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DAIRY ST R
October 24, 2020
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 22, No. 17
Conservation central to family farm Halversons focus on doing right by the land By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
MANITOWOC, Wis. – For the better part of his dairy farming career, conservationminded practices have been a part of Dick Halverson’s life. From chisel plowing and no tilling to cover crops and contour strips, Halverson puts his best foot forward in preserving the land he calls home. “All of these practices build up the soil and create good soil health, which in turn produces healthier crops,” said Halverson, who farms with his son, Jacob. The Halversons milk 115 cows and run 400 acres near Manitowoc. Jacob is the
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Dick Halverson (leŌ) and his son, Jacob, milk 115 cows and farm 400 acres near Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
fourth generation at Divided Acres, which celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2019. Halverson took over the farm from his parents in 1988 and continued to farm alongside his father. “It’s been an honor to be able to work with both my dad and my son,” Halverson said. “I got along great with my dad, and Jacob and I also get along great. My dad was 81 when he passed away, and he worked on the farm until the day he died.” Now Halverson and his son operate the farm with help from some part-time milkers, while Halverson’s wife, Sandy, runs a cupcake business – Country Cabin Cupcakes – out of their home. Halverson’s two kids, four grandkids, and his siblings all live within a half-mile of the farm. And Turn to HALVORSON | Page 5
Dairy product consumption grows throughout pandemic New eating trends spark doubledigit growth for butter, cheese By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – Despite the many challenges of 2020 brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic, this year has seen dramatic growth in dairy product consumption. From specialty cheeses and single-serve snack size options to butter and milk, dairy categories are faring well at the supermarket. Consumer eating habits changed as a result of shutdowns. People began cooking more and eating the majority of their meals at home. Thus, more dairy found its way into shoppers’ carts, leading to a spike in butter, cheese, milk and other dairy products. On Oct. 7, the Dairy Signal, hosted by the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, welcomed Chad Vincent, CEO of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, and Brandon Scholz, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Grocers Association, to discuss product trends and challenges faced by grocery stores trying to meet the change in consumer preferences and demand. “The transition of families having meals together as well as cooking at home has really changed the dynamic of the shopping experience,” Scholz said. “But it also challenges grocers to rethink their stocking and how they’re merchandising to their Turn to CONSUMPTION | Page 7
A Day in the Life of a Dairy Farmer, see Second Section
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Jim Pfeifer unloads corn from a gravity box at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 16 on his farm where he and his wife, Jan, milk 50 cows near Owatonna, Minnesota. Pfeifer planned to nish his harvest that day.
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 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
Dairy Star likes to provide local stories, which is why we have two versions of the paper. Below are a few highlights from stories you will not nd in this paper, but you can nd online in zone 1. Find full editions on our website, www.dairystar.com, and click on the e-edition tab under the Dairy Star header. Passage of omnibus bill includes full Section 179 conformity In its fth special session, the Minnesota legislature approved a $1.87 billion bonding bill Oct. 15 at the state capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota. Within the bill includes conformity with Section 179 of the federal tax law. Once signed into law, the tax change eliminates the state add-back for tax years beginning in 2020 and retroactively for like-kind purchases in tax years 2018 and 2019. Lyseth bags rst bear It was not the same bear she had her eye on earlier in the season, but Kayti Lyseth is pleased with the black bear she harvested on her family’s farm near Hinckley Oct. 3. Lyseth, a regional calf and heifer nutrition specialist and owner of 15 registered Jersey cows, spent three weekends during Minnesota’s bear hunting season sitting in one of her family’s ve bear stands placed throughout their woods. Spindler receives Steele County Farm Family award Despite being the only person in his family to run the farm, Dale Spindler’s dairy still maintains the family aspect. Spindler received the 2020 Steele County Farm Family of the Year award. He milks 44 cows on his farm and has 160 acres of crops on his farm near Owatonna, Minnesota. In the earlier years, Spindler worked together with his siblings and parents, who started the farm in 1955. Now the 62-year-old manages the farm himself with help from a full-time employee and occasional part-time helpers. Minnesota Dairy Promotion Council, Midwest Dairy Minnesota Division Board redraws district lines This year, the Minnesota Dairy Promotion Council and the Midwest Dairy Minnesota Division Board will have four fewer districts. Both entities, which work hand in hand, redrew the map lines to create 18 new districts in the state. The redistricting process came about as dairy farm numbers in Minnesota have dropped over the past several years. It also gives the organizations to have dairy farmers more equally represented in their district. The biggest changes will be seen in northern Minnesota, which will have larger district areas, and Stearns County, which is now split into three districts.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Dairy Good Life Page 33 First Section
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
Cr
Dane
Iowa
Lafayette Green
Jo Daviess
Carroll
Jefferson Waukesha
Rock
on
ens
h tep
S
Walworth go
eba
n Win Ogle
Whiteside
Racine Kenosha
McHenry
DeKalb
Zone 2
Do or
Green Lake Fond Du Lac
Columbia Dodge
Sauk
Ke w
e nn Wi
ett e Richland
Grant
Zone 1
go ba Calumet
Waushara
aw
Pages 8 - 9 Second Section
Vernon
d
Barn quilts bring joy
Ou
Adams Juneau
e mi Brown
a tag
for
Platteville
Oconto
Shawano
Wood
Monroe
La Crosse
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Menominee
Portage Waupaca Jackson
te
ton S he bo Milwaukee Ozauk M yg ee an anito wo c
Buffalo
et
Langlade
Marathon
Clark
Eau Claire
in
ing
Pepin
ar
Menominee
Wa sh
Pierce
First Section: Pages 23, 25
ce
M
Forest
Lincoln
Taylor
Chippewa
ren
Oneida
Rusk
Barron
Dunn
Price
ne
St. Croix
Gehri looks towards future with goat herd
Flo
Sawyer
Delta
Dickinson
Vilas
Bo o
Wonewoc
Iron
aun ee
Ashland
n Polk
Something to Ruminate On
Page 32 First Section
First Section: Pages 1, 6-8
Bayeld
ur Burnett
Page 30 First Section
Just Thinking Out Loud
Second Section: Page 9
qu
Douglas
Halversons focus on doing right by the land
Ma r
Second Section: Pages 3 - 4
Ramblings from the Ridge
Page 31 First Section
Manitowic
Trempealeau
Page 27 First Section
Athens
Workshop at Miltrim Farms showcases innovative conservation ideas
USDA Under Secretary Northey visits Chippewa Valley
hb
Spooky fun on the farm
Chippewa Falls
Wa s
Pages 8-9 First Section
Kane
Lee
Madison
Mercer
Hen
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
First Section: Pages 23, 25
Rock Island
ders on
New eating trends spark double-digit growth for butter and cheese
n
re War
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: What do you enjoy about hunting? First Section: Pages 15 - 16
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 5
ConƟnued from HALVORSON | Page 1
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Jacob Halverson pushes up feed for heifers the morning of Oct. 15 near Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The Halversons built this bedded pack barn for dry cows and heifers in 2006. everyone is willing to lend a helping hand whenever needed. “Farming is a great way of life,” Halverson said. “We’ve had a lot of opportunities and enjoyed raising our kids here. We’re happy at this size, and I don’t see us getting any bigger.” After high school, Halverson at-
“We make sure we use the right amount of manure on the eld. By spreading manure to more acres, we also save on commerical fertilizer costs.” DICK HALVERSON, DAIRY FARMER
tended college briey but soon realized that was not the path for him and returned home to farm with his dad. In 1982, Halverson bought his rst farm – 100 acres of land down the road from his parents’ farm. “My goal was to use the land for cash cropping corn, but interest rates were so high, I almost lost it,” Halverson said. “However, I made it through
and still have that land today.” A long-time user of cover crops and no till practices, Halverson is passionate about conservation. The Halversons’ devotion to protecting the environment starts with proper manure application. “We have a nutrient management plan we follow very closely,” Halverson said. “We make sure we use the right amount of manure on the eld. By spreading manure to more acres, we also save on commercial fertilizer costs.” Seventy-ve percent of Halversons’ cover crops are in the form of alfalfa or wheat. Halverson said he planted a lot of wheat this year. “Much of our land is highly erodible,” Halverson said. “Therefore, we use nurse crops like oats and peas with our alfalfa, corn and wheat. We usually have a lot of oats and peas we take off in the fall but not this year because the weather didn’t cooperate so well in the spring. We do some no till, but the weather last fall messed us up, so we’re going to chisel plow and work the ground this year.” According to Halverson, chisel plowing treads lighter upon the earth than moldboard plowing, causing less erosion and keeping out 70% of residue. But he cites no till and vertical till Turn to HALVORSON | Page 6
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ConƟnued from HALVORSON | Page 5
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The majority of the Halversons’ herd is housed in a Ɵestall barn while addiƟonal cows are kept in a freestall barn and switched in for milking at the dairy near Manitowoc, Wisconsin. as better options. “No till works,” Halverson said. “Of the 85 acres of wheat we planted this year, 70 acres are no till, and about 10%-20% of our corn is no till.” The Halversons have been using brown midrib corn for a long time and like the results. “It gets more milk out of the cow,” Halverson said. “We lose a little yield in the eld, but it’s worth it to us. BMR is fairly fussy and doesn’t like adverse weather, so we took a little hit this year because we had some wet conditions.” The Halversons have also been doing contour strips for many years. “One year, my dad nished seeding oats and peas, and it rained that night, washing everything away,” Halverson said. “All the oats and peas ended up in the swamp, and he had to redo it. We’ve been doing contour strips ever since, and it’s made a big difference. It keeps the soil in place.” Halverson has learned a lot about conservation techniques as an active member of the Manitowoc County Forage Council where he has served as president. The council consists of feed and crop consultants, seed representatives, a University of Wisconsin agricultural agent, and the soil and water district manager – a position held
by Halverson’s brother, Jerry. Initially focused on forage, the council has shifted gears over time to be a more conservation-centric organization. “Farmers in this area are very receptive to learning and implementing conservation ideas and practices,” Halverson said. “We bring in experts to help educate people on a variety of topics related to conservation. By getting these practices going, maybe we can prevent some disastrous things from happening.” Halverson’s involvement with the Manitowoc County Forage Council is a collective effort in bringing forth and putting progressive conservation ideas into practice within the county. The Halversons believe in using resources wisely and employing practices that are good for the earth to help ensure their farm’s sustainability as it moves from generation to generation. Talk of transitioning the centuryold farm from Halverson to his son is a conversation yet to take precedent but the family does plan on a fourth-generation ownership of Divided Acres.. “It’s hard for me to want to quit farming,” Halverson said. “I’m closer to the end of my career than the beginning, but I’d like to keep going.”
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 7
ConƟnued from CONSUMPTION | Page 1 customers. The eat-at-home component is going to remain strong.” From the time the pandemic emerged in the United States, Vincent said butter sales are up 37%, cheese is up 20% and milk is up 6%. Over the last eight weeks, dairy is seeing double-digit growth, and milk remains up 2%-3%. This historic jump in dairy consumption comes on the heels of a 40-year decline. Reports from DMI Research show that cereal consumption is up double digits, and the occurrence of people eating together before dinner time is up 25%. Cheese of all kinds – prepackaged, sliced and specialty – is a staple on many grocery lists now more than ever as people turn to it for cooking and snacking. Specialty cheese, in particular, is ying off the shelves with sale numbers up by double digits. “We’re seeing massive growth in this area, and that’s great for Wisconsin because we make about half of the specialty cheese in this country, and 98% of grocery stores in the U.S. carry Wisconsin cheese,” Vincent said. “The vast majority of specialty cheese goes through grocery, so the processors that had specialty cheese and grocery distribution are doing great. A number of cheese companies are having record years.” In response to a rise in snacking, some processors are serving up cheese with convenience in mind. Belgioioso has come out with bags of 1-ounce servings of cheese, and Sartori is doing 8-ounce bags of precubed cheese. “We can’t keep the prepacks and small-size cheese options on the shelf,” Vincent said. “This is great because the more cheese that gets sold, the more milk that gets sold out of Wisconsin.” Grocery stores remained open throughout the pandemic to keep food on peoples’ plates but not without facing challenges. “It has been a roller coaster ride in the
grocery industry,” Scholz said. “Retailers, warehouses and the entire supply chain has struggled quite a bit at times while simultaneously keeping their doors open and trying to meet the needs of customers and employees. I rarely come across a grocery store that has enough people on staff. One store said they have 200 openings they could ll tomorrow.” Scholz said he is astounded by the Brandon Scholz low numbers of COWisconsin Grocers VID-19 cases in the Association grocery sector. “It’s amazing we’ve seen fewer cases of positive COVID-19 tests as well as sickness, hospitalization and death in this industry since these folks deal with the public every single day,” Scholz said. “This is testimony to the safety and sanitization procedures grocers have in place in their stores to protect their employees and customers.” Customer shopping patterns have changed, and their trips to the store have been reduced. They buy more but are also forced to substitute and buy things they are not used to buying – whether it be a different kind of meat or type of produce. Keeping shelves stocked has been a challenge for grocers, who often receive less than what they order. “Stores are not getting 100% of their orders in, which is why you might not see something on the shelf that was there last week,” Scholz said. “It’s a continuing problem grocers have to deal with. There’s consistency in our dairy industry, which is fantastic. But in canned goods and other things you see on the shelf, it’s not so consistent. Items are missing.” When groceries were forced to shut
down salad bars and self-serve items, stores got creative and began catering towards pick-up-and-go options, replacing those slots with precut cheese and sandwich meats instead. “We’re certainly happy with the relationships we have with our dairy farmers in Wisconsin,” Scholz said. “That’s one of the categories throughout this challenge in which we’ve had good Chad Vincent supply. Our relaDairy Farmers of tionships with dairy Wisconsin farmers have gotten even better. They’ve always been good, but they’ve been taken to a new level, which is very valuable.” The pandemic caused an explosion of online orders, pushing ecommerce to become a prominent part of the grocery business. Throughout the pandemic, online ordering skyrocketed, increasing by 350%. “The way we’re shopping has changed dramatically,” Vincent said. “The trend of people shopping electronically has grown to what was projected for ve years from now. Ecommerce purchases of milk are up 125% and up 114% for cheese. It’s amazing.” Scholz agreed. “Back in March, some stores might’ve had 2%-3% of their business online, and some stores had zero,” Scholz said. “It jumped to the point where it was 30% of their business. It scaled back to about half that but is now at a level where it’s going to stay.” Keeping food owing to families in need and children who are missing out on school lunches continues to be an important item on the to-do list for the state and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.
