December 23, 2023 Dairy Star - 1st section - Zone 1 by Dairy Star

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December 23, 2023

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Volume 25, No. 21

Fellow farmers step in to help Annexstads receive support after barn re By Jan Lefebvre jan.l@star-pub.com

ST. PETER, Minn. — For the Annexstad family, the despair that came when their dairy barn was destroyed by re Dec. 5 was quickly replaced with gratitude when a rush of community support followed, especially from fellow dairy farmers. Matthias Annexstad woke just after midnight at the family’s farm near St. Peter to the sound of people pounding on the door. “I wasn’t really all the way awake yet, so I walked out on the porch, and sure enough, the barn was on re,” Matthias said. “They were already on

the phone with the re station at that point. I ran to see if the re was spreading.” Matthias’ parents, Rolf and Jean Annexstad, and his uncle, Mike Annexstad, own Annexstad Dairy. Matthias works with them full time. The farm’s milking herd consists of 180 cows, and the family raises youngstock. Rolf said the barn that caught re was fortunately not housing cows. “We have the milking parlor and holding area in our old barn (that burned), and the milk cows are in a separate barn about 300 feet away from the milking facility,” Rolf said. “The re started in the haymow of the older part of the barn. There are some loang sheds attached to this old barn with dry cows and youngstock, but the re never spread to that part.” Turn to ANNEXSTADS | Page 2

PHOTO SUBMITTED

The Annexstads — Jean (from leŌ), MaƩhias, Rolf and Mike — stand by their parlor and holding area Dec. 19 on their farm near St. Peter, Minnesota. The Annexstads’ barn was damaged by re Dec. 5.

Statz wins heifer, gains a friend 6-year-old takes home Dairy Star’s grand prize By Tiﬀany Klaphake tiﬀany.k@dairystar.com

RICHMOND, Minn. — After seeing Dairy Star’s Great

TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Alyssa Statz hugs the calf she won in Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Giveaway Dec. 18 at her family’s farm near Richmond, Minnesota. This is the rst year Statz registered for the annual contest.

Christmas Giveaway advertised in the paper, Alyssa Statz asked her dad, Jeff, how to register. “If I won that calf, I would read it a book every night, take care of it and brush its hair,” Alyssa said. Alyssa will need to start collecting books to read to Sunkist Rompen Layla-Red, the Red & White Holstein calf she won as the grand prize winner in the annual holiday contest. Alyssa, 6, and her 4-yearold brother, Brody, help with

calf chores as often as they can at their family’s century farm near Richmond. Alyssa’s parents, Jeff and Catherine, along with Jeff’s parents, Ron and Marlene Statz, milk 220 Holsteins in a double-10 parallel parlor. Jeff’s brother, Mark, helps on weekends and during harvest. Together, they farm 550 acres of corn and alfalfa and upland grass hay. Jeff said this was the rst time his children had registered for Dairy Star’s annual contest. Jeff and Catherine kept it a surprise that Alyssa won until they arrived at Sunkist Acres near Glencoe, owned by the Donnay family, to pick up the prize. “I told the kids we are going to go look at an animal,” Jeff said. “We all jumped in the truck and didn’t tell the kids until we got to the Donnay farm.” Once they arrived, Nate

Donnay had Layla haltered and ready for the surprise. Jeff and Catherine told Alyssa that she had in fact won the calf. Jeff said to say Alyssa was happy would be an understatement. “I can’t believe I have a calf of my very own,” Alyssa said. “I am so excited. I like that Layla is calm and that she likes me.” Alyssa said she is looking forward to spending lots of time with Layla over Christmas break and after school every day. “My favorite part of Christmas is spending time with family and those I love,” Alyssa said. “Layla is now part of our family.”

Turn to CHRISTMAS CALF | Page 6

Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

DAIRY ST R

ConƟnued from ANNEXSTADS | Page 1 PHOTO SUBMITTED

www.dairystar.com

A re Dec. 5 did heavy damage to a barn at the Annexstad farm near St. Peter, Minnesota. Four local re departments responded to the re.

ISSN Print: 2834-619X • Online: 2834-6203

522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Published by Star Publications LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition - 320-352-6303 Nancy Powell • nancy.p@dairystar.com Karen Knoblach • karen.k@star-pub.com Annika Gunderson • annika@star-pub.com Editorial Staff Jan Lefebvre - Assistant Editor 320-290-5980 • jan.l@star-pub.com Maria Bichler - Assistant Editor maria.b@dairystar.com • 320-352-6303 Stacey Smart - Assistant Editor 262-442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman - Staff Writer 608-487-1101 • danielle.n@dairystar.com Abby Wiedmeyer - Staff Writer 608-487-4812 • abby.w@dairystar.com Tiffany Klaphake - Staff Writer 320-352-6303 • tiffany.k@dairystar.com Amy Kyllo - Staff Writer amy.k@star-pub.com Emily Breth - Staff Writer emily.b@star-pub.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com National Sales Manager - Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 • fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 • jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 • mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa, Southwest Wisconsin) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284 • kati.k@dairystar.com Julia Mullenbach (Southeast MN and Northeast IA) 507-438-7739 • julia.m@star-pub.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) • 320-248-3196 (cell) Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $40.00, outside the U.S. $200.00. 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. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star / Star Publications LLC.

The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Star Publications LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. © 2023 Star Publications LLC

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Family and friends clean roof debris aŌer a re damaged a barn Dec. 5 at the Annexstad family’s farm near St. Peter, Minnesota. The Annexstads are in the process of rebuilding the barn. Four re departments responded to the blaze. “It was pretty quick that emergency and re crews were showing up, and we assessed what was burning,” Rolf said. “We had a barn ofce attached to the old barn that was burning, and the re personnel said we could run in there and grab some things, so we grabbed our computer and some le drawers.” Then the family’s focus began to change. “Our focus (at rst) was on what we could do to help the re crew, like answer questions about electrical and gas and so forth,” Rolf said. “Then, sometime in the middle of the night, we started talking about how we were go-

ing to get cows milked in the morning.” By then, Rolf and Jean’s other son, Leif, arrived to help. Their daughter and son-inlaw, Emily and Anthony Bosch, came too. The family began reaching out to the dairy-farming community.

Turn to ANNEXSTADS | Page 5

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 3

Staceyville, IA

Sleepy Eye, MN

Lafeyette, MN

Brumm joins family dairy full time First Section: Pages 8 - 9

Sjostrom joins German singing group in addition to dairy farming First Section: Pages 26 - 27

Corsica, SD

Teen steps in for morning chores First Section: Pages 32 - 33

People Moving Product: Wooden Shoe Cheese Second Section: Pages 3 - 4

Seibert continues to farm at 92 years old Second Section: Pages 18 - 19

Sebeka, MN

Sauk Centre, MN

Albany, MN

Randall, MN

Preston, MN

Kids Corner: The Crosby family Third Section: Pages 12 - 13

FFA: Inside the Emblem Third Section: Pages 10 - 11

FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: Kids: What do you want for Christmas? First Section: Pages 15 -16

The Day That Went Awry Third Section: Pages 3 - 5

Bau shares tips for navigating rental agreements Third Section: Pages 16 - 17

For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com

Zone 1

Zone 2

Columnists Ag Insider Page 10 First F Section

Something S to Ruminate On Page 35 Fi First Section

Dea County Dear Agent Guy Ag P Page 36 First Firs Section

Ju Thinking Just Out Loud Page 38 F First Section

Dairy Good D Life Page 39 First Fir Section

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yū˻˻΢ y˃ʗɟǝū΢̲ yū˻˻΢ y˃ʗɟǝū΢̲ It’s the time of the year to reﬂect and thank the people who make a difference in our lives. We would like to thank you, our past and It’sfuture the time of the year support! to reﬂect From and thank who make clients for your all of the us atpeople Fuller’s Milker a difference in our lives. We would to thank you, our past and Center in Lancaster andlike Richland Center. future clients for your support! From all of us at Fuller’s Milker Center in Lancaster and Richland Center.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 5

ConƟnued from ANNEXSTADS | Page 2

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A rooess barn stands on the Annexstad farm near St. Peter, Minnesota, aŌer re ravaged the building Dec. 5. The Annexstads’ milking herd has been taken in by numerous farms while the family rebuilds the facility. “Matthias started making phone calls at 2 in the morning, and we had offers from a few other dairy farm neighbors we had, but there’s not much for dairy down here,” Mike said. “I made a phone call to a friend of mine in Baldwin, Wisconsin, and he could take a few. We found a farm down by Worthing-ton that could take a bunch, and by the time we were all said and done, we had cows going to six farms between Worthington and Baldwin.” One farm took 80 rst-lactation cows, and the nearest farm, which has pack housing, took the special needs cows. “We are very fortunate that so many people in the dairy community were able to help us out,” Jean said. “It is just remarkable.” By the early afternoon Dec. 5, the migration of the Annexstads’ 180 cows began. “The rst (truck) was here by 11 a.m.,” Mike said. “Neighbors stopped in at dawn and asked if we needed trailers. When we nally were guring out where the cows would go, we called these people, and they were lined up by the barn to start loading between noon and 1 p.m.” Jean said people showed up to help in other ways as well. “A huge number of people who were great with cows came and helped with the sorting and loading,” she said. Fortunately, the re had been put out by then. “The re trucks were gone before the cattle got moved,” Rolf said. “The cows were ready to be milked and were all standing by the end of the barn yelling at us, so they were very easy to load. We just opened the gates and they came.” By midafternoon, the Annexstads turned to gathering necessary data about their cows that they could share with the foster farms. “Leif and I sorted cows on DairyComp and made lists with basic info to get to the farmers,” Matthias said. “Then, within the last week, we have been working with each of the barns … so that they have what they need to know how to manage them.” With the cows safely moved to new locations, the Annexstads faced a decision. “At this point, we felt we had two choices — either sell the cows or rebuild as fast as we can,” Mike said. “Rolf and Jean’s kids were here, and we asked them if we should sell the cows. It took them about one second to say no, so we are starting to rebuild this week.” The rst step is to rebuild the barn’s

roof structure. The block, concrete and aluminum roof were built by Mike and Rolf’s uncle in 1948. Their parents moved the family to the farm in 1959. At that time, the barn had tie stalls for milking. For the rebuild, Rolf said some equipment and parts of the barn might be salvageable. “The stalls themselves look useable, and the stainless-steel pipes all look ne,” Rolf said. “We don’t know if any of the electronics will be useable because of water.” The barn’s sturdiness made the damage less severe. “The damage to the holding pen was only the haymow area, which had a concrete oor, so the re didn’t do any damage below the concrete and there was still a ceiling on that barn,” Mike said. Jean agreed. “During the cleanup, they were actually driving on top of the concrete, pushing off the smoldering hay and straw that was stored up there,” Jean said. “We are not 100% sure we can reinstall and use our milking equipment.” Mike said the hope is for everything to be functional by Feb. 1, 2024. Rolf, Jean and Mike have dry cows and youngstock on the farm to care for, and they spend other time with the construction crew. Matthias, with help from Leif, takes care of cow management by keeping in contact with the farms housing the cows. About 125 cows are split between the sites at Worthing-ton and Baldwin; the rest are at farms in Waverly, Sleepy Eye, New Ulm and St. Peter. The Annexstads nally have time to reect on all that happened Dec. 5. “We were overwhelmed with all the help we had, and we will never be able to adequately thank those people for the help they have given us,” Rolf said. Mike said he is in awe of the number of people who came to help. “We had friends and neighbors showing up at 2 in the morning, wondering what they could do, and (during the day) on Tuesday, there must have been 40 to 50 people who came,” he said. “The support from everybody has been very touching, humbling and unbelievable.” For now, the family is adjusting to a farm without a milking herd. “When I am nishing feeding calves at night and there are no parlor noises or the commotion I am used to going on, that is when it all hits me,” Jean said. Mark Klaphake contributed to this article.

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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

Con�nued from CHRISTMAS CALF | Page 1

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Catherine and Jeﬀ Statz and their children, Brody and Alyssa, stand with Sunkist Rompen Layla-Red Dec. 18 at their farm near Richmond, Minnesota. The Statzes milk 300 cows.

Statz Family Dairy Farm will now have a little bit of color in their sea of black and white. “We can’t thank the Donnay family enough for Layla,” Catherine said. Jeff registered Alyssa’s name at Magni Financial in Albany. Tom Sedgeman, much like Alyssa, was surprised to learn he was also a winner in Dairy Star’s contest, being awarded the $500 cash prize. Sedgeman and his wife, Joyce, milk 400 cows in a double-8 parallel parlor near Sauk Centre.

