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DAIRY
Heart For Dairy Feature
DAIRY ST R
Volume 24, No. 1
February 26, 2022
“All dairy, all the time”™
The drive to pursue a lifelong dream
Robinson began dairying in 2020 By Grace Jeurissen grace.j@star-pub.com
LESTER PRAIRIE, Minn. – When Brad Robinson speaks of his dairy the biggest grin comes across his face. At 49 years old, Robinson changed careers and has not regretted his decision yet. “I trucked for 25 years, but I have always wanted to have a dairy farm,” he said. After looking for a farm near Arlington, Robinson’s realtor convinced him to take a look at a farm along the Crow River in Lester Prairie. For the last ve years, since purchasing the farm site, Robinson has put in countless hours building and renovating his facility to be suitable for a milking herd. “It was everything I wanted,” Robinson said. “My wife didn’t like the idea of me milking. She told me I was going to have to do it myself. Now, she helps me every night.”
Robinson and his wife, Nicole, milk 54 cows in a step-up parlor built by Robinson with the help of family and friends. Robinson’s introduction to the dairy industry came in high school when he helped his grandpa on his farm and helped neighbors milk. His grandpa bought Robinson his rst Jersey calf which he showed at the county fair for 4-H. Robinson then had to sell the heifer because his grandpa was not set up to milk. “She was milked by the family that bought her for 11 or 12 years,” Robinson said. A deep passion for dairy, and a love for that Jersey cow, is part of the reason Robinson pursued a herd of Jerseys. “Everything here is a big deal to me,” Robinson said of his farm. “I came here with nothing. All I had was the building site.” The barn was empty and gutted when MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR the Robinsons purchased the farm site. There was no setup for a herd of dairy Brad Robinson stands in his farmyard Feb. 14 on his 54-cow dairy near Lester Prairie, Minnesota. Robinson trucked for many years before starƟng his dairy cows and no equipment for milking. career in the fall of 2020. Turn to ROBINSON | Page 6
Sellners recognized for outstanding SCC Twice predipping credited for low bacterial counts By Grace Jeurissen grace.j@star-pub.com
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Mike and Judy Sellner talk about the protocols they have to keep their somaƟc cell count low Feb. 14 on their 120-cow dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. The Sellners have received a SCC plaque from First District AssociaƟon for 24 years.
SLEEPY EYE, Minn. – Since Mike and Judy Sellner have been farming, herd health has been a priority. Keeping their cows dry and clean with an eye on somatic cell count is something they have always strived for on their 120-cow dairy Sleepy Eye. This dedication has led them to be recognized by their creamery many times for maintaining a low somatic cell. Since 1988, the Sellners have received many somatic cell count plaques in 24 of the past 27 years from First District Association. “At one time, they paid for somatic cell count,” Mike Sellner said. “Now, they don’t pay as much but you get better production, breeding and pregnancy; everything goes hand in hand.”
Mike and Judy milk 120 cows and were most recently recognized at First District Association’s annual banquet, highlighting the family’s SCC in 2021. “This gives me something to strive for,” Sellner said. “It makes me want to do good. You have to have a little luck too.” Their cows are housed in a compost barn, which is bedded down with sawdust every eight to 10 days in the winter; the dry summer air doubles the life of the sawdust. Sellner credits much of his SCC success to his routine, dipping the teat ends twice, before attaching the milking unit to help manage bacterial counts. “I go in and I dip with 1% iodine pre-dip,” Sellner said. “Then I strip them, re-dip, wait at least 30 seconds and wipe.” Turn to SELLNERS | Page 7
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Editorial Staff Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman - Staff Writer (608) 487-1101 • danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Abby Wiedmeyer - Staff Writer 608-487-4812 • abby.w@dairystar.com Kate Rechtzigel - Staff Writer 507-696-9213 • kate.r@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284 • kati.k@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $40.00, outside the U.S. $200.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star / Star Publications LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Star Publications LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
Dairy Proelection le broughtscheduled to you by your America dealers. Special to completeNorth Hagedorn’s term Minnesota 1st District Congressman Jim Hagedorn has died. Hagedorn was serving his second term in Congress and was a member of the House Agriculture Committee. The lawmaker, who was 59, was rst diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer in 2019. A primary election will take place May 24, and there will be a special election Aug. 9 to serve out the remaining ve months of Hagedorn’s term. Drought relief moves through House ag committee The Minnesota House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee has approved a drought assistance package. This bill is sponsored by Chairman Mike Sundin and includes $5 million for grants and direct assistance and another $5 million for the Rural Finance Authority’s revolving loan program. The next stop for the drought relief bill is the House Ways and Means Committee. Ag committee reviews plant-based grant proposal A bill creating a $2 million pilot grant program to develop a plant-based agriculture industry has been laid over by the Minnesota House Agriculture Committee. “Public research funded by this state will help ensure that this industry stays at home rather than moving overseas,” said Lauren Stone, acting policy director, Good Food Institute. “As the plant-based industry grows, research will help Minnesota businesses source high quality crops from local farmers.” State Rep. John Burkel, who farms at Badger, said the plant-based food industry has moved beyond the need for this investment. “How do you see this $2 million moving the needle when Beyond Meat is the shortest stock in the stock market right now?” Burkel said. The House bill is sponsored by St. Cloud DFL Rep. Dan Wolgamott. A companion bill sponsored by Breezy Point Republican Carrie Ruud is awaiting action in the Senate Agriculture Committee. USDA extends Dairy Margin Coverage signup The United States Department of Agriculture extended the
deadline for farmers to enroll in the 2022 Dairy Margin Coverage and Supplemental Dairy Margin Ag Insider Coverage program. The deadline is extended to March 25. Farmers can apply through their local Farm Service Agency ofce. Lawmakers want USDA action for organic dairies A bipartisan group of lawmakers from the northeastern United States is urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to respond to the recommendations of a task force that was organized after Danone announced its plans to end contracts with 90 organic dairy farms. Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy and nine other lawmakers said urgent action is needed to respond to the structural threat to organic dairies in the Northeast.
By Don Wick Columnist
Hebrink to retire in 2023 Compeer Financial President and CEO Rod Hebrink has announced his intention to retire in January 2023. Hebrink has been with Compeer and its legacy brand, AgStar Financial Services, since 1985. Hebrink has been president and CEO since 2014. The Compeer Financial board will begin the search process soon. Perdue selected for university position The University System of Georgia Board of Regents has named former Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue as its chancellor. Perdue served two terms as Georgia’s governor and was the only nalist for the job. Vold appointed to dairy checkoff board USDA has announced the appointment of 12 individuals to
Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 5
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 3
Lester Prairie, MN
Sleepy Eye, MN
Robinson began dairying ve years ago
Sellners recognized for outstanding SCC
First Section: Pages 1, 6
First Section: Pages 1, 7
Lastrup, MN
Browerville, MN
Putting away forages quickly key for Grubers
The Middendorf mindset
Caledonia, MN
Caledonia Haulers nalist in Best Fleets to Drive For contest First Section: Pages 12 - 13
Brookings, SD
Fire damages SDSU dairy facility
First Section: Pages 26 - 27
First Section: Pages 18, 20
Melrose, MN
Zumbrota, MN
Roots run deep on Primus farm
Cortus gives ways to navigate conversations about better management
Second Section: Pages 8, 10
Second Section: Pages 3 - 4
Goodhue, MN
Dankers works as herdsman, raises calves on side Third Section: Pages 6 - 7
Second Section: Pages 20 - 21
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: Describe your protocol for treating pneumonia in youngstock. First Section: Pages 15 - 16
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Zone 1
Zone 2
Columnists A Insider Ag Pages 2, 5 P First Fir Section
Something S to Ruminate On Page 34 Fi First Section
De County Dear A Agent Guy Page 36 First F Section Fi
Ju Thinking Just Out Loud Page 38 First F Section
Dairy Good Life Page 39 First Section
The “Mielke” Market Weekly Pages 10 - 11 Second Section
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ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 2
the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. Glenwood, Minnesota, dairy farmer Suzanne Vold is one of seven new appointees and will serve a three-year term on the dairy checkoff board.
MLBA Hall of Fame honorees to be recognized The Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association has named its 2022 Hall of Fame inductees: Dave Thompson, Doug and Mary Thompson and Steve Pomerenke. Dave Thompson has a registered Holstein dairy herd in Pope County, served 10 years as president of the Minnesota American Dairy Association board and also had a leadership role with Select Sires. Doug and Mary Thompson raise purebred French Alpine and Toggenburg dairy goats and have won numerous national awards for their animals. Doug Thompson has also judged goats nationally and internationally. Steve Pomerenke raises Simmental, Angus and SimAngus cattle at Fairmont and served in a leadership role with the State Fair 4-H Beef Show. The MLBA annual meeting is March 10. MN FFA Hall of Fame Class of 2022 announced The inductees include Pat Dingels of Redwood Falls, who is part of the FFA Foundation Board of Trustees; dairy farmer Charles Krause of Buffalo and Academy for Sciences and Agriculture Executive Director Becky Meyer of Vadnais Heights. The list of honorees also includes Staples-Motley FFA advisor Kerry Lindgren; former Pioneer sales director Ron Sommers of Northeld; Hawley ag instructor Dave Swanson; University of Minnesota-Crookston associate professor Erman Ueland of Fertile and adult farm management instructor Stan Vander Kooi of Buffalo. The inductees will be introduced at the Minnesota FFA Alumni & Supporters annual meeting March 5 in Mankato.
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 5 New license plate supports 4-H, FFA A new Minnesota license plate celebrating agriculture will benet 4-H and FFA. The image features hands holding seedlings, symbolizing the 4-H pledge of “my hands to larger service” and the rising sun “as a token of a new era in agriculture” that is recognized during FFA ceremonies. Nearly 100 designs were submitted. Global collaboration for Zoetis, CowManager, Select Sires Zoetis, CowManager and Select Sires are launching a strategic collaboration to integrate genomic tools with predictive sensor systems. DNA traits and indexes developed by Zoetis will be put together with CowManager’s ear sensor technology to provide farmers with information on the health, fertility, nutritional insights and location of their cattle. Select Sires said the on-farm analytics and increased reliability in genetic selection will benet its dairy and beef customers. Trivia challenge Approximately 20 million pounds of cheese are consumed by Americans during the Super Bowl. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, how many pounds of milk are needed to produce 1 pound of cheese curds? 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.
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Correction
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ConƟnued from ROBINSON | Page 1
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Nicole and Brad Robinson stand in their step-up parlor Feb. 14 on their dairy near Lester Prairie, Minnesota. Robinson started milking cows in the fall of 2020. “I didn’t borrow any money for this,” he said. “I went to the bank, and they laughed at me. I told them I only needed $20,000 to do what I wanted with the place, and they said no.” Robinson was going to start with 12 Jersey heifers, but when those heifers were ready to calve, he was not quite set up to milk. The heifers were then traded with a neighboring dairy farmer for a few beef cattle. “I wasn’t sure if it was going to work or if that ship sailed,” Robinson said of milking cows. “I did the beef thing for a year or so while I trucked, but I just wanted to dairy. It was always in the back of my mind.” Despite the odds and contradicting statements from others, Robinson has proven himself right. The pulsating urge to make his home into a dairy farm to fulll a lifelong desire to become a dairyman became a reality. After being at the farm site for two years, Robinson knew it was time to put his goals into action when he bought his rst batch of heifer calves. He was planning to raise those heifers, calve them and start milking. Understanding his time frame, he kicked the renovations into high gear. The equipment for the farm, including the bulk tank and parlor stalls, were all purchased used and installed by Robinson. “I wanted to have everything ready to go by the time my rst heifer was ready to calve,” he said. “When she calved, I wanted to be ready to milk her.” Sure enough, in August 2020, Robinson’s rst heifer calved. Two months later, the other heifers started to calve,
and the calves just kept coming. Getting the heifers accustomed to the step-up parlor was among some of Robinson’s challenges. Robinson also had a decision to make: either stay small and keep trucking, or quit trucking in order to farm. Without hesitation, Robinson chose his dairy farm over the job he had done for half of his life and retired his trucking career. Robinson has learned many new things since beginning his dairy career. A focus on animal nutrition helped increase milk production. He began with having milk picked up every three days to being on a daily schedule. “I went into town and talked with Big Gain, and they helped me form a ration,” Robinson said. “They told me that by Friday I should be seeing a difference in production. I called him on Wednesday because I had increased by 800 pounds.” Though Robinson said his feeding setup is not ideal, with having to deliver feed to the bunks using a skidsteer, his milk production has doubled since using a total mixed ration. Robinson uses a mixture of ground corn, corn silage and hay, grown by himself, and purchased mineral mix for the TMR. Robinson hopes to renovate the barn back into a tiestall to provide for more housing and provide ample room for his heifers. The reality of his dreams coming true is still setting in, but the path to get here will not soon be forgotten. “If I don’t do it, I will always regret it,” Robinson said of dairying. “If I do it one, ve or 15 years, I at least did it. If I hadn’t, I would regret it and keep wishing I had.”
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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!
