pdpw final proofs

February 2015 • PDPW • Dairy’s Bottom Line 1

T h e O s c a rs we re j u s t awarded in Hollywood. Red carpets were rolled out for “A-list” celebrities from around the world. To attend, you needed connections.

The dairy industry’s A-list-ers will also connect – at the 2015 PDPW Business Confer-ence, March 18-19 in Madison, Wis.

At this event you’ll come out with more connections than you had going in. If your career is connected to dairy, you’ll want to see, and be seen, here.

AND THE REWARD GOES TO…

Two days making connec-tions at the conference will propel your business and career forward like no other dairy event. You’ll find session topics and networking if you are:

• Young dairy producers looking to connect with great ideas and resources

• Experienced dairy produc-ers looking for an edge

• Seasoned dairy producers shaping the next generation

• Herdspersons and farm employees to amp up skills

• Techies who want to test drive the latest technology

• Suppliers seeking business connections

• Researchers applying the latest thinking

• Animal and plant scientists seeking CEUs

• Veterinarians, nutritionists and crop consultants seeking to understand clients better and receive CEUs

• Dairy professionals who want to understand the chal-lenges and opportunities fac-ing tomorrow’s dairy farms.

When you have this many people who are passionate about the dairy industry in one place, you are bound to meet someone who will connect you to that perfect person, idea or solution. The rewards from these two days will roll in.

LIFE-TIME ACHIEVERSAt the 2015 PDPW Business

Conference, you’ll see people in all stages of their dairy careers, from the eager, wet-behind-the-ears trainee to the seasoned, unflappable professional. Learning is lifelong. What a great message we send when we constantly improve our skills and our knowledge.

This diverse audience is united by a commitment to pro-ducing quality milk, profitably. Dairy success is front and center with every session and speaker.

UP-AND-COMERSPDPW is dairy’s professional

development organization. Anyone with eyes on a dairy career will benefit from rubbing shoulders with the best.

Opportunities:• PDPW Dairy Mentor Pro-

gram: Mentors and students learn together.

• Cornerstone Dairy Acade-myTM: Rising-star and transi-tioning dairy professionals build businesses and network-ing skills.

There’s no better place to develop a dairy career than PDPW, and no better two days than the PDPW Business Con-ference.

Come as you are. You are an A-lister. We’ll roll out the red carpet for you and hook you to the best connections.

Rolling out the red carpet PDPW Board of Directors

PresidentKeith York

Lake Geneva, Wis.262-903-6265

[email protected]

Vice PresidentMitch BreunigSauk City, Wis.608-643-6818

[email protected]

SecretaryKay Zwald

Hammond, Wis.715-796-5510

[email protected]

TreasurerCharlie CraveWaterloo, Wis.920-478-3812

[email protected]

Jeremy Natzke Greenleaf, Wis. 920-371-1968

[email protected]

Brian Forrest Stratford, Wis. 715-650-0267

[email protected]

Marty Hallock Mondovi, Wis. 715-495-2812

[email protected]

Walter Meinholz DeForest, Wis. 608-846-4379

[email protected]

Linda White Reedsburg, Wis. 608-985-6006

[email protected]

PDPW Board of Advisors

Matt RepinskiLand O’Lakes Winfield Division

Dr. Richard WallaceZoetis

Dr. Steve KelmUniversity of Wisconsin-River

Falls

Steve SchwoererBadgerland Financial

Join dairy’s top producers and leading experts at the 2015 PDPW Business Conference.

Professional Dairy Producers™

820 North Main Street, Suite D800-947-7379

[email protected]

2 February 2015 • PDPW • Dairy’s Bottom Line

Day 1 – Wednesday, March 18

8 a.m.Registration begins9 a.m.Hall of Ideas and Equipment Show opens9-10:15 a.m.Pre-conference Specialty Sessions. See page 4.10:30-11 a.m.Learning Lounges in Hall of Ideas. See page 10.10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Lunch served in Hall of Ideas.11:30 a.m.-NoonLearning Lounges in Hall of Ideas. See page 10.12:30 p.m.Conference Kick-Off

KEYNOTE: “Connecting the Dots, Eco-nomically and Generationally”

Dr. David Kohl, economist

KEYNOTE: “The Real Truth About Suc-cess: What the Top 1% Do Differently and Why They Won’t Tell You”

Garrison Wynn, author and entrepreneur

2:45-3:15 p.m.Learning Lounges in Hall of Ideas. See page 10.3:30-4:30 p.m.Afternoon Specialty Session One. See page 5.4:45-5:45 p.m.Afternoon Specialty Session Two. See page 5.5 p.m.Dairy-Style Reception. Connect with

friends, other industry professionals and an assortment of delicious cheeses.

