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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 19, No. 5
April 22, 2017
“I haven’t even opened it yet and I don’t think I’m going to.” - Terrance Pfaff
Time is running out
Dairy producers dropped by processor scrambling to nd home for milk by May 1 By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
LA CRESCENT, Minn. – As the third generation on his family’s dairy near La Crescent, Minn., Richard Johnson is proud to have his sons transitioning in as the fourth generation to care for the cows and manage the land; however, if the Johnsons don’t nd a processor to take their milk by May 1, their family dairy history could come to a halt. Their dairy is one of many in Wisconsin and Minnesota that has been dropped by its processor, Grassland Dairy Products, Inc. Maureen Lee, marketing and communication director for the Wisconsin-based processor, said she could not give out the number of producers dropped and where they are located. “We want to keep that quiet because we think it would negatively impact their ability to nd a new processor,” Lee said. Lucas Sjostrom, executive director for the Minnesota Milk Producers Association, is working to help the dropped producers in Minnesota. Based on testing cooperatives, Sjostrom said 19 farms from
Turn to FINDING A HOME | Page 5
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Terrance Pfaff holds the unopened le�er he received from his processor, Grassland Dairy Products, Inc., that was sent to him and a number of patrons in Wisconsin and Minnesota, informing them the processor would no longer accept their milk on May 1. Pfaff milks 445 cows on his dairy near Preston, Minn.
Jackson County’s care package Area farmers send wildre relief to Oklahoma By Cassie Olson
cassie.o@dairystar.com
ALMA CENTER, Wis. – With devastation across acres of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas in the wake of ongoing wildres, an outpouring of support has continued to come from across America’s agriculture industry. After exchanging text messages with a fellow tractor puller, Alma Center, Wis., dairy farmer James Giese decided he wanted to do his part to help those affected. Giese, who milks 120 cows with his father, Emil, helped deliver two loads of hay and fencing supplies donated by farmers across Jackson County to Knowles, Okla. “It all started when a friend in Iowa that I pull tractors against, Alan Mohr, asked if we could go with him over the weekend,” Giese said. “I sent out a mass text message on March 27 to the farmers in the area, and it just grew from there.” Coordinating with Mohr’s efforts, Turn to WILDFIRE RELIEF | Page 6
CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
James Giese and his father, Emil, are two of the farmers to donate 138 bales of hay and fencing materials to ranchers in Knowles, Okla. The Gieses milk 120 cows on their dairy near Alma Center, Wis.
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC
General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (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 - Managing Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Ron Johnson (608) 874-4243 ron.j@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Jennifer Coyne (320) 352-6303 jenn@dairystar.com Cassie Olson (715) 245-6848 cassie.o@dairystar.com Brittany Olson (320) 352-6303 brittany.o@dairystar.com
Advertising Sales Main 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 Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com
Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing 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
Earth Day is celebrated in April. Since we know dairy farmers are some of the most conservation-minded people, we decided to focus this issue’s “From our side of the fence” feature on environmental protection practices and sustainability. Read on pages 15-16 in rst section about what other farmers do on their farm to keep it protected for future generations. With spring planting just around the corner, many dairy farmers are pulling equipment out of winter storage and preparing it for eldwork. A dangerous profession in By Mark Klaphake itself, dairy farming becomes more risky during this time of year as machinery is used and family members are Editor eager to help with chores. Review the safety tips found on pages 12-13 in rst section to ensure a rewarding planting season. Spring is also a welcome sight for Kevin, Ken and Mary Mahalko, who milk 42 cows near Gilman, Wis. It’s the time of year when their cows can go out to pasture again. The family began grazing their herd in 1995 and became certied organic in 2011. Over the years, they’ve learned how to manage both aspects of their farm and mold them together. Read on pages 10-11 in third section about their dairy and how they manage grazing. Alan and Jessica Klimek have been focusing on reproduction on their farm, achieving a 27 percent average pregnancy rate last year for their 80-cow dairy near Alexandria, Minn. They are able to get cows bred by watching for heat during chores in combination with an ovsynch program Their breeding program revolves around high type and trying to x a cow’s aws. Read more about their reproduction program on pages 18, 20 in rst section. For the past few years, Lee Nelson and his daughter, Beth, have been ghting the Badger Coulee Transmission Line Project from crossing over their farm. The powerline, planned to be constructed beginning the summer of 2017, comes so close to their dairy they expect a negative impact on their herd and a decrease in value of their farmland. Read about their plan for the future on pages 10-11 in rst section. In our newest feature, “Family ties,” read on pages 8-9 in second section about how four of the Buck siblings have each gone on to pursue their dairying careers after growing up on a dairy near Goodhue, Minn. Enjoy reading this issue and if you want to give us input on what you like reading, email me at mark.k@dairystar.com.
Favorite quotes from this issue:
“We’ve always cut our own wood, but seven years ago we started logging with the horses.” - Jason Julian, 22-23,
First Section
“Air has always been my biggest focus. It’s always comfortable in here, and it shows in how the calves perform.” - Matt Ziegler, Pages 23-24
Second Section
By the Numbers
number of years the 134: The Derousseau family has been
farming near Rice Lake, Wis. (Pages 16, 18 Second Section)
5-7:
Percent of dry matter in the ration that should be sugar. (Pages 12-13, Third Section)
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 3
It’s all inside... What does environmental protection mean to you? Pages 15 - 16
Ferryville
Children Museum of Eau Claire hosts June Dairy Glen Wohlk Month activities Almena, Wis.
First Section: Pages 10 - 11
Third Section: Pages 10 - 11
Mahalkos longtime advocates of dairy grazing
hb
ur
n
Julian family operates Iron organic dairy farm, logging business with draft horses Ashland First Section: Pages 22, 23
Polk
Cory Leis
Cashton, Wis.
Sawyer
W as
Burnett
Price
Rusk
Barron
Alma Center
Area farmers send wildre relief to Oklahoma
First Section: Pages 1, 6 -7
Taylor St. Croix
Chippewa
Dunn
Pierce Viola, Wis.
Buffalo Owatonna, Minn.
Dairy Prole: Dale Spindler
Page 25
Mid-American Hay Auction Results Pages 26 - 27 Crop and weather reports Pages 30 - 31 Dairy Recipes
Norwalk
Page 39
Dairy’s Star Youth: Haylea Noltner
Clark
Eau Claire
Pepin
Steve Leatherberry
Multiple updates contribute to Ziegler Dairy’s healthy calves
THIRD SECTION Pages 2 - 3 Montags carry dairy interest into fourth generation Page 6 Lots of good deals at Barron Spring Classic Pages 12 - 13 Feeding as an art, science Pages 18 - 19 Caring for newborns Pages 20 - 21 Some Udder Stuff Page 22 Dairy Calendar Pages 24 - 30 Classieds
Gilman
Medford
Bayeld
Douglas
Pages 14 - 15 Second Section
Blair
Nelsons to move cows to avoid stray voltage
First Section: Page 28
Trempealeau
Pages 20 - 22 DHIA Annual Rolling Herd Averages Report Pages 23 - 24
Taylor serving UW vet diagnostic lab as pathologist
Second Section: Pages 5 - 6
Eau Claire
Pages 14 - 15 Dairying Around the World
Pages 16, 18 Derousseau Dairy celebrates 134 years milking cows
Barron
Johnsons going organic to make room for sons
Third Section: Page 15
Jackson
Viroqua
Women in Jeans: Bernadine “Bernie” Hornby
La Crosse Monroe
First Section: Page 36
Vernon
Winnebago
Worth
Hancock
Cerro Gordo
Mitchell
Floyd
Howard
C
aw
as
k hic
Bremer
Zone 2
Black Hawk
Bu
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Ellsworth
Kids Corner: The Gauls Third Section: Dane Pages 16 - 17
ford
Craw
Iowa Grant
Fayette
Clayton
n
are
na
a ch
Richland
Allamakee
SECOND SECTION Pages 3 - 4 Petzels named 2016 Sibley County Farm Family of the Year Pages 8 - 9 Family Ties Pages 10 - 11 The “Mielke” Market Weekly Page 12 Dairy Markets Page 13 Area Hay Auction results
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
Winneshiek
FIRST SECTION Pages 1, 5 Dairy producers dropped by processor scrambling to nd home for milk by May 1 Pages 8-9 Ag Insider Pages 12 - 13 Safety during the spring scramble Pages 18, 20 Observation key to reaching 27 percent pregnancy rate for Jassel Holsteins Page 25 The drop in the tank Page 26 FSA News & Notes Page 27 The Transition Pen Page 29 Rural Roots Page 31 A day in your life Page 32 Just Thinking Out Loud Page 33 Dairy Good Life Page 34 Something to Ruminate On Pages 35, 37 Endres improves calf care with management
w ela
D
Linn
Lafayette Dubuque
Jones
Jackson
Green Durango
Kleins’ dairy retirement didn’t last long Third Section: Pages 4, 8
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 5
Con�nued from FINDING A HOME | Page 1
Is your cow a Drinker? Make her first drink count! Famo Dairy Drink is a drinkable, nutritional supplement given immediately after calving. Famo Dairy Drink’s calling card is its superior palatability... she will drink it!
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Although Terrance Pfaff was dropped by his processor because of the change in Canadian milk pricing, he was able to secure a spot with an Iowa-based processor about 90 miles from his farm. Minnesota have to nd a new home for their milk. In Wisconsin, 58 dairy farmers have contacted the Farm Center through the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection asking for help to nd a new processor. Lee said the reason for no longer accepting milk from these producers is because of the change in Canadian dairy pricing policies, which halted the northern country from importing ultra ltered milk from U.S. dairies. “We’ve been talking to our legislators and our producers over the past year that this was an issue coming down – that Canada wanted to raise the price on U.S. dairy imports and that would really affect 1 million pounds of our business daily. Once this came into affect we tried to see what other product lines this milk could be put into, but as you can imagine 1 million pounds is a lot,” Lee said. With no home or end product for the milk, Grassland chose producers to let go and sent them a letter dated April 1. Lee said these producers were chosen based on their location. “… they were in areas where we thought they could be picked up by other processors. Aside from our forward contracts, there are no milk contracts with any of our producers. It’s an at-will relationship,” said Lee, who conrmed that any producers who had forward contracts through Grassland were not dropped. But Johnson, who milks 130 cows with his wife, Linda, and their three sons, Paul, Luke and Ryan, is not nding any processors taking milk in an alreadysaturated market. “I had no idea there was this much milk around,” said Johnson, whose family has contacted close to 100 processors in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and South Dakota. Terrance Pfaff hadn’t even received the letter yet when he found out from his milk hauler that milk from his farm would no longer be taken by Grassland beginning May 1. “I haven’t even opened it yet and I don’t think I’m going to. I think I’m going to write return to sender on it,” Pfaff said in frustration. The Preston, Minn., farmer said his dairy, where he now milks 445 cows, has been a patron of Grassland’s for 15 years. After receiving the news about needing a new home for his milk, Pfaff called numerous processors in the area only to be rejected. But a call to Wapsie Valley Creamery in Independence, Iowa, gave him hope. “I called them on Tuesday at about 10 a.m. They are 90 miles away and they were here by 1 p.m. It wasn’t even 100 percent [yes]. It was a slight maybe because they’re full,” Pfaff said. After a nerve-racking few days, Pfaff received a call from the creamery conrming his farm’s new processor. “I felt pretty good about this place
because it’s a father-son business and it’s fourth generation now,” Pfaff said. “If they’re willing to make room for us, that’s a class act.” Legislative leaders in Minnesota and Wisconsin have reached out to President Trump in an effort to restore trade with Canada. On a grassroots level, dairy producers have started a campaign on social media urging people to ask their processors to “Just take ve” dairy farmers who need a processor by the beginning of next month. Mullins Cheese, a processor in Mosinee, Wis., conrmed it has taken on eight dairies that needed a home for their milk. Despite these efforts for short-term solutions, producers who still have a processor for their milk are nervous about their future and what the reduction in the Canadian export market means for the industry in the long term. Michelle Hentsch and her husband, Scott, were selling milk from their 150-cow herd near Hixton, Wis., to Grassland at the time the letters were sent. “We hadn’t received a letter yet, but my milk hauler told me we were dropped and my eldman couldn’t tell me any different. A lot of other people on our route thought the same thing. We were freaking out,” Hentsch said. A letter never came and the Hentsch family’s dairy was not a part of the cut. “They may not have dropped us now, but there’s no promising … later,” Hentsch said. Through word of mouth, the Hentsches heard a nearby farm that sold milk to Lynn Dairy was dispersing. They called the creamery to see if they could get on their route. “For piece of mind we wanted to go to a different plant. … If [our processor] would have handled things a little bit better a month ago when I thought I was getting dropped, maybe I would have stuck with them. We had the chance to change so we decided to go,” Hentsch said. Lee said the processor has known for about a year there was a possibility of losing its ultra-ltered market in Canada. “We had conversations with our legislators, we were talking to farmers about this. We tried to keep this in the public eye for quite some time,” Lee said. Pfaff said he hadn’t heard about the trade situation from his processor. Neither had Johnson. “They never said a word. I did not hear anything before [April] 3. Never a hint. I didn’t even know there was an issue with Canada,” Johnson said. Now Johnson must deal with the aftermath, and nd a place for his milk before their time runs out. “I don’t know what we’re going to do,” Johnson said. “Obviously we can’t afford to dump milk for very long.” It could put an end to his dairy and many others in Minnesota and Wisconsin if a solution isn’t brought forth and they don’t nd a home for their milk.
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
ConƟnued from WILDFIRE RELIEF | Page 1
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CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
James Giese secures a strap around a load of hay while loading on April 5. Giese’s original intent was to deliver the donations to Ashland, Kan. After contacting the company collecting donations, however, he decided a change of plans were in order. “I called Ashland Feed and Seed in Kansas,” Giese said. “After talking with them, they asked if I would be able to take it Knowles. It wasn’t much further of a drive, so I said, ‘Of course.’” In a few days’ time, Giese had conrmed enough donations to ll two semi-trailers with hay. The giving hearts of the farming community in his area were so great that he was forced to turn some donations away. “We lled up the trucks in no time. Everyone wanted to lend a hand, but with two trucks, there was only so much we could t,” Giese said. “It was incredible.”
