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DAIRY ST R
Volume 23, No. 16
October 9, 2021
“All dairy, all the time”™
Wedded bliss on the farm Zunker, Kaufmann-Luft get married on Conrath dairy By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF MAX LEE
Lexi Zunker and Pete Kaufmann-Lu� are newlyweds. The couple was married Sept. 25 at Zunker’s family’s 250-cow dairy near Conrath, Wisconsin.
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, Dallas, 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 Turn to ZUNKER | Page 13
New parlor boosts efficiency at R-Acres Rademachers’ retrofit milks more cows in less time By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
COTTAGE GROVE, Wis. – When a group of ve cows is done milking at R-Acres, they do not have to wait for their herdmates to nish in order to be released from the parlor. These cows can exit and a new group of ve can enter and begin milking. As a result, no time is lost. “If there’s a slower milker in the group, the whole side doesn’t have to be held up waiting for her to nish,” said Carlie Rademacher. “Letting out ve cows at a time versus twenty also prevents trafc jams.” The Rademacher family replaced their double-11 herringbone parlor with a double-20 DeLaval P500 parallel parlor in May 2019. The Rademachers increased cow capacity within the same footprint and still have room to grow. “(The new parlor) is a great t for us,” Rademacher said. “Our old parlor was running 23 hours a day. We’re saving a quarter of that time now and not every group is full to STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR capacity.” Rademacher’s grandparents, Keith and Joan, started Siblings, Carlie and Adam Rademacher, milk 1,000 cows and farm 2,600 acres with their parents, Brian and Nikki, and grandparents, Keith and Joan, near Co�age Grove, Wisconsin. Turn to RADEMACHER | Page 7
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
DAIRY ST R
CCCPro funds to be used address drought, supply chain disruptions Dairy le brought to to you by your North America dealers.
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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.
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
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.
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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
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 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 climate-smart agriculture and forestry a priority in the implementation for all farm bill programs. 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
GA 4230 T & GA 4231 T
The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
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.
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.
Ag Insider
By Don Wick Columnist
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.
Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 5
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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.
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.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Pages 2, 8 First Section
Conrath
Fairy tale wedding at Zunker Farm
Second Section: Pages 16, 18- 19
UW-River Falls Dairy Pilot Plant
Iron Ashland
Wa sh b
Sawyer
Barron
Rusk
Vilas
ar
Menominee
in
et
ue
tte
Waushara
Juneau
Vernon
Columbia Dodge
Sauk
Wa
Lafayette Green
Activity collars help keep Vosberg’s herd preg rate at 47%
Jo Daviess
First Section: Pages 18 - 23
S
Carroll
Racine
Rock
on
ens
h tep
Jefferson Waukesha
Walworth
ago
neb
Win
e
Livingston
Page 30 Second Section
Dane
Iowa
Grant
Country Cooking
W
Green Lake Fond Du Lac
on
Cr
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
eb
inn
shi
Richland
o ag Calumet
ng ton S he O bo Milwaukee zauk M yg ee an anito w
Adams
Monroe
aw
Second Section: Pages 22 - 23
O
Second Section: Pages 6 - 7
Kenosha
Ogle
Whiteside
Kane
Lee
Madison
DMI panel introduces dairy’s future
Rock Island
n Hen
First Section: Page 36
ders o
Women in Dairy: Anne Jones
Hull, IA Watertown, SD
Third Section: Pages 3 - 4
Mercer
Ridgeway
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Hackbarth focused on quality over quantity
McHenry
DeKalb
Zone 2
Sussex
Bo
Bollants reflect as they work to sell their farm
g uta
d
Fennimore
Jackson
La Crosse
ie am Brown
Wood
for
Dairy Good Life
or
Shawano Portage Waupaca
Trempealeau
Buffalo
Third Section: Page 9
Oconto
Clark
Eau Claire
Dairy’s Working Youth: Payton Havlik
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Menominee
Marathon
Pepin
Norwalk
Page 33 First Section
Chippewa
rq
Dunn
te
Langlade
Ma
St. Croix Pierce
Zone 1
M
Forest
Taylor
Page 31 First Section
Page 32 First Section
ce
Lincoln
Veterinary Wisdom
From the Zweber Farm
Oneida
Do
Polk
ren
Price
un ee
Page 30 First Section
Flo
wa
Burnett
Ramblings from the Ridge
Delta
Dickinson
oc
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
ur
Page 27 First Section
First Section: Pages 1, 7
A day in the life of the Peters family
Bayfield
Douglas
River Falls
n
From My Perspective
West Bend
Rademachers’ retrofit milks more cows in less time
First Section: Pages 1, 6
Page 26 First Section
Cottage Grove
Ke
Farmer and Columnist
ren
War
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of dairying in your area? First Section: Pages 15 - 16
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ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 2
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.
