Karen Hunt

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Archive – Page 5

Reynolds Family R&R: Relationships! And Recognition!

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Tuesday, July 22nd, 2014

Family teamwork has been the strength of the dairy industry for generations all over the world. It is hard work, and many learn to welcome rest and relaxation whenever the opportunity presents itself. At Reyncrest dairy in Corfu New York R&R is about relationships and the remarkable way they are building dairy success, heritage and legacy not just today but far into the future.

Reyncrest Dairy

Andy Reynolds and his family of five share a passion for dairy farming. He points out the highlights of where they are today. “Currently at Reyncrest we milk right around 1000 cows with 900 young stock all housed on one site. We farm about 1800 acres that is rotated between corn, alfalfa hay, and wheat. In addition, we have our show animals that are kept separate from our main herd. We usually have between 4-6 milk cows and 10-15 heifers in the show herd.”

“It’s All Relative at Reyncrest”

The entire family enjoys the opportunity to develop a two-pronged approach: milking herd and dairy show string. “My family all takes an active role in the dairy. My parents, John and Shelley, run the farm, taking care of business decisions and daily work. My sister Mackenzie manages the commercial dairy. My brother Tyler manages feeding and the show program. I work with the show animals, calf program and anywhere else I am needed when I am home from school.”

“Shared Family Focus”

Although everyone works together to fulfill the big picture of the dairy operation, each family member has their particular focus. “My brother does most of the sire selection with a general basis of 1000 pounds of milk, 2.0 type, and positive PL and DPR from good cow families. On the commercial side Semex does all of our matings and we have been using many genomic young sires to further genetically advance our herd.” They adjust their focus for the show string. “On the show side we tend to watch the show ring closely and see up and coming bulls that we may want to use on our cows. We try to find the best cross for our cows that will make the ideal mating. We look for bulls that will mate well with our cows that will produce stylish, dairy heifers with long legs and necks, and will go on to make show cows.”

Reyncrest Real Laredo-Red
Senior & Grand Champion of Junior Show NY Spring Red & White Show 2014

“Seeing Red has Been Remarkable for Reyncrest”

Whenever hard work pays off it is rewarding for everyone involved. The success of Reyncrest Real Laredo-Red represents that achievement for the Reynolds family. “She not only has done well as a cow but she did well as a heifer too. She was nominated red and white AA fall yearling and calved in extremely well and was named Intermediate Champion of the Red show at New York Spring Show. After the show Laredo-Red was purchased by Milksource Genetics. I hope she will be very influential in getting our prefix out in the industry.”

“Reynolds Family Gatherings Now Include Multiple Champions”

Andy is justifiably proud of breeding multiple Jr All-American Nominations. “It isn’t easy showing at the World Dairy Expo with a bought animal but when you can competitively exhibit your bred and owned animals, nothing beats it. Seeing the calves born and raising them from the beginning is extremely rewarding especially when they do well in the show ring too!” The word “well” is an extreme understatement in this case. At the 2014 New York Spring International Red and White Show, Andy was on the halter when Reyncrest bred and owned animals earned the spotlight as Intermediate Champion and Senior Champion and, ultimately, Grand Champion of the show.

New York International Spring Show 2014
Senior Champion and Grand Champion of Junior Show – Co-Vale Zenith Darla exhibited by Andrew Reynolds
Reserve Senior Champion and Reserve Grand Champion of the Junior Show – Mill-Wheel Adv Carolina-ET exhibited by Andrew Reynolds

“Family Pedigree is an Investment Decision”

“Normally the pedigree is one of the first things that always catches our eye, whenever we purchase a cow.” Andy explains. “Everyone has particular cow families that they really like or do not. So for us that is the biggest thing that initially attracts us because we want cow families that we can market and make a return on investment.” Beyond that, the Reynolds family have a long term strategy. “When buying cows, it isn’t always about buying cows for just this year. We like to buy cows that are more immature and will continue to develop and get better as they get older.”

“Lasting Style that Places First!”

Breeders who already know the Reynolds family emphasize that their cattle receive remarkable care — every day! Undoubtedly that has led them to their remarkable success. For those eager to know how Reyncrest bred three champions, Andy highlights the process. “When picking matings for our homebred cows we watch the show ring for new bulls to use that are winning shows to produce our ideal mating.” They always target long-lived and stylish cows and sire selection at Reyncrest is also customized to meet specific goals. “For me it is hard to say just one sire and it is different from heifers to cows. Goldwyn is still a favorite in both heifers and cows. However, more recently I would have to say in heifers I really like the Armanis, Doormans, and Brokaws because the calves I have seen are my kind being extra stylish and fancy. In cows, I like the Sids a lot. The Sids in the show ring and the cows that we have calved in at our dairy are all really consistent with adequate strength and incredible udders. Cows that will last into the future.”

“Extraordinary Mentors and Trusted Advisors”

Andy is enthusiastic about the exceptional mentors available to him. “I have had many influences in my life that have really impacted myself and my family. I would have to say from a young age and into now that Jonathan and Alicia Lamb have been by far the biggest outside influences in my life and my siblings’ lives. They have been like second parents to my siblings and I and have given us tons of advice and connections in the dairy industry.”

Co-Vale Zenith Darla
Senior Champion and Grand Champion of Junior Show – NY International Spring Show 2014
Exhibited by Andrew Reynolds

“Showing the Way!”

In the show ring, Aaron Eaton has been a considerable influence in helping take us to the next level in the show ring. I would have to say Pat Lundy is another big influence in my life always giving advice and helping get our animals looking their best. Moreover, Kelly Lee has always been there giving me showing advice and teaching me her knowledge of cattle. However, the biggest mentors in my life have been none other than my family.

Ludwigs-DG Elegant-ET
First Spring Yearling & Reserve Junior Champion of the Junior Show – New York International Spring Show 2014
Exhibited by Andrew Reynolds

“Inspiring, Caring and Generous”

Andrew is thankful that the Reynolds siblings have each benefited from family nurturing. “Our parents have supported us throughout our entire lives in whatever endeavors we have pursued. My brother Tyler and sister Mackenzie have put up with me and taught me everything they know, and I am extremely grateful for all the advice I have been given.”

“Rising by Degrees”

The future continues to unfold for Andy and even as he develops his own path he follows in the family footsteps. “I will finish my degree at Cornell University and then hopefully join my siblings at our dairy and continue to expand our dairy. Our goal is to be able to continue to expand our dairy along with having an elite group of registered show cows.”

“Reyncrest goes Beyond Roadblocks”

With his typical positive outlook, Andy isn’t stopped by roadblocks. “Things are always bound to happen for the good or bad so be prepared for anything.” Andy feels that it is especially important that you should always be asking good questions – and taking action. These two things can move your dairy, your career and your family forward “Take advice and ask as many questions as possible because you can always learn something.”

“Family is the Tradition”

The Reynolds family success is built on the recognition that “Because we all love what we’re doing, the togetherness of our family dairy business is awesome!” Andy sums it up perfectly. “Everything that happens in the show ring provides incredible experiences that I will always remember and love.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

The Reynolds family is delighted with their show ring success, but they value the dairy operation for making it possible. “At the end of the day the dairy is what allows us to do all of that.” Togetherness is the key according to Andy. “The fact that my entire family is involved in the dairy and that we enjoy what we do every day is truly rewarding and what I am the proudest of.” Remarkable relationships. Remarkable Reyncrest Results. That’s the Reynolds family legacy of R&R!

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Don’t Blame Your Cows for Lack of Production…

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Thursday, July 17th, 2014

Maybe you’ve seen this happen. You’re so confident in yourself and your milking team that you consciously or unconsciously have started skipping a few steps. Or, you have gradually taken on new staff – perhaps a family member or someone selected from the wider community — and you assumed that you didn’t need to review or test their understanding of milking basics because, after all, they know all about it. Then suddenly you’re presented with proof of low milk production and you don’t know how it happened. It just sneaks up on you. Fortunately there’s always a reason. In this case, it’s up to you to find both the cause and the solution to declining milk production.

Are Your Records Measuring Up?

You have to start with your records. If you cannot clearly identify the problem, you will find it doubly hard to come up with a way to solve it. Ideally, your milking team is well aware of the benchmarks you are targeting. Check your records and see if gaps have developed in the achieving the following goals:

SCC UNDER 200,000. Evaluate the herd for a high incidence of subclinical or clinical mastitis.
CMT: 70% of the herd with linear score of 1 and 2
TEAT HEATH: 80% of the herd with no teat end problems. Erosion, eversion, cuts or sores dealt with on a scheduled basis.
AVERAGE DAILY PRODUCTION: minimum of 70-75 pounds of 4% fat corrected milk.
PEAK PRODUCTION: Set parameters so that you know if heifers and second lactation or older animals are reaching peak production.
LACTATION LENGTH: 290 to 310 days with an average length of 296. Anything less than 270 days is considered a short lactation.
DRY PERIOD: Check to see if dry cows have had a dry period of not more than 6 weeks.

Testing. Testing.

Re-check milking procedures. Double check for efficient milk practices.
Take milk samples and run culture and sensitivity tests.
Screen rations or individual feeds for molds and mycotoxins.
Test milking equipment. Poor letdown can be caused by extremes in vacuum.
Test rations and forages to identify deficiencies or imbalances.
Test to find toxicities from chemicals, fluoride and other chemicals.
Test water for impurities or anything that might lower intake.
Stray voltage should be examined when other obvious factors appear normal.

There are obviously other tests that can be performed based on your individual goals and strategies. The point is not the number of tests. It is about the quality of the data that you have for informed decision making.

Don’t Assume You Always “Know” Best of “Do” Best.

Faulty milking practices always contribute to lower milk peaks and shorter lactations.

Let-down: Poor milk letdown obviously has a negative effect on milk production. There are many causes that can be determined and managed. Some cows need a second stimulation to fully let down their milk. This needs to be recognized, recorded and allowed-for in the milking routine SOP.
Timing:
Too soon or Too Late. When the milking machine is attached is very important. After proper prepping, milking should be within 0.5 to 2 minutes. Being put on too soon or too late after preparation causes problems.
Too long. When the milking system requires more than six minutes of machine time per cow, problems can arise.
Sanitation:

In the dairy business, you must keep constant vigilance to avoid bacteria. You don’t want it to infect the milking cows. You don’t want it in the milk. It’s false economy to save time or money by skipping cleaning procedures. In the end, you could be facing a problem that is not only hard to eradicate once it has set it, but in some cases could mean the loss of cows.

Back to Basics to Turn Around Low Milk Production

Now that you have some numbers to work with, it’s time to go back to the beginning. It’s like baseball, which I love. Batters (especially the good ones) are known for stripping down their swing and rebuilding it. However, the rebuild has to have a foundation. It’s not enough to continuously tweak something here, and something else there just because your stats are “suddenly” showing that you are striking out more often. When you do that, you get so far from the foundation that it becomes all miss and no hits! Batters (and their coaches) start at the beginning, rebuilding piece by piece, doing the hard work of getting back to the basics. They do the hard work of rebuilding by grinding through what was once simple, all over again.

Here’s the Secret

Make sure you have your Standard Operating Procedures in place, and that everyone knows what is expected. The secret to success isn’t about making your own rules. It’s all about rules that are effective and that everyone completes properly – every single day – exactly the same way. On dairy operations, there is a risk of slippage (or suddenly being faced with low production) the moment we think we no longer need the foundational elements that made us successful milk producers in the first place.

Nine Basic Steps that should be Part of Your Standard Milking Procedures

Dry-wipe dirt and debris from the first cow’s udder.
Pre-dip all four teats with the green dip cup.
Strip two squirts of milk from each teat and observe for abnormal milk. (*You should have a SOP in place for dealing with abnormal milk.)
Return to the first cow and thoroughly wipe with a clean towel.
Attach the unit to the first cow and adjust.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the second and third cows in the side.
Begin at step 1 with the fourth cow on the side and repeat procedure with each group of 3 cows until all 12 units are attached.
When all units have detached, post dip all cows and release.

Once again the perfect SOP is not necessarily these exact eight steps. The best SOP for milking procedures at your dairy is the one that is developed by your milking team, practiced, revised and performed daily, and that gets the best production from the milking herd. No surprises!

Eat Well! Live Long! Milk Often!

As discussed so far, there are many little things that can add up to the significant problem of declining milk production. If none of the preceding scenarios are contributing to your situation, maybe it is time to look at the age of your cattle, the nutrition provided for your herd and finally, milking frequency. Consider this three-point proposition: 1. Cows who live longer milk more. 2. Cows who eat more give more milk. 3. Cows who are milked more often give more milk. After all, cows need optimum health and energy to produce to optimum levels. With the right nutrition in place, then check your system to reduce the stress and strain. More frequent milking can be another way to enhance udder health, increase production and extend the milking life of your cows.

Time to Test Again!

Perhaps you have come full circle in your strategic review, with all of your staff involved, and you are certain that all the SOP procedures are being followed by all milking staff. At this point, any problems in milking performance that are discovered must be a result of a more severe deficiency either in the design of your SOPs or with the health of your herd. Call in your consultants: nutritionist, veterinarians, feed suppliers or other dairy peers whose opinion and objective viewpoint can give you a different perspective. It’s never too late and getting the best data is the place to start. Information is the key. So once again in addition to the testing previously outlined, the following information should be tracked and posted:

Somatic cell counts
Standard plate counts
Preliminary incubation counts

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Don’t blame your cows. Consistently good milk production is all about doing the simple things. It is built on the foundation elements that we know we should do, over and over, day after day. Success means following a few of the most simple rules and following them correctly and consistently. It isn’t glamorous but perfecting the basics works whether you’re goal is hitting home runs or milking a high producing dairy herd. Remember don’t blame your cows for lack of production…you’re the problem, and you can be fixed!

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Bons-Holsteins: The Type that Wins!

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Wednesday, July 16th, 2014

When you hear that Bons Holsteins took home three major trophies at the Dutch National Holstein Show in June, you might conclude that assuredly they have an eye for cattle and a passion for the show ring. But if you make any further assumptions, you might entirely miss the most important factor in their showring success.

The Bons-Holsteins team from the 2014 NRM Show

“Bons-Holsteins is a home bred farm. In the last 60 years, we never bought a cow, heifer or embryo.”

Nico Bons of Ottoland in the Netherlands proudly benchmarks that he and his wife Lianne are the fourth generation to farm Bons-Holsteins. As the youngest of the Bon family siblings, Nico has already faced the challenges of his dad passing away in 1999 and an accident that kept his brother from taking over the farm. Today with his mother Dikkie Bons the couple milk 65 cows and have 75 young stock on the 40 hectare farm. Undoubtedly, their young daughters Tessa and Anouk and son Ruben.

Left: Bons-Holsteins Koba 191 EX-91 - Int. Champion Int. Show Libramont 2013 & Sr. Champion in 2014!!! Right: Bons-Holsteins Koba 175 EX-90 - 2nd Calf Jasper dtr from the great home bred Koba cow family

Left: Bons-Holsteins Koba 191 EX-94 – Int. Champion Int. Show Libramont 2013 & Sr. Champion in 2014!!!
Right: Bons-Holsteins Koba 175 EX-90 – 2nd Calf Jasper dtr from the great home bred Koba cow family

100% Homebred – Scoring better all the time.

Every generation of the Bons family has moved the dairy operation forward while remaining committed to the homebred philosophy. 65 cows 29x EX and the rest is VG or better. Average score VG89. All bull calfs stayed on the farm and are sold to other farms as jumping bulls, and a few of them go to A.I. There are six cow families we are working with: Bons-Holsteins Aaltje, Bons-Holsteins Dikkie, Bons-holsteins Ella, Bons-Holsteins Koba, Bons-Holsteins Hannie and Bons-Holsteins Roza.

Bons-Holsteins Koba 191 (EX-94)
Grand Champion NRM 2014
Res. Int. Champion Holland Holstein Show 2013

One Goal Above All “To Breed a European Grand Champion”

When Nico took over the farm in 1999, the average type score was GP 80.3. What remarkable progress to be averaging VG89 in 15 years! Nico had been to Canada in 1994 and worked on Bosdale Farms in Ontario. “What I saw there were really nice balanced cows.” He reports that the experience had a big impact on him. “I knew right then what my goal would be. I wanted to breed the European Champion cow and lead her by myself in the showring!”

Nuit de la Holstein Libramont 2013
Sr Champion Bons-Holsteins Ella 158 EX-93 (Mailing) & Reserve Sr Champion Bons-Holsteins Ella 153 EX-91 (Allen)

“Showing cattle is a lot of work.”

Nothing really worth achieving is easy and Nico Bons is emphatic about the hard work involved in showing dairy cattle. He advises anyone interested in focusing on show cows to realize that fact and “to try to get people around you who really want to help you and listen to their advice.” He gives examples of mentors that have positively influenced him. “The cowfitters I have worked with in the last few years have sent me in the right direction. Three that I have learned the most from are Michael Halliwel, Joel Phoenix and Paul Petriffer.” Along with the hard work, Nico advises that you have to be prepared for ups and downs. “I had my luck to start from the bottom. I know what it is like to stand in last place in the showring” But this successful showman concludes. “Sometimes you win sometimes you lose. Never give up.”

Top Advice, “Don’t be mad at the Judge. Breed a better cow. Win next time.”

Nico cherishes his family traditions and also learns from key mentors that have crossed his path as he seeks to achieve his goals. “Its difficult to say exactly who had the biggest influence on me. I think Ed Bos (From Bosdale farms) had a significant impact on me becoming the dairy breeder I am now. My training period at Bosdale showed me that you have to work really hard to get results in the show ring.My father added the one thing that I always remember. “If you are disappointed on show day about your placings, don`t be mad at the Judge but breed a better cow so that he has to make you Champion next time.” Hard work and taking responsibility are what have put Bons-Holsteins at the front of winning lineups.

Bons-Holsteins Ella 158 EX-93 (Mailing)
Res Champion Mature Cow NRM 2014
1st place Sr. Cow Holland Holstein Herd Show 2012

Trophy Shelf Chronicles Rising Showring Success

Nico Bons started working toward his ultimate showring goal first with successes at local shows and then by showing at a national show in 2003. In 2007 international success was achieved in Paris and later in Libramont Belgium 2013 which Nico describes as “one I liked the most.” when Bons-Holsteins Ella 158 (EX-93 Mailing) was named Grand Champion. Nico describes the cows that are winners for him.”I think there are two cows I am most proud to have bred: * Bons-Holsteins Koba 167 (EX-91 Stormatic). She was a really tall cow (1.76 Cm.) and was made for the show ring. She was not only big but had balance in her frame and an udder that was close to perfect.” He explains that others found her special too. “ I loved to lead that cow into the showring. Whenever she entered the ring, you would hear spectators talking about her!” It isn’t surprising in this homebred herd to find that Nico’s second choice for breeding success is related to his first choice. “The second cow is the recent Grand Champion from the Dutch National Show (June 2014) Bons-Holsteins Koba 191 (EX94 Jasper). (Read more: Bons-Holsteins Koba 191 Grand Champion at NRM 2014) The funny thing is these two cows are half sisters.. they are both descendants of Bons-Holsteins Koba 152 (EX-92 Integrity). She is not as tall as her half-sister, but she is a cow with almost no faults! She is extremely balanced… and is a real Queen in the ring. I feel quite strongly that she can do a great job at the European Confrontation. That’s the goal for this cow in the future!”

Bons Holsteins Ella 167 VG-89 2yr.
1st Intermediate Class Libramont 2012
1st Intermediate Class National HHH-Show 2011
Champion Jr. 2yr. Old HHH Show 2010
Champion Jr. 2yr. Old & Best Udder Libramont ’11

Bons-Holsteins has Three Show Toppers at 2014 Dutch National Show

The Bons are building their show ring success. “We go to eight shows a year.” Reports Nico adding that showing is a strategic marketing plan, along with their website and Facebook. Nico feels that showing “ is an excellent tool to let the world know what you are doing.” Bons-Holsteins average 1500 visitors a year and each visitor receives a herd flyer. This marketing plan earned positive reinforcement in June at the Dutch National Holstein Show in Zwolle. Bons Holsteins won an amazing three championships! Bons-Holsteins Koba 191 (EX04 Kas[er_ was the Grand Champion. Reserve Senior Champion went to Bons Holsteins Mailing Ella 158. Koba 195, a full sister to Koba 191, was named the Intermediate Champion.

Nico Bons has favorite “Winning” Bulls

With such a strong focus on type, there has to be a strong emphasis on bull selection. Nico lists his favorites: “At the moment we use a lot of Atwood and Lauthority, a little less from Shadow, Talent, Goldwyn, Jasper, Chelios, Seaver and sid. Referring to Jasper and Stormatic, Nico explains why they were chosen. “The reason to use these two bulls is because the Integrity was a little heavy boned. As a result, we were looking for the bulls who could give us the bone quality. The Integrity cows’ strongest points were rear udder and rump so the choice of Jasper was easy. That’s where you have to protect this bull for.” Nico moves on to Lauthority. “I like my young Lauthroity heifer calfs. I think he can make some show winners.” His has only one hesitation. “ I am a little afraid about the rear legs… sometimes they are a little hocked in.” As well he likes Seaver. “Seaver is one of the bulls we just used recently and I see a lot of good 2 yr.olds in Belgium with great udders. You have to use him on refined boned cows.. I use him on my Stormatic and Talent daughters.”

Here comes the Judge

With his passion for breeding show cows, it was only a matter of time until Nico entered the show ring as a Judge. In 2013, his name was added to the European Judges Panel by the EHRC. He finds it both a rewarding experience as well as a source of continued learning. “Atwood is the bull who surprised me every time I judge show. We know you have to watch his rumps but if they are ok you get some special ones!”

Not blinded by numbers Nico still builds on the Canadian Kind

One of the biggest differences Nico has observed over his breeding career is in the way breeders choose bulls. “In the past, we used our eyes and followed our heart to make the right pairing. Then came indexes.” Nico feels that indexes meant “breeding by numbers” as he calls it. He goes on. “After a few years we realised that the cows we created were ok as milk producing cows but had no strength and power anymore. And then came genomics.” Once again, Nico feels “we are losing our eye for good cow families.“ Nico feels that too much is being sacrificed for speed. “In my opinion that makes it a crazy system, if the goal is all about getting the highest absolute number!”

“Trusting their eyes keeps people coming back”

Bons-Holsteins knows how important it is to have the confidence of buyers in the dairy marketplace. Change can be threatening as Nico explains. “ At first I was afraid that, if I was not involved in genomics, I would not sell embryos or good cattle anymore.” However, he happily reports that hasn’t happened. “I get more and more requests for embryos and good cattle.” He sums up his reasoning for the cause of this continued success “The people who buy here are looking for something they can have confidence in and they buy what their eyes can see. Not being disappointed si what brings people back to buy again.”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

The emphasis on show type has been a winning formula for Bons-Holsteins and Nico agrees. “I think the biggest accomplishment is the total herd of homebred cows that we now have! From when we started in 1999 until now they have changed a lot.” He is proud of the Bon family teamwork that focuses on getting better all the time. “ I did not do all this work alone but my wife and mother helped me every day!” Today with daughters Tessa and Anouk the Bons family are proud to meet the challenges of their shared vision and take their place in Holstein dairy breeding for years to come. They are definitely the type that wins!

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Are New Dairy Farmers Prepared?

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Thursday, July 10th, 2014

When our family dairy farm was at a crossroads in 1988, we asked our three children how they felt about dairy farming. At that time aged 11, 14 and 17, they didn’t see themselves as future dairy farmers and so their grandparents’ animals went under the hammer. Within ten years we were not only the proud parents of a manager for a Canadian A.I. company, an animal nutritionist for an American feed company and a budding dairy marketer who owned and operated his own business, but hubby, and I had moved onto the farm and were both working for a national dairy genetics marketing association. So much for not foreseeing our continuing future in the dairy industry.

“Learn to Do By Doing”

That 4H motto, “Learn to do by Doing” is an excellent mantra for anyone looking seriously at a dairy farming career. What four out of five of us were not prepared for in 1988 was the daily care and management of a dairy herd. With the exception of Murray. Murray was not only up to the challenge but, throughout 45 years of our married life, always managed dairy cows – in addition to whatever other career responsibilities he has taken on. While this has led to exciting opportunities and rather major challenges it probably isn’t a roadmap that others would choose to follow. The good news is that to this day we live next door to the 96-year-old matriarch of his family who has lived her entire life here. In today’s dairy marketplace, there has been so much change that it is forcing new and different ways to do well as new dairy farmers.

Required Education & Training

Dairy farming has always meant mastering many skills including feeding, administering medication, managing waste, operating milking equipment two to three times daily, and other daily duties. A growing number of dairy farmers hold a two or four year degree in dairy science, animal science, agriculture, or a closely related field of study that is the driving force in moving their goals forward since coursework for such degrees generally includes dairy science, anatomy, physiology, reproduction, crop science, farm management, technology, and agricultural marketing. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for direct, hands-on practical experience and working on a farm with dairy cows is a necessary prerequisite for becoming a dairy farmer.

From Family Tradition to Farm Apprenticeships

In the past, the majority of new farmers learned the business from the ground up on the family farm. Today those opportunities are dwindling and those who are inspired to choose a dairy career often apprentice with an established operation before venturing out on their own. Those who intend to remain viable recognize that a lifetime of learning – classroom instruction, farm visits, seminars, videos and Internet – is necessary for the continuous improvement that is necessary for a sustainable, profitable dairy business.

New Education and Training

When you do a little research to discover the resumes of successful dairy farmers or, for that matter, most people working in the industry, you learn that many have backgrounds in 4-H, ag-education or courses and seminars to round out their hands-on expertise. Today’s dairy operators hone skills in calculating application rates, determining genetic merit of livestock or trading grain on the futures market. Continuing your agricultural education is like money in the bank. You can farm without it, but it`s sure a lot easier to farm with it.

New Dairy Farmers Start Out Herd First!

Canadian dairy farmers face the first hurdle of quota purchase before they can become part of the national dairy industry. Figuring out a way to get a foot in that door is a major challenge. In the US, many beginning dairy farmers pursue a “herd first” strategy—that is, they buildup their herds before they make fixed investments in land and buildings. This is a logical first step which builds equity, before investing in buildings and equipment which can depreciate quickly. Cows are also an investment that is relatively easy to buy and sell. The “herd first” strategy is a good way to start generating an income while managing debt.

Advice from Those Who Have “Been there done that!”

Get experience on someone else’s farm before going it on your own. Build equity in cattle, while you work.
Get a positive credit and community history in the area where you want to farm. It is invaluable to have support and references from local farmers and Ag business people.
Be willing to start a little lower than where you want to end up. A farm that needs work may also come with an entry price that can be the first step to your dairy dream.
Buy used equipment and keep it in good condition.
Whenever possible use your own sweat equity. Production costs can be controlled if you are willing and able to do more than you hire someone else to do.
Farming is always ready to teach patience. You can’t get everything at the beginning. A plan that adds value every year is one that will see you build a sustainable operation.
Listen to, learn from and work like other successful farmers.
Target having a barn full of cows as soon as possible, so that you can keep the milk and cash flow flowing.
Don’t get too far into debt. Specifically, stay at or under $2000 per cow
Management skills are essential. Work smarter, not harder.

What is the Outlook for Dairy Farming?

Hundreds of new farmers get started in dairying every year. Compared to other types of livestock farming, dairying can provide a higher income per animal, a monthly milk check, and, in many areas, more markets. As the average age of farmers continues to climb, there will continue to be farms selling our or needing to be taken over. Here a young farmer may find the perfect partner/mentor to work with in planning a future that includes farm ownership. Modern dairy succession is not always through family lines and, in fact, non-related succession will probably become the norm that it is in other industries.

The Off-Farm Job is Important

In a Wisconsin survey (1996-1999) 51 percent of 300 beginning dairy farmers or their spouses worked off farm. It reported that “Twenty-four percent of those taking over the family farm and 33 percent of those starting out on their own had off-farm jobs. Off-farm jobs can provide beginning farm families with additional income, health insurance, life insurance and other benefits. Off-farm income can help meet family expenses when milk prices are low. With an off-farm job, often a family farm can support two households without having to expand herd size or increase the number of milkings per day.”

Research and Development

Most major industries recognize the necessity of having constantly evolving research and development to keep the industry moving forward. When times are good, we imagine that the markets will stay that way and feel overwhelmed when outside forces impact what we have grown comfortable with. As much as we need a new generation to take over the dairy operations, we need next-generation scientists and researchers with a passion for dairy to choose careers that will have a positive impact on dairying. Whether it’s genetics, engineering, architecture or economics, new minds need to accept the challenge of finding solutions, and creating new ways to provide food under changing environmental, political and demographic conditions. It’s frustrating for young people who enter agricultural graduate programs when times are good to discover that funding has been cut, and their futures are anything but sustainable. Five or more years of budget cutting and financial downturns, is having a detrimental effect on dairy research and development.

New Facilities

The positive outcome of the constant change in the industry is that there is a change in educational institutions as well. The Rayner Dairy Research and Teaching Facility in Saskatchewan, Canada plays a significant role in teaching undergraduate and graduate students within the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. Research conducted in the new facility will involve dairy nutrition and feed development, animal fertility and health, animal management, technology development, and development of green technologies for improved sustainability. The facility will also be used to further research from the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, College of Engineering, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, and VIDO/InterVac.

USDA Help for New Farmers

New and beginning farmers are the future of American agriculture,” said US Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Krysta Harden. “The average age of an American farmer is 58 and rising, so we must help new farmers get started if America is going to continue feeding the world and maintain a strong agriculture economy. The new policies announced June 23, 2014 will help give beginning farmers the financial security they need to succeed. Our new online tool will provide one-stop shopping for beginning farmers to learn more about accessing USDA services that can help their operations thrive.” Agriculture institutions worldwide are revising and upgrading their dairy offerings. In Canada, the University of Guelph answers the challenge with a Dairy Education Series which they report is “available as a resource for university and secondary school students, industry personnel, and interested consumers around the world.” As well the University of Guelph has a new dairy facility: The Livestock Research Innovation Centre. Construction began in 2013.

USDA’s New Farmers website has in-depth information for new farmers. The New Farmers website has been built on issues identified by new farmers as top priorities. It will also feature instructive case studies about beginning farmers who have successfully utilized USDA resources to start or expand their business operations.The website includes how to increase access to land and capital; build new market opportunities; participate in conservation opportunities; select and use the right risk management tools, and access USDA education, and technical support programs.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Dairy farming is constantly evolving from a craft to a science, and more extensive training is necessary, especially for those starting out. There are many tools that new dairy farmers must recognize and use well. Those who make the wisest use of all the education, mentorship and hands-on tools will be the new dairy farmers that also stand out.

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A Bedtime Dairy Tale: Once Upon a Hard Place…..

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Tuesday, July 8th, 2014

If you want your dairy queens to reign at the top, you have to start with what is underneath!

Remember the story of the Princess and the Pea?

She could feel a pea through several mattresses. In our dairy barns, we have productive queens and royal princesses who have that same sensitivity … in their bovine feet. Everything they walk on, sleep on or stand on affects their comfort, health and how long their dairy reign will last.Cows on pasture can choose where to lie down, or more importantly, change to a more comfortable spot, as far as what they walk and lie down on. However, nothing is perfect, and mud, stones, wind, rain and excessive heat and cold can add discomfort to the presumed better outdoor conditions. Looking inside the barn, logic tells us that sand would be the softest, mouldable bedding … but, that would have to be sand that isn’t clogging machinery or providing other problems for the human side of the dairy operating equation.

There are Always Trade-Offs When Choosing Bedding

Efficiency and effectiveness also add to the variables you have to consider when choosing bedding. It might be hugely efficient to have automatic scrapers, slatted floors or automatic spray cleaners but, if these are making cows nervous and causing slips, falls and lameness the efficiency and savings in work hours may be completely eradicated by less production, more illness added vet costs and increased culling. Ultimately cattle welfare is complicated.

Whether your cows are princesses or queens, your choice of bedding will be influenced by whether it is tie stall, free stall, or open style. Cost and labor efficiency are high priorities to factor in as well.

Well-packed beds, like the excellent ones maintained at cattle shows are definitely cow-comfortable. They require constant maintenance to stay manure free. On the one hand, the added tasks mean that you are very aware of the manure from each cow and the regular observation allows problems or changes in status to be noted and dealt with in a timely and efficient manner. On the other hand, you incur the added labor costs and expense to replace or maintain the pack. Furthermore, the best bedding material for combating lameness may not be best for udder cleanliness. Relative concerns regarding such different problem areas will also influence bedding material recommendations.

“Our mission is to improve the lives of animals through research education and outreach.”

That is the mission statement of The Animal Welfare group at the University of British Columbia goes like this. (Link: http://awp.landfood.ubc.ca/) They studied barn design and management, and their results showed three areas that have the biggest impact on animal welfare:

Providing deep bedding
Professional management with Standard Operation Procedures
The use of technology to detect illness

Deep Bedding Makes the Most Difference in Lameness

The team at the Animal Welfare group at UBC concluded that bedding is the single most important feature that can reduce lameness on dairy farms (From the Hoard’s Dairyman webinar with Dan Weary, the University of British Columbia.) The researchers studied cow comfort and barn design, and the differences in how people build and manage their farms in Canada, the US and China and found that the lying surface provided to the cows made a significant difference.

Farms using deep bedding have 50% lower lameness rates than those who don’t.
The north east of the US has a higher lameness rates compared to California dairies that use deep bedded recycled dry manure solids.
The use of deep bedding reduces hock lesions, with 95% less hock lesion rate.

If you can see the floor under cow, you will have problems with lameness and hock lesions.

Sometimes Big is Better for Cow Comfort

To draw a comparison to human comfort let’s look at bed and breakfasts and hotels. Sometimes the small intimate B&B has the edge because of the one on one attention. However, there are times when the bed may have seen too many guests or is restricted because of the small inn ambience. It’s nice to get a consistent night’s sleep at a big hotel chain with a comfortable mattress. However, back to cow comfort.

Desirable Characteristics of Bedding

There are two driving factors behind good bedding choices. One is cow comfort, and the other is farmer comfort. The two sometimes pull in opposite directions. Nevertheless, cow comfort must win out whenever the decision affects the cow spending most of the day lying down processing feed into milk.

