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Volume 19, No. 15
“All dairy, all the time”™
September 23, 2017
Fire destroys dairy barn
TPI adjustments aim to make a more protable Sixty Holsteins Holstein By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
RICE, Minn. – For years, the Genetic Total Performance Index (GTPI) formula has evaluated Holstein animals and their potential to impact the breed, taking into account 14 traits that reect production, health and fertility, and conformation. In July, Holstein Association USA approved changes to the formula suggested by the association’s genetic advancement committee. These changes positively reect the direction breeding has taken to produce the modern Holstein cow. “This formula is the industry’s gold standard and it puts a more protable cow in that barn, and that’s what every dairy producer strives to breed for,” Spencer Hackett said. “The sole purpose of us tweaking the formula is to help improve the way genetics are going for the breed – for everyone, not just the registered herds.” Hackett milks 140 cows near Rice, Minn., in a partnership with his wife, Stacey, and parents, Melvin and Darlene, at Melarry Farms. Hackett recently completed his second year serving on the genetic advancement committee. As of Aug. 5, the GTPI formula reects a greater emphasis on fat and feed efciency, and less on protein; emphasis on productive life is reduced and a new trait, cow livability, measures the animal’s time alive on the farm; and adjustments made to both udder composite and foot and leg composite decouple them from stature. “This committee sits down and gures out what the breed needs, and these changes are examples of what we’re constantly doing as a committee,” Hackett said. “With rBST going away, producers are looking closer at genetics. We need a better racehorse to put in a stall and make more milk Turn to TPI | Page 5
lost in early morning blaze By Jerry Nelson
jerry.n@dairystar.com
RUSSELL, Minn. – At 4:20 on the morning of Sept. 5, Brad Johnson looked out the window of his farmhouse and uttered the words that no dairyman ever wants to say. “The barn is on re,” he said to his wife, Brad Johnson Dianne. “Call 911.” Johnson normally rises at 4:30, but was awakened on that particular morning by unusual noises coming from his farmstead. “The dog was barking like crazy and I could hear cattle bellowing,” he said. “I thought
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Only a small porƟon of Brad Johnson’s dairy barn sƟll stands aŌer it was destroyed by a re during the early morning of Sept. 5. Johnson and his wife, Dianne, lost 60 cows on their farm near Russell, Minn. that maybe it was the bull or that the cows had gotten out. But, then I saw the orange glow coming from our dairy barn and the ames leaping out of its doorways. My heart fell right into my stomach.” Johnson ran to the barn and tried valiantly to save his cows. “There were so many dead cows piled up against the gate
that I couldn’t budge it,” he said. “And the heat coming from the re was just unbelievable.” Fire crews from the cities of Russell, Tyler, Ruthton, Balaton and Lynd responded to the call. During the 15 minutes it took for the rst re crews to arrive, Johnson and his wife could not do anything except watch helplessly as the inferno
continued to grow in size and intensity. “We could hear things inside the barn creaking and popping as the re spread,” Johnson said. “By the time the re crews got here, the barn was pretty much engulfed.” It took several hours for the Turn to JOHNSON | Page 6
“As a farmer, I know Mother Nature giveth and taketh away, and I’m still in awe of her power.” - Matthew Lussier
Hurricane Irma tears through Florida dairies By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Growing up in northern Vermont, Matthew Lussier has survived bad weather where temperatures drop well below freezing and snow piles high above front doors. But, nothing could prepare him for the fury of a hurricane. “I’ve lived through blizzards, and I laugh at them … the violence of a hurricane is something to behold,” Lussier said. Lussier and his wife, Linda, and son, Kevin, are recouping after Hurricane Irma passed through their 650-cow dairy in Alachua County near Hawthorne, Fla., Sept. 10 and 11. As Hurricane Irma formed in late August, it quickly became the strongest storm on record in the Atlantic Ocean and made landfall in southern Florida Sept. 10. In the following 24 hours, the storm traveled onwards through the sunshine state. While many ed for shelter, dairy farmers across the state secured facilities, relocated cattle to safety, and hunkered down until the eye of the storm passed. Turn to IRMA | Page 7
PHOTO SUBMITTED
High winds from Hurricane Irma caused severe damage to Butler Oaks’ freestall barn near Lorida, Fla. The dairy also experienced extensive ooding. The hurricane arrived Sept. 10 and swept through the state in the days that followed.
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofďƒžce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Amanda Thooft 320-352-6303 amanda.t@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Andrea Borgerding - Managing Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Ron Johnson (608) 874-4243 ron.j@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Jennifer Coyne (320) 352-6303 jenn@dairystar.com Brittany Olson (320) 352-6303 brittany.o@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (715) 245-6848 danielle.n@dairystar.com 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 - Jeff Weyer (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-8505 (cell) jeff.w@dairystar.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 Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 megan.s@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute 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.
North America dealers. A glance at what’s inside
Dairy Proďƒžle brought to you by your
With the end of summer and start of fall, many dairy farmers have been busy in the ďƒželd, working on their corn silage harvest. In the “From our side of the fenceâ€? section, we talked to dairy producers across our coverage area about their progress, what their corn silage harvest process looks like and the best preserving tip they have. Read about it on pages 1516 in ďƒžrst section. For this issue’s “Day in the lifeâ€? feature, we followed newlyweds Leanne and Pete Kimball. While Pete stays busy taking care of their 95-cow dairy, Leanne stays equally busy traveling to farms in the area as a milk tester. On Sept. 18, By Mark Klaphake Pete focused on the three-time-a-day milking schedule with Editor the help of employees while Leanne visited three farms to test their milk. Turn to pages 16, 18-19 in second section to read more about how their day progressed. The Ronningen family has been thankful for the sun’s abundance of rays shining down on their farm this summer. In April 2016, the family installed solar panels on their 100-cow dairy near West Concord, Minn. Since then, the panels have been able to produce about half of the farm’s energy needs. Read on pages 3-4 in second section about why the family decided to seek out an alternative form of energy. Research suggests freestall pens should maintain 120 percent stocking density; however, Brian Brown, of Belleville, Wis., manages his pens at 100 percent to optimize herd health. While not every farm has the capabilities to run at an ideal stocking density, improving management of those pens may help improve herd health and production. Turn to pages 11-12 in ďƒžrst section to read about tips to better manage overcrowded pens. Nearly two years ago, Casey Schlauderaff and his family installed an automatic sand separator on their 550-cow dairy near Vergas, Minn. The system’s setup and use of reclaimed wastewater has allowed the farm to become more efďƒžcient and no longer has to purchase sand. Read more about the Schlauderaffs’ on-farm setup on pages 1011 in ďƒžrst section. An organic story for this issue features Zack and Rachael Bushman, who purchased an organic farm 10 months ago. The young couple is doing all they can to make their new venture the most efďƒžcient they can. One example is their decision to start milking three times a day; however, like many dairy producers, they are concerned about the price for their milk. The Bushmans’ cooperative imposes a quota system, paying $7 per hundredweight for any milk over a farm’s base price. Read about the Bushmans’ farm and their concerns for the industry on pages 2-3 in third section.
Favorite quotes from this issue:
“My observation was rather than having larger herds, the farmers are more likely to have a second herd at a dierent location.â€? - Bob Zwald, pages 32-33 in second section
“He’s not scared. He drives it like he stole it. I always think I’m going to hit the grandstand or something.� - Lester Banse, pages 4-6 in third section
By the Numbers
dollar amount per $14.52: the hundredweight the Dijs
family, of France, is currently receiving. (Pages 14-15, second section)
30%: Average pregnancy rate for
cows at Czech’s Roadside Acres last year. (Pages 18, 20
in ďƒžrst section)
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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 3
It’s all inside...
FIRST SECTION
Litcheld
Third Section: Pages 16 - 17
First Section: Pages 35, 37
Kids Corner: The Middendorfs
Roseau
Marshall
Beltrami
St. Louis
no
Mah
Becker
Clay
or n
Pages 32 - 33
Douglas Charles Mix
n nso
Lake
Moody
McCook Minnehaha
Wadena Meeker
Wright Hennepin
McLeod
Renville
Carver Scott
Lyon
Redwood
Nicollet Brown
Murray
Rock
Nobles
Caledonia
Banse nds new past-time with tractor
Dakota
r
Sibley
Third Section: Page 15
Rice
Goodhue
Cottonwood Watonwan Blue Earth Waseca Steele Dodge Olmsted Jackson
Martin
Faribault
Freeborn
Third Section: Pages 4 - 6
Wabasha
Mower
Winona
Fillimore
Houston
Ha
Da
vis
on
Sa nb
Miner
Brookings
Kandiyohi
Yellow Medicine Lincoln
Kingsbury
Four and a half minutes to keep your farm safe
Anoka
Chippewa
Pipestone
Page 30
Isanti
go
Hamlin
Deuel
Eyota
Dairy’s Star Youth: Heidi Uthke
isa
Cam-Cal-Kar Dairy has healthier animals in new calf barn Pages 28 - 29 Crop and weather reports
Benton
Stearns
Pope
Swift Lac Qui Parle
Codington
Clark
Mille Lacs
Morrison
Sherburne
Grant
Mid-American Hay Auction Results
Pine
Douglas
Stevens
Third Section: Pages 18 - 19
Ch
Day
Pages 26 - 27
Pages 2 - 3 Bushmans take organic path to farm ownership Page 8 Willolea Holsteins to be dispersed Oct. 14 Page 9 Concrete rules for storing feed in bunkers, piles Pages 10 - 11 Automatic feeders cut calfraising time, labor Pages 18 - 19 Grabers continue tradition of breeding top-notch Jerseys Pages 20, 22 - 23 Some Udder Stuff Pages 25 - 30 Classieds
Roberts
Big Sto Stone
Carlton
Crow Wing
Todd Grant
Reber experiences dairying in Florida during summer internship
Aitkin
eu
Marshall
Page 25
THIRD SECTION
Tra ve
rse
First Section: Pages 1, 6
Mantorville
Cass
Su
Fire destroys dairy barn
Hupperts operate custom harvesting business amid dairying
PDPW trip shows dairy industry in Ireland Pages 34 - 35 Dairy Recipes
Wilkin
Russell
Pages 21 - 22
Ottertail
Second Section: Pages 3 - 4
sey
Norman
men
Itasca
Washinton
Polk
First Section: Pages 10 - 11
West Concord
Ronningens are soaking up the sun
Kanabec
Red Lake
Hubbard
Schlauderaffs install automated sand separator
First Section: Pages 23, 25
Koochiching
Pennington
Le
Vergas
Prigges turn hobby into business
First Section: Pages 18, 20
Lake of the Woods
Ra m
Kittson
New Richland
Feeding routine, fresh cow care, headlocks help Czechs with repro success
Bruce Cottington passes at 90
SECOND SECTION
Pages 6 - 7 Plackes share organic grassfed dairy with Congressman Pages 10 - 11 The “Mielke” Market Weekly Page 12 Dairy markets Page 13 Area hay auction results Pages 14 - 15 Dairying Around the World Pages 16, 18 - 19 A day in the life of the Kimballs
Gilman
Sauk Centre
Clearwater
Pages 1, 5 TPI adjustments aimed to make a more protable cow for all dairymen Pages 1, 7 Hurricane Irma tears through Florida dairies Pages 8-9 Ag Insider Pages 12 - 13 Management can alleviate affects of overcrowding Pages 16 Bur-Wall Holsteins suffer barn re Page 22 Investment in dairy research drives demand, consumer condence Page 26 FSA News & Notes Page 27 The Transition Pen Page 28 Make time for planning Page 29 Livestock trailer safety Page 30 Dear County Agent Guy Page 31 Launching a whole new experience Page 32 Just Thinking Outloud Page 33 Dairy Good Life Page 34 Something to Ruminate On
Hutchinson
Turner
Bon Yankton Homme
Lincoln Clay
Union
Lyon
Osceola Dickinson Emmet
Sioux
O’Brien
Clay
Palo Alto
Kossuth
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: When did you start harvesting corn silage? Pages 15-16
Plymouth
Norwood Young America, Minn.
Zone 1
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Dairy Prole: Tim Stender Page 39
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 5
Con�nued from TPI | Page 1
A High-Producing Herd Starts with Herd Builder
GRAPHIC PROVIDED
The revised GTPI formula places greater emphasis on fat and feed efficiency, while pu�ng a lesser emphasis on protein and produc�ve life. A new trait, livability, was addded, and stature is now a separate measurement from udder composi�on and feet and leg compos��on. The new formula went into effect Aug. 5.
New trait reects longevity in barn As the Holstein breed moves forward, Hackett and other breeders, as well as scientists, on the committee saw the need for an option to breed for longevity as a part of the animal’s overall health. “We looked at all the DHIA data, looking for what farmers quoted as how a cow left the herd – did she die, get sick or went to slaughter?” Hackett said. “We found bulls that were as little as 65 percent to as high as 90 percent gone to slaughter.” Hackett said certain daughters of sires are known for not living long, which results in a greater cost of bringing replacements into the herd. To correct that in the breed, the committee placed a 3 percent emphasis on livability. “She gets credit for how long she stays in the milking herd, which relates to how much money ends up being put towards replacing her in the future,” Hackett said. “As long as I can cull her,
Formulating the breed’s future For two years, Hackett has been an active member of the committee, where he has dedicated time to providing the most benecial suggestions for improving the breed based on research, former changes and the demands of the future. “A lot of guys look at the formula and think it’s just geared for the registered guy. Maybe 30 years ago, it was. But, now, grade guys should be testing their heifers to know what their genetics say and what they need to improve what’s in their barn,” Hackett said. With these three notable changes to the GTPI formula, Hackett and his counterparts on the committee hope to create a more accurate model for breeding the ideal Holstein cow. “So many guys focus so much on milk or type. You have to look at the whole picture,” Hackett said. “These changes did tweak the formula a bit, and those changes made a big impact on it.” Changes to the formula have affected sires’ placings, with their genetic values rolled back to appropriately affect their ranking amongst sires of different ages. For more information on GTPI and the recent changes, visit Holstein Association USA’s website (http://www.holsteinusa.com/genetic_ evaluations/ss_tpi_formula.html).
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from 16 percent to 17 percent, while protein dropped to 21 percent. “Bulls are dropping and going up based on their fat and protein levels. But remember, on a 2,800-point system, this category only accounts for 3 percent, or 75 points,” Hackett said. Additionally, feed efciency was included as 3 percent of the 8 percent in productive life. “We want our cows to be the most protable choice for producers,” Hackett said.
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“A lot of guys look at the formula and think it’s just geared for the registered guy.”
Stature, udder composite separated After reviewing classication data, those on the committee noticed a direct correlation between udder score and height of a cow. This reected in a tall-statured animal, with an udder that did not maximize the capacity of the mammary system. “The committee looked at a study collected on the relationship between stature and udder capacity. We found that not all taller cows have more udder capacity to produce more milk,” Hackett said. The formula was re-evaluated to take some emphasis away from stature and give more importance to the width and height of rear udder. Rear teat placement and length were also positively accounted for in udder composition. “These cows are getting way too big, the statures are way too tall,” Hackett said. “As a breed years ago, we increased the importance of the mammary system, and look at them now. Now, we’re moving things around a bit to make a more protable cow for all dairy producers.”