Ripp accepts WI Farm Bureau job The Wisconsin Farm Bureau has hired Keith Ripp as its executive director for government relations. Ripp succeeds Karen Gefvert who will take on a new role at Wisconsin Farm Bureau as its innovation and engagement strategist. Ripp is a former state legislator and served as an assistant deputy secretary at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. 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 strate-
gic ventures manager. Ryan Findlay founded a consulting group last year after being terminated by the ASA. Retirement looms for O’Leary Wisconsin State Fair Park CEO Kathleen O’Leary is retiring. O’Leary has been with the facility for 24 years, including the past ve years as the chief executive ofcer. An interim CEO will be appointed in late October and the search will begin to ll the job on a permanent basis. 4-H Hall of Fame Laureates named Wisconsin 4-H has announced its 2021 Hall of Fame Laureates. The honorees are Barron County 4-H volunteer Lois Anderson, retired Waushara 4-H agent Barbara Barker, Kenosha County 4-H volunteers Carl and Shirley Daniels, Mantiowoc 4-H pioneer Orabelle Fisher, Barron Country 4-H vounteers Brian and Kathy Holton, Dane Country 4-H volunteer Nadine Pfotenhauer, Ozaukee Country 4-H volunteers Robert and Mari Schmidt, Outagamie County 4-H volunteer and the late Helen O’Brien, who was the UW-Extension Drama specialist. 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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ConƟnued from ZUNKER | Page 1 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 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 ColPHOTO COURTESY OF MAX LEE lege where she works as an ofce Pete and Lexi share a moment during the reassistant, and he was returning works show Lexi’s brother and his friends put on as a student after six years in the later in the night Sept. 25 in Conrath, Wisconsin. Marine Reserves. After a couple weeks of talking, Pete invited Lexi out for Thai food. Stout. He hopes to be an agricultural “It was really cute; I had never been asked out in person before,” or environmental engineer. It was his Lexi said. “It was always by text or dedication to the farm that sealed the deal for Lexi. through a dating app.” “What really made me fall in love She reveals he did not even know her name when he asked her out, something with him is that we have this big dairy farm in Conrath, and he absolutely loves they laugh about now. “I gured if this guy is brave enough going up there,” Lexi said. “He loves to ask me out on a date without even know- helping out my dad and my brother on ing my name, then he’s brave enough to the farm, and has completely embraced farm life.” handle me,” Lexi said. When Pete spent six days cutting and After their rst date, Lexi was not raking the entire fourth crop of hay, Lexi sure if she would ever hear from him knew he was the one. again, but he texted her the very next day. “He has just taken to it so naturally,” “When he texted me the next day I just thought, ‘Alright, we’re going to do she said. “Just seeing how much he loves it up there and how passionate he is about this,’” Lexi said. Lexi holds a master’s degree in mu- it made me think this is the guy. This is it.” Pete t right in with Lexi’s lifestyle. sic and teaches piano, has a macramé “He wants to be a weekend warrior business and shows horses. She lives in Eau Claire but spends every summer and farmer, and I’m up there every weekend anyway,” Lexi said. weekend at the farm. Now the newly-weds will be able to Pete does not have a background in farm together. Before then, the couple is farming. After his time in the Marine Reserves, he earned his associate degree in headed on a mini-moon camping trip up to architectural and structural design. Now Copper Harbor in the upper peninsula of he is earning his degree in environmental Michigan, with further plans to go somesciences at the University of Wisconsin- where warm for Spring Break in March.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF MAX LEE
Lexi and Pete share a kiss amidst the visitors to their on-farm wedding Sept. 25 near Conrath, Wisconsin.
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 7
ConƟnued from RADEMACHER | Page 1 the farm in 1982 with 50 cows. herd through before the next Today, the Rademacher family, milking started was becoming with help from eight full-time increasingly difcult, and backemployees, milks 1,000 cows ups were causing a delay in the twice a day and farms 2,600 milking schedule. “We were running out of acres near Cottage Grove. Running the operation with time and not getting cows in,” Rademacher is her brother, Rademacher said. “We want Adam, her parents, Brian and cows milked at the same time Nikki, and her grandparents. every day and that wasn’t hapRademacher’s younger sister, pening in our old parlor. Cows Rachel – a senior in high school were leaking a lot of milk in the – also works on the farm. pen and not getting in here on Rademacher and Adam are time. We didn’t have room to third-generation farmers who re- expand the parlor, so (this one) turned to farm with their family was our best option for a retrot. full time at the end of 2020. The Now, cows let down milk at the siblings own a small percentage proper time and spend less time of the farm, and each has a piece in the parlor.” of land in their name. The transition in parlors has “To support my brother brought about successes in cow and I coming on as owners, we comfort and longevity, milk increased to 1,000 cows and production, and employee safewould like to keep growing,” ty. Since switching to the new Rademacher said. “But it all de- parlor, the Rademachers have pends on the milk price.” gained two to three pounds per The ability to stagger the cow in daily milk production. entry and exit of cows is one of “Cows are more comfortthe family’s favorite features of able and relaxed,” Rademacher their new exible milking parlor. said. “More of them are chewEach side contains four gangs of ing their cud. We added mats in ve cows. When a gang is done the parlor too, along with more milking, they can be let out rath- fans, which are both better for er than waiting for all 20 cows cow comfort.” to nish. Groups can overlap to The Rademachers are also make efcient use of parlor time nding that cows are lasting anand maximize throughput. other lactation, which they attri“If we don’t have 20 cows bute not only to the new parlor to ll a line, the design of the but also to other improvements parlor is such that no one backs on the farm such as feeding out and nobody has to try to high-quality forages. keep a cow in,” she said. “There At the time of the retrot, are little paddles that keep cows the Rademachers were milking in place. The paddle can also be about 850 cows. The P500 parused to push out a stubborn cow, lor design allows for more cows so no one has to do that either.” within the same dimensions A bigger parlor was neces- due to the way their bodies are sary at R-Acres as getting the aligned. Positioning cows front
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
A group of ve cows nishes milking aŌer groups on either side have exited the parlor. to back instead of on an angle increases capacity on each side of the parlor. “Cows had to be trained to turn a different way,” Rademacher said. “It was a learning curve for everyone, but within three days, we were good to go. In this parlor, cows can’t spring their leg back at you, which has increased the safety of our employees and family.” More cows are now milked in less time, giving the parlor adequate rest between shifts. “Machines need a break just like humans do, and now the parlor has time to rest,” Rademacher said. “It helps us keep up with maintenance. During this downtime, we can change inations, x pulsators, and work on other things without spooking
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the cows or being in the way.” On the day of the retrot, milking started at midnight, and at 6 a.m., the milking equipment company took out one side of the parlor and installed the new parlor in its place. Within 8-12 hours, the Rademachers could milk on that side. “It went really fast,” Rademacher said. “We couldn’t get all the cows through in a single-11 so we needed that side up and running as quickly as possible.” Within 36 hours, the retrot was complete. “The new setup required a little patience, and everyone worked as a team to train the cows,” Rademacher said. “It all turned out perfect.” The new parlor is slightly wider, therefore the alley is a
little narrower, but otherwise the physical footprint remains the same. The Rademachers also added a pulley brush system for prepping cows which Rademacher said helps keep cows consistently clean and stimulated. A few weeks ago, they also installed under udder lighting. “Now, we can see the complete udder and any blemishes,” Rademacher said. “It’s great.” The Rademachers’ goal is to get to 1,300 cows in the next 1.5 to 2 years – an expansion their parlor can accommodate. “We already have plans drawn up for a new freestall barn,” Rademacher said. “Our dream some day is to have a carrousel parlor, and (this parlor) is our baby step to get to that carrousel.”
Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Crossing the colored shavings off the bucket list Hetke dons whites at expo for first time By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – Without a doubt, for any registered dairy cattle breeder, World Dairy Expo is like Christmas, the Superbowl, World Series and Stanley Cup nals all rolled into one. The chance to walk on the famed colored shavings with a homebred animal is a bucket-list item for many. This year one Wisconsin Ayrshire breeder had the opportunity to check that item off her list. After years of packing her family off to World Dairy Expo to compete, Janet Hetke was putting her own show whites in the suitcase, preparing for her rst trip around the oor of Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center. The 59-year-old grandmother had been looking forward to crossing the item off her bucket list from the time her special Ayrshire heifer was conrmed pregnant, due to calve in time to be shown as a milking yearling on the
world’s biggest dairy stage at World Dairy Expo’s International Ayrshire Show Sept. 28 in Madison. “It was just so much fun,” Hetke said of showing on the colored shavings. “The associate judge asked me some questions, and he seemed like he was genuinely glad to see me smiling out there, enjoying myself and my cow.” Hetke and her husband, Paul, milk 50 registered Ayrshires on their CloverKey farm near Ladysmith in Rusk County, where they raised their four now-grown children: Elizabeth, Andrew, Dale and Serenity. Hetke grew up on a Guernsey farm, showing her parents’, Bryce and Patricia Coggins, Green Grow Guernseys at the Rusk County Fair. After marrying Paul, the couple returned to her grandparent’s 120-acre farm, which consisted of a lot of marshland. The Hetkes began converting much of the cropland to managed rotational grazing land in 1990, which seemed better suited for the land than traditional cropping. “We started out milking any cows that we could nd for sale at a price we could manage,” Hetke said. The couple’s foray into
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW HETKE PHOTOGRAPHY
Janet Hetke exhibits her Ayrshire Milking Yearling in the InternaƟonal Ayrshire Show Sept. 28 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Hetke milks 50 cows near Ladysmith, Wisconsin. the Ayrshire breed was rooted in Paul’s afnity for the breed, which was sparked when he received a calf in 1983 as part of the Wisconsin Ayrshire Breeders’ ShayrA-Heifer program. In 1998, they purchased two springing Ayrshire heifers and watched them grow and thrive on their grazing program, outper-
forming their Holstein counterparts. A year later, they encountered the opportunity to buy a 30-cow herd that consisted primarily of purebred Ayrshires; and CloverKey Ayrshires was born. “There is so much we have come to love about the Ayrshire cow. I don’t imagine
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we will ever change as long as we are the ones calling the shots,” Hetke said. “All of our children have grown up showing Ayrshires at county and state fairs and Expo, with a fair amount of success.” After 20 years of breeding registered Ayrshires, Turn to HETKE | Page 9
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ConƟnued from HETKE | Page 8 Hetke’s own rst trip to the World Dairy Expo showring really started in 2018 when her youngest child ventured off to college, leaving Hetke with a terrible case of the empty nest blues. “I hated the empty nest; anyone who knows me knows I need people around me, badly,” Hetke said. “The winter of 2018 was terrible in northern Wisconsin, with ice storms, lots of snow and long stretches of below-zero temperatures. It was just a really hard winter for me.” Hetke was determined not to let winter defeat her the next year. When CloverKey Dwhammy Skylark was born Sept. 27, 2019, Hetke decided that calf would be her partner in getting through the long gloomy months of winter in the upper Midwest. “I decided that I would make myself get out in the sunshine every day throughout the winter and work with this calf to show the next summer,” Hetke said. She gured the time spent with the calf in the sunshine and fresh air would help bolster her spirits and make the winter pass more quickly. “I hoped that if I loved her like Clifford the Big Red Dog, then she would grow and be magnicent,” Hetke said with a laugh. After spending the winter working so hard with Skylark, Hetke was disappointed
when COVID-19 hit, limiting her opportunities to show off her new best friend. “I looked ahead, and just hoped we could get her bred and calved in to show as a milking yearling in 2021,” Hetke said. Skylark obliged, calving in on Aug. 22 to begin the month-long process of preparing to compete on the colored shavings. The road to Madison was not without bumps for Hetke and Skylark. First there were the questions about whether or not Skylark could be in show-ready shape in just over one month. Then there were the restrictions and mask mandates put in place by Dane County that made Hetke question if she was willing to consider sidelining her principles for the chance to exhibit. Once she stepped onto the purple shavings, Hetke said the enormity of the coliseum struck her. “I have shown before but this was so huge. I was the rst one in the ring … I did not know how fast to go, or how far to go away from the wall; it was quite overwhelming. My son Andrew was standing on the rail, taking photos and he was motioning for me to slow down,” Hetke said with a laugh. “Then another exhibitor who was supposed to be in front of me came in and set the pace for
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW HETKE PHOTOGRAPHY
Janet Hetke puts fresh bedding down for Skylark, her Ayrshire milking yearling, that she exhibited at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. me. That helped calm me down, and I was able to start enjoying it.” Hetke’s Skylark nished seventh in her class. “Going into it, putting my whites on for that rst time on the colored shavings at the big dance was so exciting and special,” Hetke said. “There was always the possibility I’d fall at on my face, but that didn’t matter. It was just something I was wanted to do, and I’m very glad I did it.”