Donations of hay and fencing materials were given by Bill Laufenberg, Matt Murray, Rick Hentsch, Nate Kling, Tom Giese, Emil Giese and Brian Massman. One trailer was donated by Greenleaf Trucking and fuel was donated by Federation Cooperative and Shortlane Ag Supply. Giese donated the use of his two farm semi-trailers, another trailer and time to make the drive to Knowles. After spending much of April 5 collecting bales and preparing the trucks for the road, Giese and his hired driver set out on the 1,075-mile journey to Oklahoma. Giese’s cousin, Ray Buttke, also kept him company as a passenger. As they grew closer and closer to Knowles, Giese said the extent of the Turn to WILDFIRE RELIEF | Page 7
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Giese said the devastaƟon in Oklahoma was eye-opening. The res have claimed hundreds of thousands of acres of land and the lives of thousands of livestock throughout the state.
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 7
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James Giese (leŌ), his cousin, Ray BuƩke, and Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Jim Reese shared the challenges of farming in their respecƟve states. Secretary Reese greeted Giese and BuƩke upon their arrival to Knowles, Okla. wildres’ damage was unfathomable. While he had kept up with the development of the wildres across Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas, nothing prepared him for the sheer level of devastation before him. “There’s nothing left; it’s gone,” Giese said. “When we burn a ditch here in Wisconsin, the grass comes back green. Out there, it has burned over very sandy soils; the grass hasn’t grown back and there really is nothing left.”
“I knew it would be bad, but not in my wildest dreams did I think it would be like that.” JAMES GIESE, DAIRY FARMER
As he went through photos after returning from his trip, Giese said it was hard to put into words the uphill battle farmers and ranchers are facing across the three states. “I knew it would be bad, but not in my wildest dreams did I think it would be like that,” Giese said. While their travels did not align with the eet of trailers coming from Iowa, Giese said his journey introduced him to another group of farmers with a similar mission. As he pulled into Knowles, he was greeted by a group from Michigan. “We met a 21-truck convoy from Michigan that was also bringing in donations,” Giese said. As Giese and the Michigan eet rolled into the Knowles Community Center parking lot April 7, they were greeted by over 50 community members, including the local Clinton
County Michigan 4-H club. Giese said their excitement and appreciation was undeniable. “People were taking pictures, cheering and clapping,” Giese said. “They were very, very appreciative.” Included in the crowd was Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Jim Reese. Moments after arriving, Giese and Buttke sat down with the secretary as they shared a meal together. “He sat right next to us, and we just assumed he was another rancher from the area,” Giese said. “After he told us who he was, we couldn’t believe it. He thanked us for coming down, and we talked about the agriculture within our states.” After conversing over lunch, Giese was handed a token of Reese’s appreciation. “All of the government ofcials have a pin in the shape of the state of Oklahoma on their jacket,” Giese said. “He took his pin off his jacket and handed it to me. That was pretty neat.” While spending much of the afternoon helping unload the hay and interacting with the people of Knowles, Giese said he tried to remain upbeat to keep the community’s spirits up. “Ray and I were laughing and having a good time with everybody. We wanted to try and make people feel better; that was important,” Giese said. With over 2,000 miles accumulated round-trip, Giese returned to Wisconsin April 9. As he reected on the trip, he felt a sense of pride for his community’s efforts. He said donating and delivering the supplies to Knowles had a deeper message for the entire agriculture community. “It was impressive to see the support of farmers in my area for a group of people we had never met,” Giese said. “In farming, you never know when you’re going to need help; but if you need it, it will come.”
CORRECTION:
In the April 8 issue, Dairy Star misspelled Adam Borchert’s last name and misidentied Aaliyah Borchert in a photo caption. Dairy Star regrets the error.
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Canadian dairy policy will eventually impact all U.S. dairy farmers Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
Canada has implemented new pricing practices that prevents U.S. dairy farmers from exporting ultra-ďƒžltered milk across the border. The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council and International Dairy Foods Association is asking the Trump Administration and states to retaliate against Canada. Shawna Morris, who is the vice president of trade policy for the Dairy Export Council and National Milk, said the Upper Midwest and the Northeast are the ďƒžrst to feel the impact of the new Canadian policy. “The new Class 7 program in Canada is aimed at not only bilateral trade and what we can export into Canada, but, also to help Canada off load a lot of its excess milk powder into global markets. That is going to be a concern for farmers across the country given the
importance of U.S. milk powder exports.â€? Morris said it is not reasonable for Canada to beneďƒžt from trade with the United States while applying new protectionist policies against the U.S. dairy industry. “We’d like to remind the Canadians just how reliant they are on the U.S. market and that they understand that trade is a door that swings two ways.â€?
Cabinet delays impact trade negotiations With the new trade skirmish with Canada, Grassland Dairy of Greenwood, Wis., canceled milk contracts with 75 dairy farmers as of May 1. The Canadian pricing strategy means Grassland must reduce its milk intake by one million pounds per day. Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin said this issue has been compli-
Midwest Dairy Coalition seeks changes The Midwest Dairy Coalition is seeking changes in the next Farm Bill to improve the safety net for dairy farmers. In particular, the coalition wants adjustments made in the feed-cost formula for the Margin Protection Program. Associated Milk Producers, Incorporated Chairman Steve Schlangen said there is also support for the Dairy Pride Act. “That’s a bill introduced to enforce a law that’s been in place for many years about the identity of milk and what you need to have to call something milk. We don’t think the plant-based beverages measure up to milk in any way, but they are using our good name to sell their products.� This bill would prevent beverages made with soybeans, almonds or other plant-based crops to be labeled as milk.
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U.S. dairy exports increase In February, the United States exported 369 million pounds of dairy products. That’s up 29 million pounds or 13 percent from last year. Cheese exports increased 11 percent and butter sales were up 9 percent. Whey protein concentrate exports rose 40 percent, but whole milk powder exports declined by more than 60 percent. February was the ninth straight month of yearover-year increases in U.S. dairy exports.
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Dairy farms lose contracts with processors Canada’s new pricing policy limits U.S. access to this important market. This comes at a time when Midwest dairy processors are operating at capacity and are unable to take on additional milk supplies. Former Agriculture SecreBy Don Wick tary Tom Vilsack, who now Columnist leads the U.S. Dairy Export Council, wants state and federal ofďƒžcials to take action. “This is really unfortunate because these producers have made investments and made plans based on this long-term relationship and are being told in a relatively short time that it is over.â€? Vilsack said ongoing negotiations between the United States, Canada and Mexico through NAFTA may be the next best option to address this trade issue. More money needed for MPP revision The cotton and dairy industries are seeking changes in the next farm bill. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson said a revision to the Margin Protection Program will require more money. “Dairy has almost no baseline. That’s a $1 billion-to-$3 billion ďƒžx. You’ve got to have new money, because if you don’t and if you take money out of Title I and cut reference prices for PLC down signiďƒžcantly, that is not going to work.â€?
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cated by the transition to the new Trump administration. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer faced signiďƒžcant delays before conďƒžrmation and other key sub-cabinet political appointments have not been made. “We need our leaders engaged to see what we can do to walk Ag Insider this back,â€? Baldwin said.
Animal Welfare Institute seeks more money for enforcement The Animal Welfare Institute has released a report evaluating enforcement of humane slaughter methods in animal agriculture. AWI analyzed enforcements by federal and state governments from 2010 to 2015 and found state enforcement is up, but, the level of enforcement varies dramatically by state. The report also said federal and state inspection workers are often unfamiliar with humane slaughter rules. AWI wants USDA and state agriculture departments to signiďƒžcantly increase funding for humane animal handling and slaughter activities. The animal welfare group also wants slaughter inspection records to be made available on the USDA website. DOJ approves WhiteWave sale to Danone To win regulatory approval for its purchase of WhiteWave Foods, Danone will sell its Stonyďƒželd Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 Farms business. Without the divestiture, the Justice Department said competition would be compromised in the organic milk market. The Danone acquisition of WhiteWave Foods is valued at $12.5 billion. Check alfalfa for winterkill For many areas, the end of the winter was warmer than normal. When alfalfa goes into the winter in wet soil conditions, the crop can struggle in the spring. That’s especially common with older alfalfa stands. DuPont Pioneer alfalfa business manager Dan Wiersma is encouraging farmers to start digging up plants as soon as the elds start to green up and look for winterkill. “If you see a lot of black or brown decay in those roots and crowns, it is not a good sign. In addition, if it is somewhat white, but looks like string cheese, that is also a bad sign. Essentially, the carbohydrate reserves in the root have been used up to try and create the initial spring growth and it doesn’t have the energy to produce much of a plant.” If that alfalfa stand is not up to par, Wiersma recommends rotating to corn. Residual nitrogen from the alfalfa plant will benet the corn crop. Alfalfa lawsuit led Forage Genetics International has led a lawsuit against Alforex Seeds with allegations of false and misleading advertising. The suit claims Alforex inaccurately promotes its Hi-Gest alfalfa as a low-lignin variety that is comparable to FGI’s HarvXtra alfalfa. In reality,
the Hi-Gest alfalfa is only comparable to conventional alfalfa varieties and Forage Genetics International company ofcials said that is confusing for the marketplace.
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Compeer Financial will serve MN, WI and IL Effective July 1, three Farm Credit Organizations in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois will become one. Stockholders have approved the merger of AgStar Financial Services, 1st Farm Credit Services and Badgerland Financial. The name of the newly merged entity will be Compeer Financial and the organization will be based in Sun Prairie, Wis. AgStar President and CEO Rod Hebrink will lead the new farm credit group.
We have been utilizing the milk pregnancy testing since it was initially offered, approximately four years ago.
Trivia challenge National Blue and Corn Gold are the ofcial colors of the FFA. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, we’re focused on FFA. The new agriculture secretary Sonny Perdue has been a governor. Can you name the state where Perdue was in that role? We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
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CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
Beth and Lee Nelson milk 165 cows on their dairy farm near Blair, Wis. AŌer four years of negoƟaƟng with a transmission company, the father and daughter plan to move and downsize their herd aŌer considering stray voltage concerns.
Nelsons to move cows to avoid stray voltage By Cassie Olson
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BLAIR, Wis. – It is a battle he has been ghting for four years. Lee Nelson, who milks 165 cows with his daughter, Beth, on his farm near Blair, Wis., sat in on several open houses of the American Transmission Company (ATC), as they discussed a proposed Badger Coulee Transmission Line Project: a 180mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line running from a substation near Holmen, Wis., to northern Dane County. Now, Lee and Beth intend on moving their cows to avoid stray voltage from the powerline that will be constructed through their property beginning in the summer of 2017. Lee said he began listening in to the open houses after he realized his farm could possibly be effected. “There were two proposed routes: the north route
and the south route. The south route would have run more through La Crosse County, which would have effected more farmers,” Lee said. “There was greater opposition for the south route, and in the end, the north route lost.” The line, which is currently under construction, comes into Wisconsin at the Briggs Road Substation located near Holmen, Wis. The line will due north through Trempealeau County into Blair before running east to Black River Falls, Wis., and down Interstate 90 to the North Madison and Cardinal Substations in Dane County. When the nal decision was made in April 2015 to move forward with the powerline project, Lee did all he could to try to change its path. “I met with representatives from Xcel Energy Turn to NELSON | Page 11
CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
A 69-kilovolt transmission line currently runs 50 feet from the Nelson’s milking parlor with an isolator used to limit stray voltage. The new line, which is already under construcƟon, will omit a magneƟc eld that is ve Ɵmes greater than the current line just 32-feet above the parlor roof.
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 11
ConƟnued from NELSON | Page 10
CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
AŌer searching for a year and a half, Beth purchased a 50-stall Ɵestall barn near Beaches Corner, Wis. She is currently renovaƟng the barn and hopes to have cows in by Sept. 1 of this year. and ATC multiple times in hopes of moving. I spoke with Congressmen, as well,” Lee said. “In the meantime, the issue arose of what side effects the line would have on my cows.” One 69-kilovolt transmission line already runs 50 feet from Lee’s dairy farm. Although he has experienced effects of stray voltage in the past, an isolator has since eliminated the problem. The new line will span 80-feet wide between his dry cow barn and hang 32feet above the parlor which, according to several of Lee’s trusted consultants, could prove to be detrimental to the health of his herd. The Nelson family farm ranked rst for somatic cell count in 2016 with an average of 93,000. They have a rolling herd average of 26,638 with 3.9 percent butterfat and 3.2 protein. With over 500,000 volts on it, the new line’s
“After realizing that there is not much we can do, we decided it was time to move to a different place.” LEE NELSON, DAIRY FARMER
magnetic eld is expected to be ve times greater than that of the current line, making stray voltage the center of Lee’s concerns. “I’ve had two consultants and veterinarians come out to the farm since the line has gone through. All of them agreed the dry cow barn and parlor will be too close to the line and stray voltage will be a problem,” Lee said. According to Wisconsin law, if the transmission line is at least 100 kilovolts and more than one mile long, the transmission owner’s offer the land zoned or used for agriculture purposes must be one of two forms: a lump sum or an annual payment for taking the easement for one year. The landowner chooses which compensation to accept. While Lee has been offered compensation for the easement, a requirement for the transmission company to purchase the farm is not an option. “Wisconsin law does not require the company to purchase the farm. Meanwhile, this line will diminish the value of this farm,” Lee said. “We offered to sell the farm to them, but they wouldn’t do that either.” The Nelsons have been in negotiation with the transmission line com-
pany about the value of the land. They were given a $18,200 offer for the 6.5 acres of land that would make up the new easement. Lee said that simply is too low for land that is vital to the farm. “Right next to your dairy set up is the most valuable land that you’ve got,” Lee said. “They have an appraiser and we have an appraiser; we have so much time until the transmission company can move forward with a condemnation process.” The condemnation process is as expensive as it is time consuming for both land and transmission owners. The transmission company offers the landowner an ofcial jurisdictional offer, to which the landowner has 20 days from the receipt to accept or reject it. If the offer is accepted, the condemnation process terminates. If the offer is rejected or neglected after 20 days, the transmission owner may petition the court to have the county condemnation commission determine the appropriate compensation for the line’s right of way. The process continues until the easement is obtained and the landowner is compensated. Lee asked the company to guarantee the cows would not be effected by stray voltage. When the company would not put a guarantee in writing, Lee said enough was enough. “After realizing that there is not much we can do, we decided it was time to move to a different place,” Lee said. “Part of me thinks maybe we are being too hasty, but I would rather protect the cows than lose 300 to 400 cows waiting to see how hard the line will be on them.” Beth recently purchased a farm seven miles away near Beaches Corner, Wis. It has a 50-cow tiestall barn she is currently working on renovating. “There was not anything available that could accommodate 150 to 200 cows and the cost to build did not make sense,” Beth said. “We looked for farms for a year and a half before we found this tiestall. We hope to move the cows by Sept. 1, when we will downsize the herd.” While Lee said it is hard to imagine cows leaving the farm, he knows it is in the best interest of the herd and his daughter. At the end of the day, he said he needs to protect the herd and his family’s livelihood. “If we stayed here, there would be no debt, but the cows would ultimately suffer,” Lee said. “You have to see what the cows tell you; take care of them and they take care of you.”
Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
A closer look by Jennifer Coyne
Industry news addressed with help from your neighbors
Safety during the spring scramble
Mindful tips for physical, mental wellness
Spring has sprung – and so have the increased risks of on-farm injury and death. Agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States, with the occupational fatality rate 800 percent higher than other industries, according to the National Tractor Safety Coalition. As producers prepare their equipment for eldwork, handle hazardous chemicals, and share the farm experience with youth, it is important to keep safety at the forefront of every action. “There is always a concern for safety on the farm, but the concern is heightened now when there are greater risks for injury and death because of machinery,” said Marsha Salzwedel, agriculture youth safety specialist for National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. The risks of farming With eldwork equipment brought out of storage from the long winter months, tractor-related accidents
continue to be the most common cause of injury or death on farms. Injury and death can occur during maintenance of these machines and while operating in the elds and on public roadways. Before operating the equipment, a safety inspection and maintenance is likely needed. While a common practice, this time often presents unforeseen risks for those operating the machinery and those standing by. Marsha Salzwedel “Many times, Ag youth safety incidents happen specialist when something breaks, there’s a time pressure to get things done, and we’re tired or stressed,” said Cheryl Skjolaas, agricultural safety specialist for University of Wisconsin Extension. During the spring, soil conrmation is particularly variable as the frost leaves the ground and the land begins to dry out. If approaching this type of uneven ground from an unsteady angle, tractor rollovers are likely, crushing or trapping the driver. Across the nation, these rollovers account for 96 deaths each year. “Those involved in the accident are more often using older tractors
that don’t have cabs or a bar that serve as rollover protection,” said Emily Wilmes, University of Minnesota Extension Educator. Additionally, operating the machinery on public roads presents safety challenges in itself. While each state has their own set of rules regarding farm equipment use on roadways, speed differences in farm equipment and motor vehicles, as well as left hand turns are the major Emily Wilmes factors in a crash. U of M Extension Unfortunately, children are often the innocent bystanders when an accident occurs surrounding farm equipment. Every day, 33 children are injured in agricultural-related incidents, and of the leading causes of on-farm deaths, machinery accounts for 25 percent, according to the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. “The biggest issue is that children are the extra riders in tractors,” Salzwedel said. “I’ve seen too many cases where people thought if the tractor had a cab, it was safe. But that didn’t make a difference when the child
fell through the door or the windshield broke.” Do’s, don’ts when caught in an accident While each incident will vary in severity, there are steps producers should consider when presented with an accident to lessen the negative implications, whether they are the ones affected or assisting in a recovery effort. If the one Cheryl Skjolaas involved in the UW Extension accident is able, they should call 911 and try to get to safety if the scene of the accident is prone to explosion or re. At this point, it is also vital to evaluate injuries and stop any bleeding. “If it’s something like a tractor overturn or a person crushed, do not try to move the equipment until emergency medical services are on-site to address injuries,” Skjolaas said. Wilmes agreed. “If you are not the victim, serve in an advising role for medical help who are likely not familiar with farm equipment,” she said. Turn to SAFETY | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 13
ConĆ&#x;nued from SAFTEY | Page 12
Prepare for the worst with prevention Being aware of the dangers of spring ďƒželdwork and understanding the necessary course of action to take when presented with an accident are important. However, preparing for those incidents will help prevent them. When ďƒžxing machinery, make sure the power source is entirely disconnected; and before operating machinery, have a complete understanding of how to properly run the equipment. “Be aware of your surroundings and be careful,â€? Wilmes said. “You could have done something a million times, but it only takes a second for a hand or shoelace to get caught.â€? In agriculture, accidents involving working youth under the age of 16 are consistently greater than any other industry, because they are often confronted with tasks that are inappropriate for their age or skillset, Salzwedel said.
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“You could have done something a million times, but it only takes a second for a hand or shoelace to get caught.� EMILY WILMES, U OF M EXTENSION
overestimate our kids’ abilities, too.� Although reviewing operating manuals of machinery, being aware of the surroundings, taking on responsibilities appropriately given by age and skillset, and creating a plan in case of an accident will deter on-farm incidents from occurring, the strategy is not fool proof. In addition to the hands-on precautions producers should practice, taking care of their mental health is essential. “Spring is a stressful time for farm management,� Wilmes said. “It’s important to take time for yourself, because mental health is just as important as physical health.� Maintaining a balanced diet, taking breaks from the farm work and getting at least seven hours of sleep each day will all aid in healthy mental well being. Through the years, on-farm safety has become more commonplace, but there remains room for improvement. With continued awareness for proper safety measures, farming becomes more than a staggering statistic of danger. “Safety has become a part of growing up for today’s generations,� Salzwedel said. “They’re more open to listening and adopting safety strategies, but we cannot stop educating and promoting.�
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“Farms are a wonderful place to grow up, but as kids, they overestimate themselves and are always apt to trying something more or bigger,� Salzwedel said. “Research has shown that, as farm parents, we tend to
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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 15
What does environmental protection mean to you?
Roys Traut Sartell, Minn. Stearns County 70 cows
Aaron Schroht Owatonna, Minn. Steele County 76 cows
Michele and Jason Schroeder Courtland, Minn. Nicollet County 55 cows
Wade, Troy and Dave Kallemeyn Holland, Minn. Pipestone County 112 Cows
What does environmental protection mean to you? Being aware of our limited natural resources and doing what one can to protect them. It’s essential that everyone considers how what they do will impact the air and ground water. It’s for this reason that we need regulations. Across the board, education and awareness is needed. What things do you do on your farm to protect the environment? First, I do what I can to avoid soil erosion. I use reduced tillage and plant rye as a cover crop. We practice crop rotation to improve the soil, and alfalfa is integrated on some of our highly erodible land. We also maintain windbreaks to help with erosion and wildlife habitats. Second, I monitor nitrogen use. I do this by doing side-by-side comparisons of nitrogen to avoid over-application without impacting yield. I also do soil testing for nutrient management, along with manure sample testing to check for nitrogen and phosphorus levels. Additionally, I use split application of nitrogen to reduce leaching into ground water. Lastly, we’ve tried to reduce our impact on the environment. We use computer software for irrigation scheduling. We’ve installed variable frequency drives (VFD) on the pivots of our irrigators. In the barn, we’ve switched to LED lighting. Around the farm and home, we’ve been recycling anything we can, and we most signed up with a service to recycle bale wrap. What concerns do you have about the environment? Air quality along with the availability and quality of our ground water. I agree with the old Native American saying that we should treat the earth well because it’s on loan to us by our children. I like the idea of leaving a place better than when I found it. Which environment protection guidelines do you support? Are there any you feel need to be changed? I support the buffer zone initiative in Minnesota because it will protect our lakes and rivers. I support these buffers because they serve as lters for any extra nutrients or chemicals that could leach into the water. The buffers also provide more wildlife habitat. If you could add one sustainable or environmental-friendly practice to your farm tomorrow, what would it be? Convert to solar. It wouldn’t have a huge impact on the environment, and we’d like to reduce our ecological footprint as much as possible. Tell us about your farm. I grew up on our farm and started in a partnership with my uncle in 1984. After leasing the farm from my parents for those 10 years, my wife, Mary, and I purchased it in 1994. My uncle retired four years later, and we purchased his half of the
What does environmental protection mean to you? Environmental protection means leaving the land in better shape than when we started. What things do you do on your farm to protect the environment? We use cover crops and green manure crops along with composting winter corn stalk packs for future fertilizer use. We also try to mob graze as much as possible during the grazing season. What concerns do you have about the environment? I have concerns about trying to t a universal one-sizets-all plan on everybody. Every situation is different and therefore needs to be treated as such. Which environment protection guidelines do you support? Are there any you feel need to be changed? I support the EQIP program through the value added plans for farms. I think the land use and management rules need to be evaluated so farms have the ability to grow and prosper where they are at, in the country. If you could add one sustainable or environmental-friendly practice to your farm tomorrow, what would it be and why? I would like to try to grow and use forage varieties that produce high energy and protein silages that require minimal tillage and cultivation while feeding for higher milk production and weight gains. Tell us about your farm. On our farm, I live with my children, Adeline, 9, Weston, 5, and August, 4. I farm with help from my parents, Randy and Audrey, and brothers, David and Thomas. Our milk is shipped through Organic Valley and the herd consists of mostly Holsteins with some Brown Swiss, Jersey and crossbred cows. This fall, we are switching to seasonal calving starting the end of August. As a result, we will be drying the cows up during the summer heat and ies, thus having more time dedicated for family this summer. We also crop organic corn, soybeans, oats and alfalfa.
What does environmental protection mean to you? To us, environmental protection means doing our part to ensure a good environment for future generations. What things do you do on your farm to protect the environment? In 2005, we utilized EQIP Program funds and a state grant through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to bring our farm up to code with Minnesota’s feedlot rules (7020 feedlot rules). This entailed building a new earthen manure basin, diverting manure run off from feedlots and sending milkhouse waste water to the earthen basin. We recently signed up for an agriculture bag dumpster to be placed on our farm. What concerns do you have about the environment? Michele is concerned about the landlls. The neighboring county just purchased more land to increase their landll size. What will happen to all that garbage in the future? When is a landll big enough? Jason is concerned about erosion and the loss of topsoil. He does what he can to prevent both. We hope renewable fuels like ethanol, biodiesel, solar and wind energy, etc., will continue to help ensure a clean environment. Which environment protection guidelines do you support? Are there any you feel need to be changed? In our township, we’ve seen the environmental guidelines used for the construction of new hog nishing barns. The guidelines are in place not only to protect the environment, but to protect the farmers, our city neighbors and our rural economy. We support the need for feedlot permitting, CAFO permitting and the need to keep feedlot permits for production agriculture up to date. We feel that the new state buffer strip law needs to be changed. It’s not that we are against the law, rather, we do not like how it was voted on and implemented by our state government. The rules, funding and enforcement needed to be clear before it became a law, which did not happen. If you could add one sustainable or environmentally friendly practice to your farm tomorrow, what would it be? We would add solar panels to help generate renewable energy and reduce our electricity costs. Tell us about your farm. Jason farms in partnership with his parents, John and Bev. They farm 330 acres raising corn, soybeans, alfalfa and oats. Besides the 55 cows, the farm raises replacement heifers and feeder steers. The farm has been in the family for 135 years with 90 years of raising registered Holsteins. Michele is a rural property appraiser with Upper Midwest Management Corporation in New Ulm. We have three young children, Alex, 8, Aiden, 4, and April, 2.
What does environmental protection mean to you? Preserving the organic matter in the soil for future generations. What things do you do on your farm to protect the environment? We farm organically, so we don’t put any pesticides into the environment. Our milk buyer, Organic Valley, helps us keep track of the carbon emissions that we save. We have found we can live with a little quackgrass between our corn rows. This helps us prevent soil erosion. What concerns do you have about the environment? Why? One concern is that synthetic chemicals will cause so many problems with the soil that it will become hard and sterile, and will lose its organic matter. We worry the use of nonselective insecticides can kill both the bad and the good insects, such as bees. Another concern is that the overuse of antibiotics will cause problems in animals and in people. We have found the right combination of herbs will usually cure mastitis. Which environment protection guidelines do you support? Are there any you feel need to be changed? We would like to see the regulations regarding manure application be enforced equitably. There should be a rule that hilly ground be planted to crops that hold the soil. We are letting too much of our black dirt run down into the creek. If you could add one sustainable or environmental-friendly practice to your farm tomorrow, what would it be and why? It would be nice if we could have more rows of trees. We could use more wind protection and the trees would increase the amount of environment available for wildlife. Tell us about your farm. This farm has been in our family since 1934. We have been operating it as an organic dairy for 11 years. We raise corn, barley, soybeans, alfalfa and sunowers. We have learned if you give your animals organic feed, mastitis pretty much becomes a thing of the past. Our only source of fertilizer is our manure, yet we still manage to raise 200-bushel corn. In the summertime, we burn 100 percent soybean oil in our tractors as a way to support our local farming community.
dairy operation. Mary teaches but keeps our books throughout the year and helps in the summers. Though our oldest son, Matthew, has a full-time job, he’s involved with the management and operation of our cropland. Our youngest son, Rory, is studying abroad to obtain a master’s degree. With the help of a full-time employee, Todd Studniski, and some part-time help, we milk 70 cows, and we nish our Holstein steers. We crop 400 acres of corn, alfalfa, soybeans and rye.
