World Dairy Expo 2010 special edition

September 11, 2010

Dairy St r

September 28-October 2, 2010Alliant Energy Center • Madison, Wisconsin, USA

What’s Inside...Expect an expanded World Dairy Expo .......Pages 1 - 2Thyens show cows of many colors ...............Pages 3 -4How many years have you attended Expo? ........Page 7Sandy Acres in Expo’s virtual farm tour ... Pages 10 -11Nabholz shares memories of National Cattle Congress ........................ Pages 14, 16World Dairy Expo launches interactive online maps .....................................................Page 19Descriptions of farms participating in virtual farm tours .............................................Page 21Methane digesters, calf diets and feed costs all topics in Expo’s seminars ..............................................Page 22

World Dairy Expo Special Edition

By Krista M. SheehanStaff writer

MADISON, Wis. – John Rozum, sales manager for World Dairy Expo, thinks American dairy producers have a great opportunity every October. “If you’re in the dairy industry this is your event,” Rozum said about World Dairy Expo. “This is the one (expo) you need to go to. Everyone that’s a player in the dairy industry is out here.” World Dairy Expo 2010 will be at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2. Although World Dairy Expo will have the same attractions and schedule as in year’s past, it will have more space for the 2010 show. The commercial exhibit space in the outdoor trade mall has increased by 25,000 square feet. “We had to make changes because

Expect an expanded World Dairy Expo2010 WDE adds more space, keeps same schedule

Photo ProvidedThe exhibition hall is part of the trade show for the World Dairy Expo at the Alliant Energy Center in Madi-son, Wis. In order to make room for new exhibitors and larger equipment, the commercial exhibit space in the outdoor trade mall has increased by 25,000 square feet. Also, in order to gain more space, food courts will be closer to the Rimrock Road entrance.turn to 2010 WDE / Page 2

Page 2 • World Dairy Expo • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, September 11, 2010

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we had so many companies coming in,” Rozum said. “We had a lot of companies that were new or already there that want-ed to show big equipment and we didn’t have the space for them.” In order to gain more space, the World Dairy Expo staff made some relocations. The food courts will now be closer to the Rimrock Road entrance, which created 28 new booth spaces. “We’ve created a much more pleas-ant seating area in the food court with a more park-like setting. It should be more comfortable for people coming to the show,” Rozum said. Rozum said more space this year means more forage equipment, and more exhibits featuring manure handling and management equipment, including a functioning digester. “Opening this area allowed us to get more equipment in so producers can see that much more variety,” Rozum said. The grazing pavilion, located close to the outdoor trade mall, will be the same in size and location as last year, but will now include a daily reception for grazers in the tent from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be seminars for grazers on one day. There will again be an international influence on World Dairy Expo this year with 26 different companies being repre-sented in the 150 companies exhibiting. “It’s a very international group both in general and in new products,” Rozum said. “Expo is the place to go to see any-thing new because everyone is rolling out their latest and greatest or new products. They’ll put on their best show for farmers here.” Overall during World Dairy Expo, at-tendees can expect a similar schedule as last year. “This is a unique year in that we don’t have any major changes to the schedule and we don’t have many twists on the theme,” said Lisa Behnke, market-

ing manager for World Dairy Expo. There will be a new lineup of virtual farm tours and seminar speakers. People of certain organizations who attend the seminars will be able to earn continuing education credits this year. Behnke said a small change this year is in one of the youth contests. The fitting contest and the showmanship contest will be separate, with the fitting contest on the Sunday before Expo starts and the show-manship contest on Thursday. A new interactive map on the World Dairy Expo Web site will be helpful to at-tendees. “It’s a cool feature for people to use before and after the show to help them find companies who exhibited,” Behnke said. The sounds of the cattle shows will also be available through the grounds. It will be broadcasted on a local FM radio

station. “With the clippers buzzing and blow-ing up toplines, it’s hard to hear the PA system in the barn. This will be another way for exhibitors to know what’s go-ing on in the ring,” Behnke said. “All the time, World Dairy Expo is trying to em-ploy the latest and greatest technologies to make the show run efficiently.” She also said they try to create the best dairy expo experience for attendees. “The greatest thing a dairy man or woman can experience is the shot in the arm it (World Dairy Expo) give you. It’s an electric and enthusiastic atmosphere. Anyone who comes here has to feel good about their chosen profession because they’re surrounded by people who are re-ally successful in the business,” Behnke said. “There’s no better way to spend a day or five days.”

Continued from 2010 WDE / Page 1

Photo by mark klaPhakeWorld Dairy Expo sales manager, John Rozum, stands in the grazing pavil-ion during last year’s expo. Rozum said this year the pavilion will be the same in size and location but will now include a daily reception for grazers in the tent from 3 p.m to 6 p.m.

World Dairy Expo • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, September 11, 2010 • Page 3

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By Jill WarrenStaff writer

ATWATER, Minn. – A little vari-ety is always good, and the show string at World Dairy Expo for Russ and Heather Thyen is just that. The Thyens have been walking an array of different breeds on the colored shavings for years. This will be the 16th World Dairy Expo they will show at to-gether. The Thyens, along with Kim Olson and Gordon Larson, operate Oat Hill Dairy near Atwater, Minn. The dairy houses six different breeds of cattle, all of which see the show ring throughout the year. “We love to see every one of our animals have success,” Russ said. “No matter their color, no matter their own-er.” Oat Hill Dairy was created with a conglomerate of different breed inter-ests and backgrounds. All the owners grew up with Holsteins, and Red and White Holsteins made their appearance on the farm when the unique niche be-came a craze. Kim, who grew up on the Oat Hill Dairy farm site, brought Jerseys and Guernseys to the operation, Russ had an interest in Brown Swiss from grow-ing up with a few of them on his home farm, and both Russ and Heather got involved with Milking Shorthorns by working with local Shorthorn breeders through their Select Sires jobs. The 90-cow milking herd consists of mostly Holsteins and Jerseys, with two Brown Swiss, eight Guernseys and eight Milking Shorthorns. The barn is a plethora of different colors and sizes. The show string for the Thyens is often made up of many different breeds as well. Oat Hill gives equal focus to improving each breed on its farm. At World Dairy Expo this year, represen-tation from the Guernsey, Jersey and Milking Shorthorn breeds will be pres-ent. This is the first year in a long time that there will be no Red and White Holsteins in the show string. “Our goal is to have everything medal,” Russ said. As each breed has it’s own unique features, the Thyens point out that each individual animal also has its own per-sonality. The combination of breed characteristics, along with animal and owner personalities dictates who gets to be the leader at each show. Everyone seems to have a favorite, and least fa-vorite, animal. “It all depends on our moods the day of the show and the personality of the animal,” Heather said of who gets to show at Expo. You’ll most likely find Russ ex-hibiting the 5-year-old Jersey cow, Heather behind the halter of the Milk-ing Shorthorns and Guernsey calf and Kim showing the Jersey calf. The teamwork at the show is a di-rect translation to how everyone works together at home. “Showing cows is not a one day deal,” Russ said. “None of this can be done without our support staff. From Katie Olson caring for the calves, our hoof trimmer’s dedication to our ani-

Cows of many colorsThyens exhibit several breeds at World Dairy Expo

Photo by jill warrenThe Thyens, along with Kim Olson and Gordon Larson, operate Oat Hill Dairy near Atwater, Minn. The dairy houses six different breeds of cattle. The Thyens, from left, Elizabeth, Russ and Heather, will be showing cattle at the World Dairy Expo for their 16th year.

turn to Thyens / Page 4

mals and a lot of the outside help that we have at home and at shows.” That support staff has shared many victories over the years. This year they enjoyed success in many of their breeds’ shows; including being named the reserve grand champion Jersey and the reserve intermediate champion Milking Shorthorn at this year’s Min-nesota State Fair. They were also involved in Nixs Lilly Pad’s success at World Dairy Expo in 2008, when she was named the grand champion Milking Shorthorn. Show season for the Thyens often runs from April to November. They have had success at county fairs, na-tional shows, state fairs, and they hope to again have success at World Dairy Expo this year. With the numerous herdsmanship awards they have won at Expo over the years, as well as leading All-American and grand champion animals of numer-ous breeds on the colored shavings, no World Dairy Expo is as vivid as the one five years ago. “The most exciting Expo for us was five years ago, and it doesn’t even have anything to do with cows,” Heather said. “That’s when we got the call that we were getting Elizabeth.” Elizabeth is Thyens’ 4-year-old adopted daughter. While at Expo five years ago Heather got a phone call that Elizabeth was in foster care; something they had been waiting to hear for a while. Russ was in the show ring at the time and was alerted that he needed to go back to the barn immediately. Not knowing the reason for his prompt return, Russ was joyous to learn of