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW HETKE PHOTOGRAPHY
Janet Hetke presents CloverKey Dwhammy Skylark to the judges at World Dairy Expo, marking her rst Ɵme ever exhibiƟng on the colored shavings, at the age of 59.
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
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Allison Gartman (second from le�) was announced as the winner of the rst annual Hellenbrand Las�ng Legacy award on Oct. 1 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Gartman is pictured with (from le�) Dr. Jeff Bleck, Gartman’s mentor; Linda Hellenbrand, award presenter; top nalist Natalie Roe; and her mentor, Dave Bollig.
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long illness, leaving a treasured legacy created by the impact he had on so many dairy industry enthusiasts, young and old. “There is denitely a void this week at World Dairy Expo without Mike here,” said Linda Hellenbrand. “I really felt comfort knowing how much he meant to so many around here. Walking through the pavilions, which he played a big part in; seeing the HP prex cattle in the showstrings and as well as being lucky enough to hear some over the loudspeaker in the coliseum; and most of all the people in the dairy industry that he met and touched. Your minds and hearts still have him with you.” All of that combined to lead Linda Hellenbrand, along with a group of their partners led by Bryan Voegeli, Dan Basse, Dr. Sheila McGuirk and Bob Hagenow, to create the Hellenbrand Lasting Legacy award; which would present a top-quality calf, donated by one of Mike’s partners, to a deserving youth each year. “Mike loved the cattle and he loved kids,” said Voegeli, a longtime partner of the Hellenbrands, and colleague of Mike’s on the expo board. “He gave so many kids the opportunity to experience showing great heifers. One of the
MADISON, Wis. – A mere 20 years ago, Mike and Linda Hellenbrand entered a world relatively unknown to them, but one they longed to become a part of: the world of elite registered dairy cattle. And become a part of that world, they did, using a unique business model to work with top breeders to implant embryos to create calves from top cows. Before the events of Sept. 11, 2001 they each had careers in the nancial sector in New York City. Being affected in many ways by the terrorist attacks perpetrated on the country, they decided to begin a new chapter in their lives, establishing City Slickers Farm in Dane County near Madison, Wisconsin. With their unique business approach and interest in the genetics of many of the cows that typically stood in the center of the colored shavings, the Hellenbrands and their HP prex Turn to HELLENBRAND | Page 11 quickly become wellknown at World Dairy Expo, with Mike being named to serve on the WDE Board of Directors, including holding a seat on the executive committee. Another aspect that set the Hellenbrands apart was their interest in working with youth, giving many youngsters the opportunity to work with daughters of some of the top show cows of their eras. These calves were leased to various young dairy enthusiasts through a well-developed lease agreement between the youth, their parents, the DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR Hellenbrands and their Linda Hellenbrand (right) talks about the impact her husband had on youth in many partners. the dairy industry and World Dairy Expo while Bryan Voegeli (le�) and Dr. SheiMike passed away la McGuirk (center) look on Oct. 1 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. July 1, 2020, after a
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 11
ConƟnued from HELLENBRAND | Page 10
last times I visited Mike, I told him I wanted do something to continue his legacy; that of all the things he did for the industry, the greatest was what he did for the youth.” The group developed the criteria for the award and the application process included a resume for the youth along with plans for raising, housing and developing the animal. Each applicant was required to secure a mentor to assist him or her along the way with developing the calf to its fullest potential, and each mentor was asked to write a letter of recommendation in favor of the applicant. After initial screening, the top candidates were interviewed and narrowed down to the eventual winner and a second-place top nalist award, which were announced during a small ceremony Oct. 1 at World Dairy Expo. “Mike always wanted to do everything better,” McGuirk said. “It didn’t matter what it was, in his mind there was always room for improvement. He wanted nothing short of perfection, while trying to maintain realistic expectations. We really wanted to honor that attention to detail in our selection for this award.” The winner selected by Hellenbrand and her committee was 13-year-old Allison Gartman of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The Kohler Middle School eighth grader selected her family’s veterinarian, Dr. Jeff Bleck, as her mentor. Gartman, the daughter of Luke and Liz Gartman, will receive a daughter of 2017 WDE Guernsey Grand Champion Springhill Mentor Jazzy-ET to add to her herd next spring. The family milks about 100 cows on their Sheboygan County farm. Gartman decided to apply for the award after her mom heard about it. She said she spent several weeks working to perfect her application. “I decided to ask Jeff to be my mentor because he is a really good vet and a successful breeder,” Gartman said. She said adding a Guernsey to her herd will be a new experience, explaining that her family has a
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Allison Gartman (leŌ) and Natalie Roe (right) are pictured with Linda Hellenbrand aŌer being named the winner and top nalist, respecƟvely, of the Hellenbrand LasƟng Legacy award, Oct. 1 at World Dairy Expo.
