LOOK INSIDE FOR OUR CALF & HEIFER SPECIAL EDITION!
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 21, No. 3
Legacy Farms nd help from area prison Relationship benets both parties with labor, employment By Jennifere Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
SHELL LAKE, Wis. – Labor has become a growing concern for dairy farmers across the Upper Midwest. For one dairy in northwest Wisconsin, they have found a solution that addresses their workforce woes while also providing an opportunity for those they hire. Since October 2017,
March 23, 2019
“This is their chance to start over.” – Dan Coates
Legacy Farms has worked with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Gordon Correctional Facility to source a reliable group of individuals to help on the dairy in Washburn County near Shell Lake, Wis. “It’s a benet for us and a benet for them,” said Dan Coates of the relationship between the dairy and the state penitentiary. Coates is the farm’s operations manager and works with the correctional center to coordinate when prisoners will BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR help at the dairy. Every week, a small group Dan Coates is Legacy Farms’ operaƟons manager in Shell Lake, Wis. Coates works with the area correcƟonal center to coordinate when prisoners will help at the 1,050-cow dairy. Turn to LEGACY | Page 5
Fond du Lac County couple wins Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder award Loehrs develop high-scoring, show-winning cattle By Stacey Smart Contributing Writer
EDEN, Wis. – Kurt and Sarah Loehr, owners of Forest-Ridge Holsteins in Eden, Wis., recently won the Wisconsin Holstein Association Distinguished Young Breeder award – an honor reserved for accomplished registered breeders between the ages of 21 and 40. The award was presented to the Loehrs during the Wisconsin Holstein Association’s annual convention Feb. 22-24 in Manitowoc, Wis. In the past 15 years, the Loehrs have bred or developed more than 70 Excellent cows (12 scored 93 points or higher), had four state show winners, ve national show winners and numerous all-American and junior all-American nominations for both black and white and red and white Holsteins. The herd’s BAA is 111.2, ranking Forest-Ridge ninth in the nation for its herd size and 54th overall. The Loehrs milk 72 cows and have Turn to LOEHR | Page 6
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Kurt and Sarah Loehr with daughters, Ainsley (leŌ) and Adella, are pictured with Forest-Ridge Abslt March-Red-ET VG-86 – a former all-American nominaƟon and one of the Loehrs favorite cows. The family dairy farms near Eden, Wis.
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
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.
A glance at what’s inside This issue we have a special section about raising calves and heifers. We highlight both dairy producers who grow their own replacements and people who raise them for dairy producers. Read about how one farm switched to group housing for young calves along with how the University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center raises calves for two farms while also using them for research at its site in Waseca, Minn. In this issue’s “From our side of the fenceâ€? feature, By Mark Klaphake we talk with dairy farmers about their hiring process. Editor Many dairy farms of varying sizes have to ďƒžgure out how to ďƒžnd qualiďƒžed and reliable employees. Read on pages 15-16 in ďƒžrst section about how a few dairies across our coverage area go about the process. The United States Department of Agriculture recently announced January insurance payments of $1.51 for the Dairy Margin Coverage program. This value provides dairy farmers with a net indemnity of $1.40 for the $9.50 coverage level. On pages 13 and 26 in ďƒžrst section, the program is further reviewed with examples of how to calculate possible payments for 2019. In our “Dairying in tough timesâ€? feature, Kyle and Sara Mathison describe how they have withstood the turmoil of the poor milk prices these last ďƒžve years. Namely, when the Mathisons put up a new freestall barn and milking parlor, they ďƒžnanced the project in anticipation for low milk prices. Turn to page 10 in ďƒžrst section to read about other ways the couple has trimmed expenses on their 100-cow dairy farm in Cumberland, Wis. We have put a fun new twist on one of our popular features, “Kids corner.â€? We are reaching out to people who have been in this feature several years ago to see where they are now. This time, we talked to Sam Hopfer from Lake Henry, Minn. Check out his story on page 10 in third section. Although the snow is now melting, the Friese family was able to use it for recreation before it left. They collect vintage snowmobiles to use in an annual event held in their hometown of Wanamingo, Minn. Read on pages 37-38 in ďƒžrst section about this dairy family’s winter hobby.
Favorite quotes from this issue:
“If you’re a young guy and want to dairy farm, this is the time to do it.� – U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson (Page
23, First Section)
“We have a fairly progressive banker. He’s OK with stu as long as it makes sense.â€? - Gerben
ten Hoeve (Pages 4-6, Second Section)
By the Numbers of annual precipitation in 55: Inches Old Hutton, Kendal, Cumbria, England. (Pages 14-16, Second Section)
1.8:
Percent of veterinarians exclusively working in large animal practices. (Page 12, First Section)
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 8-9 First Section
You are not alone Page 22 First Section
Shell Lake
Madison
The Transition Pen
First Section: Pages 1, 5 - 6
Second Section: Pages 25 - 26
Page 27 First Section
Ramblings from the Ridge
Bayeld
Douglas
Page 30 First Section
Page 31 First Section
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
Iron
n ur hb
Burnett
W as
Mathisons entered dairy industry with a proactive approach
Woldts build herd as rst-generation producers
Ashland
Cumberland
Something to Ruminate On
Sun Prairie
Silage safety serious business
Legacy Farms nd help from area prison
Polk
Barron
Sawyer
Price
First Section: Page 10
Just Thinking Out Loud
Rusk Taylor
St. Croix
Dairy Good Life
Pierce
Page 33 First Section
Dunn
Pepin Buffalo
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
Westby
Dairy’s Star Youth: Grant Fremstad Third Section: Page 9
Eden
Chippewa
Loehrs develop high-scoring, showwinning cattle
Marathon
First Section: Pages 1, 6-7
Clark
Eau Claire Trempealeau
Page 32 First Section
Wood Jackson Adams
La Crosse Monroe
Juneau Vernon
ford
Richland
Sauk
Craw
Iowa
Zone 2
South Wayne
Cottonwood Dairy named Platinum NDQA winner
Fond Du Lac Columbia
Dane
Green
n so
r
ffe
Je
Grant Lafayette
Dodge
Madison
Wise management decisions, investments lead to protability Second Section: Pages 21 - 22
Rock
First Section: Pages 23, 25
Stoughton
Software program helps nd cows in heat at Furseths’ dairy
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
First Section: Pages 18, 20
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
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ConƟnued from LEGACY | Page 1 of prisoners are transported to the farm to work four 12-hour shifts. During this time, they milk the 1,050-cow herd in the dairy’s double-16 parallel parlor, move cattle, clean the barn and help with the upkeep of equipment. The inmates work in groups of up to ve alongside full-time employees and supervisors of Legacy Farms. “The prison brings them here and picks them up,” Coates said. “They also provide meals during the shift. We are responsible for having supervisors at the facility at all times so if anything were to happen, it’s taken care of.” At the farm, the prisoners are able to work in almost any capacity. However, for security purposes, Legacy Farms’ ofce and three other locations are not accessible. “Because of the rules, they aren’t allowed in certain places, like where medications are kept,” Coates said. “We did put in a security camera system, but that was not just for them. We use it mostly for training purposes.” Prisoners may also not work directly with any minors at the dairy, said Coates. “They have guidelines from the prison they have to follow,” Coates said. “They are required to be very respectful. They don’t have an option of not. It’s been a good working experience.” Prior to anyone being employed by the dairy, they must undergo four hours of farm orientation followed by a minimum of 48 hours of second-person training where they work with one of the dairy’s full-time employees. “Some of them will catch on right away; some it takes a bit longer,” Coates said. “Some of them come and go pretty quickly because they don’t want to milk cows, but most of them like the work.” Those who are employed on the farm are a part of the prison’s release program. They are nishing out the remainder of
their sentences – regardless of the crime – and have been approved for work release. The income they receive from the 40-hour workweek is used to pay restitution, their housing, and portions of the transportation and food costs of the correctional center. The state of Wisconsin also takes a percentage of the paycheck to help the system balance the budget. “The plus side of this is they get an income,” Coates said. “Some of that money goes into a savings account so when they are released, they have money to start over with instead of trying to start over with nothing.” In the short time Coates has used inmates as a source for labor, he has been pleased with their work ethic and determination to complete the job well. While there are monetary incentives to meet Legacy Farms’ expectations, Coates believes their job performance is the result of something greater. “I think we’ve helped them understand a different industry a lot don’t have experience in,” Coates said. “They get a new look at agriculture or dairy, and I think we probably give them a good source of education and learning.” The correctional facility works with regional businesses – from as far north as Superior, Wis., to as south as Shell Lake, Wis. – to nd job opportunities for their prisoners. “I think it’s a good idea what the prison is doing,” Coates said. “We’re just one of quite a few places they can choose from and are working for. They like working for us because of the hours and the money. … We supply more hours than most jobs.” Legacy Farms was rst considered a place of employment ve years ago. However, at the time, the dairy was
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Bella-Ridge Beauty Queen is owned by the Loehrs with Lynn and Sara Harbaugh of Marion, Wis. Last year, she was all-Wisconsin spring yearling and supreme junior champion at the Wisconsin State Fair and was also nominated all-American. a rolling herd average of more than 26,000 pounds of milk with nearly 1,000 pounds of fat and a somatic cell count of less than 60,000. Sarah grew up with registered Holsteins at Wegnerlann Dairy in Ettrick, Wis. Kurt’s love for the registered Holstein cow began later in life. “I didn’t grow up with registered cattle,” said Kurt, who grew up on the current operation he and Sarah purchased from his parents in 2011. “My interest was sparked in college by a friend who came from a registered herd.” Kurt purchased his rst registered animal in 2003 – Stelbro Michelle Rubens-Red-ET EX-93-3E – at the Great Northern Arena Elm Park Sale. The 82-point 2-year-old from Canada became the matriarch of the ForestRidge herd, and in 2004 was named reserve grand champion at the Midwest Spring Show and was also nominated all-American. That same year, Michelle was raised 9 points to EX-91. “Michelle was the rst of many things for me,” Kurt said. “She was the rst cow I purchased, my rst show animal, rst Excellent cow and rst allAmerican nomination.” Kurt’s foundation cow was the dam of many daughters, and half of the Forest-Ridge herd can be traced back to this one animal. She started the family that several of the Loehrs’ own nominations have come from, and most of the Excellent cows they have bred are from this family as well.
The Loehrs are partners with Lynn and Sara Harbaugh who own a showheifer facility in Marion, Wis. Their partnership began in 2010 with Rosedale Go For Gin (who later scored EX93-2E), which Lynn and Sara asked Kurt and Sarah to house. The Harbaughs continued bringing their heifers to Forest-Ridge to calve. Milking animals stay at the Loehrs’ farm, while calves good enough to show go back to the Harbaughs’ farm. The Harbaughs split ownership with the Loehrs on about 50 head of cattle. Animals owned jointly bear the prex Bella-Ridge. Last year, the Loehrs and Harbaughs had two all-American nominations from Go For Gin’s family – a summer yearling, CrowleyView Doorman Luxi, and Bella-Ridge Beauty Queen, who was also all-Wisconsin spring yearling and supreme junior champion at the state fair. In 2016, a trio of red and whites with the Forest-Ridge prex were nominated all-American: Forest-Ridge Madge-Red-ET (owned by Matthew Boop of Pennsylvania), Forest-Ridge A Mopsy-Red-ET and Forest-Ridge Abslt March-Red-ET – a senior 2-year-old, winter yearling and spring calf, respectively. March is currently Kurt’s favorite young cow on the farm. Scored VG86, she is a great-great granddaughter of Michelle and a good example of the Loehr’s breeding program. “It’s pretty exciting to see your Turn to LOEHRS | Page 7
ConƟnued from LEGACY | Page 5 expanding and did not have the number of supervisors needed to meet the prison’s guidelines. “Just over a year ago, labor was tight again,” Coates said. “We nished our expansion and had more supervisors in charge. We decided to contact [the prison] for help.” After an assessment of the farm, the working relationship was formed and has served both parties well. At Legacy Farms, the individuals from the prison make up about onethird of the workforce. The remaining employees are either Hispanics or local laborers, Coates said. “Overall, they’ve been a really dependable labor source,” said Coates of the inmates. Once prisoners reach the end of their sentence, they no longer are employed by Legacy Farms. When these
individuals leave Coates’ farm, he is pleased in knowing the opportunity they were given while milking cows. “This is their chance to start over,” Coates said. “It gets them off on a good foot, rather than starting with no job history or no money and going back to their old lifestyle. And, if they ever wanted or needed a job, they could go to any dairy and start milking cows.” Coates has remained in contact with a few of his former employees, serving as a recommendation as they apply for jobs elsewhere. “I’ve had a couple come back and say, hey thanks,” Coates said. “I’ve had almost all of them leave with a thank you – thanks for the opportunity, thanks for the job.” For Coates, he too is grateful for how this unique relationship has addressed a labor shortage at Legacy Farms.
