Issuu

Thank you dairy buyers at the 9th Annual

MICHIGAN LIVESTOCK EXPO

SALE-ABRATION

SUPREME CHAMPION DAIRY COW KIERAN HARTNAGLE, WHEELER

SUPREME CHAMPION DAIRY SHOWPERSON MIRIAH DERSHAM, ST. JOHNS

SUPREME CHAMPION DAIRY HEIFER ASHTON GEURINK, ZEELAND

SUPREME CHAMPION CHEESE OLD EUROPE CHEESE, INC., BENTON HARBOR

2017 DAIRY BUYERS Supporters of Michigan Dairy Youth raised $36,000 at the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-abration on July 18, 2017. The money raised will be used to provide scholarships and support dairy youth activities such as the Michigan Dairy Expo and other dairy youth education programs.

ABS Global Caledonia Farmers Elevator CoBank Dairy Farmers of America Farm Bureau Family of Companies Employees Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C. Golden Elm Dairy, Eric Frahm Family Hudson Dairy Ken and Liz Nobis

Michigan Milk Producers Association MMPA Employees NorthStar Cooperative, Inc. Purina Animal Health Rabo AgriFinance The Kroger Company of Michigan United Dairy Industry of Michigan Vita Plus Zeeland Farm Services, Inc.

MICHIGAN MILK PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION

41310 Bridge Street / P.O. Box 8002, Novi, MI 48376 » 248-474-6672 » mimilk.com

-SUPERIOR NUTRITION BACKED BY EXTENSIVE RESEARCH -COMPLETE FEEDS, SUPPLEMENTS AND PREMIXES -PELLETED, TEXTURIZED, MEAL AND GRANULAR PRODUCTS -RATION BALANCING & CUSTOM RATION FORMULATION

Volume 3 • Issue 4 Winter 2017 The Michigan Dairy Cattle News is the official publication of the Michigan Holstein-Friesian Association, Inc. and the Michigan Jersey Cattle Club.

Melissa Hart, Editor Cell: 517-398-1957 email: farm.writer@hotmail.com 4520 Holcomb Rd., North Adams, MI 49262

on the cover . . .

As we get ready for the 2018 National Holstein Convention we are featuring two of the farm tour stops: Bosscher Dairy and BerSher Dairy. They are both in the McBain area and are two hidden gems in Michigan’s dairy industry. Bev Berens provides a virtual tour of these two farms in this issue. (Photo Credit - Bev Berens and Kenda Brinks-Rivera)

Melissa Hart

Michigan Dairy Cattle News 401 Harvest Trail, Midlothian, TX 76065 Ph: 517-490-7736 michholstein1@gmail.com Published 4 times per year Michigan Dairy Cattle News EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Tim Baker, Byron Center Brent Moyer, Caro Ike Hunt, Elsie Suzanne Tuttila, Williamston

616-813-6745 989-553-4333 989-862-4864 517-490-7736

Michigan Holstein Association Ike Hunt, President 6386 N. Meridian Rd., Elsie, MI 48831 Tim Baker, Vice President 2335 16th Ave, Byron Center, MI 49353 Suzanne Tuttila, Executive Secretary 401 Harvest Trail, Midothian, TX 76065 Ph: 517-490-7736 michholstein1@gmail.com Michigan Jersey Cattle Club Brent Moyer, President Mary Costigan, Vice President Carrie Delong, Secretary Elizabeth Rupprecht, Treasurer

989-553-4333 616-430-1258 810-614-4025 989-640-6913

Holstein Association USA Phone: 1-800-952-5200 1 Holstein Place, Brattleboro, VT 05302 Michigan and Indiana Representative Max Dunseth 278 S. Sprague, Coldwater, MI 49036 Cell: 269-251-0232 Michigan Upper Peninsula Representative Mandi Ramsburg De Pere, WI • 920-530-5023 mramsburg@holstein.com The Michigan Dairy Cattle News, the Michigan Holstein Association or their staff assume no liability for errors, omissions, content or for the effectiveness of advertising and cannot be held responsible for the timeliness of sale advertising that is scheduled less than thirty days ahead of the press date. Indexes are provided as an additional service. Publisher assumes no liabiltiy for errors or omissions. Subscription rate is $15.00 / year.

table of contents Ber-Sher Dairy Welcomes National Convention..............................................................6 Bosscher Dairy Opens Doors for National Convention..................................................7 Michigan State Fair Champions........................................................................................11 From the Jersey Desk..........................................................................................................13 In Memoriam.......................................................................................................................14 From the Holstein President’s Pen....................................................................................15 Notes From the Field..........................................................................................................16 Michigan Junior Holstein News........................................................................................17 Junior Holstein Workshop.................................................................................................18 From the National Directors..............................................................................................19 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference..........................................................................22 One More Thing..................................................................................................................33 Calendar of Events..............................................................................................................34 Advertiser Directory...........................................................................................................34

