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DAIRY ST R
Volume 23, No. 21
Zimmerman wins heifer in Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
BOYD, Wis. – A trailer door swung open on a chilly December Friday afternoon in central Wisconsin, and two pairs of brown eyes met. For 7-year-old Daniel Zimmerman, it was love at rst sight as he met his registered Jersey calf, Woodmohr Victorious Ginnay. “She is beautiful. I love her already,” said Daniel as he climbed in the trailer to meet Ginnay. Daniel is the son of James and Erla Zimmerman of Boyd. The Zimmermans, along with their nine children, milk about 60 cows on their Clark County farm. “We told him last night after he got home from school (Thursday),” James said.
“All dairy, all the time”™
December 25, 2021 D
Love at rst sight “I told him that he had won something, and his sister said, ‘Hey, maybe you won that Jersey calf.’ Then he got excited. This morning before he went to school, he kept reminding me not to forget I was going to pick up his calf.” The Zimmerman children were entered for Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway at Chippewa Valley Dairy Supply in nearby Stanley. “We were in the store the one day and the kids saw the yer to register for the drawing, so we did,” James said. “We have never really been lucky enough to win much of anything, and it is the rst time Daniel has won anything himself. I would say it is a pretty good way to start.” Daniel is in rst grade and loves reading. After school, he helps feed the family’s dairy calves. His parents said Daniel enjoys spending time in the barn and loves the animals, especially the calves. “I am excited that I have my own calf now,” Daniel said. “I cannot wait to take care of her every day.”
Turn to GIVEAWAY | Page 7
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Daniel Zimmerman (right) and his brother James Lee Zimmerman welcome Woodmohr Victorious Ginnay home to their family’s farm in Boyd, Wisconsin on Dec. 17. Daniel was the winner of the Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Heifer Giveaway. His parents, James and Erla, milk 60 cows.
Keeping their father’s legacy alive Manthe siblings take over farm after father’s death By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Siblings Libby and Ian Manthe took over the family farm aŌer the death of their father in March. The Manthes milk 450 cows and farm around 850 acres with the help of three full-Ɵme employees near Deforest, Wisconsin.
DEFOREST, Wis. – Libby and Ian Manthe thought they would be much older than 22 and 17 when they took over the family farm. But when their dad, Roger, died last March in a farming accident at the age of 50, the siblings suddenly found themselves in charge of the operation. While mourning the loss of their father, the responsibility of learning how to run a business fell into their laps. With broken hearts, Libby and Ian forged ahead because the cows had to be milked, the crops had to be planted, and the bills had to be paid. The challenges were many, but dairy farming was the dream of these fourth-generation farmers who were motivated to make the most of a terrible situation. “My dad always told us, ‘Someday this is going to be yours,’” Libby said. “However, neither of us thought we’d be this young with a farm on our shoulders, but here we are. Every day is a learning experience.” The Manthes milk 450 cows and farm about 850 acres near Deforest. The dairy operates with a lean workforce consisting
of Libby, Ian and three full-time employees. “Help was hard to nd,” Libby said. “We only had one full-time employee before. I went from doing pretty much all the milking with my dad to hardly ever milking. I spend a lot more time in the ofce now.” Libby manages the cows, taking care of herd health, vaccinations, feeding and any other aspects related to the cow. She is also now responsible for the farm’s bookwork. “The bookwork is something I had to learn real quick, and it was a large undertaking,” Libby said. “I had never seen a milk check or a bill before. My dad did it all, and when I had to take over, I didn’t even know how to read the milk check.” From planting through harvesting, Ian is in charge of eldwork. “I learned everything from my dad,” Ian said. “It was always him and I working beside each other, but there was a lot I hadn’t learned yet. I had to gure out how to run the chopper and how to manage crops for a timely harvest. We do all our own maintenance so I also had to learn about ordering parts and how to x things.” From crops to cattle to maintenance, Ian had to grow up fast and take on responsibility beyond that of most kids his age. “Ian continues to impress me by all he has learned,” Libby said. “From equipment maintenance to repairs, he does it
Turn to MANTHE | Page 6
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Editorial Staff Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman - Staff Writer (608) 487-1101 • danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Abby Wiedmeyer - Staff Writer 608-487-4812 • abby.w@dairystar.com Kate Rechtzigel - Staff Writer kate.r@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284 • kati.k@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
North America dealers. Vilsack stumps for BBB plan
Dairy Prole brought to you by your Due to the impasse within the Democratic caucus in the Senate, the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better proposal is on life support. Senate leadership now admit the $2 trillion bill will not pass before the end of the year and there’s no clear path forward for 2022. At the same time, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was on a Wisconsin dairy farm last week promoting the bill. Vilsack told the Wisconsin Farm Report agriculture has some misperceptions about this Build Back Better plan. “I don’t think it understands and fully appreciates that this is paid for and paid for by companies that haven’t paid any tax at all and by extraordinarly wealthy Americans that make more than $10 million or $25 million per year.” Secondly, Vilsack said the farming sector may not understand the investment in conservation and research within this proposal that will provide assistance to agriculture and compliment the new infrastructure bill. Transportation reform sought The House has passed a bill to reform ocean shipping laws and is now being considered in the Senate. This bill gives the Federal Maritime Commission more authority to prevent ocean carriers from unfair practices. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is also seeking action by the ocean carriers to ease the current disruptions to agricultural trade. In an open letter to the industry, Vilsack and Buttigieg said more needs to be done to deal with congestion and the port and prevent discriminatory behavior. The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council praised the support for transportation reform. “Dairy exporters are enduring tre-
mendous challenges in getting their high-quality products to customers in overseas markets, which puts our industry’s reputation as a reliable supplier at risk. Our competitors in the European Union and Oceania are eager to swoop in and scoop up those sales,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO, USDEC.
Ag Insider
FDA’s next commissioner commits to label integrity Wisconsin Senator Tammy By Don Wick Baldwin challenged Food and Columnist Drug Administration Commissioner-nominee Dr. Robert Califf about the issue of dairy labeing during his conrmation hearing. “Will you commit to nalizing guidance without delay in providing a fair outcome the preserves the use of dairy terms for dairy products and resolve this issue once and for all?” Califf agreed, saying “there’s almost nothing more fundamental about safety than people understanding what they’re ingesting so I’m committed to making this a priority.” Decision time for DMC program The sign-up period for the 2022 Dairy Margin Coverage program is underway through mid-February. This is for dairy farmers who are not already locked into DMC coverage Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 5
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider
Thorp
Arlington
Chilton
First Section: Pages 10 - 11
Second Section: Page 22
Second Section: Pages 3 - 4
Ciolkosz family embraces Christmas spirit
Dairy Good Life
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
La Crosse
McCulloughs are fth generation to milk cows, show draft horses
Wood
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Juneau
Vernon
First Section: Pages 23, 25
Waushara
go ba Calumet
e nn Wi
Green Lake Fond Du Lac
Columbia Dodge
Sauk
Dairy processors: What are you optimistic for in the dairy industry? First Section: Pages 15 - 16
Manthe siblings take over farm after father’s death
Dane
Iowa
Grant
Lafayette Green
First Section: Pages 1, 6
Jo Daviess
Carroll
on
Walworth go
eba
n Win
Whiteside
Zone 2
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Dairy Prole: Kyle Levitzow First Section: Page 39
Kenosha
Union Grove
Success of Farm Support Program highlighted at Mighty Grand Dairy First Section: Pages 8 - 9
Ogle
Kane
Lee
Rock Island
Burlington
Mercer rson
Dodgeville
Racine
McHenry
DeKalb
Hen de
Zone 1
Rock
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Jefferson Waukesha
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DeForest
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FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE:
Bo
aw
for
Richland
ie am Brown
g uta
Adams
Monroe
te
Oconto
Portage Waupaca Jackson
et
Shawano
Clark
d
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
Hustler
Menominee
Marathon
Buffalo
Page 33 First Section
in
Langlade
Chippewa Eau Claire
ar
Menominee
Do or
hb Wa s Pepin
M
aun ee
Pierce
Dunn
ce
Forest
Lincoln
Taylor St. Croix
Page 32 First Section
Oneida
Rusk
Barron
First Section: Pages 34 - 35
ren
Ke w
Polk
Price
ton S he bo Milwaukee Ozauk M yg ee an anito wo c
Popular Dairy Moms Facebook group appeals to many
Flo
Sawyer
Delta
Dickinson
Vilas
ing
ur
Augusta
Iron
ett e
Just Thinking Out Loud
Burnett
Trempealeau
Page 31 First Section
Ashland
n
Page 30 First Section
Something to Ruminate On
Bayeld
Douglas
Ramblings from the Ridge
Meyers’ Holstein, Brown Swiss stand test of time
Wa sh
Page 27 First Section
qu
Farmer and Columnist
Ferraretto shares tips for managing feed systems
Ma r
Pages 2, 8 First Section
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re War
Women in Dairy: Kayla Wilson First Section: Page 36
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 5
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 2 through the lifespan of the current farm bill, which is two more years. About 50% of dairy farmers are committed to the program. “The rest of the farmers have to decide about enrollment for 2022 and the thing is that you just never know exactly what's going to happen with either milk prices or feed costs,” said Chris Galen, senior vice president, National Milk Producers Federation. “Right now, we're looking at a better year ahead for milk prices, but guess what? Two years ago, that was the case; it was also true in 2020, and then look what happened in March of 2020 when everything just sort of hit the fan with the arrival of the coronavirus.”
also in the works with an announcement by August of next year. This is the proposal to regulate farm dust that came up during the Obama administration.
DMC enhancements included with new signup The USDA expanded the Dairy Management Coverage program, allowing farmers to enroll supplemental production. There are also updates to feed costs. “One of the changes we were able to make is to allow 100% of the costs of premium alfalfa hay for producers starting now, going forward,” said Zach Ducheneaux, administrator, Farm Service Agency. “There’s also a retroactive component that goes back to January 2020 to accommodate producers going through challenges. Ducheneaux said the USDA should be able to reach more dairy farmers with these changes. The FSA paid out more than $1 billion in 2021’s DMC program.
WI dairy industry loses longtime leader After a battle with cancer, longtime Wisconsin dairy leader Jerry Meissner, 67, has passed. Meissner was involved with Dairy Business Association since the group was organized over 20 years ago and served as DBA’s president from 2007 to 2015. The Chili dairy farmer was also an ofcer with the Edge Dairy Cooperative.
Block, barrel cheese price gap continues USDA Dairy Market News says it is a busy time for cheese production. Stafng shortages are common, but most plants have been “making due with lighter crews.” The large price gap between block and barrel cheese is keeping the markets within a similar range. The report says this isn’t necessarily bearish , but this price gap “keeps the bulls contained.” EPA releases 2022 agenda The Environmental Protection Agency released its unied agenda for the year ahead. The agency is scheduled to issue the regulatory process for a new Waters of the United States rule in February. A national ambient air quality standard is
Three interest rate hikes expected in 2022 The Federal Reserve will continue to hold interest rates near zero, but Federal Reserve ofcials are prepared to raise their short-term benchmark rate at least three times next year due to ination. After the two-day meeting wrapped up this month, ofcials said they’d keep rates near zero until they were satised labor market conditions were consistent with maximum employment.
