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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 21, No. 23
January 25, 2020
Another way to dairy
Sterken milks cows, goats By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
DELAVAN, Wis. – At Sterken Farms in Delavan, cows and goats are next-door neighbors. The cow side of the operation is owned and operated by three brothers – Wayne, Doc and Lester Sterken – while the goat operation, Musty Meadow, belongs to Lester. Between the two farms, Sterkens milk 1,200 animals – 600 of each – lling their bulk tanks with quality milk from two kinds of dairy animals. Second-generation farmers, Wayne, Doc and Lester, combined their herds into one in 1999, uniting 250 cows. They continued adding bovines until reaching 600 cows after three years. They built new facilities, including a freestall barn and milking parlor and added a special needs barn for fresh and
closeup cows in 2001. Doc’s wife, Mary, a retired schoolteacher, does the books. Lester’s daughter, Holly, is in charge of calves. Lester feeds all the cows in addition to running the dairy goat operation down the road with his wife, Helen. It was just before Christmas 2015 when Lester branched out into milking goats. “I thought it would be fun,” he said. “I was tired of cows. They’re too big to handle.” Lester describes his 1,000head goat operation as a hobby that exploded. He started out milking 80 does, and his herd grew fast. He bought 150 kids before starting his new venture which were soon added to Turn to STERKENS | Page 6
STACEY SMART/DAIIRY STAR
Lester Sterken pets his goats on his farm near Delavan, Wisconsin. Lester began milking goats in December 2015 and has several breeds, including Alpine, Lamancha, Toggenburg, Saanen and Oberhasli.
Farmers unite at Dairy Day at the Capitol
Producers meet with legislators to discuss several topics By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – Dairy producers made their voices heard Jan. 21 at the second annual Dairy Day at the Capitol hosted by Dairy Business Association in Madison. Approximately 40 people, including dairy farmers and industry members, received rsthand updates from legislative leaders and administration ofcials on matters critical to agriculture and dairy that are pending before the assembly and the senate. “It’s good to be down in Madison and see our lawmakers and have them see us,” said Amy Penterman, DBA vice president. “They need to hear from actual voters and learn more about what we do as dairy farmers. By putting a face to our name, we’re no
longer just a number.” Penterman and her husband, Sander, milk 850 cows and farm 1,400 acres on their farm, Dutch Dairy, in Thorp. Following a brief welcome from DBA president, Tom Crave, those in attendance heard from Preston Cole, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, who discussed the need for achieving clean water for everyone. Reps. Todd Novak and Katrina Shankland provided an update on water quality initiatives. Jason Stein, research director with Wisconsin Policy Forum, shared state budget numbers, and DBA government affairs staff briefed the audience on bills under consideration that are legislative priorities for DBA in 2020. Legislative ofce visits took place in the afternoon, giving attendees the opportunity for face-to-face meetings with lawmakers and their staff to help educate on issues such as dairy prodSTACEY SMART/DAIIRY STAR Aaron Stauffacher, DBA associate director of government affairs (le�) discusses uct labeling, crop insurance, nutrientgroup assignments for legisla�ve office visits with Bryce O’Leary (from le�), Turn to CAPITOL | Page 5 Tracey Leeder, and Jim Winn, Jan. 21 during Dairy Day at the Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin.
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Krista Kuzma - Editor/Wisconsin (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Julie Barnes (SE WI and Northern IL) julie.b@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Ashley Curry (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-539-7268 • ashley.c@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
A glance at the other side
Among all the stories found in our newspaper, it might be hard to believe there are more stories to read each issue. Dairy Star likes to provide local stories, which is why we have two versions of the paper. While the majority of the features are the same, there are many stories in their respective coverage areas that are different. Want to read stories in the other version of the paper? Find full editions on our website, www. dairystar.com and click on the e-edition tab under the Dairy Star header. Here are a few highlights from stories you will not nd in this paper, but you can nd online in zone 1. Form-A-Feed dairy conference coverage Form-A-Feed held its annual professional dairy conference on Jan. 16 and 17 in Welch, Minnesota. Mario Solis Flores presented at the conference with his seminar about parlor performance. A proper parlor procedure can help a dairy run more efciently, saving the farm money and potentially increasing milk output. Find out what factors affect parlor performance. South Dakota Dairy Princess program comes to an end South Dakota will be putting away the crown and sash when it comes to promoting dairy. The state will be celebrating the 65-year South Dakota Dairy Princess Program with a reunion at 5 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Swiftel Center in Brookings, South Dakota. Although there will no longer be a princess, the focus will shift to the dairy ambassador program, which began in 2018. A generation gap Blake Christensen has always wanted to be a dairy farmer, and he is inching closer to that reality. Every weekend, Blake returns home from college to help his grandfather, Richard Christensen, on his dairy near Frazee, Minnesota. The duo works together to milk the cows and take care of chores, as Blake also incorporates management practices he is learning at school. They are making plans for Blake to purchase the farm from Richard in two years. Nathes invest in robots to improve efciencies Jeron and Brenda Nathe knew they had opportunity to make their farm more efcient for the cows and themselves. After crunching the numbers and carefully evaluating if moving up to milking three times a day in a parlor or investing in robots would give the better return, the Nathes went with the latter. For the last nine months, the family has milked their cows with ve robots on their farm near Meire Grove, Minnesota.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Abbotsford
Stevens Point
First Section: Page 39
Third Section: Pages 2 - 3
Page 33 First Section
Milladore
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
First Section: Page 36
Jackson
Juneau
d
O Waushara
o ag Calumet
eb
nn Wi
Green Lake Fond Du Lac
Columbia Dodge
Sauk
Cr
aw
for
Richland
ie am Brown
g uta
Adams
Alternative forages open up options for dairy farmers
Dane
Iowa
Grant
Wisconsin Dells
Lafayette Green
Jefferson Waukesha
Rock
Walworth
Zone 2
Carroll
Shullsburg
go
eba
n Win
on
S
on
ens
h tep
Bo
Jo Daviess
e
First Section: Pages 37 - 38
Zone 1
Whiteside
Ogle Lee
on
Mercer
Hen ders
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
n
re War
Kenosha
Kane
Delavan
Sterken brothers producing two kinds of milk
First Section: Pages 1, 6 - 7
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
Rock Island
Racine
McHenry
DeKalb
Hartung enjoys diversication, entrepreneurship
Do or
Shawano
Wood
Vernon
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
Oconto
Portage Waupaca
Monroe La Crosse
Women in Dairy: Jodi Otto
Menominee
Ke w
Buffalo
te
ton S he bo Milwaukee Ozauk M yg ee an anito wo c
Dairy Good Life
Pepin
et
Langlade
Marathon
Clark
Eau Claire
in
ing
Pierce
Page 32 First Section
Dunn
Taylor
Chippewa
ar
Menominee
Wa sh
Just Thinking Out Loud
St. Croix
Lincoln
ce
M
Forest
ett e
First Section: Pages 23, 25
Oneida
Rusk
Barron
ren
qu
Spindler is Danish by birth, American by choice
Price
Delta
Dickinson
Vilas
Flo
Sawyer
Trempealeau
Page 31 First Section
Stratford
Polk
Iron
aun ee
n ur
Page 30 First Section
Something to Ruminate On
Ashland
hb
Burnett
First Section: Pages 10 - 11
Bayeld
Douglas
Page 27 First Section
Kluck pours his heart into dairying
Ma r
Fluid milk consumption moving forward
Ramblings from the Ridge
Roseholt
Fire safety on the farm
Dairy Prole: Kyle Kunze
Wa s
Pages 8-9 First Section
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: What buildings collapsed on your dairy farm?
First Section: Pages 15 - 16
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 5
ConƟnued from CAPITOL | Page 1
IT’S A NEW YEAR! STACEY SMART/DAIIRY STAR
Kevin Collins, a dairy producer from Greenleaf, Wisconsin, asks a quesƟon during Dairy Day at the Capitol Jan. 21 in Madison, Wisconsin.
trading, livestock facility siting and more. “It does good to educate and give our input,” said Kevin Collins, a dairy producer from Greenleaf. “Many law-
“The lawmakers were very engaged and very open. They wanted to hear what our issues were.” AMY PENTERMAN, DAIRY FARMER
makers are not familiar with agriculture. This is our chance to explain our challenges and what we’re trying to do on the farm.” Collins milks 1,300 cows and farms 3,000 acres, and was able to meet with several lawmakers from his area, including Joel Kitchens, Ron Tusler and Gary Tauchen, along with aids from the ofces of Shae Sortwell, André Jacque and David Considine. Following his meetings, Collins said it was clear both sides are trying to work together on agricultural issues.
“They are really supportive of getting water bills passed,” Collins said. “I also saw a lot of support for the nutrient-trading and truth-in-labeling bills. Everyone was very receptive to us.” Dairy Day at the Capitol is an occasion in which dairy men and women can bring a piece of their farm to share with those crafting and passing laws affecting dairy farmers. “It was a really good day,” Penterman said. “The lawmakers were very engaged and very open. They wanted to hear what our issues were. They not only listened but also took notes. It was very encouraging.” Rep. Jesse James and Sen. Kathy Bernier were among Penterman’s visits. Penterman said some representatives they wanted to see were voting but came off the oor when they had a moment to talk with dairy farmers. “It’s such an inspiring day to be around other farmers and industry professionals,” Penterman said. “I know it’s hard for farmers to get away, but if you can squeeze out a little time to come have your voices heard at the Capitol, it makes all the difference in the world.”
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
ConƟnued from STERKENS | Page 1
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STACEY SMART/DAIIRY STAR
Doc Sterken, one of the owners of Sterken Farms, stands in the freestall barn which was built when Doc and his brothers, Wayne and Lester, combined herds in 1999. The Sterkens milk 600 cows and farm 1,300 acres near Delavan, Wisconsin. the milking string. Breeds of all kinds in winter when overall volume for the can be found here, including Alpine, industry is down. Lamancha, Toggenburg, Saanen The cows are milked three times a and Oberhasli, as well as various day in a double-10 parlor. The Sterkens crossbreeds. farm 1,300 acres and own additional “It’s easy to get started,” said Lester, land which they rent. Youngstock are who began with two goats. “Just go buy sent to custom growers, but they feed a few. They don’t cost much. But if you out 400 Holstein steers. The herd is mess with just a few, you don’t make mostly Holstein with a few crossbreeds. money. You either have to milk them A cow that does not stick after the and sell the milk, or you might as well fourth try is bred to a beef bull. have a dog.” “We have an efcient system here,” The goats are milked twice a day Doc said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s a in a double-16 rapid exit parlor with good way of life. There’s just not much eight milking machines on each side. cashow lately.” Two hundred goats can be milked per The dairy and goat operations have hour. Lester said each goat produces separate employees. an average of 6 pounds of milk per day “We have a really good crew,” said with components similar to that of cows Mary of the dairy’s nine employees. at 4.1% butterfat and 3.2% protein. “We’re lucky to have such good people Milk is shipped to Kolb-Lena Cheese helping us. Our herdsman, Ruperto, has in Lena, Illinois. They are paid $40 per hundredweight and earn $2 more Turn to STERKENS | Page 7
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 7
ConĆ&#x;nued from STERKENS | Page 6 been with us for 20 years and can do everything on the dairy. He’s amazing. We couldn’t do this without him.â€? At the goat farm, employees tend to come and go frequently which can be especially challenging during the busy kidding season when Lester ďƒžnds himself welcoming ďƒžve to six new babies every day. “Six does had a total of 17 kids the other day,â€? Lester said. “We get lots of twins and singles, too. Older does tend to have more triplets, but one doe had four kids recently.â€? Goats start out tiny, and Lester said keeping them warm is a must. Therefore, the nursery, which has capacity for 200 babies, is equipped with a heated ďƒ&#x;oor. “We’ve had good luck raising kids,â€? Lester said. “But it’s very hands on.â€? Lester starts newborns on bottles, feeding each one by hand for the ďƒžrst 10 days. He may have up to 50 kids on bottles at once before transferring to a bucket feeding system that can feed several kids at a time. “The babies are really timeconsuming,â€? Lester said. “Even once they move to group feeding, you still have to help them out at ďƒžrst.â€? It takes ďƒžve hours to feed the kids, and kids stay on milk for two months. He raises most of the does and tries to get rid of the bucks. Along with the goats, this animal lover has taken a variety of animals under his wing over the years, including ducks and geese. When comparing goats to cows, Lester said there is less manure to deal with and goats stay cleaner. “You don’t get dirty milking,â€? he said. “Goats are also small and easy to handle, and they don’t eat as much as cows do.â€? In addition, he feels goats do not
STACEY SMART/DAIIRY STAR
Lester Sterken milks 600 goats, and each one averages 6 pounds of milk per day with components similar to that of cows. The milk is shipped to Kolb-Lena Cheese in Lena, Illinois. get mastitis as easily as cows, nor do they have much trouble with milk fever. Instead, he said goats must be watched for pneumonia and caprine arthritis encephalitis. Pregnancy toxemia can also be a problem. This illness occurs about a week before kidding if kids grow too fast inside the doe, causing her blood sugar to drop. “Younger ones with a nice shape tend not to get it,� Lester said. “We make sure to feed a decent diet to our dry goats.� As much as he loves his goats, Lester admits they are not without
challenges. Goats like to chew on whatever they can get their mouths on. These incessant chewers ďƒžnd wood to be a yummy snack, which is why Lester makes sure everything the goats are in contact with is made of metal. “They eat anything they can reach – curtains, wiring,â€? Lester said. “They’re noisy too and like to play with things like the metal clips on the gates.â€? The goats reside in loose housing on a straw bedding pack. Milking does are divided into four big pens with no stalls. “They like to snuggle close
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together,â€? Lester said. All does are bred naturally by a buck. Goats have a shorter gestation period than cows – ďƒžve months – and sometimes Lester milks certain does through, meaning he will milk them for about a year and a half and breed back every other year instead of annually. While Lester has become partial to goats, Doc and Wayne remain committed to cows. All three brothers continue to share the same passion for producing high quality milk.
