Seniors! CELEBRATING OUR
Pages 20 - 21 of the Second Section!
DAIRY ST R
June 12, 2021
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 23, No. 8
Getting his farm back on track
Jones invests in protabilitydriven improvements By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
RICHFIELD, Wis. – After nearly ve years of ghting to stay aoat, Krescent Valley Dairy is seeing better days. Things are turning around for Charlie Jones as he continues investing in his farm’s future. Putting the COVID-19 relief money he received from the government last year to good use, this sixth-generation farmer did not waste the chance to better his operation. “We found opportunities to reposition ourselves and used the money in a way that would make our farm protable again,” Jones said. Jones, who milks 150 cows and farms around 250 acres near Richeld, has kept the family farm that was founded in 1853 going through thick and thin. After bringing cows back to the farm in 2011, Jones updated and expanded over a 10-year time period. He built a freestall barn, doubled the size of his milking parlor, grew his herd nearly ve times over and made improvements designed to enhance efciency and convenience. He also increased milk production by 30 pounds per cow. However, the decade was not without struggles. Low milk prices and the loss of a large group of cows he purchased that did not pan out set Jones back for several years. “Looking back, I’m not sure if I would do this again,” said Jones about his decision to farm. “But once you’re on a moving train, you can’t jump off.” Farming skipped a generation in Jones family.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The team at Krescent Valley Dairy includes (front, from leŌ) Karen and Gordon Kraemer; (back, from leŌ) Dalton Stark, Dakota Holms, Charlie Jones, KrisƟn Jones and Michelle Jones. The Jones family milks 150 cows and farms around 250 acres near Richeld, Wisconsin.
Turn to JONES | Page 6
Growing the needed workforce
Paul teaches high schoolers necessary farm skills By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Kevin Paul (front) explains how he wants high school employee Tahtankka Damm to conƟnue harvesƟng the eld aŌer a training on chopping haylage at Paul’s dairy farm near Stetsonville, Wisconsin. The dairy farmer hires students for the workforce on his 104-cow dairy.
STETSONVILLE, Wis. – Kevin Paul is a teacher by nature which makes him a natural at cultivating a workforce which has served him well: high school students. Paul, who milks 104 cows on his dairy farm near Stetsonville, has come to rely on a workforce comprised of high-school aged students. Before embarking on his dairy farming career 25 years ago, Paul taught agriculture in Rib Lake. “I enjoyed that, but I decided to leave that to dairy farm because all roads lead to this,” Paul said. “If I decide I don’t want to do this tomorrow, I can do anything.” Hiring students suits Paul’s labor needs and helps alleviate the stress of a labor shortage when someone moves on to the next step in life. “I’m kind of a two-person farm, and the problem with that is that whenever one person leaves, you have a mess,” Paul said. “This way, we always have a welltrained crew. I’ve always had high school kids and had really great crews.” Paul carefully recruits his work crew with many being friends and relatives of his past workers. His current workforce includes six students. Turn to WORKFORCE | Page 7
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Krista Kuzma - Editor/Wisconsin (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Andrea Borgerding - Layout/Design (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, Western Iowa, SD & ND) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa, SW WI) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284 • kati.k@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
A glance at what’s inside
Happy June Dairy Month!
While we at Dairy Star love dairy farmers year-round, June gives us time to show our special appreciation for those who make this paper worthwhile. To all dairy farmers, thank you! Your hard work does not go unnoticed, and we appreciate being able to enjoy our delicious summer ice cream along with all the other tasty dairy products. For this year’s Summer Salute to Dairy, we asked people on our Facebook page to submit photos of family and/or friends on the farm, dairy animals or people enjoying dairy products to feature in the paper this month or on our social media. You will nd some of those pictures on pages 8-9 in second section. If you would like to submit any photos for our second June issue, please email Krista at krista.k@dairystar. com. PHOTO SUBMITTED Since dairy promotion is a big part of June, we asked Taylor Jerde, a 2020 Princess Kay of the people on their local promotion committees to answer this Milky Way nalist, and Chad Greenway, forissue’s questions for the “From our side of the fence” feature mer Minnesota Vikings player, give a milk on pages 15-16 in the rst section. From drive-thru dairy toast in honor of June Dairy Month last breakfasts, farm tours and partnerships with local businesses year on her family’s Castle View Farm near Northeld, Minnesota. and schools, there are many great events and ways these people share dairy with their community. For next issue’s “From our side of the fence,” we will be talking to people who hosted an on-farm dairy promotion event. If you or anyone you know has been a host, please let us know if you would like to answer our questions. Email Krista at krista.k@dairystar.com. We would love to hear from you! We hope you and your cows are staying cool, and happy reading!
SR 100 GII SERIES SPEEDRAKE® 18’10” - 23’4” working widths
•
Wheel Rakes
8-,10- and 12-wheel models
SIMPLICITY. VERSATILITY. QUALITY.
KuhnNorthAmerica.com
Independently adjust windrow widths to match pickup widths
Rear wheels raise last for Superior terrain following cleaner windrow ends ZLWKRXW QHHG IRU K\GUDXOLF ĠRDW
Fast, easy switching between WUDQVSRUW DQG ğHOG SRVLWLRQV
Farmers’ Implement Allenton
Komro Sales & Service Durand
Lindstrom Equipment Mondovi
Gibbsville Implement Waldo
D & D Farm Supply Arcadia
Eron Equipment Junction City
East Side Farm Equipment Monroe
Carl F. Statz & Sons Waunakee
Cherokee Garage Colby
Luxemburg Motor Co. Luxemburg
Frontier Ag & Turf New Richmond
A.C. McCartney Durand, IL
Beaver Machine Coleman
Riesterer & Schnell Marion
Steinhart Farm Service Platteville
Peabudy's North Pecatonica, IL
Kalscheur Implement Cross Plains
Lulich Implement Mason
Gruett’s Inc. Potter
Visit your local Wisconsin KUHN Hay and Forage Dealer today! INVEST IN QUALITY www.kuhn.com
®
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists
Pepin
First Section: Pages 18, 20
Buffalo
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
Hixton
Ruzic devotes life’s work to the red, white and roan
Country Cooking
Second Section: Pages 14 - 15
Wood
La Crosse
Juneau
Vernon
Richland
e nn Wi
Dane
First Section: Pages 15 - 16
Whiteside
Devin-Acres to host Sheboygan County Breakfast on the Farm
First Section: Pages 12 - 13
e
go
eba
n Win
Kenosha
McHenry
Ogle Lee
Racine
Richeld Kane
Jones invests in protability-driven improvements
First Section: Pages 1, 5 - 6
Rock Island Mercer
Hen ders
on
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
son
Walworth
DeKalb
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: What promotions do you do personally and as a part of your dairy promotion group?
Rock
hen
p Ste
Elkhart Lake
Jefferson Waukesha
on
Jo Daviess
Carroll
Zone 2
Do or
Green Lake Fond Du Lac
Columbia Dodge
Sauk
Lafayette Green
First Section: Page 34
Zone 1
go ba Calumet
Waushara
Iowa
Grant
e mi Brown
Ou
aw
Kickapoo Grazing Initiative kicks off pasture walk season
Cr
Ferryville
Oconto
a tag
Adams
Monroe
te
Shawano
for
Page 30 Second Section
Menominee
Portage Waupaca Jackson
et
Langlade
Marathon
Clark
Eau Claire
in
Ke w
Pierce
Chippewa
Menominee
ton S he bo Milwaukee Ozauk M yg ee an anito wo c
Luckwaldt Agriculture Inc. emphasizes health traits in breeding protocol
Dunn
Taylor
ar
Bo
Page 33 First Section
St. Croix
Woodville
Lincoln
ce
M
Forest
ett e
Page 31 First Section
ren
Oneida
Rusk
Barron
d
Polk
Price
Delta
Dickinson
Vilas
Flo
Sawyer
Trempealeau
Veterinary Wisdom
Iron
ing
ur Burnett
Page 30 First Section
Come Full Circle
Ashland
n
Ramblings from the Ridge
Third Section: Pages 6 - 8
Bayeld
Douglas
First Section: Page 37
First Section: Page 28
Woldt Farms fullls feed requirements across the state
Wa sh
Women in Dairy: Nicole Bradley
Second Section: Pages 16, 18-19
Brillion
Schroepfer named WFBF’s inaugural Hero of Hope
qu
Camp Douglas
hb
Page 27 First Section
First Section: Pages 1, 5 - 7
Bryant
A day in the life of the Prosser family
Paul teaches high schoolers necessary farm skills
Wa s
Farmer and Columnist
Columbus
aun ee
Stetsonville
Pages 8-9 First Section
Ma r
Ag Insider
n
re War
COMPLETE MANURE EXPERTS Hull, IA Watertown, SD
(712) 439-2081 (605) 753-0300
www.automatedwastesystems.com
Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 Firestone tracks. Built for dependability.
COMMITMENT. 9 years. WE AREN’T AFRAID OF
WE’LL GIVE YOU
Discount on In-Stock Models!
Coverage as strong as our tires. Made in USA
WW Tire Service
F&M Co-op Oil
Bryant, SD • (605) 202-8820
Friedrich’s Tire & Oil
Madison, SD • (605) 273-5021
Sauk Centre, MN •(320) 316-3701
Rule Tire & Auto
Willmar, MN • (320)-403-2783
1-800-887-4634•(608) 723-4634 John, Jim & Dave Fuller 423 U.S. Hwy. 61 North • Lancaster, WI
FIRESTONEAG.COM #F A R M H A R D
www.fullersmilkercenter.com
*Two-year free replacement on radial tires. Certain limitations and conditions apply to both.
Dirty Water? CLEAN IT UP WITH
Effective for Alternative Bedding!
Pure 3000 Chlorine Dioxide Technology
A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WATER INJECTION SYSTEM W
LIVESTOCK PEST CONTROL SYSTEM AUTOMATIC • SELF-TREATING
Dual Germicide-Barrier Teat Dip That checks ALL the boxes (Fast & Long Lasting Kill)
Primary Germicide / Chlorine Dioxide - Fast Kill (6 Log / 15 Seconds)
Secondary Germicide / Heptanoic Acid - Kills for hours
Excellent Skin Conditioners rs Less Tacky (No Sticky Build-Up Left Behind) & Quick Dry Time Great Color Marking — Very Low Drip Rates
Advanced Dairy Solutions
IRON, MANGANESE and SULFUR in water!
DIP more Cows/gal. HIGHER ROI
REDUCES:
• Respiratory • Crypto Issues • Salmonella • Scours • E-coli
Bob’s Dairy Supply
540 E. County Rd. A • Dorchester, WI 54425 278 W. Court St. • Richland Center, WI 53581 (715) 654-5252 (608) 647-4488
East Central Dairy Supply 2195 Hwy. 23 • Mora, MN 55051 (320) 679-1029
Professional Dairy Systems Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Anderson Dairy Systems, Inc. 1449 Homecrest Ave. • Wadena, MN 56482 105 3rd Ave. NW • Epworth, IA 52045 1312 13 1/2 Ave. • Barron, WI 54812 (715) 537-3300
Athman Dairy Inc.
238 Main Street North • Pierz, MN 56364 (320) 468-2494
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST: • Prototheca • Staph Aureus • Mycoplasma • Pseudomonas
INCREASE THE YEARLY REVENUE ON YOUR HERD BY UP TO $240 PER HEAD!
For use with
AERO-MAX Synergized Insecticide 1% Permethrin 1% Piperonyl Butoxide (for resistance control) • Oil based formulation • Adheres and endures • Cost Effective • Safe for cow & environment • Ready to use thick or thin
FOR MORE INFO - CONTACT ONE OF THESE DEALERS...
Advanced Dairy Systems
9 State Rd. 29 • Spring Valley, WI 54767 (715) 772-3201
Removes
• Adaptable to any operation - 34.5”/ 7 gal. or 69”/14 gal. - customized sizes too! • Easy to install & maintain • No valves or pumps to malfunction • Affordable • Durable construction • No pesticide waste • Patented WIK Applicators
(218) 632-5416
D&D Ag Supply
133 Atlantic Ave. NE • Pennock, MN 56279 (320) 599-4466
(563) 876-3087
Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. 423 U.S. 61 • Lancaster, WI 53813 (608) 723-4634
Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment 1400- 7th St. SE • Pipestone, MN 56164 (507) 825-3271
Tri-County Dairy Supply, Inc.
4107 N US HWY 51 • Janesville. WI 53545 608-757-2697
Precision Dairy Equipment 24548 IA-13 • Elkader, IA 52043 (563) 245-2560
Lang’s Dairy Equipment, Inc.
2337 Millennium Rd. • Decorah, IA 52101 (563) 382-8722 1467 West 5th Street • Winona, MN 55987 (507) 452-5532
Leedstone
222 E Co Rd 173, Melrose, MN 56352 (320) 256-3303 24260 Cty. Rd. 27 • Plainview, MN 55964 (507) 534-3161
Leedstone
1720 Freitag Dr. • Menomonie, WI 54751 (715) 231-8090
United Dairy Systems
210 N. Industrial Pkwy • West Union, IA 52175 (563) 422-5355
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 5
ConƟnued from JONES | Page 1
Thank you Dairy Producers!
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
The Jones Family expanded their milking parlor last summer, turning the stepup double-4 into a double-8, cuƫng milking Ɵme from ve hours down to two. He was 10 years old when his grandparents, Gordon and Karen Kraemer, sold the milking herd in 2001. “The cows were here one day and gone the next,” said Jones, who looked forward to the day he could turn the farm back into a dairy operation. “I always wanted to farm.” Even though his parents moved to the farm after his grandparents moved down the road, Jones’ folks were not dairy farmers. His dad, Bob, owned a small business that manufactured and installed industrial control panels for food and beverage processing, and his mom, Michelle, drove bus and served school lunch. Michelle continues to drive bus while also working full time at Costco in addition to helping her son on the farm nearly every day. His parents own the farm, but Jones and his wife, Kristin, live on the farm and own the cattle and most of the machinery. Kristin works full time at a distribution center in Germantown and feeds calves weekday nights and weekend mornings. Jones has two full-time employees – Dalton Stark and Dakota Holms. Stark feeds and does machinery maintenance and eld work, and Holms is the main nighttime milker. Jones’ part-time milking crew includes brothers Sam and Mitchell Lohry, Kolby Bohling and Mara Sakac. Jones named the farm Krescent Valley Dairy, and in 2014, he updated
the dry cow barn, changing from a bedded pack to free stalls while also putting in drive-by feeding. He installed headlocks in his heifer housing and doubled the size of his freestall barn. Jones went from milking 80 cows to milking 130. “I bought what I thought was a nice group of cows, but 40 of them were junk,” Jones said. “A year later, there were only ve left. After the expansion, I had one month of good prices before things fell apart. We had four to ve tough years and had no money to replace the cows we lost.” Jones milked a little over 100 cows for a couple years while waiting for his heifers to calve. During the tough times, Jones and his mom did the brunt of the chores, with help from some nighttime milkers and Jones’ wife on the weekends. “Chores took forever,” Jones said. Jones saw a turnaround toward the end of 2019, but then COVID-19 struck in 2020. The silver lining of the pandemic for Jones came in the form of relief money from the government. Jones took advantage of the nancial assistance given to farmers through various programs, viewing it as an opportunity to put the farm back on a profitable path. Jones was deliberate in his spending, investing in technologies and facilities to help improve his business. Jones put in a bigger parlor, turning Turn to JONES | Page 6
We salute the dedicated farmers who produce the quality dairy products we enjoy.
320-836-2145 or 800-450-2145
Check out our newly redesigned website to ½nd a Famo Feeds dealer near you!
www.famofeeds.com
Repair vs. Replace
Electronic Dairy Board Repair Service
Specializing in: WestfaliaSurge, BouMatic, & DeLaval pulsators & Takeoffs, circuit boards, Mueller milk tank circuit boards. Call: (c) 406-590-7764
www.circuitÀxer.wixsite.com/ boumaticboardrepair
KNOCK OUT FLIES with the June Special! 888-771-3276
Useful Farm Products www.dairyflyparasites.com email:usefulfarm@gmail.com
NEW, UPDATE, OR REMODEL? WE CAN DO THAT!
Pat and Derek Auth Arkansaw, WI
Remodeled their Double 8 parlor into a Double 12 and added new Turner Stalls
RENNER, SD MENOMONIE, WI ZUMBROTA, MN 605-274-3656 715-235-5144 800-233-8937 Celebrating 50 years in business! www.midwestlivestock.com
Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
ConƟnued from JONES | Page 5
Willmar, MN • 320.231.1470
EXPANDING OR REMODELING YOUR LIVESTOCK OPERATION? LANGE AG SYSTEMS SPECIALIZES IN:
Ŷ NEW FACILITIES
_
NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL
Ŷ RETROFITTING & REMODELING Ŷ TURNKEY PROJECTS Ŷ BARN DESIGN Ŷ INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS
ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ tĞ KīĞƌ͗ ͻ sĞŶƟůĂƟŽŶ &ĂŶƐ ͻ sĞŶƟůĂƟŽŶ ŽŶƚƌŽůƐ ͻ WŽƐŝƟǀĞ WƌĞƐƐƵƌĞ dƵďĞƐ ͻ ƵƌƚĂŝŶ ^LJƐƚĞŵƐ ͻ DĂƩƌĞƐƐĞƐ ͻ tĂƚĞƌĞƌƐ ͻ ^ƚĂůů ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ͻ ,ĞĂĚůŽĐŬƐ ͻ DŝƐƟŶŐ ^LJƐƚĞŵƐ
Lange Ag Systems is proud to offer Grain Bags, Silage Bags & Bunker Covers from Up North Plastics and Feed Fresh Silage Covers & Custom Size Bunker Covers from Raven!
t ^ >> E t Θ h^ 'ͳ ' Θ < >>z Zz E '' Z^
www.LangeAgSystems.com I F A
Roller-Grinder
More milk less feed with uniform Àne-grind Solid cast rolls All belt-electric drive Single or double mills USA & International sales Replacement rolls available for most mills Used mills and tumble mixers on hand Hammer Mills
Phone: (319) 634-3849 • Toll Free: (800) 426-0261 web: www.ifamill.com • email: ifamill@netins.net
“JETCRETE”
(pnuematically applied concrete)
• Reline your silo w/Jetcrete • Basement and Barnwall Resurfacing w/Jetcrete • Repair Concrete Storage Vats, Bunker Silos, Buildings, etc., w/Jetcrete
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Heifer calves at Krescent Valley Dairy are housed in this area created in 2014 to house calves ages 2 to 6 months old and features headlocks, fans and hutches. his step-up double-4 into a double-8. “The bigger parlor has made life a lot easier,” Jones said. “It used to take ve hours to milk. Now it only takes about two. It’s also better for the cows because they don’t have to stand around so long.” Jones bought a robotic feed pusher, and milk production went up 8 to 10 pounds per cow per day as a result. “The feed pusher made a huge difference,” Jones said. “In the past, there was no one there to push in feed from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Now, the feed pusher is running all the time, and the cows always have feed. They’re milking good. We’re almost at 90 pounds per cow. When I rst started farming, I was at 60 pounds. It’s been quite the journey that way.” Jones also hired a farm marketing
rm last year to offer guidance with milk contracts and feed inputs. “Buying options saved our butt this year,” said Jones, who also bought a year’s worth of corn in advance. In addition, Jones replaced the tiestall barn’s original wood oor. “We always try to do something to keep the buildings up,” Jones said. “Every generation here has done a good job of that.” Jones will have his cows paid off by the end of this year and has also hired more people to make the workload more manageable for him and his family. Jones endured a long slump, but he had the grit to stick it out and is seeing success again. Reaching a point where prots are exceeding losses, Jones continues to beautify the family farm while boosting productivity and protability.
800-866-7327
CELEBRATE June Dairy Mon�
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Dry cow housing was updated in 2014 on the Jones family farm. They changed it from a bedded pack to freestalls and added drive-by feeding.
Thank you to all of the hard working people in the dairy industry! Including our employees, truck drivers, and producers.
Talk to us about what we have on hand and coming in & on order
®
Keep eep your cattle happy and healthy with w a great TMR mix.
A Supreme vertical mixer is powerful, thorough and accurate, providing the best TMR mix on the market. Unlike other mixers, a Supreme is built to last, providing exceptionally accurate mixes throughout its entire life. With proper care and maintenance, a Supreme will offer the same great mix from the ܪrst cow to the last – Guaranteed.
