LOOK INSIDE FOR OUR CENTRAL PLAINS DAIRY EXPO PREVIEW EDITION!
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 21, No. 2
Snow storm makes mess for hauling
March 9, 2019
Blizzard causes widespread destruction
Truckers deal with treacherous roads, Dairy producers producers dump dealing with milk collapsed roofs, By Krista Kuzma fallen buildings from krista.k@dairystar.com late February storm The blizzard the region experienced Feb. 23-25 is not one that will soon be forgotten. “It’s the kind of storm you’ll talk about forever,” said Cindy Morgan, public engagement coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Transportation and social media meteorologist. “This one might be like the 1991 blizzard. I would put it on that magnitude. When you get to the point where you can’t travel through the storm even days after dealing with it, this is quite rare.” The storm, which moved from South Dakota across southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, and into west central Wisconsin, dumped over 10 inches of wet, heavy snow in the area. The precipitation plus wind speeds reaching over 50 miles per hour caused for whiteout conditions and closed down most roads in the storm’s path. Morgan called the road conditions treacherous and impassable. “The snowplows were out as long as possible, but in the middle of this, because those drifts were getting so high, at times they were getting stuck or they would miss the road and slide off,” Morgan said. MnDOT drivers were reporting drifts over the hood of their snowplows, Morgan said. “Eventually it shifted from a response effort to a passable system for emergency vehicles,” Morgan said. Because of the impassable road conditions, many milk truck drivers had difculty on the road or were unable to make stops Feb. 24. Tim Neitzel owns Neitzel Trucking, which has 15 trucks that picks up milk in Buffalo, Trempealeau, Jackson, La Crosse,
Turn to MILK | Page 5
By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
CHATFIELD, Minn. – The Hoffman family knew a blizzard would cause extra work on their dairy, but they never imagined the storm would force them to exit the business. “I was mixing feed when my dad called me and said another section of the barn [roof] had come down,” Corey Hoffman said. “I went over there and walked in to look at it. It wasn’t even two minutes and I said, ‘Dad, the cows have to go. We don’t have a choice.’” Two sections of the Hoffman family’s freestall barn Turn to BLIZZARD | Page 10
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Bridget and Corey Hoffman stand near a por�on of their freestall barn’s roof that collapsed from the weight of snow on Feb. 24. Two sec�ons of the family’s barn roof collapsed from a blizzard, forcing them to sell their 420-cow herd on their farm, North Creek Dairy, near Cha�ield, Minn.
A place to raise a family
Fifth-generation Jopps continue dairy By Danna Sabolik
danna.s@dairystar.com
DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR
Becca and Ryan Jopp, and their son, Derek, milk 85 cows on Ryan’s family farm near Mayer, Minn. The Jopps are the �h genera�on to milk cows on the dairy.
MAYER, Minn. – From playing with tractors in the sandbox to taking over the farm’s reproduction program, Ryan Jopp loved everything he did on the farm and knew he wanted to do that for the rest of his life. Today, he and his wife, Becca, own the dairy, where they milk 85 cows and run 160 acres near Mayer, Minn. They also nish about 30 dairy steers yearly. Ryan and Becca are the fth generation of Jopps to dairy farm on the land. Ryan’s great-greatTurn to JOPPS | Page 6
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Amanda Thooft 320-352-6303 amanda.t@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Danna Sabolik - Staff Writer (320) 352-6303 • danna.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 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 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Lori Menke (Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
North America dealers. A glance at what’s inside
Dairy Prole brought to you by your
A common theme is evident on the front page of this edition of Dairy Star. With record snowfalls in February blanketing our coverage area, the weather not only directly affected dairy farmers but those who frequently visit the farms. In the “From Our Side of the Fence” feature, we spoke with milk truck drivers. Turn to pages 15 and 16 in rst section to learn how these drivers prepare for the driving conditions and read about their toughest day hauling milk. With the federal government up and running, it will By Mark Klaphake not be long before rulings of the 2018 farm bill, specically the Dairy Margin Coverage program, are nalized. In late Editor February, we took in a workshop hosted by the University of Minnesota Extension that evaluated the potential effectiveness of DMC and the Dairy Revenue Protection program. Examples of both risk management strategies and factors dairy farmers should be aware of when choosing the best option for their dairy farm can be found on page 11 in rst section. Dairyman Trevor Lisson also focuses on putting up quality forage to withstand the dairy markets. We caught up with Lisson, who began milking cows in 2012, as part of our recently new feature, “Dairying in Tough Times.” Harvesting quality baleage, working with family, and making wise purchasing decisions have helped Lisson grow his herd to 60 cows and weather the low milk prices. The young farmer’s story can be found on pages 12 and 13 in rst section. In this issue, we’ve started a new feature that highlights those hardy ladies in the barn – the ones that have proven their worth in production, health and longevity. Kevin and Steph Krohnfeldt’s No. K1067 is the epitome of a cow for this new feature. The 11-year-old has a lifetime production record of 157,257 pounds with a 5 percent fat and 3.5 percent protein test, plus her personality is second to none. To read about the Krohnfeldt’s animal at Lakeside Jerseys, turn to page 9 in second section. Lastly, we spoke with New Mexico dairy farmer Art Schaap and the troubles he is faced with from a toxic chemical that has leached into his groundwater. The chemical, which was used at a nearby Air Force base, has forced Schaap to dump 15,000 gallons of milk daily since October. Schaap’s story, and more information about the compound, is found in second section on page 4.
Favorite quotes from this issue:
“One of the most catastrophic things that happened to agriculture was the extended good times because it got us into bad habits.” – Dr. David Kohl (Pages
22-23, rst section)
“If 70 percent of the time you handle problems the right way, then you will have more mental reserves and energy to handle the tougher situations.” – Merri Post (Page 34, rst section)
By the Numbers
250:
Cows lost on J&K Dairy, LLC from a blizzard that hit Washington Feb. 8-10. (Pages 14-16, second section)
of adults who consume 55: Percent some form of yogurt. (Page 6, second section)
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 8-9 First Section
First Section: Pages 12 - 13 Kittson Roseau
Marshall
Swift
nso n
Moody
McCook Minnehaha
Lincoln
n
Renville
Murray
Rock
Nobles
Anoka
Wright Hennepin
McLeod
Carver Scott
Sibley Redwood Brown
Nicollet
Navigating farm transitions First Section: Page 34
Dakota
Rice
Goodhue Wabasha
Cottonwood Watonwan Blue Earth Waseca Steele Dodge Olmsted Jackson
Martin
Faribault
Freeborn
Winona
Fillimore
Mower
Chateld
Houston
Blizzard causes widespread destruction
Turner
Bon Yankton Homme
Lincoln Clay
Union
Lyon
Osceola Dickinson Emmet
Sioux
O’Brien
Plymouth
Zone 1
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Clay
Palo Alto
Kossuth
Winnebago
Worth
Hancock
Cerro Gordo
Mitchell
Floyd
Howard
aw
as
ick
Ch
Bremer
Ryan
ISU provides spreadsheet tool to help dairy farmers decide
Black Hawk
Fayette
Clayton
n
na
ha
c Bu
First Section: Pages 1, 10
Allamakee
Hutchinson
Winneshiek
Charles Mix
Lake
Lyon
Meeker
Isanti
Norwood Young America
Ha
vis Da
Douglas
Miner
Kandiyohi
Yellow Medicine
Pipestone
Deuel
Third Section: Pages 10- 11Brookings Kingsbury
on
Page 21 Second Section
Kids Corner: Hamlin The Schweer family
nb or
Country Cooking
Milbank
Sa
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
Sherburne
Chippewa
Lac Qui Parle
Codington
Clark
Benton
Stearns
Pope
sey
Big Sto Stone
Mille Lacs
Morrison
Douglas
Stevens
Grant
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Pine
go
Roberts
Day
Grant
Third Section: Pages 2- 3
isa
Page 33 First Section
Carlton
Crow Wing
r
First Section: Pages 22 - 23 Marshall
Aitkin
Todd
rse
Kohl encourages farmers to evaluate business IQ
Cass
Washington
Wilkin
Willmar
Minneapolis
Sieracki’s running career takes off with dairying mentality
Ch
Come Full Circle
Otter Tail
Tra ve
Page 32 First Section
Becker
Clay
Page 31 First Section
en
nom
Mah
Kanabec
Norman
Itasca
eu
First Section: Page 37
Ra m
Polk
Veterinary Wisdom
Making Cents of Dairy
St. Louis
Red Lake
Princess Kay helps with unique promotion
First Section: Pages 1, 6-7
Koochiching
Hubbard
Page 30 First Section
Beltrami
Pennington
Kensington
Fifth-generation Jopps continue dairy
First Section: Pages 18, 20
Lake of the Woods
Su
Page 27 First Section
Mayer
Timeliness, consistency contribute to Koltes Dairy components, production
First Section: Page 35
Le
Second Section: Page 9
St. Cloud
Lanners luck out with star employee
Lisson focuses on quality forages to beat markets
The Transition Pen
Dear County Agent Guy
Royalton
Staples
Chatty Krohnfeldt animal over a decade old
Wadena
Page 26 First Section
Alexandria
Clearwater
FSA News & Notes
Second Section: Page 3
are
law
De
Linn
Dubuque
Jones
Bankston
Women Jackson
in Dairy: Katie Wolf First Section: Page 36
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 5
ConƟnued from MILK | Page 1
TRUST THE EXPERTS At Famo Feeds, we strive to provide the best support for your operation and work to accommodate your specific needs.
From calf to cow and everything in between! DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
The Schwartz family – Terry and Ellie Schwartz (leŌ) with children and grandchildren (from leŌ, Nathan holding Kaylee, KrisƟna and Mandy holding Adalynn) – had to dump over 40,000 pounds of milk on their 550-cow dairy near Fountain, Minn. Vernon and Monroe counties in western Wisconsin. Although he was not on the roads that day, he was coordinating his company’s trucks that were trying to make it to dairy farms. “It was pretty bad,” Neitzel said. “The snow was so thick and so deep.” Neitzel spent most of Feb. 24 trying to nd new routes for drivers when they came across road closures due to drifting snow or calling in equipment when a truck driver needed help. Four trucks went into the ditch that day. “It was denitely one of the worst days we have experienced in a while,” Neitzel said. “It was denitely a challenging day. It was exhausting.” Josh Finnesgard, who owns Finnesgard Trucking with his dad, Bruce, also
faced horrendous road conditions near Goodhue, Minn. “I have never been scared to take the truck out of the shop, but that day (Feb. 24) I was nervous,” Finnesgard said, who hauls milk in Goodhue, Olmsted and Fillmore Counties in Minnesota. For many of his stops, Finnesgard relied on dairy farmers to plow out roads and driveways in order to get to the barns. The day also included a two-hour delay when the snow stranded his truck. “It was whiteout conditions. I was driving, but then everything went black for 10 seconds, and I buried the truck right there in the middle of Highway 58,” Finnesgard said. “The snow was up over the fuel tank.”
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Turn to MILK | Page 6
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
ConĆ&#x;nued from JOPPS | Page 1
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Ryan Jopp pushes up feed for his 85 cows in his freestall barn Feb. 27 near Mayer, Minn. great-grandfather homesteaded the land in 1886, milking cows in a log barn. In 2005, after Ryan graduated high school, he began putting sweat equity into the family operation. When Ryan purchased the farm from his uncle, Phil, and parents, Rick and Colleen, in 2016, he wanted to maintain the progress his family made with the multi-generational farm and also make the farm more sustainable for years to come. As Ryan tends to the day-today tasks of the farm, Becca works
alongside him when she is able. She also has a full-time job as a veterinarian technician in Lester Prairie, Minn. Becca also grew up on a dairy farm, but her family sold the herd when she was 9 years old. “I always wanted to do what Dad did,� she said. “I wanted to take care of animals, so I decided to be a vet tech to be around large animals.� Becca has been able to take her experiences at the clinic and implement
ConĆ&#x;nued from MILK | Page 5
“It’s going to hurt if we only get paid for half of it,â€? Ellie said. “It’s going to hurt a lot. The prices are so low anyway. We can’t afford to give it away or not get paid for it.â€? But, she also knows it could have been worse. “I would rather dump than have to go through what these people with barn collapses are going through,â€? Ellie said. “I feel terrible for them. We considered ourselves lucky compared to what’s happened with these other ones.â€? The weather also impacted the processing facilities. On Feb. 24, AMPI only received 10 percent of its typical milk load at its plant in Rochester, Minn. “It really was about a three to four-day impact at the plant,â€? said Steve Voss, division manager of the plant. To help the truck drivers, AMPI extended receiving hours. “We received around the clock to help those guys out,â€? Voss said. “Typically milk that comes in during the afternoon wasn’t coming in until 10 or 11 at night. Those guys worked their tails off. There was a signiďƒžcant amount of milk dumped.â€? They also had a delayed start Feb. 25 for two reasons – they did not have milk in from the day before and employees could not reach the plant. Even though there was not much milk in on Feb. 24, the plant had 90 percent of its milk the next day. “We really have to give a lot of credit to the milk haulers,â€? Voss said. ‌ “They saw this [weather coming] and they started to go out there on Saturday trying to get ahead of the storm to help get as much milk picked up. The way it was sounding is that they were not going to travel much on Sunday. They did a great job getting as much ahead of the storm as they could. Obviously there’s only so much you can do.â€?
It took three attempts by three different tractors along with a snapped chain and busted tow strap to get the truck out. “It’s deďƒžnitely one of the worst storms I been through,â€? Finnesgard said. Although no farms on their stops had to dump milk, several of them had to wait for milk pick up until the next day. For dairy farmers who did not have enough room on their dairies to store additional milk, it meant unloading the bulk tank. Like many other farm families in the area, the Schwartz family had to dump over 40,000 pounds of milk on their 550cow dairy near Fountain, Minn. “It was a lot of milk down the drain,â€? Ellie Schwartz said. Their milk truck driver could not make it to their farm for over 24 hours. “It was bad,â€? said Ellie’s husband, Terry, about the weather conditions. “I’ve never had it where they couldn’t pick up my milk before, and I’ve been farming since 1982.â€? Ellie agreed the storm was one of the worst she has experienced. “It was crazy,â€? Ellie said. “I’ve never seen snow piled up this high in our yard. The drifts are 8-9 feet tall.â€? Terry described what it was like when he drove to his daughter’s house in the tractor in order to bring her to the farm for chores. “We could hardly see,â€? he said. “We shouldn’t have even been out there. You couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.â€? Four of the Schwartzes’ employees hunkered down in the parlor ofďƒžce with blankets and pillows while not milking. Ellie made them food throughout their stay. The lost milk is another blow to the Schwartz family in an already compromising dairy economy.
Turn to JOPPS | Page 7
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 7
ConƟnued from JOPPS | Page 6
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Becca Jopp feeds a calf on Feb. 27 on her farm near Mayer, Minn. She oŌen helps Ryan with chores aŌer her work day at the Lester Prairie Vet Clinic. new protocols on her dairy to better the herd and help the animals thrive. “It’s nice to have a pulse on what is working for farmers and what isn’t,” Becca said. “I hear about the new things people are trying on farms and see if it would work for us.” The Jopps began following a different dry cow vaccination program and added more vaccinations to the youngstock protocols. Overall, the change in vaccinations has helped with calf health more than anything. “I feel like [the cows] are healthier, and they grow healthier babies, so we don’t have to treat as many calves as a result,” Becca said. Together, the couple is raising their son, Derek, on the farm. “We’re excited to see him grow up on the farm,” Becca said. “We both grew up on dairy farms and we loved it, so he should get that, too.” Derek was born during a snowstorm last April. “We had to pull Ryan’s parents out; they got stuck in the driveway coming over to milk for us so we could go to the hospital,” Becca said. “We got 20-some inches over a couple days. We weren’t expecting snow with his arrival.” Derek loves the farm and being outside, Becca said. She often bundles Derek up to visit Ryan in the barn after work. “We love to watch the tractors and be in the barn, that’s his favorite place to be,” Becca said. “We are excited to spend more time out there as the weather warms up.” While Ryan’s parents are no longer owners of the dairy, they remain active on the farm. Ryan’s dad feeds calves and scrapes manure in the freestall barn, while his mom does daycare for Derek and Ryan’s sister’s children.