Summer 2015

Dreams Come True

When the National Holstein Convention Tours pull into Ber-Sher Dairy it will be a Dream Come True

Ninety-six years and three generations of a family’s careful decision making have gone into developing the genetics at Ber-Sher Dairy and they are excited to host a tour for the 2018 National Holstein Convention. Back row from left to right is Preslie Mejia, Manuel Mejia, Amberly Mejia, Ron Brinks, Riley Brinks, Nick Brinks, Reuben Rivera, Kenda Rivera. Front Row left to right is Braelynn Mejia, Barb Brinks, Bernard Brinks, Shirley Brinks, Finley Rivera, and Hadley Rivera.

By Bev Berens “I told my dad when I was a little girl that my dream was to have Greyhound busses pull in the yard someday,” said Kenda Brinks-Rivera. “My dream is happening. I am beyond words.” Ber-Sher Dairy in McBain is one of the farm tour stops during the National Holstein Convention scheduled for June 29-July 3, 2018, and she is thrilled to be welcoming them to Ber-Sher Dairy in June. “I was so excited when the committee called to ask if we would host a tour stop,” she added. 6 6

“Someday, I would love to show up at World Dairy Expo with a cow that blows everyone out of the water... We are just a small-town farm; it would be quite the dream.”

Kenda is the daughter of Ron and Barb Brinks and is the farm’s herdsman. Her husband, Ruben, is employed on the farm along with her brother, Nick. The farm was started in 1922 by her great-grandfather, also a breeder for Select Sires. Her grandfather dropped out of high school to help on the farm and bought the first registered cow when he was twenty years old. From that cow, hundreds of registered Holsteins have worn the Ber-Sher prefix. The herd consists of 220 cows and is 100% registered. The family milks in Continued on Page 8 Winter2015 2017 Summer

Bosscher Dairy Excited to Open their Doors for National Holstein Convention

Three generations of Bosscher family and the entire crew will be preparing to welcome Holstein enthusiasts from across the United States. They are eager to open doors to the farm which earned the top DHI herd for low SCC last year. By Bev Berens The town of McBain and its pocket of outstanding dairy farms is excited to welcome the National Holstein Convention farm tours to the area this summer. Nestled in a valley cleared by lumber barons over a hundred years ago, McBain is the quiet home to some of the state’s leading dairies and plenty of registered cattle. When the convention comes to town on June 29th -July 3rd, Bosscher Dairy will open their doors for guests, and will also be the farm where lunch is served. The farm is owned by Mike Bosscher who runs the cropping and custom harvest side of the farm. Joe Kulhawick is the herd manager and owns a portion of the herd, having Winter 2017

worked at Bosscher Dairy nearly thirty years. With 270 cows on test and roughly 240 milking at any given time, they use a double 12-herringbone parlor with automatic takeoffs, milking twice per day. Bosscher Dairy is another example of a smaller-scaled dairy which flies under the radar, maintaining a consistent herd size for 10 years. Bosscher Dairy earned top spot on Northstar’s Performance Summary report for Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin last year, one reason in addition to having numerous registered cattle, that Kulhawick believes they were selected to host a tour stop. They are also in the top forty-six herds on the SCC Council list of low somatic herds. They will find out where they

fell overall for the year within the next month. Joe has served on the District 7 Holstein board for thirty years, and been board president off and on through his tenure. “Knowing that the National Convention was coming north a few years ago, my wife Ruth and I hosted first state annual Michigan Holstein Association picnic at the farm,” Joe said. “We wanted to get people used to coming north. In doing so, they thought it would be a good place for a convention tour stop. We’ve had people on the farm before and I do have a fair amount of registered cattle.” “It’s kind of a once-in-a-lifetime thing that the National Holstein ConContinued on Page 8 7

Convention Tour a Dream Come True for Ber-Sher Dairy Ber-Sher From Page 6

a double 8-herringbone with the help of three-part time employees. They raise all their own haylage and corn silage. Each generation has had the opportunity to work with and develop at least one exceptional cow family. Ber-Sher Mogul Relay Rix-ET is Kenda’s focus cow right now. “She’s been flushed and has given me quite a few VG’s so far, but they aren’t quite old enough yet to score Excellent,” she said. “Her mom is Ber-Sher Jeeves Roman Relay-ET who produced multiple Excellent daughters and had several contracts. We are trying to build multiple good cow families.” She likes to use about four to five bulls at a time and is currently using Undenied, Diamond Back and Mogul for type. “Some people have backed off Mogul, but he is just phenomenal on our farm,” she said. The farm is focused on type and milk--- particularly components--- in the breeding program. “I want to milk