6:30 p.m.Dinner and entertainment8:30 p.m.PDPF Pie Eating Contest9 p.m.Refreshments and networking

Day 2 – Thursday, March 197 a.m.Continental breakfast in the Hall of Ideas

and Equipment Show

8:15-8:45 a.m.Learning Lounges in Hall of Ideas. See page 14.

9 a.m.KEYNOTE: “Think Globally, Connect

Locally”Tim Hunt, Dairy Strategist, Rabobank

10:15-11:15 a.m.Morning Specialty Session One. See page 6.

11:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m.Morning Specialty Session Two. See page 6.

Noon-2 p.m.Lunch served in Hall of Ideas.

12:45-1:15 p.m.Learning Lounges in Hall of Ideas. See page 14

1:45-2:15 p.m.Learning Lounges in Hall of Ideas. See page 14.

2:30 p.m.KEYNOTE: “Connect to Profit Oppor-

tunities in 2015”Mary Ledman, Keough Ledman Associates

KEYNOTE: “ ‘Never Fly Solo’ and Other Words of Wisdom from a Wingman”

Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman

4:30 p.m.Conference concludes

2015 PDPW Business Conference highlights

For more information on CEUs, see page 39.


Day 1 Keynote Speakers

12:30 p.m. General Session: Connect-ing the Dots, Economically and Gener-ationally

Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s finan-cially is an every-day must, and so is connect-ing with the right information from around the globe. Dr. David Kohl will take you on a ride far beyond your farm, exploring eco-

nomic data and resources that will make a difference in your future success.

Whether you are just starting or at the peak of your career, Dr. David Kohl will help you connect with critical success factors, and visualize just how important you are to the dairy universe.

CEU: 1 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCABack by popular demand, Dr. David

Kohl is the dairy industry’s No. 1 guru, bringing 9 million miles worth of traveling, teaching and mentoring agricultural busi-ness leaders to the stage.

1:30 p.m. General Session: The Real Truth About Success: What the Top 1% Do Differently and Why They Won’t Tell You

Be prepared to laugh and learn as this research-based keynote reveals how top performers harness the power of their advantages, even when the odds are not in their favor.

Business-relationship expert and Ama-zon.com bestselling author Garrison Wynn delivers a high-impact program that answers two monumental questions: How do you get people to do what you want them to do? And how can you see better results from the challenging people you encounter along the way?

With an emphasis on what you can actu-ally walk out of the session with and achieve tomorrow, this program shows how to weather the perfect storm while still looking really good in a raincoat!

CEU: 1 UW-SVM; 1 ARPAS; 1 PD CCAUniquely blending the talents that estab-

lished him as a young Fortune 500 leader and

a successful professional stand-up come-dian, Garrison Wynn fuses comic timing and research to deliver his motivational busi-ness expertise.

In his teens, Garrison worked with Magnavox and baseball legend Hank Aaron to promote the world’s first video-gam-ing system, and, by age 27, he became the youngest department head in a For-tune 500 company’s his-tory.

He has created and marketed products sold in 30 countries and is the author of the Amazon.com bestseller, “The REAL Truth About Success.”

Day 2 Keynote Speakers

9 a.m. General Session: Think Glob-ally, Connect Locally

Global dairy strategist Tim Hunt assesses the demand for dairy products around the world, growth in competing dairy regions and your ability to compete on the world stage. And, because U.S. dairy success is not only about production, he’ll explore the challenges facing our processing infrastruc-ture, revealing the increasingly important connections between everyone in the dairy supply chain.

When you understand how you’re con-nected to others in the chain, you’ll learn where risk lurks and opportunities abound. Tap into this global-to-local perspective that will help you position your business for future success.

CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCATim Hunt is the global dairy strategist for

Rabobank’s Food and Agribusiness Research and Advisory team. He leads a team of 12 dairy analysts located in the world’s major dairy regions.