herd of Holsteins and Brown Swiss. “I am really excited to go to different shows with a Guernsey,” Gartman said. “We are even talking about going down to Kentucky for the show there next fall. I have never shown at Expo before, either, and I am really looking forward to being able to experience that.” Natalie Roe, 18, of Monticello, Wisconsin, was named the top nalist, and was the runner-up to receive a project calf. Roe, the daughter of Dan and Sally Roe, had selected family friend and WDE Dairy Cattle Superintendent Dave Bollig to serve as her mentor. A freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying dairy science, Roe said she applied for the award because of experience showing animals that were owned by Voegeli and the Hellenbrands. “They are great people to work with, and this award is such a great way to commemorate that,” Roe said, of why she chose to apply. “I have learned a lot from working with them in the Brown Swiss breed.”
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Wisconsin scores a four-peat
Manitowoc County team tops national 4-H contest By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – Any 4-Her who has ever picked up a clipboard and memorized the parts of a cow dreams of one day winning the state 4-H dairy judging contest for the chance to judge on the hallowed colored shavings of World Dairy Expo in the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. That dream came true earlier this summer for four young ladies from Manitowoc County who have been judging together since before they were old enough to actually participate in a 4-H contest. The dream went a little farther Sept. 27, when they were the nal team announced during the awards banquet as the overall winner of the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest in Madison, Wisconsin. They are the fourth consecutive team from Wisconsin to win the contest, and the fth team in the last six years.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
The 4-H dairy judging team from Manitowoc County – (from leŌ) coach Angie Ulness, Clarissa Ulness, Lauren Siemers, Jenna Gries, Emma Vos and coach Paul Siemers – represented Wisconsin in the NaƟonal 4-H Dairy Judging Contest Sept. 27 during World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. The team claimed the state’s fourth consecuƟve contest Ɵtle. “We have no thoughts left, just such joy,” said teammate, Lauren Siemers the night of the contest after learning the results. “I think we are all still in shock, wondering what just
happened.” Outdistancing the secondplace team from Florida by 10 points, the Manitowoc County 4-Hers were led in the contest by Clarissa Ulness of Valders,
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ConƟnued from 4-H | Page 12 Maribel, Wisconsin, rounded out the team, which was coached by Lauren’s dad, Paul Siemers, and Clarissa’s mom, Angie Ulness. On their way to the top team title, the young appraisers won the oral reasons portion of the contest, nishing 12 points ahead of the team from Florida. Jenna topped that portion of the contest, followed by Clarissa in seventh place and Lauren in eighth place. The team won the Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorn and Red and White breeds, while placing second in the Jerseys, third in the Guernseys and fth in the Holsteins. Individually, Jenna topped four breeds: Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Milking Shorthorn and Red and Whites, and placed 10th in the Jerseys. Lauren placed fourth in the Brown Swiss and eighth in the Jersey,
“To be able to judge on the colored shavings, and then win, that is just an amazing feeling.” EMMA VOS, WISCONSIN 4ǧH DAIRY CATTLE JUDGING TEAM
Milking Shorthorn and Red and White breeds. Clarissa placed fth in the Jerseys, seventh in the Milking Shorthorn and Red and Whites and ninth in the Brown Swiss. Emma placed fth in the Guernsey breed. For their efforts, the team earned the right to travel, pandemic permitting, to the Royal Highland Show in Edenborough, Scotland, to take part in the International Dairy Judging Contest. Angie and Paul have worked as a team coaching in the Manitowoc County 4-H dairy judging program for well over 10 years. This was their third time coaching a team at the national contest, having nished second and third previously. Angie also coached a winning team from Door County in 2002. “Paul and I are just very lucky to come from a county with such an extensive dairy infrastructure with great parental support,” Angie said. “These are four very bright, successful girls; I am so proud. I know they will all go on and make a difference in our industry.” The teammates all agree that without the guidance and knowledge they have gleaned from years of working with their coaches, the national championship title would have been unlikely. “All of the years of working at
learning how to judge and then how to give reasons; the highs and the lows, the classes that build your condence and the ones that tear it down,” Clarissa said recalling her years of competitive judging. “Mom and Paul have taught us how to use all of it to our advantage, and to learn from every experience.” Both Clarissa and Lauren agreed that winning the contest not only feels good on a personal level, but it also feels like a gift to their parents. “It feels so good to do this for our parents, to help them achieve a dream,” Clarissa said. As many young judging contestants can attest, condence in a day’s performance is sometimes a eeting thing. Despite the frequency of times her name was called throughout the awards banquet that evening, Jenna said throughout the day she had her doubts about her own performance. “I thought three sets of reasons went OK, but the other two I did not think went well,” Jenna said. “I really did not feel condent about my Brown Swiss reasons, but then I topped that. I must have said something right.” While the girls may have questioned how their day went, their coaches never doubted them for a moment. “I told them in our team meeting that this was where preparation would meet opportunity, and it was time to capitalize on it,” said Angie. “They really kept their heads in the game and did not waiver.” Paul agreed with his coaching partner. “I am so very proud of them,” Paul said. “They have been doing this since they were little. Three of them were on the team that we took to the Harrisburg contest in 2019. They have become a very close-knit, cohesive group.” For Emma the contest was an experience she will never forget. “We have all attended World Dairy Expo ever since were little,” Vos said. “To be able to judge on the colored shavings, and then win, that is just an amazing feeling.” After years of watching these young women learn and grow, Paul said he never doubted his team and knew that great things lay ahead for them. “They placed second in our district contest earlier this summer,” Paul said. “It might sound cocky, but after that Angie and I booked the hotel rooms for this. We were that condent that was how good and how ready they were to go all the way; no question in our minds.”