It has been a tradition for the Sedgemans to give donations toward charities during this time of year. Since Sedgeman was not the one who registered his name in the drawing, he has decided to pay it forward. “We give this time of year to various charities that are near and dear to our hearts,” Sedgeman said. “We will use the $500 to increase one of our charitable gifts.” Sedgeman was registered at Modern Farm Equipment in Sauk Centre.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 7

Disputed expansion Daley Farms of Lewiston LLP’s variance request denied in Winona County By Amy Kyllo

amy.k@star-pub.com

LEWISTON, Minn. — A judge recently rejected an appeal made by Daley Farms of Lewiston LLP regarding their proposed expansion and variance on the animal unit cap for their property. The judge’s decision comes after the Daley family appealed a denial for the expansion. The decision upholds an earlier decision by Winona County, which voted to deny the request. Daley Farms of Lewiston has been working on the permitting process for their proposed dairy farm expansion since 2017 and planning the expansion since 2014 when they began thinking about adding family partners. Shelly DePestel is a family member partner at Daley Farms of Lewiston. “If you’re going to add people and expand, you need more cows,” DePestel said. “That was the whole point of a variance.”

AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR

Gabe Daley (from leŌ), Dylan DePestel, Shelly DePestel, DusƟn DePestel, Sidney Greden and Mark Daley stand Dec. 1 in one of the freestall barns of Daley Farms of Lewiston LLP on their milking cow site near Lewiston, Minnesota. Daley Farms of Lewiston has been working on the permiƫng process for their proposed dairy farm expansion since 2017. Mark Daley, also a family member partner, said the decision against them was not unexpected. “Obviously, (we are) disappointed in the decision, but we were thinking it was going to go to the next step anyway,” Daley said. Paul Reuvers, of Iverson Reuvers, serves as counsel for Winona County. “This ruling vindicates the county,” Reuvers said. “The court found there was absolutely

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no evidence of any improprieties whatsoever.” Reuvers said the board’s denial was based on economics. “There was a lot of discussion about the size and whether there were not practical difculties,” Reuvers said. “The bottom line was the board found that this was about economics, and the statute is clear: You can’t obtain a variance solely on economic grounds.” Daley Farms of Lewiston was established in 1998 when

three farm sites in the Daley family joined together on a new piece of property. Today, the 1,426-cow herd is housed in four sand-bedded freestall barns and milked in a 48-stall rotary parlor on the site. The youngstock and dry cows are housed at six other locations. The farm has around 2,800 tillable acres and 850 acres of pasture. The farm is owned by 10 family members who are assisted by 27 employees. If the proposed expansion

would be approved, the Daley family would add a 3,000-cow cross-ventilated freestall barn to bring their milking herd to a max capacity of 3,983 cows. To accommodate an increased herd, the Daleys would like to install a 60- to 80-stall rotary parlor to replace their current rotary, a manure lagoon, runoff controls, a sand processing and storage building, an animal mortality building, and an additional feed pad as well as eliminate outdated facilities. This would allow the family to shift the roles of their current farm sites. Heifers would be housed in the four barns that currently house the milking cows. Breeding of heifers would occur at the main farm site. The family would also bring their calving back to the main site as well as special needs animals. In Winona County, a dairy cow weighing more than 1,000 pounds equals 1.4 animal units. The Daleys were grandfathered into the current animal unit cap in Winona County which is 1,500 animal units. Their proposed expansion would take them to around 5,900 animal units. The Daley family planned the expansion with the goal to bring on ve family-member partners of the next generation. In the last two years, these ve members of the partnership bought out two older family members.

Turn to DALEY | Page 11

From all of us at Sunrise Ag Cooperative: Bruce Billmeyer Josh Boser Jerry Brenny Mike Brixius Ken Dorn Chad Fiedler Elijah Fleck Richard Geschwill Roger Grittner Tyler Gulden Sid Henagin Jacob Hoheisel Ron Kahl Daniel Kimman Joe Kippley

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Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

Working toward his future

Brumm joins family dairy full time By Amy Kyllo

amy.k@star-pub.com

STACEYVILLE, Iowa — Caleb Brumm has been helping on the farm since he was getting off the bus as a kindergarten student. “He didn’t spend much time in the house,” said Steve Brumm, Caleb’s dad. Brumm Dairy is a partnership which began in 1997. The Brumms have 280 cows that they milk in a double-12 parallel parlor. They have 1,000 acres of cropland which they use to grow feed and cash crops. Their milk cows are housed in free stalls with sawdust on top of waterbeds. Caleb is working full time on Brumm Dairy alongside his dad and uncle, Dean Brumm. They are assisted by two employees as well as Caleb’s younger brother Nathan — who has worked alongside Caleb since they were young and is attending Iowa State University — and Dean’s son, Dylan Brumm. Caleb’s grandfather, Rick Brumm, lives on the main farm site and is retired. “It would be great if it could stay a family dairy,” Rick said. Caleb joined the farm in April 2022 after nishing college. He attended Northeast Iowa Community

AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR

Dean (from leŌ), Rick, Caleb and Steve Brumm stand in their freestall barn Dec. 6 on their dairy farm near Staceyville, Iowa. Caleb started dairy farming full Ɵme alongside his family in April 2022.

College in Calmar and received a degree in dairy science technology and agriculture business. During his nal year of college, Caleb lived near the farm and commuted more than an hour both ways

four days a week to class. After graduation, he transitioned his involvement to full time. “I’ve thought about doing other things, but it’s kind of what I’ve always wanted to do,” Caleb said.

Steve said Caleb coming on the farm full time coincided with a labor shortage. Turn to BRUMM | Page 9

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Brumm Dairy operates as usual Dec. 6 near Staceyville, Iowa. The Brumms milk 280 cows.

“When you have a son who ... knows what to do on a day-to-day basis, ... it has been kind of a huge relief,” Steve said. Currently, the farm is owned in partnership, so eventually if Caleb wants to own the farm, he will need to buy one or more of the shares in the business. Rick said the partnership was created in hopes that if someone was interested in farming, the partnership could hand the farm down. Steve said they have not yet talked through the specic details of bringing Caleb on. “We are getting his feet on the ground … seeing if this is what he really wants to do,” Steve said. It’s a huge commitment.” Caleb also has a cousin, Owen Bentley, who is a senior in high school and is interested in farming. Steve said that it is gratifying to have family members interested in the farm. Caleb said carrying on the farm is important to him. “I wouldn’t want to see it leave,” he said. Caleb’s role revolves around the calves and youngstock. Heifers are in loose housing at the farm site where Caleb lives. Milk calves are housed at the main farm site. Calves are fed pasteurized milk. This has been important for their farm, Steve said. “It seems like we get bigger calves,” Steve said. “They just per-

form a lot better.” Calf feeding has been part of Caleb’s role for a long time. When he was younger, he said, driving skid loader and feeding calves were his favorite chores. Caleb said one of the challenges of transitioning onto the farm has been relational aspects with family members. “You try to get along with both these two (his dad and uncle),” Caleb said. “Usually, most days are pretty good.” Steve said that Caleb brings ideas and fresh energy to the farm. However, being the youngest farm member, Caleb has not gained a full seat at the decision table yet. One new technology Caleb has brought to the farm is auto steer for two of their tractors and Haybine. Caleb is in charge of this because Steve said he does not know how to operate it. “He’s got friends that use it all the time,” Steve said. “We’re just out of that gap now.” The Brumms do not have plans to expand their dairy farm. When it comes to the future, Steve said, they are looking at viability after the last few years of low milk prices. Once Steve and Dean retire, there will be a labor void. “Labor is going to be huge for (Caleb),” Steve said. “That’s up to him what he decides to do ... (for what) this picture looks like.”

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In the December U.S. Department of Agricul- $25M grant nalized ture’s supply/demand report, 2023 milk production Representatives of the Minnesota Board of Wawas estimated at 226.9 billion pounds. That’s down ter and Soil Resources and the state’s soil and water 200 million pounds from the previous forecast. For conservation districts were part of a signing cer2024, milk production is estimated to be 229 billion emony with USDA ofcials. Minnesota is receivpounds, down 100 million pounds from November. ing a $25 million Regional Conservation PartnerA drop in cow numbers and in the pership Program grant and will focus on Ag Insider cow production levels were cited as soil health practices through voluntary reasons. The all-milk price forecast for programs with farmers and landown2023 is $20.60 per hundredweight, and ers. The signing ceremony took place at it is $2025 per hundredweight for 2024. the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Annual Whole milk bill advances Meeting in Bloomington, Minnesota. Congress has passed legislation allowing schools to serve whole milk. Milk Specialties Global earns Trade That’s in addition to the 2% milk that is Award now available. This bill now moves to The Minnesota Trade Ofce has the Senate where it has bipartisan suppresented its Governor’s International port. Trade Award to Milk Specialties Global By Don Wick of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. In 2022, Columnist Ag is playing defense MSG exported to 42 countries on six With the metro-rural split in the continents. Minnesota Legislature, agricultural lobbyist Bruce Kleven said agriculture will be playing defense in Dairy leader moves to soybean checkoff board the 2024 legislative session. “A lot of things got The United Soybean Board will have a new done in the ag world this year with the increase in CEO on board at the beginning of the new year. the ag homestead tax credit, the beginning farmer Former South Dakota Agriculture Secretary Lucas tax credit and some increases in funding,” Kleven Lentsch succeeds Polly Ruhland, who is retiring. said. “We took care of some bad bills thanks to Lentsch is now an executive vice president with (Senate) Ag Chair (Aric) Putnam from St. Cloud. Dairy Management Inc. Previously, Lentsch was He stopped a lot of the junk from the House. As we the CEO for Midwest Dairy. look into (2024), there’s not a lot of asks that the ag groups are bringing; we’ll be looking at playing Thiesse to remain involved in agriculture after defense, especially on the environmental front.” retirement Kent Thiesse spent 27 years in extension and Risk management options for dairy farmers another 20 years as an ag lender in southern MinneThe Dairy Revenue Protection program allows sota. At the end of the year, Thiesse will retire from dairy farms to put a oor on the milk price and cap- the day-to-day work at the bank. During his career, ture any market upside. Purina risk management Thiesse has seen everything from the farm crisis of specialist Tim Patchin said there is more interest the 1980s to the boom days from 2009 -13. “Farmin managing risk with the current low milk pric- ers today pay a lot more attention to cash ow to be es. “We recognize that you should act proactively able to service debt and keep their working capital versus reactively,” Patchin said. “I think that’s one strong,” Thiesse said. “As a whole, farm businesses of the advantages of sitting down with one of us are in a stronger position today than they were goand discussing options. What’s your risk manage- ing into the 1980s.” Thiesse will remain involved ment comfort level? What’s your risk management in agriculture, including the writing of his Focus knowledge base? Let’s start from the beginning and on Ag column. Thiesse also plans to coordinate the build out from there.” Approximately 25% of the Farmfest forums and continue his involvement with milk produced today is covered by DRP. the state fair 4-H beef show. Filling the veterinarian gap A shift in herd size and scope of need has resulted in a drop in the number of food animal veterinarians in rural areas. Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association President Dr. James Bennett said their organization is asking state legislators to act. “Minnesota is one of only eight states where our veterinary technicians are not licensed, and that creates some problems,” he said. A licensure bill would allow veterinary technicians to do some things under indirect supervision and go to farm calls for some activities normally performed by a veterinarian. Bennett said this would not be a complete solution, but it would help. “We do think that would help extend the reach of veterinarians in rural areas,” he said. USDA to begin issuing pandemic assistance USDA has announced plans to issue more than $223 million in Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program payments. This money is to help farmers and ranchers who suffered a drop in gross revenues due to COVID-19 in 2020. The application process wrapped up in mid-July. There were more than 38,500 applications, triggering payments of nearly $7 billion. That is far above the available funding. As a result, a 9.5% payment factor has been applied to all payments to ensure equitable distribution.

Bemis accepts DC job Kaytlin Bemis has accepted a position with the National Corn Growers Association as its manager of public policy. Bemis will work on transportation, research and new uses. She has been the public policy specialist with the Minnesota Farm Bureau for the past two years. Heusel moves to Edge Co-op Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative has added a eld services representative to its member services team, focusing on its members in Minnesota and South Dakota. Most recently, Kaitlin Heusel was a eld rep for Foremost Farms in northern Wisconsin. Heusel will also provide Edge services to members of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association. Trivia challenge Ghee, or claried butter, is the term for butter with the milk solids and water removed. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, what is the highest grade for butter? We will have the answer in our next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network of 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 sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 11

Con�nued from DALEY | Page 7 AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR

Shelly DePestel talks about their farm’s expansion and legal journey Dec. 1 in the oﬃce at a farm site of Daley Farms of Lewiston LLP near Lewiston, Minnesota. The Daleys’ request for a variance of Winona County’s animal unit cap has been denied twice.