“We’ve been working with some really great food bank partnerships as well as Google logistics,” Vincent said. “This is a way for cheese to get to where it needs to at a cost advantage. But it’s not donated; it’s purchased for these markets. As long as these relationships are good for farmers, and processors can keep their nose above water on it, it’s a great plan for people who need food. It’s great for humanity. But a long-term donate product model is not sustainable.” Of uid milk, 6% goes into schools, which has not all been lost. “We’re working hard to gure out how to get meals and dairy products to kids to make up for the lost lunches,” Vincent said. “We have folks working with school districts, and instead of giving kids a carton of milk, they’ll give them a gallon to take home with a bunch of premade meals for the week.” Committed to moving dairy products, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin has seven people around the country whose job is to call on the major retailers and nd ways to get Wisconsin cheese and dairy into stores and moving through at an accelerated rate. Meetings between Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and cheese buyers have turned virtual – a change which has shortened the cheese-buying process and produced excellent outcomes. Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin ships cheese to buyers in advance, and during a virtual meeting, they bring on a dairy farmer who talks about and shows their farm. Buyers are making decisions on the spot and bringing in ve to six new Wisconsin cheeses at once. “We look forward to taking our relationships with dairy farmers to a new level, especially as they work with grocers to put merchandising plans into place at the retail level to grow sales,” Scholz said. “The experience has been great so far.”
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Farm bill change costs dairy farmers millions Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
The 2018 farm bill adjusted milk pricing rules Commissioner Stephen Hahn, National Milk to enhance risk management for milk processors, Producers Federation President and CEO Jim cooperatives and dairy farmers. American Farm Mulhern said the agency should take action Bureau Federation Chief Economist John Newton on its promise to deliver “clear, transparent and said this change has unintended consequences for understandable labeling” on dairy products. During the dairy farmer. “It got rid of what was Hahn’s conrmation hearing, he promised Ag Insider the higher-of, in the pricing formula, to work on the issue of dairy labeling and replaced it with a simple average standards. The dairy industry opposes the of Class II and IV milk prices,” Newton use of dairy terms, like milk, for plantsaid. Newton said that has resulted in based beverages. $400 million in lost revenue for dairy producers. “Since this didn’t proceed Support given to regulatory relief through the normal rulemaking process Over 100 farm organizations have to amend federal orders, farmers across signed a letter of support for a bill the country are likely to consider changes that would modernize the agricultural to the federal order program to improve exemption for hours-of-service trucking milk prices,” he said. rules. This proposal would provide a 150-air-mile exemption from the backend By Don Wick Decit triples over the past year of hauls before the hours-of-service rules Columnist The U.S. budget decit tripled in apply. Animal welfare considerations are the scal year that ended Sept. 30. The behind this bill. The groups supporting budget gap totaled $984 billion one year ago. The this bill include the American Farm Bureau Federation, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Ofce said that National Milk Producers Federation and the National has widened to $3.1 trillion. Federal debt in the 2020 Council of Farmer Cooperatives. scal year is expected to be more than 100% of the gross national product. Net Zero Initiative launched The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy has announced Dairy farmers encouraged to enroll in DMC its Net Zero Initiative, an industry-wide effort to Signup for the Dairy Margin Coverage program achieve carbon neutrality, optimum water usage is underway. Farm Service Agency Administrator and improved water quality by 2050. On-farm pilot Richard Fordyce said 13,000 dairy farmers signed projects and the development of new markets are up for the 2020 program. “It wasn’t as high as we had being promoted to create incentives for dairy farmers in 2019; we do believe it is a great tool to provide risk to adopt environmental stewardship goals. management coverage for dairy operations,” Fordyce said. There is an enhanced online tool to help dairy Supply/demand numbers updated farmers weigh the benets of DMC participation. The outlook for U.S. milk production was raised “Producers will be able to put their own unique farm from last month with a slight increase in cow numbers production information through the tool to make a and a more rapid pace of growth in milk per cow. The good decision,” he said. Signup runs through Dec. 11. Class III milk price forecast increased 75 cents to $18 per hundredweight. The recent uptick in milk prices Deal with dairy labeling standards is also leading to an increase in the milk production In an open letter to Food and Drug Administration forecast for 2021.
August export data released Compared to one year ago, U.S. dairy exports are up 14% in value for the January-August time period. Sales to China, Canada, Australia and Vietnam are responsible for much of the growth. Sales during the same time were up 12% in volume. “Year-to-date, we are on track to break $6 billion in U.S. dairy exports this year,” said Michael Dykes, president/CEO, International Dairy Foods Association. Japan cuts TRQ for butter Japan has cut its 2020 scal year tariff rate quota for butter by 30%. Japanese butter stocks were up more than 40% from one year ago. Japan has already tendered for 12,000 metric tons of butter. That leaves only 2,000 metric tons of prospective sales to Japan between now and March. DFA must divest of certain Dean Foods’ property U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman has ordered the mandatory divestiture of the former Dean Foods plants in DePere, Wisconsin, and Harvard, Illinois. Dairy Farmers of America must also sell certain intellectual properties, including the use of the Dean’s name in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the licenses for the TruMoo and DairyPure brand names nationwide. In April, a U.S. bankruptcy court approved the sale of Dean Foods plants to DFA for $433 million. That ruling came ve months after Dean Foods led for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Dairy Innovation Hub highlights rst year accomplishments The Dairy Innovation Hub has released its rst annual report. More than 50 projects have been awarded funds across three campuses and four priority areas. There is nearly $500,000 in documented spending for the rst six months toward dairy-related talent, capacity-building equipment and research and Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 $5.1 million allocated for a new dairy facility and stafng for the 2019-2021 biennial. The Dairy Innovation Hub will host its rst virtual Dairy Summit Nov. 18.
Extension 4-H volunteer leader Judy Lewis, retired Extension livestock specialist Dr. Duane Wachholz and Pierce County 4-H volunteer Kathy Geraets.
FarmFirst schedules virtual annual meeting The FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative board of directors has dropped its 17 inperson district meetings for a single-day virtual program. The virtual meeting will be Dec. 2.
Trivia challenge Dairy cows generally consume 30 to 50 pounds of water per day. That answers our last trivia question. For this week, what is the optimum temperature for serving milk? We will have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
4-H Hall of Fame class of 2020 named The Wisconsin 4-H Hall of Fame has inducted nine new laureates. This year’s honorees are retired 4-H youth development outreach specialist Kay Hobler, Linda and Joe Pribek of the Wisconsin 4-H Horse Association, Dodge County 4-H leader Sherry Helmer, Sauk County 4-H leader Dorothy Harms, 4-H dairy volunteer leader Bob Hagenow, Sauk County
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“That has helped us set goals and work on improving the herd.” What are some of the DHIA tests you use?
Pregnancy testing, SCC, and MUN. Which test do you Ànd most beneÀcial? It’s hard to put one over the other, because they all deal with different aspects of herd health. For example, I need my MUN to be in a good range to have good reproduction. I think they all work great together.
Alan Klejeski (Trinity Dairy) Sturgeon Lake, MN • 33 cows Testing with DHIA 6 yrs.
Tell us about your farm. My wife and I, along with our 5 children, milk 33 cows on our 60 acre farm, and rent an additional 140 acres. We have a mixed herd of Jerseys, Holsteins, Ayrshires, Brown Swiss, and Registered Guernseys. We chronicle our adventures of our small Dairy on our YouTube channel, Trinity Dairy.
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The Brewer family (from leĹŒ) – Tony, Nicole, Jaxson, 4, Tami Brewer-Behnke, Brian Behnke, Kinslee, 2, and Traci – gather in a harvested ďƒželd at their family’s farm near Albany, Wisconsin. Neighbors came to help harvest the Brewer family’s soybeans Oct. 6 aĹŒer the siblings lost both of their parents to cancer this year.
Farmers help Brewer family after loss of parents
“This day gave us a chance to reach out to the people who helped us in the last couple months with everything from unloading hay to dropping off food or even helping us at the dairy,â€? Tami said. “We wanted those people to enjoy the day with us.â€? By Stacey Smart The family’s friend and crop insurance agent, stacey.s@dairystar.com Heather Golz, worked with the Brewers’ seed dealer, ALBANY, Wis. – A southern Wisconsin farming Loran Klitzman, as well as Jayson Butts to pull off community came together to help one of their own the event. Oct. 6 as a fellow farm family suffered the devastating “They started putting this together unbeknownst loss of both parents to cancer this year. In three hours, to us,â€? Tami said. neighbors of the Brewer family harvested 170 acres Recruiting volunteers was easy as the community of soybeans with six combines, six semi trucks and was eager to help. It was the ďƒžrst harvest without their four grain carts. parents, but farmers rallied around the Brewers and Nearly 75 people poured in from a 10-mile ra- helped harvest the soybean crop in a matter of hours. dius to help their beloved neighbor with the soybean “The weather was perfect,â€? Brian said. “Prior harvest. Many hands made light work of the harvest to that Tuesday, we had a couple weeks of rain, and on a sunny, 70-degree day. Some worked in the ďƒželds things weren’t drying down. Then all of a sudden on while others came to offer moral support to the family Sunday afternoon, it cleared up. Things dried out on and take in the action. It was a moment that exempli- Monday, and by Tuesday it was great. There was no ďƒžed the generous hearts of the farming community. dew in the morning so we could start early.â€? Glenn-Ann Holsteins is run by siblings Traci After a stretch of bad weather, farmers put their Brewer, Tony Brewer and Tami Brewer-Behnke and own ďƒželds on the backburner to help the Brewers inTami’s husband, Brian Behnke near Albany. The stead. Brewers, who milk 40 cows and farm 700 acres, lost “It’s hard to even put into words their father, Glenn, in February and their mother, what that meant to us,â€? Tami said. Joann, in September. With grateful hearts, the Brewer family watched as their ďƒželds were harvested, and 10 semi loads were hauled into the local cooperative to sell for feed. Farmers then raked and baled the stalks for bedding. Tony and his wife, Nicole, have two children, Jaxson, 4, and Kinslee, 2, who love being on the farm and enjoyed seeing all the equipment that day. “Seeing all those combines together in one space was pretty amazing,â€? Tami said. PHOTO SUBMITTED Golz organized a Neighbors harvest 170 acres of soybeans Oct. 6 at the Brewer family’s farm near Albany, Wisconsin. Neighbors poured in to help the Brewers complete the Turn to harvest in three hours. BREWERS | Page 11
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 11
ConƟnued from BREWERS | Page 10
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Semi trucks haul soybeans from the Brewers’ elds into the local co-op to sell for feed Oct. 6 near Albany, Wisconsin. A total of six semis, six combines and four grain carts helped make light work of the day’s harvest for the grieving family. lunch for the crew and friends, and many people stayed and enjoyed beverages with the family until late in the evening. “It was a pretty emotional day,” Brian said. “We were so thankful for the help, but it was also bittersweet as
“There’s a big hole in our family right now. But we are blessed to have friends and neighbors step in to help us.” TAMI BREWERǧBEHNKE, DAIRY FARMER
we all knew why they were here. We’d like to thank Loren, Jayson and Heather for coordinating all of this and bringing it all together and all the farmers who came with their equipment. It was truly appreciated.” The Brewers do not own a combine and usually rely on a custom harvester for getting the work done – work that Tony said would denitely not be done in a three-hour timeframe. The Brewers said neighbors have also been helpful in answering questions about farming – questions the siblings would have pre-
viously taken to their dad. “It’s been a difcult, challenging year,” Tony said. “We were together every single day, taking care of the farm and even eating meals with each other. My mom and dad worked alongside us each day until they couldn’t anymore.” Tony’s sisters agreed. “There’s a big hole in our family right now,” Tami said. “But we are blessed to have friends and neighbors step in to help us.” It has been a year of heartbreak for the close-knit Brewer family who said goodbye to both parents within a sevenmonth time period. The day of harvest that took place Oct. 6 was a special way to honor the memory of Glenn and Joann Brewer, who Traci said would be remembered for their giving and supportive nature. “Mom and Dad were always the rst ones wanting to help others, and that’s how we were raised too,” Traci said. “They enjoyed being around family and friends, and they were just really good people. Everybody loved them.” Knowing that so many in the community have their backs, the Brewers have found solace and support in the generosity of neighbors and friends. “This is a story of farmers and friends stepping in and helping us through a really tough time, and for that, we’re very grateful,” Tami said.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
Heinz advocates for mental health after losing partner to suicide
Dairy farmer remembered as seless family man By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
BROOTEN, Minn. – Sept. 16 is a day Becky Heinz would just as soon forget. Yet, the events that occurred that fall evening have become a platform for her to talk about mental health. “I want people to know of the aftermath. Yes, the pain of depression is terrible. But the pain doesn’t go away, it just transfers; and now, it’s transferred to hundreds of people,” Heinz said through her tears. Heinz is grieving the loss of her partner Casey Tangen, who died by suicide in September after completing evening chores on the couple’s 43cow dairy farm in Stearns County near Brooten. “I wake up sometimes and think, ‘Is this real or is it all a dream?’ But then I see the owers and realize this is my life now,” Heinz said. “It’s completely and utterly indescribable the thoughts and what ifs that go through your mind; the could’ve, the guilt. It’s overwhelming.” In the month that has followed, Heinz has reected on Tangen’s life and wants others to know his story. “There’s a lot of complete and utter selessness that he had, especially for his family,” Heinz said. “(Tangen) always tried to do right by other people. It was that constant doing and thinking
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Becky Heinz and Casey Tangen embrace each other in a photo taken in June at their dairy farm near Brooten, Minnesota. Tangen died by suicide in September, and Heinz wants to tell his story to advocate for mental health. for other people.” Heinz and Tangen’s journey began in April 2017 when the two met through work. Tangen was dairy farming in western Minnesota, and Heinz was spending her days as a nutrition consultant. Over the years, the couple grew closer and envisioned a life in the
dairy industry for themselves and each other’s children. “He loved cows. That was his life,” Heinz said. “We wanted to farm together, and we had similar goals. … Our stars on the wall. This is what we hoped to build for us and our family.” After spending a year remodel-
ing the current farm, the couple began milking cows this past June. As the couple reveled in the life they were creating, Tangen fought an internal battle; one Heinz now readily sees. “I knew he had depression, but he never shared how bad it really was,” Heinz said. “There were things that really bogged him down, and I could see that depression unfolding. Now, putting the pieces together, there are things I can look back on and say maybe I should’ve taken that a little more seriously.” This summer, the couple spoke about seeking professional guidance. Yet, when Tangen reached out to his former counselor, they were not taking on more patients. “It was extremely difcult for him to make that rst phone call,” Heinz said. “Only a month before his passing, a person we knew of committed suicide and that really hit me. I told Casey I was afraid that was going to be him. He said he had things to live for – his kids, me. And then it was never spoke about again.” The moments that followed Tangen’s death remain a blur, yet the couple’s last conversation is clear in Heinz’s mind. “I was making dinner for all of us,” Heinz said. “(Tangen) came up behind me and said thank you for all you do for us, I really appreciate all you do. I told Turn to HEINZ | Page 13
LESS ERROR. To see the latest results near you, contact your local Pioneer sales professional or text HARVE ST to 94 3 5 3.
