World Dairy Expo Special Edition 2023 - 1st section

DAIRY ST R DAIRY ST

World Dairy Expo Special Edition World Dairy Expo Special Edition

September 9, 2023

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INSIDE

4 Success spanning 5 decades, 4 breeds

6 Great, golden Guernseys

10 From the inside looking out

16 Feltz Family Farms to host virtual tour

22 Endless opportunities

26 Excited to see what comes through the door

34 WDE sales spur yearly excitement

SECOND SECTION

1 Morris named Industry Person of the Year

4 A family tradition of 4-H dairy judging champions

9 Reducing risk to capitalize on production

13 A show cow’s crowning glory and more

Show ring displays showcase the cows

McKittrick shares creative process behind the designs

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

World Dairy Expo enthusiasts await with anticipation each year to the see the color of the shavings spread across the coliseum oor and the intricate display that adorns the show ring, but those traditions were not part of the original show.

“The purpose for the displays is to provide a backdrop, a showcase, for the cows, and I always tried to keep that in mind as I planned the displays,” said Tom McKittrick, who heads the show ring displays and is a former general manager of WDE. “You wanted them to photograph well with the cows in front of them.”

The rst show ring display similar to what Expo-goers have become accustomed to was in 1988. That display was put together during a short time frame from July to October.

“The World Ayrshire Conference was part of Expo, and that is when we decided to do the Scottish theme and do the Scottish castle, which was more than they had ever done in the past,” McKittrick said. “That was the rst time we put the rock wall along the hockey boards and extended the decorations throughout the entire ring. That was a big change, bigger than I probably anticipated at the time, setting precedent for where we would head down the road.”

The themes became a signature of McKittrick’s.

He enjoyed creating the themes so much that after being away from Expo for a few years, he came back and helped create a few more show rings.

In those earliest years of show ring displays, the theme was limited to the coliseum oor, but eventually

PHOTO COURTESY OF WORLD

EXPO

Holstein cows parade around the ring in 2006 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. That year’s theme featured an old-fashioned train sta on and locomo ve.

Tom McKittrick

it was incorporated throughout the grounds and used in the promotional advertising for the event, McKittrick said.

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The planning process was long and sometimes complex, McKittrick said, and it was usually a collaborative effort to develop each theme.

Sometimes, ideas grew from small seeds.

“I would sit my whole staff down together, and one person said, ‘What about doing something with clocks?’” McKittrick said. “At rst, I didn’t think it would work at all, but we kept coming back to it and threw it to our PR guy.”

The theme that year was Time Well Spent, complete with a clock tower and stone walls.

“It photographed well, and it looked great, but from a PR-standpoint, it was a great theme,” McKittrick said. “The whole idea really encompassed World Dairy Expo. It was an idea that I just couldn’t envision at rst, but it really turned out to be one of the good ones.”

Once an idea was generated, McKittrick and his team gured out how to bring it to life at the far end of the show ring.

“My good friend Roger Palmer was kind of the engineering mind behind my creative mind,” McKittrick said. “We would be out to dinner, and I would say I wanted this to look like this and that to look like that, and he would be sitting there making sketches on napkins. His wife Gloria still has a le full of these napkins that they have kept. Gloria was a big part of the event too. She would volunteer every day during construction.”

McKittrick said one of the greatest challenges was turning the sketches into

a workable construction plan. Materials had to be ordered and shipped in, and then in the weeks before the show, McKittrick would turn to Badger Dairy Club members to make it all happen.

“Sometimes they would look at my sketches and say, ‘We don’t know what you mean,’ and I would laugh and tell them, ‘But I have an idea,’” McKittrick said. “It is a process, and it’s a unique one. Probably the closest thing would be making a theater or a play set.”

McKittrick said sometimes the materials that were used to make the display were questionable in terms of stability but visually made for terric backdrops.

“The Greek year, I always said that was made of corrugated paper and Styrofoam with a little bubblegum holding it together and a stiff wind would blow it down; but it photographed so well,” McKittrick said. “We had fountains out in front of it, and every morning, my cousin would go down and put food coloring in the fountains for us to keep the water blue.”

Some creative pieces were more difcult than others, McKittrick said.

“The year we made the ship, the fact that we actually made a ship, I wasn’t sure that was actually going to happen,” McKittrick said. “Then we had all the gears made out of Styrofoam. I had never done anything like that, and neither had anyone else. I wasn’t sure it was possible either. We had all this Styrofoam and these Styrofoam cutters and saws and it just all kind of worked.”

Selecting the shavings is another

detailed aspect of the planning process, McKittrick said.

“There are some colors that the different breeds of dairy cattle will look better against, so you try to take that into consideration and nd something that works with the theme,” McKittrick said. “Typically cows look good on grass, so green is always fairly common in the rotation. Blue is another one that looks good.”

Sometimes the overall aesthetic of the shavings is hard for the show ring designers to plan for.

“One year we did black and it was beautiful, and another year we did black and it was terrible, so sometimes it depends on the vendor you have doing them,” he said. “We always tried to get samples. Sometimes they dry out and look different. Sometimes the shavings might be a different kind of wood and not take the dye the same way as the sample did.”

Like many traditions, the show ring displays are changing as well. In order to create more space in the show ring for cattle, the displays will be moving toward printed two-dimensional backdrops. However, the joy in dreaming up and crafting displays will continue.

“Creating the show ring displays was always fun, sometimes challenging, but I always enjoyed the creativity and the collaboration that it took to take them from an idea to a sketch to a display,” McKittrick said.

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Letters

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WORLD DAIRY EXPO Jersey cows line up in the best three females class at the 2008 World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. That year’s show ring theme was based around bridges, including a covered bridge.

The 2012 World Dairy Expo featured the theme Market Fresh with a large cornucopia and milk carton as the centerpieces.

Published by Star Publications LLC

General Manager/Editor

Success spanning 5 decades, 4 breeds

Luttropps honored as Dairy Shrine

Distinguished Breeders

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

BERLIN, Wis. — With a dairy farming career that has spanned ve decades and encompassed four breeds, the title of 2023 Dairy Shrine Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder is a tting one for Jerry and Phyllis Luttropp and their family.

“In my early years, I grew up near Oconomowoc in Waukesha County with great registered show herds all around us,” Jerry said. “Just across the fence from us was an Ayrshire herd that had a successful show history, back to the boxcar days of showing. When they dispersed, my dad bought cows from that herd. That is how I got interested in focusing on breeding high-type dairy cattle.”

After serving his second tour in Vietnam, Jerry and Phyllis were married. Rather than re-enlisting, they decided to begin a career in dairy farming.

Phyllis supported that decision.