the best-looking cows we can milk,” Kenda said. “I want 200 of the prettiest cows around.” Ber-Sher Dairy cows don’t just stand around and look nice. They work hard to pay their keep, producing milk with 4% butterfat, 3.2% protein at an average of 85 pounds per day. When the tour busses arrive, Kenda will have her cameras rolling to document the day. She wants people to see that a small farm in a small town can still be viable. She knows the cows by name, their history, and a story behind each one, something she believes is lost in the mega production of the super-sized farms; it is an aspect of farming she never wants to lose or give up. “Someday, I would love to show up at World Dairy Expo with a cow that blows everyone out of the water,” citing Sheeknoll Durham Arrow, 2016 World Dairy Expo Grand Champion Holstein as her inspiration. “We are just a small-town farm; it would be quite the dream.”

Ber-Sher Dairy will welcome Holstein enthusiasts from coast to coast at the National Holstein Convention in June.

Bosscher Dairy to Open Doors for National Convention Bosscher From Page 7

vention tour will be in McBain. I am honored about even being asked to be a tour stop. It’s something that doesn’t ever happen to most people and we are pretty excited about it.” The dairy plans to showcase 10-20 of it’s best cattle, both cows and heifers during the event. They are discussing the possibility of allowing a few other herds to bring in a small number of spotlight cattle as most visitors won’t be traveling south to see cattle in southern Michigan herds. “Traverse City is definitely one of the most beautiful places you can come to visit,” Joe added. “Sleeping Bear Dunes is one of the top-rated vacation spots in the country. We are proud to be able to show off our beautiful northern part of this state.” 8 8

Bosscher Dairy in McBain is excited to welcome National Holstein Convention tour to their McBain farm. Pictured from left are Mike Bosscher, farm owner, and Joe Kulhawick, herdsman and partner. (Bev Berens photo) Summer Winter 2015 2017

Summer 2015

Michigan State Fair Champions Novi, MI -- The Michigan State Fair Dairy Show was held on September 3rd, 2017 in Novi. Several breeds were represented and Phillip Topp of Topp-View Farms in Botkins, Ohio served as the official judge. Ayrshire-Grand Champion-Dawson’s Burdette Abby exhibited by Jack-

man Farms and Jeff Dawson, Croswell, MI. Brown Swiss -Grand Champion – DF Adele’s August Eeyore exhibited by Carolyn Delong, North Branch, MI. Jersey-Grand Champion – Buell’s Fozdik Carmel exhibited by Stoney Buell, Temperance, MI. Milking Shorthorn-Grand Cham-

pion – Twilite R Star Pink Tulip exhibited by Carolyn Delong, North Branch, MI. Guernsey Grand Champion Peep Creek Pies Arista exhibited by Ryan Berens, Shelbyville, MI. Holstein Grand Champion - Holstein G5 Phoenix Saline exhibited by Shelby Berens, Hamilton, MI.

Showmanship Champions

Supreme Champion

From Left Reserve Champion Showman Carolyn Delong, Nort Branch, Judge Phillip Topp, Champion Showman Adrianna Jackson. Caro.

Milking Shorthorn-Grand Champion – Twilite R Star Pink Tulip exhibited by Carolyn Delong, North Branch, MI. Judge Phillip Topp and Carolyn Delong.

The 2018 National Holstein Convention will be here before you know it! If you want to be a part of this fantastic convention in Traverse City, June 29-July 3, let us know!

Contact Darwin Sneller at 989-977-3718 if you're interested in serving or sponsoring any part of the convention when we

‘Explore the Shore and More!’

11 Winter 2017

Summer 2015 11

Summer 2015

From the Jersey Desk

Michigan Jersey Cattle Club Hello All As we move from fall to winter, I hope everyone has had a bountiful and safe harvest. As everyone is preparing for winter, there are just a few thoughts about the upcoming year that I would like to share. Michigan Jersey will not be having their annual meeting at the Great Lakes Dairy Conference this year, we tried a new venue in October. All though attendance was down for the meeting, we covered several topics and were able to get some things accomplished. The planning for another sale similar to last year, is underway. The 2017 sale was rather successful for the number of consignments. I would like to encourage any of you who may have some extra animals to merchandise to consider consigning to this year’s sale. The demand for jerseys seems quite high this year; as I myself have had several calls from people looking for both cows and heifers. And I’ve had several calls as a result of advertising in this magazine, which means our magazine is doing it’s job. We decided on a few changes to the Futurity to try and boost numbers and participants and these changes are effective for this year’s futurity.

