March 25, 2022 Dairy Star - 2nd Section

Lamms gain a farm, move herd to new site

By Tiffany Klaphake tiffany.k@dairystar.com

BROWERVILLE, Minn.

– Corey and Pam Lamm have had their share of setbacks in their dairying career, but that does not stop them from persevering.

“We started with nothing,” Corey said. “(The new farm) made things in life easier for us. We can get through things a little better now.”

Their never-quit mindset continues, and the Lamms are leveraging themselves for a successful future in the dairy industry. In addition to their farm site near Eagle Bend, the Lamms purchased a farm site 16 miles away near Browerville.

The Lamms and their children – Bailey, Eli, Audrey, Evelyn and Thomas – milk 120 cows in a double-5 parallel parlor and live on the property near Browerville while maintaining and investing in their original farm.

Corey and Pam desired to

Starting over again

raise their family on a dairy farm and were doing just that when tragedy struck in 2015. A re burned their tiestall barn to the ground mere days before their rst tank of milk was scheduled to be picked up. Not to be deterred, the Lamms immediately set about acquiring a new barn.

“After the re, we built a parlor, but just a parlor, the cows were outside,” Corey said.

The Lamms built a double-7 at barn parlor in the spring of 2015. While the parlor met their needs to get the cows milked, they still wanted better housing for their herd.

“We struggled every winter with frozen teats, and in the spring, the cows were all muddy,” Corey said.

By 2021, the Lamms knew they had to do something about their current setup and their solution was a robotic milking system. The couple started construction to build a robot barn. The robot room is now ready and the stalls are in, but they have yet to purchase the robot itself.

The only problem remaining was the lack of a land base to support their herd. Because the farm site was 16 acres, the Lamms purchased the majority of their feed.

“We were landlocked,” Corey said. “The previous

owners had started selling off the land after they sold their cows.”

Corey and Pam were on the lookout for more land when they heard about a farm near Browerville. Originally, they

were considering only buying the farm’s 98 acres of land, but Corey took a look at the site, which included the parlor, freestall barn, heifer sheds and machine sheds, and suggested to Pam that they move the

cows and the family there. “We were in the middle of building a barn, and we decided to move,” Pam said. “Everyone thought we were crazy.”

MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Thomas (front, from le ), Pam, Corey and Evelyn; (back, from le ) Audrey and Eli Lamm gather at their farm March 18 near Browerville, Minnesota. The Lamms purchased an addi onal farm site and moved their herd 16 miles.

Turn to LAMMS

The Lamms moved the cows to their new home May 1, 2022, and once school ended in June, the family moved into their new home as well.

“For the most part, everything went well,” Corey said. “We had a pretty good rst year.”

Because their cows were used to coming into a parlor to be milked and then going back out, the transition was smoother than they had anticipated.

“The cows transitioned great to the freestall barn and parlor at their new home,” Corey said.

The Lamms milk a herd comprised of Jersey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and Fleckvieh cows.

While the new farm site provides more land, the rst-generation farmers still need to purchase some of their feed.

“This place has more acreage than our previous place and heifer facilities,” Corey said.

Corey said the previous owner had been renting the farm to another young dairy farmer, so the facilities never sat empty.

In the spring and summer, the cows now have the chance to be on pasture. One-third of the herd goes outside after each milking, so after three milkings, all cows have had a chance to be outside.

The Lamms plan to eventually nish the robot barn and milk cows at both sites.

As a side job, Corey drives truck and hauls bulk feed such as silage and beet pulp for their farm and a few neighboring farms. Oftentimes, he averages 50 hours a week on the road, leaving the chores to Pam and the kids. The Lamms did have a part-time employee for a while to help ll in the gap when Corey was absent, but currently, they are on their own.

Corey said their children help as their age allows. The younger ones can feed the calves, and the older two can push cows up and feed the heifers while Pam milks. Pam also takes care of all the articial insemination.

The couple has plans to go on their rst-ever vacation, if they can nd someone to milk the cows while they

are away.

“Lots of people complain about being tied down to the cows,” Corey said. “But we can milk a little early if we needed to, and we can work ahead and put extra feed and bedding down so the heifers are taken care of for a couple of days. So, we only need to worry about the milking.”

Even with the family’s busy schedule, Corey and Pam said they are happy with their decision to raise their family on a dairy farm.

“There is so much more that the kids learn on the dairy farm that you can’t learn in school or while living in town,” Pam said. “The kids have the drive to do things; they can problem solve on their own already.”

Corey said one of the benets of dairy farming is being in control of his schedule to attend family events.

“(It’s) the freedom and exibility to do your own thing,” Corey said. “You know what you have to do each day. You just have to get up each day and do it.”

MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Audrey Lamm races a couple of their dogs in the freestall barn March 18 near Browerville, Minnesota. The Lamms herd is comprised of Jersey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and Fleckvieh cows.

MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Pam Lamm milks a cow March 18 at their farm near Browerville, Minnesota. The Lamms milk 120 cows in a double-5 parallel parlor.

A protable grazing lifestyle

Crowleys carry on Ayrshire dairy farm

By Amy Kyllo amy.k@star-pub.com

LA CRESCENT, Minn. – High upon the bluffs of the Mississippi River, the coming of spring nds Ayrshire cows grazing on the slopes of Enchanted Meadows Farm.

Enchanted Meadows Farm is a 100-cow grazing dairy farm owned by Art and Jean Thicke and Chad and Melissa Crowley near La Crescent in Winona County. Though not united by blood, they said they consider themselves a multi-generational family farm.

Enchanted Meadows Farm has been in operation since 1928 when Art’s father, then 17 years old, bought the rst farm site. Art and Jean took over the farm and were farming with their nephew, Dan, and his wife, Wendy, intending to pass the farm to them, until in 2003 when Dan and Wendy tragically died in a motorcycle accident. Chad and Melissa joined the farm in

the fall of 2003 in the wake of the tragedy and became part owners in 2014.

The Crowleys see the Thickes as much more than business partners.

“We do look at Art and Jean as family,” Chad said. “They have seen our kids grow up and been a part of their life, and we’ve been a part of theirs.”

At Enchanted Meadows Farm, the Crowleys focus on pasture management, healthy calves and using their own genetics as key areas for the farm’s success. They also reap energy independence thanks to solar panels.

For grazing, they aim to have their cows on pasture for seven months of the year. Their pastures are divided into 48 paddocks which are 1 to 4 acres in size. The cows are moved every 12 hours to a new paddock or section of a paddock, depending on the time of year and the grass growth.

Enchanted Meadows Farm became certied organic in 2004 although the cows and land had been managed organically for years before this. Chad said the reason the farm was not certied earlier was Art wanted to prove that grazing was what made his farm protable and not whether it was conventional or organic. The farm has continued to be protable today.

Turn to CROWLEYS | Page 7

AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR

Chad and Melissa Crowley hold an Ayrshire calf March 17 at Enchanted Meadows Farm near La Crescent, Minnesota. The Crowleys have been working at the farm for 20 years and have been part owners alongside Art and Jean Thicke since 2014.

“We support two families off 100 cows and no off-farm income,” Chad said.

Enchanted Meadows Farm sells its milk to Westby Cooperative Creamery, which makes and sells various organic products.

All 48 paddocks are grazed six to seven times per year. All of the farm’s non-wooded land is pastured or hayed. The Crowleys prioritize grazing over hay, choosing to buy hay for winter. They focus on pasture management to graze the best piece of land for the conditions of the pastures and the weather. All of their paddocks are within a mile walk of their milking barn.

Enchanted Meadows Farm has three arrays of solar panels. When there is good sunlight and no snow on the panels, the panels will produce enough energy for both farm building sites plus the Crowleys’ and Thickes’ homes. Chad said the decision to install the panels was nancial.

“We could have invested money in equipment, in more buildings or a heated shop or something, but what we decided was this would be a much better return in the long run,” Chad said.

Enchanted Meadows Farm has been entirely Ayrshire since the late 1920s when Art’s father bought the original farm. Melissa said they like Ayrshires because they are hardy for hot and cold weather and are consistent at grazing.

The farm’s cows are bred using homegrown Ayrshire bulls. The Crowleys have been experimenting with homegrown bulls since 1985. Melissa said using bull breeding has helped them get their cows bred in a timely manner to keep their seasonal calving window tight.

Bulls are used for about two years before selling them to keep line breeding to a minimum. The Crowleys focus on getting bulls from cows with good dispositions and capacity to milk. The cows at Enchanted Meadows Farm average six to seven lactations. The oldest cow they have had lived 21 years and had 19 calves.

Cows on the farm are bred to calve seasonally, with 70% of their calving occurring from March through early May and the other 30% from mid-August through the end of October. The spring window is based on protability so the cows have freshened and are in peak milk-producing months during the lushest grazing. Spring calves are kept, but all the fall calves, including heifers, are sold.

Calves are housed in group pens and fed with bulk milk nipple feeders. Immediately after birth, calves are penned with their mother for 12-24 hours. Then, they are bottle fed until they are independent eaters and ready for the group pen feeders. Melissa said the timeline for this is dependent on the calf.

“It’s a lot of attention to detail with the calves and the abilities because some might be really young and they’re ready,” Melissa said. “Others you have to coach more.”

The calves are fed 3 gallons of liquid a day. Two-thirds of the liquid is unpasteurized whole milk and the last third is water to warm the milk. The Crowleys said that making sure the calves are full and satised is important so that they do not try to suck each other. They also offer hay and grain starter mix to their calves within a week of birth.

The Crowleys appreciate the farm life that they live. They hope to one day pass on the farm to another generation, whether it is one of their three children or someone else who can be adopted onto the family farm as they were.