“I was the farm girl who had sworn I’d never marry a dairy farmer,” Phyllis said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF COWSMOPOLITAN

Jerry (from le ), Phyllis and Jason Lu ropp pose with a registered Jersey cow at their Lost Elm Farm in Berlin, Wisconsin. Jerry and Phyllis began their dairy farming career in 1972 a er Jerry le the U.S. Army.

After paying a $500 down payment on their farm near Berlin and borrowing the remainder, the Luttropps began their farm with Ayrshire calves purchased from his father and Holsteins purchased from Phyllis’ dad.

In 1972, the two laid the foundation for the herds that would eventually take them through their adult lives and build a legacy for their children, Jeff, Jason and Jodi.

The Luttropps’ Lost Elm Farm soon became synonymous with high producing, high-type cattle, regardless of the breed. The Luttropps have owned over 106 Excellent Jersey cows, 54 Excellent Brown Swiss cows and 28 Excellent Holsteins.

“Very early on, we began to focus our efforts on key cow families regardless of what breed we were working with,” Jerry said.

As the Holsteins phased out the Ayrshires in the herd, the Luttropps experienced success in developing cattle with high genetic indexes. Those purchases allowed the Luttropps to begin placing bulls into stud.

Because of their interest and success in marketing top genetics, the Luttropps began to do embryo transfer work on their top cows very early in the evolution of the technology.

“We started doing embryo transfer when things were still being done surgically in the late 1970s,” Phyllis said. “We even sent cows to Select Sires in Ohio where they were boarded and ushed, and we were sent back pregnant recipient heifers.”

That foray into ET work allowed the Luttropps to export embryos and put 48 bulls into stud for sampling in three breeds.

The Luttropps credit one cow in particular — Janestead Andy Gail VG87 GMD DOM — for helping them through the nancially difcult times that dairy farmers faced in the late 1970s and early 1980s, putting 13 sons into stud.

“I would go so far as to say Gail kept us going and saved the farm during some pretty tough years to be a dairy farmer,” Jerry said.

Things took a turn at Lost Elm when Jerry suffered a heart attack at the age of 45. The milking herd was dispersed while he recovered. Not to be deterred, as soon as he was able, Jerry began rebuilding the herd. This

time, Brown Swiss found their way to the farm.

“Jodi had fallen in love with Swiss, so we went to Sunshine Genetics and bought her a calf for a 4-H project,” Jerry said. “They slowly began to take over the barn, and the Holsteins began to phase out.”

Continuing their same penchant for breeding and developing high producing, high-type animals with high-level genetic indexes, the Luttropps quickly realized the same successes they had with their Holstein herd. As the herd developed, the Luttropps held two sales featuring their Brown Swiss cattle.

“I had come to learn the value of having the high-end pedigrees in terms of marketability and merchandising,” Jerry said. “If you are going to breed good cattle, you need to utilize that potential and not be afraid to sell the best ones you have.”

In 1997, Jason returned to the farm, and the barn was expanded to milk 100 cows. As Jason took over the herd in 2010, the herd became entirely comprised of registered Jerseys.

The herd averages 90.7 points on classication.

The Luttropps are proud to have bred the 2016 unanimous All-American fall calf, Lost Elm Tequila Petunia.

Both Jerry and Phyllis agreed that what has made the journey special throughout their career is the people they have met and conducted business with.

“We have made so many cherished friendships because of the cows we have bred,” Phyllis said. “We have been able to travel and have experiences that would have never been available to us if we were not involved in breeding registered dairy cattle.”

Jerry concurred with his wife, saying that he could not imagine how different their lives would have been if he had opted to continue his service in the Army rather than begin Lost Elm Farm.

“We are so very humbled to be honored with this award,” Jerry said. “When they told me this had happened, I could hardly believe it. We just went about our business, breeding the best cattle we possibly could and trying to make the most of the opportunities that were presented to us.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF COWSMOPOLITAN

The Lost Elm herd is now comprised completely of registered Jerseys near Berlin, Wisconsin. Over the past 51 years, more than 106 Excellent Jerseys, 54 Excellent Brown Swiss cows and 28 Excellent Holsteins have called the Lu ropps’ farm home.

Great, golden Guernseys

Hartmann, DeMent look forward to placing WDE show

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

MULBERRY GROVE, Ill. — As a Guernsey breeder, judging the International Guernsey Show at World Dairy Expo is one of the items that has been near the top of Kevin Hartmann’s bucket list.

“It was a lifelong dream come true,” Hartmann said. “I judged there in 1991 on the Illinois 4-H team, and ever since then, judging the National Guernsey Show and other shows there has been a lifelong dream of mine.”

Hartdale Guernseys, of Mulberry Grove, consists of about 15 milking-aged females owned by Kevin, his wife Emily and their children Lauren, Braden and Connor.

Hartmann has worked as a hoof trimmer for 27 years. He and his family keep their show cows at their site, with the remainder of their herd being housed at a local robotic dairy.

The herd averages 87 points on classication, including six Excellent cows, and has gured prominently in the

Guernsey breed’s All-American contest with over 40 All-American nominations carrying the Hartdale prex.

“I am a third-generation Guernsey breeder on both my mom’s side and my dad’s side,” Hartmann said. “I am really looking forward to getting out there and seeing some great Guernsey cows.”

Hartmann is excited to be the rst Guernsey breeder to sort the International Guensey show in several years.

He enjoys judging, and his recent assignments have had him placing classes at several state fairs and other local and regional shows.

In 2022, he was selected to judge the Guernsey Gold Showcase in Cortland, New York, which has become the third largest Guernsey show in the nation, behind Expo and the North American International Livestock Exposition.

Exhibiting at WDE has been a longtime pursuit for Hartmann and his family.

“Besides trimming feet, I have done a lot of tting and clipping over the years and have sent winners to the ring in ve different breeds,” Hart-

PHOTO COURTESY OF COWSMOPOLITAN

Judge Kevin Hartmann gives reasons on a class at the 2022 Guernsey Gold Show in Cortland, New York. Hartmann will judge the Interna onal Guernsey Show at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

mann said. “My rst year exhibiting at Expo was in 1994, and we have had cattle there every year except 2009 when my father-in-law judged the Guernsey show.”

When he is standing in the center of the ring, Hartmann

said he is looking for the modern dairy cow.

“They don’t have to be huge,” he said. “I like a cow that is really well balanced, is open and dairy but has enough strength to compete in any kind of facility or operation.

I’m all about the more modern cows that last. That is the kind of cow we’re trying to breed for, that every breed is trying to breed for.”

As an extension of his profession, Hartmann said he tends to be critical of feet and legs, and mobility is important to him.

Hartmann said he is pleased with the direction the breed is heading and is happy he sees those improvements manifest themselves in the show ring.