“It’s denitely still a family farm,” Becca said. “On the weekends it’ll be us and Ryan’s parents in the barn. It’s really nice.” As the Jopps consider the future of their family farm, they have made changes to help withstand market conditions and support the dairy’s viability in the future. In January, the Jopps locked in a price for their milk for the remainder of the year. This allows the Jopps to better plan for their expenses. “We’ve contracted at just over $16 on the premiums, and at least it’s something,” Ryan said. “Now we can manage easier.” Ryan was anxious to lock in a price last fall. “With the trade wars, we were getting paid under Class III price the way it was and (contracted) prices were a decent offering at that time,” he said. Ryan worked with his local cooperative and a liaison in Chicago to make the decision to contract, and continues maintaining those relationships. On the farm, the couple is hoping to make improvements with technology. “We’re looking at automatic calf feeders because dad is ready to retire,” Ryan said. The young couple is also toying with the idea of milking robots or putting up a parlor. They are currently milking the herd in a stanchion barn with eight milking units. “That will make it easier for the milking part on our bodies and so we have more time to do other stuff,” Becca said. Despite the challenges dairy farming presents, the Jopps are proud to be the fth generation on the dairy and raising the sixth generation as part of the family legacy.
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Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
Dairy forecast released at USDA ag outlook conference For the rst time since 2013, annual dairy cow Optimism seen for new safety net numbers this past year were below year earlier Minnesota Milk Producers Association President levels. According to the analysis presented at the Dave Buck hopes the Dairy Margin Coverage United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural program will be better than the Margin Protection Outlook Conference, the dairy cow inventory is Program. “MPP disappointed a lot of people,” Buck expected to decline slightly again in 2019. said. “I think there’s been a lot of changes Ag Insider “Events during 2018 roiled the industry, made in DMC. I hope dairy farmers will delaying milk price recovery,” said take time to explore it as an option.” DMC Carolyn Liebrand, economist, USDA. favors smaller dairies, but Buck said large Dairy export numbers started 2018 with dairy farmers will still be able to cover a 16 percent increase in January and a 30 the rst 5 million pounds and there’s the percent year-over-year increase for April. Dairy Revenue Protection Program and That came to a screeching halt when the Livestock Gross Margin program that retaliatory tariffs were enacted by China, are still going to be available. Canada and Mexico in response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum. Peterson/Emmer discuss dairy policy Democratic Congressman Collin Perdue announces DMC signup Peterson and Republican Congressman Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue By Don Wick Tom Emmer partnered on a town hall recently made stops before the House and meeting in Melrose, Minn. With the Columnist Senate agriculture committees. During new Dairy Margin Coverage program, those appearances, Perdue announced Peterson said there has not been a signup for the Dairy Margin Coverage program will better time to be a dairy farmer. “I don’t think the begin June 17. DMC payments will begin as soon implementation process will take that long, but you’ll as July 8. “On the net refund provision on prior sign up and it will be retroactive to the beginning premiums, we think we can get that out in April,” of the year,” Peterson said. Emmer said the ngerPerdue said. House Agriculture Committee Chairman pointing and party line politics in Washington, D.C. Collin Peterson voiced concern about dairy farmer needs to end. The pair agreed to hold similar joint signup for DMC. “I think the future for dairy is actually town hall events in the future. pretty good given this new safety net,” Peterson said. No new MFP in 2019 Dairy Margin Coverage should be a priority For many farmers, the Market Facilitation During the USDA farm bill implementation Program was the difference between a positive listening session, the dairy industry urged the Trump or negative cash ow in 2018. During the USDA Administration to work promptly to put the Dairy Agricultural Outlook Conference, Agriculture Margin Coverage program into operation. “With Secretary Sonny Perdue made it clear that farmers dairy farmers going out of business daily in the Upper will not receive additional MFP payments this year Midwest, it is really critical you prioritize the signup even if the trade war continues. Perdue said farmers for this program and get it up and running as soon as were caught unaware by the trade retaliation last year, possible,” said Steve Etka, who oversees the Midwest but that is not the situation this year. Dairy Coalition.
Budget forecast released The Minnesota Management and Budget ofce has released the February budget and economic forecast. Since November, the outlook has weakened. The projected balance for the coming biennium is $1.052 billion, $492 million less than the previous forecast of $1.544 billion. Slower projected economic growth and lower collections resulted in the reduced revenue forecast. Lobbyist Bruce Kleven said that is not a surprise, but adjustments will need to be made to the governor’s proposed budget. “Governor Walz will either have to revise his proposal or if he wants to keep spending money, he’ll have to nd more revenue, which means tax increases somewhere else,” Kleven said. This could be a gas tax or other ways. “There’s a statewide business property tax he’s proposing to increase,” he said. “There’s also a provider tax on the healthcare tax set to expire. That can bring in several million dollars if that’s renewed.” Milk production edges higher Milk production in the 23 major dairy states totaled 17.1 billion pounds in December. That is up just under 1 percent from a year earlier. In Minnesota, the state cow herd declined by 6,000 head, but production still grew 1 percent. South Dakota milk output rose 5 percent with an additional 4,000 cows milking in the state. Wisconsin milk production rose 1.4 percent. California was up 1.7 percent. Plant-based products perceived to be healthier According to a newly published report from Cargill, global consumer attitudes about dairy are changing. Overall milk consumption in the United States has declined 22 percent since 2000. At the same time, non-dairy alternatives have increased by triple digits. Dairy milk consumption is still commonplace in 90 percent of American households. The Cargill research said plant-based products are perceived as healthier and better for the environment, a claim that would be disputed by those in the dairy industry. Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 2018 income up for Land O’Lakes For 2018, Land O’Lakes is reporting net sales of $14.9 billion and net earnings of $255 million. That compares to net sales of $13.7 billion and net earnings of $365 million in 2017. The dairy foods sector had a strong performance with convenience foods helping offset lower retail prices and compressed margins for milk powder. Agropur reports sales success The Agropur dairy cooperative had sales this past year for $6.7 billion, an increase of nearly 5 percent from the previous year. The Canadian dairy business expanded its presence in the United States, including a signicant increase in its Lake Norden, S.D., plant. The facility is being expanded to triple its capacity. Over the past ve years, Agropur invested more than $1.3 billion in that plant. AMPI returns patronage in March After a protable year in 2018, Associated Milk Producers Incorporated is returning patronage allocations back to its members on a faster-than-normal pace. “We’re going to revolve 20 percent of that in cash, which normally happens in August,” said Steve Schlangen, chairman, AMPI. “We plan to send that out in March to get money in our farmers’ pockets for spring planting.” At its annual meeting,
AMPI rolled out a new brand for its butter. “It’s going to be called Dinner Bell, and we have the trademark on the label that would call it co-op crafted so a consumer would know it came from a dairy farmer cooperative and there would be traceability back to our farms,” he said.
DHIA: Now MORE than ever If 10% of your herd have a fat:protein inversion, look for rumen acidosis.
A new role for Kappelman Effective March 11, Pete Kappelman will join Land O’Lakes as its senior vice president of member and government relations. Kappelman is the co-owner of Meadow Brook Dairy Farms at Two Rivers, Wis., and has been the Land O’Lakes board chairman for the past 15 years. Trivia challenge The Red Poll is the English dairy breed that is a cross between Norfolk Red and Suffolk Dun. That answers our last trivia question. What Swiss cheese is known for as a good melting cheese and used in fondue? We will have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
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that housed their 420-cow milking herd along with 30 springing heifers collapsed Feb. 24 and 26 on their farm, North Creek Dairy, near Chatďƒželd, Minn. Many other dairy farmers across the region had barns and buildings cave in from the weight of snow and ice due to a blizzard the weekend of Feb. 23-24. The storm brought double-digit snowfall totals and wind speeds over 50 miles per hour, causing white-out conditions and major road closures for several days from eastern South Dakota, across southern Minnesota, down to northern Iowa and into western Wisconsin. An 80- by 100-foot section of the Hoffmans’ roof collapsed about midnight on Feb. 24 while another 60by 80-foot portion came down around 5:45 a.m. Feb. 26. “We instantly knew [we had to sell the cows] because the roof was not safe and more was going to come down,â€? Hoffman said. “The way the weather forecast was with more snow projected, we thought there’s no point in taking a chance of someone getting hurt.â€? Thirteen cows died from the incident. “The worst part was ‌ lifting steel off and thinking there was nothing under there and all of a sudden there’s a cow shivering and not being able to get up, cut up, shivering and bleeding,â€? Hoffman said. “That was pretty hard.â€? About 300 cows were sold to a farm in Lake City and Hoffman’s friend, Mike Johnson, purchased a small group of the herd. About 53 cows were sold for slaughter. Dry cows and springing heifers stayed on the farm, but will need to be sold soon, Hoffman said. “Between Saturday night and Tuesday morning I kept it together,â€? Hoffman said. “But, when I knew the cows had to go I lost it.â€? The loss of their herd was especially tough because Hoffman said the herd had been producing the highest ever – 95 pounds per cow per day with 4.2 percent fat and 3.1 percent protein and a somatic cell count consistently under 100,000. “We were really optimistic and really looking forward to this year and now everything’s gone,â€? Hoffman said. The family does not know if they will rebuild or start milking again. “People say you have to rebuild because you love it,â€? Hoffman said. “Yes, I love it, but it also has to be proďƒžtable. If we don’t get the insurance money to cover enough of this barn we won’t be able to afford to do it. There are so many variables. We’ll have to wait and see.â€? Across the border, Greg Friendshuh was also dealing with a collapsed roof on his 1,000-cow dairy, Friendshuh Farms, near Clear Lake, Wis. Although the dairy did not receive the same amount of snow or wind as those to the south, Friendshuh said rain in between bouts of snowfall caused a heavy pack of ice and snow on the 12-year-old barn’s roof, bringing down a 60- by 200-foot section Feb. 23. “When I ďƒžrst got on the scene, I looked at where the barn used to be and all I saw was white,â€? Friendshuh said. “The barn just crashed right down and the snow you saw on the roof was what you saw on the ground. I’ve had sections of barns go down before. They’re a terrible mess, and we’ve lost cattle, so I knew how destructive this could be. But to see a whole barn go down like this in one big boom, I didn’t think it could
happen like this.â€? Of the 175 cows trapped underneath, 44 died and 20 were injured. Over 100 had to be moved to two neighboring dairies. “Around the fringes of the barn I saw cows pinned,â€? Friendshuh said. “Underneath the roof you could hear moaning and groaning and steam coming out from underneath. The ďƒžrst thing we did was cut holes in the roof to get air to the cattle.â€? The dairyman said he wants to prevent this from ever happening again on his farm. “I’m going to have a structural engineer come in and look at the rest of my buildings,â€? he said. “We’re going to bolster them up because I want to be able to walk in there with my kids and not have to worry about the sky falling, not to mention my guys working in there.â€? Friendshuh said he will rebuild the barn as soon as he can so he can bring the rest of the herd home. On the Cafferty family’s dairy, the roof of a 50- by 90-foot youngstock building collapsed Feb. 25 on their 62-cow dairy near Fountain City, Wis. “It was the worst day of farming,â€? said Kara Cafferty, who farms together with her husband, Paul, and son, Brandon. The incident trapped 100 animals – heifers and steers from 2 months old to about 1 year old. “We were so overwhelmed at ďƒžrst just trying to ďƒžgure out how to get in there,â€? Cafferty said. “There was so much snow, and we had no clue how to even get in the barn.â€? Neighbors came over to assist by driving their snowmobiles across the ďƒželds to the farm. It was the only mode of transportation that did not get stuck in the unplowed and drifted-in roads. “We live where two valleys come together so we had snow whipping around us like you would not believe,â€? Cafferty said. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.â€? To get the animals out, one neighbor, who is also on the local ďƒžre department, drove his mountain snowmobile into town and brought back a metal cutter to extricate the animals. After ďƒžve hours, all animals, except one steer that died, were out of the barn. The Caffertys sold the steers and arranged the heifers to be housed at neighboring farms. “We had redone the inside of the barn and thank goodness we did,â€? Cafferty said. “That’s probably what saved the animals. We had super heavy gates between each pen and headlocks through the middle. The beams laid on top of it.â€? The family is unsure if they will rebuild. All three families said they are appreciative and grateful for the help they received from family and friends. “I just hope everyone knows how thankful we are that everyone came to help,â€? Friendshuh said. “And for all the prayers. That’s what got us through.â€? Hoffman agreed. While it was not the outcome they envisioned from the blizzard, they are thankful for the people who helped them along the way. “There were so many strangers here lending a hand. A lot of people I didn’t even know,â€? Hoffman said. “It was a hell of a way to exit, but I’m extremely grateful for the help and ďƒžnding a good home for the cows.â€?
DMC vs. DRP: What is the best decision?
Hulinsky explains dairy relief programs By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
MELROSE, Minn. – In an effort to support dairy farmers across the nation, two programs were established to provide relief from low milk prices. The Dairy Margin Coverage and Dairy Revenue Protection programs were reviewed during an educational workshop hosted by the University of Minnesota Extension Feb. 28 in Melrose, Minn. “Being informed (about these options) is important and having a marketing plan is going to be your key to success,” said Nathan Hulinsky, extension specialist. Both DMC and Dairy-RP are possibilities for dairy risk management strategies, but farmers should be cautious when deciding how to use each program as they will benet the bottom line differently. “We’re here to provide you with information you’ll need to make the right decision,” Hulinsky said. DMC is the new, improved MPP-Dairy In the former farm bill, dairy farmers dealt with a failed government program. It soon became evident the Margin Protection Program for Dairy was not providing the dairy industry with the aid needed to withstand high margins. With the passing of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, DMC is said to x the pitfalls of the previous initiative. “In the new farm bill, DMC is give or take the new MPP,” Hulinsky said. “It looks at the margin between milk price and feed costs.” The formula to determine monthly DMC payments will take into consideration regional all-milk price and feed costs of corn, soybean and alfalfa hay, Hulinsky said. Feed costs will be calculated by multiplying 1.0728 by the USDA-NASS price per bushel of corn; multiplying 0.00735 by the USDA-AMS price per ton of soybean meal; multiplying 0.0137 by USDA-NASS price per ton of alfalfa hay; and adding those values together. Other signicant improvements to the program include smaller premiums for Tier 1 coverage and margins covered up to $9.50 in $0.50 increments. Additionally, dairy farmers may cover anywhere from 5-95 percent of their largest production history from the years of 2011-13 up to 5 million pounds. For newer producers, Hulinsky inferred a formula will be used to calculate production history. With the forecasted feed costs for 2019 and 2020 being $9.02 and $8.78 per hundredweight, respectively, there is a net benet to using DMC at the $9 and $9.50 coverage levels of Tier 1. “For this year, it looks like a good program … clearly better than what we had,” said Hulinsky, mentioning the program will be retroactive to Jan. 1. Hulinsky provided examples of how DMC may pan out for dairy businesses of different sizes. Farms at 100 and 200 cows may want to cover 95 percent of their production at $9.50 in Tier 1, while 500-cow dairies may want to cover 45 percent of their production, to reach 5 million pounds. Farmers would pay $9.50 premiums of $2,316, $5,201 and $6,834 for herd sizes 100, 200 and 500, respectively. Then, with 2019 feed cost data, those farms would receive $7,410, $16,644 and $21,870 and see a net gain of $5,094, $11,443 and $15,036 over the course of the year for their herds of 100, 200 and 500 cows, respectively.
The net gain may be more if a farmer chooses to participate in the program for ve years, which gives a 25 percent discount on premiums. Also, if dairy farmers participated in MPP from 2014-17, they may receive 75 percent of the MPP premiums to use towards DMC premiums. If one chooses not to participate in DMC, or has since sold out, they may receive 50 percent of the premiums from 2014-17 in the form of cash. “Farmers have some decisions to make,” Hulinsky said. “Look at what margin level you want to use and how much production history to cover.” USDA Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced DMC signup should open by June 17 with payments coming as early as July. Once enrollment is open, farmers will have 90 days to sign up. Dairy-RP is insurance for dairy enterprise The second risk management option for dairy farmers reects crop insurance policies and operates on a quarterly basis, protecting against the decline in revenue as price or yield. “Dairy-RP is a new program,” Hulinsky said. “It’s insurance, like what you would use for crops, but with milk.” There are ve categories within the program that will shape how milk is insured – the method which values milk, either by a combination of Class III and IV or solely with components; the amount of milk to insure; the coverage level and a protection factor; and which quarters to purchase insurance for. Hulinsky provided a class pricing example of a possible Dairy-RP plan for 100, 200 and 500 cows. In the scenario, all farms declared 95 percent of their quarterly production level at $17.50 per cwt., based on Class III and Class IV expected prices for quarter two in 2020. The 100-cow herd covered 4,000 pounds in the quarter, 9,000 pounds for the 200-cow herd, and 20,000 pounds for the 500-cow herd. The protection factor was listed as 1.10. After all calculations were made, each farm saw a net gain of $893, $2,010 and $4,466 for herd sizes 100, 200 and 500 cows, respectively. “This is more confusing than DMC because there are more options,” Hulinsky said. With the rst quarter of 2019 still open, it is yet to be determined the effectiveness of this program for those farmers who have already enrolled. Dairy farmers will want to work with their agriculture lender and decide if DairyRP is a suitable option for their business. They may also visit the Rice Dairy Risk Services’ website (https://www.quotes.ricedairyrs.com/) and view potential outcomes of their insurance decisions. Both programs may be used in concert and with other risk management programs, such as Livestock Gross Margin for Dairy. Dairy farmers need to carefully evaluate how each program will benet their enterprise. “You have to know your cost of production to know how to use each program,” Hulinsky said. “If you don’t know your cost of production, you don’t know what to protect and how to protect it.” One agriculture lender in the audience referred to it as comparing apples to oranges, with the understanding that these programs serve two purposes and should not be compared at face value to determine effectiveness. Hulinsky encouraged all dairy farmers to enroll up to 5 million pounds of milk, based on 2011-13 production history, at the $9.50 coverage level in Tier 1 of DMC and then work with their agriculture lender to see how they can best use Dairy-RP.
