July 24, 2021 Dairy Star - 1st section - Zone 2 by Dairy Star

Dairy St r Milk Break

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DAIRY ST R

July 24, 2021

“All dairy, all the time”™

Volume 23, No. 11

Milk production on the rise Cow comfort a priority at Vanderstappens’ new facility By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

HEBRON, Ill. – The cows at Vanderstappen Farm love their new barn and milking parlor. The proof is in the bulk tank which is on a continual uphill climb in volume. Since moving into the facility May 20, milk production has gone up about 10 pounds per cow per day. “Cows were milking just under 70 pounds when we moved in here,” said David Vanderstappen. “Now, they’re milking around 80 pounds per day, but we haven’t peaked yet.” David and his wife, Katie, milk 130 cows and farm 300 acres near Hebron. They are the busy parents of ve children: Clark, 10, Jack, 7, Addison, 4, and 3-year-old twins, Owen and Lane. “It’s kind of exciting because the cows seem to be going up in production every day,” David said. “I wonder how high they’ll go. Even when we dry up a cow, it doesn’t seem to affect the bulk

tank.” David is the third generation on the farm his grandfather settled at when immigrating from the Netherlands in the late 1940s. David and Katie bought the farm from David’s parents in March 2016. A barn re in 2018 put the couple on an update path sooner than expected. The 61-cow tiestall barn was a complete loss, but fortunately, no animals perished in the re. A farm 7 miles away with a freestall and parlor setup served as the cows’ new home for the next three years. The Vanderstappens’ neighbors, Joel and Linnea Kooistra, had sold their cows and told David to bring his herd over when he called. “We had 20 people there that rst morning to push cows through the parlor and a lot of trailers to help move cows,” David said. “We spotted the re at 4:45 a.m., and by 10 a.m., we had all cows moved and milked. There was no bulk tank, but we got one put in and by that afternoon, we had saleable milk.” People continued to help the Vanderstappens push cows through the parlor for a week after the re. “It was amazing,” Katie said of all the help they received. “The ag commu-

Turn to VANDERSTAPPEN | Page 6

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

The Vanderstappen family – (front, from leŌ) Addison and Jack; (back, from leŌ) David holding Owen, Clark, and KaƟe holding Lane – milks 130 cows and farm 300 acres near Hebron, Illinois.

Wisconsin gets Washington’s ear US House Committee on Agriculture member visits area dairy By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

Being heard by the elected leadership in Washington, D.C., is important to agricultural stakeholders. July 13 was a day when agriculture’s voice was amplied as Congressman Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania visited Wisconsin to hear the issues facing both agriculture and the rural community. Thompson, the ranking member of the United States House Committee on Agriculture, attended tours to a variety of agricultural venues hosted by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and Dairy Business Association. Thompson was joined by Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District Rep. Glen PHOTO COURTESY OF WISCONSIN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION Grothman. Pennsylvania Congressman G.T. Thompson (leŌ) listens as Julie Mauer tells him Julie Mauer showed Thompson and about Soaring Eagle Dairy July 13 in Newton, Wisconsin. Thompson spent the Grothman around her family’s 1,300day learning about the Wisconsin dairy industry. cow dairy farm, Soaring Eagle Dairy, in

Newton, Wisconsin. “It is always important for us to take advantage of the opportunity to share our story, especially when the folks in Washington, D.C., make a visit to our area,” said Mauer of why she and her family welcomed the tour to their farm. Thompson’s seat on the agriculture committee enhanced the importance of the visit for Mauer. “Congressman Thompson plays a large role for us in agriculture with his voice on the farm bill and other legislation,” Mauer said. “To bring him here to our farm so he can see rsthand a working family dairy farm will give him a better understanding of the needs we have in the dairy industry.” Mauer discussed matters of importance to dairy farmers such as environmental impact, sustainability, milk pricing, labor challenges and the farm bill renewal with Thompson and Grothman. “The congressmen were very engaging in their questions and comments about the farm and the impact our industry has,” Mauer said. “I feel like we Turn to THOMPSON | Page 5

Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com

ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Krista Kuzma - Editor/Wisconsin (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284 • kati.k@dairystar.com

Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.

The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.

A glance at what’s inside

Pursuits of a young farmer Kile Long’s childhood dream of becoming a dairy farmer has now come true. In 2016, the young dairyman began the process of taking over the family farm from his grandparents. Now he milks 40 registered Holstein in the tiestall barn on the farm near Sterling, Illinois. Focusing on putting up high quality forages, including 7,000 small square hay bales each year, helps his bulk tank average go up. Choosing high quality genetics for his cows also helps with production and quality milk. While it has not been easy, Long takes pride in being able to do what he loves and continuing his family’s farming legacy. Recapping Wisconsin’s state FFA convention Wisconsin FFA members recently gathered for the state convention earlier in July in Madison, Wisconsin. Taking the top leadership spot in the organization is Ben Styer, who grew up on his family’s 2,200-cow farm, Alfalawn Dairy, near Menomonie, Wisconsin. Styer has many goals for the year ahead of how he wants to lead an organization from which he has gained so much. During the FFA convention, many members were recognized for their achievements, including the ag mechanics team from Chippewa Falls High School who won the virtual state contest. The purpose of the CDE is to allow students to develop an ability to work with others solve complex agricultural problems and to understand the process of how solving one problem often inuences others. From the dairy case This issue’s “From our side of the fence” feature focuses on dairy cases in local grocery stores. Owners, store managers and dairy case managers told us about their popular dairy products and how that has changed over the years. They also shared about the most successful promotions they offer for their dairy products. Find more of their comments on pages 15-16 in rst section. Robots a life-changer for Ainsworth family The Ainsworth family’s lifestyle has also recently changed with the addition of their two robots, which milk the 120 cows on their dairy, Shawland Dairy, near Shawano, Wisconsin. Their farm was one of three stops on the Professional Dairy Producers Dairy Robotics Tour July 15. In 2019, the Ainsworths switched to robots, which has helped with cow comfort, production and labor efciency.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 3

It’s all inside... Columnists

Second Section: Pages 3 - 4

First Section: Page 37

Iron

Flo

Lincoln

Pepin

Dairy Good Life Page 33 First Section

Linden

Rule named top national Brown Swiss youth

The “Mielke” Market Weekly

First Section: Page 34

Wood

La Crosse

Juneau

Vernon

go ba Calumet

Waushara

e nn Wi

Green Lake Fond Du Lac

Columbia Dodge

Sauk

Grant

Lafayette Green

First Section: Pages 23, 25

Jo Daviess

Carroll

s hen

Ste

Rock

Walworth o

ag neb

Win

Yodelay made with milk from Voegeli Farms’ Brown Swiss

US House Committee on Agriculture member visits First Section: Pages 1, 5

Whiteside

Racine Kenosha

McHenry

Ogle DeKalb

Zone 2

Newton

Jefferson Waukesha

Monticello

Dane

Iowa

for

Richland

e mi Brown

a tag

Adams

Monroe

Oconto

Portage Waupaca Jackson

Shawano

Clark

Pages 8 - 9 Second Section

Zone 1

Menominee

Marathon

Buffalo

Do or

Chippewa Eau Claire

Menominee

Wa sh

Pierce

First Section: Pages 35 - 36

Langlade

ett e

Bocksells enter vacation rental business

Dunn

Trempealeau

St. Croix

Forest

Rusk

Barron

Taylor

Pepin

ren

Oneida

Ke w

Price

ton S he bo Milwaukee Ozauk M yg ee an anito wo c

Sawyer

Delta

Dickinson

Vilas

aun ee

Ashland

n Polk

Women in Dairy: Stephanie Abts

Bayeld

Douglas

Something to Ruminate On

Page 32 First Section

First Section: Page 39

Robots a life-changer for Ainsworth family

Second Section: Pages 20 - 21

Burnett

Page 30 First Section

Just Thinking Out Loud

New Franken

First Section: Page 28

Ramblings from the Ridge

Page 31 First Section

Shawano

ing

Styer takes reins of Wisconsin FFA as state president

Page 27 First Section

Menomonie

Humbird

Dairy Prole: Darin Olson

Chippewa Falls FFA wins state agricultural technology contest

Wa s

Farmer and Columnist

Chippewa Falls

Pages 8-9 First Section

Ma r

Ag Insider

Kane

Burlington

Scissor clippings determine precise harvest time for Schaal First Section: Pages 18, 20

Lee

Rock Island

Long focuses on herd management, forages for success First Section: Pages 10 - 11

Hen ders

For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com

Mercer

Sterling

re War

FROM OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE: What is your top selling dairy product? First Section: Pages 15 - 16

Hebron

Cow comfort a priority at Vanderstappens’ new facility First Section: Pages 1, 6

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ConƟnued from THOMPSON | Page 1

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Pennsylvania Congressman G.T. Thompson (leŌ) and Wisconsin Congressman Glen Grothman (right) discuss agriculture and the dairy industry in Wisconsin during a discussion panel at Soaring Eagle Dairy July 13 in Newton, Wisconsin. were able to help them have a greater understanding of the dairy industry.” Following their tour, the congressmen participated in a panel discussion at the farm to delve further into the issues facing the dairy industry and agriculture in general. Before touring Soaring Eagle Dairy, Thompson spent a day at the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation ofce in Madison, Wisconsin, to have a policy discussion with many of Wisconsin’s agricultural stakeholders. Topics discussed included concerns about processing capabilities; commodity prices, trade and retaliatory tariffs; rural broadband internet; and labor concerns over the regulations that impact Wisconsin’s edgling hemp industry. Before traveling to Soaring Eagle

cus on both their processing endeavors and agritourism, which includes an onsite café. “When were contacted by the Farm Bureau to host the Congressman, we did not hesistate,” said Clara Hedrich of LaClare Family Creamery. “The importance of the role the dairy goat plays in not only Wisconsin’s dairy industry, but nationally, is not as well know, and this wasa great opportunity to educate.” Hedrich said the time spent with the Congressman was valuable in helping grow his knowledge of the wide variety of enterprises connected to Wisconsin dairy. “I found the Congressman to be very receptive to learning about our industry,” Hedrich said. “He was very interested and asked many questions to increase his understanding.” Other stops on the tour included Yahara Pride Farms member Uphoff Ham and Bacon Farm near Madison, where the congressman learned about various Wisconsin watershed groups and ȃ CLARA HEDRICH, LACLARE FAMILY CREAMERY how farmer-led initiatives are impacting Wisconsin’s environDairy, the tour stopped at LaClare Fam- ment. ily Creamery in Malone, Wisconsin, The tour group also stopped at Salwhere he was able to learn about the chert Meats in St. Cloud, Wisconsin, to many facets of the dairy industry that address the meat processing industry in LaClare Family Creamery is involved Wisconsin and the importance that secin: dairy goats, processing, retailing tor plays. Topics of discussion included and agritourism. the differences between county overWhile LaClare is no longer home sight and state versus federal inspecto a producing herd of dairy goats, they tions. have joined in a partnership with ChilThe day wrapped up with the conton Dairy, where the majority of the gressman visiting the Wisconsin Farm milk used for their processing is pro- Discovery Center in Manitowoc, Wisduced. The youngstock is now housed consin. on-site at LaClare, allowing them to fo-

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The Vanderstappens’ new facility includes this double-12 swing milking parlor. The rapid exit parlor is equipped with LED under udder lighƟng and automated feeding staƟons. nity and our family and friends pitched in a lot.” David agreed. “The Kooistras were awesome too,” he said. The Vanderstappens did not rush to rebuild. Rather, they took time to think about what they wanted in a new facility. Other factors affected their timing as well. Milk prices were not good, and the Vanderstappens’ milk plant dropped them a few months after the re with a 30-day notice. In addition, the Vanderstappens’ twin boys were born two months after the re, keeping the young family’s schedule fully occupied. “You have to take your time and try to make good decisions,” David said. “There was no pressure to be out of our neighbor’s barn so we had the time we needed.” The Vanderstappens broke ground on their new barn last July. “Getting cows to milk more was one of our goals when building the new facility,” Katie said. “To make that happen, cow comfort was a top priority for us.” The six-row freestall barn contains 124 sand-bedded stalls and a feedrail. “We chose sand bedding because we feel it’s the gold standard for cow comfort,” David said. “And I like the feedrail because it seems like cows have more freedom to eat.” The barn’s location on top of a hill provides fresh air and a constant breeze. Adjustable curtains and fans offer ample ventilation, and the barn has curtains on three sides to provide extra airow. Instead of an open center, a Western Overchute roof design prevents the majority of elements from entering the barn while offering good ventilation. “We built the barn here on purpose,” he said. “There’s not a day the wind doesn’t blow up here. It’s good, fresh air for the cows.” The square freestall barn measures 110 feet by 110 feet. The facility is an L design with the potential to expand into a T shape if the Vanderstappens choose to add on. Cows are separated into two groups during the day but are grouped together at night with access to both sides of the barn. “We feed one TMR to all cows,” David said. “We wanted to keep it as simple as possible.” David and Katie were milking 91 cows at the time of the re and grew the herd in the years that followed to its current size. The herd is primarily Holstein but also includes a handful of registered Guernseys and one Jersey. Cows are milked twice a day in a Dairymaster double-12 swing rapid exit parlor featuring amenities like udder lighting and in-oor heating. “It’s the best facility I’ve milked in yet,” David said.

The single pulsation system ensures that once milking machines are on, they stay on. “They don’t squawk,” David said. “And cows milk out well.” An aspect of the parlor the Vanderstappens enjoy is the LED lights that illuminate udders and brighten the work area. “We get a lot of natural light in the parlor, but overhead light can be limited once the cows are in so the under udder lighting helps with that,” David said. “It cuts down on shadows, helping cows walk in with more condence.” Cows receive a feed-to-yield pellet in the parlor. The more a cow milks, the more pellets she is offered. Cows are given half a pound when they enter the parlor and receive more while milking according to production levels. Distribution is done automatically. Feed is located in bins above the stalls and drops through a tube into a trough. “We open up the parlor and everyone comes in nicely,” David said. “We don’t typically have to fetch anyone until the last group and it’s mostly younger cows.” Katie usually milks in the morning while the kids are sleeping and also enjoys milking in the new parlor. “We were looking for an efcient milking system, and this is perfect for us,” she said. The Vanderstappens use their parlor’s company MooMonitor system for rumination and activity detection. “The monitors are really nice,” David said. “We’re catching cows in heat and breeding when we need to. If we have a sick cow or a cow that’s off, we’re catching that too. Cow health has been really good here. It’s peace of mind for a dairy farmer when cows are healthy.” David uses his cell phone and a sort gate in the barn to easily sort cows in heat into a separate pen for breeding. The multipurpose space contains 19 headlocks and is also used for pregnancy checks, as a maternity area for springing heifers or as a place for a slow cow to take a break. “We have a lot of options with this area,” David said. The Vanderstappens also built three months’ worth of manure storage and an asphalt feed pad for corn silage and byproducts next to their new facility – a modern barn that is delivering the ultimate in cow comfort and helping the Vanderstappens reach their production goals. “We wanted to get away from old facilities eventually, and now we have plenty of room to work with and space to expand if we want to in the future,” David said. “But we couldn’t have got here on our own. We’re very appreciative of those who helped us get to where we are today.”

Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 7

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Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

Trade ambassador gets a rst-person look at the dairy industry U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai met Romanski: Budget strengthens Wisconsin agriculwith dairy farmers during her visit to LaCrosse, Wis- ture Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and consin, and Stoddard, Wisconsin. Tai said nothing compares to coming to a dairy farm and meeting with Consumer Protection Secretary-designate Randy Romanski said the state budget prioritizes farmers and “seeing the human face of our Ag Insider the investment in agriculture. “Governor economy.” In a statement, International Evers has consistently made agriculture Dairy Foods Association Vice President a priority of his administration, and this of Trade Policy and International Affairs budget doubles down on those priorities,” Becky Rasdall said the priority issue for Romanski said. the U.S. dairy industry is the dispute settlement case over Canada’s manipulation Supply, demand report drops 2021 of dairy tariff rate quotas and the Euromilk output pean Union’s use of non-science-based The July United States Department certication regulations. Tai was praised of Agriculture supply and demand report for “her open commitment to enforcing forecasts 2021 milk production at 228.2 U.S. trade agreements to their fullest and billion pounds, down 300 million pounds maintaining a rules-based trading system from last month. The 2022 milk producfor U.S. dairy,” Rasdall said. By Don Wick tion forecast was put at 231.6 billion Columnist pounds. The report lowered the price outCrop insurance audits will not be autolook for cheese, butter, nonfat dry milk matically triggered In the past, the Risk Management Agency con- and whey due to higher stocks and lower demand. ducted an automatic audit when a crop insurance claim reached $200,000. RMA Acting Administrator Yogurt rule may inuence labeling of plant-based Richard Flournoy said that was seen as a concern alternatives The Food and Drug Administration has implewith the amount of drought-related claims this year. “Now, they’re not automatically going to be audited,” mented a rule that amends the legal denition of yoFlournoy said. “There’s a new process where we do gurt. This rule is due to a petition from the National what is called data-mining so it is very precise on who Yogurt Association in 2000 that reects the modern is selected, and that will dramatically reduce the au- ways yogurt is produced. While the response from the FDA was slow, the National Milk Producers Federadits.” tion welcomed this decision and the opportunity for transparency in food labeling. The NMPF said the isAg programs included in new state budget Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has signed a new sue goes beyond yogurt with the FDA promising a budget. The Broadband Expansion Grant Program review of a much larger issue, the labeling of plantreceived additional funding. A new meat processor based milk alternatives by next June. grant program was created, and the dairy processor grant program was expanded. More than $1 million Year-round use of H-2A visas An amendment included in the Homeland Secuhas been allocated for the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports and money for conservation pro- rity Appropriations bill would allow farmers to use the H-2A visa program to hire foreign workers yeargrams. round. This language would allow dairy farmers to

use the H-2A program to supplement its workforce needs. Similar language has passed in the House previously but stalled in the negotiations with the Senate. Kohl: Have a plan, execute the plan Agriculture today: A new era of prosperity or temporary opportunity? That was the question addressed by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University agricultural economics professor emeritus Dr. David Kohl during the Bell Bank AgViews Live Conference. “These rollercoaster economics take both a nancial emotional toll on the agriculture sector,” Kohl said. “However, I don’t think this is a temporary opportunity. I personally think it is a permanent opportunity for farmers and ranchers with a high business and nancial IQ. You need to manage the controllable and manage around the uncontrollable.” Government payments for agriculture are expected to decline by nearly 40% in 2021. Kohl thinks this will have a tremendous impact on the sector. “Farmers and ranchers need to start developing a game plan and executing that plan,” he said. USDA updates cull cow numbers For the latest reporting week, 55,800 dairy cows were culled. That is up 4,100 head, or 8%, from the same week one year ago. Year-to-date, 1.6 million dairy cows have been culled nationwide. That is down nearly 17,000 head, or 1.1%, from the same period in 2020. CAFO ban proposed New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker has reintroduced a bill to ban large concentrated animal feeding operations. Booker has targeted CAFOs in the past but now has more inuence as a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9

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Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 9

Herrick returns to IDFA Matt Herrick is the new senior vice president of public affairs and communications for the International Dairy Foods Association. Herrick worked for IDFA before taking over as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s communications director. In his new role, Herrick will also be the executive director of IDFA’s new foundation.

Kerley-de la Cruz joins WFU staff The Wisconsin Farmers Union has a new policy coordinator. Vivienne Kerley-de la Cruz is a California native who moved to the Midwest in 2016 to attend Grinnell College. While in Iowa, Kerley-de la Cruz worked for Immigrant Allies of Marshalltown. She also worked on political campaigns in Iowa and Georgia.

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin Executive Committee selected Jeff Strassburg, of Wittenburg, has been reelected to another term as chair of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. The vice chair is Janet Clark of Rosendale. Julie Maurer, of Newton, is the secretary, and Mark Crave, of Watertown, is treasurer. Stacy Ebele, of Monroe, serves as the head of the DFW communications committee. David Bangart, of Greenwood, is the management committee chair, and Kay Zwald, of Hammond, is the chairperson for the policy and bylaws committee. Mike Verhasselt, of Kaukauna, will serve another term as chair of the Center for Dairy Research liaison committee.

Trivia challenge Vanilla is the most popular ice cream avor in the United States. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, what U.S. president rst designated July as National Ice Cream Month? We will have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star.

“Boy it·s hot out. I have a hard time keeping my dry matter intake up.”

Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.

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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

Pursuits of a young farmer

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calving ease and good feet and legs, and udder traits. “The cows are my rst love, and making hay when the weather cooperates is my second love,” Long said. Making quality forages is a key to success in Long’s eyes, and he received attention from a national forage publication earlier this year for his efforts in making high-quality forages and the results he saw in the bulk tank. “Each crop I try and get my hay made in a timely manner,” Long said. “I give a lot of credit for my high butterfat to the hay I am able to make.” Each year, Long puts up between 6,000 to 7,000 small square bales, about 200 round bales and lls a bottom-unloader silo with haylage. All of this is produced on about 80 acres of the 200-acre farm. He also grows corn for grain, soybeans and oats. “It is a good feeling to have a barn full of good dry hay,” Long said. “I try to take advantage of cooler, less humid days to put it up.” Long feeds his cows a mix of ground ear corn, oats, mineral and molasses in the barn; haylage morning and evening; and dry hay in the winter when the cows are not on pasture.

STERLING, Ill. – Growing up helping on his grandparents’ dairy farm, Kile Long dreamed of following in their footsteps of becoming a dairy farmer. In 2016, a young boy’s dream began to come true as he slowly began the process of taking over the family farm near Sterling. “Where God wants to take me only he knows,” Long said of the journey he began pursing after his high school graduation in 2016. While beginning the process of taking over the farm, Long attended the University of WisconsinPlatteville for one year, majoring in dairy science. He quickly found trying to keep things going at home Turn to LONG | Page 11 while focusing on school was difcult and transferred to nearby Highland Community College where he obtained a two-year degree in agricultural production and management, and enjoyed the benets of being closer to the farm. Four years later, Long feels fortunate to be milking 40 registered Holsteins in the tiestall barn that has housed his family’s dairy herd for over 60 years. While he handles the majority of the workload, Long said he is blessed with help from his grandparents and his father, who has worked full time at Farm and Fleet for over 30 years. Long also works on a neighboring dairy farm three days a week. “I am able to use the money I earn working off the farm for living expenses, making it possible for me to reinvest all the prot from the farm back into the operations and improvements,” Long said. In everything he does, Long strives to make improvements and be successful. His herd averages about 80 pounds of milk per cow per day and is typically over 4% butterfat, which hit a high of 4.5% this past winter. Long keeps his somatic cell count under 150,000 and has had the SCC as low as 72,000. DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR Long tries to improve each genKile Long’s goals are to milk clean, content cows that produce quality eration of animals in the herd by semilk while maintaining good producƟ on with high components. lecting sires for positive production,

Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 11

ConƟnued from LONG| Page 10

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Kile Long looks over his herd of cows at his farm near Sterling, Illinois. The rewards of working with the cows and seeing improvements are what keeps Long pushing forward in his dairy career. As a young producer, Long understands the importance of connecting with consumers to help create a lifelong appreciation for dairy farming and dairy products. He works with local schools to host tours and farm camps to give youth the opportunity to see how a dairy farm operates. “This is an area with not a lot of dairy farming,” Long said. “I work hard to present it well to the public so that people can get a positive understanding of our industry. It is great to make connections with young people that are

farming.” Beginning a career in dairy farming has not been the easiest path to follow, and Long admits he gets bogged down with some of the obstacles. “The biggest challenge is proving to myself that I can do this,” Long said. “I can get up and ght the physical, mental and nancial frustrations that might come up on any given day and be content doing what I am doing.” The rewards Long reaps from rising to meet those challenges and the goals he has for the future keeps Long going forward. “I trust in God to get me through each day and every situation,” Long said. “It is very satisfying to see how he provides through every trial.” Long is grateful to continue his family’s legacy of dairy farming in the rolling hills of northwestern Illinois. “It’s a true family farm,” Long said. “I’m working hard to get to the position I want to be in. It is each generation’s job to succeed and prepare the farm for the next generation to have the opportunity to be able to continue to succeed. My grandparents did that for me, and now it is my turn to continue to make it work.”

“I take great pride in my clean cows and my neatly kept farmstead.” ȃ KILE LONG, DAIRY FARMER

interested and want to learn.” Creating that positive image of dairy farming is something Long takes seriously. “I take great pride in my clean cows and my neatly kept farmstead,” Long said. “Those things are important to making a good rst impression and giving people a positive image of dairy

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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

An opportunity to grow markets overseas U.S. dairy to benet in decient Asian region By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com

Exports have long helped the United States dairy industry grow, and despite the obvious challenges of 2020, it was a remarkable year for an untapped market. Last year, U.S. dairy exports exceeded $1 billion while the southeast Asia region rose in volume exported by 26% year over year. “That growth moved the region ahead of Mexico to become our top export destination,” said Anoo Pothen, director of consumer insights for southeast Asia with the United States Dairy Export Council. Pothen, based in Singapore, spoke of this selective market during a presentation, “Opportunities to Grow U.S. Dairy with Consumers Internationally,” at the virtual Dairy Experience Forum July 13. Historically, the southeast Asia region – which includes Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia – has been considered dairy decient with lofty goals to increase dairy consumption over the next decade. “The combined decit of these six Asian markets is the biggest in the world, but with urbanization and purchasing power, they are hoping to change that,” Pothen said. “Despite the

pandemic, exports to Asia have grown and are expected to remain robust for uid milk and yogurt.” In 2020, 12.9 billion liters (28.4 billion pounds) of milk was consumed in some form with plans to grow dairy demand to 19 billion liters (41.8 billion pounds) by 2030, said Pothen. “The government is promoting dairy’s importance,” she said. In order for the United States to fully capture this market share, there are three points to understand about the southeast Asia region and the value of dairy for those consumers. While this six-country region only accounts for 14% of U.S. gross domestic product, it is also 1.5 times the population of the U.S. with annual spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages exceeding $500 million. This population has long put an emphasis on healthy living and maintaining a diet scarce of sugary and fatty treats. One study Pothen referred to stated that 79% of urban Vietnamese consumers are willing to pay more for healthier foods. In the same token, more than half want to continue healthy habits long after the coronavirus pandemic is dismissed. “Gaining the COVID 15 (pounds) is a reality many consumers are grappling with,” said Pothen, noting 45% of the global population is trying to lose weight. In Malaysia, consumers are searching for fewer sugary drinks as the government implemented a sugar tax to

reduce obesity two years ago. “Fluid milk is driving consumers because of the less sugar content,” Pothen said. “We expect to see that increased demand as people look for healthier options.” Additionally, in Singapore, 1 in 5 individuals will be over the age of 60 by 2040. “It would be remiss to ignore the importance of healthy aging and the role proteins play as this consumer segment grows in Asia,” Pothen said. “All age groups represent a signicant opportunity for dairy.” Common dairy exports to this region include skim milk powder, whey powder and protein, and lactose for bakery and infant formulas. While fresh dairy like yogurt and uid milk are available, they are mostly ultrahigh-temperature pasteurized to accommodate an extended shelf life. Pothen did note a 43% uptick in cheese consumption due to the pandemic. “That increased consumption is likely to stick,” Pothen said. “They see Americans are consuming cheese as a healthy snack with low carbs and low sugars.” The potential of U.S. dairy products in southeast Asia is also driven by a growing middleclass. “As the middleclass grows, consumers normally work to elevate their nutrition,” Vikki Nicholson-West said. “They look at what to buy from what they’re seeing on the Food Network and online. In particular, cheesecake

and U.S. cream cheese has grown because consumers have seen how to make it.” Nicholson-West is the senior vice president for export ingredient marketing at USDEC. She contributed to the presentation with Pothen during the Dairy Experience Forum. There is vast opportunity within the southeast Asia market for U.S. dairy. One important aspect of this region is that Indonesia is also the largest Muslim population in the world, making halal foods an utmost priority. USDEC has a regulatory advisory group that provides guidance on this form of food processing and ensures opportunity for exports. “It can seem daunting, but it’s really no different than exporting from one country to another and understanding unique elements between markets,” Nicholson-West said. “With every market, we’re competing on quality and meeting product specications.” Southeast Asia is a growing opportunity for U.S. dairy products without diminishing the importance of other key markets, such as Mexico and China which remain signicant in terms of U.S. market share. “The timing was right and this is a sweet spot in southeast Asia. They have an appreciation and afnity for dairy,” Nicholson-West said. “Ultimately, as an industry, we need to deep dive into dairy exports to help put money into pockets for American dairy farmers.”

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Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 13

DAIRY ST

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Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 15

Grocery stores: What is your top selling dairy product?

Steven Haze Woodman’s Food Market Waukesha, Wisconsin Store manager, 22 years of experience What is your top selling dairy product? How has this changed in the past 10 years? Our top selling dairy product is cheese and mainly that’s because of our shelf space dedicated to the category. We have a massive selection between bricks, slices, curds, spreads and sticks that will keep people occupied for a portion of their shopping experience. The types of items created and the avors available are always changing along with the packaging, especially when it comes to convenience. Tell us about your dairy case. Our dairy cases are organized based on category to try and promote an easy shopping experience. One thing we boast is a huge selection of yogurt that is second to none. Tell us about any new popular dairy products your store offers. Organic is always a growing category in the dairy department across all available product lists. How protable is the dairy case compared to other sections of the store? Being the dairy state, it should be of no surprise that the number of items we turn out each week from the dairy department is amazing. It always amazes me how much yogurt one store in one city in one state can sell each day. What are the more successful promotions you do throughout the year that help move dairy products? When it comes to dairy promotions, pricing goes a long way but aside from that, we love doing demos to catch peoples’ interests. When a company does a successful demo, you can expect to see a sharp increase in sales during that time. How did the coronavirus pandemic affect dairy sales in your store? With COVID-19 during 2020 and into 2021, we have seen an overall increase of store sales across the board. Product availability with dairy did not seem to take the same hit as some of the other areas. Other areas are still recovering while the dairy department is looking fantastic.

