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DAIRY ST R
August 22, 2020
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 22, No. 13
Connelly crowned 67th Princess Kay
Customized calf care
Evers family builds barn with individual, group pens By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Brenna Connelly, 19, is crowned the 67th Princess Kay of the Milky Aug. 12.
Byron woman takes royalty role as Minnesota tradition continues despite pandemic By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
ST. PAUL, Minn. – While 2020 has not had many shining moments, one recent bright spot for dairy farmers has been the ability to carry on Minnesota’s tradition of crowning a new Princess Kay of the Milky Way. The evening of Aug. 12 during a limited capacity banquet due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Brenna Connelly, representing Olmsted County, became the newly crowned 67th Princess Kay of the Milky Way. The 19-year-old University of Minnesota student is the daughter Craig and Heather Connelly from Byron. “When (outgoing Princess Kay Amy Kyllo) placed that crown on my head, I knew all the hard work and dedication and all my years spreading my passion for the dairy community has nally come to this moment where I get to share my story with the whole state of Minnesota,” Connelly said. Runners up included Emily Benrud representing Goodhue County and Maggie Molitor representing Stearns County. Katherine Maus representing Stearns County along with Benrud and Connelly were named scholarship winners. Molitor was also named Miss Congeniality. “This crowning means I get to share my unique story,” Connelly said. “I’m excited to travel our state, meet people and connect with them.”
Turn to PRINCESS KAY | Page 5
KELLOGG, Minn. – After the Evers family toured other calf facilities for ideas while in the planning stage for their upgrade, they realized none of the barns were exact matches of what they wanted to build. So, they decided to design their own. Since February 2019, the Evers family has been using a custom-built barn for calves up to 10 weeks for their dairy, which milks 2,900 cows on two farmsites near Kellogg. The 70by-350 facility can hold up to 430 calves when full. At
KRISTA KUZMA/ DAIRY STAR
Sisters – (from le�) Shaylah Schouweiler, Jessica Evers and Allie Evers – stand in the calf barn on their family’s dairy near Kellogg, Minnesota. The family moved calves into the new facilTurn to EVERSES | Page 6 ity February 2019.
Derecho storm leaves destruction on Iowa dairies By Sherry Newell Contributing Writer
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Silo damage is among the challenges faced by Schanbacher Acres of Atkins, Iowa, a�er the derecho storm Aug. 10 in Iowa. Feedstuffs in the silos could no longer be used and bags holding haylage were damaged by debris.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – A derecho, a long-lived straight-lined wind storm that is often referred to as an inland hurricane, caused $14 million destruction in Iowa crops that headlined the news surrounding the unusual storm that developed in Iowa and crossed the Midwest Aug. 10. But dairy farm buildings and animals were also caught in the path of the winds the National Weather Service estimated as high as 130 mph. A half-dozen or more dairy farms near Cedar Rapids, one of the hardest-hit cities, suffered damage that in some cases meant moving cows to other farms. Dairies across the state were without power, some for a few days and others more than a week. Cell phone service and broadband was down, causing difculty reaching family, employees, electricians and other critical help. “I bet it blew for 50 minutes or at over 80 mph with gusts well over 100 mph,”
Turn to DERECHO | Page 10
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 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
Dairy Star likes to provide local stories, which is why we have two versions of the paper. Below are a few highlights from stories you will not ďƒžnd in this paper, but you can ďƒžnd online in zone 2. Find full editions on our website, www.dairystar.com, and click on the e-edition tab under the Dairy Star header. Danz celebrates small successes ďƒžrst year With a year under his belt milking his own herd of dairy cows while renting his grandfather’s farm, Nathan Danz says he has no regrets about his decision to enter dairy farming. Throughout the year, Danz has faced several challenges working to ďƒžnd the best, most cost-effective solutions to suit his operation, but has also reached some benchmark goals he had set for himself. He continues to look forward to the future with plans to continue bettering his farm, with a nod to cow comfort and labor efďƒžciency. Rented facility gives Krahn, Smith opportunities to expand Buying his ďƒžrst cow just 3 years ago, Josh Krahn never imagined he would be milking 75 head today. When he and his ďƒžancĂŠ, Amanda Smith, began renting a barn in Reedsville, Wisconsin on June 1, the opportunity to expand their herd presented itself. Previously, the couple rented a facility near Green Bay. But the place was small and the rent was high, so when the farm went up for sale, Krahn and Smith found the perfect facility for growing and developing their herd of Jerseys and Holsteins. Brandel’s Blooms brings sunshine to community When Colton, Ashley, Katie, and Justin Brandel of Lake Mills, Wisconsin learned their grandma had cancer, they wanted nothing more than to cheer her up. So they decided to plant a sunďƒ&#x;ower patch in her honor. Knowing her favorite ďƒ&#x;ower would bring their grandmother much joy, they grew a half-acre of sunďƒ&#x;owers which they sold under the name Brandel’s Blooms to raise money for a local cancer coalition. Selner retires from National Dairy Shrine position After leading the National Dairy Shrine for 13 years as its Executive Director, Dr. David Selner retired from the position, effective Aug. 1. Selner, who has been an active member of the organization for 46 years, takes great pride in the two primary missions of the group: to preserve the history of the dairy industry and to cultivate the future of the industry through an extensive scholarship program. Besides maintaining the museum in Fort Atkinson, Wis., the group gave away 40 scholarships in 2019, totaling over $49,000.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 8-9 First Section
Bon Yankton Homme
Clay
Osceola
Sioux
O’Brien
D
Clay
Zone 1
Zone 2
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Pottawattamie Cass
nt
mo
Fre
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ome
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Page
Kanabec
go eba
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Kossuth
n
Washington
Worth
Mitchell Howard
Hancock Cerro Gordo
ldt
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mb
Hu
Floyd
Greene
Bremer
Wright Franklin Butler
Guthrie
Boone
Dallas
Story
Polk
all
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aw
as
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Ch
Black Hawk
Webster Hamilton Hardin Grundy
ou
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Crawford Carroll
Mills
as
nt
ho
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Po
Sac
Harrison Shelby
Third Section: Pages 3 - 4
Palo Alto
e Buena Vista
Ida
Monona
son Emmet ickin
ke
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Ch
Woodbury
Silo allows Hamminks exibility with uid product storage
Mower
First Section: Pages 1, 6-7 Lyon
Plymouth
Bruce
Faribault
Martin
Evers family builds barn with individual, group pens
Houston
Tama
Jasper
e
ln
co
Lin
Jackson
Fillimore
iek
Turner
Nobles
Freeborn
Winona
ake
Hutchinson
Rock
Kellogg
Wabasha
Cottonwood Watonwan Blue Earth Waseca Steele Dodge Olmsted
sh
Gregory
McCook Minnehaha
Murray
ne
Douglas
Charles Mix
Moody
Goodhue
Rice
am
Todd
Tripp
Ha
ns
on
Lake
Nicollet
Brown
All
Brule Mellette
Miner
Redwood
Fayette an
e war Dubuque
an
ch
Bu
Clayton
Benton
Dela
Jones
Linn
Iowa
Clinton
s
hn
Jo
Madison Warren Marion Mahaska Keokuk
Adair
Adams Taylor
Union old
gg
Rin
Clarke
Decatur Wayne
Ankeny
Hettinga, Engelken crowned royalty
Lucas
First Section: Pages 23, 25
Monroe Wapello e
oos
pan
Ap
Davis
on
ers
f Jef
Van Buren
Jackson
on Cedar
Muscatine
n
Aurora
Sanborn
Lyon
gto
Lyman
Jerauld
Brookings
Kingsbury
W in
Buffalo
Beadle
Dakota
Scott
Sibley
hin
Hughes
Hennepin Carver
Wa s
Jones
Hand
McLeod
Renville
Yellow Medicine
sh iek
Stanley
Hyde
Deuel
Hamlin
we
Sully
Lac Qui Parle
Codington
Clark
Anoka
Wright
Meeker
Po
Spink
Ziebach
Kandiyohi
Chippewa
Isanti
ms ey
Grant
Faulk
Potter
Sherburne
Swift
Ra
Day
Benton
Stearns
Pope
eu r
Dewey
Edmunds
Stevens
go
Walworth
Big Stone
Mille Lacs
Morrison
Second Section: Pages 16, 18 - 19
Pine
isa Ch
Brown
Carlton
Crow Wing
Douglas
A Day in the Life of the Clemenson family
Aitkin
Su
Roberts
Marshall
McPherson
Zumbrota
Cass
Todd Grant
First Section: Pages 18, 20, 22
Lake
Le
Richland
Sargent
Otter Tail
Wilkin
Dickey
Lincoln
Campbell
Corson
Becker
Clay
Ransom
LaMoure
McIntosh
Mah
Wadena
Cass
Activity system, beef breeding key to Huneke Dairy 35% preg rate
Cook
Itasca
Hubbard
en nom
on
Bames
Emmons Sioux
Bennett
Polk
Tra ver se
Stutsman
Goodhue
Koochiching St. Louis
Red Lake
Trail
Steele
Connelly crowned 67th Princess Kay
Lake of the Woods Beltrami
Pipestone
Grant
Jackson
Shannon
Kidder
Logan
Pennington
Fall River
Burleigh
Morton
Haakon
Roseau
Norman
Oliver
Adams
Pages 8 - 9 Second Section
Griggs
First Section: Pages 1, 5
Pennington
Grand Forks
n
Page 33 First Section
Custer
Foster
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
Clearwater
Sheridan
The “Mielke” Meade Market Weekly
Lawrence
Wells
St. Paul
Dieball grows produce to last all year
Marshall
Eddy
Mercer
Page 32 Perkins First Section
Butte
Walsh
Ramsey
Green Isle
Kittson
Benson
McLean
Just Thinking Out Loud
Harding
Pembina
Da vi so n
Bowman
Cavalier
Towner
Nelson
Hettinger
Slope
Rolette
McHenry
Ward
StarkGood Dairy Life
Golden Valley
Bottineau
Pierce
Something to Ruminate On
Billings
First Section: Pages 12 - 13
Renville
Page 30 Williams First Section Mountrail
Page Dunn 31 First Section
First Section: Pages 37 - 38
Peeters eases into dairy career by purchasing cattle from parents
io
Dear County Burke Agent Guy
McKenzie
Menahga
Byers named Becker County Farm Family of the Year
Page 26 First Section
Divide
Frazee
Un
FSA News & Notes
Louisa
Henry Des
Moines
Lee
Scott
Cedar Rapids
Derecho storm leaves destruction on Iowa dairies First Section: Pages 1, 10
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
What have been the best things about working together with your parent/child? First Section: Pages 15 - 16
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
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Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 5
TRUST THE EXPERTS
ConƟnued from PRINCESS KAY | Page 1
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Brenna Connelly puts her hands to her head in reacƟon to being crowned Princess Kay of the Milky Way during a limited capacity coronaƟon banquet Aug. 12 in St. Paul. Outgoing Princess Kay Amy Kyllo (leŌ) crowned Connelly while runners up Maggie Molitor (third from leŌ) and Emily Benrud cheer in reacƟon. The crowning also had a personal touch as both Connelly and Kyllo are from Byron in Olmsted County. “Two years ago, when I became a county princess alongside Amy, we both would have never thought she would become Princess Kay and I would get to follow in her footsteps,” Connelly said. “That made the moment even more special – to be crowned by someone you’re really close with.” Connelly works for her cousin, Kevin Connelly, who owns and manages his 60cow dairy 2 miles away from her home. She credits him and his daughter, Meghan, for sharing their dairy love with her. “They were the ones who helped me get started in the dairy industry and really help me nd that passion,” Connelly said. “They continued to teach me and help me grow along the way.” Another inuence has been her parents. “They always let me chase my dreams and continue to be a member of the dairy community,” she said. “They were the ones who helped me show my very rst calf at the age of 6.” Beyond sharing her own dairy experiences on the farm, Connelly is hoping to share the message that dairy products are not hard to incorporate into everyday life. “It can be the ingredients in your favorite dishes at home, the cookies you love to bake, things that remind you of the holidays and times spent with family,” Connelly said. “They can be easily incorporated by having those simple snacks on the go. I encourage everyone to see where dairy is present in their lives because it may be more present than they actually think, and it’s always super easy to incorporate more dairy in their diet.” The COVID-19 pandemic makes Princess Kay’s reign start differently than previous years. Because of a governor order, Connelly was crowned while wearing a mask. “We (the nalists) were happy to be up there so the masks didn’t really matter,” Connelly said. “If people were able to see behind my mask, my jaw would have been open and I would have had a big smile. You miss some of the emotion, but you can see it in your eyes and the
way you’re standing. … It was different that we had our masks on, but at the same time I was having all those same emotions so I don’t think it really takes away from it all.” Although Connelly and the nine nalists did not have the Minnesota State Fair to promote this year, they were able to carry on the tradition of having their likeness sculpted into a 90-pound block of butter. They all took their turn for a day in the butter booth at the Dairy Building on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Aug. 13-22. Each were able to have 10 guests watch the process throughout the day and media was also invited. Connelly and the nalists also shared live updates on Facebook. “I think it was really cool that since it was a small group of people coming to the butter booth you don’t have those distractions of the fair goers so you can really have good conversations (with the media) that are more intimate instead of having a few seconds to answer questions and then the crowd pulls you away,” Connelly said. “We were able to have some really good interviews without all the buzz and distraction and excitement of the state fair.” The unusual circumstances also gave the program more exposure. For one media outlet, Connelly did four interviews throughout the day. Although the pandemic kept veteran butter sculptor Linda Christensen home in California, rising sculptor Gerry Kulzer took the knife in her place. Christensen did have a chance to have a conference call with Connelly and Kulzer the rst day. Despite the differences, Connelly is looking forward to promoting dairy in the upcoming year no matter how it is done. “It will look different in many ways, but I think it also opens the doors to many new opportunities,” Connelly said. “In this day and age, we have the opportunity to connect with people more and more through virtual means. As Princess Kay this year, I get to run our social media accounts, hold Facebook lives to show them the day of a dairy farmer, share my favorite dairy recipes from my kitchen and share fun dairy trivia. There are so many options we have available.”
