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Engaging in democracy
Jeff Pagel (le�) visits with Sens. Erin Murphy and Aric Putnam Sept. 10 on the Pagel family dairy farm near Eyota, Minnesota. Putnam has visited 90 farms since becoming the chair of the Senate Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Commi�ee.
Pagel family hosts trio of Minnesota senators
By Amy Kyllo amy.k@star-pub.com
EYOTA, Minn. — The Pagel family hosted a tour of their dairy farm Sept. 10 for three Minnesota senators.
The Pagels — parents, Ron and Lori, and their adult children, Tim and his wife, Ellie, and Jeff and his wife, Chandra, and their families — milk 130 cows and farm 350 acres near Eyota.
Jeff Pagel served as the tour guide.
“The biggest thing we just tried to focus on is what we do on our farm,” Pagel said. “(I explained) why we do it, and how we do things to be the best farmers we can be, to utilize the resources and technology that we have.”
Heuer continues to raise quality cattle after husband’s passing
By Tiffany Klaphake
tiffany.k@dairystar.com
LITCHFIELD, Minn. — Every time Deb Heuer steps foot in her milkhouse, she sees a picture of her late husband, Steve, holding his favorite cow.
The picture is a poignant reminder of her husband’s livelihood and passion before his unexpected death in December 2022.
“The hardest part about Steve being gone is not being able to run ideas past him,” Deb said. “If I make a decision, I am left wondering if it is the best decision.”
Steve was a professional cattle tter until the couple purchased a dairy farm near Litcheld. He then became a truck driver to nancially support their family.
“That was his passion, the tting and showing,” Deb said. “He worked for 11 years for Richard Green, a Red & White breeder. Steve headed (Green’s) World Dairy Expo show string. He did that for a few other farmers as well. You have to know how to make each cow look their best, and Steve just always knew.”
At Deb’s farm, Desthaven Holsteins, she continues to raise registered Holsteins despite having lost the support of her husband.
By Sarah Middendorf sarah.m@star-pub.com
MCBAIN, Mich — JP Koop of Lucky 7 Dairy recognizes he is a lucky man to be living past the rst day of corn silage harvest this year. The day started normally enough. But when his chopper spout touched a low-hanging power line, the day went south as both he and the chopper became electried.
Koop, his wife, Suzanne, and one of his seven children, Gavin, milk 1,800 cows in a double-25 parlor and freestall barn and farm around 3,400 acres near McBain. Koop is a newcomer to the dairy industry. He purchased his rst dairy farm six years ago. Ironically, Lucky 7 Dairy kicked off the corn silage harvest Sept. 12 with a meeting to go over safety concerns and pray for a safe harvest.
PHOTO SUMITTED
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The remains of a burned-out CLAAS chopper sits in the eld Sept. 20 at Lucky 7 Dairy near McBain, Michigan. There were roughly 180,000 wa�s of electricity in the power line in which the chopper became entangled.
TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Deb Heuer holds a photo of her late husband, Steve, Sept. 17 at her farm, Desthaven Holsteins, near Litcheld, Minnesota. Heuer milks 35 cows.
DAIRY ST R
They began by opening some of the elds.
blow a fuse or breaker which would shut off the power.
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and
“The guy I was loading said, ‘Hey you are getting close to that line. Move over to the right a little bit,’” Koop said. “Before he got the words out of his mouth, the spout on my chopper had touched the powerline. As soon as it touched … it had pretty much welded itself to my spout.”
Koop said he tried to move it away but it blew out the hydraulic cylinder that controlled the spout.
“It was a mainline so I suspected there wasn’t any sort of breaker,” Koop said. “I debated, ‘Alright is the re department going to get here in time?’ I (didn’t) have that kind of time because the rims were going to touch the ground.”
by
“I quickly turned around because I knew I was in trouble,” Koop said. “I looked at my head (on the chopper) and there were sparks ying out of that big time. So, I quickly stood up, opened the door and walked out onto the platform outside the door.”
At that moment, the chopper’s back tires were already blown and on re and the front tires were smoking.
Koop said he was standing there wondering whether the power line was going to
Koop realized time was ticking because the rubber from the tires would soon no longer provide some insulation from the electrical current when the steel rims touched the ground.
“I still don’t know how I did this, but I stood up on the handrail on the side of the chopper,” he said. “Clearly, I had good balance for a little bit. I got as low as I could and stood up and jumped as hard as I could.”
Before he jumped, he looked at the ground and it was smoking due to the stray voltage hitting the ground.
Turn to LUCKY 7 | Page 5
Open-center Helix reel eliminates obstructions, resulting in faster mixing
slide tray promotes
JP Koop Dairy farmer
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The metal of the chopper seat lies bare a er the re Sept. 20 at Lucky 7 Dairy near McBain, Michigan. JP Koop jumped roughly 10 feet to get out of the chopper Sept. 12.
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
Majestic View Dairy
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- Majestic View Dairy, Amanda Buschor
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“I thought, ‘Well I’m dead on the chopper for sure and I’m probably dead when I hit the ground,’” Koop said. “I’ll get electrocuted, but at least there’s a chance (to survive).”
He jumped roughly 10 feet from the handrail to the ground.
“Of course, I’m not a gymnast where I could stick the landing,” Koop said.
When he fell, he received electric shocks through his hands, knees, feet and stomach. He was unable to stand up but managed to crawl his way out of the ripple effect of the power, which radiated roughly 10-12 feet from the source. He was then able to stand up and run away. He was later told there were roughly 180,000 watts of electricity surging from the line.
He ran towards the road to get away but was getting weaker and fell. Some of Koop’s workers grabbed him and helped him across the road.
“You don’t have much time at all to think,” Koop said. “A whole bunch of stuff happened right. I surely feel blessed to be here today and it sinks in a little more every day.”
Koop said reghters and power company workers came to talk to him because they were surprised that he was alive and responsive.
The reghters told Koop he was fortunate the ground was dry and not wet, otherwise it would have conducted
electricity better.
When Koop jumped off the chopper, he bruised his heel on the landing. The doctor also told him his muscles were going to be sore from the electricity. He said they were.
Koop said his CLAAS dealer, Burnips Equipment, had a loaner chopper sitting in his parking lot before he had even gotten home from the hospital. The dealership heard about the accident and knew he would need another one, so they sent one before anyone from the farm called them.
“That’s pretty good customer service,” Koop said.
Suzanne made a post on Facebook about the accident. Koop said most of the comments say, “Thank God you are OK.”
“I have had so many people say, ‘Hey we are praying for you,’ or ‘We are so glad you are here,’” Koop said.
A power company from Kansas reached out to Koop and asked if they could use the pictures to teach about power and electricity and what to do in case of an accident.
“There (are) a lot of people with honest and true heartfelt concern and praising God that I am alive,” Koop said. “I am new to the farming community and just seeing the support from across the world, I am so pleased to be a part of the farming community.”
The burned-out shell of a self-propelled chopper sits in a chopped corn eld Sept. 20 at Lucky 7 Dairy near McBain, Michigan. The dairy started chopping silage Sept. 12.
She milks 32 cows and purchases all her feed. Cows also have access to 10 acres of pasture. Deb focuses on genetics and proven cow families. Currently, she has 15 Excellent cows.
“There is one cow family here that if the cow gets Excellent this time around, there will be 18 consecutive generations of Excellent cows,” Deb said. “There are a few eight or nine generations of Excellent cattle families here. That’s passion; that’s the exciting part.”
Raising highquality cattle is what keeps Deb motivated.
“In our career of dairy farming, we have bred seven 94-point cows,” Deb said.
Before Steve’s passing, the couple showed at the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota State Holstein Show as well as World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Now, the Heurers only exhibit at the Meeker County Fair.
Deb’s daughter, Danielle, leads cattle in the show ring and helps on the farm as often as she can while maintaining a fulltime job off the farm.
“I love showing because it’s like a family reunion,” Danielle said. “I get to see people I only get to see once or twice a year.”
Both Danielle and her brother, Patrick, have held careers in the show cattle industry. Now, they both have careers in Litcheld and help Deb on the farm as needed.
“It’s part of who I am,” Danielle said. “I love hanging out with the cows and getting to know them by their personalities.”
The Heuers take pride in not only raising their cows but also their children.
“The thing I am most proud of is my kids,” Deb said. “I adore my kids and the people they have become. My kids are my everything.”
Dairy farming has always been the career of choice for Deb.
“When I was 9 or 10 years old, my dad would work in the eld and I would milk the cows,” she said. “My mom would have to help me reach the pipeline to plug the hoses in, but then, I would milk the cows. It’s just what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Deb’s passion for registered cattle began during an agricultural education class in high school. Her instructor, Dan Martens, was instrumental in bringing out Deb’s passion.
Steve and Deb both grew up on dairy farms in central Minnesota, but the couple met at Indianhead Holsteins in Wisconsin when Deb was working there and Steve was tting cattle.
Once Steve and Deb married, they traveled across the U.S. tting cattle for several years. They purchased a farm of their own in central Minnesota in 1993 and started building their herd of registered Holsteins.
“Both of us had a passion for pedigrees and registered cattle,” Deb said.
“I saw my rst publication of Minnesota Holstein News, and it was one of the ve dening moments of my life,” she said. “On the back cover were ve black Holsteins with an apple orchard in the background. The farm was Apple Acres and the person was Harriet Brown and family. That picture with the cows and the apple orchard in the background made me decide that I wanted to be a dairy farmer.”
Heuer said she later learned that the woman in the story lost her husband unexpectedly as well and managed the farm while raising four children.
“Our fate is in God’s hands,” Deb said. “I would like to like to keep farming as long as the good Lord wants me to.”
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Deb (le ) and Patrick Heuer prep a heifer to be shown Aug. 3 at the Meeker County Fair in Litcheld, Minnesota. Deb Heuer’s children, Danielle and Patrick, assist Deb on the farm and in the show ring.
Pagel serves as the District 1 director on the Minnesota Farm Bureau board of directors. Legislators who visited were Democratic Sen. Aric Putnam, chair of the Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee; Democratic Sen. Erin Murphy, majority leader; and Republican Sen. Carla Nelson.
“I’ve gone to visit them at the Capitol in their workplace, and they were able to take some time out of their schedule to come check out what we do on a daily basis,” Pagel said.
The visit began with a homemade meal from Lori followed by a tour of the farm including the milking parlor, calf barn and elds. The day nished with ice cream.
“(We wanted) to make sure that we could highlight that every farm is a little different, and everybody does things a different way,” Pagel said.
Pagel said the calves were popular on the tour.
“That always seems to be a hit for anybody and everybody,” Pagel said. “Whether it’s the rst time you’ve seen them, or the 101st time you’ve seen them, calves usually get everybody excited.”