P03 0 6 Q™ brand
0.39
TONS/A YIELD ADVANTAGE
P07 20 Q™ brand
1.72
TONS/A YIELD ADVANTAGE
P 1 3 6 6 Q™ brand
2.12
TONS/A YIELD ADVANTAGE
SILAGE CRM
LBS/A MILK ADVANTAGE
SILAGE CRM
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LBS/A MILK ADVANTAGE
108
530
112
1,992
114
2,213
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31
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17
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24
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Pioneer.com/harvest
Data is based on an average of 2019-2020 comparisons made in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa through October 8, 2020. Comparisons are against all competitors, unless otherwise stated, and within +/- 5 silage CRM of the competitive brand. Product responses are variable and subject to any number of environmental, disease and pest pressures. Individual results may vary. Multi-year and multi-location data are a better predictor of future performance. DO NOT USE THIS OR ANY OTHER DATA FROM A LIMITED NUMBER OF TRIALS AS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN PRODUCT SELECTION. Refer to www.pioneer.com or contact a Pioneer sales representative or authorized dealer for the latest and complete listing of traits and scores for each Pioneer® brand product. By texting HARVEST, you agree to receive recurring autodialed marketing text messages at the phone number you provide. Your consent is not a condition of purchase. Message and data rates may apply. pioneer.com/privacy Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. TM ® SM Trademarks and service marks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. © 2020 Corteva. PION0LOCL055_TP
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 13
ConƟnued from HEINZ | Page 12 him I appreciate him too, but I didn’t even turn around to look at him.” To commemorate Tangen’s life, Heinz hosted a celebration of life event on their farm. The day was open for family, friends and anyone who knew Tangen to attend and share memories of the dairy farmer. The celebration was exactly what Heinz envisioned with Tangen’s greatest features highlighted with stories from people Heinz knew as family and
“I hope everyone has someone out there who would never judge you or speak about (depression) with another person.” BECKY HEINZ, DAIRY FARMER
those she had only heard of in Tangen’s life. “It’s restored my faith in humanity, that God’s people are here,” Heinz said. “The number of people who have said (Tangen) helped them, whether it was when they had to sell the cows, when their dad passed away … he was there to talk. That speaks volumes for the type of person he was.” Throughout this time, Heinz has become close friends with one of Tangen’s best friends as they spend each day talking about their lost loved one. Heinz has also connected with
Monica Kramer McConkey, a rural mental health specialist in Minnesota. “There’s a stigma that we have to be tough, that we can’t talk about it,” Heinz said. “I don’t know what my God-given duty is, but I know there’s purpose in my pain. If I can help one person with (Tangen’s) story, whether that’s someone going through depression, someone grieving a loss like I am, whatever that may be, if it’s just one person.” Heinz has also relied on her growing faith to help her through these trying times. And, she talks to Tangen often while doing chores and reecting on their life together. “I ask why he would do this? We were out of the woods and had so many things going right for us, but he couldn’t see that,” Heinz said. “Shortly after it happened, I was in the milk room and started crying; I couldn’t even stand. I could hear him screaming that he’d take it all back.” Milking cows has been a lifeline for Heinz as a way to keep some sense of normalcy. It has become a responsibility that connects her with her partner and given her time to reect on the impact Tangen’s presence had in their short time together. As the days go on and Tangen’s legacy lives on through organ donations and in the farm he and Heinz built, Heinz only wishes their story will help others. “I hope everyone has someone out there who would never judge you or speak about (depression) with another person,” Heinz said. “I’ve seen the aftermath, and it’s not worth it. You are worth it.”
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AM1 – Optimum® AcreMax® 1 insect protection system with an integrated corn rootworm refuge solution includes HXX,LL,RR2. Optimum AcreMax 1 products contain the LibertyLink® gene and can be sprayed with Liberty ® herbicide. The required corn borer refuge can be planted up to a half-mile away. AM – Optimum® AcreMax® insect protection system with YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2. Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for aboveground insects. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax products. AMT – Optimum® AcreMax® TRIsect ® insect protection system with RW,YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2. Contains a single-bag refuge solution for aboveand below-ground insects. The major component contains the Agrisure ® RW trait, the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and the Herculex® I gene. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax TRIsect products.
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AMX – Optimum® AcreMax® Xtra insect protection system with YGCB,HXX,LL,RR2. Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above- and below-ground insects. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax Xtra products. AMXT (Optimum® AcreMax® XTreme) – Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above- and below-ground insects. The major component contains the Agrisure® RW trait, the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and the Herculex® XTRA gene. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax XTreme products. Q (Qrome ®) – Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above- and below-ground insects. The major component contains the Agrisure ® RW trait, the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and the Herculex® XTRA gene. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Qrome ® products. Qrome products are approved for cultivation in the U.S. and Canada. For additional information about the status of regulatory authorizations, visit http://www.biotradestatus.com/. YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2 (Optimum® Intrasect ®) – Contains the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and Herculex® I gene for resistance to corn borer. YGCB,HXX,LL,RR2 (Optimum® Intrasect ® Xtra) – Contains the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene and the Herculex XTRA gene for resistance to corn borer and corn rootworm. RW,HX1,LL,RR2 (Optimum® TRIsect ®) – Contains the Herculex I gene for above-ground pests and the Agrisure ® RW trait for resistance to corn rootworm. AML – Optimum® AcreMax® Leptra® products with AVBL,YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2. Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for aboveground insects. In EPA-designated cotton-growing counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with Optimum AcreMax Leptra products. AVBL,YGCB,HX1,LL,RR2 (Optimum® Leptra®) – Contains the Agrisure Viptera® trait, the YieldGard® Corn Borer gene, the Herculex® I gene, the LibertyLink® gene and the Roundup Ready ® Corn 2 trait. HX1 – Contains the Herculex® I insect protection gene which provides protection against European corn borer, southwestern corn borer, black cutworm, fall armyworm, lesser cornstalk borer, southern cornstalk borer and sugarcane borer; and suppresses corn earworm. HXRW – The Herculex® RW rootworm protection trait contains proteins that provide enhanced resistance against western corn rootworm, northern corn rootworm and Mexican corn rootworm. HXX – Herculex® XTRA insect protection contains the Herculex I and Herculex RW genes. YGCB – The YieldGard® Corn Borer gene offers a high level of resistance to European corn borer, southwestern corn borer and southern cornstalk borer; moderate resistance to corn earworm and common stalk borer; and above-average resistance to fall armyworm. LL – Contains the LibertyLink® gene for resistance to Liberty ® herbicide. RR2 – Contains the Roundup Ready® Corn 2 trait that provides crop safety for over-the-top applications of labeled glyphosate herbicides when applied according to label directions. AQ – Optimum® AQUAmax® product. Product performance in water-limited environments is variable and depends on many factors, such as the severity and timing of moisture deficiency, heat stress, soil type, management practices and environmental stress, as well as disease and pest pressures. All products may exhibit reduced yield under water and heat stress. Individual results may vary. BMR – Brown MidRib Corn. Herculex® insect protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred. ® Trademark of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. YieldGard®, the YieldGard Corn Borer Design and Roundup Ready® are registered trademarks used under license from Monsanto Company. Liberty®, LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design are registered trademarks of BASF.
The KUHN Primor can process a wide variety of materials that can ® Invest in Quality be used in a multitude of ways. Both round and square bales of a wide range of sizes can be processed for both bedding materials or feed ingredients. Materials from corn stalks to wheat straw, and even to grassy hay can be processed using the multi-function rotor. Processed materials can then be dropped into a feed bunk, blown into a pile, or evenly spread throughout a pen.
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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 15
What do you enjoy about hunting?
Nick Radloff Oshkosh, WisconsinWinnebago County 90 cows How did you get into hunting? It’s something that’s kind of been in the family, and I’ve been doing it since I was little. My dad got me started with deer. In high school, I had friends who were into waterfowl hunting, and that became my passion. What seasons do you participate in? Waterfowl hunting begins either the last weekend in September or the ďƒžrst weekend in October. This is when duck season opens up and it goes into December. Goose season goes up to the ďƒžrst of the year. I hunt Canadian geese and Mallard ducks. The ducks usually come to the corn ďƒželds in the fall, and they’re a passion of mine. I also like to get on the lake once or twice a year and shoot diving ducks. What do you enjoy about hunting? I like waterfowl hunting because you get to do it with your friends, and you don’t necessarily have to be quiet. I really enjoy the camaraderie of it. Tell us your best hunting story. I have gone duck hunting in North Dakota many years in a row, and those are the best experiences I can think of. Getting to plan a hunting trip with my buddies is a lot of fun. It’s an opportunity to go on vacation and take a break from the farm to do something else I really like. Hunting trips are something different than the ordinary, everyday stuff. How do you manage hunting with your farming schedule? I don’t get to do it a lot, but I make some time for it when I can. If my buddies and I ďƒžnd a ďƒželd with birds in it, I just plan on getting in there the next day. I make it work to go for a couple hours – it’s not an all-day affair. What do you do with the meat? My cousin owns a butcher shop, and at the end of the year, I take everything down there and grind it into hot sticks. Tell us about your farm. I am a fourth-generation farmer. My grandma and grandpa helped me get started. I bought my grandparents’ cows in 2010 along with a few heifers. I then began renting land from them and grew my own crops for the cows. Six years ago, I started using sexed semen to grow my herd. I eventually was out of room and put up two hoop barns three years ago and now switch about 30 cows. Since then, I bought the farm, equipment and 155 acres of land from my grandparents and also rent another 105 acres, running a total of 260 acres. I run the farm with help from a couple part-time employees, and my grandparents also help as much as they can.
Bruce Haase Parker, South Dakota Turner County 580 cows How did you get into hunting? I started hunting as a boy with my grandpa. He taught me how to hunt for deer, antelope and pheasants. What seasons do you participate in? Antelope, West River and East River deer, pheasant, grouse, waterfowl, bear, wild boar, elk and doves. I participated in the 101-year-old tradition of the annual Turner County Crow Hunt. It’s a one-day event that involves 24 two-man teams. One of our team members has been part of the Turner County Crow Hunt for 60 years. What do you enjoy about hunting? The camaraderie. I see some of the people I hunt with only once a year during hunting season. Hunting is a good way to get away from the hustle and the bustle of everyday life, renew friendships and reďƒ&#x;ect on things. I also enjoy getting to spend time away from the farm. I have hunted elk in Canada, bear and wild boars in Texas, and doves in Argentina. Tell us your best hunting story. Some of my fondest memories were formed when I was sitting in the deer stand with our daughter, Jaime, and our son, Lance. We have had some good talks and have had a lot of fun while we were hunting. My brother, Dusty, is part of our dairy operation. It seems like Dusty and I are too busy to talk most of the time. We have made quite a few business decisions while we were sitting together in the deer stand. How do you manage hunting with your farming schedule? If the soybeans are harvested by opening weekend of pheasant hunting, we will take the whole weekend off. When the deer season comes, we will do whatever it takes to get out there and hunt deer. What do you do with the meat? We keep the loins and process much of the rest into deer jerky sticks. The deer jerky ďƒžnds its way into a lot of lunchboxes during the year. We also give venison to our employees. They appreciate it and look forward to receiving fresh venison every fall. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Rachelle, and I operate this farm with my brother, Dusty, and our son, Lance. We farm about 7,000 acres and have 150 beef cows. Dusty has two daughters and a son. His oldest, Natalie, 14, has taken charge of our embryo program. Dusty’s middle child, Paige, 12, cooks many of the meals for our crew. Dusty’s son, Neil, 10, is proving to be a big help around the farm. Lance and his wife, Jessica, got married last Thanksgiving and have announced they are expecting.
