You may notice a difference in this issue of Dairy Star. You will nd all our regular columnists, classieds, crop and weather reports, and calendar of events, but our coverage of the region has been replaced by photos. These photos illuminate the activities dairy producers carry out on and off their farms. We hope you enjoy this issue.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIELLE BURKLE Abby Fairbanks bo le feeds a newborn calf a er morning milking July 19 at her family’s farm near Anamosa, Iowa. Abby has been working full me with her parents, Doug and Jodi Fairbanks, on the family farm, Wapsi-Ana Dairy, since May 2023. The Fairbanks farm 600 acres and milk 380 Brown Swiss, Holstein and Jersey cows in a double-12 parlor. The family also sells registered breeding bulls. Doug and Jodi’s nephew, Josh Fairbanks, has also worked full me at the dairy for the past ve years.
Published by Star Publications LLC
General Manager/Editor
Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com
320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition - 320-352-6303
National Sales Manager - Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) (Western Wisconsin) 507-250-2217 • fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com
Assistant Sales Manager - Kati Schafer (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284 • kati.s@dairystar.com
Adam McClary (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-951-5270 • adam.m@dairystar.com
Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 • mike.s@dairystar.com
Julia Merten (Southeast MN and Northeast IA) 507-438-7739 • julia.m@star-pub.com
Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com
Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) • 320-248-3196 (cell)
Avian inuenza has been conrmed in 164 dairy herds in 13 states. Unlike poultry, this virus is not fatal in dairy cattle but can impact milk production. There is anecdotal evidence that H5N1 is more widespread than what is reported, but dairy farmers are reluctant to test for the virus. Minnesota Senator Tina Smith said monitoring for the disease is important. “Let’s be honest. It’s not always that easy to have a bunch of new people coming in and trying to monitor your operation when you are already dealing with a lot as a dairy farmer. We’ve been in close touch with the USDA to make sure that we are getting the data that we need but also not putting an undue burden on producers.”
H5N1 in dairy cows expands to 13 states
By Don Wick Columnist
Oklahoma is the 13th state to conrm the presence of H5N1 in dairy cattle. This dairy farm collected a positive sample in April, but USDA did not receive it until early July. The herd is fully recovered.
Work the biosecurity plan
Biosecurity is top of mind for dairy and beef producers with the discovery of avian u in dairy herds. Boehringer Ingelheim veterinarian Dr. Joe Gillespie said that can be as simple as a quarantine period before introducing new animals to the herd. “A written plan is the absolute best but have a plan about how you want to trafc livestock in and out of the facility.” These protocols also include how
feed is delivered to the farm. “With the possibility of some sort of pathogen being carried on a truck, if we have a designated way that we move feed and/or livestock in and out of the facility is going to drastically reduce the risk of any pathogen coming in.”
Ranking member criticizes ag committee chair and House GOP
The House Agriculture Committee gathered to review the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory impact on American agriculture, but the hearing began with criticism from Ranking member David Scott. Scott accused Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson and the Republican leadership of playing politics with the farm bill. “Speaker (Mike) Johnson will not bring the bill to the oor for a vote because it was not written as a serious bill. It was written to be used as a campaign slogan, nothing more.” The farm bill passed out of the committee at the end of May. Scott said the clock is running out on this farm bill. “The August recess is right around the corner, we come back here in September and a week is gone there and then the new appropriations year starts three weeks later Oct. 1.” The chairman and ranking member were sitting side by side during Scott’s opening comments. Thompson did not respond to his colleague’s criticism. “There’s a lot I could say, but I’m not going to say anything,” Thompson said.
Taking care of those before us— Conrad Gruber mows the lawn July 11 at the cemetery of St. Michael’s Church in Spring Hill, Minnesota. Gruber and another 30 volunteers take turns mowing the lawn and trimming at the cemetery and around the church. Gruber milks 60 cows and farms 480 acres with his wife, Sandra, and their four children, Bryce, Savannah, Paige and Shantel. Conrad has been on the farm his en re life and is the third genera on of Grubers to farm there.
Congressional staffers pessimistic about farm bill passage
A survey commissioned by Punchbowl News found 68% of senior Congressional staffers do not think the House Agriculture Committee farm bill will pass this year. The survey was conducted June 3-21. Seventy-ve percent of Democratic staff members and 62% of Republican staff members believe it is unlikely the farm bill will pass in this Congress.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency proposes changes to feedlot permits
The MPCA has released proposed permits to replace the State Disposal System and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System general feedlot permits which are nearing their expiration dates. Minnesota Pork Producers Association Director of Public Policy, Strategy and Sustainability Lauren Servick said these changes could be detrimental to farmers. “I think that will be a signicant challenge for folks in those areas who already do the best they can to apply manure following best practice management practices.” The MPCA has a public comment section for feedback on the proposed changes.
Optimizing beef-on-dairy nutrition
Breeding dairy cows to beef bulls has become increasingly popular. To optimize the production of these beef-ondairy animals, Purina Animal Nutrition Senior Technical Innovation Manager Dr. Olivia Genther-Schroeder believes it requires a new mindset. “A lot of the things we’ve been doing in dairy for a long time are positive; increasing sanitation, making sure we have adequate colostrum, etcetera,” GentherSchroeder said. “These (beef-on-dairy) calves are generally more efcient and tend to be a bit healthier than a straightbred Holstein. There is a misconception that we may not need to feed them as much or with lower-quality ingredients, but our research determined it is better to provide high-quality ingredients, higher protein. They will really thrive under those conditions.”
Beef checkoff unveils return on investment study
Over the past ve years, each dollar invested in the beef checkoff program delivered a return of $13.41 to the producer. An independent economic analysis was commissioned by the beef checkoff and conducted by Cornell University. The ROI analysis simulated market conditions without the beef checkoff investment. The research found domestic beef demand would have been 8.5% lower each year. The steer price would be 8% lower than the actual results and U.S. beef export demand would have been 11.5% lower.
Honors for Putnam
The Minnesota Association of Agricultural Educators has presented Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Aric Putnam with its Bell Ringer Award. This recognition is for Putnam’s dedication to agriculture and ag education.
Bennett leaves Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation for Michigan
MFBF Director of Public Policy Pierce Bennett has resigned. Bennett has accepted a position as an industry relations specialist for livestock with the Michigan Farm Bureau. Bennett has been with MFBF since 2022 and will begin his new job in Michigan in August.
