Seniors! CELEBRATING OUR
See pages 12 & 13 of the Second Section for our High School Senior Feature!
DAIRY ST R
Volume 22, No. 6
May 23, 2020
“All dairy, all the time”™
Technology keeps farm in central location Lenkaitis Holsteins stays rooted in busy area By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
ST. CHARLES, Ill. – Andy and Sarah Lenkaitis farm in a unique area. With a subdivision across the road, it is a place where country and city collide. The nearest neighbor is a mere 330 feet away; therefore, rural solitude is something these farmers know not. Rather than ght it, Andy and Sarah embrace their location as an opportunity to educate their many non-farm neighbors. The couple farms in partnership with Andy’s parents, MaryEtta and the late Albert Lenkaitis, who bought the farm in 1983. For the past 5.5 years, Andy and Sarah
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Andy and Sarah LenkaiƟs, with their son, Lucas, stand in the barn of their new roboƟc facility where they milk 80 cows with two robots near St. Charles, Illinois
have managed day-to-day operations with the help of two hired hands. Andy also works for GEA Farm Technologies as an AMS herd management systems engineer. Andy and Sarah have a son, Lucas, who will be 2 in July. Despite their farm’s compact setting, the Lenkaitis family chose to build a new facility 2.5 years ago and expand their herd at the current site. Lenkaitis Holsteins is one of only three dairies left in Kane County. A boom in development in the 1990s to early 2000s caused many farms to either exit the business or leave the area. Milking 80 cows and farming 150 acres in the village of Campton Hills, just outside the city of St. Charles and 42 miles west of Chicago, the Lenkaitis family operates in tight quarters in an area where land gets snatched up quickly. “This is a tough area to Turn to LENKAITIS | Page 5
No experience, no problem Canter chooses dairy lifestyle despite lack of previous background By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
MaƩhew Canter milks 50 cows near Cashton, Wisconsin. Canter embarked on his dairy farming career three years ago, starƟng his rst-generaƟon organic dairy farm on his ridge-top farm.
CASHTON, Wis. – Matthew Canter is not exactly sure what drew him to dairy farming three years ago or why he still loves the profession three years later. But the former Army soldier turned rst-generation dairy farmer knows he has indeed found his niche in life. Canter, originally from southeastern Ohio, found himself and his family moving to Wisconsin in 2014 following his time in the Army. “There were no dairy farms where I grew up,” Canter said. “I had zero experience with dairy before moving up here.” When they moved to Wisconsin, the Canters purchased a ridge-top farm, near Cashton, Wis., that Matthew and his wife Ashley along with children Margaret, 11; Helen, 10; George 7; Lucy, 5 and Clare, 3, all call home. On the small 10-acre farm, which they named Highland Farm, they rst began raising a small ock of sheep. “This farm has seen so many attempts of just about every kind Turn to CANTER | Page 6
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofďƒžce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Krista Kuzma - Editor/Wisconsin (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofďƒžce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofďƒžce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeďƒ&#x;er (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Julie Barnes (SE WI and Northern IL) julie.b@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Ashley Curry (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-539-7268 • ashley.c@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute ďƒžnal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofďƒžces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
A glance at the other side
Among all the stories found in our newspaper, it might be hard to believe there are more stories to read each issue. Dairy Star likes to provide local stories, which is why we have two versions of the paper. While the majority of the features are the same, there are many stories in their respective coverage areas that are different. Want to read stories in the other version of the paper? Find full editions on our website, www.dairystar.com and click on the e-edition tab under the Dairy Star header. Here are a few highlights from stories you will not ďƒžnd in this paper, but you can ďƒžnd online in zone 1. Kemmetmueller contributes on farm after Division I schedule cut short Katelyn Kemmetmueller has two passions – helping her dad on the farm and playing softball. When the novel coronavirus pandemic unexpectedly ended the Division 1 athlete’s senior season, she returned home to work on her family’s day farm near Rogers, Minnesota. Kemmetmueller ďƒžnished her spring semester at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities taking classes online, milking cows morning and evening, and nannying in between. She is planning to spend the summer at home alongside her family in the barn and then return to college in the fall where she will participate in a graduate school program and play one more season for the Gopher’s softball team. Chester-Jones reďƒ&#x;ects on 35 years at the U of M as retirement nears For the last 35 years, Hugh Chester-Jones has interacted with a lot of colleagues, farmers and students during his career as a professor for beef and dairy production at the University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center in Waseca, Minnesota. On June 2, Chester-Jones will retire from his position. For this issue, Chester-Jones reďƒ&#x;ected on the work and research he has completed during this time. Swanson sisters dedicated to dairy At the ages of 22, 18 and 14, the Swanson sisters, Sierra, Mackenzie and Shelby, have already set out to create their own mark in the dairy industry. They have built their own herd called Three Sisters Dairy that consists of 15 cows and 15 heifers, which are housed by their uncle and aunt, Mike and Casey Kurth, who dairy near Hutchinson, Minnesota. Although they do not live on the farmsite, they work on the dairy nearly every day to help to take care of their herd and the rest of the animals on the farm. Working alongside their aunt, uncle, cousins and mom, who also works at the dairy, the sisters said caring for the animals together with family is one thing they cherish.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Tony
De Pere
Luxemburg
First Section: Page 39
First Section: Pages 18 , 20
First Section: Page 36
Dairy Prole: Steven van Doorn
Cashton
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
First Section: Pages 1, 7
Vernon
Richland
e nn Wi
aw Cr
Lafayette Green
Mount Horeb
From Our Side of the Fence
Jo Daviess
First Section: Pages 15 - 16
Carroll
on
Walworth go
eba
n Win
Whiteside
Ogle
Kids Corner: The Bohnert Family
Third Section: Pages 10 - 11
A day in the life of the Sagers Second Section: Pages 16, 18 - 19
Kenosha
Kane
Campton Hills
Lenkaitis Holsteins stays rooted in busy area First Section: Pages 1, 5
n
re War
Hen
Moline
ders on
Mercer
Lee
Racine
Jackson
McHenry
DeKalb
Rock Island
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Jefferson Waukesha
Rock
ens
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Zone 2
Do or
Green Lake Fond Du Lac
Dane
Iowa
Grant
Zone 1
go ba Calumet
Waushara
Columbia Dodge
Sauk
Ke w
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Adams Juneau
e mi Brown
a tag
for
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
Wood
Monroe
La Crosse
Canter loves the dairying challenge
Shawano
ing
Second Section: Pages 3 - 4
te
Oconto
Portage Waupaca Jackson
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Wa sh
Buffalo
Menominee
Marathon
Clark
Eau Claire
in
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Chippewa
Menominee
Langlade
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Petersen’s composting business serves home garden market, helps environment
Taylor
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Page 33 First Section
Pepin
Lincoln
ce
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Forest
ett e
Dairy Good Life
Pierce
Appleton
Dunn
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Oneida
Rusk
Barron
St. Croix
Price
Delta
Dickinson
Vilas
aun ee
n Polk
Iron
Flo
Sawyer
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Page 22 Second Section
Burnett
First Section: Pages 23, 25
Page 31 First Section
Just Thinking Out Loud
ur
Stille nds niche in registered Holsteins
Trempealeau
Something to Ruminate On
Shiocton
hb
Page 30 First Section
Ashland
Wa s
Ramblings from the Ridge
Women in Dairy: Stacy Jauquet
Bayeld
Douglas
Page 27 First Section
qu
A spring of its own kind
Zirbel Dairy Farms achieve 37% preg rate
Ma r
Pages 8-9 First Section
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 5
ConƟnued from LENKAITIS | Page 1
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STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
A cow at LenkaiƟs Holsteins is milked by a GEA Monobox robot, which features a one-Ɵme aƩach system that pre-dips, cleans, sƟmulates, fore strips and transiƟons to milking all with the teat cups in place. keep and acquire new land,” Andy said. “Our biggest competition is the forest preserve, the open space program and business developers. We had to decide; do we build here, or do we move 1020 miles west and expand? We’re rooted here, so we didn’t really want to move. My parents and sister are both next door, and we’re within 10 miles of everything. We could even go to Chicago if we wanted and be back in a day.” The Lenkaitises’ close proximity to their neighbors was a big inuencer in the type of structure they could build and the amount of cows they could own. Dictated by the farm’s current footprint, the new facility had to t the land available and the number of cows allowed while also doing right by neighbors. They built a state-of-theart robotic facility – a showplace that enabled them to double cow numbers, reduce labor and offer the perfect setup for hosting farm tours and events. “We wanted to improve the existing area without tearing down and building everything new,” said Sarah, a Wisconsin native who grew up on a dairy farm near Fond du Lac. “We wanted to make the farm sustainable for us and for future generations.” Herds in Illinois can double in size every two years as part of an expansion. An increase greater than that is considered a new facility and requires a farm be located a quarter- to half-mile away from its nearest resident. “Since our neighbors are much closer than that, taking cow numbers to more than double our previous size was
not an option,” Andy said. “We doubled cows but have the same amount of labor. This was accomplished through task automation and making other things easier to do.” The rst milking in the new barn occurred Jan. 29, 2018. The facility features two GEA Monobox robots, 104 freestalls, two maternity pens, a hospital pen, a vet room with a chute for ushing and doing vet work, and show rail to wash animals indoors, as well as a herdsman ofce. There are also cow brushes to clean cows from both the side and top, a robotic feed pusher and automatic alley scrapers. The barn also includes a large observation room with viewing windows of the robots and incorporates walkways for people to get close to the cows without getting dirty. “Tours are part of our business model,” Sarah said. “We had to get creative with this location and offering tours was a good way to make some extra money and help educate our community about agriculture.” The robots have capacity for 120 cows, and Andy and Sarah plan to grow their herd to 100 cows eventually. Dominated by Red and White Holsteins, the couple owns two-thirds of the registered herd while Andy’s parents own a third. “Going from a tiestall barn to a robotic barn was like going from a rotary phone to a cell phone,” Andy said. “We completely skipped over a milking parlor.” Turn to LENKAITIS | Page 6
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
ConƟnued from LENKAITIS | Page 5
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The robot’s one-time attach system pre-dips, cleans, stimulates, fore strips and transitions to milking – all with the teat cups in place. Manual attachment is also an option – a feature Andy and Sarah like to use with fresh cows. The robot provides full access to the cow from the rear, making it easy to put on a unit from behind or perform other tasks in the robot stall, such as dry cow treating, while the cow is safely contained. “Labor has always been an issue,” Andy said. “That’s one of the reasons why we chose robotics. We also wanted to make the farm attractive to future employees by building a barn that would be comfortable for both people and cows.” Cow comfort is a focal point of the facility featuring rubber ooring and mattresses bedded with separated solids. The Lenkaitises recycle manure into bedding by using a mechanical separator and roller presses. Manure is collected fresh, and what is removed in the morning is bedded with in the evening. Extra bedding material is sold to a local landscaper. Andy and Sarah also let neighbors take some for free. They strategically placed equipment in their new building on the end of the barn opposite the houses to reduce noise for those living nearby. Last June, the Lenkaitises hosted an
open house that attracted 1,000 people. They welcomed an additional thousand visitors throughout the year from schools, FFA groups and the general public including international visitors from the Ukraine and Holland, and also hosted events with Dairy Management Inc. and Midwest Dairy. “Our door is open to the public,” Sarah said. “We’re transparent and try to accommodate anyone who asks for a tour. We’re also excited about doing more events in the future.” These young farmers were nominated for a 2019 U.S. Dairy Sustainability award. “We doubled down and invested in a nontraditional area and made smart choices so this dairy would be sustainable for our family, as well as the neighborhood we live in,” Sarah said. “Our public outreach efforts, including providing dairy tours for the community and promoting the industry in general, also played a part in us receiving this nomination.” The Lenkaitis family is happy with their decision to keep Lenkaitis Holsteins in Kane County. Farming on a precious plot of land that sits amongst residential housing, Andy and Sarah continue to thrive right where they are without giving up the farm they call home.
ConƟnued from CANTER | Page 1
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of farming,” Canter said. “It started out as a dairy farm in the 1930s. Since then, it has been home to beef, rabbits, horses and sheep.” As Canter got to know his neighbors, which included about a dozen dairy farmers, he became more and more intrigued with the idea of dairy farming. In 2017, Canter decided to take the plunge and begin dairy farming on his family’s Vernon County farm. “I knew I wanted to be an organic farmer, and I knew I wanted to milk Jerseys,” Canter said. “When we bought this farm, we started the transition process to certify the land as organic, so that part of the equation was done.” The decision to become an organic dairy farmer was largely inuenced by Canter’s conversations with his dairy farming friends who had made the transition at various points in their careers. “It struck me that it wasn’t always about the pay price for many of them,” Canter said. “Many of them made the transition for other reasons, including their health.” The farm’s barn had been gutted by previous owners to accommodate the other species raised on the farm. Canter turned that into his parlor and
repurposed a nearby pole shed into a freestall barn. The cows rst came in July 2017, when Canter purchased a herd of Jersey cows from Gary Bekkedal, a retiring farmer. The cows were not certied organic at the time, so Canter spent the rst year of his dairy farming career working towards the certication of his herd, selling milk at conventional prices while buying organic feed. “That rst year was kind of rough, but with the herd of Jerseys, I was usually getting around $18 for my milk,” Canter said. “Even though organic prices were low when the herd became certied, it was a $12 advance on price for me. I thought it was great at the time.” The parity in pricing was not the only problem that plagued Canter during his rst year. When he brought the cows home, he expected them to at least maintain production, if not increase, going from a dry grain and hay diet to a total mixed ration. That was not the case, and he saw a rapid decline in milk production. Fortunately, Canter had attended a session at the MOSES conference earlier that spring where stray voltage Turn to CANTER | Page 7
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 7
ConƟnued from CANTER | Page 6 was discussed as a problem frequently seen in newly constructed parlors. “Luckily the light bulb clicked for me,” Canter said. “I got a specialist here and discovered that there were 120 volts running through the parlor. We were able to work with Vernon Electric Cooperative and get it straightened out quickly.” Canter experienced a great learning curve that rst year. Everything from growing crops to animal health was something he needed to learn, which he did. “One thing that really caught me unaware was the Jersey’s predisposition to milk fever,” Canter said. “I can now IV a cow like I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I have learned that Bovikalc is my friend. I also learned
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
This Jersey calf is the rst animal on Canter’s Highland Farm to be 100% grassfed.