Wayne Houdek Caledonia, Minnesota Houston County 450 cows How did you get into hunting? I started hunting with my friends many years ago. There were about four of us. My dad never hunted so I started it for our family. What seasons do you participate in? We participate in the last weekend of deer shotgun season. What do you enjoy about hunting? It is so fun to see the rest of the family come with us. There are now three generations that hunt together. After I stopped going with my high school friends, I started hunting with my brother, Jim. Now I hunt with my brother and sister along with their families. My wife, Kris, does not hunt, but our four sons, Jacob, Eric, Andy and Aaron, do. This will also be the ďƒžrst year my granddaughter, Amelia, 7, will hunt. We go as a big group. We drive the deer and don’t sit in stands to wait for them. I don’t have the patience to sit. I like to be the one walking to drive the deer because if I don’t shoot one, then I don’t have to clean it. Tell us your best hunting story. There have been so many I can’t choose just one. It’s fun to see the little ones get their ďƒžrst deer. It’s especially fun now that the third generation is hunting with us. How do you manage hunting with your farming schedule? It’s tough, but we make it work. Years ago, I used to go between chores. Now, my four boys will go to the woods early, and I will join them after I ďƒžnish chores. They sometimes already have a few deer by the time I get there, and we do a few drives. After a full day of hunting, we go back home to hang the deer and have a big family supper. What do you do with the meat? We debone the meat and put it in the freezer until February or March. In the past, we would usually take it to a processor after storing it a few months, but last year, we decided to process it ourselves. With the shortage of available slots at meat processors, we will do it again this year. We make the meat into a lot of sausage and bologna. Tell us about your farm. Kris and I are the ďƒžrst generation on our farm. Two of our sons, Andy and Aaron, work full time on the farm with us. Eric works full time for ABS, but comes home on the weekend to help with chores and make genetic decisions for the herd. Along with our dairy cows, we raise 1,200 acres of alfalfa, corn and wheat. We also have a 60cow beef herd.
Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Doug Servais Bangor, Wisconsin La Crosse County 35 cows How did you get into hunting? When I was a kid, we’d hunt squirrel, deer and grouse. What seasons do you participate in? I participate in gun season only. I was never a fan of bow hunting. What do you enjoy about hunting? I enjoy going through our woods during hunting and seeing where or what Mother Nature is doing. The last couple years, with all the ooding, there has been a lot of destruction of woodlands. There are ditches that were maybe a couple feet deep and about 4 feet wide that are now a huge basin of rock. Tell us your best hunting story. My proudest hunts are when the kids are able to take something home, whether it be a big deer or a couple of squirrels. How do you manage hunting with your farming schedule? This year will be different with milking and working off the farm, but we’ll manage. Usually I let the kids do the sunrise hunt while I do chores. What do you do with the meat? My kids have become pretty good cooks with wild game. Tell us about your farm. We milk about 35 registered Jerseys, Guernsey, and both Red and White and Holsteins. The cows are on rotational grazing. For crops, we only did peas, oats and hay for forage.
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Gene Sprank Bellevue, Iowa Jackson County 115 cows How did you get into hunting? There were two retired teachers from my high school that enjoyed hunting and wanted to pass it down to the younger generation. They taught a couple of my older cousins and wanted to teach me when I was 14. I started out on a .410 and now have a 12-gauge for ducks and geese. Jessie, my friend, introduced me to deer hunting, and I borrow his muzzleloader for the few days I go deer hunting. What seasons do you participate in? I usually go in the fall and winter for ducks, geese and deer, and in the spring, I will go turkey hunting. What do you enjoy about hunting? I enjoy everything about hunting. Sometimes, I don’t get the chance to shoot anything, but it’s nice to see everything else that is ying in the sky. The most memorable part about every hunting trip is the scenery. It’s a little break from the crazy world to look around to what nature has to offer. Whether it’s laying on the ground watching the fog rise off a pond or seeing the sun set off in the distance in a blind. It’s a wonderful time, and you never know what sounds you’ll hear. Most times it’s an owl or turkey waking up everything else in the timber. Tell us your best hunting story. The best time I had was when I shot my rst turkey four years ago. Jessie and I were going out to a hay eld where we thought turkeys had been coming. We set the blind and decoys up and waited for them. We could hear some close to us, but they never came close enough for us to see. It was about ve minutes past 8 a.m., and we were going to pack up and head home. All of a sudden, we saw three turkeys off in the distance. Within minutes, they were mixed in with the decoys. I put the barrel of the gun on the head of the largest one and pulled the trigger. When the shot went off, the other two birds ran away. He weighed 24 3/4 pounds with an 11-inch beard. How do you manage hunting with your farming schedule? It’s tough to manage hunting with farming. On the days I hunt, I’ll wake up earlier to get most of the chores done before I have to go. If no one is able to nish chores, I’ll nish them when I get back after a few hours of hunting. There have been numerous good hunting trip opportunities I’ve missed out on because of the farm, but hunting won’t pay the bills. Most of the days that I am able to go hunting are raining and muddy since they are easier days on the farm. What do you do with the meat? With deer meat, it’s ground up and made into jerky, bacon and deer sticks. With duck and geese, it gets put in a slow cooker with potatoes and cream of mushroom soup for most of the day. Turkey meat is cut up in small strips and placed in a smoker for a few hours. All the meat is soaked in salt water to get rid of the bacteria and germs to make it safe to eat. Tell us about your farm. It is a family farm. Someday I plan to take it over if the opportunity arises. My dad started milking at a young age and continued into his own operation. Everyone in the family is involved. My mom handles the calves, and I do the feeding with the tractor and feed wagon. On the weekends, my sisters come back to help with whatever needs to be done. We milk Holsteins in a double-8 parallel parlor with manual take-offs. The automatic take-offs were costing us too much to keep xing them. Generally, two people are milking while someone cleans buckets and bottles from feeding calves before milking. We have three part-time employees and have seasonal help for eldwork. All the hay, corn and soybean that we use are grown on 900 acres. This spring, I had the opportunity to rent a farm to put my own cows and calves on.
Grant Giese Alma Center, Wisconsin Jackson County 66 cows How did you get into hunting? A friendly outdoorsy family moved into the area from Illinois. They purchased a small hobby farm about 7 miles from our location. They had three kids who attended the same school district as my brother and myself. It was fall turkey season time, and I was itching to go do some hunting. Richard, the new neighbor, was an avid hunter, and was more than accepting to take me out. His kind gesture to help guide me on my quest for a turkey led to a successful hunt. That was only the beginning of our relationship and my never-ending passion for not only hunting, but the great outdoors. What seasons do you participate in? Turkey, bear, whitetail, coyote and small game. What do you enjoy about hunting? The memories and enjoying the outdoors itself. As we know how crazy the world can get at times, it’s so peaceful to go out into God’s country and relish in the beauty of his creation. It’s not often you can nd peace, beauty and a feeling of contentment all in one location just by turning off the world for a few hours at a time. Tell us your best hunting story. I hunted every night I could in a small travel corridor trying to stay out of the main areas to save those more prominent stand sets for the upcoming rut. I sat in the same tree for ve nights in a row and never saw a deer. On day six, I planned to nd a new stand, but I had to milk. I had complained to Richard about the lull, and he laughed and told me to keep after it. He told me he’d help get milking moving along so we could go sit for a couple hours before dark. He wanted to go right back where I had been for the ve nights previously. We didn’t even make it to the tree and there were two deer bedded right on the eld edge 30 yards from my stand. We got set up, and not even 30 minutes went by and deer started coming out around us. We were only about 10 feet apart in different trees and decided we would each try to harvest a doe. I shot rst and missed. After knocking another arrow, I was rewarded with a clean connection. She ran across the eld, and we watched her expire quickly. Minutes later, another passed by and Richard let one y. After making a great shot, all he could do was look at me and smile. We sat there until near dark and saw a total of 13 that night. How do you manage hunting with your farming schedule? A majority of my hunts are planned last minute, and sometimes you have to just play the weather and hope you get lucky. I try to make more of an effort by the time mid to late October arrives. With leaves changing and the cool fall air setting in, there’s no better time to be in the woods. What do you do with the meat? The meat usually goes to a local processor. The longevity of the meat in the freezer is so much better when everything is properly packaged. I enjoy getting snack sticks, summer sausage, ring bologna, hot dogs and other specialty items made. I will share some of my harvest with people whohave helped me as well as my family members. Tell us about your farm. Tablerock Holsteins is owned by my dad, Michael, and step-mom, Mary. I work off the farm as an A.I. reproductive specialist and help on the farm. The farm consists of a 66-stall stanchion barn with a sawdust-bedded freestall shed adjacent to the milking barn. The freestall building is connected to a pasture where the cattle are free to graze. The farm consists of about 500 tillable acres with woods connected to the property. A rock formation in the woods is viewable from State Highway 121, that has been named Tablerock, thus the name of the farm. Tablerock has been an attraction to sightseers. Our farm received the 2020 Century Farm award from the Wisconsin State Fair Park for Jackson County.
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 17
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
Repro Leaders
Maple Breeze Dairy preg rate jumps to 29% with ovsynch program Bruce and Natalie Wood Maple Breeze Dairy Plainview, Minnesota Wabasha County 138 cows
days. Heifers are bred at 13-14 months by our custom raiser.
What was your pregnancy rate average last year? Last year, the herd’s pregnancy rate average was 29%. In June, our herd reached 31%. What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? For cows, the voluntary waiting period is 64-70
What is your rst service conception rate? For cows, it is 62%, and for heifers, it is 78%. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? We use a presynch/ovsynch program our veterinarian set up for us. We struggled a bit with our reproduction while using a modied ovsynch program.
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Natalie and Bruce Wood milk 138 cows on their dairy in Wabasha County near Plainview, Minnesota. Last year, their herd’s average pregnancy rate was 29%.
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
A bulle�n board in the Woods’ barn office helps them keep the herd’s presynch/ovsynch program on schedule.
Now our program starts with a progesterone shot at 29-35 days. Two weeks later, another progesterone shot is given followed by 10 days and a GnRH
shot. After seven days, cows are given a succession of one shot per day for three days – progesterone, progesterone and GnRH – followed by being
bred the next day. We keep the schedule straight by painting the day they are getting bred Turn to WOODS | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 19
Bring out the best in yorur investment
Dennis Thyen
Dealer Inquiries Welcome!
46310 164th Street Watertown, SD 57201 605.881.0647 Email: ddthyen@gmail.com
Shared values Celebrating women in dairy Women have always had key roles in dairy. Today, they are
redefining them. According to USDA’s 2017 Ag Census, women were key decision-makers on 56% of all U.S. farms, up 27% compared with the 2012 Ag Census. Female-operated farms accounted for 51% of the sales of livestock products, including dairy. Most female producers operate farms that have more than one producer, but USDA reports that 13% operated farms on which they were the only producer. Universities report a rising percentage of women pursuing large animal veterinary careers as well as other animal science and support roles throughout the industry. Women are vital in next generation transfers and bridging gaps by forging bonds with consumers. The Udder Comfort team is pleased to celebrate November Women-in-Dairy Month and appreciate participating among showcase vendors in the Dairy Girl Network biennial Forward TogetHER national conference, a 2020 Wisconsin-based virtual format after 2018 in Pennsylvania and 2016 in Minnesota. On the frontlines and behind the scenes, dairywomen are instrumental longstanding partners and leaders on dairy farms and among industry leaders in animal care, health, genetics, nutrition, technology and business management. Many work off-farm jobs in addition to on-farm responsibilities. They host farm tours and communicate with consumers. They are dairy princesses and ambassadors promoting dairy goodness. They are professionals in varied supporting areas. They are communicators, sharing images and stories about farm life with urban peers. They know a comfortable cow is a profitable cow. Dairywomen like Karen, Jeni, Candice and Erica tell us why they value Udder Comfort to start every fresh lactation. “This is all I ever wanted to do,” says Karen Hawbaker, Warm Spring Dairy, Chambersburg, Pa. about working with her 160 cows, seeing them reach their potential producing high quality milk, she attributes to the basics. “We don’t have a lot of cows with issues. Udder Comfort is a part of that,” she reports.
We are pleased to be a regional / national event supporter of Dairy Girl Network and a showcase vendor for the DGN Forward TogetHER virtual conference Nov. 3-5, 2020 visit dairygirlnetwork.com #dairygirl
uddercomfort.com Call 888.773.7153 to locate a distributor near you.
“We love it for fresh cows for a few days after calving, and for any type of swelling,” adds Karen, maintaining SCC of 40 to 50,000. “Udder Comfort gets quality back fast after calving. It’s awesome to see quick recovery,” says Jeni Malott. She does the herd health and repro at Misty Meadow Farm, Smithsburg, Md. The 130-cow herd averages 140,000 SCC. “For the mature cows that had elevated SCC at dry off, we make sure they get Udder Comfort for the first 8 to 10 milkings to start the new lactation, and all first-calf heifers as well,” she says. Candice White took the Udder Comfort fresh start challenge at her family’s 1000-cow Dotterer’s Dairy, Mill Hall, Pa., where she manages dairy operations. “This stuff is phenomenal,” Candice says about Udder Comfort. “It is easy to use and we see results. We use it regularly, spraying all fresh udders 3x/day for at least 2 days after calving (6 to 8 applications).” They maintain an SCC average of 100,000. Near Osseo, Wis., Erica Lundberg’s passion is genetics and working with the cows, including some of the industry’s top cow families. She transitioned from a teaching career back to Bert-Mar Farms. Her father Allan is energized by Erica’s enthusiasm rebuilding the 100-cow milking herd. “Of all the products we tried, nothing works like Udder Comfort. It’s our go-to. The biggest thing is what it does for fresh cows, especially first-calvers. We apply it 1x/day for 3 days before calving and 2x/day 3 to 4 days after calving. They freshen-in easier with better quality udders and consistently higher quality milk,” she says.