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
ConĆ&#x;nued from EVERSES | Page 1
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KRISTA KUZMA/ DAIRY STAR
Sawdust is used to bed the pens in the Everses’ calf facility the family started using in February 2019. this time, the barn has 390 calves. Sisters Shaylah Schouweiler and Jessica Evers, who are two of 23 family members involved in running the dairy, are in charge of the new facility. They get help from seven part-time employees, and their sister, Allie Evers, plays an important role as she manages the maternity pen along with being a herdswoman. The biggest reason for the custom build was the desire to have individual pens for calves for the ďƒžrst couple weeks before switching them to group pens. “We wanted to come up with a system to do both,â€? Schouweiler said. The Everses designed and built the pens themselves, crafting them out of ďƒžberglass painted rods. Each row of pens starts with 10 individual pens, where newborns are housed until 4 weeks old. “The ďƒžrst month to get them going is the hardest,â€? Schouweiler said. “You can look at them better in individual pens.â€? The dividers are not opaque. “Calves being able to see others is a plus,â€? Schouweiler said. “It’s good for socializing.â€? At 1 month old, calves are socialized in pairs. To do this, the divider rods are pulled out between two calves to make a larger space. When the calves are close to 6 weeks old, the Everses increase the pen size to ďƒžve. Again, dividers are pulled out between calves to create bigger pens. Just before weaning, calves are socialized in pens of 10 after all dividers are removed from the row. Calves stay in the same row until weaning. The barn provides a more controlled environment for the animals. Before building the new calf barn, the
Evers family raised calves in 300 calf huts spaced out amongst three farms. “Now everything is together,â€? Jessica Evers said. “It’s nice to have them all under one roof.â€? The all-cement ďƒ&#x;oor has a 3-inch drop in each pen to allow space for bedding, a design aspect the Everses wanted in order to keep the barn cleaner. After trying straw and sand, the Everses have found sawdust to be the best type of bedding for their facility. Each row of pens is wide enough to be cleaned out and bedded with a skidloader. “The easier the cleaning, the better,â€? Schouweiler said. “This saves so much physical labor. My wrists used to be so sore from bedding with a pitchfork.â€? Another custom design feature for their barn is having a trough of water that runs the length of each pen, giving calves access to water at all times. “When they were in the huts, they didn’t get as much water,â€? Evers said. “I think it’s better when they can get water whenever they want.â€? For ventilation, the sides of the barn can be open or closed with plexiglass window-like coverings rather than curtains. Ceiling fans above each row provide circulation, and exhaust fans down the middle aisle of the barn pull air up and out. “It stays nice in here,â€? Schouweiler said. “There can be a 10-degree (lower) difference on 90-degree days.â€? In the winter, in-ďƒ&#x;oor heat is used throughout the barn to keep the temperature at about 40 degrees. While all these aspects are good for the calves, the barn also provides a good working environment for the peoTurn to EVERSES | Page 7
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Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 7
Con�nued from EVERSES | Page 6 ple.
are lled directly from the pasteurized tank. For the older calves, the Everses pump milk into a 150-gallon custom-made milk delivery system that one person drives to each pen. “It’s like a golf cart,” Schouweiler said. “It’s fun to drive. The kids love it.” Every calf in the barn receives 3 quarts of milk from the day it is born until weaning. Because of this, they program the milk delivery system to administer the exact amount of milk into each pail. This helps keep feeding consistent amongst everyone who cares for calves. “We don’t have to worry about how much they’re getting,” Schouweiler said.
“It’s been a huge plus that we’re not outside dealing with frozen milk and frozen ngers,” Evers said. Along with a customized barn, the Everses also invested in a new feeding system. Waste milk from the parlor is pumped 450 feet through an in-ground line to the holding tank in the calf barn twice a day. “This is also a time-saving factor instead of hauling it in 5-gallon pails,” Evers said. At feeding time, milk is pumped from the holding tank into another bulk tank that is connected to the new pasteurizer. Bottles, used to feed calves for the rst two weeks of life,
KRISTA KUZMA/ DAIRY STAR
Shaylah Schouweiler feeds calves with the custom-made milk delivery system on her family’s dairy near Kellogg, Minnesota. The wand regulates the amount each calf receives, shu�ng off at the specied 3 quarts.
KRISTA KUZMA/ DAIRY STAR
Jessica Evers checks on the colostrum pasteurizer on her family’s dairy near Kellogg, Minnesota.
To help speed up the washing process, the Everses installed a bottle washer into their new system. Sixteen bottles are washed at one time in 45 seconds. “Feeding time has been cut in half,” Evers said. The Everses made the facility able to accommodate their colostrum system. Colostrum is collected from the cow as soon as possible and then pasteurized and frozen right away. The freezers currently have about 40 gallons of colos-
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foot around equipment. Wear high visibility clothing. Never exceed a 3:1 Rise over Run on your piles to prevent rollovers. Always know where your kids are. And try and get some sleep when you can.
Harvesting at the correct moisture of 62-68% will greatly increase corn silage quality. Test whole plants for moisture when the kernels are dented and you see a 1/3-2/3 milk line. Don’t forget to test individual fields. Particle Length. Particle size needs can vary from farm to farm, but recommendations are for the theoretical length of cut (TLC) to be set at 3/8” for non-processed silage, 3/4” for processed silage, and 1-1.25” if you are set up for Shredlage. Don’t just set your knives and walk away. Check your TLC and make changes if necessary.
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Evers also said the barn makes it easier to spot calves that are not feeling well, leading to faster attention. “Being able to watch them easier comes better calf health,” she said. Although the Everses regret not building a bigger barn to hold more calves, they are liking the benets the facility has provided. “It was at least two years of planning,” Evers said. “It was a big decision, but calves are a lot more manageable now.”
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trum to feed to the ve to 10 calves born each day. “We know colostrum is very important,” Schouweiler said. “We learned that the hard way. We collect the colostrum and get it to the calf as quickly as possible.” Calf health has improved since the Everses started using the facility. Schouweiler said not as many calves get sick, and they are gaining more weight at a faster rate. “Calves breeze through the weaning,” she said.
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A roller coaster market for the dairy sector Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
The dairy industry has seen huge swings in the pillar of national security, we need to focus on critical market. “We had $2 cheese, and we went to $1 cheese, questions,” Meshke said. “Here’s two: Do farmers and then it was $3 cheese, and now we’re back in the have a secure market? And, are we providing food neighborhood of $2 again,” said Michael Dykes, security for this country and beyond our borders?” president/CEO, International Dairy Foods Association. AMPI is also analyzing consumer purchasing data, noting consumers are going back to the With the loss of the foodservice business, Ag Insider basics, picking foods they are familiar some food processors have been unable with. “For dairy, that means signicant to fulll contracts. Others have seen a shifts. Through July 12, year-to-date retail buildup in inventories. Dykes said access butter sales are up 31.5% and cheese is to capital is critically important for those up 16.7%. That’s signicant,” Meshke companies. The dairy recourse loan said. “Will that shift continue? That will program is part of the discussion for the be a question we’ll watch closely through latest COVID-19 relief package. our customers and consumers. Our cooperative will also need to continue Demand for cheese declines, prices to focus on a diverse manufacturing take a tumble portfolio and customer base to keep milk Cheese prices have taken a nose moving through those sectors.” dive. AgResource Company president Dan Basse said that is due in part to a By Don Wick NCFC wants no farmer left behind in drop in demand as the United States Columnist CFAP sign-up Department of Agriculture Farmers to National Council of Farmer Family Food Box program winds down. “We’re now seeing the dairy markets reecting less Cooperatives president Chuck Conner said the demand, and because we’re not seeing a big change in Coronavirus Food Assistance Program sign-up is more cow numbers, prices retreated sharply in recent days,” difcult to monitor and determine its success because Basse said. “Then, the cheese markets were down a it is much different from a regular farm program. “We record amount.” Basse said the government stimulus just don’t know for sure what to expect, but we do program produced a sugar high, but it is not a long- know that we don’t want anyone left behind,” Conner said. “If a producer’s commodity got approved late in lasting situation. the game, we want them to have the full opportunity to apply.” Conner thinks the USDA will be sympathetic U.S. milk production increases in August report In the latest USDA World Agricultural Supply to CFAP sign-up requests because the agency wants and Demand Report, the milk production for 2020 the program to be successful. “I’m very inclined to rose 300 million pounds to 221.8 billion pounds. That think Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue doesn’t includes a higher than expected growth in the amount want this to drag on forever, you can’t run an agency that way, but USDA wants to give people ample time of milk per cow. to apply,” he said. COVID-19 reveals areas of improvement for food Vilsack: U.S. dairy needs Canada to comply with supply chain In a virtual discussion on the U.S. food supply USMCA The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement chain at Farmfest, Associated Milk Producers Incorporated co-president and CEO Sheryl Meshke requires Canada to eliminate their class six and seven said the COVID-19 pandemic is unmasking milk pricing systems and to have a fair tariff rate weaknesses in the system. “If our food supply is a quota for dairy. The U.S. dairy industry said Canada
is limiting access to their dairy market, lling quotas from competitors who have no incentive to export to the country. “At this point, they have limited our ability, which means we’re not likely to sell as much product as we hoped,” said Tom Vilsack, CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “We’ve called on the Canadian government to rethink the position.” Canada has six months to eliminate and replace their class six and seven milk pricing systems. “In order for prices to be set in the U.S. in a way U.S. dairy farmers can prot and stay in business means we have to nd a market for additional milk,” Vilsack said. “That market could be Canada if they comply with the agreement.” Record cheese exports U.S. exports of cheese climbed to a record high 84.7 million pounds during the month of June. Mexico was the biggest customer and that was before the USMCA took effect July 1. Senators seek food name safeguards in trade talks Sixty-one U.S. Senators sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue asking them to establish a core U.S. policy objective in all trade-related discussion regarding specic common food names. The senators are urging the government to secure stronger safeguards in trade negotiations for common food and wine terms. According to the National Milk Producers Federation, as the European Union becomes increasingly aggressive in restricting export opportunities, U.S. trade policy will need to respond in kind to combat EU misuse. Advisory committee reviews dietary guidelines The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is taking testimony on proposed changes. The National Milk Producers Federation was pleased dairy remains its own category and does not allow the inclusion of plant-based drinks or foods. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said the recommendations should Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 identify beef as a lean meat option, recognizing cuts like sirloin. Saputo merges two dairy divisions Saputo has merged its two U.S. divisions, cheese and dairy foods,into a single business unit. Now known as the dairy division, Saputo said the new structure will allow the company to be more efcient in its business dealings. The announcement was made when Saputo released its nancial statement. The dairy processor had rst quarter revenues of $2.55 billion. That is a 7.6% decline from last year. Merck acquires IdentiGEN Merck Animal Health has completed its acquisition of IdentiGEN. IdentiGEN’s technology uses DNA and data analytics for animal traceability. That includes the traceback systems that are veriable from farmer to table. Terms of the deal were not announced. Hazlett returns to Indiana The senior advisor for rural affairs at the White House has accepted a job
as the senior director of government relations and public affairs at Purdue University. From 2017-19, Anne Hazlett was the assistant to the secretary for rural development at USDA. Before that, Hazlett was legal counsel for the House and Senate agriculture committees. Trivia challenge The Brown Swiss dairy breed is derived from the triple purpose Braunveih breed. That answers our last trivia question. Kraft Foods introduced a cheese sauce product in 1953. For this week, what is the name of that product? We will have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star.
Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
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ConĆ&#x;nued from DERECHO | Page 1 said Bob Kettelkamp. Kettelkamp lost all or parts of three barns, three silos and four grain bins on the farm he operates with his brother, Bill, near Marion, just east of Cedar Rapids. A manure spreader was tossed upside down and a Quonset hut was moved off its foundation. A newer freestall barn survived but with one end pushed 20 feet outward and the curtain sides missing. “Our roof steel is all over the county,â€? Kettelkamp said. The brothers lost one cow and were able to keep PHOTO SUBMITTED milking in their parlor using a generator until power was Bob and Bill KeĆŠelkamp’s three silos, four grain bins, a Quonset hut and all or restored after eight days. part of three caĆŠle barns are destroyed on their farm from the derecho storm Two dairy farms on the op- Aug. 10 near Marion, Iowa. posite side of Cedar Rapids from the Kettelkamp farm were not as fortunate. juries. Ron Franck, of Newhall, has sent his milking cows Like other dairy farmers in the area, Buttjer and her to three other eastern Iowa dairies while he picks up the team are scrambling to clean up debris while ďƒžguring out pieces of his 220-cow freestall barn and parlor. A heifer how to manage the loss of feedstuffs and changes in how barn, unused silo and trees were also taken out by the the feed is delivered. The corn crop is ďƒ&#x;attened, with sistorm. lage cutting having been several weeks away. Each dairy “Basically, it’s the whole thing,â€? said Franck, who farmer hopes to recover some of the corn, but the value is did not lose any cattle immediately but shipped 15 head questionable. due to being, what he called, banged up from debris. “The corn is ďƒ&#x;at and leaďƒ&#x;ess now. It is all starting to Franck said his heifers likely ran out of the building die,â€? Kettelkamp said. to survive, because they continued walking out of corn“We’ve had our nutritionist here almost every day ďƒželds into the farmyard most of Monday. helping us to get creative with our feed sources,â€? Buttjer The storm hit the Newhall area at about 12:30 p.m. said. Brian Schanbacher, a mile away from the Franck Schanbacher Acres has Franck’s silage crew chopfarm, was eating lunch with his wife, Kristen, in their ping corn with plans to feed it as green chop for now. home on their 100-cow robotic dairy. Earlage and silage in the damaged Schanbacher Acres’ “I felt safe in the house,â€? Schanbacher said. “But I silos is inaccessible, and silage bags of haylage are full of could see the trees getting snapped off and uprooted, and holes from calf huts hitting them, Buttjer said. the trampoline blowing around. I wasn’t able to see the Roughly 30 miles southwest, the 1,550-cow Bear extent of the damage to the freestall barn until I went out Creek Dairy near Brooklyn had a large standby generator after the storm had passed. Only the north wall was stand- ready to operate. Damage was mainly limited to crops, ing and there was no roof.â€? but the farm spent 80 hours without power. The farm’s robots are on the east end of the collapsed “We bought the generator because we heard all these 66-by-120 foot freestall barn, and milk is pumped 240 stories when we moved here,â€? said Dorine Boelen, who feet to the bulk tank through a cross alley. The alley and began Bear Creek with her husband, Jan, in 2009. “It dea portion of the attached older barn was destroyed in the livered what it promised.â€? storm, compromising the pipeline and the communication Boelen’s team used empty cleaning supply totes to to the robots. move water to its heifer facilities located several miles In addition, the storm destroyed a 60-foot silo but away. spared his machine shed, shop and grain bins. Milk truck driver Jon Silver, of Tom W. Silver TruckNot one cow was lost at his farm, although one heifer ing in Marion, rode out the storm in a patron’s milkhouse was put down and two others may not survive. near Newton – 90 miles southwest of Cedar Rapids. He Schanbacher’s robotic dealer found a way for the ro- had to rescue the farm dog and close windows when debots to begin milking cows by 7:30 p.m. Monday using a bris cut through milkhouse screens. Later, he maneuvered generator. Most cows were milked once, but the level of along highways littered with trees and power lines to dedestruction meant by Tuesday, Schanbacher was moving liver his load. the milking cows to two other dairies. “I’ve never seen anything like it,â€? Silver said. “That With powerlines still down at his farm, Schanbacher stop was in Newton, and normally I drive two and a half went into a second week without power. He said he may hours to the plant in Dubuque. That day it took six hours.â€? not be milking at home until next year. The trucking company had damage at its shop. In the Two of his cousins who also dairy in the area experi- days following the storm, Silver saw delays in his route enced signiďƒžcant damage as well. because of farm generators that delayed milking and Schanbacher Acres, owned by J, Barb, Allan and pumping, but no milk on his route was dumped. Joyce Schanbacher near Atkins, sustained damage to Not so at one farm near Boone, two hours west of three silos, a grain bin, a machine shed and commodity Cedar Rapids, where Kathy Haub and their dairy dumped shed. Power came back on the eighth day after the storm. one tank before they were able to get a generator. “All of our animal housing facilities are ďƒžne, except Generosity became apparent through the crisis. At for calf huts,â€? said Carissa Buttjer, assistant herdsman for Bear Creek Dairy, employees were provided with hot Schanbacher Acres. “Those were blown a half mile away food and showers because their own homes had no power through two ďƒželds and down into a neighbor’s creek. All and, in some cases, damage from the storm. Employees at calves were found unharmed.â€? Schanbacher Acres brought family members to help clean One of the huts hit a pickup truck that was with a up debris. group of employees baling hay. The driver and ďƒžve other At the Kettelkamp farm, Bob and Bill were surprised employees were taken by surprise while in the ďƒželd or when a van drove into the farmyard the day after the surrounding buildings but also came through without in- storm, delivering food and water. Franck found homes for his cows quickly just by texting fellow dairy farmers and had other help in the crisis. “College friends were here; we had a Mennonite crew cleaning up on Tuesday, and we’ve got tons of food that’s come,â€? Franck said. But the unusual storm added multiple new layers to this year’s challenges for the Iowa dairies in the storm’s PHOTO SUBMITTED The collapsed freestall barn at Brian Schanbacher’s dairy lies in front of an older path. “It’s 2020,â€? Jan Boelbarn housing his robots near Newhall, Iowa. The robots survived the derecho en said. “What else can hapbut the wiring, pipeline and aĆŠached freestall barn damage required Schan- pen?â€? bacher to move his cows to neighboring dairies aĹŒer the storm Aug. 10.