Franzen Sales & Service
2724 State Highway 24 • Fort Atkinson, IA
(563) 534-2724
www.wapsievalley.com
www.franzensales.com
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 7
ConƟnued from WORKFORCE | Page 1 “Only once have I ever placed an ad looking for someone,” Paul said. “Some of these kids, I have been watching as they have been growing up. Last year, when the pandemic hit, it was kind of a nice spring because all of the sudden I had all of these kids needing something to do, and I had plenty of help.” Paul tries to keep a rotation of students to allow for more experienced workers to mentor younger workers. Tahtankka Damm, 18, is a recent graduate of Medford High School and has worked on Paul’s dairy for two years. Damm will attend the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to study agricultural engineering, and Paul has begun training two new employees on the farm to help ll the vacancy. “I enjoy working with the cows and being in the elds,” Damm said. “I’ve gotten the promotion to learn to drive the new tractor and run the chopper this year. I have learned a lot working for Kevin and gained a lot of real-world experience that will help me out in whatever I end up doing in the future.” Erich Moretz, 14, will be a freshman at Medford High School this fall and is one of the newer members of Paul’s work force, milking and feeding calves. “Learning to work with other people as a team has been really helpful for me,” Moretz said.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Kevin Paul watches as his high school employee, Kayden Dassow, backs up to a chopper box at his dairy near Stetsonville, Wisconsin. Because of his background in education, Paul takes teaching teamwork and working safely seriously. June 3 was no exception as Paul set out to teach three employees to do various jobs in the process of putting up rst-crop hay, including teaching them to merge, chop and operate the bagger. Kayden Dassow, 17, is one of the workers learning to put up haylage for the rst time. Dassow will be a senior at Medford High School when school resumes this fall and has worked for Paul for nearly a full year. “I have learned a lot work-
ing here, and I think that it has made me a more well-rounded person and will help me make decisions for what I want to do after high school,” Dassow said. Dassow said he appreciates the ability to grow in his duties on the farm and has graduated from simple milking duties to mixing feed. He is also becoming more involved in eldwork, a proposition that excites him. “One of my favorite things is to play, ‘How much does this cost?’ I’m always asking them,” Paul said as he mixed the inoculant for the haylage, asking Dassow for his guess as
they worked to set up the bagger. “It makes them understand the value and importance of the things we work with on the farm.” The students all appreciate Paul’s approach to teaching. Garrett Searer, 17, will also be starting his senior year at Medford High School in the fall. Searer has been working on Paul’s farm for nearly a year. Searer said he likes feeding calves and is enjoying the prospect of learning to do more in the elds. He spent the rst day of haylage making learning to merge the windrows. “I have learned a lot from (Paul),” Searer said. “He takes
the time and breaks things down and really teaches you what he wants you to do. That really helps you feel like you are able to do a good job.” Paul admits he gets more from his students than just a workforce, and the relationships he develops with his workers is important to him. Paul said he often snaps photos of the boys at work to share with their parents. “They are good kids and a fun bunch to work with,” Paul said. “What is interesting is when I trace back to how each of them came to me. For example, Kayden is here because he is Garrett’s friend; Garrett is here because his two cousins worked for me. A lot of times they’ll say, ‘I know a guy,’ and that is how it all comes together.” Those feelings are mutual for the boys. They said working together as a team on Paul’s farm has been rewarding for them. All agreed they have learned far more from Paul than the ins and outs of dairy farming, but have learned a great deal about life in general. “There are a lot of life lessons we have learned here,” Dassow said. “Kevin is the most easy-going guy, and he makes working here enjoyable. If you make a mistake, he doesn’t get angry; he calls it a learning experience and helps you learn from it. Working here has been a learning experience in more ways than one.”
From th the seed bed to tire tread, Minnesota soybean farmers are DRIVING SOY this summer by embarking on a statewide campaign to give back to their local communities by donating sets of soybased titires to their sheriffs’ department, all while driving further demand for soybeans grown right here in Minnesota. Now that’s treading new ground. Learn more at mnsoybean.org/driving-soy.
A risky feed market for dairy farmers Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
AgResource Company chief grains and dairy ana- the willingness of the administration to enforce procelyst Ben Buckner said dairy and livestock producers dures in agreement.” This begins an advanced process will want to cover their feed needs for the balance of that is expedited for perishable products. “There will the year or longer. “To secure corn, dairy operations be reviews, panels to provide oversight, and we could have a decision by the end of the year,” are going to have to compete increasingly Ag Insider she said. “This gives members a lot of with ethanol plants and export terminals; hope we could get a solution in 2021.” that will be the big driver for price moving forward,” he said. Buckner said the FarmFirst applauds USMCA dispute corn, soybean and wheat markets are all settlement case driven by weather. “There’s no room for FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative general error given that hay acres are at the lowmanager Jeff Lyon is praising the Biden est level since 1908, pasture ratings are administration’s decision to challenge in decline, and we’re worried about the Canada’s tariff rate quota system for Western re season this year,” Buckner said. Buckner said Midwest weather will dairy products. “Now is the time to make it very clear to Canada’s trade leaders that need to be perfect to resolve the supply failure to meet their agriculture trade obcrunch. “The upside risk is very much in ligations will have consequences,” Lyon place in the feed market,” he said. By Don Wick said. “Canada needs to stop building Columnist barriers in spite of the trade agreements US launches dispute settlement case they’ve signed and participate as a good with Canada United States Trade Representative Katherine trading partner.” Tai has requested a Dispute Settlement Panel be established to consider Canada’s non-compliance with Food box program ends The United States Department of Agriculture’s the dairy tariff rate quota provisions in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Since mid-2020, Canada has Farmers to Families Food Box Program was allowed maintained a policy where Canadian processors are to expire at the end of May. This program helped awarded the majority of dairy TRQs and limiting mar- feed hungry families during the pandemic. The proket access for the U.S. A panel of judges will now gram also helped farmers who faced a loss of demand from the foodservice industry. Milk and dairy prodreview the situation. ucts were part of the temporary federal program. The US dairy industry grateful for dairy dispute settle- Biden administration has a similar program called The Emergency Food Pandemic Assistance Program. ment A U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement dispute set- However, USDA said TEFAP does not replace the tlement has been initiated by the U.S. Trade Repre- food box program but will apply “lessons learned” for sentative. U.S. Dairy Export Council President and future activities. CEO Krysta Harden said the U.S. dairy industry is grateful USTR is taking this rst step. “Every single Antitrust allegations pound of product that leaves our country represents New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for additional income for dairy farmers, manufacturers hearings, an investigation and possible legislation to and it provides jobs,” Harden said. “I think this is also deal with potential antitrust activity in the dairy ina signal demonstrating to all of our trading partners dustry. “Ultimately, we need something like a 9/11
commission to investigate the dairy industry,” she said. Gillibrand said changes to the Class I milk price formula have had a devastating effect on dairy farmers. “I see this as a national security issue,” she said. Pasteurization regulation in the courts A federal judge in Washington, D.C. has ruled in favor of the Food and Drug Administration and its authority to require pasteurization of butter. The Farmer-to-Consumer Defense Fund and raw milk advocate, Mark McAfee, sued the FDA claiming there was no scientic basis for the pasteurization requirement. Milk output continues to rise During April, U.S. milk production increased 3.5%. In Wisconsin, milk production rose 4.6%. That compares to a 4.1% increase in California. Co-ops unify as Select Sires Cooperative Ohio-based Select Sires and its ve local member cooperatives are coming together as one entity called Select Sires Cooperative Inc. The ve other operations nationwide are West/Select Sires, CentralStar Cooperative, COBA/Select Sires, Select Sires MidAmerica and Minnesota Select Sires Co-op. Delegates from each cooperative need to approve the proposal. Dairy beverage available at Taco Bell For a limited time, Taco Bell is featuring a frozen dairy beverage called the Mountain Dew Baja Blast Colada Freeze. It features a dairy-based creamer made from real heavy cream and was developed with the assistance of the dairy checkoff program. Culver’s thanks FFA Wisconsin-based Culver’s raised nearly $160,000 for agricultural education with its Scoops of Thanks Day last month. This is part of Culver’s “Thank You Farmers” program. Thousands of servings of frozen Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
keep ‘em cool
Help your animals stay cool when the heat is on! is an Stand Strong™ for Ruminants + everyday natural feed additive that helps cattle: • Overcome heat stress • Maintain consistent feed intake • Provide comfort during heat challenges • Stimulate water intake to manage high temperatures • Increase fiber breakdown and gain
1-800-533-5306 RalcoAgriculture.com/ComfortYourCows-DS
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8 custard were served May 6 in exchange for a donation to the FFA. A full go for FFA convention Dane County has lifted all attendance restrictions, and the Wisconsin FFA Convention will no longer need to limit participation. The July 5-8 event will be held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. The typical attendance for the FFA convention is approximately 3,000. National FFA Organization and Foundation names new CEO The National FFA Organization and Foundation has a new CEO. Scott Stump is an Indiana native with a background in agricultural education and the FFA. This role is something he has been preparing for a long time. “I want a chance to expand the inuence FFA has not only on the student membership, but our agriculture industry needs the next generation of leaders to be ready to step forward,” Stump said. “I was part of the FFA when we moved the National FFA Convention
from Kansas City, Missouri, to Louisville, Kentucky.” When Stump begins the job June 21, the 2021 National FFA Convention and the strategic plan will be two priorities. Stump replaces Mark Poeschl, who resigned in January after leading National FFA for ve years.
“I like the simplicity of Dart...it is easy to customize reports that we want.”
Trivia challenge A Holstein from Stone-Front Farm at Lancaster, Wisconsin, produced 460,000 pounds of milk in her lifetime, an all-time record. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, what is the national record for milk production in a single lactation? We will have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
Why did you decide to use Dart and how long have you been using it on your dairy? We were transitioning from another herd management program. Dart looked like a good option with good abilities, but not a lot of bells and whistles that aren’t necessary for us.
Build a better milk check
What are some of the DHIA tests you use?
We use AM/PM ofÀcial testing. We have participated in young sire programs in the past.
What do you like about the Dart Program? I like the simplicity of Dart. The entry screens are intuitively laid out, and it is easy to customize reports that we want. Tell us about your farm. We farm in the hills of southeast Minnesota. We crop about 250 acres of alfalfa hay, winter rye and corn for silage. We buy most of our concentrates. Our herd is mostly Holstein with a few crossbreds. Kathy works full time off the farm. We have one full-time and three part-time employees. I also serve on the board of Foremost Farms USA dairy cooperative as chairman and the board of the National Milk Producers Federation, currently David and Kathy Scheevel serving as secretary. Scheevel Farms
140 cows • Preston, MN We’ve been DHIA members since 1986
307 Brighton Avenue South Buffalo, MN 55313 763.682.1091 www.mndhia.org
DHIA: Now MORE than ever
Building Protein and Butterfat is Our Specialty Make KLC Farms Roasted Soybeans the cornerstone of your components.
KLC Farms Roasting, Inc.
Preferred By Bovines Everywhere
1-877-738-2326 Visit www.roastedbeans.com
Quality
Consistency
IS E R O T S E IN L N O R U O Y, A D A S R U O H 4 2 N OPE 7 DAYS A WEEK. !
Cut Your Refrigeration Needs in Half with an Accu-Therm Plate Cooler!
Discount on In-Stock Models!
prices on nce and compare our ie en nv co ur yo at op Sh e products, and more. nc fe c tri ec el er gh la al fountains, G
SHIP IT CARDS AND CAN ! WE ACCEPT CRED OR DO UR YO T TO YOUR ORDER RIGH
Joe Digman Digman Dairy Dickeyville, WI
Made in USA
“Several years ago we installed a plate cooler in our old set up and immediately noticed a difference in how fast it cooled the milk. It was obvious we were saving energy, so it was an easy decision to put one in our new facility. Additionally we like how we get multiple uses out of our water, by being able to reuse the water to water the cows.”
CO., INC. RURAL MFy.G81., PO Box Q 820 N US Hw Freeman, SD 57029 7135 Toll Free 1-800-477925-4174 560 Fax Ph. 605-925-7135 •
.com
www.RuralMfg
www.fullersmilkercenter.com
Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Your Dion Chopper Specialists!
DMI partners with gaming inuencers to reach consumers Mike Schuetter 920.251.0140 mikeschuetter@gibbsville.net Reuben Rex 920.344.3864 reubenrex@gibbsville.net
Esgate Rd., Anamosa Silo 8827 Maquoketa, IA 563-652-5125 Repair, LLC
¾ New Silos & Rebuilt Silos w/new staves door frames & doors ¾ Replasters are hand plastered ¾ Complete Silo Repair & Service ¾ Sales & service on all brands of feeding equipment including ValMetal, Jamesway, Van Dale, Hanson & Laidig Bottom unloaders ¾ Jamesway/ValMetal manure equipment 4 & 6 wheel tanks, lagoon pumps, transfer pumps, alley scrapers, stationary, mobile & vertical mixers ¾ Electric Motor Repair drop off station ¾ Metal Culvert Sales
Visit our website for a complete list of available equipment www.jameswayfarmeq.com www.valmetal.com
FARM-RITE EQUIPMENT, INC.
www.farmriteequip.com
It’s hard to believe the best can be even better. But with extensive feature upgrades, increased visibility and a more comfortable cab, Bobcat® 500 platform loaders defy the odds. Willmar, MN
320-235-3672 877-484-3211
St. Cloud, MN Long Prairie, MN 320-240-2085 844-262-2281
320-732-3715 866-514-0982
WITH THE POWERFUL COMBINATION OF TMR STABILIZER AND HYDRO-LAC!
ENTER THE SUMMER GIVEAWAY!
By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
As likes, interests and values change for each generation so must the way information is communicated. That is why Dairy Management Inc. is turning to gaming and other online ventures to share about dairy products and dairy farms to Generation Z, which ranges in ages 10 to 23. During a webinar May 24, DMI explained its initiatives directed at Gen Z. “They have mostly grown up online,” said Barbara O’Brien, DMI president. “They have information at their ngertips. They’re digitally savvy, and they’re willing to share their data in exchange for a more personalized experience – personalized content and recommendations made just for them.” Barbara O’Brien Plus, this group has an estiDMI President mated spending power of $100 billion, said O’Brien. “From what we know about how this generation wants to change the world, they’re changing expectations of brands and how they’re willing to spend their money on brands that are doing good and doing right in their view,” she said. “It can have an enormous impact on dairy and on other categories.” This generation also likes balance when it comes to food. “Healthy eating to them means feeding their body what it needs but also what it craves which gives us an enormous opportunity to feature both nutrition and indulgence in the products we put in front of this generation,” O’Brien said. Sharing information with gamers is one of the initiatives DMI has implemented this year, said Anne Warden, executive vice president of strategic integration for DMI. “We are tapping into their love of video gaming to capture their attention and show them how dairy products t really well in that growing occasion in their days,” Warden said. A large majority – 90% – of Gen Z games. “They are less interested in the particulars of vitamins and Anne Warden minerals in a food or beverDMI, executive age and more interested in what vice president of that food is going to do for their strategic body and how it’s going to make integration them feel,” Warden said. “Our research has found that some of dairy’s biggest opportunities to win with Gen Z is by positioning as a food that will sustain their energy throughout the day or let them feel relaxed, recharged while doing the things they love.” That is how the new campaign called “Beat the lag” started. “It is about how dairy foods and beverages can give gamers an energy boost or a tasty pick-me-up during a long stretch of gaming,” Warden said. Lag is a gaming term for when a game slows down or graphics do not load. “We think human gamers can have their own lag going on and dairy is the way to help them beat that,” Warden said. DMI is partnering with two popular gaming inuencers, Jordan Maron and Rosanna Pansino, to talk about dairy foods and the benets they can give a per-
THANK YOU DAIRY FARMERS! MIDWEST ALKOTA
Call us today to learn more! Agron. Petro. Feed
Doug Kiel
103 5 ST. • GRUNDY CENTER, IA 319-215-2138 Taylor Appel
SERVING NE IOWA & SW WI
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Jordan Maron, a gaming inuencer known online as CaptainSparklez, puts cheese on a pizza during a promoƟon with Dairy Management Inc. son’s body. “They’re going to help us get millions of their fans coming up with their own ideas for what dairy snacks help them beat that human lag,” Warden said. “They’ve turned it into a contest where people would win gaming prizes.” The contest, which started and ended in May, had 3 million views by the third week of the month, which beat the industry average engagement rates. “We clearly have some amazing momentum on this front,” Warden said. Maron said working with Nevin Lemos DMI made sense for him because Lemos Jerseys of his love for cheese on his pizza and cream-based drinks. The popular Minecraft gamer, known online as CaptainSparklez, took a virtual tour of Nevin Lemos’ 400cow dairy near Waterford, California. “I’ve never been on a dairy farm before so I was going in blind and it was cool to see. (Lemos) is younger than me, and he manages this entire dairy farm,” Maron said. “It was nice to see the cows have a lot of room to live their lives. They were very excited to be milked. ... All in all, it looked like a nice place for the animals.” Lemos was happy to share his dairy farm with Maron. “I was very impressed with him wanting to understand the business as a system,” said Lemos, who started his dairy farm four years ago at the age of 20. “We focus so much on animals’ care and conveying that and the importance of it to the consumer but to see Jordan’s special interest in the business side was interesting. He was always a step ahead of me on his questions. I think it’s that gamer mentality. You level up and things are systematic.” As a part of Gen Z, Lemos thinks people in his generation want more authentic interaction. “Gen Z is straying away from the amount of inuence they would take from Hollywood celebrities, and they really value these YouTube personalities, these inuencers because it’s more on a real level with them,” he said. “They like to follow people who are real.” From these partnerships, DMI hopes to reach consumers in the ways they need. “It’s not a one-way street,” O’Brien said. “This allows for an authentic exchange and engagement with content. It’s today’s new form of advertising.”
Blue Hilltop, Inc. Your Mixer, Spreader, Hay Processor Headquarters We carry:
CENTRAL IOWA
Now selling Chlor-clean detergent, one step cleaner and disinfectant, reduce the risk of infection CALL TODAY
We service all brands
dly made ou
in
Feed: 320-468-6655 Toll Free: 877-468-6655 Agron./Petro: 320-468-2509 Toll Free: 877-438-3378
18297 LINCOLN RD. • FAYETTE, IA 563-425-3219
MIDWEST ALKOTA TH
Pr
Dassel, MN
320-275-2737 888-679-4857
Today’s new advertising
www.rotomix.com LLC
Dana Berreau
507-879-3593 / 800-821-7092 Box 116, Lake Wilson, MN 56151
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 11
More reasons to love milk
Four essential nutrients added to the beverage’s label By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
People have four more reasons to love milk. Earlier this year, the United States Department of Agriculture approved four essential nutrients to add to milk’s label. They include zinc, selenium, iodine and potassium. “Milk is still milk,” Julie Mattson Ostrow said. “It is still the same milk it was a few years ago. We just have lot more data and research.” Julie Mattson Mattson OsOstrow, Midwest trow, vice presiDairy vice dent of dairy expresident of dairy perience-wellness experience-wellat Midwest Dairy, ness said recent changes in food labeling is the reason for the addition of the four essential nutrients to the dairy product’s label. “There have been big changes in labeling in the daily values listed and changing thresholds on how much of a particular nutrient needed to be in a product in a food to claim it as a good or excellent source,” said Mattson Ostrow, a registered dietitian and
a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition Dietetics. Dairy Management Inc. has been working in coordination with the International Dairy Foods Association, MilkPEP, National Dairy Council and National Milk Producers Federation to gather information and research to bring to the USDA for approval. “I think that’s what sets dairy apart from other commodity groups – investment in research, continuing to learn more and continuing to nd new and better ways that it helps our bodies,” Mattson Ostrow said. Having more essential nutrients in milk makes it a marketable and great product option for consumers; however, people do not care about the number of nutrients in a product. “What we’ve learned in our insights and consumer marketing is that consumers want to know the benet and what that means to them. Not that we can just have a bigger list,” Mattson Ostrow said. Because of this, dairy farmers and others will not hear advertising or marketing about milk having 13 essential nutrients instead of only nine. “What you’re going to hear about is the messaging that we’re part of the wellness conversation, whether the healthy immune function, brain development or it’s athletic performance,” Mattson Ostrow said. “That’s where you’ll see those nutrients being woven in.” Health benets of zinc and selenium include being important for normal immune function. “What has everyone been con-
cerned about for the last year and a half? Their immune system,” Mattson Ostrow said. “From consumer polling and the research, that’s going to continue. The COVID-19 virus has made a relevance to many consumers in particular younger Gen Z audiences.” One cup of milk provides 10% of a person’s daily value of both nutrients. Potassium helps keep electrolyte balance in the body and helps with
“The more we can learn and understand is proving to be very positive for dairy.” JULIE MATTSON OSTROW, MIDWEST DAIRY
muscle performance. “For those individuals interested in athletics and sports and staying hydrated, potassium is a really important nutrient and dairy has a really cool story to help with that,” Mattson Ostrow said. In one 8-ounce serving of milk, there is 10% of a person’s daily value of potassium. Iodine helps with baby brain and cognitive development, making it an important nutrient for pregnant and lactating mothers. “I think that’s something we’re going to hear a lot more about,” Mattson Ostrow said. “In the 2020 dietary guidelines, iodine is mentioned as a nutrient of concern for pregnant
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Celebrating Dairy Month
Bridging the digital divide
By Julie Sweney Director of Marketing & Communications at FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative Well-maintained roads and bridges have always been a priority for agriculture when policymakers discuss investments in infrastructure. After all, it is how we get what we produce on our farms to consumers. But now, just as important for the vitality of our rural communities and farms is high-speed and affordable broadband. Improving rural broadband has been discussed for far too long, resulting in minor investments, but it was this past year that made it painstakingly obvious how deep the digital divide is across America. As a cooperative representing dairy farmers that are adopting technologies to improve their bottom line, we are advocating for better broadband because precision farming and operating robotic milkers require high-speed connections for data collection and analysis. Farmers are being asked to be more sustainable than they already are, but it is difcult to embrace new technology when lacking condence in internet service. Unfortunately, 25% of U.S. farms have no access to the internet according to the United States Department of Agriculture. And for many that do have access, the internet is painfully slow and costly to upgrade to higher speeds, making it a burden to use and not available to rural residents. According to the Federal Communications Commission, more than 30 million Americans live in areas where there is no broadband infrastructure that provides acceptable speeds, representing 35% of rural Americans. The time is now to expand rural broadband, and policymakers are stepping up to the task. Minnesota expanded their investment in their Border-to-Border Grant Program, from $40 million to $70 million, which is the largest infusion of state funding into their broadband infrastructure to date. Wisconsin also slated $200 million over the next two years to expand broadband access to its rural communities. While challenges exist in getting broadband access to remote parts of the state, this signicant nancial investment is essential to begin the process of connecting rural residents at more acceptable speeds. Expanding broadband will also improve the quality of life for all rural residents, by expanding services to health care, education and government programs, and allow small rural businesses to embrace e-commerce. And nancially-successful rural businesses provide for a more vibrant community. FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative will continue to advocate for expanding rural broadband, knowing rsthand how our farmers and dairy-related businesses are ready to embrace new, more sustainable practices if they had access to affordable, high-speed rural broadband to make it possible.
moms, meaning we’re concerned people are not getting enough of it.” Eight ounces of milk contains 60% of a person’s daily value of iodine. For Connie Seefeldt, these additions to milk’s label are a win for dairy. “This gave us more proof than what we knew before that milk is a nutrient dense package … and it’s natural,” said Seefeldt, a Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board member and the vice chair of the National Dairy Board. The dairy farmer is happy to have more ways to talk about milk with health-conscious consumers. “I think it opens up windows and doors when we want to talk about nutrition and healthy food and why it is important to our bodies,” said Seefeldt, who milks 100 cows near Coleman, Wisconsin. “I think it’s very important that these foods are not only consumed by the younger generation to build their bones and muscles, but by the older generation for other needs they may have. It’s the whole package, no matter your age.” Mattson Ostrow agreed. She said it is because of the checkoff investment in research that has continued to nd evidence that milk is a healthy beverage. “It was always there. We’ve just been able to peel back pieces and learn more,” she said. “The more we can learn and understand is proving to be very positive for dairy.” And giving consumers more reasons to love milk.