Heather’s news. They immedi-ately rushed home to welcome Elizabeth to their family. “Expo has a lot of impor-tant things for us, but we’ll never forget that year,” Heath-er said. Elizabeth has now grown to love the color variety of the animals on the farm. She is no stranger to the show ring, and enjoys telling visitors about her animals at various shows she attends with her parents. The variety of color at Oat

World Dairy Expo will celebrate the global dairy industry in royal fashion, September 28 through October 2, at the Alliant En-ergy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. More than 65,000 producers and industry enthusiasts from 90 countries are expected to attend the 44th annual event. World Dairy Expo sets the “gold standard” for industry events, featuring five full days of world-class competition among North America’s top dairy breeders. More than 2,500 head of dairy cattle will parade across the show’s famed, colored shav-ings. Seven national and international breed shows will culmi-nate with the crowning of World Dairy Expo’s 2010 Supreme Champion. Five breed sales featuring top-shelf genetics will take place on the grounds during the week. The trade show at World Dairy Expo is second to none. At-tendees can look forward to a gold mine of technology, products and services up and down every aisle. More than 750 companies from two dozen countries will present the world’s largest dairy-focused trade show, showcasing everything needed to manage a herd of dairy cows. Learn more about participating companies under the “Attendee Information” tab at www.worlddairyexpo.com. The site features a searchable keyword database and inter-active maps to help you locate company booths at the show. World Dairy Expo also hosts numerous competitions, includ-ing national and international judging and skills contests at the 4-H, FFA, Intercollegiate and Post-Secondary levels. In addition, winners of the 2010 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Products Contest will be honored on the opening day of the show, and winning forage samples from the 2010 World Forage Analy-sis Superbowl will be on display throughout the week. An unparalleled opportunity to exchange ideas, World Dairy Expo offers free daily seminars on dairy management and other industry issues. These programs offer visitors technical expertise to stay knowledgeable and competitive in a global marketplace. Continuing education credits can be earned by members of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) and the American Association of State Veterinary Boards – RACE Program. Virtual farm tour programs allow attendees to explore a variety of successful dairy operations from across North America without leaving World Dairy Expo. The free half-hour visual pre-sentations, led by dairy producers, are followed by a question and

answer session. Forage experts also share valuable information at free daily seminars held on the Dairy Forage Seminar Stage. Industry enthusiasts are invited to attend World Dairy Expo’s Dinner with the Stars on Wednesday evening, September 29. Four individuals will be recognized for their lifetime of service to the dairy industry. The 2010 honorees include: Liz Doornink, Wisconsin - Dairy Woman of the Year; Don Bennink, Florida - Dairyman of the Year; Horace Backus, New York - Industry Per-son of the Year and Mr. Tadanaga Komori, Japan - International Person of the Year. Hours for World Dairy Expo are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Daily admission is $8 (US dollars) per person and season passes are $25 (US dollars) per person. Parking is free. For more information, contact World Dairy Expo at 608-224-6455, via email at [email protected] or visit www.world-dairyexpo.com.

World Dairy Expo 2010: “Crowning Achievements – Golden Opportunities”

Photo by mark klaPhakeMore than 2,500 head of dairy cattle will parade across the show’s famed, colored shavings this year. Seven nation-al and international breed shows will culminate with the crowning of World Dairy Expo’s 2010 Supreme Champion.

Continued from Thyens / Page 3

“The connections you make nationally and worldwide are amazing.” - Russ Thyen oat hill dairy

Hill Dairy simulates the diver-sity of World Dairy Expo. An assortment of cattle and an ar-ray of people make the World Dairy Expo a one-of-a-kind annual event. For Russ and Heather Thyen, World Dairy Expo is all about having a little variety. “The connections you make nationally and world-wide are amazing,” Russ said. “We love being at Expo.”


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Harriet Brown, Hastings, Minn.Washington County

50 cows

How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? My first visit to World Dairy Expo was in 1967. We found it diffi-cult to attend regularly because we operat-ed a 25-acre commercial apple orchard and Expo weekend was our busiest weekend for apple sales. In 1996 I was named World Dairy Expo Dairy Woman of the Year. I have attended WDE every year since then.What's the biggest attraction for you at World Dairy Expo? Why? The biggest at-tractions for me at WDE are the tremendous dairy shows. You will find me watching all the breed shows, but especially the Red and White show and the unbelievable Holstein show. Saturday I am at the arena before 7 a.m. to get my usual great seat. Why is this such an attraction for me? It's a privilege to watch the greatest dairy cows in North America parade on the colored shavings!What is a typical day like for you when you attend World Dairy Expo? I attend WDE Wednesday through Saturday, so each day is special. Wednesday evening I at-tend the Dinner with the Stars. Thursday, the past WDE Dairy Women have a noon lun-cheon to welcome our 2010 honoree. Then it's to another cow show.. Thursday evening I usually go to the Dairy Shrine Banquet. Friday I visit, shop at the "Purple Cow" and watch the Holstein show. That evening, with catalog in hand, I watch in awe the World Dairy Classic Sale. Saturday is show day and I sit and watch as the black and white beauties parade the colored shavings.Why is World Dairy Expo important to the dairy industry? WDE is important to the dairy industry because of the cutting edge technology that is exhibited. This tech-nology is of interest to small, medium or large farms. Individual exhibits, virtual tours, cattle sales, barns filled with beautiful dairy cattle and food stands all in a wonderful setting make WDE a "must see" for dairy enthusiasts of all ages!Tell us about your farm. Apple Acres Farm was established in 1956. Today my son, Jim, and his wife, Diane, own and operate our 220-acre farm, milking in a tiestall barn and raising all our heifers. Jim and Diane have four children – Kayla (16), Joshua (14), Jacob (12) and Daniel (9). Diane is a full-time veterinarian in Hastings. I am the official transportation expert and "go-for," plus I help Jim with milking, calf chores, and I do the bookwork. I have 15 grandchildren.

“The big attraction for me at WDE are the tremendous dairy shows.”


Matt HenkesSophomore at Iowa State UniversityMonona, IowaDairy science major

How many years have you attend-ed World Dairy Expo? I have been going to World Dairy Expo since second grade. It started out that my family drove up on Thursday night and watched the Holstein shows. We started showing in 2003 when we sent one heifer with friends and then in 2004 we had our own string. We haven’t missed a year since.

Why are you going to World Dairy Expo this year? This year my fam-ily is showing again. We have one

Students: How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo?

Jacob AchenSophomore at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Sauk Centre, Minn.Animal science major with an em-phasis in dairy production How many years have you attend-ed World Dairy Expo? I’ve been going for three years. Why are you going to World Dairy Expo this year? My Family and I love showing and exhibiting dairy cattle at shows, especially Expo. We go every year because it gets more exciting from year to year. We make friends and meet people that share the same interests as us. We learn and share ideas with other breeders from across the nation. It is also a

Labecca JohnsonSophomore at University of Wis-consin-River Falls LaCrescent, Minn.Ag marketing communications How many years have you at-tended World Dairy Expo? I have attended World Dairy Expo for as long as I can remember, from the young age of 6 years-old walking through the dairy barns and seeing all of the amazing cows. Why are you going to World Dairy Expo this year? To see cur-rent trends in the dairy industry as well as to watch the dairy show and witness extraordinary genetics at its

Mike DonnellySenior at the University of Minne-sota – Twin CitiesFarmington, Minn. Agricultural education – leadership and communications

How many years have you attend-ed World Dairy Expo? I have been attending World Dairy Expo for five years.