•
Consumers show fat prevails Previously, the formula depressed fat content at a weight of 16 percent, while protein was weighted at a greater value of 27 percent. “If you look back four years ago, fat was a dirty word,” Hackett said. “If we look at the milk check, guys are still getting paid more for fat than protein. So why are we putting more inuence on high protein bulls? As dairymen, we’re not getting paid as much for it.” With a market dictating more return on fat content than protein, the formula was restructured to reect the change. Fat was given greater emphasis, moving
it doesn’t cost as much to replace her.”
•
more efciently in order to stay in the business we all love.”
Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
ConƟnued from JOHNSON | Page 1
Willmar, MN • 320.231.1470
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PHOTO SUBMITTED
Flames engulf the Johnsons’ dairy barn around 4:30 a.m. Sept. 5.
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
This stave silo on the Brad Johnson farm was damaged beyond repair during the re that destroyed Johnson’s dairy barn.
Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 7
ConƟnued from IRMA | Page 1 “We’ve been through 2004, when Frances and Jeanne hit. We take these storms very seriously and planned for its landing a week in advance,” said Lussier, who is also the president of Florida Dairy Farmers. On Lussier’s dairy, one PTO-driven generator was hooked up to a tractor, while another tractor was prepped for backup, and facilities were wired for additional generators. Diesel and gas were also delivered. “Everything was tip-top full,” Lussier said. Calf hutches were tied down as the calves were moved into one cattle trailer. “The youngstock was fed early Sunday morning and then put into a trailer,” Lussier said. “Because we seasonally calve, starting in October, we only had about 50 calves to t in there.” Lussier then surrounded the trailer with heavy machinery to serve as a wind block. With some cattle on pasture, following the exterior farm property line that is adjacent to a main highway, Lussier relocated those animals to another pasture closer to the main farm site. “My biggest fear was having 150 cows out on the highway,” Lussier said. “I overcrowded one pasture, so that if that fence gave way, the fence along the highway would serve as another buffer.” Additionally, on Sunday afternoon, Lussier shifted his milking schedule forward two hours – milking at 1:30 p.m.,
PHOTO SUBMITTED
V&W Dairy is assessing the damage on its freestall barn, where fans and the roof was destroyed near Zolfo Springs, Fla. rather than 3:30 p.m. – and anticipated skipping Monday morning’s shift. “They were forecasting 100 mile per hour winds, and I can’t have employees out in that weather milking cows,” Lussier said. By 2 p.m. Sept. 10, rain began falling, and by 6 p.m. the storm’s force had arrived with the Lussiers losing power at 10:30 p.m. “My son and I were up all night long checking on things, and by 4 a.m., we went out to get the generators started,” Lussier said. Within seconds of starting the generator that fed power to the well and milkhouse, it burned out and Lussier franti-
cally searched for an alternative power source. “In Florida, we have a tremendous support group of farmers willing to help each other out. A farmer 70 miles away had a generator we could use,” Lussier said. “My future son-in-law and I headed through a warzone of trees and power lines down and ooding to get there.” With an electrician nearby, the Lussiers had returned power to the farm and were only an hour late to begin the afternoon milking shift on Monday. They remained on generator power until mid-day Sept. 13. “It was a blessing the storm was fast moving. Frances was
a much stronger storm and just wouldn’t leave, but [Irma] was 12 hours of pure hell and then tapered out,” said Lussier, mentioning that rain subsided by mid-morning Sept. 11. While Irma’s path varied as it made landfall in Florida, some farms had more damage than others. Lussier noted farms in southern Florida, near Okeechobee County, that had signicant damage to facilities and extensive ooding, and were still out of power as of Sept. 13. “Thankfully, our biggest damage is the 50-plus trees down. We only lost one cow and have seven cows with mas-
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titis,” Lussier said. “But I can’t downplay the storm. There are a lot of farmers who are really struggling.” As difcult as it was for dairymen across the state to face Hurricane Irma, Lussier said the Florida Department of Agriculture, governor and milk cooperatives were proactive in preparing for the unknown impact the storm would have. “The co-ops chased around the regions, cleaning out the bulk tanks so we would have enough storage, and when I blew out the generator, I got a call from the state inspector willing to give us theirs,” Lussier said. “Everyone’s really swinging for dairy, and we really appreciate that.” As the Lussiers and other farmers across the state clean up from this monstrous storm, it is a stark reminder of the uncontrollable risks of dairying. “As a farmer, I know Mother Nature giveth and taketh away, and I’m still in awe of her power,” Lussier said. “I hope people realize the value of a local farmer, when they go to the store during a storm and the shelves are empty … we’re here for you every day, and your support makes sure we’re there in a crisis.” Hurricane Irma marked the third storm Lussier has been directly impacted by in his 25 years of dairying in Florida. It also marked another week in farming – no matter the circumstances, cows must be milked.
Milk processing capacity needs to grow Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
U.S. milk production continues to grow, and dairy Minnesota. Pioneer Dairy Account Manager Matt processors are struggling to keep up. According to a Laubach said there is a lot of variability in this new report from CoBank, an additional 27 billion year’s crop, spanning from north central Minnesota pounds of U.S. milk processing capacity will be into northwestern Wisconsin. “The biggest concern is making sure farmers are at the right needed over the next ten years if the Ag Insider moisture. Break open that cob and check current trends continue. A unique balance to see where the milk line is, and make of supply and demand is cited. U.S. milk sure it’s fully into the dent stage.” Water production shows no signs of slowing and heat dictate the quality of corn silage, down, but that growth is not sustainable so Laubach said it’s tough to predict this unless the processing capacity is able to year’s crop. “The lack of water in western keep pace. At the same time, the CoBank Minnesota may help the quality, but the report said any expansion of processing eastern crop towards Wisconsin received capacity is not sustainable without strong a lot of rain.” consumer demand.
Perdue promotes a customer-friendly USDA forecasts a higher Class III price USDA In the September USDA supply/ In a video message to USDA demand report, milk production for the By Don Wick employees, Agriculture Secretary balance of 2017 increased slightly from Sonny Perdue said it his goal to make Columnist August. The bump was credited to an the Agriculture Department the most increase in the amount of milk per cow. The forecast for 2017 Class III milk prices was raised effective, most efcient and best managed department to $16.05 to $16.30 per hundredweight. Those average in the federal government. “We’re about customer prices are up from $15.90 to $16.10 in the August service at USDA. Our mission is to provide our report. Butter, non-fat dry milk and whey prices are farmers, ranchers, foresters or producers what they predicted to be lower, while the forecasted price for need, when they need it. When we nd areas to cheese increased from last month. Feed supplies modernize, innovate and improve, that’s what we’re are large with USDA calling for corn production at going to do.” In May, Perdue announced plans to 14.1 billion bushels and a record soybean crop of 4.4 reorganize portions of USDA. This announcement offered more details. The realignment includes a billion bushels. new mission area led by the undersecretary for farm production and conservation. The Farm Service Sunset clause At a Washington, D.C. conference, Commerce Agency, Risk Management Agency and Natural Secretary Wilbur Ross said a sunset clause should Resources Conservation Service will all report to be included in the North American Free Trade this undersecretary. Rather than having commodity Agreement. Mexican and Canadian ofcials quickly grading and inspection done at multiple agencies, responded, saying a sunset clause would only bring Perdue is merging the Grain Inspection, Packers more uncertainty to trade agreements. Ross also said and Stockyards Administration into the Agricultural he wants to nish the NAFTA negotiations before the Marketing Service. end of this calendar year. New trucking rules Livestock industry groups are seeking a Silage crop varies Corn silage harvest is underway in parts of waiver and an exemption from Department of
Transportation rules. A petition has been delivered to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao from the animal agriculture sector asking for relief from the mandate for commercial truckers to use electronic logging devices. These groups also want the agency to address problems with the DOT hours-of-service requirements, which can have a negative impact on animal well-being. The new regulations are scheduled for implementation in mid-December. The 2018 transportation appropriations bill that is being considered in Congress includes language for a oneyear delay for these rules. EPA staffers accept buy-outs The size of the Environmental Protection Agency is shrinking. Nearly 400 EPA employees have accepted voluntary buyouts or took early retirement. More than 1,200 staffers were offered the voluntary buyout. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt released a statement saying the agency is reducing the size of government and protecting taxpayer dollars.
Minnesota Draft Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule: What’s next? The public comment period for Minnesota’s Draft Nitrogen Fertilizer Rule ended August 25 with nearly 800 written comments received. However, there was still much concern regarding the draft rule at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture listening sessions. At the Crookston meeting, farmers in the room urged ofcials to use science and technology when considering the rule, not a blanket and a hammer from the government. MDA Assistant Commissioner Susan Stokes said there is a lot to digest and comments will be taken seriously. “We’ll go back to the drawing board and redraft the rule. The revised rule will then be submitted for formal comments at the end of 2017.” Stokes expects the entire process to be completed by the end of 2018. MDA Fertilizer Non-Point Section Manager Bruce Montgomery said the fall fertilization piece of the draft rule was a lightning rod and improvements will denitely be made with that before moving forward. Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 9
CORRECTION:
On page 5, third section of Sept. 9 Dairy Star, two photos were misidentiďƒžed in the captions. Aaron Ruther is the correct name of the dairy farmer pictured. Dairy Star sincerely regrets the error.
ConĆ&#x;nued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 Dayton holds water quality meeting Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has hosted a Water Quality Town Hall meeting across the state. At the Crookston meeting, attendees heard about local water challenges, which was followed by breakout sessions to discuss water quality goals and actions. Dayton said he’s encouraged by the initiatives people are taking, including farmers. “What this really says to me is this is going to grow and build on itself. We’re going to ďƒžnd better ways to accomplish what we want to do.â€? Dayton also commented on the MDA agriculture session that was held prior to his town hall meeting, giving Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson credit for hearing farmer concerns. “Everybody’s situation is different. There are solutions and ways we can make water quality better, and we have to start doing it now.â€? Beef checkoff approves FY18 plan of work The Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board will invest $38
“It’s easier on the cows...â€? How long have you been using the DHIA pregnancy test? Since it Ă€rst came out.
million in beef promotion, research, consumer information, market development and more for the upcoming ďƒžscal year. The biggest piece of that budget is $10 million for promotion programs, including the continuation of the beef checkoff’s digital advertising program. Nearly $7.5 million will be invested in foreign markets. The beef checkoff budget proposal still needs USDA approval. Trivia challenge The 2017 World Dairy Expo is the 51st year for the ďƒžve-day show. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, who was the ďƒžrst general manager for World Dairy Expo? We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star.
Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ďƒžve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
Tubs for stressed and weaned calves
Why did you choose to use it? Convenience and economics. What do you like about it? It’s easier on the cows and requires no additional handling. How long have you been testing with DHIA? We’ve been with DHIA for 50+ years, since it’s inception. What are some other tests you use through DHIA? The pregnancy check in between tests is a great option with DHIA. Tell us about your farm. We’re a grazing/forage based low input operation, that focuses on maximum economic production.
John Takala Iron, MN • 330 cows Minnesota Dairy Herd Improvement Association 307 Brighton Avenue South Buffalo, MN 55313 1.800.827.3442 www.mndhia.org
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
WHO WILL YOU FIND IN OUR
Business Directory?
Schlauderaffs install automated sand separator Reclamation system ďƒžt for farm By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
LOG ON TO: www.dairystar.com TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DAIRY STAR BUSINESS DIRECTORY CALL 320-352-6303
Buyers & Feeders of damaged corn, soybeans, screenings, wet, hot, dry, ďŹ re and silo corn. Trucks available. Z BAR FEED YARDS - -
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Good Selection of Used Dryers - Call! Feterl 12�x72’, swing drive .........$8,500 WestÄeld WR8026 EMD .............$1,895 Sheyenne 13-70 Swing Dr.......... $12,995 Hutch 8�x62’ swig auger .............. $6,200 Sudenga 10�x71’ swing auger ..... $7,900 WestÄeld MK 130-71 swing drive auger ........................................ $13,900 Batco 2500 drive over hopper ...... $8,290 Sudenga 10�x41’ pto auger w/hopper .................................... $4,595
Tractors
Oliver 1365 .....................................$6,599 Agco White 8410, 4 wheel drive .........Call IH 1086 ...............................................Call
Combines
Gleaner R-62 w/heads .................$39,500 Gleaner A-75, 4 whl drive ........... $110,000
Skid Loaders
Bobcat S300, 2800 hrs, heat, ACS control, 2-speed ..........................................$26,900 Bobcat S630, 400 hrs, heat, 2 spd $34,800 Bobcat S590 heat 2-spd . (3) from $31,900 Bobcat S850, heat & A/C, 2-speed 2 units .......................Start @ $40,900 ‘15 Bobcat S750, A71 pkg., 2 spd $35,950 ‘16 Bobcat S740, A71, 2 spd ..... $34,500 Bobcat S550, heat, 2 spd., 300 hrs., ‘14..............................$31,800 Bobcat S550, heat, 2014, 2 spd. $29,900 Bobcat S130, heat, ‘12............. $22,400 ‘14 Bobcat T590, A71............... $35,900 ‘14 Bobcat T590, heat, hi-Ă…ow . $34,900 ‘12 Gehl 5240E, 2 spd., heat, 900 hrs.................................... $23,900 ‘14 Gehl V400, heat, AC, 2 spd ..$34,900 ‘07 Gehl 4640, single spd., heat $15,500 Gehl R220, heat, 2 spd., joystick $31,900 Mustang 1750 2014 open cab .$36,500
TMR’s
Knight 5073, tow ......................$17,199 Knight 3250, stationary ..............$3,899 Knight 3050 ..............................$11,499 Knight 3150, tow ......................$22,499 Knight 3042, reel auggie...........$12,499
Tillage
JD 2700, 9-24 ...........................$23,900 JD 985 49.5’, 3 Bar...................$18,900 JD 980, 44.5’ ............................$16,900
JD 980 44.5’, 3 Bar...................$17,500 JD 512, 7 shank, 2013...................$29,900 JD Crumbler model 200, 45’ ........$10,500 CIH Tigermate II, 54.5’ .............$29,900 2) CIH 370, 28’..........................$31,900 CIH PTX300 chisel plow, 34’ ....$22,800 JD 2210 4-bar, 2006, 45.5ft......$35,900 JD 980, 36’ ...............................$13,700 JD 610 chisel plow, 17’ ............$10,900 DMI 527B .................................$14,900 Wil-Rich 957, 9 shank ..............$29,900 Wil-Rich 957, 7 shank ..............$15,900 Wil-Rich 957, 5 shank ..............$16,500 Wil-Rich 513, 9-24....................$38,900 Wil-Rich 29’ chisel plow, ‘07 ........$22,800 Wil-Rich QX2, 60’, basket ............$49,900 Wil-Rich Q-5 cult., 4-bar harrow, 32.5’............................................$11,900 Great Plains Turbo Chisel, 11 shk $22,800 Krause Dominator, 12 ft. (2) from $29,900 Krause Dominator, 12 ft., 2015.$40,900 Krause 18’ w/reel.............from $33,000
VERGAS, Minn. – While sand bedding is often coined as the gold standard for maximizing cow comfort in the barn, managing the bedding once it leaves the stalls is often troubling. However, Casey Schlauderaff has discovered a system for his farm to remove and reclaim sand in an efďƒžcient manner that is safe and reduces equipment wear. “A friend went with this system and uses it for 900 cows, plus heifers. I was skeptical of using a piston pump to feed everything through the separator, but it works just ďƒžne,â€? Schlauderaff said. “It’s been ridiculously fool proof.â€? Last year, Schlauderaff and his parents, Gary and Barb, and brothers, Chad, Kelly and Kory, installed an automated sand separating system on their 550-cow dairy, Schlauderaff Enterprises, near Vergas, Minn. DariTech’s One Shot and Sand Cannon separator uses a common auger and piston pump to push manure and sand into a center pivot. Through a ďƒ&#x;ighted auger, sand-laden manure is carried up an incline. Then, wastewater and manure particles are removed in slats, while the sand settles and is pushed out the system. From there, the remaining wastewater and manure is pumped into a mini sand lane, located next to the separator. At this point, small sand particles settle at the end of the lane and manure travels to a small storage pit. The manure is then transported through a screen separator, where manure solids are pumped to the lagoon and wastewater is collected for reclaiming sand and cleaning the parlor. “Essentially, the process is making gray water and diluting the manure as it separates the sand,â€? Schlauderaff said. The Schlauderaffs began using sand nearly 10 years ago, when they expanded their herd and updated the facilities. “We had mattresses in the old barn and were bedding with ground straw,â€? said Schlauderaff, who oversees daily operations on the dairy. “Right away, the new stalls had sand. Then, as we retroďƒžtted things, we added more sand stalls. That took some time – we had to bust up concrete, redo the stalls and keep the cows milking.â€? Dry cows and a special needs pen are bedded with sand, in addition to the lactating herd. Once the Schlauderaffs changed their bedding type,
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Casey Schlaudera and his family use an automaďż˝c sand separator on their 550-cow dairy near Vergas, Minn. The Schlauderas installed the new piece of equipment in the winter of 2015. they installed a separating system rather than using a sand lane. The setup used a ďƒ&#x;ume ďƒ&#x;ow auger with fresh water to clean the sand, and the remaining particles were pumped directly into the lagoon. “When that system was wearing out, we started looking for other options that were out there,â€? Schlauderaff said. “We knew we had to do something eventually, and began pricing things out. Then, we had to really do something – either ďƒžx the old one or replace it.â€? Schlauderaff looked towards Michigan for ideas and consultation, as well as university research and other farms throughout Minnesota. “There were a couple designs we were interested in, but we’d have to add cows to make cash ďƒ&#x;ow,â€? Schlauderaff said. “We liked this design because we could make it ďƒžt with the mechanical setup we had before. Plus, I liked how the sand and manure were internally turning instead of lifting and carrying out.â€? Soon after, the Schlauderaff family began developing plans for a system, adding on a 40-foot sand lane. “After the original six drawings, we kept drawing up new plans again until we ďƒžgured out which one Turn to SCHLAUDERAFF | Page 11
Planters
White 8186, 16R30�, front fold .....$32,900 White 8186, 16R30� .....................$37,900 White 8824, 24R30�, Center Äll ....$83,900 White 8202, 12 row ......................$32,500
Spreaders
Knight 8032, slinger ..................$14,499 Knight 8114, (A088) ....................$8,949 Knight 8132, (B0077)................$19,899 Knight 8132 ..............................$17,899 Meyer 3954, (1250) ....................$4,949 Meyer 390 spreader ...................$9,750
Miscellaneous
Parker Grain Kart 838 .................$19,900 Brent 540 Box...............................$9,900 Loftness Chopper 20 ft...............$14,600 Valmetal 5600 RD bale chopper .$12,500 Used grain legs............................... Call EZ Flow 300 bu. box ..................$1,950 Used Snowblowers ........................ Call Hardi 1,000 gal., 60’ boom .......$11,500 Red Ball 670, 1200 gal., 66’ boom$13,800 Unverferth Cart 9200 1000 bu. $19,950 Red Ball 1200 gal, 90 ft. boom 570 $18,800 H&S 12 wheel Hi Cap rake .........$8,275 J&M 1151, scale & tarp ............$48,900 Vicon disc mower .......................$5,950
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JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
The sand separator uses a ďƒ&#x;ighted auger to carry sand-laden manure through the machine. Wastewater and manure parďż˝cles are removed in slats and carried to a sand lane, while the remaining sand seďż˝les and is pushed out of the system.
Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 11
Con�nued from SCHLAUDERAFF | Page 10 was the way we wanted to go,” Schlauderaff said. During the fall of 2015, the plans were approved and the Schlauderaffs ordered their new system. While the automated separator was being installed,
the family used the sand lane to collect sand. “We purposely let the sand get low in the barn so we didn’t have such a big sand load in the lane … it worked enough to get us by,” Schlauderaff said. “In
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Reclaimed sand is collected and stored for a period of �me, un�l enough moisture is removed.
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four days, the system was set up.” By February 2016, the Schlauderaffs were using their automated system to recollect sand. Operating on a computer system, the machine turns on when overow sensors are triggered based on the amount of manure built up near the pump. Every day, the separator operates at least three times, in 15-minute intervals. “The system is hooked up through the Internet, so I get text messages when things don’t look right,” Schlauderaff said. “For example, the gray water from the pit goes to the parlor. If there’s a block up in the sump pump, then there’s an issue of it backing up into the parlor. A text will let me know when levels are getting too high.” The area is also under surveillance, which can be viewed in the dairy’s break room. While the Schlauderaffs have worked through a few mishaps – replacing a couple bearings and adjusting the system to process the sand most effectively – the separating system has served them well. “Before, when we used recycled water from the lagoon back to the barn to wash the sand, if the pump quit or plugged, the line would freeze in the portion that was above ground, or we would have to try and get a new pump into water in a frozen lagoon,” Schlauderaff said. “With the gray water ltered in the separator room, there is no
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Schlauderaff demonstrates the cleanliness of the recycled sand, which he will use for bedding. need for bringing back lagoon water to wash the sand.” Although Schlauderaff has experienced little trouble with the system, he is cautious in knowing the potential setbacks with an automated machine. “The biggest issue is that it works every day,” Schlauderaff said. “Having a machine like this down for a month is not acceptable. It’s just like milking – you can’t be shut down for long.” For that reason, the Schlauderaffs went with a system where they knew parts and services were nearby when needed. Prior to the automated system, the Schlauderaffs were
purchasing sand frequently. To date, the family has rened their management practices to best t the new system, including bedding every 10 days. In the two years the system has been running, they have yet to purchase new sand. “We brought in a pile of fresh sand at the beginning, during those cold days in the winter when we needed sand without much moisture,” Schlauderaff said. “Now, I feel like we’re not losing that much – maybe just a small portion of super ne sand – and we have enough.” Enough, Schlauderaff hopes, to never purchase sand again.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
A closer look by Jennifer Coyne
Industry news addressed with help from your neighbors
More cows, but no more stalls
Management can alleviate affects of overcrowding BELLEVILLE, Wis. – In a 6-row freestall barn, the lactating cows at Sunburst Dairy each have their own stall and Brian Brown aims to manage the feedbunk space appropriately. Managing 100 percent stocking density is a practice Brown puts high on his list of priorities, recognizing the benets understocked pens have on overall herd health and productivity. “With one cow per stall, we’ve seen an increase in feed intake, the cows have a better temperament, and
“With one cow per stall, we’ve seen an increase in feed intake, the cows have a better temperament...” BRIAN BROWN, DAIRY FARMER
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Brian Brown’s freestall barn, which houses the lactaƟng herd older than rst lactaƟon, is stocked at 100 percent. By managing the number of cows in the barn, Brown is able to provide adequate lying and feeding space for each animal.
most of all, our health traits have been better … lower somatic cell count and more pounds of milk per cow,” Brown said. Brown and his wife, Yogi, operate
the 500-cow dairy near Belleville, Wis., with their son, Cory, and daughter-in-law, Katy, transitioning into ownership. After housing the lactating animals
Turn to OVERCROWDING | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 13
ConƟnued from OVERCROWDING | Page 12
well as pre-fresh and dry cows, are in the old freestall barn, while the remaining are in the newer barn, grouped by lactation. “In building another barn, we were able to make the alleyways larger, the stalls longer and wider, and we added larger fans,” Brown said. The Browns built their rst barn with guidance from the University of Madison Extension and the latest recommendations for stocking density and cow ow through the barn. In 2007, the Browns relied on expertise from Dr. Nigel Cook and the University of Madison School of Veterinary Medicine to construct a barn that would maximize the space available without overcrowding. While Brown’s barn has served him well in maintaining production and cow health, he realizes managing 100 percent stocking density, or less, is not feasible on all dairy farms. “We were able to design our barn with certain philosophies in mind, but there can’t be a general recommendation that will work for all,” Brown said. “All dairies are different.” Limited research has been conducted on how much pens can be overstocked; however, some studies suggest stocking density should remain near 120 percent for the lactating herd. Dry and fresh cow pens should be at 90 percent, but not to exceed 100 percent. “It all comes down to the cows and time management. Do they have enough time to lie down during the day and to eat during the day?” said Dr. Marcia Endres, University of
Minnesota. “Once cows move beyond the transition pens, they can tolerate a 120 percent stocking density without obvious problems showing up. More submissive animal might be working out a compromise with those more dominant, taking turns at the feed bunk and lying down in the stalls.” While overcrowding stalls is not recommended, sometimes it may be unavoidable. If that is the case, Endres suggests improving management. “Cows can cope in overstocked pens, but then we need to pay closer attention to their behaviors – when are the cows resting, how many cows are waiting to lie down and when are they eating,” Endres said. Feed availability is crucial in
“With our audits, we’ve seen cows out of feed for seven hours or more. The push up schedule is critical.” DR. TOM OELBERG, DIAMOND V
overstocked pens, making sure quality feed is present for submissive animals when their dominant counterparts return to the stalls. “I think we really underestimate the value of [feed availability],” Endres said. “If cows can’t eat and they can’t rest when they want, then we have a big issue.” Dr. Tom Oelberg, of Diamond
V, uses a time-lapse video as part of TMR audits to determine cows’ eating behaviors and when the pens run out of feed. “If you’re going to overcrowd, the magical number depends on if you’re in a 3- or 6-row barn, or a 2or 4-row,” Oelberg said. “If you’re feeding in a 3- or 6-row barn, you’re limiting feedbunk space from 24 inches down to 15 inches. That makes it difcult to have feed available, and comes down to management.” Oelberg recommends pushing up feed frequently to keep fresh, unsorted feed available for the cows all day and night. “Immediately after the cows return from the parlor, push up feed every half hour for two hours,” Oelberg said. “With our audits, we’ve seen cows out of feed for seven hours or more. The push up schedule is critical.” To maximize feed availability, farmers should feed twice a day, if possible. By doing so, there will be less refusals and an even distribution of feed throughout the bunk. “There’s not a magical time to feed, but we generally like to see it occurring during the middle of the morning and afternoon towards evening. That keeps the feed fresh and available at night,” Oelberg said. Since Brown built his barn 10 years ago, he and his family have changed their feed management twice to accommodate the needs of the cows. “When we built this barn, we knew feeding was going to be our biggest challenge,” Brown said. “We
now watch for consistent feeding, daily.” The Browns feed out an hour before cows enter the parlor. This strategy allows feed to be available for cows prior to milking and immediately afterwards. When the remainder of the herd returns from the parlor, feed is pushed up again. Previously, Brown and his family were running a stocking density of about 115 percent. “We were managing the best we could, but we weren’t totally satised,” Brown said. “We weren’t getting the results we wanted.” In addition to improving pounds of milk per cow, cull rates, reproduction, and feet and leg health, Brown also likes the visual appeal of a pen not overcrowded. “In the last 10 years, consumers’ thoughts on farming have changed a lot,” Brown said. Endres agreed. “It’s a complicated issued,” she said. “We want more milk, so more cows gives us more milk in the tank. But it’s not a good thing when welfare is compromised – that’s not good for public perception.” As stocking density is relative to each farm, management becomes the underlying factor in how many cows can comfortably t in a pen. “If you can afford to be at 120 percent or less, that’s where we need to be. But in these difcult economic times, cows can learn to adapt to a certain level of overcrowding, as long as we provide excellent feeding, health and stall management,” Endres said.
Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 15
When did you start harvesting corn silage?
Phil Poepping New Munich, Minn. Stearns County 46 cows How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? We usually harvest between 25 and 30 acres per year for corn silage. What kind of corn did you plant? The majority of our corn is Dekalb. We also plant some Prairie Brand. All of the corn is conventional, and we don’t plant any BMR or silage blends. When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? This year, we started corn silage harvest on Sept. 14. We try to aim for 60 percent moisture. What is your harvesting process? We have a FP230 New Holland chopper and our own silage blower and boxes. All of our silage is stored in two stave silos. I do most of the chopping, but my 17-year-old son chops, as well. My wife and brother do most of the hauling and unloading of the boxes. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? I usually try to get a silo lled in about two days with the moisture between 58-63 percent. I try to ll the last 10 feet of the silo with greener silage. It seems to help with the fermentation. I also set the silage unloader up within a day of putting in the last load, and I start using it to feed the cattle that same day. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. When I was in elementary school through high school, I was able to stay home from school when my dad started chopping. I was always happy to stay home and help. It sure beat being in school. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Bonnie, and I are the fourth generation on this farm. It is a 205-acre century farm established in 1876. We rent 60 acres and raise corn, alfalfa and wheat. Along with the dairy, we also raise our own heifers and steers. We have three children, Tasha, 31, Calli, 25, and Preston, 17. Our daughters helped on the farm until they moved away from home. My dad also helped on the farm until he was in his 80s. Now, other than some custom hiring, Bonnie, Preston and I manage the farm.
Ted Norling Beresford, S.D. Clay County 130 cows How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? We will harvest about 90 acres of corn for silage this fall. What kind of corn did you plant? We planted Pioneer BMR silage corn. This is the rst time we’ve tried BMR corn. When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? Our nutritionist just came out to take a sample of our corn, and the plan is to start chopping silage Sept. 15. We shoot for a moisture level in the 65-68 percent range. What is your harvesting process? We chop it ourselves with a John Deere 6750 self-propelled forage harvester. We haul our silage in front unloading wagons that have been mounted on trucks. All of our corn silage is stored in bags. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? Chop it at the right moisture and get it sealed or tarped as quickly as possible. We feed 4-5 feet of a silage bag each day, so the face is always fresh. Since we use bags, we don’t feel it’s necessary to use any preservatives or inoculants. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. When I was in high school, we hauled our silage in chuck wagons that were pulled by an M Farmall or an M Farmall diesel. It was fun to sit on those old open platform tractors and watch the world slowly go by. It seems like everything is in such a hurry nowadays. Tell us about your farm. I farm with my parents, Jeff and Jane, and my brother, Tom. My wife, Molly, and I have three children, Grace, 11, Eva, 8, and William, 5. We do all of the work ourselves. We farm about 550 acres that are planted to corn, soybeans and alfalfa, and custom hay 240 acres for a neighbor. We built a new 50-cow tiestall barn three-and-a-half years ago. We like the new barn and feel it has done a lot to improve the health and the longevity of our cows.