June is Dairy Month! Thank you to all of our dairy farmers, from the best ag lenders in the business. We’ve always put a priority on supporting farmers. With the current challenges our world faces, the vital role of farmers is more clear than ever. We’re here to support the agriculture industry, and our whole community, however we can.
APPROVED FARMER MAC LENDER
• Long-term, fixed rates
CHAD VAN BECK
MICHELLE CARLSON
• Minimize interest rate risk • Expanded loan options & repayment terms
ANDREW GEISENHOF
JENNIFER BURGGRAFF
DAVE CEBULLA
TIM TWARDOWSKI
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dairy Star Newspaper welcomes letters to the editor. Every letter for publication must be 500 words or less, contain the author’s signature, address and telephone number. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and brevity. Letters can be mailed to Dairy Star, Letter to Editor, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378 or e-mail: mark.k@dairystar.com.
LITTLE FALLS 1201 1st Ave. NE / 320-632-9740 RICE 750 Cty Rd 21 / 320-393-4200
pinecountrybank.com
ROYALTON 412 N. Hwy 10 / 320-584-5522
ERIN KULUS
Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Devin-Acres to host Sheboygan County Breakfast on the Farm
Family to celebrate June Dairy Month with farm tours, cheese carving By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – People of all ages looking for a fun day on the farm will not want to miss the Sheboygan County Breakfast on the Farm June 19. The breakfast will be hosted at Devin-Acres, the farm of the Kevin and Deb Kirsch family, from 7 a.m. to noon. From a hearty meal and farm tours to countless activities for kids, this breakfast is sure to satisfy every appetite. Often the pinnacle of June Dairy Month celebrations, breakfasts on the farm are a popular promotion that are back on the schedule this year and better than ever. “It is neat to see people getting back out and doing stuff,” Deb said. “It’s good to get things back to normal, and I’m glad we are able to show people our farm. Hopefully, they learn something they can take back with them.” The Kirsches milk 200 cows and farm 700 acres near Elkhart Lake. Farming with their daughters, Stacey Knoener, Jessica Wolfert and Kendra Horst, Kevin and Deb also have two full-time people on staff – Josh Knoener, the farm’s mechanic, and Lucas Herrmann, who handles feeding, bedding and barn equipment maintenance. Stacey works on the farm full time, shar-
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Deb and Kevin Kirsch (center) along with their family – (from leŌ) Stacey holding Lexi, 2, Joel and Emma Knoener, 4; Nick holding Malcolm, 9 months, and Kendra Horst; Tylor, Jessica and Deklyn Wolfert, 3 – milk 200 cows and farm 700 acres near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The Kirsches will be hosƟng Sheboygan County’s Breakfast on the Farm June 19. ing herdsman responsibilities with Deb, while also milking and providing calf care. Jessica and Kendra have full-time jobs off the farm but help on weekends. The Kirsches also employ several parttime high school and college students.
Kevin and Deb are the fth generation on the farm purchased by Kevin’s great-great-grandfather in 1872. Kevin and Deb moved onto the farm in 1990 and purchased it from Kevin’s parents, Charles and Connie, in 1996.
When the Kirsch family hosted Breakfast on the Farm in 2011, nearly 3,000 people showed up. The event is expected to draw a crowd of a similar Turn to BREAKFAST | Page 13
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 13
ConƟnued from BREAKFAST | Page 12
AUTHORIZED DEALERS: Hanson Silo Lake Lillian, MN 320-664-4171
Increase Ef¿ciency By Feeding TMR!
Hartung Sales & Service Freeport, MN 320-836-2697 Melrose Imp. Melrose, MN 320-256-4253 Anibas Silo & Eq. Arkansaw, WI 715-285-5317
TMR Feedcarts Stationary TMR Mixers Round Bale Unrollers STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Cows are milked twice daily in a double-6 at-barn parlor at the Kirsch family’s dairy. The cows average 95 to 100 pounds of milk per day.
Free Brochures! 1.800.436.5623
size or larger this year. “We’re hoping for decent weather to accommodate on-farm parking,” Deb said. Weather permitting, tables will be set up outside to allow for outdoor dining, and free T-shirts will be given to the rst 100 kids ages 10 and under. The carving of a 40-pound block of cheese will provide guests with a masterpiece to gaze at as well as tasty leftovers to consume. Sheboygan County’s Breakfast on the Farm will also feature an all-youcan-eat breakfast, farm tours, educa-
The Kirsches milk twice a day in a double-6 at-barn parlor. Cows and heifers are housed in sand-bedded freestall barns, and calves on milk are located in outdoor hutches. Cows average 95 to 100 pounds of milk per day, and family has received quality awards from Land O’Lakes for the past 17 years. Kevin and Deb enjoy having visitors on their farm, making the decision to host their county’s breakfast an easy one. Seeing the breakfast as an opportunity to educate and connect farmers and consumers through an authentic dairy experience, the Kirsch family is happy to open up their farm to the public. “We like to teach kids about agriculture,” Kevin said. “It feels good when they learn something – even the kids who work for KEVIN KIRSCH, DAIRY FARMER us. We used to do kindergarten tours for the local tional stations, a kids’ pedal tractor pull, school, and many of the parents came pony rides and appearances by Alice in along too. Our tours focused on the Dairyland and Sheboygan County Fair- little ones, but the parents ask a lot of est of the Fair, among more. questions, and we were educating them Attendees will get a glimpse of the as well. So many people don’t have acKirsch farm and have the opportunity cess to farms anymore.” to see cows and calves up close. The Whether a private farm tour or a tour will include explanations of the public breakfast on the farm event, the technologies used on the farm, such as Kirsches have one objective in mind. a robotic feed pusher and Cow Manager “Our goal is to teach people what system for monitoring rumination and dairy farming is all about,” Kevin said. activity.
Brubacker Ag Equipment LLC Curtiss, WI Edgar, WI Bagley, WI 715-613-7308
Thank You Dairy Farmers for everything you do!
HAPPY JUNE DAIRY MONTH!
“We like to teach kids about agriculture. It feels good when they learn something – even the kids who work for us.”
HEAVY DUTY BALE H FEEDER, 54” tall
ROUND CALF HUT
649
$
325
$
RECEIVE A
FREE $10 GIFT CARD
with the purchase of $100 worth of Dairy Supplies *LIMIT OF 3 GIFT CARDS
Bale wrap, twine and custom bale wrapping!
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Devin-Acres, the farm of the Kevin and Deb Kirsch family, is hosƟng their county’s breakfast on the farm which will feature an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, farm tours, educaƟonal staƟons, a cheese carving and more. Free T-shirts will be given to the rst 100 kids aged 10 and under.
Gilman Co-op Creamery FEED & FARM SUPPLY STORE
Gilman, MN 320-387-2770
Open M-F 7:30-7, Sat. 7:30-5, Sun. 8:30-1
Good service - fair prices - every day
WWW.GILMANCREAMERY.COM
Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
VS420
HYDRA-SPREAD Sizes Ra Range From 28 285-550 Bu.
Most Models In Stock.
Vermeer vertical mixers are built to enhance feeding routines for producers looking to optimize ration costs and help reduce feed waste. These mixers create a consistent and thorough ration with a variety of feedstuffs due to a proven mixer tub and screw design. Available in a range of capacities, these vertical mixers can handle a wide assortment of feedstuffs.
Penta 4430
Manufactured by
If y
ou
l
Available In Sizes From 350 Cu. Ft. To 1,660 Cu Ft.
MANURE ALLEY SCRAPERS
so wwave a w.da barn, we have y.com airylandsuppl ut
SPREADERS
h
ion .
ing Dealer
Minnesota’s
nd l Ha
Service & Installation Available. Parts On Hand.
La rg
ding and Man e e ur tF s e e
Steerable Series Spreaders Available in Sizes from 320-1520 Cu. Ft. This is, quite simply, the most advanced, bestbuilt manure spreader you’re ever going to see. Now, do LIQUID MANURE TANKS, PUMPS AND you need one AGITATORS this tough? Well, that all depends on how often you like to buy them.
Freestall Tilting Alley Scrapers
Designed to Suit your Needs
Excellent maneuverability and control on all types of terrain.
Powerful PTO Pumps & Agitators To Handle Liquid Manure
• Universal skid steer mount • Tube steel construction • 5’-10’ widths available • Replacement tires, back drags ad parts available
The 600T Pull Type TMR has a maximum payload of 14,000 lbs, struck capacity of 549 ft³ or 641 ft³ with tub extension, and requires 100 horse power
SAUK CENTRE, OFF I-94 ON THE CORNER OF HWY. 28 & 71 SOUTH
From Our Side Of The Fence
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 15
What is one dairy product that needs better promotion?
Marla Wilson Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin Sauk County Dairy Promoters Tell us about the promotions you do personally and as a part of your dairy promotion group. We try to put on events as a group once every month or two to promote dairy products in our area. We present trivia and fun facts to kids at the dairy breakfast with booklets to take home and learn more about the dairy industry. We sell milk at the Sauk County Fair and Cow Chip Throw to promote as an alternative to soda for meals. We donate milk to the schools for their events to have as a nutritious snack. We donate milk for run/walk events to promote it as a rehydrating, re-energizing drink. We hand out cheese samples to pair with wine sampling during local wine/walk events. We also donate dairy products to food pantries and shelters for the holiday season. Describe your favorite promotion and explain how it is or was effective. My favorite promotion is selling milk at the Sauk County Fair. We get many return customers through the heat of the day for a cool, refreshing drink of milk. It is popular to have as an alternative to soda for meals, and we get to try new avors each year. Chocolate malt avored milk is a big hit. It gets people aware of how good, nutritious and refreshing it can be. We also get to visit with our friends, neighbors and family to spread the word. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? I would continue to push milk as a re-energizing beverage alternative after exercise. We see so many commercials for exercise equipment and healthy meals, but we don’t see what people drink with those meals or after they nish exercising. That’s where we could advertise it more to come as part of your fresh meal. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? The better solution would be several people of different backgrounds and jobs who work together to promote dairy products in our daily lives. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? We could do a better job advertising yogurt. There are varieties out there now. They all have distinct things about each kind that could appeal to a large group of people. They are drinkable, freezable, high protein, low fat and probiotic packed. What’s not to like? What do you think is the most important dairy message consumers need to hear right now? People need to realize what it is they are actually drinking. Some people think that soy- and almond-based products are better for you. Think of all the other things they put in it to make it a drink. Do you know how many ingredients are in dairy milk? Three: milk, vitamin A and vitamin D. It has fat, carbs, protein, vitamins and water to hydrate and provide you with a longer energy supply than a soda or energy drink can. I worry people get so caught up in the fad of non-dairy milk that they forget how good milk truly is for you. There are many natural ingredients that are already in milk. Those ingredients don’t need to be added to make milk nutritious. Tell us about yourself and your career. I am a mixed animal veterinarian in Sauk County and have wanted to work with cattle and the dairy industry since I was small. I did not grow up on a farm, but both my parents did and would tell stories about how it affected their lives. I strive to keep the dairy animals in our area healthy to provide a safe and nutritious food source for all.
Evan and Anne Jones, with children, Emery and Lane Ridgeway, Wisconsin Iowa County 60 cows Tell us about the promotions you do personally and as a part of your dairy promotion group. We are both part of the Iowa County Dairy Breakfast committee. Becoming active in the dairy breakfast happened when we showed interest in hosting a future breakfast. We don’t have a date set to host a breakfast on our farm, but it is a goal of ours. Individually, our roles don’t make or break the breakfast, but it’s been fun to watch it come together in the years we’ve helped. I (Anne) spend most of my time in the kids’ corner, and it is fun to watch kids be around farm animals and hear them talk about their experiences while at the breakfast. It is great to see kids exposed to agriculture in such a positive and educational atmosphere. Describe your favorite promotion and explain how it is or was effective. The dairy breakfast itself is our favorite dairy promotion. Even before we helped with Iowa County’s breakfast, we would spend our June going to the surrounding county’s breakfasts. We love seeing the community right on the farm. Having the breakfast on the farm gives families a chance to truly see where their food is coming from and talk to farmers who help produce it. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? How do we show the consumer how safe and nutritious our product is? And honestly, I’m not sure I have the answer. My brain goes to advertisements or promotions, but it seems there is a stigma to work through. We try to look at is as “be the change you want to see.” Our family drinks about a gallon of whole milk a day, and we’re always happy to tell anyone about how we produce our product safely. We also do our best to have our farm as an open gate. We welcome non-farming friends to visit the farm for a day and see what a small Wisconsin dairy farm looks like. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? The best choice would be someone who is condent in their choice to represent dairy, meaning when they talked about it, I would believe what they are saying and not think they were reading from a script; someone who can be real in promoting dairy. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Fluid milk. We both answered simultaneously with the same answer. We believe wholeheartedly in the nutritious and delicious value of Turn to JONES | Page 16
Star Blends has been helping Midwest farm families by providing, high-quality feed, dairy nutrition, and commodity contracting for more than 20 years. Our state of the art mill can accurately blend anything from a custom pre-mix to complete feed, VSHFL¿F WR \RXU IDUP¶V QHHGV 2XU H[SHULHQFHG VWDႇ DUH UHDG\ WR GHOLYHU WKH KLJKHVW TXDOLW\ IHHG DW DQ HFRQRPLFDO SULFH DVVLVW in balancing diets, or work with your private nutritionist or dairy consultant.
Feeding your animals like they’re our own Contact Star Blends at:
800-462-4125 or StarBlends.com
Janelle Massey Monroe, Wisconsin Green County Tell us about the promotions you do personally and as a part of your dairy promotion group. I serve as executive board member of the Green County Ag Chest. My daughter was the 2017-18 Green County Dairy Princess, and it was a natural t after her reign was over for me to slip into this role. We do tons of promotions, but our queen program is the most noteworthy. We’ve been doing it for 60 years. Every year, a group of women from area high schools are selected as princesses and queens. There is a community queen being crowned all month long. The Green County Ag Chest trailers are everywhere, and we serve dairy items out of these. When the queens are there, we get the best reception. It doesn’t get much better than beautiful girls in crowns and dresses holding plates of Wisconsin cheese. Breakfast on the Farm is our annual event announcing June Dairy Month, and anywhere from 3,000-5,000 people attend. Our dairy queens are front and center of that promotion too. In mid-June, we hold June Dairy Days over two weekends. It starts with a cattle show followed by a community crowning and banquet. The community events we are a part of stretch across every walk of life and have boatloads of people in attendance. We hand out dairy products at these events. Our whole purpose is to support youth in agriculture. We give money back to kids in scholarships, providing thousands of dollars to graduating students with or without experience in agriculture. We want them to get out in the world and make a difference. Describe your favorite promotion and explain how it is or was effective. Our queen program is my favorite. The queens are the face of the Green County Ag Chest. They are the supportive, beautiful side of the promotions we do. They represent kindness and do a lot with children. The queens have their feet on the ground at every event, pulling long hours of community service to support our mission. We get requests months in advance to have them at events throughout southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? I would try to hold a royal dairy gala. Something on that level brings people together with the purpose of promoting both a queen program and dairy. You could take it up a notch by doing something that people don’t normally think of as synonymous with the dairy industry or farm families. It would combine the best of both worlds – treating people right and having a good time with royalty present for the mission of promoting Wisconsin dairy. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? Morgan Freeman. Everybody knows his voice, and I could see him doing a voiceover promoting dairy. I can picture him in a commercial all cleaned Turn to MASSEY | Page 16
Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Katie Roth Platteville, Wisconsin Grant County 500 cows Tell us about the promotions you do personally and as a part of your dairy promotion group. Personally, I have started a farm newsletter that is sent out to our local neighbors and community. I share information about our farm, the history and some fast facts like how much our farm contributes to the local economy and our work with cover crops. I also include contact information and encourage people to ask us their questions and tour the farm. With our dairy promotion group, we are planning an event with food inuencers, such as nutritionists, dieticians, physicians and bloggers; we are targeting people who did not grow up on a farm or do not have a dairy connection but are people who inuence the food choices and decisions made by others. We are planning a meal and farm tour for around 25 people. Our county has also participated in the food box program, helping to hand out nearly 1,000 boxes. We also have the Dollars for Dairy program where we donate and purchase dairy products for food pantries. Describe your favorite promotion and explain how it is or was effective. This year was the second year we have sold cheese bouquets as a fundraiser for Valentine’s Day. When you think of Valentine’s Day, you typically think of chocolate or roses, but we want to get people thinking about cheese. We make bouquets of triangle-shaped cheese and meat slices, placed on skewers and arranged to look like a oral bouquet. We used three types of cheese in the bouquets this year: cheddar, Colby-Jack and provolone. We sold about 25 bouquets this year, up from 20 last year. We make and assemble them at a local locker plant, wrap them in cellophane so they look nice and include information about Grant County dairy farmers and products. We have gotten great reviews from this project. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? The logistics might be difcult, but I would encourage sampling. People love free samples, and if they can get a product to try and like it, they will buy it. Coupons are another good way to get people to try things, because everyone tries to save money. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? I would go with Cookie Monster and his “Me love cookies!” attitude, because what pairs better with cookies than milk? He is well known and appeals to children, an audience we need to engage to create lifelong consumers. We need to help children learn that dairy products are nutritious, delicious and make sure they understand where dairy products come from and how they are produced. Cookie Monster also targets the families because if the kids are watching him, the parents are too. He is a funny guy and everyone likes him. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Cottage cheese is a product that needs to be better promoted. Milk is widely touted, and people connect with the milk moustache campaign, which is great. Cheese is well known and promoted, particularly in Wisconsin. But cottage cheese is not in the limelight, and it should be. It is a great protein source and a healthy option. Consumers do not hear about it as much. What do you think is the most important dairy message consumers need to hear right now? Regardless of whether they buy conventional or organic dairy products, dairy farmers want consumers buying and consuming dairy products. Milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream, we want people eating it. Dollar for dollar, milk is the most nutritious, complete product a person can buy. It contains all nine essential nutrients, and no other product can say that. There is confusion with marketing terms, and we need to help clarify that for the consumer and make sure they understand milk only comes from a mammal. Tell us about yourself and your career. My husband and I are partners in Banner Ridge Farms LLC. I am on maternity leave after the birth of our second daughter, but I work part time as a herd manager on our farm, working in the areas of animal welfare and health. I also work part time at the University of WisconsinPlatteville in the College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture as the assistant student services coordinator, where I am largely involved in event planning and outreach for the college. I have been involved in the dairy industry for over 25 years, having grown up on a dairy farm.