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 7
ConƟnued from LOEHRS | Page 6 work paying off by doing well at shows and receiving nominations,” Sarah said. “And, we’re really happy to see animals that we sell do well for someone else.” In 2009, Forest-Ridge Minnie-Red EX-94-3E – a red and white daughter of Michelle – placed fth in her class at World Dairy Expo and won best bred and owned. “Winning best bred and owned is actually more special to us than winning the class,” Sarah said. “It’s an animal we developed, and we’re proud of that.” The Loehrs spend countless hours giving back to the industry’s youth. The pair is active in the Holstein Association, helping juniors on the show circuit at both the Fond
du Lac County and state fairs. Kurt is on the state Holstein board, and Sarah is on the Fond du Lac County board and also serves as dairy superintendent of the Fond du Lac County Fair. In addition, they chaperone at state fair and coach dairy bowl. “We are extremely grateful for everything past leaders have given to us,” Kurt said. “And, we want to give that back.” Several prominent people in the industry have been invaluable mentors to Kurt and Sarah. “Chad Ryan is the one who really got me into showing,” Sarah said. “He helped clip for us when I was a kid. Melinda (Bohlinger) Goplin was also an early showing inuence
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Stelbro Michelle Rubens-Red-ET EX-93-3E is the matriarch of the Forest-Ridge herd. Kurt Loehr purchased her in 2003 as an 82-point 2-year-old. She was his rst show animal, rst Excellent cow and rst all-American nominaƟon.
for me. Chad … will be judging the International Holstein show this year at World Dairy Expo, and Lynn Harbaugh will be his associate judge.” Kurt credits John and Marci Walker for their support when he was starting out with registered Holsteins. “They were so welcoming, kind, humble, honest and open,” Kurt said. “I really looked up to them. Chris McCullough was another great mentor who took me under his wing. Our partners, the Harbaughs, have also been a tremendous help.” Each year, the Loehrs sell about a dozen show heifers through consignment sales and about 40 excess milk cows through private sale to expanding farms. “Our philosophy is to sell the good ones,” Kurt said. “They’re going into the hands of well-known people, and it’s an effective way to promote our breeding program. These heifers then become staples in other farms’ breeding programs.” Kurt and Sarah met at World Dairy Expo and have two daughters – Adella, 6, and Ainsley, 4. Continuing to provide their children with the opportunity to grow up on the farm is a priority for the Loehrs. Kurt and Sarah are fortunate to have an airtight support system that includes Kurt’s mom and dad, sister, and retired neighbor farmers who are always willing to lend a help-
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Sarah and Kurt Loehr receive the Wisconsin Holstein AssociaƟon DisƟnguished Young Breeder award. The couple owns Forest-Ridge Holsteins in Eden, Wis., and have bred or developed more than 70 Excellent cows and numerous all-American nominaƟons. ing hand. On June 24, Forest-Ridge will be one of the farms hosting a tour as part of the National Holstein Convention taking place this year in Appleton, Wis. “It’s a huge honor to be picked to do this,” Kurt said. “There are a lot of prestigious farms in the line-up.” The Loehrs’ goals for the next ve years include achieving a BAA of 112.5 and having 40 Excellent cows in the barn at one time with all milk cows
scored Excellent or Very Good. Growing their number of allAmerican nominations is also on the list along with maintaining a positive inuence on the lives of the youth in the industry. “Our success is a reection of the advice that people have given us over the years,” Kurt said. “We’ve surrounded ourselves with very good people in the industry. We just practice what they preach and go from there.”
Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
Dairy labeling bill returns to Capitol Hill
The Dairy Pride Act has been introduced in Supply management advocated Congress, calling on the FDA to stop the mislaTo address the current price challenges in the beling of non-dairy beverages as milk. Wisconsin dairy industry, the National Farmers OrganizaSenator Tammy Baldwin is one of the co-sponsors tion is advocating a supply management program. of the bill. National Milk Producers NFO President Paul Olson said the Ag Insider Federation Senior Vice President of Dairy Margin Coverage program is betCommunications Alan Bjerga said the ter than the former Margin Protection timing of this bill comes as the FDA is Program, but more help is needed. The going through a leadership change. “I NFO national convention was earlier think it is an effective way to show the this month in Ames, Iowa. agency that there is sentiment out there for the FDA to take a stronger stand USTR updates Senate on China against these purveyors of fake milk,â€? Trade Deal Bjerga said. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer hopes a ďƒžnal trade deal beDMC payments triggered tween the United States and China will USDA reports Dairy Margin Covbe ďƒžnalized within a matter of weeks. By Don Wick erage payments were triggered in JanuLighthizer told members of the Senate Columnist ary. The details of this program, which Finance Committee if there is an agreereplaces the Margin Protection Proment between the United States and gram, have not been announced. January income China, it will be very detailed and speciďƒžc “The over feed cost margins totaled $7.99 per hundred- president is very focused on what’s happening in weight, which will result in a payment to partici- farm country,â€? Lighthizer said. “We’ve seen an unpating dairy farmers. Signup for the Dairy Margin fortunate decline in farm income. It’s something Coverage program will begin in mid-June. that needs to be reversed. There has been retaliation that’s had a negative effect in farm country, but no More milk one has a bigger upside to opening up China than January milk production in the 23 major dairy [U.S.] agriculture.â€? states totaled 17.5 billion pounds, up 1.3 percent from the previous year. Wisconsin milk production USMCA may soon head to Congress increased nearly 3 percent. President Donald Trump indicates he will soon send the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to Dairy Together Roadshow planned Congress. “We’ll be submitting [it] to Congress A variety of agriculture groups have orga- very shortly and that’s a great deal for the United nized a series of Dairy Together Roadshow events States,â€? Trump said. Once Congress receives the to bring together the dairy industry to help move trade agreement, it starts a 90-day window for lawthe industry forward. The National Farmers Union, makers to approve or reject it. Ten years ago when National Farmers Organization, Holstein Associa- the U.S. was negotiating a trade deal with Cotion USA and Wisconsin Farmers Union are all part lombia, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won a rule of this effort. Meetings are planned throughout the change that turned off that 90-day clock. That is a country including March 27 in Oshkosh, April 2 at possibility again with the new divided Congress. Eau Claire and April 4 in Platteville.
United States, EU differ over trade During meetings in Washington, D.C., European Union trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said any trade deal with the United States will not include agriculture. That seems to be a non-starter for the United States, who wants more agricultural access to the European market. USDA to address stafďƒžng shortage USDA is in the process of implementing the new farm bill, but there is a shortage of local FSA employees to help farmers. USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey told National Farmers Union members the Agriculture Department is working to address the staffing shortage at the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Risk Management Agency and Farm Service Agency. “Our ceiling is the same place we had three years ago. We want to get back to that,â€? Northey said. “We’re in the process of hiring. We have about 400 hires coming in the next 30 to 60 days for NRCS and FSA. We’ve also streamlined our hiring process to speed that up a bit.â€? USDA narrows list for ERS-NIFA relocation As USDA considers the relocation of the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture out of the Beltway, the list of cities still under consideration has been cut from 136 to 67. Madison, Wis. is one of the cities being considered. Award winning cheese Wisconsin-produced cheese won 168 awards at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. That includes 57 Best of Class awards, 58 runner-up awards and 53 second runner-up awards. The competition had a record 2,555 entries from throughout the country. Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8
Alice in Dairyland nalists named The ve nalists for Wisconsin’s 72nd Alice in Dairyland competition have been named. The 2019 candidates are Sarah Achenbach of Eastman, Cassandra Krull of Lake Mills, Abigail Martin of Milton, Mariah Martin of Brooklyn and Tess Zettle of Juda. The competition will be May 9-11 in Monroe. PDPW adds to the board The Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin has welcomed three new directors to its board. Ken Feltz of Stevens Point, John Haag of Dane and Corey Hodorff of Eden were elected during the PDPW business conference in Madison.
Trivia challenge Gruyere is the Swiss cheese known as a good melting cheese and used in fondue. That answers our last trivia question. What was USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey’s job before moving to the Agriculture Department? 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.
CORRECTION
In the article, “DMC vs. DRP: What is the best decision?” in the March 8 edition of Dairy Star, it was incorrectly stated the net gains of Dairy Margin Coverage as yearly values. With the example given, the potential net gains should be noted as monthly values. Dairy Star regrets the error.
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
DAIRYING IN TOUGH TIMES
Mathisons entered dairy industry with a proactive approach By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
CUMBERLAND, Wis. – While dairy farming has not been a protable venture for Kyle and Sara Mathison, they have no regrets of entering the industry nearly one decade ago. “Kyle is the eternal optimist,” Sara said. “He still gets excited to milk cows. It’s tough, but his outlook makes things easier, and we just can’t have a bad day with that attitude.” In 2010, the Mathisons started milking 15 cows in a tiestall barn on a rented farm site. They have since grown their herd to 100 milking cows and returned to Kyle’s family’s dairy farm near Cumberland, Wis. The herd is housed in a 116-stall freestall barn and milked in a swing-10 parlor, both facilities were built in 2016. While the Mathisons could never have anticipated the extended slump in milk prices, they were cognizant of the projected markets as they made plans for the future of their dairying career. Maintaining such a mentality has helped the young couple weather the last four years. “We’ve always been conservative,” Kyle said. “… It’s all boiled down to nancials. We had to save in the good times, which is no different from somebody who has been milking cows for 30 years except we didn’t have as long of a good time.” After four years of milking cows in the rented tiestall barn, Kyle and Sara decided to invest in more progressive facilities. In 2014, they approached their lender about putting up the freestall barn and parlor. “We were building when prices were high, but when we went in for a loan, we planned for low prices,” Sara said. “That allowed us to be set up to survive the prices” Kyle agreed. “It’s tough to plan,” he said. “There’s no way we could’ve seen it staying this low this long, and no one thought it would be this bad.” While the Mathisons are burdened with a loan payment every month, they do
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Kyle and Sara Mathison, and their son, Grant, milk 100 cows near Cumberland, Wis. The Mathisons began dairying in 2010 and credit their ability to survive the market turmoil by planning ahead for low milk prices. not regret the investment as it has made them more efcient dairy farmers. “Failure is not an option,” Kyle said. “We’ve made a commitment to this barn; we’re in it.” Instead, the couple seeks ways to pinch pennies in areas of the business – from labor to nutrition. The day-to-day responsibilities are those of the Mathisons and Kyle’s dad, Wayne. Both Kyle and Sara milk the herd morning and evening. Then, Wayne takes care of feeding the herd and manages reproduction of the heifer group while Kyle oversees the health of the milking herd. “In the past, we’ve hired people from time to time,” Kyle said. “Now, we don’t hire out any labor.” The second-most critical component of the Mathisons’ ability to withstand the dairy markets is the forage they provide the herd. Every year, Kyle and Sara strive to put up high-quality alfalfa. This allows the couple to do without protein supplements in the ration, and they have seen their herd health improve with the better
feedstuffs. “Our cow health is excellent,” Kyle said. “We really focus on preventative maintenance. That’s much easier and cheaper than treating.” Kyle also monitors the ration and tweaks it as needed so there are limited refusals. Lately, the Mathisons have also gone from having a DHIA supervisor present at milking to a more economical ownersampled DHIA program. While there are a handful of areas the Mathisons focused on to reduce expenses, there are also areas of the operation that were never re-evaluated given the market trends. When Kyle and Sara delved into dairy farming, they placed a large emphasis on the milking procedure. In maintaining a consistent routine, the couple has capitalized on the premium they receive for milk quality. “Because we’re doing all the milkings, we know the cows and know when something is off,” Sara said. “If we need to, we quarter milk right away. We also keep the barn and parlor clean.”
The Mathisons’ herd is comprised of mostly Holsteins with about one-third of the herd being Jerseys. The colored breed provides greater component values, said Kyle. Additionally, Kyle is always looking for ways to improve his herd through breeding. “We don’t cut any costs with reproduction,” he said. “That’s the last area we would every pull away from. Reproduction is important in the long run, so when times are good we can capitalize on our genetics.” Recently, Sara took a part-time job off the farm to provide additional income for the family. She works at a farm-to-table style restaurant in the neighboring town. “Honestly, it’s probably our only income right now,” Kyle said. Sara has also removed herself from social media, which she said has helped give her mental clarity and more time to focus on their marriage and their 5-yearold son, Grant. “We’re all facing hardships in the industry, but sometimes it helps if you don’t know everything everyone is going through,” she said. In Kyle and Sara’s short time dairy farming, they have found value in learning from others in the industry and are grateful for the relationships they have fostered. “You can learn something from all farmers and nd snippets of their farm that you can incorporate into your own,” Kyle said. Sara agreed. “No two farms are the same and there’s no standard model for how you should dairy farm,” she said. “A lot of people said we shouldn’t do the project, but we like to blaze our own trail and it’s served us well.” With the future prices showing very little improvement, the Mathisons will continue dairying with few expenses and work to pay down their debt load. In time, Kyle and Sara hope to have the nancial footing that allows their son to dairy farm if he so chooses. “It would be nice to give Grant the option of dairy farming, just as we had,” Sara said.
Congratulations
to the eight young ladies crowned Stearns County Dairy Princesses. Eight ladies (from left) Katelyn Rakotz the daughter of Gary Rakotz and Holly Rakotz of St. Anthony, Minn., Miranda Breth the daughter of Jerry and Tammy Breth of St. Anthony, Minn., Lexi Feldewerd the daughter of Karrie and Dennis Feldewerd of New Munich, Minn., Katherine Maus the daughter of Lisa and Darrel Maus of Freeport, Minn., Jessica Ohmann of the daughter of Ron and Ami Ohmann of Albany, Minn., Donna Honer the daughter of Scott and Toni Honer of Rockville, Minn., Maggie Molitor the daughter of Joe Molitor of Rockville, Minn. and Savanna Marthaler the daughter of Harold Marthaler and Denise Mikkelson of Sauk Centre, Minn. were crowned Stearns County dairy princesses March 9 at the Freeport Community Center. Honer and Maus were also scholarship recipients and Marthaler was named Miss Congeniality.