What to know before hedging milk The do’s, don’ts of investing in today’s dairy market By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
GLENWOOD, Minn. – With the unexpected milk prices many dairy farmers received in June and July, in hindsight, the idea of locking in prices was appealing. But is hedging milk in a market worth it? “The reality of trading is there is a lot of risk in doing it if you don’t know what you are doing,” Joe Spader said. “Even then, it can be very challenging.” Spader is the president and senior market advisor at DairyVisor Inc. in Glenwood. The purpose of hedging milk with futures and options is to allow dairy farmers an opportunity to reduce price risk and protect strong margin opportunities. Yet, there are several factors to consider before a farmer engages in trading. Milk can be traded on an assortment of futures markets – block cheese, cash settled butter and cheese, Class III and IV, nonfat dry milk and whey – with prices driven by the fundamentals in each category as well as underlying cash markets used to determine Federal Milk Marketing Order prices. The job of the futures market is to provide an efcient platform to nd a fair market value for the forward months that are being actively traded. “As long as there is liquidity in a market and a contract is being posted by the CME Group, it can be traded,” Spader said. “It just needs someone willing to buy and sell to establish a contract.”
“Finding the balance between taking on some risk and hedging to mitigate the bigger aspect of market exposure is critical to doing a good job hedging.” JOE SPADER, MARKET ADVISOR
Dairy farmers may opt for either futures or options contracts. A futures contract is an agreement established between hedgers and/or speculators to buy and sell an agreed upon price in the underlying commodity, whereas a futures option is a contract that establishes the right but not the obligation for the buyer to buy or sell the underlying futures contract at a specied strike price. Contracts can be made for specic months. The further out a contract is established, the less liquidity there is in the market thus higher the trading risk. To trade the markets effectively, Spader suggests working with an advisor who farmers can trust with their business decisions and fully understand the price drivers of the commodities being traded.
“Brokers that don’t charge consulting fees and only make money trading positions typically have a natural conict of interest with a farmer as it is their goal to get them to trade and make money. This in turn, can put the farmer in a position where they may be taking on more trading risk with increased trading activity,” Spader said. “Most farmers don’t spend enough time following the markets to be effective on their own without an outside advisor helping them. A broker with integrity is who dairy farmers should work with.” History shows that dairy farmers should only hedge about 40% of a milk price cycle, the advisor suggested, because 60% of the time individual contract months settle near the life of contract high. “Market uncertainty should be managed to prevent catastrophic situational losses, like COVID-19, 9/11, footand-mouth disease outbreaks,” Spader said. “Nobody knows when events like this will happen. The challenge is how much money should a dairy farmer risk annually to remove some of this risk. Is it worth doing?” There are several challenges with trading milk, including cross hedge risk, liquidity of the markets, component based hedging knowledge and the money required to margin volatile markets, among others. “A lack of knowledge for the various trading risk factors that may negatively affect a hedge is the No. 1 challenge we see for dairy farmers,” Spader said. “Most farmers don’t put in enough homework to do a good job and lack the full understanding of the complex dairy markets.” In today’s environment, there is a large amount of risk in hedging with negative producer price differentials on the milk check and likely to be seen in the future. “Dairy farmers can manage some of this risk, but it takes being proactive versus reactive in how various hedging tools are used when establishing hedges,” Spader said. “Some farmers are learning that tough lesson today.” While hedging milk is certainly not an easy task, it should not be discounted as part of an effective way to manage a dairy business. In Spader’s experience, he has seen the use of commodity trading to manage risk in concert with competing with cost of production and maintaining strong working capital as a threetier method to propel a dairy business forward. “Those are the ones that are moving ahead and expanding market share in the industry,” Spader said. “All three (of those objectives) are necessary to win the game. Trading is not the cure if you don’t have the other two working for you also.” There is a lot to understand when deciding if hedging milk is the right decision for a dairy farm, and it should not be a decision made without fully weighing the costs and benets as they relate to the farm’s overall business goals. “Finding the balance between taking on some risk and hedging to mitigate the bigger aspect of market exposure is critical to doing a good job hedging. It can be done but it takes a lot of work and knowledge in what you’re doing,” Spader said. “The best things farmers can do is educate themselves and work with a trusted broker.”
Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 11
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
A gradual buy-in
Peeters eases into dairy career by purchasing cattle from parents By Andrea Borgerding andrea.b@dairystar.com
MENAHGA, Minn. – For ve years, Erik Peeters invested time and energy into raising newborn calves, milking cows, managing herd health and breeding for all the cattle on his family’s dairy the hopes someday it would be his. That someday came July 1. “It’s a difcult time to take over,” Erik said. “But it’s exciting.” Fluctuating milk prices and supply challenges brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic this spring challenged transition plans for Erik and his parents, Tony and Terry. Despite the uncertainty in the industry, Erik, 30, purchased the 160-cow dairy herd and youngstock July 1 on his parents’ farm near Menahga. “I had been basically taking care of the cattle for the past ve years or more so it kind of felt like the cattle were mine already because that is what I was working towards,” Erik said. “It wasn’t a big change when I did nally own them all.” Tony and Terry began milking together on the family farm after they were married in 1980. Before that time, Tony had worked out an arrangement with his father where he would earn a percentage of the milk check and purchase heifer calves as they were born.
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Erik Peeters (front) and his parents, Tony and Terry, stand in the barn housing the milking herd on their farm near Menahga, Minnesota. Erik bought the milking herd from his parents July 1. As he gradually built up equity in cattle, Tony purchased 150 cows from his father in 1983. “In the back of mind, I know things are different today, but sometimes you can do the same thing now because it worked then,” Tony said. After graduating from college with an associate degree, Erik returned home
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10 years ago to start working on the dairy, rst earning a wage and eventually a percentage of the milk check. He started buying springers and breeding age heifers. In addition, Erik began buying all of the newborn heifer calves two years ago. He also started paying for expenses including feed. “That’s why we started with me
buying the newborn calves,” Erik said. “Then it was all my expense, and we didn’t have to split expenses.” A year ago, the Peeters family hired a professional advisor who specializes in transferring farm assets. “We didn’t know our options,” Turn to PEETERS | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 13
ConƟnued from PEETERS | Page 12
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Erik Peeters feeds calves on his parent’s farm Aug. 10 near Menahga, Minnesota. Peeters took ownership of the milking herd July 1. Terry said. “It’s nice to talk to someone who knows what we can do. He doesn’t tell us what is best for us but what our options are. This way, too, we can make everything legally notarized.” Working with the advisor is an ongoing process that has been delayed with the pandemic, but the Peeters are continuing the transition process. Erik covered the cost of planting this year’s crop while also covering the expenses of the dairy. It was a challenging transition time for him as he was earning only 50% of the milk check. “It was stressful because you’re putting out more than what’s coming in,” Erik said. After July 1, Erik began receiving a full milk check. “It’s easier to keep up now,” Erik said. “I still have bills to pay but it’s less stressful.” Erik is also renting the land and equipment from his parents. Tony continues to manage the eldwork and raise the crops for Erik. Terry receives a wage from Erik for milking cows, and Erik’s brother, Ryan, also milks cows. His brother, Anthony, works full-time on the dairy doing feeding and eldwork. Tony and Terry have three other sons who use their farming equipment on separate farmland, so part of the agreement is to have the three cover the costs of repairs and replacement parts on the equipment. “That way they don’t need to put out money for buying equipment,” Tony said. “It’s a little easier for everyone to get along if Mom and Dad are still overseeing the machinery situation.” Tony and Terry want to continue helping all of their children involved in farming, but Erik will have precedence over his siblings as the dairy is a priority. “In order for him to be successful here, the dairy needs to be priority,” Tony said. “You need feed and the land needs to be close by to get rid of the manure.”
The plan is for Erik to eventually buy the farmland around the farmsite and the farmsite itself. With the state of the economy this past spring and the milk price dropping, Erik decided to hold off on a real estate agreement until 2021. Erik is optimistic when it comes to working out any differences in management styles between the two generations. So far the working relationship has been positive. “It’s been a few years where most of what I do is the cattle,” Erik said. “He is more management of the crops.” At 66, Tony said retiring is not something he wanted to do but knows had to be done. Tony said having the next generation take over is a complicated process. “It has to be workable that he can be successful too,” Tony said. “We probably could’ve gotten more for the cows if we sold them outright, but we are trying to make it as easy as possible for Erik.” Erik said he has a tendency to ask his dad for advice. “I’m excited about making my own decisions and not asking if that’s alright,” Erik said. Tony admits he will be looking over Erik’s shoulder, ready to offer advice if he is asked. “I’m concerned that as Terry and I get older, we will be able to help less and less,” Tony said. “The labor situation is going to be challenging for him.” Despite the future of unknowns, Erik is certain he is where he is supposed to be. His parents think so too. “People keep telling me we are fortunate to have another generation that wants to take over,” Tony said. “He’s the cow man of the family and has always done a fantastic job.” The Peeters’ advice to others looking to transition in the next generation is to hire professional help because things are apt to change. “It’s going to be a continuous process,” Tony said.
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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
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Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 15
Working together with the next generation
Isaac and Mike Griebel New Ulm, Minnesota Brown County 175 cows How long have you been working together? We have been working together for three years. What are your roles on the farm? How has that changed since the next generation’s return? Isaac: I am responsible for all of the breeding and calf management on the farm along with feeding of all the animals. Mike: Financial management, herd health and maintenance. What ideas has the next generation brought to the farm that have been implemented? We have started breeding the bottom of our herd to Angus and using sexed semen on top end animals. Implementing cover crops in crop rotation for feed and soil health. What have been the best things about working together with your parent/child? Isaac: I appreciate being able work on the farm I grew up on alongside my dad every day. Mike: I appreciate that Isaac wants to get involved in the dairy farm and help on the farm I bought from my dad. What has been the greatest challenge of working together? How do you address your difference of opinions? Isaac: It has been a challenge to persuade Dad to try some of my ideas on the farm. We try to take more time to talk about the beneďƒžts and risks of any changes. Mike: Trying to keep a uniďƒžed vision on the farm. Talk more about our different opinions and ďƒžnd a strategy we can both work with. How is the business side of this working relationship setup? Why did you choose this arrangement? We are in the early stages of creating a partnership. What changes did you make to the farm in order to make the next generation’s return ďƒžnancially feasible? We built a new dry cow/heifer barn to allow all the animals to be raised on site. Tell us about your farm. We milk 175 cows and raise our replacement heifers. We grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa, winter rye and winter triticale on 330 acres.
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Curt and John Spoden (Spoden Dairy LLC) Kimball, Minnesota Stearns County 90 cows How long have you been working together? Curt has been a part of the farm his whole life. When he graduated, he worked full time for the dairy and part time at other jobs. We formed an LLC in 2013. What are your roles on the farm? How has that changed since the next generation’s return? We both work together. John focuses more on the dairy, and Curt took over more of the crops when he returned. What ideas has the next generation brought to the farm that have been implemented? To stop using the silo and go to bags for corn silage and also use baleage. Then, when the old stationary TMR mixer quit, we purchased a portable TMR mixer. It’s faster and gives us less headaches than using the silo. What have been the best things about working together with your parent/child? John: Watching your family grow up on a dairy farm and having his ideas about what we should do. Curt: Being able to work alongside my dad. We think a lot alike, so it works out well. What has been the greatest challenge of working together? How do you address your difference of opinions? Nothing major. It’s been working well. One challenge is when we are both invited to the same event or holiday function. How is the business side of this working relationship setup? Why did you choose this arrangement? We both took our assets and added them together to come up with a percentage of ownership. We did this by talking to other people and our Ridgewater College farm advisor. What changes did you make to the farm in order to make the next generation’s return ďƒžnancially feasible? We added more milking cows and more steers. We focused on better milk production by going with the portable TMR and baleage. Just putting up better forages because two people are farm owners now. Tell us about your farm. The farm is run by John and Sandy and their son, Curt. We raise bull calves from birth and sell as feeders or ďƒžnish out. We also have a cow/calf herd. We grow mostly corn, alfalfa and some soybean. We also have small grains on owned and rented land. We farm about 600 acres. Curt trucks part time and does custom work. All of our kids do custom work.
Jim and Travis Welle Spring Hill, Minnesota Stearns County 80 cows How long have you been working together? Seven years. What are your roles on the farm? How has that changed since the next generation’s return? I started taking care of the dairy side while my parents do more of the chicken barn. What ideas has the next generation brought to the farm that have been implemented? I bought a TMR mixer a couple years ago. We think the cows are in better shape and milk production went up. What have been the best things about working together with your parent/child? Travis: I get to work side by side with my dad. Jim: I get to show him what to do and what not do when a problem shows up. What has been the greatest challenge of working together? How do you address your difference of opinions? Travis: Not having the same opinions on things. Try to see what opinion would best ďƒžt the situation. Jim: Sometimes we have different opinions. How is the business side of this working relationship setup? Why did you choose this arrangement? I work for my dad and will be buying it from him in the future. What changes did you make to the farm in order to make the next generation’s return ďƒžnancially feasible? I have pretty much all the land pattern tiled. And, all the buildings are kept up. Tell us about your farm. Travis will be the sixth generation on this farm. We milk 80 cows and run 600 acres of land. We grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa and oat. We have a broiler chicken barn through Pilgrims. Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15
David and Steve Flood, and Nathan, Steve’s son Concord, Wisconsin Jefferson County 65 cows How long have you been working together? Forever. What are your roles on the farm? How has that changed since the next generation’s return? Steve is the herdsman, agronomist, mechanic, equipment operator, manager and in charge of the waste management. Both Steve and David have made the decisions by talking it over and making compromises. What ideas has the next generation brought to the farm that have been implemented? We went from milking in a stanchion barn with a pipeline and automatic take offs to milking in a double-6 swing parlor. We’ve set our cell count down under 100,000 and have been holding it there continuously for the last 10 years. We have gone to making all our dry hay with a round baler from a small square baler, and we now chop most of our hay and put it in bags instead of silos along with corn silage, even though we still have three silos that we use. We have gone from conventional tillage to minimal tillage and no-till, which we like and enjoy. What have been the best things about working together with your parent/child? David: The best part of working together is watching Steve learn the business, making new improvements and him asking me what I think of his ideas. It’s fun to see the next generation grow, including watching Steve’s son, Nathan, into the farm. Steve: We have had very few disagreements, and we make compromises. I like knowing that I have someone there with the same interest as me to talk to and help me solve problems on the farm. Best of all, I have one heck of a teacher and mentor along the way to guide me. What has been the greatest challenge of working together? How do you address your difference of opinions? David: The biggest challenge is going from main boss to the helper. Steve: Deciding who gets to drive the combine rst in the fall. To me, there was no big challenge other than trying to convince Dad to do things a little different, but it isn’t hard. When we disagree about something, we talk it over and discuss the pros and cons. How is the business side of this working relationship setup? Why did you choose this arrangement? Steve: I started out as an employee, then I went to being a percentage owner of the farm, to being the farm operator and manager. Steve and David: That was the best or easiest way to make it work for our operation. What changes did you make to the farm in order to make the next generation’s return nancially feasible? Both of us agreed to keep it at a manageable size operation level and watch our debt load at a manageable level. Tell us about your farm. We own and operate a 270-acre dairy farm where we cash crop and milk 65 Holsteins and raise our replacement heifers. We also rent some additional land. Along with that, we also do our own planting, harvesting and some custom eld work and harvesting. We try to do most of our own maintenance and repair work ourselves. Farming isn’t just a job or a way of life, it’s our passion and love for what we do. We don’t really think of it as a job. I (Steve) am a third-generation farmer, and if my son continues farming with me when he gets out of school, he will be the fourth generation on this farm.