Connie Nischke Pulaski, Wisconsin Shawano County Tell us about the promotions you do personally and as a part of your dairy promotion group. I am the president of Shawano County Dairy Promotions. I have been a part of this group for 15 years. We help distribute funds allocated to our county from Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. We are lucky to have an ag ambassador group we partner with made up of a group of young people ages 16 to 22. They are a great group of kids and good promoters of dairy. The biggest thing our group helps with is the Farm Bureau’s Brunch on the Farm. We sponsor the brunch and serve ice cream during the event. My family and I are hosting Brunch on the Farm this year June 27. We’re expecting over 5,000 people. We have a polka Mass during the brunch, which is a big draw because Pulaski is a big polka town. There will also be an appearance from Santa Claus. Guests can get their picture taken with Santa and a calf. Shawano County Dairy Promotions also has a Facebook page. We send fun information and promotional items and discuss the events we promote. We keep people informed and do promotional giveaways like a coupon giveaway for a buy one, get one free dairy product. We partnered with the young ambassadors and 4-H groups and did a grilled cheese giveaway promotion last year. Together, we partnered with Kwik Trip and gave away a grilled cheese kit which included a loaf of bread, pound of cheese, pound of butter, a recipe and yogurt to make smoothies. We gave away 750 kits. We also sponsor milk and ice cream for farms that host tour groups. For run/walk events held in our area, we sponsor chocolate milk as a recovery drink. Describe your favorite promotion and explain how it is or was effective. Brunch on the Farm and our Facebook page are my favorite promotions. I love seeing the people who show up to Brunch on the Farm and show interest in the farm. We know this event is effective when we hear their feedback regarding how well they feel the ag industry is represented, how clean and organized the facilities are, and how impressed they are with the thought planning behind the event. We have over 1,000 followers on Facebook and see good results. When we see people’s comments, we know our page is being read and people are getting the message. Local farmers respond to the questions that are asked. Our cheese gift basket giveaway on Facebook was a huge success. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? I would give out more free samples or buy one, get one coupons so people could try the product and see how tasty it is.Young ambassadors and FFAgroups promoting dairy speaks volumes. They have outreach and connections. If we can get them on board promoting dairy, that’s where we need to try so they can do their thing. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? Luke Bryan and Jordy Nelson, the former Packers player. They seem like good, wholesome, country people who care about farming and the ag industry. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion?Yogurt and sour cream. They both can be used in so many recipes and could use more promotion. Everyone is aware of other dairy products, but yogurt and sour cream don’t get enough attention. What do you think is the most important dairy message consumers need to hear right now? Dairy products are safe. There’s false advertising out there, and a lot of people don’t know where their food comes from. When the pandemic happened, people went back to basics and realized how much dairy products are needed in their diets. Our milk is inspected and tested for safety measures regularly. We have a modern dairy that has many things in place to help produce a quality product, and keeping our cows comfortable and healthy helps us to do that better. Tell us about yourself and your dairy. My husband, Wayne, and I farm with our two daughters and their husbands and families – Kayla and David Coehoorn and Ashley and Ricky Mikle. We run a 150-cow robotic dairy and crop 850 acres. Our farm, Back 40 Acres, was started in 1965, and Wayne and I bought it from his parents in 1992. In 2017, we formed an LLC with our girls and their families. We also host tour groups from the Pulaski school district and other organizations.
ConƟnued from JONES | Page 15
ConƟnued from MASSEY | Page 15
whole milk and think it should be promoted better. As a mother, I’m proud to raise my children on whole milk as it is a positive aspect of their diet. I feel condent in my decision to raise them eating various dairy products. What do you think is the most important dairy message consumers need to hear right now? We want consumers to know that their milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream are produced in a positive animal welfare environment and are nutritious choices. Farmers don’t have any alternative motive; we enjoy working with our animals and providing wholesome food to our families and yours. We’d also love for consumers to know their food is produced closer than they think. If they have questions about the way their food is produced, we encourage them to go straight to the farmer and ask their questions. They might be surprised how much they learn. Tell us about yourself and your career. We’re farming on Evan’s family farm in southwest Wisconsin. We farm in partnership with Evan’s parents, Lew and Jeanna, and it is not uncommon to see many other family members, especially Evan’s sister, Meghan, and her four children, here on any given day. We have two children, Emery, 4, and Lane, 2, and will be welcoming another this summer. Our farm is home to 60 milking registered Jerseys, and many critters including goats and even a pot belly pig. We run 240 acres to provide feed for our animals, so there is always something going on. I (Anne) work off the farm as an OB nurse, but I love the days I am home and getting to see the kids being raised on the farm; it is truly a special privilege. From our family to yours, happy June Dairy Month.
up after a shower wearing a milk mustache and talking to himself in the mirror. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Yodelay yogurt which is made with milk from Voegeli Farms’ Brown Swiss cows. It’s authentic Swiss-style yogurt and the best yogurt I’ve ever tasted. There’s only one place I know of in Monroe that sells it. It is a thinner, drinkable style yogurt. Consuming the strawberry avor is like sitting in the middle of a strawberry eld eating strawberries at the peak of season. What do you think is the most important dairy message consumers need to hear right now? Milk works. If you can enjoy it, you should. It has worked since the dawn of time. Our bodies crave it. Milk is the original sports drink. It’s full of essential nutrients and vitamins. Tell us about yourself and your career. I’m a Monroe native and live here with my husband. I do not live on a farm. My daughter, who is a senior in college, brought me into my role at the Green County Ag Chest when she was crowned queen. I am a communications specialist at the Equal Rights Division at the Department of Workforce Development. Monroe is unique because even if you did not grow up on a farm, you had a best friend who did or family who did. You can’t go too far around here without knowing someone with an agricultural background.
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 17
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
for your chance to win a $100 Gift CertiÄcate or Farm Systems Apparel! $
DeLaval VMS™ V300 DeLaval Parlor P500
A SYSTEM APPROACH
• Contributes to Improved Farm Profitability • Contributes to More Milk per Labor Hour • Contributes to Healthier Cows • Contributes to Highest Milk Quality
The dairy industry’s only parallel parlor with three cow-Åow control options and no sequence gates in the Åoor. DeLaval P500 features newly developed synchronized milking process with these patented technologies:
• DeLaval SynchroArc™ • DeLaval SynchroSweep™ • DeLaval SynchroControl™ • DeLaval InService™ All-Inclusive (ISAI)
Thank You Dairy Farmers!
Plate Coolers
• Eѝcient Cooling • Reliable milk quality • Cost-saving investment • Designed for optimum eѝciency
BIG JOHN Bedding Separator SEPARATOR
• SMART control panel technology • Automatic weight control arms • New HD basket with screen • Reduce bedding costs • Increase liquid storage capacity • Environmentally friendly • Readily available bedding materials on a daily basis
Find this cow!
Proven again and again to achieve 36-39.4% dry matter
11 of 24
FEATURES
for your chance to win a $ 100 Gift CertiÄcate or Farm Systems Apparel!
Genuine Augers, screens and parts
**One entry per customer** • Winner will be notiÄed Cow must be identical to cow on this form (size may vary).
Systems from 90 to 10,000 cows Over 100 local installations Over 4,000 working installations worldwide
Q. On which product is the cow located?
A.
Diamond Mats
Name: Phone:
z Absorbs shocks 25 times more than concrete to improve the comfort and performance of your cattle z Anti-skid surface signiðcantly reduces injury. z Easy to clean and does not absorb liquid or promote the developmentof bacteria
Address:
WE ARE HIRING!
Drop oɈ/mail/email your entries to: 58 Interstate Drive N.W. Melrose, MN 56352 or hand oќ to your service tech melrose.farmsystems1@gmail.com
DAIRY ST R
Let us know you saw our ad in the Dairy Star! Proudly serving you from Brookings, SD; St. Peter, MN; and Melrose, MN. 58 Interstate Drive N.W., Melrose, MN 56352 | 800-636-5581
Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Breeding Focus
Luckwaldt Agriculture Inc. emphasizes health traits in breeding protocol Dan and Mary Luckwaldt Luckwaldt Agriculture Inc. Woodville, Wisconsin 1,275 cows Describe your facilities and list your breeding management team. We milk in a double-20 parallel parlor. Twothirds of the cows live in a crossventilated barn, and one-third live in a naturally-ventilated barn. Our herdsmen are Patrick Kuselik and Derek Fenner; Tom Mahoney is our technician from Select Sires; and Dr. Veronica Schommer is our vet. Dr. Marv Johnson has done a lot of embryo transfer work for us also. What is your reproduction program? Do you use a synchronization program? How do you get animals pregnant? We use double ovsync/double Lutalyse with some visual heat detection. Our vet uses ultrasound to examine the corpus luteum to determine where a cow is at in her cycle. Describe your breeding philosophy. We place our emphasis on health. What guidelines do you follow to reach the goals for your breeding program? I believe the cow today is different than what we had six to eight years ago. We rarely culled pregnant cows, and now we do with some regularity. Our hospital pen used to be full
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Luckwaldt Agriculture’s management team – (from leŌ) herdsmen Derek Fenner and Patrick Kuselik; and owners Dan and Mary Luckwaldt – oversees the 1,275-cow dairy near Woodville, Wisconsin. (20 cows) all the time. We had to make the pen smaller a couple years ago because we now have less than ve in the pen. Obviously, that is good business
but probably a bigger animal welfare issue going forward.
in breeding your dairy herd and how has this changed since you started
What are the top traits you look for
Turn to LUCKWALDTS | Page 20
Unverferth 6500 $15,000
Twine, Wrap & Net Wrap are IN STOCK!
JD 2955
FWA, cab, 4100 hrs. $32,000
WE ARE YOUR DEALER FOR: Sitrex Side Rakes
TOP PRICES PAID & CONTRACTING AVAILABLE Your Market For:
Holstein Steers • Fed Dairy Cows • Lean Dairy Cows Your local area buyer for MN, IA and WI.
Bruce Belter • 507-429-0359
Holstein Steers • Lean Cows • Bulls • Fed Cows
Tyrel Lembke • 877-300-9298 Long Prairie, MN Lean Cows • Bulls
Green Bay Dressed Beef
Dean Derricks • 920-655-4730 Green Bay, WI Holstein Steers • Fed Cows • Lean Cows
Chad McQuade • 605-668-4275 Yankton, SD Lean Cows • Bulls
Mike Baczwaski • 800-445-0042 Gibbon, NE Fed Cows • Lean Cows • Bulls
Long Prairie Buying Station
Cody Ritter • 320-293-5212 • 320-732-8358 Long Prairie, MN
CIH MX120 w/ldr.- $59,000
USED TRACTORS
HAYING & FORAGE EQUIP.
TILLAGE
GRAVITY BOXES
CIH 8910, 2WD, 2000 hrs .................. $92,000 IH 1586, 5165 hrs. ............................. $20,000 IH 3088 .............................................. $19,000 IH 986 ................................................ $20,000 CIH RMX 370, 27’ disc....................... $28,000 CIH RMX340, 27’ ............................... $25,000 CIH Tigermate 200, 32’ ...................... $27,000 CIH 4800 26’ field cultivator................. $7,500 CIH 7500, 4-bottom plow..................... $5,000 CIH 527B ripper ................................. $13,000 CIH 496, cushion, no mulch, 25 ft. .... $11,000 White 445 15-shank disc chisel, nice ... $7,500 Glencoe 13-shank .............................. $10,500 DMI 530 Ecolo-Tiger .......................... $12,000 DMI Tigermate, 26’ .............................. $9,500 JD 714, 9-shank disc chisel ................. $9,500 Glencoe 4450 13-shank, disc chisel ... $10,500
H&S XL 16’ silage boxes.................$2,600 ea. Sitrex QR12, QR10, QRS rakes ................ New Many sizes of rakes available All Sizes of Sitrex Rakes .....................On Hand Brent Grain cart.................................... $9,500 Brent 544 box w/roll tarp & fender..... $12,900 Brent 440 box ...................................... $8,900 Demco 365 .......................................... $6,500 Demco 365 w/tarp ............................. $10,500 Many Used Gravity Boxes - Demco, J&M, Brent
MISCELLANEOUS
NH 680 manure spreader ..................... $5,500 NH 185 spreader ................................ $11,500 Hagedorn 275 spreader ..................... $14,000 CIH 5300 grain drill w/grass .............. $10,900 Brillion PD16 16’ packer ...................... $1,000 Harms 40’ land roller, like new ........... $14,000 Midsota 5510 & F610 rock trailers .... In Stock Midsota F8216 rock trailer ........................ Call New Red Devil & Agro Trend Snowblowers
GREENWALD FARM CENTER Greenwald, MN • 320-987-3177 WWW.GREENWALDFARMCENTER.COM
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 19
The dairymen of our area are hard-working individuals with a sense of spirit and commitment. Viafield is proud to be the feed supplier to northeast Iowa dairy farmers.
FARM INFORMATION STATION Joe Gill • Farm Director
SERVING CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR OVER 50 YEARS Catch the Dairy Star’s Mark Klaphake with Joe Gill at 6:45 a.m. the 2nd & 4th Fridays of the month on KASM!
R
Find your nearest location at viafield.com Serving your Agronomy, Energy, Feed, and Grain needs
PO Box 160, Albany, MN • (320) 845-2184 • Fax (320) 845-2187
tfn
“No disruption, battery lasts, and we’re mobile. We can use it ... anywhere.” — Chad Fredd
GRAPEVIEW DAIRY, Chad Fredd, Westfield, NY 240 cows, over 80 lbs/cow/day SCC consistently below 150,000 “There’s no disruption, the battery lasts, and we’re mobile, no air cord or handle in the way. With the Udder Comfort™ Battery-Operated Backpack Sprayer, we can go right out in the middle of the barn and spray udders at the feed bunk or in the stalls and away from the robots. We can use it in the fresh or hospital pen, springer pen, anywhere. We use the Backpack every day for 2 groups: post-calving and high-conductivity. We also use it some in the prefresh pen,” says Chad Fredd, Grapeview Dairy, Westfield, New York, with 4 robots milking 240 cows making over 80 pounds with SCC below 150,000. “Since it came out, Udder Comfort is a tool helping us achieve better quality and reduce mastitis by 75%. We have not used intramammary treatments on lactating cows in 15 years. It’s a great product. I like how they keep innovating with an efficient spray delivery system. “The secret is getting Udder Comfort on the first 3 to 5 days fresh. We find 2x/day 3 days is optimal for fresh cows, 5 to 7 days for heifers. Now it’s easy to start every lactation with Udder Comfort, so they’re more comfortable, train faster and use the robot more frequently.”
Quality Udders Make Quality Milk
Maximum Results Minimal Cost uddercomfort.com 1.888.773.7153 Works with our Yellow Spray and our NEW Backpack Sprayer Mix. For external application to the udder only, after milking, as an essential component of udder management. Wash and dry teats thoroughly before milking.
See video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNChT2olsjg
Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Con�nued from LUCKWALDTS | Page 18
farming? We probably emphasize Dairy Wellness Prot Index more than the industry. Again, avoiding health events is good for business and animal welfare. The biggest genetic change in my lifetime is that we have so many more health traits we can select for. What are certain traits you try to avoid? We avoid -1 on legs side view; monitor teat length and placement; avoid negative daughter pregrancy rate bulls; and place a lot of emphasis on productive life. Describe the ideal cow for your herd. A 10-year-old cow that nobody remembers because she never caused problems and has produced a lot of high-quality milk.
What role does genetics have in reaching the goals of your farm? As commercial producers, our genetic program used to be just to use good bulls. A higher pregnancy rate and genomics have changed all that. Genetic improvement basics, such as generation interval and selection intensity, have all been taken to a much higher level in the last eight years. Genomics has also allowed us to monitor our progress much better. What percentage of your herd is bred to sexed, conventional and beef semen? Our milking cows are probably bred 70% beef. Heifers and high-genomic cows are bred to high-index sexed semen or conventional Holstein. We
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Luckwaldt Agriculture herdsman Patrick Kuselik walks a pen of cows looking for signs of estrus. have also gotten a fair number of high-index embryos from local producers that we have incorporated into our herd. What is your conception rate? How does this differ with different types of semen? It seems to stay around 60% for everything. The most fertile cattle get sexed semen, and other cattle get conventional.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
The Luckwaldts use genomics to help increase the efficiency and performance of their herd, emphasisizing selec�on of health and produc�on traits.
What is the greatest lesson you have learned through your breeding program? Semen selection is when you make your genetic improvement. Genetic audits have shown us the consequences
of those selections. Genetic improvement opportunities are more available than ever before. You better accurately identify the traits that will be economically important to you in the future and aggressively incorporate those traits in your herd if you hope to continue milking cows in the future. What is the age of your heifers at rst service? 410 days. How does your heifer inventory affect your breeding program? We monitor it closely. Our heifers are at a grower in Kansas. Raising replacements is a real cost for us, so we don’t like to raise too many extras or
low genetic merit animals. Tell us about our farm. My wife Mary pays the bills. In addition to my two herdsmen, I have Bob Donahoe, who is my operations manager, and Hispanics round out my milk harvest staff. We have sandbedded free stalls and a sand separation system. We crop about 2,200 acres, mostly alfalfa, BMR corn silage and some grain corn. All our crop harvests and most of our manure pumping is handled by custom operators. We raise replacement calves to 5 months of age which are then sent to southwest Kansas until 45 days prefreshening.
A healthy rumen: WKH KHDUW RI HIĆFLHQF\ DQG SHUIRUPDQFH 3URPRWHV IHUPHQWDWLRQ RI ӾEHU DQG WKH GLJHVWLRQ RI VXJDUV VWDUFKHV DQG SURWHLQ $FWL6DI DQG 3URFUHDWLQ ZRUN WR GLYHUVLI\ UXPHQ PLFURӿRUD EDODQFH UXPHQ S+ UHGXFH ULVN RI UXPHQ DFLGRVLV
SURPRWH IHUPHQWDWLRQ DQG ӾEHU GLJHVWLRQ RI VXJDUV VWDUFKHV DQG SURWHLQV LPSURYH PLON \LHOG SURWHLQ DQG IDW SURGXFWLRQ
3KLOHR LV WKH DQLPDO KHDOWK GLYLVLRQ RI WKH /HVDӽUH JOREDO KHDOWK FDUH JURXS RI FRPSDQLHV 2XU GDLU\ SURGXFW SRUWIROLR RӽHUV QDWXUDO VROXWLRQV SURYHQ WR VXSSRUW LQWDNH LPPXQH IXQFWLRQ DQG IHHG HԀFLHQF\ LPSURYLQJ \RXU ERWWRP OLQH )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ SOHDVH FRQWDFW \RXU ORFDO 3KLOHR UHSUHVHQWDWLYH RU FDOO FXVWRPHU VHUYLFH DW 877-677-7000 RU HPDLO LQIR#SKLOHR OHVDӽUH FRP
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 21
2-Year Interest Waiver
Financing subject to pre-approval through JD Financial. Some restrictions apply. See dealer for details.
