April 13, 2024 Dairy Star - 2nd section

2008

2012

Clasemanns embrace robotic milking system

By Tiff

any Klaphake

tiff

any.k@dairystar.com

LONG PRAIRIE, Minn.

— A lot of options exist when choosing a robotic milking system.

The Clasemanns discovered that nding the right setup and personalizing it takes time and effort, but the change has worked out well for their dairy farm near Long Prairie.

Tony and Debi Clasemann along with their son, Marc, and his girlfriend, Jill Mitchell, operate Clasemann Dairy LLC.

They milk 220 cows with four GEA DairyRobot R9500 milking units. March marked one year since the Clasemanns installed the robots, and they chose the occasion to host an open house showcasing their setup.

Over 30 years ago, Tony and Debi began milking in a stanchion barn. They switched to a parlor and freestall barn in 2004. Several factors led the family to install robots last year.

“Our parlor was at the point where we either needed

Finding the right

to stick a bunch of money into it or switch to robots,” Tony said.

Tony also faced knee surgery and was experiencing back problems, so it was time to make a change.

With Tony and Debi looking to retire or scale back from dairy farming, Marc needed to nd an option that would allow him and Mitchell to handle most of the work and simultaneously alleviate their struggles to nd and maintain hired help. Robots seemed like a solution.

“I was the main pusher for the robots,” Marc said. “With Dad retiring, I needed a way to manage everything with less help.”

With the robots, there is a reduced need for employees, and this has helped the family with the farm’s nances.

“I am able to make the payments for the robots with the money I was spending on payroll,” Tony said.

Before choosing their robotic milking setup, the Clasemanns and Mitchell did online research on different systems. They also reached out to Centre Dairy in Sauk Centre.

“Talking with Jon Stein at Centre Dairy really got the ball rolling,” Tony said. “From there, we asked a lot of questions and explored our options.”

For Marc, who manages

crops and oversees farming operations, and Mitchell, who is taking over as herd manager, the feature that drove their robot selection was the option to attach the milking unit manually.

“We have every bit of ac-

cess to an animal while she is in the robot stall that we had while in the parlor,” Mitchell said. “We can treat, dry off or manually attach the milker right in the robot stall.”

A year into the transition, the Clasemanns and Mitchell

QUALITY that lasts for the LONG RUN

agreed that incorporating robots, while a bit nerve-wracking during the process, was worth it.

Jourdain

Jourdain

TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Trevor May (front, from le ), Debi Clasemann and Jill Mitchell; (back, from le ) Dennis Ebnet, Toni Clasemann and Marc Clasemann pause for a photo March 27 at Clasemann Dairy LLC near Long Prairie, Minnesota. Tony and Debi, along with their son, Marc, and his girlfriend, Jill, operate the farm that milks 220 cows with four robo c milking units.

“The rst six weeks, we were questioning why we did this,” Tony said. “The rst week, I was getting about four hours of sleep a day. It was stressful. But now, I don’t even touch about 90% of the cows. I do my two hours of chores in the morning, and then, I am done for the day.”

Since the Clasemanns already had a freestall barn, they added 48 feet to the barn to make room for the robots and a sorting pen. They also incorporated a 60foot addition to the dry cow pen. They continue to bed with sand because they have been happy with it for cow comfort, Tony said. The four robotic units are split, with two on each side of the barn that milk 110 cows per side.

Soon after, they were sitting at close to a 15-pound increase on average.

“We have a couple of cows that have hit 180 pounds a day at their peak but now will stay at 150 pounds for the rest of their lactation,” Tony said. “A lot of our rst-time heifers will give 80100 pounds a day.”

“It’s been fun seeing the cows adjust. It’s been a lot of work, but seeing the cows improve has been rewarding.”

TONY CLASEMANN, DAIRY FARMER

“It takes 1.5-2 hours of walking through the barns in the morning and again at night,” Mitchell said. “That includes checking our treated animals, fresh animals and trouble animals.”

Cows visit the robots on average 2.8 times per day, Tony said. The numerous functions of electronic collars have aided efciency and improved cow health. Tony said their cull rate was lower than expected at start up.

“The cows will get separated by the robot according to their collar,” Tony said. “So, when I get out there, I can easily nd them if I need to breed them or when we have herd health (checks). I don’t have to run around the whole freestall barn trying to nd them. This has made all our lives and the veterinarian’s life so much easier.”

With a few adjustments since the initial installation, the Clasemanns have customized their setup to t their needs, and their cows have ourished.

Tony said they were told to expect a 10-pound increase in milk production per cow on average after installing their robotic system. When the setup was rst installed, the Clasemanns discovered a need to adjust the herd’s ration to get production back on an even keel.

“It’s been fun seeing the cows adjust,” Tony said. “It’s been a lot of work, but seeing the cows improve has been rewarding.”

EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR

Jill Mitchell reads informa on about a cow April 9 on one of the four GEA DairyRobot R9500 milking units at Clasemann Dairy LLC near Long Prairie, Minnesota. The Clasemanns hosted an open house March 27 to celebrate one year of robo c milking.

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

April 18, 2024

May 2, 2024

The “Mielke” Market Weekly

By Lee Mielke

US dairy exports up for rst time in a year

The dairy industry remains captivated by the diagnosis of highly pathogenic avian inuenza, now conrmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on dairy farms in Kansas, Texas, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Idaho. Analysis is underway for additional presumptive positive tests from herds in Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio and Texas.

One case has been conrmed in Idaho, three in Kansas, one in Michigan, two in New Mexico, one in Ohio and seven in Texas. Restrictions on dairy cattle movement are in place in Delaware, Idaho, Nebraska, Tennessee and Utah.

“There continues to be no concern about the safety of the milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health, because products are pasteurized before entering the market, per the Food and Drug Administration,” the National Milk Producers Federation said. “Only milk from heathy animals is authorized for distribution into interstate commerce for human consumption. Additionally, pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, including inuenza, in milk.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that a person in Texas tested positive for avian inuenza after exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with the H5N1 bird u.

“The patient reported eye redness as their only symptom and is recovering,” the CDC said.

The U.S. human risk assessment remains low, however, according to the CDC.

“People with close or prolonged, unprotected exposures to infected birds or other animals (including livestock) or to environments contaminated by infected birds or other animals are at greater risk of infection,” the CDC said.

HighGround Dairy reports that this is actually the second person to have tested positive for inuenza A (H5N1) viruses in the U.S. A previous case occurred in 2022 in Colorado. The CDC notes that human infections of avian inuenza are uncommon but have occurred sporadically worldwide.