some point. This will be for all Jersey members with an open invite to members of the other associations in the state. It will soon be time to start preparing for our annual Great Lakes Spring Show. Hope to see you all there. Let’s take the opportunity to show others what Michigan Jersey has to offer in quality jerseys. I would also like to throw out there that Michigan Holstein is working hard and diligently at planning for the upcoming 2018 National Holstein Convention to be held at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City June 29-July 3rd. I would like to encourage anyone that would like to volunteer for this event to contact Sarah Dillion at 517-398-1521 or email poseycreekfarms@gmail.com. This will be an excellent opportunity to connect with dairymen and fanciers of the Holstein cow from all over the U.S. There will be many fun and interesting activities in this short window of time in early July. Until Next Time,

Brent Moyer President MJCC 989-553-4333

We are looking at planning a picnic/farm day this summer at

Matt, Sarah & Andi Dillon

Registered Holsteins & Brown Swiss

4300 Jerome Road • North Adams, MI 49262

(517) 398-1521

poseycreekfarms@gmail.com Winter 2017

In Memoriam

Erwin Emmanuel Weber December 29, 1930 ~ December 9, 2017

Erwin Emmanuel Weber, a lifelong resident of Arbela Township and Millington, MI passed from our world into God's Kingdom late Saturday afternoon, Dec. 9, 2017, at Wellspring Lutheran Home in Frankenmuth, MI. He was 86. Erwin (Erv) was born on December 29, 1930, in Arbela Town-

14 14

ship, son of the late Alvin and Ida (Petzold) Weber. On October 13, 1956, Erwin married Loretta Knoll, and together they celebrated 61 years of marriage. Erwin served in the US Army from 1953-1955 and was a member of the Conrad-Wager-Keene American Legion Post 164. He was a lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and served the church and school on various boards and committees. Erwin retired from dairy and cash crop farming, after 40+ years. He was also active serving Arbela Township and various farming organizations. Erwin leaves to cherish his memory his family-- his wife, Loret-

ta; four children and their spouses: Gloria and Michael LaPointe, Duane and Sandy Weber, Diane and Sonny Bishop, and Miriam Nielsen; 12 grandchildren: Christopher, Melissa, Amanda, James, Katherine, David, Sydney, Dustin, Samantha, Irene, Mathias, and Sophia. He also leaves a brother: Arthur Weber; and three sisters: Linda Rohde, Ruth Schiefer, and Flora Weber. Besides his parents, Erwin was preceded in death by an infant daughter; two brotherin-laws: Richard Rohde and Arnold Schiefer; a sister-in-law: Ilene Weber; and an infant brother. In lieu of flowers Memorial Gifts of Remembrance can be directed to St. Paul Lutheran Church.

Summer Winter 2015 2017

From the President’s Pen

Michigan Holstein Association “Twas the night before Christmas…” I’m sure that you all know how the rest of that poem goes. During these holiday times we all should pause and remember what we are grateful for. we spend a lot of time involved in the hustle and bustle but do we spend enough time in remembering the reason for the season? People talk about the magic of Christmas, God’s own Son came down to earth, how can it get more magical than that? As I write this, I’m thinking that this is my last letter to you as the president of the Michigan Holstein Association. I’ve met lots of smart, energetic, interesting people since being involved with the MHA board and I would like to thank them for all the energy and hard work that they have put into making our as-

sociation a success. Suzanne made the move to Texas a couple of years ago and still does a pretty darn good job of being our executive secretary. Thank you. Recently, Suzanne sent all you MHA members a membership renewal letter, in that envelope was a by-laws change proposal that we will be discussing at the annual meeting in Mt Pleasant in February. I hope that you will all read that proposal and come to the annual meeting and put your two cents worth into the discussion so that we can change the by-laws to better reflect how the MHA members are represented on the MHA board. Of course, the big thing coming up for our association is hosting the National Holstein Convention. The executive

planning committee and all the other committees are gearing up for the busy next six months leading up to the convention in Traverse City. Lots of things are still needed to make it a success. The sale committee is looking for those extra special consignments for the national sale, the finance committee can never have too much money and volunteers are needed for any number of jobs. Be sure to contact the committees where you can help out. Merry Christmas and a Happy Moo Year. See you around, Ike

