Looking for a good deal?
Last Chance
Check out our Last Chance Deals on pages 16 & 17 of the second section!
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D
8 201 2019
DAIRY ST R
Volume 20, No. 20
New farm bill passes by a landslide Includes muchneeded reforms to help dairy farmers By Stacey Smart Contributing Writer
The recent passing of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, or farm bill, may bring a ray of hope to America’s dairy farmers. The legislation allocates subsidies to farmers and expands programs specically aimed to help dairy producers. The bill gives dairy operations more risk management options, makes it easier for farmers to secure loans and offers increased margin protection to compensate for low milk prices while allowing more dairy farmers to take advantage of the dairy price support. “This bill is a strong start to addressing the issues our producers are facing right now, particularly our dairy farmers,” said House Agriculture Committee ranking member Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), in a farm bill conference report released Dec. 10. “The bill’s new provisions will offer more exible coverage for lower cost when dairy farmers need it most, and provide producers more tools to manage their risk.” The $867 billion bill replaces the Agricultural Act of 2014 which expired Sept. 30 and offers greater protection than the previous bill. “The economic downturn in farm country is hitting dairy hardest of all,” Peterson said. “In my home state of Minnesota and in neighboring Wisconsin, an average of two dairies are going out of business every day. The provisions in this bill will provide expanded, Turn to FARM BILL | Page 5
“All dairy, all the time”™
December 22, 2018
Heart-filled holidays
Holst receives long awaited transplant By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
ZUMBROTA, Minn. – This holiday season has quite literally been heart-lled for the Holst family. After waiting nearly two years, Tyler Holst received a heart transplant Sept. 24 and arrived home Nov. 20, just in time for the holidays. Tyler’s family – parents, Shane and Casey, and sister, Kelsey, 13 – are thankful they could spend this time of year together at home on their 200-cow dairy near Zumbrota, Minn. “Thanksgiving was special,” Shane said. “It was nice for everyone to be home.” Tyler was also able to be home for his 10th birthday on Nov. 25 and is looking forward to Christmas at home, too. “We’re relieved it’s done,” Casey said about the transplant. Shane agreed. “We don’t have to wait for the call or think about when we’re going to get a call,” he said. Turn to HOLST | Page 6
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Tyler Holst, pictured with his parents, Shane and Casey, received a heart transplant Sept. 24. He was able to return home Nov. 20, just in Ɵme for the holidays. The Holsts milk 200 cows on their dairy farm near Zumbrota, Minn.
Dear Mr. Trump Olson writes to president on milk price By Danna Sabolik
danna.s@dairystar.com
DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR
Hannah Olson holds the leƩer President Trump wrote her in response to her concern over current milk prices. Her parents, Carl and Heather, milk 55 cows near Hanover, Minn.
HANOVER, Minn. – Most people can say a letter penned by the president is not what awaits them in their mailbox. But, for one 12-year-old girl, a letter from President Donald Trump was awaiting her in the mailbox on her family’s dairy farm near Hanover, Minn. Hannah Olson came home from school in midSeptember with an idea for her writing class assignment. The assignment was to write a letter to a famous person about a concerning issue. Hannah decided to write a letter to President Trump about milk prices. Hannah and her family – parents, Carl and Heather, and siblings Haylie, 10, and Charlie, 4 – milk 55 cows and
farm 300 acres. With the help and advice of her parents, proofreading from her teacher, Mrs. Bohlmann, and inspiration from her favorite cow, Paris, Hannah had the ingredients she needed for a letter. The letter was sent and Hannah was satised. In late November, her teacher, Mr.Randall, gave Hannah something she never expected: a reply from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in Washington, D.C. “She was really excited,” Heather said. “She didn’t think the president was going to write back.” In her letter, Hannah addressed issues she feels are threatening her future on the family farm. Turn to TRUMP | Page 7
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
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 (ofďƒžce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Amanda Thooft 320-352-6303 amanda.t@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Danna Sabolik - Staff Writer (320) 352-6303 • danna.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofďƒžce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Jeff Weyer (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-8505 (cell) jeff.w@dairystar.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofďƒžce) 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 Hoeďƒ&#x;er (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Lori Menke (Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@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 ďƒžnal 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 ofďƒžces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
North America dealers. A glance at what’s inside
Dairy Proďƒžle brought to you by your
Merry Christmas and happy New Year from everyone at Dairy Star. We have been busy here checking our lists twice, making presents and preparing the animals to deliver gifts. Oh, wait! That’s Santa Claus. Well, maybe it applies to dairy farmers, too. The parallels are quite comical, both dairy farmers and Mr. Claus work all year, ensure constant care for the health of their animals and are constantly striving for a better product. I’d say there’s a bit of St. Nick in us all. All joking aside, we wish a warm holiday season to you and yours. Let’s check out what is in the Dairy Star this issue. The 2018 Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway winners have been announced. We drew three lucky names to win $1,000 this year for our adult drawing and one name for our youth By Mark Klaphake drawing to win a heifer calf. Read about how Jolene Martin, Editor Aaron Albrecht and Scott Herber plan to spend their extra cash, and how Dillon Van Ess likes his new calf on pages 10 and 11 of the ďƒžrst section. Read about the Koopmann farm and their two Lely robots they installed in 2015. To save on costs, they installed the robots in their existing facility and have been happy with the decision since. Learn about how they manage robots on pages 3 and 4 of the second section. Also in the second section on page 21 you can read about Phil Plourd’s projection of the dairy markets for 2019 and his six positive takes on the current state. Calhoun Creamery in northeast Iowa is merging with Foremost Farms, effective Jan. 1, 2019. Read more about this on page 13 of the ďƒžrst section. In our From Our Side of the Fence feature, we spoke with dairy farmers about what activities they are involved in off the farm during the winter months. Read about a basketball coach, woodworker and snowboarder on pages 15 and 16 of the ďƒžrst section. Kids Corner this issue is with the Josh and Kate Altendahl family who farm near Albany, Minn. Read about their kids’ favorite and least favorite chores, and favorite animals on pages 8 and 9 of the third section. Dr. Gordie Jones presented at the Vita Plus Summit on Dec. 6 about the future of dairy and how it will become larger-scale and more technology-integrated. Read more about this on page 20 of the second section.
Favorite quotes from this issue: “I have tremendous love for the cows. I always have.� -Martin Hall (Page 39, First Section)
“Sometimes we might need a moment of blindness to clear our vision and change our focus.� -Natalie Schmitt (Page 32, First Section)
By the Numbers
number of 4,400: The cows on Victory
Farms near Revillo, S.D. (Pages 24, 25,
First Section)
The number of grilled 500:cheese sandwiches
served in less than three hours at Christmas on the Farm (Pages 34-35, First Section)
SUPERIOR MIXING OF WET BYPRODUCTS AND DISTILLERS GRAINS
RC 200 SERIES HELIX ÂŽ REEL COMMERCIAL REEL MIXERS
• Open-concept Helix Reel eliminates obstructions for faster mixing • Heavy-duty components and options for long life Ĺ? /RZ KRUVHSRZHU UHTXLUHPHQW IRU PRUH HIÄ&#x;FLHQW HFRQRPLFDO XVH 500 – 950 cu. ft. mixing capacities WUXFN WUDLOHU VWDWLRQDU\ PRGHOV
INVEST IN QUALITY ÂŽ KuhnNorthAmerica.com m
Lindell Sales & Service Cannon Falls, MN
Schlauderaff Implement /LWFKĹľHOG 01
Werner Implement 9HUPLOOLRQ 01
J P Scherrman )DUOH\ ,$
Hammell Equipment &KDWĹľHOG 01 (LW]HQ 01
Fluegge’s Ag 0RUD 01
UFC Farm Supply :DFRQLD 01
Burco Sales ,QGHSHQGHQFH ,$
Northland Farm Systems Owatonna, MN
Pfeifer Implement Sioux Falls, SD
Ag Land Implement 1HZ +DPSWRQ ,$
Lake Henry Implement 3D\QHVYLOOH 01
Mark's Machinery :DJQHU 6' <DQNWRQ 6'
Kunau Implement 3UHVWRQ ,$
Adkins Equipment 'HWURLW /DNHV 01 Northland Dairy Supply (DJOH %HQG 01 Isaacson Sales & Service /DID\HWWH 01 Blue Hilltop /DNH :LOVRQ 01
Minnesota Ag Group 3ODLQYLHZ 01 Dairyland Supply 6DXN &HQWUH 01
Roeder Bros. %HOOHYXH ,$ Bodensteiner Implement (ONDGHU ,$
Gordy’s Repair & Implement 6WDF\YLOOH ,$ Dee Implement of Waukon :DXNRQ ,$
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 8-9 First Section
Albany
Third Section: Page 7
Third Section: Pages 8 - 9
Star Youth: Trevin Hartung
Marshall
First Section: Page 37
Norman
Becker
Clay
Page 31 First Section
Marshall
Wilkin
Swift
n nso
McCook Minnehaha
Murray
Rock
Nobles
Hennepin Carver Scott
Sibley Redwood Brown
Nicollet
First Section: Pages 1, 6
Dakota
Rice
Goodhue Wabasha
Cottonwood Watonwan Blue Earth Waseca Steele Dodge Olmsted Jackson
Martin
Faribault
Freeborn
Winona
Fillimore
Mower
West Albany
Women In Dairy: Ann Leonhardt
Houston
First Section: Page 36
Hutchinson
Turner
Bon Yankton Homme
Lincoln Clay
Union
Lyon
Osceola Dickinson Emmet
Sioux
O’Brien
Clay
Palo Alto
Kossuth
Winnebago
Worth
Hancock
Cerro Gordo
Orange City
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Floyd
Howard
w
sa
ka
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Bremer
Plymouth
Zone 1
Mitchell
ISU-sponsored program explores issues regarding protability, milk prices and labor
First Section: Pages 23, 25
Black Hawk
Allamakee
Charles Mix
Moody
Anoka
Wright
McLeod
Renville
Isanti
Winneshiek
Douglas
Lake
Lyon
Meeker
Zumbrota
Holst receives long awaited transplant
Ha
Da
vis
on
Sa nb
Miner
Brookings
Sherburne Kandiyohi
Yellow Medicine Lincoln
or n
Kingsbury
Deuel
Benton
Stearns
Chippewa
Pipestone
Hamlin
Mille Lacs
Morrison
Pope
Second Section: Page 21
Pine
go
First Section: Pages 10-11
Big Sto Stone
Welch
Plourd explains outlook of dairy markets
Carlton
Crow Wing
Douglas
Stevens
Lac Qui Parle
Codington
Clark
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
Van Ess wins calf in Christmas giveaway
Grant
Grant
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Sanborn
Roberts
Day
Aitkin
isa
Page 33 First Section
Cass
Ch
Dairy Good Life
Second Section: Page 20
Todd
rse
Victory Farms uses double ovsync program to keep reproduction on schedule First Section: Pages 18, 20
Otter Tail
Tra ve
Page 32 First Section
Revillo
en
nom
Mah
Itasca
sey
Polk
Welch
Jones presents how dairies will change in the years ahead
Washington
Heins covers low-input options for dairy at Minnesota State Fair
Something to Ruminate On
Just Thinking Out Loud
St. Louis
Red Lake
r
Page 30 First Section
Koochiching
Hubbard
Dear County Agent Guy
Beltrami
Pennington
Alexandria
First Section: Page 35
Kanabec
Page 27 First Section
First Section: Pages 1, 7
Maximizing production is not always the answer
Lake of the Woods
eu
The Transition Pen
Roseau
Welch
Ra m
Kittson
Su
First Section: Page 34
Hanover
Olson writes to president on milk prices
Kids Corner: The Altendahl Family
Wadena
Page 26 First Section
Freeport
Clearwater
FSA News & Notes
Bachmanns named Becker County Farm Family of Year
Le
Frazee
Fayette
a
ch
Bu
n na
Clayton
law
are
De
Linn
Epworth
Changes, consistency feed success at Dubuque Koopmann Dairy
Jones
Second Section: 3-4
Pages Jackson
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: What is an off-farm activity you like to do during the winter? First Section: Pages 15 - 16
Give milk production a push GEA’s FRone works around the clock to keep feed at the bunk, maximizing your cows’ production. Could your bunk management routine use a little extra push? GEA’s FRone automated feed pusher provides consistent, high-quality feed available day and night to boost production results from your whole herd. It’s easy to use, charges fast and contains twin batteries for maximum run time. With the help of GEA’s FRone, you can push the limits on your feeding program.
Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
Hay Net ®
At least 94% efficient
WINTER DISCOUNTS ON SEED
IH 1086, sharp - $19,000
25% OFF ALL TOYS
CIH 8930, FWA, low hours ..................Coming In CIH 8920, FWA, nice .............................. $69,000 CIH 7220, 2WD, 2300 hrs, 18.4x42 ....... $71,000 CIH 7240, FWA, 2500 hrs ..................Coming In CIH 7230, FWA, 540-1000 pto ...................... Call CIH 7220, 2WD, 6900 hrs ............................. Call CIH 5240 Maxxum, FWA w/loader ......... $48,000 IH 766, new motor, cab .......................... $12,500 MX 135, FWA, 3062 hrs ......................... $62,000 JD 2940, duals ....................................... $12,500
CORN
SOYBEANS
TILLAGE
CIH Tigermate II, 28’ .............................. $18,000 CIH Tigermate II, 30’ .............................. $21,000 CIH 4800, 28’ & 26’ ................................. $8,500 CIH 4800, 28’ w/IH mulcher..................... $8,500 CIH 3950, 24’, nice ................................ $21,000 CIH 530B ripper w/lead shanks .............. $17,000 CIH 530B w/lead shank .......................... $13,000 CIH 530C ripper ..................................... $23,000 CIH 496, 21’, non cusion ....................... $11,500 White 445, 11 shank ................................ $6,500 DMI 530B w/lead shank ........................ $15,500 JD 714, 13 shank ................................... $11,500
WINTER DISCOUNTS ON CHEMICALS
SPANIER
Gates, Bunk Feeders, Round Bale Feeders, One-Sided Feeders
COW HAY FEEDERS
HAYING & FORAGE EQUIP.
Sitrex QR12 rake .......................................... New Many sizes of rakes available (2) Meyer 4516 silage box, 16’, nice ...... $11,000 Badger 16’................................................ $2,500 H&S XL 16’ .............................................. $4,500
• Supported bale off the ground SAVE gives 90-99% efficiency! YOUR • Withstands harsh environments VALUABLE • Reduces hay sorting HAY! • 8’ diameter, 5’ or 6’ in height
Gilman Co-op Creamery
FEED & FARM SUPPLY STORE
CIH 7230, 3500 hrs., new rubber, nice - $71,000
USED TRACTORS
Through Christmas Eve!
PRODUCTS
CIH 8940,
FWA, 5000 hrs - $56,000
CIH 7120, 2WD
Call GRAVITY BOXES
VARIOUS SIZES OF GRAVITY BOXES ON HAND Demco 650 grain cart, ‘12, green & black .$18,500 Demco 550 .............................................. $9,500 Demco 450 .............................................. $9,500 4) Demco 365 ................................$4,500-5,500 Unverferth 430 ......................................... $9,500 All sizes of used Demco gravity boxes avail.
MISCELLANEOUS
Midsota 5510 & F610 rock trailers........ In Stock Various sizes of New Agrotrend snowblowers............................................... Call JD 450 13’ w/grass, press wheels ......... $11,500 Midsota F8216 rock trailer - Call New Midsota Rock Wagons .................On Hand All Sizes of Sitrex Rakes.........................On Hand We have a large selection of snowblowers in stock! WE HAVE A LARGE SUPPLY OF NET WRAP ON HAND
NEW MANDAKO LAND ROLLERS IN STOCK
FARM OYL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE
GREENWALD FARM CENTER
Gilman, MN 320-387-2770
Open M-F 7:30-7, Sat. 7:30-5, Sun. 8:30-1
Greenwald, MN • 320-987-3177
Good service - fair prices - every day
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BEFORE Exfoliation
TEAT END ISSUES?
AFTER
Exfoliation
OUR TEAT DIPS ARE NPE FREE!
WINTER TEAT DIP
• Dual Germicide: Primary: Chlorine Dioxide promotes a quick kill. Secondary: LAS promotes a long-lasting kill. • Effective against ALL Mastitis-Causing Organisms • Contains Lactic Acid to promote Teat Exfoliation • Teat skin conditioning – 12.4% skin conditioning package • Green coloring for easy identification
78%
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Marianne says, “Recover is a very good, economical post winter dip that brings terrific results, especially when releasing cows in the cold winter elements as we do. Cows do very well on it…teats are well conditioned!” Marianne Peterson Pine City, MN • 400 Cows - 3X
We wish all of our dairymen and dairywomen a wonderful holiday season. May you enjoy warm, family, and good health as we celebrate the season of Christ’s birth.
Merry Christmas! From The MEDA Team and Dealers
FOR MORE INFO - CONTACT ONE OF THESE DEALERS... Advanced Dairy Systems
9 State Rd. 29 • Spring Valley, WI 54767 (715) 772-3201
Anderson Dairy Systems, Inc. 1312 13 1/2 Ave. • Barron, WI 54812 (715) 537-3300
Athman Dairy Inc.