Josh Olsem Sunshine Foods Rock Valley, Iowa Store owner/ manager 25 years of experience What is your top selling dairy product? How has this changed in the past 10 years? Our top selling dairy product is 1% milk. Over the years, we have seen price become a larger driver of sales in our dairy department. People are more apt to stock up items that are on sale. Tell us about your dairy case. Our main dairy case, where we keep our milk, is in the center of the store’s back wall. We put it there because we want people to walk the store on their way back to the dairy case. Our second dairy case, where we have our cheeses, yogurts, butter and eggs, is located nearby in a side aisle. Tell us about any new popular dairy products your store offers. We have some new avors of coffee creamers that have proven to be very popular. We recently expanded our selection of sliced ready-to-eat cheeses, and they have also been popular. How protable is the dairy case compared to other sections of the store? Milk is a loss leader, but the dairy case is a draw for our store. Dairy sales are very competitive and are price driven. That being said, the dairy case is the second or third largest department in our store. Milk and dairy products are an important and integral part of our business. What are the more successful promotions you do throughout the year that help move dairy products? On Milk Mondays, we offer milk for $1.99 per gallon if you come to the store and use our digital app. We also feature monthly specials on cheese and yogurt. We promote our dairy products heavily. How did the coronavirus pandemic affect dairy sales in your store? At rst it seemed like everyone was focused on stocking up on milk and eggs. During the early days of the pandemic, we temporarily ran short of milk due to some supply issues. Once things began to settle down, we saw increases in the sales of other dairy products such as butter and cheese due to the fact that more people were preparing more of their meals at home.

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Martha Chupp (no photo available) The Village Market Spencer, Wisconsin Owner What is your top selling dairy product? How has this changed in the past 10 years? Colby cheese from LeGranders has always been a pretty stable top seller for us. Tell us about your dairy case. We are a small community market. Our dairy case is in the back of the store near our deli. We carry uid milk from Weber’s and yogurts, sour cream, cottage cheese and butter. We carry a variety of cheeses including colby, colby jack, mild cheddar, pepper jack, Muenster and American. Tell us about any new popular dairy products your store offers. The yogurt has been starting to become a very popular item. How protable is the dairy case compared to other sections of the store? I would say the dairy case probably accounts for about 25% of our total sales. What are the more successful promotions you do throughout the year that help move dairy products? We have run specials on butter, and we do colby cheese chunks taken from a 13-pound block of colby. How did the coronavirus pandemic affect dairy sales in your store? I don’t think it affected us that much. We moved to our current location in town from one out on County Highway F in February right before the pandemic hit. I would say when it rst started, our cheese sales seemed to go up, but overall, the rest of the store was more impacted than the dairy case. The dairy case maintained steady sales.

Turn to OUR SIDE | Page 16

Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15

Ron Anderson Roy’s Market New Glarus, Wisconsin Store manager

Pam Grittner, manager of the dairy department, and Allen Dahmen, owner Pierz Foods Pierz, Minnesota

Eric Bennett is pictured with his wife, Brenda Bennett’s Food Center Plainview, Minnesota Owner, 36 years

What is your top-selling dairy product? How has this changed in the past 10 years? Milk of all kinds – from whole to skim – is our top-selling dairy product and has been for the past decade.

What is your top-selling dairy product? How has this changed in the past 10 years? Our top-selling dairy item is milk with sour cream and yogurts being a close second. Milk was our biggest seller 10 years ago and has been since I started. I order a lot of milk. We come from a really big dairy community and they support their dairy farmers.

What is your top selling dairy product? How has this changed in the past 10 years? Shredded cheese is our top selling dairy product. It is convenient for people. They don’t have to take the block and shred it themselves. Milk used to be No. 1, but with more choices of what people can drink, that is no longer the case.

Tell us about your dairy case. The new dairy cases really show off the products. We love to try out new products. Also, if there is something we don’t carry, customers should let us know. We will try our best to get it for them. Cheese probably lls half of our dairy case. Other prominent items include sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurt and cream cheese. We have it all.

Tell us about your dairy case. We have eight doors of milk in the back corner of the store. We have 40 feet of cold case for our dairy section and a 4-foot section of dairy related products that don’t have to be refrigerated. For milk alone, we have three suppliers with four kinds and many sizes. Shredded cheese takes up a 16-foot section. We probably have 100s of products. I don’t know the exact number. The dairy section is in the back because it is refrigerated and can be close to the compressors and to the drop off so it can be refrigerated as soon as it gets off the truck.

Tell us about your dairy case. We have a section of six glass doors, half of which carry milk from gallons to half gallons to quarts to pints. The other three doors are split up as follows – one door is for sour creams and dips, another door is for creamers, and the last door is for soy and almond beverages. We also have a 44-foot case featuring two 4-foot sections of orange juices; two 4-foot sections of shredded, specialty and sliced cheeses; a 4-foot section of cream cheeses; a 4-foot section of random whey cheeses; a 4-foot section of dough like Pillsbury biscuits and crescent rolls; an 8-foot section of yogurt; a 4-foot section of butters and spreads; and a 4-foot section of eggs. We don’t have a ton of backstock – what we order lls our shelves. Milk, butter and eggs are located in the farthest part of dairy placement, directing trafc to the back corner of the store for those items. Every grocery is set up similar. People shop for basics like milk, butter and eggs on a regular basis, and this setup is designed so they pass other things on their way. Tell us about any new popular dairy products your store offers. Yogurts are a big one. There are so many kinds of yogurts, and yogurt brands are always coming out with something new. They try different fruits, and some yogurts feature canned toppings mixed with granola. We carry a French-style yogurt by Yoplait called Oui that’s pretty popular. It’s packaged in a small glass jar. How protable is the dairy case compared to other sections of the store? That’s a tough one. The percentage we make on dairy initially is probably higher than dry grocery. Our prots start out a little higher in the dairy department, but at the end of the day, dairy is probably no more protable than dry grocery because we have to rotate product frequently making it labor-intensive, and we also have more waste in this department. What are the more successful promotions you do throughout the year that help move dairy products? Yogurt is featured in an ad almost every week because there is some type of yogurt on sale almost weekly at Roy’s Market. Milk is promoted on a monthly basis as well in the ad we run in the New Glarus newspaper. We also give away ads at the store. Sometimes, coupons are part of that ad. Companies also offer coupons we can hand out in the store. Certco out of Madison supplies a lot of stores, including us. We follow what they suggest to put in the ads. We receive yers from the warehouse showing what they’re promoting, and we follow suit.

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Tell us about any new popular dairy products your store offers. We just recently got mozzarella pearl balls in per customer request. They are selling really well for us. How protable is the dairy case compared to other sections of the store? The dairy department is one of four primary parts of the store for sales and prots. What are the more successful promotions you do throughout the year that help move dairy products? We promote June Dairy Month with awesome specials for the customers. We usually run a milk, cheese or ice cream special in June. How did the coronavirus pandemic affect dairy sales in your store? The coronavirus pandemic had a very positive effect on the dairy sales. It also caused shortages of products. Eggs is one that we had to nd a local source for.

How did the coronavirus pandemic affect dairy sales in your store? When the pandemic rst started, there were increased sales across the board in all areas of the grocery industry. Roy’s Market never ran out of milk, cheese or butter, and our customers continued to buy those products. There might have been a tight supply but no empty shelves. Our warehouse and suppliers were running out of certain products though, and eggs and bread were the items we couldn’t get.

Tell us about any new popular dairy products your store offers. Yogurt is popular. We have so many varieties, and we don’t even carry one-tenth of the avors out there because we don’t have the room. When we try new avors, if it sells well, we will keep it on the shelf. If it doesn’t sell well, we won’t restock it. People will also suggest new avors or kinds to us, and we try to get what they want. If it doesn’t sell well but certain people still want it, we will order it for them and they can pick it up from us without being put on the sale oor. How protable is the dairy case compared to other sections of the store? It is not as protable as other sections of the store. Milk has a very small margin. Just like the dairy farmers experience, the dairy price we pay goes up and down. Some months are good and some aren’t. What are the more successful promotions you do throughout the year that help move dairy products? We have a lot of promotions during June Dairy Month. We have the county dairy princesses here to hand out product, and multiple dairy items are on sale each week during June. The holiday season is also when we have a lot of dairy promotions. That’s when people do a lot of baking so butter is usually on sale. How did the coronavirus pandemic affect dairy sales in your store? They have increased. More people were staying home, and kids were home from school too. People in rural areas also stayed in town and shopped here rather than going to larger cities around us.

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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

Harvesting Quality Forages

Scissor clippings determine precise harvest time for Schaal

Brian Schaal Burlington, Wisconsin Racine County 350 cows

Describe your farm and facilities. I am the third generation at Schaal Dairy Farm. I farmed in partnership with my dad up until this year as he is getting out of owning cattle. Cows are housed in a freestall barn and milked twice a day in a double-12 parallel parlor. We started in a 42-stall tiestall barn and never added additional heifer facilities as we grew. Therefore, calves stay here until 7 months of age and are then sent to a heifer grower. They come back 45-60 days before calving. Before we built our parlor, we milked in a atbarn parlor that was added to the original dairy barn. What forages do you harvest? We harvest alfalfa as haylage (we don’t do any baling), and we also harvest corn silage. We also chop some wheat straw so it is sized appropriately, and we feed it to dry cows.

Brian Schaal milks 350 cows and farms 700 acres near Burlington, Wisconsin. Schaal harvests corn silage and alfalfa as haylage. He does moisture tesƟng on his corn silage and takes scissor clippings of alfalfa to help determine the precise Ɵme to harvest.

How many acres of crops do you raise? We raise 700 acres. We have 80-120 acres of alfalfa. We are always rotating crops and typically get three cutting years out of a eld before turning it over. Every year, we’re

planting something. We direct seed alfalfa. We don’t do cover crops or plant oats because we have no heifers to eat this lowerquality feed. About 300 acres is in corn and the rest is wheat and soybeans.

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Describe the rations for your livestock. We feed a one-group TMR as we try to keep feeding fairly simple. We feed a little differently because we don’t have a very large mixer. I mix three loads a day to feed the milk

cows. I stagger that throughout the day between three milking groups. On a hot, humid day, I will dump fresh feed at 7 p.m. so it’s not heating up all day. That helps maintain intakes and helps cows recover from heat stress quicker. It also saves a lot of feed refusals. I can gauge what’s there and determine how much I need to mix. If intakes are down, then I’ll cut back on the last feeding. In summer, I feed smaller batches early and at mid-morning and one large batch at the end of the day. The ration contains haylage and corn silage, and we also feed some high-moisture corn. We switch to dry corn in the summer when we run out. Wet brewers’ grain and a protein mix are also part of our milking cow ration. For dry cows, we have two rations. We have a larger group of far-off dry cows and springing heifers that receive haylage, corn silage, straw and brewers’ grain. We also have a smaller special needs group that contains cows calving for their third time or more. These cows receive corn silage, straw, brewers’ grain and a special protein/mineral/ vitamin mix in their ration. This has helped us clean up any milk fevers which in turn seems to clear up any retained placenta and displaced abomasum issues. Every year we make new feed

and have to adjust our rations. Younger heifers receive hay and 18% grain while older heifers get leftovers from the cows. What quality and quantity do you harvest of each crop? It would be nice if we could always make haylage that was 70180 relative feed value. For corn silage, moisture dictates harvest. I lean toward harvesting on the wetter side when it’s at 65%70% moisture. You may give up some yield because the kernels are less mature, but plant digestibility (NFD) numbers are so important, and they’re better when you harvest early. To determine quantity, I look at the cow herd and talk to my nutritionist and gure out the total forage use per head per day. If we have a lot of alfalfa, then we may back off on corn silage. If we’re short on alfalfa, then we’ll balance with corn silage to meet our total forage needs. Our ration is at least two-thirds corn silage.

Describe your harvesting techniques for alfalfa and corn silage. We hire a custom harvester, but they don’t do all of our operations. We cut all alfalfa, they merge and chop, and then we bag it all for storage. When

Turn to SCHAAL | Page 20

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Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 19

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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

Con�nued from SCHAAL | Page 18

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Brian Schaal feeds a one-group TMR to his milking herd that includes haylage, corn silage, high-moisture or dry corn, wet brewers’ grain and a protein mix. Cows are fed three �mes a day. we cut, we try to lay it out as at as we can. In a perfect situation, I would cut all the hay in one day and harvest it the next. Corn silage is custom harvested and stored in bags. If we have a lower-quality haylage crop – either it rained or got too mature – it’s easy to segregate when using bags, and we can feed accordingly. For alfalfa, we do scissor clippings rather than following the calendar. We try to get to it 7-10 days before we think it’s ready. We look at the weather and guess how much it’s maturing every day to see when we need to cut. A lot of factors go into when we decide to cut. What else is going on around the farm? What is the custom harvester’s schedule? What’s the weather like?

is something we did not used to do; instead, we eyeballed it. We sometimes ended up with feed quality we didn’t want based on heat, moisture, precipitation and growing conditions. Every year, a crop grows differently. When you send a sample to the lab, it takes out the guesswork. For corn silage, we now take multiple tests to check for moisture, which eliminates guessing. I’m learning as a producer that when you depend on others (my dad, kids, hired help, custom harvester), you need to do a lot of communicating so no assumptions are made. One year, we waited until we thought the hay was ready and ended up with a week of rainy weather. We had all this feed, but it was not great quality. Now, we try to take a more proactive approach, which means we might have to cut before the perfect time to avoid those situations. How do quality forages play a part in the production goals for your herd? If

forage quality is decreased, it limits intake which limits milk production. Forage quality is huge. You have to make sure it doesn’t spoil when stored. Feed must be mixed properly, and the delivery method must be such that cows always have fresh feed in front of them – that’s important. What are management or harvesting techniques you have changed that have made a notable difference in forage quality? Sending scissor clippings of alfalfa to the lab and testing moisture on our corn silage are two of the biggest techniques we’ve incorporated that have had a positive impact on forage quality. Also, we now feed chopped straw instead of baled straw to our dry cows. When it was baled, they left a mess behind because they would sort it. We learned to start chopping instead which prevents sorting. We learn from our mistakes. It’s a lot of trial and error. We also learn from others.

What techniques do you use to store, manage and feed your forages? We store all of our haylage and corn silage in bags. I do all the mixing, and I make sure to always monitor the bags. If there’s a cut or hole, I tape it immediately so there’s no spoilage. I pick up plastic every couple days, and it’s all recycled. Feed is the biggest cost on a farm. If we went through all this effort to grow, harvest and store a crop, I don’t want to waste it. I want the cows to eat it. Bags are nice in summer because I can take several feet off the face of the bag, and there’s never an issue of taking off enough to keep the face fresh. Describe a challenge you overcame in reaching your forage quality goals. Over the years, I had to learn things like how to take scissor clippings. This

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

All forages at Schaal Dairy Farm are stored in bags, and Schaal takes care to closely monitor bags for holes or cuts. This bag of corn silage is currently being fed to cows, and Schaal takes several feet oﬀ the face of the bag each day.