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Senate passes USMCA Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement passed the will want to keep an eye on implementation to make U.S. Senate by an overwhelming vote of 89-10 on sure our Canadian friends don’t substitute something Jan. 16. The vote came just one day after the United that acts like Class 7, but isn’t called Class 7.” Vilsack States signed a new trade agreement with China. is optimistic that 2020 will be a better year for dairy Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the farmers. USMCA benets all sectors of the U.S. Ag Insider Phase one is done economy. “Farmers, growers, cattlemen, The U.S. and China have signed manufacturers, small businesses and big phase one of a trade agreement. President businesses. This is a major step for our Donald Trump was joined by Chinese whole country.” For agriculture, USMCA Vice Premier Liu He at the White House is estimated to increase U.S. exports by ceremony on Jan. 15. “Today, we take a $2 billion. Now, the trade deal heads to momentous step, one that has never been President Donald Trump for a signature. taken before with China, toward future Mexico’s legislature approved the trade fair and reciprocal trade,” said President deal last month and Canada still needs to Trump in opening remarks. All details ratify USMCA. The Canadian parliament are public expect for specic purchase isn’t scheduled to return until Jan. 27. amounts. During the address, Trump veried the phase one agreement includes Both Wisconsin senators vote ‘Yes’ for By Don Wick over $200 billion in Chinese purchases of USMCA Columnist American goods and services over the Senator Ron Johnson and Senator next two years. That includes at least Tammy Baldwin voted to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. “The nal version $40 billion in food, agricultural and seafood products of the USMCA will help Wisconsin farmers and annually for a total of $80 billion in the next two manufacturers continue to sell their goods throughout years. Other amounts specied include $75 billion in North America,” said Johnson, who is a Republican. manufacturing, $50 billion in energy and $40 to $50 “I was pleased to vote for it and I hope that this is billion in nancial services. The president also said he the rst of many trade agreements that will benet would remove all U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports as Wisconsinites.” Baldwin, who is a Democrat, did not soon as the two countries completed phase two of the support the North American Free Trade Agreement, agreement, adding “I do not expect there to be a phase but did vote for the USMCA. “President Trump’s three.” trade wars have hurt our Wisconsin economy and more than 1,900 dairy farms have gone out of business Trump touts trade For the third consecutive year, President since he took ofce. The President’s deal with Mexico and Canada fell short, but I support the improvements Donald Trump spoke at the American Farm Bureau Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats won to make Federation annual meeting. Trump jumped straight to the point as he approached the podium. “We did it,” this a better deal.” he exclaimed. “They all said you’ll never get NAFTA changed or get a deal done with China.” In closing, Monitor USMCA implementation With the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, there was assurance from Trump to the 6,000 Farm Canada’s Class 7 pricing system will be eliminated. Bureau members in attendance that “the best days for U.S. Dairy Export Council President and CEO Tom farmers and ranchers are yet to come.” Vilsack said, “This Class 7 pricing distorted the export market and distorted the pricing of (milk) powder. We
Trump hosts rally in Wisconsin President Donald Trump made another visit to Wisconsin, hosting a rally in Milwaukee. Trump highlighted his trade policies, including the phase one trade agreement with China and the U.S.-MexicoCanada Agreement. Trump said these trade deals are “a giant victory for Wisconsin workers, farmers and dairy producers.” Another dairy processor seeks bankruptcy protection Borden Dairy Company has led for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The dairy processor plans to continue with its normal operations during the reorganization process. Borden CEO Tony Sarsam said the company is being impacted by the rising cost of raw milk and the market challenges facing the dairy industry. Borden is the second major U.S. dairy processor to seek bankruptcy protection in recent months, following Dean Foods which led in November. Milk output expected to decline Milk production forecasts declined for 2019 and 2020. The estimate for 2020 is at 222 billion pounds, down 400 million pounds from last month’s report. The Class III milk price was lowered due to slower demand for cheese, butter and whey. USDA released this forecast in its monthly supply/demand report. Walmart moves into the beef business The world’s largest retailer is entering the beef business, with Walmart opening a new meat processing facility in Thomasville, Georgia. The 200,000- squarefoot operation will employ 350 people and is part of the company’s $90 million commitment to supply Angus beef to 500 stores. In April 2019, Walmart partnered with a Texas-based Angus ranch to create its branded beef program. In 2018, Walmart opened a dairy processing plant in Indiana. NFU to elect a new president There are three candidates seeking the presidency Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 of the National Farmers Union. Those candidates are NFU Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Communications Rob Larew, Kansas Farm Bureau President Donn Teske and Pennsylvania Farmers Union board member Mike Eby. NFU President Roger Johnson, who is the former agriculture commissioner in North Dakota, is retiring in March. Stranz returns to NFU Mike Stranz is the new policy director for the National Farmers Union. Stranz has been part of the farm commodities and risk management subcommittee staff for the House Agriculture Committee. Roden appointed to DFW board Rick Roden, who farms near West Bend, has been appointed to the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board of directors. The appointment follows the death of former DFW board member Dean Strauss of Sheboygan Falls.
Armbruster passes Long-time Wisconsin dairy leader James Armbruster, 81, died in mid-January. Armbruster served as dairy herdsman for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, Armbruster judged major dairy cattle shows throughout the world and was the rst recipient of the A.C. Thompson Award at World Dairy Expo, which recognizes exemplary showmanship and leadership. Trivia challenge A gallon of milk weighs 8.6 pounds. That answers our last trivia question. There is a mineral in milk that is essential for healthy bones and teeth. For this week, what is that mineral? We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star.
Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
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Stearns DHIA Labs is becoming Centre Laboratories in Sauk Centre. Stearns DHIA Labs is joining forces with Minnesota DHIA and will continue to offer milk testing services for your operation along with manure analysis, feed and forage testing and more.
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February 25-26, 2020 River’s Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud Tuesday, Feb. 25 - 9 am to 4 pm Wednesday, Feb. 26 - 8 am to 3 pm Special Guest: Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture, Thom Petersen, will be speaking on Tuesday Free admission • Over 200 exhibitors in over 370 booths Free daily seminars • Topics on the Hour speakers
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thought would be a less demanding role turned out to be a seven-day-a-week commitment. He once racked up 52 days straight without a day off – in addition ROSHOLT, Wis. – Aaron Kluck made many sac- to running his dairy farm where cow numbers had rices to get to where he is today. This dairyman held climbed to 50. Sixteen-hour workdays between his onto his strong desire to dairy after his parents sold two jobs were common, with Kluck averaging 110their cows, starting his own herd at the farm where plus hours per week. he grew up near Rosholt, while working another full“People kept telling me, ‘You can’t do two jobs – time job off the farm. you have to choose one or the other,’” Kluck said. Kluck graduated from high school in 1998 and After a year and a half at the brewery, Kluck worked nights at a foundry while farming with his chose farming. In May 2013, when his herd was at 80 parents, Robert and Marie. In 2007, Kluck’s mom and cows, Kluck quit his job at the brewery and devoted dad decided to sell the cows. himself solely to the farm. By the end of the year, he “I was working six days a week at the foundry, had 100 cows and remains at that number today. and my dad needed knee and hip replacements,” Keeping his family’s farm in the family was alKluck said. “It was just too much to handle.” ways Kluck’s intention. And having a wife who supBut farming is where his heart was, and Kluck ported his love for farming made a big difference. never gave up on his dream to make dairying his ca“It takes a special person to commit to that,” reer. He still had a calf from his grandpa, and when Kluck said. “And she was all for it.” she freshened in July 2009, Kluck began milking her. Kluck and his wife, Amber, have ve children: A month went by, and he decided to buy more cows. Lucia, 8, Veronica, 6, Joseph, 5, Isaiah, 2, and Aaron, Soon, he was milking 23 head and continued building 1. Kluck said he was working so much when Lucia from there. was little that she did not even know who he was. “My dad thought I was nuts,” Kluck said. “I was “I knew then it was time to make a move,” Kluck working nights at the foundry at the time, and there said. “I wanted to be home more. Also, my herd was were days I only slept for 20 minutes. It was crazy.” at a size that I could justify farming full time.” In 2012, Kluck switched jobs and started working All animals on the farm are either milking or second shift at the Stevens Point Brewery. What he within a month or two of calving. “My focus is on cows which is why I do not raise any youngstock,” Kluck said. “I am a one-man operation and have to use my time wisely. I don’t really have time for raising calves. Instead, I buy replacements from multiple sources as fresh heifers or springers. And I’m fussy about what I buy – I’m willing to spend more to get better animals.” Kluck’s dad passed away three years ago, but his mom still likes to get out to the barn and helps take care of newSTACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR born calves. Calves usuAaron Kluck milks in the stanchion barn he converted ve years ago – milking ally spend one week at the cows on one side and housing dry cows on the other. Turn to KLUCK | Page 11 By Stacey Smart
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Con�nued from KLUCK | Page 10
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Peterson is not a friend of dairy farmers
Joe Schindler Dairy farmer Red Lake Falls, Minnesota In December 2019, Rep. Collin Peterson was in Litcheld, Minnesota, and said the economics of the dairy industry are improving. Despite many dairy farmers retiring and leaving the business, now is a perfect time for young farmers to get into the business because of the farm bill’s safety net, positive markets, available credit, cheap dairy cattle and the availability of empty dairy barns. In my opinion, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He is out of touch with reality. There’s a reason why dairy barns are empty. It’s not because dairy farmers are retiring like Collin said. A lot of family dairy farmers are in debt, owing thousands of dollars, causing them to go bankrupt and lose their farms. The reason I believe Collin is so out of touch is because of who he listens to – lobbyists. The lobbyists tell him dairy farmers need illegal immigrants to work on dairy farms. Some dairy farmers hire illegal immigrants on their farms. I call them plantation dairy farmers. It was my understanding that in 2018, Minnesota Milk Producers Association told Collin and other lawmakers that without illegal immigrants to milk cows, there will be few dairies. I agree with them 100 percent. The dairies employing them would be out of business. So, Minnesota Milk wants lawmakers to change the law for the plantation dairy farmers and make it legal to hire illegal immigrants. I’m sure without illegal immigrants these plantation dairy farmers would be out of business. I believe plantation farmers are overproducing and driving the STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR price of milk down. That’s why there are so few family dairy farms left in business Aaron Kluck milks 100 cows on the farm where he grew up near Rosholt, Wis- thus the empty dairy barns. Collin voted for the farm workforce modernization act which would make it consin. Kluck built his herd to its present size while working another full-�me legal to hire illegal immigrants by granting them certied agricultural worker stajob off the farm. tus. If it becomes law, I believe it will be the end of family farms. There will only be plantation farms. farm before being sold. Kluck farms things work until the time comes when In 2018, I called Peterson’s ofce in Washington, D.C., and wanted him to 220 acres which he hires out for custom you can build bigger and better.” respond to a letter I had written in Dairy Star. He couldn’t even do that. He had cropping. Four years ago, Kluck added onto a person on his staff call me. I thought that was poor of him. I think the least he Cows are housed in a freestall barn his freestall barn, taking it from 40 could have done is responded by putting something in the newspaper. and milked in the stanchion barn that stalls to 75. I have a few questions for Collin: As a law maker, do you believe in the rule Kluck converted ve years ago. He uses “I was hoping to be bigger than I of law? If so, shouldn’t the people who are breaking laws be punished? Why did one side of the barn for milking while am now, but the current outlook kind you vote for the farm workforce modernization act? I will call his ofce again and the other side has been transformed of has me at a standstill,” Kluck said. ask for him to respond to this letter by putting it in the newspaper and not waste into housing for dry cows. He took out “You can’t go too big too fast. If I knew my time having a person on his staff call. The sugar beet farmers call Collin their champion. Collin has been a champion the barn cleaner and lled in the gut- the future was there, I would love to go ters with concrete and put in a bigger bigger. My goal some day is to have for both the sugar beet farmers and the plantation dairy farmers. He listens to their lobbyists and does what they want. He has been the honest family farmers’ worst pipeline, switching to a 3-inch line. He 200 cows and a milking parlor.” milks in 22 stalls with nine units. It is When it comes to production, nightmare. a swift-moving system, but Kluck has Kluck worries less about records and a routine down pat and pushes cows more about prot. through with ease. He said his compo“It’s not about how much milk you nents and somatic cell count prove he make, but about how much money you is producing quality milk in this fast- put in your pocket,” he said. “Every cow counts. If she doesn’t perform, she goes out and a new one replaces her.” Kluck tries to glean as much information as he can about farming to stay ahead of the curve. “In today’s world, you better be on the up and up about everything that’s going on,” he said. “The way people did things years ago would never make By the most trusted name in the industry it now. You have to push for more in orAARON KLUCK, DAIRY FARMER der to succeed. Info is everything, and I look for ideas I can apply on my farm. paced setup. Farming to me is like a game – you have “Time is everything,” Kluck said. to play to win. Weather and prices and “I don’t have time to waste. I would other things are always ghting you. In need a large parlor to match this level the end, you have to pencil out to make of efciency.” sure you have cash ow. If you’re still Three years ago, Kluck removed in business, you’re still winning.” the top of the stanchion barn, getting Kluck is happy he no longer has rid of the hayloft and putting up steel to stretch himself between two jobs. trusses. He said it is an older wooden Thankful to have kept his parents’ farm barn that was in rough shape, and he going, this busy family man appreciworried about it coming down. ates having more time to spend with his “The barn is functional, not fancy,” wife and children. Because he was able Kluck said. “I’d like to make more up- to make a go of it, this family farm cardates, but I need to know there’s a fu- ries on. ture in farming rst. You try to make
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Take the right action with weather damaged property Waytashek explains preventable measures, handling claims By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
LONG PRAIRIE, Minn. – At the tail end of winter last year, the Upper Midwest was hit with snowstorms that left more than a fair share of precipitation. Many dairy farmers dealt with damaged roofs and barns due to the weight and amount of snow. While preventing such a weather pattern is not doable, there are w a y s f a r m ers can prepare for and RaeAnn Waytashek limit the Licensed insurance amount agent of destruction following a winter storm. “After the heavy snowfall last year, many buildings were damaged by weight of snow and ice,” RaeAnn Waytashek said. “We recommend (farmers) monitor their buildings, and if possible, remove any excess snow from the roofs.” Waytashek is a licensed
insurance agent in property at Advantage One Insurance in Long Prairie. In Waytashek’s 20-year-career, she has spent more than 15 years working with farmers. The winter season has already blanketed farms with snow and ice, and as the season continues, there is no doubt the risk for weather damage will only increase. To prevent as much damage as possible, farmers should evaluate their building structures and remove snow and ice buildup. An estimate of a building’s snow load can be calculated using the following formula from the University of Wisconsin Extension’s factsheet: depth (feet) x density (pounds per square feet per feet depth). The approximate density of light snow is 5-20 pounds per square foot per feet depth; packed snow is 20-40; packed snow with ice is 40-58; and ice is 58. “If a (building) owner suspects a snow load is in excess of the design loading, or if the roof is showing signs of impending collapse, they should
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
The roof of a freestall barn caves in on top of cows at a northern Minnesota dairy farm following a spring snowstorm March 2019. make a plan to remove the snow,” Waytashek said. Buckled or broken rafters of the roof are indications the load is too heavy for the structure and a collapse may be likely. There are many ways snow and ice can be removed from buildings, both done effectively and safely.
DAIRY EXPO
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Professor of Dairy Science and Extension Specialist in Dairy Cattle Reproduction, Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Dairy producers share cow comfort strategies with three different stall surfaces - solids, mattresses and sand. Also addressing stall design, ventilation, feed distribution and more.