D&D Ag Supply
East Central Dairy Supply
238 Main Street North • Pierz, MN 56364 (320) 468-2494
133 Atlantic Ave. NE • Pennock, MN 56279 (320) 599-4466
Champion Milking Systems
Dairyland Equipment Services, Inc.
Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems
Dairyland Services, LLC
Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc.
23218 350th Street • Albany, MN 56307 (320) 845-4156
24260 Cty. Rd. 27 • Plainview, MN 55964 (507) 534-3161 2545 80th Ave • Woodville, WI 54028 (715) 698-4370
2195 Hwy. 23 • Mora, MN 55051 (320) 679-1029
105 3rd Ave. NW • Epworth, IA 52045 (563) 876-3087 423 U.S. 61 • Lancaster, WI 53813 (608) 723-4634
Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment
1400- 7th St. SE • Pipestone, MN 56164 (507) 825-3271
Professional Dairy Systems
1449 Homecrest Ave. • Wadena, MN 56482 (218) 632-5416
Tri-County Dairy Supply, Inc.
Lang’s Dairy Equipment, Inc.
4107 N US HWY 51 • Janesville. WI 53545 608-757-2697
Mlsna Dairy Supply
12687 Hwy 18 & 52 • Postville, IA 52162 (563) 864-7417 210 N. Industrial Pkwy • West Union, IA 52175 (563) 422-5355
2337 Millennium Rd. • Decorah, IA 52101 (563) 382-8722 1126 Front Street • Cashton, WI 54619 (608) 654-5106
United Suckow Dairy
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 5
ConƟnued from FARM BILL | Page 1 affordable coverage options and more exibility for dairy farmers.” Furthermore, Peterson said the bill invests in outreach to beginning and underserved producers, local and organic food production, bioenergy and access to new markets. It also addresses broadband internet, stress and mental health issues, and the opioid epidemic in rural areas. Both the House and Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill, which is expected to be signed by President Trump this week. The Senate voted 87-13 Dec. 11. The next day, the House also voted in favor of the bill, 369-47. The bill received bipartisan support. In a press release, Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, said the bill was a vote of condence in U.S. agriculture and a reason for hope among dairy producers. The bill features several policy reforms for dairy, including: Higher coverage levels at more affordable and exible rates through the Dairy Margin Coverage Program (formerly the Margin Protection Program), allowing all dairy producers to insure margins above $8 on their Tier 1 (rst ve million pounds) of production history; Greater exibility to enable producers of all sizes to access Tier 1 premium rates; Reduced cost of $5 margin coverage by roughly 88 percent; Expanded access to additional risk management tools, permitting producers to participate in both the DMC and Livestock Gross Margin insurance program. This revamp to the risk management program makes it more affordable and also allows farmers to enroll in multiple federally-
funded programs simultaneously; Continued support for land and water conservation programs that assist dairy producers, like conservation innovation grants; Nutrition provisions intended to enhance uid milk consumption. The farm bill makes critical reforms to dairy programs, which will help farmers recoup some of their losses and boost income going forward. For example, strengthening the dairy insurance program by adding coverage options at less expensive rates and refunding up to $58 million in premiums paid under the old program will help dairy producers gain traction in the New Year. “The 2018 Farm Bill is our opportunity to make the American food and agriculture systems work more efciently,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) in the Dec. 10 farm bill conference report. “As promised, this farm bill provides much-needed certainty and predictability for all producers – of all crops – across all regions across the country.” New farmers and farms looking to diversify will benet from programs like the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, value-added producer grants, and the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program – all of which will receive permanent, mandatory funding under the new bill. In addition, $300 million will be invested into the prevention and response for animal pests and disease. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 may very well serve as the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel – a factor to turn things around for agriculture and dairy in particular.
As we deck the halls with all the trimmings and traditions of Christmas, we hope the joys of the season bring a smile to your face and contentment to your heart! Thanks for brightening our year with your support and friendship. It means the world to us!
320-836-2145 or 800-450-2145
Check out our newly redesigned website to ½nd a Famo Feeds dealer near you!
www.famofeeds.com
“OUR SOMATIC CELL COUNT DROPPED WITHIN TWO WEEKS. OUR STALLS ARE CLEANER AND THE MACHINE SAVES US TIME.” - ADAM McCARTHY STONEY SPRINGS FARM APPLETON, WI
• Saves both time and labor • Cleans stalls more thoroughly than doing it by hand • Can clean stalls, add new bedding and apply lime all in one pass!
Clay & Dairy Equip
of M
me n t
G
er’s ort
innesota, Inc.
(507) 825-3271
P.O. Box 786, E. Hwy. 30, Pipestone, MN 56164 Fax (507) 825-4052 • E-mail: gorters@iw.net
www.gortersclayanddairy.com
MILKING EQUIPMENT • MANURE EQUIPMENT FEEDING EQUIPMENT • HOUSING • ROUTE SUPPLIES
41st Annual Midwest Farm Show Wednesday & Thursday, Jan. 9th & 10th at the La Crosse Center, La Crosse, WII Show Hours: 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily
FREE
Admission, Health Clinics and Entertainment
Plus...
• 60,000 square feet of indoor space devoted d to farm products and equipment • Antique tractors/implements by Beaches Corner Classic Tractor Club
New!
As seen on the Tonight Show w it Jay Leno Comed h y Juggler Steve Russell
Coordinated by Bill and Sally Henry of North Country Enterprises. For info call (715) 289-4632 or email: nceinfo.4632@gmail.com
Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
ConƟnued from HOLST | Page 1
Willmar, MN • 320.231.1470
EXPANDING OR REMODELING YOUR LIVESTOCK OPERATION? LANGE AG SYSTEMS SPECIALIZES IN:
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Lange Ag Systems is proud to offer Grain Bags, Silage Bags & Bunker Covers from Up North Plastics and Feed Fresh Silage Covers & Custom Size Bunker Covers from Raven!
t ^ >> E t Θ h^ 'ͳ ' Θ < >>z Zz E '' Z^
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Since November 2016 when Tyler was put on the heart transplant list, he has been waiting for the call that a donor heart had arrived for him. It was the only long-term treatment for his protein-losing enteropathy. When the Holsts received the call, they had to arrive within four hours for the surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “Our bags have always been packed,” Casey said. On Sept. 24, they arrived within 1.5 hours after the phone rang at 3:58 a.m. “I was tired,” Tyler said of the early morning wake up call. Casey said she felt calm when she saw the number on the phone. “But, as soon as I hung up I turned into a basket case,” she said. “It was an unreal feeling.” Tyler was the 651st heart transplant conducted by the Mayo Clinic in the last 30 KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR years. After a 10-hour surgery, Tyler Holst holds the cerƟcate he received Tyler recovered in the hospital from the Mayo Clinic signifying him as the for 2.5 weeks before being 651st person to receive a heart transplant at discharged to stay in the the hospital in the last 30 years. Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, Minn. But the next day, they were back in for appointments and readmitted after nding out Tyler’s body was starting to reject the new organ. Tyler spent another two weeks in the hospital and then went back to the Ronald McDonald House. “We had to stay close to the hospital,” said Casey, who stayed with Tyler during his stay. On Nov. 20, Tyler and his mom were able to go home. “They let us come home a month early,” Casey said. “Originally we were suppose to stay in Rochester, but we live close and the doctors feel comfortable with me knowing what to do.” During those months, Shane and Kelsey stayed on the farm to take care of the daily chores and so Kelsey could attend school. The two would try to visit Tyler and Casey when they could, which was usually about twice a week in the evenings after milking. Getting away from the farm this fall was difcult, Shane said. “It wasn’t a very fun harvest,” he said. Plus the farm was hit by a tornado Sept. 20, just four days before Tyler received the call for a new heart. The Holsts are still trying to make nal xes to the buildings and catching up after a busy harvest season. But having Tyler home with a new heart makes up for it. “Now we just have to stay healthy,” Casey said. “The u is very scary to us. Tyler can basically live a normal life. He just has to be careful of sickness and germs because he’s immunosuppressed. He’ll always be immunosuppressed because of the antirejection medication he has to take every day.” Right now, Tyler is being tutored at home until the u season passes. He must also wait one year to step in the barn or do any farm chores. If doctors clear him for farm work at that time, he is excited to help his dad with eldwork and see the animals again. He is also excited to grow. Since developing PLE, Tyler’s height has been stunted; however, his doctors said he should add height in the coming months after he is taken off a few medications. Although the Holsts had baked Christmas cookies, they admitted they had not done much shopping for Christmas. Tyler had been thankful to all the people who gave him presents and Amazon gift cards while in the hospital. But this year gifts and material items seem secondary to having full-lled hearts from getting a much needed heart transplant.
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ConƟnued from TRUMP | Page 1 “It is hard work to feed the world when you don’t get paid much,” Hannah said. “I want to take over the family farm someday, but I cannot if my family has to sell the cows, because they are not getting paid a fair price.” In President Trump’s reply, he stated his commitment to helping working American families. “Please know that I understand your concerns and hear your frustration,”
President Trump said in the letter. Getting a reply from the president was a special highlight in the seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms at Salem Lutheran School in Greeneld, Minn. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh this is a letter from Donald Trump,’” Hannah said. “I was so excited and so were my friends.” Some classmates
DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR
Carl and Heather Olson with their children, Hannah, 12, Haylie, 10, and Charlie, 4, milk 55 cows near Hanover, Minn.
heard back from their letters including a reply from the technology company, Apple, and the Patriots coach, but for the most part students were starstruck with a reply from the president. Even Hannah’s parents were surprised. “I didn’t think she was going to get a response,” Carl said. “We were not expecting that.” Heather agreed. “I was hopeful, but everyone at school told her she wasn’t going to get a response from the president so she was disappointed,” she said. “All her classmates that got responses got theirs way before her.” Hannah’s idea for the letter stemmed from her dad having to work a second job and a suggestion from Grandpa Klatt, her mother’s father who also dairy farms. “My dad has to work off the farm,” Hannah said. “It would be nice if he didn’t have to, and he could get paid right and stay on the farm.” Carl works for the city of Hanover’s public works department to provide added income while combating low milk prices. Hannah’s parents said she asks questions about the dairy climate and wants to be involved. “The way you can change [policy] is to call your elected ofcials,” Carl said. “I truly believe in that if you’re not involved in government they’re
DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR
This is a rough draŌ of the leƩer Hannah Olson sent to President Trump for a school assignment.
not going to hear your story so you have to be involved.” Hannah wants people to know she is concerned for all small dairy farmers who are
not being fairly compensated. “Farming is so important to me, and it is all I want to do,” Hannah said. “It is what I feel God is calling me to do.”
Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
Dairy farmers get a helping hand in new farm bill The House passed the farm bill with a vote of 369 trade mitigation program in terms of payment levels to 47, the largest margin of victory on record. While that more accurately reďƒ&#x;ect the losses in the dairy there are not signiďƒžcant changes in the new farm bill, industry.â€? incoming House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson said dairy farmers will A better safety net Ag Insider beneďƒžt from the new legislation. “The According to First District things that I worked on were dairy and Association CEO Clint Fall, the farm bill I would say that the dairy part of the bill will provide a much better safety net for for farmers is probably the best part of dairy farmers. “This is going to provide the bill. They got the best deal out of this dairy farmers with better coverage at a and they needed it because we’re losing low cost and it will be signiďƒžcantly better dairy farmers like crazy.â€? For dairy than what they have right now.â€? First farmers with less than 5 million pounds District Association, which is based in of production, Peterson said “you will not Litchďƒželd, produced a record amount of be able to lose money, unless you really cheese and dairy ingredients during the try.â€? past year. A step in the right direction. Changes made in school lunch By Don Wick The U.S. Senate passed the farm bill requirements Columnist with a margin of 87 to 13. Minnesota The USDA is implementing changes Senator Tina Smith said the farm bill in the national school lunch and breakfast will provide much-needed certainty to agriculture. programs. For the dairy industry, the biggest change “I fully understand that there are signiďƒžcant issues came with the return of low-fat ďƒ&#x;avored milk in school in farm country with low prices and, especially, the cafeterias. challenges around trade right now that is putting so much pressure on farm families. This will help. It Names surface for ag commissioner post certainly doesn’t solve all of those issues, but it is a Minnesota Governor-Elect Tim Walz’s transition step in the right direction.â€? team is interviewing candidates for the various departments and agencies. Agricultural lobbyist NMPF is pleased with new farm bill Bruce Kleven said a few names have surfaced for the In the new farm bill, the Margin Protection agriculture commissioner job. “One of the contenders Program for dairy farmers has been renamed and will is Thom Peterson, who is the current lobbyist for the be known as the Dairy Margin Coverage Program. Minnesota Farmers Union. We’ve worked with Thom National Milk Producers Federation senior vice over the years and he is a good part of the ag lobby president of communications Alan Bjerga said this team.â€? The other contenders are the current MDA new program is an improvement over MPP. With Deputy Commissioner Andrea Vaubel and Minnesota the dramatic losses within the dairy industry, Bjerga AgriGrowth President Pat Lunemann. Vaubel said the new farm bill is needed. The dairy industry previously worked for Congressman Walz. Lunemann is also looking at other options for support. “We’re farms in Todd County and is the past president of the still looking at things like trying to relieve retaliatory Minnesota Milk Producers Association. tariffs on Mexico against U.S. cheese exports and the
Groundwater protection rule won’t be implemented in ‘18 An administrative law judge has upheld the legislature’s authority to delay implementation of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s proposed nitrogen fertilizer rule until at least the end of the 2019 legislative session. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development and Housing Policy Committee Chairman Bill Weber said this is a victory for farmers and landowners. Weber pledges to work with the Walz administration and all of the industry stakeholders to consider changes to the rule. Minnesota releases budget and forecast The Minnesota Management and Budget ofďƒžce released the 2018 November Budget and Economic Forecast. The state’s outlook remains sound, despite slower growth through the budget horizon. An estimated $1.54 billion balance is available for the 2020-2021 biennial budget. Improvements to the current biennium add $491 million to the budget reserves, which not totals $2.08 billion. Tax season reminders As 2018 comes to a close, farmers are gathering ďƒžnancial information. As a result of new tax laws, there are several changes for the upcoming year. Renee Fink, vice president of tax, AgCountry Farm Credit Services, said the most signiďƒžcant change for farmers is Section 199A. “That replaced the Domestic Production Activities Deduction or DPAD,â€? Fink said. “It’s not just strictly 20 percent of farm income. It is very dependent on the farmer’s speciďƒžc situation.â€? Fink also reminds farmers that the Market Facilitation Program payments received in 2018 are not deferrable. Tax rebate approved for SD cheese plant The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission has approved an incentive plan that will beneďƒžt the Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 expansion of the Agropur cheese plant at Lake Norden. Otter Tail Power will provide a $250,000 annual rebate to Agropur that will help pay for future electricity costs. Agropur is tripling its production through a $252 million expansion project. Nelson to lead AgriGrowth The Minnesota AgriGrowth Council has hired Tamara Nelsen as its new executive director. The Minnesota native is now the senior director of commodities at the Illinois Farm Bureau. Previously, Nelsen worked for the International Policy Council on Agriculture, Food and Trade. Nelsen succeeds Perry Aasness, who is now the vice president of government affairs for Compeer Financial Services. February 1 is Nelsen’s start date. Agriculture loses a true statesman Bob Bergland, 90, who was agriculture secretary in the Jimmy Carter Administration, has passed. Bergland farmed at Roseau, Minn., served in Congress from 1971 to 1977 and was a member of Carter’s cabinet.
Bergland was at the helm of USDA during a very difcult time in agriculture with the Russian grain embargo and the farm crisis. In addition to his time at USDA, Bergland managed the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and was a regent at the University of Minnesota. Trivia challenge The traditional types of cheese used in fondue are Gruyere, Cheddar and Emmentaler. That answers our last trivia question. When did the modern tradition of leaving milk and cookies out for Santa begin? We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora, and Sterling.
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Van Ess wins calf in Christmas giveaway By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
SANBORN, Iowa – One of Dillon Van Ess’ presents this year did not come in a box under the Christmas tree. The present came in a cattle trailer and was delivered to the barn. Van Ess was this year’s youth winner of the Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway. He won the September-born heifer calf, JE-KO Tyler Guppy, a Tyler daughter from Rohde Dairy Farm, owned by Korinna and Jeff Rohde, who dairy near Grey Eagle, Minn. “I was pretty excited. I couldn’t wait ‘til she got here,” said Van Ess, the 10-year-old son of JerJERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR emy and Patricia Van Ess, Dillon Van Ess holds his prize calf, Guppy, at his family’s farm near Sanborn, who milk 6,500 cows near Iowa. He is this year’s winner of the heifer calf in the Dairy Star’s Great ChristSanborn, Iowa. “She’s a mas Giveaway. Dillon is the son of Jeremy and Patricia Van Ess of Sanborn, Iowa. nice looking calf.” His dad had entered him into the contest at AMPI in Sanborn, Iowa. Al- py is special. She is the rst calf Van Ess has owned. though Van Ess knew there was a chance he could As a future dairy farmer, Van Ess has big goals for win, he did not think it would happen. It was evident Guppy. when his dad told him he won the grand prize. “I’ll breed her and hopefully start a herd,” said “I said, ‘You’re kidding me, right?’” said Van Ess, Van Ess, whose future ideal dairy farm would be a who is a fourth grader at Sanborn Christian School. couple thousand cows. “I just couldn’t believe it. I thought he was lying to On his family’s dairy, Van Ess likes helping take me at rst … but then he grabbed the Dairy Star and care of the calves along with helping his dad with showed me the calf I had won.” eldwork. Guppy will live in a special pen with one other But right now his favorite chore is taking care of heifer where Van Ess can take care of her. Guppy. “We’ll treat her like a special cow,” Van Ess said. “This might be the best present I have ever gotBeing the grand prize is not the only reason Gup- ten,” Van Ess said.
