proposed penalties would lead to an 8% decline in dairy exports. Becky Rasdall Vargas, International Dairy Foods Association Senior Vice President of Trade and Workforce Policy, said the dairy industry sees the value of U.S.-owned and U.S.-agged ships when supply chains are tested. “USTR’s proposed actions, however, risk inicting unintended consequences on American exporters, producers and workers by raising shipping costs, rerouting global trade and weakening supply chains, especially for time-sensitive, perishable products like dairy,” she said.
Dairy exports dip in February
During February, U.S. dairy exports totaled 463 million pounds. That’s down 38 million pounds from the same period last year. Cheese exports increased, up 3.4 million pounds from a year ago. Exports of butter and whole milk powder also rose, up 6.4
million pounds and 813,00 pounds respectively. According to USDA, exports of nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder declined 42 million pounds from February 2024. Whey protein concentrate exports dropped 8.6 million pounds.
Public input sought for feedlot rules
The public comment period is open for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s proposal to amend the state feedlot rules. The MPCA website says the purpose of this measure is to improve land application of manure to protect water quality and avoid sh kills. Public comments will be accepted until July 22. The last major revision of the feedlot rules in Minnesota was 25 years ago.
Success for Central Plains Dairy Expo
The Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls drew dairy producers and industry professionals from across the country and beyond. “When we put this show on, we focus on these dairies in the Central Plains region, but we are nding more and more people coming from all over the nation and worldwide,” said Kristy Mach, Central Plains Dairy Association executive director. The dates for next year’s expo are March 17-19.
Trivia challenge
France consumes the most cheese on a per-capita basis at 58 pounds per year. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, what is the term for the loose ap of skin on the underside of a dairy cow’s neck? We’ll have the answer in our next edition of the Dairy Star.
Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network of 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 sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
Your planting and tillage equipment require proper maintenance to perform at their most efficient levels. Your milking equipment requires the same amount of attention.
Place your trust in the experienced hands of Centre Dairy of Sauk Centre. As a respected dealer in Sauk Centre for over 33 years, Jon and his staff know the benefits of having properly tuned equipment that can perform at maximum efficiency.
What can you expect? • Check CFM of vacuum pump • Check vacuum controller condition • Check for vacuum loss across the system
• Graph pulsators and do any needed repairs.
A life story with a lesson
Roozeboom inspires through persistence, compassion
By Sarah Middendorf sarah.m@star-pub.com
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
From a farming family to a pastoral calling, Rob Roozeboom has conquered and learned many things throughout his life.
Roozeboom spoke during the prayer breakfast March 26 at Central Plains Dairy Expo.
“I never had a dream of running a ministry; I had a dream of being a farmer,” said Roozeboom, founder of Rise Ministries and RiseFest.
At 5 years old, Roozeboom was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. He was raised with the belief that the harder you try, the better you will become.
“What I didn’t understand is that I can’t (physically), because I can’t beat (muscular dystrophy),” Roozeboom said.
Until Roozeboom was 9 years old, he was raised on his family’s farm. At that time his dad felt a calling to become a pastor, so they moved into the city to start this chapter.
“What a weird transition
— from a farmer to a pastor,” Roozeboom said. “The journey began. I lost the farm, what I loved most in life, and all of a sudden, I started realizing that God will take what I love most.”
Through ministry, muscular dystrophy and the journey of life, Roozeboom shared with attendees ve lessons he has learned about joy, grief, brokenness, emotions and community. Joy and grief coexist. Everyone’s brokenness
is different, but grief and pain are the same. Grieving is okay. People all have emotions, just not everybody has access to them. And nally, individuals were never meant to walk this life alone.
“We all have a story,” Roozeboom said. “Every one of you is walking through something that’s been challenging. Grief and pain are the same. Whether it’s been the loss of a loved one, or it’s an expectation that hasn’t been met.
Things aren’t going as well on the dairy as you had hoped. Prices aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Wondering what’s around the next corner or how are we going to make it through, that’s real pain (and) that’s real grief.”
Like most people, Roozeboom has struggled throughout his life.
“I used to ask my mom why we never talk about muscular dystrophy in our house,” Roozeboom said. “She said,
‘Rob if we don’t talk about it, it doesn’t exist.’”
For Roozeboom, he had to live through muscular dystrophy whether it was talked about or not. All people have emotions, just not everybody has access to them, Roozeboom said.
“I’m here (speaking) with a lot of tough people, I understand that,” Roozeboom said.
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SARAH MIDDENDORF/DAIRY STAR
Visitors listen to Rob Roozeboom during the Central Plains Dairy Expo Prayer Breakfast March 26 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. At 5 years old, Roozeboom was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.
“I know what you do for a living. … If you think you can’t grieve because it makes you weak, you are wrong.”
When things don’t go the way they are supposed to, Roozeboom said, it is OK to grieve.
“I wish someone would have told me that a long time ago,” Roozeboom said. “It doesn’t make you weak, it just makes you human.”
Four years ago, a mother and son walked into Roozeboom’s ofce. He was looking for help getting around, so the son was going to assist Roozeboom. This young man would end up helping Roozeboom for the next four years until he went to college. Little did Roozeboom know how impacted he would be by the young man.
“The biggest moment of joy and grief for me was last year,” Roozeboom said. “(The young man) was wrestling at the state tournament in Des Moines. I was sitting in the arena going, ‘God why do I have to sit up here (in the handicapped accessible area)?’ Yes, my wife’s next to me. Yes, my daughters (are too), but all the support is like 13 rows down. ‘God why do I have to be up here? Why can’t I be down there?’”
Roozeboom said he was ghting
SARAH MIDDENDORF/DAIRY STAR
Rob Roozeboom smiles on stage March 26 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Roozeboom spoke during the prayer breakfast March 26 at Central Plains Dairy Expo.
with God the whole time during the match, trying to gure this out.
“All of a sudden it hits me, ‘Rob if you weren’t broken, you wouldn’t be here. If you weren’t broken, you wouldn’t know that young man the way you do,’” Roozeboom said.
“I got to watch the state champion wrestle. Four years of his life he gave to me.”
Roozeboom said he realized there was a reason for the lessons he has learned throughout his life, such as a time when he was lming a Good Friday program in the desert in Arizona.
Roozeboom showed a video of him climbing a hill with his wheelchair. Evidently, the hill was a little too steep, and he fell backwards in the middle of the hill. His team came to the rescue to pick him up again.
“They come running when things happen,” Roozeboom said. “I wanted to navigate a mountain in my wheelchair to show people that sometimes, when we have help, we can keep going up the mountain, even when it’s steep, even when it’s rocky.”
People are going to have hills and valleys throughout their lives and when other people are let into their lives, individuals can navigate those, Roozeboom said. Even though Roozeboom was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at a young age, he has not let that stop him from climbing hills.
“Our circumstances don’t determine how God feels about us,” Roozeboom said. “It is time to take back ground in our own hearts, whether you are a believer or you don’t know who Jesus is.”
from our side our side OF THE
Delbert Bechtold St. Joseph, Minnesota Stearns County 33 cows
What is the somatic cell count of your milk? 85,000.
Walk us through your milking procedure. I prep with an iodine-based udder wash and use individual rags for washing and drying. I then attach the unit and, when the cow is done milking, I use a post dip. I started using Fight Bac, which is an aerosol can. It’s a very sanitary option with less waste than a dip cup.
What three details do you attribute the low SCC to? We strive for the overall health of our herd and cleanliness of cows. I’m the one who does all the milking, so that keeps things consistent. We also bed every day with sawdust, and the cows go out every day when we scrape everything down.
How often do you review SCC, and in what ways do you monitor it? The processor has bulk tank results on the sample information system. I call in a couple of times a week, and we also monitor it through our monthly Dairy Herd Improvement Association testing. We have been testing with DHIA ever since I can remember. Our dad started when he farmed, and we have continued.
If a cow’s SCC rises, what is the protocol to correct it? A cow with mastitis will be treated with intravenous Banamine and followed with ve days of ampicillin. If she is persistent with high SCC, she will be culled.
Why is having a low SCC important? For many reasons, including better production and better milk quality. The premium from the processor makes it worthwhile.
Regarding SCC, what valuable advice have you received? Low somatic cell count is an indicator of udder health in your cows. We have always focused on having clean cows, and we often get compliments on that. We go around the barn many times to scrape manure.