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
ConĆ&#x;nued from WOODS | Page 18
on their back hip. Different colors are used to differentiate months. We also keep the schedule on a board in the ofďƒžce. How do you observe for heat? We breed almost all cows from the timed shots. Breeding is done on Thursdays; however, our Genex technician, Dave Thisius, walks the barn every day. How do you conďƒžrm pregnant or open cows? We have our veterinarian come every two weeks to use ultrasound when cows are around 30-32 days. If a cow is open at the vet check, they are put through
a portion of the ovsynch program, starting with a GnRH shot. We wait seven days and then do the four-day succession of two progesterone shots, a shot of GnRH and being bred. What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in bull selection? Our herd is a mix of breeds with mostly Holsteins. The Holsteins are mated by our A.I. company, with our emphasis on conception rates, daughter pregnancy rates and milk. The other breeds we have – Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and Milking KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
A cow has a freshly wriƊen date painted on her rump to help know when she needs to be bred. Shorthorn – are mated on a per-cow basis. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? Cows and heifers are bred using the same criteria. There is no difference. What do you do to settle hard breeders? We try using beef semen.
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Heifers that are conďƒžrmed pregnant return to the Woods’ farm aĹŒer spending Ć&#x;me at a custom heifer raiser.
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How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? We breed a cow three times with a dairy bull before using a beef bull once. If a cow
is still not pregnant after four breedings, she is culled. Heifers are bred three times before being moved to the steer lot if they are not pregnant. Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signiďƒžcant improvement in your reproductive program? Starting to use the presynch/ovsynch program 1.5 years ago made our pregnancy rate jump. Just before making the switch, our pregnancy rate was about 23%. We kept trying to work on things until we found something that worked. We are glad we worked with
our vet to ďƒžgure out a program that works for us. Tell us about your farm. We are the sixth generation in the family to farm here. We took over from Bruce’s mom and dad in 2012. Along with the cows, we have 275 acres where we raise corn and alfalfa for feed for our herd. We raise the calves until they are 6 months old. After that, they go to a custom raiser until after they are pregnant. Bruce does all the feeding and breeding, Natalie takes care of calves, and three employees do the milking.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 21
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16 17 1 15 16 16 16 16 11 8 14 14 14 11 8 8 3 4 10 6 15 16 16 16 16 4 4 10 8 6
JD S770, 2018, PRWD, Duals, 1450 hrs., 945 Sep Hrs., #173398......... $274,900 JD S780, 2019, PRWD, Duals, 545 hrs., 388 Sep Hrs., #171379 ........... $435,900 JD S780, 2018, PRWD, Duals, 642 hrs., 324 Sep Hrs., #157910 ........... $399,500 JD S780, 2018, PRWD, Duals, 550 hrs., 383 Sep Hrs., #171851 ........$394,900 JD S780, 2019, PRWD, Duals, 422 hrs., 294 Sep Hrs., #169509 ........... $429,500 JD S780, 2019, PRWD, Duals, 355 hrs., 234 Sep Hrs., #171003 ......... $429,500 JD S780, 2019, PRWD, Duals, 473 hrs., 307 Sep Hrs., #169507 ........... $429,500 JD S780, 2019, PRWD, Duals, 446 hrs., 300 Sep Hrs., #169508 ........... $429,500 JD S780, 2018, PRWD, Duals, 577 hrs., 324 Sep Hrs., #154461 ........... $399,500 JD S780, 2018, PRWD, Duals, 681 hrs., 520 Sep Hrs., #171563 ........... $399,000 JD S780, 2018, PRWD, Duals, 826 hrs., 524 Sep Hrs., #171380 .............. 399400 JD S780, 2019, PRWD, Duals, 734 hrs., 533 Sep Hrs., #171103 ........... $404,400 JD S790, 2019, PRWD, Duals, 895 hrs., 405 Sep Hrs., #171378 ........... $441,400 ROW CROP TRACTORS JD 7210R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 540/1000 pto, Duals, Loader, 945 hrs., #163862 .................................................................................................$179,500 JD 7210R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 1962 hrs., #172425 .................................................................................................$172,900 JD 7210R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 540/1000 pto, 1524 hrs., #172431 ......$153,900 JD 7215R, 2013, Cab, MFWD, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 2878 hrs., #167434 .................................................................................................$114,900 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 578 hrs., #171965...... $239,500 JD 8245R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 434 hrs., #148226...... $228,900 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 1882 hrs., # 165918 ...................................................................................................$163,900 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 506 hrs., #171963...... $239,500 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 395 hrs., #169249...... $239,500 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 1349 hrs., #169246 ... $239,500 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 874 hrs., #169247...... $239,500 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 1336 hrs., #169248.... $239,500 JD 8270R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 1131 hrs., #163841 .................................................................................................$209,500 JD 8270R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 1308 hrs., #163842 .................................................................................................$179,500 JD 8270R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 295 hrs., #172927...... $259,500 JD 8270R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 1013 hrs., #172426 ... $223,900 JD 8285R, 2013, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 2587 hrs., #167775.... $159,900
Visit one of our 17 locations in Central Minnesota! (1) = GLENCOE 4561 Hwy. 212
(4) = ST. CLOUD 1035 35th Ave. NE
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78412 Co. Rd. 20
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(7) = ALEXANDRIA (9) = PRINCETON 320-763-4220 5005 Co. Rd. 82 SE
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2 8 8 8 3 7 1 15 15 15 16 3 3 7 6 5 11 8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 16 16 16 16 1 1 1 16 7
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JD 8295R, 2015, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 1428 hrs., #172975 ... $209,500 JD 8295R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 162 hrs., #166651...... $274,900 JD 8295R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 621 hrs., #172428...... $265,400 JD 8295R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 730 hrs., #172427...... $264,900 JD 8295R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 293 hrs.,#172929 $259,500 JD 8320R, 2014, Cab, MFWD, 540/1000 pto, 2251 hrs., #167228 ......$179,500 JD 8320R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 304 hrs., #172934...... $289,500 JD 8320R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Singles, 552 hrs., #171964 ...$299,500 JD 8320R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 2079 hrs., #172227 ... $224,900 JD 8320R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 624 hrs., #171962...... $299,500 JD 8320R, 2015, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 652 hrs., #163735...... $229,500 JD 8320R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 299 hrs., #172932...... $289,500 JD 8335R, 2011, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 5025 hrs., #173371 ... $134,000 JD 8345R, 2015, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 2158 hrs., #171100 ... $220,000 JD 8345R, 2014, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 2012 hrs., #166297 ... $214,900 JD 8345R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 300 hrs., #165247...... $299,500 JD 8345R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 665 hrs., #147199...... $289,500 JD 8345R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 1900 hrs., #172423 ...............................$239,500 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 256 hrs., #172944...... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 250 hrs., #172946...... $324,900 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 251 hrs., #172938...... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 250 hrs., #172947...... $324,900 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 280 hrs., #172943...... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 265 hrs., #172942...... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 285 hrs., #172940...... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 285 hrs., #172937...... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 276 hrs., #172945...... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 1001 hrs., #169242.... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 926 hrs., #169244...... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 716 hrs., #169243...... $319,500 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 1679 hrs., #169241 ... $319,500 JD 8400R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 274 hrs., #172950...... $334,900 JD 8400R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 324 hrs., #172953...... $334,900 JD 8400R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 250 hrs., #172949...... $334,900 JD 8400R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 1000 pto, Duals, 269 hrs., #148295...... $314,900 New Holland T7.260 T4A, 2011, Cab, MFWD, 540/1000 hrs., Duals, 7700 hrs., #169557 ................................................................................. $74,900
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, October 24, 2020
Target Your Customers!
The Dairy Star is sent only to DAIRY FARMERS!
If you would like to advertise in the DAIRY STAR, call 320-352-6303 for more information.
Research examines the potential impact of various assumptions
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The U.S. dairy industry contributes roughly 1.58 percent of the total US greenhouse gas emissions; however, it also supplies the protein requirements of 169 million people, calcium requirements of 254 million people, and energy requirements of 71.2 million people. A suggested solution to increasing food production worldwide while reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been to eliminate or reduce animal production in favor of plant production. In an article appearing in the Journal of Dairy Science, scientists from Virginia Tech and the US Dairy Forage Research Center studied the effects of dairy product removal on greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient availability in US diets under various removal scenarios. The authors of this study assessed three removal scenarios—depopulation, current management (export dairy), and retirement. In depopulation, consumers would stop consuming dairy products, resulting in depopulation of the animals; in current management (export dairy), the cattle management would remain the same and milk produced would be used for products other than human food or exported for human consumption; in retirement, the cattle would be retired to a pasture-based system but reduced to numbers that could be supported by available pastureland.
“If dairy cattle are no longer present in U.S. agriculture, we must consider downstream effects.” ROBIN R. WHITE, PH.D.
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Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA 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 Mondovi Dairy Systems Inc. Mondovi, WI 715-926-5777 West Salem, WI 608-769-2113 Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0267 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470
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. Data collected at test and pilot farms. Results will vary from dairy to dairy. Nothing in this document shall constitute a warranty or guaranty of performance. www.delaval.com
“Land use was a focus in all animal removal scenarios because the assumptions surrounding how to use land made available if we remove dairy cattle greatly inuence results of the simulations,” said lead investigator Robin R. White, PhD, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA. “If dairy cattle are no longer present in U.S. agriculture, we must consider downstream effects such as handling of pasture and grain land previously used for producing dairy feed, disposition of byproduct feeds, and sourcing fertilizer.” Greenhouse gas emissions were unchanged in the current management (export dairy) scenario, with a decrease in nutrient supplies, as expected. Emissions declined 11.97 percent for the retired scenario and 7.2 percent for the depopulation scenario compared to current emissions. All 39 nutrients considered in human diet quality were decreased for the retired scenario, and although 30 of 39 nutrients increased for the depopulation scenario, several essential nutrients declined. The results of the study suggest that the removal of dairy cattle from U.S. agriculture would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.7 percent and lower the available supply of essential nutrients for the human population. Professor White added, “Production of some essential nutrients, such as calcium and many vitamins, decreased under all reallocation scenarios that decreased greenhouse gas emissions, making the dairy removal scenarios suboptimal for feeding the U.S. population.” This study illustrates the difculties in increasing supplies of critically limiting nutrients while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 23
A career with caprines Gehri looks toward future of goat herd By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
WONEWOC, Wis. – Seventeen-year-old Tessa Gehri rst entered the world of goats when she was gifted two as pets in 2014. From there, she developed a love for the inquisitive little ruminants; in return, they have presented opportunities for her and her future that she would not have otherwise had. “I still have those rst two pets,” Gehri said. “They are here forever. They are useless now, but they are important. They were the start of everything.” Gehri, the daughter of Rocky and Amanda Gehri, of Wonewoc, is in her senior year at Wonewoc-Center High School and an active member of the school’s FFA chapter. This summer, Gehri was named the winner of the state goat production prociency. Earlier this fall, she was selected as one of the top four nalists for the national prociency award and will learn the results of that competition Oct. 28 during a virtual version of the National FFA Convention. “I’ve never gone to national convention before and was excited to go this year, especially with my prociency competi-
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Tessa Gehri has two dairy goats at her family’s farm near Wonewoc, Wisconsin. The 17-year-old was the winner of the Wisconsin state goat prociency and is one of the nal four candidates in the naƟonal FFA contest. tion,” Gehri said. “I was disappointed that the convention was shifted to a virtual version. I plan to apply for my American Degree in the future, so I am hopeful to receive that and be able to attend the convention then.” Although she will not turn 18 until next July, Gehri will graduate early from high school in January. She is uncertain of what direction her future will take following graduation, as she is exploring several options. “I know a big school is not
right for me,” Gehri said. “I haven’t ruled out the idea of a technical school, but I have my goat herd to think about. Going somewhere outside of commuting range is not feasible. Ideally, I would like to follow an entrepreneurial path and build and grow my own businesses.” Gehri works in the calf facility at Hillsprairie Dairy near Hillsboro where she is learning about caring for dairy cattle, an area she feels she has a great deal to learn in terms of live-
stock husbandry. “I have the goats, and I also have experience with horses and swine,” Gehri said. “Cattle and sheep are my weak points.” Gehri houses her goats at Stillbrooks Clydesdales, a farm near her home, where she is also involved in working with and showing Clydesdale horses. Soon after she was gifted the two goats, farm owner Merle Brooks acquired a dairy goat which he gave Gehri. That dairy goat ofcially became the foundation for
what would become a successful Supervised Agricultural Experience for Gehri’s FFA career. Although she has since sold the original dairy goat to a family in Oklahoma, Gehri has two of her daughters. Right now, those two Alpine dairy goats are the only milking females Gehri owns. She down-sized her dairy goat herd because she had no way to obtain a market for her milk. Gehri connected with an area dairy goat farmer who purchased the remainder of her milking herd last winter and also purchases her dairy kid does. “I would really like to nd a farm to rent after I graduate, a place with facilities that I could build a parlor and have a large enough herd of dairy goats to obtain a milk market, as well continue to grow my herd of Boer goats,” Gehri said. Due to the lack of a milk market, Gehri has turned her attention to raising registered Boer goats, a market she said is gaining in popularity and demand in her area. She focuses on breeding Boer goats and enjoys competing with her goats at regional and national shows. In addition to showing and marketing high-quality breeding stock, Gehri has found a local niche market for her Boer kid bucks, selling them to several Amish farmers who have found they like crossbreeding Boer and dairy goats, creating a more du-
Turn to GEHRI | Page 25
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 25
ConƟnued from GEHRI | Page 23
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Tessa Gehri also raises and shows registered Boer goats near Wonewoc, Wisconsin. Gehri hopes to develop her goat herd in the years to come. al-purpose animal. Gehri is inquisitive by nature and likes to learn new skills that will aid her in growing her herd and creating avenues for revenue in the future. At the age of 15, she attended classes to learn to articially inseminate her goats. “The rst class I went to was kind of intimidating,” Gehri said. “It was mostly all veterinarians and then me. They kind of looked at me funny, like why was I there wanting to learn to articially inseminate goats.” After honing her skills on her own animals, Gehri began inseminating goats for others in the area, giving rise to Gehri’s Caprine Articial Insemination Service. “I have had people tell me that if they could get their bucks collected, they would have me inseminate for them,” Gehri said. “That got me thinking there
aren’t a lot of people around collecting and freezing goat semen.” Gehri made connections with an Illinois-based company that collects and freezes semen. She has made arrangements to visit their facilities and begin learning how to collect goat semen to be able to create another arm in her growing business portfolio. She is also intrigued at the idea of using embryo transfer to grow and develop the genetics within her own herd. Keeping in line with her mindset, simply using the technology is not where Gehri plans to stop. She is eager to learn to do it for herself and to obtain the necessary credentials to offer the service to others. “I’m not sure where the future will lead me just yet, but I know that I want to be involved in working with livestock, particularly with my goats,” Gehri said.
