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2 5
Y E A R S
DAIRY ST R 25
December 9, 2023
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 25, No. 20
Bottling milk for over a century
Lamers Dairy supporting local family farms since 1913
taste of its milk, which goes from cow to bottle within hours. “Milk comes in and goes right back out,” Lamers said. “Milk bottled today came in fresh yesterday. We are one of only three uid milk processing plants left in the state and represent one-half of 1% of uid milk on the market. The challenge right now is servicing that uid market because of the number of plants that have closed.” The ve farms that Lamers Dairy picks up milk from are located within 30 miles of the plant. Their largest farm milks 200 cows.
By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
APPLETON, Wis. — As one of the few remaining milk bottling plants in Wisconsin, Lamers Dairy is committed to quality and freshness as well as creating a product with a long shelf life. The company currently processes milk from ve local farms as it continues a family tradition started in 1913. “It’s all about keeping milk local, supporting family farms and putting out the best quality milk possible,” said Mark Lamers, president of Lamers Dairy. “We’re here to
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Lamers family — Joe Lamers (front, from le�), Mark Lamers, the late Dick Lamers, Tom Lamers and Tim Lamers; (back, from le�) Bryan Lamers and Eric McGuire — operate Lamers Dairy near Appleton, Wisconsin. Lamers Dairy has bo�led milk since 1913 and currently bo�les milk from ve local family farms. serve the community and our local family farmers and try to keep those farm-
ers in business.” Lamers Dairy, near Appleton, was the second
A labor of love Mahoneys close 18-year dairying dream
of three stops Oct. 26 on the Professional Dairy Producers Dairy Proces-
sor Tours. Known for its nostalgic glass bottles, the dairy promotes the fresh
Fantastic Friday night lights Stratford Tigers revel in backto-back state championships
By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
GLENWOOD CITY, Wis. — In the nal days of November, Tom and Debbie Mahoney closed a chapter that encompassed the past 18 years of their lives at Pine Lane Dairy when they dispersed their herd. “The tractor quit on me one day, and it felt like a sign,” Tom said. “I thought, ‘If I need to buy another tractor, we’re committed for at least another ve years.’”
By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Turn to MAHONEYS | Page 6
Turn to LAMERS | Page 2
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Tom and Debbie Mahoney watch with tears in their eyes as their cows go through the sale ring Nov. 30 in Loyal, Wisconsin.
Carter Lueck, a junior at Stra�ord High School, plays on the offensive and defensive lines on his school’s successful football team. Lueck’s family operates a 500-cow dairy near Stra�ord, Wisconsin.
STRATFORD, Wis. — Dedication, perseverance and mental toughness played a key factor as the nal seconds ticked off the clock before the Stratford Tigers football team captured their second Division 6 state championship title in a row Nov. 16 at Camp Randall Stadium in MadTurn to STRATFORD | Page 7
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
DAIRY ST R
ConƟnued from LAMERS | Page 1 PHOTO SUBMITTED
www.dairystar.com
Lamers Dairy is one of three uid milk processing plants remaining in Wisconsin and is located in Appleton. The dairy sources milk from local family farms and pays farmers a premium for high-quality milk.
ISSN Print: 2834-619X • Online: 2834-6203
522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Published by Star Publications LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition - 320-352-6303 Nancy Powell • nancy.p@dairystar.com Karen Knoblach • karen.k@star-pub.com Annika Gunderson • annika@star-pub.com Editorial Staff Jan Lefebvre - Assistant Editor 320-290-5980 • jan.l@star-pub.com Maria Bichler - Assistant Editor maria.b@dairystar.com • 320-352-6303 Stacey Smart - Assistant Editor 262-442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman - Staff Writer 608-487-1101 • danielle.n@dairystar.com Abby Wiedmeyer - Staff Writer 608-487-4812 • abby.w@dairystar.com Tiffany Klaphake - Staff Writer 320-352-6303 • tiffany.k@dairystar.com Amy Kyllo - Staff Writer amy.k@star-pub.com Emily Breth - Staff Writer emily.b@star-pub.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Advertising Sales Main 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 National Sales Manager - Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 • fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 • jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 • mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa, Southwest Wisconsin) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284 • kati.k@dairystar.com Julia Mullenbach (Southeast MN and Northeast IA) 507-438-7739 • julia.m@star-pub.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) • 320-248-3196 (cell) Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $40.00, outside the U.S. $200.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star / Star Publications LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Star Publications LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. © 2023 Star Publications LLC
“We expect a lot from our farmers,” Lamers said. “We pay them for the cleanest milk possible. The lower their plate count and the cleaner their milk, the higher the premium they get paid. For what we do, it’s critical that our product be better than our competition.” Currently run by the fth generation, this family-owned business has grown in production capacity and distribution strength. Lamers’ great-grandfather started the operation on the family’s original farm. They bottled milk in the basement
of their home, and the kids distributed it on their way to school. In the 1930s, the business moved from the farm to a building in Kimberly where the family lived above the dairy plant. In 1998, they began construction on their current facility after outgrowing that space. “We got back into glass half-gallon bottles when we moved here,” Lamers said. “We had gone away from that for quite some time.” Today, glass bottles make up 28%
of the dairy’s volume. Lamers Dairy believes that glass bottled milk tastes fresher, stays colder longer and is an environmentally friendly option for consumers. Furthermore, selling milk in a glass returnable bottle helps the dairy from a sustainability standpoint. The family purchases glass bottles from a company in Canada, and customers pay a $2 bottle deposit.
Turn to LAMERS | Page 5
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Amery, WI
Strum, WI
Rozellville, WI
Women in Dairy: Trish Brown First Section: Page 29
Dado shares tips for producing high-quality crops First Section: Pages 26 - 27
Dairy Prole: Zach Stoet First Section: Page 33
Thorp, WI
Boyceville, WI
Cox family rebuilds dairy goat facility after barn re Second Section: Pages 6 - 7
Sutliffs experience a basement visitor Second Section: Pages 3 - 4
Platteville, WI
Testing the boundaries of grazing management Second Section: Pages 26 - 27
Campbellsport, WI
FFA: Inside the emblem Third Section: Pages 8 - 9
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: What is your favorite technology you’ve implemented on your farm? First Section: Pages 15 -16
Marsheld, WI
Schueller embraces rescue work Second Section: Pages 21 - 22
North Freedom, WI
Kids Corner: The Gaetzkes Third Section: Pages 10 - 11
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Zone 1
Zone 2
Columnists Ag Insider Page P 10 First Fi s Section Fir
R Ramblings ffrom the Ridge Page 36 First Fi Section
Vet Veterinary V W Wisdom P Pa a 37 Page Firs Fir s Section First
F From the Zwe Zweber Farm P Page 38 Fir Section First
The NexGen Page 39 First Section
The “Mielke” Market Weeklyy Pages 8 - 9 Second Sectionn
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TRUST THE EXPERTS
ConƟnued from LAMERS | Page 2
At Famo Feeds, we strive to provide the best support for your operation and work to accommodate your specific needs.
From calf to cow and everything in between! PHOTO SUBMITTED
Milk is boƩled in glass jars at Lamers Dairy near Appleton, Wisconsin. Lamers Dairy packages around 10,000 gallons of milk per day, and glass boƩles make up 28% of the volume. “The bottle does not end up in a landll, and when we can reuse that bottle, we cut our costs in half,” Lamers said. Lamers Dairy packages around 10,000 gallons of milk per day. Lamers said their quality objectives start on the farm. “We do a lot of different things to ensure the quality of the milk coming into the plant,” Lamers said. “If it’s not a good product coming in off the farm, we can’t continue to produce a good product.” At the plant, milk enters one of two silos. Milk then travels through a separator to separate the cream. Afterward, Lamers said, they combine some of the cream back in to provide the butterfat percentage needed for the product they are running. A solids concentration monitor shines a beam of light through products to measure the density of milk. Milk then undergoes the maximum pasteurization allowed without destroying the avor or integrity of the product. “We can see exactly what’s happening to the milk as it goes through the pasteurizer, which allows us to control butterfat and make sure it’s at the proper level,” Lamers said. “We are a rm believer in that the fewer pumps you have, the better the product. The shearing action can break down product integrity. That’s why we’ve always had a gravityfeed system.” Lamers Dairy offers whole white, whole chocolate, 2% white, 1% chocolate, 1% white and skim milk. Milk is sold in one-gallon, half-gallon, quart and pint sizes in plastic; half-pints in paper; and half-gallons in glass. The dairy also lls institutional sized packs, ranging from 5-gallon bags up to 275-gallon totes. Lamers Dairy runs a single shift
and employs 36 full-time and part-time employees. Lamers Dairy products are carried by more than 200 retailers in Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois. The dairy also bottles Kosher milk one day a week, which is sent to larger markets like Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis and St. Louis. In addition, Lamers Dairy sells its products at their on-site country store that visitors enter through the door of a blue Harvestore silo. A variety of Wisconsinmade brands and products and soft-serve ice cream are also available at the store. During the tour, Lamers urged farmers to learn how their processor prices milk. “If you’re not getting the minimum blend price, you should be,” Lamers said. “I encourage you to get to know how your milk is being priced.” Lamers has compassion for the dairy farmer and wants to help them succeed. “I feel for farmers,” Lamers said. “I really do. With our premium structure, we try to help the farmer. We also have minimal hauling charges. We lose money on that, but we’re supporting the farmers. It’s part of our quality program.” To stay in business, Lamers said they rely on a good-quality product sourced locally and try to minimize costs the best they can. They also benet from capturing more margin on certain products, such as small, single-serve packages. A survivor in Wisconsin’s milk bottling world, Lamers credits a portion of the company’s success to its modest size. “We’re here to support the family farm,” he said. “We want to return a good living to the farmer and help them live a good life. Sometimes, when you’re real big, that’s hard to do.”
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ConƟnued from MAHONEYS | Page 1 The Glenwood City couple booked their herd dispersal to take place Nov. 30 at Oberholtzer’s Dairy Cattle and Auction Company in Loyal, making plans to sell their 18-cow herd along with the heifers and calves. “We love this, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing it,” Tom said, of their dairy farming career. Debbie, a town girl turned farm girl, said it has been an experience she would not trade. “I have really come to love these girls,” Debbie said. “It DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR is hard to imagine not A young Milking Shorthorn cow, Spring Meadows Daisy having them.” EXP, topped the Mahoneys’ dispersal sale at $3,700. Tom works full Daisy won the senior 2-year-old class at the Minnesota time as a technician State Fair in August. for Select Sires, and Debbie works full with her fourth calf.” time as a customer service representative Next to Amanda stood her daughter for a local phone company. Amber, another favorite. “We try to get down to the barn by “We have a lot of hopes for Amber,” 5:30 in the morning, and then Debbie Tom said. “She is a better cow than her heads back up around 6 or so to get ready mom was at this age. That is the goal of for work and I leave at 7:30,” Tom said. breeding animals — to make each gen“If I’m lucky, I’m home by 4 in the after- eration better.” noon, let the dogs out and then head back The day of the sale, the Mahoneys out to the barn for chores again. We’ve were happy to see a good crowd assemgot this down to a science. It is just about bled at the sale barn in Clark County. as easy as it could get.” “I hope the buyers will appreciate When the Mahoneys decided to be- these cows as much as we have,” Tom gin their dairy farming career 18 years said while standing in the barn, surveying ago, they purchased the small farm and his herd as a group. “They are good cows, herd of cows from a retiring farmer who and we are proud of them.” was milking nine cows at the time. With Tom and Debbie sat in the stands, their sons, Patrick and Ryan, they em- wiping tears from their eyes as they braced their new dairy farm. watched the cows, heifers and calves go “The kids were interested in show- through the sale ring one by one, conjuring cows, and we were young and crazy,” ing up memories of the past 18 years. Tom said. Throughout the sale, the bids were fast The Mahoneys’ farm consists of 43 and plentiful. acres. They grazed their cows during “It was a hard day,” Debbie said. the summer and purchased the majority “Just when I think I am all cried out, the of their feed from their friends at nearby tears keep coming. It helps knowing they Luckwaldt Agriculture Inc. all have gone to loving new homes, but Of the variety of cows the Mahoneys that doesn’t erase the emptiness I feel in have milked, they have found their favor- my heart. The barn is cold and too quiet ite breed to be Milking Shorthorn. now.” “They’re neat cows, moderate-sized The Mahoneys know the coming and really docile,” Tom said. “They are days will feel different and empty withjust very easy going, very hardy and out the cows and their bells tolling away good, solid cows.” the time, but they have made plans for The Mahoneys have enjoyed making new adventures. the herd their own in a variety of ways, “We’re big into oxen,” Tom said. “It including each of the cows wearing a cow was always my dream to have a team. We bell. The cows all sold with their bells on. have a great team of Brown Swiss oxen “Each of them has their own person- — Moose and Bear — and now we’ll ality,” Debbie said. “I love the clanging have more time to work with and devote of the bells as they move.” to them.” The Mahoneys have been supportEach summer, the couple loads the ers of the Wisconsin Milking Shorthorn team to attend the Midwest Ox Drovers Breeders’ Dairyland Sale series, typically Association’s annual gathering at Tillers purchasing a promising young cow or International in Scott, Michigan. They heifer each year. also enjoy sharing the team in parades “We would move out one of our low- and at the county fair. er animals and replace her with a good in“I’m a third-generation farmer, so we dividual with a nice pedigree,” Tom said. have an old milk wagon from the 1920s Although they felt they had received or 30s, and we put some milk cans in a sign from God telling them it was time there and hitch the team up to that,” Tom to move on, that did not necessarily make said. the prospect of saying that last goodbye Tom plans to take his team into the to each of their cows any easier. woods this winter to cut wood and said Both Tom and Debbie took the day they should get worked with at least before the sale off, with plans of spend- twice a week. He said that when he got ing one last day in the barn, soaking in his rst team of oxen, he knew nothing the moments before the cows headed to about them and credits Moose and Bear central Wisconsin Thursday morning to for teaching him well. move on to their new homes. The Mahoneys plan to check an oxen Tom said he spent a lot of time dur- mecca off their bucket list, taking a trip ing the last month thinking about his to the fabled Fryeburg Fair in Fryeburg, cows and nally decided that a roan cow Maine, next October. named Amanda was his favorite. They also have the memories they “She was our rst Excellent cow, and made in their little barn that will remain she’s our miracle cow,” Tom said. “As a with them always. rst-calf heifer, she came down with lis“I have had people walk in here and teria about two weeks after we bought just smile and tell me this is their dream,” her. She didn’t eat or drink for three days, Tom said. “Milking a small herd, just bebut she got through it and has never had cause you love doing it. … We have had any repercussions since. She is coming a blast doing this.”