to A.I. my own cows and only call the technician if one goes to a third or fourth service.” The challenges Canter has faced continued beyond that rst year, and entering dairy farming at the time he did certainly has not given him a completely rosy path to follow. “2018 was the year of the massive ooding here in Vernon County,” Canter said. “In 2019, we were still feeling the effects of that plus the wet spring. I had springs that popped up all over the farm. Things were so wet I didn’t get my planting completed until July. It struck me that the rst time I didn’t need to wear muck boots was in August, yet they were back on by October. This winter, there has been the feed shortage as a result of the past two years of weather conditions.” Another challenge Canter faced was discovering his barn was not necessarily adequate for the worst of Wisconsin winters. “The freestall barn was basically three-sided,” Canter said. “It had curtains, but they didn’t close completely. During the polar vortex we experienced in 2019, with a week of minus 40-degree temperatures, I came to the realization that a lot of things did not work in those conditions. I learned Freon could freeze when the bulk tank compressor froze.” Canter made some improvements to his freestall barn, reroong to add insulation and adding a drive-thru feed alley along with curtains that closed completely. “This past winter wasn’t nearly as harsh, but it never got below 25 degrees in the freestall barn,” Canter said. “I think everyone was much more comfortable. Today, the farm has grown to 150 acres and Canter is milking about 50
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
MaƩhew Canter milks 50 head of Jerseys and Ayrshires on his rst-generaƟon, organic dairy farm. He is currently crossbreeding all the Ayrshires to Jersey bulls. cows, primarily Jerseys and Ayrshires. He is crossbreeding the Ayrshires to Jersey bulls, using A.I. Canter is still looking to the future, making plans and setting goals. Starting this spring, he is in the process of converting his herd to being grass-fed. “I’ve been cutting the grain out of the TMR slowly since mid-March,” he said. “During that time, the cows have only dropped about 5 pounds on milk. Wednesday (May 20), they’ll head out to pasture, and when we are out of grain, they will be completely grass-fed.” At this time, Canter does not have a specic market to take advantage of his new management style but feels he will reap benets beyond that, including the saved time and expense to maintain his TMR mixer. “I have learned that it isn’t
necessarily about how much milk you can produce,” Canter said. “It is more about how little you have to spend to produce that milk. My goal is to become completely self-sustaining and to grow all my own feed.” While Canter did not pick the best of times to enter the dairy industry, he said he would not trade his decision, even though he cannot pinpoint what drew him to a lifestyle he had no experience with. “I know I’m not doing it because it is easy or very protable,” he said. “I also don’t really love milking cows; there is nothing relaxing about that. I do enjoy managing the herd and watching the cows graze, especially that rst day out on pasture. What I think I love is the challenge; it is always a new and different day.”
AFBF report: Few farmers secure PPP loans in round one Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
A new report from the American Farm Bureau stable farm real estate values. The bankers surveyed Federation said few farmers have been able to take were pessimistic about the economic outlook, but advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program. Of said government payments should provide signicant the $349 billion originally allocated for the program, relief to farmers again this year. it is estimated $4.37 billion, or 1.3%, was distributed to the agricultural, forestry, shing and Headwinds in agriculture Ag Insider hunting sector. According to Farm Bureau Prices are low in most sectors of Economic Analyst Megan Nelson, a selfagriculture right now. AgCountry Farm employed farmer’s participation is based Credit Services CEO Mark Knisley on net farm prots from 2019. If that said in the last two years, government farmer reports a net farm loss for 2019, payments have been helpful to get farmers they are ineligible for the loan. “It’s likely through tough times. “Along with Market that trade disruptions and other natural Facilitation Program payments, we’ve disasters have made major impacts on net been fortunate yields have bailed us out farm prots,” she said. in the past. We haven’t had the ability to have that kind of yield to market at this Changes coming for payment limits in point,” Knisley said. There may be a fair COVID-19 relief amount of prevent plant acres this year, Payment limits of $125,000 per and the crop concerns may line up into By Don Wick commodity and $250,000 per entity 2021. “We’re seeing plenty of headwinds Columnist were part of the COVID-19 agricultural in agriculture right now,” he said. assistance package from the United States Department of Agriculture. That was considered Liquidity is the key unworkable by numerous commodity groups. In a Cash ow was a problem a year ago, and that has webinar organized by the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo been repeated this spring. AgriFinancial Regional Chamber, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Sales Ofcer Brian Brandt was part of a farm nancial Collin Peterson detailed a recent conference call presentation and said cash ow remains a priority. between his committee and Agriculture Secretary “Cash is king, and if you don’t have cash to pay the Sonny Perdue. Peterson said USDA will eliminate bills, you’re at someone else’s mercy,” Brandt said. those payment limits going forward. Peterson also “In regards to visiting with your lender, do it today, said the latest coronavirus relief bill “is getting out of do it yesterday; communication is key.” Diversied control” and has no bipartisan support. Services Dierctor of Producer Services Brooks York said there are options including the Small Business Farm economy feels effects of COVID-19 Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan. “The The initial effects of the coronavirus pandemic process was easy; it is a great way to qualify for have been felt in agriculture. The Federal Reserve $150,000 to help you out of a shortage of cash ow,” Bank of Kansas City’s quarterly report found a larger York said. York said there is a quick turnaround with decline in farm income and loan repayment rates this SBA loan program. than in recent quarters. The reduction in farm income also put modest pressure on liquidity. The survey, State checkoff will not be assessed on disposed milk which was conducted in mid-March, cites a decline Effective May 14, the state dairy checkoff for interest rates on agricultural loans and relatively assessment will not be made on milk that was
dumped. Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Interim Secretary Randy Romanski said the order is not retroactive to the milk that was disposed before May 14. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin made the announcement. Dairy recovery program feeds the hungry The Wisconsin Dairy Recovery Program distributed nearly 20,000 gallons of fresh milk and 65 pallets of cheese to 60 emergency food sites in the rst month of operation. The Wisconsin DATCP, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Hunger Task Force gave a total of $1 million to purchase dairy products to feed the hungry and help dairy farmers. USDA forecasts an increase in milk production USDA is forecasting 2020 milk production at 222.4 billion pounds, up 200 million pounds from last month. The increase is due to higher-than-expected cow numbers. For 2021, USDA expects a slightly smaller cow herd but an increase in per-cow milk output, resulting in a bump in milk production. The May supply/demand report raised cheese and whey prices from April, resulting in a higher forecast for Class III milk prices. Plant-based products offers standards for labeling The Plant-Based Foods Association has released guidelines for labeling non-dairy yogurt products, recommending terms like plant-based and dairyfree. National Milk Producers Federation Senior Vice President Clay Detlefsen said a voluntary standard “simply codies illegal behavior.” NMPF and other dairy groups want the government to prevent companies manufacturing products made from soybean, oat and other plant products from using dairy terms.
Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 Agronomist provides spring alfalfa fertilization tips It is that time of year where the 2020 forage crop is either being planted or coming to life after the winter season. WinField United alfalfa and forage specialist Jeff Jackson said farmers should not forget about spring fertilization of alfalfa coming out of dormancy. However, areas with spongy soils can wait with fertilizer applications until after the rst cutting. “Leaving wheel tracks could do a lot of crown damage and impact stands,” Jackson said. “If you have conditions and can apply fertilizer by all means do so. Those with unt conditions can do a split application; some after the rst cutting and again in August.” Penn retires The long-time economist J.B. Penn has retired. From 2001 to 2006, Penn was the USDA undersecretary for farm and foreign agricultural services. Penn also served as the senior staff economist for the President’s Council of Economic Advisors. For the past 14 years, Penn has been the chief economist at Deere and Company.
Wisconsin dairy researcher passes Long-time University of Wisconsin-Madison dairy researcher Norman F. Olson has died. Olson, 89, was in the food science department for 40 years and was instrumental in organizing the UW-Madison Center for Dairy Research, serving as its director from 1985 to 1993.
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
The ice cream guy MN dairyman sells ice cream to promote dairy, connect with consumers By Jerry Nelson
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BALATON, Minn. – Most dairy farmers do as much as they can to promote and support the dairy industry. But dairyman Josh Lingen has taken dairy promotion to a higher level, one that involves connecting directly with consumers via soft serve ice cream. It all began four PHOTO SUBMITTED years ago, when Lingen Josh Lingen, a dairyman from Balaton, Minnesota, uses this portable sales purchased a small soft counter to make soŌ serve ice cream and brew cappuccinos at indoor events. serve ice cream machine. The custom built counter was rst used at Super Bowl LII Feb. 4, 2018, at U.S. “I just felt that there Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Lingen has operated a soŌ serve ice cream busiwas a need for ice cream ness for the past four years. at some of our local small-town festivals and county fairs,” Lingen said. festivals. In total, we went through 50,000 servings of “Our rst ice cream event was in a tent on a street ice cream.” corner during the Balaton Fun Fest.” Over the years, the Lingen family has hosted Lingen is a fourth-generation dairy farmer. He and numerous tours of their dairy farm. A soft serve ice his parents, Denice and Randy, milk 380 cows, many cream machine sits in their robotic dairy barn’s break of which are housed in a robotic milking facility. room, ready to dole out a cold treat to anyone who “The cows are doing great,” Lingen said. “They happens to stop by. A tip jar sits nearby. are currently averaging almost 90 pounds per head Serving ice cream has opened numerous doors per day.” for Lingen and has presented him with some unique Word got around about Lingen’s soft serve ice opportunities. cream after his initial appearance at the fest. People “One of my most memorable events was serving began to contact him about bringing his soft serve ice ice cream at the Land O’Lakes annual meeting,” cream to other events. Lingen said. “I dressed up in an old-fashioned striped “I learned that I really enjoy the social aspect of vest and wore a big fake mustache so that I looked serving ice cream,” Lingen said. “I was having a lot of like an ice cream shop guy from back in the day. My fun.” outt attracted a lot of attention, and the ice cream It was not long before Lingen discovered that the was a hit.” demand for soft serve ice cream was much larger than Networking has been crucial to the growth of what could be handled by one small machine. Lingen’s ice cream business. “I soon realized that I needed a trailer to house “As I met more people, I was able to book more a much larger machine,” Lingen said. “We also and more events,” he said. “It’s been fun to serve ice purchased some portable soft serve units that we cream at all of those events. But it’s a two-way street. could rent out to people who were holding smaller I often end up donating a substantial portion of my events.” prots back to the organization that hired me.” Lingen applied for a grant through the Minnesota This year was shaping up to be the busiest one Department of Agriculture AGRI Value-Added Grant yet for Lingen. That is, until the COVID-19 pandemic program and was awarded a grant that covered 25% of gripped the nation. the cost for purchasing an enclosed trailer, additional “I had a bunch of new events lined up,” Lingen ice cream equipment and a pickup. said. “I was going to serve ice cream at the Central “I was surprised and honored when I was awarded Plains Dairy Expo and had been invited to serve ice the grant,” Lingen said. “I had never written a grant cream at the Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opening. before. I think they could sense that I have a deep I had about 40 high school graduation celebrations on passion for what I’m doing.” the books. All of those things went away when the Lingen’s ice cream business gradually grew to a virus arrived.” size that he could have never imagined. The Midwest Dairy Association awarded Lingen “Last summer, I served ice cream 60 out of 90 a $3,000 grant to help boost his ice cream business. days,” he said. “I was at car shows, graduations, Turn to LINGEN | Page 5 county fairs, customer appreciation days and town
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Josh Lingen received a grant through Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s AGRI Value-Added Grant program to help nance the purchase of an enclosed trailer and soŌ serve ice cream making equipment. The COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into Lingen’s plans for this year’s fesƟval season.
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 11
ConƟnued from LINGEN | Page 10 The grant was given in recognition of Lingen’s exemplary promotion of the dairy industry. “With all of my events being called off, I obviously couldn’t use the grant to operate the ice cream business,” Lingen said. “But when one opportunity is taken away, another often appears. Because of the unusual circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, I was allowed to use $2,200 of the grant to buy a milk refrigerator and donate it to the Kitchen Table Food
“You have to support the people who supported you,” he said. Even though the pandemic has thrown a wrench into Lingen’s ice cream business, he remains optimistic. “I’m starting to see a few sparks of hope,” he said. “I’ve booked some high school graduations that had been put off until July. And, I hope to serve ice cream this fall at a harvest festival at one of Minnesota’s largest apple orchards.” Lingen continues to make plans for expanding his ice cream business. “I’m excited about the Instant Burger machine we just purchased,” Lingen said. “It can cook two hamburger patties in 30 seconds. There’s nothing better than a fresh, hot burger and a cold malt. We have processed some of our cull cows and our crossbred beef steers. A JOSH LINGEN, DAIRY FARMER cull cow might fetch $500 at the sale barn. But if we Shelf in Marshall. I did it because I had learned that milk is often in short can serve the animal as cooked burgers, supply at the Food Shelf. It seemed like we could bring in as much as $5,000 the best thing that I could do with the per head. Food is extremely personal. We have found that consumers are grant.” But he did not stop there. Lingen increasingly interested in where their also teamed up with his friend, Bruce food comes from and the story behind Iverson, to donate 700 half-gallons of it. We are seeing more interest in food that has been produced locally.” milk to the Food Shelf. Lingen has two major goals “Being a farmer, I’ve never had whenever he serves ice cream at an to worry about food security,” Lingen event. said. “But there are people in our “I want to make it memorable, and I community who aren’t sure where their next meal is coming from. I may not want to make it fun,” he said. “I want to be making much of a prot from dairy make people laugh. I’ve been asked if farming, but I have resources. It’s our I’m a dairy farmer or an ice cream guy. duty to give back to our communities I tell them that I’m an ice cream guy who dairy farms as a hobby. I didn’t go and help those in need.” Giving back to the community into the ice cream business to get rich. I forms the bedrock of Lingen’s ice did it because I’m passionate about the dairy industry.” cream business.
“I may not be making much of a prot from dairy farming, but I have resources. It’s our duty to give back to our communities and help those in need.”
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
Strategies for survival
Consultant, lender give tips to move through tight cash ows By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
Although the year started with optimism for the dairy markets, the optimism quickly dwindled as the novel coronavirus surged. “It has been a wild ride these last few weeks to say the least,” said Matt Lange, business consultant for Compeer Financial. Lange along with coworker and dairy lending specialist, Cassie Monger, presented “Strategies for Survival” during a webinar hosted by Minnesota Milk Producers Association May 15. “Things are changing very quickly,” Monger said. “We’ve had to make a lot of changes and adjustments to what we are doing.” Lange rst looked at Class III milk prices from the last 30 years, which showed increased volatility in recent years; however, in the last few days, milk price has hit the upper limits. “I want to remind everyone we should not be hoping Class III prices get better, and they bail us out of this downward cycle,” Lange said. “If you get nothing else out of this, you should be taking advantage of the opportunities the market prices are giving us today.” This includes risk management programs like Dairy Revenue Protection and puts and forward contracts, among other options.