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Virgil, Ben and Verlin Rylaarsdam Chandler, Minnesota Murray County 260 cows How long have you been working together? Virgil joined the operation in 2003, and Ben joined in 2011. Ben and Virgil both graduated from Ridgewater College at Willmar, Minnesota. What are your roles on the farm? How has that changed since the next generation’s return? Glen is in charge of the feeding, repro work and herd health. Virgil is in charge of eld work and machinery repair. Verlin helps out wherever he is needed. When Virgil came back, Verlin was milking 70-80 head in a stanchion barn and was doing everything himself. We built a new loang barn and milking parlor in order to expand our herd and make it possible for the boys to join the operation. Verlin and his wife, Kathy, still feed the calves. The boys are managing things now, but we make decisions together. What ideas has the next generation brought to the farm that have been implemented? One of the ideas they brought home was a TMR mixer to blend the ration for our cows. Another idea was to bag our silage and haylage. The boys have brought a lot of technology to the farm. We now use computers and smart phones to keep our herd’s records instead of a pencil and paper. We also began to use the ProCross breeding system shortly after Virgil came home. What have been the best things about working together with your parent/child? Verlin: It’s great to be able to see our grandkids every day. Our sons have an active interest in the farm. They are not just employees. Virgil: Everyone knows what’s going on, so there is no need for training. Having Dad around helps me see what has worked and what didn’t. It’s great to have access to his wisdom and experience. Ben: I get to see and work with my family every day; not many can say that. Mom and Dad help with babysitting. We get to learn from our parents’ experiences. Working with family gives us more exibility when we want to take time off. What has been the greatest challenge of working together? How do you address your difference of opinions? Verlin: We can’t all take off at the same time for a wedding or a similar event. When we have a difference of opinion, we talk it through and nd a way around the difculty. It is important to see the advantages of the other person’s opinion. I keep an open mind and know that the boys have a lot at stake. Virgil: Don’t blow up right away when there’s a disagreement and talk things through. We don’t have any big challenges because we all have the same mindset and aren’t afraid to work a little. Ben: We always try to nd a compromise whenever we have any differences. Any challenges we might face are usually pretty minor. How is the business side of this working relationship setup? Why did you choose this arrangement? When Virgil came home, we set up an S corporation. Everybody has a share in the corporation. As time goes on, the boys will acquire more and more shares. This makes it easier to transfer things from one generation to the next and ensures the boys have skin in the game. What changes did you make to the farm in order to make the next generation’s return nancially feasible? We had to expand our herd to make things work nancially. We did this by building a new parlor and loang shed. After Virgil joined the operation, we kept growing our herd from within to make it possible for Ben to join. We were about up to full capacity when Ben came home after graduating from Ridgewater. Tell us about your farm. This is a century farm. We farm about 700 acres and raise our own replacement animals. We sell our bull calves when they weigh about 500 pounds. Virgil and his wife, Sarah, have four children: Lydia, 16, Nathaniel, 8, Isaac, 7, and Silas, 3. Glen and his wife, Samantha, have three children: Parker, 5, Sydney, 3, and Landon, 5 months.
Will and Carol Gerdes Jonathan and Liz Gerdes Pictured from left, Grace, Chloe, 7, Liz, Jonathan, Anna, 5, Will and Carol Caledonia, Minnesota Houston County 90 cows How long have you been working together? Jonathan and his wife, Liz, came back to work with us on the farm in 2011. What are your roles on the farm? Will: When Jonathan rst came home, I took the typical father role, and for the most part, led the operation. How has that changed since the next generation’s return? Desiring to pass the farm operation to Jonathan and Liz, I have been stepping back as much as possible. What ideas have the next generation brought to the farm that have been implemented? Jonathan and Liz started Gerdes Fresh Farm LLC, which is a raw milk farm-to-consumer business on the farm. Jonathan is active in sharing and promoting dairy farm living on social media. We have implemented many improvements to our farming processes since 2011: a milking parlor, calf facilities, equipment, crop technologies and cow genetics, among others. We are hiring milking help in the evenings. What have been the best things about working together with your parent/child? Will/Carol: We love farming with our son, his wife and their family. Will wakes up every morning and is glad he gets to farm with Jonathan. Our shared values begin with desiring to please God in everything we do. It’s rewarding to see Jonathan take on all the challenges of farming and do so well keeping life in balance. We have the chance to love and inuence our grandchildren daily. Jonathan/Liz: We are thankful for like-minded parents who have an eternal perspective on farming. Both of our families realize there is more to life and eternity than farming which is invaluable. In everything we do, we seek to honor Christ with our farm, realizing that life is short and eternity is long. Beyond that, we are thankful to raise our kids with multi-generational inuence. My parents support and encourage us as parents while pouring into our kids on a daily basis. I can’t quantify the value of my dad’s wealth of knowledge and years of experience. Whether it be xing machinery, treating a cow, planting the crops, building anything, you name it – he has done it all, and he is good at it. I am thankful to work with such a capable partner. What has been the greatest challenge of working together? How do you address your difference of opinions? Will/Carol: Because Jonathan is wise and responsible, the challenges are few. We don’t disagree on much. We are both willing to compromise on almost anything. Because I desire to pass the operation to Jonathan, I want to do things he wants to do. He is easy to work with. Jonathan/ Liz: Taking on the challenges of a farm with someone who has a different perspective on life can either cripple you or make your business stronger through diversied strengths. We have chosen to see the latter, realizing we both have strengths that can complement each other’s weaknesses. Liz and I recommend the Enneagram personality assessment for anyone who is in a farming partnership or a marriage relationship. There is no farming decision that is worth wrecking a relationship. This means discussion and exibility are imperative for relating to each other. It also means we must hold farming loosely, choosing relationship over opinion on a regular basis. When we have a difference of opinion, our goal is a healthy relationship. We give proper trust to the years of experience my parents have and do our best to decide together. At the end of the day, farming is not important enough to harm a family. How is the business side of this working Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 17
Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 17
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 16 relationship setup? Why did you choose this arrangement? About seven years ago, we set up a 50/50 LLC partnership until Jonathan’s percentage is greater than mine, which happens at the 10-year mark. We listened to many ideas and decided with our lawyer to go this route. We want to get the farm into Jonathan’s hands without breaking him. What changes did you make to the farm in order to make the next generation’s return nancially feasible? We built a parlor and increased our herd numbers. We made many changes to decrease the workload as much as possible, while at the same time increasing productivity. Tell us about your farm. Our farm is 240 acres, and we rent two neighboring farms. We milk around 90 Holstein cows and raise our heifers. We grow corn and alfalfa. We raised our eight children on this farm, and they all helped make it what it is today. Now Jonathan and Liz are raising three kids on the farm who will step into the new shoes we have created. We have built almost every building on our farm ourselves. We work hard at keeping it in order. We thank the Lord for the lifestyle we have.
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CONGRATULATIONS Brenna Connelly! We are honored to have Brenna represent Olmsted County and the entire dairy industry in Minnesota. Plainview Milk Products Coop: 507-534-3872
Robert Schell DVM DrBob@CalfStart.com
Phone: 507-458-5624 Fax: 507-796-5848 203 1st. Ave. SE • Altura, MN 55910
Brenna is the daughter of Craig and Heather Connelly of Byron, Minn.
Congratulations Princess Kay Brenna Connelly Congratulations Princess Kay Brenna Connelly
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
Repro Leaders
Activity system, beef breeding key to Huneke Dairy 35% preg rate Huneke Dairy; Paul, Marc and Micah Huneke Goodhue, Minnesota Goodhue County 250 cows What was your pregnancy rate average last year? Last year, our herd had a 35% pregnancy rate average. The last 12 months, the average has been 40% with the last two cycles at 46% and 47%. What is your voluntary waiting period for cows? For heifers? Two weeks ago, we switched the voluntary waiting period to 75 days in milk for cows and 14 months for heifers. Before that, it used to be 60 days in milk and 13 months. Cows have been getting pregnant quickly so we needed to push it back. Plus, we had a few heifers that were too small at calving so pushing breeding dates out a month will hopefully help with that. What is your rst service conception rate? 56%. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? We use a presynch/ ovsych program for both the cows Turn to HUNEKES | Page 20
KRISTA KUZMA/ DAIRY STAR
Marc (leŌ) and Micah Huneke farm together with their dad, Paul (not pictured), on their 250-cow dairy near Goodhue, Minnesota. Last year, their herd had an average pregnancy rate of 35%.
Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 19
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
ConƟnued from HUNEKES | Page 18
and heifers. For the last six months, we have used a short synch program for animals found open. We also cherry pick cows to breed from the second prostaglandin shot of presynch before the herd check. How do you observe for heat? In May 2018, we started using an activity and rumination ear tag monitor from Genex for our heifers. It went well, so we decided to install it for the cows in June 2019. The majority of our herd’s breeding is done because of the activity found through this system. How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? Our veterinarian, Matt Anderson from Anderson Veterinary Services, ultrasounds our cows every two weeks.
KRISTA KUZMA/ DAIRY STAR
Many of the calves in the calf barn at Huneke Dairy are beef-Holstein crosses. Over 70% of the herd is bred to Angus or Limousin beef bulls.
KRISTA KUZMA/ DAIRY STAR
Cows at Huneke Dairy eat a total mixed raƟon. The blue acƟvity monitor aƩached to cows’ ear tags helps the Hunekes nd cows in heat more quickly.
What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in bull selection? All calves are genomic tested, so net merit is the main determination of how we will breed the animal. If a cow’s or heifer’s net merit is in the top 20% to 25% of the herd, she is bred to a Holstein bull with sexed semen. When choosing these bulls, we like to have them be high in components and low in somatic cell count. The rest of the herd is bred to a beef bull. We use Angus or Limousin.
How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? Because we use net merit as our determination if an animal gets dairy or beef semen, we do not breed them differently. The bulk of the heifers are the ones being bred to sexed semen because they are the ones with the better genetics coming into the herd. What do you do to settle hard breeders? We have few cows that are hard breeders. We usually sell them for other reasons before fertility is an issue. Turn to HUNEKES | Page 22
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Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 21
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ARTICULATED 4WD TRACTORS JD 9220, 2002, PS, Duals, Guidance-ready, 8800 hrs, #172522 ...............$58,900 JD 9300, 1997, Partial PS, Duals, 7996 hrs., #168166 ...............................$59,500 JD 9430, 2009, PS, Duals, Guidance-ready, 4275 hrs., #171961 ...........$129,000 JD 9530, 2011, PS, Duals, Guidance-ready, 3410 hrs., #166213 ...........$154,900 JD 9530, 2007, PS, Duals, Guidance-ready, 4280 hrs., #165656 ...........$139,900 JD 9370R, 2018, PS, Duals, PTO, Guidance-ready, 581 hrs., #169869 ...$272,000 JD 9520R, 2015, PS, Duals, HydraCushion Axle, 1914 hrs., #171181 ....$263,900 JD 9560R, 2014, PS, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 3777 hrs., #167995 $169,500 JD 9570R, 2019, PS, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 198 hrs., #166628 .. $409,500 JD 9570R, 2015, PS, Duals, HydraCushion Axle, 1259 hrs., #168114 ....$310,900 JD 9570R, 2019, PS, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 186 hrs., #172219 .. $379,500 JD 9570R, 2019, PS, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 546 hrs., #166629 .. $399,500 JD 9570R, 2018, e18, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 985 hrs., #172424 $349,000 JD 9570R, 2019, PS, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 330 hrs., #172429 .. $399,400 JD 9620R, 2019, PS, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 250 hrs., #172221 .. $409,500 JD 9620R, 2019, PS, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 200 hrs., #172220 .. $399,500 JD 9620R, 2019, PS, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 172 hrs., #172416 .. $399,500 JD 9620R, 2019, PS, Duals, HydraCushion Axle, 822 hrs., #169236 ......$394,900 JD 9620R, 2015, e18, Duals, HydraCushion Axle, 1561 hrs., #166166 ..$315,500 JD 9620R, 2016, PS, Duals, Heavy Duty Gudgeon, 2658 hrs., #161527 $269,500 NH T9.560HD, 2011, PS, Triples, 1964 hrs., #171911............................$169,000 COMBINES JD 9400, 1989, 2WD, Singles, 4595 hrs., 2986 sep hrs, #171530 .............$23,900 JD 9500, 1995, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Dls, 5392 hrs., 3503 sep hrs, #171987 $23,900 JD 9650 STS, 2001, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 3210 hrs., 2053 sep hrs, #171989 ..................................................................................$52,000 JD 9660 STS, 2004, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 3332 hrs., 1862 sep hrs, #172070 ..................................................................................$69,000 JD 9750 STS, 2002, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 3800 hrs., 2575 sep hrs, #171897 ..................................................................................$50,400 JD 9770 STS, 2009, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 2604 hrs., 1878 sep hrs, #162933 ..................................................................................$79,900 JD 9770 STS, 2011, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 3640 hrs., 2848 sep hrs, #165662 ..................................................................................$81,900 JD 9770 STS, 2009, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 2250 hrs., 1700 sep hrs, #171960$85,400 JD 9770 STS, 2009, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2406 hrs., 1566 sep hrs, #172422 ..................................................................................$98,000 JD 9860 STS, 2007, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 3763 hrs., 2268 sep hrs, #172083 ..................................................................................$70,400 JD 9870 STS, 2008, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 3295 hrs., #160885 ......$101,900 JD 9870 STS, 2010, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 3244 hrs., 2400 sep hrs, #161419 ..................................................................................$99,500 JD S550, 2012, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 1439 hrs., 1077 sep hrs, #161903 ...............................................................................$154,900