followed by 2.4% interest on all preowned combines and heads, over 100 units to choose from
JD S790, 2018, $ ##179097 17909 0977
315,400
JD S780, 2018, $ #183439
337,500
JD S770, 2018, $ #181147
JD S690, 2013, $ #175026
162,900
JD S680, $ 2012 #154637
149,500
JD S680 2013, $ #161858
245,000
149,500
JD S690, 2012, $ #179929
160,000
JD S670, $ 2012, #172954
114,900
Equipment and pictures added daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com 3 9 2 3 10 1 3 7 14 9 2 15 14 7 17 6 16 16 16 16 8 14 16 14
COMBINE PLATFORMS
JD 635F 2008, 35 ft., Flexible, #184004 ............................................................$10,000 JD 630F 2004, 30 ft., Flexible , #181625 ...........................................................$11,000 JD 635F 2010, 35 ft., Flexible, #179149 ............................................................$12,900 JD 630F 2006, 30 ft., Flexible, #180603 ............................................................$13,900 JD 620F 2009, 20 ft., Flexible, #162055 ............................................................$14,900 JD 630F 2011, 30 ft., Flexible, #182970 ............................................................$15,900 JD 635F 2009, 35 ft., Flexible, #168276 ............................................................$16,900 JD 630F 2011, 30 ft., Flexible, #183618 ............................................................$18,900 JD 635F 2009, 35 ft., Flexible, #183382 ............................................................$19,900 JD 625F 2009, 25 ft., Flexible, #178163 ............................................................$22,500 JD 625F 2012, 25 ft., Flexible, #173628 ............................................................$22,900 JD 635F 2012, 35 ft., Flexible, #183567 ............................................................$24,900 JD 635F 2013, 35 ft., Flexible, #181007 ............................................................$27,900 JD 635F 2013, 35 ft., Flexible, #173287 ............................................................$30,400 MacDon FD75-35 2013, 35 ft., Flex/Draper, Flip Over Reel, #183219 ...........$46,500 JD 640FD 2013, 40 ft., Flex/Draper, #162071...................................................$49,500 JD 645FD 2017, 45 ft., Flex/Draper, #182969...................................................$74,900 JD 640FD 2018, 40 ft., Flex/Draper, #173387...................................................$79,500 JD 645FD 2017, 45 ft., Flex/Draper, #162936 ...................................................$79,500 JD 740FD 2019, 40 ft., Flex/Draper, Flip Over Reel, #178988...........................$85,900 JD 740FD 2019, 40 ft., Flex/Draper, Flip Over Reel, #179193...........................$85,900 JD 745FD 2019, 45 ft., Flex/Draper, Flip Over Reel, #183001...........................$93,400 JD 745FD 2019, 45 ft., Flex/Draper, Flip Over Reel, #169235...........................$94,500 JD 745FD 2020, 45 ft., Flex/Draper, Flip Over Reel, #183000...........................$96,400
COMBINES
2 JD 9650 STS 2001, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 3211 hrs., 2053 Sep. hrs, #171989 ...............................................................................................................$37,210 8 JD 9550 1999, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 4900 hrs., 3450 Sep. hrs., #178638$43,900 5 JD 9650W 2001, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 4495 hrs., 3314 Sep. hrs., #183897 ...............................................................................................................$54,000 7 JD 9660 STS 2005, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 3090 hrs., 2030 Sep. hrs., #183617 ...............................................................................................................$59,500 1 JD 9870 STS 2008, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 3105 hrs., 2500 Sep. hrs., #175945 ............................................................................................................$109,000 11 JD S670 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 3625 hrs., 2557 Sep. hrs., #172954 ............................................................................................................$114,900 15 JD S680 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2930 hrs., 2043 Sep. hrs., #175550 ............................................................................................................$129,000 17 NH CR8090 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2405 hrs., 1810 Sep. hrs., #183218 ............................................................................................................$136,500 7 JD S680 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2959 hrs., 2063 Sep. hrs., #182070 ............................................................................................................$144,900 17 JD S680 2014, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 2351 hrs., 1703 Sep. hrs., #178114$147,900 5 JD S680 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2906 hrs., 1904 Sep. hrs., #161858 ............................................................................................................$149,500
3 JD S680 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2365 hrs., 1642 Sep. hrs., #176788 ............................................................................................................$149,500 3 JD S680 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2472 hrs., 1739 Sep. hrs., #154637 ............................................................................................................$149,500 15 JD S680 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Singles, 2506 hrs., 1900 Sep. hrs., #183520 ............................................................................................................$153,900 7 JD S680 2014, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 2060 hrs., 1658 Sep. hrs., #172017$159,500 15 JD S690 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2237 hrs., 1588 Sep. hrs., #177562 ............................................................................................................$159,500 3 JD S690 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2203 hrs., 1400 Sep. hrs., #179929 ............................................................................................................$160,000 1 JD S690 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2101 hrs., 1505 Sep. hrs., #175026 ............................................................................................................$162,900 5 JD S670 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2002 hrs., 1379 Sep. hrs., #182044 ............................................................................................................$165,000 6 JD S680 2015, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2200 hrs., #169577 .....................$169,500 1 JD S680 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2729 hrs., 1800 Sep. hrs., #176089 ............................................................................................................$169,900 14 JD S680, 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1992 hrs., 1300 Sep. hrs., #174756 ............................................................................................................$174,900 3 JD S690 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1983 hrs., 1530 Sep. hrs., #171923 ............................................................................................................$179,000 10 JD S680 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2047 hrs., 1638 Sep. hrs., #166363 ............................................................................................................$185,900 2 JD S670 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2288 hrs., 1453 Sep. hrs., #176660 ............................................................................................................$199,500 3 JD S690 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1645 hrs., 1161 Sep. hrs., #167773 ............................................................................................................$199,900 2 JD S680 2015, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1793 hrs., 1233 Sep. hrs., #167207 ............................................................................................................$219,500 3 JD S690 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2110 hrs., #176735 ......................$219,500 16 JD S770 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2199 hrs., 1587 Sep. hrs., #181147 ............................................................................................................$245,000 3 JD S690 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1766 hrs., 1248 Sep. hrs., #176733 ............................................................................................................$250,000 2 JD S770 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 992 hrs., 724 Sep. hrs., #173995 .$299,500 3 JD S790 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1535 hrs., 1058 Sep. hrs., #179097 ............................................................................................................$315,400 16 JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1155 hrs., 800 Sep. hrs., #175318$319,500 5 JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1178 hrs., 850 Sep. hrs., #183439$337,500 5 JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1097 hrs., 755 Sep. hrs., #183533$355,000 17 JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1007 hrs., 690 Sep. hrs., #177549$364,400 11 JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 685 hrs., 475 Sep. hrs., #154461 .$379,500 14 JD S780 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 888 hrs., 653 Sep. hrs., #171103 .$385,000
14 1 16 16 14 14 14 16 16 16 14 14
JD S790 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 963 hrs., 683 Sep. hrs., #171378 .$389,500 JD S780 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 487 hrs., 294 Sep. hrs., #169509 .$409,500 JD S780 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 482 hrs., 307 Sep. hrs., #169507 .$409,500 JD S780 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 360 hrs., 234 Sep. hrs., #171003 .$419,500 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 517 hrs., 397 Sep. hrs., #183792 .$425,400 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 508 hrs., 373 Sep. hrs., #181757 .$429,900 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 407 hrs., 315 Sep. hrs., #179653 .$435,900 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Tracks, 317 hrs., 226 Sep. hrs., #182068.$509,900 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Tracks, 318 hrs., 241 Sep. hrs., #182069.$509,900 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Tracks, 315 hrs., 240 Sep. hrs., #182067.$509,900 JD S790 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Tracks, 519 hrs., 392 Sep. hrs., #181663.$514,900 JD S790 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Tracks, 378 hrs., 285 Sep. hrs., #181664.$524,900
5 2 5 6 6 17 2 9 9 3 10 3 3 7 16 7 16 5 8 17 7 10 10 7 17 15 15 2 3 14 15 14
JD 893 1999, 8 Row, 30” Spacing, #175754 ......................................................$10,900 Geringhoff RD820, 8 Row, 20” Spacing, StalkMaster, #181342 ...................$13,900 JD 893 2005, 8 Row, 30” Spacing, #183619 ......................................................$15,900 Geringhoff RD630 2000, 6 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #181118 ..........$16,900 JD 1293 1996, #156056.....................................................................................$17,500 Geringhoff RD630 2010, 6 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #177393 ..........$22,400 Harvestec 5308C 2012, 8 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #173992.............$27,900 JD 608C StalkMaster 2010, 8 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #174639 .....$31,000 JD 608C StalkMaster 2011, 8 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #182813 .....$33,900 JD 608C StalkMaster 2011, 8 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #169171 .....$37,500 JD 612C StalkMaster 2009, 12 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #175440 ...$38,000 Geringhoff 16R22 2011, 16 Row, 22” Spacing, StalkMaster, #176736 ........$42,900 Geringhoff 16R22 2012, 16 Row, 22” Spacing, StalkMaster, #176737 ........$49,000 JD 612C 2013, 12 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #151998 ............................$52,800 JD 612C StalkMaster 2013, 12 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #177920 ...$54,500 JD 608C 2013, 8 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #176721...............................$55,900 JD 612C 2013, 12 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #177777 ............................$57,500 JD 612C 2013, 12 Row, 22” Spacing, StalkMaster, #166362 ............................$58,900 JD 612C 2013, 12 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #177625 ............................$61,900 Geringhoff RD1230F 2013, 12 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #183220 ...$64,900 JD 612C 2013, 12 Row, 22” Spacing, StalkMaster, #178166 ............................$64,900 JD 706C 2018, 6 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #165801...............................$65,500 JD 616C 2012, 16 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #179657 ............................$67,400 JD 612C 2014, 12 Row, 22” Spacing, StalkMaster, #153843 ............................$67,900 JD 608C 2017, 8 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #183100...............................$69,500 JD 612C 2014, 12 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #151308 ............................$69,500 JD 612C 2017, 12 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #183609 ............................$76,000 JD 708C 2018, 8 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #176217...............................$78,500 JD 618C 2012, 18 Row, 22” Spacing, StalkMaster, #176931 ............................$79,500 JD 618C 2013, 18 Row, 22” Spacing, StalkMaster, #174646 ............................$89,500 JD 618C 2012, 18 Row, 22” Spacing, StalkMaster, #175201 ............................$89,900 JD 716C 2019, 16 Row, 30” Spacing, StalkMaster, #179403 .....................$1,395,000
Visit one of our 17 locations in Central Minnesota! CALL (7) = ALEXANDRIA (9) = PRINCETON (12) = AITKIN (4) = ST. CLOUD (1) = GLENCOE 4561 Hwy. 212
1035 35th Ave. NE
(2) = HOWARD LAKE (5) = GLENWOOD 5845 Keats Ave. SW
1710 N. Franklin
(3) = STEWART
(6) = SAUK CENTRE
78412 Co. Rd. 20
1140 Centre St.
320-763-4220 5005 Co. Rd. 82 SE
3708 Baptist Church Rd.
(8) = PAYNESVILLE
16069 Hwy. 27 E.
725 Lake Ave. S.
1120 2nd St. NW
(10) = LITTLE FALLS (13) = BAXTER (11) = WADENA 62505 US Hwy. 10
7045 Foley Rd.
CORN AND ROW CROP HEADERS
TODAY! (320)365-1653 (14) = ELBOW LAKE
(16) = BENSON
(15) = MORRIS
(17) = MADISON
110 2nd St. NE
23604 State Hwy. 9
380 Atlantic Ave. 516 1st St. E
SEE OUR COMPLETE INVENTORY WITH PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS AT: www.mmcjd.com
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Could a retrofit be the right fit for you?
Rockpickers help at Lubitz farm
ANDREA BORGERDING/DAIRY STAR
Kevin Uphoff dumps a bucket of rock onto a wagon while picking rock May 21 near Perham, Minnesota. Uphoff was part of a crew of 11 who picked rock for four hours at Jack and Janice Lubitz’s farm.
Crew picks oat, corn elds for Perham farmers By Andrea Borgerding andrea.b@dairystar.com
Retrofitting a dairy barn for a new parlor has been a popular choice to make upgrades more affordable than they would be when building new.
Find out today! SCAN HERE
Connect with a DeLaval representative today to see if a retrofit is the right fit for you.
www.delaval.com
Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Kramer Bros. Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United Dairy Systems, Inc. West Union, IA 563-422-5355 WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713
DeLaval Dairy Service Kaukauna, WI 866-335-2825 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0267 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470
MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, SD 605-886-7401 Sioux Falls, SD 800-284-0015
PERHAM, Minn. – Jack and Janice Lubitz are no stranger to walking their elds and picking rocks. They have been picking that way since they took over the farm more than 40 years ago. It is an annual tradition in the spring. This year, they had a one-year hiatus from the rigorous work when they won the rock picking contest sponsored by the Central Minnesota Credit Union and Dairy Star. “I thought it would be cool but didn’t think we would win,” Janice said. “I threw Jack’s name in on my way out the door.” Janice registered at the Central Minnesota Credit Union Perham branch. Jack’s name was drawn as the winner of the contest in late May. The Lubitzes milk 30 cows in Ottertail County near Perham. They also run 397 acres of cropland growing alfalfa, oat and corn. The couple has two adult daughters and four grandchildren. Janice was surprised when Jack’s name was drawn as the winner of the contest. “I forgot that I registered,” Janice said. But the Lubitzes welcomed the extra help to complete the tenuous task. “It used to be something good to do with Jack’s folks because his mom or I would drive,” Janice said. “It was a good family activity, it just had to be done, and we did it together. Even the grandkids have helped pick in the past.” Janice took the day off from her job as postmaster when the rock picking crew of 9 was scheduled to come May 21. The Lubitzes borrowed a rock
S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416
is a registered trademark of Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. and “DeLaval” is a registered trade/servicemark of DeLaval Holding AB © 2021 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. Nothing in this document shall constitute a warranty or guaranty of performance. www.delaval.com
Turn to LUBITZ | Page 23
D ROUNRS BALE
2019 Vermeer 605N CSS 11623 bales 2019 Vermeer 605N 2041 bales 2015 Vermeer 605N CSS Vermeer 605XL 4100 bales New Holland 560 5240 bales New Holland 7090 4608 bales Vermeer CPX9000 bale processor
Osage, IA Dumont, IA 641-732-5044 641-857-3216
www.markstractor.com
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 23
Con�nued from LUBITZ | Page 22
Attention Dairy/Poultry Farmers: We have Corn Cobs for Premium Bedding & Feed Fiber • Ground sized to your needs • Cobs dried & clean
Exremely Absorbant!
Other protein and fiber sources available!
GIVE RANDY A CALL TODAY
320-523-5120
www.beavercreektransport.com
got room in your tank?
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Janice and Jack Lubitz (front) are shown with a picking crew May 21 from Dairy Star and Central Minnesota Credit Union (from le�) Kevin Uphoff, Evan Welle, Dale Job and Mike Vacek; (back, from le�) Corey Sand, Bob Leukam, Brad Herkenhoff and Andrea Borgerding. Not pictured is Mark Klaphake.
picking trailer from their neighbor and arranged for a meal to feed the crew once picking was nished. The crew arrived at the Lubitz farm at 11 a.m. Jack and Janice knew exactly which elds they wanted help with – starting with an oat eld. “That was the worst eld we had for rocks,” Jack said. Both Jack and Janice drove a tractor with a wagon and started at opposite ends of the eld. “It was weird,” Janice said
of watching the rock pickers. “I felt guilty at rst, but that feeling gradually went away.” Jack, on the other hand, had a harder time not pitching in to help. “I knew it wouldn’t take him long,” Janice said. “It wasn’t more than a couple minutes and he was off his tractor in the eld helping pick rocks.” After 1.5 hours on the oat eld,
We Finance/Lease Dairy Cattle!
• • • •
Increase your production and your proÛts Free up capital for other needs Avoid complicated bank loan processing Lease will be personalized to your operation
Sunshine Heifers
Your leader in dairy cattle Ànancing/leasing!
Contact: 602-768-6678
Turn to LUBITZ | Page 25
Thank you Dairy Farmers!
The Largest Stocking Dealer of ESCH HAY TEDDERS & FIELD MASTER ROTARY RAKES
During Dairy Month, we’d like to thank the men and women of our dairy industry for their hard work and commitment to quality and sustainability. We appreciate all that you bring to the table!
in the Upper Midwest!
ESCH HAY TEDDERS IN STOCK
9’ $3,950 • 18’ $7,800 • 22’ $10,300 32’ $22,750 Built in the USA, Heavy Duty, 8”x20.5 tires
FIELD MASTER ROTARY RAKES IN STOCK
11’ $9,500 • 13’ $11,800 Built in Canada, Heavy duty and easy to use
Martin Ag Supply LLC 3128 Mitchell Line St. Orchard, IA 50460
641-982-4845
17 Locations providing quality products and services across Southeastern Minnesota and Northeastern Iowa
507-896-3147
Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Reduce Energy Costs Save up to 50% on energy costs by using municipal or well water to precool milk.
Accu-Therm® Plate Cooler Advanced Dairy Solutions Richland Center, WI
Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI
United Dairy Systems West Union, IA
Central Ag Supply Juneau, WI; Baraboo, WI
Seehafer Refrigeration, Inc. Marshfield, WI; Sparta, WI
Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment Pipestone, MN
Ederer’s Dairy Supply Plain, WI; Blanchardville, WI; Dodgeville, WI
Stanley Schmitz Inc. Chilton, WI
Leedstone Melrose, MN; Glencoe, MN; Plainview, MN; Menomonie, WI
J. Gile Dairy Equipment, Inc. Cuba City, WI Monroe Westfalia Surge Monroe, WI Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 1-800-MUELLER | PAULMUELLER.COM
Total Dairy Services Kewaunee, WI Tri-County Dairy Supply Janesville, WI Fuller’s Milker Center Lancaster, WI Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Epworth, IA Sioux Dairy Equipment Rock Valley, IA; Colton, SD
Midwest Livestock Systems Zumbrota, MN; Menomonie, WI; Renner, SD; Beatrice, NE S&S Dairy Systems St. Charles, MN Glencoe Co-Op Assn. Glencoe, MN
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 25
ConƟnued from LUBITZ | Page 23
Thank you dairy producers for all of your hard work!
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Janice and Jack Lubitz relax on their farm aŌer spending four hours of driving tractor for the rock picking crew May 21 on their farm near Perham, Minnesota.
the crew moved on to two corn elds. Almost half way through the picking, the crew endured a blazing afternoon sun and a dry south breeze. By the end of the four hours of picking rock, the crew had lled several wagons full of rocks on almost 50 acres. “It was amazing to have the extra help,” Janice said. The crew enjoyed an afternoon lunch of sandwiches, chips, pop and homemade brownies. That evening after milking,
Jack and Janice said they could not believe they nished a job that would normally take them a week to complete. Now they had just 10 acres to nish for another day. “We were tired, but it was an amazing feeling to have it done,” Janice said. “We are so thankful to everyone who came out and helped us do this.” Jack agreed. “We appreciated the help,” Jack said.
Custom Àt to your new or existing building Motorized or Manual Options
minutes
Highest UV inhibitor and lock stitch style sewing for longer curtain life Get the full value of air quality control curtains at the touch of a button
JUNE IS DAIRY MONTH In honor of June Dairy Month, all of us at Farmer’s Co-op Creamery would like to express our deepest thanks to all the hard working dairymen and dairywomen in the Midwest. We appreciate your dedication to your industry and we feel honored to be working with you each day.
TWINE • NET WRAP • BALE FILM BUNKER COVERS• SILAGE BAGS • Jenkins Skid Steer Attachments • Sioux Mineral Feeders • Spanier Gates • Corral Panels • Assorted Feeders • Tartar Farm & Ranch Equipment
NATURAL BAGGED WOOD SHAVINGS
on t s e For
FARMERS CO-OP CREAMERY
ALWAYS WELCOMING NEW PATRONS!
MEETING YOUR ANIMAL FEED NEEDS & MORE! FORES T ON, MN • 320-294-57 11 • M-F 8-5PM • S AT 8-NOON WWW.FORESTONCREAMERY.COM
OILERS DUST BAGS
MISCELLANEOUS
Lubricants Fencing supplies Belts • Dairy Supplies
Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Farmgirl at heart
Hello Dairy Star readers. My name is Stacey Smart, and I am one of the staff writers here at the paper. I have been with the paper for almost three years, starting as a freelancer before becoming a full-time writer in September 2019. I cover stories in the eastern half of Wisconsin, northern Illinois and the upper peninsula of Michigan. This job combines two of my biggest loves – writing and the dairy industry – and I feel fortunate to be a part of this publication. The people I have met on this journey are amazing. It hardly seems like work when I get to tour farms and have conversations with the dairy farmBy Stacey Smart ers throughout my territory. Everyone is always so Staff Writer welcoming and interesting to learn about. Many times, I feel like I’m talking to a longtime friend. If I haven’t already met you, I hope to some day. I grew up on a dairy farm in Custer, Wisconsin, which is about 10 miles east of Stevens Point. The farm has been in my family since 1945. We milked between 90 to 100 cows in a tiestall barn. Most of our all-Holstein herd was registered, and every gal had a name. We also raised pigs and had around 10 sows as well as a boar for breeding and raised piglets to 40 pounds before selling. The animals were by far my favorite thing about growing up on a farm. I loved all the cows, cats, dogs and pigs I befriended throughout my childhood. I owned a small herd of registered cattle within my parents’ herd, which included my favorite cow, Hopscotch (stay tuned to learn more about her in a future column). My cattle were a big part of my life and also helped pay my way through college. Early mornings were my least favorite part of farming. To this day, I am not a morning person. Our days started at 4:30 a.m. no matter what. If you were out late the night before and only got a few hours of sleep, that was too bad. We had to do our barn chores, and if we were lucky, we snuck in a nap during the day before afternoon chores. I am the youngest of ve children, and working on the farm was mandatory for me, my brother and sisters. I gravitated toward the barn from a young age before I was even a useful helper. As I got a little older, my jobs were many and included milking cows, feeding calves, cleaning and bedding stalls, watching for heats, helping my dad with mating decisions, moving cattle, registering animals, and occasionally feeding cows and pigs. I did registrations back when you had to draw the markings on each side of the animal by hand. It was a relief when we nally graduated to taking photos instead. Hours of time were saved. Picking rocks was my least favorite job. It was always hot, dusty and miserable. I was a member of 4-H and the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association. I enjoyed showing cattle and judging cattle. I started leading calves around when I was 4 years old and couldn’t wait until I was nally old enough to show at the county fair. My parents sold the milk cows 20 years ago in May in an on-farm dispersal the week before my wedding. It was heartbreaking to say goodbye to the girls, but the time for change had come. It was a whirlwind holding an auction and a wedding so close together, but everything turned out well. My husband, Chris, and I just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. We have two children – our daughter, Felicity, is 17 and our son, Elijah, is 14. This time of year, we are busy attending their softball and baseball games. I’m thankful for the work ethic instilled in me while growing up on a dairy farm, which helped prepare me for the real world. Looking back, those days spent on the farm were some of the best days of my life, even if I didn’t always know it at the time. I now live in the city, but I’m grateful I had the opportunity to grow up on a farm. They say you can take the girl off the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the girl. I will forever be a farmgirl at heart, and I’m thankful I can continue to be a part of the wonderful dairy farming community through my work at the Dairy Star.