“It has just been a very peaceful lifestyle,” Chad said. “Yes, we have stressful times, but they are far and few in between. … To work with nature and just watch the interactions of everything really is what makes me get up and want to do it again.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Cows graze at Enchanted Meadows Farm near La Crescent, Minnesota. Cows are moved to fresh grass every 12 hours.

AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR

Ayrshire calves mingle March 17 at Enchanted Meadows Farm near La Crescent, Minnesota. Calves are housed in small groups and fed off of group nipple feeders.

The “Mielke” Market Weekly By

Cheese exports set another record

Nerves were frayed this week over the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and New York’s Signature Bank, even as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation stepped in. The latest ination indicator was only up 0.4% in February but 6% above a year ago as we await the Fed’s decision on further interest rate hikes. Torrential rains and snow were again hitting California, resulting in ash ooding in some areas, including dairy regions. Parts of New York saw heavy snowfall.

Tight dairy margins are fraying U.S. dairy producers and dairy cow culling remains strong in response. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest weekly data shows 66,879 head were sent to slaughter the week ending March 4, up 1,579 head from the previous week but 621 head less than a year ago. Yearto-date slaughter stood at 606,100 head, up 21,700, or 3.7%, from a year ago.

StoneX points out that dairy cows are taking up a greater percentage of the beef market share and blames tight dairy margins.

The USDA’s monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, issued March 14, mirrored milk price and production projections in the March 8 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, but the Outlook also said milk cows are projected to average 9.390 million head in 2023, 10,000 head higher than last month’s forecast.

Cow numbers are expected to decline through the year, however, as lower numbers of replacement heifers and higher expected cull-cow prices will likely contribute on the decline of the dairy herd. The milkper-cow projection was unchanged from last month at an average 24,345 pounds per head.

Dairy margins were mixed the rst half of March, improving in some marketing periods while deteriorating in others, according to the latest Margin Watch from Chicago-based Commodity and Ingredient Hedging LLC.

“Class III milk futures prices recovered on strength in the cheese market, while soybean meal prices held steady and corn futures continued to sell off,” the MW said. “January dairy exports were solid, with 466.1 million pounds of product shipped during the month, up 13.2% from last year and a record for the month.

“Exports to Mexico were almost 50% higher than last year as strength in the peso relative to the U.S. dollar has increased purchasing power for Mexican consumers who are experiencing a stronger economy relative to other developing markets.

“Cheese exports totaled 75 million pounds, a record for the month and up 15.6% from last year. NDM exports of 150.4 million pounds were likewise up about 15% from last year and the second highest January NDM export total on record.

“January butter exports of 7.5 million pounds were down 3.7% from last year but still 2 million pounds larger than the ve-year average. Exports to both Canada and Mexico who have a free trade agreement with the U.S. were solid although demand from Asian and Middle Eastern markets was weaker, highlighting the fragile nature of the global economy at present. Demand will be a big focus for the market as milk output continues to expand relative to last year, particularly in central states as the spring ush begins.

“Excess milk has been cleared on the spot market for as much as $10 per hundredweight below the class price from December through February as surging milk production in the central region has overwhelmed processing capacity.”

For additional details, log on to www.cihmarginwatch.com.

Tuesday’s Global Dairy Trade Pulse saw 2.1 million pounds of Fonterra whole milk powder sold at $3,230 per metric ton, down 0.6% or $18 from last week’s GDT.

HighGround Dairy said, “The slight decline on the WMP price from the previous GDT auction reafrms the bearish market sentiment as milk supplies begin to grow in the Northern Hemisphere while global demand remains lackluster.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Dairy Export Council states on its website that it yearly “summarizes key ‘signposts’ that our analysts will be watching in the year ahead that will determine the direction of U.S. dairy exports and global markets.”

This year, they will focus on the major structural factors that will come into play, including the so-called economic headwinds, namely ination and consumer purchasing power.

China’s import demand, when and if it returns, was No. 2, followed by usage of dairy alternatives

Lee Mielke

like palm oil and plant-based imitators. EU27 and U.K. milk production will be watched, according to the USDEC, as will farm input costs and availability here at home. Last but not least, inventories will be closely watched. USDEC concluded that they “expect hand-to-mouth buying to be common, likely making markets and import demand more volatile in the year ahead.”

Cash cheese prices in Chicago converged and strengthened this week, driven by demand, according to Matt Gould, editor of “The Weekly Wire” in the March 20 “Dairy Radio Now” broadcast.

Domestic demand has been “so-so at best since December,” Gould said. He blamed consistently negative retail cheese sales, which means more dependence on food service and exports. Price ination is clearly seen at any McDonald’s or Burger King, he said, “so that leaves exports for any hope of optimism.”

Recent price declines have resulted in some shortterm export bookings, he said; however, “the international marketplace continues to be a place with headwinds.”

“European cheese prices, particularly for mozzarella, which tends to go into the international food service market, and Gouda, are well below U.S. prices, so our ability to even maintain market share this year is going to be a challenge,” Gould said.

“This is not going to be an explosive price year for dairy farmers,” Gould said, and the West is seeing the most auction notices. California is one of the states and is also being inundated by water. New Mexico, and to a lesser degree, Texas, are also seeing an uptick in exits, according to Gould, who expects that to continue for the next several months.

The USDA supplied January dairy supply and utilization data this week. Starting with cheese, total utilization amounted to 1.198 billion pounds, up 0.7% from January 2022. Domestic use, at 1.123 billion pounds, was down 0.2%, while exports, at 75 million, were up 15.6%, an all-time high for January.

Butter saw further weakness, at 156.4 million pounds, down 13.2%, lowest volume since July 2020, according to HGD, which blamed poor domestic consumption, down 13.6% from a year ago, while exports were down 3.8%.

Total nonfat dry milk utilization dropped to 199.1 million pounds, down 3.8%, with domestic demand falling to 48.7 million, down 35.8%, lowest January reading since 2020. Exports climbed to 150.4 million, up 14.8% from a year ago, highest January level since 2020, according to HGD.

Dry whey totaled 81 million pounds, up 0.1% from a year ago. Domestic use fell to 52 million pounds, down 4.1%, and exports, at 29 million, were up 8.6%.

Dairy markets didn’t have a lot to feed on this week in the way of USDA reports. Next week will have plenty, with the February milk production report, February slaughter report and February cold storage data.

After losing 17 cents the previous week, CME cheddar block cheese reected some green this week, closing St. Patrick’s Day at $1.9975 per pound, up 21.75 cents on the week, but 13.25 cents below a year ago.

The barrels, after jumping 19.50 cents the previous week, added another 19 cents this week, closing Friday at $1.96, 7 cents below a year ago, and a more typical 3.75 cents below the blocks. There were 13 sales of block on the week at the CME and 36 of barrel, down from 50 loads of barrel the previous week.

Cheese market tones experienced a bullish push this week as prices climbed both for blocks and barrels, said Dairy Market News. “Markets are also under a more assured tone as the block to barrel price difference narrowed noticeably,” DMN said. Cheesemakers in the Midwest say demand is hearty. Barrel makers relay more committed customers, while some retail cheddar and Italian style cheese processors say they are concerned about lacking the production capacity to bolster summer/fall inventories, despite readily available milk. Spot milk prices met the $10 under Class III mark again this week, as milk handlers continue to offer spot loads exclusively below Class III, according to DMN.

Looking west, varietal cheese demand from retail and food service purchasers is strong to steady. Second quarter bookings continue steadily, as some contacts report close to sold out inventories. Spot loads are available and overall spot demand is steady. Barrel sales are heavily active, while block sales are light. Barrel inventories remain more abundant than block inventories, despite the strong week for the barrel market. Export demand continues mixed. Some report strong to steady demand from Asian and Mexican markets, while others report current prices

are uncompetitive with European and global pricing. Milk volumes are regionally plentiful to ample for cheesemakers to keep strong production schedules going, DMN said.

Cash butter jumped 4.75 cents Monday, added 2 cents Thursday and closed Friday at $2.40 per pound, up 6.75 cents on the week, reversing two successive weeks of decline, but was 32.50 cents below a year ago. There were six sales reported for the week.

Butter demand has strengthened due, at least in part, to the upcoming spring holidays, according to DMN. Cream availability, despite similar multiples week to week, has begun to tighten when compared to just a few weeks ago. That said, cream remains generally available for active churning, but demand from other end users, namely cream cheese and ice cream manufacturers, has butter plants reporting that offers have begun to subside. Butter market tones are uncertain, with views from range-bound to more bearish potential due to the available cream and churning activity of recent months.

Cream continues to be plentiful in the West, but balanced to ample. Cream demand is steady to light. Some contacts note strong to steady production, while others note steady to lighter output and decreased processing capacity with equipment repairs taking place. Retail demand is light, and some report a light start for the spring holiday season. Export demand is steady, although some report current domestic prices are taking away U.S. competitiveness.

Grade A nonfat dry milk closed Friday at $1.1875 per pound, up 1.25 cents on the week but 67.25 cents below a year ago, with ve sales on the week.

Dry whey saw some ups and downs this week but nished Friday at 46.75 cents per pound, 2.50 cents higher, but 29.25 cents below a year ago, with three sales on the board for the week at the CME.

March 16 Class III futures settlements had the March price at $18 per hundredweight. April was at $18.60; May, $18.31; June, $18.53; July, $18.97; and August at $19.46. The peak was at $19.76 in October, spelling plenty of red ink on U.S. dairy farms across the country.

National milk production is mixed, according to the USDA’s weekly update. Winter weather in the Mid-Atlantic and southernmost states of the Northeast has been mild, and farm level milk output is nearing spring ush volumes. Southeast milk output is steady and increasing week over week in the central states.