Ike President MHA

Notes From the Field

Max’s Memo Hello, As 2017 comes to an end I hope that this finds that the crops are put up. I know here in my area there are still many corn and bean fields that are still standing. I want to thank all the members and clients that are using the services of the Holstein Association, USA. We all have times when we get behind on our registry work and if you need help to get “caught up” please let Mandi or me know. If you have a group that needs to be sent in, maybe when the kids are home to help over the holiday’s they can assist in doing so. Holsten Complete is still a great program to get the full services that we offer and a way to save money in doing so. As herds get bigger this program can really benefit you, as well as the herds that have used the program for years. It combines registry, membership, Tri-Star, classification, sire summary, and many other benefits such as reduced prices for registry, and free pedigrees to name a few. Check out the Holstein Association, USA website for many more

programs and services. In closing I look forward to the upcoming National Holstein Convention for 2018 that you are hosting near Traverse City. Please get involved. Make it the best one ever. I know that MHA is working hard on it. Again, thank you for your business, enjoy your family and friends every day, and from the Dunseth family to yours HAPPY HOLIDAYS. Sincerely,

Max Dunseth Max Dunseth Regional Sales Representative - HAUSA 269-251-0232 Mandi Ramsburg Regional Sales Representative - HAUSA Upper Peninsula of Michigan 920-530-5023

Winter 2017

Michigan Junior Holstein News

From Your President Michigan youth who will be attending the 2018 National Holstein Convention this summer, hosted right here in Michigan! As the year comes to a close, so does the conclusion of another show year and many successes along the way. I would like to congratulate everyone on all of their hard work that turned into ribbons and banners this past year! We can now all turn the page and look forward to the year to come. The coming year will bring a lot of new and exciting opportunities for the Michigan Junior Holstein Association. We just concluded our first annual cheese sale which was a huge success and we would like to thank everyone who ordered from us which made it a great fundraiser. The proceeds from the cheese sale will be going towards the

Furthermore, the Michigan Junior Holstein Board created an opportunity for the juniors who would like to attend the National Convention! This opportunity will be a workshop at the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference on February 10, 2018. There will be a public speaking, jeopardy, folding display, scrapbook, and banner contest. After the conclusion of the contests will be a workshop time so that we can prepare all of Michiganâ€™s representatives for the national competition. We highly encourage any youth that plan on attending the 2018 National Holstein Convention to attend this workshop. We would also like to remind you that

this coming year at the spring show the MJHA will be selling baskets at the sale so that we are able to support as many youth we can to the national convention. If you have any questions regarding anything I mentioned above, please do not hesitate to contact me by email: burkhardt.k43@gmail.com. You may also visit our Facebook page for more details. I wish everyone Happy Holidays and hope that everyone has another great year! Thank you for your time,

Kristen Burkhardt burkhardt.k43@gmail.com

Michigan Junior Holstein Workshop Calling all young dairy enthusiasts!!! The Michigan Junior Holstein Association will be hosting a contest day on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. This is a great time to network with peers and prepare for the largest dairy event to come to Michigan in over 20 years – the National Holstein Convention! Improve your dairy knowledge and practice public speaking and presentation skills through a variety of fun, interactive contests. You’ll also hear how you can help us welcome youth from across the country who are eager to “Explore the Shore” at the 2018 convention. All dairy youth ages 920 are welcome, and those interested in competing at the National Junior Holstein Convention in Traverse City are strongly encouraged to participate. Participation in this event as well as skill will be considered in the selection of Michigan’s contest representatives for the 2018 national convention. Not a member? An annual membership is only $10! Email Suzanne Tuttila at Michholstein1@gmail.com to join.

Winter 2017

From the Director’s Desk My first full National board meeting was November 15th and 16th in Chicago, Ill. I would have to say my fellow board members are a very intelligent and diverse group. While many things discussed are confidential, I can now say that our Holstein classifiers will be evaluating for the Guernsey breed also. This should be a good fit, as the SET numbers decline, the Guernsey herds will help to make good use of the classifiers’ time within an area. Many of these herds have both breeds.

I have been appointed to the Show Committee and the Junior Advisory Committee(JAC). The JAC will be meeting in Hartford, CT., in January. The Show committee had a teleconference meeting in November to approve National Shows and the judges lists. Some additional information will be added to the judges list in the future. During the board meeting, the Fall yearling not in milk was a topic of

discussion. National Holstein would encourage breeders to calve their heifers at an earlier age but realize not all breeders have the same management philosophy. Therefore, it was voted to leave the fall yearling in milk as an optional class for the fall shows. The Holstein staff is a well versed and efficient group who work very well with our CEO John Meyer. The association has thrived using a management by objective business plan. Identification, the main core of HAUSA, is doing very well. Registrations are stable and Basic ID is increasing at a good rate with genomic testing of many heifers in non-registering herds. We approved a research project for breed improvement, results are expected in one year and should help make breeding decisions for future generations, through the understanding of the effects of inbreeding.

We also voted to release over 1500 prefixes that have not been used for more than 20 years. These will be available for others to use after the first of the year. A list of these are posted on the HAUSA web site. I need to say that if you are not on the COMPLETE program now, you should check it out, it is a good way to save some money on registrations and classification. Any questions or concerns let me know. smouric@aol.com or 614-2057179.