Why are you going to World Dairy Expo this year? This year I have the privilege of chaperoning a group of 25 Minnesota 4-H youth during the National 4-H Dairy Conference. During my free time at World Dairy Expo I plan to watch the world-class dairy cattle show as well as meeting

prime. What are three things at World Dairy Expo that you look forward to? 1. Cows. Seeing all of the genetics and production put behind the pride and passion for dairy farming. 2. Friends and exhibitors that you don’t get to see everyday. 3. Watching Supreme Champion and all the breed shows. When was the first time you attended World Dairy Expo? What was your impression? My first time attending World Dairy expo was when I was about 6 years-old. My first impression was that there were a lot of cows. I love going to Expo every year for the enjoyment of meeting with other producers that share the common goal of caring for their animals and land. They come together to show their farm and cows to people from around the world and to tell their story of producing one of the nation’s most perfect foods….milk.

Guernsey calf, one red and white Holstein heifer and two red and white Holstein cows. I also will compete in showmanship.

What are three things at World Dairy Expo that you look forward to? I enjoy walking through the barns, and talking to the breeders and friends we see each year at Expo. After that I would say watching the naming of supreme champion and going to watch the start of the World Classic sale because you never know what they will do from year to year.

When was the first time you attended World Dairy Expo? What was your impression? When I was in second grade. I remember my teacher could not understand why I was getting out of school for a cow show. The first time I walked in the show ring I was in shock by how big it was and all the decorations.

industry professionals and learning about the newest advancements in the dairy industry.

What are three things at World Dairy Expo that you look forward to? The three things I most look forward to at World Dairy Expo include: 1. Meeting and visiting with some of the dairy industry’s most accomplished individuals. 2. Knowing that no matter which direction you turn, there is someone who enjoys the dairy industry just as much as you do. 3. Watch-ing the shows and walking through the barns to see some the world’s best dairy cattle.

When was the first time you attended World Dairy Expo? What was your impression? This first time I attended World Dairy Expo was in 2005 as a delegate of the National 4-H Dairy Conference. It was overwhelming to know that there was so much to see in so little time. I was hooked and knew that it would not be the last time I would attend World Dairy Expo.

great marketing tool. This is the World Dairy Expo, so there are people from all across the globe looking at our cattle. What are three things at World Dairy Expo that you look forward to? The three things that I look forward to at the World Dairy Expo are the Su-preme Champion selection of the junior and open show, walking my Milk-ing Shorthorns on the colored shavings and working with my family and friends doing what we love to do. When was the first time you attended World Dairy Expo? What was your impression? My first time was in 2007, and I was a little overwhelmed from the quality of the animals and the products that were marketed at the trade show.


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By Jill WarrenStaff writer

ELK MOUND, Wis. – It took some convincing on Marie Pagenkopf’s part to get her family on board with au-tomatic calf feeders. But after all was said and done, the automatic calf feeder has earned its keep and has proven suc-cessful for Sandy Acres Dairy. Since May 2009, Jeff and Marie Pa-genkopf have been using an automatic calf feeder on their dairy, and they will showcase their success with it as part of the World Dairy Expo’s virtual tours on Saturday, Oct. 2. “It’s worked really well for us,” said Marie, who handles the majority of the calf care. “We’ve gone from in-dividual housing to this group housing, and the calves are doing well.” The Pagenkopfs own and operate Sandy Acres Dairy near Elk Mound, Wis. They milk 480 cows, farm 1,000 acres of alfalfa and corn, and they raise their own replacement heifers. Calves are separated into two groups based on age, with each pen av-eraging around 25 animals. Calves are introduced to the feeder at 4 to 6 days old, once they are drinking well from a bottle. Calves are kept on the feeder until they are 56 days old. A computer system allows Marie to input each individual calf when she

starts it on the feeder. A standard of 56 days is set on the computer, but she can adjust for longer time if she feels a calf is smaller to start, or is not doing well part-way through. She does a routine check of each calf about 14 days before the expected weaning date. The computer gradually increases the milk allotment for each calf as they get older, and then it begins to gradu-

Expo’s virtual farm tour focuses on calf feeder

Sandy Acres Dairy one of eight farms featured

Photo SubmittedSince May 2009, Jeff and Marie Pa-genkopf have been using an automat-ic calf feeder on their dairy. The Pa-genkopfs will be a part of the World Dairy Expo’s virtual tours on Oct. 2.

turn to Pagenkopfs / Page 11


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ally decrease the milk as the calf gets closer to weaning. Both pens have ac-cess to free-choice calf starter feed and hot water. Calves are allowed multiple milk feedings per day. “We’ve only lost about five out of 250 calves in the last year,” Marie said. “And it was because of other issues not related to the calf feeder.” Milk replacer is added to the feeder everyday, and the 50 calves are con-suming a combined 100 pounds a day, which is up about 10 percent from before the calf feeder. Average daily weight gain for the calves is up, and an-tibiotic treatments have gone down. Prior to the calf feeder, the Pagen-kopfs were raising their calves in indi-vidual pens, but were having disease problems despite their commitment to keeping clean pens and sanitary worker conditions. “We’d get a bug in one calf, and it would go right down the line no matter how clean we tried to be,” Marie said. “We have a lot less problems now, and I think it’s the socialization and interac-tion that keeps them healthy.” Cleanliness and calf monitoring are still top priorities for the Pagenkopfs. “Don’t think it’s going to babysit your calves,” Marie said about the tech-nology. “It’s a labor savor, but you still have to take time to manage.” A walkthrough is done twice a day to check for calves that look bloated, calves that don’t want to get up, or any other abnormalities. Marie does the walkthrough every morning and anoth-er employee does it in the afternoon. Pens are thoroughly cleaned out ev-ery one to two weeks, and Marie checks the feeding tube in the automatic calf feeder everyday for damage or buildup. The nipple can last four weeks, and

Marie changes the tube that runs from the feeder to the nipple every week. Aside from daily walkthroughs and milk replacer fillings, Marie still has to take time to bottle feed newborn calves, as well as train claves to use the feed-er – which usually takes three to four days. “The older the calf is when they are introduced to the feeder, the longer it seems to take them to learn,” Marie said. Pagenkopfs raise Holsteins, Brown Swiss and Holstein-Swiss crossbreds, and Marie said each breed does rela-tively well on the feeder. The thing Pa-genkopfs like best is the resiliency of calves once they are weaned. “There’s no transition after they’re weaned. They’re already used to com-peting for food and water,” Marie said. “They don’t struggle after weaning be-cause they’ve always been in a group setting.” Calf health has improved, and Ma-rie has enjoyed the time flexibility the automatic calf feeder has given her. She no longer has set times to feed calves, which has allowed her versatility to help with other chores. “The feeder has paid for itself in one year,” Marie said. “Calves are a lot bigger, and it’s saved us on labor costs. We’ve been able to cut one full-time position.” The automatic calf feeder is a good fit for Sandy Acres Dairy. Pagenkopf’s 23-year-old daughter, Kayla, has re-turned to the farm, and she is looking forward to the future of the dairy. “It’s good to see that [our daughter] is excited about the feeder and the over-all future of the farm,” Marie said. “The calf feeder has really been worthwhile.”

Continued from Pagenkopfs / Page 10

Photo SubmittedThe Pagenkopfs, from left, Kayla, Jeff and Marie, own and operate Sandy Acres Dairy near Elk Mound, Wis. They milk 480 cows and farm 1,000 acres of alfalfa and corn. They will be featured in one of eight virtual farm tours during the World Dairy Expo.


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Jim and Laurie Orth and their daughters, Katelyn (20) and Eryn (15) Golden Prairie Dairy, Winona, Minn.; Winona County; 60 cows

How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? We have attended World Dairy Expo with the girls the last seven years. This is very much a family event for us. Our girls look forward to World Dairy Expo every year. What’s the biggest attraction for you at World Dairy Expo? Why? Watching the nam-ing of supreme champion would have to be the highlight of our visit to World Dairy Expo. It’s exciting to see all the high quality cows.What is a typical day like for you when you attend World Dairy Expo? Our day starts with trying to take in as much of the trade show and viewing of cattle as possible. We never seem to see as much as we like because we run into many old friends from back when we showed Guernseys at World Dairy Expo in 1989 and 1990. What information do you hope to acquire to improve your dairy operation? We enjoy seeing the improvements made to the genetics in the industry. We like to bring that informa-tion home to see it work on our herd.Why is World Dairy Expo important to the dairy industry? We feel World Dairy Expo is a great place to see beautiful cows, new technology and new techniques all in one place. As farmers, we are always trying to find the best ways to improve our herd and our facili-ties. Tell us about your farm. We run about 157 acres of hay, corn and oats. We milk our 60 cows in a tiestall barn. The herd mostly consists of Jerseys, Holsteins, Guernseys and some crossbreds. We raise all our youngstock with the help of our two daughters: Katelyn (20), who is a junior at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and Eryn (15), who is a sopho-more at Lewiston-Altura High School. They show in youth open shows and 4-H shows including the state 4-H dairy show. They are also involved in dairy judging.