Speaking in the April 8 “Dairy Radio Now” broadcast, StoneX broker Dave Kurzawski said no one knows what impact this outbreak will have on the market, but we have historical reference.

He said Christmas Eve 2003, Mad Cow Disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) was rst reported in dairy cows in Washington state.

“The cattle markets broke hard over it, and the price of cheese went from $1.2975 per pound to $2.20 in April, four months later, because other things mattered more,” Kurzawski said. “When the U.S. consumer hears cattle, they think beef. They don’t necessarily think milk on their cereal or cheese on their pizza, but it’s early in this ongoing situation.”

He does not think it will matter much for dairy demand.

If it spreads, the impact would be more on the supply side, he said, because cows produce less milk as they

get sick, some do not bounce back, and some even die. The markets may be concerned about it, but he doesn’t see it as a long-term problem.

“Short of putting a giant net over the dairy to keep birds out, there’s probably not a lot more that can be done other than what farmers are already doing, such as washing equipment and trucks more thoroughly,” Kurzawski said.

The March federal order Class III milk price was announced at $16.34 per hundredweight, up 26 cents from February but $1.76 below March 2023. The threemonth average stands at $15.86, down from $18.44 at this time a year ago and $21.25 in 2022.

Class III futures remain disturbing. The April contract was trading late Friday morning at $15.55; May, $16.36; June, $16.93; July, $17.42; August, $17.97; September, $18.22; October, $18.30; November, $18.20; and December, $17.91.

The March Class IV price is $20.09, up 24 cents from February, $1.71 above a year ago and the highest since November 2023. Its three-month average is at $19.78, up from $19.08 a year ago but compares to $23.97 in 2022.

Dairy margins deteriorated further the last half of March as milk prices continued to move lower while feed costs held steady, according to the latest Margin Watch from Chicago-based Commodity & Ingredient Hedging LLC.

“While USDA’s latest monthly milk production report reected a continued trend of declining output, the cold storage report was negative for cheese inventories which has kept pressure on that market and Class 3 milk futures,” MW said. “USDA reported February milk production at 18.1 billion pounds, down 1.3% from a year ago, after adjusting for this year’s leap day. February marked the eighth consecutive monthly decline from year-ago comparisons and the largest monthly production decline year-over-year since January 2022. January’s milk output was also further revised down to reect a 1.2% decline from 2023, with February’s dairy cow herd at 9.33 million head, down 89,000 from last year but up 10,000 from January’s revised estimate. February’s monthly increase in the milking cow herd was the largest in nearly a year and may suggest the economics of cow retention have started to shift for some operations.”

The MW also detailed the avian inuenza outbreak.

“Increased biosecurity measures will limit heifer movement and the culling of unproductive animals may further tighten supply,” MW said.

Most cash dairy prices start April higher as traders try to anticipate the effects of the inuenza outbreak. The CME cheddar blocks closed Friday at $1.5150 per pound, up 9.75 cents on the week, highest since March 4, but are still 31.50 cents below a year ago, as traders awaited Friday afternoon’s February dairy products report.

The cheddar barrels nished at $1.53, 10.25 cents higher, 19 cents below a year ago and 1.50 cents above the blocks. There were 42 loads of block traded on the

week, highest since the week of June 26, 2023, and 29 of barrel.

Midwest cheesemakers tell Dairy Market News that milk is widely available, which is expected in the early spring season and just after a holiday weekend.

Early week spot milk prices were not as low, nor as high, as the previous week but within the range $5- to $3-under Class III. Cheesemakers say plant downtime, along with the holiday weekend, added milk availability, but there are more questions from contacts regarding near-term milk availability than answers, according to DMN. Last year, spot prices ranged from $11- to $3-under Class.

Manufacturers report cheese production is strong in the West. Milk volume is plentiful due to the season and spring breaks cycling through the region. Industry participants convey strong to steady cheese demand. Demand from pizza makers has strengthened this year compared to the prior year, DMN said.

Butter closed Friday at $2.94 per pound, highest CME price since Nov. 6, 2023’s $3.01, up 9.75 cents on the week and 62.25 cents above a year ago on 33 sales.

Butter makers in the Upper Midwest say demand has held somewhat steady with recent weeks. Year-overyear sales, both prior to and just following the holiday, were a bit lower than last year. Food service demand is following the same pattern. Cream remains widely accessible. That said, some of the sub-1.00 multiples from the previous week were not reported this week. Some Central butter makers have cream deliveries locked in through the rest of April. Butter markets continue to meet or beat expectations, DMN said.

Butter makers convey strong to steady production in the West as they build inventories for fourth quarter ahead of summer churn maintenance. Domestic butter demand is strong to steady following the recent shorter holiday week.

Grade A nonfat dry milk closed the week at $1.1325 per pound, up 1.25 cents and 0.75 cents above a year ago, with 12 sales reported on the week.

Dry whey saw its Friday nish at 39 cents per pound, down 1.25 cents on the week but 2.50 cents above a year ago, with four sales on the board for the week.

The week ending March 23 saw 57,600 dairy cows go to slaughter, up 200 from the previous week but 8,600, or 13%, below a year ago. Year-to-date, 691,100 head have been culled, down 113,600, or 14.1%, from a year ago.

U.S. dairy exports topped those of a year ago for the rst time in a year, according to the USDA’s latest data. The total of 483.8 million pounds, adjusted for leap year, is up 5.5% from February 2023 and set a monthly record. HighGround Dairy credited increased sales to Mexico, up 4.5%, and Southeast Asia, up 20%, though exports to China were down 24%.

Cheese exports totaled 95.6 million pounds, up 27.3% from a year ago, up for the fourth consecutive month and the largest since June 2022.

“Given the average cold storage data for February, the rm export number would suggest that domestic demand was pretty poor,” HGD said. “This surge is primarily attributed to massive shipments to Mexico, which totaled 36.6 million pounds and set a new monthly record.”

HGD said cheddar exports rebounded after a year of decline and hit their highest level since January 2023.

Nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder sailings hit 148.9 million pounds, up 3.4%, despite reports of weak demand. Exports to Mexico were down; however, Southeast Asia saw imports jump 39%. Volumes also rose to Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.

Butter exports totaled just 5.1 million pounds, down 35.3%. HGD said the February’s sales likely reect bookings made as butter prices declined from their record-high levels in fall 2023. Butter imports were up 32.6%, the largest volume since March 2023, and the third-highest on record, according to HGD.