Turn to FENCE | Page 16
Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
ConƟnued from FENCE | Page 15
Steve Leatherberry Viola, Wis. Richland County 70 cows
Glen Wohlk Almena, Wis. Barron County 65 cows
Cory Leis Cashton, Wis. Monroe County 350 cows
What does environmental protection mean to you? Preserving our natural resources for future generations.
What does environmental protection mean to you? My goal is to leave the environment better than when I started. If we don’t protect it, it’s not going to
What does environmental protection mean to you? To me, it means taking care of the land and making sure it is there for the next generation.
What things do you do on your farm to protect the environment? We have contour strips and waterways. I only put corn in for two years in elds that have any kind of slope. Then, I try to keep them seeded back down, so we keep as much soil as we can. We also have a concrete cow crossing across Bear Creek, which was done in 2003. What concerns do you have about the environment? Soil erosion comes to mind. There’s only so much good topsoil. When it’s gone, it’s gone. Which environment protection guidelines do you support? Are there any you feel need to be changed? I’m a little familiar with the Clean Water Act. But, I have more experience with my own farm and its needs. If you could add one sustainable or environmentally friendly practice to your farm tomorrow, what would it be? I’d like to be able to build six months’ worth of manure storage, because I’m hauling nearly every day. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Laura, and I own 120 acres, with 30 tillable. We rent 100 acres of cropland and grow corn, alfalfa and soybeans. Along with our dairy herd, we have a few beef cattle. We have three children: Ashley, 25, Cole, 18, and Karlee, 16.
be there.
What things do you do on your farm to protect the environment? We’ve been doing continuous no-till for 18 years. We’ve also started using cover crops, eld borders for erosion, and wetland restoration. All of our restoration projects have been self-funded. What concerns do you have about the environment? We’re going to ruin our farmland and resources like wildlife and habitat. If it’s gone, it’s gone. We’re obligated to take care of it. It makes things more interesting when you have more wildlife on the farm. Now that we’ve restored our wetlands, we have geese nesting on the farm for the third year in a row. Which changes in federal and state environment protection policies do you support? Are there any you feel need to be changed? I’m not a regulation guy, and my general opinion is farmers in general don’t like regulations. They know what works best on their farm. We knew what had to be done and did it. If you’re going to cost share, you’re at the mercy of the government agency that you’re working with and that can be harmful on a small farm. My theory is the government is trying to clean up the ocean in a day, and we need to take care of a drop of rainwater rst. As far as specic regulations, I don’t pay attention too much, but I do what I have to do. If you could add one sustainable or environmental-friendly practice to your farm tomorrow, what would it be? I would probably build a catch basin at the base of three waterways coming through our farm to let the water lter out.
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Tell us about your farm. My wife, Susan, and I, with our sons, Clayton and Kurt, crop 350 acres on our 65-cow dairy. We plant grain corn, corn silage, alfalfa and soybeans. Everything is no-till.
Email andrea.b@dairystar.com
What things do you do on your farm to protect the environment? We plant cover crops and practice no-till. By doing so, erosion is kept under control and the soil loss is minimized. Over the last 20 years, they both have denitely beneted our land. What concerns do you have about the environment? The amount of tillage around our area. I try to minimize tillage as much as possible. Minimizing erosion is my biggest concern because of the hills and valleys in our area. Which environment protection guidelines do you support? Are there any you feel need to be changed? I use the best management practices for our land, and what UW-Discovery Farms have taught us, too. It has showed us that what we do is working as compared to what others are or are not doing. Having a network of other farmers and professionals who are just as concerned as we are helps us to know if what we are doing is right, and if not, ways we can better what we are doing. Twenty years ago, you never worried if what you were doing was right; you just did it because it was what your family did for 30 years. Now, someone comes across, shares their idea and you can exchange what works for one another. If you could add one sustainable or environmental-friendly practice to your farm tomorrow, what would it be? A minimum-till manure application system. Instead of broadcasting, if you could do a minimum incorporation with the least amount of soil disturbance. It would provide more protection from rain and runoff. Tell us about your farm. We milk 350 cows in a double-8 parlor. We raise our own youngstock. We have an automatic calf-feeding barn that we put up two years ago. We raise our own feed on 1,600 acres. I am the third generation on this farm, working with my sister and her husband. We have some beef on another farm, raise a few steers and have some cattle at my father-in-law’s farm.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 17
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
Repro Leaders
Observation key to reaching 27 percent pregnancy rate for Jassel Holsteins Alan and Jessica Klimek Alexandria, Minn. Douglas County 80 cows What was your average pregnancy rate last year? 27 percent. What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? For cows, it is 50 days for cows and for heifers it is 13 months. What is your ďƒžrst service conception rate? 54 percent. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? First, we watch for heat on both cows and heifers. Most of the heifers are bred by us just paying attention to what’s going on in the pen every day during chores. The cows are watched during milking, or again just being attentive whenever we are in the barn. For cows, if they haven’t shown heat by 50 days they will go on the herd health vet list. We have the vet out for herd health every two weeks. When open cows are checked, they go on the ovsync program and get a CIDR if they are in
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Alan and Jessica Klimek milk 80 cows on their farm near Alexandria, Minn., in Douglas County. The Klimeks closely monitor and manager their registered herd to maintain a pregnancy rate of 27 percent and ďƒžrst service concepĆ&#x;on rate of 54 percent.
Turn to KLIMEKS | Page 20
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AGCO R62, 285 hp Cummins, 2002, Y Monitor ..........$34,900 AGCO R52, 1998, 1605 hrs, Lateral Tilt, Chopper .......$66,500 CORN HEADS AGCO R630 hugger, 2008, poly, elec. strippers ..........$23,500 AGCO R830 Hugger, poly dividers, electric strippers ..$22,500 AGCO R636, 2013, poly, e. stripper, 800 acres ...........$17,900 Harvestec 4308C, 8x30, chopping knives ...................$18,400 GRAIN HEADS AGCO 8200-35’ Flex; SCH sickle, Forth & Aft reel .......$26,500 AGCO 8200, 25’ ex, SCH sickle, Forth & Aft. reel ......$19,500 SKID LOADERS Bobcat T770, 2 spd., joysticks, hi-ow, 2012 .............$52,500 Bobcat T650, cab, air, 2-sp, 700 hrs ....................... Coming In Bobcat S650, cab, air, 2-sp, joysticks .........................$29,900
Jim Ryan • 605-668-4275 Yankton, SD Lean Cows • Bulls
Mike Baczwaski • 800-445-0042 Gibbon, NE Fed Cows • Lean Cows • Bulls
Hutchinson Buying Station
Ricky Schiefelbein • 320-304-2346 Hutchinson, MN
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 19
“... a must for every fresh animal.” — Stanley Haedge
KOW CASTLE HOLSTEINS, HICO, TEXAS Stanley and Brenda Haedge, 220 cows 24,500 lb, SCC 180,000, BAA 106.8, 10 EX, 50 VG
“Udder Comfort™ is a must for every fresh animal to knock out swelling quickly, so they feel and do better. We now have very few udder issues to manage in our fresh cows,” says Stanley Haedge, Kow Castle Holsteins, Hico, Texas. Stanley and Brenda strike a balance between the commercial herd and the family’s competitive love of showing at San Antonio. They like the Udder Comfort Spray Gun for convenience. They spray every fresh udder, focusing on the center cleft from front to rear, after each milking for the first 3 to 7 days post-calving. “With this routine, our first calf heifers adapt faster to the milking process without interventions,” says Stanley. He breeds for type and good udders for longevity.
“That’s also why Udder Comfort is a big part of our fresh cow routine. We want to remove udder stress at calving to start them right on a great lactation and to maintain the quality of the udders for future lactations.”
Quality Udders Make Quality Milk
Keep the milk in the system 1.888.773.7153 1.613.652.9086 uddercomfort.com Call to locate a distributor near you. For external application to the udder only after milking, as an essential component of udder management. Always wash and dry teats thoroughly before milking.
Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
ConƟnued from KLIMEKS | Page 19
the right reproductive stage. At 30 days after breeding, our veterinarian checks them for pregnancy using ultrasound. Then they are rechecked at 70 days to reconrm pregnancy. How do you observe for heat? We watch during chores as described above. How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? We use ultrasound during our herd health checks. What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play
a role in bull selection? The No. 1 thing is to nd a bull to x the cow’s aws. We use high type bulls. We do not use bulls that are negative on foot angle or teat placement because those traits will show up right away. Really, we look at all the traits as they all have importance, only some things become more important when trying to improve the cow. We watch for inbreeding. If we buy a bull and don’t get any cows pregnant from him, we will not buy him again. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Alan and Jessica Klimek walk past a group of young heifers looking for signs of heat.
both? They are all A.I. bred. We use bulls with good calving ease on the heifers. What do you do to settle hard breeders? We will choose a higher fertility bull.
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
The Klimeks use high type bulls on their dairy herd near Alexandria, Minn.
How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? This depends on the cow and if she has any other strikes against her. It is rare we have to sell a cow because
Join us at the University of Minnesota from June 11-13 for the 2017 Gopher Dairy Camp! Campers, grades 6-9, will enhance their fitting and showmanship skills as well as broaden their knowledge of the dairy industry through hands-on workshops. Gopher Dairy Camp will also spend an evening at CHS field to cheer on the St. Paul Saints, tour a local dairy farm, and step foot on Minnesota Gopher Football’s home field, TCF Bank Stadium! Sign up today!
$90 registration closing on May 22nd
Organized by:
University of Minnesota Gopher Dairy Club
Minnesota State 4-H Dairy Committee
Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association
of reproduction issues. It’s usually something else. Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? No. Tell us about your farm. We have 80 cows and 92 heifers, all registered Holsteins. We raise our heifers for our replacements and sell extras.
We milk twice a day in a tiestall barn. Our farm is on 165 acres that we own, and we rent an additional 217 tillable acres. We grow corn, alfalfa and small grains for feed. We have been working together on our farm since we were married 15 years ago. This is Alan’s home farm so he’s been farming his whole life. We have three kids: Lexi, 13, Hailey, 12, and Derek, 8.