“Our day starts with trying to take in as much of the trade show and

viewing of cattle as possible.”


“The youth are the future of the dairy industry.”

“Every animal writes its own story,” says Greg Evans of the Ayrshires at Sunny Acres Farm, Georgetown, New York. He and his brother Andrew and sisters Laura and Rachel are among the thousands of young people to have shown at the All-American in Harrisburg and World Dairy Expo in Madison. In some ways, the cattle help each young person growing up on the dairy farm to “write their own stories” as well. They learn values they take with them into future careers and on the dairy farm.

“The youth are the future of the dairy industry,” observes Mark Comfort, co-owner of Udder Comfort™. “We realize the tremendous investment of time and money they have in showing their cattle. We want to be an encouragement to them for a bright future.” In this spirit of encouragement, the company supports Junior events at both shows.

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GREG EVANS, Georgetown, NY with his three-year-old Sunny Acres Harmonys Kennedy, great-granddaughter of the great Kineta, picured on the farm sign. Kennedy was 2009 Intermediate Champion at All-American.

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By Kelli BoylenStaff writer

WEST UNION, Iowa – Norm Nab-holz has had the title of his book in his head for years. But, it was just this August that he finally held a completed copy of “Millionaires in the Cornfield – The Glo-ry Days of the National Cattle Congress” in his hand. “I probably enjoyed writing that book more than I have ever enjoyed anything in the dairy business,” he said. Nabholz’s earliest memories of the Cattle Congress go back as far as he can remember. He is not able to pick one thing about the event that sticks out the most in his mind. “The whole thing is one great mem-ory,” he said. “The smells of the barn, the professionalism that everyone exhibited, everything.” It is this deep-seeded love and respect of the Cattle Congress that Nabholz holds that shows through in his writing. “If you are looking for a literary mas-terpiece this isn’t it,” he said with a laugh. But you will find stories of the glory days of one of the greatest cattle shows of all time. His book starts out, “I can still re-member the smells inside of the warm barn #2, the Jersey barn. Wheat straw, timothy hay, pine wood shavings, clean cows. In all their glory were some of the greatest cows God created, all and the men who took care of them… Life was perfect for me. How could it not be, with May Lads Wallflower, Pinn Blonde Oak-land and the rest of the Heaven Hill herd laying there chewing their cuds?... The National Dairy Cattle Congress located in Iowa corn country was the home to the World’s Greatest Dairy Cattle show. The following chapters tell just a little of the cattle, their caretakers and their owners –

from the wealthiest people in the world to dirt farmers who would gather every autumn in Waterloo, Iowa, to compete during the glory years for this one of kind exhibition.” The Cattle Congress began in 1910, and for 55 years was the “gathering place for some of North America’s most influ-ential business leaders with a common denominator, the love of dairy cattle and the competition.” Back in the day, businessmen from across the U.S. – from brewery owners to candy bar makers often owned dairy herds. Most Iowans are familiar with the Maytag Dairy, but easily recognizable business owners with names like Schlitz, Pabst, and Gamble (of Proctor and Gam-ble) owned herds as well. The cattle would arrive in boxcars, traveling from across the nation. Many show crews spent much of the late sum-mer and early fall traveling the show cir-cuit, and had the stories to go with that amount of traveling. The boxcars were maintained with the same care exhibi-tors still have today in the show barns, and cattle were usually clean enough they could walk from boxcar to the showring. The rich businessmen would often watch from the stands, wearing their suits and ties. In peak years, there were between 1,200 and 1,500 cattle exhibited at the show, and the Cattle Congress lasted up to eight days. In 1965, the operators of the Cattle Congress decided to survey the people attending the show. Based on the results, the event became more of an urban fair than dairy show. Within a few years, the breed associations stopped holding their national shows there, and things were for-ever changed. Nabholz compiled stories after talk-ing to more people than he could easily keep track over the years. Some of the stories date from way back and have al-ways stuck with him. Some were more recently gathered. In May of 2009, Nabholz began writing down the stories of the past for

dairyagendatoday.com, and these stories became chapters of the book. There are 27 chapters in the 262 pag-es, divided up mostly by exhibitors, with chapter names such as “Boulder Bridge Farm,” “Lyon-Lang, “Curtiss Candy” and “Chambric.” In addition to the stories, there are many photos dating back to the 1940 and 50s. Many of the photos were shared by Agri-Graphics, Hoard’s Dairyman and people he talked to. He self-published the book, deliver-ing it to the printers copy-ready thanks to the help of Gretchen Taylor. He said he has had really good re-sponse so far, and many have had good comments after reading it.

He has started marketing the books mid-August through dairyagendatoday.com and Holstein World. He will be selling the book at the 2010 Cattle Congress Sept 16-19, the North American International Livestock Exposition show in Louisville Nov 16-19, and he will be selling them at World Dairy Expo at the dairyagendatoday.com booth (Coliseum, Arena Level, booth 186). World Dairy Expo will be a busy time for Nabholz in addition to marketing his book – he is also a fourth-time dairy show judge. He last judged Jerseys in 2005, and

Photo by kelli boylenNorm Nabholz recently published his first book “Millionaires in the Corn-field – The Glory Days of the National Cattle Congress.” In addition to judging at World Dairy Expo this year, he will also be marketing his book.

Nabholz shares memories of

National Cattle CongressIowa native will judge Ayrshires, market book at World Dairy Expo

turn to Nabholz / Page 16


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this year it will be Ayrshires. He has also judged the World Dairy Expo Jersey class in 1991 and Ayrshires in 1992. His first professional judging expe-rience was in the mid 1970s at the Red River Valley Fair in North Dakota. From there, “things just started.” Soon he was judging state fairs and he has even trav-eled to Australia, Argentina, Ecuador and Mexico over the years. “My dad was a great cow man,” he said when reflecting about his dairy judg-ing past. “We talked cows in the barn; we talked cows at the dinner table. It was what we did, and it was imprinted on me.” Nabholz grew up on his family’s dairy farm, and attended Iowa State for their judging team. After college he start-ed in the dairy sale business, and that is what he has done since. Being chosen as a judge is definitely an honor, as the judges are voted on by the previous year’s exhibitors. He judges anywhere from two to twenty dairy shows a year, and he enjoys them all. “I like to look at cows, analyze them, and be out in the middle to see them up close. It is really fun.” World Dairy Expo judges have the opportunity to choose their own asso-ciates, and this year he choose Randy Franks of DeWitt, Iowa. As much as Nab-holz is looking forward to seeing great cows up close in the show ring, he said he is really looking forward to working with Franks. Anyone looking for more informa-tion about Millionaires in the Cornfield or any of Nabholz’s other projects can contact him at [email protected] or 563-422-3692, or visit with him at the Cattle Congress, World Dairy Expo or NAILE.

At the Dairy Dinner Thursday evening, Sept. 16 at the Cattle Con-gress grounds, (the day of the Jersey and Brown Swiss Sale), Nabholz will be selling small models of six of the greatest cattle champions to ever grace the grounds of the National Cattle Con-gress. He commissioned Carol Herden to re-create these fine cows, and the atten-tion to detail is breathtaking. Each of the six models are one of a kind, and the mold has been broken. Each model sells with a certificate of authenticity and their portrait is included. Cattle made into the models are:• Netherhall Swanky Dan, an Ayrshire owned throughout most of his career by the Curtiss Candy Company. Swanky Dan accumulated 84 championships from coast to coast, including four-time grand champion at the Cattle Congress. • Aftons Golden Marie, a Guernsey also owned by the Curtiss Candy Com-pany. Maries traveled extensively in the 1940s and 50s, and was a two-time grand champion in Waterloo. • Mabels Tamarind Violet, a Brown Swiss owned during her show years by Welcome In Farm and Lee’s Hill farm. Selling with Violet is a mint Welcome In sale catalog. • Favorite Golden Lad, a Jersey repre-senting Iowa, that was also a four-time grand champion at Cattle Congress. • Lyon Jesileus Madeline, also a Jersey from Iowa. She was the anchor of the Lyon Jerseys’ “day to remember” in 1958.• Harborcrest Rose Milly is the Hol-stein model and one of the most influ-ential champions of all time. She was the National Show champion in 1964 and 65, and the dam of Paclamar Astro-naut.