Hromyak resigns from FFA Foundation Wisconsin FFA Foundation Executive Director John Hromyak is stepping down as of Jan. 7. Hromyak has been in this role since 2017 and has accepted a new opportunity. The Wisconsin FFA Foundation board will begin a search in the new year. Trivia challenge Egg Nog is the Christmas beverage that is also known as milk punch. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, how many stomach compartments does the cow have? We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
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all. When needed in the parlor to repair an airline or brisket bar cable or whatever it is that breaks, he is always there ready to x. But the biggest spot where Ian has grown is in the eld. He knows what crops we’re going to plant, in which eld, which variety to put where, etc. He also hauls manure, with our semi or tractor tanker and helps move cattle around, cleans yards and feeds cows when I am just too busy.” Ian’s accomplishments were formally recognized when he won the Most Valuable Employee Award from Alltech Wisconsin. He is the youngest person to receive this award, which was presented to him Dec. 2 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. PHOTO SUBMITTED “All in all, Ian does a lot for being so young and teaching himself Ian and Libby Manthe pose with their father, the things he wasn’t able to learn Roger (right), in July 2020. Roger Manthe from my dad,” Libby said. “He passed away last March in a farming accident impresses me by the machinery at the age of 50. he can operate, the many things he head in the last 8 months. can x and being the best partner “Right before he passed, my dad said a sister could ask for.” Being full time on the farm after high he wanted to milk more cows,” Libby school was always Ian’s plan. Going to said. “That was his goal, and we wanted college was not on the radar, and given to make that happen. It felt really good to current circumstances, Libby is grateful see that number.” The Manthes also switched to a new Ian is not pursuing a degree. “I went to Farm and Industry Short feed program called OneFeed. “Our new nutritionist recommended Course in Madison and thought it was a great program for farmers,” Libby said. “I that program, and I really like it,” Libby learned a lot and made many friends, and said. “It tracks tonnage each day and is a I thought it would be a good experience more precise program than what we were for Ian as well, but I don’t know if I could using before.” Buying more land and building a heifer handle the farm by myself.” Three weeks after their dad’s passing, facility are at the top of Libby’s and Ian’s list the Manthes received notice they needed to of hopes and dreams for the farm’s future. “We have heifers on ve different upgrade their double-10 herringbone milking parlor to current regulations in order farms right now,” Libby said. “Having them to continue selling Grade A. A redo from all on one site would be nice. Calves are oor to ceiling was necessary. Managing currently raised in huts outside so having expenses and dealing with unexpected costs a new calf barn would be awesome.” Updating equipment once they get a like the parlor was new terrain for Libby, better handle on things is also a wish of who learned the ropes day by day. Libby and Ian created an LLC when Ian’s. “More cows and more land were two they became the farm’s new owners and gave it the name Stoney Creek View Dairy, goals my dad wanted to achieve,” Libby a title partially inspired by their father. Ian said. “There was always something he was was in high school when his dad died and looking forward to or working toward. We inheriting the farm as a minor posed legal always ask ourselves, ‘What would Dad do or say in this situation? What would problems for the siblings. “Ian turning 18 in August was a big Dad want?’” His presence is missed, but from the deal,” Libby said. “One of our cousins who manages condominiums and other rental daily journals he kept, to the purchase dates property has been a big help to us through he wrote on equipment, little reminders of their dad are everywhere. the transition.” “We’re reminded every day that he’s Uncles and cousins pitched in with eldwork, and vendors offered advice to here,” Libby said. “Dad would always say, help Libby and Ian nd their way as they ‘Stay calm – don’t worry about it. Everystepped into bigger, more demanding roles. thing is going to be ne.’ I tell myself that “My dad was in the middle of tran- every day. You can’t give up.” A sign in front of Stoney Creek View sitioning us into different jobs, but there were still a lot of things he hadn’t told Dairy reads: Love you, Dad. Cherish the us about or explained to us,” Libby said. memories. Although the farm is quieter this “When the sprinkler line broke recently, we didn’t know how to shut it off. We’re Christmas, Libby and Ian are holding their nding out little things along the way and father close in their hearts and looking learning this is how Dad did it. We’ve forward to what the future holds. “I feel like we’ve been doing good,” made a lot of mistakes, but that’s the only Libby said. “This was the rst year with way you learn.” Along with the challenges of the year two young farmers in charge and we got came successes for Libby and Ian, who had all the crops in, harvested everything on a strong desire to keep the farm thriving, not time, and managed to work at updates in merely surviving. Milk production reached the parlor. I think Dad would be proud. an all-time high on the farm this summer. This is our dream, and we want to keep In addition, the Manthes are milking more going with our dad’s legacy.” cows than ever before, increasing by 40
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ConƟnued from GIVEAWAY | Page 1
When Daniel is not in school or doing his chores, he and his brothers enjoy hitching their pony Blaze up to their cart and driving him around. Daniel said he is getting pretty good at driving the horse and cart and nds great joy in the activity. Ginnay is a registered Jersey calf bred by Jon and Wendy Schmidt of Woodmohr Jerseys in Bloomer. The Schmidts milk 44 registered Jerseys and are a well-known breeding establishment throughout the country. Ginnay, sired by River Valley Victorious-ET, was born Sept. 23 with a storied maternal pedigree behind her. Her mother is an EX-93 daughter of Rapid Bay Indiana Gentry, and her grandmother is an EX-94 Giprat Belles Jade daughter of two-time national champion Llolyn Jude Griffen-ET EX-95. There are three more generations of Excellent cows in Canada behind Griffen. Letting a calf like Ginnay go was not an easy task for the Schmidts, but they said they are committed to promoting the Jersey breed and are happy to help a youngster build a herd foundation with a calf like Ginnay. “We think this is a great opportunity to introduce Jerseys into a new herd,” Jon Schmidt said. “Ginnay can allow someone the chance to get started with a really good Jersey heifer from a really good Jersey pedigree. It is really important to us to help build our future dairy leaders and promote Jerseys. They are an extremely efcient breed, a true dairy model, with the potential for increased prot margins.” Mueller to use cash winnings to help cancer patients Valerie Mueller, of Hillpoint, Wisconsin, was paying her feed bill at Premier Cooperative when she was encouraged
to sign up for the Christmas give-away. Mueller ended up winning the $1,000 cash prize offered. This is Mueller’s rst time winning a contest. “I’ve never won anything,” Mueller said. “I can’t even win a cup of coffee from McDonald’s.” Besides winning the contest, Mueller said she is lucky to be farming with her family. “I have three beautiful kids who are healthy, so that’s pretty lucky,” Mueller said. “We get to farm together, so I can’t complain Valerie Mueller about that either.” Mueller milks 200 cows with her family. She and her husband do the morning milking and her sons do the night milking with hired help. Her father-in-law helps with eld work, scraping the freestall barn and hauling manure. Mueller was not sure how she would spend the money shortly after being notied of her win, but she does have a cause in mind that is close to her heart. “I beat breast cancer eight years ago, so I try to donate wigs to chemo patients when I can,” Mueller said. “I might use some for that or some for myself; I don’t know.” Regardless of how the prize money is spent, the extra cash is something Mueller said she is excited to have around Christmas time. “I think any dairy farmer would appreciate a little extra around Christmas,” Mueller said. “It will probably help when shopping for Christmas presents too.”
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Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
Giving Wisconsin farmers a boost Success of Farm Support Program highlighted at Mighty Grand Dairy By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
UNION GROVE, Wis. – When farmers were offered nancial help from the Wisconsin Farm Support Program to lighten economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Dave Daniels and Myron Daniels of Mighty Grand Dairy did not hesitate to apply for the grant two years in a row. “This money helps with the daily bills,” Dave said. “We put it in a general fund and use it for a little bit of everything. The application took just ve minutes to complete.” Myron agreed. “It’s frustrating when you can’t afford to x stuff or buy something,” he said. “This little bit will help.” Dave and Myron milk 550 cows and farm 1,000 acres near Union Grove. On Dec. 10, Mighty Grand Dairy welcomed Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary Randy Romanski and Department of Revenue (DOR) Secretary Peter Barca on a tour of the farm. The visit highlighted the success of the Wisconsin Farm Support Program – a federally funded program providing farmers with $100 million during a two-year timeframe – $50 million in 2020 and $50 million in 2021. “The rst round of payments in 2020 were helpful in responding to sup-
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Dave (leŌ) and Myron Daniels own and operate Mighty Grand Dairy in Union Grove, Wisconsin, where they milk 550 cows and farm 1,000 acres. Dave and Myron are two of three neighbors who came together to create the dairy in 1997.
ply chain disruptions,” Romanski said. “Since then, prices have gone up, and inputs are very expensive. This second round of payments will help with that.” Nearly 12,000 farmers received a total of $41.6 million in direct payments
from June 15-29, 2020. Distribution of the remaining $8.4 million closed Aug. 24, 2020. This past August, Gov. Evers announced an additional $50 million in direct payments would be coming to support Wisconsin’s agricultural producers,
launching a new round of the Wisconsin Farm Support Program. Farmers with at least $10,000 but less than $5 million in gross income could apply, even if they Turn to MIGHTY GRAND DAIRY | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 9
ConƟnued from MIGHTY GRAND DAIRY | Page 8
Department of Revenue Secretary Peter Barca (leŌ) and Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer ProtecƟon Secretary Randy Romanski (right) visited Mighty Grand Dairy owned by Dave Daniels (middle) and Myron Daniels Dec. 10 near Union Grove, Wisconsin. Daniels applied for the Wisconsin Farm Support program in 2020 and 2021 and holds up his most recent acceptance leƩer.
faster and bigger. We’ve also found that group housing is better for them socially.” Dave and Myron have worked to make their farm as energy efcient as possible by installing LED lighting, variable speed fans and solar panels. On Jan.1, the dairy red up a 4-row array of solar panels. Located on 1.25 acres, the panels produce nearly 200 kilowatts of electricity to power the farm. “We use 80%-85% of the power for our electrical consumption,” Dave said. “Some goes back on the grid and we get a credit for it. We milk about 18 hours a day and can bring back the credit electricity for the same cost if we need it.” The panels have a 25-year warranty and an estimated payback of six to eight years. “We received a large amount of incentives and grants from Focus on Energy and the (United States Department of Agricul-
received a grant in 2020. “In 2020, we had 15,000 applications,” Barca said. “This year, we received more than 20,000 applications, and I expect 20,000 to be approved. The checks are going in the mail Dec. 17.” In 1997, three neighbors came together to create Mighty Grand Dairy. Each farmer had 50-75 cows. While one farmer has since retired, Dave and Myron continue the partnership. Although they have the same last name, Dave and Myron are
Mighty Grand Dairy began using these solar panels Jan. 1, 2021. Electricity from the panels is used to power the farm, and remaining electricity is sold back to the grid.
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
not related. “We combined our efforts and expanded to 300 cows,” Myron said. “I would’ve been out of the dairy industry years ago if we hadn’t done this. I couldn’t afford to do it on my own. There’s strength in numbers.” In 2015, they built a new calf barn featuring automatic feeders. “Our heifer facilities were busting at the seams when we went from 300 to 550 cows,” Myron said. “Calves do very well in this setup. They grow
When everything is tight, your information has to be right
ture) to make it worthwhile,” Myron said. “It’s not feasible to put in a digester with our size. Solar panels are easy to do at the 500-cow level.” Raising an efcient animal is also a priority at Mighty Grand Dairy. The farm has been genomic testing for four years for type and health traits, paying attention to pneumonia, mastitis, metritis and displaced abomasums. Cattle that fall into the lower percentile are bred to beef. “Our partnership enables each of us to be experts in certain areas,” said Myron, who is in charge of calves. “Instead of being a jack of all trades, you can be a master of one. We thrive on our strengths.” Dave handles the farm’s bookwork; Myron’s son, Chad, is the crop specialist; and Myron’s nephew, Nick Abel, is herdsman. In addition, the dairy employs 11 full-time people.
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“Our arrangement allows us to be a part of other things in the community as well,” said Dave, who serves as vice president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. “It also gives us time to get away from the farm and an opportunity to travel.” Having come to the aid of farmers during trying times, the Farm Support Program has been especially popular with dairy farmers like Dave and Myron. Dairy was the No.1 industry represented in this most recent round of grants, making up 32.5% of recipients. Farmers receive a one-time payment, and how the money is spent is up to the individual. “We’re seeing higher prices on nearly everything,” Dave said. “For example, the price of fertilizer has more than doubled, so we really appreciate these extra dollars.”
Learn about creative communication skills, personality differences, and resources to help each couple reach their goals and attain better management of the stresses of farming and family relationships. Learn how to communicate with your partner and children more effectively and enjoy a mini vacation as a couple from the farm.
Pre-registration is required. Contact Leah Bischof at (320) 429-0611 or leahbischof@gmail.com or visit www.mn-dairy-initiative.org/events.html These retreats are hosted by the Minnesota Dairy Initiative. Farm Couple Retreats are supported by the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Program award no. 2021-70035-35461 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The program is also made possible by the support of the following partners.
Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
Holiday traditions aglow
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
The Ciolkosz farm is all lit up with Christmas lights Dec. 13 near Thorp, WIsconsin. Each year Bill Ciolkosz and his family add a liƩle more to their display of lights.
Ciolkosz family embraces Christmas spirit By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
THORP, Wis. – A perfect early December evening at Ciolkosz Dairy includes one or more members of the Ciolkosz family stringing lights to turn the family’s 180cow dairy farm north of Thorp into a winter wonderland. “My dad always used to decorate the house; he had the kind of passion for Christmas, and then my brothers and I started helping him,” Bill Ciolkosz said. “We had a family of 10 kids, and Christmas was always a big deal.” Bill and Bridget Ciolkosz and their children, Carley,
19, Bryce, 17, Blake, 14, and Hailey, 11, are the fourth and fth generation of the Ciolkosz family to operate the farm since 1903. That is when Ciolkosz’s great-grandfather purchased the land from the lumber company and set to work clearing it, beginning the family tradition of dairy farming. Ciolkosz purchased the farm from his father in 2003 and slowly began growing the scope of the Christmas decorating. He estimates there are somewhere between 60 and 70 thousand lights twinkling around the farm. “For about the last 15 years or so, we have been decorating the farm,” Ciolkosz said. “We add a little more every year. We get a little carried away. We put lights on the barn, around the manure pit … anything that stands still and maybe some stuff that doesn’t.” The decorating does not end at the front door. Inside the house, the family celebrates with two Christmas trees and Bridget’s collection of Nativity scenes numbering
well over 100. Ciolkosz said he is blessed his children have taken an interest in helping spearhead the decorating, making it a true family affair in more recent years. Spurred on by his boys, the Ciolkoszes began decorating the large pine trees in their yard a couple years ago. Besides decorating the trees in the yard, the Ciolkoszes string lights on the front of their milking parlor and on their old tiestall barn and machine shed; they light a path from their house to the barn. There are several Nativity scenes scattered around the farm. On the fence around the manure pit, they spell out the greeting, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” As the years pass, Ciolkosz tries new things to keep the display easier to complete. “The words on the manure pit were always a chore and used to take anywhere from four to six hours,” Ciolkosz said. “I would zip-tie the rope lights to the fence, spelling out the words. More than once, I would nd I misspelled something or made a letter backwards and would have to take off the zip ties and try again.” Last winter, the farm’s A.I. technician suggested to form the letters from rebar.