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Trevor Dicke, pictured with son, Logan Goodhue, Minn. Goodhue County 110 cows How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? Of our 72 acres of corn, 32 acres are used for corn silage. What kind of corn did you plant? We planted conventional seed from DeKalb and Pioneer. When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? We lled the bunker on Sept. 12. For the bunker, we usually aim for moisture around 68 percent. We will ll the silo on about Sept. 22 and look for a moisture percentage at 60. What is your harvesting process? We have a pull type chopper, so we have someone who comes to custom open the elds, but we do the rest ourselves. Together, with help from my dad, brothers, father-in-law and a few high school students who work for us, we get the chopping done. We run three wagons that are rear and front dump wagons. An inoculant is on the chopper and puts it on the silage as it is going into the wagon. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? For the bunker, we are trying an oxygen barrier called Silo Stop. Every year we try to do a little bit better preventing spoilage. The rst few years of the bunker, we just put the plastic on top. But, then we started tucking the plastic in the bunker before putting the silage in, which helped, but we still get some spoilage. We hope the oxygen barrier will work even better. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. Many years ago, I was on the tractor packing the bunker. At that point, the silage was only about one foot from the top of the back wall. I was tired and fell asleep. The front assist tractor I was driving climbed the back wall and went up and over. The tractor didn’t go far – it simply hung over the edge. I was ne, but the incident broke the drive shaft on the tractor. My uncle joked with me that the payment for the drive shaft was my Christmas present for the year. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Lisa, and I along with our three boys, Caleb, 11, Carter, 8, and Logan, 4, milk 110 cows in a double-9 parlor. We have a couple high school students who help when they can. We raise all our calves and heifers.
Greg and Charles Wickenhauser Cologne, Minn. Carver County 75 cows How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? 40 acres What kind of corn did you plant? We plant a Northrup King corn variety that is triple stacked. When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? We had to replant 40 acres this spring because of a Mother’s Day rain. We had ve inches in two to three days, and the ground got hard and the corn did not come up. We replanted June 10, so we are a week to 10 days out from here (Sept. 18). We try to put it in a bag at 65 percent and in the silo at 57 percent. What is your harvesting process? We have a two-row pull-type harvester with a processor on it. We have a brother, Allen, who farms down the road with his sons, Jared and Caleb, and we work together on chopping. We each have our own equipment, but we share the manpower for hauling loads. We ll a 20- by 70-foot upright silo and a 9- by 130-foot bag. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? Just make sure you make it wet enough. We usually start feeding the silo right away and then in the fall or early winter we transfer the bag into the silo. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. The memorable harvests are the good ones that are not long and everything works well. For example, three or four years ago the crops were good, and we blew that 20by 70-foot silo in 10 hours. Tell us about your farm. We farm in a partnership and our wives work off the farm. We milk in a stanchion barn that holds 45 cows. Then we switch 30 cows from a freestall barn. We have been farming together since 1993. We have 200 acres of corn, 75 acres of alfalfa, 12 acres of oats and have some meadow hay. Turn to FENCE | Page 16
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
ConƟnued from FENCE | Page 15 Gary Hensel Park Rapids, Minn. Hubbard County 45 cows
Ed Twohey Stewartville, Minn. Olmsted County 300 cows
How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? We have 65 acres of corn for silage.
for silage.
How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? We have 125 acres of corn
What kind of corn did you plant? We plant all round-up ready corn. The brands we use include Alligent, Legend, Northrup King and Mycogen TM, which is leftover seed from last year.
What kind of corn did you plant? This year we planted Pioneer BMR corn and Syngenta Enogen corn. It is the rst time we have used either one. We also planted conventional DeKalb corn.
When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? We plan to start in about 1.5 to two weeks. It all depends on the weather. We aim for around 50 percent moisture.
When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? We started Sept. 13 and were able to get chopping done for three days before the rain stopped us. We started again on Sept. 19. We try to aim for about 65 to 70 percent moisture.
What is your harvesting process? My brother, Dean, and brother-in-law, Bret, and my sons, Tim and Dennis, work together to do the harvest. We run with two pull-type two-row choppers and four boxes. Three people pull the boxes. We put all our silage in 3.5 8- by 200-foot bags. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? We’ve never had trouble with storing the silage in a big. We used to put it on a pile, but we had more spoilage. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. One year the harvest got really long because of breakdowns with the heads, chopper and tires. It took 25 days to complete. We have upgraded with a new chopper and wagons since then. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Diane, and I milk our cows in a at-barn parlor. We farm around 300 acres and we plant corn, oats and alfalfa. I have been farming for over 40 years.
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Dairy St r Milk Break
What is your harvesting process? We have a John Deere self-propelled chopper and use three wagons and one truck to haul the corn silage. We do all the work ourselves. All our corn silage is stored in a pile. We push it up and pack the pile with a four-wheel drive Steiger tractor with a blade. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? It needs to be the right amount of moisture and needs to be packed a lot. Just keep driving over it to get it packed. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. One memorable harvest was the rst year we had our self-propelled chopper. Usually corn silage harvest would take us about two weeks, but with the new chopper it now only takes us about ve days. We bought the chopper about six years ago. Tell us about your farm. I took over the farm from my parents, Frank and Marilyn. My dad still helps out with eldwork. My wife, Sherri, works off the farm. We have ve children: Theresa, who is married to Nick Reps and works for Midwest Dairy Association; Eric is in his second year of medical school; Tim farms at home with me; Jessica is in her fourth year of college, working towards a degree in nursing; and Jake is a junior in high school and helps on the farm.
Email andrea.b@dairystar.com
FALL FARM DESTINATION We have you covered
Skid Steer Attachments Pioneer Brand Corn Silage Innoculants
6’ 540 RPM Tiller
715-644-2350
Chippewa Valley Dairy Supply 6053 CTY. HWY. G • STANLEY, WI 54768 • Andrew Zimmerman
Bur-Wall Holsteins suffers barn re Former world production leader one of nearly 40 animals that perished By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
BROOKLYN, Wis. – A barn re of undetermined cause broke out just before midnight on Sept. 18 at the BurWall Registered Holsteins farm just outside of Brooklyn in Dane County, Wis. The farm, owned by Wallace and Donna Behnke, along with their son, Bob, was home to a milking herd of nearly 70 head of high-end registered Holsteins, including Bur-Wall Buckeye Gigi EX-94-3E-GMD, who was a former world milk production record holder and was Holstein USA’s Star of the Breed in 2013. The herd has been recognized with Holstein USA’s Herd of Excellence award multiple times, including in 2017. The re call was dispatched at 11:58 p.m. on the night of Sept. 18. When re crews arrived, they found
“When they were moving out the cows, they were so careful. Everyone knew what those cows meant to our family.” ǧ LISA BEHNKE, BURǧWALL REGISTERED HOLSTEINS
the barn completely engulfed and the roof beginning to collapse. Every effort was made to free the cows in the barn. Over 30 head were saved, but nearly half the herd, including Gigi, is counted as a loss. The surviving animals were moved to a nearby farm where they are able to be housed and cared for. Fire crews remained on the scene until 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 assisting the Behnke family. The Behnke family has been overwhelmed by the love and support shown for them and their herd of cows by neighbors, friends and fellow dairy farmers. A large crew of people showed up at the farm to help care for and relocate the herd and assist with the begin-
ning of the clean-up process. Friends also arrived to help care for the workers. “People don’t know how much that outpouring of love means to our family,” said Wallace and Donna’s daughter-in-law, Lisa Behnke, who is serving as a spokesperson for her family. “It’s so reassuring that when something this tragic and terrible happens, there are people there who understand, love and care.” The herd was moved to a nearby farm where the milking herd had recently been sold. When the cows arrived at their new home, they and the Behnkes were greeted with a fully bedded barn, ready for the cows to settle in to rest and begin recovering. “They walked off the trailers so calmly, even after all they had just been through,” Lisa said. “The barn was bedded, there was feed, they were being tended to. People were trying to help them return to their rhythm of life.” The Behnkes were so moved by the respect the re crews and their community showed not only for them, but for the cows as well. “When they were moving out the cows, they were so careful. Everyone knew what those cows meant to our family,” Lisa said, speaking through owing tears. “When they came to Gigi, they stopped and they asked Bob how he wanted her buried. That meant so much, she was so special.” While the sun has risen and set on what is surely one of the most horric days of the Behnke family’s life, they are reassured life will continue, with the birth of a bull calf the afternoon of Sept. 19 amid all the chaos. “We’d planned to be spending this next week washing tails and sprucing things up for farm tours during World Dairy Expo,” Lisa said. “I guess the chore list will be a little different this year.” Bur-Wall Holsteins has been a favorite stop among many groups traveling to Madison to take in the Expo, with their high-quality cattle located in a close proximity to the show. “There are no words to express our gratitude for all of those who have been there today to pick us up. From the reghters, to the neighbors and community, to all of our friends in the dairy industry lifting us up in prayer and love,” Lisa said. “There just simply are no words.”
Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 17
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Chad Erickson Pioneer Sales Professional
The Silage Zone® resource combines proven products, unmatched support and forage management solutions to help you achieve success. See more at pioneer.com/silagestories.
Ken Hein Dairy Producer Vince Tichy (QFLUFD &HUWLŎ HG Services Agent
Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
ConƟnued from FENCE | Page 15 Gary Hensel Park Rapids, Minn. Hubbard County 45 cows
Ed Twohey Stewartville, Minn. Olmsted County 300 cows
How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? We have 65 acres of corn for silage.
for silage.
How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? We have 125 acres of corn
What kind of corn did you plant? We plant all round-up ready corn. The brands we use include Alligent, Legend, Northrup King and Mycogen TM, which is leftover seed from last year.
What kind of corn did you plant? This year we planted Pioneer BMR corn and Syngenta Enogen corn. It is the rst time we have used either one. We also planted conventional DeKalb corn.
When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? We plan to start in about 1.5 to two weeks. It all depends on the weather. We aim for around 50 percent moisture.
When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? We started Sept. 13 and were able to get chopping done for three days before the rain stopped us. We started again on Sept. 19. We try to aim for about 65 to 70 percent moisture.
What is your harvesting process? My brother, Dean, and brother-in-law, Bret, and my sons, Tim and Dennis, work together to do the harvest. We run with two pull-type two-row choppers and four boxes. Three people pull the boxes. We put all our silage in 3.5 8- by 200-foot bags. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? We’ve never had trouble with storing the silage in a big. We used to put it on a pile, but we had more spoilage. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. One year the harvest got really long because of breakdowns with the heads, chopper and tires. It took 25 days to complete. We have upgraded with a new chopper and wagons since then. Tell us about your farm. My wife, Diane, and I milk our cows in a at-barn parlor. We farm around 300 acres and we plant corn, oats and alfalfa. I have been farming for over 40 years.
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Dairy St r Milk Break
What is your harvesting process? We have a John Deere self-propelled chopper and use three wagons and one truck to haul the corn silage. We do all the work ourselves. All our corn silage is stored in a pile. We push it up and pack the pile with a four-wheel drive Steiger tractor with a blade. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? It needs to be the right amount of moisture and needs to be packed a lot. Just keep driving over it to get it packed. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. One memorable harvest was the rst year we had our self-propelled chopper. Usually corn silage harvest would take us about two weeks, but with the new chopper it now only takes us about ve days. We bought the chopper about six years ago. Tell us about your farm. I took over the farm from my parents, Frank and Marilyn. My dad still helps out with eldwork. My wife, Sherri, works off the farm. We have ve children: Theresa, who is married to Nick Reps and works for Midwest Dairy Association; Eric is in his second year of medical school; Tim farms at home with me; Jessica is in her fourth year of college, working towards a degree in nursing; and Jake is a junior in high school and helps on the farm.
Email andrea.b@dairystar.com
FALL FARM DESTINATION We have you covered
Skid Steer Attachments Pioneer Brand Corn Silage Innoculants
6’ 540 RPM Tiller
715-644-2350
Chippewa Valley Dairy Supply 6053 CTY. HWY. G • STANLEY, WI 54768 • Andrew Zimmerman
Bur-Wall Holsteins suffers barn re Former world production leader one of nearly 40 animals that perished By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
BROOKLYN, Wis. – A barn re of undetermined cause broke out just before midnight on Sept. 18 at the BurWall Registered Holsteins farm just outside of Brooklyn in Dane County, Wis. The farm, owned by Wallace and Donna Behnke, along with their son, Bob, was home to a milking herd of nearly 70 head of high-end registered Holsteins, including Bur-Wall Buckeye Gigi EX-94-3E-GMD, who was a former world milk production record holder and was Holstein USA’s Star of the Breed in 2013. The herd has been recognized with Holstein USA’s Herd of Excellence award multiple times, including in 2017. The re call was dispatched at 11:58 p.m. on the night of Sept. 18. When re crews arrived, they found
“When they were moving out the cows, they were so careful. Everyone knew what those cows meant to our family.” ǧ LISA BEHNKE, BURǧWALL REGISTERED HOLSTEINS
the barn completely engulfed and the roof beginning to collapse. Every effort was made to free the cows in the barn. Over 30 head were saved, but nearly half the herd, including Gigi, is counted as a loss. The surviving animals were moved to a nearby farm where they are able to be housed and cared for. Fire crews remained on the scene until 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 assisting the Behnke family. The Behnke family has been overwhelmed by the love and support shown for them and their herd of cows by neighbors, friends and fellow dairy farmers. A large crew of people showed up at the farm to help care for and relocate the herd and assist with the begin-
ning of the clean-up process. Friends also arrived to help care for the workers. “People don’t know how much that outpouring of love means to our family,” said Wallace and Donna’s daughter-in-law, Lisa Behnke, who is serving as a spokesperson for her family. “It’s so reassuring that when something this tragic and terrible happens, there are people there who understand, love and care.” The herd was moved to a nearby farm where the milking herd had recently been sold. When the cows arrived at their new home, they and the Behnkes were greeted with a fully bedded barn, ready for the cows to settle in to rest and begin recovering. “They walked off the trailers so calmly, even after all they had just been through,” Lisa said. “The barn was bedded, there was feed, they were being tended to. People were trying to help them return to their rhythm of life.” The Behnkes were so moved by the respect the re crews and their community showed not only for them, but for the cows as well. “When they were moving out the cows, they were so careful. Everyone knew what those cows meant to our family,” Lisa said, speaking through owing tears. “When they came to Gigi, they stopped and they asked Bob how he wanted her buried. That meant so much, she was so special.” While the sun has risen and set on what is surely one of the most horric days of the Behnke family’s life, they are reassured life will continue, with the birth of a bull calf the afternoon of Sept. 19 amid all the chaos. “We’d planned to be spending this next week washing tails and sprucing things up for farm tours during World Dairy Expo,” Lisa said. “I guess the chore list will be a little different this year.” Bur-Wall Holsteins has been a favorite stop among many groups traveling to Madison to take in the Expo, with their high-quality cattle located in a close proximity to the show. “There are no words to express our gratitude for all of those who have been there today to pick us up. From the reghters, to the neighbors and community, to all of our friends in the dairy industry lifting us up in prayer and love,” Lisa said. “There just simply are no words.”
Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 19
BEAT MASTITIS - REAL RESULTS A customer with 1200 cows was convinced by Boumatic three years ago that they could do better with their HiFlo™ pulsation. After three years Casey called and asked for an express shipment of rebuild kits and liners so he could re-install CoPulsation™ noting that “there are not enough replacement cows in the country” to keep up with his replacement rate with Boumatic, and he had “never seen so much mastitis”. It has been less than two months since upgrading to CoPulsation™ and Casey called to inform us that he had just received his first quality milk bonus in three years (never got one with Boumatic). He has already cut his antibiotic use in half and cut 1.5 hours off his milking time – all accomplished in a few weeks. Rather interesting that the only changes made were to change pulsation and the results are rather significant.
