October 29, 2022 Dairy Star - 1st section - Zone 2

A spreading improvement

Reuling strives for efciency in bedding

By Grace Jeurissen grace.j@star-pub.com

CLARKSVILLE, Iowa

Reading up on worldwide dairy practices and technology has been something Eduard Reuling has always enjoyed.

And, beyond his enjoyment, Reuling’s reading led him to invest in a robotic bedding system on his farm near Clarksville.

“I always try to know what is happening in the world,” Reuling said. “Coming from the Netherlands, I like to know what is going on over there since I still have many friends there.”

Reuling and his wife, Resy, and their children, Jenny, Ryanne, Nick and Wouter, milk 500 cows in a swing-32 parlor three times a day.

In 2005, the Reulings moved from the Netherlands to start Snow Rock Dairies LLC. They began milking 350 cows and slowly grew the herd to where it is today.

The Reulings spent a number of years trying different bedding options.

“When we rst started, we used rubber mats and sawdust, but the sawdust would get wasted by the cows, and we had to bed regularly,” he said. “This became expensive and time consuming so we tried manure solids.”

Reuling said manure solids were not efcient for his operation.

In 2017, waterbeds were installed in the freestall barns. At rst, they spread hydrated

A bright future The next step toward

New parlor provides relief for Fleming

Plant manager Terry Johnson stands in front of the Dairy Farmers of America sign Oct. 20 at the plant in Zumbrota, Minnesota. The Zumbrota loca�on is one of the largest plants for DFA.

Zumbrota DFA plant completes expansion

By Taylor Jerde taylor.j@star-pub.com

ZUMBROTA, Minn.

– The Dairy Farmers of America plant in Zumbrota has grown in size not only to meet customers’ demands but to better serve the dairy farmers in the area and the communities it serves.

“What really drove this decision was the needs of the customers,” said Terry Johnson, plant manager. “When you make this investment, there is a continued demand and a process of creating value-added products that also help add value to our dairy farmer owners and end product that goes out.”

The $90 million expansion added an additional 86,000 square feet to the facility which initially boasted

By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com

WESTBY, Wis. – Jerad Fleming toured more than a dozen farms with robotic milking systems and decided instead to focus on creating efciencies with a parlor.

The organic farmer said he wanted to upgrade his facilities without relying on electronics, hydraulics or power air lines.

“I wanted everything ultra simple,” Fleming said. “It’s getting to the point where you can’t get people to come out and work on stuff, and if you do, they

TAYLOR JERDE/DAIRY STAR

ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR

Jerad Fleming stands in the farm’s new parlor Oct. 14 at his dairy near Westby, Wisconsin. Fleming milks 95 organic cows with his wife, Stacey, and their four children.

AARON THOMAS/DAIRY STAR

Eduard Reuling checks the se�ngs on his Astor bedding robot Oct. 21 at his farm Snow Rock Dairies LLC near Clarksville, Iowa. They milk 500 cows in a swing-32 parlor.

ISSN

522 Sinclair

Phone: 320-352-6303

320-352-5647

Published by Star Publications LLC General Manager/Editor

Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home)

Ad Composition - 320-352-6303

Nancy Powell • nancy.p@dairystar.com

Karen Knoblach • karen.k@star-pub.com

Annika Gunderson • annika@star-pub.com

Editorial Staff

Tiffany Klaphake - Assistant Editor 320-352-6303

• tiffany.k@dairystar.com

Danielle Nauman - Staff Writer 608-487-1101

• danielle.n@dairystar.com

Stacey Smart - Staff Writer 262-442-6666

• stacey.s@dairystar.com

Abby Wiedmeyer - Staff Writer 608-487-4812

• abby.w@dairystar.com

Grace Jeurissen - Staff writer 320-352-6303

• grace.j@star-pub.com

Jan Lefebvre - Staff Writer 320-290-5980

• jan.l@star-pub.com

Taylor Jerde - Staff Writer 507-403-1680

• taylor.j@star-pub.com

Maria Bichler - Copy Editor maria.b@dairystar.com • 320-352-6303 Consultant

Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292

Advertising Sales

Main Ofce: 320-352-6303

Fax: 320-352-5647

Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication

Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303

• joyce@dairystar.com

Mark Klaphake (Western MN)

320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell)

Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217

• fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com

Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260

• jerry.n@dairystar.com

Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825

• mike.s@dairystar.com

Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa, Southwest Wisconsin) 320-250-2884

• amanda.h@dairystar.com

Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202

• megan.s@dairystar.com

Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284

• kati.k@dairystar.com

Julia Mullenbach (Southeast MN and Northeast IA) 507-438-7739

• julia.m@star-pub.com

Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com

Deadlines

The deadline for news and advertising in

5 p.m.

Subscriptions

Milk pricing system scrutinized

Last year, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack requested the U.S. dairy industry get into one room and build consensus to nd solutions to the shortfalls in the federal order system. American Farm Bureau economist Danny Munsch said the system has not been updated in 20 years in a major way. “In that time, we’ve gone from a uid milkfocused market to more of the manufactured goods driving the market, and the Federal Milk Marketing Order system doesn’t reect those changes,” Munsch said. Due to other market disruptions, like COVID-19, farmers faced massive negative producer price differentials on their milk check. The AFBF hosted the weekend forum in Kansas City, Missouri.

AFBF outlines farm bill priorities

That list includes the continuation of current farm bill funding, prioritization of crop insurance, and adequate stafng and resources for U.S. Department of Agriculture technical assistance. “We also believe that transparency is needed in our dairy system,” said Zippy Duvall, president, American Farm Bureau Federation. “We believe that because higher costs of production, it justies the increase in the reference prices for the Title I commodities to ensure farmers remain economically viable.” The AFBF board of directors unanimously approved the policy recommendations, but the nal approval will come during the group’s annual meeting in January 2023.

A new perspective on trade

The White House newly-released National Security Strategy includes a change in trade policy. The report said the United States’ focus on fair and open trade has helped corporations rather than workers. The Biden administration said it will seek new trade opportunities that protect labor standards and the environment. To combat food insecurity,

the administration plans to keep agricultural markets open, increase fertilizer production and invest in climate-smart agriculture.

WTO predicts trade downturn

The World Trade Organization is forecasting a signicant decline in global trade growth next year. Growth is forecast at 1%, compared to a previous estimate of 3.4%. The WTO director-general urged membercountries to avoid trade restrictions to counter supply chain problems.

Insider

One year

the U.S.

Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair

Ave., Sauk Centre, MN

Advertising

Our ad takers have no authority to bind

publication

Letters

and articles of opinion

must

The Dairy Star is published

POSTMASTER:

522 Sinclair

By Don Wick Columnist

Dairy industry seeks better ocean freight service

Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Daniel Maffei sat down with representatives of the U.S. Dairy Export Council and National Milk Producers Federation to discuss supply chain issues. The dairy groups emphasized the continuing problems with high costs, unreliable scheduling and the need for better service from the ocean freight system.

Managing the three-headed dragon

Virginia Tech professor emeritus David Kohl said it takes solid nancial knowledge to manage the three-headed dragon of price volatility, higher input costs and rising interest rates. “If it’s not well managed, that will take liquidity, prot and equity off the balance sheet, but those

Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.

a high business IQ will actually put prot, liquidity and equity on the balance sheets,” Kohl said. Over the rest of this decade, Kohl said “the better will get better and the worst are going to fall behind.” Good relationships are also key during tough times.

Environmental benets of dairy production

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the National Milk Producers Federation and Dairy Farmers of America unveiled a study on the benets of modern dairy technologies during World Dairy Expo. “If you look at the role technology has played, we’ve seen a tremendously positive impact on milk yield,” said Chad Huyser, president, Lely North America. “We believe the technology adoption can be attributed to a milk yield increase of about 6% and the data supports that we’ve been able to reduce the feed usage by what’s the equivalent of 3,200 NFL football stadiums full of feed.”

Consumer misconceptions

While 98% of U.S. farms are family-owned and operated businesses, most

Americans believe less than half of the farms are family farms. A survey of 1,000 adults nationwide was conducted by Land O’Lakes. This research found 87% of those surveyed are interested in knowing where their food comes from. Millennials were at the top of that list.

Beyond Meat cuts jobs

Beyond Meat, which produces plantbased meat substitutes, is cutting 200 jobs and has issued a warning to investors about its revenue outlook. Beyond Meat Chief Financial Ofcer Douglas Ramsey is also leaving the company. Ramsey was suspended in September after an altercation at a college football game.

Meatless no more

After two years in operation, JBS USA is shutting down its U.S. plantbased food business. The meatpacking company will put its focus on its plantbased business in Brazil and Europe.

UWRF Dairy Pilot Plant renovation

The renovation of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Dairy Pilot Plant is scheduled to be complete by spring. The facility came online in 1982 as a

1,500-square-foot lab. The upgraded plant will be 6,000 square feet. Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery recently donated an additional $30,000 to the project. That puts the company’s total investment at $150,000.

UW-CALS honors

The University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences honored exemplary leaders. The Honorary Recognition Award was presented to Andy and Steve Diercks, Liz Henry and George Siemon. The Dierckses are a father-son combination who were recognized for their achievements in Wisconsin’s potato industry. Henry served in numerous leadership positions, including associate director of the university’s Renk Agribusiness Institute. Siemon established Organic Valley and is a leader in building demand for organic agricultural products. UW presented its Distinguished Service Award to Richard Staub, a 40-year member of the faculty and UW leadership. The Distinguished Alumni Award went to Barry Jacobson and Jenny Scott. Jacobson enjoyed a career in at three land-grant universities, including time as dean of Montana State

University College of Agriculture. Scott devoted her career to the advancement of safe food production in academia, industry and government service.

Ducheneaux to speak at WFU convention

Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux will deliver the keynote address at the Wisconsin Farmers Union State Convention Dec. 9-11 in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

Trivia challenge Switzerland consumes more chocolate on a per-capita basis than any other country in the world. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, when did October Co-op Month become a national celebration? We will have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star.

Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.

can’t get parts. This way I can x anything myself.”

Fleming milks 95 cows with his wife, Stacey, and four children, Hallie, Jackson, Bennett and Brielle, near Westby.

The new parlor is a double-12 parabone and has a simple design.

The cows enter the parlor through a door that hangs on a slant and is opened by pulling on a string from inside the pit and closed by gravity. Everything in the parlor is manual hand switch levers.

Fleming and his family did a lot of the work to prepare for the project themselves. The parlor is set in the former 52-stall tiestall barn.

With the improvements, two people can now nish milking in under an hour. One person goes through and dips all 12 cows. The second person wipes them off, and the rst person starts attaching milkers. By the time all the milkers are on, the second person is letting cows out of the other side and the process begins again. Fleming plans on being able to milk alone, and said he will then prep and attach six cows at a time.

The style of hands-on milking is more closely aligned with Fleming’s quiet and gentle persona as a cattleman. Fleming said he wanted to put in a new parlor because he knew he needed something consistent. He looked closely at robotic milking systems but determined this method was a better t. Fleming’s children are involved in sports, his wife works full time, and Fleming also coaches high school football.

“Milking is always going to exist on a dairy,” Fleming said. “I wanted it to be a narrow window that I’m not so tied down to or worried about.”

Fleming said his goal has always been to be the most efcient one-man operation he can be.

Cows were previously housed in two groups; one group in the tiestall barn and the other group in a freestall barn. The freestall barn

was a remodeled Quonset hut that the Flemings put free stalls in four years prior when they bought the neighboring farm and doubled the herd. Before installing the parlor, the freestall barn was expanded to hold all the cows.

When the Flemings decided to retrot the parlor into their existing tiestall barn in June, they completed the project hands-on.

The Flemings took out all the concrete and dug the pit themselves. They also moved the posts and I-beams in what is now the holding area. Fleming said the biggest challenge was milking the cows during construction because space kept getting limited.

“When the construction was going on, it was a nightmare,” Fleming said. “We were only milking in a third of the barn so it ended up being over three switches.”