17 JD S660, 2015, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, Chopper, 803 hrs., 545 sep hrs, #157075 .................................................................................$229,500 15 JD S660, 2014, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Singles, 1057 hrs., 702 sep hrs, #155345 .................................................................................$189,500 9 JD S660, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1488 hrs., 945 sep hrs, #172434 .................................................................................$185,000 5 JD S660, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1072 hrs., 810 sep hrs, #155826 .................................................................................$209,500 1 JD S670, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1740 hrs., 1326 sep hrs, #171681 ...............................................................................$189,900 9 JD S670, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1905 hrs., 1260 sep hrs, #153514 ...............................................................................$179,500 16 JD S670, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1584 hrs., 1190 sep hrs, #161854 ...............................................................................$179,500 11 JD S670, 2017, 2WD, Duals, 1090 hrs., 698 sep hrs, #146349 ............... $219,500 8 JD S670, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1673 hrs., 1265 sep hrs, #155388 ...............................................................................$199,500 2 JD S680, 2015, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1736 hrs., 1233 sep hrs, #167207 ...............................................................................$250,900 7 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 2035 hrs., 1658 sep hrs, #172017 ...............................................................................$159,500 7 JD S680, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2117 hrs., 1391 sep hrs, #162070 ...............................................................................$184,900 6 JD S680, 2015, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2154 hrs., #169577 ..............$169,500 15 JD S680, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2612 hrs., 1958 sep hrs, #163765 ...............................................................................$159,400 15 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1774 hrs., 1361 sep hrs, #156460 ..$205,500 16 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1671 hrs., 1157 sep hrs, #170663 ...............................................................................$179,500 16 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2435 hrs., 1781 sep hrs, #159509 ...............................................................................$187,400 5 JD S680, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2848 hrs., 1904 sep hrs, #161858 ...............................................................................$159,500 5 JD S680, 2017, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 931 hrs., 701 sep hrs, #168849 .................................................................................$349,900 5 JD S680, 2017, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1493 hrs., 1044 sep hrs, #169826 ...............................................................................$299,000 14 JD S680, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2040 hrs., 1638 sep hrs, #166363 ...............................................................................$185,900 14 JD S680, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2277 hrs., 1670 sep hrs, #172215 ...............................................................................$180,400 14 JD S680, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2256 hrs., 1587 sep hrs, #171381 ...............................................................................$159,400 3 JD S680, 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1366 hrs., 929 sep hrs, #172496 .................................................................................$295,000
Visit one of our 17 locations in Central Minnesota! (1) = GLENCOE 4561 Hwy. 212
(4) = ST. CLOUD 1035 35th Ave. NE
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78412 Co. Rd. 20
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3 JD S680, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 2375 hrs., 1739 sep hrs, #154637 $169,500 14 JD S690, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2146 hrs., 1563 sep hrs, #153332 ...............................................................................$189,500 14 JD S690, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Singles, 2222 hrs., 1638 sep hrs, #161532 ...............................................................................$189,500 14 JD S690, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2159 hrs., 1700 sep hrs, #171382 ...............................................................................$164,400 3 JD S690, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1802 hrs., 1395 sep hrs, #171923 ...............................................................................$179,000 3 JD S690, 2014, PRWD, Duals, 1944 hrs., 1317 sep hrs, #145222...........$179,500 3 JD S690, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1625 hrs., 1161 sep hrs, #167773 ...............................................................................$199,900 4 JD S760, 2018, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Dls, 586 hrs., 500 sep hrs, #163861..$289,500 6 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 267 hrs., 199 sep hrs, #169550 ......$443,400 1 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 580 hrs., 324 sep hrs, #157910$409,500 15 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 684 hrs., 533 sep hrs, #165090$394,900 15 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 545 hrs., 383 sep hrs, #171851$394,900 16 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 417 hrs., 294 sep hrs, #169509$429,500 16 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 350 hrs., 234 sep hrs, #171003$429,500 16 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 448 hrs., 307 sep hrs, #169507$429,500 16 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 439 hrs., 300 sep hrs, #169508$429,500 11 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 457 hrs., 324 sep hrs, #154461$409,500 8 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 725 hrs., 550 sep hrs, #171563$399,000 14 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 744 hrs., 524 sep hrs, #171380$399,400 14 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 859 hrs., 615 sep hrs, #171105$399,400 14 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 539 hrs., 388 sep hrs, #171379$435,900 14 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 698 hrs., 533 sep hrs, #171103......$404,400 14 JD S790, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Dls, 612 hrs., 405 sep hrs, #171378$441,400 TRACK TRACTORS 17 Case IH 500 Quadtrac, 2012, Guidance-ready, 1998 hrs., #167065 .$199,500 7 JD 9560RT, 2013, 760mm/30-inch tracks, 1925 hrs., #168766............$244,900 16 JD 9560RT, 2014, 36-inch tracks, 3788 hrs., #172172 ..........................$184,900 17 JD 9570RT, 2015, 36-inch tracks, 1425 hrs., #172411 ..........................$309,500 15 JD 9570RT, 2017, 36-inch tracks, 1904 hrs., #172163 ..........................$279,500 5 JD 9570RT, 2018, 36-inch tracks, 472 hrs., #169841............................$399,500 15 JD 9620RX, 2019, 36-inch tracks, 674 hrs., #171248 ............................$469,500 15 JD 9620RX, 2019, 36-inch tracks, PTO, 724 hrs., #171249 ....................$459,500 16 JD 9620RX, 2018, 36-inch tracks, 608 hrs., #165246 ............................$449,500 16 JD 9620RX, 2019, 36-inch tracks, 700 hrs., #169237 ............................$459,500 16 JD 9620RX, 2019, 36-inch tracks, 1029 hrs., #169240 ..........................$459,500 16 JD 9620RX, 2019, 36-inch tracks, 700 hrs., #169238 ............................$459,500 16 JD 9620RX, 2019, 36-inch tracks, 1062 hrs., #169239 ..........................$459,500 7 JD 9630T, 2011, 36-inch tracks, 4799 hrs., #167779 .............................$139,500 5 Case IH Steiger 600 Quadtrac, 2013, 760mm/30-inch tracks, 3150 hrs., #171910.....................................................................................$209,000
CALL TODAY! (320)365-1653 (12) = AITKIN 1120 2nd St. NW
(10) = LITTLE FALLS (13) = BAXTER (11) = WADENA 62505 US Hwy. 10
7045 Foley Rd.
(14) = ELBOW LAKE
(16) = BENSON
(15) = MORRIS
(17) = MADISON
110 2nd St. NE
23604 State Hwy. 9
380 Atlantic Ave. 516 1st St. E
SEE OUR COMPLETE INVENTORY WITH PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS AT: www.mmcjd.com
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
ConƟnued from HUNEKES | Page 20
Start planning for tomorrow, today. 0
% FINANCING FOR UP
72 MONTHS*
TO
3 MONTH DEFERRAL ON CONTRACTS UP TO 60 MONTHS* KRISTA KUZMA/ DAIRY STAR
Marc Huneke checks the acƟvity level of his family’s herd from an app on his phone at the dairy near Goodhue, Minnesota.
It also seems easier for our cows to settle well to beef semen. Because we are using so much beef, we don’t have many problems. How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? It depends on each cow. It could be seven or eight times as long as she is milking above about 60 pounds; however, if there are other issues such as a high somatic cell count, past mastitis cases or other injuries, in addition to being open, we are willing to cull her even if she is milking well.
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Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Kramer Bros. Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United-Suckow Dairy Supply West Union, IA 563-422-5355 Postville, IA 563-864-7417 WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713
Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Mondovi Dairy Systems Inc. Mondovi, WI 715-926-5777
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West Salem, WI 608-769-2113
*0% interest for up to 72 months, DeLaval equipment only and restrictions may apply, on approved credit and minimum deal amount of $25,000 is required to qualify. Lease option may include a residual to be paid in order to obtain full ownership at the end of the term. Subject to special conditions’ that may cease at any time. is a registered trademark of Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. and “DeLaval” is a registered trade/servicemark of DeLaval Holding AB © 2020 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. www.delaval.com
Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? The rst big change we saw was six years ago when we started breeding about 25% of our herd to beef. It pushed our herd’s average pregnancy rate over 30%. This also reduced semen cost and lowered our heifer expenses because we were not raising an excess of heifers. When we put the activity monitor system in last year for the cows and in 2018 for the heifers, the pregnancy rate skyrocketed. It has helped us a lot. Tell us about your farm. In addition to our 250cow herd, we run 650 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa on owned and rented land. Marc and Micah are the third generation on the farm, and are working on the transition to ownership from Paul. We raise our heifers and feed out all our beef-dairy crossed animals. Our farm hosted a drive-thru dairy experience in June in place of the county’s usual breakfast on the farm.
DAIRY ST★R
is published the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Advertising and news deadline is 5 p.m. the Friday before publication. 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378 • Fax (320) 352-5647
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Dana Berreau
507-879-3593 / 800-821-7092 Box 116, Lake Wilson, MN 56151
Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 23
Orange City native named Iowa Dairy Princess Hettinga, Engelken crowned royalty By Andrea Borgerding andrea.b@dairystar.com
ANKENY, Iowa – It was not the usual time or place for the Iowa Dairy Princess coronation. Never the less, eight candidates stood on stage anxiously waiting to see who would be crowned the 67th Iowa Dairy Princess in an afternoon ceremony Aug. 6 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Ankeny. By the end of the ceremony, Meghan Hettinga, 20, was crowned Iowa Dairy Princess while Amber Engelken, 18, was named Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess. Hettinga, representing the Iowa Jersey Cattle Club, is the daughter of Jason and Mary Hettinga, who milk 130 Jerseys near Orange City. Engelken, representing the Iowa Holstein Association, is the daughter of Tom and Cherrie Engelken, who milk 220 Holsteins near Earlville. Their ofcial reign begins Sept. 1. “I am so incredibly honored,” Hettinga said. “I cannot wait for all the opportunities to represent Iowa dairy farmers and connect with consumers from across the state.” Engelken said she was shocked to hear her name. Turn to ROYALTY | Page 25
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Iowa Dairy Princess royalty – (from leŌ) Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess Amber Engelken and Iowa Dairy Princess Meghan Heƫnga – stand together aŌer being crowned during coronaƟon Aug. 6 in Ankeny, Iowa.
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(2) ‘13 N-H T9.615, 900 Hrs, Auto Steer, Cab Suspension ................................Starting at $199,000 ‘02 N-H TM-150, MFD, Cab, Electrical Issues ........$16,500 ‘18 N-H T5.100, MFD, Cab , Loader, 625 Hours .....$61,500 ‘70 Ford 8000, Loader, Diesel ...................................$7,500 ‘79 Ford 3600 Ind, 4400 Hours, Diesel .....................$5,500 ‘54 J-D 40, Restored ................................................$4,950 ‘48 J-D B ..................................................................$1,500 A-C 8010, MFD, 6230 Hours ..................................$19,900 ‘72 I-H 354 ...............................................................$3,999 ‘57 I-H 350 ...............................................................$3,950
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‘15 5600 Toolcat, Road Package, 2675 Hours ...$32,500.00 ‘13 T-770, Glass Cab with A/C, 3450 Hours ......$37,500.00 ‘11 T-650, Glass Cab with A/C, 4900 Hours ......$29,700.00 ‘10 T-630, Glass Cab & Heater, 5300 Hours ......$19,500.00 ‘14 T-590, Glass Cab with A/C, 4100 Hours ......$27,900.00 ‘12 S-770, Glass Cab w/A/C, 2 Speed, 5300 Hrs$28,900.00 ‘15 S-750, Glass Cab with A/C, 2 Speed, 875 Hrs ..$32,900 (3) S-650, Glass Cab w/A/C, 2 Speed, 3000 Hrs & up.....................................Starting at $28,000 (3) S-590, Glass Cab with A/C, 2 Speed, 2600 Hours & Up ................................Starting at $18,900 ‘18 S-570, Glass Cab with A/C, 2 Spd, 320 Hrs ......$35,900 ‘16 S-510, Glass Cab & Heater, 2 Spd, 2100 Hrs ...$23,500 (2) S-300, Glass Cab with A/C, 2 Spd, 5600 Hrs ....$18,500 ‘02 S-185, Glass Cab & Heater, 2050 Hours...........$18,500 1999 863, Glass Cab & Heater, 1059 Hours ...........$20,000 ‘18 Cat 242D, Glass Cab with A/C, 2 Spd, 980 Hrs .$33,900 ‘17 J-D 323E, Glass Cab with A/C, 2650 Hrs ..........$38,900 ‘17 J-D 326E, Glass Cab with A/C, 2500 Hrs ..........$29,900 ‘05 J-D 332, Glass Cab with A/C, 1300 Hrs ............$29,900 Warrior Log Spliter ...................................................$1,999
Many used & new skidloaders ON HAND
USED TILLAGE
‘04 J-D 2210, 45.5’, 3 Bar Spring Tine Harrow.............$19,500 ‘12 W-R 513 Soil Pro, 11 Shank, Folding Frame ..........$39,500 ‘13 W-R 513 Soil Pro, 7 Shank, Used Very Little..........$33,500 White 588, 4 Bottom, Coulters .......................................$1,250 ‘04 J-D 2700, 9 Shank Disc Ripper ..............................$12,500
Used Planters
‘97 White 6242, 12x30-13/15, Liquid Fert ....................$17,900 (2) ‘94 White 6100 12x30, Verticle Fold ..... Starting at $10,500
Used Hay Equipment
‘99 N-H HW-320, 2300 14’ Header, 1600 Hours.....$24,500 (2) N-H FP-240, Crop Processor ...........Starting at $12,500 Meyer 4120, 20’ Rear Unload Box and Wagon .......$10,900 Gehl 970 Box and wagon..........................................$2,950 ‘14 N-H BB-330P Large Square, 3792 Bales Only ..$69,500 ‘02 N-H BB-940 Large Square, Packer Cutter .........$24,500 (2) 2016 N-H 560 Rd Baler, Net Wrap ...Starting at $28,900 ‘09 N-H BR-7080 Rd Baler, Twine.............................$9,900 ‘06 N-H BR-780A Rd Baler, Twine & Netwrap.........$14,000 ‘00 N-H 678 Rd Baler, Twine Only.............................$8,950 ‘01 Vermeer 605XL Rd Baler, Netwrap .....................$8,950 ‘98 J-D 466 Rd Baler ................................................$6,250 N-H 269 Baler with Hitch and Chute .........................$1,250 ‘82 J-D 327 Baler w/kicker .......................................$4,950 ‘16 H&S BW1000 In-Line Wrapper ........................$19,400 N-H 258 Rake ...........................................................$3,950 ‘20 Rossi G2V 310 2 rotor tedder .............................$2,250
USED MISC
‘12 N-H 195 Spreader.............................................$11,950 N-H 185 Spreader ....................................................$3,950 ‘17 H & S 3127 Spreader .........................................$6,950 ‘08 Red Ball 1000 Gallon Sprayer, 60’ Boom ...........$9,950 ‘11 Demco 850 Grain Cart, Tarp .............................$23,500
Equipment of Norwood LANO A family business since 1946 with the Lanos: Jack, Paul, Bob and Andy 952-467-2181
Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
Congratulations to the new Iowa Dairy Royalty
Meghan Hettinga & Amber Engelken Best Wishes to the 2020-21 Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess Amber Engelken. She is the daughter of Tom and Cherrie Engelken of Earlville.
Congratulations to the new 2020-21 Iowa Dairy Princess Meghan Hettinga. She is the daughter of Jason and Mary Hettinga of Orange City.
THESE BUSINESSES WISH MEGHAN & AMBER THE VERY BEST DURING THEIR REIGN... Congratulations to
Meghan Hettinga
De
t e d Fa r m
ers
for being named the Iowa Dairy Princess. ap
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dica
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• www.obci.net
Processing facilities in Hull, IA; Lake Norden, SD; Le Sueur, MN
py
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111 Country Club Rd. Sheldon, IA
C ow s
Re al
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Congrats Meghan!
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Congrats Meghan! IOWA JERSEY CATTLE CLUB Jeff Holz 563-652-4480
Sioux Center Ireton • Boyden
Pete Knipper
(563) 590-4824
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Congratulations
Amber Englken!