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 7
ConƟnued from STRATFORD | Page 1
ison. Those traits are ones Cole Tichy and Carter Lueck said they learned growing up immersed in dairy farming on their family’s farms near Stratford. Tichy, a senior at Stratford High School, works on his uncle’s 2,000-cow farm, MapleRidge Dairy, and plays tight end on offense and is a defensive back. Lueck, a junior, works on his family’s 500-cow Harmony Ho Dairy and plays on both the offensive and defensive lines. Those character traits were necessary during the championship game, as the Tigers were tied up at 7 points with the Darlington Redbirds with just 23 seconds left in the game. After a missed eld goal, that second championship began to feel as though it were slipping through Stratford’s ngers as Darlington regained possession of the ball. “I will probably never forget this last championship game for as long as I live,” Tichy said. “I had probably the best game of my life. I forced the fumble at the end that got us the ball back and set up the eld goal that won the game. That is just a terric memory.” That fumble allowed Stratford to take possession at Darlington’s 25-yard line. As the tension built, holding was called against Darlington. This moved the Tigers 10 yards closer to scoring position and set up a second eld goal attempt that this time made it
through the uprights, lifting the Tigers to a 10-7 victory. The seasons that produced the back-to-back championship titles will stick with the players for a long time, said Lueck. “We only lost one game this year,” Lueck said. “We played Edgar the second week and had a rude awakening. We learned that maybe we weren’t quite as good as we thought we were. That game lit a re under us as a team, and we never stopped working toward our goal. We went into the playoffs as if we had nothing to lose.” Football is a way of life in Stratford. The community invests years of time and energy in growing and developing their young players, starting with a tackle football program in the third and fourth grade. Both Tichy and Lueck grew up in the program, and they said that longevity developed a close-knit team at the high school level. “I just love the game of football and playing — the action, the intensity of it,” Tichy said. “I love going out there with my brothers and giving it our all. That’s what these guys are; they are my brothers.” Lueck agreed. “Almost everyone on the team has been playing together for close to 10 years,” he said. “We are like family. As a group, we’ve only maybe ever lost 10 or so games.” Both Tichy and Lueck put
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Cole Tichy readies for a play during the Division 6 state championship football game against the Darlington Redbirds Nov. 16 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. in a tremendous amount of work as members of the football team, preparing and practicing both during the season and in the off-season. Practices typically consist of a variety of drills and running plays along with a lot of conditioning, Lueck said. “We are used to long, grinding seasons, and we spend a lot of time working on strength training and conditioning,” Lueck said. “Play-
ing deep into the post-season is something we’ve become used to. Sometimes that takes a lot of mental toughness to keep your focus and drive for that long.” Off-season, most members of the team spend time in the weight room, working to build strength and endurance. “These two championships and the successes we have had didn’t just happen by chance,” Lueck said. “Everyone on the
team puts in the effort both during football season and in the off-season.” Lueck has moved from football into his wrestling season, but as a junior, he is looking forward to what his nal season in shoulder pads might look like. “I love the competitiveness of the game and competing with my friends,” Lueck said. “We practice hard, and then when we take the eld on Friday nights, it’s our time to show what we’ve got.” As a senior, Tichy is sad to see his days as a member of the Stratford Tiger’s football dynasty come to a close. He plans to attend either the University of Wisconsin-Platteville or the Milwaukee School of Engineering to pursue a degree in engineering. “I like solving problems and xing things,” Tichy said. “I’ve always been told I would make a good engineer.” Tichy said his time spent growing up through the football program in Stratford has given him skills that will follow him through life. “Football has really made me grow as a person,” he said. “I have learned how to stay out of my head and keep my cool during high-pressure situations. I have learned how to work with others and not get upset when things don’t go the way we might want. I’ve learned how to communicate through those situations.”
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Cutting costs in half
Activity, rumination monitoring saves Hanke Farms over $34,000 By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. — Hanke Farms is getting cows bred back quicker and with the use of fewer drugs since installing the CowManager system for activity and rumination monitoring in February 2022. As a result, the system is saving the farm time and money while improving the health and longevity of the herd. “We’re spending only half of what we used to on repro drugs, and heifers barely get any now,” said Doug Taylor, herd manager. Over the last year, the farm saved $34,138, or approximately $36 per cow, in hormone and antibiotic expenses. Far fewer shots are given to cows and heifers due to increased natural heat detection and preventative health treatments. The Hanke family milks 800 cows and farms 2,200 acres near Sheboygan Falls. Eight family members are involved on the farm: Doug and his wife, Heidi; Heidi’s parents, Jack and Dorene Hanke;
Jack’s brother, Jim, and his wife, Bonnie, along with their son, Jason, and their son-inlaw, John Anhalt. Nine fulltime and about six part-time employees also work on this century farm. Cows are milked three times a day in a double-12 parlor with a rolling herd average of 33,278 pounds of milk, 3.8% butterfat and 3.06% protein. “That is the highest we’ve been for production,” Doug said. “We have been climbing and climbing the last 10 years.” Doug and Heidi credit this increase to changes in management practices, better feed quality and a focus on calf raising with emphasis on the rst six months. The family raises 775 heifers. They have cut back in the last several years but more specically in the last year and a half due to their use of activity monitoring. “We have more of our older cows now because they’re getting pregnant sooner, and we nd sickness quicker, which has prolonged the life of our cows,” Doug said. “Therefore, we need less replacements.”
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Heidi and Doug Taylor take a break for a photo Nov. 30 in one of the farm’s freestall barns at Hanke Farms near Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. The Hanke family milks 800 cows and farms 2,200 acres with a rolling herd average of 33,278 pounds of milk.
The Hankes use fertility and health modules with 100% coverage of cows and breeding-age heifers. “At rst, we were only going to put cows on the system, but I’m glad we did the heifers too,” Doug said. “It’s more than paid off to have it on heifers — that’s where we’ve seen the biggest improvement. We
used to give 15 or 20 shots every other week. Now it’s maybe only one.” Heifers are not on an ovsynch program. They only receive shots if they fail to show a heat or if they are having embryo transfer work done. The use of prostaglandin was reduced by 90%, and CIDR usage in heifers has
also dropped considerably. The heifer barn has seen a large reduction in shots and, thus, labor. “We’re only spending about three hours a day on 600 head,” Heidi said. Turn to HANKES | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 9
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Heidi Taylor looks at the breeding list in the CowManager system Nov. 30 on her family’s farm near Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. Since installing the system in February 2022, the farm is detecƟng 73% of natural heats in heifers and 60% of natural heats in cows.
Sensors go on at 11 months to start detecting heats before the animals reach breeding age. As long as a heifer is big enough, she will get bred ve days prior to her rst birthday. Conception rates are up, with 26 of 29 heifers conrmed pregnant during the last pregnancy check. Previously, 47% of heifer heats were detected in a natural window. Now, that number has risen to 73%. The conception rate for heifers is 50%, and the pregnancy rate is 42%. The pregnancy rate has jumped nearly 8% since installing the activity monitoring system. Results in cows have also been favorable. The conception rate is 45%, and the pregnancy rate is at 32%. The pregnancy rate for cows has increased by 6% in the last 1.5 years. All cows go through a double ovsynch program for their rst breeding, with shots starting at 43 days in milk. However, if a cow comes into heat early, she is bred starting at 70 days and does not nish the program, saving on three shots. The farm has noticed a 2% increase in conception rates by catching these early heats. Cows that remain in the ovsynch program are bred at 75 to 80 days. Cows may be bred twice if the system shows they are in heat following that rst breeding. “Semen costs are a little higher because we’re rebreeding a little more, but an extra unit of semen far outweighs the cost of not breeding,” Doug said. “These are cows we wouldn’t see otherwise, and the system is showing us she is still in heat. We won’t let them get past us. I like the comfort of knowing there’s a better chance she’ll get pregnant because we doubled up on semen.” If cows are open after the rst breeding, they enter a single ovsynch program. Before installing the monitoring system, 80% of all rebreeds for cows were timed A.I. That number has dropped to 40% as cows are caught early or caught between the two ovsynch programs. Previously, only 16% were bred to natural heats. Now, the system is catching 60% of natural heats in cows. The farm is picking up an additional 45% of the 21-day repeats and breeding off natural heat so they do not go into the next ovsynch program. “Our no-breed list is the shortest it’s been in the last 12 years,” Doug said. “We used to have 25 or 30 on it; now we have only 10. Cows are getting pregnant and sticking around. We’ve also changed some of our breeding philosophies and breed more animals to beef.”
Doug said there was a learning curve with the system, especially with picking up subtle heats in older cows. “Cows in their third lactation or higher wouldn’t show as dened of heat as heifers or younger cows,” he said. “Our rep does a good job of adjusting the settings to pick up more cows. Now, subtle heats seem to settle just as easily as raging heats.” The system is also picking up nighttime heats. “There are no people around at night except for two milkers, and from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. is when our older cows are showing heat,” Doug said. Doug and the family see the benet of having a larger population of mature cows in the herd. “Keeping older cows around longer raises our milk average,” Doug said. “It should be a goal to try to keep those cows around as long as you can.” In addition to helping the farms’ reproductive program, the monitoring system has boosted animal health, especially concerning fresh-cow problems. “The system catches cows as soon as they go off feed to help prevent a DA,” Doug said. “In the past, DA cows might slip two to three days before you notice. Now, if a cow does get a DA, she is having surgery within 12 hours, and cows recover so much faster. They’re not missing a beat.” Heidi said they are also catching ketosis and toxic mastitis more quickly. “It alerts us when they go off feed before there are visual signs in the milk, so we catch mastitis sooner,” Heidi said. Heidi used to lock up all fresh cows for the rst seven to 10 days of their lactation to check them over, but now she only locks up those the system tells her to, cutting her labor in half. The system has prompted Doug and Heidi to prioritize health and heat detection at the top of their to-do list. “We check the system rst thing in the morning for heats and sick cows,” Heidi said. “Before, we would do other tasks, and then when you’re out and about, you see a cow doesn’t look quite right. Now, we look at cows right away.” Hanke Farms has seen a long list of benets from their cow monitoring system in the last two years. The system is delivering results as it pushes the herd in a healthier and more productive and protable direction. “It’s been a good thing for us,” Doug said. “I’m glad we did it.”
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
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The dispute panel established under the United Animal Ag Water Quality Subcommittee nomiStates-Mexico-Canada Agreement ruled against the nations open U.S. in a disagreement with Canada on dairy marThe EPA has announced the creation of an Aniket access. Two of the three panelists ruled in favor mal Ag Water Quality Subcommittee. EPA Agriculof Canada, while one agreed with the U.S. claims. tural Advisor Rob Snyder said this is in response Nearly a year ago, a different panel determined to the denial of two petitions to overhaul the Clean Canada illegally restricted access to its Water Act permitting program. “We Ag Insider market for U.S. dairy products. As a redidn’t feel we had sufcient informasult, Canada made changes to its dairy tion to grant the petition and what the tariff rate quota system. The U.S. govenvironmental groups were requesternment believed the change did not ing,” Snyder said. The subcommittee go far enough and that prompted the will include a diverse group of stakesecond case. As a result of the ruling, holders including producers, universiCanada will not have to make any adties, environmental groups and other inditional changes to its tariff rate quota dustry representatives with the goal to system. improve water quality outcomes from animal agriculture. Disappointment in dispute panel ruling WTO members review food policy By Don Wick In a statement, U.S. Trade RepFood security topped the agenda Columnist resentative Katherine Tai said she is when the World Trade Organization “very disappointed” in the dispute panel Committee on Agriculture met this decision. Tai plans to work with the Canadian gov- past week. WTO members also submitted issues of ernment to address the ongoing market access con- concern, including a regional agriculture promocerns. National Milk Producers Federation Presi- tion program in the United States, Canadian dairy dent and CEO Jim Mulhern said the independent policy and fertilizer subsidies in Morocco. The next panel ruled “in favor of obstruction of trade rather WTO meeting for the agriculture committee will be than trade facilitation.” U.S. Dairy Export Council held in late May. President and CEO Krysta Harden agreed, saying this ruling “set a dangerous and damaging prece- NotMac & Cheese coming to the US dent.” The Kraft Heinz Company is introducing a plant-based version of Kraft Mac & Cheese. NotU.S.-Canada dairy dispute continues Mac & Cheese will be available in original and In an interview with Reuters, Agriculture Sec- white cheddar avors. retary Tom Vilsack said the Biden administration is considering its next steps in the ongoing trade New plant opens in Stoughton dispute with Canada over dairy market access. The Emmi Roth has opened its cheese conversion United States contends Canada illegally denies and packaging facility in Stoughton, Wisconsin. market access, but a USMCA trade dispute panel Emmi Group CEO Ricarda Demarmels said this disagreed. Vilsack didn’t offer any details but said plant allows the company to strengthen its position the administration is looking for “creative” ways to in specialty cheese and open new opportunities in sell more U.S. dairy products north of the border. marketing imported Swiss cheese. CCC money cited as a farm bill solution According to Vilsack, the farm bill has been held up by a money problem. “The reason we don’t have a farm bill now is in large part because they can’t gure out how to pay for reference prices,” he said. During an appearance at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention, Vilsack said a farm bill will not be nalized until the reference price issue is resolved. In his view, there are no other places within the farm bill to tap for the $2 billion needed each year for this update. The use of Commodity Credit Corporation funds was suggested. “What does the CCC do today?” Vilsack said. “Well, gosh, it pays ARC payments; it pays PLC payments; it pays CRP payments, so what’s the reluctance in using that asset that’s available? Until they come to that realization, I think we’re going to be waiting awhile for the farm bill.”
WOTUS is back in the courts The Waters of the United States rule is back in the courts. The Biden administration nalized its WOTUS rule in September after the Supreme Court ruled against the Environmental Protection Agency. Twenty-four states have led an amended complaint at the federal court in Fargo, North Dakota, claiming the amended rule violates the Clean Water Act. The states also allege the EPA removed the signicant nexus text in making wetland determinations without a public comment period. Two other states led a separate complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. These states want the WOTUS rule vacated and sent back to the EPA.
