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Volume 19, No. 15

TPI adjustments aims to make a more protable 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 reect 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 reect the direction breeding has taken to produce the modern Holstein cow. “This formula is the industry’s gold standard and it puts a more protable 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 reects a greater emphasis on fat and feed efciency, 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

“All dairy, all the time”™

September 23, 2017

Weckland Farms benets from new facilities Weckerly herd now housed under one roof after eight years of switching cows By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

MONROE, Wis. – The saying, “good things come to those who wait,” is true for Dillon and Amanda Weckerly. After eight years of switching cows, the Weckerlys moved into a new parlor and freestall barn on their dairy, Weckland Farms, about one year ago. On Aug. 24, they opened their new facility to the public as part of the Green County Dairy Modernization Tour. They milk 250 cows near Monroe, Wis. The new parlor is a double-12 parallel, with the Turn to WECKERLY | Page 6

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Amanda and Dillon Weckerly stand in the new double-12 parallel parlor they built and started using one year ago. The couple milks 250 cows near Monroe, Wis.

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 Bur-Wall 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 EX94-3E-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 Turn to BUR-WALL | Page 7

PHOTO PROVIDED BY RACHEL POMEROY

The members of Bur-Wall Holsteins pose with Bur-Wall Buckeye Gigi who set a NaƟonal Milk ProducƟon record at 74,650 pounds. The crew is pictured (front row, from leŌ) Rebecca Murphy, Al Murphy, Brenda Murphy, Sterling Evert, Keri Evert, Carter Murphy; (back row, from leŌ) Lisa Behnke, Taylor Behnke, Roger Behnke, Morgan Behnke-Conard, Donna Behnke, Bob Behnke, Denise Behnke, Tori Evert, Tami Behnke, Brian Behnke.

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 (ofce) 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 Ofce: 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 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 megan.s@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.

The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. 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 Prole brought to you by your

With the end of summer and start of fall, many dairy farmers have been busy in the eld, working on their corn silage harvest. In the “From our side of the fence” 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 page 15 in rst section. For this issue’s “Day in the life” 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 the Editor 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. As many farmers in the Upper Midwest were preparing for fall harvest, farmers in Florida were preparing for a record-breaking storm to arrive. On Sept. 10, Hurricane Irma hit landfall and traveled throughout the state of Florida. On page 16 in rst section, read how dairy farmer Matthew Lussier and his fellow farmers prepared for the storm and are now recouping from the disaster, with extensive ooding and facility damages hindering dairy production in the state. 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 rst 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 efcient and no longer has to purchase sand. Read more about the Schlauderaffs’ on-farm setup on pages 1011 in rst section. The 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 efcient 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 diﬀerent location.” - 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 rst section)

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 3

It’s all inside... FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:

When did you start harvesting corn silage? Page 15

Baldwin

Springbrook

Eau Claire

Second Section: Pages 16, 18 - 19

First Section: Page 28

Children Museum of Eau Claire hosts June Dairy Chad MonthSime activities Second Section

First Section: Pages 23, 25

Chippewa Valley FarmCity Day educates students, public

Automatic feeders cut calf-raising Iron time, labor Third Section: Pages 10 - 11

Tom Brenner

Durand, Wis.

Ashland Burnett

Polk

Barron

Sawyer

Waukon

Price

Bushmans take organic path to farm ownership Third Section: Pages 2 - 3

Rusk Taylor

Dunn

Pierce

Eau Claire

Pepin

Nolan Kujak Blair, Wis

Buffalo

Page 25

Mid-American Hay Auction Results Pages 28 - 29 Crop and weather reports

Blair, Wis.

Four and a half minutes to keep your farm safe

Page 39

Dairy Prole: Beth Nelson

Page 30

Pages 32 - 33

Monroe

Weckland Farms benets from new facilities

Chippewa

Trempealeau

St. Croix

Pages 14 - 15 Dairying Around the World

First Section: Pages 1, 6-7

Clark

Viroqua

Jackson

Vernon County Fair thriving for its 161st year First Section: Pages 35, 37

La Crosse Monroe

PDPW trip shows dairy industry in Ireland Pages 34 - 35

Vernon

Worth

Mitchell

Cerro Hancock Gordo

Floyd

Howard

ick

w sa

Bremer

Zone 2

Black Hawk

For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com

rd rawfo

Iowa

Dane

Grant

Fayette

Clayton

are

a ch

Richland

Allamakee

Winnebago

Winneshiek

Dairy Recipes

THIRD SECTION Pages 4 - 6 Banse nds new past-time with tractor Page 8 Willolea Holsteins to be dispersed Oct. 14 Page 9 Concrete rules for storing feed in bunkers, piles Pages 13 - 14 Reber experiences dairying in Florida Page 15 Dairy’s Star Youth: Heidi Uthke Pages 16 - 17 Kids Corner: The Middendorfs Pages 18 - 19 Grabers continue tradition of breeding top-notch Jerseys Pages 20, 22 - 23 Some Udder Stuff Pages 25 - 30 Classieds

Second Section: Pages 21 - 22

Bayeld

Douglas

Gays Mills, Wis Pages 14 - 15

Women in Jeans: Susan Funk

Dairy Markets

Augusta

Decorah

Page 36

SECOND SECTION Pages 3 - 4 Ronningens are soaking up the sun Pages 10 - 11 The “Mielke” Market Weekly Page 12

Ellsworth

Hupperts operate custom harvesting business amid dairying

PDPW trip shows dairy industry in Ireland

A day in the life of the Kimballs

W as

FIRST SECTION Pages 1, 5 TPI adjustments aimed to make a more protable cow for all dairymen Pages 1, 7 Bur-Wall Holsteins suffer barn re Pages 8-9 Ag Insider Pages 10 - 11 Schlauderaffs install automated sand separator Pages 12 - 13 Management can alleviate affects of overcrowding Page 16 Hurricane Irma tears through Florida dairies Pages 18, 20 Feeding routine, fresh cow care, headlocks help Czechs with repro success Page 22 Investment in dairy research drives demand, consumer condence Page 26 FSA News & Notes Page 27 The Transition Pen Page 29 Rural Roots Page 30 Ramblings from the Ridge Page 31 Launching a whole new experience Page 32 Just Thinking Out loud Page 33 Dairy Good Life Page 34 Something to Ruminate On

w ela

Linn

Lafayette Dubuque

Jones

Jackson

Green

Browntown Cam-Cal-Kar Dairy has healthier animals in new calf barn Second Section: Page 26 - 27

Cuba City

Plackes share organic grass-fed dairy with Congressman Second Section: Pages 6 - 7

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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 reects 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 benecial 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 efciency was included as 3 percent of the 8 percent in productive life. “We want our cows to be the most protable 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 classication data, those on the committee noticed a direct correlation between udder score and height of a cow. This reected 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 protable 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 inuence 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 reect the change. Fat was given greater emphasis, moving

it doesn’t cost as much to replace her.”

•

more efciently in order to stay in the business we all love.”

Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017

ConƟnued from WECKERLY | Page 1

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DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

A visitor at Weckland Farms on Aug. 24 looks over the herd, which is now housed in a new freestall barn that features drive-through feeding and sand bedded stalls. cows being housed in an adjacent six-row freestall barn. The stalls are sand-bedded, and the barn features drive-through feeding with an overshot open-ridge roof. Manure is scraped into a cross channel with a gravity ow system, and is carried to a 1.5 million gallon concrete storage pit, with a builtin access ramp. “We decided about two years ago that we were ready to build,” Dillon said. Once they completed the planning phase, the Weckerlys started construction last December. Concrete was poured in April, and by early August they moved in to the new facility. “We did a lot of research, and visited a lot of farms done by the same builder we worked with,” Amanda said. “We pretty much knew what we wanted. It was just a matter of narrowing down the ideas.” One of Dillon’s favorite aspects of the new barn is the skylights, installed in the freestall barn, with the western overshot. “There is so much light and the ventilation is so much better than anything we had before,” he said. Amanda agrees that the increased natural lighting is one of her favorite things as well. “I like the big windows in the front of the parlor,” she said. “It has such an open and airy feeling.” Both Dillon and Amanda are pleased with the bedding packs located near the holding pen that house their hospital cows and their maternity pens. “We have a camera system installed that we can access from our phones or our computer,” Amanda said. “It lets us really keep a close eye on springers.” Before building their new facility near Monroe, the Weckerlys were switching cows in a 50-cow stanchion

barn. They have milked as many as 200 cows in the old barn. Before moving into the new freestall barn, the Weckerlys’ cows were living all over the farm in whatever area was available for housing, and with very limited feed bunk space. “It took us four and a half hours to milk,” Amanda said. “It was pretty crazy.” When the parlor and freestall barn were ready to move in, the young couple

“It was such an improvement for them, they settled in quickly, it only took about a week.” DILLON WECKERLY, DAIRY FARMER

moved the cows up the hill to their new home, and added an additional 50 cows to reach 250 head. “The cows took the transition really well,” Dillon said. “It was such an improvement for them, they settled in quickly, it only took about a week.” “We didn’t’ have to cull any cows for adjustment issues, either,” added Amanda. Once the cows learned their new routine, milking time was cut in half, allowing Dillon and Amanda, who were recently married, more free time than they had available to them previously. The 250-cow herd is where the Weckerlys are comfortable for the time being. “We want to stay small enough that Dillon and I can handle it on our own if it ever came to that,” Amanda said. Turn to WECKERLY | Page 7

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37236 County 56 Blvd., Cannon Falls, MN 651-258-4311 • Mark’s Cell 651-764-4084

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Weckland Farms is home to Dillon and Amanda Weckerlys’ 250-cow herd, located outside of Monroe, Wis. in Green County.

Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 7

ConƟnued from WECKERLY | Page 6

ConƟnued from BUR-WALL | Page crews arrived, they found 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

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Cow comfort is a priority for the Weckerlys. They have noƟced dramaƟc improvements in their herd’s overall health and reproducƟve rates since moving into their new sand-bedded freestall barn. “It would require a lot of work, but we could do it if we had to.” Dillon agreed. “It’s easier to nd interested workers now,” Dillon said. “Before, nding help was difcult because it was so labor intensive.” The farm now employs one additional milker and someone to mix feed. Moving into the new facility cut the labor needs of the farm in half. Dillon’s parents stepped back from the milking herd and have taken over raising the farm’s calves, allowing the young couple to take the reins of the operation. In addition to increasing efciency and reducing labor, the Weckerlys are seeing many other improvements within their herd as well. “The biggest improvement is in

cow comfort,” Dillon said. The Weckerlys are seeing better conception in their all-bull bred herd. The somatic cell count has dropped from a high of 200,000 in the previously over-crowded conditions to being consistently under 90,000. The Weckerlys continue to use the old barns and sheds, which are now devoted to raising calves and housing dry cows. While Dillon and Amanda have spent the past two years in a whirlwind of building plans, wedding plans and switching cows in over-crowded facilities, their new facility allows them some new-found freedoms. “It used to be impossible to get away,” Dillon said about milking in their old barn. “The ability to be gone once in a while is something that we are looking forward to.”

“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

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 beginning 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 ar-

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rived 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 horric 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 reghters, 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.”

Milk processing capacity needs to grow Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017

U.S. milk production continues to grow, Sunset clause At a Washington, D.C. conference, Commerce and dairy processors are struggling to keep up. According to a new report from CoBank, an Secretary Wilbur Ross said a sunset clause should additional 27 billion pounds of U.S. milk processing be included in the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mexican and Canadian capacity will be needed over the next Ag Insider ofcials quickly responded, saying a ten years if the current trends continue. sunset clause would only bring more A unique balance of supply and demand uncertainty to trade agreements. Ross is cited. U.S. milk production shows no also said he wants to nish the NAFTA signs of slowing down, but that growth negotiations before the end of this is not sustainable unless the processing calendar year. capacity is able to keep pace. At the same time, the CoBank report said any Silage crop varies expansion of processing capacity is not Corn silage harvest is underway sustainable without strong consumer in parts of Minnesota. Pioneer Dairy demand. Account Manager Matt Laubach said there is a lot of variability in this USDA forecasts a higher Class III By Don Wick year’s crop, spanning from north central price Minnesota into northwestern Wisconsin. In the September USDA supply/ Columnist “The biggest concern is making sure demand report, milk production for the farmers are at the right moisture. Break balance of 2017 increased slightly from August. The bump was credited to an increase in the amount open that cob and check to see where the milk line of milk per cow. The forecast for 2017 Class III is, and make sure it’s fully into the dent stage.” milk prices was raised to $16.05 to $16.30 per Water and heat dictate the quality of corn silage, so hundredweight. Those average prices are up from Laubach said it’s tough to predict this year’s crop. $15.90 to $16.10 in the August report. Butter, non-fat “The lack of water in western Minnesota may help dry milk and whey prices are predicted to be lower, the quality, but the eastern crop towards Wisconsin while the forecasted price for cheese increased from received a lot of rain.” last month. Feed supplies are large with USDA calling for corn production at 14.1 billion bushels Perdue promotes a customer-friendly USDA In a video message to USDA employees, and a record soybean crop of 4.4 billion bushels. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said it his goal to make the Agriculture Department the Say cheese In July, nearly 274 million pounds of cheese most effective, most efcient and best managed were produced in Wisconsin. That USDA gure is department in the federal government. “We’re about up almost 1 percent from last year. Mozzarella was customer service at USDA. Our mission is to provide the type of cheese that had the biggest increase in our farmers, ranchers, foresters or producers what production. Wisconsin produces 26 percent of U.S. they need, when they need it. When we nd areas to modernize, innovate and improve, that’s what we’re milk production. going to do.” In May, Perdue announced plans to reorganize portions of USDA. This announcement

offered more details. The realignment includes a new mission area led by the undersecretary for farm production and conservation. The Farm Service Agency, Risk Management Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service will all report to this undersecretary. Rather than having commodity grading and inspection done at multiple agencies, Perdue is merging the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration into the Agricultural Marketing Service. WFU travels to D.C. Wisconsin Farmers Union had 25 members in Washington, D.C. for the National Farmers Union Legislative Fly-In. The WFU delegation met with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and spent time on Capitol Hill. Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin was presented the NFU’s highest legislative honor, the Golden Triangle Award.

New trucking rules Livestock industry groups are seeking a 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 one-year 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 Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9

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Dairy Star â€˘ Saturday, September 23, 2017 â€˘ 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.