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 11
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
DAIRYING IN TOUGH TIMES
Lisson focuses on quality forages to beat markets By Jennifer Coyne and Mark Klaphake Staff Writers
Editor’s note: In this new series, “Dairying in tough times,” Dairy Star is catching up with dairy farmers who began milking cows in the last ve years. These farmers are sharing how they have been able to weather the market conditions and why they see promise in today’s changing industry. STAPLES, Minn. – Times could be better for Trevor Lisson; but, rather than spending his days worrying about things out of his control, he chooses to focus on his management decisions to become a better dairy farmer in these difcult times. “I’ve kept wanting to do the best I can for the cows,” Lisson said. Lisson began dairy farming in 2012 on a rented farm site near Staples, Minn. Over the last seven years, Lisson has grown his herd and relocated to another nearby farm, invested his time and nancial resources into providing better quality feed, and leaned on family for guidance and support as he carries his business through the fourth consecutive year of low milk prices. Since 2015, Lisson has used a center pivot to grow alfalfa hay for Turn to LISSON | Page 13
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Trevor Lisson milks 60 cows in a rented facility near Staples, Minn. Lisson began dairying in 2012, and has withstood the markets by providing high quality forages to his herd and the premium he receives for components.
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ConƟnued from LISSON | Page 12 has been cautious when making those nancial investments. “I was able to pick up a skidloader at a reasonable price, and we’ve been able to take up machinery that is cheaper than what it would have been if commodity prices were better,” Lisson said. As the young dairyman becomes more established in the industry, he has realized the success of his business comes from making those wise nancial investments, but also from the people he surrounds himself with. Last June, Lisson married his wife, Alex. Her off-farm income, health insurance and retirement portfolio have helped offset the dairy’s losses. “I was running without insurance before that,” Lisson said. “With her getting this, it’s been amazing.” Likewise, Lisson’s parents’ advice based on their experience dairy farming helps guide the dairy farmer. “I bounce off of my parents, wife and the spiritual direction of my church,” Lisson said. “Sharing
equipment with my family has been huge, and then having that support there when stuff goes terribly wrong. Your family’s always there.” The relationship Lisson has formed with his nutritionist and veterinarian has also helped position him to get through the industry’s downturn. “I always rely on them,” he said. “My nutritionist has kept encouraging me, especially when it was really bad, and my vet checks in on me to see how things are going.” While dairy farming poses great challenges, Lisson is encouraged by the industry’s outlook. “I’ve always wanted to dairy farm,” he said. “I like a cow that looks good with type, milks hard and has a good udder. There’s just something about seeing a good cow milk and doing well.” More importantly, Lisson is eager to provide a rewarding lifestyle for his family when he and his wife welcome their rst born this summer.
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Trevor Lisson’s herd stands next to one of his cows that exemplies the type of animal he strives to breed. baleage on a small portion of owned and rented land. “I purchased the pivot after the high milk prices,” he said. “That was a huge blessing. I’ve been able to put up really good alfalfa, which is a huge benet during the low prices not having to pay so much for protein mix.” Lisson works with his dad, Albert, to put up the forage. Lisson owns the baling tractor and his father owns the discbine tractor and bale wrapper, and together they own the baler. The two try to harvest the forage every 28 days in a two-day process, and have been able to get four, sometimes ve, cuttings in the growing season. “I cut right before budding, and we don’t rake our hay,” Lisson said. “We lay it down and bale it up and wrap it the next day.” Lisson chooses to use this method of hay making because of his dad’s 13-foot discbine. “When he purchased it and we started baling hay this way, it’s always been quality alfalfa,” Lisson said of the 7 tons of forage per acre he harvests in a year. The forage is used as a small portion of the TMR Lisson feeds his heifers, 6 months and older, as a supplement for protein. It is also used in the milking cow ration in combination with corn silage. “When I was at the other farm, I was running lesser quality alfalfa with a lot of protein mix,” Lisson said. “We were getting good milk prices, so it didn’t hurt so much to do it.” However, when the market took a dive, Lisson knew he had to make changes to his expenses. “I knew so much of my milk check was going to buy alfalfa, so I was hoping to get [the land] as soon as I could and put that pivot up,” Lisson said. “When the prices were good, it was a good investment. The alfalfa that is now coming off of that irrigation we put up, it’s all tied up to that decision I made back then.” Lisson’s decision to relocate provided him an opportunity to have all of his animals at the same property. Previously, his heifers and dry cows were across the road and at his dad’s place, and had to be trucked back and forth. However, relocating has also caused troubles with milk production and herd health. “We found out the [waterers] outside had three volts of electricity in them,” Lisson said. “That would deter the cows from drinking. I was running a 90-pound tank average before I relocated, and then it slowly dropped down to 60.” Once the stray voltage issue was addressed, his production rebounded. Lisson’s nutritionist said if it were not for the quality feed he was feeding, the impact of the stray voltage would have been worse. Lisson’s current tank average is about 78 pounds with a 4 percent fat and 3.1 percent protein test. While Lisson’s cooperative is paying below the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the premium he receives for components is about $1.80. “I’m doing pretty good again,” Lisson said. “And, I give credit to a great nutritionist and having quality feed.” In Lisson’s short time in the dairy industry, he has grown his herd to 60 milking cows; he began with 30. With a larger herd size, Lisson has purchased equipment to make chores more efcient, but he
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From Our Side Of The Fence
Milk truck drivers: How do you handle adverse weather conditions? Paul Rinka Owen, Wis. Mullins Cheese 18 years experience What have been the toughest weather conditions you have driven in this winter? The blizzard we had last Sunday, Feb. 24, was very challenging, but we also had an ice storm two weeks earlier. Ice is the most challenging to drive
on for me. How have you adjusted your route and schedule on bad weather days? On bad weather days, I leave at least 30 to 45 minutes earlier just so I can keep my schedule somewhat on time. Depending on what we have for weather, if it’s deep snow I sometimes pick up milk from one of my farms that is on the highway ďƒžrst so I have more weight on the truck so it’s easier to go through the deep snow on the side roads. I will pack extra gloves and sometimes boots. In this last blizzard, I packed extra food and water just in case I got stranded somewhere. I also bring a shovel, lime and sometimes my tire chains, depending on what the weather. How do you prepare your truck to handle the cold weather? For the cold weather, I make sure my fuel has additives in it. I put my winter front on, drain my air tanks to make sure there is no moisture in them and hope nothing goes wrong. I have been lucky and never had my truck gel up. Sometimes the most trouble I have in the cold is that my lift axles don’t always go up or down. The cold doesn’t affect the milk much with the tanks being insulated. I will put a jug of hot water in my back cabinet on real cold days. That helps keep the pump from freezing up and my hose from getting so stiff. In your driving career, what has been your toughest day hauling milk in adverse weather conditions? The blizzard we had last Sunday was challenging, but the ice storms of 2016 and 2017 were the most challenging. Icy side roads are no fun. The roads usually have a crown to them and once you start getting milk on as the truck leans so does the milk and if you get off that crown or over too far one way, the milk will pull you right in the ditch. To me, ice is the most dangerous. You can be sitting stopped and if the milk is still surging it will start to slide the truck and you have no control over it. What do you enjoy about hauling milk? I enjoy talking with all my farmers and seeing everyone along my routes. They become like family. You see them every day or every other day. I also enjoy seeing the cattle and watching everyone doing their ďƒželd work and harvesting. It’s also nice just driving the back roads sight-seeing on my route. I have some farmers who will leave me candy bars or doughnuts on my route, which is always nice. In June, I usually leave all my patrons cheese curds just show my appreciation for what they do – A Curd of Thanks! It’s a nice job to go out to see the countryside and visit with people, and get paid to do it. Tell us about your trucking company. I haul milk directly for Mullins Cheese of Knowlton, Wis. It is the largest family-owned cheese factory east of the Mississippi. They have four company trucks that do farm pick-ups and the rest of the milk is picked up by independent contractors that all haul exclusively for Mullins Cheese, also.
Brad Sudbeck Sheldon, Iowa Sudbeck Trucking, Inc. 28 years experience What have been the toughest weather conditions you have driven in this winter? Winter driving can be tough on all of us. Sometimes it feels like winter has been going on forever and after a while, it all turns into a big blur. You try to forget about the bad days and keep moving yourself forward, knowing the sunshiny days are around the corner. How have you adjusted your route and schedule on bad weather days? The day before the storm can sometimes be exhausting, spending lots of time tracking storms and their patterns and ďƒžguring out which areas will be impacted ďƒžrst. I always wonder if a storm gets so bad, will I get stranded somewhere? I take along money, warm clothes and extra food because you never know what Old Man Winter has up his sleeve. Being properly prepared is a checklist of things. Do I have spare fuel ďƒžlters, log chains, tow rope and tire chains? It’s almost like I sleep with one eye open, constantly thinking ahead. Knowing which farms that all the trucks need to be going to and where they will all be delivering to can sometimes be a lot. Some routes may get switched around by picking up certain farms a day earlier than their normal pickup so that when the storm hits the hardest we don’t need to be in that area. Then, what happens if the storm lasts longer than expected? How many pounds of milk do all the farms produce per day? What size tanks do they all have? How much time do we have to get there? We need to make sure we get the milk picked up so nobody has to dump any milk. How do you prepare your truck to handle the cold weather? I blend the fuel as needed by watching the weekly temperature forecasts and using fuel additives as needed. Most of our trucks are parked inside heated shops; by doing so, we are all starting off the day on a good note. The fuel is always warm, so gelling up and having frozen fuel ďƒžlters is out of the question. If you’re not in a heated shop, your day could start as a disaster with frozen milk pumps, valves, brakes, etc. In your driving career, what has been your toughest day hauling milk in adverse weather conditions? My toughest days hauling milk are if someone gets stranded somewhere or has truck problems. I get out there as much as I can and do my part with all my guys. I enjoy going the extra mile for someone, busting our butts together, getting things caught back up and trying to keep positive attitudes going forward. What do you enjoy about hauling milk? I enjoy the interaction with people. Doing whatever it takes to be the person that everyone needs. To be the guy who can make as many positive impacts on peoples’ lives as you can. To see people and their families bettering themselves and knowing that you had a part of all that is priceless.
Chuck Christopherson Onalaska, Wis. Caledonia Haulers 15 years experience What have been the toughest weather conditions you have driven in this winter? The blizzard Feb 24-25 have been the worst conditions I have ever driven in. About midday on Feb. 24, I got stuck in Lewiston, Minn., because all the roads leading out of town had closed, unplowed and had drifted shut. The main highways and interstate were also impassable because so many cars were stuck in the middle of the road and stranded. We have a shop that ďƒžts four or ďƒžve trucks in Lewiston so that’s where I spent the night. How have you adjusted your route and schedule on bad weather days? When the weather is bad I usually bring along extra clothes and expect to work a longer day. I don’t start any earlier as I am normally at my ďƒžrst stop when they are done milking. How do you prepare your truck to handle the cold weather? I usually have chains with me if I need them. I also carry tools and an extra fuel ďƒžlter. For driving in cold weather, I use winter-blended fuel and when it gets extra cold I add diesel fuel conditioner to make sure the fuel doesn’t gel up. I also park the truck in a warm shop overnight to help alleviate cold weather problems. In extreme cold weather, I try to put a couple gallon containers of hot water in the back compartment to help keep the pump and hose from freezing. In your driving career, what has been your toughest day hauling milk in adverse weather conditions? The worst weather I have driven in was the blizzard Feb 24-25. It took a lot of teamwork to get the milk picked up that day. We had to change our routes several times to get the job done. What do you enjoy about hauling milk? The best thing is being on farms. I enjoy seeing how different farms operate and try to help the farmers stay informed on changes in the industry. Tell us about your trucking company. I drive for Caledonia Haulers. They have about 40 trucks, covering an area including Austin, Minn., to Winona, Minn., and south to Waukon, Iowa, and Cresco, Iowa. We haul for ďƒžve milk cooperatives and deliver to plants in the tri-state area. I milked cows until I sold the herd in 2002. I have 20 years of trucking experience with 15 years of milk hauling experience. Nine of those years have been with Caledonia Haulers.
Tell us about your trucking company. Brad and Lisa Sudbeck started Sudbeck Trucking in Sheldon, Iowa in 2002. We started off with two milk trucks. Who would have ever thought we would be where are today with over 36 trucks hauling milk and whey products for multiple milk companies in the area? A special thanks to all of our loyal customers and employees who have made us who we are today.
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15
Carl Hoffmann Vergas, Minn. Lakes Area Cooperative 32 years What have been the toughest weather conditions you have driven in this winter? The ice storm that occurred at the end of January. It was freezing rain and very difcult to drive in. How have you adjusted your route and schedule on bad weather days? I start early while trying to run the route at a normal schedule. I make sure to bring my coveralls and extra clothing as well as tire chains. How do you prepare your truck to handle the cold weather? We run Cenex winter master fuel to prevent gelling up and have had no problems gelling up when using this fuel. Our trucks are also parked in a heated shop. The milk is not affected during the cold, but we take precautions to prevent the milk pump from freezing, such as keeping the cabinet closed until pumping. In your driving career, what has been your toughest day hauling milk in adverse weather conditions? In late January 1996, it was extremely cold with bad snow storms. Roads were blocked and closed, and I needed to nd different routes to get to farms. I also got stuck a few times and had to shovel myself out. What do you enjoy about hauling milk? My favorite part about hauling milk is interacting with patrons. I enjoy getting to know their families and visiting with them while at the farms. Tell us about your trucking company. I drive for Lakes Area Cooperative. The cooperative runs seven truck routes per day each picking up two loads. The size of the cooperative and its employees make you feel like part of a family.
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Randy Lefebvre Annandale, Minn. Lefebvre Trucking 40 years What have been the toughest weather conditions you have driven in this winter? Feb. 19 when it was snowing and blowing so badly. I put my trailer in the ditch as I was leaving a driveway. How have you adjusted your route and schedule on bad weather days? You just adjust. After the years, it comes natural. That Tuesday, I left at 3:30 a.m. and got home at 8:30 p.m. It was an 18-hour day, and sometimes in the bad weather it takes that much longer. How do you prepare your truck to handle the cold weather? I get the fuel delivered to the farm, and there are already additives in it. I’ve never had much trouble with gelling. Milk-wise, if you leave the trailer loaded and go to the creamery and have to wait in line for an hour it’ll freeze in the back, but they have steam to thaw the hoses out. At night, we put the trucks inside and the trailers sit outside, so I have a heat lamp in the back to keep everything warm. In your driving career, what has been your toughest day hauling milk in adverse weather conditions? Halloween 1989. On one road within ve miles I got stuck ve times. What do you enjoy about hauling milk? I like meeting new farmers and catching up with them. I also like running my own business. I work with my son, and my youngest son is 16 and wants to drive, too. I also like getting out in the country and like to drive. Tell us about your trucking company. It started with Grandpa in 1928. Then, my uncle took it over, and I drove for him for eight years. I’ve been running the business for 32 years. The important thing is having a good partner so she understands the hours we run. We work seven days a week just like the dairy farmer, except when we leave in the morning we aren’t back until night. If you put 18 hours in, you’re gone all of those 18 hours. We originally served the St. Michael, Albertville and Elk River area. Now, we are based out of Annandale and have taken over routes from the Wisconsin border to North Dakota border. I run four trucks. My boy runs one, and I have two hired men. We put on a lot of miles.