Whey exports were down 5.7%, due to reduced shipments to China where the hog sector is continuing to experience difculties, and demand for feed-grade products remains sluggish, according to HGD. Whey protein concentrates saw an uptick in both categories, however, reecting sustained strong demand worldwide, HGD said.

Trading looked a little brighter in Tuesday’s Global Dairy Trade auction, which saw the weighted average regain the 2.8% it dropped March 19. Traders brought 41.3 million pounds of product to market, down from 43.3 million March 19, and the lowest since May 19, 2020. The average metric ton price climbed to $3,558, up from $3,497 March 19.

Cheddar led the gains, up 4.1% after dropping 1.9% March 19. Whole milk powder followed, up 3.4%, after dropping 4.2%. Skim milk powder was up 1.4%, after a 4.8% descent. Butter was up 3.1%, after slipping 1.4% last time, and anhydrous milkfat was up 2.3%, following a 2.5% rise. Lactose was down 3.1%, after dropping 4.4% last time, and buttermilk powder was off 0.5%.

StoneX said the GDT 80% butterfat butter price equates to $2.9171 per pound, up 8.1 cents from March 19, and compares to CME butter which closed Friday at $2.94. GDT cheddar, at $1.9685, was up 6.7 cents, and compares to Friday’s CME block cheddar at $1.5150. GDT skim milk powder averaged $1.1568 per pound, up from $1.1417, and whole milk powder averaged $1.4726 per pound, up from $1.4258. CME Grade A nonfat dry milk closed Friday at $1.1325 per pound.

“North Asia purchases, which includes China, were stronger than the previous GDT event but weaker than year-ago levels,” said analyst Dustin Winston. “Southeast Asia purchases were reduced from both the last event and last year’s levels.

“The big takeaway was the increase in interest from the Middle East and Europe, where purchase volume increased from both the last GDT event and last year. Middle East purchases tend to be strong in the second half of Ramadan, and this is in line with that trend.”

Cooperatives Working Together member cooperatives accepted 29 offers of export assistance this week that helped capture sales of 2.5 million pounds of American-type cheese, 309,000 pounds of butter, 454,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 628,000 pounds of whole milk powder and 600,000 pounds of cream cheese. The product is going to customers in Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, Middle East-North Africa and Oceania through August.

The NMPF submitted its nal, formal legal brief on their behalf for Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization to USDA. The NMPF brief, which was submitted March 29, emphasized that, “Those farmers are the reason the system exists and that, by law, their priorities are pre-eminent in USDA consideration of a nal plan.”

“Our proposed package of proposals to the Federal Milk Marketing Order align thoroughly with its mission and purpose, which were intended to put farmers rst,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO, NMPF. “We’ve spent nearly three years painstakingly assembling the broad consensus among dairy farmers that modernization needs to succeed. Our approach is careful and comprehensive, and it benets farmers of all regions and types of operations.”

Complete details are posted at https://www.nmpf. org/nmpf-fmmo-modernization-comments-put-farmersrst.

Meanwhile, the International Dairy Foods Association reports that USDA is expected to soon release a nal rule revising the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children food package.

“With it, the food and nutrition benets of nearly 6 million mothers and children under the age of 5 are at risk of being cut,” the IDFA said.

The new Morning Consult poll, commissioned by the IDFA, showed 4 in 5 WIC participants (79%) are concerned with the USDA proposal, up from 3 in 4 participants (76%) polled in December 2022.

One-third (35%) of respondents said they will need to use non-WIC funds to cover purchases of milk and dairy, and an additional one-third (33%) said the reduction will make their shopping for milk and dairy products harder, according to the poll. Roughly one-third (34%) were unsure if they would re-enroll in the program following the proposed cuts.

on homegrown feed with very little grain and no protein. Some nice young cows and well grown heifers! Joe Yoder, Augusta, WI

Early Consignments Dairy Cattle

EXPECTING 40 EXTREME TOP COWS!!

Call John Ivan to consign cows 715-219-2781

Early

Call Irvin to consign bulls 715-626-0002 Red & White Holstein 15 month old and proven! A2A2 aAa (342) Performer X Ad Dezi RC.10.5 yr old dam w/180,000 lifetime 3.7 X 2.9; (2) Holstein bulls. #452 born 11-24-22. Headliner x Snowmobile. Dam in 329 days made 27,578M, 930F. aAa 234. Proven! #456 born 1-19-23. Aerostar x unidentified dam. 1st lac in 290 days made 20,604M. aAa 423. Proven!; All Things Red x Jesh born 4-14-22. aAa 5341, A2/A2. Proven!! Maneuver x Rex born 12-6-22. aAa 6214. Polled. Dam and sire are A2/A2. As nice as you’ll find!!; Jersey bull. Sire; Vallie born 4-26-23. Sire and dam are A2; Enlight x Black Onyx born 4-27-23. Sire and dam are A2; Brown Swiss yearling bull. Skyhigh, dam made 25k milk as a 3 yr old; R&W Warrior son. Dam made 25k as a 3 yr old; B&W Renegade son. Dam made 23k as a 3 yr old. Yearling Sim/Ang bull, Polled, proven!; Semen Tank and Semen MVE 20 tank in excellent condition; Good old bulls!! Durham, Allen, Raider, Astronaut, Dundee, Linjet, Advent, Stormatic, CC Majesty.

feeder cattle. One nice group of 726 lb Holstein strs with no shots brought $1.82.

Calves across the board trending lower. Beef cross calves mostly $730-845, Top $890. Holstein bull calves $480-585. Top $610.

Market cows

FARM program undergoes triennial review

Revisions to animal care are minimal throughout 2024.

By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com

JUNEAU, Wis. — The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management program is in its 15th year and recently underwent its triennial review, creating what is referred to as Animal Care Version 5.

Emily Yeiser Stepp, executive director of the National Dairy FARM program at the National Milk Producers Federation, shared updates to the program March 19 on “The Dairy Signal” podcast.

“It has evolved into a holistic on-farm social responsibility program area that supports our dairy industry to have a unied voice around those key social responsibility areas,” Yeiser Stepp said. “It has worked in our favor that as a dairy farmer funded and led program, we are collectively working on behalf of the industry to communicate those wins and celebration areas that we have in the industry to protect our place on the grocery shelves.”

Adjustments to the animal care pillar are minor and will be implemented July 1. The adjustments focus on renements. For example, in euthanasia protocol, a secondary person will need to be identied in case the primary person cannot be on-site to perform the procedure in a timely fashion.

Focus is also given to the importance of lameness protocols and identifying how to continue to improve locomotion because of the impact it has on other facets of the dairy, specically the bottom line. Producers are encouraged to take a proactive approach to lameness and evaluate the prevalence of moderately lame cows so they do not move into the severely lame category.