Bedding must be comfortable to lie on.
Because cows are large animals, bedding must offer uniform support.
Coolness in summer and warmth in winter will promote cow comfort.
Dry bedding is critical for comfort and reduction in pathogen growth.
Good footing is essential for injury prevention.
Nonabrasive bedding promotes both comfort and injury reduction.
Besides whatever physical comfort dairy workers need, there are the financial comforts that require that bedding be cost efficient and labor efficient.

Six Cow Comfort Choices

Studies are accumulating data that shows that with increasing comfort daily lying time increases and hock scores improve for lactating and non-lactating cows. Here are some options to consider as part of your environmental and animal welfare strategy.

Compost, or composting material, is used as bedding in open style barns. Cows find this comfortable as observed by lying time. As well, foot and leg health has positive improvement with this system. The nature of the material requires that the facility have good air circulation. Teat cleaning will also need scrupulous attention. Good management is required and includes the challenges of daily tilling and regular replacement of the material.

Geotextile Mattresses manufactured from a variety of materials are commercially available. These may be used in either tie stall or free stall barns. They are marketed as requiring no bedding, but research has shown (see Bernard, et al. and Tucker and Weary) that added bedding makes the mattresses much more attractive to cows. Mattresses are generally installed in rows and come in a variety of sizes to fit typical stall sizes.

Paper may be available inexpensively or even free in the vicinity of paper mills or shredding companies. Chopped recycled newsprint has also been used for dairy bedding. Both can be effectively mixed with other bedding materials. Fineness of chop will influence bedding characteristics. Because the material must be kept dry, storage factors into consideration.

Sand can be an excellent choice of bedding. Because sand is an inert material, it will not tend to promote growth of pathogens, though when mixed with manure, the manure will support pathogen growth. Particle size is of great importance. Too small a particle size (or too much organic matter mixed in) will hold water too well. Large particles (> 3mm) will not be comfortable to lie on. Sand that is naturally occurring has rounded edges and is more comfortable as bedding than manufactured sand that comes from crushing rock. The potentially negative side of using sand as bedding comes in the disposal. In a liquid manure handling facility, sand must be settled out and disposed of. If this could be done in such a way as to reuse the cleaned sand, however, it would become a benefit.

Sawdust and Wood shavings are commonly used bedding materials for dairy cows. They have the advantage over sand of being broken down by microorganisms in the disposal system, but they have the disadvantage of allowing growth of microorganisms (pathogens). Addition of lime to bedding may reduce growth of pathogens. The smaller particle size of sawdust makes it more absorbent than wood shavings and quicker to break down. However, small particle size is also associated with rapid growth of bacteria and other harmful pathogens. Cost and availability tend to be deciding factors in choice of material.

Straw composts well and reduces in volume when composted, better than sawdust or wood shavings. It is important when using straw as bedding that the particle size be small, preferably fitting through a ¾ inch screen, both to increase animal comfort and to shorten breakdown time. Bedding absorbency as well as comfort to animals varies according to the species as well as to the chop size. Straw is an attractive bedding alternative when it is produced on the farm.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

There is much to consider in removing that uncomfortable pea in your dairy facilities. The first discomfort may be with the associated costs and the difficult logistics of implementing change. There is no doubt that cow comfort practices affect lameness and longevity. Accept the comfort challenge and you may find that “happily ever after starts with better bedding.”

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5 SOP Mistakes Most Dairy Farmers Are Making

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Thursday, July 3rd, 2014

A Standard Operating Procedure or SOP refers to clearly written step-by step instructions on how to complete a particular job or procedure on the dairy farm. Typically there are SOPs for milking routine, calving, fresh cow monitoring, vaccinations and treatment of sick animals.

Unfortunately, like many oft-repeated actions that we consider automatic, there can be parts of the process that get forgotten or, over time, eliminated. Needless to say, that has a direct effect on the quality of the procedure and the profitable outcomes being achieved on your dairy farm. Also negatively adding to these results is the fact that there may be people trying to carry out the SOPs who do not have a background in farming or who have been newly assigned to the task, who find the instructions confusing, hard to understand or even impossible to carry out. Unfortunately, this is happening 80 to 90 percent of the time. In other words, the most frequent part of the repeated SOP actions is that they are not being done correctly.

SOPs must be ready for Hand Off. Sign Off. And Check Off.

Are your SOPs in the barn office? In a drawer? Posted on the wall? Well, that might be too far from the action to be effective in making a difference to your dairy operation. A step up from merely knowing where the SOPs are kept is having them available on clipboards that are in each area being dealt with. With SOPs in hands managers and workers can check off the steps when a SOP is completed, then sign-off and see that the paperwork gets to the office for the manager to review and act upon.

Could you make a SOP video?

One simple way to consider whether your SOP’s are correct is to try to make a video using the SOP instructions only. If you have to change, edit or ask someone, “How do you actually do this?” then you will quickly understand that not only are poorly developed SOPs costing you time but also money. Properly implemented SOPs help reduce variation in how a task is performed. Dairy cattle thrive on consistency, and when tasks such as milking and feeding are performed correctly and consistently, cow performance is optimized.

Here are five of the top mistakes that dairies make time and time again in standard operating procedures (or SOP’s):

Mistake #1: Distributing SOPS that sit on a shelf or computer desktop.

SOPs should be dynamic and regularly reviewed. Even more important is that they should be printed in all necessary languages and posted where they are seen and used. The language used should be the same language as that which is spoken in the dairy with the emphasis not so much on what you cannot do, but on what can be done. Forget corporate or legal talk and put the focus on helping staff understand what to do and how to do it correctly. Implementation of SOPs can be particularly beneficial in milking routine and parlor operation, maternity (calving) management, treatment of sick animals and in fresh cow monitoring programs. It isn`t only health and diseases that need SOPs. Staff needs to know what to do to respond to low feed intake or heat stressed animals as well.

Mistake #2: Managers and employees are not included in writing the documents.

It is only logical that people are much more likely to accept and use a SOP that they have had a hand in developing. Being left out risks upsetting workers and producing a poorly written SOP. Furthermore, engaging staff in designing the SOP means that they will have a commitment to seeing the SOP put into practice. The most important benefit is that it is quite likely that they will have good suggestions and ideas. When included in a regular process of evaluation of SOPs, the entire team will benefit from more efficiency, cost effectiveness and quality production.

Mistake #3: Sharing the ‘How’ but forgetting to explain the ‘Why’

Many SOPs pass the ‘how’ test but not the ‘why’ test? This means that company processes get repeated without people ever questioning why they need to do something. Over time staff is taught processes that solve problems that no longer exist. Decide what will be achieved through using SOPs and how those procedures fit in with goals targeted for dairy performance and health. Many benchmarks exist in the industry to help measure quality and efficiency in specific areas. People are much more likely to follow procedures exactly when they understand why they are important to profitability and to their paychecks too (especially if incentives are included). In addition, sharing “why” demonstrates that you care about the workers as part of the dairy team.

Mistake #4: SOPS written in a boring style with too much text

Educational researchers have found that 83% of human learning occurs visually. We all know how easy it is to learn from a picture than a page of poorly written or complicated text. Yet, probably less than 50% of the standard operating procedures use photos or diagrams. (Read more: 5 Mistakes Companies make with their Standard Operating Procedures) Being able to reduce the number of cases of mastitis or pneumonia could pay for the setup of usable, well-written SOPs and any computer or paperwork system needed to keep them working well.

Mistake #5: Negative writing style

It is human nature to ignore negative words such as “don’t or “can’t” and instead hear the word after. So if you say, “Don’t run” many will just hear run. Rather than tell people what you don’t want them to do, say what you want. So say “Walk slowly” instead. Often, standard operating procedures are full of negative language. Too often SOPs are negative and even treat the reader as if they are already disobedient. If it is unclear, it will be ineffective.

Five Steps to Take Your Standard Operating Procedures from Bloopers to Super

Get an outsider to read your standard operating procedures. This is a great litmus test, as to how well a lay-person understands the information. Often, when you’re an expert in your field you have “The Curse of Knowledge”. This means the more you know in a certain field the harder it is to break the information down, so that a new person to the field can understand it. Either you give more information than a person needs to understand or too little. It also is valuable to tap the expertise of technical advisers such as the vet, nutritionist, or extension agent. Finally — Give it your kids. If it’s well written, a child should be able to understand it.
Ask “Why?”
Go through every procedure and ask why do we do that? You’ll be surprised about how much redundant information you have that can be deleted. Most people naturally want to do a good job and knowing why a procedure is necessary helps develop the worker’s job knowledge and enhances his or her ability to contribute to future procedure revisions and improvements. Make the purpose easy to understand so that everyone is committed to completing work procedures consistently and accurately.
Go out and do the procedures according to the SOPs
This is an excellent way to test if they’re still relevant and whether they make sense. Use this time to take clear photos that you can add into your documents. Standard operating procedures used in combination with planned training and regular performance feedback lead to an effective and motivated workforce. Ensuring that your standard operating procedures are correct is important for business safety and productivity. Start improving your procedures now and ensure that all staff are doing the right procedure every time, everywhere.
Provide Training. Training. And More Training.
Train or retrain everyone as necessary to follow the procedure correctly. Even with very detailed steps, it is necessary to train all workers. Otherwise, individuals will interpret the meaning of procedures in different ways, leading to inconsistency in work routines and performance. Everyone has to be accountable for their steps in the SOP. Some dairies have both the manager (of each area) and the worker sign off on every SOP. Then it is reviewed by the owner or dairy manager. Nothing is left to memory. The SOP isn`t designed to reward perfect memory. It is intended to create repeatable quality.
Measure SOP Effectiveness
Ultimately the proof of the success of a SOP is in the response of the cattle. Effective parlor procedures can be measured by milk volume, milk quality and udder health. Calving procedures directly impact calf health. Whatever the procedure, there will be a corresponding animal improvement or escalating problem to be observed and measured. For example, if you suddenly have a month where there are more than the usual number of calf mortalities, there is either slippage or an error in the SOP. It`s time to review and revise the SOP. Dairy herd performance is optimized when you successfully take each SOP from blooper to super!

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Using SOPs means that dairy managers and advisers benefit from consistent work performance and predictable results. Workers benefit from increased confidence and a sense of achievement. The goal is always to minimize the critical incidents. The SOP development process is an excellent way for managers, workers and technical advisers to cooperate for everyone’s benefit. SOPs can mean the difference between success and failure by establishing a baseline for continuous improvement.

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What’s The Score on Skinny Cows?

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Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014

A significant amount of information can be determined from analyzing how cows look. Much the same as in the popular press, growing attention is being paid to detecting skinny cows and determining what “working” weight is and what is “too thin.” The day to day 24-7 nature of dairy farming is providing data that concludes that detailed observation of Body Condition Score can help to prevent health, reproduction and production problems in dairy cattle.

Do You Know the Score?

Traditionally nutritionists, vets and farmers have relied on the five point BCS system outlined by Ferguson and collaborators in 1994. The challenge with this system is that it relies on trained individuals to be consistent in their scoring approach and assess each cow in a repeatable manner, something that it typically not the case. Moreover, BCS tells us nothing about the internal fat stores. Body condition scoring should be monitored by someone that has be trained and who is well acquainted with the scoring guide. Some recommend using an outside source to score alongside a permanent employee a few times a year to ensure scores do not drift. This frequently happens when one person is responsible for body condition scoring. “When individuals see the same herd every week, their scores can easily shift up or down, which can be corrected by working with an outside expert.”

Ultrasound and Back Fat Mobilization

A solution to human BCS assessment issues is the use of ultrasound as an alternative to assess total carcass fat. A report that discusses ultrasound results summarized. “When the thickness of back fat of dairy cows was assessed in a 2012 trial by van der Drift, back fat thickness decreased by 35 ± 26 % from the week prior to parturition to 8 weeks after parturition. The marked decrease in back fat thickness suggest mobilization of body adipose stores to aid in maintaining energy balance while also showing that not all cows experienced the same onset and extent of mobilization. This difference in back fat mobilization may be due to more than just differences in energy balance. The contribution of other body adipose stores may also play a role.” (Miner Institute: Are skinny cows really skinny?)

Transducer Scans Give Reliable Measurements

A newer method to determine total body fat stores utilizes the same principles as van der Drift and others, but takes into account the contribution from both back fat and kidney fat. This method uses a 3.5 mHz transducer that scans the animal at the first lumbar vertebra and the 13th rib for assessment of kidney fat depth and approximately 15 cm for the cow’s midline. Clipping the cow may be necessary to improve image quality and ensure proper measurement. When carcass kidney fat was compared to ultrasound measurements of kidney fat depth, there was a strong correlation (r2=0.93), suggesting that assessment of kidney fat depth via ultrasound can provide a reliable means to measure a crucial contributor to whole body adipose stores.

What Do You Know About Thin Cows and Heifers?

There are significant issues relating to thin cows and heifers.

Cows that lose one or more BCS units from calving to 60 days in milk are much more likely to be anovular (not cycling) compared to cows that lose less than 1 BCS unit (40.6% vs. 17.9%)
Under-conditioning, or thinness, can frequently lower production and milkfat levels because of insufficient energy and protein reserves.
Thin cows often do not show heat or conceive until they start to regain—or at least maintain—body weight. In feeding these animals, care must be taken to maintain production while increasing body reserves.
Thin heifers may not grow rapidly enough to reach puberty by 13 to 15 months of age.
Thin heifers may also be too small to calve at 23 to 25 months or to carry enough weight to maintain a normal first lactation.
Thinner cows are at a greater risk of infectious or inflammatory diseases, such as uterine infections.
Thinner cows were less able to compete for scarce feed resources, prolonging hunger and further increasing the risk of disease.
Thin cows at calving become even thinner cows at peak milk production. Any animal below BCS 3.0 must be managed immediately to increase BCS.
If cows enter lactation with lower-than-desirable BCS, they often don’t peak as high and are hard to get bred back. These cows typically have higher intakes once they enter the milking string, but the extra energy they consume from the ration is used for daily maintenance rather than milk production and reproductive function.
Field observations suggest that cows that are too thin at calving (BCS <3.25) may have insufficient body reserves to support normal peaks or may exhibit a loss of persistency in milk production. In either case, whole lactation milk production suffers.

What to Do

Early lactation thin cows that are not high producers are not getting enough energy. Be sure that all nutrients are balanced properly and that dry-matter and water intakes are adequate.

Heifers that Score below 3- may indicate a nutritional problem. If heifers are allowed to become too thin, they will not grow at the proper rate and may have reproductive problems later on.

By boosting energy and protein levels, you can safely provide the extra condition your cows need and help them perform at their genetic potential. This will also be beneficial for milk production and reproductive performance.

Although well-managed farms will sometimes have a small proportion of thin cows because of health issues (e.g. mastitis, metritis or lameness cases), ensuring that young and mature cows calve at the correct BCS minimises the need for intervention.

Take A Picture!

Because of the changing nature of Body Condition Scoring having an evolving and accessible record, can be as simple as a camera click away. The value of a picture record is that, when taking BCS photos of the same cow 45 to 60 days later, a producer can determine if the management changes are having the desired effect.

Producers are encouraged to body condition score cows at least four times during the year to determine best management practices: 1) Weaning, 2) Pre-Breeding 3) Pre-Calving and 4)Late Lactation. Some commercial programs provide the flexibility of using photos of cows within your own herd or cattle type to use in the reference gallery. No matter what color or breed type of cattle you own, you can now build your custom collection of BCS photos to use in your reference gallery. Once producers have collected BCS measurements from a pasture or group of cows at one point in time and then followed up with BCS measurements at another point in time, they can calculate the mean or average for a selected date range. It then becomes easy to determine if cows are gaining, slipping or maintaining their condition.

Is Thinness an Individual Problem or Herd Crisis?

Producers must pay attention to those cows that are consistently lower on the scale. If their condition begins to slide, that might be an indication that the rest of your herd might begin to slip as well. Being able to look at your herd and determine how healthy it is based on body condition scores means you can make adjustments to increase pregnancy rates and calf health. It’s just one more, no-cost way to add to your bottom line.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Body Condition Scoring, when used correctly, can be a great indicator of the success or failure of your dairy nutrition program and should be an ongoing activity. It is one more tool to use to improve herd health and profitability. Got skinny cows? What’s the score?

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From Beakers to Breakthroughs Milk Reveals Its Secrets

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Tuesday, July 1st, 2014

The breaking news out of Australia was all about milk. “Unlocking milk’s formula could save lives say scientists” from Monash University.

The opportunities that could (grow) from this study include:

New formulas for premature babies
Weight loss drinks
New drug delivery systems

This ground breaking research was published in the journal ACS Nano, the Monash University For the first time the research goes well beyond the known nutritional values of milk and provides detailed insights into the structure of milk during digestion. This study delves into the detailed structure of milk and how its fats interact with the digestive system.

Research Reveals Interaction of Milk and Digestion

This unique approach to the study of the makeup of milk was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC). Dr Stefan Salentinig and Professor Ben Boyd from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) led the team that looked at the nanostructure of milk to find out how its components interact with the human digestive system. Their findings are detailed in the article published in 2013: Formation of Highly Organized Nanostructures during the Digestion of Milk. The Australian team discovered milk has a highly geometrically ordered structure when being digested. Dr Salentinig said the research provides a blueprint for the development of new milk products. It could also lead to a new system for drug delivery. “By unlocking the detailed structure of milk we have the potential to create milk loaded with fat soluble vitamins and brain building molecules for premature babies, or a drink that slows digestion so people feel fuller for longer. We could even harness milk’s ability as a ‘carrier’ to develop new forms of drug delivery.”

Breakthrough Research is Needed for Dairy Development

The dairy industry urgently requires this kind of breakthrough science that has the potential to improve global health and cure disease. It is easy from the day to day side of milk production to keep scientific research at arm’s length forgetting that it moves the dairy industry forward.The Monash research team recreated the characteristics of the digestive system in a glass beaker. They then added cows’ milk. They found that “an emulsion of fats, nutrients and water forms a structure which enhances digestion. The breakthrough made by Monash University team was the discovery that milk has a “unique structure” during digestion, which they have described as “similar to a sponge.” In simple terms Salentinig summarizes”We found that when the body starts the digestion process, an enzyme called lipase breaks down the fat molecules to form a highly geometrically ordered structure. These small and highly organized components enable fats, vitamins and lipid-soluble drugs to cross cell membranes and get into the circulatory system.”

Specialist Instruments Simulate Digestion

The progress in science gains further impetus from the astonishing progress in recent years in medical technology. Collaborations among physical scientists, engineers, and doctors have given us CAT scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and a wide variety of therapeutic devices. This was also part of the work in Australia. As well as laboratory work at MIPS, the researchers accessed specialist instruments at the Australian Synchrotron to simulate digestion and accelerate the research. Using enzymes present in the body, water was added to milk fat to break it down, and the Synchrotron’s small angle X-ray scattering beam showed that when digested, the by-products of milk become highly organised. Dr Salentinig said the structure is similar to a sponge, potentially enhancing the absorption of milk’s healthy fats. He further elaborates “We knew about the building blocks of milk and that milk fat has significant influence on the flavor, texture and nutritional value of all dairy food. But what we didn’t know was the structural arrangement of this fat during digestion,” The possibilities promise exciting results. “We could even harness milk’s ability as a ‘carrier’ to develop new forms of drug delivery.”

A Post Genomics Revolution

The dairy world has been changed by the genomics revolution and the practical benefits are more evident all the time. It is important to recognize how strong science provides practical benefits to the dairy industry. However, that strong science cannot exist without support. It is especially important not to neglect fundamental research. It is from this curiosity-driven, disciplinary research that projects such as the one from Monash can contribute to understanding and real progress for the dairy industry. We need research to lead the way to advances in detection, diagnosis and treatment of dairy diseases and even ways to advance human health prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Although it is unlikely that science and technology will solve all the problems, it is equally unlikely that they will be solved without research.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

With regards to milk, the next phase of the research studies at Monash University includes working with nutritionists to make stronger links between these new findings and dietary outcomes. Ultimately the plan is to utilize these findings to design and test improved medicines. The Australian researchers have the vision, commitment, and most importantly, the funding. It only proves that Mother was right, “Don’t cry over spilled milk!” Instead, we should applaud, encourage and support dairy research, wherever we are.

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Dairy Cattle Mortality – Lessons Learned

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Thursday, June 26th, 2014

Facing death on dairy farms is definitely a hard part of dairy management. On-farm death of adult dairy cows is a significant problem for both economic and animal welfare reasons. Unfortunately, adult dairy cow death losses are on the rise. It is time for recognition, monitoring and action to address this critical situation.

Rising Problem with Too Little Information.

Information from computerized dairy record systems suggests that mortality rates have continually increased over the last 10 years. In some states, adult cow mortality exceeds 10% per year. Very few formal studies have focused on this issue, yet dairy cattle death losses are a critical problem. Not only are these losses an economic disaster, they also represent very real problems with animal well-being. This would seem to be an issue requiring substantial veterinary attention, but at present it does not appear that veterinarians or producers have the information required to manage the problem appropriately.

Why Do Dairy Cows Die?

There are multiple reasons for cow deaths.

Training: Lack of trained caregivers on modern dairy farms.
Diagnosis: Significant health problems that are not identified in time for successful intervention.
Analysis: Causes of mortality are not carefully monitored or analyzed and, therefore, cannot be properly managed.

Necropsy: Start where you don’t want to end.

The absolute first step is to acknowledge the problem and through record keeping and observation to change the outcome. No one wants to have dead cows. Avoidance and denial will not make the problem go away. Therefore, the best place to start is with the negative outcome. Take steps to find exactly what caused the animal’s death.

Farm Necropsy is an Underutilized Tool

Veterinarians, researchers and () breeders are adamant that farm necropsy examinations should be used to help discover the cause of adult cow death. Unfortunately, necropsy of dead animals is rarely performed on dairies, even though, other intensive livestock systems, such as poultry, beef and swine routinely use necropsy monitoring. The lack of monitoring and information prevents accurate assessment of the problems and, therefore, prevents effective intervention.

First Comes Training

It might seem logical that farm staff should be trained in the prevention long before they learn how to perform on-farm necropsy examinations. However, both skills are needed tools for everyone working with the herd. Veterinarians are not always present to perform the examination of a freshly dead carcass and therefore it needs to be done by trained staff in a timely and well-recorded manner.

The Dairy Cattle Necropsy Manual. Get Your Hands on It!

If lack of information causes death, it follows that having the information drives the solution. A team at Colorado State University has produced the Dairy Cattle Necropsy Manual. Unfortunately, they report “Very few producers or veterinarians have pursued this approach, attesting to the notion that monitoring actual cause of death has not been seen as a valuable pursuit.” Ordinarily, dairy farmers are open to tools that affect their work day but, quite significantly, their bottom line. Studies suggest that at least 50% — half— of all cow death losses are caused by management related issues. This clearly puts the solutions in the hands of the people working with the cattle every day.

What Good is a Necropsy Examination?

There are three main reasons to see that necropsy examinations are able to be handled efficiently and effectively on your dairy.

Necropsy examination of dead animals provides information about the specific cause of death.
Investigation beyond necropsy findings helps determine why specific causes of death occur, so that management can be changed to minimize risks for future problems. Such investigation is rarely performed or tracked on dairies.
Paying attention to causes of death can promote changes that substantially decrease cow health problems and death losses.

The Importance of Record Keeping

It is wrong to begrudge the time that it takes to keep good records. If the system is working effectively in other areas of the operation, it needs to be modified to capture information on causes of death so that it can be used to manage improvements. By themselves, the diagnoses will determine what the death resulted from. They don’t necessarily provide information about why that specific cause occurred. Change can only occur if consideration is given to all aspects of the historical information on the animal. Factors such as time of the year, stage of lactation, housing and level of staff monitoring all provide useful information. The way that all the variables work in concert with each other provides a basis for making management changes.

Going Beyond the “To Do” List

The focus has to shift from the immediate actions to be taken in dealing with the problem, to the bigger picture impacts of mature cow deaths. Enough information and critical assessment needs to be applied to the determination of what the health challenges were that are impacting this situation. Healthy cows not dead ones are the only acceptable option.

Training First

Whether you have had a lifetime on a dairy farm or are newly employed and without pre-existing cow management skills, it is quite possible not to have hands-on experience with the diagnosis and autopsy skills required in dealing with (mature cow deaths. The first step is to provide and become proficient in being able to identify disease in individual animals and respond with individual animal care.

Expert Consultation:

There are numerous reasons given for the fact that the overwhelming majority of sick cows on dairies are identified, diagnosed, and treated by farm workers rather than veterinarians. Time, money, accessibility, and strategic planning may be the excuses, but poor outcomes must then be accepted as the responsibility of managers and not brushed off as attributable only to any pre-existing problems with cow physiology.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

It is unrealistic to hope that there could ever be a single simple answer to the problem of high mortality on dairies. That doesn’t mean that the problem cannot be dramatically improved by taking the right steps. This means recognizing and defining the problem, improving information systems to provide details necessary to take action, and monitoring appropriate metrics that promote ongoing attention to management corrections.

It is said simply and best by the researcher who strongly emphasizes: “As much as anything, the simple act of recognizing mortality as a problem might be the most fundamental step toward controlling its progression.”

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Open the Barn Door to Dairy Experts

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Tuesday, June 24th, 2014

At some point, every dairy operator considers whether it is time to outsource some procedures or to get help with decision making. The fear that arises with this option is, “What happens if the wrong ‘expert’ is chosen?” Here are pointers in choosing the consultant that best fits your needs.

Who puts your farm first?

Some days you might think that picking out a consultant is as easy as 1 – 2- 3. Or even 10. Because those are the days that it seems like everybody has found their way in your lane, and they’re all so “perfect” that the choice won’t be difficult at all. There are nutritionists that work for feed mills and freelance ones. There are vets from large practices and ones that specialize. Your finances can be analyzed, right-sized and sanitized by number crunchers strategic planners. Which one should you choose? The better question is, “Which one chooses to put your farm first?” If profitably solving your problems is their priority that is what you’re looking for. When the farm wins, all the suppliers associated with the farm win. When the farm fails, all associated service providers also lose. For long-term success, choose experts who put your success at least equal to or ahead of their own.

Problem Solvers or Product Pushers?

How can you tell whether the farm comes first? A good measuring stick is the recommendations that you are given when problems are encountered. Is your nutritionist’s first approach an attempt to sell you something to fix the problem or does your nutritionist ask a series of question to determine the root of the problem? Does your consultant have time to work through all the details to get to the root of the problem or do you get a phone message, “If this is an emergency leave a detailed message and I’ll get back to you when my schedule allows.” The 24/7 logistics of a dairy farm and its myriad of details doesn’t lend itself to the problem solving on 9 to 5 office hours. Do you get the same answer every time? Maybe last time your problem was a dip in production. Now you’re facing reproduction problems. The problem changes but the solution remains “It isn’t our product it’s something you are doing wrong!” That might be but is your team player consultant part of the problem or part of the solution?

Good communicators with practical training and expertise

Whether you’re new in dairying or have generations of family experience to draw from, it is only common sense to realize that finding the right answer isn’t easy regardless of the number of credentials behind your name. The real secret is the willingness and understanding that inspires dairy consultants to accept that they might not immediately know the answer. However, because they are honest, competent and keeping up with the latest research, they can confidently assure you that a solution can be found. That common sense and ability to communicate are the two most important traits to look for in any advisor you welcome to your farm? Regardless of their area of expertise, they should communicate and cooperate for the benefit of the farm. Don’t be upset to hear “I do not know, but I will find out for you?” That’s the first step. Then you want them to follow up? If the solution doesn’t work the first time, do they hang in and try, try again? No one is perfect, but these are important characteristics that essential for a successful working relationship.

What is your responsibility?

Working with consultants is a two way street. It is essential for you to communicate clearly and effectively with your nutritionist, veterinarian or financial advisor. If you’re not providing all the details, you can’t expect them to provide sustainable and profitable answers. Be sure to ask good questions during farm calls. Provide accurate data to assist in efficient problem solving. Be respectful and fair in your discussions and decision making. The goal is prevention, and that requires detailed information. If you’re already in a crisis, don’t pick a consultant to be the scapegoat. It takes a committed team pulling in the same direction to get things back on track.

What level of assistance matches your needs?

If you’re starting out in dairying or maybe thinking of a major expansion there are plenty of challenges ahead and how you handle those challenges could well mean the difference between success and failure. Facing those challenges by yourself can be extremely difficult, and that’s why so many dairy consultants are available with expertise, field trials, products and services that can be of help in getting those decisions effectively tailored to your specific goals and needs.

Selection Criteria for Finding Consultants

It’s critical to choose the right dairy consultant if you want to have the best outcomes. However, what criteria do you need to apply to the selection process? Here are a few suggestions:

There are only a handful of stars

Every consulting company boasts of having a great team. The fact is that every consulting company has only a handful of rock stars with them. The rest of the team is a compromise they had to make to scale up the team for the increased business they need to bring in. The stars are easy to spot from the company blogs and who shows up to the new client meetings or travels everywhere speaking at industry seminars and association meetings. When you choose a consulting firm, you want to know who the rock stars are and see if they will be available for your project.

Define your dairy goals

While you’re very concerned about choosing the right consultant, there are many consultants who are just as detailed in their selection of clients to work with. The client characteristics that maximize the value of consultants’ time and expertise centre around the client being clear about their goals and expectations. It’s hard to work with someone who doesn’t know what they want … or at the very least, what is going wrong. Consultants want to work with the client and not be left literally out in left field. Before you even start looking for a business consultant for your dairy, you need to be clear about what your goals are and how the consultant can help you achieve those goals. You also need to have some idea of what problems you might face in achieving those goals. Once you have those firmly in your mind, it’s time to go looking for a consultant.

Look for someone who asks questions

Does the consultant you’re talking to ask lots of questions about your dairy operation? Even though he may be very experienced in the dairy industry, no two businesses are ever the same so a good consultant will ask questions to establish where your business is at, whether it can grow and just how experienced you are in what you’re doing. Good consultants don’t limit their questions to only their area of expertise. Dairying is multi-faceted, and each area can have an impact on the other. The best consultants look at the big picture.

Look for someone who doesn’t know it all

Don’t expect your consultant to have an answer for every situation. Quite often, those that do are the very people you don’t want to employ. Instead, look for someone who admits that they don’t have all the answers but knows where to look, or who to ask, to find them.

Look for someone who understands the value of your money

A good consultant will be very aware that the financial resources of any dairy operation need to be used wisely. He or she will understand that you need to get the most value out of every dollar that you spend, and they will be able to clearly show you that you are getting that value when they make recommendations that involve spending your money.

Is Hiring a Consultant Worth the Cost?

In general, resistance to pay for advice is the main barrier preventing producers from using consultants. There is a wide range of private consulting being undertaken in agriculture. Most dairy business consultants focus on business and technology management with some inroads into marketing, human resources, nutrition and succession. Roles range from the provision of advice to facilitating change and providing training. All these advisors charge for their services and you get what you pay for. Consultants charge clients in a range of ways – from flat rates to cost per hour or per service; to costs based on farm or herd size (or a combination of these). Costs depend on the type of service being provided. There is usually some scope for individual negotiation and review.

So what should you do?

The consultant relationship you want is the one that ticks most of these following boxes:

You are an important client to this consultant.
You recognize that it’s up to both of you to make the partnership work.
You’re prepared to give praise (and testimonials) and get the opportunity to do so because the consultant always goes the extra mile.
Sustainability and profitability are the goals everyone is working toward.
You can count on your consultant – whether financial, nutrition or herd health – to bring a fresh pair of eyes and an open, honest approach to improving your dairy operation.

A consultant helps you find your way

Even if your dairy business is sailing along quite smoothly and growing wealth for you there are still good reasons why it will pay to have a business consultant spend some time working with you. As someone once said: “A business consultant is like a GPS unit that will guide you along the road to success.”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

A good dairy consultant can take your business to the next level and isn’t that exactly where you want it to go? If you choose your consultant wisely, then your dairy operation will grow and prosper. Choose the wrong consultant and your dairy is in for a very rough ride that it may never recover from. The choice is yours.

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9 Best Practices That Set The Best Dairy Operations Apart from the Rest

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Thursday, June 19th, 2014

The dairy industry is an excellent place to discover people who are exceptional at what they do. At The Bullvine, we are fortunate to meet and share with these remarkable people on a daily basis. They tell us of the efforts they have invested in every area of the dairy industry from what they feed and breed to what they value in people and animals. In short they pursue improvement and growth in all aspects of their dairy businesses. Of course, we can all benefit from emulating these role models. However, do we really know what sets them apart?

1- The Best Dairy Businesses are People Businesses First

When you’re separating out the best cow managers, you can do it quickly by finding the best people managers. Super-successful dairy farms recognize that they are primarily in the people business. From the staff who works directly with the herd to other professionals and consultants, people are fundamental. Training programs are in place to help new workers become oriented to the job. People are encouraged to help each other. Teams are encouraged, and cross training is expected. The veterinarian, nutritionist and accountant are part of the team. Workers are considered valued team members. Opportunities to improve are encouraged and supported. The best managers work to get the best out of staff. This contributes to lower turnover which is also a characteristic of top dairy farms. Managers realize that, as cow numbers grow, staff numbers grow and managers must be people managers.

2 – The Best Have Clear and Measurable Expectations

The ability to clearly articulate their vision, including short and long term goals, is a skill exceptional managers develop. Dairy staff are given clear responsibilities, they know what is expected of them and what they are trying to achieve. Regardless of herd size, every dairy owner/manager relies on other sets of hands to complete the work that is necessary to operate a dairy business. One of the most common disconnects between a manager and subordinate is a basic lack of understanding of what is expected of the job, role or task. The best operators have developed a disciplined ability in setting clear and measurable expectations not only for those people who are on their payrolls, but for their advisers as well. There are well-structured crop programs, breeding programs, feed management systems, financial plans, annual budgets and job descriptions are well-structured. There are written protocols for livestock care, treatments and emergencies. Machinery maintenance is planned and routine. Work schedules are developed, so everyone knows what is expected.

3 – The Best Focus on Production that Produces Profit

A characteristic that truly sets the best apart from the rest is focus. It is easy to become distracted by opposing opportunities or encroaching challenges. We do this quite often in the dairy industry. Breeding? I’ll use sexed semen. NO! I’ll try polled. NO! Genomics is great. My growth strategy? Definitely large AI companies only! NO! Homebred. All that flailing about creates enormous amounts of headwork and busywork, but it doesn’t guarantee success. Successful farm businesses have the ability to focus on those things that are important to productivity and profitability. They are not distracted for long by what others are doing, the newest fad, or the brightest paint.