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Jay Forry Plaineld, Iowa Forry Trucking 20 years What have been the toughest weather conditions you have driven in this winter? Feb. 22-24. The drifts and visibility, and the 50 mile per hour winds were something. I bucked a lot of drifts, but I got to everyone who needed to be picked up. I knew who could wait a day. I even shared some of my best additive with a young guy by Mason City who was gelled up in his semi and trying to get to Canada. How have you adjusted your route and schedule on bad weather days? I always start early as soon as roads are plowed, but any time there is bad weather we have to get out there. How do you prepare your truck to handle the cold weather? I stress to my drivers that we have to pack enough warm clothes, tire chains, shovel, fuel treatment, and food and water. You never know what you’re going to get into. In your driving career, what has been your toughest day hauling milk in adverse weather conditions? The worst was during the ooding in 2008, the rst year I owned the company. It was ooding from rain, and the storm kept circling around above our area and shut down all the main roads; they called it a 500-year ood. My routes are 400 miles, and the main route is east to west across Highway 9 and Highway 20. I had to travel 40 miles one way and back to cross the rivers. It went on for a good week, but I actually got to all the farms. What do you enjoy about hauling milk? Years ago, it was easier to answer that. But, it’s the farmer friendships. A lot of them become like family. I also enjoy having good, reliable and dedicated drivers. Tell us about your trucking company. I’ll have owned Forry Trucking for 11 years in June after buying it from Bob Lobell. We have one full-time employee and six routes for Prairie Farms. I haul in north central Iowa.
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Brian Moening Carlos, Minn. Rick Steidl Trucking 13 years What have been the toughest weather conditions you have driven in this winter? The brutal cold and never-ending snow. It makes some driveways impassable. How have you adjusted your route and schedule on bad weather days? On bad weather days, I have brought snow pants and gloves with in case there is trouble and to stay warm. I have gotten up early to ensure enough time for the truck to warm up. At times, I have picked up some stops the night before. I would usually pick them up so I get them before the road gets too bad. How do you prepare your truck to handle the cold weather? In regards to the cold weather, the milk isn’t affected because the tank is insulated. I have been fortunate this year with not having the truck gel up. I do have additive in the fuel and brake lines to keep this from happening. In your driving career, what has been your toughest day hauling milk in adverse weather conditions? The toughest day hauling milk would have been on Christmas day a few years back when we had an ice storm and everything was ice. I couldn’t stand on the roads, let alone drive on them. Cows don’t stop milking, so rain, ice, snow or sun, I have to go. What do you enjoy about hauling milk? I enjoy talking with the farmers that I pick up for and not being in a building all the time. My ofce is my truck. Tell us about your trucking company. My dad, Gene Moening, started hauling milk when he was in his 20s. He was leased to the Nelson Creamery for 35 years, until 2003 when he passed away. My father-inlaw, Rick Steidl, took over the route and truck, and is leased to the Nelson Creamery still. When my dad had the route, it was roughly 30 stops. Now, we have 18 stops but are hauling more milk and put on more miles. In comparison, my dad’s truck held 2,700 gallons of milk. My truck holds 5,000 gallons.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 17
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USED SKIDSTEERS
’08 Mustang 2041 H/F Ctrls, D, 1350 Lift Cap, Block Heater, 340 Hrs - $17,900 ‘14 Gehl RT175, ISO switchable ctrls, D, 12� tracks, 1750 lift cap., C/H/A, 2 spd., 111 hrs. ..................................... $41,900 (12) Gehl R220, many options .................Start at $26,900 ‘14 Gehl R190, Gehl hand ctrls, D, 2100 lift cap., C/H, 2 spd., 2190 hrs. .. $23,500 ‘16 Gehl R190, Gehl Ctrls, C&H, 2 Spd ........................................ $27,900 ‘13 Gehl R190, T-bar ctrls, D, C&H, 2 spd., 2110 lift cap, 867 hrs. .... $29,500 ‘78 Gehl 2600, T-bar ctrls, G, 750 Lift Cap ................................. $2,900 ‘14 Mustang 2600R, H&F ctrls., D, C&H, 2 spd., 2600 lift cap., 1576 hrs .. $28,500 ‘16 Mustang 2100RT, NXT3, ISO/Dual H Ctrls, C/H/A, Folding Door, 2 Spd, 550 hrs ...................................... $39,500 ‘07 Mustang 2076, JS Ctrls, D, 2200 Lift Cap., C/H/A, 2 spd, 2650 hrs...... $22,700 ‘08 Mustang 2076, Dual JS Ctrls, C/H/A, SS, 1200 hrs .............................. $27,500 ‘07 Mustang 2066 T-Bar H-Ctrls, D, 2200 Lift Cap, Cab & Heat, 2 Spd, 2600 Hrs .................................... $17,500 ‘06 Mustang 2066, dual lever/ft ctrls, D, 2000 lift cap., C/H, 1341 hrs.. $20,900 ‘06 Mustang 2066, H&F Ctrls, D, 2000 Lift Cap., 2 spd, C&H 1865 hrs .. $22,500 ‘99 Mustang 2050, T-bar ctrls, 1650 lift cap., D, 4623 hrs., C&H, SS, 4623 hrs .................................... $11,900 ‘16 Mustang 1900R, H&F Ctrls, D, 2100 Lift Cap., C&H, 2 spd, 2727 hrs . $25,800
USED SKIDSTEERS ‘15 Mustang 1900R, H Pilot Ctrls, C&H, 2 Spd, Sound Reduction Package, 2378 hrs. ................................... $25,750 ‘16 Mustang 1500R, H/F Ctrls, Cab & Heat, 2717 hrs................. $23,500 ‘16 Mustang 1500R, H/F ctrls, D, 1500 lift cap., C&H, 2585 hrs..... $22,500 ‘15 Mustang 1350R, H/F ctrls, D, C&H, 1450 lift cap., C&H, 263 hrs....... $25,000 ‘92 Mustang 940, T-bar ctrls, D, 1350 lift cap., 3258 hrs. ............... $7,900 ‘80 Mustang 441, T-bar ctrls, G, SS, 1200 lift cap., cab ........................ $4,900 ‘95 Takeuchi TL26-2, 12� Tracks, 4370 hrs ...................................... $9,900
USED TMRS/MIXERS
USED TMRS/MIXERS
‘11 Kuhn Knight VTC 1100, LH slide tray, rear door, 2 scales, mounted to ‘12 Peterbuilt 367 w/40,619 miles, 66,000 GVW, 10 spd., hyd. drive, 1100 cu. ft. - $114,000 ‘07 Penta 8020, 800 cu. ft., corner door in front and rear, 2 spd...................$17,900
MANURE HANDLING
‘04 Penta 5600, 600 cu. ft., EZ 2000V scale, corner door ......................$13,500 ‘08 Penta 5620HD, 600 cu. ft., 8� rubber ext., right corner door ................$23,500 Knight 2300, 260 cu. ft., 3’ discharge .................................$6,900 ‘05 Kuhn Knight 3130, 300 cu. ft., scale w/remote, 2 ft., LH disch............$10,500 Automatic ATG1800B, 1800 bu./hr., 54� blower, 4 cut rolls, load auger $8,500
Pik Rite 1190, 550 bu., top beater, hydra-push..................................$14,500 ‘91 Balzer Manure Pump, V6, 8’ pump, 2 pt. hitch, rmt. ďŹ ngertip ctrl .........$4,200 ‘00 Balzer Manure Pump, V6, 8’ vert. manure pump ...............................$4,500 Jamesway Manure Pump, 6x8, 8’ pump, 2 pt. hitch, double agitation ..........$5,500
MANURE HANDLING
’12 Kuhn GMD600GIIHD Disk Mower, 7’10� Cut, 6 Disc ...........................$7,100 Vicon CM2400 Disk Mower, 7’10� Cut .......................................$4,700 Vicon CM2200 Disc Mower, 6 Disc $2,900 Kuhn GMD600 Disk Mower, 7’10� Cut, 6 Disc............................................$7,800 ‘13 Kuhn GMD600 Disc Mower, 10� Width..................................... $7,750 ‘13 MF 1329 Disc Mower, 9’2�.......$4,800 Land Pride Disc Mower - 5 disc ........$750 NI 5209 Mower Cond., 9’ Cut .........$8,800 Gehl 860, 1210 hay head, 3038 CH$4,200 ‘96 JD 930 Mower Cond., 11’6� Cut, Impeller Cond .............................. $5,750 JD 1360 Mower Cond, 10’, 6 Disc w/Flail Conditioning ............$7,800 JD 1209 Mower Cond, 9’ Cut, 2 Rubber Cond. Rolls ................... $3,500 ‘06 NH 1475 Mower Cond, Rubber Rollers, Lights ............................$12,800 Farm King Y550R Finishing Mower, 5’, 3 blades, 3 pt hitch ......................... $850 ’03 H&S BF12HC Rake, 12 Whl High Cap ...........................$7,950 ’08 H&S X12 Rake, 12 Whl ............$7,800 ‘05 H&S BF14HC, 14 Wheel Rake, Wind Guards .................................$9,750 ‘12 Vermeer WRX12 Rake, 12 Whl HI Capacity ...................................$5,900 ’15 Kuhn GF222T Tedder, 8’6� Working Width, 2 Rotor, Pull-type...............$3,150 ’12 Kuhn GA300GM Rotary Rake, 7’3� Raking Width, 10’6� Windrow .......$3,800 NH 144 Merger, Ground Driven ......$2,900
USED TRACTOR
‘72 JD 4320, 2wd, Quick Hitch - $15,000
2250 Austin Rd. • Owatonna, MN 55060 nfs@northlandfs.com
NH 795, top beater - $5,995 ‘10 Kuhn Knight 8141, 4100 gal. ..$38,500 ‘12 Kuhn Knight 8141, 4100 gal., hyd. lid ........................................$35,800 ’08 Kuhn Knight 8132 Frt And Rear Splash Guards.............................$17,000 Kuhn Knight 8124, 2400 gal., 500 bu., front and rear splash guards .......$14,900 Kuhn Knight 8118, 1800 gal., 400 bu...........................................$7,900 Knight 8030, 600 bu., 3000 gal. .... $9,500 ‘17 Kuhn Knight 2044VB, vert beater .................................. $27,500 ‘04 Knight 8018, 400 bu.............. $10,000 AGCO NI 3732, 320 bu., walking tandem, single beater, rear endgate ............$7,500 ‘09 H&S 560 .................................$14,500 ‘14 H&S 660, Upper Beater, Hyd Drive Apron, Variable Spd ....................$22,850 ‘03 H&S 310, 310 Bu..................... $5,700 ’07 H&S 175, Drip Pan, New Gear Box, 175 Cu Ft ..................................... $4,875 Hagedorn 277, 270 cu. ft., 420 bu.........................................$12,900
HAY & FORAGE
HAY & FORAGE Miller Pro 7914 Merger, 9’ Pick – Up, 14’ Meger, Hyd Drive ............... $4,500 AS IS ‘82 NH 851 Rd Baler, 5 x 6 bales ...$1,850 ‘93 JD 535 Rd Baler, 5 x6 bales, twine .............................................$7,750 New Idea 4865 round baler............$6,900 H&S Super 7+4 Forage Box, 16’ Box $3,500 Gehl 980 Forage Box, 16’ Bx, 12 Ton Tandem, Vari-SPD Drive................$3,500 Gehl 980 Forage Box, 16’ Bx, 12 Ton Tandem 6-12 Running Gear ..........$3,500 ‘08 Meyer 6222 Forage Box, Front & Rear Unload, 22’ Box, Carted Running Gear XT2200L, hyd drive .................... $24,500 Case IH 600 Blower, 60� ................$3,900 ‘16 Anderson Hybrid X, 11,500 bales, remote start and steer ................ $26,900 ‘17 Anderson Hybrid X Bale Wrapper, 6’ Rd and Square Bales .............. $35,500 ‘15 H&S BW1000 Bale Wrapper, 6’ Bales, Remote Start & Steer, Lights ........$21,000 ‘09 Haybuster H1100 TILT II Tub Grinder w/corn hopper...............................$34,500 ‘06 Haybuster 2650 Tub Grinder, Self Loading, .............................$15,500 Bale King Vortex 3000 Processes Full Size Round Bales ....................$6,800 Midsota Bale Processor 66HS, Hyd Flow 13-30GPM, 66� Wide, Processes 5x6 Round Bales....................................$4,50
MISCELLANEOUS Berlon BSC, lifts full rd. bales ......... $450 Loftness Snow Blower, 93â€? width, 2 stage, hyd. swivel......................... $1,200 Woodchuck 1 yard Sand Bucket .. $3,900 ‘98 Buffalo Scraper 53300010, 3 yd ............................................ $6,900 Snow Push, 10’ wide ................... $1,800 Buhler YC8520 Snowblower, 7’, hyd. rotation ...................................... $2,700 Brown HB9, Mount on Skid Loader Q-Tach........................................ $2,600 Rice Lake Scale MAS-LC, 70â€? X 120â€? Outside Dimensions, Printer With Scale, CertiďŹ ed in 2017) ..................... $12,500
Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
Top Performers
Timeliness, consistency contribute to Koltes Dairy components, production milks and handles herd health and reproduction. Andy mixes TMR and feeds calves. He also works with crops. Ken milks in the morning and helps with crops. Eugene milks in the evening. Missy and Brianna help with calves and milking during busy times.
Koltes Dairy, LLC Andy, Mike and Ken Koltes St. Cloud, Minn. Stearns County 130 cows Tell us about your farm. Koltes Dairy, LLC is a fourthgeneration family farm. We milk 130 cows, raise our youngstock and sell our bull calves at 1-2 weeks old. We farm around 400 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa. We milk in a parlor. Two-thirds of the lactating cows are housed in free stalls with dual chamber waterbeds and one-third are on a bedded pack. Both barns are tunnel ventilated. All the cows eat outside on a feed line with shade and sprinklers. We have a RHA of 28,011 pounds with a 4 percent butterfat and 3.15 percent protein test. The farm involves Andy and Missy and their four kids, Mike and Brianna, and our parents Ken and Tess. Eugene is our full-time hired man, and we have many seasonal helpers. Describe your milking routine. We milk twice a day at 5:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. Mike
How do you market your milk? We have been signed up for the MPP-Dairy program and plan to sign up for the DMC program. Also, we have locked in some of the DRP insurance. We have not contracted any milk recently.
SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR
The Koltes family – (from leŌ) Ken and his sons, Mike and Andy – milk in a swing-10 parlor on their 130-cow dairy farm near St. Cloud, Minn. The family has maintained a rolling herd average of 28,011 pounds with a 4 percent buƩerfat and 3.15 percent protein test.
What is your herd health program? We run a 55-day dry period. We have hooves trimmed before dry off. We use quarter master and orbeseal at dry off. We also vaccinate with J5 and Guardian. We vaccinate all animals with bovishield twice a year. Cows and heifers are moved into the pre-fresh pen 28 days prior to calving. At calving, all animals are pumped and 3-year-old and up lactation cows are given a bolus the next day. Turn to KOLTES | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 19
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“...works better than anything else.” — Jeremy and Lisa Brooks
BROOKWAY HOLSTEINS, PLEASANT GAP, PA, 2018 Dairy of Distinction 200 Holsteins 25,675M (2x) SCC below 180,000 Lisa and Jeremy Brooks at our booth during the 2019 Keystone Farm Show, York, Pa. with daughters Olivia, 4, Miss U.S. Agriculture Tiny Ambassador, and Madalyn, 1, Baby Ambassador. Lisa and the girls are involved in the new Miss Agriculture USA advocacy open to all ages -- proud to share with the public as 7th generation farmers.
“We use Udder Comfort on any type of “We love Udder Comfort™ and swelling because it removes swelling have been using it for about 4 years. We like that it’s natural and better and faster than anything else.” effective. We use it on fresh cows Jeremy mixes feed, scrapes, beds, for edema, to improve comfort and does the mechanical work on and to prevent problems,” the farms. say Jeremy and Lisa Brooks. His brother Jeffrey and parents Dennis “We like how Udder Comfort makes that warmth and takes the and Deb operate Brookway Holsteins, a 2018 Dairy of Distinction, milking swelling out of the udder so fresh 200 Holsteins near Pleasant Gap, cows are more comfortable. Pa. The registered herd makes over 85 lbs/cow/day of high “You know it’s working because quality milk. you can see that bag getting soft!