The parlor was installed by Sherman Carney of Readstown. Once everything was dug out, the crew came in with all of the pipes, hardware and equipment and built the parlor in place.

Although the cows were nervous while construction was going on, Fleming said he thought the experience actually helped the cows adapt when it was time to transition to the new parlor. The cows had already adapted to coming in, getting milked and going right back out to the freestall barn.

“It was amazing how quickly they took to it,” Fleming said. “Within three milkings, we were not pushing cows anymore. And, we never lost production.”

Fleming said he believes his calm demeanor around the cows played a big role in the smooth transition. Fleming has found that having a proper setup and working quietly with cattle yields a positive outcome.

“I’ve always had that demeanor to be calm and patient and get

ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR

A double-12 parabone parlor was installed in the 52-stall estall barn at the Flemings’ farm in Westby, Wisconsin. Cows are housed in a freestall barn.

said. “Once the cows are worked up, you’re toast. You don’t have a ghting

credits a former employer, Steve

for teaching him the importance of a calm demeanor around cattle.

the parlor in place, Fleming has been asked when he is going to add cows. He said the goal with the parlor was not to get bigger but to get better.

Fleming said he wanted to have a larger parlor now; that way if one or more of his children decide to join the operation in the future, the prospect of adding cows will not be so daunting.

“The goal with this was to leave our options and our doors open,” Fleming said. “It works the best for me and what I’m trying to do. And, I’ve never once heard anyone say they wish they had built their parlor smaller.”

Fleming said the physical impacts of milking in the parlor have been great. He had previously been running eight automatic take-offs in the tiestall barn and switching the entire barn. He also said he feels milking in the parlor is a safer setup.

“For the rst time in my life, I feel comfortable allowing other people to milk,” Fleming said. “And with the system being new, everything is way more reliable.”

lime on top of the stalls, but it was not keeping the cows dry and clean.

Not wanting to go back to hauling bedding, Reuling purchased the bedding robot in 2021 and began preparing the barn to house the technology.

“I will never ever go back to hauling bedding in four days a week,” Reuling said. “The dual chamber waterbeds have improved cow comfort, and the robot spreading sawdust twice each day keeps them dry and clean.”

Reuling set up the frame himself over the course of a few months. He fastened approximately 1,600 feet of Ibeam to a T that is attached to his posts in the middle of the stalls. Reuling chose to put the hopper and conveyor for the robot at the center of the freestall barn so there was no need for additional construction.

Once construction of the track and frame were done, technicians from AMS Galaxy USA installed and programmed the robot. The robot has been running since early August 2021.

Other than a short-lived mishap with the robot’s wiring in August, caused by a lightning strike, Reuling said the technology has been running

well.

“It’s so convenient,” he said. “All I have to do is ll the hopper a few times each week, and the rest is done by the robot. If we need to reprogram the timing, I just go into the computer to change it. It’s simple.”

The robot is programmed to spread bedding while the cows are being milked. Bedding is spread across 400 stalls in the older existing freestall barn. The barn that houses the fresh cows is bedded with sawdust using a manual spreader.

For 500 cows, Snow Rock

Dairies goes through one semitruck load of sawdust a month.

The sawdust is loaded into the storage container three times per week and from there runs up a conveyor to equipment that shreds the bedding further.

The bedding is then conveyed to a robot that delivers the bed-

ding to the stalls.

Once the timing is right, the robot runs the bedding along the stalls, and in about 30 minutes, it travels back to the hopper to charge and reloaded for the next group.

Milking at the farm is done by employees, while much of the herd health and management is done by Reuling with the help of his family. Crops are purchased out of the eld from neighbors, and heifers are sent at 4 months to a heifer raiser.

“I do nearly everything, the breeding, feeding calves, feeding cows, hoof trimming and ultrasounding,” Reuling said.

Because milking is hired and feed is purchased, the Reulings focus on minimizing the extensive list of tasks that have to be done or at least ease the way they are being done.

“If we want to automate something, it needs to take labor away from me,” he said.

Reuling’s whole life has been surrounded by dairy, and his ultimate goal with the farm has been to improve animal well-being and do so efciently.

“This is always what I’ve done,” Reuling said. “I’ve never thought of doing something else.”

AARON THOMAS /DAIRY STAR

The bedding robot spreads sawdust across 400 stalls in the Reulings’ freestall barn. Reuling lls the robot’s hopper three mes a week with sawdust, and the robot does the rest of the work on a set schedule.

110,000 square feet. The expansion also allows the plant to grow from 140 employees to 160.

The expansion, completed in July and celebrated in September along with the Zumbrota plant’s 50th anniversary, includes a waste water treatment facility, drying tower, wet mixing system, lab upgrades and utility upgrades. The dairy powder drying tower has the capacity to dry an additional 25% per year.

The Zumbrota location takes in 1.5 million pounds of raw milk each day. The milk is used to create cheese, condensed whey and cheese powders. Johnson said the recent increase in production capabilities delivers value back to the farmer owners.

“We’re able to highlight farmers and market their milk globally,” he said.

The expansion stems from a want to be better stewards to the community. The waste water treatment facility enables DFA to discharge clean waste water to the city. They also added a column that eliminates odor from the air when being discharged from the plant.

Johnson said such improvements will increase plant efciency and production capabilities while

also lowering the cost of water discharge.

The addition also added safety measures for employees.

“We had to be mindful of the community and community concerns,” Johnson said. “It makes us a better neighbor.”

Johnson has been the plant manager since 2020 when the expansion began. He was a dairy farmer from Wisconsin but became interested in food production. He started working in a small cheese plant in Wilson, Wisconsin, and then took a job at Nestle before coming to DFA.

Johnson said he feels fortunate to have been part of the expansion.

“It is important for me to contribute to DFA,” he said.

As DFA expanded its presence in Zumbrota, Johnson said they took care to use local products and businesses whenever possible. They worked with local contractors and had new equipment for the plant made in Minnesota.

“My hope is to see the things we put in to make ourselves better for our customers and for the community continue to do exactly what we project it to do: to set a standard for our site and encourages future investments,” Johnson said.

TAYLOR JERDE/DAIRY STAR

This dry tower is part of the expansion of the Dairy Farmers of America plant in Zumbrota, Minnesota. It has the capacity to dry an addi onal 25% per year.

Passing the farm onto the next generation

By Jan Lefebvre jan.l@star-pub.com

Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part feature regarding farm transitions. In the next issue of Dairy Star, we will cover examples of what has worked well for some farm families and where to nd assistance with farm transitions.

When considering a farm transition, how does the older generation value the next generation’s investment? Should sweat earn equity? Do children who put time and effort into the success of the farm deserve a larger share of farm inheritance than nonfarming siblings?

These, and many other, questions can be tricky when passing on a family farm. It is also a private matter to most families and can be difcult to discuss with others or even within the family itself.

Jim Molenaar is aware of how difcult it can be to navigate a farm transition. For the past 41 years, he has worked as an instructor in farm business management, the past eight years at St. Cloud Technical and Community College. A specialist in farm succession planning, he rst gained experience while working as a mediator in a farmer lender program during the 1980s farm crisis.

“For so many farmers, transitioning is something they need help with,” Molenaar said. “Some do this very well, but I’ve also seen some failures.”

Molenaar grew up on a farm and went through a farm transition himself.

“There is a big difference between an estate plan and a farm succession plan,” he said. “An estate plan is what happens with my assets when I pass away. A farm succession plan is what I can do during my lifetime to make sure the farm continues with the next generation.”

Many farmers are uncomfortable talking with others about their farm transition struggles. If they do wish to say something, they may rather remain anonymous. Even those who have had successful transitions are uncomfortable talking about the experience because they do not want to seem like they are bragging; they want to avoid sharing private nancial information about family members.

Off the record, farmers of both generations may talk about the difculties they are facing in communicating their wishes for the future of their farm. Younger farmers may say things such as, “I can’t talk to my dad about this,” or “I’m putting in lots of sweat equity and not receiving much pay, but I still have no say in anything.” Older farmers may say, “I’m near retirement and can’t afford to invest major money in big changes right now,” or “I’ve worked my whole life for the farm and deserve to make the big decisions.”

Molenaar said one farmer talked about a family near him that has to hold two separate Christmas holidays because two brothers fought over their family’s farm transition and will no longer attend the gathering at the same time. Another farmer spoke about going into debt before retirement for a son who wanted to take over the farm and expand, but the son changed his mind a few years later when high debt remained. There are also numerous stories about siblings suing siblings over farm transitions.

Besides farmers not sharing stories with outsiders, a bigger problem is when farm families are uncomfortable discussing a farm’s transition within the family itself. Then it can be difcult to get through the transition successfully and keep the family intact.

“You hear stories about farms where somebody dies, the will is read and somebody gets it all and the others didn’t get any,” Molenaar said. “There are families who will never talk to each other again, and this is real. It happens way too often.”

One pitfall, according to Molenaar, is for the retiring or leaving generation not to plan what their retirement will look like and what their retirement needs will be. This includes living arrangements such as who will live in the farmhouse or on the farm.

“What is fair versus what is equal?” Molenaar said. “Let’s say there are ve children. One stays to farm; the others move elsewhere. Is the fairest thing that everyone receives an equal share, or does the one staying on the farm need some assistance so that the farm will continue? There are some ways to look at that such as what is the contribution versus how have they been compensated.”

Shawn Meyer is a farm business management instructor at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Hutchinson, Minnesota. He has more than 17 years of experience in farm nance and working with farm families as they plan for the future.

“I’ve sat at so many tables where I know what one of the parties is thinking, but, for whatever reason, they just won’t say it to the other one,” he said. “How do we move forward without ever communicating what my hopes, my wants, my thoughts are. Some people just give up because they have gotten nowhere for so long.”

Meyer said the process is challenging but necessary.

“It’s not fun by any means, but it has to be dealt with in order to be successful,” he said.

Attorney Shayna W. Borakove, of Borakove Osman LLC in Middleton, Wisconsin, has more

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO

Transi oning a farm to the next genera on involves many conversa ons and detailed planning. It’s important for families to approach a transi on with open minds.

Shawn Meyer West Community & Technical College

Jim Molenaar

St. Cloud Technical & Community College

than 14 years of experience as a farm continuation practice leader at her rm.

“I regularly am called in as a consult by other attorneys throughout Wisconsin regarding farm succession strategies and structure,” she said. “I have spent the majority of my life either living on a farm or planning to ensure farm families continue living on theirs.”

Borakove knows farm transition planning is different from most other kinds of estate planning.

“The farm is more than land, cows, crops, ups and downs,” she said. “It is a piece of the farmer; it’s family; it’s a belief and a core value. Farm transition planning is so difcult to begin as it is hard to put words down about something so hard to describe.”

Borakove realizes the emotions attached to a family farm add an extra challenge in farm transitions.

“This one is a big one … the failure to address and anticipate family dynamics in the planning,” she said. “The cracks and breaking points of the family and the farm should be weighed and considered. The way it was when the patriarch/matriarch acquired the farm is not the way it has

to be, nor the way it necessarily can be today.”

Molenaar said addressing family dynamics is important as well.

“It’s hard for parents to communicate plans to their children, especially if it’s not equal shares,” he said. “But, it’s really important to do if you want your family to like each other. Maybe they won’t like you, but they will like each other.”

Even though farm families know communication is key in transitions, it is often an intimidating hurdle.

“Talking about it does make one face one’s own mortality,” Molenaar said. “That can be hard. Giving up control can be really hard.”

Also, the next generation struggles to bring up the topic.

“Sometimes the younger generation is uncomfortable pushing the conversation,” Molenaar said. “Whoever has the gold gets to make the rules. The option the young person has is to say, ‘OK, I don’t want to do this.’ Other than that, it is the parents’ responsibility to start the conversation or get help in planning. If you have a plan, you can transfer management over time.”

Meyer agreed.

“It sounds so cliché, but it’s just communication,” Meyer said. “We have to be open and honest about what’s there, whether it’s good or bad.”