DePestel said that helping these ve partners start smaller farms would mean they lose the efciencies of a larger operation. “To say that there’s no nancial component would be ridiculous,” DePestel said. “Is it the only consideration? No. ... How else do you make sure that (the next generation) can farm?” Reuvers said that in order for Daley Farms of Lewiston to be granted an exception to the county’s animal unit cap, they needed to demonstrate they met the criteria. “There was substantial evidence in the record that ... this was about money and not about what they call practical difculties,” Reuvers said. “In other words, there’s nothing unique about the shape of the property or the land. … They could have several smaller ones (feedlots), but that costs more money.” The most recent hearing was the second variance hearing Daley Farms of Lewiston has had before the Board of Adjustment. The rst hearing was in 2019, when the family’s rst request for variance was denied. However, when the family appealed before a judge, the court ruled the decision was “so severely tainted by members

of the Board of Adjustment,” and it was remanded to Winona County for a second hearing. DePestel said she wanted a fair hearing before a board that did not have preconceived notions. “It really just felt all wrong,” DePestel said. The family alleges that the Board of Adjustment that heard their second hearing was also biased against them, according to Nov. 21 court documents. According to court documents, the Daleys claim at least one member of the board was recruited to apply to the board and was a member of Land Stewardship Project. They also allege a county commissioner participated in advocacy efforts against their project. However, Reuvers said that the board members were appointed before the county knew the case was going to be remanded. “How could the county hand select or stack the deck if we did not know that it was going to get sent back for a second hearing?” Reuvers said. Reuvers also said the county reappointed a Board of Adjustment member who had voted in favor of the variance at the rst hearing. The family plans to appeal the latest decision. “We’re not at the wall yet,” DePestel said. “It’s not the end, but we’re wide open to ideas like where our opportunities for growth are that don’t include dairy cows.”

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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

Promoting dairy through Christmas dinner Mower County ADA donates butter, cheese to Feed A Family program By Amy Kyllo

amy.k@star-pub.com

AUSTIN, Minn. — The Mower County American Dairy Association is helping their entire community have a Christmas dinner regardless of socioeconomic status. This year is the 16th year of the Feed A Family program, which is hosted by the Hy-Vee supermarket in Austin and benets community members who sign up through The Salvation Army. The KAUS radio station helps plan the event. The Mower County ADA, alongside Hy-Vee and KAUS, is part of a group of several additional major sponsors. The Feed A Family program packs bags with a full Christmas meals and distributes them to qualifying individuals several days before Christmas. The meals include 1 pound of butter and a block of cheese donated by the

AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR

Mower County dairy royalty Chloe Canterbury, Meryn Silbaugh and Emma Koenigs smile with Mower County American Dairy AssociaƟon member Gene Anderson Dec. 20 at the Feed A Family packing and distribuƟon event at Hy-Vee in AusƟn, Minnesota. The Mower County ADA donates 1 pound of buƩer and a block of cheese in each bag.

Mower County ADA. This year, volunteers packed and distributed the meals Dec. 20.

Gene Anderson, a member of the Mower County ADA, spearheads their involvement in the program.

“The rst hope is that (the recipients) are going to have a good meal,” Anderson said. “You hope that they will re-

Turn to MOWER COUNTY | Page 13

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Mower County dairy royalty Chloe Canterbury (leŌ) and Emma Koenigs help distribute bags of food Dec. 20 at the Feed A Family packing and distribuƟon event at Hy-Vee in AusƟn, Minnesota. This year, they packed approximately 387 bags.

member who donated all of the products that they ended up receiving and that they will continue to help support the people or businesses that contributed to the bag of food that they got.” Not only do community members get a holiday meal, but the event is benecial for the Mower County ADA as well. “It’s the best promotion we do all year,” Anderson said. “(It is) by far the most bang for our buck. It’s helping people, and ... we’re getting lots of publicity on the radio which is good for the dairy industry.” Anderson said the Mower County ADA is mentioned on the radio several times daily from early November until the event in December. “It’s the cheapest, best advertising ... we can get,” Anderson said. Initially, when the event started, the Mower County ADA donated only butter, but approximately six years ago, they added cheese. The cost each year depends on the number of bags and dairy prices, but Anderson said around $2,700 is the largest donation they have made in a year. Anderson reached out the rst year of the program to offer the Mower County ADA’s sponsorship. “I thought it would be an excellent opportunity and good way for the dairy association to get involved,” Anderson said. “I thought if (the recipients) got some butter and they liked it, they might have a tendency to buy more butter.” Renee Wangen, of KAUS, coordinates the event. “It just feels good that everybody can end up having a meal Christmas day and enjoy it with their family or their friends,” Wangen said. “Nobody has to go hungry.”

This year, they packed 387 bags. The Salvation Army coordinates the signup for the bags and who the recipients are. Anderson helps pack the bags most years and tries to get the Mower County dairy princesses to attend if it ts in their schedules. “People who get (a bag) are appreciative of what they get,” Anderson said. “It’s a fun day.” This year, each bag will contain a ham, 2 pounds of mashed potatoes, two cans of corn, a dozen buns, a pumpkin pie, cranberry salad, 1 pound of butter, a block of cheese and whipped cream. Wangen said the bags are intended to provide a simple meal to prepare. “In about an hour, they can have a really nice sit-down meal for the family,” Wangen said. Volunteers pack the bags in one of the kitchens at Hy-Vee. The meals are then distributed until about 2 p.m. Recipients who cannot pick up their bag during those hours can pick it up later from the local Salvation Army. Wangen said that Anderson has been wonderful to work with. “We really do need them as much as we possibly can so that everything balances in everybody’s life,” Wangen said. “There’s a little bit of meat products, carbohydrates, dairy and desserts. We try and make sure everything is enjoyable for the families that are in need just as if it was one of our families.” Anderson said Mower County ADA plans to continue their involvement with the program. “As long as the ADA in Mower County is going strong, we will continue to support this event,” Anderson said.

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from our side OF THE FENCE What do you want for Christmas?

Adalyn Bedtke 8 years old Parents: Adam and Amanda Bedtke Plainview, Minnesota Winona County 70 cows

Maddie Hedtke 9 years old Parents: Chris and Kirsten Hedtke Mayer, Minnesota Carver County 70 cows

What chores do you help with on the farm? I help feed baby calves, our show cattle, the chickens and the cats. Sometimes I help prep cows during milking.

What chores do you help with on the farm? Feeding the calves, sometimes milking a few cows, and feeding the cows.

Tell us about your favorite animal. Right now, my favorite animal to spend time with is my calf Stella.

Tell us about your favorite animal. Baxter, my cat. I got him in June. He likes to sleep, and I like to snuggle with him. Meredith is a red cow. She is like a pet dog. She is one of the nicest cows in our barn.

What is your favorite food to enjoy at Christmastime? Grasshoppers on Christmas Eve.

What is your favorite food to enjoy at Christmastime? Ham and cookies.

When does your family decorate for Christmas, and what is your favorite decoration? We usually decorate the weekend after Thanksgiving, and my favorite decoration is the Christmas lights in my room.

When does your family decorate for Christmas, and what is your favorite decoration? We decorate the day after Thanksgiving. My favorite decoration is manger scenes.

What do you want for Christmas? A life-sized stuffed cow. What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? Our whole family goes to the movie theater to see a movie on Christmas break. Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? I'm pretty sure I am on the nice list because I help a lot around the farm and in the house. If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you go and what song would you sing on the way there? I would sing “Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer” all the way to the North Pole to see the penguins.

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What do you want for Christmas? A keyboard and a watch. What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? Read and play outside. I also want to go to the farm. Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? The nice list because I have been nice by doing chores with my dad. If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you go and what song would you sing on the way there? I would go to New York and sing “Go Tell it on the Mountain.”

Claire Elsbernd 10 years old Parents: Jay and Leslie Elsbernd Ridgeway, Iowa Winneshiek County 150 cows What chores do you help with on the farm? I help with giving hay to the calves, watching gates and rounding up the cows. Tell us about your favorite animal. My favorite animal is dogs because I can play with them and they will play with me. What is your favorite food to enjoy at Christmastime? Hot chocolate because I really like chocolate. When does your family decorate for Christmas, and what is your favorite decoration? We decorate after Thanksgiving by getting a tree and putting up our lights. My favorite is our Christmas tree which we get from a tree farm near our home. What do you want for Christmas? I want camping supplies because I like being outdoors. What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? I like to go to the Cresco Fitness Center to play and swim in the indoor pool. Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? I’m on the nice list because I’m fun and nice to my siblings. If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you go and what song would you sing on the way there? “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” because it is my favorite song. I’d like to go to a place where I could see the northern lights for Christmas. Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16

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ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Jakob Wiersema 13 years old Parents: Gerard and Menna Wiersema Parker, South Dakota Turner County 600 cows What chores do you help with on the farm? I scrape the alleys and help bed the dry cows and calves. I also do whatever else is needed around the farm. Tell us about your favorite animal. We have some Jerseys, and they are my favorite breed of cows. They are cuter and smaller than Holsteins, but they are always getting into trouble. I am helping my family raise a couple of Jersey bull calves. They look so cute when they are babies.

Liam Seppelt 7 years old Parents: Brent Brandi Seppelt Rice, Minnesota Benton County 425 cows

and

What chores do you help with on the farm? Feeding grain to the little calves and picking eggs. Tell us about your favorite animal. Cows because they give us multiple products for food. What is your favorite food to enjoy at Christmastime? Mashed potatoes and gravy. When does your family decorate for Christmas, and what is your favorite decoration? The rst weekend in December. My WWE undertaker ornament. What do you want for Christmas? A Nintendo Switch. What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? Snowmobiling. Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? The naughty list because I don’t listen to my parents. If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you go and what song would you sing on the way there? The North Pole, and we will sing “Jingle Bells.”

What is your favorite food to enjoy at Christmastime? I like the meatballs and potatoes that Mom makes. I also like the green beans that are wrapped with bacon. When does your family decorate for Christmas, and what is your favorite decoration? We decorate whenever we can nd time. My favorite decoration is the Christmas tree with all of its lights and ornaments. What do you want for Christmas? I have a collection of 1/64 scale toy tractors, but they are all modern. I would like to have some toy tractors that are older models. What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? I like to go to Falls Park in Sioux Falls with my family. The light display they have there is very pretty. Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? I guess I am sometimes on the naughty list, especially when sorting cattle with my sister, but I feel good about getting on the nice list because I am good at doing chores. If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you go and what song would you sing on the way there? I would go to Paris, France. They call it the City of Light, and I bet it’s really pretty at Christmastime. I would sing “Jingle Bells” on the way there.

Bennett Kalthoff 6 years old Parents: Ben and Kate Kalthoff Albany, Minnesota Stearns County 85 cows What chores do you help with on the farm? I help feed baby calves, scrape alleyways and feed chickens, and I get to ride in the tractor. Tell us about your favorite animal. I like the chickens because I like that my chickens lay eggs. What is your favorite food to enjoy at Christmastime? Potatoes and gravy, and cookies. When does your family decorate for Christmas, and what is your favorite decoration? We decorate at the end of November, and my favorite decoration is the Christmas tree. What do you want for Christmas? A toy dairy barn. What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? Playing in the barn and going sledding behind or on the snowmobile. Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? Nice, but I don't know why. If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you go and what song would you sing on the way there? Washington, the state, because I've never been there. I would sing “Jingle Bells.”