Some bottling orders have paused due to the upcoming spring break weeks for schools. Spot milk

loads were moving as low as $12 under Class III Farm level milk output is steady to lighter in Arizona and steady in New Mexico. Output is steady in the Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Colorado, and steady to strong in California and Utah, according to the USDA.

OBERHOLTZER AUCTIONS

Complete Dispersal Complete

50 good dairy cows. There is a mixture of Red & black and white Holsteins. Also Jersey and Jersey cross cows in this herd. Cows are housed in sand bedded tiestalls and sand bedded freestalls with access to pasture in summer. Milked in a parlor. Bull breeding with good bulls. Herd is averaging 65 lb with 150 scc. Some very good crossbred cows in this herd!! Southwood Dairy, New Holstein, WI

Herd #2

15 Holstein tiestall cows. 10 milking, 5 dry cows. Herd is averaging approx. 55 lbs with 155 scc. Individuals milking up to 90 lbs! A good, young hand milked herd! Reuben Keim, Viroqua.

Other early Consignments

14 month old Fleckvieh bull, nice!

ADVANCE NOTICE:

Special Heifer & Dairy Sale

Thursday, April 6th • 11 a.m.

Complete Heifer Dispersal

32 Holstein heifers out of a long time aAa mated and ai bred herd. 6 bred hfrs. 7 hfrs 12-16 months, 9 hfrs 6-12 months, 9 hfrs Bred heifers are bull bred. All heifers over 6 months are vaccinated with BoviShield gold. Included in this group is a fancy Lineback and several red and whites! A2/A2 breeding for several Generations. Heifers have not been A2 tested. Very nice group of heifers!!

Complete herd dispersal 40 Holstein cows. AI breeding milked in tie stalls, out everyday. 55 lb herd average with 250 scc. Some nice young cows!

ADVANCE NOTICE

Tools-HouseholdCollectibles Auction

for Ralph (Pollock) Czaikowski

Friday, March 31st 9:30 A.M.

This auction will be held in heated shed at Oberholtzer Auctions Thorp location. N15518 State Highway 73 Thorp, WI Auction will consist of many like new tools, good collectible items and clean household items. We will have a full listing available as we get everything unpacked. Plan for another great auction of Ralph’s!

ADVANCE NOTICE:

Lawn & Garden Auction

Saturday, April 8th at our Thorp location

We are looking for consignments of Lawn Mowers, Tillers, ATV’s and small engine items in working condition. Auction will be broadcast live on Hibid and Equipment Facts.

To consign call Phillip at 715-937-5106

OBERHOLTZER AUCTIONS - THORP

Formerly Turenne Livestock

SALE EVERY MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY 5:00 PM

Selling Baby Calves, Hogs, Sheep, Goats, Feeder Cattle, Fat Cattle, Market Cows and Bulls

VERY COMPETITIVE MARKET PRICES Call 712-432-5500 for daily market report

Hard to believe when you look outside now, but my bold prediction is in 100 days, (mark your calendars), we’ll see corn tassels. And someone will be saying, “if this weather ever straightens out we could get our corn planted”.

Shorter run of dairy cows today. No Supreme quality individuals. Good cows $1,300-1,700. Top 1$,950 Jonathan Horst, Loyal.

Definitely a buyer’s market in the springing heifer division today. Mostly $1,300-1,725. Opens 95-1.25/lb. Single birth Holstein heifer calves $15-60. Breeding Bulls $700-1,100. Market Bulls up to $104.

Choice Holstein steers $136-148. Top 1,720 lbs @ $148.50 consigned by Andy Y Miller, Chili. Beef cross steers up to $152. Holstein feeder steers $105-130. Crossbreds up to $196 on Monday. Holstein bull calves $100-230. Top $265 consigned by Curvin Martin, Dorchester. Crossbreds $200-370, top $380 Lester Martin Jr, Greenwood & Thomas Milz, Loyal. 20% of Market cows sold $94-103. 50% sold $78-93.

Butcher hogs $57-68.

Another week of large volume and relatively strong prices in the hay sale. 3x4x8 Alfalfa $170-215. 3x3x8 Alfalfa $75-100. Rounds grass 1st crop $45-60. Rounds and squares 2nd and 3rd mixed hay $50-75. Dairy quality baleage $55-75. Small squares grass $3.50-4.25. 3x4x8 wheat straw $85-95. Thank you for your continued

Grain Markets

March 22, 2023

Other Oats Soybeans Corn

This past week, news channels were filled with reports of large bank failures. I could fill pages explaining how and why it is happening. In a nutshell, it all comes down to humans making bad decisions, which was started with flooding our money supply with 40% more “Covid Stimulus” dollars. This has created an environment where banks are flush with cash and needing to do something with it to get a return for its depositors, and consumers are looking for a place to invest this free money. The reality is the U.S. economy didn’t create more assets to invest this money. This is leading to poor investment decisions and too many dollars chasing too few of goods (Inflation!!!).

In my opinion, this will go down in history as one of the biggest mistakes the U.S. has ever made, and our children will live through the financial pain caused from these foolish decisions. Keep in mind that while our over inflated economy is trying to destroy this excess money supply, we have yet to start paying back the debt we created to give us this perceived free money. I believe the worst is yet to come. The economic pain is just getting pushed down the road into a bigger financial implosion.

Now that I have told you how I really feel, what is up with the stronger milk market. It is fairly normal to see seasonal price strength prior to Easter. Over the past 10 years, dairy prices have tended to rally now through mid-May and into June. Cash cheese prices have once again returned to the $2.00 trading level in both blocks and barrels. Class III futures are not convinced this is sustainable as they are trailing this cash optimism.

Butter prices are trading near $2.40. It will be very important for butter prices to remain supported to help keep Class IV values trading near Class III. U.S. butter exports are at risk of declining as they are trading at a premium to EU at $2.29 and NZ at $2.23. U.S. butter inventories are in good supply/demand balance today but could quickly start to grow if we lose export volumes in the coming months.

Whey prices remain a concern as inventories of WPC and WPI remain elevated. Whey prices have rebounded nicely in the spot market back to 46 cents. Hopefully, this is an indication that export sales have picked up in February.

Area Hay Auction Results

Fort Atkinson Hay

Ft. Atkinson, Iowa • 563-534-7513

March 15, 81 loads

Rock Valley Hay Auction Co.

Rock Valley, Iowa • 712-476-5541

March 16, 50 loads

DISC MOWER-CONDITIONERS

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A+ haymaking starts with a new Discbine PLUS. Stop in today or visit newholland.com to learn more.

Building better farmers through education

Rwanda Institute of Conservation Agriculture blazes a trail

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

GASHORA, Rwanda – When most farmers think of agriculture, Rwanda might not be the rst place to come to mind, but agriculture, and dairy in particular, play an important role in lling the nutritional needs and generating income for many of the country’s population.

The Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture was established in 2019 to allow students the opportunity to develop knowledge and learn skills in applying conservation practices to their agricultural pursuits.

The school is home to over 250 students, all of whom live on campus. The school has 23 faculty members and more than 100 staff members.

While attending RICA, students spend most of their rst two years of study learning the basics for all areas and specializations of agriculture and working on all aspects of the farm before identifying one specialization they will focus on for their nal year

of study. One of those specializations is livestock production systems, which includes the dairy program.

At the conclusion of the three-year program, students graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in conservation

agriculture. The school’s rst class of 78 students will graduate Aug. 8, with 10 of those graduating with a specialty in livestock production systems. Several of those students will move on to become dairy farmers themselves, work in extension education roles or work in other related industry elds.

“All students learn farm management,” said Dr. Celestin Munyaneza, the school’s dairy enterprise lead. “We also train them to work in any area of input procurement, such as livestock feed and things like that.”

The school’s campus is home to a herd of 48 animals, including 16 milking cows, which are primarily crossbred Friesians. The herd is multi-purpose, Munyaneza said.

“The rst purpose of our dairy herd is for education for our students, and the second purpose is for extension education for the community,” Munyaneza said. “The third is to generate a prot. The cows have been here on campus for the past three years.”

Much of the milk produced is sold and consumed by students and staff in the institute’s cafeteria. Some is processed by students specializing in food processing, and any remaining milk is sold through nearby milk collection center.

The cows are milked using DeLaval oor buckets in a single-4 herringbone parlor. The other side of the parlor was constructed to milk a herd of dairy goats which will be coming to the school.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RWANDA INSTITUTE OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

Dr. Celes n Munyaneza, Rwanda Ins tute of Conserva on Agriculture’s dairy lead, explains how a milking machine works. The school’s rst class of 78 students will graduate Aug. 8, with 10 of those gradua ng with a specialty in dairy.

“The parlor is the only one of its kind in Rwanda,” Munyaneza said. “It is a special design and was made for the purpose of teaching.”

The dairy industry of Rwanda is very different from the dairy industry in the western hemisphere, largely because of the region’s climate and geopolitical factors.

“There are many dairy farmers, but they are small farms with only one to three cows per farm,” Munyaneza said. “A large dairy farm here is one our size with about 50 cows. There are only a couple of those in the country.”

Despite those limitations, Munyaneza described Rwanda as a milkloving country.

Rwanda is a very small country, just over 10,000 square miles, with a population of nearly 13.5 million people, which is expected to double by 2050. It is located in the Great Rift Valley of central Africa, 2-3 degrees south of the equator and has a tropical, semi-arid climate. Temperatures average around 80 degrees, year-round, with the lowest temperatures being in the upper 50s and the highest temperatures being around 90 degrees. The region experiences two rainy seasons, from March to May and from September through December.

