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Volume 26, No. 21
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“All dairy, all the time”™
December 21, 2024
Using data to multiply potential A path Peissig uses robots to to virus increase stocking density elimination units milking 250 cows. Over the past 12 years, he has reimagined his farm several times, guring out how to DORCHESTER, Wis. utilize technology to his best — Robotic dairy farming benet. “When we rst has taught Jake built the barn, the Peissig to think robots were the most outside the box and expensive part of let the technology the barn, so it made work for him, sense to maximize helping to maximize the robots, having his efciency and 60-65 cows per protability. robot,” Peissig said. Peissig launched Peissig “As time went on his robotic dairy Jake Dairy farmer the robots stayed farming career at JTP Farms in 2012, building the same price but the cost to a barn equipped with four Turn to PEISSIG | Page 2 DeLaval robotic milking By Danielle Nauman
USDA implements National Milk Testing Strategy By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
In a continued effort to battle highly pathogenic avian inuenza H5N1 in U.S. dairy herds, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new federal order Dec. 6 — the National Milk Testing Strategy — that will grow surveillance efforts in an attempt to eradicate the virus. As of Dec. 18, a total of 865 dairies in 16 states have had conrmed cases of H5N1 B3.13 strain of HPAI that has been affecting U.S. dairy farms since March. Nevada became the 16th state to conrm a case Dec. 6. California continues to experience the highest level of infection with 649 affected dairy farms, 313 of which have been conrmed in the past 30 days. A new case of H5N1 was reported in Texas Dec. 13, bringing the state’s caseload to 27 dairies since March. In a webinar Dec. 10 aimed at educating producers about the recently released federal order, Dr. Julie Gauthier, executive director of veterinary services eld operations at USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, explained the NMTS. “It is a very efcient way to screen a large number of herds using infrastructure that is already out there, with samplers collecting on a regular basis,” Gauthier said. “This will give us a quick snapshot of large numbers of herds, by focusing on milk at the processing facility. The test is extremely sensitive — we can identify a single infected cow contributing milk to a silo that might contain the milk of over 70,000 cows.” Using the NMTS, the USDA will work with state regulatory agencies to collect samples in the 48 contiguous states. “(They) are already sampling Grade A milk on a regular basis — at least four times every six months,” Turn to HPAI | Page 6
danielle.n@dairystar.com
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Part of the Lely Vector roboƟc feeding system scoops up corn silage to mix a new load of feed Aug. 14 at JTP Farms near Dorchester, Wisconsin. Jake Peissig installed the system because of issues nding a part-Ɵme feeder.
A holiday giŌ to remember Williams wins Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Giveaway calf By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
WILLARD, Wis. — A simple slip of paper, drawn from a box among hundreds of others, gave 14-year-old Clara Williams a Christmas gift that will keep on giving for a long time — her very rst registered animal. “I didn’t believe my mom when she told me,” Clara said. “It took me a while to believe her; she just kept telling me I won.” Clara’s name was drawn as the winner of the grand prize in the Dairy Star’s annual Great Christmas Giveaway, after her mother entered her and her siblings at
Emily. “I put their names in boxes all over. This year, I only entered them once. I was pretty shocked when I got the phone call that Clara’s name had been drawn.” Clara lives with her parents, Adam and Emily, and siblings Jack, Gus and Sonja, on their 225-cow dairy farm near the town of Willard. Clara helps with milking after school and on weekends. “I just like being around the cows,” Clara said. “When you’re milking, you get to spend time with them.” Clara’s new calf is Ms. Albedarn Admire Bella, a September-born daughter of Mystique Admire. PHOTO SUBMITTED The upcoming year will Clara Williams milks cows Dec. 15 on her family’s dairy farm be Clara’s second year shownear Willard, Wisconsin. Clara is the winner of Ms Albedarn ing a calf at the Clark County Admire Bella, a registered Holstein calf given as the top Fair. prize in the Dairy Star’s annual Great Christmas Giveaway. “I showed a calf this year, a Jersey named Sunset,” Chippewa Valley Dairy Sup- were building our barn, it ply in Stanley. seemed like we were everyTurn to CALF GIVEAWAY “Last year, while we where,” said Clara’s mother | Page 7