Molenaar agreed.

“It’s never too late to communicate,” he said.

Shayna W. Borakove Borakove Osman LLC.

Curds and whey

Redhead Creamery ages well, opens distillery

By Jan Lefebvre jan.l@star-pub.com

BROOTEN, Minn. –

For almost a decade, JerLindy Farms has been the site of Redhead Creamery near Brooten.

From when the creamery rst began crafting cheese curds, cheddar and brie in 2013 to now being available nationwide, Redhead Creamery’s products have won the way into consumers’ taste buds.

The farm and creamery are co-owned by Alise and Lucas Sjostrom and Alise’s parents, Jerry and Linda Jennissen. The majority of the creamery’s cheese is sold through a distributor to stores such as Lunds & Byerlys, Jerry’s Foods and Kowalski’s Markets. Redhead Creamery’s cheese is also shipped to stores nationwide.

Taking things a step further, Redhead Creamery is

in the process of creating an on-site distillery in order to use the whey that is a byproduct of cheese making.

“We will be getting a lter machine that will allow us to separate the lactose from the protein that’s left

in the whey,” Alise Sjostrom said. “Then, we will ferment that lactose.”

The distillery will create and market what Sjostrom calls a clear, whey-based spirit.

With a distillery in the works and Redhead Cream-

ery growing, Sjostrom values taking time to reect.

“It’s weird to have people driving out to the middle of nowhere to come and see the cows and buy our cheese,” she said. “I get to go to stores where I dreamed of seeing my products, and

there they are. I need to stop and think about it a second, and I don’t do that enough because we are trying to get the next thing going.”

At Jer-Lindy Farms, 190 cows are milked in a double-8 herringbone parlor. The herd is comprised of registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss. Redhead Creamery uses about 12% of the farm’s milk in the production of artisan cheeses.

“I always knew, if I ever had my own family, I wanted them to grow up the way I did,” Sjostrom said. “But, I didn’t really want to milk cows, so I had to gure out what I was going to do instead.”

Three full-time and four part-time employees help with making cheese, running the on-farm store and working events. The creamery also offers delivery service, which became necessary during the coronavirus pandemic.

“There was a point where we had zero wholesale sales because restaurants closed and everything closed,” Sjostrom said. “Out

TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Cheesemaker Alise Sjostrom stands at the store counter Sept. 30 in Redhead Creamery in Brooten, Minnesota. At Jer-Lindy Farms, 12% of the milk produc on is used for the creamery.

of necessity, we needed to move cheese. We started delivering door to door.”

Redhead Creamery is open to the public Friday and Saturday afternoons. The shop offers pan-fried cheese curds, paninis and cheese platters as well as beer, wine and cider. During store hours, the creamery offers farm tours. On the third Saturday of June, the creamery holds its biggest event called Curd Fest.

“It’s a huge celebration of agriculture and cheese curds,” Sjostrom said. “We have live music, and we bring in other food makers and vendors to sample and sell their products as well. We also have food trucks.”

Redhead Creamery aims to create the best cheese possible through a willingness to experiment and learn, always starting with quality ingredients.

“At the very basic for making cheese, you need milk, cultures, rennet and salt,” Sjostrom said. “You have to start with good quality milk. If you start with crappy milk, you will have crappy cheese.”

Many variables are involved in creating cheese texture and avor.

“It’s not just one thing that makes the cheese what it is,” Sjostrom said. “During cheddaring, we might manipulate the avor by nishing it off differently, for instance cave aging it in a different humidity and temperature, and end up with a completely different cheese than if we vacuum sealed it and put it in a cooler.”

Redhead Creamery uses both techniques and many others.

For instance, they wash wheels of cheese to make avors such as the Tipsy Tilsiter, washed with cider from Milk and Honey Ciders. There is also the St. Anthony, which is selling well seven years after the rst was made.

“It was our rst award-winning cheese,” Sjostrom said. “We wash that one with whiskey from Panther Distillery to create a fun rind.”

Since then, other varieties of Redhead Creamery cheese have won awards at the Minnesota State Fair and in other contests.

Sjostrom said being asked to pick her favorite Redhead Creamery cheese is like being asked to pick her favorite child, but she admitted her favorite is the North Fork Munster.

“I wanted a soft, stinky, alcoholwashed cheese, and that’s what this is,” Sjostrom said. “It’s our most challenging and frustrating cheese, but when it works, it’s my favorite.”

After graduating from the University of Minnesota and moving to Vermont because of her husband’s job, Sjostrom worked in the retail shop for a cheese company and learned about European-style cheeses and specialty food marketing. The couple visited breweries and cheese companies on weekends.

“It was fun, but we were learning,” Sjostrom said. “We picked the brains of other makers and asked questions. We went to cheese companies at ve in the morning to watch them get started.”

When they moved to Wisconsin, Sjostrom worked for Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese but made trips to Vermont to take cheesemaking classes. During these years, she continued to plan for Redhead Creamery.

“From ideation to actually making something took a good 10 years of planning,” Sjostrom said.

Today, the Sjostroms have three children: Lucy, Henry and Conan. And, like Sjostrom had hoped, the Sjostrom children are growing up on the farm.

“Originally, I imagined it would be me and my mom making cheese, and that would be it, which is nonsustainable,” Sjostrom said. “When I was not here, cheese was not made, so I had no life when we rst started. Now I have this awesome group of people who are able to help make this happen. As my kids are growing and I want to go do things with them, I can do that.”

TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Employees of Redhead Creamery prepare to make cheese Sept. 30 in the creamery’s lower-level. Customers at the creamery can watch through the store’s interior viewing windows.

F r o m O u r S i d eFrom Our Side O f T h e F e n c eOf The Fence

Robert Frisk (pictured with his son, Aaron Frisk)

New Lisbon, Wisconsin

Juneau County

75 cows

When did you start and nish corn silage harvest? We began corn silage Sept. 15 and were done the second week of October.

How many acres did you harvest and what was the tonnage? We harvested 150 acres of corn silage. It ran 20 tons to the acre.

What other crops do you harvest in the fall and how is the harvest coming for those? We will harvest high-moisture corn as soon as it is ready.

What other eldwork do you have left for this year? We will make corn stalk bales and do the fall tillage.

What was the biggest challenge you encountered during the growing season or while harvesting this year? The moist weather conditions which caused wet corn. We are usually done with high-moisture corn by now, but it is still too wet to combine.

What is your favorite part of the fall harvest? Running my new (to me) combine.

Tell us about your farm.

beef

crop 800 acres of hay and corn. My son, Aaron, helps me full time, and my wife, Koreen, helps me part time. We have been farming here since 1985.

Marvin Amundson Westby, Wisconsin Vernon County 200 cows

When did you start and nish corn silage harvest? We nished the rst week in October. It took two days with a custom harvesting crew.

How many acres did you harvest and what was the tonnage? We harvested 60 acres, and it came to 29 tons per acre.

What other crops do you harvest in the fall and how is the harvest coming for those? We harvest soybeans, high-moisture corn and dry corn in the fall. Everything is late this year so we have not started on any of them yet.

What other eldwork do you have left for this year? Besides harvesting the rest of the crops, we usually make about 300 shred bales for heifer bedding.

What was the biggest challenge you encountered during the growing season or while harvesting this year? Not being able to get parts when there were breakdowns.

What is your favorite part of the fall harvest? Everything. It is my favorite time of the year because it’s not too hot outside, and I love eldwork.

Tell us about your farm. I have been farming here for 47 years. We crop 375 acres. My wife, Chris, farms with me and is also a eld representative for Westby Creamery. Our son, Kyle, is transitioning into taking over the operation. We have been milking with robots since May 2021.

How far along are you with fall harvest?

James Briggs Stratford, Wisconsin Marathon County 56 cows

When did you start and nish corn silage harvest? The rst week of October.

How many acres did you harvest and what was the tonnage? We did 30 acres with 28.2 tons per acre.

What other crops do you harvest in the fall and how is the harvest coming for those? Some late hay, possibly.

What other eldwork do you have left for this year? Manure hauling and some tillage.

What was the biggest challenge you encountered during the growing season or while harvesting this year? Input costs have been the biggest challenge this year.

What is your favorite part of the fall harvest? The changing colors and cooler days.

Tell us about your farm. We milk 56 cows, mostly Jerseys, and rotationally graze.

Information

Donald Rahn

Eden, Wisconsin

Fond du Lac County 250 cows

When did you start and nish corn silage harvest? We started Sept. 10 and nished around Sept. 17.

How many acres did you harvest and what was the tonnage? We harvested 220 acres of corn silage at 22-23 tons per acre.

What other crops do you harvest in the fall and how is the harvest coming for those? We began harvesting soybeans Oct. 10 and had 75 acres nished as of Oct. 19, so we are halfway done. We got 48-49 bushels per acre of soybeans. We also have 150 acres of high-moisture shell corn to do. We haven’t started corn yet but probably will before the end of the month.

What other eldwork do you have left for this year? We might do some corn stalk bales to use for bedding youngstock.

What was the biggest challenge you encountered during the growing season or while harvesting this year? The weather was probably our biggest challenge. It was pretty dry this summer. The crops haven’t been as good as the last few years. The last couple years were exceptional because we had rain at the right times. This year, it didn’t happen that way.

What is your favorite part of the fall harvest? Running the combine. I don’t do it anymore though. My son does it now.

Tell us about your farm. My grandpa started this farm, and my boys are the fourth generation. I farm with my sons, Jamie and Travis, and one hired man. We milk twice a day in a double-10 herringbone parlor and farm 800 acres.

John Winkelman

Watertown, Wisconsin Jefferson County 82 cows

When did you start and nish corn silage harvest? Sept. 17. We started and nished the same day. A custom harvester did it for us.

How many acres did you harvest and what was the tonnage? We harvested 18 acres and got about 30 tons per acre/220 bushels per acre. What other crops do you harvest in the fall and how is the harvest coming for those? We started shell corn for high moisture, but it’s way too high moisture yet. We took off 6 acres of early-planted corn and 3 acres of later-planted corn. The lowest was 20% moisture which yielded 257 bushels per acre dried down. The highest was 31% moisture yielding 210 bushels per acre dried down. We have 120 acres left to nish, but we’re holding back a little yet.

What other eldwork do you have left for this year? Just fall tillage. We got enough stalks from last year and the year before. We have downsized our herd and sold 90 milk cows this year and don’t need near as much feed as I have on hand.

What was the biggest challenge you encountered during the growing season or while harvesting this year? Getting the corn sprayed for weeds was our biggest challenge. It was a struggle to get the co-op out here to do it. As for the harvest, everything went off without a click so far.

What is your favorite part of the fall harvest? Smelling the corn silage. I love the aroma of newly chopped corn.

Tell us about your farm. At Twinkle-Hill Farm, we have 92 cows total and farm 200 acres of corn, 100 acres of wheat and 100 acres of alfalfa. Next year, I’m going to put in 50 acres of soybeans as well. We milk twice a day in a atbarn parlor, and cows average 83 pounds of milk. I’ve been on this farm since 1969. We used to have 180 Brown Swiss and Holstein cows, but we’re working on downsizing and sold 45 Brown Swiss and 45 Holstein milk cows this year and also sold about half of the heifers. My daughters, Jeannie and Laurie, both have full-time jobs off the farm, but they help me a lot. My grandchildren, Gracie and Garrett, like to come help too. My wife, Dee, works at Farm and Fleet in Watertown.

Zimmermann

110 cows

Sauk Centre, Minnesota Stearns County

Describe your farm and facilities. We milk in a double-8 parallel parlor. The dry cows are in a pole barn with a bedding pack. We farm 300 acres of corn, soybean and alfalfa.

What forages do you harvest? Corn silage, haylage, dry corn, high-moisture corn and soybeans.

How many acres of crops do you raise? We have 75 acres of alfalfa, 80 acres of corn for silage, 80 acres for grain corn and 80 acres of soybean.