Continued from Nabholz / Page 14

Photo by kelli boylenNorm Nabholz commissioned these unique models with an artist in north-west Iowa. Each model is a one-of-a-kind work of art that will be sold at the Dairy Dinner the evening of Sept. 16 at the Cattle Congress grounds, (the day of the Jersey and Brown Swiss Sale).

Champions of National Cattle Congress


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Rick Pagel, Mantorville, Minn.Dodge County, 70 cows

How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? I’ve been there 29 years. I’ve only missed three years since 1978. For the past few years I’ve worked for Richard Green from Dela-ware and Barclay Phoenix from On-tario, Canada.

What’s the biggest attraction for you at World Dairy Expo? Why? The cow shows. It’s the Super Bowl of cow shows. The best cows are out there on the colored shavings.

“I like to look at all the daughters and see what the hot new bulls are.”

What is a typical day like for you when you attend World Dairy Expo? For the last three years while I’ve been working for other breeders I spend my time in the barn. There really are no days and nights because the day starts at 4 a.m. and goes until midnight. I keep the display in order and work with the cows, clipping and washing them.

What information do you hope to acquire to improve your dairy operation? I like to look at all the daughters and see what the hot new bulls are. After looking at the cows I can decide which bulls to use on the cows at home.

Why is World Dairy Expo important to the dairy industry? There are two rea-sons: first, it’s a great place to see good registered cows of any breed. You get to see what shows, which bulls are being used, what other people are doing on their farm and look at the displays in the barns. On the other hand, it’s a great place to go through the trade show and see all the new technology out there in the dairy industry. There’s no better place to see it.

Tell us about your farm. I manage the cows on the farm and own them in part-nership with John Bierbaum. We also have a boarding business, where we usually have about five to 25 cows depending on the time of year. We raise about 200 acres of crops. We grow our own forages and have them custom harvested and buy all our grain.


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Visitors from around the globe can now log onto www.worlddairyexpo.com and click on the “Attendee Information” tab to learn more about each of the 750-plus companies participating in this year’s show. World Dairy Expo Sales Manager, John Rozum says “We are really excited to provide this year-round resource. In addition to a full listing of our exhibitors, you can now search our site for very specific information about each one. Dairy producers are sure to find this tool valuable before, during and after the show.”

Interactive options include: • Up-to-date lists of World Dairy Expo’s exhibitors, featuring company name, product category, booth location and web address. • Individual maps of the grounds, in-cluding the Outdoor Trade Mall, Exhibi-tion Hall, Coliseum, Arena Building and Grazing Pavilion, that allow you to scroll over booth locations and see the name of the company occupy-ing that space as well as their address and contact information. • Dairy producers who are looking for specific products or equipment will appre-ciate the search func-tion of the site. For instance, if you are looking for products to treat mastitis, simply type the word into the search bar and an instantaneous list of all exhibitors supplying mastitis treatments appears along with their booth location and website link. Click on individual maps, and these same exhibitors’ booths are highlighted. Rozum notes, “Each year World Dairy Expo’s trade show features the best tools, products, equipment and technology to manage a dairy operation. We’re hoping our new search function and interactive maps help connect dairy producers with our exhibitors all year long.”

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How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? I attended World Dairy Expo for the first time in 1967. My wife, Mary, and I have gone off and on since then. We have exhibited at WDE twice and have attended consistently the past 10 years.

What’s the biggest attraction for you at World Dairy Expo? Why? The dairy shows. World Dairy Expo gives you the opportunity to see the best cattle in the country in one place.

What is a typical day like for you when you attend World Dairy Expo? I make it a two-day trip. The first day I like to watch the Red and White Holstein Show and the Holstein Heifer Show, followed by visiting Exhibition Hall to see the ex-hibits. In the evening, I enjoy walking through the barns and visiting with fellow dairymen and then going to the World Classic Sale. On Saturday, I mainly watch the Holstein Cow Show and get gifts for the grandchildren (probably the most enjoyable part).

What information do you hope to acquire to improve your dairy operation? I am interested in the latest technology, but I am more intrigued with the genetics and how they are factoring in the true type Holstein cow.

Why is World Dairy Expo important to the dairy industry? Because World Dairy Expo gives dairymen an opportunity to see the latest technology and the top show cattle exhibited all in one place.

Tell us about your farm. I farm with my wife, Mary, near Rice, Minn. We have four grown children and four grandchildren. After a cattle sale in 2005, we cur-rently have a small herd. We are flushing some cows and doing embryo transfer work. We farm 480 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa.

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with the genetics.


Tuesday, September 28, 2 p.m.Hosted by: Valley-Drive Holsteins, LLC, Campbellsport, WI200 Milking/Adaptation Leads to LongevitySponsored by: Structures Unlimited LLC Over six generations have lived and worked at Valley-Drive Holsteins, LLC and it continues to thrive today. Homesteaded in 1846, the farm has grown from its original 40 acres to encompass a milking herd of 200 cows with modern milking facilities on 230 acres. Jeff Hayes and his family, including his mother Merlene and partner Daryl Win-ter, focus on good cows and good management to keep their business thriving. Cows are bred to the top sires available and embryos are shipped worldwide. Over a quarter of the herd can be traced back to a purchase at the 1991 Agri-Prize sale, Con-Acres-HS Zara. Additionally, cow comfort is a focus for Valley-Drive Holsteins. A new facility was built in 2007 which features a double five parlor and freestall housing. Currently, the herd has a rolling herd average of 24,832 pounds of milk and a BAA of 106.4.

Wednesday, September 29, NoonHosted by: Stewart Farms Inc., Nampa, ID630 Milking/Innovative Reproductive ToolsSponsored by: Semex As new innovations for farm manage-ment emerge, Stewart Farms Inc. is a quick adopter of these technologies. Joe Stewart, along with his brother Jere and parents Jim and Marcella, own and operate Stewart Farms Inc. Currently, the farm uses activ-ity detection devices that cows wear around their necks. By monitoring daily activity logs, the system has helped to pinpoint cows in heat, resulting in optimal breeding time while reducing labor and cost. Since the adoption of the system, Stewart has seen conception rates rise to 54.5 percent, number of days open reduced by 30 days, the calving interval decreased to 12.6 months and the average number of services per conception decreased from 3.4 to 2.4. Additionally, the farm uses a feed tracking system that adjusts daily feed usage, resulting in 100 percent feed consumption and reducing the feed cost per cow by $2 dollars daily. Stewart Farms is home to 630 milk cows with a rolling herd average of 26,504 pounds of milk.

Wednesday, September 29, 2 p.m.Hosted by: Clover Patch Dairy, Millersburg, OH420 Milking/ Grazing BenefitsSponsored by: American Jersey Cattle As-sociation Operating a dairy farm that provides a high quality of life for family and employ-ees, plus achieves long-term financial secu-rity for its owners, has been a nearly 20-year endeavor for Alan and Sharon Kozak. Every aspect of their enterprise, Clover Patch, re-flects thoughtful planning and careful execu-tion, plus perseverance in overcoming mis-takes and setbacks. The Kozaks started in the dairy business in 1991 by renting the complete facility and focusing ownership efforts on cattle. They have continued that strategy to this day. By eliminating Johne’s disease, controlling involuntary culling, achieving low death losses in the replacement program, and using sexed semen, their Registered Jersey™ herd has grown to over 800 head with continuous sales of excess stock. With the dairy situated on 450 acres in north-central Ohio, the Kozaks have access to milk markets that reward them for producing milk averaging 4.8% milkfat and 3.7% protein. Intensive management of grazing pastures and hay fields, supplemented by year-round TMR, supports 60 pounds daily production per cow.