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 17

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TOP PERFORMERS Kurtis Ambrosius of Ambrosius Dairy Farms LLC | Seymour, Wisconsin | Outagamie County | 112 cows How many times a day do you milk, and what is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? We milk 112 cows and have about 130 cows in total. The herd is almost completely Holstein — we are milking one Jersey right now. The herd average is right around 33,500 pounds of milk at 4.2% butterfat and 3.3% protein. Describe your housing and milking facility. The cows are housed in tie stalls with Mayo Mattresses, and we bed every day with a bedding product from Alternative Animal Bedding. The cows go out for an hour and a half every morning. We milk with 12 units, with automatic takeoffs. Two people handle each milking. Who is part of your farm team, and what are their roles? Our farm team consists of me and my wife, Lisa, my parents, Jerry and Julie, one full-time employee and four part-time milkers, who are mostly high school kids. What is your herd health program? We do a herd check, which is primarily for pregnancy checks, every four weeks. Newborns are vaccinated with Tri-Shield and Inforce 3. At four months, and then twice a year, we vaccinate with Bovi-

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

KurƟs Ambrosius stands in his barn Dec. 6 where he milks 112 cows with a 33,500-pound herd average near Seymour, Wisconsin. Ambrosius operates Ambrosius Dairy Farm with his wife, Lisa, and parents, Jerry and Julie. Shield Gold FP 5 L5 HB. We have had a closed herd for the last eight years. What does your dry cow and transition program consist of? We have an average dry

period of about 50 days, and we dry treat, alternating Quartermaster and Tomorrow, every other lactation. Dry cows are housed in a freestall with access to outside and fed a negative D-CAD diet that con-

sists of corn silage, straw, a mineral mix and protein. They come back into the barn about 10 days to two weeks before calving. First-calf heifers are brought in about three weeks before to get used to the stalls

and the activity in the barn. Cows calve in the tie stalls — we have ve stalls that are Turn to TOP PERFORMER | Page 20

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 19

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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

Con�nued from TOP PERFORMER | Page 18

segregated up next to the milkhouse — and that is where we calve cows. That makes them easy to monitor, and it is an easy area to clean. We power wash it daily. They stay in those stalls until their milk is clean. What is the composition of your ration, and how has that changed in recent years? We feed a total mixed ration that is corn-silage based, with haylage, ground corn and a protein mix. That has been an area we have changed in the last couple of years. We ran a high-corn-silage diet for about 15 years, and then a couple of years ago, I was looking to make a change because I was not happy with the incidences of ketosis and milk fever I was seeing. I switched nutritionists and ended up going with Amanda Williams at Barton Kiefer. That was the big change I was looking for and has been nothing but a great experience so far, changing to a high-ber, easily digestible diet. That was where our production went to the next level while maintaining good components. Tell us about the forages you plant and detail your harvest strategies. We make corn silage and haylage, and we do all the harvesting ourselves. We work with our agronomist to make the best decisions, based on growing degree days, but typically we go about every 28 days on our haylage. Our corn silage is non-brown midrib.

cows. Our cows are uniform as a group. All of the cows are bred with conventional semen, mostly based on natural heats. We use an ovsynch protocol for cows that come up open or cystic on herd check. Because of their location on the farm, it is harder to catch heifers in natural heats, so they are bred mostly on CIDR sync programs. We use sexed semen on them on the rst service and conventional semen after that.

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Cows at Ambrosius Dairy Farm eat a total mixed ra�on during milking Dec. 6 in Seymour, Wisconsin. The cows are housed and milked in a �estall barn, with 12 units equipped with automa�c takeoﬀs. We tried BMR, but decided it required management that did not work in our system. We generally make our corn silage at about 60% moisture as it is stored in tower silos. We follow with oats behind winter wheat to make heifer forage. What is your average somatic cell count, and how does that affect your production? Our average SCC has been 70,000 for the past year. We cull with a high emphasis on SCC. We cull cows that get mastitis. We haven’t treated a cow for mastitis in 10 years. This practice has helped our herd average and herd health

grow. We started using a different bedding and quit bovine somatotropin about 10 to 12 years ago, which we believe helped our SCC. What change has created the biggest improvement in your herd average? Changing our feeding strategy has made an impact on our herd average. I have been thrilled with the increases that we have seen since changing. What technology do you use to monitor your herd? We DHI test monthly, and I use PCDART to monitor the herd. I use the app Pocket Dairy on

IF YOU HAVE COWS, YOU N�D...

my phone to sort lists, helping me know what is happening with each cow. What is your breeding program, and what role does genetics play in your production level? I try to take a balanced approach with everything on the farm. We’ve been mating our cows for about 15 years, and the people doing that know pretty well what I am looking for. The cows are mated by Select Sires, and the heifers are mated by CRI. We’ve worked on getting our components and production up. Now I would like to focus on breeding more moderate-sized

List three management strategies that have helped you attain your production and component level. The three management strategies that help us maintain our herd levels are feeding, genetics and the bedding material we use. Tell us about your farm and your plans for the dairy in the next year. This next year will be a year just to try and maintain things. We have zero interest in expanding our herd size; instead, we will continue to try and do better at everything we do to continue growing our success. We are located close to a busy high-way, close to the edge of town and near the Austin Straubel Airport. I work to keep the farm tourready. Frequently people will stop in and ask to see the farm. I try to stop what I’m doing and show them around. That is an important part of sharing the truth about dairy products and dairy farms.

DAIRY ST R

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 21

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Case IH 2166 1997, 2WD, Duals, 5685 hrs., 3705 Sep. hrs., #573600 .......$23,500 Case IH 2188 1997, 2WD, Duals, 4064 hrs., 2716 Sep. hrs., #573599 .......$24,500 Case IH 8240 2016, PRWD, Duals, 1289 hrs., 920 Sep. hrs., #572343.....$243,900 Case IH 8250 2022, 2WD, Duals, 1300 hrs., 801 Sep. hrs., #572186 .......$394,900 Case IH 8250 2022, PRWD, Duals, 1716 hrs., 1291 Sep. hrs., #572189...$409,900 Case IH 8250 2022, PRWD, Tracks, 1100 hrs., 864 Sep. hrs., #572187 ....$489,900 JD 9550 2001, 2WD, Singles, 4976 hrs., 3145 Sep. hrs., #572170 .............$52,500 JD 9560 STS 2004, 2WD, Duals, 4638 hrs., 2982 Sep. hrs., #567094.........$52,500 JD 9570 STS 2008, PRWD, Duals, 3464 hrs., 2237 Sep. hrs., #568406 ......$99,500 JD 9570 STS 2009, 2WD, Duals, 2367 hrs., 1597 Sep. hrs., #556547.......$104,900 JD 9570 STS 2009, 2WD, Duals, 2560 hrs., 1630 Sep. hrs., #571894.......$105,900 JD 9650W 2000, 2WD, Duals, 3680 hrs., 2665 Sep. hrs., #568122 ............$45,000 JD 9660 STS 2005, PRWD, Duals, 4255 hrs., 3155 Sep. hrs., #573421 ......$53,000 JD 9660 STS 2006, 2WD, Duals, 2903 hrs., 2086 Sep. hrs., #571131 .......$57,500 JD 9670 STS 2010, 2WD, Duals, 3365 hrs., 2454 Sep. hrs., #572908.........$81,000 JD 9750 STS 2002, PRWD, Duals, 2834 hrs., 1727 Sep. hrs., #573419 ......$47,500 JD 9760 STS 2005, 2WD, Singles, 4300 hrs., 2575 Sep. hrs., #571176 ......$79,900 JD 9760 STS 2007, PRWD, Duals, 2969 hrs., 2277 Sep. hrs., #573293 ......$82,500 JD 9770 STS 2010, PRWD, Duals, 3399 hrs., 2549 Sep. hrs., #572968 ....$104,500 JD 9870 STS 2010, PRWD, Duals, 3558 hrs., 2425 Sep. hrs., #568308 ......$94,500 JD 9870 STS 2008, PRWD, Duals, 3385 hrs., 2494 Sep. hrs., #566621 ......$97,500 JD 9870 STS 2010, PRWD, Duals, 3400 hrs., 2350 Sep. hrs., #573531 ....$102,400 JD 9870 STS 2011, 2WD, Duals, 3809 hrs., 1747 Sep. hrs., #567383.......$109,900 JD S680 2014, PRWD, Duals, 2700 hrs., 1950 Sep. hrs., #572388............$129,000 JD S680 2013, PRWD, Duals, 3520 hrs., 2287 Sep. hrs., #572095............$129,900 JD S680 2013, PRWD, Duals, 2729 hrs., 2010 Sep. hrs., #563909............$139,000 JD S680 2013, 2WD, Duals, 2188 hrs., 1720 Sep. hrs., #571079..............$146,500 JD S680 2017, PRWD, Duals, 2788 hrs., 1850 Sep. hrs., #572100............$197,900 JD S680 2017, PRWD, Duals, 2024 hrs., 1350 Sep. hrs., #570488............$239,500

JD S690 2017, PRWD, Duals, 2514 hrs., 1605 Sep. hrs., #568113............$239,000 JD S760 2023, 2WD, Duals, 327 hrs., 245 Sep. hrs., #573154..................$499,900 JD S770 2022, PRWD, Floaters, 60 hrs., 20 Sep. hrs., #563704 ................$546,000 JD S770 2022, PRWD, Duals, 371 hrs., 148 Sep. hrs., #567222................$564,900 JD S770 2022, PRWD, Duals, 284 hrs., 91 Sep. hrs., #567225..................$574,900 JD S770 2023, PRWD, Duals, 250 hrs., 176 Sep. hrs., #573071................$581,900 JD S780 2018, PRWD, Duals, 2835 hrs., 1901 Sep. hrs., #567178............$234,900 JD S780 2018, PRWD, Duals, 1735 hrs., 1200 Sep. hrs., #571593............$283,500 JD S780 2018, 2WD, Duals, 1225 hrs., 826 Sep. hrs., #555412................$319,000 JD S780 2020, PRWD, Singles, 1640 hrs., 1204 Sep. hrs., #531610 .........$349,000 JD S780 2020, PRWD, Duals, 1241 hrs., 1007 Sep. hrs., #573595............$349,900 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 933 hrs., 737 Sep. hrs., #571615................$489,900 JD S780 2021, PRWD, Duals, 520 hrs., 300 Sep. hrs., #567515................$519,900 JD S780 2021, PRWD, Floaters, 723 hrs., 360 Sep. hrs., #567882 ............$524,900 JD S780 2021, PRWD, Duals, 388 hrs., 285 Sep. hrs., #572205................$529,000 JD S780 2021, PRWD, Duals, 401 hrs., 305 Sep. hrs., #572206................$529,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Singles, 578 hrs., 400 Sep. hrs., #571886 .............$529,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 897 hrs., 420 Sep. hrs., #569414................$529,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Singles, 694 hrs., 424 Sep. hrs., #571725 .............$533,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 530 hrs., 347 Sep. hrs., #563635................$549,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 789 hrs., 595 Sep. hrs., #563633................$549,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 610 hrs., 353 Sep. hrs., #552362................$549,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, 572 hrs., 323 Sep. hrs., #553546 ............$549,900 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 254 hrs., 183 Sep. hrs., #554094................$565,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, 446 hrs., 170 Sep. hrs., #554623 ............$569,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 433 hrs., 262 Sep. hrs., #568072................$569,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Duals, 466 hrs., 358 Sep. hrs., #572927................$584,900 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 366 hrs., 165 Sep. hrs., #567271................$585,000 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Duals, 400 hrs., 318 Sep. hrs., #573365................$594,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Duals, 277 hrs., 166 Sep. hrs., #545327................$599,900

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Tracks, 245 hrs., 192 Sep. hrs., #563701 ...............$619,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Tracks, 366 hrs., 238 Sep. hrs., #554013 ...............$619,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Tracks, 300 hrs., 280 Sep. hrs., #561020 ...............$623,000 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Duals, 89 hrs., 30 Sep. hrs., #545523 ...................$629,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 399 hrs., 284 Sep. hrs., #572364 ...............$656,000 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 330 hrs., 238 Sep. hrs., #573052 ...............$674,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 314 hrs., 234 Sep. hrs., #573043 ...............$674,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 347 hrs., 259 Sep. hrs., #573054 ...............$674,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 267 hrs., 198 Sep. hrs., #573053 ...............$681,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 174 hrs., 118 Sep. hrs., #573055 ...............$684,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 208 hrs., 148 Sep. hrs., #573044 ...............$689,000 JD S790 2018, PRWD, Duals, 2110 hrs., 1585 Sep. hrs., #573418............$269,500 JD S790 2021, PRWD, Duals, 1760 hrs., 1500 Sep. hrs., #572086............$364,900 JD S790 2021, PRWD, Singles, 1031 hrs., 829 Sep. hrs., #557277 ...........$479,000 JD S790 2020, PRWD, Floaters, 734 hrs., 485 Sep. hrs., #568213 ............$497,000 JD S790 2021, PRWD, Duals, 930 hrs., 613 Sep. hrs., #565421................$499,900 JD S790 2020, PRWD, Singles, 776 hrs., 474 Sep. hrs., #568212 .............$501,000 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Singles, 655 hrs., 438 Sep. hrs., #563815 .............$579,500 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, 491 hrs., 323 Sep. hrs., #552839................$579,500 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, 627 hrs., 430 Sep. hrs., #566694................$579,900 JD S790 2023, PRWD, Duals, 495 hrs., 390 Sep. hrs., #573286................$585,900 JD S790 2023, PRWD, Duals, 395 hrs., 290 Sep. hrs., #573285................$599,900 JD S790 2023, PRWD, Duals, 473 hrs., 330 Sep. hrs., #573278................$599,900 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, 299 hrs., 194 Sep. hrs., #563325................$599,900 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, 497 hrs., 368 Sep. hrs., #566460................$624,900 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Singles, 266 hrs., 159 Sep. hrs., #557140 .............$629,900 JD X9 1000 2022, PRWD, Duals, 950 hrs., 680 Sep. hrs., #572277 ..........$659,900 JD X9 1100 2021, PRWD, Tracks, 1101 hrs., 735 Sep. hrs., #552917........$749,000 JD X9 1100 2021, PRWD, Tracks, 1082 hrs., 715 Sep. hrs., #552921........$769,000

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Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 23

Cutting costs in half Activity, rumination monitoring saves Hanke Farms over $34,000 By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. — Hanke Farms is getting cows bred back quicker and with the use of fewer drugs since installing the CowManager system for activity and rumination monitoring in February 2022. As a result, the system is saving the farm time and money while improving the health and longevity of the herd. “We’re spending only half of what we used to on repro drugs, and heifers barely get any now,” said Doug Taylor, herd manager. Over the last year, the farm saved $34,138, or approximately $36 per cow, in hormone and antibiotic expenses. Far fewer shots are given to cows and heifers due to increased natural heat detection and preventative health treatments. The Hanke family milks 800 cows and farms 2,200 acres near Sheboygan Falls. Eight family members are involved on the farm: Doug and his wife, Heidi; Heidi’s parents, Jack and Dorene Hanke;

Jack’s brother, Jim, and his wife, Bonnie, along with their son, Jason, and their son-inlaw, John Anhalt. Nine fulltime and about six part-time employees also work on this century farm. Cows are milked three times a day in a double-12 parlor with a rolling herd average of 33,278 pounds of milk, 3.8% butterfat and 3.06% protein. “That is the highest we’ve been for production,” Doug said. “We have been climbing and climbing the last 10 years.” Doug and Heidi credit this increase to changes in management practices, better feed quality and a focus on calf raising with emphasis on the rst six months. The family raises 775 heifers. They have cut back in the last several years but more specically in the last year and a half due to their use of activity monitoring. “We have more of our older cows now because they’re getting pregnant sooner, and we nd sickness quicker, which has prolonged the life of our cows,” Doug said. “Therefore, we need less replacements.”