PO Box 160, Albany, MN • (320) 845-2184 • Fax (320) 845-2187
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 7
ConƟnued from SELLNERS | Page 1
That consistent process has limited the mastitis incidences in his herd. “What’s a few cases of mastitis versus the cost of pre-dip,” Sellner said. Mastitis are ups are not a very common thing on the Sellners’ farm. Sellner marks problem cows with green tape so he knows who to check rst if there is a problem. “I strip my cows every day, and if I suspect something, I check it,” Sellner said. The Sellners change their inations every three months. Despite best practices, the Sellners have dealt with less-than-perfect scenarios for milk quality. There has been one incidence since 1988 that the Sellners have not received
a SCC excellence award. That was in 2006; one Sellner vividly remembers to this day. “In 2006, we had a weird mastitis and people from Michigan State University came out to study it,” Sellner said. “The more we treated it, the worse it got.” It was the second year in their compost barn, and they had a persistent flare up of mycobacterium-type mastitis. The Sellners hurt for production that year because they were continuously dumping milk from infected cows. The mastitis hit heifers and cows alike. Eventually, they stopped treating cows for the mastitis and it started to clear up. “I question if the fact that we had a dry year and an increase
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Mike Sellner holds two dip cups in his hands Feb. 14 on his dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Sellner and his son-in-law, Ryan Pierson, do most of the milking on the dairy, and dipping twice before aƩaching the milker is one of the protocols they follow.
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Cows eat and rest in a hoop barn Feb. 14 at Mike and Judy Sellner’s farm near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. The 120 cows are housed in a compost barn that is bedded with sawdust. of corn smut maybe was part of the problem,” Sellner said. Dry off is an important step in preventing mastitis in cows for the Sellners. Sellner will milk a cow once a day, unless she is not producing good. If the cow is not producing decent yet at her dry off time, Sellner will treat her. Sellner believes that quality forages are also a variable in maintaining a low SCC. “Feed makes a difference too,” Sellner said. “My bags will occasionally get mold from the cats walking on top. So, I put a ve-wire electric fence to keep cats out.” The Sellners use alerts and
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reports from the creamery every time the milk is picked up. The Sellners usually run 100,000 and under for a SCC reading. They start to question cows if they get a reading above 120,000. “Not all cows are going to stay under 100,000,” Sellner said. “The main thing for me is I know my cows, because I have been milking for years.” Sellner does have help on his farm. His son-in-law, Ryan Pierson, helps during the day and milks ve nights a week and follows the same milking procedure. Sellner also has a couple part-timers. Communication between any of them is important in relaying informa-
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Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
Herschleb named World Dairy Expo general manager By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – On Feb. 28, a new dairy professional will step into the role of general manager at World Dairy Expo. Growing up on a dairy farm in Germantown, Laura Herschleb went on to build a career in agriculture and the dairy industry, which included holding positions within WDE. She is now ready to take the reins of leadership in producing the world’s largest dairy event. Herschleb begins her duties following the retirement of Scott Bentley. “I’m really looking forward to working with the incredible team at World Dairy Expo and hosting the very best event we can,” Herschleb said. “Pursuing this opportunity has been a lifetime goal of mine, and I am so grateful for what lies ahead.” From a college student in the Badger Dairy Club to ve years spent as the Dairy Cattle Show manager in the late 2000s to her return in 2018 as the marketing manager, Herschleb has spent many hours on the WDE grounds. She most recently assisted with projects related to education initiatives, attendee services and the trade show. “I got my rst taste of expo with the Badger Dairy Club, which does a lot of work behind the scenes,” Herschleb said. “My prior roles at World Dairy Expo gave me a greater appreciation for all the work folks have put in over the years and what the event has grown into. Expo is built on so many great traditions, and it is very special to have experienced many of them rsthand.” Herschleb’s most memorable WDE was the year she served as the Wisconsin Holstein Association
princess attendant in 1998. “I had the opportunity to be down on the colored shavings during the International Holstein Show, and it was incredible being right there,” Herschleb said. “It was the year we had the Statue of Liberty display, and the whole experience was breathtaking.” Herschleb graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in dairy science and life science communication. She has held various positions in the industry, including marketing roles at Compeer Financial and Alltech. During her time with Alltech, Herschleb helped plan and execute the company’s booth at WDE. As a trade show exhibitor, Herschleb learned the ropes rsthand and continued building on this knowledge throughout her career. Proud to have roots entrenched in the dairy industry and agriculture, Herschleb said she had a unique upbringing in that she was the only person in her high school with any experience or knowledge of growing up on a farm. “It was interesting and fun to bring my friends to the county and state fairs and share that experience with them,” Herschleb said. Herschleb and her husband, Mike, have two children, Kolby, 12, and Lily, 10, and reside in Deforest. “I could not do this job without their support and the support of other family and friends in the area,” Herschleb said. “Both of my kids are involved in soccer, which is a big part of what we do in our spare time. I help coach my daughter’s team, and the kids are also involved in 4-H and show at the Dane County Fair.” Herschleb’s zeal for the dairy industry continually grows as she dedicates herself to putting on a WDE to remember this fall and for years to come. “Working with all of our committees, I’m hoping
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Laura Herschleb will serve as the new World Dairy Expo general Manager beginning Feb. 28. Herschleb has held previous posiƟons within the organizaƟon.
to do some really great things as we dive into the future,” she said. “I strive to lead through listening and want to hear from others involved in the show Turn to HERSCHLEB | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 9
ConƟnued from HERSCHLEB | Page 8
to learn what it is we should be doing. Scott Bentley leaves very big shoes to ll, and I plan to build on the show’s prior success while leading us in the best direction.” A new event schedule will launch at the 2022 WDE, which will take place Oct. 2-7. The event will span six days from Sunday through Friday, with youth contests held on Sunday, the Dairy Cattle Show beginning Monday and the trade show starting Tuesday. “This change allows us to retain the many expo traditions that are so
“I enjoy building relationships and learning about what’s going on at our exhibitors’ farms and businesses.” LAURA HERSCHLEB, WORLD DAIRY EXPO
critical and truly foundational to the event,” Herschleb said. “The new schedule also allows us to be more in line with trade show standards in the industry while still meeting the requirements of the dairy cattle
show, as we need those ve days in the show ring.” Herschleb encourages attendees to plan ahead for this schedule change by downloading the WDE mobile app to help map out time at the event. A return of the rich international presence is also expected for 2022. “We’re hopeful we will be able to enjoy a more normal show this year and have many international guests and exhibitors return, making it similar to World Dairy Expos of the past,” Herschleb said. Excited to see the trade show and cattle exhibitors this October, Herschleb likes getting out into the barns and exhibit halls to meet people and shake their hands. “I enjoy building relationships and learning about what’s going on at our exhibitors’ farms and businesses,” she said. Meeting the global needs of the dairy industry both today and into the future is one of the greatest opportunities of WDE in Herschleb’s eyes. “As the dairy industry continues to change, World Dairy Expo is going to be right there alongside it, growing and changing too,” Herschleb said. “I’m really excited for what’s to come, and I’m looking forward to welcoming everyone back this fall.”
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522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. • Sauk Centre, MN 56378 (320) 352-6303 • Fax: (320) 352-5647
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DAIRY ST R Visit dairystar.com to sign up.
“DHIA is a great tool to help keep our dairy profitable.” What are some of the DHIA tests you use?
We use the BASE DHIA testing as well as the Dairy Elisa checking for pregnancy. Which is your favorite test and why? We don’t have a favorite. All the information that we get from DHIA is utilized to make decisions on our dairy.
How does testing with DHIA beneÀt your dairy operation? We see many beneÀts from the information we get from DHIA testing on our farm. We closely monitor the somatic cell count of individual cows to keep the quality of the milk we sell at its best. Management decisions are also based on the results we get from using DHIA testing. The great amount of data that comes back to us in reports each month guide us in breeding, culling and many other decisions on our dairy. DHIA is a great tool to help keep our dairy proÀtable. Tell us about your farm. We milk around 100 cows in a double-10 New Zealand style swing parlor. Our cows are housed in hoop barns, with most of the cows being in the barn with sand free stalls. We have four grown children who all helped out as they were growing up. Our youngest son, Ethan, graduated from SDSU last May and is working with Ecolab and also on the farm. He wants to come back and take over the operation. We also have a full-time worker and a parttime worker. We raise all of our youngstock and farm Dean and Elizabeth Johnson 320 acres of corn, soybeans Johnson Dairy and alfalfa. We have recently 100 cows • Heron Lake, Minnesota began using cover crops in Testing DHIA for 41 years our operation.
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1-800-887-4634•(608) 723-4634 (800)John, 887-4634 • Lancaster, WI Jim & Dave Fuller (608) • Richland Center 423 U.S.647-4488 Hwy. 61 North • Lancaster, WI fullersmilkercenter.com
Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
Tower Silos
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City View Dairy in Marshfield, Wisconsin Works 500 Acres, Milks 260 Cows, and Raises Youngstock and Steers for Beef.
“This farm has been in our family for over 100 years and is now being run by third and fourth generation family members. Over the years we have tried other feed storage methods such as ag bags and piles with plastic and tires. We did not care for them very much because the feed was vulnerable to being destroyed by small wildlife. With the tower silos, we have never had wildlife cause moldy feed. Other than baled hay, we now use tower silos for all of our feed storage. We like the quality of feed that comes out of them - it is really good and we don’t have feed spoilage. It only takes two people to fill them, which helps in keeping a lower number of employees and saves money. As our feed storage will be grows in the future, we’re planning on adding another silo.”
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By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
WATERTOWN, Wis. – In the heart of downtown Watertown stands a beloved ice cream parlor people have been ocking to for nearly a century. Serving up homemade ice cream is what Mullen’s Dairy Bar is best known for, but the restaurant offers much more than food to those who walk through its doors. “We value traditions and family here,” said Adam Keepman, who owns the business with his brothers, Josh and Matt. “Not much changes at Mullen’s Dairy Bar, and I like that. We’re kind of that lucky place young kids through adults enjoy. Customers will say they remember their grandpa bringing them here, and that’s the STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR appeal of Mullen’s. People like the Adam Keepman, chef and proprietor, owns Mullen’s Dairy Bar with familiar and the nostalgia. Special his brothers, Josh and MaƩ, in Watertown, Wisconsin. The 90-yearmemories are made here.” old business is revered for its homemade ice cream and other dairy Mullen’s Dairy Bar is a hometown products, including malts, shakes and cheese curds. favorite soon to celebrate 90 years in business. Carrying on a legacy that began in 1932, the Keepmans are one of two families len family, Keepman expanded past the core offerings other than the Mullens to own the historic building and and created new avors. business. The Keepmans bought Mullen’s Dairy Bar “I went beyond the norm and started to treat the and reopened it May 2017 after Mullen’s shut down ice cream barrel like my soup barrel,” he said. “I try to the previous September. use fresh ingredients when I can instead of institutional “Mullen’s is one of the oldest ice cream parlors, additives. Our ice cream is somewhere in between Ben and when it closed in 2016, the town was distraught,” and Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs. Some of it is chunky, and Keepman said. “Luckily, it wasn’t closed for long. We some is more elegant and rened.” have intense fans as rabid as Packers or Cubs fans, and One of Keepman’s most popular creations is Dirt we also get a lot of out-of-state visitors.” Cake, which is made with devil’s food cake mix, Oreo As the name might imply, dairy is at the root of cookies and buttercream frosting. Mullen’s Dairy Bar. Ice cream in a cone, dish or sundae “Everyone goes absolutely nuts for Dirt Cake,” he is their No.1 product followed closely by malts, shakes said. “Each holiday season, we try to have different and cheese curds. Ice cream cakes, ice cream sodas specialty avors too. At Christmas, we’ll offer egg nog, and freezes, ice cream cookie sandwiches, and pints, gingerbread and peppermint mocha ice creams and an quarts and half-gallons are also on the menu along Irish cream avor during the spring.” with homemade macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese Mullen’s Dairy Bar sells about 200 gallons of ice sandwiches, pretzel bites with homemade cheese sauce, cream per week in the winter and 400 gallons per week and soups. Mullen’s Dairy Bar also sells hamburgers, in the summer. Keepman expects to sell about 600 including cheeseburgers as well as a burger topped gallons of ice cream each week this coming summer. off with cheese curds and a homemade cheese sauce. “We’re producing more ice cream than has ever “The original Mullen’s Dairy Bar produced milk, been produced at Mullen’s,” Keepman said. “We’re cream, sour cream, cottage cheese and orange juice while doing more ice cream than ever in the month of Februa tiny space up front was devoted to retail,” Keepman ary. We also sell a lot of cheese curds. We buy frozen said. “The Mullens used to do home deliveries of milk breaded muenster curds from Kraemer’s Cheese – a and had eight delivery drivers until the early 1980s. local distributor – while the milk for our shakes comes Our older customers grew up with Mullen’s delivered from Sassy Cow Creamery.” to their house.” Last summer, the Keepmans opened a second Mullen’s ice cream is made onsite using an ice Mullen’s Dairy Bar on the boardwalk at Fowler Lake cream mix from Neenah Classic Mix that contains in Oconomowoc. The seasonal location is open April 12% butterfat. Using the same base recipe as the Mul- through October serving dessert from a walk-up window. “This spring, we’re hoping to add hot dogs and chips to the menu,” Keepman said. The Keepmans also acquired a new account in Waterford – a deluxe dessert shop called Kravings, which is using the Mullen’s brand ice cream. “My brothers’ goal was to develop a wholesale ice cream business, and now our ice cream is sold in nearly 50 shops and restaurants, including Woodman’s and Festival Foods,” Keepman said. In summer, Mullen’s Dairy Bar has close to 60 employees between their two stores. In winter, they employ about half that number. The Watertown location is open every day year-round except for Mondays from November through March. “This place is lled with all sorts of good graces, and there’s so much good feeling here,” Keepman said. “That’s the magic of Mullen’s. It’s so different from any other restaurant or shop in the area. I treat this place like a church because it’s been really sacred to a lot of people for a long time.” Mullen’s Dairy Bar also overows with history. For example, a letter from Ray Kroc – the man who launched STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR the McDonald’s franchise – can be found framed on Mullen’s Dairy Bar has been a hometown favorite for nearly a century in Watertown, Wisconsin. Origi- the wall. Kroc sold milkshake machines earlier in his nally owned by the Mullen family, Mullen’s Dairy career, and Mullen’s was one of his accounts. Bar was once the producƟon site for milk, cream, sour cream and coƩage cheese. Turn to MULLEN’S DAIRY BAR | Page 11
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 11
ConƟnued from MULLEN’S DAIRY BAR | Page 10
The
I.R.S. is at
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Sarah Chapman scoops ice cream for a customer Feb. 15 at the store in Watertown, Wisconsin. The Keepmans use the Mullen family’s original ice cream recipe but have created many new avors since buying the business in 2017. “We still use those original mixers today,” Keepman said. “It was a special moment when we found that letter. It literally fell on my feet when searching through some historical volumes.” Reminding people of simpler times, Mullen’s cozy charm creates the perfect atmosphere for enjoying a sweet escape from everyday life. Capturing the vibe of a bygone era, the ambiance in Mullen’s Dairy Bar is that of an old-fashioned ice cream shop where stools line the counter and old-time rock and roll music plays in the background. “People can come in here and tell us their troubles because they feel comfortable at Mullen’s,” Keepman said. “That’s a nice feeling. But no matter what people come here for, we try to do it right every time.” Embracing his business’ close connection to the dairy industry, Keepman
appreciates the consistency and availability of ingredients he uses to make the products his customers demand. “I think we’re lucky to be Wisconsinites and have access to dairy farmers’ quality milk which allows us to create the products that drive our business’ bottom line,” Keepman said. “Wisconsin is the dairy state and the dairy capitol, and I’m proud to have it be a local tradition we can rely on. We’re in the heart of it all.” Operating the business with a love and respect for time-honored traditions, Keepman is devoted to preserving the heritage and authenticity of Mullen’s Dairy Bar while continuing to grow with the times. “I’m proud of what we do here,” he said. “People love their treats, especially ice cream, and we try to have the best ice cream around.”