“There should be no excuse, no reason we’re not utilizing those risk management tools,” Lange said. “That’s a really critical opportunity we have going forward.” When using risk management tools, Lange and Monger said it is important for a farm to rst know its cost of production. Because of the low milk price the last few months, cash ow will be tight in the coming weeks ahead through June, said Lange. And although many producers can expect DRP, Dairy Margin Coverage program and Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments, they likely will not come until later. To help make it through the cash ow crunch, Lange suggested dairy farmers create a 13-week – or onequarter – cash ow outlook. This will help producers know the incoming and outgoing money on a short-term basis. This is important because of seasonal expenses. “With the number of producers I work with, it always seems to be a bit of a surprise or maybe an unplanned expense that seems to pop up,” Lange said. “Really, they’re planned. It’s just not our average monthly expenses.” Lange gave examples such as chemical, custom hiring, fertilizer, manure pumping, land rent and seed. “It’s nice to do this because it gives you some idea of what impact we’re going to have with those seasonal cash outows,” Lange said. “It gives us the ability to assess if we’re going to be short with our revenue coming in and by how much.”
Monger suggested constant reevaluation of cash ow and price protection. “If you’re in a position where you feel the need to preserve that cash, delaying some of those projects might be benecial,” she said. “Continue to use the budget as a roadmap. Be aware of the current market conditions.” Feed inventory should also come into play. “I think it’s important to utilize as much of that inventory forage as
“Things are changing very quickly. We’ve had to make a lot of changes and adjustments to what we are doing.” CASSIE MONGER, LENDING SPECIALIST
possible to mitigate cash outlays and purchase commodities,” Lange said. “And it’s important we assess the income over feed cost and value of our forages. If the feed you put up has been compromised, you may need to go a different direction.” Communication with vendors is a big part of all this. “I’ve always recommended to clients to be open and up front with vendors in terms of the timing of payments and payment plans,” Lange said. “In the last ve years with
mitigated margins, my recommendation is if you can only spend $3,000 against $200,000 feed payable, do it. The frequency of keeping up with payments is just as important as the dollar amount you send to those vendors.” As a lender, Monger agreed. “Communication helps to see what your options are,” she said. “Start with three months and reevaluate over time.” Options could be interest-only payments, creating a payment plan and looking into operating loans. The signicant drop in short- and long-term interest rates might help a producer. Restructuring debt might be an option, as well as consolidating loans. “All those can help preserve that cash and continue to lower interest expense over the next several years,” Lange said. However, knowing cost of production is key “It’s really an essential part of running a protable operation,” Lange said. Based on 75 dairies that totaled 70,000 cows with Compeer, Lange and Monger shared 2019 data about average cost of production. Feed cost is the biggest at $9.36 per hundredweight with labor at $3.34 cwt. Capital, which includes depreciation, interest and leases, came in at $2.79 cwt. “The real driver in capital cost increase has been from interest expense,” Lange said. Other production cost came in at Turn to SURVIVAL | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 13
ConĆ&#x;nued from SURVIVAL | Page 12 $1.91 cwt. “This is what I call pinching the penny,â€? Lange said. “Dairy producers have gotten really good at this.â€? Producers can try strategies to reduce this cost. Lange gave the example of bedding stalls less often. Overhead cost was $6.83 cwt. This is all other expenses. Net herd turnover cost has gone up over the past few years, said Lange. In 2014, it was under $1. Last year, it was at $1.91 cwt. Cull cow values heavily affect this category. “When we cull an animal, she leaves our balance sheet at about $1,500,â€? Lange said. “If we only get $500 for her, we have that cash, but we actually took a $1,000 hit. Every time we do that, it increased the net herd turnover cost.â€? In 2019, total cost of production came out to be $17.57 cwt. and $16.69 for energy corrected milk. The top 25% of those herds were able to lower those number to $16.37 and $15.52, respectively. Lange and Monger outlined six areas that are drivers of proďƒžtability. The ďƒžrst is somatic cell count. “It really tells us how healthy the herd is,â€? Lange said. “Cows aren’t truly proďƒžtable until we’ve covered that heifer rearing expense in ďƒžrst lactation so they almost have to get to their late second lactation, early third lactation before we start seeing true proďƒžt out of them. If we culled them before that age because of health problems, we’re taking a loss.â€? Lange said to keep removal of ďƒžrst lactation animals from the herd in the ďƒžrst 60 days in milk to 4% or less. In the second lactation, there should be
6% or less removals of cows in the ďƒžrst 60 days in milk. The second is energy corrected milk. “I can’t stress this enough,â€? Lange said. He said a good target is 6 pounds of combined fat and protein per cow per day. “It’s not necessarily the percentages that matter, it’s about the pounds,â€? Lange said. “We need to start talking in pounds and not percentages.â€? The third is death loss. “The worst animal we can lose is the ďƒžrst lactation heifer,â€? Lange said. “You’ve spent up to $1,800 to raise her.â€? Keep death loss down and heifer inventory in check. The fourth driver for proďƒžtability is net herd turnover cost. Keep this low with fewer culled animals. Pregnancy rates is the ďƒžfth driver. It is important to get cows pregnant but to keep heifer inventory in check. The ďƒžnal driver for proďƒžtability is heifer survival. “Make sure the animals that are coming in as the next generation are healthy and productive,â€? Lange said. Despite the recent depressed prices early in the year, Lange and Monger know planning can help dairies make it through. “Recognize that everyone’s individual ďƒžnancial situation is different,â€? Monger said. “There’s no one-size-ďƒžts-all scenario. We all have unique operations. And as the climate continues to evolve, it’s important to evaluate your own circumstances with advisors and lenders.â€?
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How has the pandemic affected you farm’s milk market?
Gary Sutter Mount Horeb, Wisconsin Dane County 600 cows How has the pandemic affected your farm’s milk market? Prices were dropping, and we were asked to cut our production in May by 10%. But now, according to the rumor mill, we can go back to where we were. What adjustments have you made for on-farm protocols because of COVID-19? We’re kind of isolated out here so we haven’t changed much. We do screen visitors to make sure they don’t get too far into the dairy. We keep our distance, but that’s about all. We also have bulletins up for our employees explaining what to watch for with the virus and have told them not to come to work if they are sick. We keep an eye out in case we notice anyone who appears sick, but we’re very fortunate to not have had any employees come down with the virus. How will the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payment help your dairy with operating expenses? This hit so fast. One day things were good. The next day it was bad. Our ďƒžrst milk check in April was about half of what it normally is. It’s hard to come up with that extra money quick, if at all. We applied for some programs, and fortunately, there was not a lot of paperwork involved. It gave us an inďƒ&#x;ux of cash when we needed it. Prices were dropping and bills were due, but we got cash when we needed cash without a lot of waiting. Do you think COVID-19 has been handled properly? It has been handled about as well as it could be handled. When you watch the news and read about it, you realize something like this has never hit this country before other than maybe the ďƒ&#x;u bug of 1918. If you don’t know what to do or how to do it, how do you know if you’re doing the right thing? It’s a new experience so to speak. How has the pandemic shed light on the importance of the dairy industry and food production? The people who’ve been able to get out appreciate stores having food in them. We’re an essential business. We have to work. We have to milk our cows. I would like to think that people are appreciating agriculture and farming a little more than they have in the past. What changes would you make to the food supply chain? Farmers are always striving for higher prices. We operate at less than our cost of production most of the time. I don’t know what you could do to keep our prices higher; I’m not sure how to ďƒžx that. I don’t feel I’m creative enough to come up with those types of ideas. Perhaps more widespread distribution is necessary to get products where they’re needed. If you tell American farmers to produce something because there’s a shortage, we’ll take care of that shortage for you. We can deďƒžnitely supply it. Tell us about your farm. We milk 600 cows and farm about 1,600 acres of corn, alfalfa, soybeans and wheat. My son, Joel, is the herdsman and pretty
Mary and Michael Giese Alma Center, Wisconsin Jackson County 90 cows How has the pandemic affected your farm’s milk market? Luckily, Lynn Dairy has been great with no dumping of milk. Stress of the unknown with the milk market has been difďƒžcult, as well. All we can do is
farm on. What adjustments have you made for on-farm protocols because of COVID-19? Limited or more telephone visits with feed reps, vendors, etc. Employees are encouraged to wash hands and try to social distance as much as possible. Having the same workers on the same shifts limits exposure. How will the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payment help your dairy with operating expenses? Hopefully it will make up for the very low milk prices we are currently seeing in the milk check. We hope this will allow us keep to up with the bills and keep the lights on. Do you think COVID-19 has been handled properly? That is a difďƒžcult question to answer. We wish milk processing and meat plants were made aware of the shutdown earlier to prepare their operations with the means needed to remain productive and safe. How has the pandemic shed light on the importance of the dairy industry and food production? We believe it has deďƒžnitely done that. We are amazed by the public in their purchases of real dairy products and real meat products. Many urban families are looking for local, fresh, homegrown meat and are awesome at supporting local farmers. What changes would you make to the food supply chain? What would be interesting is selling milk directly to consumers at the farm level in times of need. Many people have asked to buy milk from the tank, but the liability is too great on the local dairy farmer. Consumers are looking at the food labels to see where their food comes from whether it is American made or imported. Tell us about your farm. We are a small family farm in Alma Center, Wisconsin. The farm was owned by Mike’s parents and is by no means the fanciest, but it works for us. We milk Holsteins and a few Milking Shorthorns. We are changing the breeding program to allow more beef calves and less replacement heifers to help offset the income lost with the milk prices. We are doing what every other farmer out there is doing: watching every penny and cutting out as many expenses as necessary.
much runs the show on the dairy side of things. Cows are milked three times a day in a double-12 parallel parlor. We have between 10-12 employees. My wife, Cathy, worked off the farm as a registered nurse and just retired this past January. My grandfather bought this farm in 1903, and Joel is the fourth generation at Fertile Ridge Dairy.
John Bigham, Jr. Abbotsford, Wisconsin Marathon County 40 cows How has the pandemic affected your farm’s milk market? We are with Organic Valley and are thankful that so far the coop has been utilizing all of its members’ milk with no supply chain interruptions. Since most of OV’s milk is sold on the retail market, that seems to be driving sales higher than usual due to the COVID-19 panic shopping in March and April. It will be interesting to see what the next couple months hold. Thankfully, as of right now, our pay price has not been affected. What adjustments have you made for on-farm protocols because of COVID-19? Organic Valley has provided written guidelines for their farmers to follow which include proper sanitation in the milk house, avoiding contact with the milk truck driver, etc. We have been following these guidelines to the best of our ability. How will the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payment help your dairy with operating expenses? To be honest, I hadn’t even heard of it until I read this question. As of right now, we will not be applying for any government assistance. Do you think COVID-19 has been handled properly? The government has responded very poorly to the pandemic, putting the livelihoods of tens of millions of people at risk. We cannot make the cure more deadly than the disease. Instead of statewide lockdowns, the best course of action would be leaving any such decisions up to county and city governments. This would greatly limit the economic impact. How has the pandemic shed light on the importance of the dairy industry and food production? More than anything, the pandemic has shed light on how much of a problem our centralized food system has become in times of crisis. When one plant shuts down, the effect is felt nationwide which is pretty alarming. What changes would you make to the food supply chain? I am a ďƒžrm believer in regional food systems where the majority of a region’s food supply is grown and processed within the same region in which it is consumed. The more farms we have producing food and the more plants that are processing that food in each region, the better. It spreads the risk. Centralized production may be more efďƒžcient, but any time you have that kind of system you are setting yourself up for problems in a time of crisis. Tell us about your farm. I am in the process of a farm transition on the farm of long-time Organic Valley members Charles and Barb Wellner. I am thankful to be here and working with them and am super excited about the future of organic farming. I have around 40 cows and 30 heifers, mostly Holsteins but some Jerseys, as well. I am a Jersey guy and am crossing the Holsteins to Jersey this year. I am milking in a 33-cow tiestall barn, and my tank average is around 46 pounds. That will probably go up a bit when the cows go out on pasture. I manage the pastures intensively with strip grazing so the cows get a new break of grass at least once a day.
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Daniel Diederich De Pere, Wisconsin Brown County 540 cows How has the pandemic affected your farm’s milk market? We are lucky that our processor, Belgioioso, has not asked us to dump milk or cut production. They’ve always treated us well; they have not cut any of the premiums they offer for milk quality or components. However, the damage done to the overall milk markets is real. We’ve taken a large hit on pay price in our federal order, and our farm did not have milk contracted. Though, we do participate in MPP at a reasonably high level. As such, the belt tightening is real and painful, especially after the last few years of stagnant prices. What adjustments have you made for on-farm protocols because of COVID-19? Work is continuing as usual regarding our on-farm team. However, with contracted-in people, like breeders, milk testers and delivery people, we try to maintain 6-foot social distancing as a best management practice. We have also canceled all tours. Spring is normally a fairly busy time for us as we do a decent number of school tours, school speaking engagements and farmer tours. How will the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payment help your dairy with operating expenses? We plan to use any support payments to pay our vendors. We had signicant winter kill in our alfalfa and on our pastures from the wet fall last year. As such, we have extra seed costs and normal operations costs that we will struggle with if the pay price continues at low levels. Do you think COVID-19 has been handled properly? The initial reaction was OK but not completely thought out. The initial reports were of very high death loss and that would be tragic across society and the economy. However, once it became clearer the death loss is not as terrible as rst estimated, we should have started opening up the economy. The damage done is real and lasting in both money lost and the reorganization of people’s routines. It may have been more prudent to issue safer-at-home orders for those high-risk groups and enact legal protections for those who felt high risk to ensure they were not red or reprimanded at work for choosing to stay home while still allowing others to continue as usual. Our chosen path may have attened the infection and death loss curve, but it also created a new curve of economic hardship and isolation and all the negatives those hardships bring with them: stress, suicide, depression, businesses closing, job loss and destruction, large debt increase and depletion of savings. The government has tried to plug some of these gaps with bailout money, but it can never be enough. It will not undo the problems created. How has the pandemic shed light on the importance of the dairy industry and food production? We learned about the tightness of our supply chains throughout the food system. I don’t think it altered how people view their food but instead showed that a world where food is preferred fresh is subject to supply chain disruptions when large-scale interventions are made – whether by the government, nature or another way. It also showed just how important the restaurant business is to maintaining prices. Foods can’t be quickly shifted from one sector of the food system to another, and this was brought to light for all to see as supermarket shelves emptied and processors struggled to have the right foods in the right packaging to meet those demands. On the beef side, the closing of plants for even a short period creates massive problems throughout the system. Cattle are living things, and the system can’t just shut down as a factory does. The reshufing of cattle loads and rejection of purchase due to over capacity is a burden that lands squarely on farmer shoulders when these disruptions occur.