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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
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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.
Pictures coming?
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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
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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.
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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
Vellemas give their sons opportuniy
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
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
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Vellema family – (from leŌ) Paul, Phyllis, Greg and Neal – milk 200 cows on their dairy, which is inside the city limits of Harris, Iowa. 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 sim-
ply 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 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 necessarily agree with them.”
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ConƟnued from VELLEMAS | Page 23
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.”
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
Greg Vellema greases the applicator toolbar that he uses to inject manure into cropland. Greg started a custom manure dragline business this past spring. year and 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
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.
Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Know a farmer
Last week was National Ag-Tourism week. When asked what ag-tourism is, it is the combining of agriculture and tourism. We farmers have the ability to share what we do, how we do it and even where we like to go on our farms for relaxation, hunting and shing. While people are out to see and learn about the agriculture that is being offered, they help the farmer by paying admission and or purchasing products that are grown or made. Having hosted dairy farm tours for nearly 25 years, I have educated many people about dairy farming, and showing cows, calves and By Tina Hinchley other farm animals. These Farmer & Columnist tours provide hands-on experiences to get people involved in knowing where dairy products come from. By charging admission for the tours, it also nancially helps our farm. I know not everyone wants to host farm tours, but there are many other opportunities for your farm to participate in ag-tourism. I have experienced amazing ag-tourism activities in Wisconsin. The season starts in early spring with maple syrup. Witnessing the bubbling sap in the sugar shack and remembering the aroma brings back wonderful memories. The process is long, and visitors appreciate being able to learn and purchase real maple syrup from the farmers directly. Hunting for morels mushrooms is also a springtime activity. If you have a woods where these mushrooms grow, you could harvest these to be sold or invite others to enjoy a beautiful hike in your woods. Invite families to camp, hike and bike trails where they can take in the wildlife and nature. Hunting and shing leases, or even planned hunts for pheasants, turkeys and deer are also becoming more common. The opportunities to be able to do these types of activities is only limited by hunting seasons. During the pandemic, more people have taken up shing and hunting to use their free time outdoors and be more physically active. In autumn, there are events to pick your own owers, pumpkins and apples. These activities are big draws for weekenders that are out for a drive, families that want to enjoy the farm fresh air, and groups of friends who want to spend time together. Before long, it will be time to cut your own Christmas tree. These folks are in for the experience. They are interested and want to learn about the agricultural products that are being grown and made for them. They are willing to pay to have fun. Asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, fresh vegetables, eggs and sweet corn are some things I see our farming neighbors selling in their roadside stands. The handmade signs that advertise fresh sweet corn are up all summer, and the wagon has all the garden’s goodness ready to enjoy. Customers are looking for farm-raised chicken, pork, beef, lamb and other meats. Homemade quilts and aprons, along with other crafted produced items, are all made with care; homemade breads and cookies baked in a farmhouse oven, “All made and packaged just for you.” This is where it becomes personal. The knowing about us makes the difference. It makes the trip out to the country worth the time, and the reward is knowing the farmer. This farmer friendship is better than pushing a shopping cart through the grocery store; this is the local food movement. Buy local and help a local farmer. It is also ag-tourism. Tina Hinchley, and her husband, Duane, daughter Anna, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchley’s have been hosting farm tour for over 25 years.
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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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Finding peace in the mundane Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Over the splattered barn gate Just across the drive outside Squealing, happy children Running, trying to hide
A wild-haired girl gives orders Her dog and cows comply
Peering through the tight screen In the cows’ return lane Silver spider webs oat loosely Some leave, many remain
Through the smudged window Hiding the valley crops Thick blanket of fog rests gently Uncertain where it stops
Content cows in barn Placidly chewing, dreaming All down the stalls Warm breath steaming
From the full feed alley The fall trees are a sight All colors of the rainbow So incredible and bright
Crunching on the gravel Gazing up at the sky I hear before I see them At last, honking geese pass by
Peeking round the barn door On the sand pile way up high
Above the sink of bubbles (I plunge my hands in deep) The wooly bodies graze freely I sigh, breathe, count my sheep Admiring the night sky While walking hand in hand Cora and I stop, enchanted Stars so very grand Surveying the spent garden Next year’s plan I ponder More owers, more bouquets Scheming mind starts to wander
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Listing all my thankfuls Walking dew soaked lawn Crickets quietly singing Peaceful hour before dawn Wonders all around Finding peace in the mundane Within me worries stew Focus, breathe deep, stay sane Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira (14), Dane (12), Henry (7) and Cora (4), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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Prairie Farms Dairy today announced that Ed Mullins has decided to step down as Chief Executive Ofcer/Executive Vice President to assume a new role as Senior Executive Ofcer. With a tenure of over 40 years at Prairie Farms, Mr. Mullins will continue to be actively involved in the company’s day-to-day operations. Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Sales, Matt McClelland has been promoted to replace Mr. Mullins as Chief Executive Ofcer. Mr. McClelland joined Prairie Farms in 1991 and has held numerous leadership positions in sales and operations. “On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Ed for his extraordinary commitment to Prairie Farms during the past four decades and thank Matt for accepting the CEO position,” said Tony Graves, Prairie Farms’ Board President. “Ed and Matt have a combined 70-years of service to Prairie Farms, and we are proud of their exceptional leadership. As they assume their new roles, the Board has great condence in their expertise to lead our cooperative into the next phase of growth.” The planned transition will become effective on Jan. 1, 2022.