Thankful for the thankless
Tell the advertisers you saw their ad in the
DAIRY ST★R
522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378
320-352-6303 Fax (320) 352-5647
®
As of late, to get out of the COVID-19 blues, I have been trying to think of three things in my life I am grateful for before I get out of bed each morning. When you have been practicing this activity for many months, the things you’re grateful for become more specic and less shallow in a way. This morning I found myself thankful for the seless, diligent immigrants in the orchards harvesting apricots while I lay in bed. Their efforts make it possible for me to get up in the morning and enjoy their fruits of labor, the apricot jam I will enjoy on my toast. Anna Hinchley is a 2020 University of WisconsinMadison graduate. She farms with her parents, Tina and Duane, where they milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchley’s have been hosting farm tour for over 25 years.
te ly
pl e
Qu
ly,
www.boumatic.com
G e nt
Everyone is for saving the bees. You see the advocacy on bumper stickers, T-shirts, social media, and some people go to the lengths to plant gardens for bees. But, instead of being concerned about saving the pollinators, where is the advocacy for saving the pickers? What good is a fruitful crop if we cannot get it out of the eld? As the seasonal fruits and vegetables ripen across the United States, the work of harvesting them depends on illegal immigrants. It By Anna Hinchley isn’t just picking produce; Farmer & Columnist undocumented immigrants are also paramount in highdemand agricultural services such as butchering, milking and food processing, among many others. As most of the United States population has moved away from agriculture, many agricultural employers found they depend on undocumented immigrants to perform these services. The apricot harvest is underway in California. A crew of Hispanic workers are picking, processing and packing the sweet fruit bound for grocery stores across the nation. Like many immigrants before them, they come to the United States to seek the opportunity to earn a livable wage. When you think about it, the illegal immigrants suffer a lot to do the jobs most citizens don’t want to do in America. They pay a lot of money to get here, and they risk their lives for work. And, it is not just for any type of work, it is hard work. We, as farmers, know more than anyone it is hard to nd good, reliable help. Most Americans today glimpse into the thought of working on a farm and think, “No, thanks.” You should know that of the nation’s civilian workforce, undocumented workers account for around a quarter of the workers in farming occupations according to a Pew Research Center study. Do you think this large number of undocumented workers are doing more harm than good when it comes to our beloved agriculture industry? The passage below was taken from a Voice of America article written by Steve Baragona in the fall of 2010. “With U.S. unemployment near 10%, many believe illegal immigrants are taking jobs from Americans. But when the United Farm Workers union launched a campaign offering to connect unemployed people to farm jobs, only three people accepted out of thousands of inquiries.” Union president Arturo Rodriguez said most balked at the difcult working conditions. “They really don’t have any idea what it is to work in agriculture today,” he said. “We’ve just gotten so far away from that type of society that people have forgotten.”
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 27
i c k ly
and C
om
The Ultimate Milk Harvest Lineup
BouMatic’s Milking Champions
Les Kuehl
Repair Service
High performance, durability and comfort Flo-Star® MAX
30+ Years Experience
The gold standard in performance, capacity, durability, weight reduction,
YOUR CENTRAL MINNESOTA GOLIATH REPAIR SERVICE!
milkability and comfort. Magnum™ Liners
• Sealed silo parts & service • All parts needed to service your • Best chains on the market Goliath Unloaders • Used and rebuilt unloaders Not afÀliated with the Harvestore brand • Stainless steel roofs • Stainless steel conveyor chains Call for early maintenance specials
The best of both worlds by providing both cow comfort and unparalleled milking performance.
320-760-2909
HiFlo™ Evolution The ultimate in durability and simplicity. tfn
n
y
U. S
A
Eve. 320-762-1827 No Emergency Charges--Ever!
Visit our website for more product information.
. Co m p a
Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Doing the right thing
Schroepfer named WFBF’s inaugural Hero of Hope By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
BRYANT, Wis. – For Justin Schroepfer, helping someone in need is a natural response. He was raised with the mindset which is not uncommon in his small northeastern Wisconsin community. That is why no one was more surprised than he was when he received a call from the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation informing him he had been selected as the winner of their inaugural Hero of Hope campaign. “It was quite comical, and I got quite a chuckle about it,” Schroepfer said. “I didn’t know anything about it until they called and said I had won it. I still don’t even know who nominated me, but they could have really nominated anyone.” Schroepfer’s nominator said, “This time of year, Justin is usually found planting a farm eld that isn’t even his and eventually makes his way to planting his own elds. Our community is lucky to have this very generous family as a part of it.” Schroepfer milks 86 cows in a tiestall barn on his family’s Langlade County farm near Bryant with his father. The pair downsized from milking 160 cows to their current herd size. In his mind, helping others is the norm in Schroepfer’s small town, and he believes that mindset is shared by others. “In our little community, there are at least 15 to 20
health issue that created issues for running his trucking company. “Another guy and I both had CDLs, so we offered to drive truck to help my friend out,” Schroepfer said. “My friend thought it was great, but I just thought it was the right thing to do. I had the ability to help, so I did.” Schroepfer is hesitant to accept the label of hero. He insists there are true heroes serving the country in the military and in police and re departments around the country. “Those are the people that need honoring; they are the real heroes,” Schroepfer said. “I just do the right thing and help people who need it when I can. But those in the military, police and re departments, they have my full support and always will.” According to a WFBF press release, the Heroes of Hope campaign is a subset of the #FarmNeighborsCare campaign which is focused on shedding light on rural heroes who have helped others PHOTO SUBMITTED JusƟn Schroepfer (right) pictured with his family – (from leŌ) Mia, Sara, McKenzie and Korbin – in their communities through is the winner of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s inaugural Heroes of Hope campaign. He milks 86 tough times. The Heroes of cows with his family on their farm in Langlade County near Bryant, Wisconsin. Hope aims to identify people who have helped bring hope guys that, if I needed someOne instance of help- fering a health crisis and was to farmers or businesses in thing, I could call them, and ing others that was cited in in need of help to put crops either large or small ways. Members of the agricultural they would be here to help,” his nomination for the Hero in. Schroepfer said. “It is just of Hope campaign stemmed “It really wasn’t a big community were encouraged deal,” Schroepfer said. “They to nominate individuals who have too many acres. have made an impact on the “I just do the right thing and help didn’t We took our equipment over. way they conduct business. Other nalists recognized people who need it when I can. But My uncle handled all the tillage, and I ran the planter. We this year are Melvin (MJ) Zethose in the military, police and re got it done for them. The FFA nner of Taylor County, Duane alumni provided the fuel for “Dewey” Kunz of Eau Claire departments, they have my full putting in their crops, but County, Kellie Zahn of Shawe didn’t really expect that. wano County and Al Shannon support and always will.” We just wanted to help out a of Dunn County. All Heroes of Hope nalneighbor in need.” JUSTIN SCHROEPFER, DAIRY FARMER A second instance that ists will be recognized in an what we do here, and I would from a call from the local FFA was shared by Schroepfer’s upcoming issue of WFBF’s like to think that is how it is alumni, telling him someone nominator was when a good Rural Route magazine. everywhere in Wisconsin.” in the community was suf- friend of his also suffered a
HAY SEASON IS HERE! McHale Balers New & In Stock! NO TILL DRILLS
Anderson Hybrid X New & In Stock
2020 Anderson RB200 GENESIS 5 & GENESIS 8 Demo Unit - $6,100 IN STOCK! Call Us At (715) 223-3361
Or visit us on-line at www.cloverdaleequip.com N13835 County Rd. E - Curtiss, WI 54422
Do genetics control ies on cows? By Brad Heins, Bailey Basiel, Lydia Hardie and Chad Dechow University of Minnesota
Fly control is always a hot topic with organic dairy producers because there are not a lot of viable options to alleviate y pressure. Three important blood sucking pest ies on grazing cattle in the Upper Midwest are the stable y, horn y and face y. Stable ies develop as maggots in a wide array of decomposing organic matter, including soiled animal bedding and soiled feed debris that accumulates wherever cattle are conned. The horn y and the face y develop in fresh cattle dung pats and nowhere else, so they are troublesome to organic herds when pastured. Horn, stable and face ies on organic cows can cause a 10% to 30% reduction in milk production. Furthermore, these ies can reduce pasture feed intake, cause pinkeye and may spread disease from one animal to another. Horn ies can cause major economic losses and are a particular issue on organic dairy farms. Previous research at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center dairy evaluated the Spalding Cow-Vac™ for controlling pasture ies. We found horn y numbers on cows were reduced by 44% on the farm in the presence of a Cow-Vac compared to the absence of a Cow-Vac. However, we wanted to determine if resistance to horn ies is a heritable trait in organic Holstein cattle, if y resistance is associated with milk production and evaluate coat color related to y infestation. Observations of y load were recorded from 1,167 pastured Holstein cows from 13 organic dairies across the United States. Horn y resistance is a moderately heritable trait in Holstein cattle that may be inuenced by genetic selection. Study results showed that a greater y load was associHorn fl H fly resistant i cattle l would ld ated with reduced milk and fat production after accountespecially benefit organic and ing for genetic merit of the pasture-based operations by Holstein cows. This indicates that continued selection for preventing production losses higher yield may increase associated with infestation and y susceptibility of pastured reducing disease spread educ g d sease sp ead byy flies. es. cattle over time. The magnitude of variation in y infestation is similar to other traits included in selection programs, suggesting that producers can select for resistance to horn ies. Coat coloration appears to inuence susceptibility to horn y infestation, and Holstein cows with greater proportions of white coloration attracted fewer horn ies than those that were mostly black. The relationship between horn y infestation and coat coloration supports the KIT gene, which is known to be associated with coloration in cattle, as a candidate gene for horn y resistance. Horn y resistant cattle would especially benet organic and pasture-based operations by preventing production losses associated with infestation and reducing disease spread by ies. Both organic and conventional producers could reduce costs and labor associated with horn y control by selecting for horn y resistance in their herds. Additionally, y resistance further has positive implications toward animal welfare. Products from y resistant cattle could be more desirable to consumers. Sanitation should be the primary control option on any dairy. Proper sanitation is of the utmost importance because synthetic pesticides are not allowed on organic dairies. Manure and feed provide the ideal habitat for house and stable y production. Manure and old feed should be removed daily, or at least twice a week, from calf pens, holding areas, feed areas and milking areas. To ensure success on a dairy, producers need to properly identify key pests, understand their biology and habitat, monitor their populations and then reduce the y population through mechanical or biological management techniques. Ultimately, there are many tactics you can try on your own farm. Take notes and evaluate how well things worked, what didn’t work, and where you can nd additional answers to improve the wellbeing of cattle and reduce pests.
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
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 29
Seven Oaks HD is an underground construction contractor specializing in Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and Land Improvements
BENEFITS OF USING DIRECTIONAL DRILLING INSTALLATION INCLUDE:
Ŷ Continuation of Normal Operation Ŷ Avoidance of identi¿ed Infrastructure Installation Ŷ Maintain Integrity of Driveway, Roadways, Buildings, and Natural Features Ŷ Little to No Disturbance to Wetlands or Other Sensitives Areas Ŷ Many Unique Installation Capabilities Vs. Open Cutting/ Digging (Entering under Buildings or Tanks) Ŷ Minimal Site Restoration
PRODUCT INSTALLATION Ŷ Gas Lines Ŷ Power Wire/ Lines Ŷ Communication/ Fiber Optic Ŷ Water Lines/Water Mains Ŷ Drainage/ Tile Lines Ŷ Forced/ On Grade Sewer Ŷ Manure Transfer Lines
Land Improvements Drain Tile Design/ Installation Ditch Cleaning & Grading • Fenceline Clearing
Changing weather and higher inputs got you down? Using Drain Tile to manage excess moisture in the soil pro¿le is the foundation for increasing pro¿tability per acre. - Less compaction - Better soil Structure - Allows more days per year for ¿eld operations - More Yields with same or less inputs
Call Us to Discuss Your Project Now!
920-450-2844 Jon Lamers 920-378-5163 www.SevenOaksTeam.com Chad Van Asten
Bit of this and that Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Somehow, I blinked, and the boys are out of school for the summer. I should have more time to prepare myself for their energy borne out of freedom from school. I told them we are sticking to a schedule so I don’t lose my temper daily. This was also explained with the clause that it is a farm, and sometimes things happen that aren’t planned for, so they had better be prepared for that. They are all old enough now that I don’t need to have them at my side in the barn, but that also means they are old enough and tall enough to help me sort cows if need be. This is a very handy thing for me. Ira, Dane and Oliver are all learning how to be cow men in a pinch. I take for granted how fast Carmen and I can process a cow’s number on a small pink tag. It is a learning curve for the boys, but they are gaining condence as I practice patience. No school also means the kitchen has to be fully stocked at all times, because growing boys are hungry every ve seconds. They eat a full lunch, then are back digging in the refrigerator within minutes for a little
snack. Last Friday, we resumed our family lunch at the table and, after last year’s quarantine meals, a meal at the table means praying and stating what we are thankful for. My dad started this with the kids last spring, and they love it. (If you stop in for lunch, be prepared, you will be asked yours.) We go around the table and mention something we are thankful for that day. Some of the most seemingly mundane things make the list: lightbulbs, pants, pockets, eyes. There are days when we go deeper: trust, faith, family and the love of old things. Cora is most often the rst to draw attention to the fact that we need to do our thankfuls and will call on the boys to say theirs. It is a lovely tradition; one that will stick with this crew of farm kids long into the future. It is a fun way to see what is going on in those little, dirt-covered heads of these kids of ours. My little ock of sheep is doing well, except for the bullheaded Armella. My rst three ewes lambed with no difculty, and their inner voices told them how to properly mother their lambs. Armella appar-
POWER THROUGH THE HEAT
Feeding LEVUCELL® SC during heat stress has been shown to: Improve feed efficiency by
7.1
%
Performance no matter the temperature Don’t let heat stress drive down herd performance. Instead, help cows power through the heat with LEVUCELL SC, Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077, rumen specific active dry yeast probiotic. LEVUCELL SC helps optimize rumen function to perform like the finely tuned engine it is – regardless of conditions.
1
Ask your nutritionist about integrating LEVUCELL SC into your cows’ diet today!
Boost energy-corrected milk yield by
5.7 1
%
1
Learn more at ChooseLevucellSC.com.
Perdomo et al., 2020. Effect of feeding live yeast at two dosages of performance and feeding behavior of dairy cows under heat stress. J. Dairy Sci. 103:325-339.
© 2021. LEVUCELL is a registered trademark of Lallemand Specialties Inc. Not all products are available in all markets nor are all claims allowed in all regions.
LALLEMAND ANIMAL NUTRITION www.lallemandanimalnutrition.com
SPECIFIC FOR YOUR SUCCESS
ently got shorted in the mothering instinct department. Following the advice of three sheep men, I left her locked in a headlock for two weeks. She had the ability to eat, drink and lie down. However, she couldn’t head butt her lamb, Hermione, with her horns, drill her into the ground or swivel away from her so Ramblings from the Ridge she couldn’t nurse. This obnoxious creature is not a fan of letting her lamb nurse unless she is restrained. Now we have a daily schedule wherein she is locked at night but free to graze with the rest of the girls during the day. Hermione is growing well and showing no signs of malnutrition, so it must be By Jacqui Davison working. Armella’s future Columnist may be a cold one; I’m not sure I want to worry if her mothering brain will be activated by her second lamb. Even though we only expect 80 or so calves this month, it seems as if they are born in groups of ve. We can go a few days with no fresh cows, then the gate on the calving pen seems to have a revolving door. As fast as one calves and is taken care of, she’s pushed out to make room for the next one. We have had two sets of twins in the past week. I loathe twins; cute, small, fragile and awful for a cow to have anytime of the year but worse when it’s 90 degrees. The rst cow had a bubble of air under her skin by day two, likely from some unknown rip inside. This isn’t a terribly common occurrence for me, but I’ve seen it enough to know that medicating her immediately makes all the difference. For the second set, I missed the twin when I rst went searching with my arm inside. I trusted my gut (and Dad’s advice) this time and checked on her an hour later to nd a foot popping out. I delivered No. 2 with minimal problems, and the cow drank pail after pail of warm water and even pushed out her placenta. This is a huge step in getting a twin cow on the right track fast, so I was pleased. The heat will likely send some mastitis cows my way, as this time of year we typically see more. I’ll grumble about them, though, knowing some will not be curable. For years, my right foot has not been able to wiggle its toes in the bare soil as I putter about the garden. I have had varicose veins in my right leg since kid No. 2, and they didn’t disappear after kid No. 4. I have worn compression stockings daily to ease the tired, throbbing feeling the veins cause in that leg. When my toes started tingling and my ankle started to ache worse than normal, I rescheduled the appointment that had been put on hold due to COVID-19 and a few bouts with ringworm last summer. The veins were stripped on account of the fact that mine were so zig-zagged they couldn’t inject them like they can with many people. Ten incisions, two weeks of no lifting more than 10 pounds, four nights of icing my throbbing leg and a month of healing up later, I am almost back to being barefoot. Slowing down enough to take care of myself has never been one of my strengths. I don’t like to add my work to anyone else’s to-do list, but I will enjoy not having an extra layer on in the heat. A bit of this, a bit of that, happy June Dairy Month to all of you! Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira (14), Dane (12), Henry (7) and Cora (4), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
Wood
Shavings BULK
OR
BAG
S&S Wood Products
35335 Green Street | Independence, WI 54747
800-234-5893 | 715-985-3122
Cow nerds
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 31
A while back, I ran into a dairy’s nutritionist as I nished palpating cows. I had done quite a few exams, so I was covered with cow manure. This prompted a discussion about the quality of the manure on the dairy. I was concerned the cows were too loose. He was concerned the cows were less efcient than desired, and was on his way to examine cows and their I explained that Veterinary Wisdom manure. the manure was sometimes bubbly, had a granular feel to it on my sleeve and often had signicantly large pieces of undigested forage. He listened attentively and began to talk about the proper depth of a cow patty, and how good quality manure sounds when it hits the oor, more of a popping By Jim Bennett sound than a continuous Columnist running sound. We probably talked for 20 minutes. Back in the car, it struck me that most normal people could not, and would not, talk about the intricacies of cow manure for that long. But cow nerds can, and we do. It is OK to be a cow nerd. Cow nerds appreciate things in life others do not. We nd pleasure in different places. Ever walk into a freestall pen and see 100% of cows lying down, eating or drinking, and then, involuntarily break into a big grin? I have. Cow nerds love to see cows doing the things we want them to do, especially lying down and chewing their cud. How about a bunch of big burly calves popping out of the hutches, eager for milk when the feeder comes by? It’s a pretty scene to cow nerds. The other day I was on a farm where calves are raised in pens of two, using two hutches. In most pens, calves tended to lie together with their buddy in one hutch. Fun to see. Cow nerds love to watch cows eat. Cows are enthusiastic eaters. When the mixer comes by, they pull themselves up from drowsiness and mosey over to the bunk, but when the mouth hits that fresh feed, they are fully awake and attack the mix. Some are a bit too
enthusiastic and throw feed up and over their backs, we know better. which is frustrating but still fun to watch. How about Cow nerds know when a cow does not feel well. their ability to sort? In just a few minutes, those big It is the look in her eyes, the ll of the udder, the size noses and tongues have pushed all the way to the con- of her belly, the droop of the ears, the way she moves crete and consumed most of the tasty, small particles. or where she is in the pen at any particular time of day. They may look up at you with a look asking for more. When we try to explain this to normal people, their Of course, we do not like it when they sort and do eyes glaze over, and they start to look away uncomeverything we can to stop it, but they are experts. fortably. But, we just know. Watching cows go to the parlor can be fun. Cow Cow nerds love to see a healthy newborn calf. nerds know the order in Even after seeing thousands which they travel is mostly of the darn things, we love Cow nerds d are not smarter the same for every milk- C to see the bright eyes, the ing. I was doing a milking or more stupid than normal shaking heads and the hilartime analysis and noticed ious rst attempts to stand. that the rst cow into the folks. However, we know and We cannot get enough. holding pen for the next appreciate things they miss. Maybe it is because we group would not allow any know the new calf repreother cows near the parlor sents the future or the circle entrance until the gate was of life going around. open and she was entering. I bet she does that every Cow nerds are not smarter or more stupid than milking. Most likely she is a boss cow and gets her normal folks. However, we know and appreciate way in most things. Sometimes cows like to kick up things they miss. It is a secret, and we know our lives their heels and frolic on the way to the parlor, espe- are better because of it. Yes, it is more than OK to be cially heifers. While cow nerds might nd that fun a cow nerd. to watch, there is always the feeling something bad Bennett is one of four dairy veterinarians at might happen, because cow nerds know cows moving Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center fast on wet concrete is a recipe for disaster in more in Plainview, Minnesota. He also consults on dairy than one way. farms in other states. He and his wife, Pam, have four Some cow nerds wax eloquently and profusely children. Jim can be reached at bennettnvac@gmail. about the placement of the teats, the straightness of com with comments or questions. the topline, or the set of the hocks and so forth. Most of these nerds can recite entire family histories with commentary on the various qualities of all the ancestors at the same time. They knew how to do this long before genomics was a thing. When two of these types of cow nerds get together, time just plain stops. If you are waiting for one of them to do something, like go Get your concrete scabbled with you to get something to eat, for example, you and prevent an accident! had better forget about it and do it yourself. Maybe Scabbling makes grooves in your plan on having one extra beer with that meal too. concrete 2” wide and 3/16” deep so Cow nerds can tell when a cow is in heat. “See your cows ALWAYS have traction. how her hair is messed up?” “See how her tail head is dirty?” Normal folks stare when you say this. They REFERENCES Smith’s of Wisconsin are thinking, “What the heck is he talking about? She Serving the Midwest over 30 yrs. AVAILABLE looks just like the other 100 cows in this pen.” But, UPON REQUEST 1-800-525-9364
Keep your cows on their feet!