Turn to CIOLKOSZ | Page 11
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Bill Ciolkosz, who milks 180 cows with his family near Thorp, Wisconsin, has been decoraƟng his farm for the past 15 years. He said he loves Christmas tradiƟons and sharing joy.
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 11
ConƟnued from CIOLKOSZ | Page 10 “I was able to zip-tie the rope lights to the rebar, and they went up really quick,” Ciolkosz said. “Then we just took them down, stored them that way, and this year just hung them right back up.” The technician also made a rebar tree and star that the Ciolkoszes added to their front yard. Storing the outdoor Christmas decorations takes up nearly half of the farmhouse’s basement, and Ciolkosz said that before they begin the actual task of decorating, a lot of time is spent in the basement making sure all the strands of lights work. “The kids like to decorate, and that is keeping the tradition alive,” Ciolkosz said. “The boys really enjoy it, and they have been DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR learning a lot about electrical cir- Bill Ciolkosz makes some adjustments to a cuits and how electricity works.” lighted Christmas decoraƟon Dec. 13 on his As their farm has grown, farm near Thorp, Wisconsin. Ciolkosz said nding the time to decorate is sometimes difcult but is a priority for the family. While decorating the farm plays into “Sometimes we all get stuck doing the family’s own Christmas traditions, the more farm work than decorating,” Ciolkosz Ciolkoszes have also learned about the role said. “In early November, we are nishing their holiday cheer plays in others’ celebraup harvesting, then comes deer hunting; tions within their community. we typically start decorating right after “There are so many people that come deer hunting.” out and look at the lights, and it is neat, Ciolkosz is not a fan of the vast com- because I never realized that we are a part of mercialization of Christmas and dislikes their Christmas traditions,” Ciolkosz said. how stores seem to try and push Christmas “People have told us it is their Christmas earlier each year. Eve tradition to come see our lights after “You’ll see Christmas lights and hear going to church, and then while they are Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but gone, Santa will visit their house.” then the day after Christmas, suddenly there Ciolkosz said people often ask about are no more lights and there is no more the impact of the lights on the farm’s elecmusic,” Ciolkosz said. tric bill. He said he does see a signicant Ciolkosz does not turn his lights on increase, but the enjoyment he derives from until the second week of December and the lights is worth every penny. keeps them on through the second week “I just enjoy Christmas and the lights,” of January. Ciolkosz said. “It is fun, and after deer “That is another family tradition we hunting, it is so dark. You are used to so like to keep, honoring Three Kings Day,” much life on the farm, and the lights help Ciolkosz said. “You need to celebrate make it feel more peaceful and not quite Christmas when it really is.” so dark.”
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The Ciolkosz large stand of pine trees are all lit up Dec. 13. The family recently began turning the large stand of pine trees in their front yard into their own version of a holiday park.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
Balancing phosphorus trade-offs
Seasonal shifts, farming practices impact nutrient loss By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – Depending on the time of year and farming practices used, phosphorus loss can take different forms and intensities. What is the best method for retaining this important nutrient on Eric Cooley the landDiscovery Farms scape? Director This t o p i c kicked off the Discovery Farms 10th annual conference Dec. 15 in Wisconsin Dells during a presentation by Eric Cooley, Discovery Farms director, entitled “Balancing phosphorus trade-offs.” Focused on the relationship between agriculture and water quality, Discovery Farms is a farmer-led research and out-
reach program of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension. Conducting research on privately-owned farms throughout Wisconsin, Discovery Farms works with the U.S. Geological Survey to gather credible and unbiased water quality information from monitored sites. “There are two forms of phosphorus – dissolved fraction and particulate fraction,” Cooley said. “A balancing act occurs between the loss of each, but Mother Nature likes to throw curveballs at us, making it far more complex than just a nice teeter tottering effect. The weather can really shift things back and forth with the balance of phosphorus and particulate or dissolved fractions of that phosphorus.” Particulate loss is more prominent in tillage systems, in the incorporation of manure and fertilizer, and in bare soil; whereas, dissolved phosphorus loss occurs more readily in notill systems, on elds where manure is surface applied and atop a crop or residue cover. “The loss of phosphorus shifts up or down based on management systems and other factors,” Cooley said. The loss of particulate phosphorus is driven by nonfrozen soil runoff that typically
GRAPHIC SUBMITTED
March produces the most surface runoff, averaging almost one inch. Soil loss and par�culate phosphorus loss are directly correlated, therefore, controlling runoff saves phosphorus from leaving the eld as well. occurs less than two weeks after manure or commercial fertilizer application. “Particulate loss takes place when you see a lot of soil moving around,” Cooley said. “But soil conservation practices can target the phosphorus pathway and reduce this loss.” The loss of dissolved phosphorus is seen when runoff occurs on frozen soil. “Winter application of manure, especially later in the year, can drive dissolved phosphorus losses, but testing soil for phosphorus levels – especially
the upper inch – can really have some signicant differences in dissolved fractions we see coming off the land,” Cooley said. “For all the different farms we monitor, half of the water comes off when the soil is frozen and half comes off when it’s not frozen.” March produces the most surface runoff, averaging almost an inch, while October is the month with the least amount of runoff at .02 inch. “We almost always had runoff at every Discovery Farms site during the month of
March,” Cooley said. “This is when most of the water is coming off the land from snowmelt and subsequent rain, creating high-moisture content soils. If we know when runoff will occur, we can try to mitigate its effects during the times we see water moving.” A tool that can help with decision making is the Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast from the Wisconsin Manure Management Advisory System. This map illustrates risk severity for runoff throughout the state. “They continue to make this tool better so it produces less false positives and fewer false negatives,” Cooley said. Soil loss and particulate phosphorus loss are directly correlated; therefore, the ability to control runoff saves phosphorus from leaving the eld as well. “We know that surface runoff will happen, but you can control what is in it,” Cooley said. “Reducing the risk of phosphorus loss requires a balance of practices based on the system’s biggest risk.” Total phosphorus loss throughout the year mirrors runoff with March being the No.1 contender at 21%. However, the Turn to PHOSPHORUS| Page 13
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ConƟnued from PHOSPHORUS | Page 12
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The months of March, May, and June experience the highest amounts of phosphorus loss. May and June are a criƟcal Ɵme for soil loss, explaining the second peak of phosphorus loss in the year. months of May and June see a 16% and 21% loss, respectively. Dissolved and particulate losses are split evenly at half and half on an annual basis for all farm data combined. “How we manage farms to limit the loss during these two times is very different,” Cooley said. “There’s higher potential for loss at one of these two times based on your management practices. Some farming systems have benets in wintertime; others have more benets during spring planting time.” Runoff during the snowmelt period is mostly dissolved phosphorus. During the spring, it is mostly particulate phosphorus. January through March, when soils are frozen, account for 40% of the year’s phosphorus losses with 70% of that being in dissolved form. May through July sees 45% of annual phosphorus losses, and 70% of those are in particulate form. “When soils are frozen, we don’t see a lot of soil loss, but we do see a lot of water interact with the surface of soil and phosphorus loss is in dissolved form,” Cooley said. “Frost kill can result in signicant phosphorus loss as well.” The critical period for soil loss is May and June, which explains that second peak of phosphorus loss in the year. “Controlling soil loss can control particulate phosphorus loss; therefore, soil protection becomes paramount to reducing the amount of both soil and phosphorus loss,” Cooley said. The level of soil protection is site specic but may include residue management, cover crops that involve planting green versus winter kill, the use of perennial crops, and no till or reduced till. Tools for nutrient retention include cover crops, reduced tillage, soil testing, nutrient incorporation, residue cover and better timing of application. When looking at data from Wisconsin and Minnesota regarding total annual soil loss in tillage versus no-till systems,
there was four times more soil loss in tillage systems compared to no till. Tillage systems resulted in a soil loss of 193 pounds per acre, while no-till systems incurred 46 pounds of soil loss per acre. “No till denitely has the advantage when it comes to soil loss,” Cooley said. When it comes to phosphorus, however, total loss between the two systems is much closer with no till seeing larger numbers than tillage at 1.09 pounds per acre versus 0.79 pounds per acre. For dissolved phosphorus, there was far more loss in no-till sites at 0.80 pounds per acre compared to tilled land at 0.30 pounds of loss per acre. Cooley has seen instances where 90% of phosphorus loss was in the dissolved form in no-till systems. “How do we get the best of both worlds with reducing soil disruption yet getting those nutrients, specically phosphorus, below the soil surface?” Cooley said. “We need to try and nd the happy mediums, the new technologies, and a new way of getting phosphorus down below the soil surface to prevent runoff yet not disrupt soil and cause soil loss. Nutrients should be placed below the soil surface but not with so much disturbance that soil loss becomes an issue.” Delivering nutrients below the surface reduces dissolved phosphorus loss, especially in winter runoff. In one study, manure incorporation decreased annual dissolved phosphorus loss by 50% or more compared to surface applied manure in no-till elds and pasture. But in years with high soil loss, manure incorporation increased annual soil and total phosphorus loss by 50% or more compared to surface applied manure in no-till elds and pasture. “This shows there are tradeoffs both seasonally and with the different farming systems we have out there,” Cooley said. “There isn’t one perfect farming system. They all have tradeoffs.”
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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
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From Our Side Of The Fence Daryl Larson President and CEO of Bongards Creameries Chanhassen, Minnesota Carver County Describe your processing company. Bongards is a dairy farmer-owned cooperative founded in Bongards, Minnesota, in 1908. The Perham, Minnesota, location is a natural cheese plant which processes 4.2 million pounds of milk per day for American-style cheese in 40-pound blocks or 500-pound barrels. Also, whey is processed into 90% protein, 80% WPC and dried, de-proteinized whey. The plant in Norwood, Minnesota, produces slice-on-slice, 40-pound and 5-pound loaf processed cheese. It produces 130 million pounds of processed cheese per year. The Humboldt, Tennessee, location produces slice-on-slice, 40-pound and 2-pound processed cheese. It produces 96 million pounds of processed cheese per year. What are short- and long-term goals your company has to continue serving your patrons? Short-term goals: Continue to pay a competitive milk price and maintain stable earnings; and continue to invest in our members’ plants to ensure we provide a sustainable and competitive market for our members’ milk now and in the future. Long-term goals: Strategic investments in our current facilities and processes to continue to add value to our members’ milk; investment in new facilities and processes as opportunities to improve protability and sustainability become available; and ensure that what we are doing is sustainable for the long term. What business decisions have you recently made to remain competitive in the industry? In 2014, we had an expansion of our Perham plant to more than double the amount of milk processed and improve efciency. In 2016, we had an expansion of our Humboldt, Tennessee, plant, which doubled the production capability of that facility. How have your dairy products changed over the years to meet consumer demands? Over the past three years, the pricing spread between barrel cheese and 40-pound block cheese has made 40-pound block cheese more protable to produce, so we have pivoted to producing far more 40-pound block volume than ever before and procuring barrels needed for our process plants from others. While the majority of Bongards processed cheese makes its way into the food service arena, demand for retail has spiked, and Bongards has responded by investing in a retail line for slice-on-slice product, and upgrading our 5-pound loaf process cheese line to produce deli-type products at a higher volume. How are market conditions and the current economy affecting your business? The cheese market in 2021, while far less volatile than 2020, has been signicantly lower than it was in 2020. This results in a lower milk price for our dairy farmers, which puts a strain on their protability and also impacts our protability in the cheese business. The labor crunch that most of the country is seeing has hit Bongards as well, resulting in higher labor costs and a shortage of workers for our plants. We have fared better than most, but it has impacted us and continues to impact us. Ination on the products we buy to produce our nished products (packaging, ingredients, freight, etc.) has resulted in substantial increases in our production costs. We pass as much of this added cost as possible through to our customers but are not able to pass all of the added cost along. Supply chain issues have required us to use different suppliers and carry far more inventory of some ingredients than previously needed to ensure supply of those ingredients is available for our production
Dairyy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 15
Dairy processors:
What are you optimistic for in the dairy industry? Bob Huffman CEO of First District Association Litcheld, Minnesota Meeker County
Describe your processing company. We’re a cooperative based in Meeker County’s Litcheld, Minnesota. We’re located on one campus but with four processing plants and a receiving intake that supplies the plants. We have about 700 patrons that bring in 8.3 million pounds of milk daily. Our plant has the capacity to process 7.5 million pounds of milk daily. We market the additional milk into Classes I and II. We make American-style cheese in 500-pound barrels and 40-pound blocks as well as whey protein concentrate powder and lactose powder byproducts. What are short- and long-term goals your company has to continue serving your patrons? Our short-term goals are to fully optimize the efciency and through-put of the plants we just built as well as further diversifying our product portfolio. Our long-term goals are all about growing in diversity and ensuring there is a market for our members’ milk for future generations, to be nancially sustainable and have independence to ensure we will always have a market with our new infrastructure. What business decisions have you recently made to remain competitive in the industry? The largest decision we’ve made was the investment for the expansion and the new plants. That investment was done for growth, sustainability and to meet the needs of future requirements of quality and food safety. How have your dairy products changed over the years to meet consumer demands? We’ve always been a cheese-making plant, and we’ve always made whey products. Over the years, we’ve improved the quality of those products, and we’ve focused our investment and decision making on innovation and technology to meet the highest specications. How are market conditions and the current economy affecting your business? Exports are our largest part of our protein and lactose business, and right now, it is hard to get on to the ports and through the ports. We aren’t seeing problems selling the product but getting the products to our customers. It’s been a trickle-down effect through the supply chain. Also, the rise of ination, in labor and the effects it has on labor and getting things, is just incredible. It’s tough for everybody who helps us, the milk haulers and others on the transportation side. What are you optimistic for in the dairy industry in the upcoming years? I see the potential for our farmer families and the innovation of products and demand for dairy to continue to grow. It’s up to people like us, the cooperatives. We have the right relationships to have an impact on the type of nutrition dairy farmers feed the world with. If the dairy industry comes together to have our voices heard and work through the economic impacts of what it takes to get a good, quality nutrition in milk, we can absolutely do it.
