The POINT - Spring 2023

The POINT

The first step to managing Bovine Leukemia Virus

With USDA estimating 94% of all dairy herds in the United States are infected with Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV); chances are you have it! While it’s true that BLV is incurable, it is not unmanageable.

The easiest and most cost-effective step to start managing BLV is to estimate an overall herd prevalence with a BLV Herd Profile. A BLV Herd Profile is established by testing milk samples (DHI or handstripped) of the 10-most-recently-fresh cows in the first, second, third and fourth and greater lactation groups. With individual-animal results, a lactation-specific prevalence is calculated showing the percentage of cows in each lactation group that tested positive.

The BLV Herd Profile is useful for understanding herd risk, determining where to implement management changes and in monitoring the infection rate of the herd. If the herd has low prevalence and does not detect any positive cows, consider conducting a whole-herd BLV test and segregate or cull positive cows to eliminate the disease from the herd. With higher prevalence, or if culling/segregating positive animals is not practical, implement management changes known to reduce prevalence. The BLV Herd Profile helps identify where in the production cycle cows are becoming infected, enabling you to target management changes.

To ensure progress, ongoing testing and management strategies should be developed. In low-prevalence herds, follow up could be as simple as completing a BLV Herd Profile, annually, with routine ELISA screenings on incoming fresh cows to keep prevalence low. When herd prevalence is higher, follow up may include an annual BLV Herd Profile, testing all incoming fresh cows to find new infections; and follow-up testing of all positive cows which identifies the most contagious (super-shedders) animals so action can be taken to slow/eliminate the spread.

The BLV Herd Profile does not require whole herd testing and samples can be submitted through routine DHI, making it the most cost effective and easiest first step to managing BLV. As easy as this first step is, you don’t have to go it alone; the CentralStar team provides follow-up consultation to answer questions and discuss next-step management strategies.

Scan the QR code to learn more about managing BLV in this on-demand webinar with Dr. Don Niles and leading Michigan State University researcher, Dr. Tasia Kendrick.

This BLV Herd Profile example shows low prevalence in first lactation, with an increase in later lactations. From this you can surmise the majority of ongoing transmission is happening in the milking herd.

Photo: CentralStar Board of Directors. Seated, L to R: Jeff Horning, Larry Voigts, Paul Trierweiler. Standing, L to R: Steve Maier, Rick Adams, Ken Carnahan, Patrick Crave, Mark Ziel, Andy Paulus, Tim Servais, Lee Jensen, Lyle Ott, Dan Mielke, Andy Wolf.

Member Stockowner News

CentralStar member-stockowners recently completed board of director elections and the virtual annual meeting. Congratulations to Jeff Horning, Manchester, Mich.; Ken Carnahan, Butler, Ind.; Lee Jensen, Elk Mound, Wis.; and Lyle Ott, Brillion, Wis. on their re-election. Also, welcome to new board member, Timothy Servais, Stoddard, Wis., who replaced retiring-board member, Dorothy Harms, Reedsburg, Wis. “We appreciate Dorothy’s contributions to CentralStar, and previously East Central, as well as her service on the Select Sires Board of Directors,” shared CentralStar Board President Paul Trierweiler.

Patronage and dividends

Patronage and class-C-preferred-stock dividends were recently distributed to CentralStar member-stockowners. The board approved a patronage distribution of $1,014,300, of which 50% was paid in cash with the balance allocated to members, which is converted dollar for dollar to class-C preferred stock after eight years. Additionally, the board of directors approved a $7-per-share dividend on all shares of class-C preferred stock, which totaled $264,880. In March, in accordance with the CentralStar capital plan and current board policies, retained patronage from 2014 of current common stockowners was converted to class-C preferred stock.

Scholarship applications due June 1

CentralStar is, again, offering multiple $1,000 scholarships to member-owners or their children. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must presently be enrolled in a four-year college or a one- or two-year technical college or short-course program in an agricultural-related field OR be a high school senior admitted into one of the aforementioned programs. Get details and apply here: centralstar.info/scholarship.

