DAIRY ST R March 24, 2018
ONE TEAM. GOLD DREAMS. APRIL 10 – 12, 2018 | MILWAUKEE, WI
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Establishing the future of a herd
DCHA conference to emphasize animal welfare By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
MILWAUKEE – Animal welfare is a recurring theme at this year’s Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s (DCHA) annual conference April 10-12 in Milwaukee, Wis. The event is expected to draw 600 to 800 calf and heifer raisers, according to Brent Caffee, of Decatur, Ind., a member of the DCHA board and conference planning committee. Caffee is a territory representative for Merck Animal Health, a conference sponsor. “Animal welfare and treating animals in a humane and proper way is something in our industry that is getting more attention,” he said. “We’re focusing on that throughout the conference.” One of the farm tours on the afternoon of April 10 will feature a demonstration on using caustic de-budding paste to reduce the pain involved with removing horns, Caffee said. That demonstration will take place during the tour of the 2,000-cow Vir-Clar Farms, Fond du Lac. The conference’s keynote presentation will be the morning of April 11. The message will interest producers who want to hone their leadership skills. “How to inspire employees, motivate them and retain them is very important,” Caffee said. Ty Bennett, the founder of Leadership, Inc., is the keynote speaker. His topic is, “The Power of Inuence.” Bennett, according to the DCHA, will share his philosophies for increasing your inuence and impact as a lead-
PHOTO COURTESY OF DCHA
AƩendees learn about raising Jersey calves at one of last year’s conference farm tours. The Dairy Calf and Heifer AssociaƟon’s annual conference is expected to bring more than 600 aƩendees to the event April 10-12 in Milwaukee.
er. He will also talk about practicing the platinum rule. Bennett will also lead a break-out session that same afternoon. That session is titled, “Partnership is the new leadership.” The next day, April 11, will include a producer panel discussion on best practices to use when trucking cattle long distances. Caffee said some larger dairy farms raise their heifers several states away – in Colorado and Kansas, for example. Ways to lessen cattle stress will be an integral part of the discussion.
Also on April 11 is a presentation titled, “The milk-fed calf: Social housing and animal welfare.” Marina von Keyserlingk, from the University of British Columbia, will talk about her work on calf behavior associated with milk hunger and perceptions of animal welfare. On Thursday, April 12, calf barns designed to enhance health is the topic for Ken Nordlund, an emeritus clinical professor at Turn to DCHA CONFERENCE | Page 3
Page 2 • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018
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Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 3
ConƟnued from DCHA CONFERENCE | Page 1
the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He will talk about designing barns that are as good as hutches in reducing the risks of calves contracting certain types of diseases. Also happening on Thursday, the latest information on vaccinating calves will be presented. Amelia Woolums, Mississippi State University, will deliver that presentation. Another April 12 presentation that calf and heifer raisers might nd especially useful is “Advances in colostrum management.” Sandra Godden, University of Minnesota, will talk about key aspects of feeding colostrum. She will include recent advances in feeding colostrum, along with monitoring a herd to decide whether the program is successful. Caffee included “The fairlife story” on his short list of conference items that should not be missed. Sue McCloskey, Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Ind., will relate how she and her husband helped found Select Milk Producers as part of their vision for providing better nutrition for the world, according to the DCHA. Select Milk Producers has teamed up with Coca-Cola to create and distribute fairlife milk across the United States. The DCHA dates to 1996. The
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
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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
PHOTO COURTESY OF DCHA
Conference aƩendees partake in a seminar during last year’s event. This year, the conference will be April 10-12 at the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino in Milwaukee.
original name was the Professional Dairy Heifer Growers Association, but was changed in 2004. The conference used to take place in a different state each year; but organizers chose to leave it in one state. “The last few years, we’ve decided to leave it in Wisconsin,” Caffee said. “We found that we had our best attendance there, because we have a strong membership base in the Midwest.”
Last year’s conference in Madison, Wis., drew 600 calf and heifers raisers and people who work in
“Animal welfare and treating animals in a humane and proper way is something in our industry getting more attention. We’re focusing on that throughout the conference.” BRENT CAFFEE, DCHA
PHOTO COURTESY OF DCHA
Last year’s conference included touring a group calf housing facility.
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allied industries. Caffee said more than 30 states and 10 countries were represented. Conference attendees collectively raised approximately 2 million calves and heifers. This year’s move to the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino in Milwaukee was made partly to have plenty of room for the growing trade show, Caffee said. “(The trade show will include) everything from feed companies to animal health companies and equipment companies. It’s a good time for farmers to see the latest and greatest technology that’s available,” Caffee said.
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Sales Manager - Jeff Weyer (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-8505 (cell) jeff.w@dairystar.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, publication. LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Subscriptions Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN. POSTMASTER: One outside Sendyear addresssubscription changes to Dairy $35.00, Star, 522 Sinclair Lewisthe Ave.,U.S. Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378.
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Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 5
SEMINAR PREVIEW
Raising healthy calves with vaccines
Woolums shares latest news on medical research By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
Dairy producers know the unequivocal benets of raising healthy calves and heifers as it relates to the dairy herd’s overall health and longevity. Vaccines have been proven to aid in herd health, but can be ineffective Dr. Amelia if not used Woolums properly. Mississippi State “VacUniversity cines can be very helpful to prevent disease in calves, but vaccines are not always used rationally. This may lead them to fail to protect calves from disease,” said Dr. Amelia Woolums, College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University. During the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s (DCHA) annual conference, Woolums will present, “Vac-
cinating calves – What’s the latest?” at 10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., Thursday, April 12, at the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino in Milwaukee. “One of my favorite professional activities is to give presentations to try to help producers and veterinarians understand the latest information about effective use of vaccines to prevent disease,” Woolums said. Woolums’ interest in calf health has led her to work as a teacher, clinician and researcher, further understanding why calves get sick and the best ways to keep them healthy. In her 30-year career, Woolums has dedicated much of her time towards medical problems, particularly pneumonia, and the use of vaccines to prevent such illnesses in calves, but also cattle. While vaccines have been proven to help deter the onset of pneumonia, protocols vary from farm to farm. Woolums
suggests working with the herd veterinarian to develop a protocol that best meets the needs of the operation. “There is no one vaccine schedule that works for every farm,” Woolums said. “Some vaccination protocols that will be appropriate for some farms and their calves will not be appropriate for other farms or calves.” However, following a vaccination protocol should not be the sole action to prevent the onset of illness and promoting herd health. “We can’t forget that vaccines are just one of several practices needed to keep cattle and calves healthy,” Woolums said. When developing a vaccine protocol, dairy calf and heifer raisers should be aware of other areas of herd management. Important areas of management include, but are not limited to, colostrum management, nutrition, onfarm biosecurity, sanitary calf housing areas, as well as stocking density within group housing systems. “These are all necessary to keep calves healthy,” Woolums said. “The effects of excellent vaccines can denitely be overwhelmed by
bad management.” Throughout her presentation at the conference, Woolums hopes to emphasize the importance of following a vaccine protocol, but also reviewing the latest research regarding this ever-changing topic. “New vaccines and new information about vaccines are always coming out. Giv-
try to translate new research ndings into useful information for dairy producers,” Woolums said. “This way, they can be as up-to-date as possible regarding the best way to use available vaccines to keep calves healthy.” Like other seminars taking place during the DCHA annual conference, attendees will nd value in Woolums’
“We can’t forget that vaccines are just one of several practices needed to keep cattle and calves healthy.” DR. AMELIA WOOLUMS, MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
en the common use of vaccines to prevent pneumonia and other diseases in calves, I believe that information like this is always timely,” Woolums said. Woolums also plans to briey review the immune system of the calf. In better understanding the immune system and vaccines, dairy calf and heifer raisers will gather valuable information to better their own operations during Woolums’ presentation. “In my presentation, I
extensive knowledge on calf health. Dairy calf and heifer raisers will leave the session with a greater understanding of how certain vaccines can benet the calf and how to setup a protocol for success. “Dairy calf and heifer raisers often have a lot of questions about how vaccines work, and how they can best be used to keep calves healthy,” Woolums said. “Anyone who has questions about this subject should get some answers by attending my session.”