Describe the rations for your livestock. We feed a mixture of corn silage, haylage, dry or wet corn (depending what we have at the time), and a protein mix.

What quality and quantity do you harvest of each crop? As much and as good as we can get. Qual-

ity is important to us. We get 68% moisture for corn silage, and we get 25-30 tons per acre. We always get four cuttings of alfalfa, and sometimes, we even

get ve. We get 12-14 tons of haylage a year and harvest at 50% moisture. We chop everything and put it in a pile.

Describe your harvesting techniques for alfalfa and corn silage. We chop all the alfalfa and put it in a pile. We custom-hire someone to chop the alfalfa. We

also custom-hire someone to harvest corn silage, and we use all our equipment to pack the pile. We customhire for our harvest because it’s cheaper than owning large enough equipment to get the crops harvested fast enough at the right time to get the best quality feed.

What techniques do you use to store, manage and feed your forages? We let silage sit for three months before we open the bag. For haylage, we like it to sit a month before we use it, but sometimes we run out and will need to start using it sooner. We put everything in bags or piles. We cover the pile with tires, so that the tires are tire to tire.

How do quality forages play into the production goals of your herd? It is a must to get good quality feed for our cows. To get good quality milk, we need to feed our cows good quality feed. We work closely with a nutritionist to monitor the quality of each bag

TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Lori and Mike Zimmermann farm 300 acres and milk 110 cows near Sauk Centre, Minnesota. The Zimmermanns closely monitor their forage to ensure the quality of their milk.

“Udder Comfort™ is a big help on our dairy. We use it on all fresh cows and for any cow with signs of mastitis. It helps our milk quality too. We love it!” says Brandon Grewe. He and his wife Kim met in 2010 when Brandon wanted to buy a cow from Kim and her dad. Today, they operate Valley Gem Farms, milking 180 cows near Cumberland, Wis., and the cow that brought them together was dam of homebred 7-year-old three-peat World Dairy Expo grand champion Valley Gem Atlas Malt-ET EX96 97MS

Malt’s first world championship was in 2019 as a 3-year-old. The show was canceled in 2020. Then, in 2021, Malt came back just fresh and was grand champion again. In the same lactation, she achieved the three-peat as grand champion Guernsey of WDE 2022.

Kim recalls 2021: “Malt was just 20 days fresh at Expo that year and made grand champion -- and best udder -- for the second time. Udder Comfort works!”

— Kim and Brandon Grewe

VALLEY GEM

and pile when we open it to feed our cows so we can adjust the ration if needed.

What management of harvesting techniques have you changed that have made a notable difference in forage quality? We switched from baleage to haylage. For us, it saves a ton of time and money doing haylage versus baleage. The biggest thing we have learned is to pack the piles as best

we can. The more packing the better, so we drive over it with a tractor and blade.

Describe a challenge you overcame in reaching your forage quality goals. The biggest challenge for us each year is the weather. Getting enough rain throughout the growing season and then not raining while we are trying to harvest.

TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR Tony Schlangen, Mike Zimmermann’s brother-in-law, drives combine as Mike’s daughter, Daisy, drives grain cart Oct. 21 near Sauk Centre, Minnesota. The Zimmermanns worked to

a bag of high-moisture corn.

IOWA

Kramer

Monticello,

319-465-5931

Prairie

712-476-9290

United

563-422-5355

WISCONSIN

Advanced

Spring

715-772-3201

Ederer

608-546-3713

Learning curve

I did not grow up on a dairy farm, but I did marry into one. My husband, Mark, and I remodeled the original farmhouse on his family farm in Otsego, Minnesota, the same house in which his grandfather and great-grandfather died. My husband, along with his brother and father, farmed for nine more years after we married before the family felt forced to sell the farm due to pressures from suburbia.

DeLaval

866-335-2825

Joe’s

715-229-2321

Mlsna

Cashton,

608-654-5106

Professional

608-635-0267

Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579

The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470

MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA

Advanced Dairy of Mora Mora, MN 320-679-1029

Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Brookings, SD 800-636-5581

Advanced Dairy Systems St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288

Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416

While I lived there, I was a high school teacher and didn’t help on the farm. However, there was the time during a snowstorm where I had to move a group of 11 cows off the main road because they had gotten out of the pen. Everyone else was elsewhere, clearing snow and doing chores. I did have the help of an old, arthritic farm dog named Sam. I remembered my husband telling me that if you could get a lead cow to go in the right direction, the rest would follow. After asking, demanding and then begging each cow to go back to the pen, Sam got one to head in that direction, and the rest did indeed follow. I was amazed and pretty proud of myself as I secured the gate.

By Jan Lefebvre Staff Writer

When I told Mark at dinner that night, I thought he would cheer or make a toast, but he didn’t seem too impressed.

Our twins, Jackson and Emma, were born during my time on the farm. I started to understand the magical gifts that growing up on a dairy farm brings. I loved taking the kids to the calf hutches. They never tired of sticking their little hands into a calf’s mouth and receiving the sandpaper feel of its tongue. Some of my son’s rst words were “wheel” and “loader tractor.” Only he said, “wee-o” and “yodo tacta.” He could identify what piece of equipment or vehicle was pulling into the yard just by the sound it made without even looking at it. The rst books he fell in love with were John Deere catalogues. My daughter was more drawn to the farm cats. She said “kitty” before she said “mommy.” We never saw her outside without toting a cat under each armpit. One kitten, Flower, enjoyed the company while all the others, to no avail, fought like heck to free themselves. My daughter was possibly the rst successful cat herder in history.

More importantly, my children spent time with extended family every day and witnessed, then took on, the honorable traits of working hard and contributing to something bigger than themselves.

When my husband, his parents and his brother decided to upgrade the farm by building a parlor, things changed. A group of nonfarming neighbors, who had a few horses or just a piece of country, decided to ght us, got lawyered up and, in the end, won. It hurt to see my family so sad and frustrated, and it dawned on me that I was devastated too.

After looking for answers such as a land swap to farm elsewhere, appealing the city council’s vote and lawyering up ourselves, the tough decision to sell the farm became the most viable option.

At the end of the auction, when the big combine was driven off the farm and down the road by its new owner, I wiped tears along with uncles and aunts, in-laws and a cousin or two.

I had changed.

As a reporter at Dairy Star, I have a bigger dairy learning curve to face than most of my colleagues, but my heart is ready to celebrate the world of dairy farming.

Geraets family combines efforts to continue farming

By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com

ELMWOOD, Wis. – The Geraets family has been operating under one roof since 2008, combining and bringing together the work of what was once three separate farms.

The farm is run by brothers Mark and Steve Geraets and Steve’s son, John, along with John’s daughter, McKenna, and some hired help for milking.

Now, the family is able to milk their 350 cows in about three hours with their double-12 rapid-exit parlor on their farm near Elmwood.

The parlor was built in 2008 and is the result of combining equipment, land and animals.

“I take pride in what we do and how well we do it,” John said. “We’ve exceeded every goal I’ve had. And, it’s a family farm.”

Originally, Steve owned two farms and Mark owned one. Each farm had a 50-stall stanchion barn. John, Mark and Steve all milked in separate barns and worked together to get eldwork done. Equipment was split 50-50 between Steve and Mark.

“We did our own cows and just cropped together,” John said. “It worked because we only had to buy one set of equipment instead of three.”

The system worked for many years, but when an 80-acre farm came up for sale with land that adjoined the existing operations, the family purchased the acres to produce more feed. There were buildings included, but no one wanted to milk in yet another tiestall barn.

“We ran it for two or three years as extra feed and cash crops then cleaned it up and built the dairy in 2008,” John said.

Once the dairy was built and the animals were combined, they began adding more animals to ll the barn. When considering the milking system, John said he thought about building a smaller parlor with the option of expanding.

“We talked to a lot of guys, and they said if you’re going to do that just put the 12 in,” John said. “It’s cheaper to buy a kit as 12 than it is to add extra stalls. It was a no brainer.”

Cows are housed in a sand-bedded freestall barn and milked three times a day. John said the extra milking was not always sustainable without hired help. They went back to milking two times a day when they lost hired help and could not physically handle everything themselves.

Since having dependable help again for the last two years, howev-

Under one roof

er, the farm has been back on threetimes-a-day milking.

It is a change that Mark said had a positive impact on the bulk tank.

“Milk production has grown,” Mark said. “We went from 25,000 to almost 30,000 pounds of milk.”

John said there was improvement in cow health as well, with their somatic cell count earning them a quality award last year.

“Three-times-a-day milking probably is the biggest factor,” John said. “And, they just do a very good job milking.”

The milkers monitor for mastitis by stripping out all the cows and making sure each cow is properly milked out.

Everyone has their role.

McKenna is learning herdsman duties from Mark. The herd has been managed with help from an activity system for the last year. It is a system that Mark said has helped keep track of the large number of animals in their care. He said they see the system makes a difference in the breeding program.

“We used to breed everything on a program like ovsynch, but about 80%90% of our cows are bred on standing heat now,” Mark said. “That’s gone well.”

John is in charge of equipment maintenance and eldwork. He said since combining the dairy to one site, the family has upgraded most of its equipment so eldwork is more efcient. John said this contributes to the high productivity of the cows.

“I love running equipment, and I’ve always been the mechanic,” John said. “Bigger equipment helps get the feed put up better.”

The Geraetses farm just over 800 acres, with 300 of them being in hay. John said they are able to put up all the hay in one day with the help of his son and a couple of friends. They cut with three disc mower-conditioners, a triple mower that cuts 30 feet at a time and two pull-type mowers. There is one big chopper, and everything is stored in bunkers.

The Geraetses chopped 175 acres of corn in about four days this year.

“We were happy when we were done,” John said. “We used to do it all with a 240 or even a John Deere pull type.”

Mark said the biggest challenge for him through the years has been the drastic change in the number of animals and the industry standards.

“The standards of production have changed so much,” Mark said. “My good cow 30 years ago wouldn’t

even cut it today.”

John said although dairy farming is a seven-days-a-week job, he knows from experience that he would rather farm than punch a time clock for someone else.

In the future, the family plans to build a facility for their calves because their current calf raiser is nearing retirement.

ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR

Mark, McKenna and John Geraets stand in their freestall barn Oct. 17 at their farm near Elmwood, Wisconsin. The family milk 350 cows and farm more than 800 acres in Pierce County. Not pictured is Steve Geraets.

ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR

McKenna Geraets tube feeds a calf Oct. 17 at her family farm near Elmwood, Wisconsin. McKenna is in charge of newborn calves and assists her uncle, Mark Geraets, with herdsman du es.

Udder Mister automatically sprays pre and/or post dip on the front or back side of a rotary parlor. The system is compatible with a wide array of GEA teat dips, and interchangable spray tips allow you to increase or decrease dip usage. Now you can reallocate labor to more important tasks, while maintaining milk quality.

Centre Dairy Equipment

Supply Inc.

Centre, MN

800-342-2697

Fuller’s Milker Center, LLC

WI

Midwest

800-887-4634

Center, WI

MN

SD

608-647-4488

Systems,

800-233-8937

Leedstone, Inc. Melrose, MN 320-256-3303

800-996-3303 Glencoe, MN 320-864-5575

877-864-5575 Plainview, MN

800-548-5240 Menomonie, WI • 715.231.8090

Monroe WestfaliaSurge Monroe, WI • 608-325-2772

Sioux Dairy Equipment, Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-5608

800-962-4346 Colton, SD Service 800-944-1217 Edgerton, MN Chemical Sales 507-920-8626

Central Ag Supply Inc. Juneau, WI • 920-386-2611 Baraboo, WI • 608-356-8384

J Gile Dairy Equipment Cuba City, WI • (608) 744-2661

Kozlovsky Dairy Equipment Kaukauna, WI •920-759-9223 Weston, WI

715-298-6256

Stanley Schmitz, Inc. Chilton, WI

920-849-4209

WI

715-235-5144

800-705-1447

Preston Dairy Equipment Sparta, WI • (608) 269-3830

Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Epworth, IA • (563) 876-3087

Tri-County Dairy Supply Janesville, WI • (608) 757-2697

Milking quickly, quietly, gently

How to achieve all three

By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com

MADISON, Wis. – While many factors contribute to a farm with high milk production, Paul D. Virkler, DVM, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, said a solid milking routine plays a big role.