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
A cut above the rest
Caledonia Haulers nalist in Best Fleets to Drive For contest By Kate Rechtzigel kate.r@dairystar.com
CALEDONIA, Minn. − CEO Dennis Gavin was shocked when not one but two over-theroad truck drivers nominated Caledonia Haulers in the national Best Fleets to Drive For contest. “I think it shows we care,” Gavin said. “We try to recognize our people and answer the phone; you’re not just a number. We truly try to listen to the driver.” Marketing manager Megan Sobieski agreed. “It all goes back to that small town hospitality,” she said. Caledonia Haulers, of Caledonia, was nominated in September 2021 by Royal Manley from Missouri and James Lanfair from New York. They were chosen as a nalist Jan. 5 in the Best Fleets to Drive For contest which had 207 nominations from all across the United States and Canada. The contest consisted of a 17-page questionnaire, a 90-minute interview and driver surveys. “We were a little bummed that we didn’t get in the top 20,” Gavin said.
Sobieski agreed. “But it was definitely a learning experience,” she said. “It opened the lines of communication between our team members because we had to dig into the safety, recruiting, accounting, marketing and operations parts. It brought our team together and reminded us of our values and what we strive to be.” The company employs 250 people, travels over 22 million miles a year and hauls 50 loads of milk every day. Gavin rst heard about the contest at an insurance meeting. “Every year they try to recognize the best eets, and we decided collectively that this is something we would like to be a part of,” Gavin said. “But, we needed someone to spearhead the contest so that’s why we have Megan.” Sobieski promoted the contest on Facebook, determined the steps involved and sent surveys to all 180 truck drivers; the company received 100 survey responses. “We were supposed to get 65% completion, but we did better than that,” Gavin said. “Good or bad we don’t know, but it makes you feel pretty
KATE RECHTZIGEL/DAIRY STAR
CEO Dennis Gavin is pictured next to one of Caledonia Haulers many trucks Feb. 15 near Caledonia, Minnesota. Caledonia Haulers was a nalist in the Best Fleets to Drive For contest. proud that the guys appreciate the work you are doing.” Caledonia Haulers was also one of a few milk haulers competing in the contest and the only one from a small town in the Midwest. “Some of those eets were from big, big towns,” Sobieski said. “So, it’s pretty cool that we can represent our small town.”
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Caledonia Haulers began 64 years ago in 1958 with 10 can routes; the company later purchased a bulk truck. “We hauled dairy products into a local creamery here,” Gavin said. “And then our milk started going to Illinois, and we started back hauling corn sweetener to Keokuk, Iowa.” As the times changed, Cale-
donia Haulers expanded to 45 milk trucks and an additional 180 over-the-road trucks that haul corn sweetener or bakery ingredients, such as soybean oil, coast to coast. They also haul eggs, juices, liquid smoke Turn to CALEDONIA HAULERS | Page 13
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 13
Con�nued from CALEDONIA HAULERS | Page 13
Open House
Monday-Friday: 7:30 AM - 5 PM Saturday: 8 AM - Noon
MONDAY, MARCH 7TH–FRIDAY, MARCH 11 Thank you for your support through 2021! We welcome you to join us for our annual open house celebration and customer clinics. We appreciate your business!
March 9th · 10:45 am
NH Haytool Clinic
· Informational session with New Holland reps, Kyle Riesberg and Josh Harkenrider · Lunch to Follow PHOTO SUBMITTED
Caledonia Haulers hauls 50 loads of milk a day off farms and travels within a 200-mile radius of Caledonia, Minnesota. They haul to six dairy coopera�ves. and enzymes. “We are always looking at how to improve, nd more products to move and how to make this a better place to work for our drivers,” Gavin said. “Years ago, drivers used to go wherever, but now, we’re trying to nd more products that put them in a certain lane that they like doing better, trying to nd products and move loads that are more regional.” Sobieski agreed. “We try to have a better work-life balance for people with younger families,” she said. In 1985, Gavin came off the road and started working alongside his dad, Joe, who was the CEO at the time. He became the CEO in 1995 and the sole owner of the company in 2013. “It’s been a challenge over the years as with any business, and now I’m excited to look toward the future and hope my son, Zach, or daughter, Ashley, will take it over,” Gavin said. “But it’s not just me, it really takes a team to do what we’re doing here in Caledonia.” One of Gavin’s favorite memories is working with some of the same farmers he worked with when he was doing can routes to cooperatives. “Some of those dairies have been in business for 65 years,” Gavin said. “It’s pretty cool to still be able to work
with them.” Today, the company hauls to six dairy cooperatives all within a 200-mile radius of Caledonia. Caledonia Haulers also has facilities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Janesville, Wisconsin. “We haul to cheese plants as far as Melrose and down to Stockton, Illinois,” Gavin said. Gavin also takes pride in having an open-door policy for all of the drivers. “Dennis is always willing to listen,” Sobieski said. “It just gives them another avenue of how we can continue to grow and become the best eet.” Gavin agreed. “Drivers get a voice,” he said. “And, we hope this contest helps people recognize that we care.” Come March, Gavin and Sobieski plan to have a team meeting with other employees and the Best Fleets program to look over the contest results and survey responses to determine how to implement feedback and prepare to compete in the contest next year. “It was a really big project, because it looked at everything from how truck drivers are recognized to the amenities in their trucks,” Gavin said. Sobieski agreed. “Next year, we’ll be ready,” she said.
March 11th · 10:00 am
Planter Clinic
· Informational sessions with our Precision Specialists and representatives of AGCO, Landoll, & Precision Planting · Lunch to Follow
15% Cash Discounts* on Parts Don’t Wait—Get your Planter Inspections Scheduled Now! Call Mary for Pricing & Scheduling Assistance
FREE Ice Cream served all week Net Wrap Special Pricing on select rolls while supplies last! MAXXNET PREMIUM STRENGTH NETWRAP 64x7000
$249.13/roll
Part # ACP0491400
NETEXX PRO NETWRAP 64x7000
$226.68/roll Part # 79034029
*While Supplies Last, additional discounts do not apply; price reflects cash discount & must be paid for during Open House Week
Be Ready For Spring Field Work... Worry about paying later with AGCO Plus+ No Interest/No Payments for 180 days!
Offer expires March 31, 2022; Valid on parts and service purchases of $1,000+ Stop in & pick up an application today! See Michelle for details.
PH: 563-928-6445 | FAX: 563-928-7214
TEXT MESSAGING NOW AVAILABLE! Text us at 563-928-6445 Receive service reminders, notification for parts or equipment pick up, and view & pay invoices via our Kenect Text Messaging platform!
Our Sales Team:
Ray, Pat, Jay, Cain & Jorden
Michelle (ATV/Side x Side)
PHOTO SUBMITTED
CEO Dennis Gavin presents the 2020 Driver of the Year award to truck driver Lee Edwards. The Driver of the Year award is one of the many recogni�ons Caledonia Haulers gives to their drivers.
1003 210th Ave | P.O. Box 308 Edgewood, IA 52042
563-928-6445 Delclay.com
*15% discount applied when invoice is paid by cash/check; 10% discount applied if invoice is paid by card, farm plan, AGCO+ or cnh card; Discounts valid on invoices paid between March 7-11 , 2022. Program excludes oil, tires, twine, & net wrap, and oil change kits.
Page 14 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
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Kevin Gengler Gengler Sons Dairy Adrian, Minnesota Nobles County 400 cows
Dairyy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 15
Describe your protocol for treating pneumonia in youngstock.
Ted Grangroth Cokato, Minnesota Wright County 150 cows
What becomes the greatest challenge with managing livestock over the winter? The greatest challenge is the changing temperatures along with the storms that bring snow, sleet and rain. We are constantly giving the cattle new bedding and adjusting to their uctuating feed intake. And, it’s never fun to shovel snow out of feed bunks. Describe your protocol for treating pneumonia in youngstock. Any animals that are under 600 pounds are kept indoors in groups. We feed them by hand and visually check on them every day. If we have a group that seems to be coughing a lot, we will give them tetracycline crumbles. When we have animals that need further treatment, Resor Gold is our go-to antibiotic. Describe a weather event this year that greatly affected your herd. We’ve had a fairly mild winter here so far with not much snow. There haven’t been any major weather events that have caused us to have a hiccup. What is the best management tool or strategy you use to get your herd through the winter? We make sure our young heifers are well bedded and keep a constant vigil on them. Our older heifers wear ID collars that track activity and help us detect heats. We keep our smaller heifer calves in groups of 15-20 head. As they grow, they are moved into groups of 25-30 head. After they are bred, they are put into groups of 70-80 head. What was the most extreme winter you remember, and what hardships did you face on the farm that year because of the weather? In 2018, we had temperatures that dropped to 30 degrees below zero, and that was without the windchill. Everything that was outdoors froze, even our heated water fountains. It took all day for us to thaw out our fountains. The temperature didn’t climb back above zero for an entire week. Tell us about your housing facilities for your animals and your farm. The freestall barn where we house our milking animals is tunnel ventilated. It never gets below 32 degrees in there, even during the coldest weather. We retrotted our older freestall barn, where we keep our dry cows, to tunnel ventilation two years ago. Our heifers that are 600 pounds and under are kept in a completely enclosed facility that has power ventilation and temperature controls. Our breeding-age heifers are housed in a south-facing open-front barn. Our bred animals are kept in outdoor lots that have both dirt and concrete underneath them. We make sure all of our animals always have plenty of dry bedding.
Dairy farmers:
What has been the greatest challenge with managing livestock over the winter? The hardest part about the winter, especially this year, is when the weather goes from cold to warm to cold again. It brings on pneumonia in calves and will often times freeze down the scrapers in the barn. What strategies have you used to prevent pneumonia in your youngstock? If the calves don’t drink their milk completely, I will come back and give them a dose of Baytril to help ght the onset of pneumonia. Describe a weather event this year that greatly affected your herd. The super cold to warm uctuations have been difcult. Going from frozen to mud can be a challenge. Duane Burke Burke Dairy Inc. Sebeka, Minnesota Ottertail County 190 cows What becomes the greatest challenge with managing livestock over the winter? The biggest challenge of winter, like most dairies, is keeping waterers thawed. Water is a necessity to producing milk and hydration for all livestock.
What is the best management tool or strategy you use to get your herd through the winter? I try to keep everything bedded down. Keeping the cattle on bedding and out of the wind really helps them in the cold. What was the most extreme winter you remember, and what hardships did you face that year because of the weather? In the early 2000s, we had a really bad cold snap. I think it lasted about two weeks straight, and I was continuously having to thaw and x the barn scraper. Tell us about your housing facilities for your animals and your farm. I milk 150 cows and run about 200 acres. Our cows are housed in a freestall barn with an alley scraper. Our calves are raised in huts and then moved to super hutches. The heifers are housed in monoslope building facing east, and they eat outside.
What is the best management tool or strategy you use to get your herd through the winter? The best management tool I use to get the cattle through the winter is lots of dry bedding. Cattle that are dry with nice bedding are healthier and much happier when it is cold out. Also, I make sure cattle have high-quality feed to maintain good body condition.
Describe your protocol for treating pneumonia in youngstock. Thankfully, we don’t have much pneumonia in our youngstock, but when we have a pneumonia case, they are treated with Micotil and Flunixamine.