“I have been a Guernsey breeder my whole life, and I’m old enough to remember the 1980s when we tried to keep up with the Holsteins and make 63-inch cows with no strength,” Hartmann said. “Those cows made a really bad name for the Guernsey breed. Now we’re back down to these 58- to 60-inch cows that have dairy strength. The breed has improved so much on feet and legs — that has helped us so much.”

When choosing an associate, Hartmann said he was looking for someone who sees cattle similar to him.

Turn to HARTMANN/ DEMENT | Page 7

“Ted was my rst choice,” Hartmann said. “We have been good friends for years. We talk about cattle all the time. I am glad I picked someone with as much experience as he has. I know I can rely on his opinion and his honesty, but I know he won’t try to sway my thoughts one way or another.”

DeMent and his wife Cheryl operate DeMents Jerseys in Kenney. On their farm, they raise heifers and milk a few select cows, while the remainder of their milking herd is housed at nearby Kilgus Dairy.

For DeMent, this year’s Guernsey show will mark his second appearance judging on the colored shavings, having previously ofciated the 2004 International Milking Shorthorn Show.

“Kevin and I have known each other a long time, and over the years, we have come to realize we see cattle the same way a lot,” DeMent said. “I have always focused on udders, and Kevin and I have talked before about some of the strength issues that Guernseys have had in the past, and he appreciates that I like stronger, wider cows too.”

DeMent said he has developed a respect for the Guernsey breed. He has built relationships with Guernsey breeders by tying with the Hartmann family at World Dairy Expo previously.

“The thought of judging at Expo is exciting, and I’m looking forward to being back on the colored shavings,”

DeMent said. “When we exhibit, we typically only bring a cow or two, so we don’t have a big string. I am looking forward to have a little bit of exposure at Expo.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF COWSMOPOLITAN Judge Ted DeMent gives reasons on a class during the 2021 All-American Jersey Show at the North American Interna onal Livestock Exposi on in Louisville, Kentucky. DeMent will serve as Kevin Hartmann’s associate judge for the 2023 Interna onal Guernsey Show at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

Why is the tradition of WDE worth you taking the time away from your farm to attend?

my world, World Dairy Expo is the Super Bowl in the show world.”

James “Jimmy Mac” McFarland Elgin, Minnesota Olmsted County

40 cows

How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? For over 10 years.

What is your favorite memory from WDE? Last year at the 2022 show, a cow that we bred and sold, Macland Hf Yoder Rachel-ET (The Yoder), won the lifetime production cow class. I was thrilled as a breeder and even more thrilled to see a cow that we bred have success for its new owner.

Who do you usually attend WDE with, which days do you plan to go, and how much time do you spend at WDE? I have attended with different people throughout the years. I always like to go on the Holstein show day, as that is the breed that I milk. I spend all day there, from early in the morning to late in the evening.

Why is the tradition of WDE worth you taking the time away from your farm to attend? In my world, World Dairy Expo is the Super Bowl in the show world. I have attended the show for years, and you can feel the passion and dedication of my fellow breeders.

What are three must-do things for you at WDE? 1. Cow show: to see what everyone is using for sires and which bulls are producing the best daughters. 2. People: to see my fellow dairymen from other states who I only get to see once a year. 3. The trade show: I enjoy learning about new concepts, products and the latest developments in the dairy industry.

Tell us something you implemented on your farm from WDE? Back in 1986, I attended World Dairy Expo as a 14-year-old kid. While eating breakfast at a local McDonald’s, my dad asked the guys next to us what they sold as they were obviously vendors. They responded

that they sold plastic bags to put silage in to replace silos. When we got back in the car, my dad laughed and said those guys are going to starve. Now, 40 years later, I

am wrapping bales and making silage bags.

Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy this fall. I own and operate

a 40-cow dairy farm on 200 acres in Elgin, Minnesota. This fall, we plan to update our youngstock facilities by making it more cow friendly.

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“In

From the inside looking out

National intercollegiate judging title cornerstone of Behnke’s industry success

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

ALBANY, Wis. — At a young age, Brian Behnke developed a passion for learning everything he could about the registered Holsteins that called his family’s Bur-Wall Holsteins home.

That passion grew into a

lifetime love of judging dairy cattle and has taken him places that young boy could have only dreamed of.

“My dad has been my rst and greatest mentor,” Behnke said. “We would talk about cows and breeding strategies and matings.”

Behnke resides in Albany with his wife Tami and works as the business manager for

ABS Global St. Jacobs. He continues to remain passionate about evaluating dairy cattle.

“I grew up in a very competitive county for dairy judging,” Behnke said. “I had some success early, but I never won a 4-H contest or judged at the state 4-H contest.”

Behnke began with 4-H judging in Dane County.

While many aspiring young judges face the advent of oral reasons with trepidation, Behnke said that was not the case for him.

“I had never had a fear of talking about cows,” Behnke said. “The only time I was every truly nervous giving reasons was when I had to give a set to someone I held in very high esteem. Then I got a little intimidated.”

Those early experiences served as motivation for Behnke, who continued to develop skills that could take him to the next level. Behnke enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study dairy science and was naturally drawn to the school’s formidable judging program.

“When I started judging in college, there was a lot of teaching and learning going on,” Behnke said. “I had certain expectations for myself, and I learned it was a whole new ballgame.”

Turn to BEHNKE | Page 11

PHOTO COURTESY OF MELANIE FRITSCHE, F&F LIVESTOCK SERVICE Judge Brian Behnke congratulates Cory Salzl as he names Corstar Presto Lulu-ET the reserve intermediate champion of the 2018 Interna onal Milking Shorthorn Show at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Brian Behnke prepares to judge the 2018 Interna onal Milking Shorthorn Show at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Behnke won the 1988 Na onal Intercollegiate Dairy Ca le Judging Contest as a member of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s top-placing team.

As a UW-Madison dairy judging hopeful under the tutelage of Dr. Dave Dickson, Behnke said many hours were logged attending practices throughout the state beginning in early August.

“Those were some great times, traveling for judging practices, visiting different fairs and herds,” Behnke said. “For me, it was the best part of college life. We spent lots of time rehashing the classes as we drove, learning from each other and soaking it all in.”

Eventually, Behnke was a top candidate for a coveted spot on the team to compete at the 1988 National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo, and the rest soon became history.

“The competition for a spot on that team was intense,” Behnke said. “The team wasn’t set until just days before the contest. Jim Armbruster told me that before we got to the contest in Madison that year we had placed over 100 classes and given over 40 different sets of reasons. That’s not something you always see these days.”

As the team was nalized, Behnke

found himself selected to join teammates Tim Baumgartner, Brad Burke and Chuck Jinkins. The four young men donned their suits and ties, picked up their clipboards and stepped onto the green shavings. By the time the awards banquet nished up that evening, Behnke walked away as the national champion and a member of the national championship team.

“Going into the contest, my goal wasn’t to win the contest as an individual,” Behnke said. “It was to not let my teammates down. We were going as a team, and we had our hearts set on winning the team title.”