Dairy is a worldly competition Kohl suggest markets here to stay By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
WILLMAR, Minn. – Across the nation, agriculture is in its seventh year of an economic slump with the dairy sector carrying on in the fth consecutive year of downturns. “We’re in an environment of low margins and high volatility,” Dr. David Kohl said. “I want to be realistic; it’s not going to turn around. You’re going to have to get over it.” Kohl explained the dairy industry’s current situation in his Dr. David Kohls seminar, “Taking Care of Business,” during a program Ridgewater College hosted Feb. 27 in Willmar, Minn. While overproduction and domestic demand for dairy have greatly affected the milk market, domestic and international economies, consumer trends and farm real estate are also playing large roles in what the milk check looks like. “Our economy is in a transition,” Kohl said. “The long and short of it comes down to temporary trade deals, a competitive environment, [steady] land values and putting a squeeze on the prot lines.” The future of the agriculture economy weighs heavily on trade agreements between North American countries and China and the United States, as those nations make up 28 percent of the world economy with 450 million people. Ratication of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement is imperative for the United States to maintain its No. 1 and No. 3 trading partners, Canada and Mexico, respectively. Also, while China is a part of the synchronized global slowdown of economies, the Asian country is also making headway with its Belt and Road Initiative to invest in more than 150 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. “They’re making major investments in the world because they want another source of food, ber and fuel other than North America,” Kohl said. Such trends will directly affect markets in the United States. “Behind the scenes, you’re going to be managing in an environment of temporary trade agreements,” Kohl said. “That’s why working capital and exibility on the balance sheet is important.” While some may contest the mood of the dairy industry is far worse than any previous downturn, Kohl sees similarities between today and the 1980s. However, back then the markets separated the above average production herds from those average or less than, while today the disparities are seen between above average managers and those average or less than. “We have more zeros and commas on the income statement, and that means things can get out of hand very, very quickly,” Kohl said. “Everybody tries to produce their way to protability. It’s not only production, but also marketing and nance.” Kohl suggests working with an
advisory team made up of key dairy business stakeholders, such as the farm business management instructor, nancial lender, and a crop or livestock consultant. Also, being sure to include the next generation. Throughout the nation, communities are affected by the state of the dairy industry differently. Wisconsin and Minnesota have been categorized as the top two states that are experiencing the most nancial stress from the agriculture economy, said Kohl. One of the indicators of nancial stress is farmland, which accounts for a large asset on the balance sheet. While land can be a way to work through poor times, it is also might be a risky investment. “Farmland and equity can be a great bridge over troubled economic waters because of the R word – renancing,” Kohl said. “However, if you continue to renance and take no corrective action on cash ow, you drown in your debt service. At that point, you’re basically hobby farming at a bigger level. We have some big farms hobby farming.” Not only do farmers need to be diligent in knowing how their dairy business is structured, they need to be cognizant of those who are choosing to eat dairy – more so today than ever before. “We only have so much gut space and there’s tremendous competition for gut space,” Kohl said. The everyday consumer, which drives 70 percent of the U.S. economy, is changing with millennials, Generation Z and Alphas – those born after 2008 – making more of the purchasing decisions as their older counterparts have less of an inuence in the market. “This consumer is changing,” Kohl said. “They want four things – transparency, personalization, customization and they buy for experience.” If an agriculture commodity cannot t these needs, they quickly lose an important group of consumers. While the industry continues to make strides in the marketing of dairy foods, Kohl said it has not been enough to compete in the global food market. “Half of the problem is we’re asleep at the switch,” he said. “… We’ve allowed people to let almond milk in. We had a chance to take on A2 milk and we didn’t. Sometimes we’re too much U.S. eyes. If you want to see our future, go to Australia, New Zealand, Europe and even Canada.” The demand for dairy products is not fading, but how farmers choose to meet that demand is anyone’s game. “It’s a very competitive world,” Kohl said. “There’s going to be prots out there. Not gangbuster prots, but it’s going to be a series of base hits.” Dairy farmers may overcome such adversity by closely evaluating their business structure. “It’s like being on the foul line,” Kohl said. “The coach says look beyond the rim and focus on the fundamentals. You’re going to have a view, but you’re going to have to focus on the fundamentals – production, marketing, nance and putting the business system together that is appropriate for your business.” One farm’s success will look different than another’s, but the commonality is being aware of inuencing factors, like consumer trends, the U.S. agricultural landscape and global economies.
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 11
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
Growing demand in waning populations Universities encourage rural practice with veterinary programs By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
BROOKINGS, S.D. – While many dairy farmers are carrying out routine herd health procedures themselves, the need for food animal veterinarians is as great as ever before. “We’re moving away from the technical, day-to-day aspect, like IVing a cow, to more preventative health, yet the demand continues to increase for rural veterinarians, especially in the dairy industry,” said Dr. Corale Dorn, of Dells Veterinary Services in Dell Rapids, S.D. Dorn’s mixed Dr. Corale Dorn practice serves dairy Dells Vet Services farmers along the I-29 corridor. Last December, the American Veterinary Medical Association reported only 1.8 percent of veterinarians were in exclusively large animal practices; another 8.7 percent predominantly practiced in food animal industries. To keep up with the demand in the agricultural community, colleges are creating opportunity for students to pursue a degree that emphasizes large animals. For nearly 20 years, the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine has offered the Veterinary Food Animal Scholars Track, and recently collaborated with South Dakota State University to make plans for launching the Rural Vet-
erinary Medical Education program. Both programs are designed to streamline education for students interested in a career in food animal medicine. Since VetFAST’s inception in the early 2000s, the number of participants grows with each graduating class. By 2022, 10 of the 100-some graduates will have gone through VetFAST. Additionally, 17 percent of the class of 2022 has declared a food animal academic track. “At the time the Dr. Trevor Ames program was started, U of M there was a concern about placing rural vets, and we were looking for a mechanism that could change that,” Dr. Trevor Ames said. “It’s an important tool that serves as a visual pathway for students to get into vet school and succeed.” Ames is a professor and dean of the U of M College of Veterinary Medicine. The program is designed for rst-year undergraduate students to apply for the accelerated learning track. These students must not only reach rigorous academic standards, they must also have experience and show an interest in food animals. Once students are provisionally accepted, they may begin veterinary school immediately following their third year of undergraduate studies. This allows students to obtain both a bachelor and doctorate degree in seven years. “Typically, we have anywhere from seven to 12 students per year enrolled through the program, but we’ll always take more if we can get them,” Ames said. The program has proven successful, with students excelling in the veterinary medicine curriculum and forming careers
in food animal industries following graduation, Ames said. By 2021, a select 20 students at SDSU will have a similar opportunity to accelerate their studies and obtain a doctorate in veterinary medicine with an emphasis on large animals. Over the last ve years, SDSU and the U of M College of Veterinary Medicine have developed the Rural Veterinary Medical Education program, which allows students two Dr. Jane Christo- years of studies in SDSU’s Department pher-Hennings of Veterinary and SDSU Biomedical Sciences followed by two years at the U of M College of Veterinary Medicine. “There are other programs like this around the country that have been able to nd students who have an appreciation for rural America and experience working with livestock,” Dr. Jane ChristopherHennings said. Christopher-Hennings is the department head for SDSU’s Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences. Other notable collaborations include the University of Nebraska and Iowa State University, Utah State University and Washington State University, and University of Alaska-Fairbanks and Colorado State University. The South Dakota-Minnesota initiative is modeled after a rural physicians program in Duluth, Minn., where clinical experience in rural communities is emphasized. In years past, Dorn has mentored veterinary students. “Experience is the real teacher,” she
said. Dorn was a part of the program’s steering committee and envisions the SDSU-U of M partnership lling a void in large animal veterinary services. “It will be unique to partner with Minnesota,” Dorn said. “These students will have the opportunity to become exposed to new technologies and equipped to do a better job.” The U of M is familiar with collegiate partnerships. Its collaboration with SDSU will replace a long-time alliance with a school in the Caribbean where students would spend their fourth year doing clinicals in Minnesota. “This is a strategic replacement that uses our best resources as a land grant university,” Ames said. “We believe we can offer broad and comprehensive learning with our neighboring state. And, it’s geographically ideal to service the population.” While the program’s start-up date is more than two years away, there is already interest from undergraduate students. In a survey completed by 2017 preveterinary students at SDSU, nearly 83 percent were interested in the proposed partnership with Minnesota, said Christopher-Hennings. “As the program is established, we’re condent we’ll see additional interest,” Christopher-Hennings said. Dorn agreed. “Agriculture is growing in importance for our state and for our world,” she said. “While the way food is produced is changing, the relationship between producer and veterinarian is not.” As the future of agriculture changes, the role veterinarians play in the industry will certainly differ. However, the need for their work is ever present and these fast track academic programs will continue helping ll that void.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 13
Guidelines to understanding new Dairy Margin Coverage
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With the U.S. Department of Agriculture reporting the ďƒžrst month of data applicable to farmer payments under the new Dairy Margin Coverage program, the National Milk Producers Federation commended USDA for helping farmers understand the scope of DMC program and offered its own example to illustrate the potential beneďƒžts of maximizing coverage under the new top margin-coverage level of $9.50 per hundredweight. The new $9.50 “marginâ€? (the difference between the price of milk and the cost of feed) threshold for the ďƒžrst 5 million pounds of a dairy farmer’s production, which replaces the old $8 per hundredweight limit under the now-lapsed Margin Protection Program, may be better tailored to expected market conditions in 2019 and future years than lesscomprehensive coverage, according to an NMPF analysis. For example: A dairy operation with an established milk-production history of 5 million pounds that elects the $9.50 coverage level for 95 percent of its production history – the new maximum level of protection under the 2018 farm bill -- would be covered for 4.75 million pounds (95 percent of 5 million, also referred to as 47,500 cwt. – a unit covering 100 pounds of milk) of annual production during 2019. Breaking it into monthly increments, farmers maximizing coverage would be eligible to receive payments at the USDA-determined monthly payout rate on 395,800 pounds (also expressed as 3,958 cwt.) each month that the margin fell below $9.50 per hundredweight. According to new USDA data, the January “marginâ€? payment will be $1.51/cwt. for farmers who select $9.50 coverage – that’s the difference between the $9.50 level selected and the actual margin of $7.99/cwt. An operation maximizing coverage on its ďƒžrst 5 million pounds for the year would thus receive a January payment of $5,977 (the 3,958 cwt. covered for the month, multiplied by the $1.51/cwt. January difference in actual margin). Meanwhile, under the premium rates set by Congress under the 2018 farm bill, the 2019 full-year premium for coverage at the $9.50 level on 95 percent of a 5-million-pound
production history in this example would be $7,125 (47,500 cwt. times $0.15/cwt. premium fee), if the operation signs up for DMC coverage just for 2019. If the operation makes a one-time election offered via the farm bill to sign up for DMC coverage this year through 2023 at the same coverage levels, it will be eligible to receive a 25 percent discount on its premiums. In that case the total premium cost for all of 2019 would be $5,344 (47,500 cwt. times the $0.1125/cwt. discounted premium fee). In other words, under maximum coverage, a dairy operation would receive back more than its full annual premium with the January payment alone, if it signs up for coverage at the discounted ďƒžve-year locked-in premium rate. If a farm signs up for this year only, it would still recoup most of its full-year premium from the January payout – with more payments likely, given prices forecast by current futures markets. Dairy Margin Coverage signup is scheduled to begin on June 17. That means payment amounts for up to the ďƒžrst ďƒžve months of the year may already be known when farmers sign up. Again, based on forecasts, it is very likely that when signup begins the beneďƒžts of $9.50 coverage will substantially outweigh the costs, given that coverage will be retroactive from January 1. “While the cash-ďƒ&#x;ow and ďƒžnancial situations are different for every dairy operation, farmers should strongly consider signing up their 2019 production at the maximum coverage level of $9.50 per hundredweight for 95 percent of their ďƒžrst ďƒžve million pounds of production history,â€? said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “The unique circumstances of already knowing what payments will be for the year’s early months, combined with the current price outlook for milk, makes it an attractive option for producers this year during a difďƒžcult time for dairy.â€? Dairy operations that elect to sign up this year for DMC coverage at the discounted premium rate will be committed to pay the same discounted premium each year through 2023. That option will be available this year only, except for new dairy operations in subsequent years.
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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 15
From Our Side Of The Fence What benefits or incentives do you offer employees?
Jeffrey McNeely Brooklyn, Wis. Green County 215 cows Tell us about your farm. Our farm is a partnership between Jim, Jeffrey and Jamison McNeely. We are diversiďƒžed, milking 215 cows, growing corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa along with ďƒžnishing out steers. Besides family labor, we have one full-time employee who does milking in the morning and ďƒželdwork. We also have eight part-time employees, ďƒžve milkers and six calf feeders. Explain your hiring process. We ďƒžnd help through word of mouth and friends through our high schools and FFA chapters. We end up hiring siblings of a previous employee. We have an application they ďƒžll out telling us their previous experience, sports and activities involved in, references, wage desired, etc. Once hired, we invite them to come out and job shadow for the shift and try it out. If it is something they want to do, we get them on the schedule and begin training them for the speciďƒžc task. What skills or traits do you look for in good employees? When hiring high school kids, I look for work ethic, willingness to learn and how available they will be to work. We are constantly looking for new help as there is always a rotation in and out with sports, activities, graduation, etc. What beneďƒžts or incentives do you offer employees? Since the majority of our employees are part time, we don’t offer much for beneďƒžts. Employees receive a card and gift of money on their birthdays. For the holidays, our farm hosts a Christmas party and employees also receive a gift. We allow ďƒ&#x;exible scheduling. We are one of the few farms in the area that hires high school kids and offers them a part-time job. It can be challenging to manage them as one might work in the summer and winter but not the spring depending on sports. Although challenging to schedule and the constant educating, it is important we instill in the next generation the knowledge of the dairy industry and a strong work ethic. What are the greatest challenges you face in hiring the right employee for your dairy? How do you overcome these challenges? The greatest challenge we face is the availability. We try to hire from multiple school districts to avoid scheduling conďƒ&#x;icts. Even though it is inevitable, it can be frustrating that after working with someone for a few years, he or she graduates. Then, we are back at square one. We do our best to keep our protocols as simple and streamlined as possible. With different help doing chores, we manage to maintain a SCC below 100,000 and have great calf health. Maturity can be an issue with a farm run by high schoolers. Another challenge with the age of our help is having someone old enough to operate a skidloader or machinery. What has been the biggest learning experience you’ve had while hiring an employee? We try to keep this farm as team oriented as possible. I am around every milking, working side by side with them and supervising. I try to keep every task we do as educational as possible. I have learned to have an open mind and be prepared for questions or misinterpretations of directions. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to explain the difference between hay and straw. What advice would you offer other dairy farmers seeking employees? I can’t offer much for advice. We are always looking for new help to replace someone.
