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DAIRY ST R
October 9, 2021
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 23, No. 16
Johnsons strive to stay relevant in the industry Family receives producer of the year award By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Trinity Johnson (second from right) points out parts of the cross venƟlated barn during a Minnesota Milk Producers AssociaƟon tour Oct. 1 at Johnson’s 1,200-cow dairy, Johnson Rolling Acres, near Peterson, Minnesota. Johnson is one of six partners in the farm.
PETERSON, Minn. – Mark and Trinity Johnson had no hesitations when Minnesota Milk Producers Association contacted them about giving a tour of their dairy to several Minnesota Milk members traveling through the area. “We have an open-door policy,” Mark said. “We like showing what we do.” However, they were surprised when Shannon Watrin, Minnesota Milk membership director, presented their farm and family with the organization’s producer of the year award. “It’s a huge honor just to be nominated,” Trinity said. “It makes us feel like our farm is doing something right. And, to actually be recognized by our peers is a huge thing.” Six partners in the Johnson family – Mark, Brad, Richard, Trinity, Lee and Zac – own Johnson Rolling Acres, which includes a 1,200-cow dairy near Peterson, Minnesota. Mark and Trinity take care of the dairy portion of the farm while Richard manages the crops and is the whole farm manager. Brad is in charge of the 10,000 hogs the farm
Turn to JOHNSONS | Page 7
Vellemas give their sons opportuniy Harris dairy brings in the next generation By Jerry Nelson
jerry.n@dairystar.com
HARRIS, Iowa – Working with family can be one of the best benets of dairy farming. This has certainly been the case for Paul and Phyllis Vellema, who raised ve children – Neal, Allison, Lee, Rachael, and Greg – on the farm. They fostered a love for dairying that brought back the next generation as Neal and Greg have now become part of the 200-cow dairy near Harris. “I always wanted to farm,” said Neal, who joined the operation seven years ago. He and his wife, Laura, have four children: Henry, 9, Sadie, 7, Eli, 5, and Simon, 3. Neal is the farm’s herdsman and handles building maintenance. Greg is the farm’s chief mechanic and is in charge of eldwork. The Vellemas raise enough corn, soybeans and alfalfa to supply all of their dairy
herd’s needs. “As far back as I can remember, dairy farming is what I wanted to do,” Greg said. “I joined the operation three years ago, shortly after graduating from high school. Going to college was never a consideration for me.” The Vellema dairy operation has been engaged in generational transition during the past few years. “As of Jan. 1, I will no longer own any cows,” Paul said. “The entire dairy herd will have been transferred over to the boys, with each of them owning half.” There are several reasons behind this transition, including health issues and the inevitability of aging. But one of the biggest motivators for Paul is simply being there for his sons and doing everything he can to help them succeed. “My father passed away when he was 67 and I was 24,” Paul said. “I can’t tell you how many times I wished he were
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
The Vellemas – (from leŌ) Paul, Phyllis, Greg and Neal – milk 200 cows on their family’s dairy, which is inside the city limits of Harris, Iowa. here just so that I could ask his advice or get his opinion about something I was going to do. I want to work with the boys for as long as I can. I will give them advice when they ask for it. But I will also let them make their own decisions, even if I don’t neces-
sarily agree with them.” Neal and Greg have already made some decisions that are having positive effects. Last winter, they started breeding heifers and rst lactation cows with sexed semen. “Everything else gets bred
to an Angus sire. We are getting the rst Angus crossbred calves, which we hope to sell for a better price than what we would get for purebred Holstein calves,” Neal said.
Turn to VELLEMAS | Page 6
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Krista Kuzma - Editor/Wisconsin (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (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 Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 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 Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa) 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 Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters.
North America dealers. Walz announces drought relief package
Dairy Prole brought to you by your Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced a $10 million drought relief package to support Minnesota farmers and livestock producers impacted by the severe drought conditions during the 2021 growing season. Much of the state has experienced moderate to extreme drought this year, with portions of the state in exceptional drought. The proposal includes $5 million in rapid response grants to help reimburse farmers for water hauling, wells and irrigation. There’s also $5 million included for the Rural Finance Authority’s Disaster Recovery Loan Program. The drought relief package will be considered in an upcoming special session of the Minnesota Legislature, expected to happen in October. CCC funds to be used to address drought, supply chain disruptions The USDA has unveiled a $3 billion plan to address the drought, animal diseases and supply chain issues. Drought recovery, water management and ag market disruption relief efforts will receive $500 million. USDA is proposing $1.5 billion to help schools respond to supply chain disruptions. USDA is using Commodity Credit Corporation funds to pay for these efforts. Port problems expected to continue into 2022 A coalition of nearly 80 agriculture and food groups is urging the Biden administration to resolve the current port issues. The hurricane damage at the Port of New Orleans has received many of the headlines, but labor shortages have also inuenced the business on the West Coast. A record number of ships have been anchored off the coast. Dairy exports typically move out of the ports at Long Beach and Los Angeles. Vilsack outlines USDA’s focus in climate-smart ag USDA is investing in pilot projects that promote and monitor the benets of climate-smart conservation practices. The agency is seeking public input on the design of the new initiative, taking comments through the Federal Register by Nov. 1. “We need to
GA 4230 T & GA 4231 T
Ag Insider
By Don Wick Columnist
EPA to release portion of updated WOTUS rule in November In the last month, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosted six listening sessions about the Waters of the United States rule. The agencies are also reviewing more than 32,000 pre-proposal recommendations. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the plan is to hold dialogues and regional roundtables later this fall and winter. The goal is creating a more durable WOTUS denition that provides certainty. “The agencies won’t be reinstating the Navigable Waters Protection rule or the Clean Water rule. It’s our intent to learn from stakeholder experiences.” The EPA is focused on rulemaking and hope to propose a foundational rule this November. “A second rule building on that foundation should be released next winter.” Regan made the comments at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture’s annual meeting.
Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 5
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The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
accelerate the development of science-based solutions and continue to develop new tools to pinpoint barriers,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Meeting the commitment of zero emissions by 2050 will not happen based on current technology. The private sector needs to be engaged in solutions.” Vilsack also talked about the many existing farm bill programs that already incentivize farmers to focus on conservation, including crop insurance. In the next three years, the USDA plans to make climatesmart agriculture and forestry a priority in the implementation for all farm bill programs.
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 2, 8 First Section
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Clay
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Country Cooking
Lyon
Osceola O’Brien
Sioux
Plymouth
Page 30 Second Section
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Crawford Carroll
Kanabec Worth
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Mitchell Howard Floyd
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Dallas
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Jasper
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Zone 1
Harris
Zone 2
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Vellema family dairy is bringing in its next generation
Mo
Page
Taylor
Union ld
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Clarke
Lucas
Decatur Wayne
Monroe Wapello se
Ap
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Davis
Jones
Linn
Iowa
Jackson Clinton
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Madison Warren Marion Mahaska Keokuk
Adair
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Dela
Scott
Muscatine Louisa
Wa
Pottawattamie Cass
First Section: Pages 1, 7
Clayton
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ch
Bu
Po
Au
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Harrison Shelby
Black Hawk
Tama
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Story
Fayette
Bremer
Wright Franklin Butler
Boone
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Webster Hamilton Hardin Grundy
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Sac
ago
neb
Win
Kossuth
Johnsons strive to stay relevant in the industry
Houston
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Turner
Bon Yankton Homme
Fillimore
Mower
iek
Hutchinson
Freeborn
Faribault
Martin
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Charles Mix
Jackson
sh
Gregory
Nobles
Peterson Winona
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Tripp
H
Rock
Cottonwood Watonwan Blue Earth Waseca Steele Dodge Olmsted
am
Douglas
McCook Minnehaha
Murray
Wabasha
All
Mellette
on
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Moody
Goodhue
Rice
in
Aurora
Lake
Nicollet Brown
ton
Brule
Todd
Miner
Lyman
Un
Pages 10 - 11 Bennett Second Section
Sanborn
Da
Jackson
Jerauld
Redwood
ing
Buffalo
Brookings
Dakota
Scott
Sibley Lyon
W
Kingsbury
Yellow Medicine
Carver
sh
Beadle
Hughes
Haakon
Hennepin McLeod
Renville
iek
Hamlin Hand
Wright
Meeker
sh
Hyde
Lincoln
Sully
Deuel
Isanti
Anoka Kandiyohi
Chippewa
Lac Qui Parle
Codington Clark
Pipestone
Faulk Spink
Jones
Sherburne
Swift
n
Shannon
Day
Stearns
Pope
Grant
Ziebach
Stanley
Benton
Stevens
Big Stone
Washington
Edmunds
Pine
Mille Lacs
Morrison
Douglas
we
Brown Walworth
Todd Grant
Third Section: Pages 10 - 11
Carlton
Crow Wing
go
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Roberts
Marshall
McPherson
Otter Tail
Kids Corner: The Czanstkowkis
Aitkin
ms ey
Campbell
Corson
Sargent
Delano Cass
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Page 32 First Section Perkins
Dickey
McIntosh
Sioux
Becker
Clay
Richland
Itasca
Ra
Emmons
Pennington
Fall River
Ma
Ransom
LaMoure
Logan
Grant
Potter
Custer
Cass
Morton
Adams
Page 33 Meade First Section
Bames
Cook Lake
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Stutsman
en
m hno
Wilkin
Kidder
Tra ver se
Burleigh
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Hettinger Page 31 First Section
Dairy Good Life
Lawrence
Polk
Trail
Steele
Oliver
Dewey Butte
Griggs
Norman
From the Zweber Farm Harding
Foster
Wadena
Sheridan Mercer
St. Louis
Red Lake
Eddy Wells
Koochiching
Pennington
Grand Forks
vi so n
Bowman
Beltrami
Benson
McLean
Veterinary Stark Wisdom
Slope
Lake of the Woods
Marshall Nelson
Billings Golden Valley
Roseau
Walsh
Ramsey
McHenry
Ward
Dear County Agent Guy
Kittson
Clearwater
Mountrail
Page 30 First Dunn Section
Pembina
Pierce
Williams
McKenzie
Cavalier
Towner
Su
Rolette
Second Section: Pages 20 - 21
Le
Bottineau
Burke
Page 27 First Section
Crop & Weather Reports
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
First Section: Pages 10 - 11
From My PerspectiveRenville
Willow River
Rieke finds balance, joy in long distance running
Hubbard
Page 26 First Section
Divide
Franklin
Radermachers use MDI to navigate farm transition planning
n
On the Road with Princess Kay
on
ers
f Jef
Van Buren
Henry Des
Moines
Lee
Spring Grove
Wistes, Ruds receive Houston County recognition First Section: Pages 8 - 9
First Section: Pages 1, 6
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of dairying in your area? First Section: Pages 15 - 16
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 5
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 2 FSA state directors to be named in October, November When Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack met with the National Farmers Union for its virtual y-in, he addressed the status of the Farm Service Agency’s state appointments. Vilsack told attendees “Within 30 days we’ll likely be getting more information on the state FSA executive directors. The information may come in two waves, but what’s taken so long is the vetting process.” Appointments will continue to roll out in the next one to two months. Milk production on the rise In the 21 major dairy states, August milk production increased 1.1% from one year ago. South Dakota had the biggest increase in production, up more than 16%. That was helped by a 22,000-head increase in the size of the state’s cow herd. Minnesota milk production rose 2.3%. Dairy consumption rises despite pandemic In 2020, the average American consumed 655 pounds of milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter and other dairy products. That’s an increase of three pounds per person from the previous year. USDA’s Economic Research Service said ice cream consumption increased 6% year-over-year. Yogurt consumption was up 3% and butter was up 2%. Per capita cheese consumption declined a quarter of a pound from 2019 to 2020. Milk consumption was at. Gallagher to leave DMI, O’Brien named new CEO Dairy Management Inc. CEO Tom Gallagher is leaving the dairy checkoff to pursue teaching and other opportunities. Gallagher led the national dairy checkoff for 30 years. The current DMI President and Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy CEO Barbara O’Brien will succeed Gallagher. There will be a time of transition as these changes are made, but it is unclear how long that will be. At World
Dairy Expo, Gallagher said the dairy checkoff program can do things to make farmers happy or focus on selling dairy products. “You want support for the program, but support for the program comes if you achieve your mission and not because you do things that people think are good ideas and really aren’t,” said Gallagher. “Stay on the mission; sell the product; build trust.” NFO leader passes Former National Farmers Organization President DeVon Woodland has died. Woodland, 92, served as the NFO president in the 1970s and 1980s. In addition to his work on farm policy, Woodland was part of the organization’s emphasis on supply management. During Woodland’s 23 years in leadership, NFO members pooled together large volumes of grain and livestock to gain leverage for better prices. Former ASA CEO moves to Farmers Edge The former CEO of the American Soybean Association has been hired by the Farmers Edge dairy cooperative as its strategic ventures manager. Ryan Findlay founded a consulting group last year after being terminated by the ASA. Trivia challenge Krysta Harden is the president/CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, what dairy breed is known for producing milk with a high concentration of beta carotene? We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
ConƟnued from VELLEMAS | Page 1
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Greg Vellema greases the applicator toolbar he uses to inject manure into cropland. Greg started a custom manure dragline business this past spring. Greg made a decision this past spring when he started a dragline manure application business. “I inject the manure for our farm and have done the pumping for several hog operations in our neighborhood,” Greg said. He also does some custom baling with his big round baler. The Vellema farm today is a big difference from when Greg and Neal’s grandparents purchased the farm in 1955 for $235 per acre. Paul’s parents, Henry and Bertha, dairy farmed from 1963 to 1972, with a herd of cows that grew to 80 head. The family milked with four units in a 12-cow stanchion barn. “As a kid, I didn’t want much to do with the dairy cows,” Paul said. “I had 10 siblings, so there was always plenty of help around to do the milking and the chores.” Paul and one of his brothers took over the farm after their parents passed away. Paul and Phyllis got married in 1985. They had known each other since kindergarten. “We weren’t sweethearts all those years,” said Phyllis, who grew up on a small dairy farm. “We didn’t start dating until after high school.” The mid-1980s were a tough period for farmers across the Midwest. The Vellema farm was among the many that suffered nancial distress. “We had been married a year and
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JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
Greg Vellema stands in the double-5 herringbone parlor on his family’s dairy in Harris, Iowa. It takes one person about eight hours to milk their 200 Holstein cows.