“What we see from the industry is maybe the pendulum has swung a little bit too far in thinking about milking speed and putting cows through the parlor too rapidly,” Virkler said. “We want to make sure that we’re thinking about the things we know about the cow like how to get milk out of her and how to milk her well and not just pushing cows through the parlor.”

Virkler spoke during a seminar at World Dairy Expo Oct. 4 in Madison.

When a milking unit is attached to a cow, the cow goes through a high ow rate of milk. This is what Virkler calls the front end of the curve, which lasts for about two minutes. The back end of the milk ow curve is what happens after the peak ow rate. Ideally, once a unit is attached, the teats are full and ready to release milk.

“What we want to see is this rapid, uninterrupted increase of milk ow to the peak,” Virkler said. “We should see no decline in that peak until she is nished milking.”

The contrast to this ideal situation is called bimodal milk ow, or delayed milk ejection. This happens when the cow is not properly stimulated prior to the unit being attached. The milk ow will peak twice during the rst two to three minutes of unit-on time. There is an initial rise in milk ow, then milk ow literally stops before a second rise in ow to another peak.

“What happens to the cow during that time is a lot of them will step and kick because they become uncomfortable,” Virkler said.

Virkler said a better prepping procedure can reduce the presence of a bimodal milk ow. The purpose of the prep procedure is to properly stimulate the cow. When the teat is stimulated, the nerve sends a signal to the cow’s brain. The signal tells the pituitary gland to release oxytocin into the bloodstream. The oxytocin travels to the heart, pumps to the aorta and hits the udder. When it reaches the udder, the oxytocin acts on the muscle cells and squeezes the milk out of the alveolar. Then time is needed from when it

squeezes the milk until it hits the gland system, which is why there needs to be a waiting period for this to happen before attaching the unit.

“Remember that milk ejection is an inborn reex,” Virkler said. “It is an involuntary act not under conscious control of the cow.”

Milk is present in two primary areas in the udder just prior to milking. The rst place is in the gland cistern and the teat cistern. This makes up about 20% of the milk. That milk is accessible by simply opening the teat canal. The other 80% of milk is in the alveolar, which requires oxytocin and stimulation to be released.

When adequate levels of oxytocin are not released, there is an actual failure of milk let down. This results in a lower production of milk overall.

“We are leaving milk on the table by not properly stimulating these cows,” Virkler said. “Cows are leaving the parlor without being milked out because of bimodal.”

There are several ways to achieve a solid milking routine which will effec-

tively stimulate the cow and harvest all the milk available. In any routine, time is of the essence. One example that Virkler uses starts with forestripping each quarter four to ve times, or for 10 seconds, before pre-dipping the cow. The pre-dip should stay on the teats for 30 seconds before being wiped off. Finally, the unit is attached. The total time from forestripping to attaching the unit should be between 90 and 180 seconds. Virkler said this allows enough time for the oxytocin to kick in and milk to be let down.

When a good routine is not in place, there are negative inuences on the cow shown by pain, mastitis and damaged teats. There are also negative inuences in the parlor through lost efciency and increased unit-on time.

“Without a good routine, it’s going to be a challenge to milk cows quickly, gently and completely,” Virkler said. “We’re going to have that bimodal ow. And when we have that, we don’t milk cows out well, and we don’t necessarily milk as quickly.”

Bringing up the next generation

Three families raise winning heifers, successful kids

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

Wis.

of the competition of the show ring is a passion that is often times passed on from one generation to the next. For three families – the Harbaughs, Loehrs and Ryans –that is becoming evident, as they work together to grow the next generation of show ring enthusiasts.

“Raising our kids to be competitive in the show ring is about so much more than just the competing,” said Lynn Harbaugh. “Our kids are learning responsibility, work ethic and about the circle of life.”

Lynn and his wife, Sara, along with friends Kurt and Sarah Loehr and Chad and Amy Ryan all grew up showing registered dairy cattle. Now as adults, they enjoy spending their time exhibiting cattle together with their children: Jacob, Logan and Madison Harbaugh; Adella and Ainsley Loehr; and Dylan and Cameron Ryan.

The three families work

together throughout the year and own many animals in various partnerships. The Loehrs house milk cows owned by both the Harbaughs and Ryans, who in return house and prepare a variety of show heifers.

Each year, the trio of families can be found working together at shows, including spring and summer state-level shows, and at World Dairy Expo.

“It can denitely be a balancing act; keeping up with all of the kids’ interests while making sure things get done with the show animals,” Sarah said.

This year, the three families celebrated a variety of successes with a bevy of banners and medals Oct. 2-7 during WDE in Madison.

Three heifers from the show string returned to the show ring for Friday evening’s supreme champion ceremonies, one in the open show and three in the junior show. Another heifer was named the best bred and owned heifer in the International Junior Holstein Show. Earlier in the

week, Cameron topped the junior division of the youth showmanship contest, while Logan placed third in the intermediate division.

Growing up learning the ropes of competing in the dairy cattle show ring has taught the group of young dairy enthusi-

asts many life lessons.

“I have had so many networking opportunities and have met so many people showing, especially here at Expo,” said Jacob, a sophomore. “People see you working hard, and it makes an impression with them. It is a

way to start making those connections you will need in the future.”

The oldest of the group of young exhibitors, Jacob has been able to take on a teaching and mentoring role with the

PHOTO SUBMITTED

The Harbaugh, Loehr and Ryan children – Madison Harbaugh (from le ), Logan Harbaugh, Jacob Harbaugh, Adella Loehr, Dylan Ryan, Cameron Ryan and Ainsley Loehr – exhibit at the Youth Classic Show Sept. 11 in Manchester, Iowa. The kids have been working together for years as a team, learning the value of hard work when it comes to exhibi ng registered dairy ca le.

younger members of the group.

“I have been able to learn that years of hard work will pay off,” Jacob said, as he was preparing to take his Brown Swiss heifer out for the parade of champions. “It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen. I am able to help teach that lesson to my brother and sister and to Adella, Ainsley, Dylan and Cameron.”

The atmosphere that accompanies a show like WDE is a draw for Logan.

“It is such a fun place to be,” he said. “Everyone here loves doing the same thing. We all work hard all year long taking care of our animals. Then we come here, spend time together with friends and do what we love doing: showing on the colored shavings.”

For Cameron, soaking up the success is something he focused on.

“This year has probably been a once-in-a-lifetime experience – winning showmanship and then being able to show under the spotlights for supreme champion,” Cameron said. “I just want to really let it all sink in and enjoy the moment.”

Dylan shared his brother’s enthusiasm.

“Being successful in the dairy in-

dustry comes from a lot of hard work,” he said. “If you put the work in, you can accomplish a lot. Whether it is showing, or dairy judging or learning how to clip. The harder you work at it, the better you will be at it.”

Watching both his dad and Lynn serve as judges at WDE, Dylan said he has set a goal for himself to one day don a tuxedo in the center of the colored shavings.

The art of perseverance has been one of Madison’s take-aways from exhibiting dairy cattle.

“Sometimes things don’t always go the way you think they will,” Madison said. “You just can’t ever give up, even when your heifer is being very stubborn and not behaving.”

Adella got to take her rst turn about the colored shavings during the International Red and White Show, and she said she is hooked. Her spring calf named Mambo nished fth in the class and was the third-place juniorexhibited entry.

“I just focused on what I needed to do,” Adella said. “I want to be able to do this until I am not able to do it anymore. I am guessing that I will be pretty old when that happens.”

After watching her sister win a medal with the calf she has been showing all year, 7-year-old Ainsley is anxiously awaiting her ninth birthday that will allow her the chance to experience what the other kids have been getting to do.

“I like going up to the coliseum and having friends I can go watch the shows with,” Ainsley said. “I got to show Mamba at state show this year, and I liked doing that. I can’t wait to be able to show a calf here at Expo.”

Watching their daughters have a taste of success on the colored shavings was the highlight of the show for the Loehrs.

“For me, it is about giving our girls opportunities that I myself never had,” Kurt said. “Adella and Ainsley are getting the chance to learn from kids who are great role models and friends. These kids are all growing up like brothers and sisters. They spend a lot of time intermingling. It is like an extended family.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF WISCONSIN HOLSTEIN ASSOCIATION

Adella Loehr shares a moment with her heifer Oct. 5 at the Interna onal Red and White Show at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Loehr showed for the rst me at Expo this year.

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Logan Harbaugh enters the ring for the intermediate division of the Youth Showmanship Contest Oct. 2 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Harbaugh placed third in the contest.

Women In Dairy

Jessica Pralle-Trimner

Athens, Wisconsin

Marathon County

3,000 cows

Family: I grew up on Selz-Pralle Dairy in Humbird, Wisconsin, where my parents, Scott and Pam Selz-Pralle, milk 400 registered Holsteins. My brother, Ryan, is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and my sister, Nicole, is a calf specialist for Purina Land O’Lakes. Two years ago, I married my husband, David Trimner, and now farm alongside his family at Miltrim Farms in Athens.

Tell us about your farm. Miltrim Farms was founded in 1988 by David’s grandparents, Martin and Elaine Mueller, his uncle, Tom Mueller and wife Lorene, and his parents, the late Scott Trimner and Kathy Trimner Roth. In 1988, the farm consisted of only 140 cows and 260 acres and has now grown to 3,000 cows, 2,000 youngstock and 5,200 acres. Miltrim Farms is the largest automated milking facility in Wisconsin, milking 1,800 cows with 30 robots. The remainder of the cows are milked in the original double-24 herringbone parlor. Our farm goals focus on sustainability of land, livestock, water and our community. To reach these goals, we focus on cow comfort, cover cropping, minimal tillage or no till, and educational opportunities in our new event space known as the Milk Haus.

What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? I wear many hats, but my main title is herd manager. Typically, I spend as much time as possible in the barn working with our cow-side teams during their morning chores. Morning chores for me can include fetching, working fresh cows, vaccinating, ultrasounding, walking cow pens and feeding calves. Once I’ve met with most of my team members in the barn, I typically spend the rest of the day working on protocols, analyzing data and nishing up scheduling for employees and consultant meetings.

What decision have you made in the last year that has beneted your farm? Heifer replacements fall into one of top three largest expenses on all dairies. As our dairy has expanded, we have needed to raise heifers off site from birth to 5 months before bringing them home. Knowing the cost to raise our heifers, and using my prior industry experiences, I’ve dedicated time in the past year to creating the right number of heifers and raising only the best ones through use of genetic and phenotypic data from both the calves and their dams. Through this process, we’ve sold several heifers to expanding dairies and increased the amount of beef semen we use throughout the dairy. We have partnered with the TD Beef program to ensure we are creating a desirable and higher quality black calf for the growers, packers and consumers.

Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. From growing up on my family’s dairy to working on a large dairy and everything in between, there is a list a mile long of memorable experiences and life lessons that shaped me into the person and manager I am today. However, as I go throughout my days, I nd my-

self hearing my parents’ voices. When I’m cow-side, it’s my dad telling me, “Slow down, read the cows, let them tell you what they need.” I share those same words and trained senses that my dad taught me as I work with new and existing employees. Even with the robots and having data at our ngertips, it still takes keen cow people. When I’m preparing for employee meetings or reviews, I can recall the conversations my mom had around our kitchen table guiding the conversations that lead to growth and development on our farm and how she gracefully handled all situations through listening. These are the most valuable experiences for me. They aid me when I need to make decisions and handle difcult situations.

What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I love the diversity of dairy farming and the challenges every aspect brings to the table. It’s fun to work through the data and gures to assess how well our teams work together to make the farm more efcient. I realized this passion for analyzing dairies while in college at UW-Madison competing on the dairy challenge team.