Anne Marie Elwing De Soto, Wis. Vernon County 500 cows Tell us about your farm. The farm was started by my husband’s family in 1961. My husband, Kevin, and sons, William and Emil, fulďƒžll different roles in our dairy, beef and feedlot operations. We employee 35 full- and parttime employees. Several employees work 15-20 hours per two weeks’ pay period. These are generally high school students working after school, weekends and through a school to work program. The inside team consists of calf care, fresh cow care, animal husbandry and parlor. The outside team consists of nutrient management, crop production, feeding/nutrition and grounds/equipment maintenance. Our full-time team members have general labor experience, diesel mechanic training and vet tech licenses. Explain your hiring process. Many employees come to Wall-Stone Holsteins by word of mouth, but we also use social media to source new interest, Craigslist.com, Facebook, college bulletin boards and through our local school systems. We began using an online job recruiter called Indeed. Most applicants begin with a phone interview, a personal experience on the farm so that they get a feel for the job that they are applying for and generally 2-3 references of past employment or character references. What skills or traits do you look for in good employees? The most important skill or trait that is important to our team members is just that – being a team member. Everything an employee does on our farm affects the entire team including the most important members, our animals. The second most important attribute is a pleasant and positive attitude. Skill sets can be taught on the job so previous experience is not necessary. What beneďƒžts or incentives do you offer employees? We use a digital time clock system which uses a coded card to swipe in and out to track pay time in minutes. This system is also ďƒžngerprint compatible. We offer paid vacation, birthday perks and an IRA program with matching employee funds. We have given employees cell phone usage bonuses, beef and year-end bonuses. We are looking into health insurance programs as well. We use an app called CREW to link all employees together so they can message each other to share info about animals, tasks to be completed or general words of praise with each other. We post info about our farm’s accomplishments for all members to see. What are the greatest challenges you face in hiring the right employee for your dairy? How do you overcome these challenges? The most challenging aspect of hiring is ďƒžnding applicants who understand what it truly means to produce food. Many of our new employees do not have a farm background and many times are taken off guard by what it takes to feed people. Many of them are excited to learn and in turn have a greater appreciation for what a farmer accomplishes 365 days of the year. Again, a team mentality is vital to success. What has been the biggest learning experience you’ve had while hiring an employee? Never stop looking for talented, eager new faces. Our world is so dynamic, and people’s lives are ever changing that our work force is always revolving. What advice would you offer other dairy farmers seeking employees? Using educational resources and technology to hire and maintain a work force is vital. I have been fortunate to take part in Zoetis’ People First courses, personality proďƒžling and several ag women groups. Always have an open-door policy when it comes to new talent and stay abreast of technology to employ and engage young talent opportunities.
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Evan Metzger Rock Rapids, Iowa Lyon County 1,600 cows Tell us about your farm. Multi-Rose Jerseys has been 100 percent Jerseys since 1955. My brother, Dana, is the dairy herd manager; my brother, Reed, is the CEO; my brother, Brett, is in charge of crops and maintenance; and my brother, Drew, is the feed center manager. Our father, Marvin, is semiretired but still helps where he’s needed. My duties include human resource manager. We employ eight full-time milkers, one full-time calf manager and one full-time person to help outside. We also have an assistant herd manager, an assistant parlor manager and an assistant feed manager. Explain your hiring process. We nd prospective employees by asking our current employees if they know of anyone, such as a friend or a relative, who is looking for a job. We also use Facebook and place yers in local stores. We have a thorough interview process that includes going over a checklist of questions with the person. What skills or traits do you look for in good employees? We value people who show they care and are passionate about their work. Multi-Rose Jerseys provides opportunities for people who are willing to adhere to our ve core values which include humility, integrity, respect, strong work ethic and open communication. We look for experience but are willing to train the right people. What benets or incentives do you offer employees? After 60 days, we offer cost share for family health insurance along with a simple IRA with a 3 percent match. We also offer housing through a $1 per hour wage deduction. The night shift is paid a 50 cent differential, and our milkers are paid a 50 cent bonus if they follow all 10 of our parlor protocols. The lead parlor operator is paid $1 extra per hour. We do these and other things to keep quality employees and stay competitive with the local labor market. What are the greatest challenges you face in hiring the right employee for your dairy? How do you overcome these challenges? The greatest challenge is nding people to work. This was easier in the past, but the labor pool is shrinking. Through better communication, we are trying to change the culture of the people who work here. We want our employees to have a good work environment and have a good relationship with us. We get to know our employees on a personal level and learn about their families and lives. What has been the biggest learning experience you’ve had while hiring an employee? In the past, we have rehired people who quit because they thought it was better somewhere else. That has hardly ever worked out. What advice would you offer other dairy farmers seeking employees? People are the most important part of the operation. Hire good team members and everything else will follow. We have had great success with hiring people for management positions through the TN visa program. TN visa holders have a college education, are willing to learn and create a lot of value for us.
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Wolf Creek Dairy Paul and Barb Liebenstein Dundas, Minn. Rice County 450 cows Tell us about your farm. We milk about 450 cows in a 25-year-old double-8 herringbone parlor, and house our cows in a freestall barn. Our daughters, Grace and Mary, help us on the farm, especially Grace because she married our herdsman. That helps to keep him around, too. Mary is in veterinary school at the University of Minnesota and still hasn’t graduated from being a weekend calf feeder along with a few shifts of milking, too. We have six full-time employees and 14 parttime employees. The part-time people allow our full-time folks to have weekends off. Some of them work one shift a month, but it helps give everyone a break. We have three jobs on the farm: milking technicians, barn managers, and a feed and maintenance manager and his relief help. Our cropping is limited to corn silage and haylage. We have neighbors who custom farm for us, so we don’t have to pay the principle or interest payments. Explain your hiring process. We started with newspaper ads and then went online to Indeed. Occasionally, Grace will write a Facebook ad, and it usually gets a few smiles. We often say it only takes nding that one right person. Even though we have to wait for a little while and might be putting in overtime ourselves, they’re our cows and it is always worth the wait. We collect applications, check references and then arrange interviews. The interview consists of talking with us and one or two other employees. We have a consistent list of questions. The most effective question is, “Are you lucky or blessed?” The answer speaks a lot to that person’s outlook on life and whether they’d t with the rest of us. The other half of the interview is going out in the barn or into the parlor and spending time seeing what the job looks like and then being able to ask a co-worker what it’s like to work here. All of us give our input on the candidates and pick the best one for our culture and the job. What skills or traits do you look for in good employees? We can teach someone to milk cows our way, but we can’t make anyone like cows, be conscientious, show up on time or get along well with others. Those are things that come up in the interview. On the barn manager side of things, they need to be able to drive a skid loader and have all those other skills. What benets or incentives do you offer employees? Benets and wages have to be competitive since our town is only 40 miles from downtown Minneapolis. When people are saying $15 for minimum wage, we have to compete with that and pay their health insurance with no deductible and paid time off after one year. There are times when that isn’t enough, and we are blessed to have people who like to be around agriculture and animals. People who I wish we could pay more. What are the greatest challenges you face in hiring the right employee for your dairy? How do you overcome these challenges? The greatest challenges we face are the same as any small business, except ours is one that fewer people understand. We don’t know if overcome is necessarily what we call the challenge as much as hope and faith. All we need is a little hope that the right person will come along, and God takes care of the rest. I don’t know how we’d get through it all without faith. What has been the biggest learning experience you’ve had while hiring an employee? Treat others as you want to be treated. Model the right way to do things all the time and be humble, knowing we screw up, too. It keeps us from being too hard on anyone else. We still like to milk cows and be in the barn, and we think when they see us working next to them they know we care about them and the cows. Trust your gut. If an applicant seems too good to be true, they probably are. Never offer them a job the same day you interview them. It gives everyone a chance to think about what the right t is.
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
Repro Leaders
Software program helps nd cows in heat at Furseths’ dairy Furseth Farms Jim and Craig Furseth Stoughton, Wis. Dane County 190 cows What was your rate average last the last couple have averaged a pregnancy rate.
pregnancy year? Over years, we 31 percent
What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? For cows we wait until 60 days in milk, and for
heifers we wait until 390 days old. What is your rst service conception rate? Our rst service conception rate has been at 42 percent. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? We try to breed as many cows as possible to a standing, natural heat. We have SCR Heatime collars on all cows that aren’t conrmed pregnant to track
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Craig Furseth (leŌ) farms with his dad, Jim, on their 190-cow dairy in Dane County near Stoughton, Wis. Over the last two years, the herd has had an average pregnancy rate of 31 percent.
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Cows not conrmed pregnant wear an SCR collar to track acƟvity and ruminaƟon. Collars go on before calving to enable early monitoring of heat cycles.
activity and rumination. About 75 percent of our breedings are off this software program. Collars go on before they calve so we are able to start monitoring heat cycles early on. If they show signs of being cystic or aren’t cycling, we are able to identify and treat
these cows quickly. For cows that don’t show signs of heat, we put them on the ovsynch program. How do you observe for heat? The SCR Heatime system does all the observing for us.
How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? We do pregnancy checks every other week. Every cow 32 days past a breeding gets checked, and, if pregnant, she is then conrmed two weeks after that. Turn to FURSETH | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 19
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J&S DAIRY, The Worms Family, MELROSE, MINN. Nestor Gomez, herdsman 900 cows, 75 lbs/cow/day SCC 210,000 down to 178,000 Big smile when asked what he loves about his job as herdsman: “Taking care of the cows!” “We see Udder Comfort™ working and are thankful for this product. It takes the swelling away. Instead of being tight and slow to milk, the fresh udders are soft and let milk down faster for better milking,” says Nestor Gomez at J&S Dairy, owned by the Worms family near Melrose, Minnesota. Josh Worms says Nestor, the 900-cow dairy’s herdsman, has been working Udder Comfort into their fresh cow routine since bringing home samples from Central Plains Expo in 2017. “We see the biggest benefit in fresh heifers with the most edema and cows with big udders. We do spray all fresh udders with Udder Comfort 2x/day for 3 to 4 days,” Nestor explains. “We also like using this for all hospital cows. They recover faster. We used to use a regular mint, but Udder Comfort brings so much more. It’s easy to recommend this product for fresh cows: The spray is easy to use, a gallon does 35 to 40 fresh cows (all applications), and the results help them.”
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
ConƟnued from FURSETH | Page 18 What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in bull selection? When it comes to bulls, we try and achieve a cow that is moderate size with good feet and legs and a well-put-together udder. A few of the traits we look at are net merit, milk, combined fat/protein, daughter pregnancy rate, productive life, udder composite, and feet and leg composite. We look a little bit at the sire conception rate of the bull when selecting him but more importantly I monitor their performance on the farm with DairyComp305. If a bull isn’t getting cows pregnant, we switch him out for a different bull faster than our normal changes.
How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? In the last year we have started using more beef semen to try and better manage our heifer inventory. Our lowerend cows, being production or historically health events, get beef. All other cows get conventional semen. A small number of 2-year-olds will get a unit of sexed semen. To keep it simple, these are cows that are in the top third for net merit and have a daughter pregnancy rate and cow conception rate over 2.0. To push genetic progress and to keep it simple, our heifers are ranking off genomic samples. The top onethird gets two units of sexed semen, the middle group gets one unit and the bottom gets conventional.
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Furseth Farms is a 190-cow dairy located in Stoughton, Wis. What do you do to settle hard breeders? To settle a hard breeder, I don’t change a lot. Timing of breeding during the heat cycle is the main thing. Normally I do all the breeding in the morning. If one just came into heat, I’ll wait until later in the day to breed. STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Craig Furseth looks at the SCR HeaƟme system, which helps detect cows in heat. The soŌware program closely monitors cows’ heat cycles, and Craig uses this informaƟon to decide which cows to breed.