weren’t making any money raising crops and feeding hogs,” Paul said. “Phyllis said, ‘Why don’t we milk some cows?’ So we went to our banker, and he said there was no way he would give us a loan, especially with the federal dairy buyout going on. Phyllis said, ‘Well, I’ve saved some money.’” The Vellemas used part of the $5,000 Phyllis had saved to purchase used dairy equipment. Then they attended a farm auction in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, where they bought four registered Holstein cows for $1,000 per head. “From then on, we would buy another cow whenever we could afford it,” Paul said. One day, a milk inspector pointed out to the Vellemas that the concrete in their dairy barn had worn out and was beyond repair. Paul and Phyllis tore down their old barn and built a new facility in its place. The new barn featured free stalls and a double-4 herringbone milking parlor. The parlor has since been upgraded to a double-5 herringbone. Over the years, the Vellemas gradually grew their operation to its present size of 200 head. While farming keeps him busy, Greg also likes to share farming experiences on Instagram and currently has nearly 9,000 followers. “I saw that other farmers were on Instagram and thought that this was something that I could do,” Greg said. “Being on Instagram has been fun. I enjoy answering the questions from my followers. I like to make sure that they are getting the correct information about modern farming practices.” Expanding the dairy herd is one change that will not be taking place at the Vellema dairy farm. “Our farmstead lies entirely within the city limits of the town of Harris, so our dairy is locked into its current size,” Neal said. “It’s like having 150 neighbors located a quarter of a mile away. We are always doing our best to be good neighbors.” While hard work and diligence are important, Paul gives credit for their farm’s success to a higher power. “I was born and raised in the church,” Paul said. “But it wasn’t until I was nancially down to nothing at age 27 that I truly accepted Christ as my savior. Everything that we have we owe to God. Everything that has happened has been a part of His plan. We are hugely blessed.” Paul is looking forward to the next chapter as his family’s dairy farm transitions to its third generation. “I’m excited for what the future holds,” Paul said. “I continue to enjoy every aspect of dairy farming, from working with the cattle to raising crops to hauling manure. We are especially blessed to be able to work together as a family. I was given a huge opportunity. And now it’s the boys’ turn to have their opportunity.”
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 7
ConƟnued from JOHNSONS | Page 1
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
The Johnson family – (from leŌ) Ellen Eide, Gerald Eide, Cindy, Mark, Brad, Kari, Pam, Richard, Emily, Trinity, Meridith, Lee, Serena and Zac – is this year’s Minnesota Milk Producers AssociaƟon Producer of the Year award winner. They milk 1,200 cows on their farm, Johnson Rolling Acres, near Peterson, Minnesota.
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Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Family one of core values of their farm
Wistes, Ruds receive Houston County recognition By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
SPRING GROVE, Minn. – Values the Wiste and Rud families base their decisions on for their farm were learned from generations before them. “Try to do what you can for yourself and x what you can,” Dan Wiste said. “I learned most of my values from Depression-era guys, which I think has served me well through the ‘80s and when times were tough in dairy.” It is still how the 62-cow dairy operates today, even as Dan and Cheryl Wiste work together with the upcoming generations – their daughter, Amanda Rud, along with her husband, Bjorn, and their children, Abby, 10, Kailey, 8, Jake, 6, and Emily, 4. The families were named this year’s
Houston County Farm Family of the Year. “It’s an honor,” Amanda said. “It was a surprise.” Family is what makes farming so special for the Wistes and Ruds. It is also what drew Amanda back to the dairy after she graduated in 2009 from St. Mary’s University in Winona. “I get to raise my kids around this environment,” she said. “I also get to learn what my dad has learned over the years.” Dan is used to having so many family members around. He grew up helping his parents and grandparents on the dairy, before joining the operation after graduating from high school in 1971. The Wistes built a new barn for their herd the year before. “That fall, my dad started getting such bad arthritis in his hands,” Dan said. “I was going to go to (college at) either Calmar or Waseca. But then my dad asked me to stay here to milk for a year before going to college, which never happened.” Instead, Dan started receiving 5% of the milk check right out of high school and
Turn to HOUSTON COUNTY | Page 9
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
The Wiste farm where the family milks 62 cows is located in Houston County north of Spring Grove, Minnesota.
Dan and Cheryl Wiste along with their daughter, Amanda Rud, and two of their grandsons, Gavin MaƩson (held by Dan) and Cole MaƩson, stand on their 62cow dairy near Spring Grove, Minnesota.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 9
ConƟnued from HOUSTON COUNTY | Page 10 gradually bought in from there. “I just like being outside and being able to do so many different things,” Dan said about what he loves about farming. “I always liked the livestock part of it, and I’ve always liked milking cows.” It is a chore he and Amanda do every day. The two of them work together to do the majority of the day-to-day chores; however, Bjorn pitches in when he is not working his off-farm job, and he and Amanda’s four kids like being on the farm, too. Cheryl assists when she is able and a lot of times has two grandkids, Cole, 3, and Gavin, 1, around. They are the children of another daughter and son-in-law, Rachel and Josh Mattson. Dan and Cheryl’s son, Jim, works off the farm. “One night, Amanda and Cheryl were milking, and Amanda’s girls were sorting the switch cows. Everybody was here doing something,” Dan said. “I like that we get everyone involved.” Using her business degree, Amanda also does all the bookwork for the farm. Within the herd, the Wistes and Ruds focus on components rather than pounds of milk. Plus, they focus on good feet and legs, along with a large amount of body capacity. “That’s where the milk comes from is the capacity,” Amanda said. “They don’t have to be so tall, but big framed. A big cow isn’t always tall.” Dan agreed. “We just want those good sound cows,” he said. “That’s the type of breeding we’ve looked for, for many years.”
The father-daughter duo said using the triple A mating program has been helpful for their breeding program. “We’ve gotten a lot more uniform cattle and more aggressive calves because of it,” Amanda said. As the main calf feeder, Amanda appreciates when calves are healthy, especially after enduring illness in the youngstock for several years after she joined the farm – something she considers one of the biggest challenges of her dairy farming career. “We were losing so many calves to a respiratory disease,” she said. “I was ghting with it and ghting with it, and I didn’t know what to do. We tried so many shot protocols the vet kept giving us. We posted calves and it would all come back as mycoplasma. So, I ordered special mycoplasma vaccines. That didn’t take care of it, either.” At one point, Amanda was losing about 12-15 calves per year. “Now we’re switching 11 but there was awhile where we had 15 open stalls in the barn,” Amanda said. “We didn’t have heifers because we were losing them and getting a lot of bull calves besides.” Dan read a story of a South Dakota dairy farmer with similar issues whose problems stemmed from bad water. So, Amanda and Dan looked into it, had their well tested and nally found their problem. High bacteria levels in the well were causing nitrate poisoning in the calves. Until they were able to get a
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
The Wistes – (front row, from leŌ) Dan Wiste holding Gavin MaƩson, Jake Rud, Cole MaƩson, Cheryl Wiste holding Emily Rud, Kailey Rud and Abby Rud; (back row, from leŌ) Josh MaƩson, Rachel MaƩson, Bjorn Rud, Amanda Rud and Jim Wiste – are this year’s Houston County Farm Family of the Year. They milk 62 cows near Spring Grove, Minnesota. new well, Amanda brought water from neighboring farms to theirs and carried seven 5-gallon pails for mixing milk replacer for the calves twice a day. Since installing the well two years ago, they have only lost three calves and have increased milk production by 7 pounds of milk per cow per day. “We didn’t know to check our water for years,” Dan said. Amanda said the new well has saved them money on medication and vaccines, has in-
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creased production and their milk check, and gives them more live animals. “That was the best $25,000 we spent,” she said. “We feed out all our steers too so that’s a huge amount of money we lost out on. Now we don’t have room for all our cattle.” While milk price is always uctuating, it has not been a major concern for the Wistes and Ruds because of their diversication. Along with milk, they also sell fat cattle, corn and soybeans.
“We usually have something to sell throughout the year,” Dan said. “In the ‘80s when things were bad, we also had a lot of pigs. We have never limited ourselves or relied on just one commodity for income. It goes back to what they learned from generations before them – to use what they have and try to be self-sufcient.
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
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Three generaƟons of Radermachers, (front, from leŌ) Lilly, Maria, AusƟn and Jessica; (back row) Aiden, Faith, Audrey, Greg, Asher and Aaron, gather Oct. 4 in the barn on their dairy near Brooten, Minnesota. The Radermachers are using the MDI program to help with farm transiƟon. 717.354.5040 | New Holland, PA
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BROOTEN, Minn. – Knowing where to start can be the hardest part about doing something new. For Aaron and Jessica Radermacher, letting Minnesota Dairy Initiative take the lead on navigating their farm transition process was the move they needed to get the ball rolling. “It’s been a great help,” Aaron said of working with MDI. “Instead of everything being on our shoulders to try and gure out how everything is going to work or where to start, it takes a lot of stress off us to have someone there who can schedule meetings and get the right people to help us out.” Aaron and Jessica farm with Aaron’s parents, Greg and Audrey Radermacher. They milk 200 cows on their farm, Radermacher Dairy, LLC, near
Brooten. They have been using MDI to set up the successful transition of the farm years down the road. “This is a 30-year transition process for us,” Aaron said. “It’s not necessarily about a specic date, but about having Mom and Dad be able take on different responsibilities so they don’t have to worry about the everyday tasks. They will still be involved, but slowly backing out of it.” Greg and Audrey started farming in 1977. When Aaron returned to the farm in 2001, they started looking at improvement plans for their dairy to be able to sustain more than one family. In 2011, they expanded their herd to 150 milk cows by putting up a new freestall barn and parlor, but it wasn’t until the end of 2019 when the Radermachers sat down with MDI to get the farm transition process going and look at what changes they could make now to improve the efciencies of their dairy. They worked with MDI Team Coordinator Kristen Salzl, who helped connect the Radermachers with the people who could make their goals a reality. Those people make up the team the Radermachers meet with routinely to discuss possibilities, research items and lay out plans. “Really, (Salzl) is the one who puts everything Turn to RADERMACHERS | Page 11
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Aaron Radermacher (leŌ) visits with his parents, Audrey and Greg, in their freestall barn Oct. 4 near Brooten, Minnesota. The Radermachers milk 200 cows.