Pagel said he received a variety of questions from the number of times they milk their cows in a day and the information on their ear tags to more complicated queries about the Minnesota Department of Agriculture grants they have utilized on their farm.
“(They wanted to know) how can we make those better?” Pagel said. “Is there something that’s missing? … What can they do to help us keep our operation moving forward?”
Since becoming chair of the ag committee in January 2023, Putnam, who orchestrated the tour, has visited 90 farms. The senator and Pagel had
Je
ff Pagel (bo�om) gives a tour of the milking parlor Sept. 10 on the Pagel family dairy farm near Eyota, Minnesota. The Pagels milk 130 cows in a double-8 parallel parlor.
been in communication for a while about visiting the Pagel family’s farm.
“If you’re not actually engaged in the communities that you are legislating for, you’re not doing democracy properly,” Putnam said.
Murphy, who had met Pagel before the visit while at Minnesota Farmfest, wanted to see what she heard Pagel share about his farm.
“As (Sen. Putnam) likes to say, if you’ve been to one farm, you’ve been to one farm,” Murphy said. “‘They are different from one another in their purpose and their character and their culture.’”
One of the reasons Putnam said he
wanted to visit a dairy farm is because of the “precarious position” of Minnesota dairy and its loss of dairy farms.
“We need you,” Putnam said. “There’s a cultural, collective need. … The connection between agriculture, real agriculture, … and small towns and greater Minnesota’s vitality is synonymous.”
Nelson agreed.
“They are like an entire community,” she said. “It’s amazing, really, the entire length and breadth of professionals who work with our dairy farms. … When we lose a dairy farm, it’s a very concerning thing, and it’s a loss to those dairy farmers, it’s a loss to Minneso-
tans, it’s a loss to our ag communities.”
For Putnam, his concern over losing farms is rooted in his past. He grew up in California’s Silicon Valley and watched it change from orchards to tech companies.
“I saw rsthand the trauma that’s caused by a graceless, forced transition from agriculture to industrial economies,” Putnam said. “That’s not OK.”
Nelson said the part of the visit “seared” on her memory was seeing three baby strollers inside the Pagels’ parlor.
“It was just really wonderful to see the next generation being brought up and having this ability to grow up on a dairy farm,” she said.
The Pagels milk in a double-8 parallel parlor. This was Nelson’s rst time seeing this type of parlor setup.
When it comes to legislation, Putnam said he plans to work on helping get innovation grants for small dairies to invest in technology to help them compete and sustain themselves. Besides getting funding to help farmers with equipment costs, Murphy also mentioned other rural concerns including affordable childcare, access to mental healthcare, access to primary care, hospital care and the costs associated with greater healthcare. Nelson expressed concern over ination and its effects on the cost of production and purchasing machinery.
All three legislators shared their recognition of the importance of dairy farmers.
“(Dairy farming) is an obvious way of life, a call if you will,” Murphy said. “It comes with risk and dedication and commitment. And it’s important to say thank you for that. … I am grateful for their contributions to Minnesota. … They’re a core part of who we are.”
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
College students help MoDak Dairy cover corn silage pile
By Emily Breth emily.b@star-pub.com
GOODWIN, S.D. — Greg Moe has been receiving help on his farm, MoDak Dairy, from the Lake Area Technical College for 11 years.
Alexis Stinton, a professor at Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, interned at MoDak Dairy in 2012. She was asked to bring help from the college the following year.
“We asked if they would come out and they have been ever since,” Moe said. “Stinton said it is almost a requirement to graduate.”
Each year the students assist the farm in covering the 250- by 400-foot corn silage pile. This year there were 19 students and two instructors helping.
MoDak Dairy is a 2,500-cow dairy that raises their own youngstock.
“Everything we do … (is) because of everyone who we have here,” Moe said. “It says a lot about the people.”
The college has received requests from other farms in the area wanting help, but they keep it limited to MoDak Dairy because of the connection between the farm and the college.
“We put together a list of people
Learning by doing
who just wanted to make some extra money,” Stinton said. “Then we got the idea to limit it to the second-year livestock students because this is what they learn about the entire year. 2014 was the rst year it was just livestock students.”
Kennedi Gerjets is one of the students who helped at the farm this year.
“We have been out to the dairy before and they have a nice operation,” Gerjets said. “It is nice to be able to come out and help. I was a little nervous about how big the pile would be. It’s going really well though. Teamwork is kind of the name of the game today.”
Besides getting hands-on expe-
rience, the students also take work with them back to the classroom. The students are challenged with the task of guring out the tonnage of the pile by considering the slope and how many tires are used to cover it.
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PHOTO SUBMITTED
Jacob (from le ), Greg and Jim Moe stand by their farm sign Sept. 24 at their farm near Goodwin, South Dakota. The Moe family milks 2,500 cows.
EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR
Students from Lake Area Technical College, workers from MoDak Dairy and family work to cover the last part of the corn silage pile Sept. 23 at MoDak Dairy near Goodwin, South Dakota. It takes the crew over three hours to cover the pile.
They are also tasked with determining the value of the pile based on silage yield, plastic and tires.
“I think most of the time the students really enjoy the experience,” Stinton said. “They see a different way of doing things. I think at their farms or their family operations, it’s not quite as big, or if it is, they have a different methodology.”
Moe said there will be students at the farm almost weekly throughout the school year to do a range of hands-on learning like giving a cow an IV, drawing blood or handling a cow. Of the different visits made, covering the silage pile gives the students a bonding experience early in the semester.
The students are given a shirt after the pile is covered.
“The shirts show up all over the U.S.,” Moe said. “We have had people call because they saw the shirt and they wanted to know where MoDak was.”
Moe said it took six days of chopping to make the pile. MoDak Dairy will hire a custom chopping crew who will bring out 2-3 choppers, 12-14 hauling trucks and ve packing tractors.
“When we start chopping, we notify the school, our workers and some neighbors who might want to help,” Moe said.
The hired hands at MoDak Dairy also bring out family members to help and neighbors as well.
“Community is the biggest reason we do this,” Moe said. “Our new culture is not what it was 20 years ago. We are mix and match and make it so everybody has a nice way to live.”
Moe said it is nice to see the students’ work coming full circle when they return to the farm after graduating from college.
“Last summer we had a new nutritionist come out here and she remembered coming out when she was at Lake Area Technical College and covering pile,” Moe said.
An important step for Federal Milk Marketing Order reform
The comment period for the Federal Milk Marketing Order reform process wrapped up earlier this month. American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist Roger Cryan said his organization is not happy with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s approach for make allowances.
“Those make allowances were already big enough that cheesemakers have been building a lot of new plants and plant expansions,” Cryan said. “The cost survey data USDA used to raise those make allowances is badly biased. It’s based on voluntary surveys from small, high-cost processing plants that are not representative of the dairy manufacturing business generally.”
A decision on the nal FMMO changes is expected before the end of the year.
Ad hoc disaster and farm bill passage needed
A farm crisis is on the horizon. U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman made that point in a speech on the U.S. Senate oor Tuesday. The Arkansas Republican said market prices are far below the cost of production, and many farmers will be unable to secure an operating loan next year. Two recommendations were made.
gressman Pete Stauber said the state of Minnesota should approve a hunt to reduce the size of the wolf population.
Concentrated animal feeding operations in court
The Ninth Circuit Court heard oral arguments late last week in a lawsuit seeking stricter regulations for large-scale livestock operations. The lawsuit was led by Food & Water Watch. In 2017, the court denied a petition for more stringent rules and the environmental activist group wants the court to reconsider. A decision may not happen for over a year.
By Don Wick Columnist Ag Insider
“We need to provide emergency assistance to address the economic losses that farmers are facing associated with the 2024 crop,” Boozman said. “Farmers across the country need a bridge to help their family farms survive into next year.”
Boozman said ad hoc emergency assistance does not reduce the need to pass a new farm bill this year.
“The window to make this happen is closing quickly,” he said.
Farm Credit Administration: ag economy outlook
The Farm Credit Administration has released its quarterly report on the farm nancial situation. High corn and soybean yields are anticipated, but the large supplies are pressuring commodity prices. Livestock producers are being helped by cheap feed. The strong nancial positions in 2021 and 2022 provided a cushion for the current downturn in the farm economy. With a drop in liquidity, the FCA expects more reliance on operating lines of credit. Year to date, the FCA has had earnings of $3.9 billion. That’s up 12% from the same period last year.
Milk powder exports face new tariffs
Colombia is calling for an additional 4.86% tariff on U.S. milk powder exports, claiming the product is unduly subsidized. The preliminary tariff will be in effect for four months while an investigation takes place. The U.S. Dairy Export Council and the National Milk Producers Federation are disappointed in the preliminary ruling. The dairy groups said the claims are baseless.
U.S. Department of Agriculture updates supply-demand forecast
In the September supply-demand report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture lowered its forecast for 2024 and 2025 milk production. For this year, milk production is forecast at 225.9 billion pounds. That’s down from 226.3 billion pounds in the August report. In 2025, milk production is projected to total 227.9 billion pounds, down from 228.2 billion pounds a month earlier. The downturn is based on lower cow inventories and a reduction in growth in milk per cow. USDA is predicting Class III milk prices to average $19.45 per hundredweight, up from $18.40 per cwt. in August. For 2025, Class III prices are forecast at $19.60, up from $18.65 per cwt.
Steps taken for delisting the gray wolf
The Biden administration has asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate the rule delisting wolves from the Endangered Species Act. If approved, this would return control to the states on this issue. Minnesota Con-
A focus on ag education
The demand for ag teachers continues to grow. University of Minnesota Associate Professor Amy Smith believes lawmakers can help solve the ag teacher shortage.
“Opportunities and resources like teacher loan forgiveness, additional scholarships and grants can help offset some of the college costs and investment in that degree,” Smith said.
She encourages help from the grassroots level.
“If every single ag teacher would identify one student in their program and tell them that they have what it takes to become an ag teacher, we would probably have an abundance at that point,” Smith said.
CHS returning patronage and equity redemptions to owners
CHS Inc. plans to return $600 million in cash patronage and equity redemptions to its owners in the calendar year 2025. Based on business done with CHS in scal year 2024, which ended Aug. 31, 2024, the CHS board has elected to return $300 million in cash patronage and $300 million through equity redemptions to CHS owners. This is the third-highest amount of cash returns to owners in CHS history.
Newton moves to Terrain
A well-known agricultural economist is the new executive head of Terrain’s team of ag economists and analysts. Most recently, John Newton was the chief economist for the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Republican Caucus. Before coming to Capitol Hill, Newton was chief economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Milk Producers Federation. Newton succeeds Don Close, who launched Terrain in 2022. Close will remain with Terrain and focus on cattle and beef analysis. Terrain provides economic analysis for AgCountry Farm Credit Services, American AgCredit, Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit.