“Rwanda is about two-thirds the size of the country of Switzerland in square mileage,” Munyaneza said. “The average farm here is only an acre in size, so instead of growing forages to feed livestock, families will grow crops for food consumption and high-value crops such as vegetables that they can sell at market for income.”

The lack of land to grow forages complicates things for the farmers to feed their animals.

“It is not unusual to drive down the road and see a farmer taking his couple of cows to graze alongside the road,” Munyaneza said. “Or, you will see them walking, carrying bundles of grass on their head, that they have cut alongside the road to bring back to their cows.”

Munyaneza said the land shortage

and climate are the greatest challenges facing the dairy industry.

“There is just not enough land to grow livestock feed or forage, and grass for grazing can be scarce,” Munyaneza said. “Supplemental feed is very expensive. That is a very limiting factor to dairy production.”

Another challenge to dairy farmers in Rwanda is the prevalence of disease, particularly tick-borne diseases.

“Many farmers struggle with diseases like anaplasmosis, heartwater, East Coast Fever and Rift Valley Fever,” Munyaneza said.

Also, farmers there often lack skills and knowledge in dairy management and conservation farming methods, Munyaneza said, as well as have limited access to technology.

Prince Kwizera is a third-year student in the dairy program. He works as an intern at the institute and as a teaching assistant. When he graduates this summer, he will return to his home area to begin working toward his dream of owning his own dairy farm.

Kwizera chose to attend RICA, a four-hour bus ride away from his home, because of the challenges that limit dairy farmers in his country.

“I grew up on a dairy farm, and my family depended mostly on milk,” Kwizera said. “I wanted to grow my skills in animal production, so I came to RICA and I found this specialty and so much knowledge. It made me grow more passionate and my love for animals grew, and I knew this is what has the potential for income to provide for my family and my village.”

Kwizera has the goal of attending graduate school to further his education and is researching obtaining funding to pursue that in the U.S.

“I want to learn more of the scientic knowledge and the new technologies in dairy and animal production,” Kwizera said. “That is necessary for me to be able to contribute to the sustainable development of animal production in my country.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RWANDA INSTITUTE OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

Students at the Rwanda Ins tute of Conserva on Agriculture milk cows on the school’s dairy farm in Gashora, Rwanda. The cows are milked using bucket milkers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RWANDA INSTITUTE OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

Cows graze at the Rwanda Ins tute of Conserva on Agriculture in Gashora, Rwanda. The school was established in 2019.

DAIRY CALENDAR

The I-29 Moo University Dairy Beef Short Course is March 28 as part of the preeducational events for the Central Plains Dairy Expo at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

For questions, contact fredhall@iastate.edu or 712-737-4230. If attendees also plan on going to the Central Plains Dairy Expo Welcome Reception, you are also encouraged to register for that ahead of time at https://www.centralplainsdairy.com/registration.

Technology and automation are playing an increasing role in the dairy industry. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension and DeLaval are co-hosting a robotic milking systems tour and open house from 10-11:30 a.m. April 11 at Neu-View Acres in Star Prairie, Wisconsin. The Neumann family will be giving a small presentation about their decision to retrot robotic milking to their existing barn, how they planned and executed their start up, and the impacts automation and data collection has had on their herd. Attendees will then be able to tour the milking herd and facility, with industry experts available throughout the barn to answer questions.

Please contact Extension Regional Dairy Educator Ryan Sterry at 715-531-1950 or ryan.sterry@wisc.edu; or Richard Franta, DeLaval North America, 715-245-7717 or richard.franta@delaval.com.

The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association is excited to announce that the 2023 Annual Conference and Trade Show will be held April 11-13 in Prior Lake, Minnesota. With the theme “Commitment to Excellence,” the DCHA Conference and Trade Show offers an opportunity to build on past accomplishments, learn from worldwide calf and heifer experts, and lead calf and heifer growers toward a sustainable future.

This year’s conference will be held in person and also have a virtual option for those unable to attend. The conference committee has focused on three areas of calf raising when creating the program and optional tours, allowing more variety of sessions to attract a broader range of calf raisers. The tracks include: wet calf/weaning, post-weaned/reproduction and beef-x-dairy.

Optional tours for the conference include:

NexGen Dairy: NexGen Dairy is a third-generation dairy farm milking 1,000 Jersey and Jersey cross cows. Calf health along with cow health and longevity are priorities at NexGen. The dairy hosts a state-of-the-art transition facility which includes a wet calf room, separate fresh cow parlor and calf milk processing room. Heifers are all raised on-site from birth through breeding. Calves at NexGen are being group raised but individually fed in a new calf facility which is powered with a 40kW solar energy system.

University of Minnesota Huntington Bank Stadium & Andrew Boss Laboratory of Meat Science: Huntington Bank Stadium is the home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team. This is the rst new football stadium in the Big Ten conference since 1960 and the rst LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certied college football stadium in America. The spaces toured include the president’s suite, club rooms, hall of fame, the eld and a peek into the football shaped home Golden Gopher Locker Room. (Tour space subject to change.) At the University of Minnesota Andrew Boss Laboratory of Meat Science, tourists will learn about differences in dairy and beef steer carcasses and the harvest process. There will also be a dairy rib and beef rib which will be cut up and discussion on the differences between the two. If time permits, further processing (jerky, sausage) will be discussed.

Register at www.calfandheifer.org. Any questions can be directed to DCHA staff at info@ calfandheifer.org or 1-855-400-DCHA.

The I-29 Moo University 2023 Dairy Webinar Series continues from noon to 1 p.m. April 13 with a focus on how to bring skilled professionals to your farm using the visa programs. The program will be presented by Miguel Rangel, DVM.

Rangel will discuss the process of using the U.S. visa programs to bring skilled professionals to U.S. dairy operations from foreign countries. This discussion will cover the most common visas available for dairy producers and will include: in which situations each visa may be used, who qualies for the visa, the benets of various visas and the requirements to qualify for different visas. Rangel will also discuss the application process, rights and responsibilities of employers and employees, and will clarify common misconceptions.

There is no fee to participate in the webinar; however, preregistration is required at least one hour before the webinar. Preregister at https://go.iastate.edu/TQ86YG.

For more information, contact: in Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230; in Minnesota, Jim Salfer, 320-203-6093; or in South Dakota, Heidi Carroll, 605-688-6623.

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team monthly webinar series continues from noon to 1 p.m. April 19. This program will focus on this year’s alfalfa season. Mike Rankin will share what he sees in the hay and alfalfa market plus what things are looking like out in the eld. Producers, dairy consultants and industry representatives are encouraged to attend the free webinar by pre-registering at least one hour before the webinar at https://go.iastate.edu/KUKNGK.

For more information, contact the specialist in your area: in northwest Iowa, Fred M. Hall at 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu; in northeast Iowa, Jennifer Bentley at 563382-2949 or jbentley@iastate.edu; in east central Iowa, Larry Tranel at 563-583-6496 or tranel@iastate.edu.

The Dairyland Initiative Virtual Workshop will be online May 3-4 and will focus on adult cow facilities and positive pressure tube ventilation design for calf barns. On May 3, the workshop will focus on the principles of adult cow ventilation and how to assess a system while the workshop May 4 will cover how to design PPTV systems for calf barns. Participants will leave the workshops with a better understanding of barn ventilation and have access to Excel spreadsheet tools for designing ventilation systems. Problem sets will be based on real-world examples. Those who attend the PPTV workshop will have the opportunity to become a Certied Consultant for Youngstock Facility Design. Register at https://bit.ly/3m3hbV4.

The Spring Dairy Tune Up Fitting/Showmanship clinic is May 6-7 at the Fayette County Fairgrounds in West Union, Wisconsin. Registration is due May 1 and is open to all youth 9 to 18 years old. Youth are asked to bring one dairy heifer with them to the workshop. Dairy professional tters and judges will be on hand to assist. Contact Bob Sadler at 319-480-8858 for more information.

DAIRY ST R25

look back at 5, 10 and 20 years ago

A

Dairy Star brings you top stories from past issues

5 years ago

A smooth transition

Brandon Stommes grew up wanting to dairy farm. Not coming from a dairy farm himself, he started working for Earl and Darlene Felling of Albany, Minnesota. Before long, Stommes started to purchase cattle and worked toward eventually purchasing the entirety of the farm. When he took over, he made a few additions to the farm such as adding a footbath and bringing in a mixer to feed a total mixed ration.

A move to pursue their dairying dream

Norman and Nicole Guisewhite wanted more than anything to dairy farm. The couple, originally from Virginia, started out milking cows right out of high school with Norman’s family. When that dairy did not work, they moved to Pennsylvania in 2008 to start their own dairy only to end up selling their cows in 2011 due to all the land being bought by natural gas companies. In 2013, the Guisewhite family moved to Minnesota, and Norman became a herdsman on a dairy farm. In 2017, he took ownership of the cows while renting the facilities at the Mayer, Minnesota, farm.

Growing to capture

technology

Kyle Zwieg returned to his family’s farm in 2012 and helped the farm grow. Zwieg and his parents expanded their herd from 40 to 80 cows and went from farming 150 acres to almost 400 acres. The Zwiegs converted their machine shed into a 2-row freestall barn and built another freestall barn with a feed bunk outside. Working closely with their veterinarian and nutritionist, the Zwiegs were able to increase their rolling herd average by 8,000 pounds.

Old-school breeding sets them apart

Don and Liz Mayer were the 2018 Wisconsin Holstein Association Distinguished Breeder award recipients. The couple milked 55 cows near Bloomer, Wisconsin. The Mayers bred for good feet and legs, good udders and type. Overall, the Mayers looked for longevity and production in their cows. Their breeding program resulted in over 200 Excellent daughters, and they shipped embryos all over the world.

