DAIRY ST R
World Dairy Expo Special Edition
September 14, 2024
INSIDE
4 Superintendents essential to Expo 8 Barmore, Faldet, Hickman named Industry Persons of the Year
12 Hellenbrand Lasting Legacy
prepares to award fourth calf
16 Iowa breeder named associate for International Brown Swiss Show
17 Wisconsin breeder will sort Milking Shorthorns as associate judge
22 Larmer named World Dairy Expo International Person of the Year
29 Schultz provides bedding, feed at Expo for 25 years
SECOND SECTION
1 Expo travels take Paulson a month to complete
1 Schoepp speaks about family, 7
conservation ahead of virtual farm tour
Passion, dedication laid foundation for Heath’s career
and more
Larson Acres named Dairy Producers of the Year Quality cows, people drive success for sixth-generation dairy By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
EVANSVILLE, Wis. — With their minds set on consistent quality and continuous improvement, the Larson family has built a farm they take pride in. From the care given to their cows to the appreciation shown to employees, the Larsons strive for excellence in all things. As a result, Mike Larson, Ed and Barb Larson, Sandy Larson and Jim Trustem of Larson Acres were named World Dairy Expo’s 2024 Dairy Producers of the Year. “I was very honored, proud and surprised,” Mike said. “A lot of dairies do what we do.” The Larsons milk 2,800 cows and farm 5,000 acres on their sixth-generation family farm near Evansville. Three generations work side by side at Larson Acres, including brothers Mike and Ed, Ed’s daughter, Sandy, and Sandy’s
and Jim’s children — Brooke, Dane and Luke Trustem. The Larsons live by three key words: quality, pride and family. “We developed those words a long time ago, and they still t us very well,” Sandy said. “Everything we do reects those words. They help lead us and guide us.” Larson Acres has grown from the original 20 cows and 80 acres on the farm purchased by Don Larson in 1957. “Each generation has left its mark on the farm,” Sandy said. “My grandpa set up the path that led to what Larson Acres is today.” Cows are housed in sand-bedded free stalls and milked three times a day in two parlors — a double-20 parallel and a double-22 parallel. Cows average 112 pounds of energy-corrected milk per day with 4.5% butterfat, 3.32% protein and a 56,000 somatic cell count. The Larsons raise about 2,350 head of youngstock. Calves are housed in six nursery barns and transition to a loose housing barn as weaned calves. A second facility for older heifers houses more than
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Mike Larson (front, from leŌ), Ed Larson, Barb Larson, Sandy Larson and Brooke Trustem; (back from leŌ) Luke Trustem, Jim Trustem and Dane Trustem, gather in one of the freestall barns on their farm, Larson Acres, near Evansville, Wisconsin. The family, who milks 2,800 cows and farms 5,000 acres, was named World Dairy Expo’s 2024 Dairy Producers of the Year. 1,000 animals and an in vitro fertilization lab. Persistent in creating a balance of type and production, the Larsons have bred 130 Ex-
cellent cows, 16 Gold Medal Dams, 40 Dams of Merit, and four Gold Medal Sires. In addition, numerous females in the herd are in the top 100 for
Turn to LARSON ACRES | Page 2