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 11
ConƟnued from RADERMACHERS | Page 10
in motion. She does the contacting and sets meetings up,” Aaron said. “At rst, (Salzl) touched base with us every week in the beginning. Then we were meeting with our team about once a month to get the ball rolling.” “They are just so great with the communication piece,” Jessica said of MDI. “It’s such a relief knowing we don’t have to be the ones constantly reaching out and guring out what to do next.” MDI started by researching someone who specialized in farm transition consulting and planning. They ended up connecting the Radermachers with Ascent Financial in Mankato, and they t perfectly into what the Radermachers needed.
their dairy. More recently, the Radermachers had University of Minnesota Extension educator Jim Salfer assist with improving various farm efciencies. “We are at that 200-cow herd and we are not being as efcient as we can be with our labor,” Aaron said. “That’s when (Salzl) brought in Jim Salfer to help break some of our records down and gure out where we can be more efcient to generate more cash.” To become a more efcient operation, the Radermachers and their team discussed the opportunities if the herd was a different breed. “We have been wrestling with the idea for several years about switching over to all Jerseys,” Aaron said. “So, we had a meeting with Jim, (Salzl) “It’s such a relief and our nutritionist to see what was to be more protable. And for knowing we don’t going us, it is going to be transitioning to have to be the ones Jerseys.” Among all the changes and goal constantly reaching out setting, family remains an important piece of the Radermachers’ current and guring out what and future plans. Aaron’s brother and nephew are full-time employees, and to do next.” Aaron and Jessica’s children, Faith, 15, Aiden, 13, Lilly, 11, Austin, 8, JESSICA RADERMACHER, DAIRY FARMER Maria, 5, and Asher, 2, assist with farm chores and activities. All of the A Farm Business Management goals they set when working with instructor has also been a key player on MDI are to help create a family farm the Radermachers’ MDI team, as well that will be successful now and years as their nutritionist, veterinarian and down the road. agronomist. Each person offers spe“I’m excited to keep working with cic perspectives and talents related to MDI,” Aaron said. “They can really their elds that help the Radermachers help family farms so much.” in implementing changes that can help
Funds available to update livestock operations Minnesota livestock farmers and ranchers seeking to improve their livestock operation are encouraged to apply for the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Livestock Investment Grant program. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) anticipates awarding up to $1.3 million using a competitive review process. There will be two rounds of funding. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply during the Fall 2021 round. In Winter/Spring 2022, we will issue a second RFP for any remaining funds. The AGRI Program’s Livestock Investment Grants encourage long-term industry development in Minnesota’s $7 billion livestock industry through investment in facilities, infrastructure, and equipment. Funding for the grants comes through the AGRI Program to advance Minnesota’s agricultural and renewable energy industries. Applicants may apply for up to 10% of their project’s total cost. Grant awards can range in size from $400 to $25,000. Each livestock operation is eligible to receive a lifetime maximum of $50,000 from this grant program. To be eligible for reimbursement by this grant, you must be invoiced and pay for all project materials and services after January 1, 2022. We must receive your proposal no later than 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021 for it to be considered. More information about the grant can be found on the AGRI Livestock Investment Grant website.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Wedded bliss on the farm Zunker, Kaufmann-Luft get married on Conrath dairy By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com
CONRATH, Wis. – Lexi Zunker and Pete Kaufmann-Luft were married at Lexi’s family farm Sept. 25. It was a fairy tale wedding for Lexi. Lexi and her brother, Dale, are the fth generation on the farm they own with their parents, Andy and Valerie, near Conrath. They milk 250 cows and farm around 1,000 acres of hay and corn silage. Preparations for the wedding began early in the year. Across from the main farm there is a 50-acre eld that has two big oak trees in the middle, approximately 200 feet apart. “Since I was a little girl, I said I was going to get married between those oak trees,” Lexi said Her brother came up with the idea to dig up some of the existing hay eld and plant corn around the trees. She was immediately on board and thought it sounded amazing. Her dad disagreed. The hay had only been growing for two years, and he was hesitant to dig it up. “One of my brother’s friends ended up convincing my dad it would be OK,” Lexi said.
In March, Lexi and her dad went out and spray painted off the area they wanted to leave in hay. Her dad then dug it up and planted corn. It ended up like a corn maze that leads into a big, mowed space with the oak trees inside. The wedding and happy hour took place in the eld, with drinks and snacks while family pictures were taken. The reception then took place in her brother’s shop on the farm. Her brother uses the shop for equipment maintenance and for working on the diesel trucks he pulls. Cleaning the shop was a big priority for the reception. There were also bouncy houses for the kids and games for everyone. “We really take pride in how clean we keep our farm. There was not a whole lot of extra work to do because we keep up with it always. It’s a beautiful place to have a wedding,” Lexi said. It took a couple disasters and face lifts to get the farm looking the way it does today. In the past decade or so, the family suffered a silo failure and an F3 tornado, both of which did signicant damage to multiple buildings. “We try not to focus on the Turn to ZUNKER | Page 13
PHOTO COURTESY OF MAX LEE
Lexi Zunker and Pete Kaufmann-LuŌ are newlyweds. The couple was married Sept. 25 at Zunker’s family’s 250-cow dairy near Conrath, Wisconsin.
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ConƟnued from ZUNKER | Page 12 bad things,” Lexi said. Both times disaster struck, the family worked together and worked hard to get everything running again. “Our family is so close, and this just made us closer. Our family always puts family rst, even before the farm,” Lexi said. Pete and Lexi met in 2019 at Chippewa Valley Technical College where she works as an ofce assistant, and he was returning as a student after six years in the Marine Reserves. After a couple weeks of talking, Pete invited Lexi out for Thai food. “It was really cute; I had never been asked out in person before,” Lexi said. “It was always by text or through a dating app.” She reveals he did not even know her name when he asked her out, something they laugh about now. “I gured if this guy is brave enough to ask me out on a date without even knowing my name, then he’s brave enough to handle me,” Lexi said. After their rst date, Lexi was not sure if she would ever hear from him again, but he texted her the very next day. “When he texted me the next day I just thought, ‘Alright, we’re going to do this,’” Lexi said. Lexi holds a master’s degree in music and teaches piano, has a macramé business and shows horses. She lives in Eau Claire but spends every summer and weekend at the farm. PHOTO COURTESY OF MAX LEE Pete does not have a back- Pete and Lexi share a moment during the reground in farming. After his works show Lexi’s brother and his friends put on time in the Marine Reserves, later in the night Sept. 25 in Conrath, Wisconsin. he earned his associate degree in architectural and structural design. Now he is earning his degree in environmental sciences at the “He has just taken to it so naturally,” University of Wisconsin-Stout. He hopes she said. “Just seeing how much he loves to be an agricultural or environmental it up there and how passionate he is about engineer. It was his dedication to the farm it made me think this is the guy. This is it.” that sealed the deal for Lexi. Pete t right in with Lexi’s lifestyle. “What really made me fall in love “He wants to be a weekend warrior with him is that we have this big dairy farmer, and I’m up there every weekend farm in Conrath, and he absolutely loves anyway,” Lexi said. going up there,” Lexi said. “He loves Now the newly-weds will be able to helping out my dad and my brother on farm together. Before then, the couple is the farm, and has completely embraced headed on a mini-moon camping trip up to farm life.” Copper Harbor in the upper peninsula of When Pete spent six days cutting and Michigan, with further plans to go someraking the entire fourth crop of hay, Lexi where warm for Spring Break in March. knew he was the one.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 15
Worldwide producers:
What is it like dairying in your area?
Greg Hooker Chowchilla California Madera County 5,600 cows
Brad and Carolyn Almeter Sheldon, New York Wyoming 1,250 cows, 900 heifers Describe your farm. We are a sixth generation dairy just outside Buffalo, New York. With the help of Brad’s parents, Roger and Debbie, and our 20 full-time employees, we milk 1,250 cows. We have a double-20 parallel and free stalls with mattresses. What are the advantages and disadvantages of dairying in your area? We are located in Wyoming County, New York, which is the largest dairy county in our state. We are very fortunate to have a very supportive dairy community and a strong dairy infrastructure. We live in a very beautiful area about 30 miles east of Lake Erie. We can have some awesome weather, but our weather can be rough. The lake can greatly impact our weather with heavy rains and snow in the late fall and early winter. What has been the biggest challenge facing the industry in your area this year? Our state’s current minimum wage is $12.50 an hour and going to $13.20 next year. It will likely continue to climb to $15. In 2020, to go along with COVID-19, our state introduced time and a half for 60 hours a week and are strongly pushing for overtime after 40 hours. What is a growing trend in the industry in your area? Quality labor is becoming very hard to nd. How many acres do you have and what crops do you plant? What has the crop season been like this year in your area? We crop farm 2,500 acres, growing primarily corn silage and haylage. We also grow some triticale, wheat, soybeans and the majority of our grain corn needs. We primarily strip till our row crops and inject the majority of our manure. We have had a great crop season. This year has been one of the best for us. What has been the highlight of your farm this year? Our crop season.
Describe your farm. We milk 5,600 Holstein cows in the central valley of California. We milk 1,800 cows in a double-34 herringbone parlor, 2,000 cows in a double-45 parallel parlor and 800 in a 13-stall robotic facility. All cows are on one facility with the three different milking facilities on one site. We built the original site in 2002 and have added facilities since then with the robotic facility being completed this spring. All cows have access to freestalls, and weather in our area permits the heifers and dry cows to be kept in open dry lots. I have two sons, Mark and Travis, working on the dairy along with about 58 employees. In addition to the dairy, we farm about 2,500 acres. We have about 1,450 acres in double crop corn for silage and winter wheat for silage, 700 acres of alfalfa and 350 acres of almonds. What are the advantages and disadvantages of dairying in your area? Our area has developed as a big dairy area in the last 25 years. It is an area where larger tracts of ag land were available to be developed into dairy sites. The advantages of our area has been a well-developed dairy infrastructure that supplied an abundant, well trained workforce, qualied service techs, a variety of consultants and veterinary services, an abundant source of quality forages, an abundance of quality byproducts and a location close to western export opportunities. The disadvantages would be the poor general business environment in the state and some challenging environmental regulations and requirements. Leonardo Dvaias Country: Ecuador 65 cows Describe your farm. Our farm is 20 hectare, which is just under 50 acres. One ha is equivalent to 2.47 acres. Here, we milk 65 cows. We milk six cows at a time and have three employees on the farm. The cows are grazed and pasture fed as we are able to grow great grass in our pastures, providing a low-cost, feed-efcient system for our farm. Our cows are fed 16 kg (just over 35 pounds) of dry matter grass/ day/ha, but we are able to produce 55 kg (121 pounds) of dry matter (grass) per day. Currently, we average 23 liters (about 50 pounds) per cow/day with 4.5% fat and 3.5% protein. What are the advantages and disadvantages of dairying in your area? We have the advantage of producing a lot of grass to feed our cattle. It’s a small farm, but we run an efcient business. The disadvantage is overall land and space in our country to actively dairy farm. What has been the biggest challenge facing the industry in your area this year? The biggest challenge is
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What has been the biggest challenge facing the industry in your area this year? We are facing the same labor challenges seen in other parts of the country. We also have challenges surrounding water usage and availability. Many of these issues are exaggerated by the questionable management of our state resources. Like many other areas, our milk margins have been razor thin or nonexistent over the last several years, making things more difcult. What is a growing trend in the industry in your area? The trend in our area has been a move towards more and more consolidation – smaller places closing and larger facilities getting bigger. I also am seeing an accelerating movement towards more automation. This has been a natural movement brought on by the availability, cost and quality of labor and the improvements seen in technology. How many acres do you have and what crops do you plant? What has the crop season been like this year in your area? This has been a particularly difcult summer in the central valley. We have had an extremely hot summer. We have had over 60 days over 100 degrees. And, labor issues always throw a wrench in any business running smoothly. What has been the highlight of your farm this year? The highlight of the summer has been the opening of our robot facility. It is a project we started a few years ago, and it nally came to fruition this summer.
receiving a steady milk price. The industry in our country will thrive if we are certied by a respected business from the consumer’s point of view, so they trust the products we offer. We are at the mercy of the economy, market prices and uctuations. What is a growing trend in the industry in your area? In Ecuador, it is trending to be competitive in the market; producing higher quality milk, better genetics and exporting those genetics. How many acres do you have and what crops do you plant? What has the crop season been like this year in your area? We are a grazing operation with 20 ha (50 acres) total of grass. We have had a great growing year for our grass. What has been the highlight of your farm this year? The best part of the farm this year has been including more technology and equipment. My brother is the farm manager, and we are constantly trying to evolve and improve our dairy. Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16
Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Mark Rodgers Hillcrest Farms Inc. Dearing, Georgia McDufe County 370 milk cows Describe your farm. We have 800 total head with our cows, calves and heifers. Three of our family members work here fulltime. Mark Rodgers is the general manager. Andy Rodgers is chief operating
ofcer and crop farming manager. Caitlin Rodgers is dairy operations manager. We have six additional fulltime staff. The majority of our cows are milked using ve De Laval V300 robots. We still milk about 36 cows with our double-12 parabone parlor. We also use the parlor for fresh cows postcalving for three days and any treated cows.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of dairying in your area? A major disadvantage is the extreme heat and humidity for the majority of the year. There is also a lack of processing and bottling plants in the region. We have high freight rates because of the distance to milk processing plants. The dwindling number of dairies in Georgia and the Southeast limits the number of vendors and other supporting businesses. Insect and y control have to be maintained eight months of the year. Advantages include generally receiving ample rainfall; hurricanes actually are just big storms by the time they get this far inland and provide much needed water for our crops. We can grow three crops a year on the same land. We can theoretically have one of the three silage crops growing 365 days a year. We rarely have 24 hours that temps are below freezing. Therefore, we can use open ridge and sided freestall barns. What has been the biggest challenge facing the industry in your area this year? The biggest challenge has been the feed cost to milk price ratio. Augusta, Georgia and a military base are within 25 miles of our farm, so we compete with both for labor.