10 years ago

Home sweet home

Since the age of 4, Billy Euerle had wanted to be a dairy farmer. Having not grown up on a dairy farm, he milked cows for other farmers for nine years. In January 2013, Euerle purchased his own dairy farm near Gareld, Minnesota. The farm had an 82-cow tiestall barn with 85 acres. Euerle and his wife, Michelle, and daughters, Reece and Brooke, nally got to call a dairy farm their home.

Buehring Farm cows stands test of time

Chad Buehring purchased a 2-yearold cow in 1998. Little did he know, that same cow would still be on his farm 13 years later. The cow, No. 2525, made the lifetime list of cows producing more than 250,000 pounds in Minnesota. When No. 2525 was in her 13th lactation, she had produced 268,411 pounds of milk, 9,104 pounds of fat and 8,587 pounds of protein during her 4,181 days in milk. Buehring, the sixth generation on his farm, milked 270 cows in a double-8 step-up parlor.

20 years ago

Worms named ʻProducer of the Yearʼ

Joe and Sandy Worms were named Minnesota Milk’s Producer of the Year at the Minnesota Milk Producers Association annual convention. The Worms’ farm was one of the rst dairies in the area to have a freestall barn added in 1994. Afterward, the Wormses expanded their herd to 500 cows. The couple’s four sons, Josh, Brandon, Derek and Mitchell, all helped on the farm as well as four full-time and ve part-time employees. The Wormses used three methods to detect somatic cell count, enlisting the help of their staff to detect a problem. The employees received a bonus each month depending on how low the SCC was.

Alberts family has Minnesotaʼs largest registered Holstein herd

The Alberts family – Duane, Kenneth, Rick, Eric and David – operated Pine Shelter Farm near Pine Island, Minnesota. Their closed herd of 500 Holsteins was the largest registered herd in the state. Every animal at Pine Island Farm was registered. The Alberts milked three times a day and had a 22,500-pound rolling herd average. Pine Island Farm focused on good feet and legs, good udders and teat placement. The family farm had won numerous awards for their high-quality cows in the show ring and in the barn.

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Nutrition for the non-ruminant

Ekovich stresses self-care for producers’ well-being

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. –

With so many things to take care of on a dairy farm, too many times farmers might nd that taking care of themselves falls to the bottom of the to-do list.

According to Morgan Ekovich, health and nutrition coach at Get Fit with ME LLC, that is not a good practice.

Ekovich shared how to properly fuel our bodies and develop healthy eating habits in her “Nutrition for the NonRuminant” breakout session March 15 at the Professional Dairy Producers’ annual business conference in Wisconsin Dells.

“Your nutrition and your health have a huge impact on how your farm and the rest of your life works,” Ekovich said. “If we are not able to take care of ourselves, it really makes it hard to show up in other areas.”

Ekovich stressed the importance of looking at the big picture when eating balanced meals, avoiding the mindset of counting calories.

“It isn’t realistic for busy people to count every single calorie or every single macro,” Ekovich said. “We want to look realistically at our plates and create a balanced meal.”

Ekovich said macronutrients are the foods we eat the most of and pro-

vide us with most of our energy. The three groups of macros consist of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

“When you eat balanced meals, you feel fuller, longer; you’ll support those muscles and all the moving you do all day and you’re going to have more energy,” Ekovich said. “Often, we don’t fuel our bodies the correct way, so we have these spikes and lulls in energy where we feel sluggish. Some of that is because we are super active, but a lot of it is because we’re not eating the right things.”

Other benets of eating balanced meals include developing a stronger immune system along with stabilizing blood sugar and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Ekovich said maintaining or improving health through nutrition can reduce the need for many medications.

“By having a balanced diet and being able to live it every day in simple and easy ways, you’re going to be able to lower those risks, including things like type 2 diabetes and heart disease,” Ekovich said. “If any of those diseases run in your family, it is important to be aware of that and start now, rather than waiting until the doctor tells you it’s time to start taking medicine.”

Understanding how our bodies metabolize the food we eat helps see the importance of providing balance in each meal, Ekovich said. She said carbohydrates are the rst macro utilized by the body for energy, within the rst 30 to 60 minutes following a meal.

“If you only eat a carb, with no protein or fat, you’ll nd yourself hitting the lull within an hour,” Ekovich said. “Your body won’t have anything left to fuel itself, and you’ll need to eat again.”

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DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Health and nutri on coach

Morgan Ekovich explains the importance of properly fueling the body through balanced nutri on at PDPW’s annual business conference March 15 in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. For dairy farmers and others with busy schedules, Ekovich recommends planning and keeping a variety of items handy to create balanced snacks.

With a balanced meal, once the carbohydrates have been metabolized, the body will then metabolize the fat in a meal, followed by the protein. Ekovich said that is why eating protein will make us feel fuller, longer.

“Your body has to work hard to metabolize protein, making you feel fuller, longer,” Ekovich said. “That is why protein is important in maintaining or losing weight.”

Ekovich said our bodies can be fueled for three to four hours following a balanced meal. She recommends having smaller, balanced snacks between the meals to continually provide fuel to our bodies.

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SLIDE COURTESY OF MORGAN EKOVICH, GET FIT WITH ME LLC

“When you start to feel that lull coming on, have a balanced snack with a carb, a protein and a fat,” she said. “That will help maintain consistent blood sugar levels. You’ll have more energy and feel fuller longer, without over eating.”

So, what do those three groups of macros look like?

Carbohydrates include grains, fruits and vegetables and are the rst foods your body metabolizes for energy, within the rst 60 minutes after eating. Ekovich recommends focusing on choosing healthy fats in a balanced diet, such as nuts, nut butters, avocados, cheese and butter. Proteins include animal proteins, plant proteins and sh and seafood.

When developing a plan for balanced nutrition, Ekovich said it is important to think about the foods we eat in regards to how they t into the three categories of macros.

“Protein is kind of what we want to prioritize,” Ekovich said. “When you plan your meals, start with the protein and work everything else around it. If you decide you are going to have a steak, you can plan your carb and your fat a little better than if you say, ‘I have an avocado; what goes with that?’ It is easier to plan your protein rst because that is your priority to eat.”

What we cook with matters as well.

“Don’t forget that sometimes your food is cooked in a fat, and you don’t necessarily need to have a fat on your plate,” Ekovich said. “If my steak and

potatoes are cooked in butter, that can be my fat.”

Ekovich said the busy and active days of a dairy farmer can be challenging when it comes to eating balanced meals and properly fueling their bodies and recommends planning and keeping a variety of items stocked to create balanced snacks, such as tuna packets, individually wrapped servings of cheese, packets of nuts and crackers.

Ekovich recommends investing in a good lunch box, compartmental containers and ice packs to make on-the-go balanced meals and snacks easier. Cooking in batches at the beginning of each week also aids in making balanced eating less time consuming.

When it comes to ensuring eating balanced meals, Ekovich said meal planning is important, using a list when grocery shopping and sticking to that list.

“I nd if I don’t plan, I will just start throwing things together and I don’t always end up with that balance, and I can tell by how I feel,” Ekovich said. “If I know what I am going to eat, and I know that I have on hand what I need to prepare it, it makes things go better.”

Ekovich said there are several ways to make sticking to a list easier. The rst is to avoid grocery shopping while hungry. She also suggests shopping the perimeter of the store rst and only going down the aisles that have items on one’s list. That will help avoid impulse purchasing.

“If we learn to listen to our body, it will tell us what we need to be healthy,” Ekovich said.

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“Your nutrition and your health have a huge impact on how your farm and the rest of your life works.”

MORGAN EKOVICH, HEALTH AND NUTRITION COACH

Mid-American Hay Auction results for March 16

Hay sales starts at 12:30 p.m. and are the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the months of September through May.

April 6, 2023

April 20, 2023

For more information, contact Kevin Winter 320-352-3803, (c) 320-760-1593 or Al Wessel at 320-547-2206, (c) 320-760-2979

I really like using the Merlin2G. It’s quiet and cows really adapt to it quickly.”

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One-On-One

with Nathan Converse Central Lakes College in Staples, Minnesota Farm business management instructor

How and why did you become a farm business management instructor? I was working in extension, but I wanted to work closer to farmers and be on the farm with them and wanted to have less ofce time. I heard about this position that would get me on the farm one on one with the farmer. So, I applied and got the position.

What does a typical instructor-dairy farmer relationship look like?

I meet with most of my farmers that are full-time students every four to six weeks. If they are a new student, we spend a great deal of time getting them set up with a record keeping system if they don’t have one already. For students who have been in the program longer, I work through cash ows, quarterly analysis and discuss options with them. Every student gets a balance sheet and most students want a cash ow budget; we do an annual analysis of their operation at the beginning of the year. For the students who have been in the program for more than 30 years, we choose to meet less frequently, like every six months, to go over their nancial statements together. I work with the farmer to help them reach the goals of their operation.

What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy working with the people, and I like working with numbers and data. I like putting numbers in front of people to help them make better informed decisions.

Nathan Converse Central Lakes College

What is one tip you have for dairy farmers about record keeping? My biggest tip is keeping up with your record keeping. It makes it so much easier to stay up to date with your record system and do it consistently rather than pulling the box of receipts out once a year and trying to go through them all at once.

What is the biggest misconception about your job? There is some misconception about what we do, but the biggest misconception is that people think they need to come to our colleges to take classes. My students never set foot on the college campus unless they want to come to a meeting or forum we are hosting. FBM instructors come out to the students on their farm. It is the best way to truly understand each operation.

What percentage of your students are dairy farmers? I would say about 85%.