What was the most extreme winter you remember, and what hardships did you face on the farm that year because of the weather? I don’t remember the year, but it was on my grandparents’ dairy farm when I was younger. Helping them with chores was what I really loved to do, and I remember there was so much snow it was almost impossible to get anything done. We needed to push and move snow to just be able to get chores done. Days like that, you feel good when chores are complete and you can go in and warm up for a bit.
Describe a weather event this year that greatly affected your herd. This year, there has been a lot of days that were very cold and windy that kept the cows in the freestall barn during the day when they are used to getting to go outside during the day to enjoy the sun and fresh air and also be able to get off the concrete for a few hours. Having to stay in the barn, sometimes for three or four days at a time, creates more feet problems and grumpy cows.
Tell us about your housing facilities for your animals and your farm. We have an insulated freestall barn with good ventilation for the milking herd. The dry cows and heifers all have open-front sheds that are well-bedded. The prefresh cows are housed in the enclosed treatment barn along with the cows that have any feet or leg issues. In that barn, they have straw bed packs. Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16
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Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Kevin Ackerman Ackerman Farm Sauk Rapids, Minnesota Benton County 95 cows
What becomes the greatest chalWhat was the most extreme lenge with managing livestock winter you remember, and over the winter? The weather what hardships did you face on and keeping the manure from the farm that year because of the building up in outside lots. We weather? The famous Halloween try to scrape them and break the snowstorm of 1991. We were digmanure loose every couple weeks ging out calf hutches, and we had when it warms up. But, we didn’t get those warm some corn that wasn’t harvested yet so we had to days as often this winter. wait until spring to nish. Describe your protocol for treating pneumonia Tell us about your housing facilities for your in youngstock. We give them a shot of Draxxin and animals and your farm. I farm with my brother, Sustain III Bolus. Pete. We have two monoslope sheds for youngstock 4 months old through calving. We have one enclosed Describe a weather event this year that greatly building with an autofeeder for calves, and they stay affected your herd. We had hail Aug. 28 last year. in there 3-4 months. Our cow barn is a freestall barn A couple days after lling ve bags of silage, all with a pit underneath, and we milk in a double-4 the bags needed to get patched up and sprayed parlor. We farm around 550 acres, and we plant with a sealant. Time will tell if we have mold or corn, soybean and alfalfa. mycotoxin issues.
Harvey and Jackie Menn Norwalk, Wisconsin Monroe County 72 cows What becomes the greatest challenge with managing livestock over the winter? Calves are the hardest to manage. Keeping waterers thawed is especially challenging for the calves. Describe your protocol for treating pneumonia in youngstock. Being organic, we focus on prevention by vaccinating for pneumonia. Pneumonia is the worst thing for us to come across. We use aloe pellets or add aloe to the milk if we do get a case. Describe a weather event this year that greatly affected your herd. We have had bad years in the past, but this year, there has not been anything that stood out. What is the best management tool or strategy you use to get your herd through the winter? For the milk cows, we use a winter dip. We nd
Laverne and Donella Wadel Dodge Center, Minnesota Dodge County 95 cows
What is the best management tool or strategy you use to get your herd through the winter? We just use a lot more bedding for our outside lots.
What becomes the greatest challenge with managing livestock over the winter? The greatest challenge is dealing with manure freezing in the free stall barn. We can normally scrape the barn for a few minutes two times a day. When temperatures are below 15 degrees, it takes a lot longer to clean the barn. Describe your protocol for treating pneumonia in youngstock. We seldom have cases of pneumonia. When I have treated a pre-weaned calf for pneumonia, I used Baytril along with Banamine supportive therapy. Describe a weather event this year that greatly affected your herd. We did sustain some wind damage on our calf barn and free stall barn roofs. The livestock handled things well for the most part. One cow slipped and had to be slaughtered. We also lost power and had a late milking. The prolonged cold seems like it has affected intakes and therefore milk output for the cows.
it to be effective to prevent frozen teats. What is the best management tool or strategy you use to get your herd through the winter? Good nutrition; clean, What is the most extreme dry bedding; adequate ventilation and shelter from the wind. winter you remember, and what hardships did you What was the most extreme winter you remember, and face on the farm that year what hardships did you face on the farm that year because because of the weather? of the weather? February 2019 was probably the coldest About 3-4 years ago, it was winter in recent history with the most snow. We had a lot of 50 degrees below zero for deep drifts that year. One drift blew through our west winddays at a time. We covered break and covered the driveway. Our milk truck was 6-10 the open feeding area with inches deep in the snow. Other areas had a lot of drifting a tarp which is the only time where our ag bags were stored. We also had a lot of water we ever had to do that. We fountains freeze that year. This year has not had the intense had waterers freeze and had cold that year had, but it seems to be sticking around longer to carry water to the heifers. than usual without much of a break. We also had a hard time cleaning up because the manure would freeze so quickly. Tell us about your housing facilities for your animals and your farm. We have three children, Lindsay, 16, Gareth, 14, Tell us about your housing facilities for your and Landon, 12. Lynn and Rachel Miller, Donella’s aunt and animals and your farm. Our milk cows are in a uncle, who give us a break from time to time and help with freestall barn with mattresses. We have a freestall crops. Our cows are housed in a curtain-sided free stall barn for the heifers that are breeding age and up. Weaned and milked in a step-up parlor, which is in a renovated tie calves are in a loose housing facility, and our baby stall barn. Our calves are in hutches in a calf barn until they calves are in hutches. Harvey is the fth generation; are weaned. Then, the calves are in a group pen a few more his great-grandfather homesteaded the farm. We have weeks in the same barn. They are in other group housing always had Jerseys and were certied organic Jan. barns until close to freshening. Heifers and pre fresh cows 1, 2009. We bought the farm in 1990. calve in an area of the free stall barn.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 17
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
Harvesting Quality Forages
Putting away forages quickly key for Grubers Bob and Kaylie Gruber Lastrup, Minnesota 220 cows Describe your farm and facilities. We milk 220 cows in a at-barn parlor. The cows are housed in a free stall barn with sand-bedded free stalls. All heifers are kept for replacements in a separate bedded pack barn. Bull calves are sold weekly. List the forages you harvest. We raise haylage and corn silage. How many acres of each do you raise? We raise 200 acres of corn, 250 acres of haylage, and the rest is grass. What quality and quantity do you harvest of each crop? We try to get 20-25 tons of wet silage per acre with over 7% protein and over 35% starch. We try to get 5-8 dry tons of haylage with 150 relative feed value or greater and over 20% protein.
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Bob Gruber stands in his freestall barn Feb. 17 on his 220-cow dairy near Lastrup, Minnesota. Gruber operates the farm with his wife, Kaylie.
Describe your harvesting techniques for alfalfa and corn silage. What I look for is a good weather window that coordinates with a time frame that works for a harvest crew. Turn to GRUBER | Page 20
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 19
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“We stick with what works…Udder Comfort.” — Scott Stempfle
STEMPFLE HOLSTEINS, Maynard, Iowa Paul, Jody and Scott Stempfle, 750 Reg. Holsteins 95 lbs/cow/day 4.1F 3.2P (3x), SCC avg. 160,000 Family featured in Sept. 2021 Holstein America on RFD-TV 2021 IA-District 1 Young Holstein Breeder Award (Scott)
“We have been using Udder Comfort™ for 10 years. We use the lotion when we show, but we also use the blue spray at the dairy on all fresh animals after each milking for a week after calving,” says Scott Stempfle in an interview after being notified as one of our World Dairy Expo ‘gallon drawing’ winners. Scott and parents Paul and Jody have a 750-cow dairy near Maynard, Iowa. As herd health manager, Scott enjoys seeing the progression from a mating that produced the calf to seeing her develop into the milking herd. Many in this registered Holstein herd go back to Butlerview Roy Glamorous. “Transition at calving is the most important part of a cow’s lactation. Udder Comfort is an important tool to get her through that transition and into her milk faster,” says Scott. “We stick with what works, and we have always had really good results with Udder Comfort. It brings edema down and softens udders to milk faster and easier so cows get a healthier and faster start in their lactations.”
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
ConƟnued from GRUBER | Page 18
We get help from family, but it takes a little while to line them up. As soon as I see that window, we move fast to get the hay knocked down, but there’s a lot of variables that come into play including humidity, wind speed and topsoil moisture that determine row width. But nine times out of 10, we’re shooting for a very wide windrow for quick dry down. When we get close to harvest moisture, we merge the rows together to keep the chopper full and hopefully remove the crop off the eld as swiftly as possible. Our corn silage harvest is the same thing. It mainly revolves around weather and help. When we do hay, we
have four guys in tractors with boxes, one on the merger and one on the chopper and sometimes one cutting more hay and one standing by the bagger. What are management or harvesting techniques you have changed that has made a notable difference in forage quality? We are seeding alfalfa at a higher density. We usually shoot for 20-24 pounds an acre for seed. We are also chopping corn silage higher to leave more core stock behind in the eld and have added a kernel processor. All the things we have done have helped create higher energy and more digestible feed. MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
The Grubers store all their feed in bags at their farm near Lastrup, Minnesota. They mark eld and moisture changes on the sides of the bags. Describe a challenge you overcame in reaching your forage quality goals. Getting feed put up fast is always a challenge because there are so many things that have to happen; many machines and people running at once, we’re always trying to improve our efciencies by investing in better harvest equipment to help get the job done fast. MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Bob Gruber holds feed from the cows raƟon in his hands Feb. 17 on his dairy near Lastrup, Minnesota. The Grubers have two raƟons for their cows. The early lactaƟon cows’ raƟon is dominated by haylage and the late lacaƟon cows get fed more silage.