A grand prize Sending Heartfelt Wishes
...with hopes that the Christmas season brings you together with friends and family from near and far. Thanks for doing business with us.
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danna.s@dairystar.com
In order to provide you with prompt service during the holiday season please remember to order your feed early. Agron. Petro. Feed Feed: 320-468-6655 Toll Free: 877-468-6655 Agron./Petro: 320-468-2509 Toll Free: 877-438-3378
Three winners chosen at Christmas giveaway
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Jolene MarƟn is one winner of $1,000 for the Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway. She plans to spend the cash on a show calf for her daughter or to buy a new barn cleaner for her 120-cow dairy near Mineral Point, Wis.
Three dairy farmers from the Dairy Star coverage area won the grand prize of $1,000 in this year’s Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway. Jolene Martin of Mineral Point, Wis., was lucky enough to have her name drawn as one of the winners. Martin farms with her husband, Mike, and oldest son, Robert. They milk 120 Holstein and Brown Swiss, farm 300 acres and feed their bull calves. Turn to PRIZE | Page 11
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 11
Conďż˝nued from PRIZE | Page 10 “I read about the contest in the paper and saw there was a box at Hennessy Implement, so I decided to go in and pay my bill rather than send it in,â€? Martin said. She plans to spend the extra cash on a new show cow for her youngest daughter, McKenna, or a new barn cleaner. McKenna, 11, has been showing cattle every year since she was 1 year old. “I’m not a big gambler,â€? Martin said. “It’s nice to win something.â€?
Aaron Albrecht is another lucky winner of $1,000. Albrecht milks 140 cows with his wife, Juliette, on their farm, Bi-Pond Dairy in Pierz, Minn. Albrecht is planning to spend his winnings on a new gear for his feed mixer, so he can stop borrowing a neighbor’s. “I was very excited when I got the call,� he said. “I only entered once. I have told my kids that if I were to buy a deck of cards there wouldn’t be an ace. That’s how unlucky I usually am.�
DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR
Aaron Albrecht, pictured with his wife, Julieďż˝e, is a winner of $1,000 for the Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway. They farm near Pierz, Minn. Albrecht plans to spend the money on a new gear to ďƒžx his feed mixer.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Sco� Herber, pictured with his wife, Michelle, is a winner of $1,000 for the Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway. They farm near Altura, Minn. He plans to pay o some bills with his winnings.
At Bi-Pond Dairy, they also raise their youngstock and are in the process of building a shed to house 1,000 calves to begin a custom calf-raising business. The planning is underway and building should break ground at the end of March. They are hoping to be fully operational by July. Scott Herber is the ďƒžnal winner of the $1,000 Christmas giveaway. “I could use that right now,â€? he said. “I have to buy my wife a Christmas present yet, but I’m sure we will use it on the farm to pay some bills.â€? Herber milks 600 cows with his wife, Michelle, on their farm near Al-
tura, Minn. Michelle manages the payroll and bookkeeping on the farm and also works in Rochester, Minn. He registered at his local co-op while attending a customer appreciation event. “I haven’t won anything for a while,� Herber said. “The last time I entered a giveaway it was $50, and I won a 60-inch color TV. My wife was mad I spent the money, but then OK with it after I won.� Signing up for Dairy Star’s Christmas Giveaway is free, so it was a nobrainer to register, Herber said.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A proposal to allow for growth in Doing what is best for all MN the industry dairy farms
Below is a draft I wrote using control proposals from other areas of DFA in the United States. California, eastern United States, western and northeast have all taken a serious look at overproduction of milk and have implemented production control methods. This document is a combination of many ideas. The proposal allows for growth when needed and where more milk is needed. Any value that would be generated would be between the farmers who want it and those would be allowed to increase production using the base from retirees or farmers who had to leave the business for nancial reasons. Tom Vilsack believes we can export our way out of excess production. I would contend that if we keep trying to export, we will keep producing more. If we don’t control production, we can only move so much offshore. I agree we need to keep trying to increase exports, even above the 20 percent rate. However, if we do not control growth, we would produce more and be in the same position we are in now. The American way is to produce as much as we can regardless of prot. Maybe we should consider prot before production much like other industries do. This proposal is not designed for pricing, yet we all understand supply and demand affects price. The rst requirement is that the management is with Central Area Council. In order to have a method to manage future milk production, producers would be required to establish a base of production. - A farm/member could select his base from any of the last 12 months of contiguous production of any of the last seven years. This reects MPP signup. - Hardship cases could be allowed to appeal. - DFA does not recognize or warrant that there are property rights or value placed on the base. - Base stays with the farm; however, should no cows be milked on that farm for three years, the base can be passed on by a lottery drawing to any producers applying. The areas short of milk receive rst option. - The CAC would determine with assistance from management when too much milk is coming into the market place. - CAC would determine how much milk over base is in the system and then determine the price paid for milk over producers’ base. The price will reect the costs associated with marketing surplus milk at a discount plus additional transportation cost. - A hardship committee will be established to determine individual cases and make a recommendation to the balance of the CAC. - CAC may create and give extra base to areas of decient milk production. - In the event that supply greatly outperforms demand, a percentage of base milk will be priced as excess milk. Base will be allowed to grow during times of increased demand with the approval of CAC using a three-year rolling average. Base may be reduced if a farm does not produce up to 10 percent of their base allotment for three years. Hardship cases can be considered if the 10 percent level cannot be met. Charles Untz Lake Mills, Wis.
On behalf of the Minnesota Milk Board of Directors, I want to thank the 500+ people who attended our annual conference and expo in November. If you ask the farmer attendees, I hope you hear what I heard. It was an uplifting social, educational and policy-forming experience. Even with farm and business consolidation, we held our own in attendance. But, we would like to ask you why you didn’t come to this or one of our winter workshops, or what would make you come next year? Getting away to talk to other farmers is a positive thing for me. As a board, we decided to continue holding the expo. Our goals are to celebrate our award winners, provide a venue for education, raise scholarship money, complete our yearly business and have some fun. We believe we hit the mark on all points. I also want to thank new board members Ron Miller and Paul Daley. There’s plenty to work on, and if you want to know what we are doing or why we are doing it, or you’d like to get involved, call a member of the board or staff. We continue to have regular policy, education and membership committee meetings to advise the board. Beginning next year, we will be downsizing the board from 14 to 10 directors. We are looking forward to the new farm bill and its benets for dairy, especially those under 5 million pounds of milk. We are also pleased with Dairy-RP, which Minnesota Milk helped provide direction to on the ground oor. Improvements can happen, but we supported it through letters to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and consultation with our contract economist, Marin Bozic, as one of the main architects of the program. We believe Dairy-RP will provide another solid option for risk management. At the state level, we have much work to do. We’re meeting our 38 new legislators and new chairs in the DFL House and looking to make a signicant impact on your dairy’s nancial bottom line in the upcoming state budget. We’ve also been in touch with the Walz-Flanagan transition team, as they asked for our opinions on commissioners and policy issues. We thank our members for their continued support through a tumultuous year. In the end, our 14 farmer directors set direction for the organization, not staff or contractors. We’re in the same markets and regulations you are. We make decisions after much thought, and though sometimes they are tough decisions, we aim to always do what is best for all Minnesota dairy farms. Bob Dombeck Sandhill Dairy, Perham, Minn. Minnesota Milk Secretary Turn to LETTERS | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 13
ConƟnued from LETTERS | Page 12
Calhoun Creamery members Do your homework about the join Foremost Farms USA Iowa-based creamery will close after more than a century of operation By Sherry Newell Contributing Writer
As of Jan. 1, 2019, members of the Calhoun Creamery, of Churchtown in the corner of northeast Iowa, will become members of Foremost Farms, USA. The transition is the beginning of the end for the small co-op, which has operated for more than 120 years. Foremost board members voted in November to allow Calhoun’s 49 dairy farms in Iowa and Minnesota to ship their 14 million pounds of milk each month directly to Foremost. The milk had previously been transferred at Calhoun Creamery and helped supply Foremost plants since the late ‘90s. Until Dec. 1, two independent milk haulers transported the milk for Calhoun members. Caledonia Haulers has now picked up the direct routes, along with Dallas Finseth of Fountain, Minn. In the coming weeks, Calhoun Creamery’s board will determine how the co-op’s assets will be liquidated and how patronage dividends will be distributed. The co-op has four employees and two have found new employment, according to Michelle Donahue, creamery manager. The co-op’s store, which sells cheese and other dairy products, will stay open until at least the end of January, possibly longer. Calhoun Creamery patrons will gain voting rights with Foremost, including the opportunity to pursue board seats.
Dave Bahr, Calhoun’s board president and a dairy farmer from Waukon, Iowa, said his board had been considering options for about six months after experiencing difcult milk markets and a changing industry. “The board’s main goal was to nd a secure, long-term market for our patrons’ milk, with a progressive company and strong leadership. We feel strongly we’ve achieved that,” he said. Dave Scheevel, Foremost Farms USA board president, echoed his sentiment. “I’m a dairyman myself, so I understand the concern of having a steady market at competitive prices. It frees you to run your own operation,“ said Scheevel, who dairies near Preston, Minn. Still, the move has sadness attached, Donahue said. Calhoun Creamery was started in 1896 by 20 farmer members milking 210 cows. In the ‘70s, it reached 286 patrons, she said. “It’s tough. Our members have been very loyal. Some are third and fourth generation,” said Donahue, who has worked for the co-op for 27 years and is unsure of her next employment. “The creamery store has been very popular in its location between Waukon and the [Mississippi] river,” she said. “In a small town where businesses are very customer friendly, any time something closes, it’s sad.” Donahue and Bahr said the timetable for closing the business is still unclear and will likely depend on legal advice, but patrons have so far experienced a smooth transition. Both said they are feeling positive about the developments. “We truly want to give a heartfelt thanks to our patrons and customers,” said Donahue.
Dairy Revenue Protection program
Over the past several weeks we have been receiving calls from dairy producers with questions about the Dairy Revenue Protection program. Many of them referenced information they received from an agent who misrepresented how buying a higher level of DRP component-based coverage increases their milk value revenue being insured. This has a similar look to how many producers were encouraged to buy MPP when it was rst rolled out without full disclosure to what it actually meant to their farm. The new farm bill looks like it may x old MPP disappointments, but dairy producers may once again be headed into some unintentional misguidance as many of the agents, agencies and insurance companies selling DRP don’t seem to fully understand how milk pricing works. For those of you struggling to understand DRP let me make an important point: Component based DRP insurance cannot take $14 Class III/IV futures and miraculously convert the revenue protection to a level that guarantees a signicantly higher revenue margin. DRP revenue insurance is market driven. The level of DRP insurance being offered each day is dependent on what the futures market is trading in the forward months. If you see $14 Class III in a specic contract month, that is what you will be protecting minus your deductible. If you are using a component based DRP product it is using the same protein/fat value used to calculate the $14 Class III price, and letting you specify the component volume coverage you want to buy. If you are selecting more than 3.5 fat and 2.9915 protein in your revenue coverage, you are insuring more component volume than what is used to calculate a Class III price, not a higher milk price unit value. The added coverage is only protecting the excess components included in your milk basis. Please do your homework before committing to an insurance agency. Make them show you how the revenue insurance you are pricing will impact your mailbox price if the market goes up or down 10-20 percent, and the impact cheese and butter price changes will have on component revenue protection. If they can’t answer these questions relatively easily, you likely won’t receive the support you need to make well-informed DRP decisions. Joe Spader Glenwood, Minn.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dairy Star Newspaper welcomes letters to the editor. Every letter for publication must be 500 words or less, contain the author’s signature, address and telephone number. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and brevity. Letters can be mailed to Dairy Star, Letter to Editor, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378 or e-mail: mark.k@dairystar.com.
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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 15
From Our Side Of The Fence What is an off-farm activity you like to do in winter?
Philip Hauge Sunburg, Minn. Kandiyohi County 41 cows
Ken Bemboom Sauk Rapids, Minn. Benton County 85 cows
Patti Bores Auburndale, Wis. Wood County 70 cows
Adam Whiteaker Mantorville, Minn. Dodge County 60 cows
Describe an off-farm activity you like to do during the winter. I have coached high school girls basketball at Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg for 10 years, and I like to take the girls to a college basketball game once a year in the winter. We’ve been to St. Cloud, SMSU and a Gophers game.
Describe an off-farm activity you like to do during the winter. I like to do woodworking.
Describe an off-farm activity you like to do during the winter. I enjoy crocheting; I make blankets of all sizes, mittens, children’s animal hats, Christmas ornaments, reman helmet hats. I crochet with yarn as well as thread. I will try almost any pattern.
Describe an off-farm activity you like to do during the winter. I am in a bowling league one night a week. It is a 28-week league that starts after Labor Day and goes until April. It’s a little tough in the fall, but it’s fun. I have been in it for six years.
Describe your greatest experience or accomplishment while doing this activity. My greatest experience was sitting at my grandma’s feet learning to crochet. I sat between her feet with my back against her chair while she leaned over me and we each had a hook and yarn and I copied each move she made.
Describe your greatest experience or accomplishment while doing this activity. Last year, my team won the championship.
Describe your greatest experience or accomplishment while doing this activity. I had an athlete who joined the team as an eighth grader. She wasn’t the best player but never quit on me. We continued to work together, and she became a great 3-point shooter. She played quite a bit of junior varsity as a junior, and her senior year put in quite a few minutes when some big players ended up in foul trouble. She stepped right up and was able to keep us in the game by hitting three 3-pointers. After the game she told me it was all worth it. List several reasons why it is important for you to do this activity. It gets me off the farm in the winter and helps keep me connected in the community. I’ve coached a lot of my classmates’ children, so it’s nice to keep me in touch with those families. What is one thing you would like to try this winter that you have never tried before? It probably won’t happen this winter, but one winter I’d like to visit my cousin in Arizona. We were close growing up, and I would like to visit him once I retire and can spend some time down there. What are holiday activities or rituals you like to do? We go to my parents’ and have lutesk. Sunburg also has a lutesk supper we like to go to. I have to keep my Norwegian traditions alive.
Describe your greatest experience or accomplishment while doing this activity. I enjoy seeing the look on a person’s face when I give them something that I have made. A number of the things were requested by someone as they could not nd it or purchase it anywhere. They are unique items. Other items are things that I designed specically for someone. List several reasons why it is important for you to do this activity. It gives me a temporary escape from farming, especially now when things are a bit tight. It’s relaxing for me to work on various woodworking projects. What is one thing you would like to try this winter that you have never tried before? I am hoping to cross another thing off my bucket list. I am planning on scheduling a fall moose hunting trip in Canada. What are holiday activities or rituals you like to do? I enjoy our family Christmas dinner with the kids and grandchildren. We splurge and have been doing an Alaskan King Crab and beef tenderloin supper. Just having everyone together for the day is a blessing. Tell us about your farm. I am in partnership with my brother. We own 156 acres and rent a total of 475 acres. We milk 85 dairy cows, have 40 stock cows and raise our dairy heifers and beef calves. We also have four horses, cats, ducks, chickens and guinea hens.
Tell us about your farm. I farm with my wife, Shereen, and daughters, Brielle and Madison. We milk anywhere from 40-45 registered Holsteins. We also farm 270 acres.
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What are some reasons why it is important for you to do this activity. I have degenerative arthritis and the activity helps keep my ngers moving less painfully. It also allows me to stay busy while I rest to help deal with the pain from the arthritis in all of my other joints. I do sell some of my items that I make. I use many of my projects as gifts for family and friends. What is one thing you would like to try this winter that you have never tried before? I can make projects by reading a pattern but not by reading a stitch chart. I want to learn how to crochet using a stitch chart. What are holiday activities or rituals you like to do? I make cookies and candy from recipes that have been handed down in my family for generations, when time allows. Tell us about your farm. The original farm is one mile from where we live and milk. We are the fth generation on that farm. We keep our breeding age heifers there. We are the third generation on the farm where we live and milk. We took over the farm Jan. 1 from my husband Todd’s parents. We are in the process of expanding so our children who are all young adults can farm with us. We have registered Holstein, Brown Swiss and Milking Shorthorns. All of the kids own some animals, and the two oldest boys also own some of their own machinery.