Thursday, September 30, NoonHosted by: Ripp’s Dairy Valley, Dane, WI860 Milking/Managing Transition CowsSponsored by: AgSource Cooperative Ser-vices Ripp’s Dairy Valley is a family affair that focuses on the comfort and productivity of their cows. The dairy is owned and oper-ated by brothers Gary, Troy and Chuck Ripp and their families, with wives and children helping with the day-to-day operations. The partnership was formed back in 1975 and culminated with the farm becoming an LLC in 2004. During that time, the herd also grew from 260 cows to the current day herd size of 860 cows. As the herd grew, new tools for measur-ing herd performance were integrated, including fresh cow evaluation. By using the Transition Cow Index®, developed by the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, they were able to evaluate fresh cow performance and health. The Ripps discovered that numerous cows had negative values indicating a poor start to the lactation. To ensure healthier cows and better lactation performance, the dairy constructed a new transition cow barn in 2008. Today, cows get a better start after calving and as a result, Ripps Dairy Valley has a rolling herd average of 32,856 pounds of milk.

Visit dairies from around the U.S. without leaving World Dairy Expo 2010. Virtual Farm Tours will focus on a variety of management topics, including: farm longevity, innovative reproductive tools, grazing benefits, managing transition cows, a research dairy herd, family succession, environmental stewardship and robotic calf feeders. These free tours will be presented daily, Tuesday through Saturday, in the Mendota 1 meeting room in the Exhibition Hall. The managers will present a half-hour pictorial view of their operation, including general operation information and highlights of exceptional management practices. Time for questions and discussion will follow. The tours will be available for viewing on World Dairy Expo’s website after the show. AgSource Cooperative Services, American Jersey Cattle Association, Grow Wisconsin Dairy Team, Kansas Department of Commerce, Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, Quality Liquid Feeds and Semex and Structures Unlimited LLC are sponsors of the 2010 Virtual Farm Tours. Following is a short biography and description of each tour:

Virtual Farm Tours

Thursday, September 30, 2 p.m.Hosted by: University of Minnesota Teach-ing & Research Facility, St. Paul, MN130 Milking/Research Dairy HerdSponsored by: Quality Liquid Feeds The University of Minnesota Dairy Teaching & Research Facility is committed to making a better future for the dairy indus-try. This facility focuses on researching the newest techniques for feeding and managing calves, heifers, and lactating and dry cows. A large amount of time and resources are dedi-cated to dry and transition cow research, to evaluate practical applications for moderate-energy dry cow diets: identifying forage alterna-tives to reduce feed costs, and the use of molasses-based liquid supplements to increase digest-ibility, intake, and reduce sorting. The facilities and herd have helped scientists and students conduct research for over 100 years, resulting in nearly 25,000 research articles published. However, the research doesn’t stop in the barn; milk is utilized for dairy product research, and cheese and ice cream sales on campus. Additionally, the facility serves as a teaching tool to visi-tors as well, educating thousands of people from intercity youth to international students.

Friday, October 1, NoonHosted by: Cycle Farm, Sturgeon Bay, WI240 Milking/Family SuccessionSponsored by: Grow Wisconsin Dairy Team Formally bringing the next genera-tion into the family business is an exciting time. However, the decision making on how to grow, structure and run the business can bring their own set of dynamics and chal-lenges. Tony Brey returned home to Sturgeon Bay, Wis. in 2007 to join his parents Bill and Clarice Brey in their farming operation and his brother Jacob is a sophomore in the Dairy Science program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The family recently enrolled in the Wisconsin Dairy Farm Management Team program to gain a more solid understanding of suc-cession planning. In the program, they utilize a management team and receive consultation about future expansions, business planning and passing the farm to the next generation. Cycle Farm is home to 240 registered Holstein cows with a rolling herd average of 23,000 pounds of milk and a BAA of 107.6, the highest in the country for herds with 150 to 199 cows. Cycle Farm is so named because of the ever-changing aspects of dairy farming.

Friday, October 1, 2 p.m.Hosted by: Royal Farms Dairy, Garden City, KS6150 Milking/Environmental StewardsSponsored by: Kansas Department of Com-merce Royal Farms Dairy has emerged as a steward of land and resources through their water conservation efforts. The dairy mini-mizes water usage by using each gallon mul-tiple times. Water that is used to cool milk is also used to flush pens and holding areas. Ultimately, this water is then stored in the lagoon until it is used to strategically fertilize and irrigate 1,600 acres, including the dairy’s and a neighboring farm’s fields. Royal Farms Dairy hopes to increase the number of irrigated acres to 2,720 acres in 2011. For their efforts, they have been honored with the Kansas Banker’s Association Environmental Stewardship Award. The dairy is a partnership of manager, Kyle Averhoff, the Irsik Family, two partners living in Washington and two partners living in Nevada. In a state where crop production is dominant and very few families make a living on less than 1,000 acres, Royal Farms Dairy is able to employ 62 people, milk 6200 cows, and house 5600 heifers all on the net consumption of water equivalent to 1-2 circles of irrigated corn. It is easy to see that this kind of economic development is very powerful for the local communities and businesses.

Saturday, October 2, NoonHosted by: Sandy Acres Dairy, Elk Mound, WI480 Milking/Robotic Calf FeedersSponsored by: Land O’Lakes Purina Feed In April 2009, Sandy Acres Dairy, owned by Jeff and Marie Pagenkopf, in-stalled a robotic calf feeder to help stream-line their feeding program and minimize labor and treatment costs associated with raising more than 250 calves per year. With the robotic calf feeder, calves receive mul-tiple milk feedings per day in group settings, which has improved nutrient intake, increased average daily weight gain, and minimized the use of antibiotics and costly treatments. The robotic calf feeder has also reduced labor needs by eliminating manual mixing and feeding of milk replacer, allowing the Pagenkopfs more time to monitor calf growth and performance and check for signs of health challenges. In addition, the Pagenkopfs observed that because their calves are well-nourished and accustomed to group pens, they experience less stress from co-mingling with other calves during the post-weaning transition. The Pagenkopfs found their investment in a robotic calf feeder worthwhile.


Dairy producers and industry representatives from around the globe will gather in Madison, Wisconsin, when World Dairy Expo takes place September 28 – October 1. World Dairy Expo strives to be a leader in education and new technology. This year, continuing education credits for dairy professionals, nutritionists, veterinarians and vet-erinary technicians can be earned by attending the World Dairy Expo Seminars. Mem-bers of American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) and the American Association of State Veterinary Boards – RACE Program (RACE) can earn one credit for each seminar they attend. “Veterinarians and dairy professionals will see the latest technology displayed at World Dairy Expo’s trade show and the finest in dairy genetics on parade at the dairy cattle shows held during the week. Now, in addition, they can earn continuing educa-tion credits. This is a great added feature for a trip they are already making,” says Liz Matzke, seminar coordinator. There will be eight seminars held during the week, Tuesday through Saturday, in Mendota 2 meeting room located in the Exhibition Hall. Seminars are structured with a 45-minute presentation, plus time for questions and discussion. Seminar topics and credits that can be earned are listed below. Participants will learn more about: methane digesters, genomic testing, calf diets, new management technolo-gies, feed costs, the global dairy outlook, reproductive tools and mycotoxins. Addition-ally, all seminars will be available for viewing after World Dairy Expo at www.world-dairyexpo.com. ABS Global, Advanced Comfort Technology, Alltech, APC, Inc., Badgerland Fi-nancial, BASF Plant Science, Jamesway Farm Equipment and Micro Dairy Logic are sponsors of this year’s seminars. Following is a brief synopsis of each Expo Seminar.

“Opportunities to Advance Manure Digesters in the US”Tuesday, September 28, 1 p.m. Christopher Voell, Program Manager-AgSTAR, EPA Climate Change DivisionSponsored by: Jamesway Farm EquipmentContinuing Education Credits: ARPAS (1), RACE (1) There are currently 150 operating manure digesters at US livestock facilities across the US, with potential for 3,000-4,000 additional digesters. However, many policy and financial barri-ers stand in the way of farms realizing their own digester. Manure digester projects provide both environmental and economic pos-sibilities, including greenhouse gas reductions, renewable energy generation, reducing air, land and water concerns, and provid-ing revenue diversification for producers and rural communities.

Christopher Voell will discuss the opportunities and hurdles to manure digester project implementation. Voell works in the US and abroad with producers, project developers, utilities and government agencies to advance the development of renewable biogas.