Tell us about your farm and family. I farm in a partnership with my brother, Delroy. Along with the dairy, we also nish approximately 400 steers a year and farm 1,100 acres of land. We grow corn, alfalfa, small grains and soybeans.
Jason Barkeim Winona, Minnesota Winona County 320 cows
What is the somatic cell count of your milk? In 2024, our SCC averaged 76,000. Since 2017, it has been below 100,000.
Walk us through your milking procedure. We have a double-9 herringbone parlor. We start by going down one side of nine, wiping the sand off with a microber towel and pre dipping them with an iodine teat dip. Then, we go back to the beginning and clean the teats with a clean towel for each cow. Then, we attach the milkers and post dip them with 4XLA post dip when they are nished milking.
What three details do you attribute the low SCC to? I believe the biggest contributor to SCC is cow health. Feed quality, nutrition and stress all play a factor in their health.
How often do you review the SCC, and what ways do you monitor it? I look at the bulk tank average daily, and on an individual basis, I test every other month and receive a report I look at.
If a cow’s SCC rises, what is the protocol to correct it? I don’t really treat them if they are high. Usually, they are up one test and back to normal the next test. I only treat them when they have clinical signs and give them Banamine and 4-7 days of Spectramast LC.
Why is having a low SCC important? It is one of many benchmarks of the health of your cows. It helps you correct any issues in your herd and produce a healthy product for consumers.
Regarding SCC, what valuable advice have you received? Just keep the cows healthy and be consistent, and the cows will do the rest.
Tell us about your farm and family. We have 320 cows; about a quarter of the heifers are on the farm, and the rest are custom raised. We have around 400 tillable acres on which we raise corn, soybeans and alfalfa. My wife, Emily, works in realty; our daughter, Olivia, is in her second year at St. Cloud Technical & Community College and plays softball; and our daughter, Alaina, is a freshman in high school and plays softball and volleyball.
Stearns County
240 Cows
What is the somatic cell count of your milk? Our average for 2024 was 107,000.
Walk us through your milking procedure. Step one: We use a microber towel and dry wipe manure and sawdust off. Step two: We pre-dip and strip at least twice from each teat, watching for abnormalities. Step three: We use one side of a microber towel to wipe off barrels of teats, then ip the towel over to wipe off teat ends before attaching the unit. Step four: We post dip each teat completely. We milk a group of four cows at a time to achieve proper lag time.
What three details do you attribute the low SCC to? Consistency in milking procedure, cleanliness of stalls and culling cows with high SCC.
How often do you review the SCC, and in what ways do you monitor it? We get SCC updates via text message from our creamery every week and individual SCC reports monthly through DHIA.
If a cow’s SCC rises, what is the protocol to correct it? I will usually monitor the SCC and treat the affected quarter if the cow exhibits signs of illness. If there is a persistent high SCC, I will cull as necessary. Why is having a low SCC important? It’s an indicator of a healthier cow and is also a higher quality product for consumers.
Regarding SCC, what valuable advice have you received? Sometimes, it’s trial and error with what you read and are told. Cleanliness of stalls and alleyways helps achieve clean, dry udders for milking.
Tell us about your farm and family. We have 240 cows and milk in a double-12 herringbone parlor. We use mattresses with sawdust bedding. We raise our own replacements and steers. We farm 800 acres. I am in a partnership with three of my siblings: Perry, Becky and Brenda. We have eight wonderful parttime employees, and our parents help as well.
Rhonda Kuechle (second from right), pictured with siblings Perry, Brenda and Becky
Eden Valley, Minnesota
Page 16
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 12, 2025
Con nued from OUR SIDE | Page 15
Darin Grimsgard (pictured with his wife, Brierly)
Grove City, Minnesota
Meeker County 100 cows
What is the somatic cell count of your milk? We average around 70,000.
Walk us through your milking procedure. I predip and use paper towels to clean the teats. I do not do any pre-stripping. Then, after they are milked, I post dip each teat on every cow.
What three details do you attribute the low SCC to? Mainly consistency. It’s a lot of little things, doing my procedure right each milking and ensuring clean stalls and cleanliness of the teat ends. It’s just doing the little things right every time. It’s not an overnight success procedure, but every year, my SCC is lower and lower.
How often do you review the SCC, and what ways do you monitor it? I get a text message from my milk cooperative after every pickup, and I look at that every time. I also test through the Dairy Herd Improvement Association
Dave Hall and Connor VonHaden. Tomah, Wisconsin Monroe County 235 cows
What is the somatic cell count of your milk? Our SCC is 75,000.
Walk us through your milking procedure. We fore-strip to look for any abnormal milk and then spray a peroxide-based pre-dip and make sure we cover the entire teat with spray. We leave the spray on the teat for about 30 seconds, wipe it off with a paper towel and then apply the milking unit to the cow. We have automatic takeoffs, but we check them to make sure they are done and then post-dip with Blockade.
What three details do you attribute the low SCC to? The most important step is the fore-stripping. If you bypass this step, it could be several milkings before
once a month. If it ever spikes, I then refer to my DHIA results to see where the problem is coming from.
If a cow’s SCC rises, what is the protocol to correct it? After pinpointing where the problem is from my DHIA papers, I dump that cow’s milk for a while until it clears up. Usually, it clears up on its own. I feed dump milk to the calves. If the cow does not get better in a couple of days, I treat her with a Today tube. It’s been a while since I have had to treat a cow.
Why is having a low SCC important? I never set out to have a low SCC. It is kind of a byproduct of doing the best job I can to put out a quality product. By doing everything I can to make the cows happy and healthy, having a low SCC just happens.
Regarding SCC, what valuable advice have you received? I read a lot of articles on healthy cows and mastitis prevention. I look for articles from other farmers who are doing well and learn about what works for them. I have never gotten one specic tip or trick that ipped the switch to having low SCC.
Tell us about your farm and family. I milk 100 cows in a swing-11 parlor. I am the fourth generation on this farm, so we are a century farm. I have a wife who does bookwork and helps as needed along with our two kids: one in college, Ellie, and one in high school, Brinley. I grow most of our feed and buy a little hay. We raise all our own replacements and graze our heifers. Two-thirds of my freestall barn is bedded with sand, and the last third is bedded with sawdust. My cousin, Blake, helps me when he can.
you realize a cow has a high cell count. We primarily have family members doing the milking who care about quality milk. We never put milk in the tank that we wouldn’t be willing to drink ourselves. It is important to use the data from the Dairy Herd Improvement Association to pinpoint any cows with high cell counts. We use a California Mastitis Test paddle to test all fresh cows before their milk enters the tank and use the paddle to check any cows that are questionable. The cow is then treated if needed, and we also use Udder Comfort. We use ground oat hulls for our bedding on top of the waterbeds. We bed them every four days and clean stalls off every milking and re-bed the area where their udders would be.
How often do you review the SCC, and what ways do you monitor it? We have SCC results after each pickup for the entire tank that we monitor and once a month we check results from DHIA. If one comes back with a high cell count, we will CMT each quarter to see where the problem is. We will treat the cow if necessary.
If a cow’s SCC rises, what is the protocol to correct it? We CMT all four quarters and nd out which quarter has the issue. We will treat with antibiotics if necessary. If she is a low-end cow, she will be culled.
Why is having a low SCC important? There are added premiums for keeping our cell count low, and we want to sell a high-quality product that consumers will enjoy.
Regarding SCC, what valuable advice have you received? Make sure that you utilize the SCC reports from DHIA to pinpoint problem cows.
Tell us about your farm and family. Our farm was established in 1868 and has changed and grown over the years. Dave and Don are the current owners of the dairy, and Don’s sons — Jake, Cody and Brady — assist them. We have one fulltime employee, Connor VonHaden.
Hall Dairy Farms LLC
Don (from left), Jacob, Cody and
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How many times a day do you milk, and what is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? Our herd is 730 cows; we milk 650 cows three times a day. Our current herd average is 33,197 pounds of milk (103 pounds per day), with tests of 4.7% butterfat and 3.3% protein.
Describe your housing and milking facility. We have a four-row barn for our rst and primarily second- and thirdlactation cows. We have a 6-row barn for our aged cows. The barns are both tunnel ventilated with pasture mats and sawdust bedding. Our parlor is a double-12 parallel.