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bon monoxide to the building space. Both are poisonous to people and livestock,” Waytashek said. “No one should be allowed in the building when the unvented heater is used. And, before starting, farmers need to make plans for turning
Schedule of Events
28TH ANNUAL
Carver County
If a smaller amount of snowfall is present, farmers should rst consider heating the building to help melt the snow and ice on the roof. This must be done carefully if an unvented heater is used. “Unvented heaters consume oxygen in the building and can contribute to car-
2:15 pm
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3:15 pm
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In case of inclement weather, please call the Farm Information Line for event status: 1-800-232-9077
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 13
ConƟnued from PROPERTY | Page 12 the heater off from outside of the building.” Snow and ice removal can also be done with physical labor. If feasible, the University of Wisconsin Extension advises farmers to hire out this process to experts who use boom trucks and specialized equipment. “This is a really dangerous process,” Waytashek said. “Falling from ladders and the roof is a real possibility.” If the farmer must remove the snow or have employees do so, there are several steps everyone needs to consider for the process to be done safely. To begin, individuals should try to remove the snow from the ground. “Use a snow roof rake,” Waytashek said. “This lets you stand on the ground, but you have to make sure you’re out of the fall zone when scraping.” This method is effective and at a reasonable cost. Most snow roof rakes can be purchased at a hardware or building supply store. Farmers must take caution, though, because removing snow from the edge of a roof poses a risk for a potential mass of snow to come down from higher up on the building. Ladders may also be used for an extended reach while still on the ground. Another possibility is to remove the snow and ice from atop the roof. If this route is taken, individuals should be tied to the roof to prevent falling. The University of Wisconsin Extension advises farmers to remove snow from the most heavily loaded areas rst and to remove snow in narrow strips. Farmers should use plastic shovels or wood roof rakes to remove snow and ice without damaging the roof. Snow blowers should also be avoided for the potential damage they can cause to roof
material. As snow and ice are removed, farmers need to communicate with everyone on the farm of the removal plan and where dangerous zones lie on the property. Falling snow is a risk for injury or death of people and animals, according to the University of Wisconsin Extension. Preventative snow removal is an important part of carrying an insurance policy. “During these harsh winter months, there is potential to sustain damage or collapse to buildings even with prevention,” Waytashek said. “Taking the time to remove snow and ice from your buildings could benet you. Even though you may have the property insured, there are many hidden costs you may not be aware of.” The insurance agent encourages farmers to review their policy and contact their agent to make sure the policy is clearly understood. Oftentimes, policy deductibles and debris removal coverage are areas that need clarity. “Also think about your time,” Waytashek said. “Any downtime of your farming operation is an expense to you.” If damage occurs, farmers should contact their agent immediately while also preventing further damage. “Do this without jeopardizing your safety,” Waytashek said. “If you need to start the clean-up process before an adjuster arrives, take appropriate photos to document the scene.” Farmers should also keep receipts that are associated with the claim. Whether it is someone’s rst time ling a claim or not, they should work closely with their agent and insurance company to ensure the right steps are taken to recapture the losses.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 15
How do you feel better prepared if a building collapse happened again? Steven Landwehr Sauk Centre, Minnesota Stearns County 2,000 cows What buildings collapsed on your dairy last winter? At Union Dairy LLP, we had three buildings that sustained damage due to the excess snowfall and rain in early March 2019. The ďƒžrst barn that partially collapsed happened around 5 p.m. March 9. It was about a 36-by-70 section on our barn directly behind the parlor. Then, at about 10 p.m., we had about another 84-by-60 section collapse on our furthest north barn. Both barns were housing milking cows at the time of the collapses. Then, by the following morning we had another 48-by-60 collapse due to the instability of the north building. By late morning March 10, at our dry cow barn, just down the road, we had a 24-by-56 section of roof collapse. Also, on March 11, we had a 40-by-60 calf barn completely collapse at one of the calf sites. How did the collapse affect your day-to-day operations? When the barn sustained damage, we had between 10-12 employees working on moving debris and shoveling snow of the roofs for three days. After the debris was removed, we had about ďƒžve to six employees shoveling snow for another seven days. Once debris was moved out of the milking pens and the building was deemed safe, we started to utilize the pens where there was roof covering the free stalls. We then started to dry off some cows and sell some of the low producing cows to help ease the stress on the facility. We began rebuilding within three to four weeks. During rebuilding, we tried to move cows to other pens as much as possible to help speed up the rebuilding process. How was the damage covered? The newer buildings were insured fully, so we needed to pay the deductible when the work was completed. The older building that was not eligible for full coverage we had to pay out of our pocket to rebuild it after what was covered by insurance. Loss of income insurance still has not been settled up with for milk revenue loss and animals that were euthanized or suffered from pneumonia due to being trapped in the conďƒžned space of the buildings during the collapse. What did you decide to do with the damaged buildings? What factors played a role in this decision? All damaged buildings were repaired, and during repairs the builders built them to current code. Also, after inspecting the building that did not collapse, we strengthened the rafters with more bracing to reduce the chances of it happening again. How do you feel better prepared if a building collapse were to happen again? I would say it is hard to prepare yourself for an event like that besides doing more inspections of the snow loads on the roofs and communicating with your builders what are acceptable snow loads on your roofs. Otherwise, just addressing the problem safely and timely to prevent it before it happens as best you can. We had an instance on another farm where there was no snow on the
Al Oberstadt Fremont, Wisconsin Winnebago County 300 cows What buildings collapsed on your dairy last winter? A section of our freestall barn (about 100 square feet) went down April 15, 2018. We lost 10 cows as a result. The collapse was due to excessive snowfall. We had received over 30 inches in less than two days. How did the collapse affect your day-to-day operations? It made for longer days as we had to move animals to different places on the farm. How was the damage covered? I called our agent right away, and insurance covered it pretty well. We had snow coverage which was the saving grace. What did you decide to do with the damaged buildings? What factors played a role in this decision? We tore down the whole building and rebuilt it. The rest of the barn had suffered damage, too, even though it did not all go down. It took 11 months to build the new freestall barn. We made some changes with the new building, including making the stalls larger and adding drive-through feeding. The new barn has a few less stalls, but is wider overall. How do you feel better prepared if a building collapse were to happen again? I don’t know how to answer that question because you could never be prepared for something like that. What advice would you give to other farmers in a similar situation? Review your insurance policy and make sure it includes snow coverage which is what saved me. Tell us about your farm. My wife, JoEll, and I milk 300 Holsteins and farm 700 acres on the farm I purchased from my father 30 years ago. Started by my dad, our farm has been a family farm for many years. roof before nightfall and by morning there were 6to 7-foot wet snowdrifts at the peak of the building. Within hours before sunrise the building started to collapse. What advice would you give to other farmers in a similar situation? I would ďƒžrst do better preventative checks before it happens or consult with your builder. If it collapses, call for as much help as possible ďƒžrst and step back and access the safety concerns of the situation. Put one person in charge to watch over the safety of all the people involved and ensure you have the proper tools to do the daunting task ahead. When deemed safe enough to proceed, move the animals that are not trapped to a safer spot or gate the pen off to keep cattle away as far as possible. Tell us about your farm. Our farm is a multifamily operation that started milking 600 cows at Union Dairy in 2003. Over the last 17 years, we have been able to continually expand to 2,000 cows and grow about 30% of our forage. We raise all of our calves to about 4 months of age before sending them to a custom grower.
Scott Herber Altura, Minnesota Winona County 600 cows What buildings collapsed on your dairy last winter? A 140-foot section of a 96 feet by 209 feet freestall barn with 200 free stalls for milking cows collapsed. Two employees heard rafters starting to buckle from the weight of the snow. They ran in to get as many cows as they could out of that section. They were lucky because right after they closed a gate after getting many cows out, the roof collapsed to the ďƒ&#x;oor behind them. How did the collapse affect your day-to-day operations? We spent about two days getting debris out. We crowded the cows while that happened. We started using that freestall area again as soon as it was cleared out, but it didn’t have a roof which made it difďƒžcult when it snowed, rained or was cold during the winter. We also had to shut down our ďƒ&#x;ush system for about six weeks. We had to scrape the barns with skidloaders. Our barns are not designed for that so it made the chore a challenge. The snow from that storm also made it impossible for the milk truck to get to the farm, so we had to dump milk. How was the damage covered? Our build has been covered by insurance, but it has been a very long and tedious process that requires a lot of work and a lot of patience from us. What did you decide to do with the damaged buildings? What factors played a role in this decision? We chose to rebuild. We had to do a complete rebuild due to structural damage. The barn is the same dimensions. One change we made was adding tunnel ventilation rather than using natural ventilation. A large part of the decision to rebuild is because my 18-year-old son, Ross, is interested in coming back to the farm. We are still in the rebuilding process. How do you feel better prepared if a building collapse were to happen again? There is no way to prepare for this. We were lucky to have good people who volunteered to help cleanup. We had a lot of family, friends and neighbors help us. Along with people moving debris and cows, it was helpful to have people like my sister-in-law who made food. She lives in town which is close to the farm so we could get the food easily. Most of us could not leave the farm because there was so much snow. What advice would you give to other farmers in a similar situation? Be patient with your insurance company and ďƒžnd an agent who will stand behind you. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Michelle, and I own the farm. We have three children: Hunter, Ross and Kate. We milk 600 cows, crop 1,300 acres and do our own harvesting and manure hauling. We have lots of great employees who have been very patient during this process. We are appreciative of them while we deal with this mess.
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15
Dale and Jason Mill Lewiston, Minnesota Winona County 160 cows What buildings collapsed on your dairy last winter? Our old dairy barn collapsed. It was built in 1969 and was last used for milking in 2005. We remodeled it for youngstock from weaning until conrmed pregnant. It was also used for a little bit of storage. The feed room is also connected to the barn. It was about 44 feet by 160 feet. There were 60 youngstock in the barn at the time of the collapse. We lost ve. About 80 feet of the roof collapsed. The rest was still standing, but rafters were cracked. How did the collapse affect your day-to-day operations? The collapse made every day more work. We moved the biggest animals in the barn to a lot with bred heifers. The rest stayed in the barn. We were bedding them a lot more, and there was a lot more shoveling because part of the roof was gone. It was hard to keep the calves dry. For several weeks, we also cared for injured animals. It interrupted our feeding routine. We could not get the feed out of two silos for at least one week because the conveyers were buried under debris and snow. Luckily, we had made baleage this year and used that to feed the milking herd until we got the conveyers cleared out. We would have been in bad shape without those bales. How was the damage covered? Our insurance covered the rebuild because we had some of the highest coverage. Our insurance was good to work with. What did you decide to do with the damaged buildings? What factors played a role in this decision? We decided to rebuild in the same location. The building is the same dimensions as the previous one. We could have built somewhere else, but we would have had to get a different permit and manure management, and it would have impacted our insurance coverage. So, we chose to rebuild where it was. We did encounter a few problems. We ended up having to redo our foundation. It also took a while to get to the building process since it was hard to nd contractors and insurance appraisers. The build is not done yet. The only thing different is it is higher for more clearance and will have a steeper roof with a 50to 55-pound snow load capacity. How do you feel better prepared if a building collapse were to happen again? We don’t think we could feel prepared for it; however, we do now pay more attention to how much snow is on the roof. What advice would you give to other farmers in a similar situation? Have good insurance coverage and watch how much snow is on your roof. It also helps to have good people around you. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Judy, and I have been here since 1975 and now our son, Jason, farms with us full time. Our herd is registered Jerseys and housed in a compost bedded pack barn. We farm 200 acres of crops. We have two employees who help us with milking and chores.
Brian Aschenbrenner Milladore, Wisconsin Wood County 30 cows What buildings collapsed on your dairy last winter? Our entire 74-stall freestall barn that housed all the milk cows went down Feb. 12, 2019, between 8-9 a.m. The barn was 30 feet by 138 feet. Some cows were inside at the time and some were outside. Eight cows were injured that had to be sold. How did the collapse affect your day-to-day operations? It had a large impact on our day-to-day operations as it affected the whole farm. Where do you go with the cattle when something like this happens? There are a lot of empty barns around, but not a lot you can just go into and ip switches and everything will work. We had 25 stalls in our stanchion barn yet, so we housed some cows in there. Then, we opened up a pen in our heifer barn to make room for the rest. This arrangement required more hand labor and denitely slowed things down. At least the cattle are all on the same farm. They’re in different buildings. We continue to milk in the step-up parlor in our stanchion barn. How was the damage covered? It wasn’t. It took until mid-summer to get an answer. The insurance company hired a structural engineer to come out, and he found too many posts dried out below the concrete level that may have contributed to the collapse. However, that probably wouldn’t have been a problem without all the snow. Insurance covered the cattle that were injured but not the barn. The barn was a canvas roof building built by my dad. He thought he could insure it like a regular building. It’s hard to understand insurance codes, and we never specically asked if it was covered for snow damage; we just gured it was. What did you decide to do with the damaged buildings? What factors played a role in this decision? We did not rebuild. Contractors were booked up for the remainder of the year. For right now, we’re hanging on. With the dairy market the way it is and the price of corn and soybean, I’m unsure if we’ll rebuild. I’ve thought about taking the freestalls from the barn and converting the heifer barn into a freestall barn – that would be the cheapest and quickest solution. However, we would only have room for 50 stalls. How do you feel better prepared if a building collapse were to happen again? That’s hard to answer. You think you’re prepared, but then you realize you’re not. The 21-year-old freestall barn was one of the last buildings I worried about. I worried more about the old dairy barn with the haymow above or machine sheds with not as much slope or even the house. I watched the snow load on those buildings more, making sure to keep an eye on things and move the snow. What advice would you give to other farmers in a similar situation? Talk to your insurance agent and make sure you know what is denitely covered and not covered on your insurance policy. Also, cattle like to run back into buildings when disaster strikes. They do it in barn res, and the same thing happened here. Cattle wanted to run back into the barn after it had collapsed. You want to try to stop that from happening as quick as you can so you don’t have more problems. I’m happy no people were inside the barn when it went down. Buildings can be replaced; people cannot. Tell us about your farm. We used to have over 70 cows milking but had to make cuts in order to accommodate our new housing situation. We’re
Amy Penterman Thorp, Wisconsin Clark County 850 cows What buildings collapsed on your dairy last winter? The freestall barn for milking cows. The section that collapsed was roughly 30 feet by 60 feet. How did the collapse affect your day-to-day operations? The open roof caused all the manure in the barn to freeze. We have automatic scrapers that could not run. All the water tanks would freeze up, and we had to thaw them out constantly. We bed with sand and that became frozen and impossible to work with and uncomfortable for the cows. Walkways would freeze up and cause areas of danger for cows moving to and from the parlor. It continued to snow and that blew in the barns. How was the damage covered? We carried insurance that covered snow load, and it was covered. The process went very smoothly. The adjuster was out right away to survey the damage. The builder had an estimate ready almost immediately which helped speed it along. The process was easier than anticipated. What did you decide to do with the damaged buildings? What factors played a role in this decision? Our only choice was to x it. We were fortunate to be one of the rst collapses, and our builder was out the next couple weeks to get the hole covered. How do you feel better prepared if a building collapse were to happen again? Hopefully we never have to go through this again. After this incident, the builders went through the barns and reinforced any weak areas. Our barn was originally built with wider bays that do not have the rafter support newer barns have. We made sure to reinforce those areas. All of our posts were beefed up with extra support. What advice would you give to other farmers in a similar situation? Have an emergency plan; don’t be afraid to call out an SOS to friends and neighbors. We had members of our community rally and come out within minutes of the collapse after a Facebook call for help. Stay calm and get your cows moved away from the danger zone. Make sure you have a map of your breaker boxes and what needs to be shut off immediately. A list of easily accessed phone numbers of your electrician and a builder with tools that can cut through steel. Have a supply of battery-operated ashlights and shovels to remove snow quickly. Stay calm, take a moment to analyze and think through the situation. Lay out your game plan and act. Tell us about your farm. Dutch Dairy is owned and operated by Sander and Amy Penterman. Sander is a rst-generation immigrant from the Netherlands. We milk 850 cows three times per day and raise youngstock to 9 months old and send them to a heifer grower until two months before calving. We raise corn, hay, soybean and winter wheat. Our cows are milked in a double-12 parallel parlor and are bedded with sand. Calves are raised on autofeeders. milking 30 cows, and we farm 250 acres. I farm with my wife, Dori, and our daughter, Eden, 11, and our son, Isaac, 9. Our family farm has been in the same family for 136 years, and I am the fth generation to farm here.
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Repro Leaders
Synchronization program drives reproduction at Lake Breeze Dairy
Lake Breeze Dairy Malone, Wisconsin Fond du Lac County 2,950 cows milking, 3,300 cows total
What was your pregnancy rate average last year? 36% What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? Seventy days for cows and 13 months for heifers. What is your rst-service conception rate? 49% What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? Every cow gets two Lutalyse shots two weeks apart. The rst shot is given at 42 days in milk and the second shot at 56 DIM. Two weeks after that, we start Ovsynch. We give GnRH when a cow reaches 32 days since her last heat. The following Monday, she will receive an ultrasound to determine if she is pregnant. If open, she will be enrolled in our sync program. Our heifers are raised out of state and are bred off of natural heat.
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
The reproducƟon team at Lake Breeze Dairy includes (from leŌ) Filadelfo Lopez, health and reproducƟon manager; Rick Schwenck, Breeze Dairy Group livestock manager; Josh Duchow, Lake Breeze site manager; Jayme Fisher, calving and transiƟon manager and David Mulder, herd manager.