â€œItâ€™s easier on the cows...â€? How long have you been using the DHIA pregnancy test? Since it Ă€rst came out.

ConĆ&#x;nued from AG INSIDER | Page 8

voluntary buyout. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt released a statement saying the agency is reducing the size of government and protecting taxpayer dollars. Beef checkoff approves FY18 plan of work The Cattlemenâ€™s Beef Promotion and Research Board will invest $38 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 checkoffâ€™s digital advertising program. Nearly $7.5 million will be invested in foreign markets. The beef checkoff budget proposal still needs USDA approval. New organic brand launched The Westby Cooperative Creamery has introduced its new Westby Organic brand. General Manager Pete Kondrup said the demand for organic dairy products has grown consistently over the past ten years. The co-op has been producing

certiďƒžed organic products for privatelabel customers since 2007. â€œA growing number of requests from our loyal retail grocery store customers for a Westby Organic brand compelled us to create this new brand.â€? Westby Cooperative Creamery is one of just a few dairy cooperatives in the United States that accepts conventional and certiďƒžed organic milk. Trivia challenge The 2017 World Dairy Expo is the 51st year for the ďƒžve-day show. That answers our last trivia question. For this weekâ€™s trivia, who was the ďƒžrst general manager for World Dairy Expo? Weâ€™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? Itâ€™s easier on the cows and requires no additional handling. How long have you been testing with DHIA? Weâ€™ve been with DHIA for 50+ years, since itâ€™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. Weâ€™re a grazing/forage based low input operation, that focuses on maximum economic production.

John Takala Iron, MN â€˘ 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 â€˘ Dairy Star â€˘ 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 - -

is your area dealer for Kuhn Krause

DOMINATORÂŽ 12â€™ model

KUHN Krause offers a line of primary tillage tools that promote the breakdown of crop residue and allow for excellent root development for the next crop. These sub-surface tillage tools break up compaction while preserving the soil surface, promote aeration, limit erosion and runoff, and improve water inďŹ ltration which helps the soil retain moisture. 800-642-4104 or 507-228-8224 â€˘ www.ufcmn.com Main OfďŹ ce/Ag Service Center â€˘ 840 Pioneer Ave., Lafayette, MN Judson, MN â€˘ 507-947-3644 Used Dryers & Augers

Good Selection of Used Dryers - Call! Feterl 12â€?x72â€™, swing drive .........$8,500 WestĂ„eld WR8026 EMD .............$1,895 Sheyenne 13-70 Swing Dr.......... $12,995 Hutch 8â€?x62â€™ swig auger .............. $6,200 Sudenga 10â€?x71â€™ swing auger ..... $7,900 WestĂ„eld MK 130-71 swing drive auger ........................................ $13,900 Batco 2500 drive over hopper ...... $8,290 Sudenga 10â€?x41â€™ 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 â€˜15 Bobcat S750, A71 pkg., 2 spd $35,950 â€˜16 Bobcat S740, A71, 2 spd ..... $34,500 Bobcat S550, heat, 2 spd., 300 hrs., â€˜14..............................$31,800 Bobcat S550, heat, 2014, 2 spd. $29,900 Bobcat S130, heat, â€˜12............. $22,400 â€˜14 Bobcat T590, A71............... $35,900 â€˜14 Bobcat T590, heat, hi-Ă…ow . $34,900 â€˜12 Gehl 5240E, 2 spd., heat, 900 hrs.................................... $23,900 â€˜14 Gehl V400, heat, AC, 2 spd ..$34,900 â€˜07 Gehl 4640, single spd., heat $15,500 Gehl R220, heat, 2 spd., joystick $31,900 Mustang 1750 2014 open cab .$36,500

TMRâ€™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 49.5â€™, 3 Bar...................$18,900 JD 980, 44.5â€™ ............................$16,900

JD 980 44.5â€™, 3 Bar...................$17,500 JD 512, 7 shank, 2013...................$29,900 JD Crumbler model 200, 45â€™ ........$10,500 CIH Tigermate II, 54.5â€™ .............$29,900 2) CIH 370, 28â€™..........................$31,900 CIH PTX300 chisel plow, 34â€™ ....$22,800 JD 2210 4-bar, 2006, 45.5ft......$35,900 JD 980, 36â€™ ...............................$13,700 JD 610 chisel plow, 17â€™ ............$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 29â€™ chisel plow, â€˜07 ........$22,800 Wil-Rich QX2, 60â€™, basket ............$49,900 Wil-Rich Q-5 cult., 4-bar harrow, 32.5â€™............................................$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 18â€™ w/reel.............from $33,000

VERGAS, Minn. â€“ 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. â€œA 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. â€œItâ€™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. DariTechâ€™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. â€œEssentially, 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. â€œWe had mattresses in the old barn and were bedding with ground straw,â€? said Schlauderaff, who oversees daily operations on the dairy. â€œRight away, the new stalls had sand. Then, as we retroďƒžtted things, we added more sand stalls. That took some time â€“ 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 SchlauderaďŹ€ and his family use an automaďż˝c sand separator on their 550-cow dairy near Vergas, Minn. The SchlauderaďŹ€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. â€œWhen that system was wearing out, we started looking for other options that were out there,â€? Schlauderaff said. â€œWe knew we had to do something eventually, and began pricing things out. Then, we had to really do something â€“ 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. â€œThere were a couple designs we were interested in, but weâ€™d have to add cows to make cash ďƒ&#x;ow,â€? Schlauderaff said. â€œWe 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. â€œAfter 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, 16R30â€?, front fold .....$32,900 White 8186, 16R30â€? .....................$37,900 White 8824, 24R30â€?, Center Ă„ll ....$83,900 White 8202, 12 row ......................$32,500

Spreaders

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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 overow 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 rened 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 benets 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 difcult 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 satised,” 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 difcult 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?

Laura Daniels Cobb, Wis. Iowa County 250 cows

silage.

How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? We will be harvesting 150 acres of corn for

What kind of corn did you plant? For our silage, we planted half Dekalb C62-08, which is a 112 d corn, and half Mycogen Brown Mid Rib 110 d. It is planted six rows of one, then six rows of the other. It is all chopped together for a perfect 50/50 mix. This has allowed us to gain some of the benets of the digestibility, while still maintaining decent yield and starch levels. When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? We are planning to start this week. We have been closely monitoring the crop, and due to some uneven emergence, we will have to chop when the crop is ready on average. There will be plants still in dough stage and others will be about half milk line. We are shooting for a total plant moisture of 66-68 percent moisture. What is your harvesting process? It is chopped by our neighbor and custom forage harvester Wyatt Wendhausen. He uses a 970 Clauss chopper, which has 775 horsepower. We will complete our harvest in about a day and a half. The rolls are set at 2mm and we try for a 1-inch cut length. We will always have two tractors packing. By nishing fast, we know the crop will be consistent from rst to last load. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? We are big believers in getting the details right. Moisture needs to be in the right range and use a quality inoculant. We tank mix a full rate of Crop-n-Rich and a half rate of Cropn-Rich Buchneri. Then pack, pack, pack and cover with oxygen barrier. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. We have two very memorable harvests. One was the drought in 2012. I will never forget my agronomist taking me to the eld and breaking the news that there would not be any corn on the ears. Average yield was less than 20 bushels per acre. The next year, seeing all the golden corn in the silage as we harvested, was just as memorable. Tell us about your farm. We milk 250 Jerseys just outside of Cobb, Wis. My husband, Jarred Searls, and I own the farm along with our children, Nathan and Julia. We blend intensive managed grazing together with many modern practices, like three-time-a-day milking and six times a day for fresh cows, along with using Roundup Ready alfalfa and BMR silage. Jarred and I have cattle nutrition backgrounds, and forage quality of both pasture and mechanically harvested crops is a big focus for us. We both also work off the farm. I am the business development manager at Star Blends in Sparta, Wis., and

Nolan Kujak Blair, Wis. Trempealeau County 120 cows

Chad Sime Gays Mills, Wis. C r a w f o r d County 90 cows

How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? We will harvest about 150 acres of corn silage.

