3 25 17 zone2 by Dairy Star

Visit us at CENTRAL PLAINS DAIRY EXPO

DAIRY ST R March 29-30, Convention Center, Booth #C2

Volume 19, No. 3

“All dairy, all the time”™

March 25, 2017

Adjusting to new barn is a breeze Goodrich builds 12-row cross-vent barn By Brittany Olson

brittany.o@dairystar.com

NEW RICHMOND, Wis. – Even though Dave Goodrich can attest that building a new barn can be stressful, there isn’t very much he would change about his new facility. Goodrich and his wife, Cinara, recently built a 12-row cross-ventilated freestall barn on their 800-cow dairy near New Richmond, Wis. Cross ventilated barns are built with fans pulling air across the building space perpendicular to alleyways, and air ow is directed over the cows commonly using bafes hung from the ceiling. Goodrich’s barn, however, does not have bafes. Goodrich’s barn, oriented from north to south perpendicular to the state highway running east-west south of the farm, is built with 35 fans on the east side of the barn. The fans pull air across the barn so it isn’t blowing into the roadway and into vehicles driving by. Goodrich discovered he could make a cross ventilated barn work on his farm. Turn to GOODRICH | Page 5

BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR

Dave Goodrich milks 800 cows near New Richmond, Wis. Goodrich, who recently completed construcƟon of a 12-row cross-venƟlated freestall barn, is happy with the response in milk producƟon, milk quality and cow health.

Hopeful for a recovery

Palmer being treated for rare, aggressive form of cancer By Kelli Boylen Guest Writer

WAUKON, Iowa – Eric Palmer has always been the type of person to keep pushing through when he didn’t feel well. In the last 25 years, he has only been sick enough to go to the doctor a handful of times. But when he started having headaches every day during a week late last fall, he knew something wasn’t right. The headaches were severe enough that he would get nauseous and sick from the bouncing of the skid loader on his family’s dairy farm. Eric milks 150 cows with his

wife, Stephanie, and several parttime milkers in a step up parlor near Waukon, Iowa. In addition to the cows, the Palmers farm about 700 acres. His headaches were caused by an uncommon and very aggressive form of brain cancer. On Nov. 21, he went to the clinic in Waukon to have his headaches checked. His appointment was at 1:30, and by 2 p.m. a CAT scan showed a possible tumor. By 3 p.m., an MRI showed a mass in the right temporal PHOTO SUBMTTED area of his brain. Stephanie quickly made phone Eric and Stephanie Palmer, along with their children – (from leŌ) Emma, Keacalls to nd someone to take care of gan, Sophia and Madalyn – milk 150 cows near Waukon, Iowa. Eric is currently undergoing chemotherapy for a rare form of brain cancer. Turn to PALMERS | Page 7

Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

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 (ofce) 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 - Managing Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Ron Johnson (608) 874-4243 ron.j@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Jennifer Coyne (320) 352-6303 jenn@dairystar.com Cassie Olson (715) 245-6848 cassie.o@dairystar.com Brittany Olson (320) 352-6303 brittany.o@dairystar.com

Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 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 (ofce) 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 Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, 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 nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.

The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.

North America dealers. A glance at what’s inside

Dairy Prole brought to you by your

Biosecurity in the agricultural industry is becoming evermore important. Dr. Paul McGraw with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and dairy producer Doug Heintz shared their tips to protecting your dairy farm and animals, as well as other farms and animals, from deadly disease outbreaks. Read about the suggested biosecurity measures on pages 12-13 in rst section. Many dairy farmers address ventilation concerns in their barns, but when it comes to the holding area, that area might be overlooked. Ken Nordlund, a clinical professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison presented about reducing heat By Mark Klaphake stress in holding areas during the Professional Dairy Producers of Editor Wisconsin annual business conference. Nordlund said bringing in fresh air into a holding area rather than recirculating air can help reduce heat stress on cows when the temperatures rise in the summer. Read about his suggestions on how to help this issue on page 12 in third section. On March 17, fth grade students toured Patnode Dairy near Corcoran, Minn., as part of a school course called Grass to Glass. Throughout the quarter, students learned about the dairy industry and how their milk goes from cows to a gallon container in their kitchen. Read about the kids’ eye-opening experience on pages 3-4 in second section. Outwintering cows has grown in popularity and can be a resourceful way to house animals, as long as it is executed properly. To help dairy farmers learn more about the management style, Brad Heins at the University of Minnesota’s West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) and Bonnie Haugen with the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship made a presentation on March 9 at the WCROC in Morris, Minn. Attendees were able to learn about different scenarios and see them in action on the dairy farm at WCROC. Read about suggestions on how to outwinter cattle on pages 31-32 in second section. Are you looking to construct a new building on your farm this summer? Make sure to check out this issue’s “From our side of the fence” feature on pages 15 and 16 in rst section. Dairy farmers from our coverage area talk about their experience building on their dairy farm, their favorite feature of their building, what they would do differently and tips for other dairy farmers looking to expand or upgrade their farms. Samantha Rohl has turned her love for dairy cows into an art. Rohl, who grew up on a 100-cow dairy near Ellsworth, Wis., paints and draws cows as a hobby and as a part of her art major at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where she also works on the university’s dairy farm. Read about how she’s using her dairy art to promote the industry and teach others about her family’s lifestyle on pages 7-9 in third section.

Favorite quotes from this issue:

“Most of all, cows don’t know what milk prices are whether it’s $24 milk or $14 milk, so keep treating them like the queens they are.” - Tim Swenson, pages 16, 18; Second Section

“There has never been a day in my career where I didn’t feel appreciated for what I do.” - Roy Hefty, page 23; First Section

By the Numbers Percent of all food sales is organic. (Page 5, Second Section)

of all New Zealand’s 90: Percent milk supply is processed through Fronterra. (Pages 14-15, Second Section)

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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 3

It’s all inside...

SECOND SECTION Pages 3 - 4 Patnodes partner with school for educational farm tour Page 5

FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:

Why is having a farm dog important to you? Pages 15 - 16

New Richmond

Barron

Goodrich builds 12-row crossvent barn First Section: Pages 1, 5-6

Eau Claire

First Section: Pages 35, 37

Iron

n ur hb

Burnett

Polk

Kevin Jahnke

Lancaster, Wis.

Sawyer

Rusk

Barron

St. Croix

Cashton

Pepin

Mike Wagner

Monona, Iowa

Buffalo Ettrick, Wis.

Dairy Prole: Seth and Erin Anderson Page 39

Pages 21 - 23 Dairy Calendar

Herrick enters maple syrup enterprise Third Section: Pages 3 - 5

Clark

Eau Claire Trempealeau

Pierce

Jackson

Madison

WAWS panel discusses management tips, resources for difcult times

La Crosse Monroe

Third Section: Pages 11, 13

Vernon Mitchell

Cerro Hancock Gordo

Pages 24 - 34

Floyd

Howard

ick

a as

Bremer

Classieds

Zone 2

Black Hawk

For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com

Dane

Iowa

Clayton

ford

Craw

Decorah

Dairy’s Star Youth: Blake Courtney

Grant

Fayette

h uc

Richland

Allamakee

Worth

Winneshiek

Winnebago

Pages 14 - 15

Kid’s Corner: The Speltz Family

First Section: Pages 1, 7

Chippewa

Dunn

Pages 38 - 39 Dairy Recipes

Some Udder Stuff

Palmer being treated for rare, aggressive form of cancer

Taylor

Holdvogt is sixth sister crowned dairy princess

Pages 16 - 17

Waukon

Price

Page 8

Iowa State Brown Swiss Sale

Chippewa Falls

Swenson offers guidance on cutting expenses, improving liquidity

Ashland

Solberg presents at MDI Winter Dairy Series workshop

THIRD SECTION Page 10

Third Section: Pages 7-9

Bayeld

Douglas

Pages 14 - 15 Second Section

Pages 6 - 7

Pages 14 - 15 Dairying Around the World Pages 20 - 21 Family Ties Page 25 Mid-American Hay Auction Results Pages 31 - 32 An alternative to indoor housing Pages 33 - 34 Dairy farmers travel to Mexico to visit families of hired help Page 37 Opportunities

Rohl incorporates farm background in artwork

Second Section: Pags 16, 18

Children Museum of Eau Claire hosts June Dairy Dan Luckwaldt Month activities Woodville, Wis.

Mine the opportunities

Pages 10 - 11 The “Mielke” Market Weekly Page 12 Dairy Markets

River Falls

Indianhead Holsteins dispersal on April 7

W as

FIRST SECTION Page 9 Ag Insider Pages 10 - 11 Three generations active at Spring Valley Holsteins, Inc. Pages 12 - 13 Biosecurity plays important role in vitality of industry Pages 18, 20 Darlington Ridge Farms boasts a 32 percent repro rate Page 22 Letter to the Editor Page 23 Hefty celebrates 50 years hauling milk Page 26 FSA News & Notes Page 27 The Transition Pen Page 29 Rural Roots The image of farming Page 30 Ramblings from the Ridge Page 31 Time for a Milk Break Page 32 Just Thinking Out Loud Page 33 Dairy Good Life Page 34 Something to Ruminate On

are

w ela

Linn

Lafayette Dubuque

Jones

Jackson

Green

Third Section: Page 17

Postville

Suckow happily followed in his father’s footsteps First Section: Page 28

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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 5

ConƟnued from GOODRICH | Page 1

Is your cow a Drinker? Make her ﬁrst drink count! Famo Dairy Drink is a drinkable, nutritional supplement given immediately after calving. Famo Dairy Drink’s calling card is its superior palatability... she will drink it! BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR

Dave Goodrich’s new cross-venƟlated, sand bedded freestall barn is 12 rows wide with four pens. The cows have responded with a ve- to six-pound increase in milk producƟon, lowered somaƟc cell count and improved reproducƟon. “We looked at a conventionally expansion. ventilated barn to get dry cows off a dirt “The Fleckvieh crosses have betlot, and have our high producing cows ter components and health traits,” on sand,” Goodrich said. “But, with Goodrich said. “I saw a ve percent cross ventilation, the summer ventila- decrease in production as 2-year-olds tion would pay for itself.” compared to the Holsteins, but as maUntil ground was broken on the ture cows there isn’t much of a differnew barn and the herd was expanded in ence.” conjunction with the new construction, When the barn is completely full, Goodrich estimated that just shy of 600 close to 900 cows will be milking with cows, half Holstein and half Fleckvieh dry cows adding to a total of around crosses, were going through the parlor, Turn to GOODRICH | Page 6 which was also part of the overall farm

So what else does this unique formula provide? • Vitamins and other compounds needed by the liver • An instant energy boost to get her on her feet • Highly available calcium

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CORRECTION

Dairy Star misidentied the cow pictured with Mark and Nicky Rueth featured in the March 11 issue. The cow pictured is Rosedale Rumor Has It – not Lucky Rose. Dairy Star regrets the error.

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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

ConƟnued from GOODRICH | Page 5

BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR

When Dave Goodrich was looking at barn designs last year he discovered that the improved summer venƟlaƟon from cross venƟlaƟon would pay for itself and improve cow comfort for his 800 cows on his farm near New Richmond, Wis.

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1,000 cows. “We built a double-10 parlor in 1998, which we expanded to a double-14 this year,” Goodrich said. The barn is comprised of four pens with three rows each, and an automatic alley scraper in each pen. “We had enough bunk space to go with three rows in each pen,” Goodrich said. “We were able to build the barn so that overcrowding wasn’t an issue like it was in the old barn.”

“Production jumped from ve to six pounds per cow after getting them on sand.” DAVE GOODRICH, DAIRY PRODUCER

After moving the cows to the new barn this winter, there was a hiccup when heifers began to calve earlier than anticipated. “Things are smoothing out nicely now, though,” Goodrich said. The cows are doing better on sand, compared to their old home with slat-

ted oors and mattresses. The impact in the bulk tank was virtually immediate, Goodrich said. “Production jumped about ve to six pounds per cow after getting them on sand,” Goodrich said. Milk production wasn’t the only thing that improved. “The sand bedding led to benets with somatic cell count, which is typically around 140,000 and took a 30,000 drop when the cows went on sand,” Goodrich said. Cow comfort has positively impacted more than just cell counts on the Goodrich farm. Cow health has also taken a turn for the better. “Mastitis and reproduction have also improved,” Goodrich said. Overall, Goodrich is happy with the results the new barn has brought about. Other than small things, like door controls and controls for long day lighting not working, there isn’t anything he would do differently. “The controls for long day lighting are back ordered, so for a while the lights were on all the time,” Goodrich said. “Little things like door controls, I’d do differently, but probably not a big deal. As far as the big picture, there’s not really anything I would [change].”

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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 7

ConƟnued from PALMERS | Page 1

feeding and the 4 p.m. milking of their dairy cows that rst night. By 5 p.m., they were headed for a larger hospital in La Crosse, Wis., where he was admitted to Mayo, and surgery was scheduled for two days later. What Eric and Stephanie thought was just going to be a doctor’s appointment turned into Eric not coming home for over two weeks. Their children, Madalyn, 14, Emma, 12, Keagan, 9, and Sophia, 6, stayed with Eric’s parents, Greg and Marlene Palmer, who also live on the family farmstead. Many people offered assistance on the farm. Greg ran the farm’s day-to-day operations. Their regular milking employees were a big help by lling in the milking schedule in Stephanie’s absence. They hired neighbor Lyle Stock to work full time on the farm during the winter. Stock helped the Palmers while maintaining his own operation. Jim Thesing also helped out as needed. The rst surgery seemed to go well, but the next day (Thanksgiving Day), Eric could not move the left side of his body. Another round of CAT scans and MRIs determined he had suffered a stroke. He was in intensive care for two days; Stephanie said he doesn’t remember the worst of it. They started physical therapy the rst day. “It was amazing how fast he progressed,” Stephanie said. “Every 12 to 24 hours, we could actually see some type of improvement.” Within a week, he could walk with a walker, and as a left-handed person, he had to relearn some life skills for

his hands. “It was very humbling to watch him struggle to walk,” Stephanie said. “He was a healthy 43-year-old man.” Having recovered enough on, Nov. 29, he was transferred to the local swing bed care center in Waukon. Eric remained there for another week, continuing intense therapy; nally returning home on Dec. 5. Stephanie stayed with the kids as much as she could during this time so things remained as normal as possible for them. She also resumed her usual duties on the farm; juggling her time between Eric’s needs and appointments, the kids, and the farm. While at the hospital with her

“The community support has been phenomenal, and it has helped maintain some normalcy for the kids.” STEPHANIE PALMER, DAIRY PRODUCER

husband, Stephanie was able to manage the herd using her smart phone and tablet, which is tied into their cow manager system to monitor activity and health. “I leaned heavily on that and was able to keep an eye on things, even though we were an hour away. That way I didn’t stress so much about that,” she said. During week ve of the chemo and radiation, Eric had an adverse reaction to the treatment. What started

as a simple rash erupted into huge red hives head to toe. He had severe edema, to the point that his ankles swelled so quickly that the skin blistered. The most severe symptoms lasted more than two weeks; everything itched, and then everything peeled. They were never able to determine what caused the reaction, either the antibiotics he was taking to prevent pneumonia or the chemo drug. There is only one chemotherapy drug believed to treat this type of cancer, so options are limited. He recently started another round of oral chemo, which he can take at home. This round of treatments will last for six months. Just before they started the chemo, they tried to desensitize him to the chemo drug, and thus far things are going well. It is still unknown if Eric will be able to return full-time to their family dairy farm, how much he will physically be able to do, or how the cancer and the treatments will affect him into the future. “The side effects of the treatments can show up for years, it is a big

unknown,” Stephanie said. Eric agreed. “We just don’t know what is going to happen,” Eric said. “We are praying and planning for a full recovery, and to stand on our own two feet again, but we just really don’t know.” The Palmers are hopeful about the future. “The most recent brain scans looked promising,” Stephanie said. “But we are dealing with cancer and there are no guarantees.” The Palmers stressed they are so appreciative of all that has been done for them thus far; Stephanie didn’t have to cook for more than a month. “The community support has been phenomenal, and it has helped us to maintain some normalcy for the kids. Nothing rallies like a small town,” she said. In addition to the medical costs, there is the cost of extra hired help on the farm. They also have been putting a lot of miles on their vehicles, traveling back and forth to La Crosse and then Rochester.