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
USDA announces Oct. 30 deadline for WHIP+ applications The United States Department of Agriculture announced Oct. 30 as the deadline to submit applications for the Wildre and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) for 2018 and FSA News & Notes 2019 losses. USDA did not originally specify a deadline when the program was announced. “The physical and nancial loss experienced by farmers and ranchers impacted by natural disaster events in 2018 and 2019 was widespread and catastrophic,” By Ryan Brunn said Richard Fordyce, Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency. “Fortunately, in addition to our already extensive suite of disaster assistance programs for crop and livestock producers, we were able to provide additional support through WHIP+. If you have not yet submitted your application for assistance, please don’t miss your chance.” WHIP+ compensates producers for losses due to hurricanes, oods, snowstorms, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, drought, excessive moisture and wildres occurring in calendar years 2018 and 2019. Drought and excessive moisture were added as eligible losses for the program in March 2020. To date, FSA has received more than 133,000 applications for WHIP+ disaster assistance and paid out nearly $1.4 billion in WHIP+ benets. Next week, FSA will launch a new tool on the WHIP+ webpage to help producers understand eligibility for the program and whether they had possible losses in 2018 and 2019. The tool will also allow producers an opportunity to provide information for FSA staff to reach out to them. FSA will announce soon the details for producers who experienced quality loss from 2018 and 2019 natural disaster events authorized in appropriations legislation. There will be a
Th There will ill b be a separate signup period for producers reporting quality loss. separate signup period for producers reporting quality loss. For more information or application assistance, visit www.farmers.gov/recover/whipplus or contact a USDA Service Center. To locate a local FSA ofce, visit www.farmers.gov/servicecenter-locator. Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs.
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Spooky fun on the farm As autumn comes, the smell and sound of dried leaves on the ground brings back many memories of my kids growing up. I smile to myself, thinking back to the times our family and friends spent having Halloween fun with others in our neighborhood. It all began when our two boys, Curtis and Spencer, wanted to have a Halloween party with their friends. They were in rst and second grade. We invited all of the kids in their classes along with their parents for a potluck costume party. We played games, had candy prizes and told scary stories in the dark with a ashlight. The story teller was great. As she told the stories, she passed around eyeballs, maggots By Tina Hinchley on chopped off ngers and Farmer & Columnist a bowl of worms. The kids squealed and screamed. After the lights came back on, they laughed when they realized it was peeled grapes, rice and mini hot dogs, and cold spaghetti. We had planned to do a hayride by the light of the moon after the kids picked a pumpkin. A few parents wanted to go on the wagon and others wanted to hide and spook the kids on the ride. Duane drove the tractor and wagon next to the round bales of corn stalks that were in the eld. Anna and Catherine were 11 months old and were carried in baby backpacks, as my friend Gina and I hid behind the bales with sheets over us to look like ghosts as the wagon rode by. We stood up and yelled, “Boo!” as the kids screamed. The other parents howled in the tree line. If I remember correctly, I was laughing so hard I peed my pants. That was the start of many Octobers with these kids and their parents. We had an old machinery shed that was not being used because it was lled with stuff that was saved by Duane’s parents. Tires, batteries, old wagon gear and many cans of bent nails. Keith and Ruth lived through the depression, and these items were valuable to them, but we all worked together and recycled them. We hauled in straw bales for walls, hung bunker plastic and made paths and rooms in our new haunted barn. All of the kids picked out costumes. It became the Spookers’ and Hinchleys’ Haunts. After all the hard work creating the rooms, props, the lighting and music, everyone was ready. For the last weekend in October, we invited the kids from Cambridge and Deereld to check it out. The kids learned how to wait, stay still and then make a sound or noise. They learned the art of scaring. Eric was so good at being a monster in a dog kennel, he would scare the others as they got into their spots to wait. So many girls had a gift for a loud, scary scream. I couldn’t believe they could talk after the night was through. As the hayride went, spookers hid in the standing corn, crawled on the wagon and sat by expecting victims. The kids learned where and when to pop out of the tree line when the riders were not expecting it. The wagon wove back and forth, and the spookers repeatedly scared the riders in different locations, making it seem like we had a gang of kids out there. In reality, we had a group of 15 or so kids who loved running around in the eld and hiding in the barn. Year after year, the spookers would come out and change themes. As our kids got older, it got much more frightening. Monsters, clowns, aliens and zombies with chainsaws. Crowds of people came to get scared. They came on cold nights, raining nights and nights when the wind blew. In 2013, the highway department let us know the road by our farm was going to be widened, and our barn was too close to the road. It would be taken down during the expansion. We had one last season. The theme was Hotel California; the kids were all zombies. The Eagles song played as the spookers screamed, used a grinder to make
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 27
sparks and squirted fake blood from severed limbs. After the crowd nished going through the barn, “Thriller” by Micheal Jackson played loud, and the zombie spookers came out to chase them. Anna and Catherine cannot stand those songs because they were played so many times in a night. Throughout the following spring, we took down all the props and black lights. We put the masks, fog machines and costumes into plastic totes and put them on a shelf in the shed. That was where they sat for many years, reminding me of the haunted barn every time I saw them. We had to do some cleaning for Anna’s wedding, and both of my girls told me these masks and props needed to go. As we pulled out the totes and looked through the masks, I remember clearly the faces of the kids who wore them. I can picture it like it was yesterday. The kids all sitting on the picnic tables in the warm shed. Drinking hot cocoa, eating hot dogs and pizza at the end of the night,
talking about how well they made others scream. Anna has been posting the masks and props for sale, and people are making appointments to come and look. At rst, it was hard for me to let these items go. I wanted to hold on to it all. Almost like I was afraid that if these masks, props and costumes leave, I might forget all of those nights with all of the kids. My girls assure me we will remember certain things about those nights, both good and bad. We will remember special things about the old barn, the smell of the dirt oor, and the sounds of the wind blowing through the barn boards as we waited quietly for a group to venture in. They also tell me they will never forget a word in both songs of “Hotel California” and “Thriller.” 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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LOCATION: Rein Dairy 38568 County 10 Lanesboro, MN 55949
Dairy snacks provided!
Self-Guided Tours
Ben and Amber Rein invite you to see their Calf-Star and Lely equipment in action! » Calf-Star Instant Calf Feeding Facility
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
Corn silage harvest takes a turn for the better in 2020
Greater quality, higher yields seen in parts of Wisconsin By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
Wet weather and early snow caused many challenges for the corn silage harvest of 2019, making it one most dairy farmers would prefer to forget. Fortunately, crops and weather were on good terms throughout much of Wisconsin this year, setting the stage for a timely harvest that would bear quality feed in abundant yields. “This was a really good growing year for corn,” said Derek Johnson, a nutritionist with Barton Kiefer Dairy Consulting. “The corn was healthy and had perfect moistures.” Serving farms in southeast Wisconsin and northern Illinois, Johnson said some places are feeding corn silage fresh this year, and the feeding results are better than years prior. “The feed is moist,” Johnson said. “When it’s dry, the kernels get hard, and it’s not as digestible. The wetter the corn, the easier it is to break up into smaller pieces, making it more digestible.” Johnson said corn ended up too dry the last two years, and yields suffered. “This year, generally speaking, 95% of guys are getting 68%-70% moisture, which is really good,” Johnson said. “When you aim for a little wetter, then by the time you’re done, the corn is drier.” Johnson has seen higher moisture put more pounds of milk in the bulk tank. “One farm gained 10-15 pounds of milk per cow because moisture was up from 50% to 70%, and they were able to feed a much betterquality silage,” Johnson said.
Timing of harvest was greatly improved from last year when a wetter-than-usual fall pushed corn silage production well into December in some areas. “A couple guys were even chopping into January, and that stuff is typically not going to feed as well,” Johnson said. This year, farms in southeast Wisconsin were about three weeks ahead of schedule in harvesting corn silage. Many farms in Johnson’s territory started chopping around Labor Day, while other farms started later because they took off rye or triticale this spring before planting corn in early June. “It was a dry fall, and farmers were able to get out there at the right time,” Johnson said. “Last year, it was wet from late August through October. Corn then dries down so fast and is more susceptible to fungus or tar spot.” Johnson said climate and soil can vary greatly throughout his coverage area, providing different crop outcomes county to county. However, this year, that was not the case. “Brodhead is a lot different than the Racine area for example, but this year, all seems to be good in terms of corn silage yield and quality,” Johnson said. “There is heavier soil near Lake Michigan, making it more susceptible to drowning and wetter weather that can impact crops more. But we didn’t see that this year.” Johnson said farms in his area are seeing way better yields in 2020 – around 3 to 5
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKE
This year’s corn silage harvest produced high yields and good-quality feed for many farms throughout Wisconsin. Chopping was ahead of schedule in most areas with moisture at prime levels. additional tons per acre. “Some farmers saw 21-22 tons per acre near West Bend, while in Columbus, which typically has better ground, they were getting closer to 30 tons per acre,” Johnson said. “There’s a pocket from Deereld up through Beaver Dam that got amazing tonnage. I would say 95% of farms in my coverage area saw good quality and yields this year versus 60% of farms last year.” Johnson said farms north of Hartford saw poorer yields. Corn was set back in some areas like Kewaskum and West Bend which endured rain events in May of 6 inches. Overall, more acres of corn were planted and harvested in the state in 2020 versus 2019. “Last year, there was a lot of acreage that didn’t get planted,” Johnson said. “We got a lot of corn in this year and were denitely able to chop
more acres.” In central Wisconsin, corn silage harvest also saw advantages over last year. Richard Halopka, certied crop advisor and Clark County University of Wisconsin Extension agriculture educator for crops and soils, said most farmers in his area are pleased with the quality and yield of this year’s corn silage harvest. “Yields were above average compared to recent years,” Halopka said. “I’ve heard of farms getting 20-plus tons as fed corn silage per acre.” Corn matured early this year – before a killing freeze – which may have increased or slowed the dry down of silage depending on weather conditions in the area. For areas in the central part of the state with dry conditions, harvest was about 10 days earlier than normal. “Weather wise, this year’s
corn silage harvest was great as eld conditions allowed farmers to harvest without rutting elds,” Halopka said. “Corn silage was slightly delayed as corn whole plant moisture did not dry down as fast in central Wisconsin. But some areas were droughty and corn dried down quickly and silage came off early.” In looking at how this year’s corn silage will affect dairy farmers in the year ahead, Halopka said it could allow for a change in feeding recommendations as well as a decrease in buying feed inputs. Also, higher yields may help ll a void in forage shortfalls from the past few years. “Starch levels will likely be higher this year so it will be important for dairy and livestock people to review their feeding schedules with a nutritionist,” Halopka said.
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More on precision dairy technology
In the last University of Minnesota Dairy Connection column, Dr. Mike Schutz dened some terminology used in precision dairy farming, and he indicated that it involves the use of technologies to measure physiological, behavioral and production indicators on individual animals. Schutz said precision dairy farming becomes valuable when using data and analytical tools to drive decisions that improve management and farm performance. Other technologies that automate tasks such as feeding cows and calves, milking, delivering shots, cleaning alleys or pushing up feed; monitoring and controlling the barn environment; and optimizing manure management are also under the precision dairy farming umbrella. During World Dairy Expo week in early October, I participated in a virtual event endorsed by WDE entitled the Global Dairy Tech Start-up Spotlight. The event was organized and moderated by Aidan Connolly, president of AgBy Marcia Endres riTech Capital, and it had about 700 people in attendance. U of M To watch the recorded event, you can go to www.dairystartupspotlight.com. Ten dairy tech start-up companies shared information about their technology along with a short question and answer session, followed by a roundtable discussion on the farm of the future with a panel of experts (Joao Costa, University of Kentucky; Jeffrey Bewley, Holstein Association; and myself) moderated by Connolly. The technologies were quite broad in scope and approach, and presented a range of possibilities for where technology is going now and into the future. – Computer vision, cameras and articial intelligence for improved feeding management. This technology can monitor feed delivery, feed push-ups and clean-outs to track how well these actions relate to a desired schedule. Deviations are detected by the system which operates 24/7 and provides alerts to the manager, so corrections can be implemented quickly. A new feature for this technology that monitors cow behavior will be released soon. It will be able to monitor lying time, time out of the pen and a cow comfort index to help producers achieve high milk production, improved animal welfare and greater revenue. – Mastitis prevention and detection. Different options highlighted at the event included a rapid on-farm test kit, a multispectral sensor installed at the entrance of the parlor for capturing an image of the udder and a mobile spectroscopy device. Early detection of mastitis on farm allows for better decision making on a day-to-day basis and prevents more serious mastitis cases, improving protability and animal welfare. – Employee training. One of the big challenges on dairy farms today is employee management. One of the technologies demonstrated at the event was an employee training platform that stores, delivers and tracks all the training of farm employees. It made me think of the requirements for the FARM program – this technology would be helpful for that. It could help with employee retention. The same company also has technology for monitoring feed use, milking unit pulsation and sensor data. All their technologies can be integrated into one to help better manage the farm. – Automated injection. This company demonstrated a robotic arm injection system for delivering vaccines or reproductive products in an accurate way achieving 100% compliance r rate. As cows exit the parlor, IIt iis iimportant to llearn ffrom they are identied, restrained if needed, injected with the other producers as to what products they are scheduled works and what does not for the day, and the information is automatically rework. corded into the dairy farm m management system. This technology can reduce labor costs and improve animal health and reproductive efciency. – Water recycling and manure management. This technology uses mechanical and chemical treatments to remove manure contaminants, separate manure solids and results in clean water that can be reused in the barns. The technology can recycle up to 75% of the water in the manure. Other technologies highlighted during the event included a system for automated production and harvesting of aquatic plants for feed, an app to determine a farm’s nancial future and an interesting new way to detect pregnancy by using inline milk sensors. The panel suggested that successful dairy producers today and into the future are the ones adopting and looking for new technologies and processes that optimize their operations. It is important to learn from other producers as to what works and what does not work. Producers can also learn from others involved in dairy technology, such as consultants, universities and established technology companies. Technology should be validated by third-party research and provide a return on investment. Technology and automation will not replace the human. It is a partnership, with technology helping to improve efciency and labor exibility. It is also important that reliable and nearby support and service is available from suppliers to help producers with making the technology work on their farm. A survey was placed on Twitter during the event: What do you think the dairy farm of the future looks like? The answers: Fully automated (12.5%); partly automated (87.5%) and not automated (0%). Automation is seen as the future in dairy farming.