Who is part of your farm team, and what are their roles? Jason manages the nutrition for the herd with a fulltime feeder. He also manages the crop operation and oversees nances with his wife, who does the books. Derek manages the calf barn, schedules employees, takes care of herd manager duties and helps in the eld as needed. Justin does all the A.I., cattle sorting between barns, herd health checks and vaccinations with the vet, along with eldwork as needed. Derek’s son, Devin, is primarily in charge
TOP PERFORMERS
Jason (from le ) and his wife, Sharon, Derek and his wife, Lori, Amber and Jus
March 25 at the farm near Westgate, Iowa. Jason, Derek and Jus n Decker milk 650 cows with a herd average of 33,197 pounds of milk and tests of 4.7% bu erfat and 3.3% protein.
of maintenance of equipment and facilities along with the bulk of the eldwork, including planting and combining. We have a full-time feed man who also helps with eldwork and another full-time man who works closely doing herd management with Derek. We also have two shifts of fulltime milkers. Besides our full-
time milkers, we have help from high schoolers who milk after school until 8:30 p.m. We have one employee who feeds calves, working a 3-hour morning shift and a 3-hour afternoon shift.
What is your herd health program? We have a herd health check every Tuesday
with the Winthrop vet clinic. We pregnancy check the milking herd weekly and do heifer pregnancy rechecks on the herd twice a month. Our vaccination program is as follows: At birth, we give Inforce 3, followed by Bovishield Gold and Vision 7 at 4-5 months and 10-11 months; at the rst pregnancy check,
we give salmonella and Vision 7; at the 6-month pregnancy check, it’s Guardian and JVac, and we’ll do that again at six weeks from calving and two and a half weeks prior to calving; at the fresh check, we’ll do Bovishield Gold and J-Vac followed by another JVac at the pregnancy recheck; nally, at dry check, we’ll do salmonella and Vision 7 and dry off is dosages of Guardian and J-Vac.
What does your dry cow and transition program consist of? Cows are dried up every Wednesday between 48-56 days. Some are dried off earlier if they are low producers or due with twins. Far-off dry cows are housed in free stalls. They are moved to a bedded pack area at three weeks before due date. Cows calve in a group setting on a bed pack.
What is the composition of your ration, and how has that changed in recent years? Our ration consists of low-lignin haylage, protein mix, cottonseed, dry ground corn, roasted soybeans and brown midrib corn silage and some liquid molasses. We
Thanks to unique bolus technology and precise
Jason Decker of Top-Deck Holsteins Westgate, Iowa | Fayette County
PHOTO SUBMITTED
n Decker gather
“We have used Udder Comfort™ for 15 years. We use it on any type of swelling or edema. Everyone milking knows if a cow comes through with any swelling in the udder, it’s just automatic. You don’t need told or asked, you apply Udder Comfort, and the vast majority of the time you see results afterwards,” says John Burket, Burket Falls Holsteins, East Freedom, Pennsylvania.
“We use Udder Comfort on our fresh cows, particularly on first-calf heifers. It’s a must. We haven’t tried other products because Udder Comfort has been so successful for us. It’s a natural fit for our herd. Everyone milking here realizes this, uses it, and the results are positive.”
As HAUSA president, John says: “Every day on the dairy farm presents an opportunity. It’s all about the amazing Holstein cow and the people who own and care for her; Best of both worlds.”
have moved to a higher concentration of BMR in the diet over the past few years as we have focused on increasing digestibility for dry matter intake.
Tell us about the forages you plant and detail your harvest strategies. We plant roughly 1,000 acres of corn each year with 450 acres of BMR corn silage. We shoot for a half milk line on the kernel to optimize starch when harvested. We plant around 500 acres of beans every year, with the bulk of them going into higholeic beans this year so we can feed even more and offset some more of the purchased fat costs. We have around 350 acres of low-lignin alfalfa, harvested as 100% haylage every year.
What is your average somatic cell count and how does that affect your production? We average about 130,000 on our SCC and feel this a good number, considering we are not looking to bed with any sand.
What change has created the biggest improvement in your herd average? We have had multiple changes over the years, but we feel adding tunnel ventilation in 2020 to both milking barns was huge for us. Before that, we struggled every summer with falling production that usually wouldn’t
be recovered until late fall. Now, production may dip a few pounds in extreme heat and humidity, but it usually recovers quite fast once the heat subsides. A new calf barn in 2016 also helped propel our heifer performance signicantly. A more recent addition of a new barn nished in December 2023 to house 4-11-month-old heifers has allowed us to introduce total mixed ration at a younger age, and we hope to see the benets of that already this sum-
mer. Sexed semen, along with an aggressive double ovsynch program, has kept pregnancy rates much higher than we have ever seen.
What technology do you use to monitor your herd? We use SCR collars for heat detection and rumination. Our dairy data is entered into PCDart. We also use EZfeed technology in our mixer tractor for more precise management of feeding data. That has been quite benecial.
sq. ft.
• Best strapping system in the industry
• 70% shade on mesh tarp
DAN WACKER/DAIRY STAR
Calves eat total mixed ra on March 25 on the newly constructed calf barn at Top-Deck Holsteins near Westgate, Iowa. The Deckers moved calves into the new barn in January.
resistance and fertility. Using this strategy provides us with the best ability to maximize production when all other management factors are well executed.
List three management strategies that have helped you attain your production and component level. First, focusing on reducing cull rates to keep older cows around longer has been something we have honed in on the last few years. That is really where you put it in the tank. Second, we have a very sound breeding and heifer rearing program with the goal to have as high a conception rate as possible. Third, we have highly digestible feed put up at the proper moisture.
What is your breeding program, and what role does genetics play in your production level? Our breeding program is a double ovsynch program. Genetics plays a huge role. Our goal is for our cows to produce a lot of milk with high pounds of fat and protein. We also want trouble-free cows that last multiple lactations. We use elite genetics through Select Sires and our main genetic selection criteria are milk, pounds of fat and protein, mastitis
“Cleaning
Tell us about your farm and your plans for the dairy in the next year. At the moment, there are no plans for expanding the milking herd. We have general improvements we need to make every year to maintain the facilities. We are focused primarily on maximizing income over feed costs with what we have. My brothers and I are fth generation, with a nephew being sixth generation. Our goal is to be good stewards of the land that has been passed down to us so future generations can enjoy this way of life.
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
April 1-3; 8-10; 15-17; 22-24; 29-30
The Dairy Signal ® Online, noon - 1 p.m.
Visit www.pdpw.org to participate in live-streamed event. Audio/video recordings also available free.
April 1, 8, 15
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April 1: Pagel’s Ponderosa, Kewaunee, Wis.
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April 15: Miltrim Farm, Athens, Wis.
Visit www.pdpw.org for details.
April 5 - 17
PDP International Tour of Italy
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May 1, 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 27-29
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Visit www.pdpw.org to participate in live-streamed event. Audio/video recordings also available free.
PDP mission: to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.
BOTTOM LINE DAIRY’S Focus, planning key to conservation efforts
Caring for our land and animals is a top priority on our farm, just as it is on everyone’s. However, the practices and management strategies we each adopt are different based on our operation’s geography and soils, needs for livestock feed, nancial situation, equipment and labor availability, among other factors.
We farm about 2,000 acres near Pittsville, Wisconsin. It isn’t the best-quality farmland around; in fact, cranberry marshes dot the landscape nearby. We’ve carefully managed our rotations over the years based on our needs for corn silage and haylage. We’re not able to grow straight alfalfa on many of our acres, so we grow an alfalfa/ grass mix or a red clover/grass mix.
principles that guide us as we think about adding and expanding our changing conservation practices, including those listed below.
Find a network
By Paul Lippert
As we’ve been able to add acres over the years, we’ve also gained exibility to be more creative with our rotation to get the production we need, while not pushing our best land too hard with continuous corn. Double cropping triticale with either soybeans or corn has allowed us to grow more feed on our better acres that is truly digestible. Adding wheat and summer annuals to the rotation, along with adopting no-till practices and cover crops, has increased quality and yields in our rotation.
We also primarily work with custom operators, so every pass of tillage equipment means added cost to the operation. When windows for planting are already short, the possibility of being able to plant in no-tilled or minimum-tilled ground more quickly is really a benet.