Palmer Benet, April 8 A benet if planned for the Eric Palmer family at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 8 at the Waukon Banquet Center. A free will donation meal will start at 5 p.m. Carry outs will be available. Silent auction bidding will be from 5 to 7 p.m. and a live auction begins at 7 p.m. Supplemental funds will be provided by Thrivent Financial. If you are interested in making donation, tax-deductible donations can be mailed to The Thrive Project, Attn: Eric Palmer Benet, 1639 Green Valley Rd NW, Waukon, IA 52172 or non-deductible donations can be mailed to Waukon State Bank, Attn: Eric Palmer Benet, PO Box 246, Waukon, IA 52172. Non-monetary donations can be dropped off at the Allamakee Extension Ofce, 218 7th Ave SE, Waukon, IA 52172. For more information contact Amanda Peterson at 563-568-8764 or Amy (Menne) Ihde at 563-380-9673.

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MPP is not working, more funding is needed Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 9

Dairy farmers are seeking changes in the Margin Protection Program. National Council of Farmer Cooperatives President and CEO Chuck Conner said funding changes will be needed in the next Farm Bill. “The policy isn’t really the question. The bigger question is guring out how to fund that. I’m not talking about increases in funding for dairy by a historical standard. The problem has been in the last few years, because it has been a program that’s not working; there’s been no money paid out at all. The historical baseline these economists look at is for all practical purposes Ag Insider almost zero. You can’t x a program with a zero baseline very well.” Conner was featured at the National Farmers Union Convention in San Diego.

By Don Wick Columnist

Changes to MPP The National Milk Producers Federation has approved a series of recommended changes to the Margin Protection Program that restores several elements that were rst proposed in the 2014 Farm Bill. NMPF said the recommendations range from changing the way feed costs are calculated to providing farmers greater exibility in signing up for coverage and using other risk management tools. “Re-establishing a realistic, effective safety net is a key focus for our membership in 2017,” said NMPF Chairman Randy Mooney. The four-point plan was developed by NMPF’s Economic Policy Committee and reects feedback from dairy farmers, economists and members of Congress.

Educating consumers about the Farm Bill House Agriculture Committee Chair Mike Conaway said the nation’s agriculture sector needs to educate consumers on why this country needs a farm safety net. “I’m not worried about the top 50 percent of people, but the bottom half is different. Telling folks from non-ag backgrounds why this Farm Bill and this safety net is important; it’s their pocket book.” Conaway also said there are those who want the nutrition title of the Farm Bill included in any welfare reform package. “I’m not going to allow that to stop us from getting it done on time. Paul Ryan’s boat is loaded right now. The welfare thing is a vision for 2018. We are going to move this thing forward.” NFU adopts dairy policy At its annual convention, the National Farmers Union has adopted its new policy book and special orders of business. Regarding the drop in farm income, the NFU is urging Congress and the administration to take action to support farmers and ranchers. In the 2018 farm bill, Farmers Union delegates want an income safety net that is based on the cost of production, an increase in reference prices for all commodities and a strong competition title to allow U.S. farmers to compete on a global scale. For dairy policy, NFU delegates support programs that account for actual costs of production; an incentives-based inventory management program, ad hoc disaster assistance and trade policies that won’t put dairy farmers at a disadvantage. Petition led with EPA to revamp CAFO rules A coalition of 35 activist groups, including Food & Water Watch, Dakota Rural Action and the Land Stewardship Project, have led a formal request with the Environmental Protection Agency. These groups want EPA to revamp its rules for how concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, are regulated under the Clean Water Act. With this legal petition, these groups are demanding more oversight and stronger permitting standards for large scale livestock farms. White House asked to oppose geo-based name policies The Consortium for Common Food Names is urging the Trump Administration to aggressively oppose geographic-based policies designed to help European farmers. The European Union wants to restrict the United States’ use of food names like parmesan and brie. The United States claims those are considered as generic names worldwide and EU restrictions would impact trade and food labeling. Positive global demand for U.S. dairy products U.S. dairy exports nished 2016 strong. In December, exports for nonfat dry milk and skim milk power were up 3 percent; 16 percent for cheese and 43 percent for whey products. Compared to one year ago, stocks of cheese and butter grew in December, up 5 percent for cheese and nearly 13 percent for butter.

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Farm credit merger goes to a vote Three major farm credit organizations have received preliminary approval for their merger from the Farm Credit Administration. This merger will include AgStar Financial Services, which is now based in Mankato; 1st Farm Credit Services, with headquarters in Normal, Ill. and Badgerland Financial, based in Prairie du Sac, Wis. The three lenders will now hold a stockholder vote. If approved, the merger will take effect July 1. The headquarters for the new entity will be in Sun Prairie, Wis. Rod Hebrink, who now leads AgStar Financial Services, will be president/CEO for the new organization. Another merger has been proposed involving AgCountry Farm Credit Services and United FCS. This merger, which is also expected to take affect this summer, is still awaiting approval from the Farm Credit Administration. WI dairy farmer elected to AgriBank Board AgriBank has announced the results of the elections for four positions on its 18-member board of directors. Richard Price of Stanley, Wis. is one of those elected to the board. Price is a dairy farmer and previously served on the United FCS board. AgriBank is one of the largest banks within the national Farm Credit System. Top cheese At the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, Sartori Company of Antigo, Wis. was named the top cheese. The black pepper BellaVitano cheese received a score of 99.02 out of 100. Mike Matucheski was the cheesemaker. WDE board elected Al Deming has been re-elected as president of the World Dairy Expo Board of Directors. Bill Hageman, Jr. is the rst vice president and Debbie Crave is second vice president. Mike Hellenbrand is secretary/treasurer. Deming represents Select Sires. Hageman and Crave are at-large directors. Hellenbrand represents the Purebred Breeders of WDE on the Expo board. Dairy Carrie named AgVocate of the Year During the Wisconsin Ag Women’s Summit, the AgVocate of the Year was named. The award was presented to Carrie Mess. Mess is well known as ‘Dairy Carrie’ in her blog and social media. Mess is a member of the Lake Mills FFA Alumni; was instrumental in the formation of the AgChat Foundation and represented Wisconsin in the Young Dairy Leaders Institute. Trivia challenge Vanilla, chocolate and strawberry are the three most popular ice cream avors. Butter Pecan is ranked fourth. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, we’re focused on cheese. What is the most popular cheese worldwide? 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.

“This keeps all the details in one place.” Why do you test with DHIA? We test with DHIA for multiple reasons. We like having all the information at our Àngertips. It’s very convenient to have software that will keep you in the loop, and my DHIA testing enhances my daily milk weights and activity already on the farm. With SCC, component testing and milk pregnancy testing, DHIA makes my life easier. I now keep track of lameness events, regular hoof trimming, and all mastitis and health events. What beneÀts do you see to using protocols? I like being able to see at a glance which cows are still hot and can’t be sold or antibiotic tested yet. How long have you been using it? We set up hoof trimming protocols a couple years ago and I threw away my spreadsheets I had kept for years on each individual cow. This keeps all the details in one place. In the past year, I’ve added my protocols for health events as well. I’ve always been extremely cautious when it comes to using drugs and obeying withdrawl periods. This just makes that so much easier. What is the best feature? If I have to pick one, it’s the lameness manager. Hoof trimming lists are done very quickly and I can see at a glance what’s happening over the lactation with her hooves. How has this changed how you do things on your farm? It has certainly decreased my time needed in the ofÀce which is a huge plus without hired help!

Holly Thompson • Little Valley Dairy Plainview, MN • 188 cows Minnesota Dairy Herd Improvement Association 307 Brighton Avenue South Buffalo, MN 55313 1.800.827.3442 www.mndhia.org

Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

United as a farm family

Three generations active at Spring Valley Holsteins, Inc. By Cassie Olson

cassie.o@dairystar.com

NORWALK, Wis. – Having the conversation of transition planning on a dairy farm is not always an easy subject. However, as farmers approach the age of retirement, beginning the conversation sooner rather than later is necessary. When Don Haldeman saw the opportunity to grow his herd while simultaneously planning for its future, he took advantage of it. Today, Don continues to farm with his son-in-law, Alan Ferries, and grandsons, Matthew and Jordan Ferries, as they milk 450 cows near Norwalk, Wis. Don lives on the original farmstead, which was purchased in the early 1940s by his parents. After his father passed away in 1965, Don continued to farm on his own while growing internally. It was in 1998 that Don re-

alized something would need to change down the road. His daughter, Deborah, and her husband, Alan, were farming near the town of Ontario, and their herd had reached a size that exceeded their facilities. When Don approached the couple with the opportunity to merge their herds together, Alan said they agreed it was a good idea. “I was milking 51 cows at the time and he was up to 110,” Alan said. “We had crowded facilities from growing our herd, and if we wanted to continue to grow, this was the avenue to do so.” That year, the family incorporated their business, creating Spring Valley Holsteins, Inc. Alan’s cows joined Don’s on the original farmstead. The freestall barn had 140 stalls, which was still not ideal for a

CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR

Don Haldeman (le�) and Jordan, Ma� and Alan Ferries stand in their freestall barn, which they began using in February 2006. The barn has over 400 stalls. herd now totaling 161 cows. As Don and Alan continued to farm with what they had, plans began to develop for a new fa-

CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR

Ma� (le�), Alan and Jordan Ferries and Don Haldeman are the three genera�ons behind Spring Valley Holsteins, Inc., where they milk 450 cows near Norwalk, Wis.

cility. “We looked at what we had over there; there is a swamp and creek with not much room to grow,” Don said. “We owned the field that our facilities now are built on, and spent two years planning out what we would do.” After researching barns in the area, planning it out and building, the cows moved in February 2006. The naturallyventilated freestall barn has 386 stalls, with an additional 34 stalls for dry cows and four maternity pens. The cows are bedded on sawdust over waterbed mattresses and are milked in a double-12 herringbone parlor. They purchased cows to fill the barn, just as the third generation made its way into the farm’s management. After graduating from Northeast Iowa Community College, Matt returned to the farm full-time in 2005. He laughed as he said he felt as

though he never truly left. “I was always home on the weekend,” Matt said. “There was never any doubt that I wanted to farm, too.” Jordan said he was the same way. Having graduated from Western Technical College in 2013, he first took an off-farm job for one year prior to returning to the farm fulltime in 2014. “I never really left the farm,” Jordan said. “Even when I was working, I would do chores and feed calves in the mornings before I had to leave.” Don said he was excited to have his grandsons join him and Alan on the farm. He said they always showed great potential and have proven themselves since starting full-time. “For being young, they always have been capable. Matt is very mechanical; Jordan is good with livestock,” Don said. “They fit well together.”

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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 11

Con�nued from SPRING VALLEY| Page 10

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Three genera�ons are a part of Spring Valley Holsteins, Inc. – (from le�) Jordan Ferries, his ﬁancee, Brooke Shatek, Alan Ferries, Deborah Ferries, Ma� Ferries, Bev Haldeman and Don Haldeman. Each has his own respective area for which he is responsible for on the farm. Don oversees the farm as a whole. Alan is the herdsman, focusing on the animal health within the herd. Jordan is the calf manager and has taken over all nutrition work on the farm. Matt handles the planting of crops, mechanical maintenance and repair. In addition to the four on the farm, Deborah handles

tremendous blessing. “I was at the age where it wasn’t in my cards to grow like this; now they know what needs to be done oftentimes better than I do,” Don said. “It has been so much fun watching all three of them, as well as my daughter, take a hold of it and really go.” While it sometimes may be difficult, Don said watching the others take control is where he has seen the farm grow the most. “When transitioning, some days you have to get out of the way and let them make their own mistakes, even when it can be tough to do so,” Don said. “If you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t making progress, and that I will guarantee you.” Alan recognizes their situation is one that many others do not get to experience. “Not every father gets the opportunity to work alongside their kids; I have two involved right here. Working not only with Don, but also with them is unique for all of us,” Alan said. Although divided by generations, Don, Alan, Matt and Jordan are united as a farm family. As they continuously seek profitable opportunities for the farm, they are enjoying the chance to learn from one another. Working sideby-side, the four have found a rhythm that they hope will continue for generations to come.