Farm + Food center opens The new Food + Farm Exploration Center is open to the public in Plover, Wisconsin. The Farming for the Future Foundation is behind this concept, helping to reconnect the public with the food that they eat and the farmers who grow it. FARM Excellence Award presented to AMPI eldman The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management Program has announced the winners of the third annual FARM Excellence Awards. Jim Kauffman, who is with Associated Milk Producers Inc., was named the Evaluator of the Year. WFBF hires district coordinator The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation has named Danielle Angotti-Baum as the district coordinator in northeastern Wisconsin. Angotti-Baum has been the ag teacher at Clintonville High School. Angotti-Baum succeeds Wes Raddatz, who is retiring after 27 years with WFBF. Trivia challenge New Zealand consumes the most butter on a per capita basis at almost 13 pounds per person. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, what is the term for butter with the milk solids and water removed? We will have the answer in our 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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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 11
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
Cows on parade
Fort Atkinson project pays tribute to city’s rich dairy history By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
FORT ATKINSON, Wis. — Seven cows are dressing up the streets of Fort Atkinson in black, white, red, brown, gray and fawn. Showcasing the major dairy breeds — Holstein, Red and White Holstein, Guernsey, Jersey, Ayrshire, Milking Shorthorn and Brown Swiss — the statues are strategically located throughout the town. The cows commemorate Fort Atkinson’s unique dairy history that stands strong today. The city is home to the National Dairy Shrine Museum and W.D. Hoard and Sons Company, publisher of Hoard’s Dairyman and manager of the longest continually registered Guernsey herd in the U.S. The Fort Atkinson Cow Parade was spearheaded by the Fort Atkinson Beautication Council. Alan Cook, retired dairy farmer and vice president of the council, chaired the project. “We needed something to distinguish the town,” Cook said. “My daughter lives west of the city and said that when driving into Fort Atkinson from that direction, there was nothing to identify what town it was.” What started as an idea for a Holstein statue on that side of town turned into the council wanting statues of
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Alan Cook stands next to the statue of Gene Acres Felicia May Fury Nov. 14 in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. Cook is vice president of the Fort Atkinson BeauƟcaƟon Council that recently completed a project known as the Cow Parade, placing seven statues of the major dairy breeds painted in the likeness of famous cows from the area. all seven breeds. Nearly life-size, the painted models are replicas of famous dairy cows from the Fort Atkinson area. “We had to set out to get local cows for each breed,” Cook said. “It was pretty fun. Each cow had a story.” The statues were made by FAST Fiberglass in Sparta. Local agricultural artist, Larry Schultz, painted each cow by hand. Cook admires Schultz’s work. “I love how the face and eyes make these statues come to life,” Cook said.
The Holstein was made in the likeness of Gene Acres Felicia May Fury from Crescent Beauty Farm — the former farm of Allen Hetts, one of the founders of World Dairy Expo. He purchased her as a 3-year-old cow, and his family groomed her into maybe the greatest cow of her day, Cook said. Felicia May was scored EX-97 and was named supreme champion of World Dairy Expo in 1974. In addition, she was an All-American or reserve AllAmerican winner six times. She lived
to be 18 years old. “When owners see these cows come back to life, they get emotional,” Cook said. Allen’s son, Roy, was teary-eyed when he saw Felicia May’s statue. He tapped her on the nose but could not say anything, Cook said. “This means a lot to our family because Felicia May was such a valuable part of our farm,” Roy said. “It’s wonderful. She was by far the greatest animal we ever had. She brought a lot of blessings.” Placed on the mezzanine in front of Subway on Madison Avenue, Felicia May’s statue is located within 30 feet of her burial spot. Honoring the Red and White Holstein is Silver-Rock TT Barbara from the farm of Scott and Deb Lundy. Scored EX-93, she was grand champion of the national Red and White show in 1987 and the rst winner of the Reb Albrecht Memorial Award. Deb said when she looked in that statue’s eyes, she could see Barbara. “I had this choked-up feeling,” Deb said. “It was kind of cool. Barbara was one of our favorite cows and was one of the rst cows we showed that did so well. Members of her family have gone on and done well too. It’s kind of neat that all the cows are from this area.” Hillside View Darling is the cow the Ayrshire was modeled after. Darling was purchased by Paul and Iva Hebbe as a heifer at the 1976 Grand National Ayrshire Sale in Portland, Oregon, and was the highest-selling animal at the sale. Turn to COW PARADE | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 13
ConƟnued from COW PARADE | Page 12
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STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
This Red and White Holstein statue is one of the seven breeds featured in the Cow Parade which commemorates the town’s rich dairy history in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. She represents Silver-Rock TT Barbara from ScoƩ and Deb Lundy’s farm. The Brown Swiss portrays Top Acres Present-ET of Sunshine Genetics. She achieved the maximum breed score, at the time, of 94 points and became the rst cow in the breed to score 96 in the mammary. She produced 57 daughters and sons, impacting the Brown Swiss breed worldwide. The Milking Shorthorn is Weg Acres Major’s Faith from Willard and Sylvia Gerner’s farm. Faith was named the Wisconsin Cow of the Year in 1983 and was the rst of her breed to be super ovulated, Cook said. Rolling Prairie Bella Blue represents the Guernsey breed. Combining great production with outstanding type, Blue was purchased by Hoard’s Dairyman Farm. She was classied EX-95, the maximum score of the Guernsey breed. Unveiled Oct. 14, she was the rst statue to claim her spot in town, which is outside of Hoard’s Dairyman. “The Hoard’s cow looks so perfect there,” Cook said. “It looks like she was always missing from that spot.” The Jersey is the only one of the seven cows that is still alive. Brandenburg Verbatum Kuna Moon-ET resides at Jim and Peggy Brandenburg’s farm. Kuna Moon was supreme champion at six shows in 2019 and has provided
many offspring for the Brandenburgs to build their Jersey herd. “It’s something special to have a cow that is represented in the community,” Jim said. “This is a great thing for the city of Fort Atkinson. It adds to the community, and a lot of people enjoy it. I really like the fact they researched the animals and all are from the Fort Atkinson area.” After they were painted, each statue was weather-proofed and received two applications of automotive clear coat. Businesses and individuals could sponsor a cow, each of which had a price tag of $5,000. All cows were placed by Nov. 5, and Cook said the next thing to do is add lighting by each statue. In addition, a sign next to every cow will include her breed name and a QR code to scan for more information. On permanent display, the 125-pound cows stand on top of heavy-duty slabs but are portable if they should ever need to be moved. The cows’ presence in town has caught the eyes of many. The pieces of art are a recognizable feature in a town known for its dairy heritage. “The cows have created a buzz,” Cook said. “People are talking about it.”
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Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
’Tis the season for rejoicing, reconnecting, reflecting, renewing faith and simply celebrating! As we welcome the Christmas season into our hearts and homes, we’re overjoyed and filled with gratitude for all of the blessings that have made our year so special, including the friendships we share here with all of you. At Christmas time and always, we wish each and every one of you good health, great prosperity and abundant happiness.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 15
from our side OF THE FENCE What is your favorite technology you’ve implemented on your farm?
Morgan Robers Hidden Acres Dairy LLC Exeland, Wisconsin Sawyer County 400 cows
Denny Jakobi Granton, Wisconsin Clark County 75 cows
What is your favorite technology you've implemented on your farm? My favorite technology is probably our AFarm software. I honestly don’t know how we could be as successful as we are without it. Milk weights are recorded at each session as well as health deviations and heat activity. We can monitor each cow at any time, and the mobile app also allows us to check in when we are off the farm. We input pregnancy results, hoof care, body temperatures, illness, calvings, etc., and all that information follows the animal until she leaves the farm. It’s benecial to be able to have an instant “snapshot” of any animal when you’re considering culling, treatments, or overall health of the herd. On the cropping side of things, my husband and father-in-law would probably say GPS in tractors is their favorite. Because of its precise guidance, they are able to ensure every acre is planted to its full potential. If you were to ask our feeder, he would probably say Feed Supervisor. This program allows each batch of total mixed ration to be consistent and accurate. It also tracks feed inventory, which is vital information to have access to. When did you begin using this technology and how did it improve your dairy? We began using the AFarm system in January of 2011 as a tool to record mainly milk production. However, in 2018, we started putting monitors on our breedingage heifers to monitor heat detection. Having the system on the milking herd was a no-brainer, but implementing the tracking on heifers has increased our heifer fertility immensely. We are able to track their entire heat cycle and get them bred during their most fertile stage, which has been really successful. What factors did you consider before deciding this technology was a good t for your farm? 2010 is when we expanded to 200 cows. At that time, my husband knew he wanted some kind of software to monitor milk weights and health and to help with recordkeeping. We considered cost-to-benet ratio, maintenance of the parlor equipment and ease of using the program. What technology has made the biggest impact in the dairy industry? Honestly, all technology plays a crucial role in our success. From security cameras that help view the maternity pen while off the farm to cow monitors, feed software and even mobile apps. They are all moving pieces of the bigger picture that allows each of us to perform our role the best we can, and like any technology, it’s always changing. What are some technologies you are currently researching for possible use down the road on your dairy? I think robotics are on the minds of a lot of us in this industry with the uncertainty of labor costs and availability. I wouldn’t say that we are considering robots, but it’s something I periodically research and question whether they would be a good t here or not. There is so much out there that not only makes our tasks easier, but more accurate too, so we do keep our minds open to technological opportunities. Tell us about your farm and family. Hidden Acres Dairy is just that, hidden. We are tucked along the Chippewa River in southern Sawyer County on a deadend road. We milk 400 cows three times a day and really strive to maintain a 34,000-pound herd average. We ship our milk to Mullins Cheese in Mosinee. Our operation consists of my husband, his parents and myself. I didn’t come to the farm full time until 2019. Elaine, my mother-in-law, takes care of the accounting; Mike, my father-in-law, takes care of all the cropping; I take care of the herd; and my husband, Dan, manages the whole operation. We have a dedicated feeder who has been with us many years and great employees in the parlor. We work diligently with our lender, advisor, haulers, vet, etc. We all play a critical part in the success of our business, and we trust each other in each of our specialties.
What is your favorite technology you've implemented on your farm? Our CowManager tags are the best technology we’ve implemented. I’d honestly be lost without them now. We were one of the early herds to put them in. We have had them for over eight years. In the time we have had CowManager, I have only had a couple of tags fail before the warranty was up. Other brands might require buying a whole computer system, where CowManager doesn’t because everything is online. You just buy the tags, and we have an antenna on the computer and one in each freestall barn. You can access everything either on the computer or on your phone. It is convenient and easy to use. We get alerts when someone is sick or in heat. When did you begin using this technology, and how did it improve your dairy? We have had the system for eight and a half years. It is like having another set of eyes on the cows 24 hours a day. It catches a sick animal before you can see it. The longer the tag is in the cow, the more the computer learns that cow’s individual habits and behavior. We put them in originally for the breeding aspect, but everyone told us we’d get as much out of it health-wise as we do breeding, and they were right. We only use them in the cows right now. All of our heifers are bull-bred. What factors did you consider before deciding this technology was a good t for your farm? We knew we wanted some kind of monitoring system. We decided that because of the price, the durability and the ease of use, we liked CowManager. It was a good t for us because we have hired help milking the cows at least once a day. I run a custom spraying and bagging business, and my sons run custom baling businesses. CowManager allows us to keep tabs on the cows and know what is going on with them. We can check up on sick ones or fresh cows, even when we aren’t right there on the farm. I would recommend it to anyone in a freestall setup. What technology has made the biggest impact in the dairy industry? The changes in milking technology has made the biggest impact. I can remember milking with my grandpa with Surge buckets and carrying buckets of milk to the milkhouse. Then we moved to oor buckets and then a pipeline. Then we built a step-up parlor. There certainly wouldn’t be farms milking 6,000 cows if they were milking in buckets. What are some technologies you are currently researching for possible use on your dairy? Like everyone, robots are something that might be on the horizon for us. That would depend if one of the kids would decide they want to continue dairy farming. I’m not going to make that investment at this point in my career unless there is someone else who will keep it going. Tell us about your farm and family. My wife, Tracy, and my two sons, Brandon and Isaac, and daughters, Mallory and Kelcy, all help on the farm with some hired help. We enjoy pulling tractors as a family. My family started milking cows when I was in high school. I started a custom bagging business while my dad was milking cows, and then gradually I took over the farm from him. We own about 200 acres and farm about 650 total. We milk 75 cows and have about that many youngstock. We nish 12 to 15 steers a year and sell halves and quarters. We raise almost all of our feed. We started with a small freestall barn we built ourselves, switching cows in the old hog barn to milk them in stanchions. In 2020, we built a 3-row, insulated, sand-bedded freestall barn with an 8-stall step-up parlor. Our cows have been a lot happier. We went from averaging in the low to mid-70s for daily production per cow to the 90s within a few months of moving into the barn. The herd average right now is around 29,000 pounds of milk. Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Dan Brick Greenleaf, Wisconsin Brown County 1,000 cows What is your favorite technology you've implemented on your farm? The PeopleCor timeclock system. This smart timeclock technology allows us to track employee activity. For example, I can look on the app on my phone and see who is punched in. If an employee shows up late, it emails us an alert. I can pull up data for any employee at any time and see questions, tasks and reminders. I can give a thumbs up for a task well done or a thumbs down for a task that was not done so well, such as if someone smashed a gate. There is a budget feature which alerts us to excessive overtime or extra hours for each department. Employees clock in at the farm, and it also takes a picture of the employee when they punch in. Employees can check vacation time through the system as well. When did you begin using this technology, and how did it improve your dairy? We have been using it for just over a year. It has made employee reviews and pay raises more efcient and is a quick way to look at what’s going on with employees. I have the ability to put in comments and written warnings, etc. When I’m at home, I can see who is clocked in. Safety wise, if something ever happened, I can look and see who was working and what time they clocked out. It’s easy and quick to do that.
Philip Klink Hartford, Wisconsin Washington County 235 cows
What factors did you consider before deciding this technology was a good t for your farm? Our previous system had some issues with biometrics. PeopleCor is a cloud-based system versus having all of the information at the time clock or in the farm ofce, and that was an important factor in going with this system. When hiring an employee, it’s faster in getting that employee set up. Also, at employee meetings, everyone is able to pull up the picture of a new employee and can visually see who all of the employees are. What technology has made the biggest impact in the dairy industry? Activity monitoring. We have seen a lot of changes and improvements with this technology in the last 10 years and ways that dairies can better manage their herds using activity and rumination monitoring. What are some technologies you are currently researching for possible use on your dairy? Activity and rumination monitors. The technology keeps changing, and there are labor efciencies to gain on the farm by using it. An articial intelligence software program that monitors camera footage. It analyzes employee routines in the milking parlor and is also able to detect the laydown rate of cows and peak eating times, etc. It’s similar to rumination or activity monitoring, but one camera will spread out the cost over several cows, requiring less investment per cow. Tell us about your farm and family. Brickstead Dairy has been in my family for 170 years since 1848. My wife, Melanie, and I have three sons: Sawyer, Ian and Elijah. It’s mainly myself and Ian, who is about to turn 13, working on the farm along with 15 full-time employees. We farm 1,200 acres and milk three times a day in a double-10 parlor. We ship our milk to Dairy Farmers of America.
system, it follows the same exact track again next year for spraying, etc., which helps a lot. GPS saves time and fuel. What factors did you consider before deciding this technology was a good t for your farm? GPS technology came as standard equipment on the tillage tractor we bought. It worked so well that when we bought our next tractor, we purchased the GPS technology for it.