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
ConƟnued from KOLTES | Page 18 What is the composition of your ration? What has been one of the most recent changes that has been successful for you? Our ration, on a dry matter basis, consists of 20 pounds corn silage, 15 pounds alfalfa baleage, 11 pounds ne ground corn, 4 pounds roasted beans and other concentrates. Nelson Consulting does our nutrition work. They have us feeding our own roasted beans which has saved us a lot of money. What change has improved your herd average most? Many things have helped us improve our herd average over
the years, but the big ones that stick out are shade and sprinklers on our feed line and running cows through a footbath four days a week. Most of all, putting up high quality baleage and highly digestible processed corn silage. What is your breeding program? How do genetics play a role in your production? We have a 60-day voluntary waiting period then we breed on natural heats. If no heat is shown by 90 days, we start the cow on ovsynch. We use all Genex bulls. The main traits we watch for are milk pro-
SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR
Mike Koltes reviews a sire booklet on his family’s dairy near St. Cloud, Minn. The Koltes family breeds for milk producƟon, components, calving ease, strength and reproducƟon. duction, components, calving ease, udder strength and reproduction.
SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR
Andy Koltes checks the quality of his forage March 5 on his dairy near St. Cloud, Minn.
What type of improvements would you like to make that would increase your rolling herd average even higher? The main thing that would help us improve our herd average would be building a new freestall barn where the cows
can stay inside all the time out of the summer and winter weather. Also, we are trying BMR silage this year, so hopefully that will make our corn silage even better. What three management strategies have helped maintain production and kept you protable? We start chores at the same times every day. We
try to stay as consistent as possible and not cut corners. Putting up high quality forages is something we put a lot of work into. Cow comfort is something we stress and are always trying to improve.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 21
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JD 2210, 2014, 55.5 Äeld cultivator, $ #154394
AIR DRILL AND SEEDER 14 JD 1990, 2011, #156314 .........................................................................$85,860 FIELD CULTIVATORS 4 JD 2210, 2008, 60 ft, 3-Section Folding, #146682 .................................$34,500 4 JD 960, 1994, 36 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #148486 .....$7,500 10 JD 1010, 25.5 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151724 ..........$3,495 10 JD 1010, 31 ft, #150876 ............................................................................$2,825 10 JD 960, 1994, 26 ft, #148845 ....................................................................$5,500 7 JD 960, 1988, 44 ft, Standards: C-Shank, #150157....................................$7,215 7 JD 2210, 2013, #156232 .........................................................................$55,900 1 JD 2210, 2011, #155650 .........................................................................$29,900 1 Case 690, 2014, #155651 ......................................................................$18,900 1 Case TIGERMATE 200, 2013, 30.5 ft, 3-Section Folding, #155652 ......$33,000 1 JD 960, 1993, 33 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154535 .....$6,500 12 JD 1000, 1978, #156035 ...........................................................................$3,950 15 Case 4800, #155715 ................................................................................$5,100 16 JD 980, 1995, 45 ft, 5-Section Folding, #145326 ....................................$14,000 16 Case TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, #155901 ........................................$59,400 16 Case TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154509 ..................................................................................................$59,400 16 Case TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154511 ..................................................................................................$59,400 16 Case TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154510 ..................................................................................................$59,400 16 Case TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154507 ..................................................................................................$59,400 16 Case TIGRMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154508 ..................................................................................................$59,400 5 JD 980, 1997, #155850 ...........................................................................$11,500 11 JD 2210, 2010, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, #146707...............................$49,500 8 DMI Tigermate 48 ft, #147786 .............................................................$14,500 8 JD 2210, 2009, 53 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154393 ..................................................................................................$48,000 8 JD 2210, 2014, 55.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154394 ..................................................................................................$58,500 8 JD 2210, 2009, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #154537 ..................................................................................................$43,500 14 JD 980, 1997, 26 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #153320 .....$9,900 14 JD 2210, 2007, 58 ft, 5-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151055 ..................................................................................................$32,900 14 JD 980, 1997, 44 ft, #145571 .................................................................$16,500 14 JD 980, 1998, #156455 ...........................................................................$14,430 3 JD 980, 1994, 33 ft, 3-Section Folding, Standards: C-Shank, #151027 ...$12,000 MULCH FINISHER 17 JD 726, 38 ft, #148373 ............................................................................$29,500 5 JD 726, 1997, 30 ft, 3-Section Folding, #148851 ....................................$18,900 PLANTERS: DRAWN 4 JD 1775NT, 2017, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150734...........................$152,500 4 JD 1775NT, 2018, Rows: 16, Row Spacing: 30 in, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command #150736 ................................................................................................$169,000 4 JD 1760, 2013, #156200 .........................................................................$52,500 17 JD 1750, 1997, #156043 .........................................................................$12,500 17 JD 1765, 2015, #155243 .........................................................................$54,500 7 JD 1760, 1997, 12R30, Frame: Wing Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, #137790 ...................................................................$23,900 7 JD 7000, 1981, 12R30, Metering System: Finger Pickup, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, #149569 ....................................................................................................$7,215 7 White 8180, 2004, #154647 ..................................................................$29,500 6 Great Plains YP2425, 2007, 24R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, #152236 ......................................................$65,000 15 JD DB66, 2008, #156439 ......................................................................$107,500 15 JD DB66, 2008, #155284 ......................................................................$139,900 16 JD DB99, 2014, #156313 ......................................................................$310,000
58,500
Case IH Tigermate 200, 2014, 60’ Äeld cultivator, $ 6” spacing, #154511
11 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #140328...........................$149,500 11 JD 1750, 1999, 6R30, Frame: Rigid, Metering System: Finger Pickup, #153700 ..................................................................................................$19,800 11 White 6100, #155671 ..............................................................................$5,000 8 Wil-Rich 24-22, 2009, 24R22, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, Row Command, #139224.........................................................................$44,900 8 Case 900, 12R30 in, #150606 ..................................................................$6,500 14 Kinze, 2000, #155343 .............................................................................$15,540 14 JD 1780, 1999, #155446 .........................................................................$33,500 PLANTERS: INTEGRAL 17 JD 7300, 1988, Row Spacing: 22 in, Frame: Wing Fold, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, #148843 ...................................................................................................$14,600 6 White 5100, #155511 ..............................................................................$6,700 16 JD 1720, 2004, 16R22, Frame: Wing Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, #155857 ...................................................................$26,000 8 JD DR24, 2018, 24R22, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150773.......................................................................$179,500 PULL-TYPE SPRAYERS 4 Hardi NAV 1100, #137543 .....................................................................$14,000 4 Raven 1000 Gallon, #149597 .................................................................$6,100 2 Hardi RANGER 2000, 2014, #155294 ....................................................$20,500 10 Fast 7400, #130185 ...............................................................................$18,900 10 Top Air 60, #140416 .................................................................................$5,000 10 Redball 580, 2006, #151074..................................................................$18,900 7 Summers ULTIMATE 120, 2012, #155256.............................................$27,900 15 Wil-Rich Blumha, #148336 .....................................................................$5,500 15 Top Air TA1200, 2008, #155358.............................................................$16,650 5 Hardi Commander 1200, 2002, #150043.............................................$14,900 5 Wil-Rich 500 GAL, #150604.....................................................................$6,000 5 Hardi COMMANDER 1200, 2004, #148536 ...........................................$19,900 14 Summers 500, 1996, #145350 ................................................................$4,500 3 Top Air TA2400, 2014, #156122.............................................................$49,500 SELF-PROPELLED SPRAYERS 4 JD R4038, 2017, Boom Width: 120-Foot, Boom Leveling, Tank: Stainless, Nozzle Spacing: 20 in, 289 hrs., #141223 ...............................................$329,500 1 JD 4830, 2013, Tank: Stainless, Tire Width: Mid, Hydraulic Tread Adjust, Traction Control, Nozzle Spacing: 15 in, 2400 hrs., #155970 ..................$139,000 15 JD 4940, 2014 , 1763 hrs., #155452 ......................................................$199,500 16 JD 4830, 2013, Boom Width: 90-Foot, Boom Leveling, Tank: Stainless, Hydraulic Tread Adjust, Traction Control, Nozzle Spacing: 20 in, 1423 hrs., #150080 ................................................................................................$169,500 16 Case 4430, 2013, Boom Leveling, Tank: Stainless, Tire Width: Narrow, Guidance-ready, 2655 hrs., #154198 .....................................................$209,500 8 JD R4038, 2018, Boom Width: 120-Foot, Nozzle Spacing: 20 in, 495 hrs., #150887 ................................................................................................$339,000 14 JD R4038, 2017, Hydraulic Tread Adjust, Guidance-ready, 508 hrs., #143961................................................................................................$346,500 14 JD R4038, 2018, 100 hrs., #155379 ......................................................$340,200 UTILITY TRACTORS 4 JD 6135E, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Tire Width: Wide, 196 hrs., #142599 ........................................................$71,900 4 JD 5115M, 2018, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid, Loader, 175 hrs., #143684 .............$78,900 4 JD 6120E, 2018, 100 hrs., #143694.........................................................$79,500 4 JD 6135E, 2018, 100 hrs., #143696.........................................................$84,900 4 JD 6135E, 2018, 100 hrs., #143698.........................................................$84,900 4 JD 5115M, 2018, 304 hrs., #143686 .......................................................$78,900 4 JD 5100E, 2018, 238 hrs., #143682.........................................................$65,900 4 JD 5115M, 2018, 113 hrs., #143688 .......................................................$71,900 4 JD 6120E, 2018, 36 hrs., #143692...........................................................$79,500 4 JD 5115M, 2018, 113 hrs., #143690 .......................................................$71,900 2 JD 6125R, 2014, 780 hrs., #155293 ........................................................$67,500 10 JD 5065M, 2012, Partial Power Shift, 2WD, Rear PTO: 540, 4975 hrs., #151388 ..................................................................................................$21,900
59,400
10 Farmall Super C, 2WD, Rear PTO: 540, #151487 ......................................$3,500 10 JD 6120E, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Wide, Loader, 272 hrs., #124936........................................................................$69,500 10 JD 6130R, 2016, Configuration: Narrow, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Tire Width: Mid, 160 hrs., #124987 ..............................................$96,900 10 JD 6120E, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Tire Width: Mid, 259 hrs., #124310 ..........................................................$69,500 10 JD 6120E, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Wide, Loader, 222 hrs., #124867 ............................................$69,500 10 JD 6130M, 2016, Configuration: Narrow, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 195 hrs., #124993 .......................................$99,500 10 JD 6420, 2002, 6900 hrs., #154564.........................................................$52,500 17 JD 6110R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, Loader, 364 hrs., #144495 ..................................................................................................$99,500 17 JD 6110R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, IVT, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid, 257 hrs., #144497.........................$97,900 6 JD 6130R, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid, 363 hrs., #142596 .........................................$99,500 12 JD 5115M, 2017, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid, 130 hrs., #140105 ..........................................................$71,900 12 JD 6120M, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Narrow, 116 hrs., #141879 ....................$92,900 15 JD 6110R, 2016, Cab, IVT, MFWD, 338 hrs., #144500 ..............................$95,900 15 JD 6130R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, IVT, MFWD w/ Suspension, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid, 403 hrs., #144505........................$109,500 15 JD 5100E, 2016, Cab, Power Reverser, MFWD, 2075 hrs., #149334 .........$46,900 9 JD 6135E, 2016, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Mid, Loader, 134 hrs., #124870........................................................................$76,900 9 JD 6130M, 2018, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid, 208 hrs., #143700..........................$94,900 5 JD 6135E, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Tire Width: Narrow, 327 hrs., #142600 .....................................................$74,900 5 JD 5100E, 2016, Cab, Power Reverser, MFWD, 1971 hrs., #145220 .........$46,900 5 JD 6105R, 2013, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, 1425 hrs., #156129......................$71,900 11 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, IVT, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 345 hrs., #142813 ..................................................................................................$99,500 11 JD 6135E, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540, Tire Width: Wide, 62 hrs., #142602 ...................................$72,900 11 JD 5115M, 2016, Cab, Power Reverser, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 290 hrs., #149192 ....................................................................................$79,500 8 JD 6110M, 2016, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, 292 hrs., #144493 ...................................................$79,500 8 JD 6130R, 2015, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, 262 hrs., #142595 ..................................................................................................$99,500 8 Massey Ferguson 3545, 1983, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Mid, 4279 hrs., #151182........................$19,500 8 JD 6130R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 156 hrs., #147778 .....................................$109,500 8 JD 6130R, 2018, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, 130 hrs., #156512 ................................................................................................$115,000 8 JD 6130R, 2018, Guidance-ready, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, 120 hrs., #156488 ..................................................................................$125,000 8 JD 6130R, 2016, Guidance-ready, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, 2200 hrs., #156511 ..................................................................................$79,900 14 JD 6130R, 2017, Configuration: Standard, Cab, Partial Power Shift, Guidance-ready, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Tire Width: Wide, 193 hrs., #144503 ..................................................................................................$99,500 14 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, IVT, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 378 hrs., #144499 ................................................................................................$104,900 14 JD 6110R, 2017, Cab, Partial Power Shift, MFWD, Rear PTO: 540/1000, Loader, 409 hrs., #144496........................................................................$99,500
189,000
CIH QT500, 2011, $ 2950 hrs., #155272
134,900
JD 6155R, 2016, $ 319 hrs., #144516
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
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Finding success in the new normal Kohl encourages farmers to evaluate business IQ By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
WILLMAR, Minn. – Since 2013, dairy farming has provided families with a median net farm income of about $35,000, according to the FINBIN database of Minnesota participants. While some may argue this period is an anomaly in the industry’s recent history, it shows similarities to the 1990s. “My contention is that our new normal is the old normal,” Dr. David Kohl said. “We’re going back to the years prior, but our cash rent or land hasn’t gone down.” Kohl presented ways dairy farmers can position their dairy business for future success in his seminar, “Getting Down to Business,” during a program Ridgewater College hosted Feb. 27 in Willmar, Minn. In the years leading up to the current downturn, a market was created that allowed both poor and good business managers to succeed. “That bottom 20 percent was making tons of money, so I knew we were heading to bad times because it attracted inefcient managers,” Kohl said. “They overpaid for assets and put marginal land and assets into production. It’s the old saying of high prices cure high prices. That played right out.” Now, there are three ways in which dairy farmers can withstand the poor market conditions according to Kohl – evaluating their business IQ, diversifying sources of income and presenting an accrual analysis to nancial lenders. During the presentation, the professor from Blacksburg, Va., provided the audience with a template of his business IQ questionnaire. The questionnaire is intended for every farmer, and those invested in the dairy, to review and honestly answer. The questionnaire is a set of 15 topics to review the agriculture enterprise includes: know cost of production; know cost of production by enterprise;
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Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Kramer Bros. Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United-Suckow Dairy Supply West Union, IA 563-422-5355 Postville, IA 563-864-7417
WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Waunakee, WI 608-849-5043
“That bottom 20 percent was making tons of money, so I knew we were heading to bad times because it attracted inefficient managers.”
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 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 © 2019 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. www.delaval.com
goals – business, family and personal; record keeping system; projected cash ow; sensitivity analysis; understand nancial ratios and break evens; work with advisory team and lender; marketing plan written and executed; risk management plan executed; modest lifestyle habits and family living budget; written plan for improvement executed and strong people management; transition plan and business owner plan; educational seminars and courses; and attitude. Each may be categorized as yes and in action, no, but working on it, and non-existent. Based on the responses, points are awarded for each response which helps provide an overall business IQ score. “It doesn’t guarantee success, but it will identify what you’re strong at and areas of improvement,” Kohl said. “This is a tool for the times and it’s what is going to be needed as we move forward.” While Kohl admits the questionnaire will take time and those involved in the dairy may have different responses for each topic, it is critical to dissect in developing a direction for the dairy business. “You put a million dollars on the line, you’ll ll out these questions and do it for each enterprise,” Kohl said. Turn to KOHL | Page 23
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 23
ConƟnued from KOHL | Page 22 In Kohl’s work, he saw dairy farmers with strong business IQs make critical decisions in 2013, before milk prices collapsed. “The good news is the businesses with a higher business IQ are getting a bigger share of the prot,” Kohl said. “You’re not going to do it with just producing more. It’s going to happen by producing more, marketing and monitoring your nances, and putting an efcient system together.”
“The good news is the businesses with a higher business IQ are getting a bigger share of the prot.” DR. DAVID KOHL
While larger dairy operations may have stronger business IQs and more options when faced with adversity, small farms are not excluded from opportunities in the current dairy market. Kohl believes small farms, making less than $500,000 in sales, can also be protable by considering off-farm income options, particularly those farms operated by young farmers.
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Dr. David Kohl speaks to audience members during his presentaƟon, “Geƫng Down to Business,” Feb. 27 in Willmar, Minn. “You’re all going to be entrepreneurs – you’re going to have this gig, that gig and this gig,” Kohl said. “The key is time management and how you handle all of them. The smaller farm is going to be the gig.” Also, at the farm level, dairy farmers should implement the little bit better philosophy
– striving to become a little bit better in three areas of the business, such as production and cost control. “One of the most catastrophic things that happened to agriculture was the extended good times because it got us into bad habits,” Kohl said. “Bad habits are formed in good times, and tough times
create good habits. Try to be 5 percent better in three areas of your business. Production, marketing, nance, cost control all come in together.” Dairy farmers should also be doing an accrual analysis with their nancial lender. Also, make sure this relationship is benecial for the farm’s future.