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Equipment and pictures added daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com 10 2 14 8 10 1 9 5 4 1 17 5 11 5 2 15 3 5 7 17 3 15 7 6 1 14 10 2 14 15 15 3 1 3 9 3 3 16 16

COMBINES

JD 6620 1987, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Singles, 3903hrs., #177388 .............................$15,900 JD 9500 1995, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 5392 hrs., 3503 Sep hrs., #171987 ......$14,900 JD 9500 1991, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 6500 hrs., 5000 Sep hrs., #185458.......$22,400 JD 9550 1999, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 4982 hrs., 3450 Sep hrs., #178638 ...$43,900 JD 9600 1996, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Singles, 4718 hrs., 3171 Sep hrs., #175562..$29,000 JD 9610 1998, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 6160 hrs., #179045.............................$29,900 JD 9610 1998, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 3535 hrs., 2241 Sep hrs., #185640 ......$34,500 JD 9650W 2001, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 4495 hrs., 3314 Sep hrs., #183897 $54,000 JD 9670 STS 2009, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 2192 hrs., 1263 Sep hrs., #185612 ................................................................................................................$110,400 JD 9870 STS 2008, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 3105 hrs., 2500 Sep hrs., #175945 ................................................................................................................$109,000 NH CR8090 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2405 hrs., 1810 Sep hrs., #183218 ................................................................................................................$136,500 JD S660 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1564 hrs., 1154 Sep hrs., #185284 .$185,500 JD S670 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 3625 hrs., 2557 Sep hrs., #172954 ....$92,900 JD S670 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2005 hrs., 1379 Sep hrs., #182044 .$165,000 JD S670 2016,Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2289 hrs., 1453 Sep hrs., #176660 ..$199,500 JD S680 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2930 hrs., 2043 Sep hrs., #175550 .$112,900 JD S680 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2472 hrs., 1739 Sep hrs., #154637 $124,900 JD S680 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2907 hrs., 1904 Sep hrs., #161858 .$129,500 JD S680 2014, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2959 hrs., 2063 Sep hrs., #182070 . $144,900 JD S680 2014, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 2354 hrs., 1703 Sep hrs., #178114....$147,900 JD S680 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2365 hrs., 1642 Sep hrs., #176788 .$149,500 JD S680 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Singles, 2506 hrs., 1900 Sep hrs., #183520$153,900 JD S680 2014, Corn/Bean, 2WD, Duals, 2061 hrs., 1658 Sep hrs., #172017....$159,500 JD S680 2015, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2208 hrs., #169577 ..........................$169,500 JD S680 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2729 hrs., 1800 Sep hrs., #176089 . $169,900 JD S680 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1992 hrs., 1300 Sep hrs., #174756 .$174,900 JD S680 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2047 hrs., 1638 Sep hrs., #166363 $185,900 JD S680 2015, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1793 hrs., 1233 Sep hrs., #167207 .$219,500 JD S680 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1725 hrs., 1392 Sep hrs., #185274 .$239,900 JD S680 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1608 hrs., 1107 Sep hrs., #184606 .$249,900 JD S690 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2237 hrs., 1588 Sep hrs., #177562 .$159,500 JD S690 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2203 hrs., 1400 Sep hrs., #179929 . $160,000 JD S690 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2101 hrs., 1505 Sep hrs., #175026 .$162,900 JD S690 2012, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1983 hrs., 1530 Sep hrs., #171923 .$179,000 JD S690 2013, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1648 hrs., 1161 Sep hrs., #167773 .$199,900 JD S690 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2113 hrs., #176735 ........................$219,500 JD S690 2016, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1767 hrs., 1248 Sep hrs., #176733 .$250,000 JD S770 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 2203 hrs., 1587 Sep hrs., #181147 .$245,000 JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1155 hrs., 800 Sep hrs., #175318....$319,500

5 5 11 17 14 15 1 16 14 4 14 16 3 14 14

JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1179 hrs., 850 Sep hrs., #183439....$337,500 JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1100 hrs., 755 Sep hrs., #183533....$355,000 JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 686 hrs., 475 Sep hrs., #154461......$359,000 JD S780 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1018 hrs., 690 Sep hrs., #177549....$364,400 JD S780 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 897 hrs., 653 Sep hrs., #171103......$385,000 JD S780 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 726 hrs., 557 Sep hrs., #185160......$397,000 JD S780 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 490 hrs., 294 Sep hrs., #169509......$409,500 JD S780 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 362 hrs., 234 Sep hrs., #171003......$419,500 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 519 hrs., 397 Sep hrs., #183792......$425,400 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 554 hrs., 373 Sep hrs., #181757......$429,900 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 580 hrs., 315 Sep hrs., #179653......$435,900 JD S780 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Tracks, 315 hrs., 240 Sep hrs., #182067 ....$509,900 JD S790 2018, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 1535 hrs., 1058 Sep hrs., #179097 .$315,400 JD S790 2019, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Duals, 965 hrs., 683 Sep hrs., #171378......$389,500 JD S790 2020, Corn/Bean, PRWD, Tracks, 522 hrs., 392 Sep hrs., #181663 .....$514,900

ROUND BALERS

6 JD 568 2010, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, 5 ft Bale Width, 12,200 Bale Count, #181866 ...................................................................................$25,400 17 JD 569 2014, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 5 ft Bale Width, 15560 Bale Count, #179194 ....................................................................................$25,900 5 JD 569 2013, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 5 ft Bale Width, 18000 Bale Count, #172972 ....................................................................................$30,900 10 JD 569 2016, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 5 ft Bale Width, 9800 Bale Count, #181002 ......................................................................................$31,400 6 JD 569 2016, Mega Wide Pickup, Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 5 ft Bale Width, 5085 Bale Count, #180947 ......................................................................................$42,400 11 JD 458 Silage Special 2010, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 540, 4 ft Bale Width, 17700 Bale Count, #185382 ..........................................................$15,995 10 JD 460M 2018, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 4 ft Bale Width, 10000 Bale Count, #185644 ........................................................................$35,900 10 JD 469 Silage Special 2014, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 4 ft Bale Width, 6300 Bale Count, #184426 ............................................................$36,500 6 Claas 480RC 2017, Mega Wide Pickup, Surface Wrapping, PTO: 540, 4 ft Bale Width, Precut Knives, 5165 Bale Count, #179187...............................................................$31,500 11 Vermeer 504 Pro 2013, Mega Wide Pickup, Surface Wrapping, PTO: 540, 4 ft Bale Width, Precut Knives, 8500 Bale Count, #185154...................................................$22,900 10 JD 560M 2018, Mega Wide Pickup, Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 5 ft Bale Width, 7600 Bale Count, #181057 ......................................................................................$41,500 6 JD 569 Silage Special 2013, Mega Wide Pickup, Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 5 ft Bale Width, 9540 Bale Count, #177861 ............................................................$29,400 10 JD 569 Silage Special 2015, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 540, 5 ft Bale Width, 3300 Bale Count, #178210 ............................................................$41,500

10 JD 854 Silage Special 2013, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 5 ft Bale Width, Precut Knives, 6000 Bale Count, #181465.....................................$27,900 2 NH BR7060 2011, Mega Wide Pickup, Surface Wrapping, PTO: 540, 4 ft Bale Width, Precut Knives, 7300 Bale Count, #169262...............................................................$23,900 6 Krone Comprima V180XC T 2016, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 4 ft Bale Width, Precut Knives, 7450 Bale Count, #182694 ..................$43,900 10 NH Rollbelt 460 2016, Mega Wide Pickup, Twine & Surface Wrapping, PTO: 1000, 4 ft Bale Width, 12800 Bale Count, #185645 ..........................................................$26,500 3 1 4 7 6 10 3 14 6 3 1 2 7

DISKS

3 JD 650 1997, 32 ft, 3-Section Folding, #185256 ..................................................$18,000 10 JD 2620 2014, 26 ft, 3-Section Folding, 9” Spacing, #185638 .............................$31,500

MULCH TILLERS

4 JD 714 2004, 16 ft, Rigid, #183963 .......................................................................$11,400 7 JD 714 2003, 16 ft, Rigid, #185613 .......................................................................$15,900

MOWER CONDITIONERS

6 JD 956 2015, #180948 ...........................................................................................$35,900 10 NH H7230 2015, #176984 ....................................................................................$22,400

4561 Hwy. 212

1035 35th Ave. NE

(2) = HOWARD LAKE (5) = GLENWOOD 5845 Keats Ave. SW

1710 N. Franklin

(3) = STEWART

(6) = SAUK CENTRE

78412 Co. Rd. 20

1140 Centre St.

3708 Baptist Church Rd.

(8) = PAYNESVILLE

16069 Hwy. 27 E.

725 Lake Ave. S.

1120 2nd St. NW

(10) = LITTLE FALLS (13) = BAXTER (11) = WADENA 62505 US Hwy. 10

7045 Foley Rd.

WINDROWERS

8 JD R450 2013, Hay Head, 16ft Platform, Rubber/Urethane Conditioner, 802 hrs., #185157 ................................................................................................................$112,900 6 JD W235 2016, Hay Head, 16ft Platform, Rubber/Urethane Conditioner, 937 hrs., #185653 ................................................................................................................$123,400

Visit one of our 17 locations in Central Minnesota! CALL (7) = ALEXANDRIA (9) = PRINCETON (12) = AITKIN (4) = ST. CLOUD (1) = GLENCOE 320-763-4220 5005 Co. Rd. 82 SE

RIPPERS

Wil-Rich 513, 2018, #176831 .............................................................................$56,900 Case IH 690 2014, #181988 .................................................................................$17,000 JD 2700 2008, #167873 ........................................................................................$12,842 JD 2700 2003, #183667 ........................................................................................$12,900 JD 2700 2004, #172537 ........................................................................................$15,900 JD 2700 2009, #178024 ........................................................................................$21,500 JD 2730 2015, #167250 ........................................................................................$50,900 JD 2730 2015, #182531 ........................................................................................$74,000 JD 2730 2016, #176994 ........................................................................................$75,900 JD 2730 2019, #168106 ........................................................................................$89,500 JD 2730 2020, #180777 ........................................................................................$98,900 Kuhn Krause 4855 Dominator 2016, #181415.............................................$54,900 Wil-Rich SOILPRO 513 2013, #177784.............................................................$37,900

TODAY! (320)365-1653 (14) = ELBOW LAKE

(16) = BENSON

(15) = MORRIS

(17) = MADISON

110 2nd St. NE

23604 State Hwy. 9

380 Atlantic Ave. 516 1st St. E

SEE OUR COMPLETE INVENTORY WITH PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS AT: www.mmcjd.com

Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

Could a retroﬁt be the right ﬁt for you?

CRP changes requires resubmission of offers By Steve Frericks

County Executive Director Stearns County FSA Oﬃce

Retrofitting a dairy barn with a new DeLaval parlor milking system P500 has been a popular choice to make upgrades more affordable compared to building new.

Find out today! SCAN HERE

Connect with a DeLaval representative today to see if a retroﬁt is the right ﬁt for you.

www.delaval.com

Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Kramer Bros. Monticello, IA 319-465-5931 Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United Dairy Systems, Inc. West Union, IA 563-422-5355 WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713

DeLaval Dairy Service Kaukauna, WI 866-335-2825 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0267 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470

MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, SD 605-886-7401 Sioux Falls, SD 800-284-0015 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416

is a registered trademark of Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. and “DeLaval” is a registered trade/servicemark of DeLaval Holding AB © 2021 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. Nothing in this document shall constitute a warranty or guaranty of performance. www.delaval.com

Haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acres is authorized under certain conditions to provide emergency relief to livestock producers due to certain natural disasters. Drought conditions are tough for our livestock producers, but emergency haying and grazing use of CRP acres can provide temporary relief to these producers. Emergency haying and grazing of CRP acres may be authorized within a county to provide relief to livestock producers in areas affected by a severe drought or similar natural disaster. Emergency haying and grazing status is reviewed and authorized each Thursday using the U.S. Drought Monitor. Counties are eligible for emergency haying and grazing due to drought conditions on a county by county basis, when a county is designated as level D2 DroughtSevere according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. CRP contract holders who would like to use this option must contact the county Farm Service Agency ofce prior to conducting any haying or grazing activity and receive written approval. To date, 61 counties in Minnesota have triggered eligibility for emergency haying and grazing on CRP acres. A list by state and map of eligible counties are updated weekly and available on FSA’s website. Producers who don’t meet the drought monitor qualications but have a 40% loss of forage production may also be eligible for emergency haying and grazing outside of the primary nesting season. CRP participants requesting emergency or nonemergency haying and grazing must le a request with their county FSA ofce indicating the acres to be hayed or grazed before the activity begins. Emergency haying and grazing is authorized on all practices outside the primary nesting season. The primary nesting season in Minnesota goes through Aug. 1. Counties that trigger for Livestock Forage Disaster Program payments based on the U.S. Drought Monitor may hay only certain practices on less than 50% of eligible contract acres. Producers should contact their local FSA county ofce for eligible CRP practices. Before CRP acres are declared eligible for haying or grazing, a modied conservation plan developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service or a technical service provider must be obtained. The modied conservation plan must be site specic, include the authorized duration and reect local wildlife needs and concerns. The primary purpose must be to maintain vegetative cover, minimize soil erosion and protect water quality and wildlife habitat quality. These plans must ensure no long-term damage to the conservation cover is caused. Eligible practices for emergency haying and grazing include those implemented under State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement such as CP38E SAFEGrass when such activity is specically outlined in the SAFE agreement. Contact your local ofce for state specic restrictions related to SAFE. Acres ineligible for both emergency and nonemergency haying and grazing include acres devoted to useful life easements; land within 20 feet of a stream or other permanent water body; and any acres where haying and or grazing would cause long-term damage to the CRP cover. For more information on CRP haying and grazing visit fsa.usda.gov/crp or contact a FSA county ofce. To locate your FSA ofce, visit farmers.gov/servicelocator. Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs.

Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 23

Swiss-style yogurt takes off in Wisconsin Yodelay made with milk from Voegeli Farms’ Brown Swiss By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

MONTICELLO, Wis. – Four years ago, a new type of yogurt entered the marketplace. It was heralded for its smooth, creamy texture and intense fruit avor. Bearing notes of Switzerland, Yodelay Yogurt pushed its way onto store shelves in southern Wisconsin alongside traditional American yogurts and won awards for its unique taste. This Swiss-style yogurt is made exclusively with milk from the Brown Swiss cows at Voegeli Farms near Monticello. “It’s a very different product,” said Markus Candinas, founder of Yodelay Yogurt, which is made near Madison. “If you think you know what yogurt tastes like, Yodelay is not like that at all. We have a different way of making yogurt than others do, and it tastes really good.” Growing up in a yogurtloving family that traveled often to Switzerland, Candinas desired to replicate the yogurt

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Bryan Voegeli (leŌ) and Markus Candinas are partners in Yodelay Yogurt – a Swiss-style yogurt made exclusively from the milk of Voegeli’s 220-cow Brown Swiss herd located near MonƟcello, Wisconsin. found in his parents’ native country where he said yogurt is consumed frequently throughout the day. The yogurts he encountered in the U.S. did not taste the same, and Candinas knew he could do better. His secret weapon is the Brown Swiss cow, whose high protein and butterfat-rich milk produce a avor and texture like no other. “Their milk makes all the

T BES UES VAL

TRACTORS Case IH 600 Quad Track Tractor, 2013, 1,200 Hours JD 2750, Cab, 4wd Tractor w/245 Ldr., Bucket, & Skid Steer Adap. Massey Ferguson 150 2WD, Platform, Gas, Turf Tires, Consign Massey Ferguson 1740M, Cab, Compact Tractor w/loader, 65 Hrs. New Holland TD95D, 4WD, Cab w/820TL Loader

COMBINES & HEADS

Gleaner S97 Combine, 2018, 20.8R42 Duals, 1001 Sep, Gleaner S77 Combine, 2012 Duals, 1,670 Sep, 2373 E. Hrs Gleaner R75 Combine, 2004 Duals, 1982 Sep, 2,719 E, Very Nice Combine Gleaner R52 Combine, 1998, 24.5-32, 2022 sep hrs., 3180 eng Gleaner R52 Combine, 1992, Singles, 2871 sep hrs. Gleaner 520 Flex Head, R mounts., SCH sickle Gleaner 500-20 Flex Head, R Mounts, Needs Work, Sold As Is Gleaner 3000 630R Corn Head, 2008 Gleaner 3000 630R Corn Head, 2012 Gleaner 3000 830R Corn Head, 2004 Gleaner 313 w/Renn 5 Belt Pickup Header, Will Fit Newer LTL Combines Harvestec 4308C Cutter Corn Head, 8 Row 30” Gl Mounts Harvestec 4308C Cutter Corn Head, 8 Row 30” JD Mount Harvestec 4308C Cutter Corn Head, 8 Row 30” NH/Case IH Mount, ‘08

SKIDS, TRACK LOADERS, & EXCAVATORS

Bobcat T595 Track Loader, 2018, Cab, AC, 2-Speed, H/F Ctrls, 606 Hrs. Bobcat 341 Excavator, 2000 w/3’ Bucket, Cab w/Heat Bobcat V623 Telehandler, 2003 w/Pallet Forks & 90” Bucket, 1,180 Hrs. Bobcat 5600 Toolcat, 2005 Deere 320e Skid Steer, Cab, AC, 2-Speed, Power Attach, 4,400 Hrs. Mustang 2044 Skid Steer, 2002 w/Single Pin Attach, 3,195 Hrs Mustang 2700V Skid Steer, 2012, Cab, heat, 2 Spd., 2,000 Hrs.

difference,” Candinas said. “How the milk is produced is also important, and that’s where Voegeli Farms comes in. They go that extra mile to take care of their cows and make a great product. We’re attracted to people who do things right, and I appreciate what they do on their farm.” Bryan Voegeli milks 220 registered Brown Swiss and farms 1,300 acres with his

Vermeer 504 Pro Cutter Round Baler, 2016 w/6,700 bales Krone BP4x4XC 4x4 Large Square Baler, 2012, 19,000 Bales Krone Swadro 810 Rotary Rake, 2-Point Mount H&S HDX 14 Wheel Rake H&S BF8H 8 Wheel Bi-Fold Hydraulic Fold H&S 12 wheel hi-Cap rake w/center kicker wheel John Deere 930 Mower Conditioner, 11’ w/Flails John Deere 946 Mower Conditioner, 2-Point Mount, 2013 Art’s Way 240c Stalk Chopper, 2015, 20’ Witdth, Low Acres United Farm Tools 210 Bale Grinder

brother, Jim, and his son, Christopher. Cows are housed in a sand-bedded freestall barn and pastured whenever possible. The Voegelis milk twice a day, and cows average 4.5% butterfat and 3.5% protein produced with a low somatic cell count. Voegeli is the fth generation on his family’s 167-yearold farm. Like Candinas, Voegeli’s family also came

from Switzerland, and the white barns perched atop a hill housing Brown Swiss are a nod to the farm’s Swiss heritage. “We work hard at quality,” Voegeli said. “We take good care of our cows and have a well-trained team. My dad always wanted to make yogurt, and what we’re doing now reects on the ideas he had. This is something unique. Yodelay Yogurt is handmade in small vats. It’s not a mass-produced product. It’s fresh and has incredible avor.” Voegeli ships a small portion of his milk to Yodelay for making the Swiss-inspired yogurt. “Brown Swiss milk is different,” Voegeli said. “It’s high in protein and has great caseins, including the A2A2 casein which is connected to a lot of good health traits. Even though we are not certied a total A2A2 herd, we continue to breed towards that goal. Markus adds onto what we do and creates something great. The awards Yodelay Yogurt has earned are testaments to his talents. If he has success, then we have a small part in that. It’s a team effort all the way through.” Candinas agreed. “Bryan is an artisan,” he Turn to VOEGELI | Page 25

Let’s build a great team

ROW CROP, DRILLS & SPRAYERS

Hardi Navigator 4000, 2012, 90’ Boom,120” axle, 5500 rate controller Hardi Navigator 4000, 2014 80’ Boom, sus. axle, 5500 rate controler Hardi Navigator 1000M w/60’ Boom, Foam, Flush N Rinse, Chem. Inductor Great Plains YP1225-24 Twin Row 30” Planter, Finger Pick-Up. 400 Gal LF John Deere 1535 Bean Drill, No-Till Coulters, Markers John Deere 1750 6r30 Planter, Vac Meter, LF, Trash Cleaners White 8516 16-Row 30” Planter Central Fill, 600 Gal. Lq Fert. White 9222VE 12R30” Planter, 400 Gal LF, Row Cleaner & No-Till Coulter

GRAIN CARTS & WAGONS

H&S 7+4 Twin Auger 16 Forage Box, 612 H&S Gear H&S 16’ Forage Box w/612 Gear, Model XL99 H&S 16’ Forage Box w/612 Gear, Model XL99 H&S 501 16’ Forage Box With 612 Gear Notch 10-Ton Running Gear & 9x16 Wood Flat Rack. 9.5L-15 Tires Brent 470 Grain Cart Brent 880 Grain Cart w/Diamond Tires, Roll Tarp, Scale Ready Mauer Head Trailer, narrow front, 30’

MANURE SPREADERS

New Idea 3632 Spreader, Tandem Axle w/Truck Tires H&S 2606 vertical beater spreader H&S 5126 Topshot Manure Spreader, 19Lx16.1 Tires, 2011 Knight Pro Twin Slinger 8040 Spreader, 28L-26 Tires

GRAIN EQUIPMENT

With Minnesota Dairy Initiative, dairy producers can use a team approach to: • Develop goals • Gain on-farm education • Get access to various resources • Network with industry ag professionals and dairy peers • Improve profitability • Enhance performance and efficiencies The Minnesota Dairy Initiative Program is available to all dairy producers regardless of size or production and is custom fit to the farm’s needs. To enroll, please contact Leah Bischof at 320-429-0611 or leahbischof@gmail.com or visit www.mn-dairy-initiative.org.

Good Selection Of Used Augers

MISCELLANEOUS

3,000 Gallon Fertilizer Tank, Vertical Lorenz 66” Dual Paddle 3-Point Snowblower, 2020, Hyd. Chute, & Def. Virnig 96” Hydraulic Angle Broom, New Brushes Wil-Rich 5830 43’ Chisel Plow Westendorf WL-42 All-Matic Loader w/White Tractor Mounts Consign Wil-Rich Quad 5 42’ Field Cultivator w/3-bar coil & basket John Deere 714 9 shank chisel plow, 4” twist, coulters, wts., consigned Bush Hog HTDH5 3-Pt Finish Mower W. Anti Scalp Roller, 2020, 15 Hrs. Use Sunﬂower 4511-11 Shank Disc Chisel, 2014, Low Acres Bush Hog SQ184, 3pt Rotary Cutter, 2011 HAY & FORAGE, STALK CHOPPERS MASSEY FERGUSON 2320 54” MID-MOUNT MOWER DECK Case 600 Forage Blower, Light Use, Older Unit In Good Shape Mahindra 60” Mid-Mount Mower Deck (Came Off Max 26 Xlt), Like New Massey Ferguson 2250 3x3 square baler, 2016, approx 30K bales Art’s Way 7’ 3-Point Rotary Cutter NH HW300 Self Propelled WR w/16’ Sickle Head, 3,200 Hrs. Landpride AFM4214 Batwing Finish Mower, 14’ Pull Type New Holland BR7070 Round Baler, 10,000 Bales, Crop Cutter John Deere 72” Sand Shooter (Mench M115) New Holland RB460 Round Baler, 10,300 Bales, Roto Cutter Frontier RB2060 3-Pt Grader Blade, 5’ w/Manual Tilt & Angle New Holland RB560 2017, Round Baler, 1,176 Bales, Like New HLA 48” 5,500 # pallet forks walk through Vermeer 504N Round Baler Walco Pallet Fork 3700# Skid Mount Meyer 80” Skid Steer Mount Snowpusher, (Has Rubber Edge)

TILLAGE/FIELD CULTIVATORS

38241 County 6 Blvd. Goodhue, MN 55027

(651) 923-4441

Dairy Business Planning Grants Up to $5,000 to develop business plans for: • Farm Transitions • Expansions • Debt restructuring • and more

Contact David Weinand: 651-201-6646 or David.Weinand@state.mn.us to get started.

Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

HERE FOR YOUR ANIMALS & YOU

PROVIDING CALCIUM

TO YOUR HERD

Got cows with calves? Help those new moms through with calcium for post-calving, reproduction & milk production! Calcium is vital for animal health & helps • Strengthen bone structure • Smooth muscles • Improve nerve function • Prevent milk fever

MORE THAN FARM DELIVERY Take Full Advantage of Our Route Services! • Chemicals & animal health solutions to your door • Professional chemical handling (try our Leedstone brands!) • General cleaning service—less chemical use, more cost effective • Equipment assessments & preventative maintenance • Knowledgeable, friendly support

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Melrose/Glencoe Bob Otremba botremba@Leedstone.com 320.248.1685

Plainview/Menomonie James Shearer jshearer@Leedstone.com 715.760.2262

Family and veterinarian owned since 1994.

Animal Health & Pharmacy / Equipment Supplies & Equipment / Farm Delivery Service Keeping Families on the Farm™

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Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 25

ConƟnued from VOEGELI | Page 23

said. “We then apply our own artisan- remove them.” ship at Yodelay to what he produces.” Yodelay has a thinner consistency Yodelay Yogurt is sold in about 50 than traditional yogurt, making it great stores ranging from for drinking or conlarge to small in suming by spoon. Wisconsin and “Rhubarb northern Illinois tends to be our and comes in most popular aeight avors – rhuvor, which is curious because it’s so barb, peach raspunique,” Candinas berry, tart cherry, said. “I don’t know of pink grapefruit, any other brand with strawberry, rasprhubarb or pink grapeberry, blueberry and fruit. Of course, not all pineapple. stores carry all of our The fruit in Yoavors. It’s a crowded delay Yogurt is anmarketplace, and shelf other unique attribute space is very limitof the product Caned.” dinas said. ContainPHOTO SUBMITTED Yodelay Yoing plump, fresh fruit picked at the peak of Yodelay Yogurt is sold in ap- gurt won two best of ripeness, a consumer proximately 50 stores and class awards at the Championof Yodelay will nd available in eight avors – rhu- World whole blueberries or barb, peach-raspberry, tart ship Cheese Contest chunks of cherries cherry, pink grapefruit, straw- and swept the top and peaches in their berry, raspberry, blueberry, ve spots in the aand pineapple. vored low-fat yogurt yogurt. category, receiving “You don’t see that with other brands,” Candinas said. the highest rating out of 75,000 prod“If you do, it might not actually taste ucts. This marked the rst time in hislike a peach. Yodelay contains sweet tory that a single maker earned all three chunks of … strawberries that taste like awards in any yogurt category. Yodelay strawberries. It has real fruit integrity.” also took home best of class and a thirdYodelay contains no articial a- place award in the drinkable cultured products class. vors, preservatives or stabilizers. From late 2019 to early 2020, Yo“We don’t add things that don’t belong, nor do we take anything out,” delay Yogurt had a growth spurt as the Candinas said. “You’ll nd a cocktail company added many stores to its cliof stabilizers like guar gum, gelatin, lo- ent base. But then the coronavirus pancust bean gum and agar in other brands demic brought Yodelay’s success to a – even in a yogurt that says all natural screeching halt. “COVID-19 created an interesting or organic on the container. Do these things sound like they belong in yo- dynamic,” Candinas said. “During the gurt? Or in any dairy product? Also, the pandemic, we weren’t able to do store things that occur naturally when mak- demos to sustain growth in that sector ing yogurt we leave in, but other brands of our business. People also were not

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going to stores as much and instead did more home delivery. One of our customers with home delivery did really well.” The award-winning yogurt has experienced an up and down rollercoaster wave of product sales. “Getting product on the shelf is the rst step but that doesn’t mean someone will buy it,” Candinas said. “You need to market it. Letting people try our product is the best approach. Demos are huge for us, but that wasn’t an option last year. Branded product sales are looking different than a year and a half ago, but we’re still on an upward curve.” The pandemic dampened their momentum, but Candinas and Voegeli are

feeling optimistic about the future. “It takes time to make it all happen,” Candinas said. “The product is still really young, but we’ve come a long way since 2017. Our relationships with stores are still there, and we added a new avor recently – pink grapefruit. That was exciting. We continue to grow even though we took a weird chicane from the track we were on.” Voegeli is happy to be a part of something special like Yodelay Yogurt as he and Candinas share a piece of Switzerland with their fellow Americans. “The progress we’ve made together is signicant, and we’re excited to see where this goes,” Voegeli said. “We’ve found our niche as a farm.”

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Markus Candinas, of Yodelay Yogurt, pets one of the Brown Swiss cows at Voegeli Farms. Candinas sought to partner with Bryan Voegeli due to the level of care he provides his cows and the quality of product he produces.