There is also a slight renement around disbudding expectations. The program is striving to ensure pain management is in place and that either cautery or paste disbudding is being used.

“We are following the guidance from the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, the membership-based organization for our cattle vets, and continuing to emphasize these best practices,” Yeiser Stepp said.

Scientists working with the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy work to create and manage the scientic model for the environmental stewardship pillar of the FARM program. The introductory phase of that model update that will be integrated into the third iteration of FARM ES, which will be launched July 1, with additional facets evolving and rened

“We’re excited about the potential here,” Yeiser Stepp said. “In the past, our environmental stewardship platform has provided a number. But, a lot of the feedback from farmers included an ask around what to do with that number. Resources and programs like (Professional Dairy Producer’s) Your Farm — Your Footprint and our FARM ES program tie into that beautifully once it all comes together. Certainly, (it will) allow for our producer network to take advantage of the multitude of opportunities that are out there in the environmental and sustainability space.”

The human resources and workforce development program area that was initiated in 2020, with the focus of demonstrating best practices in human resources and safety on dairy farms, is in place to help producers who are seeking support in on-farm implementation of human resources and safety practices. As average cow numbers increase on farms, operations may transition from a family-operated business to one that employs help. The focus is on safety and best practices when managing people.

“I’ll reinforce that we are not the (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), and it is not FARM’s role to check legal compliance,” Yeiser Stepp said. “Our role as the FARM program is to ensure that everyone knows their legal obligations to support awareness around those best management practices.”

Participation in the workforce development side includes about 15 cooperatives and processors. It operates voluntarily and differs from animal care in that it is based on best practices and there is no aspect for corrective action.

“As customers continue to have questions about our farm workforce, we have a tool and a resource to let them know what is available and that we are helping our producers continue to advance in this space,” Yeiser Stepp said.

Revisions to the FARM program are taken seriously and come to fruition through a rigorous process. The revision involves a task force of dairy farmers, dairy veterinarians, a dairy well care specialist, and cooperative and processor staff in addition to the NMPF committees and board along with a farmer advisory council of about 20 dairy producers, Yeiser Stepp said.

“As we are embracing the end of this current program cycle and looking forward to the new program cycle, we will also be soliciting new members of our various task forces in addition to new members of our farmer advisory council,” Yeiser Stepp said. “Starting at the end of 2024, we will be reaching out to the industry for nominations so that we can get people seated and in place by the summer of 2025.”

Area Hay Auction Results

April 3, 34 loads Small Squares

April 4, 80 loads

Small Squares

3rd crop $365/ton

5th crop $365/ton

Grass $142.50-295/ton

Large Squares

1st crop $175/ton

2nd crop $165-222.50/ton

3rd crop $185-190/ton

4th crop $235/ton

Mixed $140-167.50/ton

Straw $40-100/ton

1st crop

Large Rounds

$167.50/ton

2nd crop $152.50-197.50/ton

3rd crop $170-215/ton

4th crop $180/ton

Grass $150-207.50/ton

Mixed $145/ton

Corn stalks $47.50/ton

Andersons breed top tier genetics in Australia

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

DROUIN WEST, Australia — At Kings Ville Jerseys are cows whose genetics can be traced to a cow that came to Australia aboard a ship from England.

Rob and Kerrie Anderson and their daughter, Holly, and two staff members milk 280 cows near Drouin West. The Andersons operate a grass-fed dairy that calves twice a year. Their cows are raised on 450 acres of pasture year-round.

Rob is the fourth generation of his family to milk cows, with family roots going to the 1800s in Australia.

“I enjoy milking cows,” Rob said. “You always get a great deal of satisfaction when you do something well, the

Generations of Jerseys

cows perform well or pasture grows well and you can see the result of ... months of work or planning.”

Jerseys have been milked by Rob’s family for generations. Kerrie said continuing to breed Jersey cattle is a tie to Rob’s family.

“We have cow families that Rob’s dad bred,” Kerrie said. “We continue to breed those cows, those families as well. For us, it’s a connection to family that we don’t have with us anymore.”

The Andersons have seen success in their herd’s genetics. They have sent seven bulls to A.I. in the past ve years. Currently, Kings Ville Bashful-P, with Total Livestock Genetics,

is the No. 2 proven Jersey bull in Australia.

Not only do the Andersons sell bulls to stud, but they also raise bulls that are sold as herd bulls.

“We love our cows,” Kerrie said. “We know our individual cows. ... (We’re) excited for the next generation of calves that hit the ground. Our calves are nearly our most valuable asset.”

One of the Andersons’ cows with a son going to A.I. is named Treasure, a mediumsized, top-producing cow.

It is her size and production that makes Treasure sustainable, Rob said.

“If we’re all trying to get more efcient and drive pro-

duction, a cow that’s got a medium body weight that’s outproducing her body weight by double is obviously a vehicle forward,” Rob said. “(Her production requires) less power to use, less cooling, less feed.”

The Andersons moved to their farm 24 years ago. The farm is about an hour and a half from the Melbourne airport and 45 minutes from the beach.

The Andersons’ farm features scenes with the soft browns of the Jerseys grazing contrasted with the lush green of the paddocks backed by a range of hills and a state forest to the north.

Turn to DAIRYING AROUND THE WORLD | Page 11

PHOTO COURTESY OF KERRIE ANDERSON

The Andersons — Rob (from le ), Holly and Kerrie — stand in their pasture on their dairy farm near Drouin West, Australia. The Andersons own Kings Ville Jerseys where they milk 280 cows that are pastured on 450 acres.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KERRIE ANDERSON Cows stand for milking in the Andersons’ swing-20 herringbone parlor at Kings Ville Jerseys near Drouin West, Australia. The Andersons have sold seven bulls to A.I. in the last ve years.

Though the cows are grass-fed, their milk is not organic.

“Australia has a ‘green’ image because we’re a pasture-based system,” Rob said. “They’re not housed; they’re not conned. So, you get a little bit of a kick from that point of view just from ... the way we farm.”

The Andersons said their farm would be considered medium-sized as large farms in Australia typically milk 600-1,000 cows.

The Andersons said their home state of Victoria is a dairy state. The Andersons have access to industry support and feed. They also have four dairy processors within an hour of them and six processing facilities they could send their milk to.

Rob said the dairy markets have changed. Australia used to be a more export-heavy market with volatile prices, but this has changed.

“Our milk pool has shrunk a little bit,” Rob said. “The domestic market or our local market has ... kept the oor and our price a little bit more (stable).”