“When transitioning, some days you have to get out of the way and let them make their own mistakes...” DON HALDEMAN, DAIRY PRODUCER

the farm’s bookkeeping in addition to her off-farm position as a business education teacher. While every family can have its squabbles, Alan said they generally all work well together. “We are your typical family; there are times we disagree and have our moments, but we always make it through,” Alan said. “We all get along and work well as a group.” Don said seeing the farm grow to where it has and to have two promising generations working alongside him is a

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A closer look by Jennifer Coyne

Biosecurity plays important role in vitality of industry CALEDONIA, Minn. – Four years ago, the swine industry succumbed to the deadly porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) with more than 5 million piglets in 38 states dying as a result. Two years ago, more than 200 premises and 50 million birds were infected with avian influenza – a deadly disease which has now returned to the United States. With the changing seasons, there is greater risk for disease outbreaks. Will the dairy industry be next? “An outbreak begs the question of how a disease entered the farm. That’s what’s going on with the avian flu, and it could be the same case with dairy,” Dr. Paul McGraw said. “We have to be prepared.” McGraw works with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) as the state veterinarian. While dairy cattle have not recently been impacted by a large outbreak like swine and poultry have been, there is potential for costly epidemics to spread throughout the industry. However, with proper on-farm biosecurity measures,

Industry news addressed with help from your neighbors

A measure of safety the probability of a disease outbreak can be reduced. Biosecurity is a preventative approach to minimize the introduction or spread of disease-causing organisms, according to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. For as long as Doug Heintz can remember, he and his family have always followed strict protocols to reduce the risk of spreading unwanted bacteria throughout their dairy farm. “We’re not sitting on an island, Doug Heintz but diseases aren’t Dairy producer spreading as easily because we’re careful,” Heintz said. Heintz and his wife, Julie, and son, Dayne, milk 172 cows near Caledonia, Minn. In 2008, the family installed three robotic milking systems and built a freestall barn. With their newer facility, the Heintzes have more traffic on their farm from dairy producers, veterinarians, inspectors and other professionals in the industry. The increasing number of individuals entering and leaving the farm on a regular basis encouraged the Heintzes to improve their biosecurity measures. Throughout the dairy, signs direct

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Signs are placed on Doug Heintz’s farm before entering the feed center and milking area. Heintz is an advocate for biosecurity to protect his farm from disease outbreaks, but to also prevent his herd from contamina�ng other herds. individuals where they should and should not go, and a sanitizing solution and brushes are located by the access door to the barn for visitors to clean their clothes and boots before entering the facility. Additionally, there is a secluded pick-up location away from the housing facility for the rendering truck, and all trucks coming to and from the feed bins never travel along a pathway near cattle.

“We never go back and forth between using a skidloader bucket for feed and manure,” Heintz said. “Twenty years ago, we were using the same bucket for both, and it could’ve been a source of the Salmonella outbreak we had.” There are two purposes for biosecurity – to prevent the spread of diseases from within the farm and to inhibit diseases from entering the dairy from an outside source. Turn to BIOSECURITY | Page 13

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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 13

Con�nued from BIOSECURITY | Page 12 Within a dairy farm, youngstock are the most vulnerable to disease. “Even having a handful of people working with the calves puts them at greater risk,” McGraw said. “Have one person take care of the calves, and make sure they are wearing clean coveralls and boots.” To stop diseases from coming on to the farm, McGraw suggests maintaining a quarantine area that allows new animals to be tested for dangerous diseases before becoming a part of the herd. “We want to prevent diseases that may have been introduced at an auction, through people or other animals,” McGraw said.

“We learn from outbreaks, and realize what we’re doing is not enough. There’s a concern out there with TB, especially if heifer calves are raised elsewhere.” DR. PAUL MCGRAW, DATCP, STATE VETERINARIAN

Heintz has eliminated this particular risk by being a closed herd. In the ‘80s, the family purchased cattle to expand, but have since only grown from within. “Even when I’m hauling cattle on my trailer, it’s only ever my cattle,” Heintz said. The Caledonia producer also requires that service technicians and his hoof trimmer arrive with sanitized equipment, and leave the same way. Because of this practice, Heintz’s herd has remained Johne’s free and has effectively eliminated digital dermatitis, or hairy heel warts. “It’s been a requirement for us to have these protocols in place, but it works two ways,” Heintz said. “We don’t want anything we might have here to transfer to another farm.” Biosecurity measures became more common-

place in the dairy industry in 2001, after the United Kingdom experienced a bout of deadly foot-andmouth disease (FMD) – killing over 10 million livestock, resulting in the agricultural industry’s worst crisis in decades. “FMD spread throughout the region and was devastating,” McGraw said. “I think what happened in England really drove home the importance of biosecurity and people became more interested.” Within the last month, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has identiﬁed bovine tuberculosis (TB) in beef cattle during slaughter inspections; the cattle were sourced from South Dakota. Testing has concluded that the TB strain is very similar to a strain found in dairy cattle in Mexico, according to a report by the South Dakota Animal Industry Board. While TB has yet to impact Minnesota herds, it has done so in the past, as well as herds in Texas and New Mexico. “We learn by outbreaks, and realize what we’re doing is not enough,” McGraw said. “There’s a concern out there with TB, especially if heifer calves are raised elsewhere.” As the risk for biosecurity breaches becomes more realistic for the dairy industry, having thorough safety protocols in place becomes even more important. In speaking with other dairy producers, Heintz has found that some are now securing their farms, speciﬁcally the milkhouse, to prevent tampering and contamination. “We just don’t know what could happen, and I think very few have moved forward in the right direction,” Heintz said. To improve safety on the dairy, biosecurity begins with the producer, said McGraw. “Train your employees and have a plan when people come on the farm,” he said. More information on proper biosecurity measures can be accessed through state boards of animal health, the USDA and industry organizations, such as National Milk Producers Association.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 15

What are your favorite features of your newly constructed facility?

Dan Luckwaldt Woodville, Wis. St. Croix County 1,300 cows What type of building did you construct and why? We built a double-20 parallel Boumatic parlor with a walk out basement along with a 300- by 328-foot six-row cross-ventilated barn. Take us through the timeline of your construction project. We got serious about it and committed in February 2012. We began construction about June1 and moved in Nov. 1, 2012.

Mike Wagner (right), shown with Dad, Steve Monona, Iowa Clayton County 130 cows What type of building did you construct and why? We built a 66- by 216-foot curtainsided freestall barn. It is a three-row barn with headlocks along the feed alley. There are 10, 52-inch fans in the freestall barn to move summer air through the building. We have a two-stage manure system because we use sand for bedding. The ofce, milkroom, utility room, compressor room and robot room is 42- by 36-feet. We scrap manure morning and night with a skidloader. We put two loads of sand in the freestall barn every two weeks. Take us through the timeline of your construction project. We rst gathered ideas in the spring of 2011, started building in August 2011 and began milking on Nov. 2, 2011.

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What are some of your favorite/unique features? My favorite feature is the walk out basement. Our DHI technician loves it. It’s very well lit, clean and ventilated. Also, having a big utility room, break room and conference room is nice. We are happy with the overall layout. What are some things you would have done differently? We had some ventilation issues so I would change the ventilation a little. I would also have more elevation for our manure system, but other than that I’m pretty happy with barn. How much work did you do yourself? How much did you save that way? I didn’t do any of the construction myself. What are tips you would give to someone who is thinking about new construction? Every situation is different so it’s hard to give specic tips. My contribution to the project probably could be summed up on a napkin. The companies we worked with did a good job designing the details of facility. Tell us about your farm. Along with milking 1,300 cows, we raise heifers calves to about 5 months. From 5 to 21 months, heifers go to a grower in Kansas, which has worked well for us. We crop about 2,500 acres, of which 500 are owned. About 2,000 acres are rented with about 45 landlords so we have a lot of relatively small parcels. Of the acres we farm, 1,600 acres is for corn, 1,000 acres is for corn silage, 700 acres is for alfalfa and about 200 acres are soybeans. We grow most of our forages, sell a little corn grain in good yield year and purchase canola for protein. Other than planting corn, most eldwork is custom done. Forage harvesting is by Dorwin Farms and grain harvesting is by Wink Farms. Dan Goodwin pumps manure. Our rolling herd average is 32,000 with a 32 percent preg rate. Our somatic cell count was at 155,000 for January and February. We bed with sand and have a sand separation system. My employees do a good job, and we’ve been lucky to have good, stable employees. My wife, Mary, does payroll, and my parents, Marv and Angie, still help out. Bob Donahoe is operations manager, and Patrick Kusilek and Derek Fenner are herdsmen. Dar Mueller and Alyssa Thooft are in charge of calves, Ben Mikla and Jim Mahoney are crops and maintenance, and Hispanics make up the milking crew. Like most dairy producers, we’ve had our share of challenges, but overall the project has worked out well. What are some of your favorite/unique features? My favorite feature of our whole setup is that it is simple and easy to manage. We have a Lely automatic feed pusher that pushes feed up every two hours, and have two cow brushes, one on each end of freestall barn. Our freestall barn is closed up. We have up-draft fans on the ridge with clear sky lights to make the barn brigther and keeps the barn warmer in the winter. The rst winter we had trouble with ropes on the teat cups freezing on the robot, which caused us to have failed milkings. We built the freestall barn about a quarter mile from the home farm so we weren’t restricted for space. We built on top of a ridge for better air movement and easy access off the highway. Another feature with the robots is the heat detection, which saves a lot of time. It tells us which cows are in heat and when to bred. Chores are more exible with the robots when trying to do eld work during the spring, summer and fall. What are some things you would have done differently? The one thing I would have done differently would be to make the freestall barn 240 feet long (instead of 216 feet) but keep the width at 66. That would give us an extra 12 headlock openings. We currently have 104 headlock openings. More headlocks would mean we could lock in most of the cows verses having a few cows loose for herd health. It would also give us a few more freestalls for the cows. We currently have 121 freestalls. How much work did you do yourself? How much did you save that way? We did a fair amount of work on the whole project. We installed the headlocks, hung freestalls, put gates in throughout the barn, installed the lights in the barn, installed fans in freestall barn and many other miscellaneous things. What are tips you would give to someone who is thinking about new construction? Don’t cut corners on a project that you will use to make money everyday. I would recommend putting headlocks in for herd health. I believe sand is the best bedding for cows and has many health benets. We have excellent luck with foot health with the sand and have good udder health with the sand also. Tell us about your farm. My parents own 380 acres of cropland and rent another 100 acres. We grow alfalfa, corn, oats and soybeans. We have two Lely robots with a freestall barn that we milk 130 cows. We raise our own replacement heifers and breed the bottom one-third of the herd to cross bred angus and the top two-thirds is inseminated to Holsteins. We have been doing the breeding that way for four years. We bag all our own corn silage and haylage to get the best feed for our milking herd. Turn to FENCE | Page 16

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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

ConƟnued from FENCE | Page 15

Matt Fendry Strum, Wis. Trempealeau County 130 cows What type of building did you construct and why? We built a 100- by 175-foot hybrid freestall barn with six 72-inch fans with six cyclone fans to push the air through, so it feels much like a tunnel ventilated barn. We also built an attached 60- by 54-foot double-8 parallel parlor. Our other facility was a 54-cow stall barn that lacked the cow comfort we needed, which led us to the construction. Take us through the timeline of your construction project. It took us about two years from when we started to when we got cows in. We started looking at barns in the spring 2012 and then got permitting that fall. We started building in the drought of 2013 after the wet spring. The rst of June we started pushing dirt

Kevin Jahnke Lancaster, Wis. Grant County 70 cows What type of building did you construct and why? We’ve done a lot of construction in the last few years. Since building our own parlor in 2004, we’ve done ve projects. Take us through the timeline of your construction project. In 2004, we built a 30- by 48-foot greenhouse with an open-air double-10 swing parlor with a 20- by 30-foot utility room/milkhouse attached. The greenhouse was extended to 30- by 65-feet a few years later. In 2005, we built a 22- by 68-foot greenhouse calf barn.

Charles and Sheri Nienaber Freeport, Minn. Stearns County 90 cows

and nished in the early fall. Cows moved in during the last week of September or early October. What are some of your favorite/unique features? The ventilation is the most unique. It is all computerized and the fans have high-pressure fog for cooling in the summer. It is my favorite because of cow comfort. We gained a lot of production from that. The barn is warmer and drier in the winter. We maintain a 34-degree temperature all day in the barn, so it doesn’t freeze down. Maintaining a stable temperature in the winter and lower humidity has nearly eliminated respiratory problems. In the summer, the barn stays about 10 degrees cooler than outside and the fans can reach a ve mile-per-hour velocity over the cows. The high pressure fog is initiated any time it gets over 80 degrees. Improving the cow’s summer comfort eliminated big swings in milk production. What are some things you would have done differently? Our ventilation end is also our manure scraping end. There is a cross channel there I wish I would have pushed the wall about eight to 10 feet deeper so it wouldn’t get so cold. Manure tends to build up in the winter. Other than that, I am glad we took the time to research before we built. We went and looked at a lot of barns and really thought it through well. How much work did you do yourself? How much did you save that way? We were on a bit of a time crunch, so we didn’t do a lot ourselves. I helped the electrician, and I also helped with some of the plumbing. I probably saved $10,000 to $15,000. What are tips you would give to someone who is thinking about new construction? Look at a lot of barns rst. Think into the future where you would add onto to avoid congestion down the road. Taking the time to do that and planning in the front of it made a lot of difference. See how other people did it, gather different ideas and think outside the box a little bit. Don’t rush it – sometimes you have to do it fast, but time helps. Tell us about your farm. We milk about 130 cows and farm 850 acres. I have pasture, corn, alfalfa and wheat. I am a rst generation dairy farmer and have been farming since 2001. I became certied organic in 2002, and I bought the farm I’m currently on in 2009.

In 2011, we built a 28- by 54-foot shed for a shop and wood boiler. In 2014, we put up a 30- by 54-foot spring maternity barn/winter heifer barn with an upstairs haymow. In 2016, we put up a 39- by 99-foot hay shed. What are some of your favorite/unique features? Our milking parlor is inside a greenhouse that has 7-foot, roll-up sidewalls. In the summer, we can roll up the sides and put a shade cloth over the greenhouse and it becomes like a shade tree. In the winter, we close it up tight, and the greenhouse parlor still functions during below-zero weather. Then, when we dry the cows off in late fall, the whole building is shut down, water is drained, and the building sits idle until the herd freshens again in April. Our new maternity barn was designed to work as a solar barn, but was also built to resemble the farm’s original gambrel-roofed barn. What are some things you would have done differently? We did a lot of preplanning with each building and are happy with what we’ve built. We’ve already extended the parlor greenhouse to accommodate a larger holding area and may need to once again. How much work did you do yourself? How much did you save that way? We built both greenhouse buildings and our shop. We hired a contractor to help us build the maternity barn and hay shed. With the rst few projects we saved a lot by doing most of the work ourselves. What are tips you would give to someone who is thinking about new construction? With us doing most or all the labor, I built a good relationship with our materials supplier. Once we decided what we wanted to build, I called them and they delivered it on two or three trucks. Along the way, as we were building, there were always little questions I’d have, so I’d call them, as I’m sitting on a rafter, and say, ‘Hey, how am I supposed to do this again?’ He’d tell me and I’d go back to hammering and nailing. Tell us about your farm. We own 189 acres and rent 90 more. We are a spring seasonal, 100 percent grass-fed, certied organic dairy. This year, we’ll be calving 70 cows in April and May, and we also raise 30 yearling heifers. We were certied organic in 2003 and have been shipping our milk to Organic Valley since 2004. We are on the grassmilk route.