“We’re seeing the nontraditional types of lenders coming in, but be careful,” Kohl said. “When you select a lender it’s more than interest rates. You want somebody that really understands you, your operation and your needs.” Personally, dairy farmers should invest in themselves and make a point to be surrounded by mentors, both young and old. Also, take time to offset the tough moments of dairying, whether that is with a hobby or form of personal well-being, either by exercise, community involvement or growing in faith. “Do things to give back in life,” Kohl said. Kohl concluded his presentation by reminding dairy farmers to be continually mindful of their actions and how those actions will facilitate the farm’s future. He compared today’s industry with that of a basketball game, and how in the game, a player may only have the ball 5 percent of the time, but when that time comes it is imperative they handle it correctly. “What makes one farmer more successful?” Kohl said. “They sweat the small stuff. We’re in the playoffs and there’s small room for error. Your successes are going to be based off small successes and celebrate those.”
Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
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© 2018 Forage Genetics International, LLC. HarvXtra® is a trademark of Forage Genetics International, LLC. Roundup Ready® is a trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC, used under license by Forage Genetics International, LLC. HarvXtra® Alfalfa with Roundup Ready® Technology is subject to planting and use restrictions. Visit www.ForageGenetics.com/legal for the full legal, stewardship and trademark statements for these products.
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 25
An aging process Two cheese owners share insight about value-added side of dairy By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
ROCHESTER, Minn. – The three women who own CannonBelles Cheese are OK that their journey into cheesemaking and selling has turned out differently than they originally planned. “We thought we would have opened our plant not long after we started,” said Kathy Hupf, who owns CannonBelles Cheese with Deeann Lufkin and Jackie Ohmann. “It’s been a long process, but there have been a lot of people we’ve brought in to help.” Hupf and Lufkin presented about their venture into cheesemaking during a panel titled, “A day in the life of a value-added producer,” Feb. 21 during the “How to add value to your dairy farm without adding more dairy cows” workshop in Rochester, Minn. Jeff Metz, from Metz’s Hart-Land Creamery, also shared how his family started making cheese in a processing facility on their dairy near Rushford, Minn. Each panelist emphasized that moving into the processing side of the industry does not happen overnight. The CannonBelles have been making cheese for 2.5 years and have been planning for the last seven. This spring, they are hoping to break ground on their cheese plant in Cannon Falls, Minn. “It’s not a fast process,” Lufkin said.
Metz also said their venture into on-farm processing has taken longer than expected, starting to plan over 10 years ago and churning out curds from their newly constructed on-farm creamery in 2014. All of the cheesemakers also talked about needing to nd the products that represent them the best. “Cheese curds are our niche,” Metz said. “When we did our feasibility study, fresh curds weren’t there [within our 60-mile radius] at the time. I would encourage you to look in the cases. Is there something we’re importing right now? Is it something we can make locally? There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be something we can’t make here.” The CannonBelles did the same. They did market research by going to area grocery stores and retailers. That is when they realized there was not much queso fresco, one of the cheeses they made. “It’s important to nd what’s missing,” Hupf said. “And, it’s good to look to the demographics of your communities. We live in a Hispanic community so that type of cheese is important to them.” Once Metz and the CannonBelles were committed to their venture, they found people to help them with their business. They all suggested getting a consultant. “Our consultant tells us like it is,” Metz said. “If you can nd the right person, it is going to be huge for you.” Getting to know others in the industry, such as inspectors, is important, Metz said. “We toured a lot and that was really important,” Metz said. “And something
to think about is Wisconsin has a lot of cheese plants and Minnesota doesn’t have as many. Find the people to work with who know a lot about food safety and food processing. Food safety is huge. There are a lot of rules.” The CannonBelles also went on tours and gained insight from their consultant, who steered them away from building a creamery on Ohmann’s family’s farm. “He slowed us down and pointed us in the right direction,” Hupf said. Along with their consultant, the CannonBelles have learned a lot from Ray Miller, plant manager at the University of Minnesota pilot plant, where they have been making their commercial cheese. “We got to use his brain, his information, his experience,” Lufkin said. “That’s been invaluable. Even though [renting the U of M pilot plant] has cost us a lot more money, it’s well worth the money and time.” The women have also been able to try cheesemaking equipment. “It helped us determine what kind of equipment we wanted to buy when we open our plant,” Hupf said. “When we rst came into the cheese business, we had completely different plans of what kind of equipment we were going to use.” The CannonBelles and Metz have become a part of their local economic development organizations and have joined professional associations. “The learning you can get from there is invaluable,” Lufkin said. The CannonBelles are also members of a local foods peer group. “That has been huge for us,” Lufkin
said. “Even though [other members] aren’t dairy, they have a lot of ideas for packaging, marketing and things like that.” Marketing has been a huge learning curve for Metz and the CannonBelles. “When you’re dairy farming, and when you’re just out there getting the milk, someone else has their label out there on it,” Metz said. “You’re in the background. When you’re value added you’re now in the forefront.” The CannonBelles said they took a lot of time to nalize the name of their business and the logo. Hupf said nding consistent sales with restaurants has been challenges. With the help of a distributor, CannonBelles Cheese is now in more stores than the three women can travel each week themselves. “That really helped us grow in our marketshare,” Hupf said. Farmers markets have also been successful. “There’s a big local foods movement going on, and I think it’s just in the beginning stages, so don’t be afraid to jump into this,” Hupf said. “I think it’s just going to continue to grow.” Metz agreed. “Local is huge,” Metz said. “People like to meet the family. We’re out there sampling. People are really intrigued by that.” One of the market angles for Metz’s cheese is the family making it. Being able to bring another generation back to the farm was a big reason why they started making cheese in the rst place. Although each say it is not an easy or fast journey, Metz and the CannonBelles have enjoyed jumping into the value-added side of dairy.
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
Consider risk protection before crop sales deadlines The United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency reminds producers to review available USDA crop risk protection options, including federal crop insurance and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage, before the crop deadline March 15. Federal crop insurance covers crop losses from natural adversities such as drought, hail and exces- FSA News & Notes sive moisture. NAP covers losses from natural disasters on crops for which no permanent federal crop insurance program is available, including perennial grass forage and grazing crops, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, oriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaBy Ryan Brunn culture, turf grass, ginStearns Co. Exec. Dir. seng, honey, syrup, bioenergy and industrial crops. The following crops have a NAP application deadline of March 15: spring-seeded annual crops such as vegetables, grain crops such as sorghum and perennial forage pasture. Producers can determine if crops are eligible for federal crop insurance or NAP by visiting https:// www.webapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/actuarialinformationbrowser2018/CropCriteria.aspx. NAP basic coverage is available at 55 percent of the average market price for crop losses that exceed 50 percent of expected production. Federal crop insurance coverage is sold and delivered solely through private insurance agents. Agent lists are available at all USDA service centers or online at http://www.prodwebnlb.rma.usda. gov/apps/AgentLocator/#. Producers can use the USDA cost estimator, https://www.ewebapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/costestimator/Default.aspx, to predict insurance premium costs. For more information on NAP, service fees, premiums and sales deadlines, contact your county’s FSA ofce or visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov/ nap. Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs.
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By John Rosenhammer & Laura Scholtz Father/Daughter Farming Duo “I’m going to save this calf.â€? That’s what I conďƒždently told Cassidy, one of our high school helpers, as she crouched down next to me, holding the calf still while I stuck the needle in its vein and started a lactated ringers IV. I explained to her that this calf had a bad case of scours and we had been giving it an IV every 12 hours and giving electrolytes via a tube feeder. I’ve saved many seemingly helpless calves, and I wasn’t about to fail on this young heifer. However, the next morning, I walked into the calf barn to ďƒžnd my efforts weren’t enough. Anger ďƒžlled me. Why was this heifer different from others I’d saved? Frustrated, I spent extra time in the calf barn watching the calves, identifying far too many with scours and mixing up electrolytes for each one. One bull calf refused to drink his bottle, so I put the electrolytes in the tube feeder, and just like I had done many times before, proceeded to tube feed him. About three-fourths of the way through, the electrolyte mix began coming back out the calf’s mouth, and I quickly stopped. I helplessly watched as the calf gagged and gasped for air. He too, didn’t survive. Now, rage ďƒžlled me. My skills weren’t enough to keep my calves alive. I needed to ask for help. I sent in several fecal samples, and lost two more calves in the following days. Finally, our vet called with results of rotavirus and E. coli, and we discussed a treatment and prevention plan. I relayed the info to my dad, and together we are implementing a vaccine at birth and giving pills as treatment for those already sick. I’m excited to say we are on the mend and working on getting all our calves’ immunity built up again. Losing four calves will be on my conscience for a long time. As I look back and analyze our situation, I can see what led to our problems. Normally, bull calves are sold within a week of birth, but with the low prices, we have been keeping them longer. That means our calf barn has double the number of calves it is meant to hold. Additionally, a calving boom in January added to the workload and the frigid temps caused cold stress for both the calves and us. The excessive snow requires hours in the skidloader clearing the yard, taking away from our time spent caring for the calves. Finally, the challenging weather had prevented me from keeping up with my weekly dry cow vaccinations, which meant calves weren’t getting needed protection in their colostrum. With another snowstorm in the forecast, I’m preparing by getting our calf barn organized – extra bedding, cleaning calf jackets not in use, pail training as many as we can, cleaning up dirty pails, and making sure we have plenty of grain nearby so we don’t have to walk through the snow. I can’t change
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 27
the number of calves we have to feed, but I can do my we are getting caught up on a lot of projects with his best to make feeding calves easier. I’m getting caught help. Next week there will be more hours of daylight up on dry cow vaccinations, and in a few weeks, I am to renew our spirits. Last week, my mom received conďƒždent we will able to eliminate the $4 vaccine we conďƒžrmation that she is ďƒžve years breast cancer free and we celebrated by going have been giving calves at for lunch, followed by an birth and fully rely on their As I llook A kb back k and d analyze l our out afternoon running errands immunity via colostrum. I always keep an attitude situation, I can see what led to together. We stopped at a liquor store to pick up a of gratitude. While I could our problems. bottle of wine, and I noticed not save the sick calves, I my favorite beverage, did catch a fresh cow going Leinenkugel’s Summer off feed and was able to successfully prevent her from developing a DA by Shandy, was available. If it has to be this cold outside, drenching ďƒ&#x;uids. With the cold weather preventing us at least I can have a taste of summer. Laura Scholtz farms with her father, John from running our weekly footbath, our hoof trimmer was able to make an extra stop and take care of our Rosenhammer, and uncle Greg, on Roseview Dairy lame cows. One of our best hired hands, Nick is near Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and helping us this week during his spring break, and run 580 acres of cropland.
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Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130 Hugh Chester-Jones chest001@umn.edu 507-835-3622 Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184 Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391 Sandra Godden godde002@umn.edu 612-625-8177 Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu 612-626-5620 Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277 Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711 Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu 612-625-3108 Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334 Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109 Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435 Kota Minegishi kota@umn.edu 612-624-7455 Erin Royster royster@umn.edu Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093 M. Scott Wells mswells@umn.edu 612-625-3747 Emily Wilmes krek0033@umn.edu 320-255-6169
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Group size for dairy calves The optimum group size for dairy calves has been debated. For many years, the strong recommendation was for preweaned calves to be fed individually and with good reason. Individual housing allows easy observation of calves, control and monitoring of individual feed intake, observing for signs of diarrhea and respiratory illness, and reduces physical contact between calves which can spread disease. Individual housing also eliminates crosssuckling behavior that can arise in group housing under certain conditions. On the other hand, recent research indicates that group housing allows more square footage for exercise and play, full interaction with By Mike Schutz other calves, better handling of stress at University of MN weaning and group learning that can lead to eating starter at a younger age. With growing interest in group housing of calves, especially in housing systems with automatic calf feeders, it is a good time to consider a few aspects of group housing. In this article, I share some results of a calf group size study we conducted at Purdue University with Essam Abdelfattah, a visiting PhD student from Egypt, and Dr. Susan Eicher, an immunologist and cattle behavior researcher with the United States Department of Agriculture Livestock Behavior Research Unit. While our preference would have been to work with heifer calves, we found a unique barn housing Holstein male veal calves in pens of two. It t our study because simply by removing the stainless steel dividers, we could make groups of four or eight with exactly the same space per calf. Our goals were to assess any differences in growth and behavior of calves in pens with two, four or eight calves. The 4- by 10-foot pens used in this study provided 20 square feet of space per calf. That is far more spacious than many sources would lead one to believe about veal calf production systems. We observed 12 pens of two calves, 12 pens of four calves and 12 pens of eight calves randomly arranged in the barn. The barn was naturally ventilated with adjustable curtains and chimney vents. Temperature started at 55 degrees and was reduced by about 0.5 degrees twice weekly until 50 degrees. Calves were housed on slatted oors with radiant heating to maintain temperatures. The feed trough at the front
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of the pen was divided so each calf could access an individual feeding area. Milk replacer (16 percent crude protein and 18 percent crude fat) was fed twice daily. The same trough was used to offer grain and water. Since the calves were fed the same amount and had the same space and same environment, it is not all that surprising that changes in body weight gain, hip height and heart girth were very similar for calves in all group sizes. There were some differences in behavior for calves in the different sized pens. The most frequent measure of aggression in this study was the number of times calves displaced one another at the feed trough, but even that was rare and did not differ by group. In fact, previous work in Japan also showed that group size did not affect aggressive behavior as much as limited space, and since we had ample room for calves, there was less aggression at the feed bunk for all group sizes. Calves in the larger pens of four or eight did spend more time in contact with other calves, walking, and standing, than those in pens of two, which may be more related to the total area of the pen than to the number of calves. Those calves in pens of two spent more time exploring gates and other objects, selflicking and lying down compared to the larger groups. Two of the biggest concerns with group housing of calves are cross suckling and disease transmission. In this study, we observed that calves in groups of two spent more time licking around the other calf’s face going after remnants of milk and feed. Otherwise, calves in the larger group spent a bit more time in contact with other calves. For the most part, cross sucking was at a low level. But in one pen of eight, cross sucking became excessive and resulted in tting the calves with antisuckling equipment. This suggests that cross sucking may be manageable, but is a learned behavior that may arise from individual calves or perhaps from certain stressors. In this study, there were no large differences for observed health incidents, but the amount of coughing was greater for the calves in larger groups prior to 6 weeks of age and similar after that. Overall, we concluded that the number per group, given the same space per calf, did not affect growth or indicators of welfare. There were no detrimental effects on calf health after 6 weeks of age, but calves in groups of two had the benets of increased exploration and lying time compared to the larger groups.