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What is a growing trend in the industry in your area? The total number of dairies in Georgia was 193 in 2017. We are currently at 110 dairies left in Georgia. Cow numbers in the state have not decreased much, but total production is up. Some dairies are expanding rapidly in numbers, which is keeping the total cows and total milk production in Georgia stable to increasing. Georgia now has
its rst two dairies to milk with robots. Technology use has increased dramatically on most farms. How many acres do you have and what crops do you plant? What has the crop season been like this year in your area? We plant 275 acres of corn and 150 acres of ryegrass, and some years, we plant BMR sorghum, all for silage. It has been a year of abundant rainfall, except for May, with prolic pastures. Our youngstock is raised on pasture, and we grow hay for them. Far off dry cows are also on pasture. Milk cows and close up cows are in freestalls with sand bedding in a ush barn. We operate a closed herd and have not purchased any cattle since the early 1970s. All of our cattle are AI sired. We raise our own replacements and all of our forages and do our own harvesting and planting. It takes us more labor to raise all our own cattle, do our own AI, plant, harvest and do most of our operations with our staff. What has been the highlight of your farm this year? Agritourism has been our highlight. Hosting tours for families, homeschool groups, senior progressive care centers and others has been an interesting experience. We toured less because of the pandemic, but we took it as time to perfect our venue. We built a Robotic Observation Center that has a wall of windows looking into a robot room with two of the robots. We also purchased a covered tour trailer pulled by an antique tractor to carry guests around our farm while we tell them about sustainability and modern agricultural practices.
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Describe your farm. We farm with our family in Eaton, Colorado. We raise all our youngstock on the farm. We farm approximately 700 acres. What are the advantages and disadvantages of dairying in your area? One advantage in our area is that the weather is good for farming. A disadvantage is population encroachment.
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What has been the biggest challenge facing the industry in your area this year? Our area is becoming more urban. The population is growing, and they do not like the big farm around them, even though the farm was here rst. What is a growing trend in the industry in your area? Large dairies are normal in our area. At 1,000 cows, we are considered a small farm. How many acres do you have and what crops do you plant? What has the crop season been like this year in your area? We farm around 700 acres. The crop season has been good this year. We did not have a lot of rain, but we never do. We depend on the snow melt from the mountains, and there was enough snow last year. We also use irrigation and pivots. What has been the highlight of your farm this year? We are glad to still be here and still be farming.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 17
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Breeding Prole
AcƟvity collars help keep Vosberg’s herd preg rate at 47% David Vosberg Vosdale Farms Livingston, Wisconsin 115 cows Describe your facilities and list your breeding management team. My daughter mates the cows, and my wife, Anne, breeds them. We write down cows in heat and our daughter chooses who to breed them to. Anne checks the notebook and breeds the cow to the sire that is indicated. We milk in a robot facility, and rely on activity collars to help us nd cows in heat.
sure of the exact rate but I think beef settles better somewhat.
What guidelines do you follow to reach the goals for your breeding program? We breed cows at 60 days fresh. We breed heifers at 50 inches tall. We put more emphasis on size rather than age when it comes to heifers. Some do not mature as fast if they were sick as a calf.
What is your current pregnancy rate? Around 47%.
What are the top traits you look for in breeding your dairy herd and how has this changed since you started farming? We breed for more milk, fat and protein. We focus more on components than show traits. We used to show. Half our herd is Holsteins and half is Brown Swiss.
What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? How do you get animals pregnant? We use activity collars to monitor activity. We do herd health once a month and use prostaglandin as needed.
What are certain traits you try to avoid? We avoid anything with difcult calving ease. Also, with the robots we watch udder tilt and teat closeness. Size is important too. We can’t have cows that are too big to t in the robots.
Describe your breeding philosophy. We try to get heifers to calve in at 24 months. The robots print a daily report of cows that have not been bred in the last 80 days. Those cows get grouped together to watch.
Describe the ideal cow for your herd. Our ideal cow has good type, is medium-sized, with good components and good production.
What is the greatest lesson you have learned through your breeding program? AI is better for planning, especially for the county fair. We have learned not to calve heifers in winter. Cows don’t seem to mind calving in winter. What is the age of your heifers at rst service? We focus on the maturity of the heifer more than the age. We wait until they are 50 inches tall to breed them. Brown Swiss tend to mature later also.
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David Vosberg milks 115 cows near Livingston, Wisconsin. What role does genetics have in reaching the goals of your farm? Genetics are very important in reaching our goals. We need to keep our cows functional for our set-up. What percentage of your herd is bred to sexed, conventional and beef semen? 10% is
bred to anything other than normal, which for us is Holstein. Holsteins that are hard to settle get bred to beef. What is your conception rate? How does this differ with different types of semen? I’m not
How does your heifer inventory affect your breeding program? It does not. We calve consistently year-round. We used to sell bred heifers but now we keep them because they are easier to adapt to the robot. Tell us about your farm. We are a family farm that works together. We farm 270 acres which provides the feed for our animals. Our daughter-in-law opened a supper club where our son and Anne both work part time.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 19
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
USED EQUIPMENT ON HAND C
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Minnesota producers showcase sustainable dairy farming at UNFSS In late-September, the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) brought together key stakeholders from around the globe to discuss the critical need for more sustainable food production. With 130 countries participating in the summit as part of the UN General Assembly, the goal was to discuss solutions that strike the balance of adequately nourishing a growing population while also caring for the earth—a conversation where the U.S. dairy industry plays a leading role thanks to its 2050 Net Zero goals and work throughout the supply chain to ensure the long-term viability of agriculture throughout the world. At the UNFSS, Minnesota dairy farmers Charles Krause and deb Vander Kooi shared their authentic stories, insights and rst-hand knowledge about sustainable farming to showcase the ways in which dairy is a viable nutrition source that has the power to both provide nourishment to underdeveloped populations and drive economic impact in communities around the world. Over the past 18 months, both Krause and Vander Kooi, who are strong advocates for the dairy industry, have joined in conversations with UN Member States and constituencies for discussions about the future of food and agriculture. Representing a diverse group of leaders including food producers, Indigenous Peoples, researchers and more, over 51,000 stakeholders from 193 countries virtually joined the Summit to workshop solutions and action items for creating sustainable and nourishing food systems across the globe. “It was an honor to be one of several dairy farmers from the United States who had the opportunity to participate in this very important global event,” said dairy farmer deb Vander Kooi. “Our industry’s Net Zero goals are paving the way for ag-
riculture practices around the world, and we are proud to ensure that the voices of Midwest Dairy farmers were part of these crucial conversations. Our participation in an event like this ensures that dairy can continue to lead the way for sustainable agriculture on a worldwide scale.” In the months leading up to the summit, Krause and Vander Kooi participated in virtual meetings and discussions, sharing their insights and stories on social media and adding their voices to the ways in which Midwest dairy farmers have a positive impact on the global food system and the environment. They also received training on how to address foreign dignitaries, as well as people from other countries and cultures, ensuring that dairy’s story is shared in a way that is accurate and impactful during these important discussions. “As a dairy farmer, sustainably producing milk has always been a top priority, and these efforts go well beyond our local communities and states – we’re coming together to help feed the world,” said Krause. “As a viable, sustainable nutrition source, dairy has more power than any other food source to provide nourishment to underdeveloped populations while driving economic impact in communities around the globe. What we do every day on our farm matters. I’m proud that our dairy community is leading the way for the future of sustainable agriculture and sustainable nutrition.” Although the Summit took place last week, these conversations were only the beginning. As part of their participation, both Krause and Vander Koi will continue participating in meetings, events and sharing more about their discussions online and through social media, further amplifying dairy’s role in this very important global conversation.
Bongards’ Creameries
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 21
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ARTICULATED 4WD TRACTORS
3 1 3 3 17 17 8 8 1
JD 9630, 2011, Power Shift, Duals, 4250 hrs., #187532 ........................... $155,000 JD 9630, 2012, Power Shift, Duals, 3627 hrs., #188772 ........................... $165,000 JD 9560R, 2013, Power Shift, Duals, 4526 hrs., #187533 ........................ $195,000 JD 9460R, 2012, Power Shift, Duals, 2200 hrs., #188789 ........................ $204,900 JD 9420R, 2019, Power Shift, Duals, 750 hrs., #182465........................... $309,000 JD 9620R, 2019, Power Shift, Duals, 1130 hrs., #169236 ........................ $374,900 JD 9570R, 2020, Power Shift, Duals, 878 hrs., #184050........................... $425,400 JD 9570R, 2020, e18, Duals, 570 hrs., #185261 ....................................... $435,900 JD 9620R, 2020, e18, Duals; PTO, 300 hrs., #188410 ............................... $481,900
10 14 9 5 17 10 4 1 4 5 17 7 17 3 16 3 5 2 3 5 16 10 3
JD 6620, 1987, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Singles, Chopper, 3903 hrs., #177388..... $12,500 JD 9500, 1991, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 6736 hrs., 5000 sep hrs., #185458 .......... $22,400 JD 9610, 1998, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 3535 hrs., 2241 sep hrs., #185640 .......... $34,500 JD 9750 STS, 2002, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 4422 hrs., 2887 sep hrs., #188777... $34,900 JD 9870 STS, 2008, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 3773 hrs., 2931 sep hrs., #187630 .. $78,500 JD 9570 STS, 2009, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 2984 hrs., 1936 sep hrs., #187628 .. $79,900 JD 9670 STS, 2011, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 3669 hrs., 2503 sep hrs., #188158 $99,900 JD 9870 STS, 2008, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 3105 hrs., 2500 sep hrs., #175945 $99,900 JD 9670 STS, 2009, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 2210 hrs., 1263 sep hrs., #185612 $110,400 JD 9770 STS, 2010 Corn/Bean, 2WD, 1930 hrs., 1423 sep hrs., #187712.. $118,000 NH CR8090, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2405 hrs., 1810 sep hrs., #183218 $136,500 JD S680, 2014 Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2969 hrs., 2063 sep hrs., #182070 ....... $144,900 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 2366 hrs., 1703 sep hrs., #178114 ........ $147,900 JD S680, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2365 hrs., 1642 sep hrs., #176788 ...... $149,500 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2654 hrs., 2023 sep hrs., #186952 ...... $155,500 JD S690, 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1983 hrs., 1530 sep hrs., #171923 ...... $179,000 JD S670, 2015, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1661 hrs., 662 sep hrs., #181668 ........ $197,500 JD S670, 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2297 hrs., 1453 sep hrs., #176660 ...... $199,500 JD S690, 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2119 hrs., #176735.............................. $219,500 JD S670, 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1519 hrs., 963 sep hrs., #181669 ........ $237,500 JD S770, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2209 hrs., 1587sep hrs., #181147 ....... $245,000 JD S690, 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1773 hrs., 1248 sep hrs., #176733 ... $250,000 JD S790, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1535 hrs., 1058 sep hrs., #179097 ... $315,400
COMBINES
16 8 3 17 11 14 1 15 4 16 16 16
JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1232 hrs., 800 sep hrs., #175318 ...... $319,500 JD S670, 2017, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 793 hrs., 536 sep hrs., #187073........ $323,000 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1170 hrs., 755 sep hrs., #183533...... $355,000 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 4318 hrs., 690 sep hrs., #177549...... $364,400 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 925 hrs., 653 sep hrs., #171103........ $385,000 JD S790, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD,1009 hrs., 683 sep hrs., #171378 ...... $389,500 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 499 hrs., 294 sep hrs., #169509........ $409,500 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 537 hrs., 397 sep hrs., #183792........ $425,400 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 575 hrs., 373 sep hrs., #181757........ $429,900 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 792 hrs., 556 sep hrs., #187111........ $435,900 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 525 hrs., 235 sep hrs., #188459........ $454,900 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 453 hrs., 240 sep hrs., #182067........ $509,900
11 16 6 2 10 2 7 1 2 14 11 1
JD 2400, 2002, 31 ft., 3-Section Folding, #188732 .................................... $16,250 WIL-RICH 4830, 29 ft, 3-Section Folding, #188339 .................................. $17,900 JD 2700, 2004, #172537 .............................................................................. $13,900 JD 2700, 2007, #187705 .............................................................................. $14,500 JD 2700, 2009, #178024 .............................................................................. $21,500 JD 512, 2008, #187681 ................................................................................ $22,900 Wil-Rich Soil-Pro 513, 2013, #187552 ..................................................... $32,750 Case IH 875, 2014, #185837 ...................................................................... $49,900 Kuhn Krause, 4855 Dominator, 2016, #181415 ........................................ $54,900 JD 2730, 2015, #182531 .............................................................................. $74,000 JD 2730, 2019, #168106 .............................................................................. $89,500 JD 2730, 2020, #180777 .............................................................................. $98,900
1 10 3 7 17 16 13 8
JD 4020, 1970, Cab, 2WD, Syncro, Singles,10800 hrs., #184937 ............... $12,500 JD 4230, 1973, Cab, 2WD, Partial Power Shift, 6366 hrs., #188735 ........... $16,500 JD 4640, 1978, Cab, 2WD, Power Shift, Duals, 16619 hrs., #185165 ......... $18,000 IH 5088, 1982, Cab, 2WD, 8510 hrs., #186374 ........................................... $18,500 JD 4455, 1991, Cab, 2WD, Power Shift, 9199 hrs., #181329 ...................... $45,000 JD 8300, 1996, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, #187192 .................................... $54,500 JD 6145M, 2020, Cab, MFWD, Partial Power Shift, 226 hrs., #168299 .... $124,900 JD 8285R, 2013, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 4800 hrs., #187023 ............................ $139,000