Three main areas are particularly well managed by top managers:

Milk quality and udder health and improved SCC.
Short Calving intervals which impact milk production internal herd growth.
Time management not crisis management empowered by advance planning and optimum implementation.

4 – The Best Excel at Informed Management Decisions

This skill isn’t about how to make decisions but about how to collect data and use it as a tool. As an industry, we still do a pretty poor job of utilizing information (financial reports, production summaries, scorecards, etc.) to make informed management decisions, finding the tools, resources, and people needed for success. Great managers have strong problem solving skills. If things are not going as planned or unforeseen problems develop, they quickly identify the problems, find alternatives, select solutions and make decisions. Decisions are methodically arrived at. Once made, they are implemented. There is seldom much time wasted delaying the obvious.

5 – The Best Dairies USE Records

Dairy records, crop records and financial records are extensively used to monitor all aspects on every operation that achieves stand apart success. They see collection of data not as a burden but as an invaluable tool. Records are routinely used for specific purposes and with established benchmarks. Quality control principles are continuously developed to improve the value of the information from records. All levels, employees, managers, owners and outside consultants and farm professionals are solicited for information and insight and action planning. They build data banks and use the information in working with special teams on the farm and those they consult with. The best farms use technology. Computers and social media are used to enhance record keeping and decision making and for speed and accuracy of problem solving, promotion and sales.

6 – The Best are Always Growing – 10% per year

The target of 10% a year may seem like an arbitrary number. On any specific dairy operation, that number could be raised up or down. The point isn’t an exact number but the fact that an exact goal has been clearly set. Top managers target an overall annual growth plan as a strategic business decision. They recognize that the dairy industry has been consolidating for decades. Scale has become an increasingly significant dynamic for success. Growing size is not the sole reason, but it is one factor. Beyond the added challenges of more cows this growth means more housing, more crops, more labour, more financing. Growth is desired not for the sake of growth itself but in order to maintain in a competitive position within the industry. Thus, efficiency targets must evolve/grow too. Aggressive herd management, good reproduction performance and good health program that minimizes culling — can increase 10 % from within. An alternative is to purchase expansion cattle. Regardless of the process. It is a necessity to keep the facilities filled with producing cattle. Best managers have a minimum of underutilized barn space.

7 – The Best Have an Attitude of Excellence

Good leaders know it is important to be aware of what separates them from other contenders as they continually strive to provide the best product for the end consumers. This attitude of excellence boils down to a never-ending attitude of doing the right things and doing things right. An essential aspect of this is the recognition of the need to continuously improve results. As farms get bigger it is important for individuals and teams to develop into the new roles. This rarely happens without setbacks, pitfalls and hurdles. It takes courage to try something different. It is a risk that successful businesses must survive. Exceptional managers know that the must master the challenges that come from markets (milk, feed, land prices), production (milk, disease reproduction) and business (leverage, interest rates, liability). Continuous mastery of all the pieces … is what makes exceptional managers.

8 – The Best Leaders Value Interaction With the Dairy Community

Many people have success but haven’t built strong enough relationships with the community they have the pleasure to serve. Just ten years ago, you might have asked what difference could one dairy farmer or even dairy farmers from one state or province make, when it comes to the global dairy community? You were unlikely to be heard unless you were a world class cattle exhibitor, a large breeding company or a well-known speaker or conference trainer. Today armed with social media, handheld camera and dozens of free “apps,” you can make quite an impact. You can organize a hundred or a thousand people. You can get them in sync with a weekly newsletter or charitable cause or research on issues to make dairying better, sustainable, or more profitable. Digital sharing provides global access so that you can self-market to your truest customers and share your dairy focus with the crowd that matters.

9 – Above Everything Else the Best are Real Leaders

The most important ability possessed by top dairy managers is leadership. These individuals provide the leadership to get things started, keep them going, and to draw projects to a meaningful conclusion. It is a person who has extraordinary vision and a strong desire for success. These individuals not only lead in decision-making including making tough decisions, but they also excel in a very unique way. They know when to admit when a decision isn’t working. They admit it and then they move on. Too often on farms that don’t quite reach the top it is because consensus or vote taking is used to determine a new course of action and leads to paralysis by analysis. It is rare to find a truly successful business that is really run by a committee of the whole, although, some of the best farms may seem that way. In reality, there is a gifted leader somewhere in the background that knows how to make it appear that everyone is involved. This is a real gift possessed by top leaders. Some exceptional managers lead average teams of staff and yet produce excellent results. Some exceptional staff if led by a weak leader produce very average results.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

We have keyed in on nine best practices that set apart the best from the rest. In actual fact, there is one 10^th best practice that is necessary to make the rest work. Only the very best are committed to taking action. The best are never satisfied with the status quo. At the end of the day, every day, action separates the best from the rest.

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The Future of Agriculture: Time Bomb or Crystal Ball

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Tuesday, June 17th, 2014

Today our greatest dairy achievements could be at risk. At the very least there are seven issues that, if ignored, threaten to blow the agricultural industry to smithereens. These are food production, water conservation, climate change; land use; unpolluted air and animal and human rights. Each of these challenges holds within it the potential for disaster or positive improvement. It is up to 21^st Century dairy farmers to take responsibility for turning these threats into opportunities.

What are we as dairy breeders holding in our hands? Can we foretell a profitable, sustainable future? Or are we holding a time bomb that is set to explode?

“We Want Food”

The oft repeated challenge is that agriculture must provide food to sustain a population of 9 billion at ever higher living standards by 2050. On the one hand, non-farm folks want the best food, and they want that to include the best quality, selection and quantity. However, they want all of this produced on small (aka non-corporate) farms. That unrealistic dream isn`t remotely possible because of the simple fact that the few remaining farmers would have the land, herd size or profit margins to feed themselves let alone the hundreds of non-food producing consumers who would be relying on them for subsistence neither. We all too easily forget that when we can’t feed ourselves, nothing else matters, because we will be dead in four or five days. Having said that if there is a will to change there are now continuous digital communities that span the food chain and connect its many contributors. The potential is there to work together to help coordinate our food systems to meet the needs of the world`s hungry people.

“Without Water We Can’t Survive”

Perhaps the most threatening issue is the competition for dwindling sources of fresh water which are the key to providing for skyrocketing food, industry and living needs. Today, 70 percent of the global water withdrawals go to agriculture and food production for a rising world population.

This means that this is another area where farmers are targets of criticism. From the dairy side, all dairies must protect water from bacterial contamination to produce that safe milk. Furthermore, access to bodies of water on the farm must be restricted from cattle access and never in danger of manure contamination. Uncultivated areas should be maintained between fields and waterways. Responsible dairies test water quality regularly to ensure its quality. Enforcing such rules is difficult, and it is imperative that all water users address problems of inefficient energy production and traditional crop irrigation methods while dealing with ways to address issues caused by exponential population growth. There are numerous water agencies, but there is no coordination on ways to manage this shared resource. All levels including governments, international water management organizations, the private sector and businesses need collaboration in finding solutions.

One writer, referring to the documentary Blue Gold: World Water Wars, presents this chilling perspective. “Wars of the future will be fought over water as they are over oil today. As the source human survival enters the global marketplace and political arena. Corporate giants, corporate investors and corrupt governments vie for control of our dwindling water supply, prompting protests, lawsuits and revolutions from citizens fighting for the right to survive. Past civilizations have collapsed from poor water management. Can the human race survive?”

“There is No Fresh Air to Breathe”

As more of the population moves into city settings, livestock production becomes less familiar. For some, the manure production is regarded as air pollution and not as a by-product of a necessary industry. Manure is valuable to fertilize soils that grow crops to feed dairy animals. Modern farmers are accepting the challenge of finding ways to collect, store and apply manure to land so that they can manage odours and GHG emissions. For example, bio digesters minimize odours and use emissions to make renewable energy: a double win! Managing manure is an important aspect of dairy farming. Whether it’s about saving electricity or recycling, we’re all becoming more aware of our carbon footprint and the importance of minimising it.

“Don’t Destroy the Environment”

Headlines would suggest that farmers are destroying the environment when, in actual fact, farmers were the original good stewards of land and water resources and should endeavor to be so today. These resources are, after all, how farmers make their living, so it makes sense to protect them. Analysis of complaints reveals that misleading perceptions are at the root of criticism. What the public perceives as an environmental problem often is not. It is rare that farm related benefits such as green spaces and wildlife habitat are acknowledged or counterbalanced with the fact that farms use far fewer resources than the average urban or suburban home. (Read more: Top 10 Misconceptions about Ag & Farmers)

“Give Me Land Lots of Land”

We drive our grandchildren crazy with road trips where we point out that the passing city skylines were fields as far as the eye could see when we were their age. Even our farm was one of three on the horizon … Today there are six more houses here where green belt restrictions mean fewer sustainable farms and more suburbia encroaching all the time. In contrast, some places are seeing huge rises in the cost of land. The high prices not only keep younger farmers out, but also cause larger farms (that need expansion to remain sustainable) to move the entire dairy operation. It’s a catch 22 situation. “Don’t use more land but also don’t use technology.” In many of these areas that are challenging the future for all of us, part of the answer could be provided by technology. Improved technology — fertilizers, pesticides, improved irrigation, new storage or processing productions, improved livestock genetics – can transform the productive potential of land and livestock. But, before that can be realized, those from all sides of the issue have to agree on the goal and the ways to achieve it.

“You’re wrong. I’m right.”

With the growing metropolitan areas and consumer separation from food production, both sides are lighting the fuse that could blow food production to smithereens. Headlines grab our attention as accusations fly back and forth. Like fights between children, our immature wrangling could have fatal outcomes – for agriculture, for consumers — for the future.

“Animals Have Rights”

It has to start with accountability. There is nothing wrong with being accountable for the way we treat animals … and for the way we treat each other. Everyone needs to accept responsibility for treatment of animals … and for treatment of humans as well. Nothing is gained from smear campaigns or vicious attacks. Rather than assumptions of wrongdoing there has to be a commitment to improvement. (For a balanced viewpoint on the relationship between animals and humans check this link)

“Who Will Produce the Food?”

The average age of North American dairy farmers is near 60. Every active dairy farmer has concerns about where the next generation of farmers will come from. Not everyone starting out is prepared for the financial roller coaster, the 24-7 working hours and, topping it all off, the poor public image that are part and parcel of dairy farming today. However, there is a silver lining. A recent Fox news feature reported that Ag degrees are the hot ticket for job growth. They quoted data from the Food and Agriculture Education Information System that says enrollment in U.S. college and university agriculture programs are up 21 percent since 2006. The data show more than 146,000 undergraduates in Ag programs. (Read more: Common Misconceptions in Food and Agriculture). Positive steps are being taking, such as one coming out of Michigan. On April 30, the USDA awarded MSU $3.9 million to help Michigan farmers adapt to changing climate, tackle food safety issues, and help small- and medium-sized farms better compete in the marketplace. (Read more: USDA issues grants to MSU for food security, production).

“Adapt Your Strategic Plan”

Without a doubt, your hard work created the success you have had in the dairy industry. Successful cattle sales. Show ring winners. Best crop grower in your heat zone. You have built your dairy business on what you do best. Are those same skills going to keep and sustain you in the future? Are the trophies on the mantle going to take your herd where it needs to go? Is there a lineup at your barn door for the genetics you’re selling today? You had a winning strategy up to now, and it worked. But now it is being threatened by one or all of the preceding issues mentioned in this article. The single minded focus that got you here could be your biggest problem in going forward.

“We Can’t Afford to have More Questions than Answers”

Of course, all of these issues are real threats. It would be great if the sources could be instantly cured. However, the cures will take time and will not be easy. Having said that, we can all begin to eliminate our own contributions to the problem. Prevention trumps treatment any day. Any step you take can be one small, but mighty contribution to defusing the global time bomb and finding new and better solutions for the social, economic and environmental impacts of agriculture and, in our case, dairying.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

When it comes right down to it, a future with sustainable, profitable food production isn’t a place we are going to … it’s a place we are creating! The following graphic should give us the impetus to start the process with our own practices.

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Dairy Cow Pen Moves – Better Penmanship. Better Results.

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Thursday, June 12th, 2014

With three children who have had significant home moves in the last three years, I am very receptive to the idea that moving dairy cattle — although a fact of life — has impacts far beyond providing them with a simple change of scenery. Therefore, when I read the March 2014 issue of the Miner Institute Farm Report it seemed to speak to something I could relate to. Having said that, moving animals from pen to pen, or barn to pasture is necessary and, therefore, is not an option. Or is it?

The Pitfalls of Too Many Moves

For the typical dairy animal, her farm residency may include six to eight pen moves per lactation not counting the sick or hospital pen (Read more: Hospital Pens for Better or Worse). Depending on farm size and management strategy, during her lactation cycle an average cow might be housed in a fresh pen, high production pen, low production pen, far-off dry pen, and close-up pen. From a management standpoint, there are good reasons for these necessary moves but, until recently, very little attention has been paid to how cows adapt to these moves. It is important to know how they are affected by stocking density. The main conclusion is that all pen changes are stressful for the animal.

How To Minimize Pen Moves

Current recommendations for managing the transition of dry cows or heifers into lactation would include the following moves (and duration of stay):

From a lactating group into a far-off dry group (5 to 6 weeks).
From the far-off group to a close-up group (approximately 3 weeks; heifers are often introduced here).
From the close-up group to a calving/maternity pen (approximately 24 hours).
From the calving/maternity pen to a fresh group (approximately 3 weeks).
From the fresh group to a lactating group.

Who is in Charge?

Recognizing that all moves are stressful and that each group has specific needs, the ideal would suggest that there should be a pen manager for each different group. While it is possible for one person to manage different penning groups, it is wrong to commingle two groups with different needs.

Above All, Do NOT Overcrowd.

Overcrowding sometimes seems to make economic sense, but at a certain level it hurts your cows and your bottom line. Rumination, reproduction and milk quality may all suffer in an overcrowded pen. Think again when adding that “last cow” to the group.

Spanish research found that, milk production declined as stall stocking density increased. Stocking density is an essential component of the cow’s social environment. It determines if she will meet her time budget requirements for feeding, resting and ruminating and, consequently, be healthy and productive. Pen size, as well as stocking density, has an effect on lying and ruminating time. Moving to a smaller pen decreased lying time and to a larger pen increased this behavior.

Research at Miner Institute found that, as stall stocking density surged from 100 to 142 percent, milkfat percentage was reduced and somatic cell count spiked. In fact, overstocked cows ate 25 percent faster and ruminated 1 hour per day less which explained the reduction in the milkfat test. Overstocked cows also experience a greater pathogen load in their environment, have greater teat end exposure to pathogens and may experience immune suppression. These changes could explain the observed adverse effect of overcrowding on milk quality.

Penning by the Numbers

Conclusions drawn from studies of pen stocking include the following:

Change in stocking density affected the cows’ response to regrouping. When cows were moved into a pen with a relative higher stocking density, time spent lying following regrouping decreased. Alternatively, when cows were moved into a pen with a lower stocking density, their total resting time increased.
Data from the University of British Columbia demonstrated multiple negative effects on feeding behavior and potentially rumen health in the 48 hours following the regrouping. They found that aggression at the feedbunk climbed two-fold, DMI (dry matter intake) dropped 10 percent, feeding rate rose 10 percent and rumination times were 10 percent lower after regrouping.

Studies have concentrated on various behavioral changes

Lying and feeding behaviors. Lying and feeding behaviors were monitored from 1 day before regrouping to 1 day after regrouping.
Social aggression at the feed bunk. Social aggression at the feed bunk was monitored for 3 hours following the delivery of feed on the day before and after regrouping. Social aggression increased when stocking density increased and decreased when stocking density decreased following the regrouping.
Regrouping behaviors. Increasingly larger dairy farms result in increased social crowding and social mixing, which in turn causes social stress. Regrouping is more stressful for introduced cows than for resident cows.

Keep Your Pens Clean

Sometimes what seems easiest is counterproductive when it comes to dairy pen management. Although it would seem obvious from the parallel with human hospitals, there seems to be a letdown in sanitation protocols in dairy hospital pens. With so much at risk, in terms of the lifetime production and animal health, overlooking pen cleanliness is a costly decision to make.

Timing is key
Data from Purdue University and the University of British Columbia indicated that moving cows later in the day and avoiding feeding times may be beneficial. This will minimize the reduction in DMI for resident cows as the majority of consumption will occur during the two hours after delivery of fresh feed anyway. Another benefit is that the new cows will enter a pen where minimal activity is occurring, which affords the greatest opportunity to eat and find other resources (resting space, water, grooming brush and so forth) with little competition.

A Danish study observed easier adaption to a new pen for first-lactation cows when introduced in pairs rather than individuals. The result was longer lying times for these cows. Most importantly, no pen moves should occur within one week of calving (other than to a calving pen) and, if possible, moves in the last 14 to 21 days of gestation should be avoided.

Finally, to avoid prolonging the final stages of calving, research from the University of British Columbia and Arahus University suggests moving dairy cows into a calving pen at least five hours before calving. While this may not always be possible, it does reiterate the importance of routine checks on a close-up group to watch for signs of the onset of labor.

Pen Moves Have Both Short and Long Term Effects

The benefits of a longer stay in the close-up pen are not limited to the transition period. Cows and heifers housed in this pen for at least five days produced more milk over the next lactation. This response was greatest for first-lactation heifers, resulting in 3,300 pounds more milk over the lactation. Lengthening the stay in the close-up pen to at least nine days improved production over the first lactation by an additional 2,200 pounds. The same trend, but to a lesser degree, was evident in cows entering their second or greater lactation.

Moving cattle between groups brings about a considerable change in behavior and a period of increased interaction for about 48 hours before social stabilization and the development of a stable hierarchy. These changes may have a negative effect on milk yield and health in the moved individuals. Effects on milk production for mature cows moved after the transition period are small and short term in nature. However, not all movements between groups should be considered equal, and the effect on individuals, first-lactation animals and subordinate animals in particular, during a high-risk period such as the transition period, may be greater and last far longer. Although detected changes in milk yield may be small, there may be longer-term effects on health and reproduction yet to be identified that are of greater significance.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Every pen move has two main parts: the reason for the move and the intended outcome.

Keeping those two goals in mind, there are opportunities to reduce the negative impacts of physical moves while maximizing the potential of your dairy herd. That`s always a good move!

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DAIRY FARMERS are BRIDGING THE APP-GAP!

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Thursday, June 5th, 2014

Remember when you thought microwaves were something you would never use and that Captain Kirk and Star Trek were beyond reality? Are you one of the Baby Boomers who claims to do without all the handheld gadgets and modern technology? Then you are probably one of the Baby Boomers who isn’t also a farmer. Today modern dairy farmers of ALL ages are quite happy to hold the future in the palm of their hands. They email, calculate, talk, text, video, chat and surf the web and look after calves, cows and crops with real time information and alerts that they access using their smartphones.

There are already thousands of apps which have been developed to assist in easier data recording, more accurate records, saving time and remote decision making. Dairy farmers are using smartphones or other mobile devices to increase efficiency and generate higher profits — a challenge in an industry beset by high input costs, low margins and continual uncertainty from Mother Nature.

Here’s a few Iphone, IPad and Android Mobil Phone APPS that meet farmer needs.

DTN/The Progressive Farmer. This robust app puts weather data, market data, grain prices, ag news and videos in the hands of the users.
Group dynamics: The data collected can indicate whether there is enough food available for the cows
PocketDairy is an Android-based app from Dairy Records Management Systems used to access herd records stored in the farm’s PCDART record-keeping system. The mobile app syncs wirelessly with the office computer that stores the records data can be retrieved anytime, anywhere.
PSU Dairy Cents is a mobile app offering two features – a quick calculation of income over feed costs and price comparison of various forages, grains and commodities to the Penn State Feed Price List and other users of the database.
Target Date calculates the amount of time between two dates. Users can also choose to ignore weekends and holidays. This app is also useful for estimating livestock births or how many days until harvest.
Weather Bug gives users access to live radar, extended forecasts and weather alerts. They can also spy on the weather through more than 2,000 weather cameras located throughout the U.S. Another useful feature is Weather Bug’s GPS capabilities. It allows the app to share weather news relevant to the user’s current location.

Phone apps are appealing for farmers because of the instant access they provide to information and communication, whether from the barn, the field or on the road. The use of RFID technology is nothing new in farming, but it has traditionally been used to track animals as they move from farm to farm and into the food chain, and to prevent theft. These recent applications however are active rather than passive – they transmit signals rather than waiting to be read. For instance, an app can let farm managers track the movement of every animal in the herd. Having such easily accessible and complete information is the perfect impetus to make management changes … save time … and save money. No wonder dairy farmers are developing app-titude!

APPs contribute to Cheaper, Safer Products

While farmers can gain immediate benefit from their smartphones and the burgeoning app market, the impact such technology holds could extend beyond the field or barnyard. It not only is helping to grow a better product and do so more efficiently, it is also helping to keep costs down and thereby benefiting the consumer too. Even more important, is that technology is contributing to providing a safer product as well. For example, consider how a robotic milker can sense through a cow’s temperature that the animal is sick. Without antibiotics, a program of separation and treatment can be initiated (without antibiotics) that keeps all of that stuff out of the food chain. Mobile technology allows the farmer to break free of cables and cords and notebooks. Furthermore, the detail and efficiency of this small but effective technology not only helps on the production end of the spectrum but social media tools such as Twitter help in reaching out to consumers by giving them the opportunity to ask farmers questions about production. It is a win-win for both sides. Information is available wherever and whenever -24/7.

What is the Impact?

Float Mobile Learning, a consulting firm that develops mobile strategies and apps for major agricultural organizations and Fortune 500 companies, has used previous market research to determine that 94% of farmers own a smartphone or a mobile phone. Four years ago, nearly half of American farmers were using a smartphone such as an Android or iPhone, up from 10% in 2010. Many others had tablets like the popular iPad.

What is the Difference?

Personally, I love the fact that recently a local farmer was able to watch his son compete in figure skating even though he himself was home working on the farm. Even better are the times when he can monitor the dairy herd while actually attending events where his children develop skills that he would have missed before the development of this technology. The benefits of increased efficiency and saving money are well-documented and appreciated. With a few touches on their iPad, a farmer can now turn on the fans remotely or observe a calving pen or have a quick check-in with the milking team. However, even more gratifying is the way app technology contributes to solving various issues. Perhaps it’s an animal health problem – “Hey! What does this look like to you?” By snapping a quick photo with a smart phone and sending it to someone who can provide the answer, a speedy solution is sought and found.

The benefits of technology extend beyond the farm as well.

Farmers realize information is power in making decisions and they are quick to adapt when they see the value. Farmers are not afraid to use social media to communicate with the public and correct misperceptions or answer questions that consumers may have about agriculture. Farmers and ranchers across the country regularly turn to Twitter, YouTube and other media to compare stories, keep updated on new techniques and equipment being used and trade advice.

From Imagined Possibility to Real Time Speed

So much of the logistics of raising dairy animals happens in slow time. The opportunity to excel comes when information can be collected and acted upon very quickly. Via real time alerts delivered to his smarpthone a dairy manager can know whether the cow is ill, or is in heat and ready to be inseminated. Well before having to deal with full blown illness, a tracking app can let managers know two whole days before it can be seen by observation that the cow is sick. If you can help the cows two days before, it’s money, because the cow, not being so sick, is easier to treat. In one application, each cow wears a special collar, fitted with a wireless RTLS (real time locating system) tag. The tags are read several times a second by sensors fitted in a grid in the roof of the barn. The data is sent from the sensors to a hub, where the cow’s every movement is collated and analysed using complex behavioral algorithms.

Coming Soon to Fingertips Near You

Software is being developed that will allow farmers to compare their operations with those of other app users. More information. More informed decisions. Also, when Thermal Aid is released this fall, developers at the University of Missouri think they can help dairies avoid losses due to heat stress. They’ve produced a new mobile app that can detect the threat of heat stress in cows using nothing more than a smart phone. Much can be learned from Apps that track aspects such as temperature or habitual activity (laying down, sleeping, and eating). When coming into heat cattle typically walk more, socialize more … eat less due to increased activity … and therefore an app that signals these changes in behavior assists heat detection. Likewise a lack of activity can indicate illness of lameness.

Around the World Apps are Awesome for Working with Cows

A quick surf review of the interview turns up many apps that are being used by dairies around the world.

Denmark: CowView uses a type of RFID (radio frequency identification) called UWB (ultra-wideband) technology.
Ireland: SmartFarm Apps – “Keep your farm in your pocket”
New Zealand: Here I found numerous lists of apps. One is a Dairy Farm Grazing calculator.
The Netherlands: LelyT4C In Herd “Farm Management in the Palm of Your Hand”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

It doesn’t come down to whether you should use Apps or not but, more importantly, the question is “Which ones?” Of course it all depends on your individual dairy needs and personal preferences. When you have that figured out, you will definitely find the right app-titude for dairying in the 21^st Century.

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80 Ways to Build a Dairy Dream Team – Employees are what make dairy farms successful today.

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Wednesday, June 4th, 2014

If you need proof, take one example referring to reproductive data. The report shows that 73% of the difference in pregnancy risk in top herds from those in bottom rated herds, can be attributed to management practices and environment. Put that in simple terms, and that means that dairy teams, or the people behind the cows, make an enormous difference in the success of every dairy operation. It is a pleasure in National Dairy Month to applaud the men and women that excel in putting their dairy farm at the forefront. The following 80 plus checkpoints are a part of what makes a dream cream team!

Established Overall goal

Establish a management system in which protocols are developed,
staff are trained to follow the protocols,
records are kept
data is evaluated

Sustainable and Repeatable Success

animals have long herd life
animals produce to their genetic potential
animal welfare is excellent

Clear Job Descriptions

Adherence to state/ provincial and federal labor regulations
Job descriptions are a tool that is used on the dairy.
Everyone is clear about who is responsible for each task.
Job descriptions for each of the following:
- Full time manager or managers
- Advisory teams
  - Veterinarians, nutritionists, consultants

Capable Manager

Recognizes that culture and morale come from the top
Is committed to helping staff be successful in their jobs.
Doesn’t assume that others understand what is wanted
Shares goals and expectations
Builds effective employee teams by grouping personnel with complementary skills
Has strong leadership and communication skills
Facilitates team interactions
Assists individuals when problems or conflicts occur
Applies rules consistently and without discrimination
Allows workers to ask questions for further clarification
Finds the right task for the right worker.
Answers “Yes!” to this question: “Would you want to work for yourself?”

Regular Tasks Not Overlooked

Consistent professional management
Conflicts are resolved (without destroying … )
Animal welfare follows a written Responsible Animal Care Policy
Set a good example of proper animal care

Employ Exceptional People

“Noticers” – These are valuable people on the dairy team because they take notice of what is unusual about what is happening and question and seek better ways to do things.
Family labor used recognized and appreciated.
Some dairy operations have an assigned person who serves as a trainer and is readily available, not allocated to any specific mandatory daily role on the farm. This multi-skilled individual has the flexibility that allows for plugging the gaps caused by absentees to help maintain productivity levels or assist teams with special or understaffed projects.

Special Tasks Completed

Written mission statement and goals
Meetings are well-organized
Meeting are short and efficient
Set some clear rules of behavior
Establish a driving cause, issue or need.

Formation of Functional Teams

A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performing goals and approaches, for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. May include some of these, perhaps in combination, as well as others as suited to the particular dairy operation:

Milking
Pre-partum
Calving
Fresh Cows
Hospital
Feeding
Hoof Trimming
Cow Pusher
Stall Cleaner
Reproduction
Recor

Possess Effective Teamwork Characteristics

Good behavior and courtesy
Committed to a team effort
Proud of team achievements
Happy to come to work each day
Challenge each other with fresh facts and information
Shared sense of closeness and group purpose
Focus on practical applications of tasks to achieve goals
Team takes precedence over individual needs
Team experiences success
Successes are recognized and celebrated: positive feedback, recognition and reward.
Team accepts responsibility for its own performance

Supportive Environment

Provide clean safe and comfortable environment
Set up your parlor for milker safety and comfort, and you will have more productive and healthier employees.

Dream Team Tools

Technology: to provide data to aid in decision making
Training: Skills are developed through a combination of education and experience. Invest in employee development to reach top performance and for the benefit of the farm. Take the time to explain what is expected and why it is important
- Seminars
- Videos
SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures): can be the difference between success or failure and provide significant performance improvements when properly and thoroughly carried out. SOPs provide focus for team efforts SOPs are the result of collaboration of managers, workers and advisers in writing down practices so activities are consistent
- Simple steps
- Flow carts

Regular Performance Evaluation

Measurement is an essential tool in growing an effective team.

The team functions effectively when the manager is away.
Regular assessment supports that cows produce well and reach their genetic potential.
Calf (and herd) welfare stands up to public scrutiny.
Turnover is used as a measurement tool as well by providing an opportunity to increase or change responsibilities of the remaining team members.
Incentives are provided that support the unique goals and objectives of the team and individuals:
- Higher pay, greater job security, co-worker esteem, appreciation, a kind-word, performance appraisals.
Responding well to problems is important but not nearly as valuable to the dairy operation as preventing them in the first place.

Statistical Benefits of Having Engaged Employees:

Employee retention up 44 percent
Labor safety up 50 percent
Productivity up 50 percent
Profitability up 33 percent
Overall performance up 78 percent.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Achieving good management practice on dairy farms requires a skilled and motivated workforce. If you focus on the positive and seek steady improvement in the areas discussed, the cream team will more than likely rise to the top and take your dairy operation with it!!

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DAIRY HOSPITAL PENS – For BETTER or WORSE?

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Tuesday, June 3rd, 2014

Having identified that a dairy animal has become sick the first action usually involves moving her to a hospital pen. This allows focus on the problem and, although the motivation is to keep the disease from affecting or infecting the rest of the herd, it actually can contribute to doing exactly that.

Avoid hospital pen moves. Work first and foremost with Veterinarian

Dairy producers need to establish a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR). Working together they can find solutions and inaugurate protocols that manage health and avoid risky hospital pen moves.

The number one priority is to avoid hospital pen moves.
The first resource for avoiding pen moves is your veterinarian.
The veterinarian can have one of the single largest impacts on the dairy.
train the staff on proper techniques
develop the treatment protocols
evaluate and review

Is Your Hospital Pen Helping or Hurting?

These are checkpoints to avoid in a hospital pen:

Don’t mix sick and fresh cow groups together.
Maternity pen and Hospital pen are distinctly separate (not combined) pen uses.
Dirty needles spread contamination as do contaminated stomach tubes.
Employ the best hygiene practices between cows during milking in hospital pen.
Manure contamination must be avoided (i.e. leaked milk from mastitis cows).
Target cow comfort.
Don’t overstock the Hospital Pen.
Be aware of social stress (it takes 3-5 days to become socially stable after a move).
Hospital pen animals are susceptible to developing another problem (i.e. the mastitis cow becomes lame).
Cows are 11 times more likely to contract Salmonella bacteria while in a hospital pen.
It is possible for hospital pen cows to become carriers of diseases (pneumonia, foot warts, enteric disease etc.)
Make sure that dairy staff has adequate training.
All hospital pen treatments must be monitored and reviewed.
Take full advantage of veterinarian expertise training ,supervising and monitoring

Hospital Pen Design Contributes to Cattle Care

Separate lame cows from sick cows.
Avoid water, manure and cow traffic between sick cows and healthy groups.
Design features that facilitate better and more convenient cow care
- provide 30 inches of bunk space per cow
- allow water space at one foot per cow
- easy access through man passes in headlocked or non-headlocked pens
- treatment chutes or tilt tables, hot/cold water ,storage and refrigerators for drugs and other equipment useful for treatments and/or recordkeeping
non-slip areas wherever sick or lame cattle walk (cushioned; rubber; sand)
hospital pen not adjacent to transition cows
convenient for treatment monitoring and milking
Protected from the environment (roof, shade cloth, fans etc.) to reduce stress
Misters and water should only be used over feed bunk

Trained People + Effective Protocols = Reduced Hospital Pen Time

Train employees regularly and monitor for compliance with treatment protocols
Limit employee access if the herd is large and more than one individual is required
Have staff member who specializes in dealing with sick cows
If possible, limit their activities to the hospital area
Wear protective clothes and gloves and change when leaving
Make washing machines/dryers available to employees, provide coveralls or employ a uniform service to help compliance in the area of preventing disease transmission.
Always be aware of and avoid cross-contamination
Care for and treat calves before breeding and treating sick cows
If possible, only the calf staff should look after sick calves
The example needs to be set by the owner or manager for best results
Treatment protocols should be reviewed at least annually if not more often.

Monitoring the Hospital Pen: Record. Review. Repeat.

With the goal of drastically reducing the need for and use of the hospital pen, dairy managers need to look to and use all the tools available.

Record keeping is paramount.

Most dairy management software provides a means of tracking DIH (days in hospital).
Record every health event (mastitis; pneumonia; lameness etc.)
Record when cow moved into the hospital pen and when she moved out.
Record each treatment intervention (medication; antibiotics; etc.)
Review records regularly.
Review trends.
Repeat all steps.

HOSPITAL PEN Sanitary Protocols

To prevent disease being spread to other cows

Daily pen cleaning
Complete removal of retained fetal membranes and other residues of health events
Routine cleaning of the pen (including waterers) with a strong disinfectant
Decontamination of tools used in hospital pen (stomach pumps, pilling guns, halters, etc.)
Frequent monitoring and adjusting of cleaning frequency as needed
Handwashing is the most important thing to do to prevent transmission of infections.
Employees wear latex or nitrile gloves, wash their boots and wear clean coveralls daily
Use footbaths in extreme situations utilizing

Hospital pen NO NO’s

On top of the fact that the move to the hospital pen is itself a stressor to an animal that is already vulnerable, the pens themselves can be risky environments because of potential of contracting a new infection. Recovering from one disease incident is much different than the survival rate after a cow gets a second disease, especially Salmonellosis or Mycoplasma mastitis. Salmonella infections can lead to reduced milk yield, weight loss, poor reproductive performance and death in dairy cows. Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is another bacterium that easily can be contracted in the hospital pen. In one study, 70% of cows entering the hospital pen contracted M. bovis clinical mastitis within 12 days of entering the hospital pen. All dairy staff observing the hospitable pen need to be alert to any early signs of new illness.