Describe the techniques you use to store, manage and feed your forages. We store all our feed in bags. We mark eld changes and moisture changes on the sides of the bags. When
we are feeding, we know what is coming and can make changes accordingly. Our haylage has the most variability so I always feed from two haylage bags. If one changes abruptly, it keeps the ration somewhat constant. We did 10.5 10-by-250 bags of silage and seven 10-by-250 bags of haylage. Describe the rations for your livestock. Milk cows are fed two rations. One side of the barn consists of fresher cows, and the other side consists of longer-day bred cows. The fresher cows ration is dominated by haylage while the longer-day cows are getting higher silage. Dry cows
receive some silage, dry corn and bypass protein with all the grass hay they can eat. The heifers get grass silage and lower quality haylage, all to get good height by 23 months while avoiding over conditioning. What part does quality forages play in the production goals for your herd? Higher quality forages results in two things, more energy and protein per pound of ration fed and higher feed intake. Both of them result in more milk with lower feed cost so it could be the difference in being protable or not.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 21
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FIELD CULTIVATORS
International 4600, 28 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #189936 ............ $5,750 Case IH 4800, 28 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #182692 ........................ $5,900 Case IH 4300, 30 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #181148 ........................ $8,500 Case IH 4300, 2001, 38 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #186653 ............$11,995 JD 980 1998, 44 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #276171 .....................$14,900 Wil-Rich Excel 42’, 1999, 42 ft, #276243 .................................................$14,900 JD 980, 2002, 44 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #191670........................$17,500 JD 2200, 2002, 34 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #185898 ....................... $9,000 Case IH Tigermate II, 2003, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #186586 ...................................................................................................$19,000 Wil-Rich Quad 5, 1998, 42 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #191850......$19,500 JD 2210, 2004, 24 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #191188 ...................$19,500 Case IH TM14, 2005, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #187546 ........$26,900 Case IH Tigermate II, 2004, 60.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #186,585 ..................................................................................................$28,000 JD 2210, 2005, 55.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #274609 ..................$29,900 JD 2210, 2010, 65 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #273967 .....................$32,900 Wil-Rich Quad 5, 2012, 36 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #531719......... 33,900 Case IH 200, 2009, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #275589............$37,900 JD 2210, 2008, 42 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #531703 .....................$39,900 JD 2210, 2014, 55.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #523982 ..................$47,500
PLANTERS
White 6100 6R30 in, Rigid, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #187246 ......... $6,500 Kinze PT, 6R30 in, Rigid, Finger Pickup, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #531720 ...... $6,900 JD 7200, 1991, 16R30 in, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #275813 ..............$12,900 Case IH 1200, 6R30 in, Rigid, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #531372 .......$18,500 JD 1770, 1997, 16R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, 3.0 Bushel Hopper, #180078 ...................................................................................................$19,500 JD 1770, 1999, 16R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #186432 ...................................................................................................$28,500 Kinze 3600, 16R30 in, Rigid, Finger Pickup, 3.0 Bushel Hopper, #275620$29,900 Wil-Rich pt-2200, 2007, 24R22 in, Wing Fold, Vacuum, 3.0 Bushel Hopper, #191659.....................................................................$41,000 Kinze 3600, 2009, 12/23R15 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, Row Command, Electric Drive, #531310.............................................................$74,900 JD 1770NT, 2013, 24R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, Row Command, #273978 .........................................................................$79,900
JD 1765, 2020, 12R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, 3.0 Bushel Hopper, Row Command, #531611 .........................................................................$85,000 JD DB90, 2006, 36R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, Central Fill System, #531337 $89,900 JD 1770NT CCS, 2011, 24R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, Central Fill System, Row Command, #531676.........................................$109,900 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, Central Fill System, #186435 .................................................................................................$145,400 JD DB60, 2013, 24R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, Central Fill System, Row Command, #186440 .......................................................................$178,500 JD DB60, 2014, 24R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, Central Fill System, Row Command, #186455 .......................................................................$185,900 JD 1775NT, 2015, 24R30 in, Exact Emerge, Central Fill System, Row Command, #275625 .......................................................................$224,900 JD 1775NT, 2020, 24R30 in, Flex Fold, Vacuum, Central Fill System, Row Command, Electric Drive, #186454 .................................................$264,900 White 6700, 12R22 in, Rigid, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #186493 ........ $9,900 White 6700, 22 in, Rigid, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #186494 .............$10,900 JD 1710, 1998, 12R30 in, Wing Fold, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #191814.....................................................................$15,900 JD 1700, 2014, 4R30 in, Rigid, Vacuum, Mini, #275821 ............................$17,900 JD 1710, 1997, 12R30 in, Wing Fold, Vacuum, 1.6 Bushel Hopper, #191791.....................................................................$19,500 JD 1720 CCS, 2010, 12R38 in, Wing Fold, Vacuum, Central Fill System, #276333 .....................................................................$29,900 JD DR24, 2020, 24R30 in, Exact Emerge, Central Fill System, Row Command, Electric Drive, #274275 .................................................$319,900
PULL-TYPE SPRAYERS
Hardi NP1100, 2004, #191848.................................................................. $8,500 Demco 500, 2011, #525209....................................................................... $8,500 Redball 670, 2006, #191961 .................................................................... $9,900 Redball 680r-1350, 1999, #186516 ......................................................$14,900 Hardi Navigator 4000, #180889 ...........................................................$15,000 Hardi Commander Plus 1200, 2002, #181150 ....................................$17,500 Top Air TA1200, 2011, #531277 .............................................................$18,900 Top Air TA1600, 2012, #531603 ..............................................................$28,000 Hardi Commander 4400, 2009, #188739 .............................................$28,900
SELF-PROPELLED SPRAYERS
Case IH 3185, 2004, 90’, Poly, Narrow tires, 4000 hrs., #531252 .............$39,500 RoGator 1184, 2010, 120-Foot boom, 4610 hrs., #191681 .....................$53,500
JD 4920, 2006, 120-Foot boom, 3688 hrs., #187626 ..............................$71,000 RoGator RG1100, 2013, 120-Foot, 3506 hrs., #191696 ..........................$74,500 RoGator RG1100, 2013, 90-Foot boom, 3250 hrs., #191700 ..................$97,000 JD 4830, 2013, 120-Foot boom, 3991 hrs., #531608 ............................$143,500 JD R4023, 2015, 90-Foot boom, 1826 hrs., #275709............................$144,900 Hagie STS12, 2012, 90-Foot boom, 3077 hrs., #276184 ........................$149,900 Case IH Patriot 4430, 2012, 120-Foot boom, 2770 hrs., #531726 .......$159,000 JD 4630, 2013, 80-Foot boom, 1030 hrs., #275374 ..............................$159,900 Miller Pro Nitro 5240, 2013, 90-Foot, 1650 hrs., #276351 ..................$174,900 JD R4030, 2016, 120-Foot boom, 1865 hrs., #531624..........................$179,900 JD R4038, 2016, 90-Foot boom, 2400 hrs., #274783............................$194,900 JD R4038, 2016, 120-Foot boom, 3038 hrs., #275257..........................$199,900 JD R4045, 2016, 120-Foot boom, 3339 hrs., #267493..........................$219,900 JD R4038, 2017, 90-Foot boom, 2190 hrs., #275254............................$219,900 JD R4038, 2016, 90-Foot boom, 2200 hrs., #275266............................$219,900 JD R4045, 2017, 120-Foot boom, 2950 hrs., #275252..........................$229,900 JD R4030, 2019, 100-Foot boom, 1474 hrs., #274204..........................$254,900 JD R4038, 2016, 120-Foot boom, 1180 hrs., #275312..........................$269,900 JD R4038, 2019, 120-Foot boom, 1135 hrs., #276194..........................$329,900 JD R4038, 2020, 120-Foot boom, 683 hrs., #275047............................$359,900 JD R4045, 2018, 120-Foot boom, 1175 hrs., #275627..........................$359,900 JD R4045, 2019, 120-Foot boom, 1575 hrs., #421298..........................$399,500 JD R4045, 2020, 120-Foot boom, 1332 hrs., #275782..........................$399,900 JD R4038, 2021, 132-Foot boom, 590 hrs., #190973............................$419,900 JD R4038, 2021, 120-Foot boom, 200 hrs., #191080............................$429,000 JD R4038, 2021, 132-Foot boom, 235 hrs., #191060.............................$449900 JD R4038, 2021, 132-Foot boom, 380 hrs., #191034............................$450,000 JD R4044, 2021, 132-Foot boom, 367 hrs., #191061............................$459,900 JD R4044, 2021, 132-Foot boom, 261 hrs., #191079............................$479,000
VERTICAL TILLAGE
Great Plains Turbo Till 3000, 2005, #276350 .......................................$22,900 Landoll 7431-29, 2012, #276267 ..........................................................$29,900 Great Plains 3000TM, 2014, #525095 ..................................................$39,900 Summers VRT3530, 2015, #189645 ......................................................$42,900 Case IH 330, 2015, #178991 ...................................................................$42,900 Kuhn Krause 8000-30, 2014, #531223 .................................................$44,900 Kuhn Krause 8000-40, 2012, #276034 ..................................................$52,900 Kuhn Krause 8000 Excelerator, 2014, #181417 .................................$59,900 JD 2660VT, 2020, #275326 ....................................................................$77,900
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Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
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DeLaval Dairy Service Kaukauna, WI 866-335-2825 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0267 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470
MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA Advanced Dairy of Mora Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Brookings, SD 800-636-5581 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 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 © 2022 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. All facts and figures are the result of data collected on test farms. Results may vary and are not guaranteed. Nothing in this document shall constitute a warranty or guaranty of performance. www.delaval.com
The calf hutch
Well, it’s hard to believe, but we are in the month of February, which means I’ve been at Dairy Star for about three months now. These past three months have been eye opening for me as I have learned from talking to farmers, I’ve covered hard topics and have learned that GPS doesn’t always take me to the right spot. But through it all, I learned that southeastern Minnesota dairy farmers are faithful, strong and some of the most hardworking By Kate Rechtzigel people I’ve ever met, so Staff Writer thank you for letting me cover your stories. Some of my favorite memories so far have been traveling to dairy farms across the state and connecting with farmers. Growing up on my family’s farm, we never had the opportunity to travel because we were always in the barn with Grandpa or Dad working on something. We took one shing trip a year but that was about it. So, being able to travel, see different farms and how they do things, and meet new farmers has been an exciting venture and the best part of my job. February has always held a special place in my heart. No, not because of Valentine’s Day but because my birthday is the 12th. My mom reminds me every year that she wanted to have me on the 14th. While I wasn’t born on Valentine’s Day, she did bring me home that day. She jokes the return trip home made up for it, even though her and Dad had to drive to the hospital in a blizzard on the 12th.
My friends and I would then all climb on the hutch and hang on tightly while my dad drove as fast as he could around one of our fields. Growing up, that weekend was always special, too, because it was the one time all year when I was able to invite my friends over to the farm to show them what I actually do. I looked forward to the weekend and probably told my friends one too many times that it was my birthday weekend. The events that occurred on that day made up for my constant reminders in school; Grandma would make a fancy dinner with whatever I wanted and get a Dairy Queen cake for the occasion. I would show them around the farm and introduce them to all the cows, calves and newborn kittens. And seeing as I had a winter birthday, my dad would get out the four-wheeler or one of my uncle’s snowmobiles (depending on how much snow there was) and attach it to the top of a Polydome calf hutch which he manufactured into a sled. My friends and I would then all climb on the hutch and hang on tightly while my dad drove as fast as he could around one of our elds. Occasionally, one of us would fall off, and my dad would have to come back and pick us up again. We had so much fun sledding that my friends would talk about that for weeks after the fact. And, I had so many people come up to me at school and ask when next year’s birthday party was going to happen. But, my favorite part was getting to show them a glimpse into my life on a dairy farm. This year was much different for obvious reasons of course. I can’t really t on a calf hutch with all my friends anymore, and we didn’t have nearly as much snow as we did when I was a kid. So instead, I relief milked cows for my neighbor, brought two newborn calves into the barn, caught up with an old coworker and spent good quality time with my family. My old coworker and I played bingo, my mom took all of us kids out to lunch at the Fireside in Dennison, Minnesota, and my grandma cooked up a brunch for me at her house after church. All in all, it was a birthday well spent.
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 23
HEART
HEART
DAIRY
DAIRY
Leroy Maassen
JoAnn and Gene Hartung
Tell us about your farm. I am the fourth generation, and my sons are now the fth generation of farmers on our farm. Our family has always had dairy cows Leroy and Emily Maassen milk 1,800 but expanded mostly from 1980 through cows in Sioux County near Maurice, 2013 to where we are today. We love dairy Iowa. Leroy has been dairy farming farming and enjoy it as a business and a for 50 years. way of life. We were once more diversied in other enterprises besides dairy in which we had cattle, hogs, chickens and raised some sheep plus the crop production. We have 1,800 Holstein cows and raise all of their offspring of heifers, bulls and steers. This usually adds up to about 2,000 other animals. We farm about 1,600 acres of crops being mostly corn, alfalfa and soybean and also do about 250 acres of cover crops per year. Tell us about your family. My wife, Emily, and I have been married for 47 years. We have three sons in the dairy business with me: Aaron and Marissa and their four kids; Adam and Ashley and their six kids; and Stefan and Miranda and their three kids. Our oldest daughter is off the farm and works in Sioux Falls as a banking compliance ofcer. Our generational family came to the U.S. in 1904 from the Netherlands and settled 1 mile away from where the dairy is today. We have been farming here ever since. What has been the highlight of your dairying career? The highlight of my dairy career has been the chance to be in the business with my sons and be a part of its growth in the business sense and in the life side of its culture. We love and enjoy dairy farming together. It is a part of our lifestyle. What do you love most about dairy farming? The challenges it gives us and the rewards of blessings we have been given in the growth of our farm and producing one of the greatest food products that’s available to the consumer. What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in your dairying career, and how did you overcome it? One of the greatest obstacles was going from a familyowned business with just family members to over 30 employees and the management of that labor force as we have grown. We have learned how to manage employees and are still learning how to work as a team. It requires lots of communication and team-building. What are some rules of thumb you have followed as a farmer? Thanks to God for his blessings. Depend on him for guidance. Appreciate everyone for what they do. Teamwork is vital. Surround yourself with great people in all aspects of the dairy. What are words of encouragement you would give to young farmers starting their dairying career? Work hard, work smart, and never forget to ask others for guidance and information no matter where your starting point is. Trust God in all that you do and thank him for your blessings. No task is ever too big or too small to tackle, but be willing to do your best with excellence in all you do.
DAIRY ST★R
Tell us about your farm. JoAnn’s parents purchased the farm from Joe JoAnn and Gene Hartung milk 60 cows in Wensmann, JoAnn’s grandpa, in May Stearns County near St. Rosa, Minnesota. 1963. They farmed on this site up until The couple has dairy farmed for 38 years. Ben Roering, JoAnn’s dad, passed away in 1984. It was at that point we took over. We now own and operate our 158-acre dairy farm. Tell us about your family. We have four daughters. Jennifer (Revermann) is a veterinarian and shares ownership of Lake Country Veterinary Services in Albany. Jennifer is married to Josh and has six children. Kristi works at Northway Academy in St. Cloud. Kayla is married to Brad Harren. She works at Oakmont Capital Services. Brianna is married to Derrick Shultz and has a little boy. She works in St. Joseph at Little Saints Daycare. What has been the highlight of your dairying career? Being able to raise our daughters on the farm with us. They all loved having someone around when they came home from school. We were able to work together, and we were able to take time off for fun together. What do you love most about dairy farming? The best part was always being together and working together. And now in the past few years, it has been fun watching our grandchildren learn the various jobs that need to be done. For example, one night we were milking and our grandchildren were out baling hay. That was so much fun to watch. What has been the biggest obstacle you have face in your dairying career, and how did you overcome it? The low milk prices and the summer drought made things hard. It meant tightening our belt and living a little tighter. Also, now as we head into retirement talk, we realize how easy it was to get into farming but how hard it is to get out. What are some rules of thumb you have followed as a farmer? Take good care of your livestock and they’ll take good care of you. Don’t overspend. Try to keep a positive attitude, and laugh every day. What are words of encouragement you would give to young farmers starting their dairying career? Put your whole heart into farming. Know it’s truly what you want. We’ve always felt the family farm is the best life. It’s a lot of work, but at the end of the day, it is rewarding.
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
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Contact Your Local Calf Star Dealer For More Information Wisconsin:
Abts Equipment LLC New Franken (920) 866-2485 Gillett (920) 866-2485 Argall Dairy Systems, Inc. Belleville (608) 424-6110 Platteville (608) 348-3385 Gehring Sales & Service, Inc. Rubicon (262) 673-4920 Joe’s Refrigeration, Inc. Withee (715) 229-2321 Leedstone, Inc. Menomonie (866) 467-4717
Minnesota:
Midwest Livestock Systems Menomonie (715) 235-5144 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon (920) 960-9260
Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment, Inc. Pipestone (507) 825-3271
The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater (608) 883-2880
Leedstone, Inc. Melrose (888) 267-2697 Glencoe (877) 864-5575 Plainview (800) 548-5240
Tri-County Dairy Supply Inc. Janesville (608) 757-2697
Midwest Livestock Systems Zumbrota (507) 732-4673
Iowa:
Langs Dairy Equipment Decorah (563) 382-8722 Precision Dairy Equipment Elkader (563) 245-2560
South Dakota: Midwest Livestock Systems Renner (605) 274-3656
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 25
HEART
HEART
DAIRY
DAIRY
Jimmy Woodard Tell us about your farm. Currently, we are milking 100 cows, raising our replacement heifers and nishing our steers. We have a double-8 stepup parlor for milking with cows housed in a 120 freestall barn where a separate area is designed for our dry cows and springing heifers. We use sand for bedding.