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What are some reasons why it is important for you to do this activity. It’s a good reason to get off the farm. I can have a good time and not have to worry about doing chores or the milk price. I rst started on a team with a group of friends, but now I bowl with my brother and his wife along with another one of our friends. Our parents also bowl in the league. There are about eight teams in the league each year. What is one thing you would like to try this winter that you have never tried before? I would like to go ice shing. I have gone shing a few times with my dad in Canada during the summer, but otherwise I haven’t really done much shing. It would be fun to give ice shing a try. What are holiday activities or rituals you like to do? I don’t really have any other than gathering with family on Christmas day. Tell us about your farm. I worked for a dairy farmer for awhile before I started renting this farm on July 1, 2017. About a quarter of my 60-cow herd is Jersey. The rest are Holsteins, both black and white, and red and white. About threefourths are registered. I raise all my heifers along with a few steers. I also rent 40 acres. That land is used to raise corn silage. I had gradually bought cows ve years ago. By the time I moved here in 2017, I had 45 cows.
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ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 myself. We rotate who hosts the party. What are some reasons why it is important for you to do this activity. I enjoy doing the Pinterest parties because it gives me time away from the farm and gives me a chance to catch up with friends. Most of us grew up in 4-H together and others are friends from college. Woodworking is a great way for me to relax and unwind. I usually work on projects in the afternoon or after milking at night. I enjoy working with my hands. This gives me the opportunity to take something I’ve seen and make it my own.
Staci Sexton Millville, Minn. Wabasha County 52 cows Describe an off-farm activity you like to do during the winter. I enjoy many things in the winter. One of my biggest things I like to do is woodworking. I make a variety of projects for myself and my friends. I also have a group of friends who also enjoy crafting so we have Pinterest parties. At the parties, we pick a craft we found on Pinterest, and get together and make it. Describe your greatest experience or accomplishment while doing this activity. With woodworking, I enjoy the experience of giving someone something I have made for them and seeing their reaction. I have been able to expand my skill set by making projects, and it’s always exciting for me to do something new. I haven’t had one specic project that has been a greater accomplishment than the others, but my most recent project is a rocking cow (rather than a rocking horse). I am excited to see how it turns out. The Pinterest parties keep me close with friends and give me a chance to try something I would have never tried
What is one thing you would like to try this winter that you have never tried before? I would like to see the holiday lights in Mankato. I usually go see holiday lights around my area and enjoy them a lot. I went to La Crosse last year to see its big set up. What are holiday activities or rituals you like to do? One other holiday activity I have is putting up my Christmas village. When I was young, my grandma always had a Christmas village set up in her dining room. I loved it. After she passed away, each grandchild was given one of the houses. I received a toyshop house and my tradition started from there. I am up to about 35 village houses and many accessories. Each year I get at least one new house to add to my collection. Tell us about your farm. I milk 52 Holsteins, Red and Whites and Jerseys. I farm alongside my parents, and all together we milk about 120 cows. I concentrate on high genetics and polled cattle. We run about 315 acres of alfalfa and corn.
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Tyler Misna Cashton, Wis. Monroe County 140 cows
Describe an off-farm activity you like to do during the winter. I like to do some ice shing or go snowmobiling with my buddies.
Describe an off-farm activity you like to do during the winter. I’m head coach of Cashton youth wrestling.
Describe your greatest experience or accomplishment while doing this activity. I have never landed any huge sh while ice shing on our local ponds and lakes. I usually haul in a few bluegills or some sunsh. Once in a while, I might hook a good-sized Northern pike. That can get pretty exciting, as Northerns can be feisty. What are some reasons why it is important for you to do this activity. Ice shing is a good way to take a break from the farm. It’s something different to do that’s both fun and rewarding. It’s also a great way to reconnect with my buddies. What is one thing you would like to try this winter that you have never tried before? I have never gone snowmobiling up in the mountains. Maybe someday we will take the sleds out to Wyoming and try out some of that deep, high country powder. What are holiday activities or rituals you like to do? On Christmas day, my family and I will go to church. We will share a big meal, exchange gifts and play games. I like to play with my 4-year-old niece, who is the youngest person in our family. I think she gets a lot of attention during our family’s Christmas gathering. Tell us about your farm. This farm is operated by my parents, Rick and Carrie, and my brothers, Brad, Derek and Austin. I am a junior at South Dakota State University where I’m studying precision agriculture. Each of my brothers and I have our own specialty, such as growing crops, managing the machinery, dairy herdsman and raising calves. We fatten our bull calves but have begun sending our heifer calves to a heifer grower in Kansas. That freed up space in our feedlots, so we now custom feed some beef cattle. This makes use of our feedlots and gives us another source of income.
Describe your greatest experience or accomplishment while doing this activity. I like teaching techniques to the kids, and enjoy when they put it all together at tournaments. It’s really fullling. Right now, my favorite memory is when my son nally earned his rst championship chart. What are some reasons why it is important for you to do this activity. I’ve been involved in wrestling since I was in kindergarten. It’s been in the family since Cashton started the wrestling program. I like passing on the tradition to any that want to participate. Wrestling takes my mind away from the farm. It gets my adrenaline owing. Wrestling has been one of the most successful sports in Cashton since it started. Cashton has sent at least one high school wrestler to state for over 20 consecutive years, and I’m happy to have been one of those wrestlers as well as training the next generation. What is one thing you would like to try this winter that you have never tried before? I would like to take my oldest two kids ice shing. What are holiday activities or rituals you like to do? I love to watch my kids open Christmas presents. I like eating everyone’s best dishes until I’m forced to nap. We also get into some good games of Dirty Clubs or Euchre with my wife’s family. Tell us about your farm. We milk around 140 cows and raise our replacements and feed our bull calves. We raise almost all of our forages. Our farm also has about 45 beef cows that we calve in the spring and sell the feeders in the fall. We have one part-time hired hand to help with mostly milking, otherwise it’s a team effort between my mom and dad, Mark and Bridget, and my wife, Jessica, and I. We get after work help from my brothers and their wives, Eric and Kari, and Charlie and Jessica. We also have loads of help from my kids Rylan, 8, Zoe, 7, Porter, 2, and my nieces and nephews Parker, 10, Cobi, 9, Brinley, 7, Edison, 6, and Bellamy, 2.
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Repro Leaders
Victory Farms uses double ovsync program to keep reproduction on schedule and 320 days of age for heifers.
Kevin Souza Victory Farms Revillo, S.D. 4,400 cows What was your average pregnancy rate last year? Our average pregnancy rate was 39 percent last year. What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? Our voluntary waiting period is 63 days for fresh cows
What is your rst service conception rate? Last year, our rst service conception rate was 52 percent. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? All of our rst service cows are bred with sexed semen using a Turn to VICTORY | Page 20
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
A system of different colors is used to mark the tail heads of all the cows at Victory Farms. This group of cows is about to be dried off and are also marked with the le�er “D.”
The management crew at Victory Farms includes, from le�, partner Kevin Souza, herdsman Ma� Lindberg, opera�ons manager Josh Kellen and Hayley (Souza) Anderson, holding her son, Jace, 2. Victory Farms was recently given a Pla�num Award for reproduc�ve excellence by the Dairy Ca�le Reproduc�on Council.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 19
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
Con�nued from VICTORY | Page 18
double ovsynch protocol. We use a CIDR synch on animals that remain open after the rst service. How do you observe for heat? We tail chalk every animal every day. How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? We ultrasound the animals at 32 days after service. We reconrm at 80 days carried calf and again at 180 days carried calf. We reconrm once again right before they go dry. What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in
bull selection? Every animal in our herd is genomic tested. We have grouped our herd into four genomic categories: high, high medium, low medium and low. The low group, which is about 30 percent of the herd, is bred with beef semen. The top 35 percent of the herd is bred with sexed semen for the rst three services and is then switched to beef semen. The high medium and low medium groups are implanted with embryos during their rst service and are bred with beef semen after that. We produce 25-30 embryos per week from our top cows. We also get embryos from Select Sires, who does IVF work on some of our top cows. When we look at sires, the rst thing
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
Ma� Lindberg, herdsman at Victory Farms, marks the tail head of each animal on a daily basis. A system of different paint colors is used to keep track of such things as which animals should be implanted with embryos, which animals are to be bred with sexed semen and which cows should be serviced with beef semen. we consider is the combination of fat and protein. Next on the list is DPR followed by udder conformation. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? We have the same philosophy of bull selection for the cows and the heifers. The heifers will get sexed semen for the rst three services before being switched to bull semen. JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
A�en�on to detail has resulted in a high level of reproduc�ve efficiency at Victory Farms.
What do you do to settle hard breeders? On their third service, we will give them GnRH at breeding. If a cow is still open at 180 days, she is put on the donot-breed list. If a heifer remains
open after ve services, we will put her into the beef feedlot.
manure solids, which helps keep them comfortable and healthy.
How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? We will service a cow ve times before we put her onto the do-not-breed list. We will then keep her until her milk production falls below a certain level.
Tell us about your farm. Victory Farms has three owner partners, the Nuss family, the Orradre family and the Souza family. The Souza family includes Kevin and his wife, Suzanne, their daughters, Audrey and Hayley, Hayley’s husband, Ryan Anderson, and the Anderson’s children, Kylyn and Jace. We moved from California 20 years ago to begin dairy farming in South Dakota and gradually grew our operation into what it is today. We have found that South Dakota is a great place to raise kids and enjoy hunting and shing.
Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? The double ovsynch program has helped us a lot. Another huge factor was moving into our new cross-ventilated barn in 2015. We bed the cows with
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White 273, #154578 ................................................................................... $9,500 JD 2623, 2012, 23 ft, 3-Section Folding, #135075 .....................................$32,900 JD 2623, 2013, 33 ft, #149511 ...................................................................$39,500 JD 2623, 2014, 25 ft, #126286 ...................................................................$33,900 JD 2623, 2015, 30 ft, 3-Section Folding, #134716 .....................................$53,900 JD 2625, 2012, 5-Section Folding, Spacing: 11”, #144464 .........................$32,900 JD 2625, 2013, 42 ft, Spacing: 11”, #151841 ..............................................$38,500 EZEE-ON 8700, 2010, 42 ft, #145714 ........................................................$32,900 Wishek 862NT, 2012, 30 ft, #144471........................................................$49,500 JD 960, 1993, 33 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154535 ......... $6,500 JD 960, 28 ft, #146130 ................................................................................. $8,300 JD 960, 1988, 44 ft, Standards: C-Shank, #150157....................................... $7,215 JD 960,1994, 36 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #148486 .......... $7,500 JD 960, 1994, 26 ft, #148845 ....................................................................... $5,500 JD 980, 1995, 45 ft, 5-Section Folding, #145326........................................$14,000 JD 980, 1997, 38 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154531 .......$11,500 JD 980, 1997, 26 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #153320 ......... $9,900 JD 980, 1997, 44 ft, #145571 .....................................................................$16,500 JD 980, 2001, 45 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #144448 .......$15,900 JD 980, 1996, 41 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #148488 .......$14,500 JD 980, 1994, 33 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151027 .......$12,000 JD 980, 1997, 26 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151565 ......... $9,900 JD 980, 2001, 45 ft, Standards: C-Shank, #147979.....................................$18,150 JD 980, 2004, 44 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154146 .......$13,500 JD 985, 1993, 48 ft, #138938 .....................................................................$12,900 JD 1010, 31 ft, #150876............................................................................... $2,825 JD 1010, 25.5 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151724 ............. $3,495 JD 2210, 2014, 55.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154394 ..$58,500 JD 2210, 2013, 51 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #146726 .....$57,500 JD 2210, 2009, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154537 ..$43,500 JD 2210, 2008, 60 ft, 3-Section Folding, #146682 .....................................$34,500 JD 2210, 2009, 45.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151598..$32,900 JD 2210, 2009, 53 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154393 .....$48,000 JD 2210, 2012, 55 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #148753 .....$54,900 JD 2210, 2007, 58 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151055.....$32,900 JD 2210, 2012, 48 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #144455 .....$54,900 JD 2210, 2010, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, #146707...................................$49,500 JD 2210, 2009, 54 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #153415 .....$42,500 JD 2210, 2014, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #152038 .....................................................................................................$55,000 JD 2210 LL, 2014, 45.5 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151363 .....................................................................................................$47,500 DMI Tigermate, 48 ft, #147786 ................................................................$14,500 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154507 .....................................................................................................$59,400 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154509 .....................................................................................................$59,400 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2012, 42 ft, Standards: C-Shank, #151915...... $44,500 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154510 .....................................................................................................$59,400 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154511 .....................................................................................................$59,400 Case IH TIGRMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154508 .....................................................................................................$59,400 Case IH 900, 12R30, #150606 ..................................................................... $8,900 JD 1750,1999, 6R30, Frame: Rigid, Metering System: Finger Pickup, #153700 .....................................................................................................$19,800 JD 1760, 1996, Rows: 12, Row Spacing: 30 in, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, #148266......................................................................$22,000 JD 1760, 2012, Rows: 12, Row Spacing: 30 in, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, #154220...........................$54,500 JD 1760, 1997, Rows: 12, Row Spacing: 30 in, Frame: Wing Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, #137790...........................$28,050 JD 1760, 2013, 12R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, Row Command, #152018 ............................................$52,500 JD 1765, 2015, 12R30, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, #138495 .....................................................................................................$69,500 JD 1790, 2005, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, #151635......................................................................$59,500 JD 1790, 2004, 24R22, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum,
209,500
JD S660, 2013, $ 1,225 hrs., #151693
129,500
CIH 1265 Early Riser, 2014, $ 36R22, #150646
188,000
JD DB66, 2013, $ 36R22, #150714
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Hopper: Central Fill System, #154547 .........................................................$56,000 10 JD 7000, #154579........................................................................................ $7,000 7 JD 7000, 1981, Rows: 12, Row Spacing: 30 in, Metering System: Finger Pickup, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, #149569........................................................................ $7,215 15 Case IH 1265 Early Riser, 2014, 36R22, #150646 ..................................$129,500 17 JD 1770NT, 2014, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, Row Command, #151600 ............................................$73,900 15 JD 1770NT, 2010, 24R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150160 ...............................$99,500 4 JD 1775NT, 2017, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150734 .............................$152,500 11 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #140328 .........................................................................$149,500 4 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #154513 .............................$169,000 4 JD 1775NT, 2017, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #154514 .............................$152,500 4 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150736 .............................$169,000 4 JD 1775NT, 2017, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #154514 .............................$152,500 8 Wil-Rich 24-22, 2009, 24R22, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, Row Command, #139224 ...........................................................................$49,500 16 JD DB44, 2017, 24R22, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #144422 .............................$189,500 16 JD DB44, 2014, 24R22, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #151691 .............................$159,000 14 JD DB44, 2010, 24R22, #149981 .............................................................$101,650 8 JD DB60, 2018, 24R30, Hopper: Mini, #150672 .......................................$279,500 1 JD DB66, 2017, 36R22, Hopper: Mini, #150364 .......................................$265,900 14 JD DB66, 2013, 36R22, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150896 .............................$189,900 6 JD DB66, 2013, 36R22, Hopper: Mini, #150714 .......................................$188,000 15 JD DB90, 2012, 36R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150893 .............................$125,500 16 Great Plains YP-1625, 32R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, #150539 .........................................................$39,000 6 Great Plains YP2425, 2007, 24R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, #152236 .........................................................$65,000 17 JD 7300, 1988, Row Spacing: 22 in, Frame: Wing Fold, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, #148843 .....................................................................................................$14,600 8 JD DR24, 2018, 24R22, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150773 .........................................................................$179,500 10 Top Air 60, #140416 .................................................................................... $5,000 14 Summers 500, 1996, #145350 ................................................................... $4,500 10 Redball 580, 2006, #151074.....................................................................$18,900 17 Hardi 4000, 2012, #144434 ......................................................................$18,500 10 Fast 7400, #130185 ..................................................................................$18,900 4 Raven 1000 Gallon, #149597 .................................................................... $6,100 5 Wil-Rich 500 GAL, #150604........................................................................ $6,000 15 Wil-Rich Blumha, #148336 ........................................................................ $5,500 5 Hardi Commander 1200, 2002, #150043................................................$14,900 5 Hardi COMMANDER 1200, 2004, #148536 ..............................................$19,900 4 Hardi NAV 1100, #137542........................................................................$14,000 4 Hardi NAV 1100, #137543 ........................................................................$14,000 5 Top Air TA1600, 2008, #149672................................................................$23,900 8 Massey Ferguson 3545, 1983, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid 4279 hrs., #151182 ...........................$19,500 9 JD 5300, 1997, Syncro, 2WD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Mid 3000 hrs., #154426 ...................................................................................................... $8,500 5 JD 6220, 2002, 1390 hrs., #154584 ...........................................................$53,500 10 JD 6420, 2002, 6900 hrs., #154564 ...........................................................$52,500 10 JD 5065M, 2012, Partial Power Shift, 2WD, Rear PTO: 540 4975 hrs., #151388 .....................................................................................................$21,900 9 JD 5075E, 2012, Syncro, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Mid, Loader 465 hrs., #154217 ....................................................................................................$28,900 5 JD 5085M, 2010, 1000 hrs., #154630........................................................$50,000 5 JD 5100E, 2016, Cab, Power Reverser, MFWD 1971 hrs., #145220 .............$46,900 15 JD 5100E, 2016, Cab, Power Reverser, MFWD, 2075 hrs., #149334 ............$46,900 11 JD 5115M, 2016, Cab, Power Reverser, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader 290 hrs.,