New dairy item on Domino’s menu
Macaroni and cheese is now on the menu for Domino’s Pizza. There are two options: 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese and Spicy Buffalo 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese.
“Domino’s is continuing to innovate with intent and expand our menu with additions that cater to what our customers want,” said Kate Trumbull, Domino’s senior vice president, chief brand ofcer.
Trivia challenge
“The Golden Age” is the theme for the 2024 World Dairy Expo. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, what color are the shavings in the Coliseum at the 2024 World Dairy Expo? 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.
ALL
“It helps me keep track of the cows that need to be bred, and I keep an eye on the days in milk and the days open.”
How long have you been testing with DHIA?
I have been testing with DHIA for more than 30 years. The bene t of nding out how each cow is performing is why I continue to test.
What tests do you use and what do you like about those tests? I use tests for somatic cell count, butterfat and protein. I like to identify the high somatic cell cows so I can take them out of the line and use that milk for calves or something else.
Which is your favorite and why? My favorite test is the somatic cell count test, just so I know which ones I need to keep an eye on. I either treat them, cull them or use them to feed calves.
How does testing with DHIA bene t your dairy operation? It helps me keep track of the cows that need to be bred, and I keep an eye on the days in milk and the days open. I use their records a lot. Each month it gives you a list of cows to breed or which ones need to be pregnancy checked.
Tell us about your farm. We typically have about 90 cows and we milk our herd in a tiestall barn. We grow our own feed, harvesting alfalfa, high-moisture corn and corn silage. We buy our protein from the local elevator. We get help from my dad, Harvey, and my brother, Dan, helps with eld work. We ship our milk to First District Association.
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Deer, bear, elk wreak havoc
Sawyer, Rusk County farmers
deal with losses from wildlife damage
By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
LADYSMITH,
Wis. —
In the north woods of Wisconsin, farmers are facing challenges from wildlife that are damaging crops, and a lack of compensation for those damages.
“This has been a prolonged problem, and it hasn’t gotten any better,” said Mike Robers, a Sawyer County dairy farmer. “It’s continually getting worse. We’ve got to get compensated for our losses because we can’t keep losing that kind of money.”
Robers milks 430 cows with his family on their Exeland dairy farm, raising 850 acres of crops to feed the herd.
Along with Sawyer County grain farmers Dale and Connor Beissel of Winter, Robers hosted a Wildlife Damage Forum Sept. 19 in Ladysmith. They explained the plight farmers in Sawyer and Rusk Counties face dealing with
heavy crop damage caused by deer, bear and elk.
Farmers can enroll in Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program said Seth Zesiger, assistant district supervisor the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services. But the program does not make farmers whole.
In 2020, the top seven claims submitted in Rusk and Sawyer Counties totaled $194,449, with $67,919 in damages being paid out.
Recent years have had similar outcomes for farmers in the region. The top three claims in the two counties, led in 2021 totaled $75,504 with $28,930 paid out; while the top four claims in 2022 totaled $131,271 with $40,000 being reimbursed.
Farmers who chose to participate in the program must meet certain criteria. The must exceed or being likely to exceed $1,000 in crop damages to receive a damage shooting permit. They must exceed a $500 deductible to receive a damage claim. Farms must be open to public hunting. Rented crop land can only be eligible for the program if the landowner is open to public hunting, which Robers said many are not willing to agree to. If land-owners do not agree, the
Rob Summer
and
age to a corneld Sept. 20 near Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Robers
language in crop damage programs.
damage on their property is not counted in overall totals.
“Participants in the damage program are obligated to let hunters on their property for whatever species they want to collect damage claims for,”
Zesiger said. “The whole program is funded by hunting license sales. Anytime anyone buys a license, a portion of that money goes to fund this program.”
According to Zesiger, the
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DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Rep.
eld (le )
Sawyer County dairy farmer Mike Robers look over bear dam-
is urging legislators to change
corn
open to hunters — it’s going to help everybody,” Zesiger said. “If you’re having trouble with deer, have people come in and shoot deer; if you’re having trouble with bear, have people come in and shoot bear.”
According to Robers and Dale Beissel, farmers are capped at $10,000 for crop damage reimbursement, regardless of the extent of the actual damages suffered.
“Most years I don’t go over the cap, but I’m pushing for the guys who do,” Robers said. “If we want to stay in business, we can’t keep eating these kinds of losses. It has to be compensated for. If I were to go downtown and ask any of the business owners if they were willing to donate $15,000 or more each year to charity, how easily could they do that? ... Dale has been having these kinds of losses for over 30 years.”
The charity Robers refers to is feeding the vast population of deer and bear, native to the area, along with the growing elk herd that was introduced into the region.
In Sawyer and Rusk Counties, Highway 27 largely serves as what Beissel refers to as a dividing line between public lands to the east and private land, largely agricultural, to the west. Beissel farms on both sides of the highway.
“It’s like the bears have radar, they know when that corn is ready,” Beissel said. “There is a predominant west wind, they can smell the corn. They migrate to the corn in August and will stay for nearly two months, before going back to the wooded public lands.”
Most years, Beissel said he exceeds the damage cap by at least $40,000.
“Bears aren’t stupid, they want the best part of the eld,” Beissel said. “They’ll move through the eld testing until they nd the area they want to eat at. You’ll see them sitting down — they’ll swipe an armload over to them, eat that; then they’ll move to the next spot and do the same thing.”
While the program provides ag tags for the bear and deer to be hunted as a means of abatement, Robers questions
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“There really aren’t that many bears killed on crop damage tags,” Robers said. “The bulk are killed in this area, and I push it heavy. We shot 15 bears on my farm each year for three years running.”
While the affected farmers in Sawyer and Rusk Counties push for increased compensation for their lost yields, Robers said he needs the abatement as much as the compensation.
“I need all the crops I grow — every stalk, every kernel — to feed my cows,” Robers said. “I feed high-moisture corn. With compensation, I can buy corn, but it’s likely going to be dry corn and doesn’t t in our ration. Our herd averaged 105 pounds per cow for the rst six months of this year. You don’t mess around with rations when they’re producing like that.”
Robers said that while he does not regularly exceed the reimbursement cap, his tonnage loss is grievous.
“Out of 600 acres of corn I planted this year, they’ll take six or seven,” Robers said. “If you gure you’re getting 150-bushel corn, that’s nearly 1,000 bushels. If you’re getting 30 tons of corn silage, that’s over 200 tons. It adds up fast.”
Robers and Beissel agree they are relieved to only deal with deer and bear damage and have not suffered damage from elk, thus far.
Zesiger said deer and elk damage look similar. The elk go through a eld eating everything while deer will eat the tops of the plants off early, stunting growth. When the grain is ripe, the deer will eat that, along with the alfalfa they eat all summer.
Robers and Beissel are looking to legislators to help with the problem
“We need changes in the way the bills are written,” Robers said. “We would like to have language included that at least lets us trap and relocate bears on rented land where the land owner does not want public hunting. ... We could mitigate some of the damage, even if we couldn’t get paid for it.”
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A cob of
shows elk damage Sept. 20 in a eld near Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Elk will eat their way through a corneld, leaving acres of destroyed crops.
from our side our side OF
Paul Zierden
Albany, Minnesota
Stearns County
60 cows
When did you start chopping and how many acres do you plan to chop this year? We started chopping the evening of Sept. 19. We are not quite done with corn silage yet. Each year, I plant about 40 acres to chop.
Who helps with corn silage harvest and what are their roles? My brother, David Zierden, normally runs the chopper. My brother-in-law, Gerald Sand, and two nephews, Mark Elfering and Craig Kleve, haul boxes. I will stay with the bagger and occasionally get in the chopper.
What are your goals when harvesting corn silage? Our goals for harvesting corn silage are to get 20-24 tons an acre ataround 65% moisture. As of now with what we have done, we have been averaging around 22 tons an acre. The moisture has been sitting pretty close to 65%.
What are your preservation and storage methods for your corn silage? I ll one silo and everything else goes into bags. I usually add some form of inoculant to the bags. We will also cover a few of the bags that will be up the longest with tarps to help protect them from animals and the weather.
What have you changed during the growing season or harvesting within the last couple of years? What was the benet? We have not changed anything within the last couple of years and I do not plan on changing anything. The way we are currently harvesting seems to work really well. I even go chop a load or so to nish lling the silo.
What percentage of your ration is corn silage? We try to keep about 60% of the cows’ ration corn silage. That will change from year to year with how good the crop was. It can go either way with having too much or having to substitute some extra feed elsewhere.
What is the most enjoyable aspect of corn silage harvesting for you? The times when I do hop in the chopper every now and then are the most enjoyable. When I get to go out and drive in the eld and see how nice the crop has turned out, it is a great feeling. It is a good way to see what I accomplished growing throughout the year.
Tell us about your farm. We milk 60 cows with a single robotic milker and raise all our heifers. My ancé, Amy, brother, brother-in-law and nephews all help out on the farm when I need it and they are available. The only crops we grow are corn and alfalfa. I ship my milk to First District Association.
Perry Beranek
New Ulm, Minnesota Nicollet County 180 cows
When did you start chopping and how many acres do you plan to chop this year? We started Sept. 14 and we nished Sept. 16. We chopped 85-90 acres.
Who helps with corn silage harvest and what are their roles? My two brothers (Chris and Gary) and I, who own the farm. I farm in a partnership with both of them. We hire Les Weninger to bring his chopping equipment. We pull wagons. Chris has two boys, Ben and Joe, who pulled wagons and unloaded into the bagger as well. My oldest son, Isaac, also ran wagons when he could. My cousin, Tim, and neighbor, Mike Fischer, helped as well. That allowed Chris and I to work on chores. We usually start at 8 a.m. and chop until 9-10 p.m.
What are your goals when harvesting corn silage? We shoot for 65% moisture and 2,400 tons of silage.
What are your preservation and storage methods for your corn silage? We ll one 16-by-65 silo and six 10-by-250 bags.
What have you changed during the growing season or harvesting within the last couple years? What was the benet? We got the ground tiled in 2020 and that helped with yield and getting at the harvest in the fall. We changed insecticide plans to get rid of the rootworm that we had. It’s an applicator that goes on the planter that applies it while you plant.
What percentage of your ration is corn silage? About 50%.
What is the most enjoyable aspect of corn silage harvesting for you? Just getting the fall harvest started and the camaraderie of the crew that helps us. The mood stays pretty light.
Tell us about your farm. I farm with my two brothers. We have been farming together in partnership since 2006 and started dairying in 2012. We milk in a double-8 parallel parlor and we ship our milk to First District Association. We farm 230 acres and rent 50 acres of alfalfa from neighbors. We grow corn and alfalfa.