How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? Between 30 and 40.

What kind of corn did you plant? We planted Mycogen and Pioneer corn, which is conventional corn.

What kind of corn did you plant? I planted dual-purpose, or taller, grain hybrids for chopping. This year I will be chopping Legend Seeds 40j700, 54a01 and Northrup King 53w.

When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? We are planning to harvest sometime between Sept. 20 and 25, depending upon moisture. We try to harvest anywhere between 68-74 percent moisture What is your harvesting process? We hire all our chopping to Jason Johnson of ORD LLP. He uses a self-propelled chopper Claas 980 with a 12-row head, ve trucks with silage boxes on them and two quad-axle trucks with big hoist boxes on them. Everything gets stored in bunker silos. We have two blade tractors we push and pack with. Everything goes in a 65- by 250-foot silage bunker. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? When chopping corn silage, we get it done in a timely manner. We cover the pile with two 70-foot tarps so we can completely overlap each other to try and prevent any spoilage. We use a silage defacer to only remove the silage we need for that day instead of just digging into a pile. We use tires on top of the plastic to hold it down and we go tire to tire so there is no room for air to stay under the plastic. Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. One of my most memorable corn silage harvests was in 2015. Jason, the guy chopping for us, had obligations to be gone and I got to run his brand new chopper and 12-row head for a full day. Because I ran his chopper for him, we were able to beat a three-day rain, and get our silage put up and covered in a timely manner. Tell us about your farm. Along with our milking herd, we raise 900 black Angus steers and 350 heifers. I own an Anderson bale wrapper and custom wrap about 15,000 bales a year. We have a semi that trucks livestock that I primary run out West and around Wisconsin. We operate 750 total acres of corn, with 300 going for cash crop, 150 for silage and the rest for ground high moisture corn to feed to our fat cattle. We also have 500 acres of hay that we take four crops off. We bale about 4,000 bales a year of custom baling for neighbors and other customers. I plant all the corn on our family farm also.

Jarred is a livestock production specialist for Zoetis. Most of the good ideas we implement at our farm have come from our best customers over the years.

When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? I started the rst week of September. It was about 72 percent moisture, but I’ll be out of last year’s corn silage the end of the month and wanted to get a small bag fermenting. Moisture was in the upper 60s this week, so we are harvesting more now. I try to get it in at 65 percent moisture, so starting a little early helps me get it all harvested before it’s too dry (below 60 percent). I’ve found a lot of my corn this year has had higher plant moisture while the milk line in the kernels has been progressing a little faster.

Tom Brenner Durand, Wis. Pepin County 100 cows How many acres of corn will you harvest for corn silage? 80 acres of corn. What kind of corn did you plant? Pioneer BMR. When did/will you start corn silage harvest? What range of moisture do you aim for? We started on Sept. 13 and nished on the 14. We chop corn at 66-70 percent moisture. What is your harvesting process? We harvest with a custom operator with a John Deere 7980 self-propelled chopper, chopping into front and rear unload trucks. We use nine-foot ag bags. What is your best tip for preserving or storing corn silage? Always use inoculants.

Tell us about your most memorable corn silage harvest. My most memorable harvest was 2013. It was a drought, and I hadn’t been through anything like it. Corn was poor, to say the least. I hope that doesn’t happen too many What is your harvesting process? times in my career. Nothing but state-of-the-art chopping equipment here. We chop with a 1980 Tell us about your farm. Our dairy is a TW10 Ford tractor. Our chopper is a 100-cow sand-bedded tiestall barn built Gehl 800 with a 30/38 two-row head. in 2015-16. I’m happy to have a place We have two Gehl 940 chopper boxes to call my own. and a 970 Gehl box. We bag all our corn silage with a nine-foot Kelly Ryan bagger that we purchased new in 1995. We will harvest about 1,000 tons of parts and everything you can imagine corn silage this fall. started ying out ankle and shin high What is your best tip for preserving from under that chopper, all directed or storing corn silage? Get a good to where I was standing. To this day, pack and keep the air out. The best neither has apologized to me for the silage inoculation in the world and the language or the thrown wrenches. best harvesting equipment won’t be very effective if air can get to the feed. Tell us about your farm. We farm in When feeding out of a nine-foot bag, Crawford County, Wis., just outside I’ve always been told to feed at least a of Mt. Sterling. My wife, Sarah, and foot per day off the face, to keep feed our four kids, hired help/partner Dale fresh and from heating. In summer Mccullick, and my dad, Al, make up months, I think that rate needs to be a the labor force. Sarah and Dad both work full-time off the farm, but help little faster. out immensely. We have about 90 cows Tell us about your most memorable on test and run a little over 300 open corn silage harvest. While I was in acres, 40 of which are certied organic college, my dad and his cousin, Kent, for crops. used to chop corn silage together. I came home on a Friday afternoon and wasn’t very happy with the progress they had made chopping that week. In turn, they were not impressed by me not being impressed. When I arrived, they were not in the best of moods, lying in the driveway under Kent’s onerow head that was attached to his John Deere 3940 chopper. As I was going between there and the garage, taking them parts and wrenches, I discovered Kent’s leftover Fourth of July reworks. On one of my trips, I wrapped a couple of recracker packs together, lit them and dropped them by the tops of Dad’s and Kent’s heads under the chopper. Kent must have smelled smoke at the last minute and started to holler at my dad to roll out. Before he could nish Email the rst word, the recrackers started going off. After just a few brief seconds andrea.b@dairystar.com and a lot of bad language, wrenches,

DairySt r Milk Break

Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017

“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

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 mastitis,” Lussier said. “But I can’t downplay the storm. There are a lot of farmers who are really struggling.” As difcult 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.