249,500
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137,900
JD 9530, 2008, $ 4162 hrs., #147940
#149192 .....................................................................................................$79,500 4 JD 5115M, 2018, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000,Tire Width: Mid, Loader, 175 hrs., #143684.................$81,900 12 JD 5115M, 2017, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid 130 hrs., #140105 ..............................................................$71,900 7 JD 6105R, 2013, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 671 hrs., #148765 .....................................................................................................$79,500 15 JD 6110M, 2016, Configuration: Narrow, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000 282 hrs., #144493 .......................................................$79,500 14 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 100 hrs., #144496...........................................................................$99,500 17 JD 6110R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, Loader 315 hrs., #144494 ...$99,500 11 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, IVT, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000 345 hrs., #142813 .$99,500 15 JD 6110R, 2016, Cab, IVT, MFWD 335 hrs., #144500..................................$95,900 14 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, IVT, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader 100 hrs., #144499 ...................................................................................................$104,900 17 JD 6110R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, Loader, 364 hrs., #144495 ..............$99,500 17 JD 6110R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, IVT, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid 257 hrs., #144497 .............................$97,900 10 JD 6120E, 2016, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Wide, Loader 269 hrs., #124886................................................$69,500 10 JD 6120E, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Wide, Loader 270 hrs., #124936................................................$69,500 10 JD 6120E, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Wide, Loader 222 hrs., #124867 ...........................................................................$69,500 10 JD 6120E, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Tire Width: Mid 258 hrs., #124310 ..............................................................$69,500 12 JD 6120E, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Wide, Loader 197 hrs., #124881 ...........................................................................$69,500 12 JD 6120M, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Narrow 116 hrs., #141879 ........................$83,900 6 JD 6125M, 2013, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 3166 hrs., #146075.........................................................................$63,900 9 JD 6125R, 2012, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, Loader 779 hrs., #150781................................................$89,500 6 JD 6130M, 2018, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid 266 hrs., #143700 .............................$94,900 10 JD 6130M, 2016, Configuration: Narrow, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 193 hrs., #124993..........................................$99,500 15 JD 6130R, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, IVT, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 536 hrs., #144507 ....................................................$109,500 10 JD 6130R, 2016, Configuration: Narrow, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Tire Width: Mid 285 hrs., #124989 ..................................................$96,900 8 JD 6130R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 156 hrs., #147778........................................$109,500 14 JD 6130R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide 150 hrs., #144503 ...............$99,500 8 JD 6130R, 2015 Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide 261 hrs., #142595 ...............$99,500 15 JD 6130R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, IVT, MFWD w/ Suspension, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid 402 hrs., #144505 ...........................$109,500 10 JD 6130R, 2016, Configuration: Narrow, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Tire Width: Mid 160 hrs., #124987 .................................................$96,900 6 JD 6130R, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid 265 hrs., #142596 ............................ $99,500 14 JD 6130R, 2017, Configuration: Narrow, Cab, IVT, Guidance-ready, MFWD, 209 hrs., #144504 ...................................................................................................$106,900 8 JD 6135E, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Tire Width: Wide 264 hrs., #142594 ............................................................$69,500 6 JD 6135E, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Tire Width: Narrow 258 hrs., #142600.........................................................$74,900 4 JD 6135E, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Wide 60 hrs., #142602 .......................................$72,900 4 JD 6135E, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Tire Width: Wide 195 hrs., #142599 ............................................................$71,900 10 JD 6135E, 2016 Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Mid, Loader 130 hrs., #124870..................................................$76,900 10 Farmall Super C 2WD, Rear PTO: 540, #151487........................................... $3,500
141,900
JD 6155R, 2017, $ 212 hrs., #144514
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
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Midwest Dairy’s staff regularly meets with dairy farmers throughout the region to answer questions, communicate checkoff return on investment and share resources for farmers to use to build sales and trust in dairy products and practices. With times being challenging for dairy farmers, a common question that has come up during recent conversations is, “What is checkoff doing to help my milk price?” It is a relevant, important question to address. And while checkoff activity can have no direct impact on milk price, we are By Bob Lefebvre working hard to drive overall de- VP of Midwest Dairy mand for dairy products to lead to agricultural affairs increased dairy sales. Checkoff is working closely with retail partners to have direct impact at the point of sale, where consumers make their purchasing decisions. More specically, we are sharing expertise and insights to help retailers evaluate the mix and sales performance of the dairy products in their stores and their positioning on the shelf as compared to plantbased alternatives and making recommendations that help retailers maximize overall sales. Midwest Dairy’s partnership with retail partner Coborn’s – based in St. Cloud, Minn., and has 120 stores in Minnesota and several in North Dakota under various names including Cashwise, Save A Lot and Marketplace – continues to grow and build sales and demand for dairy. Recently, upon a request from Coborn’s, Midwest Dairy provided meaningful research that will help the retailer identify preferences in grocery shopping, including insights on dairy, among the East African population. This will help Coborn’s better meet the shopping needs of the large and growing number of Somalis living in St. Cloud and the surrounding area. Work to build trust in dairy, which leads to more sales, remains a checkoff priority. Two years ago, the dairy industry kicked off the Undeniably Dairy campaign designed to re-introduce consumers to dairy and remind them how much they enjoy dairy products during key moments of their lives. Research shows it has been effective in changing minds. Consumers who see the campaign content have increased trust in the dairy industry by 40 percent. By law, checkoff is not allowed to disparage other products, but there are things we can and are doing to help consumers understand what sets milk apart from dairy alternatives. Through the Undeniably Dairy campaign, we continue to spread the word about milk’s nutritional superiority as compared to plant-based alternatives. With a growing number of consumers looking for increased protein, vitamins and minerals in their diets, milk provides a smart option. There is considerable promise in exports as well. Dairy farmer funding has contributed to the U.S. Dairy Export Council’s success, despite elevated trade barriers this year. In the rst three quarters of 2018, dairy exports totaled $4.25 billion, 4 percent more than the same period in 2017, while overall volume was up 16 percent. This marks a record high. In a recent Dairy on the Air podcast, an online discussion which features conversations about issues and trends in the dairy community, Tom Vilsack, USDEC president and CEO, joined podcast host Lucas Lentsch, Midwest Dairy CEO, to discuss the export market and opportunities to grow demand for U.S. dairy globally. “I’m excited about the future and certainly committed, as all folks who at USDEC are, to making sure we do everything we possibly can to open up new market opportunities and expand opportunities,” Vilsack said. As we enter the New Year, what other questions about checkoff are on your mind? Contact MidwestDairy.com to share them with our staff or attend one of the 22 district checkoff meetings across Minnesota in the next few months. We can provide answers which give you a better understanding of how checkoff continues to work on behalf of dairy farmers to increase sales and trust. Also, visit our website to access Dairy on the Air, or nd it on your favorite podcast listening platforms such as iTunes and Stitcher.
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 23
Dairy discussions
ISU-sponsored program explores issues regarding protability, milk prices, labor By Jerry Nelson
jerry.n@dairystar.com
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Dairy Discussions: Risk Management and Labor Issues program was held Dec. 4 at the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach facility in Orange City, Iowa. Three topics were on the agenda: the new Dairy Revenue Protection program, employee management and trends in the milk market. Dairy Revenue Protection program Ron Mortensen from Dairy Gross Margin, LLC discussed the new Dairy Revenue Protection program that became available Oct.9 “The Dairy RP program is a crop insurance product and is subsidized by the USDA,” Mortensen said. “It’s a program to protect from falling milk prices but Ron Mortenson Dairy Gross Margin, leaves the topside open should prices LLC move higher. One way to look at Dairy RP is as a subsidized put.” Mortensen listed numerous advantages to the Dairy RP program. “It’s cheaper than options and there are no margin calls,” Mortensen said. “It reduces volatility in cash ows.” Like crop insurance the Dairy RP program offers a smorgasbord of op-
tions from which to choose. “You can from select a variety of coverage levels,” Mortensen said. “The dairyman can also choose revenue protection policies based on such things as the class of milk or milk components. Dairy RP coverage can be purchased on any business day and has no production limits.” Dairy RP is purchased in threemonth increments. Premiums are not due until 45 days after the end of each quarter. “We have seen a lot of interest in Dairy RP in this region,” Mortensen said. “I think this program will stand the test of time.” Congress recently passed the 2018 Farm Bill. The new law contains several provisions that will affect dairy farmers. One of them is the new Dairy Margin Coverage program, formerly known as the Margin Protection Program. DMC will allow dairy farmers to buy inexpensive coverage of up to $9.50 per cwt for their rst 5 million pounds of production. “Dairy farmers can participate in any combination of the LGM, DMC and Dairy RP programs or all three at once,” Mortensen said. “These products, over the long term, should help stabilize income and make dairying more protable. They will be very helpful for managing margin risks.” Employee management Dr. Hugo Ramirez, Iowa State Extension Dairy Specialist, spoke to the gathering about the importance of em-
ployee management and training. “For many dairymen, dairy farming is a passion that has become a business,” Ramirez said. “As dairy operations grow in size, it becomes increasingly important for management to implement a business model. You need to state a mission so that everyone knows what your goals are. You also need a vision statement, so your employees know where we want to go.” Ramirez said employee training should begin before a new employee Dr. Hugo Ramirez starts working. ISU Dairy Extension “Introduce the Specialist new employee to others and explain their responsibilities,” Ramirez said. “When you train new employees, make sure that they understand the reasons for doing things in specic ways. Knowing the why behind things makes employees more engaged and helps them build a sense of ownership in the operation. Let them know how everything on the farm is connected and that everyone is responsible for the farm’s success.” Giving employees feedback is essential, Ramirez said. “Your employees want feedback. Let them know when things are going well and give them a job well done, even if it doesn’t come with anything else. Get to know them as a person, not just as an employee.” Cultural differences and language barriers can lead to miscommunication and undue stress. “If you have employees who are from another country, try to be sensi-
tive to cultural differences,” Ramirez said. “Subtle things can make a huge difference in your relationship with your employees. Many dairy suppliers offer training videos in Spanish. These videos are very well done and can help your Spanish-speaking employees get a better understanding of how things should be done.” Bob Naerebout, who handles government affairs for Idaho Dairyman’s Association, spoke about the issue of immigrant labor and how it affects the dairy inBob Naerebout dustry. Government affairs “Immigrant liaison for Idaho labor is the No. 1 Dairyman’s Association issue for Idaho’s dairy industry,” Naerebout said. In 2016, Idaho’s dairy industry contributed $10.4 billion to the state’s economy. Dairy farming comprises one-third of Idaho’s ag sector. “None of that would be possible without foreign-born labor,” Naerebout said. Idaho’s dairies employ 8,100 people, with 90 percent of them being foreign-born laborers, Naerebout said. “If foreign born labor was taken out of the picture, Idaho’s dairy industry would collapse. The economic viability of rural Idaho has become dependent on foreign-born labor. This is why we need sensible immigration reform,” he said. Naerebout said the federal government should be responsible for vericaTurn to DAIRY DISCUSSIONS | Page 25
Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
YEAR END TAX SAVINGS 3 years 3.45% • 4 years 3.75% • 5 years 3.95% • 6 years 4.40% ANNUALLY OR MONTHLY, 20% Down Upon Approval 2019 Exiss 7'x20' GN Stock
2019 Exiss 7’x24’
Retail was: $24,465
$17,610
3 compartments w/sliders on every gate, 1st gate at 5 ft. 50” side door, slam lock on all gates & end gate, 3 yr. bumper to bumper, 8 Year Structure Warranty 3 Year Component Warranty.
2018 Exiss 7310LQ w/10.5 SHORT WALL
Retail was: $52,440 Wholesale
$35,975
Full living quarters, 6 cu. fridge, ducted A/C, microwave, shower, stool, electric hydraulic jack, electric awning, bi-fold rear tack. Met Black in color.
1 left
2018 Exiss 7’ X 24’ GN Stock Combo
Retail was: $28,540 2018 Exiss 7’X20’ GN Stock Combo
$18,720
$17,220
Black nose skin w/ bridle hooks, brush tray, all rubber mats, 4 place saddle rack, carpet in nose & drop wall, 2 windows, stainless nose sheets.
1 left
2—7K Torsion axles, slider on center & rear gate, slam lock on end gate.
Special
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Retail was: $22,315
2019 7'6" x 26 & 7'6" x 28'
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slam lock gates & endgate, 2 w/black skin, 2 w/natural skin, both have 2-8K Dexter torsion axles w/3 3/8 inch brakes, 5-17.5 Goodyear 16 ply tires, front air vents, full length running boards.
26'–SPECIAL
Christmas Special:
Was $36,630
Ends 12-31
28'–SPECIAL
$21,950 2-10K Retail was: $36,715
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$200 Off
Retail: $30,220
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2019 SAVINGS ON NEW DELTA HD FLATBED TRAILERS
3-7K Retail was: $36,720
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2019 7'6"x32'&7'6"x34'
3-8K’s w/16 ply Goodyear radials, 3 axle compartments w/sliders on every gate, front air vents, rear slam latch, 54" wide escape door, running boards.
3 Compartment , w/1 slider, 1 walk-thru 4 Rear HD Handles 50" Side, Escape Door
$21,350
2019 7'6" x 30' 7-14 ply Goodyear radials, 3 axle compartments, w/17.5-16 ply Goodyear radials, 3 compartments w/sliders on every gate, front air vents, rear slam latch, 54" wide escape door, running boards.
2019 7'x24'
34'–SPECIAL Retail was $41,485
$26,090
2019 MIDSOTA POWER DOVETAIL
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PRICES BELOW REFLECT A $600 REDUCTION 102" x 26' TD ........................... $9,950 102" x 28' TD ........................... $10,235 102" x 30' TD ........................... $10,435 102" x 32' TD ...........................$10,650 102" x 34' TD ...........................$10,950 102" x 36' TD ........................... $11,200 102" x 37' TD w/12K axle........ $13,200
8'6" x 33' 10' Dovetail, low pro, pierced beam, w/2 hyd. jack, on board solar charger w/110 volt charger, w/wireless remote, deep chain box in front between jacks, 2 hi-quality side tool boxes, screened in neck, winch plate with receiver hitch. 2 batteries+2 traction strips. Other sizes available.
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23,400 lb. GVW, tandem duals, 12” I-beam, Dexter® oil bath axles, all wheel brakes, 10 ply 16” radials, US Steel, extra tall neck, adjustable hitch, screened in neck, Bulldog spring loaded jack, front step w/grab handle, pressure treated floor, outside stake pockets w/rubrail, 5’ self cleaning dove tail, 2 flipover ramps w/kickers. All made in America since 1971, double jacks w/2 speed, anti-flex torque tube frame, center pop up dovetail or mega ramps, drop legs on dovetail, diamond plate steel decking for bottom of ramps and top of pop up to give you a full platform on dovetail. Log on web-site for detailed pictures of fully optioned trailer. Commercial optioned trailer in stock and ready for immediate delivery w/mega ramps.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 25
Turn to DAIRY DISCUSSIONS | Page 23 tion of the legal status of workers. “When a worker’s status is in question, it puts them at the risk of being exploited,” Naerebout said. “Both the Republican party and the Democratic party have failed us on immigration reform,” Naerebout continued. “We need to use social media to communicate and educate. Logic is not the driving force on immigration issues, it’s emotion. We have to use all of the tools available to change the mindset of citizens and politicians.” Naerebout encouraged using the Scriptures as a guide when thinking about immigration reform. “Who should you turn to when you form your opinions on immigration? Fox News or the Scriptures? What does Scripture tell you?” he said. Naerebout encouraged farmers to connect with the National Immigration Forum Bibles, Badges, and Business for Immigration Reform. “Immigration reform can be both strong and compassionate,” Naerebout said. Trends in the milk market Fred Hall, ISU Extension Dairy Specialist, discussed trends in the milk market and talked about benchmarks dairy producers should use to evaluate their operations. “There are ve benchmarks that account for the difference between a profitable dairy and one that isn’t making it,” Hall said. “These include having an SCC under 125,000, a pregnancy rate of 25 percent or more, the pounds of solids shipped, the cost of production and the rate of asset turnover.” Hall said that dairy producers should take a close look at their reproduction program if their pregnancy rate is below 25 percent. A 30 percent pregnancy rate is achievable. “In today’s market, it’s not about
hundredweights of milk shipped, it’s the pounds of solids,” Hall said. “A Holstein herd should average 6 pounds per hundredweight of combined fat and protein. A Jersey herd should ship 5.25 pounds.” Hall said tracking cost of production is critical. “You can’t control what you don’t measure,” Hall said. Regarding the current dairy market outlook, Hall said, “Dairy exports are down a Fred M. Hall little, but they are ISU Dairy Extension still running ahead Specialist of last year. Dairy imports are declining and consumer condence is up. Fluid milk consumption has been going down for a generation, but whole milk consumption has increased over the past few years because fat is now being seen as good.” While cheese consumption has steadily increased since 1975, cheese stocks have continued to climb. “We are creating more cheese than we need,” Hall said. “We are looking to increase our exports to eastern Asia. A success story is South Korea, which currently sources half of its cheese from the U.S.” There are signs that the dairy industry is responding to lower milk prices. “Milk production and cow numbers in the U.S. have declined slightly since September,” Hall said. “But there are a lot of heifers in the pipeline.” Regarding the 2018 – 2019 milk price forecast, Hall said, “I can see some signs of strength, but we remain in a price quagmire.”