2:30 p.m. General Session: Connect to Profit Opportunities in 2015 and Beyond

No one knows the dairy markets as well as Mary Ledman. Her 30 years of experience in the dairy industry have given her keen insight into the production, processing, pricing and

policy side of dairy.Pull up a chair as she

delivers concise informa-tion on where we have been, where we are at, where we are going and how to arrive there profit-ably.

This expert will put you in the know so you

can make decisions about where your business should be headed.

CEU: 1 UW-SVM; 1 ARPAS; 1 PD CCAMary Ledman is founder of Keough Led-

man Associates, a dairy economic-consulting firm that provides dairy-product and milk-price forecasting, economic and policy analy-sis, dairy-product and milk-sourcing strate-gies and domestic and international dairy- market information.

3:30 p.m. Closing: “Never Fly Solo” and Other Words of Wisdom from a Wing-man

Buckle up for this for-mer fighter jet pilot, Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Wald-man, whose inspira-tional message is sure to lift you off your seat. T h i s h i g h - e n e r g y, action-packed presen-

tation reveals how to transform real-world business experiences by breaking peak performance barriers. And by the way, you can’t break barriers on your own.

Waldo’s rule is “never fly solo.” You’ll leave the conference feeling the need for speed, and also to be well connected to your family, friends, peers and co- workers.

CEU: 1 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCAWaldo the Wing-

man, Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman, is a decorated fighter pilot who trained for combat in the U.S. Air Force. He is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller “Never Fly Solo.”

2015 PDPW Business Conference Keynote Speakers

David Kohl

Garrison Wynn

Tim Hunt

Mary Ledman

Rob Waldman


Day 1 Pre-Conference Specialty Sessions

9-10:15 a.m.Select one of the following Specialty

Sessions or spend time in the Hall of Ideas and Equipment Show.

Honey I Shrunk Our Profits: Pre-venting Losses from Silage Shrinkage

The amount of silage that never makes it from the silo to the feed bunk is ridiculous; 16 to 20 percent of the total tons ensiled last year went to waste. That’s more than $1.6 billion of inventory.

Stop the shrinkage with key silage-manage-ment practices that can decrease dry-matter loss by 5 to 10 percentage points, and improve feed quality and safety. Both bunker silos and drive-over piles will be discussed. Attend and find the money hidden in silage.

CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1 ARPAS; 1 PD CCA

Keith Bolsen is profes-sor emeritus in the Animal Sciences and Industry Department at Kansas State University and a lead-ing industry consultant on safe, efficient and profitable silage programs.

HANDS-ON LAB: All Hoofs on DeckIn this hands-on hoof workshop partici-

pants will learn how to treat lame cows — everything from the basics of treating foot lesions to techniques for therapeutic trim-ming and blocking.

Not just lecture, this session is “show, tell and practice” using cadaver feet and the right equipment. Save money and keep cows healthy with these essential skills. Space is limited in this session.

CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1 ARPASGerard Cramer, DVM,

is an associate professor at the University of Minne-sota. His previous veteri-nary practice focused on providing bovine foot care, consultation and research services to the dairy industry.

Road Ready: Learn the New Laws for Farm Implements

Does size matter? How about weight and width? Ignorance is no excuse when it comes to preventing accidents and minimizing wear and tear on rural roads.

Everyone who operates equipment should attend this session for a clear understanding of the new laws and reg-ulations affecting farm implements. Protect yourself, your employees, your neighbors and your community rela-tionships!

CEU: 1.5 UW-SVMLt. Michael Klin-

g e n b e r g i s t h e motor-carrier sergeant for the North Central Region of the Wisconsin State Patrol. He super-vises 10 inspectors in an 18-county area in cen-tral Wisconsin.

R o b R i c h a r d h a s served in the offices of several state govern-m e n t o f f i c i a l s a n d i s currently senior direc-t o r o f go v e r n m e n t a l relations for Wiscon-sin Farm Bureau Fed-

eration .

Bring It On: Dairying Without Quotas in the EU

Two international dairy producers speak about how the end of the long-used quota system in Europe is chang-ing the dairy industry in European Union countries. Ireland’s M ichael Murphy and Germany’s Eckhard Mein-ers explain how they are adjusting, and where they see the EU dairy industry going in the next five years.

Facilitator Dr. David Kohl will put these stories into perspective for U.S. dairy producers. Take home global con-nections and inspiration from dairy producers who do not fear change – they embrace it!


Dr. David Kohl is pro-fessor emeritus in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department at Virginia Tech and presi-dent of AgriVisions LLC.