How do you observe for heat? Breeding pens are locked once per day, and cows are tail chalked every morning. Cows marked with green chalk are
conrmed pregnant, and cows marked with orange are open and eligible for breeding. How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? We perform weekly ultrasounds. The rst ultrasound is done
34 days to 40 days post-breeding. If pregnant, she is checked again via ultrasound at 60 days and then again at 200 days carried calf. What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits
do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in bull selection? Lake Breeze Dairy works closely with Alta Genetics and selects bulls based on production and health traits. Currently, the bulls Turn to LAKE BREEZE DAIRY | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 19
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MYSTIC VALLEY DAIRY LLC, SAUK CITY, WISCONSIN Home of JENNY-LOU HOLSTEINS, The Breunig Family Mitch, Jacquie, Allie, Lauren and Brayden Breunig 480 Registered Holsteins, BAA 105.8 RHA 31,616M 3.89F 1228F 3.08P 974P Cheese yield 3291, SCC 98-113,000 “Comfort matters. For 7 years, we have used Udder Comfort™ because it gets fresh cows off to a great start with quality udders and low-SCC. Cows that start clean tend to stay clean throughout the lactation. That’s why we spray every fresh udder 2x/day for 3 to 7 days after calving and see their SCCs come down much faster,” says Mitch Breunig, Mystic Valley Dairy, Sauk City, Wisconsin, home of Jenny-Lou Holsteins, founded by his parents Jeanette and Louis. From balanced breeding and their focus on longevity came the legacy of Toystory. Today, this 480-cow freestall herd has more than 60 cows past 150,000M lifetime. The herd has a BAA of 105.8 and makes 100 lbs/cow/day with records to 55,000M.
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
ConƟnued from LAKE BREEZE DAIRY | Page 18
being used average over 2,300 pounds of milk and 184 pounds of combined fat and protein. In addition, emphasis is placed on DPR, PL and UC.
her? That varies cow to cow and is decided mainly based on production and days in milk. Generally, we will not breed a cow more than ve times.
How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? All heifers get two units of sexed semen and then move on to beef. Approximately the top 20% of cows get sexed semen; the rest are bred to beef.
Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? We’ve always stressed compliance on synchronization programs. That’s a big driver. Also, good nutrition and a successful transition program for fresh cows are key to reproductive success.
What do you do to settle hard breeders? We do use CIDRs on a few cystic and non-cycling cows, but it only amounts to 6% of annual breedings. How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell
Tell us about your farm. Lake Breeze is one of three dairies owned by Breeze Dairy Group. We milk 2,950 Holsteins averaging just under 99.5 STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
(Above) Cows are tail chalked every morning to aid in heat observaƟon. Cows marked with green chalk are conrmed pregnant and cows marked with orange are open and eligible for breeding.
pounds of ECM per cow with a 120,000 somatic cell count. Cows are milked three times per day in a double-44 parallel
parlor. Stalls are bedded with recycled sand. We do not own any land; therefore, we buy all of our feed.
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
(LeŌ) David Mulder, herd manager, scans a cow’s RFID collar to learn her reproducƟve status. All cows needed for weekly herd health check are scanned for quick and easy idenƟcaƟon.
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 21
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7 10 7 5 14 17 4 17 8 5 10 1 2 4 16 16 14
PLANTERS
JD 7000, 6R30”, rigid, finger pickup, 1.6 bu. hopper, #161201............................................ $4,900 JD 1750, ‘00, 6R30”, rigid, metering system, finger pickup; 1.6 bu. hopper, #166057 ....... $14,500 White 6322, #15684 ......................................................................................................... $18,900 JD 1770, ‘98 , 16R30”, flex fold, metering system, 1.6 bu. hopper, #159037......................... $20,900 JD 1780, ‘99, 24R22”, flex fold, metering system, 3.0 bu. hopper, #155446 ......................... $33,500 JD 1760, ‘12, 12R30”, flex fold, metering system, 3.0 bu. hopper, #166068 ......................... $35,000 JD 1760, ‘13, 12R30”, flex fold, metering system, 3.0 bu. hopper #156200 .......................... $52,500 JD 1765, ‘15, 12R30”, flex fold, metering system, 1.6 bu. hopper, Row Command #155243 $54,500 JD 1765, ‘18, 12R30”, flex fold, metering system, 3.0 bu. hopper, Row Command #161082 $75,900 JD 1790, ‘12, 31R15”, flex fold, metering system, central fill, #161182 ........................... $89,000 JD 1770NT, ‘14, 16R30”, flex fold, metering system, central fill, Row Command, #156928 $89,900 JD DB60, ‘13, 24R30”, flex fold, metering system, central fill, Row Command #161245 $154,000 JD DB60, ‘14, 24R30”, flex fold, metering system, central fill, #156907......................... $159,000 JD 1775NT, ‘18, 16R30”, flex fold, metering system, central fill, Row Command, #150736 $169,000 JD DB60, ’14, 24R30”, flex fold, metering system, central fill, Row Command #160470 $169,500 JD 1775NT, ‘17, 24R30”, wing fold, Exact Emerge; central fill, #160204 ....................... $262,900 JD DB66, ‘18, 36R22”, flex fold, metering system, central fill, Row Command, electric drive, #161783........................................................................................................ $279,500 7 JD DB66, ‘18, 36R22”, flex fold, Exact Emerge; central fill, Row Command, electric drive, #161533 ............................................................................................... $315,400 7 JD DB66, ‘18, 36R22”, flex fold, Exact Emerge; central fill, Row Command, electric drive, #160767 ................................................................................................$369,500 17 JD 7300, ‘90, 12R30”, wing fold, metering system, 3.0 bu. hopper, #157581............. $8,500 16 White 6722, 16R22”, wing fold, metering system, 1.6 bu. hopper, #157535 ..........$11,900
(1) = GLENCOE 4561 Hwy. 212
JD 7200, 24R22”, #159126...........................................................................................$14,900 JD 1730, ‘98, 36R22”, metering system, #159899 ......................................................$16,000 Moore Built, 24R22”, metering system, 3.0 bu. hopper, #159607 ...........................$27,900 JD 1710, 24R22”, wing fold, metering system, 1.6 bu. hopper, Row Command, electric drive, #164780 ...................................................................................................$42,900 14 JD 1725, ‘18, 16R30”, wing fold, Exact Emerge; central fill system, Row Command, electric drive, #164717 ................................................................................................$184,000 10 10 15 7 5 15 2 9
SPRAYERS
Blum 750, ‘79, #158936............................................................................................... $4,900 Miller Pro 750, #159603 ............................................................................................ $6,500 Redball 570, #159261............................................................................................... $12,900 Summers Ultimate, ‘01, #159606 .......................................................................... $13,400 Top Air TA1200, ‘08, #155358 .................................................................................. $16,650 Hardi Ranger 2000, ‘14, #163524 .......................................................................... $17,900 Hardi Ranger 2000, ‘14, #155294 .......................................................................... $20,500 Fast 9518, #158292 ................................................................................................... $25,900
SKID STEER LOADERS
11 New Holland LX565, ‘99, ROPS, foot controls, 66” bucket, 6850 hrs., #166203 .............. $7,900 13 Case 1845, ‘82, ROPS, hand controls, 72” bucket, 835 hrs., #162368 ................................. $9,400 5 Bobcat S250, ‘06, cab w/AC, foot controls, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 72” bucket, 5956 hrs., #166144 ............................................................................................................... $14,900 10 JD 325, ‘09, ROPS, cab w/o AC, cab enclosure, foot controls, Hi-Fl, 2 speed, less bucket, 6795 hrs., #161494 ............................................................................................................... $16,500 4 JD 318D, ‘13, cab w/AC, cab enclosure, A/C, foot controls, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 66” bucket, 5017 hrs., #165911 ............................................................................................ $16,900 15 JD 315, ‘07, ROPS, foot controls, self-leveling, aux. hyd., 60” bucket, 1874 hrs., #165904 $17,900 6 JD 320E, ‘16, cab w/AC, foot controls, air ride seat, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 76” bucket, 3800 hrs., #166219 ............................................................................................ $19,750 5 Gehl 5640E, ‘11, cab enclosure, foot controls, 2 speed, aux. hyd., general purpose bucket, 2884 hrs., #166118 ............................................................................................................... $21,900 16 JD 320E, ‘17, cab w/AC, EH controls, joystick, 2 speed, aux. hyd., less bucket, 2811 hrs., #148971 ............................................................................................................... $23,900 10 JD 328E, ‘13, cab w/AC, foot controls, EH controls, air ride seat, joystick, 2 speed, self-leveling, aux. hyd., flotation tires, 84” bucket, 3324 hrs., #166221.............................. $27,000 8 JD 320E, ‘18, cab w/AC, EH controls, joystick, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 2916 hrs., #159775 ..... $27900 7 JD 326D, ‘13, cab w/AC, cab, A/C, EH controls, air ride seat, joystick, 2 speed, self-leveling, aux. hyd., weights, 76” bucket, 1595 hrs., #166171 ............................................................ $28,500 10 JD 328D, ‘10, cab w/AC, foot controls, air ride seat, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 84” bucket, 1239 hrs., #158311 ................................................................................................................. $28900 15 JD 320E, ‘17, cab w/AC, EH controls, joystick, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 2681 hrs., #159774 ... $28,900 4 New Holland L225, ‘14, cab w/AC, foot controls, air ride seat, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 72” bucket, 1085 hrs., #161493 ............................................................................................ $30,900 5 JD 320E, ‘14, cab w/ AC, foot controls, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 72” bucket, 906 hrs., #161493 $32,900 14 Caterpillar 236D, ‘17, ROPS, cab w/ AC, cab enclosure, EH controls, air ride seat, 2 speed, 72” bucket, 582 hrs., #152334................................................................................ $33,400 4 Bobcat S650, ‘13, cab w/AC, foot controls, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 750 hrs., #155406 ....... $33,900 2 JD 326E, ‘15, cab w/AC, foot controls, air ride seat, 2 speed, self-leveling, aux. hyd., 84” bucket, 780 hrs., #153617 .............................................................................................. $33,900 11 JD 320E, ‘16, cab w/AC, foot controls, air ride seat, 2 speed, self-leveling, aux. hyd., 76” bucket, 765 hrs., #164631 .............................................................................................. $34,900 1 JD 320E, ‘16, cab w/AC, EH controls, EH controls, joystick, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 76” bucket, 645 hrs., #151636 ................................................................................................................. $38,900 4 JD 320E, ‘17, cab w/AC, EH controls, joystick, 2 speed, 72” bucket, 153 hrs., #144216 ... $39,500 13 JD 332E, ‘14, 1028 hrs., #155014 ...................................................................................... $39,500
Visit one of our 17 locations in Central Minnesota! (7) = ALEXANDRIA (9) = PRINCETON (4) = ST. CLOUD 1035 35th Ave. NE
(2) = HOWARD LAKE (5) = GLENWOOD 5845 Keats Ave. SW
1710 N. Franklin
(3) = STEWART
(6) = SAUK CENTRE
78412 Co. Rd. 20
14 5 14 3
1140 Centre St.
320-763-4220 5005 Co. Rd. 82 SE
3708 Baptist Church Rd.
(8) = PAYNESVILLE
16069 Hwy. 27 E.
725 Lake Ave. S.
14 JD 320E, ‘16, cab w/AC, EH controls, air ride seat, joystick, ride control, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 84” bucket, 290 hrs., #153678 ............................................................................. $40,900 4 Bobcat S650, ‘17, cab w/AC, hand controls, foot controls, ride control, 2 speed, aux. hyd., 78” bucket, 321 hrs., #166045 ............................................................................. $42,900 2 JD 324G, ‘18, cab w/AC, foot controls, air ride seat, 2 speed, self-Leveling, aux. hyd., beefy baby tires, 78” bucket, 291 hrs., #161893 .................................................................. $44,500 12 JD 326E, ‘16, cab w/AC, EH controls, air ride seat, 2 speed, self-Leveling, 84” bucket, 432 hrs., #126370 ................................................................................................................. $45,900 7 JD 330G, ‘18, cab w/AC, EH controls, air ride seat, joystick, ride control, 2 speed, self-leveling, aux. hyd., 84” bucket, 570 hrs., #159949 ............................................................................. $48,900 11 JD 332G, ‘18, cab w/AC, EH controls, air ride seat, joystick, ride control, 2 speed, self-leveling, aux. hyd., weights, 84” bucket, 150 hrs., #144002............................................................... $56,900 7 6 11 4 10 10 12 10 10 10 4 4 3 3 5 10 4 12 4 4 10 6 10 6 16 4 8 11 10 16 10 15 4 10 4 8 10 17
CALL TODAY! (320)365-1653 (12) = AITKIN 1120 2nd St. NW
(10) = LITTLE FALLS (13) = BAXTER (11) = WADENA 62505 US Hwy. 10
UTILITY TRACTORS
JD 3020, ‘64, 2WD, p. shift, 540 PTO, singles, 12989 hrs., #165991 .................................... $7,900 JD 2040, ‘79, 2WD, 540 PTO, #15704 ................................................................................ $11,900 Case IH 585, ‘85, syncro, 2WD, 540 PTO, loader, 3515 hrs., #162344.............................. $12,995 JD 5045E, ‘18, syncro, MFWD, 540 PTO, 250 hrs., #163844 .............................................. $23,900 JD 5055E, ‘18, syncro, MFWD, 540 PTO, 7 hrs., #140896 .................................................. $32,900 JD 5065E, ‘18, syncro, MFWD, 540 PTO, 37 hrs., #140790................................................ $33,900 JD 5065E, ‘18, syncro, MFWD, 540 PTO, 12 hrs., #147837 ................................................. $33,900 JD 5075E, ‘18, syncro, MFWD, 540 PTO, 31 hrs., #140875 ................................................ $36,900 JD 5065E, ‘18, p. reverser, MFWD, 40 PTO, loader, 112 hrs., #140897 .............................. $38,900 JD 5075E, 18, cab, p. reverser, MFWD, 540 PTO, 109 hrs., #147838 ................................. $41,900 JD 5075M, ‘18, p. reverser, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 250 hrs., #163843 ........................... $42,900 JD 5075E, ‘18, cab, p. reverser, MFWD, 540 PTO, loader, 49 hrs., #151896....................... $48,900 JD 6430, ‘08, cab, p. reverser, 2WD, 540 PTO, 1050 hrs., #161657.................................... $49,500 JD 6430, ‘08, cab, p. reverser, 2WD, 540 PTO, 1050 hrs., #161657.................................... $49,500 Case IH Farmall 110C, ‘15, partial p shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, loader, 694 hrs., #161390 ..................................................................................................... $49,900 JD 5075M, ‘19, p. reverser, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 35 hrs., #165471 .............................. $59,500 JD 5100M, ‘18, cab, p. reverser, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 300 hrs., #152371 ..................... $61,900 JD 5090E, ‘19, cab, p. reverser, MFWD, 540 PTO, 98 hrs., #153019 ................................... $61,900 JD 5115M, ‘18, cab, p. reverser, MFWD, 540 PTO, loader, 913 hrs., #143690 ................... $69,500 JD 6105E, ‘19, cab, p. reverser, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 42 hrs., #151983 ........................ $71,900 JD 5090R, ‘18, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 7 hrs., #147006 .................... $71,900 JD 6135E, ‘16, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 399 hrs., #142599 ......................................... $71,900 JD 6125R, ‘13, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD w/suspension, 540/1000 PTO, loader, 3358 hrs., #165924 ................................................................................................... $72,500 JD 6120E, ‘18, 482 hrs. #143694........................................................................................ $79,500 JD 6120E, ‘18, cab, p. reverser, MFWD, 540 PTO, loader, 198 hrs., #143692 .................... $79,500 JD 6135E, ‘19, cab, p. reverser, MFWD, 540 PTO, loader, 150 hrs., #152152 .................... $82,900 JD 6135E, ‘18, 476 hrs. #143698........................................................................................ $84,900 JD 6110M, ‘18, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 97 hrs., #149242 ................. $87,900 JD 6110M, ‘18, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, loader, 143 hrs., #149250... $89,500 JD 6110R, ‘17, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, loader, 458 hrs. #144496..... $89,500 JD 6120M, ‘18, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 169 hrs., #141903............... $92,900 JD 6110R, ‘16, cab, IVT, MFWD, 516 hrs., #144500........................................................... $95,900 JD 6110M, ‘17, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, loader, 178 hrs., #145468... $97,900 JD 6110R, ‘17, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 196 hrs., #145477 ............... $98,900 JD 6130M, 19, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 150 hrs., #152367 ............... $99,500 JD 6130R, ‘16, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 420 hrs., #14596 ................. $99,500 JD 6110R, ‘17, cab, IVT, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, 271 hrs., #145469 ............................... $106,900 JD 6130R, 17, cab, partial p. shift, MFWD, 540/1000 PTO, loader, 294 hrs., #147778 $109,500