Remember
the Reason for the Season
We’d like to take this opportunity to present our sincere thanks for the loyal support our producers and advertisers have shown us in 201 . Your trust in us is truly a gift.
Merry Christmas! DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
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Storage, handling trucks eligible for farm storage facility loans Farm Storage Facility Loans provide low-interest ďƒžnancing so producers can build or upgrade facilities to store commodities. Some storage and handling trucks are eligible for the FSFL. These include: - Cold storage trucks: A van or truck designed to carry perishable freight at FSA News & Notes speciďƒžc temperatures. Cold storage trucks can be icecooled or equipped with any variety of mechanical refrigeration systems. - Flatbed trucks: Truck with an open body in the form of a platform with no side walls for easy loading and unloading. These trucks can be categorized By Ryan Brunn into different sizes which range from light, medium Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. or heavy duty, compact or full-size, or short and expandable beds. - Grain trucks: A piece of farm equipment specially made to accommodate grain products and are traditionally truck chassis units with a mounted grain dump body where grain commodities are transported from a ďƒželd to either a grain elevator or a storage bin. - Storage trucks with a chassis unit: commonly referred to as a box truck, box van or straight truck, is a truck with a cargo body mounted on the same chassis with the engine and cab. To be eligible for FSFL, the storage and handling truck must be less than 15 years old and have a maximum of four axles with a gross weight rating of 60,000 pounds or less. Pick-up trucks, semi-trucks, dump trucks and simple insulated and ventilated vans are ineligible for FSFL. FSFL for storage and handling trucks must be $100,000 or less. FSFL-ďƒžnanced storage and handling trucks must be used for the purpose for which they were acquired for the entire FSFL term. Eligible commodities include grains, oilseeds, pulse crops, hay, honey, renewable biomass commodities, fruits and vegetables, ďƒ&#x;oriculture, hops, maple sap, milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, eggs, meat/poultry (unprocessed), rye and aquaculture. For more information or to apply for a FSFL, contact your FSA ofďƒžce. Lastly, we want to wish all of the hardworking farmers we serve a happy holiday season and hope for a great New Year. 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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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 27
My happy place The Transition Pen
By John Rosenhammer & Laura Scholtz Father/Daughter Farming Duo When the temperature takes its annual plunge and daylight diminishes, giving way to increasing darkness, one must overcome the urge to hibernate and make the best of the challenging season we call winter. Yes, we can complain about the cold and the snow, but given where we live that is a fact of life in Minnesota. Winter provides the opportunity to catch up on repairs that had gotten overlooked in summer. While I never get totally caught up on this never-ending list, I always try to make a dent in my daydreaming list that initiates during milking time. One of my goals since I started farming was to do something positive each day. Besides going through the routine chores and daily motions, doing something good for the farm or another person has been part of my daily agenda. Some days its as simple as repairing a gate, a post or replacing a broken board. Other days it may mean spending a few hours with Joey’s house project. On certain occasions going to the wake or funeral of a relative or classmate provides satisfaction beyond the extra effort it took to get there. Sometimes my plan gets over ruled when Greg has a different project to work on. That in itself, giving up my plan for his, is rewarding. That feeling of pushing yourself above and beyond the daily routine results in a feeling that has always been important to me – the feeling of accomplishment. Evening chores seem to go so much better if I have done something constructive during that day. I may not have completed a project, but the fact that I am farther today than I was yesterday creates satisfaction and propels me to look forward to tomorrow. I recently visited my sister Marcia in Chateld. Marcia has an area in her house that she has named My Happy Place. This room is lled with crafts and scrap booking items to outlast a lifetime. There is always a project being worked on – either just completed, in the process or will be down the road. When in this room, her enthusiasm is contagious and radiates like a beautiful rainbow. This is Marcia’s little heaven where she can escape the demands of this world. Here she dreams, sets goals, accomplishes and is rewarded. For it is in giving that one receives. As I stated earlier, morning milking generally is my daydreaming or problem solving time. During these couple hours I plan my agenda for the day, whether it is approved or not is not always in my control. If chores, cows and weather cooperate, I am fortunate to spend a good part of the day in my happy place – our shop. Our shop was built in 1984. It represents the last 30 feet of our machine shed. The once bright white walls and ceiling have been over shadowed by years of exhaust fumes, dust and many colors of errant spray paint. The once bright lights have dimmed with age and replaced with brighter lights, which seem to have faded down the same path. The constant throughout all these years has been the heater, which makes a comfortable place to work no matter how cold it is outdoors. This is where dreams come to life. During the early years, the shop was a novelty place. It was the home for Mom and Dad’s 25th anniversary celebration, calf meetings, a twilight meeting, birthday parties and where we ate grilled food after a long day of making hay. I could not even put a nail or screw in the wall without Dad’s permission. This was a sacred place, compared to the dirt corner in the old Quonset shed with a diesel- scented Knipco, ready to light you on re if you got too close to the ame. What initially seemed to be a large space quickly became lled more and more as the weather got colder. But no matter how cluttered the shop had become, there was always room for another new project. Looking back, the best projects involved spending time with our children while teaching them how to use
tools, solve problems and create memories. The shop is where Joey learned how to overhaul his rst engine. Over Christmas break, we built and wired his rst workbench. Laura shot baskets endlessly while we all listened to the song “Angels Among Us” by Alabama. Many 4-H projects were nished late into the night. Mary constantly drew horse heads on scraps of plywood that we would cut out and she would screw onto a stick and hop around the farm. Becca would come to me with ideas for a school project and together her ideas came to life. During another Christmas vacation, the song “Streets of Heaven” by Sherrie Austin became our theme song, only to prepare us for the unexpected tragic death of my Godmother Angela in 2004. Welding and wood projects were a natural t for Johnny. He welded benches, stars, tail pipes and anything metal. The satisfying part now is when Patty or the children come to me to share an idea, they trust together with Dad they will get it done. My father, Dennis, instilled in me a positive attitude towards repairing most anything on the
farm. Dad never appeared frustrated when some thing broke. Rather, he looked upon it as a challenge to make something better than before. No matter how much time it took sawing with the old hack saw, he always had a smile on his face followed by that feeling of accomplishment. Today, we have cordless tools that make repairs easy and fun compared to what our parents had to work with. These days there are many reasons to doubt the future, to question our industry and feel bitterness. Most of these are a result of what we cannot control. We must focus on things we can control, like our attitude, our approach and our trust that God will care for us. Try to do something each day, no matter how small, to help your farm or your neighbor in need. Set a goal and accomplish that goal by nding your own personal happy place. John Rosenhammer farms with his daughter, Laura Scholtz, and brother Greg, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and run 580 acres of cropland.
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130 Hugh Chester-Jones chest001@umn.edu 507-835-3622 Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184 Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391 Sandra Godden godde002@umn.edu 612-625-8177 Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu 612-626-5620 Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277 Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711 Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu 612-625-3108 Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334 Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109 Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435 Kota Minegishi kota@umn.edu 612-624-7455 Erin Royster royster@umn.edu Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093 M. Scott Wells mswells@umn.edu 612-625-3747 Emily Wilmes krek0033@umn.edu 320-255-6169
www.extension.umn.edu/dairy
Dairying in tough times
It is not a secret to anyone that milk prices have not been great for the last four years. Minnesota lost about 10 percent of its dairy farms in 2018 alone. Wisconsin is down to about 8,000 farms. The reduction in the number of dairy farms is not a new trend. Figure 1 from the Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service shows the change in farm numbers since the 1930s with a concomitant increase in the total amount of milk produced in the state. But the reduction has been more severe in 2018. Many farms have not been able to cover their cost of production and nd ways to stay in business. Data from FINBIN (nbin.umn.edu) show the overall cost of production (including labor and manBy Marcia Endres agement) averaged $17.22 per cwt. of milk in 2017. University of MN The data shows a linear trend by herd size. For herds with up to 50 cows, the cost was $20.22 per cwt. compared to $16.70 for herds over 500 cows. Larger herds have economies of scale that most likely allow them to be more efcient and purchase products at a discounted price. A study we conducted with herd sizes greater than 2,500 cows (median herd size in the study was 3,957 cows) indicated that these herds had high labor efciency, averaging 105 cows per full-time employee, with the top 50 percent protability herds averaging 122 cows (Evink and Endres, 2017). For comparison, on another study that included 67 randomly selected freestall dairy farms in Minnesota (Kloeckner and Endres, 2016) with average herd size of 633 cows (range of 176 to 2,063 cows) labor averaged 51.4 cows per full-time employee. However, there are smaller herds that have high milk production per cow and low cost of production. Feed costs represent 40 to 60 percent of the total cost of production which is about four to ve times the cost of labor, usually the second highest cost. The data from FINBIN show that feed cost averaged $7.86 per cwt. of milk in 2017. We found a somewhat similar number in our study with 67 farms at $7.18 per cwt. Therefore, it seems reasonable that doing what we can to optimize feed cost per cwt. will make a difference in the bottom line and help herds continue to stay in business. Dairy production systems are very complex and include moving parts. We need to pay attention to the basics and doing all the little things right too. It all adds up. A primary focus of attention should be forage quality. Jim Linn used to teach us that forages are the base of the food pyramid. If the quality of the forage we feed our cows is not adequate, cows will not reach their milk production potential, and we will have a higher cost of production per cwt. Our study with 67 farms showed us that type of corn hybrid used for silage production was associated with feed cost per cwt. Using only one type of corn hybrid – either silage or grain – and not switching from one type to another was associated with lower feed cost per cwt, maybe because of more uniformity in the silage offered to the cows. I think this nding could also be a marker for farms that were paying closer attention to forage quality. Moisture content of wet forages should be measured on a frequent basis so ration formulation can be adjusted if needed along with routine lab analysis for nutrient composition. It is important to reduce variation in nutrient content of the ration dry matter to provide cows a more consistent diet.
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In addition to high forage quality, optimal feed bunk management and access to feed are essential for our cows being as productive as possible. One of our studies with robotic milking farms (Salfer, Siewert and Endres, 2018) showed 8 pounds more milk per cow per day for herds using automatic feed push up compared to herds using manual feed push up. Most likely this difference would be less in conventional herds, but eld observations have indicated increases of 3 to 5 pounds per cow with the more frequent feed push up. Old feed should be removed every day to prevent spoilage of new feed and encourage intake. It is important to provide adequate feed bunk space for each cow, which is suggested to be 18 inches per cow in lactating cow pens and 30 inches per cow in dry and fresh cow pens. Another consideration is to aim for optimal feeding for refusals such that we do not have excess but also are not limiting intake. Adequate particle size and dry matter of the ration will help reduce sorting. In addition, attention should be placed on ration mixing procedure and delivery. It is important to evaluate forage quality, availability and cost of byproduct feeds, and feeding management on a routine basis to determine where costs can be reduced and feed utilization can be improved. Cow comfort or welfare should be as optimal as possible. Research has shown that increasing resting time will increase milk production per cow, therefore reducing feed cost per cwt. because cows are getting more out of the feed we provide. Our studies have shown that herds with more comfortable, soft and appropriately designed stalls have better cow productivity. Unrestricted access to clean water and a good health care program in place are also essential for good cow welfare. Low stress cow handling has also been shown to improve cow performance, and it does not cost anything. These are all the little and big things that can make a difference in your herd’s protability at all times, but are especially important during these tough times.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 29
Advice on stress, well-being, resiliency is focus of meeting By Sherry Newell Dairy Star Writer
SAUK CENTRE, Minn. – The increasing challenges of handling economic, management and family difculties on the farm have not been lost on Emily Wilmes, University of Minnesota Extension Educator. The calls Wilmes has received and the stories she has heard are part of what prompted her to lead a session called “Farming in Tough Times” Dec. 7 in Sauk Centre. Wilmes and keynote speaker Dennis Hoiberg provided insight, advice and resources to about 80 who attended the event. Four panelists who faced farming difculties shared stories and encouraged audience members to recognize ways they can address their mental health when things become difcult. “It’s not about being strong, it’s about being whole,” said Hoiberg, addressing how farmers can be resilient under the weight of changes happening in agriculture. Hoiberg, who hails from Australia, is a consultant brought to the area by the Northern Crops Institute to speak at meetings and conferences across the region. Hoiberg has worked with rural communities, families and businesses for 35 years. Mental well-being, Hoiberg said, is more than thinking happy thoughts. It comes through resilience in times of change. “Farmers might say to be resilient is to suck it up and work harder,” Hoiberg said. “That’s not resilience. That’s just being stubborn.” According to Hoiberg, farmers whose emotions, thoughts, behaviors and physical symptoms begin to reect things like sadness, anxiety, anger, selfcriticism, indecisiveness, neglect, loss of motivation and fatigue have reduced resilience. He offered an acronym to represent the ingredients for building and maintaining resilience: H.O.P.E.,
which stands for positive habits, optimistic thinking, planning and enacting those plans. “That doesn’t mean you won’t go through a bad time or face tough decisions,” Hoiberg said. “But you must look after yourself and each other.” Hoiberg told the audience he believed at least 10 in the room are struggling with depression. “Depression isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of reality,” he said. Wilmes echoed Hoiberg’s advice. “It’s OK to not be OK,” she said. “The bad thing is to get stuck in a piece of that cycle.” In addition, Wilmes urged people to be willing to reach out to friends and family who are struggling, offering to listen or to connect them with help. Each of the four panelists at the meeting emphasized the importance of using those resources or reaching out to others in order to cope with challenges. Panelist Mark Koehn, a former hog farmer and current Stearns County assessor, described how his farming career came to an end after mounting bills from family health problems and his own difculty handling the stress of a changing industry. “My 4-year-old son said, ‘Why is Dad so grumpy all the time?’ and that was really tough,” Koehn said. “It was a dark period in my life.” With good friends, a strong faith community and plenty of talking, Koehn made the decision to sell half his farmland and pursue a new career, which he has come to love. Brenda Miller, an extension educator, joined the panel to describe coping with her father’s death from pancreatic cancer and how it ended her dream of eventually taking over the farm. “I never thought it was possible to grieve over a farm or a building site,” Miller said. Her father’s death and the sale of the family farm, combined with postpartum depression, put Miller on a course of addressing her issues with
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a variety of tools, including joining a gym to work out stress, and reading for enjoyment and self-improvement. “It’s OK to nd someone in the professional eld to help you,” Miller said. “I wish someone would have pushed me in that direction sooner.” Another panelist, Morrison County dairy farmer Brenda Rudolph, described how current low milk prices and the lingering effects of a difcult farm transition led her to a point where she was mad at everyone. “I was not handling life,” Rudolph said. “I wanted to just leave – leave my husband, my farm, my kids. Finally, I said to myself, ‘Brenda, you need some help.’” Rudolph began seeing a counselor every two weeks and has improved her outlook. She also learned her practice of being honest and asking questions is useful. “I always thought they were faults,” Rudolph said. “But this last year, I realized those are positives. I can’t change milk prices, but I can change where we are in this. We are together. That mat-
ters.” The milk market also created a crisis for panelist Meg Moynihan, an organic dairy farmer and former organic coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. She and her husband lost their milk market for several months, resulting in her husband returning to trucking while she left her job and began operating the farm. “I was overworked, poorly nourished and scared,” Moynihan said. “And, I was terried of making the wrong decision.” While things eventually improved, the situation led Moynihan to return to the Department of Agriculture in a role where she can help strengthen support for the rural community. The Department of Agriculture was one of many resources pointed out to the session’s audience, paired with Wilmes’ encouragement to bring mental health to higher awareness among farm families. “The way we are going to release the stigma of these things is to confront them head on,” Wilmes said.