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How can we be more inclusive? Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

The United States is a melting pot, bringing together a diverse group of people working to achieve their American dream. And within our great nation, the dairy industry is the epitome of this movement. The dairy community is woven together with the most hard-working, vision-seeking individuals I have ever met. Whether a young, rst-generation dairyman or woman, or someone with the drive to carry on their family’s century farm through the niche of on-farm processing, the opportunities available to the people who have a desire to milk cows is limitless. The industry has evolved to meet consumers’ demand for dairy products both in the United States and for our international marketplaces. With this growth, more individuals than ever before are involved in the food supply chain – from farm workers, processing plant employees, distributors and everyone in between. As diverse and progressive as the industry as a whole is, I urge you to think of our missed opportuni-

ties, specically with the people who are arguably the unsung heroes of our community. How can we be more inclusive and accepting of their cultures, their goals and the value they bring to each aspect of getting dairy products on the dinner plates of American families? This spring, AgriSafe Network released a report from a think tank project that took place in November 2020. The objective of the virtual workshop was to recognize racism as a public health crisis and explore the impacts of racism on the agricultural workforce all in an effort to develop emerging themes for the network to address in various capacities moving forward. The network is a non-prot organization based in Iowa that represents health professionals and educators who strive to reduce health disparities in the agriculture community. Think tank participants were asked to identify themselves by gender, race and ethnicity, as well as a home state to which they were registered for the in-

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teractive webinar. Of the 334 participants nationwide, more than 70 were from Minnesota. Of those who responded, 52% identied as female, 18% as male and 85 identied as Caucasian or white. Throughout the think tank, participants were asked a series of questions. Those included questions such as: What are barriers to racial equality and accepted diversity in agriculture? What future By Jennifer Coyne training or webinars Assistant Editor regarding diversity and racism would be helpful for your work in agriculture? How can residents and small business owners in rural communities make an impact and address this issue? Without delving into the entirety of the responses, I want to point out a few pieces of input that stuck with me in reviewing the report. Of the questions listed above, participants thought there is ineffective communication, inequality by social determinants (such as housing, education, where you live) and cultural biases that lead to barriers. They too thought these barriers could be addressed by communicating and listening with the minority communities, celebrating and valuing cultural differences, and workplace promotion of diversity hiring with equal pay structures. It may also be important to note that participants could share challenges they have experienced as Black, Indigenous or persons of color, or observed in minority populations. Those responses sent a message that whether by purpose or not, the minority groups that make up the agriculture industry feel undervalued in the way they are treated, spoken to and the responsibilities they possess. Following the think tank, AgriSafe committed to address these issues through a series of webinars on cultural competence, the historical context of racism in agriculture, populations at risk, and the mental health and impact of economic racism. These webinars have yet to be scheduled. Given this small amount of feedback from a critical population in the agriculture industry, how can we help address the disparities at a farm level? Without much thought to that question, I can think of many ways I have seen farmers and others in the dairy industry promote inclusivity. One farmer hosts an appreciation lunch once a month for their employees and family members; another brings their employees to educational events such as Central Plains Dairy Expo And, others have farmyard signs that read “You matter” and “Don’t give up” in their employees’ native tongue. In our rst issue of the paper each month, Jorge Delgado, with Alltech, provides tips to communicate more uidly with Spanish-speaking individuals. Our industry is one to be proud of – proud of the products that are produced sustainably and efciently, proud of the people who dedicate all their time and efforts to this livelihood, and proud of the opportunities dairy can provide for each searching for their American dream. Let’s be proud of even more, and make agriculture as inclusive as possible. There is more work to do outside of the barn.

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Adventures away from the farm

Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 27

When our daughter, Anna, was studying at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for dairy science, there were opportunities for her to travel. She went to California, Mexico and Japan. She learned about types of farming and met new people all while experiencing cultures. She enjoys being in new situations and being exposed to new adventures. After graduation, she and her husband have traveled and gone on many hunting and shing trips. Planning these excursions help her look forward to taking a break from the farm. Anna likes to scroll By Tina Hinchley on her phone to seek out Farmer & Columnist new things that she can do for outdoor entertainment, but she also wants to include Catherine, her sister. As it happens, there are many groups that offer great trips with shing, hunting, kayaking, camping and horse riding with other women. These organizations do not require experience and are lled with like-minded farm and ranch women who want to get some time outdoors. The one group that stood out was Her Wilderness. This organization promotes exciting adventures Anna wanted to try. Some excursions are close to home and some are an adventure in themselves just to get to the destination. Anna made arrangements with Catherine, and off they went. They drove nine hours to northern Minnesota to go sturgeon shing in Baudette on the Rainy River. This river borders with Canada. When they arrived, there were nine women of all ages and abilities on three boats with three gentlemen guides. They shed for one full day and a half day. Anna caught a 60-inch sturgeon on the rst day and got the prize for largest sh on the boat, but the next day Catherine caught the largest sturgeon on the trip. It measured 63 inches and was aged at 45 years. They took photos of each other’s catch and sent them for Duane and I to see. All the women caught and released at least three sh. The guides said they enjoy taking women groups shing because they are able to share their skills and knowledge. The ladies ask questions without challenging the guides’ expertise unlike some male groups. All the gals had a wonderful time and are friends on social media. Anna and Catherine were so pumped when they got home. They planned their next adventure on the ride back to the farm.

The next trip was bow shing at night on Lake Winnebago. One of the women, a member of Her Wilderness, made the arrangements. Anna and Catherine rode in the boat with ve others. Bright LED lights hung over the edges of the boat to allow the bow shers to see into the murky water. Their target species of the night were carp, catsh, gar and suckers. Both Anna and Catherine are not experienced bow hunters let alone bow shers, but both were able to shoot a few carp and gar (which are quite hard to hit considering how thin they are). The girls also got to see an otter, turtles, frogs, ducks and ducklings. They were out on the lake until almost 2 a.m. and were wide awake with excitement. They drove home and told Duane and I all about it. They had such a good time that they

are planning on making bow shing an annual adventure together. Anna has signed me up on the next shing adventure. The 2021 Ladies Powder Puff Fishing Derby is a breast cancer derby on Lake Michigan with 80 boats lled with breast cancer survivors and their girlfriends. There will be prizes, free T-shirts, and I am sure we will be eating a lot of bratwursts. I am looking forward to this day off the farm and having a wonderful shing adventure with my daughter. Tina Hinchley, and her husband, Duane, daughter Anna, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchley’s have been hosting farm tour for over 25 years.

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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

A year to restore joy

Styer takes reins as state president of Wisconsin FFA By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

MENOMONIE, Wis. – If on the eighth day, God made a farmer, then surely on the ninth day he made a future farmer: A young leader who is enthusiastic about the future of agriculture with their roots buried on the family farm while their future stretches before them like branches reaching toward the sun. Ben Styer, 19, of Menomonie, is one of these enthusiastic young leaders. Styer was elected to serve as the president of the Wisconsin FFA Association following a year of service as the state vice president. “My goal as president for this year is to restore joy,” Styer said. “Having a wonderful inperson state convention was a great start, and now I want to focus on bringing that to the chapter level and continue to build excitement.” Styer and the rest of the 2021-22 ofcer team spent a week training on the ins and outs of life representing the Wisconsin FFA Association as a state ofcer. “I feel really good about where we are headed,” Styer said of the time spent with the new team. “We really have been able to open up and learn a lot about each other, and I think we will quickly become a very close-knit team.” Styer, a 2020 graduate of Menomonie High School, has grown up involved in his family’s 2,200-cow farm, Alfalawn Farm. He completed his rst year of college at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where

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Ben Styer is serving as the president of the Wisconsin FFA AssociaƟon for 2021-22, following a year of service as a state vice president. Styer grew up on his family’s 2,200 dairy, Alfalawn Farm, near Menomonie, Wisconsin. he is majoring in animal science with a dairy emphasis. He is uncertain at this point if he will continue with his studies this fall or take the year off to devote to his new position. Styer began his FFA journey when he entered his freshman year at Menomonie High School. He earned his Greenhand, Chapter and State Farmer degrees while also serving his chapter in the ofces of reporter, treasurer and vice president. “I have been blessed to have so many mentors and role models to look to during my time as an FFA member,” Styer said. “Not just my own peers, but older people who have really encouraged me and pushed me to continue to grow outside of my comfort zone.” During his time in the

Menomonie FFA Chapter, Styer was involved in the Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management Career Development Event. He won the state contest in 2019. “Participating in the various speaking contests and the dairy cattle evaluation CDE all helped me become more condent in myself speaking in front of people,” Styer said. “The more condence I gained, the better leader I became.” As he embraced activities that helped him develop leadership skills, Styer began to think about how far FFA could take him in life, and the idea of running for a state ofcer position began to take root. “During my sophomore year, a fellow chapter member, Brooke Brantner, served as a state ofcer,” Styer said. “I

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was able to see the experiences she had, and it became something I thought more and more about.” Styer applied, interviewed and was selected to represent Wisconsin as one of two delegates, in addition to the state ofcer team, at the National FFA Convention in 2019. “That was a great experience. As national delegates, we were involved in so much before the convention actually even started,” Styer said. “We attended committee meetings and then eventually had our big session where all of the committee reports were approved. One of our biggest task was to approve the slate of national ofcers during the nal session.” After that experience, Styer was primed for the task of run-

ning for a state FFA ofce at the end of his senior year in high school. “Although this last year as a state FFA ofcer looked a lot different than the typical year of service for a state ofcer, I can honestly say it has been the best year of my life,” Styer said of the rapid transition to a largely virtual year. “The other ofcers I served with this last year are some of the best friends I could possibly have. I’m looking forward to developing that kind of relationship with the new ofcer team too.” Despite the challenges the last slate of state FFA ofcers faced, Styer said he is glad to have been a part of it. “We really had to come together and learn and create a new way to make things happen. That was a great experience,” Styer said. “This spring, we have been able to start having in-person events again, including our state convention, so this year will bring more new challenges.” While serving as vice president, Styer began considering the idea of throwing his hat into the ring for a second year of service as a state ofcer, but this time, as president. “I started to feel like I could be the right person to be a leader during this time of transition,” Styer said. “I did a lot of thinking, a lot of talking to mentors and a lot of praying to come to the decision to run.” As he stood on stage, waiting to hear which of the candidates for president his fellow ofcers had selected, Styer said the feeling was surreal when his name was announced. “It was something I had thought and dreamed of for a long time,” Styer said. “It was crazy to think about it, but it was a feeling I will never forget, hearing my name. I am really looking forward to everything this journey will bring this year.”

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Body condition scoring still a golden standard As we approach the Summer Olympics, gold is certainly on a lot of athletes’ minds. So, what does gold have to do with body condition scores for dairy cows? Yes, cows are often viewed as athletes for the amount of milk they produce and their metabolic rates. Yet, we don’t award a gold medal to one cow for having the perfect BCS because that changes a bit with age and stage of lactation; and besides, we hope all cows are scoring in a similar way at specic time points during lactation. No, gold is involved in two other ways. First, we can refer to a dairy cow’s BCS as a Goldilocks scenario. Cows should, of course, not be too thin or too fat, but just right. Second, when it comes to measuring a cow’s energy reserves and to evaluating whether her ration exceeds, meets or lags behind her energy needs, BCS remains the gold standard. The BCS system, developed and rened by Edmonson, By Mike Schutz Ferguson and others in 1994, is the primary system used U of M in the United States for dairy cattle. Briey, it allows the assessor to assign scores from 1 (extremely thin) to 5 (extremely fat) with one-quarter point intervals for a total of 17 possible scores. This system in the U.S. is a visual-only system, while several countries prefer to use scoring systems that combine visual appraisal with palpation. However, there is little research evidence that the palpation-based systems are more accurate. Besides, it has been shown that by using the owchart training system that has been developed, assessors can quickly become accurate and efcient at scoring cows. There are several excellent training resources available on the internet. Clearly, we are not trying to manage whether the cow looks fat or thin. What we are trying to manage are the energy reserves cows carry and that they can access as needed. The recommendations for BCS typically encourage producers to aim for scores of 3 to 3.5 at dry off, remaining stable during the entire dry period, and then falling no more than .75 points to 2.25 to 2.75 during peak milk production, and then recovering again to 3 to 3.5 as dry off approaches. Of course, there are some breed differences, with high genetic potential Holsteins usually toward the bottom of that range. This pattern follows the metabolic energy need of the cow that is not producing milk during the dry period, then quickly ramping up milk production, and then tapering off milk production with corresponding changes in energy needs. The BCS changes as the energy directed to milk production changes. In early lactation, cows generally expend more calories in milk than they can consume causing BCS to decrease. It is those changes in the cow’s energy reserves in the form of muscle and back fat thickness that change what she looks like – thinner when she is losing weight or BCS, and fatter when she is gaining weight or BCS. While it is true that the most readily available energy reserves are lipids stored as fat, muscle protein also can be tapped as an energy source during times of negative energy balance. Most often, we think of BCS as depicting changes in backfat, but BCS is also indicative of muscle loss as well. Think of this in a similar way to why livestock judges physically examine muscling when judging sheep. When you see a sheep from a distance, it is hard to know whether the sheep is rounder due to its frame or its wool coat. BCS is depicted of both the musculature and fat covering of the cow. A recent study in Greece by Siachos et al. (published in Animals) showed the importance of both backfat and muscle in transition dairy cows assigned a BCS and then ultrasonically scanned at several times from two months before to one month after calving. Across the range of BCS scores, each change of 1 BCS, ffor example from 2.5 to 3.5, resulted in an increase of What we are trying to manage 8.2 mm of backfat and 10.9 are the energy reserves cows mm of longissimus dorsi (rib eye) thickness. carry and that they can access muscle Given the relative thickness of each, they found that the as needed. rrate of change is nearly four ttimes greater for backfat than for muscle for a given change in BCS. However, they also found that for a given BCS score, the range of back fat thickness and muscle thickness was wide. Therefore, this study further supported that within normal ranges of BCS, the change in BCS is probably more important than the actual BCS, which has been suspected for some time. Interestingly, the authors of the Greek study pointed out that based on the thickness of backfat and longissimus dorsi muscle, it appears that rst lactation cows are typically assigned a higher BCS than older cows, which they attributed to smaller frame size. With the advent of image-based automatic BCS systems, it is encouraging that ongoing research around the world continues to establish the validity of BCS as a management tool on farms. These systems continue to use visual appraisal as the gold standard and extend the abilities to notice changes in BCS quickly by allowing BCS scores to be assigned to cows every day with no bias from assessors anticipating why the cow’s BCS may be changing. Given this increased frequency and ability to map the BCS of cows day to day, more data to support decisions is available. Timing of feeding group assignment, early detection of metabolic disorders or disease, and properly timed breeding and dry off are among the decisions that automatic BCS tracking can support in addition to general feed management to optimize milk production and energy balance.

Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 29

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Team building with laughter Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

The day of my 41st birthday, Peter had an employee meeting scheduled. This means the B team has to cover the parlor: me and the children. We aren’t speedy, but we get the cows milked. As the boys and I were milking along, Stacy and Cora were decorating my cake. Cora was chief creative director on this project, and Stacy went along with her directions. A two-layer heart-shaped chocolate cake with blueberry lling was covered in pink swirly frosting, graced with a warthog (Pumbaa, for Disney fans) and a Snow White gurine. Her decorating didn’t stop there. Colorful fondant peonies, butteries, turtles and snakes were found all over the cake. Cora was elated with her masterpiece. “Just how your cake should be,” I was informed, having never thought of having a warthog on any cake, much less my own. It was a labor of love, and

it was beautiful. They snuck into the breakroom at the farm, and I was retrieved from the parlor. All of the employees sung me “Feliz Cumpleaños” (“Happy Birthday to You” in Spanish). Pictures were snapped amid the smiles and laughter from the guys as they saw all the creativity that went into the cake, and it was the perfect little birthday gathering. Unloading hay in 90-plus degree weather is only bearable if you are working with people who have a sense of humor. Unloading hay with your children in 90-plus degree weather is an absolute riot. I think we threw jokes and smart comments around as much as the hay bales. Dane, Stacy and Peter were sweating bullets in the haymow. I had Ira and Oliver on the wagon, occasionally Henry and Finley as well. Cora wanted to help in the worst way, but crying about someone touching your bale doesn’t y when we are

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trying to keep the ow going. She was voted off the wagon. On one hand, it was humorous watching them crawl up the mound of bales and envisioning myself 30 years ago doing that very job. On the other, it was such a feeling of accomplishment and pride to Ramblings from the Ridge do a job such as this with my offspring. We challenged ourselves to keep at least four bales on the elevator at any given time; we couldn’t have the mow crew slacking, you know. The boys all pushed themselves, and this mom knows how to land a bale on the elevator. It was a sweatBy Jacqui Davison dripping afternoon to Columnist be certain, but there is something about the sweat you build when throwing small squares that makes you feel satised like no other. On our second day of unloading hay in the sweltering heat, Peter informed the young crew of rock pickers that they had to pick rocks after our second load. He waited for the customary round of moans and groans before telling them that after picking rocks we could have a picnic lunch and they could play in the creek. The smiles returned in short order. They grabbed rock picking buckets and craysh catching nets and loaded up to go. Cora and I did chores and made open-faced sandwiches, lemonade and grabbed apples to take for their picnic. We were greeted with dirt-covered hands and berry-stained faces. The pickers may have found more berries than rocks on the last round. After they inhaled their food, they all bounded off toward the creek to splash water at each other and nd the biggest craysh. Squeals of laughter and fright (sometimes water gets splashed, sometimes craysh y) echoed across the valley. Two days after my birthday, Stacy and I were moving cows from the pen directly behind the parlor. I turned and, out of the corner of my eye, saw a freshened heifer had taken a wrong turn and wedged herself into a man pass before entering the parlor. There was no yelling, no frantic movements; only calm, calculated ones. Peter doused her with watered down soap to help her slide out, and then the teamwork of four men and one woman popped her out of her prison. They wore smiles as they worked together so seamlessly. The smiles turned into satised grins as she popped out, took a left and wandered into her stall proper like. The comradery, the laughter shared over birthday cake and a break in the chores made it all that much easier to approach a problem with smiles and calm versus a frantic, nervous reaction. The bonds created when celebrating or playing together do so much for farm morale. Taking that time away from working is more than worth it. Perhaps on the next sweltering day, take a root beer oat break for the whole farm. I bet a 10-minute break for everyone will boost spirits all around. Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira (14), Dane (12), Henry (7) and Cora (4), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 31

Some areas of the Upper Midwest have received ideal moisture this growing season. If that’s you, count your blessings. Spotty rain and near-record heat have led to severe or extreme drought in other areas. Harvesting and feeding drought-stressed corn silage can be a challenge, but, for many Something to Ruminate On producers, it will be necessary to feed cattle in the year ahead. The ideal temperatures for corn are 86 degrees during the day and 50 degrees at night. Drought and heat stress are most likely to negatively impact corn’s yield potential during pollination and grain ll. Drought impacts corn By Barry Visser pollination in two ways. Nutritionist Silking begins with the ovules at the butt end of the ear and moves up the ear as the process continues. Because silks are mainly composed of water, drought can reduce the growth rate and emergence from the ear tip. Silk emergence may be delayed and miss the pollen, or silks may shrivel to the point where they are not receptive to pollination, resulting in completely barren ears. If moisture alleviates drought conditions during pollination, some ears may partially ll. Drought stress can also accelerate pollen shed, leading to increased potential for a lack of synchronization. The leaves of water-stressed corn will usually curl, reducing photosynthesis and, subsequently, the amount of nutrients provided to developing kernels. Kernel abortion can occur when successful pollination is followed by drought or heat stress and is usually more frequent at the ear tip. Drought or heat stress is most likely to cause kernel abortion during the rst two weeks after pollination. Aborted or poorly lled kernels will be small, shrunken and an off-white color. Moisture is key in determining when to harvest drought-stressed corn for silage. A recommendation is 62% to 68% moisture. Corn harvested too wet will result in excessive seepage and very high acetic acid fermentations. Harvesting when too dry will compromise packing, restrict fermentation and lead to spoilage issues at feed out. If harvested at the correct moisture, droughtstressed corn silage will ferment well. Follow normal, good harvesting practices. Visual estimates of moisture content are generally misleading and inaccurate. The plant may look dry but contain signicant moisture in the stalk, and different soil conditions can cause signicant moisture variation across elds. Moisture should be monitored closely because it can drop quickly in drought-stressed corn. If it rains when harvest is close or happening, check moisture content again as the plant is likely to pull up moisture if it’s alive. Typically, drought stress affects corn silage yields more than quality. Drought-stressed corn will likely be higher in protein and some minerals and lower in starch (energy). Fiber content will be elevated in droughtstressed corn silage, but its digestibility is usually higher. Drought-stunted, low-grain corn silage tends to be less dense, so truck and silo capacities are often lower. Because of the lower grain content, drought-stressed corn will be less responsive to kernel processing. Get a forage test when feeding drought-stressed corn silage so rations can be effectively adjusted. Elevated nitrate concentrations are common in drought-stressed corn crops. The potential for high nitrate levels is greatest in young plants, especially their stalks, and in heavily manured elds receiving high nitrogen application. The potential is generally greatest for three to four days following a drought-ending rain but can be a problem at any time. Nitrate testing is cheap and should be used regularly on questionable feeds. Leaving a 12-inch stubble in the eld can reduce

nitrates, but it will also reduce yields and may not be desirable unless a forage test conrms the presence of high levels of nitrates. Ensiling can reduce nitrate concentrations by 30% to 60%; grazing and green-chopping drought-stressed corn is not recommended. High nitrates can contribute to animal feed problems and deadly silo gas, so be especially cautious when lling silos with drought-stressed crops. Silo gas is produced when nitrates are converted to nitrogen dioxide during the rst four to ve days after silo lling. Because it is heavier than air, silo gas can form in the silo and escape down the unloading chute into the barn. Silo gas is dangerous to both cattle and humans, causing severe lung injury or death due to the formation of nitric acid in the lungs. To avoid exposure to silo gases, close the door between the feed room and barn, ventilate the silo by running the blower for at least 30 minutes before entering the silo, and learn to recognize the bleach-like odor and

yellow-orange color as signals of silo gas. Never work alone. Be sure someone is around and able to quickly call 911 if exposure occurs. Caution should be taken in less conned spaces such as bags, bunkers and piles as silo gases can be present here as well. Harvesting corn silage from plants that produce little or no grain is a cost-effective way to source forages and may be an opportunity to procure acres intended for corn grain. Engage in proactive conversations with neighboring crop farms to seek out additional acres needed to fulll corn silage requirements. The varied conditions of this year’s corn crop will make pricing corn silage difcult. Consider harvesting and hauling costs as well as the moisture content when pricing corn silage. Work with your nutritionist to determine the maximum price you can afford to pay given the other forage and non-forage options available. Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.

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Everyone needs rest Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

God has a funny sense of humor, and his timing is perfect. As the priest started to deliver his Sunday homily, I closed my eyes to focus on the words. Mark thought I was asleep and elbowed me with glee. He couldn’t believe that I fell asleep rst. Because I wasn’t going back to a deep mediation after that jolt, I started to hear the words being preached. “Everyone needs rest.” It was all I could do to restrain myself from elbowing Mark to make sure he was hearing the same words. The priest talked about his favorite place to go where he could rest and recharge. Again, he said we all need rest even when we feel we are too busy. We all need to nd our place where we can rest. If I didn’t hear the message on Sunday, I heard it loud and clear when I was watching a movie trailer. “You’re working too hard, and rest isn’t about not being busy. Rest is knowing why you breathe.”

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Where is the space you can breathe deeply and exhale all the stress stored up in your body? Most people think they need to be on a vacation in order to rest and relax. A girlfriend told me you have to travel out of state for a trip to be called a vacation. I say we have to venture more than 30 miles from our driveway to call a getaway a vacation. Still, we can nd those peaceful, restful places as close as home. When we started back up with milking in March, the regular routine of how things had always been done was nally broken. Now we could start a new routine, and move in a different direction because we were starting with a clean slate. Because we could do things differently, I suggested to Mark that I would need to take a day or two off every month to recharge. (I wanted both of us to take time off, but I had to take baby steps with my request.) He looked at me like I said I would only work one or two days a month.

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Now I grew up with my dad preaching, “Work hard, then you can play hard.” So, working hard isn’t an issue. Getting to play sometimes is. I needed to have a carrot dangling in front of me with the promise of time off to get through the daily routine. Most normal years that wouldn’t be a Just Thinking Out Loud problem. This year, it is. Driving down our road to town is deceiving. The lush full rows of edible beans and potato elds, the tasseling corn and the regrowth of alfalfa elds give the impression we are having a year with timely rains. We are not. Irrigation pivots have been running non-stop By Natalie Schmitt since the beginning of Columnist June. Where the water from the pivots misses the corners of the elds, the reality of how dry it is slaps us in the face. The corn is twisted as tight as a calf’s switch. There is only a tinge of faded green left in the plants as the bottom leaves start to re. I’m afraid the plants will crumble beneath the slightest touch. The lack of rain weighs heavily on the farmers in our area. Mark has been kept busy switching pivots and starting traveling guns to provide enough feed for our growing herd. The barn is half full with 42 milking heifers. We could be up to 70 head by the end of the year. The pressure to keep things moving forward is constantly on Mark’s radar, blocking his chance to rest and breathe for any extended period of time. Mark says once it rains, then we can think about getting away for a vacation. Well, it hasn’t rained, and we haven’t had any time to get away. Michael had vacation days he had to use or lose this month, so he offered to use them by working on the farm. He works from home in front of computer screens, so the physical work on the farm would be a great vacation from his routine. He knew we could use a break from our routine as well. I said go as fast as Mark said no. Mark knew he couldn’t leave for a couple of days without any rain in sight. My next career is going to be negotiations. I suggested we take day trips to visit friends or explore new areas, allowing Mark the chance to keep things wet, Michael the chance to milk cows, and me the chance to get some play time in with Mark. Now to nd those places to breath and rest. On these hot, dry days, I dream about being in the middle of a lake with a lifejacket on, oating with the sh. Being on or near the water is where I nd rest and peace. Even without getting away, we can nd those moments around home. For us, it is riding the four-wheeler after a hot night in the barn to cool off. Parked up on the hill, we can surround ourself with a view of lush elds that takes our breath away as the sunset washes the sky in colors found on an artist’s pallet. The tree row silhouette dividing heaven and earth. The sound of silence and peace releases the stress and tensions of the day as we start to rest and breathe. The sweet smell of fresh water and corn tasseling lls our senses. A vacation doesn’t need to be long to be helpful. You just have to take the time to rest, enjoy and breathe. May you nd your place to rest where you can breath and recharge. It may be an exotic trip for several days or a few steps to a cool spot under an old maple tree for a few minutes. The point is, everybody needs rest. As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark are starting a new adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 33

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Dairy farmers talk a lot about growth: how our crops are growing (or not growing, as is the case this year); how our calves and heifers are growing; and, hopefully, how our balance sheets are growing. The one area of growth we neglect talking about, however, is our own personal growth. How are you growing? We spend much of our rst two decades – school, college, early career – in growth mode. We’re conDairy Good Life stantly learning and developing our skills. Then, once we’ve settled into farming and raising our families, we tend to settle into maintenance mode or survival mode, depending upon our circumstances. But growing you is just as important as growing everything else. Actually, I would argue that it’s more important. As humans, we benet mentally and emotionally from continuous learning and personal improvement. What are you doing right now to grow yourself? If the answer is, “I don’t know,” here are a few ideas. One of the most obvious options for fostering By Sadie Frericks personal growth is enrolling in a leadership developColumnist ment program. Despite what their titles imply, participating in a leadership development program does not require you to be in a leadership position, currently or in the future. The Young Dairy Leaders Institute, hosted by the Holstein Foundation, is the leadership development program that helped me grow the most. I applied for the yearlong program in 2014. At that time, Dan, Monika, and Daphne were 8, 6, and 2 years old; most days, I wasn’t thinking about personal growth – I was thinking about how I was going to make it through the day. But participating in YDLI was a goal I had been holding onto for a couple years. And, like many things, including starting a farm and starting a family, I gured that if I waited for the perfect time to apply for YDLI, that perfect time might never come. I was accepted into the program and committed to making the most of each phase. Long story, short, I nished the program and it was an incredible experience. I got to know dozens of amazing dairy professionals from across the country. I learned from outstanding speakers and experts. And, most importantly, I grew immensely. Personal development experts say that people can’t grow until they push themselves beyond what’s comfortable. The YDLI projects I completed pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me see what I am capable of. For dairy farmers and other members of the dairy community, ages 22 to 45, interested in signicant personal growth, I highly recommend applying for YDLI. There are many other aagriculture-focused leaderBut growing B i you iis jjust ship programs available, as well, offered by Minnesota as important as growing Agriculture and Rural Leadership (MARL), our dairy everything else. cooperatives, and commodity oorganizations. IIf you’re not ready for a longer program, consider one of the countless conferences offered by various organizations. Almost every conference I’ve attended has had at least one speaker with a message focused on personal improvement. You can also grow where you are with books, audio books, and podcasts. I know dairy farmers who listen to podcasts while they do chores. I like my podcasts in the morning while I’m eating breakfast. Right now, I’m listening to a podcast by a life coach who teaches stress management through thought management. Wherever it works for you to listen or read, be intentional about the content you consume. Choose books and podcasts that move you toward your goals. Take your content intentionality one step further by curating your feeds on news apps and social media. Are you consuming whatever pops up or seeking out high quality content? Are you entertaining yourself or growing yourself? There’s nothing wrong with entertainment, but if you’re going to spend your time scrolling, adding in some meaningful content will at least help your screen time contribute to your growth. How? Choose experts over entertainers. Do a little searching within the topic in which you’re trying to improve and pick a couple experts whose messages resonate with you. One of my current favorites is a parenting coach who shares bite-size tips for becoming a better parent. Whether you prefer to learn and grow in leaps and bounds or baby steps, what’s most important is that you make moving forward a lifelong goal. “When you stop learning, you stop growing; when you stop growing, you stop living.” – Kenneth Blanchard Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children – Dan, 13, Monika, 11, and Daphne, 7. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com

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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

Big brown cows mean big opportunities Rule named top national Brown Swiss youth By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

LINDEN, Wis. – A lifetime of devotion to the Brown Swiss breed paid off for 21-year-old Jaynie Rule when she was named the winner of the National Youth Achievement contest at the national Brown Swiss Convention held earlier this month in Hadley, Massachusetts. Rule has grown up surrounded by Brown Swiss cows on her family’s 40cow Oak Knoll Farm near Linden. While attending the University of WisconsinPlatteville, Rule has continued to help her parents, Randy and Tammy, operate their Iowa County dairy farm. She will graduate with a degree in dairy science, with a public relations emphasis, in December. In addition to her classwork, Rule is working part time in Madison as a research assistant. “I am the fth generation of my family on this farm,” Rule said. “My great-great grandparents started farming here in 1876, and my grandfather started breeding Brown Swiss cows about 70 years ago. My parents purchased the farm after my grandpa passed away and kept up with their passion for the Brown Swiss breed.” During her time in college, Rule has continued to help on the family farm while making the half-hour commute to attend classes at UW-Platteville. “Being able to live at home saved me money, and it helped my parents out

with the farm,” Rule said. “And, the biggest benet was being able to continue to work with my cows every day.” Rule credits her family as being the foundation of her love and passion for the breed. “As a family, we have worked together steadily improving our herd,” Rule said. “I am very proud of what we have accomplished and the direction we are continuing. We have six Excellent cows, all bred by us, standing in the barn right now.” A few cattle purchases have given the Rule family the base for continually improving their herd. Rule said they had good luck using herd bulls, and ve of the six Excellent cows they have are sired by a son of Bo-Joy Ensign Glee which was a herd bull for several years. Since her earliest days in the barn and the beginnings of her youth career showing the big brown cows at the age of 9, Rule’s own passion has progressed. She has put her focus and determination into being an active member of the breed’s state and national junior organizations. “This award means a lot to me, because it is largely about my service to the Brown Swiss breed and the association,” Rule said. “I have gotten so much from my own involvement, and I try very hard to give back to the breed.” The award is not the rst time Rule has been recognized for her work on the national level. She was selected as the alternate National Brown Swiss Ambassador in 2018. Prior to that, she served as the Wisconsin Brown Swiss Queen in 2016 and has held the ofce of secretary in the Wisconsin Junior Brown Swiss

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Jaynie Rule takes a picture with a Brown Swiss calf while serving as the alternate NaƟonal Brown Swiss Ambassador in 2018.