Brent Ziegler Green Isle, Minnesota Sibley County 300 cows How has the pandemic affected your farm’s milk market? The decrease in milk price like everyone else. Our co-op, Bongards, has done a tremendous job making sure that all of their patrons’ milk was processed, and that we as patrons did not have to cut back on production. What adjustments have you made for on-farm protocols because of COVID-19? We have limited the number of visitors to our farm. We are also limiting the number of times that we leave the farm to get supplies. Also, we have stressed the importance of taking this seriously to our employees. Mainly for them to minimize contact with other people and to not take extra risks. How will the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payment help your dairy with operating expenses? Being that we participate in the DMC program as well as the DRP program, we had price protection in place already. It will help to maintain working capital because we do not know how long this will last. Do you think COVID-19 has been handled properly? This one is very politically charged. If you look at it from a scientic standpoint, we didn’t take it seriously enough early on. This made the situation worse. The shutdowns are painful economically but were necessary to ensure the safety of the entire population. I have a tremendous amount of respect for our leaders that listen to the experts in their elds and make difcult decisions based on facts and evidence and not on emotion. How has the pandemic shed light on the importance of the dairy industry and food production? It is important for consumers to not take the food supply for granted. The discussions regarding milk being dumped and animals being euthanized because of a lack of processing capacity are important to have for the long-term viability of our food supply. What changes would you make to the food supply chain? I don’t think much can be done on the dairy side. I am concerned about the amount of consolidation in the meat industry. Competition is a good thing in all industries. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Sarah, and I have two boys, Matthew, 16, and Tommy, 13. We milk about 300 cows and farm about 640 acres of corn, alfalfa and wheat. We have a tremendous team who are talented and dedicated working with us. They allow us to get away to school activities, vacations and to get involved in serving our industry in other functions. We are very thankful for them. What changes would you make to the food supply chain? I’m not sure how I would change the food supply chain. More emphasis needs to be made on how critical it is to maintain, but a lot of it is not easily altered. The efciency gained from large processing plants, whether beef slaughterhouses or dairy plants, is real and unavoidable. Perhaps more emphasis on maintaining those operations during economic or natural disruption might be prudent but as to what form that should take, I have not yet formed an opinion. Tell us about your farm. Our farm has been in our family since 1913. We are in the village of Hobart in Brown County just outside Green Bay, Wisconsin. We run about 1,000 acres, half of which is intensively managed pasture for raising heifers. We have 540 cows housed in a 10-row cross-ventilated barn and milked in eight robots. Our total team is four full-time and three part-time people. We have a passion for conservation stewardship, advocacy and implementing new ideas and technology on our farm.
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Joe Wilcox Marcus, Iowa Cherokee County 70 cows How has the pandemic affected your farm’s milk market? We have been fortunate that we haven’t had to dump any milk on our farm yet. We sell our milk through Dairy Farmers of America, and they have been transparent throughout these unprecedented times. It is sobering to see the pictures of milk being dumped down drains or into lagoons across the United States. Class III milk was trading as high as $18 in January before the bottom fell out and it dropped to near $10. But the current outlook looks a lot better than it did 30 days ago. What adjustments have you made for on-farm protocols because of COVID-19? We typically don’t get too many on-farm visitors at our dairy. Myself and my parents, Mark and Sara Wilcox, do the majority of the milking. We do have two part-time high school employees who we instructed to stay home if they felt under the weather. The on-farm visitors that we do get, such as seed salesmen and our nutritionist, have all been practicing social distancing while on the farm. It can be difcult to forego a handshake at the beginning or end of a conversation. How will the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payment help your dairy with operating expenses? We are just now nding out more details about the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Every little bit will help cover the costs of operating our dairy. We’ve made some alterations to our ration due to the current situation, and this program should help alleviate some of that stress. Do you think COVID-19 has been handled properly? I think we, here in Iowa, have handled it to the best of our ability. It is an unprecedented event that there isn’t a playbook for. As of May 18, there have only been six conrmed cases in our county, but most everyone I interact with has been taking social distancing very seriously for the past three months. How has the pandemic shed light on the importance of the dairy industry and food production? We absolutely take for granted the abundance of cheap fresh products available to us at our grocery stores. It has made me, personally, appreciate all the hard work that goes into producing dairy and meat products. Especially as we were recently discussing the logistics of trying to process a hog for the freezer. What changes would you make to the food supply chain? The food supply chain runs on such a razor thin margin. It doesn’t take much to interrupt the supply chains in a big way. A blip in the production like a plant re or a major shift in demand can turn the markets on their head. Of course, I’d like to see more people buying local from family farms, but I understand the logistical limitations within the dairy and meat industry. Support your local grocery stores and buy what you can that is being produced locally. Tell us about your farm. We operate a 70-cow registered Holstein dairy farm in northwest Iowa as well as raising corn and soybeans. Our farm was started in 1876, and I am the fth generation to be able to make a living working on the farm. I milk cows every morning with my mom and dad. In the evenings, my dad, myself and a hired hand do the milking. I sometimes take it for granted, but I am truly blessed to be able to spend so much time working together with family.
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Call Smith’s before I break my leg or something!
Scabbling makes grooves in your concrete 2” wide and 3/16” deep so your cows ALWAYS have traction.
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
Smith’s of Wisconsin
Serving the Midwest over 30 yrs.
1-800-525-9364
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 17
NEW EQUIPMENT
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
Repro Leaders
Zirbel Dairy Farms achieves 37% preg rate Zirbel Dairy Farms LLC De Pere, Wisconsin Brown County 1,000 cows milking, 230 dry cows, 800 heifers
days in milk. We start breeding the heifers at 13 months old.
What was your pregnancy rate average last year? 37%
What is your reproduction program? We use a combination of programs. All milking cows are on a synch program and are A.I. bred around 74 days in milk. If a cow is found open during herd
What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? For cows, the voluntary waiting period is 74
What is your rst service conception rate? 55%-60%
PHOTO SUBMITTED
PHOTO SUBMITTED
A dairy-beef calf rests in straw at Zirbel Dairy Farms in De Pere, Wisconsin. A large porƟon of the herd is bred to beef.
Zirbel Dairy Farms’ reproducƟon team – (from leŌ) Dr. Freg Ballweg, veterinarian from Valley Veterinary Clinic; Kris Scheider, Zirbel Dairy Farms LLC partner; Gunner Umnus, CentralStar A.I. reproducƟve specialist; and Brandon Kruswick, CentralStar A.I. reproducƟve specialist – helped the dairy achieve a 37% pregnancy rate in 2019. The dairy milks 1,000 cows near De Pere, Wisconsin. check, she is enrolled in timed on the system are bred and around 32 days since last heat. A.I. if she qualies. We also ones that have lower activity Cows that are open are enrolled use activity monitors to help us are checked daily by trained into the timed A.I. program. with heat detection and breed A.I. personnel. those cows if needed. What is your breeding How do you conrm philosophy? How do you How do you observe for heat? pregnant or open cows? Cows select bulls? What traits do We mainly use the activity have an ultrasound weekly you focus on? Does fertility monitors for heat detections. by a licensed veterinarian. Turn to ZIRBEL | Page 20 Cows that have high activity Typically, we check cows
Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 19
Bring out the best in yorur investment
Dennis Thyen
Dealer Inquiries Welcome!
46310 164th Street Watertown, SD 57201 605.881.0647 Email: ddthyen@gmail.com
“The more we use it, the more we love it!” — Bryan Landsverk
“For two years in a row, we bought the donated gallon of Udder Comfort™ at the Dairy Forward auction during the 2018-19 Central Plains Dairy Expos. The first year (2018), we bought it thinking we wanted to use it more. The more we use it, the more we love it,” said Bryan Landsverk when he and Bridget stopped by the booth in 2019. They have six robots milking 320 cows at Landsverk Dairy, founded by Bryan’s grandfather near Fosston, Minnesota.
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“We keep this in the robot rooms and spray the SCC cows exiting. We use it on fresh cows, all fresh heifers especially. “Udder edema and robots are not a good combination. Softening udders with Udder Comfort works so well. We are so glad to have this product.”
LANDSVERK DAIRY, FOSSTON, MN Bryan and Bridget Landsverk 320 cows, 6 Robots Certified Organic since 1997
Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
ConƟnued from ZIRBEL | Page 18
play a role in bull selection? We have a smaller barn that was built in 1990 that we still use today. Those stalls are a little smaller than the other freestalls we have. So, we have a small portion of our herd that are Jerseys or Jersey crossbreds. We have been crossbreeding cows for about nine years. We select bulls based on ve categories. We focus on pounds of milk, stature, combined fat and protein, daughter pregnancy rate and sire conception rate. Since we have heifers that are custom raised in Kansas, our stature needs to be on the lower side. We have focused on DPR for the last eight years and have made huge strides. We try to be ahead of the curve instead
of behind it. So, we have very little proven sires in our herd. Sires typically are used for 3-4 months and then are changed out. If any sires do not perform well within that time frame, they are removed. Some that perform extremely well may stay for 4-6 months. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? We are breeding to maintain and not grow our cow herd. Cows are bred according to their matings. The top 20% of our herd is bred to sexed semen, and the rest are bred to beef semen. The Jersey herd is a little different. The top 10% are bred to sexed semen, 11%30% conventional semen and Cows eat feed in a freestall barn at Zirbel Dairy Farms in De Pere, Wisconsin. then the rest to beef semen. Heifers are raised at a heifer facility in Kansas. They are bred at 13 months of age. We have recently switched to breeding all the heifers to beef to help control our heifer numbers we would like to maintain. What do you do to settle hard breeders? We keep going until it’s economically unfeasible to keep the hard breeding cows. PHOTO SUBMITTED
A cow rests aŌer having a Holstein calf at Zirbel Dairy Farms in De Pere, Wisconsin. The top 20% of the Holstein milking herd is bred to sexed semen with the remaining bred with beef semen.
How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? For us, it is not about how many times we breed her, it is
Free Stalls
based on how much milk she is giving per day. Cutoff for us is 70 pounds for the Holstein herd and 50 pounds for the Jersey and crossbred herd. Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? Consistency is No. 1. Having the same person give all the setup shots is very important along with making sure that person is committed to those shots and nothing else for that time frame. Cow comfort is also extremely important.
Tell us about your farm. Zirbel Dairy Farms is a multigenerational farm. The farm is owned and operated by the fourth generation of the Zirbel family along with their son, Jordan Zirbel, and daughter and son-in-law, Chelsea and Kris Scheider. Kris and Chelsea have three kids: Owen, 14, Olivia, 11, and Evelyn, 9. Each person has a management role specic to their personal interests, and those different interests keep the farm in excellent balance.
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PHOTO SUBMITTED
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 21
0.9% Ànancing for 60 months on 2010 and newer 200HP+ row crop tractors through May 31st. Financing subject to pre-approval through JD Financial. Some restrictions apply. See dealer for details.
JD W260, 2018, 500 hrs., $ ##1163376 7644 #163764
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Over 1200 items with pictures updated daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com ROUND BALERS 4 JD 854, 2010, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 PTO, 5’ bale, 11400 bales, #159849 ..................................................................................................$20,900 4 NH 678, 2001, Twine Only, 5’ bale, #169734 ..............................................................$6,600 4 JD 469, 2014, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 540 PTO, 4’ bale, 11500 bales, #169735 ..................................................................................................$21,900 4 JD 469, 2017, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 PTO, 4’ bale, 2600 bales, #167879 ....................................................................................................$37,400 2 JD 569 Silage Special, 2013, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 PTO, 5’ bale, 5500 bales, #169189.........................................................................$32,500 2 JD 558, 2010, Mega Wide, Twine Only, 540 PTO, 5’ bale, 1153 bales, #163653 .......$19,900 10 New Holland BR7090, 2009, Mega Wide, Twine Only, 540 PTO, 5’ bales, 6484 bales, #167794 ....................................................................................................$14,500 10 JD 450M, 2018, Mega Wide, Twine Only, 540 pto, 4’ bale, 690 bales, #163947 ......$33,500 10 NH BR7060, 2012, Twine Only, 540 PTO, 4’ bale, 2900 bales, #166079..................$18,500 10 JD 854, 2011, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bale, 8170 bales, #160884 ...................................................................................................$29,500 17 JD 560M, 2018, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 PTO, 5’ bale, 3311 bales, #165961 ........................................................................................$57,900 6 JD 469 Silage Special, 2015, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 1000 PTO, 4’ bale, 9500 bales, #166199 ........................................................................................$24,900 6 JD 568, 2007, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 PTO, 5’ bale, 7000 bales, #169336 ....................................................................................................$26,900 6 JD 560M, 2019, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 1000 pto, 5’ bale, 5500 bales, #166321 ....................................................................................................$43,900 6 New Holland BR7060, 2011, Mega Wide, Surface Wrap Only, 540 pto, 4’ bale, 7300 bales, #169262 ........................................................................................$23,900 5 JD 460M, 2018, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 PTO, 4’ bale, 5985 bales, #164359 ........................................................................................$49,900 11 New Holland 460RB, 2014, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 4’ bale, 7500 bales, #165910 .......................................................................$24,900 8 JD 430, 1984, Twine Only, 540 PTO, 4’ bale, #167385 .................................................$3,195 8 JD 459, 2013, Twine and Surface Wrap, 540 pto, 4’ bale, 4000 Bales, #169330.......$31,900 14 NH BR780A, 2007, Mega Wide, Both Twine and Surface Wrap, 1000 pto, 5’ bale, 15900 bales, #167206......................................................................................$11,900 3 Vermeer 605F, Twine Only, 1000 PTO, 5’ bale, #168368 ...........................................$3,250 ROW CROP TRACTORS 4 JD 8320R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, Guidance-ready, 540/1000 PTO, Duals, 109 hrs., #152537..................................................................$299,500 4 JD 8270R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, Guidance-ready, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 1033 hrs., #163841 .........................................................................................$209,500 MOWER CONDITIONERS 10 JD 635, 2017, #166698 ..............................................................................................$23,500 7 Hesston 3312, 2007, #167802 ................................................................................$15,500 12 JD 1360, 1990, #169705 .............................................................................................$8,800 5 JD 835, 2012, #164224 .............................................................................................$18,900 11 JD 946, 2014, #168983 ..............................................................................................$24,400 8 JD F350R, 2019, #166686 ........................................................................................$27,000
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Visit one of our 17 locations in Central Minnesota! (7) = ALEXANDRIA (9) = PRINCETON (4) = ST. CLOUD 1035 35th Ave. NE
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78412 Co. Rd. 20
8 JD R990R, 2019, #166685.........................................................................................$65,300 8 New Holland H7550, 2014, #167351 ..................................................................$20,500 8 JD 635, 2013, #169331 ..............................................................................................$19,900 ROW CROP TRACTORS 4 JD 7210R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 540/1000 pto, Duals, Ldr, 836 hrs., #163862........$179,500 4 JD 8270R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 PTO, Duals, 1041 hrs., #163842......$204,900 4 JD 6145R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 436 hrs., #147213 ............$134,900 4 JD 6175R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, Partial PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 2008 hrs., #157577 ....................................................................................................$128,000 4 JD 6145M, 2017, Cab, MFWD, Partial PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 2650 hrs., #156660 .......................................................................................................$85,000 2 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 1063 hrs., #153517..............$169,500 2 JD 8345R, 2014, Cab, MFWD w/Susp IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 3324 hrs., #166449 .$18,9900 2 JD 8345R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 PTO, Duals, 226 hrs., #156041 .$299,500 2 JD 6145R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 PTO, Singles, 255 hrs., #153236 ....$139,500 2 Case IH Magnum 290, 2011, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, PS, 1000 PTO, Duals, 2850 hrs., #167254 ........................................................................................$115,900 10 JD 8245R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 249 hrs., #148226 ..$228,900 10 JD 8370R, 2015, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, 2100 hrs., #156835 ...........$229,500 17 JD 8100, 1995, Cab, PS, 1000 pto, 7920 hrs., #163584 ............................................$59,500 17 JD 6155R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 136 hrs., #147651......$136,900 17 JD 6175R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 73 hrs., #148777 $172,900 17 JD 8245R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 206 hrs, #148229 .................$204,900 17 JD 8330, 2007, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 5598 hrs., #168270 ....... $105,000 17 JD 8320R, 2014, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, PS, 1000 pto, duals, 3289 hrs., #155355 .$149,500 7 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 2084 hrs., #165917 ..............$158,400 7 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 1089 hrs., #162058..............$199,900 7 NH T7.260 T4A, 2011, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 7700 hrs., #169557 .......................................................................................................$74,900 7 JD 4020, 2WD, Syncro, 540 pto, Loader, 3351 hrs., #168799 ...................................$13,495 6 JD 7210R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 915 hrs., #153518........$159,500 6 JD 8295R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 816 hrs., #163758 ..$251,900 6 JD 8335R, 2012, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 2591 hrs., #167926 $174,900 6 JD 8320R, 2014, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 540/1000 pto, 2074 hrs., #167228 ...$196,400 6 JD 8285R, 2013, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 2581 hrs., #167775 $159,900 1 JD 8400R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, 1000 pto, Duals, 228 hrs., #148294 .........$314,900 1 JD 8270R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 127 hrs., #148233 ...$234,900 1 JD 8370R, 2015, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 2759 hrs., #167919 $214,900 1 JD 6145R, 2019, MFWD w/Susp, PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 244 hrs., #153237 $137,900 1 JD 6145R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 283 hrs., #153238......$134,900 12 JD 6155M/ 640R Loader, 2019, Cab, MFWD, Partial PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 100 hrs., #153304 ........................................................................................$134,900 15 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 1854 hrs., #165918 ..............$163,900 15 JD 8320R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 174 hrs., #155882 ..$299,500 15 JD 6175R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 1738 hrs., #169033 ....................................................................................................$134,900 15 JD 6155R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 1904 hrs., #169034 ......$99,000 15 Case IH MX240, 2001, Cab, MFWD, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 7624 hrs., #167682 ......$43,900