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Heidi and Doug Taylor take a break Nov. 30 in one of the freestall barns at Hanke Farms near Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. The Hanke family farms 2,200 acres and has a rolling herd average of 33,278 pounds of milk with their milking herd of 800.

The Hankes use fertility and health modules with 100% coverage of cows and breeding-age heifers. “At rst, we were only going to put cows on the system, but I’m glad we did the heifers too,” Doug said. “It’s more than paid off to have it on heifers — that’s where we’ve seen the biggest improvement. We

used to give 15 or 20 shots every other week. Now it’s maybe only one.” Heifers are not on an ovsynch program. They only receive shots if they fail to show a heat or if they are having embryo transfer work done. The use of prostaglandin was reduced by 90%, and CIDR usage in heifers has

also dropped considerably. The heifer barn has seen a large reduction in shots and, thus, labor. “We’re only spending about three hours a day on 600 head,” Heidi said. Turn to HANKES | Page 25

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 25

ConƟnued from HANKES | Page 23

Sensors go on at 11 months to start detecting heats before the animals reach breeding age. As long as a heifer is big enough, she will get bred ve days prior to her rst birthday. Conception rates are up, with 26 of 29 heifers conrmed pregnant during the last pregnancy check. Previously, 47% of heifer heats were detected in a natural window. Now, that number has risen to 73%. The conception rate for heifers is 50%, and the pregnancy rate is 42%. The pregnancy rate has jumped nearly 8% since installing the activity monitoring system. Results in cows have also been favorable. The conception rate is 45%, and the pregnancy rate is at 32%. The pregnancy rate for cows has increased by 6% in the last 1.5 years. All cows go through a double ovsynch program for their rst breeding, with shots starting at 43 days in milk. However, if a cow comes into heat early, she is bred starting at 70 days and does not nish the program, saving on three shots. The farm has noticed a 2% increase in conception rates by catching these early heats. Cows that remain in the ovsynch program are bred at 75 to 80 days. Cows may be bred twice if the system shows they are in heat following that rst breeding. “Semen costs are a little higher because we’re rebreeding a little more, but an extra unit of semen far outweighs the cost of not breeding,” Doug said. “These are cows we wouldn’t see otherwise, and the system is showing us she is still in heat. We won’t let them get past us. I like the comfort of knowing there’s a better chance she’ll get pregnant because we doubled up on semen.” If cows are open after the rst

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Heidi Taylor looks at the breeding list in the CowManager system Nov. 30 on her family’s farm near Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. Since installing the system in February 2022, the farm is detecƟng 73% of natural heats in heifers and 60% of natural heats in cows.

breeding, they enter a single ovsynch program. Before installing the monitoring system, 80% of all rebreeds for cows were timed A.I. That number has dropped to 40% as cows are caught early or caught between the two ovsynch programs. Previously, only 16% were bred to natural heats. Now, the system is catching 60% of natural heats in cows. The farm is picking up an additional 45% of the 21-day repeats and breeding off natural heat so they do not go into the next ovsynch program. “Our no-breed list is the shortest it’s been in the last 12 years,” Doug said. “We used to have 25 or 30 on it; now we have only 10. Cows are getting pregnant and sticking around. We’ve also changed some of our breeding philosophies and breed more animals to beef.”

Doug said there was a learning curve with the system, especially with picking up subtle heats in older cows. “Cows in their third lactation or higher wouldn’t show as dened of heat as heifers or younger cows,” he said. “Our rep does a good job of adjusting the settings to pick up more cows. Now, subtle heats seem to settle just as easily as raging heats.” The system is also picking up nighttime heats. “There are no people around at night except for two milkers, and from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. is when our older cows are showing heat,” Doug said. Doug and the family see the benet of having a larger population of mature cows in the herd. “Keeping older cows around longer raises our milk average,” Doug

Wishing all of you

said. “It should be a goal to try to keep those cows around as long as you can.” In addition to helping the farms’ reproductive program, the monitoring system has boosted animal health, especially concerning fresh-cow problems. “The system catches cows as soon as they go off feed to help prevent a DA,” Doug said. “In the past, DA cows might slip two to three days before you notice. Now, if a cow does get a DA, she is having surgery within 12 hours, and cows recover so much faster. They’re not missing a beat.” Heidi said they are also catching ketosis and toxic mastitis more quickly. “It alerts us when they go off feed before there are visual signs in the milk, so we catch mastitis sooner,” Heidi said. Heidi used to lock up all fresh cows for the rst seven to 10 days of their lactation to check them over, but now she only locks up those the system tells her to, cutting her labor in half. The system has prompted Doug and Heidi to prioritize health and heat detection at the top of their to-do list. “We check the system rst thing in the morning for heats and sick cows,” Heidi said. “Before, we would do other tasks, and then when you’re out and about, you see a cow doesn’t look quite right. Now, we look at cows right away.” Hanke Farms has seen a long list of benets from their cow monitoring system in the last two years. The system is delivering results as it pushes the herd in a healthier and more productive and protable direction. “It’s been a good thing for us,” Doug said. “I’m glad we did it.”

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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

Singen auf Deutsch

Sjostrom joins German singing group in addition to dairy farming By Amy Kyllo

amy.k@star-pub.com

LAFEYETTE, Minn. — In the 1980s, Steve Sjostrom remembers listening to the Concord Singers of New Ulm. “Those guys were so much fun to listen to and enjoy,” Sjostrom said. “I always kind of said, ‘My goal is going to be joining the Concord Singers when I get older.’” Sjostrom has achieved his goal and has been singing with the group since 2020. He balances his singing activities with his work on his 90-cow dairy farm, which includes 800 acres of cropland, near Lafeyette. The Concord Singers’ repertoire of songs is in German. Their performance dress is a checked shirt and lederhosen or a branded shirt and black pants. Sjostrom, whose heritage is one-quarter German and the rest Scandinavian, is not uent in German. “I’m learning as I go,” he

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Terry Sveine (from leŌ), Rod Karnitz, Steve Sjostrom and Ron Forst laugh near a popcorn wagon at the 2022 Oktoberfest in New Ulm, Minnesota. Sjostrom, who sings bass, joined the Concord Singers in 2020. He milks 90 cows with his family near LafeyeƩe, Minnesota.

said. This winter, he said, his goal is to take an online German language course. The Concord Singers appear at performances throughout the year. Sjostrom said January through May is their slowest season, while August through October they are the busiest.

Sjostrom, who is a bass, has practice every Thursday during the school year, plus around 25 performances. The group has 25-28 members. Attendance of at least two-thirds of practices and performances is mandatory. Sjostrom said he gets to about 80% of the shows and practices.

thing ... that we can’t be in the eld, I’ll go,” Sjostrom said. “I prioritize and see where we’re at.” Sjostrom said he plans to continue being part of the group. Once he retires from dairy farming, he will have more time for the group. The group travels for their performances. For local performances, the singers drive themselves, but for longer distances, they rent a bus and one of the members who has a bus driving license drives them. Sjostrom’s favorite event he has attended while being part of the group was Oktoberfest at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Resort near Deerwood. The event includes German food, vendors and live music. “The whole crowd (would) get into it and sing along and clap along and dance along,” Sjostrom said. “When you get done, they want to come out and say hi to you.” The group also sings at two of its hometown events in New Ulm, Bavarian Blast held in June and Oktoberfest held in October, as well as at nursing home around the holidays, county fairs and more.

“I have to kind of keep the farm going yet too,” Sjostrom said. “I have to pick what I can attend and what I can’t.” If he is working in the house or in his truck, he will sometimes play a CD of their songs and sing along. In the fall, he ts his singing around harvest work. “If it’s raining or some- Turn to SJOSTROM | Page 27

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 27

ConƟnued from SJOSTROM | Page 26

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PHOTO SUBMITTED

Andy Miller (from leŌ), Ernie Kretsch, Steve Sjostrom, Dick Seeboth and Brent Roiger recreate the Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover at the 2022 Oktoberfest in New Ulm, Minnesota. Sjostrom farms 800 acres near LafeyeƩe, Minnesota.

Before joining the group, Sjostrom played in a community volleyball league. He said his body was too old for that, so he decided to try out for the Concord Singers. To join, Sjostrom had to attend three practices in a row, then go through a voice test with the music committee. After the voice test, he was sent to the hallway while the committee brought their recommendation to the group. He said he could hear the resounding “no” coming from inside, which was said as a joke. Group members come from a variety of ages and backgrounds. There are a few other farmers like Sjostrom, but most are not. Sjostrom said getting to know the other members is his

favorite part of being in the group. “We all share the same thing — that we enjoy singing,” Sjostrom said. “It gets to be fun.” One of Sjostrom’s favorite songs is the group’s version of “Eidelweiss,” which transitions after the nal “amen” into a polka. “It covers the gamut of singing a soft, slow German song right into the polka,” Sjostrom said. “It’s just kind of cool.” Another favorite, Sjostrom said, is a compilation of a fast song that then goes into “Sweet Caroline” in German. “The best performances are when the crowds (are) having fun,” Sjostrom said. “They’ll just go nuts when we go into that (song).”

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 29

women

IN DAIRY

Tell us about your farm and family. My husband, Dave, and I have two children. Our daughter, Alayna, will be turning 11, and our son, Ethan, just turned 9. This was Dave’s parents’ farm. He grew up here and bought the farm the same day that he proposed to me — New Year’s Eve in 2009. We have made changes to the farm since we were married. We built a heifer barn and dry cow barn and added onto our freestall barn twice. Our cows are milked by two Lely robotic milking systems that we installed in 2014. The robots were a great decision for us. Last year, we built a machine shed. We farm 300 acres and have one full-time employee. Dave’s parents help when needed. His mom likes to drive tractor, and his dad likes to work in the shop. What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? I am usually the rst one up. I take care of the calves so that I can get back to the house and get the kids off to school. I’ll do additional barn chores after that and treat sick cows if needed. I also pay bills in the morning and do any accounting or bookwork that needs to be done. I will then run errands or get parts. With two kids active in sports, my afternoon consists of a lot of driving to get them where they need to be. I start calves again around 4:30-5 p.m. to be done in time to attend the kids’ activities at night and make dinner. I also work as a relief employee a few times per month at Country Veterinary Clinic in Rubicon, after having worked as a veterinary technician at Cedarburg Veterinary Clinic for 19 years be-fore deciding to work on the farm full time. My vet tech skills, such as giving IVs, come in handy on the farm, and we try to do a lot of the treating of calves and cows ourselves. What decision have you made in the last year that has beneted your farm? We renished our old milk barn for housing calves, which has made calf raising more efcient. Previously, we were housing calves in multiple spots. It’s nice in winter because I don’t have

Kathleen Hafemeister

Hustisford, Wisconsin Dodge County 120 cows

to carry water to a building that has no running water. I like the Calf-Tel pens, and we have added more since moving the calves into one barn. I pride myself on having very few calf losses. I try to catch things early and feed top-quality milk replacer and grains. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. I have a good memory and a bad memory. The good one is the day we started up the robots. It was crazy with the inspectors here and all the people helping push cows through and a newborn baby at my side. My son was just 7 days old. The bad memory happened on Valentine’s Day this year when a cow charged me in the freestall barn and knocked me down. I knew right away that I hurt my knee. Luckily, Dave and our employee, Mike, were there to get her off of me. Also, it was cold so I was wearing heavy clothes, which offered protection. I had a torn ACL, a damaged meniscus and severe bone bruising and had to have knee surgery in April. I had to take a couple weeks off after the injury and a couple weeks off after the surgery. During my recovery, a neighbor girl fed the calves, and we were grateful to have her help. This accident changed my outlook on how I work with cows. Now, I won’t walk in by cows without someone else being around, and I won’t go in by any cows with new calves. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I enjoy watching the calves grow up and seeing their individual personalities. They each have their quirks in how they act. I also enjoy the health aspect of raising calves. Being a veterinary technician, I like knowing the whys of sickness and medicine and am always trying to investigate ways of keeping the veterinary interest in me alive. What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? The decision to get robotic milkers is our biggest ac-

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complishment. Our interest was piqued at a workshop about 12 years ago on a small farm that had put in robots. This was early on, and there were very few robots in this part of the state. We had to travel quite the distances to look at robots because it was new technology at the time. That year at World Dairy Expo, we started looking at brands. We knew what milk price we needed in order to make it work and were able to get a loan. People tried to tell us not to do it, but we thought it would be good for us, and it is. It’s not less work. It’s just different work and gives us exibility with our kids’ schedules. The downside of robots is that you are always on call.