What are you optimistic for in the dairy industry in the upcoming years? Dairy remains a great value for consumers (a gallon of milk costs far less than a 12-pack of Coca-Cola). Milk and cheese products provide great nutrition at a reasonable cost. Besides that, they taste good. Dairy farmers are among the hardest-working folks on the planet and are resilient beyond belief, so they will continue to produce nature’s best food despite the varied and ever-changing challenges that face them.
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Doug Wilke CEO of Valley Queen Cheese Milbank, South Dakota Grant County
Sheryl Meshke and Donn DeVelder Co-presidents and CEOs of Associated Milk Producers Inc. New Ulm, Minnesota Brown County Describe your processing company. Associated Milk Producers Inc. is a cooperative headquartered in New Ulm, Minnesota, and owned by 1,400 dairy farm families from Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. The cooperative’s cheese, butter and powdered dairy products are marketed to foodservice, retail and food ingredient customers. AMPI members annually market about 4.8 billion pounds of milk generating $1.8 billion in sales. AMPI operates ve cheese plants where nearly 10% of the nation’s American-type cheeses are produced as 640-pound blocks or 500-pound barrels. Types of cheese produced include cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, colby jack and a variety of pepper-style cheeses. AMPI continues to expand its cheesemaking portfolio by developing innovative avors. With annual production of more than 600 million pounds of cheese, AMPI is the largest cheese cooperative based in the U.S. What are short- and long-term goals your company has to continue serving your patrons? At AMPI, we remain committed to making good cheese and butter that delivers great avor every time. Short-term goals include increasing operational efciencies and reducing labor needs. Long-term, the co-op is committed to providing a reliable market for members’ milk and delivering high-quality dairy products to customers. What business decisions have you recently made to remain competitive in the industry? AMPI introduced the Co-op Crafted mark in 2019 to differentiate the co-op’s products in a crowded marketplace. The Co-op Crafted mark tells the story of Upper Midwest dairy farm families coming together as member-owners of a cooperative, caring for their land and animals, and producing nutritious, wholesome milk to feed a hungry world. The mark also symbolizes AMPI expertise in making some of the world’s best dairy products. AMPI and long-time customer Crystal Farms announced a licensing agreement in 2021 that includes the addition of AMPI’s Co-op Crafted mark to Crystal Farms cheese packaging when the cheese is sourced from AMPI. Also in 2021, AMPI and First District Association announced the formation of a common marketing agency – the American Dairy Cooperative. The vision of the ADC is to optimize cooperative returns through shared purpose and utilization of Midwest dairy farmer-owned assets. How have your dairy products changed over the years to meet consumer demands? As consumer tastes and preferences change, AMPI has been able to adapt with new avors. Chipotle, garlic dill and buffalo sauce are among new avor proles. We also continue to see growth from marrying Monterey Jack with peppers and spice. Health and wellness snacking are also front-of-mind with consumers, and convenience is key. Many have turned to natural cheese as a great-tasting, protein-packed option for their busy lifestyle. Our cheesemakers are experts in crafting cheese our customers can count on to cut and perform well as slices, sticks and cubes. How are market conditions and the current economy affecting your business? Dairy market volatility seems to be the norm, and the current pricing system is outdated. The increasing importance of international trade for the U.S. dairy industry is immense. Consider the fact that more than 95% of our potential customers live outside the U.S. For AMPI, we are expanding sales of processed American cheese in China and the Middle East-North Africa. Dinner Bell Creamery cheese produced at our Portage, Wisconsin, plant can now be found on Shake Shack cheeseburgers in Shanghai and popular brew pub restaurants in Beijing. The overall growing population – particularly in the middle class – with increased demand for innovative avors and healthy sources of protein is helping to drive increased dairy demand in these regions. What are you optimistic for in the dairy industry in the upcoming years? Since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began tracking per capita dairy consumption in the 1970s, dairy demand has grown, increasing 21% since 1975. Cheese consumption has more than doubled during that time – from 14 pounds to more than 38 pounds. Dairy products check
Describe your processing company. Valley Queen receives 1.8 billion pounds of milk from 40 dairy producers in northeastern South Dakota and western Minnesota. We produce 200 million pounds of cheese in a single processing facility in Milbank, South Dakota. What are short- and long-term goals your company has to continue serving your patrons? Since our founding in 1929, Valley Queen has been dedicated to the success of our customers, employees and dairy producers. We strive to be the premier privately-owned dairy manufacturer in the United States, and to be a positive contributor to the growth of our industry and the quality of life for our neighbors here in Milbank, a place we’re proud to call home. We continue to evaluate growth opportunities and continue our company’s long-standing relationships with our dairy producers. What business decisions have you recently made to remain competitive in the industry? In 2019, we completed our $52 million “VQ Next” expansion project. In 2021, we constructed brand new employee break room and locker room facilities for our team. We remain in close communication with our customers as we work to fulll their needs, including the development of new products and creating efciencies in our processes across the board. How have your dairy products changed over the years to meet consumer demands? Valley Queen has a reputation for great tasting, reduced fat cheddar cheese. As consumer interests have shifted toward embracing full-fat dairy in recent years, we’ve worked with our customers to develop and test innovative products while maintaining those that have been part of our business model for decades. How are market conditions and the current economy affecting your business? Supply chain challenges have impacted virtually every part of our business. From personal protective equipment to chemicals to the boxes and liners required to package our cheese, and now additional supply chain issues bringing prolonged shipping delays, it’s clear the impacts of the pandemic are far from over. We’re anticipating inationary cost increases to continue in the next year. Export shipping capabilities have been challenging for the majority of this year. What are you optimistic for in the dairy industry in the upcoming years? In spite of the many challenges the dairy industry has seen this year, we have a lot to be proud of – and to look forward to. Even in the uncertainty of a global pandemic, our team at Valley Queen has shown unwavering dedication to producing high quality dairy products for our customers across the globe. On a broader scale, we’ve become more connected than ever with our producers, customers and fellow manufacturers in pursuit of solutions that will serve the dairy industry as a whole. There are many opportunities ahead for innovation and growth. We’ve learned many lessons in 2021, and look forward to the start of the new year.
ConƟnued from AMPI many boxes for consumers – convenient, nutritious, affordable and great taste. In addition, farmers are good stewards of the land and active contributors in their communities. We must explore all the ways we can illustrate that cows, the products they produce and the dairy farmers who care for them are a solution to environmental and social issues, and a necessity in consumers’ lives. Dairy is a critical piece to achieving a thriving economy.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 17
From all of us at
Wishing you a happy holiday season and sending blessings to all the families we serve throughout the year.
Thank you to our customers.
We are extremely proud of the work we perform and the quality of the products we carry. We understand the rigors of the industry and that’s why when you need us, we’ll be there at the drop of a hat.
Proudly serving you from Brookings, SD; St. Peter, MN; and Melrose, MN. 58 Interstate Drive N.W., Melrose, MN 56352 | 800-636-5581
Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
Harvesting Quality Forages
Hamminks make use of ryegrass rotation Wim and Tom Hammink Hammink Dairy Bruce, South Dakota Brookings County 4,000 cows Describe your farm and facilities. We milk at two locations on our farm. We have a transition facility where we house all of our dry cows, with room for fresh pens and a hospital pen. That barn holds a total of about 800 cows and has a double-15 milking parlor. Our main dairy facility can hold up to 3,200 head and features a rotary parlor. What forages do you harvest? We harvest corn for silage, alfalfa haylage and ryegrass haylage. How many acres of crops do you raise? We grow about 1,250 acres of corn and 400 acres of ryegrass for forage. Describe the rations for your livestock. We feed corn silage, haylage and OneTrak to our milk cows. We feed our dry cows corn silage, straw and alfalfa hay. What quality and quantity do you harvest of each crop? We try to grow highly digestible silage corn and aim to harvest it at around 32% dry matter. We put up about 50,000 tons of corn silage Turn to FORAGES | Page 20
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
Wim (leŌ) and Tom Hammink put up about 50,000 tons of corn silage last fall on their dairy located at Bruce, South Dakota. The Hamminks focus on puƫng up quality forages, including ryegrass haylage.
�ank you for your business in 2021 - we look forward to serving you in 2022! We want to hear from you!
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Tidings of Comfort and Joy
We wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We thank you for sharing your stories in 2021 and look forward to serving you in 2022. Cow comfort is our passion. Your dairy’s success is our priority. We are here for you with the tools to help your herd make a fresh start to reach their genetic potential. Want to stay in touch with industry updates and cow comfort resources? Scan the code below to subscribe to Comfort Matters Enews and be automatically entered in periodic free gallon drawings. See us at these and other events in early 2022 World Ag Expo, Tulare, CA, Feb. 8-10 Central Plains Dairy Expo, Sioux Falls, SD, Mar. 29-31 Wisconsin Public Service Farm Show, Oshkosh, WI, Mar. 29-31
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
ConƟnued from FORAGES | Page 18
last fall. We grow conventional varieties in our ryegrass and corn rotation. We seed annual ryegrass as early as possible in the spring and usually get at least ve cuttings. In a good year, we might get six cuttings. We also buy alfalfa from our neighbors. Some of them bring it to our farm chopped and some of it we will merge and chop with our own equipment. Describe your harvesting techniques for alfalfa and corn silage. We have 30-foot Claas triple mowers on a John Deere 7280R and a 34-foot Oxbo merger. We have a Claas 980 forage harvester with a hay head
and a 12-row corn head. Under normal rainfall conditions, we will cut the ryegrass at 21- to 25-day intervals. What techniques do you use to store, manage and feed your forages? Everything goes into piles on concrete pads. We pack the piles thoroughly and cover them with 12-mil plastic tarp. The haylage pile gets opened up and made longer for each cutting. Describe a challenge you overcame in reaching your forage quality goals. This year’s ryegrass haylage quality was very good, but the yield was low this
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Wim and Tom Hammink harvest about 400 acres of ryegrass each year. This fall, they harvested their nal cuƫng of ryegrass during the rst week of November. summer due to the drought. We had good ryegrass cuttings this fall and took a nal cutting at the beginning of November. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Tractors pack a pile of forage at the Hamminks’ farm near Bruce, South Dakota. All their forages are piled on concrete slabs, thoroughly packed and covered with plasƟc.
How does quality forages play a part in the production goals for your herd? Quality forages are key for good milk production. Almost all our ryegrass haylage is over 200 RFV and
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over 20% protein. Our corn silage tonnage was only about 18 tons per acre because of the dry summer. The quality looks good, but we are still feeding our 2020 silage. What are management or harvesting techniques you have changed that have made a notable difference in forage
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We hope this Christmas season treats you to all the best. Thank you for your patronage this past year— we look forward to serving you in 2022!
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quality? We have been growing ryegrass for haylage for several years. It works great in a rotation with conventional corn, and it likes the elds that we fertilize with lagoon water. We also don’t use any chemicals on the ryegrass because it overgrows everything. It results in nice, clean elds for the next corn crop.