It has been a big transition for us to move from chisel plowing every time we planted corn to no-till. I won’t say we have it all gured out. In fact, we are still learning something new each year. We have found a few
As farmers, we’re fortunate to have a wealth of resources for advice and information. For conservation practices, a good starting point is to nd farmers who’ve already been using the practices you’re interested in. We have a neighbor who has been notill farming with cover crops for a number of years. To be honest, the things he did 10 years ago — practices we thought were nuts — don’t seem so crazy anymore, and I appreciate the opportunity to learn from him.
In Wisconsin, local watershed groups and the Discovery Farms program through the University of WisconsinMadison Division of Extension offer a wealth of knowledge and experience, and attending Professional Dairy Producers conferences and training programs are as valuable for the content as well as the networking with other farmers. And we all know, when a group of farmers is gathered in one location, there’s always an opportunity to “talk farming” and learn about what others are doing.
Start small
When trying something new, start on 40 acres, not 1,000. Starting small gives you the chance to experiment with new crops or timing and compare results, then build a foundation to expand on the next growing season.
Ask questions
We can avoid a lot of headaches by asking questions. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to explain new terms or walk through
the nuances of different equipment options. If a custom operator or vendor isn’t willing to try something new, nd out whether they are simply stuck in their ways or if there is a technical, nancial or other reason why it isn’t possible.
Whether it is understanding nitrogen cycling or the variations in dribble bars and injection rates for manure application, the learning curve can be steep. Taking every opportunity you can to ask questions for shortening that curve will pay dividends.
Be exible
What works one year may be a terrible idea the next, depending on weather, growing conditions and many other things. For example, planting into green cover crops works great until the rye gets away from you. Knowing when to terminate your cover can be the difference between success and frustration. For our part, we’ve learned to shift gears to summer annuals sooner when spring gets away from us. Those summer annuals can deliver real soil health benets, allow for exible manure application and provide winter cover.
We all want to grow the best feed possible in the most efcient manner and do what is best for our land and water resources. Sharing ideas, learning from each other and being open-minded and exible will benet everyone.
Paul Lippert of Pittsville, Wisconsin, owns Grass Ridge Farm LLC with his father, Matt, and brother, Carl. The dairy is home to 700 registered Holsteins and Jerseys as well as 600 youngstock. Paul is the herdsman and human resources manager. He graduated from UW-River Falls with a dairy science degree. Paul serves on the PDP board of directors.
Networking, learning,
MICHELLE STANGLER/DAIRY STAR
(Above) Marlen Schmitz, a regional sales manager with Papillon Agricultural Company, visits with a�endees March 26 at Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Schmitz has extensive dairy industry experience and resides in Minnesota.
(Le�) Mitch Schulte with Midwest Dairy engages with kids March 26 at the checkoff ’s booth at Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The booth was one of many interac�ve exhibits at CPDE, with others offering free ice cream, pens, bags and more.
endees stop at
the
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booths March 26 at Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A�endees represented 38 states and 20 countries.
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
Wya� and Gwen Dickes wear paper hats March 27 at Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The hats were made using the Dairy Star newspaper.
MICHELLE STANGLER/DAIRY STAR
Tina Hoff (from le�) with her kids, Thomas and Samuel, joined her father, Paul Re�mann, March 26 at Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Re�man, a herdsman at LAX-Pie�g Dairy, was visited by his grandkids who now reside in El Paso, Texas, during the farm show.
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
RaeLynn performs March 25 at Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. RaeLynn’s performance kicked off Central Plains Dairy Expo.
Surviving a bull chase
Willie Dux stands outside his barn March 21 on his former dairy farm near Stewartville, Minnesota. Dux was a acked by a beef bull Sept. 7, 2024, pushing him to re re from dairy farming.
Injuries give Dux the push to retire
By Amy Kyllo amy.k@star-pub.com
STEWARTVILLE, Minn. —
On Sept. 7, 2024, dairy farmer Willie Dux went out to his beef cow pasture by himself to sort out the bull. The day would prove pivotal, pushing him to sell the cows and partially retire one week later.
The bull, which had been underperforming, also had recently been tangled in some barbed wire, leaving the animal with a missing toe.
Willie, who has dairy farmed his entire life near Stewartville, said he did not think twice about being out with the animal.
The bull had tested him a few weeks before, but a matador-like hand movement had veered the bull off. That Saturday, Dux was not so lucky.
“I tried to sort him out,” Dux said. “Pretty soon, it was just me and him.”
He said he and the bull were playing “Ring around the Rosie” with a gooseberry bush before the bull attacked.
“He pushed me down and started beating on my arm with his head,” Willie said. “I could feel his brisket on my hip, but then he left.”
Willie had been pushed into the gooseberry bush, and he said he theorizes that the bull’s injured hoof and possibly his eye came into contact with the prickly bush which made him back off.
“He left, and I had my glasses yet, had my cell phone yet, so I called my wife and called the owner of the bull,” Willie said. “I felt pretty good by that time.”
The Duxes paused long enough for Kathy to get a quick change of clothes for the chilly hospital setting and headed to the emergency room.
“On the way to the hospital, he said, ‘I don’t even feel like I’m in shock,’” Kathy said. “I didn’t argue
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with him. (I thought) ‘You can believe what you want. We’ll just see what the ER (emergency room) doctor says.’”
At the emergency room they estimated he had broken about 20 ribs. The doctor documented three broken on each side. None of the ribs were dislocated, however, and the lungs and heart were OK.
When it came time to tell his story to the doctors, Willie said reading the doctor’s notes afterwards brought some levity.
“The rst line states he is a farmer,” Willie said. “She didn’t know what a gooseberry was, so I said a thorn bush.”
The doctor misunderstood thorn bush and the nished narrative said Willie had been pushed into a phone booth. Willie said it made him think of Doctor Who.
Willie was admitted to the hospital to begin recovery, where he stayed until the following Friday. Meanwhile, back on the farm, the Dux family rallied to get the work done. The Duxes’ son, Kenny, took a week off work to help milk cows and x the fence. Their daughter, Clara, came from Montana for a few weeks to help, and their other daughters helped as they were able on the farm and with doctor visits around their jobs.
The Duxes, who are retirement age, had been planning on selling their cows in the next several years and had already begun talking with their neighbors, Jeff and Tim Pagel, about buying their herd as Willie had wanted the cows to go to a small farm.
The summer of 2024 had been hard on her and Willie, Kathy said, as they struggled to keep up physically with the work on their farm.
“I tried pressing him with making plans, but it seemed like there was never any time for that,” Kathy said. “It was morning till night, and it was just consuming our lives. We just didn’t really get a chance to plan.”
The injury brought the need to sell the cows to the forefront. Several other dairy farmers helped with the negotiations, and the cows and the milk quota they held were sold.
“It is hard to face up to our limitations as we get older,” Kathy said. “That’s a very real thing. But not that we need to be inactive, but we do
Cows stand in the stanchion barn Sept. 14, 2024, at the Dux farm near Stewartville, Minnesota. The Duxes sold their en re 40-cow herd and the milk quota that went with them last fall.
need to give our body a break.”
They waited until Willie was home for the 40 cows to leave.
“Our oldest daughter, she said, ‘I think Dad should be here when the cows go,’” Kathy said. “I think that was good.”
On loading day, one week after the bull attack, Willie was outside in his hospital pants being part of things.
“There was sadness,” Willie said. “You realize that (will) be the last time you see them.”
Kathy agreed.
“It’s always been a dairy farm since the Duxes came in 1919,” she said. “This is the last time that this farm will have dairy.”
The Duxes plan to raise up their remaining dairy heifers and sell them as springers. They will continue their beef herd, which has nine brood cows and 28 animals for nishing. They also will farm their 200 acres of tillable cropland and 120 acres of pasture.
Willie had taken over the farm from his parents in the 1980s. He al-
ways enjoyed farming, sneaking out of school to help his dad with farm work.
After college, he designed a new stanchion barn and his dad built and paid for it.
“(I was) always amazed by that,” Kathy said. “He must have known that you were passionate enough about it that you were going to stick with it.”
The barn was used up until Willie retired. Willie was indeed passionate, with some years not taking even one
milking off.
“(Now) ve o’clock rolls around … what do I do now?” Willie said.
Looking to the future, the Duxes said they want to do more retirement planning.
“We’re just trying to get the basics done, like a trust or something,” Kathy said. “We have to do something, but we don’t know what, and so we’ve been seeking out the professionals. It’s just taking a while to get to that point to gure it out.”