Controlling Spread of Hospital Pen Diseases to the Dairy Herd

During their stay in the hospital pen, fresh cows can become carriers of disease. If they don’t show signs of a clinical infection and are returned to their regular pen, the bacteria they now are carrying can follow them back to the milking herd. For example, cows with subclinical Salmonella infections can shed the bacteria to their herdmates without showing any symptoms. This puts your entire herd at risk.

Mistakes in the Hospital Pen Can Lead to Drug Residue Violations

When cows with different illnesses enter the hospital pen, they also have different treatment protocols and needs. Mistakes can happen, which can lead to violative drug residues.

There are potential for slip ups:

leg band missed
timing or dosage confused
proper records not kept

Unfortunate results

Violative drug residues
Diminishing consumer confidence in the food produced
You could even lose your ability to do business if these mistakes continue.”

Hospital Pen Problems are Expensive

Contagious mastitis can be passed via equipment or milkers’ hands from sick cows to herdmates.

Each outbreak of mastitis costs $200 per case
Mycoplasma outbreaks often begin when sick cows are grouped with fresh cows. Mycoplasma cost can add up to $20 per day
Each case of Metritis costs between $304 and $354 in losses of production and performance.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

In a perfect dairy world, the hospital pen would be eliminated entirely, or at the very least, underused. In the real world hospital pens are frequently needed in order to deal with health issues. It is the job of dairy managers to make sure that the hospital pen doesn’t itself become a disease source. Information and awareness cost nothing but, combined with appropriate and timely action, could make a significant herd health difference. How does your hospital pen score? Better? Or worse..?

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Beat the Heat – Dairy Cattle Breeding and Milk Production Challenges caused by Heat Stress

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Thursday, May 29th, 2014

Weather has always been the #1 topic of conversation for anyone in agriculture. Changing weather patterns have made it even more topical. Current research suggests that there could be many more days of high temperature, and that means a growing potential for heat stressed dairy cows. For those of us in the dairy business, this trend has the potential to dramatically impact all aspects of the industry from breeding to milk production.

Let’s Start with the Bad News First

Numerous studies have documented the challenges (Jordan, 2003; Rensis, 2003; West, 2004) which impact reproductive performance. Heat stressed cows eat less and this nutrition deficit results in prolonged postpartum anestrus and impaired embryonic development. In addition, this inadequate nutrient intake reduces body condition score and causes cessation of estrus cycles. Unfortunately, symptoms induced by heat stress gradually pile on and the ultimate result is that the success of gestation is severely compromised even after the weather has moderated.

Find Out Who Is NOT Cool

Monitoring respiration rate is a good tool for determining the level of heat stress. Aim for less than 75 breaths per minute in milking cows or 65 in dry. Rates above 65 breaths per minute in a dry cow indicate significant heat strain and require that action be taken for cooling.

Rectal temperature is another tool to detect heat stress. If the measurement is only taken once a day, it is best to take it in the afternoon (3:00 to 5:00 p.m.) when cows are most likely to be experiencing elevated body temperature. A more detailed method of monitoring for elevated body temperature can be done by placing computerized data logger in a blank CIDR device and then capturing the results every hour.

Heat Causes Ovary Dysfunction!

Beyond the obvious discomfort experienced by heat stressed cows, the entire reproduction program may be compromised if cows fail to come into heat or ovarian function fails.

More commonly, the frequency of mounting in hot weather is reduced, and the few mounts that do occur are missed. The high temperatures have a direct effect on feeding behavior, which can become so severely reduced that insufficient nutrients are available after milk production for the ovaries to start functioning during the first 6 weeks of lactation. Cows that calve immediately before or during hot weather are most likely to be affected. Check the records for each cow not observed in estrus. It is important to look at results of the veterinarian`s 30 to 75 day postpartum palpation record for each cow. Research shows that over 95% of all cows will have either a corpus luteum (CL or Yellow Body) or a follicle on one of their two ovaries at this stage of lactation. Any herd with fewer than 75% of cows cycling by 60 days after calving should have the energy level of the feed checked. Nutritionists working in Florida recommend increasing the energy concentration of the cow`s feed to account for reduced intake during hot weather.

Turn Down the Heat Stress. Watch the Temperature Humidity Index.

Providing shade over the feeding and watering area is another way to increase the feed intake of heat-stressed cows. Combinations of soakers, fans and shades that help cows maintain a body temperature around 101.5 degrees F over the course of the day are required when the THI (temperature humidity index) exceeds 68. Note that a THI of 68 is often not perceived as detrimental to cow performance, but studies show that it is the point where cows begin to have negative symptoms due to heat stress.

Researchers in Florida suggest that the body of a dairy cow begins to respond to warm temperatures in the environment at slightly over 70 degrees F. Recent studies show that the reproductive performance of cows does not suffer until environmental temperatures are over 90 degrees F. Additionally, the sun’s rays can directly have an adverse effect on fertility. Cows with black markings will absorb more heat from the sun’s rays, further elevating body temperature. Blood flow may be diverted from internal circulation to peripheral circulation in an attempt to reduce body temperature. The reduction in blood flow to internal organs including the uterus, oviducts and ovaries may reduce available nutrients and increase biochemical waste products at the tissue level. There are many good nutrition supplements specifically formulated to moderate the effects of heat stress.

Heat Stress and Heat Detection

Under the influence of heat stress, the duration and intensity of oestrus are reduced. There is a clear decrease in motor activity and other manifestations of oestrus such as mounting. Nobel et al. (1997) found that Holstein cows during the summer have 4.5 mounts per oestrus versus 8.6 per oestrus in winter. Higher incidence of silent heat and anoestrus is, therefore, one of the most often reported findings in cows exposed to high ambient temperatures. It is important to recognize the challenges of marginal heats and establish best practices to compensate. The use of timed breeding protocols could also help by ensuring that cows showing no signs of heat do not continuously get skipped when breeding. There are several, well researched timed breeding programs to pick from, so work with your veterinarian to implement one that works best for your dairy

Heat Affects Bulls Too

Heat stress can also cause infertility in bulls. Under normal conditions, testicles are kept a few degrees cooler than the body because heat interferes with proper sperm development, but during hot weather the body’s methods for keeping the testes cool are not adequate.

In some cases, producers decide to discontinue A.I. breeding because they are concerned that A. I. Performance declines in the summer. This is a big mistake because nature service bulls’ fertility suffers just as much or more than cow fertility so now heat stress has a detrimental effect on both sides of the reproductive process.

Heat Affects Semen

Heat stress causes hyperthermia of the scrotum and testes that can lead to poorer morphological and functional semen quality. Hansen (1997) reported deterioration of bull fertility caused by heat stress during the summer months. Semen quality declines markedly during extreme temperatures. There are carry-over effects, since the spermatogenic cycle is about 60 days from the time the cell is produced until it is out of the system. You might have problems with infertile bulls even up to two months after the hot weather ends.

Heat Causes Low Conception Rates

Assuming you do not have problems with the semen, heat stress problems may still result in conception rates falling below 20% during the summer months. Often, fertility will not return to normal until late October or November, even though environmental temperatures became unstressful in late September or early October.

Heat Affects Uterine Environment

Heat stress compromises uterine environment with decreased blood flow to the uterus. High uterine temperature of the heat stressed cow can impair embryonic development, resulting in reduced embryo implantation and increased embryo mortality (Jordan, 2003 and West, 2004).

Heat Stress Causes Pregnancy Losses

The most common time for heat stress to cause embryonic loss is in the first week after mating (the embryo fails to attach to the uterus); though in some circumstances a pregnancy can be lost up to the first month of gestation. More rarely, heat stress can cause pregnancy loss in late gestation. Anything that stresses the cow or fetus at that time can trigger premature birth, which usually results in death of the calf. Some advisors advise against breeding during July, August or September reports Dr. Gary Williams with the Animal Reproduction Laboratory in Texas.

As things heat up, don’t let your profitability go down. Research shows that cooling cows during their dry period can keep the milk coming for months to come.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

When the heat is on, it`s up to you to keep your cool!

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Management Intensive Grazing … Thinking Outside the Barn

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Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

One minute we are waiting for a long winter to make its way into the history books and the next we are noticing how it’s almost too warm to work outdoors comfortably. No doubt our working dairy herd is also feeling the effects of changes in the weather. Too cold or too hot we must always be anticipating ways to recover any dollars that because of climate conditions have resulted in more expenses or less production. Having said that, why then are we “surprised” by a change in the weather?

Perhaps it`s time to think beyond current the season and decide how best to tweak the three or five year plan. Factors such as costs, labor and profit margins might be telling you it`s time for a major change. Before this year`s crops are all seeded, it might be a good time to make a dramatic change in your feed delivery system. Is it time to think outside the box stall or feed pen. Have you considered management intensive grazing (MiG)? This involves repeating periods of grazing and rest among two or more paddocks or pastures.

Every Line on Your Financial Statement Must Be Re-considered

When it comes to choosing to use a rotational pasture program, those who have mastered pasture suggest many questions that should be answered when considering grazing over confinement feeding of the dairy herd:

How much feed do you currently grow? How much less will you need if cows are pastured?
What is the current value of feeding equipment – both growing and delivery —? Can you recoup dollars from selling? What annual maintenance and repair fees will be eliminated?
How long will your current equipment, which won’t be as heavily used, contribute to your 3-5-10 year plan?
What current costs are applied to manure haulage? What savings can be realized if cows are on pasture?
Fuel inputs could be dramatically lowered, with less planting, harvesting and feeding.
What are your current herd health costs? If exercise and fresh air reduce vet, medication and staff health care inputs, what could that add to your bottom line?

Once you have an itemized list of potential savings, you have the opportunity to decide how that can be applied to your specific long-term dairy strategy.

Who is Thinking MIG these days? What is Pushing and Pulling them to Pasture

Farmers who are starting out or closing out. If the farm supports sizable pastures, intensive grazing could be a good start-up dairy feeding plan for a farmer just starting in to dairying. At the other end of the spectrum, it could have the same attraction as a way of downsizing from a long-term established dairy.
Farmers who anticipate that high quality pasture forage can be provided for half the cost of stored forages.
Pasture feeding is a requirement for organic dairy farmers.
Purely from the financial side, grazing can make more money with less debt load.

Should YOU be Thinking MIG?

We often use the expression that a project or a purchase “ticks all the boxes”. Before changing from confinement dairy housing to management intensive grazing, see if your situation gets a “yes” checkmark for each of these questions:

Does your farm lend itself to producing pasture as well as or, more than, cropping?
Can you accept a lower herd average than average for the top half of confinement herds?
Are you willing to adjust dairy ration based on current pasture conditions?
Ready for a change in chores?
Is there adequate pasture to meet most of the daily forage needs for livestock for the grazing season?
Can milk cows get to and from the milking parlor as needed from the pasture?
Will you provide fresh water to ALL the paddocks?

And the most important question

Are you willing to change?

Oops! Make Sure You`re Not Harboring Misconceptions About Intensive Grazing

If you`re looking at grazing as a simple proposition of turning the cows out of the barn and onto fenced in fields as a huge savings in labor you may be misinformed. Depending on the quantity and quality of the pasture and the size of your herd, you may actually be looking at the “intensive” part of Management Intensive Grazing could be the number of moves that must be made from pasture to pasture. Depending on the season there could be several every day. There is a definite skill in managing grazing so that it improves the soil, the legumes and herd health and that definitely does not mean out to pasture – out of sight – out of mind. As with any other dairy management problem, once you have named it (too many pasture changes) you are one step closer to the solution. For some pasture managers they use a gate that opens electronically, thus reducing the number of times they have to work with fences.

From the Cows’ Perspectives do you have the BITE Stuff

When looking at pasture you may be taking in the size of the pasture when assessing how it will meet your herd’s nutrition requirements. It is important that you are providing enough Dry Matter Intake (DMI). In a day on pasture cows take in approximately 22 to 28 pounds of dry matter. The best way to make sure cows are eating enough DMI from pasture is to pay close attention to the size of the bite of pasture they receive. Pasture height and density determines this bite size. If the pasture is too short, then they cannot get enough pasture in each bite to meet their DMI needs, even if given a larger area to graze. Sometimes the obvious eludes our attention. In the case of pasture grazing, we must accept that cows only take a certain number of bites each day and only graze for part of each day because they must also spend time resting and ruminating. Once you have determined that you have the required amount and quality of pasture, the challenge becomes how to get your cows to eat enough of it in eight hours to supply their production needs. This is one reason to provide a new pasture, which is tall and dense, after each milking. When cows go into a pasture that is tall enough, they can rapidly fill their rumens with high quality high protein feed.

Mistakes and Pitfalls of Managed Pastures

In researching the benefits of using management intensive grazing, one can easily be won over to the benefits and overlook the potential downsides of this system. As with any thing “managed” they are ways to do it well and there are ways to fail. The latter can include the following.

Poor plant growth due to overgrazing damage.
Poor animal performance (including poor reproductive performance) and
reduced milk production
inadequate dry matter intake (DMI) from pasture or
incorrect supplemental feeding.
Animal health problems, particularly parasite problems.

And finally one with a term you might not be familiar with … yet.

“Untoward acceleration” is a term used by Andre Voisin in his book, Grass Productivity, to describe what happens when paddocks are not rested long enough between grazings. Each grazing of the paddock provides less forage and the regrowth period gets shorter throughout the grazing season until most of the plants are overgrazed and there is little or no feed left.

THE BIG THREE:

#1 Health Benefits

Health Benefits of Grazing Dairy Heifers Cornell data showed early lactation health problems were reduced in first calf heifers which were rotationally grazed for 5 months prior to their freshening date, compared to a duplicate group which was raised in confinement prior to freshening. These results were consistent with previous research completed by the University of Minnesota from 2000 through 2002, which also compared raising pregnant dairy replacements in confinement vs. rotationally grazed. Their results showed that the animals raised in intensively grazed pastures had fewer post-partum problems than their counterparts

#2 Weight And Production Gains.

Weight and milk production gains with heifers raised on pasture compared to confinement have also been realized. In a study by Posner and Hedtke, 2012, (CIAS Research Brief #89), yearling heifers gained 1.97 and 1.86 pounds per day on pasture and in confinement, respectively. For ME Milk production, the first lactation heifers produced 25,328 and 23,415, pounds of milk respectively for those raised on pasture versus those raised in confinement. Thus, from reducing costs, increasing health and milk production, raising heifers on pasture makes sense.

#3 The Grass Is Greener and So is the Profit!

Studies prove rotational grazing of dairy heifers reduces the cost of raising heifers. This is where you really have to do your homework. Get your hands on the best information, talk with recognized experts, and make sure all your decisions are well-informed. Here are three links to help with your research: Dairy Farmer Profitability Using Intensive Rotational Stocking, Profitable Grazing based dairy Systems, and A Profitability Analysis of Dairy Feeding Systems in the Northeast.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Changing to Management Intensive Grazing is not rocket science. As long as your motivation is to do it well and not merely to dump current work that you don`t like doing, you will be fine. Letting the cows out does not mean you`ve let yourself out of overseeing animal care. It does mean paying attention to nutrition and management details. In the simplest terms there are only three steps.

Do the analysis.
Get over the paralysis.
Go for it!!

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ROSY-LANE HOLSTEINS – “Don’t Follow the Herd!”

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Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

Have you ever driven by an exceptional dairy operation and tried to figure out what it is that is making it so successful? You’re not alone. Dairy breeders everywhere study the stories of great entrepreneurs like (Read more: NORTH FLORIDA HOLSTEINS. Aggressive, Progressive and Profitable!! and Quality Holsteins – Well-Deserved Congratulations) looking for the vital ingredient that led to their special success. Lloyd and Daphne Holterman at Rosy-Lane Holsteins would tell you it isn’t a matter of one person or one ingredient. They would say that success comes from a functioning partnership of people, teamwork and strategic planning.

Four partners: Jordan Matthews, Tim Strobel, Lloyd Holterman, Daphne Holterman

Four partners at Rosy-Lane Holsteins: Jordan Matthews, Tim Strobel, Lloyd Holterman, Daphne Holterman

The Milky Way to Rosy-Lane

Lloyd Holterman looks back to growing up on a 50-cow registered Holstein farm. “My parents Lloyd A. and Rosemarie Holterman focused on high production. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1980 in Dairy Science and was a member of the Dairy Cattle Judging Team there.” explains Lloyd. “I married Daphne in 1981 and we partnered with my parents for 6 years, went on our own for 2 years, then returned to the home farm to take over and purchase the herd in 1989.” He brings the story to the present day. “We currently have 920 total cows and 870 youngstock. We grow 1,600 acres of forage and do some custom harvesting. Genetic sales account for 1-5% of gross revenue, depending on the year.” That simple summing up barely skims the surface of this well-run dairy operation that hosts classes, seminars and visitors from within the dairy industry and from the broader consuming public. The Holterman’s are dedicated dairy Agvocates as well as very successful dairy farmers. All tasks at Rosy-Lane are thoughtfully considered and thoroughly implemented.

Holterman Family (L to R; Daphne Lauren Lloyd Taylor)

At Rosy-Lane They Minimize AND Maximize to Avoid Tall, Pretty and Infertile

Lloyd states the first step in Rosy Lane Holstein’s operating strategy. “Profit comes first as farming is a business.” Far from the negative connotations such a goal sometimes earns, Lloyd points out that efficiency is key. “While it’s great to sell one animal for big dollars, the genetic program should be an investment in growing future earnings and genetic selection must maximize: feed efficiency (through high producing healthy cows); Labor efficiency (through high producing healthy cows) and Capital efficiency (through high producing healthy cows).

The link between efficient dairy management and health productive cows is one that Rosy Lane gives the highest priority.

At the opposite management extreme, at least from the size viewpoint, is the goal that genetic selection must also minimize key parameters: Herd health cost per cwt.; death loss across ALL ages; calves born DOA and days open.”

With this clear vision of desired outcomes, Lloyd outlines how the strategy is carried out at Rosy Lane. “The best tool to do this (minimize and maximize) is NM$ or CM$ (Cheese Merit). Living in Wisconsin, our income is highly dependent on component pricing (Class III).” He briefly considers an alternative. “TPI also has it strengths but if you aren’t careful, you can end up with Tall, Pretty and Infertile.”

Three Decades of Distinguished Rosy-Lane Dairying

Such a clearly stated perspective on dairying has been achieved over many years reports Lloyd. “Daphne and I started farming with zero dollars and two college degrees. In 33 years, we have built a sound business that we are now transitioning to two young men that both started working with us before they were 16 years old. It’s interesting to note that neither of them grew up on dairy farms. One of the key points in our farm mission statement is to: Maintain an economically-viable business unit with future potential. We are well on our way to accomplishing this.” While they put extreme emphasis on the daily details they are always building for the future.

There Must Always be Time to Grow, Connect and Learn

At Rosy-Lane they feel there is always something to learn from mentors who, both near and far, have been many and well-valued. Lloyd points out the ones that he found to be the most influential. “Pete Blodgett called it as he saw it and was one of the first to realize cows were too tall-narrow-thin-lame. Another is George Shook, University of Wisconsin-Madison genetics professor, whose Dairy Cattle Breeding – Genetics 460 class still sticks with me every day. His class was a good background to understand genomics.” Lloyd appreciates other successful dairymen. “Don Bennink, North Florida Holsteins, was an early proponent and visionary on health traits, as well as breeding cows for a profit.” Sometimes the mentors are of a very practical nature. “Gustav Wilke, Osnabruck OHG in Germany, pointed out that Ramos would be a good compliment to our program that emphasized Oman. He also brought the European perspective.” Other consultants earn praise as well. “Susie Martin, ABS Global Sire Analyst, always brings balanced recommendations to our program and points out bulls we might otherwise overlook.” Others have influenced the very strategy Rosy-Lane has developed. “Denny Funk, University of Wisconsin-Madison Dairy Science Dept., started us on NM$ and productive life.” Of course, the valued advice from family is well-appreciated by Lloyd and Daphne, says Lloyd. “My brothers Bob Holterman, Gary Holterman, my father Lloyd A. (Sr.) and father-in-law Ray W. Johnson (Angus breeder) also have influenced our outlook and have given us the opportunity to meet and interact with leaders and visionaries of the cattle industry.” These mentors are a who’s who of dairy advice and wisdom and yet Rosy Lane is not a typical farm by any means!

Strong Agvocates, Rosy-Lane Holsteins is hosting tours from local schools to producers from around the world.

Strong Agvocates, Rosy-Lane Holsteins is frequently hosts tours from local schools to producers from around the world.

Rosy-Lane Holsteins. Unqualified Success! Unclassified Too!

When you first learn that Rosy Lane does not classify their herd, it seems counter-intuitive to what many traditional dairy breeders would consider necessary. Lloyd, as expected, has a well-reasoned explanation of their choice. “We participated in Holstein’s classification program for many years but it became increasingly clear that the program’s return on investment was negative. Cows that are tall, narrow and refined are generally scored higher than shorter, wider, heavier cows. Worse yet, the “shorter” cows are penalized on dairy form and udder depth because they are short and carry some condition. We had a majority of these “shorter” cows, and we found they far outlived their higher-scoring herd-mates while having less foot problems and better fertility. The classification program definitely punished Oman (we had about 550 of his daughters in our herd at any one time).” Returning to the businesslike approach that is the backbone of their success, Lloyd gives supporting examples. “Our farm runs on economics, and Oman was a bull that helped make our business profitable: 3 on calving ease, more live calves and fewer problems at 1^st calving. Number 1 NM$ for several years. High DPR. Great foot health and Low SCC.” Rosy Lane made the logical, for them, choice. “It became obvious to us that scoring our “shorter” cows was as a waste of money. Looking back, that decision to stop classifying should have been made much sooner because a business should only consider long-term profit and viability, not how high individual cow scores are. Functional cows with good health, good feet and legs, balanced udders and high milk production make money.” Always able to clearly explain the decisions that have built Rosy Lane, Lloyd is well-prepared in explaining what is needed for successful cattle breeding. “To maximize profits in the future, modern cows will need to:

Produce more MARKETABLE milk (less cows dumped)
Breed back in 1 or 2 services
Resist mastitis
Hold components at peak production
Produce more live calves and
Calve younger to reduce rearing costs

In 2013, we marketed 1.69 lbs. milk for each 1 lb. dry matter TMR fed. This can’t be achieved if there are problems at calving such as mastitis, DA’s, ketosis, and rampant lameness. From Jan. 1, 2014 to May 8, 2014 (128 days) we had 75 days when no cow was treated or dumped so 100% of the milk harvested was marketed. While this may be common on small herds, we milk 800-830 through our double-12 parlor 3X a day, achieving 94 to 100 lbs. milk average per cow per day.” With no apologies, Lloyd sums up their success, “We feel our genetic program is a central part of achieving these numbers.”

Breed Cows for Profitability

There are always clear goals for the future. “Daughters of Dean, Monarch, Supersire and Cabriolet will be flushed soon from the home herd. They were selected because they are high NM$ with the balance of traits we are looking for: Fat, Protein, DPR, SCC, CE and moderate stature with good strength.” He is enthusiastic about impending successes. “With our daughter Lauren, we purchased a Mogul x Freddie over 900 NM$ from Don Bennink and transferred 15 JoSupers recently. She is a very balanced heifer. We didn’t use Mogul ourselves and she had good CE and DPR.” (Rosy-Lane recently had the #2 high seller, Rosylane-Llc Oak 7276 the #23 gTPI female in the breed,who sold for $176,000 at the Day at the Derby Sale)

Over and Under: “Use ALL the Tools. Set your Benchmarks.”

ROSYLANE GENERAL BREEDING STRATEGY
We sort by Net Merit FIRST
Then Discriminate Against Bulls Over	Discriminate Against Bulls Under
+2.0 Stature	850 NM$
8.0 Calving Ease	50# P
2.8 SCC	60# F
	+1 DPR
	+5 PL

Lloyd continues. “Then we try to find unrelated bulls for our female population. This is the general strategy and exceptions to the above are made. ABS helps us from time to time with their computer inbreeding program.” He outlines bulls that Rosy Lane has used. “Manfred, Oman, Ramos, Shottle, Freddie, and Jeeves have been most successful for us. And now Bookem & Gonzo on 2-year olds. By increasing accuracy, we are able to select flush animals and recipients. We are now able to correctively mate for health traits, along with production traits, and correct any shortcomings on individuals more aggressively, such as those with low DPR or high calving ease.”

“We Use Genomics For Impact”

Genomics has greatly increased selection accuracy and given the industry the chance to find both health trait genes and, on the other side, avoid detrimental haplotypes. We can also find badly-needed outcross bulls more quickly. The timing coincides with consumers who are demanding less drugs/hormones be used, so we now have better tools to produce the kind of cattle that have lower “health care” costs. In our herd, genomics gives us more options to reduce inbreeding and select for superior health traits earlier.”

Lloyd reports on sire usage. “Genomic sire usage: Supersire, Cabriolet, Rodgers, JoSuper, Dean and Halogen. Why? They meet our sire criteria and can be used across the herd. We didn’t use Robust; we use his sons and grandsons. Planets are not holding up for us in the long run so we are trying to reduce his influence to some degree. Proven sire usage: Freddie. Why? Our best young cows are Freddies. They calve easily, have great F&L, low SCC and high components. Overall, they are very trouble-free. “

At Rosy-Lane, they are also well aware of the success being achieved by other dairy breeders and are careful observers of what they term influencers from afar. Lloyd reports that they closely watch the programs through genomic lists for the following herds/prefixes:

De Su
Cookie Cutter
Welcome Stock Farm
Spruce Haven
Coyne
Bush Bros.
Hendel

“Imagine The Perfect Rosy-Lane Cow!”

Far from being afraid of the future, Lloyd welcomes the challenges. “The trend toward larger operations will continue, driven by higher tax rates. Our capitalistic system is increasingly becoming a ‘winner take all’ (not necessarily a bad thing). Genetics will become more important because in the end it is the most cost effective long-term solution to reduce costs.”

Never one to wait for the future, Lloyd already has imagined the perfect cow. “Imagine a cow that calves easily like an Oman, has a disposition like a Shottle, breeds back like a Ramos, milks like a Planet and has the immune system of a Duster. In our herd, feed efficiency would improve quickly from 1.69 to 1.78 and we would make tremendous genetic progress with the ability to PICK our culls. This concept has been nearly lost on the Holstein genetic ‘community’. And then people wonder why commercial dairymen crossbreed or switch to Jerseys. If we don’t get with it now, Jerseys’ market share will soon be 50% and North American Holsteins (yes, Canadian Holsteins too!) will have to compete on cost only and may go the way of the Guernsey. Is this where we want to go?”

“Follow your Passion. Don’t Follow the Herd.”

Regardless of the area of dairying that is giving you challenges, you can learn a lot about solving problems from Rosy-Lane Holsteins. Despite the ‘rosy’ farm prefix this operation never chooses to wear rose-colored glasses. Of course, the day may come when everyone unites with a common vision for a sustainable and profitable dairy industry. “When that happens” you might suggest, “perhaps even Rosy-Lane will follow the herd. Wrong!” Lloyd Holterman points out, “That sheep-like mentality only works if it meets your profitability goals. Dairying is a business.”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Lloyd Holterman gives heartfelt advice to young dairy hopefuls. “Do what you have a passion to do, if you haven’t found it yet – keep looking!” Trying to imitate someone else’s passion is a sure way to be unsuccessful. However, he cautions those who have encountered hurdles “Don’t blame others if you fail.” Whiners and complainers are rarely at the forefront of innovation and success. It’s your life. Your future. Seek out the positive. Rosy-Lane Holsteins has excelled at dealing with negative circumstances and people. “Listen to the naysayers and do just the opposite!”

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Manure Evaluation: Key to nutrition and herd health

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Tuesday, May 20th, 2014

Awareness is one of the best tools dairy managers can make use of. A daily barn or pasture walk with boots that don`t hesitate to poke into manure piles behind the cattle, can be a valuable signal of what`s happening with herd health and nutrition. No special equipment is required to make a speedy determination of the color, consistency and content of the manure being passed by a group of dairy cows.

The Three C’s: Consistency, Color and Content

If the cows share the same diet, their manure should share similar characteristics. In a 200-cow dairy, a walk-through that checks the manure of 15 to 20 cows should be able to provide enough observations to draw conclusions. The expectation is that less than five per cent will stand out as significantly different from the general herd. It is important to determine what is causing the difference.

Check Consistency First!

Feed drives production. Knowing the digestion status of the working cows is an important tool for making management decisions. What you see in the manure output, should be porridge-like and produce the dome-shaped 1 or 2 inch thick ‘plop’ that is the sign of healthy digestion. Feed type, the nutrient and fibre content, water quality and intake and passage rate all have an impact on the final product. Restricted water or protein produces firmer feces. Dehydration results in firm balls of manure. Seeing loose feces or diarrhea may indicate excessive protein intake or high levels of rumen degradable protein. Manure may be loose during periods of stress. Other cases of loose manure are far more serious and their actual causes seem to be harder to pinpoint. For example, sub-clinical acidosis (SARA) causes loose manure consistency to vary amongst herd members as well as other multiple changes over time for each suffering cow.

Color Paints a Management Checkpoint

Fecal color is influenced by feed type, bile concentration, and the passage rate of feedstuffs and digesta. Recognizing what is `normal` for the current type of diet being fed, sets up the opportunity to identify variations that could indicate a need for action. Typically, manure is dark green when cattle graze fresh forage and darkens to a brown-olive if animals receive a hay ration. When cows consume a typical TMR, feces are usually a yellow-olive color. This color results from the combination of grain and forage and will vary by the amount of grain and processing of that grain. If an animal experiences diarrhea, feces may change to a gray color. Animals undergoing medical treatment may excrete abnormal colored feces as a result of drugs that are administered. Dark or bloody manure may indicate hemorrhaging in the gastrointestinal tract from watery dysentery, mycotoxins, or coccidiosis. Light-green or yellowish manure combined with watery diarrhea can result from bacterial infections such as salmonella. Of course, any rapid change in colors signals that something is not right and immediate corrective action needs to be taken.

Content is Last but Not Least!

The third “c” to inspect is content. The contents of manure can provide dairy managers with information about how the dairy diet is working. Manure that is produced from cows fed a well-balanced nutritious ration (with adequate effective fibre) is very uniform. It contains digested feed particles with the majority of processed forage fibre no greater than 1/2 inch, and with little escaped grain.

Long forage particles or undigested grains are a sign that rumination has been challenged and the cause needs to be determined. It could be a problem with the animal or with the processing of the grain itself. Obviously these large particles in the manure mean that the nutrition in them has not been made available to the animals or to rumen microbes.

Mucus is another indicator to use as an alert. The presence of excessive amounts of mucus indicates chronic inflammation of or injury to gut tissue. Mucin casts also may be observed. These indicate damage to the large intestine, possibly caused by extensive hindgut fermentation and low pH. The mucin is produced by cells lining the intestine in an attempt to heal the affected area. As well manure that appears foamy or bubbly may indicate lactic acidosis or excessive hindgut fermentation resulting in gas production.

A Poop Picture Helps with Informed Decision Making

Manure scores 1 and 5 are not desirable and may reflect a health problem besides dietary limitations. Score 4 droppings may reflect a need to rebalance the ration. As cows progress through their lactation, manure score may also shift as outlined below.

Fresh cows (score 2 to 2 ½)
Early lactation cows (2 ½ to 3)
Late lactation cows (3 to 3 ½)
Far off dry cows (3 to 4)
Close up dry cows (2 ½ to 3 ½)

Increasing the amount of degradable, soluble, or total protein; deceasing the amount or physical form of the fiber; increasing starch level, decreasing grain particle size (such as fine grinding or steam flaking), and consuming excess minerals (especially potassium and sodium) can cause manure scores to decline (for example from 3 to 2).

The color of manure is influenced by feed, amount of bile, and passage rate. Cows on pasture are dark green while hay based rations are more brown. High grain-based diets are more gray-like. Slower rates of passage causes the color to darken and become more ball-shaped with a shine on the surface due to mucus coating. Score 1 may be more pale due to more water and less bile content. Hemorrhage in the small intestine causes black and tar-like manure while bleeding in the rectum results in red to brown discoloration or streaks of red.

Physical Analysis

When it comes right down to manure evaluation, you have to get right down to it. After the 3 C’s inspection using eyes, boots and cow sense information, it’s time to look deeper. Collect at least five manure samples that appear to be representative of the group of animals. Mix the collected samples and place a pint-sized sample on a .05-.08- inch mesh sieve or in a strainer. Using a hose, wash a gentle, steady stream of water over the sieve, passing across the sample continuously until the water running from the bottom of the sieve is clear. Then gently use running water to roll or float the particles to one corner of the sieve and remove all material from the sieve.

Place the washed sample on a flat dark surface and examine it for the following:

Long fiber particles — It is inevitable that some long forage particles will appear, but if most are greater than 0.5 inch there may be cause for concern. Poor digestion of forages may be due to the makeup of the fiber component of the diet (low quality forages) or to the ability of the animal to digest the forage being fed (poorly balanced rations).
Grain particles — The small intestine is capable of digesting starch, allowing the cow to utilize this nutrient. However, the amount of starch digested is limited by the rate of digesta passage through the small intestine.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

It cannot be overemphasized how important it is to effectively manage herd health and nutrition. Every tool that informs that decision making process is valuable and manure evaluation is a valuable link in that chain of understanding. Don`t overlook the simplicity of a boots through the barn examination of your herd’s manure production. It’s not science but it gives the start to analyzing how your dairy diet is being consumed, digested and left behind.

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The Lost Art of Dairy Cow Stockmanship. When Push Comes to Nudge.

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Wednesday, May 14th, 2014

The expression “until the cows come home” can mean one of two things. Either the cows are expected to come home for milking and will be there or else it can mean waiting a very, very long time. Getting aligned with the routine of these creatures of habit is a daily activity on dairy farms and when it moves along smoothly it`s great but too often the opposite is true and it becomes a daily frustration. When cows refuse to move easily from one location to another or one activity to another, it costs time and money. Both bovine and human stress levels can skyrocket with a corresponding rise in injuries.