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What is the most important role of an FBM instructor? We are an unbiased, condential resource for the farming operation. We don’t tell you what to do or how to do it, but our goal is to help the farmer make better informed decisions. We look at the economic impact of the farm’s decisions to your farm and your family to help make an unbiased decision. We don’t gain anything if you buy a certain product; we are simply here to help farmers make better informed decisions. We see a lot of other farms and operations and can say, “This is what I have seen work for others.”

How has dairy farming changed during your career? Dairy farms in general have gotten bigger. Technology has also had a huge impact, everything from robotic milkers to heat detection systems. The adoption of this technology has gotten more wide spread. I’ve dealt with farm transitions that want to establish a plan for the future.

How big is the territory you cover? I’m based out of Morrison County, but I have farms in Cass, Crow Wing, Benton, Sherburne and Stearns counties.

What is the biggest challenge of your job? My biggest challenge now is balancing time commitments. Every farm needs the balance sheet, farm analysis and cash ow completed between January and March. It can be challenging to get all that scheduled and completed in that time frame. 15 years ago, when I was a new instructor, the biggest challenge would have been the learning curve. We have to know the various record keeping systems, trending topics in the industry, new systems and common benchmarks in the industry for each of the industries we work with.

What does a typical day look like for you? My rst meeting with a student is between 8:30-9 a.m., then I schedule another one for the afternoon. Typically, my meetings last 2-3.5 hours. Some days, especially during analysis season in January and February, I might schedule three meetings in a day. So, quite often I leave home before 8 a.m. and don’t get home until 8 p.m. I spend a lot of time on the road driving from farm to farm. I try to schedule farms that are closer together in the same day, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

What kind of training or on-the-job learning do you do to keep up with information in sectors of agriculture? Within the FBM instructor organization, we have peer groups that get together a couple times a year. We discuss current events and industry trends for the different sectors. We have a group for hogs, dairy, beef, etc. Minnesota Association of Agricultural Educators also puts on a few workshops each year as professional development. I try to attend agricultural events and webinars to learn about what’s going on in the industry as well.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I farm in my spare time with my dad. I have 80 acres and raise 30 beef cows and 75 ewes. Most of my land is used as pasture, and we put up hay each summer for the sheep and beef cattle. We have taken a few family vacations, and I like to go hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter.

Tell us about yourself and your family. My wife, Jody, is a teacher at Brainerd High School. My oldest son, Colton, just graduated high school last year, and Dustin is in high school and is active with sports and other extracurricular activities. Both kids are very active in 4-H and FFA.

Carbon market experts discuss opportunities

Agronomist, project developers provide tips for calculating impact, navigating options

By Stacey Smart stacey.s@dairystar.com

Editor’s note: This is part three of a three-part series on carbon credits and markets discussed during PDPW’s Carbon Conference Jan. 31.

MADISON, Wis. – From manure management to soil carbon management to Clean Fuel Standard programs, dairy farmers can participate in carbon markets. However, farms should understand their carbon footprint and explore practices that make the most sense for their operation in generating carbon credits.

“In order to make environmental changes, a practice must have good overall economic return and impact,” said Katie Catron, lead agronomist at Sustainable Environmental Consultants. “Carbon credits and markets are an opportunity, and there are a lot of publicly available funds out there to pay for these projects.”

Catron and three project developers –Jamie MacKinnon, Nathan Schuster and Ryan Stockwell – shared opportunities dairy farmers can tap into within carbon markets during the PDPW Carbon Conference Jan. 31 in Madison.

The group recommended establishing a carbon baseline so future practice changes will be eligible to receive carbon credits. To help farmers determine their carbon footprint, Catron and her team conduct a four-step sustainability analysis process beginning with data collection and discovery. Offering a third-party verication and quantication platform for regenerative and sustainable agriculture, the company works with farms with less than 100 cows up to 10,000 cows.

“We work across a variety of systems

to collect data where it is and how it is to ease burden on the producer,” Catron said.

When looking at carbon footprint, the farm system is broken into two parts – the dairy operation and eld management. The key areas analyzed are manure, crop and dairy production. Catron said the main areas that impact carbon footprint are feed production, enteric fermentation and manure management.

On the eld side, crop rotation, tillage practices and nutrient applications are assessed. Looking at the amount of time soil is bare is an important factor, Catron said. Field maps, the nutrient management plan and updated soil samples are used to conduct a eld-by-eld assessment that takes into consideration the geographic location of each eld, soil type variations and passes made across the eld.

On the dairy side, they look at the number of animals on-site including the number by each life stage, milk production in pounds per head per day as well as protein and butterfat, feed consumption and rations by life stage, manure storage system and application methods, energy usage for on-farm activities and irrigation, water use, and recycling.

Highlighting the farm’s carbon footprint, the report details what is driving that number to be higher or lower and suggests opportunities for altering that number.

“This report provides a basic understanding of where you’re at and the reasons why,” Catron said. “It could be in total tons of carbon produced or an intensity value on a per-product scale, such as tons of carbon per tons of milk produced.”

The report outlines progress made in each category along with ideas for shortterm and long-term goals. For example, one progress item under soil health could be that 62% of acres had a cover crop to build organic matter and protect the eld through winter. A short-term goal might then be to increase the usage of radish and cereal rye mixture for a cover crop. A longterm goal could be to determine the optimum cover crop mixture and continue to experiment with species.

Jamie MacKinnon, senior vice president with Anew, compared carbon offsets and insets and opportunities for each. Carbon offsets are a commodity sold into a $270 billion carbon market, MacKinnon said. Offsets make up $50 billion per year of that market and range in price from $3 to $40 per credit.

“The difference between a $3 offset and a $40 offset is in the environmental and social co-benets,” MacKinnon said. “Ag carbon credits sell at the high end because they have a great story to tell about the

change in the industry.”

Leading Anew’s agri-carbon business across North America, MacKinnon has pioneered solutions that include the implementation of a rst-of-its-kind carbon-nance program for farms adopting soil amendments and other regenerative practices, completing the rst-ever trade of compliance-grade offsets in the secondary market and authoring an offset methodology.

The types of companies buying credits has changed dramatically in the last few years, MacKinnon said.

“Offsets are pretty widely distributed now amongst airlines, tech companies and consumer packaged goods companies,” he said. “There are over 6,000 entities that have made net zero commitments, and many of those are procuring offsets.”

Carbon credits sold within a supply chain are known as carbon insets. Only a handful of actual buyers exist, MacKinnon said, as standards and frameworks are not well established. However, he said there is a space for this type of credit and believes this market will grow.

“You don’t need to associate yourself with only one downstream buyer when selling insets,” MacKinnon said. “Carbon inset projects can be done with suppliers of dairy that are closer to your operations, such as your dairy cooperative.”

MacKinnon said the Renewable Fuel Standard and Clean Fuel Standard markets offer higher returns than carbon offsets and insets for renewable natural gas production from anaerobic digesters but have the challenge of capital investments.

“There is an opportunity for a standalone project where the farm negotiates for carbon rights which lie with the end user of the RNG,” MacKinnon said.

Jamie MacKinnon Project developer

Katie Catron Sustainable Environmental Consultants

Ryan Stockwell Project developer

Enteric fermentation, reduced nitrogen application and fuel efciency are another cluster of carbon credit opportunities that do not require long-term commitments. Furthermore, they cannot be reversed. The farmer owns the carbon rights but likely needs to participate in a project aggregation.

“Insets in this area afford potentially higher pricing but restrict sales to one or few buyers,” MacKinnon said. … “The offset market offers greater prospects of selling on a timely and competitive basis.”

Soil carbon/cover cropping/low-till programs involve carbon dioxide sequestration and commitments to retain in the soil for more than 30 years. As with enteric fermentation projects, the farmer owns carbon rights but likely needs to participate in a project aggregation, MacKinnon said.

“These types of carbon projects have a very difcult avenue through the supply chain program,” MacKinnon said. “The permanence requirement makes this difcult to do within an insetting framework. Offsets are better equipped to manage permanence.”

When deciding what project is right for a particular farm, MacKinnon said integrity is the No. 1 thing to pay attention to.

“In the name of making it work for ag, many regenerative ag programs are ignoring fundamental principles of the carbon market that underpin demand,” MacKinnon said. “These programs are not sustainable and will be tainted as greenwashing. You don’t want to be associated with that.”

He recommends a farmer insist on working with someone using third-party, independent registry standards. Also, he suggests taking time to learn what is being done with the data and understand the incentives offered. Different programs offer incentives, such as rebates on inputs, a share of offset revenues or peracre payments.

“You don’t have to choose one path of insets or offsets,” MacKinnon said. “You can choose to play in this market and retain some exibility.”

A 2,000-cow dairy participating in a feed additive project to reduce enteric methane emissions would be looking at earning carbon credits of one to three tons per head, MacKinnon said. If doing cover cropping or reduced tillage in row crops, that number would be closer to 0.25 to 0.5 tons of carbon offsets per acre. At a carbon price of $20 per ton, the farm would potentially earn $5 to $10 per acre.

“No one single regenerative practice is going to make for a viable option when it comes to row crops,” MacKinnon said. “You’re going to have to combine different practices, such as cover cropping and reduced nitrogen use.”

Nathan Schuster of 3Degrees also cited several carbon market project opportunities for dairy farmers. Schuster and his colleagues have expertise in managing agricultural-methane projects and supported the development of carbon projects from several manure management technologies including vermiltration, chemical occulants and advanced solids-separation systems.

Digester alternatives like Alternative Manure Management Projects can generate carbon credits for avoiding methane. One example is vermiltration, which uses layers of media to break down manure. Manure goes through several steps of separation before it begins trickling down through the layers that include worms to eat the bacteria.