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Equipment and pictures added daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com 6 10 10 3 15 10 7 4 2 5 5 16 4 17 7 6 3 14 7 10 4 15 14 14 16 17 8 16 5 17 4 11 14 14
COMBINES
CIH 2388, 2003, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 4008 hrs., 2948 sep hrs., #191439 ....$35,000 JD 4420, 1984, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Singles, Header, 1590 hrs., #191278...$10,500 JD 6620, 1987, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 3903 hrs., #177388.............................$12,500 JD 7720, 1984, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 2400 hrs., #191197 ............................$11,500 Case IH 8240, 2017, 2WD, 1733 hrs., 1318 Sep Hrs., #191428 ........... $212,000 JD 9500, 1993, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 5785 hrs., 3893 sep hrs., #189641 ......$19,900 JD 9500, 1991, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 6754 hrs., 5000 Sep Hrs., #185458 .....$22,400 JD 9510, 1998, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 5225 hrs., 3475 sep hrs., #189676 ......$28,500 JD 9510, 1999, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 3887 hrs., 2694 sep hrs., #190861....$42,500 JD 9550, 2001, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 5054 hrs., 3424 Sep hrs., #189036 ...$42,500 JD 9650 STS, 2003, Corn/Bean, 5240 hrs., 3504 sep hrs., #190984........$38,500 JD 9660 STS, 2003, 2WD, 3044 hrs., 2063 sep hrs., #190643 .................$64,500 JD 9670 STS, 2011, 2WD, 3669 hrs., 2503 sep hrs., #188158 .................$99,900 JD 9750 STS, 2003, 2WD, 3684 hrs., 2499 sep hrs., #191070 .................$49,500 JD 9770 STS, 2009, Corn/Bean, 4548 hrs., 3172 sep hrs., #190521........$81,000 JD 9770 STS, 2010, Corn/Bean, , 3550 hr., 2460 sep hrs., #191137........$97,500 JD S670, 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2430 hrs., 1453 sep hrs., #176660 . $199,500 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2974 hrs., 2063 sep hrs., #182070 . $144,900 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 2081 hrs., 1658 sep hrs., #172017 ... $145,900 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 2373 hrs., 1703 sep hrs., #178114 ... $147,900 JD S680, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2006 hrs., 1350 sep hrs., #174756 . $159,900 JD S680, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2017 hrs., 1446 sep hrs., #190055 . $161,000 JD S680, 2015, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2426 hrs., 1762 sep hrs., #190078 . $191,000 JD S680, 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1980 hrs., 1183 sep hrs., #189953 . $202,000 JD S770, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 2242 hrs., 1587 sep hrs., #181147 . $245,000 JD S770, 2019, Corn/Bean, 2WD, 592 hrs., 450 sep hrs., #191099 ....... $345,000 JD S770, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 282 hrs., 203 sep hrs., #191052 ..... $519,000 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1376 hrs., 800 sep hrs., #175318 ... $319,500 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 916 sep hrs., #183533 ................... $355,000 JD S780, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1080 hrs., 690 sep hrs., #177549 ... $364,400 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1346 hrs., 750 sep hrs., #191164 ... $368,000 JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1071 hrs., 653 sep hrs., #171103 ... $385,000 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 950 hrs., 800 sep hrs., #191082 .... $390,000 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 950 hrs., 800 sep hrs., #191081 ..... $390,000
8 16 16 16 16 1 3 14 16 16 16 8 16 8 2 15 6 16 16 10 14 5 14
JD S780, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 744 hrs., 508 sep hrs., #169507 ..... $409,500 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 996 hrs., 556 sep hrs., #187111 ..... $435,900 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 760 hrs., 235 sep hrs., #188459 ..... $454,900 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, #188309 ........................................ $454,900 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 834 hrs., 247 sep hrs., #188458 ..... $454,900 JD S780, 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 805 hrs., 630 sep hrs., #191086 ..... $475,000 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 468 hrs., 384 sep hrs., #191043 ..... $495,000 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 391 hrs., 285 sep hrs., #191076 ..... $500,000 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean; PRWD, 289 hrs., 217 sep hrs., #191047 ..... $504,900 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 216 hrs., 168 sep hrs., #191048 ..... $507,900 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 178 hrs., 122 sep hrs., #191049 ..... $509,000 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 387 hrs., 310 sep hrs., #191065 ..... $509,900 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 94 hrs., #191063 ........................... $520,900 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 337 hrs., 281 sep hrs., #191053 ..... $528,000 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 267 hrs., 161 sep hrs., #191038 ..... $529,000 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 448 hrs., 345 sep hrs., #190866 ..... $530,500 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 254 hrs., 189 sep, #191345................546000 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 218 hrs., 168 sep hrs., #191046 ..... $565,900 JD S780, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 108 hrs., 80 sep hrs., #191045 ....... $584,900 JD S790, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1366 hrs., 1058 sep hrs., #179097 . $315,400 JD S790, 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1180 hrs., 683 sep hrs., #171378 ... $389,500 JD S790, 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 1039 hrs., 800 sep hrs., #191077 ... $410,000 JD S790, 2021, Corn/Bean, PRWD, 421 hrs., 308 sep hrs., #191075 ..... $582,500
9 17 1 9 8 4 7 5 5
JD 2200, 2002, 34 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #185898 ...................$19,000 JD 2210, 2004, 24 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #191188 ...................$19,500 JD 2210, 2006, 57 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #181942 ...................$32,500 JD 2210, 2017, 45.5 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #190971 ................$66,000 JD 2230, 2021, 60.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #190850 ............. $113,900 JD 2230, 2019, 60.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #191162 ............. $134,000 Case IH 4300, 2001, 38 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #186653..........$11,995 JD 2230LL, 2018, 52 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #190847 ...............$95,000 Case IH Tigermate 200, 2014, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #184441 ....................................................................................$39,900
FIELD CULTIVATORS
5 Case IH TIGERMATE II, 2003, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #186586 ....................................................................................$19,000 5 Case IH TIGERMATE II, 2004, 60.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #186585 ....................................................................................$28,000 2 Case IH TM14, 2005, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #187546 .....$26,900 9 10 10 2 9 1 7 14 5 2 5 4 17 16 17 2 2 5 4 4 2 3 3 15 16 15 7 8
PLANTERS
JD 1750, 8R30 in, #186458 ......................................................................17,900 JD 1750, 1999, 6R30 in, #186405.............................................................18,500 JD 1755, 2019, 6R30 in, #186443.............................................................39,400 JD 1755, 2018, 8R30 in, #186434 ............................................................52,900 JD 1770, 1997, 16R30 in, #180078 ..........................................................19,500 JD 1770, 1999, 16R30 in, #186432 ...........................................................28,500 JD 1770, 2008, 24R30 in, #191119 ...........................................................99,500 JD 1780, 2001, 16/31R 15/30 in, #190820 ...............................................19,000 White 6524, 24R22 in, #190593 ............................................................20,900 JD 7200, 1993, 12R30 in, #190107 ...........................................................22,900 White 8516, 16R30 in, #189396 .............................................................22,000 JD 1770NT CCS, 2006, 16R30 in, #181880 ..............................................59,500 JD 1770NT CCS, 2008, 24R30 in, #186498 ..............................................86,900 JD 1770NT CCS, 2013, 24R30 in, #186453 ...........................................124,900 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30 in, #186435 ...................................................145,400 JD 1775NT, 2021, 12R30 in, #186465 ...................................................164,900 JD 1775NT, 2020, 16R30 in, #186437 ...................................................172,900 JD 1775NT, 2021, 16R30 in, #186497 ...................................................184,900 JD 1775NT, 2021, 16R30 in, #186470 ...................................................219,900 JD 1775NT, 2021, 16R30 in, #186469 ....................................................219,900 JD 1775NT, 2020, 24R30 in, #186454 ....................................................264,900 JD DB60, 2013, 24R30 in, #186440 ........................................................178,500 JD DB60, 2014, 24R30 in, #186429 ........................................................184,000 JD DB60, 2014, 24R30 in, #186455 ........................................................185,900 JD DB66, 2005, 36R22 in, #186477 ........................................................119,900 JD DB90, 2019, 36R30 in, #186444 ..................................................... $425,000 JD 1730, 2000, 12R22 in, #190191 .........................................................$17,900 White 6700, 22 in, #186494 .................................................................$10,900
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Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
OVER 700 COWS PER HOUR*
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Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Kramer Bros. Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United Dairy Systems, Inc. West Union, IA 563-422-5355 WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713
DeLaval Dairy Service Kaukauna, WI 866-335-2825 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0267 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470
MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA Advanced Dairy of Mora Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Brookings, SD 800-636-5581 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288
Thanks for giving us your time Thank you, dairy farmers, for opening your barns to us again this year. Often times, when I am interacting with farmers or business people within the dairy industry, the topic of story ideas comes up. Many ask, “How do you come up with enough stories to ll your paper?” Others say, “I bet you are starting to run low with story ideas.” On the Mark I politely say although there are issues we scramble to nd ideas or interview times that suit farmers because of their busy schedule (harvest time, especially) many farmers afford us time to visit. They have been gracious enough to open their barn doors and let us walk in, visit and tell their story to the dairy community. By Mark Klaphake That has been critical Editor to our success since the rst issue of Dairy Star in February 1999; writing what is happening on your farm and from your perspective. Whether your dairy is celebrating some kind of historical milestone, or if you are a young farmer who is renting his neighbor’s barn in hopes of a career of milking cows, or if you are implementing some new technology on your dairy in hopes of making things a little less labor intensive and being more efcient, we thank you. Of course, all news isn’t good news, and for these moments, we are overly appreciative of your time. There are farm tragedies – a barn re, drought, storm damage or farm accident – that are excruciating for you to talk about because of the heartache, pain and frustration you are going through. But, you graciously allow us the time to explain what happened and what direction you are headed moving forward. Those stories pull at all of our hearts, and although many are painful, many readers can relate. This year, one of the most remarkable stories we published was one of a dairy farmer who fell into a manure pit and survived. Another enormous piece of the pie for published stories comes from the human interest sector of farming. Several that come to mind in 2021 include a wife who donated her kidney to her husband, a farmer who had his family operate the farm while he recovered from hip surgery, a family who purchased AED for the local school, a lady who dairy farms and grows and sells owers, and a dairy that had the “The Bachelorette” shoot a scene at their farm. Those personal stories are engaging and interesting to our readers. I also would like to express my gratitude for the individuals, young and old, who allowed us to put them in our Dairy Star features. Whether it be our columnists or features like Kids Corner, Women in Dairy, Dairy Prole, From Our Side of the Fence, Dairy’s Working Youth or the weather pages, your views or thoughts are interesting to read and offer a connection to so many readers. I have had so many fellow dairymen talk about their fondness of these features because of their personality and genuineness. Making all the connections for these features and stories is our job, but we couldn’t do it without you, the dairy farmer. For this, the staff at Dairy Star is most grateful. Our staff wishes you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 23
Equine remain hobby through dairy career McCulloughs are fth generation to milk cows, show draft horses By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com
HUSTLER, Wis. – Draft horses standing over 6 feet tall live among the 45 dairy cows at Tammy and Jonathan “Skeeter” McCullough’s farm near Hustler. The siblings dairy with their parents, Jack and Pat, while continuing the tradition of showing draft horses. “Skeeter and I are fthgeneration dairy farmers,” Tammy said. “Great-Grandpa Sam milked by hand in a bucket, Grandpa Mack had Surge bucket milkers, and our dad started in a rented barn with a parlor.” While growing up, Tammy and Skeeter were active in 4-H and always included horses alongside their dairy cattle, sheep and pigs when showing. “We kind of showed a little bit of everything,” Tammy said. “The draft horses would come in one day for the fair.” The siblings continue to get to as many shows as they can with their string of 15 horses. Tammy has participated in various types
of horse shows, including the halter class. “For halter classes, you bring the horses in and line them up,” Tammy said. “Once everybody is lined up, you back your horse out, go to the judge who tells you to walk partway, trot partway, trot partway and then turn around and do it again.” Contestants lead the horses the whole way. Once they are lined up, the horses must be set up with the back legs as close together as possible. The judges look for conformation. “You lead them around and pray to God somebody’s beef steer doesn’t get loose and run into the middle of the show,” Tammy said. “That’s happened.” Skeeter enjoys the horse shows as well. “It’s a hobby, a good way to get off the farm in the summertime,” he said. The siblings’ older brother, Maynard, took the hobby quite seriously as an adult. Maynard worked for Coors Rodeo at one point. They had a Budweiser hitch
ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR
Skeeter and Tammy McCullough brush a draŌ horse named Knox Dec. 14 in their barn near Hustler, Wisconsin. The siblings milk 45 cows and are the Ōh generaƟon to show draŌ horses.
that went across the United States doing parades, shows and demonstrations. “Maynard has been across 48 states,” Tammy said. “He went from coast to coast with Dickie Sparrow who put on the 40-horse hitch for the Milwaukee Circus Parade.” Tammy said draft horses
are used for more than plowing and showing however. Jack used to bring the horses to weddings, and the family has also used the horses for funerals. “A year ago this spring, we sold a horse to a lady who used it to do funeral rides,” Tammy said. “Percheron Grays are
known as the funeral horse.” Every now and then, Tammy and Skeeter hitch up the horses to plow or spread manure to give the horses exercise. Tammy said the Turn to MCCULLOUGHS | Page 25
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 25
ConƟnued from MCCULLOUGHS | Page 23
draft horses are good for riding, too, which most people do not realize. She also owns some horses with a friend nearby, and they frequently swap horses throughout each other’s pastures. Part of the McCulloughs’ draft horse tradition is all of the harnesses and wagons that were owned by their great-grandparents. However, some of the heirlooms were lost when the
“You lead them around and pray to God somebody’s beef steer doesn’t get loose and run into the middle of the show.” TAMMY MCCULLOUGH, DAIRY FARMER
family suffered a barn re in 2006. The re was caused by a spark from the main electrical supply in the dairy barn. The family lost ve buildings, one of which was a 30by 60-foot structure they called the harness shed. “Our harness shed combusted where we had all the horse equipment,” Skeeter said. “It had six or eight saddles, show harnesses, four or six work harnesses, a hitch wagon, a show cart and our show box.”