Peter Beck Princeton, Minnesota Mille Lacs County 180 cows
When did you start chopping and how many acres do you plan to chop this year? We started chopping Sept. 17. We plan on chopping 140 acres this year.
Who helps with corn silage harvest and what are their roles? I keep my dad, Jim, and uncle, Mike, in the chopper. My sister, Jocelyn, and I do most of the hauling with occasional part-time help as needed.
What are your goals when harvesting corn silage? We shoot for 65%-68% moisture but start a little above that and usually end a bit below that. We usually aim for 2,600-plus tons with a 95%-plus processing score.
What are your preservation and storage methods for your corn silage? We store all our silage in bags and apply an inoculant at the chopper.
What have you changed during the growing season or harvesting within the last couple of years? What was the benet? In the last few years, we have gone from mostly brown midrib corn back to dualpurpose corn. Through hybrid selection, paying attention to processing and staggering maturity, we can get comparable digestibility and higher starch without the yield drag. Overall, we need fewer acres to hit our overall tonnage target.
What percentage of your ration is corn silage? In our ration 30% of our dry matter comes from corn silage on average.
What is the most enjoyable aspect of corn silage harvesting for you? Getting to see how seed decisions turn out and watching (hopefully) high-quality feed come in for our girls.
Tell us about your farm. We milk 150 cows and raise our youngstock. We farm 400 acres of crops and grow corn for silage, alfalfa, triticale, peas, Italian ryegrass, forage oats, Teff grass and grass hay with help from my wife, Robyn, sister, Jocelyn, and dad, Jim. Our milk goes to Dairy Farmers of America.
Mitch Thompson
Thompson Family Dairy
Lewiston, Minnesota
Winona County
680 dairy cows
When did you start chopping and how many acres do you plan to chop this year? We started chopping corn silage Sept. 7 and plan on chopping approximately 700 acres.
Who helps with corn silage harvest and what are their roles? We have a great crew to assist in our harvest. I operate the chopper and my dad, Cliff Thompson, focuses primarily on packing the pile. My son, Dylan, and two of my nephews, Cade and Brycen, help haul silage as well. We also hire additional drivers and packers as needed. My wife, Hilary, helps haul silage when needed. Otherwise, she and my daughter, Sophia, make sure the crew is fed each night in the eld. Generally, we run one chopper, four packing tractors and six trucks or tractors to haul silage.
What are your goals when harvesting corn silage? Our No. 1 goal this harvest is to stay safe, but aside from that, we hope to harvest 30 tons per acre
for silage at 68% moisture. This year, we have expanded into the “Better than BMR (brown midrib)” system by Daniel Olson to increase the digestibility of our corn silage by lowering the population to get stalk expansion. With that system, our goal is to get more out of our silage by increasing digestibility for our herd. Ultimately, our nal goal would be to save on seed costs because we have been able to lower our population from 35,000 down to 28,000.
What are your preservation and storage methods for your corn silage? We store the silage in drive-over piles where we maximize the packing density. We also use inoculant during the chopping process and cover the pile with an oxygen barrier and plastic, and lastly covered tire to tire with sidewall tires.
What have you changed during the growing season or harvesting within the last couple years? What was the benet? We recently made a feed pad where we can store all our silage on a concrete or blacktop pad. The feed pad provides a solid surface that, based on our research, has been able to help reduce feed shrink to maximize our inventory of silage. We have found success in eliminating dirt and other contaminants from our prior technique of dirt and line pads. This addition allows us to focus on quality feed used for our daily nutrition plan for our herd. We have added additional packing tractors over the last couple of years to maximize compaction. By adding these tractors, we can close the gap of our goal of 800 pounds per harvested ton per hour.
What percentage of your ration is corn silage? Depending on the group we are feeding, we are typically at 50%-75%.
What is the most enjoyable aspect of corn silage harvesting for you? The sense of accomplishment in the operations and work we put in daily at our farm. It also brings me great joy to see my family stepping into roles at the farm and having the ability to share what I’ve learned and experienced over the years with them. I also take pride in providing a quality product to feed our cattle.
Tell us about your farm. We are a multi-generation dairy farm that is nestled in the heart of Winona County in Lewiston. We have cattle at a few locations, with milking operations at two sites. Within the past year, we added a manure press to allow us to eliminate sand bedding and bed our cattle with recycled manure solids.
Describe your farm and facilities. I used to milk 80 head with my brother on our home farm and kept our show cattle where I currently farm. When we sold the other farm, I began farming here. This farm has been in our family for almost 150 years. The cows are housed in what used to be a show barn that contains 20 tie stalls and four box stalls. There are also seven stalls for calves. I used to have a show pack across from the calf stalls where cows stood just like they would at a show. From early spring to late fall, the cows are outside day and night on pasture. They are hardly ever on concrete. I have no barn cleaner or silo unloader, so most everything is done with skid loader or by hand. I’ve always bred for type. The forage has to be pretty good to get the pretty girls to milk. I still breed to show, but it’s harder to get away now. I do some merchandising of cattle and periodically place cattle in sales.
What forages do you harvest? I harvest hay, baleage and corn silage.
How many acres of crops do you raise? I raise 300 acres total. This includes 150 acres of corn (50 acres corn silage and 100 acres grain) and 150 acres of alfalfa (100 acres pure alfalfa and 50 acres alfalfa grass, festulolium and other mixes.) I sell some grain corn and some alfalfa.
FORAGE PROFILE
What quality and quantity do you harvest of each crop? For alfalfa, I try to make half dry hay and half baleage. The baleage is really good quality to feed my cows. I shoot for 25%35% moisture for the baleage. If it’s wetter, it’s harder on the baler. If it feels dry, I like to do it immediately. I try to make the best straight alfalfa with as much protein as I can. For dry hay, I shoot for 17% moisture. I do 250 big squares and 100 big round bales. For baleage, I do 250 bales. I had massive crops this year on the ground. It was amazing the amount of hay that was out there. I would be happy with half that amount in a typical year. For alfalfa, I have planted mixed varieties, and it works pretty well. They kind of compete against each other. I’ve had pretty good luck that way, and they get through winter a little better. For corn silage, I plant a different hybrid every year that goes grain or corn silage. I shoot for around 60% moisture. For the rest of the corn, I lean towards grain with a 95-100day maturity. I have sandy loam soil, and a cover crop has really helped. It gives the soil some body, and you see green through the fall. If I get corn off early enough, I usually plant rye as a cover crop before the ground freezes.
Describe the rations for your livestock. I do not feed a total mixed ration. I feed free-choice baleage all day and limited corn silage. In winter, I feed fourthcutting baleage, corn silage, and big squares of alfalfa. Cows also receive grain, protein and mineral in the barn. I individualize their feed in winter and pump more protein. I give more feed to higher-producing animals but
mostly feed everyone as a group. Bred heifers and dry cows roam on about nine acres of pasture and also eat dry hay and corn silage. Younger heifers receive higher protein and less ber. Everyone gets free-choice mineral and salt.
Describe your harvesting techniques for alfalfa and corn silage. I try to get four cuttings of alfalfa every 28-30 days. For the grass/alfalfa, I shoot for three cuttings in between the four cuttings of alfalfa. The rst and fourth cuttings of alfalfa I usually wrap as baleage. I have an individual wrapper that I bought ve years ago that saves me a lot of time. I used to use a sickle cut mower on my alfalfa, but now I use a discbine. It goes so much faster; you can cut a lot of feed. I also use an individual bale squeezer for doing hay. It ops bales on their side and stacks them 2-3 high, and they seal better with the weight. I found that helps a lot, especially if you go 6-8 months before feeding. You have less spoilage as it maintains quality better. For corn silage, I have a processor on my chopper. I pretty much do the harvesting myself except for a guy who helps me unload. I was done chopping corn silage around Labor Day this year. I rent a bagger and have two wagons for unloading. I also use a line wrapper that I borrow from a custom guy that uses a little less plastic because you don’t have to do the ends.
What techniques do you use to store, manage and feed your forages? I chop enough corn silage to ll my two 9-foot by 200-foot bags. It takes 35 acres to ll the two bags.
Rick Frozene Westfield, Wisconsin | Marquette County | 25 cows
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Rick Frozene examines his recently harvested corn silage Sept. 17 on his farm near Wes ield, Wisconsin. Frozene milks 25 cows and farms 300 acres and nished chopping corn around Labor Day.
Dean Nelson • Central and Northern Minnesota • Grove City, MN
US Hwy. 75 At IA/MN Stateline • Steen, MN • 507-392-2870
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Ms
at 2022 World Dairy Expo,
Saucier Photo (At, right) Black Velvet at 2024 Wisconsin Summer Championship, after winning 1st Production Cow, Best Uddered, Bred and Owned, Senior, and Grand Champion. She is bred and owned by Triple T, Vierra Dairy, and Duckett Holsteins, Rudolph, Wisconsin. Duckett Holsteins is home to Black Velvet, Footloose and other elite cows. Triple-T had a top 2023 BAA of 115.6 and is home to Vierra Dairy’s show string with four World Dairy Expo Grand Champions.
“We use a lot of Udder Comfort.™
It’s great for our fresh cows at home and keeps the udder quality while showing,” says Mike Duckett, Duckett Holsteins, Rudolph, Wis., home to Ms Beautys Black Velvet-ET EX96, owned by Duckett, Vierra Dairy, and Triple-T. Mike and Julie Duckett provide her daily care. She won it all recently at the 2024 Wisconsin Summer Championship.
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(Left)
Beautys Black Velvet-ET EX96
Res. Sr., HM Grand, 2x Bred-Owned Champion. Carl
STACEY SMART/ DAIRY STAR
I make baleage as well as round bales and big squares of dry hay. I put acid on dry hay as a preservative with the baler. I like doing that because you get more leaves. It clumps and hangs together making it easier to carry around. I feed free-choice hay and baleage. I keep roughage in front of the cows at all times. It keeps them healthy and the rumen doing what it’s supposed to be doing.
Throughout your career, have you changed the forages you plant, and how has that decision helped your operation? I usually look at the breakdowns of varieties of alfalfa. I want something that falls right back for a 28-30-day cut. I aim at seeds that give four cuttings in dry ground or wet ground. I also pay attention to digestibility on the grass varieties and winter hardiness on alfalfa. Mixing varieties helps. When it comes to alfalfa, lower lignin is better quality. They make genetic improvements for a reason, and the genetics in it are key. Digestibility and how it works with another crop are also factors for me. In corn, I look for high digestibility yet also something that
Rick Frozene checks the quality of a fourth-crop dry hay bale Sept. 17 on his farm near Wes ield, Wisconsin. Frozene tries to get four cu ngs of alfalfa spaced 28-30 days.
will dry down for shell corn.
Describe a challenge you overcame in reaching your forage quality goals. Weather is a constant challenge. You have to have rain to make hay, and you have to have dry weather to make hay. The wrapper helps a ton. If it looks like it’s going to rain, we’ll bale and wrap. That’s a big change from years ago.