Trivia challenge
The largest cheeseburger ever made was 2,014 pounds. It was made in 2012 at Minnesota’s Black Bear Casino. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, when is National Cheeseburger Day? We’ll have the answer in our next edition of the Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network of 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 sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
Elkhorn, WI WI
Dietary details — Rick Adams (le ) and his nutri onist, Steve Haldiman, from Complete Feed Service LLC, discuss palatability of forages and forage quality for heifers July 11 at Sugar Creek Dairy near Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Adams and his wife, Marleen, milk 560 cows and farm 250 acres. The Adamses have been a customer of Haldiman for more than 10 years and receive visits from their nutri onist a couple mes per week.
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
FLY CONTROL
Pu ng in the work — Hallie (le ) and Maddie Hedtke work with their animals to prepare for the Carver County Fair July 15 at
nesota. On the farm, their grandpa, Curt Hedtke, and dad, Chris Hedtke, share the workload. The family has been leasing ca le to other 4-H
for many years to allow family and friends to par cipate in the dairy projects. Curt’s wife, Joni, also stays busy on the farm and Chris’s wife, Kirsten, helps as her schedule permits. The family milks 70 cows in a estall barn and raises their replacement heifers.
SUPER SPECIALS
Peosta, IA IA
Epworth, IA IA PHOTO
with Ted and Ka e Wolf, Sco Wolf and Kim Wolf.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIELLE BURKLE
SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR
Ridin’ in style — Elinor Opitz-Hopfer brings a newborn calf home July 6 to her farm near Maple Lake, Minnesota. The farm is owned by Opitz-Hopfer and her husband, Mat. The heifer calf was one of seven calves born over two weeks — all bulls except this one. The couple milks 24 Ayrshires.
has accepted the role as General Manager at Minnesota DHIA, effective August 1, 2024.
Loeschke has had over 20 years of varied experience in leadership, research, education, and service to the dairy industry. She most recently has served as Director of Services and Support at Minnesota DHIA, where she has spearheaded a variety of projects that provide value for the organizations’ 1,000 plus members in the upper Midwest. Prior to that, Loeschke was a project leader and product consultant for an international dairy genetics organization.
Loeschke is a Minnesota native, having grown up on a dairy farm near Lanesboro. This was the foundation for her interest in dairy cattle and more specifically, dairy data and genetics. Amy brings with her to the position, PhD and Masters degrees in applied dairy breeding and a B.S. degree in Animal Science, all from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. During those years, she also led a one-ofa-kind genetic field study, allowing her to collaborate with commercial dairy farm owners and gain experience in navigating the dairy data stream both in the US and globally. Amy’s experiences have sparked her passion for innovative problem solving and knowledge transfer.
Loeschke is excited to expand the services and value that Minnesota DHIA offers to dairy producers while providing collaborative leadership to the organization’s dedicated field technicians and staff
Bea ng the heat — Lucy Voight (front, from le�) and Waylin Melcher; (back, from le
) Roland Melcher, John Melcher, Declan Melcher and Connor Buhl cool off with bubbles and water on a silo tarp July 4 at Tom and Jeni Melcher’s farm near Castalia, Iowa. Jen a�ached the blower they use for ca�le �ng to a 55-gallon barrel half lled with water and baby shampoo. It provided homemade fun un�l the rain began. The Melchers and their son, John, milk 80 cows.
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
AMY KYLLO/ DAIRY STAR Bo ling rich dairy goodness Jeane e Kappers bo les cream around 7:45 a.m. July 9 on her dairy farm near Chateld, Minnesota.
Ensuring traceable, quality feed - Ben Klister records handadded ingredients usage for each batch of feed on the ingredient usage log to ensure the correct amount is used July 16 at Corne e Farm Supply near Greenleaf, Wisconsin. Accurate record keeping is crucial in helping ensure the traceability and quality of dairy and livestock feed. In addi on to working at the mill, Klister and his wife, Autumn, milk 44 cows on his grandparents’ farm near Greenleaf. Klister works Monday through Friday at the mill in between morning and evening chores. Greenleaf, WI WI
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Caledonia, MN MN
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
NEWELL/DAIRY STAR
A bo le in hand — Brad Giese bo le feeds a calf July 16 at the farm he manages with his wife, Lisa, near DeWi , Iowa. The farm has been in Lisa’s family for 120 years. Their adult children, Caitlin and Clay, pitch in to help with the 44-cow mixed-breed herd. Clay and his wife, Bailey, are responsible for the sixth-generaon’s par cipa on as their son, Oakley, is becoming involved with the farm.
Opening day — Valerie Lindsay (le ) and Heather and Gary Krogmann catch up July 16, at the Dairy Bar at the Buchanan County Fair in Independence, Iowa. The Dairy Bar has been opera ng for 40 years, coordinated by members of the county dairy promo on group. Lindsay and her family milk cows near Masonville while the Krogmanns dairy near Winthrop.
SHERRY
SHERRY NEWELL/DAIRY STAR
“This is the one that works. We use the backpack every day to do the fresh cow group.”
- Brad Palmer
“We tried other products. This is the one that works. Udder ComfortTM is the best for fresh cows, any type of swelling, hard quarter, elevated SCC, mastitis, even an injured quarter,” says Brad Palmer, of Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania.
Three generations of the Palmer family - Brad and Linette and son Logan, daughter Hailey, and Brad’s parents Lonnie and Debra - operate Pigeon Cove Farms, milking 470 Holsteins and Jerseys, with a few Ayrshires They produce a combined herd average of 94 pounds of high component, high quality milk, with SCCs averaging 120,000. parents Lonnie and Debra.
“We got back onto the Udder Comfort 2 years ago because of its effectiveness. Then, a year ago, we began using the Udder Comfort Battery-Operated Backpack Sprayer. It really works well for doing groups. We use the backpack every day to do the fresh cow group. They get Udder Comfort after each milking for 5 days after calving,” Brad explains.
“This really helps with our milk quality. We use Udder
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Ge ng the job done Ben Clark unloads boxes of oatlage into a 10-foot bagger July 19 on Clark Family Farm near Kerkhoven, Minnesota. Clark farms with his dad, Kyle, sister, Ali, and uncle, Kim. Kyle and Kim were hauling the loads while Jake Holtkamp did custom chopping for the Clarks. The Clarks milk 120 cows with two robots and have 60 cow/calf pairs. They farm 1,000 acres, growing alfalfa, corn, soybeans and oats.