What type of building did you construct? We built a 60- by 192-foot post frame, 80-stall, two-row freestall barn and a swing-12 parabone parlor with milkhouse and utility room, 44- by 80-feet. This replaced our wornout 35-stall tiestall barn. Take us through the timeline of your construction project. We started looking at other facilities ve years before construction. We started moving dirt in May 2013. The rst milking in the new parlor was Oct. 24, and we nished construction in November. The permitting process took three months. What are some of your favorite/unique features? The deep bedded straw stalls; the only concrete in the stall is an 18-inch ribbon in the center that supports the pipe that holds the stall loops. What are some things you would have done differently? We would make the stalls shorter or add brisket boards. They are head to head stalls; 17 feet from the back of the curbs. The cows move too far forward, and we end up with manure in the stalls. How much work did you do yourself? How much did you save that way? We hung the freestalls and headlocks ourselves which saved a week of labor. What are tips you would give to someone who is thinking about new construction? Spend as much time as you can researching and visiting different facilities. This allows you to talk to different farmers and nd out what they would have done differently. Tell us about your farm. We own 160 acres and rent 130 with a total of 220 tillable acres. We raise corn and alfalfa, all of which feeds our cows and youngstock. We have a daughter, Cassidy, and son, Joe, who also help on the farm.

Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 17

Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

Repro Leaders

Consistent synch programs help Darlington Ridge Farms with repro success Darlington Ridge Farms Jim and Katie DiGangi Darlington, Wis. Lafayette County 2,600 cows What was your pregnancy rate average last year? 32 percent. What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? Our voluntary wait period for lactating cows is 50 days and we start breeding heifers at 390 days of age. What is your ﬁrst service conception rate? 49 percent. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? First lactation, first service is a double ovsynch. First lactation heifers start the protocol at 45-51 days. Any animals that show a good heat after 50 days will be bred with sexed semen. Any animals that do not show heat will continue the double ovsynch and be bred at 66-72 days. For cows in second and greater lactations, first service is a 14-day presynch ovsynch. We also cherry pick cows in heat off the second Lutalyse (prostaglandin) shot as long as they are in a good heat. We are very confident in our breeding team to select eligible cows to breed. Any cows that are not bred continue the protocol and are bred at 73-79 days. We have herd check every Monday morning. All animals 32-38 days are checked. Any open animals are enrolled into one of two

RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR

Darlington Ridge Farms, of Darlington, Wis., was recently honored by the Dairy Ca�le Reproduc�ve Council. The farm’s dairy team includes – (front, from le�) herdsman Carlos Ramirez; herdsman Hugo Campos; farm owners Ka�e and Jim DiGangi and their daughter, Mila; oﬃce manager Tanya Bonin; Jim Has�ngs, a consul�ng veterinarian with the Lena Veterinary Clinic; (back, from le�): herdsman Ricardo Ruelas; herd manager Rayme Mackinson; Genex breeding program specialist Dakota Bockenhauer; Genex breeding program specialist Mike Grinnell; and B.J. Jones, consul�ng veterinarian, Center Hill Veterinary Clinic. she has a CL, we pull the CIDR and give prostaglandin. If not, we give GnRh again, and leave the CIDR for another week. We also give double prostaglandin to a group of our cows. So, if she gets her last prostaglandin shot on Monday, we double it by giving another shot of prostaglandin on Tuesday.

resynch programs. The first is a standard ovsynch resynch and the second is a CIDR-synch. We also check the group that is given the last prostaglandin shot during the week these cows are suppose to be bred. If the animal has a CL, she gets prostaglandin and continues ovsynch and is bred on Thursday. If she does not have a CL, she gets a CIDR. We will check CIDR cows again the following Monday for a CL. If

How do you observe for heat? Our Genex breeders use tail chalk. How do you conﬁrm pregnant or open cows? Vet palpation. The first check is at 32 days, the second check is at 60, a third check is at 120 days and a confirm check is at 200 days pregnant. Turn to DARLINGTON RIDGE | Page 20

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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 19

“Udder Comfort is my go-to...” — Dore Baker

Dorothea Baker, herd manager 53 Jerseys milking robotically CHANEY DAIRY FARM, BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY THE CHANEY FAMILY: 2003 Jersey Master Breeder 60 to 70 lbs/cow/day, 5.0F, 3.7P, SCC 160 to 200,000 “I started using Udder Comfort™ while relief milking in high school. I’ve used it frequently over the past 10 years,” says New York native Dore Baker who came to Bowling Green, Kentucky a few years ago to manage her aunt and uncle’s herd at Chaney Dairy Farm, home to the Topsy and Althea families of 2003 Master Breeder James Chaney. Today, Carl and Debra and children Jessica, James Neale and Elizabeth participate in the business that includes agrotourism through their Chaney’s Dairy Barn ice cream and restaurant. A robot milks the 53 Jerseys, and comfort and quality are top priorities. “Back before the robot milked the cows, I would apply Udder Comfort lotion by hand to calm fresh heifers. I love the smell. What I like most is that this is an effective product I rely on for fresh cows, mastitis, even injuries. If we have any swelling, Udder Comfort is my go-to topical. It also plays a role at the first sign of high conductivity.

Now with the robot, “I spray Udder Comfort on all fresh udders for the first couple days after calving to soften edema and help with any skin chapping,” Dore explains. “I spray each quarter as each cup is removed in the robot, or, since we have a relatively docile herd and the spray involves little contact, I apply it in the alley after they exit.”

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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

Con�nued from DARLINGTON RIDGE | 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? We breed for a moderate-sized functional cow that is going to last several lactations, has high components and has a will to get pregnant. We use 100 percent Genex sires. The whole team at Genex plays a critical role in our success. For sire selection, we primarily look at daughter pregnancy rate (DPR) first, followed by productive life (PL), combined fat and protein, milk, udder depth and stature. We want genetics that are going to produce offspring that are able to be preg-

nant, stand the test of time and make high-component milk. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? We use a simple prostaglandin program for our heifers, which are housed in Texas. Its simple and it works. We start breeding heifers at 13 months and use 100 percent sexed semen. We use the same sire selection criteria in heifers and cows. What do you do to settle hard breeders? Any cows serviced more than four times is bred to high conception limousine semen.

RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR

Jim DiGangi, owner of the 2,700-cow Darlington Ridge Farms, examines breeding records. The farm’s pregnancy rate averaged 32 percent last year. How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? We don’t typically stop breeding cows until they are culled for low production.

RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR

Herdsman Ricardo Ruelas, herd manager Rayme Mackinson and veterinarian B.J. Jones check in on a newborn heifer at Darlington Ridge Farms.

Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a significant improvement in your reproductive program? Over the years, we have committed to reinvesting and allocating resources into cow comfort. In 2012, during an expansion, we converted all the stalls to sand bedding and every year focus on projects that will improve overall cow health and fertility. Recently, we have started incorporating

genomic testing in our heifers and are excited to see how implementing precision strategies will move our herd to the next level. Tell us about your farm. Owners Jim and Katie DiGangi oversee the daily operations of Darlington Ridge Farms, LLC. Established in 2008, the leased facilities housed 1,100 cows. With the purchase of the dairy in 2012, an expansion was completed to 2,600 cows that included three freestall barns, expanded manure and feed storage, conversion to sand bedded stalls and a sand recycling system. Our reproduction team meets quarterly to monitor performance and

continually challenge each other with fresh facts and new information. Lead performance indicators and trends help us be proactive versus reactive, and we feel efficiencies and profitability are gained by taking this approach. Our team consists of veterinarians, nutritionist, consultants, A.I. technicians and managers on the dairy. Taking a team approach on our dairy has been a critical part of our success, especially in the areas of fertility and milk quality. By investing in building an effective team internally and taking a team approach, we can all work together effectively for the future of our dairy farm.

Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 21

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Over 1200 items with pictures updated daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com 6 JD 1760, 1996, #135809 ................................$21,750 9 JD 1780, 1997, #127222 ................................$28,500 1 JD 1770, 2000, #136716 ................................$29,900 5 JD 1780, 2001, #136764 ................................$32,900 9 JD 1750, 2013, #131524 ................................$36,500 2 JD 1780, 2001, #134553 ................................$42,500 7 JD DB44, 2008, #131589 ................................$58,500 8 JD 1770NT, 2006, #135018 ................................$64,000 4 JD 1770, 2011, #132629 ................................$72,500 4 JD 1770NT, 2010, #131019 ................................$75,000 1 JD 1770NT, 2010, #123272 ................................$77,500 10 JD 1770NT, 2010, #134770 ................................$78,732 4 JD DB44, 2005, #134620 ................................$89,900 4 JD 1770NT CCS, 2013, #125129 ............................. $115,000 4 JD 1770NT, 2014, #134722 ............................. $127,330 2 JD 1720, 2006, #120108 ................................$35,000 ROUND BALERS 10 NH BR740A, 2006, #131072 ................................$12,500 7 JD 567, 2001, #136010 ...$13,320 10 NH BR780, 2007, #131480 ................................$13,500 2 JD 566, 2000, #134548 ...$14,800 8 JD 568, 2007, #131030 ...$17,500 10 JD 582 SILAGE SPECIAL, 2006, #132056 ................................$18,500 12 JD 458, 2009, #131244 ...$18,900 11 JD 568, 2007, #131763 ...$18,900 2 JD 458 SILAGE SPECIAL, 2010, #132415 ................................$19,500 11 NH BR7090, 2008, #123046 ................................$21,900 10 NH BR7090, 2012, #133944 ................................$22,900 1 CIH RB564, 2008, #129522 ................................$23,000 9 JD 568, 2008, #119918 ...$25,000

ARTICULATED 4WD TRACTORS 9 Case STX275, 2001, 3446 hrs., #135811 ................................$68,000 5 JD 9300, 1997, 4445 hrs., #132726 ................................$79,000 8 JD 9400, 1996, 6173 hrs., #134367 ................................$79,000 7 JD 9520, 2006, 3109 hrs., #135259 ............................. $139,000 6 JD 9620, 2006, 4700 hrs., #134870 ............................. $148,000 5 JD 9630, 2008, 3004 hrs., #135019 ............................. $169,000 7 JD 9430, 2011, 2227 hrs., #134950 ............................. $189,500 3 JD 9630, 2011, 1925 hrs., #134865 ............................. $204,000 1 JD 9560R, 2013, 2226 hrs., #127914 ............................. $235,000 6 JD 9560R, 2012, 1681 hrs., #133796 ............................. $249,000 2 JD 9620R, 2015, 455 hrs., #125913 ............................. $379,000 FIELD CULTIVATORS 2 JD 985, 1995, #130971 ...$18,000 8 JD 985, 1999, #135905 ....$21,500 4 JD 2210, #135359.............$32,000 3 JD 2210, 2007, #136563..$39,000 1 JD 2210, 2005, #120515..$39,500 7 CIH 200, 2012, #135767 ..$52,000 7 CIH 200, 2012, #135951 ..$53,000 6 CIH 200, 2011, #129150 ..$55,000 3 JD 2210, 2012, #135755..$62,500 MOWER CONDITIONERS 11 JD 946, 2005, #130363 ....$17,500 10 NH H7150, 2011, #122976 ................................$19,900 11 JD 635, 2013, #134300 ....$21,900 8 JD 946, 2009, #132018 ....$23,500 10 JD 835, 2012, #130580 ....$24,000 6 NH H7150, 2012, #126620 ................................$24,500 11 JD 946, 2011, #126500 ...$25,500 9 JD 830, 2015, #134944 ...$25,900 10 JD 835, 2015, #133943 ...$26,500 1 JD 956, 2011, #126054 ...$27,900 10 JD 956, 2013, #121134 ...$28,900 7 JD 946, 2014, #126629 ...$30,900 2 JD 946, 2014, #126997 ...$32,000 PLANTERS: DRAWN 4 JD 1750, 2001, #127462 ................................$20,500

105,000

86,900

2013 JD 6125M, $ 125 hp., 243 hrs., #123591

1 JD 568, 2007, #122377 ...$25,900 2 JD 569, 2013, #135012 ...$26,900 2 JD 468 SILAGE SPECIAL, 2011, #126398 ................................$30,900 6 JD 469, 2013, #131787 ...$30,900 7 JD 469, 2014, #121911 ...$30,900 5 JD 468 SILAGE SPECIAL, 2012, #132115 ................................$31,900 4 JD 459 SILAGE SPECIAL, 2013, #134718 ................................$32,500 5 JD 568, 2011, #126221 ....$32,900 4 JD 568, 2012, #123505 ....$34,900 4 JD 569, 2014, #135360 ....$37,000 10 JD 569, 2013, #126055 ....$38,900 7 JD 569, 2014, #123810 ....$38,900 8 JD 569, 2014, #124210 ....$38,900 6 JD 569 SILAGE SPECIAL, 2015, #134962 ................................$44,500 ROW CROP TRACTORS 9 JD 4440, 1980, 8000 hrs., #136759 ................................$19,900 10 International 5488, 1982, 8140 hrs., #129314 ............$24,500 1 JD 4255, 1991, 11822 hrs., #133470 ................................$27,900 1 JD 7410, 1997, 4482 hrs., #136566 ................................$52,900 2 JD 4560, 1993, 4640 hrs., #135362 ................................$56,000 4 JD 7420, 2007, 5301 hrs., #134042 ................................$58,900 11 JD 7810, 2000, 3155 hrs., #136691 ................................$79,000 6 CIH 145 PUMA, 2013, 755 hrs., #134447 ................................$84,500 11 JD 7920, 2003, 4910 hrs., #134912 ................................$94,900 6 JD 6150M, 2014, 917 hrs., #135969 ................................$98,500 6 CIH MAGNUM 180, 2010, 1230 hrs., #131001 ......... $103,500 8 JD 7630, 2007, 3782 hrs., #131106 ............................. $105,000 8 JD 8220, 2002, 5469 hrs., #127863 ............................. $108,500 4 JD 7830, 2008, 3289 hrs., #135361 ............................. $114,500 9 JD 6150R, 2013, 698 hrs., #127915 ............................. $119,000 4 JD 8220, 2004, 1640 hrs., #132349 ............................. $122,000 9 JD 6145R, 2015, 268 hrs., #120191 ............................. $122,900