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As dairy producers continue exploring options for improving the value of bull calves, we ventured into the beef-on-dairy world at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris. The journey into beef x dairy crossbreds began in 2018, which was driven by falling calf values and a need to manage replacement heifer numbers. What started with Limousin semen on dairy cows has evolved into a study comparing ve different beef breeds (Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousin and Simmental) bred to dairy cows.
In 2018, we used an automatic calf feeder and compared Limousin crossbred calves (both bull and heifer calves) to Holstein and dairy crossbreds. The results showed Limousin-sired bull calves were, on average, 10 pounds heavier at birth than Holstein calves and 4 pounds heavier than Limousin heifer calves. When it came to average daily gain, Limousin-sired bull calves had an average daily gain of 2.2 pounds per day. These calves were more efcient because the Limousin crossbreds consumed about one liter less milk per day than their Holstein counterparts but still outperformed them on growth.
By Brad Heins University of Minnesota
The table has key performance metrics of steers sired by the ve different beef breeds. Birthweights varied, with Angus calves averaging the lowest (83 pounds) and Simmental calves the highest (95 pounds). Hereford-sired calves stood out with the highest average daily gain of 2.34 pounds per day and the highest weaning weight at 237 pounds. In contrast, Limousin and Charolais calves had lower ADGs at 1.98 and 1.94 pounds per day, respectively. Angus and Simmental calves were in the middle. Despite slight differences in growth, all breed groups reached similar nal harvest weights, averaging between 1,381 and 1,447 pounds. Days to harvest ranged from 448 days (Hereford) to 474 days (Charolais). When carcass traits were evaluated, we found some differences among the breed groups, though most did not affect total revenue. Limousin-sired steers had the largest ribeye area at 12.9 inches squared, while
However, we were not convinced some beef breeds were the magical cross for a dairy cow. In a recent study at WCROC dairy, we evaluated growth performance and carcass characteristics of crossbred steers sired by Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousin and Simmental bulls. Calves were born between September and December 2023. We harvested these steers in January 2025. The study measured pre-weaning and post-weaning growth of 50 bull calves. Calves were from Holstein dams and crossbred dairy cows that included Montbéliarde, Viking Red, Jersey and Normande genetics. During the pre-weaning phase, calves were fed 10 liters of milk per day using an automated feeder and were weaned at 63 days of age. Milk drinking behaviors were monitored, and growth data was recorded weekly until weaning and monthly until harvest.
Angus-sired steers excelled in marbling, with an average marbling score of 616.9, which was higher than all other breed groups. Hereford steers had more backfat (0.59 inches) and a higher yield grade (3.1) compared to Limousin steers (yield grade 2.4). Charolais and Simmental steers carried slightly more internal fat than Limousin but were similar to the other breeds.
Five steers graded Prime (two Angus, two Simmental, one Hereford), and 76% graded Choice, with several Angus and Simmental crossbreds qualifying for Certied Angus Beef. Even two Hereford crossbreds went CAB. Despite some carcass differences, there was little variation in total revenue across breed groups. Steer revenue ranged from $2,650 to $2,779, with Hereford- and Charolais-sired calves generating
the highest average income. Even without premiums, Charolais and Hereford made about $100 more per steer because they were just bigger animals with more beef sold. No breed group underperformed overall.
While certain breed groups showed advantages in specic traits, such as marbling in Angus or growth rate in Hereford, the differences were generally subtle.
Multiple beef breeds are suitable for crossbreeding with dairy cows, offering exibility for dairy producers aiming to increase the value of their calves. Management, calf market and feeding program all play a role in the protability of beef on dairy crossbreds. Every breed brought something to the table, and if you feed them right, any of them can make you money.
Dana Adams adam1744@umn.edu 320-204-2968
Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130
Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184
Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391
Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711
Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104
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
Isaac Salfer ijsalfer@umn.edu 320-296-1357
Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093
Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu 612-624-1205
Melissa Wilson mlw@umn.edu 612-625-4276
Isaac Haagen hagge041@umn.edu 612-624-7455
Michael Boland boland@umn.edu 612-625-3013
Sabrina Florentino slpore@umn.edu 507-441-1765
Scott Wells wells023@umn.edu 612-625-8166
Erin Cortus ecortus@umn.edu 612-625-8288
Melissa Runck mkrunck@umn.edu 507-836-1143
This past month, Corteva Agriscience made headlines by announcing that they would be phasing out sales of brown midrib (BMR) corn silage. BMR corn became a very popular forage for many dairy farmers, particularly in the Midwest, due to its lower lignin concentration and greater ber degradability compared to conventional corn silage. As farmers look toward the future without BMR corn silage, they could consider utilizing low-lignin alfalfa as a source of more highly digestible ber in dairy rations.
How does lignin affect ber digestibility?
also affects its digestibility. For example, grasses are higher in concentrations of the more highly digestible guaiacylrich lignin (or G-lignin), than legumes, which are higher in the less digestible syringyl-rich lignin (or S-lignin).
Reduced-lignin alfalfa
Lignin is broadly dened as the indigestible component of the plant cell wall that provides structural support and protection to the plant. In dairy nutrition, we typically refer to lignin as a single compound. However, it is made of a variety of phenylpropanoid molecules, which are dened by the presence of aromatic rings bound to -OH (hydroxyl) groups. Therefore, while it is part of the neutral detergent ber fraction of a feed, it is not a carbohydrate because it does not contain sugar molecules. In feeds, lignin is typically measured as acid detergent lignin, which is determined as the residue remaining after ignition (burning) following treatment with 72% sulfuric acid.
By Isaac Salfer University of Minnesota
There are two major lowlignin alfalfa varieties on the market. One of them is HiGest, which was formerly owned by Corteva but sold to Denmark-based DLF Seeds in 2023. Hi-Gest was developed by traditional plant breeding to have lower lignin, primarily through increasing the leaf-to-stem ratio compared to conventional alfalfa varieties. Recent research suggests Hi-Gest has an 8%-15% lower ADL concentration and a 13% increase in ber digestibility than conventional alfalfa. Notably, harvesting of alfalfa as dry hay results in greater leaf losses than harvesting as silage; therefore, the full benet of Hi-Gest may not be fully realized if it is used for hay.
Lignin reduces the digestibility of feeds in two ways. Lignin itself is indigestible by rumen microbes because they lack the enzymes needed to degrade the aromatic rings and complex bonds between lignin polymers. Lignin displaces digestible nutrients in the forage, thereby lowering digestibility. Secondly and more importantly, lignin forms crosslinkages with other ber molecules (cellulose and hemicellulose), inhibiting their ability to be degraded by rumen microbes (Figure 1). Lignin can also form a physical barrier, preventing microbial access to various nutrients within the cell, including protein and sugars.
Feed processing, such as chopping alfalfa hay, can reduce the physical barrier effect but does not reduce the crosslinking effect. Forage analyses commonly report undigestible NDF (uNDF240) concentration of forages, which measures the amount of ber remaining after fermenting for 240 hours in rumen uid. From a nutritional perspective, uNDF240 is a more useful measure than ADL because it accounts for not only the lignin concentration of the feed but also the ber that is crosslinked with lignin and is therefore indigestible to the animal.
As the structural component of the plant, more lignin is found in the stem of a forage than in the leaf. As a plant matures, it deposits more lignin into the stem to allow for greater stand height within the eld. Drought and nutrient deciencies increase lignin concentration and crosslinking as the plant tries to reduce nutrient and water loss. This is why the rst cutting and last cutting of alfalfa typically have greater digestibility than second and third cuttings. Cold stress and pathogen exposure also increase lignication as a defense mechanism for the plant. The composition of lignin
Another low-lignin variety on the market is HarvXtra, owned by Forage Genetics International. HarvXtra was genetically modied to have lower expression of two enzymes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway required for lignin synthesis. Unlike Hi-Gest, this genetic modication reduces actual lignin concentration in the stem of the plant rather than simply altering leaf-to-stem ratio. HarvXtra has been shown to have an 8%-24% lower concentration of lignin and a 5%-17% increase in NDF digestibility.
At the same harvest window, lowlignin alfalfa varieties can have slightly lower yields than conventional alfalfa. However, the lower lignin concentration allows for later harvest without sacricing quality. It is typically recommended to harvest HarvXtra at approximately 35-day intervals or at 10% bloom when the plant is about 28 inches tall, while still maintaining the same or better ber digestibility compared to conventional varieties.