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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Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 33
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
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 35
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PS Form 3526
Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (Requester Publications Only)
1. Publication Title DAIRY STAR, LLC/DAIRY STAR
2. Publication Number 20355
ISSN
3. Filing Date 09/27/2021
4. Issue Frequency SEMI-MONTHLY
5. Number of Issues Published Annually 6. Annual Subscription Price 24 $ 35.00
7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication 522 SINCLAIR LEWIS AVE SAUK CENTRE, STEARNS, MN 56378-1246
Contact Person JOYCE FRERICKS Telephone (320) 352-6303
8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher 522 SINCLAIR LEWIS AVE SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378-1246
9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor
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. 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. “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.
Publisher (Name and complete mailing address) MARK KLAPHAKE 522 SINCLAIR LEWIS AVE SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378-1246
Editor (Name and complete mailing address) MARK KLAPHAKE 522 SINCLAIR LEWIS AVE SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378-1246
Managing Editor (Name and complete mailing address) MARK KLAPHAKE 522 SINCLAIR LEWIS AVE SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378-1246 10. Owner (Do not leave blank. If the publication is owned by a corporation, give the name and address of the corporation immediately followed by the names and addresses of all stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, give names and addresses of the individual owners. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, give its name and address as well as those of each individual owner. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, give its name and address.) Full Name
Complete Mailing Address
MARK KLAPHAKE
41835 COUNTY ROAD , SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378
JEFFREY WEYER
535 ALEX MOORE ST, SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378-1951
MELISSA TRAEGER
919 LAKE SHORE DR, SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378-1043
NATASHA BARBER
22 16TH AVE SW UNIT 122, RICE, MN 56367-4630
JOYCE FRERICKS
1208 PARK LN, SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378-1822
NANCY POWELL
701 10TH ST S, SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378-1736
TIMOTHY VOS
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08/28/2021 Average No. Copies Each Issue No. Copies of Single Issue During Preceding 12 Months Published Nearest to Filing Date
a. Total Numbers of Copies (Net press run)
15779
15438
9902
9537
0
0
0
0
0
0
9902
9537
4504
4581
0
0
0
0
1030
990
5534
5571
15436
15108
343
330
Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541. (Include direct written request from telemarketing and Internet requests from (1) recipient, recipient, paid subscriptions including nominal rate subscriptions, employer requests, advertiser's proof copies, and exchange copies.) b. Legitimate In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on Paid PS Form 3541. (Include direct written request from and/or recipient, telemarketing and Internet requests from Requested (2) recipient, paid subscriptions including nominal rate Distribution subscriptions, employer requests, advertiser's proof (By Mail copies, and exchange copies.) and Sales through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Outside (3) Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested Distribution the Mail) Outside USPS Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes (4) Requested Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail) c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), (4)) Outside County Nonrequested Copies stated on PS Form 3541 (include Sample copies, Requests Over years old, Requests induced by a Premium, Bulk (1) 3 Sales and Requests including Association Requests, Names obtained from Business Directories, Lists, and other soruces) d. NonreIn-County Nonrequested Copies stated on PS Form quested 3541 (include Sample copies, Requests Over 3 Distribution years old, Requests induced by a Premium, Bulk (2) (By Mail Sales and Requests including Association Requests, and Names obtained from Business Directories, Lists, Outside the and other soruces) Mail) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS (3) by Other Classes of Mail (e.g. First-Class Mail, Nonrequestor Copies mailed in excess of 10% Limit Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail (4) (include Pickup Stands, Trade Shows, Showrooms and Other Sources) e. Total Nonrequested Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3), (4)) f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e) g. Copies not Distributed h. Total (Sum of 15f and 15g)
15779
15438
64.15 %
63.13 %
a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies(Sum of 15c and 15e)
0
0
Requested and Paid Print Copies(Line 15c) + Requested/Paid b. Total Electronic Copies
0
0
i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation ((15c / 15f) times 100)
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16. If total circulation includes electronic copies, report that circulation on lines below.
Requested Copy Distribution(Line 15f)+ Requested/Paid c. Total Electronic Copies Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both print and Electronic d. Percent Copies)
0
0
0.00 %
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I Certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (Electronic & Print) are legitimate requests. 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the 10/09/2021 issue of this publication. 18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner Title
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
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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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Upgrade Your Milk Cooling Experience The Paul Mueller Company Model “OHF” milk cooler arrives on the farm ready for work. Minimal field setup, low installation costs, and a chemical dosing system make the Mueller® Model “OHF” an ideal choice.
Model “OHF” Milk Cooler Advanced Dairy Solutions Richland Center, WI
Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI
United Dairy Systems West Union, IA
Central Ag Supply Juneau, WI; Baraboo, WI
Seehafer Refrigeration, Inc. Marshfield, WI; Sparta, WI
Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment Pipestone, MN
Ederer’s Dairy Supply Plain, WI; Blanchardville, WI; Dodgeville, WI
Stanley Schmitz Inc. Chilton, WI
Leedstone Melrose, MN; Glencoe, MN; Plainview, MN; Menomonie, WI
J. Gile Dairy Equipment, Inc. Cuba City, WI Monroe Westfalia Surge Monroe, WI
Total Dairy Services Kewaunee, WI Tri-County Dairy Supply Janesville, WI Fuller’s Milker Center Lancaster, WI
Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI
Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Epworth, IA
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Sioux Dairy Equipment Rock Valley, IA; Colton, SD
Midwest Livestock Systems Zumbrota, MN; Menomonie, WI; Renner, SD; Beatrice, NE S&S Dairy Systems St. Charles, MN Glencoe Co-Op Assn. Glencoe, MN
Dairy prole
Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Page 39
Trent Michels Pelican Rapids, Minnesota Otter Tail County 32 cows
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? The work is always going to be there so stop using it as an excuse not to take a vacation. Take the time off, spend time away with friends and family. Do the things you enjoy to take care of yourself. It is worth it.