Steve Moff Steve Moff HAUSA Director

Buell’s Bovines Drew, Deanne, Skylar & Stoney Buell

7075 Lewis Ave. • Temperance, MI 48182

Drew: 734-693-1408 • Deanne: 734-693-3689 Winter 2017

MJCC Futurity Nomination Form

For Futurity Year _________

*NEW* Payment Schedule â€“ $20 with calf nomination due by March 1, 2018 $10 at Futurity Nominate at 1 year of Age $75 at 2 years of age $100 Must be a MJCC member in good standing to exhibit in Futurity

Name of Animal ______________________________ Registration # ___________________ Tattoo Left Ear _______ Right Ear ________ Date of Birth ____________________ Sire: _______________________________________ Registration # ____________________ Dam: ______________________________________ Registration # ____________________ Name & Address of Owner ____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ **************************************************************************** Name of Animal ______________________________ Registration # ___________________ Tattoo Left Ear _______ Right Ear ________ Date of Birth ____________________ Sire: _______________________________________ Registration # ____________________ Dam: ______________________________________ Registration # ____________________ Name & Address of Owner ____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ **************************************************************************** Name of Animal ______________________________ Registration # ___________________ Tattoo Left Ear _______ Right Ear ________ Date of Birth ____________________ Sire: _______________________________________ Registration # ____________________ Dam: ______________________________________ Registration # ____________________ Name & Address of Owner ____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ **************************************************************************** Name of Animal ______________________________ Registration # ___________________ Tattoo Left Ear _______ Right Ear ________ Date of Birth ____________________ Sire: _______________________________________ Registration # ____________________ Dam: ______________________________________ Registration # ____________________ Name & Address of Owner ____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 20

Winter 2017

16th annual Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference slated for February in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan EAST LANSING, Mich. – The 16th annual Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference Feb. 8-10, 2018, at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, will shine the light on a variety of strategies producers can use to survive and thrive during one of the most critical periods in agriculture. The United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) will host a session Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. to provide an overview of dairy promotion activities to dairy farmers who attend the conference or who live near the conference location. The informal meeting will provide an opportunity to share with dairy farmers how UDIM staff members work on their behalf to promote dairy across the state. It will give farmers an opportunity to ask questions about programs. The conference kicks off Thursday, Feb. 8, with a pre-conference session in which Michigan producers and experts will examine the major drivers of the mailbox milk price and consider options that farmers have to influence or manage their milk check income. Next, producers will hear from Gary Sipiorski of Vita Plus Inc. who will highlight the current status of the industry, and show producers where there is light and what they can do to guide their operations through the fog. Following the industry discussion, Mark Stephenson of the University of Wisconsin, will delve further into milk pricing and the challenges in the Midwest. Then Nate Donnay, director of dairy market insight at INTL FCStone, will break down current global and local factors affecting milk prices and discuss what producers should expect in the next 12 to 24 months. He will also talk about the continued challenges and possible opportunities for the Great Lakes Region. Late afternoon will feature Brandon Treichler, Select Milk Producers quality control veterinarian, explaining how labs test milk for quality parameters and how the results help identify opportunities to produce higher quality milk as well as basic troubleshooting strategies when bacteria counts rise. The focus will be on Lab 22

producers and lenders must make to position for success? Kohl will provide a new look at burn rate, not only on working capital, but also on core land equity, along with trends that will have an impact on the industry now and by 2030. Friday afternoon, attendees will have the choice of three educational workshops to attend:

Pasteurized Counts but other common bacteria counts will be discussed as well. The afternoon will wrap up with Sipiorski, Stephenson, Donnay and Treichler offering an “All Things Milk Q and A” where producers can fire questions at the experts. The evening will feature an Exhibitor Showcase and the Great Lakes Commercial Heifer Extravaganza XIII Sale. The conference continues Friday morning, Feb. 9, with Peter Hansen of the University of Florida who will decode the data and share strategies to help producers make the most profitable decisions for the future of their farms in regard to understanding the science of genomics. This session will be followed by a panel of producers from across the U.S. who will share their IVF strategies. Kathryn Proudfoot of Ohio State University will explore how you can use dairy cow behavior to help you make better management and housing decisions at calving. She will discuss practical ways to allow dairy cows to seek the seclusion they look for as they prepare to give birth that will help you bust the bulk tank down the line. The morning will wrap up with David Kohl, Virginia Tech professor emeritus, who will discuss how dairies can position themselves for success in the economic reset. This session will examine both the short-run and long-run economic and financial picture. What are the adjustments