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Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 7
How has DCHA beneted you?
“It’s helped me set goals based on the Gold Standards.” Jim Leick, with wife Kay Stratford, Wis. 60 calves on milk and 600 heifers
How has attending this conference and being a member of the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association beneted you? Being a DCHA Number of years as a DCHA member and especially attending member: Four their annual conference has beneted me as a calf and heifer raiser Why is attending the Dairy Calf by helping me set goals based on and Heifer Association’s annu- the Gold Standards and the mulal conference important to you titude of information presented at as a dairy calf and heifer raiser? DCHA sponsored events. Attending the DCHA annual conference is important to me be- What makes this conference difcause my area of management at ferent from other industry events Night Hawk Dairy is baby calves you have participated in? The through springing heifers. I have a DCHA conference is different than many other industry events real passion for these animals. in that all the seminars, industry What do you most look forward professionals and tours are all to about this event every year? It about calves and heifers. Also, the is a great event to network with attendees at the conference come other producers and industry pro- from different areas, bringing with them a perspective from their opfessionals. erations. Networking with proWhat seminars, events or booths ducers gives me a chance to learn are you especially interested in and share some of the knowledge this year? I am always interest- I have garnered from my experied in any new information I can ences. learn to help me become more Tell us about your farm, includefcient. ing your calf and heifer facilities. What have you learned from pre- Night Hawk Dairy LLC was estabvious conferences that you have lished in 2013, and is owned by incorporated onto your farm? myself and my cousins, Chris and Before I built my new calf barn Steve Leick. Together, we milk 950 three years ago, I learned about Holsteins and raise 650 calves the importance of positive pres- and heifers as replacements. Our sure tube ventilation at the DCHA calf facility features a starter nursconference and incorporated that ery area and four classroom-style information into my design.
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KaƟe Grinstead feeds calves at Vir-Clar Farms near Fond du Lac, Wis. Vir-Clar Farms is hosƟng a farm tour Tuesday, April 10 as part of the DCHA annual conference. By Ruth Klossner Staff Writer
FOND DU LAC, Wis. – Katie Grinstead, of Vir-Clar Farms, is excited to host Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s annual conference participants Tuesday, April 10. “I enjoy seeing this group of people every year at the conference,” Grinstead said. “I’ve spoken at a lot of meetings. It’s nice to have them come to see our operation.” Grinstead and her siblings are the third generation at Vir-Clar Farm in Fond du Lac, Wis. The farm began in 1949 when Clarence and Virginia Boyke took over ownership from Clarence’shis grandparents. In 1950, the rst registered Holstein calf was purchased, and the farm developed from there. The Boykes son, Gary, and his wife, Rose, formed a partnership with Clarence and Virginia in 1976.The rst registered Holstein calf was purchased in 1950. Clarence and Virginia’s son Gary came home to farm in 1974. Gary and his wife Rose formed a partnership with Clarence and Virginia in 1976. For nearly two decades, Vir-Clar was a traditional 60-cow tie stall operation and one of the elite genetic herds in the United States. In 1995, the herd was expanded to 300 cows, with a freestall barn and a milking parlor. The herd expanded to 500 cows in 1997. A maternity and / hospital barn was constructed in 2002. Another barn was added and the parlor and holding area expanded in 2015. A methane digester used on the farm produces renewable electric power for approximately 800 homes. To economically run the digester, the barns have been expanded to house 2,000 cows. The farm has 32 full- time employees and includes about 3,000 acres. Gary and Rose Boyke have four children – Katie and Grant Grinstead; Angie and Ryan Matthias; Tiffany and Nick Venne; and JR and Sam Schmidt. All have played roles in the dairy operation. Grinstead, the calf manager of the family-owned farm, has a strong belief in helping others and is looking forward to sharing things that work on their farm. “We all know that calf raising is
labor intensive. It can be a challenging job. We can work together for the betterment of the industry,” she said. The farm and its employees are accustomed to having a lot of people onsite as it hosts an annual fall festival. For the DCHA tour, Grinstead plans to have the group start at the farm’s welcome center and then view the parlor. “They’ll see more than just our calf area,” she said. The group will also see demonstrations, among them how the farm dehorns its calves. “We’ve gotten pretty good with paste,” she said. With 2,000 cows, the farm raises a lot of both heifer and bull calves. The bull calves are sold to local buyers at weaning. Heifers stay on the farm until about 5.5 months when they move to another location on the farm or go to one of two feeders in Kansas. They return before freshening. “I have a strong belief in keeping things simple; to work smarter, not harder,” Grinstead said. “We’re worked hard to develop our protocol. We concentrate on cleanliness so we don’t have to use a ton of vaccines. We feed pasteurized milk and supplement it with milk replacer. We really feed a lot of milk. We start with three quarts and up it to a gallon-and-a-half a feeding by the time the calves are weaned. That helps with calf health. They’re bigger and healthier. They’re able to ght off sickness.” Before returning to the farm, Grinstead worked as a calf specialist for Vita Plus for ve years and saw many facilities. “I designed our calf raising site from the ground up,” she said. The farm now has 470 Calftech hutches, which Grinstead hopes will sufce for some time. The farm is now crossbreeding Holstein and Angus,sbreeding with those calves being sold right away. The hutches are bedded with straw in the winter and with sand in the summer. They’re cleaned, power-washed and disinfected after every calf. Pasteurized colostrum is fed from disposable Udder Perfect bags. A PolyDome Portable Milk Master with a 300-gallon tank on a trailer is pulled up Turn to VIR-CLAR FARMS | Page 9
Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 9
ConƟnued from VIR-CLAR FARMS | Page 8 and down the rows of hutches for feeding. Hutches are labeled with duct tape as to the amount to be fed to each calf. Small calves or twins are fed from pink pails to indicate less milk to be fed at the start. Ribbons are also tied on the hutches to indicate if calves have been treated. “We like to keep things visual. The ribbons follow the calf for future reference,” Grinstead said. The calves are weaned at 7 weeks and move out of the hutches at 8. They move through two buildings by the time they leave at 5.5- to 6 months. The rst is three-sided with curtains and an open front and has pens of eight. The second barn has bigger groups, usually about 14. Three full-time employees assist Grinstead with calf care. “We have an awesome staff,” she said. As the farm prepares to host the April 10 tour, Grinstead’s biggest concern is the weather. “I hope it cooperates,” she said. “We keep the farm clean, but spring can be so unpredictable.”
Calves are housed in individual hutches at Vir-Clar Farms near Fond du Lac, Wis.