7045 Foley Rd.
(14) = ELBOW LAKE
(16) = BENSON
(15) = MORRIS
(17) = MADISON
110 2nd St. NE
23604 State Hwy. 9
380 Atlantic Ave. 516 1st St. E
SEE OUR COMPLETE INVENTORY WITH PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS AT: www.mmcjd.com
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
Wood
Shavings BULK
OR
BAG
S&S Wood Products
35335 Green Street | Independence, WI 54747
800-234-5893 | 715-985-3122
WE’RE GROOVIN’ FOR YOUR COWS’ SAFETY Barn alleys, freestalls, barn yards, holding areas specializing in diamond pattern and diagonal grooves
Midwest Grooving
DAVE VANDEN BOSCH
M G
Owner/Operator • Kaukauna, WI
920-450-7246
midwestgrooving.com midwestgrooving@gmail.com PROTECTING YOUR INVESTMENT
The new DeLaval Parlor P500 milking system
96
”
max ceiling height requirement for DeLaval SynchroArc™
Up to
56
%
reduction in exit cycle time with DeLaval SynchroSweep™
3
cow flow control options
ZERO
obstructions at cow exit
www.delaval.com
Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Kramer Bros. Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United-Suckow Dairy Supply West Union, IA 563-422-5355 Postville, IA 563-864-7417
WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Waunakee, WI 608-849-5043
Mondovi Dairy Systems Inc. Mondovi, WI 715-926-5777 West Salem, WI 608-769-2113 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800-472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA D&D Ag Supply Pennock, MN 320-599-4466
East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, SD 605-886-7401 Sioux Falls, SD 800-284-0015 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416
is a registered trademark of Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. and “DeLaval” is a registered trade/servicemark of DeLaval Holding AB © 2020 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. All facts and figures are the result of data collected on test farms and pilot farms. Data compared to DeLaval Champion. Results may vary and are not guaranteed. www.delaval.com
New thinking is focal point of 2020 PDPW Business Conference Event will feature best-in-class education, networking Presented by Professional Dairy Producers® – (PDPW) the 2020 PDPW Business Conference will be held March 18-19 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., The two-day professional development Conference will once again be a gathering place for dairy’s dairy producers and key thought leaders. The 28th annual Conference, themed “Focus 2020,” will bring together farmers, animal scientists, crop advisors, nutritionists, veterinarians, and other agribusiness leaders. Attendees can expect a positive and forward-thinking atmosphere, matched with bestin-class ideas, solutions, resources, and experiences that dairymen and women can take back to the farm immediately and affect the dairy’s bottom line. The all-inclusive event is packed with educational sessions, hands-on wet labs, workshops, a world-class trade show, the Preview Stage showcasing cuttingedge research, and the newly launched talentCONNECT™, which will highlight dairy’s up-and-coming talent, and much more to round out the experience. With over 40 speakers including dairy science experts, researchers, and dairy producer panelists, we are proud to bring 39 unique educational sessions to the event – there is something for everyone. Led by the Conference Emcee Bill Baker, a nationally syndicated radio broadcaster and host of Dairy Radio Now, attendees will hear from 5 keynote speakers, who will challenge our attendees to re-train their brain, innovate, create, and empower team members. They’ll also help attendees differentiate between what can be controlled and what cannot, and that controlling what they can is the place to start. Keynotes include: Doug Hall, founder and chairman of Eureka! Ranch International, was also named one of America’s top innovation experts by Inc. magazine. He’ll share that innovation and creativity is birthed from being pressed and pushed to the limits in his opening session keynote: “Dream. Adapt. Innovate.” on Wednesday, March 18 at 11 a.m. Greg Schwem, is a business humorist, corporate emcee, and nationally syndicated humor columnist for Tribune Content Agency and will help producers relax with friends and reect on some of the silly ways we work, think and act in his evening keynote: “Laugh at yourself!,” on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m. Eric Snodgrass, a principal atmospheric scientist, who provides frequent weather updates focused on the inuence of high-impact weather events on global ag productivity, partnered with Dan Basse, well-known ag economist, will join forces and highlight the complexity and interrelated components of ag markets and the increasingly erratic weather patterns faced domestically and globally in their morning keynote: “When weather and markets collide,” on Thursday, March 19 at 10 a.m. Mark Nutsch is an inspirational keynote and former commander of the rst Green Beret unit that went into Afghanistan shortly after the 9/11 bombing. His heroic story inspired the major motion picture “12 Strong” and continues to serve as an effective reminder that perspective plays a powerful role in day-to-day life. Mark will share his story in his closing keynote: “Freedom isn’t free” on Thu., March 19 at 3:30 p.m. “PDPW was built on the desire for continuous education,” Shelly Mayer, dairy producer and PDPW executive director said. “When producers come to the Business Conference, they’re not only saturated with educational resources, they’re also surrounded by people who understand the path they’re walking. Fellow dairy producers help sharpen their saw and ll up the tank. There’s nothing like being with those who are in step with you.” To learn more or register for the 2020 PDPW Business Conference, visit https://pdpw.org/businessconference/ or contact PDPW at 1-800-947-7379.
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 23
Loving two countries at once Spindler is Danish by birth, American by choice By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
STRATFORD, Wis. – For Trine Spindler, the journey to obtain United States citizenship has been long, but she was nally sworn in as a citizen Dec. 19, 2019, in Minneapolis, nearly 20 years after she rst came to this country as a foreign exchange student at Stratford High School in Stratford. Spindler is from a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark. Before living in rural Marathon County as a high school exchange student during the 2001-02 school year, Spindler had no real connection to the dairy industry or to agriculture in general.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Memorabilia from Trine Spindler’s naturalizaƟon ceremony includes a leƩer from President Trump.
During her time as an exchange student, Spindler met Kobey Spindler. After she completed the one-year program, Spindler returned to Denmark. The next year, Kobey spent one year in Denmark with her family. The two married in 2007 and took over Kobey’s family’s farm in 2012. Today, they milk 82 registered Jerseys on their farm near Stratford with their children Andreas, 7, Annelise, 5, and Johnathan, 4. The farm achieved Century Farm designation in 2018. They are in the middle of an expansion, doing the majority of the work on a freestall barn themselves. Once they complete the expansion, they will be milking about 150 head. When Spindler rst moved to the United States, she came on a student visa which meant she could stay as long as she was a full-time student. Despite obtaining the equivalent of an associate’s degree in Denmark, the credentials did not transfer into the academic system, requiring her to essentially start over. As she came closer to graduation, Spindler applied for permanent residency which she received in 2010, over two years after submitting her initial application. The permanent residency allowed her to stay in the country. “At that time, Denmark did not have dual citizen laws with the United States,” Spindler said. “I would either have to be an American or a Dane. I wanted to keep my Danish citizenship. That way our kids would be dual citizens right away. They changed the law about four years ago, so when I applied for my citizenship, I now have dual citizenship which is awesome. It gives us a
BRINGING DAIRY
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Trine Spindler celebrates receiving her U.S. ciƟzenship with her three children – (from leŌ) Andreas, 7, Annelise, 5, and Johnathan, 4 – aŌer a ceremony Dec. 19 in Minneapolis. little more rights and a little more ties to home.” When it came down to applying for citizenship, Spindler said the process was easier because she had already ob-
tained permanent resident status. “Really, the only difference in rights between a permanent residentship and Turn to SPINDLER | Page 25
to Life
2020 District Meetings
FEB 1 – 12:00 PM Tobie’s, Hinckley District 2, Eric Sonnek FEB 7 – 11:30 AM Browerville Comm Center, Browerville District 5, Debi Clasemann FEB 8 – 12:00 PM Hy-Vee, Owatonna District 19, Karen Kasper FEB 11 – 11:30 AM Pizza Ranch, Alexandria District 7, Suzanne Vold
FEB 12 – 11:00 AM – Leadership Meeting 12:00 PM – Midwest Dairy Pizza Ranch, Slayton District 18, Dave Schwartz FEB 14 – 11:30 AM The Oaks, Willmar District 11, Jane Remiger FEB 17 – 11:30 AM Immanuel Lutheran Silo School, Lewiston District 21, Rita Young MAR 4 – 10:00 AM – Extended program with Minnesota Milk 11:30 AM – Midwest Dairy 1:00 PM – DHIA Rochester Events Center District 20, Chris Sukalski
MAR 5 – 10:00 AM –Extended program with Minnesota Milk 11:30 AM – Midwest Dairy Crow River Winery, Hutchinson District 12, Charles Krause District 13, Kevin Buss MAR 11 – 12:00 PM American Legion, Millville District 17, Mindi Arendt MAR 14 – 7:00 PM Goodtimes, Caledonia Houston County ADA, Margaret Johnson MAR 19 – 7:30 PM Branding Iron Restaurant, Preston Fillmore County ADA, Margaret Johnson
No RSVP required. Please call 651-703-1008 or email barnold@midwestdairy.com with any questions. Visit MidwestDairy.com for additional locations and times.
Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
NEW EQUIPMENT
#013918 LX Anderson IFX720 Bale Wrapper Call For Price
#012028 LX Kuhn VB3160 Round Baler Call For Price
#009293 LX Kuhn VB3190 Round Baler Call For Price
#002544 EY NH 330P Large Square Baler MUST GO - $89,000!!
#008532
#002529 EY NH Roll-Belt 450 Round Baler $28,900
#005648 EY NEW KUBOTA RTV-X900WL-A $11,900
#006503 EY NH T7.210 Tractor NOW $115,000!
#013126 LX Fendt 1042 Tractor Call for Price
#011570 LX Fendt 828 Tractor Call For Price
#010400 LX CIH Magnum 280 Tractor Call For Price
#010396 LX CIH 150 Maxxum Tractor Priced to Move
#012289 LX CIH 115 Maxxum Tractor Call for Price
#009560 NW CIH Farmall 60A Tractor Call For Price
#007195 LX MF 6713 Tractor Call For Price
#009547 EY Kubota M7-151 Tractor w/Loader Call For Price
#007741 RC Kuhn Knight VT156T TMR Call For Price
#007698 LX Segue SEG6T TMR BLOWOUT PRICED!!
#007700 LX Supreme Segue SEG45 TMR Call For Price
#013586 LX Supreme 800T TMR Call For Price
#013587 LX Supreme 1200T TMR Call For Price
LX NH 560 Round Baler Call For Price
$682/Month
#007652 LX New ‘17 CIH 875ET Disk Ripper $49,995
#009550 EY BRILLION WFPDS34 PULVERIZER CALL
#009001 EY GREAT PLAINS 1800TM TURBO TILL CALL
#3444R EY Sunflower 5135-42 Cultivator $49,152
#008146 EY White 9812VE 12R Planter, Elec. Drive, Hyd., Down Force Call For Price
#011802 LX CIH 2150 12 Row Planter Call For Price
#012480 EY Kubota R630 Wheel Loader Call For Price
#011439 NW Bobcat T650 Track Loader Call For Price
#013340 LX NH L228 Skid Loader Call For Price
#011115 RC Kuhn Knight SLC132 Spreader Call For Price
#012333 NW Meyer 7500 V Force Spreader Call For Price
#008545 LX New Holland 195 Spreader Call For Price
#012334 LX Meyer SX1720T Spreader Call For Price
#013461 NW Bobcat E85 Mini Excavator Call For Price
USED EQUIPMENT REDUCED PRICE!
#014546 LX 2013 CIH Magnum 315 $141,750
0% AVAILABLE!
REDUCED PRICE!
#008687 RC 2014 CIH Magnum 210 Tractor REDUCED $112,985
#008883 LX 2014 CIH Magnum 190 REDUCED $104,985
#010431 LX 2014 CIH 180 Magnum REDUCED $109,985
NICE!!
#013510 EY ‘12 NH T7.200 Tractor $89,900
#2993R2 EY 2012 NH T8.360, Front Sus $129,900
SUPER SHARP!
#011728 LX 2015 CIH 125 Maxxum Pro 30 MPH, Susp. REDUCED $67,500
#012442
#015071 EY 2015 Kubota M8560 HDC12 $42,000
#013417 LX 1999 NH 8160 Tractor $28,900
#015262 NW 1992 CIH 7110 $47,500
NW 2005 CIH MXM190 $42,500
REDUCED PRICE!
#008468 LX 2011 MF 8660 Tractor NOW $94,985 0% FINANCING
4WD
REDUCED PRICE!
#006674 EY 2012 MF 8670 Tractor REDUCED! $109,985
CLEAN!
REDUCED PRICE!
#009489 EY White 2-155 Tractor $9,900
REDUCED PRICE!
#015195 LX CIH 6150 Hillco Combine $329,985
#014471 LX ‘12 CIH 5130 HILLCO COMBINE $179,000
#009442 RC ‘14 CIH 5130 Combine REDUCED $149,985
#014720 LX ‘95 CIH 2166 COMBINE $39,900
#003708 EY ‘12 MF 9560 Combine REDUCED $134,985
#006657 LX ‘03 MF 9790 Combine REDUCED $34,985
#006676 EY ‘12 Geringhoff RD 830 Corn Head $36,985
#007393 EY 2011 NH H7230 Mow/Cond. $15,985
#014333 RC 2013 CIH DC102 Mow/Cond. $14,900
#014432 NW 2017 Trioliet 2-1600L VLC TMR $32,000
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ConƟnued from SPINDLER | Page 23 citizenship is that you cannot vote,” she said. “You don’t quite have the same rights as a full American. I can’t wait. I’m going to register to vote, and then I’ll be voting for the rest of my life.” Spindler’s permanent residency was due to expire in May, and had she not achieved citizenship by May 4, she would have had to leave the country. “The hardest part of the application for citizenship was paying the $750,” Spindler said. “With the tough milk price, there seemed to always be somewhere else we needed the money for. But when it came down to having to leave in a year, we decided that it needed to become a priority.” In addition to the fee, Spindler submitted an application and traveled to Milwaukee where her ngerprints and bio-
hours there, gave them my ngerprints and my picture and drove back home.” Spindler then ventured to Minneapolis which is also three hours from the farm. She took the 100-question citizenship test and went through an interview where she had to correctly answer six of 10 questions and complete a written test. She took the tests Dec. 19, 2019, and was told to return to the immigration ofces in the afternoon to be sworn in as a United States citizen. “There is some sort of special provision for residents of Wisconsin that we can be sworn in the same day as the test and interview,” Spindler said. “Usually you have to wait two months to be sworn in.” The ceremony took approximately one hour. There were about 50 people from 12 countries who were sworn in at
“... America is where I chose to live and raise my family. It is where we are free to pursue our happiness and there is nothing more beautiful than that.”
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Kobey and Trine Spindler milk 82 cows near Straƞord, Wisconsin. The couple met nearly 20 years ago when Trine came to Straƞord as a foreign exchange student.