“Recent Developments in Genetic Testing and Predicting Genetic Values”

Wednesday, September 29, 11 a.m.Dr. Curt Van Tassell, Research Geneticist, USDA – ARSSponsored by: ABS GlobalContinuing Education Credits: ARPAS (1), RACE (1) Single nucleotide polymorphism assays, more commonly known as genomic testing, are used to predict the genetic merit animals possess. As the technology evolves, the ability and cost to test for certain genes has become more readily available. High den-sity testing provides detailed amounts of information on numerous gene pairs, while low density testing is a more cost effective way to analyze a specific gene sequence. Dr. Curt Van Tassell of USDA – ARS, will discuss how genomics testing is changing and what fu-ture benefits genomics might provide to producers. Van Tassell is a

research geneticist at the Bovine Functional Genomics Laboratory and Animal Improve-ment Programs Laboratory. He is instrumental in the development of genomic assays and communicating the use of this tool.

“Improving Feed Efficiency in Dairy Heifers”Wednesday, September 29, 1 p.m.Dr. Jud Heinrichs, Professor, Penn State UniversitySponsored by: APC, Inc. Continuing Education Credits: ARPAS (1), RACE (1) Healthy, well-grown calves are the foundation of the future herd. Limit feeding is an emerging heifer nutrition program that improves efficiency and reduces the amount of manure and am-monia produced. This is accomplished with higher digestibility that increases feed efficiency without compromising growth and often reducing feed costs. Dr. Jud Heinrichs will discuss these diets and additional factors that can affect feed efficiency. Heinrichs is a professor of dairy science and extension specialist at Penn State University. During his tenure, his research and extension work has focused on dairy calf and heifer nutrition and management. Hein-rich is the co-developer of the Penn State Particle Separator, which is used globally to determine forage and TMR particle sizes.

“Will Precision Dairy Farming Change Dairy Farm Management?”Thursday, September 30, 11 a.m.Dr. Jeffrey Bewley, Assistant Extension Professor, University of KentuckySponsored by: Advanced Comfort Technology, Inc.Continuing Education Credits: ARPAS (1), RACE (1) A vast array of equipment and software exists to monitor cow

production, behavior, activity, and health creating a whole new data set for producers to consider. These technologies have the potential to change the way we manage cows, improve animal health, well-being and reproduction, and improve labor efficiency. Dr. Jeffrey Bewley will showcase a variety of new technologies that can be utilized for farm management and outline the benefits, drawbacks and investment requirements of new technologies. Dr. Bewley is an assistant extension professor of dairy systems manage-ment at the University of Kentucky. His research focuses on the application and econom-ics of new precision dairy management technologies.

“Managing Feed Costs in 2010”Thursday, September 30, 1:00 p.m.Dr. Mike Hutjens, Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana - ChampaignSponsored by: BASF Plant Science Continuing Education Credits: ARPAS (1), RACE (1) Feeding the dairy herd is the most costly part of any dairy operation. Forages represent 50 to 65 percent of the feed resources which are controlled and managed by dairy farmers. Building the dairy ration around current on-farm forage inventory will be key in helping to maintain profit margins. Dr. Mike Hutjens will discuss evaluating forage inputs and building rations for optimal perfor-mance in high producing cows. Nutrient levels and form, such as source of fats and oil, protein quality, and feed particle size will be

important in optimizing rumen health as well. Hutjens is a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign. He was honored in 2008 as the American Dairy Science Association Fellow and the World Dairy Expo Industry Person of the Year.

“Global Dairy Trends and Their Affect on Milk Price Volatility”Friday, October 1, 11 a.m.Torsten Hemme, Chairman of the IFCN Network, IFCN Dairy Re-search Center at the University of Kiel, GermanySponsored by: Badgerland FinancialContinuing Education Credits: ARPAS (1), RACE (1) Milk prices have experienced extreme volatility recently, causing an imbalance of supply and demand. The International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) estimates there are 1 billion people operating 145 million dairy farms in the world with an aver-age herd size of only two to three cows. Torsten Hemme will dis-cuss the future of milk production in the United States and Europe. He will examine producers’ awareness of global trends and their ability to improve cost competitiveness. Hemme is the chairman and director of research of the IFCN, a network of dairy econo-

mists from over 80 countries. IFCN compiles and reports milk production costs in their annual IFCN Dairy Report. Hemme has written over 200 papers and presented numerous talks related to global dairying.

“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Reproductive Management Pro-grams”

Friday, October 1, 1 p.m.Dr. Paul Fricke, Professor, University of Wisconsin - MadisonSponsored by: Micro Dairy LogicContinuing Education Credits: ARPAS (1), RACE (1) Since the inception of Ovsynch, numerous additional hor-monal synchronization protocols have been developed for lactat-ing dairy cows for their first breeding postpartum, detecting non-pregnant cows and resynchronizing for second inseminations and more. Dr. Paul Fricke will discuss the numerous systems with relation to optimal timed insemination and heat detection. Addi-tionally, he will present the latest research for synchronizing dairy heifers. Fricke is a professor with the University of Wisconsin – Madison, recently promoted to a full time professor. His duties in-

clude numerous speaking engagements through his extension appointment and continu-ing his research on heat synchronization.

“Mycotoxins in Dairy Feeds: The Threat to Herd Health”Saturday, October 2, 11 a.m.Dr. Trevor K. Smith, Professor, University of GuelphSponsored by: AlltechContinuing Education Credits: ARPAS (1), RACE (1) Recent research indicates that current analysis of dairy feeds for mycotoxins may be seriously underestimating the degree of mycotoxin contamination. Dr. Trevor Smith will explain the threat mycotoxins pose to immunity, which can result in lingering herd health problems including, cows that do not respond to medica-tions and failure of vaccination programs. The most effective tools currently available to minimize the harmful effects of mycotoxins are mycotoxin adsorbents. Smith has been a professor at the Uni-versity of Guelph for 33 years. During his tenure, his research in

feed and food toxicology has focused on prevention of mycotoxicoses, analysis of my-cotoxins in feedstuffs and characterization of the harmful effects of feed-borne toxins. *This program was reviewed and approved by AAVSB RACE program for eight hours of continuing education in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval. Please contact the AAVSB RACE program if you have any comments/concerns regard-ing this program’s validity or relevance to the veterinary profession. AAVSB RACE provider – World Dairy Expo, # 395

Methane digesters, calf diets and feed costs all topics in Expo’s seminars

Christopher VoellAgSTAR

Dr. Curt Van TassellUSDA-ARS

Dr. Jud HeinrichsPenn State Univ.

Dr. Mike HutjensUniv. of Illinois

Torsten HemmeUniv. of Kiel, Germany

Dr. Paul FrickeUniv. of Wis.

Dr. Trevor SmithUniv. of Guelph

Dr. Jeffrey BewleyUniv. of Kentucky



DAIRY ST RFebruary 27, 2010

Volume 12, No. 1

Online at www.dairystar.com

Vote in our online survey,

“What is your favorite Winter Olympic Sport to watch?”

“All dairy, all the time”™

By Jerry NelsonStaff writer

BIGELOW, Minn. – The second round of Minnesota Livestock

Investment Grants has been announced by the Minnesota Department of

Agriculture. Nearly a million dollars will be divided between 50 awardees scat-

tered all across the state. Grant winners have operations that involve

a wide range of species including dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, and

poultry. “During the program’s two-year history we have had more than 800

livestock producers apply for Investment Grants,” said Curt Zimmer-

man, Livestock Development Supervisor at the Minnesota Department

of Agriculture. “Last year 574 livestock producers applied, while 245

producers applied this year.” The majority of these Investment Grants have gone to dairy farmers.

In its rst year, two-thirds of the 40 Livestock Investment Grants that

were awarded went to dairy operators, while just over half of this year’s

50 grants will be given to dairy producers.

“The goal of the program is to reward those who have made an in-

vestment in our state’s livestock industry,” said Zimmerman, who noted

that livestock production and processing pumped $11.6 billion into the

state’s economy. “We want to reward such things as improvement in ef ciency, in-

By Jennifer BurggraffStaff writer

MENAHGA, Minn. – Joel Hendrickson has always had the itch to own his own dairy cattle. In fact, he pur-chased his rst cow when he was still in high school. Be-cause he didn’t know how his dad would react, Joel’s old-est brother, Peter Mark, who was working for his dad and eventually took over the home farm, claimed the cow as his own and secretly gave Joel a cut of the milk check. “That’s what I’ve done since high school; every penny I had went to buy a cow,” Joel said. “I would work out a deal for every cull cow my uncles had.”