Dairy Equipment By
USED EQUIPMENT ON HAND E
Specializing In: • Hot Dipped Galvanized Gating • Fiberglass Gates • Crowd Gates • Parlor Stalls • Free Stalls • Parlor Floors• Parlor Remodels
‘06 Gehl 480T TeleHandler,
‘13 JCB 541-70 AGRI PLUS Telehandler,
5275 hrs., #22164
‘13 JCB 541-70 AGRI PLUS TeleHandler
4233 hrs., #16769
$36,500
www.stormsweldingmfg.com
D
C
3388.2 hrs., #14658
$89,995
$89,500 E
D
D
952-466-3343 • 513 W. Lake St., Cologne, MN
OVE DOROHEAD RS
GE A R GAOORS D
‘12 JCB 3230-65 XTRA FASTRAC 4WD Tractor 4091 hrs., #19160
$81,000
‘12 JCB 3230-65 XTRA FASTRAC 4WD Tractor
‘21 JCB 409 Agri Series Wheel Loader
6551 hrs., #19162
New, #20639
$84,500
D
$102,000
D
D
commercial & residential
‘21 JCB 407 Wheel Loader commercial, residential, rolling steel
CITY-DOOR
.COM
We work on any make and model
CITY-DOOR 715-781-0256
Jason Rouleau • jason@city-door.com 215 S Chestnut St. • LaCrescent, MN 55947
New, #20640
$89,995
‘14 JCB TM320 Telescopic Wheel Loader
6800 NULL hrs., #22238
$68,500
‘19 JCB 536-60 AGRI PLUS Telehandler,
1490 hrs., #20671
$92,000
MORE LISTINGS ONLINE! www.windridgeimplements.com C Cresco (563) 547-3688 D Decorah (563) 382-3614 E Elkader (563) 245-2636
Cows of grazings past Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
The other day I was out in the pasture getting and center if anyone else had one. Whether this was cows in for evening milking, and out of the corner because she was naturally curious or was hoping of my eye, I swore I saw Hollywood. Not the Los to land herself in a Kemps commercial, the world Angeles neighborhood with the dorky letters on a will never know as she didn’t speak much or at all hill, but the cow. Let me explain. really. Just the occasional moo for the camera and About the time camera probably also the patented phones, social media and cow party trick of picking Every li livestock k ffarm h has the like were getting popu- E her nose with her tongue. lar, we had a cow on our animals they remember long I’ve mentioned before we farm simply known as 657. after they’re gone. have a retail meat business She was a pleasant enough at our farm which means cow but hadn’t shown any we have customers stopparticular trait of personping regularly to pick up ality to get her a name anyone remembered long their orders. A pretty popular question, if the cows enough for it to stick. That changed though when were in a pasture by the house, was whether people she found a love for photography. could get a sele with the cows. 657 made sure she 657 never did acquire a camera herself, but she was always in those seles and soon earned her had an uncanny knack for positioning herself front name, Hollywood. It was a sad day when I took her
Keep your cattle happy and healthy with a great TMR mix. A Supreme vertical mixer is powerful, thorough and accurate, providing the best TMR mix on the market. Unlike other mixers, a Supreme is built to last, providing exceptionally accurate mixes throughout its entire life. With proper care and maintenance, a Supreme will offer the same great mix from the first cow to the last – Guaranteed.
THE WORLD’S BEST TMR PROCESSOR
We Manufacture! TEXTURED and Smooth SR100 26 ga., 28 ga., & 29 ga.
Mixers on hand:
‘21 NEW SUPREME 600T Stainless Steel Lined, Hard Surfaced Screws, Flat Dual Direction Conveyor, Digi-Star Scale
WE CALL NOW
on her nal trailer ride, hugged her and said goodbye. She had lived a mediocre life milk production wise, but a huge life as a social media personality and generally as a lovable cow who liked to steal shop towels from pockets and eat them. Over the years, we’ve had so many From the Zweber Farm cows that stood out for either being wonderful coworkers that made the day a little better just by being around and a few we’ll never forget because of all the trouble they caused. Now and then, like that day in the pasture, I nd myself reminded By Tim Zweber of cows from the past Farmer & Columnist who have been gone for years but live on in one way or another. Some lines of cows in our herd all look nearly identical from generation to generation. I could walk in the pasture and pick out with reasonable certainty which sleek, mostly black cows are great-great-great-granddaughters of the cow who won me my rst trip to the state fair. Other cows are remembered when someone tries to clear a gate but can’t jump as high as that white heifer we had who could clear 6-foot fences without touching the boards. Not even the tip of a toe. I’m sure we all least enjoy being reminded of the great kickers of yesteryear and fence duckers. Every livestock farm has animals they remember long after they’re gone, but I don’t know if any other species of animal leaves behind quite the memories a dairy cow does. There’s just so much interaction with cows as you have to see them a minimum of twice daily for milking and a few more times to feed them. It’s no wonder when you talk to an older farmer they don’t recall any of the chickens they raised but can tell stories for hours about all the interesting cows they had the pleasure or frustration of knowing. Thank you all for the reason to sit in front of my computer and take a trip back in time with all the cows I’ve loved over the years. Hopefully this article got you thinking of all your favorite moos too. Until next time, keep living the dream and making wonderful memories with those bovines. Tim Zweber farms with his wife, Emily, their three children and his parents, Jon and Lisa, by Elko, Minnesota.
Snap-Loc available in 24 ga. and 22 ga. 35 colors!
2) SUPREME 900T
‘09 SUPREME 500
Right Hand Dog Leg Conveyor, Dinamica Generale Scale System
Choose RH or LH Dog Leg Conveyor, Both in Good Working Condition, Digi-Star Scales
$7,000
Choice $20,000
Call Hixwood Metal for ALL your Building Needs!!
aupun
quipment Co., Inc.
“The Dealer That Offers A Choice”
N14685 Copenhaver Ave., Stanley Phone: (715) 644-0765 Fax: (715) 644-4931
5.10.21am
W7257 State Rd. 49 N9695 Frohling Lane Waupun, WI Watertown, WI 920-324-3597 920-261-5301 www.waupunequipment.com
Male calf, heifer replacement pivots
How many dairy steers are born in the United States every year? None. This is a trick question. You may have heard it used during a round-robin youth show Q&A with the participants. How many purebred dairy bull calves are born in the United States every year? A lot fewer than there used to be. The reason why is the emphasis on beef-on-dairy crossbreds to market for beef. We have been using beef semen in our herd for about three years, and after starting cautiously, we have stepped up the pace in the past Come Full Dairy Circle several months. I checked our farm’s DHIA inventory records for May of 2019, 2020 and 2021. From two years ago, our heifer inventory has decreased by 30%. It is noticeable in our calf barn, our heifer pens and in the trailer loads we send to and have returned from our heifer raiser’s farm. On our operation, we have found some pluses of having fewer replacements. We are not presently expanding our herd as our facilities are maxed out. So that means we no longer have a surplus of replacement heifers to sell when we choose the heifers we wish to freshen and keep in our closed herd. Selling the excess heifers had been a fairly positive By Jean Annexstad money-maker for our dairy in years past. In recent times, howColumnist ever, selling replacements after the time, labor and dollars invested in them has not been a plus for our farm. The numbers show a loss, not even counting in full for our own labor costs. Having too many animals in our facilities also isn’t good for their health and well-being in times of weather (such as the awful hot and dry spell we are going through right now) or other stresses. Another plus, in my strictly selsh view, has been a reduced number of baby calves to raise in our 33-pen calf barn. Rather than having a full barn almost every day of the year, I now have the luxury of getting pens cleaned, scrubbed, sanitized and the window of opportunity to let them sit empty for a few days or weeks. I don’t like to use the row of pens in the center of the calf barn in the summer months, so having fewer calves to keep in the barn until 12 weeks or older allows me to let this row sit empty or to use them for bulls I will sell soon. Marketing the cross-bred bulls has been a fun and interesting experience for me. At rst, I wondered how to approach the topic of the crossbred bulls and heifers with my regular buyers, who were accustomed to Holstein bull calves, to raise on their farms to market weight. I have a handful of regular buyers. One buyer prefers to buy mostly Holstein bulls, because that is the animal most of his meat customers have grown used to over the years. Another buyer prefers the crossbred calves, because he can move them to market sooner in groups of all-black cattle and generally receive a better price while getting a higher feed efciency. Recent market analysis by Dan Schaefer, professor emeritus at the University of WisconsinMadison, showed a $75 premium per hundredweight for a crossbred beef-on-dairy bull calf. After help from consultants in analyzing genomic testing results from our heifers, we are able to decide which of those to breed to sexed semen. In this way, we can more quickly make improvements in protable characteristics in the both milk components and physical attributes that contribute to health and productivity. These ideas are not new or rare in U.S. dairy herds, of course. But, I have been thinking about them lately, because they seem to have a big impact as we look for ways to curtail some of our work load, reduce our costs of raising replacements or nd ways to make prot besides a high component, high volume of milk that we sell as a commodity without a lot of options to seek a higher price. The crossbred beef seems to have a place, and I learned a lot more about it from watching a webinar where Schaefer discussed the difference in growth and carcass characteristics of crossbred cattle, leading to pricing variability. Schaefer concluded “that while the nishing program for crossbreds is predictable, challenges for the beef-on-dairy system reside in genetic selection of beef sires for these matings.” My take-aways from Schaefer’s presentation were that my calf buyers will continue to place a high priority on knowing I’ve done a good job with colostrum feeding. We should also continue to use genetics yielding specic traits for cattle that our buyers can market for a premium depending on their chosen market. Marketing the beef-on-dairy calves is most protable when they are very young or by selling them as nished cattle. In light of those choices, I am hoping to raise them well to 7-14 days and move them out for others to benet from. Jean dairy farms with her husband, Rolf, and brother-in-law, Mike, and children Emily, Matthias and Leif. They farm near St. Peter, Minnesota, in Norseland, where she is still trying to t in with the Norwegians and Swedes. They milk 200 cows and farm 650 acres. She can be reached at jeanannexstad@gmail.com.
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 33
YOU’RE INVITED
EXPO ON THE RIDGE June 25, 2021
Cinnamon Ridge Dairy Farm • 10600 275th St, Donahue IA 52746 11:00 am
Tour presentation
12:00-1:00 pm
Lunch
1:00-4:00 pm
Robotic Dairy Barn Tours Expo on the Ridge Hay & Forage Demonstration
3:00 pm
Round Table Discussion with Iowa Ag Leaders
5:00-7:00 pm
Meal
7:00-9:00 pm
National Jersey Heifer Sale
Dark
Fireworks
Come see the nation’s Top Jersey herd for milk and protein.
Epworth, IA
(563) 876-3087
SINCE 1859, GEHL HAS CREATED INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR EQUIPMENT OWNERS AND USERS IN AGRIBUSINESS. Today, Gehl carries the tradition forward with a complete line of skid loaders, track loaders, articulated loaders and compact H[FDYDWRUV GHVLJQHG ZLWK SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG HI¿FLHQF\ LQ PLQG A full line of EDGE attachments are available for Gehl loaders and compact excavators for added versatility around the jobsite. CHOOSE G E N U I N E
Heavy Duty Poly Hay feeder HD Hay Saver
Fence Line Feeders Cattle Master Series 3 Squeeze Chute
CALL YOUR LOCAL GEHL DEALER TODAY!
IN STOCK
www.gehl.com
Goat and Sheep Feeders
Tarter Gates IN STOCK
715-644-2350 715-644Chippewa Valley Dairy Supply
6053 CTY. HWY. G • STANLEY, WI 54768 • Andrew Zimmerman
A&C Farm Service, Inc. Jct. Hwys. 55 & 23 • Paynesville
320-243-3736 • www.acfarmservice.com
™
P A R T S
FOR YOUR GEHL EQUIPMENT
Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Pasture walk season is underway
Kickapoo Grazing Initiative kicks off series at Bairds’ farm By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
FERRYVILLE, Wis. – Farmers interested in rotational grazing gathered May 25 for a Kickapoo Grazing Initiative pasture walk held at the dairy farm of Christopher Baird in Crawford County. Baird milks 55 Jerseys near Ferryville, and the herd is rotationally grazed from spring until late fall. Baird discussed how he handles rotation length and benets of giving up lateseason grazing in favor of a more aggressive late-summer grazing rotation to potentially increase milk production. Vance Haugen, a former University of WisconsinExtension agent and volunteer with KGI, moderated the grazing discussion among the participants. The question of the appropriate length of time allowed for each rotation is a question many graziers, including Baird, take into consideration. According to Haugen, there is no xed number for the length of a rotation but instead a variable that relies on the condition of the grasses and how fast they are growing.
“From April until June 21, the grasses are growing because of increasing daylight,” Haugen said. “Once you get past that longest day of the year, then it depends on moisture because your daylight is always decreasing from then on.” Haugen said the species of grasses affects the length of rotation as well. “If you have a pure ryegrass stand, you have a way different length of rest time needed than you would have on something like meadow fescue or orchard grass,” Haugen said. Drew Rogers, a dairy farmer from Soldiers Grove, said he has had success by setting up his paddocks in a temporary fashion, allowing him to vary the length of rotation. “Not having so many permanent paddocks has helped me,” Rogers said. “I use a lot of temporary fencing so I can adjust the size of the paddocks a lot, depending on the weather and how the grasses are growing.” Longtime grazier Don Boland, of Seneca, shared his rule of thumb for an average, starting with about 28 days, adding or subtracting about 10 days depending on weather and grass variations. “Another thing to keep in
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Dairy farmers Christopher Baird (from leŌ), Ashley and MaƩhew Canter and Vance Haugen, of the Kickapoo Grazing IniƟaƟve, discuss grazing techniques during a pasture walk May 25 at Baird’s farm near Ferryville, Wisconsin. Discussion and sharing are a key component of the Kickapoo Grazing IniƟaƟve events. mind is that in a drought year, there may be less volume of forage available, but the quality of what is there is often greater,” Haugen said, referencing his experience grazing during the drought year of 1988. Haugen said grazing is never a one-size-ts-all endeavor, and the nutritional requirements
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
This herd of Jersey cows is rotaƟonally grazed on Christopher Baird’s dairy farm in Crawford County.
STOP FLIES IN THEIR
TRACKS! Sticky Roll Fly Tape Systems are: Available in
Deluxe Kit | Super Size Kit | Mini Kit Learn more about Mr. Sticky on YouTube
• A reel-to-reel fly tape system • Insecticide and attractant-free • Customizable to any facility • A 24-hour fly control solution Manufactured by
800 776 7042 | coburn.com
and needs of the animals are always changing, from herd to herd, species to species and can be dependent on the stage of production of those animals, while the physiology of the plants are essentially unchanged throughout the season. Fertilizing pastures is something that should not be overlooked, according to Haugen. He said it is paramount to understand the capacity of the particular type of soil and understand that sometimes the desired changes might not be achievable. Boland shared the importance of soil testing prior to the application of fertilizer, so that money is not wasted applying unnecessary nutrients while taking the chance of missing what is truly needed for improved soil fertility. “Get a soil test and then get a soils map for your farm,” Haugen said, echoing Boland’s thoughts. “We have been grazing on our farm since 1993, and we have been fertilizing and doing all sorts of things. I can
show you some paddocks that will knock your socks off, but I can also show you paddocks that still, even after all these years, are just absolutely poor. I have done many things that are right, and I am getting to the point where I am convinced it is due to the underlying soil conditions.” Baird said he has used observations and taken soil samples of smaller areas than the standard composite sample of 5 acres. “I have looked at how the grass grows differently in different areas and have done a lot of much smaller sampling because of what I have noticed,” Baird said. “Those areas were areas that did not seem to be responding to what I had done for other areas of the farm.” Haugen cautioned the graziers present to ensure they tested their soil through an accredited lab so the tests would be applicable for any government programs they might wish to sign up for in the future.
Customized pellets to fit your robotic dairy! Use your own grain! GARNAVILLO MILL, INC. (563) 964-2243
501 S Main St. • Garnavillo, IA 52049 Serving you since 1936!
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 35
Celebrations planned BUNKER SILOS for June Dairy Month
Height Available: 5’, 8.6’ & 12’
Pierce County Dairy Breakfast, June 19 Join us for our annual June Dairy Breakfast at Todd and Billy Jo Mark’s MarkRidge Farm at N4620 County Road CC Elmwood, Wisconsin. The event will take place from 7 a.m. to noon. Ages 12 and up will cost $7; ages 5-11 are $4; ages 4 and under are free. Our host and staff are excited to show you around the farm and provide you and your family with a great meal. Sheboygan County Dairy Promotion Breakfast on the Farm, June 19 Hosting a breakfast for the second time, Devin Acres will be the place if you love eggs, pancakes and cows. A lot to see and learn about the dairy industry. New this year is a cheese carver and “Ask a dairy farmer” station. The event will begin at 7 a.m. and last until noon. The farm is located at W3844 Primrose Road Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Breakfast will cost $8 for attendees 7 years old and older; $3 for ages 3-6. Online breakfast registration and payment is available at www.sheboygancountydairypromotion.com. 41st Annual June Dairy Brunch Drive-Thru, June 19 Enjoy your breakfast while driving thru one of the nicest farms in Portage County. The Feltz Family Farms and Dairy Store is located at 5796 Porter Drive Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $5 per order. Come see the cows, machinery display and the small animal display. LaCrosse County Dairy Breakfast, June 19 Join us for breakfast on the farm at Morning Star Dairy located at N5931 County ZZ Onalaska, Wisconsin. The day begins at 6:30 a.m. and will go until noon. Children ages 6-12 can eat for $4, adults $6. Pre-sale tickets are available for $5 at all River Bank locations until June 18 or sold out. Columbia County Moo-Day, June 19 Schoepp Farms, LLC located at N2007 E Harmon Road Lodi, Wisconsin, are hosting the dairy day event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 19. There will be two lines of trafc; one for those who are using the drive-thru option and those who want to sit in the tent or picnic area. The cost is $7 for ages 11 and older; $4 for ages 4-10. There is a $1 discount with the donation of a non-perishable food item; one per person. Masks are recommended. Visitors will be able to observe the animals being moved to a different pasture for grazing during the day. Vernon County Dairy Breakfast, June 19 The Vernon County Dairy Breakfast will be a drive up event hosted by Legacy Pub and Grill in Coon Valley. The breakfast is a free will offering. The menu is pancakes, cheesey eggs, sausage, yogurt and milk. The pick up point will be the parking lot of Legacy. There will be seating available in the park. There will also be farm animals on display on Old Mill Road near the bridge. The area businesses will have farm displays and some will have dairy vendors and special offers. 35th Annual Burnett County Dairy Breakfast, June 19 Start Father’s Day weekend off right with a pancake breakfast at Four Cubs Farm, 23250 S Williams Road Grantsburg, Wisconsin. Breakfast will be served from 6 a.m. to noon. Adults are $8; children, $6. Walworth County Farm Bureau Dairy Breakfast, June 20 The event will take place at the Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St. Elkhorn, Wisconsin, from 6-10:30 a.m. Turn to CELEBRATIONS | Page 36
ALSO AVAILABLE:
AL’S
AVAILABLE IN ONE OR MULTIPLE BAY DESIGN
• Feed Bunks • Cattle Slats • Holding Tanks • Cattle Guards
CONCRETE PRODUCTS 1-800-982-9263
Serving Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin Since 1965
The Most Dependable Waterers on the Market!
www.alsconcreteproducts.com
WaterMaster Series
EcoFount 1
EcoFount 2 Cattlemaster Series
OmniFount Series
Thrifty King Series
Russ Pierson
SALES & SERVICE
MUELLER SALES & SERVICE Glencoe, MN • 320-864-3556 OR 888-205-0974
BUILT WITH YOU IN MIND PRIMOR™ 2060 M & 4270 M
MOTOR REPAIR
We Sell and Service Generators! Each WINCO PTO generator is designed using the highest quality components and the best workmanship available.
USED GENERATORS
Honda 4500W gas generator ................. $1,100 Niagra 15 KW w/powershaft ...................... $900
WE HAVE HANSON SILO REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE!
• quick • dependable • nearly 40 years experience
WE STOCK FRACTIONAL TO 10 HP SINGLE AND 3-PHASE MOTORS!
The KUHN Primor can process a wide variety of materials that can ® Invest in Quality be used in a multitude of ways. Both round and square bales of a wide range of sizes can be processed for both bedding materials or feed ingredients. Materials from corn stalks to wheat straw, and even to grassy hay can be processed using the multi-function rotor. Processed materials can then be dropped into a feed bunk, blown into a pile, or evenly spread throughout a pen.
Marathon 10 HP ......................... $650 Baldor 7.5 HP ............................. $550 Century 7.5 ................................. $600
Blue Hilltop, Inc.