TRINE SPINDLER, DAIRY FARMER
metric data were recorded. “You would think that could have been done locally, here, but it had to be done at the immigration ofce,” Spindler said. “So I drove the three
the same time as Spindler. “Everybody stood up when their country was mentioned, which was kind of neat,” Spindler said. “The country that most people were from was
Somalia, and then there was Australia, Germany, Denmark and quite an array of other countries.” The ceremony included a speech by the chief of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service ofce in Minneapolis and recorded speeches from President Donald Trump as well as the national head of the USCIS. The oath of allegiance was administered to the group as a whole.
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“They have everybody stand up, you raise your right hand and you actually take the oath in front of them, you swear in,” Spindler said. “That is your oath to the country, you are now a citizen. Then, everybody gives hugs and there were ags. You get a certicate that says you are a citizen.” Although she now has dual citizenship, Spindler said Denmark dictates that after two years of living outside of
the country, a citizen gives up most of their rights of Danish citizenship. But maintaining close ties to Spindler’s home country was important to her. “Denmark will always be my home, but America is where I chose to live and raise my family,” Spindler said. “It is where we are free to pursue our happiness and there is nothing more beautiful than that.”
Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
USDA safety net program enrollment opens for 2019-20
Agricultural producers now can enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs – two United States Department of Agriculture safety net programs – for the 2019 and 2020 crop year. ARC provides income FSA News & Notes support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a speciďƒžed guaranteed level. PLC provides income support payments on historical base acres when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its reference price. The 2018 By Ryan Brunn farm bill reauthorized and Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. updated both programs. Signup for the 2019 crop year closes March 15, 2020, while signup for the 2020 crop year closes June 30, 2020. Producers who have not yet enrolled for 2019 can enroll for both 2019 and 2020 during the same visit to a FSA county ofďƒžce. ARC and PLC have options for the farm operator who is actively farming the land as well as the owner of the land. Farm owners also have a one-time opportunity to update PLC payment yields beginning with crop year 2020. If the farm owner and producer visit the FSA county ofďƒžce together, FSA can also update yield information during that visit. Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpea, corn, crambe, ďƒ&#x;axseed, grain sorghum, lentil, mustard seed, oat, peanut, dry pea, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium and short grain rice, safďƒ&#x;ower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybean, sunďƒ&#x;ower seed and wheat. For more information on ARC and PLC, including two online decision tools that assist producers in making enrollment and election decisions speciďƒžc to their operations, visit the ARC and PLC webpage at https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/ arcplc_program/index. When you know what program you want to elect, call your local ofďƒžce for an appointment so they can get you enrolled into the program. Do not wait until the last minute.
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Fluid milk consumption moving forward
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 27
My daughters were recently discussing Kwik Trip’s new milk avor, mint. Anna is looking forward to purchasing some to try. “It will be just like a shamrock shake from McDonald’s or our grasshoppers ice cream drink at Christmas,” she said. Catherine raised an eyebrow and eventually agreed. They both enjoyed the root beer avor this past summer that reminded them of a root beer oat. “I enjoyed the eggnog, but never got to try the pumpkin spice that was in October,” Catherine said. I know they have chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, too. Personally, I love all of those avors. By Tina Hinchley Catherine mentioned there Farmer & Columnist was an Instagram post from Kwik Trip requesting customers to suggest new avors. Cereal avored milk, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Fruit Loops, could be something she would like to try. Also, chocolate malt, blueberry or raspberry, just like a milkshake but with real avoring, not blue raspberry. Looking online, I saw someone created their own milk avors to encourage their children to drink more milk. The avors of milk ranged from chocolate marshmallow, cherry, caramel, peppermint, banana, even rose and lavender. That is very creative, and I would love to try some of these. My son, Curtis, on a trip to South Korea, mentioned that they drank carbonated milk with fruit avors, and they were really good. All of my children agree: If we see a new milk product, as milk lovers, we are going to try it. How is it that a smaller Midwest company like Kwik Trip can go above and beyond to create a new avor and demand for uid milk and other national companies can’t step out beyond the chocolate and strawberry? I keep reading and hearing about how Americans have lost their love for uid milk which is why Dean Foods and now Borden’s have gone belly up. I do not think Americans have had enough opportunities to try other avors of milk. Who is testing and researching new uid milk avors? Maybe this is just my opinion, but if you were a dairy company struggling with uid consumption, why would you not reach out to do research and ask people what they would like to taste in milk? It would make sense to try. Going down the ice cream isle in the grocery store, Dean Foods has a lot of ice cream avors in different containers and sizes. Obviously, there were creative people in the ice cream avor department. What happened to the uid milk? Did the company not realize social media could help them get easy answers to the questions that could have made all the difference in the success of the uid milk department? Apparently not. The average consumer wants to know where their food comes from, and farmers are the ones growing and taking care of everything that everyone eats. Dean Foods and Borden’s missed the boat on telling the farmers’ stories. Their farmers. Just like us selling our milk to Dean’s. The customers did not get to hear from us. They see a jug in the fridge. The big companies did not care to show their family farms behind that milk. Why would the consumers not reach over to try something that comes from a tree in California? Who is
watching as these people are buying a milk-like products made from peas, coconut, rice, oat, soy or even hemp that are full of sugar and added calcium? The truth is that these shoppers do not have a connection to farmers in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. Their hearts are not connected to the real milk that comes from our family farms. It would not have cost too much for Dean Foods or Borden’s to have a social media department that would connect families who are looking for a natural, healthy product for their children or themselves. Show a video of farmers getting up early to milk and feed the cows with the imagery of the farm kids holding bottles for the newborn calves before they head off to school. A scene with Grandpa driving a tractor, cutting hay while the sun is setting. Then, end the video with a view of the whole family sitting together drinking milk with their meal while having a great conversation without cell phones at the table. In the Midwest, we love milk. We love it for
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breakfast, lunch and dinner. No need to hire actors. Just ask us. Farmers are still here, milking cows that make the most nutritious, delicious and affordable product on the table: milk. Our family is so proud to support Kwik Trip by purchasing their new avors of milk and also giving feedback and suggestions to answer their question, “What other milk avors do you want to see?” It is this kind of social media survey that is helping this smaller company connect with its customers. Having a uid milk company, right here in the Midwest, that is interested in helping their farmers by creating new products to keep the uid milk consumption moving forward is something to cheer about. Way to go Kwik Trip. Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. They have been hosting farm tours for over 20 years.
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
Taking time for self-care
Educators urge farmers to prioritize their well-being By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
BARABOO, Wis. – As the dairy industry continues down an uncertain and tumultuous path towards the future, the need for increasing the strength of rural communities and support for those ghting on the industry’s front lines continues to grow. This is particularly true in the area of stress and mental health. The recent Paving the Way conference helped provide support and resources for mental health and self-care for dairy farmers and others involved in the dairy industry and in agriculture. The event was held at the Sauk County Extension ofce Jan. 16 in Baraboo. “When we think about self-care and why it is important, we need to think about all the internal and external factors that contribute to our overall care and well-being,” said Amanda Coorough, a University of Wisconsin Extension human development and relationships educator. Coorough said our overall health and well-being encompasses the areas of not only our physical, mental and emotional health, but also, our spiritual and social health. “We know that when we are under extreme stress, we often face internal symptoms of headaches or stomach aches,” Coorough said. “Sometimes people are unable to eat; sometimes they may eat more than what they normally would. … A lot of people understand and can relate to the emotional aspect as well; maybe we are more irritable when we are stressed. Depression and anger become bigger issues we have to deal with. When we are well, we are able to see the positive in things.” Stress can also affect the ability to focus, which can also lead to more stress and place increasing pressures on a person. “We know that when anger or depression gets really overwhelming or dysfunctional is when they start to affect our work, our home life and our
community actions,” Coorough said. “Our individual wellness is impacted by our environment and things going on in our culture.” Farm-related stresses can impact all areas of well-being, something that UW Extension agriculture educator Alana Voss agreed with “Farm stress in our area stems from nancial pressures whether it is input costs, trade and tariff issues, low prices or debt load,” Voss said. “It is also unpredictable weather and extreme work conditions. Working in those situations puts a lot of pressure on people. We get fatigued. There are excessive workloads. There is very little personal time. There is also stress related to succession of the family farm and impact of family transfer.” To help combat the stresses, Coorough encourages prioritizing and determining what things bring joy. “We need to think about being playful again,” Coorough said. “How do you bring joy into your life? Playing can be something as simple as watching a favorite television show, spending
“When we think about self-care and why it is important, we need to think about all the internal and external factors that contribute to our overall care and wellbeing.” AMANDA COOROUGH
time with family or playing cards. Those things may seem like a frivolous waste of time when we are under stress, but those things are important ways to let go of stress and anxiety for a moment.” Voss encourages dairy farmers and others who work with farmers on a daily basis to become familiar with resources in the community that can offer potential solutions to issues that face dairy farmers. Directories of businesses and organizations that offer services are
Signs of depression – Feeling sad or empty – Loss of interest in enjoyable activities – Changes in weight, sleep, eating – Restlessness, fatigue – Feelings of hopelessness, guilt – Can’t concentrate, indecision – Physical aches, pains – Thoughts of suicide or attempts
being complied by the UW Extension and can be obtained by contacting an extension ofce. The Wisconsin Farm Center has vouchers for counseling and services. If the cost of healthcare is a concern or preventing someone from receiving the care they need, Sauk County Public Health nurse Jody Bruni encourages farmers to apply for Badger Care for health coverage. When depression and anxieties are not addressed, it is feared a person may become suicidal. Bruni spends a great deal of time educating people on how to initiate difcult conversations with people who may be considering suicide, using the Question Persuade Refer suicide prevention training. “If someone is talking to you, and they are sharing, ask,” Bruni said. “It’s OK to ask. It’s a huge myth; you cannot plant the idea of suicide in their head. You want to ask; it relieves their stress level. They are asking for help.” Bruni said listening and making a connection is crucial for suicide prevention, and it helps relieve the stress for the suicidal person. “It is hard to be empathetic,” Bruni
Tips for asking the suicide question – If in doubt, don’t wait, ask the question – If the person is reluctant, be persistent – Talk to the person alone in a private setting – Allow the person to talk freely – Give yourself plenty of time – Have your resources handy said. “You have to feel that feeling; it makes you vulnerable.” Bruni said asking someone directly if they are suicidal lowers the stress level of someone who is in crisis and opens a path for communication. “Suicide is everyone’s business,” Bruni said. “It’s not just medical providers. We know our family, our friends, acquaintances and co-workers, better than any doctor. That is why you want to learn and have the resources to help someone get help.” Bruni said watching for warning signs is important. Signs can include behavior such as giving away belongings. She urges people to check in with those who are struggling. “Sometimes you just need to ask and get folks to talk,” said Dorothy Harms, a Sauk County dairy farmer. Harms is a member of the Farmer Angel Network, a group in the Sauk County area to help farmers who are facing difcult times. “Sometimes just being there and letting someone who is struggling get things out in the open, that helps them,” Harms said.
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Pre-weaning calf health impacts rst lactation, lifetime performance
It takes a special person to enjoy caring for pre-weaned dairy calves. To care for calves well, you have to do the same thing every day at the same time and revel in the monotony of being exact. When things are going well, it should be somewhat boring. For me, the only way I can motivate myself is to know why it matters. Why I feeding calves and dealing with the frustrations that come with the job? Why does it matter if I do it well? The rst answer is straightforward. The better you care for the calves, the less sick calves and the less dead calves you will have. Sick calves and dead calves are a considerable time, resource and emotional drain. Limiting morbidity and mortality is better for the dairy and the caregiver, but there is a bigger picture benet as well. Much of the calf research in the last 10 years has focused on early life care. A fascinating area to me is the effect of preBy Joe Armstrong weaning health on rst lactation and lifetime performance. U of M Extension While calf morbidity and mortality have signicant immediate impacts, studies show the effect is also long term. Several studies show calves treated for pneumonia or scours are more likely to be culled or leave the herd early. Additionally, similar studies showed calves treated for scours are almost three times more likely to calve after 30 months of age. Another study showed heifers that were never treated for respiratory disease were twice more likely to have a calf than treated heifers. These are all important markers of lifetime performance and the success of a dairy operation. But, what if morbidity and mortality are under control? What is the motivation to keep up the excellent work besides keeping morbidity and mortality low? Several studies have reported that pre-weaning average daily gain can signicantly impact later performance. Most notably, a Cornell study from 2012 showed that for every additional pound of average daily gain, an additional 1,100 pounds of milk was expected in rst lactation and an extra 2,280 pounds of milk was expected in the rst three lactations. This effect was linear, meaning the more average daily gain in the preweaning period, the more productive the animal. Similarly, a study in 2016 showed an additional 1,430 pounds of milk in rst lactation for every additional pound of average daily gain pre-weaning. Interestingly, the 2016 study also indicated the effect was true for the total production of fat and protein as well. A University of Minnesota study from 2016 reported similar results with weaning weight and pre-weaning average daily gain, both signicantly correlated to 305-day milk, fat and protein. What do these numbers mean to you? You should strive to eliminate almost everything that hinders growth in the pre-weaning period because it is hindering the lifetime performance of that calf, and you should push to add anything that enhances growth (within economic reason). So now the question is, what do I change? We need to eliminate as much stress as possible for the calf. Anything that takes away energy from growth needs to go, and we need to add things that positively impact growth as long as they are reasonable. The absolute most impactful thing in a calf’s life that predicts average daily gain, health and lifetime performance is colostrum management. Feeding the correct amount of high quality, clean colostrum is the most important thing you can do. Calories fed above maintenance is correlated to average daily gain and calf health. Calves need to be fed the correct amount to encourage growth and maintain fat stores needed for the immune system. Emphasis on special care in the winter is necessary as the cold temperatures cause maintenance requirements to rise. Coming from a veterinarian, this may sound strange. Stop giving so many vaccines pre-weaning. Basic husbandry and colostrum account for almost all of a calf’s health, and we should focus on managing g g those two things g rather than vaccine delivery. Collostrum is there for a reason and matters more than a vacComing C i ffrom a veterinarian, i i cine ever could. Every time this may sound strange. Stop we give a calf a vaccine, there the stress of handling, the giving so many vaccines pre- isinjection site healing and the weaning. need for the immune system tto respond, all of which redduce the energy put towards growth. Now, I am not saying you should not vaccinate. I am saying in many protocols, vaccines should be reduced to the bare minimum necessary to cover gaps in management until those gaps can be lled. Work with your veterinarian to identify which vaccines should stay and which can go. - Colostrum: 1 gallon of quality, clean colostrum fed within the rst four hours of life with 2 quarts of colostrum fed at the second feeding (within 12 hours). - Average daily gain: Doubling birth weight by weaning is a reasonable goal and provides an average daily gain that improves rst lactation and lifetime performance. Usually, this is around 1.5 pounds per day. - Milk: I push calves hard, and the research is there to show the benet. Offer 1 gallon twice per day or 3 quarts three times per day starting on the second day of life. - Vaccine: No injectable vaccines preweaning. Question the benet of all other vaccines and decide how to proceed with the help of your veterinarian. The reason we should care about pre-weaning calf performance is that this period signicantly affects the lifetime performance of the calf and the dairy as a whole. What that calf experiences in the rst 60 days of life matters for the lifetime production. When you are questioning why you are dealing with calf chores, remind yourself that how well you care for those calves is setting up the success of your dairy.