What is your favorite technology you've implemented on your farm? GPS technology. Having GPS on our planter ensures that the rows are straight across the entire eld. We have an eight-row planter and a six-row corn head on our combine, and the GPS allows us to combine without damaging any other rows of crops. In addition, the row shutoff feature on the GPS allows the planter to automatically shut off when it passes over an area that has already been planted.
What technology has made the biggest impact in the dairy industry? The switch from stanchion barns to milking parlors. You can milk more cows in less time with fewer people, and it’s not so hard on your body because you don’t have to bend down.
When did you begin using this technology, and how did it improve your dairy? We began using GPS on our main tillage tractor four years ago and on our corn planter last year. We use it primarily on tillage and planting. It gives us a precise way to track our position and allows the rows to be evenly spaced. With GPS, seeds are planted at the correct spacing and position to maximize yield. The technology has saved us money in seed and enabled us to keep an older piece of equipment, such as our combine and chopper, without having to upgrade when we bought a new corn planter. Once you program a certain eld into the
Tell us about your farm and family. At Klink Dairy, we farm about 700 acres and milk twice a day in a BouMatic double-10 parallel parlor. We ship our milk to Dairy Farmers of America. It is mostly family working on the farm along with a few part-time employees who help with milking. My son, Robbie, does the morning feeding each day before heading to his full-time job off the farm. My wife, Janice, and I farm with my brother, Keith. We are the fourth generation in our family to farm.
Janice Hill Reedsburg, Wisconsin Sauk County 50 cows
What factors did you consider before deciding this technology was a good t for your farm? The price was a big factor because it was a lot of money, but time is something you can never get back. I have spent a lot of time pushing up feed. I found this one through my nutritionist who found it from someone who had sold a dairy operation.
What is your favorite technology you've implemented on your farm? My favorite technology is probably my new-to-me feed pusher. It is a Rovibec Ranger. It saves me time and is good for the cows.
What technology has made the biggest impact in the dairy industry? The biggest technology impact is sexed semen. It has made the dairy industry embarrassingly greedy.
What are some technologies you are currently researching for possible use on your dairy? We are satised with what we currently have and are not researching any new technology at the moment.
When did you begin using this technology, and how did it improve your dairy? I purchased my robot at the end of summer, and after a few hiccups, she's been full time and awless. It has a beeper that goes off to alert cows that feed is being pushed up, which has improved intakes and allowed for less sorting.
What are some technologies you are currently researching for possible use on your dairy? I milk 50 cows, and I don't plan on any other fancy things in the next few years. Tell us about your farm and family. I ship to Dairy Farmers of America, and I farm with one hired hand, AJ Wilson. I crop 145 owned and rented acres and grow all my own feed. Cows are housed in a freestall barn and milked in a stanchion barn.
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
TOP PERFORMERS Kraig and Rachelle Krienke of Prairie Dairy | Lester Prairie, Minnesota | McLeod County | 635 cows How many times a day do you milk, and what is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? We milk three times per day with a current rolling herd average of 34,300 pounds with a butterfat of 4.35% and 3.23% protein.
heifers and cows are moved onto bedded packs. The packs are bedded daily with cornstalk bales and checked every hour around the clock for newborn calves. After calving, cows are moved into the fresh pen where they stay for approximately 20 days before moving into one of the big group pens based on lactation number.
Describe your housing and milking facility. Our cows are milked in a double-11 herringbone parlor retrotted into our original tiestall barn, and they are housed in a naturally ventilated, sand-bedded, head-tohead, 4-row freestall barn. Who is part of your farm team, and what are their roles? Kraig and Rachelle are the owners and daily operators of the dairy. Kraig lls the overall farm manager role. Rachelle’s titles include calf manager and CFO as well as overseeing the herd health and youngstock programs. Kraig’s dad, Roger, does the bulk of the feed mixing and delivering. Blake is learning to coordinate the agronomy aspect of the business. Elizabeth works at another dairy but pitches in with harvest and chores when available. Brodie lls in as support staff in multiple areas when not busy with high school and FFA. We’re supported by a team of nine fulltime and three part-time employees as well as a great team of advisors on our Minnesota
GRACE JEURISSEN/DAIRY STAR
The Krienke family — Elizabeth (from leŌ), Kraig, Rachelle, Blake and Brodie — gather next to a tractor Dec. 3 on their farm near Lester Prairie, Minnesota. The Krienkes milk 635 cows three Ɵmes a day in a double-11 herringbone parlor. Dairy Initiative team and an awesome translator. What is your herd health program? Herd check is performed via ultrasound with the veterinarian every other week. Cows are checked for 30-day and 60-day pregnancies. The 180-day pregnancies are conrmed via milk sample during DHIA testing. Vaccinations
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are mainly administered during the dry period for cows or pre-calving window for heifers with the exception of a fall respiratory vaccine, Inforce at freshening and Bovi-Shield Gold during the fresh period. Our heifers have a complete vaccination program prior to reaching one year.
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What does your dry cow and transition program consist of? Dry cows and heifers are housed in sand-bedded free stalls for the far-off dry period, receive one ration during the dry period and are dry for an average of 58 days. The ration is a low-energy, high-ber ration with straw and added water for palatability. At approximately 30 days pre-fresh,
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What is the composition of your ration, and how has that changed in recent years? Our lactating ration is approximately 20 pounds dry matter corn silage and 7 pounds dry matter baleage. We also feed canola, whole cottonseed, a protein mix and ne-ground corn. Three years ago, we switched to making baleage instead of haylage as way to maximize our feed storage space. This has allowed us to pick and choose hay cuttings and quality on an ongoing basis to maximize the best quality for the lactating cows. We also went away from feeding high-moisture corn to feeding ne-ground dry corn year-round. This provides a more consistent feed quality and minimizes gut issues. Tell us about the forages you plant and detail your harvest strategies. We plant conventional Pioneer alfalfa and Turn to KRIENKES Page 20
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 19
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“We also notice any clinicals that do show up, clear faster, and don’t EHFRPH UHSHDW RIIHQGHUV µ KH VD\V “Now, we continue to use it 3x/day on all fresh cows for a week after calving. If we have a mastitis cow or high SCC, or anything not perfectly normal, we spray it on D FRXSOH WLPHV DQG LW VHHPV WR À [ DERXW DQ\WKLQJ µ 6FRWW REVHUYHV “With fresh cows, we see a lot more udder texture at 2 weeks in milk as edema is pulled out. You can VHH RXU IUHVK FRZV IHHO EHWWHU They’re up moving around more. They eat. They drink. They make more milk and higher quality milk. “The Udder Comfort Backpack made us more compliant on our IUHVK FRZ DSSOLFDWLRQV IRU EHWWHU udder health. It’s more user-friendly WKDQ , WKRXJKW LW ZRXOG EH ,W KROGV D ORW RI SURGXFW QR ERWWOHV WR UHÀ OO It charges fast and holds the charge, always ready for use in parlor, headlocks or freestalls.”
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
GRACE JEURISSEN/DAIRY STAR
Kraig Krienke holds a lactating cow raƟon Dec. 3 at Prairie Dairy near Lester Prairie, Minnesota. High-quality forages are one of the key components to the farm’s success.
have utilized A.I. since 1973, and we are always working on advancing our genetics. Since 2018, we have been genomic testing our heifers and using that information to create individualized mating decisions. List three management strategies that have helped you attain your production and component level. Threetimes-a-day milking, producing and feeding top quality forages, and utilizing sand bedding.
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ConƟnued from KRIENKES | Page 18 aim to take our rst cutting in late May. Every 28 days after that, or when we see buds, we take an additional cutting. On average, we get four cuttings per season. For baleage, our window for baling is 45%55% moisture. The baleage is wrapped in long rows with an inline wrapper. Our corn silage is all Pioneer brown mid-rib varieties. Our target for moisture on corn silage at harvest is 67%-68% moisture. All of our silage is stored in bunkers, and we use an Agromatic packer behind the second pack tractor to improve packing density. We also line the sidewalls with plastic and use a vapor barrier lm as well as buchneri silage GRACE JEURISSEN/DAIRY STAR inoculant. As the nal step, we Dry cows relax in sand-bedded stalls Dec. 3 at Prairie Dairy use cut off sidewall tires on the near Lester Prairie, Minnesota. Sand bedding has been a entire surface, tire touching key factor in cow comfort for the Krienke family’s herd. tire. We own all our own forage equipment which allows us to make optimal harvest decisions. generated combined with the What is your breeding proreduced incidents of mastitis gram, and what role does What is your average somatic were a big win for our dairy. genetics play in your procell count and how does that duction level? Our volunaffect your production? Our What technology do you use tary waiting period is 70 days, SCC is 70,000. If we can keep to monitor your herd? To and all cows are enrolled in a our SCC low and prevent mas- increase our level of manage- double ovsynch program with titis, it gives us the opportunity ment, we use multiple technol- timed A.I. for rst breeding. to make more culling decisions ogies every day. All the cows Pens are walked daily, and based on low production in- and heifers breeding age and CowManager is used to identistead of mastitis, therefore in- up have CowManager tags to fy standing heats following the creasing average herd produc- monitor health and heat events. initial timed A.I. Open cows tion. In the parlor, we utilize Bou- are conrmed via ultrasound Matic SmartDairy to record at herd check and either enWhat change has created the daily milk weights, and we tie rolled into a resynch program biggest improvement in your all that together with Dairy- or CIDR-synch program. Heifherd average? We saw the Comp 305 and DHIA testing ers are bred on standing heats biggest improvement when we to help us make informed deci- starting at 13.5 months of age. moved to milking three times sions. Genetics play an instrumena day. The additional pounds tal role in our production. We
Tell us about your farm and your plans for the dairy in the next year. Prairie Dairy has been operated by the Krienke family at this location since 1864, and the current family team consists of Kraig and Rachelle plus their kids Elizabeth, Blake and Brodie, as well as Kraig’s dad, Roger. In the next year, we plan to initiate the rst phase of a expansion by constructing additional dry cow facilities and a new calf barn.