“What comes out at the end is irrigation-quality water and worm castings, which are a byproduct that can be used as composting,” Schuster said. “From a carbon perspective, you should ask what the volatile solids separation rate is. You need a high rate for the carbon offsets market.”

Algae raceways and chemical occulants are other examples of carbon projects in the AMMP category, along

with many others, Schuster said. Finding a technology solution that can achieve high volatile solids reductions in manure greater than 85% is the goal. The estimated value of an AMMP project is ve credits per animal per year. At a price of $15 per credit, the payback would amount to $75 per animal per year.

Projects ranging from biogas to electric vehicle charging are part of the Clean Fuel Standard, and buyers include fossil fuel providers in states with CFS regulation. Markets are geographically dependent. Fossil fuel providers and importers across the nation are the buyers in the Renewable Fuel Standard market, which Schuster said is an emerging market.

“There is a key change happening right now that has the power to transform markets for biogas and add another value stream for biogas producers like dairies,” Schuster said. “eRINs under the Renewable Fuel Standard will provide new possibilities for digesters in carbon markets.”

eRINS are credits produced when qualifying biogas is used to generate renewable electricity for charging electric vehicles. Schuster said the eRIN rule is not yet nalized but is expected to become effective in 2024.

“This is a huge deal and a huge expansion to the program,” he said. “eRIN is another environmental commodity, and people who have digesters will be able to generate electricity and contractually demonstrate that it’s owing to electric vehicle chargers.”

Schuster said companies like Tesla, Ford and General Motors are going to generate the eRINs. The potential pay range for a megawatt hour is $85 to $300.

“Even $85 is a strong incentive, and people will nance projects based on that amount,” Schuster said. “This will transform economics around digesters producing electricity in states like Wisconsin and all over the country.”

A handful of buyers are using enteric methane and soil carbon projects in the supply chain context, Schuster said. Enteric methane reductions can be achieved through feed additives, and certain seaweeds have been shown to reduce enteric methane production in ruminants.

The estimated value of such projects is two credits per animal per year. At a price of $15 per credit, the expected payback would be $30 per animal per year.

“Efcacy and dosage amount can make this number move a lot,” Schuster said.

When it comes to soil carbon management, changes to farming practices can generate carbon credits if they reduce or improve nitrogen application and build soil carbon. The estimated value is one credit per acre per year at a price of $15 per credit.

“This is optimistic,” Schuster said. “You need to stack practices to realize one credit per acre.”

According to Schuster, credits generated from these activities that can be demonstrated to be in an organization’s supply chain can dramatically increase the value. However, there are limited transactions at $40 per credit.

Major companies such as Nestle, The North Face and Walmart are investing in sustainable agriculture, Ryan Stockwell said. Senior manager for grower engagement at Indigo Agriculture, Stockwell also operates the north central Wisconsin farm he grew up on, where he raises cash crops.

Stockwell identied two paths for farmers interested in partnering with corporations looking to meet climate goals. The rst is the supply chain insets market where farmers can earn premiums for crops grown with qualifying sustainable practices, regardless of best practices. This is a newer concept with programs still developing, Stockwell said. Various farming practices are eligible based on the requirements of the buyer. The farmer receives a cash premium for the crop after harvest and delivery.

with A/C, 2 Spd, 2500 Hours & Up......................Starting at $35,900

‘19 S-450, Glass Cab & Heater, 2500 Hrs ....$24,500

‘18 Cat 236D, 775 Hours .............................$43,900

‘14 Toro 22321, 1251 Hours, Tracks Good, Gas ............................................................$15,900

‘17 MT-85, 1350 Hours................................$17,500

USED TILLAGE

‘16 W-R 13QX2 53’, 3 Bar Harrow

w/Rolling Baskets ......................................$69,500

‘12 W-R 13QX2 50’, 5 Bar Spike Harrow .....$28,500

‘12 W-R 13QX2 47’, 3 Bar Harrow

w/Rolling Baskets ......................................$34,500

‘04 W-R Excel 38’, 4 Bar Harrow .................$12,900

W-R 3400, 30’ 4 Bar Harrow .........................$4,500

(3) W-R 513 Soil Pro, 9 Shank ...Starting at $25,000

‘17 W-R 657, 13’ 3 Bar Mulcher ..................$17,500

‘11 W-R 5800 Chisel Plow, 39’ ....................$25,500

‘02 Case I-H 9300, 9 Shank Disc Ripper ......$16,900

DMI ET5 Ripper .............................................$7,500

J-D 2700 Plow, 4 Bottom, Vari Width ............$1,500

Kewanee 1020, 21’ Disk ................................$2,750

USED PLANTERS

White 6100, 12x30, Verticle Fold .................$10,900

White 6700, 12x30, Verticle Fold ...................$7,500

Case I-H 900, 12x30, 3 Point .........................$4,950

USED HAY EQUIPMENT

‘12 N-H H-7450, 13’ Discbine, Drawbar Swivel ..........................................$20,500

‘05 N-H 1431, 13’ Discbine, Std Hitch .........$14,900

‘95 N-H 499, 12’ Haybine...............................$4,250

‘97 N-H 1465, 9’ Haybine...............................$9,500

‘90 N-H 492, 9’ Haybine.................................$6,500

New Idea 5209 ...............................................$6,500

John Deere 260 Dsicmower...........................$3,500

N-H 790, 824 Cornhead, Hayhead .................$7,950

Meyer 500TSS Forage Box ............................$7,500

‘16 N-H 460 Rd Baler, CropCutter ................$28,500

‘02 N-H 648 Rd Baler, Twine Only, Nice Shape$9,000

‘95 N-H 660 Rd Baler .....................................$4,950

‘20 N-H BC-5060 Baler w/thrower ...............$24,900

‘07 H&S HDX-17, 17 Wheel Rake ................$12,900

Tonutti V14, 12 Wheel Rake...........................$3,750

New Idea 402 Rake ...........................................$850

N-H 144 Invertor............................................$2,500

USED MISC

(2)

The second path is the carbon credit offsets market in which farmers can earn long-term annual revenue by adding qualifying sustainable practices. Farmers choose from eligible practices that sequester carbon in the soil. Farmers receive payments for credits that are generated and sold, and payments are often vested.

“Carbon credits are tied to a commodity, which simplies payment structure,” Stockwell said.

Sustainable crop programs enable farmers to earn a premium for their crops.

Stockwell said buyers are paying more for crops grown using practices that conserve resources and reduce emissions.

Making practice changes on the farm is the backbone of the carbon program. Stockwell said farmers get paid when they prove through farm records that they made those qualifying changes.

“Your rst year in the carbon program, you will need to provide eld records from three or more years to set a baseline so Indigo can calculate your carbon credits,” Stockwell said. “After that, you will only need to enter information

on the current season.”

Eligible practices include adding or extending cover crops, diversifying crop rotation or reducing tillage. Farmers receive a portion of the carbon credit price or a straight per-acre payment.

Agronomic exibility and contract length vary by program.

“For most programs, when you produce more carbon, you earn more income,” Stockwell said.

Before signing up for a carbon program, Stockwell suggests asking the following questions: What practices qual-

ify? Is the program backed by notable partners? How long has it been around? Does the program stand to win when growers get more money, or is there another corporate motive? Are payments competitive and paid in cash? Are the farm’s elds and crops eligible? Are credits backed by a third-party registry, giving the program the scientic rigor buyers are demanding?

“There are no right or wrong answers necessarily,” Stockwell said. “It’s about nding the right t for your comfort level.”

OR CASH BACK ON VERMEER 504 R-SERIES BALERS

TAKE ADVANTAGE TODAY

Now through April 30, 2023, quali ed buyers can receive 0% interest for up to 48 months or up to $2,000 cash back on the purchase of Vermeer 504 R-series balers.

Rolling herd averages above DHIA average dollar value in 2022

This list of herds by county includes dairy farms who have production above state average based on dollar value. They also have given permission to publish their data. Thank you to all DHIA dairies who choose to submit data to the Genetic Evaluation System that has served the industry so well over the years, beginning with sire summaries and cow genetic evaluations and then resulting in the development and continuing calibration of genomics.

Carver DHIA

Fillmore DHIA representative

Douglas DHIA representative

Quick fruit salad

Your favorite canned fruit, drained well

Shredded coconut, optional

From the kitchen of: Patti Stadler of Birnamwood, Wisconsin

Miniature marshmallows, optional Vanilla Greek yogurt

Simply mix all ingredients in a bowl. Can be served in fancy dish adorned with drained cherry halve to make it special.

Veggie pizza

2 (8-count) cans crescent rolls

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon each dillweed and onion powder

1 teaspoon each garlic and seasoned salt

3/4 cup mayonnaise

From the kitchen of: Patti Stadler of Birnamwood, Wisconsin

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

3 carrots, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 cup broccoli, finely chopped

1 cup celery, finely chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Separate roll dough into rectangles. Spread in a 9-by-13 baking pan; seal perforations. Bake at 400 degrees for 9 minutes or until light brown. Cool. Beat cream cheese, sour cream, seasonings and mayonnaise in mixer bowl until smooth. Spread over baked layer. Sprinkle with vegetables and cheese. Chill until serving; cut into squares. Yields 32 servings.

Lemon three-layer dessert

First layer: 1 cup flour

FEEDER CATTLE AUCTION

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 11 am EXPECTING 200HEAD

SPECIAL MONTHLY DAIRY HEIFER AUCTION

From the kitchen of: Patti Stadler of Birnamwood, Wisconsin

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix together with a pastry blender. Press into a 9-by-13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Second layer: 8 ounces cream cheese

Mix and spread on top of the first layer.