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16243 162nd Ave. | Monticello, IA 52310
Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 25
ConƟnued from ROYALTY | Page 23 “I knew that everyone’s name could have been called and would have been a great Iowa Dairy Princess alternate,” Engelken said. “However, once I got over the initial shock that it was me, I was very excited and thankful.” For her yearlong reign, Hettinga wants to emphasize the message that dairy farmers work tirelessly to provide a nutritious and safe product for consumers. “At my family’s farm, my dad likes to say our motto is, ‘Calm, clean, comfortable cows make more milk,’ and it’s true,” Hettinga said. “Sharing all the practices we use to take care of our animals and how they benet the cow can help consumers understand why we do what we do.” Hettinga said she enjoys making a connection with people. Doing so allows her to share her passion for the dairy industry. “I love to talk to people who know very little about the industry because that provides an excellent opportunity to share my experiences with dairy,” Hettinga said. Being Iowa Dairy Princess will give Hettinga a larger platform to share her dairy story. She said she plans to be open, honest and friendly to everyone she meets. “When I bring those attributes to every encounter I will have over the next year, I will be a much more effective advocate,” Hettinga said. Hettinga is a student at South Dakota State University where she is majoring in dairy production with a minor in communications. When she is home, Hettinga helps with milking, breeding, feeding calves and any other projects on the farm. “My mom says on our farm, princesses still do chores,” Hettinga said. While serving as Iowa Dairy Princess, Hettinga plans to use all of her experience on the farm in talking with consumers. “I know rst-hand what it is like to milk cows, taking care of sick animals and caring for newborn calves,” Hettin-
ga said. “Those experiences might not seem all that special to us who work in the ag industry, but only 2% of the nation’s population works in agriculture. Sharing those stories with the other 98% will help them to understand our way of life a little better.” Hettinga realizes her reign will be more challenging because of limitations brought on by the pandemic. But Hettinga said she is already getting ideas for content in social media posts for her Iowa Dairy Princess Facebook page. “One of the greatest pieces of advocacy advice I’ve ever received is to meet them where they are,” Hettinga said. “If the consumer is online, then that’s where I need to be advocating for dairy farmers.” Engelken also wants to use her experience from her family’s farm to connect with people.
“I have a vast amount of knowledge and stories about all aspects of dairy farming which makes people trust me more since they can connect to reallife experiences,” Engelken said. Engelken is involved in daily chores on her family farm including milking, treating cows and co-managing the breeding program. She mostly focuses on her own small herd of cattle. She will be a student majoring in dairy science at Iowa State University this fall. In her role, Engelken wants to relay to consumers that dairy farmers work hard to ensure their cows have the best quality care while taking care of the environment all to produce the best product possible. Engelken hopes to share this message through making connections with consumers. “I love being able to learn about ev-
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eryone’s story,” Engelken said. “Making connections is an easy way to share your story, but in order to do this you get to learn about parts of their story too. It’s really cool to see what things you have in common.” Social media will be Engelken’s main tool in connecting with people during her reign. She is looking forward to potentially reach more people on various social media platforms versus in person. “As we learn more about the coronavirus, I’m hoping we can nd more ways to meet people in person without putting anyone in danger,” Engelken said. Whether face-to-face or virtual during the next year, Hettinga and Engelken are excited to represent the dairy farmers in their state as Iowa Dairy Princess and Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess.
ON
THESE BUSINESSES WISH MEGHAN & AMBER THE VERY BEST DURING THEIR REIGN...
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Iowa Dairy Princess royalty – (from leŌ) outgoing Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess Faith Palmer, Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess Amber Engelken, Iowa Dairy Princess Meghan Heƫnga and outgoing Iowa Dairy Princess Julie Hammerand – stand together aŌer coronaƟon Aug. 6 in Ankeny, Iowa.
Bellevue, IA
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
USDA announces more eligible commodities for CFAP
The United States Department of Agriculture announced that additional commodities are covered by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program in response to public comments and data. Additionally, the USDA is extending the deadline to apply for the program to Sept. 11, and producers with approved applications will FSA News & Notes receive their nal payment. After reviewing over 1,700 responses, even more farmers and ranchers will have the opportunity for assistance to help keep operations aoat during these tough times. USDA collected comments and supporting data for consideration of additional commodities By Ryan Brunn through June 22. The following additional Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. commodities are now eligible for CFAP: – Specialty crops: aloe leaf, banana, batata, bok choy, carambola (star fruit), cherimoya, chervil (French parsley), citron, curry leaf, daikon, date, dill, donqua (winter melon), dragon fruit (red pitaya), endive, escarole, lbert, frisee, horseradish, kohlrabi, kumquat, leek, mamey sapote, maple sap (for maple syrup), mesculin mix, microgreen, nectarine, parsley, persimmon, plantain, pomegranate, pummelo, pumpkin, rutabaga, shallot, tangelo, turnip/celeriac, turmeric, upland/winter cress, water cress, yautia/malanga and yuca/cassava. – Non-specialty crops and livestock: liquid egg, frozen egg and all sheep. Only lambs and yearlings (sheep less than 2 years old) were previously eligible. – Aquaculture: catsh, crawsh, largemouth bass and carp sold live as food sh, hybrid striped bass, red drum, salmon, sturgeon, tilapia, trout, ornamental/tropical sh and recreational sportsh. – Nursery crops and owers: nursery crops and cut owers. Seven commodities – green onion, pistachio, peppermint, spearmint, walnut and watermelon – are now eligible for CARES Act funding for sales losses. Originally, these commodities were only eligible for payments on marketing adjustments. Additional details can be found in the federal register in the notice of funding availability and nal rule correction and at www.farmers.gov/cfap. Producers who have applied To ensure availability of funding, producers with approved applications initially received 80% of their payments. The Farm Service Agency will automatically issue the remaining 20% of the calculated payment to eligible producers. Going forward, producers who apply for CFAP will receive 100% of their total payment, not to exceed the payment limit, when their applications are approved. Applying for CFAP Producers, especially those who have not worked with FSA previously, are recommended to call 877508-8364 to begin the application process. An FSA staff member can help producers start their application during the phone call. On www.farmers.gov/cfap, producers can download the AD-3114 application form and manually complete the form to submit to their local USDA Service Center by mail, electronically or by hand delivery to their local ofce or ofce drop box. Complete the application form using the CFAP application generator and payment calculator. This Excel workbook allows customers to input information specic to their operation to determine estimated payments and populate the application form, which can be printed, then signed and submitted to their local USDA Service Center. If producers have login credentials known as eAuthentication, they can use the online CFAP application portal to certify eligible commodities online, digitally sign applications and submit directly to the local USDA Service Center. All other eligibility forms, such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be downloaded from www.farmers.gov/cfap. For existing FSA customers, these documents are likely already on le. 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.
Listening to consumers to create dairy’s roadmap Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 27
As chairman of Midwest Dairy, I get an up-close look at how checkoff is working for us as farmers on a daily basis. From strategic food service partnerships that develop new menu items featuring dairy, to programs that help get milk to children and families who are hungry, to creative collaborations with retail partners, to campaigns that promote the health and nutrition beneďƒžts found in our products, Midwest Dairy is constantly working to bring people together to offer insights that help fuel innovation and increase demand. The third annual Dairy Experience Forum, which took place last month, is another By Allen Merrill example of an initiative that Midwest Dairy makes a strong, lasting impact Corporate Board each year, sparking big picture chairman ideas and posing tough questions, while invigorating us to keep collaborating and working toward our goals. Although the event looked a bit different this year as it went virtual, it once again offered engaging speakers and panel discussions. From farm to fridge, every part of the dairy supply chain was represented, providing an all-encompassing view of the successes, challenges and opportunities for dairy. One component of the event I look forward to each year is the live consumer focus group. This time, due to the virtual format, the consumers who offered insights were more geographically diverse, participating from Georgia to Maryland and Iowa to Washington state. Each was incredibly insightful and helped us continue learning more about consumer behaviors and how shoppers enjoy dairy. Although it can be frustrating to hear they might not know as much as we would like them to about our on-farm practices, the only way we can help consumers learn more and meet their needs is by ďƒžrst ďƒžnding out how and why they make their purchasing decisions. Often, their answers create challenges for us. However, if we do not know what the end destination needs to be, we will never be able to draw a map to get there. The event also highlighted the role COVID-19 is playing when it comes to consumer trends. The adaptation of shopping for groceries online has exponentially grown and will likely be here to stay. At the forum, we learned online dairy shoppers are not motivated by the same elements as in-store dairy shoppers, and 70% of those who began purchasing dairy online during COVID-19 say they will continue to do so. This provides a unique opportunity to connect
with e-commerce consumers in new ways, share our stories and encourage them to continue buying dairy in this convenient, safe manner. We also learned there have certainly been some bright spots with dairy amidst this challenging time. As the pandemic has unfolded, people have turned to foods they know and enjoy. Dairy ďƒžts perfectly here, delivering on taste, nutrition and a feeling of familiarity. In the two weeks following the ďƒžrst reported case of COVID-19 in the United States, e-commerce dairy sales spiked 113%, compared to sales during that same time last year. By one month later, e-commerce sales had increased to 209% compared to 2019. As of July 26, dairy dollar sales in the United States were up 15.2% year-to-date in 2020, outperforming total store growth of 11.7% year-to-date. All these ďƒžndings draw attention to the tremendous opportunity for short- and long-term industry growth,
so now we need to get to work. Following the Dairy Experience Forum, I am ready to do just that. I am inspired to keep collaborating with members of the dairy community to continue driving demand. I am also grateful for an event like this that pushes all of us outside of our comfort zones to truly connect and think about how to overcome the tough stuff. If you were unable to attend this year, I encourage you to listen to Midwest Dairy’s podcast, Dairy on the Air, where many of these discussions continue. It will take everyone throughout the supply chain to move forward together. No one is too small to participate, and we as farmers cannot do it alone. The forum has helped point us in the right direction, and we can continue working on our roadmap – as a collective dairy community – to help better tell our stories, meet the needs of consumers and give them an excellent dairy experience.
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 Joe Armstrong armst225@umn.edu 612.624.3610 Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130 Hugh Chester-Jones chest001@umn.edu 507-835-3622 Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184 Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391 Sandra Godden godde002@umn.edu 612-625-8177 Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu 612-626-5620 Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277 Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711 Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104 Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu 612-625-3108 Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334 Emily Krekelberg krek0033@umn.edu 507-280-2863 Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109 Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435 Erin Royster royster@umn.edu Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093 Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu 612-624-1205 M. Scott Wells mswells@umn.edu 612-625-3747
www.extension.umn.edu/dairy
Comparing electrical energy consumption on ve Midwest farms By Kirsten Sharpe and Brad Heins University of Minnesota
One of the biggest challenges we face today is how to feed the ever-growing population while producing our food in a manner that is environmentally, socially and economically viable. Consumers have become increasingly concerned about how their food is produced, where it is produced and in what manner it is produced. Food that is produced utilizing environmentally conscious methods is often sought after in grocery stores, and in response, the dairy industry as a whole has been focusing on sustainability down the production chain. Some dairy producers have been searching for methods to reduce fossil fuel-derived energy use on farm. This may be a challenge because producers only see their total energy use in the form of utility bills. Within that total use, producers may be unsure of where, specically, fossil fuel-derived energy is being consumed on farm. Baseline data on fossil fuel consumption within dairy production systems is scarce, and determining baseline energy use is the rst step in investigating opportunities for lowering a farm’s carbon footprint. The objective of this study was to measure total electricity use and determine specic areas of high energy consumption in Midwestern dairy farms.
inventory of cows on farm, cows milked per day and milk production was recorded. Bulk tank production records (milk, butterfat and protein) were also recorded.
What have we learned? Fans were the largest electrical load in Farm A and Farm B (Figure 1). Farm A also utilized a veterinary room that included a separate maternity calf area and a 16-stall single-sided milking parlor for fresh cows. The six robotic milking systems on Farm B averaged 13% of total electric use. The largest electrical use on Farm C was from electric water heaters and fans. Farm D had a manure composting system which supplied bedding for cows and used 34% of the total electricity. Lastly, Farm E had 37% electric use for milk cooling because of an electric heat pump which removed heat from the milk for storage into a hot water tank for cleaning purposes. For all farms, lighting was also a signicant user of total electricity. Annual electricity use per cow ranged from 400 kWh per cow on Farm E to 1,145 kWh per cow on Farm B. On a kWh per hundredweight basis, Farm C had the least electricity per cwt at 2.3 kWh while Farm A had the most electricity per cwt at 4.5 kWh. The higher electrical use to produce milk at Farm A was likely because the dry cows were housed in the cross-ventilated barn with the milking cows. About 11% were dry cows on Farm A, and those cows used electricity but did not produce any milk.
Monitoring equipment on farms Five dairy farms representative of typical Midwest dairy farms and located in Minnesota were evaluated for the study. The dairy Turn to ENERGY | Page 29 farms were: Farm A: a 9,500-cow cross-ventilated barn with a rotary milking parlor; Farm B: a 300-cow naturally-ventilated barn with stirring fans for air movement and six Lely automatic milking systems; Farm C: a 200-cow naturally-ventilated barn with stirring fans for air movement and a herringbone milking parlor; Farm D: a 400-cow naturally-ventilated barn with stirring fans for air movement and a parallel milking parlor; and Farm E: a 275-cow low-input and pasture based dairy with outdoor housing and a parabone milking parlor. Electricity use was monitored from July 2018 to December 2019. Across the ve farms, 302 electric components were monitored on the farm side of the electric utility meter to evaluate areas of highest energy usage. Some of the monitored electric loads included panel fans, water heaters, compressors, chillers and manure pumps. The electric loads were monitored by data loggers (eGauge, Boulder, Colorado) and electric current sensors at the circuit panels. Figure 1. Average monthly electricity use and the percentage used by each Electrical use data (kWh) of each load were collected electrical load category. The average monthly total electricity in kWh is disand analyzed on a monthly basis. In addition, monthly played at the top of each bar.