TILLAGE
ROW CROP TRACTORS
5 15 10 16 8 16 15 11 6 4 15 1 11 1 16 7 16 1 3 16 1 1 14 7 1 1 16 16 10 6 16 1 16 1 1 1
JD 7290R, 2013, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, 4661 hrs., #180765.......... $142,000 JD 6145M, 2020, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 175 hrs., #183626 ................ $143,400 JD 6175M, 2020, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 200 hrs., #166995 ................ $152,900 JD 8320R, 2014, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, 4472 hrs., #188348.......... $169,900 JD 6175R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 93 hrs., #185002 ................... $169,900 JD 7210R, 2015, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 850 hrs., #188791 ............................... $177,000 JD 6175R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 1028 hrs., #185014............................. $182,500 JD 7R 210, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 918 hrs., #187032.............................. $191,000 JD 7R 210, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 405 hrs., #187031.............................. $202,000 JD 8270R, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, 833 hrs., #175591............ $239,000 JD 8245R, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, 688 hrs., #183102............ $243,900 JD 8R 230, 2020 Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 300 hrs., #186635 ................. $244,900 JD 8245R, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 718 hrs., #183745 ..... $252,500 JD 8R 250, 2020, Cab, MFWD, Power Shift, 300 hrs., #186636 ................ $257,900 JD 8R 250, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 957 hrs., #188722 .... $269,500 JD 8320R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 887 hrs., #171962 ..... $279,900 JD 8R 250, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 403 hrs., #188723 .... $282,900 JD 8R 250, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 300 hrs., #186639 .... $290,300 JD 8R 280, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, 300 hrs., #186642 ........... $298,500 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 1124 hrs., #187556... $299,000 JD 8R 280, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, 300 hrs., #186643 .......... $303,500 JD 8R 280, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 300 hrs., #186645 .... $308,100 JD 8345R, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 579 hrs., #176092 ..... $309,900 JD 8R 310, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 683 hrs., #185992 .... $329,400 JD 8R 310, 2020, MFWD w/ Suspension, 300 hrs., #188389................... $334,100 JD 8R 310, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 300 hrs., #186648 .... $338,100 JD 8R 370, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 947 hrs., #185281 .... $342,500 JD 8R 370, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 981 hrs., #185280 .... $344,900 JD 8370R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 309 hrs., #184017 ..... $349,000 JD 8R 370, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 594 hrs., #182065 .... $349,500 JD 8R 370, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 998 hrs., #187292 .... $355,600 JD 8R 340, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 300 hrs., #188398 .... $358,400 JD 8R 370, 2020, Cab; MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 350 hrs., #188460.... $359,900 JD 8R 370, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 300 hrs., #186626 .... $379,900 JD 8R 370, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, IVT, 300 hrs., #186622 .... $386,100 JD 8R 410, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/ Suspension, 300 hrs., #188404 ........... $399,900
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My Dairy Star story comes to an end
If I encounter dairy producers who are hesitant to do an interview because they don’t think they have anything noteworthy to share, I always tell them everyone has a story to tell. It’s true. A Little Bit of Sunshine Each person’s experience has a different spin, an interesting twist or a unique perspective. To some it may not be apparent at rst, but it’s there. Everyone has a story. My story for over 13.5 years has been working for Dairy Star. While my title has changed a few times, the core focus of my job has stayed the same – nd By Krista Kuzma and write stories about Staff Writer dairy farmers in my area. The twist on my story? I have connected with and created friendships with more people than I ever could have imagined. The dairy community is truly amazing. While I have loved getting to know so many people, the time has come for my story at the paper to end as I move on to the next role in my career. It started the fall of 2007 when Mark Klaphake called me, wondering if I would do a bit of freelance writing for the paper. I remember talking to him for the rst time while sitting on a picnic table by the food alley during an unseasonably hot World Dairy Expo. Only a few months fresh out of college, I gladly took the chance to gain more writing experience. I felt excited to be able to put my writing skills to use within an industry I love. While excited, I was also nervous to put my work out there for thousands of people to read. The information-gathering process and writing of those rst two stories were a bit rough. Only a few hours before deadline, I stared at my screen writing and rewriting a simple lead. Thankfully, adrenaline kicked in and I nished the story on time. Over the next few months, my nerves settled down and I started to nd a rhythm to the process. By March 2008, Dairy Star offered me a full-time position. From there, I settled into my role for the publication, and became familiar with the back roads while traveling to farms in southeast Minnesota, and at times in western Wisconsin and northeast Iowa. The landscape always provided beautiful scenery for the drive – from cozy fall colors and the sun glistening off the winter snow to corn popping through the ground in the spring and the blur of tractors chopping a third crop in midsummer. While the drives were nice, what I looked forward to most was meeting with the producers on their farms and learning more about their dairies. I am so thankful for all the dairy farmers who have welcomed me to their farms and given me the opportunity to have a glimpse at daily life. I could not imagine a friendlier community. I sat at kitchen tables and stood around bulk tanks for interviews. I walked through freestall barns and rode on side-by-sides through pastures to get pictures. I have been offered lunch, snacks and cookies, and invited to midmorning coffee breaks while sitting on pails in the parlor. I gained a lot of knowledge about important on-farm management practices, but what I learned most about dairy farming came from the characteristics of people. I heard creative minds nd ways to diversify their farms and forward-thinkers plan for a transition. Most of them were resourceful, using what they had while being conscious of the environment around them. Some farmers shared their pastimes of things like hunting or coaching sports teams. Other producers opened their hearts to share stories of loss, whether their dairying livelihood due to re or storm, or family members or friends to illness or accident. Most times I could feel the raw emotion or the energetic enthusiasm for the topic of discussion. Most of all, the dairy farmers I met chose their career because they love it despite long days and sometimes doing underappreciated tasks. But dairy farmers’ dedication to caring for their cows and keeping their dairy farms going seven days a week is what created this paper, along with wanting to build a stronger dairy community. Thank you to all the dairy farmers I met who trusted me with your story and allowed me to share it. I feel honored. I am also grateful for all the industry members I met along the way who shared insights with me. I have learned so much. And to my coworkers, thanks for making it seem as if I was putting the paper together with friends. You have made the last 13.5 years fun. Over one-third of my life has been dedicated to Dairy Star. It’s hard to think of my life without it. While it is bittersweet to say goodbye, I am looking forward to a new challenge while still dabbling in the industry. Thanks for all the memories, and keep continuing to share your story.
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 23
UW-River Falls Dairy Pilot Plant renovation underway By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com
RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The renovation project at the Dairy Pilot Plant at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls is about 95% complete. Michelle Farner, the plant’s manager, said there are really two projects going on. “We have the building renovation, and then the equipment installation” Farner said. Farner has been working on this project at the university since 2012. “It’s a pretty major undertaking,” she said. The food science program, which had been suspended for a number of years, was reinstated after her start with the university. They are updating to offer a better experience for the students. The renovation will make use of approximately 6,000 square feet of previously under-utilized space. There was no addition, just making existing space worthwhile. The existing facility was a single room dairy plant which was about 1,500 square feet. That set up had the raw products in the same room as the pasteurized products. “The inspiration to renovate came from updating some of our current equipment but also doing a room separation for our raw product processing and our nished processing,” Farner said.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Students at the University of Wisconson-River Falls prepare the last batch of cheese in the original plant on campus before the renovaƟon began earlier this year.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 25
ConƟnued from PILOT PLANT | Page 23 The goal of separating these rooms is to give the students a more accurate training experience. “We want our facility to mimic what the students will see when they go out into the industry world,” Farner said. The students gain hands-on experience by working in the dairy plant as employees. Sometimes companies looking to innovate will turn to the students for help. “It doesn’t happen very often but it has happened in the past where companies are looking for ideas so they will offer some type of incentive for students to do that,” Farner said. Farner has seen an increase in support for the renovation project from companies looking to ll employment gaps. “Their interest is in gained attraction of potential employees,” she said. Dairy plants have a signicant need for employees. “The shortage of candidates for dairy processing positions is great. Companies see UW-River Falls as key to fullling some of those needs in the industry,” Farner said. In the ice cream and cheese making process, there are other skills that are learned by default. “It goes beyond cheese and ice cream making. It encompasses the entire dairy industry,” Farner said. Programmable Logic Control (PLC) training and wastewater treatment training are both in high demand in the job eld right now. “They are pretty hot topics in the dairy industry,” Farner said. “There are a lot of challenges in place, and we would just like to do our part.” The university has been talking with companies about what they would like to see for short courses, curricula and modications to current training. Their ultimate goal is to see the students become more employable. The new facility will be for students working in the food science program. The university does work with companies who want to do trials or research; however, it is managed and run by the university. Farner indicated the project has not been without struggles.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Students workers start the process of making ice cream in the Dairy Pilot Plant on campus at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Once completed, the renovated plant will give students a more real-world experience of what to expect in the workforce. “Anytime you do construction in the state system, it has its own challenges. The dairy side has been unique because it’s a uid processing facility,” she said. The project has also been hindered somewhat by COVID-19, making materials hard to come by and therefore disrupting the timeline. There have also been delays in getting equipment. “We deal with those challenges as they come and do the best that we can,” Farner said
Farner would like to be able to talk to companies about projects they would like to do at the university instead of donations. She would like to be able to teach the students, and see the students go on to gain employment. “It’s really important for the students to hit the ground running when they leave,” Farner said. Taking into consideration inevitable setbacks, Farner hopes to see the plant up and running by Spring 2022.
Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Off to a great start
Now that the Minnesota State Fair has come to an end, school has started and harvest is either in the process or on the horizon, it’s good to be back in the swing of things. Spending 12 days at the state fair truly was a dream come true. From ringing the cowbell at the start On the Road with of the Milk Run, attending Princess Kay the many dairy shows and, of course, being in the butter booth, there was no shortage of fun times. Thankfully we were able to brave the few days of rain, heat and just about any other weather Mother Nature wanted to throw our direction. Coming out of the Minnesota State Fair, I was incredibly excited to begin my regular event By Anna Euerle schedule. 68th Princess Kay of the My rst event was spent Milky Way with First District Association in Litcheld where I was able to join the cooperative in celebrating 100 years of being a creamery, and its newest expansion project. From talking to patrons of First District from all across the state and judging the competitive youth coloring contest, it was a great day. There were many conversations had, malts consumed and unique history learned too. It was fun to hear the reactions of everyone coming back from the factory tours also. The setup on the inside seemed to be just as impressive as the one on the outside. I couldn’t have asked for a better rst event and was incredibly excited for the next one. My next event was spent at Kandi Land Farm in Willmar, where I was able to read a dairy book, make ice cream in a bag and share a lot of stories with those visiting the farm that day. This is Kandi Land’s rst year in operation, and activities for the celebration included hay rides, corn pit fun, the pumpkin patch and a lot of information about agriculture in Minnesota. It was unique to see a space that brings all this so close to a larger community, and to be able to share so many of these experiences with visitors. For a business that is just starting out, I was glad to be a part of their dairy weekend on the farm, and I know that they will continue to grow over the years to come. I also had a radio interview with KDWA, a radio station from Hastings. I had a fun time visiting with Mo and being able to share some of my state fair experiences with her too. Being at the Minnesota State Fair and being able to see the culmination of so many 4-H, open class and FFA exhibitor’s hard work pay off, was a very memorable moment. To take a step back and realize the time that goes into any livestock or general project is truly an awesome feat. I also shared about Princess Kay’s role and what activities I can look forward to this year. With harvest coming, or maybe having already started, it’s time for us to see the culmination of months of labor and care of the crops. This means long hours in the tractor, semi or combination of both. It is a busy time for all of us. When out and about harvesting this season, remember to relish in the moments that shaped us into who we are today. It might be trying at times, but as farmers now is our time to shine, to truly show the world what we do in our daily lives. Over the course of the next few weeks, really take the time to enjoy it; this is why so many agriculturalists do what they do. But most of all, continue to be safe in the eld, on the farm and on the roads. May everyone have an enjoyable, bountiful and safe harvest ahead. Princess Kay of the Milky Way Anna Euerle serves as the Minnesota dairy community’s goodwill ambassador. Princess Kay is very active doing school visits, representing dairy farmers at the Fuel Up To Play 60 activities in conjunction with the Minnesota Vikings, and sharing the importance of dairy farming and dairy foods at appearances across Minnesota. Euerle grew up in Litcheld, Minnesota, working on her family’s dairy farm. She will soon graduate from Ridgewater College in Agribusiness with a dairy emphasis. In her free time she enjoys cooking, baking and being outdoors.
DMC: Is it worth the money?