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 650cow 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 PHOTO SUBMITTED sunshine state. High winds from Hurricane Irma caused severe damage to Butler Oaks’ freestall While many ed for shelter, dairy barn near Lorida, Fla. The dairy also experienced extensive ooding. The hurfarmers across the state secured facili- ricane arrived Sept. 10 and swept through the state in the days that followed. ties, relocated cattle to safety, and hunkered down until the eye of the storm passed. Lussier shifted his milking schedule ger storm and just wouldn’t leave, but “We’ve been through 2004, when forward two hours – milking at 1:30 [Irma] was 12 hours of pure hell and Frances and Jeanne hit. We take these p.m., rather than 3:30 p.m. – and an- then tapered out,” said Lussier, menstorms very seriously and planned for ticipated skipping Monday morning’s tioning that rain subsided by mid-mornits landing a week in advance,” said shift. ing Sept. 11. Lussier, who is also the president of “They were forecasting 100 mile While Irma’s path varied as it made Florida Dairy Farmers. per hour winds, and I can’t have em- landfall in Florida, some farms had On Lussier’s dairy, one PTO-driven ployees out in that weather milking more damage than others. generator was hooked up to a tractor, cows,” Lussier said. Lussier noted farms in southern while another tractor was prepped for By 2 p.m. Sept. 10, rain began fall- Florida, near Okeechobee County, that backup, and facilities were wired for ing, and by 6 p.m. the storm’s force had had signicant damage to facilities and additional generators. Diesel and gas arrived with the Lussiers losing power extensive ooding, and were still out of were also delivered. at 10:30 p.m. “Everything was tip-top full,” Lus“My son and I were up all night sier said. long checking on things, and by 4 a.m., Calf hutches were tied down as the we went out to get the generators startcalves were moved into one cattle trail- ed,” Lussier said. er. Within seconds of starting the gen“The youngstock was fed early erator that fed power to the well and Sunday morning and then put into a milkhouse, it burned out and Lussier trailer,” Lussier said. “Because we sea- frantically searched for an alternative sonally calve, starting in October, we power source. only had about 50 calves to t in there.” “In Florida, we have a tremendous Lussier then surrounded the trailer support group of farmers willing to with heavy machinery to serve as a help each other out. A farmer 70 miles wind block. away had a generator we could use,” With some cattle on pasture, fol- Lussier said. “My future son-in-law and lowing the exterior farm property line I headed through a warzone of trees and that is adjacent to a main highway, Lus- power lines down and ooding to get sier relocated those animals to another there.” pasture closer to the main farm site. With an electrician nearby, the Lus“My biggest fear was having 150 siers had returned power to the farm cows out on the highway,” Lussier said. and were only an hour late to begin the “I overcrowded one pasture, so that if afternoon milking shift on Monday. that fence gave way, the fence along the They remained on generator power unPHOTO SUBMITTED highway would serve as another buf- til mid-day Sept. 13. fer.” “It was a blessing the storm was V&W Dairy is assessing the damage on its freestall barn, where fans and the Additionally, on Sunday afternoon, fast moving. Frances was a much stron- roof was destroyed near Zolfo Springs, Fla.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 17

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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.

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

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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 horric 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 reghters, 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

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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017

Con�nued from CZECHS | Page 18 How do you conrm pregnant or open cows? We conrm our pregnancies with ultrasound by Dr. Katie Stumvoll, with the Mille lacs Veterinary Clinic, at 40 days since last heat and conrm at 65 days. We also conrm 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 conrmed 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 conrmed pregnant using ultrasound at 40 days since last heat and conrm 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 difcult 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 signicant 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 efciency 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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#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

71,900

4 JD S670, 2013, 847 hrs., #134914 ...............................$227,900 8 JD S670, 2015, 419 hrs., 308 sep., #124831 ...............................$299,500 8 JD S670, 2016, 334 hrs., 258 sep., #138933 ...............................$315,000 8 JD S670, 2015, 290 hrs., 168 sep., #125750 ...............................$325,000 9 JD S680, 2012, 1910 hrs.,1275 sep., #134377 ...............................$224,000 5 JD S680, 2013, 1883 hrs.,1318 sep., #134536 ...............................$224,900 4 JD S680, 2013, 1162 hrs., .881 sep., #140845 ...............................$265,000 3 JD S680, 2014, 743 hrs., 553 sep., #135928 ...............................$315,000 3 JD S680, 2015, 500 hrs., 380 sep., #134530 ...............................$359,000 7 JD S690, 2013, 1255 hrs., .855 sep., #119306 ...............................$259,500 CORN AND ROW CROP HEADERS 10 JD 643, #124401 .................$14,900 10 JD 893, 1998, #138934.....$16,500 10 JD 893, 1999, #140414 .....$18,500 4 JD 893, 1996, #134171 .....$19,000 6 JD 893, 1998, #133187 .....$20,000 1 JD 893, 2005, #134909 .....$22,900 5 JD 1293, 2002, #141062 ..$17,500 7 Geringhoff 1622, 2007 #132675 .................................$47,900 6 Drago 1230, 2008, #139217 .................................$29,500 1 Harvestec 4308C, 2006 #133685 .................................$22,500 8 JD 606C, 2013, #132413 ..$53,900 2 JD 606C, 2013, #132993 ..$53,900 5 JD 608C, 2012, #141289 ..$54,500 7 JD 608C, 2014, #134969 ..$67,500 6 JD 612C, 2008, #127007 ..$49,500 7 JD 612C, 2009, #126839 ..$52,900 2 JD 612C, 2010, #135623 ..$57,500 7 JD 612C, 2012, #106737 ..$74,900 2 JD 612C, 2014, #134078 ..$85,000 8 JD 612C, 2015, #126164 ..$99,500 8 JD 612C, 2016, #134111 ...............................$109,000 1 Geringhoff RD830B, 2004, #132061 .................................$18,900

Case IH 8010, 2006, $ 2125 hrs., #132086

99,000

3 10 10 4 10 4 1 6 11 10

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

159,500

Page 22 â€˘ Dairy Star â€˘ Saturday, September 23, 2017

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Any time you shop the dairy aisle at your local store, youâ€™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) â€“ 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. Thatâ€™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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DANIELLE NAUMAN/ DAIRY STAR

A student feeds a calf on Sept. 9 during Chippewa Valley Farm-City Day at Bears Grass Dairy near Augusta, Wis.

Over 750 students visit Bears Grass Dairy near Augusta By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

AUGUSTA, Wis. – As part of the 10th Annual Chippewa Valley FarmCity Day, over 730 school children spent Sept. 9 at Bears Grass Dairy, Inc. in Augusta, Wis. The event, which was held to teach people about where their food comes from, extended into Sept. 10, for the public as well. “Dairy farmers have a wonderful story to tell,” said host Tammy Schroeder. “No one can tell it better than we can. Especially in today’s world, sharing our story and educating consumers about reality of the dairy industry and the products we produce is vital.” The 400-cow Eau Claire County dairy is owned by extended family members Donald and Tammy Schroeder, Gary Schroeder and Donald Honadel. The Schroeders and Honadels place great value in educating the public about the dairy industry, teaching people how their food is produced. “People are so removed from agriculture,” Tammy said. “You have to get the kids on the farms, for them to see where the food comes from.

