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DAIRY ST R
July 23, 2022
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 24, No. 11
NexGen effectively feeds calves in group housing Headlock system reduces labor, heightens calf health By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
EDEN VALLEY, Minn. – Since the establishment of NexGen Dairy in 2016, the families have worked to make their days as efcient and productive as possible, for themselves and the cows. One way to address that was constructing a barn that would house their pre-weaned calves in group pens. “After touring sites, we knew this is what we wanted,” Brandon Stenger said. “With this setup, it only takes us 45 minutes to feed all the calves on the farm, and it’s easy to lock up the calves for vaccinations.” Stenger and his wife, Ellen, are partners at NexGen Dairy near Eden Valley. Together, the Stengers and El-
len’s family – sister and brother-in-law, Megan and Tim Schrupp; and parents, Vern and Mary Kay Becker – milk 700 cows and raise their replacements on site or nearby. They are exclusively using sexed Jersey and beef semen to elevate the herd. The calf facility, built in 2018, was the focal point of a farmer-to-farmer tour of group calf facilities hosted by Minnesota Dairy Initiative July 7 near Eden Valley. The structure is a 27-foot-high monoslope barn with natural ventilation and equipped with individual headlocks and bottle holders for every animal. Each pen holds six calves, for a total of 120 youngstock – from 4 weeks of age to 16 weeks – housed in the barn. To facilitate socialization but not hinder performance, two pens are positioned alongside each other with gates JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR and then a solid panel separates those Calves – 4 to 16 weeks of age – are housed in group pens at NexGen Dairy near two pens from the following two. Eden Valley, Minnesota. The pens include headlocks and boƩle holders for evTurn to NEXGEN | Page 9 ery animal.
A humble way of life Czechs named Morrison County’s farm family By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
The Czechs – (from leŌ) David, Joe and ScoƩ – discuss plans for the day at their farm July 15 near LiƩle Falls, Minnesota. The family works together on their 240-cow dairy.
LITTLE FALLS, Minn. – Dairy farming comes second nature to David and Betty Czech and his family, so when they were recognized for their efforts on the farm and in the community, they were truly surprised. “We’ve heard of the award before but have no idea who nominated us or what the process was,” David said. “It’s a good feeling to know we’re thought of like that by our community. We can’t thank enough whoever put our names in.” David and his wife, Betty, and their family were recently named the 2022 Morrison County Farm Family by the University of Minnesota Extension. The couple will be recognized and receive the award at Minnesota Farmfest
Aug. 2-4 in Morgan. The Czechs milk 240 cows and farm 480 acres near Little Falls with their children – son Joe and his wife, Alyssa; son Josh and his wife, Krista, and their children, Addison, Clint and Evelyn; son Scott; and daughter Taylor Witt and her husband, Ben. Staying true to their purpose of family farming, every Czech is involved on the dairy. “At chore time, we all have a different job and do a little bit of everything,” David said. David feeds the calves with Taylor as Josh feeds the milking cows, dry cows and heifers; Josh is also the on-site mechanic. Joe and Scott serve as the farm’s herdsmen, and Scott is the primary breeder. Betty does all the dairy’s bookwork. “It’s really all hands on deck,” Scott said. “And it works well because we all know how everyone thinks, and we’re working with the same people all the time.” Turn to CZECHS | Page 6