Perhaps like many dairy producers, you continually ask yourself if one program or another is worth the investment required? What about the Dairy Margin Coverage program? Is it worth the investment? In short, yes. Let’s take a look at the history behind DMC, the participation in the four-state area and the From My Perspective return on investment. The predecessor to DMC was the Margin Protection Program which ran from 2014-2018. From 2014-2017 the government averaged two months to determine the margin over feed cost. Many felt at the time, that an $8 margin was the ideal margin – the sweet spot – and selected it for their preferred level of participation. As you likely recall, 2014 was a high milk price year so no payouts occurred for the MPP, as one may expect. In both 2015 and 2016 it paid out six of 12 months and in 2017 no payments were received at the $8 margin. However, in 2018 the program changed. Rather than averaging two months to qualify for a payout, it went to an every-month calculation and then By Tom Anderson it paid out seven of the 12 months. Columnist Since DMC started in 2019, I went back to see what the comparison would have been if we had the current DMC program as we have today, dated back to 2014, as well as the frequency and what amount of payout would have been at the $9.50 margin (instead of the $8 margin – averaged over two months). The current program closes out each month and for most, at the $9.50 margin. The below is assuming an actual production history (APH) was at 5,000,000 pounds (approximately 200 cows at 25,000 pounds) and shows what the benet would have been had the current DMC (monthly close-out at $9.50) program been in place. % of months Annual Benet (Before premium For payouts & Before Sequestration) 2014 No payouts $ 0 2015 92% $61,789 2016 83% $74,868 2017 50% $11,291 2018 100% $98,496 2019 58% $26,249 2020 37% $36,540 2021 YTD 100% $98,232 An estimated annual premium of $.15/cwt on 5,000,000 pounds would be $7,500. In each year, with the exception of 2014 a producer’s return over the premium cost would have shown a substantial gain. Below is a summary of the nationwide participation and average payout to farms with an APH. Currently 75% of the dairy operations with an APH are enrolled. However, in 2020 slightly less than 50% of the eligible farms were enrolled. Perhaps the pandemic had an inuence on the participation level. Participation History of DMC – Nationwide Information % of farms $ Received / Total Payments Enrolled Operation (with APH) 2019 $301,547,419 81.0% $ 23,427 2020 $210,388,056 49.9% $ 13,516 2021 $817,171,664 75.0% $19,009 (Estimated) Below is a summary of the four state area statistics for 2019-2021 using USDA data.
DMC 2019 Actuals by Selected States (Source - USDA) (NASS 2018) $ per # of Farms Farms w/ Total Dairy State Operation Enrolled % Enrolled APH Operations Iowa $12,808 863 87.4% 987 1,120 MN $10,238 2,405 89.9% 2,674 2,980 SD $14,367 163 79.1% 206 250 WI $11,202 5,945 84.5% 7,037 8,500
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 27
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DMC 2020 Actuals by Selected States (Source - USDA) $ per # of Farms Farms w/ Total Dairy State Operation Enrolled % Enrolled APH Operations Iowa $16,600 646 71.7% 901 1,120 MN $14,681 1,911 78.5% 2,434 2,980 SD $18,062 136 70.1% 194 215 WI $15,161 3,323 50.3% 6,610 8,500 DMC 2021 Expectations by Selected States (YTD) (Source – USDA) $ per # of Farms Farms w/ Total Dairy State Operation Enrolled % Enrolled APH Operations Iowa $43,726 711 83.3% 854 1,120 MN $36,147 1,947 87.9% 2,215 2,980 SD $46,164 149 81.4% 183 215 WI $38,146 4,814 78.5% 6,133 8,500 There are four conclusions from the above charts. All states have more farms enrolled in 2021 than in 2020. All states had a higher participation percentage in 2019, dropped in 2020 and a higher percentage enrollment in 2021. All farms are projected to receive increased DMC funds in 2021, as compared to 2020 or 2019. Even in the worst-case scenario year, benets exceeded the estimated premiums of approximately $7,500. Back to the initial question – Does it pay to be enrolled in DMC? Hands down, yes. With the exception of 2014, when milk prices were high (Class III Price in 2014 averaged $22.34), the DMC program has always paid a net positive benet over the cost of the premium. In fact, the net benet was 3.5 times better than the premium cost in the worst-return year. Would you take those odds at the casino? In future articles I will look more into price protection methods for milk in excess of an individual farm’s APH. Tom Anderson is a Farm Business Management faculty member at Riverland Community College.
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 Dana Adams, adam1744@umn.edu 320-204-2968 Joe Armstrong armst225@umn.edu 612.624.3610 Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130 Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184 Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391 Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu 612-626-5620 Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277 Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711 Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104 Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu 612-625-3108 Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334 Emily Krekelberg krek0033@umn.edu 507-280-2863 Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109 Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435 Erin Royster royster@umn.edu Isaac Salfer ijsalfer@umn.edu 320-296-1357 Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093 Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu 612-624-1205 Emma Severns sever575@umn.edu 507-934-7828 Melissa Wison mlw@umn.edu 612-625-4276
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Changes in production, components linked to biological rhythms By Isaac J. Salfer
University of Minnesota
We have nally made it through our long, hot summer and into what we hope is a nice, pleasant fall. While the summer heat was challenging for us, we all know it was even worse for our cows. Most dairy farmers go to great lengths to apply cooling strategies such as fans and sprinklers to reduce heat stress. Unfortunately, even our best efforts oftentimes fall short, and we continue to see seasonal decreases in production. While heat stress is certainly a major factor in decreasing milk production, recent work conducted during my PhD at Penn State University and in my current lab at the University of Minnesota suggests there might be another underlying factor – an annual biological rhythm – that also contributes to seasonal production declines. Annual rhythms persist throughout nature as a way for animals to coordinate their biology with the changing seasons. They allow for anticipation of changes in temperature, moisture, feed availability or potential mates. Migratory birds are one amazing example of an annual rhythm; they undergo immense changes in body composition to prepare for migration. Some small migrating songbirds can increase their lean body mass by 10% to 15% per day for a month. A similar phenomenon occurs in hibernating animals, which slow their metabolism so much that they can sleep for up to four months without eating. More relevant to livestock production, another example is seasonally-breeding sheep in the fall to lamb in the spring when lush forage is more readily available. These adaptations are driven by an internal mechanism in the brain that acts as a calendar for the animal. We began to suspect there may be an underlying annual rhythm of milk production when we examined monthly average fat and protein concentration from U.S. Federal Milk Marketing Orders from 2000 to 2017 (Figure 1). We noticed a yearly pattern of milk components that closely followed a cosine-shaped curve, indicative of a biological rhythm. This means that rather than a sudden drop in production during the summer, when heat stress is expected, we saw that there was a smooth gradual decline from January to July, and a smooth gradual increase from July to January. We also noticed that this pattern of milk components was extremely repeatable across years, regardless of weather conditions. We investigated characteristics of the annual rhythm of milk production by tting the data from multiple datasets ranging from individual cow data, to herd-level data, to monthly averages of Federal Milk Market Orders to a 12-month cosine function. The yearly pattern of milk fat and protein concentration all t a near perfect 12-month rhythm across all years and regions of the United States. The peak occurred near Jan. 1 and the minimum occurred near July 1. The variation across the year differed among regions, with less variation in milk fat and protein concentration occurring in the southern United States and more variation in the north. Using DHIA data, we determined that specically for Minnesota, the range in milk fat was 0.3 percentage units across the year, while milk protein varied by 0.16 percentage units. Like milk components, milk yield t a nearly perfect 12-month rhythm, suggesting it also follows an inherent biological rhythm. Surprisingly, the yearly pattern of milk yield peaks in April and is lowest in October. This gives additional credence to our theory that the annual rhythm occurs separate from heat stress, because based on heat-stress alone, we would expect production to be lowest in July and August
when temperature is highest. We also determined this annual rhythm better explained the variation in milk yield than maximum daily temperature. Oftentimes, in nature, annual rhythms are entrained by photoperiod or changes in photoperiod. Our results suggested the fat and protein concentration followed the pattern of absolute photoperiod (hours of light vs. darkness), and milk yield followed the pattern of daily change in photoperiod (amount of difference in light from one day to the next). I want to emphasize that I still think heat stress is denitely a factor that negatively affects production and dairy farmers should use heat abatement strategies to reduce it. However, our data implies that there is also an inherent underlying annual rhythm that affects how much milk is produced across the year. The challenge becomes guring out how to manage around these seasonal rhythms. Unfortunately, we still do not know enough to give good recommendations. However, we do recommend focusing on providing 16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness every day, which has been shown to consistently raise milk, milk fat and milk protein yield. We also suggest dairy farmers consider the annual rhythm of production in their evaluation of herd performance. It is important not to treat performance in the summer the same as in the winter. I have developed adjustment factors based on our analysis to account for the annual rhythm of milk production and components (Table 1). Adding these factors to average monthly production can remove the seasonal effect and more accurately allow you to determine how a change in management affects production and if the herd is reaching its full potential.
Figure 1. Milk fat and protein concentraƟon in the Upper Midwest U.S. Milk Market from 2000 to 2017. While there is an overall upward trend to both fat and protein percent, the yearly paƩern of producƟon remains very consistent.
Milk lb/d Fat, % Protein, % Fat, lb/d Protein, lb/d Jan 1.8 -0.18 -0.11 -0.05 -0.04 Feb 0.3 -0.17 -0.09 -0.09 -0.06 Mar -1.5 -0.11 -0.05 -0.10 -0.08 Apr -3.2 -0.03 0.00 -0.09 -0.07 May -4.1 0.06 0.05 -0.05 -0.04 Jun -4.2 0.13 0.08 0.00 -0.01 Jul -3.4 0.16 0.08 0.05 0.03 Aug -1.8 0.14 0.06 0.08 0.06 Sep 0.0 0.08 0.02 0.10 0.07 Oct 1.6 0.00 -0.03 0.08 0.06 Nov 2.6 -0.09 -0.07 0.04 0.04 Dec 2.7 -0.15 -0.10 -0.01 0.00 Months with zero values represent the time with median production. Table 1. Adjustment factors to correct for annual rhythms of milk producƟon in Minnesota. Monthly producƟon should be added to the appropriate value in the table. Months with zero values represent the Ɵme with median producƟon.
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Dairy technology in the spotlight
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 29
Dairy technology has been in the spotlight lately during two events: one at World Dairy Expo and the other a virtual event prior to WDE. World Dairy Expo is the premier dairy-focused event to learn about what is happening in the dairy sector. On Sept. 28 at WDE, eight dairy companies presented their technology to in-person attendees at the WDE Tech Spotlight. In addition to this session, there were many additional new or improved technologies on display at the Exhibition Hall, the new Trade Center, The Outdoor Trade Mall and the Coliseum. It was great to attend WDE in person after missing it in 2020 due to the pandemic. A virtual Tech Spotlight prior to WDE highlighted most of the By Marcia Endres same companies. The companies’ U of M pitches were followed by a roundtable discussion on the future of dairy technology with a panel of experts. I spoke on the panel along with Trevor deVries, University of Guelph; and Jeffrey Bewley, Holstein Association. To watch the recorded session of the virtual event, you can go to https://www. wdetechspotlight.com. During these two events, attendees learned about tech solutions that can help with some of the most critical problems in the dairy sector, like labor management, manure treatment, feed bunk management, cattle welfare, milk quality, risk management and more. The technologies were quite broad in scope and approach, and presented a range of possibilities for where technology is going now and into the future.
the next 12 months and shows daily trends, based on market data; an internal bolus that can monitor cow rumination, activity, body temperature and calving time; a portable, easy-to-use and low cost traceability program that uses Bluetooth animal tags; a system that uses advanced automation and data technology to improve milk collection, loading and sampling on the dairy farm; and a software that can cover every aspect of milk supply chain management, from transport scheduling and route optimization to milk testing and producer payroll.
Roundtable discussion highlights Dr. Bewley mentioned a shift in the market for dairy tech as technologies are now being developed to solve a problem on the dairy farm rather than developing a technology rst and then trying to use it on the farm, which resulted in many failures. He suggested involving farmers as co-developers of technology. He also suggested that data can help producers improve feed management and
cow health and welfare, but the technology needs to be reliable. I indicated that the diversity of options in the market today and the possibilities for the future in dairy tech appear endless. The choice of technology is different for each individual producer because each farm has its own needs. In the near future, it will also become more important to nd better ways to put different technologies together, to make a package to better manage the herd in terms of production, economics, health and welfare. In addition, helpful and reliable tech support is a key aspect to success. Dr. DeVries agreed that not every type of technology works for every farm or situation. To successfully develop a dairy tech solution, he suggests a company needs to understand the way the producers manage the farm, animals and employees. This is important to know to get producers interested in the technology in the rst place.
Computer vision, cameras, articial intelligence for improved feeding management, animal welfare This technology can monitor feed delivery, feed push-ups and clean-outs to track how well these actions relate to a desired schedule. Deviations are detected by the system which operates 24/7 and provides alerts to the manager, so corrections can be implemented quickly. Another feature of this technology monitors cow behavior at the pen level – lying time, feeding time, time out of the pen and cow comfort index – to help producers achieve high milk production, improve animal welfare and generate greater revenue.
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Mastitis prevention and detection A spectroscopy device with two options – a small hand-held device or inline sensor – was discussed. Another company offers a rapid on-farm test kit that delivers a clear positive or negative quarter-level diagnosis for mastitis that is reliable and actionable. Early detection of mastitis on-farm allows for better decision making on a day-to-day basis and prevents more serious mastitis cases, improving protability and animal welfare. In addition, this technology would be helpful if a farm is practicing selective dry cow therapy, so each quarter can be tested prior to dry off.