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Case IH 2166 1997, 2WD, Duals, 5685 hrs., 3705 Sep. hrs., #573600 .......$23,500 Case IH 2188 1997, 2WD, Duals, 4064 hrs., 2716 Sep. hrs., #573599 .......$24,500 Case IH 8240 2016, PRWD, Duals, 1289 hrs., 920 Sep. hrs., #572343.....$243,900 Case IH 8250 2022, 2WD, Duals, 1300 hrs., 801 Sep. hrs., #572186 .......$394,900 Case IH 8250 2022, PRWD, Duals, 1716 hrs., 1291 Sep. hrs., #572189...$409,900 Case IH 8250 2022, PRWD, Tracks, 1100 hrs., 864 Sep. hrs., #572187 ....$489,900 JD 9550 2001, 2WD, Singles, 4976 hrs., 3145 Sep. hrs., #572170 .............$52,500 JD 9560 STS 2004, 2WD, Duals, 4638 hrs., 2982 Sep. hrs., #567094.........$52,500 JD 9570 STS 2008, PRWD, Duals, 3464 hrs., 2237 Sep. hrs., #568406 ......$99,500 JD 9570 STS 2009, 2WD, Duals, 2367 hrs., 1597 Sep. hrs., #556547.......$104,900 JD 9570 STS 2009, 2WD, Duals, 2560 hrs., 1630 Sep. hrs., #571894.......$105,900 JD 9650W 2000, 2WD, Duals, 3680 hrs., 2665 Sep. hrs., #568122 ............$45,000 JD 9660 STS 2005, PRWD, Duals, 4255 hrs., 3155 Sep. hrs., #573421 ......$53,000 JD 9660 STS 2006, 2WD, Duals, 2903 hrs., 2086 Sep. hrs., #571131 .......$57,500 JD 9670 STS 2010, 2WD, Duals, 3365 hrs., 2454 Sep. hrs., #572908.........$81,000 JD 9750 STS 2002, PRWD, Duals, 2834 hrs., 1727 Sep. hrs., #573419 ......$47,500 JD 9760 STS 2005, 2WD, Singles, 4300 hrs., 2575 Sep. hrs., #571176 ......$79,900 JD 9760 STS 2007, PRWD, Duals, 2969 hrs., 2277 Sep. hrs., #573293 ......$82,500 JD 9770 STS 2010, PRWD, Duals, 3399 hrs., 2549 Sep. hrs., #572968 ....$104,500 JD 9870 STS 2010, PRWD, Duals, 3558 hrs., 2425 Sep. hrs., #568308 ......$94,500 JD 9870 STS 2008, PRWD, Duals, 3385 hrs., 2494 Sep. hrs., #566621 ......$97,500 JD 9870 STS 2010, PRWD, Duals, 3400 hrs., 2350 Sep. hrs., #573531 ....$102,400 JD 9870 STS 2011, 2WD, Duals, 3809 hrs., 1747 Sep. hrs., #567383.......$109,900 JD S680 2014, PRWD, Duals, 2700 hrs., 1950 Sep. hrs., #572388............$129,000 JD S680 2013, PRWD, Duals, 3520 hrs., 2287 Sep. hrs., #572095............$129,900 JD S680 2013, PRWD, Duals, 2729 hrs., 2010 Sep. hrs., #563909............$139,000 JD S680 2013, 2WD, Duals, 2188 hrs., 1720 Sep. hrs., #571079..............$146,500 JD S680 2017, PRWD, Duals, 2788 hrs., 1850 Sep. hrs., #572100............$197,900 JD S680 2017, PRWD, Duals, 2024 hrs., 1350 Sep. hrs., #570488............$239,500
JD S690 2017, PRWD, Duals, 2514 hrs., 1605 Sep. hrs., #568113............$239,000 JD S760 2023, 2WD, Duals, 327 hrs., 245 Sep. hrs., #573154..................$499,900 JD S770 2022, PRWD, Floaters, 60 hrs., 20 Sep. hrs., #563704 ................$546,000 JD S770 2022, PRWD, Duals, 371 hrs., 148 Sep. hrs., #567222................$564,900 JD S770 2022, PRWD, Duals, 284 hrs., 91 Sep. hrs., #567225..................$574,900 JD S770 2023, PRWD, Duals, 250 hrs., 176 Sep. hrs., #573071................$581,900 JD S780 2018, PRWD, Duals, 2835 hrs., 1901 Sep. hrs., #567178............$234,900 JD S780 2018, PRWD, Duals, 1735 hrs., 1200 Sep. hrs., #571593............$283,500 JD S780 2018, 2WD, Duals, 1225 hrs., 826 Sep. hrs., #555412................$319,000 JD S780 2020, PRWD, Singles, 1640 hrs., 1204 Sep. hrs., #531610 .........$349,000 JD S780 2020, PRWD, Duals, 1241 hrs., 1007 Sep. hrs., #573595............$349,900 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 933 hrs., 737 Sep. hrs., #571615................$489,900 JD S780 2021, PRWD, Duals, 520 hrs., 300 Sep. hrs., #567515................$519,900 JD S780 2021, PRWD, Floaters, 723 hrs., 360 Sep. hrs., #567882 ............$524,900 JD S780 2021, PRWD, Duals, 388 hrs., 285 Sep. hrs., #572205................$529,000 JD S780 2021, PRWD, Duals, 401 hrs., 305 Sep. hrs., #572206................$529,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Singles, 578 hrs., 400 Sep. hrs., #571886 .............$529,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 897 hrs., 420 Sep. hrs., #569414................$529,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Singles, 694 hrs., 424 Sep. hrs., #571725 .............$533,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 530 hrs., 347 Sep. hrs., #563635................$549,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 789 hrs., 595 Sep. hrs., #563633................$549,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 610 hrs., 353 Sep. hrs., #552362................$549,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, 572 hrs., 323 Sep. hrs., #553546 ............$549,900 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 254 hrs., 183 Sep. hrs., #554094................$565,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, 446 hrs., 170 Sep. hrs., #554623 ............$569,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 433 hrs., 262 Sep. hrs., #568072................$569,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Duals, 466 hrs., 358 Sep. hrs., #572927................$584,900 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, 366 hrs., 165 Sep. hrs., #567271................$585,000 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Duals, 400 hrs., 318 Sep. hrs., #573365................$594,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Duals, 277 hrs., 166 Sep. hrs., #545327................$599,900
JD S780 2022, PRWD, Tracks, 245 hrs., 192 Sep. hrs., #563701 ...............$619,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Tracks, 366 hrs., 238 Sep. hrs., #554013 ...............$619,000 JD S780 2022, PRWD, Tracks, 300 hrs., 280 Sep. hrs., #561020 ...............$623,000 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Duals, 89 hrs., 30 Sep. hrs., #545523 ...................$629,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 399 hrs., 284 Sep. hrs., #572364 ...............$656,000 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 330 hrs., 238 Sep. hrs., #573052 ...............$674,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 314 hrs., 234 Sep. hrs., #573043 ...............$674,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 347 hrs., 259 Sep. hrs., #573054 ...............$674,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 267 hrs., 198 Sep. hrs., #573053 ...............$681,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 174 hrs., 118 Sep. hrs., #573055 ...............$684,900 JD S780 2023, PRWD, Tracks, 208 hrs., 148 Sep. hrs., #573044 ...............$689,000 JD S790 2018, PRWD, Duals, 2110 hrs., 1585 Sep. hrs., #573418............$269,500 JD S790 2021, PRWD, Duals, 1760 hrs., 1500 Sep. hrs., #572086............$364,900 JD S790 2021, PRWD, Singles, 1031 hrs., 829 Sep. hrs., #557277 ...........$479,000 JD S790 2020, PRWD, Floaters, 734 hrs., 485 Sep. hrs., #568213 ............$497,000 JD S790 2021, PRWD, Duals, 930 hrs., 613 Sep. hrs., #565421................$499,900 JD S790 2020, PRWD, Singles, 776 hrs., 474 Sep. hrs., #568212 .............$501,000 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Singles, 655 hrs., 438 Sep. hrs., #563815 .............$579,500 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, 491 hrs., 323 Sep. hrs., #552839................$579,500 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, 627 hrs., 430 Sep. hrs., #566694................$579,900 JD S790 2023, PRWD, Duals, 495 hrs., 390 Sep. hrs., #573286................$585,900 JD S790 2023, PRWD, Duals, 395 hrs., 290 Sep. hrs., #573285................$599,900 JD S790 2023, PRWD, Duals, 473 hrs., 330 Sep. hrs., #573278................$599,900 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, 299 hrs., 194 Sep. hrs., #563325................$599,900 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, 497 hrs., 368 Sep. hrs., #566460................$624,900 JD S790 2022, PRWD, Singles, 266 hrs., 159 Sep. hrs., #557140 .............$629,900 JD X9 1000 2022, PRWD, Duals, 950 hrs., 680 Sep. hrs., #572277 ..........$659,900 JD X9 1100 2021, PRWD, Tracks, 1101 hrs., 735 Sep. hrs., #552917........$749,000 JD X9 1100 2021, PRWD, Tracks, 1082 hrs., 715 Sep. hrs., #552921........$769,000
Locations throughout minnesota & western wisconsin! CALL TODAY! (320)365-1653 SEE OUR COMPLETE INVENTORY WITH PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS AT: www.mmcjd.com
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
Bongards’ Creameries
Has been a quality market for MN dairy farmers for over 100 years. MN producers provide one of the country’s most distinctive brands of cheese that is still made using the same Old World craftsmanship and has been combined with cutting-edge technology to produce cheese that delivers unforgettable taste with unparalleled quality. MN Dairy farmers and Bongards, quality that stands the test of time. We offer a competitive base price, premiums, and the best Àeld representatives in the industry. 13200 Co. Rd. 51 Bongards, MN 55368 (952) 466-5521 Fax (952) 466-5556 110 3rd Ave. NE Perham, MN 56573 (218) 346-4680 Fax (218) 346-4684
Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United Dairy Systems, Inc. West Union, IA 563-422-5355 Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Bob’s Dairy Supply Dorchester, WI 715-654-5252 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713 DeLaval Dairy Service Kaukauna, WI 866-335-2825
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Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0268 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 23
Leading her way to the top Hensel wins national FFA dairy handlers Activity By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
with the contest being a part of the judging contest, you don’t get that opportunity.” Unlike her older sister, Hensel did not immediately fall in love with showing but became enamored by the other activities that were available to dairy youth. “I enjoy being more involved with the background work on the farm and in the barn at the show,” Hensel said. “I am involved with showing, but it hasn’t been the only thing in my junior project.” Although Hensel is not an avid showmanship participant, she has helped lead various tting and showmanship clinics through her involvement in both the Wood County and Wisconsin junior Holstein associations, where she is serving as a member of the state’s junior activities committee. Hensel said that working parttime this past year as a show ring photographer for Dairy Agenda Today has given her a perspective on the show ring presentation of dairy cattle, and she said that experience was benecial to her as she entered the national contest. “Watching how the animals are presented, the different techniques people use and how they affect the overall appearance of the animals has been really interesting to me,” Hensel said. “I was able to take a lot of what I have witnessed and use that in the contest.”
PITTSVILLE, Wis. — Maddy Hensel might not have grown up on a dairy farm, but her passion for the dairy industry runs as deep as if it had roots set for generations. “When we were younger, my sister decided she wanted to show a calf,” Hensel said. “I went along and eventually fell in love with dairy cattle myself.” Hensel’s journey in the dairy industry began by happenstance and has led her to places she never could have imagined, including winning the National FFA Dairy Cattle Handlers Activity at the National FFA Convention last month in Indianapolis, Indiana. Thirty-one FFA memPHOTO SUBMITTED bers from across the country vied for Maddy Hensel poses with a Jersey cow she presented in the Wisconsin FFA’s the top spot. dairy handler acƟ vity April 27 in Madison, Wisconsin. Hensel quali ed to repreA freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point majoring sent Wisconsin at the naƟonal contest held last month during the NaƟonal FFA in communications, Hensel was a ConvenƟon in Indianapolis, Indiana. member of the Pittsville High School FFA Chapter. She qualied to com- over the microphone, including you did that the judges appreciated pete at the national contest by com- walking the animals counterclock- and what areas you might be able to improve upon,” Hensel said. “But peting in the state dairy handlers ac- wise around the ring,” Hensel said. Another challenge that faced the tivity in Madison last April. The state contest included a test based on the competitors was that the judges for Purebred Dairy Cattle Association the handlers contest were anonyshowmanship scorecard as well as mous. “There were multiple judges the actual showmanship portion of evaluating the handlers contest who the contest. www.easyrakefacer.com were scattered among the dairy catAt the national contest, Hensel PATENT #7,588,203, #8,011,608, #8,336,795 tle judging w a s contestants tasked to the oflead two “When we were younger, my and cials for that Brown c o n t est,” sister decided she wanted to S w i s s Hensel said. cows and show a calf. I went along and “Normally a Holstein showheifer to eventually fell in love with dairy in NO MOVING PARTS m a n s hip, showcase watching MAINTAIN CUT LENGTH her abilicattle myself.” the judge ties preSTAY IN THE HEATED CAB and knowMADDY HENSEL senting ing where the aniCALL FOR YOUR they are at mals. DEMO TODAY all times is “The contest really reinforced the value of staying calm under pres- part of the objective. For this, you sure,” Hensel said. “You’re paired just keep leading the animal, trying with a random animal that may or to give the judging contestants the may not lead. You’re trying to show best look possible at the animal.” Hensel said there were three the animal to the best of your abilirings in progression, adding to the ties as you compete, but you are also potential for distraction for the anitrying to give the participants the mals. best view of the animal you can.” “There was a lot going on, so Hensel said the animals led well, it was really important to maintain but the second Brown Swiss cow your composure and get the anistarted out as a bit of a handful but mal you were leading to trust you,” Lake Lillian, MN settled down once she became accliHensel said. mated to Hensel. Another aspect where the dairy The dairy handlers activity is handlers activity differs from a trasomewhat more challenging than ditional showmanship contest is the CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER TODAY! a traditional showmanship class, lack of feedback the participants reHensel said. IOWA Post Equipment 712-476-4500 “We were presenting the animals ceive from the judges. WISCONSIN “It’s nice to hear the reasons givfor the judging contest, so you needDorner Equipment Green Bay • 920-655-3215 ed to follow the instructions given en at the end of a class to know what St. Joseph Equipment Lacrosse • 608-769-7796
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
+
DAIRY ST R
THE GREAT
2023 Grand Prize Drawing Will Be Held Wednesday, December 13, 2023 ADULT “GRAND” PRIZE
THE WINNERS WILL BE POSTED ON WWW.DAIRYSTAR.COM, MILK BREAK NEWSLETTER AND ON FACEBOOK.
2) $500 CASH GIFTS!
17 & UNDER “GRAND” PRIZE
2) HEIFER CALVES!
Gr Calf o and Prize Breye wned by the r fa from mily com Acres Townlin es e Birna Holsteins mwo od, W in is.
“Grand” Prize Heifer Calf: TOWNLINEACRES ROSALIE-RED-P Born: September 12, 2023
Sire: Aprilday Mcdonald-P-Red-ET Dam: MS Booth-Haven Risky-Red-ET VG-87
PLUS: 11 DAYS OF
GIVEAWAYS
FOR ADULTS LEADING UP TO GRAND PRIZE DRAWINGS
GIVEAWAY WINNERS SO FAR: DAY 1: Sam Bauer DAY 2: Gene Bailey DAY 3: Trent Tenneson DAY 4: Jodi Miller DAY 5: Tim Middendorf DAY 6: Lucinda Snyder
REGISTER FREE AT ANY OF THE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 25
REGISTER AT THESE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES: WISCONSIN CALUMET COUNTY • D&D Equipment Chilton • 920-849-9304
CHIPPEWA COUNTY
• Chippewa Farm Service, LLC Chippewa Falls • 715-382-5400 • Chippewa Valley Dairy Supply Stanley • 715-644-2350
CLARK COUNTY
• Cloverdale Equipment Curtiss • 715-223-3361 • Premier Livestock Withee • 715-229-2500 • Silver Star Metals Withee • 715-229-4879
DODGE COUNTY
• Central Ag Supply Juneau • 920-386-2611
DUNN COUNTY
• Leedstone Menomonie • 866-467-4717 • MAC Contractors Menomonie • 715-232-8228 • Midwest Livestock Systems Menomonie • 715-235-5144
GRANT COUNTY
• Dickeyville Feed Dickeyville • 608-568-7982 • Fuller’s Milker Center, LLC Lancaster • 608-723-4634 • J. Gile Dairy Equipment Inc. Cuba City • 608-744-2661 • Premier Co-op Lancaster • 608-723-7023 • Scott Implement Platteville • 608-348-6565
GREEN COUNTY
• Lely Center Monroe Monroe • 888-927-4450 • Monroe WestfaliaSurge/Koehn, Inc. Monroe • 608-325-2772 • Top Notch Feed & Supply New Glarus • 608-527-3333
IOWA COUNTY
• Farmer’s Implement Store Mineral Point • 608-987-3331 • Premier Co-op Mineral Point • 608-987-3100
JACKSON COUNTY • W.H. Lien, Inc. Hixton • 715-963-4211
LAFAYETTE COUNTY
• Center Hill Veterinary Clinic Darlington • 608-776-4083 • Darlington Feed LLC Darlington • 608-776-3862
MANITOWOC COUNTY • EIS Implement Two Rivers • 920-684-0301
MARATHON COUNTY
• Brubacker Ag Equipment, LLC Edgar • 715-613-7308
MONROE COUNTY
• Preston Dairy Equipment Sparta • 608-269-3830
PEPIN COUNTY
• Anibas Silo & Repair Arkansaw • 715-285-5317
PIERCE COUNTY
• Ag Partners Ellsworth • 715-273-5066
POLK COUNTY
• Midwest Machinery Osceola • 715-220-4256
RICHLAND COUNTY
• Fuller’s Milker Center, LLC Richland Center • 608-647-4488 • Premier Co-op Richland Center • 608-647-6171
SAUK COUNTY
• Central Ag Supply Baraboo • 608-356-8384
VERNON COUNTY
• Koon Kreek Feeds Coon Valley • 608-452-3838 • Premier Co-op Westby • 608-634-3184
IOWA
ALLAMAKEE COUNTY • Waukon Veterinary Service Waukon • 563-534-7513
DUBUQUE COUNTY
• Brunkan Equipment Worthington • 563-855-2434 • CJ Beeps Equipment Farley • 563-744-5010 • Eastern Iowa Dairy Epworth • 563-876-3087 • Helle Farm Equipment Dyersville • 563-875-7154 • New Vienna Ag Automation New Vienna • 563-921-2896 • Rexco Equipment Farley • 563-744-3393 • Roeder Implement Dubuque • 563-557-1184 • Scherrmann’s Implement Dyersville • 563-875-2426 • Skip Breitbach Feeds Balltown • 563-552-2393 • Ungs Shopping Center (IAS) Luxemburg • 563-853-2455
HOWARD COUNTY
• Farmers Win Co-op Cresco West • 563-547-3660 • Windridge Implement Cresco • 563-547-3688
WINNESHIEK COUNTY
• Brynsaas Sales & Service Decorah • 563-382-4484 • Franzen Sales & Service Fort Atkinson • 563-534-2724 • Lang’s Dairy Service Decorah • 563-382-8722 • Windridge Implement Decorah • 563-382-3614
MINNESOTA DAKOTA COUNTY • Midwest Machinery
NorthÀeld • 507-645-4886 • Werner Implement Vermillion • 651-437-4435
HOUSTON COUNTY
• Caledonia Implement Company Caledonia • 507-725-3386 • Farmers Win Co-op Caledonia • 507-725-3306 Houston • 507-896-3147 • Hammell Equipment Eitzen • 507-495-3326 • Midwest Machinery Caledonia • 507-725-7000
GOODHUE COUNTY
• Ag Partners Farm Store Cannon Falls • 507-263-4651 Goodhue • 651-923-4496 Pine Island • 507-356-8313 • Central Livestock Zumbrota • 507-732-7305 • Midwest Livestock Systems, LLC Zumbrota • 507-732-4673 • Midwest Machinery Cannon Falls • 507-263-4238 Wanamingo • 507-824-2256 • Zumbrota Stockman’s Supply Zumbrota • 507-732-7860
WABASHA COUNTY
• Ag Partners Farm Store Plainview • 507-534-2531 • Beck Implement Elgin • 507-876-2122 • Leedstone Plainview • 800-548-2540 • Midwest Machinery Plainview • 507-534-3116 • Wingert Sales & Service Plainview • 507-534-2285
WINONA COUNTY
• Ag Partners Lewiston • 507-523-2188 • Ag Specialists St. Charles • 507-932-4800 • Elba Co-op Creamery Elba • 507-796-6571 • Kalmes Implement Altura • 507-796-6741 • Lang’s Dairy Equipment Lewiston • 507-452-5532 • Lewiston Rentals and Repairs Lewiston • 507-523-3564 • Midwest Machinery St. Charles • 507-932-4030
To view a complete list of participating businesses, log on to www.dairystar.com
*Enter as often as you like. One entry per store visit, please. Winners must be 18 years or older and a Grade A or B dairy farmer for adult prize, or 17 years or younger and a son or daughter of a Grade A or B dairy farmer for heifer calf. Winners must also live in the Dairy Star circulation area to be eligible and are responsible for transport of animal.
Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
Fine-tuned forage
Dado shares tips for producing high-quality crops By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
AMERY, Wis. — At the center of Four Hands Holsteins’ success are quality forages grown, harvested, stored and fed to the highest standard. Rick Dado shared his expertise on the topic during a forage seminar Oct. 4 at World Dairy Expo in Madison. “Our forage production goal is to grow large quantities of high-quality alfalfa and corn plants and preserve this quality throughout the harvest, storage and feed-out process,” Dado said. Dado and his wife, Gwen, own and operate Four Hands Holsteins near Amery. Their herd of 500 lactating and dry cows has a rolling herd average of 31,200 pounds of milk, 4.2% butterfat and 3.3% protein. Cows average 99 pounds of milk with 7.3 pounds of combined fat and protein per cow per day. Cows are housed in several sandbedded freestall barns, which Dado said is critical for comfort when feeding high-quality forage.
Dado farms 1,500 nonirrigated acres which includes more than 500 acres of conventional alfalfa, more than 400 acres of brown mid-rib corn silage as well as conventional corn silage, grain and grass hay. “We grow a lot of alfalfa for a farm our size, about 1 acre per cow,” Dado said. Dado’s knowledge of forage extends beyond the farm and traces back to his days at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center in Madison. As a graduate student, he began his forage research there calculating net merit index. In addition, he spent time as a faculty member at Southern Illinois University and also provided technical support for a nutrition company in Michigan. Dado feeds one total mixed ration to his lactating herd, and every batch is the same size. Forages make up 60% of the dry matter, 45% of the crude protein, 83% of the neutral detergent ber and 100% of the long ber in the ration. “We feed a lot of alfalfa
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Rick Dado shares Ɵps for producing high-quality forage during a seminar Oct. 4 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Dado and his wife, Gwen, own Four Hands Holsteins where they milk nearly 500 cows with a herd average over 31,000 pounds of milk and farm 1,500 acres near Amery, Wisconsin.
to lower supplemental protein costs,” Dado said. Dado is generous in spreading manure during spring and fall applications. “We put a lot of manure on our ground and on alfalfa
before we seed down, which is key to our forage program,” Dado said. “We found that young alfalfa seeding responds to heavy manure. It’s useful to work this ground in the fall because when you
come back in the spring, the soil is so mellow when it dries out. It’s important for alfalfa establishment, and our alfalfa yields are pretty strong.” Turn to FORAGE | Page 27
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 27
ConƟnued from FORAGE | Page 26
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PHOTO SUBMITTED
Creek’s Edge Custom HarvesƟng chops brown mid-rib corn Sept. 16 for Four Hands Holsteins near Amery, Wisconsin. Rick Dado plants more than 400 acres of BMR corn silage.
Dado’s crop rotation is primarily corn and alfalfa. He does two or three cuts of alfalfa in the seeding year and uses alfalfa for a maximum of three years after seeding. “That keeps the stand young and keeps plant count high, creating a tremendous nitrogen base to work with the following year,” Dado said. Dado’s corn is planted in 30-inch rows. Dado has been using BMR corn silage for about seven years and said the hybrids he is currently using are phenomenal. Dado’s farm is the last of four farms in a rotation using the same custom harvester. “We choose a long maturity corn for that reason,” he said. “You control your quality if you determine your time of harvest, but we do not dictate when they start. I just tell my custom harvester, please get started somewhere. It’s most critical on rst-cut alfalfa. That’s the biggest challenge from a quality standpoint.” To preserve forage quality at harvest, Dado aims for alfalfa with a relative forage quality of 165 and 60% moisture. For BMR corn silage, Dado likes to see moisture at 65% to 68% at the time of harvest. The most critical benet for harvesting forage in the last 20 years for Dado has been the use of a merger. “You can go so fast when you have that much feed together in one windrow,” he said. “The merger astronomically improved our quality.” Dado stores alfalfa and corn silage in bunkers that share a common wall. All four cuttings of alfalfa are stored in the same bunker. When lling the bunker, Dado said to never ll haylage from the middle. “Fill from the sides and create a bowl,” he said. “V-shaped lling below the wall allows you to pack along the wall. We don’t use any plastics to line that wall.” Dado said the operator of the pushing tractor controls the pace of lling. “He is the most important person on the farm at that time,” Dado said. “Use as many packing tractors as you have room for and keep the dome as at as you can.”
Dado uses the widest roll of plastic he can nd to cover the pack and a double row of tires at the seams and wall edges. He inoculates alfalfa but not corn silage. “When storing corn silage, we do it as fast as possible, and harvest dictates the speed,” Dado said. “There are never enough packers when the pile gets large.” Dado added another side to his bunker three years ago, allowing him to expand his corn silage pile. “We don’t have the fall corn silage slump in milk production because we’re always feeding fermented feeds,” Dado said. “In the fall, nothing we feed has been fermented less than four months. What we feed is carryover from the previous season. Our piles are set up so that we can do that. Before, we always fed freshly chopped corn before it had a chance to become silage.” The face size for his alfalfa is 90 feet by 10 feet and is moved 9 inches each day. The corn silage face size is 2,750 square feet and is moved about 4 inches per day. Dado uses a grapple bucket instead of a facer, which he said slices material to a relatively at face. “It’s not the temperature that gives you a problem on big open faces but rather the moisture,” Dado said. “As long as it doesn’t rain, you could leave that face open for two weeks, even when it’s 90 degrees. The moment it rains, it’s going to turn moldy on you. Mycotoxins, mold, yeast and excess moisture can be devastating to quality. They can blow up a herd.” Feeding to a clean manger is important, Dado said. “It doesn’t do any good to produce high-quality forage if your mangers are dirty,” he said. “We clean mangers every day and power wash them once in a while.” Forage quality is a team effort at Four Hands Holsteins and one that takes precedence to achieve maximum milk production. “It’s very expensive to store and grow forages, so you try to do a good job with what you have,” Dado said. “Try to control what you can control.”
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 29
women
IN DAIRY
Trish Brown
Strum, Wisconsin Trempealeau County 30 cows
Tell us about your farm and family. My husband, Judson, and I have two children: Coltan and Eastan. Our farm is home to 30 registered Holsteins. April 18, 2011, was the rst day we shipped milk, and we shipped 152 pounds from our rst two fresh cows. We bought the farm in 2012 and had raised heifer calves to start with. The farm was gutted, so we had to put everything in. Judson works off the farm full time, and I manage the farm. We have over 70 head here including calves, dry cows and springing heifers. We ship our milk to Grassland Dairy Products Inc.
erything that we do. Nothing was handed to us. It’s also fun to watch the boys step up and watch the youngest one really embrace showing.
What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? My alarm goes off at 3:46 a.m. Sometimes I switch a load of laundry before I go to the barn, but I try to be out there by 4:15. I start by pushing up feed, scraping the walk and feeding calves, and then I milk. I get done by 6 a.m. so that I can get my boys on the bus at 6:30. Then I check the steer lot. We have 100 head on a rented farm. Then I feed cows and clean the barn. Jud helps mix feed if he is home, and then I start night chores at 2:30 p.m. We feed cows once a day, so that makes things a little easier.
What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? Raising cattle that can compete at the national level with my own prex. I’ve had some stand in the top 10 at Louisville, and I’ve had other purchased animals do well at shows too. We had a heifer win rst in her class at the junior show at World Dairy Expo this year — Chakelburg Believe Possible.
What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? Getting to know people through the show world. It has opened up so many opportunities to make connections with like-minded people. If I didn’t go to shows, I would be home farming all the time. I always heard people say they met their best friends through showing cattle, and that has held true for me.
What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? I would like to do more promotions, but for now I advertise our genetics. I also help kids who want to show by hosting tting classes and donating What decision have you made in animals for kids to show. the last year that has beneted your farm? Remodeling the old machine What advice would you give anshed to make it into a heifer shed. other woman in the dairy industry? Before, we only had two pens and su- You can do it. My favorite word is per huts. Now it is easier to sort the “no” because it makes me try harder. heifers by age. It also allows us to I would also tell women to listen to utilize articial insemination methods others but not always follow their whereas we always ran a bull before. footsteps; make your own mistakes Overall, the heifers are easier to man- and learn from them. It is important age, and it enables us to market our to get to know the businesses that you show calves more efciently. work with too — serve on the boards and learn how things actually work. Tell us about your most memorable Everybody will tell you a little bit, but experience working on the farm. no one tells you everything, so you Just being able to have built every- need to pay attention and learn things thing to what it is now and have ev- yourself.
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What is a challenge in the dairy industry you have faced and how did you overcome it? As a woman, it can be hard to deal with people who still want to talk to a man. It is getting better, but the older generation still wants to deal with a man. Also, there are challenges in every aspect of the dairy industry, and I wish more people would see both sides of things when it comes to things like cull pric-
es for example. Everything is becoming monopolized, and we’re running out of different options to sell milk and buy feed, equipment and fuel, etc. We can’t shop around and price check as we could in the past. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I like to go shing or just relax with my boys and watch movies. We don’t go too far.
Stand out from the herd.
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Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
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Age at rst calving versus longevity Over the years, there have been days on feed, resulting in a high cost differences of opinion about what the to rear heifers. Older heifers also have ideal age at rst calving should be a decreased lifetime milk production and how that age may or may not af- and longevity. With this in mind, the fect the extended life of that cow in current recommendation is to have the herd. From a nutritional perspec- heifers calve at 22 to 24 months. tive, the goal is to be both To achieve this goal, efcient and cost effective farmers must optimize their when growing dairy replacefeeding and management ments to reach physical maprograms to grow heifers turity and puberty to enter to the desired height and the milking herd. From a weight for breeding. Heifveterinary perspective, some ers should reach 55% of mahave shared that just because ture body weight and 90% of an animal reaches puberty mature structural growth by earlier in life does not mean the breeding age of 13 to 15 that the animal is physically By Karen Johnson months. Note that accelerUniversity of mature enough to have a ated growth programs where Minnesota calf and be productive in her the heifers are allowed to get rst lactation. This begs the question: over-conditioned ahead of breeding What is the ideal age at rst calving? may have a negative impact on the How does this age affect the cow’s development of secretory tissue in the ability to be productive into the fol- udder, resulting in a decreased lifelowing lactations? time milk production. According to Numerous research studies have Penn State Extension research (Zanshown that the health, nutrition and ton and Heinrichs, 2005), the proper overall well-being of the heifer im- rate to grow heifers from 2 months pacts the age at rst calving. Young to puberty is 1.75 pounds per day heifers or heifers that calve too small (with an acceptable range of 1.6 to in size experience more difculties at 1.9 pounds). Farmers should set sepacalving and tend to produce less milk rate target body condition weights during their lifetime. Raising heifers for breeding and pre-calving as body that calve too late results in increased weight at calving has a strong effect
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herd, either by death or sale, based on age at calving. Holstein heifers that calved between 20 and 23 months of age had the lowest cull rates, ranging from 5.3% to 6%. Those heifers that calved at less than 20 months showed a sharp increase to 12% in cull rates. Finally, there was also a slight increase in cull rates as the age at rst calving increased to 30 months (6.1% at 24 months to 7% at 30 months). In conclusion, the discussion about age at rst calving will continue to be debated as there are numerous on-farm factors that play a role in the outcome. Consider what your breeding goals are for your herd. Evaluate the heifers that are calving in. Are they big enough? Do those heifers make enough milk in the rst lactation for your farm’s goals? If not, you may want to work with your nutritionist and veterinarian to ne tune your heifer feeding and management programs.