What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? I am still looking for advice myself, but one thing I have learned is that it is better not to plan. It’s OK to be spontaneous. I can have my whole day planned out, but then the vet clinic calls asking if I can work, and there goes the whole day. I have found that the best trips and unexpected outings happened as a result of a last-minute decision. I would also recommend having two washing machines side by side — one for barn clothes and one for good clothes. When my husband comes in with sandy, dirty clothes, I’m so glad I can put them in the old washer.

What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? We like to give tours. I love when people come to our farm and we can show them what we do. We also tell friends of ours who have never been to a farm to visit. There were a lot of people who wanted to see our robots initially, and a couple of farms that saw them did put in robots afterward, so that is a good feeling. We have also been a part of Farm City Day for Dodge County, welcoming fourthgrade students to our farm. Next summer, we are hosting the Dodge County Dairy Brunch.

When you get a spare moment, what do you do? We like to get out on the lake as a family. Dave grew up water skiing, and I grew up wake boarding, so we like to do that. I also attend the kids’ sporting events, and I’ve been trying to do more volunteering at school as well as be a part of various school functions and groups. We also go snowmobiling in the winter. I used to play volleyball, but I’ve had to put that on hold after hurting my knee. As the kids get older, I will maybe take up volleyball again. I like to stay active.

Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

www.extension.umn.edu/dairy

What can rumination tell us? Late November, I gave two talks intake. Rumination also helps increase and attended a conference organized saliva secretion, which improves ruby the national DHI and forage test- men buffering. ing company in Hungary. This was my Dairy cows ruminate, on average, third invitation to speak at this excel- seven to eight hours per day, which lent event with many dairy producers mostly occurs at night, when there are and consultants in attendance. fewer disruptive management Trevor DeVries, Univertasks being performed, or in sity of Guelph, was also on the the afternoon. During rumiprogram and gave a couple of nation, cows appear to be reexcellent talks, one focusing laxed, with heads down and on considerations in designeyelids lowered. It appears ing diets for robotic milking that cows prefer to rest in farms and one on optimizing sternal recumbency with left cow comfort to improve beside preference. The left side havior, health and production. laterality and upright posture He mentioned rumination By Marcia Endres may optimize positioning of during his cow comfort talk. the rumen within the body University of I also presented results of a for most efcient rumination. Minnesota study we did at the University Cows increase rumination of Minnesota (Peiter et al.) where we time as they get older as they also ininvestigated the relationship between crease time spent chewing each bolus. rumination time and milk production. Rumination time decreases on Rumination is unique to ruminant average by 70% of the average rumianimals such as cows, buffalo, deer nation time observed during the dry and giraffes. Yes, giraffes are rumi- period on the day of calving, reaching nants, in spite of their very long neck a minimum daily average of approxi— I nd it amazing. mately four hours. In our study, we During rumination, cows regur- found that second- and greater-lactagitate feed from the rumen, chew it tion cows had an increase of 5 pounds again and reswallow it. This process in peak milk yield for each 100-minute improves digestion, reduces particle increase in average rumination time size and promotes passage from the over the rst six days in milk. rumen, so it can inuence dry matter Ensuring that transition cows are

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healthy and have quality feed available at all times may increase rumination time in the early postpartum period and improve productivity and protability on dairy farms. Early postpartum rumination behavior indicators could help producers make management decisions related to animal health or early removal of cows from the herd. Rumination has been used as a proxy for health, and many producers have technology that measures rumination time and have been using this metric to manage their transition cows. Numerous previous studies reported an association between decreased rumination time and metabolic or digestive disorders, such as subclinical ketosis, displaced abomasum, indigestion and ruminal acidosis. Similarly, other studies reported that rumination time decreased during lameness and pneumonia. The topic of rumination during the conference got me thinking (or ruminating a bit). One of the studies that

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DeVries presented showed that cows that ruminated while lying down compared to cows that ruminated while standing had greater total rumination time, consumed more dry matter and produced milk with greater fat and protein content. Are those cows less stressed? Could rumination time be an indicator of cow contentment? I would suggest that rumination is a relaxation behavior in cows. Researchers have not investigated this very much, but it is something to consider. There are now easier ways of measuring rumination than visual observation with all the sensors we have in the market. It seems that a combination of having a comfortable resting space and ruminating at the same time is benecial for cow productivity (and it might be an indicator of good health). Food companies are focusing more on the ve domains framework of animal welfare with mental health of animals as the fth domain. Is rumination something that can help us better understand the mental health of cows?

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Ode to the efciency of a dairy parlor

Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 31

The individual steps, sequence The clock starts ticking the rst and timeliness of a parlor’s milking time a cow is touched upon entering a procedure build a pattern that inu- parlor. An overarching milking protoences the dairy operation’s milk check col begins with cow prep time as the as well as the farm’s long-term prot- rst step of the parlor routine. Optiability. Building, experimenting and mum milk letdown requires tactile adhering to the best pattern through stimulation of the teat skin surface for a standard operating procedure will 10 to 20 seconds. Not only are milkkeep cows healthy and comers cleaning the teat surface fortable and improve parlor — removing dirt, manure performance. or bedding — but they are Whether it is a dairy herd simultaneously stimulating of 50 or 5,000 milk cows, milk letdown as well. having an efcient SOP will The next step of cow prep assist in cows receiving contime priming the proverbial sistent care in the parlor. The pump is through forestripparlor SOP should be curping. Skipping straight to rent and incorporated into By Dana Adams pre-dipping, without encourthe onboarding process for aging milk letdown through University of new hires. One of the most forestripping, is typically not Minnesota important to-dos on a parlor considered a quality milk manager’s list should be conrming letdown stimulus. While the best that a standardized milking procedure preparation option is forestripping, is performed by milkers and that it is effective wiping of teats can provide taught to new staff. adequate stimulation for proper milk Many value the increase in parlor letdown. Forestripping is also the preefciency, but there is also usefulness ferred time to observe clinical mastitis in helping identify future issues by and ag a cow if additional steps need not deviating from the procedure. An- to be taken. Milkers should be visuother value of a SOP is that each step ally observing symptoms of mastitis can accomplish more than one ob- (milk with akes, clots or an off coljective, increasing efciency. Every or). Multiple milk quality infractions parlor manager can agree it is far too may shift a cow to the cull list instead easy to relax around an SOP, especial- of the milking string, overall improvly for the last cow of the last pen of ing bulk tank somatic cell counts. Not the evening. Having protocols writ- only does cow prep time include usten, checked and revised helps keep ing an effective teat sanitizer (i.e. prethem practical and utilized. SOPs can dip), but milkers should completely be used to optimize time spent in the cover the teats and allow an effective parlor and maintain uniform, proper contact time of 30 seconds to kill bacprocedures during milking. teria on the teat surface.

Prep lag time is the initial tactile contact with the teat surface until the milk machine is attached. Farms should aim for 60 to 120 seconds for prep lag time. The goal of the period is to allow the effects of forestripping and teat stimulation to encourage milk letdown. If a cow has not let down her milk, the extra machine pulsation can lead to damaged teats and teat ends. Long term, this practice can negatively affect udder health and can increase the incidence of mastitis. A general recommendation for a typical parlor setting is prepping four cows in a row with consistent stimulation and contact, thus allowing for proper lag time for each cow. After the cow has been milked out and the milking unit is removed, the next step should be to prepare her to return to the barn. All teat surfaces should be covered through a complete immersion of each teat in a post-milking teat sanitizer. In frigid weather, it may t into a farm’s SOP to wait 30

seconds, wipe off post-dip and dry teats to prevent frozen teats as cows return to the barn, or use a winter post-dip. Post-milking, not only are milkers sanitizing the teat before the cow returns to the barn, but other processes occur during this window. After the milking machine is removed, the cow’s teat sphincter muscle closes. Closure takes 30 minutes, leaving a window where, if the cow lies down, bacteria may have an opportunity to enter the teat and cause infection. Cows can be encouraged to stand for those 30 minutes by having access to water and fresh or pushed-up feed. These three steps of a dairy parlor’s SOP include cow prep time, prep lag time and post-milking. When each step is performed consistently and in a timely manner, efciencies are achieved while simultaneously maintaining the quality performance of staff and, most importantly, the milking string.

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Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

Filling in for Grandpa Teen steps in for morning chores By Emily Breth

emily.b@star-pub.com

SLEEPY EYE, Minn. — Teenager Emma Fischer can be found most days after school in the barn at Riverside Dairy, her grandpa’s farm. From Nov. 11 to Dec. 11, she could be found there each day before school as well, stretching her schedule to help in a time of need. “My grandpa, Gary (Hillesheim,) fell on his shoulder and couldn’t milk, which left my aunt (Stacy Tauer) alone in the morning, so I started coming out and helping milk in the morning,” the 17-yearold said. “I was thankful that I could be useful.” Fischer would arrive at the barn around 5 a.m. and, with her aunt, milk 75 cows in the stanchion parlor. Between 6:45-7 a.m., she would leave to get ready for school. “Part of me felt like I had a new purpose,” Fischer said. “Now when I went to school, I already had three hours on most of the kids there. It gave me a sense of accomplish-

EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR

Emma Fischer and her grandpa, Gary Hillesheim, stand in one of the barns Dec. 13 at Riverside Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Fischer woke up at 4:30 a.m. for a month to milk the cows before heading to school when her grandpa was unable to milk due to a shoulder injury.

ment every day and a reason to get out of bed besides school.” While the days got longer for Fischer, she was able to keep up with her activities, juggling the extra chores with trapshooting, FFA and school. Fischer said it was

exhausting, but it did not discourage her. “This isn’t my rst rodeo,” she said. “I can do it.” Fischer is the daughter of Nikki and Darrel Fischer. She said her family helped make her extra farm hours work. “(My brother Kyle) did

chores when I was milking in the morning so that I could get to school; he would go into work late,” Fischer said. “It’s hard to dislike anything (on the farm) when I am always with my family and I am always with someone who is going to help me.”

Helping on the farm since she was little, Fischer had many jobs throughout the years. “I raised bull calves for four years that I bought when they were 3 to 7 days old,” Fischer said. “Now when there are newborns on the farm and I give them the rst feedings of colostrum and watch them wobble around and feel their way out, I would say that’s the best part.” Fischer also helps in the eld when she is needed, her favorite eldwork being raking. She said she nds it to be relaxing and therapeutic. “I have been on the payroll since March 2021, but before that, I would do milkings during busy eld times and whenever I was needed,” Fischer said. “Most of the time I help in both the eld and barn, but milking is my year-round and main commitment.” Most nights after school, Fischer can be found at the farm from 4:30-6 p.m. or later, helping with the cattle. Her love for the farm, Fischer said, is the reason she has not had any major jobs off the farm so that she can always Turn to FISCHER | Page 33

Christmas memories

Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 33

ConƟnued from FISCHER | Page 32

EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR

Emma Fischer feeds grain to the dry cows Dec. 13 at Riverside Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. The dry cows are kept on a bedding pack.

go to the farm when needed or when many connections she had lost, such she wants. However, Fischer cur- as with the individual who delivers rently also works at Schwarts Farms feed, and this was one of the things as part of an on-the-job training class that made her decide to stick with agfor school. riculture. “Everyone is always here for “I want to get back to (the farmeach other (at Rivers) that understand erside Dairy), and where my drive “I could be I am really grateful is coming from,” for family,” Fischer said. “I could anything in the Fischer said. “My grandpa be anything in the Gary and brother but I want to world, but I want world, Kaleb are my bigcome back to this. I gest inspirations. to come back to need to be back here Grandpa is 78 years and help the farmer.” this. I need to be old, and he never Fischer said the stops.” farm has become her Fischer said she back here and help comfort zone even has decided to keep though she knows the farmer.” agriculture in her how much work life and pursue a job EMMA FISCHER, DAIRY FARMER goes into a career in where she will be agriculture. able to give back to “If any kids read the farmers who have helped her be- (my story), I want them to know it is come the person she is today. very important to stay in agriculture,” “(The idea of pursuing agricul- she said. “It’s hard, and there are a lot ture) has always been in the back of nights you get to bed late and have of my mind, but within the last two to be up early, but it’s worth it. It’s years, it has grown,” Fischer said. important to know there are always After she stopped raising bull opportunities in the agriculture world. calves, Fischer said she realized how You just have to look for them.”