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Page 10 • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018
“Replenish meets my list of ‘Must Haves’ for providing confidence in scours recovery.”
SEMINAR PREVIEW
Enhance value, characteristics of terminal animals
Peters to present on the U.S. dairy beef industry By Maria Bichler Staff Writer
Professor of Ruminant Medicine, University of North Carolina State
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In a time of depressed milk prices, garnering value from all segments of a farm operation is vital to a dairy producer’s nancial success. Boosting the prots of dairy animals meant for meat production is one way to recoup costs on a dairy farm. Dr. Tom Peters holds a doctorate in ruminant nutrition as well as a degree in meat science muscle biology. He contributes to dairies in the United States, Canada and countries overseas through his independent consulting business, Superior Attitude Livestock Technologies, LLC. Peters will focus on the current condition of the U.S. dairy beef industry during his presentation, “The future of dairy beef in U.S. feedlots – Management, nutrition and marketing challenges,” at the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s annual conference at 9:45 and 11 a.m., as well as 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11 at the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino in Milwaukee. “I am going to focus on the tragedy that the dairy beef industry is in, and I do believe it is in a tragic state right now with packers and the basis and the way things have transpired here,” Peters said. When Tyson made the decision to no longer harvest Holstein cattle, 15 to 20 percent of the cattle on feed, JBS was left as the sole processor of dairy beef in the United States, Peters said. The result was a vast swing in the basis. “We went from a -$5 to $7 basis per cwt. to $16 to $23 per cwt. due to having one harvest facility,” he said. “There is only so much downward pressure you can put on the price of a day-old calf.” Peters, a Jersey dairy farm owner himself, said he could not accept that his Jersey bull calves had zero value as a feed yard animal. “Jerseys have such a poor average daily gain and their meat cuts are too small,” he said. “They are poor performance animals compared to Holsteins.” He began crossbreeding his dairy cows with beef animals, a practice which is not new. “The general trend was guys would breed their rst calf heifers to light calf Angus and those are throw away bulls,” Peters said. “It was the semen that was from low performance bulls; whatever the breeding
companies could get rid of. We created a lot of dirty Holsteins, a Holstein conrmation animal that came out black.” The black hide was signicant due to the popularity of Certied Angus Beef and the premiums paid by packers for such animals. Peters chose to breed his Jersey cows to homozygous polled black Gelbviehs with a static birth weight and a positive growth rate. “Jerseys are naturally one of the highest USDA quality grading cattle on the planet,” he said. In Holstein herds Peters worked with, Angus semen was purchased from the top 10 bulls at various sales. The result was Dr. Tom Peters a crossbred ani- Superior Attitude mal, which had Livestock moderate to above Technologies, LLC. moderate growth in the feed yard, an increased terminal weight and superb carcass characteristics. The most important outcome: packers wanted to buy these animals. “With crossbreeding, we consistently make prime and choice, yield grade 2 terminal steers that have a 1,325- to 1,400-pound nished weight; a desirable animal,” Peters said. “The packers will buy our product for the same basis of continental cattle because they yield and grade well. We made a carcass that now has value and more dairies should go this direction.” Peters will share with the crowd the mathematics behind the process of taking day old calves through feed yards and nally to packing plants, and just how much a dairy producer can gain. “If a day-old Holstein steer is worth $20 in the Pacic Northwest, with high quality semen we can make that day-old Jersey or Holstein crossbred steer bring $150 per head,” Peters said. “It’s a pretty big impact for the dairy math. It is the difference between making it and not making it with the milk prices the way they are.” He will also share the feed yard side of the equation including calf care, vaccines, feed adjustments and more. “My goal is to expose everybody to the challenges of creating this crossbreeding system,” he said. “The most important thing is we need to get it right the rst time. We can’t make a bunch of mistakes by exposing the wrong genes and the wrong bulls on [cows] and then packers refuse to buy them.”
Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 11
How has DCHA beneted you?
“DCHA is providing us with top-notch information.” Elizabeth Quinn (left) with brother Levi Murray and sister Emily Quinn Easton, N.Y. 2,000 calves and heifers
How has attending this conference and being a member of the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association beneted you? Being a member of DCHA and attending the conference has not only helped shape our business, but myself as well. We take pride in what we do every day, and part of that comes from being the most knowledgeable about our industry as possible. As well as being proactive in calf and heifer care, doing the best we can do. A lot of that knowledge has come from DCHA. DCHA is the leader in the calf and heifer industry providing us with top-notch information from the best in the industry.
Number of years as a DCHA member: 12 Why is attending the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s annual conference important to you as a dairy calf and heifer raiser? The DCHA annual conference is an event I look forward to every year. As a heifer raiser, I feel it is important to stay on the cutting edge of industry standards, and the conference provides producers with a wealth of information. The industry is ever changing and DCHA allows us, as attendees, to learn about a variety of topics from current animal health practices, animal welfare, calf and heifer feeding strategies and ways to be nancially efcient. What do you most look forward to about this event every year? The people. I enjoy interacting amongst producers and industry representatives. I feel you can learn equally as much from interacting with others at the conference as you do in the seminars. It’s nice to be surrounded by people working in the same eld as you with the same goals in mind. Whether it’s conversing over a seminar or farm tour you just attended at the conference, or simply discussing everyday operations of each other’s farms, there is much to learn from each other. What seminars, events or booths are you especially interested in this year? I am looking forward to every aspect of the conference. You can go to the conference and be more enticed by certain topics or booths. Then you can go to the seminars and walk around the trade show and
er s o l C a Take
FL O O N R
R
BA
What have you learned from previous conferences that you have incorporated onto your farm? I feel most every aspect of the way we run our operation somehow falls back on things we’ve learned at the conference and in DCHA’s Gold
Standards. Specically, our vaccination protocols, BVD and Salmonella Dublin testing, and feed management, as well as our current calf housing in hutches and barns. About ve years ago, we purchased a Milch Taxi, which we purchased after talking with Calf Star at their booth at the conference. We’ve learned a lot about employee management and animal care and building a better team from the conference. Between topics on colostrum management at the conference and guidelines in the Gold Standards, we have helped our source farms with colostrum protocols.
Tell us about your farm, including your calf and heifer facilities. My family and I custom raise 2,000 head of heifers and milk approximately 130 head at a separate facility. We take calves in as early as day-old babies and raise them until they are roughly 30 days prefresh. Our calves are raised in a combination of calf hutches and calf barns with individual pens. Once weaned, they transition to small groups, which as they grow become larger groups in bedded-pack and free stall facilities.
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learn about something that could have a major impact on your operation that you may have never thought of before. It’s important to go into the conference with an open mindset, ready to learn. We are discussing adding to our calf facilities. So, topics such as Dr. Nordlund’s presentation, “Calf barns designed to enhance health,” and products in relation to facilities will help us in our decision making.
What makes this conference different from other industry events you have participated in? This conference is focused specically on calves and heifers, the future of our herds. In order to have a successful dairy or dairy beef herd, it rst starts with getting it right with your calves and heifers. DCHA provides members and conference attendees with a vast amount of cutting edge information and technologies that you will likely not get anywhere else. This conference is the biggest bang for your buck. I have not been to a conference that provides you with these many seminars, trade show booths and events for a comparable cost.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018
LEGEND. They say with age comes wisdom. Well, when the business is passed down over 5 generations, wisdom is something you’re born into. But you’re responsible for adding value beyond that inheritance. It’s your progressive thinking that leads to the next generation of our product.