All of the horse equipment was either handmade or passed down from a previous generation. “We lost a hitch wagon that our dad built in the ‘80s,” Tammy said. “They sawed all the wood out from our land and built it with a friend.” Two show harnesses were spared only because they were out for repair work prior to the re. “The only harnesses we have left were two of our grandfather’s that we had getting worked on,” Tammy said. “One of them was an original Sears Roebuck harness.” Even with the loss of so many sentimental items, the siblings said they feel lucky to have saved all but two calves from the re. “As bad as that was, it could have been worse,” Skeeter said. The McCulloughs moved their herd to a nearby farm for a few months but ended up selling the herd due to health issues. They rebuilt their farm and a new herd within a year of the re. Skeeter said things worked out alright in the end, but it was difcult to sell the original herd. “They had a 27,000-pound herd average,” he said. “That was 50 years of genetics or more that we lost.” Tammy and Skeeter now run the farm with their parents and raise their youngstock. They farm approximately 600 acres. The siblings are looking forward to continuing the tradition of dairying and showing draft horses. Skeeter hopes to include his oldest son, Wyatt, in the horse shows next summer.
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Tammy McCullough parƟcipates in a horse show at the Monroe County Fair in the summer of 2021. Tammy and her brother, Skeeter, milk 45 cows near Hustler, Wisconsin.
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
Deadlines approach for USDA program By Steve Frericks Farm Service Agency
It is time to check with the Farm Security Agency ofce about programs and deadlines. Dairy Margin Coverage signup is underway. Contact a FSA ofce for full details with signup requirements. Happy holidays from FSA staff. It is a pleasure to work with the dairy community. USDA builds pandemic support for certied organic, transitioning operations The United States Department of Agriculture will make $20 million available through the new Organic and Transitional Education and Certication Program as part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, which provides new, broader and more equitable opportunities for farmers, ranchers and producers. Certied operations and transitional operations may apply for OTECP to cover eligible expenses paid during the 2020, 2021 and 2022 scal years. For each year, OTECP covers 25% of a certied operation’s eligible certication expenses, up to $250 per certication category. Crop and livestock operations transitioning to organic production may be eligible for 75% of a transitional operation’s eligible expenses, up to $750, for each year. For both certied operations and transitional operations, OTECP covers 75% of the registration fees, up to $200 per year, for educational events. Additionally, both certied and transitional operations may be eligible for 75% of the expense of soil testing required under the National Organic Program to document micronutrient deciency, not to exceed $100 per year. Signup for 2020 and 2021 OTECP will be through Jan. 7, 2022. Producers apply through their local FSA ofce and can also obtain one-on-one support with applications by calling 877-508-8364. Visit farmers.gov/otecp to learn more. USDA expands assistance to cover feed transportation costs for drought-impacted ranchers The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program provides nancial assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farmraised sh for losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions as determined by the secretary of agriculture. ELAP already covers the cost of hauling water during drought, and this change will expand the program to cover feed transportation costs where grazing and hay resources have been depleted. Under the revised policy, eligible ranchers will be reimbursed 60% of feed transportation costs above what would have been incurred in a normal year. Producers qualifying as underserved (socially disadvantaged, limited resource, beginning or military veteran) will be reimbursed for 90% of the feed transportation cost above what would have been incurred in a normal year. A national cost formula will be used to determine reimbursement costs which will not include the rst 25 miles and distances exceeding 1,000 transportation miles. The calculation will also exclude the normal cost to transport hay or feed if the producer normally purchases some feed. For 2021, the initial cost formula of $6.60 per mile will be used (before the percentage is applied) but may be adjusted on a state or regional basis. To be eligible, livestock must be intended for grazing and producers must have incurred feed transportation costs on or after Jan. 1. Although producers will self-certify losses and expenses to FSA, producers are encouraged to maintain good records and retain receipts and related documentation in the event these documents are requested for review by the FSA county committee. The deadline to le an application for payment for the 2021 program year is Jan. 31, 2022. Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs.
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When Vilsack came touring
I heard the news that United States Agriculture Secretary Vilsack was going to be in Wisconsin, and they were looking for a dairy farm location to host his visit. Nick Levendofsky, the government relations director at Wisconsin Farmers Union, suggested our farm would be a perfect location when he was asked by staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Vilsack needed a place to talk about the Dairy Margin Coverage program. Nick asked me if we signed up. Absolutely, we did. We talked about how the program has been expanded to allow dairy By Tina Hinchley Farmer & Columnist farmers to better protect their operations. This is an important safetynet program and will help us get through another year and get additional assistance through the new Supplemental DMC. I was excited to receive a call on Sunday afternoon from Juan, the advance lead for Vilsack. He requested a visit to our farm to check if it would be a good t for a stop on the way. Vilsack would be in Bloomer earlier in the day and then proceed to Chicago. Juan mentioned he was an early riser and wanted to come Monday at 8 a.m. But in the back of my head, I was thinking that is when I start to feed calves. When he arrived and looked into our tour barn, buildings and the dairy barn, he got excited. I told him we could move out the antique truck, collector cars and the camper we had tucked into the barn for the winter. The shed has heat and room for seating. We had a few cow-spotted picnic tables for when I have tours for visitors to wait. He was texting and taking photos. He looked at the robots, and while we were walking around, we waved to Anna. Then that sealed the deal. “Would Anna be willing to talk to Secretary Vilsack about her role on the farm, and why she chose to come back to the farm?” Tuesday, Juan texted me at 7 a.m. telling me they’d like to move forward with the event at our farm. He gave me instructions of what he would like to see in the tour barn and that the security detail were in the Madison area and would like to stop out to do a 10- to 15-minute tour. As soon as we heard the news, I called Duane and Anna, and we started on Juan’s list of requests; more signage, a tractor here and one there, more tables and a ag. We have a United States ag but not one for Wisconsin. It was a whirl wind after that. Jonathan and Russell, the security detail, showed up, and I gave them a quick tour around. Jonathan asked questions and then mentioned they already had a lot of information on us. Wednesday, Juan came by again, making sure we had a handle on his list. He took more photos and gave me an itinerary and then he was off. The press started arriving shortly after 1 p.m.
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Thursday, and Vilsack arrived around 2:30. We greeted him outside our dairy barn and did a brief introduction and then toured the robot room. Anna explained to the press and Vilsack about how the robots milk our cows. We then had a talking session in front of the cows. Vilsack asked Anna why she wanted to be involved in the farm. She told her story, and I started to cry. It was the rst time I heard her say why she wanted to farm with us. Eventually, we walked over to the tour shed where there was an audience of over 20 stakeholders from many areas of the dairy industry. Vilsack took and answered questions. He touched on many of the programs USDA is working on. Many of the people thanked him for the programs that are helping their farms and dairy organizations. The day was a blur; it went so fast, but the take
away that I got from the whole event was that dairy farm organizations need to work together to come up with a solution and then come forth to present to the USDA. It doesn’t make sense for the USDA to come up with programs that are not able to meet the needs of farmers in different parts of the country. The rest of the 99% of the population doesn›t know what we do, how we do it, and how we need to x it. Different types of dairy farms, and of all sizes, need to start the talk about solutions to x the problems we all face. We, the dairy farmers of the United States, need to work together. Tina Hinchley, and her husband, Duane, daughter Anna, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchley’s have been hosting farm tour for over 25 years.
Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
www.extension.umn.edu/dairy
The cold weather ventilation challenge By Kevin Janni
University of Minnesota
For years, I have taught students about the ventilation challenge facing people who manage dairy barns in cold weather. Very cold weather is when outside temperatures are zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower. The challenge for the manager is trying to balance two common recommendations for unheated dairy barns. The recommendations are to maintain inside barn temperatures above zero degrees to minimize manure freezing to the oor and inside barn relative humidity less than 80% to avoid condensation on cold surfaces. Another target is to maintain barn temperature above 23 degrees to avoid noticeable lactating cow production losses. It turns out the two recommendations cannot be met at very cold temperatures without adding supplemental heat. While adding heat might be possible, I have not heard of it being done in barns for lactating cows. The very cold weather ventilation challenge reminded me of temperature monitoring done in the 90s in two naturally ventilated barns in northwestern Minnesota and in a barn in central Minnesota in the last 10 years. The monitoring results demonstrated these three producers managed their barns to maintain temperatures above 14 degrees during the coldest weather. They broke the second recommendation – keeping relative humidity less than 80% regularly when temperatures were very cold. While working to revise a ventilation standard, I went back to the engineering basics and calculated the ventilating rates needed to manage air temperature, humidity level and carbon dioxide concentration inside a barn during very cold weather. These basic equations are based on heat, moisture and gas balances. The balance that requires the highest ventilating rate is the one that needs to be used. The carbon dioxide balance has rarely been a concern because normally the moisture or heat balances were higher. The moisture mass balance requires the highest ventilating rates during cold weather. The heat balance requires the highest ventilating rates in warm and hot weather. The ventilating rate needed per 1,450-pound cow in a barn is 40 cubic feet per minute per cow to keep the carbon dioxide concentration in the barn at 5,000 parts per million or less. The 5,000 ppm CO2 level is based on an eight-hour exposure limit for human workers. I am not aware of a CO2 limit for cows. The moisture balance is complicated because cold air does not hold very much moisture. If the barn temperature drops to single digits during very cold weather, the ventilating rate needed to balance moisture gets very large, and the manure and waterers can freeze up. Based on my barn temperature monitoring research, dairy producers don’t let that happen for good reasons. Based on barn monitoring data and the observation that the recommendations cannot be met during very cold weather, it is clear that cold weather ventilation analysis needs to break the rules and let the humidity go to levels that lead to supersaturation and condensation, or frost formation. Supersaturation and condensation conditions are difcult to model. Table 1 gives expected indoor barn temperatures, carbon dioxide concentrations and condensation expectations for different ventilating rates for a naturally ventilated dairy barn with curtain sidewalls, an insulated roof (Rvalue = 10), and 1,450-pound cows. The barn temperatures vary depending on how much fog is produced and removed by ventilation versus how much condensation occurs. Higher barn temperatures occur when heat from condensation is available to warm the barn.
MAXX-TRAC TRAC
The results in Table 1 demonstrate barn temperatures can be kept above 23 degrees even if outdoor temperatures drop to minus 30 degrees, by reducing the ventilating rate to 40 cubic feet of air per minute per cow. Condensation on the curtain sidewalls is expected and the CO2 concentration is very close to the worker 5,000 ppm limit. If the ventilating rate is increased, the barn temperatures and CO2 concentrations decrease. In all minus-30-degree cases, condensation on cold surfaces is expected. Your barn may behave differently. The results in Table 1 show the barn temperatures increase as outdoor temperatures increase, and condensation continues to be expected. Condensation and frost on cold building materials can lead to building deterioration. High moisture levels may also lead to respiratory health problems for the cows, reduce the insulating value of their hair coat and produce a cold and clammy feel. To minimize building deterioration and cow health problems during cold weather, the ventilating rate needs to be increased when outdoor temperatures rise above zero degrees to remove more moisture and dry out the barn again. We never know when a polar vortex will hit or how long it will last. You may not have too many hours or days when you face the very cold weather ventilation challenge. But if you need to reduce ventilating rates during very cold weather to manage barn temperatures, be sure to increase ventilating rates as soon as possible to reduce humidity levels and dry out the barn to enhance animal health and avoid building deterioration. Table 1. Barn condiƟons expected during very cold weather in a barn with an insulated roof and curtain sidewalls.