CentralStar DHI Advisory Committee established

Approximately one year ago, former Dairy Lab Services customers transitioned to CentralStar for DHI services. With the addition of more than 500 dairies in Iowa, Illinois, and surrounding states, it expanded CentralStar’s on-farm service beyond the cooperative's “traditional” area. As a member-owner of Select Sires, CentralStar is limited to providing genetic and reproductive services to Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin; other Select Sires Federation members provide those specific services in Iowa, Illinois, and surrounding states.

As the cooperative’s DHI footprint grows, the board directed that a CentralStar DHI Advisory Committee, comprised of dairy producers from across the service area, be established to help guide the future of the cooperative's DHI and diagnostic services. Thank you to Matt Berning, East Dubuque, Ill.; Ethan Haywood, Hastings, Mich.; Adam Preston, Quincy, Mich.; Rick Roden, West Bend, Wis.; Arren Rusch, Pound, Wis.; Ron Snodgrass, Oregon, Ill.; and Mark Ulness, Valders, Wis., for participating on the committee.

Who can be a CentralStar member-stockowner?

As a stock-based cooperative, it is a choice to be a memberstockowner. To become a member-stockowner, producers must own a farming operation in Michigan, Wisconsin, or Indiana, meet an annual purchase-level requirement, and make a one-time investment of $200, which helps fund new products and services. The annual purchase requirement is established by member-owners and is currently set at $1,000.

Producers who become a member-stockowner provide an important voice in the direction of the cooperative. Additionally, investment is paid through patronage (cash and equity), based on CentralStar’s profitability and amount of business a stockowner conducts during the fiscal year. https://helpx.adobe.com/content/ dam/help/en/indesign/using/hyperlinks/_jcr_content/main-pars/image_0/ Hyperlinks-panel-details.png.img.png

Be proactive and protect your herd from mastitis mayhem.

The incidence rate for mastitis is 24.8% and most cows with a mastitis event are treated with antibiotics. Holstein sires that carry the Mastitis ResistantPRO® designation will reduce mastitis cases by 2.3%. Talk to your CentralStar team or scan the QR code for a complete list of Mastitis ResistantPRO sires.

Are you raising the optimum number of heifers?

Is your heiferbreeding program netting the results it should?

Avoid these

Lessons learned from

I’ve had the privilege of working with many dairies during the past 40 years. Throughout this time, a few key lessons routinely emerged, and still exist as opportunities on many dairies, today. As you read, keep your future in focus. Consider what you want your future dairy herd to look like, and be accepting of the change necessary to get there.

Raising more heifers than you need almost never pays.

If you speculate and raise more heifers than you need in hopes the market will be good when it’s time to sell, it’s a risk. On the other hand, you will never lose money by raising the optimum number of heifers.

A well-designed replacement plan includes utilizing the best combination of dairy and beef genetics with conventional semen, sexed semen, and sometimes embryos to maximize genetic progress. Work with your CentralStar team to determine appropriate inventory needs. Then devise a plan for breeding the best cows in your herd to elite genetics and the bottom-end to the “right” beef sires that will yield more revenue on the beef market.

There is still an opportunity to improve heifer-breeding efficiency.

Getting heifers moved into the breeding pen in a timely manner, along with good heat detection, is necessary to accomplish maximum-breeding efficiency. The best herds reach 70% or greater heat-detection rates for both cows and heifers.

If you are struggling in this area, consider why? Often, lack of labor is the key reason. When that’s the case, consider using a professional A.I. Specialist or CowManager®, an electronic heat-detection and health-monitoring system. Both will save you time and labor and put focus to this key area.

How many heifers do you lose before they reach the milking herd?

Major opportunities exist to lower heifer non-completion rate.

