PROCEEDINGS OF THE 39TH ANNUAL

FLORIDA DAIRY PRODUCTION CONFERENCE

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, GAINESVILLE • APRIL 29 – MAY 1, 2002

2002 Outstanding Dairy Farm Family of the Year was presented to the Walter Oelfke family of Newberry, Florida. This award is sponsored by Florida Farm Bureau. From right to left, James Umphrey, State Extension Specialist; Margaret and Wayne Oelfke, Mrs. Walt Oelfke, Erica Oelfke, Gregory Oelfke,Andrea, Austin and Jimmy Bagby.

Sponsored by the Department of Animal Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service and the Agricultural Experiment Station of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences with the cooperation of State Dairy Organizations.

Jacob Larson of Okeechobee FL receives the 2002 Outstanding Senior Award in the Dairy Program from Undergraduate Adviser James E. Umphrey.

Ben Butler of Okeechobee FL receives the 2002 Outstanding Senior Award in the Dairy Program from Undergraduate Adviser James E. Umphrey.

Dr. Dan Webb of Southeast DHIA presents the 2001 SE DHIA Herd of the Year Award to Mr. and Mrs. Marty Domres owners of Creek View Dairy, Riverview FL.

Dr. Dan Webb Highlights the accomplishments of the DHIA program in the state of Florida and Georgia over the past year.

INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCESDEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCES

PO Box 110910Gainesville, FL 32611-0910

Phone: (352) 392-5594Fax: (352) 392-5595

TO: FLORIDA DAIRYMEN, ALLIED INDUSTRIES AND OTHERS We appreciate your continued participation in the support of our 39th consecutive conference. This year’s program emphasized:

• Dairy Investment, Risk Management, and Financing • Dairy Herd Management Software for the Palm PC and Herd Evaluation Tools • Ration Management: Optimizing Feed Particle Size for Health and Performance • Revisions in 2001 NRC Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle • Mycoplasma mastitis and calf infections • Agricultural Water Quality Issues • Comprehensive Nutrient Management: What is Required of Dairymen • Utilization of Waste Effluent in Year-Round Cropping Systems • Tour discussions with DEP, NRCS, anaerobic digestion researcher, and dairy managers

Special appreciation goes to all the commercial exhibitors. Please note the companies, their representative, and addresses later in the proceedings. Also, note, the information about award winners and the list of attendees. Registered attendance this year and in recent years was: Category 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 Total registrants 156 207 160 175 154 195 Florida dairymen & farm management employees 42 70 47 56 31 42 Number of different dairies represented 27 36 28 35 20 30 Industry representatives, including exhibitors 78 89 72 79 71 96 UF faculty (Gainesville), students, and speakers 28 28 19 19 16 23 County Extension, DACS, DEP, NRCS, consultants 6 16 13 15 14 20 Other 4 4 9 6 2 14 Number of commercial exhibits 36 31 27 29 32 37 The general comments made to us about the program were good. Please give us suggestions and input for next year on the evaluation sheet (next page). Thanks for your participation. Additional copies of the proceedings may be obtained, as long as they last, by calling the Animal Sciences Department (352-392-5595) or by writing to J. E. Umphrey, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, PO Box 110910, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910. The proceedings are also available on our web site which is located at http://www.animal.ufl.edu/extension/dairy/ floridaDairyProductionConference.shtml. F. Glen Hembry James E. Umphrey Chairman Conference Co-Chairman

Evaluation of 2002 Dairy Production Conference

April 29th – May 1st, 2002 Description of evaluator (check one or more categories) _____ Dairy Owner _____ Dairy Farm Management Staff _____ Agribusiness Representative _____ Exhibitor _____ Coop. Extension Agent _____ Government agency _____ UF Faculty _____ Student Evaluation of the 2002 Conference Please rate the following questions using a scale from 0 (not good) to 5 (extremely good). Add comments and suggested changes on back side of this page. _____ Overall, was the subject matter selected for presentations and discussion important, timely, and well presented? _____ Was the date at a good time that avoided conflicts? If not, please suggest a time that you feel would be better in comments on back of this page. _____ Evaluate the length of the meeting (8 hours, 2 days)? _____ The schedule (Noon Tuesday through noon Wednesday)? _____ Luncheon and DHI meeting? _____ Awards program (Florida Farm Bureau Family Award, DACS Dairy Division Milk Quality Awards)? _____ Subject matter selection and speaker presentations? Please add comments on the back of this page for specific presentations that you would like to comment on. _____ Exhibits. Suggestions for next year? Please add comments on back of this page: Please tear out this form, complete, and mail to: Dairy Production Conference Committee Attn: Mr. James E. Umphrey Department of Animal Sciences University of Florida PO Box 110910 Gainesville, FL 32611-0910