Michael Murphy, his wife, Geraldine, and son, Jerry, operate a family dairy farm that has existed in Cool-nasoon, Ireland, since the 1830s. They currently milk 117 mostly Holstein Friesian cows with plans to expand when the EU quota lifts.

Eckhard Meiners, together with his wife and 15 employees, milk 650 cows. A new milking parlor and barns combine with a biogas plant and cropland on this thriving dairy operation near the North Sea coast of Germany.

Trending on Farms: Ultrasonogra-phy for Accurately Diagnosing Respi-ratory Disease

On-farm use of this technology provides opportunities to diagnose and treat respi-ratory problems in calves before they show clinical signs of distress. Dr. Theresa L. Ollivett will discuss the technology and explain techniques involved in ultrasound-ing the respiratory system.

She will also share results from several recent studies on the use of portable ultrasound tech-nology. Is this more proactive approach right for your farm? Bring your questions.

CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1 ARPAS

Theresa L. Ollivett, DVM, is an assistant pro-fessor within the Food Ani-mal Production Medicine section of the UW-Madi-son School of Veterinary Medicine.

2015 PDPW Business Conference Specialty Sessions

Keith Bolsen

Gerard Cramer

Michael Klingenberg

Rob Richard

David Kohl

Michael Murphy

Eckhard Meiners

Theresa Ollivett

February 2015 • PDPW • Dairy’s Bottom Line 5Day 1 Afternoon Specialty Sessions

3:30-4:30 p.m. and 4:45-5:45 p.m.Each of these one-hour sessions will be

offered twice. Select and attend two of the following Specialty Sessions or spend time in the Hall of Ideas and Equipment Show.

This is a Lame SessionIt’s very interactive, though, and you’ll take

home the latest research on preventing lame-ness in dairy cattle, especially during the critical transition period. You’ll also learn treatment strategies for both hoof-horn lesions and digital dermatitis. No question is too lame for this hoof expert, so bring yours.

CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 ARPASGerard Cramer, DVM,

is an associate professor at the University of Minne-sota. His previous veteri-nary practice focused on providing bovine foot care, consultation and research services to the dairy indus-try.

Wireless Cows and Wearable Tech-nology for the Farm

Come learn how hands-free technology is shaping farms of the future. Craig Ganssle, founder and CEO of Basecamp Networks, will introduce intelliSCOUT®, the first agriculture platform for wearable technology. In addition, Ganssle will talk about how his company’s agricultural arm, FarmHouse Networks, is able to increase cow connectivity.

CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCACraig Ganssle designs

applications for wearable technology. He is founder and CEO of Basecamp Net-works, the first company to bring wearable applications to agriculture.

Create Your Own Survivability Gauge(Offered first session only)No matter where your farm is in its life

cycle, certain proven strategies can keep you in business through the “go and whoa” cycles. The energetic Dr. David Kohl will teach how to take big data and break it into smaller, man-ageable bites that measure survival rates

through any cycle. Psst... Your lender will love that you attended this session and put these tools to work on your farm.

CEU: 1.2 UWSVM; 1 ARPAS; 1 PD CCADr. David Kohl is pro-

fessor emeritus in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department at Virginia Tech and presi-dent of AgriVisions LLC.

Reading Your Cows’ CuesIf she is avoiding social competition at the

feed bunk or spending more time standing than usual, she might be trying to tell you something.

Recent research from the UBC Animal Welfare Program uses animal behavior to identify cows at risk for disease and lame-ness. Monitor cows effectively to diagnose problems before they escalate. Use this information to create the absolute best envi-ronment for health and longevity.

C E U : 1 . 2 U W - S V M ; 1 ARPAS

Dr. Katy Proudfoot teaches at Ohio State Uni-versity’s College of Veteri-n a r y M e d i c i n e . H e r research focuses on the re l a t i o n sh i p b e t we e n behavior, management and disease during the calving period.

The Chosen Ones: Why Being Good is Not Good Enough Anymore

(Offered first session only)We’ve all heard about best practices and

expert knowledge. So why aren’t the smartest people with the most informa-tion always in charge or No. 1 in their field?

Garrison Wynn provides original research from his No. 1 bestselling book “The Cowbell Principle” to explain why certain products, services or leadership styles are consistently chosen and others are not.