Creating “Legendary” is a modern day practice.
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© 2018 HAMPEL - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 13
SEMINAR PREVIEW
Inuence, impact to lead others Bennett to open conference with powerful message By Maria Bichler
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Dairy St r Milk Break
Staff Writer
Whether you own a large dairy or small, family farm, oversee an equipment dealership or a bottling company, being a leader is key to growing your business. Ty Bennett, founder of Leadership, Inc., will present his message, “The Power of Inuence,” as the keynote presentation at the opening session of the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s annual conference at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 11 at the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino in Milwaukee. He will also be presenting, “Partnership is the new leadership,” during the conference Ty Bennett Leadership, Inc. at 9:45 and 11 a.m., as well as 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11. In his early 20s, Bennett built a multi-million-dollar company with his brother. He then sold the business to his brother and began a motivational speaking and training company. He has authored four books, including a book by the same name as his keynote address. He works with 100 or more companies every year to help move their leadership forward and has worked all over the world. “We are in the people business,” Bennett said. “This group is in a leadership role by leading teams, working with others and inuencing those around them. They are selling to others and collaborating with people. I think leadership is all about inuence. How do we get people to communicate in a way that is inuential?” Bennett will break down leadership as inuence. He will give specic strategies on how to be inuential as human beings. One such strategy is investing in people. “I think investing in people is a game changer when it comes to relationships,” Bennett said.
“I think investing in people is a game changer when it comes to relationships.” TY BENNETT, LEADERSHIP, INC.
“These are not the large monetary investments, but rather the small, simple things that go above and beyond. They aren’t in the job description. They are meaningful to a person and that changes the nature of the relationship.” He said in a human relationship, actions are reciprocal. When we invest in people, that investment comes back. “Engage with employees. Have loyalty with the partner you sell to or work with,” Bennett said. He will also give simple, specic examples of how to invest in people. Another strategy is what Bennett terms as the platinum rule of relationships. Where the golden rule states, “Treat others how you want to be treated,” Bennett said the platinum rule is, “Treat people the way they want to be treated.” “The platinum rule is a step above the golden rule,” he said. “This allows you to individualize your leadership approach, which doesn’t mean favoritism. You recognize others’ individual strengths, objectives and goals because you care enough to understand individuals in ways that are meaningful.”
Email andrea.b@dairystar.com
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“We recently added a heifer barn on our 600-cow dairy. We have a 2” water line running to all the cow drinkers and have extended the line to the new heifer barn. As the weather became warmer, the drinkers were frequently lacking water in the new barn and elsewhere. We excavated the line between the barns and found the 2” pipe was plugged so full that it was doubtful you could wt a pencil down the length of the pipe. After talking with others and researching options, we decided to try the Clearitas 401 deposit control product with a standard chemical injection system. The Clearitas product was dosed aggressively for about 5 months. During which, the water yow to the drinkers was restored and the water itself became much cleaner even in the heat of summer. After the wve-month treatment, the water line was again excavated in the same location. The difference was amazing, the pipe was completely clean. Before starting the Clearitas treatment, we were concerned that it would have a detrimental effect on cow health or productivity. However, we monitored the treatment closely and were not able to detect any adverse effects. We believe that it is a good product and would recommend it to someone with similar water to keep the lines clear.” – Greg Endsley, Endsley Dairy Farms LLC, Hastings, MI. Blue Earth Products is a specialty chemical manufacturer with a full line of products speciwcally engineered to extend the operational life and efwciency of any water infrastructure by removing organic and inorganic contaminants.
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Page 14 • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018
CONFERENCE AGENDA
TUESDAY, APRIL 10 7:00 – 6:00 pm
Attendee and trade show registration desk open
8:30 – 9:30 am
Pre-conference seminar - Sponsored by Zoetis
9:30 – 9:45 am
Morning break
9:45 – 10:45 am
Pre-conference seminar - Sponsored by STgenetics
12:15 – 1:00 pm
Lunch at STgenetics
1:00 – 4:45 pm
Farm and industry tours SELECT ONE INDUSTRY TOUR:
• Industry Stop A: STgenetics, Fond du Lac, Wis. As a leader in bovine genetics, you will get a glimpse into the research and technology that supports the growing industry. Hear from the experts on the latest in genomic testing and sexing technology. • Industry Stop B: Milk Products, Chilton, Wis. A behind-the-scenes tour of milk replacer manufacturing. Learn about the research and expertise that goes into calf milk replacer, and milk replacer for a variety of species. Farm Tour: Vir-Clar Farms, Fond du Lac, Wis. Exceptional calf care protocols and cleanliness are key to calf management success on this 2,000-cow dairy. Hear from the dairy’s calf manager, Katie Grinstead, about their approach to getting calves and heifers off to the best start possible.
6:30 – 8:00 pm
Trade show reception and entertainment Soggy Prairie Boys Connect and relax with fellow conference attendees while enjoying the sounds of a homegrown Wisconsin band featuring acoustic country and bluegrass hits.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11 7:15 – 8:15 am
Breakfast and welcome in the trade show
8:30 – 9:30 am
The Power of Inƃuence - Ty Bennett, founder of Leadership, Inc. How do you become a good leader? Through inyuence. How do you become a great leader? By using inyuence and integrity to engage and inspire others. Regardless of the type of company, or the role you play in it, you are in the business of people. Because of that, great leadership is the driving force behind growing your business. Based on his highly rated book, The Power of Inyuence, Ty shares his philosophies and tools for increasing your inyuence and impact as a leader. You’ll learn what leadership is all about, skills for becoming “interested” and not “interesting,” how to practice the Platinum Rule and speciwc ways to invest in your people.
9:45 – 10:45 am
SELECT ONE
Track A: Producer Panel: Keep on truckin’ — Long-distance cattle hauling
Moderator: Kristin Barlass-Paul, Jersey Marketing Service Get ready to hit the highway with insights from two producers and two professional cattle haulers. Learn how to effectively and safely prepare calves and heifers for long-distance transport.
Track B: The future of dairy beef in U.S. feedlots — Management, nutrition and marketing challenges
Dr. Tom Peters, Superior Attitude Livestock Technologies, LLC This presentation will discuss global and U.S. feedlot issues covering management and marketing challenges. From crossbreeding dairy cows to producing high-quality feedlot cattle with limited packers that harvest dairy feedlot cattle, Dr. Peters will discuss the state of the industry.
Track C: Producer Panel — Your guide to group housing
Moderator: Dr. Bob James, Professor Emeritus Virginia Tech University Three producers from across North America will share their tips, tricks and wrst-hand experience raising and managing preweaned calves in group housing.
Track D: Partnership is the new leadership Ty Bennett, founder of Leadership, Inc.
What do leaders want from others? The answer: Commitment. What builds commitment is the leader’s approach to building relationships, providing value, creating buy-in and communicating with inyuence. Using case studies of leaders and organizations whose culture and growth is built through partnership-based leadership, Ty Bennett will share proven strategies and techniques to increase the leadership and overall commitment of others.