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Program Participants..........................................................................................................................2 Dairy Production Conference Awards Dairy Family Award ....................................................................................................................4 DHIA Awards and Meeting .........................................................................................................6 Dairy Division, DACS, Dairy Quality Honor Roll Awards ........................................................8 Companies Having Exhibit Tables ....................................................................................................9 State of Affairs in the FL Dairy Industry Cal Covington, Southeast Milk, Inc. ..................................................................................................13 Carrying the Message from the Farm to the Newsroom Michelle Cooper, Dairy Farmers, Inc. ..............................................................................................17 Trends in Today’s Genetics Bennet Cassell, Department of Animal Science, Virginia Tech.........................................................21 A Better Understanding of AI Ray Nebel, Department of Animal Science, Virginia Tech. ...............................................................27 Problems in A.I. Programs – Field Observations David Whitlock, Select Sire Power. ...................................................................................................37 Reproductive Management System Nic Schoenberger, ABS Global, Inc...................................................................................................40 Management and Economics of Natural Service Bulls in Dairy Herds Carlos Risco, College of Veterinary Medicine, UF ...........................................................................45 Should You Consider Consider Crossbreeding? Bennett Cassell, Department of Animal Science, Virginia Tech .......................................................56 New Genes: Good and Bad Tim Olson, Department of Animal Sciences, UF ...............................................................................68 What is the Value of Getting a Cow Pregnant? Albert de Vries, Department of Animal Sciences, UF .......................................................................75 DBAP Update Russ Giesy, Sumter CountyExtension,UF Dave Bray, Department of Animal Sciences, UF ..............................................................................89 Attendees of the 39th Annual Florida Dairy Production Conference.................................................93

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PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS Hines Boyd, Chief, Bureau of Dairy Inspection, Florida Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Tallahassee, FL David R. Bray, Milking Machine and Mastitis Specialist, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Bennet Cassell, Virginia Tech., Department of Animal Science, Blacksburg, VA Michelle Cooper, Dairy Farmers, Inc Cal Covington, Southeast Milk, Inc Albert de Vries, Dairy Business Management, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Eddie Fredericksson, Brian McAdams Dairy Jim Garlough, Larson’s Dairy Russ Giesy, Multicounty Dairy Extension Specialist, Sumter County, FL Fred Gore, Gore’s Dairy Frankie Hall, Assistant Director of Commodity Activities, Florida Farm Bureau Federation, Gainesville, FL Mary Beth Hall, Dairy Nutrition and Management, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL F. Glen Hembry, Chair, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Ron W. McCuddy, Southeast DHIA Operations Mgr., Gainesville, FL Pat Miller, County Extension Director, Okeechobee County Extension Service, Okeechobee, FL Ray Nebel, Department of Animal Science, Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA Tim Olson, Breeding and Genetics, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Ron Piechocki, Oak Grove Dairy Carlos Risco, University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine Nic Scheonburger, ABS Global, Inc David Sumrall, Aurora Dairy

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James E. Umphrey, Recruitment and Youth Programs, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Richard Van Wagner, Van Wagner Dairy Dan Webb, Southeast DHIA General Manager, Gainesville, FL David Whitlock, Select Sire Power

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Florida Farm Bureau Federation DAIRY FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR 2002

THE WAYNE OELFKE FAMILY, HIGH SPRINGS, FL

Wayne Oelfke knows that to succeed in the dairy business, you must adapt to changing circumstances. He also understands the importance of family and community support in the lives of young people.

Such characteristics have made the Oelfke Dairy a notable family business for two decades. The

Wayne Oelfke family is Florida Farm Bureau’s 2002 Dairy Farm Family of the Year. Success on the farm began with the family itself. “We could not have done this without my

parents and my wife, Margaret,” Wayne acknowledged. “This family has had strong support for one another, no matter what the circumstances.

“We believe in the ability of each one of us to be successful. We are a family that works together

and stays together.” Margaret serves as the bookkeeper and the Jill-of-all-trades. The Oelfke’s children – Andrea,

Erica and Gregory – still work at the dairy while pursuing their own educational and career goals. Jimmy Bagby, Andrea’s husband, provides able assistance as well. The dairy also employs six full-time workers.

Like Wayne, his father, Walter, and his grandparents maintained dairy cows. Originally from

Ohio, Walter worked with South Florida dairymen through the 1970s as a representative of the Northern Ohio Breeding Association.