Many farms don’t have a handle on heifer-raising costs, including the expense of partially raising a heifer and having her die (or sold) before she makes the milking herd. Animal husbandry and reproductive efficiency are key to keeping this low.

Genetic tools can help you select for improved calf livability and wellness, as well as animal-health products. Creating a pregnancy is only half the battle; raising healthy calves is the other half.

How do you manage milk quality?

High somatic cell counts (SCC) drain profits in more ways than just removing premiums.

High SCC lowers milk production, causes increased culling, results in poorer reproductive performance, and the type of bacteria involved changes the severity of those things. While cleanliness, strict adherence to protocols, and properly-working equipment are the basis for producing quality milk, there is more that can be done.

Selecting sires that excel in multiple indicators of mastitis resistance, like Mastitis ResistantPRO®, will assist in creating a healthier herd. Even still, having data from monthly DHI testing is critical to identify individual cows with high SCC scores, monitor trends, and pinpoint infected cows. Beyond monitoring, identify the cause of infection with the Complete-16 Mastitis PCR test, to guide more informed and effective treatment decisions.

(costly) mistakes

40 years in the A.I. industry

By Julie Ainsworth, Retired CentralStar Records Analysis Consultant

Having data is key to finding where profit opportunities exist.

You can’t troubleshoot a problem or area of opportunity without having data to do it. Remember, anecdotal data and observations are notoriously inaccurate! SCC, energy corrected milk, and genetic data for individual animals is key information often missing from a dairy’s records.

Monthly DHI testing provides data that paints a picture of areas of opportunity and lost profit. At a cost of pennies per cow, routine DHI testing easily pays for itself and adds profit to the bottom line through improved management in many areas.

Overcrowding always has a cost.

Some herds manage overcrowding better than others; but, even in the most well managed herds, it catches up eventually. Cow comfort, bunk and feeding management, lameness, and grouping strategies all play a part, here. Experience shows it’s often an uncontrollable event, such as heat stress, that “knocks the herd for a loop” and limits production performance or increases culling.

Every facility has a limit to the amount of milk that can be produced in it. Crowding more cows in does not mean more milk is harvested. With good DHI data, you can make more informed decisions. Monitoring production and SCC trends helps to identify if adding more cows is generating more high-quality milk, or if it is having the opposite effect. DHI data can also be used to cull unprofitable cows, reducing the expense to manage them (vaccinations, treatment, etc.), while improving comfort and performance of the rest of the herd.

Transition cows are the cows from whom all blessings flow.

Taking good care of these cows results in maximum production, good reproductive efficiency, and low-disease rates. It is especially important to avoid overcrowding bunk space with this group.

Herds that have the best performance have 30 inches of bunk space per cow, four inches of water space per cow, comfortable stalls, good cow cooling, and a well-balanced ration free of molds and mycotoxins. Herds that are large enough also benefit from separating first-lactation heifers from older cows. CentralStar consultants can help in this area.

Genetics are an investment in your future.

Your breeding decisions, today, influence the type of cows you milk in the future. What kind of herd will be most profitable for you in the future?

Work with the CentralStar team to determine genetic strategies that meet your milk market and operation goals. Genetic consulting plans using StrataGEN® or the Select Mating Service® save time, manage inbreeding, accelerate genetic progress, and develop animals that meet your goals. Also, never overlook the most elite genetics available, such as those in NxGEN®, simply because of cost. Investment in genetics routinely and reliably has one of the greatest ROI’s of any you can make on your dairy.

These lessons might seem obvious; however, they routinely show up as opportunities on dairies. If you’re unsure where you stand with any of these areas, or recognize you need help, ask your CentralStar team. CentralStar’s consultant team is well-trained, passionate, and eager to help you.

Now that I am enjoying retirement, I want to say thank you to the producers who allowed me the opportunity to help your dairy in some small way. It has been my great pleasure to work in this industry with wonderful, caring people.

Best wishes! - Julie

Do you have data for effective decisions?

What’s your stocking density?