1140 Centre St.
320-763-4220 5005 Co. Rd. 82 SE
3708 Baptist Church Rd.
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15 JD 8345R, 2014, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 2139 hrs., #167776 $199,900 16 JD 8335R, 2012, Cab, MFWD w/Susp IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 3200 hrs., #165963.$159,500 16 JD 6145M, 2016, Cab, MFWD, Partial PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 464 hrs., #166650 ......................................................................................................$112,900 16 JD 8320R, 2015, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 462 hrs., #163735 ..$262,400 16 JD 8345R, 2016, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 1645 hrs., #146351.$259,000 16 JD 8400R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, 1000 pto, Duals, 235 hrs., #148295 .........$314,900 16 JD 7800, 1994, Cab, 2WD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 7028 hrs., #169438 ...............$39,400 16 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 724 hrs., #169242 ..$319,500 16 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 921 hrs., #169244 ..$319,500 16 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 395 hrs., #169249 ..$239,500 16 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 691 hrs., #169243 ..$319,500 16 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 740 hrs., #169241 ..$319,500 16 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 595 hrs., #169246 ..$239,500 16 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 547 hrs., #169247 ..$239,500 16 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Susp, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 829 hrs., #169248 ..$239,500 5 JD 8345R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 189 hrs., #165247 ......................................................................................................$319,000 5 JD 6145R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 313 hrs., #147212......$129,500 5 Allis-Chalmers 200, 1974, Cab, 2WD, Syncro, 540/1000 pto, 7000 hrs., #169651$9,500 11 JD 6145M, 2016, Cab, MFWD, Partial PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 430 hrs., #141878 ......................................................................................................$112,900 11 JD 8345R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 411 hrs., #147199 ......................................................................................................$299,500 11 New Holland TM165, 2000, Cab, MFWD, Partial PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 4193 hrs., #169707 .......................................................................................................$34,995 11 JD 7230, 2010, Cab, MFWD, Partial PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 1966 hrs., #168726 .......................................................................................................$69,995 8 JD 8295R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 153 hrs., #166651 ......................................................................................................$291,900 8 JD 7210R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 861 hrs., #163755........$154,900 8 JD 6175R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 148 hrs., #168137......$157,000 8 JD 7810, 2000, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, 15044 hrs., #168906 .......$34,900 8 JD 6145M, ‘18, Cab, MFWD, Partial PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 107 hrs., #168135 ......................................................................................................$129,900 14 JD 8345R, 2016, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT,1000 pto, Duals, 1931 hrs., #166297 ....................................................................................................$239,900 14 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 1225 hrs., #162059 ....................................................................................................$212,900 14 JD 7320, 2004, Cab, MFWD, Partial PS, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 9085 hrs., #169695.$37,900 14 JD 8300, 1995, Cab, MFWD, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 10129 hrs., #158662 ..................$49,500 14 JD 6145R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, 540/1000 pto, Singles, Loader, 436 hrs., #167089 ......................................................................................................$142,900 14 JD 8360R, 2013, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 1293 hrs., #167687 ....................................................................................................$219,000 3 JD 8335R, 2011, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 5011 hrs., #165966 ....................................................................................................$139,000 3 JD 7215R, 2013, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 540/1000 pto, Duals, 2782 hrs., #167434......$114,900
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Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
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MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA D&D Ag Supply Pennock, MN 320-599-4466 East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, SD 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
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WASHINGTON – United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program May 19. The program will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic. “America’s farming community is facing an unprecedented situation as our nation tackles the coronavirus,â€? Perdue said. “President Trump has authorized (the United States Department of Agriculture) to ensure our patriotic farmers, ranchers and producers are supported, and we are moving quickly to open applications to get payments out the door and into the pockets of farmers. These payments will help keep farmers aďƒ&#x;oat while market demand returns as our nation reopens and recovers. America’s farmers are resilient and will get through this challenge just like they always do with faith, hard work and determination.â€? CFAP provides vital ďƒžnancial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a 5% or greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional signiďƒžcant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities. Farmers and ranchers will receive direct support, drawn from two possible funding sources. The ďƒžrst source of funding is $9.5 billion in appropriated funding provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Stability Act to compensate farmers for losses due to price declines that occurred between mid-January and mid-April, and provides support for specialty crops for product that had been shipped from the farm between the same time period but subsequently spoiled due to loss of marketing channels. The second funding source uses the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act to compensate producers for $6.5 billion in losses due to on-going market disruptions. For dairy, the total payment will be calculated based on a producer’s certiďƒžcation of milk production for the ďƒžrst quarter of calendar year 2020 multiplied by a national price decline during the same quarter. The second part of the payment is based on a national adjustment to each producer’s production in the ďƒžrst quarter. To ensure the availability of funding throughout the application period, producers will receive 80% of their maximum total payment upon approval of the application. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date as funds remain available. Beginning May 26, the USDA, through the Farm Service Agency, will be accepting applications from agricultural producers who have suffered losses. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certiďƒžcation may be requested. FSA has streamlined the signup process to not require an acreage report at the time of application, and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed. Applications will be accepted through Aug. 28. Additional information and application forms can be found at http://www.farmers. gov/cfap.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 23
Stille nds niche in registered Holsteins
Choosing the dairy life
By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
SHIOCTON, Wis. – Working with registered Holsteins is the reason 20-yearold Jim Stille chose a career in dairy farming. Stille, who did not grow up on a farm nor has relatives who farm, began working with cattle when he was 14. Just ve years later, he would become a herdsman at a local dairy farm. Stille has been working at Voight Acres in Shiocton for 1.5 years, becoming the farm’s herdsman a year ago in March. Voight Acres milks 240 cows, farms 500 acres and has three employees. Stille milks morning and night, and also treats, vaccinates and breeds cows while managing the herd’s overall health. Growing up near Black Creek, Stille took his rst farm job working for Jed and Kristie Court in the Shiocton area. Scraping barns and feeding cows in a freestall facility were his main tasks at this 80-cow dairy. “My mom always wanted us kids to work on a farm,” said Stille, the middle child of
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Jim SƟlle poses with Jauquet Sid Archy VG 87, a 5-year-old cow he purchased as a calf. SƟlle works as herdsman at Voight Acres near Shiocton, Wisconsin. SƟlle some day hopes to own a small dairy farm. 11. “That’s how I got started.” His parents, Brian and Tammy Stille, grew up on farms and wanted to instill in their children a strong work ethic and appreciation for agriculture and the dairy industry. The family is also active in 4-H. Tammy is the main leader of the Bent
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Arrow 4-H club, and Brian is the Outagamie County fair manager. “As we watched Jim mature, we could tell he had that love for dairy and was good with animals,” Tammy said. “It’s fun to watch him in his element. He really enjoys what he’s doing and knows a
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lot about it. He’s amazed me with that.” Stille joined 4-H at age 5 and began showing dairy cattle when he started working for the Courts. He won Outagamie County’s James Crowley dairy leadership award three years in a row. Stille started a tting contest at his county fair and
also helped with the Adventures in Dairyland program. He was a youth advisor on his fair’s dairy committee and is the Outagamie County Junior Holstein Association Adult Advisor. In this role, Stille helps plan for the fair which takes place at the end of July. Stille was also on the dairy judging team. His coach, Craig Krohlow, would become his future employer when Stille took a job working on Krohlow’s farm at age 17. “Craig had really good registered cows,” Stille said. “That’s where my interest in registered Holsteins started.” Stille had many responsibilities tending to the 40-cow herd, including milking and feeding. Krohlow sold his cows October 2018, which left Stille looking for a new job. Stille was in high demand, receiving 10 job offers from area farmers, one of which came from Voight Acres. “I wanted to work here ever since they built the new barn,” Stille said. “The Voights are good people. It’s a bigger farm, and it’s close to home. They also have registered cattle and are into showing. It was a no-brainer to come here.” Owned by Steve and Sue Voight, Voight Acres is in the Turn to STILLE | Page 25
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
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Visit Bobcat.com/Offers or stop by today for details. *Offer ends 5/31/2020. Available at participating and eligible dealers only. Offer may vary by product type, series, model and select units in dealer’s current inventory. Must take delivery from dealer stock by 5/31/2020. Offers available on new equipment in US and Canada only. Some restrictions apply. Length of contract may vary. Prior purchases not eligible. See dealer for details. Financing provided on approval of credit by authorized Bobcat finance providers to well-qualified buyers. Administrative fees may apply. Offer not available to government accounts, national accounts and municipal/utility bid customers. Non-commercial customers may not be eligible for low rate financing. Bobcat Company reserves the right to extend or discontinue any of these programs at any time without prior notice. Bobcat®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 25
ConƟnued from STILLE | Page 23 process of being transitioned to the Voights’ son, Mitch. “We knew Jim before he started working here and knew what kind of work ethic he had,” Mitch said. “And that’s what we like – someone who likes cattle, always shows up on time and loves what he does. That’s Jim.” In his short time at Voight Acres, Stille helped implement a successful change in the farm’s hoof trimming protocols. “We used to trim twice a year, but we had hoof problems and needed to trim more frequently,” Stille said. “Now, we trim once a month and have practically eliminated heel warts and other hoof problems. We trim at dry off and 100 days
in milk. A cow with issues may be trimmed more often. We’re doing a better job of keeping up with our trimming schedule and are getting to problem cows sooner.” Stille attended Fox Valley Technical College’s farm operations program for one year but decided to not return for the second year after being promoted to herdsman. “The knowledge he has compared to most kids from town who want to come work on a farm is impressive,” Voight said. “To them, a cow is a cow. But Jim knows a good cow from a bad cow. He worked for good herds before he came here, and they helped him along. He’s always asking questions and wants to learn STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Herdsman Jim SƟlle checks over the herd at Voight Acres May 13 in Shiocton, Wisconsin. SƟlle milks morning and night, and manages overall herd health.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Jim SƟlle shows Voight-Acres Brady 616 at the 2019 Outagamie County Fair. The 3-year-old was reserve grand champion of the show, and SƟlle also won supreme show person.
more.” Stille’s goal is to own a small dairy farm someday, similar to the one of his former boss, Krohlow. “My dream farm would be 40 registered cows in a tiestall barn,” he said. “I like big, fancy show cows and would strive for high type and high production.” Stille bought his rst registered animal at age 16 and now owns eight – four cows and four heifers which are
housed at the Voights’ farm. “If it wasn’t for registered Holsteins, I would probably be doing something else,” Stille said. “Someday, I would like to have a string good enough to place well at a state show.” Stille said the farmers he has worked for have been like mentors, triggering his passion for dairying. “They loved their cows and it rubbed off on me,” he said. From picking rocks,
cleaning parlors, helping with hay and other odds and ends to holding regular farm jobs, Tammy said her children have worked at about a half dozen farms over the years. But Stille is the only one of his siblings thus far to choose the dairy industry as a profession. “We know there were a few farms he was looking at, and we’re really happy Jim came to work for us,” Voight said. “He could’ve went anywhere else, but we’re glad he’s here.”