Wayne attended the University of Florida and became a highly successful middle school science

teacher. But he had always wanted to be a dairyman. In 1984, after having located a promising site in Alachua County, Wayne and Walter began the

Oelfke Dairy in Florida by establishing a 25-cow operation. The milking parlor had not even been completed when they began production.

Today the herd consists of a mixture of nearly 400 Holsteins, Jerseys and Jersey crosses. Based

upon years of experience, Oelfke has found that this combination is best for the farm. Jersey cows and crossbreds have been as profitable as the Holsteins in the Florida climate and

they have performed better in some ways. “Their butterfat is higher,” Oelfke explained. “They seem to take the heat better. They graze better. And there is no comparison to them on reproduction during the summer months.”

The dairy holds the state Jersey cow seasonal record for milk production at 28,000 pounds, as

recorded by the Dairy Herd Improvement Association.

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But managing the operation has required flexibility. “Our strategies have changed,” he noted. “To get cow comfort, you’ve got to change to an artificial environment. That includes cooling barns. That’s where we are going if we want to stay in the business.”

Revision of farm strategies has included improving the stewardship of natural resources. A grant

from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service helped provide funding for improvements to a lagoon used for collecting water runoff.

Oelfke and his family have begun a program to grow 70 percent of the cattle feed in silage. To

meet this goal, they have established their own corn crop and combined it with hay and sorghum. The Oelfkes continue to follow Walter’s advice in caring for the animals: “Every cow is a cow

you treat well.” As his son recalled, “Dad always had a great respect for them. We do, too. They are animals that can make you money and they’re quite something to be around.”

The attention to animal care is apparent in the longevity of cows at the dairy. Some of their 14-

year-old Jerseys are still producing large volumes of milk. Along with their commitment to agriculture, the Oelfkes have loyally devoted time and resources

to community educational projects. They have hosted tours for schoolchildren and other visitors since the dairy was established.

They have also taken a leadership role in 4-H and FFA organizations. In 2001 they received an

Award of Merit from the Alachua County Extension office for their support of 4-H programs. This year the 4-H Club at Micanopy Charter School presented them with an Eagle Award for

their support of science and mathematics classes at the school. In May 2001 the family was honored with a Partners of Distinction award from Santa Fe

Community College and the School Board of Alachua County for providing educational programming at the farm and at various schools.

“We believe that farm activities tied to parent-child interaction have a great impact on the

development of children and result in a positive perception of farming and farm life,” Wayne said. “We are just so thankful that our kids grew up on the farm,” he added. “I think any time you

have kids that are in contact with agriculture and animals especially, it builds a lot of character and it shows them the reality of life.”

Oelfke serves as vice president of the Alachua County Farm Bureau and is a member of Florida

Farm Bureau’s state Dairy Advisory Committee. “Farm Bureau is what really got me involved in industry organizations,” he explained.

His secret for his achievement is simple. “You can’t let little things sway you from your goal.

You’ve got to have faith in the Lord that good things are going to come through.”

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2002 DHIA LUNCHEON April 30, 2002

Best Western Hotel Gainesville, Florida

~ AGENDA ~ Dale Eade Presiding

Lunch Annual Report – D. Webb

Florida DHIA Herd of the Year – R. McCuddy

2001 Production Recognition of

High Herds HERD CITY LBS. MILK #COWS 3X CONDALE FARMS ANTHONY 25,459 634.9 Y SUWANNEE RIVER DAIRY LIVE OAK 22,581 545.8 Y NORTH FLORIDA HOLSTEINS BELL 22,530 3654.5 Y EICHER DAIRY WALNUT HILL 22,172 119.5 N UNIV FL DAIRY RESEARCH GAINESVILLE 22,088 576.8 Y LEVY COUNTY DAIRY CHIEFLAND 22,049 1848.8 N AURORA FL UNIT 2 BRANFORD 21,754 2047.9 Y WISTERIA DAIRY LTD GREEN COVE SPRINGS 21,568 975.3 N T.J. SMITH & SON DAIRY BROOKSVILLE 21,358 465.9 Y GRACEWOOD FARMS OKEECHOBEE 21,098 1246.7 Y VANWAGNER DAIRY SPARR 20,930 277.9 N AURORA FL UNIT 1 BELL 20,877 1948.6 Y J-LU FARMS LIVE OAK 20,835 408.6 Y M & M DAIRY INC JACKSONVILLE 20,759 978.6 N HARMS BROS DAIRY CENTURY 20,198 90.8 N B & D FARMS GREENVILLE 20,003 1274.4 Y SUWANNEE DAIRY INC MCALPIN 19,855 560.3 N TURNPIKE DAIRY INC PALM CITY 19,846 888.2 N LUSSIER DAIRY INC HAWTHORNE 19,760 457.3 Y MARTY DOMRES RIVERVIEW 19,699 272.5 N BILL MARTINEZ RIVERVIEW 19,584 596.9 Y FIESER DAIRY DELEON SPRINGS 19,300 660.6 N AURORA FL UNIT 3 MORRISTON 19,284 2725.3 Y HC DAIRY LAKELAND 19,187 689.6 N