June 11th-13th For more information: http://z.umn.edu/gdcamp or Contact Gabriella Sorg at 651-387-5598 or sorgx013@umn.edu
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
ABS Global - AMPI - Culbertson Land & Cattle LLC - MN Farm Bureau - Munson Lakes Nutrition Plainview Milk Products Cooperative - Semex United Farmers Cooperative
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 21
Low Rate Financing Available See our complete inventory with pictures and descriptions at:
www.mmcjd.com
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JD 7630, 2007, $ 3782 hrs., #131106
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Over 1200 items with pictures updated daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com ARTICULATED 4WD TRACTORS 5 JD 9300, 1997, 4445 hrs., #132726 .............................$79,000 8 JD 9400, 1996, 6173 hrs., #134367 .............................$79,000 7 JD 9520, 2006, 3109 hrs., #135259 .......................... $139,000 6 JD 9620, 2006, 4700 hrs., #134870 .......................... $148,000 5 JD 9630, 2008, 3004 hrs., #135019 .......................... $169,000 11 JD 9560R, 2012, 1681 hrs., #133796 .......................... $249,000 1 JD 9560R, 2013, 2302 hrs., #127914 .......................... $235,000 3 Challenger MT965B, 2009, 3800 hrs., #137356 ....... $135,000 FIELD CULTIVATORS 6 CIH 200, 2011, #129150 .............................$55,000 7 CIH 200, 2012, #135767 .............................$52,000 8 JD 985, 1998, #135905 .............................$21,500 2 JD 985, 1995, #130971 .............................$18,000 1 JD 2210, 2005, #120515 .............................$39,500 6 JD 2210, 2006, #137410 .............................$22,900 LARGE SQUARE BALERS 4 JD L330, 2016, #125100 .......................... $122,900 10 JD L330, 2015, #119685 .......................... $119,900 MOWER CONDITIONERS 11 JD 635, 2013, #134300 .............................$21,900 9 JD 830, 2015, #134944 .............................$25,900 10 JD 835, 2015, #133943 .............................$26,500 10 JD 835, 2012, #130580 .............................$24,000 2 JD 946, 2014, #126997 .............................$32,000 7 JD 946, 2014, #126629 .............................$30,900 8 JD 946, 2009, #132018 .............................$23,500 11 JD 946, 2005, #130363 .............................$17,500 10 JD 956, 2013, #121134 .............................$28,900 1 JD 956, 2011, #126054 .............................$27,900 6 NH H7150, 2012, #126620 .............................$24,500
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10 NH H7150, 2011, #122976 .............................$19,900 PLANTERS: DRAWN 9 JD 1750, 2013, #131524 .............................$33,000 12 JD 1750, 2001, #127462 .............................$20,500 6 JD 1760, 2011, #137366 .............................$44,900 6 JD 1760, 1996, #135809 .............................$21,750 4 JD 1770, 2011, #132629 .............................$72,500 1 JD 1770, 2000, #136716 .............................$29,900 2 JD 1780, 2001, #134553 .............................$42,500 5 JD 1780, 2001, #136764 .............................$32,900 9 JD 1780, 1997, #127222 .............................$28,500 10 JD 7200, 1986, #136880 .............................$14,985 8 White 8200, 2013, #137538 .............................$49,900 4 JD 1770NT, 2014, #134722 .......................... $127,330 4 JD 1770NT, 2010, #131019 .............................$75,000 8 JD 1770NT, 2006, #135018 .............................$64,000 4 JD DB44, 2005, #134620 .............................$59,900 PULL-TYPE SPRAYERS 5 Redball 570, 2006, #136150 .............................$14,900 3 Redball 580, 2006, #136873 .............................$17,500 5 Hardi COMMANDER 4400, 2011, #135264 .............................$37,900 4 Hardi NAV 1100, #137542 .............................$17,000 4 Hardi NAV 1100, #137543 .............................$17,000 8 Hardi NAVIGATOR 4000, 2012, #137537 ............................$36,500 3 Top Air TA1600, 2013, #134895 .............................$52,000 SKID STEER LOADERS 1 JD 315, 2014, 27 hrs., #113452 .............................$28,900 1 JD 315, 2014, 42 hrs., #113451 .............................$28,900 10 JD 332, 2005, 6931 hrs., #131737 .............................$16,500 13 JD 317G, 2016, 147 hrs., #133454 .............................$47,900 9 JD 318D, 2011, 389 hrs.,
86,900
2013 JD 6125M, $ 125 hp., 243 hrs., #123591
#134073 .............................$30,900 7 JD 318D, 2010, 350 hrs., #126439 .............................$28,900 4 JD 318E, 2015, 45 hrs., #118133 .............................$37,900 8 JD 318E, 2015, 46 hrs., #134905 .............................$36,900 8 JD 318E, 2015, 478 hrs., #136780 .............................$33,500 8 JD 318E, 2014, 664 hrs., #125356 .............................$31,900 8 JD 318E, 2015, 2200 hrs., #135979 .............................$26,500 12 JD 319D, 2010, 463 hrs., #130278 .............................$33,900 8 JD 320D, 2013, 1020 hrs., #133492 ............................$32,900 6 JD 320D, 2013, 4240 hrs., #137567 ............................$18,250 8 JD 320E, 2015, 115 hrs., #130568 .............................$39,900 3 JD 320E, 2014, 115 hrs., #121065 .............................$38,900 2 JD 320E, 2015, 178 hrs., #115882 .............................$38,465 10 JD 320E, 2015, 30 hrs., #126180 .............................$37,900 4 JD 320E, 2014, 601 hrs., #134794 .............................$34,900 10 JD 320E, 2014, 1026 hrs., #135139 .............................$34,900 4 JD 320E, 2015, 142 hrs., #127651 .............................$30,900 6 JD 320E, 2015, 1591 hrs., #134169 .............................$30,900 5 JD 320E, 2014, 1813 hrs., #125994 .............................$28,900 10 JD 320E, 2015, 2290 hrs., #135972 .............................$26,900 10 JD 323D, 2011, 1050 hrs., #134454 .............................$37,900 10 JD 323E, 2015, 165 hrs., #130570 .............................$57,000 6 JD 323E, 2015, 147 hrs., #134295 .............................$56,300 8 JD 323E, 2015, 334 hrs., #129368 .............................$49,500 7 JD 326D, 2012, 210 hrs., #135673 .............................$40,500 7 JD 326D, 2012, 250 hrs., #135015 .............................$38,500 9 JD 326E, 2016, 65 hrs., #126370 .............................$45,900 12 JD 326E, 2015, 136 hrs., #118578 .............................$44,900 2 JD 326E, 2015, 150 hrs., #128590 .............................$40,900 3 JD 326E, 2014, 465 hrs.,
23,900
JD LW1166, 2012, $ #132344
#125552 .............................$37,900 4 JD 326E, 2014, 860 hrs., #127652 .............................$37,500 2 JD 326E, 2014, 1951 hrs., #126744 ............................$29,900 4 JD 328E, 2016, 200 hrs., #131549 .............................$51,000 11 JD 328E, 2014, 531 hrs., #127230 .............................$46,900 5 JD 329E, 2014, 240 hrs., #131459 .............................$61,900 8 JD 329E, 2014, 419 hrs., #128337 .............................$54,500 13 JD 329E, 2013, 424 hrs., #121156 .............................$53,900 4 JD 332D, 2012, 612 hrs., #127231 .............................$46,000 11 JD 332E, 2015, 122 hrs., #135560 .............................$55,000 8 JD 332E, 2014, 1345 hrs., #132664 .............................$42,900 4 JD 333D, 2012, 690 hrs., #130565 .............................$51,900 12 JD 333D, 2011, 2128 hrs., #135354 ............................$44,900 13 JD 333E, 2016, 205 hrs., #134366 .............................$69,900 13 JD 333E, 2016, 230 hrs., #134365 .............................$69,900 2 JD 333E, 2014, 870 hrs., #135021 .............................$59,900 12 JD CT322, 2006, 3290 hrs., #131411 ............................$22,900 4 Gehl RT-175-GEN-3, 2016, 202 hrs., #137239 ............$37,000 11 Bobcat S130, 2008, 252 hrs., #136868 ............................$27,300 7 Bobcat S185, 2008, 5666 hrs., #134431 .............................$18,900 2 Bobcat S590, 2013, 757 hrs., #131472 ............................$35,900 12 CIH TR270, 2016, 17 hrs., #132330 .............................$47,000 WINDROWERS 2 JD 4995, 2009, 1450 hrs., #132150 .............................$82,500 7 JD A400, 2012, 1127 hrs., #132348 .............................$74,900 5 JD W235, 2014, 584 hrs., #134973 .......................... $145,000 6 JD W235, 2014, 580 hrs., #135622 .......................... $142,500 6 JD W235, 2014, 865 hrs., #133186 .......................... $139,000 8 JD W260, 2015, 417 hrs., #132464 .......................... $162,000
JD 6140D, 2013, $ 140 hp., 378 hrs., #131138
62,500
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
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Put the PLUS+ in your herd productivity Save time to milk additional cows per day and increase milk production
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
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More milk per cow
Jason Julian prepares his horses for spreading manure aŌer morning chores. The Julians do all of their eldwork with horses, as well as their custom logging business.
Julian family operates organic dairy farm, logging business with draft horses By Brittany Olson
brittany.o@dairystar.com
Greater labor efficiency
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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
Mondovi Dairy Systems Inc. Mondovi, WI 715-926-5777 West Salem, WI 608-769-2113 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470 MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA D&D Ag Supply Pennock, MN 320-599-4466
East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Genex Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, MN 605-886-7401 Sioux Falls, SD 800-284-0015 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416
is a registered trademark of Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. and “DeLaval” is a registered trade/servicemark of DeLaval Holding AB © 2017 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. www.delaval.com
MEDFORD, Wis. – Jason Julian had always grown up with horses on his family’s dairy farm. However, it wasn’t until 15 years ago that the rst draft horse entered his life. “We got our rst draft horse named Queen,” Julian said. Jason milks approximately 50 cows with his wife, Katrina, three sons, Aaron, Joshua, and Michael, and mother, Kathy, on their organic dairy farm near Medford, Wis. They also own a logging business, Legacy Horse Logging, and were recently hired by a cellphone company to outt its towers. Except for one leased tractor and a skid steer, the Julians do their eld work on 225 acres with Brabant Belgian horses – from planting to spreading manure to harvesting. Every implement in use has been altered to t a horse instead of a tractor. “The horses do every kind of farm work as well as being on the highway, so they’re pretty well broke,” Jason said. “With a tractor, you’re just trying to get it done and over with, but with horses we’re able to enjoy the actual process.” Between milking their Jerseys and Fleckvieh crosses in a swing-6 parlor, and caring for the horses, chores usually take about two hours morning and night. “Milking is still the best part of doing chores,” Katrina said. The horses have also helped diversify the Julians’ business portfolio and added extra income during lean times on the farm. “We’ve always cut our own wood, but seven years ago we started logging with the horses,” Jason said. “We mostly cut big timber for saw logs, and people liked the results of the horses better than wood harvested mechanically. The horses didn’t leave any ruts, trails or damage to the soil like a truck or tractor would.” The logging business helped keep the Julians aoat during the three-year transition period required to become certied organic. “We’ve been farming since May of 1996, and this is our rst year of being certied organic,” Katrina said. “The last year was especially [tough], but the logging kept us going.” The Julians and their trusty steeds quickly earned a reputation for doing quality work in the woods they logged out, especially regarding the horses’ minimal damage to the ecosystems in which they worked. The customer testimonials on their website caught the attention of a contractor nearly four hours away. Turn to JULIANS | Page 23
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 23
ConƟnued from JULIANS | Page 22
“C. H. Coakley, down in Milwaukee, is a contractor that outts cell towers for U.S. Cellular, a cellphone
Because the Julians’ horses were used to doing all kinds of tasks on the farm throughout the year, they t
“The horses are used to standing and waiting around, and then pulling hard when they have to.” ǧJASON JULIAN, DAIRY FARMER
service provider based in Chicago, and they wanted well-broke horses to carry equipment to these towers in rural locations,” Jason said. “After spending a pretty penny on a wrecker to pull a truck out, they needed something different.”
Coakley’s bill of being wellbroke. The contractor also liked how the Julians handled their horses. “The horses are used to standing and waiting around, and then pulling hard when they have to,” Jason said. “Coakley needed well broke BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
The Julians – (from leŌ) Katrina, Aaron, Kathy, Joshua, Michael and Jason – raise Brabant Belgian horses on their organic 50-cow dairy farm near Medford, Wis.
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
AŌer geƫng the horses hitched, Jason Julian heads to the cow yard to load up his horse-drawn manure spreader.
horses, not half-broke horses, to haul all this expensive equipment.” Jason and his horses began outtting towers in February. With two horses and a wooden wagon hauling thousands of pounds of equipment, Jason ascended the wooded hilltops where most cellphone towers are located. Once or twice a week during February and March, Jason and his horses would do anywhere from two to ve towers in any corner of the
Upper Midwest where U.S. Cellular had erected towers. “There was one time we did a tower near Tomah, Wis., in the hills and just about got stuck,” Jason said. While dealing with horses and heavy equipment during the freezing and thawing of late winter and early spring wasn’t always smooth, fusing new technology and old practices went much smoother than having to dig heavy trucks and tractors out of the mud.
From logging to servicing cell towers to milking cows, Jason and Katrina Julian know a thing or two about diversication. While every farm is different, their draft horses are making a lasting impact on their farm’s bottom line. “The horses are part of our farm. They’re as integral as grazing, and easier on the soil than most modern equipment,” Jason said. “However, they aren’t for everybody.”
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
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AUTHORIZED BOBCAT DEALERS
IOWA
Reiser Implement, Inc. Waukon • 563-568-4526 JP Scherrman, Inc. Farley • 563-744-3393
MINNESOTA
Farm-Rite Equipment, Inc. St. Cloud • 320-240-2085 Farm-Rite Equipment, Inc. Willmar • 320-235-3672 Lano Equipment, Inc. Anoka • 763-323-1720
Aldrich Tractor, Inc. Verndale • 218-445-5430
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Bobcat of Otter Tail County Fergus Falls • 218-739-4505
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Farm-Rite Equipment, Inc. Dassel • 320-275-2737
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Visit Bobcat.com/Offers or stop by today for details. *Offer ends 5/31/2017. Available at participating and eligible dealers only. Offer may vary by product type, series, model and select units in dealer inventory. Offers available on new equipment in US and Canada only. Some restrictions apply. Length of contract may vary. Prior purchases not eligible. See dealer for details. Financing provided on approval of credit by authorized Bobcat finance providers to well-qualified buyers. Administrative fees may apply. Offer not available to government accounts, national accounts and municipal/utility bid customers. Non-commercial customers may not be eligible for low rate financing. Bobcat Company reserves the right to extend or discontinue any of these programs at any time without prior notice Bobcat®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries.