Christmas has always been a big Eve, so in the morning, Mom would deal in our family, starting with the milk cows and then go in the house and gifts. make a giant dinner. As we got older, Growing up, Mom would give someone else would do morning milkme $3 for each member of the family ing for Mom so that she could get a to help buy Christmas head start on her smorgifts. It was a wondergasbord. ful idea because I did At the feast, there not have much money would be green bean besides what I received casserole — the only at birthdays, from the hotdish allowed to tooth fairy or from be called a casserole Grandpa for eggs. — homemade buns, A few days before mashed potatoes, stuffChristmas, my mom, ing, pickles and olives, sisters and I would do Jell-O salad and some a Christmas shopping main course meat, ofextravaganza. Mom ten ham or a roasted attempted to get most chicken. By Amy Kyllo of her Christmas shopIn the afternoon, Staff Writer ping done in that one we sisters would put on a program with the day, which never quite worked, but the time crunch added story of the rst Christmas for Dad and to the intensity and efciency of our Mom, and afterward, we would open gifts. search. In the evening — still somewhat Shopping all together made for a delightful number of secrets. You would full — we would skip supper and go sneak around the store, trying to keep outside and do chores. Inside the house, stuff covered in the cart without look- my sister would spend the evening making like you were shoplifting, while si- ing hors d’ oeuvres. With chores commultaneously trying not to betray what plete, we would come inside and enjoy department you had just been in. a decadent meal while we watched a The decision-making was intense. movie or show. One had to budget carefully. I rememThere is always a meal or more ber sitting and looking at a throw blan- worth of leftovers from each meal eatket that cost $4 or $5 while debating en, so on Christmas Day, we would just and debating because it was over my $3 eat leftovers, relax and enjoy our gifts. Now as adults, many of the tradibudget. At the checkout, double-bagging tions are the same. There is the excitehelped keep the newly purchased trea- ment of gifts and good food. Instead of shopping together, there is an extensive sures cloaked in secrecy. As the day wore on, shopping number of group chats, each excluding would always go late with one last store certain members of the family to talk we would sneak into for that nal gift or about their gifts. More happiness has been added to two. That night, milking would be late. One year, the minivan broke down our celebrations lately by the new little in the country on the way home with people in the family who bring a child’s all the gifts. This was before any of us joy of Christmas to us. Since I am safehad cell phones, so Mom and one of ly single with no kids, I can get my sibmy sisters walked to a house and called lings’ children any obnoxious, fun toys Dad who came for us in a little Sat- I want without worrying about instant urn. Somehow the six of us and all the retaliation. Now, I can even begin making my Christmas presents piled into that veown memories. Buying a rst Christseat, compact vehicle. I am blessed that my siblings al- mas tree of my very own and nding ways came home for the holidays, even Christmas decor for my apartment has during the four years when my sister brought fresh excitement to me this lived overseas. I counted down the days holiday season. No matter what stage of life you are for weeks as I looked forward to her making the 24 hours’ worth of travel in or what memories of Christmas you have, I hope this season brings little home. Our family celebrated on Christmas moments that give you joy.

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Checkoff reects on 2023

As we prepare for a new year, staff have been reecting on 2023, evaluating our work, and using what we’ve learned to increase dairy demand and consumer condence in 2024. Checkoff worked diligently in 2023 on the farmers’ behalf, focusing on being efcient and effective regarding farmers’ 15-cent investment for promotion and research nationwide. As I think about the past year, a few things stand out in my mind as checkoff focused on reaching consumers in different ways and sharing dairy’s story about caring for the planet. We do this as we work to build both trust in and sales for dairy. Dairy farmers have shared with us that they love to hear about checkoff’s enterprising work to build demand for dairy as we focus on reaching consumers in multiple ways to remind them why they By Molly Pelzer love dairy. CEO of Midwest Dairy Many of these connections are unique and out of the box but also utilize our partners’ resources. Partner resources are especially helpful with online efforts. We have teamed up with partners such as Kum & Go, Casey’s and others to connect with consumers through their loyalty apps by encouraging shoppers to purchase dairy items to reach other savings. Kum & Go alone has over 1.75 million app subscribers. This is an excellent pool of consumers to appeal to. Throughout the year, checkoff also continued to grow our efforts in the e-commerce space. By partnering with Chicory, we promoted recipes with dairy ingredients linked to an e-commerce grocery cart, making it easy for shoppers to put the dairy ingredients directly into their online shopping cart. Recipes are an opportunity to connect dairy with shoppers, and Chicory makes it as easy as possible for them to purchase ingredients. Our work with Cub and Runza is another example of a partnership using unique ways to connect with consumers. Both partners featured a dairy farmer this past year to communicate with shoppers. Runza had a dessert promotion that connected a Nebraska dairy farm, the Thiele family, to the ice cream promotion while highlighting their sustainability story. More recently, Cub worked with dairy farmer Kennedy Youngren, a mom and dietitian, to reach consumers in-store and on social media through recipes, nutrition tips and showcasing her local roots. You can check out Kennedy on Instagram at @the.legendairy.dietitian. Not only is checkoff bringing the farmer’s voice to the marketplace, but we are also listening. Dollar General has been a desired partner for Midwest Dairy, and in 2023, we nally gained collaboration with the chain. This partnership will remind shoppers to add milk to their carts through strategically placed in-store signs running this holiday season. These signs focus on milk’s affordable nutrition using our new Undeniably Dairy tagline “Real Milk. Real Nutrition.” Signage also promotes pairing milk with other popular snacks, like cookies. This effort began as a joint program with Midwest Dairy and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan but has continued to grow as other state and regional checkoff organizations were invited to join the campaign to expand dairy’s footprint. There are 2,369 stores participating in the Midwest and at least one per state across the 10-state region. I have always been passionate about making sure you, as dairy farmers, are informed of how your checkoff investment is working for you. Midwest Dairy staff uses multiple initiatives to better reach you, including text updates, newsletters and magazines like the Promotion in Action and Dairy Promotion Update, and our Facebook platform to keep you updated. I urge you to ask your farmer relations managers how to better connect with checkoff through these options and more. The new year will bring about changes at Midwest Dairy, including the beginning of a new threeyear strategic plan. Please remember that this plan was created with input from the dairy community, Midwest Dairy’s board and staff. The three-year strategic plan builds on the work of the last three years and continues to bring the dairy farmers’ voice to the marketplace. Merry Christmas to all, and best wishes for 2024.

Group cows to maximize protability

Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 35

Grouping cows on a dairy can have many benets, including maximizing efciencies, increasing income over feed costs and minimizing stress. Grouping strategies generally fall into two categories — nutritional groups and management groups. Often these strategies overlap and complement each other. In nutritional groups, each pen of cows is often fed a separate ration that matches their specic nutritional needs. With management groups, cows are split based on their parity (rst-lactation versus older cows), body condition, stage of lactation or gestation. Herd size and Something to Ruminate On physical facilities often limit the number of possible groups. Multiple groups often require additional labor to move and manage the different groups and to mix and feed multiple rations. We’ve all heard the phrase, “No two dairy farms are alike.” While this is true, farms may consider some By Barry Visser common grouping stratNutritionist egies to maximize efciencies, animal wellbeing and performance. Grouping by parity If animal numbers and facilities allow, it is advantageous to group cows by parity with rst-lactation cows (primiparous) in one group and mature cows (multiparous) in another group. Grouping by parity should be a high priority even if rations are not different. Grouping by parity has the greatest benet for primiparous cows. Heifers take smaller bites and spend more time feeding than mature cows. Since mature cows are usually more dominant and can push heifers away from feeding spaces, grouping them separately may ensure that heifers have enough time to feed throughout the day. Research from Spain found that heifers grouped separately ruminate more and drink more. A companion study published by Dr. Alex Bach showed that housing heifers separately also provided the added benets of increased efciency of fat-corrected milk production and less bodyweight loss in the rst month of lactation. The improvement in milk fat production might be associated with both the increase in rumination and the greater number of meals per day observed in heifer-only groups. While this article is focused primarily on lactating grouping strategies, separating pre-fresh dry cows into these same parity groups (if facilities and management allow) can provide health and production benets. Grouping by stage of lactation Fresh cow groups allow for diet modications to accommodate their low intakes, enhance milk production and reduce metabolic issues. We can target specic feed additives to fresh cows in the rst few weeks of lactation. Separating fresh cows has secondary benets, including a smaller group size to allow for more intensive individual cow observations and implementation of health-monitoring protocols. In most cases, understocking may be easier to obtain in a smaller group providing plenty of bunk space. A separate fresh cow group also allows the implementation of greater milking frequency such as four-timesper-day milking if so desired. Cows will partition nutrients differently depending on their stage of lactation and gestation. If size permits, multiple lactating ration groups will allow for more precise targeting of nutrients and additives designed to improve feed efciency and productivity. Early lactation cows will respond protably to a higher-quality diet balanced for amino acids, higher levels

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of fat and fermentable carbohydrates. Late-lactation cows can maintain their production while controlling body condition on a more basic diet with feedstuffs such as fermentable ber sources. These late-lactation groups can also be a logical place to utilize some of the lactating total mixed ration refusals for operations that may not have heifers on-site. Forage quality plays a key role in performance on any dairy. The wide range of planting, harvesting and storing goals depends on several factors, including for which groups of animals specic forages are targeted. A good example is hybrids with lower lignin and higher ber digestibility such as brown midrib corn silage. The tradeoff between yields and quality often results in partial acres planted with BMR corn

and some with conventional corn. Grouping cows by stage of lactation can allow a dairy to target their highest-quality forages to fresh and early lactation cows, which are most limited by rumen ll, to see the greatest benet from the increase in ber digestibility. If your herd size and facilities allow for multiple groups, consider a fresh cow group and separating younger cows from mature cows to maximize performance and protability. Additional benets can be seen by grouping cows based on stage of lactation and production. Work with your nutritionist to determine the best grouping strategies to maximize income over feed cost. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.

Editorial disclaimer: The views expressed by our columnists are the opinions and thoughts of the author and do not reect the opinions and views of Dairy Star staff and ownership.

Making Christmas memories Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

Christmastime when I was a kid consisted mostly of waiting and waiting for the moment when we could nally open our gifts. That and putting up with aunts and uncles and grandparents, many of whom seemed incredibly old and stodgy. It was customary back then to teach children how to sing old Christmas melodies. This was followed by the torture of forcing them to croon these tunes in front of an audience. I was a reluctant vocalist and would sing only after being threatened. “You’d better sing or else,” our music teacher would warn us. I didn’t know what “or else” entailed but assumed from her tone that it involved something much worse than singing in public. Our family’s Christmas traditions included spending Christmas Eve at Grandpa and Grandma Hammer’s house. Our parents expended oceans of effort to convince their eight kids to quit our warm, snug farmhouse and pile into our cold, drafty sta-

tion wagon for the half-hour drive to our grandparents’ house. Grandpa and Grandma’s home would be stuffed to the rafters with people and food. Wondrous aromas infused the old farmhouse as steam rose from a bevy of bub-bling pots. To my great pleasure — and the deep consternation of many others — one of the pots held a slab of lutesk that was large enough to choke a polar bear. While waiting for the food, we would horse around with our cousins until we were sternly commanded to settle down. We would closely examine the Christmas tree, paying special attention to the mound of gifts at its base. I was fascinated by the candle-shaped lights that contained a clear uid and burped an endless stream of bubbles. Where did the bubbles come from? And where did they go? When supper nally landed on the table, we tore into it like infantrymen fresh off a 50-mile march.