St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Wadena, MN 218-632-5416
Milking duty — McKenzie Whaley prepares a milking unit for evening milking July 17 at the North Dakota State University dairy barn in Fargo, North Dakota. Whaley was assisted in the parlor that night by Courtney Hassler. Around 12 students rotate between milking, feeding and other chores. The students milk around 100 cows twice a day in a double-3 herringbone parlor. Each milking takes about three hours.
EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR
Hands-on learning — A student from the veterinary school at the University of Minnesota-Twin Ci es collects a blood sample July 17 at Yorek Dairy Farm LLC. near Sobieski, Minnesota. In all, the students visit the farm three mes to collect informa on that will be used in a presenta on during the nal visit summarizing cow comfort, health and nutri on. At the Yorek farm, the total herd of 1,100 cows is milked in a double-16 parallel parlor.
EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR
Sobieski, MN MN
COMPACT LOADER PLUS ATTACHMENT SAVINGS
Secure low nancing or choose cash rebates on a new compact loader plus receive rebates on over 100
• Select a new compact loader and get as low as 0% for 48 months* or rebates up to $10,000*
• Add on an eligible attachment (or light compaction product) and receive up to $2,500* in
• 36 month/2,000 hour* full extended warranty coverage included on select loader models.
IOWA
Automated Waste Systems, LLC
Hull • 712-439-2081
Reiser Implement, Inc.
Waukon • 563-568-4526
Rexco Equipment Cedar Rapids • 319-393-2820
Rexco Equipment Farley • 563-744-3393
Bobcat of Brookings, Inc.
Brookings • 605-697-5544
Tractor, Inc. Verdale • 218-445-5430
Farm-Rite Equipment, Inc. Dassel • 320-275-2737
Farm-Rite Equipment, Inc. Long Prairie • 320-732-3715
Farm-Rite Equipment, Inc. St. Cloud • 320-240-2085
Farm-Rite Equipment, Inc. Willmar • 320-235-3672
Lano Equipment of Norwood Norwood Young America 952-467-2181
Miller Sellner Slayton, LLC Slayton • 507-836-8571
Swanston Equipment Fergus Falls • 218-739-4505
WISCONSIN
An A.I. rou ne — Trinity Johnson works on checking cows through his sort gates in the morning July 19 at Johnson’s Rolling Acres near Peterson, Minnesota. On Johnson’s list that morning as well was to breed cows. Johnson and his two herdsmen bred 54 animals that day. The Johnsons use collars on their cows and tags on their heifers to help catch heat. Their breeding system consists of ovsynch with their veterinarian on Tuesday and breeding on Friday. Their protocol is to breed heifers at 410 days of age and cows at 67 days post fresh. The Johnsons have a 30% pregnancy rate. Johnson’s Rolling Acres, which milks 1,285 cows, is owned by Richard, Bradley, Trinity, Lee and Zac Johnson.
All in a day’s work — Julio Silva starts mixing feed for a ernoon chores July 16 near Plaineld, Iowa. Silva works on a J-1 visa at White Gold Dairy, owned by Terry and Kelly Eick. The Nicaraguan has worked four seasons on the Eick farm, as well as in Canada.
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
SHERRY NEWELL/ DAIRY STAR
Brillion, WI WI
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Tidying up — Kortney Woldt refreshes store shelves July 16 at Woldt’s Farm Store near Brillion, Wisconsin. The store, which was the brainchild of Woldt, opened in 2022 and carries homegrown beef from Woldt Farms, locally grown pork, milk, cheese, produce, honey, maple syrup, soaps, candles, clothing and more. Woldt manages the store, which is open four days a week, on her family’s dairy farm owned by her parents, Daryl and Amy Woldt. Woldt and her sisters — Kelsey, Kayla, Kristen and Karly — are the h genera on on the farm. The Woldts milk 1,650 cows and farm 4,000 acres.
Pine Island, MN Pine MN
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
Fusing two passions — Kalley Berg welds a gate July 17 on her family’s farm near Pine Island, Minnesota. Berg works part me at Hyland Systems as a welder. She also farms alongside her parents, Tom and Penny, on their dairy. The Bergs milk 115 cows and farm 180 acres. On the farm, Berg and the hired hand do all welding jobs. Berg learned the trade at Iowa Lakes Community College. Her passion for welding was sparked in high school when she took many shop classes. Her shop teacher encouraged her to pursue it as a career.
MAKE YOUR SUMMER GREENER
MN
Tractor Central Arcadia, WI Cameron, WI
Chippewa Falls, WI Durand, WI Granton, WI Menomonie, WI Mondovi, WI
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
Milkhouse mee ng — Darel Dinse (from le ), Karen Kasper and Peter Kasper visit July 4 around 8 a.m. at the Kasper’s farm near Owatonna, Minnesota. Dinse and his dad, Dennis, started picking
Dinse
farms, two of which
Owatonna, MN
A day on the green — The Koppes family — Gary (from le�), Angie, Adam, Carlie, Ma�hew and Zach — enjoy the John Deere Classic Golf Tournament July 7 in Silvis, Illinois. The family milks 600 cows in two loca�ons. John Deere reached out
Koppes’
provides the milk for Whitey’s. Rex Cur�ss, known as the chief tractor officer, came to the farm for a tour and to collect video for social media on July 2. A new ice cream avor, lemon custard and lime sherbet with classic John Deere colors, was introduced during the John Deere Classic.
Silvis, IL IL
Wet weather grazing management
Whether dealing with drought or ooding elds, it seems like every year we should be planning for the worst while, of course, hoping for the best. The moisture from this spring and summer has proved to be quite the challenge in various parts of the state, both for grazing and getting crops in the eld. Realistically we should be planning for these conditions well before spring. What is your contingency plan? Managing grazing cattle during wet weather requires assessing your feedstuff inventory and options, being prepared with alternative feedstuffs, a culling strategy, if necessary, planning for the worst in the case of a ood and monitoring livestock for disease and wet weather pests.
Managing wet pastures
without creating mud. Each pasture will respond differently to excess moisture depending on the forage species present, soil type and topography.
By Sabrina Florentino University of Minnesota
Dense stands of perennial forage withstand weather extremes and cattle pressure better than sparse stands. Rotational grazing, overseeding, soil testing, fertilizing and preventing overgrazing can all promote healthy pastures. While controlling livestock rotations through pastures is necessary during favorable conditions, frequent rotations are even more critical during wet weather. This may mean moving cattle to new paddocks multiple times a day to limit soil compaction and damage to plants or roots. Resting pastures allows plants time to recover. If possible, move waterers, feeders and mineral supplements often to prevent damage and excess mud around these areas. Remove cattle from pastures that are too wet to graze
Removing cattle from pastures
Sometimes your best option is to remove cattle from pastures until the conditions dry out. Have a backup plan for grazing. The plan should include options like a sacrice lot, concrete holding pad or a building. Select a sacrice lot that has well-drained soils if possible. Make sure you have enough stored feed to provide cattle when they are unable to graze. Prepare for the worst and have a culling strategy. You may need to cull cattle if wet conditions worsen and feed inventory is lacking.