The judging title served as a cornerstone that Behnke was able to build his career on. Following his graduation, Behnke began working in sire procurement for Landmark Genetics before serving as a herdsperson rst at Roylane Holsteins and then Wilcox Farms.

In 2002, the Behnkes returned to the Midwest, and in 2003, he joined Semex as a salesperson and took a sire analyst position in 2008. In 2016, Behnke made the move to his current position.

Along his career path, Behnke discovered he found joy in judging shows, particularly shows with youth exhibitors.

Behnke’s rst judging assignment was at the 1989 Jefferson County Fair, where he recalls making EDR VI Angie Melvina, a 2-year-old who would later become an inuential brood cow in the breed, grand champion.

Behnke said the second show he judged was more challenging and made him question what he thought he knew about judging shows.

“I learned a lot about judging shows that day,” Behnke said. “There were 40 fall calves to sort through. I remember pulling the calf in as eighth that I eventually chose to win.”

Behnke has judged shows at local, state, national and international venues including shows throughout Europe, Japan, Australia, South America and Mexico.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WORLD DAIRY EXPO Brian Behnke (right) stands with his dairy judging coach Dr. David P. Dickson, displaying his awards a er winning the 1988 Na onal Intercollegiate Dairy Ca le Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Turn to BEHNKE | Page 13

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Three times, Behnke has returned to the coliseum oor at World Dairy Expo. In 2005, he ofciated the International Red & White Show, where he made Lavender Ruby Redrose-Red grand champion on her way to becoming the rst Red and White to be named supreme champion. In 2016, he placed the International Guernsey Show and, in 2018, the International Milking Shorthorn Show.

World Dairy Expo has been a highlight each year for Behnke, who has attended every single Expo.

“I was 11 months old when my parents took me to the very rst Expo, and I have been back every single year,” Behnke said. “When I was in second

grade, my mom sent me to school the day they were going to Expo. I knew what time they were leaving and called home sick just before. Mom wanted to cancel the trip, but Dad knew why I called home, so off to Expo we went.”

Behnke’s ties to Expo go deeper than lifelong attendance and judging. He has found success on the colored shavings as a leadsperson and an exhibitor, and he continues to volunteer at Expo, serving as a master of ceremonies for the supreme champion ceremony that closes out the event.

“Expo is such a great event,” Behnke said. “It brings together every facet of the industry. Those of us in Wisconsin are lucky to have it in our backyard.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA DEMMER, PIPER VIEW DESIGNS

Judge Brian Behnke discusses a class with his associate judge Carla Stetzer during the 2018 Interna onal Milking Shorthorn Show at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

Why is the tradition of WDE worth you taking the time away from your farm to attend?

see new products, genetics and technology in the dairy industry.”

Matt Brunn Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Dodge County

400 cows

How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo?

I’m 37 years old and have attended Expo nearly every year.

What is your favorite memory from WDE? My favorite memory would have to be taking my wife to Expo for the rst time. I enjoyed being able to show her the passion and optimism in the dairy industry.

Who do you usually attend WDE with, which days do you plan to go, and how much time do you spend at WDE? As a child, I would attend WDE with my family. This year will be my daughter’s rst Expo. Even though she will only be 8 months old, I am excited to start a new family tradition with her. Each year I try to make a point of attending the day of the Brown Swiss show.

Why is the tradition of WDE worth you taking time away from your farm to attend? It is worth taking time away from the farm to see new products, genetics and technology in the dairy industry. Also, seeing the optimism of dairy farmers and others in the dairy industry from around the world is something that many people need to be reminded of occasionally.

What are three must-do things for you at WDE? At Expo, I will make sure to attend the trade show to see what businesses have that is new and exciting. This is usually where I run into old friends I haven’t seen in a while. I will also be watching the Brown swiss show, as well as the New Glarus yodel club, which is a lot of fun to see. Lastly, I must have a grilled cheese from the Badger Dairy Club.

Tell us something you implemented on your farm from WDE? We have implemented feeding equipment, feed storage products and lighting options from WDE. Most recently, we upgraded our herd monitoring software.

Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy this fall. We are currently milking 400 cows, mostly Holstein. Our replacement heifers are raised on-site. We also grow

and harvest almost all our own forages, primarily corn silage and haylage as well as some cover crop forages. I am looking forward to corn silage har-

vest this fall. After a very dry start to the growing season, timely rainfall this summer has been a blessing.

“To

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Feltz Family Farms to host virtual tour

Robots, diversication at heart of operation

By Stacey Smart stacey.s@dairystar.com

STEVENS POINT, Wis. — The decision to deploy a robotic milking system and open an onfarm store happened simultaneously at Feltz Family Farms six years ago. It was a move not done without feeling trepidation as the Feltzes stepped into new terrain, but it would produce success beyond anything they could have imagined.

Ken and Jackie Feltz and their children — Taryn, Jared and Jake and their spouses — milk 700 cows and farm 700 acres near Stevens Point on their sixth-generation dairy farm. Diversication has enabled the entire family to return home to the farm.

During a virtual tour of the dairy Oct. 5 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, the Feltz family will focus on the technology and diversication they have implemented to grow their operation. The tour, which is sponsored by DeLaval Inc., takes place at 10 a.m. Sharing their farm with the community is a way of life for the Feltz family whose store doors are open six days a week. In addition, the farm’s agritourism branch includes farm tours, a pick-yourown pumpkin patch, corn mazes, hayrides and the

hosting of events.

“We’ve had a lot of growth in these areas, and our gross sales have increased year over year as we attract more tourists,” Jared Feltz said.

From food and beverage options such as cheese curds made fresh on-site to gifts, décor and more, Feltz’s Dairy Store is doing its fair share to generate revenue for the farm.

The farm’s storefront and robotic milking system will be featured topics during the presentation as Feltz shares how the farm has changed and adapted to technology.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Jared Feltz farms alongside his parents, Ken and Jackie Feltz, and his siblings, Taryn and Jake. The Feltz family milks 700 cows near Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and is hos ng a Virtual Farm Tour Oct. 5 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

Turn to FELTZ | Page 19

“Robots have been a big part of what we’ve done over the last six years and have certainly helped us achieve our ultimate goal of producing quality milk,” Feltz said.

The farm has a rolling herd average of 33,000 pounds of milk and a somatic cell count of 150,000.

“Our focus has been on pounds of solids shipped with a goal of 8 pounds, and we’ve been very close to that,” Feltz said.

Richard Franta, solution support specialist at DeLaval, assists Feltz with robot opportunities and challenges.

“When a farm chooses robots as a way to milk their cows, they are heavily investing in their future and looking at how they want to manage cows at the next level,” Franta said. “Jared is an excellent manager who continues to trial and innovate.”