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“We saw our SCC drop consistently below 100,000...” — Corey and Laura Rasmussen
UDDER SITE DAIRY, The Rasmussen Family, HARLAN, IOWA 300 cows average 85 lbs/cow/day – SCC 85 to 90,000 “After using Udder Comfort™ 3x/day for 4 days on all fresh cows and heifers, across the board, we saw our SCC drop consistently below 100,000 within 3 months, qualifying us for premiums we were not getting before. Our SCC was 120 to 130,000 for years. Now, it is 85 to 90,000,” Corey Rasmussen reports. Corey, Laura and their children Cassie and Ryle, operate Udder Site Dairy, Harlan, Iowa, home to 300 cows. “We’ve been using Udder Comfort for 8 years, as needed, for early signs of mastitis and to reduce swelling. We were able to eliminate the need for intramammary tubes in our lactating herd a couple years ago. Then we were reading how other dairies spray all fresh udders 2x/day for 5 to 7 days or 3x/day for 3 to 4 days, so we started doing this across the board with great results. “We are now getting every lactation started with Udder Comfort, whether or not the udders show obvious swelling. This has made a huge difference for our herd. We see the results in our milk quality. And it just makes sense to start fresh animals this way so they are less likely to have problems and more likely to reach their genetic potential.”
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Keep the milk in the system 1.888.773.7153 1.613.652.9086 uddercomfort.com Call to locate a distributor near you. For external application to the udder only after milking, as an essential component of udder management. Always wash and dry teats thoroughly before milking.
Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
Con�nued from CZECHS | Page 18 How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? We conrm our pregnancies with ultrasound by Dr. Katie Stumvoll, with the Mille lacs Veterinary Clinic, at 40 days since last heat and conrm at 65 days. We also conrm with DHIA milk testing for pregnancy at dry off.
cow care, we have improved to a 30 percent pregnancy rate, maintaining it for the past three years. In the past few years, we have really thrived in our calf care programs and heifer management. We ensure our own replacements are well cared for and have a great report of health by the time they hit breeding age. We also would contribute much of our success to having full headlocks in all of our breeding pens. We have continued to put emphasis on coordinating our lock ups with parlor return times and feeding routines, so no cow is on their feet for too long; and for ease and speed of chalking, shots, breeding and vet checks.
What is your breeding philosophy? How do you select bulls? What traits do you focus on? Does fertility play a role in bull selection? We select for high lifetime net merit, with emphasis on high daughter pregnancy rate and productive life. We also only use bulls less than one point on stature. We do not select much for sire fertility with our bull selection. How are cows and heifers bred? Do you have a different philosophy for breeding both? All breeding cattle are locked once a day for about 20 minutes. At this time the chalk is read and applied, cows and heifers are bred and shots are administered. Heifers are bred using almost 100 percent natural heat, with prostaglandin used on open heifers at the time of the pregnancy check. Heifers receive two straws of sexed semen if needed and conventional semen after that if they are still not conrmed pregnant. Cows are bred with conventional semen.
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Monger and Epple input data from the pregnancy check on Sept. 19. At Czech’s Roadside Acres, cows are conrmed pregnant using ultrasound at 40 days since last heat and conrm at 65 days. They also use the DHIA milk pregnancy test at the �me of dry off. What do you do to settle hard breeders? With our increase in heifer inventory due to sexed semen on heifers, we do not spend much time on those that refuse to lock up or those that are more difcult to breed. At that time we will code them as do not breed (DNB). How many times do you try to breed a cow before you sell her? At about 300 days in milk or six to eight services, depending on cow stats and
production. We use our DHIA records and other management tools for individual cow stats in determining if we want to continue to breed that animal or code her DNB. Is there anything you have done or changed that brought about a signicant improvement in your reproductive program? Our farm was bull bred from the start. In the 1970s, my grandfather, Joseph Czech,
introduced A.I. breeding in the herd, as well as continuing the use of bulls. In 1990, the farm switched to 100 percent A.I. breeding. As the farm grew and the number of employees increased, safety was a main concern, and we decided to remove the bulls from the herd. Since 2009, we began working with Genex Cooperative. A.I. breeding seemed to be going pretty well from the start, and with steady improvements to feeding routines and fresh
Tell us about your farm. The farm was purchased in 1954 by my grandfather. He then started farming in 1959. My Dad, Mark Czech, took over the operation in 1983 as the second generation. In the past 10 years, our farm has remained optimistic. Even during some of the most volatile markets, we have continued to strive for efciency and ease in our farm operation. My dad has always said, “One job, one man.” We continue to look into the future of our industry and embrace technology and keep educating ourselves to be the best we can be at our profession. I can only hope to get the opportunity to carry on my grandfather’s legacy and become the third generation of our family farm.
Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 21
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Over 1200 items with pictures updated daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com ARTICULATED 4WD TRACTORS 11 Versatile 1156, 1988, 6000 hrs., #139641 .................................$51,900 1 JD 8560, 1991, 6305 hrs., #140759 .................................$33,900 2 JD 8770, 1996, 7970 hrs., #138494 .................................$32,900 7 JD 8870, 1995, 4370 hrs., #138377 .................................$60,900 8 JD 8960, 1992, 7694 hrs. #137900 .................................$41,900 6 JD 9200, 1994, 6844 hrs., #138865 .................................$67,500 3 JD 9330, 2010, 1260 hrs., #140493 ...............................$185,000 8 JD 9400, 1996, 6221 hrs., #134367 .................................$79,000 7 JD 9620, 2006, 6120 hrs., #138706 ...............................$114,490 7 JD 9360R, 2013, 1289 hrs., #139202 ...............................$195,900 3 JD 9470R, 2015, 214 hrs., #139203 ...............................$269,000 5 JD 9510R, 2013, 2054 hrs., #140937 ...............................$228,000 1 JD 9560R, 2013, 2344 hrs., #127914 ...............................$219,000 7 JD 9560R, 2012, 1751 hrs., #133796 ...............................$239,000 5 JD 9620R, 2015, 463 hrs., #137678 ...............................$365,000 4 JD 9620R, 2015, 514 hrs., #125913 ...............................$365,000 3 Challenger MT965B, 2009, 3800 hrs., #137356 ...........$135,000 COMBINE PLATFORMS 8 JD 615P, 2016, #133555 ...$26,000 8 JD 630F, 2010, #134812 ...$25,900 4 JD 630F, 2011, #113753 ...$25,900 6 JD 635F, 2007, #135115 ...$18,500 5 JD 635F, 2010, #140551 ...$22,900 5 JD 635F, 2009, #131606 ...$24,500 7 JD 635F, 2010, #140844 ...$24,500 1 JD 635F, 2011, #140574 ...$26,950 4 JD 635F, 2012, #118150 ...$33,900 COMBINES 10 CIH 8010, 2006, 2125 hrs., 1506 sep. hrs., #132086 .....$99,000 5 JD 8820, 1979, 5216 hrs.,
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#136888 .................................$13,900 6 JD 9500, 1995, 5104 hrs., 3524 sep., #140342 ............$25,900 12 JD 9500, 1989, 4400 hrs., 3300 sep., #132034 ............$27,900 1 JD 9500, 1990, 3950 hrs., #141093 .................................$27,900 4 JD 9500, 1990, 4700 hrs., 3203 sep., #141071 ............$29,000 5 JD 9500, 1992, 5306 hrs., 3502 sep., #140474 ..........$35,900 11 JD 9500, 1995, 2588 hrs., 1747 sep., #140676 ............$38,900 2 JD 9550, 2001, 3367 hrs., 2352 sep., #134900 ............$71,900 2 JD 9600, 1995, 5000 hrs., 190 sep., #133728 ..............$34,900 9 JD 9570 STS, 2008, 1563 hrs., 1084 sep., #115868 ..........$139,500 7 JD 9570 STS, 2010, 910 hrs., 682 sep., #122037 ............$169,500 7 JD 9650W, 2001, 4200 hrs., #141066 .................................$74,500 6 JD 9760 STS, 2004, 2642 hrs., 1763 sep., #107702 ............$98,900 10 JD 9760 STS, 2004, 2354 hrs., 1558 sep., #132810 ..........$118,000 7 JD 9770 STS, 2008, 2845 hrs., 2021 sep., #139325 ..........$119,840 7 JD 9770 STS, 2009, 2597 hrs., 1919 sep., #124372 ..........$127,900 8 JD 9770 STS, 2010, 2427 hrs., 1776 sep., #135046 ..........$132,900 3 JD 9870 STS, 2009, 3239 hrs., #134942 ...............................$139,000 6 JD S550, 2012, 1105 hrs., .720 sep., #134811 ...............................$210,000 8 JD S660, 2012, 1812 hrs.,1385 sep., #133738 ...............................$175,000 4 JD S660, 2013, 1607 hrs.,1027 sep., #135180 ...............................$196,000 9 JD S660, 2014, 547 hrs., 450 sep., #132631 ...............................$260,000 9 JD S660, 2014, 418 hrs., 253 sep., #116531 ...............................$265,000 7 JD S660, 2015, 583 hrs., 384 sep., #117457 ...............................$269,000 2 JD S660, 2015, 401 hrs., 245 sep., #125946 ...............................$295,000 1 JD S670, 2012, 2368 hrs.,1711 sep., #128689 ...............................$159,500
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2 1 3 1 6 5 8 1 8
5 5 6 4 1 3 9 2 2 1
DISKS CIH 370, 2014, #137899 ...$37,900 JD 2620, 2013, #139728 ..$49,000 JD 2623, 2013, #126300 ..$36,900 JD 2623, 2014, #134863 ..$41,900 JD 2623, 2012, #135075 ..$46,900 JD 2623, 2015, #134716 ..$53,900 Krause 8200, 2013, #131061 .................................$34,900 Wishek 824NT-24, 2009, #139775 .................................$29,900 Summers 9K4727, 2015, #129015 .................................$79,500 Frontier DH1612, 2016, #139223 .................................$11,500 RIPPERS JD 2700, 2006, #130972 ..$14,900 JD 2700, 2004, #140687 ..$15,900 JD 2700, 2005, #139398 ..$22,000 JD 2700, 2010, #141040 ..$22,900 JD 2700, 2009, #118932 ..$27,900 JD 2700, 2013, #135020 ..$30,900 Kuhn 4855, 2015, #138368 .................................$59,900 Case 530B, 2001, #141085 .................................$16,000 CIH 730C, 2011, #135148 .................................$30,000 TRACK TRACTORS CIH 540 QUADTRAC, 2015, 937 hrs., #140245 ..............$309,500 CIH 600 QUADTRAC, 2013, 2467 hrs., #140246 ...........$229,500 JD 8310T, 2001, 2295 hrs., #126238 .................................$85,000 JD 9460RT, 2012, 1130 hrs., #125925 ...............................$249,000 JD 9510RT, 2013, 1227 hrs., #141091 ...............................$249,500 JD 9560RT, 2012, 1918 hrs., #140934 ...............................$240,000 Caterpillar MT765C, 2012 1779 hrs., #136810 ...........$163,000 Challenger MT865, 2003, 5791 hrs., #138939 ...............................$120,000 CIH QUADTRAC 550, 2013, 1199 hrs., #138936 ...........$250,000 Case STX425, 2002, 3168 hrs., #136012 ...............................$126,900
JD S670, $ 2012, 2368 hrs., #128689
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Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
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Any time you shop the dairy aisle at your local store, you’ll ďƒžnd a variety of artisan and specialty cheeses, low-sodium options and beverages that taste great and provide the extra protein needed to refuel after a tough workout. Much of this selection is available thanks to the investment Midwest dairy farmers are making in research and innovation through the Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center (MDFRC) – research that primarily focuses on product innovation, food safety and the ongoing product improvements. Dairy research is a priority By Nancy Huls for Midwestern dairy farmers, Midwest Dairy and research funding has Association averaged $500,000 over the last ďƒžve years. Midwest Dairy invests checkoff funds and partner contributions to conduct research and provide support to increase the capabilities of the dairy industry and ensure its future competitiveness. Why is this investment important? Recent headlines have raised awareness about what can happen if food safety practices are not followed. When consumers became sick and several died after eating ice cream manufactured by Blue Bell Creameries, the company shut down production and removed products from stores. This event not only affected company sales; the entire ice cream industry suffered from a breakdown in consumer conďƒždence. That’s why it was exciting to host the recent MDFRC annual meeting where experts proposed research projects to help solve food safety and quality challenges. The Center has a history of funding research that positively affects demand for milk and dairy ingredients. As global demand for dairy products and ingredients has increased, dairy farmers have sponsored research to identify the best methods to dry dairy ingredients so they can be shipped abroad and used as high-quality ingredients for infant formula, beverages or snack bars. Research is also underway to identify methods to remove bacteria and reduce spores from dairy processing environments. Midwest Dairy has funded research that looks at how different equipment surfaces and cleaning agents can lower the probability that bacteria will form from spores during dairy processing. Each solution opens new opportunities for industry growth and increased sales which enables consumers to enjoy safer, better tasting dairy products with a longer shelf life. Consumer demand for convenience has also led to research that developed a rapid testing method to conďƒžrm the amount of starch and cellulose found in shredded cheese to prevent shredded cheese from clumping. Given the fact the shredded cheese market increased 2.3 percent in 2016, contributing more than 53 million pounds of new volume, this test will continue to lead to improved quality and safety, and help consumers feel conďƒždent in the quality of the shredded cheese they enjoy in their favorite recipes. The wide range of dairy research underway is fueling the need for additional pounds of milk. Dairy farmers should be proud their investment is leading not only to product innovation, but also improved quality, enhanced product safety and increased consumer conďƒždence resulting in increased demand.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 23
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KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Carey and Terri Prigge, along with their four children, milk 86 goats on their dairy near New Richland, Minn.