Flood contamination
If wet weather reaches ood stages and pasture ground or forage crops are underwater, you need to take additional measures to protect cattle health. Ensure a fresh, clean water source is available. Do not allow cattle to graze in or near actively ooding pastures. Soil, fecal matter, bacteria and other debris can contaminate forages during a ood. You can sample standing oodwaters for nitrates and coliform bacteria. Toxicology screening can also determine if there is pesticide contamination in the water. Once oodwaters recede, remove any debris and repair fences and water lines. If pastures have been contaminated by owing oodwaters, cut contaminated standing forage to a 4-inch height and allow the cut forage to decompose. Do
not graze or harvest this forage. Once forage has regrown to at least 12 inches, it may be grazed again. Likewise, roll out oodwatercontaminated hay and allow it to decompose. You can place decomposing hay bales strategically in elds or pastures where additional fertility is needed.
Repairing sacrice areas or damaged pastures
Fortunately, resilient perennial pastures can recover from spring ooding as long as damage from grazing is minimized. Delay grazing as long as possible until plants have recovered from wet weather and ooding. While delaying grazing, cattle may be kept in a sacrice paddock and fed stored forages. These sacrice areas can be rotated to various parts of the farm from year to year to allow repair and recovery of sacrice paddocks.
One option for repairing a sacrice area or damaged pasture is to simply let the vegetation grow back if you have enough land and feed resources to let the sacrice area rest for an extended period. Weed species will be quick to repopulate the area. Consider mowing the weeds before they head out to minimize the competition for the grasses and legumes. It may be possible to graze these paddocks once during the grazing season depending on weather conditions and timing. If it is determined that an investment in
Dana Adams adam1744@umn.edu 320-204-2968
Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu 612-624-2277
pasture seed is worthwhile to repair a paddock, ensure the soil pH and fertility are adequate. Replanting a damaged pasture should be done with a no-till planter if possible to minimize further soil disturbance and damage to the soil structure. If needed, pastures can be leveled off with a harrow before planting. Alternatively, seed can be broadcast, followed by a pass with a cultipacker.
Another option, once pastures have dried, is to plant a fast-growing summer annual or cover crop from early to mid-summer to prevent weed pressure. It is possible to graze or harvest this summer annual depending on the timing of planting and species planted. Once grazed or harvested, a perennial pasture mix can be planted subsequently. Keep in mind the ideal time to plant a perennial pasture in the Midwest is between Aug. 1 and Sept. 15. Spending time and money to repair damaged paddocks is an investment in future forage inventory, grazing capacity, ecosystem functioning and productivity.
For more on wet weather alternative feedstuffs, housing, manure management, disease and pests visit: z.umn.edu/wetweathergrazing
Whether the excess moisture continues or it is nally behind us, planning for these types of weather events should be a regular occurrence on farms. Do not get stuck in a muddy situation.
Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109
Melissa Wilson mlw@umn.edu 612-625-4276
Joe Armstrong armst225@umn.edu 612.624.3610
Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130
Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184
Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391
Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711
Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104
Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334
Emily Krekelberg krek0033@umn.edu 507-280-2863
Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435
Isaac Salfer ijsalfer@umn.edu 320-296-1357
Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093
Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu 612-624-1205
Isaac Haagen hagge041@umn.edu 612-624-7455
Michael Boland boland@umn.edu 612-625-3013
Sabrina Florentino slpore@umn.edu 507-441-1765
Pre-milking teat end hygiene
By Mike Schutz University of Minnesota
Great progress has been made over the past few decades in nearly every aspect of dairy management. Milk quality has certainly not been left behind. For example, the legal standard plate count for raw milk sold in the US and set by the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance remains at 100,000 colony forming units per milliliter (cfu/ml) of milk. Strictly from a food safety standpoint, FDA set that limit many years ago. But good luck trying to nd a buyer for milk that doesn’t beat that limit substantially. In fact, a goal for most farms is to be less than 5,000 cfu/ml and many buyers begin to show alarm when the SPC gets to 10,000 cfu/ml. In other words, progress has been so great that the focus now is on ne-tuning to levels far exceeding public health standards. That is fantastic for the dairy industry’s image, but also helps to maximize milk revenue from quality premiums on dairy farms.
Most dairy farms have embraced the mantra, Milk clean, dry, stimulated teats to optimize milk quality from the lenses of less bacteria in milk, lower risk of mastitis, and maintaining udder and teat end health. The focus in this article is on netuning the clean, dry portion of the milking routine by focusing on the success of cleaning the teat end. Of course, cleaning the barrel of the teat (all of the teat that has been inside the milking ination) is important, too. But it requires special effort to thoroughly clean the teat end routinely, especially when emphasizing speed, milking parlor throughput, and efciency. In this day in age, I highly doubt anyone is intentionally leaving dirty teat ends, but it takes consistent additional efforts to focus on cleaning teat ends thoroughly.
It is not news to anyone that meticulously cleaning and drying the teat end matters. After all, during milking it will have the closest contact with the milk being removed from the udder, and, in turn, is the prime location for bacteria to enter the udder from vacuum uctuations during milking. Also, based on my observations, the percentage of clean teat ends is much higher after milking than before milking. That is somewhat alarming, since whatever was present on the teat end, whether dirt that could be seen or bacteria that could not be seen, is then in the milk. With well-cleaned milking systems and rapid milk cooling, elevated SPC’s may not be observed, depending on how dirty the teatends remain. However, spore-forming bacteria that lead to faster milk spoilage are common in manure and dirt, and survive pasteurization, so once in the milk, little can be done to extend the milk’s quality and shelf life. In fact, a recent Journal of Dairy Science article concluded that milking parlor training on teat end hygiene combined with bleaching and drying of towels used for cleaning can lead to a reduction in spore-forming bacteria. Also, while milk is an increasingly important source of dietary iodine, variability in iodine levels can result from inadequately wiped teats. Removing all teat dip, including the drop that collects at the teat-end, can help reduce variability in bulk milk. Maximum iodine levels in milk may be especially under scrutiny for milk used to produce infant formula. Proper training of milkers and periodic reinforcement of procedures can remind them to focus wiping efforts at the teat-end. Hygiene can be monitored and evaluated by checking the effectiveness of the wiping by swabbing teat ends from a group of cows. Use a cotton ball or patch dabbed in alcohol and thoroughly scrub each teat end. Then score the used swab for the cleanliness of each teat. Figure 1 depicts a teat hygiene scoring system for each teat with scores ranging from 1=clean to 4=very dirty (developed by WesfaliaSurge in 2005). These scores can be converted to a cow basis by counting the number of teats with a score of 2 or higher, resulting in a cow score from 0=no teats scoring 2, 3, or 4 to 4=four teats scoring 2, 3, or 4. More details can be found in the fact sheet F-MR-2: Teat End Swab Test on the UMN Extension Dairy Team’s Quality Count$ SCC Diagnostics Toolbox website (https://qualitycounts.umn.edu/factsheets).