How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? This depends on the cow. If she is above average, I might go four or ve. If she is poor, I’ll try two or three times.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 21
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JD 2210, 2014, 55.5 Äeld cultivator, $ #154394
AIR DRILLS AND SEEDERS 14 JD 1990, 2011, #156314................................................................. $85,860 BOX DRILLS 5 JD 455, 1999, Width: 30, Spacing: 10”, #150258............................. $18,900 11 JD 455, 2018, Configuration: Folding, Width: 30, Spacing: 7.5”, #143110 .......................................................................................... $63,900 14 JD 455, 2010, Configuration: Folding, Width: 25, Spacing: 7.5”, #156454 .......................................................................................... $29,900 FIELD CULTIVATORS 4 JD 960, 1994, 36 ft, Kind: 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #148486 .............................................................................................$7,500 10 JD 1010, 25.5 ft, Kind: 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151724 .............................................................................................$3,495 10 JD 1010, 31 ft, #150876 ...................................................................$2,825 10 JD 960, 1994, 26 ft, #148845 ............................................................$5,500 7 JD 960, 1988, 44 ft, Standards: C-Shank, #150157 ...........................$7,215 7 JD 2210, 2013, #156232 ................................................................ $55,900 1 JD 2210, 2011, #155650 ................................................................ $29,900 1 Case IH 690, 2014, #155651 .......................................................... $18,900 1 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2013, 30.5 ft, Kind: 3-Section Folding, #155652 .......................................................................................... $33,000 1 JD 960, 1993, 33 ft, Kind: 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154535 .............................................................................................$6,500 12 JD 1000, 1978, #156035 ...................................................................$3,950 15 JD 2210, 2008, 60 ft, Kind: 3-Section Folding, #146682 ................ $34,500 15 Case IH 4800, #155715 ....................................................................$5,100 16 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, #155901............................ $59,400 16 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, Kind: 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154509 ......................................................... $59,400 16 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, Kind: 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154511 ......................................................... $59,400 16 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, Kind: 5-Section Folding, S tandards: C-Shank, #154510 ........................................................... $59,400 16 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, Kind: 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154507 ......................................................... $59,400 16 Case IH TIGRMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, Kind: 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154508 ......................................................... $59,400 5 JD 980, 1997, #155850.................................................................. $11,500 8 JD 2210, 2009, 53 ft, Kind: 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154393 .......................................................................................... $48,000 8 JD 2210, 2014, 55.5 ft, Kind: 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154394 .......................................................................................... $58,500 8 JD 2210, 2009, 50.5 ft, Kind: 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154537 .......................................................................................... $43,500 14 JD 980, 1997, 26 ft, Kind: 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #153320 .............................................................................................$9,900 14 JD 2210, 2007, 58 ft, Kind: 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151055 .......................................................................................... $32,900 14 JD 2210, 2012, #156912 ................................................................ $54,500 14 JD 980, 1998, #156455................................................................... $14,430 3 JD 980, 1994, 33 ft, Kind: 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151027 .......................................................................................... $12,000 PLANTERS: DRAWN 4 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150736 ..................$169,000 4 JD 1760, 2013, #156200 ................................................................ $52,500
58,500
Case IH Tigermate 200, 2014, 60’ Äeld cultivator, $ 6” spacing, #154511
17 17 7 6
JD 1750, 1997, #156043 ................................................................ $12,500 JD 1765, 2015, #155243 ................................................................ $54,500 White 6322, #156848 ................................................................... $18,900 Great Plains YP2425, 2007, 24R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, #152236 ... $65,000 15 JD DB66, 2008, #156439 .............................................................. $107,500 15 JD DB66, 2008, #155284 .............................................................. $139,900 9 JD DB60, 2014, #156907 .............................................................. $159,000 16 JD DB99, 2014, #156313 .............................................................. $310,000 16 JD DB66, 2008, #156834 .............................................................. $132,500 11 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #140328 ..................$149,500 11 JD 1750, 1999, 6R30, Frame: Rigid, Metering System: Finger Pickup, #153700 .......................................................................................... $19,800 8 Wil-Rich 24-22, 2009, 24R22, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, Row Command, #139224 ................................................................ $44,900 14 Kinze, 2000, #155343 .................................................................... $15,540 14 JD 1780, 1999, #155446 ................................................................ $33,500 PLANTERS: INTEGRAL 6 White 5100, #155511 ......................................................................$6,700 8 JD DR24, 2018, 24R22, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150773 ..................$179,500 PULL-TYPE SPRAYERS 2 Hardi RANGER 2000, 2014, #155294............................................ $20,500 10 Redball 580, 2006, #151074 ......................................................... $18,900 7 Summers ULTIMATE 120, 2012, #155256 .................................... $27,900 15 Wil-Rich Blumha, #148336 .............................................................$5,500 15 Top Air TA1200, 2008, #155358 .................................................... $16,650 5 Hardi Commander 1200, 2002, #150043 .................................... $14,900 5 Wil-Rich 500 GAL, #150604 .............................................................$6,000 3 Top Air TA2400, 2014, #156122 .................................................... $49,500 4 JD R4038, 2017, Boom Width: 120-Foot, Boom Leveling, Tank: Stainless, Nozzle Spacing: 20 in, 289 hrs., #141223 ......................................$329,500 15 JD 4940, 2014, 1763 hrs., #155452 .............................................. $199,500 16 JD 4830, 2013, Tank: Stainless, Tire Width: Mid, Hydraulic Tread Adjust, Traction Control, Nozzle Spacing: 15 in, 2400 hrs., #155970 .......... $139,000 16 Case IH 4430, 2013, Boom Leveling, Tank: Stainless, Tire Width: Narrow, Guidance-ready, 2655 hrs., #154198 ............................................. $209,500 SELF-PROPELLED SPRAYERS 8 JD R4038, 2018, Boom Width: 120-Foot, Nozzle Spacing: 20 in, 495 hrs., #150887 ....................................................................................... $339,000 14 JD R4038, 2017, Hydraulic Tread Adjust, Guidance-ready, 508 hrs., #143961 ........................................................................................ $346,500 14 JD R4038, 2018, 100 hrs., #155379.............................................. $340,200 SKID STEER LOADERS 4 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 524 hrs., #153420......... $39,000 4 JD 330G, 2017, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, Aux Hydraulics, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 741 hrs., #152399 .......................................................................................... $49,900 4 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Ride Control, 2 Speed, 72” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 335 hrs., #142477 ................................. $46,000 4 JD 316GR, 2016, 171 hrs., #156291 ............................................... $33,000 4 JD 320E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control,
59,400
2 Speed, 76” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 290 hrs., #153678 ................... $40,900 4 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, EH Controls, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, Reversing Fan, 341 hrs., #128723 ................................................... $42,900 4 Bobcat S650, 2013, 615 hrs., #155406 .......................................... $37,900 4 JD 318E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, 100 hrs., #125482 ......................................................... $37,100 2 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, 78” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 497 hrs., #148317 ........... $41,900 2 JD 320D, 2012, 1563 hrs., #156706 ................................................ $28,900 10 JD 326E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, Aux Hydraulics, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 1313 hrs., #152238....... $35,000 10 New Holland L230, 2013, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, 84” Bucket, 291 hrs., #146693 .................... $35,900 10 JD 318D, 2013, 6676 hrs., #156902 ................................................ $13,900 10 JD 320E, 2016, 2511 hrs., #156901 ................................................ $27,500 10 JD 320E, 2016, 885 hrs., #155727 .................................................. $35,900 10 JD 332E, 2014, 1000 hrs., #155014 ................................................ $42,500 17 JD 318E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, 72” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 140 hrs., #148061 .................................................... $37,900 17 Bobcat 742B, 1991, #154553 ...........................................................$8,500 7 JD 326E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, Aux Hydraulics, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 780 hrs., #153617 .......................................................................................... $39,900 7 JD 320E, 2017, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Joystick, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 2245 hrs., #151633 ......................................................................... $29,500 7 JD 324E, 2018, 42 hrs., #156471 .................................................... $47,900 6 JD 320D, 2013, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, Reversing Fan, 1426 hrs., #153614 .................................................. $24,900 6 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 78” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 280 hrs., #153677 .......................................................................................... $45,900 1 JD 320E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, EH Controls, Joystick, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 76” Bucket, 645 hrs., #151636 ................................ $42,900 12 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 54 hrs., #126370 ................................... $45,900 15 JD 320E, 2017, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Joystick, 2 Speed, 72” Bucket, 153 hrs., #144216 ........................................................................... $43,900 9 JD 318D, 2013, ROPS, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, 900 hrs., #153615 ........................................................................... $15,900 9 JD 320E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, 370 hrs., #151072 ......................................................... $37,500 16 JD 320E, 2017, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Joystick, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, Less Bucket, 2657 hrs., #148971...................................................... $27,750 5 JD 320E, 2014, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, 678 hrs., #152334 ......................................................... $35,900 5 Bobcat 630, 1979, #156697 .............................................................$4,500 11 JD 320E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, 78” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 310 hrs., #143386 ................... $42,900 8 JD 332G, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, Aux Hydraulics, Weights, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 572 hrs., #153227 .................................................... $52,900 8 JD 320E, 2017, 574 hrs., #156136 .................................................. $35,900 8 JD 328D, 2012, 1405 hrs., #155370 ................................................ $34,500 14 JD 320E, 2014, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 3442 hrs., #153675 ............................................ $24,900
189,000
CIH QT500, 2011, $ 2950 hrs., #155272
JD DB44, 2010, 24R22 CCS planter, $ seedstar, #156931
98,500
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
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WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Waunakee, WI 608-849-5043
Mondovi Dairy Systems Inc. Mondovi, WI 715-926-5777 West Salem, WI 608-769-2113 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470 MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA D&D Ag Supply Pennock, MN 320-599-4466
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You are not alone
Since I have been writing twice a month for this newspaper, I have meet so many farmers who tell me they read my column. Several farmers on Facebook will reach out and ask, “How’s your day going?” or “What are you up to today?” or “How is it going with your robots?” We chat back and forth, and it inspires me to know they are concerned about what is happening with me. In return, I ask how it is going on their farms. Sometimes I can hear it is a great day, and others times we speak about our anxiety with the stress that low prices and depression can do to our families. By Tina Hinchley I try to carry on a Farmer & Columnist conversation while I am doing my chores, knowing that they are doing theirs as well. When we talk together, it is an opportunity to vent, but also a way to support and comfort each other. As dairy farmers, we are now heading into the fth year of depressed prices. Families are working harder than ever to hold on to their farms, and the stress from every angle is making it difcult to be optimistic. We deal with low milk and grain prices; bills that need to be paid to the co-op, vet, electrical company, or bank for the farm payment; and the higher milk hauling prices. The list goes on and on. The weather through out 2018 was rough on all of us, too. This year, there has been ice and snow and falling buildings, and now ooding. It makes us all crazy. But there is a point when it becomes a mental health issue. The worst idea is when someone thinks his or her own death could seem like a solution. Just recently I learn that farmers have the highest suicide rate in all professions. We all need to help each other. We know through the commonality of what we do that we all have hard times. We are not alone, though there are times when it feels like it. I really appreciate when someone asks me how I am doing, knowing that they understand. Now more than ever, it is very important to reach out and identify those farmers who need someone to talk to. It can be frightening and intimidating if you feel they may try to hurt themselves. We need to be able to listen and help nd the resources that could save their lives. What I have learned is there are a few things anyone can do to help. We all can start the conversation by saying “How are you doing?” Here are a few more steps: – Let them know they are not alone. – Listen to what they are saying. – Ask if they have a religious leader who they would like to speak to. – Help them look online for help with the Farmer Resource Network: online directory contains more than 750 organizations that work directly with farmers nationwide on a variety of issues. – If you feel they might still try to hurt themselves, don’t leave them alone. – Call a Hotline: (800)Farm-aid (800)327-6243 or (800)273-TALK (800)273-8255 If you are having a hard time and need to talk to someone, reach out to family and friends or call a hotline. You can get through this. If you could only sense how important you are to the people who love you. You are far more important than your cows or your farm. “There are far, far, better things ahead than anything we leave behind.” C.S. Louis Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. They have been hosting farm tours for over 20 years.
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 23
Commitment to quality reaches beyond milk Cottonwood Dairy named Platinum NDQA winner By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
SOUTH WAYNE, Wis. – Cottonwood Dairy, located in South Wayne, Wis., in the rolling hills of southwest Wisconsin, was one of six dairy farms nation-wide to be selected as recipients of a Platinum National Dairy Quality Award at the National Mastitis Council’s annual meeting held earlier this year in Savannah, Ga. Jim Winn co-owns Cottonwood Dairy along with his partners Brian and Randy Larson. Winn credits much of the success of producing high-quality milk to his employees at the Lafayette County dairy farm. “Having talented employees is the number one factor,” Winn said. “They really buy into what we ask them to do, and they work hard.” At any given time, there are about 30 or 31 employees working at Cottonwood Dairy, with 27 or 28 of those positions working directly with the dairy herd. Cottonwood Dairy is home to 1,800 cows. During the time-frame for the award, the herd’s average SCC ranged from 65,000 to 75,000. “My herdsman, Torry Swiggum, is second to none. He’s been with us for 35 years,” Winn said. Cottonwood Dairy was nominated by Grande milk quality specialist Dr.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Jim Winn, a co-owner of CoƩonwood Dairy in South Wayne, Wis., displays the farm’s recently won PlaƟnum NaƟonal Dairy Quality Award from the NaƟonal MasƟƟs Council. The farm was nominated for the award by Grande milk quality specialist Dr. Andy Johnson.
Andy Johnson, who Winn has a great deal of respect and appreciation for, and Winn credits Dr. Johnson with being a big factor in the achievements of his herd as well. “Dr. Johnson has been a real bene-
cial help to us,” Winn said. “If he suggests a change we might make, or an upgrade we should consider, we typically take it to heart and do it.” Over the years, Winn has found that installing teat scrubbers made a big im-
pact on the herd’s overall SCC scores. Teat scrubbers were rst installed on the farm in the spring of 2014 and have been updated a few times over the past Turn to COTTONWOOD | Page 25
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IOWA Engel Agri Sales Sac City, IA SOUTH DAKOTA Pfeifer Implement Co. Sioux Falls, SD Puthhoff Repair Sales & Service, Inc. Salem, SD
Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
TIME TO PUT
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Visit Bobcat.com/Offers or stop by today for details. *Offer ends 3/31/2019. Available at participating and eligible dealers only. Offer may vary by product type, series, model and select units in dealer’s current inventory. Must take delivery from dealer stock by 03/31/2019. Offers available on new equipment in US and Canada only. Some restrictions apply. Length of contract may vary. Prior purchases not eligible. See dealer for details. Financing provided on approval of credit by authorized Bobcat finance providers to well-qualified buyers. Administrative fees may apply. Offer not available to government accounts, national accounts and municipal/utility bid customers. Non-commercial customers may not be eligible for low rate financing. Bobcat Company reserves the right to extend or discontinue any of these programs at any time without prior notice. Bobcat®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 25
ConƟnued from COTTONWOOD | Page 24
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
CoƩonwood Dairy is home to 1,800 cows in LafayeƩe County, Wis.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
The cows at CoƩonwood Dairy are milked three Ɵmes a day in this double-20 herringbone parlor. During the award applicaƟon period, the herd had an average SCC between 65,000 and 75,000.