Outside Ventilating temperature rate (F) CFM/cow -30 40 50 60 70 -20 40 50 60 70 -10 60 70 80 90 0 80 110 140 170
Indoor temperature (F) 23 to 34 17 to 27 13 to 21 9 to 17 34 to 42 28 to 35 23 to 30 19 to 26 34 to 38 30 to 34 27 to 32 24 to 27 37 32 25 21
Condensation Expected Expected Expected Expected Expected Expected Expected Expected Expected Expected Expected Expected Not expected Not expected Not expected Not expected
Carbon dioxide concentration (ppm) 4930 4030 3430 3000 4930 4030 3430 3000 3430 3000 2670 2420 2670 2060 1700 1480
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Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104
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Extension, MDI partner to demystify success in heifer raising By Dana Adams
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 29
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Both University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Dairy Initiative have strong relationships with dairy producers. This involves knowing local dairy families, their management styles and their needs. Most published research indicates heifer growth plays an important role on milk production and efciency in milk production. Conversations with both extension and MDI, as well as overarching industry trends, prompted the offering of an educational program to share the variety of options available to a dairy’s management team regarding heifer raising during this inuential stage of a dairy cow’s life. UMN Extension worked in partnership with MDI to offer the program “Farmers Night Out: Should they stay or should they go?” at Greenwald Pub Nov. 16. The team welcomed 19 attendees, primarily from Stearns County but with some from Pope and Kandiyohi counties as well. The group represented approximately 3,000 milking cows in central Minnesota. There were four members on the producer panel, representing two farms in the central region of Minnesota. These farms were recruited to the panel to share their approach on heifer raising as it relates to their differing farm sizes and management styles. Loran and Heidi Sellner of Sleepy Eye, and Arnie and Kris Gruenes of Twin Spruce Farm, Richmond, operate dairy farms and their heifers are raised offsite. “We don’t raise any calves,” Arnie said. “Within two weeks, they are shipped off-site. The only heifers we have on-site are baby calves or pre-fresh heifers. Our heifers go to a calf ranch until they are 4 or 5 months old. Then they get moved to a grower at another site.” The Sellners send their heifers to a grower at about 5 months old. They are brought back after they are conrmed pregnant. The Sellner farm visits their heifer raiser on a semi-regular schedule, communicating routinely about animal performance. The Grueneses visit their heifer raiser infrequently. Arnie shared that he looks at the animal returning to his farm as a testament to the quality of the heifer raiser. If the quality of the animal is poor, a new heifer raiser should be found. “You are losing money,” said Arnie of that situation. Both farms relied on weight the quality Reviewing R i i the h weights i h off the h of theto indicate returning heifers. animals before they go to a Reviewing the weights of the grower and after they return animals before they go to a and after they return gives the owners an indication grower gives the owners an indication of the care and health of the of the care and health of the heifers. Communication and heifers. trust help both the owner and raiser keep tabs on animal r health and performance. h Both farms have been working with their heifer raisers to use either paper or digital records. The Grueneses shared how their raiser keeps digital records that can be accessed and merged to their software when the animal returns to the farm. “All treatments are recorded,” Arnie said. “We know when a heifer has been treated three times. Then we cull them. We don’t have room or time to not be productive. Our cull rate is not real high.” The farms represented on the panel found watching a heifer’s weight to be critical. If, for example, they notice a heifer continuously weighs less than her herd mates, the animal is agged as a possible cull. Panelists emphasized communication with the heifer raiser on nutrition, health and conception has helped create quality heifers returning to their herds. Overall, panelists expressed a positive experience with the off-site heifer raising practice. Several questions were asked by attendees, including one centered on how heifer raisers are paid and if this changed to reect the cost of feed. Arnie said they pay by head per day plus yardage, and that it hadn’t changed to reect increasing or decreasing feed costs. The Sellners said they were using the same model with their heifer raiser. The meeting wrapped up with dinner and informal conversations about overall industry trends, individual experiences with heifer raisers, and news of friends and family. Of the 19 attendees surveyed following the program, 60% either strongly agreed or agreed they would change a behavior based on what they learned from the program. All participants either agreed or strongly agreed they would recommend this program to others. When attendees were asked the most important thing they learned, they shared, “basing analysis on performance and results versus micromanaging,” and “take good care of heifers; they will perform.” When asked for additional comments, attendees shared “good panelists,” “more data” and “glad you put this on.” Both extension and MDI were happy with attendance and participation, and look forward to holding more events like this in the future.
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Ghosts of Christmases past Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
The merry ghosts of Christmases past Seem to nd me throughout the farm They are of the friendly kind They wouldn’t do me any harm
I step into the old milking barn Full of calves, warm breath, sweet hay Then I’m milking cows tied in their stalls The ghosts take me back to the good ol’ days
In a ash they have me back in time Seasonal sights, smells, sounds are the doors That open my wild memory and crazy imagination The ghosts just help me to relive and explore
Christmas music blaring, I’m baking away Linzer cookies in the oven, apron tied ‘bout my waist My mom takes my place, and at the table I sit Cozy, warm and happy, eager for a taste
I walk from the barn under the winter moon Scanning for those marvelous northern lights I am by the silos, that gangly age of 10 Staring in awe with my dad at the simple delight
I search for tting snow weather wear Collected from ve farm children decades ago I am 8 in my new sea green snow pants Bundled up and ready for the cold and snow
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I walk the path from barn to house Each brisk night when the chores are done I slip, slide, slip, slide, across the icy patches Clever ghosts, back in time again, they’ve won Ramblings from the Ridge Comforts of a woodheated house steps away I stop, transported by the glow of lights on the tree Keeping one eye out for those sneaky, tiny elves Mom swore they would peek in windows and see “Let there be peace on Earth” By Jacqui Davison Vince Gill’s angelic voice Columnist does sing I hear Mom humming along, see her puttering about The magic this time of year does bring I toss the hay to my eager, wooly sheep Then I am feeding Mom’s ock, with donkeys as guards Dressed as a shepherd, cajoled into costume To make her unique Nativity Christmas cards The jolly ghosts of Christmases past They keep my heart full and memories fresh They remind me that those we love are treasures As we pause and search for the meaning of the crèche Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira (14), Dane (12), Henry (7) and Cora (4), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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Is your glass half full or half empty?
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 31
Dairy producers are used to volatility and uncertainty, but the last couple years have been unimaginable in so many ways. We are approaching 22 months of a Something to Ruminate On pandemic. Whether we’re talking about feed, labor or crop expenses, input costs are signicantly higher. The excuse of supply shortage or delivery logistics has become all too frequent. That’s a long list of big challenges. But, as By Barry Visser we usher out 2021 Nutritionist and turn the calendar to a new year, we can also take note of the many good things we enjoy in the dairy industry and think about our glass of milk as being half full instead of half empty. I hope you will indulge me in this Christmas season as I veer from the normal theme of my column to reect on a few positive attributes of our industry. My glass begins to ll quickly as I think about the people in the dairy industry. The men and women who get up every morning to milk and feed cows are the lifeblood of this business. It is true these chores look much different than they did when I was a kid. Parlors are much more common and becoming more sophisticated. TMR mixers allow for a uniform diet to be presented to cows. Robots are doing the milking on several farms and even some of the feeding. Yet, even with these advancements, a successful farm still
needs the work and passion of people focused on with a lack of timely rains. Plant breeders have the cows and their well-being. developed hybrids and technology to withstand As our industry evolves, dairy owners and many of these challenges and avoid the disasters managers wear a lot of hats. The decisions on experienced in past years. If you were around for today’s dairy farm seem to carry greater magnitude the drought g of 1988,, you y are probably especially and consequences than tthankful for these ever before. While many B But, as we usher h out 2021 and d technologies and the safety of these owners and net they provide. managers are true cow turn the calendar to a new The nal pour of milk in people with innate skills year, we can also take note my cup is a return to some in animal husbandry, their of the many good things we element of normalcy. I’m duties often require them suggesting COVID-19 j y in the dairyy industryy ... inot to spend signicant time enjoy is in the rear-view mirror, outside of the barn. How b but I am thankful we’ve fortunate we are to work in an industry where so been able to nd a balance to get our kids back to many people share a passion for one key element school, return to church and have industry events – the cow. This allows owners and managers to like World Dairy Expo. work closely with their farms’ leadership teams It is my sincere hope you nd peace and joy to make the best day-to-day decisions. Most dairy in this Advent season as we celebrate the birth of farms also depend on a team of trusted advisors Jesus. God bless the hardworking men and women to help them achieve their goals. The concepts of of the dairy industry. community, neighbors and helping each other for Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus. the betterment of everyone is alive and well on dairy farms. We’ve all heard and likely said, “Technology is changing rapidly.” Nowhere is this truer than in the dairy industry. Information is literally at our ngertips. Cows wear devices that provide data more accurately and quickly than ever, allowing farm managers and caretakers to take prompt and precise action. It will be exciting to see where technology takes us in the next 10 years. Genetic progress in dairy cattle has allowed us to select for traits well beyond functionality. Our friends in the agronomy genetic sector deserve some credit as well. Some parts of the Midwest would call the 2021 growing season a challenge
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Countdown, count up Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
We are in countdown mode as the end of is room for them in the warm barn as the star on the year approaches. We are counting down the Harvestore shines over the spot. to Christmas morning when we get to see the Once we’ve counted down, then we need holidays through our tto start counting up the grandchildren’s eyes. We n number of bales of baleage We need d to retrain i our b brains i are counting down parties W left in the tube. The number and celebrations with so we can remember the good of doors closed in the silos. family and friends as we The number of animals on welcome a new year. We things and our role in bringing hand as we create a starting are even counting down in them about. point of inventory for the the barn. We have counted balance sheet to kick off down to only one empty tthe new year. stall left in the barn this We can also count up Christmas season. The cats have all moved to the the memories of the past year and blessings of the back of the barn as they snuggle together, creating year to come. However, it might feel hard to count a giant fur ball of orange, black and white. As the blessings and nd good memories after a tough winter winds howl outside, they are thankful there year of loss and sadness. Why is it we seem to
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focus on the bad memories and struggle to recall the good? A professor at the University of North Carolina said, “The negatives scream at you but the positives only whisper.” Wow, is that so true. In my mind, I can Just Thinking Out Loud replay mistakes I’ve made over and over, reminding me how bad I felt, cementing those negative feeling to my mood and self-esteem. Dr. Byran Sexton of MidMichigan Health said we are hardwired to remember the negative memories as By Natalie Schmitt a survival tool from Columnist hundreds of years ago. An example he used is how a dementia patient can still recognize the danger of a rattlesnake sound when nothing else around them makes sense. He said it is hard to remember the positives of the day because they are not necessary for protecting us from the dangers of tomorrow. “If we ruminate and worry about the past or obsess about something we did wrong, it can prevent us from doing that wrong thing again, helping to keep us alive a little bit longer,” said Sexton. “But worry, anxiety and rumination will never help us to thrive.” Dr. Sexton said memories are tricky. Good ones slip away like Teon while bad ones stick to us like Velcro or static cling socks, especially when we are tired. We are more likely to remember bad experiences than good ones when we struggle to sleep. We need to retrain our brains so we can remember the good things and our role in bringing them about. At the end of the day, after supper but before your head hits the pillow, say three good things about the day and how you helped them come about. Dr. Sexton calls this preloading our brain with positive patterns and positive things before you falling asleep, which equals a better mood and better sleep quality. He calls this the three good things exercise. He said if you do this every evening for two weeks, you will form a new habit. You’ll start to notice things during the day and log them away for your three good things routine in the evening. Austin brought a similar idea to our weekly Tuesday breakfast farm meetings. He suggested we start each meeting on a positive note. We voice something we did or something we noticed others doing that are important to us. My rst positive was how excited I get seeing the numbers climb after the milk truck picks up our milk. We have nally hit 10,000 pounds with every-other-day pickup. Austin and Mark are doing such a good job with feeding and milking the cows. It was something I felt, but probably didn’t tell them directly, until our meeting. Now I’m on the lookout for positives I can bring to the next Tuesday meeting. This three good things exercise may actually work. So while we are busy counting down, let’s not forget to count up our blessings and joys as we say goodbye to 2021 and welcome 2022. As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark are starting a new adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.
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Every year, I need to be reminded that holiday treat making is more about the experience and memories than it is about the nished products. I have to put my perfectionism aside and accept that what ends up on the cookie tray might not look as perfect as I want, but the treats will be enjoyed all the same. This year, I opted to forgo the usual method I use for decorating sugar cookies in an effort to save time. Instead, I thinned my go-to icing recipe and poured it over the cookies. The result is perfectly imperfect: little drizzles of icing drape over the sides of the cookies here and there. The nished Dairy Good Life cookies taste as delicious as always but took less than a quarter of the time to decorate. I believe accepting imperfection applies to matters beyond the cookie tray too. The Christmas season is lled with lots of opportunities to seek perfection. We want our Christmas trees and houses to be perfectly decorated. We want our family photos on our Christmas cards to look just so. We spend countless hours and dollars searching for the perfect gifts and then even more time and money on wrapping them perfectly. We dress and groom our children so they look perfect for their holiday programs and recitals. We expect perfect behavior from our children (and everyone else) at By Sadie Frericks gatherings with family and friends. Columnist But, really, does it matter if all of the decorations are on one side of the tree? After our new cat, Norbert, knocked our Christmas tree over while trying to swipe an ornament, all of the ornaments now adorn the top of our tree. Does it matter if one of the kids is wearing mismatched socks at the Christmas program? What does matter is that we do our best, have fun and cherish our time with family and friends. Christmas shouldn’t be about perfection. I hope you’ll join me in embracing our imperfections – culinary and otherwise – this holiday season. From my family to yours, may your Christmas season be full of blessings and joy.