Third layer: 2 small packages of instant pudding (butter pecan, lemon)

1 cup Cool Whip

1 cup powdered sugar

3 cups milk

Beat until thickened. Pour over top of the second layer. Spread a thin layer of Cool Whip over the pudding layer. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate.

DAIRY CATTLE AUCTION

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 11:00 am

COMPLETE RETIREMENT HERD DISPERSAL #1

75 5 Holstein Dairy Cows and Heifers, including some Red Holstein, cows housed in freestalls, milked in tiestall. Cows will sell on test. Averaging 80# with top cows milking 120-130# 4.1BF 3.1P 100scc. 25 years AI breeding using, proven polled sires through Select Sires. regular vaccination program. (15)Heifers, FANCY & SHARP! Mostly polled, some fancy Red & Whites., shortbreds through springers! Very good herd of dairy cows with excellent feet, legs and udders! Coming from Steve and Linda Meyer, Westby, WI

COMPLETE RETIREMENT HERD DISPERSAL #2

After 50 years of farming Bob has decided to retire.

37 Certi ed Organic Dairy Cows, mostly Friesian/ Fleckvieh Crosses, herd includes (2)dry cows (4) springing heifers. Cows sell on test, 50# 3.97BF 3.1P scc110. Milked in Herrinbone parlor, on a bedded pack. Cows and heifers are bred to a Fleckveih bull sired by Canadian John Pop. Coming from Robert DePauw, Port Bryon, IL

HERD DISPERSAL #3 #3

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 11:00 am EXPECTING 500 HEAD OF DAIRY HEIFERS! Call with your consignments! See our website for updated listings! FEATURING COMPLETE HEIFER DISPERSAL 126 REGISTERED BROWN SWISS Dairy Heifers! TOP END! 40 years of AI, with TOP sires through Select Sires, ST Genetics, New Generation Genetics. A few highlight sires include Daredevil, Powerball, Skyhigh, Famous, Deluxe, and Speed P. Lots of show prospects in this FANCY group including many show age heifers. Extensive vaccination program. Full individual pedigree information coming soon. Herd includes approx. (10) newborn March calves (32) 200-300# (24) 300-400# (24) 400-600# (24) 650800# (12) short serviced and con rmed pregnant. Coming from Siegert Swiss, Iowa Owner number - Dan 563-599-5091 *Pedigrees and pictures on our website! ORGANIC ORGANIC

30 Certi ed Organic Holstein, Red Holstein, Shorthorn Cross, Jersey Cross, and Normande Cross Dairy Cows. Cows milked in swing 8 Herringbone parlor, out side everyday, bunk fed. (20) just fresh!!! 4.36BF 3.27P 175scc. Certi ed Organic for over 20 years. Polled genetics throughout, many years AI thorough Accelerated Genetics. Coming from Bill Morren, Hillsboro WI

Always a great selection of dairy heifers at Premier Livestock and Auctions! DRIVE-INS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! PLEASE HAVE IN BY 10:30 AM

2023 SPECIAL SPRING SHEEP AND GOAT AUCTION DATES

PREMIUM PRICES PAID FOR YOUR LAMBS AND KID GOATS! Accepting Sheep and Goats 6-8pm Wednesday evening. Have all sheep and goats in by 9:30am Thursday morning!

Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 10:00 am

Thursday, June 15, 2023 at 10:00 am

Weekly Highlights at Premier

Another busy week at Premier Livestock and Auctions, with 2,350 head sold. A strong market on all cattle. Wednesday we sold 215 head of dairy cattle, with 2 herd dispersals. Market was steady with high quality dairy cows $2,0002,600. Good quality dairy cows $1,300-1,975. Lower quality & blemished cows $1,275 and down. Top quality springing heifers $1,600-2,150.

Scan the code for a direct link to our website!

Top market cows this week 90-108#. Top market bulls 100-113#. Top fed Hol steers 145-150#. Top Holstein bull Calves $200-285 per head. Top beef calves $300-485 per head. We appreciate your business. We couldn’t do it without all of our livestock truckers, consignors, bidders, buyers and employees! Thank you for choosing Premier Livestock to sell and buy your cattle.

HARDWORKING. JOB-TESTED. COMMITTED .

From Field to Farm

The Penta line of Dump Trailers are designed to get your crop from the field to your farm. Ranging in size from 1050 Cubic feet to 2475 Cubic feet there is one ready for you. Farmer focused features like better visibility in the box and the unique reverse tilt for better filling, all built as tough as you.

Farm Feeding

RT Track Loaders feature pilot joystick controls with the exclusive IdealTrax™ automatic track tensioning system and the IdealAccess™ fold-up door.

‘20 Mustang 1900R, H/F Ctrls, Dsl, 2200 Lift Cap, C&H, 2 Spd, 2,800 hrs ............................$33,500

‘14 Gehl R260, T-Bar Ctrls, Dsl, 2600 Lift Cap, C/H/A, 2 Spd, 3,725 hrs ............................$31,900

‘13 Gehl R220,

Mustang 2100RT, ISO Ctrls, Dsl, 450x 56x86 Tracks, 3000 Lift Cap,C&H, 2 Spd, 613 hrs - $43,800

2500 Lift Cap, C&H, 2 spd, 3890 hrs .............................$38,800

4625, T-Bar Ctrls, 46HP Dsl, SS .......................................$11,900

Kuhn Knight PS150, 500 Bu Vert Beaters, New Apron Chains, New Beater Teeth ........................$35,250

H&S 310, 540PTO, 295/75-22.5 Tires .................$9,600

Balzer 4800, 23.1x26 Tires, 4800 Gal, No Injectors ..........................$7,300

Jamesway Vacu-Pump, 6” Transfer Pump, 11L-15 Tires, 540 PTO$3,400

Houle 13, 1 3/8, 1000PTO, 13’ Depth ..............................$4,900

NH S676, 540PTO, Selling As Is ..........................$1,700

The best quality feed needs the best quality mix. Penta TMR Mixers are designed, tested and farm proven to deliver the best mix on the market. Our Hurricane Auger allows forage to circulate faster through the mix for quicker processing and mixing times.

From farm to field

The Penta (Hagedorn) line of Manure Spreaders allows you to make the best use of your organic nutrient resources. The Hagedorn Spreaders processes the manure finer with the best spread pattern. This lets your field make better use of this rich resource.

www.pentaequipment.com

‘16 H&S BW1000, 11Lx15 Tires, 6’ Bales, 13,500 Bales On Counter ................................ $24,900

‘16 Kuhn GMD240, 540 PTO, 7’ 10” Cut ................................$9,500

‘19 H&S LW1100 Linewrap, Wrap 6’ Bales, at 2,800 For Bale Count$31,000

Tubeline TL1700SR, Square Bale

3’x3’ Up to 7’ Long, Rd Bale 4’x4’ To

5’x6’, Trailer Hitch, 13HP Honda Self Contained, Hyd Drive, Twin Bale Wrap Stretchers .............................$29,950

USED TMRS/MIXERS

‘15 SAC 6160 Turbo Max, 600 CuFt, Turbo Paddle Reel, 4 Auger Power Discharge ............................$32,500

‘12 Penta 6720HD, 540PTO, 670 CuFt, Flat Conveyor ......$19,500

‘15 Penta 4130, 450 Cubic Feet, 3’ Right Hand Conveyor ......$22,900

TRACTORS

JD 469 Premium, 4x5 Bales, Net, Twine, No Monitor, ISO Boss ..$27,500 ‘19 McHale V6750, 4x5.5’ bales, surface wrap, auto wrap, bale kicker, cutter rotor, 900 bales .............$55,500 NH Roll-Belt 560, 2800 bales...$44,500

‘15 Anderson Hybrid X, Up To 6’ Rd & 6’ Sq Bales, GX630 20HP Honda Engine, 4 Stretchers, Hyd Push Extractors, Bale Row Guidance, Large Fuel Tank,Self Propelled ........$26,500

Kuhn SR110, 10 Whl Rake, Center

Kicker, 21’ Raking Width .........$6,350

Hiniker 4000, 15’ Stalk Chopper, 9.50L-15 Tires.........................$5,500

Highline CFR650 ....................$18,500

‘14 KIDD 450, 540 PTO, 5x6 bale ...............................$19,300

MISCELLANEOUS

Woods M5-4, 5’ Width, 3 point mount, Single Tail Wheel.....$1,250 Cabelas RC2072 Slip Clutch, 3 pt mt, 6’ Width, Frt & Rear Chains, Single Tail Wheel, Made By Woods ..................$2,900 Extreme 69” Brush Cutter, 11-20GMP ..........................$3,250

Edge HB3 Breaker, skid loader mnts, Hyd breaker, 1pt ........$4,500 Virnig Pallet Forks ..................$650 4 in 1 Bucket, 84” .................$2,300

‘18 Grouser Tracks, 18 Pads, Fits JD 320G or Loader with a 44.2” Whl base, All new bushings and pins ..............................$2,300

Grouser 12” Tracks, Fits Cat 246B .......................$1,200

Tracks, Fits 2054, 10x16.5 Tires, Has Rubber Pads ...............$ 1,000 Frontier RC2048 Rotary Mower, 48” Width, 3 Pt ...................$1,500

Farm King 72” Finish Mower, 3 Pt, Right Side Discharge ..........$1,500 Westendorf 4300, Brush Cutter ........................$1,200

JBM Bale Trailer, 8 bales .....$3,700

Black Max, 22” Blower

76” Width, Hyd Drive with Skid Mts, 2125 GPM Hyd Requirement .....$3,800

Oliver 550, 2 WD, 46 HP .......$4,900