The decreased rate of lignication also allows harvest windows to be more exible without major reductions in digestibility. Oftentimes, this leads to one less cutting per year, which could be considered either a negative (less tonnage per year) or a positive (less labor and fuel costs), depending on your perspective. Research suggests that, from an agronomic and soil-health perspective, fewer cuttings per year can improve alfalfa yields in the last 1-2 years of growth due to less frequent trafc and greater soil nutrient replenishment from greater root development.
Overall, low-lignin alfalfa provides an appealing forage for both the dairy cow ration and for harvest management.
Dairy represented in star nalists
FFA members vie for Minnesota’s top awards
By Sherry Newell Staff Writer
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Two of Minnesota FFA’s state star nalists have earned a shot at the organization’s top awards for 2025 through involvement on their families’ dairy farms. But the paths for Abby Holtkamp of Kerkhoven and William Bastian of Fairfax in their quests for the star honor have been different.
Holtkamp, a KerkhovenMurdock-Sunburg FFA member, is a nalist for the star farmer award through the ownership and development of her own herd. William Bastian of the Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop chapter is a nalist for star in production placement through his employment on his family farm.
Yet the result of their FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience focus is the same: both have plans to return to the dairy farms on which they grew up. Holtkamp and Bastian will nd out whether they win the top star honor in their respective category on stage at the
Minnesota FFA Convention April 28 in Minneapolis. There are four stars named in four categories, which also include star in agriscience and star in agribusiness.
Two other star nalists have connections to dairy. Tyler Steele of Utica, a member
of the Lewiston-Altura FFA, is up for star farmer and owns several dairy animals along with sheep and swine. Derik Johnson of Willmar is a nalist for star in production place-
Turn to FFA STARS | Page 33
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Abby Holtkamp, a KerkhovenMurdock-Sunburg FFA member, works in the milking parlor at her family’s farm near Kerkhoven, Minnesota. Holtkamp was recently named one of four nalists for the state FFA’s star farmer award.
(Below) Abby Holtkamp, a member of the KerkhovenMurdock-Sunburg FFA, holds an award. Holtkamp’s Supervised Agricultural Experience included developing a herd of 15 Holstein ca le.
PHOTOS
William Bas an feeds animals on Bas an Dairy near Fairfax, Minnesota. The Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop FFA member was named one of four nalists for Minnesota FFA star in produc on placement for his work on his family’s farm.
(Below) William Bas an, a Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop FFA member, smiles Nov. 15, 2024, at South Central College in Mankato. Bas an’s family has a 150-cow dairy.
ment. As a Willmar FFA member, he raises bull calves from an area dairy and is employed there doing eld work.
Holtkamp, the daughter of Karl and Sarah Holtkamp, began ownership as a seventh grader of dairy cattle within the third-generation, 230-cow herd run by her father and her uncle, Michael.
“I wanted more responsibilities, so I took over taking care of the calves,” she said.
That meant a salary, which Holtkamp used to buy a cow at
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the Goebel Dairy dispersal in Stearns County. Her purchase made 33,000-pounds of milk.
“She was a good production cow, and I got two heifers out of her,” Holtkamp said.
Since then, Holtkamp has continued to work on the farm for a salary while her herd has grown to 15 head, seven of which are currently milking. She makes all the decisions regarding their care and does the A.I. for her own cattle as well as some that belong to the dairy.
Holtkamp pays the way for her animals through a per-head charge from the farm based on age and stage of life, and she is also billed for milking labor. Her income is calculated on the average price per pound received by the farm.
It means the young entrepreneur experiences the ups and downs of dairy farming.
Turn to FFA STARS | Page 34
E-EDITION
Read the Dairy Star iry Star online
“That makes it very challenging,” Holtkamp said. “But you have to look at the best side of things.”
Bastian, whose parents are Steve and Karen Bastian, also got an early start on his FFA experience. He followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the GFW chapter in seventh grade and built his FFA SAE program as an employee of his family’s 150-cow dairy. Bastian Dairy is operated by his dad and his uncle, Mark, along with their parents, Jerome and Myra.
The result for the younger Bastian has been two-fold: he has earned enough money to make a dent in the cost of his college education planned for South Dakota State University, and he has met his goal of understanding how to do 95% of the farm’s jobs.
challenge to overcome.
“I was not born with the genetics for great patience,” he said. “With dairy cows, you need patience.”
For Holtkamp, one obstacle stands out as she works with her father on the farm.
“He’s into Brown Swiss cows; I’m not so much,” she said. “When I get them (in the calf barn), the Brown Swiss aren’t always the smartest.”
The Holtkamp herd is a combination of Brown Swiss, Holsteins and crossbreds, while her herd is all Holstein.
“I want to be able to do every chore if I need to,” Bastian said. “And I want to be efcient doing it.”
One of his main roles is milking year-round in the Bastians’ double–8 parabone parlor. He also helps with chopping and manure hauling in summer, along with feeding and eld work in the fall.
The work, and FFA in general, have helped him decide what he is passionate about, Bastian said.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity to work hard over the past six years, and for the help I’ve had from my family, my adviser and my community,” he said.
On the farm, he has had at least one
Bastian has been a leader on the GFW football, baseball and trapshooting teams at school and Holtkamp participates in softball, volleyball and 4-H. Both of the young dairy enthusiasts attribute their FFA experiences to impacting their lives.
“I’ve learned so many things, met so many great people,” Bastian said.
This involvement includes the dairy cattle evaluation and management team and the Farm Bureau discussion meet, among others.
Like Bastian, Holtkamp has been a member of her chapter’s dairy judging team, which she said helped her learn what to evaluate for her herd’s matings. She has made plans to continue learning at Ridgewater College next fall.
For both, the announcement of the FFA stars April 28 could be the next big accomplishment in their FFA careers.
The true value of curiosity
This past month brought hope of springtime in the air and many exciting events, from school visits to celebrating National Agriculture Day. Between events, I was excited to nd multiple days to head home from school and help back in the barn. As a college student, balancing a busy schedule can get challenging, but there is something so rewarding about sharing this experience with those around me and taking a break for the cows here and there.
By
I kicked off the month at The Academy for Sciences and Agriculture High School for their rst annual “Ag in Minnesota” night. This event brought together commodity groups, checkoff organizations and guest speakers for a night to celebrate and learn about agriculture. Following this, I visited elementary school students at St. Francis Xavier School in Sartell, where the students were all eager to learn. Through the many school visits I have attended this year, I have found the true value in curiosity and the strength these students possess in their ability to ask questions, desire to learn something new and express vulnerability for the topics they are unfamiliar with. This skill that so many elementary students have never fails to impress me, and I always take something away from these bright, young minds.
The following week brought a unique and exciting event: the Big Little Fishing Expo. While this may seem like an unconventional event for promoting Minnesota’s dairy community, attending this expo allowed for many engaging conversations and opportunities to visit with young families. Then, March 18, I celebrated National Agriculture Day at the annual Ag Day Gala. This was a special evening to bring together farmers, youth organizations, government leaders, advocacy groups and more to recognize the positive impact agriculture has on each of our families and communities. A memorable part of the evening was giving the “milk toast,” where everyone raised a glass to the community we are all so proud to be a part of.
The end of the month provided more opportunities to connect with youth on their curiosity for what happens on a farm, highlight the “superpowers” of milk and bond over a passion for cows.
In Park Rapids, I attended Eagle View Elementary School, where students from preschool to fourth grade expressed their curiosity as we discussed everything from what cows eat to how milk travels from the farm to the store.
Second, I traveled to Hastings and took part in the Kennedy STEAM Night at Kennedy Elementary School. Here, the school hosted an evening for students to try hands-on learning activities, including using milk as “invisible ink.” Did you know milk will glow under a UV light due to the riboavin present? The students were excited to try this experiment and were blown away by the fun facts about milk.
Third and nally, I attended the Minnesota Junior All-Breeds Convention hosted by the Minnesota Junior Holstein Association. This was an extraspecial event for me as I have spent many years at this very convention as a participant among fellow dairy enthusiasts. We all know the dairy community
is ever-changing, and together, we are hopeful for the future. Well, if there was even a bit of doubt in your mind, after visiting this group of young dairy leaders, I have never been surer of the bright future ahead. These youth were eager to talk about cows, tell me about their farms and learn about the best ways they can share their story.