Franta has been impressed by the herd’s success.

“This is an amazing herd that was averaging 111 pounds of milk when I was there on a 93-degree day this summer,” Franta said.

To achieve this level of production, Franta said Feltz looks at how to remove any limiting factor whether it be nutrition, cow comfort or the milking system.

“They do everything to the best possible level working to the best of the animal, and milk follows that, which is why I love working with this farm,” Franta said.

Nearly three-fourths of the herd is milked by 10 robots – four VMS Classic models and six VMS V300 models. The biggest improvement between the Classic robot and the V300 is the time-of-ight camera.

“You no longer have to train the robot on teat locations,” Franta said. “The TOF camera recognizes the teats as the V300 physically moves with the cow.”

Franta said the camera makes the robot workable with more types of cows and more udder shapes.

“This feature has made attachment time faster and smoother and reduced box time while also being easier on the cow,” Franta said.

The farm installed their rst two robots in 2016 in a new barn built at the same time their store went up. The robotic barn and store share the same facility and include viewing windows, allowing customers to watch as cows are milked by the robots.

The family retrotted two more robots in a second barn in 2019 and four robots in a third barn in 2021. In July, the Feltzes put in two more used Classic robots in their original Classic pens.

“We love the environment that robots give the cows,” Feltz said. “This includes the way cow ow works, how stress is minimalized, the short walks to get milked and the consistency in milking.”

The retrots made switching to robots an economical investment for the family.

“One of our biggest successes was being able to convert these barns for relatively low input,” Feltz said. “We continue to utilize old barns while converting to robots and have had great success with it.”

The farm experienced more than a 50% reduction in labor when switching to robots. They went from having a nine-person team prior to installing robots to a four-person team accomplishing robot tasks as well as parlor milking.

“That has been a big positive for us,” Feltz said. “Alley scrapers, automatic feed pushers and monitoring collars have improved labor efciency also.”

The Feltz family continues to milk about 200 cows in their double-12 parallel parlor.

“I really like what the parlor offers for us as far as exibility for cows,” Feltz said. “We purchase all of our replacement cows, and we don’t always get 100% robot-ready animals. This way, we still have options via the parlor, and for the foreseeable future, the parlor will be part of the operation.”

Feltz said the most important takeaway from the tour will center around the importance of embracing technology.

“There are a lot of neat things coming and a lot already in play in our industry,” Feltz said. “Things are changing so quickly, and you have to use technology to your advantage.”

A cow exits the robo c milking system Nov. 21, 2019, at Feltz Family Farms near Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Nearly three-fourths of the herd is milked by 10 robots – four VMS Classic models and six VMS V300 models. The biggest improvement between the Classic robot and the V300 is the me-of-ight camera.

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Exposing endless opportunities through FFA

World Dairy Expo educates students on the breadth of careers in agriculture

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

MADISON, Wis. — World Dairy Expo is hosting sessions geared toward FFA members this year, and those sessions are all about helping students discover the wide range of career opportunities available to them within agriculture.

“World Dairy Expo is always looking for ways to provide opportunities that are relevant and important to the industry,” said Cassi Miller, WDE attendee programs manager. “As the number of individuals with a farming background decreases, it’s vital to the future of our industry to recruit youth from organizations like FFA to ll employment gaps, especially as people begin to retire.”

Each year, WDE welcomes over 4,000 FFA students on the grounds during the event.

Miller said Expo aims to connect trade show and dairy cattle exhibitors with students. Conversations that happen during Expo have resulted in students securing internships or fulltime employment.

“Sparking an interest and introducing youth to opportunities in agriculture is our main goal,” Miller said.

FFA

This year’s FFA seminars will be held Tuesday, Oct. 3. These include the Agricultural Careers Panel at 9:30 a.m. and CDExploration at 10:30 a.m. In addition, FFA advisors may attend an appreciation event that morning from 9 a.m. to noon.

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The Agricultural Careers Panel will feature three young panelists. The rst panelist will be Max Shenkenberg, a herdsman at Maier Farms LLC and a TikTok content creator with over 7,200 followers and over 115,000 likes.

“When putting together panelists for the FFA seminars, I wanted a group of individuals who are still early on in their adult careers,” Mill-

Turn to FFA | Page 23

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY POSTER, APOSTERSVIEW

students walk on the World Dairy Expo campus Oct. 4, 2022, in Madison, Wisconsin. Each year, World Dairy Expo welcomes over 4,000 FFA students on the grounds during the event.

er said. “Ideally, panelists come from different backgrounds and have different experiences, education and passions.”

Miller said Shenkenberg will help students realize they can be directly involved in agriculture and also can promote themselves and educate the public in a fun, interactive way.

The second panelist will be Michelle Schmidt of Plymouth Cabinetry & Design LLC. Schmidt originally went to college for animal science. After several years in the industry, she determined she wanted to shift her career and do design work for a family company. Miller said Schmidt will

provide perspective on the changes to one’s career path that can happen over time.

“Just because you pick a career path and go to school for a certain career doesn’t mean that you have to stay in that eld for your entire life,” Miller said. “What you decide to do when you’re 18 doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to have the same passions when you’re 25.”

The last panelist is still to be determined, but Miller said the person will be a recent graduate from Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore.

Turn

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PHOTO COURTESY OF KATIE REINEKING, DUSTY BOOTS PHOTOGRAPHY FFA students par�cipate in an ac�vity during a session �tled “Careers to Win It” led by the Wisconsin FFA state officer team Oct. 4, 2022, at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Students who a�end this year’s CDExplora�on event can expect an interac�ve, hands-on experience during the seminar, which will also be hosted by the Wisconsin FFA state officer team.

The second FFA seminar will be an exploratory session highlighting the wide variety of career and leadership development events available for students to pursue.

Miller said CDEs and LDEs have grown to better encompass the many ways that professionals are part of the agriculture industry in ways that are less granular than students might envision. Miller said the broad range of competitive events offered in FFA are all part of the endless opportunities in agriculture.

Students who attend CDExploration can expect an interactive, hands-on experience. The seminar is hosted by the Wisconsin FFA state ofcer team.

“The FFA ofcers typically create some type of activity that helps tie in different careers to different learning paths,” Miller said. “The students aren’t sitting in chairs and listening to someone talk at them. They really are involved and moving around in the seminar. So, if you’re

looking to learn but also interact with the presenters, this event is a really great one.”

For the second year in a row, FFA and agriculture instructors will be recognized with an event all their own.

The FFA Advisors Appreciation event is open exclusively to advisors and agriculture educators.

Those who attend will nd a space to network and exchange ideas all while enjoying coffee, milk and donuts.

“We try to provide a lot of opportunities for students,” Miller said.

“We also want to pay homage to the advisors and leaders who are making it possible for students to attend events. This is our way of saying thank you for all of the hard work and dedication to youth education.”