JD 7420, 2007, 5301 hrs., #134042

58,900

1 JD 6155R, 2015, 179 hrs., #124983 ............................. $129,500 1 JD 7200R, 2012, 729 hrs., #135070 ............................. $129,900 8 JD 6175R, 2015, 650 hrs., #135147 ............................. $148,000 3 JD 8235R, 2013, 1636 hrs., #127894 ............................. $159,000 6 JD 7210R, 2015, 887 hrs., #134395 ............................. $161,900 1 JD 7230R, 2015, 446 hrs., #126922 ............................. $171,500 3 JD 8245R, 2014, 429 hrs., #107406 ............................. $172,900 5 JD 8260R, 2013, 1527 hrs., #125130 ............................. $179,000 1 JD 8320R, 2010, 2557 hrs., #117098 ............................. $185,000 4 JD 8245R, 2015, 494 hrs., #135325 ............................. $185,500 2 JD 7230R, 2015, 88 hrs., #134308 ............................. $187,500 8 JD 8245R, 2015, 767 hrs., #134375 ............................. $192,900 1 JD 7230R, 2014, 447 hrs., #126805 ............................. $193,000 8 JD 8295R, 2015, 911 hrs., #134373 ............................. $224,900 2 JD 8285R, 2011, 1345 hrs., #118552 ............................. $226,900 7 JD 8320R, 2014, 2084 hrs., #127013 ............................. $227,500 3 JD 8270R, 2015, 70 hrs., #125647 ............................. $239,000 TRACK TRACTORS 6 JD 8310T, 2001, 2295 hrs., #126238 ................................$85,000 2 JD 9320T, 2004, 3280 hrs., #134963 ............................. $123,050 1 Case STX425, 2002, 3168 hrs., #136012 ............................. $126,900 5 JD 9530T, 2009, 3199 hrs., #135766 ............................. $155,000 8 JD 8310RT, 2013, 477 hrs., #132060 ............................. $235,000 2 JD 9460RT, 2012, 1089 hrs., #125925 ............................. $269,000 1 CIH 600 QUAD TRACK, 2012, 1182 hrs., #135208 ......... $279,900

JD 6140D, 2013, $ 140 hp., 378 hrs., #131138

62,500

Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

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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

East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Genex Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, MN 605-886-7401 Sioux Falls, SD 800-284-0015 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416

is a registered trademark of Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. and “DeLaval” is a registered trade/servicemark of DeLaval Holding AB © 2017 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. www.delaval.com

Lets make 2017 a better year

Dear Editors: In early February, I came upon an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal. It said the total numbers of farms in America will soon be under 2 million. That’s important, because we haven’t seen that number since the Louisiana Purchase in the mid-1800s, the WSJ writers said. The article detailed America’s shrinking role in global grain markets. That, coupled with a strong dollar and higher seed costs, are driving producers out of business, the piece said. In fact, planted wheat acres have fallen to the lowest number in a century. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers’ income will drop 9 percent this year, the fourth straight year of declines. At a time when the cyclical farm economy is showing its down side, having as much market access as possible grows in importance. Our grain producer members, whatever the crop, are operating their businesses in a global market. Tools like crop insurance, the ability to market together, manage risk and operate in an agriculture climate friendly to producers will be key as the next farm bill is developed. At National Farmers national convention in Springfield, Mo., at the end of January, I spoke about agricultural prices in several sectors falling below farmers’ production costs last year. In fact, 1,400 loads of milk were disposed of in the Northeast and Mideast dairy regions because there wasn’t access to a stable market. In the first eight months of 2016, the amount tallied up to 43 million gallons of milk that was used in feed or disposed of on farms. Dairy producers are seemingly at the mercy of the industry climate, because of consolidation and plant closures. And, many of these processing plants who closed facilities had been good partners that we appreciated. At National Farmers we understand the need for healthy finances on the buy side of the marketing equation, as well. There’s a balance, to be sure. Wisconsin Farmers Union in December released the results of its Wisconsin survey of every dairy producer in the state, which WFU conducted in the fall. Sixty-three percent of the more than 1,000 respondents said they lost money based on cost of production and prices received. Of those dairy producers, 765 said they had signed up for the Margin Protection Program. So, the solution isn’t in this particular program. Milk producers are dealing with only a 3 percent surplus, which has created a 40 percent price drop. For farmers, that doesn’t seem commensurate. At National Farmers, we are actively pursuing new partnerships to address the situation in the Northeast. And we’re proposing a two-tier dairy price structure, a growth management program. See http://www.nfo. org/files/pdf/Dairy-Policy-Proposal.pdf. For producers, remaining financially stable means a combination of things. As marketers, at National Farmers, we suggest marketing together and using risk management tools, whether you’re in the dairy, grain or livestock sector. Still, market access remains a concern for many farmers. In the beef sector, when Tyson announced it was no longer processing Holsteins, a price decline quickly occurred, $30 live in the cash market, $45 inthe-meat regionally on a cash basis. Dairy beef is an important part of beef supply in the United States, and we stand behind our cattlemen who feed and finish Holstein steers. I’m happy to say that our Livestock Division is continuing to work for producers’ benefit as they talk with Holstein processors to define our contract details and develop new partnerships. All of us in the cattle industry want to assist all cattlemen. Right now, it’s the Holstein producer who is facing a challenge, and we’re working to solve this market access concern. We’re proud to serve American farmers. Together, many organizations and companies, in an agriculturefriendly setting, will be part of making 2017 a better year for American grain, livestock and dairy producers. Paul Riniker Vice President, National Farmers Greeley, Iowa

Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 23

Hefty celebrates 50 years hauling milk

Mr. Three Million

By Cassie Olson

cassie.o@dairystar.com

BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. – Milking cows is much like putting together a puzzle; from the pasture to the grocer, every piece of the puzzle is a part of the greater picture of getting milk on the kitchen table. Roy Hefty, a milk hauler from Black River Falls, Wis., is one of those integral pieces who has been a part of the dairy puzzle for nearly half a century. Having logged over three million miles, Hefty will be celebrating his 50year milestone this coming June. His journey began in 1967. At the time, Hefty was milking cows with his dad on their farm near Alma Center, Wis. Their milk hauler at the time was looking for help, and Hefty saw an opportunity to try something new. “I started working for him part-time that rst year,” Hefty said. “I ended up buying his route from him a year later, and have been hauling milk full-time ever since.” It did not take Hefty long to fall in love with the job. But the job wasn’t the only love he found behind the steering wheel of the milk truck that rst year. While picking up milk on a farm in Taylor, Wis., Hefty was introduced to his wife of 48 years, Dorothy. “I was picking up milk on her parent’s farm when I met her,” Hefty said. “As they say, you have to watch out for the milk man.” Hefty was still helping his dad with chores while running his daily route. After marrying Dorthy, he made the decision to hang up his chore bibs one last time to continue his milk hauling career. “I was born and raised on the farm; I would not have guessed that I would haul milk full-time,” Hefty said. “But I loved it back then, and I love it right now.” In the rst 36 years of his career, Hefty never took a day off. He never took a sick day and, even on occasions such as his wedding, he was able to make his schedule work. “I was married on a Saturday and was hauling again on Monday,” Hefty said.

CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR

Roy HeŌy, of Black River Falls, Wis., will be celebraƟng 50 years of hauling milk this June. During his Ɵme as a milk hauler, HeŌy has logged over 3 million miles, delivered to 25 milk plants and serviced farms across 10 Wisconsin counƟes. But 1982 brought a sudden end to Hefty’s absent-free streak when an accident pulled him out of the driver’s seat for two straight months. “I was going through an intersection when a car drove through a stop sign, hit my truck and rolled it,” Hefty said. While emergency personnel worked to save him, Hefty remained pinned in the truck for nearly two hours. The result of the accident was a broken back which set him back two months as he recovered. While the accident was eye opening, Hefty said it wasn’t about to deter him. “I never thought of getting out after that. It didn’t scare me,” Hefty said. “As soon as I was able, I was right back in it. I gured I liked doing the job, so I was going to keep on doing it.” Winter driving is one of the biggest challenges of Hefty’s job. He said slippery roads can be easily handled with tire chains, but hills, snow covered paths and wet conditions can make things difcult. However, the biggest challenge of

his career was raising children. “I was on the road seven days a week, 365 days a year. Helping to raise our children was hard and my wife did so much; that was tough,” Hefty said. “Two of my children, Theresa and Dan, each had a chance to ride with me just once, as that wasn’t an opportunity I was able to offer often.” In his time as a milk hauler, Hefty has delivered milk to 25 processing facilities from farms across 10 counties. While he cannot recall how many farms he has serviced over the years, he said the farmers are what have made the job fullling. “What I will one day miss is the farmers. I’ll denitely miss talking to them,” Hefty said. “Every single one is different.” Although Hefty does not recall a specic memory or story from the farmers he has visited over the years, he said he has never felt anything but appreciated. “The farmers are always appreciative,” Hefty said. “There has never been a day in my career where I didn’t feel

appreciated for what I do.” Today, Hefty hauls milk for farms in Jackson, Trempealeau, Eau Claire and Buffalo counties. For the last nine years, he has been hauling milk for Brian Hovey of Pigeon Falls, Wis., who also owns his truck. “I really appreciate working for Brian,” Hefty said. “He keeps me busy and keeps it fun.” With just shy of 50 years in the business, Hefty said he has had a memorable career. Despite the challenges, he said there is not another career he could see himself enjoying any more. “There were thoughts of hanging it up,” Hefty said. “But here I am, still doing it.” So far, Hefty has seen milk travel over three million miles throughout his career. He is certain the number will continue to grow. “As long as I can take it, I’m going to keep on,” Hefty said. “I have not made the decision to quit any time soon.”

Congratulations

to the nine young ladies crowned Stearns County Dairy Princesses. Nine girls were crowned Stearns County Dairy Princesses March 11 at the 63rd annual dairy princess banquet held at the Freeport Community Center, in Freeport, Minn. They include (front, from left) Roseann Mehr the daughter of Vernon and Joann Mehr of Farming, Kayla Herkenhoff the daughter of Bernie and Diane Herkenhoff of Freeport, Kayle Benesh the daughter of Deanna Benesh of Spring Hill and Gina Holdvogt the daughter of Alvin and Bernie Holdvogt of New Munich; (back, from left) Marissa Willenbring the daughter of Ed and Ann Willenbring of Richmond, Ashley Herdering the daughter of Tom and Sandra Herdering of Freeport, Kelly Schmitz the daughter of Isidore and Beverly Schmitz of Freeport, Ashley Maus the daughter of Darrel and Lisa of Freeport and Anna Donnay the daughter of John and Chris Donnay of Kimball. Herkenhoff also earned Miss Congeniality and was one of the two $150 Stearns County ADA scholarship winners. Herdering also won a scholarship. The nine princesses have a chance to go to the training seminar and compete for Princess Kay.

Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

Selz-Pralle presents at Farm City Banquet

Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 25

Commitment. Relationships. Trust.

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Pam Selz-Pralle was the featured speaker at the 2017 Farm City Banquet in Rice Lake, Wis. Selz-Pralle’s presentaƟon focused on how farmers can share their stories with consumers. She milks 400 cows with her husband, ScoƩ, near Humbird, Wis. By Brittany Olson

brittany.o@dairystar.com

RICE LAKE, Wis. - Farmers, agriculturalists and community members lled the hall at the Moose Family Center on March 20 for the annual Rice Lake Farm City Banquet. The banquet,

hosted by the Rice Lake Holstein Club, featured Pam Selz-Pralle of Humbird, Wis. as its main presenter. Selz-Pralle dairy farms near Humbird, Wis. in Clark County and serves as a volunteer with CommonGround, a network of farm women bridging the divide between farmer and consumer.

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Recognizing dedicated farmers

Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR PROTEIN AND AMINO ACIDS FOR YOUR DAIRY COW RATION? Your Best Buys Are Soy Best® and Soy Best® “L” Soy Best® High Bypass Soybean Meal with Gums can help keep production high, making your herd more proﬁtable long-term. With its digestible bypass protein, elevated phosphatidyl-choline (the natural methyl-donor) from added gums and its great taste, Soy Best helps balance the ration like no other rumen-protected protein source. For rations in need of more lysine, use Soy Best® “L”. It’s Soy Best with rumen-protected lysine mixed right in! According to research, these two products give you more metabolizable protein, lysine and methionine per dollar spent than other protein sources.

INGREDIENT

Lys

Met $/Ton Cents/g Cents/g Cents/g IADP* MP Lys MP Met

67.5

6.29

1.44 $410

0.29

4.6

CP RUP RUP

%DM %CP %Digest %RUP %RUP

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49.1 73.3

83.8

6.26

1.57 $440

0.16

2.6

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9.37

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58.1

5.62

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0.46

8.1

Blood Meal

95.5 77.5

9.12

1.18 $850

0.23

2.5

Soy Best

: From NRC 2001

We celebrated National Ag Day March 21. I wanted to take a moment to thank all of our hard working and dedicated farmers in our community. We recognize and greatly appreciate all you do to feed this great nation and world. While we celebrated this day, the changes in farming were quite evident. This includes how people farm, what technology they are using, and how they access information related to farming. To make FSA data more available to our farmers, FSA has launched FSA News & Notes a new tool to provide farmers and ranchers with remote access to their personal farm information using their home computers. Farmers and ranchers can now view, print or export their personal farm data all without visiting an FSA county ofce. The program, known as FSAfarm+, provides secure access to view your personal FSA data, such as base and yields, Conservation Reserve Program data, other conservation program acreage, Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation status By Ryan Brunn information, eld boundaries, farm imagery, name Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. and address details, contact information and membership interest and shares in the operation. This data will be available in real time at no cost to the producer and allow operators and owners to export and print farm records, including maps. Producers can electronically share their data with a crop insurance agent from their own computer. Farm operators and owners will rst need level two e-authentication to access the web portal. This level of security ensures that personal information is protected for each user. Level two access can be obtained by going to www. eauth.usda.gov, completing the required information and then visiting your FSA ofce to nalize access. For more information on FSAfarm+, the customer self-service portal, contact your FSA ofce. To nd your FSA county ofce, visit http://ofces.usda. gov. 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.