After each of these events, I am even more energized and overjoyed to continue promoting the community I am so proud to be a part of. Throughout the months ahead, I am looking forward to the many curious questions, engaging conversations and inspiring events that lie ahead.
Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Rachel Visser, serves as the Minnesota dairy community’s goodwill ambassador. Rachel grew up in Hutchinson, Minnesota working on a neighboring dairy farm. She attends the University of Minnesota double majoring in Agricultural Food and Business Management and Agricultural Communications and Marketing. Her favorite dairy food is cheese sticks. Her parents are Barry and Shannon Visser. Princess Kay is active doing school visits and events representing dairy farmers, and sharing the importance of dairy farming and dairy foods at appearances across Minnesota.
•Heat stress•Calving•Illness •Feed changes •Shipping/receiving
BOVINE ACCELLYTE II helps to promote feed and water intake, and therefore, restores electrolyte functions and water retention to prevent losses due to dehydration.
Rachel Visser
71st Princess Kay of the Milky Way
On the Road with Princess Kay
The IRS guy
The sound of weeping and gnashing of teeth can be heard throughout the land at this time of year, and not just because it’s National Poetry Month, mandating by federal law that we have to memorize a new poem every day.
Another cause for our collective discomfort is that the middle of April is when income tax returns are due. “Forcibly extracted without Novocain” would describe how some feel about this event.
For many, the acronym “IRS” brings to mind an encounter with a schoolyard bully. Grasping your forearm, the bully uses brute force to make you smack yourself.
during audits, he would pistol-whip taxpayers to extract interest and penalties. This was not the case. He would read aloud from the tax code until the auditee exclaimed, “OK, I’ll pay. Just make it stop.”
Dear County Agent Guy
Dale had a razor sense of humor, albeit one that was accountant-centric.
By Jerry Nelson Columnist
One year, for Christmas, he gave me a spent rie cartridge that had been soldered onto a trio of pennies. “It’s a Norwegian quarter,” he said, grinning. Seeing that I still didn’t get it, he explained, “Twenty-two plus three equals 25. That makes it a quarter.”
I noticed the desk in Dale’s home ofce sported a miniature umbrella mounted on a small block of wood. The wood beneath the umbrella was studded with little nails.
Fre-Heaters
“What’s the matter?” he asks as you involuntarily self-administer dope slaps. “Why are you hitting yourself? Gimme your lunch money.”
At least, that’s how I felt about the IRS until I became acquainted with one of its agents, the man who would eventually become my fatherin-law.
It was an ambush. One evening after nishing chores on my little dairy farm, I drove into town to call upon a particular young lady with whom I had been spending a good deal of time. A large American-made car was parked outside her house. This was troubling; it was obviously a guy’s car.
I sat in my pickup and mulled things over. It was clear that she had a gentleman visitor. Should I cut and run? Or should I stride inside and ght — metaphorically, not physically, as I faint at the thought of sticuffs — for my gal?
I took a deep breath and knocked on her door. My girlfriend opened it, smiled, and said, “Come on in. This is my father, Dale. He works for the IRS.”
Dale xed me with a stern look as we shook hands. For some reason, I suddenly felt extremely guilty.
Digging in my pocket, I said, “I’ve got $7.87 on me. Would that be enough to keep me out of jail for the rest of today?”
Dale assured me he wasn’t there on ofcial business; he was merely visiting his daughter. What a relief — although I then had to explain why I was at his daughter’s house at that time of night.
As I got to know Dale better, I came to realize he was just a really nice guy who happened to work for one of the government’s most misunderstood bureaucracies. He dispelled some of the notions I had about the IRS.
For instance, I had assumed that,
Puzzled, I asked Dale about its purpose.
“That’s my tacks shelter,” he deadpanned.
Some years later, my wife and I received one of those dreaded missives from the IRS. The letter essentially said, “Dear Taxpayer: We have ascertained you owe us one jillion dollars in unpaid taxes, plus interest and penalties. Please remit the full amount immediately, or else. P.S.: We shouldn’t have to explain what we mean by ‘or else.’”
How could this be? Our dairy farm didn’t even gross that amount. Was this a mistake, or had we simply failed to grasp the incomprehensible intricacies of our tax system?
We gave the letter to Dale, who read it and muttered, “Those blockheads!” He dashed off a letter to the IRS that said, “You blockheads. These people do NOT owe this money. You need to immediately delete these taxes, interest and penalties.”
He didn’t use those exact words, but that was the gist of it. He put it in bureaucratese so the IRS would realize they were dealing with someone “in the know.” Dale also wrote his agent number beneath his signature, which probably helped. He was such a senior government employee by then that he probably had access to the nuclear launch codes.
Dale’s letter did the trick. We soon got a reply from the IRS that essentially said, “Oops. Our bad.”
So, try not to get too uptight at tax time; everything will probably work out just ne. Besides, April is National Stress Awareness Month.
Jerry Nelson is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, South Dakota. He and his wife, Julie, have two sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Feel free to email him at jerry.n@dairystar.com.
Violative residues: A dirty word
Residues. What do you think about when you hear this word? Residue prevention, antibiotics, farms, veterinarians, meat, milk, food — all are applicable. All domestic and imported food products are tested for residues through the National Residue Program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. Meat, poultry, egg products and sh products are required to meet specific standards established by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. These standards ensure that food products comply with U.S. requirements for veterinary drug, pesticide and chemical contaminants.
ing carcasses and parts of animals found to have violative residues.
Additionally, the positive residue results are published for public review in the FSIS annual sampling report each year. The names of violators with two or more violations in 12 months are posted on a USDA repeat violators list that can be used as a reference by meat processors and livestock markets to determine if purchased animals are at high risk for residues.
have labels for dairy cows and were likely the result of incorrect dosage, administration or not waiting long enough before selling to slaughter.
By Megan Weisenbeck Veterinary Wisdom Veterinary Wisdom
Based on a semi-recent experience with residues at slaughter, I would like to share some applicable information that I learned.
First, carcasses are checked on the oor with a preliminary test. This can be random surveillance or inspector-generated. Surveillance sampling is scheduled testing performed on random carcasses after they have passed antemortem inspection. Inspector-generated sampling is conducted when FSIS inspectors suspect animals have potentially violative residues. This may be based on a producer’s history of violative residues, the individual animals exhibiting signs of systemic disease or the animals that have injection site lesions.
When an animal carcass is tested, the public health veterinarian uses a KIS, or kidney inhibition swab test. This test is positive or negative but does not specify which drug the animal is positive for. The carcass is retained until results are returned. Further samples are collected if an animal tests positive on the preliminary test to determine the type of drug and the level present. Occasionally, carcasses are retained even if KIS is negative if other chemical residues are suspected. The public health veterinarian is responsible for condemn-
Where do the withdrawal times come from? The FDA establishes the period after drug treatment when milk and eggs are not to be used for food and during which animals are not to be slaughtered. This allows the animals time to eliminate the drug residues. However, there are times these withdrawals might be inadequate depending on the severity of the animal’s condition. To make this more confusing, some products approved for use have a tolerance level. If the animal tests below the level, it is OK for human consumption, but some products have a zero-tolerance level if they are not approved for the class of animals. Such an example would be Nuor (orfenicol). While it has an approved label for calves and beef cows, it does not have an approved label for dairy cattle over the age of 20 months. This means there is a zero tolerance for levels of orfenicol in milk and slaughtered dairy cows (lactating or dry).
How do you know which withdrawal to use? Product labels are required to have withdrawal labels when marketed. Additionally, if a veterinarian has prescribed a product in a way that does not match the published label, the veterinarian should label the product with new directions, the appropriate withdrawals, and provide written treatment protocols with clear directions as well. Another helpful resource is the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank, called FARAD. FARAD is a directory of residue avoidance information and has an excellent website where questions can be asked for specic withdrawals.
What are the most common causes of residues? Dairy cows, beef cows and bob veal made up the bulk of violative residues in 2023 (2024 is not published yet). The chemical residues varied, but ampicillin, desfuroylceftiofur (ceftiofur), unixin, penicillin and sulfadimethoxine were most frequent. These products
Several more chemical residues in dairy cows also caught my eye. Some dairy cows tested positive for gentamycin sulfate, doxycycline and dihydrostreptomycin. Quite frankly, these drugs have no business being used in cattle at all: beef, dairy or other. They have no label or evidence to support their use and no appropriate withdrawal period to follow.