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Bobcat of Brookings, Inc. Brookings • 605-697-5544 Pfeifer’s Implement Sioux Falls • 605-338-6351
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The drop in the tank I love milk. I am a loyal milk ing to want to come home and call drinker. My family, my kids and all of farming their profession, we want to our friends drink milk regularly with be able to help them join us. We would cereal for breakfast, at every meal, and need to increase our herd size and proas a comfort drink before duce more milk to be able bed, often with a few to have a two-family incookies. We all have chilcome off of our farm. dren, some are in college, We all love the dairy but we are not considered farming lifestyle, and are Baby-Boomers. very proud of the cows Some of our kids are and the milk they make. Millennials. They are We all would like to think often described as envithat we should welcome ronmentally conscience, our kids back to the farm concerned about animals and just make our herd and animal welfare, willa little bigger so that we By Tina Hinchley ing to spend more on tryall can get a piece of the ing new foods, and often Farmer & Columnist pie. But, as we look into they feel entitled to start what is happening to our at the top versus working production in Wisconsin their way up. and in the United States, we are conWe also have a set of twins, who cerned if this opportunity could be a are now called the Z Generation. I bad choice. It is very clear we are just don’t know much about what they a little drop in the bucket with milkare saying about that generation ex- ing 129 cows, but even if we expand to cept they are going to be stuck with 260, that isn’t much compared to many what ever the Millennials don’t want. of the other farms that have expanded They are strong willed and very stub- beyond just doubling their herd. born when they argue. Hold on, that is I have been reading some research just my girls. Maybe not all from the that is pointing in the direction of the Z Generation argue to this extent. As aging population of the United States. parents of 19-year-old girls, we have Baby-Boomers are the largest group gone beyond taking sides, and just let of the population. As this group ages, they tend to drink less milk but will them gure it out themselves. All of our kids have worked their eat more cheese. That is great for the way up from the bottom of the chore cheese processing plants, but not so list, and done it everyday along side good for the farmer who’s milk goes to both my husband and myself. Farm uid processors. As the Millennials age, they have kids work earlier and have more maturity than others their age. When they been having fewer children, or chooshead off to college and get the yearn- ing to have no children at all. This
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would mean less mouths to eat cereal Nasonville Dairy’s having to turn with milk or even have milk with their away milk, I clearly know that they are bed time snack. full. There is no more room for more Fluid milk sales have been go- milk. Unless there is something that is ing down over time, and there are able to turn the tables on drinking uid many reasons why. One is many other milk, it will not change for the better drink products are in competition with in the future. The Baby-Boomers are milk: water, soda, coffee, juice, and going to have to eat a whole bunch even milk substitutes. Another is that of cheese to consume all that is being the changing produced. The p population has dairies will d Even if we llove milk, ilk and d try continue to more people E who are lac- to inspire others to love it as make great tose intolercheeses and ant. Yet an- much as we do, it might not other new other reason is be enough... amazing prodthat too often ucts to keep u when children tthe milk in our were presented with drink choices in diets. My family will continue to do school, the milk choice was warm and our best with drinking as much milk as not appealing to them. This daily situa- we can, and making cheese and dairy tion at school has negatively impacted products a big part of our daily menu the image of milk as a good, delicious, choices. and nutritious drink to have with their Milk is a commodity controlled by lunch. Whatever the reason, uid milk supply and demand, just as all other sales are still heading south. commodities. But, I think it is different As we contemplate what we are and more personal, because our cows going to do in the future if our daugh- show us that they love us by licking ters would like to return to farm with and mooing at us, where our corn and us, we are very uncertain if there is soybeans don’t. Even if we love milk, going to be a market for our milk that and try to inspire others to love it as is going to Dean Foods as a uid milk much as we do, it might not be enough product. We have asked our hauler and to keep all of us smaller farms in the even our eld man if there would be a running for the drop in the big milk time that they would not want to take tank. on more milk. Dean Foods processes Tina Hinchley, her husband, milk for Walmart. Walmart is building Duane, and their daughters, Anna and a new processing plant in Indiana to Catherine, milk 120 registered Holprocess milk only from tankers, from steins and farm 2,500 acres of crops the bigger farms. near Cambridge, Wis. They have been With the news of Grassland and hosting farm tours for over 18 years.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 25
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
USED EQUIPMENT SPECIALS Tractors
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America’s farmers and ranchers will soon have the opportunity to strongly represent agriculture in their communities and industry by taking part in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Conducted every ve years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the census, to be mailed at the end of this year, is a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches and those who operate them. FSA News & Notes The Census of Agriculture highlights land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, and other topics. The 2012 Census of Agriculture revealed that over three million farmers operated more than two million farms, spanning over 914 million acres. This was a 4 percent decrease in the number of U.S. farms from the previous census in 2007. However, agriculture sales, income and expenses increased between 2007 and 2012. This telling information and thousands of other agriculture statistics are a By Ryan Brunn direct result of responses to the Census of Agriculture. Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. Producers who are new to farming or did not receive a Census of Agriculture in 2012 still have time to sign up to receive the 2017 Census of Agriculture report form by visiting www.agcensus.usda.gov and clicking on the ‘Make Sure You Are Counted’ button through June. NASS denes a farm as any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year (2017). If you are a student and are looking for an unpaid internship or need in-ofce experience to complete your degree, FSA offers a volunteer program to work in a FSA ofce. It is a great opportunity to build customer service skills and work with our local farmers. You will also get computer system experience unique to FSA. The volunteer will need to go through a background check and will gain access to computer systems and will be able to assist the ofce through crop reporting season and other program signups. This is also available to other citizens who feel they have the ability to assist the ofce during our busy seasons. If you are interested, please contact your FSA ofce. 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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on our DNB list, a cow must have a major issue, such as terrible feet and legs, a wide udder that is a pain to milk, a very low production index, or has a reproduction issue, such as being bred too many times. I’ve learned from experience that these cows should be culled sooner rather than later, because they require so much extra attention, making more trips to the hoof trimming chute or requiring additional patience in the parlor. A few weeks ago, my dad and I discussed the need to sell a few more cows. He mentioned selling springers at the auction market, but noted the price had gone down. I advocated for culling our DNB cows sooner, so we could make room for the heifers that are calving in, as they are our best genetics. I realize cull cow prices aren’t so great either, but I feel the benet of the better genetics coming will position us for more milk when the prices do turn around. I must also note that we already sold a group of six heifers
The Transition Pen
By John & Laura Rosenhammer Father/Daughter Farming Duo When I left my job at Gar-Lin Dairy, the herdsman’s advice to me was, “Get your repro in order and the rest will follow.” So, I made reproduction my top priority. First, I enrolled all the cows on an ovsynch schedule. Next, I worked with a consultant to develop a set of traits I was looking for in service sires and we developed a list of bulls that were best for our herd. We also mated each cow and heifer individually to one of these bulls. Since then, I’ve simply been making adjustments. Moving our voluntary waiting period to where conception is best, selecting ovsynch protocols based on lactation, and constantly reviewing our data to make sure we are on track. These decisions made a huge impact in our herd. Our days in milk dropped, our pregnancy rate increased, we are more efcient in services per conception, have a shorter calving interval, and, after convincing my dad to give Angus semen a try on our difcult breeders, we are also culling fewer cows for reproduction issues. For me, the biggest reward has been saving cows that would’ve been culled for not being pregnant. With more cows getting pregnant sooner and a shorter calving interval, management decisions need to be made faster in order to keep our number of cows milking at a manageable level. With 60 percent of the herd currently pregnant, our dry cow numbers are rising and milk cows decreasing consistently until fall, then the opposite will happen. Our milking herd numbers are predicted to go from 199 down to 182. This will drop us from 15 percent overcrowded to around 8 percent in the lactating groups. The dry cow pen will be expanded, taking up a few milking herd stalls, and the dry cows will gain a pasture lot, so they won’t need as many stalls. I believe this situation over summer will be a godsend. Cows won’t be so crowded, so they will be under less stress, have more lying time, and be easier to keep cool. Knowing our herd numbers are very healthy, I am striving to make the best decisions when culling cows, so our herd can weed out the poor producers. I have a list of low producers each month, based on their relative value. Last month, I was able to cull the two lowest cows, and as long as we don’t have too many cows die unexpectedly, I can keep culling the open or high SCC cows from this list. Besides this, rather than giving almost every cow at least one chance to be bred back, we have been marking a DNB cow within the rst 60 days of her lactation. To be put
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 27
in March that I picked out as undesirable for our herd, so the heifers that we chose to keep are ones that I am hopeful for. Without a doubt, focusing on reproduction has paid off. Now, my challenge is maintaining our reproduction goals, while trying to make decisions that keep pushing our herd forward. With the low markets, I often feel like I am not moving forward, but rather I’m on a treadmill, getting healthier by burning calories and getting my heart rate up, but not getting to my destination. However, my vet informed me that another client of his pointed out that is exactly what dairy farming is right now, “We’re just doing it (dairy farming) for the exercise.” Laura Rosenhammer farms with her father, John, and uncle, Greg, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and run 580 acres of cropland.
Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
Solving animal health mysteries
Taylor serving UW vet diagnostic lab as pathologist By Brittany Olson
brittany.o@dairystar.com
BARRON, Wis. – The circle of life is ever present on a dairy farm, with birth and death sometimes occurring within the same day. However, when death arrives on the farm suddenly or unexplainedly, a necropsy done by a veterinary pathologist may be ordered. Just like a detective collects clues to solve a crime, veterinary pathologists take the same approach to determine why an animal died. That’s where Dr. Holly Taylor, D.V.M., of the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Dr. Holly Taylor DVM, UW Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Barron, Diagnostic Lab Wis., comes in. “I do full-body necropsies here at the lab, and I also work with local veterinarians when they do on-farm necropsies,” Taylor said. “Then, I take tissue samples from the on-farm necropsy and read them under a microscope.” Necropsies, otherwise referred to as post-mortem exams, are carried out to determine an accurate cause of death. Each organ, ranging from the brain down to the udder, and all points in between, is harvested to obtain the most thorough and accurate result so the animal’s owner knows what went
wrong and, possibly, how to prevent it from happening again. A Pennsylvania native, Taylor completed her undergraduate degree in animal science at Pennsylvania State University before earning her doctorate of veterinary medicine at the University of Tennessee. Taylor completed additional education in veterinary pathology at the University of Missouri Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Columbia, Mo. “I grew up in a rural area, and I love it up here,” Taylor said, referring to her new home in Barron. Aside from necropsies, the vet lab, as it is known locally, also works with dairy farmers on issues such as mastitis testing, colostrum quality, bulk tank samples, and liquid feed testing for bacteria and other pathogens. The lab in Barron handles bacteria samples, while viral cultures are sent down to Madison for interpretation. “Immunoglobulin (IgG) testing for colostrum quality isn’t widely used at the lab, but it is growing in popularity,” Taylor said. Dairy cattle aren’t her only specialty, however. Taylor’s skills make her a perfect t for Barron County’s strong heritage in not just dairy farming, but also turkey farming, as the lab offers services for turkey raisers in the region. “Poultry infectious diseases are my other specialty,” Taylor said. Hired as the lab’s veterinary pathologist in October 2016, Taylor’s arrival is even more special because for 18 months the lab didn’t have a pathologist. While no two days in Taylor’s career are alike, they follow some semblance of a routine. Mornings largely consist of reading slides taken from petri dishes and tissue samples to gure
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
A calf brain, placed in formalin to x and preserve the Ɵssue, awaits sampling at the UW Veterinary DiagnosƟc Lab. Dr. Holly Taylor specializes in bovine and poultry infecƟous diseases. out what is ailing the animals that the samples were collected from. Necropsies are usually done in the afternoon so Taylor isn’t running in and out of the bacteriology and serology labs. “Most people will bring cattle in the morning, but some will wait until 4 p.m. when the lab is about to close,” Taylor said, chuckling.
Cattle are carried into the necropsy lab via a lift and set on a table, where Taylor can begin to dissect the body and take the organs and tissues needed to complete the process. A small table is reserved for calves, while a larger table is used for mature cattle. After harvesting the organs and tissues she needs, Taylor must preserve them so they don’t decompose and produce inaccurate results for the farmer. “During the necropsy, organs are placed in jars lled with a solution, called formalin, to x the tissue and make it easier to cut,” Taylor said. “Then, I slice the tissue to t into cassettes for slide reading.” Just like any other problem that may arise on the farm, the big picture must be considered, as well as the details, to produce the most tting solution and results. By looking at the whole creature and each of its organs during a necropsy, Taylor can solve just about any animal health puzzle that occurs in northwestern Wisconsin.
“Immunoglobulin (IgG) testing for colostrum quality isn’t widely used at the lab, but it is growing in popularity.” DR. HOLLY TAYLOR, DVM
BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR
A small table is reserved for calf necropsies at the UW Veterinary DiagnosƟc Laboratory in Barron, Wis.
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Earth Day more than a once-a-year event
Yesterday, on Easter, I dug a smallish hole into the Crawford County soil of one of our side yards. Into the hole I carefully placed a tree. Then, I sifted two bags of composted manure and humus around and over the trees’ roots. With the soil tamped down and the thirsty tree drinking in buckets of water, I pulled up a lawn chair and admired my handiwork. Rural Roots Every spring, I try to plant at least one tree. When I had ďƒžnished with this Wisconsin Weeping Willow, I reďƒ&#x;ected on why I’d repeated, once again, my springtime ritual. Doing so, I realized that coming up, on April 22, is Earth Day. I suppose I could try to claim that the willow went in because I wanted to commemorate Earth Day. But, in truth, not so. Instead, I chose to share my nine acres with yet another leafy life form for other reasons. One is that I want something fast growing to block out a bit of By Ron Johnson the infernal summer sunlight when it comes blasting Staff Writer over the western hill. There’s no shade tree in that patch of yard. As a consequence, our A-frame house heats up like a cast-iron stove. Second, I planted another tree because I like willows and have ďƒžne, fond memories of them. Wherever we lived, my mother made certain we had a willow tree somewhere in the yard. My third reason for wanting a willow tree is that it will herald spring quite early each year, when its yellow-green leaves appear and lend a touch of welcome color to a winter-weary world. And, I like watching as a willow tree bends and sways with the wind. Sometimes I wish I could take on the storms of life with such ďƒ&#x;exibility and grace that a willow tree possesses. But planting this willow for Earth Day? No. I do applaud the concept of setting aside a special day to think about the planet. But in my case, I think about her just about every day, because I’m in close contact with it much of the time. Gardening, making maple syrup, hunting, ďƒžshing, ďƒžnding mushrooms, and writing about farming and farmers takes me out and into natures’ good earth. It’s the same for most farm folks, too. For them, every day is Earth Day because they are out on the Earth, working the land, growing crops, and raising livestock. According to my calculations, this year brings the forty-seventh Earth Day. It was launched in 1970 to not only honor the planet, but also the concept of peace. On that ďƒžrst Earth Day, I was a junior in high school. I must confess that I’m not sure I even knew about the event at the time. And, I suspect I pretty much missed the second Earth Day, too. My teenage boy’s life was ďƒžlled with more important matters. As we approach another Earth Day, this might be a good time for me to review some of what spring has been like here on my inďƒžnitesimal bit of Earth. I’ll start with a seasonal interest of mine: making maple syrup. This year, my season started on Feb. 12. I tapped my ďƒžrst maple tree then, not quite two weeks earlier than normal - whatever that has become. That ďƒžrst spout, or spike, as it’s properly called, began delivering 26 drops of sap a minute. That’s by no means a Niagara, but it proved enough to fuel my optimism. Fast-forwarding to my later notes, I see that by early March I had placed ďƒžve taps in four trees. My tapping went slowly because the weather refused to cooperate. It did not give me the string of warm, sunny days and cold nights that is needed for a steady sap ďƒ&#x;ow. But on March 8, I managed to ďƒžnish on the kitchen I’ve once again I’ i b been bl blessed d range 72 ounces of ďƒžne, all-natto be allowed to witness ural, Wisconsin maple syrup. days later, on March firsthand spring returning to Fifteen 23, I ďƒžnished 80 ounces more. the land. That done, I declared m my 2017 maple season ofďƒžciallly ended. I wound up with one gallon, 24 ounces of syrup. Admittedly, that amount won’t be able to adorn a mile-high heap of hotcakes. But I consider it a good crop, considering the fact that I tapped half my usual number of trees, and that Ma Nature decided to give me a contrary stretch of late winter and early spring weather. Along the way, between that ďƒžrst tree tapping and now, I’ve once again been blessed to be allowed to witness ďƒžrsthand spring returning to the land. I noticed when three dozen robins explored my yard and garden on March 3. I had the pleasure of hearing a returning robin’s cheery notes near our small stream on March 5. That’s the same day the cries of six killdeer ďƒžlled the air. The frogs - spring peepers - started their springtime serenade the evening of April 9 below our house. The bluebirds have come back; the crocuses have emerged and bloomed; and the redbud tree I set into the soil six seasons ago is packed with ďƒ&#x;ower buds ready to spring open. Yes, I have witnessed many earth days in the past couple of months. My hope is that I – and you – continue to enjoy, celebrate, and protect our small corners of this miraculous jewel of a planet for countless springs to come.