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The United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency announced the January 2019 income over feed cost margin was $7.99 per hundredweight, triggering the rst payment for eligible dairy producers who purchase the appropriate level FSA News & Notes of coverage under the new Dairy Margin Coverage program. DMC, which replaces the Margin Protection Program for Dairy, is a voluntary risk management program for dairy producers that was authorized by the 2018 farm bill. DMC offers protection to dairy producBy Ryan Brunn ers when the difference beStearns Co. Exec. Dir. tween the all milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that sign up for DMC will open by mid-June of this year. At the time of sign up, producers who elect a DMC coverage level between $8 and $9.50 would be eligible for a payment for January 2019. For example, a dairy operation with an established production history of 3 million pounds (30,000 cwt.) that elects the $9.50 coverage level for 50 percent of its production could potentially be eligible to receive $1,887.50 for January. Sample calculation: $9.50 - $7.99 margin = $1.51 difference. $1.51 times 50 percent of production times 2,500 cwt. (30,000 cwt./12) = $1,887.50. The calculated annual premium for coverage at $9.50 on 50 percent of a 3-million-pound production history for this example would be $2,250. Sample calculation: 3,000,000 times 50 percent = 1,500,000/100 = 15,000 cwt. times 0.150 premium fee = $2,250. Operations making a one-time election to participate in DMC through 2023 are eligible to receive a 25 percent discount on their premium for the existing margin coverage rates. Additional details about DMC and other FSA farm bill program changes can be found at http:// www.farmers.gov/farmbill. 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, March 23, 2019 • Page 27
Nothing lasts forever The Transition Pen
By John Rosenhammer & Laura Scholtz Father/Daughter Farming Duo Despite a winter from hell, there are signs of hope. With record amounts of snow, ridiculous drifts and continuous sub-zero temperatures, Earth is beginning to reappear. I forgot what thawing temperatures felt like. The reappearance of unnished projects, broken gates and other debris under melting snow banks remind me that very little time was spent in the shop doing repairs. The melting snow has resulted in runoff, creating little rivers unique to each and every farm. Frozen in the morning and endless mud in the afternoons has been the norm and will continue to be for a while. The sub-zero temperatures that started in January have nally conceded to the calendar and given up at least for a while. All things, whether good or bad, do come to an end. “The Transition Pen,” which Laura and I have had the privilege to write, is also coming to an end. Whether it was good or bad, or likely somewhere in between, it has been an honor to communicate our story to our fellow dairy people. When Laura came home to join our operation three years ago, it was a dream come true for a father. Having raised our family on a dairy farm with a positive approach towards our occupation and lifestyle has resulted in four of our ve children wanting to return to the farm in some capacity. Laura loved the cows and was always so good in working with them. She improved her skills at Garlin Dairy and after two years was anxious to bring back new ideas to help improve our dairy. The bounce in her step was obvious. Creating protocols, lists, groups and vaccinations were her top priorities, and she was as serious as she was precise. Age of rst calving dropped nearly three months. Pregnancy rate improved nearly 10 points. Calf mortality dropped to the lowest numbers in years. Dr. Jeff Diettrich, our vet, said our herd had the highest percent of cows pregnant that he has ever worked with. Laura did very well with the things she could control and with a very positive attitude. She taught me new treatments, new ideas and was always conscious of return on investment. One of the best ideas she brought back was rolling a downed cow onto a skid steer bucket and moving the animal to where it had the best chance of recovery. Thankfully, our painful hip lifter rarely ever gets used anymore. Things we could not control were milk price. With nearly ve years of depressing prices, Laura looked at that as a way to challenge her marketing skills learned in college. She wanted to contract more than we did, but she could only suggest an option, not make the actual call. Another goal of Laura’s was to always work in a positive environment and be surrounded by positive people. Treating others with respect, encouragement and appreciation has been important to her. Simple words like please, thank you,
I F A
and I am sorry go a long way in dening a person. I realize the downed economy and harsh winter contribute towards negative attitudes, but a kind word every now and then can be the difference between a good or bad day. Adding the economic challenges, new baby Morgan into her life, and other circumstances that she could not change or control, Laura has decided to try a new path in life. On one hand, I am sad she is not working beside me, but on the other I am happy for her that she can put her college degree to another use and not have to work as hard as I had to raise a family. There will be hard days ahead at her new job, but at least she will not go asleep at night wondering what might have been. In the end, I want her to be happy and be able to devote time to her family and never regret what might have been. For all of my life, I have known what I will be doing a year from now; how-
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
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
Why we need dairy welfare programs There seems to be more and more scrutiny by the public on how dairy producers operate their business and take care of their animals. The current tough economic times do not make this any easier. I admire the commitment and persistence of our dairy farmers. I am praying and crossing my ngers for better milk prices ahead. However, market demands have made animal welfare audits and assessments a necessity in our dairy industry. At the Dairy Cattle Welfare Symposium last year, Cassandra Tucker (UC-Davis) provided an By Marcia Endres overview of welfare programs in the United States. Some of the points she made are U of M summarized in this article along with my additional comments. There are three major categories of animal welfare programs: educational, assessment and audit programs. A small number of programs target niche markets where the farms participating receive a certication label. The largest dairy welfare assessment program is the National Milk Producers Federation’s FARM Animal Care – 98 percent of the U.S. milk supply comes from participating farms. The goals of all dairy welfare programs are to reduce risk, improve animal welfare on farms, and demonstrate commitment by dairy farmers and their employees to animal care to customers and consumers. It is detrimental to a brand if an animal abuse video from one of their member farms goes viral. Ideally, routine on-farm welfare assessments prevent this from happening by identifying problematic issues in a more proactive manner and implementing a corrective plan. Animal welfare programs include animal-based, protocolbased and facility-based measures. Animal-based measures include injury, locomotion, cleanliness and body condition scores, in addition to broken tails and animal handling. Protocol-based measures include herd health plans, cow care agreements, veterinary-client-patient relationship and euthanasia protocols. Facility-based measures include water and feed access, heat abatement, protection from the elements and stocking density. The auditor or assessor spends many hours on each farm during the day of visit, observing animals and facilities along with verication of protocols. Direct observation and interviews are used to verify agreement between protocols and what is seen on the farm.
Animal-based measures are less prescriptive, and can tell us more about the animal’s environment over weeks and months rather than what is happening the day of the evaluation. For example, the presence of a large number of cows with broken tails indicates rough animal handling. Prevalence of hock lesions provides a direct animal assessment of the quality of stall surfaces. Body condition scores are an indicator of feeding management. However, there are some limitations, such as the time it takes to collect these measures and being able to observe a representative sample of animals. Protocols provide written documentation as evidence of the farm’s commitment to welfare. As an example, cow care agreements are required by most programs. Employees are trained on low stress animal handling and sign an agreement that they will not mistreat animals, will report animal abuse and understand their job will be terminated if they commit animal abuse. Employee training for their specic job protocols is expected and needs to be documented. Protocols need to be implemented and not be left at the ofce. Facility observations help assessors and auditors complete the process. Facility observations identify welfare aspects that cannot be measured directly on the animals because of the time of visit. For example, heat stress cannot be seen on a visit during mild weather. Most dairy farms in the United States will meet most welfare program guidelines or requirements, but there is an understanding from customers that it is a process of continuous improvement. Guidelines are based on what is found on the top percentile farms and represent a goal to be achieved over time. The largest dairy welfare program – FARM Animal Care – evaluates farms at least once every three years, as long as a corrective action plan has not been required, which triggers a more frequent evaluation schedule by the second party evaluators. The FARM Animal Care Program demonstrates that dairy producers are committed to taking excellent care of their animals and producing safe, wholesome milk. The program standards are revised every three years by industry experts – farmers, animal scientists, veterinarians and co-op staff – who rely on the latest dairy welfare research. The revision process is ongoing for Version 4.0 which will be implemented beginning January 2020. The public comment period for recommended standards opened Feb. 25 and will close March 31. Visit https://www.nationaldairyfarm.com/ animal-care-open-comments to provide input.
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Making a plan for a farm transition By Colleen Carlson
University of Minnesota
Growing up on a dairy farm, Merri Post was happy milking cows. When she married her dairy farmer husband, Bill, she gained new knowledge and understanding of the business side of dairy farming. Now Bill and Merri are part of a sandwich generation between Bill’s parents and their own two children and their spouses. Bill and Merri are nishing up taking over from Bill’s parents and preparing to bring their two children and their spouses into the operation. The Posts have grown their herd to 140 Red & White Holsteins milked by two Lely robotic milking systems. Merri worked as a coordinator for the Minnesota Dairy Initiatives in southwest Minnesota for 14 years. Today, she farms full time and serves as the state board chair for MDI. Recently, she earned certication as a Farm Transition Specialist with the International Farm Transfer Network. Merri has worked with other coordinators in the MDI program to help them become successful in working with farm families to pass on the farm. She shared her story in her presentation, “Farm Transition is Not for Sissies,” at the 2019 Carver County Dairy Expo on Feb. 18. Building good communication skills, focusing on the farm business goals and dening the role each family member plays can help build mutual respect for each other and improve the process. “Unhealthy relationships lled with old jealousies, criticism and disagreements hinder the process,” Post said. She suggests setting up a regular business meeting schedule that includes an agenda and a way to take and share meeting notes. Plan to treat each other respectfully, share expectations and understand that the heirs need to be valued and heard. “Don’t expect to come out of farm transition meetings being right and happy, aim for a satisfactory result you can accept,” Post said. First, the parents and owners need to decide what they want their legacy to be. This is a crucial step as they decide what their life will look like during the transition and after the eventual transfer of the property. What type of cash ow will they need in retirement, and how will their days be lled when they won’t have the responsibility of nances, repairs and daily chores they were accustomed to for 40 or 50 years? Doing nothing is an option. If it is an option, it needs to be listed. The parents and heirs need to answer what the consequences are of doing nothing. Many times, treating all the heirs equally will not sustain the farm business. Can the farm business support the cash demands of the farm transition? How much of the farm business needs to contribute to the parents and how much to the farming heirs’ family living expenses? Will there be anything left for the non-farm heirs and what would satisfy them? “This is where good communication skills and planning help to generate solutions rather than to relive problems,” Post said. “How do you start the farm transfer conversation in your family?” Recognize that you need to have the right people on the bus. Some resources and people to involve are extension educators, technical college instructors, tax specialists, CPAs, ag lenders and attorneys. Decide if you want an expert or consultant versus a coordinator or facilitator to help in the decision-making process. Identify trusted advisors to help facilitate the strategic planning and implement the process of farm transfer. Farm transition does not happen in a short period of time; it is a journey.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 29
ConƟnued from TRANSITION PEN | Page 27 positive note I leave with is that Lau- thought were out of reach. I have overra and I are much closer now than we come many unexpected challenges, and were three years ago, and for that I will I have no regrets. Most importantly, I be ever grateful. Amen. have become a better person, learning John Rosenhammer farms with his to put people rst and nurture relationbrother, Greg, on Roseview Dairy near ships, especially with my parents and Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Hol- siblings. steins and run 580 acres of cropland. God granted me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, and now the By Laura Scholtz courage to change what I can. I am beGod generously gave me many ginning a career off the farm, working abilities. I can analyze problems and with farmers to service their nancing come up with solutions, multi-task, and crop insurance needs, and I think come up with ideas, and know my way it will be a good t for me. I am foraround both the barn and the kitchen. ever grateful to everyone who offered Yet, as I read to Morgan, “Oh, the me support and encouragement while I Places You’ll Go,” by Dr. Seuss, he per- worked on the farm. fectly describes how I have been feel“God has perfect timing, and it’s ing the past year. highly possible that by not being where “I’m sorry to say so, but, sadly it’s you thought you should be, you will true that bang-ups and hang-ups can end up exactly where you’re meant to happen to you. … And when you’re go,” Rachel Hollis said. in a slump, you’re not much fun. UnLaura Scholtz farms with her faslumping yourself is not easily done.” ther, John Rosenhammer, and uncle, I have given my family’s dairy Greg, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy farm my best efforts, but I am unable to Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins establish the peace and happiness I de- and run 580 acres of cropland. sire. I have accomplished many goals I
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Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
Dancing feet
Um-pa-pa, um-pa-pa. “Listen to the instruments. Feel it, then count it. 1-2-3, 1-2-3.â€? I absolutely love to dance. On a well-powdered wooden dance ďƒ&#x;oor, a smooth cement surface, a chaff-covered haymow ďƒ&#x;oor, the gravel-lined driveway, a ďƒ&#x;at-rack parked in a rodeo arena, even a barn walk sprinkled with fresh lime. I two-stepped up and down the barn walk with Keith in the early days of our romance when he worked on the farm. I learned how to swing and jitterbug from a dear friend, Dusty Williams, inside the walls of Dan Obert’s haymow on the sweltering days of summer. Then, in turn, I taught Peter and a handful of his friends how to swing and two-step. I taught my brother Tony how to polka courtesy of WNFM’s Polka Radio Show on Sunday mornings after church in our driveway. Doors to the ‘Big Brown Bomb’ were thrown wide open, with the radio blaring and Tony (age 6) grumbling. I, at 17, reprimanded him into learning, telling him that someday he’ll thank me. All boys should know how to dance because girls love to be twirled around
the ďƒ&#x;oor. Now, at 28, Tony has given his thanks. He can successfully dance a polka, swing, and two-step. That makes him a favorite of all the ladies at a wedding reception. I have visions of being spun around the ďƒ&#x;oor of the Cashton Community Hall at a fairly young age, learning the words to ‘Roll Out the Barrel’, as I went. I can see the trademark poufy skirts and hair of the 1980s and early 1990s. In the midst of legs ďƒ&#x;ailing in time to the tuba and concertina are my Mlsna relatives crowding the dance ďƒ&#x;oor. I remember being in awe of my cousin Dale and his wife Char as they glided seamlessly across the ďƒ&#x;oor, with never a misstep. I would be guided into learning the steps by Dad, Grandpa Ike, or my willing Uncle Steve. Box-steps, polkas, fox-trots, waltzes – I would dance them all until my feet hurt. Their patient teaching gave me a lifetime love of dancing. Historical records credit a young girl, Anna Chadimova, in the 1830s Czech region of Bohemia, with creating the polka. It is believed that the word “polkaâ€? comes from the Czech word “pulkaâ€? meaning “halfâ€? referring to