It`s Time to Get A Handle on Handling

When day to day interaction between cows and handlers results in injuries to either party there are lost workdays and decreased milk production. It’s easy to point the finger of blame at human handlers. However, for this interaction to work successfully both sides have to be calm. Handlers need to calm plus reassuring. As a result, cows will be calm plus comfortable.

Is Your Cattle Comfort Checklist as Ticked Off as Your Cows?

Cows behave unnaturally and stand or lie down uneasily.
Patches of rubbed-off hair and injuries to hocks and knees indicate that, when rising or lying down, cows are repeatedly rubbing on stall partitions or neck rails.
When cows are moving, they have an unsteady gait. If they are walking slowly, or timidly, with rear feet spread wide, this is a sign of poor traction and that something is negatively affecting their confidence in their footing.
Mastitis, sore feet and swollen hocks are also signs that handling needs attention.
If more than 20 percent of the cows defecate in the parlor, the cause needs to be determined.
All concrete should be grooved to make it less slippery.
Check stray voltage
Confirm that milkers are calm and reassuring as they handle and milk cows.
Maintain routine contact with animals to retain familiarity

Quick Changes … Get Cow Comfort Corrected

Cow Kindness not Over-Rated!

Temple Grandin, remarkable advocate of animal caretaking, Karen Lancaster, from England, and other experts who consult and provide cow handling seminars are agreed on one basic premise. “When the cows are happy, we know they eat more, when they eat more they make more milk.” Results report that cow comfort can mean the difference of several thousand pounds of rolling herd average milk production between two herds of similar genetics and rations. Simply upgrading a cow’s surroundings to light, clean and airy can radically move the following five performance parameters in the right direction.

Production
Performance
Efficiency
Safety
Animal Welfare
Quality of life

It shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that light, clean and airy can improve the same five criteria for the human dairy staff as well: production; performance; efficiency; safety; personal welfare and quality of work-life.

Put Yourself in the Cow’s Position

When we are consulting in business or trying to improve our personal working conditions, we often advise peers and clients to walk a mile in each other’s shoes. It isn’t bad advice when considering the best ways to handle our bovine workforce. Imagine yourself in the milking set up, the stall or the alleyways and pastures in between. Consider the logistics of size and ask yourself if this would be an area you would want to walk, sleep or work hard in? Cold, dark and damp are probably NOT the three top features you would be seeking out.

If you are eager to remind me that some cows are just “difficult,” perhaps it’s time to consider the same label can be applied to complaining cow handlers. I continue to be amazed that people who wouldn’t think of yelling at each other, or pushing or shoving, find that style an easy one to adopt when moving calves, heifers or cows.

One Video is Worth a 1000 Words

You can find a lot of enlightening advice from online videos on cattle handling.

No man or animal likes surprises or walking (or being pushed) into dangerous situations and it is important to give consideration to the actual sightlines of the animals. When calves and cows learn to trust that you have their interests at heart, they will be ready and responsive to your commands.

Cattle are creatures of habit and they have long memories. It’s a good idea to “start the way you want to end.” From first contact as calves … to final turnout to greener pastures… your interaction with herd and individuals should be calm, consistent and kind.

Talk Softly and DON’T Carry a Big Stick!

Dr. Joep Driessen, Director/Owner of CowSignals Training Company, says research shows that women get 10 percent more milk out of cows.” He suggests that farmers modulate their barn voices to more soothing tones. “Women are more gentle and cows like the soft voice of the women more.” All cow handling consultants insist that shouting at cows won’t help, because loud human voices stress cows even more than being physically slapped.
Curt Pate, well known for low stress cattle handling, has a list of tips which include the following:

Make sure the cattle can see you.
Don’t make sharp, loud noises.
Don’t rush the animals.
Use cattle prods and other equipment as little as possible.

“Farmers who don’t follow these guidelines and rush their animals harass them with noise or prod them unnecessarily risk raising their stress, increasing sickness and lowering production,” says Pate.

When trying to move cows, the handler needs be aware of his/her timing, angle, speed and direction of approach.

Obviously, the handler has to plan ahead where he/she wants to move the cows so that clear signals for the direction can be given.

If the handler can’t see a cow’s eye, the cow can’t see the handler and so the cow won’t be able to respond to the handler’s signals.

Part of the timing during cattle handling is to give cows time to react to the handler’s signals and to release the pressure once cows are starting to do what you asked of them.

Who Needs the Training First? Cows? Handlers?

Many times a situation on the dairy farm has become so repetitive that the only interaction certain individuals have with the cows is negative. It is necessary to see yourself as part of a team that involves the cows. Good behavior should be rewarded and repeated.

An interesting finding of one survey was that herds that had previous stockmanship training tended to have about 1,760 pounds higher rolling herd average than herds that did not – even after accounting for the herd size.

Studies have shown that if cows are stressed, adrenalin will diminish the oxytocin response and their milk let down will be impaired. As a result, cows will not milk out and producers will lose milk. In addition, stressed cows are more likely to defecate or urinate as well as kick in the parlor – none of which are particularly pleasant for the people working in the parlor and will likely affect their attitude towards work, as well.

Regularly revisit animal handling protocols to determine if updates are needed.

DIY or Experts … Who do You Turn to?

Training is traditionally done by herd owners or managers who have learned cattle handling predominantly from family members or by trial-and-error. However, today, in particular producers of larger farms (>200 milking cows), managers seek out low-stress handling training seminars to learn more about best cattle handling practices. There is an abundance of resources to take your herd handling to the next level. Online articles and videos are available from world renowned experts such as Temple Grandin and Dr. Joep Driessen. Several well-respected animal handlers are available for onsite farm demonstrations or seminars for groups. Of course, you can send out a call for help and your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn connections may be ready to give you help.

Bullvine Bottom Line

There are many good reasons to improve, modify and make over your cattle handling techniques. With daily opportunities for improvement, it’s safe to say that, although the practice may not make perfect, it can forge a willing and productive partnership between cows and farm staff.

Now everyone can handle that!

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“LESS IS BEST” For “MORE” Heifer Replacement PROFIT

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Thursday, May 8th, 2014

Costs for raising replacement heifers, like other inputs on dairy operations, have been rising continuously for more than 15 years. Unfortunately market prices received for heifers are landing in the exact opposite direction. Today the market value is below the rearing costs which place dairy managers between a rock and a hard place. You can`t do without replacements but it`s costing too much to raise them. It`s all about being more economical. Ironically the way to get more is achieved by focusing on less.

You Need Advisors Who Know “LESS”

It seems almost counter-productive to expect less from those who are experts in their field, but with the state of the market and the obligation to be profitable, everyone needs to be a specialist in the less proposition: less feed costs, less raising time, less time to weaning, less time to breeding. Each person that you consult with or work beside on your dairy needs to have this appreciation for less: Extension Dairy specialists, nutritionists, veterinarians, geneticists and financial advisors can apply their resources to your specific situation and help you find how to make “less” your value proposition.

SIX ways to MAKE MORE with “LESS”

There are many ways to improve your heifer replacement program. It is no surprise that prolonged challenges in this area is having the positive effect of producing specialists who have focused on solving the numerous issues that are involved. Of course, the Internet is a gold mine of ideas, examples, charts and field trials that can make your decision making more focused. Dr. Larry Tranel and Dr. Lee Kilmer, both of Iowa State University, have provided a compendium of materials to polish up your understanding of this area (Click here). You can start by reviewing published materials or seek out on line or live seminars.

1. Don’t Raise Anything “Less” than the Best

This first step is probably the most important for long term heifer replacement success. We absolutely must get past the unwritten rule that you raise every calf that is born alive. Modern genetic tools such as sexed semen (Read more: Sexed Semen from Cool Technology to Smart Business Decision and SEXED SEMEN – At Your Service!) and genomics (Read more: The Genomic Bubble Has Burst?, How Genomics is Killing the Dairy Cattle Breeding Industry and Genomics – Lies, Miss-Truths and False Publications!) are combining with improved management to make a positive impact on heifer raising. Using one or all of these can mean that there are lot more heifers on the ground than are needed to replace culled cows. There are formulae available that can determine the number of replacement heifers to expect on your operation. They factor in variables such as herd size, calving interval, sex ratio of calves born alive, calf mortality rate and age at first calving. Actual examples are available online. You can use the Kilmer/Tranel site previously noted or seek out one that may be more accessible to your dairy location or go to Penn State Extension. Raising extra heifers represents extra expenses for feed, labour, facilities. This needs to be pencilled out against potential income the heifer sales might generate. (Read more: Should you be raising your own heifers? and Herd Health, Management, Genetics and Pilot Projects: A Closer Look at ZOETIS, 8 Ways DNA PROFILING Your Whole Herd Will Improve Your Breeding Program and Genomic testing: Feeding the world with profitable cows)

Of course, once you know the exact number you are targeting it is equally important to determine which heifers are actually the best. One option is to identify the lower genetic potential calves by genomic testing and then cull the bottom 10-25% before investing dollars in raising them. Making an informed decision can result in very significant improvements in milk and fat yield.

2. Less Feed Cost

Feed literally eats up a large portion of your dairy expense budget. It therefore is a prime target for management efficiency. Meticulous record keeping is needed to make sure that you have good data for decision making. This is an area which can have wide variation on inputs – due to geography, logistics or specific farm variables such as soil fertility and availability. More than in the past, managers are considering rotational grazing. Motivated by using what is already available, reducing labor and machinery costs or some seek the better profit margins on organic milk which requires pasture-fed management of the milking herd. Other location dependent options could include using various by-product feedstuffs to reduce feeding costs. I recall my first surprise when I learned that cookies and donuts from local factories and fast-food operations were becoming part of dairy herd rations. It gives a whole new meaning to “milk-and-cookies”.

3. Less Confinement Feeding Could Net Profits

Intensive grazing of dairy heifers can reduce cost of labor and feed by reducing manure management and the feeding of harvested forages. Reducing costs by grazing heifers on productive crop ground depends on management skills, yield and assumptions used. Reports of field trials are available on line. Also reported are significant health benefits (ultimately less illness, less cost, less staff time) from rotational grazing for dairy heifers (Click here).

A significant conclusion is summed up by Dr. Tranel in “Optimizing Your Heifer Enterprise” where he points out: “Feed costs make up the largest share of the costs to raise a calf to freshening. One method to reduce feed costs is to combine corn co-products with low quality forages. A difference of $0.23 per head per day doesn’t sound like a lot until you consider the 800 pound heifer to be the “average” size heifer in a dairy herd. Therefore, a herd of 100 cows would have about 75 heifers that could be fed this lower cost ration. In one year that is a saving of over $6,000.”

4. Less time to Weaning

Tranel and Kilmer point out the benefits of taking less time in getting replacement heifers to the weaning stage. “It typically costs $5-$6 per calf per day to raise a calf from birth to weaning. A 56 day birth-weaning period typically has an estimated $336 of expenses. If this birth-to-weaning cost is subtracted, along with the ownership cost and initial value of the heifer, the cost to raise from weaning-to-calving is $1,661.50 over 674 days or $2.47 per day for the average weight heifer.”

5. Less Time to Breeding

It isn’t unexpected that heifer replacement specialists target less time taken in getting heifers to breeding stage. “Producers should make every effort to grow heifers faster so that they reach the target weights by 13 months of age so that they can be bred.” Getting heifers bred and calving sooner, means they will join the milk string sooner and start generating income.

6. Less Time to Calving

Management strategies targeting less time to calving are positive to many aspects of your heifer replacement program as outlined by the Iowa State Extension Specialists. “Reducing the age at first calving will have one of the greatest impacts on reducing the total costs of raising replacement dairy heifers from birth to calving. Another great impact would be that the doubling of the birthrate from birth to weaning may actually increase costs during that time frame but the milk production benefits later on far outweigh the added costs. More Holsteins calved at 23 or 24 months of age than any other age and these heifers produced more milk in their first lactation than heifers that calved at an older age. Thus there is no economic advantage to calving heifers at 26 months or older.” The article also contained this nugget from Kilmer and Tranel: “It is important to realize that reducing the heifer raising period from 24 months to 23 months saves approximately $94 per heifer for a total cost of $2,166 per heifer raised. For a 100- cow herd raising 40 replacements each year, this savings would equal $3,760 per year.”

Source: Optimizing Your Heifer Enterprise

The Bullvine Bottom Line

The cost of raising heifers is well above the market value they bring on today’s market. Management practices that focus wherever possible on getting MORE from LESS heifers, in LESS time and with LESS feed costs is the best way to get more out of your replacement heifer program. That also means MORE profitability for your bottom line.

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CALIFORNIA, COWS, CASINOS and WATER. Place Your Bets

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Tuesday, May 6th, 2014

The term “desert resort” is synonymous with the City of Las Vegas. The Venetian canals of the Bellagio, as well as the Mirage’s water-and-fire volcano, make conspicuous water consumption in Sin City iconic. Appearances can be deceiving, though. In fact, the Las Vegas Strip accounts for just three percent of local water use, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

Fully 70 percent of the city’s water supply goes toward irrigating the 60-plus golf courses and the many residential lawns in the area. The municipal government has, however, taken steps to scale back on the city’s greenery, for example, by cutting the maximum size of a domestic lawn to just a backyard patch. Nevertheless, keeping grass verdant in the middle of the desert is arguably folly in the first place.

Don’t Believe Everything you See and Hear

The sight of golf courses lush and green next to nearby desert… the 460 foot gush of the Bellagio Fountains punctuating every 15 minutes of the desert evenings. If this pushes your “water wastage” button, you may be reacting without all the facts. Yes there is an eight-acre lake supplying the Bellagio’s fountains. Yes all the water is recycled. Furthermore automated irrigation systems, high efficiency dishwashers and linen reuse are saving more water. And whether they were first or were inspired by others, water use per person fell 40 percent between 2002 and 2013, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the water agency that serves the Las Vegas metropolitan area.

If It “Stays in Vegas” Does it Dry Up Downriver?

However, the news is far from good. In February of this year it was especially bad for farmers in California’s Central Valley. That’s when they were informed that their request for water had been denied by the U.S. Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation. The record books will show that 2013 was the driest year on record in California. Reservoirs fell to dangerously low levels. Ten rural towns in the state were identified as having less than 100 days of supply remaining. The impact of this drought must also be seen in the context of the fact that California is the top agricultural producer ($44.7 billion). California accounts for 20 percent of U.S. milk production and dairying is the state’s largest agricultural business ($6.9 billion).

Early in 2014 California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency.

Watch Out! All Bets are Off! They Want Your Water!

There are times when a state of emergency, brings people together to meet the challenge. When it comes to the dwindling life-giving resource of water it’s a whole different game. The old saying is that “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Today, in California, the added nightmare of that road is that it is lined and overseen by consumer advocacy and environmental groups. They are more than ready to point the finger of blame at dairying for being the evil squanderer when it comes to groundwater depletion and contamination.

Surface Water Versus Ground Water

There are two main water sources for water in California: ground water sources and underground water sources. Drinking water – at least more than half of it – comes from underground sources. Growing population consumption means that more of these aquifers will be needed. And once again, changing times have added further problems here.

Although dairy farms use a tremendous amount of water, most of it pumped from the ground and used for drinking, cooling and sanitation. Unfortunately they are now being charged with contamination of the surface water because of the over application of manure and commercial fertilizer in areas such as the Central Valley. This results in high levels of nitrates and other dissolved salts. The end result is that, as surface water allocations are declining or becoming unusable, more and more ground water is needed.

Water quality and water allocation are passing the level of ongoing debate and becoming an all out war.

Whose Side Are You On?

It would seem that both sides have common interests based on the production of healthy food. Neither the producers, nor the human consumers want to see prices rise in response to the water crisis. However, farmers can’t afford to irrigate the crops and thousands of acres will not be put into production. No crops. No milk production. And the impact reaches deeper into the California population as farm workers are out of work and that creates a domino effect among all jobs relating to the industry.

Other states facing dwindling water supplies are responding by charging for consumption. Kansas already requires dairies that pump more than 15 acre-feet of water to put meters on their wells. A 1,000-cow dairy in California consumes 15 acre-feet of water in less than two months. California dairy farmers may soon be paying for more than just the electricity to pump groundwater.

Columbia University’s water scarcity study showed most of California, from San Diego all the way to Santa Barbara, at high risk for water problems. And CIRES’ study showed much of the same areas with high to moderate stress on regional watersheds from the coast and all the way inland. Los Angeles relies on importing much of its water from the Colorado River system which has long provided the American West with water — seven states in all that are home to almost 40 million people. But demands on the river are often cited as unsustainable, due to predicted population increases and climate change.

Your Water Budget is as Crucial as Your Dollar Budget

Dairy cows in California now number over 1.5 million. The majority consume between 20 and 50 gallons of water per day. Crop irrigation, in some cases, could run the total beyond 100 gallons per cow per day. Cows must consume water. Their health and the production of milk require it. Every drop of water that is expended has a rising cost attached to it. Although all water usage is of concern, here are four areas that may help in finding ways to reduce water consumption.

Milking parlors, cooling and sanitation.
Goal: 10 gallons per cow per day conservation when flushing freestall lanes.
Udder prep procedures:
Use hand-operated wash hoses or automatic prep systems (target between 1 and 4 gallons per cow per milking). Water can be reduced to less than ½ gallon per day, when using low water techniques.
Bedding and freestall management
Goal: keep cows well bedded so that they enter the milking parlor clean.
Irrigation:
Keeping grassland productive may not be an option. Deeper wells may be the first step in responding to water needs. Growing more drought-tolerant grasses (than alfalfa) may be the second step. Somewhere in the priority list, some may decide not to plant corn at all. Certainly, irrigation is on the cut backlist.

THE BULLVINE BOTTOM LINE

If you’re reading this and your vantage point includes a pond, river, lake or another large body of water, you may feel that water isn’t on your problem priority list. You may even applaud the casinos and cow operations in California that have started to conserve and solve their problem. However, the simple equation is: No water= Expensive food. If everybody who consumes water doesn’t join the effort, everybody loses. Game over!

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What’s Going on Behind Barn Doors? They’re Going Digital And Social of Course!

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Tuesday, April 29th, 2014

The barn is quiet and dark. There are the soft sounds of animals moving. In the shadows you home in on the blue glow of a laptop, your ears pickup the “Old McDonald” ring of a caller ID and then the lights come on automatically from the app on your smart phone. Digital has arrived in the dairy barn and you and your team are taking every advantage it has to offer.

Personally, I look at digital and social media as a year round World Dairy Expo for the dairy industry: something new to learn; something to fill a need; something to share; something for buying; something for selling. It isn’t necessary to rush out and get everything all at once. Simply identify the application that speaks to your current dairy goals. Then buy one or more as it works for your needs. There is something for everyone, and app for everything.

The Digital Dairy Bucket List

It is reported that as high as 95% of dairy farmers already have Smart Phones. Growing numbers of IPhones, iPads and Android mobile phones are conveniently waiting in coveralls, tractor cabs and milking parlors. They are the next generation of technology. They are much simpler to invest in and learn to use but, like robotic milkers, they have filled the bucket list wish of an industry where labor savings and more data are needed to keep dairying viable and sustainable. Where once using GPS for crop management was groundbreaking, today’s leading edge dairy managers are ready to apply technology to the whole operation. If you can name a problem you would like solved, there’s is probably a techie close by (or half the world away) who is ready to create an APP so that you can solve it. Furthermore, you don’t have to wait to get back to your computer or farm office.

Remember the days when even simple logistics of handling farm schedules meant waiting. Being “out of touch” with drivers, deliveries or information. Never being quite sure when, who or what was going to arrive, you had to stay in sight of the lane or the barn for fear of missing a loosely scheduled event. Today, delaying your schedule because of lack of information isn’t normal and, in most cases, puts a negative mark beside the name of the service provider who hasn’t respected your time enough to keep you in the loop. Social media and the internet means both of you know when and why you’re getting together and what is needed to make the meeting productive. No wasted time getting up to speed. Social media and other digital platforms is all about speed and effectiveness.

Whether it’s the weather, low milk prices or yet another outbreak of mastitis, social media and the internet provides an outlet, if not for solutions, at least for support. Shared problems seem easier when you realise that you’re not the only one.

Before, During and After Face-to-Face

Regardless of where you are at with the uptake of social media, it is quite probable that your suppliers, vets and consultants are continuously upgrading their abilities in using this new tool. Not only does it connect customer and supplier but it connects the knowledge base worldwide. If you’ve got a question, a “connected” consultant becomes your personal expert in solving problems, creating formula, or determining anything from budgets, to rations, to customized designs for pens, feeders or housing facilities. Entire supply chains move to a new level of speed, accuracy and productivity in the digital mode.

Remember when you were happy to have two or three people to seek out for advice? How about 200? Or 2000 to work on a problem? The actual potential goes way beyond that. A continuously connected dairy community is like having a personal genie in a lamp…. ooops…. genie in a handheld device!!

Calling All Cows

I’ve got a neighbour who has had video cameras installed. He uses his phone to check calving pens and the barnyard. Sometimes Facebook, more often on Twitter people ask for and share solutions to problems they are dealing with. The great thing is that it all happens in real time. Describe the problem and it is quite likely you will have several suggestions of how to deal with it. This speed goes beyond the simple, “Time is money” that we have always had to deal with. It provides a real source of confidence that someone has always got the answer. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Pinterest, Tumblir or Instagram — we now have a tool that makes it possible to access buyers, nutritionists and vets or any other number of experts – and provide them with picture, text, figures and background—instantly! At the very least, the dialogue is started. (Read more: The Shocking Speed of Social Media and the Dairy Industry, How Social Media Is Changing the Holstein World and The Anti-Social Farmer: On the Verge of Extinction?)

Show and Sell

Of course, the closer we get to dollars and cents of dairying, the more the benefits of digital provide payback! Good business has always depended on word of mouth and now that feature too is vastly speeded up and the reach multiplied. No longer are smaller operations at a disadvantage when competing beside large ones. The playing field is much more level. Marketing from your own interconnected website, Facebook page and Twitter account can drive interest in your embryos, calves or cows far faster than previous hard copy, or traditional advertising methods alone were able to. (Read more:7 Reasons Why Your Dairy Farm Needs To Be On Facebook, Nothing Sells Like Video and Times have changed. Why hasn’t the way you market your dairy cattle?) Cost effective and fast. Digital is a dairy marketer’s dream. The ability for buyers and sellers to interact, showcase their news, products and daily stories builds a marketplace of trust, which is the foundation for dairy business … and best of all …repeat dairy business.

Day to Day Decisions.

Digital is the 24-7 partner at your side. It starts with monitoring and data collection and enhances everything from early disease detection, to better care coordination and other services that keep our herds healthy and productive. When everyone whose daily job in any way touches the cattle has real time continuous connections, new situations are updated and problems tackled by every person and resource that is available. For example, spring has finally arrived. The fields are exceptionally wet and there haven’t yet been two days in a row where the weather didn’t provide a challenge of some kind, from chill winds, heavy rains and even a moment or two of nearly-snow-again. Equipment repairs and annual bookkeeping want attention too. Multi-tasking is the name of the game but, once again, identify the dairy problem and someone will provide input. “I saw one of those for sale.” or “We have had good luck with these to keep the calves warm!” and even. “Don’t have an answer for you but, ‘Good Luck’.

The Sunny Side of Dairy Life

It’s wonderful – even fantastic – that the digital future is expanding problem solving capabilities. It is also tremendous at bringing communities together. A little surfing around the Internet and it doesn’t take long to find wonderful blogs and socially active producers such as DairyCarrie, AgChat and Michele Payn-Knoper and Tom Hoogendoorn– to name but a few (Read more: Dairy Carrie – Diary of a City Kid Gone Country, Michele Payn-Knoper – Standing Up and Speaking Out for Agriculture!! and TOM HOOGENDOORN- Family man, Farmer & Our Face to the Consumer!). Here are opportunities to connect with like mind dairy folks but they also have the added benefit of connecting non-farm communities in a positive way. One of the most unique connections that I “stumbled upon” was Teats and Tweets which is described as “a unique social media project that looks at the way humans interact with animals and has the cows posting their daily activities on Twitter.” How far out is that? There is always something to tweak your interest and help you to push the envelope in this industry we are all passionate about.

From Penside to Worldwide

As we gain new ways to use digital for continuous connections and interactions, we will take great leaps forward in solving the issues of modern day dairy farming. The best results will be continuously adapted and improved … others will be modified or fall by the wayside. Digital means you can have a voice. From politicians, to researchers, to someone on the other side of the globe, it is possible to communicate and campaign on key issues – while standing at the side of a calf pen or in the milkhouse. Perspectives can be shared. Misinformation corrected. It is the level playing field that has never been accessed so easily until now. (Read more: DAIRY PRIDE: Presumed MISSing! “Farmed and Dangerous” – The Dairy Farmer’s Never Ending Battle with Public Perception and What PETA Does NOT KNOW about Raising Dairy Cattle!

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Trends in technology have found their way into every aspect of dairy farming. Not only are they bridging gaps in communication but also they connect generations of farmers, consumers and dairy industry shareholders. The future is in our hands.

To learn how to get your farm on Facebook download this free guide.

Water: Your Most Important Liquid Asset

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Thursday, April 24th, 2014

It would be a rare dairy manager that would choose to limit water as a cost saving management decision. Managers know the key role that water plays in order for their herds to thrive. Water is the most important essential nutrient behind feed intake, not only of lactating cows, but also promotes growth and development in young calves and older heifers.

The most basic understanding of the health needs of cattle, dictates that dehydration is a negative. The very nature of the lactating cow requires that sufficient quantities of water must be provided to facilitate milk production. This is also true at every stage of bovine growth.

Let’s start with how water contributes to the growth of healthy calves because of the way it promotes early and rapid rumen development. For some water may seem somewhat unnecessary when considering that calves consume milk or milk replacer. However, a high percentage of milk and milk replacer end up in the abomasum and not very much milk replacer ends up in the rumen. On the other hand, nearly all the water that calves drink goes into the rumen, where it contributes to fermentation and the grain & water slurry that promotes early papillae growth.

The All Day Calf Cafe

It is especially critical for their future growth that water is available to calves throughout the day. Of course the challenge isn’t simply to provide it, but to do so regardless of the weather. Extremely cold temperatures and the resulting frozen buckets must be dealt with to provide water to calves in hutches in the winter. Under heat stressing conditions water needs are increased 1.2 to 2 fold. In addition, Dr. Simon Peek, University of Wisconsin, emphasizes that timing is also important. He urges that water be provided immediately after feeding, even in the winter months. In general, preweaned calves usually drink about a quart of water for each pound of starter consumed. This is in addition to their milk or milk replacer.

The benefits of free-choice water for calves:

At 4 weeks of age calves with free-choice water drink roughly 95 pounds (12 gallons) of water.
Free choice water calves also consume more pounds of starter grain. One study reported roughly forty-four percent more grain in the first four weeks for calves that had constant access to water.
A 1984 study reported that for each extra liter of water consumed there was a corresponding increase in weight gain of 56 grams per day. Weight gains prior to weaning have been shown to lead to greater milk production as a cow.

Nevertheless the real challenge is making sure that the calves actually drink the water. When it is provided at close to body temperature during cold weather, they are more likely to drink. The extra work required to empty and refill water buckets through the day is well worth it because of the benefits of hydration and increased starter ingestion. Although there can be variation from day to day it is far better to overfill buckets rather than have a situation where calves run out of water. As well, it has been shown that separation of feed and drinking water eliminates contamination and will increase feed intake and body weight gains by as much as 13 and 20%, respectively, compared with having the buckets side-by-side.

Eat, Drink Water and Be Milky

Free choice water for calves may be a newer priority however dairy managers have always recognized that it is important to provide lactating cows with water. It is not only essential for milk production, growth and healthbut also impacts rumen function, nutrient digestion and absorption.

Every pound of milk a cow produces requires five pounds or three litres of water. For high producing cows that totals up to 200 litres of water every day. Reduce the amount of water and you reduce the amount of milk produced.

It is known that cows drink 30 to 50 percent of their daily water intake within an hour of milking. Clean fresh water must be easily accessible to all cows. An easy benchmark for water palatability is this: “If you won’t drink the water in your barn, neither will your cows.” Water quality and water intake are closely related.

Of course, clean water bowls or tanks are a given. Basic best practices are as follows:

Water bowls should provide 20 litres per minute for cows
Water tanks should supply 30 to 40 litres per minute
One water trough is needed for every 20 cows
Two water sources per group are needed to avoid stress situations for lower ranked cows
Water tanks should be easily accessible
2.5 to 3 m of open space around troughs are needed to minimize pushing and shoving

Test the Waters

Toxicity is an issue to be avoided at all costs. Palatability comes in high on the priority list too. If the water that is presented fails to pass the taste test, all the benefits are lost. For these two reasons alone, it is worth considering having the water supply to your dairy tested. A treatment system may be necessary to reduce sulfate and chloride levels. Visible problems with algae are easy to see and hopefully eliminate. It is important to minimize algae levels. There are six types of algae that are toxic to cattle. Use 35% hydrogen peroxide (8 ounces per 1000 gallons of water) to control algae populations. It would seem logical to use chlorine to treat water for dissolved iron, magnesium and hydrogen sulfide. However chlorine concentration over 1000 ppm can result in milk fat depression and reduced water intake.

Is Enough Water Enough?

Once you have determined its safety and palatability, it is critical that you know if your cows are getting enough water for their age and stage of lactation. The following are indications that water isn’t meeting the needs of your animals:

Firm, constipated manure
Low urine output
High packed-cell volume or hematocrit in blood
Considerable drops in milk production
Drinking urine or pooled water
Cows bawling even when adequate food is present

Causes for Low Intake

Corroded valves, clogged pipes, buildup of slime or scale
Stray voltage
Stress free access
Dirty bowls or water tanks

Water as a Sustainable Resource

No discussion of water can be complete without considering the resource itself. On a dairy farm, water use can range from 12 to 150 gallons per cow per day. This huge difference depends upon who cares about and monitors how much water is used. Farms that metre their water use and set standards have very little water use compared to farms that don’t, without restricting the needs of the herd. Best practices for water usage in milking parlors, wash pens and evaporative cooling systems (in warm climates) are the reality of the future. When all is said and done, responsible use of this finite resource will have a direct impact on the sustainability of the dairy industry above and beyond the life-giving value it has in providing nutrition, growth and milk production.

As an example of how water can become a crisis situation today, it is only necessary to look at the current drought in California. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency last month. Hundreds of thousands of acres will not be planted this spring. Farmers have been refused the water they requested from a federally controlled system. Farmers who manage the 1.5 million cattle in California are very aware of the dwindling supply of both surface water allocations and groundwater sources. The state has identified 10 rural towns with less than 100 days of supply remaining. Added to the problem of supply is the increasing problem with contamination.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Any restriction on the availability of clean, fresh, and high-quality water can limit calf development and impacts cows’ milk production quicker than a deficiency in any other nutrient. Water intake also regulates feed intake. Thus, understanding the importance of water and how to effectively manage your dairy feeding system to provide adequate water intake is very important.

Water is crucial to your dairy management success. Set up a comprehensive water program, not only for its role in cattle nutrition, but for every point water touches your operation from access to delivery, to cleanup and reuse. Overlook this liquid asset and you will be left high and dry.

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Are We Safe, Sorry or Simply Afraid to Stand Up for rBST?

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Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014

Mark Twain once remarked, “Truth is mighty and will prevail. There is nothing the matter with this…except that it ain’t so.”

For more than 20 years articles supporting the truth about the safety of rBST have been stacking up but have had little impact on settling the debate. Critics are either unwilling or unable to accept two decades of findings regarding the safety of what a recent Hoard’s Dairyman article referred to as “the most studied product in the history of U.S. dairy farming.” All of which brings me to our love hate relationship with food and, most particularly, with health risks based on the use of rBST, GMOs and other modern livestock rearing practices.

Protests and Politics

The heated debate over so-called Frankenfoods is not only about the pros and cons of genetic manipulation to improve nutritional value and resistance to disease; it also concerns honesty vs lies, ethics vs deceit and fact vs fiction.

The trouble with trying to inform the misled or to defend those who would attack dairy producers, is that you always feel that you are perpetuating the drama. However, when the industry is under constant attack, it is necessary for everyone of us to take a stand. For those not inclined to active retaliation and the resulting frustrations, a less aggressive step might be as simple as sharing a well-written book. “The Frankenfood Myth” by Henry Miller and Gregory Conko takes a long, hard look at both the new agricultural biotechnology and the policy debate surrounding it. At some point, we must encourage all sides, including ourselves, to proactively encourage change.

From Panic to Prudence

It would be wonderful to declare categorically that all dairy farmers understand the science and nutrition of the products they produce and that everything is 100% safe. That would be wonderful but would it be true? There is no doubt that the technology is safe but are we accepting the responsibility for making sure the consumers whose purchasing power we depend on are as well-assured.

For one thing, before we ask the general public not to swallow the headlines from either side of this debate, we need to take a look at what is in our own glass and on our own plates. It doesn’t matter whether you are involved in dairy farming 24/7 or only connect with dairy products at mealtime , it’s impossible to ignore headlines that blame everything from early onset puberty to excessive obesity on hormones found in dairy products. These truths or lies and the resulting consequences have frightening implications for every food consumer. Of course, we all know that the easiest way to stir things up is to raise fears! Fear of hormones is much easier to focus on than taking responsibility for what is happening to our hearts and waistlines by our own hand. Once you have an enemy to blame for obesity, heart disease and cancer, you can protest that this enemy is responsible for our one way ticket to a hospital ward and continue to be oblivious to the dangers of the “drive through”, “fast food” and “heat it and eat it” convenience foods.

Early Puberty and Rampant Childhood Obesity. Who`s Responsibility is It?

Of course, farmers join all food consumers in having concerns about the potential problem of feeding hormones to our children. But let’s start with the known before we raise the unknown fears. A child’s body produces 50,000 nanograms of estrogen per day. A non-pregnant adult will produce 480,000 nanograms of estrogen daily. Furthermore, when hormones in food are eaten, they break down in the process of digestion and are largely neutralized. The following listing of the amounts of estrogen in common servings of food is not to disparage in any way the food source itself, but is given as facts to understand not fears to react to.

Beef                     1.9 nanograms
Potatoes                225 nanograms
Peas                       340 nanograms
Ice Cream              520 nanograms
Cabbage             2,000 nanograms
Soy Milk           11,250 nanograms
Soybean Oil    170,000 nanograms

The 1.9 nanograms of estrogen in implanted beef is also miniscule.