Waseca County Farm Family of the Year milking goats for past ve years By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
NEW RICHLAND, Minn. – Although having goats was only meant to be for fun, the Prigges have turned it into full-blown business. “But, I don’t look at it as a job,” Carey Prigge said. His wife agreed. “It still feels like a hobby because it was for so many years,” Terri said. Carey and Terri Prigge, along with their children, Sam, 19, Emily, 17, Annie, 15, and Sawyer, 13, are this year’s Waseca County Farm Family of the Year. They milk 86 goats on their dairy, Linden Acres, near New Richland, Minn. “I read about other people with multi generations on the farm and lots of land and animals. I always think of those people as a farm family of the year. We’re just a small farm with 20 acres,” Carey said. “So we’re honored to be Waseca County farm family this year.” While Carey grew up on a dairy farm
in Winona County, Terri grew up in the Twin Cities metro area with no dairying background. They met in college and moved to the New Richland area for Carey to work as a large animal veterinarian. “In this area there are a lot of crop farmers, so they think we’re a little crazy to milk two times a day,” Carey said. That really surprised Terri, who has learned a lot about agriculture since college and studying animal science. “Even in this big ag area, people don’t understand dairy farming,” Terri said. The start of their venture into goats started with one of Carey’s veterinary clients, Sherry Penuska, who also happens to be a neighbor to the family. When Carey would visit her dairy goat farm, she would encourage him to add the caprine species to his family’s hobby farm. “One day after doing vet work at Sherry’s farm, Carey brought home two goats,” Terri said about the start of their herd. They were raising sheep at the time and showing them in 4-H, but the goats and their strong personalities captivated the Prigge family. “They were like dogs following the kids around the pasture,” Terri said. “They’re like pseudo dogs – they’re Turn to PRIGGES | Page 25
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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 25
friendly and they like people.” The Prigge children decided their next 4-H project would be dairy goats. After a few years of enjoying the project, the Prigges’ goats had expanded to a herd of nearly 20. Although they left the babies with the mothers after they gave birth, the Prigges were still milking a handful of the goats by hand. “It was getting to be too much. We had to make a decision whether we were going to sell some the animals or take the next step to start milking commercially,” Carey said. After a family meeting, the vote favored keeping the goats and starting dairying. “The kids do a lot of work and were already doing a lot of milking,” Terri said about why they included the children in their decision. PHOTO SUBMITTED But she was hesitant. The Prigge children – (from leŌ ) Sam, Emily, Annie and Sawyer – take on chore responsibiliƟ es, “I was a little scared of the twice a day milking. Carey was which helps make their goat dairy run smoothly. used to the cows milking every 12 hours. With the kids in sports jority of items – the bulk tank, not too many challenges with the feeding. I didn’t think we could do it,” receiving jar, milk pump, vacu- the new venture. But it has been “We enjoy farming and Terri said. um pump, pipeline and milking a learning curve. probably wouldn’t have had to When she found out Penus- stand among other things – used “I had never done this, so I start dairying to make a living, ka milked twice a day, but not in from different farms that had had to learn a lot. I was a city but it’s something I could see us 12-hour intervals, Terri changed expanded or stopped milking. girl,” Terri said. doing when I retire from veteriher mind. They have a double-12 stand Even Carey, who grew up nary work,” Carey said. “It’s not “That was a deciding factor with six milking units. on a dairy, said he is learning a huge money making, but it cash for me,” Terri said. This winter, they will be lot about milking goats. ows if you keep the cost low.” Before they made any upgrading their 300-gallon bulk “We try to keep it simple,” The Prigges milk two breeds changes on their farm, they tank to one that holds 550 gal- Carey said. – Saanens and LaManchas. checked with the creamery to lons after the original tank overTerri does the majority of “We didn’t have the Saanens make sure milk was needed. owed several times. the milking with the help of the until we started our commercial Once they got the OK, the “It’s a good problem to children. She also works a part- dairy because we realized we Prigges added a milking parlor have,” Carey said. time off-the-farm job. Along needed the milk production,” and a milkhouse to their existing Other than training the goats with his full-time work as a vet- Carey said. barn. They bought a large ma- to go into the parlor, there were erinarian, Carey does most of All the goats are registered
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with a breed association and this is the second year the herd’s milk has been tested through DHIA. The Prigges hope to improve on their milk production, which is averaging about 10 pounds per doe per day. They also hope to sell replacements and bucks out of high-producing does, which will help bring in extra income. There are advantages to milking goats rather than cows. The Prigges like that goats are seasonal breeders, which gives them about one month – usually in December – off from milking. That is when they take a family vacation. They also like that goats can be more exible with their daily milking schedule. They also create less manure because they are smaller, which also makes them easier to move and work with. Carey admits he was apprehensive to switch from cows to goats at rst. “Cow guys think [goats are] a step down. They think we’re weird,” Carey said. “But I wouldn’t go back to cows.” Terry also likes the goats. “They’re friendly and goofy. They’re fun to be around,” she said. Looking ahead, the Prigges plan to stay around the 100-doe mark for their milking herd. They also want to make sure their hobby-turned-business can be a benet for everyone in the family. “It’s a mix of having extra cash ow, but we enjoy it,” Carey said. “We just do what we can and enjoy life.”
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
Marketing assistance loans available after harvest
With small grain harvest underway and the upcoming corn and soybean harvest right around the corner, it’s time to analyze if you are going to market your grain immediately or store it for a while. If storing your grain for marketing or feeding later FSA News & Notes in the year, you may need some immediate cash ow to assist your operation. FSA has an opportunity for you if this is the case. Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deciency Payments (LDPs) provide nancing and marketing assistance for corn, wheat, feed By Ryan Brunn grains, soybeans, and other Stearns Co. Exec. Dir. oilseeds, pulse crops, rice, peanuts, cotton, wool and honey. MALs provide producers interim nancing after harvest to help them meet cash ow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows. A producer who is eligible to obtain a loan, but agrees to forgo the loan, may obtain an LDP if such a payment is available. Marketing loan provisions and LDPs are not available for sugar and extra-long staple cotton. As of now, there are no crop prices low enough to initiate an LDP payment. FSA is now accepting requests for 2017 MALs and LDPs for all eligible commodities after harvest. Requests for loans and LDPs shall be made on or before the nal availability date for the respective commodities. Loans are for nine months and the interest rate for MALs approved in September is 2.25 percent. Before MAL repayments with a market loan gain or LDP disbursements can be made, producers must meet the requirements of being actively engaged in farming, cash rent tenant and member contribution. To be considered eligible for an LDP, producers must have form CCC-633EZ, page 1 on le at their FSA ofce before losing benecial interest in the crop. Pages 2-4 of the form must be submitted when payment is requested. The 2014 Farm Bill also establishes payment limitations per individual or entity not to exceed $125,000 annually on certain commodities for the following program benets: price loss coverage payments, agriculture risk coverage payments, marketing loan gains (MLGs) and LDPs. These payment limitations do not apply to MAL loan disbursements or redemptions using commodity certicate exchange. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions were modied by the 2014 Farm Bill, which states that a producer whose total applicable three-year average AGI exceeds $900,000 is not eligible to receive an MLG or LDP. Producers must have a valid CCC-941 on le to earn a market gain of LDP. The AGI does not apply to MALs redeemed with commodity certicate exchange. For more information and additional eligibility requirements, visit a nearby USDA Service Center or www.fsa.usda.gov.
Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 27
The Transition Pen
By Laura Scholtz & John Rosenhammer Father/Daughter Farming Duo As the smell of fresh corn silage spreads throughout our farm, long white silage bags ll the empty space behind the freestall barn. The chopped down corn stalks allow us to once again see past our driveway to the neighbors. Everyone is hustling around the farm, looking for some way to help. At this moment, we are 80 percent done with corn silage, following will be earlage and a possible fth cutting of alfalfa before it’s time to get the combine out for corn and soybeans. While milking with my younger brother, Johnny, last weekend, he told me his teacher gave him some good advice. “Think of the person you want to be someday and start making decisions that person would make today in order to become that person someday.” I asked him how he is applying that, which led to a discussion on what internship he should look for next summer and whether or not he should take a job around Watertown (where he attends college) during harvest or come home and help us on the weekends. Difcult as it is for me to urge him to work elsewhere, I know it is what is best for him. I take being a role model to my three younger siblings seriously. When they come to me for advice, I usually spend all day contemplating whether or not what I told them will help them. While it would be easiest for Johnny to stay home and work with our green tractors and family he is familiar with, going out of his comfort zone and learning to drive different colored tractors, taking orders from a different supervisor and adjusting to a different farm’s pace during harvest will provide him with the skills he needs to adapt to a job in the real world following college. I can’t help but reect on my own example of this when I worked at Gar-Lin Dairy following college. I remember showing up the rst day, feeling excited and condent, which quickly diminished as I realized how much I had to learn in order to meet their dairy’s intensity and strict expectations. Besides this, I struggled at times to work in harmony with coworkers whose tactics and personalities differed from mine. I remember having to request a cow be euthanized when she could not get up for two days and was suffering with toxic mastitis. I was asked to look up her record, which I did and saw she stood out as a high producer, but regardless, her situation was not going to improve. I remember the manager looking me in the eye and telling me, “These are the situations that dene what you’re all about … this is where you set
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the example for your employees that are watching. If they see you care, they will care, too.” Frustrated, we again tried to lift the cow and treat her with antibiotics before putting her down the next afternoon. Two weeks ago, I had missed milking the night before and came back in the morning to nd a cow with toxic mastitis that should’ve been treated earlier, but wasn’t. I gave her oral and IV uids, antibiotics and hoped for the best, knowing I was on the losing end. A few hours later during evening milking, my dad was absent so I was in charge. One of our high school employees came to me saying a cow couldn’t get up, and it was her number. My experience at Gar-Lin came to mind, and I pulled together a plan. After several attempts, the two of us managed to get her into the bobcat bucket and move her outside, where she would be most comfortable. I gave her more IV treatment. During the process, I took time to explain to our employee
what was happening to this cow and what steps I was taking to counteract the toxins that were poisoning her. That night, I left the farm knowing that cow surely wouldn’t be alive when I returned in the morning, but at the very least, I had set the right example for our employees. The person I want to be is a dairy farmer who is known for her passion, drive, focus, energy and achievements. The decisions I’ve made such as attending college, working at Gar-Lin, attending dairy extension workshops, reading articles about other dairies, and surrounding myself with a positive network of friends and consultants will help me on my course to become that dairy farmer someday. Laura Scholtz farms with her father, John Rosenhammer, and uncle, Greg, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and run 580 acres of cropland.
Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
Betty Berning bberning@umn.edu 320-203-6104 Rafael Bisinotto rbisinot@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 Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277 Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu (320) 589-1711 Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu (612) 625-3108 Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334 Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu (320) 732-4435 Kota Minegishi kota@umn.edu 612-624-7455 Randy Pepin pepin019@umn.edu (320) 333-1369 Erin Royster royster@umn.edu Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu (320) 203-6093 M. Scott Wells mswells@umn.edu 612-625-3747 Emily Wilmes krek0033@umn.edu (320) 255-6169
www.extension.umn.edu/dairy
Make time for planning There is always a lot to do, and it is easy to wonder where time goes. In the midst of milking cows and making hay, management activities like working on a transition plan for the farm or writing up an animal welfare policy are frequently set aside. It is so important to make time on a regular basis to work on these strategic activities. If you don’t make time, more urgent activities will consume your time. Discipline is required to commit to management activities. Management of your business is important. By carving out time to work on your business’ strategy and goals, you set the course for your farm and can proactively respond to changes. This By Betty Berning can help your farm survive in the future. U of M Extension One management task I suggest beginning with is a business plan. I recommend that every farm have a business plan, especially those that are new, expanding or making major changes. A business plan is simply a statement of business goals and a roadmap to how those goals will be achieved. Think of it as a blueprint for your farm; it sets the direction of where your business is headed in the future. By creating this plan, you can communicate what your farm is about to others. Do you farm with other family members? A business plan can help all of you discuss and align on goals for your farm. Do you work with a lender? Your farm’s plan can be shared with your lender to help him/her understand your farm’s vision and goals. There are several sections to a business plan: executive summary, business description, production management, personnel management, marketing management and nancial management. After you have a plan in place, it becomes a living document you can use. If you want to make changes, it is easy to update. Because it is an important piece of your farm’s business, I strongly suggest you write this document. A brief synopsis of each section follows: • Executive summary: I like to think of this as the bow on a gift. It wraps everything up and presents it in an easy to understand format. Often times, this may be the only section that is read. It is here that you will want to summarize your business and its goals. • Business description: This is a great place to start. Many people nd this to be the easiest section to write because you simply write about your farm. For example, you may write
about the size of your farm, where it is located, what you produce, your ownership or your history. Think about what you would want someone to know about your farm as you write this section. • Production management: Some people call this operations management. This is the nuts and bolts of how you run your farm. In this section, you describe what you produce and how you produce it. • Personnel management: Here you describe the organizational structure of your farm. This section will be short for you, but it is good to write that you are the sole proprietor and list any help that you have. If you have a protability team or advisory committee, include them, too. For larger farms, list your employees. Describe the different jobs on the farm and each person’s responsibilities. • Marketing management: This section can be about how you sell your grain or milk, or if you sell products directly off your farm, it might be your plan for how you effectively sell these products. For most dairy farms, this is the place to write about whom you sell your milk to and your selling strategy. You can also include an analysis of market trends or describe a competitive advantage (e.g. being organic or grass-fed) that your dairy may possess. • Financial management: If you are creating your plan because you would like to request a loan from your lender, this is the section for you. Here you will want to include nancial history, nancial projections, nancial statements and your capital request. It may also be helpful to include benchmarks against other dairies that are similar to yours. It is here that you can illustrate if your farm can nancially handle an expansion or change. All of this may seem overwhelming. There is a tool available from the University of Minnesota called AgPlan (agplan.umn.edu). This tool will help you create your own business plan for your farm. There are tutorials and resources available that provide in-depth detail on each of these sections. It can help you determine what you want to include in your plan. It also allows you to share your plan with others, so you can edit it between family members and business partners. By completing a business plan, you begin to shape your farm’s strategy. This exercise will help you identify where to spend your management activity time. Take time every week to work on becoming a better manager. With discipline, you will nd the time to do this and your farm will benet.
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DID W We are in our third generation of raising and selling alfalfa. I’ve seen a lot T ! U Y S a bus e’ve KNO OU GE akot YO ? R of people jump in and out of the hay business... our family has been doing this our D A W D ine be DI OW the L outh ? ss en entire lives.We know what it takes to make hay in South Dakota and we know how to KN ne of in S s i n i n treat a customer. When you buy alfalfa from us either you are 100% satisfied or we’ll make it right. o rs re duce a We a Pro alf Alf
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Livestock trailer safety We have all seen the newspaper headlines, “Ten head of cattle loose after crash,” or even a worse case scenario of, “Prize-winning cow killed in crash.” These headlines are tragic, but enforce the need to have a safety checklist that is reviewed every time we hook up the truck and trailer. Proper preparation of truck and trailer, animal loading and driver attentiveness are all factors that contribute to safe and effective livestock transportation. Utilizing a livestock trailer to transport animals from one place to another is common among farms and sale auctions. This method of livestock transportaBy Karen Johnson tion increases during the summer U of M Extension as exhibitors attend a variety of shows. Trailer safety is essential to decrease the chances of a costly incident happening to you and your livestock. Before you hit the road, ensure your vehicle and trailer are in good condition for the animal and equipment to arrive safely to the desired location. Below are several steps to complete when preparing to transport animals: • Know your vehicle. Check the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight (GCVW) to know the towing capacity of the vehicle or your vehicle weight plus the loaded trailer weight. Additional weight such as fuel, passengers and cargo (livestock) must also be included. • Know the law. Depending on the species of animal, the need for health testing, veterinary inspection and ofcial identication paperwork will vary based on the purpose of transporting and destination. Additionally, all state-federal highway laws must be followed, including licensing and DOT numbering requirements. • Check all tires including the spare tire(s) for quality, proper air pressure and tread. The tire’s lug nuts should also be checked to ensure the tires are snuggly attached to the vehicle and trailer. • When hooking the vehicle to the trailer, the ball should be appropriately sized and greased for the hitch. The ball should be locked into place along with the safety chains attached as an additional safety precaution. For trailers that have brakes, check to see they are in working order. • Check the electrical works for the vehicle and trailer. Make sure that all lights (brake lights, turn signals and tail lights) work properly. A secure electrical connection between the vehicle and trailer must be made and maintained throughout the entire trip. • Check the oor of the trailer to ensure that it can support the weight of the cargo. Additional oor mats may need to be added to provide traction for livestock. • Be prepared in case of a at tire or accident. Have safety cones/triangle, proper wrenches, some
TMR Feed Cart
Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 29
type of nut penetrating uid and a jack capable of lifting loaded trailer available to use during these situations. When transporting livestock, the well-being of the animals is the top priority. Before loading the trailer, identify any broken or sharp object that may cause injury to the animals. Repairs should be completed before loading. Once complete, trailers should be loaded with the heaviest animals in front of the axles. Traditionally, older and larger animals are loaded rst, followed by younger animals. Extra precautions such as installing padding to trailer sides and gates can be used to prevent unwanted cuts and scrapes commonly experienced during transport. Doors of the trailer should be latched closed to prevent them from opening unexpectedly. Do not lock the trailer closed. In the event of an emergency, rescue workers need to be able to access the trailer quickly. Finally, the overall attitude and mental condition
of the driver is vital to a safe and successful trip. The driver should be well rested. Avoid all distraction including talking or texting on a cell phone, adjusting the radio or climate controls, eating or drinking and day-dreaming. Take all measures to drive safely. Allow for greater braking distance, and travel at slower speeds allowing for more time to react to other roadway driving factors. Even in the daylight, travel with your vehicle lights on. The ultimate goal for transporting animals is to maintain the highest standard of hauling with the well-being of the animals as a top priority. Preparing the truck and trailer for travel, loading the animals properly and driver attentiveness is essential to ensure a safe ride for your livestock. For more information about livestock trailer safety, additional tips and some helpful videos, check out the “Livestock trailer safety” article at http://articles.extension.org/ pages/64391/livestock-trailer-safety.