In the future, Miller would like to expand FFA offerings to have a more national scope while still maintaining opportunities for the Wisconsin FFA team to be involved. However, this year’s FFA seminars — and WDE

offerings in general — will again provide all attendees many chances for learning.

“If you have time, just

take 20 minutes to dedicate to learning something new because you’re denitely go-

ing to learn something while at World Dairy Expo,” Miller said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY POSTER, APOSTERSVIEW Cole Hicken, 2022-23 Wisconsin FFA state treasurer, pauses for a photo with an FFA student Oct. 4, 2022, on the campus of World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. FFA students who a end World Dairy Expo have mul ple opportuni es to learn and connect.

Cassie Miller WDE attendee programs manager

Excited to see what comes through the door

Duckett anticipates judging International Jersey Show

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

RUDOLPH, Wis. — Preparations for World Dairy Expo look a little different this year at Duckett Holsteins than they might most years.

This year, Mike Duckett will turn the show string over to his crew and stay home until Monday morning, Oct. 2, when he will don a tuxedo and take to the center of the ring to place the International Jersey Show alongside associate judge Kevin McGriskin of Melancthon, Ontario, Canada.

“It is a rush; I’m very excited,” said Duckett, who will be judging on the colored shavings for the rst time. “It is so exciting, like Christmas morning. You just never know what is going to walk through that door next, great cow after great cow.”

Duckett and his wife Julie, along with their children Logan and Chloe, operate Duckett Holsteins near Rudolph, where they milk 60 cows, and Genetic Futures, a nearby bovine reproductive facility.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF COWSMOPOLITAN

Mike Ducke� gives his reasons during the 2022 Na�onal Jersey Jug Futurity Nov. 6 at the North American Interna�onal Livestock Exposi�on in Louisville, Kentucky. Ducke� is the official judge of the Interna�onal Jersey Show Oct. 2 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

No stranger to the colored shavings, Duckett said he is looking forward to the chance to be on the other side of the Expo experience.

“Judging gives you a completely different perspective on things,” Duckett said. “If you are going to compete out there, you really need to see the show from inside the ring. Judging has made me a better breeder, and I judge a show as if I’m looking for the animal I want to buy.”

McGriskin was Duckett’s selection for an associate judge as someone who sees cattle similarly to himself.

“Kevin started helping us out during the Frosty years, and we have become good friends over the years,” Duckett said. “He has judged some shows, and everyone seems to think

he’s done a good job with them. He milks his own cows every day. His cows mean a lot to him, and his family means a lot to him. His dad is one of the best cowmen in Canada.”

Turn to DUCKETT | Page 28

PHOTO COURTESY OF COWSMOPOLITAN Judge Mike Ducke congratulates Hailey Abraham as he names her winter yearling heifer, Knonaudale Oreo Blizzard, junior champion at the Illinois Championship Holstein Show July 7 in Lincoln, Illinois.

Duckett’s judging career has led him to judge shows across the U.S. and Canada thus far, and later this year, he will travel to Ireland to place the Royal Ulster Winter Fair.

When he takes on the task of sorting a show, Duckett said he is looking for a certain type of animal.

“I want cows that can last the test of time,” Duckett said. “When it comes to heifers, I am very critical of their feet and legs. That is where we need the most improvement. I am looking for heifers that can turn into those cows that can last. Size doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care whether they are big or small, as long as they are correct.”

As a breeder and exhibitor himself, Duckett understands the value showing has to those who participate.

“Showing plays a big role in merchandising, and that is a big part of this business,” Duckett said. “It also helps us as breeders to see what is out there and evaluate and compare our own breeding programs.”

While he considers himself a Holstein breeder, Duckett said his roots lie in the Jersey breed.

“My rst 4-H calf was a Jersey,” Duckett said. “I lived near Biltmore Farms in North Carolina, and they let me come in and pick a calf out. She had six heifer calves for me.”

Later, Duckett had ownership in several top Jersey show and brood cows including Huronia Centurion Veronica, Llolyn Jude Grifn, Burlin Stars N Stripes and Bri-Lin Renaissance Salsa.

“You really have to admire the efciency of the Jersey cow,” Duckett said. “She’s half the size and produces three-quarters of the milk. They breed true. You can probably breed a uniform group of Jerseys quicker than you can Holsteins because they breed so true.”

Because of his role in all aspects of the registered dairy cattle industry, Duckett comes into the show with a great deal of background knowledge of many cows, but he said that does not play a role in how he places a class.

“There are a lot of great cows out there that will come through that door, but my job it to sort and pick them based on how they look that day at that minute,” Duckett said. “That is what makes it exciting. You have no idea what to expect as they come through the door. I have been on the other side of that, and I realize the investment that is at stake. All I can do is place them as I see them. You never know how things will shake out until you get your nal line put together.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF JERSEY JOURNAL

Mike Ducke (second, from le ) stands with the 2022 Na onal Jersey Jug Futurity champions Nov. 6, 2022, at the North American Interna onal Livestock Exposi on in Louisville, Kentucky. Na onal Jersey Queen Jackie Mudd (from le ), Carly Shaw holding Jersey Jug Futurity champion Budjon-Vail Jordan C Shaneese-ET, Chris ne Sheesley-Rozler holding the reserve champion Cowbell Shoes Cleopatra, associate judge Evan Creek and rst alternate Na onal Jersey Queen Ali Bowman posed alongside Ducke a er the show.

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Seminars to consider at World Dairy Expo

Presented daily by industry leaders in the Mendota 1 meeting room of the Exhibition Hall, these seminars address topics centered on management practices, beef on dairy, federal orders and mental health. Seminars consist of a 45-minute presentation and time for questions and answers. The list of 2023 Expo Seminars is below.

Tuesday, Oct. 3 at noon

“Mooving Cows: Revolutionizing How We Learn Cow Handling

Skills,” presented by Jennifer Van Os, Ph.D., assistant professor and extension specialist in animal welfare, University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences

Inappropriate cow handling negatively affects animal welfare and productivity while increasing the risk of injury for both cows and people.

“Mooving Cows” is an innovative learning tool that allows people to practice appropriate cow handling skills in simulated dairy farm environments. Developed with feedback directly from Wisconsin dairy farmers and Spanish- and English-speak-

ing staff who work with cows daily, users can experience how their actions affect cow behavior, stress and productivity.

Dr. Van Os received her Ph.D. in the interdisciplinary animal behavior graduate program at the University of California-Davis and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of British Columbia. The research in her lab at UW-Madison focuses on understanding, evaluating and improving the welfare of dairy animals from biological and social-science perspectives, and the extension program promotes best practices in management and housing to help the dairy industry adapt as our scientic knowledge about animal welfare continues to grow.