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Employee training One of the big challenges on dairy farms today is employee management. One of the technologies demonstrated at the event was an employee training platform that stores, delivers and tracks all the training of farm employees. It made me think of the requirements for the FARM program. This technology would be helpful for that. It could help with employee retention too. The same company also has technology for monitoring feeding management and milking unit pulsation. All their technologies can be integrated into one to help better manage the farm.
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Automated injection This company demonstrated a robotic arm injection system for delivering vaccines or reproductive products in an accurate way achieving 100% compliance rate. As cows exit the parlor, they are identied, restrained, injected with the products they are scheduled for the day, and the information is automatically recorded into the dairy farm management system. This technology can reduce labor costs, improve animal health and reproductive efciency. Water recycling, manure management This data-driven technology uses mechanical and chemical treatments to remove manure contaminants, separate manure solids, and results in clean water that can be reused in the barns. The technology can recycle up to 75% of the water in the manure. Other technologies Other technologies highlighted during these events included a free app that calculates the farm’s prots for
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An ultimate hunting experience Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
You can tell autumn is here. The days are growing shorter, the nights are markedly cooler, and the trees are putting on their annual strip show. Aside from the newly naked trees, another sure sign of fall is the army of strangely dressed people who are fanning out across the countryside, tromping through the boonies, hoping to ush out their elusive quarry. No, I’m not talking about vote-seeking politicians. I’m talking about pheasant hunters, those Blaze Orange-adorned men and women whose main objective is to scare up and shoot down what is essentially a fast-ying multicolored mutant chicken. Truth be told, those folks aren’t actually looking for pheasants. What they are pursuing is even more elusive, more eeting. What they are searching for is an Ultimate Hunting Experience.
Once you’ve had an Ultimate Hunting Experience, nothing else measures up. I know this is true because nothing could ever be as thrilling or fullling as the Ultimate Hunting Experience I shared with our erstwhile farm dog, Smokey. I was in my early teens when a pup named Smokey came to live with us on our dairy farm. She was a mixed-breed mutt that my sister procured via the giveaway section of the classieds. Smokey was part Black Lab and part German Shepherd; it was thus reasoned that she would be an all-around farm dog, good for both herding and hunting. Smokey had her own ideas regarding one of those expectations. Cattle, Smokey decided, were these big, oash quadrupeds that were worthy of nothing more than idle curiosity. No amount of pleading or cajoling could induce Smokey to so much as “woof” at a Hol-
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stein who needed herding. But birds were a whole other matter. We discovered that Smokey possessed a powerful passion for birding when she began to bring home our neighbor’s domesticated ducks. We would return the dazed Dear County Agent Guy and disheveled duck after dark and serve Smokey a severe scolding. A few days later Smokey would simply abduct another duck. I decided there was only one thing to do, namely, put Smokey’s hunting instincts to their best and highest use. When I turned 14, I was By Jerry Nelson nally able to convince Columnist Dad that I really needed a shotgun. All I had was a half-breed mutt and a single-shot .410, but I felt like a genuine hunter. My rst pheasant season was a total bust. I bagged exactly zero birds. None. El zippo. Oh, sure, I saw plenty of pheasants, but most of them were approximately a mile off and ying away at speeds that posed a serious challenge to the sound barrier. The problem was Smokey. She had a keen nose and could probably track a bumblebee through a blizzard. But she also had an overabundance of energetic enthusiasm. She would bolt off at a dead run whenever her nose detected a single molecule of pheasant scent. I often yelled myself hoarse in a futile effort to get her to stop. The few times when a pheasant did ush within shotgun range, I would be so ustered that I only managed to blast holes in the sky. Smokey would sprint enthusiastically after the eeing fowl, not giving up until she was well into the next county. The following autumn saw a change in both Smokey and me. Smokey had settled down and would sometimes point at birds that were trying to hide. There was also a small glimmer of progress in my hunting skills. Instead of panic-and-re, I learned to actually aim before pulling the trigger. Smokey and I began to bring home an occasional pheasant. I preferred hunting with Smokey over any other autumn pastime. While my siblings crowded around the TV on Sunday afternoons to watch the football game, Smokey and I would tromp around on the prairie in search of befeathered upland game. One snowy Sunday afternoon, Smokey and I were hunting some grassland when she stopped at the edge of a slough and froze in a picture-perfect point. I readied myself, knowing she was onto something. “Go get ‘em Smokey!” I urged quietly. Smokey pounced into a thicket of tall grass and every corner of the slough erupted. I watched, slack-jawed, as dozens of magnicent, iridescent ringneck pheasants burst from the jungle of slough grass, their cackling laughs echoing through the brittle air as they rocketed away. After the last bird had departed, Smokey glanced back at me with a look that said, “What’s the matter with you?” Only then did I realize that I had forgotten to shoot. “Let’s go home, Smokey,” I said. “It just doesn’t get any better than that!” Jerry is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, South Dakota. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry currently works full time for the Dairy Star as a staff writer/ad salesman. Feel free to E-mail him at: jerry.n@dairystar.com.
Stinky, slimy, ugly
These three adjectives accurately describe retained placenta (RP) in dairy cows. Farmers have probably been dealing with RP since farmers started milking cows. Retained Veterinary Wisdom placentas are pretty hard to ignore, especially if you are the poor fellow who has to milk the cow for the next three days, and especially if you milk in a tiestall or stanchion barn. We all know how effectively a quick ick of the tail can be to transfer that RP right into one’s face. Since RPs are By Jim Bennett so hard to ignore, we huColumnist mans have been trying to do something about them for a long time too. We try to prevent them. We try to treat them. Do they matter? Yes, they do matter. Cows with RP typically have decreased conception and pregnancy rates, and increased days open. RP also increases the risk of metritis, endometritis, ketosis and mastitis. Of course, these diseases can reduce milk production or increase the rate of culling. By itself, RP does not normally make a cow ill, but we all know how quickly a cow with RP can become a sick cow with metritis. Can we prevent RPs? Quite a bit of attention has been given to preventing RP for a lot of years. Nutritional interventions like increasing vitamin E or selenium levels have been tried, or increasing metabolizable protein in the diet, but with inconsistent results. Reducing subclinical and clinical hypocalcemia has been recommended, but the role of calcium in placental separation is still unclear. Twinning is a risk
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 31
factor, so herds that have reduced twinning may have made some success in reducing RP rates. Dystocia is another signicant risk for RP, so use of calving ease bulls in some animals may also have reduced rates of RP in some herds. But the bottom line in terms of prevention is that no specic intervention has ever been denitively identied as a way to reduce the rate of RP. We have maintained a data set in our practice with a variety of parameters for our clients since at least 2004. In that data, the average rate of RP was 8.1% of calvings in 2004, and only 2.6% in 2021. The RP rate has shown a very steady continuous decline for at least 17 years. Since we cannot identify any specic intervention to decrease the rate of RP, how did this happen? Part of the reason is that twinning rates and stillbirth rates have declined from 7.1% and 9.4% to 3.2% and 4.0%, respectively, and both conditions are risk factors for RP. However the main reason is most likely that our clients just do a much better job with dry and prefresh cow management, thus preventing a whole lot of periparturient disease, including RP. That means fewer cases of milk fever, metritis, dystocia, ketosis, mastitis and displaced abomasum. By doing this, rates of RP dropped as well. So, perhaps good overall management is kind of a vaccine to prevent RP. How should we treat RP? Well, of course the obvious thing to do is just go in there and pull the darn thing out. Just like cutting off a problem during surgery, once it is gone, it is gone. Since RP is so obvious, farmers have been manually removing placentas for at least decades, and probably centuries. However, scientic studies have consistently failed to show any appreciable benet to the cow by removing the placenta. This means no benet to the health or production of the cow, and no improvement in reproductive parameters either. At best, manual removal
is neutral for the cow. However manual removal can result in damage to the lining of the uterus, more frequent, prolonged and severe uterine infections, and an increased length of time until the cow forms a functioning corpus luteum. Thus, manual removal is not recommended. What about intrauterine antibiotics or intrauterine disinfectants? Antibiotics have not been shown to reduce negative outcomes associated with RP. Nor have disinfectants, whether in pill or liquid form. Antibiotics, including ceftiofur and ampicillin, have been shown to be effective in treating metritis when given parenterally, however. What about hormones? Oxytocin and prostaglandins have been studied, and with the exception of one long-acting prostaglandin, which has not been available in this country for several decades, nothing has shown any benet. So really, there are no recommended treatments for RP, unless the cow has metritis, in which case parenteral antibiotics can be administered. So, in simple terms, do not put anything in there, nor take anything out. Leave it alone. Treat the cow if she gets sick, or perhaps if you think she will get sick. The long story of retained placenta is both a success and a failure. It is a success since we have very signicantly reduced the rate of RP in dairy cattle. It is a failure in that no treatment, in spite of a lot of trying, manages to improve outcomes. Information for this article came from, Beagley, et. al,“Physiology and Treatment of Retained Fetal Membranes in Cattle, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2010. Bennett is one of four dairy veterinarians at Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center in Plainview, Minnesota. He also consults on dairy farms in other states. He and his wife, Pam, have four children. Jim can be reached at bennettnvac@gmail. com with comments or questions.
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Welcome to the club Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
I am having a midlife crisis or at least that’s what my family keeps telling me. I disagree with them but I did do something often associated with 40-plus-yearold men attempting to relive their youth. After decades of driving ATVs around our farm to move cattle in the pastures or to run and check a eld’s conditions, I bought a motorcycle instead of another ATV. The decision to cut the number of wheels from four down to two was partially because my kids wanted a dirt bike, and also my dad and I wanted a dirt bike. It seemed like if everyone wants a motorcycle, and we need a new thing to drive about anyway, we might as well get one. It didn’t hurt that the price for a brand new Yamaha TW200 motorcycle is half the price of an ATV. I’m always up for spending a bit less money.
What I didn’t realize when I started the search for a sturdy motorcycle for the farm was how much I would enjoy riding it. We hadn’t had a motorcycle at the farm since I briey owned one when I was a teenager. I liked riding the new bike around the farm so much I went to the DMV to get a motorcycle permit so I could legally ride on the county roads as well as the eld roads. I hadn’t taken a test at the DMV since I was 15 but not much has changed, surprisingly. With a freshly printed sheet of paper from the DMV folded up and jammed in my wallet I was ready to hit the roads. Not to head off to Sturgis – if you Google what a TW200 looks like you’ll see why – but to move our beef cattle and heifers on a pasture we rent by New Prague, Minnesota. Turns out, I had unknowingly be-
come part of a community much like the agricultural community. Riding that motorcycle to move cattle and check hay elds I got waves from all the other people out riding their fancy Harleys and Hondas on a sunny afternoon. People I didn’t know would come talk with me about how cool my funny looking fat tired dirt bike was at the gas station in town when I’d stop for a Snickers. I realized From the Zweber Farm quickly that when you ride a motorcycle you become instantly part of the motorcycling community even if you don’t have a fancy vest with a bunch of patches and a nickname like BlackJack. The other night I had to run to Wal-Mart By Tim Zweber after milking for some whipping cream so the Farmer & Columnist local ECFE kids could make butter when they toured our farm. Of course, I took the motorcycle because it was a nice evening and there are only so many of those left before fall takes a turn toward winter. While I was searching for the last couple cartons of whipping cream in the oddly empty dairy case, a man on one of those motorized shopping carts was trying to get a gallon of chocolate milk out so I held the door open for him. Turns out he recently lost his leg for reasons I didn’t inquire about making the motorized cart an annoying necessity for him. I know this because he noticed I was wearing an armored jacket for motorcycling and after thanking me for holding the door for him we had a nice conversation about motorcycles and life in general. He had to sell his Harley when he lost his leg but he bought a Yamaha scooter so he can keep riding a motorcycle even with prosthetic legs. I think I’ve stumbled into a group of people as passionate about their lifestyle as farmers are. Sometimes in agriculture we get hung up on who’s a real farmer. In a community as small as ours I’m not sure there’s much reason to be picky about who’s part of the crowd. Let’s all make sure to give a farmer wave to every tractor and grain truck we pass and compliment random folks on their chore boots or free seed hat because you might just be making a new farmer feel welcome in the agricultural community. Until next time, keep living the dream, and to quote Freddie Mercury, “Get on your bikes and ride!” I think he was referring to pedal bicycles but you know what I mean. Tim Zweber farms with his wife Emily, their three children and his parents Jon and Lisa by Elko, Minnesota.