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the fast, jumpy dance that takes place. My Mlsna heritage traces back to Bohemia, part of the Czech republic, and I happen to call the ‘Czech Capital of Wisconsin’ (Hillsboro) my home. It’s no wonder this music speaks to my need to get up and dance. This past Sunday, the local Czech heritage Ramblings from the Ridge preservation organization, Cesky Den, held their annual St. Patrick’s Day dance in town. Is there a better way to usher in spring than spending the afternoon surrounded by all things green, with a soundtrack of the best polkas and fox-trots being played in the background? Brian and the Mississippi Valley Dutchmen are loBy Jacqui Davison cal and Midwestern polka celebrities, hailing from Columnist Cashton. Brian and his band have been playing for more than 30 years. Their skills are both top-notch and award-winning. Even his teenage son, Phillip, has the skills of a seasoned trumpet player, and the dance moves of one well beyond his years. I think it’s safe to say he probably has polka in his veins. Brian has been around long enough to be able to call out friendly welcomes to incoming guests by name, and made the entire environment feel like a cozy house party. All dressed in their St. Patty’s Day best, my friend Kelly and her four girls met Henry and me in town to shake a leg. Undeniably some of the youngest in the crowd, we were greeted with joyful smiles. A roomful of grandparents always delights in seeing youth take part in something they love. While we didn’t glide across the ďƒ&#x;oor like the couples that had clearly been dancing together for years and years—we had some good teaching lessons. Kelly and I planted the seeds in the little ones for what could possibly become some real polka dancing prowess in their future. The hardest part of dancing with children is remembering their legs aren’t quite as long, and therefore, I have to make the steps smaller as I move. Also, kids love to bounce, like giant sized bouncy balls. There were intermittent polka steps amidst the bounces back and forth. There was counting in time to the music. “One, two, three, one, two, threeâ€? a million times over. Then we would switch to a foxtrot. “One, two, one, one, two, oneâ€? I would count out as I directed them with the pumping of my arms to the right direction. I had to snag a three-dance refresher session on the foxtrot with a kind gentleman that whirled me around the ďƒ&#x;oor with grace and ease. He guided me by a gentle push on my back, while telling me about his extensive polka record collection and thanking me for his rehab exercises that day. My dance partner mentioned that “babysitters killed the polka.â€? Looking at the average age of attendance at the dance, I understood what he meant. A generation or two before me would leave their children at home with a sitter so they could go out dancing. Then those children didn’t have the exposure to the dance moves this music requires. Perhaps the minority of us that get ours toes-a-tapping when we hear a good polka can bring it back for the future. Kelly and I and our pint-sized dance partners had a blast. Surrounded by smiles, good food, and pleasant conversation, it was a relaxing spring Sunday. As I write at the moment, I have my record of The Six Fat Dutchmen playing, sending me out to the barn with a spring in my step. My boys will learn how to polka, no doubt rolling their eyes as I teach them. If you have the urge to get moving when you hear those unmistakable umpa-pas—our Cesky Den celebration is the second Saturday in June in Hillsboro. ‘Vitame vas’, ‘we welcome you’. This year Keith and I will reign as King and Queen. Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (12), Dane (10), Henry (5) and Cora (toddler), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 31
Are your cows eating a consistent ration? Cows love consistency. This age-old adage rings true today more than ever. Dairies often focus on rigid routines in the milking parlor, but this same expectation of consistency is often neglected on the front end of the cow. What time is your rst load of feed dispensed on your dairy? If that answer starts with the words “it depends,” you may want to Something to Ruminate On revisit your procedure. There are always unforeseen circumstances such as equipment breakdown. The past several months has tested our ability to work through adverse weather conditions. Be proactive and have a contingency plan to deal with the time delay this may cause. Well-managed dairies can have feeding start times consistently within 10 to 15 minutes from one day to the next. If you have multiple feeders on your dairy, make sure their routines are consistent to one another. Dairies that feed to groups in the parlor may see some variation as milking times uctuate. It is important that your total mixed ration mixer By Barry Visser is level during the lling process. When it is not, Nutritionist ingredients tend to migrate to the lowest part of the mixer and often result in uneven distribution at feed out. I can share a few examples where a back-up tractor was hooked to the TMR mixer and the drawbar was at different elevations. In most cases, this attachment height can be readjusted. A more common cause for improper mixer positions is unlevel ground. The solution may be as simple as relocating the mixer to a more level location. Sometimes a more permanent x is necessary, requiring you to build up the surface with con- Th The consistency i off the h crete. Ingredients should be ration in front of the cow is added in the middle of the paramount to cow health and mixer or loaded evenly across the mixer. This is especially performance. critical with liquid ingredients. Several dairies have implemented a distribution bar with multiple drop points into the mixer. Ingredient loading order can vary depending on which ingredients are included in your ration. Concentrates and lower-inclusion ingredients are generally added earlier in the mixing process to optimize their mixing. Forages are normally added last. The exception would be the addition of baleage and unprocessed dry hay or straw.
The physical form and particle size of the forages going into the TMR mixer wagon also impacts the amount of time a load needs to be mixed. Costs associated with preprocessing hay or straw are often alleviated with a reduction in mixing time. The decision when to engage the PTO and at what speed is also important to achieve a consistent mix. The Penn State Shaker Box is a valuable tool to assess mixing time. Undermixing will show considerable variation from the beginning to the end of the load. Overmixing often results in reduction of forage particle sizes. In both cases, cow health can be compromised. Overlling your TMR mixer can result in signicant variation. It is impossible to get a consistent mix when feed is bubbling over the side of your mixer, not to mention the dollars lost in shrink caused by overlling. Mixer maintenance is essential to achieving consistent mixing. Worn out knives, kicker plates or augers can all cause tremendous variation to the TMR mix. Load cell integrity should be monitored and calibrated routinely. The consistency of the ration in front of the cow is paramount to cow health and performance. Work with your feed team to ensure the best possibility for success. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
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Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
Most valuable asset
I am so thankful the calendar says it is spring. I am watching the snow drifts outside my kitchen window cry uncle to the warming rays of the sun. It feels as if a heavy burden is being lifted. The sun is brighter, our smiles are wider and our steps are lighter until we slip on a water covered patch of clear ice. It is almost fun watching the weather forecast again as we keep an eye out for the day we can ditch our winter coats. The weather gal does not seem to appreciate our temperature swings. She was apologizing for still being below freezing at night. We are giving thanks for the warmer days and cold nights for two reasons. The drop below the freezing point at night will generate a slower melt down and not such a rapid spring ood. The best reason is because the temperature swings are perfect for a big maple syrup season. Al cleared the snow away from his maple trees, and the buckets and pouches are hanging from the taps to
capture the sweet sap. He built a huge snow pile to protect the boiling crew from cold northerly winds as they stoke the res to boil off the water and collect the sweet syrup. This is a sure sign spring is on the way. The other day, Austin asked me a puzzling question. “What is the most important asset on the farm?” Off the top of my head, I could rattle off nancial resources, cattle, us, land, skid steer or cordless power tools. But knowing Austin, I knew it was a much deeper question and one he already had the answer to. He did not provide any explanation, only a three-word answer. An open mind. Wow. My mind started to race around his words to see how it t in scenarios. All problems could be solved with an open mind. It did not matter if it was a nancial problem or a reproductive problem. Having an open mind provides an opportunity to see old
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problems in a new light to nd better solutions. Austin’s words are few, but profound. At times, he is wise beyond his years. This reminds me Just Thinking Out Loud of an example between knowledge, wisdom and philosophy. Knowledge knows a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Just something else to think about. One way to spend a Minnesota winter day is By Natalie Schmitt catch an educational class to help expand your mind. Columnist We caught one on transitions the other day. Mark and I attended one about eight years ago in the same room at the technical college. The room was packed with a presenter stationed between two large video screens explaining tax laws and business structure options. This year there was only one screen and a third of the room was in use. Either everyone gured it out the last time or there are fewer people exploring their options of how to protect their assets and plan for the future. It seems like yesterday when we were sitting next to Ralph at these meetings trying to gure out how to move from one generation to the next. I look over at Austin and wonder what he is thinking? As words such as trusts, probate, inheritance taxes and nursing home care are thrown around, I notice his eyes start to glaze over as he tries to keep up with this new vocabulary. Is this a path he wants to follow? My mind starts to wander and wonder as I zone in and out of the presentation. I wonder if there will be farms with less than 100 cows in the future. When we started out, the general rule of thumb was that it took 30-50 cows per family unit to make a go of it. Not to get rich but to cover expenses, live comfortably and still have a little left over to put away for down the road. We milked 100 cows for three family units when we started out, covering us, Al and the parents. What is that magic number today? It seems experts and nancial advisors are pushing for a larger number of cattle to cover a larger debt and higher production costs. During the banking crisis 10 years ago, the catch phrase was too big to fail. The government decided some banks were too big to let go under and bailed them out. In the last 10 years, we have seen seismic growth in the size of the family dairy farms. I wonder, have some farms grown too big to fail? Or, are they too big to pass on? I understand our children are not going to farm like us. They cannot. Farming today is different than it was when we started 30 years ago. It is also different than when Ralph started farming 70 years ago. But, we all made the changes necessary for the times to keep moving forward. I still cannot help but wonder, are we too small to pass on? Change is coming. We do not know what shape or direction, but as long as we keep an open mind to the possibilities we will be using our most valuable asset to make the best decision possible. Natalie, Mark and his brother Al, farm together near Rice, Minn. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are grown up and all involved in agriculture with hopes of someone returning to the farm. For questions or comments, please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 33
Legislation for farmers I was standing in a crowded elevator at the Minnesota State Capitol last week when a man made eye contact with me and asked, “Where’s your dairy farm?â€? For a second, I wondered if I should know this man and how he knew I was a farmer. Then I remembered I had a button that said, “I’m a Dairy Farmer,â€? pinned to my cardigan. The buttons were part of Minnesota Milk’s Dairy Day at the Capitol. “My dairy farm is near Melrose,â€? I told the man. “How many cows do you milk?â€? he asked. “We milk 90 cows,â€? I replied. Dairy Good Life “So, you’re still small,â€? he commented. While I was thinking of an appropriate response to his statement, he asked his next question: “How can we help you?â€? I was speechless for a moment. After all, it is not very often a stranger offers to help a farmer. Then, I quickly replied with the request we had been sharing with legislators all day: “There are two bills in the House and Senate that would provide direct one-time ďƒžnancial support to dairy farmers. Passing them would send a strong message that dairy farming is important to Minnesota.â€? As quickly as the conversation started, it ended. By Sadie Frericks The elevator doors opened, the man and his colleague Columnist stepped off. For all the times I have been part of an agricultural advocacy training or discussion about having an elevator speech, this was the ďƒžrst time I have ever used one. Sometimes you really do only have 20 seconds to share your message. I have no idea who the man was or what his role in Minnesota governance is, but the short exchange ďƒžlled me with a burst of hope. Clearly, there are folks in St. Paul who are concerned about dairy farmers, and perhaps this man would become an advocate for our bills. At the very least, he was now aware of them. The more who know and understand, the more who vote in our favor. Several bills have been introduced this session that could impact dairy farmers, but during Dairy Day at the Capitol most of our focus was on two. The ďƒžrst bill, introduced in the House by Representative Jeanne Poppe and in the Senate by Senator Torrey Westrom (HF 1418/SF 1698), would create a state rebate for dairy farmers enrolled in the federal farm bill’s Dairy Margin Coverage Program. The second bill, introduced in the House by Representative Jeanne Poppe and in the Senate by Senator Michael Goggin (HF 1419/SF 1699), would provide a ďƒžnancial reward for dairy farmers who are enrolled in conservation programs. Both bills hope to prevent further loss of dairy farms in Minnesota by providing much-needed ďƒžnancial assistance for dairy farmers. Both bills also need widespread support in the House and Senate. If you have not already, now is the time to contact your senator and representative and ask for their support. Make a phone call, send an email, or write a letter. It might seem like your phone calls and emails get lost in the crowd, but believe me, they matter. One of my internships in college was in the Minnesota Senate. One of my jobs during that internship was handling correspondence from my senator’s constituents. While it is true that senators and representatives do not read every piece of mail or listen to every voice message, their staff keeps a tally of contacts in favor of or against active legislation. In other words, your call or email gets counted and legislators use those numbers when deciding how to vote. So, even if you are sending a simple, generic form letter, it counts. If you really want your senator or representative to see your contact, include some details about your farm and how the proposed legislation would affect you. As an intern, we sorted through letters/emails and forwarded the most interesting ones to our senator to read. Legislators often play a role in educating and convincing their fellow legislators; they use constituents’ stories to do so. Of course, times have changed since my internship. Now, you can also send your legislator a message through Facebook or Twitter. I can only imagine what the interns’ contact spreadsheets look like now. Seriously, though, if you use social media, you should be connected with your elected ofďƒžcials. Social media is also a good way to thank them publicly for their support. Whether it is an elevator speech or an email, the best form of communication is the one that works best for you. So, pick a method and contact your senator and representative. There has never been a more important time for our state to support dairy farmers. 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, March 23, 2019
Farming without a family connection
Woldts build herd as rst-generation producers By Stacey Smart Contributing Writer
SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. – Nick Woldt did not grow up a farm boy, yet his 55-cow herd is consistently ranked one of the top in Dane County for milk production. This rst-generation farmer has come a long way in the past 15 years, achieving a rolling herd average of nearly 29,000 pounds of milk. Despite the fact that neither Nick nor his wife, Maria, come from a dairy farm, the couple has successfully built a high-producing herd. Picking up a lot of knowledge along the way, Nick worked at several farms before forming a partnership with Roger and Becky Weisensel in Sun Prairie, Wis., which allowed Nick to buy into a herd of his own and transition from farm employee to farmer. The older couple was looking to slowly retreat from farming and wanted to partner with someone interested in eventually taking over their herd. Nick went to work for the Weisensels on Nov. 1, 2003. After a year and a half, he bought in on a quarter of the herd, and by 2007, Nick owned the entire herd. The Woldts rent the buildings and buy the majority of their feed from the Weisensels. Nick and Roger help each other out, sharing eldwork and other
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Nick and Maria Woldt, and their daughter, Lexington, are rst-generaƟon farmers who milk 55 cows near Sun Prairie, Wis. duties around the farm. Nick and Maria live offsite about a mile down the road with their 2-year-old daughter, Lexington. “Without Roger and Becky giving us this opportunity, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Nick said.