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 29
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Tell me a story Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
I am a lover of stories. The stories passed down from generation to generation. The stories that stick with you long after you have closed the cover of a book. The stories that little children babble about when they do not think you are listening to them play. The stories that are made up offthe-cuff to appease a wiggly child. The stories from the past – the ones that you hope will be part of your future. The silly stories, the true stories and the wishful stories – all play a part in a story-lled life. Two weekends ago, our neighborhood band of “Amish Cowboys” brought our 38 heifers home from the ridge pasture. As I recount this tale to people, I tell them that it was like watching “Lonesome Dove.” There was dust ying, hooves clopping and a herd of Holstein heifers that were denitely in a hurry to get home. It looked like a genuine cattle drive. After the last heifer was checked off the list and the gate shut, we all met for breakfast in the shop. Ten helpful neighbors, José, Peter, Stacy, I, and a passel of children all swapped
stories about the entertainment of bringing heifers home over the years. When we were kids, we would lock them in the corral and spend hours loading six on a trailer at a time, hauling them home, dumping them off and coming back. When we were teens, we enlisted the help of our cousins and used four-wheelers, trucks and many a loud-mouthed human. For the past few years, our friend, Eli, and his crew have successfully brought the girls home. It is a calm endeavor; absent of the yelling of years past. The biggest excitement this year was Eli getting dumped off his horse on the side of the creek into the mud. We also enjoyed watching the guys race their horses in the eld afterwards. When retelling this Saturday morning adventure to a friend, the best part to tell is how wonderful the whole thing is and that our appreciation of them (the Amish Cowboys) doing it is equal to their thrill in doing so. Cooler mornings have me bringing out the oatmeal for breakfast. While dishing it up, I inevitably tell the story of how, while growing up, my mom would make
oatmeal for breakfast on the days there was no milk in the refrigerator. Then, to cool it down we would stir in Cool Whip or ice cream. There’s also the time I put my hand on the burner right after she had told me it was hot – talk about a fast education. I’m certain my boys are tired of these stories, as they have heard them a million times, but the warmth of oatmeal in my belly always takes Ramblings from the Ridge me back to my childhood. Henry and Finley are so fun to eavesdrop on when they are telling farm stories. They are often so intent on their sandbox farming, I can sneak up unnoticed. They drop their voices low and pretend to be Peter and Grandpa as they combine corn. “Did you combine that By Jacqui Davison eld on the ridge?” Columnist “No, I’ll get there next.” They don’t miss a beat with the actions of any piece of heavy equipment on the farm. It still shows in their play – and on every piece of paper they bring home from school. Stories from the Sunday breakfast club about bygone eras, snowmobiling trips that ended at the bar, dances and weddings are so delightful and give insight to a part of Grandpa’s life I can only imagine through these retellings. The laughter these tales cause is so lovely, and you can catch glimpses of them in their youth doing the wild things they speak of when you watch their faces light up. Cora and I were doing our weekly cow moves last Thursday, and because it is less stressful on us and the cows, we pull them out as they come down the lane from the parlor. As we were waiting for a side of cows to release, we were sitting on the cement sidewall telling stories. I began, “Once upon a time, there was a girl named Cora, who grew up to be an excellent farmer.” She was already grinning from ear to ear. “She milked Jerseys. She had Flashlight …” “Mom, she’s not a cow, she’s still a calf.” “I know, but she’ll be a cow someday. And she had Annabelle and Pepito.” “I need Holsteins, too. Who can I milk?” “You can have Itsy Bitsy, Peanut and Bumble.” I babble on and on, telling her she can make fantastic cheese, and have me and Stacy work on her farm. My audience of one is enthralled by this quick story and rewards me with a hug. As we sit there on the ledge watching our post-fresh cows do their jobs, I think about what her future story may hold. Will she be a fabulous farmer? A writer? A veterinarian? All of these things and more? What is left in my story? At 40, I look back at some parts of my story of life and wish I could rip out the pages, or at least edit them a bit. Yet, I look to the future and try to ll in the pieces I hope will be there. Things change in our life stories. We keep telling the same stories from our past to carry them into the future. We tell ourselves how we want things to be, then life happens and here we are with edits marked all over the pages – crying, laughing and telling our stories to whomever will listen. Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira (12), Dane (10), Henry (5) and Cora (3), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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Reducing cold stress on calves
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 31
This past weekend, during the Minnesota youth deer hunting season, I found myself sitting in a deer stand with my three daughters pondering a Something to Ruminate On few thoughts. First, a lesson in patience. Any parents who have taken their kids hunting can appreciate this. In addition, Saturday morning brought measurable snowfall in northwest Minnesota followed by a plummet in temperatures. I could not help but think By Barry Visser about the cold stress Nutritionist on dairy calves in the months ahead. In sub-freezing temperatures, calves (and all mammals) are motivated to maintain internal body temperature. Thermal stress can increase calf morbidity and mortality and reduce growth rates. Focusing on the increased needs of calves in the winter months can provide the best opportunity for success. – Maternity and newborn calf housing. Combatting cold stress in calves starts in the calving pens. Calves are born with minimal body fat reserves. In addition, the calf’s small body mass relative to external surface area results in rapid loss of body heat. Clean, deepbedded straw helps, but wet calves lose heat quickly to the environment. Towel drying a newborn calf aids in ďƒ&#x;ufďƒžng its hair coat, which works as an insulator for the calf by creating a boundary between the body and the chilly ambient air. Pay attention to drying the ears as this will help reduce the risk of frost damage. Warming boxes work well to ďƒžnish the drying process and keep
I iis b It best practice i to sanitize ii these warming boxes between calves as their warmer temperatures provide a good environment for pathogen growth. calves warm during the ďƒžrst 12 hours after birth. It is important to note that calves receiving supportive warming therapy after birth will have less stress and, as a result, will likely have greater efďƒžciency of immunoglobulin absorption from colostrum feeding. A calf’s ability to absorb antibodies from colostrum diminishes as its body temperature becomes colder. Calves should be moved out of the warming box by 24 hours of age and into the next calf facility. It is best practice to sanitize these warming boxes between calves as their warmer temperatures provide a good environment for pathogen growth. Once calves are moved, deep-bedded straw is a great option for its insulating effects. Calves placed into hutches and cold barns should be furnished with calf jackets for approximately the ďƒžrst 3 weeks of age. – Nutritional considerations. The ďƒžrst goal for calf nutrition is to satisfy maintenance requirements. Increasing the plane of nutrition to combat cold stress is of primary importance. Caloric demand for maintenance increases as the temperature decreases below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This leaves the calf with
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few calories available for growth and more susceptible to mobilizing body fat reserves and amino acids. Additionally, energy is pulled away from the immune system, making calves more prone to diseases. Strategies to increase energy intake during cold stress include altering the amounts and timing of milk feeding. Milk volume is often increased by about onethird. Shifting from two to three times daily feeding will also increase milk intake. Supplemental fat can also be added to the milk feeding. Work with your calf nutritionist and advisors to decide which strategies ďƒžt your operation best. Water intake is critical to starter consumption and rumen development. Offer warm water to calves after the milk feeding. Pails may need to be dumped prior to the next feeding in extreme cold conditions. – Additional management considerations.
Excessive calf handling should be avoided during really cold days. Consider holding off on pen moves or vaccinations if possible. Another consequence of cold weather is greater ďƒ&#x;uctuation in milk feeding temperatures. The ideal feeding temperature is about 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Precautions may need to be taken to prevent a signiďƒžcant decline. As we enter winter, make sure the calves have adequate nutrition to support both maintenance needs and growth. Make sure their housing conditions do not increase maintenance needs with drafts and wet bedding. Monitor and track calf growth and health. This will help identify bottlenecks and troubleshoot challenges. Excellent management during winter will allow calves to overcome cold stress and continue to grow at target rates. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
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Never alone
Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
Farmers are a ercely independent and We have been busy washing, painting, clipping individualistic group of people. We brag about and cleaning to get ready for our sale. It feels like working for ourselves. Being our own boss. party prep work on steroids. Between the daily Our success and failure rests squarely on our chores, harvest season and sale prep, our plate is own shoulders. You have p pretty full. But we were not seen the image. A strong, ttoo busy to drop everything l iis pretty ffull. ll B But the moment we got the call ruggedly handsome man ... our plate standing out in the middle we were not too busy to drop from a neighbor. of a lush green eld of Greg had just nished his soybeans reaching up to everything the moment we morning milking when he his waist. His arms crossed got the call from a neighbor. received a call from the in front of his chest daring emergency room doctor the world to try and knock ttelling him his son had been him down. You would think by the image that he in a work accident with possible brain trauma. is standing alone in that eld, but as farmers, we The hospital was three hours away. It felt as if he know we are not standing alone. That has been had been suckered punched. Once he could catch evident around our place this last week. his breath he called his neighbors in the valley.
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Within minutes, we were up to Greg’s place taking a crash course in how chores went around his farm. Greg had written a quick check list of how to mix feed and which cow to watch out for. We shooed him out of the barn and nished up Just Thinking Out Loud the morning routine as they headed west. Despite all the craziness that is our life right now, it was kind of nice to escape to Greg’s and milk his 20 cows. In the blink of an eye, we had the cows milked, fed and the barn cleaned. Flipped a few switches By Natalie Schmitt and the springers and calf chores were done Columnist too. I began to wonder if this was a glimpse into what our future would be like in March if we decided to start back up milking. Dropping everything to help a neighbor in need is not a novel idea, so why are people surprised when farmers pull out of their elds during harvest to help a neighbor in trouble? Are people so disconnected to one another that they do not know it is just what you do? When I was in the hospital in a coma during planting season, Dale and Al stood in our yard waiting until Mark told them which eld they could seed down in alfalfa for us. They knew we needed help, even if we did not say so. As we put the nishing touches on our sale event, we realize we are not alone. We are surrounded by friends and neighbors who are reaching out to help. Our kids have taken personal work days off to help clip and clean. Neighbors are volunteering to provide pick up service between the parking lot and the farm yard. Friends have been dropping off sweets and treats to help us keep the work crew fed. It almost feels like a death has occurred in the family, and in a way it has as we hit pause with our milking operation. Despite the image of the farmer standing alone in his eld, we know we are never alone when we have neighbors who have our backs when we do not know which way to turn. It’s just what we do. 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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Into the woods
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 33
Two winters ago, Glen took me on a snowmobile ride through the Birch Lake State Forest. Despite visiting the state forest’s swimming beach on countless occasions, I had never been on the trails in the forest. The forest won me over instantly, and I vowed to come back in my hiking boots once the snow had melted. I made good on my vow a couple months later and began exploring this hidden gem with my friend, Summer. For a girl who grew up in the woods of northern Minnesota, an hour or so traipsing through the forest is pure catharsis. Dairy Good Life I had hoped to continue my sojourns into the woods last winter on cross country skis, but my limited shoulder mobility made skiing impossible. But soon after the snow melted and the temperatures moderated, Summer and I and our girls returned to the state forest. It was the perfect place to gather in person while also staying six feet apart. The combination of people time and forest time was much needed – especially for our kids – after weeks of isolation. For you fellow science junkies, the benets of forest time are not just psychological. In a column last By Sadie Frericks year, I mentioned phytoncides, the active chemical substances given off by plants. When we breathe in Columnist these phytoncides, our bodies respond by increasing our natural killer cells, a type of white blood cell. These cells kill tumor- and virusinfected cells in our bodies. Even more reason why spending time in the forest is the best way to survive a pandemic. (Grasses and shrubs also release phytoncides, so really, any time interacting with plants improves immunity.) It turns out that the green light in forests – from sunlight reecting off the greenery – is also good for us. Looking at green light increases the body’s production of natural painkillers and reduces inammation. I explored another Minnesota state forest this fall: Pillsbury State Forest. But this time, my explorations were mostly on horseback. My sister invited me to join her trail-riding group for a weekend of camping and trail rides. Despite not having been in a saddle for 20-some years, I accepted the invitation. I gured it wouldn’t be any more physically challenging than riding a bike. Our weekend at Pillsbury fell right in the middle of peak fall leaf season, which for me is when half of the trees have turned brilliant red, orange, and yellow and the other half are still green. I nd the contrasting colors at this halfway point of transition to be the most beautiful. And, truly, the miles we traversed in the woods were stunningly beautiful. The gorgeous views helped make up for my horse’s inclination to trot instead of walk. I ended up with a few sore muscles afterwards, but I think I was most sore from all the laughing we did around the campre at night. The trail-riding weekend reinforced, for me, the advantage of human interaction while exploring the forest. Whether it’s hiking on foot, riding on a horse, or sitting around a campre, being in the forest with others seems to encourage rich conversation and feelings of togetherness. I assume this fellowship is similar to the camaraderie guys experience on hunting trips and why hunting excursions are sacred annual events for many families. Glen and Dan made their rst trip into the woods in search of whitetail deer this past weekend. Dan was participating in Minnesota’s early youth hunt and Glen was taking advantage of our zone’s early antlerless season. Glen’s hope was that they’d ll their tags while it was relatively warm and thus avoid the colder weather of the regular November season. Each morning and each evening after returning from the hunt, they indulged me with their reports from the woods. One morning, the only animal they saw was the blue jay itting raucously around the tree branches above their stand. Another morning, a woodpecker sprinkled them with wood dust. One afternoon, they watched a falcon glide slowly back and forth over the eld before suddenly swooping down to pursue some small animal. On the falcon’s third try, it came up with a mouse. Glen’s comment after the falcon story was that patience is so clearly one of the natural world’s greatest virtues. That patience transfers to those who partake of nature. There’s no hurrying when you’re in the woods. On their second afternoon out, Glen and Dan watched as a small group of does cautiously and patiently crossed in front of their stand. Dan opted to wait for a buck; Glen took one of the does with his muzzleloader. They didn’t see another deer after that, but it sounds like they enjoyed their time in the woods together all the same. Maybe they’ll return in search of a buck for Dan; maybe they won’t. Now that we have snow – and it’s here to stay – I think their thoughts have turned to exploring the woods on snowmobile. I’m hoping for a couple more hikes in the forest before the snow on the trails gets too deep. Then, I’ll dust off my skis and enjoy the woods that way. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 13, Monika, 11, and Daphne, 7. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
Creativity squared
Mother, daughter build barn quilts By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – Just over two years ago, Jill Wiederholt and her mother, LuAnn Shea, decided to take on what they thought would be a
simple project in preparation to host the Grant County Dairy Breakfast: They created two barn quilts to grace the barns on their family’s farm near Platteville. “It turned out to be a much bigger project than we had anticipated, but we decided we really enjoyed the process and loved the nal result,” Wiederholt said. Shea and her husband, John, began Banner Ridge Farms in the 1970s. Their son,
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
LuAnn Shea (from leŌ), Jill Wiederholt and Amber Lancaster are the team behind a set of ve barn quilts that are hung on a new community building at PlaƩeville’s Legion Park in PlaƩeville, Wisconsin. Shea and Wiederholt and their families milk 400 cows in the area.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
This quilt pays homage to Henry Hillman, the mascot of the local high school in PlaƩeville, Wisconsin.