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Heat detection 101
Effective heat detection is an important management requirement for a successful articial insemination program. By knowing and recognizing the multiple signs of estrus as well as taking ample time to observe the animals, a successful breeding program will result. Estrus is the period of time during which the female is receptive to mounting and mating by the male. The primary sign of estrus is when the animal stands to be mounted. The average duration of estrus is eight to 12 hours. However, a high percentage of heats occur in the overnight or early morning hours. It is important to take time to observe all animals, both cows and heifers. Allowing 20 to 30 minutes for visual observation twice a day should be enough time to assure animals in heat the opportunity to be mounted. Studies have shown that cows in heat or in pre-estrus will By Brenda Miller tend to congregate in groups showing a preference for spots U of M Extension where they have access to good footing surfaces. The individuals in active heat will be the center of attention, either standing to be mounted or chasing others trying to ride them. More mounts will be observed on dry, softer surfaces for longer periods of time than wet, slippery areas. Cows tend to show better mounts in freestall barns that use sand for bedding as the sand provides a more secure footing surface for their hooves. Signs to look for if a cow has been mounted are dirty anks and mussed up or rubbed off hair on the tail head. If you use a heat detection aid such as tail paint, chalk or patch, it is activated or gone. Cows in active heat will often walk signicantly more than they would during other times during their reproductive cycle. Farms who have activity collars or pedometers on their cows can see which cows the software has agged for high activity, go out to the pen to observe that cow and check for secondary signs of heat. Even cows in tiestalls or stanchion barns will be more active. They may get up and down and shift around in their stalls more often than normal. Bellowing is another prominent indicator of estrus. If a cow is content, she is usually quiet so if a cow is bellowing in the barn and is not injured, there is a pretty good chance she is in heat. Additional signs of estrus may include: nervous/excitable, chin rubbing, holding milk, clear mucous discharge, red/swollen vulva and bleed off. Sometimes a cow will bleed off with little to no other signs of estrus. In that case, it is especially important to write that down and keep an eye on her 18 to 21 days from the date of bleed off. Record keeping of all reproductive events for every cow and heifer will go a long way for overall reproductive management of the herd. This includes: all heats, bleed offs, synchronizations, breedings, pregnancy checks, calvings and any issues such as cystic ovaries or a history of multiple births. Regardless of which kind of identication system is used (eartags, brands, neck collars/tags, etc.), positive ID of the animal in heat is a must. Record all heats observed, even those early heats during the voluntary waiting period. These heats provide benchmarks to determine when cows should be coming in heat again. Write down or make a note in your phone as to who is in heat so you can come back to breed her if she is eligible to be bred. Once she is serviced, you can predict when she should come back in heat if she fails to conceive. Tail paint or chalk and patches are the most common heat detection aids and are economical. Some farms use tail paint or chalk to write the date bred on the cow’s rump. This is an easy and fast way to see her repro status especially if she is exhibiting signs of estrus at an unusual day during her cycle. This may be an indicator that she is cystic. If a cow never shows signs of heat, this could also be a sign that there are cysts present on her ovaries. Heat detection plays a crucial role in synchronization protocols depending upon the protocol. Heat detection aids can come in handy during this time as they can be applied when giving shots. Heat detection is important for herd reproduction management. By knowing and recognizing the signs of estrus, taking the time to observe the animals, positive identication of the animal and recording all heats will set your farm up for success.
Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 29
The Benton County American Dairy Association would like to thank the area communities for supporting the dairy farmers.
2020 Dairy Princesses Allie Ackerman, Emily Schreindl and Chloe Janski
See you at the fair next year!
WE DIG DIRT
ConƟnued from ENERGY | Page 28 Future direction Regular fan maintenance, proper fan control settings, location of fans and energy efcient motors all could inuence the efciency of ventilation systems. Farms A and B did not have variable frequency drives installed on any of their fans. Variable frequency drives, fan staging and thermostatic controls are all opportunities for producers to help them reduce electrical consumption as well as save money. Variable frequency drives on fans also reduce the amplitude of variations in air temperature and humidity in the barn. Lighting use ranged from 7% to 19% of the total electricity use measured across the farms which suggests there is potential to reduce energy usage by upgrading to more efcient lighting systems such as LEDs. Other options for producers to investigate are renewable energy systems such as solar photovoltaic or small-scale wind turbines. Renewable energy generation onfarm is one way to reduce reliance on fossil fuel-derived electricity while providing the farm revenue and decreasing electric costs. Using an agrivoltaic system, which is the integration of solar photovoltaics and agriculture, could increase land efciency up to 75%. Potential on-site renewable electric generation could also supply some or the entire electric load, allowing farms to approach net-zero (producing as much energy as is used). The results of this study provide recent energy usage for farm energy benchmarks, agricultural energy policy, economic evaluations and further research into dairy farm energy studies. The data will also be useful to producers who are searching for areas for reduced energy usage in their own production systems. Improving the efciency of electrical components in dairy operations could provide opportunities to improve the carbon footprint of dairy production systems. The funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
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Rural free delivery Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
There are many things the government does impersonation while wearing a pair of worn-out red poorly, but there are also some things that it does quite Keds. well. One of the best things the government has ever After a judicious amount of begging, Mom’s done was to institute rural free delivery. defenses were worn down, and she lled out the order When I was a kid, the United States Postal Service form in the catalogue. I went with her to our mailbox formed a critical connection between our little dairy and watched her deposit the envelope and raise the farm and the outside world. little ag. She told me the It was similar to the internet, mailman would pick up our The USPS taught h me many only slower and in printed Th letter and would later bring form. valuable lessons over the years. my newTheboots. The USPS taught me trouble was I many valuable lessons over thought she meant later that the years. The virtue of day. patience would be a prime example. Every morning from then on, I watched for the I remember being about 6 years old and poring mailman’s arrival. It got so that I knew when to expect over pages of a J.C. Penney catalogue and longing for his daily visits. I would become worried about him if a particular pair of black cowboy boots. This was not he was even a few minutes late. because I was a fashion maven. It was mostly because Time passed, and I began to wonder if the folks it is impossible to pull off a convincing Lone Ranger at Penney had forgotten about my boots. I began to
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suspect, that upon receiving my order, they had gone out and skinned a cow and were just beginning the process of tanning the leather that would eventually become my new footwear. It was actually somewhat of an Dear County Agent Guy anticlimax when the box containing my new boots nally arrived. So it was that the Postal Service taught me one of life’s most fundamental truths: The having often isn’t nearly as enjoyable as the wanting. Another practical lesson the USPS delivered to our house By Jerry Nelson concerned values. Specically, the value of Columnist junk. George McGovern was our United States Senator when my youngest sister, Kathy, was a toddler. From time to time, our daily mail would bring a mimeographed newsletter from George. Most folks would have tossed such a thing aside as so much junk, but not Dad. Dad began to give the newsletters to Kathy, telling her they were from her friend, George. She would always be overjoyed at this news. Kathy was delighted to have a pen pal even though she had not yet learned to read or write. Sometimes Dad would surreptitiously open George’s missive and tape a nickel to the letter. He would then re-seal the envelope and present it to Kathy. Kathy would be thrilled to receive this unexpected windfall and would scurry off to Dad to share the glad tidings. Dad would hold Kathy on his lap and read the letter aloud, saying that her pal, George, had sent her this nickel with strict orders that she use the cash to buy herself a candy bar. Kathy was too young to understand it back then, but she was already learning how politics works. And so, the USPS taught us yet another lesson: Junk is not necessarily junk if you can nd a good use for it. How things have changed since that innocent, bygone era. These days, we demand instant everything and live in a disposable world. Patience is for chumps. We are using our car horns more and our brakes less as we scurry through our man-made maze of urgent projects and piles of fast food plastic. Perhaps the low point of our consumeristic, sameday delivery society was hit a few years ago when a young man in the Twin Cities married a young woman he had not even met. The event took place at a major shopping center, of course. This instant, choose-a-mate-by-committee wedding was about as romantic as selecting a set of cookware: no courtship, no wooing, just a few mouse clicks and thank you Mall of America. I do not know. Maybe that wedding was a form of poetic justice. Anyone who is willing to marry a complete stranger at a shopping mall is probably getting exactly what he or she deserves. I hope they both saved their receipts. And yet, I cannot help but wonder: Wouldn’t the whole thing have been much more alluring if the groom had been forced to wait for the mailman to deliver a bride that had been ordered from a catalogue? Jerry is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, South Dakota. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry currently works full time for the Dairy Star as a staff writer/ad salesman. Feel free to E-mail him at: jerry.n@ dairystar.com.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 31
Normal spring planting, combined with plenty of heat and moisture, means corn silage harvest is only days away for some. With a great-looking crop, this may be an opportunity to replenish corn silage inventory. Of Something to Ruminate On course, that is not the case for everyone as some areas across the Midwest would not call this an ideal crop year as planting was delayed, too much or too little moisture was received, or storm damage occurred. A few strategies can help you determine when to hit the elds By Barry Visser and how to put up the Nutritionist highest-quality forage possible. Know your prime time to harvest Temperature affects crop growth and development. Accumulation of heat during the growing season can be used as a predictor of plant developmental progress. Growing degree days is a calculation to express this heat accumulation. The GDD equation utilizes maximum and minimum daily air temperature to determine the average daily temperature and subtracts a base temperature of 50 degrees. Upper and lower limits of 50 to 86 degrees are used because corn growth rate is near zero at 50 degrees and growth rates do not increase above 86 degrees. For the 2020 growing season, cooler temperatures in May held us below the historic average early in the season. We moved ahead of our historic average in early June and have remained several degrees above for the season. Note tasseling dates of elds. Silage harvest usually begins 42 to 47 days after tasseling; however, this is dependent on several factors, such as rainfall,
A ffew strategies i can h help l you determine when to hit the fields and how to put up the highest-quality forage possible. temperature, corn hybrid and fertility. As harvest nears, monitor whole-plant moisture for a more accurate harvest date. Collect some representative stalks (manually or mechanically) and dry them to obtain a whole-plant dry matter. The rate of dry down is typically one-half to 1 percentage point per day. Identifying and achieving harvest goals has huge production and performance implications along with economic impacts on your dairy. Corn silage must be ensiled at optimum DM to maximize packing density and fermentation. For bunkers and piles, the optimal DM range is 30% to 35%. Bags are similar but may tolerate corn silage put up a couple points drier. Dial in your harvest equipment Kernel processing is critical, especially as DM and milk line progress. Pre-harvest is a good time to check the processing roll condition and gap setting. Roll gap clearances are generally
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measured in millimeters with a normal opening of 1 to 4 millimeters. This setting is dependent on kernel maturity, hardness and size. Settings ideal for harvest in previous years may be signicantly different for the current crop. Once the chopper is rolling, evaluate kernel processing and adjust accordingly. The rst method is to ll a 32-ounce cup with corn silage before ensiling. Spread it on a at surface. You should see no whole or undamaged kernels. The second option it to use a bucket of water. Place a couple handfuls of corn silage in the bucket, skim off the oating plant material, pour off the water and evaluate the corn particles that remain in the bucket. Theoretical length of cut determinations for corn silage are dependent on factors such as harvest
DM, percentage of ration contribution and storage structure. Typical TLOC ranges from ve-eighths to 1 inch (16 to 25 millimeters). As DM increases, considerations need to be made to shorten the TLOC. Packing densities less than 15 pounds per cubic foot are subject to a DM loss of greater than 15%. Know your packing tractor weight and ll rate to help you achieve adequate density. Quickly cover bunkers or piles with an oxygen barrier plastic to prevent spoilage. Finally, and most importantly, be safe. Corn silage harvest brings an increase in machinery trafc and long hours. Make safety your top goal this corn silage season. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
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The sands of time Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
“Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days Summer is usually marked by graduation parties, of our lives.� weddings, county fairs, annual family reunions and This is the iconic opening line to the long running closes out with the state fair. How will we know soap opera, “Days of our Lives.� I never watched this summer has ended without a state fair this year? show but have always been Without a fair, intrigued by the opening we have missed a great Without h all ll the h usuall markers k line. The dulcimer tones of Wi opportunity to talk with the narrator’s voice would of summer’s progression, we and teach others about life capture your attention as on our farms. I am sure the you tried to focus on the can find other signs that Princess Kay butterheads sand shifting through the summer is coming have loved to have g to a close. would hourglass marking the been in the butter booth movement of time. The sand surrounded by hundreds travels through the narrow of spectators, but they neck of the hourglass at a consistent pace, running are making the best of the situation. Hats off to the the course of time. We all mark time in one way or PK program for adapting to the current situation by another, mechanical or natural. We can use clocks, highlighting the ingenuity of farmers to get a job watches and calendars or by seasons and events. done regardless of obstacles. The virtual coronation
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and carvings are capturing the imagination of curious consumers. We are able to get out our message about the importance of dairy in a balanced diet. We sometimes forget that the Princess Kay program is not about the state fair but is the starting point to reaching the most people in a single event. The state fair also Just Thinking Out Loud gave our children the opportunity to reach out and teach people walking through the barns. The cutest calf or the calmest cow were always tied closest to the aisle for strangers to reach out and touch as our kids told their story about the animal and how we care for them. By Natalie Schmitt While people will not be Columnist walking down the barn aisles this year, some farmers have opened up their farms through virtual tours, giving consumers a new way to connect with their food and where it comes from. While we are talking about promoting dairy, I have to say it is about time. When the coronavirus started affecting daily life, Mark started complaining about the lack of ďƒ&#x;uid milk advertising. Here was a time when consumers were searching for nutritional information, trying to develop healthy meals, and it seemed the dairy industry was nowhere to be seen. He would lament, “Whatever happened to the ‘Got milk?’ ads?â€? Someone must have heard him. They are bringing back the campaign with checkoff dollars. I am so excited to see the new campaign. I remember taking a picture of Katie dressed up as a princess reading her fairy tale book with a milk mustache for a contest years ago. I hope they have another contest. I have couple of cute grandkids who love to drink milk. While it would have been fun to be at the fair, sitting along the rail, watching the show, what I probably have missed the most is our county fair. I missed eating at the 4-H lunch stand and catching up with 4-H family friends. Even with the kids graduating from 4-H years ago, we like to catch the 4-H dairy show and enjoy an ADA chocolate mint malt. County fair week marked the halfway point of our summers. It reminded us we needed to round up a baling crew to unload racks of straw and third crop hay bales. It pushed us to start looking at the corn silage crop and getting equipment ready for harvest. The county fairs reminded us how quickly the sands of summer were shifting through the hourglass of time. Without all the usual markers of summer’s progression, we can ďƒžnd other signs that summer is coming to a close. The dull maroon of the blaze maple trees is starting to turn more brilliant as the temperatures start to drop. The stash of sweatshirts strewn around the barn signals the crisp morning air of a new day. The ďƒžrst bites into a crisp Zestar apple or a handful of cherry tomatoes as a quick breakfast snack after all the cows are milked remind us fall is coming. Time is inevitable; all the sand will eventually pass through the narrow neck of the hourglass ďƒžlling the bottom bulb. And, then we will ďƒ&#x;ip it over and start marking a new season because time is constantly ďƒ&#x;owing as sand through the hourglass. Natalie, Mark and his brother Al, farm together near Rice, Minnesota. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA preďƒžx. Their four children are grown up and all involved in agriculture with hopes of someone returning to the farm. For questions or comments, please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.