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I was in the calving area with my college student helper, Alma, loading up a new calf into our cart to bring her into the calf barn. Chloe, our dog, pushed her nose into the sleepy calf, rousing her up onto her wobbly legs. Though she was a little too persistent, I praised Chloe for her help as it is what she loves to do. Just when you think you can do it all, you soon realize that is not the case. Harvest starting, cows calving at a record pace, and World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, were happening all at the same time. That is where we were a week ago. We decided to attend Expo for a short get-away from the farm months Come Full Dairy Circle ago, because our kids were all planning to be there doing different things. Rolf and I thought it would be nice to spend the time with them. We wanted to go to the National Dairy Shrine banquet held at Expo where our sons were receiving scholarships. Our daughter was there for her marketing and communications manager job in the Holstein Association USA booth. Attending Expo meant lining up replacement help for the things we normally take care of on the farm and with family. It required me to train in calf feeders for the time we would be gone and for Rolf making sure By Jean Annexstad all of the milkings and feedings were covered with adColumnist equate help. Luckily, our friends from California came for a visit just as we headed out, so there were backups just in case more help was needed. We didn’t hear about any late-night cow chases or anything like that, although there were some needed instructions for calf milk pasteurizer set up. As we think back over the years on our farm, many people have been involved with getting the tasks done. Many have moved on, especially the high school and college students who have helped with milking part time. Sometimes they all move on at once, which is how I found myself both milking and calf feeding in the past few weeks. That is when you start to realize how important having reliable, willing and interested employees is. You can’t do it all, you aren’t able to and you are grateful to accept help if it can be found or offered. Now as we train new people to help us with chores, we nd our purpose once again as we explain our daily procedures to others. Our employee manual gets dusted off, and we think about why we do tasks a certain way. We realize things need updating and rethinking, so it is a good exercise to do this. Eric, my brother-in-law, handles the harvesting for his own farm and for some of our grain as well. He needs a reliable crew for the combining, grain hauling and moving or repairing his equipment. Since we are usually busy with dairy-related tasks, he nds helpers who really enjoy the harvest time and getting out in the elds. Dave, our 23-year employee, who is primarily responsible for feeding the cows and overseeing forages, takes a few weeks to help with his family’s grain harvest. Though we miss him doing his normal feed mixing and delivery, we know he enjoys harvesting with his family. Like many people, I suspect, my inclination is to get the job done on my own when possible. As I seem to be slowing down as the years roll by, I have realized that my body can’t function day after day without adequate rest. When people offer their help, I now gladly accept it and think of ways I can help them to pursue their goals. Can I write a letter of recommendation? Offer some advice? Lease them a heifer to show? Teach them some skills or educate about an aspect of dairy farming they nd interesting? Maybe they just love spending time in a barn with animals. The one downside to having help is that I tend to repeat myself in explaining the procedures of calf care even when not needed, as my children point out to me when they are helping. Is it simply getting older that causes me to do this? Maybe. Or perhaps it is just the tendency to want things done as I have chosen. Overexplaining happens. What can I say? On Google, there are life quotes about help aplenty, but I will include three that stand out to me: "There is more happiness in giving than in receiving." Acts 20:35 "Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others." Martin Luther King, Jr. "Leaders need to be facilitators, and help others get what they need." Janeen Latini, Love to Lead. Lead to Love. Jean dairy farms with her husband, Rolf, and brother-in-law, Mike, and children Emily, Matthias and Leif. They farm near St. Peter, Minnesota, in Norseland, where she is still trying to t in with the Norwegians and Swedes. They milk 200 cows and farm 650 acres. She can be reached at jeanannexstad@ gmail.com.
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Rieke finds balance, joy in long distance running By Sadie Frericks Contributing Writer
FRANKLIN, Minn. – On most Saturday mornings, you can nd Linda Rieke running down one of the gravel roads of rural Renville County. This Franklin-area dairy farmer and mom of three relies on running to help her nd balance in her life. “You put a lot of work into the farm
Farmer on the run
and taking care of the kids,” Rieke said. “You need something that brings you joy. For me, that’s running.” Rieke farms with her husband, Andy. They bought the farm Rieke grew up on in 2015, after farming in partnership with Rieke’s father, James Kanne, for eight years. The Riekes have 56 cows and farm 260 acres of pasture and cropland. The Riekes also have three children: Alana, 9, Connor, 6, and Colby, 3. After competing as a sprinter in high school and college, Rieke never imagined long distance running would one day bring her joy. “I actually ended college injured, and gured I was done running forever,”
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Linda Rieke and her husband, Andy, along with their three children – (front, from leŌ) Connor and Alana; (back) Colby – have a 56-cow dairy farm near Franklin, Minnesota.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Linda Rieke runs the AŌon 25K Trail Run in July at AŌon State Park in HasƟngs, Minnesota. Rieke nds joy in running both trail races and road races.
Rieke said. But in 2015 after Connor was born, Rieke signed up for a local 5K race and found herself once again hooked on running. In 2016, she ran both a 5K and a 10K race. “I nished the 10K and thought, ‘I can’t believe I just ran six miles’,” Rieke said. “In high school, our track coach frequently had us run a four-mile square. As soon as he was out of sight, I’d start
walking.” Those rst races quickly led to longer races. “My friend Becky said, ‘You should run a half marathon,” Rieke said. Rieke rst met Becky Vos at the Fairfax Public Library, where Rieke has worked part-time as an assistant librarian since 2012. She said the library Turn to RIEKE | Page 35
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ConƟnued from RIEKE | Page 34 position is another way she brings balance and joy into her life. Rieke and Vos found they had a lot in common, since Vos grew up on a dairy farm in Stearns County, and soon started running together on weekends. “I never would have got into longer distance running without Becky,” Rieke said. Rieke followed Vos’ encouragement and signed up for a half-marathon in 2017. “The Earth Day Half Marathon in St. Cloud was one of the best days of my life,” Rieke said.
race,” Rieke said. “Most of my running is on at land. I’ve never been up there before, and I didn’t realize how brutal the trail was.” Following the Superior run, Rieke ran the Afton 25K Trail Race at Afton State Park and the Richeld Wildland Half Marathon in July. She also ran in the Minnesota Ragnar Relay in August. Ragnar is an overnight, 200-plus mile race from St. Paul to Duluth. Rieke and her 11 relay team members each ran two of the 8-mile legs of the race. Rieke’s last longer race of the season will be the Mankato Half Marathon Oct. 16. And she’s already started thinking about next summer. “I’m thinking about tackling the full marathon next year. I love Duluth, so the Grandma’s Marathon in June would be amazing,” Rieke said. “But a marathon is a big scary thing to think about.” If she decides to run Grandma’s Marathon, the training plan Rieke follows for building up to longer distances would require her to start running in January. She doesn’t usually run in the winter, relying instead on indoor crosstraining to carry her through to the next running season. Full marathon or not, Rieke is sure to be running again next summer. “I keep running because it’s good stress relief,” Rieke said. “Farming is very stressful. And so is living through a pandemic. I always come back from a run feeling refreshed and happy that I did it.”
“During the week, I run whenever it works. Sometimes that’s right after morning chores; sometimes it’s right before evening chores.” LINDA RIEKE, DAIRY FARMER
With several additional half marathons now behind her, longer distance running is part of Rieke’s way of life. She runs three or four days each week, with shorter runs during the week and a long run early on Saturday morning. “During the week, I run whenever it works. Sometimes that’s right after morning chores; sometimes it’s right before evening chores,” Rieke said. Rieke milks most mornings with Andy and every night with one of their three high school employees. Another part-time employee covers milking on Friday and Saturday mornings so Rieke can work her shift at the library. Rieke’s father also continues to help with farm chores as needed. Currently, Rieke is nishing up an impressive 2021 running season. She started the season with the Superior (Spring) 25K trail race in Lutsen, Minnesota, which is run on the Superior Hiking Trail in the Sawtooth Mountain Range. She ran that race with her sister-in-law, Amy Rieke. They initially signed up to run the race in 2020, but got bumped to 2021 when the 2020 race was cancelled due to the PHOTO SUBMITTED pandemic. Linda Rieke is all smiles before the start of her rst “I might have been a leg of the Minnesota Ragnar Relay in August. little undertrained for that
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15438
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Women In Dairy Anne Jones Iowa County Ridgeway Wisconsin 60 cows Family: My husband, Evan, and I have three kids, Emery, 4, Lane, 2, and Cash, 2 months. Tell us about the farm. We farm with Evan’s parents. This is his family farm. We milk about 60 registered Jerseys in a tiestall barn that holds 40. We have around 200 tillable acres that we have mostly in hay. Evan and his parents do most of the milking, and Evan’s sister plays an active role in chores by feeding calves in the morning and helping ll in a lot. In short, we are a classic family farm. It’s not uncommon during chore time to see three generations of people working together. What is the busiest time of day for you? Usually right before or right after chores. It is getting everybody up and fed – having breakfast and getting ready for school. My role on the farm has changed with the more kids we have. I feed calves at night and then get everybody in and to bed. I would say the bookends are the busiest time of the day. When you get a spare moment what do you do? I am one extreme or the other. I either want to go for a run or I want to sit on the couch and look at my phone. Otherwise, running is my go-to. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. This might be cheating, but those moments where we see the kids really enjoying something or picking up on something we do. Most of the time during chores they run free but then Emery asks to get a cow ready, and she knows how to do it because she has seen her dad do it so many times. Or when we see her grab a calf bottle without being asked. When we see the kids start to do stuff we know they only learned by watching us. I like that. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I have met so many cool women in the dairy industry. I got to do Chick Day with Vita Plus, I got to speak on a panel once for Vita Plus, I got to submit an article in Hoard’s Dairyman and now this. That has been really cool, getting to be a part of women supporting women. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? The Facebook group Dairy Moms is a really amazing group of women that is more than just a Facebook group. It might be my favorite part of the dairy industry. I denitely use that to stay connected with women in agriculture. There are women from our community
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we have become close to because of that group and not because of where we live. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? There are a ton of agvocates like the Modern Day Farm Chick, the Farmers Wifee, and other women out there sharing their story. I like Krista Dolan because she is really good at keeping it real. She shares her pictures of raising calves, and she’s got kids just a little older than mine so it’s nice to see that she’s already through some of what mine are going through. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? I think Ellen DeGeneres is funny, but last year she shared something that was not ag positive. I think it was about meat. I wish I could show her what our farm is. I would pick someone who has said something negative about ag, and I would show them what it is actually like. Our animals are not tortured or abused. My kids lay on them and feed them animal crackers when they are in the barn. All the cows have names. What is the best vacation you have ever taken? My dream vacation would be to go sit on a beach somewhere by myself and read a book. But that has not happened. We went camping last July for two days and it was so much fun. Evan still came home to do chores, but we felt a little bit like a regular family for a weekend. I also really like ag conferences because we get off the farm, but we still learn different things. What are some words you like to live by? I love inspirational quotes like, “Chin up princess. If not, the crown falls,” and other things that talk about trying to stay positive and keeping a balance. It can be a really crummy day but if you can slap a smile on and gure out one reason why it’s OK, it’s ne. I also like to be real and being able to say it’s hard right now but it’s going to be OK.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 39
The Torgerson family Dale (pictured) and Brenda, daughters Erin, Katy and Myle Viroqua, Wisconsin Vernon County 40 cows
What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? Dale would say two things: his father’s very rst tractor, a 1130 Massey Ferguson, and the skidloader. Dale bought the tractor and restored it years after his dad had sold it and passed on. This makes the day on the farm feel like his dad is there with him. The skidloader is a back-saver, a make-life-easier machine. Chores would be a lot harder without that tool in his daily farming life.
How did you get into farming? This is Dale’s family farm; we purchased it from his mother a few years after his father’s passing. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? The small family farm, that’s my concern. I pray and hope we can stay aoat. We are a family farm. We still believe in it. If the small dairy farm goes away, you will lose your rural communities also. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? We purchased our own used chopper and boxes this last year to help us keep our cost down instead of hiring this work to be done. It has proven to be benecial for us so far. No, it’s not a new technology, but to us it is. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? We have two areas of management we have been focusing on. Our daughter, Erin, has started handling the raising of calves more and choosing the bulls for certain cows at breeding time. This gives a different view to both of these areas. The calves get more attention and a variety of bulls are chosen. She enjoys having these management tasks on her plate.
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Buying the family farm. Also, the accomplishment of working hard and nally becoming an organic dairy farm three years ago. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? We try to handle things more on our own at the farm versus hiring it done. We have to be more self-sufcient in order to keep the costs down. If something is broke and we can manage xing it, Dale gets it xed on his own. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? Employees? That’s our daughters. They are our help. We have three, and they help with putting cows in, cutting hay, baling, hauling, moving heifers and pretty much everything else. We all get along. We’re family. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. Dale has the skills to x just about anything. He repairs his own machinery when needed, which helps a lot when you are farming. He is a wonderful father and
husband. To me as a wife, that is the best skill ever. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? It’s our life. I work off the farm, but this is our life. We are raising our girls the right way. I love the smell of fresh cut hay, a newborn calf, watching crops grow, walking through the elds, and being able to get lost in our farm anytime I want. Life is truly beautiful here, and to us, it’s the best way to raise a family. What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Have faith, stay strong and true to yourself, and never give up. It’s a struggle, but you have to know that struggle is everywhere. When you succeed, it is all because of you. When you are done at the end of the day, it is you that did it. Be proud to carry on the dairy farm life. Not everyone gets this wonderful chance to live it.
How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? Well that’s a tough one. Time isn’t free, I know that. Dale likes to golf. Erin milks 100 cows off the farm for a very nice family, and she loves to go shing and spend time with her boyfriend. Katy and Myle love to jump on the trampoline, draw and go shing. I love to be home with my family. With two jobs off the farm, we don’t get too many days where we are all around. Vacation doesn’t happen here. You make that choice when you choose to run your own farm, but we wouldn’t change a thing.
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