Production as of September 30, 2001

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FLORIDA 2001 HERD PERFORMANCE AVERAGES*

1993

1995

1999

2000 2001

No. Cows

55,648

43,476

34,452

37,278

33,488 No. Herds

122

90

61

57

52

Average Herd Size

456

483

532

654

644

% Days in Milk

86

87

87

86

84

Pounds of Milk

17,761

17,906

18,295

19,054

18,661

Peak Milk - 1st Calf (lbs./day)

67

68

68

71

69

Peak Milk - 2nd & Later (lbs./day)

88

87

84

88

87

Fat %

3.5

3.7

3.6

3.5

3.6

Pounds of Fat

622

656

655

676

672

Pounds of Protein

592

607

602

610

593

Value of Milk ($)

2,658

2,595

3,115

2,779

3,048

Projected Minimum Calving Interval

14.1

14.4

15.4

15.2

15.7

Days Dry

69

67

70

72

74

% Cows Dry > 70 Days

19

18

19

19

21

Days to 1st Breeding

77

83

97

96

97

Days Open

148

158

189

183

197

% cows Open > 100 at 1st Breeding

14

16

28

29

34

No. Breedings per Conception

4.0

4.1

3.4

3.1

3.5

% Possible Breeding Serviced

52

48

33

29

26

Age at 1st Calving (months)

25

25

25

25

25

Age - All Cows (months)

44

43

43

43

44

% With Sire Identity

34

36

33

29

33

Average PTA$ Sires

151

67

92

124

147

Average PTA$ Service Sires

210

141

146

111

298

% Left Herd

40

40

34

32

33

*September 30, of the respective year Cows in Herds on official types of test (01 - 34)

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DAIRY QUALITY HONOR ROLL 2001 TOP 20

DAIRY NAME (*) LOCATION RANK SPC SCC

MILK COWS

AV INSP SCORE

Butterworth Dairy (4) Caryville 1 810 199583 35 100 Lemon Grove Dairy (5) Wauchula 2 1379 298395 368 96 Brantley Dairy Farm, Inc. (4) McAlpin 3 1733 242500 319 91 Turnpike Dairy, Inc. (7) Palm City 4 1450 321000 781 99 Zolfo Springs Dairy (2) Zolfo Springs 5 1841 371789 766 92 C & A Dairy (5) Dade City 6 2400 337363 258 97 Beau-Lane Farm (3) Hawthorne 7 2710 304000 87 95 Gore Dairy #2 Zephyrhills 8 3700 247272 600 94 Palm River Dairy, Inc. Crystal Springs 9 3345 291000 431 95 Shady Nook Farm Grand Ridge 10 2692 374285 169 96 Price Dairy Graceville 11 4933 269116 115 96 Milk-A-Way Dairy #1 Brooksville 12 4310 352900 343 94 Oak Ridge Dairy Grand Ridge 13 5341 293333 150 97 Oak Shade Farms Century 14 4490 353333 80 96 Walker & Sons Farms (2) Wacissa 15 4791 333333 863 95 Shiver Dairy Farm, Inc. Mayo 16 4981 330909 501 96 Oelfke Dairy Farm Alachua 17 4733 360833 309 92 Moses & Sons Farms, Inc. Branford 18 6300 315555 427 92 Rockin' W Vernon 19 6925 311666 42 100 Norman Nickerson Dairy (4) Wachula 20 7090 311000 340 100 TOP 20 AVE. 3798 310958 349 96 FLORIDA AVERAGE 21476 457812 553 93 (*) Indicates consecutive years on Top 20 Honor Roll

NOTE: "Top 20" producers were determined by multiplying the average annual bacteria count (SPC) by the average annual somatic cell count (SCC). To be considered for the "Top 20", a producer must have met the following minimum standards during the year: a) No drug residue violations. b) An average inspection score of 90 or more. c) An average bacteria count of less than 15,000/ml. d) An average somatic cell count of less than 400,000/ml. SOURCE: Dairy Division, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

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COMPANIES HAVING EXHIBIT TABLES AT THE 2002 DAIRY PRODUCTION CONFERENCE

Name of Company Contact Information Contact Person Others Attending Agro, Inc Route 7, Box 100

Paris, TX 75462 (903) 227-3521

Dwight Tubb

Altman Equipment & Service, Inc.