Keith Tews
Jimmy Woodard milks 120 cows in Winona County near Winona, Minnesota. He has been dairy farming for 52 years.
Tell us about your family. My wife, Michelle, and I will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary in September of this year. We have three adult children, Jessica, Jamie and Jordan, and our daughter-in-law, Sandra, as well two grandsons, Hudson and Waylon, which are Jessica’s children. Jessica’s family lives in the house on our other farm 1 mile away. What has been the highlight of your dairying career? Given the opportunity to purchase the herd of cows, replacement heifers and farm on a contract for deed all while in my midto-late 20s. What do you love most about dairy farming? Having the exibility within my schedule to prioritize my day according to the tasks that are most demanding. Of course, this can be a double edge sword of the unexcepted as well. What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in your dairying career, and how did you overcome it? The low milk price of $9 per hundredweight in 2009. We were very open with our business partners, including our lender, as to the cash ow shortage during this time. We are very thankful for how understanding everyone was that we do business with. As prices began to rise again, as well as some debt restructure, all of our accounts were made current. What are some rules of thumb you have followed as a farmer? Set short-term and longterm goals. Always set a short-term goal that is achievable to create a feeling of going in the right direction and creating a sense of accomplishment.
Tell us about your farm. We have a small farm north of Hutchinson. We raise registered Ayrshire dairy cattle. We also show cattle at the county and state levels, and my daughter shows at World Dairy Expo.
Keith Tews milks 21 cows in McLeod County near Hutchinson, Minnesota. Tews has been dairy farming for more than 50 years.
Tell us about your family. My wife, Pam, and I have two children, Dani and Kyle. My wife works for Agri Trading. The kids are both involved in the dairy industry as well as helping on the farm daily. What has been the highlight of your dairy career? I really enjoyed seeing one of our animals do well for us in the showring. I also am proud to have seen both of my kids graduate from South Dakota State University. What do you love most about dairy farming? I like being outside and not stuck in an ofce. It gives me a legitimate reason to complain about the weather. What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in your dairying career, and how did you overcome it? It has always been an obstacle to juggle milk prices with feed costs. Having good money management and being able to do things yourself have helped me overcome that issue. What are some rules of thumb you have followed as a farmer? Try to do as much work as possible by yourself. If you do need help, make sure you price shop on repair work, parts and feed. What are some words of encouragement you would give to young farmers starting their dairying career? If you are starting out on your own, you don’t need the newest and latest equipment to get the job done or to get the cows milked. Doing updates in steps will help you watch the farm progress and improve.
What are words of encouragement you would give to young farmers starting their dairying career? Communicate well with your business partners to ensure your farming goals are aligned, and maintain a positive attitude.
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
Family, farming way of life for Middendorfs Browerville dairy honored with award By Grace Jeurissen grace.j@star-pub.com
BROWERVILLE, Minn. – Paul Middendorf and his son, Jeremy, and their families have been in a farming partnership since 2017. While running a farm can be challenging, the duo has proven to set goals, communicate and keep family at the core of their operation. They were named the 2021 Todd County Farm Family of the Year. “It feels like a compliment,” Paul said. Jeremy agreed. “It’s nice to know they felt we were worthy of the recognition,” he said. Each year the University of Minnesota Extension collects nominations of farm families in each county and selects one family to be honored as the farm family of the year. “I’ve seen it in the paper, but I didn’t realize how big it actually was until we were chosen,” Paul said. Paul and Jeremy farm 280 acres and milk 70 cows near Browerville. “It doesn’t feel like a job, it gives me something to get up for every morning,” Paul said of his dairying career. The Middendorf family was recognized during the Todd County Fair this past summer. Paul and his
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
The Middendorfs – (front, from leŌ) Harper and Ryder; (middle, from leŌ) Tate, Bonnie and Paul; (back, from leŌ) Jeremy Emma and Hope – gather in their barn Feb. 19 on their 70-cow dairy near Browerville, Minnesota. They were the 2021 Todd County Farm Family of the Year. wife, Bonnie, then took the opportunity to head to Farm Fest to be recognized with all of the other Minnesota farm families.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 27
ConƟnued from MIDDENDORF | Page 26
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Jeremy (from leŌ), Hope, Bonnie and Paul Middendorf display the plaque they received for being the 2021 Todd County Farm Family of the Year Feb. 19 on their dairy near Browerville, Minnesota. of life,” he said. Paul and Bonnie began milking in 1981, and almost all of the buildings on the farm site were built since that time. Jeremy began working with his parents in 2016 and joined a partnership with his dad in 2017. Paul and Bonnie have a house off the farm now, and Bonnie works as a secretary for the school. In the summers, when she is off work, she helps around the farm. Bonnie was active in the Todd County American Dairy Association and princess committee for a number of years. Jeremy and his wife, Hope, now live on the farm site with their four children, Tate, Ryder, Harper and Emma. Hope works as a full-time nurse, and the couple is grateful to have their kids experiencing life on the farm. “I love seeing our kids grow up here,” Hope said. “They learn so much from Jeremy and Papa (Paul). They know more than their classmates about where food comes from and how much work goes into it.” Three generations of Middendorfs working together is a scene that plays out often on the farm as Jeremy and Hope’s kids help with any chores they are capable of. Goalsetting is important to the Middendorf family. When Paul started in 1981, their cows averaged 50 pounds of milk per cow. They are now around 80 pounds of milk per cow, reaching their highest tank reading ever. “You have to keep improving,” Paul said. “I just like working the land and working with the cows. You’re
responsible for the next generation. It’s great to have the choice to do it. I feel privileged to farm.” The Middendorfs utilize their pastures in the summer which has been benecial. Their veterinarian has complimented them on the minimal problems their cows have. Jeremy enjoys seeing the cows roaming. “I love seeing the cows in the pasture; it’s really pretty,” he said. “We’ve had people stop along the road and just watch the cows graze in the pasture.” There is a burning passion for dairy farming that runs through the Middendorf bloodline so much so that when Jeremy gifted Paul with an evening off, Paul was not expecting the evening away from the dairy to be so uneventful. “I walked around the house, picked up sticks, cleaned yard and then I was like, ‘Gosh, this is boring,’” Paul said. The Middendorfs pride themselves on keeping their farm yard clean and presentable. There is never a moment where Paul and Jeremy are not doing something to improve and maintain the farm’s glory. “If you don’t have enough work, you didn’t look far enough,” Paul said. “There is always something to do, clean or x.” For the Middendorfs, there is nothing better than having a presentable farmstead, being in a family partnership and having the young generations grow up on the farm.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 29
Women In Dairy Jill Nelson Sleepy Eye, Minnesota Brown County 150 cows
Family: Husband, Brian, and two adult sons, Isaac and Josh, and his wife, Olivia. Tell us about your farm. I am the fth generation on my family’s registered Holstein farm known as Olmar Farms. We have 150 milking registered Holstein cows and the youngstock. We sell breeding bulls as well as heifers and cows to other herds. In addition to the dairy, we raise 670 acres of crops. What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? I’m usually in the barn by 5:15 a.m. to get chores started. I rotate with other employees to do the milking, scraping or calf chores. In the mornings, I also address any herd health or fresh cow issues that have come up. The rest of the day can be pretty different depending on what needs to be done. Attending to freshening, calves, bookwork, marketing of genetics, scraping and bedding the herd followed by evening chores is a typical day. I also do all the breeding. I primarily focus on the dairy side, and Brian takes care of the crops and farm maintenance. What decision have you made in the last year that has beneted your farm? We installed a CowManager system last spring when I was out following a couple surgeries. What a great tool it was to help monitor the herd from my recovery chair. I have great employees who can treat cows if I tell them what needs to be done. It has helped by providing a reliable set of extra eyes in the barn. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. All the rsts I got to share with my family and kids. Watching them experience their rst birth, learning to drive tractors and gaining condence in training their animals. Simply watching them develop into capable, caring young men who know the value of a day’s work and appreciate what they have.
What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? While many dairy women choose to advocate for the industry to consumers, I have been placed in a unique position to help other farmers who are struggling with stray voltage issues on their farms. I have elded questions from all over the U.S., Canada and Europe and have developed a website to provide facts around stray voltage where there is so much inaccurate information and education needed. What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? Find your voice and purpose in this industry, and don’t take no for an answer. There is nothing that women can’t do in the dairy industry if you focus on building your skills and your dairy network. Who you know is just as important as what you know.
What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? Surviving 10 years of our farm being subjected to stray voltage and now re-building the herd to the point where we were recently listed as the top BAA herd for farms with more than 130 cows and in the top 200 herds in the nation of all sizes.
When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I love music and singing and enjoy any opportunity to do either. I also enjoy time with friends as often as possible. If I ever get more than a moment to spare, I would love to do some traveling again.
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What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? The registered Holstein side of the dairy has given me the world. I have traveled to many countries and met people in the industry from all around the world. I love that no matter where you are from, dairy farmers all speak the same language and appreciate great cows.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 31
Alex Matyka Rib Lake, Wisconsin Taylor County 65 cows
How do you maintain family relationships while also working together? The farm is run by all family help. We do argue sometimes about how something should be done, but we come to middle ground and keep plugging along.
How did you get into farming? I’ve always had family that milked cows, from Grandpa to cousins. I’ve always loved the eldwork and have also grown to like the cows.
What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I enjoy working with the family and doing something I like doing.
What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? The price of fuel and fertilizer, and the parts availability are a major concern along with the milk price and cull price, which never moves in relativity to the increase in input costs. What is a recent change you made on your farm and the reason for it? Last spring, we installed a TMR mixer. The cows’ production was low, and we had to try something to get the numbers up. The results were better than I expected or even hoped for. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I enjoy xing things. It helps being able to make repairs and build equipment rather than paying the dealer to buy new or x it. There is also
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? I haven’t been farming long enough to give much advice, but I have been told to remember the cows make the money. DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Alex and Camille Matyka and their children – (from leŌ) James, Rachel and Andrew – milk 65 cows in Taylor County near Rib Lake, Wisconsin. extra satisfaction in seeing something nished that I’ve built. What is the best decision you have made on your farm? The best decision we have made is getting out of the rented barn and beginning the takeover of my wife’s home farm.
What are three things on the farm that you cannot live without? First would be my family. Without them, it would be impossible to keep up with the work, and it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable. Second is the manure pit; the rented barn required daily haul which caused more headaches and expense than it was really worth. The third would be the
shop, it makes winter repair jobs much more bearable. What strategies do you use to withstand the volatile milk prices? I try to keep the payments low, make repairs ourselves, keep the cows milking and run some steers. We have extra feed so they run with the heifers, and it is a nice shot of cash here and there.
What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? In the next year, my wife and I hope to complete the buyout of her home farm. Within the next ve years, we hope to transition to a free stall and parlor setup. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? I just enjoy spending time with my family and kids. It does not matter what we are doing. It is just about being together.
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Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
www.extension.umn.edu/dairy
Managing high feed costs By Jim Salfer
University of Minnesota
Feed costs increased dramatically last year, and futures indicate they will remain high throughout 2022. Alfalfa prices remain stubbornly high. Grain, byproduct and protein prices have increased. Fat, vitamin and mineral prices have dramatically increased. Luckily, futures prices indicate that milk prices will be considerably above their long-term average. It is still important to manage feed cost as it is 40%-50% of the total cost of production. Below are some practices that may help lower feed costs without affecting performance: Minimize waste and shrink. This is the biggest and likely the easiest way to reduce feed costs on many farms. For forages stored in bunkers or piles, this is an insidious cost because you don’t write a check for it. Table 1 shows the effect of two different shrink levels on actual daily feed cost using an example diet and current feed prices. In a year, a 100-cow dairy can save $58,400 by reducing the shrink from high shrink to low shrink. It is not uncommon to have shrink of 30% on forages with bunkers and piles and 10% shrink on concentrates in commodity sheds. Maximize the use of homegrown feeds. If you raise most of your own feed, work with your nutritionist to maximize the use of homegrown feed. If you are feeding purchased dry hay, consider reducing the amount and increase the corn silage in the diet if adequate inventory is available. Even with a higher purchased protein cost, usually the total diet cost will be lower. Optimize bunk refusals in cows and heifers. With excellent bunk reading and feed management, many farms have been able to successfully reduce bunk refusals to 2% or below for lactating cows. This feed can be fed to replacement heifers or the low group in a free stall barn. But this is not low-cost heifer feed. If no moldy or unpalatable feeds (such as thistles) are fed to replacement heifers, the goal should be a refusal level of zero for replacements. As the level of refusals are reduced, it is important to have high-quality feeds and strategies to maintain feed along the entire bunk as well as frequently pushing feed up and feeding at consistent times. Fifteen minutes is 1% of the day; it is easy to end up with an empty bunk with uctuating feeding times with low refusal levels. Avoid overfeeding nutrients. All classes of animals should be fed at recommended nutrient requirements but not much above. Heifer diets balanced considerably above national research council recommendations are a waste of
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Table 1. Effect of feed shrink on actual daily ration cost Ration No Large Small amount shrink shrink shrink Hay ($250/ton) 4 pounds $0.50 $0.71 $0.56 Haylage 50% DM ($139/ton) 29 pounds $2.00 $2.85 $2.22 Corn silage ($64/ton) 60 pounds $1.92 $2.74 $2.13 Corn ($6.40/bushel) 11 pounds $1.25 $1.38 $1.32 9.2 pounds $2.53 $2.81 $2.66 Purchased supplement ($550/ton) Total feed cost -----$8.20 $10.49 $8.89 1No shrink = actual ration cost; large shrink = 30% shrink on forage and 10% shrink on concentrates; small shrink = 10% shrink on forages and 5% shrink on concentrates. nutrients. Research shows that feeding at recommended levels is adequate for excellent growth. Review additives and determine if they are cost effective in the diet. Cull non-productive cows and heifers. Research shows that heifers treated for respiratory disease early in their life were more likely to never have their rst calf. Cull heifers early if they have multiple treatments for pneumonia and save the raising cost and later disappointment in performance. Do not raise more replacements than needed. Make smart treatment and cull decisions on cows. Higher cull prices mean it may be
more protable to cull a cow early instead of treating her. Minimize non-productive days. Cows dried off longer than 60 days (Research supports cows can even be dry considerably fewer days than this.) and heifers older than 22-24 months at rst calving constitutes nonproductive days. Work to minimize the percentage of animals in these categories. Feed costs are not likely to decrease anytime soon. Examine the factors listed above. These are factors that can be implemented with minimal effects on performance in most herds.