How do quality forages play a part in the production goals for your herd? I breed for type, not milk. But the better forage I can put up, I can at least get milk if I’m not getting to show. Also, when you feed quality forages to youngstock, they grow better, and you can cut back on other proteins.
What are management or harvesting techniques you have changed that have made a notable difference in forage quality? Using equipment such as a wrapper, bale squeezer and discbine have allowed me to make better-quality forages in less time.
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Hinsch family raises honey on the dairy farm
By Amy Kyllo amy.k@star-pub.com
GOODHUE, Minn. — Honeybees buzz around a stack of hives in the corner of the yard at the Hinsch family’s dairy. Not far away, a silo and forage bunker complete the backyard farm scene.
Scott Hinsch is a dairy farmer alongside his son, Chase, his brother, Chad, and his family and their employees. Hinsch Dairy has 700 cows.
“It is a phenomenally interesting hobby,” Scott said.
Originally, beekeeping was Scott’s hobby, but a progressing allergy to bees forced Scott to step back from most aspects about six years ago. He still helps on honey extraction day and occasionally interacts with the bees. Seth, his son, is now the beekeeper.
This year, the Hinsches have four hives, which is typical. They have had as few as three and as many as seven. Four hives is not overwhelming, Seth said, and that many hives is enough to provide honey even if some do not perform well.
Because of disease problems with varroa mites, the Hinsches do not overwinter their hives. Each spring, they buy package bees. Each 2-pound package contains a queen bee and approximately 7,000 worker bees.
A golden hobby
who works at Dairy Farmers of America, took over the main du es of the honey bees from his dad, Sco , about six years ago.
The amount of honey harvested depends on whether the bees receive frames in their hive with honeycomb already established from previous years or if they have to start from scratch with new frames.
Seth started helping his dad with the bees when he was 6 or 7.
“I always volunteered to come help,” Seth said. “I always went no matter what.”
Seth said the ofcial beekeeping garb was farm clothes, a few extra sweatshirts and a veil. He remembers carefully shedding and shaking out his
clothing layers in the garage in hopes of making it to the house unscathed.
Today, Seth works for Dairy Farmers of America Inc. with the goal of becoming a production supervisor.
The bees have helped Seth grow as a person. He said they have helped him to be relaxed and to acclimate to stress. He also said the bees provide ready conversation topics when talking with others.
“Working with the bees, it’s going against something that your body
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Seth Hinsch and his ancée, Paige Holst, pause from honey harvest in early September at the Hinsch family dairy farm near Goodhue, Minnesota. Hinsch,
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
Honey bees crawl on the hives Aug. 28 at the Hinsch family’s dairy farm near Goodhue, Minnesota. The Hinsch family had four hives this year.
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naturally (says) … ‘Get away from,’” Seth said. “All that buzzing. It’s overcoming a little bit out of that (which builds … courage or self-respect, and self-esteem.”
Seth said each year he has fresh stress as he works with the bees.
“It’s that calming down and stepping towards something,” Seth said. “A facing your fear.”
Scott was introduced to beekeeping in his mid-20s when he took a short course through the University of Minnesota.
After having them for a few years, Scott paused beekeeping until his kids started 4-H. Then, he used the bees to educate about nances.
“I decided it was easier … to teach the kids how much they made or lost out of a box of bees than it was on a big dairy operation,” Scott said, “It’s more understandable when they harvest the honey, put it in jars and sell it or give it away.”
While Seth was growing up, the Hinsches looked at the hives every two weeks though this would vary by several days if dairy chores went long or machinery broke.
One of Scott’s favorite memories was his children having friends out for honey honey-extracting day.
“They take some of the (honey) drippings and (they) can’t really get enough of it,” Scott said. “It’s just fun. Then, they would help with the bottling and we just talked about bees and how good they are for you.”
Extraction day has often been a celebration. Scott said in the past, anywhere from three to around 45 people came to help. Scott said he enjoys sharing educational information about the bees.
This year, Seth, his ancée, Paige Holst, and Scott did the extracting.
Harvesting the honey starts by taking frames with capped honey from the hives. Each hive is left with 100 pounds of honey for overwintering. To help access the hives, they gently use a leaf blower to remove the bees.
“They’re used to wind,” Scott said. “It doesn’t injure them.”
Once the frames are removed, they cut the wax cap off the combs and put them in a centrifugal extractor. Then, the honey is ltered through a cheesecloth and bottled.
The Hinsches try to keep the bees out of their shed while extracting.
“Bees can smell honey, and if there is a hole … they’re coming in to get it,” Scott said. “They’re not mad at you, but they’re just there to not waste any of it because it takes so much energy to make.”
After harvest, they open up the shed and set their equipment and the empty honeycomb outside for the bees to retrieve missed honey.
“The bees will clean it up to where there’s not even anything sticky on it,” Scott said. “They don’t waste anything.”
The Hinsches produce honey for their own use as well as making for gifts and sale. Scott said eating honey is his favorite part of raising bees. Scott said Seth describes him as their “biggest non-paying customer.”
In addition to eating the honey, Seth makes honey mead.
“It’s very, very sweet,” Scott said. “Some of it really packs a punch. You wouldn’t want to have too many glasses of it and think you’re going to drive.”
Looking to the future, Seth said he wants to continue raising bees, perhaps with a few years off. He wants to raise bees with his children and give them the experience he had.
pinecountrybank.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Honey frames rest inside a centrifugal extractor at the Hinsch family’s dairy farm near Goodhue, Minnesota. The Hinsch family uses their honey at home, sells and gives it to friends, and makes honey mead.
The circle of harvest
Each year, I anxiously wait for harvest season to roll around for the sweet smell of freshly chopped corn, the crisp morning air, sweater weather and getting to hop in a tractor and follow Dad around in the eld.
When I think about it, corn and people share a similar life cycle. Everything starts when someone is born or a kernel is planted. Then, as time goes by, people start to walk, and the corn sprouts from the ground. As we grow, so does the corn — granted, the corn gains height faster.
brother and sisters hauled boxes.
Each year, something seems to change about harvest, whether it’s the help, the setup, the equipment or the bins. This is exactly why I love harvest — two years are never the same, and it can never be planned out.
In what seems like a very short few years to parents, kids are off to school and soon sitting in front of their family and friends with their class at graduation. As they move their tassel signifying the next stage of their life, the corn grows its tassel to do the same.
By Emily Breth Staff Writer
So many factors can affect how a day in the eld goes. It could be sunny and 70 degrees with a lush crop and dry ground for the rst few rounds. Then, one pass in the middle is mud and the equipment sinks, or something breaks down and 30 minutes of harvest is lost. The same applies to people. There is no way of knowing the full story when you only see the one part of the story and not the full story.
Skipping forward a couple of years and the graduates are listening to a million and one questions from their kids, and the corn puts on its ears to listen as well.
Sadly, this cycle can only end one way, hopefully not before a person can share the joys of life with their family and friends and get the next generation well on their way to having a bright life. As the corn is harvested, the kernels are stored in a safe place until they are ready to survive on their own in the eld next season.
This year’s harvest at my parents’ farm will look a little different since we do not have to chop our own feed. But combining the corn will still be a good time. Last year was my rst year being a designated hauler to and from the eld. Being the youngest, I always got the short straw and had to unload the boxes, run the grain auger and watch the dryer bin level as my
With that said, it also does not determine how it will be every year. If one area was muddy last year, it does not mean it will be again this year. There are many life changes we cannot control, just like farmers cannot control the weather — even though they might like to.
However, there are some changes we can control. We can decide our attitude, decide to hold a door, decide to say “hi” to someone in passing or simply ask someone how they are doing. It does not take a lot to turn a rainy day into a bright, sunny day. There are going to be rainy, sunny, good and bad days. Most importantly, however, harvest and life continue on, and it will work out in the end.
I like to look at it this way: the bad days make the good days better, the rainy days make the sunny days brighter, nighttime makes daytime more energetic and nally, the light can never be found without the darkness it breaks through.
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IN DAIRY women
Tell us about your family and farm. Our family consists of my husband, Isaac, me and our four dogs, Dixie, Roscoe, Maggie and Lando. I did not grow up on a dairy farm, but Isaac grew up on a farm between Kasson and Byron. After my husband’s family moved off the farm, he found a spot at Terra McCree Holsteins in 2009 working for Kevin Connelly. About eight years later, I started working at Terra McCree Holsteins in October 2017 just as part-time help. Then, March of 2020 came around, and I took on the full-time herdsman position. We like to do things old school and milk in a tiestall barn that consists of 60 stalls. We milk twice a day. The herd is mostly Holsteins, but we have a handful of Jerseys. At Terra McCree Holsteins, we raise everything that hits the ground whether it is a heifer, bull or beef cross. We raise the heifers for replacements and nish out the steers. Along with the animals, the farm runs around 800 acres of corn, soybeans, forages, oats and cover crops.
What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? A typical day for me starts at about 4:45 a.m. by waking up and heading to the farm. Once I’m at the farm, I check our maternity shed to see if we have any new calves. If we have a new calf, I will water the cow and get the calf moved up to our calf barn. My other tasks for the day are to milk the cows twice a day, clean the barn and lay fresh feed for the lactation cows. Once the barn chores are done, I head up to the other farm to feed grain to the heifers and steers. I also feed corn silage to our yearling heifers and dry cows at the other farm. After I get done feeding at our other farm, I head back to the farm to feed our breeding-age heifers and maternity-shed animals (close-up springing heifers and cows). Also, some of my days will consist of making sure all aged animals are vaccinated and
Melanie Whiteaker Byron, Minnesota Olmsted County 60 cows
breeding cows or heifers if need be. My day normally ends around 7:30 p.m.
What decision have you made in the last year that has beneted your farm? In the last year, a decision that I made was changing how I milked. We used to start at the north end of the barn and end at the south end. I now start at the south end and end at the north since that’s where our milk house is. It has seemed to make milking more efcient.
Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. My most memorable experience just happened this last May when we had our rst set of triplets. This was the rst set I have witnessed. All three calves are still doing great.
What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? What I have enjoyed the most so far is seeing the genetics I have created. It is such a great feeling seeing the newborn heifer calf hit the ground and raise her and see her come into the barn two years later. I also enjoy seeing how the steers nish out.
What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? Explain. My biggest accomplishment so far is owning my Jersey cows. I started out with a cow named L-E and now basically all my Jerseys go back to her. I even still have her rst daughter named Lorilei who just recently retired to live out her golden years on pasture. She will be 10 years old this coming January.
What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry?
Every year, my in-laws, Ron and Mary Whiteaker, manage the malt wagon for Dodge County, and we work in the malt stand as a family to promote the dairy industry.