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August angst
Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 33
Available at Madison Location
It’s that time of year again. The kids and I are sorting through their clothes and shoes to nd ones that t – I swear every child has grown a foot since March. We’re collecting school supplies and lling backpacks – this year with masks, too. This back-to-school season is when my love-hate relationship with school hits its peak. I loved school as a kid. I love that my kids love Dairy Good Life going to school. I love hearing about what they’ve learned and what they did with their friends. I love seeing them participate in all of the extra-curricular activities that go along with school. This fall, especially, I love that they’re actually going back to school instead of starting another season of distance learning. Monika and Daphne will go to school every day; Dan will go to school two days a week and do online learning three days a week. The hate part of my love-hate quandary is the darn schedule. By Sadie Frericks Dairy farming and parenting school-age chilColumnist dren just don’t mix. I’ve tried every chore schedule possible, but morning wake-up and evening activities/homework/supper/bedtime always overlap with morning chores and evening chores. The pull on my time – and the constant feeling that being a good mom competes with being a good farmer – is the cause of considerable unrest. I’ve never been a mom who enforces a strict bedtime. When the kids were babies and toddlers, there was no set bedtime. When chores were done, we went to bed. If chores took longer than usual, the kids would doze off in their strollers or on straw bales in the manger. We’d carry them to the house, change them into their pajamas, and tuck them into their beds. Those unscheduled years were wonderful and exactly opposite of the race-the-clock bedtime pressure I experience now. Likewise, the kids never had a set wake-up time. One of the best parts of farming was that I never had to wake kids up and get them dressed/fed/out the door before I could go to work. I absolutely loved letting them sleep until their own little internal clocks told them to wake up. I strongly believe in the importance of ample sleep, particularly for growing kids. I’m pretty sure all the growing our kids have done since March is due to actually getting enough sleep. Now that all the kids are in school, we [try to] stick to set sleep schedules during the school year. But, come summer, we revert back to an unscheduled life. The kids help with evening chores until evening chores are done. In the mornings, they sleep until their internal clocks roll them out of bed or I get done with morning chores and roll them out of bed, whichever comes rst. The downside of this unscheduling is August. Every year, August feels like a war between the schedule in our own little world and the schedule followed by the rest of the world. This year, we’ve had not three, but ve-and-aWhen school Wh h l starts, I kknow half, months of unscheduled the number of hours the kids bliss. Which makes back-toschool and converting back spend in the barn will be to school-time wake-ups and drastically slashed. bedtimes twice as dreadful. We’re nearly two weeks into my bedtime adjustment plan and I feel like my attempts are not moving bedtimes and wake-up times at all. I probably should have allowed for a longer adjustment period. The challenge would be smaller if school didn’t start so darn early. With a teenager and an almost-teenager in the house, I am acutely aware that teenagers’ biological rhythms absolutely do not align with schools’ 8 a.m. start. The other piece of my angst, which seems to grow with each passing August, is that back-to-school means losing our extra farm help. Dan and Monika have become considerable contributors in the daily tackling of the workload. Glen and I have been spoiled by their help. When school starts, I know the number of hours the kids spend in the barn will be drastically slashed. And with the sudden loss of help, it will feel like we’re scrambling for a while as we re-shufe schedules to cover all the milkings and other chores. But, like we always do when faced with challenges, we’ll gure it out. Sometime in September we’ll start to feel more settled and the angst of August will sleep again until 2021. 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, August 22, 2020
Healthy meals made on a dime
Dieball grows produce to last all year By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
GREEN ISLE, Minn. – On a busy winter night when the Dieball family has chores to nish and school activities to attend, a quick dinner made from canned produce and meat from the farm is a healthy choice for this family on the go. “We eat everything we produce,” Wendy Dieball said. “It’s such a good feeling to be able to grab a jar from the basement and make supper.” Dieball grows produce in a garden measuring 50 feet by 70 feet on her family’s 200-cow dairy farm in Sibley County near Green Isle. Every year, she prepares the fruits and vegetables for
fresh consumption or preserves them to enjoy later in the year. The garden includes onions, potatoes, carrots, green peppers, squash, cucumbers, green beans, watermelon and cantaloupe. Dieball also tends to two cow waterers that are used to grow peas, beets and radishes. “I’ve always had a big garden,” Dieball said. “I started with totes in 2000 when Jim and I got married and it’s turned into this. Every year it grows.” The garden is located near the Dieballs’ home and a short walk from a canning shack that Dieball’s husband constructed, equipped with electricity and waPHOTO SUBMITTED
Wendy Dieball kneels behind produce she picked and canned at her family’s dairy farm near Green Isle, Minnesota. Dieball grows produce in a garden that is 50 feet by 70 feet. ter.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Cucumbers are prepared for pickling at Wendy Dieball’s home near Green Isle, Minnesota.
“The shack keeps the canning mess out of the house,” Dieball said. “I have a table outside where I do all the prep work, and then there’s a sink in the shack where I can nish canning.” Throughout the season, Dieball spends upwards of seven hours a week tending to her garden. She regularly hoes the dirt to keep the weeds at bay, only tilling
twice during the season. “I’m on my knees with a 5-gallon bucket pulling weeds,” Dieball said. “I like to keep my garden under control. During the summer, it’s cleaner than my house.” She chooses not to water the garden. “I let God take care of watering,” Dieball said. “What will be will be.”
When Dieball is not weeding, she is picking the ripe produce. While she saves some produce to eat fresh, she also uses a lot of it to can. Every week, Dieball makes time to preserve the produce. This past weekend, she returned from a family trip and proceeded to make eight quarts
Turn to DIEBALL | Page 35
Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 35
ConƟnued from DIEBALL | Page 34
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Wendy Dieball uses old cow water tanks to grow radishes, peas and beets for her garden at her home near Green Isle, Minnesota. of chili starter and ve quarts of tomatoes. She has also canned 13 quarts of pickles and has sauerkraut waiting to be jarred. “Because there’s no county fair, I have more time to do more canning,” Dieball said. To date, Dieball estimates she has about 150 jars of canned goods in her basement. As she cans more, she brings the oldest cans to the front of the shelves to be eaten rst. “We could get snowed in for six months and be ne,” Dieball said. “With this whole COVID-19 thing, I’ve been to Walmart maybe twice. We’re eating a lot out of the garden and our canned produce.” Family favorite recipes are Dieball’s salsa and chili starter. The family enjoys ice shing, and will often make a quick chili from the starter and ground beef from the farm. They also eat pickled beets with every hotdish. “I can make a whole meal for my family for $2 or $3 because of our garden produce,” Dieball said. “It’s all fresh and costs us little to nothing.” Dieball’s desire to provide food for her family was further cemented when her oldest daughter was diagnosed with a gluten allergy. “I nd a lot of joy in knowing what goes into my kids,” said Dieball of her daughters, Alyson, 17, and Shelby, 15. “And, it’s what my grandma used to do and my mom still does. It’s knowing I’m following in their footsteps.” Even when Dieball’s children were young, she would make her own baby food from garden produce.
“Sometimes canning feels like something that’s gone by the wayside,” Dieball said. “Most people my age don’t do it. I’ve been gardening and canning since I was 21, and I’ve loved every minute of it.” But canning this year has not been easy as supplies are running short. “Everyone is canning this year,” Dieball said. “Garden centers around here and even online stores are wiped out of lids.” While obtaining canning supplies has been a challenge for Dieball, she has been pleased with the growing season. Every year, Dieball chooses seeds from produce she knows her family enjoys as well as seeds that are not costly. “I try and buy packs that are less than a dollar,” Dieball said. “You don’t know what the weather is going to bring. Just like in farming, some years are better than others.” This year, Dieball’s potatoes and carrots have been in abundance. She also has a good crop of watermelon and volunteer squash that came from last year’s garden. Dieball also has four apple trees planted nearby that she is looking forward to harvesting for applesauce. When Dieball is not working her fulltime job at the local hospital or scheduling and doing bookwork for the family’s dairy, she can be found in her garden. “I can be having a really bad day, go down to my garden and it all goes away,” Dieball said. “I spend a lot of time in the garden and canning. It’s my peaceful time when there’s no laundry or dishes to worry about. It’s my escape. My happy place.”
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Wendy Dieball’s canning shack is located near her garden at her family’s farm near Green Isle, Minnesota. The shack is equipped with electricity and water.
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
Women In Dairy Heather Schuld Lake Mills, Wisconsin Jefferson County 450 cows
Family: My husband, Nate, and I will be married for 15 years in September. We have three kids, Tyler, 12, Carson, 10, and Tenley, 8. I have always worked on the farm and became full time 11 years ago. My husband works at Enbridge and also grain farms and does custom planting and harvesting. Tell us about your farm. Hasel Farms was established in 1936 by my great-grandpa, Otto Hasel, who came from Germany. Hasel Farms is a fourth-generation farm. As of today, the farm is run by my parents and uncle, along with my older brother and me. We have four employees who take care of the milking along with another full-time employee. We milk three times per day in a double-8 herringbone parlor with AFI farm and Bovisync for record keeping. The cows are housed in a tunnelventilated freestall barn. We have a manure press which recycles the manure and is used again for bedding. We farm approximately 1,500 acres which are forages of hay and corn silage. We also make high moisture corn and have cash crops of corn and soybean. Our planting and harvesting are completely done by Hasel Farms along with the maintenance of all equipment on the farm. Our calves are raised with an automatic calf feeder. I am the cow and calf manager. I feed the calves and do all the data entry and herd health of the animals. I also clean most of the barns and bed with the recycled manure solids. During harvest time, I run the chopper boxes and grain cart. My father does 100% of the A.I. breeding and all of the hoof trimming. What is the busiest time of day for you? The morning. I get the three kids up and ready for the day. They eat breakfast before either going to school or to my mother’s house. The morning is busy on the farm with calf chores, sorting through the cow records and milk weights, and looking for illness and what has to be done during the day. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? Everyone knows there is not a lot of spare time when you dairy farm, but when I do get some time, I love spending it with my family. My kids are active in school, sports and 4-H. I don’t have any hobbies, but I spend my time with the kids or doing household chores. I wouldn’t change anything.
Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. My most memorable experience working on the farm is when we hosted the Watertown Agri-Business Dairy Breakfast for two years in a row. It was a lot of work to prepare for it, but to see people from all over coming to enjoy the day and learn about dairy farming made me happy. What have you enjoyed the most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I enjoy dairy farming because I love being able to work with my family. I have worked on the farm since I was a kid and all during school and after college. I love the fact that my kids can come with me and learn alongside of me. It makes me happy to see their smiles on their faces whether they are feeding and playing with the calves, mowing lawn or riding in the tractors during harvest. How do you stay connected with the dairy industry? I follow different social media platforms and inuencers. I attend dairy meetings when they t into my schedule. I also keep up with other local farming friends during the year. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My grandparents, Eugene and Betty Hasel, have greatly inuenced me throughout my life because of their hard work ethic, moral integrity and their faith in God.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 37
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The Byer family – (from leďż˝) Marvin, holding grandson Sawyer Hukriede, Tammy holding grandson GriďŹƒn Hukriede, and Landon – stand in the family’s freestall barn on their farm near Frazee, Minnesota. The Byers milk 100 cows.
Byers named Becker County Farm Family of the Year By Andrea Borgerding andrea.b@dairystar.com
FRAZEE, Minn. – For the Byers, family and farming go hand in hand. So when Marvin and Tammy were notiďƒžed they were being recognized for their work as dairy farmers, they knew it was truly a family award. The Byer family happily accepted the U of M Extension 2020 Becker County Farm Family of the Year award this summer for their contribution to the agriculture industry. “It was nice,â€? Marvin said of the recognition. “The kids were excited about it.â€? Marvin and Tammy, along with their youngest son, Landon, milk 100 cows on their farm near Frazee. Their other adult children – Stephanie, Byron and Ethan – also contribute to the
family farm as needed. The Byers raise 400 acres of corn and alfalfa. Marvin and his brother, Merle, took over the family farm in 1997. Together they milked 200 cows until parting ways in 2015. Marvin and Tammy continued the family dairy with 60 cows and gradually rebuilt the herd to its current number of 100 cows. “People ask why we got so big, but it didn’t seem so big when we added on to our herd of 60,� Marvin said. “We just added a few more cows.� The Byers milk twice a day in a double-8 parlor. The Holstein milking herd is housed in a 165-stall freestall barn. They also have a former tiestall facility for loose housing for dry cows in the summer months. This past spring, Marvin and Tammy welcomed their youngest son, Landon, back to the farm full time. After high school, Landon attended Ridgewater College for dairy
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Turn to BYERS | Page 38
Marvin and Landon Byer discuss the day’s tasks with Sawyer and GriďŹƒn Hukriede playing nearby Aug. 10 on their farm near Frazee, Minnesota.
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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
Con�nued from BYERS | Page 37
management. On the farm, Landon focuses most of his time on managing the cattle. “He has been helping since he was little,” Tammy said. “We had him sleeping in the wagon in the parlor while we milked.” Landon said he appreciates being back after being away from the family farm for college.
“We basically work together to do eldwork – the three boys and me. It’s fun working together, things go smoothly.” MARVIN BYER, DAIRY FARMER
“I grew up enjoying this,” Landon said. “I like milking cows. I don’t really care for the eldwork.” Landon milks morning and night. In the morning, he milks with Marvin and Tammy, and in the evenings, he milks with Marvin and Byron. Landon will bring in groups of cows for milking, scrape the barn and help milk. Byron works in construction during the day. “I’ve been working on the genetics of the herd,” Landon said. “I like to focus on milk production, net merit scores and a square udder.” Landon also does the A.I. service. For the last couple of years, Marvin has been working construction. He leaves shortly after morning
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Byer family – (from le�) Byron Byer, Wade Hukriede, Griffin Hukriede, Stephanie Hukriede holding Sawyer, Brianna Byer, Ethan Byer, Tammy Byer, Marvin Byer, Isabella Matejka and Landon Byer – stand for a family portrait in a family wedding this summer. The Byers received the University of Minnesota Extension Farm Family of the Year Award for Becker County.
milking and returns in time for evening milking. “We basically work together to do eldwork – the three boys and me,” Marvin said. “It’s fun working together, things go smoothly.” Stephanie and Ethan also pitch in to help with milking and eldwork. “Stephanie will come out and help at any time,” Marvin said. “She’s the best one to help me milk because she is a go-getter and keeps you going.” Stephanie and husband, Wade Hukriede, have two sons, Grifn, 3,
and Sawyer, 2. Ethan helps with chores and does mechanical work around the farm. He also works at MnDot. Tammy cares for their grandchildren on weekdays. Both Marvin and Tammy enjoy having the grandsons spend time on the family farm. Marvin and Tammy appreciate that the farm is operated by family but realize it is challenging taking time off. When they do have time away from the farm, the Byers enjoy biking and driving motorcycles. The past ve years have chal-
lenged the Byers in both labor and milk price stability, but Marvin and Tammy resolve to keep family the focus of their life. “I enjoy it a lot,” Marvin said of farming. “It’s awesome to see what you’ve done continue on. I’m not sure what we’ll do if the kids decide to leave, but hopefully Landon will stay farming with us.” No matter the future of the Byers’ farm, the award is a testament to the hard work the entire family has invested into their farming livelihood.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020 • Page 39
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Chris Van Dyk, pictured with wife Rikki New Richmond, Wisconsin St. Croix County 75 cows
What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I enjoy mating a cow and getting a heifer calf from that mating and then watching that calf grow into a show-winning heifer. Then, developing that animal into a show-winning, Excellent cow.
How did you get into farming? In 1995, my dad sold out. I kept my few head and farmed them out. For the next four years, I worked at tting for shows and sales and as a herdsman for a 700-cow dairy. By 1999, my herd had grown to over 30 head so it was time to farm or to sell. We bought our current farm location in 2000.
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Work hard and hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. Farming will throw everything at you.
What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? My concerns would be that as more and more companies and coops gear their programs and pricing toward the larger farms, can we continue to survive as a small, family farm?
What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? The best purchase we have made was to purchase additional land. We are able to control our expenses and grow almost all our feed. With the large farms getting larger and the Twin Cities sprawling into our area, it is hard and harder to get land.
What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? Our tiestall barn has eight tunnel fans and each one has its own thermostat set at 5 degrees apart. They turn on and off to keep the barn at a more constant temperature.
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Our biggest accomplishment would be the 24 all-American and all-Canadian nominations that have passed through our barn as cattle we have bred, owned or housed.
What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? We started making baleage in the last couple of years. It gave us more options based on the weather to get hay up. The cattle have loved it. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? We try to do most of the work
ourselves. We limit the number of cattle shows we go to. We examine every potential purchase to make sure it will give us the return we are looking for, for the amount spent. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? We have one part-time employee who works one or two nights a week and one
weekend per month. We let her pick her days to t with her full-time job. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. Paying attention to the cattle and being able to make adjustments to feed for better production and healthier cows.
What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? Our plans for the next few years would be to build a commodity shed and expand our heifer shed. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? We enjoy hunting, shing, swimming, hiking, camping and fourwheeling.
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, August 22, 2020
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