How did you get into farming? I joined a 4-H club and got into dairy projects. We slowly grew the herd until we had to decide to sell them or milk them ourselves. With the help of many people along the way, it’s been 22 years since we started milking. We are also into the 19th year of raising corn, soybeans and alfalfa.
What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? The skidloader has easily been the best purchase. Now, we have two of them.
What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? In my opinion, we will continue to see consolidation across our industry. Basis being taken off the milk price and continued expansion is a recipe for more dairy farms to continue to struggle. What is the latest technology you have implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? Not much high tech is used around here other than the technology developed in the crops we grow. We had a historically dry May through midAugust, and our crops have held on exceptionally well. The hybrid alfalfa particularly has been a standout. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has benetted you? We purchased a TMR mixer over a year ago, and it has made a huge difference in cow performance especially in the summer heat when the cows are outside.
keep a list of all the Excellent cows I have bred. The next Excellent cow is what drives me.
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Becoming a rst-generation land owner. What cost saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? We operate the dairy as low of cost as possible at all times without compromising the cows’ needs regardless of milk prices. There are things on the crop side I have an easier time saving money on whether it is seed, fertilizer or chemical. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? The farm is small enough that one person can handle the day to day operations so there are no employees. I do get help from my parents whenever I need help. My mother is great with bookwork, and my dad is retired from the masonry industry. Nobody has a greater work ethic than him. They are my parents so the relationship with
them has been there my whole life. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. This is a hard question to answer without sounding narcissistic. I do not possess any great skills. I rely on my ability to do whatever needs to be done when it needs to be done. From the cows to the equipment to the crops, I have to do all of it to make it work. It is not one tangible skill. It is maybe just the ability to get it done that is the skill I have along with most every other dairy farmer. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? The cows are what drew me into the industry. Early on, I developed an obsession for breeding Excellent cows. I
How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? I go waterfowl and deer hunting in the fall. I have a Montana buck deer tag I drew this year with my dad and older brother. I am really looking forward to that. I always try to head West to the mountains snowboarding every winter as well.
bp2957 & Bp2958 bale processors
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What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and the next ve years? I have no plans to change the dairy. I will continue to stay small and compete through diversity. We turn all of our Jersey steer calves into beef that we sell off the farm, along with the beef cow/calf operation, corn and soybean acres. I am not interested in getting into the expansion part of the industry to try and lower my cost. That leads to being an employer, and I am going to avoid that if I can.
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, October 9, 2021
Mixed to Perfection so you don’t have to! Effinity utilizes two active ingredients, Lactic acid and Phenoxyethanol, and combines them with distinct additives to generate an exceptional teat dip formulation that works in a complimentary way to boost bactericidal efficacy against mastitis-causing pathogens. What makes Effinity different from other dips on the market is that it can provide exceptional kill rates with a formula that is gentler on teat skin. Effinity is 100% customer satisfaction gauranteed - contact your local GEA dealer for more information.
Your Local GEA Hygiene Dealers: Advanced Dairy Dairy Solutions Leedstone, Inc.Leedstone, Inc. Monroe WestfaliaSurge Advanced Solutions J Gile Dairy Equipment Monroe WestfaliaSurge Richland Center, WI Melrose, MN Melrose, MN Cuba City, WI • (608) 744-2661 Monroe, WI • 608-325-2772 Richland Center, WI Monroe, WI • 608-325-2772 608-647-4488 • 800-772-4770 320-256-3303 • 800-996-3303 608-647-4488 • 800-772-4770 320-256-3303 • 800-996-3303 Glencoe, MN Kozlovsky Dairy Equipment Sioux Dairy Equipment, Inc. Dairy Sioux Equipment, Inc. MN Centre Dairy Equipment 320-864-5575 •Glencoe, 877-864-5575 Kaukauna, WI •920-759-9223 Rock Valley, IA Centre Dairy Equipment Rock Valley, IA and Supply Inc. Plainview, MN •320-864-5575 800-548-5240 • 877-864-5575 Weston, WI • 715-298-6256 712-476-5608 • 800-962-4346 and Supply Inc. 712-476-5608 • 800-962-4346 Sauk Centre, MN Menomonie, WI • 715.231.8090 Colton, SD Service 800-944-1217 Sauk Centre, MN Midwest LivestockEdgerton, Systems, Colton, SDPreston Dairy Equipment 320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697 MN Inc. Chemical Sales Midwest Livestock Systems, LLC 320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697 Menomonie, WI • 715-235-5144 Service 800-944-1217 Sparta, WI • (608) 269-3830 507-920-8626 Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. Zumbrota, MN •Owen, 800-233-8937 WI • 715-229-4740 Edgerton, MN Lancaster, WI Milker • 800-887-4634 • 715-235-5144 Fuller’s Center, Inc.Menomonie, WIPine Stanley Schmitz, Inc. Central Ag Supply Inc. Chemical Sales Island, MN • 800-233-8937 507-920-8626 Renner, SD • 800-705-1447 Chilton, WI • 920-849-4209 Juneau, WI • 920-386-2611 Lancaster, WI • 800-887-4634 Sioux Falls, MN • 800-705-1447 Baraboo, WI • 608-356-8384 Central AgTri-County Supply Inc. Beatrice, NE • 800-742-5748 Dairy Supply Juneau, WI • 920-386-2611 Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Janesville, WI • (608) 757-2697 Epworth, IA • (563) 876-3087 Baraboo, WI • 608-356-8384