What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? Find yourself a great mentor. Finding a person you can go talk to makes a world of difference. Also, go with your gut instincts. Not all the time do we need to listen to everyone’s opinion. Make sure to have fun and enjoy the work you are doing.
What is a challenge in the dairy industry you have faced and how did you overcome it? A challenge I have
faced is knowing when I need help with something and knowing it is OK to fail. I had to learn the key is communication. If there is no communication given, there is no way to learn and grow.
When you get a spare moment, what do you do? My husband and I are on a bowling league in Hayeld. We bowl once a week for about 28 weeks out of the year along with Isaac’s whole family.
your
Precision livestock farming highlights
The European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming was held recently in Bologna, Italy. This event happens every other year. This year, it brought together about 400 researchers and industry representatives from 30 countries for a few days to learn and network about precision technology. There were a few plenary talks to start the morning and afternoon sessions, and then concurrent breakout sessions, with two out of ve each day focusing on dairy technology research.
By Marcia Endres University of Minnesota
On the rst day, Dr. Alex Bach, a former student of the University of Minnesota graduate dairy nutrition program, gave a thought-provoking talk on “Precision feeding technologies and strategies to improve prots, health, and reproductive performance of dairy farms.” Some of the key messages to take home include: — Most farms groupfeed cows, and there is a challenge of different, individual cow intakes within the group, but we balance rations for average pro-
duction of the pen.
— We use models to estimate net energy, rumen degradable protein, metabolizable protein, etc.
— We use table values for some nutrients — does one size t all?
— With all this noise, how do we precisely account for nutrient requirements vs. supply?
— Before thinking about precision feeding, we need to x the basics rst.
Can we use precision technology to help us decide what level of milk production to use for formulation? There is also technology on the market that can monitor for mixing errors and articial intelligence models that can predict outcomes of these changes. But milk production is not what ultimately matters. These machine learning models can calculate income over feed cost, which is key for protability. The AI can suggest when to move cows to a lower production pen or suggest the amount of concentrate in the robot box to optimize IOFC. Integration of data will help with decision making. Ideally, we should combine measured items as much as possible and avoid using too many estimated values.
An industry panel composed of Dale Polson, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., Massimiliano Intini, MSD Animal Health, and Simona Caselli, Granalatte, shared views on important aspects for the adoption of precision livestock technology. Producers want a simple, one-interface, integrated platform. Technology needs to be user-friendly, solve an issue, bring value and be cost-effective. It is hard to bring in technology in a “ready-touse” state. Producers need to understand they need to be involved in the iterations to use it successfully, but producers are busy, and prot margins are tight. Economic impacts and operational value need to be understood and measured. This has to happen a lot more for broader adoption success.
one thing that could help is to demonstrate the value and understand the real needs of the farmers. After installation, keep working with the farmer to show value and demonstrate needs are met. Demonstrate that technology can help their business stay viable.
David Speller, OPTIfarm, suggested that we use data to uncover the “why.” He listed some challenges for PLF adoption, such as the cost of the solution — it should pay back in months not years — ease of deployment; maintenance requirements; extra demand on the farmer, such as more to do; and emotional buy-in is not there and it is needed. He asked questions, such as: Are we solving true problems that people will pay to solve? Do we understand what the real value is? Are they real commercial applications, or do they just work in the “research world?”
Using new business models, such as pay-as-you-use, free-to-use versions, or initial free-to-try offerings, could help increase adoption. He gave examples of free apps that we use daily such as Google Maps, Uber, Amazon, etc. It would also help to empower the best people with automation.
We need to use technology to help prevent severe health problems. Listen to the data provided by the animals. Focus on the transition period for monitoring. Keep in mind both animal and farmer/worker welfare. Companies need to better teach the farmer how to use the data. Precision livestock farming can change the way farmers work.
Some key points of building trust with farmers were shared. Tech trust is harder to build than personal trust; the
On the research side, there were many presentations on the use of computer vision to identify or track cows and calves and estimate body weight, body condition scores, locomotion, or respiration rates with various degrees of success in terms of accuracy, some over 90%. A study using infrared thermal imaging techniques to measure respiration and heart rate in dairy calves resulted in 98% and 94% accuracy, respectively, which was interesting. An implanted body temperature sensor did not work well, and researchers will follow up with a smaller device that can be implanted more easily than surgically. Not all technology works, and that is also important to know. Other breakout sessions focused on other species of animals, data analysis modeling, ventilation and microclimate, sound technology, PLF human and management, PLF and emissions, etc.
Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. I invite you to mark your calendars for the next Precision Dairy Conference organized by the University of Minnesota and held at the Hyatt Regency, Bloomington, Minnesota, June 17-18, 2025. Join us for great discussions on this topic.
Reduce the risk of farm accidents
is one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S. Each year, more people die while farming than serving as police ofcers or other emergency responders. In Minnesota, from 2003 to 2013, there were more than 210 deaths on farms, with many more people seriously injured. These tragedies highlight the need to reduce the risk of accidents. Human error remains the most signicant contributor to accidents and injuries.
Last winter, I attended a conference where Shane Bush from the University of Idaho discussed improving workplace safety by minimizing human error. Although Shane primarily works with high-risk industries like aviation and oil drilling, the same principles can be applied to farms.
cantly reduced trafc fatalities (Figure 1).
Shane used railroad crossings to illustrate different levels of safety measures:
By Jim Salfer University of Minnesota
Accidents, by denition, are unintentional. Often, the person involved knew what to do but failed to execute it correctly. It is almost impossible to expect someone to do everything perfectly all the time. Most of us make multiple small errors daily, usually without major consequences. The goal should be to develop systems that minimize the risk of accidents or reduce their negative outcomes. While lack of training can cause accidents, many errors result from factors like fatigue, distractions, daydreaming or interruptions. Although training is important, it will not eliminate accidents caused by human error. Shane emphasized that businesses should focus on creating systems that minimize the impact of these mistakes.
One example is the automotive industry. Several decades ago, the industry began designing cars with the assumption that every vehicle would eventually be in an accident. This philosophy, combined with the mandatory seat belt laws enacted by most states in the early 1980s, signi-
Level 1: A railroad crossbuck sign warns drivers of the railroad tracks. Safe crossing relies on the driver seeing the sign and looking both ways to avoid an oncoming train. This is the lowest-cost option but depends heavily on human attention and judgment. If the driver is unfamiliar with the area, distracted, or it is nighttime, they might easily miss the sign.
Level 2: In addition to the railroad crossing sign, ashing red lights indicate an approaching train. These lights help drivers at night or when they are distracted, reducing the likelihood of human error. However, this option is more expensive than just installing a crossing sign.
Level 3: Adding crossing arms to the sign and ashing lights creates a physical barrier across the road to deter drivers. This option costs more but provides an additional layer of safety by physically preventing cars from crossing when a train is approaching.
Level 4: A railroad trestle, where the train goes above or below the road, virtually eliminates the possibility of a car accident with a train. This is the most expensive option but offers the highest level of safety by completely separating the train and vehicle pathways.
Applying these principles to farm safety
There are multiple options to improve safety on farms, but they often require increased investment in time and money. We should consider two factors when considering how much time and expense to invest in reducing the risk of potential accidents: the likelihood of an adverse event occurring and the severity of
the negative consequences if it does. Our goal should be to identify high-risk areas and identify ways to eliminate or greatly reduce the risk of an accident happening.
Just as with railroad crossings, farms can implement various levels of safety measures to reduce the risk of accidents:
— Basic measures: simple warning signs and labels on hazardous materials to alert workers to potential dangers.
— Enhanced measures: adding visual or auditory alarms to alert workers of immediate dangers, such as moving machinery or chemical spills.
— Physical barriers: installing fences, locked storage areas, or protective shields around dangerous equipment and chemicals to prevent unauthorized access.
— Comprehensive solutions: redesigning farm layouts to separate hazardous areas from common workspaces, similar to how a railroad trestle separates train tracks from roads.
Here is one example of farm chemical storage. Herbicides, pesticides and
other chemicals are often stored in unlocked rooms or sheds. If only adults are around these substances, the risk of an accident might be low. However, items like pipeline acid can look like juice to children. We might believe that constantly reminding children about these poisons will ensure they remember to stay away, but the risk, though low, has potentially catastrophic consequences. Therefore, it is crucial for farms to lock all poisons in a secure room or behind a fence that children cannot access. While building a secure storage area may require money and make accessing chemicals more timeconsuming, it will signicantly reduce the risk of accidents.
While these safety measures may require signicant investment, they can dramatically reduce the risk of accidents. By assessing the likelihood of adverse events and the severity of their potential consequences, farms can prioritize highrisk areas and implement appropriate safety measures to protect workers, families and visitors.
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A farmer at heart
Lissons named farm family of the year
By Tiffany Klaphake tiffany.k@dairystar.com
BROWERVILLE,
Minn — A farmer is all Trevor Lisson has ever wanted to be and now he is living that reality every day with his family alongside him.
“It’s a dream to be able to raise my family on the farm,” Lisson said.
Lisson and his wife, Alexandria, have four children — Thomas, Colbe, Marie and Sophia — and a baby due in February. The Lissons were named the 2024 Todd County Farm Family of the Year. They were recognized in June at the Todd County Fair in Long Prairie and in August during Farmfest in Redwood Falls.
“Thomas is very much a farmer,” Lisson said. “They all love riding along with me in the tractor.”
Lisson milks 52 cows in a tiestall barn and farms 210 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa at his dairy farm near Browerville. He is active with the Todd County Dairy Herd Improvement Association, his
church, Sacred Heart Church, and the school. While Lisson grew up on a dairy farm, his road to owning his own farm was winding.
“I’ve always wanted to farm,” Lisson said. “My grandpa always told me dairy farming is where it’s at. That has always stuck with me.”
When Lisson graduated high school, his dad, Al, was not ready to retire. Lisson attended college for electrical work, but his dream was still set on farming. In 2012, right after college, Lisson started renting his uncle’s dairy farm near Staples. He was able to purchase some cows by working for his dad and another farmer while in college.
After a few years, Lisson outgrew his uncle’s farm site and found another one near Staples to rent. However, his herd did very poorly at the new site and stray voltage was found. After the stray voltage was addressed, Lisson’s cows recovered slowly, causing Lisson to look for yet another farm.
Finally in 2019, Lisson found a dairy farm near Browerville that was going
to be up for sale. After visiting the farm, Lisson said he knew he had found a farm to call home.
“It’s just been great since we moved here,” Lisson said. “To have a farm of my own and and see the fruits of my labor every day is such a great feeling.”
The farm’s previous owners had high-quality cattle and it is Lisson’s goal to have high-quality cattle too. Lisson works closely with his veterinarian and nutritionist to optimize cow comfort and health. Lisson said he also carefully selects bulls when breeding his cows and chooses them based on type and production traits.