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Acreage reporting dates As a reminder, Farm Service Agency ofces are open by phone appointments only at this time. Please call your local ofce to make an appointment, or we will work with you to complete your paperwork FSA News & Notes by mail or email. . 2020 acreage reporting dates In order to comply with FSA program eligibility requirements, all producers are encouraged to call their local FSA ofce to le an accurate crop certication report by the applicable By Ryan Brunn deadline. Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. The following acreage reporting dates are applicable for Minnesota: – July 15, perennial forage, spring-seeded crops and CRP. – Aug. 15, hemp (must provide license number). The following exceptions apply to the above acreage reporting dates: – If the crop has not been planted by the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed. – If a producer acquires additional acreage after the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendar days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county ofce. If a perennial forage crop is reported with the intended use of cover only, green manure, left standing or seed, then the acreage must be reported by July 15. Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP. Again, with the ofces open by phone appointments only, call your local ofce to complete this task. 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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A spring of its own kind This spring, we started and nished planting before we could get into the elds last year. The 2020 spring weather was sunny and warm. The winds blew to dry out the elds. Due to COVID-19, all family members were on hand to help with everything from working the ground, picking rocks and fetching more seed when the planter got low. It was a real team effort. When the rains came in on the weather radar, the planter headed for home. The grass seemed to green up early, and the lawn mower has been used a few times already. Flowers and trees in bloom look spectacular with the blue sky and sunshine, but also appear bold and bright with the gray skies before By Tina Hinchley the rain storms. The scents Farmer & Columnist of the lilac blossoms will soon ll the air. We all noticed the wildlife around the farm as the spring season came this year. Without the airplanes ying in and out of Madison, the sky has been quiet except for the voices of the birds announcing their arrival. The Canadian geese and sandhill cranes, along with the killdeer, y into the elds searching for a place to nest. The barn swallows have returned to their nests from the previous years and are swooping into the puddles to pick up mud to make repairs so their chicks have a safe place to hatch. Wild turkeys have become very active, strutting and dancing near the tree lines, doing their best to attract the hens. The same as last year but different because our lives have slowed down, and we are able to stop, look and listen. The sheep have been sheared, and lambs are hopping in the pasture. Ducks are laying eggs all over the lawn until they decide where they should settle down to nest. The geese have become aggressive and
W will We ill get through h h this, hi b but it may end up somehow as none of us could imagine. are protecting their eggs, working together to keep us away. This is spring time, and this is how it is every year. I am not racing to nish chores because a bus full of kids are coming for a tour. This year, I have not hosted a single spring tour. Meanwhile, the cows are continuing to give birth, but now we are not worried so much about the calves being licked dry. The warm spring breeze feels good on the calves. The calf jackets have all come off and are washed and tucked into totes for next fall. As we enter the haying season, I cannot help but think about what this harvest year will bring. Will we have the weather we need to make quality feed for our cows? This is the same question every year, but this year it is different. Do we continue to plan for milking 240 cows, or do we plan on milking less cows? Will the country recover this year or will it be the next? Does the future for farming seem as promising as it had in the past with the pressures of the challenges that have fallen on our industry to get food to the
people who need it? This will be the year we all remember for all of the things that seemed to have gone wrong. There are so much activities from families and communities reaching out through social media and different ways to show compassion. The hard work on the farms will continue just as it always has, but I have noticed others who are acknowledging the nancial difculties we all are facing. People we do not even know are phoning to see if we are OK. They ask if they can do anything to help dairy farmers. It is the same as last year, but this year it is different. We have always been encouraging people to buy milk and dairy products. It is not new that farmers want consumers to support local farmers and try to pull together so no one gets forgotten. The nancial problems of the dairy industry are
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not anything new. We have to watch the consumption of milk decline and the competition of other products ll the shelves next to our jugs. We have challenged ourselves annually to become better farmers, because if we do not, it will be harder to make ends meet. Our industry pushes forward with new products and innovations to meet the consumers’ demands. We will get through this, but it may end up somehow as none of us could imagine. People really needing people. Acknowledging that we all matter, and we all want the world to be safe so we all can become better people in the end. Tina Hinchley, her husband, Duane, and their daughters, Anna and Catherine, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. They have been hosting farm tours for over 20 years.
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
Working to keep Wisconsin strong Evers, Romanski appear on PDPW Dairy Signal By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – Navigating the ever-changing ood of information regarding markets and government programs that have come about as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has added a whole new section to the Wisconsin dairy farmer’s job description. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and interim Secretary of Agriculture Randy Romanski appeared May 12, for the second time, on the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Dairy Signal program to share updates. “Dairy is absolutely critical to the Wisconsin landscape,” Evers said. “We have a $105 billion ag economy, and there is nothing that matches dairy’s contribution, plain and simple.” Evers spoke about the importance of supporting the dairy industry in Wisconsin economically during the pandemic, which falls on the heels of several years of depressed prices. “Having access to capital is critical in farming, and I know cash ow has been an issue for everybody in the dairy industry,” Evers said. “It won’t be enough to make everybody whole, but I believe there is an opportunity to provide some direct aid to farmers through the CARES funding that was provided to Wisconsin.” At the time of his appearance on the Dairy Signal, Evers was unable to provide information about how the funding would be allocated throughout the state but said that information would be forthcoming soon. “I’m working with (Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection) and representatives from a diverse crosssection of farm groups, including dairy, to develop details of such a program,” Evers said. “Obviously dairy and agriculture will be a priority.” Allocations of CARES money will
not necessarily be based on impact to the economy, according to Evers. CARES funding will also be used to help pay for testing and contact tracing throughout the state, as well as for other needs. Romanski said he was directed by the governor to ensure that agricultural stakeholders were involved in the discussions for determining the allocations for CARES funding. “When I reviewed the last Tony Evers rendition, it did Wisconsin address the most Governor needy parts of our economy,” Evers said. “Obviously dairy and agriculture in general ts that category. It’s not necessarily based on the percentage of our gross domestic product, but it is based on need, making it a higher priority than some other areas.” Romanski said he has been working with other states in the Upper Midwest to help bring additional federal resources to the region. “We need a strong partnership with the federal government as we proceed, and these partnerships are helpful to increase our voice,” Romanski said. “We are advocating for FEMA to identify opportunities for additional funding to farmers in the region.” Evers acknowledged that getting the state of Wisconsin opened back up would directly benet the agricultural sector, and the dairy industry in particular, but said that public health would remain his top priority in that process. “The supply and demand landscape is changing, especially with people staying at home,” Evers said. “The sacrices people have been making have been paying off.” As far as increasing demand for dairy products, Evers pointed to work being done in collaboration by DATCP, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Hunger Task Force to help increase the amount of dairy products available in food pantries throughout the state.
“It’s important to keep the dairy supply chain moving,” Evers said. “Since that partnership has been announced, there have been many other efforts starting up to get Wisconsin dairy to consumers in need. In the last month, Wisconsin dairy co-ops and processors have donated millions of dollars and thousands of pounds of dairy products to food banks and pantries. That is where the demand is, and we want to ll that. We all want demand for dairy to come back and stay back.” Fixing the vulnerabilities in the food supply chain to avoid some of the situations that have come up from virus-induced shutdowns of processing plants is something that Evers said the state needs to focus on. “We need to nd a way to have a more robust supply chain of food from the producer to my mouth,” Evers said. “We need to start looking at that now.” On a research and development front, Romanski said that members of DATCP leadership have been reviewing research proposals through the Dairy Innovation Hub, making
“We need a strong partnership with the federal government as we proceed, and these partnerships are helpful to increase our voice.” RANDY ROMANSKI, SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
recommendations to the project coordinator. “We are focused on the innovation implementibility and the need for research,” Romanski said. “Even during these challenging times, it’s really important that we focus on the importance of the dairy industry for Wisconsin and the world. People come to Wisconsin for dairy innovation, and this is an investment in that next level.” Evers pointed to the new order he announced May 11, allowing small
retail businesses to begin opening with restrictions of ve customers at a given time as progress in getting the economies of rural Wisconsin moving again. Evers said that this turn of the dial will benet rural communities. “That will help rural Wisconsin. It’s not necessarily dairy-related, but it is rural-related,” Evers said. “Every small town I’ve lived in has always had a handful of retail businesses that sell anything from CBD oil to toys, and everything in between. I think that is going to help rural Wisconsin.” Evers said that in Wisconsin, there are over 14,000 small retailers that t into the May 11 order, and those businesses employ over 90,000 people. “In order to make that decision to do that, we had to have some really strong evidence in the metrics that we agreed to that came from the White House and the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention),” Evers said. Those metrics include ensuring the state’s healthcare industry can sustain through the pandemic as well as the percentage of positive COVID-19 identications. “When we see a trend in the correct direction, we take every opportunity to dial something in,” Evers said. “That’s why we did what we did yesterday (May 11). I anticipate that by the end of May, we will have the opportunity to meet all those metrics in a way we feel is consistent.” The opening of restaurants and businesses will directly help the dairy industry by increasing demand for product. However, with that increased public interaction, Evers has concerns about increased contact among people, but pointed to the creation of a public health system that did not exist prior to the pandemic. “We have created a situation where we are testing more, tracing more, we are getting the PPE in place. We are so far ahead of where we were ve weeks ago. That gives me great hope,” Evers said. “If we hadn’t gotten this far, every surge that happens would be an unmitigated disaster. We are now to the point where I believe we can contain most surges. We are close to having a good public health system that will keep us safe.”
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Successful early dry off strategies
Estimates are that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the supply of milk to exceed the demand for milk by up to 10%. The hope is that this reduced domestic demand and lower exports will be temporary. As a result, in some areas of the country, processors are dumping milk. Other farmers are under milk quotas or are being asked to reduce supply. There are many options to reduce herd milk production. The ďƒžrst choice should be to cull any cows that are not performing. Carefully scrutinize cows that are milking below average and may have other issues such as an elevated somatic cell count. Another option is to dry off mid- to late-lactation cows early. This option is better than strategies that purposely decrease production across the herd. Strategies that decrease By Jim Salfer milk production in early lactation cows will decrease milk U of M Extension production for the entire lactation. However, it is important to develop a strategy for dry off and treatment of cows with long dry days to minimize the risk of transition problems when these cows calve again. One of the main goals should be to maintain cow health and ensure cows have the capacity to resume normal milk production in the subsequent lactation. Here are some ideas to consider that will increase the likelihood that this strategy is successful. – Proper dry off protocols. Management practices to reduce milk production of high producing cows at dry off will reduce the risk of dry period mastitis. Research has shown that there is an increased mastitis risk when drying off high producing cows. Rapid teat end closure after dry off reduces the likelihood of new mastitis infections. University of Guelph research showed that the level of milk production before dry off was the biggest predictor of time to teat end closure. If cows were milking less than 47 pounds at dry off, 70% of teat ends were closed within a week. However, only 43% of cows’ teats closed at all in high producing cows. – Reducing the nutrient density of rations rapidly reduces milk production in cows. This can be achieved by feeding a high forage diet and reducing corn silage and grain intake. Reducing the milking frequency can also be an option. Do this in conjunction with, not instead of, a reduced nutrient density diet. Reducing the number of milkings per day can be done without increasing mastitis risk, provided that teat ends are kept clean and dry. It is also beneďƒžcial to use teat sealants to reduce the risk of mastitis. – Feed appropriate diets. Gaining weight during the dry period increases the risk of metabolic disorders at calving. The energy requirement of dry cows is very low. House these cows in an area where they get adequate exercise and can be fed a very low energy diet. The goal is to maintain a body condition score of 2.75 to 3.25. Housing these long days dry cows with growing heifers or feeding a diet to gain weight will set them up for an unsuccessful next lactation. Work with your nutritionist to formulate diets based on dry matter intake that meets the cow’s nutritional needs while monitoring body condition score. – Provide appropriate housing. Do you have enough space to house the extra dry cows? Many dry cow pens are already at maximum capacity. One option is to create a pasture or dry lot for these cows. However, it is important this area be large enough, contain shade and be well drained. You can use portable feeders or a feed line on concrete so these cows stay clean and dry. If the lactating barn has space, consider creating a dry cow pen in that barn. – Provide adequate cooling. Nine research trials done on cooling dry cows have all shown an improvement in milk production in the subsequent lactation. Another reason to cool dry cows is that heifer calves born from cooled cows produce more milk. University of Florida research showed that under extreme heat stress, calves born from cows that were cooled during the dry period averaged 6 pounds more milk for the ďƒžrst 35 weeks of lactation after calving. Drying cows off early can be a component of a comprehensive plan to temporarily reduce milk production while maintaining cow numbers. Work with your nutritionist and veterinarian to develop dry-off and feeding strategies that do not affect the long-term health of the cows or productivity of the herd.
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Tucked away
Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
Take a peek inside a cupboard door – I don’t mind if you explore, All manner of things you will see Each one has particular meaning to me
There are photos that make me smile A pint-sized Henry-gosh, that’s been a while Rudy, that goofy cow that threw feed My Mom with a gleeful Ira, a happy thought indeed
A plethora of tape to hold them still Call them my ‘Treasures,’ if you will These things I tuck away They have a way of brightening the day There’s the recipe for Cream of Wheat A ‘Kitchen Guide’ that’s really quite neat And let me not forget the recipe for basic oatmeal – It is hearty and warming meal Photos of a younger man grinning on his tractor, His smiling blue eyes were denitely a factor Him dancing with his dear great Aunt Margaret
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A poem about children being loud, A colored picture from one so proud There are layers – I must peek underneath And there nd a guide to all the cuts of beef ‘Capsule Sermons’ and little quotes A collection of handwritten notes From neighbors, friends and my hubby dear I keep them all, never fear The sheet listing all the school supplies
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Tick repellant ideas – should the need arise Our wedding invite poem, My Mom’s obituary, wrote to send her home A slight hoarder perhaps, by tucking things away I rarely weed them out, I prefer they stayRamblings from the Ridge Right where I know where to nd themtaped tight Inside my cupboard doors – out of plain sight Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (12), Dane (10), Henry (5) and Cora (3), By Jacqui Davison help her on the farm while Columnist her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
Thousands of families take virtual farm tour of a Michigan dairy farm The United Dairy Industry of Michigan’s (UDIM) live virtual farm tour to Valley Grove Dairy reached more than 9,800 viewers. Virtual tourists had an interactive glimpse into the lives of playful calves and a behind-thescenes look at how milk and other dairy foods get from the farm to their table. The farm tour allowed viewers to learn how dairy farmers care for their animals, which ultimately builds trust in dairy foods. Teachers, parents and children of all ages were invited to tag along as Jolene Grifn, Director of Industry Relations, UDIM, took them on a virtual tour of her family’s West Michigan dairy farm on April 21. “A virtual dairy farm tour is a wonderful opportunity to explore the world around you while families stay home and children are unable to attend school as we work our way through the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Amiee Vondrasek, UDIM Youth Wellness Manager and farm tour moderator. “We know teachers and parents at home are looking for learning opportunities. The farm tour educated and entertained students and also gave them a glimpse into life on the farm.” Grifn began in the calf barn explaining why the calves wear jackets, and how technology helps farmers care for their animals, from using ear tags for recordkeeping to automatic calf feeders. Viewers learned the steps involved to milk a cow, how milk travels from the cow to the milk truck and saw the cows lying in sand in the freestall barn. Teachers had the opportunity to register their class so they could send in questions, receive updates and be notied of future tours. Teachers linked to 231 classrooms signed up with 4,415 students. Not only did teachers share the tour with their students, many parents joined the tour with their children. Questions varied from “How big is a calf when it is born?” to comments of “How is chocolate milk made?” Grifn and Vondrasek answered questions and offered nutrition tips. The virtual farm tour can be viewed on the Milk Means More Facebook page. This tour and the four virtual tours hosted last year can be found on the Milk Means More virtual farm tour page.