ST. PAUL, Minn. – Dairy producers from across Minnesota will have an op-portunity to meet face to face with their legislators on March 2, 2010, during Dairy Day at the Capitol. The event is coordinated by the Minnesota Milk Pro-ducers Association and Co-operative Network. “Basically, it was started because, as an organization, we wanted to make ef cient use of dairy farmers’ time going to the Capitol to share their issues with their legisla-tors,” MMPA executive direc-tor, Bob Lefebvre, said about Dairy Day at the Capitol. “We wanted to get real people that are impacted by the laws they (legislators) pass in front of the legislators.” A secondary purpose of the event was to educate leg-islators about agriculture and the dairy industry throughout the state. “The last couple years we’ve been trying to reach out to urban legislators,” Lefebvre said. “It’s been dif- cult; they have a lot on their plates. But we understand it’s important for them to have some understanding of agri-culture.” Nate Arendt, a dairy pro-ducer from Mazeppa, Minn., has attended Dairy Day at the Capitol on and off for over seven years. “It’s a good opportunity for us to see how the legisla-tive process works,” Arendt said. Arendt operates Arendts Holstein Resort with his par-ents, Mark and Kathi, and his wife, Mindi. He attended his rst Dairy Day at the Capitol after being prompted by fel-low producers.

creased production, the use of new technology, and environmental im-

provements,” Zimmerman said. “We also want to help those who suf-

fered losses such as wind or re damage. Some grants went for helping

producers deal with our recent TB outbreak. “At the beginning, there were concerns that

the grants would be awarded mostly to larger op-

erations. But I believe we have answered those

concerns by the awards we have made. Many

recipients have had smaller operations, including

some that are organic or are grazing operations.”

Steve Dykstra is among those who received

a Minnesota Livestock Investment Grant last year.

Dykstra and his wife, Esther, and their ve chil-

dren – Carl, 9; Karen, 6; Trent, 4; Stephanie, 2;

and Paula, 9 months – farm 1,200 acres and milk

220 head on their farm located near Bigelow. The

Iowa border lies just a mile to the south of the

Dykstra farm. Dykstra’s farm was purchased by his grand-

father in 1969. “Dad was serving in Vietnam at the time,” Dykstra said. “Grandpa

asked him if he’d like to farm when he got back, and he said he would.

So Dad came back to a new home where he and Mom started farming

and milking cows.” As the years went by, the Dykstra dairy operation gradually expand-

ed from within. “By 2008 we could see that we needed a bigger milk tank,” Dyks-

Taking matters into his own hands

Hendrickson building on his dairy career

PHOTO BY JENNIFER BURGGRAFF

Joel Hendrickson stands in front of his 77-cow dairy herd on his rented facility near Me-

nahga, Minn. Hendrickson began dairying on his own nearly one year ago.

Turn to Hendrickson / Page 8

MN Department of Ag awards

Livestock Investment Grants50 livestock operations across the

state will split nearly $1 million

Turn to Grants / Page 10

Steve DykstraReceived grant funds last year

Dairy Day at the Capitol, March 2

Turn to Capitol / Page 5

Producers encouraged to inform legislators

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FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. – Since the early 1900s, the University of Minnesota-St. Paul Campus dairy has served as a center of research and teaching to benefit producers across the state. From feeding trials by T.L. Haecker and animal husbandry studies by C.H. Eckles, to more recent cross breeding trials by Dr. Les Hansen and Johnes research by Dr. Sandra Godden, the U of M has served as a forefront of finding answers for the dairy industry.

Now surrounded by the over 280,000 residents of St. Paul, Minn., the U of M continues to do what it has always done – serve as the largest urban research dairy in the United States. It doesn’t see its urban location as a hindrance but as an opportunity to educate oth-ers, both dairy producers and urban consumers alike. For this reason, as well as its reputation as a research, extension and teaching facility, the U of M dairy was chosen as one of eight farms that will be featured in a virtual tour at this year’s World Dairy Expo. “It’s a wonderful honor,” said Dr. Noah Litherland, assistant professor of dairy cattle nutrition, research and extension with the U of M. While Dr. Jim Linn, head of the U of M department of animal science, oversees the dairy facility, Lither-land, along with Bill Hansen, the U of M dairy farm manager, will present the virtual tour, which will take place at 2 p.m. on Sept. 30 in Mendota 1 meeting room in the Exhibition Hall. The presentation will last 30 to 40 minutes. The U of M dairy herd consists of 124 cows, a mix of Holsteins and crossbreds. The herd is housed in a 90-cow tiestall barn and a 40-cow compost-bedded barn and is milked in a double-six herringbone parlor twice a day. Three full-time employees, as well as several part-time student workers, make up the labor force for the dairy. The cows are fed a TMR, with feed grown in U of M fields and purchased feed. Manure from the facility is composted in a composting barn on campus and sold to the city, Litherland said.

U of M dairy research center featured as virtual tour at Expo

Photo ProvidedThe U of M dairy will be featured as one of World Dairy Expo’s virtual farm tours on Sept. 30. From left, Dr. Jim Linn, overseer of the dairy facility; Bill Hansen, dairy farm manager; Dr. Noah Lither-land, Samantha Simpson, Amy Hazel, Brad Heins, Alanna Kmicikewycz and Jennifer Becker.

Photo ProvidedThe U of M dairy herd consists of 124 cows, a mix of Holsteins and crossbreds. The herd is housed in a 90-cow tiestall barn and a 40-cow compost-bedded barn. turn to U of M dairy / Page 26


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A portion of the milk produced by the herd stays on campus for research ex-periments. It is also used by the food sci-ence department in making a variety of cheeses and ice cream in their pilot plant. The herd also serves as a live model for undergraduate and veterinary students. Heifer calves are raised on the St. Paul campus from birth through day 90, when they are sent to the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, Minn. They return to campus as spring-ing heifers. “It’s a busy farm,” Litherland said. “It’s unlike a lot of dairies in that all the cows are fed individually, milk samples are taken weekly, liver biopsies and muscle biopsies are taken ... the cows are poked and prodded.” “We have a small herd but we try to learn as much as possible from them to improve the industry in Minnesota.” During the virtual tour, Litherland will take attendees through the history and day-to-day operations of the dairy. From there, he will detail some of the unique research that has been and is cur-rently being done, from reproduction and transition cow health trials to calf work and feed efficiency. “We try to do research that’s relevant to our own backyard,” Litherland said. Litherland will also highlight how the U has opened its doors to educat-ing not only fellow dairy producers, but urban consumers as well. Large posters and a short video outline management practices and general information; feed samples are available in clear containers, and tour groups – typically led by U of M grad students – are always welcome. “A lot of kids never see live dairy cows, much less a working dairy farm,” Litherland said of the tours. “It’s a neat teaching opportunity for our grad stu-dents as well. They get to show their pride and share their knowledge of dairy.”

Looking to the future, Litherland said he believes there will always be dairy cows on the St. Paul campus, but there has been talk about starting a large commercial dairy. There has also been talk about switching to three-times-a-day milking, getting some registered Hol-steins and putting in a methane digester. He currently has a grant for an automatic calf feeder. “I’d like to see continued growth of pride in our dairy industry,” Litherland said. “I sense people want more out of our University system, so let’s provide them with what they need.” The virtual tour will conclude with time for attendees to ask questions about the herd, the facilities and the research done at the U of M.

Continued from U of M dairy / Page 24

Photo ProvidedA portion of U of M dairy herd is housed in a 40-cow compost-bedded barn. The entire herd of 124 cows is milked in a double-six herringbone parlor twice a day. The dairy will be featured in a virtual tour during the World Dairy Expo.

Photo ProvidedDuring the virtual tour, Dr. Noah Litherland will take attendees through day-to-day operations of the dairy.

Photo ProvidedHeifer calves are raised on the St. Paul campus from birth through day 90, when they are sent to West Central Research and Outreach Center in Mor-ris, Minn. They return to the U of M dairy as springing heifers.


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Documents

World Dairy Expo 2010 special edition