Because Australia is in the southern hemisphere, winter begins in June. The Andersons experience four seasons.

Though they can see snow in the hill range, their farm receives no snow but does get frost. During winter, Rob said the minimum temperature ranges from 32 to 41 degrees. In the summer, the max temperature is around 100 degrees, but Rob said it is not consistently hot.

The Andersons said their environ-

mental handicap is ghting the rain.

“There are some seasons where we can just not get off the hay or silage that we want to,” Kerrie said. “Last season, it just kept raining, and we did not get our silage done.”

The Andersons supplement their pasture ration as needed with forages. Their cows are also fed grain daily. They vary the grain according to energy and protein needs across seasons.

The Andersons generally move their milking herd to a new paddock or strip every 12 hours. Dry cows are moved once a day, and heifers are moved every three days.

The Andersons have about 60 paddocks that they graze in two or three strips each. The rotation between paddocks depends on the time of year. In the spring, this can be as short as 17 days, and during the winter, this rotation can stretch to 50 days.

The Andersons harvest silage and hay from the paddocks, which are about 95% ryegrass mixed with clover and other plants. The mix works well as the clover xes nitrogen for the rye, and the rye balances the tonnage loss and richness of the clover. The Andersons do not raise corn.

The Andersons’ calving season is from February through April and again from July through September.

“It suits us better here because of our seasons,” Kerrie said. “We want (the cows) to be lifting when we go into the spring pasture peak.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF KERRIE ANDERSON

Jersey cows graze a er evening milking in February 2023 at Kings Ville Jerseys near Drouin West, Australia. The Andersons own a cow family whose gene cs can be traced to a cow that came to Australia aboard a ship from England.

A day in the life of the Kilburgs

Eastern Iowa father-son partnership centered around 180-cow robot dairy acres.

By Sherry Newell Contributing writer

BELLEVUE, Iowa —

The calendar read as if spring should have arrived, but April 3 looked more like winter, with strong winds and several inches of snow.

David and Karter Kilburg’s cows were lucky the year was 2024.

That is because the 180cow herd was enjoying a tunnel-ventilated freestall barn and all the trimmings that came with a new generation of dairying for the eastern Iowa family.

David was ready to sell the cows when his son, Karter, nished college in 2017 and decided to come home to the farm that was established in 1909. It was a surprise to the man who milked 180 cows — initially with his own father — and farmed roughly 1,000

“He was not really a dairy kid,” David said of Karter.

David’s other son, Kody, lives in Chicago with his wife, Angie, and David’s rst grandchild, Liam.

Karter’s return breathed new life into the dairy where earlier generations had labored near Bellevue. In 2019, David and Karter built the barn and installed a Lely robotic milking system.

“It was a no-brainer to put in robots,” David said. “I’d always wanted to, but it didn’t make sense until Karter returned.”

On April 3, the cows were comfortable and moving with regularity into the three machines while the Kilburgs and two employees braved the elements to complete the other necessary duties.

That included making the

daily rounds to do chores on ve other farms where calves, heifers and dry cows are housed. Two full-time employees, Stephen Burke and Ubaldo Lopez, were on hand to help.

Before building the new barn, the Kilburgs milked in a double-8 parallel parlor that had the typical daily duties that came along with it. Now, chain scrapers clean the alleys and an automatic feed pusher keeps the total mixed ration in front of the herd.

Karter and David agreed that using manure solids for bedding is one of their favorite decisions in the new facilities.

SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR

Karter Kilburg begins and ends his day April 3 by checking on the cows on his family’s farm near Bellevue, Iowa. It is only a few steps to the farm’s robo�c milking system from his apartment above the farm’s office wing.

SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR

Working outside was not anyone’s rst choice April 3, with several inches of wet snow and a strong, blustery wind. S�ll, Stephen Burke’s responsibili�es at the Kilburg farm included mixing and delivering feed to the herd. Burke has been an employee of the partnership for almost nine years.

SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR

Karter Kilburg makes the rst of several trips to nearby farms where calves, heifers and dry cows are housed. On April 3, three cows had to be moved to the maternity pen in the main dairy barn.

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After scraping, manure moves 12 feet to a reservoir that can hold a week to 10 days of manure. The system removes the liquid from the manure and delivers it to a room attached to the barn.

“It was our best purchase,” Karter said. “The cows really like to use the stalls; they like their own smell in there.”

One difculty that morning was a plugged pipe that should have been delivering

those solids to a storage area.

Once it was xed, Karter or one of the farm’s two full-time employees provided fresh bedding to the cows with a self-driven BOBMAN machine the Kilburgs have had for two years.

Without adding cows, the facilities helped improve daily average milk production and herd health signicantly.

“It’s been a drastic improvement,” Karter said.

The entire herd has been bred using the ProCROSS three-way crossbreeding system of Holstein, VikingRed and Montbeliarde since 2002.

In the calf pens April 3 were a couple of black white-faced calves, a fully red one and a spotted red and white. A similar variety of colors dotted the milking herd.

“It’s all I’ve ever known,” Karter said.

For David, crossbreeding was a way to counter what he felt was a Holstein line that was becoming too inbred.

The higher components of crossbreeding t well with the sale of their milk to Lactalis in

SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR

The computer in the farm office provides Karter Kilburg a chance to iden�fy fetch cows for the robots when his day begins and again at its close. With cold weather and snow April 3, the Kilburgs are at least a week or two from star�ng eldwork in the hills of eastern Iowa.

Karter (le ) and David Kilburg review the day’s work April 3 at their dairy near Bellevue, Iowa. Karter returned to the farm a er college, which triggered building a barn and installing three robots. He is doing much of the dairy management as David begins to focus more heavily on his Dairyland Seed business and the crop enterprise.

Bellmont, Wisconsin. Heifers are bred with an Angus bull, and all calves are sold. Bull calves from the cows in their second lactation and beyond also leave the farm with a regular buyer who was due to pick up calves that day.

The unpredictable April weather was not yet too worrisome for David, who was expecting delivery of a new corn planter any day. Since they practice no-till on their hilly farmland, the spring work normally starts a little later

in the month.

David has a Dairyland Seed business and has been focused on preparing orders for customers across the region.

April 3 was an average day at the Kilburg dairy, but Karter will have a few unusual ones in the coming months, due to his upcoming wedding Sept. 14. He met Lynsey Dawson during another not-so-normal day during a vacation to Mexico.

On April 3, David Kilburg moves seed in the farm shop in prepara on for pickup for his Dairyland Seed business near Bellevue, Iowa. He has been selling Dairyland Seed since taking over his father’s customers about 15 years ago.

SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR

SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR

Goats for every generation

Considines keep a family tradition going strong

By Stacey Smart stacey.s@dairystar.com

PORTAGE, Wis. — Tom Considine grew up with goats and so have all 10 of his children. Keeping the dairy in the family has been important to every Considine generation.

“We need to keep this going as I have children who want to continue milking goats here as the third generation,” Considine said. “That’s our goal.”

The Considines milk about 120 goats and farm 150 acres near Portage. Considine and his wife, Joy, along with their four youngest children, Asher, Isaiah, Christina and Cohen, handle day-to-day operations of the farm. In addition, Considine teaches at Portage High School. The family shares a passion for goats, with everyone pitching in each day to keep the farm running.

“I couldn’t do this without

help from my family,” Considine said. “Goats bring peace and enjoyment to life. I love all aspects of this animal. If for no other reason, it is to drink their milk. I’ve come to appreciate my dad’s sentiments for goat milk.”

The farm has been home to Considine since age 6. His father moved the family north after managing a farm near North Prairie where he milked 460 goats. The family enjoys sweeping views of the countryside from their farm’s hillside location.

“We’re really blessed,” Considine said.

Initially, the Considine family shipped milk for both the uid and cheese markets before shifting to cheese in 1985. In 1994, Tom and Joy began taking over management of the farm. In 2006, they inherited the farm when Considine’s father passed away.

“Some things are very much the same as how my dad did it, and some things are different,” Considine said.

The family milks twice a day in a 20-stall parlor with three Surge buckets purchased by Considine’s dad in 1958.

“I’m probably the only goat dairy that uses things like this,

“A positive is that you don’t leave the bucket on too long and damage the mammary of the doe,” Considine said. “We believe prevention is the best medicine.”

The family peaks at 140 goats milking, but when they drop to 80-90 milking in winter, they milk by hand.

“The kids prefer it,” Considine said. “Isaiah said the cleaning time is faster. But when goats come in full milk, I refuse to let them milk by hand.”

Considine likes to have three people in the parlor washing, stripping, changing buckets and feeding. The Considines practice out-of-season breeding to ensure year-round milking.

but they work well,” Considine said. “It takes elbow grease and back power to do it, but I have the labor, and it’s so much safer. We never felt comfortable using the cleaners and strong acids around our children that are re-

quired for a pipeline.”

“We don’t use drugs to bring does into heat; we use lights,” Considine said. “Goats are photosensitive. They come in heat 10 weeks after the longest day of the year, June 21. Therefore, during January and February, we leave the lights on for 20 hours per day for 60 days. Then in the middle of May, goats come into heat.”

Considine said one drawback of the bucket is that it does not get all the milk out as well as a claw would, so the kids go behind with a strip bucket to get the remaining milk. Turn

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

The Considine family – (front from le ) Cohen, Chris na and Joy; (back from le ) Asher, Tom and Isaiah – take a break from milking March 26 in the dairy barn that houses their milking and dry goats near Portage, Wisconsin. The Considines milk about 120 goats and farm 150 acres.

The Considine family milks goats March 26 on their farm near Portage, Wisconsin. Goats are milked twice a day in a 20-stall parlor with Surge buckets.

The

of their does.

kids stay with their moms while doe kids are separated at birth. Kids are housed in two areas, one of which is a chicken coop that Considine converted into a barn. About 60 goats are housed in this location with 12 per pen. Previously, there was no designated place for kids.

“This really made a difference with the health of our youngstock,” Considine said. “We have to clean this barn by hand. But if my son takes over, I would build another building for kids, something bigger that could be mechanically cleaned. He would like to milk 300 goats.”

Kids are fed milk replacer until about 10 weeks. Milking and dry does are housed on a bedded pack and fed from a manger system in the farm’s old dairy barn that originally housed cows. Considine grows hay, corn and oats for the ration and buys supplements like protein and soybeans. He also feeds dry hay, and occasionally, he feeds baleage.

“In good years, I have crops to sell,” Considine said. “In bad years like last year, it just gets us by.”

In a herd of Saanens, Sables, French Alpines, Lamanchas, Nubians, recorded grades and Toggenburgs, goats average 6 pounds of milk per day with 4.6% butterfat and 3.6% protein.

“I have goats giving 10 pounds of milk and some at 4 pounds,” Considine said. “I don’t have problems with animals being burned out on rich feed or getting diarrhea. Management is so much easier.”

The Considines ship their milk to Kolb-Lena where it is made into cheese. They buy back a portion of the cheese to sell at the Dane County farmers market. They also plan to start selling goat meat this year.

“Goat meat is excellent,” Considine said. “It’s high in everything you want, like protein and iron, and low in everything you don’t want, like saturated fat. All of these things that make meat so special, goat meat has.”

The Considines also show goats and are active in the American Dairy Goat Association.

“Our goats are registered, and it’s important to maintain the registry for the benet of the animal,” Considine said.

Considine is a judge for the ADGA and travels the country judging shows. He is also chairman of the committee that trains judges and served as a director. Considine said the ADGA national convention is being held in Lake Geneva in October.

“This is a pretty big deal,” he said. “It’s only the fth time it’s been held in Wisconsin.”

Considine and his wife are fully invested in goats, as are members of the next generation.

“Asher wants to take over milking,” Considine said. “I don’t know what that will look like yet. I’m 57 and have some good years left in me to deal with goats. The kids say, ‘This farm is going to be ours. It’s not going to leave the Considine family.’ And, that makes me happy.”

Considines do breeding by buck and hand-mate 90%

Buck

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

temperatures are right, but it’s too cool. We have Newtonian soil with clay and a lot of rocks, so it’s mostly no-till around here. Two mornings last week, it was 28 degrees. Farmers around here have been planting corn the last two weeks. North of here, the corn is up. A neighbor has cut rye. We’ll cut our rye next week. We are in drought conditions and farm in tornado alley.

Milbank, SD

Roberts County

cows, 347 acres

My wife, Mikayla, and I have three children under the age of 5. We operate a 55-cow organic dairy farm and milk in a tiestall barn. We farm 347 acres and have 100 acres of pasture. We rotate our crops between corn, alfalfa, oats, rye and barley with field peas. Sometimes, we will plant sorghum after harvesting the rye for grain. We’ve been short on moisture. I haven’t done any spring tillage yet but was able to spread manure. I hope to start planting small grains next week.