Wednesday, Oct. 4 at noon

“Beef on Dairy: A Focus on the End Product,” presented by Dale Woerner, Ph.D., professor and Cargill endowed professor, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University

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is published the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.

Beef on dairy is an emerging and rapidly growing segment for both the dairy and beef industries. Beef progeny from dairies is critical to the protability and sustainability of dairy and beef operations. This presentation will highlight the overwhelmingly positive aspects of producing beef from dairy cow offspring, including beef quality and sustainability, but will also focus on the challenges that have arisen over the past ve years, including liver abscesses and carcass composition.

Dr. Woerner serves as the Cargill endowed professor in sustainable meat science in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University. He served on the faculty at Colorado State University for nine years before stepping into his current position at Texas Tech University in 2018. He has conducted more than 15 million dollars in industry-funded research and has published more than 300 scholarly works, including peer-reviewed manuscripts and technical reports on meat science. His team has worked extensively with the beef on dairy segment for the past ve years, focusing on carcass and beef quality.

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Thursday,

Oct. 5 at noon

“What the 2023 Farm Bill Has in Store for Dairy,” with panelists Pete Kappelman, senior vice president, member and government relations, Land O’Lakes, Inc.; Jim Mulhern, president and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation; and moderated by Katie Schmitt, outreach specialist, Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding

Every ve years, conversations about the farm bill resurface before it heads to Congress to fund farm programs, conservation, rural development, nutrition, ag research and more. As we approach Expo, we are also approaching the expiration of the current 2018 farm bill Sept. 30. Regardless of the actions taken prior to this deadline, the 2023 farm bill provides numerous topics of discussion for this panel. Moderator Katie Schmitt will have questions prepared to get the conversation started, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own too.

Pete Kappelman brings a lifetime of experience to the role of senior vice president of member and government relations at Land O’Lakes, Inc. as a successful crop and dairy farmer along with his advocacy experience and board involvement with many agricultural organizations. Kappelman has been a leader in working with legislators on important ag policy issues including the farm bill, climate, trade and immigration. He also served as an ag policy advisor to the administration for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Ofce of the United States Trade Representative and was named Director of the Year in 2018 by the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.

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Jim Mulhern, an agriculture and food policy strategist with more than 35 years of experience working with policymakers and media, became NMPF’s president and CEO in 2014. He directs NMPF’s work on wide-ranging, critical issues including trade policy, immigration reform, the farm bill, environmental policy, animal care, nutrition issues, food labeling and standards of identity, and much more. Over his career, Mulhern has provided expert strategic counsel to numerous Fortune 500 companies and worked extensively in government relations, issues and crisis management, media relations, and litigation communications.

Katie Schmitt is the outreach specialist at the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding. Prior to her position with the CDCB, she spent nearly seven years at World Dairy Expo in various communication and marketing roles, including communications manager. In 2022, she was recognized as a “35 under 35” by Wisconsin Farm Bureau for her work founding and hosting “The Dairy Show,” World Dairy Expo’s podcast.

Friday, Oct. 6 at noon

“The Importance of Mental Health in Agriculture,” presented by Ted Matthews, director of Minnesota Rural Mental Health

Farming is getting far more complex, and it is more important than ever that farmers take care of themselves. For the last 30 years, Ted Matthews has been addressing the importance of mental health and helping farm families reach their business and personal goals. The program ensures rural residents, who are known for their independence and a strong sense of pride, have access to and participate in programs that provide assistance as they face complicated personal challenges such as nancial stress, depression, family conicts and more.

Dedicated to working around the clock to help those involved in agriculture and struggling with stress, Matthews’ credentials include experience in crisis intervention, family mediation, individual, family and group therapy, outreach training, administration, public speaking, domestic abuse and compulsive gambling. In 1993, Matthews was the director of mental health for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s ood response in Minnesota. This led to the creation of the Rural Mental Health Outreach program, which is currently operated through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

WDE sales spur yearly excitement

Elite cattle draw buyers from near and far

By Jerry Nelson jerry.n@dairystar.com

Anticipation is growing in the dairy industry as the opening day of 2023 World Dairy Expo approaches. The number of animals shown at the World Dairy Expo continues to grow.

Some 2,663 dairy cattle were shown by 1,871 exhibitors during the 2022 World Dairy Expo. This is up from 2,306 head that were shown by 1,566 exhibitors at the 2021 World Dairy Expo.

This year’s Expo kicks off Sunday, Oct. 1, with the International Junior Holstein Show taking place at 12:30 p.m. in the Coliseum. This will be followed by the World Ayrshire Event Sale, slated to be held at 7 p.m. in the Sale Pavilion.

The 2022 World Ayrshire Sale Event saw 14 lots selling for an average of $4,820 per lot. The hammer went down on the highest lot at $11,000. Total sales for the event added up to $67,475.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY POSTER, APOSTERSVIEW

Sco Courtney serves as ringman Oct. 6 during the 2022 World Classic in Madison, Wisconsin. The average sale price was $39,373 per lot with the highest lot bringing $170,000.

Becky Payne is the executive director of U.S. Ayrshire Breeders’ Association.

“We had a great promotion event last year,” Payne said. “It was our rst sale since (the pandemic). This year’s World Ayrshire Event Sale will be a challenge due to changes in the Expo schedule. Our sale will be taking place on Sunday night before the Expo opens.”

Payne anticipates that 15-20 lots will be offered at the Ayrshire sale.

“We will be featuring animals from show champion families, high index families and high classied families,” Payne said. “We always get quite a bit of interest from international buyers. There aren’t many Ayrshires in the United States, but the red breeds are quite popular around the world.”

Despite all the challenges, Payne is optimistic.

“It will be exciting to see how it all pans out,” Payne said. “We will have to work a little harder and rely more on the internet, but we will have a great sale.”

The Coliseum will be a busy place Oct. 2. Events being held there that day include the International Jersey Show for heifers at 7 a.m., the International Guernsey Show at noon and the International Ayrshire Show for heifers at 2 p.m.

The Top of the World Jersey Sale will take place at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at The Tanbark.

“We are looking to sell 25-30 lots during the sale,” said Greg Lavan, manager of Jersey Marketing Service with the American Jersey Cattle Association. “We are expecting a nice mixture of genomic and show cattle.”

Lavan said that he senses a good deal of optimism among Jersey breeders.

“Milk prices are coming back, and many farmers are looking at decent crop yields this fall,” Lavan said. “Jersey genetics are gaining popularity because Jerseys produce more solids and less uids. Cheese and butter are driving the milk market at this point in time.”

Lavan expects the Jersey sale to involve about 20 live animals and ve to 10 lots of embryos and IVF sessions.

“Selling embryos and IVF sessions have gained popularity,” Lavan said. “They enable the owner to keep his high genetic cow and still make money from her.”

Mixers in Stock!