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Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
A Christmas miracle
The days are short and the coldest part of the year of circumstances. has arrived. Christmas, with its lights and warmth, is Speaking of anvils, the true meaning of Christmas probably the best possible antidote to the chill and the was reinforced for me many years ago during a Yuledark. tide visit with a pair of old bachelor blacksmiths. There are those who argue that the true meaning The winter when I was 18, I took a full-time job of Christmas has been irrewith an area dairy farmer. trievably lost. They say the On Christmas Eve Day, the There are those h who h argue that h holiday has been reduced Th boss and I drove to town to to a tool of commerce, an the true meaning of Christmas run errands, one of which instrument designed to exinvolved the boss paying peditiously extract money has been irretrievably lost. his bill at the local machine from the masses. shop. It does not help that Finding the door to we are constantly bombarded by Christmas blowout the machine shop locked, we went to the house next sale ads and the news that Santa has hired Google to door where its owners lived. A grease-stained grizzly compile his naughty or nice list. Such things make it bear-like man answered our knock. difďƒžcult to keep in mind that this holiday, occurring “C’mon in,â€? he said. “It ain’t ďƒžt for man nor beast during a season when the ground is hard as an anvil, out there, and you guys must be one or the other.â€? began with a birth that took place under the humblest We were ushered into a ramshackle kitchen. Ev-
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ery available surface in the house was occupied by stacks of old newspapers and random ďƒ&#x;otsam and jetsam. A path between the piles allowed passage from room to room. We were offered seats at the kitchen table. Dear County Agent Guy The smaller brother, who reminded me of a dyspeptic wolverine, hastily cleared a small area of the tabletop while the grizzly rummaged around in a prehistoric refrigerator. “You got to try our eggnog,â€? said the grizzly as he hauled a massive stoneware pitcher By Jerry Nelson from the depths of the Columnist refrigerator. “Tis the season. An’ you guys need something to take the edge off this cold.â€? A set of grungy coffee mugs were slammed down before us and ďƒžlled with nog. I picked up a mug of the gooey ďƒ&#x;uid and took a preliminary whiff. My nose hairs instantly vaporized. “Smells good, don’ it?â€? said the grizzly. “We done it up right, with both rum and whiskey. Go on, drink up.â€? I took an experimental sip. The stuff was too thick to swallow and too thin to chew. A searing sensation ďƒžlled my throat as I choked the nog down. As the four of us sat chatting and sipping questionable eggnog, a slender calico cat sauntered into the kitchen from amidst the jungle of clutter. “There’s Bob,â€? said my boss. “Ha,â€? I said, feeling inexplicably giddy. “It’s a tomcat and you named him Bob. I get it.â€? An icy silence suddenly descended. The blacksmith brothers glared at each other across the table. It seemed that I had struck a nerve. The boss turned to me and said, “Bob birthed a litter of kittens a few days ago.â€? “You’re so dumb, you can’t even tell a boy cat from a girl cat,â€? said the wolverine at the bear. “It never even dawned on you that he was pregnant,â€? said the grizzly. “You said, ‘Bob must be catching lots of mice, he’s really putting on weight.’ Glad you ain’t my doctor.â€? Silence reigned once again. It was clear that this matter was a source of deep animosity. A merry Christmas seemed unlikely. At length, my boss cleared his throat and said, “Maybe something else is going on. Maybe Bob was a tomcat but something, I dunno, miraculous happened. After all, it’s the season for that sort of thing.â€? A feeble “mewâ€? wafted up from the kitchen ďƒ&#x;oor. Bob had placed one of his newborns at our feet. “Aww, would you look it that,â€? said the grizzly. He scooped up the tiny kitty in his massive paw and petted the creature with surprising tenderness. “Let me see,â€? said the wolverine, crowding in. “Looks sort of like you, don’t you think? Let’s see if we can ďƒžnd the rest. Maybe Bob had one that looks like me.â€? We left the blacksmith brothers happily searching for the rest of Bob’s kittens. As we drove away, a warm sensation arose within me, a feeling that was due to more than just the eggnog. It was the thought that a little baby had again brought peace to the earth and goodwill to men. Jerry is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, S.D. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry currently works full time for the Dairy Star as a staff writer/ ad salesman. Feel free to E-mail him at: jerry.n@dairystar.com.
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Maintain calf health, performance in cold weather
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 31
Although the ofcial start to winter is now upon importance. Caloric demand for maintenance increases us, we have already experienced several weeks of cold as the temperature decreases below 55 degrees Fahrenweather. In sub-freezing temperatures, calves (and all heit. The more energy a calf must use to maintain body mammals) are motivated to maintain internal body temperature, the less that is available for growth. This temperature. Thermal stress can increase calf is more susceptible to mobilizing calf morbidity and mortality and reduce Something to Ruminate On body fat reserves and amino acids. Adrates of growth. Focusing on calves’ inditionally, energy is pulled away from creased needs in the winter months can the immune system, making calves more provide the best opportunity for success. prone to diseases. Maternity and newborn calf housStrategies to increase energy intake ing: Combatting cold stress in calves during cold stress include altering the starts in the calving pen. Calves are amounts and timing of milk feeding. born with a minimal amount of body Milk volume is often increased by about fat reserves. The calf’s small body mass one-third. Shifting from two to three relative to external surface area results times daily feeding will also increase in rapid loss of body heat. Clean, deepmilk intake. Supplemental fat can also bedded straw helps, but wet calves lose be added to milk feeding. Be aware this heat quickly to the environment. addition can impact total solids in the By Barry Visser Towel drying a newborn calf aids in milk. Work with you calf nutritionist Nutritionist ufng its hair coat. This works as an inand advisors to decide which strategies sulator by creating a boundary between t your operation best. the calf’s body and the chilly ambient air. Pay attention Water intake is critical to starter consumption and to drying the ears as this will help reduce the risk of rumen development. Offer warm water to calves after frost damage. Warming boxes work well to nish the the milk feeding. Pails may need to be dumped prior to drying process and keep calves warm during the rst the next feeding in extreme cold conditions. 12 hours after birth. However, calf boxes must be kept Additional management considerations: Excesvery clean to reduce disease pressure. They should be sive calf handling should be avoided during really cold cleaned and sanitized between calves. days. Consider holding off on pen moves or vaccinaCalves receiving supportive warming therapy after tions if possible as these events create addition stress birth will have less stress and, as a result, will likely on the animals and thus demand more energy. Another have greater efciency of immunoglobulin absorption unintended consequence of cold weather is greater from colostrum feeding. uctuation in milk temperature at feeding. The ideal Calves should be moved out of the warming box feeding temperature is 105 degrees Fahrenheit. You into the next calf facility by 24 hours of age. Again, may need to get creative in how to maintain this feeddeep-bedded straw is a great option for insulating ef- ing temperature. Moving milk replacer powder into a fects. Calves placed into hutches and cold barns should warm room can make a signicant difference. be furnished with calf jackets for approximately the Finally, monitor and track calf growth and health. rst three weeks of age. Adjust the jacket so it contin- This will help identify bottlenecks and troubleshoot ues to t as the calf grows. challenges. Excellent management during winter will Nutrition considerations: The rst goal is to sat- allow calves to overcome cold stress and continue to isfy calves’ maintenance requirements. Increasing the grow at target rates. plane of nutrition to combat cold stress is of primary Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
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Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
The gift of sight
The presents are wrapped and snuggled under the end reaction and realization of what occurred. All I tree waiting in anticipation for the holiday stampede, know is that Mark suddenly had his gloved hands craand we have a renewed appreciation of old gifts taken dling the left side of his head. A small wispy branch for granted. No, not recycled white elephant gifts but on a log was snagged under the wood pile tarp. As a sense of seeing things with fresh eyes. A single mo- Mark tugged on the log, the branch whipped him in ment in time felt for a life. the face. He could not close We escaped farm duties S his eyes quick enough. Bits Sometimes i we might i h need da for a few hours last week. of bark and dirt were embedIt was a beautiful afternoon moment of blindness to clear ded in his left eye. I knew it as Mark and I were splitwas serious when he did not ting wood. We worked in our vision and change our focus. object to going to the doctandem lifting logs, peeling tor, but he thought maybe away small pieces to toss we should nish cleaning onto the pile in the rock wagon. After the second load, up and dumping the load of wood by the shed. I reaswe decided we had enough time to pop into town for sured him the weather forecast was clear and dry, and Christmas cookies at the bank before we needed to we could come back later as I started unhooking the start chores. As we were cleaning up scattered pieces hydraulic hoses from the wood splitter. I wanted to of wood and small logs, our day changed in the blink keep moving before he talked himself out of going. of an eye. The tractor was our only form of transportation. Two I do not know if I saw what happened or just the miles never seemed so long to travel, even with the
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throttle wide open. Keeping his eyes shut tight, I guided Mark to the house to change out of our farm clothes. There was not any blood oozing through his ngers, so I assumed we had time to change. I gured the other patients Just Thinking Out Loud would not appreciate our working farm look either. It was a silent ride to urgent care as Christmas carols played softly on the radio. In the corner of the exam room, I sat silently praying for God to put the right people in our path. He did. I did not always like them at rst, By Natalie Schmitt but they were the right Columnist people at the right time. The doctor passed us off to an eye specialist after taking one quick peek in his eye. The eye tech took his sweet time testing Mark’s vision before he would clean out the debris. The specialist stayed after hours on a Friday to tenderly and delicately work on cleaning up the damage to his eye. As gently as a mother cleans a toddler’s skinned knee, Dr. Simmons cleaned out Mark’s eye and put a Band-Aid contact on his cornea. If all goes well, his eye will be completely healed in seven days. There was all a procedure, a plan and a purpose to the events. I did not see it at rst but eventually the picture came into focus as I look back at the events. With the good news of no damage to his vision, we now let our minds wander to what really could have happened. For the next two days, Mark was very sensitive to light. He wore sunglasses at night in the house to watch a Christmas movie. Most of the time he listened and kept both eyes closed behind the darkened lenses. Mark was beginning to understand the world of limited vision his father lives in with macular degeneration. He was starting to see things in a different light. We were able to keep him out of the barn for three milkings. Once he found a pair of wrap-around safety glasses, there was no stopping him. The funny thing about all of this is that Mark’s new prescription reading glasses came in a few days before his accident. He was tired of struggling to read the ne print in phone books, magazines and Christmas cards. In the blink of an eye, he could have lost all of those struggles in a completely different way. Sometimes we might need a moment of blindness to clear our vision and change our focus. This is a time of twinkling lights but it can also can be a time of growing darkness. It can feel as if a veil blocking the light has slipped over our eyes to see a future, to see hope, to see love. When one sense is compromised, the others become more acute. Still your heart and search for a glimmer of light to pierce through the darkness of night. Start to see with your other senses as you search for the light in the darkness. See the warm December sun as it warms your face. See the love of a child through a big grandpa hug. See the sound of joy as Christmas carolers stroll through the neighborhood. Take a moment to appreciate the gift of sight. I will let you in on a little secret. One of the wrapped presents under our tree is a box of safety glasses for everyone to wear. May you have a wonderful Christmas season. Natalie, Mark and his brother, Al, Schmitt farm together near Rice, Minn. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are great help around the farm and are pushing Natalie out of several jobs. Therefore she is thankful to have something else to do. For questions or comments please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 33
All is right
There’s a little town in northern Minnesota where the spirit of Christmas is alive. Sandwiched between the railroad and State Highway 210, sits Wright, Minn. Every year the town celebrates Wrong Days in Wright, and during the festival’s softball tournament, the players run around the bases the wrong way – from third to second to rst to home. But, except for those two days, all is right in Wright. The town is home to some 125 people, a post ofDairy Good Life ce, a restaurant, a bar, a lumberyard, several churches, and a grocery store. When I was a girl, my sisters and I would ride our bikes the six miles to town to spend our nickels and pennies on Tootsie Rolls at the grocery store. That was back in the day when every rural town had its own grocery store. Today, the Farmers Co-op Grocery Store is one of few remaining small-town grocery stores – the kind of grocery store with only one check out lane and one cash register. It’s remarkable the nearly 100-year-old cooperative is still in business. The small, red brick structure was built in the By Sadie Frericks 1950s to house the town’s cooperative creamery, Columnist making, as my dad remembers it, dry, white cheese. When the creamery stopped making cheese in the 1970s, the grocery store moved from its old location into the newer brick building. Wright also had a cooperative feed mill, but that closed a couple years ago. With all the other local grocery stores shuttered, the Farmers Co-op is now the only grocery store for 20 miles in most directions. Convenience stores in the region carry staples like milk and bread, but the grocery store in Wright is the only place to nd fresh produce and a fresh meat counter. My sister Sabrina still lives close enough to ride her bike to the Farmers Coop. But I’m pretty sure she usually takes her car. A couple weeks ago, Sabrina was getting her groceries with all three of her kids in tow. At checkout, the man in line behind her set his groceries on the belt next to her groceries. When the clerk accidentally rang up all of the groceries together, Sabrina told her, “I’m not with him.” The man in line behind her said, “Well, today you are. It’s December.” And then he paid for both her groceries and his. Sabrina said she was so shocked that all she could do was thank him with tears of gratitude. She doesn’t know who the man was and the clerk didn’t know either. When she told me the story later, she said the best part was that her kids got to see that there are good people in the world. Fast forward a couple weeks and Sabrina was getting groceries again at the Farmers Co-op in Wright with all three of her kids. At check out, there was an elderly gentleman ahead of her in line. Sabrina didn’t catch his name, but the clerk told her later that he is 90 years old and lives alone. Sabrina said the man reminded her so much of our grandpa, right down to what he was purchasing: a gallon of whole milk and a package of raspberry cream cheese Danishes. But as he checked out, his debit card didn’t work. The clerk tried running the card a second time, and Sabrina could see the man starting to get ustered. “Don’t worry,” Sabrina said. “I’ll get those for you.” The man slowly turned to look at her and said, “You can’t do that.” “Oh, yes, I can,” Sabrina said. “It’s Christmas!” No one has ever successfully told my sister she couldn’t do something. They exchanged a few words and the man nished with a simple, “Thank you.” After the gentleman left with his milk and Danishes, my 8-year-old nephew piped up and said, “This place really is lled with love.” May all be right in your world this Christmas. May you see the good in all people. And, may all of your places be lled with love. Merry Christmas! Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 11, Monika, 8, and Daphne, 5. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
A rewarding career
Bachmanns named Becker County Farm Family of Year By Danna Sabolik danna.s@dairystar.com
FRAZEE, Minn. – When the Bachmanns found out they were awarded as the Becker County Farm Family of the Year, they were shocked. “Being involved in the community is just something you do,� Nancy Bachmann said. “We just try to do the best we can.� Nancy, her husband, Jason, and their daughters, Ashley, 23, and Brittany, 20, milk 75 cows in a 35-stall barn near Frazee, Minn. “It’s one of those things where you get something like this and you think there are so many other farm families who are more deserving or just as deserving,� Nancy said. Jason agreed. “It was very rewarding,� Jason said. “You just keep doing your job like any other day and keep being yourself. That’s the weird part. You don’t feel like you’ve done anything to get it, because you don’t feel like you’re doing anything different than normal.� The Bachmanns were recognized as the Becker County Farm Family of the Year at a ceremony during FarmFest in August and received a plaque for their achievements on the farm and their participation in the community.
Both Jason and Nancy grew up on dairy farms, but decided when they got married that was not the lifestyle they wanted. Two years later, the couple changed their mind and purchased Nancy’s parents’ herd of cows and began milking 21 cows on Jason’s parents’ farm. “In 1993, we moved to this farm and built a barn with stalls,â€? Jason said. “We didn’t want a parlor because we didn’t want more than 32 cows. We grew to 32 cows and stayed there until 2010.â€? With economics playing into the recipe, they soon needed to expand. “We bought a herd of 25 cows and moved the housing outdoors,â€? Nancy said. “We milk 32 at a time, pen the rest and then switch.â€? They bed with straw to ensure the cows stay dry and warm throughout winter and the wet months. They have 20 acres of pasture but usually opt for the bedded straw pack near the feeder. “They’re so much healthier than when we kept them inside all the time,â€? Jason said. They planned a feeder and windbreak shelter outside their barn to ďƒžt around 60 cows. Today, with 75 milking cows, they are crunched for space but not willing to part with their beloved bovines.
“It’s too hard to part with the animals,â€? Nancy said. “You farm with your heart instead of the business, and we get too attached.â€? All of the Bachmanns’ cows have names, as well. They are ďƒžled that way through DHIA and each year are named after a letter of the alphabet. The coming year, 2019, will be L. “The girls will look up baby names with that letter and make a list that we reference throughout the year,â€? Nancy said. “It’s fun for all of us and makes it more personal.â€? Ashley is a math teacher at Menahga High School, and Brittany works in Frazee as a bank teller. “The girls were extremely involved in the farm growing up,â€? Jason said. “We did everything together. That was our normal.â€? When needed, their daughters still help do chores. “When someone on the farm gets hurt or when we need help, everyone works around their schedules to keep things moving,â€? he said. Both Jason and Nancy believe being involved in the community is a priority and work to make it their way of life. Jason has served on the DHIA board and is on the Lakes Area Co-op board. They have both served on the township board, with Nancy having a role as clerk.
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Nancy and Jason Bachmann, pictured with their daughters, Ashley (leĹŒ) and BriĆŠany, are the Becker County Farm Family of the year. They milk 75 cows near Frazee, Minn. They have both also served on the ADA and fair boards. “We were very active in our kids’ activities,â€? Jason said. “We were on booster clubs and never missed a game. We milked at noon and midnight to be able to go.â€? Nancy agreed. “We promised each other when we got the cows that they won’t rule our life,â€? Nancy said. “And, the girls kept us busy.â€?