Sobieski, MN

Morrison County

AJ WALDOCH

300 cows, 650 acres

I farm with my brother, Eli, and dad, Gerard. My wife, Briana, and I have six children, and Eli and his wife, Amy, have two children. We milk 300 cows in a double-20 parallel parlor. We have around 650 acres of ground we farm. This year, we will plant 450 acres of corn and 40 acres of alfalfa. We have 40 acres of pasture and 110 acres of existing alfalfa. Most of our fields are 20-30 acres or smaller. We have a lot of meadows. We have mostly heavy, black soil, but there is a mixture of everything. The fields are wet. We had around an inch of rain over the weekend.

Wayne, NE

Wayne County

We farm about 1,100 acres, most of which is irrigated. We raise 900 acres of corn and 200 acres of alfalfa. About 3 inches of rain has fallen over the past two weeks, so the fields are muddy. A lot of area farmers are getting antsy about planting. Some are saying that they hope to get started later this week. We planted 350 acres of irrigated rye last fall, and it’s looking great. We will plant silage corn after we chop the rye.

Stewart, MN

McLeod County

I farm with my brothers, Dave and Dan. We milk 225 cows with three robots and a double-12 parlor. The cows are housed in a freestall barn. We farm roughly 1,300 acres. This year, we plan to plant 50 acres of wheat, 40 acres of oats, 300 acres of soybeans and 700 acres of corn. We have 200 acres of existing alfalfa. We planted our wheat April 6 and have around 25% of our oats planted. We have heavy, black soil. We had 1.1 inches of rain through the weekend.

MIKE BURK

Heron Lake, MN

Cottonwood County

ETHAN JOHNSON

72 cows, 255 acres

I farm with my parents, Dean and Elizabeth. We have about 25 acres of pasture and raise 50 acres of alfalfa, 115 acres of corn and 90 acres of soybeans. We have a freestall barn and milk in a double-10 swing parlor. Farmers in our area are thinking that they will be able to get into the field at about mid-April. We received about 2.25 inches of moisture over the past two weeks. We were pretty dry before that, so the moisture was very welcome.

Earlville, IA Delaware County

DENNIS BURKLE

140 cows, 450 acres

I farm with my wife, Sherry, and daughter, Mindy. My daughters, Danielle and Cassie, help on the farm when they can. We milk 140 cows in a double-11 parallel parlor. Most of the cows are housed in a freestall barn and around 45 are in a compost barn. We have 450 acres. This year, we plan to plant 30 acres of alfalfa with peas and oats as the cover crop, 50 acres of soybeans for roasting, and 240 acres for silage and grain. We have 125 acres of established alfalfa. We plan to terminate cover crop today (April 9). The fields are a little wet. We had an inch of rain between April 6-7. We have a variety of soils from a lighter, sandy loam to heavy black.

Ellsworth, WI Pierce

County

JIM HAUSCHILDT

120 cows, 300 acres

I farm with my wife, Diane, and son, Hayden. We generally grow about 300 acres of cereal grains, like triticale, and corn. Last year, we split things up and raised 105 acres of soybeans to generate cash. Then, we had 85 acres of corn and a sorghum blend for silage and about 65 acres for high-moisture corn. Our corn last year was unreal, with 265 bushels to the acre. This year, we are considering planting 65 acres of brown mid-rib corn for the milk cows and 20 acres of a sorghum-corn silage blend for the heifers and dry cows.

Rosendale, WI

Fond du Lac County

Wykoff, , MN Fillmore County

BRIAN BOETTCHER

300 cows, 1,000 acres

I farm alongside my brother, Chad, my parents, Cheryle and Curt, and my sister, Nichol Arndorfer, who assists outside her full-time job. We milk our cows using four robotic milking units. We also have a double-10 parallel parlor that we use for fresh cows or cows that do not work with the robotic milking units. We farm 1,000 acres where we grow corn, alfalfa and oats. Our ground is definitely on the drier side currently. We got half an inch of rain last weekend which helped. Later this week, we hope to plant oats.

Frederic, WI Burnett County

COLTON DEN HOED DEN HOED DAIRY

500 cows, 1,250 acres

My family milks 500 cows near Frederic, Wisconsin, in Burnett County. Our milk is shipped to Grassland Dairy Products in Greenwood, Wisconsin. We moved here in 2010 and started milking 180 cows. We do all our own planting, harvesting and manure hauling, and equipment repair. We raise our calves. We crop 1,250 acres. About 50% of our soil is lighter ground, while the rest is heavy. All of our forage is grown on irrigated land. We are hoping to get in the fields the second or third week of April to start seeding alfalfa. We are planning to raise 250 acres of alfalfa, 100 acres of triticale double-cropped with corn, 110 acres of soybeans, 360 acres of corn silage, 50 acres of sorghum and 480 acres of shell corn. We plant Golden Harvest seed for the shell corn and soybeans, and KingFisher for the silage corn and alfalfa.

Birnamwood, WI Shawano

County

DILLON BREYER

TOWNLINE ACRES

120 cows, 480 acres

BEN JULKA

380 cows, 1,800 acres

I am a fifth-generation farmer and farm with my dad and grandpa. This year, we’re planting 830 acres of corn, 330 acres of soybeans, 330 acres of alfalfa, 130 acres of wheat and 115 acres of a pea-triticale-alfalfa new-seeding mix. Our soil is a silt loam; it’s nice stuff. It was a dry winter, and in March, I noticed it was dusty in the fields. It should never be dusty in March. Then, the first week of April, we got 8 inches of wet, heavy snow. Soil moistures have recovered and should carry us through for planting at least. We are hoping to get in the fields the week of April 15 to start seeding alfalfa and planting soybeans. A couple farmers in the area planted alfalfa and soybeans late March when it was really warm. The eternal optimist farmer in me thinks every year is going to be a great year, but you never know until the time hits.

I farm with my parents, Doug and Cindy, and my brother, Derek, near Birnamwood, Wisconsin, in Shawano County. We ship our milk to Mullins Cheese. We milk 120 cows with two Lely A5 robotic milking units. We crop 480 acres, 250 of which are owned. Our soil is lighter with some rocks, so it drains well. We are planning to plant 120 acres of Prairie Estates Genetics and Red Tail silage corn. We’re going to put in 25 acres of NexGrow for new-seeding alfalfa, 20 acres of new grass seeding using Prairie Estates Genetics and 30 acres of triticale from Byron Seeds. The rest of the acreage is all established alfalfa or grass hay. This is my first year working with Prairie Estates Genetics; I like the fact their seed lineup is specifically targeted for dairy farmers. We will be able to start pumping manure this week (April 7) and start doing tillage.