What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? This summer, I was honored with the opportunity to judge the Wisconsin State Junior Fair Showmanship contest in West Allis. As a junior exhibitor, I lived for showmanship. As I stood in the ring and watched the participants show off their animals, I saw that same spark through many of the junior exhibitors. It was humbling to see so many juniors I had worked with as beginners in showmanship now in their senior years who have developed into excellent showmen.

What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? In April of this year, we opened the doors to our event and education center known as the Milk Haus. The Milk Haus features observation windows into our robot facility. Visitors get the chance to not only view cows being milked by the robots, but they also get to take a glimpse at how cows time budget their days from socializing to eating and resting. To incorporate all the facets of our dairy into the education center, we have developed videos that highlight all aspects of the farm, from cows calving to raising heifers, milking in the parlor, and our cropping and manure management practices. We also have a few hands-on features for visitors to help guide and show how some of our practices work. These hands-on features include a farm cropping simulator and a sand topography table to highlight how different topography inuences water owage, and then, we tie it back to our practices at the farm.

What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? Don’t just visualize your goal, work for it. Working hard is in our blood. However, as the communicators, event planners and care takers of humans and animals, we constantly juggle the worklife balance card until we forget about ourselves. So don’t write your goals on paper and daydream about them; say them out loud. Declare them to the people who matter. Reach out to your idols to hear their journeys. Let them mentor

you or have them share other mentors. Go to meetings and learn from industry experts and collect their contact information. From there, you’ve created a circle of people to hold you accountable. When the days get hard and the end goal further in sight, lean on your circle and know it’s OK to be selsh in the pursuit of your dreams.

When you get a spare moment, what do you do? Honestly, I walk cows. There’s simply nothing more relaxing to me than walking pens of cows and seeing the dynamics of the pen, the behaviors of the cows and analyzing their conrmation traits.

AABP research roundup: Calf edition

By Whitney Knauer, DVM

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners had its annual meeting in Long Beach, California, Sept. 22-24. Cattle veterinarians, vet students and researchers from around the U.S. and Canada met to share the newest research, recommendations and best practices to enhance cattle welfare and help producers improve the health of their cows and the protability of their operations.

Three studies on calf health were presented at the meeting.

The rst study was presented by researchers from The University of Guelph where they evaluated the impact of plane of nutrition and analgesic treatment on wound healing following cautery disbudding of preweaned calves.

To do this, they assigned calves to four groups: biologically normal milk allowance (up to 15 liters per day day), conventional milk allowance (6 liters per day) and calves that received one or two doses of meloxicam (at disbudding and three days after). All calves received a lidocaine nerve block. Healing was evaluated and compared

between the four groups. Researchers reported that only 12% of horn buds were completely healed by 8 weeks of age. Calves on the biological milk allowance and calves who only received meloxicam at disbudding were more likely to have healed buds compared to calves on a conventional feeding plan and who got a second dose of meloxicam on the third day post disbudding.

The second study presented research performed at Cornell University where they evaluated the association between temperature humidity index and light intensity and colostrum production on 18 New York dairy farms. This research was driven by the observation that many cows produce less colostrum in the fall and winter, which can impact colostrum management and calf health in crucial winter months. Researchers collected THI and light intensity information for 1.5 years and colostrum yield in over 18,000 heifers and mature cows during that time. THI and light intensity were associated with colostrum production in mature cows such that lower THI and lower light intensity were associated with lower colostrum yield. These factors were not associated with colos-

trum yield in heifers. The researchers concluded that colder and drier prepartum environments are associated with decreased colostrum production.

The third study relevant to calf health was presented by researchers from Washington State University where they evaluated the utility of using thoracic ultrasound and clinical signs to diagnose respiratory disease in pre-weaned dairy calves. Thirty calves on two farms received thoracic ultrasound and health scoring weekly, and farm health treatment records were collected. Calves were classied each week as non-diseased (healthy or recovered) or diseased (pre-onset or chronic consolidation) based on the sequence of thoracic ultrasound ndings. Results suggest that the use of clinical signs (snotty nose, runny eyes, cough, fever) for diagnosis of lung consolidation (respiratory disease) in dairy calves is not a good measure. Researchers found many false negatives (calves did not have any signs of respiratory disease but had lung consolidation), suggesting that thoracic ultrasound may be a more robust measure of respiratory disease than using clinical signs alone, and thoracic ul-

trasound can help farmers nd lesions that cannot be clinically identied by observation alone. In addition, researchers found that some lesions observed with thoracic ultrasound would resolve on their own (without antibiotic treatment), suggesting more research is needed to understand the dynamics of lung disease in dairy calves.

The summary results of these three research projects highlight important points for dairy farmers. First, feeding a higher milk allowance is important for improving wound healing post disbudding. Second, lower colostrum volume is associated with colder and drier weather, and darker days. Third, clinical signs alone are not adequate to predict calves who need treatment for respiratory disease. While these three studies are not intuitively linked, they each provide information for farmers who are interested in improving animal welfare in their calf programs. Farmers with questions about feeding more milk, colostrum production or management, or implementing thoracic ultrasound into a calf management program should reach out to a veterinarian or local extension agent for more information.

Dana

adam1744@umn.edu 320-204-2968

Joe

armst225@umn.edu 612.624.3610

Luciano

lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130

Gerard

612-625-8184

Marcia

612-624-5391

Joleen

Les

Nathan

Benjamin H. Netzke, OWNER

Using lab pasteurized counts

By Mike Schutz

Milk quality has many denitions ranging from milk components to somatic cell count to bacteria levels and more. Recently in this column, we have looked at the dramatic improvement in milk components, especially fat percentage, and reductions in SCC over the past 20 years or so. By any measure, milk quality has improved dramatically; that is a credit to dairy farmers who have made great strides to provide increasingly high-quality milk. Likely, the dairy industry has made incredible progress in reducing the bacteria in milk as well. There just is not as much readily available data to allow tracking of the measures of bacteria levels over time. A piece of evidence that points to this improvement is that the regulatory limit for the standard plate count remains at 100,000 colony forming units per ml. However, most cooperatives and handlers jump into action when counts exceed 10,000 CFU/ml and less than 5,000 CFU/ml is a reachable goal with good hygiene and proper milk cooling. Clearly, delivery of milk with low total bacteria counts as determined by the SPC or other automated methods results in improved quality of milk and milk products in stores, longer shelf-life stability and improved product yield.

Milk from the cow always has some bacteria. Milk in

the bulk tank always has some more bacteria. But, proper milking procedures; milking clean, dry, sanitized teats; cooling milk quickly to temperatures just above freezing; and properly functioning and wellcleaned milking systems limit bacterial contamination of milk and slow the growth of bacteria. The quality of milk arriving at the pasteurizer has never been better.

However, it is important to remember that pasteurization does not sterilize milk. It was designed to reduce bacteria in milk and especially to kill pathogenic bacteria (e.g. brucellosis and tuberculosis) that thrive at a cow’s body temperature, which is very close to human body temperature. Pasteurized milk still contains some bacteria. Pasteurization of milk cannot reverse the harmful effects of bacteria already present in the milk. While pasteurized milk will have greatly reduced bacteria counts, any lipases and proteases present in the milk prior to pasteurization can impact post-pasteurization quality by breaking down fats and proteins respectively. Thus, higher quality milk at pasteurization leads to higher quality milk after pasteurization too. The consistent delivery of high-quality milk for pasteurization has allowed focus on the bacteria that may survive pasteurization in otherwise high-quality milk.

Figure 1 identies the temperature ranges at which the classes of bacteria dened by

microbiologists thrive. Psychrophiles are cold-loving bacteria that slowly reproduce in properly cooled milk but thrive at temperatures common to improperly cooled milk. Mesophiles are warmth-loving bacteria that grow well at body temperature. Cooling milk properly dramatically slows growth of these. Most psychrophiles and mesophiles are dramatically reduced by pasteurization. Thermophiles and hyperthermophiles (heat-loving) have the ability to survive pasteurization but are very rare in the environment and so are not usually associated with problems in pasteurized milk. The primary contaminants of pasteurized milk that reduce shelf life and reduce product yield and quality tend to be mesophiles and even psychrophiles that are thermoduric (endure pasteurization temperatures). Mostly, these bacteria survive by forming endospores during environmental stressors such as heat, drying and sanitizers. The Lab Pasteurized Count is designed to determine levels of bacteria that survive pasteurization. The LPC is done by heating a raw milk sample to 145 degrees for 30 minutes (to mimic temperatures common to batch pasteurization) and then conducting the SPC. The LPCs, because of exposure to pasteurization temperatures, are expected to be much lower than SPCs. There is no regulatory limit for LPC, but LPC more than 200-300 CFU/ml is considered high, and 50 CFU/ml should be

achievable with proper milking and milk management.

Knowing that much of the LPC is driven by spore-forming bacteria and that heating, drying and sanitizing creates conditions for the bacteria to create endospores that allow them to survive pasteurization provides a clue of where to look to solve issues of elevated LPCs. Unclean equipment, improper sanitizing and dirty udders are the most likely culprits. While the cow and mastitis pathogens can increase bacteria in milk, they are not typically associated with LPC. The most common cause of high LPCs is a chronic consistent failure of cleaning leading to biolms or milkstone deposits in milk lines, inside plate coolers and in bulk tanks. Old rubber parts, including gaskets, inations, milk tubes and seals, should be on a regular replacement schedule. Old rubber parts can deteriorate to make clean-

ing ineffective. Leaky pumps may also allow thermoduric bacteria to enter the milk. Rarely, spore formers can be present in the cow’s environment and be transferred to the milk from soiled teats. Spores can be present in manure from cows, and so it is possible that elevated counts could result from the use of manure solids as bedding. That is not to say that manure solids should not be used, but if they are, LPC counts should be monitored along with SPCs. Breakdowns in equipment cleaning or failure to replace rubber parts are a more likely cause of elevated LPC than dirty cows. Serial testing of milk from points along the milking system, especially before and after the plate cooler, can be a good approach to determining potential sources of the bacteria causing elevated LPC.

Dairy

How did you get into farming? I was born into it. I’ve been around cows my entire life, and I developed a passion for farming and cows while working alongside my dad growing up.

What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? I’m concerned that small, familyrun dairy farms will be wiped out to be overtaken by large factory farms. I’d like to see small farms thrive once again. I have a vested interest in all families wanting to continue dairy farming, and in particular, I’d like to keep our farm going for my four sons.

What is a recent change you made on your farm and the reason for it? We recently purchased more land and hope to continue to be able to purchase more in the future.

Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I went to the Farm and Industry Short Course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and gained many skills from my classes there. One skill that has come in handy the most is the knowledge and ability to breed my own cows. It has enabled the farm to save time and money and gives me full control over when the breeding is done and which bulls I use.

What is the best decision you have made on your farm? I changed the setup location for when we do the hoof trimming. It was a simple change, but it has made all the difference in feasibility and efciency.

What are three things on the farm that you cannot live without? The three things I cannot live without are skid loaders, the Kubota RTV and my family. We use our skid loaders daily for nearly every aspect of the farm, including mixing feed, moving bales of straw and hay, lling stalls with sand and countless other tasks. We use the Kubota about as much as the skid loader. If I need to get somewhere quickly, it is convenient to jump on the Kubota. I use it to go to the pastures to check on and x fence lines and deliver hay to the cows when needed as well as to feed calves and do other tasks. I couldn’t run this farm without my family. My dad and I have been

working together my whole life, and one could not run this place without the other. My boys are also learning chores and will continue to do more as they grow.

What strategies do you use to withstand the volatile milk prices? We watch feed costs, decrease herd size from time to time and continue to pay off land and equipment when milk prices are high.