11:00 am- 12:00 pm
SELECT ONE
Track A: Producer Panel: Keep on truckin’ — Long-distance cattle hauling Moderator: Kristin Barlass-Paul, Jersey Marketing Service
Track B: The future of dairy beef in U.S. feedlots — Management, nutrition and marketing challenges Dr. Tom Peters, Superior Attitude Livestock Technologies, LLC
Track C: Producer Panel — Your guide to group housing
Moderator: Dr. Bob James, Professor Emeritus Virginia Tech University
Track D: Partnership is the new leadership Ty Bennett, founder of Leadership, Inc.
12:00 – 1:30 pm
Lunch in the trade show
1:00 – 1:30 pm
Annual business meeting
Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 15
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11 (CONTINUED) 1:45 – 2:45 pm
SELECT ONE
Track A: Producer Panel: Keep on truckin’ — Long-distance cattle hauling
CONFERENCE AGENDA
Moderator: Kristin Barlass-Paul, Jersey Marketing Service
Track B: The future of dairy beef in U.S. feedlots — Management, nutrition and marketing challenges Dr. Tom Peters, Superior Attitude Livestock Technologies, LLC
Track C: Producer Panel — Your guide to group housing
Moderator: Dr. Bob James, Professor Emeritus Virginia Tech University
Track D: Partnership is the new leadership Ty Bennett, founder of Leadership, Inc.
3:00 – 4:00 pm
The milk-fed calf: Social housing and animal welfare
4:00 – 6:00 pm
Reception in the trade show
Dr. Marina von Keyserlingk, University of British Columbia Dr. von Keyserlingk will highlight some of her most recent work looking at calf behaviors associated with milk hunger and correlated perceptions of animal welfare. She will share how these behaviors can be useful in identifying milk-feeding practices that cause hunger in dairy calves.
Connect with industry-leading companies, fellow producers, veterinarians and students. Unwind from day two, all while enjoying cheese, light appetizers and drinks.
THURSDAY, APRIL 12 7:00 – 7:45 am
Breakfast in the trade show
8:00 – 9:00 am
Advances in colostrum management
Dr. Sandra Godden, University of Minnesota Dr. Godden will discuss the key aspects of a successful colostrum management program including the old standbys, as well as recent advances in feeding clean colostrum. She will also discuss herd-level monitoring to evaluate success of the program.
9:00 – 9:45 am
Break in the trade show
10:00 – 11:00 am SELECT ONE
Track A: Getting the most out of your feeding operation investment
David Greene, Barton, Kiefer, & Associates The largest expense on your operation is centered around feeding animals. Every effort has to be taken to manage all areas of the feeding operation. It can be a complex area to manage. The main focus areas include: making sure the proper ration is being formulated and delivered for the target animal to meet its demands, managing the shrink around the forage and feed storage areas, and managing the efwciency of the actions around the feeding operation. Having check points for these areas will allow you to better manage this large expense of your business.
Track B: Calf barns designed to enhance health
Dr. Ken Nordlund, Emeritus Clinical Professor University of Wisconsin-Madison Calf barns can equal calf hutches in terms of reduced risk for respiratory and enteric disease, but provide improved working conditions for calf caregivers. Key features include positive pressure tube ventilation systems to supplement natural ventilation, drainage below bedding, and all-in, all-out grouping systems.
Track C: Vaccinating calves — What’s the latest? - Dr. Amelia Woolums, Mississippi State University Do you ever wonder whether vaccines you give calves are actually helping? Or whether there are any new ideas about how to vaccinate calves effectively? This presentation might help answer those questions. We’ll brieyy review the calf immune system, then guidelines for successful vaccination of calves will be presented.
11:15 am -12:15 pm
SELECT ONE
Track A: Getting the most out of your feeding operation investment
David Greene, Barton, Kiefer, & Associates
Track B: Calf barns designed to enhance health
Dr. Ken Nordlund, Emeritus Clinical Professor University of Wisconsin-Madison
Track C: Vaccinating calves — What’s the latest?
Dr. Amelia Woolums, Mississippi State University
12:15 – 1:30 pm 1:30 – 3:00 pm
Lunch in the trade show The fairlife® story - Sue McCloskey, Fair Oaks Farms
It all started with “a belief in better.” This belief drove Mike and Sue McCloskey, after years in the dairy business, to break away and start Select Milk Producers with others who shared their vision for providing better nutrition for the world. Today, Select Milk Producers has grown and partnered with The Coca-Cola Company to create and distribute the fairlife® line of milk across the U.S. Join us for the wnal session to hear Sue McCloskey share how their vision became a reality and their plans to continue growth in the future.
CONNECT WITH DCHA
calfandheifer.org
info@calfandheifer.org
(855) 400-DCHA (3242)
Like us on:
follow us on:
Page 16 • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018
CONFERENCE EXHIBITORS
Company .......................................... Booth Acepsis ......................................................402 ADA ...........................................................112 Agri-Plastics ......................... 114 & 116 & 118 Alltech .......................................................206 American Dairyman ...................................113 American Veterinary Pharmaceuticals .......408 ANIMART ..................................................510 Bayer Animal Health ..................................300 Bayland Buildings, Inc. ..............................512 Bio-Vet Inc. ................................................316 Boehringer Ingelheim ..................... 210 & 212 Calf Care Company ...................................310 Calf Star .......................................... 416 & 414 Calf-Tel ........................................... 100 & 102 Cambridge Technologies ..........................106 Central Life Sciences .................................317 Cerdos, LLC ...............................................405 Dairy Records Management Systems (DRMS) 415 Dairy Star ...................................................407 Dairy Tech Inc. ...........................................205 DBC Ag Products ......................................215 Elanco Animal Health ................................115 Endovac .....................................................217
Company .......................................... Booth NextGen Group .........................................413 Norbrook ...................................................110 NovaVive Inc..............................................401 Organix Recycling, LLC .............................103 Peach Teats (JDJ Solutions) .......................203 Phileo Lesaffre Animal Care.......................403 Poly Tank Inc./Poly Dome ..........................508 PortaCheck ................................................107 Probios ......................................................108 Prowt Source ..............................................213 Purina Animal Nutrition .............................506 R&D LifeSciences.......................................111 Ramaekers Nutrition ..................................518 Roto-Mix LLC .............................................301 ST Genetics .................................... 101 & 200 Sterling Technologies ................................318 Strauss Feeds ............................................303 Tandem Products/Tenderfoot ....................209 TechMix, LLC .............................................109 Topcon .......................................................502 Trouw Nutrition USA ..................................412 Y-Tex Corporation ......................................201 Zoetis .........................................................419
Entrance
*Subject to change
2018 SPONSORS
Company .......................................... Booth Farm Journal .................................. 313 & 315 Fever Tags LLC ..........................................406 Flax Farm Animal Bedding ........................500 Foerster Technik ........................................516 Furst McNess Company ............................314 Greenhouse Supply ...................................117 Grober Nutrition ........................................105 Hawkins Inc. ...............................................104 Hoard’s Dairyman ........................... 307 & 309 Idexx ..........................................................305 ImmuCell Corporation ...............................504 Imutek........................................................211 KEENAN ....................................................208 KeyAg Distributors ......................... 302 & 304 Kunawn ......................................................214 Laird Mfg.LLC ............................................409 Lallemand ..................................................202 Life Products ..............................................216 Merck .........................................................400 Micro Technologies ...................................417 MicroBasics ................................................514 Midwest Milk Products ..............................308 Multimin USA, Inc. .....................................204
ANNUAL CONFERENCE APRIL 10-12 | MILWAUKEE, WI POTAWATOMI HOTEL AND CASINO
DIAMOND: PLATINUM: SILVER: Agri-Plastics American Dairymen American Foods Group Calf Solutions DairyBusiness
Dairy Star DBC Ag Products DeLaval Lallemand Animal Nutrition Morning Clips
GOLD: BRONZE: APC, Inc. Biomin America Inc. The Country Today Farmshine FutureCow
GENEX H.W. Naylor Co. Inc. Phileo Lesaffre Animal Care Vits Plus
Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 17
How has DCHA beneted you?