19205 County Road 49 O’Brien, FL 32071 (386) 963-2842

Tim Altman Ken Saunders

AST, Inc. PO Box 369 Lovington, NM 88260 (888) 466-9222

Steve Pugliese

Biotal, Inc. 487 Bartnick Road Genoa, NY 13071 (607) 761-8846

Steve Crosby

Boehringer Ingelheim Vet Media, Inc.

4052 Prairie View Drive Sarasota, FL 34232 (941) 809-3031 E-mail:dankerstar@ bi-vetmedia.com

Dana Ankerstar

CHR Hansen 833 Southern Shore Drive Peachtree City, GA 30269 (404) 386-9230

Thomas R. Perkins Bill Kautz

Degussa Corporation 926 Garrison Drive St. Augustine, FL 32902 (904) 230-0647 Cell: (904) 635-7616

Ted LaDue

Diamond V Mills 2048 East Court Richmond, KY 40475 (859) 626-0808

Mike Mitchell

Elanco Animal Health 2604 Rolling Road Valdosta, GA 31602 229-241-7522

David Waagner

Fort Dodge Animal Health

8222 NW 226 Street Alachua FL 32615 (800) 477-1365

Richard Devereaux

H & H Equipment Sales, Inc.

PO Box 468, Hwy 32 West Alma, GA 31510 912-632-7240

Carl Harper

Intervet, Inc. PO Box 357457 4202 NW 61st Terrace Gainesville, FL 32606 (800) 992-8051

Dale Hayes Mark Pierce

J & D Mfg., Inc. 6200 Hwy 12 Eau Claire, WI 54701 (715) 834-1439

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Name of Company Contact Information Contact Person Others Attending JE Hill Precast PO Box 491356

Leesburg, FL 34749-1356 (352) 787-5897

Tom Jones

Larsen Farms PO Box 429 Lake City, FL 32056 (386) 755-3300

Cody Burns Richard Larsen

Lextron Southeast 385 SW 60th Avenue PO Box 770070 Ocala, FL 34477 (352) 237-1755

Tommy Lynn Kevin Pohlman

Merial Limited 104 Lake Otis Road SE Winter Haven, FL 33884 (863) 324-3387

Tommy Martin Bret Meyers

Midwest Bio-Systems, Inc.

9009 Needlepoint Place Jacksonville, FL 32244 (904) 317-0789

Donn Wangerin Andy Saltzman

Monsanto Company 2330 SW Williston Rd #833 Gainesville, FL 32608 352-380-0195 Cell: (352) 219-0224

Jonathan Griffin

Paul Mueller Company PO Box 420 Ila, GA 30647 (706) 789-3928

Frank Bird

Pedrick Enterprises, Inc.

PO Box 833 1001 East Screven Street Quitman, GA 31643 (912) 263-8136

Ed Pedrick

Pfizer Animal Health 4625 W. Lowell Avenue Tampa, FL 33629 (813) 267-7601

Kurt Piepenbrink

Pharmacia Animal Health

PO Box 345 Mt. Dora, FL 32756 (352) 516-6680

Steve Coop Ed Graf Frank Rowley

Ring Rent Equipment Route 10, Box 592 Lake City, FL 32025 (386) 755-3997

Rusty Conner Travis Sanders

Schering-Plough Animal Health

12940 Tom Gallagher Road Dover, FL 32025 (813) 659-0454

Greg Woodard

Select Sire Power PO Box 370 Rocky Mount, VA 24151 (540) 483-5123

Harvey Largen

Southeast DHIA PO Box 110910 Gainesville, FL (352) 392-5592

Dr. Dan Webb Ron McCuddy Robin Brady

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Name of Company Contact Information Contact Person Others Attending Tech Mix, Inc. 740 Bowman Street

PO Box 221 Stewart, MN 55385 (320) 562-2740

Mike Nelson

Texo Corporation Rick Hardin UF College of Vet Medicine

PO Box 100136 Gainesville, FL 32610-0136 (352) 392-4700, Ext 5000

Dr. Jan Shearer

Up North Plastics, Inc. PO Box 159 Cottage Grove, MN 55016 (800) 544-7659 E-mail: jimbe@upnplastics.com

Jim Bertrand

Walco Internaitonal 7650 NW 50th Street Chiefland, FL 32626 (352) 490-9154

Chad Johnson

Westfalia Surge LLC PO Box 642 Clemson, SC 29633 (847) 922-1893

Jim Abercrombie

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