“I didn’t even think we had stray voltage!” Roger Lange milks 100 head on his family dairy at Crofton, Nebraska. Until recently he was often forced to sell his fresh heifers because they wouldn t let down their milk. “We called Stray Voltage Consulting, and Jerry found the problem within half an hour.” Roger said. “I was very impressed with Jerry. He’s a former REA guy, so he understands both the farmer and the electric company. Being able to work with both sides is a key component to his success.” “I haven’t had a single problem with our fresh heifers since Jerry corrected our stray voltage problem. I would highly recommend Stray Voltage Consulting to anyone who thinks they might have stray voltage!”

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: From ADSA., 2005, Stern et al., University of Minnesota

: University of Minnesota, 3-Step Process

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By John & Laura Rosenhammer Father/Daughter Farming Duo With the warmer weather and extra hour of sunlight each evening, farmers everywhere are wondering just how soon they can get in the elds to start planting. Each new season begins hopes such as record bushels per acre, harvesting better quality forages, or nishing tillage before winter sets in. This time of year is an opportunity to take time to plan. A high school teacher once told me, “You never planned to fail, but rather you failed to plan.” I feel this relates to dairy farming each day. Each morning on my 15-minute drive to the farm, I think about what I need to get done that day; vaccines to give, pens to be cleaned out, bills to be paid and so on. Last July, I remember the forecast was in the high ‘90s for the coming week, so I only set up one cow for the ovsynch breeding because, as we all know, cows do not settle well in the heat. Just like you wouldn’t cut hay when rain is in the forecast, we try not to breed cows when the heat index is scorching. We take time to work with our nutritionist and estimate our forage needs for the coming year so we can accordingly plant and harvest to avoid running short or having excess that goes to waste. On our farm, I have been watching our number of cows expected to be dry and milking in the coming months. We will be calving heavily in the summer, therefore, by May when the dry pen numbers rise, I am working on a plan to move gates around so I can expand the dry cow pen in order to ensure each cow has enough bunk space and a stall to lay in. Besides, we sold a group of springers last week and plan to sell another group in September in order to limit overcrowding. Financials are a vital component in planning for success. As dairy farmers, we have the right to choose if we want to milk 200 cows or 2,000. We can decide if we want to grow our own forages or purchase them. We can decide if we want to produce organic or conventional milk. We can choose to contract milk or roll with the markets. We can choose to bed with sand or straw. At a recent workshop, I spoke with a presenter on economics about the many different decisions dairy farmers must make on a daily basis and their impacts on production. He said, “You have the freedom to farm anyway you want, but you do not have the right to profitability.” This is absolutely true. Milking 2,000 does not guarantee you will be more protable than the farmer with 200 cows. Milking a herd of high producing Holsteins does not guarantee you will be more protable

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than a farmer who has a herd of component-rich Jerseys. A dairy that ranks among the top 10 in the state for cow dollar value does not guarantee they are more protable than those ranked lower. Their success is determined by how well they are managed. Everyone measures their success differently, but in order to continue dairy farming being nancially successful is a must. Through farm business management, I’ve learned to change my focus from the dollar value output of a cow to the dollar value I invested into a cow that has been returned to my pocket, or return on investment. For example, investing in giving lutalyse shots to heifers to stimulate estrus has resulted in heifers calving at a younger age which means they are becoming producers and generating income sooner. Investing in BST shots for late lactation and lower producing cows has allowed me to keep them in the herd longer, rather than having to dry them up early or culling for low production. I’m also trying to be realistic. I am expecting milk prices to stay around $16-$17. Rather than cutting

Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 27

off inputs to lower my cost of production, reviewing the value of each dollar of inputs is helping me decide where I can adjust to make ends meet. For example, switching to sexed semen would result in more heifer calves which I can sell as springers for prot, and less bull calves which are not generating much income. However, I would sacrice my conception rate which may not be worth the gain in heifer sales. As dairy farmers, we face situations like this each day. At 25 years old, I’m certainly not an expert and have limited experience. I am grateful to have my dad and several other mentors to discuss these obstacles with, so I can be condent in each decision. I believe if I take time to analyze each decision and carefully plan my next move, I can keep my herd on track for a successful 2017. Laura Rosenhammer farms with her father, John, and uncle, Greg, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and run 580 acres of cropland.

Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

Dairy equipment business in Darby’s blood

Suckow happily followed in his father’s footsteps By Ron Johnson

ron.j@dairystar.com

POSTVILLE, Iowa – One of Darby Suckow’s prized possessions is a red wooden toolbox. His father, Delbert, built the box when Darby was kneehigh to a milk can. The simple toolbox helped nurture a lifelong interest in dairy equipment. Suckow is the half owner of United Suckow Dairy, an equipment supply company with locations in Postville and West Union, Iowa. Suckow’s dad founded the business as Suckow Dairy in 1973. Suckow bought into the rm in 1993 and acquired total ownership in 2001. Several years ago, the dairy merged with United Dairy and derived its present name. The company sells, installs and services DeLaval milking equipment and Mueller milk cooling equipment. Its business territory includes much of Iowa and parts of southern Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin. Suckow has been on the payroll for 36 years. But he has worked in the business far longer. At the age of 13, he started making farm calls on his own. His father hired a high school kid to drive Suckow to farms. But once there, it was young Suckow who xed the

RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR

Darby Suckow is proud of the Golden Cooler awards his business has received over the years. Suckow co-owns United Suckow Dairy, an equipment supply company, in Iowa. along. bulk tank. “It was very busy, from people “I just knew how to do it,” Suckow wanting to do their banking and comsaid. He learned the intricacies of such ing to the co-ops,” Suckow said. “Then repairs from following his father, they’d come into dad’s shop and get all watching him and asking questions. their supplies.” Suckow was so interested in the work that Delbert built him the red toolbox. Suckow said he enjoys the people part of his work every bit as much as he likes the mechanical and technological aspects. The store at Postville was open until noon each Saturday, giving young DARBY SUCKOW, Suckow an opportunity to interact with UNITED SUCKOW DAIRY the dairy farmers who stopped by, and Suckow enjoyed talking about milk to play with the children who tagged prices, cows and crops – just as he still does today. “I enjoyed it all. Those guys back then were pleasant and fun to be around,” he said. Suckow’s travels to farms to x bulk tanks did not involve major problems. DAIRY, MACHINERY & HAY STORAGE “But, they still needed to be xed,” he said. “I guess I enjoyed doing it beCommercial Agri Buildings Single and Truss Arch available cause I knew I was xing something for from 20’-120’ wide a farmer.” ® Flo-Coat Galvanized Steel Tubing It was Jan. 1, 1981, when Suckow’s Supplied by Allied Tube & Conduit CALL FOR Heaviest gauge steel dad put his son, then 15, on the comS WINTER DISCOUNT in the industry pany payroll. Suckow suspects he was Pre-engineered truss buildings WE ALSO SELL REPLACEMENTTARPS! paid $2 an hour. After high school, he NELSON’S AGRI STRUCTURES went to work for his father full time. Dean Nelson • Central and Northern Minnesota • Grove City, MN • 320-857-2633, Cell 320-699-3297 “I walked out of high school and RIVERSIDE HOOP BARNS, INC. into this,” he said. US Hwy. 75 At IA/MN Stateline • Steen, MN • 507-392-2870 • Fred A. Tilstra & Sons LANGE CONSTRUCTION & CONCRETE During the ‘80s, Suckow gained Duke Lange • Swanville, MN • 320-290-0859 an appreciation for an unsung segLAKESIDE HOOP STRUCTURES, LLC ment of the dairy industry: milk haulEastern Minnesota and Wisconsin • Harris, MN • 651-248-6302 • Craig Moline

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ers. He drove a bulk truck three-and-ahalf years for Milton Olson and Sons, Gunder, Iowa, until the Olsons sold the business. “I loved it,” he said. “That was a great experience. I think everybody should learn how. It was the whole experience of picking the milk up and taking it wherever it needed to go.” An 18-year-old Suckow earned his commercial driver’s license by tooling around in a large truck at the fairgrounds at Postville. His route consisted of 16 farms and covered 150 miles. Suckow, 51, has witnessed rsthand the changes that have reshaped the dairy industry. He recalls the days when his father worked for John Kittleson Co., before founding his own business. On one wall of the Postville store hangs a framed sheet of newsprint, beginning to yellow with age. On it are the names of 572 dairy farmers. All bought bulk milk coolers from Kittleson from the late 1950s through the ‘70s. By 1972, Suckow said, just about every farm had switched from shipping milk in cans to bulk tanks. Another change is that many of the smaller milk processors are now gone, such as the creamery at Gunder, Iowa. “The business was not as stressful as it is today,” he said. “There’s just a lot more at stake. The store at West Union sells and services robotic milkers, while the one at Postville specializes in milk cooling. Milk cooling is especially interesting to Suckow. “I could talk about cooling all day long – where it’s been, where it is and where it’s going,” he said. “It’s what drives me to go to work every day. I love doing that.” Suckow said his business has received many Golden Cooler Awards, starting in 1977. The honor goes to a dealer that has gone above and beyond the basic requirements of keeping its customers happy. “Those Golden Cooler Awards mean everything to me,” Suckow said. “If this place is ever on re, I’ll forget about the computers and go after those babies.” Even more valuable are the relationships he has forged over the past 40-plus years. “The customers have become friends,” Suckow said. “That is priceless.”

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Daylight Saving Time discussion “Spring ahead; fall back.” We all know how to interpret those cryptic-sounding words. Yes, good, old Daylight Saving Time is with us once again. Our twice-yearly ritual of changing our clocks an hour took place this past Sunday, March 12, when we sprung ahead 60 minutes. We’ll do it again, come Sunday, Nov. 5. Except then we will fall back an hour. Whether you love it, hate it, or have no feelings at all toward this effort at time manipulation, we’re Rural Roots pretty much stuck in it if we hope to be on time for our many appointments, meetings, milkings, and meals. The concept of adjusting our clocks so we might enjoy an additional hour of light during part of the year is not new. In fact, it dates back more than 200 years, to the time of the esteemed politician and inventor Benjamin Franklin. Yes, Bennie suggested, in 1784, that it could be a pennywise practice. People, he wrote could cut their candle usage if they arose earlier in the morning and made good use of the morning light. Of course, these days, the idea is to make use of an extra hour By Ron Johnson of evening light. Staff Writer Parts of Europe began using what we now call Daylight Saving Time in 1916. Two years later, the United States took up this time manipulation, after it waded into the World War I fray. I’ve read that farmers have frequently opposed Daylight Saving Time. But, one argument I still see seems quite outdated. It starts with the fact that grain should be harvested after the dew is gone from it. The second part of the argument is that the grain is being harvested by eld hands whose work becomes less valuable after the time change, since they are starting their work later during the daylight hours. I might be wrong, but I suspect that the advent of tractors and harvesting machinery pretty much laid that argument to rest some time ago. Not many farms rely on eld hands to harvest grain these days. Dairy farmers are said to have been among those opposed to Daylight Saving Time when it began, since cows are usually milked according to a fairly xed schedule. The rise of robotic milkers, it seems to me, pretty much cancels that concern on some farms, as does the fact that the majority of farms are wired for electricity. That makes working during the hours of darkness not nearly the obstacle it once was. What about energy? Does Daylight Saving Time trim our energy usage? Maybe. Maybe not. A study conducted in Indiana (my home state), found that Daylight Saving Time actually boosted the amount of electricity used, by as little as one percent to as much as four percent. Further, the extra electricity cost Indianans as much as $5.5 million. Then there’s the economic impact of springing ahead and falling back. I suppose I really do buy and burn a bit more charcoal during Daylight Saving Time. But that’s partly due to the change in the weather, with winter melting away and spring and summer sauntering in. You’re probably like me: You like to cook out more when you’re not freezing your toosh off in below-zero temperatures. An argument against altering our time twice a year deals with its impact on our health. Various research has suggested that the time change might contribute to depression. Or, it might ease depression. I suspect that the ndings are related to who is doing the research and who is supplying the money for it. Besides depression, the time shift early each year has been associated with more people suffering strokes during the rst two days. And the time shift has reportedly p been found to increase the t risk of heart attacks. I’m often I’ f amused d about b the h One more bit of fallout from going to Daylight Saving way some folks have strong is the loss of sleep that feelings for or against Daylight Time can result. The body’s customary rhythms are upset, and the Saving Time. change c in sleep amounts can last l a week or more. I’ve encountered that myself. I compare what happens to jet lag. In a previous job, when I ew to western Canada or California and was gone two or three days, it took a couple of days to recover from traversing a couple of time zones and then heading back again. But, I recovered. Most of the time, I felt better before my lost luggage got delivered back home. I’m often amused about the way some folks have strong feelings for or against Daylight Saving Time. I’m also amused by the way people write about it. Here’s a recent and direct quote from a large, daily Wisconsin newspaper on the matter: “People move their clocks ahead an hour to make the sun set later and create an extra hour of light at the end of the day. The state then falls back an hour to standard time in November, which means the sun sets an hour earlier.” OK. According to that, we control the movement of the sun by moving our clocks ahead an hour. Then we control the movement of the sun again when we set out clocks back an hour. I think (and I sincerely hope) what the writer meant was that the sun seems to set later and seems to set an hour earlier. I don’t know about you, but I would not want to possess the power to make the sun obey my wishes. There are, believe it or not, jokes about Daylight Saving Time. One is about the gardener who welcomes the time change each year. He likes how his tomatoes get an additional hour of sunlight for faster ripening.