The take home message is that periodically checking how well teat-end cleaning and wiping is executed in the milking parlor and implementing training, evaluation, and re-training for milkers as needed enhances teat end hygiene and can improve milk quality. Regrettably, adjustments to achieve cleaner teat ends may be more difcult for automated teat cleaning systems. However, whether using automated teat cleaning or not, being sure that udders and teats remain clean and dry outside of milking (e.g. in free stalls and alleyways) will reduce the effort to clean teat ends before milking.
Stratford, WI WI
A day made for cows — Mark Fisher (le ) evaluates cows while dairy farmer, Jim Briggs provides informa on about them July 17 at the Briggs farm near Stra ord, Wisconsin. Briggs milks 60 cows on his Marathon County dairy farm. Fisher has been working as a type appraiser for seven years and is also involved on his family’s northeast Iowa dairy farm.
Milestone moments — Josh Christen and Abby (Sand) Christen pause together a er their wedding June 29 at Seven Dolors Church in Albany, Minnesota. Josh and his brother, Aaron, help to operate the family dairy owned by their parents, Joe and Janet Christen, near Albany. The family milks around 90 cows in a estall barn and grows all the feed for the herd. They farm around 270 acres, growing mainly corn and alfalfa, and some soybeans.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
DANIELLE
Serving up a cold treat — The Tetzner family — Kade (from le ), Pete and Beth — serves up ice cream June 30 at the Chequamegon Dairy Day in Mellen, Wisconsin. The Tetzners milk 60 cows with one robot on their farm near Washburn. On-farm processing in the Tetzner family dates to 1920. Today the Tetzners sell milk in bags and ice cream in a self-serve, on-farm store.
Land Improvements
Ferryville, WI WI
Dissemina ng exper se — Christopher Baird and Vance Haugen host a pasture walk June 25 at Baird’s farm near Ferryville, Wisconsin. Baird milks 56 Jerseys. They are fed a high forage diet with a grain supplement which he feeds in the parlor. The cows have access to paddocks on 80 acres of pasture, with an average rota on between paddocks of 18-30 days. Baird’s parents bought the farm in 1997 and Baird took over in 2013. The pasture walk was held in conjunc on with the Great River Graziers group which Haugen helps facilitate.
NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR
Agricultural Ventilation Systems
You deserve an ice cream treat
– Jose A.
By Barry Visser Nutritionist
Sunday, July 21, was National Ice Cream Day. Enjoying a couple of scoops of my favorite summer time treat offered me a chance to reect on some of the best aspects of this great industry.
Anyone connected to the dairy industry knows we face constant trials and tribulation. At this time in 2023, we begged for rain. This year, many farmers are wondering when we can string together a few days of favorable weather to harvest a hay crop. What will corn silage look like with some elds tasseling and others barely knee high? What is the long-term picture of our battle with Highly Pathogenic Avian Inuenza (bird u)? Milk price looks favorable, but how long will that last? I think you get my point; this is an industry lled with unpredictability.
Dairy farmers are incredibly efcient at producing a highly nutritional food that has stood the test of time as numerous alternatives are placed on grocery shelves. I doubt our parents and grandparents fathomed having to defend the denition of milk. Almonds were for chewing while driving tractor and oats were an energy source for cattle and horses. While uid milk consumption declines, the industry has innovated to bring other highly nutritional dairy foods to the dinner table.
What about farming practices? I grew up on a dairy farm in northern Minnesota near a town without a stoplight. My parents were focused on the milk the cows produced; they didn’t consider the methane emitted by our cows. Today, dairy farmers are innovating to meet new consumer demands. In some cases, they receive credit for management practices designed to reduce emissions. All this innovation happens while dairy farmers tighten margins and become more efcient.
As our industry evolves, dairy owners and managers continue to wear a lot of hats. The decisions on today’s dairy farms seem to carry greater magnitude and consequences than ever before. While many owners and managers are still “cow people” with innate skills in animal husbandry, their duties often require them to spend signicant time outside of the barn. One thing that has not changed is the passion and love dairy farmers have for their livestock. I recall my dad saying, “If we take care of the cows, they will take care of us.”
It is hard to think of a management task that hasn’t improved over the years. Cow comfort is better than ever. Cows are fed a balanced diet to meet their exact nutrient requirements for grams of amino acids, fatty acids and other essential nutrients. Improvements in genetics create a productive cow while maximizing health traits. Activity monitors log what the cows are doing and help us better understand how they feel. On some farms, cows seek out a robot to milk them when they are ready for it. Wow. Lots of changes…and many more to come.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared the third Sundy in July as National Ice Cream Day and designated July as National Ice Cream Month. In doing so, he recognized the invaluable contributions the dairy industry makes to local communities and our American economy. While a lot has changed in 40 years, we continue to recognize the hard work and care dairy farmers invest each day to produce wholesome and nutritious foods.
As this month comes to a close, allow me to say thank you to all the hard-working men and women of the dairy industry. Continue to hold your head high and be proud of what you do. Take a moment to pause and enjoy your favorite ice cream treat in celebration of your important work!
Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
An expert?
By Natalie Schmitt Columnist
What makes someone an expert? Education? Experiences? Distance? It is sometimes hard to be an exper in your own backyard despite your advanced degrees or life experiences. Some people still see you as the scrawny little kid playing in a dirt pile and fail to see you all grown up and in a new position.
Sons and daughters can struggle to recognize the life knowledge parents have accumulated over the years, too. That is until they move away from home or are parents themselves. I remember asking my mom how she knew Dad was the one. She said you just know. I rolled my eyes and thought she was nuts. That was too simple. After I met Mark, I called my mom to tell her she was right.