How do you maintain family relationships while also working together? While it isn’t easy to maintain family relationships while working together, I try to stay even keeled and know when to walk away from a disagreement. I love working on the family farm and cherish working with my dad and my sons. The good times denitely outweigh the bad. We each have our assigned tasks for the day but are always there for each other when someone needs help.

What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I enjoy the cows and being outside while using my body. It’s a unique job and is becoming more and more unique as there are fewer farms around. I like the predictability of the daily chores but also the unpredictability of challenges that arise.

What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Going big is not always the answer. The more you add to your farm, whether it’s more or newer machines or more cows, the more work and problems you have. One particular problem is nding good and reliable help. Sure, you make more money when you have more cows, but you also have more expenses and problems.

What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? In the next year, I would like to continue what we are doing and continue to nd ways to improve my skills and efciency on the farm. In the next ve years, my dad is looking at reducing his role in the daily chores, and I will start to ll in his role and take on the chores he is responsible for. I also plan to continue to teach my sons how to do chores and increase their role on the farm.

How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? I enjoy playing hockey on a weekly basis. My family and I enjoy being in the outdoors together whether we are watching a baseball game, hiking or playing any number of sports together. You don’t always need to leave the farm to get away.

DairyRotor—T8000

Adam Meier (pictured with Jake (front, from left), Charlie and Alex; Alyssa and Joey) Milton, Wisconsin Rock County 130 cows

Calf management tips in preparation for winter

As fall harvest progresses and the days get shorter, we know cold stress is just around the corner. Special attention should be given to the most delicate group of animals on the dairy: newborn calves.

The thermal-neutral zone for a calf under 3 weeks of age is 55 to 78 degrees. Within this range, the calf doesn’t have to expend extra energy to maintain body temperature. With lower temperatures, the calf experiences cold stress, needs more energy to stay warm and may not grow as efciently as possible. Cold weather can be tough on calves, but simple management and feeding strategies can make winter go more smoothly.

Something to Ruminate On

By Barry Visser Nutritionist

Calves are born with only 3%-4% body fat. They are also born with a special layer of fat called brown fat. Brown fat’s only purpose is to release energy as heat. Combatting cold stress – and keeping the calf from using all that fat within a few hours of birth – starts in the maternity area.

Towel-drying a newborn calf helps uff its hair coat, which insulates the calf by creating a boundary between the body and the chilly ambient air. Dry the ears as this will help reduce the risk of frost damage. Warming boxes (which need to be kept clean) work well to nish the drying process and keep calves warm during the rst 12 hours after birth. Calves that receive supportive warming therapy after birth will have less stress and, as a result, will likely have greater efciency of immunoglobulin absorption from colostrum feeding. A calf’s ability to absorb antibodies from colostrum diminishes as its body temperature lowers.

Move dry calves into a clean, dry space with an adequate amount of bedding that ensures good nesting, such as straw. Bedding should be deep and uffy, allowing the calf to nest and conserve energy. Bedding condition should be monitored to make sure it stays dry.

Calf jackets also limit heat loss, but calves need to be dry before they’re tted with jackets. A jacket on a wet calf holds the moisture and chills the calf. Jackets should be clean and in good condition. The general recommendation is to have enough jackets to cover all calves younger than 3 weeks, but this may differ depending on calf housing. A good rule of thumb is to keep the jacket on the calf until it consumes starter regularly. Don’t forget to adjust the straps as the calf grows.

Close attention needs to be paid to winter ventilation. Keeping barns or hutches warm is not typically the goal. A minimum of four to six air exchanges per hour should keep air fresh to minimize disease while not allowing a draft on calves. Positive pressure tubes can help achieve this goal.

As the temperature decreases, a calf’s caloric demand increases, which leaves fewer calories available for growth and immune function. Strategies to increase energy intake during cold stress include altering the amounts and timing of milk feeding. Milk volume is often increased by about one-third. Shifting from two to three daily feedings will also increase milk intake. Supplemental fat can be added to the milk feeding. Each of these options comes with pros and cons to evaluate with a calf management team and nutritionist. Pick the strategy that works the best on your farm.

No matter which option you choose, consistency is the key to success. Monitor milk mixing and delivery temperatures at the beginning and end of the feeding to minimize variation. Milk temperature at feeding should be around 105 degrees.

Throughout the year, encourage starter grain intake by keeping it fresh and dry. In addition to providing supplemental calories, starter grain intake has a secondary benet. Heat from microbial fermentation in the rumen will also contribute to the calf’s energy needs during cold stress.

Water intake is crucial to starter grain intake regardless of the temperature. Even though feeding water can be challenging in the winter, it is extremely important. A common practice in the winter is to feed warm water shortly after milk and dump the pails before they freeze. Warm water and starter consumption are positively correlated. The more starter the calf eats, the more water it will drink.

Calf performance doesn’t need to drop as temperatures decrease. Ensure calves have adequate nutrition to support both maintenance needs and growth. Make sure drafts and wet bedding do not increase their maintenance needs. Monitor and track calf growth and health. This will help identify bottlenecks and troubleshoot challenges. Excellent management during winter will allow calves to overcome cold stress, continue to grow at target rates and thrive.

Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.

A good scream

Years ago, when my adult children were little, many families from their classes planned a Halloween party at our farm.

Everyone needed to be in costumes. Parents made or purchased the costume their child wanted to wear. My boys wanted to be glow-in-the dark skeletons. That was a simple homemade costume of black sweat pants and shirts with glow in the dark paint. I went as a scarecrow, using an old patched up jacket and a straw hat.

We needed to put up decorations in the shed. Orange lights were strung from one side of the shed to the other. Spider webs with plastic spiders were stretched over windows, black lights over the neon snakes, plastic blow up hanging ghosts and little witches hung down from the ceiling. We had foam headstones that had funny names that made everyone laugh. Even a fogger was used when the spooky story was told.

Waiting to hear the tractor in the distance, we were giddy with a rush of anxiety, knowing it would be a fun but scary thing for our children. I could see the tractor and wagon coming out, as a few of the kids had ashlights that were radiating out and searching to see into the darkness. As the wagon got close to the hay bales, one parent, who was dressed as a witch, jumped out and cackled a loud and wicked sound. The kids all screamed; the fun had begun.

The driver drove around the eld, and the kids knew with each bale coming up that something was going to happen. I was the scarecrow that stood in a frozen pose and waited until the wagon was right next to me, then I turned my head and looked at them. It was the best feeling ever to hear the screams. The kids then gured out it was only Mrs. Hinchley.

After the ride, we all rejoiced in the wonderful time we had with our children. We made memories with all of the families from Cambridge. As our children grew older, we made it into an annual event and eventually had a haunted barn too. Many late nights were spent spooking and running through the corn stalks to make people scream. The barn was taken down when the highway was expanded. I don’t miss all the work that went into the haunted barn, but we still have people who mention they came to our farm to be scared.

Tina Hinchley, her husband Duane and daughter Anna milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchleys have been hosting farm tours for over 25 years.

By Tina Hinchley Farmer & Columnist

Other parents and I planned the freaky feast with fun snacks that looked like gross things that would be fun to eat. Mini hot dogs with bloody barbecue sauce, licorice spiders, cookies with teeth, cherry-soaked rice for maggots, meringue ghosts, witch ngers and a witch’s brew with oating eyeballs.

The parents brought in cookies with many spiders, peeled grapes that looked like eyeballs, Jell-O intestines and candy corn cupcakes. Every family brought in a bag of candy to be added to the caldron that would be divided up at the end of the party. The creativity was amazing.

Games were planned and were not in short supply. We played musical chairs with spooky music; pin the nose on the witch; bean bag toss into plastic pumpkin pails; hula hoop challenges; and the favorite game of identifying fake body parts. Spooky sounds played in the background, and the lights were dim to set the mood for the hayride.

The corn elds had been harvested, and the round bales were in the eld. All of the kids and some parents sat in the middle of the wagon on bales of hay looking outward. The wagon was pulled through the eld slowly and close to the bales.

It was a perfect evening for a wagon ride, warm with a little breeze to blow up the corn leaves from the ground. The smell of dry corn in the air and the hay on the wagon lled everyone’s senses with anticipation. As the kids and parents loaded onto the wagon, they giggled and felt the excitement that was to come.

Some parents and I went into the eld to scare the kids. We had planned where the wagon would go, so we knew where to hide behind the round bales. Chattering and still planning how we were going to scare our children, we all walked our separate ways. We stepped carefully through the chopped corn stalks which crunched under our feet. The moon was bright, and it was easy to see where to go.

spy

have used this game to help children become more aware of

surroundings and keep them calm when the situation calls for it. Lately, however, it seems I have been playing my own personal game.

with children know that a bit of spying can be quite rewarding; you can catch some priceless moments between siblings or precious moments of kids just being kids. This morning, Henry was my lucky sidekick. As I was getting ready for my day, I could hear chattering through the wall. I crept quietly through the living room, and the noise became louder.

gently opened the door to the so-called man-room of our house and peeked my head in. My ears relished the sound of my 9-year-old reading aloud to himself,

as I spied him sitting in the cozy ofce chair with his nose to the pages of “The Legend of the Ghost Buck” by Lane Walker. I felt myself smile, knowing he enjoys reading, but it doesn’t necessarily come easy to him. It was about that moment that I was spotted as he saw me and gave me an innocent grin.

Sunday afternoon, I sent Ira and Dane outside to pick the rest of the apples for us to crush into cider this week. On my way past the screen door, I glanced outside to take stock of their productivity. I went back to work in the kitchen, stirring this and kneading that. It wasn’t long until I was interrupted from my kitchen therapy session by thumps on the side of the house. I moved in the kitchen so I could see the apple tree and Dane winding up with another apple to pitch presumably at Ira near the corner of the house. I watched, unobserved, for a few tosses and giggles before reminding them that the apples were meant to be in the

bags not thrown through windows.

I love spying the boys being gentle older brothers with Cora. She is not a big fan of hugs or cuddling, so when I see her snuggled up with Dane reading a book together, it makes me so happy. I always feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the period of the life when they ght so much. Spying on Cora playing by herself is as good as any television show. Her imagination runs wild and free when she plays with her animals. Her voices change nonstop, and she builds and creates incredible structures to follow her elaborate storylines.

By Jacqui Davison Columnist

This past weekend, we had a heat wave. I took advantage of it (battling the beetles that also enjoy the weather) and worked outside. I glanced up to see some of the fat heifers milling around in the pasture. I also spied a black clump. It looked like a piece of plastic or a clump of dirt. I had a eeting thought that it was a calf, but because that pasture houses open heifers, it didn’t seem too plausible. I let the thought pass through my brain and went about my day. Saturday morning, I received a poetic text from Peter. It read as follows: “I spy with my eyes a surprise just below the sunrise in the lot where Dave (a heifer) used to reside.” Guess it wasn’t plastic. A few hours later, a team effort resulted in carrying a small, yet frisky, Angus crossbred calf up the hill and into the calf van. Two delivered the calf to its appropriate home, and two of us chased the new mom, Zipper, up the alley into the fresh pen. Even though Zipper had been placed on the cull list early in life, she made it to the heifer grower and after one breeding was conrmed pregnant. Peter and I must have put her in the heifer lot because of her due date being so far out. Thankfully the weather was nice, Zipper was calm, the calf was healthy, and Peter had spied it nursing in the early morning hours.

The maternity pens have had an uptick in business this past week. It seems the new smell I wrote of has worn off at last. Saturday night, it was as if we had a revolving door on the pens. As fast as one cow would deliver her calf and have it all licked to perfection, the next mother in labor needed the pen. I found that being sneaky about my spying pays off when I have cows in the pens. The farther away I stay, the more likely the mother is to lay down and do her job in a timely manner. I can pretend as though I am walking through the hospital pen and cast a glance over my shoulder. It seems to be far enough away not to get her to hop up and be anxious. If I stand in the doorway of our vet room, I can see far enough into the pens so as not to be suspicious to the mother. Both spy methods have proven quite effective.

Now, as I write, I spy with my little eyes the hands on the clock telling me it is time for the children to rise. Another busy day is destined to arrive.

Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and farm 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira, Dane, Henry and Cora, help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos, and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.

Stay connected with current programs

By Steve Frericks

Stearns County FSA executive director

It’s a great feeling; that feeling of having enough feed from an exceptional harvest to feed livestock this next year. What a difference a year can make after the drought of 2021. Be proud of what you have accomplished this past year. We certainly are proud of you. Stay safe as you nalize harvest.

Below is a listing of several current programs that might affect producers. Do not hesitate to contact a local Farm Service Agency ofce with questions.

It is that time of year again when dairy producers start thinking about the coverage level they may want to take for the Dairy Margin Coverage program. DMC offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. For DMC enrollment, producers must certify with the FSA ofce that their operation is commercially marketing milk, sign all required forms and pay the $100 administrative fee. This fee is waived for farmers who are considered limited resource, beginning, socially disadvantaged or a military veteran.

To determine the appropriate level of DMC coverage for a specic dairy operation, producers can use the online dairy decision tool at farmers.gov. The annual registration and coverage election period for 2023 will take place from Oct. 17 to Dec. 9. Producers will be able to apply for 2023 DMC by contacting a U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center.

Producers are reminded to report any fall-seeded crops such as winter wheat or rye before the FSA annual reporting deadline of Nov. 15 on form FSA-578. There currently is not an established reporting deadline for cover crops as of this publication date, but we invite those producers with cover crops to report this information also. Stay in contact with the local ofce should a deadline be established for benet by the Risk Management Agency.

USDA has made available $20 million in cost-share assistance to help agricultural producers in Kentucky, Minnesota, South Dakota and surrounding areas to rebuild storage facilities damaged by devastating natural disaster events in 2021 and 2022. This assistance will help producers who were hit by disasters and are currently struggling with a lack of available grain storage.

This assistance will be designed to help producers affected by the December 2021 tornadoes that passed through eleven counties in Kentucky as well as producers in Minnesota and South Dakota affected by the derechos (severe thunderstorms and straight-line winds) that swept through these states in May and July.

Similar to other USDA cost-share programs, USDA anticipates that the funds announced will cover 75% of the eligible expenses associated with building grain storage capacity or purchasing equipment such as grain baggers for a producer’s own use or for a shared-cost arrangement among a group of producers who want to use a common facility.

The program will be primarily focused on supporting producers or

groups of producers in their efforts to build new storage capacity in eligible areas where there is a shortage of local grain storage. Details on the program and the process to seek cost share will be available in a future notice, but USDA also has an existing Farm Storage Facility Loan Program that can immediately provide low-interest nancing.

Through proactive communications and outreach, USDA will keep producers and stakeholders informed as program eligibility and application and implementation details are made available in the coming weeks.

As we move into the colder months in the Midwest, keep in mind that the Livestock Indemnity Program provides assistance for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather, disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law.

For disease losses, FSA county committees can accept veterinarian certications. For 2022 livestock losses, a notice must be led within 30 calendar days of when the loss is rst apparent. The following supporting documentation must also be provided to the local FSA ofce no later than 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the eligible loss condition occurred.

– Proof of death documentation.

– Copy of grower’s contracts.

– Proof of normal mortality documentation.

USDA has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight

range of eligible livestock. These established percentages reect losses that are considered expected or typical under normal conditions. In addition to ling a notice of loss, an application for payment must be submitted by March 1, 2023.

Livestock inventory records are necessary in the event of a natural disaster, so remember to keep them updated. To participate in livestock disaster assistance programs, veriable documentation of death losses resulting from an eligible adverse weather event must be provided and a notice of loss must be submitted to the local FSA ofce within 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is apparent. For grazing or feed losses, a notice of loss must be submitted to the local FSA ofce within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent; documentation and receipts should be maintained.

All pertinent information regarding livestock inventory records should be kept, including documentation of the number, kind, type and weight range of livestock; and beginning inventory supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts.

For more information, contact the local county USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.

Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 20250. Visit www.fsa.usda.gov for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs

My favorite month

October has to be one of my favorite months of the year. It is a month full of energy, excitement, stress, colors and peace wrapped up in 31 days. October is a month of both closures and new beginnings. It is an adventure awaiting every morning when I pop out of bed.

Take the weather, for example. The weather vane on top of the old hip roof barn is getting dizzy from the shifting winds. It is like watching a tennis match between the seasons, and we are the net. The frigid northwest winds start the match with an opening serve of freezing temperatures bringing a shrieking halt to the growing seasons. Blankets wrapped around my tomato plants can’t keep the killing temperatures at bay. My garden is ofcially done. Next year, I’ll know to put out the plants a bit earlier if I want to have ripe tomatoes in the fall. The end of June is pushing the limits on our growing season up here.

It was quite a shock to wake up one of these cold mornings to nd snow covering the yard. But, I have to remember we do live in Minnesota, home of the Hal-

loween blizzard of 1991 when 2-feet of snow fell. It also snowed this same week two years ago when we had our sale. Fortunately, this snow melted by noon, and we knew we had limited time before the snow would return and stay until next year. These cold morning temperatures are nudging me to start pulling out the winter gear from summer storage.

All of a sudden, the weather vane spun around with a blistering return volley of warm southerly winds as summer tried to stay in control for a bit longer. Sweatshirts and stocking caps were shed as daytime temperatures rose. It was a second chance for us to wrap up our outside jobs with warm hands. The tarps on our calf domes have all been folded and stored away. I pulled out the tote with all the calf blankets and jackets to keep our new replacements snuggly warm on cold winter days.

I’ve noticed our recent newborn calves are already dressed for cold weather. The last calf born is so fuzzy with a wavy thick coat of hair twisted in cowlicks across her poll and body. She is so cute and yet fashionably

dressed for the weather ahead. Here’s something to ponder. When her dam was bred nine month earlier, it was springtime and her gestation period was during the hot summer months. How did she know she would need a thick coat of hair when she was born? Just asking.

Thinking Out Loud

This second chance at getting ready for winter around the farm has been a welcome reprieve. Austin was able to plant a rye cover crop over the barren soybean elds to hold the top soil in place during the windy days. This is one the new ideas he brought home to upgrade our cropping operation. He had a couple of small cropping experiment projects around the farm this summer. I’m looking forward to hearing the nal take on how these new ideas are working. It is different than how we’ve done things, but there is room for everyone to learn new things and apply this knowledge.

By Natalie Schmitt Columnist

October is one of the few months where you can dress for all four seasons of the year in four weeks. We went from shorts and T-shirts to stocking hats and winter gloves in a matter of a few days. I take it as a personal challenge to see how long we can hold off before we turn on the furnace. I cheat by baking on those really cold days, but when the temps dropped to the teens, that was it for me. I turned on the furnace to take the chill out of the house. Then, the winds shifted and summer returned. I refuse to turn the air conditioner back on. I’ll let the warm air help to warm up the house.

I did notice the fan in the tractor cab quit working on a consistent basis when I was chopping corn stalks. The sun warmed up the cab to the point where I wanted to run the air conditioner for a bit. Instead, I had to settle for the side windows being cracked and hopefully catching a cross breeze. Once in a while, I noticed the fan would kick on when I hit a pivot track a bit too fast and jarred it into operation, sending a cooling breeze around the cab. We’ll need to get that xed before winter. I’ll add it to our growing to-do list.

I can cross two things off my list. The whipping winds have cleared all the trees of their colorful leaves and scattered them across the yard. The general rule around here is if you make a mess, you clean up your mess. Since the winds made the mess, they are cleaning it up by swirling leaves and corn stalk debris across the yard and pushing the trash into the cleared corn elds surrounding our farm. The wind is returning the organic matter back to the soil. I’ll have to touch it up a bit where some leaves were caught in the hedge row. Because the trees are clear of their leaves, I can also get the rain gutters cleaned and maybe hang up some Christmas lights while it is warm outside. The only downside of letting the wind help with my jobs is all the dirt swirling around. It is difcult to wash windows until things settle down. Oh well, a job for another time.

I guess the best part about it being October is the dust and cobwebs collecting at my front door are now considered Halloween decorations to welcome trick or treaters. I just need to add a few colorful mums and pumpkins to nish the look.

As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark are starting a new adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.

Fairy tales, part two

Our fair season was truly one to remember. In addition to the tales of Daphne and Daisy and Monika and Galadriel, which I shared in the rst chapter of this column, there were several other moments worth memorializing.

Dan placed the classes well enough and delivered his reasons well enough to take 10th place overall. As one of his dairy judging coaches, I saw rst-hand how hard he worked on improving his reasons this summer and couldn’t be more proud of his success.

I also saw how hard all of the 4-H’ers on our county’s dairy judging team worked this summer. I shouldn’t have been surprised – but I was a little – that Dan’s teammates did well. With one teammate placing fourth overall, another 12th, and another 22nd, Dan’s team placed rst in the contest. They also placed rst in oral reasons, an incredible feat in its own right.

By

When one door opens, another closes. This was Daphne’s rst year as a full-edged 4-H’er, but it was our nieces’ last year. Hailey and Kallie have been showing our cows through the 4-H lease program since they were just a little older than Daphne is now. I spent the entire fair season blinking back tears whenever this nality popped into my thoughts.

Not only was it Kallie and Hailey’s last year, it was the last year for Cherry and Cobbler, our Holstein cows. Kallie showed Cherry for the past ve years; Hailey showed Cobbler, Cherry’s daughter, for the past three years. Both pairs had remarkable success during that time, both in the ring and in showmanship.

Hailey and Kallie capped the experience with two last trips to the Minnesota State Fair, two more purple ribbons, two spots in the nal round of showmanship, and lots of bittersweet, grateful tears. Taking Cherry and Cobbler’s halters off after that last trailer ride home from the state fair and watching them walk out in the yard will forever be etched in my memory.

For Dan, this was the year his luck nally turned. As Dan had so desperately hoped coming into this show season, his Milking Shorthorn 2-year-old, Glitzy, bloomed into a beautiful cow. They showed their way to the third spot in our county state fair lineup and earned two champion ribbons at the state fair: overall and net merit. Glitzy sure made up for all of Dan’s show heifers who never made it into a cow class.

Dan found success in dairy judging as well. Last year, as an intermediate, he ended up on the wrong side of a tie for 10th place overall and missed out on a ribbon. This year, he aged up to the senior division and its three sets of oral reasons. When it was all said and done,

The dairy judging team’s rst-place nish meant our season didn’t end at the state fair. The tale continued with the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo.

For dairy kids, the most magical place on earth isn’t Disney World; it’s World Dairy Expo. For Dan and one of his teammates (and his sisters, who got to come along to watch), our team’s berth in the national contest earned them their rst trip to Expo. It was a delight to watch them take in the sights and experiences of the cattle shows, barns, and trade show.

The national contest itself, with 10 classes and ve sets of reasons, is a daunting prospect. Dan and his teammates were nervous but composed. And when the awards were announced, they were rewarded for the extra time and effort they put into practice. Their team placed third overall and rst place in oral reasons. Dan placed 17th overall and was named an All-American. I couldn’t be more proud of Dan and his teammates.

And, so, just when we thought the tale was going to end, the page turns and the story keeps going. The team’s third-place nish earned them a spot in the international dairy judging contest at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland next summer.

In this next chapter, our fairy tales will become a lot like real life fairy tales. The International Dairy Judging Tour will include ying away to a faroff place, a foreign quest, journeying to ancient castles, and more seemingly unbelievable experiences.

I can’t write the ending yet, because there’s more to come. But, I can say that the 4-H dairy project, with all its facets, is a place where dairy kids go on fairy tale level adventures and dreams come true.

Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children – Dan, Monika, and Daphne. Sadie also writes a blog at www. dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.

CLASSIFIED

DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN TOP SECRET!

It’s no secret that a Dairy Star classied ad can help you eliminate those unwanted items!

Call 320-352-6303 or e-mail nancy.p@dairystar.com