At some point, farmer or not, we have to step back and take responsibility for our own health and that of our children. Responsible dairy managers wouldn`t think of harming their calves and cows by feeding them a diet that would give them a body condition score of 5 (or at the other extreme -1). Restricting bovine diets because of unsupported fears overheard or read about is also rarely done on farms. In fact, there is extreme attention paid to balancing diets, providing minerals, proteins and nutrients that provide the energy needed for production and reproduction. When I was first married and a young mother myself, I often was amazed at how much careful attention was focused on the pregnant bovine and felt that human nutrition could benefit from the same careful consideration. Of course, as with most things we “discover”, the information has always been available, it is the implementation that is missing or ignored. Before we blame the farmer or accept unfounded fear-mongering, we have to use the same careful consideration on our family’s health that we apply to the dairy herd we care for.

That is part of the answer of where dairy products should fit into diets for youth. Unfortunately, more than we want an answer we sometimes want to avoid responsibility. When we are afraid it’s easy to point the finger at dairy farmers or, if we are one of those farmers, we yell back at the unreasonable name calling. Finding a guilty party lets us off the hook because we are not personally involved in food production and processing. However, we can only remain oblivious as long as we ignore the obvious. The obvious cause of obesity (on or off the farm) is a direct result of excess calories consumed and the resulting increased levels of body fat. “BMI (body mass index) is the biggest single factor for the onset of puberty.”

Which brings us back to fears laid at our dairy farming doorstep because the public is concerned about how their food is produced and, for today’s discussion, fears over the safety of rBST. They are not wrong in their concern. But we mustn’t sidestep our responsibility as dairy producers. It is our responsibility to provide the right information, in open and honest discussion. So let’s look at the facts that we can and should be sharing.

We Dairy Farmers Take Pride in the Progress Made in Providing Safe Healthy Food

Recombinant bovine somatrotropin (BST) makes milk and money for producers who use it.
rBST has been reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) and by JECFA under the administration of the United Nations`Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization
rBST has been approved in 1993, 1998 and will be reviewed again in 2016
“Research has demonstrated that human somatrotropin increase immune system function in HIV infected people.”
Overall, there is no evidence of increased expression of retroviruses in cattle treated with BST
or that retroviruses in cattle would pose a risk to human health.”

Dairy farmers can take pride in the self-regulating they have done in providing ever-healthier milk products to consumers.

Somehow, in the modern media rush to condemn, we have lost sight of the basic principles of nutrition that we all know. Science supports the health benefits of the products dairy farms produce. “In 2010 the U.S. Department of Agriculture even identified dairy products as a major source of 3 of 5 nutrients of concern that are marginal or inadequate in childrens’ diets.” The other side of the equation is that healthy food must be provided for a dramatically increasing market of consumers. We must find efficient, productive and profitable ways to do so. Research and resources will focus on that goal. Progress is built on discovering and using safe, healthy technology such as that provided by rBST. We need to speak up in defence of our industry.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

rBST is safe. Does that mean our children, or even we ourselves, are consuming the best possible diets? Before we dig in to immovable positions on either side of that argument, we need to consider what we are digging into on our plates.

Achieving optimum health, like managing a productive dairy operation, is based on choices and, ultimately, we are all responsible for the choices we make. Make good ones.

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There`s Rumen for Improvement. Happy Bugs=Happy Cows!

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Thursday, April 17th, 2014

“A nutritionist and a dairy farmer walk up to a feedbunk.” It sounds like the start of a lame joke, but with shrinking margins and rising input costs feeding dairy cattle is no laughing matter. It would be really nice if the pastoral idyll of rows of cows contentedly chewing their cud was achievable simply by filling a feedbunk. However, not only is this picture not the simple equation of feed in equaling milk out, but in actual fact depends more on what you feed the bugs in your cows’ stomachs than it does on what you think you’re feeding the cows. Ruminants are hosts to numerous microbes and the microbes need to survive and multiply in order for milk to be produced. So to put it simply, “If you want better rumen health, you need better rumen bugs!”

From Tongue to Dung – Travelling the Fermentation Road

The whole process is one of digestion. Digestion begins when cows draw feed into their mouths with their tongues. Each mouthful passes into the rumen, flows to the abomasums and then through the small intestine, the large intestine and then out!

For the most part, this entire process is unseen to the human eye. Except if there’s a problem (such as a twisted abomasums that can be felt by touching the cow’s side) or, when it is finished and the manure gives visual clues to issues. Of course, out of sight out of mind isn’t the best management tool when you’re trying to effectively monitor or set up dairy cattle diets. Nutritionists and veterinarians use scientific methods to study the feed and the bugs. Fortunately the tools being used are continually evolving, as specialist can make the rumen mystery more manageable. Using lab analysis, ingredient evaluation and computer programs they measure, calculate, forecast and establish precise diets, customized for the dairy cow and the particular operation.

Set Goals and Test, Test, Test

The primary goal of a sound, profitable dairy feeding program is to convert forages into milk. With feed costs representing 50 to 60 percent of the cost of producing milk, knowing the nutrient content is very important from an economic perspective. All forages which will be fed to milking cows, heifers and dry cows need to be tested. All lots of hay should be sampled using a hay probe on 10 or more bales of hay. Sampling one or two bales is not an accurate way to sample a lot. A `lot ‘of hay is defined as those bales which were harvested from the same field and cutting. Your local feed company or extension agent can help you get your forages tested. Testing forages and balancing rations for heifers and dry cows is critical in order to get heifers to grow efficiently and to prevent dry cows from losing or gaining too much weight.

Every Body Works Better on a Schedule

As we turn our attention to focus on fermentation we have to consider the effect of timing. Cows and rumen bugs are both creatures of habit. We all know how dairy cows get into a routine and expect to be milked at the same time every day. A variation of much more than 10 minutes causes stress. If feed is expected every day at 10 am, 10:45 will further upset the routine. The goal is that every day is exactly like the day before and the day after. Consistency is good not only for the cows but for the rumen bugs too.

Don’t Upset Your Cows or Their Rumens

Rather than upset the rumen vat with constant changes, subpar feed or feed that is presented erratically, it is important for rumen health to make diet changes gradually. If daily handling is calm, routine and without overcrowding in feed and resting areas, the daily digestion process will be stress free and more likely to be effective. Rumen fermentation can be altered by stresses. Spoiled silage has a dramatic impact on rumen fermentation and dry matter intake. Optimum rumen fermentation requires consistent nutrient supply. If excess spoiled feed is consumed, there is a distinct likelihood that desirable rumen bugs are being killed off. Even minor changes can have a dramatic effect on the numbers of microbes and even cause a particular bug to become more dominant. This becomes a domino effect that could result in poor digestion and other problems.

If She is Not Making Milk Targets, You haven’t fed Her Rumen

Too often dairy managers confuse feeding the cow and feeding the rumen. Farmers should work closely with their nutritionist in designing a feeding program so that the nutrient needs of the rumen microbes are met in order for the cow to produce milk. Once the feeding program has been designed, implementing the feeding program becomes the next critical step. The final measure of the diet is determined when milk is produced. If the goal was to produce 80 pounds of milk and you only get 70 pounds, there is a discrepancy somewhere and it must be found.

As rumen modeling becomes a more and more exact science, it is important to remember that no model will correct for poor management.

New Ways to Monitor Microbes

As in other areas of dairy cattle management, the rumen is benefitting from new technologies. Gene sequencing and measurement of the expression of genes (genomics), proteins (proteomics) and metabolites (metabolomics) can now be used to better differentiate microbe species in the rumen. Using these tools it is reported that the rumen contains over 7,000 bacterial and 1,500 archael (single-celled but distinct from bacteria) species. There are also numerous protozoa, fungi and bacteriophages. Studying these organisms by use of new approaches is making it easier to understand the physical structure of different ingredients in the rumen and how they impact rumen function. The payoff is better health and more efficient use of dietary nutrients. All in all the process is complicated and speedy and analysis needs to provide the best information before the fermentable ingredients escape the rumen.

Happy Bugs Happy Cows

Maximizing rumen function means we work to maximize microbial activity. It takes energy to produce milk. Extracting as much energy as possible from the fiber components (NDF digestibility) is the goal. It is necessary to maximize microbial protein production through microbial growth (high quality amino acid supply). For milk production and profitability the goal is to formulate diets that utilize the rumen to the fullest extent. Supplying the right nutrients, calmly and consistently is the formula for contented milk-producing cows. Cud chewing is the external sign but it takes good planning, delivery, monitoring and testing to confirm that the “healthy bugs, healthy cows” two step is at work in your herd.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Happy Bugs. Healthy Cows. More milk. Fewer vet visits. From the feedbunk to the bank, improved rumen performance putting more dollars on YOUR Bottom Line

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International Markets. Who’s Catching Up?

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Wednesday, April 16th, 2014

Two forces are coming together that are going to have a major impact not only on the North American dairy industry but on global dairying as well. On the one hand, after generations of being in the forefront of the global dairy industry, North America is being joined by other expanding dairy economies. In the 21^st Century exponential growth in dairy consumption means that countries such as China, India and Vietnam are assimilating dairy practices from market leaders and leapfrogging to the top.

As the momentum picks up, headlines monitor the changes. “China Grows Its Dairy Farms “and “Emerging Dairy Markets in India “. It isn’t surprising therefore to see large agricultural marketing companies entering these markets, sending in products and partnering in on-site development. Commercial representatives and government fact finding missions are reporting back that the potential is enormous. Meanwhile on the home front, progressive dairy members are keeping pace through international exchanges of students, set-up expertise and, of course, dairy products. It isn’t unusual to be exposed to seminars, panelists and big picture visionaries who are making presentations on every aspect of this growth. The message is repeatedly reinforced that China, India, Asia and Africa are not only improving their own dairy industry balance sheets but providing profit potential for North American dairy exports – real and intellectual—as well.

Over the past 40 years I have had mostly arm-length exposure to what dairying in these locations has included. It is exciting to hear the vast potential that is being recognized today. It can be compared to the way countries have leapfrogged from the not having even basic telephone systems to the smart phone generation. Using that as the comparison and you will have some idea of how dairy technology is moving ahead by leaps and bounds.

Already dairy and crop farming are looking more like the North American model as they move forward. Farmers in Asia are able to skip the generations of evolution that Europe and North America look back on. They are not constrained by having to build tie stall barns. They have the advantage of seeing the benefits of going directly to freestalls and milking parlors. Even in countries such as Africa where progress is more likely to use the freehold model, they are benefiting from the tools, genetics and science of modern farming. The advice and role models, so easily shared with modern communication, can be applied to the type of efficient grass converting animal, high quality feed and accessible practices that will make it possible to keep people productively working in the countryside, instead of joining the city poor.

Many years ago, on the crop farming side, I witnessed firsthand the bottleneck that under-mechanization makes. We were visiting Africa and representing the good intentions and good will of the North American dairy industry. In Zimbabwe farmers were not able to keep the wonderful tractors running. All too soon they would find themselves running out of draw pins or other small parts (not accessible) and the whole team had to revert to hand tools for planting, maintaining and harvesting crops. The very real threat of starvation is always a bigger priority than unsustainable mechanization.

Today, whether it’s through equipment subsidies as was done in China or through supporting input costs or crop prices as was done in India, mechanization is moving forward. Granted there are still many fields tilled by hand or using oxen but there is progress from walk behind tillers to mid-size tractors. Some big name North American farm equipment dealers are moving with the times in these developing countries. John Deere manufactures mid-size 80 and below horsepower tractors in India and China. To put this in perspective, you have to recognize that China has over 90 percent of the corn acreage of the U.S. even though the yields are much lower. First mechanization. Then these countries are in a position to turn their attention to crop and soil science and animal genetics. This spins off into consumer desire for more fresh milk, Farmers, with the aid of governments and outside expertise, are meeting the demand by building 1,000 cow dairies that are comparable to those found stateside.

Threat or Opportunity

Let’s consider that China has the third largest cattle herd and is the second largest milk producer. India is the largest milk producing country in the world and could even overtake the European Union by 2020. At first glance, this growing independence may seem like a double threat. First they will require fewer imports. Secondly they will become competitors in the marketplace. However the discerning global watcher recognizes there is an even bigger change that is having the biggest impact of all. It’s happening because of changes in the diets of consumers in every one of these countries. Consumer demand for dairy products and protein is far outstripping the ability of their own country to provide for all their needs. That is the first opportunity for the developed world. Other opportunities range from being mentors to help support this growth to becoming actual partners in overseas operations. There is such a steep learning curve for countries who are undertaking modern dairy practices that it takes more than internet searches and a few weeks of visiting market leading operations. Then they have to go beyond accommodating best management practices. Many of these countries have climate challenges. Climate affects not only the cropping side tut also the milk production potential of the cattle. The goal is healthy, high producing cows but, while great strides can be made by adapting equipment and modifying building styles, the same is not so readily converted when it comes to animal genetics, nutrition, health and reproduction.

China Has a Growing Thirst for Milk

As an example of how living standards and changing consumer tastes are impacting dairying, you need only look to China. The former Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, used milk as a symbol for China’s rising wealth and living standards. In 2006 he declared that it was his goal to ensure that all Chinese people could get enough milk. Eight years later progress has been steady with per capital liquid milk consumption rising from 1 kg per head in 2000 to 9.4 kg in 2011. Furthermore, in the past four years demand for milk has consistently outstripped supply, with prices rising at an average of 12 percent a year. Having said that, it might seem counter-intuitive that it is expected that the population of milkable cows in China could fall from around 14.5 million in 2012 to 14.2 million in 2013.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

The scenario taking place in China is one example of the tremendous growth in dairying that is occurring in many countries around the world. As the fortunes of dairymen change in those markets, there is a corresponding impact on dairy farming in North America and Europe. In each market the goal is to supply consumers with quality food, dairy training, cattle genetics and technology.

The gaps are definitely closing. There is potential for everyone to move forward.

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TRIANGLE HOLSTEINS – Three Part Harmony

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Wednesday, April 9th, 2014

There are many facets to the dairy breeding industry that readers of the Bullvine find themselves attracted to. Whether its milk records, breeding awards or showring victories, there is something for everyone to get passionate about. Quim Serrabassa, from Spain, was introduced to cattle early in his life and didn`t ever narrow the field. For him three dairy passions are better than one.

Beginning in Barcelona

Quim and his brother Jaume were raised on the family farm Mas Comas Novas, La Guixa in Barcelona. Their father, Ramon, was a cattle dealer who enjoyed the buying and selling but wasn’t interested in breeding animals. When the boys were only 12 and 14 they made a decision that would eventually bring them to where they are today says Quim. “In 1984 Jaume and I decided to keep the best cows and breed our own herd.” They give credit to their mom and dad. “From our parents we learned the love of farming, good cows and cow competitions. This was a tremendous opportunity and we owe a lot to them for allowing us to take this responsibility at such an early age.”

Trying a New Angle

Twenty years later it was time for another new beginning. “In 2004 I started my own company Triangle Holstein.” Quim highlights how the name corresponds to the business. “There are three different business areas: the livestock business, the semen business and the show business.” For each specialty area Triangle Holsteins provides customized service. Like other visionary business men he feels that one-sided expectations of yourself and others could hold them back from reaching their individual breeding goals. “We work closely with the farmer to give professional and personal service tailored to their specific needs.” Quim values his early business experiences. “Many years ago, I had the opportunity to work for a big company and it was great. I always had the goal of forming my own company.” He points out how it has been. “Working for myself gives me a lot of freedom and satisfaction. I am responsible for my own decisions. Sometimes good. Sometimes wrong.” But undoubtedly, he has learned from all sides of the story.

A Three-Way Perspective

The Triangle Holstein breeding philosophy is one that starts with genetics but is carried out through careful management. “Triangle Holsteins is focused on the best North American cow families and conformation traits are the number one priority. Nevertheless, I never forget production and health. The management of these key priorities is the key to making an animal be successful.” Quim knows that in cow terms there are three important areas. “Nutrition, exercise and comfort make all the difference.” These three combined with kindness are what he calls his “silent” partners. If those are the three main steps to caring for the animals there are also three characteristics that Quim feels all breeders must have in their personality. “This process requires breeders to be stubborn, patient and enthusiastic all at the same time.”

Pachecas James Gretta
3 time Spanish National Champion

Three Triangle Love Stories

It isn`t surprising to learn how many animals this Triangle Holstein breeder singles out. “There have been three special animals in Quim’s life.” He starts of with one from his youth. “Comas Novas Dibbs Inspiration was our first Champion cow when I was a teenager. She was a white dairy character cow, all quality from the head to the tail.” The next one stands out for special reasons too. “My second favorite cow is Pachecas James Greta. She was strong, with a big frame and a fantastic udder. Greta was my longest project working with a show cow and she is the one that won many shows in Spain.” The third memory maker for Quim holds a unique space for Quim.” Regiment Apple will always stand out for me. We came together many years ago, during the first time I was working in Madison for Mike Deaver who is one of the best cow men that I know. At that time Apple was 2 year old.”

Regiment Apple will always stand out for Quim. They came together many years ago, during the first time Quim was working in Madison for Mike Deaver, at that time Apple was 2 year old.”

Three Part Marketing Vision: Farms, Shows and Facebook

No matter where you are in the global dairy industry, you are marketing your herd with each contact you make, whether it`s face to face, in cyberspace, hard copy or in the show ring. Quim Serrabassa once again uses a multi-pronged approach. He outlines his methods. “On one hand I go every two weeks to France to select and buy commercial animals for my customers. My customers are breeders like I used to be, so I always feel very responsible for the cows I pick.” Quim never tires of searching out these animals. “I select them one by one, and this is one of the things I like the most. I walk to the field or to the barn with the intention of finding that special one. Sometimes they don’t start out looking that way. I will find one, usually dirty, with no foot trimming, never clipped … but finding her is a magic moment.” He especially likes it when a selection he makes goes on to do well. “Sometimes you can take her to the show ring. Another time you recognize her doing fine in her new home.”

The second point of Quim’s marketing is very much based on shows. “I like going to shows because it is the place where I meet my customers and I can feel the pulse of the market and hear about their needs.” Quim enjoys breeding for show cows. “My favorite sires for show cows are: Absolute-Red, Delta & Atwood.” But he doesn’t over look dairy cow sires. “For dairy cows I use Explode, Cashcoin, Carson and Deman.” His understanding of the show ring has been well developed over the years and he has gained recognition as a cattle judge. “Judging is one accomplishment I am very proud of. I never expected to have the opportunity to be an Associate Judge in Madison beside Brian Carsacadden and then later in Laussane beside Mike Deaver.” Both of these judges rank high for Quim. “In my opinion they are the best.” (Read more: CARSCADDEN: The Royal Footsteps)

Word of mouth has always been a great way for the dairy industry to market itself. Today dairy friends, peers and coworkers take that friendly promotion and sharing to new levels. “To keep my customers updated, we use our web site, Facebook and profiles.” says Quim. This enhances the friendships already made in the worldwide industry. “I share my passion for show cows with Roger Turner and Brian Carscadden who have been my mentors in the USA and Canada. Again Mike Deaver has taught me a lot and is a very special person for me. Early on, one of my greatest influences was Alfonso Ahedo from Semex Spain. He is a great business man with a huge understanding of the Holstein industry.” It’s all about sharing the passion says Quim. “I keep the passion for shows going with some members of the original farm. As well there is one nice heifer that I bought with friends Erica Rijneveld, Eric Dougoud, and Pat Conroy. (Read more: Erica Rijneveld – Takes Her Show… And Yours…On The Road! and DECRAUSAZ IRON O’KALIBRA: Simply the Best) These are people that love good cows and with whom I share good times too.”

Marketing and Genomics

In today’s marketplace rapidly changing tools are having a tremendous effect. Quim looks at Genomics and how it has affected his operations. “Genomics has changed the semen market a lot. For our company it was a great opportunity to start with. Genomics provides opportunities for everyone. The market is now global no matter where the bull comes from or who the owner is.” Of course having the tool and knowing how to use it is the challenge. Quim seeks balance. “Now we have some genomic information that we can combine with cow family and traditional knowledge. It is the mix and the balance between the new information and the traditional knowledge that will move us forward in the right direction.” If there is a downside to genomics for Quim, it is related to the speed of change. “Today the genetic market moves too fast. We hardly have time to appreciate and enjoy the cow family as a group.

Work, Work, Work

Quim points out that there is a lot of hard work to make your dairy business. “You have to be satisfied about the things you do every day and try to keep yourself surround by the people that challenge you to grow.” He knows that everything isn’t always perfect. “This is a job that you have to believe in. Do not expect big things and always enjoy the small details that life gives to you.” As happy as he is with Triangle Holstein, Quim sums up his accomplishments from his own unique angle. “My biggest success is my family.” Very eloquently he points out that this is where he finds his strength. “Especially when show time is over and the bright lights are off.”

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Foresight and Hindsight. Don’t Blindside Your Fresh Cow Focus

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Tuesday, April 8th, 2014

Foresight and hindsight are terms that are most often applied to strategic planning. When it comes to post calving transition, let’s consider them in the absolute sense meaning the “sight” your cows present post calving.

In this third part of our series on Transition Management, we are looking at the final stage. You are to be commended if you are already thinking, “The most important decisions I make for my fresh cows happen long before she calves out” or even before that when we set up our transition management program.” (Read more: Are Your Cows Ready For Their Close Up? and Dairy Cattle Management: LOST in Transition) That is so true but there are critical steps that must be acted upon to fulfil the post calving needs of your fresh cow too. Until cows and walls and stalls talk, your information must come from observation.

Observation doesn’t simply mean a quick check from across the barn, pen or pasture. What is needed is a full 360 degree close-up otherwise something important may be overlooked. Whatever you miss at this time could make the crucial difference between a successful lactation or it could mean culling the cow or, in the worst case scenario, death. The goal is to take what you see and apply it to a transition program that will make sure that fresh cows eat well and enter their lactation without health or metabolic issues such as metritis, mastitis, milk fever, ketosis or fatty liver. This is a situation where you can be assured that what you don’t see will definitely hurt you.

Setting Your Sightlines

Because the calving pen is an area of elevated stress and high turnover, it is important to set goals and corresponding benchmarks, in order to achieve the best outcomes. If benchmarks do not exist, set reasonable goals.

The first goal is to have nothing in the calving pen for longer than 24 hours. Longer stays result in dramatic increases in problems.
Milk Fever: 1%. Mature cows 2%. Seek help if over 3%.
Displaced abomasums. Less than 1% of all calvings. Seek help if 12%.
Retained placenta. Less than 8% of all calvings. Seek help if 10% or more.
Body Condition. During the first 30 days in milk, cows should not lose more than ¼ point body condition (120 lbs. body weight). This can have a huge effect on first service conception rate (50%).
Culling: Aim for less than 5% culling during the first 60 days in milk (DIM).

Improving your herd results on even one of these areas, could have a positive impact on the health of your cattle and your bottom line, while improving the day to day effectiveness of our cow care.

Fresh Cow Protocols Need the Right People and Protocols

Everyone who assists with calving should have training and possess the confidence to handle all pre and post calving protocols. Differences in how these protocols are carried out may cause problems. Even small details can have a positive or negative effect on your fresh cow program. Make sure that none of the following are overlooked: access to fresh water; immediate and plentiful access to high quality forage; attention to calving hygiene; follow-up if there has been calving trauma; consistently calm handling and dry, clean bedding at all times.

CSI: Cow Scene Investigations

You can’t fix what you don’t know is wrong. Every single dairy worker that interacts with the cattle must be trained to identify potentially sick cows. However, identifying them is only the beginning. The observations must be recorded. This enables a list of cows to examine or a system that flags which cows need an action. Recording of calving date, difficulties, disease findings and other relevant information needs to be maintained and accessible for decision making. Early identification and prompt treatment has a positive impact on the health and welfare of the fresh cow and also on culling and loss of production.

Note the Obvious First

There are obvious events in fresh cow transition management that must trigger immediate action.

Down cow
Difficult calving
Twins
Extremely fat cows at calving
Obvious discomfort of difficulty moving.

Foresight: It’s What’s Up Front that Counts

Having dealt with the obvious or emergency symptoms it’s time to look closer at the following areas:

Appetite: Note if cows are not eating, sorting or are not interested in feed at all. Check for undisturbed feed remaining in front of the cow at lock up. Before releasing cows from lockups, check for cows that have eaten less than their neighbors.
Attitude: Healthy animals are aware of their surroundings. Their ears are moving and they show curiosity. Sick animals tend to have their heads down, droopy ears, dull eyes and are too tired to groom their noses. Cows that are depressed react slowly to stimulus.
Eyes: Cows whose eyes appear sunken, dull or crusty may be dehydrated, or in pain, or both. Note if there are visible eye lesions, pink eye or trauma.
Ears: Sick animals have ears that are droopy. This could indicate that she is depressed, in pain or has a fever. Cold ears indicate decreased blood flow to the periphery which could be related to milk fever, acidosis or sever toxicity.
Nose: Abnormal discharge (white, green, yellow or bloody)may indicate pneumonia or acidosis. When sick cows don’t clean their noses and will have feed particles and nasal discharge sticking to their noses. It is also important to check if the nostrils appear dry, as this may indicate fever.
Cough ; Cows who are coughing repeatedly should be noted for observation.

Hindsight: Don’t Be Blindsided by the Backside

Abnormal Udder: Excessive udder swelling strongly suggests the need for revision of the dry cow feed program and perhaps that cows are not getting enough exercise.
Diarrhea: Diarrhea can be a symptom of improperly balanced dry cow ration or moldy feed.
Lameness: Lameness usually indicates that feet need cared for or that cows are having to walk and stand in wet manure.
Manure: Check the floor, vulva and tail for abnormal manure: too loose to form a pile; almost black in color and or foul smelling. These indicate cows may be suffering from acidosis, digestive upsets, toxic disease or enteritis.
Retained Fetal membranes: Retained fetal membranes are not a health problem per se, but increase the risk for metritis. If you find retained fetal membranes, you should also look for abnormal vaginal discharge.
Vaginal discharge: It is normal to find vaginal discharge for up to two weeks after calving. However, dark red and foul smelling vaginal discharges are found in cases of uterine infection.
Abnormal abdomen: Cows with their left flank tucked in have poor rumen fill because of anorexia. If the abdomen is distended, cows may be bloated due to rumen gas accumulation.
Breathing rate: The basal respiration rate is 12 to 36 breaths per minute. Note if the animal has abnormal respiration rate or if inspiration and/or expiration require additional efforts, pneumonia, bloat and toxic diseases may be causing the difficulty breathing.

Take ACTION. Fix the PROBLEM. Avoid causing New Ones.

After thorough observation, all is lost if the appropriate action is not taken. Quiet handling of fresh cows is the first step in moving them into a healthy lactation. If a fresh cow is on the identified list, the appropriate action must be taken. For those without specific health needs, all quarters should be milk out using good technique and consistent protocols. Poor methods here could cause problems. Here too is the place to make sure that correct diet has been formulated post calving. The grain feeding rate of each freshly calved cow is ramped up gradually over the first 5-7 days post calving. Many dairy operations are considering or have installed individual cow ID feeding systems. A fresh cow requires many nutritional components. Consulting with veterinary or nutritional consultants can take into consideration many variables including fresh feed availability, facilities, stocking density and handling expertise to name a few.

The Benefits of a Well-Conceived Transition Program.

There are two main facts to keep in mind. Fresh cows have the greatest production potential in a dairy. Having said that, fresh cows are very susceptible to diseases. Therefore, losses associated with illness, lameness or injuries are expensive. It is worth noting that 15% to 25% of all cullings take place during the first 60 DIM. If these losses can be reduced or eliminated, there are distinct financial rewards. Every step in transition is important but don’t let down at the end.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

By applying foresight, hindsight and attention to detail regarding all aspects of fresh cow management, the dairy manger will, at worst, end up with a list of shortcomings or, at best, find an incisive way of making proactive decisions. Either way the new insights are well worth it. Foresight? Hindsight? It’s time you looked at cows from all sides now! Set your sights on success!

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CHRISTINE MASSFELLER “Once Upon A Time Calendar Girl”

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Monday, March 31st, 2014

For cattle photographer Christine Massfeller timing is everything. As a young child, the timing was right for visits with her mother to a nearby dairy farm. Next good timing provided her with the perfect mentor. The timing was also right when a creative idea blossomed and the right subjects and the right team came together at the right time. It shouldn’t be surprising then to learn that Christine Massfeller is the photographer behind the 2014 Masterrind Calendar. Any way you look at it that photo shoot has timeliness written all over it. (To view this keep sake Calendar click here)

calori_d_jasper_maribold_120607_0041 Kopie

Christine Massfeller holding Calori D Jasper Maribold

“From Behind the Scenes, Christine Moved to Behind the Camera.”

Many will tell you that the greatest thing about finding your true calling is the way it expands your talents and abilities. Christine Massfeller found this to be true when she was working in the Public Relations department of the German AI Rinder-Union West. For her what came next was a logical progression. “At RUW I was responsible for the magazine they produce for their local members. So I also started taking pictures for that magazine just learning by doing because I was not educated in photography at all. But at this time my interest grew and I bought my first semi professional camera, organized some photo shoots and bought and read literature about basic technical things.” A simple beginning that for Christine soon progressed to an important next step. “A few months later I was introduced to Han Hopman by my German colleague Steve Schneider and I started my career with Holstein International.”

Calendar Cover – Schneewittchen – Snow White
Cow: Girl (Graceland), Owner: Agrargenossenschaft Eibau
Model: Constance Nagler.

JANUARY Sterntaler – The Star Talers
Calf: WEU Pamela (Fanatic),
Owner: Perk, Spanharrenstaette

“Looking Back it was Early Exposure that Inspired the Times of her Life”

Let’s rewind the story a bit to discover where a passion for cows started for a girl who wasn’t raised on a farm but learned to love cows anyway. Christine recalls the beginning. “I grew up in a small town and fell in love with cows when I was a child, when my mom and I picked up milk from a very small dairy farm close by. It was always difficult for my mom to get me out of the barn again. I could watch cows and spend time with them for hours.” Surprisingly, or maybe not, Christine made this the inspiration for her education. “After school I went to university and studied Agricultural Science with the focus on Animal Nutrition, Genetics and Breeding.” This was no passing fancy and it is a daily party of her life. “I love everything that has to do with cows. My boyfriend’s cows realize that every day. I absolutely love spoiling them.”

FEBRUARY Frau Holle
Cow: WHC Schira (Golden Eye),
Owner: Weseloh, Schneverdingen
Model: Marion

“It is Invaluable to Have Timely Mentoring.”

The next timely occurrence for this budding photographer was getting employed by Holstein International. Christine describes it as, “The best thing that could ever happen to me. The people are wonderful and I had a perfect start there.” This also marked the timely entry of a very important mentor. “I got the best teacher you can imagine in Han Hopman.” Here was an opportunity that would make a big difference to Christine. “Han Hopman developed creative and natural cow photography. (Read more about Hans Hopman in Han Hopman: Shooting Straight at Holstein International) In the beginning of my HI career he spent a lot of time with me, teaching and showing me everything he knew: technical aspects, how to work with cows behavior, putting legs, composing images, communication with people and animals etc.” No doubt this input inspired Christine to delve deeper into photography and, with the generous support of Holstein International, Christine furthered her studies. “I did an official photography education at a renowned Dutch school.” And she continued to learn from her mentor. “The most important thing was that Han is such a good teacher and great and loyal boss. That saved so much time in making progress.” Indeed people are the main success factor for Christine. “Being a member of the editorial team of HI gives me the chance to learn so much about the dairy and breeding business from my colleagues and of course from the business itself and all the people I meet and work with.” (To see more great work from Holstein International photography team click here)

MARCH Kleine Meerjungfrau – Little Mermaid
Cow: BcH Caroli (Stylist),
Owner: Luenschen
Model: Rabea

“It should be possible to take ordinary cows and make them Extraordinary”

It is obvious that Christine Massfeller is a true cow passionista. Who else would come up with an idea that basically meant sending out a casting call for cows? But that is just one part of the challenges that she enjoys when doing cattle photography which has so many facets to get right. She numbers them. “Bringing a cow into balance and getting out the best of every animal, scene and model. Making the best of every situation. Working with light.” Cows constantly influence Christine’s imagination and her work. “For my photography education exam, I developed my series “Cows Surreal”. The idea was to put cows in scenes they naturally never would appear. The idea behind that was that almost every human in our modern world has contact with dairy animals, but not in a direct way. People buy milk and milk products in supermarkets but almost never see a cow in real. So I tried bringing cows back to people in an abstract way. This series is not yet finished. I will continue working on it soon. But with starting this series I got some worthwhile experiences with real complicated and difficult photo shoots.”

APRIL Baron von Muenchhausen
Cow: Kleopatra (Stempler),
Owner: Bertram, Hunden
Model: Gerhard

“They said ‘It Couldn’t Be Done!’”

Quite often it turns out that the best impetus for doing something exceptional happens when you’re told that it can’t be done. Cow art, cow science and cow photography are not immune to naysayers. In Christine Massfeller’s case she wanted to show the world a different perspective on cows. Not for her is the idea of “same old, same old.” She wants to take the whole experience for herself, her viewers … and even the settings the cattle are placed in to a whole new level. “I had the idea to go a step further and I developed that fairytale idea. That would involve even more story telling. In the beginning it was very difficult to convince people that this could work. Too much effort. Too expensive. Too Crazy. Too Kitschy.” So, of course, Christine didn’t give up. “The images were already finished in my head but most people I talked with first could not imagine how it would look like.” And then good timing entered the picture once again. I got support from Han and he promised me we would do it together and publish it with HI.”

MAY Schneeweisschen & Rosenrot
Limousin bull and Charolais heifer owned by Ahrens GbR, Hespe
Models: Sophia Sparkles and Eva Wermert.

“It was a BIG idea for BIG Calendar that had found it’s Time!”

When all the necessary parts of a project come together — you just know that something big is going to happen. “Han has done a calendar for Masterrind almost every year for the last 10 years. Their calendars always have a special theme. We brought the fairytale idea to the table and immediately got some supporters, who were very enthusiastic about the idea. Then we worked out a plan and Masterrind decided to do it with us. It was a win win situation. Masterrind was a great partner and they organized everything perfectly.”