“DCHA has introduced me to a network of people.” T.J. and Aly McClure Garden City, Kan. 10,000 calves and heifers Number of years as a DCHA member: Six Why is attending the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s annual conference important to you as a dairy calf and heifer raiser? This is the only conference that focuses solely on the raising of dairy calves and heifers. All the topics that are covered are relevant to what we do, and the information covers topics that will help us become more efcient. The topics are also new and relevant to our ever-changing environment of agriculture. What do you most look forward to about this event every year? After attending this conference for the past six years, I have been able to network and establish great friendships that stem from California to Pennsylvania. I look forward to networking and learning from other members of the association that I now call my friends. The opportunity to network with fellow members that do exactly what we do is
second to no other conference I have attended. What seminars, events or booths are you especially interested in this year? Every one of our operations has room for improvement in one or two areas. Generally, there is a breakout session that may help address some of the problems we face. With the top-notch speakers, members and allied industry present we can learn from the mistakes others have made and the improvements that have been implemented to correct the problems. What have you learned from previous conferences that you have incorporated onto your farm? Almost every conference I have attended has had management and self-improvement breakout sessions. I have been able to implement tools and thought processes that have made me a better manager and our facility more efcient. How has attending this conference and being a member of the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association beneted you? DCHA has in-
troduced me to a network of people that I am able to call upon and learn from. Networking has benetted me the most. What makes this conference different from other industry events you have participated in? The DCHA conference is set apart from other events in the way that it focuses on exactly what
we do – raise heifers. There are many wonderful industry events, but unfortunately our operation doesn’t need to learn about improving our milking procedures or the like. What we do need to know is how to continually improve our heifer program and management systems.
Tell us about your farm, including your calf and heifer facilities. We are a dairy heifer grower situated in southwestern Kansas. Our facility has the capacity to raise 10,000 animals at one time taking them from 5 months old to springer-age over a 15-month period. We are fortunate to live in such a temperate climate with easily accessible feed. It’s one in a million.
Page 18 • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018
INDUSTRY TOUR
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Attendees of the 2018 Dairy Calf and Heifer Association annual conference will have the opportunity to tour one of the industry’s prominent genetics companies – STgenetics. The tour will take place at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10 at the company’s Fond du Lac, Wis., location. STgenetics has become a worldwide leader in dairy cattle reproduction, including other livestock services, based on the principle of providing superior services to dairy producers who are looking to better their herd. “We have become a key player in the dairy industry in three ways – our female program, sexed semen and genomic testing,” said Jack Hippen, North American and European sales director for STgenetics. With an understanding of essential genetic elements for the industry’s future, STgenetics uses technology to produce ideal sires, which further produces superior females that are the foundation for the future. “Sexed semen has allowed us to have the ability to make the right heifer, genetically, that is the most advantageous to the future of the industry,” Hippen said. Most recently, the enterprise purchased a genomic testing company that further provides dairy farms with valuable information to develop their herds. Through many avenues, the reproduction company is ready to meet the demands of every dairy producer. In addition to providing elite genetics, sexed semen technologies and genomic testing, STgenetics offers beef sires chosen
PHOTO COURTESY OF DCHA
Conference aƩendees will see STgeneƟcs’ Fond du Lac, Wis., locaƟon, where the business specializes in providing superior geneƟcs to dairy producers. specically to cross well with dairy and technology that measures how well a cow is converting feed to growth and milk. During the industry tour, attendees will have the opportunity to see the latest information available for dairy herds and explore viable options for their operation. Hippen also said attendees will see the value of raising strong youngstock. “We partnered with [the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association] to share our message to the industry: female calves are your future and raising healthy females will make you protable,” Hippen said. “We are looking forward to hosting progressive dairies that want to raise healthy calves, genetically, and calves that will nancially support the dairy.”
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Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 19
INDUSTRY TOUR
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PHOTO COURTESY OF DCHA
Milk Products will show conference aƩendees their faciliƟes in Chilton, Wis., where the company’s products are designed and developed. includes products that enhance whole milk, such as fortiers, balancers and extenders, along with time-tested, familiar animal health products like colostrum replacers and electrolytes. The Calf Solutions® product line is designed for dairy operations and calf ranches to ensure accurate and complete nutrition in every feeding. Developed over 45 years ago, Sav-A-Caf® is a nationally recognized brand family offering products for a variety of animal species. The Sav-ACaf® portfolio is designed for people raising animals for food or fun and these products help ensure baby animals get off to a strong start.
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Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 21
Calf investment key for Pattison Dairy
Quality heifers fundamental for 30,000-pound-plus herd average
week window. If we’re going to wean at seven weeks, that makes it work out.” Calves in all three barns are fed by automatic feeders. The rst feeder went into use ve years ago. For their rst day of life, calves are bottle fed colostrum. Then they’re placed in a group pen and introduced to the nipple that’s attached to the milk line of an automatic feeder. A radio frequency identication (RFID) ear tag lets the automatic feeder know which calf is at the feeding station. On the rst day with the automatic feeder, a calf is allowed ve liters over several feedings that are four hours apart. Calves are gradually allowed as much as seven liters a day. Pattison Dairy feeds milk that’s pasteurized in a converted
By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
GARNAVILLO, Iowa – Raising quality heifers is a key component of Pattison Dairy’s 30,000-pound-plus herd average. Top-notch replacement heifers start out as top-notch calves. “The health of our baby calves dictates where our milk production is going to be. Calves are very important to us,” said farm owner Lee Pattison. Pattison began farming on his present farm, Garnavillo, Iowa, 38 years ago. As technology changed, so did his calf management methods. Today, the 700-cow farm that’s also home to 650 heifers
uses two hoop buildings and a monoslope barn to house calves. Three automatic calf feeders, a homemade milk pasteurizer, and an all-in, all-out calf movement plan are vital ingredients. The hoop barns have been in use, while the monoslope building went up last year. Pattison decided that a third calf building might improve his management. “That’s one thing where we really are different,” Pattison said. “We have three barns, and we treat it like a hog setup … all in and all out.” Each barn holds approximately 45 calves, but only two barns are full at any time. Newborns go into whichever barn
RON JOHNSON/DAIRY STAR
Group pens served by automaƟc feeders are part of the strategy of raising quality calves for Lee Paƫson, who dairies near Garnavillo, Iowa. has been emptied, cleaned and disinfected. When they’re old enough, those calves move on to the next barn. At weaning, it’s out of that barn and into a differ-
ent facility. Then the cycle starts over again. “It takes us 18 to 20 days to ll one barn,” Pattison said. “We like to stay inside that three-
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ConƟnued from PATTISON | Page 21 bulk tank. If the farm runs short of waste milk for the pasteurizer, the oldest calves are switched to milk replacer. The feeders reduced the work associated with feeding calves, but they did not eliminate it. Said Pattison, “We have less physical labor, but more management.” That management includes cleaning the feeders and looking at the computer’s information. For instance, the computer collects information on how much each calf has been drinking. Pattison said if a calf drank less than 50 percent of its allotment, the calf manager goes to that pen to see what’s wrong. The calf manager also cleans the feeders and the three barns. “I tell everyone who comes here, you need one of your best employees on the calf feeders – not your average employee,” Pattison said. The calf manager, he said, should be a stickler for details. At Pattison Dairy, the calf manager is Janine Sinniger. Two other employees are farm manager Andy Corlett and herdswoman Jess Schramm; who help with the farm’s operations. The farm grows all its crops, 1,300 acres of corn and alfalfa, pumps and applies its manure, trucks sand for its barns and truck its own milk. Besides overseeing everything associated with the farm, Pattinson handles the bookwork for restaurant Kaffee 1858 in nearby Guttenberg; the business of Sara, his wife. Pattison Dairy is reaping the rewards of switching from raising calves in individual pens to using group pens with automatic feeders. Weaning time has been cut by a week, from 56 days to 49. Calves are bigger at weaning, too. They weigh between 180 and 210 pounds; that’s up from 170 pounds. Heifers are bred when they’re 12 to 15 months old and calve at 24 months. The age at rst calving hasn’t changed, but Pattison said each animal weighs