The image of farming Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 29

There have been times when I question the big picture of agriculture through the eyes of others. It must be the image of the old timers farming, with the dirty overalls and corn cob pipes, the black and white movies from the Dust Bowl days, broken tractors, rusty windmills and tumble weeds blowing in our yards. Little things have happened here and there that have left me feeling disappointed or even angry at what nonfarmers will do or say out of ignorance, thinking that we are just farmers and we don’t care. Two weeks ago, we came home to see someone had crashed into the end of our barn smashing the soft. There wasn’t a note left, no phone calls, only a red light that broke off a trailer or box truck. We asked the guy who bought calves that pulled in with his cattle trailer if he might have hit it and showed him the light. “Sorry, my trailer has LED lights,” he said. We asked our co-op if the delivery truck might By Tina Hinchley have hit it. Farmer & Columnist “Negative. No damage to the truck,” they told us. We checked with UPS, Fed Ex and even the school bus company. Nope. Who ever hit it had to have known because it caused a lot of damage. This mystery may never be solved. Every time we drove into the farm we couldn’t help but see the damage to our barn. We xed it as soon as possible to keep our farm looking nice. We take pride in keeping things clean and tidy by xing up and making repairs as needed. When the new delivery man pulled into our yard and drove 10 feet into our lawn sinking the truck tires in the grass, I wanted to scream, but I could only shake my head. When I showed the driver what the tires did, he felt bad, but clearly he didn’t think about it before driving on our lawn. I had to explain that he needed to back in the driveway to deliver bag feed. If it wasn’t a farm, he would have thought differently. I had to get topsoil and re-seed the lawn to ll in the ruts from the tires. This farm is where we live and work. It makes me feel good when I go out to milk when our yard looks nice. One of our friends, who is also a farmer, was helping us one day by putting log chains in the back of the truck. He didn’t drop the tail gate, he just threw them over the side. Dragging them alongside the box of the truck, pulling them up and over. His comment was “its a farm truck.” The scratches in the paint went down to the steel. There was no bufng them out of the paint. Duane had to have the truck box repainted so it wouldn’t rust and also so it would look nice for the life of the vehicle. There was a salesman who came to our farm to give us a bid on cabinets for our bathroom. He was a friend of the contractor who was doing the remodeling and arrived early to meet with him rst. My husband, Duane, and I were still out doing chores. I watched him as he was getting out of his truck and casually poured out his cigarette butts from his ash tray in our driveway. I remember feeling the heat soar up through me as the anger rose. I honestly can’t remember where I found the shovel, but I scooped up the mess and put it on his oor mat of his truck and went in to confront him. I rmly asked if he thought our farm looked like a dump. “Gosh, no. You have a beautiful farm,” he said. No, he didn’t get to sell us any cabinets. Even when hosting farm tours, I will have a few families leave their trash on the ground by where they parked. Tissues, wipes and wrappers get tossed as they walk from one area to the next. They don’t realize that it’s a big deal, because “it is just a farm.” It is our farm, our lifestyle and our pride that hurts when others don’t respect us. While giving farm tours, we are aware our farm is an example. We know the responsibility we carry when representing the agricultural industry – from our cows and machinery to the house, barn, and clean elds and pastures. Duane and I enjoy driving by other farms that work hard to keep their place looking good. We know rst hand it takes extra time out of our busy day, but the pride we feel in our farm makes it worth all the effort. The importance of the image of farming needs to be continually upheld so others can see and feel our love that we have for our farms. Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 120 registered Holsteins and farm 2,500 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wis. They have been hosting farm tours for over 18 years.

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Not a princess Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

This week’s column was a joint writing effort by my sister and I, as we both have some strong opinions on this topic. Oh, you nally got your girl. She’ll be a daddy’s girl for sure. She’s such a little princess. The only girl with all those boys, she’s sure to be spoiled. These are all comments that have been heard frequently since the March 2 arrival of our dark haired, 7-pound 5-ounce, 20-and-one-quarter-inch long daughter, Cora Marian. Truth be told, it didn’t matter to Keith or I what we had, so long as it was healthy. Four healthy boys would have been just as exciting as having a girl in the mix. Ira, Dane and Henry were sure we needed another boy. They reasoned because we had boys and girls play with Barbie dolls. Oliver was on the boy team. And, then there was lone Finley who was convinced

the new baby would be a nice girl with hair that would hold his hand. This jump into the world of girl was a fast one. Stacy and I are still on a roller coaster as far as dealing with the general comments when you have a girl. I’m glad there are two of us to navigate this world of girl power. You see, in our family after having Henry and Finley so close together Stacy is called Mama, and I’m Mom. This was something that happened on its own when the boys were very young. I can’t explain in words how great it is that my kids get to essentially have two moms. I’m sure Stacy will become Momma to Cora as well. And, between Stacy and I we are gathering our resources to help her become more than the princess in pink society sees her. I’m learning to accept pink clothes, while still being realistic that she doesn’t actually care what she

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wears, and no doubt will be in the barn in boy clothes at some point. Pink and purple, dresses and rufe-butt pants; these things I can handle and enjoy, but the princess inferences – nope. From Aunt Stacy, I understand why people gravitate toward the princess label for little girls. I really do. It invokes sweet images of little girls adorned in frilly dresses, looking as beautiful as ever, and pulling on the heartstrings of all men within eyeshot. Ramblings from the Ridge Ultimately, it is this very image that makes my stomach clench because it teaches our children about the role of girls in our society. We are telling them these frilly dresses, the unwavering smile on their face, and the sweetness in their demeanor is what denes By Jacqui Davison them; what makes them Columnist valuable. This ability to passively stand by and be pretty and wait for someone, presumably Prince Charming, is how they should present themselves to the world. With those eight letters, we teach them what is expected of them. We also teach them what is not expected of them; that they will not be valued for their creative approach to solving a math problem or praised for their ability to get covered from head to toe in mud as they spin out with their bike in a puddle. We are not teaching children that girls can be remen, farmers, astrophysicists, neurologists, the brains behind the latest technology, or the President of the United States of America. By labeling them as princesses from the moment they enter this world, we are limiting them without even realizing it. We are teaching them to put more effort into their outward appearance than their inner beauty. In effect, we show them their self-worth is dependent upon what others think about them and not how they feel about themselves. Just as little girls deserve to grow up in a world that encourages their strength, little boys deserve to grow up in a world where it is OK for them to show weakness and be vulnerable. We need to stop gender stereotyping our children, stop placing them in pink or blue boxes and instead show them their lives can be made up of millions of different colors. Jacqui again, I now think about our society differently. There are so many women I want her to look up to, read about and teach the boys about so they can encourage Cora to do anything. For every person who tells her how cute she is; I hope someone follows up with a comment about how she is strong, smart and important. Somewhere along the way, the script about how we approach little girls needs to change, and I suppose Stacy and I are starting with Cora. On our farm, it’s all women who feed the calves, so Finley is under the impression that in order to feed calves he has to grow up to be a big girl. Though the boys were concerned about a baby girl bringing dolls, Henry and Finley have their dolls they play with already. I’m also certain that with three older brothers and a mom who likes to shoot guns, Cora will be in line to get her BB gun when she turns 7. Jacqui and her family milk 700 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her boys, Ira (10), Dane (8), and Henry (3) help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little boys, 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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Time for a Milk Break

Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 31

When I was in elementary school, I always looked forward to milk break. Not only did it break up the long mornings, but I got to have a cookie or snack and enjoy a small carton of chocolate milk. Chocolate milk was a real treat for me when I was growing up. We never bought milk from a store. It was straight from the bulk tank. If we wanted chocolate milk – it was a spoonful of Nesquik to mix into our glass of milk. I don’t know what milk break means to my kids in school now. I know they always razz me if I forget to pack a snack in their backpacks. I think my boys look forward to the fruit snacks more than the milk. But, I know they appreciate the break in the day just the same as I did. It is with this same intention – offering a fun, entertaining break in your day – that Dairy Star will now be offering a weekly E-newsletter for people who sign up to receive it. It is called Dairy By Andrea Borgerding Star Milk Break. Staff Writer My co-worker, Cassie Olson, and I will be coordinating Dairy Star’s E-newsletter. Together, we have been brainstorming ideas on what to include in our weekly letter. We are aiming for something short, informative, fun, engaging and straight from the mouth of my supervisor – not boring. Through all of this brainstorming, we have come to the realization that there are lots of tidbits of information out there we can’t always include in Dairy Star. These tidbits are pperfect for our Milk Break – Dairy D i SStar will ill now b be offering ff i a like surveys or polls, jokes cartoons, contests and weekly E-newsletter for people and trivia, technology tips, new who sign up to receive it. product features and special aaccomplishments by students oor industry professionals. With our goal in mind for this newsletter, we have set to work to our latest endeavor and would enjoy hearing from you on what you would like to read during your milk break. If you would like to be included in the mailing of our newsletter being launched next month, please email me at andrea.b@dairystar. com. We want this to be something worth taking a break for in your busy lives. And, if you have any information you would like included in the newsletter, please email me or Cassie (cassie.o@dairystar.com). We’ll consider any suggestions – birth announcements, fun photos from the barn, dairy recipes, your favorite joke or a story. Somehow, I wish I could send out a small carton of chocolate milk with our E-newsletter – just for old times sake.

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Double E

Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

What factors have inuenced the most changes in agriculture? That was a question posed to me earlier this year by people from the Minnesota Historical Society. My mind immediately started going through a list of changes in the last 30 years that have inuenced our farm, but they wanted to know how agriculture in Minnesota has changed over the last 100 years. I may not know the answer, but I knew someone who would. The Oliver Kelley Historical Farm is a learning center about farm life in the 1860s operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. It is located just northwest of the Twin Cities along the Mississippi River. Thousands of school children have been on class trips to the farm to experience life in the early days of our statehood. Our kids were most excited about seeing oxen pulling a plow. Recently, the Kelley farm has changed their focus, thanks in large part to our commodity groups. They are maintaining the original 1860 farm along the river bottom, but up the hill on the sand plains, they have developed a new modern farm system to demonstrate today’s agriculture. Now, they needed stories of the changes that

occurred between these two farm sites. I invited Deon and Leslie to have lunch with our family to talk about the changes we have seen on our farm over the last 80 years. My father-in-law, Ralph, has lived through many of the changes in agriculture this past century. (He turned 91 earlier this month.) The two girls scribbled down notes as Mark and Ralph talked farming. This was a perfect day for these two guys as two young ladies hung on their every word. It was great listening to the stories of days gone by and the vision of changes on the horizon. After two hours of picking and sorting through memories, the girls had all their questions answered. They were going to combine these stories with others to create a dialogue for their guides to explain changes in agriculture to the visitors of the Kelley farm. The narrative will explain how weather events, wars, economic booms and busts, politics and other events inuenced the way we operated our farms. It was interesting to see how our everyday farm life was tied in with historical events over the last century.

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Now back to the original question. What factors have contributed to the most changes on our farm? My take away from the conversation that day could be summed up as the Double E’s – electricity and education. These two factors have been the driving force in shaping Just Thinking Out Loud the changes around our farm and farms across the nation. Ralph talked about how he and the neighbors had to plead with the electric co-op to keep coming westward to our township. The co-op said there wasn’t enough of a customer base to cover their expenses of expanding in the area. Several By Natalie Schmitt farm neighbors banded Columnist together and traveled over an hour to the co-op headquarters for a board meeting to present a proposal. The farmers would clear a path through the woods and help anchor the poles if the co-op would continue to string the power lines to their farms. The reason these farmers pushed so hard to get electricity to their farms was because a few of them had their own power plants on their farms. Sixteen two-volt batteries were connected to operate a generator. The power was used to run the milk pump, water pump, refrigerator and lights in the house and barn. The power plants had a 10-year life and were coming to an end. Either the farmers had to invest in new batteries or extend the electrical lines. The power lines were installed in 1949. Agriculture was being pulled into the 20th Century, and it was half done. I have a hard time imagining what farming would be like without electricity. With the ick of a switch, we can move hundreds of pounds of feed from silos to mixers to cows. We have instant hot water for calf milk and cooling plates for bulk tanks. We can milk a hundred cows without a single cramp in our hand. How could we use all of today’s technology without electricity? Yes, today’s computerization is creating another leap in advancements for agriculture, but it can’t be done without the juice. Electricity revolutionized agriculture and ushered in a new era of growth and development which we enjoy today. The second “E” is education. Each generation has expanded their knowledge base. Ralph’s dad had an eighth grade education. (What they learned in those eight years would equal a master’s degree today.) He farmed like his father and brothers. If you worked hard enough, you would be OK. Ralph earned his high school diploma. When he came back to the farm, he enrolled in adult farm management classes. These classes were practical, hands on applications about nances, bookkeeping, fertilizer application, crop rotations and other university extension research. Mark earned his two-year degree from the University of Minnesota-Waseca in dairy production. His classes were geared toward how to manage a farm in the ‘80s. Today, all four of our children will earn their four-year degree in a variety of majors, but all surrounding an aspect of agriculture. Some may even go on towards a master’s degree. You still need to know how to put your head down and work, but that is only part of the equation to survive in farming today. We must be open to new ideas and technology and willing to incorporate new thinking into solving old problems. I think today’s education factor is yesterday’s electricity factor in the revolutionary changes in agriculture. As electricity was a springboard into the 20th Century for farmers, education will be the springboard into the 21st Century for the next signicant changes in farming. It looks like it is going to be a fun ride. Natalie, Mark and his brother, Al, Schmitt farm together near Rice, Minn. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are great help around the farm and are pushing Natalie out of several jobs. Therefore she is thankful to have something else to do. For questions or comments please email Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.

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Be bold, be crazy, be all in

Bold: showing an ability to take risks; condent and courageous. Crazy: extremely enthusiastic; foolish. All in: fully committed; prepared to give all of one’s energy toward something Twelve years ago, when we decided to quit our jobs and start dairy farming, more than one person told us we were crazy. From Dairy Good Life their perspective, they couldn’t understand the risk we were taking; it was foolish to give up regular hours, benets and weekends off. Our farming decisions have been called crazy several times since. However, those ideas that look crazy on the surface have always been the result of carefully weighed risks and benets. Bold, yes. Foolish, no. We made another crazy decision last weekend. Our oldest cow, Danara, started her tenth lactation a couple weeks ago. She calved in with a heifer, her fourth – a pretty little spotted calf we named Darling. By Sadie Frericks Danara seemed to be off to a great start. But Columnist when she came in with the switch group on Saturday night, it was clear she didn’t feel good. Grass hay and aspirin didn’t help. On Sunday morning, Glen got his stethoscope. “She’s got an RDA,” he said after listening. I started fretting about the diagnosis before Glen nished speaking. There’s a reason why Danara has been with us for 12 years. She’s one of those hardy, resilient cows that quietly calves, breeds back and milks. A webinar presenter recently referred to cows like Danara as invisible cows. Now Danara was the center of our attention. We talked about whether or not to proceed with surgery. The oldest cow in the herd always holds a place of special fondness and appreciation. I can still remember when Danara was born. Her mother, D’Neel, was due to calve while we were away at a wedding. My dad and sister were doing chores for us, so they were the ones that brought her in and got her off to a good start. The name Danara comes from a combination of Danny and Sara, my dad’s and sister’s names. She’s the last of our cows who was born up north and came with us when we moved to Stearns County. As much as I didn’t want to lose Danara, I wasn’t sure a cow her age was the best candidate for high-risk surgery. RDAs can be complicated and recovery rates aren’t spectacular. I composed myself and said the awful words, “Maybe it would be best to euthanize her.” Glen disagreed. And I’ve never been so glad to hear him counter. Usually, I’m the optimist and he’s the realist. “We’ve had good luck with RDA surgeries, and she’s in great condition,” he said. I was starting to say something about Glen’s commitment to saving cows and second chances when he said, “You know I’ve always been all in.” Truly, he has. An hour later, our vet was here. We moved Danara to ...those h id ideas that h llook k crazy on the front stall so the vet would the surface have always been the have more room, and I could keep milking. My dad and his result of carefully weighed risks girlfriend were here for the and benefits. weekend, w so they watched the surgery s along with Glen and the kids. The surgery went well; we caught the twist early, so there were no complications. As I kept milking, I reected on the importance of being all in. Growing up, my parents set a strong example of what it means to be fully engaged. They never said it out loud, but it was clear that lukewarm involvement wasn’t acceptable. If you were going to do something, or be something, or join something, you were expected to give it your all. A couple weeks ago at my cooperative’s annual meeting, our board chair, Pete Kappelman, shared a similar message: We need farmers to engage and contribute – by sharing our stories with consumers, by getting involved in our cooperative and by participating in political advocacy. “This is our time to be all in,” Pete said. And it’s not just our co-op. All of dairy needs engaged, enthusiastic farmers – on the farm, in the boardroom, in our state and national capitols, and as advocates for our way of life. It’s too early to tell if Danara will make a full recovery or not, but I know Glen will do everything he can to help her along. With any luck, we’ll look back and say that was a bold move, but it was the right one. If not, at least we gave it our all. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 75 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 10, Monika, 7, and Daphne, 4. Sadie also writes a blog at www. dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.

Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 33

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Forage inventory: How much is enough?

Much of the Midwest is less than one month away from spring planting. How did the alfalfa make it through winter? Will we have any late frosts this spring? We have plenty of unanswered questions at this point. Fundamentally, all questions come back to having enough good-quality feed for your dairy cows. Forage quality and harvest strategies can be ďƒ&#x;ushed out in future articles. My goal today is to share some forage inventory strategies to consider. Adequate forage inventory seems to carry a few deďƒžnitions. Storage structure can play a role in these decisions. In the case of narrow bunkers with back walls and top-unloading upright silos, the goal might be to run out of feed the day you start chopping to maximize capacity for the new harvest. Some look at having a minimal carryover supply of four to ďƒžve weeks to allow for new feeds to partially ferment. A third group of producers have a goal of four to six months of carryover, at least in the case of corn silage. Although this inventory has a value, the cost of not having it can be more signiďƒžcant. While some advantages come with allowing haylage to ferment and stabilize, the value of corn silage carryover can be much greater. Corn silage ďƒžber digestibility will show some improvement through the ensiling process, but the greater impact relates to starch digestibility. A similar relationship exists with high moisture corn, earlage and snaplage. Optimal harvest moisture and adequate processing are both key components to accelerating this process. Hereâ€™s what happens. Starch molecules are locked in by a protein matrix called prolamins. Prolamins will break down under ideal fermentation conditions and signiďƒžcantly improve starch digestibility, but the process may be slower than we realize. Research has shown starch digestibility continues to improve well

beyond four to ďƒžve months post-ensiling. Hence the beneďƒžt of having multiple months of carryover. Although it increases storSomething to Ruminate On age space and inventory costs, improved starch digestibility leads to greater milk production. Many farms routinely monitor forage inventory. Now is a good time to assess where you are. In some situations, total forage inventory is low. One By Barry Visser option may be to purchase baled hay. While Nutritionist current prices are favorable, consistently ďƒžnding the desired quality may be challenging. Incorporating higher-ďƒžber byproducts, such as corn gluten feed, soyhulls, cottonseed or beet pulp, may also be an option. All can be fed at an aggressive level as long as sufďƒžcient physically effective ďƒžber is maintained in the ration. Targeting these byproducts to differing stages of lactation can also be a valuable strategy to maintain milk production and moderate body condition. As the wheels start to turn in the ďƒželd, take a hard look at your current forage inventory. Consider what you want this inventory to look like 10 to 12 months from now. We have no idea what the 2017 growing season will bring. While most seed needs are allocated, you may still have time to modify if the need arises. Adjustments can be made both in the ďƒželds and at the feed center. Barry Visser is a dairy specialist for Vita Plus. To contact Visser, email bvisser@vitaplus.com.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 35

One story ends, another begins

Indianhead Holsteins dispersal on April 7 By Brittany Olson

brittany.o@dairystar.com

BARRON, Wis. – In the Holstein breed, the name Bob Schauf can’t be said without that of his wife, Karyn, and vice versa. The couple, who have owned and operated the worldrenowned Indianhead Holsteins for the past three decades near Barron, Wis., are a package deal. Just like they started their herd’s illustrious story together, they’ll bring its last chapter to a close together. The Schaufs,

along with their children, grandchildren and herdsmen, will disperse the milking herd and youngstock on April 7. For Bob and Karyn, multiple factors came into play surrounding the decision to sell. “I’m 65 years old. The industry is changing and life is moving fast,” Bob said. “I’m more ready than Karyn is, but I’d like more freedom to hunt and travel. We’ve also got a couple of grandbabies now, too.”

BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR

Bob and Karyn Schauf of Indianhead Holsteins are holding a complete dispersal on Friday, April 7 at 11 a.m. on their farm near Barron, Wis.

BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR

The display in the Schaufs’ barn shows that “founded on great families” has been the breeding philosophy at Indianhead Holsteins owned by Bob and Karyn Schauf.

The Indianhead story began during Bob’s childhood on his family’s farm near Richland Center, Wis., and after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, he managed a farm in his hometown owned by the Copps company, Alpine Haven. While his father bred registered Holsteins, Bob didn’t learn much about breeding until making a phone call for a little help. “I had learned from my

dad how to feed and care for cows, but at that time all I knew about Holsteins was that they were black and white,” Bob said. “Recognizing my lack of experience and knowledge of anything to do with breeding, I called Marlowe Nelson, a close friend of my dad, to help me with a breeding program.” Nelson took the young farmer under his wing. “We traveled all over the country and Canada going to

sales together. Marlowe and I were like a father and son, but closer,” Bob said. “I received quite the education from him.” A divine intervention occurred in 1977 when he was asked to accompany a special guest to a University of Wisconsin football game. Bob loved Wisconsin football, so he agreed and, as he’ll tell anyone, the rest is history. Turn to SCHAUFS | Page 37

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Page 36 â€˘ Dairy Star â€˘ Saturday, March 25, 2017

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When you get a spare moment what do you do? I enjoy landscaping. If I wasnâ€™t farming I would have gone into horticulture. I love plants. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. Exhibiting the junior champion Jersey at the 2009 All-American Jersey show at NAILE in Louisville, Ky., was a real high for us. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? Being home with the kids, working with animals every day and giving other youth the opportunity to show cattle. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? There are lots of farmers our age who are involved with all aspects of the industry, and we have a great group of friends. Weâ€™re involved in the community as well, and have met lots of neat people. In your opinion, whatâ€™s the importance of women in todayâ€™s dairy industry and how have you seen that change over the years? Lots of women are advocating for agriculture and dairy on social media, and we work just as hard as the guys do. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in todayâ€™s society, who would it be and why? I would give a tour to Sarah Palin. Iâ€™ve admired her, she loves the outdoors and she doesnâ€™t let what anyone says change her point of view. What is the best vacation youâ€™ve ever taken? Scot and I went to Florida in 2005, a year after we got married. What are some words you like to live by? Respect, determination and hard work.

Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 37

ConƟnued from SCHAUFS | Page 35

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The Schaufs have focused on high-type animals during their years of breeding registered Holsteins. They have a BAA of 111.5 from their most recent classicaƟon. “I was asked to escort Alice in Dairyland to the game, who happened to be Karyn Nelson from Barron, Wis.,” Bob said. “In college, I had interned at Heatherstone Enterprises in Baraboo, Wis., with Carol Jean and Duane Hegna, who happened to be Karyn’s aunt and uncle.” Karyn Nelson would later become Karyn Schauf when she and Bob were married in 1979. In 1981, after her grandfather, Carl Nelson, passed away, the couple approached Karyn’s grandmother, Mildred, and asked to buy their farm, formerly known as the Clinton Stock Farm dairy and bull stud. “We initially bought 80 acres and started building a dairy barn,” Bob said. Their famed prex, Indianhead, came from one of many drives north to Barron. “It was when I was dating Karyn prior to building that I recognized a sign on the drive north on I-94 in the shape of an Indian chief’s head that said, ‘You are now entering Indianhead country,’” Bob said. “Thus, we reserved Indianhead as our prex once we decided and knew we were moving north.” Buying a farm and building new facilities during the height of the 1980’s farm crisis was no easy feat for the Schaufs. “Those rst few years were hard,” Karyn said. “We were paying 22 percent interest on the loan, and for a while we were only able to make interest payments.” While growing their milking herd, the young couple also took over Karyn’s grandfather’s shavings business to diversify and began selling cattle. “We sold a few good cows to get through,” Bob said. “During the time of building, Marlowe instilled in me the importance and value of great cow families. When possible, we would sell three or four grade or substandard cows and buy an individual from some of the best families of the breed.” The couple’s faith became a source of strength and countenance during a rather challenging time, and a helping hand from above pulled them through during a Wisconsin state Holstein show in the early 80s. “We showed a junior 2-year-old at state show, and sold her for $75,000. That was a godsend at the time,” Bob said. “God had His hand in it because we couldn’t have timed it better ourselves if we tried.” Afterward, Bob and Karyn began to pay close attention to a particular cow family descending from Jim-MarD Astronaut Gail, particularly her three daughters. “Astronaut Gail was ushed to Valiant, and the three offspring that resulted, Startmore Chanel, Startmore Charmaine and Startmore Sterling, were referred to as the golden ush,” Bob said. “That was the time when investors were starting to buy good cattle, and Chanel sold for

$250,000.” The Schaufs acquired Charmaine for $32,000, who scored Good Plus-80 as a 2-year-old. “We got her to go Excellent-92 eventually, and she was Gail’s highest scoring daughter, so I took out a full-page ad in the Canadian Holstein Journal with her photo,” Bob said. “We sold Charmaine for $125,000, which is the most we’ve ever sold a cow for on this farm. We also sold a Sexation son from Charmaine to United Breeders.” When things were tough for the Schaufs and their four sons, Christian, Gabriel, Zachary and Jacob, another blessing came along. “A UW-River Falls student by the name of Mark Rueth spent a lot of time here in the early 1990s and bought a heifer for $5,400 by the name of Stookey Elm Park Blackrose,” Bob said. “We brought her to Indianhead and partnered with Mark and Mark van Mersbergen from Washington.” Blackrose, who would eventually go on to be scored Excellent-96, made a lasting impact on the Holstein breed. She was also the rst cow to be cloned. “She was cloned once, but had three calves,” Bob said. “The lesson we learned is to clone them young while the DNA is young and the telomeres are longer. We cloned Blackrose when she was 10.” The Schaufs continued to buy into great cow families and invest in animals. From purchasing a Sky Chief daughter of Whittier-Farms Lead Mae Excellent-95 in 2001 for $19,000, to purchasing into cow families with matriarchs such as Krull Broker Elegance Excellent-96, Tri Day Ashlyn Excellent-96 and Vandyk-K Paradise Excellent-96, continued investing and breeding from impactful families has paid off. “I still believe a focus on great cow families will deliver individuals who both look and live the part of a protable individual,” Bob said. Looking toward life on April 8, brings a mix of emotions to the surface. “We’ll still be busy, but seeing an empty barn and pasture will be hard,” Karyn said. Bob and Karyn will stay involved in the industry through their involvement with the Wisconsin Holstein Association. However, they’ll carry the memories created in their hearts forever. “This lifestyle, especially for raising kids, doesn’t carry a price tag. The boys learned responsibility, work ethic and integrity,” Bob said. Karyn agreed, adding that it was the people who made the moments. “You can’t put dollars and cents on experiences and relationships,” Karyn said. Lastly, they give the glory of such a storied career to the man upstairs. “We have lived a blessed life,” Bob said.

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Large Selection of Used Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters 8700, 2016, 351 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$439,000 8600, 2015, 549 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$375,000 8600, 2016, 154 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$439,000 8600, 2016, 148 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$435,000 8100, 2015, 150 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$279,000 7780, 2013, 963 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$259,000 7780, 2014, 366 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$345,000 7780, 2014, 409 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ....$329,000 7780, 2014, 1048 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ...$299,000 7780, 2013, 1126 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ...$299,000 7580, 2013, 610 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$299,000 7580, 2013, 1009 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ...$265,000 7380, 2014, 590 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$260,000 7180, 2015, 333 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$245,000 7950, 2012, 694 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .....$299,000 7850, 2008, 1600 Hrs, RWA....................$210,000 7750, 2012, 1019 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ...$245,000 7550, 2010, 1344 Hrs, RWA...................$230,000 7550, 2008, 1359 Hrs, RWA....................$219,000 7450, 2009, 1550 Hrs, RWA....................$195,000 7350, 2010, 1100 Hrs, RWA....................$199,000 7350, 2009, 1025 Hrs, RWA....................$209,000 7800, 2007, 1885 Hrs, RWA....................$179,000 7700, 2007, 1570 Hrs, RWA....................$185,000

7500, 2003, 2406 Hrs, 2WD ....................$129,000 7400, 2004, 2918 Hrs, RWA....................$135,000 6950, 1999, 2328 Hrs, RWA......................$89,000 6850, 1999, 3120 Hrs, RWA......................$85,000 6850, 1998, 3100 Hrs, 2WD ......................$78,500 6810, 1995, 3000 Hrs, RWA......................$69,500 6810, 1993, 3000 Hrs, RWA......................$64,000 6710, 1995, 2908 Hrs, RWA......................$68,500 5830, 1991, 4167 Hrs, RWA......................$37,500 5730, 1986, 4980 Hrs, RWA......................$43,900 Claas 970, 2008, 3000 Hrs, RWA ...........$199,000 Claas 960, 2013, 1312 Hrs, RWA ...........$275,000 Claas 890, 2002, 2290 Hrs, RWA ...........$135,000

Special Lease Offer $32,500 Per Year 2 Year Lease, 300 Hours Per Year John Deere 7780, 625 Horsepower, 4WD, Kernel Processor, and 10 Row Corn Head*

Call today for details on our Easy-Lease financing!

*One time advance payment $25,000 or will accept trade-in. Subject to credit approval. Other machines available for lease also. Call for details.

Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017

Y R I DA UR DNA

O Y N I IS

U O Y G N I T R O

P P SU IS IN OURS

Tim Hageman DuPont Pioneer Dairy Specialist Mark Knutson Dairy Producer

Pioneer.com/Dairy

Nikki Schulte Pioneer Sales Professional

Dairy prole

Dairy Star • Saturday, March 25, 2017 • Page 39