“My 10-year goal is to hit a 100-pound (milk) tank average,” Lisson said. “Last winter I held at 96 for quite a while. Being able to see the cows doing that well is a great feeling.”
Lisson said above all, his favorite thing to see on the farm is his family.
“To raise a family on the farm is everything,” Lisson said. “The kids learn so much by being on the farm.”
TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Kolbe (from le ), Trevor and Thomas Lisson stand by their cows
Aug. 27 at their farm near Browerville, Minnesota. Trevor is a rst-genera on dairy farmer at this farm site.
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Financial help is available
By Steve Frericks Stearns County FSA executive director
Wednesday, October 9th, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. CT.
Address: 4915 Genoa Rd. Belvidere, IL. 61008
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For a year with record rainfall, we are starting to get rather dry. Soil moisture conditions have changed quickly. Field conditions for silage harvest have been good. Soybeans are turning quickly with above-average temperatures. Corn is very near the black layer, if not already. Please plan accordingly and make safety your number one priority this fall. The Farm Service Agency staff wish you a protable, productive and rewarding harvest season. Be proud of what you do. We certainly are proud of you.
One more reminder: Those of you who incur milk losses in your dairy herds due to H5N1 can now apply for nancial assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency expanded ELAP policy through the rule-making process; this expansion assists with nancial losses resulting from reduced milk production when cows are removed from commercial milking in dairy herds with a conrmed positive H5N1 test. Positive tests must be conrmed through APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Laboratories.
The October payment cycle for any FSA program that triggers is just around the corner. This includes Conservation Reservation Program annual rental payments. Now is the time to notify FSA if you have changed any direct deposit routing or switched banks. Attending to this now provides for smooth and timely payment processing. CRP producers with required mid-contract management activities are required to complete these items by Sept. 30, 2024. The completion needs to also be documented in the FSA ofce by the same date. Send in your required paperwork to verify completion and apply for any eligible cost-share assistance. USDA now accepting applications for available funds to help cover organic certication costs Through the Organic Certication Cost Share Program, USDA FSA will cover up to 75% of organic certication costs at a maximum of $750 per certication category. FSA is now accepting applications, and organic producers and handlers should apply for OCCSP by the Oct. 31, 2024, deadline for eligible expenses incurred from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. FSA will issue payments as applications are received and approved.
To apply, producers and handlers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center and be prepared to provide documentation of organic certication and eligible expenses. OCCSP applications can also be submitted through participating state departments of agriculture. For more information, visit the OCCSP webpage.
Marketing assistance loans available
Marketing assistance loans provide you with interim nancing after harvest to help you meet cash ow needs without having to sell your commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows. FSA is now accepting requests for 2024 MALs for eligible harvested crops. Contact the ofce for additional details.
We know there is a lot of stress in the ag community right now. Cash ows are not working for several row crop applications as well as several segments of animal agriculture. If you recognize this stress in your family or friends, do not hesitate to get them some help. The Minnesota Farm and Rural Helpline is a free, condential service that provides support for people struggling with stress, anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts related to farm and rural life. The helpline is available 24/7 and can be reached by calling 833-600-2670, texting FARMSTRESS to 898-211 or emailing farmstress@state.mn.us.
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
Exciting growth in Midwest Dairy’s pitch competitions
Advancing dairy research is a key strategy of dairy checkoff. Midwest Dairy funds research that solves industry challenges and partners with those who drive demand for dairy.
By Sidney Herr Midwest Dairy
This includes developing and expanding pitch competitions in two Midwest states. These pitch competitions, a testament to our commitment to fostering innovation, allow Midwest Dairy and our partners to discover and support outstanding food and beverage entrepreneurs who value dairy products in their ingredients. We have seen exciting growth in this program, and Midwest Dairy is proud to say our partnership with The Hatchery Chicago continues to thrive. We were also eager to extend the pitch competition to a new area in 2024 by announcing our new partnership with No More Empty Pots in Omaha, Nebraska — a move that promises to further boost local entrepreneurship and dairy industry growth.
Midwest Dairy and No More Empty Pots launched the pitch competition to advance Omaha’s local entrepreneurship, foster innovation in product development and contribute to the growth of the local dairy industry. The No More Empty Pots pitch competition awarded two winners a $10,000 prize, six months of kitchen rental and other business development opportunities.
No More Empty Pots is a nonprot organization that connects individuals and groups to improve selfsufciency, regional food security and the economic resilience of urban and rural communities through advocacy and action. They serve youth and seniors by providing educational and experiential learning opportunities and workforce readiness training. You can learn more about them by visiting www.nmepomaha. org. Applications were due in early May, and a nal few contestants advanced to the last round held in June. Five businesses made it to the nal pitch round. Midwest Dairy was thrilled to congratulate the winners: Dundee Popcorn and Coffee Alley. Their innovative use of dairy in their products and dedication to supporting local dairy farmers impressed us. Dundee Popcorn is a gourmet microwave popcorn business that sells primarily at the Omaha farmer’s markets. They use real butter and sell four avors: salty, spicy, cinnamon and kettle. Coffee Alley is a Latina-owned business offering both trendy and traditional drinks. Its menu features cafe beverages with unique Mexican twists. The store also offers traditional Mexican baked goods.
Midwest Dairy’s partnership with The Hatchery Chicago began in 2022 when we co-hosted a pitch contest offering the winner six months of free access to a commercial kitchen in Chicago’s Gareld Park. Since then, the contest has expanded to include a rstplace winner and two runners-up, with all winners awarded access to commercial kitchens. In 2024, the contest remained open to established businesses that use at least 30% dairy in their ingredient base, with no alternative dairy products. The rst-place winner received one year of free rent at a commercial kitchen, while the runners-up winners received a six-month kitchen contract.
The Hatchery Chicago is a non-prot food and beverage incubator that supports local entrepreneurs in building and growing successful food businesses, cultivating local job opportunities for people from all backgrounds and accelerating inclusive economic growth on Chicago’s West Side. It is one of North America’s largest food and beverage incubators.
Congratulations to this year’s contest winner,
Craan Artisanal Toffee. This product is handcrafted in Chicago and uses only real ingredients. Shawn Johnson, the founder, envisions sourcing butter from Midwest dairy farmers in the future, adding a local and sustainable touch. The rst runner-up was Community Creamery, and the second runner-up was Esculent Eats LLC.
“Winning the Midwest Dairy Sponsored Kitchen is a game changer for my business,” said Shawn Johnson, owner and founder of Craan Artisanal Toffee. “Access to a personal kitchen allows me to rapidly scale my production and avor innovations that cannot be overstated. However, I nd myself even more excited about the opportunity to establish direct re-
lationships with local farms, learn more about their process and gain access to amazing quality dairy that can further elevate and differentiate my toffee.” Our ultimate goal is to help food vendors create sustainable businesses that can grow into their own spaces, continuing to sell and promote dairy products. The success of the pitch competition is a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit and the potential for dairy innovation, inspiring us to continue supporting these ventures. Midwest Dairy hopes to continue expanding our work with organizations like No More Empty Pots and The Hatchery as our values line up, and we look for businesses to help dairy farmers drive dairy sales.
Fall plowing
There once was a time when it was as common as dirt, but the prevailing attitude turned against this activity. You don’t see it much anymore, although it’s made a modest comeback in recent years.
I’m not talking about kazoo bands. What I mean is the ne art of moldboard plowing.
I can recall when moldboard plowing was seen as a mandatory agricultural practice. The main motivation behind it could be found in the adage that the best defense is a strong offense. And as far as weeds are concerned, there’s nothing more offensive than being sheared off and buried.
The phrase “The Dirty Thirties” explains why moldboard plowing fell out of favor. It was once thought that rain followed the plow. Turn over the sod, release the moisture trapped beneath and –presto – monsoons. It was the climate equivalent of
nding free money under the couch cushions. This theory seemed to hold true as settlers pushed steadily westward. But at some point, you’ll run into the Mojave Desert. Plow all you want in such an area and you won’t produce a single additional drop of rain. While plowing may be an effective tool for busting sod, it was a bust regarding climate modication.
Plowing was still a standard operating procedure when I was a kid. Conventional wisdom held that your corn crop would fail unless the ground had been thoroughly worked. It’s akin to taking a girl out on a couple of dates before you could even dare to hope that you might hold her hand.
Grandpa Hammer, who lived to be 96, told me that during his lifetime, he’d had a plow in the ground every month of the year. This may not have
meant he actually plowed during each month. Perhaps he, like us, had a junky plow that broke down and was left in the furrow over the winter.
Plowing was more than just preparing the ground for the next crop; it was also a venue for showing off your farming skills. It was a point of pride to have laserstraight furrows, even though lasers hadn’t yet been invented.
One supposed test for quality plowing was to shoot a rie down the furrow. If the bullet didn’t touch either side of the furrow, your plowing met the standard for straightness.
I have my doubts about that one. I don’t recall hearing a lot of rie shots ringing out across the countryside when folks were plowing.
By Jerry Nelson
The plow has been largely supplanted by gigantic, Rube Goldberg-like soil-nishing tools. This single piece of equipment does everything: it discs, it cultivates, it harrows. I wouldn’t be surprised if it also whips up a margarita for you at the end of the day.
The eld is left as smooth as a garden plot, with bits of crop residue tastefully strewn about the soil surface. The tractor carves a line that’s as straight as a GPS-guided bullet, and the operator has little to do other than to loll in climate-controlled comfort. The driver’s biggest hardship is boredom, which can be alleviated by watching a movie on his or her smartphone.
This stands in stark contrast to the situation I endured as a kid, namely, an open-platform tractor that left me totally exposed to the elements. When it was windy, I was sandblasted by the dirt from the tractor’s rear tire. Worm-hunting gulls hovered mere feet above my head, eliciting no small amount of bird doot anxiety.
In short, it was wonderful. This plowboy got to experience nature and the land up close and in person. My furrows may have looked closer to a corkscrew than a laser, but I gured that next year’s corn would neither notice nor care.
One autumn, our fall plowing took longer than usual. Even though the weather had turned cold and the soil stiff, I was sent out to the South 40 to nish plowing.
The wind roared down from the northwest and the gunmetal sky glowered menacingly. Fat snowakes soon lled the air.
I kept on plowing and began to bury snow along with the stubble. It reminded me of how the ancient Romans plowed salt into the soil of a conquered nation. This, in turn, made me wonder how many tons per acre of snow I was burying. These are the sorts of things a guy ponders when he doesn’t have a smartphone.
The only furrows I have nowadays are those in my brow. And despite the discomfort and depravations, I would give anything to once again be that gritty and chilly young plowboy — even though he still has a deep and abiding fear regarding gull doots.
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.