That is where we will start to change perceptions, with positive experiences when they are young. They’ll go home and tell Mom and Dad, and talk about what they’ve learned.” The Farm-City Day is focused on giving the public the chance to see and tour a working farm. “We went into this with nothing off limits,” Tammy said. “There are no closed doors, no keep out signs. We don’t want people to go home wondering what we were trying to hide from them.” Bears Grass Dairy employs 10 people, including other members of the Schroeder and Honadel families. “We might be larger and incorporated, but we are very much a family farm,” Tammy said about one aspect of the farm they are very proud to share. A primary focus on the farm is cow comfort. The Schroeders and Honadels also use soil and water conservation management practices to help care for the environment. The Schroeders and Honadels began their venture together, incorporating in 2004. They moved onto their current farm facility, which featured their new 230-stall freestall barn and milking parlor in February 2005. They expanded to 343 freestalls in 2009, as well as adding a hospital pen, pre-fresh pack and what they refer to as their assisted Turn to FARM-CITY | Page 25

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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017

DRAW THE LINE AGAINST PARASITES.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 25

ConƟnued from FARM-CITY | Page 23 living area for older cows and cows that have trouble in the freestalls. The herd is milked in a double-12 parallel parlor twice a day. Radio frequency identication (RFID) tags are used to track production information. “Our oldest cow is 12 years old. She’s earned a little special treatment,” Tammy said about the type of resident of the assisted living group. The Schroeders and Honadels farm 1,050 tillable acres, growing corn, alfalfa

and grass. The school event typically hosts around 350 students, but this year, through increased sponsorship and volunteerism, the event was doubled. The Farm-City Day is geared towards third and fourth graders, but attendees typically ranged from second through fth grades. Students from schools throughout Eau Claire, Chippewa and Dunn Counties attended the event. “We worked hard to help grow the event by offering to

DANIELLE NAUMAN/ DAIRY STAR

Students listen to a presenter about the volume of feed cows consume to produce milk.

DANIELLE NAUMAN/ DAIRY STAR

Alice in Dairyland Crystal Siemers-Peterman is on-hand during the Chippewa Valley Farm-City Days, talking to students about healthy choices they can make with their families when grocery shopping.

help fund transportation for school groups,” Tammy said. “Our sponsors and vendors have been terric. They have contributed not only nancially, but have provided a great network of volunteers, too.” Students visited a variety of learning stations while at the dairy. Topics included how foods are produced; eating a healthy and balanced diet; water quality; conservation methods; safety; viewing and interacting with animals on the farm; and learning how farm animals are cared for. Eau Claire County Agricultural Agent Mark Hagedorn said several years ago, the event grew from a

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single day focused on the public to a two-day event. “Expanding to the second day gave us a lot of latitude and opportunity to add the day of education programming geared toward school-aged children,” Hagedorn said. “Each year, it’s grown and gained more traction.” A planning committee, which includes the host farms, spends at least eight months planning the event each year. “It seems like planning these things is really an act of love. Whether it’s a farmcity day or a breakfast on the farm or Farm Technology Days, you spend a long time planning it,” Hagedorn said. “The committee and hosts are

always impressed and pleased with the ability to see children and their teachers at the dairy, seeing what agriculture is, and what the dairy industry means these days. There are two to three missing generations from the farm. This event gives us a neat, clean way to get children on the farm.” In addition to the 730 school children who visited the farm on Friday, over 650 members of the public took the opportunity to visit the farm on Saturday. Each year, the FarmCity Day rotates between farms located in the tri-county area. Planning for the 2018 FarmCity Day will begin towards the end of this year.

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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 Deciency 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 ofce before losing benecial 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 benets: 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 certicate exchange. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions were modied 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 certicate 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. Difcult 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 reect 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 condent, 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 dene 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

Betting the farm on the Internet

Depies uses crowdfunding to save dairy, creamery By Brittany Olson

brittany.o@dairystar.com

SPRINGBROOK, Wis. – Due to circumstances beyond her control, dairy farmer Theresa Depies found herself in a situation that would be considered a nightmare. Fortunately, by turning to an unlikely source for help – the Internet – Depies was able to save her 148-acre farm and dairy plant, Springbrook Organic Creamery, near Springbrook, Wis. Between a federally declared drought lasting for seven years in far northern Wisconsin that made grazing her grassfed Jersey cattle impossible, having to purchase all of her feed, and family medical issues leaving her husband, Jeffrey, unable to work for years on end, Depies was notied by her lender that the loan she had taken out to put up their grade A dairy plant was getting called in and an auction would be held at the end of August of this year – unless she could raise an amount well north of $200,000. “GoFundMe was not my rst choice, and I wanted to stay away because of the 8 percent fee that GoFundMe takes from fundraising, as my own website took just 3 percent,” Depies said. “However, I turned to GoFundMe toward the end of my year-and-a-half campaign to gain more exposure.” Depies has been direct marketing and processing her own milk since beginning her farming career with Jeffrey in 1990, and became certied organic in 2006. She processes her milk into whole milk,

BRITTANY OLSON/ DAIRY STAR

AŌer her loan was called in, dairy farmer Theresa DePies was able to harness the power of the Internet by using crowdfunding to raise enough money to cancel the aucƟon of her farm near Springbrook, Wis. chocolate milk, drinkable yogurt, a soft cheese called quark and cheese curds. She sells her products as far north as Ashland, Wis., and as far south as Rice Lake, Wis. “I believe in the power of local food systems,” Depies said. With nearly three decades of building up her farm and dairy plant, and her son wanting to take over the farm someday, the idea of losing her farm and her Jersey cows was more than Depies could bear. She essentially had to bring her daily routine at her creamery to a screeching halt to focus entirely on raising enough money to call off the auction, including dropping her organic certication. “Every time I woke up in the middle of the night, it was the rst thing on my mind. When I opened my eyes in the morning, the rst thought in my head was, ‘How am I going

to save my farm?’” Depies said. Between the staggering amount of money and their loan servicer at the USDA being unable to help despite doing all they could, the Depies family turned to the World Wide Web in desperation, rst on their farm’s website and, eventually, GoFundMe. There was a small silver lining to the ordeal. “The USDA was willing to settle for less than the full amount owed at what they deemed to be a reasonable offer,” Depies said. “However, they legally could not disclose the amount that would be considered a ‘reasonable offer’ unless they had the money in hand.” As Depies took to the Internet to share her farm’s story, trials and tribulations included, the donations began to roll in.

“Most of them came from people we knew,” Depies said. “However, they came from all over the world. We got some from Australia and Canada, as well.” Because of the generosity of others, Depies was able to crowdsource a whopping $144,510. However, she was afraid that it might not be enough to settle and indenitely postpone the auction. “My daughter, Ivy, lives in California and was saving money to buy a house,” Depies said. “At the end, she kicked in everything she had saved, which was an additional $35,000. She was ne with helping me, but I wasn’t. I want to help her get that money back.” Things came down to the wire, but at the last minute the auction was cancelled when Depies presented USDA with the donated funds.

“My stomach ipped when I learned that the auction was called off, and honestly, my rst reaction was not knowing who to call rst: my husband or my children,” Depies said. “I had to pinch myself a couple of times just to make sure that it was real.” She and Jeff found themselves overwhelmed with gratitude. “So much gratitude, in fact, that once they accepted the offer and called it off, we had to process what just happened for a while after focusing our entire lives on saving our farm for a year and a half,” Depies said. Now that her farm’s future is no longer in jeopardy, Depies is getting back into the swing of things at Springbrook Organic Dairy and enjoying every minute of caring for her beloved Jerseys. “I’m getting back to making cheese and processing uid milk, and just getting back into a rhythm,” Depies said. “I’ll be getting my organic certication back, as well, and after getting my cheesemaking license I want to hopefully create an artisan cheese made only from my cows, eating this grass, which is making this milk so people can get a taste of this land.” She plans to continue sharing her farm’s story online and hopes to pay it forward after all the help she received. On her YouTube channel, she will be creating videos explaining the what and why of her farming practices, and the process milk undergoes from the farm to the fridge. “There was a documentary by Michael Moore I watched once, and a woman from Tunisia said that Americans have the greatest gift in the world: the Internet, as long as it is used for good,” Depies said. “I want to ood the world with good.”