JUNE Bremer Stadtmusikanten – The Bremen Town Musicians
Cow: Schnicka (Donley), Owner: Hoeft, Bramstedt
sheep (14 year old Erna) and cock (still alive!!) owned by Evers family, Syke; dog Winnie owned by Hermann Bischoff

“Making it Look Simple Requires A Lot of Work”

With approval for the project, it was time to put in the hard work. “We had quite a few meetings and developed everything, the scenes, how the cows should look like, the human models, the costumes and everything else.” Although cows were the stars, it took a lot of people to pull it off. |Christine gives credit to the large behind-the-scenes-team. “It took everyone pulling together. There was the Masterrind organization, their PR department, some of their classifiers who selected the cows (and also helped washing & clipping them, organized the transportation to the scenes), the human models (some of them Masterrind employees or their kids, some of them from my soccer team), the cow models, the breeders of the cows who prepared their animals, professional hairdressers and makeup artists.” Christine feels that having such an enthusiastic team was a key ingredient of the project’s success. “It was really wonderful to work with such great people (and cows) who did such a good job, even though they had no experience with such a project (me either)!”

JULY Rotkaeppchen – Little Red Riding Hood
Bull: Smokin Joe (Observer), MASTERRIND
Model: Carolin
Wolf: Hermann Bischoff

AUGUST Froschkoenig – The Princess & the Frog
Cow: FUX Sia (Alexander), owner: Hahn/Radtke GbR
Model: Teresa Kempe.

“The Fairy Tale Ending is A Pleasant Surprise”

When you plan a fairytale photo shoot, it would be nice to assume that it would end happily ever after. Even with her passion for dairy cows, Christine has been pleasantly surprised at how the project has been received. “Honestly I did not expect such a big response. Masterrind gave the calendar to their members (in Germany the AIs are owned by their local breeders) and clients. It was out before 2014 started. We got many emails from people who wanted to buy one, also from people who are not in our business.” (To order your copy of the keep sake Calendar click here)

SEPTEMBER Dornroeschen – Sleeping Beauty
Cow: Jolli (Jotan), owner: Agrargenossenschaft Bockendorf eG
Model: Lori

OCTOBER Hans im Glueck – Lucky Hans
Cow: Silva, owner: KÖG Kleinbardau
Models: Thomas & Thomas

“Dreamscapes Inspire a Dream Job”

Loving what you do every day is a dream that many wish they could fulfill. Christine makes it look easy and inspiring, but she has eight steps that comprise her best advice to someone who would like to follow their photography dream: Work hard. Find a good teacher. Listen at the right moment. Don’t listen at the right moment. Be a better photographer then Photoshopper. Develop your own thing. Be open. Be always respectful to people and cows you are working with.” Christine is more than willing to take her own advice and adds a couple more action steps. “Staying healthy and open minded. Keep on working for HI. Keeping learning, because photography gets more and more difficult the deeper you get into it. It’s a big process.” Her dearest dream is to keep developing new ideas and producing the ideas that come up.” She sums it up enthusiastically. “There are so many pictures in my head that need to be taken!”

NOVEMBER Haensel & Gretel
Cow: Litt Leo (Radenko), owner: Wortmann GbR, Morsum

DECEMBER Aschenputtel – Cinderella
Cow: Jess (Starfire), owner: Pfaff, Gahlenz
Model: Nicole
Castle: Schloss Moritzburg, Sachsen

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Not only have dairy calendars been taken in a totally unprecedented direction but so have the cows that are our daily inspiration. With the turning of every page, there is a new dairy dimension to be celebrated. Congratulations to you Christine Massfeller for sharing your wonderful images and giving us insight and inspiration for every dairy day of the calendar year. (To order your copy of the keep sake Calendar click here)

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Steel Cow’s Valerie Miller: Larger than Life with Her Cow Girls

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Wednesday, March 26th, 2014

Although she is neither a dairy breeder nor a show ring competitor, artist Valerie Miller nevertheless is completely hands on in her relationship with cows. This passionate painter not only paints her girls larger than life but she also aligns their bovine characteristics with dear family members and friends.

Creating from Nature and Nurture with Help from Cousins and Cows

It’s quite true that not all dairy lovers are born and raised on a dairy farm. Valerie explains her country connection and how it has been multi-faceted and rewarding over several generations. “I have a long history in my family of people making a living through working with animals. My mom’s side of my family founded (and still run) Impro Products, a leader in natural solutions to livestock production and dairying for over 50 years. I have uncles and cousins who are dairy farmers and two of my uncles and their families have W.W. Homestead Dairy – a local dairy in Waukon, Iowa (where we live) that locally produces and processes a full dairy product line. I also have an aunt, uncle, and first cousin who are Veterinarians. We live in Northeast Iowa, a rural area of the Midwest that has beautiful gently rolling hills, and we have quite a few dairy farms around here. Growing up I loved visiting and spending time on my uncles’ farms, as well as the farms of my friends – actually I still love spending time on their farms!”

Encouraged by Mom, Masters and Mentors

Valerie was creatively inspired by her rural heritage and happily points out how fortunate she was in the mentors in her life. “Growing up my mom was a huge influence on me and encouraged me artistically as much as she could. She would always buy me art supplies for my birthday and Christmas, and would help me learn how to use the art supplies together. She would frequently say that she wanted to be an artist but her parents wouldn’t let her, so I could be anything I wanted. She also loves telling people she taught me everything I know.” With that supportive start, Valerie was eager to meet other creative role models and she was fortunate there too. “Larsh Bristol was a professional photographer and a friend of my dad’s. After high school Larsh and I would have art shows together, and he would teach me things about making a living through art, among other things. Larsh was a big influence on me, and still is even though he passed on after a terrible car crash several years ago.” She is also an eager and avid student of famous painters. “From a historical painting perspective, I love the works of Mark Rothco, Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, Georgia O’Keefe and Edward Hopper. I used to spend hours poring over their paintings in books that I had either checked out from the library or bought with birthday money. Their paintings were so beautiful to me and I hoped one day I would be able to create something as beautiful as their paintings.”

Valerie Adapts to Cows, Canvas and a Career

Homing in on a fulfilling career is something everyone strives for and Valerie reports that she got off to a quick start. “I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a painter. (I think in kindergarten I was telling people I was going to grow up to be an artist.) So, even though I have an art degree in studio art with a concentration in painting from Bradley University and a marketing degree from the University of Iowa, I was painting as much as I could from about 8th grade. I painted from photos I took myself, ones I found in books, and read and followed along to every type of painting book I could.” She looks back on how she started amassing her photo inspirations. “I first started messing around with my dad’s old SLR camera when I was in high school. I would take a lot of photos of friends, animals, and of course cows. As I went into college, I took some photography classes to learn more about cameras and how to use them to achieve what I wanted them to do.”

“Valerie, Valerie, How Does Your Gallery Grow?”

My husband and I met the first week in college, and about a week later we were pretty much inseparable. He was majoring in sculpture and I was majoring in painting. We used to talk about opening up a gallery/store together somewhere and so we came upon the name of Steel Cow as it was a combination of both of us – he was using a lot of steel in his sculptures and I was painting cows. After we got married in 2003, we spent a few months deciding where to locate. After countless hours on the internet looking at places and traveling around a bit, we couldn’t find “the perfect place,” so we decided to open a store in a family building in Waukon on a temporary basis.” For Valerie and Josh temporary is enjoying an extended stay in this rural town.

The Artists’ Journey Travels Down the Waukon Road

It might not be the first place to come to mind for establishing an arts based lifestyle but this town in rural Iowa is working well for Valerie and Josh. “Waukon is a great place to live and raise a family, but there are not a lot of stores around here, and there are quite a few empty buildings in our small rural town. Steel Cow opened our doors 10 years ago this month. I hung up my cow paintings (at the time I was also painting dog portraits), and Josh is a cabinetmaker, and he displayed his very cool handmade furniture and cabinets. As time went on, we adjusted and tweaked our businesses to make them work for where we were living.” It becomes apparent that, in a similar way to the multiple skills that dairy farmers must call on every day, Josh and Valerie have dug deeply to enhance and grow skills beyond their chosen arts. “The building we are in was built by my grandfather’s grandfather in the ’20’s as a furniture store, so it was really neat to have the building being used for something in the family again. About 5 years into it, we bought the building from my parents and completely renovated the whole space ourselves. Talk about exhausting! Josh wouldn’t say so, because he comes from a line of contractors and work to them is like food. But, I thought I was going to die when I had to sand the floors. Luckily I survived and have a much greater appreciation for what it takes to renovate an old building. I just wish the elevator still worked! I spent an entire winter one year cleaning and painting the third floor ceiling. The building is three floors plus a basement and has tin ceilings and original floors, so it has quite a bit of character.”

Out of the Barn and Into the Gallery

The young couple has really paid their dues to create the space that is just right for them to grow their family and their business says Valerie. “We live on the third floor, Josh and I have studios on the second floor, we have a retail space on first floor, and we have a bit of a catch all in the basement. A couple of years ago we were able to purchase a shed behind our store and we took the parking space in front of it and turned it into a garden complete with an 8 foot outdoor mural of Greta. We love it, and are so happy we stayed in Waukon and are continuing to grow Steel Cow.”

When Cows on Canvas Connect with Admirers

It is easy to imagine how surprised visitors are to see the Steel Cow gallery upon their first visit. It isn’t every day that dairy cows go from milking parlor moos to artist’s muse (Sorry! Couldn’t resist). Valerie too recognizes how unusual some might think that her career has been. “ I think my greatest accomplishment has been simply making a living at painting cows from a small town in Northeast Iowa. Although there are a lot of dairy cows around here, there are not a lot of people, so my husband and I have had to learn a lot of things along the way (and we are still learning!).” It takes persistence and dedication admits this entrepreneur. “So far, so good! Cow paintings aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, so I don’t think they are as popular as landscape paintings, or flower paintings, but it’s fun to hear people tell me why they like my paintings, or that one of my paintings reminds them of their cow, the cow they had as a kid, or simply reminds them of when they visited their grandparents farm as a kid.” Obviously connecting people, cows and memories are important to this artist who hopes that her future will include her husband Josh, their one and a half year old son Eddie, her sister and brother-in-law and their one and a half year old daughter because whatever the adventures ahead she say “I would want them with to join me because I would not want to live without them, and if we were together, it could be fun.”

“I Love All of My Gallery Girls”

Every painter feels a connection to the painted subject matter. Valerie is emphatic. “One thing I will always do is paint cows. As long as I am creating art in a way that is enjoyable, challenging, and rewarding and am able to share that with others …… I will be happy.” That happiness has brought her close to all of her cow girls. So much so, that choosing a favorite is difficult.

“Oh, that’s a tough one!” she admits. “It depends on the day. I like each painting to be better than the last, but that doesn’t always happen. As a cow, I like Queenie the best as she was the perfect matriarch of a local herd of dairy cows. I really like Virginia (she is chewing) and she reminds me of my great aunt who was always eating. I kept the original painting of Virginia and have her hanging in my kitchen. I am also fond of Dorothy as I first fell in love with cows when I met some Brown Swiss. Since I call the cow paintings “The Girls” and name most of them after family and friends it’s kind of like trying to pick my favorite relative (in which case I should say Greta because she is my sister.)” It’s obvious that Valerie’s heart is a large part of her artistry.

There’s A Cow in Waukon Library

“In my immediate future I am finishing a mural of Tippie the Cow at our local library.” Those who know Valerie are probably well aware of her project to raise funds for the Tippie Business School at the University of Iowa. “I owe so much to what they gave me, I simply want to give back something.” Expanding her artistic vision also includes another project. “I have been working on an A-Z kids book with the letters of the alphabet being the first name of “The Girls” and I hope to have it complete later this year. Hopefully my future holds lots of murals, new paintings, and more trips to meet cows across the globe. I also have plans on adding other farm animals including pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys, chickens, horses and, of course, “The Boys.” Oh to be that cow on the library wall and listen in to Valerie’s plans for the future. However, she is shy about sharing. “ I have a lot of goals for the future, but I don’t really like to share them as the details are always changing.” She also feels her art is evolving. “I would say my style is a contemporary representational depiction of cows. I like to strip the background away, take the cow out of context, and paint a solid color in the background. This way the painting focuses on the cow herself, and hopefully allows the viewer to connect with the animal up close and personal. I paint the cow representationally, but I do take “artistic license” and sometimes paint them a bit more whimsical. As I am going along in my artistic career, I am painting “The girls” more and more realistically and closer to how they actually look.”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

When you admire Valerie’s paintings it’s not about dairy conformation or bovine genetics. Valerie paints to capture the story. The story of the cow. The strength resulting from that connection is a celebration of hands on artistry. Steel Cows. The connection between cows and the people who love them.

Be sure to check out the Steel Cow Facebook page as well.

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Hellender Holsteins: From Hell and Back

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Thursday, March 20th, 2014

It’s hard to imagine what path you would take as a dairy breeder if you were facing the loss of your entire herd. Anton Ender faced that decision in 1981 when his whole herd of elite Brown Swiss cows had to be slaughtered due to disease. For him the next step was to move forward with Holstein cows. Anton’s son Thomas Ender explains the decision simply. “He chose Holsteins because of their willingness to produce.” Today Hellender Holsteins, which is located just 30 minutes from downtown Zurich, is comprised of 23 hectares, 25 milking cows and about 40 heifers and calves. The free stall housing was built in 1991. Anton’s sons Thomas and Andreas are involved in the operation but both of them have full time jobs off the farm. Thomas is the Head Classifier in Switzerland and responsible for all the breeding and marketing of the Hellender herd. Andreas works as a nutritionist and is on the farm on a daily basis and will take over in the near future.

“Targeted Milk Production. Exceptional Show Performance”

Production attracted Anton Ender to Holsteins and it remains the highest priority. “At the outset they have to be productive.” says Thomas who outlines the Ender breeding philosophy. “We always select for productive cows that last. They don’t have to be the big time producers in their first lactation, but they do need to get better every year.” He zeroes in on how this is done. “The key to achieving this goal begins with great conformation and especially well attached udders.” Of course this has produced great looking animals and a very successful side effect in the success that they have had in the show ring. “We really like to show cows, but never bred for it. Production is the first priority.” Having said that, Thomas acknowledges that the show ring is important to the dairy operation. “The biggest part of our marketing is the participation on the Shows. With this success behind us, it is a great opening for marketing your genetics through the Internet, sales or on a private basis, because the link to the buyer has been created.”

Hellender Juror Jurgolin EX-92-CH 6E 11*
Supreme Champion & Hon Ment Best Udder Brunegg ’11
1st at the Swiss Expo in ’08 and ’09 & 3rd in ’11
Dam to COLIN (s. Champion) @ Swiss Genetics! #4 Swiss ISEL Bull (12/12)
Dam to the Hon. Mention Gr. Champion Swiss Expo ’11: CALANDA
Jurgolin is in 8th lactation and already over 110.000 kg milk lifetime production!
She has 1 EX-94-2E dtr, 1 EX-94-3E dtr and 1 EX-95-3E daughter!
Picture in 7th lactation

Small Steps. Big Success Now and in the Future.

There are always special animals that rise to the top of individual breeding programs and for Hellender Holsteins it was the Jurgolin Juror cow family. “Without any doubt the greatest cow we ever had and still have the pleasure to work with is Hellender Juror Jurgolin EX-92 6E GM 13*. She keeps impressing us with her own performance as she has already produced 125000kg of milk with really high components. Furthermore she twice topped the production cow class at the renowned Swiss’Expo.” Such achievements would make any breeder proud but Jurgolin is leaving a legacy as well. “The best thing about this hard working, zero problem cow is her progeny. Already 3 of Jurgolin’s daughters are classified EX-94 and EX-95 and there will be more great young cows to come.” Adding strength on the sire side is another achievement for Jurgolin. “Her son is the former N°1 bull in Switzerland and was sold out in a record time period.” Thomas explains the decision process that led to this success. “The mating was chosen to increase the production of her dam by Dixellen Design, which had really high components. Also could she have had a tighter attached udder but had excellent feet and legs, which made Juror a great mating sire for her.”

Hellender Champion Calanda EX-95-SW 3E
1st & Hon. Mention Champion Swiss Expo 2010
1st Swiss Expo Lausanne 2013
Supreme Champion Elite Show Brunegg 2010
1st National Expo Bulle 2010
Champion x Hellender Juror Jurgolin EX-92-SW 6E
Combined owned by: J. & C. Rey, P. Deru & Hellender Holsteins

From a Small Start to Grand Successes

It is quite clear to see that, despite the traumatic cause of their start into Holsteins, Hellender building an outstanding herd. Thomas outlines current breeding lines. “Right now we are still working with the foundation cow of the family, Juror Jurgolin. But we also are building through her daughters by Champion and Goldwyn. The next generation of great ones will come up through the Dempseys and a Knowledge out of the Champions and a Hvezda with RC as well as a Windbrook straight out of Jurgolin.” The shine on the future is also being fulfilled in the show ring. “We own two milking Goldwyns out of Vangoh Durham Treasure EX-96 3E that have been really successful in the showring and that are fresh with their second calves and ready to be flushed. Treasure caught my eye being late maturing and showing a perfect udder already as a young cow.” New purchases are showing possibilities too. “We just purchased the Top Seller of the Riedmuellers Holstein Complete Dispersal, Bolton Chantal VG 2y, a show winning daughter out of Champion Cresta then Durham, Encore, Cinder and Tony Rae EX-96. This bull dam has a very high production in a great mammary system and shows us lots of potential in the show ring as well. Thomas modestly identifies the Ender family’s blossoming success. “I think we consider our greatest accomplishment is that we started with a herd of 25 cows and have been able to develop a successful cow family whose progeny is doing well in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Denmark and Belgium.”

Hellender Champion Corina EX-94-SW 3E
Supreme Champion Argovie-Expo 2013
1st & Res. Champion & Best Udder Brunegg ’11
1st Expo Bulle ’09 and 3rd Expo Bulle ’11
3rd Swiss Expo Lausanne ’09 and 3rd Swiss Expo Lausanne ’13
Supreme Champoin & Best Udder Elite Show Brunegg ’09
Supreme Champion Luga Luzern ’09
1st & Res. Jr. Champion Elite Show ’08
Swiss Holsteins Cow of the Year ’14
Champion x Hellender Juror Jurgolin EX-92-SW 6E

Sire Selection

“We like security in our breeding program, so for the breeding part genomics hasn’t affected us as much.” Having said that he adds this caveat. “It is harder to sell a bull out of a great cow family if you’re not in the race.” He therefore outlines the Hellender sire selection philosophy.” The majority of the bulls we used are daughter proven because with a small herd we prefer a proof with more security and prefer not to experiment with young genomic bulls. At the moment we are using Atwood, Aftershock, Seaver, Sid, Observer, Dorcy and still Champion. On the genomic side we’ve been using Destined, Airintake and Lingo. All of these bulls transmit good milk production in great udders.”

Hellender Champion Cortina EX-94-CH 2E
4th Swiss Expo ’09 & 3rd Swiss Expo ’10
4th National Expo Bulle ’10
2nd & Hon. Mention Champion & Res. Best Udder Brunegg ’09
Champion x Hellender Champion Cortina EX-94-SW 2E

“Little Things Make a Big Difference”

Perhaps the easiest way to understand the Hellender breeding philosophy is to look at in the context of their home country. Thomas agrees pointing out, “I think the biggest difference is size. Everything is smaller in Switzerland: the farms the machinery and the herds. This opens the opportunity to do a more individual mating for each animal. At the end this helps to increase the level of the average. We are really happy about the fact that size doesn’t matter as much as it used to in the past. A middle sized, well balanced cow with a great udder often gets a preference towards the big framey cow. For us this is the key to longevity. Do some wise investments in great cow families that reflect your breeding goal right at the beginning and go from there. Embryos I think are a good opportunity to acquire top genetics at reasonable prices. And be hard on the selection of your own animals, this makes you move forward with the right genetics over the years.”

Calanda and Corina are 1st and 3rd in the production cow class at the recent Swiss Expo

Calanda and Corina are 3rd and 4th in the production cow class at the recent Swiss Expo

“No Matter How Small You Start Out, You Should Always Dream Big”

The Enders are reaping the success of staying true to their vision. The history of this small herd attests to the success that a focused breeding philosophy can generate. In 2014 Hellender Champion Corina EX-94 was named Swiss Holstein Cow of the Year. (Read more: Hellender Champion Corina – Swiss Holstein cow of the Year!) This daughter of Hellender Juror Jurgolin has several show ring victories and has been 3 time Supreme Champion in Switzerland with multiple outings at the Swiss Expo in Lausanne. Another Jurgolin daughter, probably the most famous of them all is, Hellender Champion Calanda EX-95 3E. She was Honorable Mention Grand Champion of the 2010 Swiss ‘Expo. Of interest also, is that several sons of the Jurgolin daughters are in AI. With all this success, there are many who admire the achievements of Hellender Holsteins. In advising other breeders how to follow in their footsteps, the Enders encourage dairy breeders to stick to their goals and learn from the best. “It is important to have an open mind and always be willing to listen and learn from good cowmen.” The Hellender Herd has benefited from that mentoring and Thomas gives a personal example, “For me the person I look up to is Callum McKinven. I admire him not only as a breeder full of passion but because he made it possible for me to see new opportunities. I learned much during my stay at his place and in times with him after.”

Hellender Goldwyn Griffen NC
Goldwyn x Hellender Juror Jurgolin EX-92 6E GM 13*
3rd place Swiss’Expo Lausanne 2014
4th place Swiss’Expo Lausanne 2013
2nd place and finalist Junior Expo Bulle 2012

The Bullvine Bottom Line

There are many great examples to use as role models and it isn’t surprising that many of them have gone the route of big herds, big facilities and big investments. For the Hellender herd the focus wasn’t on size and numbers. It started with strong emphasis on milk and built from there. With scrupulous selection they have certainly achieved quality in both milk production and in the show ring. Congratulations to Hellender Holsteins for being an example of how a small herd can be managed to achieve remarkable success.

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12 Things You Need to Know About A2 Milk

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Tuesday, March 18th, 2014

When a new food trend presents itself a considerable amount of the success or failure in consumer uptake relates back to the way the product was introduced to the marketplace. Drinking milk is by no means a “new” marketing trend but with the acknowledged trend toward healthier eating and better diet choices, the entry into the marketplace of a “new and better” milk drink is making ripples in milk glasses around the world. Milk has certainly seen its share of positive and negative marketing. Everyone relates to and has positive feelings about the “milk moustache” campaign. But mothers worldwide deal with the issues of “lactose intolerance” and “mother’s milk versus cow’s milk”. Every dairy producer faces the arguments of natural, unnatural or pasteurized. And even with the acceptance or more flavored milks, the health issues have not been truly answered. What does this “new” milk mean to dairy producers?

Something Exceptional? Or Exceptional Marketing?

An Australia based firm – A2 Corp. – has been selling a brand of A2 milk in New Zealand and Australia for the past 10 years and is poised to launch into the North American market. Their growing body of research suggests that A2 milk may provide the answer for the 1 in 4 Americans who suffer from lactose intolerance. The A2 Company hypothesizes that the problem is that they are unable to digest A1, a protein most often found in milk from high producing Holstein Cows. They propose that the A2 protein which predominates in milk from Jersey, Guernsey and most Asian and African cow breeds is more easily digested.

It’s about Leaky Gut Syndrome.

As with many health food trends, evidence shows they often get the first foot hold in the alternative medicine field. From that perspective, the leading explanation for why some people can’t tolerate A1 milk is attributed to leaky gut syndrome. The idea that loose connections in the gut, “like tears in a coffee filter, allows proteins to enter the body and run wild. In response the body sends immune cells to fight the autoimmune invaders and the result is swelling and pain from the resulting inflammation. These symptoms are associated with arthritis, diabetes and autism.

What’s wrong with A1?

The real fiend in A1 milk according to A2 proponents is that, when digested, A1 beta-casein releases beta-casomorphin7 (BCM7), an oploid with a morphine-like structure. Numerous recent tests report higher-than-average levels of BCM7 in blood from people with autism and schizophrenia. Furthermore, a recent study that is currently under review in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry reports on cell cultures research by Richard Deth and Malav Trivedi, both in the Pharmacology Department at Northeastern University in Boston, that shows similar high amounts of BCM7 in gut cells causes a chain reaction that creates a shortage of antioxidants in neural cells. This is a condition that other research has tied to autism.

Where’s the SCIENCE?

As for leaky gut, this is a condition that many adults may suffer from. However, the condition is normal in babies under a year of age, who naturally have semi-permeable intestines. Therefore, when they’re fed typical cow-milk formula, problems arise with digestion. “A 2009 study documented that formula-fed infants developed muscle tone and psychomotor skills more slowly than infants that were fed A2-only breast milk. Researchers in Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic have suggested links between BCM7 in cow milk and childhood health issues. Another more recent study implicates BCM7 in sudden infant death syndrome, reporting that some “near-miss SIDS” infants had blood serum containing more BCM7 than the blood of healthy infants of the same age.” Research is ongoing to support these claims.

Partners on the Frontier

Bob Elliott, Professor of Child Health Research at the University of Auckland opened up discussions about A1 milk and diabetes in Samoan Children. In a 1997 study published by the International Dairy Federation, Elliott showed A1 beta-casein caused mice to develop diabetes. In 2000 he partnered with entrepreneur Howard Paterson, then regarded as the wealthiest man on New Zealand’s South Island, to found the A2 Corporation.

False and Misleading?

Those charged with responsibility for public health and safety are feeling the pressure from this new product. In 2009 the European Food Safety Authority reported that they found no link between consumption of A1 milk and health and digestive problems. To date, much of the supporting research has come from the A2 Corp., which holds a patent for the only genetic test that can separate A1 from A2 cows. Some fear a conflict of interest arises here. In 2004, the same year that A2 Corp. went public on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, Australia’s Queensland Health Department fined A2 marketers $15,000 for making false and misleading claims about the health benefits of its milk and, at least for New Zealand’s Food Safety Minister, the debate was resolved.

The Door is Open to Welcome New Milk

Debate over or not, the A2 Corporation moved forward to market its a2 brand milk in New Zealand and Australia, where its currently accounts for about 8 percent of dairy product sales Down Under. In 2012, A2 expanded distribution through the Tesco chain into Great Britain. Currently a two-liter bottle sells at an 18 percent premium over conventional milk. Building on consumer acceptance in these locations, A2 is poised to re-launch into the U.S. market where they feel, unlike on their previous entry, there are now enough American consumers willing to pay a premium for A2 milk. The good news appears to be that A1 is not the causative agent for diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Ready for Research

In building the A2 hypothesis, it becomes necessary to compare its benefits to the problems of A1 milk. In 1993 Elliott proposed that consumption of A1 milk could account for the unusually high incidence of type-1 diabetes among Samoan children growing up in New Zealand. A colleague, Corran McLaclan, later found strong correlations between per capita consumption of A2 milk and the prevalence of diabetes and heart disease in 20 countries. Critics explain the relationships away by other factors such as diet, lifestyle and exposure to Vitamin D as suggested by research published by Elliott and in the book written by Keith Woodford,(Devil in the Milk: Illness, Health and the Politics of A1 and A2 Milk.). The time is ripe for responsible research to resolve these issues.

Coming to A Grocery Store Near You

A2 Corporation is understandably cautious about suggesting that consuming its products is a solution to preventing serious diseases. Their marketing emphasizes instead the digestive benefits of its fluid milk, fresh cream and infant formula products. Regardless of your current position in this “Battle of the Milks”, when it comes to the health of the next generation, we all need to take a stand. Worldwide A2 Corporation is into several years of expansion into the UK, Ireland and China.

A2 From the Farm to the Table

Along with being exposed to new dairy products, today’s consumer wants verification for what they are being sold. A2 Corp. explains that the company’s farmer-suppliers use DNA analysis of tail hair from each cow to certify she is producing A2 milk, which is kept segregated through processing. They also report that it is now possible to convert a herd of A1-producing cows to A2- producing cows. They are working with selected dairies that are making this conversion and test-marketing A2 milk in a number of U.S. states.

A1, A2 and AI

AI companies are well aware of the A1/A2 debate and are taking steps to stay up on new developments. Many US and Canadian AI companies keep records of the A1/A2 genetics of their genetic offerings. The development of A2 producing Holsteins is gaining momentum and breeders with long term vision are phasing out A1 cows and are confident they can maintain high production throughout the transition. At the leading edge are those who seek niche markets using the A2 dominant breeds such as Jersey, Guernsey and Normande.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

As with any other health claim, there will be early adopters and those who wait until the facts are all in. I can’t help but ask, “When was the last time, you were absolutely certain of the nutritional science behind all the food you eat?” Having said that, it isn’t difficult to accept the proposition that there are certain people in the population, particularly babies, who react severely to the A1 protein. Four fifths of our family can dine delightfully on shellfish without incident. Our baby risks anaphylactic shock from merely sniffing some on a buffet. So back to A1 and A2. Is the market big enough for both? Is one right? The other one wrong? The spotlight is on milk in a positive way. Sometimes we spend so much time defending the tradition that we miss the opportunity of bringing a whole new consumer into the dairy aisle.

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Are Your Cows Ready For Their Close Up?

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Thursday, March 13th, 2014

The dairy business isn’t as glamorous as Hollywood, but every cow deserves star treatment for the three weeks before and three weeks after calving. In particular, there is a turning point just before she calves that can make a tremendous difference to the success or failure of her maternal story. At the simplest level how you manage the feeding and housing of close up cows will impact their future health and milk production. And that affects your profitability. The big picture for your herd and your dairy depends on how you handle getting your cows close up ready.

All the Right Moves!

Ideally cows should remain in the same group throughout the close up period and that group should be established early in the far-off dry cow period. Although research has suggested that 12 to 24 hours is the perfect time to move cows prior to calving, putting this into actual practice may be easier said than done. Every operation will look at crowding stressors of up close cows differently based on size, facilities, expense and staff. Nevertheless the goal of the transition program should be to minimize the number of pen moves or addition of cows to the group. This is based on the reality that the social hierarchy within the group is changed and must be re-established each time new cows are added to the group. Regardless of how you decide to sub-divide your groups, overcrowding should be avoided at all costs.

Cows UN-Interrupted

Research has shown that if social interactions result in excessive-boss cow fighting, milk production could decrease by 3 to 8 lbs milk daily which may not be recovered. When possible, multiple cows, rather than single cows, should be introduced into a group together. Aim to add new cows only once or twice a week to reduce the social conflict which occurs when cows are establishing the pecking order in a new group.

She Needs a Calving Pen of Her Own

Close-up dry cows and heifers need a clean, dry, and comfortable place to rest. Each cow should be provided with a minimum of 1 well-bedded freestall (sand is the preferred bedding) or 100 square feet of bedded pack space. Providing adequate resting space is important. Limiting the resting space increases the time cows spend standing and predisposes them to hoof issues and increased incidence of lameness after calving.

Up Close Might Mean Too Close to Diseases

Along with high comfort and the seclusion or isolation that cows seek at calving, the area should also provide the least possible health risk for the dam and her calf. Especially, avoid manure-borne pathogens from other cows. Certainly being exposed to longer stays with continual disruptions of newly added herd-mates is less than desirable and appears to increase risks for ketosis and DA. Risk of removal from the herd in early lactation appears to be elevated three-fold. Subclinical milk fever and lower blood calcium content without clinical signs have been associated with higher risks of mastitis, retained placenta, metritis, and displaced abomasums. Thus, providing a clean, dry environment is critical.

Many diseases go undiagnosed at this stage. These sub-clinical diseases negatively affect the entire upcoming lactation and cause losses in reproductive performance as well as added feed and fixed costs.

Use Your Cow-Sense

Obviously there will be different limitations with every set up. The skill is to look at things and determine what actions should you take to encourage feed intakes by each close up animal? The ultimate goal is to ensure that all cows have access to enough feed. Avoid overcrowding, aim for enough square feet per cow to enable cows to move around freely and come and go to the feed area confidently.

STOP Over-Conditioning Up-Close Cows

Transition cows that are overconditioned (body condition scores greater than 4.0) eat less before and after calving, with feed intake dropping sooner and to a greater extent before calving than optimally body conditioned pre-fresh cows (BCS 3.5). As a result, these cows mobilize body fat to a greater extent compared to cows where feed intake is not compromised as greatly before calving. This greater mobilization of body fat causes excessive fat to accumulate in the liver of these cows, which further compromises the liver’s ability to make glucose to support milk production. Thus, these cows have a higher likelihood of developing fatty liver and then subclinical or clinical ketosis in addition to other metabolic disorders.

Feed the “Less” Plus “More” Performance Diet

Regardless of where they are once sorted out, it is important that close up cows are within easy monitoring sight of caretakers and with access to fresh feed and water 24/7. About three weeks before their calving date, they should be receiving a transition diet. The skill is in matching diet to the nutrient needs of the particular close up cow.

Diets for heifers should reflect lower intakes (approximately 23 versus 26 lb/day dry matter intake for mature cows) and the need for additional protein (15% crude protein or 1,200 g/day of metabolizable protein for springing heifers) during the close-up period.

Close-up dry cow diets should contain slightly more energy and metabolizable protein than far-off dry cow diets, but energy density still should be controlled to optimize intake after calving. Mineral balance of dry cow diets is critical to prevent problems after calving. Diets for dry cows 3 weeks before calving often contain lower potassium forages and grain products to allow for formulation of diets that prevent subclinical and clinical milk fever.

Reduce Stresses Pre-Calving

Recognizing that cows are social animals, providing a stress free environment for the actual calving is one of the most strategic things you can do. There (Rick Grant) are Benefits of separating first calf heifers from mature cows. Heifers compete better with other heifers and have higher dry matter intakes (10-15% improvement) and longer resting times (20% more) when housed separately from mature cows. When feedbunk space is limited, close-up dry cows may spend more time standing and eat less dry matter or eat larger and fewer meals. To prevent potential problems with lameness and other metabolic disorders after calving, close-up dry cows should be provided with 36 inches/cow of feedbunk space. Don’t forget how weather impacts cow comfort. Heat, much more than cold, is a stressor that has negative impact on close up cows. Again, facilities and handling should reflect the needs of the close up cow. Moving cows once calving has commenced is shown to delay calving.

Is Close-Up Management Worth It?