Association for two years in 2016 and 2017. “Most of my best memories growing up involve Brown Swiss cows and my involvement in the association,” Rule said. “I have had the opportunity to travel to different national conventions with other juniors. I’ve been able to meet so many people and have so many different experiences.” The leadership skills she has gained throughout her involvement in the junior Brown Swiss organization have beneted Rule in other arenas, giving her the background to be able to co-chair a successful Pioneer Dairy Club Classic sale during a year fraught with COVID19-related challenges. “We typically have a fall sale, and just as we were really getting the planning process for the sale underway last year, the pandemic hit. We had no idea what the future held for anything let alone the sale,” Rule said. “Luckily, we were able to eventually move forward, DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR moving the sale from last October to Jaynie Rule and her parents, Randy and Tammy, milk 40 cows at Oak Knoll April.” Brown Swiss in Iowa County near Linden, Wisconsin. To help make the sale a success, Rule relied on her Brown Swiss ties and

reached out to breeders for consignments and as potential bidders and eventual buyers. She solicited consignments from breeders as far away as New York and sold Brown Swiss lots to states as far as Oklahoma. “We had a great response from Brown Swiss breeders, and I was thrilled that a Brown Swiss topped the sale for the rst time,” Rule said. “It was great exposure for the breed, it brought value to the sale, and it allowed me to give back to the breeders who have helped me out throughout my years as a junior.” Rule is not entirely sure where the future will take her post-graduation, although she plans to continue to be involved on her family’s farm, and she plans to advocate for the dairy industry far into the future. “It is my dream to make a difference for farmers,” Rule said. “Making three to ve cents on every retail dollar on a product that you spend your life creating is unfair. There are more and more voices out there impacting farmers. If I could be one that makes a positive impact, that would be what I would love to do.”

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Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 35

Welcome, guests Bocksells enter vacation rental business By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

PEPIN, Wis. – A desire to ll a community need led Paul and Angie Bocksell to turn the house on a nearby second farm into a vacation rental property rather than simply becoming landlords. “Pepin is a very touristy area; there are a lot of rural wedding venues in this area that bring people in to the area, and they are always looking for places to stay,” Angie Bocksell said. “We thought this would be a better use for the space versus simply renting it out to a renter. We like the idea of having a little more control over when and how long people can stay on our farm.” The Bocksells milk 180 cows on the home farm site, which is about 1.5 miles from the newly-acquired farm. They have rented that farm site for several years before purchasing it in June 2020. Paul and Angie are the fth generation on their farm, which was homesteaded by Paul’s family in 1872. They began their own dairy careers in 2004 by beginning to buy

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Angie Bocksell stands in one of the bedrooms of Swede Heir Acres Guest House near Pepin, Wisconsin. The Bocksells use a farmhouse as a vacaƟon rental to diversify their 180-cow family farm. into the family’s dairy herd. As a family farm, the Bocksells have found sustainability through diversication. In 2017, the addition of a herd of beef cows allowed them to market farm-raised beef under their Swede Heir Acres Farms label. They also raise pigs to market pork as an extension of

their children’s 4-H projects. “Last year, I decided to start a website to market the beef and pork, and 22 head left the farm for the processor, sold as halves or quarters or retail cuts sold locally,” Bocksell said. The purchase of a freezer truck has allowed the Bock-

sells to obtain a license to market retail cuts of beef and pork from their farm. They view the addition of the vacation rental property as another avenue of diversication to keep their farm sustainable. “My thought is if we only rent the property out on weekends, we will make more mon-

ey than we would just renting it as housing,” Bocksell said. “We purchased the farm: 107 acres, and for a space for our beef cows and dairy heifers. The house was kind of a bonus, we think.” The farm is full of the history. In the late 1800s, the farm was home to the Barry family, including Anna Barry, who was a school teacher of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The replica log cabin on the Ingalls’ former homestead, which was the setting for the book “Little House in the Big Woods,” is located nearby. The farmhouse itself was built in 1900 and served as the home for generations of a local farming family. A short distance from the Mississippi River and the historic towns of Stockholm, Maiden Rock and Plum City, the Bocksells’ second farm lends itself to being an ideal locale for families looking to have a peaceful getaway. “There aren’t a lot of commercial options for people to stay at in the area,” Bocksell said. “People come to this area for a reason, because it is so rural. There are a lot of people around here who are going this route, building cabins on their property or turning a second house like this into a vacation rental, or even renting out their Turn to BOCKSELL | Page 36

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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

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This is the Bocksells’ historic farm that now serves as a vacaƟon rental property. own homes.” The decision to create a vacation rental came easily to Bocksell. “This has always been a very beautiful property,” Bocksell said. “It has always been well cared for. We did some painting and minor drywall work, and then I went on Amazon and found basically everything I needed to decorate and furnish the house. The prep work was really that easy.” The more complex details came on the business end. The Bocksells established the property as a limited liability company and secured the necessary insurance coverage after consulting with an attorney. “Being a farmer, we typically tend to have more liability risks than most might,” Bocksell said. “We need to separate our businesses to help diffuse that risk if there were to be a liability claim against us.” Bocksell recommended those steps to any farmer considering agritourism or rental properties. Bocksell tries to space out her bookings to allow herself adequate time to clean, restock and prepare the house for new guests. “I try not to make the turn-around time so tight that I might get in a bind when something else comes up on the farm or with my kids,” Bocksell said. “I always try to leave enough time between bookings for things like that.” After spending the winter and early spring preparing the property, Bocksell hosted her rst guests in June. She has ANGIE BOCKSELL, DAIRY FARMER listed the property on the Airbnb website but has found that word of mouth has been just as valuable a method of advertising. “The wedding venues have been looking for places for wedding guests to stay because there is a shortage, especially with COVID-19,” Bocksell said. “And many of us know each other, because this is rural America, and those venue owners have been great with helping us get bookings.” Guests at the Bocksells’ Swede Heir Acres Farm guesthouse have the entire house at their disposal, and the Bocksells offer their selection of retail cuts of home-raised beef and pork to guests as well. Sharing their farm story is an important piece of the project to the Bocksells, and they hope the business will begin to lend itself to agritourism, with guests booking guided farm tours. “That is really the hope, to develop that part of the business,” Bocksell said. “Once I get used to having guests and operating the rental, I really want to develop that aspect.” Bocksell has found that most of her bookings are people traveling to the area from either the Twin Cities area or from the Madison area, and most of the bookings are related to weddings. With the expanse of the farm, the Bocksells are looking into creating campsites for an additional way to diversify the rental property business. “I really like that people in rural America are nding ways to use their space and their properties differently,” Bocksell DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR said. “It gives us a lot Angie Bocksell holds packages of beef and pork the of opportunities to Bocksells sell as another means of diversifying their capitalize on what we farm near Pepin, Wisconsin. have.”

“I really like that people in rural America are nding ways to use their space and their properties diﬀerently.”

Women In Dairy

Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 37

Stephanie Abts New Franken, Wisconsin Brown and Kewaunee counties 130 cows Family: My husband, Keith, and I run our dairy farm’s daily operations since our marriage in March 2019. Both Keith and I come from dairy farms. His parents, Dean and Mary Abts, ran the farm we are on prior to us taking over, and my parents, Paul and Tammie Nagel, run their farm near Newton, Wisconsin. Both Keith and I have three siblings each. Tell us about your farm. Our farm consists of 130 registered Holsteins, Guernseys and a few Brown Swiss-Holstein cows. We raise our youngstock including heifers and steers. We have roughly 350 head on the farm. Our cows are milked twice a day. We average 26,600 pounds of milk with a 3.7% butterfat and 2.9% protein. The cows are housed and milked in a stanchion barn with youngstock housed on bedded backs, pasture and hutches. Our steers are housed on a different farm on a bedded pack, and 90% of the steers we have are privately marketed under our Abts Champion Beef brand. Our cows are fed a partial mixed ration with the majority of the ingredients going in the mix with a small amount of grain dressed on top of the feed. This allows us to feed to each cow’s potential. We also do the eld work for 410 rented and owned acres where we grow alfalfa, corn for silage, oats, sorghum sudangrass, soybeans and grain corn. These acres provide most of our forage and grain needs. What is the busiest time of day for you? The afternoons. We start chores at 2:30 in the morning, so our evening chores start at that time as well. I work some hours off the farm doing nutrition and consulting work for Rio Creek Feed Mill, so it’s always a rush to get home for chores. Evening chores also carry the majority of our other tasks such as herd work, mixing feed, record keeping and breeding. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I enjoy gardening, showing cattle at our county fair and baking. In the summer, I also enjoy planting owers and tending to them. It is nice to always see the fruits of your harvest when you go to pick fresh vegetables or when you have the chance to can them. I also enjoy being a Farm Bureau member, going snowmobiling and being a member of the Wisconsin Holstein Association. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. At the age of 10, I purchased a young calf from my father to show at the fair. The calf wasn’t picked for its looks or pedigree, but on the basis that she was white. I have always had a soft spot for white cattle, so naturally she t my criteria. I exhibited Stephie at the Manitowoc County Fair. As a young exhibitor, I worked hard to train, tame and wash the animal just to receive a pink ribbon at the fair. This failure propelled me to do even better. I went on to win our competitive showmanship classes and developed a love for the Holstein cow and showing. Stephie lived to be 8 years old and went on to score Very Good 85. I have offspring from my rst purchase and her trophy on our desk shelf. A very memorable second experience was when we had our rst Excellent cow in our barn as a married couple. RanRose Goldsun Apache scored E90-2E last winter. It’s a privilege to work with such nice cattle on a daily basis. It fuels the passion and keeps us going. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I enjoy the people and resources that surround us. The farming industry is a close-knit community with people always willing to lend a helping hand. I have gotten to know producers and industry professionals. I enjoy networking with them and learning ideas. I approach farming in a manner as we can always improve and do better, and these resources fuel that growth. Also notable is the schedule farming allows us to set. We are not bound to a desk or an ofce. Farming requires us to be present consistently but on a schedule we choose to set. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I enjoy reading publications and magazines with my morning breakfast. It allows me to explore topics and learn more about topics in the industry. I also enjoy listening to the PDPW podcasts while I feed calves. There is a lot of good information shared weekly. Lastly, I also learn ideas and management practices from my nutrition clients. It has allowed me to step foot in many barns and situations. Many of these ideas help to better our farm. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? Two come to my mind. First would be my father, Paul. My father has been a dairy farmer his whole life. He has taught me how to take care of and treat dairy cows, market replacement cattle and how to run a successful operation. He instilled in me a hard work ethic that is carried with me today. Another individual who has touched my career is the late Randy Geiger. Randy and his wife, Rosalie, ran a successful dairy operation near Reedsville, Wisconsin. I had the pleasure to not only know Randy well but to work with him as a nutrition client and a fellow Farm Bureau member. Randy drove my involvement in Farm Bureau and always pushed me to grow the YFA program in the county. Giving back to the community was one of his many passions. I hope to learn further from that passion and mentor other youth in the industry for years to come. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? I would like to host a tour to the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board. Every month, money is taken off our milk check to support the checkoff efforts. I would love to show them how much work and passion is put into the products we produce. I would also share with them some new marketing ideas to help everyone in the industry. Promotion is everyone’s job in agriculture, and the milk checkoff is a great way to showcase that.

What is the best vacation you have ever taken? We haven’t been on a lot of vacations, but when my husband and I took our three-day honeymoon, we enjoyed taking in various sights. We started out driving to Superior to visit some state parks and Lake Superior. From there, we traveled to Stillwater, Minnesota, where we visited a few shops and did a winery tour. Lastly, we ended our trip in Chippewa Falls where we toured Leinenkugel’s brewery and Marieke Gouda. Keith and I made a lot of memories on that trip that we will cherish for a lifetime. What are some words you like to live by? Work hard, put others rst and always give more than you take. I also enjoy this little segment from W.D. Hoard that was published a while back in Hoard’s Dairyman titled, “We are your cows.” “We have to eat what you provide; drink what you give us; live where you put us. We may be good cows or not. We may be healthy or we may not. We may be comfortable or we may not. So much depends on you, the dairyman. The rst requisite of a protable dairy business is a good dairyman.”

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Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

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Dairy prole

Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021 • Page 39

Darin Olson Humbird, Wisconsin Jackson County 50 cows

How did you get into farming? I have been interested in dairy farming since I was a kid. I purchased and started this farm ve years ago, but I am truly a fourthgeneration farmer. My father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all farmers and truckers, so I have followed in their footsteps. What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? I am concerned whether or not milk prices will ever get up to livable levels. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? I haven’t implemented any new technology. I am pretty old school still. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? I haven’t changed any management practices in the past year. I am slowly transitioning away from Holsteins to a Jersey herd. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? I have been working with my nutritionist to cut feed costs while increasing fat and protein production. Transitioning the herd to all Jerseys plays a role in that as well. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? I don’t have any employees. I try and keep the herd a size I can manage on my own. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I am stubborn and refuse to give up. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I love seeing the cows out on pasture, and I also enjoy doing eld work. What advice would you give other dairy farmers? The only advice I could give other dairy farmers is to trust your gut on a lot of things. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? A mixing feed cart. It helps the cows eat their forages and grain more efciently. What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? My biggest accomplishment has been surviving through the extremely bad milk prices. What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? My goal is to have a 100% Jersey herd, to become feed independent and not have to buy hay or silage every year. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? If I had more free time, I would probably spend a little more time in a boat shing or in the woods bow hunting.

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Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, July 24, 2021

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