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A writer’s life
Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
I have been doing this silly writing thing (as my wife calls it) for some time now, so I thought I would take a moment to reect. By the way, I am not bothered by my wife’s moniker for this activity. Great men are commonly forced to endure such difculties. Mrs. Einstein: “Albert? He’s in the study working on his silly Theory of Relativity thing.” A question that folks often ask me is how this writing thing compares to farming. There are many differences, but there are also some similarities. Take the pay. Many people, when you tell them that you are a freelance writer, envision someone who lives in a spacious New York City loft. The writer arises at the crack of noon, reads a bit, goes for coffee with friends and orders in Chinese food. Once a month or so, he grinds out timeless prose which so moves his publisher that he begs for the opportunity
to pay double. I bet you believe in the Tooth Fairy, too. So, while the pay more or less stinks, I can truthfully say I have never lost money while writing. This is one major way in which writing differs from farming. Another big difference is that I will, occasionally, receive a word of praise. Holsteins aren’t known to say, “Atta boy,” when they get an extra helping of hay. One summer, my family and I were at the state fair when a lady recognized me from my photo. She buttonholed me and told me how much she and her husband enjoyed my columns. The best part was that my wife witnessed the whole thing. It felt like harvesting a record-large crop and receiving recordhigh prices at the same time. During our voyage home, we discussed the incident. Or, I should say that I did. My wife endured
my soliloquy in silence. As we pulled into our driveway, I asked, “Who do you think should play me when they make a movie based on my life story? I’m thinking about letting Brad Pitt have a shot at it. He’s been down on his Dear County Agent Guy luck lately, what with his marriage blowing up and everything.” My wife got out and slammed the car door. Hard. “Wait here while I call a carpenter,” she said. “There’s no way your head will t through the front door.” Well. I guess By Jerry Nelson some people can’t Columnist handle other people’s successes. Since I was out, I thought I may as well get the mail. No doubt there will be reams of fan mail waiting for me in the mailbox. I hoped the weight of it all hadn’t given the postman a hernia. But there wasn’t any fan mail, only bills. A bill for overhauling the tractor, the feed bill, a bill for seed corn. And the banker sent a letter saying he needed to see me, pronto. By the time I got through the stack of bills, not only was my head back to normal size, I was also feverishly searching for that bottle of Prozac I had stashed in my sock drawer. Life has a way of evening things out. My favorite fantasy regarding writing is that some majorly huge publisher offers me an obscene amount of money to work for them. I would be given a corner ofce and assigned an attractive young secretary.
M ffavorite My i ffantasy regarding di writing is that some majorly huge publisher offers me an obscene amount of money to work for them.
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But before long, a feeling of ennui would creep into my bones. I would stare out at the glittering city from the window of my luxurious penthouse apartment and wonder how the oat crop is doing. I would begin to sneak out to the country and bribe farmers into letting me drive their tractors. On my way to the opera, I would wish I was wearing coveralls instead of a tux, riding in a combine instead of a limo and listening to Paisley instead of Pavoratti. I would move out onto a small acreage, telling my colleagues I would only spend weekends there. But what’s the point of having a barn when you don’t have cattle? The cattle would necessitate that I plant some crops; just enough to feed my herd, I would tell myself. And, why sell that extra corn you raised when you can make better money by sending it through some steers? My Pulitzer trophy would soon be used to chock wagon wheels and my Nobel plaque would serve to plug a hole in the granary. I would borrow money to acquire more land to feed my ever-increasing herd. Before you know it, farming would become my fulltime occupation and writing would merely be a hobby. Which, of course, is where it all began. Jerry is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, S.D. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry currently works full time for the Dairy Star as a staff writer/ad salesman. Feel free to E-mail him at: jerry.n@ dairystar.com.
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Launching a whole new experience
Ten years ago when I started the process of developing a website for Dairy Star, I was working with a software company that provides the content management system for us to manage our site. The launch manager was training me on the software and informing me of all the details that go into managing a site. He said one thing to me that stuck with me all these years – building and modifying a website is like fueling a jet plane when it’s ying. The website is always up and going and it’s always going to be visible to people. Well, I have this going through my head more often than not right now because if you haven’t noticed yet, we launched a brand new, redesigned By Andrea Borgerding website. And, needless to say, it has some kinks we Online Editor have to work out. There was a lot of information on our site and sometimes when the software company does an information pull, they don’t always get it right. So my main message today is to please be patient with us! I feel the site looks beautiful and streamlined but some of the information still needs to be ne-tuned. We’ve already received a lot of compliments on the site. Once the kinks have been worked out, visiting the Dairy Star website should be a pleasant, streamlined experience. I welcome any feedback on the design and content of the new site. Please email me at andrea.b@dairystar. com. Speaking of email, have you signed up for our Milk Break E-newsletter yet? We are looking to get everyone signed up to receive our weekly newsletter, which includes news items, a calendar of events and upcoming auctions, a photo of the week, a recipe and a preview to what is coming up in the next issue of Dairy Star. The newsletter is delivered right to your inbox. Currently, we are giving away a free Milk Break t-shirt every week to someone who has signed up to receive the newsletter. Are you going to World Dairy Expo? Stop by Dairy Star’s booth in the Coliseum to sign up to win a t-shirt. We will be giving one away every day of Expo. As an added bonus, Leigh Rubes, the cartoonist who designed our Milk Break logo, will also have a registration box in his booth during Expo. Visit both booths to sign up and double your chances of winning!
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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 31
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A season of love Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
Seasons mark the movement of time on the farm. example of the love is blind theory. I had no clue what As we put the hay head away and wiggle the corn head I was getting into. Even before I made it to the church, I was onto the chopper, it is a reminder of the new season. If the corn is ready to chop, the grapes must be ready questioning if I really loved Mark enough to marry to pick. And somewhere in all the hustle and bustle of him forever. I called a dear friend, whom I had met at her wedding two years this harvest season, we try earlier, to seek her advice. to nd a few quiet moments We picked i k d a SSeptember b to celebrate our 30th harvest W My call woke her up after season. wedding because the odds were she just worked the night It feels like a few years shift at the hospital. Once ago Dad was walking me in our favor if a long marriage her sleepy mind cleared, down the church aisle was an inherited trait. she found some very wise whispering, “You know, words. “The love you feel you’re marrying those darn for him today is nothing cows? You know, your marrying those darn cows.” compared to what it will be like later as your marriage With each step, I nodded my head and assured him I grows.” Love him? Not enough for 30 years, but I knew I was marrying those cows, too. This is a perfect knew I loved him enough to walk down the aisle to
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say, “I do.” Think of love as an oak tree. It doesn’t start out majestic and sturdy. It starts from a simple seed, an acorn. As an oak tree grows, so does its root system. An oak tree’s crown is a mirror image of its root system below ground. It must have a strong foundation Just Thinking Out Loud to keep it anchored and steady by which to grow. Of course, as the young sapling grows, it must be exible and willing to bend to survive the storms. Love starts off as a seed of promise. Through shared experiences beside each other, the foundation or By Natalie Schmitt root system develops to Columnist support the branches of your family. We picked a September wedding because the odds were in our favor if a long marriage was an inherited trait. Mark’s grandparents were married for 63 years in September. His parents will celebrate their 63rd later this month. My parents just celebrated their 57th earlier this month. As my Dad tells his wedding story, it was the hottest day of the summer of 1960. There was no such thing as an air conditioned church. There are wedding pictures of him mopping the sweat from his brow, proof of the heat. But the concerned look on his face revealed more of a nervous sweat of, “What in the world am I getting into?” Mark’s dad was busy doing chores the morning of his wedding and told his uncle, the priest, that he thought he would make it to the church on time if nothing broke down. The uncle was concerned if he would be performing a wedding ceremony or not. When our folks got married, it was a different time in farming. The harvest season wouldn’t start till October. There weren’t any silos to ll with corn silage or fourth cutting of hay to bale. If it worked for our parents, it should work for us. My brother complained the whole wedding weekend of having to delay lling the silo with corn silage for his beef steers. Mark, Al and Ralph rushed to have all of our silos lled by the wedding. We even had a very short honeymoon because we needed to be back to nish topping off the silos. The silos ran all winter long that year. Over the years, our anniversary celebrations have reected where we are in life at the time. The early years it was a weekend getaway. Then the kids changed our overnight trips to a dinner out on the town. When the kids grew up and left, then it was pizza and cheap wine on the couch because we were too tired to head to town to celebrate. We will probably be chopping corn silage on our anniversary this year and that’s OK. Because with every little glance and grin between loads, the roots grow deeper and anchor us together through the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health, till death do us part. Besides, every day is an anniversary celebration when you’re with the one you love. Have a safe and bountiful harvest season as we mark off another movement on the farm clock. Natalie, Mark and his brother, Al, Schmitt farm together near Rice, Minn. They milk 100 registered Holsteins under the RALMA prex. Their four children are great help around the farm and are pushing Natalie out of several jobs. Therefore she is thankful to have something else to do. For questions or comments please e-mail Natalie at mnschmitt@jetup.net.
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Open minds
Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 33
“Keep an open mind; It’s the only way new things can get in.” – Colleen Hoover Last week, I was part of a really neat experience that reminded me of the importance of keeping an open mind. Midwest Dairy invited me to co-host a Facebook Live video with Chef Marshall O’Brien, a Twin Cities-based chef and nutrition guru. Facebook Live videos are the social Dairy Good Life media equivalent of live television – no retakes, no editing. The goal for the video was to demonstrate a couple of tasty, healthy recipes that would be easy for busy families to make on weeknights. Of course, those recipes included dairy foods to make them extra delicious and extra nutritious. In my opinion, almost every dish tastes better when you add cheese. One of the main recipes for this video was a salad developed by Chef Marshall, made with roasted chicken, chopped spinach, sliced apples, a lemon vinaigrette and ricotta cheese. By Sadie Frericks I saw the recipe ahead of time and thought to Columnist myself, “Ricotta cheese? Really?” In my kitchen, ricotta cheese is for lasagna and not much else. I honestly couldn’t imagine mixing ricotta cheese into a salad. But, because I’ve learned that judging recipes before you try them is never a good idea, I went along with the salad recipe. I’m sure glad I did. Chef Marshall helped me prepare the salad during the video. For one meal, we stuffed the salad into whole wheat pita pockets. For another meal, we tossed the salad with hot rigatoni pasta and fresh grated garlic. Both options were great, but I enjoyed eating the salad just as it was. The addition of the ricotta cheese to the salad was surprisingly delicious. Make that seriously delicious. Plus, ricotta cheese is a great source of protein, calcium and healthy fat (depending upon the milkfat content of the ricotta). I will never think of ricotta cheese the same way again. (And I’ve already looked into making it from scratch at home.) Later that night, while I was tucking Monika into bed, the importance of keeping an open mind came up again in our conversation. Monika’s rst piano lesson was scheduled for the next day and she didn’t want to go. (I’ve written before that, for our family, piano lessons are non-negotiable. Just like everyone takes swimming lessons and learns to swim, everyone will learn to play piano. I took piano lessons for years and still play. Glen took piano lessons, too. We view playing piano as an important life skill.) “I don’t like piano lessons,” Monika insisted. “How do you know?” I asked. “You’ve never had a piano lesson.” Monika has been tinkering around on the piano for as long as Dan has been taking lessons. She even taught herself to play one of Dan’s rst Christmas songs, with a little help from me. I suspected that she was just nervous about starting formal lessons. “All I want you to do tomorrow, Monika, is keep an open mind when you go to your lesson,” I told her. “What’s an open mind?” Monika asked. I explained that having an open mind means going into a new experience without letting yourself decide before hand that it’s going to be bad or good. Some people think of an open mind as a willingness to try new things, especially without judging in advance. Monika accepted my explanation. I reassured her that Miss Kathy, our piano teacher, has a way of teaching that makes playing piano fun. I reminded her that Dan objected to piano lessons when he rst started, too, but now he loves to play. The next day, I asked Monika how her piano lesson went. “Oh, it went OK,” she said. I left it at that. Then, at bedtime that night, Monika lowered her voice and whispered, “Mom, I have something to tell you.” “What is it, honey?” I asked, curiously. “I really liked playing piano today,” she said, still whispering. I gave Monika a big hug and told her how proud of her I was for being willing to try. All of us – myself included – can benet from a reminder every now and then to keep our minds open. Just think of all the incredible experiences we miss out on when we forget to open our minds. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 75 cows near Melrose, Minn. They have three children – Dan, 10, Monika, 7, and Daphne, 4. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
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Maximize starch digestibility throughout corn harvest
Many producers have completed corn silage harvest or are nearing that point. What is your plan for the remaining corn in the elds? Some corn may be near to or already harvested as snaplage or earlage. High moisture shelled corn (HMSC) harvest will follow shortly. Many of the remaining acres will be harvested in the weeks to come as dry corn grain. Focusing on Something to Ruminate On three main factors – processing and particle size, maturing and moisture content, and time – can help you optimize starch digestibility regardless of the strategy you use to harvest your remaining corn crop. Keep these considerations in mind By Barry Visser as you move through Nutritionist harvest. Processing corn grain increases surface area so that microbial digestion can take place. The smaller the particle, the more complete digestion will be. The recommended mean particle size for dry corn is 700 microns as a maximum, although several corn processing systems achieve numbers consistently below 500 microns. The particle size for HMSC becomes less concrete. A mean particle size of 1,200 to 1,500 microns is recommended for HMSC at 30 percent moisture. The drier the HMSC, the ner the grind needs to be. Proper processing and particle size with snaplage has been difcult to nail down due to the amount of husk that is often present. Using forage harvest machines has allowed us to shorten the chop length and incorporate kernel processing. Maturity and moisture content is the next factor. Snaplage or earlage is typically harvested when the kernel is near black layer. At this stage, kernels are physiologically mature and will be around 34 to 36 percent moisture. This should result in a nal moisture content in the mid-30s to low 40s. The harvest window for snaplage or earlage can be narrow, so it’s best to err on the wet side. Target 28 to 32 percent moisture for HMSC. Storage structures may dictate this target value. For optimum starch digestibility, a little too wet is better than too dry. If you are going to start feeding HMSC immediately after harvest, you may want to consider segregating two or three months’ worth of HMSC at a slightly higher moisture range. This will provide a more immediate source of highly digestible starch while other sources ferment. Allowing time for wet corn to ferment is the greatest supporter in improving starch availability. Prolamin-zein proteins encapsulate corn starch and act as a barrier to digestion. Over time, protease enzymes break down this protein matrix, making starch more available. The wetter the corn source, the quicker this process occurs and the sooner the feed will reach its full starch digestibility potential. The corn harvest options used on farms will vary depending on factors such as available acres, storage units, equipment options and plant maturity. Perhaps the best strategy is to have exibility coming into harvest. Having enough carryover in your inventory will help you be more exible in choosing the best time to harvest. Harvesting at the desired moisture, achieving adequate kernel processing and reducing particle size will all help you maximize starch digestibility of your feeds. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 35
Dairy legend dies Bruce Cottington passes at 90 By Ellarry Prentice
Litcheld Independent Review
Note: Information for this article was gathered from back issues of the Independent Review and from the Minnesota Milk Producer’s Association website. LITCHFIELD, Minn. – A tireless promoter has gone to rest. Longtime Litcheld resident Bruce Cottington died Sept. 14 at his home in Litcheld. He was 90. Most who have called the Litcheld area home know his name. Cottington was devoted to his community and to his nation, having dedicated much of his life to promoting veteran service organizations and the local dairy industry. His survivors include three sons and seven grandchildren. A good life A retired grocer and Litcheld resident since 1967, Cottington was a man frequently seen in the dairy aisle, a man who proudly saluted past and present members of the armed forces until his nal days, a man behind the Peanut Butter and Milk exchange – a man of many hats. Cottington was an active member of Litcheld American Legion, Litcheld Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Litcheld Area Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis, the Masons and the Shriners.