How are your fresh cows coming through transition?

What does genetic selection say about your future?

CentralStar awards $8,000 in scholarships

Annually, CentralStar awards multiple $1,000 scholarships to individuals pursuing education in agricultural-related fields. Each year, seven scholarships are awarded; however, in 2022, an additional scholarship was given in honor of retiring board member, Steve Abel of Eden, Wis.

The following students each received $1,000 scholarships to assist in pursuing a degree in the agriculture industry. Adam

Baker, Clayton, Mich.; Emma Bangart, Stratford, Wis.; Rachel Durst, Richland Center, Wis.; Austin Fahey, Edgar, Wis.; Jenna Gries, Manitowoc, Wis.; Lora Korth, New London, Wis.; Mary Lewandowski, Hatley, Wis.; and Kelsey Pasch, Weidman, Mich. Applications for the 2023 scholarships are due June 1. Visit centralstar.info/scholarship for more information.

PRODUCER

Picks

The inside scoop on why DTX and Accel RS are favorites on farm.

Select DTX™

Mix in feed to improve nutrient digestion, immune function, and minimize the effects of mold-produced mycotoxins.

"When I see herds with high SCC, variable milk production, erratic feed consumption, and/or reproduction problems, I know it's time to take a feed sample and test for mycotoxins. Once we know what we are dealing with, we work with the vet and nutritionist for the best course of action. Farmers really like DTX, because once it's in the for 30 days, they start seeing improvements."

Accel RS

A recovery solution aiding in hydration and digestive health of calves. Restores, re-energizes, and rehydrates.

“I sell Accel RS because farmers tell me they see the benefits of the healing process occur faster, as well as calves drinking it with ease because of its sweet smell. After scours, this product helps the digestive tract recover and repopulates the bacteria to promote the healing process. My farmers trust the product to help their calves, as do I!"

Adam Baker Austin Fahey Emma Bangart Jenna Gries Kelsey Pasch Lora Korth Mary Lewandowski Rachel Durst

Dan Zernicke, A.I. Specialist, Wis. Bob Brock, Area Sales Manager, Wis.

A fresh way to address freshening cows

Milk

Fever (Clinical Hypocalcemia) is a metabolic disease that has been greatly reduced on most well-managed herds. However, Subclinical Hypocalcemia (SCH) is a silent thief that leads to other diseases and lowers productivity.

In North America, more than 50% of cows in second and greater lactation suffer from SCH for at least one day during the fresh period. A calcium bolus is the easiest, safest, and most efficient way to supplement cows during this critical time.

In the world of calcium boluses, there are many choices for dairy producers. Calcium source and speed of dissolving are important factors for getting calcium rapidly into the cow’s bloodstream. Ca3 BioFresh® features calcium acetate, calcium sulfate, and tricalcium phosphate as calcium sources. The calcium acetate rapidly dissolves in the rumen for quick passive absorption in the rumen, the calcium sulfate has a moderate rate of dissolving in the rumen, while the tricalcium phosphate has a slow rate of dissolving for longer-term calcium absorption. All three calcium sources are safe for the mouth, esophagus, and rumen membranes.

Calcium chloride, a commonly used source in other boluses, can be very caustic when the waxy-bolus coating breaks or wears off in the rumen. Calcium carbonate is an inexpensive and commonly used source that has almost no effect on bloodcalcium levels because of its poor bioavailability.

Ca3 BioFresh contains 45.5 grams of Calcium in one bolus, so in most cases, you only need one bolus at freshening. High-risk cows may need a second bolus 12 hours later. Ca3 BioFresh also contains 50,000 IU of Vitamin D3 to further enhance the cow’s ability to absorb and metabolize calcium. University research shows the increases in blood-calcium levels, as well as substantial improvements in reproduction and SCC.

In the crowded market for calcium boluses, Ca3 BioFresh has clear advantages. Learn more at https://centralstar.info/Ca3.