Lean Farming - Susanne Pejstrup, Lean Farming Inc. Farmers will learn strategies in lean farming to help increase productivity. Pejstrup will explain how farmers can introduce standards, systematic work procedures and structure, and the culture of continuous improvement to improve the bottom line. Labor Regulations and Legal Requirements - Karl W. Butterer, Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC Labor policy, regulations and requirements are confusing and constantly changing. Attorney Butterer will share the latest changes in policy, and explain labor regulations and requirements that farmers need to know to ensure their operation is in compliance. Producers are encouraged to bring their questions to the session. Robotics Producer Panel Producers who have installed robotic systems from Lely, DeLaval and GEA will share their experiences in a panel discussion. Hear their successes and stumbles from install to operation and their best management strategies to move their operations forward. The Holstein Association will conduct their annual meeting on Saturday, Feb. 10, starting at 9 a.m. Individual (adult), student and farm registration options are available. Registrations received by Jan. 21, 2018, will save you up to $25 per day. Online registration closes Feb. 4, 2018, at midnight. On-site registrations are subject to availability. Visit www.glrdc.org to get the complete conference schedule or to register online. Participants can also register by phone by calling 517-884-7089. Winter 2017

Early registration ends January 21!

Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference February 8–10, 2018 Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort Mount Pleasant, Michigan Take a break from the day-to-day dairying challenges, expand your knowledge and network with others at this year’s Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference. Learn new tools and strategies to move your farm forward. The program includes: • The latest in global trends, local markets and strategies to survive

the challenges facing the industry today from experts David Kohl and Gary Sipiorski

• All things milk: pricing, local challenges, marketing and quality, and LPC • An in-depth look at in vitro fertilization and its practical application on dairies across the U.S.

• The use of transition-cow behavior to improve cow care, cow health and overall productivity • Workshops that include “Milk Check Economics: What Can Dairy Farmers Do?” “Labor Regulations and Legal Requirements” and “Lean Management Strategies” as well as a robotics producer panel

www.glrdc.org • 517-884-7089 • honkemeg@msu.edu ad FINAL.indd 23 2018 8.5x11 Winter 2017

11/10/17 9:30 AM

Summer 2015 23

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Summer 2015

MHA By-Law Proposal

Summer 2015

27 Winter 2017

Summer 2015 27

2018 MEMBERSHIP

MICHIGAN HOLSTEIN ASSOCIATION

401 Harvest Trail-Midlothian, TX 76065 ~ Phone: 517-490-7736 PLEASE UPDATE INFORMATION ACCURATELY AND COMPLETELY â€¢ MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31st, 2017

PLEASE MARK OUT ERRORS AND MAKE CORRECTIONS ON THE REVERSE SIDE. HFAA ACCT. #:

NAME:

NAME USED FOR STATE AND NATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS MUST BE EXACTLY THE SAME TO GET THE LOWEST REGISTRATION RATE.

ADDRESS:

CITY:

ZIP CODE:

STATE:

DISTRICT:

COUNTY:

SPOUSE:

REGISTERED PREFIX:

FARM NAME:

New Member

PHONE: E-Mail

FAX NUMBER:

Grade:

NO. OF MILKING AGED FEMALES: Registered DIRECTIONS TO FARM:

ADULT MEMBERSHIP

ADULT BASE MEMBERSHIP (INCLUDES 1 Michigan Dairy Cattle News SUBSCRIPTION) Examples - Reg. Cows 1 Cow.........$46.00 2 Cows........$47.00 3 Cows........$48.00 10 Cows........$55.00 50 Cows........$95.00 100 Cows........$145.00 101 Cows........$146.00 102 Cows........$147.00 125 Cows........$170.00 150 Cows........$195.00 175 Cows........$220.00 200 Cows........$245.00 300 Cows........$345.00 400 Cows........$445.00 500 Cows........$545.00 501 Cows........$545.75 510 Cows........$551.75 525 Cows........$563.00

NAME:

EACH AT $45.00..45.00 ......

$1.00 Per Registered Milking Aged Holstein female for the first 500.

$1.00 x

$.75 Per Registered Milking Aged Holstein female from 501-1,000.

$.75 x $.50 x

$.50 Per Registered Milking Aged Holstein female from 1001 and over.

SUBTOTAL w/ adult membership and cows.

MICHIGAN JUNIOR HOLSTEIN ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP NAME(S): ADDRESS: PHONE:

COUNTY:

BIRTHDATE(S): PARENTS (OR GUARDIAN): FEE @ $10.00 EACH PER YEAR..... MICHIGAN DAIRY CATTLE NEWS - ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIPTIONS Junior Member Subscriptions @ $10.00

ADDRESS: STATE:

CITY, ZIP:

CITY: ZIP:

ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AT $15.00 EACH..... TOTAL ALL FEES FOR 2018

This is your receipt - please detach and retain for your records Membership is for January 1 through December 31, 2018.