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 29
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What’s in a name? Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
One of the things I was most proud of as a young girl on our farm was my ability to remember the names of all of our cows. I could recite them, in order of their stalls in the barn, starting at the milkhouse and working my way down the aisle and around the end. I knew each and every name, all 69 stalls worth. Apollo, Dewey, Tamika, Holiday, Jill, Jody-ET, Dumbo, Star, all the way up to Anita, Lydia, and around the corner to Johanna, Gloria, and down the line to Moola, Midge and Mitze. I can’t remember every single cow anymore, but I’m sure somewhere in my cow history hoardings there’s a detailed list of them on yellow note paper. Somehow the cows having names made them far easier to remember than just a couple digits being attached to them. Just digging for this list of cows in my mind brought forth a few lost memories of some of these cows. Star’s nickname became Scar after my daredevil brother, Thomas, thought he’d try his luck crawling underneath two cows. He made it to that big, black, low-uddered beast Star and his luck ran out. Why on Earth we ever let him do that is beyond me. He was ne, thankfully. Tamika had the most miserable short, little teats that had horrible frostbite one winter. Holiday was a short, wide, powerhouse of a milk producer that stood by Shirley with her chronically bad feet. During milking one night I remember hearing an awful wailing and nding our dog, Rufe, partway under Shirley. After my crazy yelling and pounding, she lurched up, and Rufe learned not to sleep under cows. Anita had an insanely low udder that demanded she be saddled with an udder support. She also had
to stand on blocks to get milked for her last lactation. Lydia was a specimen of a milking cow, but wicked in temperament. Johanna was our gentle heater after being chilled to the bone while sledding. Gloria was a gorgeous white cow that we would take the curry comb to almost daily while milking, just to make her shine. Moola was the cow that managed to strangle herself to death in the stanchion one night. Jukebox was virtually blind, she could only see light as far as I could tell. She could nd the door easily in early morning when the lights were on, and always had to have her stall on the end. In the past few years, with the milking herd growing to over 700 cows, naming the ladies seemed to have become a part of our farm’s history. We’ve had a few special cows that seemed to deserve a name due to their longevity with us. Currently we have Babushka, our oldest gal, at 10 years old, who is living out her days in a semi-retired state in the hospital pen. I just said a fond farewell to the Big Bobaluga (said just how it sounds), Bob for short. She had put in her time, and had really given up on making milk. Fugly left us this winter, but we have an heir to her “F” name, Fern. Daryle calved in this spring with Devon, and then succumbed to a tricky displaced abomasum and peritonitis. We have a few employees that like to name the cows; there’s Lupita, a little Holstein-Jersey cross that denitely favors the Jersey breed, India, a short, wide beast of a black cow, and Maria, another little brown beauty. I’m not sure what brought it on with the girls working with the calves, but a trip down the row of hutches at the moment will cause you to smile. First, because
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their calves are bright, shiny and healthy, and second because they almost all have names written above their numbers on their big, pink tags. Nora, Odessa, Fritzi, Paisley, Pepito, Clementine, Ireland (India’s daughter), Hazel, Biancia, Rue and Annabelle all take up residence in the rst row of calves. The next Ramblings from the Ridge row houses a few bulls – Mufasa, Timon, Pumbaa, and twins Bo and Peep aren’t far away. The bottom row is all about showing homage to important women. Not sure how they would feel about having bovines as a living tribute, but nevertheless, it’s a good lesson to By Jacqui Davison all who feed the calves as Columnist they ask about the names. Malala (Yousafzai), Ruby (Bridges), Maya (Angelou), Henrietta (Lax), Notorious RBG (Ruth Bader Ginsberg) and Gloria (Steinem) all have cozy homes in the bottom row of heifers. The girls have a notebook for potential names, they keep with the calf care stuff, for anyone to write down new ideas. They have all commented that having names attached to the calves makes them far easier to remember as they go about their duties. They all seem to enjoy the new addition to the system. It will be interesting to see what happens in a few years as all of these newly named heifers enter the milking herd, and whether we can remember the names easier than numbers. It’s less likely to mix up a name, whereas number mix-ups happen frequently by just ipping digits. The names seem to bring back a little bit of the farm nostalgia for me, and they seem to make everyone smile a bit more. Jacqui and her family milk 700 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (10), Dane (8), Henry (3) and newborn, Cora, help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little boys, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos-and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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A day in your life
Spring is a wonderful time of year for the farming community – the frost rises from the ground, tractors are primed for eldwork, and the days are a bit longer to tap into the never-ending to-do list we are anxious to dwindle. Spring is a wonderful time for Dairy Star, too. This time of year kick-starts our unique feature, “A day in the life.” It’s one of my favorite features we put together, giving us the opportunity to work alongside dairy producers and showcase your day-to-day responsibilities in a photo collage article of sorts. This year, our rst “A day in the life” featured Rick Lundgren, of Randall, Minn., and how he and his two fulltime employees balance each workday. March 30 began at 6 a.m., as I entered Lundgren’s milkhouse, following the clattering of milking units hanging on the pipeline to nd Lundgren at the far end of the tiestall barn. Lundgren was gathering a bucket-full of fresh milk that would later be used for the newborn calf. Walking alongside Lundgren, as he moved onto the By Jennifer Coyne next fresh cow, I learned more about the dairy producer’s Staff Writer life as he proudly told me how the farm began, what improvements were made in the past, and what lies ahead. Soon after, I watched the sunrise over the feed bunk as Lundgren’s employee, Jamison Henderson, carried on his responsibilities in the skidloader. At this time, I snapped photos of the hay falling from the bucket and the animals gathering against the neck rail. Back inside the barn, Nicole Meyer was washing the milking units as Lundgren cleaned and bedded the stalls. In between wash cycles, I was able to converse with Meyer and learn about her role on the dairy. As those on the farm parted ways for breakfast, so did I – heading back to the ofce to further develop the article. Later that afternoon, Mark Klaphake arrived on the farm, where he spent the remainder of the day as a bystander to Lundgren, Henderson and Meyer, as they cleaned calf pens and repaired equipment. Because Lundgren opened his barn doors to Mark and I, we had the opportunity to portray Lundgren’s day through an article and a series of photos – from sunup to sundown. March 30 was an ordinary day for Lundgren, but for us, it was so much more. While days on the farm may seem mundane, in our eyes there is always a story to tell. In years past, we’ve spent hours with families cutting rst-crop hay, moving cows into a new barn, attending an auction or being a part of one, and even rode along with a cheesemaker who started his day collecting milk from his patrons. With each picture captured in the camera and quote jotted down on paper, “A day in the life” develops from the simplest of tasks. But – like most articles in our paper, this feature is not possible without the help of dairy farmers, like you. As we carry on through the next season of farming, please let us know if you could be our next “A day in the life” – whether you’re planting cover crops, pitching manure or participating in a local dairy promotion event, we’d relish the opportunity to walk with you through your day.
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 31
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Advice from an old farmer Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
The big question this spring, as with every spring before, is did the alfalfa elds make it through the winter? The warm February and freezing cold March sent mixed signals to the alfalfa crowns. Should they start to bud or should they wait? Just driving past the elds on either side of the driveway, I can see green undertones giving life to the dead stems of last fall. We are keeping our ngers crossed the crowns will have enough energy to push through to another year of production. We’ve been through these season swings before with mixed results. Some years it looked like the alfalfa made it only to run out of stored energy before the plant grew enough to produce its own energy to survive. Other years, you swore it was dead only to be revived by perfect warm spring rains and bright sunshine. We can’t worry about it, but we can be ready to revamp our planting plans just in case. It seems most of the stuff we worry about isn’t ever going to happen. We just have to do our best and let God
do the rest. It seems as farmers, we tend to say quite a bit in a just a few words especially when we become an old farmer. The wisdom and insight these old farmers have learned through the years can help us to temper our anxiety. They have seen it, lived through and most often, survived it. Even though technology has changed the landscape of agriculture, the basic struggles are the same. There are things we can control and things we can’t. We have to be wise enough to recognize the difference and act accordingly. We recently lost an old farmer in our family. This will be the rst spring without my 99-year-old grandfather. Grandpa was a tall, solemn and quiet man. As kids, we swore if he wore a stove-pipe hat he would look like Abraham Lincoln. Grandpa didn’t say much, but when he spoke you listened with not only your ears but with your heart and head. He always gave us something to think about. Grandpa was happiest
“Our production has come up quite a bit. We’ve seen an increase of 10-15 pounds in our cows, and our milk quality has gone up, too.” - Brad, Luettel Dairy Adrian, MN
in his gardens. He was running at least three gardens in his early 90s. He gave away most of his produce to anyone who needed something to eat. It is a tradition I continue and have passed on to my children as well. Most of our time with Grandpa was spent on the back porch sitting in the glider, rocking in a Just Thinking Out Loud calming steady rhythm. Age brought us closer to one another. As kids, we matured and settled down while Grandpa softened up and began to share his stories and adventures. These sermons in a sentence may not have come from Grandpa, but they remind me of him and my dad as By Natalie Schmitt they share their advice Columnist from old farmers. Advice from an old farmer. Sermons in a sentence or two. • Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong, or at least a very strong electrical current pulsing through a single hot wire. • Keep skunks and bankers at a distance if possible, or handle with extreme care. • Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled. Just like a soft spring rain that pulls out the winter frost. Down pours tend to run off through ditches and don’t do any good. • Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads. • Don’t corner something that you know is meaner than you. • It doesn’t take a very big person to carry a grudge. • You cannot unsay a cruel word. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. • When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty. • Letting the cat out of the bag is a whole lot easier than putting it back in. • If you get to thinking you’re a person of some inuence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around. • Timing has the most to do with the outcome of a rain dance. • If you nd yourself in a hole, the rst thing to do is stop digging. • The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with watches you from the mirror every morning. • Always drink upstream from the herd. • The window of opportunity is the time between morning and evening chores. Make the most of those precious hours. • Every path has a few puddles. Be like a little kid and enjoy splashing through them. • The best sermons are lived, not preached. • Most of the stuff people worry about isn’t going to happen anyway. • Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. • Don’t judge folks by their relatives, good or bad. Not everyone falls off the same apple tree. • Live a good, honorable life … Then when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time. • Most times it just gets down to common sense. • Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. Natalie, Mark and his brother, Al, Schmitt farm together near Rice, Minn. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are great help around the farm and are pushing Natalie out of several jobs. Therefore she is thankful to have something else to do. For questions or comments please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.