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One could lose a nger while reaching for the lefse. After supper we had to visit, which was adultspeak for “sit around and yak about old times.” Who cared about old times? We were children of the Space Age. We didn’t want to hear about the past. After all, we would soon be zooming around in our ying cars and strapping on our jetpacks. It was difcult to Dear County Agent Guy stay focused on the 21st century while keeping company with people who had been born in the 19th century. After making us wait several agonizing minutes, we were nally allowed to open our presents. This was followed shortly by a By Jerry Nelson fresh round of horsing Columnist around. Grandpa would decide that this was an opportune moment to share a shot of Christmas wine, which was of a purple Mogen David vintage. If a kid were deemed old enough, he or she might be offered a small sample. It was only a thimbleful, but that tiny taste of wine made us feel like we were part of the grownup world. The wine also made us extremely sleepy, which caused our parents to declare that it was time to go home. This was probably Grandpa’s plan all along. He was a cagey old guy. We didn’t realize it in the moment, but we were enjoying some of the best things this world has to offer. My wife and I are friends with a couple who graciously invites a large group of folks into their home for a pre-Christmas gathering. The house, owned by Jerry and Judy Cooley, was built in 1908 and hasn’t been aficted by any major remodeling. It has thus retained its original charm. Many of those who gather at the Cooley Christmas party are gray-haired grandparents, folks who probably seem incredibly old and stodgy to the youngsters in attendance. The Cooley home becomes stuffed to the rafters with people and the wondrous aromas of a potluck supper. The creaky old house resonates with the buzz of conversation as vast quantities of visiting takes place. Someone will sit at the piano, and the notes of traditional Christmas tunes ll the air. Childhood training kicks in, causing many of the assembled to sing along. Eyes mist over as the singers recall bygone days and all the people who are no longer with us. Where did the years go? A person peering into the Cooley home might nd it difcult to determine if it’s 1923 or 2023. That is, if it weren’t for the occasional photo being snapped with an iPhone. No matter how enjoyable the evening might be, cobwebs will begin to creep into my brain, signaling that it’s time to head home. And I’ll say to my wife, “We’d better go before I fall asleep and you have to carry me out to the car.” Jerry Nelson is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, South Dakota. He and his wife, Julie, have two sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry works for Dairy Star as a staff writer and ad salesman. Feel free to email him at jerry.n@dairystar.com.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 37

By Steve Frericks

Stearns County FSA executive director

Livestock producers are grateful for the mild weather. The start of the winter has presented a much milder approach than in years past. It truly is apparent that no two years are the same. The extended fall allowed for extra fall livestock bedding and the opportunity to tackle those extra projects. Our farm bill was extended for one year. Watch for forthcoming announcements regarding when and if programs will be available. The Farm Service Agency staff would like to wish the agriculture community a happy holiday season. USDA makes change to notice of loss requirements for two livestock disaster assistance programs The U.S. Department of Agriculture has waived certain notice of loss requirements for 2023 for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish as well as for the Livestock Indemnity Program. In an effort to streamline assistance to support access to critical 2023 natural disaster recovery assistance, FSA is waiving the requirement to submit ELAP or LIP notices of loss within a predetermined number of days for 2023. Instead, producers have the exibility to submit notices of loss as soon as possible, once losses are realized, following a natural disaster event or no later than the established annual program application for payment deadlines for each program. FSA county committees are also being asked to re-evaluate 2023 ELAP and LIP late-led notices of loss to determine if the waiver applies. ELAP provides recovery assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybee and farm-raised sh losses due to an

eligible adverse weather or loss condition, including blizzards, disease, water shortages and wildres. ELAP covers grazing and feed losses, transportation of water and feed to livestock and hauling livestock to grazing acres. ELAP also covers certain mortality losses for livestock including honeybees and farm-raised sh as well as honeybee hive losses. ELAP is designed to address losses not covered by other FSA disaster assistance programs. For 2023, FSA is waiving the regulatory requirement for producers who are eligible for ELAP to le a notice of loss with FSA within 30 calendar days from when the loss rst became apparent for livestock and farm-raised sh and 15 calendar days for honeybees. Under this waiver, notices of loss are to be completed by the eligible producer and submitted to FSA no later than the annual program application deadline of Jan. 30 following the program year in which the loss occurred. Therefore, producers who incurred ELAP-eligible losses in 2023 will need to submit a notice of loss by Jan. 30, 2024. LIP provides disaster recovery assistance to livestock owners and contract growers who experience livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by eligible loss conditions including adverse weather, disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law, including wolves and avian predators. LIP also helps livestock owners who must sell livestock at a reduced price because of an injury from certain loss conditions. For 2023, FSA is waiving the regulatory requirement for producers who are eligible for LIP to le a notice of loss within 30 calendar days from when the loss rst became apparent. Under this waiver, producers are still required to complete and submit the notice of loss to FSA no later than the annual program

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plies or grazing pastures are destroyed. — Number of gallons of water transported to livestock due to water shortages. A message from Jerry Hurrle, farm loan manager As the year comes to a close and we look forward to the New Year, we need to begin planning for 2024. Each year brings changes and challenges. A year ago, we had a lot of snow by midDecember, and this year we have 50-plus degrees. Most of the commodity prices have softened considerably compared to the past two years, which will create tight prot margins and challenges with developing feasible cash ows. A good place to start is to update your balance sheet and review your 2023 income, expenses and production information. What problems or challenges occurred? Review your nancial position and ratios. Is your working capital adequate? Can you repay your annual operating loan? Will you have income taxes due? What will your cash ow be for the new year, and what adjustments need to be made? Sometimes there are more questions than answers. If you maintain accurate and up-to-date records, the review process and ability to answer these questions can be much easier and faster to complete. It is recommended that you meet with your lenders sooner than later to review your cash ow, debt structure and nancing needs. If capital purchases are needed, be sure to plan carefully. Farm Service Agency is an equal opportunity lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 20250. Visit www.fsa.usda.gov for application forms and updates on USDA programs.

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Christmas games Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023

Every year during the holiday season, the ghosts of Christmas past sneak into our consciousness as we recall special moments with family and friends. One of my favorite holiday memories is from the 1970s. My grandmother decided to invite all of the Adair and McConnell relatives to her house for Christmas. Three generations from both sides lled every room of their two-story farm house. Once all the dishes were washed and the food moved out to the cold porch for snacking, it was time to break out the games. On one corner of the dining room table, my great uncles set up their game of cut-throat Monopoly. Booming voices shouted in distress as someone landed on the “wrong” piece of property owned by a brotherin-law. As kids, we shied away from this game. The only thing we could have learned by watching were a few new vocabulary words from the back of the

barn. In the back nook of the kitchen, my mom, aunts and Uncle Dan would whoop it up in celebration as they nessed a missing trump trick in an intense game of Bridge. It was the next generation’s cut-throat game between family members. The hanging light over the kitchen table illuminated the smoky haze created by overlled ashtrays. (It was the 1970s). Those arriving too late to get in the game huddled around the table as they peered over the players’ shoulders, assessing the cards and potential plays. I would dream of the day I was old enough and good enough to play Bridge at this table. My generation of youngsters set up our own games. There was Hi-Ho the Cherry-O, Trouble and our own version of cut-throat Go Fish. We may have lacked the booming voices and the hazy lighting, but

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we could still squeal with delight when we told someone to, “Go sh.” Many card and board games were originally created as teaching tools for life lessons. A simple deck of cards taught many kids mathematics and memory Just Thinking Out Loud skills. The 52 cards could also teach biblical lessons according to an old country song. Monopoly was created in the early 1900s to illustrate an economic theory of how rents make the rich richer and keep the poor poorer. I think many games could have rst been envisioned by events on the farm. Just By Natalie Schmitt think about the number of Columnist different games we “play” each day. As seed salesmen come around to book next year’s orders, we need to make sure to compare Apples to Apples in data so that we can collect a big Pay Day at the end of a growing season. The Word on the Street is that farmers need Wits and Wagers along with a bit of Diplomacy so that the banker doesn’t say Sorry! The future price of milk feels like we’re living on a Chutes and Ladders game board as we navigate the Risk. The Trouble with planning on the perfect conditions is that it can fall like a line of Dominos with just a tap. Of course, Operation is a game many older farmers play with hips, knees and shoulders. Before cell phones with cameras, there was only Pictionary to illustrate the location of the broken part in the chopper head. Not always the most accurate drawing but enough to get the point across. It may seem like a game of Trivial Pursuit as you try to track down the part off of an old piece of machinery. The strategies used to discover the Battleship are the same Mark and the boys use when trying to nd the pocket gopher tunnels in the hayelds, searching for the perfect spot to trap the gopher and sink his career. The Game of Life was never one of my favorites. It was hard to relate to — until they revamped it to Life on the Farm. Now I know exactly what it means or costs when the cows are out or the baler breaks. It speaks my language. Probably my all-time favorite game to play is the classic Candyland … because every day on the farm can be lled with sweet surprises. May your holiday games bring a smile across your face and give a hug to your heart as we cherish this special time with our family and friends. As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark Schmitt started an adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 23, 2023 • Page 39

What makes a Christmas gift special? Is it special because you hoped for it? Is it special because it surprised you? Is it special because it reects the giver’s love and thoughtfulness? Is it more special because it was handmade and not store-bought? We got a couple special Christmas

Dairy Good Life

By Sadie Frericks Columnist

Grandma Jeanie’s spritz cookies 1 pound butter, softened 2 cups sugar 4 egg yolks 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 teaspoon almond extract 5 cups our In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for 7 minutes. Add egg yolks, cream, and extract; then mix for another 5 minutes. Gently fold in our with spatula. Let dough rest for 15 minutes while preheating oven. Heat oven to 400 degrees. If coloring spritzes, divide dough and atten each section into a disc; then add a couple drops of food coloring and gently knead dough to mix color in. Put dough in cookie press. Using a quick stroke of the trigger, turn gun slightly and lift, depositing cookies on baking sheet. Clean, aluminum baking sheets work best. Do not use parchment paper and do not grease pans. If you have trouble with cookies sticking to the pan, chill pans in freezer before pressing cookies; this also keeps bottoms from browning too much. If decorating spritzes with colored sugar, sprinkle on before baking. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until edges of cookies are light gold, but not brown. Watch the rst pan of cookies carefully; every oven bakes differently. Different spritz shapes bake differently, as well. Let cookies cool slightly, but not completely, before removing from pan with sturdy metal spatula. Makes 8 dozen cookies. Sadie Frericks and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children: Dan, Monika, and Daphne. Sadie also writes a blog at www. dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.

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gifts in the barn earlier this month. Both Sunlight and Galadriel, two of Monika’s favorite cows, delivered beautiful heifer calves. Both calves were very much hoped for. Sunlight’s calf last year was born with the wrong parts — drat! Galadriel’s 2022 calf was a beautiful heifer, but something was wrong with her, and, sadly, she died shortly after birth. So, getting two healthy heifer calves this winter was one of the best gifts ever. We also got a clutch of baby chicks. This was denitely a surprise gift. One of Daphne’s 4-H hens had been sitting on a nest in the bales and Daphne had been checking on her daily. Several weeks passed with no chicks, so I gured it had been too cold and they weren’t going to hatch. Then, one night Daphne came running in and announced that there was a chick. We moved the hen, her chick, and the rest of the nest to a stock tank in the barn. Six more eggs hatched, and now we’ve got baby chicks to distract us from our chores. They’re even cuter when they’re out of season. Just like our new calves and chicks might top any store-bought gift, here are a few other special Christmas gifts that come from the heart and not from a store. One of the gifts I try to give my family each year is a collection of photographs. I take hundreds of pictures each year with my phone’s camera. For many years, those photos only existed on my phone or, after transferring, on my computer. About the only time any of those photos were ever printed was when one of the kids needed pictures for a student-of-the-week board at school. A couple years ago, I made one of those trendy photo books with a selection of the year’s best photos. It was a lovely book, but it took forever to compile. The following year, I simply ordered 4- by 6-inch prints of all the best photos and purchased a nice photo album to keep them in. It was much easier, much faster, and much less expensive than a photo book. The best part of gifting photos is watching the kids sit together on the couch, looking through the photos, laughing and commenting on all the moments they never knew I captured in pixels.

Another special gift is a handwritten note. Nothing says, “I was thinking of you,” more than a handwritten note or letter. Plus, you’re sharing the gift of your penmanship. Glen’s mom writes a short letter to each grandchild each year. I love watching the kids decipher her cursive writing. They might not appreciate it now, but someday they will be thankful to have a collection of those handwritten words. Following her example, I wrote short notes to each of our kids this year, too. My halfcursive, half-print penmanship isn’t nearly as beautiful, but it is uniquely mine. I have a little print hanging in my house that says, “Cookies are made of butter and love.” For me, making my family’s most-requested holiday treats is a gift of love. And my heart is lled, in return, when I see faces light up upon presentation of the cookie tray. Several years ago, I was gifted my grandmother’s cookie press and her recipe for spritzes. Every time I bake them, the aroma awakens the best childhood memories. I often make a special batch of spritz cookies just for my dad, too. The most special Christmas gift of all, though, is time together. Whether it’s doing chores together, looking through photos together, baking together, or some other family tradition, I hope you enjoy time together with your loved ones this Christmas.

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