Dad always said an expert is someone at least 50 miles from home. Just because we operate a dairy farm in Minnesota, my friends back home in Henderson County think I qualify as a dairy judge for the county fair. This is one time where no amount of distance will make me an expert. However, with a show totaling two spring calves, I think I could at least fake it.
Last month, I slipped away from the farm for a college roommate reunion weekend in Indianapolis. It is hard to believe that it has been 40 years since we all lived in the same house, sharing books, stories, laughter and a few drinks. I was excited to reconnect but was very curious when Jane kept asking me about my writing for Dairy Star. Since I was coming in a day early for the reunion, she and her husband, Sam, arranged to include me in a special event as a VIP.
At breakfast I was given a notebook, a pen and other gift bag goodies to play my part as a reporter for a regional ag newspaper. The anticipation was killing Jane. She was giddy to tell me the secret event, but she resisted until we got to the hanger. Sam works for an agronomy coop, who was putting on a eld day with a very special attraction. Helicopter rides with the crop spraying crew.
As we pulled up to the ight deck, we could see the pilot putting the nal polish on his machine. The orange and blue helicopter sparkled in the morning light. Sam may have stretched my truth a bit, but I was willing to play the part if it meant I was going up for a ride.
With a smooth Mississippi accent, Cole greeted us. He was a pilot for VVM (Vertical Vegetative Management) who would be taking us along as he ew the chopper to a eld day site over 100 miles away. Since I was the VIP, I got to ride shotgun. All I could think was I need to get off the farm more often.
Here’s what I learned during our hour ight. Cole generally ies without any doors. The chop-
pers are not air conditioned and get a bit stuffy. We were traveling at 105 mph, but when he has the booms and spray tanks his top speed is under 50 mph. He generally ies 12 hour days covering 2,000 acres. The propellers are 60 feet long and you don’t need to duck to leave at the end of the ight. (Think of the opening of MASH as the medics hunch over to reach the patients). It takes 2 minutes to cool down before Cole can even begin to shut off the machine.
As we scooted across the countryside to our destination, Cole taught us the rules of the sky. Always look both ways before crossing a ight pathway near airports. Planes always have the right of way in the sky. They are also bigger than us. Now I’m starting to appreciate how shiny our chopper is. We look left, right, up and down. We spot a plane ying parallel with us off to our left and adjust our position.
S MPLE
Why wait 12 hours to catch a cow for a second calcium bolus when a once-and-done solution is so SIMPLE!
The James gang legend
After nearly 150 years, the James gang and their Northeld bank robbery still loom large in our collective imagination. Small-town celebrations have played a big part in keeping this legacy alive.
Frank and Jesse James rode into Northeld, Minnesota, on September 7, 1876, to conduct a bit of gun barrel banking. They opted to spread their risk by taking on partners that included three of the Younger brothers.
The James gang’s business plan involved extracting capital from the First National Bank at gunpoint. Their plan fell apart when local townspeople responded with force. Two of the would-be nanciers were terminated during the gunght that took place in the streets of Northeld.
I spoke with a young man named Jason who works at the First National Bank of Northeld.
“We have on display a pair of pearl-handled pis-
tols and a set of spurs that were retrieved from one of the robbers who was killed,” Jason said. “The town holds a Defeat of Jesse James Days Celebration every September. It’s a big deal.”
After their attempt at extralegal capitalization failed, the entrepreneurs restructured their organization. The three Younger brothers, who were all wounded, took off in one direction while the James brothers went in another.
Some days later, the Youngers were spotted in a slough near the town of Madelia, Minnesota. An action committee was hastily assembled, and the Younger brothers’ rm was dissolved after a brief but intense exchange of gunre. Charlie Pitts, an associate of the Youngers, was terminated when he interfaced with a high-velocity lead product.
“Two of my great-uncles were part of the posse,” said Adeline Yates, a lifelong Madelia resident. “My
dad would often point to the plum thicket on the riverbank where the gunbattle happened and say ‘You remember that spot. That’s where history took place.’”
I asked Adeline if the posse members were rewarded.
“They were offered $250 each, which was quite a sum back then. Many decided not to claim the reward because they feared retribution from the Younger clan. A couple of men who took the reward later moved away because of this.
“The Younger brothers were treated quite well when they were taken back to Madelia. They were put up in a hotel and given medical attention. They later said they were surprised, that they assumed they would be summarily hung.
By Jerry Nelson
“The local doctor supposedly collected Charlie Pitts’ skeleton as a souvenir. But a DNA test proved that the bones aren’t Charlie’s, so nobody knows what became of his remains. This did nothing to lessen the enthusiasm for Madelia’s annual Younger Brothers Capture festival.”
The James brothers rode west toward Murray and Pipestone counties. Gregg Johnson, a Pipestone County resident, said, “My grandfather was drafted into the posse that chased the James brothers across Murray County. Grandpa said that their goal wasn’t to catch them; they just wanted to make sure the James brothers made it out of the county.”
Myron Koets, Pipestone’s former mayor, said, “There’s an oral history that the James brothers spent the night at a farmhouse northeast of Pipestone. They burst into the house and demanded food, then slept by the front door with their pistols across their chests. It’s been speculated that they also stole the farmer’s horses. This would mean that a lowly plow horse made that dramatic jump across Devil’s Gulch.”
Devil’s Gulch is a 60-foot-deep quartzite canyon that brackets Split Rock Creek at the small town of Garretson, South Dakota.
“It’s about 18 feet across at the spot where the jump took place,” said Don Schubert, a local historian. “We have photos from back then and you can see that the jumping-off point was plumb level. A horse could have made it easily.”
Why didn’t the James brothers simply ride around the gulch?
“That’s often pointed out,” Schubert said. “Go half a mile north or south and you can cross the creek with no trouble. But the story is that the posse was so close that Jesse took a potshot at them and was able to wound one of their horses.”
“Garretson holds Jesse James Days every June,” Schubert said. “There’s still a lot of interest in the James legend. We’ve had visitors come here from every state in the union and 26 foreign countries. A lady from Doon, Iowa, once told me that she owns a photo of her great-grandfather with the James brothers that was taken shortly after they gave the posse the slip. There are all kinds of stories like that out there.”
It’s tting that small-town celebrations can cash in on the James gang’s ill-fated Northeld bank robbery, which netted the bandits a whopping $26. The myth and the legend continue to live on.
Jerry Nelson is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, South Dakota. He and his wife, Julie, have two sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Feel free to email him at jerry.n@dairystar.com.