Dairy farm management is an art In a classic textbook of agricultural production economics, Doll and Orazem once stated that the art of farm management centers around a knowledge of the competitive, complementary and supplementary relationships among farm enterprises. “Wheat and soybeans may be supplementary enterprises with respect to combine use because one may be harvested in June and the other in September. With respect to land, they are competitive because if an acre of land is used to grow wheat, it cannot be used to grow soybeans the same season. Two crops may be competitive with respect to labor use during the spring planting time, but supplementary during the harvesting periods. … The most appropriate combination of intermediate products [such as feedstuffs in dairying] can only be selected by considering the needs of the livestock enterprise[s].” This passage suggests the high level of complexity involved in the art of dairy farm management. In the spirit of Doll and Orazen, let us review two fundamental principles of production economics. These principles may appear abstract, but provide powerful tools when operationalized. Rule No. 1: Every additional dollar spent must generBy Kota Minegishi University of MN ate at least a dollar of added value. Equivalently, every additional dollar of cost savings must not reduce revenues by more than a dollar. Suppose that switching to an advanced variety of seed costs $65 more per acre and is expected to yield 20 additional bushels. At the anticipated market price of $4 per bushel, it would generate an additional $80 per acre. Should you switch? Yes. The net prot is $15 ($80 minus $65) as each dollar spent on advanced seed generated $1.23 or revenue. In another example, suppose that reducing one round of pesticide application saves $65 per acre and reduces an estimated 15 bushels an acre. Should you decrease pesticide application? Yes. The net prot is $5 ($65 in cost savings minus $60 in lost revenue) as each dollar of cost saving reduced revenues by only $0.92. Rule No. 2: Every additional dollar spent across various inputs and for various outputs must generate an equal value (or similar values) of one dollar or higher. Now, consider how to allocate dairy manure across elds. At your current plan for allocation, based on your estimates of yield gains, market prices and cost of hauling at $400, you calculate that an additional truckload of manure to two elds of corn and soybeans would generate an additional $800 and $1,200 on those elds, which means a return of $2 and $3 per dollar spent (on manure hauling), respectively. Then, consider reallocating some from the corn eld to the soybean eld in your original plan. You may be better off with less manure applied to the corn eld (and therefore a lower corn yield) and more manure applied to the soybean eld (and therefore a higher soybean yield) until the benet of applying an additional truckload of manure in soybeans becomes similar to that of corn. To check for an optimal allocation of limited resource across multiple purposes, consider hypothetically having an additional unit of that resource and examine whether its application would yield similar returns across various usages. Further, suppose that an incremental application of supplemental fertilizer to the corn eld would create $1.25 per dollar spent. Then, further ask, after such an application, whether yet another incremental application would pay for itself. By the law of diminishing marginal product (that is, an input increases the output at a decreasing rate), the additional benet of fertilizer would decline for each additional increment and eventually yield less than $1. Generally, you want to stop adding input before reaching that point and backtrack if you are over-committed. When incremental calculations and adjustments are thoroughly made, you should nd yourself in a situation where the incremental return of every input for every output is about $1. Applying such principles may not be easy because we rarely know exactly how much an additional ton of manure will impact the yield. Still, these basic principles will help you constantly re-assess the trade-offs involved in each decision you make. Moreover, for a typical dairy producer, crop production is only half of the picture. Many farms grow crops as feed and purchase supplemental grains, bers and minerals, indicating that the inter-connection between dairy and crop enterprises must be considered. When all feed ingredients are sold and purchased through markets, the producer can treat the two enterprises separately. Produce the crops you are good at producing, sell the surplus of those crops, and buy the shortage of crops for your feeding needs. However, given that corn silage and haylage are seldom traded in the market, the producer must understand his own internal prices for those ingredients and coordinate the two enterprises efciently. The internal prices are determined by the interaction between the cost of supplying the crops and the benet of converting them into milk. When milk prices fall, for example, a good manager would lower the intensity of milk production per cow by reducing feed expenses. This decline in the internal demand for feed crops must be coordinated with the reduction in the internal supply to reach a new equilibrium at lower internal prices for those crops. The internal supply adjustments may entail changes in acreage allocation or input usage. Such a complex web of decision-making makes dairy farming a true test of knowledge, decision-making and resourcefulness for all farm managers.
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 29
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Absorbing culture
Public broadcasting is a major source of culture culture. for those of us who live in the boondocks. Which is I discovered this vexing issue at an early age. a good thing, because if we did not have culture, we I was 7 years old when Dad took me to the annual might de-evolve into an uncivilized people. Without father-son banquet in the basement of the First public TV, our main form of wintertime entertainment Lutheran Church. I was told there would be a cultural would probably still consist of tricking one another presentation following the meal, but I do not recall into licking the pump any such thing. The only handle. memory I have of the afterIf it were not for O meal event consists of Dad Over the h ensuing i d decades, d I public TV, I would carrying me out to the car. have never learned that have made a concerted effort It seems that the cultural “Les Misérables” is to soak up culture. presentation had put me to not pronounced as less sleep. miserable. Without public Over the ensuing TV, I would have never decades, I have made a witnessed that world-class bug-stomping activity concerted effort to soak up culture. This usually called Riverdance. involved plopping down in front of the tube, tuning Public TV has provided us country folk with a into public TV, watching the rst minutes of the ballet huge cultural windfall. My only problem is that I have (or opera or some such), then waking up as the credits an innate inability to absorb even small amounts of roll.
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I have slumbered through numerous unsuccessful attempts at absorbing culture. I nally resigned myself to the fact that I am not the kind of person who can remain conscious while people yodel in a foreign language or cavort on their tippy toes. Dear County Agent Guy Curiously, I have never had any such problems while watching things like monster truck rallies or mud wrestling. But hope springs eternal. Some years ago, public TV was touting a broadcast of “Cats,” a cannot-miss Broadway musical. Being a fan of everything feline, I was By Jerry Nelson determined not to miss “Cats” when it aired. Columnist On the appointed night, I sat in my recliner – a baloney sandwich in one hand, the remote in the other, a beer balancing on the armrest – and imagined what it would be like to see an actual live performance of “Cats.” In my fantasy (in which we had won the Buckets O’ Bucks Lotto), I would turn to my wife and say, “I have a great idea. I’ve heard wonderful things about this Broadway show called ‘Cats.’ What say we go catch the next performance?” And so, we would hop aboard our private Gulfstream airplane (hey, it is my fantasy) and jet off to Manhattan. But, what is a night in the Big Apple without a sumptuous meal at a snazzy restaurant? We would roll up to the hottest eatery in town, but would be stopped by a guy in a monkey suit who would ask, “Do you have a reservation?” Which of course we would not. My wife would whisper to me, “Why don’t you try tipping him?” to which I would reply, “Because he’s twice my size, that’s why.” She’d reply, “No, I mean offer him a tip.” I would sidle up to the monkey suit and whisper, “Go long on pork bellies. They have nowhere to go but up.” This would obviously get us the best table in the joint. After dinner, it would be off to the theater with its grand facade and its tuxedoed minions. To ensure we got good seats, I would nd a likely usher and whisper to him, “If it starts raining in Brazil, lock in at least half of your soybeans.” And so, we would get excellent seats. This would mean being close enough to the stage to see the action, but not so close we would have to dodge any hairballs horked up during the performance. We would emerge from the theater enthralled and happy and chockfull of culture. And, when the valet brings our car around and holds out his hand, I would tell him, “Hang onto your corn. It’s going to rally this summer.” We would return home all culturized. I would have so much culture, it would literally drip off of me. It would run down my stomach and onto my lap and smell like warm beer. I awoke with a start. The credits for “Cats” were rolling and my lap was soaked. My beer must have become so bored it hurled itself off the armrest. Oh, well. Think of all the money we saved. Besides, it would have been really embarrassing to be carried out of a Broadway theater in my sleep. Jerry is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, S.D. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry currently works full time for the Dairy Star as a staff writer/ad salesman. Feel free to E-mail him at: jerry.n@ dairystar.com.
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Growing dairy in China
Recently, I visited China to consult on dairy farms. It was a fascinating experience. If you want to read more about my trip, see the article in the Feb. 9 edition of Dairy Star or visit my blog http://www. northernvalleydairy.com. While there has been dairy production in China Veterinary Wisdom for a long time, it was a very small industry until recent times. Today, there are somewhere between 8 and 10 million dairy cows. Dairy product consumption has also been low by world standards. In 2013, the average urban consumption of dairy per capita was 63 pounds. The global average at that time By Jim Bennett was 240 pounds per person, Columnist and in the United States it was 637 pounds. So, the Chinese only eat about one-tenth the amount of dairy as we do here per person. However, consumption has been growing. A survey published by the China Dairy Industry Association in 2018 states that dairy product sales will grow 6.4 percent this year and that annual sales will grow by nearly 17 percent by 2023. Most Chinese consume dairy only as milk or yogurt and consume very little butter or cheese. I was not aware of this when I arrived in Beijing, but it was soon clear that dairy is a much smaller part of Chinese life than it is here. For example, in nine days I did not see one piece of cheese, not sliced, shredded, melted, nor blocked. I saw milk served at only one meal, but it was hot. I saw butter once. I did see a little yogurt, mostly of the drinkable version. However, I did see several McDonald’s, and I was told they serve cheeseburgers. Pizza is supposedly popular with the young in China, though I did not see any. I saw ice cream twice. I also saw a population of people that dress like we do, drive cars like we do, use cell phones like we do and all around look like they could
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 31
be in Minneapolis or Los Angeles. Clearly China has Dairy farmers in China are paid more for their been westernized in many ways, and it looks like their milk than here. From looking at a variety of online sources, I found producers were paid about $23 diet is changing, as well. The production side of their dairy industry is per hundredweight in 2017 on average, and that westernized also. The newer farms I saw looked farmers have been paid about 50 percent more that like newer farms here. Cows lived in curtain-sided, our farmers over the last few years. Most likely naturally-ventilated freestall barns and cross ventilated much of this advantage is lost in feed costs. I only barns. The new farms had lots of technology including saw one farm that had attempted to grow alfalfa. All cow identication and parlor systems, manure the hay was shipped from places in the United States scrapers, manure digesters, ventilation systems and including Utah and Idaho. According to a 2014 report feeding equipment. The best farms looked a lot like called, “China’s Rising Dairy Industry,” published our best farms. Their cows look like our cows, too. by Biomin, hay imports increased from 2,088 tons in While cows and heifers have been imported from a 2007 to 755,600 tons in 2013. China also imports a lot variety of countries around the world, semen mostly of corn grain and soybeans. comes from the same companies United States Fundamentally, China has a problem in that only or European dairy farmers might use. Part of this 15 percent of the total land mass can be cultivated modernization is because of the melamine scandal and much of this is not very productive. Plus, much in 2008 when six babies died and thousands more of the land goes toward producing rice or wheat for were sickened by consumption of contaminated baby human consumption. Thus production of feeds for formula. According to a variety of sources, Chinese livestock is challenging and not likely to keep up with consumers still to some degree distrust Chinese- the demand. produced dairy products. When visiting the country, it is obvious change Indeed, an article in the February online edition has been rapid and dramatic in many aspects of of Dairy Business talks about a recently developed Chinese life. Dairy is really no different, especially U.S. cheese label for the Chinese market, hoping on the production side. It sure looks like demand for dairy in China is going to capitalize on this continue to go up, and lingering mistrust of When visiting i i i the h country, iit to China really has no way locally produced dairy. Wh to meet that demand even Overall though, younger is obvious change has been with modern facilities, top middle class Chinese notch technology and great are paying increasing rapid and dramatic in many genetics. Dairy farmers attention to their health, aspects of Chinese life. somewhere in the world and consider dairy products will need to ll that void. to be healthy, especially Hopefully U.S. farmers can western-produced products. Following the melamine scandal, the Chinese be at the front of the line. Bennett is one of four dairy veterinarians at government created new quality regulations that resulted in the exit of many small dairy farms. It also Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center in began subsidizing construction of large scale dairy Plainview, Minn. He also consults on dairy farms in farms. All of this was done to consolidate production other states. He and his wife, Pam, have four children. and gain better control over the safety and quality of Jim can be reached at bennettnvac@gmail.com with dairy products, according to the Jan. 11, 2018, edition comments or questions. of Dairy Global.
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Winter nightmares Long periods of cold and snow obviously make dairy farming a difcult occupation. This February and the forecasted early March have indeed been trying to most of us. We cannot get a break in the weather to catch up and reset our lives to some kind of normalcy. The kids miss too much school, parents are stressed about daycare, and I have not taught my Sunday school class in about a month. I really miss those kids. One of the silly things that happened on one of the coldest nights of the year was one of our 6,000-gallon bulk tanks could not cool the milk. That seems a bit like saying your oven will not heat when it is 101 degrees in the summertime. The thermostat inside the tank is actually located outside under the bulk headed tank. The thermostat was inuenced more by the outside cold than the milk temperature inside the
tank. A temporary wind break and a heat lamp quickly solved the problem. One early morning last week, I was out clearing snow off the roads for the employees, and I got a call that my feed mixing employee was in the ditch with his pickup about 4 miles north of me. I was just getting him out when the phone rang again, and the empty milk semi was in the ditch 10 miles to the south of that. The good news was all my neighbors got the county blacktop road cleared six hours before the rst county plow came along. Halfway through writing this, the Midwest dairy news is picking up many stories of collapsed barn roofs and injured cows. That is truly a winter nightmare for any dairy farmer to endure. All dairy farmers are proud of those calves that are raised to be great cows, and we are proud of the barns we build to
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take care of those great cows. To lose so much so fast in an already tough business would be so hard. So far, we have not had that nightmare, but we have lost some sleep over our sand lane and manure ume. Our basic manure system consists of Making Cents of Dairy scraping pens with a skidloader into a manure ume, which turns 90 degrees and dumps into a sand lane. The sand settles out in the sand lane to be scooped up and recycled as bedding once it dries out. From the sand lane, the manure laden water By Dave Vander Kooi continues on to lagoon Columnist No. 1. In theory, the manure settles out in lagoons No. 1 and No. 2, with gray water left by the time it gets to lagoon No. 3. The oating pump in lagoon No. 3 pumps the gray water back into the ume continuously. The problem during prolonged cold spells like this is the water gets so cold, almost slushy, that it does not carry sand or manure effectively. We have had to manually clean the sand out of the ume twice already and probably will need to do it once more. The manure ume generally works very well, and because Joe did most of the design on it, I do not worry about it much. I help with it and do what I am told. I let Joe lose sleep over it. Corey probably worries if the old feed truck will make it another year, and Bry hopes all the employees make it to work during all the blizzards. My nightmares usually go way back to the olden days of drinking cups running over all night in the tiestall barn. The worst thing back in those days
O off the One h silly ill things hi that h happened on one of the coldest nights of the year was one of our 6,000-gallon bulk tanks could not cool the milk. was pick axing frozen silage off the silo walls so the unloaders would work correctly. It is a good thing most nightmares are not real, or if they are that we adopt the attitude of my good friend Dave Schwartz. Dave’s freestall barn collapsed last week, and he lost 16 of his 100 cows. I called him to see how he was doing, and he said he moved his remaining cows into a bedded shed, and carpenters were already there getting prepared to rebuild. He said he was still having fun, and if it was not fun, he would pretend he was having fun. Vander Kooi operates a 1,800-cow, 4,500 acre farm with his son, Joe, and daughter-in-law, Rita, near Worthington, Minn. Send him feedback at davevkooi@ icloud.com. Follow him on Instagram, @davevanderkooi.
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Meeting madness There has been very little break between bitter cold, blizzards and the aftermath that we are all dealing with this winter. February was record-breaking for Minnesota snowfall amounts in a single month according to the climatologists. Keeping up with day-to-day chores is the main focus on our farm, and I imagine every dairy farm in our region, these past few weeks. Devastating damage to people’s barns from snow load and just the sheer job Come Full Dairy Circle of moving snow for milk and delivery trucks is overwhelming to say the least. Now March has arrived. What will this month bring for challenges? Will we have more of the same or maybe a small respite from the unrelenting snow and wind? I think we are all hoping for some calmer weather with time to regroup, catch up and get some overdue lot cleaning and cattle moving underway. Normally this is the time of the year that we attend various meetings. One or more of us try to go to meetings that we feel are important to our management or business skills. Other events are more on the By Jean Annexstad fun side, because we get to celebrate and maybe see old friends. Still other appointments revolve around Columnist nances, taxes or signing up for dairy and crop programs. Whatever the case, it takes time, energy and planning if we want to get away to attend. Some stay on the wish list even if we cannot make it every year. Rolf and I have had the good fortune to attend the Gopher Dairy Club Banquet three years running. This is a fun event held the third Sunday of February (thank goodness, no blizzard) where the accomplishments of the University of Minnesota dairy club kids are celebrated. This year my brother-in-law, Mike was able to join us. It so happened that alumni of his age were either speaking or being honored by the club, so he had an interest in going. He was able to visit with a good friend during the meal. We are all alumni of the university, and this event is a great way to reconnect with people we went to college with or know from our industry. The students do a tremendous job of organizing and orchestrating the banquet and program. It is an honor to be involved and watch them shine. Another interesting meeting I went to was a farm succession planning workshop held by the United Farmers Cooperative at their headquarters in Winthrop, Minn. The workshop was conducted by Jolene Brown, West Branch, Iowa, who is a renowned speaker on this topic. I had heard her a few other times and was excited to go. The take-away message and information she provided was excellent. Now comes the tough part of explaining and implementing the suggestions. It was useful to have a packet of information to take along to refer to in days to come. The afternoon session covered more of the nuts and bolts of transition planning from the perspective of an attorney, CPA and nancial planner. The February storms meant that some meetings were rescheduled. One of those is our regional DHIA meeting that I was looking forward to attending. The records we pay for and receive are comprehensive but not as well used as they maybe could be. The topic of the meeting was how to better utilize your records. I am hoping it works to get there on the new date. Sometimes, I try to take in a webinar and rely on online or published articles where reporters cover meetings that I cannot attend. Most of the time, that is a good alternative, but it requires some real discipline to actually take time to focus. For Mike and Rolf, this winter has not allowed much time to sit and watch webinars, read or anything else. It seems like every hour in the day is taken up with work needing to be done or dealing with the latest snow storm. Another meeting that comes up in March is our county DHIA and Holstein Association meetings that we hold on the same day. This a collaborative effort between University of Minnesota Extension and the boards of both organizations. At last count, I think there were more than 40 emails to get the time, place, meal and speaker decided for this event. The meeting is fun, and it is good to get together with local dairy farmers that you do not get to see very often. It is an event where we celebrate, learn, conduct business and enjoy a meal together. Our group is small but passionate about what we do. I hope you can nd a meeting or event to attend that offers a chance to gain insight, relax and step away from the difcult winter and economic times we have faced. Jean dairy farms with her husband, Rolf, and brother-in-law, Mike, and children Emily, Matthias and Leif. They farm near St. Peter, in Norseland, where she is still trying to t in with the Norwegians and Swedes. They milk 200 cows and farm 650 acres. She can be reached at jeanannexstad@gmail.com.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 33
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
Navigating farm transitions
By Danna Sabolik
danna.s@dairystar.com
NORWOOD YOUNG AMERICA, Minn. – Farm transitions may have a negative or undesirable connotation within farming families. A mix of emotions, generations, plans and nances can be a recipe for disaster. Or, they may not be. Merri Post shared her perspective on the farm transition process at the Carver County Dairy Expo Feb. 18 at Central High School in Norwood Young America, Minn. She began by establishing there is no such thing as a normal family, and all families struggle with farm transitions, including her own. She shared experiences on her farm as she is nishing up a generational transition with her in-laws and also incorporating her children into the farm. She milks 140 cows with her husband, Bill, with two robotic milking units near Chandler, Minn. “I feel [farm transitions] are an important issue as the average age of farmers increase, we need to do everything we can to make these transitions successful,” Post said. “It’s the little things that make a farm transition go south and helping farms learn to deal with those little things is important to aid in a productive and efcient farm transition.” Post worked as a coordinator for the Minnesota Dairy Initiative Program where she aided farms in the southwest region for 14 years before coming home to farm full time. She has recently gained certication as a farm transition specialist with the International Farm Transfer Network.