“They’ve been very supportive and helped make improvements to the farm, like adding headlocks, new barn curtains, and building a shed for hay. It’s a good partnership.” Nick’s passion for dairy farming began with his childhood. As a kid, he
spent many summers on a dairy farm owned by his stepdad’s cousin. Even after graduating high school, Nick continued to help on the farm until taking a factory job in the Sun Prairie industrial park. He worked in the warehouse for two years, but it was hardly a match for this outdoorsy guy. “I didn’t like being inside,” said Nick. “I wanted to be outside.” Nick decided to quit the factory and take a farming short course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After earning his certicate, Nick worked on a dairy farm for several months before going back to the farm that rst instilled his love for dairying to help out when the owner broke his leg. Nick soon learned the occupation that t him best was dairy farming. He then came back to the area and worked for a custom grain and heifer raiser for ve years before learning about the opportunity with Roger and Becky. “Nobody ever discouraged me,” said Nick, whose family fully supported his decision to farm. “My parents both grew up on farms that were sold in the late 1970s, so I guess farming skipped a generation in our family.” The herd’s current rolling herd average is 28,757 pounds of milk with 3.9 percent butterfat and 3.2 percent protein. He said feed and genetics have played a big part in getting milk production to this point. Adding a TMR 10 years ago signicantly impacted success. Nick also maintains a low somatic cell count of 51,000, which has earned him higher premiums on his milk check. Turn to WOLDTS | Page 35
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ConƟnued from WOLDTS | Page 34
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The Woldts house their animals at the farm of Roger and Becky Weisensel in Sun Prairie, Wis. Nick Woldt completed buying the Weisensels’ herd in 2007. “When it comes to cattle, attention to detail is everything,” Maria said. “And Nick is meticulous. That’s why he can get these kinds of results.” Tuned into cows’ needs, Nick is a devoted cow man who keeps a close, constant eye on his herd, paying special attention to cow health. Nick regularly observes cow behavior and performance and is astutely aware when cow health is in jeopardy. If something is off, he investigates further to tackle problems before they escalate. Learning how to IV a cow greatly beneted Nick’s proactive approach, allowing him to treat cows sooner than what might have otherwise been possible and save on veterinary expenses. “It’s all about the cows,” Nick said. “As a dairy farmer, you try to do everything you can for the cows so they will be successful. Feed, water and cow comfort are top priorities. Providing cows with the best possible feed and plenty of fresh, clean water is critical to ensuring cows are equipped to milk their best.” Maria works off the farm full time as director of industry relations for sister organizations Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. Growing up in St. Paul, Minn., Maria’s love for agriculture stems back to her days of showing horses. “I learned about agriculture at the fair from the FFA and 4-H projects located nearby,” said Maria, who obtained an agricultural marketing degree from UW-River Falls. “Every job I’ve ever had has been in agriculture or in the dairy industry, specically.” Always open to new ideas, Nick nds it valuable to attend conferences and spend time on other farms. “It’s great to see how other farms
do things,” Nick said. “If you pick up even one idea from a conference or another farmer, it’s well worth your time. There’s an amazing agricultural heritage in Dane County. Nearby farmers become your friends and are a great support system. We share equipment and best practices, and teach each other a lot. We want to see one another succeed.” To weather the long storm of low milk prices, Nick said they manage costs the best they can and keep debt down, which is made easier by not owning the farm. “The challenging weather we’ve had the last two years also adds to farm economy difculties,” Nick said. “When you can’t plant corn until the end of May because the elds are too wet, and then you can’t get corn off the eld in the fall because of rain, it affects production and that doesn’t help the milk price situation.” The Woldts custom raise about 25 head of steers, which has provided extra cash for the couple, who also raise all their bull calves to sell as 600-pound feeders. “Dairy farming is a very challenging, yet rewarding, career,” Nick said. “Many people don’t understand what it takes to get milk out of a cow – that it begins with putting seed in the ground, then harvesting the crops, feeding the cows, et cetera before you eventually get the milk. I nd the whole process exciting – from start to nish.” Breaking into farming without a family connection is far from easy, but the Woldts made it happen and are enjoying success as farmers. “It took years to get to this level,” Nick said. “I love where I’m at. I know I chose the right path.”
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
Compeer Financial is proud to sponsor
Women In Dairy Molly Matthees Goodhue, Minn. Goodhue County 350 cows Family: My husband, Scott, and I.
Tell us about your farm. Scott and I farm with his parents, Steve and Mary. They take care of the bookwork while Scott and I manage all the outside work. I started working on the farm full time when we got married in 2013. I have a degree in veterinary technology, which has helped me with herd health. We milk twice a day in a double-12 parabone parlor. We raise all our own calves and youngstock. We run about 600 acres of corn and hay. My husband and I make a good team. We both enjoy all aspects of farming. What’s the busiest time of day for you? Mornings can get hectic trying to get milking done, calves fed, cows fed, shots done as well as our herd checks. When you get a spare moment what do you do? I enjoy camping and going on ATV trips.
Your hopes. Your dreams.
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Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. It’s not really work related, but we had our wedding ceremony and reception on the farm. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? Being a part of the industry itself. My husband and I both come from dairy farm families. We are the fth generation on his farm. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I like to attend dairy shows and be a part of Facebook groups.
Whether you’re running the farm, raising the kids or doing both, we understand. Many of our team members are too. And we’re here for you with the resources, knowledge and expertise to help make your hopes and dreams very, very real. Let’s get started today.
Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My dad, Mike. Growing up, he taught me how to work hard and to enjoy the little things while doing it. He has given me a lot of advice over the years. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? Oprah, because who wouldn’t want Oprah to visit. What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken? We spent a week in the Dominican Republic at an all-inclusive resort a few years back. It was great not having to worry about a thing. What are some words you like to live by? Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 37
Riding in vintage style EASYFIX EVOLVE FEEDING SYSTEM ''We put in the EASYFIX Evolve in our addition. â€ŤÚ˜â€ŹThe Evolve is better than our old horizontal feed bar in that it does not let a boss cow clear out a section around her so more cows get to eat. It has also reduced the “FDOORXVHVâ€? that occur on the cows necks from rubbing on our old horizontal feedrail.'' - Chris Mustard
Optimizes Cow Welfare & Performance. KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
The Friese family – (from leĹŒ) David, Josh, Marshall and Becky – along with family friend, Virgil Anderson, gather around three of the snowmobiles the Frieses have in their vintage snowmobile collecĆ&#x;on. The family milks 85 cows near Wanamingo, Minn.
Friese family uses snowmobile collection for annual event By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
WANAMINGO, Minn. – More often than not, when the Friese family sets out to search for a snowmobile, they look for one of the older variety. Since 2011, the Frieses – David and Becky who farm together with their adult children, Marshall and Josh – have been participating in a vintage snowmobile show and ride hosted as a fundraiser for the local ďƒžre department in Wanamingo, Minn. The family now owns about 30 vintage snowmobiles in addition to a handful of new ones. “We just do it for fun,â€? said David, who milks 85 cows with his family on their dairy near Wanamingo, Minn. The event, held at the beginning of March, started in 2009. The Frieses joined the fun two years later. Part of the challenge of this ride is ďƒžnding the old sleds and getting them to run. “Dave is really passionate about it,â€? Becky said. “They’ll be up working on them (snowmobiles) until 1, 2 or 3 in the morning and still get up for chores. Every year, more and more people come to work on them. It’s so much
fun.â€? David agreed. “I think it’s like a cow. It’s fun to take a piece of junk and turn it into something that works,â€? he said. None of the Frieses have any formal training in mechanical work. “We learn things as we go. We learn how to get a spark when you don’t have a spark. Once you’ve done it enough, we know how to do it,â€? David said. “These things are so basic I don’t think they’ll ever not run. They’re not computerized like ones made now.â€? The Frieses look online to ďƒžnd what is needed to ďƒžx the snowmobiles. “That’s the hardest part – trying to ďƒžnd parts,â€? Becky said. They have also had a local craftsman make new windshields for the recreational rides. However, to ďƒžnd the actual sleds, the family has gone to more unconventional places, including pulling a few out of the woods, complete with bullet holes from hunters. “In high school, it was something for our boys to do for the winter,â€? Becky said. They also include friends in the process and ride together during the event. One year, the Frieses had a group of almost 25 people gather at the farm to get ready for the ride. Turn to FRIESE | Page 38
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Becky Friese sits on her snowmobile that are part of the family’s vintage collecĆ&#x;on – a 1975 ArcĆ&#x;c Cat El Tigre.
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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
ConƟnued from FRIESE | Page 37 “There are so many people who love to do it with us,” Becky said. This year, the Frieses said the 12mile ride brought together nearly 200 people. The Frieses had nine of their sleds on the ride, including a 1968 Johnson. It is their rst vintage snowmobile and the only one they used the rst year they participated. It is a Friese family favorite, and one they make sure to get running every year. “It sometimes starts on re,” Becky said with a laugh. Breakdowns are a normal part of this event. “The re department is on call for this ride in case something starts on re or if someone needs to be pulled home,” Becky said. “One of our guys keeps a repair kit with him at all times to help people out if they need it.” In 2012, the Frieses had a need for the re department. “I came around the corner and the ames were so high. One of our sleds had started on re,” Becky said. “We try to have two or three snowmobiles on call just in case one doesn’t make it.” The Frieses vintage collection includes snowmobiles from 1968 to the mid 1980s and a variety of brands: Raider, Arctic Cat, Johnson, Larson, Yamaha, Harley Davidson, John Deere, Polaris and Ski-Doo along with others. “The Raider is David’s pride and joy,” Becky said. With this brand, the rider sits down into a seat rather than on top. “You get sore after driving it. You feel every bump because you’re so low to the ground,” David said. Becky likes to drive a 1975 Arctic Cat El Tigre. Most of the sleds are only brought
PHOTO SUBMITTED
A group of friends gathers at the Friese farm in 2012 before riding their vintage snowmobiles into the annual gathering in the nearby town of Wanamingo, Minn. out once a year, but a few will be pulled out to take a trial run or two on a Sunday afternoon. “These things are loud,” Becky said. “But they still go fast.” Although it takes a bit of time and effort to get the machines running, the Frieses look forward to bringing out their collection every year. “It’s like showing cows,” Becky said. “It’s something we enjoy doing. It’s fun.” KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
The Friese family’s vintage snowmobile collecƟon includes (from leŌ) a 1968 Johnson, a Raider and a John Deere.
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Dairy prole Joe Heinrich Maquoketa, Iowa Jackson County 65 cows How did you get into farming? I was the youngest of ve children. By the time I was getting done with college, they were ready to have me start coming back into the operation. What are your thoughts and concerns for the dairy industry for the next year? We are great producers, so we need to have an outlet for our products. A big one is international trade. We need to make sure the new USMCA trade deal gets approved as soon as possible. The Pacic Rim countries are a huge potential market. I hope we see progress in getting our products exported to those areas. What is the latest technology you implemented on the farm and purpose for it? About four years ago, we installed a new milking system that keeps better track of production and cow health. It automatically downloads all data after every milking, and we can keep track of it either on our computer or our smart phones. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that beneted you? With the help of my son-in-law, we went to synchronized breeding with the cows. This has made us more efcient with the time we spend breeding cows. It will also help with calf ow through the nursery. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? We have changed our rations to improve our components in our milk. This has allowed us to get a better price per hundredweight. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employ-
ees? Most of our labor is family, but we do hire some part-time help. With any of them, you want to make sure everyone knows what they are responsible for and let them do their work. We have been blessed with great help over the years. The best thing you can do is make sure they know they are appreciated. Tell us about a skill that you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I don’t know if it’s a skill, but I don’t require a lot of sleep. In the dairy business, that’s a benet because we all know the hours required. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I think it still comes
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019 • Page 39
with Joe Heinrich of Maquoketa, Iowa
back to basics. I love to work outside with the livestock. On top of that, I get to work with my family. What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Hang in there. We have a business that has gone through a challenging time. But, it will get better. Until then, take every opportunity to lock in a price for your product whenever there is a chance for some prot. What has been the best purchase you ever made on the farm? Technology for both crops and livestock. The more data we are able to capture about our farm, the more it allows us to make better management decisions.
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? It may sound simple, but staying in business over the years. Agriculture is a challenging business, and we can all be proud to continue to be a part of it. What are your plans for your dairy farm in the next ve years? Our children have expressed interest in farming, so we are working at how to transition them into areas of the operation. How do you and your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? We enjoy relaxing evenings on the deck watching sunsets. We also enjoy motorcycle rides.
Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 23, 2019
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