Dana Adams, adam1744@umn.edu 320-204-2968
Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277
Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435
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Erin Royster royster@umn.edu
Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130
Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104
Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184
Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334
Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391
Emily Krekelberg krek0033@umn.edu 507-280-2863
Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu 612-626-5620
Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109
Isaac Salfer ijsalfer@umn.edu 320-296-1357 Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093 Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu 612-624-1205 Melissa Wilson mlw@umn.edu 612-625-4276 Isaac Haagen hagge041@umn.edu 612-624-7455
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on rst-lactation milk production. For specic growth charts and optimum heifer growth rates, read the article titled “Monitoring dairy heifer growth” on the Penn State Extension website. To better understand the questions about longevity, Robert Fourdraine, from Dairy Records Management Systems, shared an article about how rst calving affects the bottom line. The article shows specic trends and graphs from over 8 million rstlactation cows’ data included in the DRMS. Data showed that heifers that calved earlier in life (21 months) produced less milk in the rst lactation in comparison to heifers that calved at 23 months. However, by the time heifers reach their third lactation, production levels are almost the same. Besides milk production, the other key factor to consider is the effects of calving on a younger animal resulting in a high cull rate. Data were evaluated for when the cows left the
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 31
Ahlgrens host live Nativity scene
Away in a manger
By Tiffany Klaphake tiffany.k@dairystar.com
DARWIN, Minn. — High in the hayloft of the barn, an angel will appear and bring good tidings to all who visit the live Nativity production at Ahlgren Dairy. Rick Ahlgren and his wife, Sarah, own and operate Ahlgren Dairy near Darwin, where they milk 160 cows with three robotic milking systems. “It’s unique how our live Nativity (scene) set up,” Rick said. “It is a guided tour.” Sarah agreed. “It’s like you are stepping back in time,” she said. “Guests will be taken on a tour of Bethlehem.” The couple, along with Rick’s mother, Mary, worked with Sandy Burt of Highland Community Church to host the live walk-through Nativity production. Together they decided to hold the event at Ahlgren Dairy on the evenings of Dec. 15 and Dec. 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. “I wanted the event to take place on a farm, and the Ahlgrens are such wonderful people,” Burt said. “This farm is gorgeous. It is the perfect place to host this event since (the Nativity) happened outside in an agricultural setting with livestock.” The guided walk-through play
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Guests take pictures of characters during the live NaƟvity in 2020 at Ahlgren Dairy near Darwin, Minnesota. Ahlgren Dairy will host the live NaƟvity again this year Dec. 15-16. has eight stations at which guests will stop to watch a short scene. It will take groups about 30 minutes to walk through the production. Group leaders, who will be in costume to match the time period, will take groups of 20 to 25 through the stations and explain what is happening in each scene. “It will give some background as to what was happening at that time — why there were Roman soldiers around, why Mary and Joseph were going to Bethlehem, why there was no room for them at the inn — then nally ending
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ments at the end and another crew will handle parking. Visitors can park on-site, and the Ahlgrens designated a section of eld directly across the road from the dairy for additional parking. The tour will take place outside but will end inside the heated utility room of the robot barn. There, guests will have a chance to warm up with coffee, hot chocolate, cookies and milk. Princess Kay of the Milky Way Emma Kuball and Meeker County dairy royalty will be on-site, along with live music. Rick and Sarah will be in the robot barn to answer questions about their dairy and the robots. The Ahlgrens already have the cattle and horses at their farm, and another family will bring in sheep. Besides Burt, various volunteers through Highland Community Church are making the costumes, props and backgrounds for each scene. “God has really blest us with talented people in our community,” Burt said. The Ahlgrens received comments of support for hosting the event. “When people give us praises, it’s not us,” Mary said. “We like to say, ‘For thine is the kingdom, the power and glory.’ All the credit belongs to God.” This is the second time the Ahlgrens will host the live Nativity production. The rst was in 2020, six months after completing their robot barn. Because of the capacity limits during that year due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was not feasible to host a live Nativity event inside a church.
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The Ahlgren family — Norah (front, from leŌ), Olivia and Henry; (back, from leŌ) MaƩhew, Phillip, Rick, Sarah and Jacob — stand in their freestall barn Nov. 29 at Ahlgren Dairy near Darwin, Minnesota. The Ahlgrens will be hosƟng a live NaƟvity play at their dairy farm Dec. 15-16.
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“Sandy approached us about hosting the event in 2020, and she did most of the coordinating to put the event together,” Rick said. “Almost every year since, we have had people ask us if we are doing it again, and we haven’t until this year.” When the Ahlgrens rst put in the robotic milking systems, they hosted an array of tour groups and events on their farm. “After a year, we kind of got burnt out, so we wanted a break,” Rick said. “But then when Sandy asked earlier this year, we agreed that we were ready to host it again.” In 2020, Burt and the Ahlgrens only expected a couple hundred people to show up since they advertised through word of mouth. However, they had over 400 people attend, exceeding their ex-
pectations. “The rst time we did this, we were blown away by the turnout and were so impressed with the unique way that Sandy and her team put this production together to tell the story in such a unique way and give visitors such an experience,” Rick said. “It’s a real production, and it’s been a joy to be a part of it.” This year, the Ahlgrens and Highland Community Church are prepared for a larger audience. Form-A-Feed has donated the cookies for the end of the tour and First District Association has donated milk. “We encourage people to dress warmly and come anytime during the time window,” Rick said. “We will have groups going through every ve minutes.”
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 33
DAIRY PROFILE
Zach Stoflet of Rozellville, Wisconsin | Marathon County | 90 cows How did you get into farming? I grew up around the farm. My grandparents farmed here, and I spent a lot of time on the farm with them when I was a little kid. They retired in 2008, and the farm was rented by someone until I graduated in 2018 and started dairy farming here. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? Obviously, milk prices are concerning. You never know what will happen with those. I also worry about the increasing regulations we face, particularly in the areas of animal health and what drugs will be removed from our toolbox. Keeping the cattle as healthy has possible is becoming more challenging as things that work to treat certain illnesses are taken away. What is a recent change you made on your farm and the reason for it? I built a freestall barn that we moved into the end of July and doubled the herd size, going from 45 cows in the tiestall barn to the current 90 cows. I lled in the gutters in the old barn and milk two groups in there with a at-parlor style. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I’m pretty mechanical and can do most of my own repair and maintenance work. I can also breed my own cows, and I am pretty good at diagnosing and treating health problems within the herd. What is the best decision you have made on your farm? Building the new freestall barn, without question, was the best decision. The all-around improvement in cow comfort has been amazing. The cows are happy and comfortable, and milk production is up. They are able to walk around as they choose rather than being tied up in the stalls. I knew right away, after touring some other barns, that I wanted to use Easyx exible stalls. What are three things on the farm that you cannot live without? I couldn’t live without the skid loader. I use it for everything and anything. It saves a lot of wear and tear on a body.
DANIELLE NAUMANN/DAIRY STAR
Zach Stoet stands in his freestall barn Nov. 30 in Rozellville, Wisconsin. Stoet milks 90 cows on his Marathon County farm. Second would be the automatic takeoffs in the parlor. I like seeing the milk temperature information. It helps me detect health issues before they become a problem. Third would be the exible stalls. The cows never have issues getting up or getting stuck, and I never see cows that are banged up from the stalls.
We switch back and forth, helping each other with eldwork. The biggest thing is to be respectful of their schedules and be appreciative of their time. I try to let everyone know how much I appreciate them helping me.
What strategies do you use to withstand the volatile milk prices? I try and keep expenses minimal. I only purchase things that are necessary and put off purchasing things I want. I really watch spending.
What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I like that no day is ever the same. I would go crazy having to be in an ofce or a job that every day was like the one before. You can start the morning thinking your day will go in one direction, and by the end, it can have taken a completely different track.
How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? My help is mostly family, friends and neighbors. My girlfriend helps with milking and calves. My dad helps as he can, and I have neighbors who help.
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? I would tell others to try and stay positive. There is so much negative in the world and in the dairy industry right now, but stay focused on the positive. Keep pushing forward,
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What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? For the next year, I just want to keep improving what we are already doing. In ve years, I would like to explore a robotic milking system or building a parlor onto the freestall barn. I’m not certain about robots because I really enjoy milking my own cows. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? That is a hard one because it seems like I’m always doing something on the farm. I like spending time with friends and visiting with other people, but we usually end up talking about farming. During the fall, I enjoy deer hunting.
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Memories in color
Having a smartphone has allowed me to take hundreds of photos of our experience raising kids on the farm over the past decade. The only problem is, I never did anything with the photos. I would capture the moment and then let it disappear into the cloud. Since the dispersal of our herd in June, my 10-yearold daughter has really been missing a few of her favorite cows. I decided to get a few photos ordered so that she could remember them. I navigated to Google Photos and immediately went down a rabbit hole of memories. I ended up spending a couple hours and a few dollars on ordering way By Abby Wiedmeyer more prints than I Staff Writer originally intended to. When I saw the total number of prints ordered, I thought perhaps I went a little overboard. When the box of about a thousand photos arrived in the mail, however, I had no regrets. The kids and I sat down and put all the photos in albums, laughing and crying at all that we have endured in the last decade or so and all the animals we were blessed to care for along the way. There are photos of everyday life: the kids lling water tanks, feeding bottle calves, my husband doing eldwork or hauling manure, seles with my favorite cows and kids riding bikes through the mangers. There are photos of momentous times, like remodeling from a tiestall barn to a step-up parlor and freestall setup. This included pulling out 480 feet of barn cleaner chain. Out with it came a lot of stress and grief it had caused us. It also included my brother taking a week to help us pour concrete. There is a photo of all the cows lying on their sand-bedded stalls after the sand shooter bucket failed and my husband spent an entire night pitching sand by hand to get the project done. There are so many photos of animals too. Dogs, cats, cows, chickens — and one of the time I came out to milk cows and found a huge owl perched in the holding area. I’m amazed that the kids can remember the names of all the cats that have come and gone as well as so many bull calves that were not even with us that long. Some times were not so great when they happened but are fun to reect on since we know we all survived. Like the time my oldest daughter took her bike down the biggest hill on the farm and ended up with a concussion while I was milking and her dad was working in the elds. The photo of that day includes her three younger siblings waiting in the emergency room, covered in dirt and manure and missing shirts and shoes. I’m still thankful for that understanding doctor who said she would rather see dirty kids playing outside than clean kids who sat around and watched TV all day. A decade worth of memories lled four big photo albums, and I can’t describe how therapeutic it has been to page through them. It has been almost six months since we closed the chapter on our dairy career, and every day I have conicting emotions about it. Sometimes I can’t believe we ever did all that work, and some days I can’t believe we quit. It is tempting to dwell on all the hard times that went with milking to justify why we chose to sell our cows. These photos reminded me of how many smiles we shared during our dairy days. It’s hard to realize that even if we brought cows back, it would never be the same because our kids will never be that little again. All we can do is be grateful for the time we had with our animals and be happy that our glory days included cows and children. There is something special about seeing the memories in colorful, tangible photos. I encourage you to take more photos and treat yourself to getting them printed. It was worth it for me, and it might be for you too.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 35
This weekend, I witnessed two children in their snow boots, snow pants, warm jackets and mittens making a snowman in our front yard. There was just a dusting of snow as they rolled the balls, getting them as big as they could push. They stacked the two balls and patted the snow, with the leaves from the ground sticking out to give the little snowman a camouage look. They ran back to the milkhouse where I was washing the calf pails to ask if I had a carrot. When I brought the carrot from the house, along with a few caps from milk jugs to make eyes and a mouth, the boys were so excited to show me their creation. The arms were two thick sticks, placed perfectly in the side, and the carrot was the nishing touch to complete their masterpiece. I had them pose for a photo with their sister By Tina Hinchley and brother. It was a great Farmer & Columnist photo of these kids, and I sent it to their father, Phil, who is a single dad and our herdsman. I knew he’d circulate the photo to the rest of the family. The dog made his debut in the family photo. Moose is easily excited and was soon running, jumping and barking to get the attention of the kids. Needless to say, we didn’t fully understand what he was barking about. But, it wasn’t long before he pulled off the snowman’s arm and brought it for the kids to throw for him, and he ate the carrot nose. We all laughed and threw the stick arm for a while, until Moose found another ball to throw. These will be memories for the kids to remember for years to come. I mentioned that we will have big piles of snow as winter weather comes full force soon. As long as they have their snow gear, they can dig holes into the piles to make igloos. They thought back to last year, knowing there will be snow days when they stay home from school and also many opportunities to go sledding at the park just like last winter. They chattered and talked about how much fun it was going down the hill, but it wasn’t much fun walking up. I was struck by the memories of my kids making snowmen and sledding on that same hill at the park. That was over 20 years ago. Four kids all talking and sharing their stories was a good way to help me feel more excited about winter and the holidays. As they were playing in the snow, they were practicing their songs for their winter concerts for school. One was “Let’s Build a Snowman,” and another was “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” The words they sang were just a little off and made my heart warm knowing that they won’t always sing so freely. When I heard the anticipation in their voices about making a wish list for Santa, knowing that it is hard for a family with two parents to ll a wish list, I knew Phil will do his best. I remember the worries and sinking feelings about Christmas gifts and trying to make it special with a tight budget. Pressure from ads on the radio and our TV and phones can push us to put purchases on credit cards, only to fear the end result when the bill arrives later. I know I am not the only one who dreads the longer nights, the cold feet, and the chapped hands and cheeks that come with working outside. Winter and the holiday season can be a real bummer for many old and young folks in farming and the rural communities. As years go by, many friends and family members have passed away, and the connections to others in small towns are difcult with cold weather and slippery roads. The fears of getting stuck in the ditch or even falling can lead to isolation. If you know of any neighbors who are possibly in need of some
company or a ride somewhere, reach out and be the person who helps. You might be the only person that they have seen or spoken to for days. It will make winter much easier when someone is there to talk to and assist with a simple phone call. Farm families working together can also experience depression and frustration with very little room to just simply get away for a break. Family problems, relationships, farm-related job stress and even substance abuse can increase during the holidays. Farming is even harder in winter, and our tipping point can be sooner. We all can use someone to talk to. It can be just a phone call away. The Wisconsin Farm Center aims to increase ac-
cess to resources for farmers and their families. If you are feeling suicidal, call 9-8-8. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression or just need a welcoming ear to talk to, call the 24/7 helpline at 888-901-2558. It is free to talk to a trained individual who specializes in the problems of farmers and their families, and if you or your loved one would like to continue counseling, the Wisconsin Farm Center will be able to provide counseling vouchers. Tina Hinchley, her husband Duane and daughter Anna milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchleys have been hosting farm tours for over 25 years.