Dana Adams, adam1744@umn.edu 320-204-2968
Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu 612-626-5620
Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334
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Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109
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The relationship between wellness, safety on the farm By Emily Krekelberg University of Minnesota
As we all know, farming and working in agriculture can be stressful. There are many factors outside of our control, and with the state of the agricultural economy, the ongoing pandemic and changing weather patterns, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and even helpless at times. It is important to recognize when we are not feeling like ourselves and to seek help if needed. Sometimes, we may need to help others recognize when they are not at their best. Understanding and recognizing the signs of stress can help. Farm safety and personal health go together. The ability to stay safe impacts health; the ability to stay healthy impacts safety. The relationship between stress and safety can play out in strained personal relationships, making mistakes in business or farm processes, or even by causing farm accidents. When farm safety has been compromised and an accident happens, it can increase the stress of everyone involved. The impact of an accident goes far beyond a physical injury. Signs of stress Although there are other categories of stress, in terms of farm safety, pay close attention to the cognitive signs of stress. Cognitive signs of stress demonstrate that our brain is overwhelmed by the amount of the stress hormone cortisol. Cognitive signs of stress are: confusion or forgetfulness; memory loss; lack of concentration; difculty making simple decisions; and being easily overwhelmed by tasks. Behavioral signs of stress are: worrying about things you did not worry about before; loss of interest in things you used to enjoy; relationship problems; feeling sad or anxious; change in personality and irritability; negative thinking; isolating yourself from people or activities; and increased use of alcohol, tobacco and/or drugs. Physical signs of stress are: poor or disturbed sleep; weight loss or gain; changes in appetite; stomach pain; chest pain; poor hygiene; and frequent sickness. Preventing farm accidents Where stress and safety connect is in the prevention of farm accidents. Farmers are the rst line of defense against accidents when they are honest about their own stress levels. People who have
been injured in a farm accident often cite things like being tired and not being focused when their accident occurred. Take a break. We are all familiar with phrases like, “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps,” and “Just get on with it.” Those kinds of thoughts can be overwhelming and can make any of us feel like a quitter if we stop and give ourselves a break. We are probably all guilty of bragging about long workdays, skipping meals or getting very little, if any, sleep. We have learned to value these things and wear them like badges of honor. There is no award for who suffers the most. By not taking care of yourself, you can put yourself and others in danger. When you are barely sleeping, barely eating and putting in 18-hour days, your health is jeopardized, both physically and mentally. When you are under too much stress, you may not notice you are making mistakes or missing things. Taking a break and nding ways to relieve stress are signs you are minding your own health and well-being. When you take care of yourself, you signal you value the safety of everyone on your farm.
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 33
Keeping Families on the Farm™
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The Dieball Family (Dieball Dairy) near Green Isle, MN, started milking with Astronauts November of 2018 (A4 milking robots, in N Jun Juno feed pusher, Luna cow brushes). "W "We've achieved everything we were ho hoping for, plus a lot more! And the cows love them. If the robots leave co th the farm, the cows will be leaving right be behind them."
Handling stress If you are experiencing immense stress yourself, you can reach out to a loved one, talk about how you are feeling to your friends, clergy or a medical provider, or reach out to a mental health professional. If you see these warning signs in someone else, listen attentively and without judgment and try to understand where they are coming from. Share your concerns about their behavior, mood and appearance, etc., and ask questions about the changes you observe. Encourage them to reach out to someone or tell a family member.
FEEDING—VECTOR SYSTEM
The Rolf Family (Golden Sunrise Dairy, Inc.) near Mcintosh, MN, started Vector feeding in late 2019 (A4 milking robots, Vector feeding system, Collector cleaners, Luna cow brushes). “With heifers and milk cows under one roof, the Vector allows us to feed an unlimited number of rations with an unlimited number of ingredients. It also gives the cows a consistent mix, and we all know cows love consistency!”
Help is available If you or someone you know wants to talk to someone but feels uncomfortable reaching out to family or friends, the Farm and Rural Helpline is free, condential and available 24/7 at 833-600-2670. You can also text FARMSTRESS to 898211 or email farmstress@state.mn.us. You can also nd a list of helpful resources by visiting extension.umn.edu/rural-stress. In times of high stress, it is important for the farming community to come together to help one another. Do not be afraid to speak up if you are concerned about a family member, friend or neighbor. If you do not feel like yourself, it is OK. Help is available.
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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
Dairy beef crosses have our attention
Many dairy farms have begun breeding a portion of their herd to beef bulls to produce calves for beef Something to Ruminate On production. This allows dairy farms to better manage replacement heifer inventories and, in some cases, receive market premiums over straightbred baby bull calves. Wisconsin data shows the number of inseminations of Holstein females to beef semen rapidly increased from 2% in 2016 to 23% in By Barry Visser 2020. No doubt we are well Nutritionist beyond this today. As this practice has become more common, some dairy farms are exploring the practicality and protability of retaining their dairy beef calves to market as feeder or fed cattle versus baby calves. Regardless of when these beef crosses are sold, there is a vested interest across the industry to create a nished product desired by packing plants and consumers. Observations from cattle feeders and meat packers indicate dairy beef animals can be extremely variable in health, growth, performance and carcass traits, which creates problems for feeders and packers. Wisconsin survey data indicate that many dairy farms select bulls solely on coat color, semen cost and calving ease, and do not consider bulls with traits that complement dairy cow traits to improve carcass qualities and feedlot performance of these calves. When selecting a beef bull, of any breed, carefully consider the growth and carcass characteristics that bull will bring to the cross. Expected Progeny Differences is the genetic language for beef and represents the genetic potential of an animal as a parent. EPDs are an estimate of how genetically superior calves will perform compared to average or below-average EPD calves. Beef sire selection practices can improve to include feedlot performance and carcass traits, such as muscling with ribeye EPD, quality grade with marbling EPD and frame score. Dr. Tara Felix from Penn State University suggests selecting bulls with superior muscling while also contributing to marbling to increase your chance of producing dairy beef calves that better t packer preferences. Research by Dr. Felix and others at Penn State continue to look at which breed is most ideal for beef-on-dairy crosses. Today, there is no clear-cut winner, but Dr. Felix notes that we have tremendous potential to gather detailed data from large-scale dairy operations to better answer this question. The dairy industry understands the importance of efciently growing and raising a healthy heifer calf and the subsequent impact on milk production. The same applies to newborn dairy beef calves heading to calf ranches. Calves that get sick early in life will grow slower throughout their lifetime and have a reduced quality grade when hung on the rail. Hence, we need to treat our dairy beef crosses with the same care and management strategies implemented for their dairy replacement counterparts. Feeding 4 quarts of high-quality colostrum to the calf as soon as possible after birth is the most important thing you can do for calf health. It is especially important for dairy beef calves destined to leave the farm at a young age to receive colostrum. Calves are born with an immature immune system, which means they have little defense against disease. The timely ingestion of adequate amounts of high-quality colostrum allows the calf to acquire passive immunity from the dam. Passive immunity helps the calf ght disease during the rst few months of life as the immune system develops. The goal of a dairy beef program is to produce calves that nish efciently and uniformly with carcass traits similar to native beef cattle. Dairies that succeed at this will nd a ready market for their calves. If measuring success of passive immunity through total protein levels in dairy beef calves, it may be valuable to share your protocol and history with the buyer of your calves to solidify this relationship. Larger dairies can produce dairy beef calves in much greater numbers than the average beef herd, plus they can provide a year-round supply. Focusing on genetic selection will result in improved calf uniformity and performing good newborn calf care practices will improve success in the next phases of feeding. These actions can strengthen relationships with others in the supply chain, ultimately contributing to bottom-line success. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 35
Breaking down Midwest Dairy’s holistic youth approach
Ensuring every student has access to accurate dairy education inside and outside the classroom is important to Midwest Dairy. Growing trust with K-12 youth is currently happening across the 10-state region as we partner with educators, administrators and organizations to offer experiential and digital learning opportunities that focus on sharing dairy farmers’ sustainable nutrition story. As we break down the youth audience inside the classroom, Midwest By Eir Garcia Dairy has established three age Silva groupings to create content for. Midwest Dairy By keeping a focused approach, we can leverage programs to the appropriate age group to build trust in dairy and keep them eager to learn more. Now in its fourth year, Midwest Dairy has seen success with the Discover Dairy Adopt a Cow program among the elementary age group. This program provides a free, year-long virtual experience where kids watch the growth of a calf and interact with a dairy farmer. Students learn rst-hand about animal care, where nutritious dairy foods come from and important lessons about dairy farming in general. We see success within this program because it fosters a better relationship with students and farmers by helping students connect where nutritious food, like cheese for pizza, comes from. The Adopt a Cow program follows Common CORE education standards and is interactive with classroom curriculum, farm tours, virtual chats and more. This school year, Midwest Dairy has seven local dairy farmer hosts connecting with 74,000 students from the Midwest. The program includes Sunday Funday emails to those enrolled with additional materials to enhance learning and bring dairy to life in and out of classrooms. The 12 days of dairy activities were a big hit this past December, and many of these tools can be used year-round. Fuel Up to Play 60 has been working for more
than a decade with educators and students to become the nation’s leading in-school health and wellness program in more than 73,000 schools across the country. Through the program, students learn that fueling their bodies with nutritious foods like dairy, fruit and veggies throughout the day gives them the energy they need to be their very best. In addition, those nutritious dairy foods are also made with care for the planet. Midwest Dairy continues to partner with the National Dairy Council and the NFL in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture for this program. This year, Fuel Up to Play 60 launched a website that features classroom resources and downloadable materials, making it easier for educators to nd and use sustainable nutrition resources. For downloadable materials, Midwest Dairy’s growth poster with Chicago Bears’ David Montgomery is featured in the healthy eating section along with Midwest Dairy’s
#DairyDoesToo posters in the sustainability section. The third unit of the learning plan for educators was released Feb. 1 and is titled Healthy Food, Healthy Mind, Healthy Body. This new unit is part of a focus to offer mental health plus good nutrition and environmental sustainability to address mental tness, healthy eating, as well as physical activity and will join two other learning units available for download: Fuel Your Game Day – Every Day Is Game Day and Farmers Fuel The World. As high school students begin to form their own attitudes and opinions of dairy, Midwest Dairy sees an opportunity to reach this age group in a new way. We are working on a new pilot in 2022 and beyond to incorporate dairy into science-based education. This pilot is exciting, and we look forward to sharing more as we work to grow trust with this key age group where consumption often declines.