about 100 pounds more. “They look eshy now,” Pattison said. “They used to look kind of thin.” The extra weight and better condition have translated into more milk in the bulk tank. Pattison said heifers milk an average 1,000 to 1,200 pounds more during their rst lactation. He attributed much of that increase to the automatic feeders. Their current herd size is max for the farm, which factored into his decision to try automatic feeders. “Because we’re not adding cows and we’re running the same size every year, I try to do different things to keep the employees engaged,” Pattison said. “The feeders are a high-management item, but we just decided we could handle it.” The trio of barns also plays a role in producing healthy calves. Each barn sits on a limestone base for good drainage. And, each barn is equipped with positive-pressure tubes above the pens. These tubes draw in fresh air by way of fans on an end wall of each barn. Each barn also has outlets so stale air can escape. “Our calves lay all over the place in the barns. That usually means the ventilation is pretty good,” Pattison said. On three-time-a-day milking, the Pattison herd’s rolling average is 33,200 pounds. The herd produced a peak of more than 23 million pounds one year, Pattison said. This year, he looks for production at about 21 million pounds. Those kinds of numbers would be tough to achieve without quality replacement heifers. But those heifers come at a price. Pattison said he gures he has $1,800 invested in each heifer before she produces a single drop of milk. The number includes labor, feed, vaccines and the cost of the calf facilities. “Calves are very important to us,” Pattison said. “We can’t afford to lose them, and we can’t afford them to be sick.”
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Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 23
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Page 24 • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018
How has DCHA beneted you?
“Attending the conferences refuels my passion for calves.”
Katie Rottenberg Vassar, Mich. 145 calves and heifers Number of years as a DCHA member: Four
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Why is attending the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association annual conference important to you as a dairy calf and heifer raiser? Attending the DCHA conference every year allows me to stay in the loop of what is happening in our vast industry. I did not come from a farm background, and therefore, I take any opportunity I can to learn as much as I can about what I do every day. What do you most look forward to about this event every year? Connecting with like-minded individuals who have the same passion as I do and who have been through the same things I deal with. What seminars, events or booths are you especially interested in this year? My favorite parts of these conferences are the hands-on tours. I enjoy observing how successful business operations run and hope to take back a fresh perspective that our operation can perhaps implement. Also, I enjoy speaking with different companies at booths to answer my questions that a product label won’t always tell me. What have you learned from previous conferences that you have incorporated onto your farm? I set a goal for myself each year to bring back at least three things, whether it is new information or techniques to try. One technique that really changed our operation for the better came from a simple conversation with an Agri-Plastics representative. I mentioned about how we were having issues keeping up with the drainage/seepage from our calves housed in their pens, and he kindly suggested and explained a few ways to manage our issue. I brought the information back to my boss and now our drainage is no longer a pain to deal with on a daily basis. How has attending this conference and being a member of the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association beneted you? Attending the conferences refuels my passion for calves. I feel re-energized gathering not only great information, but speaking and connecting or reconnecting with fellow calf and heifer lovers. Plus, I know that DCHA is a phenomenal resource for any questions I may have.
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What makes this conference different from other industry events you have participated in? This conference always has a nice variety of topics that does not always pertain strictly to calves. I also like the tours they offer, so we are not constantly sitting and staring at a screen. Tell us about your farm, including your calf and heifer facilities. Our farm is located near Millington, Mich. We have our calves from birth to 3 months of age housed individually in either Agri-Plastic calf pens in a hoop barn or hutches outside. We feel our calves are thriving in the hutches, so as our farm expands we will most likely be investing in more hutches. Once our calves are 3 months, they move into group pens in a downstairs barn area where they stay until breeding age. Then, they will move to the next barn over. They always stay in the same groups as calves move pen to pen.
Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 25
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Page 26 • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018
Prevent hunger in milk-fed calves Dr. von Keyserlingk to present on feeding, animal welfare By Maria Bichler Sta Writer
On most dairy farms in the world dairy calves are given milk or milk replacer. The amount of ďƒ&#x;uid offered and the method of feeding varies from farm to farm. Dr. Marina von Keyserlingk will inform dairy producers and others alike on the latest science on feeding calves milk, including calf feeding beDr. Marina von haviors associated Keyserlingk with hunger and University of British which milk-feedColumbia ing practices facilitate group housing. She will present her topic, “The milk-fed calf: Social housing and animal welfare,â€? at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11 during the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s annual conference in Milwaukee. “Traditionally the dairy industry only fed Holstein calves about a gallon of milk each day, split into two meals, but we now know that this amount in insufďƒžcient and calves are left ex-
tremely hungry,â€? von Keyserlingk said of the amount of ďƒ&#x;uid milk being offered to calves. von Keyserlingk is a professor in animal welfare at the University of British Columbia and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Chair. According to UBC, von Keyserlingk is recognized internationally for her research on care and housing for dairy cows and calves. In addition to providing more milk, she will also highlight the need to implement more natural feeding practices such as providing milk through a nipple not a bucket. “We look to nature, speciďƒžcally how calves suckle from their moms,â€? she said. “They need to drink from a teat and not a bucket.â€? While many argue that feeding from a bucket reduces cleaning time, feeding through a nipple has its distinctive advantages to calf health and overall growth of the calf. “We know that calves that drink out of a bucket, it changes their whole physical stature with how they have their head down. It’s not natural,â€? von Keyserlingk said. “Providing a nipple also allows the calves to engage in sucking behavior. Something that they are highly motivated to do and also drinking from a teat results in increased levels of insulin and CCK (cholecystokinin), which are hormones needed for proper digestion.â€? Feeding more milk as well as feed-
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ing through a nipple, von Keyserlingk increased starter intake and improved said, will lead to improved perfor- learning compared to individually mance in calves and decreased illness. housed calves. “All these – more milk, feeding Another topic of her presentation is social housing. “Cattle grow up in herds. They are naturally herd animals,â€? von Keyserlingk said. “In nature they would never spend the ďƒžrst 6-10 weeks of their life in isolation, as is the case when we individually house them. Calves housed DR. MARINA VON KEYSERLINGK, individually have learning isUNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA sues.â€? When considering social housing, a producer must be diligent through a nipple, social housing – will not to create too large of a group, which result in improved weight gain and can cause its own set of problems. In- improved animal welfare,â€? she said. stead, consider the smallest group of “Also, heifer calves that gain more during the pre-weaning period will calves a producer can create – two. “Pair housing is very easy on produce more milk in their ďƒžrst lactafarms,â€? von Keyserlingk said. “For tion.â€? Another portion of her presentainstance if you have hutches you can move two of them close together and tion will focus on the conversation, give the calves a common run out or lack thereof, between a farmer and front. Alternatively in a calf barn, take a veterinarian when it comes to calf out the barrier between two calves that care. “This is one of the challenges we are beside each other. We see the same beneďƒžts as social housing in large see and it is a big issue for the health of groups but it is much less expensive calves,â€? von Keyserlingk said. “Many to implement and far easier to manage, farmers have a relationship with their particularly if you are new to social vet, but that relationship tends to focus around the cows because that is where housing.â€? With a pair of calves being housed the money is.â€? She said veterinarians and farmers together, the transmission of disease is not different than in single housed need to learn to approach one another calves but all of the positive effects on calf care and strike the conversaof social housing are realized, such as tion to form a plan for healthy calves.