Cookie icing Makes enough icing to pour over three dozen 3-inch cookies. 2 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons heavy cream 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 2 tablespoons water 1/4 teaspoon avored extract* (almond, raspberry, orange, vanilla, etc.) pinch salt Combine ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until completely blended. Transfer icing to a liquid measuring cup. Place cookies on cooling rack inside a baking sheet to catch drips. Drizzle slowly over cookies, covering as much of the cookie as desired. Top with sprinkles. Let sit overnight or until icing is rm before stacking cookies. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children – Dan, 15, Monika, 12, and Daphne, 9. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 33
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
A global connection to spread Christmas cheer Popular Dairy Moms Facebook group appeals to many By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
Sometimes having an understanding friend to whom one can vent, a brain to pick or a shoulder on which to cry is exactly what the doctor ordered. Often, in the sometimes isolated life of a dairy farmer, those things can be hard to nd. One Facebook group called Dairy Moms has grown into a global community of like-minded women bound by their passion for dairy farming and now touts over 3,700 members. Ohio dairywoman Jodi McDonnell started the group about ve years ago as an off-shoot of a blog page she had created. “There were about 40 women that regularly followed and participated in my page, so one day I decided it would be nice to create a group where we could all be,” McDonnell said. “I gured it would end up being maybe a couple hundred women just discussing everyday life on the farm. Never in my wildest idea did I think it would become what it has.” McDonnell, who milks 60 cows with her husband, Tom, and their four children on their Lakeville, Ohio, dairy farm, said the group has connected her to a wide array of dairy women with whom she would otherwise never have come in contact with. “The group is so comfortable
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because all of us get it, the daily challenges that come with dairy farming and raising a family,” McDonnell said. “For a long time, I didn’t really realize the impact the group has for some women; for some, it is their connection to the outside world.” Overseeing a group of this size can present challenges, and McDonnell admits some days she is overwhelmed by the amount of administrative work she must do for the group. She has enlisted the help of several members of the group to act as moderators. “I would say 95% of the time the group does well and basically runs itself with very few issues,” McDonnell said. “That speaks to the women in the group. The majority of the people appreciate what the group does for our small sector of the global community.” Most of McDonnell’s efforts are focused on introducing conversation starters to give the members a topic to chat about. Frequently, members post their own questions, soliciting advice from other women who have likely walked in their shoes. Female dairy enthusiasts said they are drawn to the page by the open and accepting atmosphere shared among the group members. Not all members are moms and not all are active dairy farmers, but all share the common bond of connection through the dairy industry. “The best part is these women understand the agricultural industry and know the struggles,” said Robin Oliver, a group member for several years. “It is good to be able to just run
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Allison, Lola and Brent Bredlau, milk 50 cows near Augusta, Wisconsin. Allison recently joined the Dairy Moms Facebook group at— the suggesƟon of another member she knows personally.
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close connections, the idea of adding some holiday cheer to the group surfaced three years ago. That was when a small group initiated a Secret Santa exchange. In its second year, the activity attracted about 165 participants, while nearly 400 members registered to take part in the gifting tradition this Christmas. “I enjoy Christmas and everyone needs a little pick-me-up after the struggles we can face each day,” Oliver said. “It is fun to meet a new mom and share a gift with them. Sometimes we need a little something to look forward to, to remind us to slow down and get excited over something.” The premise of the activity is simple, with a $25 suggested spending limit. The group makes use of an app called Elfster to randomly assign a Secret Santa to someone. “I like thinking of others, and it is nice to be thought of as well,” Bredlau said. “I used to do something like this with my college friends and I always enjoyed it. This is my rst time participating in the Dairy Moms Secret Santa.”
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
Women In Dairy Kayla Wilson Burlington, Wisconsin Racine County 250 cows
Family: I am the oldest of three children. My siblings are Kate and Sawyer, and my mom and dad are Mark and Jenny. Tell us about your farm. We have an all-Holstein herd, and I even have a few of my own. We do all our eld work and harvesting, occasionally hiring out some custom chopping. My dad started milking cows about 30 years ago. For a short time, he rented another facility before buying the family farm from his mom. Prior to moving back, he retrotted the stanchion barn to have a double-8 herringbone parlor. I am always reminded that my love for farming started here because in the corner of the parlor is my baby footprint from the day they poured the concrete. Today, we have some part-time employees to do most of the milking; my aunt does most of the herdsman work, and I feed calves every morning and ll in where needed. I consider this my full-time, part-time job. My dad does everything else, which is a lot. Finally, I can’t leave out my mom. She does the bookkeeping and works off the farm as a baker at a local coffee shop. What is the busiest time of day for you? Pretty much all day. I start my day pretty early feeding calves which I nd relaxing (most of the time). After, I try to get a workout in before I start my full-time job as a eld representative for a dairy cooperative. I normally nish the day outside or nd something to ll my time. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? In my spare time, you’ll nd me in my garden when it’s nice out because I sure love summertime. Otherwise, I may be baking, shopping, getting a drink with friends or even getting my nails done. I enjoy feeling like a girl sometimes. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. A couple years ago, we had some makeshift pens that had old cattle panel barriers for our bull calves. At the time, I needed to move a couple of calves around because we were having lots of calves. I was able to carry the calves easily, but I wanted to take the shortcut and not open the pens because I could easily step over the one section of paneling. That was all great until I lost my footing and fell right on the paneling. Normally, only my pride would have been hurt, but unfortunately, this old paneling was falling apart and had a couple of barbs sticking up, leaving me to have a barb pierce me. I instantly got up and realized my bottom was bleeding. I almost passed out in shock but managed to nd my dad and tell him what happened. Thank God he didn’t laugh rst and asked if I was OK, but that ended with a trip to the walk-in clinic to get an updated tetanus shot and some antibiotics. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy
industry? This is a tough one because there are so many things to love; it’s hard to choose. Growing up, I enjoyed the lifestyle. I loved getting to work with my dad, caring for the animals and the land daily. Now, I am humbled I get to work with not only my family but some of the best producers and people I have ever met. I enjoy hearing their stories of success. And even when things are hard, I hope I can leave them with some positive light. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I stay connected to others through social media, my job, dairy conferences and places like World Dairy Expo. World Dairy Expo is like a big reunion and makes you realize how small the world truly is. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My dad. He is my biggest inspiration because he is incredibly hardworking, smart and family-driven. He is always so good at making sure the work is done so he can have time to go to one of my siblings’ games or enjoy a family meal. That’s part of what keeps our family so close. Another thing I admire is that he always listens to my ideas and lets me do occasional experiments which require some changes to the way we do things. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? I enjoy sharing our farm with others. Many people don’t realize the day-to-day tasks that have to happen on farms to keep them going, and I enjoy seeing their surprise when they nd out. It’s easy to forget that what is common to us is not common to others, and until you share your day-to-day lifestyle with them, they won’t realize the job we do is so incredible. What is the best vacation you have ever taken? A trip to Punta Cana a few years ago. That was by far my favorite because it was winter here in Wisconsin and about 80 degrees there. I got to spend ve days relaxing on a beach with some of my closest friends and all the food and drinks I wanted. Not having an agenda is my kind of vacation.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 37
How to support neighbors in crisis COMET training offers guidance for rural communities By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com
LANCASTER, Wis. – In an effort to connect rural communities with the resources they may need to thrive emotionally, Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program and Farm Well Wisconsin adopted a training for neighbors to help neighbors. “We offer this training to help people learn how to support each other better, so that we can create thriving rural communities where everybody has the support that they need to live fullling lives,” Chris Frakes said. Frakes joined Shawn Monson, both of Farm Well, to deliver the training called Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory during a virtual event Dec. 7 at the Lancaster Public Library. The idea is to train people in rural communities to be able to have a conversation with someone who appears to be struggling with stress. The training was developed by the High Plains Research Network. In Wisconsin, rural communities face signicant shortages of both primary care and behavioral health care providers, said Frakes. High Plains Research Network statistics show that in 2018, people in southwestern Wisconsin reported an average of more than four poor mental
health days each month. The number rose in the last two years with the presence of the coronavirus pandemic. In a 2021 survey, 66% of farmers and farmworkers said the pandemic has impacted their mental health. This information was used to develop a series of questions and guidelines for people to use, which developed into the COMET training. “COMET believes in the power of everyday interactions,” Monson said. “COMET also believes that family members, teachers, coworkers and acquaintances can have a powerful inuence on a person’s wellness trajectory.” The program’s questions and guidelines are meant to support community interaction by strengthening the fabric that binds people in a community. This is done with a series of very simple questions to let fellow community members know someone is listening to them. Monson said everyone is subject to moving along a natural trajectory from wellness, to a vulnerable space, to crisis. The purpose of the questions is to catch someone before they get to the crisis stage and help them rebound to wellness. “The important thing to remember at this point in the process is that it’s acclimated pre-crisis,” Monson said. “There’s a way of supporting someone so they hopefully move away from crisis and back toward wellness with a gravity assist.” Gravity assist is a term to describe one object helping another object get
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from one point to another if that object is not capable of getting there on its own. This concept is applied to the COMET process by using people to help each other stay mentally well. The questions that initiate the COMET process include, “You don’t seem to be yourself lately,” or “I noticed you haven’t … lately,” or “How are things at home/work/school?” Sometimes these questions make people feel nosy; however, for someone in a vulnerable space, they can make a big difference, said Monson. “There’s a difference in being nosy because you’re a gossip, and recognizing that someone is in distress and you want to support them and be kind,” he said. Once the initial question is asked, a person is to listen without offering solutions with the objective of holding space for the person under stress, so they can feel heard. When people offer solutions right away, the person under stress may feel as if the questioner is trying to get rid of them, and the true problem might never surface. Frakes and Monson gave an example of a neighbor noticing a fellow neighbor’s unkept lawn. If someone were to bring the subject up to the home owner with the intention of initiating the COMET process, it might seem logical to offer help with the yard work. However, it is important to realize the real problem is not the yard; the yard is the visible part. The lawn might be neglected due to other chaotic factors causing stress for the person and
moving them toward crisis. “You don’t want to go into xit mode too fast because sometimes people are just checking to see if it’s really OK that they talk about a problem,” Frakes said. Once a person does open up, it is important to offer full attention. People will be more honest when there is adequate eye contact and followup questions are asked. It can also be helpful to follow up a few days later with a text or a phone call. “Following up really helps build trust, and calling or texting can be a good strategy to do that,” Monson said. One thing that causes people to hesitate to ask questions is the anxiety of how to end a conversation once it has started. The training emphasizes concluding with care by ending on a positive note. “Something as simple as saying, ‘Thank you for sharing this with me,’ and reassuring them that what they have said is going to stay with you can make people feel better about disclosing information,” Monson said. The process is meant to deal with people who may be in a vulnerable space. More in-depth trainings are available for people who are worried about a loved one in crisis. Frakes said everything is more manageable with help. “To me, the core of COMET is anything we are struggling with can be talked about,” he said. “When people sit and listen to us, we don’t feel so alone.”
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Page 39
Kyle Levitzow Dodgeville, Wisconsin Iowa County 330 cows
being outside. I can’t picture myself doing anything different. I have a long family history of dairy farming, and it is an enjoyable way of life.
How did you get into farming? I grew up dairy farming. I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the Farm and Industry Short Course and then farmed on my own for a few years. In 2006, I took over my parents’ farm.
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? There is no one-size-ts-all for a dairy. Different management practices work well for different farms. There is no right or wrong way to do it as long as, at the end of the day, you are making money.
What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? Feed, fertilizer and input costs are going to be a struggle. Milk price is looking promising right now but that often does not come to fruition. Risk management is going to be a huge factor in our management plans for the next year to try to get all the costs and income to line up.
What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? One thing we like is our milk taxi. It helped with the labor side of feeding calves and also allowed us to go to an accelerated feeding practice.
What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? This year we put in the Nedap Cow Control collar system, which is an activity monitor to help with heat detection, rumination and cud chewing. That was something we decided to invest in to prepare to go into robotics, which we hope to implement in the next year. We also hoped to get an economic benet from the collars. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? Besides the activity collars, we have not changed much in the last year, and the consistency around here with the way we do things is why we get the production we do. What cost-saving steps have you
implemented during the low milk price? I try to assume low milk prices are going to happen, so we try to forward contract as much as we can to have a handle on pricing. Then when those low milk prices hit, we are prepared. Last year when the pandemic hit and we had all that volatility, it was the rst time we had made changes reactively. We cheapened up the ration and did not lose nearly as much production as we thought we would, so we ended up making those changes permanent. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? Showing that we care. I am actively involved and present at the farm and know their families. We are fortunate to
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have a lot of long-term employees. We have low turnover. They get raises every year; we provide them with apparel to wear to work; we raise some beef and everyone gets a quarter beef every year. We are also fortunate to own housing so all our Hispanic employees have housing. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I am good with numbers so the business side comes easy to me. I like cows, and I am a pretty good cow person, too, but I have been able to train my employees to take care of the cow side so I can focus on the business side of the operation. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? Just being my own boss and
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? Being on our cooperative’s board of directors was a big accomplishment for me. I’ve been on that for six years now. What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? Expansion and robotics. We are trying to be more labor efcient. We are looking at doubling the herd and installing 10-12 robots or a robotic rotary. We milk three times a day, and I would like to eliminate the night shift for our employees and give them a better way of life. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? We have a very non-farming lifestyle. We are very much into sports. Brewer games are the biggest thing we do, and then we like Badger football and basketball. All our kids played sports growing up, and I bowl and golf as well.
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 25, 2021
Salesmen: Shawn Martin (608) 778-4554 or Joe Ryan (608) 778-2900
4116 Hwy. 80 S. Platteville, WI
Office: (608) 348-9401 or Toll Free: 1(888) BUY-Patz www.steinhartsfarmservice.com
4116 Hwy. 80 S. Platteville, WI