Consider the following when reviewing residue risk on your own farm. Do the following items occur?
— Treated cows are not recorded or identied, which results in treated cows being milked into the bulk tank or being sold for slaughter.
— Dry cow tube withdrawals are not observed. Make sure to follow all withdrawal periods for both milk and slaughter, especially if the cow calves early.
— Drugs are used illegally or incorrectly. An example is using Nuor in a dairy cow or giving Excede in the tailhead or in the neck instead of the proper base of ear location.
— Cows are treated for extended periods, but the withdrawals are not extended to compensate. If you extend treatment even by accident, extend your withdrawal. Ask your veterinarian or use FARAD to help determine an appropriate holding time.
— Remember, withdrawal periods are established using studies from healthy cows. The reason being that the physiology of a healthy cow is more consistent and better understood. Therefore, sick cows may require extended withdrawals due to dehydration and impaired kidney and liver metabolism.
— Perhaps another question should be considered: Is it worth treating the cow? Does she have a chance of recovery with treatment, or is she better off being destined for slaughter or euthanasia? Dry cow treatment could be included in this as well. Can your farm manage the residue risk associated with dry cow antibiotics?
Megan Weisenbeck is one of six veterinarians at Northern Valley Livestock Services in Plainview, Minnesota. She practices primarily dairy production medicine in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Megan can be reached at meganweisenbeck.dvm@gmail.com.
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Chapstick required
I hadn’t bought a tube of ChapStick in so long that I couldn’t remember what decade I last used the product. That was before last week, when I made an emergency stop at Kwik Trip and had to ask the nice lady at the cash register where I could locate some. I bought Carmex as I remembered it tasted rather awful but was pretty great at healing cracked lips. I remembered correctly, as my lips are well on their way to being able to smile again without bleeding.
By now, you’re probably wondering how I came to need some ChapStick after decades of not using any.
A month or two ago, a friend of mine asked if I’d like to climb Mount Whitney with him. I had mentioned to him a couple of times that, if he was heading out to the mountains, he should let me know, and I might be able to sneak away from the farm for a few days and join him. It turned out our
employees were available for extra shifts. The only extra activity going on when he was available to go on a trip was the second week of performances of a play our daughter, Hannah, was in. Her brothers were going to be around as well as grandparents to run her to her play performances, so I had no excuses not to join him. I cashed in some Delta rewards miles on an overpriced spring break time ticket to Las Vegas and told my friend Sam we were on for a mountaineering trip.
Like the way I feel before the rst crop of hay of the season, I was making lists and checking them twice for things needed to successfully accomplish the goal: The right layers of clothes to be comfortable in temperatures anywhere from -20 wind chill to 65 degrees and sunny, climbing and safety gear like avalanche rescue gear, a rope, a harness and carabiners were needed. I had to buy an avalanche beacon, which can help someone locate me if I’m
buried and vice versa.
Maybe most important for a good time while on a backpacking and climbing excursion were food and snacks, preferably very lightweight meals but heavy in calories and avor. Thankfully, Emily doesn’t just enjoy cooking excellent meals for our family when we are home. She also has been experimenting with making dehydrated meals for our hiking trips for years and has come up with some stellar recipes. I seemingly had everything ready that I could possibly need within reason of what ts in a pack and could be hiked up a mountain.
The weather and avalanche forecasts for that week looked great.
By Tim Zweber Farmer & Columnist
Emily dropped me off at 4 a.m. at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport and we were on our way; well, after the pilots spent an hour starting one of the jet’s engines, we got on our way. Four hours of driving from Las Vegas to Lone Pine, California, and we were ready to get our packs on and go.
We camped by the trailhead the rst night to get used to higher altitudes and avoid having to nd our way up the mountain a couple of miles in the dark. The second day, we hiked up above 11,000 feet and camped by an alpine lake surrounded by beautiful cliffs with a view down valley toward the sunrise and up valley at the peak of Mount Whitney. On the third day, we grabbed our ice axes, put on our crampons and hiked/climbed our way to the 14,500-foot summit, then back down to camp, thankfully not slipping and falling off any cliffs. Because the weather was beautiful blue skies, and the sun at high altitudes is more of a burning death orb than a warming friend, we applied lots of sunscreen each morning. Unfortunately, I did not apply any to my lips and not enough to my nose. I thoroughly burned both.
The adventure was a great success. I haven’t been smiling much outwardly because it hurts, but inside, I’ve been grinning from ear to ear. Until next time, keep living the dream and remember that, no matter how well you plan, some little thing will probably be forgotten, and that’s OK. It’s often painful but acceptable. Getting out there and doing something, even if you may not have every detail perfect, is worth it.
Tim Zweber farms with his wife, Emily, their three children and his parents, Jon and Lisa, near Elko, Minnesota.
From the Zweber Farm
March Madness on the dairy
It’s that time of year again. Time for suspense and the thrill of erce competition. Time for teams to join together in the ultimate competition of knowledge, skill and teamwork. We look forward to this season that captures the passion and commitment of players, coaches and fans alike. What we are referring to is not the March Madness you are probably thinking of, but rather the bracket challenge thousands of 4-H kids partake in every
By Megan Schrupp & Ellen Stenger Columnists
spring — dairy quiz bowl.
4-H dairy quiz bowl is a knowledge-based competition on all things dairy. Teams of four members compete face-to-face, answering questions posed by a moderator. Topics include reproduction, nutrition, judging, milk quality, dairy products, health and more. Teams receive points for correct answers and may lose points for incorrect answers. After an initial round of questions posed to each individual team member, questions are offered up for grabs with teams using buzzers and nerves of steel to battle skills of knowledge and speed. The team with the highest nal score is the winner.
This year, our entire family has been immersed in the fun, with Ellen’s oldest participating on Meeker County’s junior division team. As a family, we have been spending time helping Adeline learn all things dairy. Megan explained reproduction, health and common diseases. Ellen reviewed parts of the cow, the unied scorecard and dairy history. Even Papa joined in the fun, as he covered topics such as acid detergent ber, fat-soluble vitamins, dietary cation-anion difference diets and all things nutrition.
Through this process, our family was reminded of the massive amount of research and information that has elevated our industry to what it is today. We have rediscovered facts forgotten long ago and learned a few new things along the way. One of the most reward-
ing aspects of working with youth to prepare for the quiz bowl contests are the moments when youth can suddenly witness concepts learned in practice, rsthand on the dairy. Watching the excitement and understanding “click” on the face of a youth as they help with milk fever and really understand the physiological process of what is occurring is priceless. Or when junior members witness a cow jumping on another cow and suddenly realize why that is happening and what that means to the dairy producer. There are so many simple things we witness each day as we move along; having youth learn the knowledge and begin to understand and ask questions reminds us why we decided on this career in the rst place. Older youth participants in the quiz bowl contests who may work on a dairy come to understand why they are completing the tasks assigned to them in a particular way. That understanding changes their mentality from one of just working to get the job done to one of working with curiosity, interest and observation.
Dairy quiz bowl provides youth with a nidus for greater learning and excitement about possible future career choices in our beloved dairy industry. The immense amount of knowledge and areas of expertise that are required in our current industry are extremely difcult to explain to youth when considering future career choices, especially if they are not raised on a dairy farm. Therefore, participation in these events gives them a further understanding of the wealth of information and data that drives our dairies and allows them to explore various areas of the industry. They are further able to discover areas that they may have a particular interest in — many times steering them in their future endeavors.
At the time of publication, the season will be drawing to a close as the nal coaches and teams are gunning for championships. We strongly encourage youth or families currently who are not participating but are interested in the quest for knowledge — and fun — of all things dairy to keep their eyes open at the end of this year when enrollment opens for the subsequent season. Contact your local 4-H county ofce for more information on getting in on the March Madness.
Megan Schrupp and Ellen Stenger are sisters and co-owners of both NexGen Dairy and NexGen Market in Eden Valley, Minnesota. They can be reached at Nexgendairy@gmail.com.
The NexGen: Adventures of two dairy daughters
VINCENT BILOW, Bilow Farms LLC 100-stall GEA DairyRotor T8900 parlor Malone, New York
“What excites me most about the GEA DairyRotor is the calmness of the cows. They load magnificently on and off the platform and we’re getting wicked milk letdowns. Our cows are happy and so is our team.” Bilow Farms LLC puts their cows and labor force first with
Hear Bilow’s story