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The case of the missing chickens: Murder most fowl Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 29

Our story starts happily enough, as many stories do, and not with once upon a time, but with July 12. That was the date I met with a pleasant surprise, as I went about my chicken chores. Little Red Hen, a friendly Bantam that so wanted to be a big chicken, had taken up residence in C. Everett Coop, the small, red building reserved for the larger birds. She had forsaken Rural Roots her Bantammates in Gary Cooper, the small, blue building nearby. As I sought eggs, I spied Little Red in one and decided I might as well frisk her, too. Sometime hens like to lay where others have been before them. I discovered a couple of warm orbs beneath Little Red. But, I also By Ron Johnson discovered something Staff Writer else. A wee, yellow head adorned with a wee, orange beak peaked out from under the hen’s right wing. It uttered a single “peep” before ducking under its feathered sanctuary. “Well,” I said to myself. “New life. How wonderful.” I let mother and child be, for they seemed content without the likes of me. I did make sure to nd the bag of chick starter, layer crumbles and cracked corn. This I placed in front of the next box, along with a shallow bowl of water. The next day, I assumed all was well. The feed and water were nearly gone. My ears caught the sound of more peeping from under Little Red. On July 15, the chick had a name, Sanders. Yes, that’s derived from the Colonel gent who founded the Kentucky Fried chain. It seemed like a good name, for I had no idea whether the chick was destined for henhood or roosterhood. On that same day, Little Red Hen still seemed broody, so I stashed one big, brown egg under her along with ve new Bantam eggs. We got no new chicks from that effort. Little Red snapped out of her Zenlike motherhood trance, abandoned the eggs and set out to show Sanders to the other chickens. On July 20, tragedy nearly struck. The sky darkened, wind rushed in from the west, rain lashed, thunder and lightning crashed. Where were little Sanders and Little Red? Just in time, we found them cowering in the tall grass by the woods. Quickly, Jessica and I shooed them into the coop. Eight days later, something attacked our veteran rooster. We discovered that Foghorn Leghorn, a SilverLaced Wyandotte, was missing. Not a trace. No feathers. No blood. Nothing. Was this the beginning of the foul play? A day later, Ziggy, our black, Frizzle Bantam rooster met his maker. The brace of Golden Retrievers went romping by the creek and dragged the little bird’s wet, lifeless body back to the house. The next day, the plot thickened. Rooster Cogburn, the strawberry blonde, feather-footed Bantam, lay huddled and shaking by the redbud tree. A sorry sight he was, his back nearly devoid of feathers. We placed him in a portable pen and placed the pen in Gary Cooper. Nurse Jessica sprayed Cogburn’s ragged back with an antibiotic and placed feed and water within his easy reach. Was his attacker something from the sky? A hawk perhaps, or maybe one of the bald eagles that sometimes soar overhead? Rooster Cogburn departed on July 30. It was the

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between a patch of woods and our spring-fed creek. Why Sanders did not tag along with its mom, I do not know. I do know that Mrs. Prosser, an older, red hen with half her feathers gone due to the roosters’ romancing, was fond of frequenting the stream where she scratched among the fallen leaves from the large oaks. Labor Day came and went with still no sign of Mrs. Prosser or Little Red Hen. They are still gone, so the mystery continues. What’s more, a black Bantam hen vanished a couple of days ago. That makes at least seven chickens unaccounted for. We are down to seven Bantams and 10 larger ones. What evil lurks in the heart of the oak grove by the stream? What rampaging raccoon, hungry hawk, erce fox, crafty coyote or wild weasel haunts that spot? What I do know is that I am in the midst of solving the case of murder most fowl. Where are the likes of Miss Marple, Columbo and Sherlock Holmes in my hour of need?

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same morning that I found the feathers of Foghorn Leghorn up along the driveway. Our happy ock had been winnowed down to four remaining roosters - Fog Light, son of Fog Horn, Russell Crow, Little Crow and Chanticleer. On Aug. 1, the Goldens earned their new nickname: The Hounds of the Johnsonvilles. It was an incident that could have been based on a Sherlock Holmes story. For some reason, the golden girls turned evil. Normally mild mannered, the canines went after one of my Japanese fantail Bantams. I’m sure she ran and ew and that only incited the hounds to their murderous behavior. I caught them red-pawed, dragging the scared and squawking bird by the neck. The next day, the Japanese Fan-Tail Bantam expired. The mysterious goings-on recommenced on Sept. 1. That’s the last day we saw Little Red Hen and Mrs. Prosser. I saw them head for the tall grass that grows

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State of mind

Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017

“Ain’t it funny how a melody can bring back a memory; take you to another place in time; completely change your state of mind,” Clint Black, State of Mind. I woke up this morning with these lyrics in my head. I love music for its power to transport me to a different place and time in my memories. If I start out the day feeling a bit off, I can usually work myself into a better mood by turning on some tunes and singing loud and dancing. Kitchen dance parties are a sure-re way to improve a gloomy day. Ask my boys. I have a good memory, so my attachments to songs are strong and far more positive than negative. When I hear Hank Williams’ song, “Hey, Good Lookin’,” I remember an old DHIA milk tester we had that would sing the song endlessly as we tested milk. I was always in the barn for test days because I knew the cows best. I can see the old feed cart with a sheet of plywood on top and all the milk meters to pull out and swap for a full sample. “Just take those old records off the shelf,” from “Old Time Rock and Roll” already has me at a birthday party

when I was 12, dancing with Grandpa Ike. He has some interesting moves. He kicks out a leg and the corresponding arm at the same time to the beat. Most of those good oldies remind me of being 13 years old and milking cows in the tiestall with my dad. There’s also a memory of my uncles crouched around a campre making giant apjacks, singing along with the oldies station. It’s as if a movie projector is clicking through memories in my head along with the songs on the radio; all the cows in their tiestalls, me dressed in my trademark red sweatshirt in the barn testing milk, waiting with my cousins for a warm apjack. I hear “Eye of the Tiger” and I’m in high school again, doing the choreographed cheerleading dance for a pep rally. When I hear “I Like to Move it Move it,” I’m a scrawny 16-year-old in an orange and black skirt dancing the moves. The Righteous Brothers’ song, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” inevitably makes me smile. I see my brothers serenading our Aunt Sherry at her son’s wedding. Tony and Peter had all the supplies; Tony in his Marine