Grazing livestock operations wrap up assistance
By Steve Frericks Stearns County FSA executive director
Finally, some consistent dry weather has come to make some quality forages. Those corn tassels are popping out quickly. Soon, there will be sweet corn stands all over the place. This is a sure sign of a progressive summer.
As you are well aware, drought conditions signicantly impacted grazing operations last year. Due to an exception to the published rule, the Farm Service Agency would like to remind livestock operations that were impacted by the 2023 drought that there is still time to claim truckloads of feed that were hauled in 2024 in excess of normal through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish program. Loads of feed transported from January 1 up until the start of the grazing season which is now May 1 may be claimed this year in eligible counties.
ELAP provides nancial assistance to livestock producers who incur above normal expenses for transporting feed to livestock due to drought. The payment formula excludes the rst 25 miles and any mileage over 1,000 miles. The reimbursement rate is 60% of the cost above what would normally would have been incurred during the same time period in a normal (non-drought) year.
The payment rate to transport feed is $6.60 per loaded mile for expenses above what would have normally been incurred.
Policy clarication has been issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency which now requires applicants to provide the type
of feed hauled, average tons or pounds per load and the number of eligible grazing animals the feed was transported to. Please be prepared to provide this information along with the number of truckloads and number of miles that the feed was transported. The deadline for this wrap-up portion of feed transportation is January 30, 2025. FSA would like to provide you the assistance more timely while your information is more attainable for the data that will be needed to apply.
The USDA will begin accepting applications starting on July 1 through its updated ELAP program to provide nancial assistance to eligible dairy producers who incur milk losses due to highly pathogenic avian inuenza, also known as H5N1 infection in their dairy herds. FSA expanded ELAP through the rule-making process to assist with a portion of nancial losses resulting from reduced milk production when cattle are removed from commercial milking in dairy herds having a conrmed positive H5N1 test. Positive test results must be conrmed through the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service National Veterinary Services Laboratories. Contact your local FSA ofce for additional details.
The USDA announced the deadline for commodity and specialty crop producers to apply for the Emergency Relief Program for 2022 natural disaster losses is Aug. 14, 2024. FSA began accepting ERP 2022 applications in October 2023. All producers who receive ERP 2022 payments must purchase crop insurance, or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage where crop insurance is not available, in the next two available crop years as determined by the secretary. Purchased coverage must be at the 60/100 coverage level or higher for
insured crops or at the catastrophic coverage level or higher for NAP crops.
County committee elections: The nomination period for county committee elections is June 17August 1. Contact your local service center to see if your township is eligible for election this year. If you, or someone you know, is interested in running for election, please ll out an FSA-669A to submit a nomination. Feel free to contact your ofce for a nomination form if you wish to be on the county committee.
Conservation Reserve Program primary nesting season: The CRP primary nesting season in Stearns County begins June 1 and runs through Aug. 1. Required CRP management and maintenance activities may not be conducted during this timeframe. CRP participants must refrain from mowing or spraying unless they have contacted FSA to receive permission to control weeds or spot spraying or mowing. We would also advise contract holders to take some time and explore their CRP acreage throughout the year to ensure they do not have volunteer trees, noxious weeds or ATV trails on CRP acreage. It is a CRP participant’s responsibility to maintain their CRP practice and failure to do so could result in penalties of noncompliance up to and including contract termination.
Please make safety your #1 priority this summer! Stay hydrated as you bale hay or spray crops. Be proud of what you have accomplished. The staff at FSA certainly is proud of you.
Farm Service Agency is an equal opportunity lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 20250. Visit www.fsa.usda.gov for application forms and updates on USDA programs
Don’t forget about the Midwest Dairy Promotion Center
Looking for tools to help share your dairy story? Don’t forget about the Midwest Dairy Promotion Center, which is full of popular giveaway items to better help you connect with consumers. Dairy farmers who provide funding to Midwest Dairy are encouraged to take advantage of a wide variety of promotional materials, including poster sets, coloring books, farm tour booties, and more, located at our online promotion center. These materials are designed to bring dairy to life in your communities or wherever you connect with consumers.
New this year, the center offers ve dairy-centric Croc charms. These
By Mitch Schulte Midwest Dairy
accessories attach to Crocs or similarstyle shoes and are an excellent way for consumers to showcase their love for dairy. The Crocs shoe brand is wildly popular with children and Generation Z (Gen Z), making these charms a great way to appeal to their taste and connect with these age groups. Each order includes 50 Croc charms, and there is a limit of one pack per farmer order. These charms range from dairy products like cheese and milkshakes to fun slogans about milk.
Our promo center also offers a variety of other items, including dairy cow hats, coloring books, cheese pairing guides, plastic bags, stickers and
novelty items like pens, dget spinners and ChapStick. Among these, the Undeniably Dairy sunglasses and the collectible vinyl stickers seem to be favorites. These stickers are particularly popular with Gen Z, who love to adorn their water bottles laptops, cell phones and coolers with them. Each pack contains four stickers featuring fun characters that highlight dairy’s role in our daily lives. Our promo center materials are designed specically to help you share your dairy story with consumers in your local communities.
I promise there is something to pique everyone’s interest in the promo center, and I encourage you to use the website to connect with consumers this summer and fall. Please allow two weeks for shipping when placing an order. Check out MidwestDairy.com to see all the resources available to help you share your dairy story. Our resources page includes nutrition handouts, activities, toolkits, fact sheets and more.
As interstates across our country travel specic directions, so do planes. Odd numbered interstates travel north and south while even numbered are east to west. Altitude determines the ight direction for planes.
Grassy waterways, tree-lined creeks and roads separated large plots of farm land. The small grain harvest was just starting in the area. It was hard to tell how tall the corn was from our view up above but the rows appeared to be lled in. This was such a great way to see the sweeping countryside as our front windshield went from above our head to a few feet behind our feet on the oor.
On the horizon, we could see the fertilizer plant where the eld day was being held. As Cole attempted to put the chopper down in the designated area, the yellow crime scene tape marking the landing zone broke loose from the posts and starting whipping around the area. Quickly Cole pulled us back up in the air until the ground crew could clear the landing zone. If that stuff got tangled up in the blades, it would not be a very pretty sight.
So, what do you do while you wait? You put the machine through her maneuvers. With the grace of a prima ballerina, Cole moved us across the sky to a grove of trees on the far side of the eld. Dangling above the treetops he executed a pirouette as he dropped us to within feet of the crop tops. Skimming across the eld we ew until he pulled up at a pivot point to go back for another round. He was so smooth at rising, twisting and dropping that he never spilled a drop of coffee from the mug sitting at his feet. At one point we just hung out above the tree tops, not going anywhere, just enjoying the view.