Fitchburg, WI

Dane County

CLAYTON HAGEMAN

120 cows, 800 acres

I farm with my brother, Daryl. This year, we’re planting about 70 acres of soybeans, 400 acres of corn, and 330 acres of grass and alfalfa hay. Our 800 acres is the combination of four farms and includes both of the farms Daryl and I live on and our dad’s two farms. The bottom ground here is mostly silty loam, and then, we get up into sand and clay areas. There are rolling hills all around us. It’s been pretty rainy here, and the weekend of April 6, we got 3 inches of heavy, watery snow. Within six days, we had about 6 inches of precipitation. We’re a couple weeks out from planting corn. We will start on the upper fields and work our way around. Some years, we plant as early as March 21. The topsoil moisture is there now, but up until February, the subsoil was still dry. We’re getting a couple inches down into the subsoil with good to excellent conditions. We just have to see if we need to apply certain nutrients in some fields.

www.mndhia.org

Rolling herd averages above DHIA average dollar value

The Minnesota DHIA rolling herd average production in 2023 reached an all-time high of 25,668 pounds of milk, 1,088 butterfat and 837 protein with a somatic cell count of 179,000. The dollar value is weighted by the pay prices for these four components and was also a record of $5,219.

Below are the highest-ranking herds within each county afliate, alphabetically by county and herd owner. Congratulations to all.

Asparagus spring dishes

The sweet sound of robins serenading me during morning chores, heralding the arrival of a glorious sunrise, puts a spring in my step. I can’t help but feel excited and giddy of a new day. The robin’s song also announces the arrival of another spring opener, not for the baseball season but the asparagus season.

I grew up with at least three asparagus patches in Mom’s garden. My greatgreat grandmother started the original patch when the farm was homesteaded in the 1860s. My favorite spring meal was creamed asparagus served on toast. I remember my dad being disappointed when his children learned to love asparagus, because it meant less for him to eat.

There has never been an asparagus patch on our farm in Minnesota; yet, I passed on my love for creamed asparagus to the next generation. For Mother’s Day one year, Jonathon dug two parallel ditches at the end of my garden and placed the asparagus roots. For the next two years, I slowly lled in the ditch as the asparagus established itself. On year No. 3, I was able to take my rst few cuttings. What a treat. Ever since, we have been enjoying asparagus spring dishes.

I found these recipes from the “Simply in Season” cookbook from the Mennonite Central Committee. These are “recipes that celebrate fresh, local foods in the spirit of more with less.” After an inch of spring rains, I’m anticipating several meals with asparagus as center stage using these new recipes.

Asparagus soup

1 pound asparagus

Cut off tip ends and blanch until tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain (saving 2 cups water) set aside tips. Chop spears.

2 cups water or vegetable broth or chicken broth

1 medium potato, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

Cook with chopped asparagus spears until soft, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly and puree until smooth. Return to heat.

2 cups saved water

1 cup dry milk powder

2 tablespoons our

Salt and pepper to taste

Blend separately. Add to soup and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens slightly. Stir in asparagus tips and cooked bacon bits.

Sugared asparagus

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Melt together in large frypan over medium high heat until dissolved. 2 pounds asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces.

Add to sugar mixture and sauté 2 minutes.

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

Stir in, bring to boil, cover and simmer until just tender, 6-8 minutes. Remove asparagus to warm dish. Return liquid to boil, and simmer uncovered until sauce is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Pour over asparagus, sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Sausage asparagus skillet

1 pound bulk sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

Fry together until lightly browned. Drain fat.

4-5 medium potatoes, chopped

1/2 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

Add, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths

Add and simmer an additional 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add extra water if needed.

1/2 cup shredded cheese

Sprinkle on top and serve.

Grilled maple barbecue chicken

3/4 cup maple syrup

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon onion, minced or 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine in tight-sealing container and shake until blended.

6 boneless chicken breasts, or thighs or chicken legs

Add to container and marinate, refrigerated at least 1 hour. Place everything in microwavable dish and microwave together for 5 minutes. Remove chicken. Pour marinade into a small saucepan; bring to boil and boil 3-5 minutes. Place chicken on gas grill over medium heat, cover and grill 5 minutes. Turn chicken, brush with marinade and grill another 5 minutes. Continue to turn, baste and grill until tender. To bake: Place chicken skin side up in a greased pan. Pour marinade on top and bake at 350 degrees, basting every 1520 minutes, until done (about 1 hour with bone in, less if boneless). To panfry: Remove chicken from marinade and cook in oiled fry pan. When nearly cooked, pour in some marinade, which will caramelize. Remove chicken. Add about 3 tablespoons water to pan, stir and serve glaze over the meat.

As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark Schmitt started an adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.

Food columnist, Natalie Schmitt

Southwest sweet potato skins

Courtesy of National Dairy Council

1 tablespoon butter, melted

4 small sweet potatoes, cut in half width-wise

1 large poblano pepper, halved with stem and seeds removed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey

jack/cheddar cheese blend, divided

Yogurt sauce

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon chipotle hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

Juice of 1 lime

Garnish

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

2 green onions

1 large avocado diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To roast the sweet potatoes, brush sweet potatoes lightly with butter on skins and split halves. Arrange potatoes and poblano pepper halves on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through yet still slightly rm, and skins are slightly withered and golden. Remove from oven and allow potatoes to cool for 10 minutes. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, lightly score the esh with a paring knife to create a grid pattern. Gently scoop potato esh into a large bowl, careful to leave potato skins intact. Place skins, hollowed side up, back on baking sheet. Dice poblano peppers and add to bowl with potatoes. Add black beans, cumin, chili powder, a 1/4 cup of the cheese and salt and toss gently to combine. To stuff the potato skins, divide mixture evenly between potatoes skins, top with the remaining 3/4 cup of cheese.

Switch oven to broil and place baking sheet back in the oven. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. To make the sauce, combine Greek yogurt, chipotle hot sauce, lime juice and salt in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Remove potato skins from oven and top with cilantro, onion, diced avocado and yogurt sauce.

1 1/4 cups water

Courtesy of Sylvia Meléndez Klinger at www.hispanicnutrition.com

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups corn our

1/4 cup mayonnaise Sorullitos

1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup ketchup

In a medium size pot, heat water, salt and butter. Add corn our and fold for 1-2 minutes or until the corn our becomes a dough. Fold in cheese and transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool for a couple of minutes, if necessary. Roll pieces of dough with your hands, forming 3- to 3.5-inch long sticks.

Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket and fry at 400 degrees in the fry setting for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Serve with the mayo-ketchup dipping sauce.

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