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Spring frost damage to alfalfa
For much of the Midwest, a mild winter followed by an early spring gave this year’s alfalfa crop a nice boost. However, dipping temperatures in the past couple of weeks left some elds susceptible to frost damage. We cannot draw a direct line between temperatures reported by the local news outlets and the damage done to our alfalfa Something to Ruminate On elds. Temperature readings are captured by controlled weather stations generally located in areas with different conditions than most alfalfa elds. Te m p e r a t u r e s i m m e d i a t e l y surrounding an alfalfa plant can vary as well. Temperatures in the plant canopy By Barry Visser level are usually Nutritionist layered, meaning the temperature at the top of the canopy is colder than the temperature at the soil surface, which is colder than the soil in the taproot and crown area. This canopy temperature will also be higher than reported air temperatures. Soil temperatures, slope, wind and the microclimate within a eld can all have an effect. The extent of frost damage to alfalfa depends on the severity of the freezing and the results of the frost are not immediately apparent. Frozen alfalfa usually needs some time to recover before damage can be estimated. To complicate things a bit more, Dr. Stephan Barnhart, professor emeritus at Iowa State University, indicates tolerance of leaves to frost varies among varieties and individual plants and is not related to winter hardiness of the variety. In mild frost cases, leaves at the tops of the plants become wilted and discolored, but plants should completely recover. If the tip of the plant straightens, normal growth resumes. Frosts that occur at 26 degrees Fahrenheit and warmer can freeze leaf margins (resulting in white spots on leaves) but not damage stems or growing points. To assess the extent of the damage, do not only look for frozen or wilting leaves. You need to determine if the growing point was killed. This growing point (apical meristem) is where all new leaves, stems and branches initially develop on alfalfa. It is located inside the dense cluster of unfolded leaves at the top of the main stem. Because the growing point is inside a cluster of leaves, it is somewhat protected from cold injury. Exposed leaves and stems all around it can be frozen, wilted and dying while the growing point cluster survives, waiting for warm weather before continuing to grow. If the growing points in your alfalfa survived the freeze, wait for growth to begin again. If the growing point was killed, however, growth will cease on that stem. Any new growth must come from new crown shoots or from unfrosted axillary stems in the lower branches. Plants use up some of their root reserves for their initial spring growth. After growing points are frozen, these plants will then have to initiate regrowth from new crown or axillary buds. This will delay the growth and developments of the crop as well as use up more of the remaining root reserves. Healthy stands will recover more quickly. Depending on weather conditions, some rst-cut yield reduction and a delay in maturity can be anticipated. Where damage is uneven across a eld, there can be some unevenness in maturity. If possible, delay rst or second cuttings of severely affected elds to allow rebuilding of root reserves and full recovery. There is usually no benet to cutting frosted
plants, especially if growth is less than 20 inches. three to ve days after a frost. Plants will initially wilt Cutting will not enhance recovery and forage quality back. If the entire plant dies back to the ground, it is drops rapidly. Severe frost kills the growing points, dead. To survive and recover, one set of leaves must the same as cutting does. Regrowth would have to survive. Reseeding may be required if less than 15-20 come from new crown buds viable plants per square foot and may further weaken survive. the stand. Yield may be IImmediately U n f o r t u n a t e l y, di l after f emergence, extremely low with poor if your crop has been alfalfa seedlings have fair to quality. weakened by a frost, Damage to new good tolerance to cold injury. the effect may not be seedings of alfalfa is usually immediate. It may instead minimal. Immediately after come later in the season emergence, alfalfa seedlings when this stress to plant have fair to good tolerance to cold injury. Once they tissue makes it more susceptible to damage from reach the second trifoliate leaf stage, tolerance to foliar diseases, and sometimes insects, on regrowth. cold injury declines markedly. Four or more hours Work with your agronomist and continue scouting of exposure to 26 degrees can kill seedlings at this elds to determine if management strategies such as growth stage. Companion crops somewhat protect fungicides or insecticides can reduce risk. new alfalfa seedlings from frost damage. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus. Before reseeding, assess the damage in new stands
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Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 31
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Making sense
Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
How will our children and grandchildren remember these days of shutdown due to the novel coronavirus? Our grandchildren are too young and will never have a clue of life being any different. Our kids, on the other hand, have had to make adjustments. Michael and Katie are virtually working from their homes and having to stay put. Jonathon is able to go to work at the cooperative, but it is strange for him not to be able to shake hands with his farmers as a greeting or to close a deal. Austin has not seen many changes on the farm, but he is going to church in the living room in stocking feet with us every Sunday morning. I must admit, I do like listening to the sermon while I watch the birds at my new feeder outside the living room window or watch the tulips sway in the breeze. My sister-in-law is journaling her thoughts and feelings about the shutdown for her descendants to read about this historic time. It is hard to realize we are living through a moment
in history around the world. Did the survivors of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic realize they were living through a moment in history too? What lessons will we bring through these times? I am having a hard time connecting with the severity of the situation because very little has changed for me on the farm. It does not make sense for me not to connect with friends and family when we are all healthy. We are staying away from Mark’s mom to ease her mind about catching this virus, but it is all common sense. Mark and Katie were talking the other day about the moment both Wisconsin and Minnesota would be set free. They envisioned people throwing caution to the wind, rushing to town like cows stampeding in spring to green pastures to get the rst bite of tender grass. The joy and serenity of being free played in slow motion. Or, they could end up like the rst cows in the winter that fall through the ice. A cold slap of reality that things are not really safe yet.
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I have found myself scanning through Facebook way too much these last few weeks. I am not the biggest fan of this social platform, but it does have its moments. Here are some of the better things people have shared that made me giggle and pause to Just Thinking Out Loud think. A dairy gal in southern Minnesota shared that she needs to social distance herself from the refrigerator so she can atten her curves. A college friend shared that the ofcial mascot of 2020 is a racoon. They always By Natalie Schmitt wear a mask, they Columnist compulsively wash their hands, and if you rearrange the letters in raccoon, you get corona. If you have gone through any transition or communication training classes, most have taken a personality trait test to determine if we are a lion, a beaver, an otter, a golden retriever or a combination. There are four possible outcomes of how we can come through the pandemic. Either as a monk, a hunk, a chunk or a drunk. Wearing cloth face masks really confuses me. I am not buying the thought they will keep me safe. Austin came to the barn with this story which conrms my idea. If a fart can escape between two cheeks, underwear and pair of jeans, what makes you think a cloth mask is going to keep the virus contained? It is like trying keep mosquitoes away with a chain link fence. Now try and argue with that logic without smiling. All kidding aside, I nd myself saying, “This just doesn’t make any sense.” How are some of these conclusions and possible solutions being reached? I sometimes feel like common sense has left the building. It reminds me of an article I found in my hometown paper years ago called “The Death of Common Sense.” “Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense. No one knows for sure how old he was, because his birth records were lost long ago in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered, though, for cultivating such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in and out of the rain. Why the early bird gets the worm. Life isn’t always fair; and maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by a simple sound nancial policy: Don’t spend more than you can earn. “His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher red for reprimanding an unruly student only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. “Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense nally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled some on her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. “Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility, and his son, Reason. He is survived by his three step-brothers: I Know My Rights; Someone Else Is To Blame, and I’m a Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.” May we use common sense as we try to gure out our actions and directions as we live through this moment in history. Natalie, Mark and his brother Al, farm together near Rice, Minn. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are grown up and all involved in agriculture with hopes of someone returning to the farm. For questions or comments, please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.
Distractions and forts
I’ve been sitting here trying to write for 15 minutes. Since I rst sat down, the sound of someone yelling, “Mom!” has ricocheted through my ofce door once every 23 seconds. The well-thought-out ideas for this column are now scrambled in my brain. Don’t get me wrong. I love my children, and I love being a mother. But, at this moment, I could really use less summoning and more quiet concentration. I would like to tell the kids to go outside – to nd Dairy Good Life some chores to do or ride their bikes or work on their forts. But they’re doing their schoolwork. The thought I’ve had so many times since social distancing began pops into my head again: I am incredibly thankful that 90% of my work is done outside. I’m guessing my challenges pale in comparison to those parents who are trying to telework under the same roof as their children. About half of my summonses are the kids reporting the behavior of their siblings. It appears all of the rules from real school – worrying about oneself, being kind, being respectful, etc. – do not apply to school at home. By Sadie Frericks The other half of the summonses are requests for Columnist help with schoolwork. I just left my computer to help Daphne with her end-of-the-year animal report about bats. Thank heavens that by the time you read this, our school year will be over. I know school at home is going well for some families, but ours is not one of them. Now, back to writing. I’m sitting in our front yard with my laptop, knowing that if I’m out of earshot, the kids will usually sort their squabbles out themselves. But now I see two cows riding out in the pasture, and I’m trying to gure out who’s in heat. A week ago, this column was going to be about empty pastures, because we still had not let the cows out. With the lack of rainfall this spring, the grass just isn’t growing like it should. I’ve got my ngers and toes crossed for enough rain to allow the pasture to keep up with the cows. Dang distractions. What I really need is a pair of blinders and a set of earplugs. I’m quite certain this is why cubicles were invented. Back to writing, again. What I intended this column to be about – prior to the mind addling – was all of the kids’ forts. A couple weeks into social distancing, Daphne got tired of spending endless hours in her bedroom doing schoolwork. Taking a break from videos and worksheets, she commenced building a fort in our living room. Using her gymnastics bar, the couch cushions, pillows, and blankets, she made herself a pretty snazzy indoor fort. Daphne’s fort reminded me of all the forts I made as a kid with my sisters and friends with the exact same couch cushions. I wonder if my father knew when he built these couches that they would support two generations of fort building. Daphne grumbles a bit when she has to deconstruct her fort on movie night, but each reconstruction has resulted in a better design. Her enthusiasm when showing off each new fort could be bottled and sold. But she’s not satised with simply better; she wants her fort to be bigger, too. She’s asked me twice now if I can order 15 more cushions in each of two sizes. Clearly, she’s grown up in an era of order and you shall receive. Even without extra cushions, Daphne’s fort has become a popular space. Don’t tell her, – she’s a little territorial – but I’ve caught Glen napping in her fort and Dan hiding in her fort messaging his friends. Indoor fort building quickly led to outdoor fort building. Dan and his band of boy cousins have had a rather elaborate fort in our grove for several years now. The boys’ fort has walls made of everything from woven branches to pallets to old gates. Basically, most of our scrap pile ends up out in the grove, repurposed as fort building material. Monika, Daphne, and their girl cousins have been talking about building their own forts in the woods for almost as long. Last week, Daphne nally started hers. I’ve watched from the barn and the kitchen as she’s hauled this and that from the yard to the woods. A couple times now I’ve seen her ask Glen for permission to use the ax, sling it over her shoulder like a lumberjack, and tromp off into her fort. The only pitfall of Daphne’s fort is its proximity to Dan’s. We do have several acres of woods, but Daphne picked the corner of the grove closest to the house. Dan’s fort is just an arrow’s shot beyond. I think Glen saw the potential trouble in the same light I did, so he devised a remedy. He made The Great Wall between their forts with a half dozen old wrapped square bales. Monika announced she would be the Wall Keeper and Supreme Judge to maintain boundaries and settle any disputes between the fort keepers. I’m thinking I might need to start building my own little fort in the woods – a place for the Fort Historian to secretly observe and document happenings. Until then, I’m hiding in Daphne’s blanket fort, nishing this column and the rest of my computer work. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 11, Monika, 8, and Daphne, 5. Sadie also writes a blog at www. dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
Supporting farm family mental health
Project identies gaps in resources By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
MARSHFIELD, Wis. – May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year it hits during a time of high anxiety as farmers face added pressures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The novel coronavirus and its resulting restrictions were added to an already large pile of stressors facing farmers. Strained nances, weather variability, unreliable market prices, limited access to health care, and geographic and social isolation, among other reasons, cause farmers and farm families to suffer from higher rates of stress, depression, burnout and suicide compared to the general population. If a farmer has a mental health concern, are they able to get the care they need? The webinar, “Supporting the Mental Health of Farm Families in the North Central Region,” May 6 summarized a recent project that examined mental health challenges of farmers in 12 Midwest states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Help is out there, but more help is needed, and the project identied those gaps.