“We tend to think no one has trouble with farm transitions, but that is simply not true,” Post said. “Every farm has issues, but the successful ones know how to deal with it.” One common misunderstanding on farms undergoing transitions is the desire to treat all heirs equally. “I work to help farms be successful in transition, and when we come in with the mindset of splitting equally, my stomach gets tight,” Post said. “That’s not always the best decision to keep the farm successful. That’s the point where I turn to Mom and Dad and ask them what they want their legacy to be. Usually, they want their farm set up for success and they want to make sure all heirs are satised. That’s something we can do.” While all heirs deserve to be valued and heard, they do not all need to own a portion of the farm. “Farming is not a birth right,” she said. Spouses also can be a hindrance for a smooth farm transition. “Make sure your spouse knows their role on the farm,” Post said. “It doesn’t matter how large or small the role is, but make sure they know what they are signing up for.” Communication can be misinterpreted with multiple generations and genders. “Men and women communicate differently,” Post said. “Women make decisions based on mutual agreement while men choose to resolve by forced persuasion over majority rule. Women are open to share problems, while men tend to keep problems to themselves. Women focus on details of emotion and
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
Merri and Bill Post milk 140 cows with two robots on their farm near Chandler, Minn. They are working through a farm transiƟon with Bill’s parents and incorporaƟng their children onto the farm. men focus on details of fact. Men are problem solvers, while women desire to understand the problem.” Understanding these fundamental differences will help couples communicate and build a successful business during transition times. “You should feel like you’re doing the right thing 70 percent of the time,” Post said. “If 70 percent of the time you handle problems the right way, then you will have more mental reserves and energy to handle the tougher situations.” As a farm works through decisions, everything discussed must be
documented to avoid confusion later on regarding boundaries and ownership. “You will never regret writing down something you don’t need, but you will always regret not writing down something you do need,” Post said. “Sometimes it comes to the little stuff that can take the farm down.” Whether the farm transition sounds like torture or a walk in the park, Post offers tips for every farmer, no matter where they are in the transition journey. “This will be a lifelong process,” Post said. “Transition does not happen in a short period of time. It is a journey.”
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 35
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DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR
Zack Fuchs is the lead milker on Roger and Julie Lanners’ dairy farm near Royalton, Minn. Fuchs did not grow up on a dairy farm.
Lanners luck out with star employee By Danna Sabolik
danna.s@dairystar.com
ROYALTON, Minn. – Good help is hard to come by, but Roger and Julie Lanners feel they have struck a gold mine with Zachary Fuchs. Royalton High School senior Fuchs has climbed the ranks at the Lanners’ farm and earned the responsibility of lead milker on their 375cow dairy near Royalton, Minn. Fuchs rst milked a cow in August 2016 and now milks almost every evening. “It’s easy and I like it,” said Fuchs about milking cows. “I understand it. It makes sense to me.” Fuchs is one of eight full- and part-time milking employees at the dairy. They milk in a swing-21 parlor twice a day. While Fuchs usually milks during the evening, he is willing to pitch in whenever needed, often helping with morning chores before school and on weekends even when he is not scheduled. “I just want to do the best job I can,” said Fuchs about his goals on the Lanners’ farm.
“I just want to do the best job I can. ” ZACHARY FUCHS, ROYALTON HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR
Fuchs’ father was a previous employee of the Lanners and encouraged Fuchs to reach out about a possible position. The Lanners are always looking for employees who can grow on their farm, and when Fuchs approached the couple about employment, he t the bill. “It’s good for [Fuchs] to have a job here and it also is good for us,” Julie said. At the time, the student employee was working with a construction company but looking for a more consistent source of income through the winter to become nancially prepared for college.
At school, Fuchs is welding a trailer and nds he enjoys that kind of work. He plans to further develop his welding skills at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minn. “I want to keep milking cows until I can weld full time,” Fuchs said. “I like milking cows, and it’s a great job to have while I work towards my goals because milking requires patience, just like welding.” Fuchs still has several months of employment on the dairy before he leaves town for college, but his anticipated leave has been on Julie’s mind often. “He does a really good job,” she said. “I’m going to miss him when he’s not here.” Fuchs has a variety of responsibilities on the farm in addition to milking. During his work shift, Fuchs feeds calves, switches groups of cows and works with fellow employees. He has also been trained to spot health issues in animals and can treat them within the responsibilities of his position. “When I started here I was just a milker,” Fuchs said. “Now I’ve worked here three years and Julie trusts me, so I’m lead milker during a shift and also have other responsibilities, like setting up and getting the cows.” Julie agreed. “He has shown loyalty, something a lot of employees don’t show,” she said. “I trust him to do a good job and if something is wrong he will let me know.” While Fuchs’ list of responsibilities continues growing at the Lanners’ farm, his favorite activity remains milking. Fuchs’ dedication and interest in the farm has not gone unnoticed. The Lanners are pleased with Fuchs as an employee, especially given his age. “Not many kids would get up at 5 a.m. to come to work and help feed calves in the cold during the winter,” Julie said. “He always is striving to do his very best.” Fuchs humbly added his work on the farm would not be possible without the trust the Lanners have placed in him. “I have learned a lot about dairy cows because of this job, and I’m glad they let me work for them,” Fuchs said.
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
Women In Dairy Katie Wolf Bankston, Iowa Dubuque County 230 cows Family: Ted and I were married in the fall of 2017 on our farm. Last September, we welcomed our rstborn son, Clayton James. Tell us about your farm. My husband and I farm alongside his family. The farm has been in Ted’s family since 1930. Clayton is the fth generation to help on the family farm. We farm 350 acres of corn and alfalfa, and milk 230 cows twice a day in a swing-18 parlor. We raise heifers, steers, hogs and chickens. My husband, brother-in-law, Scotty, and father-in-law, Jim, are full time on the farm. I work for Trans Ova Genetics as a professional services embryologist in addition to helping my husband and caring for our son. I get to travel to satellite centers each week within the central Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois region, which is something I truly enjoy. I love being able to connect with the clients and knowing I can help multiply success in their reproductive program. What is the busiest time of day for you? Evening. As soon as I nish traveling back from work, I pick up our son from daycare and then head to the barn to help with milking. After evening chores, I start dinner and then get Clayton ready for bed. When you get a spare moment what do you do? I enjoy being outside. Anything that has to do with soaking up the sun, I am all for it. We also love seeing our family and friends and having them out to the farm. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. The Fourth of July. My husband proposed to me right after evening chores out in the middle of his family’s farm. He led me through the corn eld, turned around and before I knew it, he was down on one knee. I was caught so off guard that honestly I thought he fell down and was wanting me to help him up. From the earliest days of dating, I knew if I ever wanted to see this dairy farmer, I better get myself on the farm and work alongside him. For our rst Valentine’s Day, we were doing the most romantic thing you could do on that day together, milking cows. I went out that night to bring the rest of the cows up into the holding pen from the freestall barn. As it turned out, one cow got skittish and had a hard time crossing a grate.
All of a sudden, this cow jumps over the grate, inging manure all over me. I was covered head to toe in manure. I came back to the parlor to nd Ted and his dad laughing away. With a smirk on my face, I told Ted that if he’d ever second guess my love for him, this was proof I am in it for the long haul. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? There is always something to do. It’s something our family gets to do together. I love knowing that Clayton gets to be a part of this and grow up on the farm working alongside us. Clayton’s grandpa and uncle are already ghting on who gets to have him ride in their tractor this coming spring. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? Every year I put on the Youth Dairy Classic in northeast Iowa. It is a weekend event that solely focuses on the youth. The event includes judging, kiddie calf, showmanship, a dairy show and a tting contest. This will be my 10th year organizing the show. In past years, we’ve had over 350 head of cattle with 150 exhibitors from six states. The most rewarding part of the show is getting to know all the exhibitors and their families. It’s a pretty amazing experience that I get to be a small part of. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My in-laws. If you looked up all-American family in the dictionary, their names would be next to the denition. No matter how busy they are, they always take time to help their family, neighbors or others in need. They have taught us about living simple and humbly as they have farmed.
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DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR
Princess Kay of the Milky Way Rebekka Paskewitz hands yogurt to kindergartener Penelope Gardner during Dairy Day Tuesday March 5 at West Central Area South Elementary School in Kensington, Minn.
Princess Kay helps with unique promotion By Danna Sabolik
danna.s@dairystar.com
KENSINGTON, Minn. – Students were encouraged to enjoy an extra serving of dairy as part of Douglas County American Dairy Association’s Dairy Day Tuesday, March 5 in Minnesota’s Douglas County. Children in grades pre-K to fourth grade not only took part in the challenge, but also heard from Princess Kay of the Milky Way as she visited West Central Area South Elementary School in Kensington, Minn. She helped encourage dairy consumption as part of the county ADA’s promotion. “These are students who may be learning about cows for the ďƒžrst time or have cows at home and are learning how much they enjoy sharing what they know with their classmates,â€? Paskewitz said. “Regardless of experience, these young minds are current eaters and future decision makers in the dairy aisle, making them a great audience for the dairy story.â€? Paskewitz spent the morning in classrooms, and visited with children
about dairy products and talked to them about what life is like on a dairy farm. At lunchtime, Paskewitz helped distribute yogurt to students who were eager and excited to enjoy an extra serving of dairy. “Today has been phenomenal,� Paskewitz said. “These kids are so kind and open to learning. Their excitement for milk’s journey from farm to school builds my own enthusiasm for our dairy story.� The tradition began last year when the group promoted dairy products in area schools through an initiative called, Two Milk Tuesdays. This year, they are offering yogurt or a cheese stick to students with their lunch meal. “Dairy Day Tuesdays is an exceptional program and example of dairy farmers sharing their livelihood with the community,� Paskewitz said. To date, Dairy Day Tuesday was held Feb. 26 and March 5 for students in Douglas County schools. So far, the event has reached 5,500 students in 19 schools across the county. Another Dairy Day Tuesday will take place March 12.
Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 37
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DANNA SABOLIK/DAIRY STAR
The West Central Area South Elementary kindergarten class shows o the extra serving of dairy they enjoyed during lunch on Dairy Day Tuesday, March 5 in Kensington, Minn.
In Eastern Iowa Call: Amanda HoeĂ er
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DAIRY ST R
Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
New season, same great story Mark Twain once said, “In the hearts. Your love and perseverance for spring, I have counted 136 different dairy farming has a ripple effect off the kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.� farm. This year, I have been blessed to As we turn the calendar see the positive impact of once more, a Minnesota On the Road with your lifestyle at work. My March greets us with the wish is that someday you Princess Kay same outlook on spring. can see the same genuine This quote is also pretty smiles and sparkling eyes relevant for the winter we of students who connect have endured. The past with you through your two months have been story. To me, it is proof dense with snow, cold that what you do matters. temperatures and records It may not be a tangible in both categories. Winter relief to the snow storms has been anything but you face on the farm, but consistent or mild. On the I want you to know that contrary, it has been full the farm you pour your of surprises. By Rebekka Paskewitz heart into has a story Congruently, our lives 65th Princess Kay of the that resonates with an Milky Way and farms are always important audience in the changing. In the past few dairy community – our months and even years, consumers. your family may have experienced When I was a kid, I wanted to be some record highs and some record a meteorologist. I wanted to predict the lows. On the farm, you have seen some weather and warn everyone before a days that were as sharp as this year’s big snowstorm hit. As we enter a new wind chill and some deep snow that month, I wish I could bring all 136 made you rethink everything. different types of Twain’s weather to For a moment, I want to take a you before they happen. Even further, break from the cold and the snow to I wish I could provide a forecast for say, “thank you.� What you do makes a the nonweather-related highs and lows difference, and I mean that sincerely. In you face as farmers. However, I did not the past few weeks, I have met over 100 pursue a career in meteorology or dairy elementary schoolers who transitioned economics. But, I do spend a lot of time from sourcing milk to a grocery store, with people who enjoy your products to asking if I can bring my cows to their and adore your story. While I will not school for a visit. From calves to the be on the evening news sharing these milk truck, students are fascinated by observations in the weather forecast, I your daily routine and the hard work you hope it brings a positive outlook to your put in. Your dairy story has brightened daily routine and lifestyle. smiles, opened minds and shaped This year has been full of indecisive
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Princess Kay of the Milky Way Rebekka Paskewitz visits with students Feb. 13 at Loring Elementary School in Minneapolis. weather patterns and winter conditions that make each of us question our Minnesotan roots. What I do not question is the beneďƒžt of what you do on the world around us. No matter the season your farm and family are in, your story is valuable. As March begins, we can undoubtedly expect 136 types of weather in 24 hours. Amidst the changes, highs and lows, one thing remains constant: the value and importance of your dairy story. Thank you for giving students and consumers of all ages a story they can love and appreciate. No matter the season, you can rejoice in having a great story. Rebekka grew up in Browerville,
Minn., working on several dairy farms including her uncle’s farms. Rebekka ďƒžnds joy in sharing the story and future of dairy with others through community outreach and media platforms. She is a junior at South Dakota State University studying Agricultural Education with minors in Animal Science and Social Media. At school she is very involved with the College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences Prexy Council, Sigma Alpha Sorority, Little International, Collegiate Farm Bureau, and Dairy Club. She also enjoys showing and raising cattle, mentoring youth in 4-H and FFA, road trips, hunting, ďƒžshing, tractor pulls, and watching the Vikings with Dad.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Page 39
with Edgar and Martha Martin, Brooten, Minn.
Edgar and Martha Martin (pictured with granddaughter) Brooten, Minn. Stearns County 190 cows How did you get into farming? I grew up on a dairy farm; my parents milked and farmed in Elkhart, Ind. My wife, Martha, and I, and our 11 children moved here in 1999. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? Like everybody else, the milk price and the outcome of the dairy industry. Commercial farms get bigger and family farms struggle to keep going. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? We put tunnel ventilation in the freestall barn three years ago. It kept the barn warmer in the winter and kept the ies off the cows in the summer. It really helped with cow comfort. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? We shared equipment with our neighbor and did our own manure pumping this past fall. It saved us a lot of money. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? We don’t really have any help. It’s us and our son and daughter-in-law, Gregory and Charlene. They are buying some of the cows. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. Maintenance. I like to x things as much as I can. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? Being home with the family and working with the family and raising our children on the farm.
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? If you have cows, you have to manage them well; cows pay the bills. Watch your spending. What has been the best purchase you’ve ever made on your farm? The skidloader; it moves a lot of things around in a day. What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Raising our family, teaching them good work ethic and helping them get established. We have ve children in the area. Four milk cows and one hauls milk.
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What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? We plan to ease off and help our son take over. We will try to help him as much as health permits. As long as we are here we will help. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? Edgar: I like to take a nap. Martha: I like to read. We both like to spend time with church families on Sunday.
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, March 9, 2019
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