Editorial disclaimer: The views expressed by our columnists are the opinions and thoughts of the author and do not reect the opinions and views of Dairy Star staff and ownership.
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The case for cursive Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
Aug. 19, 1932 Dear Annie, “Got yous letter tuuday and we also send that darn bead away am glad it is gone surely we done ne packing dont let them tell you that it wasent pack write. Lales beather then when it came the mattress we roled up and put lutes of paper around it and an the out side we put tobacco cuves (I do not know what that word should be) and I sowed it shut. And the sides of the bead took each separated and then we tiede the two together we youse gunney sacks and lates of paper so I giss it want get hurt. I can peaches this week we got fty to pints and we have fty two quarts of sweet crabs pickles so you see I am all in tired I was to tired to bake a cake for Miss Newburg so we bought her 6 six dozen of sales dad help carry Ms Smith it was a large funeral. I stade home was in bed till half pass eleven. Mr & Mrs Dove stade till half pass ve. Mr. Herricks diede will be buried Saturday leave a wife and four children. I close with love, Mother. Save
this paper if any trouble turns up so we have it to show.” I typed this letter as close to how it was written as possible. It was scrawled in loopy yet neat cursive. Even with typing, some words take work to understand. Be it the way some words were spelled at the time or the result of lack of education, it is a challenge to decode. I believe: lales = lays; beather = better; giss = guess; and lutes = lots. When you add the lack of punctuation, it can be a real struggle, but it is so intriguing and rewarding. There is a pile of these letters; it is a deep dive into the history of the time, all penned by my great-great-grandma Mary Mlsna. After reading a while, you can tell that she most likely suffered from the same migraines that plague members of the Mlsna family to this day. She will write about having “a pain in mine head” and not being able to get out of bed. These letters were saved by Mary’s daughter, Annie, for years. Annie lived with her family in Marsheld, hence the need to update her on all the
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area deaths and everyday events. I share this family treasure to help prove a point. If I had no knowledge of how to read and write in cursive, these pieces of history would be untouchable for me. I was of the era of children who learned how to read and write cursive in elementary school. I remember our handwriting workbook, the diligence of my teachers to painstakingly check them over and make certain we were forming our letters correctly. Handwriting had its own line on our report cards. There were cursive alphabets above the blackboards in every grade from third through sixth. Paper was used. Pencils were worked down to a stub. We eventually became old enough to be trusted with those won- Ramblings from the Ridge drous erasable pens. We were expected to write in cursive on every assignment. We were rewarded for our efforts with praise and constructive criticism. Due to the work on cursive writing in our formative years, we children of the ‘90s can read and write in that beautiful script known as cursive. By Jacqui Davison The loss of the art of cursive writing is sad. I Columnist love the way everyone has their own style of looping and swooping the letters. When you use cursive, your writing has its own style. I recall hearing a radio show discussing the positives of cursive and noting that it helps your brain recall information when notes are written in cursive. The simple process of not having to pick up your pencil for each letter allows your brain to continue a thought and then remember it. It also lets the ideas ow better when you do not pause in between each letter. Creative thinking and writing in cursive — what a beautiful marriage. The push of technology into our children’s hands and heads undoubtedly causes things to get pushed to the wayside to make room for these new skills that we are assured our kids will need in the future. How will they read letters from one great-greatgrandparent to another that they saved from those long years when grandpa was in the service? How will they read letters talking about the price that great-greatgrandma got for her eggs when she sold them during the Depression? How will they read the tiny scrawl at the bottom of a card given to them on the day of their birth from a glowing grandparent? They need to learn cursive. I am a lover of words and often write them to remember. I also delight in writing in cursive. Give me a new, smooth-rolling pen, a fresh sheet of paper, and let the ideas ow. I also enjoy sending cards. It became aware to me last week that most high school students cannot read my cursive. Not because of messy writing, but because they stopped using cursive after the lessons in third and fourth grade. It wasn’t mandatory or encouraged, and they type everything. No one helped them keep up on their cursive skills. My boys have to translate cursive-written notes for their friends. They are uent. I only print for little ones in my world. If you are fourth grade or older, cursive it is. If you are in the minority of humans that seem to know how to write in cursive, keep it up. Cursive is a dying art and few are attending the funeral. Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and farm 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira, Dane, Henry and Cora, help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos, and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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One more colostrum study There have been a lot of studies regarding colostrum in dairy calves. By now, everyone knows that quantity, quality and timeliness of delivery are critically important for proper absorption of immunoglobulins into the calf’s bloodstream and that adequate transfer is needed for optimal calf health growth. Veterinary Wisdom and Until recently, most experts described the level of IgG or total protein in the calf’s blood as adequate or as a failure of passive transfer. For example, a total protein value of somewhere between 5 and 5.5 was considered adequate, depending on whose standard one was following. In 2020, the By Jim Bennett recommendations were Columnist changed and categories of excellent, good, fair and poor were created. Excellent means a total protein value of greater or equal to 6.2, good means 5.86.1, fair means 5.1-5.7 and poor is below 5.1. In addition, a herd standard was created. We now expect more than 40% of calves in a herd to test excellent, 30% to test good, no more than 20% to test fair and less than 10% to test poor. It turns out that, with calf antibodies, more is better. However, do we know that calves with excellent passive transfer do better than good, or that good do better than fair and fair better than poor?
A recent study (Sutter, et. al. JDS 2023) looked at exactly these questions. For the study, researchers assessed 3,434 Holstein calves from a farm in Germany. Total-protein assessment found 4.8% of the calves in the poor category, 29.5% in the fair category, 28.3% in the good category and 37.4% excellent category. Calf health was evaluated for the rst 90 days of life and showed 28% percent of the calves had at least one case of pneumonia, 6.3% had diarrhea and 0.9% had a naval infection. Overall, 32.6% of calves had one disease and 2.5% had multiple diseases. Combining the health data with the total protein results showed that the level of antibody did affect the incidence of disease and death. For example, calves with a poor level of total protein had a greater hazard risk for pneumonia (2), overall morbidity (1.99) and mortality (2.47) than calves in the excellent category. The hazard risk is just the relative risk of developing a disease compared to another animal. For example, a hazard risk of 2 means that the animal is twice as likely to be affected as the other animal. Calves with good and fair total protein levels had signicantly greater hazard risk for pneumonia (good 1.35, fair 1.41) and for overall morbidity (good 1.26, fair 1.32) compared to calves with excellent total protein levels. Calves born with calving assistance had lower total proteins than unassisted calves. Calves from cows with three or more lactations had lower total protein levels than calves from heifers or lactationtwo cows. The employee providing calving assis-
Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 37
tance and neonatal care also signicantly affected the total protein levels. There was also a relationship between average daily gain during the rst 60 days of life and total protein status. Calves with excellent and good levels had an ADG of .90 kilograms per day and .92 kilograms per day, respectively. The ADG of calves with fair levels was .89 kilograms per day and of calves with poor levels was .86 kilograms per day. The study did not show a strong relationship between incidence of diarrhea and total proteins. However, this may have been due to a relatively low number of cases of diarrhea reported. This study supports the validity of the new passive immunity classication scheme based on four categories. It shows that total protein testing should not be a pass-fail test but instead should have categories of success. Higher levels of antibodies in blood of baby calves means less disease, especially pneumonia in the rst 90 days, less overall morbidity and reduced death rates. Thus, farmers can be condent that achieving the standards for levels in those four categories will reduce the levels of disease and death on their farms. Excellent really is better than good when it comes to passive transfer in dairy calves. Bennett is one of four dairy veterinarians at Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center in Plainview, Minnesota. He also consults on dairy farms in other states. He and his wife, Pam, have four children. Jim can be reached at bennettnvac@ gmail.com with comments or questions.
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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
End-of-year planning Every December, it’s time to send the books off to our accountant and nd out whether we need to make some investments in feed, facilities or equipment to avoid giving the government more money than necessary. She’s still working on guring that out, but I doubt we’ll be looking at many fun endof-year purchases after buying large quantities of hay at prices higher than I’d prefer thanks to a third year in a row of drought. More and more often, though, we nd ourselves having to make investments to take on a job we’d previously hired out, and this year is another one of those years. We’ve been renting baggers for as long as I can remember. I vaguely remember lling the Harvestore, but it was deemed not worth repairing around the time I was only old enough to watch wagons unload and shut the PTO off on the tractor if anything went wrong while Dad went to get the next
wagon from the eld. At rst, we rented from a guy who, if I remember right, had the awesome name of “Dan The Bagger Man.” I learned how to set up bags and unload silage boxes into the bagger. Other than lling the stave silo occasionally, we’ve exclusively stored chopped feeds in bags since then. The bagger man got out of renting baggers, and we found a new guy to rent from, who has probably been renting us baggers for 20 years. We used to have a neighbor do our chopping custom for us, and Dad and I unloaded chopper boxes. My boys now have that job, leaving me to cut hay and keep everything moving by repairing whatever isn’t working at that moment. Dad does the chopping after we invested in a tractor and chopper a number of years back when it got hard to nd people to chop for us. Taking over chopping was a good move, as it allowed us to put hay up in a more relaxed manner.
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It did, however, result in a whole bunch more equipment needing maintenance and updating, which didn’t seem like a big deal when I was 20. But, at 40, with a lot more and bigger equipment, I’ve come to realize that owning the tools to do everything is a bit of a double-edged sword. Keeping all those things working is almost as big of a headache as nding someone else From the Zweber Farm to bring their stuff over and do the job. Depending how expensive the broken parts are, we either save a pretty decent amount of money doing it ourselves or break even. The amount of large repair bills always keeps me from wanting to invest in yet another piece of equipment that By Tim Zweber currently someone else Farmer & Columnist drops off. Repairs are their problem when they pick it back up. This year, though, our bagger rental guy let me know he was retiring soon, and his baggers were up for sale to his customers. We make enough bags each year to justify owning a bagger, but just enough. It would take a good while to pay off that investment, but we’ve come to rely on a bagger being here pretty much all summer. Finding a rental guy willing to drop off a bagger and not pick it up until silage season didn’t seem like a realistic ask. We decided to buy one of the baggers that we’ve been using the last couple seasons. Here’s hoping it appreciates regular maintenance and an easy life of making ve to seven bags a year in the form of not breaking in any costly ways, stretching out that return on investment window.
At first, we rented from a guy who, if I remember right, had the awesome name of “Dan The Bagger Man.” Until next time, keep living the dream, and don’t forget to get that pile of receipts and invoices sorted through. It’s awfully hard to make sound purchase decisions or round up extra money needed to cover taxes if you don’t start until Christmas time. I’m sure the sales guys at the local implement dealer will be happy to sell you something last minute, but it probably won’t be ideal. There’s always prepaying feed, I guess. I’ve never encountered a time that wasn’t a wise investment. Tim Zweber farms with his wife, Emily, their three children and his parents, Jon and Lisa, near Elko, Minnesota.
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Pursuing the presence of the season Busy, busy, busy. This seems to be the current theme on our dairy and in our lives as of late. Looking around, it also seems to be the current theme in our society. There is more to do, more gifts to buy, presents to wrap, chores to complete, cards to send, food to prepare and places to go. The older we become, the faster time seems to move, and before we know it, another year has come and gone. Another holiday season will have ashed before our eyes, and we will be off and onto the next season. This past week, we found ourselves very busy trying to capitalize
The NexGen: Adventures of two dairy daughters
By Megan Schrupp & Ellen Stenger Columnists on the warm December weather. One of the tasks on our long todo list was moving heifers. If you are a dairy farmer or grew up on a dairy farm, you will understand the signicance of moving heifers. For the few unseasoned participants that may be reading, moving heifers is the job of routinely moving our heifers to different pens as they grow and outgrow the size a specic pen has been designed for. It’s usually a task we all want to just get done so we can move on to other, more important things. A task that is often the least favorite or dreaded task to do as it requires all hands on deck, oftentimes makeshift gates, (This can include things like machinery, kids with arms stretched wide or any ol’ piece of wood lying conveniently close.) loading heifers onto a trailer or just running the heifers across an open space. We remember helping with this task with our grandfather and uncle, then uncle, dad, and cousins, and now with dad. This year, however, while moving one of the groups, we were hit with a moment, a ash of a memory of moving heifers all those years, and a subsequent feeling of an urge to pause in that spe-
cic moment with our dad. Instead of wishing for the project to be done so we could move on to all the other things that needed to be completed, we should instead enjoy the time that we were spending with our dad. The time that we were spending working together as a family. It’s moments like this where we allow the ordinary to become the extraordinary that add richness to life on the farm. It is tempting to think there is always something better coming around the corner or constantly thinking of all the things that we need to do that day, or that week or before the cold weather arrives. We are guilty of that on our farm and in our lives, especially during the Christmas season. We can’t wait to do all the things, check all the items off our to-do lists, and before we know it, the season is over. Our grandparents and parents are a year older. Our children are grown and then soon gone to build their own lives. Time is precious. Therefore, this season we are focusing on being intentional about the moments we are spending this Christmas season. This isn’t about adding more to your list or actively trying to make more memories. It’s about allowing the little things to capture our attention and pausing in those moments, rather than just brushing them aside. The most important gifts aren’t found under the tree. Time, the here and now, is our most precious gift. It’s presence, not presents. It’s appreciating moments spent with loved ones milking cows, a conversation with friends at church, helping a newborn calf drink its rst bottle, frosting Christmas cookies with kids and grandparents, a few minutes of gratitude and observation while waiting for the mixer to process a batch of feed or fully partaking in a beautiful Nativity service at church. Immersing ourselves in these moments rather than being worried about the next allows us to live a fruitful and rich life on our family farm. Some may be sad that the year is coming to a close, while others can’t wait for it to be over. Either way, for today, let us focus on today. Today is a gift. This moment is a gift. Let us be present for the beauty and treasure it holds. Megan Schrupp and Ellen Stenger are sisters and co-owners of both NexGen Dairy and NexGen Market in Eden Valley, Minnesota. They can be reached at Nexgendairy@gmail. com.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Page 39
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, December 9, 2023
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Contact Your Local GEA Milking Equipment Dealer: Central Ag Supply, Inc. Juneau, WI • 920-386-2611 Baraboo, WI • 608-356-8384
Kozlovsky Dairy Equipment Kaukauna, WI • 920-759-9223 Weston, WI • 715-298-6256
Centre Dairy Equipment and Supply, Inc. Sauk Centre, MN 320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697
Leedstone, Inc. Melrose, MN 320-256-3303 • 800-996-3303 Glencoe, MN 320-864-5575 • 877-864-5575 Plainview, MN • 800-548-5240 Menomonie, WI • 715-231-8090
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