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uniform, sunglasses on and phone in hand with the lyrics in case they forgot. The Oak Ridge Boys’ tune, “Elvira,” comes on and I’m in sixth grade learning the Charleston, with obnoxious boys singing the “um-pa-pa-mow-mow” part. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Workin’ Man” is one of the few songs I’ve ever heard Keith sing along to. I can always hear his voice Ramblings from the Ridge in the chorus. Eddie Rabbit’s “I Love a Rainy Night” takes me back to those years of dating each other, when Keith would come into the barn after he was done with the other chores. If this was on, we would two-step across the limed barn alley. The opening words of “Cotton-Eyed Joe” puts me in a circle of friends; high-kickBy Jacqui Davison ing until we were too sweaty Columnist to go on. I’m good at recognizing a song by the rst couple measures of music, so my memory works just as fast at taking me back to a place in time. It can happen fast, like a little musical vacation. Charlie Daniels Band’s “Drinkin’ My Baby Goodbye,” and Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee” have my feet itching to get up and nd the nearest competent swinging partner. If not competent, at least one willing to learn the moves and attempt to keep up. Dan Obert’s haymow comes into view in my mind, and I’m 20 years old in well-tting Wrangler jeans, swinging, two-stepping, jitterbugging and dancing all night amidst the haybale lined wall. The Bellamy Brother’s “Redneck Girl” always makes me turn the radio up, and the feeling of being newly in love makes my heart smile. It was a song that Keith would always dance with me to in that haymow. And, though I don’t consider myself too terribly old, it makes me feel younger. Occasionally, I turn on the polka station to ashback to simple Sundays when I was 17 and Tony was 6. When we got home from church, the country station would be blaring those beautiful polkas; doors opened, windows rolled down, music turned up. It was there in the gravel driveway that I taught Tony how to polka. There’s also “Peace is Flowing like a River” and “On Eagle’s Wings” from church that cause pictures of all ve of us kids trying to behave and stay awake during Mass. I think I’m ready to start my day with songs in my head and a bit of dance in my step. Jacqui and her family milk 700 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (10), Dane (8), Henry (3) and newborn, Cora, help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little boys, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos-and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.

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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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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 reected 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 prex. 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 benet 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 difcult 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

Vernon County Fair thrives in 161st year Hornbys help assure event’s survival, success By Ron Johnson

ron.j@dairystar.com

VIROQUA, Wis. – Several wars and the Great Depression could not stop the Vernon County Fair. The event marked its 161st run Sept. 13-17. Dairyman David Hornby, Viroqua, Wis., is doing his part to help keep the fair alive and strong. He and his wife, Bernadine, “Bernie,” milk 70 Holsteins on their 320-acre farm. David has been a director of the Vernon County Agricultural Society – the organization that conducts the fair – for 22 years and its president four years. His roots with the fair, however, run far deeper. “My family has been involved with the fair since I was a little kid,” David said. “My parents were 4-H leaders, and my mother was a department supervisor for 33 years.” David and the other 11 directors play vital roles in making sure the fair continues its long tradition of education and entertainment. “We coordinate putting on the fair,” David said. That means contracting with a carnival to truck in the rides, working with the community groups that run the

food stands, assisting 30 department superintendents, hiring shifts of people to tend the 40-acre fairgrounds, and rounding up 30 people to sell gate and grandstand tickets. Work on the next year’s fair begins even before the lights have been switched off on the present one. David said the carnival is signed to a new contract on the last day of each fair. After the fair, board members concentrate again on their farms and other work, and begin planning again in January. David agreed that working with the fair has a parallel to farming. The biggest one is weather. The weather is important because the fair runs for just four-and-a-half days. “The weather is everything when it comes to putting on a fair,” David said. “Sunshine and 70 to 75 degrees is perfect. If there’s sunshine and it’s warmer, people will come out.” The Vernon event is Wisconsin’s last county fair of the year. It takes place in mid-September. “We never know what we’re going to get,” David said. “We could have 75 and sunshine or 45 and raining. And, it can change from one day to the next.” Part of the attraction of a county fair, David said, is all the activity. At any particular moment a dozen or more things might be happening at the same time, from livestock judging to tractor pulling, and the colorful carnival. “You can go to the fair, walk around RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR all day and see something different,” Helping make the Vernon County Fair a success has become a tradiƟon for David David said. “And there’s always and Bernie Hornby, Viroqua, Wis. They t fair work into their busy schedule of something going on somewhere.” milking 70 Holsteins and growing and harvesƟng 232 acres of crops. Turn to HORNBYS | Page 37

Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017

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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 UniversityMoorhead. 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.

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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 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. 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. What are some words you like to live by? Take it day by day. Every day is different. Things fall into place. Most things we worry about either don’t come true or work themselves out in the end. My father-in-law said, “After bad days come good days,” and I happen to think he’s right.

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Dairy Star â€˘ Saturday, September 23, 2017 â€˘ Page 37

ConĆ&#x;nued from HORNBYS | Page 35

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RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR

Dairyman David Hornby shows ribbons the Vernon County Fair has received from the Wisconsin AssociaĆ&#x;on of Fairs. The Vernon County fair recently marked its 161st consecuĆ&#x;ve year of operaĆ&#x;on. To help get things started, David begins his daily treks to the grounds the Monday before the fair opens. And the day after the last ribbon has been handed out, David is on hand to help clean. That means the farm work lands on Bernieâ€™s shoulders. David said he can be home for morning chores and milking during the fair, but maybe not in the evening. This year for the ďƒžrst time, the Hornbys hired relief milkers. Davidâ€™s brother, Steve, helps too. Bernie and Davidâ€™s grown children and their families turn fair time into a family reunion, and they also help with the farm work. Along with their daughters, the Hornbys have a son, Adam, who lives near the farm.

â€œWe still have all the breeds represented. Thatâ€™s kind of unusual.â€? Ç§ DAVID HORNBY, VERNON COUNTY FAIR BOARD

Sometimes, despite all the efforts to make the fair a success, something happens. For David, one of the most memorable was the Saturday night when there was a complete power outage. â€œThe whole grounds went dark for 30 minutes,â€? he said. David and Bernie have witnessed changes at the fair. One is the shift in the species and number of animals entered. â€œThe biggest increase is goats,â€? David said. â€œDairy has really dropped off in the past 22 years. We had probably 250 head in the junior fair, and last year we had 75 that actually showed.â€? Until two years ago, the fair placed a limit on the number of dairy animals that could be entered, David said. He attributed the drop in dairy entries to

the decrease in the number of dairy farms. Will the Vernon County Fair still have dairy cattle in its barn 20 years from now? â€œI think so,â€? David said. â€œWe still have all the breeds well represented. Thatâ€™s kind of unusual.â€? An event thatâ€™s unique to the Vernon County Fair is collegiate dairy cattle judging. The contest attracts 20 teams from as far away as Ohio, Oregon and California. The fair continually changes. Among those changes is the cost of admission. Itâ€™s $7 a day now for an adult, compared to $3 when David became a director. But, he said the fair is still a great value for family entertainment. â€œWeâ€™ve always tried to keep our gate price down,â€? David said. â€œWe donâ€™t have any major sponsorships, so what we charge at the gate is our main income.â€? At any rate, the fair is ďƒžnancially sound. It has made enough money so that a building fund could be established. A current project involves replacing the 1950s-era restroom and ofďƒžce facility thatâ€™s in a converted milk house. The Vernon County Fair is just one of David and Bernieâ€™s community efforts. She was her townshipâ€™s treasurer for 20 years and is the president of the Vernon County Electric Cooperative. Sheâ€™s also the ďƒžrst woman president of a Wisconsin electric co-op. I n addition, David and Bernie are involved with the FFA alumni and Viroquaâ€™s English Lutheran Church. But every time September rolls around, their attention returns to the fair. Like other fairgoers, they want to socialize with friends old and new. Asked about his favorite fair activity, David said, â€œWhen Iâ€™m not working, I like to sit down.â€? Will the fair still be going strong when another 161 years have passed? Without hesitation, David said, â€œI have no doubt.â€?

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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017

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Dairy Star • Saturday, September 23, 2017 • Page 39