In addition to farming, Nancy also does a drafting and design business from home. “I do house plans for people and residential construction,� Nancy said. “It’s a nice mental break from the farm. I love it.� It’s all part of their goal of balancing being involved in the community and dairy farming – a life they have loved and continue to do as long as they can.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 35
Maximizing production is not always the answer Olson presents about how dairy farmers can get the best return on investment
component pricing. Olson said up to 90 percent of the milk in the area goes to cheese plants. “At the end of the day, we don’t make milk,” Olson said. “We make cheese. … Are we making the right decisions … in our management structure to match that? We get paid for pounds By Krista Kuzma of butterfat and pounds of protein that krista.k@dairystar.com leave our driveway each day. That water that’s with it is just the vehicle to get WELCH, Minn. – Trent Olson the protein and fat down the road.” said there are different ways to look at Because of this, dairy farmers protability on a dairy farm. might have to change their image of the “Sometimes creating maximum ideal cow. yield and production isn’t always the “We make lots of decisions based answer,” said Olson, North American on pounds of milk whether we realize it genetic services or not,” Olson said. trainer for ABS Examples include breeding, dry off Global, Inc. and culling decisions, he said. Olson preAnother one of the largest expenses sented the seminar, on a dairy is heifer replacements or the “Production is Van- cost to raise them. ity, Prot is Sanity “What is your heifer to cow ratio?” and ROI is Neces- Olson said. “The number of heifers we sity,” Nov. 28 at the calve in needs to match that cow-cull Minnesota Milk rate.” Dairy Conference Trent Olson Olson said the rule of thumb to deand Expo in Welch, termine what a cull rate should be is ABS Global, Inc. Minn. to cut the farm’s heifer-to-cow ratio in “How do we half. determine success?” Olson said. “Ev“Do the number of heifers freshery farm will have a different version. ening dictate the number of cows that Depending on what your version of leave?” Olson said. “Is the cull rate success is, that’s what we should think determining the number of heifers we of when making business decisions and choose to raise for replacements?” really trying to build our opportunity to For many dairies, it is the number make a protable industry.” of heifers freshening that determines Dairy farms need to be efcient and the cull rate, Olson said. manage nances well to get the best re“Having an incredibly high turnturn on investment. over rate can really drive the bottom “Lots of dairy farms manage their line from a protability side,” Olson business assets the same way they man- said. age a checkbook,” That is beOlson said. “It’s like cause the most prota leaky bucket. So able cows are usually often we focus on if beyond the rst lactawe have water left tion. in the bucket. Is our “How many checkbook still pos2-year-olds can your itive after we pay herd afford to milk?” the expenses?” Olson said. “They Olson chaljust can’t physically lenged dairy farmmake as much milk ers to look at those as those second and expenses to see if third lactation cows.” they would be better An ideal cull invested in other ar- TRENT OLSON, ABS GLOBAL, INC. rate for many dairy eas on their dairy to farmers is somecreate a bigger prot. where between 20-30 percent, Olson “We get so focused on that check- said. list of what we have to do daily to run “Raise the number of heifers you a business and sometimes we don’t al- need to match what that cull rate should ways take a step back and say are we be,” he said. using those assets and maximizing the The surplus of heifers can be sold potential protability in our business,” for additional income. he said. To maximize prot even more, The best way to amplify prot on Olson said the cows on the lower end a dairy, said Olson, is to maximize the of the genetic spectrum can be bred to return on the two largest investments on beef semen. Not only does this create a dairy – feed and heifer raising. a more valuable calf to sell, but it also For feed, Olson said to look at the improves the genetics of the herd more return on investment per pound of dry quickly. matter. A good range is 1.4 to 1.6 pounds “It creates heifers from the best aniof milk for every pound of feed. Olson mals and makes the top part of the herd has seen dairies as high as 2 pounds of more valuable,” Olson said. “There are milk for every 1 pound of feed. But the a lot of ways to revalue and think about components in the milk matter. our calves.” “Our historical yardstick of success Olson hopes improving efciency has always been the bulk tank stick,” can help dairy farmers and their bottom Olson said. “One hundred pounds [of line. milk per cow per day] might sound “As much as we have passion and great and it’s great for bragging rights love for what we do, unfortunately we at the local tavern, but it doesn’t have are in a very competitive environment,” any indication on protability. In some Olson said. “We need to run our farms cases, it might not even mean revenue.” like businesses and make a lot of the That is because dairy farmers in managerial decisions needed in order to the upper Midwest are paid on multiple survive.”
“How many 2-yearolds can your herd afford to milk? They just can’t physically make as much milk as those second and third lactation cows.”
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
Women In Dairy Ann Leonhardt West Albany, Minn. Wabasha County 250 cows Family: My husband, Casey, and I have three children: Joey, 25, Aleisha, 23, and Jake, 18. My parents are Chester and Ruth Briggs. I am the middle of three girls. Tell us about your farm. My husband and I are the fourth generation on his family’s dairy farm. We purchased the farm from his dad. Our kids are the fth generation and are active on the farm, too. We milk our cows in a double-8 parallel parlor and raise all our calves. What’s the busiest time of day for you? Mornings are the busiest for me. My day starts around 5 a.m. I check our activity system to see which cows need to be bred and if there are any other health issues that need attention. I then check to see if any new calves have been born before starting to feed bottle calves and youngstock. After that’s done, I help clean up after milking. When you get a spare moment what do you do? I like to spend time with my grandson. I also clean the house, and go to town for errands and grow. I’m always the one to give extra care and attention to the anitake a break from the farm. I also like working with my pet goats. mals that need it the most. I love the TLC part. It’s fun to see how those calves grow and do as milking cows. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. About ve years ago, we had a set of triplet calves. They were all alive, How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I am and they all lived. That was exciting. It was only the second set of triplets involved with 4-H. My kids showed dairy cows, steers and goats. I ever born on the farm. am a 4-H adult volunteer and leader. We have also hosted 4-H travel exchange families. Our youngest nished his last year of 4-H this What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the past year. I do most of the feed store visits for our dairy, so I also stay dairy industry? I enjoy working with the animals and watching them connected that way along with being a member of the Exchange by Dairy Girl Network Facebook group. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? I worked for a neighboring dairy farm as a kid. I fed calves and learned how to milk cows. I also visited my grandparents’ farm regularly. All these dairy people inspired me. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? There are a lot of women and people in the world who don’t have a farm or dairy background who would benet from a farm tour. They can see their food comes from the farm rather than the grocery store.
FARM INFORMATION STATION Joe Gill • Farm Director
What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken? When our kids were growing up, we would take them to Wisconsin Dells. We didn’t get too far away from the farm for too long, but it was always a fun getaway.
SERVING CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR OVER 50 YEARS Catch the Dairy Star’s Mark Klaphake with Joe Gill at 6:45 a.m. the 2nd & 4th Fridays of the month on KASM!
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What are some words you like to live by? There are only so many hours in a day.
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 37
Using less, gaining more Heins covers low-input options for dairy
good indicator of their health.” A windbreak is necessary in outwintering both milking cows and heifers. This can be either natural, like By Danna Sabolik trees, or a man-made fence or other danna.s@dairystar.com structure such as stacked bales. “If you don’t have a windbreak, they will run all over the pasture trying ALEXANDRIA, Minn. – With to nd a break,” Heins said. the current dairy climate, many are As for feeding, incur minimum lalooking for ways to cut costs. In a sembor expenses by feeding hay in a new inar at Alexandria Technical and Comlocation each time. Strategically placmunity College Dec. 6, Brad Heins ing bales throughpresented his suggestions to lower inout the eld with put costs on dairies based on research a polywire barrier by the University of Minnesota. will provide good “Dairying has become very reliant soil fertility for on outside inputs,” said Heins, associthe pasture in the ate professor at the University of Minspringtime as well. nesota. “Barns are expensive to mainAt the tain, and there’s many things that go WCROC, they along with that.” also have been Low input dairy farming can in- Brad Heins University of MN raising calves in clude many things like grazing, outgroups. wintering, crossbreeding and group Calves at the WCROC are housed rearing. in a super hutch from when they are Interest in outwintering is stemmed from a lower cost option compared to 3 days old until they are weaned at a high-cost building. Other issues in a about 60 days. The super hutch is 12barn like disease or poor ventilation by 19-feet and ts 10 calves. The pen are eliminated when practicing out- surrounding the super hutch is 30- by wintering. Animals stay cleaner and 40-feet. “We initially raise calves in indibedding cost is reduced, Heins said. vidual pens for a “[Outwintering] couple days to make is not the same pracsure they are drinktice as grazing or ing well and then throwing the cows move them into the out on the back 40 outdoor group pen for the winter and at about three days,” forgetting about Heins said. them until spring,” The calves he said. “They need require individual protection from observation to make wind, either with sure they are growtrees or you can coning well and are struct your own, and healthy. water that doesn’t WCROC has freeze.” used group feeding At the UniverBRAD HEINS, to help reduce cost. sity of Minnesota’s UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA “Personally, I West Central Rethink it’s a pain in search and Outreach Center in Morris, Minn., they have been experimenting the butt to feed calves individually,” with outwintering in lactating cows, Heins said. “People will tell you housing calves individually will reduce heifers and calves. One consideration when choosing health problems, but I don’t believe in where to outwinter animals is mud. that.” Calves are fed once a day using a Thinking about where the snow will 55-gallon drum with 10 nipples spaced melt in the spring can help save a lot of mess by choosing a smart loca- throughout the bottom. This has retion. Frostbite can also be a concern, duced labor and growth rates have but with a closely monitored herd and remained the same. However, calves making sure teats are dry after milk- must be aggressive when they are young, or they will struggle to grow in ing, frostbite can be prevented. Outwintering heifers looks differ- a pen environment. “Some tips I recommend for group ent, as they are not so closely monifeeding successfully are separate newtored and do not require as much attention. At WCROC, bedding is borns from fresh cows, teach them sometimes straw, or nothing is used to drink from a nipple while they’re and snow can serve as insulation from young and don’t add them to the group the cold ground, as long as it is not too if they’re not very aggressive,” Heins said. wet. It is important to keep in mind “When you are outwintering heifthat calves are the future of the herd, ers, make sure you are monitoring so caring for them is one of the most their growth,” Heins said. “If an animal is not putting on weight that’s a important aspects of the dairy.
“Separate newborns from fresh cows, teach them to drink from a nipple while they’re young and don’t add them to the group if they’re not very aggressive.”
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.
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7780 2014, 1301 Hrs, RWA, KP, Prodrive,
Guidance Ready, Dohrman Applicator,
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239,000
$
Owners Amy & Brad Herickhoff with their unique plow fitted with a waterline boot.
Bill Pasche, Sales & Design Cell: 320-293-6951 bill@agtechdrainage.com
Gene Mensen, Sales Cell: 320-429-1036
gene@agtechdrainage.com
Brad Herickhoff, Owner Office: 320-351-4872 Cell: 320-293-0882 brad@agtechdrainage.com
S Sam Lange, Sales & Site Manager Cell: 320-232-3102 sam@agtechdrainage.com
Mark Machart, Sales Cell: 320-429-4633
mark@agtechdrainage.com
HELP WANTED FULL-TIME POSITIONS LABORERS, OPERATORS & POSSIBLE LEAD POSITION To apply, download an application at www.agtechdrainage.com or call 320.351.4872
Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
Monahan
Les Kuehl
HOOF TRIMMING
Repair Service
Since 1997
Trimming commercial and show cattle
We use a hydraulic upright chute for less stress. “Our two man crew allows us to complete the job in a timely manner with less disruption of your herd’s daily routine.”
PTO GENERATORS A RS ATOR Model 50PTOC-3, 50 kw,
208 amps, 1800 RPM, 540 input spd, 100 input hp
20+ Years Experience
15KW to 150KW STANDARD FEATURES: • 100% Copper Windings • Helical Gears for Smooth Operation • Full Power Receptacle • Square D Mainline Circuit Breakers
• Sealed silo parts & service • Stainless steel roofs • Feeders & conveyors • Stainless steel conveyor chains • Best chains on the market • Early maintenance service checks • Used and rebuilt unloaders Not afÀliated with the Harvestore brand
320-760-2909
Eve. 320-762-1827 No Emergency Charges--Ever!
Call Dan at
507-272-3447
• Large 3” Voltage Meter • Full Power Plug Included • Powder Coat Paint • Rodent Screens • Lifting Eyes
tfn
A Spreader for Every Operation!
WITH THANKS FROM OUR ENTIRE STAFF
AT CHRISTMAS
As we wrap up yet another year, we’d like to acknowledge wrap up yet another year, allAs thewe individuals-customers, neighbors, and all the we’d like toassociates, acknowledge friends, who have made neighbors, indivduals - customers, doing business here such a associates and friends - who have pleasure for us. madeWishing doing business here such a you a
Invest in Quality!
pleasure for us. Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
We have a wide range of models and sizes with multiple options to fit any operation. Our innovative, high-quality spreaders will provide superior performance with years of low-maintenance service.
www.KuhnNorthAmerica.com
Farm Systems Inc.
(800) 385-3911 (507) 451-3131
2250 Austin Road • Owatonna, MN 55060
PH: 800-385-3911 or 507-451-3131 www.northlandfarmsystems.com
northlandfarmsystems.com
‘11 Kuhn Knight VTC 1100 mixer mounted on ‘12 Peterbuilt 367, 40,619 Miles, 1100 cu. ft. - $134,000
GENIE GTH3007, D, 6600 Lift Cap, C & H, 1414 hrs.
$33,900
(5) Gehl R190 ‘14 Gehl RT 175 12” Tracks, Many options to choose from 1750 Lift Cap, C/H/A, Starting at $20,600 111 hrs - $41,900
‘08 Penta 5620HD RH door, rubber ext. $23,500
‘05 Kuhn Knight 3130, 300 CuFt, Scale w/Remote, 2’ LH Discharge - $10,500
Mustang 2100RT $39,500
‘12 Kuhn Knight 8141, 4100 gal, w/hyd. lid - $35,800
‘14 Mustang 2600R, H/F ctrls, C&H, 2 spd., P-Q-tach, counter weight - $35,500
Knight Slingers Models in Stock- 8141, (3) 8132, (2) 8118, 8018
Starting at $10,000
(9) Gehl R220, Many options to choose from Starting at $27,500
8’ Manure Pumps Jamesway & Balzer units in stock
Starting at $4,200
Dairy prole
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018 • Page 39
sponsored by
Martin Hall Westby, Wis. Vernon County 47 cows How did you get into farming? I have been here all of my life, and it just seemed natural and logical for me to continue with the farm. After high school, I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Farm and Industry Short Couse for a year, and then came back home. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? I’m concerned about the price of milk and cattle. We have a huge surplus of each right now. I guess it will work itself out somehow, someway. But, it will be a little dicey for a while. We’re in the fourth year of low prices, and if history repeats itself, we shouldn’t hopefully have a fth, but it will probably be next spring. We’ve always been encouraged to produce more, like the benchmark of producing 30 million pounds of milk in Wisconsin by the year 2020. We met that goal four years early. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? I’ve used some sexed semen to get heifer calves out of my better cows. Minnesota State Fair in 1993 with Sparkler Loretta. Another good memory has been competing at the Vernon County Fair which always had a strong Jersey show. One year we placed over a cow that had won at the What advice would you give other dairy Minnesota State Fair just a couple of weeks farmers? Set goals and keep checking up on before. them. If you think you can do it, you probably can. Don’t be afraid to look at other ways to What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? With the way the bring in income. economy is right now, I’m pretty much taking What has been the best purchase you’ve ever things one day at a time. I’m not planning to made on your farm? I purchased a Jersey bull retire any time soon. Like everyone else, I’m named Gil-Bar Unique Sparkler back in the just going to try and stick it out and see what early 1980s. He was a great sire, and we sold happens. a lot of semen from him. How do you or your family like to spend What has been your biggest accomplishment time when you are not doing chores? I enjoy while dairy farming? Winning the premier watching some television, especially Badger breeder banner, and Sparkler winning the football and basketball. I also like visiting with premier sire banner at the World Dairy Expo in friends. 1987 and 1988. It was a great accomplishment. Also, having the grand champion cow at the
What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? I’ve What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? kept everything pretty much the same over I have a tremendous love for the cows. I always have. the past year. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? I’ve made my feed ration as basic as possible and only top dress the highest producing cows. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? I don’t have any employees. I’m small enough that I can handle everything on my own. My brother helps me out quite a bit when I need extra help. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I am diligent about going the extra step, and I always come down and check things in the middle of the night, especially when I have sick cows or cows ready to calve.
Star Blends is a full service feed manufacturing facility. We provide custom complete feeds, supplements and minerals. We utilize modern technology to produce your needed products on demand with the highest quality feeds at the best cost. We also offer a wide selection of commodities, ingredients and additives. We are focused on dairy, efficiently delivering to farms in Western Wisconsin. Give us a call, we’d be happy to discuss our commodities or custom products and services with you and your nutritionist.
1919 Riley Road Sparta, WI 54656 | 800.462.4125
Do you have an upcoming auction? Advertise it in the Dairy Star call 320-352-6303 for more information.
Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 22, 2018
From all of us at Steinhart’s Farm Service, Inc.
Congratulations Popper and Abbey!
Steinhart’s Farm Service would like to Congratulate Popper and Abbey Eagan on there marriage December 8, 2018. Salesmen: Shawn Martin (608) 778-4554 or Joe Ryan (608) 778-2900
4116 Hwy. 80 S. Platteville, WI
Office: (608) 348-9401 or Toll Free: 1(888) BUY-Patz www.steinhartsfarmservice.com
4116 Hwy. 80 S. Platteville, WI