Michigan Holstein Association 401 Harvest Trail-Midlothian, TX 76065 Phone: 517-490-7736 E-mail:MichHolstein1@gmail.com

Date____________ Total Fee$____________ Check Number___________

Winter 2017

          More EYES on YOUR ad when YOUR ad is on DAIRY AGENDA TODAY!

Visit www.dairyagendatoday.com

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2018.

One More Thing . . .

MHA Master Breeder Noms Nominations for the MHA Master Breeder and the Outstanding Young Breeder awards can be sent to Suzanne Tuttila at michholstein1@gmail.com or by calling 517-490-7736. These awards will be presented at the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference in February. Prayers for Hardys At press time three barn structures burned down in an early morning fire at Hardy’s Holsteins in Tipton. No cattle were lost in the blaze. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Hardys at this difficult time. Congratulations! We congratulate Drew and Elizabeth Rupprecht (King Street Dairy) on the birth of their second child, Charlotte(Charlie) Elizabeth. She was born on December 13th and weighed 7 lbs 15 oz. Welcome Charlie!

Like the Michigan Holstein Association and the Michigan Jersey Cattle Club pages on Facebook! And remember, all issues of the Michigan Dairy Cattle News are online at www. dairyagendatoday.com

“Volunteers don’t necessarily have the time; they just have the heart!” An exciting opportunity is on the horizon for Michigan Holstein Breeders! As you’ve hopefully heard by now, we are hosting the 2018 National Holstein Convention right here in our great state. Mark your calendar to “Explore the Shore, Michigan Holsteins and More” June 29 – July 3, 2018 in Traverse City. Planning is well underway and that includes volunteer sign up. You know the saying “Many hands make light work.” Well, we are going to need a lot of helping hands to make our event successful! Whether you are drawn to Junior Activities, the National Convention Sale, Tours or just greeting our guests, we have volunteer opportunities to fit your interest and schedule. National Holstein Convention doesn’t take place on your back doorstep very often, do not miss this opportunity! To volunteer, contact Sarah Dillon: 517-398-1521 or poseycreekfarms@gmail.com For general convention information, visit the website: www.michiganholstein.com/ Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @NatHolConv18 Winter 2017

calendar 2018

February 8-10: Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference, Mt. Pleasant, MI February 10: District 7 Annual Meeting, Mt. Pleasant, MI February 10: Michigan Holstein Association Annual Meeting, 9 am, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Mt. Pleasant, MI February 12: Deadline for Spring Issue of MDCN February 14: Kash-In on Valentine’s Day, Tulare, CA March 9-10: Ohio Holstein Convention Sale & Meeting, Days Inn, Sidney, OH March 23: Michigan Spring Foundation Sale, East Lansing, MI

Black Ridge Genetics..............................................................4 Bovine Beautician................................................................ 14 Buell’s Bovines..................................................................... 19 Buell’s Bovines..................................................................... 31 Brenhaven Holsteins & Jerseys............................................. 10 Dairy Agenda Today............................................................ 32 Dunseth, Max...................................................................... 19 End Road Farm.................................................................... 13 FasTrack.............................................................................. 34 Germane Environmental...................................................... 14 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference............................... 23 Green Meadows Farm.......................................................... 12 Kalmbach Feeds.....................................................................3 MHA Call to Meeting........................................................... 14 MHA Membership Form...................................................... 28 Michigan Livestock Service................................................... 17 Michigan State Fair.............................................................. 35 MJCC Futurity Nomination Form........................................ 20 MMPA...................................................................................2

March 24: Great Lakes Spring Holstein Show, East Lansing, MI

National Holstein Convention................................................9

March 24: Michigan Spring Jersey Show, East Lansing, MI

Peep Creek........................................................................... 26

March 29-31: Spring Dairy Expo, Columbus, OH

Posey Creek.......................................................................... 29

April 5-9: New York Spring Dairy Carousel, Show Results Syracuse, NY June 29-July 3: National Holstein Convention, Traverse City, MI

Northstar Cooperative.......................................................... 36

Posey Creek.......................................................................... 13

Producer Row NHC.............................................................. 21 Reed Dairy........................................................................... 16 Rod-er-Dic........................................................................... 25 Spring Foundation Sale........................................................ 15 ST Genetics.......................................................................... 24 Star Summit......................................................................... 30 Starward Farm..................................................................... 33 Tomerton............................................................................. 13 Vitality Crew........................................................................ 33 Wardin Brothers................................................................... 19 Weston Dairy....................................................................... 19 Wonderbred Holsteins.......................................................... 13

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