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Biology class
Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
Of all the cruel and unusual torments I endured in high school – with the possible exception of the so-called hot lunches – the worst by far was biology class. Mr. Watson, our biology teacher, was in possession of far more brains than were allowed under both state and federal law. At least, that is what we students thought. I actually looked forward to biology class at the beginning of the year. This was because I had peeked ahead in the textbook to see what was in store. Way at the back of the book was a chapter titled simply, “Reproduction.” It was about time the school offered something that would be of interest to a 15-year-old guy. I was condent that somewhere in the words of that chapter, I would uncover clues to understanding the convoluted
labyrinth that’s known as the female mind. Science would triumph. Getting through biology class was a daily struggle. We were lectured about such arcane facts as the differences between autotrophs and heterotrophs. The functions of xylem and chloroplasts were explained to us in excruciating detail. In short, I learned a bunch of terms that, until this very moment, were totally useless in the real world. Biology class became a slog, a perpetual haze of incomprehension. I nearly herniated my brain whenever I tried to actually learn the material. I could never understand why they tried to teach such things to a bunch of people whose chief concern was their current zit count. At last, toward the end of the school year, we reached chapter 23. I wore a broad grin when I went
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to biology class that day. For the rst time ever, I was looking forward to school. Mr. Watson stood at the front of the class and plowed right into the chapter without so much as a blush. He spoke openly about gametophores and zygotes and meiosis. He held nothing back when he graphically illustrated the polymerization of Dear County Agent Guy DNA. And that old familiar haze slowly descended upon my brain. Across the aisle from me sat a hulking classmate named Brock. Brock was as strong as a bulldozer and had abs the size of water bottles. He was unfailingly successful By Jerry Nelson in the athletic arena, be it football, basketball or Columnist tiddlywinks. He nearly decapitated me once during a game of dodgeball. For some unfathomable reason, Brock was extremely popular with the girls. This despite the fact that he had the IQ of linoleum. It was just another example of how impossible it was to comprehend the mysteries of the feminine psyche. Brock must have been up late the night before, no doubt canoodling with one of the many young ladies in our school who were vying for his attention. He yawned frequently; it was clear he had neither the inclination nor the intellect to absorb the materials being presented in biology class. As Mr. Watson droned on and on, Brock leaned back in his chair and began to doze. I found this deeply irritating. Here I was striving to learn all that I could about this reproduction stuff, yet Brock found it so boring, so passé that he could nap through it. (I was also miffed that Brock hadn’t asked me to join his posse of wingmen.) Since I was absorbing precious little from Mr. Watson’s lecture, I began to pass the time with a game. Specically, I wadded up bits of paper and tried to surreptitiously ick them into Brock’s open mouth. I found this sport highly entertaining. But before I could score a direct hit, the bell signaling the end of class clanged. As I got up to leave, Mr. Watson called me over to his desk. Oh, no. Mr. Watson had seen me. Lord knows what sort of diabolical punishments lay hidden in the depths of his massive brain. Once we were alone in the classroom, Mr. Watson looked me in the eye. “I’m very disappointed in you,” he said sternly. “You can do so much better. Come with me to the blackboard.” Mr. Watson erased his DNA molecule drawing and began to ll the space with equations about angular momentum and triangulation. He went on to lecture me about the importance of calculating apogee and the correct use of vector analysis. I left the classroom with a new respect for the power of knowledge and a deeper understanding of target acquisition. And I was beginning to think that brainy old Mr. Watson wasn’t such a bad sort after all. Jerry is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, South Dakota. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry currently works full time for the Dairy Star as a staff writer/ad salesman. Feel free to E-mail him at: jerry.n@ dairystar.com.
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Multiple signups coming this spring
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 37
By Steve Frericks Farm Service Agency
The days are getting longer. You have battled through the winter elements, and we can see the end in sight. Everyday gets a bit longer. Do your best to address your Farm Service Agency program needs before springtime workload opportunities take priority. There are multiple signups ongoing at the FSA in March. A general Conservation Reserve Program signup has been announced with a March 11 deadline. The Risk Management Agency announced a cover crop program that includes a requirement to report cover crop acreage to FSA by March 15. Producers have also been completing enrollment in the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs in advance of the March 15 deadline. While the deadline has been extended to March 25 for the Dairy Margin Coverage and Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage programs, operations are encouraged to complete enrollment as soon as possible. Whether a landowner is interested in enrolling acreage in CRP or a producer wants to complete their DMC enrollment, it all starts with contacting the local U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center. Additional information on the programs and deadlines outlined in the article below can be found at farmers.gov and fsa.usda.gov. General CRP signup Agricultural producers and landowners can sign up soon for the CRP, a cornerstone conservation program offered by the USDA and a key tool in the Biden-Harris administration effort to address climate change and achieve other natural resource benets. The general CRP signup will run through March 11 and the Grassland CRP signup will run from April 4 to May 13. Alongside these programs, producers and landowners can enroll acres in Continuous CRP under the ongoing signup, which includes projects available through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement. Pandemic Cover Crop Program Agricultural producers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benet from the USDA if they planted cover crops during the 2022 crop year. To receive the benet from this year’s
PCCP, producers must report cover crop acreage by March 15. PCCP, offered by USDA’s Risk Management Agency, helps farmers maintain their cover crop systems despite the nancial challenges posed by the pandemic and is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, a bundle of programs to bring nancial assistance to farmers, ranchers and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. PCCP provides premium support to producers who insured their crop with most insurance policies and planted a qualifying cover crop during the 2022 crop year. The premium support is $5 per acre, but no more than the full premium amount owed.
data will both speed implementation and further encourage participation in these permanent programs, including the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage Rainfall Index Crop Insurance Program, as Congress intended. The second phase of both the livestock and crop programs will ll additional assistance gaps and cover eligible producers who did not participate in these existing programs.
Forthcoming disaster assistance On Feb. 3, the USDA provided an update on forthcoming assistance for agricultural producers impacted by weather-related disasters in calendar years 2020 and 2021. On Sept. 30, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 117-43). This act includes $10 billion in assistance to agricultural producers impacted by wildres, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021. Additionally, the act specically targets $750 million to provide assistance to livestock producers for losses incurred due to drought or wildres in calendar year 2021. USDA will follow a two-phased process to administer relief to eligible livestock and crop producers, with the rst phase utilizing a streamlined process that relies on existing data that producers have already reported to USDA. For the rst phase of livestock assistance, USDA intends to use existing Livestock Forage Disaster Program application data; streamline the application process to require no or minimal additional paperwork; and distribute at least half the $750 million through the rst phase by the end of March. The broader program to provide assistance to crop producers will follow a two-phased process similar to that of the livestock assistance with implementation of the rst phase this spring. Phase one of the crop assistance program delivery will use existing federal crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program data as the basis for calculating initial payments. Making the initial payments using existing safety net and risk management
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ARC, PLC enrollment FSA is encouraging producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to make or change elections and to enroll for ARC and PLC programs. The election and enrollment period runs through March 15. Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-CO or PLC, which are both crop-by-crop, or ARC-IC, which is for the entire farm. Although election changes for 2022 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm and makes an election change for 2022, it will be necessary to sign a new contract. Extension of DMC, SDMC signup period USDA has extended the deadline to enroll in DMC and SDMC for program year 2022. The deadline to apply for 2022 coverage is March 25. The DMC program, created by the 2018 farm bill, offers reasonably priced protection to dairy producers when the difference between the allmilk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. SDMC will provide $580 million to better help small- and mid-sized dairy operations that have increased production over the years but were not able to enroll the additional production. Now, they will be able to retroactively receive payments for that supplemental production For more information, contact your county USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov. Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs.
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9600, 2019, 507 Hrs, RWA .............................................. $424,500 8800, 2018, 493 Hrs, RWA .............................................. $395,000 8800, 2016, 1607 Hrs, RWA ............................................ $304,900 8700, 2018, 715 Hrs, RWA .............................................. $373,000 8700, 2017, 1237 Hrs, RWA ............................................ $325,500 8600, 2018, 660 Hrs, RWA .............................................. $342,000 8600, 2016, 785 Hrs, RWA .............................................. $359,000 8600, 2016, 1127 Hrs, RWA ............................................ $289,000 8600, 2016, 928 Hrs, RWA .............................................. $300,000 8500, 2016, 862 Hrs, RWA .............................................. $315,000 8400, 2015, 1158 Hrs, RWA ............................................ $238,750 8300, 2021, 51 Hrs, RWA ................................................ $409,000 7480, 2013, 3695 Hrs, RWA ............................................ $134,000 7780, 2014, 1973 Hrs, RWA ............................................ $190,400 7750, 2011, 3200 Hrs, 2WD ............................................ $129,000 7580, 2014, 1764 Hrs, RWA ............................................ $185,900 7500, 2007, 1921 Hrs, RWA ............................................ $103,000 5830, 1992, 3928 Hrs, RWA .............................................. $34,900 New Holland FR850, 2013, 1500 Hrs, RWA................... $228,000 All hours listed are “cutter hours”.
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Hunkering down Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
February may be the shortest month of the year, but it sure is starting to feel like the longest. It is kind of like being in the middle of raising a young family. The days seem long but the years are too short. Just think, the rst days of spring are only one month away. Looking outside my ofce window, warm spring days are at least another three months away. I guess we need to hunker down and wait it out. The weather forecasts have been pretty accurate this winter despite the wild swings from sub-zero to almost tropical by Minnesota standards. While the temperatures have been vacillating between extremes, a neighbor pointed out there were 23 sub-zero days in January. I don’t even want to think what February’s count will be. I do know the sun’s power is growing stronger. White clouds were rising off the roof of the old garage the other morning. Mark and I looked out the kitchen
window trying to determine if it was steam or smoke. Mark asked who was going to put on their boots and go check it out. That was my cue. I slipped on my boots and grabbed my hat and coat. I didn’t know what I was going to discover. The old ’52 Ford truck is parked in this garage, and I sure hoped it was just steam and not a freaky re starting from bad wiring in an old building. I slowly opened the door, just in case there was a re. Nothing. Walking around the garage, I could feel the warmth of the sun’s rays and realized it was just steam rolling off the cold shingles. Thankfully there are still shingles left on the old garage. Wicked north winds pushed through here in a hurry a few days earlier. One moment I was looking out the window and suddenly a wall of wind arrived, picking up every drop of snow in the yard not frozen down. I struggled to see the outline of the barn through the white-out conditions. We topped out at 50 mph.
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Because of the warm sun and swinging temperatures, much of the snow in the yard has softened and then froze again to create the largest Just Thinking Out Loud ice rink. Knock on wood, I haven’t wiped out yet, but I try to be prepared. I’m fully protected and padded from numerous layers of clothing. The only thing I slip on are my big winter boots with the large tread to hold my feet stable on the slippery slopes surrounding the calf domes. By Natalie Schmitt We pulled our last Columnist December calves out of the domes, and I have the next few days off. We have not had any calves during January and February for the last two years. They say if you do something three times, then it becomes a habit. Fingers crossed for next year. I am enjoying not having to pamper new little ones through stretches of sub-zero days. Right now, we are hunkering down in the house, or in the barn, waiting for the latest round of snow to arrive. We are forecasted to end up with 8-15 inches of snow over the next two days. Of course, this is also the week we are scheduled to classify a barn full of 2-year-olds. That should prove to be interesting. We have been clipping and cleaning cattle getting ready for the big day. Sure beats working outside ghting off frostbite ngers and frozen toes. One of my favorite things to do while we hunker down in February is to dream. As I ip through the seed catalog, I dream about a summer garden. I dream about trips I hope to take to celebrate anniversaries and family weddings. I dream about the upcoming batch of spring calves and which one will be the rst calf our grandson Ethan will show this summer. I stumbled upon this quote from the winner of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature, Albert Camus of France. He wrote, “In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” Here’s to the summer within us all, pushing through this winter season to nd spring just around the corner. As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark are starting a new adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.
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Apricity
Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022 • Page 39
My new favorite word, at least for the next month or so, is apricity. When I rst saw it shared as the word of the day, I immediately fell in love. It has such beautiful phonetics and an even more lovely denition. Apricity is an obscure word from Old English vernacular that means “the warmth of the sun in winter.” The word is so old and unused that it’s no longer found in most dictionaries. It comes from the Latin word apricus, which means having lots of sunshine. A similar word, in verb Dairy Good Life form, is apricate, which means to bask in the sun. My second thought after discovering this word was, “Oh, I’m going to name the next A-calf Apricity.” We already have a number of sun-related names in the herd – Sunlight, Sunrise, Solar, Shine, Sunny, and Solstice. It will be nice to continue the theme with a new letter. We’ll have an Apricity, an Apricate and an Apricus to start. When you really think about, apricity deserves great appreciation. Here in Minnesota, apricity is the difference between a great winter day and a miserable winter day. How many times, on a bitterly By Sadie Frericks cold winter day, have you heard a Minnesotan utter, Columnist “Well, at least the sun is shining.” We crave apricity even if we’re not outside. I choose to sit down for lunch on the sunny side of our kitchen table. Sitting in the warmth of the sunlight beaming through our picture window warms me up far faster than my hot lunch. I’m convinced animals crave apricity too. Our house cat, Norbert, always nds the sunniest spots for his naps. And our winter-loving Australian shepherd, Ozzie, can often be found lying on the snow sunning himself. I wonder if he ips over s p periodically to cool the warm side and We crave apricity even warm the cool side. Our cows seek the sun too. if we’re not outside. I Last summer, we built a sand-bedded choose to sit down for freestall barn to house our extra cows in winter. These are the ones who don’t lunch on the sunny side the t in our tiestall barn, both quantitatively of our kitchen table. and dimensionally. I’ll probably dedicate a future c column to how much I love our sand barn, but sufce it to say, it’s one of the best investments we’ve ever made. Anyway, our sand barn is just stalls and alleys. The cows still eat and drink in the yard, where they did when they spent the winter on an outdoor bedded pack. Between the sand barn and the bunks, there’s an open area we’ve nicknamed the courtyard. We know our sand stalls are comfortable, because I’m pretty sure those cows spend the entire night lying down. But on sunny mornings, you’ll only nd a cow or two in the stalls. The rest are standing in the courtyard basking in the sun. I always gured that given a choice between resting on sand or standing on concrete, cows would choose to rest. There’s something about apricity, though, that draws them outside. I’m sure it feels good to have the sun warm their bodies. But it turns out there are biological benets beyond feeling good. Research done on large mammals in the wild indicates that apricating in the winter helps large mammals reduce their energy needs. Biometric monitoring showed that the Alpine ibex reduces both body temperature and heart rate at night, presumably to conserve energy. They then sunbathe in the morning to increase body temperature to a level sufcient for locomotion. Utilizing apricity to warm their bodies on sunny days is much more energy efcient than warming their bodies metabolically. It appears the benets of our cows’ mid-morning sunbathing are two-fold: feel good and reduce energy used for thermoregulation. In hindsight, I’m glad the design we chose for our sand barn gives our cows the opportunity to take advantage of the warmth of the sun in the winter. In foresight, I see myself using the word apricity a whole lot more. I hope you will too. It’s too beautiful a word to be obsolete. Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children – Dan, 15, Monika, 12, and Daphne, 9. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, February 26, 2022
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