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 29
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Just a girl who loves cows Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
I am trailed through the barn by an almost-three-yearold Jabberwock, who happens to be obsessed with cows. The stage of asking “why” every ve seconds is upon us, and when I run out of legitimate answers, “because” is my go-to response. For all of her talking, Cora does pay very close attention to everything that comes out of my mouth. I know this, because as soon as she starts to play with her toy cows, the words that I was uttering hours before start coming out of her mouth as she bosses her herd around. When making supper last week I could hear her saying, “she’s just thinking about it”, on repeat. It took me a bit to remember that I said that as a way to explain to her why I put a heifer in the parlor and walk away so she ‘thinks about it’ and goes into a stall on her own accord without yelling and pushing. Cora’s cows do an awful lot of thinking before they go in their headlocks, like some of my rst-calf heifers. Much like the boys, Cora’s play mirrors her daily
life. Whereas they were hauling manure and packing the pile, Cora’s moving cows around (with a mini cane), giving Bovikalc, vaccinating with empty Inforce bottles, trimming feet, and giving IVs. The boys had twistyties for equipment hitches; she has ponytail holders that become halters to tie her cows up. The boys toted tractors everywhere; she carries a backpack wherever she goes that’s full of cows and magnetic squares which she sets up for fences. They pulled stuck tractors out, she pulls calves. This mini-me is a constant source of entertainment and amazement to all of us in the barn. I just shake my head sometimes when she is a step ahead of me: “We need the chains, you have to pull her baby out.” Cora has about a dozen cows that she can recognize on sight and knows by name as we walk the barns— sometimes I wonder if those cows know her just as well. Call it chance, luck, or just plain wild, but last week as we were sorting cows for the hoof trimmer I had a rst
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time experience in the barn. With Cora on my hip, we opened the gate for pen four. Carmen was inside nding the ladies we needed. Cora, realizing what pen we were in, starts whining to see Kaboodle. The only thing worse than carrying a snowpant-clad, heavy creature on your hip through the barn is when that child starts to wiggle and whine. To pacify her, I started calling ‘Kaboodle, come here’ in a sing-song voice. I couldn’t believe it when Ramblings from the Ridge that goofy heifer turned from her feed halfway up the barn alley and started moseying our way. Cora was shocked silent, giving me a shy smile of astonishment. Kaboodle, always one wanting attention, came right up with friendly licks and sniffs, and then stood there by us as we sorted cows By Jacqui Davison out. We milk more than 800 cows and there are Columnist 140 cows in this pen alone – my mind was blown. I swear that silly heifer was smiling, probably just pleased as punch to have earned a few scratches in hard to reach places. When Cora plays with her cows, it is only she that has a voice. The jabbering while playing is her ordering them to move, explaining to them where they need to go, or scolding them for indiscretions. She doesn’t give them voices, hardly even has them ‘moo’. She will give me the play by play of what is happening, though. ‘All these cows are calving. You need to pull a calf for me, Mom.’ This farmgirl of mine is rough and tumble, but takes herself to the connes of the milkhouse if I am pulling a calf and the cow’s volume gets too loud. She doesn’t handle that very well at all. She knows that sometimes I have to send cows to heaven and will explain to you why if you ask her, and often, the how. Cora will carry her dolls to the barn, and sway with them as they need to sleep, or sit and read books to them. Someone asked me if she was a ‘girly-girl’ recently. My response was that she was the girl with a doll in one hand and a cane in the other, ready to chase her cows around. One of the extra children I had following me around the farm over break asked if Cora goes to school (thinking daycare). I said, “Cora goes to ‘farm school’.” After all, is there really any better place to learn about the real things in life? After Cora was born, Stacy and I wrote a column about not using the princess word with her. I physically cringe every time someone refers to her as ‘a little princess’ and think—‘man, you should see her yell at cows.’ I still despise that word, though the dresses and pink have made their way into the barn clothes rotation at her insistence. She will turn three soon, and this has me marveling at her knowledge of life and death, cows and calves, and so many other things. I swear that my parenting with her hasn’t been all that different than from the boys, but the fact that she adores cows is a welcome trait. Stacy made her a personalized book for Christmas with all of the cows she knows, and she will read the entire thing to any willing human. It is a hoot, how one so little can pack so much into her brain. I blame the fact that I’m a Jabberwock that birthed a Jabberwock, and that the people around her give her real answers to her never-ending questions. At the end of the day, she is just a girl who loves her cows. And that is a beautiful thing. Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (12), Dane (10), Henry (5) and Cora (toddler), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 31
Build your milk check with components
Milk components have been high the past few months – higher than normal seasonal values – yet, most herds continue to search for additional pounds of milk. Many tend to focus on volume of milk shipped on a cow or herd basis when, in fact, it is the pounds of solids that leave the farm that ultimately pay the bills. The Federal Milk Marketing Order 30 applies to most Dairy Star readers. Pay price within the FMMO 30 on milk protein has been higher than fat since last September. volume contribution Something to Ruminate On The of both still comprises the majority of your milk checks. November FMMO 30 price on protein increased to $3.65 per pound and butterfat settled at $2.20 per pound. These values softened a bit in December but still illustrate the inuence milk solids have on your mailbox pay price. Because of the value By Barry Visser of milk components, Nutritionist many herds track combined fat and protein pounds shipped on a per-cow basis. Target goals are herd specic. Some high-performing herds produce more than 7 pounds combined fat and protein. It is important to calculate your number for your herd and use this as an internal benchmark for improvement. Energy-corrected milk is a calculation that factors in the pounds of fat and protein shipped. This measurement is more valuable than looking at milk volume alone or even fat-corrected milk. For example, a herd milking 85 pounds of milk with 4.1% butterfat and 3.3% protein would yield an energy-corrected milk value of 94.4 pounds. If milk production increased by 5 pounds per cow to 90 pounds of milk, but components dropped to 3.8% butterfat and 3% protein, this dairy would ship the exact same pounds of solids. Inconsistent feeding time or variation in feed distribution can impact meal patterns and promote slug feeding. Cow comfort and stocking density can negatively impact resting time, resulting in lower butterfat. Heat abatement strategies are critical to success in the summer and can promote more consistent intakes and cow comfort. Nutritionally, certain levels of effective ber are necessary to promote cud chewing and rumination. Particle size and digestibility of forage ber impact total intake of neutral detergent ber. Adequate forage NDF intake relates directly to rumen pH, and rumen pH is linked to milk fat. A healthy rumen environment minimizes wide uctuations in rumen pH through balanced carbohydrate nutrition. This leads to the formation of more acetate and butyrate which are volatile fatty acids that serve as precursors to milk fat. Too much vegetable oil has been shown to negatively impact milk fat. As wet corn sources move further into fermentation and starch becomes more available, so does some of the corn oil within the kernel. This can also cause some challenges to milk fat as we move closer to summer. Research conducted by Dr. Kevin Harvatine, Penn State University, has demonstrated the value of rumenavailable methionine sources to milk fat synthesis. Rumen-inert fats high in palmitic acid have shown to have a positive impact on milk fat. Feeding elevated levels of sodium and potassium or rumen modiers, such as yeast and direct-fed microbials, can be benecial to improving milk fat. The concept of amino acid balancing is nothing new to the dairy industry. Lysine and methionine are the two most-limiting amino acids in a lactating dairy cow diet. Feed ingredients, as well as synthetic sources, can contribute lysine and methionine to the diet. However, not all sources are created equal. The bioavailability of these amino acids – and the decision of which feedstuffs provide the most economical return on investment – is a conversation to have with your nutritionist. The primary goal with amino acid balancing is to improve protein efciency. As a result, amino acid balancing often yields an improvement in milk protein output. Improvement in protein efciency also results in less nitrogen excretion which inherently has some environmental benets. Lower nitrogen excretion also results in additional energy that can utilized for body reserves, milk production or other requirements of the cow. Increasing pounds of milk is not necessarily the best way to build up your milk check. Work with your feed team and nutritionist to evaluate feed ingredients and management factors that may contribute to greater milk components. The net results can be improvement in cow health, performance and an economic return to your bottom line. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
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Opportunityisnowhere
Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
No; I did not hit random keys for today’s title accurate. The problem for me was when I could nor did I forget to hit the space bar between words. rank all four words in the same line as a four. Once There is a story behind the letters. I will get to that all the words were ranked and the scores totaled, in a moment, but I want to talk about p personality y I am most like an otter. Of course, it is the most and communication styles. social s and people trait At many farm transition Thi of the four. I also see This jjumble bl off lletters h had d meetings we have been to, myself as a beaver either as a buyer and now as such an impact on Austin ... in creatively solving a seller, there are always a Do you see it now? It is about problems, a lion in couple of fun tests to discover taking the lead and your communication and perspective, positive or negative. as a loyal retriever t my family and leadership styles. One such to test compares your style to a friends. f As Austin golden retriever, a lion, a beaver and an otter. You points out, it is not for absolute accuracy but more have to rank four words in a line which describe for a frame to build upon. you best: takes charge, takes risks, loyal and The catch phrase at many of these meetings
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is building a team. There used to be a time when you were a one-man, family team. You did it all. There were areas where you easily took the lead, and there were areas where you slogged Just Thinking Out Loud through to the nish line. We cannot do it that way today. We have so many more options. One person cannot know everything in the changing world of technology, nances, animal care, taxes, estate planning and transitioning. We need to build a team By Natalie Schmitt to bring the best ideas Columnist and information to the table to keep moving forward. That also means we may need to bring someone to the table outside of the family. ` We have always been a do-it-yourself kind of farm. This style has worked for us in the past, but we recognize it will not be as effective for us in the future. So, we made a call to the Minnesota Dairy Initiative to help us start pulling a team of experts together. We are reaching out and utilizing available resources to help us take steps in the next direction. At our rst meeting, we took these personality and communication style tests. They were pretty accurate and a spark for starting a conversation of how we view ourselves and how others view us. Leadership personality and communication traits affect how we perceive things and how we are perceived. It is the angle in which we view our situation. Think of how light is refracted through a prism into individual rays of color. As the sun marks time across the horizon, the pattern of light and color dance around the room reecting a different perspective of the sun. The same can be said about our lives, constantly shifting to reect the situation. Just as there are seven colors (that we can see) in the rainbow coming together to make light, different traits in our personality, leadership and communication styles come together to make us who we are. We are not only a beaver or an otter or a lion or a retriever but a wonderful combination of everything. When we recognize our strengths and weaknesses, we are on the road to discovering new opportunities. Now back to the title, “Opportunityisnowhere.” Some FFA members may recognize the title from leadership camps. This jumble of letters had such an impact on Austin when he was in high school; he printed them in a framed picture for his room. Do you see it now? It is about perspective, positive or negative. Look again. What words do you see? As we begin a new month, a new year, a new decade, let us focus on where opportunities are for opportunity is now here. Natalie, Mark and his brother Al, farm together near Rice, Minnesota. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are grown up and all involved in agriculture with hopes of someone returning to the farm. For questions or comments, please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.
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We’ve rolled diced. We’ve drawn straws. We’ve picked numbers. It’s never easy (or fair, if you ask my kids) to determine who should get which job or which privilege. When my twin cousins passed their driver’s tests and got their much-anticipated farmer’s permits, they were left with one small problem. They had only one car between them. To prevent them from bickering over who got Dairy Good Life the car each day, their father devised a solution: The rst twin out to the parlor for morning milking got to drive the car that day. Even though that was years ago, I still remember the solution as one of the best examples of crafty parenting. I need to nd a similar solution for the problem of who gets to sit in the front seat of the van. Dan has been sitting in the front seat since this summer. Monika recently reached a safe height for the front seat and has been challenging Dan’s assumed rights to the front seat. With school and activity schedules the way they By Sadie Frericks are, it’s not often both Dan and Monika are in the Columnist van at the same time. But now that 4-H project bowl practice has started, there’s been a ght for the front seat each Sunday afternoon. Last year, Dan competed in poultry project bowl, so his practice time was different than Monika’s. This year, after having so much fun with the other dairy kids at the state fair, he decided to try dairy project bowl. I tell them that whoever gets ready and into the van rst gets the front seat, but that hasn’t stopped the bickering. I tried a similar motivational approach last week, and it resulted in not just bickering but sabotage as well. I made millionaire shortbread bars for the rst time, and I wanted to surprise the kids with them. I knew they would love them. The bars are homemade caramel and chocolate ganache layered on top of a shortbread crust. Because they were dallying around instead of getting ready to go outside for chores – which was delaying my opportunity to nish the bars in secret – I told the kids that the rst one out the door gets the rst bar. The incentive worked for about three minutes. Each child accelerated the getting ready process, but then the yammering started. It wasn’t fair because Daphne was already half-dressed. Then Dan threw Monika’s boots down the basement steps, so it ended up taking her longer to get ready. I tell you; I understand why my mother worked off the farm. It was eight less hhours of each day she had to llisten to us kids bicker. I think farm kids have I understand d d why h my mother h twice as many topics to argue worked off the farm. It was about: Whose turn it is to milk, whose turn it is to feed, eight less hours of each day who gets to name the new she had to listen to us kids calf, who gets to claim the new calf. bicker. We had a special little Red aand White heifer calf born two weeks ago. She has adorable markings and a lot of future show ring potential. Daphne was the rst one out to the barn after school that day, so she was the rst one to see the little baby in the calf warmer. Glen told Daphne that because she was the rst one to see the calf, the calf could be hers. A winter calf might be a bit big for a Cloverbud, but I don’t think it will deter Daphne. She told Glen right away that having a really nice calf is really good, because then when she’s done being a Cloverbud, she’ll have a nice cow to show. Somehow I have no doubt that Daphne will be walking a Red and White 2-year-old around the ring as a third grader. Daphne named her calf Daisy and has already commenced training her which is good, because Daisy has a lot of spunk. Every day Daphne goes into Daisy’s pen which prompts Daisy to run and buck around the pen. “Don’t worry, Dad,” Daphne said. “I’m just getting her wiggles out.” I’m rather glad Daphne was the rst one out the barn that afternoon. Both Dan and Monika already have a number of cows and heifers they claim as their show animals. Daphne hasn’t established her own herd yet. And this way, she and Daisy will grow up together. Do you have any examples of crafty parenting? How does your family determine which kid should get which job or privilege? Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children – Dan, 11, Monika, 8, and Daphne, 5. Sadie also writes a blog at www. dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 33
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
Fitness center a perfect t
Hartung enjoys diversication, entrepreneurship By Danielle Nauman danielle@dairystar.com
SHULLSBURG, Wis. – Owning a tness center was not a journey Laurel Hartung had planned on embarking in, but ownership of the Shullsburg Community Health and Fitness Center has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for both her and her family. Laurel and her husband, Matt, farm in partnership with Matt’s parents near Shullsburg. They own the 80-cow milking herd while his parents retain ownership of the farm. Laurel and Matt have three children: Anna, 11, Hallie, 7, and Nora, 4. “We actually bought this because my mom needed an ofce,” Laurel said, noting she has no previous experience with health and tness centers. Laurel’s mother, Peggy Steger, operates a home care business, and her dining room table had been serving as her ofce for several years. The need to reclaim that space in her own home plus the need to differentiate work from home life prompted the family to look for an investment property that would provide an ofce space. “We looked at several buildings downtown and were thinking of maybe buying a building with an apartment since we have other rental properties,” Laurel said. “But Shullsburg is an older town with older buildings.”