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Daphne’s basket was by the swing set – she recently ďƒžgured out how to swing by herself so she’s been spending hours each day soaring through the air. Monika’s basket was tucked inside the bag of rabbit pellets next to the rabbit hutch; Monika is in charge of taking care of our rabbit. Dan’s basket was hidden Dairy Good Life in his fort in the windbreak; he (along with anyone he can recruit to help) has built a structure out of branches, logs, and miscellaneous ďƒžndings that almost qualiďƒžes as a dwelling. The chocolate-peanut butter eggs in their Easter baskets disappeared almost immediately, leaving just jellybeans for Glen and I to snitch when the kids aren’t looking. The Easter Bunny also left a bag of jellybeans in the barn for Glen. When Monika got to the barn on Easter morning, she said she wanted to give the cows an Easter treat, too. Glen offered up his bag of jellybeans. “Cows don’t like jellybeans,â€? Monika dismissed. By Sadie Frericks “Are you sure?â€? Glen asked. What happened next was pure farm kid delight. Columnist Glen and Monika took the bag of jellybeans and set a couple in the manger in front of Star. Star is Monika’s favorite cow and she (strategically) has the ďƒžrst stall in the barn. Star gave the jellybeans a sniff and then gobbled them up. Monika let out a squeal of joy. Then Monika proceeded to feed Star jellybean after jellybean until she had determined that the yellow jellybeans were Star’s favorite ďƒ&#x;avor. “I can’t believe cows like jellybeans!â€? Monika said. We used the moment to explain that lots of cows eat candy. Our college friends incorporate gummy bears into their cows’ ration; some farmers feed their cows Skittles; other cows get chocolate. Candy that doesn’t meet speciďƒžcations for human consumption can often be an affordable and efďƒžcient source of energy for dairy cows. Plus, using below-spec candy in this way keeps it out of landďƒžlls. I didn’t explain this part to Monika, but incorporating candy into dairy cow rations is a great example of nutrient conservation. What’s nutrient conservation? Glad you asked. Nutrient conservation is the preservation of calories and other substances that are essential for life. In the jellybean example, the sugars in the candy were obtained from either sugar beets or sugar cane. Sugar beets and sugar cane both require plant nutrients and water to grow. When jellybeans end up in a landďƒžll, no living creatures beneďƒžt from those calories, with the exception of possibly bacteria. When below-spec candy is incorporated into dairy cows’ diets, those calories can be used by cows to fuel their bodies and produce milk. In effect, the calories are recycled. Thanks to the amazing and incredible populations of bacteria in cows’ rumens, dairy cows are some of the best nutrient recyclers on the planet. Beyond candy, rumen bacteria can use nutrients from an impressive variety of byproducts and below-spec foods intended for humans. Beet pulp, corn gluten meal, canola meal, distillers grains, citrus pulp, almond hulls, bakery scraps and below-spec produce are just a few of the food manufacturing byproducts cows can recycle into milk. Furthermore, a majority of the foods cows normally eat, like silage, grass and hay, can also be considered recycled. Cows eat feedstuffs that humans can’t eat and turn them into something we can. Here in Minnesota, our climate and much of our land is not suitable for growing fruits, vegetables, and other human foods on a large scale. But our climate and land are perfect for growing plants that cows can eat. Since today is Earth Day, there will be many conversations and much written about recycling, conservation, and food waste. Over 30 million pounds of food ends up in landďƒžlls every year. Think of how many calories we’re carefully growing, harvesting, processing and then throwing away. There is a lot of room for progress in nutrient conservation. And this progress isn’t optional. The World Resources Institute estimates our planet’s population will need nearly 70 percent more calories by 2050 than it consumes today. Reducing food loss and waste, which consumes 25 percent of all food calories, is essential for meeting world food needs. Just like the “reduce, reuse, recycleâ€? mantra used to encourage conservation of natural resources like trees and metals, we now need to apply this concept to nutrients. I’m supremely glad dairy cows are an important part of this recycling process. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 75 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 10, Monika, 7, and Daphne, 4. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 33
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Increased protability starts with rst cutting
Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
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With lower-than-projected milk prices thus far in not account for the change in quality due to wilting, 2017, many farms are looking at ways to maintain mar- harvesting and storage. These losses will further lower gins. You might want to consider costrelative feed value by 15 to 25 percent. cutting strategies, such as alternative Something to Ruminate On Preharvest quality estimates have protein sources, byproduct feeds, differtheir greatest value for rst crop. Calenent grouping strategies, reducing feed dar date and visual maturity are useful refusal, and minimizing feed shrink. factors in gauging harvest time for later Don’t overlook the importance of forage cuttings. The early bud stage is optimal quality. for both yield and quality. New genetic Assess your alfalfa stands if you technologies with lower lignin alfalfa have not already done so. The earlier may allow us to maintain our quality you make a determination, the more posover a longer window of harvest, but this sibilities you have for corrective action. is a topic for another time. Reports from around the Midwest in the Let’s consider two farms feeding corn past couple weeks on viability of alfalfa silage and haylage at a 50:50 ratio on a dry matter basis. Diets are balanced at stands are mixed. If you are in the unsimilar levels for crude protein (CP), rufortunate position of dealing with a high By Barry Visser men degradable protein (RDP), rumen percentage of winterkill, work with your Nutritionist undegradable protein (RUP) and energy agronomist and nutritionist to devise a (NEL). Farm A is feeding the higherplan for alternative cropping ideas. When should you start rst cutting? No simple quality haylage (see table 1). guidelines apply every year or on every farm. GenerUsing current Midwest prices for corn, soybean ally, you can wait longer during periods of cooler tem- meal, canola meal and bypass protein sources, we can peratures and wetter conditions. Warmer springs with expect Farm B’s daily feed cost to be 15 to 20 cents higher temperatures and adequate moisture lead to fast- per cow higher than Farm A’s. This difference is based er growth and more rapid decline in ber digestibility. solely on forage quality. Plus, cows on Farm A conPlant maturity is the most important factor affect- sumed more forage, resulting in higher production and ing quality. With maturity comes more cell wall con- healthier cows. The maturity and quality of alfalfa silage at harstituents, including lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. Proportionally, we see a drop in the digestible cellu- vest is only one factor affecting the bottom line of your lar contents, such as soluble proteins, sugar, starch, dairy. However, harvesting top-quality alfalfa silage fats and pectins. Not only does neutral detergent ber should be a priority of your forage team. It’s in the best (NDF) increase and forage energy content drop with interest of your cows and your pocketbook. maturity, but also the accumulating Table 1: Nutrient analysis of alfalfa hay silage – 1st cutting 2016 NDF becomes less digestible. Scissor cutting is a tool that has been CP aNDFom uNDF240 RFV RFQ around for many years. A second tool, the Predicted Equation for Alfalfa Qual% % % ity (PEAQ) developed by the University 34 14 185 190 of Wisconsin-Madison, helps you make Farm A – Early Cut 22 your own eld estimates. Both measure- Farm B – Late Cut 18 42 21 125 120 ments evaluate the standing crop and do
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 35
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The Endres family has more than 800 head of youngstock on their farm near Lodi, Wis. The calves are housed in a four-bay barn that was built in 2006.
Endres family improves calf care with management By Cassie Olson
cassie.o@dairystar.com
LODI, Wis. – If somebody would have told David Endres in 1986 that he would be milking Jerseys today, he would not have believed them. Beginning his dairying career in Waunakee, Wis., at the time, he was milking 50 Holsteins and was pleased with his herd. Over time, however, his herd changed breed, size and location, resulting in the 750-cow registered Jersey herd he milks today alongside his family at Endres Jazzy Jerseys in Lodi, Wis. David and his children – Vinny, 26, Sydney, 22, and Mitchell, 20 – shared their calf management techniques which have led to their herd growth and success during the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association dairy tours April 11. With over 800 head of youngstock,
the Endres family has developed a keen eye for quality calf and heifer care. Sydney, a senior studying dairy science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, assists with the herd’s calf management and said one of the biggest assets to the farm is its four-bay calf barn that was built in 2006. “When my dad designed [the barn], he wanted to make it specically tailored to caring for Jersey calves in the Midwest. It is an all-in, all-out facility that keeps calves warm and cool in the varying weather of Wisconsin,” Sydney said. David wanted to mimic the barn to that of a swine barn. The barn’s four bays feature side curtains and positive pressure ventilation to ensure proper airow year-round. Additional heat in the winter comes from radiant heat ooring in the walkways between the rows of pens. Each calf is housed in an individual pen for the rst 2 months of life. The pens have removable plastic sidewalls to aid in the biosecurity of each bay. “In the event we have a calf get
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
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Bernadine “Bernieâ€? Hornby Viroqua, Wis. Vernon County 70 cows Family: My husband, David, and three grown children, Annesa, Adam and Laura; their spouses, Kyle, Stephanie and Jacob; and our grandchildren, William, Olivia and Addison, ranging from 8 to 16 months. Tell us about your farm. We bought our farm in 1983. We own 320 acres and rent 32 acres. We grow corn, alfalfa and soybeans. We milk 70 cows and raise our own replacements. We employ David’s brother, Steve, part-time. What’s the busiest time of day for you? Mornings. We’re planning the day, wanting to get going to accomplish as much as possible. Milking needs to be done by 7:15 a.m., for milk pickup. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? Garden or create something like a ďƒ&#x;oral wreath or an arrangement. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. Chore time when our kids were young was part of our quality, family time. They would feed cows while David and I did the milking. They would share their
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school day, hobbies and interests with us during that time. I learned a lot from my son about hunting, ďƒžshing and four-wheelers. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? The values instilled while raising our family. It’s gratifying that they like to come home with their spouses and pitch in to help. Now our grandbabies make regular trips to the barn when visiting. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I get together with farm friends and am an active member of local organizations, serving on committees and boards that promote agriculture. In your opinion, what’s the importance of women in today’s dairy industry and how have you seen that change over the years? Women have a lot to offer the dairy industry. I feel that a change started when women were granted membership in the FFA in 1969. Many attitudes changed; women were encouraged to take on challenges and far more opportunities opened up for women in agriculture. Our daughter is an agronomist. Our veterinarian and relief A.I. technician are women. It’s not unusual anymore for women to have careers in all areas. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? Melania Trump. I would use this opportunity to teach her how this industry works, its impact on the world and feeding its people. She could use her learned experience as a podium position for a cause that she supports as America’s First Lady. What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken? The week of each of our three kids’ weddings. Decorating and setup were so fun and memorable. We aren’t the typical vacation people. We go on mini vacations that are usually three or four milkings off. Visiting our daughter and her family in Appleton, Wis., is our usual destination. I also enjoy an occasional antiquing and shopping trip with friends. What are some words you like to live by? Have a grateful heart. Thank God for all the blessings you receive. Be genuine, honest, kind, respectful, humble, encouraging, optimistic, happy and content. Stay busy. Be involved in your community. Love and spend time with family and friends. You only have one life to live.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 37
ConĆ&#x;nued from ENDRES | Page 35 sick, it is contained to just one group. We are able to remove the sidewalls and sanitize them and stop the spread of illness at its source,â€? Sydney said. Newborn calf care is an essential element of employee training at Endres Jazzy Jerseys. With a total of 15 fulltime employees, everyone is well versed in newborn calf care. Cows in the maternity pen are checked every 30 minutes to one hour. Calves are given three quarts of colostrum within the ďƒžrst hour of life. After a calf is born, employees dip the calf’s navel in an iodine solution before moving it calf cart to assist with colostrum consumption. David created a device to help with handling newborn calves, especially when consuming colostrum. A large plastic PVC pipe with an opening at large opening and encased bottom helps employees to slide the calves in to prevent them from kicking around and getting dirty. “For the longest time, we would move the calves and start giving them colostrum while they were kicking around on the dirty ďƒ&#x;oor. It just seemed stupid, and I thought there had to be a better way,â€? David said. “Putting them in the PVC tube has really made a difference. Calves get a healthier start, and they aren’t a hassle for us to give colostrum to.â€? Calves are also wrapped in blankets from birth to warm up and dry off faster. Once warm,
dry and fed, the calves are taken to the calf barn where they stay for the next 60 days. Between the third and ďƒžfth day of life, calves are introduced to starter while continuing to receive two quarts of pasteurized waste milk twice per day. The whole milk pasteurizer has been a part of the farm for the last 15 years. The Endres family uses waste milk to feed the calves, with additional milk pulled in from the production herd when necessary. The Endres family raises all their bull calves, as well. Since the early 2000s, they have been raising their bulls for a unique purpose. “We have an interesting market,â€? Mitchell said. “We were approached by a man in Texas looking for Jersey bull calves for rodeo roping. We raise the bulls to weaning and ship them down there. We get a steady price for our bulls that way, and he has been purchasing all of our bull calves ever since.â€? Calves are weaned around 2 months of age and grower feed is introduced after weaning. They will stay in the barn for several days before they are moved outside to hut group housing. Once a group of calves leave the barn, the entire bay is stripped; the pens are taken apart and the bedding is scraped. The entire barn, panels, ďƒ&#x;oors and walls are pres-
CASSIE OLSON/DAIRY STAR
ParĆ&#x;cipants on the DCHA Tour look over a large PVC pipe Endres uses to assist with colostrum consumpĆ&#x;on in newborn calves. He said using the pipe helps keep the calves clean, contained and healthy.
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sure washed and steam cleaned for sanitization. Finally, after calves are weaned and housed for two months in huts, they are moved to rented facilities in the area. David said he has maintained a good working relationships with nearby neighbors that allow him to house his heifers. “We pay for the yardage and bedding. We control and are responsible for all our own feeding, so we are still out there with the heifers every day,â€? David said. Heifers are ďƒžrst bred with sexed semen at 10.5 months and return to the farm 60 days prior to freshening. Once the heifers return home, they are housed in the dry cow barn and move into maternity pens prior to freshening. The attention of well-trained employees during the early life stages of life in David’s Jerseys ensures his herd gets the best possible start to become productive members of the herd. While Jerseys were never his initial breed, David said he would never look back. Just as he looks forward to welcoming the next generation in his herd, he is excited to share his love of the farm and Jersey breed with his three children for many years to come. Many updates have occurred in both the facilities and management at Endres Jazzy Jersey since David began milking in 1986, leading to a more productive, proďƒžtable herd.
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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
17th Annual
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Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017 • Page 39
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Dale Spindler Owatonna, Minn. Steele County 44 cows How did you get into farming? I started working with calves when I was in sixth grade. At that time, we were a diversied farm with ducks, geese, cows, pigs and chickens. When I started farming full time, my brother and I farmed together with my dad until my dad retired. My brother took care of the dairy, while I took care of our 1,000-hog farrow-to-nish operation. In 1997, my brother left the farm, and I took over both entities until we sold the hogs in 2000 and started to focus on the dairy. I am the second generation on this farm. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? Like most dairy farmers, I’m concerned about the price. We were told we would see $18 for a good portion of the year, but it’s gone now. I just hope How do you retain a good workit will at least stay in the $16-$17 ing relationship with your emrange. ployee or employees? I have one full-time employee and one partWhat is the latest technology you time employee. I try to watch implemented on your farm and their needs and don’t over book the purpose for it? In 2010, we their time. On the weekends, I try built a 1-million-gallon manure to keep it simple and work strictly lagoon. We did this for environ- on essential chores. My full-time mental reasons and to save time. employee manages the feeding, It also helps with manure man- runs the silos and does the breedagement to maximize nutrients ing. I do all the milking and feed and reduce input costs for fertil- the young calves. We both care izer. Before we built, we hauled for the older youngstock. My manure daily or piled it during dad will also help with eldwork the summer. when needed. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? We focus on trying to get the cows bred and settled faster and shorten up their days in milk. We’ve been doing this by watching more closely for heats and managing our synchronization programs more efciently. So far, it’s been working.
Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I’m patient with the calves and make sure to watch them closely for any sickness. I’m good at picking out if a calf is not acting normal or if it’s sick. I make sure they’re given the care they need. It’s important to keep them bedded and dry.
What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I like milking. It gives me time to reect on my day – what I could do better, what I should have done and what I have yet to do. It helps me gure out what I need to work on to improve. I also like being my own boss and planning my own schedule.
over in 1997, I knew a little about dairying, but not a lot. One thing I changed was going from a tumble mixer to a vertical spiral mixer so I could mix the hay in and get better components.
What has been the best purchase you’ve ever made on your farm? The skidloader. I’ve pitched a lot by hand in the past and my back shows it.
How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? I am on the county dairy association’s board of directors. I coordinate the malt stand, which we use at the county fair, a Fourth of July festival and Owatonna’s Crazy Days. I also enjoy going to watch plays at the local theater.
What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? Right now, the dry cows are housed in one of our old hog What advice would you give oth- barns. I would like to build a new er dairy farmers? Do the best you facility that would allow better can and always have an eye on access to work with them and what you can improve. give them a better space.
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? I’ve been able to learn about dairying in a short amount of time. When I stepped in to take
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, April 22, 2017
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