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY POSTER, APOSTERSVIEW

A endees applaud Oct. 6 at the 2022 World Classic in Madison, Wisconsin. The 53 Holstein lots that were sold in 2022 brought in a total of $2,086,750.

Norman C. Magnussen Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Association of the USA

The World Premier Brown Swiss Sale will be held at 3 p.m. Oct. 4 the Sale Pavilion. About 40 lots will be offered for sale, 36 of which will be live animals.

“Last year’s sale was the best we have ever had regarding the high individual dollar amounts and the total dollars for the sale,” said Norman C. Magnussen, executive secretary of Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Association of the USA. “The top heifer, Hilltop Acres J Promise, was purchased by ST Genetics of Texas for $28,500. The top three Brown Swiss cattle sold for more than $20,000 per head.”

A new item at the 2022 World Premier Brown Swiss Sale was an IVF session with Perry Brook Pact Lulu ETV, the number one PPR heifer in the Brown Swiss breed at the time.

“The IVF session sold for $15,000 and yielded eight embryos,” Magnussen said.

Magnussen, who has been involved with the Brown Swiss breed his entire life and has orchestrated several of the World Premier Brown Swiss Sales, is looking forward to this year’s sale.

“Our hope is that we can catch lightning in a bottle again this October,” Magnussen said.

The World Classic will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 5 at The Tanbark. The 2022 World Classic saw some eye-popping dollar amounts for the Holstein cattle that changed hands. The 53 lots that were sold in 2022 brought in a total of $2,086,750. The average sale price was $39,373 per lot with the highest lot bringing $170,000.

Tom Morris has been the manager of the World Classic since 1989.

“We are expecting to sell about 50 lots again this year,” Morris said. “It looks like we will have a lot of good cattle. The Expo is an international marketplace for some of the most sought-after dairy genetics in the world. We will be selling some high type lots and animals with deep pedigrees. Genomics continue to play

a larger and larger role.”

Morris has witnessed numerous changes and has presided over groundbreaking sales.

“We sold our rst cloned animal in 2000,” Morris said. “She was a clone of C Lauduc Broker Mandy, who was one of the most popular show cows in the world at the time. Her clone sold for $82,000. And in 2017, we sold a bull named Mr Frazzled Aristocrat-ET for $620,000 to Diamond Genetics of the Netherlands.”

The World Classic is one of the highest grossing sale events in history, bringing in a total of more than $40 million. But even though many things have changed at the World Dairy Expo, one thing remains the same.

“Madison is still the greatest stage in the world for dairy cattle,” Morris said.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Quincy Johnson (le ) and Madelyn Topp present two daughters of Cu ng Edge T Delilah, a two- me supreme champion, at the 2022 World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. The daughters sold in that year’s World Premier Brown Swiss Sale.

Why is the tradition of WDE worth you taking the time away from your farm to attend?

seeing all of the great cows and the great people in our industry.”

Michael Hughes Pickett, Wisconsin Winnebago County

325 cows

How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? I have gone for 25 years.

What is your favorite memory from WDE? When our farm showed a heifer, a summer yearling, in the Holstein show in 2021, she stood in the top 10 on the colored shavings. That was the rst year we showed at WDE. We are just getting our feet wet at showing at WDE.

Who do you usually attend WDE with, which days do you plan to go, and how much time do you spend at WDE?

I would go with my parents growing up and now with my wife and kids. We typically go to watch the Holstein shows and will probably take the kids to the Jersey show also this year. The kids enjoy the trade show and the machinery. We typically just go for a day, sometimes two if we are showing.

Why is the tradition of WDE worth you taking time away from your farm to attend?

We enjoy seeing all of the great cows and the great people in our industry. We enjoy visiting with other farmers, trade show representatives and other exhibitors.

What are three must-do things for you at WDE? 1.Walking through the cattle barns. 2. Watching the show with grilled cheese and ice cream. 3. Walking through the trade show.

Tell us something you implemented on your farm from WDE? Each year we look to see what the top bulls are that we should be using on our herd. There are a lot of great cattle at Expo to see rst-hand the offspring of the bulls.

Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy this fall. We milk around 325 cows in a double-6 at barn parlor. I farm with my mom and dad as well as my wife and three kids. Everybody pitches in where needed. We farm 500 acres, and I am the second generation on our farm. We ship our milk to Family Dairies USA. We enjoy the challenge of raising animals with great type.

“We enjoy

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Michael and Kimberly Hughes and their children Wya (from le ), Chloe and Bryson stand with their Holstein spring calf at the Wisconsin Holstein Championship Show Aug. 25 in Madison, Wisconsin

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Morris and Debra Weyers, Bethany, MO

“These gates are very simple to take apart, like calf huts, only bigger. We put 1-3 calves in a pen, which gets them accustomed to group housing. Ventilation is better for the calves having an open pen.We are very happy with our investment in the gates.”

Top Deck Holsteins-Westgate, IA, Jason, Derek, Justin Decker

“We decided to install freestalls from TJ’s Fencing after a friend recommended them. They were easy to install and the cows really like them. We only have about half of the stalls converted right now, but are eager to get the rest of our stalls converted to freestalls from TJ’s Fencing.“

- Bernard County Dairy, Richard Decker Installed in February 2020

“I have free stalls from TJ’s and love them!

With my old steel stalls I was constantly repairing from the cows bending them. TJ’s stalls are very flexible and reasonably priced. I have saved a lot of time and money on repairs with TJ’s free stalls.”

Will Gerdes Caledonia, MN

“We have been supplying Glasfiber boxes for 10 years. Every customer is satisfied with this product and will definitely choose the glass fiber freestall again in the future. It is also a good fit for renovation projects. In addition, we also offer glass fiber fencing. The glass fiber is an excellent alternative to the iron barn equipment.”

Bertha Swaving, Holland, Netherlands

“We built our new ABS Global Calf Facility in the summer of 2016. This was the first time we utilized anything except steel at one of our facilities and it was a hard sell to the staff. However, after meeting with Travis at TJ’s Fencing in Harpers Ferry, and having him bring a gate home to show the staff, we were sold. We utilize more than 200 different sizes of gates, all purchased from TJ’s Fencing and installed by Cliff’s Incorporated from Friesland, Wis. The gating is holding up very well. We intend to expand our calf facility this summer and will definitely continue utilizing TJ’s Fencing for the gating.”

- Jim Meronek, Health Assurance, Production and Supply Chain Director ABS Global, Inc., DeForest, WI

“I have purchased fences from TJ’s twice. My original fences were purchased 20 years ago and they have held up well. I enjoy not having to paint them. Recently, I purchased fences with rounded corners. These have been very sturdy and the ends cannot pop out of place. Both types of fences are very flexible and safe for my horses.”

- John Bengfort, Bluff Country Equine, Winona, MN

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