I don’t know who was having more fun,Jane and I for the sheer adventure or Cole for the chance to talk with someone and to share his knowledge and passion for ying.
Once we were on the ground, it was just like any other farm eld day. There were new hats and t-shirts for the farmers to add to their collection, tables set up in empty loading bays of the fertilizer plant, and fans blowing warm summer air in an attempt to keep the farmers cool and attentive to the crop experts as they reported on the latest crop and insect situations.
The success of your dairy operation starts in the soil. Use proven forage products from Pioneer, like our corn silage hybrids and inoculants, to produce the highest-quality feed for your operation. Healthy fields. Happy cows. Pioneer.com/Feed
My instincts as a reporter kicked in as I started to ask questions of the experts. This charade conrmed my position...crops are not my specialty or interest. Thank goodness for the experts.
What really makes someone an expert? A combination of education, experiences and distance but mostly what makes someone an expert is a passion and enthusiasm for a subject. Our county 4-Hers will become the experts in their projects as they teach the judges what they have learned through research and practice with their 4-H projects. We’re all an expert in one way or another.
As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark Schmitt started an adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.
Con nued from SCHMITT | Page 35
Wily Wagyu
After several years’ worth of experience with beef-on-dairy calves, I’m beginning to think that beef-cross calves aren’t suitable for calving on pasture. I absolutely love beef-cross calves’ vigor, but sometimes that vigor is too much for our system. Our rst Wagyu-cross calves were born this month and proved the Angus- and Limousin-cross calves are amateurs in comparison.
By Sadie Frericks
The rst Wagyu calf was a wanderer. We found her trotting around with the far-off dry cows – two paddocks away from the close-up dry cows.
The second Wagyu calf was a hider.
While bringing Monika to town for drivers’ training that morning, I spotted a newborn calf in the pasture next to Eve, one of our young Jerseys. I sent a message to our family group chat: “New beef calf.” That’s code for “someone needs to drop what they’re doing and fetch the calf before it becomes too mobile”. By contrast, a “new dairy calf” message means: “As soon as you nish the task you’re working on, please get the calf.”
Glen went to get the calf. Our newer 4-wheeler, the one with a little box on the back that’s perfect for securely transporting calves, is still at the repair shop in town waiting for a part to arrive. Our older 4-wheeler has no such box, so the calf collector must hold the calf on his or her lap while driving. Being that this calf was half-Jersey, this method should have worked just ne.
But it didn’t. Glen had to set the calf down in the grass to close the gate between the pasture and the path to our yard. When he did, the little troublemaker jumped up and bolted into the corneld adjacent to the path. The neighbor’s corn eld, mind you.
Glen sent an S.O.S. message, so Dan and I went to help. We looked and looked and looked. But nding a calf that’s the color of a shadow in the middle of 8-foot tall corn proved unsuccessful.
We needed to get back to our other chores, so we decided to wait until evening to resume the search. We were also hoping that the calf would get hungry and/or Eve would call for the calf and it would wander out of the corn. Or, at the least, make enough noise for us to hear it in the corn.
Neither happened. The calf stayed in the corn and that night Eve went looking for her calf. She looked so intently that she went through two electric fences and ended up in the neighbor’s front yard. (It also stormed that night, which might have contributed to Eve’s errant mission.)
Thankfully, Eve is halter trained, so getting her home was not the rodeo it could have been at 6:00 a.m.
Later that morning, while bringing the second group of cows in from the pasture, I noticed that Ella – Eve’s mother – was lowing into the corneld about 20 rows down from where Glen last saw the calf.
After getting Ella and the other cows into the barn, I circled back around to the spot where Ella had presumably been calling for her grand-calf. Shortly
after I slid between the stalks in the rst row, I heard the little bugger running through the corn. The good news was that she was between me and the barn, not me and the remaining 80 acres of the eld; the bad news was that I couldn’t see her at all, regardless of how low I stooped or how carefully I tried to peer through the stalks.
I moved in her direction and quickly found a trail of her little hoof prints in the storm-softened soil. She stayed in between the same two rows all the way down the eld and around the corner. I called Monika and asked her to go watch the end of the row, in the event the calf kept running.
It’s been a long time since I’ve tracked an animal, but hers were easy to follow. Which helped relieve my frustration at losing an eight hundred dollar calf and at being soaked by the intermittent rain that had continued that morning.
The tracks showed that half way up the eld the calf snuck between two stalks of corn and turned into our lawn. After that, there were no more tracks. We couldn’t nd her anywhere in the yard and couldn’t nd any tracks going back into the corneld.
Completely stumped as to where she could have gone and admitting that this was one wily calf, we came up with a Plan C. That evening, we would tether Eve and Ella to the trees next to the corneld and lure the calf out with their maternal moos.
That afternoon, while working on Daphne’s new chicken coop, Daphne called me over to her pullet coop to show me a burrow in the ground next to the coop.
The kids and I were inspecting the hole when Murky started barking over by the house. When his bark took on his varmint tone, I went to investigate. He was looking into the shrubs that surround a large spruce tree. I crouched down to his level and spotted something dark in the shrubs.
“Crud!” I said. “There’s something in there.”
I crept around the shrubs to get a better look. The girls kept back, knowing that it’s usually never good when a wild critter is in your yard in the middle of the day. Through a small clearing on the other side of the shrubs, I was nally able to identify Murky’s varmint: the missing Wagyu calf, curled up in a tiny ball for an afternoon snooze.
“It’s the calf,” I laughed. At that same moment, Dan came running back out of the house with his 12-gauge and three shells, ready to dispatch whatever varmint was hiding in the shrubs. He had run for the reinforcement the second I spotted something.
We all had a good laugh. Dan returned the gun to the safe and we surrounded the shrubs before moving in to capture the calf, wary that it might bolt again. It didn’t. Dan grabbed the calf and carried it to the barn. I thanked Murky for nding the calf. And we shook our heads at the crazy conclusion to the story of the missing Wagyu. When the calf ran out of the corneld that morning, it must have run straight into our front yard and found its new hiding spot in the shrubs.
Thankfully, that’s the last Wagyu calf due to arrive this summer. This fall, we’ll think twice before deciding on more for next summer.
Sadie Frericks and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children: Dan, Monika, and Daphne. Sadie also writes a blog at www.dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com.