We have considered the perils of not having a transition plan. (Read more: Dairy Cattle Management: LOST in Transition) By the time the actual calving date arrives, cows are half way through Transition. There are two steps to success in this Close up stage: 1. Recognize problems early. 2. Take corrective action. We have merely touched a few of the observation and care taking steps that could be on a checklist for close up transition management. There is always room for improvement and problems big and small that need attention and action. The question might arise whether or not all this transition effort it is worth it. Research indicates that there could be five pounds less milk per cow per day as a result of stress, diet, or increased instances of disease. This equates to milking 92 instead of 100 cows. But that is not all. Add in extra labor, extra drug costs ,added vet expenses and the losses incurred by early removal of cows from the herd, not to mention unsuccessful future AI breedings and the aggregate losses can soar to $300 less revenue and $200 to $300 additional costs per cow per year.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Regardless of the size of the particular operation, every breeder can use $500 to $600 more profit per cow per year. Taking corrective action on your Close up Transition cows could be the best investment you ever made. Are your cows ready for their close up?

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Farm Tractors Are Not Theme Park Toys!

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Monday, March 10th, 2014

When we go to amusement parks, we expect to be scared out of our minds as we screw up our courage to ride on the roller coasters. The blood curdling screams stick with us long after we return with our little ones to the safety of the family farm. However, those very children are statistically more likely to be killed on the farm than at the amusement park. The worst part of this statistic is that we seem to be oblivious to the very real danger presented by the equipment we have driven and shared rides on for generations.

Troubling Tradition

Farm machinery and particularly tractors fascinate children. They are giant replicas of the little toy ones they play with every day on the living room carpet. The desire to imitate Mom and Dad means that at very early ages children learn to drive tractors. Until that day the lure of being where the tractor action is can be lethal. When you factor in the number of large pieces of equipment moving around the farm during busy seasons their small but precious bodies are not only hard to see but too often in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Turning a Blind Eye to Tractor Danger

We wouldn`t think about not buckling children into seatbelts in the car. We insist that they wear helmets when they ride bikes or protective padding for sports. We have childproof medicine caps, safety gates and bed rails but, when it comes to tractors, we let tradition and those old memories of bouncing through the fields in the cab of the tractor with grandpa impair our judgement. We need to decide whether we want to preserve unsafe memories or our children.

March Gets In Step With Tractor Safety

The month of March is popular for week-long Ag safety observances by several national organizations. One of those is the “Keep Kids Away from Tractors,” campaign. This is the unified message of the Childhood Agricultural Safety Network (CASN) which is a coalition of 38 health, safety and youth organizations in the U.S. and Canada. The coalition’s campaign urges adults to think twice before allowing children 12 and under to operate tractors or ride on them. The “Keep Kids Away from Tractors” will be featured in a webinar at noon (CT), Wednesday, March 12. Presenting on behalf of the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety will be Director Barbara Lee, Ph.D., and Marsha Salzwedel, M.S. The webinar is sponsored by the Childhood Agricultural Safety Network and AgriSafe Network. Register at http://www.agrisafe.org.

The coalition urges individuals and groups to incorporate CASN resources in their safety initiatives. Posters, radio ads and more information can be found at http://www.childagsafety.org/TractorCampaign.htm.

Perils that could Have Been Prevented

We need hyper-vigilance around tractors. The first step is giving our children a healthy respect for the fact that tractors are machines not toys and that there are dangers represented by this piece of working (not playing) equipment. Consider these incidents from the past year:

A 1-year-old North Dakota boy died after falling from a tractor driven by his father. His 4-year-old brother survived.
A 6-year-old Minnesota boy died with his grandfather when the tractor they were riding rolled over.
A 5-year-old Kansas girl died when she fell through the windshield of a combine driven by her father.
The biggest tragedy of all? These deaths were 100 percent preventable.

Teach By Example

Before we teach them to drive, let’s teach them to be safe. As much as rural kids like the exceptional skills that being farm born and raised gives them compared to their town friends, they need to also learn the unique farm safety rules that can save their own (or their visiting friends) lives. Everyone — driving or on foot – near farm equipment needs a healthy respect for how easy it is to miss a little head running by when the focus is on moving feed, harvesting or hooking up to another piece of equipment. Of course, all of this assumes that the adults working on the farm are alert to the dangers and accept their responsibility for child safety. There is no shame in being over-protective. A little healthy fear of tractor danger is healthy for everyone. The goal isn’t to be fearless. The goal is to be safe.

Start Talking and Take Action

A child dies from injuries on a farm an average of once every 3.5 days. The most common situation involves a tractor. When kids and tractors get together the outcome can be tragic.

CAIR (Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting) reports that at least 45 per cent of accidents on farms occurred close to the farmhouse, such as in the farmyard, driveway, barn or shed. About 63 per cent were machine related, including runovers, rollovers and entanglements, mostly involving tractors (47 per cent).

“Stop the Denial. Start Talking”

Discuss tractor designs with your child. While some newer tractors have cabs and roll-over bars for added protection from accidents, tractors continue to be inherently unsafe for drivers and riders because of the risk of roll-over accidents.

“Build on Safety Rules they Already Know”

Talk about seat belts with your child. In a car, everyone has a place to sit and a seat belt to provide a safety restraint. Most tractors have only one seat and one seat belt to keep the driver safe, meaning that tractors are safe for only one person driving or riding on it, advises the North Dakota Farm Bureau. Kids know about looking both ways when on the street. They need to respect the “street smart” rules of farm lanes, barnyards and fields. The right of way always goes to the equipment.

“Say ‘No!” to Tractor Rides”

Caution your child to never accept a ride on a tractor, warns the KidsHealth website. Riding anywhere on a tractor but in the seat with a seat belt is unsafe, including on a fender or on an attachment. A tractor can flip over in as little as 1 1/2 seconds, according to the North Dakota Farm Bureau. Tractors can also hit bumps or uneven surfaces and someone not secured with a seat belt could fall off the tractor.

“Safety is all About Location, Location, Location”

Warn your child about the threat of being run over by a tractor. Falling off the tractor could lead to being run over by the vehicle. In addition, it can be difficult for a tractor driver to see people near a moving tractor — especially children. Teach your child to stay away from work areas and moving tractors because she might not be able to make her presence known to the driver.

Healthy Respect Prevents Heartbreak

The slogans are hard hitting. They are not meant to make us feel comfortable and reassure us that, of course, our children’s safety comes first. If discomfort makes us take responsible action, then the discomfort is well worth it.

“It’s easier to bury a tradition than a child.”

“Your 75 lb child has no chance against your 10,000 pound tractor”

“The tractor is not the place for quality time.”

As much as we want our children to grow up in the traditional farming lifestyle that we cherish the key is that they “grow up”. Farm safety isn`t about instilling fear. It`s about being safe not sorry. Nothing can heal the heartbreak of losing a child to a preventable accident.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

The best way to instill our love of farming in our children is to also instil in them our respect for dangers that must be dealt with every day. The best way to say “yes” to farming traditions is to say “No!” when it comes to tractors. “One seat. One rider. A rule to LIVE by!”

Please like and share this post to help spread this valuable message.

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Dairy Cattle Management: LOST in Transition

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Tuesday, March 4th, 2014

If you were going on a driving holiday … It’s unlikely that you would wait to see your aunt’s holiday album or your sibling’s gas receipts at the end of the trip, before planning your best route. Trying to plan by waiting for information that hasn`t yet happened or that isn’t yet available to you, is ineffective to say the least. And yet when we’re trying to get cows from A-Z on the dairy journey, we use information like peak milk and butter fat tests that have little or no value for immediate decision making. Even worse – we let culling rates be the measure of our success. In our travel analogy, that would be like using number of speeding tickets to determine your destination. While the information is related to the issue and cautionary, it does little to help determine the details of where you are going.

The Transition Cow Journey Needs Clear Signposts

We all know what a transition cow is but do we know what to provide her with in that pre- and post- calving period that is so crucial to her productive and reproductive success? A survey by Dairy Australia provides thought-provoking statistics. The survey found that only 65% of farmers use transition cow management and, of those ones using it, only 50% have a management plan in place that meets the cow’s nutritional needs. In other words, only 1/3 of the cows are getting the right treatment. Furthermore, it means that staff is spending too much time and energy dealing with sick cows. Not only is this a negative situation from the cow health viewpoint, but it also means that attention is being sidetracked from the needs of the whole herd.

The Transition Journey Needs A Planned Road Trip

There are important questions that must be answered:

Do you know where you`re going?
Do you have the information to get there?
Are you willing to follow directions?

Five mis-used and over-rated sources of Transition Management:

Check off the ones you are using on your herd as action items.

Peak Milk Yield
Herd Production Level
First Test Day Percent Butter Fat
First Test Day Linear SCC
Calving Interval

If you’re using any of these you are definitely driving in the wrong direction. Yes you have information. But it cannot be used in a timely and effective way!

Are You Ready to Put the Pedal to the Transition Metal?

On the one hand, using the wrong tools is a problem. On the other hand, not taking action is an even bigger problem. The above tests cannot be used to initiate actions. The solution of using information for culling purposes does not solve problems such as milk fever, displaced abomasums and low dry matter intake or raise the level of health. The other problem is timing. Identifying a problem is great but getting it solved quickly is the priority.

Too Little. Too Late.

The lag time of most of the previously listed monitors is far too long and late. If you don`t take the proper early steps to get your cows through the transition period, you may not have the chance later. Rather than getting rid of cows, get rid of transition monitors that aren`t working. By the time you`ve decided to cull a cow, the outcome has been decided. What is needed are tools that give you the chance to take action, before you have lost time, money and milk production.

Peak Milk has Shortcomings

As a monitor of fresh cow performance, peak milk has at least 5 shortcomings.

It is not the true peak milk. The reported number is the highest milk produced on any given test day so far during the current lactation. The odds that the test day will coincide with the actual peak milk day for a particular cow are slim. Furthermore Age at freshening, Lactation number, Calving season, Breed of cow, area of country and herd production level all have impact on peak milk. It is impossible to make these adjustments mentally.
It`s too slow. Can you really afford to wait somewhere between 50-90 DIM to learn what a particular cow’s peak milk is? This lag between the information and the time to take action is far too long. Prompt decisions are needed from all perspectives: cow health; production management and profitability.
It`s simply an average. Averages are often considered useful as benchmarks to measure progress. However an average that does not indicate the range of values has little of no use in managing the transition of individual animals. You want to be able to take action regarding the cows that are at the low end. The high end has particular needs as well that an average doesn`t identify.
It includes more than recently fresh animals. Again it is the breadth of the information that limits its effectiveness in transition cow management. Peak milk measurements often include more than the recently fresh animals thus clouding the information for use in actionable decision making.
It is biased because of cows that have been culled. To earn a peak milk record, a cow must survive in the herd past a second or third test. Thus cows that left the herd prior to peak milk or ones that are currently in first test are excluded and thus the results are biased.

First Test-Day Percent Butter Fat has Limited Value

Whether higher or lower than normal butterfat tests do not accurately identify the state of the cow’s health. Butter fat tests can be a moving and therefore a single test day doesn`t identify the direction of the trend.

Higher than “normal” butterfats in individual cows is often a sign of metabolic difficulties. These cows usually are in a state of extremely rapid weight loss. They often have a history of metabolic problems such as ketosis, fatty liver, and/or displaced abomasum.
Lower than “normal” butterfats in individual cows is often a sign of past metabolic difficulties, low body condition score, acidosis, or some combination of the three. These cows usually are very thin. In many cases, these cows are 20-30 days in milk at first test. It is possible that many of these cows would have been quite high if tested at day 8-15, but now are low since essentially no more body fat is available to be lost into the milk.

This likely under-reports problems in cows that are dropping from a “high” to a “low” test as they would not be distinguishable from “normal” cows.

First Test-Day Linear SCC May be Too Late

Unpublished data currently being evaluated suggest animals starting with a higher linear SCC (>4.0) produce 1,000-1,500 pounds less in the coming lactation when compared to cows freshening with lower linear SCC. In addition, recent reports suggest that cows with mastitis in early lactation have lower reproductive performance. A cow culled in the first month of lactation is a far more expensive economic event than a cow that is replaced at the end of lactation.

Some estimate that the cow value drops about $3 per day after freshening for cows that do not become pregnant. Waiting for a year to see how many cows died from mastitis is a poor way to monitor either clinical or sub-clinical mastitis. Relevant action to take regarding high SCC starts at the drying off period of a previous lactation or at calving for heifers.

So, if those DON’T work, what OPTION is left??

It is easy to find numerous superior tools for monitoring a problem on a dairy. The first test of the monitor should be that it either highlights another question or leads directly to a required management action. The herd manager’s interest isn’t in the animals already identified for culling but rather to find those animals where some positive steps can be taken to achieve a positive outcome. The goal is to move from useless information to useful actions. Once you have identified the problem you can find the solution.

First Test-Day Mature Equivalent 305-day Projected Milk

Using the first Test Day Mature Equivalent is much faster than the limited monitoring methods previously discussed. The first projection is possible after 8 days in milk. Typically, cows are around 15-20 days in milk at first test. Admittedly, this projection is not 100% accurate in predicting the final 305 completed lactation total milk, but it is a good tool nevertheless. A cow starting with a low projection at first test is not likely to finish with an excellent total at the end of 305 days and is much more likely to be culled.

All DHIs and most on-farm herd management software offers projections of the expected lactation total 305 day milk production. A mature equivalent (ME) projection or Breed Class Average (BCA) further refines this prediction by adjusting all cows to the same age to allow comparison between cows in different lactations.

The ADVANTAGES of 305 day ME Projections

Compared to peak milk, the first test-day 305 day ME projection offers these advantages:

Measurement can be made starting at day 8, gaining 45-60 days on lag time.
Bias due to culled cow exclusion, although still present, is less.
Effect of different test-day days-in-milk is removed.
Cows freshening at different ages can be compared one to another.
Cows in different lactation numbers can be compared.
Cows freshening in different seasons can be compared.
Cows freshening in different areas of the country can be compared.
Different breeds can be compared.
Adjustment is made for herd productivity.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Getting the right information is the absolute first step if you’re going to properly manage your cattle through the pre-transition and post-transition periods. It’s crucial for cow health and dairy profitability to be proactive. If you are not using information that can clearly define what actions to take, you’re program and your profits and your cows will be lost in transition. It’s time to take a YOU-TURN and map out where you are and where you’re going. Don’t let stop signs determine your destination.

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DANAE BAUER: Capturing the Passion

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Monday, March 3rd, 2014

We meet many who feel that dairy farming not only gave them skills for working, problem-solving and responsibility , but also the added courage and example to become self employed. Danae Bauer is from Scandinavia Wisconsin where she was raised on the home farm operated by her father and uncles. (Read more: Pine-Tree Monica Planeta Is the New Genomic Super Star Maker) “I have had a very active role in the farm ever since I was a child. I now work full time with the calves, embryos transfer, and marketing.

From Shovel Speed to Shutter Speed

Many farm offspring feel they have had a picture perfect upbringing. For Danae it was picture inspiring. “ I have had an interest in photography from a young age. In the past several years that interest has grown into a passion, leading up to a year ago when I began my photography business.” Again she credits her family and agricultural background. “3. My family has influenced me greatly and has helped instill a work ethic, a desire to learn, and drive to achieve excellence which has valuable to me in honing my creativity through patience and practice.”

Never Ending Learning Process

Like the true creative that she is, Danae is always looking for new opportunities to learn and grow her photography skills. “I completed a course in professional photography from the New York Institute of Photography, from which I was also given a merit award for a photography essay assignment. I believe that while I gained knowledge from the schooling, I learned probably just as much from trial and error, practice, reading photography books, learning from articles and videos on the internet, and studying other’s work. It’s a good thing my cousins Katie and Emily are such good and willing models…I got a lot more practice in with them then I would have with my three brothers !”

Capturing a Story – Creating a Feeling

When you look at pictures created by Danae, you often feel an instantaneous emotional connection, which isn’t surprising since that is what powers her own enthusiasm. “I would describe my style as creative, classic, clean, and country. My images are abundant in natural light, they are bright with vivid but true to life color. I strive to capture genuine emotion and interaction when I photograph people and animals.” For Danae the people are just as important as the subject matter. “I love images that “grab and pull the viewer in” and allow them to experience or see the subject in a new way, the photos that capture the essence or heart of the subject, the photos that are genuine, but beautiful and unique.”

An Eye for Agriculture. A Fusion of Farm, Family and Photography

I think my greatest accomplishment is creating a photo that strikes a chord with its viewer, especially if it makes them think positively about agriculture and farm life. I have had comments that my photos have been a blessing to those who see them, and if that is true, I count that as a success! “ Danae looks forward to a future that includes her two passions. She quotes the familiar “A picture is worth a thousand words” and adds “I would love to continue to photograph farm families and help them tell their stories through photos.”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

We totally agree with Danae that, as great as it is to do what you love, the human experience is what makes it worthwhile. She is already taking her photography to the next level and has a growing audience who responds to her efforts. “I hope that by sharing meaningful photos I will be furthering a favorable impression of the dairy lifestyle.” All the best to Danae from the Bullvine readers and everyone who enjoy cows, people and country living. It’s a huge story ready to be captured by the Bauer lens one moment at a time.

Be sure to check out Dana’s Farmgirl Photography Facebook page as well as her website for more great photos.

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10 RETIREMENT OPTIONS: Are you “IN”? Or Are you “OUT”?

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Thursday, February 27th, 2014

When it comes to retirement from your current way of dairy farming, it is all about asking yourself what you want your life to be like. Do you want the next 30 years to go by, only to feel used up? If you’re over 50, you may be facing a new viewpoint on the dairying business that has provided your income, lifestyle, highs and lows for a few decades. There are always choices. Before you decide to simply do the obvious and retire, you might want to consider these 10 options when deciding if you’re “IN” or if you’re “OUT”.

1. ARE YOU OUT? No Dairy Heirs. or ARE YOU IN? Look to Science, Technology and Robots!

When there isn`t a family member willing to take over the dairy operation, many farmers decide it`s time to retire. But rather than jump too quickly, it is time to think realistically about some 21^st Century options. Moving forward in dairying means more targeted use of genetics, genomics, sexed semen and the scientific tools available to dairy breeders. Fewer cattle producing more milk gives you more of what you’re looking for. If you have simply accepted that you have non-family succession, broaden your thinking and consider robotics. For less than the price of two new staff you can have robotic expertise … you may even get more production … faster payoff … and more time to broaden your non-farm lifestyle. Have your farm and social life too! It’s never too soon to plan for farm succession. (Read more: Farm Succession: Which Exit Is Yours? And Farm Succession: Kicking the Hornet’s Nest?)

2. ARE YOU OUT? Too much money to ignore. or ARE YOU IN? Nowhere to grow.

Referring back to number one, it’s like the three rules of successful real estate sales: Location. Location. Location. As some farm areas are being swallowed up by cities, the potential to sell for development is a payday that’s simply too big to ignore. The same growth situation in other areas, results in rezoning and suddenly farms are locked in to current size and declining real estate value. If moving away from city proximity isn’t feasible at this time, perhaps you can turn your population access into a niche market. Downsize to an agricultural tour farm, perhaps with a specialty farm store. Target a demographic market in your area that is particularly happy to have specialized dairy products: organic, ethnic, religious or philosophic. Becoming an agricultural Agvocacy farm might keep you with access to all the parts you like without the physical, mental or financial stresses that are so trying at this time of life. There are many examples of farms offering special dairy products and agro-tourism. Some such farmsteads offer wedding receptions or events such as farm fresh dairy breakfasts, a fall harvest festival or special school tours or popular children’s camps.

3. ARE YOU OUT? Not profitable or ARE YOU IN? New potential profits.

Businesses that don’t produce profits don’t succeed. However, some dairy operations fail because they continue to operate too long without putting the brakes on rising expenses or too long without developing new revenue streams. Where farms are susceptible to low milk prices or high feed prices, it may become impossible to repay financing. In the end, that means no option but to get out. If one spouse has been working off the farm, now there may be an opportunity to work together focusing on an alternative revenue stream. Perhaps now is the time to reel in those off-farm working costs and apply them to a niche revenue stream such as raising heifers, producing forages, managing dry cows or concentrating on grain production.

4. ARE YOU OUT? Too many restrictions. or ARE YOU IN? Environmental Compliance.

How are modern environmental and food production regulations going to affect your operation in the future? And a long list of rules may also indicate a high level of politics. This is not the time to have to lead a crusade or fend off animal rights groups. Compliance could be simple and profitable. Some operations have installed a state-of-the-art nutrient management plan. A machine separates solid and liquid cow manure. The solid non-smelly manure is used for cow bedding. The liquid is spread on the fields and used as an all-natural fertilizer. Bottom line, nothing goes to waste. Farms with this system have zero percent manure runoff and 100 percent of the manure is recycled. Other innovations such as a solar energy system could increase energy efficiency while decreasing a farm’s carbon footprint and utility costs with the potential to provide power for other homes.

5. ARE YOU OUT? Inadequate feed. or ARE YOU IN? New supply options.

Climate changes also affect feed production and sourcing. Feeds, especially forages, may be in short supply and expensive for long periods of time. As in 2002 and 2003, if forage supplies are scarce and expensive and milk prices are low, it might not be possible to access loans to purchase additional feed inventories to keep dairy cows in production. In areas where “green belt” designations have been put into place, expansion of herd numbers—if at all possible with the current facilities – may still fall short in having access to hay, corn, grain etc. Simply taking on more debt or throwing money at the situation may not be the best alternative.

6. ARE YOU OUT? Rising Input Costs or ARE YOU IN? Back end monetizing

It takes a lot of infrastructure to keep a sustainable dairy operation operating at the optimum level. The days of doing it all are over. Pick what you’re best at and then find the support team that makes continued dairy farming a realistic, sustainable and profitable decision. You may not be ready for the bridge party and bocce ball circuit. Therefore, at this point making changes that also positively impact your daily lifestyle is a good option to consider. Are you located where large animal vets; nutrition support and equipment and machinery repair are accessible. If the needed support structure is accessible and functioning perhaps it’s time to go for the dream. Rather than wait for something beyond your control like politics , economics or even weather and Mother Nature to change for the better, this may be the opportunity to take on another piece of the supply chain such as processing your own specialty dairy products. Perhaps your expertise provides you with a special edge in sales (animals, products, supplies) and an on-farm store or auction is feasible. For financing consider sources specializing in opportunities for agriculture. (Read more: Money Loves Agriculture. This Relationship is Brought to You By AgFunder.)

7. ARE YOU OUT? Too much work for one or ARE YOU IN? Find a Golden Partnership

Is there someone out there, neighbour, friend or fellow farmer, who is happy doing the field and crop work? Are you happy in the barn? Could you combine forces for a 20 year plan that fits both work strengths? A shared working relationship could provide lifestyle enhancements for both parties too? Do you know of someone else at the age of considering whether they need more or less quota or more or less cattle? These investments may run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, yet the appreciation and resale value can be uncertain. If quota isn’t the issue how big is the herd you can manage?

8. ARE YOU OUT? Can’t wait to move on. or ARE YOU IN? Become a Start-Up Mentor:

Who’s going to take care of your farm while you’re downsizing. What about finding a young family whose timeline could fit with yours? While you downsize they have the opportunity to upsize. Make your years of experience available to those who are just starting out. You could enjoy helping young dairy farmers move their business forward. Here is an area where age need not hinder performance — age-related shortcomings are often outweighed by reliability, commitment and accumulated knowledge.

9. ARE YOU OUT? Not for your family. Or ARE YOU IN? Family loves dairying.

When labor is scarce and there is no time for the holidays and adventures that other people seem to enjoy frequently, the 24/7 dairy operator may decide it just isn’t worth it. On the other hand, having the family all involved in the cycle of life benefits of dairy farming — being your own boss — the outdoors — the physical — may seem like the exact things that everyone else had to quit working a 9-5 job to enjoy. Remember a lot of the people who can’t wait for the retirement chair and the TV, spent much of their work lives complaining about the work, the people, the commute, the pay. For most dairy farmers every day has been bracketed by the view of the horizon and in between each sunrise and sunset dairy folk felt passion for the hard work and the cows that provided their living.

10. ARE YOU OUT? Take the Cash and Run Or ARE YOU IN? Keep the Farm. Cash in on the lifestyle

Selling out is not all cash in the bank from selling cattle, machinery and equipment. There are sale costs, including auction management and advertising. Vet costs for making sure that animals are healthy for sale time can have strong impact and add to those exit costs which can bring your hoped for margins down to break even. Add in tax implications and you could find 20-40% of your “profits” eroded away. Supposing you are able to leave the farm with your nest egg intact, be sure you know what you’re going to do. If you’ve never enjoyed sitting on a beach, golfing or playing cards, then what makes you think that 20 years of retirement will win you over to these activities? The sheer shock of spending close to 50% of your time doing something that you don’t really care about seems a pale way to end a career that has been built on daily interaction with family, friends and animals.

Bullvine Bottom Line:

Start having this conversation with yourself today. It’s one of the most important things you can do. You owe it to yourself to live the life you know deep down you were meant to fulfill. Whether it’s out to pasture or greener pastures that are calling, there comes a time when you are looking over the gate to something new. Are you in? Or Are you out?

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Barn Roofs: The Bigger the snow… the Harder the fall

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Tuesday, February 25th, 2014

Barns are collapsing like houses of cards when stressed by the triple threats of frozen snow load, wet snow load and water build up. Since early December more than a dozen barns have collapsed in central Alberta. All the way east to Maine and Massachusetts reports of collapsed roofs are resulting from record snowfalls.

You may feel secure because of your well-designed barn that has engineered support structures. But even these buildings can buckle under snow loads that exceed 4 to 6 feet. When researching what the “danger” level is for extended snow loads, we found a general guide for areas where typical snow loads are 20 pounds per square foot to be 4 feet of dry snow or 2 feet of wet heavy snow. These heavy loads are the usual cause of snow-related building collapses. This winter has had many episodes of extreme weather. One would think that the recent slight rise in temperature and change to rain and sleet has helped. However, now that extra rainwater has been soaked up by the snow. The end result is even more weight added to roofs. There is a tremendous difference between dry and wet snow. A cubic foot of dry snow weights 6 to 8 pounds. The same volume of ice weighs three times that amount.

Snow Blows Before a Fall

Checking structures after every snowfall is a must-do, every time priority. Conditions change quickly. It isn’t simply the snowfall that is to be blame. It’s continuing or shifting snow load. When heavy snow meets fierce winds even the best engineered buildings can collapse. An imbalance of drifting snow can cause one part of a roof to give way causing a domino effect that affects the rest of the structure. Other times, a wet snowfall which freezes the snow on the roof can mean that future snow is unable to slide off. According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), in the first 48 hours after the Groundhog Day snowstorm, there were more than 80 collapses and building with structural weaknesses reported to MEMA.

12 Ways to Pinpoint Potential Problems

When you see any of the following problems, call your local building or fire official immediately.

Sagging roofs
Severe roof leaks
Doors that pop open
Cracks in walls or masonry
Bends or ripples in supports
Visible bowing of rafters
Cracked or split wood members
Sheared off screws from steel frames
Creaking, cracking or popping sounds
Doors or windows that stick or won’t open
Bowed utility pipes or conduit at ceiling
Sprinkler heads that have dropped down below ceiling tiles

Note:Metal structures unfortunately often don’t exhibit signs of stress before failure.

How Much Snow is Too Much?

Calculating the snow load on your barn takes more than an educated guess. The University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service says that a ballpark estimate of snow load can be made with the following formula:

Calculated Roof Loading (lb/ft2) = Depth (ft) x Density (lb/ft2 /ft depth). The approximate density (lb/ft2 /ft depth) for light snow is 5-20, packed snow 20-40, packed snow with ice 40-58, and ice 58.

For example, a roof with 3 feet of light snow has an estimated roof load of 60 pounds per square foot (3 ft depth X 20 lb/ft2/ft depth density = 60 lb/ft2). You should know the roof weight limits for your barns and outbuildings, and rebuild or fortify them to withstand worst-case scenario snow loads and meet local building standards.

Consultation and Calculation

Consult your local permit issuing authority to find the recorded snow load (the maximum snow expected to fall) in your region.

Calculate your roof pitch: Divide the “rise” (vertical distance between the peak of the roof and the edge) by the “run” (distance from the peak of your roof to the edge) and convert the fraction to a ratio of 12. (For example, if the rise of your roof is 15 feet, the run is 36 feet, then the pitch = 15 feet / 36 feet = 5:12. Use a calculation like this one. Enter values of your roof and follow the instructions to get your roof snow load.

Long Term Improvements

If you are able to renovate or are building new buildings there are snow load factors to consider. Snow does not slide easily off flatter roofs with a pitch of 3/12 or less. In locating new buildings be aware that wind blowing around trees and building can cause mega drifting and uneven and shifting snow loads. Be aware that closely spaced buildings can be affected by snow and ice sliding off taller buildings. As well valleys or changing elevations in the roof can collect snow. The material used for roofing should shed snow and ice easily. Metal is better than shingles.

Be Safe NOT Sorry.

What should be done if your building exceeds the “safe” snow depths? The simple answer is to get it off as soon as possible. Generally, there is some time between a large snowfall event and possible structural failure. Some failures can be prevented with careful snow removal. Consider hiring a professional.

Safety First

There obviously is a human safety concern of falling off the roof when working on a snow covered and icy roof. Use extreme caution when working near overhead electrical power lines.

Use caution if standing on the roof. Make sure to wear a safety harness and use securing ropes or cables. Don’t add your weight or the weight of equipment to the roof. Always be aware that, if you use a ladder, ice tends to build up on both the rungs and your shoes. Wear headgear and goggles and non-slip footwear. Have someone outside to team with. As a precaution, if the situation seems tenuous, remove animals from the building.

Don`t Add to the Problem

Don’t use electric heating devices like heat guns to remove snow and ice. Don’t use open-flame devices to remove snow and ice. Trying to hose down the snow is a mistake as the added water seriously increases the weight pushing down on the already straining supports. Use a snow rake for pitched roofs and avoid chipping or picking away at ice as that may damage the roof and lead to leaks. Plastic shovels are better than metal ones (metal tools conduct electricity and damage roofs).

Just Enough. Not too much.

Start from the edge to the peak of the roof. Shave the snow down to 2-3 inches instead of scraping the roof clean; don’t damage the shingles. Remove snow in narrow strips to keep the load somewhat even. Remove large icicles carefully. Not all snow needs to be removed. A thin layer of snow can protect the roof from damage while snow is being removed.

Other Options

Until or unless you are already dealing with a collapsed roof, there are other last minute (and therefore less reliable) options depending on specific situations. Sometimes you may be able to warm the inside of the building enough to melt the ice layer and wait for the ice and snow to slide off. There are obvious dangers of fire when adding heat and also limitations to how much you can raise the temperature depending on building size and structure (no flat ceilings). Beware of large chunks of sliding ice and snow falling onto people, animals or equipment. Safety is always, always, always priority number ONE!

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Farmers need to keep a close watch on structures with heavy loads and be prepared to move livestock and equipment to safer quarters. A few minutes of consultation can give you reassurance during a heavy-snow winter. Check with your insurance agent to confirm that your property insurance covers roof or building failure due to snow load. Make sure the policy pays for actual replacement costs, so you’re not out in the cold if you have to rebuild. Verify that valuable equipment stored in a barn or outbuilding is covered under your policy.

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Archive – Page 5

Reyncrest Dairy

“It’s All Relative at Reyncrest”

“Shared Family Focus”

“Seeing Red has Been Remarkable for Reyncrest”

“Reynolds Family Gatherings Now Include Multiple Champions”

“Family Pedigree is an Investment Decision”

“Lasting Style that Places First!”

“Extraordinary Mentors and Trusted Advisors”

“Showing the Way!”

“Inspiring, Caring and Generous”

“Rising by Degrees”

“Reyncrest goes Beyond Roadblocks”

“Family is the Tradition”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Other posts you might like:

Are Your Records Measuring Up?

Testing. Testing.

Don’t Assume You Always “Know” Best of “Do” Best.

Back to Basics to Turn Around Low Milk Production

Here’s the Secret

Nine Basic Steps that should be Part of Your Standard Milking Procedures

Eat Well! Live Long! Milk Often!

Time to Test Again!

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Other posts you might like:

100% Homebred – Scoring better all the time.

One Goal Above All “To Breed a European Grand Champion”

“Showing cattle is a lot of work.”

Top Advice, “Don’t be mad at the Judge. Breed a better cow. Win next time.”

Trophy Shelf Chronicles Rising Showring Success

Bons-Holsteins has Three Show Toppers at 2014 Dutch National Show

Nico Bons has favorite “Winning” Bulls

Not blinded by numbers Nico still builds on the Canadian Kind

“Trusting their eyes keeps people coming back”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Other posts you might like:

“Learn to Do By Doing”

Required Education & Training

From Family Tradition to Farm Apprenticeships

New Education and Training

New Dairy Farmers Start Out Herd First!

Advice from Those Who Have “Been there done that!”

What is the Outlook for Dairy Farming?

The Off-Farm Job is Important

Research and Development

New Facilities

USDA Help for New Farmers

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Other posts you might like:

Remember the story of the Princess and the Pea?

There are Always Trade-Offs When Choosing Bedding

“Our mission is to improve the lives of animals through research education and outreach.”

Deep Bedding Makes the Most Difference in Lameness

Sometimes Big is Better for Cow Comfort

Desirable Characteristics of Bedding

Six Cow Comfort Choices

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Other posts you might like:

SOPs must be ready for Hand Off. Sign Off. And Check Off.

Could you make a SOP video?

Mistake #1: Distributing SOPS that sit on a shelf or computer desktop.

Mistake #2: Managers and employees are not included in writing the documents.

Mistake #3: Sharing the ‘How’ but forgetting to explain the ‘Why’

Mistake #4: SOPS written in a boring style with too much text

Mistake #5: Negative writing style

Five Steps to Take Your Standard Operating Procedures from Bloopers to Super

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Other posts you might like:

Do You Know the Score?

Ultrasound and Back Fat Mobilization

Transducer Scans Give Reliable Measurements

What Do You Know About Thin Cows and Heifers?

What to Do

Take A Picture!

Is Thinness an Individual Problem or Herd Crisis?

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Other posts you might like:

Research Reveals Interaction of Milk and Digestion