He was past commander for the Litcheld Military Honor Guard. For several years, Cottington hosted Cheese Ball Corners, a program on KLFD Radio promoting the local dairy industry. He volunteered for the Meeker County Republican organization for 50 years, serving in nearly every position the party has had during those years. “I’ve had a good life,” Cottington told the Independent Review in 2015. Cottington called Litcheld his home for 50 years. “I’m proud to be here,” he told the Independent Review last year. Born Jan. 22, 1927, on a dairy farm near Forest City, Iowa, Cottington was the 10th of 13 siblings, and had ve brothers and one sister who served in the armed forces. When Cottington was 9 years old, his father died, leaving his mother with nine children at home and a farm to run. After his military service, Cottington married his rst wife, Florence Anderson, in 1952 and graduated from Drake University in 1953 with a degree in business administration. He started in the grocery business with Kroger Co. in Kansas City, Mo., and he and Florence had three sons, Scott, Jim and John. In 1957, Cottington was hired by Super Valu grocery stores in Minneapolis to start general eld supervision and the dairy department. He ran a Super Valu store in Blue Earth, Minn., and then bought the Super Valu in Litcheld in 1968. He spent 25 years with Super Valu before selling the Litcheld store in 1979 and retiring. His obituary states that Cottington’s
FILE PHOTO
Bruce Coƫngton, a long-Ɵme promoter of Minnesota’s dairy industry, died on Sept. 14 at his home in Litcheld, Minn. He was 90 years old. store was the rst Litcheld business to stay open past 6 p.m. on any night but the traditional night, the rst to be open Sundays and the rst to be open 24 hours. Florence died in 1996, and Cottington married longtime friend Marie Rick in 2000. They later divorced but remained friends. The Litcheld Lions Club named Cottington Citizen of the Year in 2014. He received a certicate of appreciation during the Meeker County Republican FARE in 2016 at the Litcheld VFW. He was also a recipient of WCCO Radio’s Good Neighbor Award and was honored as a Hometown Hero by the Hutchinson radio station for his dedication to the community as a member of the Kiwanis, Shrine Club and VFW.
A life of patriotism Cottington lived a lifetime of patriotism. He was a persistent, dedicated and successful promoter of the U.S. Navy and its history. Journalists, political representatives, historians and service organization leaders from across the country noticed his advocacy efforts. “From Valley Forge to Vietnam, from Kuwait to Kandahar, from Berlin to Baghdad, our veterans have borne the costs of America’s wars — and they have stood watch over America’s peace,” Cottington said in 2013. Cottington was a sophomore in high school, all of 15 years old in 1942, when he inquired about serving his country. Turn to COTTINGTON | Page 37
Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
onto his neck and caught him by surprise. He wasn’t going to let the kids get away with that. So, he went outside and got his own bucket of snow and proceeded up the ladder of the haybarn. Needless to say, there was a sound of screaming and laughter as the snowball ght progressed in our haybarn.
Women In Jeans Susan Funk Freeport, Minn. Stearns County 46 cows
Family: Roger and I, Allison, 19, Alexis, 18, Laura, 15, Karen, 14, and Kendra, 11. Allison and Alexis are off at college at Minnesota State University-Moorhead. Tell us about your farm. We have 46 Holstein cows, plus steers, heifers and calves averaging 150 animals total. We have the old red barn with tiestalls. We raise alfalfa, corn and oats. Laura helps milk. Karen and Kendra are in charge of calves. I feed. Roger does a bit of everything and all the eld work. Allison and Alexis help with everything when they come home from college. We have pasture bordering Uhlenkolts Lake where we go summer camping. What’s the busiest time of day for you? Evenings are crazy because I need to be in three places at once. Usually, I start feeding cows and that’s the same time the kids are nishing their school activities and need picking up. It is also a good time to get going on supper. Any school concerts or performances are in the evening, too. When you get a spare moment what do you do? I like to mow the lawn, tend the owers, write a letter, do drawing or crafts with our girls, or work on painting projects and small sewing projects. Sometimes I run errands at this time. I am also on the liturgy committee at our church. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. There are a number of building projects and events that occur on the farm, but what stands out in my mind are the little things. The everyday fun we have on the farm. Roger was on the walk checking the cows he had just milked and the kids weren’t around at the moment. As Roger passed under the center chute, there was a huge, “Whooomph!” Roger cringed and looked up. A large armful of snow had just been dropped down the chute
What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? Family time in the country with our kids and animals. The kids learn responsibility and still have fun. Also, showing Alexis’ calves at the fair for 4-H was a great experience. Sharing our farming experience with two German exchange students was a fun learning experience, too. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? We attend breakfasts and meet with neighbors and friends at farm related functions. We have farm magazines that keep us in touch with what’s current. In your opinion, what’s the importance of women in today’s dairy industry and how have you seen that change over the years? While keeping with traditional ways, some women might do gardening, canning, make meals, do laundry and raise kids like they did years ago. But in addition to those things, women of today can do anything they want to do. Although the men used to do most of the outside work, women now work in the barn, do eld work, or even become vets, nutritionists or take on any number of farm related jobs. As farms grow, it just makes sense that women play a larger role. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be and why? Maybe a person in high authority. They might be able to see for themselves all the positive and negative effects that today’s farmers face from legislation and regulation. What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken? Medora, N.D. We went to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and watched the buffalo and made friends with the prairie dogs. Then we went to the outdoor amphitheater at night under the stars, where the kids got to go up on stage and sing and dance with the performers. Before I was married, my favorite vacation was to Sweden with my sister.
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ConĆ&#x;nued from COTTINGTON | Page 35 Just months earlier, Japanese aircraft had bombed the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii in 1941, and World War II waged on. “It was kind of exciting, in a sense,â€? Cottington told the Independent Review in 2015. “We believed in the cause for America. There was a strong sense of patriotism. In school, guys couldn’t wait to get into the military. We wanted to ďƒžght for our country.â€? At that time, the minimum age to join the U.S. armed services was 17 with a parent’s permission. However, Cottington did not want to wait two more years to serve. So, when he signed up for the Navy, he wrote down an earlier year for his date of birth, and those who knew better did not say a word to the contrary. “The reason I lied about my age was because I was afraid that the war would be over and I wouldn’t be able to take part in it. I loved my country,â€? he said during the 2015 interview. “As a 15-yearold, I was gung ho, until I got into my ďƒžrst battle. Then I said, ‘I’m not so sure. I don’t want to be a hero, because a lot of heroes are shot.’ I wanted to get home alive.â€? Cottington was among thousands of men and women nationwide who circumvented recruiting requirements so they could join the armed forces. While some lied about the year they were born, others altered birth certiďƒžcates or dropped out of high school to fool recruiters into thinking they were old enough to serve. In the same vein, the military could not afford to turn away volunteers. He was sworn in Jan. 23, 1943, the day after his 16th birthday, and was sent to Farragut, Idaho, for boot camp. “I was so proud to be in the Navy,â€? Cottington said. He attended radio school at Farragut, and ďƒžnished with top honors. The chief asked him if he wanted to stay and become an instructor. Cottington was assigned to serve with the Marines at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was with the 4th Marine Division from December 1943 to February 1944. Then, he was shipped to Hawaii, where he was reassigned to a landing craft infantry that had been converted to a rocket-launching ship. He served on this vessel until October 1945. “My job as a radioman was to wait for the command from the ofďƒžcer in charge, or captain, and I would get that message and relay it to the commander of the ship,â€? he said in 2015. “My orders were, ‘If you’re in position, ďƒžre when ready.’â€? After World War II ended in 1945, Cottington was honorably discharged in 1946, and returned home. He joined the Naval Reserve in 1947. While a junior at the university, Cottington volunteered for active duty in 1950 during the Korean War because the government needed radiomen again, he said. He was assigned to a patrol frigate, and patrolled the northern coast of Korea on search-and-destroy missions. His job was to intercept North Korean gun carriers. He also helped Marines and Army troops out of Hungnam in December 1950. Cottington was honorably discharged from the Navy for the second time in 1952. He was currently serving as commander of the Minnesota branch of a national organization called Veterans of Underage Military Service, or VUMS, and was one of only a few living members in the state. The organization represents members who were under 17 when they served in the U.S. military. Cottington earned seven battle stars from World War II and one battle star from Korea. In 2002, the Minnesota State Senate
thanked Bruce for his lifelong service to his community, state and nation by formal resolution on the Senate ďƒ&#x;oor in his honor. On Memorial Day in 2004, Cottington represented the Minnesota American Legion at the dedication of the World War II memorial in Washington D.C. Cottington was named the 2016 Legionnaire of the Year by the Litchďƒželd American Legion Post 104. “I feel very proud,â€? he told the Independent Review in December. Cottington said his ďƒžrst obligation will always be to God and to his country. “I’m free because of the veterans of the United States — both the men and the women. Period.â€? In December, Cottington said his service to veterans would continue. â€?Your welfare is to this United States of America,â€? he said. “Men and women have died to keep that freedom.â€? A friend of dairy Born and raised on a dairy farm, Cottington was a dairy enthusiast who continued to promote agriculture and Minnesota’s dairy industry long after retiring as a grocer. In 2006, Cottington was the ďƒžrst recipient of the “Friend of Minnesota Milk Producers Association Award,â€? later renamed the Bruce Cottington Friend of Dairy Award.â€? From his store, Cottington did broadcasts promoting the value of dairy products on KLFD Radio in Litchďƒželd. His Cheese Ball Corners program highlighted sale prices and community events and featured light commentary. Knowing milk and peanut butter sandwiches went well together, Cottington started the Peanut Butter and Milk Festival in 1971 to highlight local food production, youth involved in agriculture and rural America. Peanut Butter and Milk continues to carry on his legacy, operating as a sistercity exchange program between Litchďƒželd and Hartford, Ala. Each year, a group from Meeker County travels to Hartford the ďƒžrst week of November to learn about the peanut and cotton industries, and then a group from Hartford visits Meeker County during the ďƒžrst week of February to learn about the dairy industry and to enjoy winter activities in Minnesota. After Cottington sold his Litchďƒželd grocery store in 1979, he went to work for the American Dairy Association of Minnesota, now the Midwest Dairy Association, as a ďƒželd man promoting the Real Seal and working with the check-off program sponsored by Minnesota dairy farmers. Upon his retirement from the dairy association, he continued to work at the state fair and Meeker malt stands, resulting in almost 20 years of service. After his retirement from the dairy association, Cottington decided to un-retire and continue to promote Minnesota’s dairy industry. He began working as a membership coordinator, through which he traveled around the state to share with dairy producers the ideals and beliefs of Minnesota Milk while promoting and strengthening the industry he loved. Cottington was also a supporter of Dairy Day at the state capitol. In 2005, Cottington was inducted into the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame. Believing that his local creamery is a true asset to the community and the future of the dairy industry, Cottington could often be found at the cheese store in Litchďƒželd, handing out small gift certiďƒžcates and encouraging patriotism, and often visited First District Association in Litchďƒželd. Last year, he told the Independent Review, the community should be proud to have “a ďƒžne creamery.â€?
Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 37
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Tim Stender Norwood Young America, Minn. Carver County 130 cows How did you get into farming? I joined our seventh-generation family farm after graduating from the John Deere Ag Tech program at North Dakota State College of Science in the spring of 1998. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? My greatest concern for the dairy industry is if we all are able to maintain our milk markets through these difcult times. I am also very concerned that the rough dairy economy is going to have longlasting negative impact on good dairy farmers throughout the country. I know how long it took to recover from 2009 and 2012. If these markets linger, we will all be carrying a much more dangerous debt load into the future. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? It’s not really new technology, but I have started identifying all our heifers using the Holstein USA’s EasyID program on the computer, rather than mailing in our applications. We also switched to John Deere for our skid loader this year and have been very impressed. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? We have started having our vet do fetal sexing during herdcheck. This helps us decide, if we are disappointed in a particular cow’s performance later in lactation, whether to consider culling her while still safe in calf. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employee or employees? We mainly work with high school students on our farm. The key to a good working relationship is to challenge them. I try to make farm chores as much a learning experience as it is a job. I do not want our help to be mindless drones. They lose interest and passion when they just clock in and clock out. I am very proud of most of the young people who have worked for us and have moved on. They have become everything from a veterinarian to heavy equipment operator, to now having one who plans on going into engineering.
Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. Patience. Need I say more? What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? Dairy farming is more than a career. It is a way of life. I have always been amazed at the power and beauty of nature. Now, my wife and I are blessed to be watching our daughter quickly approach her second birthday, and I get to witness how this way of life is already shaping who she is. It is unexplainable how something as stressful as dairy farming could be so fullling at the same time. It is a shame more people do not get to experience it.
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Getting married and starting a family. There are some dark days as a dairy farmer. Looking at my family reminds me of just how much the Lord has truly blessed my life. What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? If you can contain it, you can maintain it. We need feed storage, and also some housing for dry cows and close up heifers. We also have most
of our machinery sheds off the farm. This has always been less than convenient. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? It seems like we are always doing chores. It is really quality over quantity. We enjoy going to family birthdays. Going out to eat even once a month becomes a treat. We alternate one family trip every year. We go to the North Shore one year and World Dairy Expo the next.
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Know when to say when. Do not grow bitter with the business. Do not let the business you have lived to work for be the end of you. Enjoy life. If you dread going to the barn as much as you dread going to the mailbox, it is time to make a career change. What has been the best purchase you’ve ever made on your farm? The discbine. Our discbine has paid for itself multiple times over in fuel, labor, and wear and tear. The last year we had our haybine, we put over 350 hours on our 4055. After buying the discbine, the hours dropped to less than 200.
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017
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