“In an online search of tools available to farmers, we found 121 distinct programs with 162 individual components across all 12 states,” said Florence Becot, Ph.D., sociologist and associate research scientist at the National Farm Medicine Center. “The tools came from diverse organizations – extension being a big one, along with agencies of agriculture, faith communities and farmer organizations.” Educational fact sheets and webpages topped Florence Becot, the list of most Ph.D. readily available resources for aiding mental health. Farmers can attend a webinar or look at a fact sheet in the privacy of their own home which likely makes these resources the most popular. Workshops and conferences were second in availability. In-person counseling and hotlines were less common. Two-thirds of the programs were targeted at farmers and farm families, 20% at the general rural population and 10% were aimed at service providers. More than half of the resources were self-help items focused on identication of stress symptoms and methods of stress management. Mediated help or help coming through professionals was 36% of the resources. “Tip sheets and other types of
one-way communication only go so far and have limited effectiveness,” said Carrie Henning-Smith, assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and deputy director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. “They’re important and necessary to get the word out, but they are not enough to solve mental health concerns and serious mental health problems.” The stigma around mental health can prevent farmers from getting the help they need. “We need to reduce the stigma and increase awareness,” HenningSmith said. “Mental health needs to be talked about as though it’s something we all experience and all need to understand.” Everyone handles stress differently, and coping strategies can be seen as positive or negative. Seeking care, looking for peer support and asking for help are examples of positive coping strategies. Substance use, isolation, ignoring signs of distress by saying, “It’s nothing,” or “It’s going to go away,” are negative ways of coping that fail to solve the real problem. People may also use distractions like work or television to numb the pain rather than facing it head on, or some may even choose to leave agriculture. “Negative coping strategies were mentioned more frequently in this study which really signals the need for intervention here,” Henning-
Smith said. “We need to address the root causes of stress and not just put a Band-Aid on the issue.” Provider shortages and proximity to care can limit a farmer’s ability to get help. Increasing access to care was cited as a need because rural locations often have limited resources. Mental health providers in rural areas can be hard to come by, sometimes making it a challenge to nd sustained help or help for more serious mental health problems. Therefore, Carrie Henningincreasing Smith the number Assistant professor of providers, especially those with a knowledge in agriculture and rural areas, is a necessary step. “We also need crisis lines and mobile crisis units for a person requiring immediate help,” HenningSmith said. “In addition, offering integrated care would reduce some of the stigma surrounding mental health issues by allowing someone to receive mental health care at the same place they receive primary care.” Some farmers do not realize their insurance covers mental health; however, a need to increase mental health coverage, making it affordable and available to all, was another Turn to HEALTH | Page 35
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
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Stacy Jauquet Luxemburg, Wisconsin Kewaunee County 650 cows Family: My husband, Dave, and I have two kids – Blake, 13, and Stella, 8. We have been farming together for 18 years. Dave and I met at the University of WisconsinRiver Falls where we both attended college and received business degrees. Neither of us thought we would become a dairy farmer. We both grew up on a dairy farm, attended college and apparently needed the time away to discover that it was the life for us. Tell us about your farm. Our farm has been in the Jauquet family for over 50 years. It is home to 650 cows and 100 calves. The milk produced on our farm is processed locally and made into nutritious cheese. The cross-ventilated freestall facility was built in 2007 and consists of a double-16 parlor, sand-bedded stalls, seven milk cow pens and a maternity area. The calves are raised in individual calf hutches and fed pasteurized milk until they are moved to our calf barn. Once the calves reach 5 months of age, they are raised by my father, Don Klisiewicz, in Stanley, Wisconsin. Jauquet’s Hillview Dairy also helps provide the experience of the country life to area students through multiple farm tours. Farming is truly rewarding, and we are fortunate to be able to provide our children with a solid understanding of agriculture. With the team effort of our valued employees and outside professionals, we are proud to produce this quality, safe and wholesome food. What is the busiest time of day for you? Mornings are the busiest. Dave and I have gotten really good at tag teaming to meet the needs of our family and farm. Feeding the cows, calves and kids all happens at the same time of day which requires creativity and multiple trips between farm and home. When you get a spare moment what do you do? When the weather is nice, I enjoy planting ďƒ&#x;owers, mowing lawn and enjoying our yard. It makes me feel refreshed when it looks clean and neat. I love being outside, and the fresh air and sun clears my mind.
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Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. The ah-ha moment in the milking parlor is one of my favorites. I saw it when our kids were 3 years old, and I see it during many of our student farm tours. I love it when they actually see and understand for the ďƒžrst time how the milk comes from the cow, through the milk machine, down the hoses and into the pipes leading to the milk truck. It’s almost like you can visually see them connecting the dots in their head. Watching a new calf being born is also one of those little miracles when time slows down and you appreciate life
and how delicate it is. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I love working with the animals and trying to tweak the little things that will make them happier and healthier. Raising our calves so they can reach their full potential in the milking herd is my No. 1 goal. We take great pride in our animals, and I love when I can take a moment to watch them and feel proud of what they have become. I also enjoy the sense of community and family among farmers. We are a group with a great sense of pride and passion for what we do and will share our successes and failures with our neighbors and peers. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I stay connected by being active in the Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion, following Exchange by Dairy Girl Network on Facebook, 4-H with the kids, and by attending area meetings about land and animal care. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My mom has always been an inspiration to me. She worked hard on the farm every day and made sure family was important no matter how busy life got. She always made the time for a hug or to listen to a story even if it was while we were milking cows, baling hay, cooking supper or whatever life gave us that day. Keeping a successful farm and family balanced is hard, and I’m glad she showed me that both can coexist. I am also inspired by all my dairy ladies who can do physical labor in all weather conditions, wearing their work bibs and at the end of the day can clean up, put on a pair of heels and lipstick for a good night of fun. This is what reboots me when times are tough and busy. It is important to feel like a lady and socialize. I also continue to try and feel comfortable speaking in public, and I admire and learn from those who have that natural talent. They push me out of my comfort zone and remind me I am an important advocate for agriculture. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? Michelle Obama is the ďƒžrst person who came to mind. She believes in local agriculture, children’s health and food safety. Her platform as former ďƒžrst lady is powerful, and I would discuss getting whole milk back in the hands of kids in school. Kylie Jenner is also inďƒ&#x;uential on social media to a younger audience developing and forming their own opinions. I’ve read that she would like to escape to a farm and that staying grounded is something important to her. Why not show her a dairy farm? What is the best vacation you have ever taken? I welcome any time away. For me, it does not need to be far, and often times it is easier and more refreshing to take an afternoon off. Our time away is often planned around weather, employees and calving schedules. My favorite was when we took the kids on a plane for the ďƒžrst time to San Diego, California. I remember sitting at the computer pushing the enter button on our travel conďƒžrmation. It was only two days before we would leave – spontaneous fun. What are some words you like to live by? Do things right the ďƒžrst time and own it. Make it your best work no matter how big or small by going above and beyond what is expected. I also like to tell my kids before they get on the bus for school, “Make it a great day and be respectful and kind.â€? I think it is important to hear these words out loud. Life happens fast in the morning, and it is easy to get overwhelmed.
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Hannah Ullom, 20, of Bloomer, Wisconsin, is the 2020 Wisconsin Holstein AssociaĆ&#x;on princess. She was crowned at the organizaĆ&#x;on’s annual junior convenĆ&#x;on in January.
Ullom serves as 2020 Wisconsin Holstein Princess By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
BLOOMER, Wis. – A long-time passion for the dairy industry, in particular registered Holsteins, that started with the gift of a calf when she was 9 years old led Hannah Ullom to serve the Wisconsin Holstein Association by promoting the breed as the Wisconsin Holstein Princess. Ullom, 20, is the daughter of Travis and Erica Ullom. Along with her younger brother, Fritz, Ullom has grown up working at Mayerlane Holsteins, a 60cow herd of registered Holsteins and Jerseys owned by her grandparents, Don and Liz Mayer, in Bloomer. She
is interning at Horan Funeral Home in Chippewa Falls and is studying mortuary science. “I have always been passionate about the industry,â€? Ullom said. “The position as princess offered me a larger platform than I had to reach and educate more people.â€? Taking advantage of that platform is something that had interested Ullom for several years. This was the second time she had applied for the position. “I ran in 2017, but lost out,â€? Ullom said. “It was probably for the best, as I had just turned 17 at the time. Then, I was elected to the Junior Activities Committee in 2018. This year was my ďƒžnal year of eligibility, so I decided to run again.â€? Ullom came by her enthusiasm for involvement in the WHA naturally, following in the footsteps of her family’s Turn to ULLOM | Page 38
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ConƟnued from ULLOM | Page 37
PHOTO COURTESY SAM BERLIN
Hannah Ullom stands with a favorite cow, Mayerlane Catamount-ET EX-94. Ullom is serving as the Wisconsin Holstein AssociaƟon Princess for 2020.
to be an ag-vocate for the dairy industry and for the Wisconsin Holstein Association,” Ullom said. “My main goal is to draw more people to the association and to educate the general public on the importance of
the Holstein cow. She and the association have so much to offer the world.” Ullom’s reign as WHP is turning out to be markedly different from those of any of her predecessors because of the
COVID-19 pandemic. “Obviously the pandemic has led to some cancellations: The Midwest Spring Show, AWA Breakfast on the Farm and Cow Camp, just to name a few,” Ullom said. “But, Roslind and I
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long-time involvement. Before being selected to serve as the princess, Ullom completed a two-year term serving on the association’s JAC. She has also been named as a distinguished junior member by the group and a long-time participant in junior contests. Growing up attending county junior Holstein meetings and attending the state’s annual junior convention, Ullom began to take on more leadership responsibilities each year. “In 2016, my home county, Chippewa, hosted the state junior convention, and I served as the junior chairperson,” Ullom said. “I had a lot of fun planning that and learned a lot. Then during my time as a JAC, I had the opportunity to help plan a fun day for the 2019 national convention that was held in Appleton.” Membership in the WHA has given Ullom building blocks to construct the ambitious young leader she is today. “My WHA membership has given me many things: improved public speaking, leadership training and many lifelong friends,” Ullom said. “If not for WHA, I might not have met some of my best friends.” While serving as the princess, Ullom’s duties include attending all WHA events, as well as other dairy-related activities on the county level. Roslind Anderson, the WHA Princess Attendant, will serve alongside. “My most important duty is
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have been working to become more active on our Facebook page to continue to engage the public as much as we can. While this pandemic has not been ideal, we have found ways to continue to inform the public about the WHA. I am hopeful, too, that the rest of the summer will continue as planned.” In addition to working to educate the public about the dairy industry, Ullom also recognizes the importance of serving the membership of the WHA, working to keep morale up among Wisconsin dairy farmers. “It is no secret that our industry hasn’t exactly been a cake walk in recent times,” she said. “I could tell you the best way to get through this is to be positive, but I can’t make you see a bright side. I can urge you in these difcult times to remember your why. Something I remind myself is that I am lucky. I have a loving family who I have made many memories with. My barn is lled with cows that can make me smile in an instant. Going forward, that is what we need to remember. I know that no one goes into this industry planning on making millions. No one goes into it planning on becoming a celebrity. We farm because we love cows or because it brings us joy to continue family legacies. I know I’ve never worked a day in my life, because every day I get to wake up and do something I love; working with cows I love with the people I love.”
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sponsored by have ever made on your farm? Back in the 1970s, my dad bought the only Jersey calf ever here. That $220 investment has done well for the farm. When I took over the cow management 10 years ago, I had no intention of milking many because I didn’t care for them. They have grown on me lately. They breed back quickly and are high-test, headache-free cows. The Jersey herd averages just under 90 points in score, so not much to complain about. I always tell people that the Jerseys pay the bills.
Steven van Doorn Tony, Wisconsin Rusk County 90 cows How did you get into farming? I was born into it; I’m a fourth-generation dairy farmer. I didn’t think I wanted to farm until I went on a 4-H trip to Indianhead Holsteins, plus to World Dairy Expo the same year. It opened my eyes to a different side of the industry. It denitely showed me that farming can be more than making milk; I got introduced to the genetics side of dairy farming. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? My concerns are of course the money, not only for milk but for beef as well. Also, with being a small farm, I worry about whether I’ll have a market in future. It has gotten to be a big issue in a lot of places, just not here yet. With the changes in the industry the last few years the market for good quality registered cattle has dropped signicantly, and that is a source of income this farm relies on to continue with our ET ushing program. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? This may sound odd, but Facebook has been my best addition for the farm in last 10 years. It has helped me advertise my cow families, has introduced me to a whole new market for embryos, bulls, young cows, etc. The last few cow families I’ve purchased into were because of what I saw of them on Facebook; otherwise I wouldn’t have known about them. After I quit working sales and shows, I wasn’t seeing rsthand what daughters of bulls were looking like, and thanks to Facebook I’m able to see many pictures plus what other people’s opinions are. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? Going from being more production-minded to focusing more on higher fat and protein percentages and breeding cows back much earlier. I’m not getting the big records that we used
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Steve van Doorn (center) milks 90 cows on his farm in Tony, Wisconsin, and enjoys sharing that lifestyle with his nieces and nephews – (from leŌ) Brad, Ryan, Carter, Isabelle and Erica holding Parker. to, it costs less than getting the big milk from them. I have always been fonder of high-testing, long-lasting cows that breed back easily and have a good type score as well. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? After four years of these prices, just like most people, we’ve cut back the best we can in all areas possible. We purchase all our grains and bedding here as well as some baled hay every year, so I’m always looking to trim those costs. I’m considering going to more pasturing in the summer to cut input costs, and have also been doing some changes with the dry cow and fresh cow programs. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? It’s all family, no hired help here. I guess I’d say I buy my nieces and nephews a lot of candy to keep them happy when they’re helping with chores. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. Fitting. I worked for farms and doing sales and shows for quite a while, and I learned a lot about presenting the cows
to either the classier, for farm tours or for shows. I was lucky to have been able to work with and for some of best in the business, which I am grateful for. That knowledge has helped me a lot through the years. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? The genetics. I love the art of breeding good quality cows that work for me. I love the thrill of watching cow families that my family has been breeding and developing for 40 to 50 years, go into the showring, make a classleading record, put sons in A.I. or go to other farms as foundation breeding stock. The best reward for a breeder is to see his genetics go into other farms and do well for their program. What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Keeping a positive attitude is hard in these times, but it helps at end of day. Keep looking for ways to improve. Never get stuck in the rut of this-is-how-we’ve-done-it-for-years thinking. No matter how well a farm is run, there’s always room to improve and change. What has been the best purchase you
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Having bred and owned a two-time World Dairy Expo champion, Lauren, has been my happiest and proudest time of my life. Growing up, I dreamed of showing or working with some of the top cows walking the colored shavings at Expo. To be a part of Lauren’s successful career has been a dream come true. What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? With the state of the industry, for the next year, getting the bills paid is at the top of list. In the next ve years, the hope is to update the milking cow barns. They’re in need of upkeep, plus looking to remodel one barn for special cows and heifers. I have no interest in growing in cow numbers or land, but I am always looking at ways to improve the care of the cows. Also, my niece has taken a liking to the Ayrshires so I’m sure I’ll be adding more of them in near future. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? I enjoy taking the nieces and nephews shing in the summer, deer shining in the fall, and in the spring time, we go looking for deer sheds. Sometimes in the winter we’re lucky and will nd bear dens to watch until spring. I like doing pretty much anything involving wildlife. I like taking an afternoon drive around the neighborhood, looking at the crops or heading north to the big woods to see the elk or look at the logging areas. If I’m not with the cows, I prefer being in the woods.
Great leafy corn silage
starts with the correct RFS Hybrids Relative Maturity 95-110 days
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THE NO COMPROMISE FABRIC STRUCTURE DAIRY, MACHINERY & HAY STORAGE
Commercial Agri Buildings
FARM INFORMATION STATION
WE ALSO SELL REPLACEMENT TARPS!
Joe Gill • Farm Director
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US Hwy. 75 At IA/MN Stateline • Steen, MN • 507-392-2870 • Fred A. Tilstra & Sons
Catch the Dairy Star’s Mark Klaphake with Joe Gill at 6:45 a.m. the 2nd & 4th Fridays of the month on KASM!
LANGE CONSTRUCTION & CONCRETE
Duke Lange • Swanville, MN • 320-290-0859
PO Box 160, Albany, MN • (320) 845-2184 • Fax (320) 845-2187
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, May 23, 2020
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