Columnist
Keep the drama out of weaning calves
Something to Ruminate On
The weaning and transition phases can impose many stressors on dairy calves and subsequent negative impacts on welfare and performance. These stressors may be related to nutrition, the environment and/or social dynamics. Diseases such as respiratory disease and coccidiosis can be common in newly-weaned calves. This past week, at the Minnesota Nutrition Conference, Dr. Jim Drackley from the University of Illinois shared some pointers for a “no-drama” approach to weaning dairy calves.
By Barry Visser Nutritionist
Drackley said farms can prevent poor weaning outcomes by supporting adequate rumen development. This is achieved by feeding high-quality starter, promoting starter intake, good water management, not weaning too early or abruptly, not allowing free access to alfalfa forage and not stacking stressors at weaning.
Starter intake
Calf starter intake before weaning is the largest determinant of growth and health post-weaning. Starter intake drives rumen microbial and papillae develop-
ment. Although he has supported feeding increased milk volumes over the past 20 years, Drackley shared that, with larger volumes of milk fed before weaning, starter intake, and hence rumen development, is slower to develop than in situations in which less milk is fed. He shared some compelling research and pictures from his lab reinforcing the impact starter intake can have on rumen development, resulting in more consistent performance and gain around weaning.
Typical guidelines for adequate starter intake at the time of weaning may only cover maintenance requirements. Drackley said a 187-pound calf would need to consume 2.2 pounds per day of starter just for maintenance. As winter arrives and we slip below the calf’s thermoneutral zone, energy requirements increase signicantly. Drackley’s recommendations for starter consumption at weaning are a minimum of 3 pounds per day for Holstein calves and 2.2 pounds per day for Jerseys.
Drackley suggested quality starters include palatable ingredients such as corn but cautioned against high starch content. Be sure to provide adequate total protein content from high-quality sources. Sufcient ber (greater than 13% neutral detergent ber) and adequate particle size are valuable. Research shows calves consuming texturized feed ate more and had greater average daily gain over calves fed a meal feed. Minimize dust or nes. Avoid feeding too high of fat content in your starter as this can depress intake and slow rumen development.
Minimize forage early in life
It has long been discussed that feeding free-choice hay to calves early in life will decrease starter intake and rumen development. Drackley shared some evidence to support a very small amount of forage (less than one-quarter pound per day) around weaning could increase starter consumption and improve feed efciency. Dietary amounts of 5%-10% hay in postweaning calves can help prevent bloat and acidosis while maintaining intake. Control the amount of alfalfa hay offered through at least 6 months of age so that calves consume all programmed concentrates.
Water is still essential
It is hard to have a calf-related talk and not stress the importance of having clean water available to calves at all times if possible. Drackley also pointed out the need for supplemental water to enter the rumen for starter digestion and to support the microbial environment. He shared that, for every 1 kilogram of starter consumed, a calf needs 4 liters of water to maximize digestion and rumen development.
Finally, Drackley reminded us to avoid stacking stressors on calves at weaning. Spread out vaccinations, dehorning, pen moves, nutrition changes, etc. as much as possible. Work with your calf management team to make sure these key points are followed to maximize calf performance through the weaning and transition period.
Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.
Try again
As I was reading last month’s article in the Dairy Star, I was confused. The title was “Cleaning Up,” but the article was not what I had written earlier in the week. I accidentally submitted an article by the same title written 14 years earlier when we hosted a National Holstein Convention tour. Oops.
Michael was helping me adjust to a new computer and program when my writing le became jumbled and “lost.” Nothing looked the same as before, but I saw the titled article and submitted it without checking what was actually written. Let’s try it again.
Sometimes you just need a fresh set of eyes to see how things really appear. We become blind to piles of junk pushed up against the shed and “out of the way.” We never seem to notice the weeds missed by the lawnmower edging trees and sheds. It is a working farm and not everything is supposed to be in perfect shape and in the right spot — or is it? Can we do better? How?
My answer to the last question: throw a party. A party is the perfect incentive to clean out the garage and trim things up around the yard. I also use it as a reason to really clean the house. A party is my reward for getting a big job done. I know I also create more jobs by having a party, but let’s focus on the fun we’ll have when everything is in its place and we can celebrate.
When we remodeled the kitchen 15 years ago, I purposefully moved the old cupboards out to the new garage. I created a “kitchen” area with a salvaged countertop where we could plug in roasting pans and crockpots and line up plates and platters of food to host parties and family get-togethers. This new area also gave me a reason to keep the garage clean. It was our “party central” for a few years as the kids graduated from high school. Once we were out of that phase, it became a catch-all area for things to put away later. As I headed out for chores one morning, I took a good
BEEF X DAIRY
close look around the garage. It was bulging with too much stuff. I had become blind to what was really in front of me. We denitely needed to have a party again.
Beef x Dairy Program
During our hiatus from milking a few years ago, in the heart of Covid, I refurbished a family dining room table and chairs from my great-great aunt, Annie. Once I was done, I moved the table to the garage, waiting for Mark to nish some repair work on the chairs. I gured if he saw the table every day as he went out to milk cows, he would remember to nish xing the seats so we could move the whole set into the house. I covered the table with an old blanket to protect the beautifully restored cherry wood.
By
Once the table was covered, the waiting project became invisible. Out of sight, out of mind. The table started to be a catch-all for busted parts, used tools and various other things no one wanted to put away at the moment. The table was the only available space to park everyone’s stuff since the countertops were completely lled.
As the party date approached, Mark had to start clearing off the table of tools and other things — junk in my mind, stuff in his — he had collected in the garage. Now where was he going to put all these treasures he would most certainly use again? He sorted. He reorganized. He even pitched a few things. He stashed away his collection in empty cupboards and new spots out of sight. I think some stuff even made it to the machine shed. We were making room to host a party.
While we were cleaning, Austin’s girlfriend, Joelle, decided she would like to use the old detached garage as the storefront for her new business, Fields of Plenty. She had expanded my garden to include her cut ower inventory. She planted hundreds of zinnias, gladiolas, baby’s breath, sunowers and so many other types of owers. I must say, my garden has never looked so clean and weed-free — but the garage was a different story.
This original farm garage had never been cleaned out in over 80 years. It was the original catch-all for so many things we didn’t have time to use. We found “lost” treasures between studs and among rafters. We found things everyone thought they couldn’t live without or something they thought they could use again. When the fourth-generation family members cleaned out the shed, no one remembered what these “special” items were, let alone how to use them. The kids made sure these treasures weren’t resettled to another storage spot as they expanded the junk pile.
Besides growing beautiful owers, Joelle is a weed-whacking queen. She has trimmed around every building, fence line and tree. I never realized how much of a difference trimming made in the appearance of the yard. A fresh set of eyes and youthful energy have helped to whip our farm into shape to host parties and you-cut ower customers.
Now, where did the kids stash my broom and birdseed?
P.S. The reason for the party was to say thank you to family, friends and neighbors who held my family in their hands and hearts as I lay in the hospital in a coma 20 years earlier. On May 1, 2004 I was hauled by ambulance to the hospital where I was placed in a coma as my body fought off a bacterial meningitis infection. The prognosis was bleak, possible brain damage or death, but God had other plans. Five days later, I walked out of the intensive care unit and eventually back into my normal life on a farm raising our young family.
As the anniversary of my recovery rolled around this year, I realized we had never really thanked everyone for all their help, food and prayers. That’s when I decided it was time to clean out the garage and have a “Party of Thanks,” a party to give thanks for all our blessings throughout these years.
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.
Natalie Schmitt Columnist Just Thinking Out Loud
Silo cap solution
As if county fairs aren’t eventful enough for families who exhibit dairy cattle, our county fair this year was extra eventful.
First, we had to evacuate our fairgrounds on check-in day due to an incoming storm. The storm looked worse on the radar than it ended up being, so we were able to return a couple hours later to resume check-in.
“Hey, this twine is rated for 550 pounds,” he reassured me.
Dairy Good
Then, a couple days later, a storm came through that drenched the fairgrounds and formed a tornado a few miles to the east. The twister passed through Melrose, a couple miles southwest of our farm, and left a path of serious wreckage. The turbulence surrounding the tornado was enough to take down a couple trees in our yard and take the berglass cap off our big stave silo.
We lled the silo two weeks ago, so this past weekend Operation Silo Cap commenced. On Saturday afternoon, after running the silo blower, Glen and Dan hauled our 12-foot aluminum ladder up the outside of the silo and slid it into the silo through the observation door. Then they pulled the new silo cap up, with Dan inside the silo pulling on the rope and Glen guiding the rope from the lling platform.
By Sadie Frericks Columnist
Once they got the new cap hoisted to the top of the silo, they decided it was too windy to continue with installation. You don’t realize how much more wind there is 70 feet up in the air versus at ground level. They secured the silo cap to the ladder and called it a day.
As soon as we discovered the gaping hole in our silo roof, Glen called a silo company. They said they could replace the cap. With time, labor, and the cap itself, their estimate for the repair was $3,000.
“What?” I asked.
I completely understand that costs have risen. Equipment, parts, labor, insurance – everything costs signicantly more now than it did just ve years ago. Still, does it really cost $3,000 to replace a silo cap?
If you don’t want to read any further, the answer is:
No. A silo cap can be replaced for much less than $3,000. You just need a little time, muscle power, and ingenuity. We have plenty of those three things.
Thankfully, the wind stilled on Sunday. After morning chores, Glen and Dan turned on the silo blower and climbed back up the silo to resume.
Moral of the story: It’s amazing what a farmer can accomplish with a little time, muscle power, and ingenuity.
For this phase, they set the ladder on the silo unloader, extended it, and tied the top to the silo cable, so Glen could reach the top of the silo dome. From there, Glen guided the new cap into place while Dan pulled on the rope. The next part is where the safety harness came in clutch. Glen needed both hands to fasten the new cap to the frame, so he rst attached his safety harness to the silo cable
with the carabiner clip.
Glen called another company that sells silo parts, but doesn’t provide silo service. The said they could order us a new silo cap for $195.00. We put the order in and Glen devised a plan: As soon as corn silage is chopped and the silo is lled, we’ll do it ourselves.
The next thing Glen ordered was a $50 safety harness. Then he braided a couple pieces of twine from a big square bale together to make a safety rope.
I’ve supported crazy ideas in the past, but this?
Once the cap was fastened, all that was left was clean up. Apparently, it took a bit more effort to get the ladder back out of the silo, due to the angle of the roof. (Kind of like the owl who got stuck in our silo after it realized too late that getting in is much easier than getting out.)
Once they were nished, it was high-ves all around. You should have seen their smiles of success.
Anyway, that is how you replace a silo cap for much less than $3,000.
Moral of the story: It’s amazing what a farmer can accomplish with a little time, muscle power, and ingenuity.