“All of these – more milk, feeding through a nipple, social housing – will result in weight gain.�
Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018 • Page 27
Soggy Prairie Boys to entertain at DCHA conference
Three band members also work in agriculture By Ron Johnson
ron.j@dairystar.com
Toe-tapping, foot-stomping music awaits at the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s (DCHA) annual conference, April 10-12 in Milwaukee. The Soggy Prairie Boys, a bluegrass band, will entertain the rst evening of the event. The band is a group of ve musicians who also hold down traditional day jobs, some of them related to agriculture. Kodey Feiner, an original member of the band, is the band’s manager, plays guitar and sings most of the lead vocals. In real life, he is a marketing manager with Filament Marketing in Madison, Wis. Another original band member, Jim Kvalheim, teaches agriculture at Evansville High School and is the FFA advisor. He plays the mandolin, sings and is the band’s chief sound engineer. The third member of the original band is Tom Kazmerak, a manager for a health care company in Madison, Wis. He plays the upright bass, sings low vocals and is the band’s creative director. Kristen Kvalheim joined the Soggy Prairie Boys in 2012. He teaches agriculture at Sun Prairie High School and raises beef cattle and specialty crops on his farm. Kvalheim plays the banjo and sings. Rounding out the quintet is Carl Rozas. By day, he works with computers. In the band, he plays the ddle and sings high vocals.
The Soggy Prairie Boys take their name from the ctional Soggy Bottom Boys in the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Feiner, Jim Kvalheim, Kazmerak and two other FFA members formed the band so they could perform in the talent contest at the 2002 Wisconsin FFA Convention, according to Feiner. The boys did well enough to garner an invitation to entertain at the National FFA Convention. The band was selected to play during one of the main sessions at Louisville, Ky., in front of 25,000 people. Through contact with other bands at the convention, band members decided to keep performing after high school. Since then, The Soggy Prairie Boys have gone on to play at approximately 80 events a year. “We still stay pretty close to our agriculture industry roots,” Feiner said. They have entertained for 16 years at the Dane County Breakfast on the Farm and have been xtures at the June Dairy Month event, Cows on the Concourse, in Madison, Wis. They are also scheduled to strum and sing this year at the Green County June Dairy Breakfast, the Racine County Breakfast and the Lodi Fair. Every fourth Friday of the month, they bring their talent to Mr. Brews Taphouse in Madison, Wis. “Our favorite place to play is a brewery in Verona called The Hop Haus,” Feiner said. Holding down full-time jobs plus playing in a popular band can
PHOTO COURTESY OF SOGGY PRAIRIE BOYS
The Soggy Prairie Boys is a bluegrass band based in the Madison, Wis., area. The group will perform April 10 at the DCHA annual conference in Milwaukee. make for some hectic days and nights. “I nd pockets of time here and there,” Feiner said. “I don’t sleep very much, which is just kind of the way I’ve always been.” His cell phone is a valuable tool that helps the band’s manager stay in touch and on time. Having plenty of experience under his belt helps, too. “I’ve been doing this 16 years now. I just kind of have a rhythm, I guess,” Feiner said. The Soggy Prairie Boys began by playing in the living room of the farmhouse on the Kvalheim beef farm. “We try to create that (atmosphere) wherever we are,” Feiner
said. “We want people to feel like we’re hanging out in their living room on the farm. I think that comfortability is why people like our music.” The band has made two albums. The rst, cut in 2005, is “Job Well Done.” It has ve original songs and ve traditional bluegrass songs. “Just Enough to Feed the Cows” was made in 2016. All ve band members pitched in to write the songs for that album. It gets its name from the Kvalheim farm, where they put up just enough hay to feed the cows, Feiner said. “Sometimes they just come to you,” Feiner said of the songs. “Sometimes it’s the melody that
comes rst. You have a melody kicking around in your head and the words come after. Sometimes you write the words and the music nds its way into the words. It’s a very bizarre process.” The band plays mainly in southern Wisconsin. “We all feel comfortable here, and we like the niche we’ve carved out here,” Feiner said. “We really like people who are listening to the words and interacting with us. It’s really nice when people are engaged. I see music as more of a conversation than as a lecture. If we can have a conversation with our audience, back and forth, that’s always the best.”
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Page 28 • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, March 24, 2018
FIBERGLASS FENCING • GATES • FREESTALLS • FEED RAIL • FEED LOTS NEW PRODUCTS:
New additive in our paint now prevents & protects against the growth of mold & mildew.
Should have a long life span.”
• All Solid Rail Fencing has a 20 year UV coating to prevent slivers, Colors available • Show Fencing & Pasture fencing • Cattle Panels & Continuous Fencing • 1’’ & 1-1/4 Electric Fence Post UV Protected •13% Chrome Post for Head Locks & Feed Rail • Guard Rail and Fiberglass posts. • Lifetime warranty on our fiberglass products from rusting and rotting
Fiberglass freestalls offer a heightened level of comfort which can lead to an increase in milk production!
“We have had the freestalls in for about 2 months. We installed them ourselves, they were simple to install. Cows likes the flexibility that the stall has.
Matt Strieff 600 FREESTALLS
- Tom & Mark Simons, Farley, IA, Farnear Holsteins
50 FREESTALLS
Bertha Swaving HOLLAND, NETHERLANDS GUARD RAIL & FIBERGLASS POSTS
Jeff Kintzle, Peosta, IA FIBERGLASS POSTS & RAIL
“The stalls are very good, I’ve had the stalls 8 weeks and the cows adjusted to them right away. I see a big savings on bedding since installing the stalls. I recommend anyone who is thinking about building a new freestall to take a look at these stalls.” - Don Buhr, Sumner, IA
Ron & Ellen Hartman Farms, Dubuque, IA FENCING AND FREESTALLS
Hwy. 76 • Harpers Ferry, IA
563-586-2023
www.tjsfencingcompany.com Email: tjfence@acegroup.cc
FAMILY OWNED FOR OVER 30 YEARS!