105 County Rd. 10 Albany, MN
507-879-3593 – 800-821-7092
320-845-4690
Box Box 116, 116, Lake Lake Wilson, Wilson, MN MN 56151 56151 –– www.bluehilltop.com www.bluehilltop.com
Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
ConƟnued from CELEBRATIONS | Page 35
Watertown Agri-Business Club Drive-Thru Farm Tour and Grilled Cheese Meal to Go, June 20 The Watertown Agri-Business Club annually hosts a Fathers Day Weekend Dairy Breakfast. This year, we are doing a one-day drive-thru event at Dettmann Dairy, N7397 County Road N Johnson Creek, Wisconsin from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come see cows, farm machinery and more as you take a tour in your car and get a dairy delicious meal to go. Cost is $8 at the event, $7 for advance purchases at local Watertown businesses. Kewaunee County 2021 Breakfast on the Farm, June 20 Enjoy Father’s Day on the farm for a Sunday full of fun, great food and quality family time at Augustian Farms, LLC E4301 County Road G Kewaunee, Wisconsin. The cost is $8 for ages 13 and above; $4 for ages 4-12. Tickets available at the door or in advance at https://dairypromo.com/kewaunee-countybreakfast-on-the-farm/tickets/. Ripon FFA Alumni Country Breakfast, June 20 Enjoy breakfast on the farm, petting zoo and activities for kids, tractors and machinery on display at Page Farms W12875 Cork Street Road Ripon, Wisconsin. The event goes from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is $8. Richland County Drive-Thru Dairy Breakfast, June 20 This is the 40th annual Richland County Dairy Breakfast. This year’s event will take place at the Richland County Fairgrounds from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $5 per carryout. 24th Annual Marsheld FFA Alumni Dairy Breakfast, June 20 Join us for breakfast on the Weigel Family Farm located at 114570 E McMillan Street Marsheld, Wisconsin. The event will go from 7 a.m. to noon. Ages 5-10 cost $4; ages 11 and above cost $8. Parking will be onsite. In the event of inclement weather, parking will be at Marsheld High School.
Loyal Breakfast on the Farm, June 20 The Loyal Breakfast on the Farm will take place at Kevin and Rosie Fellenz’s dairy at N8424 Sandhill Avenue Loyal, Clark County. Dunn County Dairy Drive-Thru, June 26 We are celebrating June Dairy Month a little different this year in Dunn County at Baier Creek Farms, E2493 S County Road P Elmwood, Wisconsin. The drive-thru event will go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendees will receive a kit that includes all of the ingredients needed to make grilled cheese sandwiches at home. June Dairy Month Drive-Thru Celebration, June 26 Due to the Sauk County Breakfast being canceled, we are hosting an on-farm June Dairy Month drive-thru educational event to highlight a local Sauk County farm. We’ll have trivia, a goodie bag for the whole family and information about the farm. The event will go from 1-4 p.m. at the Bob and Angela Wittmann Farm, S8641 County Road G Plain, Wisconsin. Buffalo County Dairy Breakfast, June 26 The breakfast event will go from 7-11 a.m. at Sendelbach Dairy W737 Hesch Valley Road Waumandee, Wisconsin. The cost is $5 per breakfast. Calumet County Sundae on the Farm, June 27 Strawberry, chocolate, and maple syrup sundaes along with grilled cheese sandwiches and cheeseburgers will be available for purchase from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Woldt Farms located at N9594 County Road PP near Brillion, Wisconsin. Sundae on the Farm also includes farm tours, a petting zoo, games for kids and live music.
Shawano County Brunch on the Farm, June 27 Join us at Nischke Back 40 Acres, N3220 Cedar Road Pulaski, Wisconsin, for the Shawano County Brunch on the Farm from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event will be traditional, in-person event with opportunities for guests to see a modern dairy farm and have a morning of family fun. Adults ages 12 and above are $8; ages 4-11 are $5. Masks and social distancing is encouraged. Fond du Lac County Breakfast on the Farm, June 27 Celebrate Wisconsin Agriculture and join the Envision Greater Fond du Lac Area Agri-Business Council for Breakfast on the Farm at LaClare Family Creamery located at W2994 County Road HH Malone, Wisconsin. The event goes from 8 a.m. to noon. Colby Breakfast on the Farm, June 27 Tri-G Farms is hosting a Clark County breakfast at their farm site near Colby. The event will take place from 7 a.m. to noon, with the cost being $5 per plate. The farm address is 105323 County Road A Dorchester, Wisconsin. Greenwood Breakfast on the Farm, June 27 Jamie and Erin Gardner are hosting a Clark County breakfast at their farm site near Greenwood. The event will take place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are $7 for ages 13 and older; $4 for ages 5-12. Taygin Acres is located at N11040 Owen Avenue Greenwood, Wisconsin. Juneau County Dairy Breakfast, June 27 The tradition of Elroy Fair hosting the Juneau County Dairy Breakfast is back. Join us for pancakes, eggs, sausage, ham, cheese curds, milk, juice and coffee at Schultz Park on Hwy 80 in Elroy. The event goes from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
SHE’S GOING TO GIVE YOU THE BEST YEARS OF HER LIFE. GIVE HER SOMETHING SIMPLE TO START. Many productive days lie ahead. Optimal gut health, immunity and lifetime performance all start with just one gram per day. Learn more at: DiamondV.com/SmartCare
SmartCare
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 37
Women In Dairy Nicole Bradley Camp Douglas, Wisconsin Juneau County 550 cows
Family: My husband, Michael Bradley, and I have three beautiful children: a 10-year-old, 3-year-old and 1-year-old. A few years ago, we became foster parents; it has been a challenging and incredibly rewarding part of our lives. Tell us about your farm. I am employed at Bell’s Udder Farm LLC in Camp Douglas, Wisconsin, as the herd and calf manager. The farm is owned by Tim and Karyn Bell and James and Marcy Bell; the father-son duo combined operations in 1999. I have been with them since 2014. We milk 550 Holsteins three times a day in a double-12 parallel parlor. What is the busiest time of day for you? Hands down, the morning is busiest; my day starts at 4:15 with a fresh cup of coffee. I care for the calves in the morning and deal with any issues that arise with the animals. I follow more of a weekly routine; each day’s designated tasks include drying off cows, moving cattle, herd health checks, hoof trimming, breeding, cow care and so on. My days are lled in with meetings, cleaning barns, vaccinating cattle and anything else that comes up. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I enjoy spending my free time with my family, baking, traveling and making memories. I am also a member of the Elroy Fair Board. We are the rst ofcial fair in the state. I have enjoyed giving back to the community and the youth over the years. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. I enjoy setting and achieving milk production and quality goals as well as herd health goals. Our team works very hard, and together, we have continued to increase production and components. It’s been rewarding to see the cows doing so well and all of our many little changes paying off.
ing ideas off other ladies in the industry. When I am able, I enjoy attending local meetings and conferences. There is always knowledge to be gained. As mentioned earlier, I am actively involved in the Elroy fair which is a great way to not only connect with others in the industry but also the consumers. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? My boss and farm owner Tim Bell has been by biggest inspiration and motivator. He has taught me so much and always encouraged me in the job. He instilled in me his passion for cows and the industry. The man works from sun up until sun down every day to ensure all the farm needs are met; he is a the real deal and a pretty entertaining guy to work with too. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? Carrie Underwood. I recently learned she is vegan. I would encourage her to come to the farm open minded and learn that we care passionately about our animals and the quality of products we put on consumers’ table. I would share the truth about the agriculture industry and the benets of our products. I’m sure there is no changing opinions but would merely like to show our side of the story and our passion.
What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I have most enjoyed working with industry experts who always encourage us to do better and make changes. In my position, I am involved in many of the moving parts of the dairy so it’s been essential for us to bring these people onto our team and help contribute to our success.
What is the best vacation you have ever taken? Not exactly a vacation, but I traveled to the Netherlands in 2013 for a short-term study abroad program. I got to experience an entirely different way of farming and agriculture. It was really eye opening and an awesome experience. As far as vacation, my husband and I thoroughly enjoy going somewhere tropical for a week every winter. It’s always a good time and breaks up the brutal cold of Wisconsin winters.
How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I am a member of the Exchange by Dairy Girl Network Facebook group; it’s been great bounc-
What are some words you like to live by? It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.
Does your milking equipment need maintenance? We service all dairy equipment! Give us a call to schedule a visit. 1010 Hoeschler Dr. • Sparta, WI 54656
DAIRY EQUIPMENT INC. Celebrating over 40 Years in Business
Phone: 608-269-3830 Toll Free: 1-888-863-0227 Email: prestonde@prestonde.com
6$8. &(175( 01 3KRQH
ZZZ PPFMG FRP
2017, 829 Hrs, RWA, Duals, Dual Header Drive, Harvest Lab and Guidance Ready, ProDrive, Active Fill Control, Leather
$
329,000
8800, 2018, 1064 Hrs, RWA ................................... $369,000 8800, 2016, 1607 Hrs, RWA ................................... $304,900 8700, 2017, 924 Hrs, RWA ..................................... $351,900 8600, 2016, 785 Hrs, RWA ..................................... $359,000 8600, 2017, 849 Hrs, RWA ..................................... $329,000 8600, 2015, 1197 Hrs, RWA ................................... $262,500 8600, 2015, 1531 Hrs, RWA ................................... $236,400 8500, 2017, 103 Hrs, RWA ..................................... $429,000 8500, 2016, 862 Hrs, RWA .................................... $315,000 8300, 2017, 350 Hrs, RWA ..................................... $336,400 8100, 2016, 519 Hrs, RWA ..................................... $241,900 7980, 2013, 1921 Hrs, RWA ................................... $185,900 7780, 2014, 1270 Hrs, RWA ................................... $212,400 7580, 2014, 1764 Hrs, RWA ................................... $185,900 7350, 2012, 1271 Hrs, RWA ................................... $179,000 6710, 1993, 4050 Hrs, RWA ..................................... $49,400 All hours listed are “cutter hours”.
Call today for details on our Easy-Lease financing!
Other machines available for lease also. Subject to credit approval. Call for details.
Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
Monahan
USED TRACTORS
HOOF TRIMMING
Magnum 290 ’13, 2200 hrs ...... $140,000 Magnum 280, ’16, 4100 hrs ....... IN SOON Magnum 235, ’11, 1700 hrs .. COMING IN Magnum 7120, mfd, 6k hrs ........... $39,500 Magnum 7110, 2wd, 7k hrs .......... $30,000 Farmall 140A, Cab, MFD ................ $48,500 Farmall 140A, Cab, 2wd ................. $43,500 Farmall 75A, mfd, loader .............. $27,500 Case 1570, ’76, 6200 hrs ................ $15,500 Tym T603, ’09, 500 hrs, mfd ......... $15,900
Since 1997
Trimming commercial and show cattle
We use a hydraulic upright chute for less stress. “Our two man crew allows us to complete the job in a timely manner with less disruption of your herd’s daily routine.”
2
for
Tell the advertisers you saw their ad in the Dairy Star!
563-875-2426
www.scherrmansimplement.com
H&S FINANCE WE MAKE HAY EASY!
8 4 MONTHS
(Formerly Noah VanBeck)
No Sunday Calls (Emergency Only)
Hwy. 136 N • DYERSVILLE, IA
507-272-3447
.9%
MARCUS KRAHN
320-217-9607
SCHERRMAN’S IMPLEMENT
Call Dan at
Covering the states of MN, IA, SD, WI & IL
Cleaning Drain Tiles, Manure Systems, Sewers and Frozen Lines
MATHER’S
CLEAN, EVEN CUTTING
1 . 31 , 202
G OUGH AU NOW THR
MAKE YOUR BEST DEAL ON AN LW1100 LINEWRAP* THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF H&S FINANCE’S LOW RATE INTEREST!
H&S Finance is offered through an agreement between DLL Finance and + 6 0DQXIDFWXULQJ &R ,QF $OO ÀQDQFLQJ by H&S Finance is in its sole discretion, subject to credit review, approval, and other terms & conditions.
GMD MOUNTED SERIES DISC MOWERS • /RZ SURğOH GHVLJQ IRU IDVW FOHDQ FXWWLQJ • 3URWHFWDGULYH ® V\VWHP SURWHFWV FXWWHUEDU JHDU WUDLQ DQG PLQLPL]HV GRZQWLPH • +HDY\ GXW\ FXWWHUEDU HQVXUHV ORZ PDLQWHQDQFH DQG ORQJ OLIH
• 6SULQJ VXVSHQVLRQ SURYLGHV RXWVWDQGLQJ JURXQG FRQWRXULQJ
*AT PARTICIPATING DEALERS
5’3” – 10’2” cutting widths Premium & Select models available
INVEST IN QUALIT Y KuhnNorthAmerica.com m
Stop in or contact us today for all your equipment needs! We carry a large selection of new and pre-owned LQYHQWRU\ WR ĺQG WKH PDFKLQH WKDW EHVW VXLWV \RXU need. Our service and parts department with helpful, IULHQGO\ NQRZOHGJHDEOH DQG H[SHULHQFHG VWDII LV KHUH for everything repair and maintenance.
(507) 451-3131 2250 Austin Rd. • Owatonna, MN 55060 nfs@northlandfs.com Visit our website at www.northlandfarmsystems.com
NH 144,
Ground Driven, 5’ Pick up, 7’ Rear Belt, w/ Windrow Turner Option, Good Belts - $3,200
Handlair 560,
1 3/8 1000 PTO, Self Contained Hyd., 1,297 hrs - $12,500
Gehl BU980,
16’ Box, H&S 6-12 Ton Tandem Running Gear - $4,800
‘18 Mustang 1650R,
H/F Ctrls, D, 1800 Lift Cap, C&H, 2 Spd, 150 hrs - $31,000
Gehl 940,
14’ Box - $1,500
New H&S Linewrappers Call for price
‘12 Kuhn VB2190,
4 x 6 Bales, 16,000 bales
$26,900
‘17 Mustang 2200R,
H/F Ctrls, D, 2450 Lift Cap, C/H/A, 2 Spd, 618 hrs - $37,100
‘16 Gehl R220
Gehl T-bar Ctrls, D, C&H, 2 Spd, 2,950 hrs - $24,500
‘14 Gehl R220,
T-Bar H-Ctrls, D, 2200 Lift Cap, 9,787 hrs - $11,850
Kuhn GMD600, 7’ 10” Width
$7,250
‘15 Agromatic Bobman SL Stall Brush,
D, Bedding Hopper, Agitator
Call/Coming in
®
Dairy prole
Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021 • Page 39
sponsored by What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? The opportunity to make my own schedule and spend a lot of quality time with family.
Justin and Kotti Hintz Ogdensburg, Wisconsin Waupaca County 90 registered Holsteins and 475 acres
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Take good care of your animals – focus on breeding, health and diet. Animals with good genetics, good food and good health will produce good milk with good components.
How did you get into farming? Justin worked for his family operation as a child and in his teens started working with Kotti’s family. He worked for 20 years with Kotti’s parents, Tom and Sharie. In 2014, Kotti returned to the farm, and they were married in 2015. Two children followed – Audrey, 4.5, and Andy, 3. Kotti was raised on the farm they now own.
What has been the best purchase you made on your farm? All investments into no-till farming. We have been 90% no till for 10-plus years. We have increased yields on all cropping and know it improves moisture retention. The traditional planting methods are too time consuming. We wouldn’t be able to farm as much land without no till. Secondly, we built a fenced playground area for our kids to play while outside. It’s safe for them and provides an extreme amount of peace of mind for all people moving equipment near the buildings.
What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? The availability of land and capital for small and medium-sized farms. Lenders seem to want to write a loan for seven digits or higher. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? New computer and bookkeeping software to improve budgeting, analyze expenses and improve accuracy. We can link directly with our accountant. In the end, it was a huge time savings when tax time came around. Another technology we implemented was GPS technology for spreading fertilizer and spraying. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? Purchasing a portable TMR mixer and bulk feed handling equipment. We were using an outdated conveyor system that was time consuming. The portable mixer has decreased feeding time, and labor and feed cost as we can more accurately weigh commodities. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? We stayed true to our A.I. breeding philosophy. In the short term, it is not a cost savings as we continue to invest in high-quality semen. In the recent low milk prices, selective breeding has netted large premiums for better components and
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? The success of purchasing our farm and herd. The herd will be paid for in the coming year. Also, achieving one of our herd production goals has been a big accomplishment for us. low somatic cell count. We were also cautious with feed additives and our ration. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? We treat them like family with respect and kindness. It’s important to include staff in our success and show them their contribution is valuable. Tell us a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier? Patience. Justin is patient with crops, cattle and family.
What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? The next year will be focused on continuing our reduction of debt, staying on track with budget and continuing to breed strong genetic lines in our herd. We plan to keep our focus on A.I. technology and breeding for dairy character, milk production and high components. The ve-year plans include increasing our land base and continuing the development of custom raising beef to diversify our income channels. How do you and your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? We enjoy dining out, visiting family and friends, and relaxing.
Multiple Seed Corn and Soybean varieties because we know farmers need choices! Seed Corn: Conventional, Organic, Traited Soybeans: GT Tolerant, GT27 LibertyLink®, Enlist E3™
Check out our selection of
NEW AND USED EQUIPMENT!
Mt. Hope, WI
608-988-4568
www.kussmaulseeds.com
We Have A Manure Pump To Suit Your Needs!
AGI-POMPE
ARTICULATED SUPER PUMP
NEW:
USED: Kuhn Knight 4142 Mixer Badger BN2060 Blower Case 600 Blower
Vermeer TD 100 3, in stock Tubeline TL1000R Tubeline TL50 LSV Silver Teagle 8500 Tomahawk Hustler SL360X Hustler Unrolla L105 Hustler Chainless LX105 Hustler Soft hands Clamps
SUPER ER R PUMP MP
(715) 285 285-5317 5317
Ken Anibas • www.anibassilo.com N6423 Commerce Lane, Arkansaw, WI siloman@nelson-tel.net • kevinatanibassilo@yahoo.com
“Your Complete Farm Service Company” Serving You Since 1973
608-437-5561
FIE FI ELD’S Your Material Handling Source Trusted sales and service since 1966
Mt. Horeb, WI
Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, June 12, 2021
LED light improves teat visibility
Effective, proprietary chlorine dioxide solution
Antimicrobial brushes inhibit bacterial growth
A brush with greatness FutureCow® Prep System: the most consistent cow prep for any herd size. The future of your herd’s milk quality starts with consistency. Prep each cow the same way at every milking session with the FutureCow® Prep System from GEA. With the lightest brush on the market, FutureCow® provides optimal teat cleaning, stimulation and mastitis prevention. Whether it’s the first hour of milking or the very last, ensure greatness in one easy step with the FutureCow® Prep System.
Your Local GEA Milking Equipment Dealers Advanced Advanced Dairy Dairy Solutions Solutions Richland Center, WI Richland Center, WI 608-647-4488 • 800-772-4770 608-647-4488 • 800-772-4770
Leedstone, Inc. J Gile Dairy Equipment Monroe WestfaliaSurgeMonroe WestfaliaSurge Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. Melrose, MN Lancaster, WI • 800-887-4634 City, WI • (608) 744-2661 Monroe, WI • 608-325-2772 Monroe, WICuba • 608-325-2772 320-256-3303 • 800-996-3303 Glencoe, MN Leedstone, Inc. Dairy Sioux Dairy Equipment,Sioux Inc. DairyKozlovsky Equipment, Inc.Equipment Centre Dairy Equipment 320-864-5575Melrose, • 877-864-5575 WI •920-759-9223 Rock Valley, IA Central Ag Supply, Inc. MN Rock Valley, Kaukauna, IA and Supply Plainview, MN 320-256-3303 • 800-548-5240 Weston, WI • 715-298-6256 712-476-5608 • 800-962-4346 Baraboo, WI Inc. • 608-356-8384 • 800-996-3303 712-476-5608 • 800-962-4346 Sauk Centre, MN Menomonie, WI • 715.231.8090 Colton, SD Service 800-944-1217 Juneau, WI • 920-386-2611 Glencoe, MN Colton, SD Preston Dairy Equipment 320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697 Edgerton, MN Chemical Sales 320-864-5575 • 877-864-5575 Service 800-944-1217 Centre Dairy Equipment and Supply Inc. Livestock Systems, LLC Midwest Sparta, WI • (608) 269-3830 507-920-8626 Sauk Centre, MN Livestock Systems, Inc. Fuller’s Milker Center, Inc. Zumbrota, MNMidwest • 800-233-8937 Edgerton, MN Lancaster, WI • 800-887-4634 Menomonie, WI • 715-235-5144 320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697 Menomonie, WI • 715-235-5144 Stanley Schmitz, Inc. Central Ag Supply Inc. Chemical Sales 507-920-8626 Renner, SD • 800-705-1447 Chilton, WI • 920-849-4209 Juneau, WI • 920-386-2611 Owen, WI • 715-229-4740 Baraboo, WI • 608-356-8384 Pine Island, MN • 800-233-8937 Tri-County Dairy Supply Sioux Falls, MN • 800-705-1447 Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Janesville, WI • (608) 757-2697 Beatrice, NE • 800-742-5748 Epworth, IA • (563) 876-3087