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Laurel and MaƩ Hartung, and their daughter, Nora, 4, farm with MaƩ’s parents near Shullsburg, Wisconsin. They own the 80-cow milking herd, while MaƩ’s parents sƟll retain ownership of the farm. The Hartungs purchased the Shullsburg Community Health & Fitness Center with Laurel’s family to help diversify their income. A friend who is a realtor shared with the family that the tness center was for sale, so Laurel and her family began investigating the idea.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 35
ConƟnued from HARTUNGS | Page 34
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DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Laurel Hartung shows some of the weightliŌing equipment available at the tness center she and her family owns in Shullsburg, Wisconsin. of ofce space for Mom.” The building was already in use as a tness center, but it was not a thriving business and did not have many members when Laurel and her family took over, purchasing the building and business on Oct. 31, 2018. “A lot of the equipment was broken or in disrepair,” Laurel said. “We were lucky to nd someone in Madison that worked with us to help us replace and update the equipment. It took us a few months to get it all done, and we learned an awful lot about tness equipment during that time.” Today, Laurel’s family has built a successful tness center to serve the community of Shullsburg. The upstairs is equipped with a variety of treadmills and elliptical machines while the basement is home to weight lifting equipment and has room for tness classes. They also have a personal trainer available. “We had just a small handful of members when we bought the business,” Laurel said. “Our goal was to reach 60 members within one year of opening. We are just shy of 100 members right now.” The investment into the equipment
“It allows me to come and go between chores and things I need to get done.” LAUREL HARTUNG, DAIRY FARMER
and the business began to pay off with much more success than they anticipated. “As soon as people began hearing about the new equipment and the things we were doing, they started coming in to check it out and signing up for memberships,” Laurel said. Laurel operates the tness center along with her mother and sister, Danielle, and her brother, Morgan. Morgan’s ancée, Mackenzie Cunningham, is a chiropractor and offers chiropractic appointments through the tness center. The tness center is open to members 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Much of their marketing, advertising and communicating with their members is done through social media. Memberships are done on a monthly basis, rath-
er than requiring members to commit to an extended commitment. “Life doesn’t work that way,” Peggy said. “We try and look out for our members the best we can.” Laurel said she enjoys the exibility to operate both the tness center and the farm. “It allows me to come and go between chores and things I need to get done,” Laurel said. “Mom’s able to be here a bunch, and my sister is able to be here some mornings and evenings. We can’t have someone here all the time, but we have covered everything we need to pretty well.” Besides access to the exercise equipment, the tness center offers classes including strength and stretching classes and yoga. The classes run for six weeks and are extended for additional sessions if the members show demand for the class. “We really want to be family-oriented,” Peggy said. “We have a play area and toys for kids. We want our members to be comfortable bringing their kids with them so they can work out.” That family-friendly policy helps Laurel with her own daycare needs, allowing her to bring 4-year-old Nora to the tness center. Patients are often directed to the tness center to help facilitate rehabilitation and strengthening. “We work with them the best we can, and try to help them get better and stronger,” Peggy said. They have worked with researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison who were researching the effects yoga has on people who have a fear of falling as the result of injury or disease. “People have been referred and then evaluated by the research team to see if they t the study, then they participate in six weeks of yoga classes to determine the benets yoga has,” Peggy said. Providing a needed service to the community and creating opportunities for their own family have all been benets Laurel and her family have enjoyed since purchasing the community tness center. “Shullsburg is only a town of 1,200 people, but it is nice to be able to offer the members of our community a nice tness facility close to home,” Laurel said.
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
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Women In Dairy Jodi Otto Milladore, Wisconsin Portage County 125 cows
Family: My husband, Brian, and I have three children: Josie, 16, Nathan, 11, and Alice, 9. Tell us about your farm. We started our farm in 2003. Our farm consists of dairy cows, steers and hogs. We farm approximately 1,000 acres of corn, soybeans and hay. We have one part-time high school student who helps with chores after school. My mom retired from dairy farming in 2018 and helps with calf feeding in the morning, while Josie handles the evening feedings. The rest of the work is handled by Brian and I. I do all of the milking twice a day in a straight-8 step-up parlor. Brian handles all the feeding. Our children help out every day on the farm. Nathan especially enjoys the machinery and mechanic work. Alice is our all-around helper. We also have extra help when we are in the cropping seasons. We raise all of our youngstock on site along with a small farrowto-ďƒžnish setup.
my phone so we can practice while I milk, switch laundry one last time, make sure to have a snack for everyone in the barn, pack supper for our high school helper and try to tie up all the loose ends, etc. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? It depends on the season as to what I like to do in my spare time. I enjoy gardening, ďƒ&#x;owers, biking, bird watching and being outside in the sun. I love to read. I love playing games with my kids and teaching them how to cook and bake.
What is the busiest time of day for you? About 3 p.m. We try to start evening chores around 3:30 p.m. I am milking when my children return from school, so I need to have Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. supper ready for them, ďƒžnish up any paperwork, make phone calls, have spelling lists on When one of our cows gave birth to twin heifers, but one of them had two heads. Sadly, the two-headed calf only survived a few minutes after birth.
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How do you stay connected with others in the industry? Reading articles and listening every morning to the farm show on the radio while I milk. I look forward to it; it has the most up-to-date information on farming, markets and news. I also try to attend meetings.
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What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I enjoy being able to share the knowledge of farming with our children and see their interest in the farm grow. I also enjoy teaching them a good work ethic and seeing them grow into great people because of it. They have a great appreciation for their way of life and know how blessed they are even though they don’t get to participate in all the things their classmates do. Also, witnessing our farm transform into what it is today has been quite enjoyable.
Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? I was inspired to be a part of the dairy industry mostly because of my mom. She taught me how to milk cows at a young age. She felt it was important to keep learning and to implement what you learn. She used that information to improve her herd and taught it to me as a child. Most of that information still holds true today. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? Any mother. They buy groceries, prepare meals and teach their children eating habits. They are inďƒ&#x;uencers. Seeing where their cheese, ice cream and milk start is powerful. You are reaching two generations. What is the best vacation you have ever taken? I consider my six-month dairy internship in New Zealand the best vacation I have ever taken. I had a great time learning about another culture, another way of dairying, living with an awesome family, sightseeing and all while earning a paycheck. What are some words you like to live by? “Never lose faith because God only gives you what you can handle.â€? Some days I think he forgets I only have two hands.
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Alternative forages open up options for dairy farmers Increased yields, opportunities to apply manure are beneďƒžts By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – If farmers learned anything from the 2019 crop season, it was to expect the unexpected and to prepare for more challenging circumstances than could be expected. Learning how to make the most of less-than-ideal growing seasons and ways to start thinking outside of the box when it comes to meeting the forage needs of dairy herds was the focus of a panel discussion led by three Wisconsin dairy farmers at the Discovery Farms Conference held Dec. 11, 2019 in Wisconsin Dells. “I’ve spent a lot of time working with alternative forages partially because it’s just fun,â€? said Dan Olson, a dairy farmer who operates 1,300 acres near Lena. “There are all kinds of different tools out there outside of the corn-alfalfa realm. When we have really challenging years and really just a challenging agriculture environment, I think there are some opportunities.â€? Olson also works as a forage consultant through his business, Forage Innovations, where he works with farmers looking to ďƒžnd alternative forages. “We keep having new issues in the industry,â€? Olson said. “Largely nutrient management is a big one, with manure application, trying to get all this manure out in October and November, particularly this year. We have to grow more feed because we have more pressures especially in areas with a lot of animal pressure so we try to grow as many tons of feed as we can per acre.â€? Olson said in a normal rotation, the ďƒžrst-year corn is typically the most productive but decreases in the following years. In terms of alfalfa, he said that seeding-year alfalfa typically does not perform well in Wisconsin. Alfalfa yields increase in the second and third year before beginning to decline again in the fourth and becoming corn again. “I think the average alfalfa in Wisconsin yields roughly four tons of dry matter,â€? Olson said. “That’s about the same as it was in the 1970s. There haven’t been hardly any improvements in yield in alfalfa in the last 40 or 50
years. It seems like it is winterkilling more frequently. We have larger machinery creating more compaction. We have more variable weather, just a lot of things that are happening.â€? Olson believes that replacing the perennial alfalfa in the rotation opens up a variety of options for farmers that could increase feed yields by as much as 30% over an eight-year rotation. “If we eliminate the perennial and go back and forth with annuals, so we have ďƒžrst-year corn, followed by winter triticale or cereal rye, which you harvest,â€? Olson said. “Then, you follow that up with a cocktail mix that doubles as cover crop. You can average about seven tons of dry matter between those two crops in a more normal-type year. The following year, if you want to, you can go back into ďƒžrst-year corn again. Then in year four, you are back into the cocktail, and use that rotation.â€? Justin Daniels and his family milk 50 cows near Hixton and farm about 200 tillable acres after acquiring more crop land for the 2019 growing season. “This past spring, I really needed to think outside of the box,â€? Daniels said. “The year before we had only gotten a half inch of rain, and we really needed to recoup forage inventories. I
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 37
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“This past spring, I really needed to think outside the box.� JUSTIN DANIELS, DAIRY FARMER
had a crop of forage peas and oats and a sorghum-Sudan mix that combined together to yield nine tons of dry matter. For northern Wisconsin that is pretty good. By optimizing a cool season annual in the spring and coming back with a summer annual, it’s just trying to get the most feed.â€? This year, Daniels has sold over 150 tons of feed, creating additional income for his dairy farm. “It really helped having a diverse mix of species and a diverse mix of crops to protect myself that way,â€? Daniels said. “In the perennial hayďƒželds, I really believe that plant diversity is important. As far as winterkill last year, I had next to none because my plant diversity was so good in the ďƒželd.â€? Turn to FORAGES | Page 38
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Wisconsin dairy farmers – (from leĹŒ) MaĆŠ Schmidt, JusĆ&#x;n Daniels and Daniel Olson – discuss the beneďƒžts of using alternaĆ&#x;ve forage crop rotaĆ&#x;ons on their farms in the 2019 growing season at the Discovery Farms Conference Dec. 11, 2019, in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.
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Culturing milk useful for ghting mastitis Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020
Fighting mastitis on your dairy can be a difcult task. For one cow, a treatment will work great and she’s back to normal in a short amount of time. For another cow, that same treatment may have little to no success, and you’re left scratching your head about what to do next to help this cow. This would be the perfect time for you to start doing milk sample bacterial cultures on your cows. Why is this helpful? Well it’s only way to 100% diagnose infectious mastitis, but-more importantly--it identies the causative organism. Back to our cow we can’t clear up the infection on: it’s possible her mastitis was caused by a different pathogen than her herdmate’s was. The mastitis tube you treated the rst cow with may not be effective against the pathogen the second cow has. Milk culturing can be done through the DHIA, and other By Emily Wilmes laboratories. Collecting a sample is easy to do and doesn’t U of M Extension take a lot of extra time; simply milk the sample from a clean, dry teat into a clean and dry tube. After you have collected the sample, keep it cold until it can be picked up or delivered. If you aren’t convinced individual cow culturing is for you, then you can try doing a bulk tank culture. Bulk tank culturing is still a useful tool because it can help determine the general types of bacteria present in cows within a herd, as well as the amount of exposure to environmental bacteria. Bulk tank culturing is a rapid, inexpensive way to determine some types of information when trying to troubleshoot problems in the dairy herd or for monitoring exposure. When collecting a bulk tank sample to send in, you will want to take a sample ve days in a row. This will improve the accuracy of your test result. Each of the ve days, agitate the tank 5-10 minutes before sampling. Be sure you use a clean dipper and don’t be afraid to ask your milk truck driver if you have any questions about the procedure, as they have lots of experience taking tank samples. Since you are taking 5 days’ worth of samples, you will want to freeze each sample to discourage bacteria growth. Milk expands when it freezes, so only ll the sample tube about 2/3 full. If you need to ship the samples yourself, make sure they are packed in a way that will keep them frozen. Labs can only test samples that arrive frozen or cold. Doing a milk sample bacterial culture of your individual cows or even your bulk tank will help you determine what pathogens you are ghting as well as the environmental exposure of your herd. Bulk tank samples especially are very economical, but you will nd individual samples can be cost effective as well, as you won’t be wasting time or money on mastitis tubes that won’t work.
ConƟnued from FORAGES | Page 37 Average Yield in the 4-year Corn, 4-Year Alfalfa RotaƟon = 5.56 Tons DM Average Yield in the Corn, TriƟcale/Cocktail RotaƟon = 7.5 Tons DM 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Above line = added yield
1. Corn 2. Trit/Cocktail 2. Corn 3. Trit/Cocktail 3. Corn 4. Trit/Cocktail 4. Corn
5. Trit/Cocktail GRAPH PROVIDED
This graph shows the potenƟal to increase farm yields by replacing perennial alfalfa with alternaƟve forage crops. Matt Schmidt is a dairy farmer near Bonduel operating a 1,400-cow dairy. The Schmidts farm 2,000 acres, which is typically about 1,200 acres of corn and 300 acres of alfalfa. “This year we decided to plant 270 acres of a cocktail mix that Dan talked to us about earlier last spring,” Schmidt. “Manure application was a challenge that farmers encountered during 2019 with the extremely wet spring and fall weather hampering their ability to safely and efciently apply manure to their elds. The alternative forages these individuals used on their farms provided them with additional windows throughout the growing season to get the manure onto the elds. With all of the 2019 crop season challenges, Schmidt said the alternative forages he employed worked out in his farm’s favor and was particularly benecial in terms of manure application. “Our logic was to apply manure after each cutting of the cocktail, which it recommended for three cuttings,” Schmidt said. “Then, we came in this
fall with the no-till bar and were able to empty our manure pit before we even chopped corn. That was a good feeling considering the way the year played out.” Daniels said in the past, particularly before obtaining the additional cropland, he was required to stack manure during the summer months for fall application, creating storage and application concerns for him, as well. “Typically we had corn silage, perennial hay and winter annuals,” Daniels said. “I try to double crop where all my corn has gone but even that wasn’t enough because every month I had to empty out the pit. This last year, I took off the triticale and the cereal rye and the corn went behind that. Where I had ryegrass last year, I planted a full-season forage peas and oats; took that off and came back with a one-cutting sorghum-Sudan, millet and cowpeas. Every couple of weeks, I had someplace to spread manure and really bumped up inventories this year.”
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 25, 2020 • Page 39
Dairy prole
with Kyle Kunze, of Abbotsford, Wisconsin What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? My latest purchase was a new Meyer-V spreader. I have to haul my manure daily so it’s nice to have a spreader I know is not going to break down on me and will work even on the 40 below zero days.
Kyle Kunze Abbotsford, Wisconsin Marathon County 48 cows How did you get into farming? I grew up on a farm, and I’ve always enjoyed farming. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? Not knowing what direction the milk price is going to go. Every day you hear something different and unexpected. I hope we have a good growing year for crops in 2020. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? About two years ago, I bought ve AIC automatic take-off milkers that tell me how much milk the cows are giving, their temperature and if they have a high somatic cell count. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? I have been ov-synching all my cows and heifers to get them bred in a timely fashion. I have been more selective on culling cows that are not being protable. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? I have been working with my nutrition-
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Ashley VanLuven, holding daughter Rosie, and Kyle Kunze milk 48 cows on their dairy farm in Marathon County near Abbotsford, Wiscosnin. ist to make sure I am feeding the cows correctly. I also quit feeding soybean meal and am using canola meal because it is cheaper. I try to x everything myself instead of taking it somewhere to get xed.
any employees.
How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? I do not have
What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I enjoy being my own boss. I can be
Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I am pretty good at detecting when cows are sick or not feeling well.
around my family, having my daughter on the job with me. I like being around all the animals and being outdoors. What advice would you give other dairy farmers? It is not always easy, but it is rewarding. It’s fullling that at the end of every day you have gotten something accomplished.
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Even during the low milk prices, I was able to make improvements on the farm. In 2016, I built a heifer shed on the farm. In 2017, I put tunnel ventilation in the milk barn. In 2018, I remodeled the barn and added eight stalls after tearing pens out and put in pasture mats with three-quarter inch foam pads for the cows to lay on. I also put in a 900-gallon milk tank in because I was overowing our 600-gallon tank. What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? I would like to buy a TMR mixer and crop some more land. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? We like to go out to eat, go to the movies and go to local parks. My ancé and I also enjoy snowmobiling in the winter.
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