David, took over the farm in 2003 and expanded the farm. In 2015, TJ and Katie Roth became partners in the farm. Today, the farm is home to 400 cows, and Wiederholt manages raising the calves. After completing those rst two quilts, Wiederholt and Shea decided they would not mind making barn quilts
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for others to enjoy. They make the 8-foot and 4-foot quilts for outdoor displays on buildings as well as a variety of 2-foot decorative indoor quilts. Earlier this year, the pair was commissioned to create a set of ve barn quilts for a community building in Platteville’s Legion Park. Each of the ve quilts has
a connection to the city of Platteville. One quilt features the state of Wisconsin with a heart placed where Platteville is located; a second features the giant M that adorns a hillside in town, and the third has a pick and shovel, tools of the minTurn to BARN QUILTS | Page 35
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 35
ConƟnued from BARN QUILTS | Page 34
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
A quilt featuring the “M” that signies the UW-PlaƩeville campus graces the front entrance of the Broske Center in PlaƩeville, Wisconsin. ing trade; both symbols of the mining industry that dominates the town’s history; the fourth features Henry Hillman, the local high school mascot; and the fth features a dairy cow in recognition of the strong presence of the dairy industry in the area. Adding the additional artwork to the quilt design created more work, but when the project was completed, both Wiederholt and Shea said the results were worth the effort. As they learned early on, creating a barn quilt can be painstaking with many exacting steps. The large outdoor quilts are made of plywood and are created in two pieces, which then need to be assembled once the project is completed. This adds another level of complexity in making sure the design lines up exactly. The process starts by selecting a pattern and creating the design and color scheme. Shea has been quilting and designing quilt blocks for many years, and those skills easily transferred from fabric creations to wooden ones. “I draw out the designs, to scale, using graph paper,” Shea said. “When I rst started quilting, I didn’t realize you could just buy patterns, so I started out making my own. This really grew from my own quilting hobby.” Once Shea is satised with her design on graph paper, the difcult work begins, starting with preparation of the plywood, applying a primer and a basecoat. Wiederholt then begins the arduous process of transferring the design onto the plywood, painstakingly working to maintain the proper proportions. “It takes a lot of careful measuring with my yardstick and using a level and a square to draw a lot of straight lines,” Wiederholt said. Once the design is transferred, the long and daunting task of painting begins. Wiederholt and Shea enlist the help of Amber Lancaster and Aneesah
Holmes to assist them with the painting process, which takes roughly 40 hours per quilt. “I typically plan a day for each color on the quilt,” Wiederholt said. “It takes at least three, and sometimes as many as ve, coats of paint for each color, plus the primer and basecoat. A large barn quilt will usually take at least two weeks, if we really go hard at it every day.” The quilts for the park building used the colors black, red, tan and two shades of grey, requiring over a week to paint each quilt. No shellac coating is used on the nal product, as over time the shellacking will cause the quilt to yellow. “Painting is tedious and requires a lot of precision,” Lancaster said. “You have to be careful not to lean into the boards as you are painting, or you’ll smudge it. You can ruin a lot of clothes.” Wiederholt said the painting is done free-hand, using no tape to help paint the straight edges. Finding the perfect color of paint is sometimes a challenge, according to Wiederholt, who uses indoor and outdoor house paint. “I like working with our local ACE hardware store,” she said. “They are great at tweaking different paint formulas to create exactly what I am looking for.” Once the paint has dried, the two pieces of the quilt are ready to be assembled, Lancaster’s boyfriend, Braden Loeffelholz assisted them with the ve commissioned quilts, working to fasten the two halves into the nal quilt square. Watching the creation build from a piece of graph paper and plain sheet of plywood into the nal barn quilt is something both Wiederholt and Shea nd rewarding. “I like seeing it all come together,” Wiederholt said. “Once the colors start going on, that is when it really gets fun for me. I enjoy watching it grow and blossom.”
PHOTO SUBMITTED
This quilt marks PlaƩeville’s locaƟon in Wisconsin with a heart in the lower leŌhand corner.
Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
Women In Dairy Becky Thyen Waverly, South Dakota Codington County 120 cows Family: My husband, Dan, and I have four children, Nathan, Natalie, Andrew and Alex. Tell us about your farm. Dan, Nathan and Andrew farm along with Dan’s brother and his son. We operate a dairy, beef and grain farm. Grandma Clarice lives on this farm, so we have four generations on the farm with Nathan’s kids helping. We milk 120 registered Holsteins, Milking Shorthorns, Brown Swiss and a few Jerseys. Our variety of cows comes from the children and their 4-H projects. What is the busiest time of day for you? I do not have a time of day that is busier than the rest. I start off in the morning with chores, then hurry off to work at Lake Area Veterinary Clinic, then hurry home to do chores again. Then, start over the next day with the same schedule. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I like to garden, mow lawns, sew and read. I also get the cattle ready for show season. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. My most memorable experiences have to deal with working alongside our kids and grandkids. Training and working with our show calves, getting ready for 4-H achievement days and the state fair. We’ve even been to the World Dairy Expo a few times with our cattle. Watching the kids’ growth and experience as they work with the cattle makes me so proud. This year, we will be starting 4-H again as the grandkids are old enough to join. Another proud moment was the year Natalie was crowned South Dakota Dairy Princess, following in my footsteps 27 years later.
What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I enjoy the cows and knowing that we are producing a safe, high-quality, natural product that benets all no matter what age you are. Working side by side with the cattle from day one and that rst bottle of colostrum. Watching her grow until she becomes a productive member of the herd. Of course, we have our favorites, but we love them all. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? Talking to producers when they come into the vet clinic and learning from our company reps is about the only time I get to visit with others. Reading dairy magazines and different internet articles and talking with other dairy producers at the state fair are some other contacts. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? Andy Clawson was the dairy superintendent at the South Dakota State Fair for many years. He knew cattle and the dairy business. He was a hard worker and a good friend. Andy always made everyone feel important. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? I would invite South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to tour our farm. Keeping her informed about life on a small-sized family dairy farm would help to get our views across. She is well-versed and would be a great ally in the eld. Showing her day-to-day life on our farm and how we have diversied over the years to be sustainable and yet continue the way of life we have chosen.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 37
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DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Seventh District Congressional representa�ve Tom Tiany speaks about the importance of increased e-connec�vity to the economy of northern Wisconsin at the Oct. 8 Broadband ReConnect announcement at the Chippewa Valley Electric Coopera�ve in Cornell, Wisconsin.
$3 million will bring high-speed internet access to rural Wisconsin By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
CORNELL, Wis. – A great challenge facing rural Wisconsin residents is insufďƒžcient broadband internet access. Lack of connectivity stymies businesses in their ability to compete in today’s global markets, creates roadblocks for those who wish to telecommute for work and, most recently, has hindered rural children’s abilities to participate in virtual schooling that has taken the country by storm in the face of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Residents of Chippewa, Rusk and Taylor counties learned they will be relieved of those issues, being the beneďƒžciaries of a $3 million federal grant that will increase internet access to households and businesses throughout the Chippewa Valley. Bill Northey, the United States Department of Agriculture Under Secretary of Farm Production and
Conservation, was at an announcement event Oct. 8 at the Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative in Cornell. Northey joined Wisconsin’s USDA Rural Development Director Frank Frassetto for the announcement of the grant that will beneďƒžt households, farms and businesses in the area. Tom Tiffany, U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, and Russ Falkenberg, board member for Ntera LLC and the director of information technology and member services for CVEC, were also at the event. Ntera will use a $3 million grant, along with a $1 million investment of their own, to create the broadband network, connecting 2,044 people, 33 farms and 33 businesses to highspeed internet. Nearly 21 million Americans lack access to broadband internet connectivity, and while that number Turn to BROADBAND | Page 38
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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020
ConƟnued from BROADBAND | Page 37
has decreased, it continues to be the most rural residents who are underserved. “We see the need, especially in the past six months,” Frassetto said. “Distance learning, telemedicine, creation of business all require adequate connectivity.” Northey applauded Ntera for their work in obtaining the grant, saying there is huge competition for the dollars available via the Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program. “USDA supports both farmers and rural communities through investments in farm operations and essen-
“Broadband is important to farmers ... as it can help improve the quality of life in rural communities and help grow rural economies.” BILL NORTHEY, USDA
tial infrastructure,” Northey said. “Broadband is important to farmers and other businesses as it can help improve the quality of life in
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey speaks about a $3 million Broadband ReConnect grant awarded to Ntera to bring high-speed internet connecƟvity to the Chippewa Valley at the Chippewa Valley Electric CooperaƟve Oct. 8 in Cornell, Wisconsin.
rural communities and help grow rural economies.” Northey said the grant comes as part of the second round of ReConnect program funding, allocating $550 million for distribution throughout the country. The rst round of the program
occurred in 2018 and invested almost $700 million, bringing broadband connectivity to 167,000 households. Rep. Tiffany has been a champion of broadband access during his time serving in the legislature and said he is looking forward to
continuing to work for rural connectivity at the congressional level. He said he was excited to see the residents of the Chippewa Valley preparing to receive something so vital to their quality of life. “In terms of education
alone, this is so important,” Tiffany said. “Nearly 15% of the children in America in school virtually right now because of the pandemic do not have sufcient broadband connectivity to complete their schoolwork.” Besides the educational needs facing many northern Wisconsin families, Tiffany said increasing rural broadband connectivity will help draw people to northern Wisconsin, with increased ease of telecommuting. Tiffany said those residents would help increase the tax base for funding the rural communities of northern Wisconsin. Falkenberg said bringing broadband to underserved areas in the Chippewa Valley is the goal of Ntera, which was created in 2017 as a collaboration of CVEC and Citizens Connected, an area information technology solutions provider. He said Ntera is working closely with neighboring electric cooperatives in working to further rural e-connectivity. “It makes me think of the 1930s, when people were rst experiencing electricity in the rural areas of the Chippewa Valley,” Falkenberg said. “For Ntera, the thrill of providing broadband is as big now as it was back then (when they were) turning on the lights.”
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 24, 2020 • Page 39
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Cody and Arlisa Clements Coon Valley, Wisconsin Vernon County 80 cows
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Some days might be a struggle, but keep your head above the water and you’ll make it to the other side.
How did you get into farming? I was born and raised on our family’s third-generation farm. It is all I ever wanted to do. I can’t get enough of farming.
What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? It would have to be the skidloader. I would be lost without it.
What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? Looking into next year’s dairy outlook, my concern is having too much milk and no system to control it. Also, we keep losing processing plants, increasing the distance between farms and plants. How much further can we keep trucking milk?
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Our biggest accomplishment would probably be getting milk quality awards. It is something that is always at the back of my mind. I have an awesome wife who does most of the milking and does a great job. Hearing our name called for quality milk at the meeting in January always puts a smile on my face.
What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? We built our parlor in 2007 and increased efciency. My goal going forward is to do more in less time while cutting costs. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? My wife and I have become proponents of vaccinating our cows at dry-off. Since starting that, our calves are healthier and have increased weight gain. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? We culled more cows that were not hitting the mark. I think not
feeding cows that are problem breeders or have a high somatic cell count has helped our bottom line. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? We don’t have any employees. I work with my wife and my dad so we try to compromise when a conict arises.
Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I think being able to x things myself helps a lot. I have neighbors that call me once in a while to help x things. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I enjoy being my own boss. You have to keep in mind that with being your own boss, you have to make sure the work gets done.
What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? Our plan for the next year is to keep doing what we are doing and keep getting ahead. In the next ve years, I would like to build on to the freestall barn for a post-fresh and pre-fresh group. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? When we are not busy on the farm, we like hanging out as a family, either going out to eat or seeing other family.
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