Success is more than being good at what you do. It’s about being consistently chosen to do it. Attend to learn how to make ideas and products that others will choose.

CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCAGarrison Wynn is a

Fortune 500 business leader and a successful stand-up comedian. Prod-ucts that Garrison created and marketed are sold in 30 countries. He is the author of “The REAL Truth About Success.”

HANDS-ON LAB: The Anatomy of the Dairy Cow Udder

See it here first-hand. This inside look at the bovine udder will help you understand the “how” of milk production and the “why” behind every-day practices with dairy cows. Udderly meticulous dairy pro-fessionals will appreciate how Dr. Keith Poulsen and Dr. Peter Vanderloo connect the dots between anatomy, physiology and every-day management.

CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 ARPASDr. Keith Poulsen,

DVM, is the diagnostic case and outreach coordi-nator at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. He is also a clinical assistant professor in the Medical Sciences D e p a r t m e n t a t t h e UW-School of Veterinary

Medicine and a specialist in Large Animal Internal Medicine in the UW-Veterinary Care Large Animal Teaching Hospital.

Dr. Peter Vanderloo, DVM, is associate director of the Wisconsin Veteri-nary Diagnostic Labora-tory. He has 23 years expe-rience as a practicing vet-erinarian with a primary emphasis in dairy cattle.

Day 2 Morning Specialty Sessions

10:15-11:15 a.m. and 11:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m.

Each one-hour session will be offered twice. Select and attend two of the fol-lowing Specialty Sessions or spend time

Gerard Cramer

Craig Ganssle

David Kohl

Katy Proudfoot

Garrison Wynn

See SESSIONS, PAGE 6

Keith Poulsen

Peter Vanderloo


in the Hall of Ideas and Equipment Show.

Make the Most of Fresh Cow BHB Monitoring

Energy-balance management of transi-tion cows is being monitored effectively at many dairies. Learn how to interpret keto-sis testing using the latest measurement tools for beta-hydroxybutyric acid — BHB.

Session leader Jim Barmore will share insights on the nutritional factors that impact BHB test results and how to manage in a way that improves results. Most importantly, hear first-hand from fellow producers who are monitoring BHB, and how it impacts their operations.

CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 ARPASJim Barmore is a

founding partner of GPS Dairy Consulting LLC and h a s b e e n p ro v i d i n g technical service and management expertise to dairies since 1983. He offers expertise in forage management, ingredient

procurement, inventory management, herd-performance monitoring, financial evaluation, cow comfort and facilities.

Dr. Jerry Gaska, DVM, is dairy manager at Nehls Brothers Farms, a 2,000-cow dairy in Juneau, Wis. He is also a veterinarian and owner of Gaska Dairy Health Services S.C. In 2010, Gaska received the Excellence in Preventive

Medicine Award from the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.

Jeremy Natzke is a herdsman at Wayside Dairy in Greenleaf, Wis., a part-nership that also includes Jeremy’s father, Dan, and his cousin Paul. They milk 1,750 cows, raise 1,450 heif-ers and crop 2,700 acres of corn, alfalfa and wheat.

HANDS-ON LAB: Is She Pregnant?(Two-hour session)This two-hour wet lab is hands-on expe-

rience with the new IDEXX Visual Read Pregnancy Test becoming popular on dairy farms. Dr. Paul Fricke will provide thorough training and answers to three key questions: 1) How does an ELISA test work? 2) What are pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs)? And 3) How can I best use PAG testing for reproductive management?

To put your hands on the latest technol-ogy for a reproductive-management pro-gram, this is your chance.

CEU: 2.4 UW-SVM; 2 ARPASDr. Paul Fricke is a

professor of dairy science at UW-Madison . His research focuses on under-standing the biolog y underlying reproductive problems in dairy cattle.

The Fab Four: Understanding and Protecting Your Milk Check

There are four prices that determine a milk check. Mary Ledman will break down everything you need to know about a milk check and the best strategies for protecting y o u r p r i c e , i n c l u d i n g c r e a t i v e price-risk-management strategies beyond the traditional methods. Attend to learn how to protect what you produce.

CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCAM a r y L e d m a n i s

founder of Keough Ledman Associates, a dairy eco-nomic-consulting firm that provides dairy-prod-uct and milk-price fore-casting, economic and p o l i c y a n a l y s i s , d a i r y - p ro d u c t a n d milk-sourcing strategies,

and domestic and international dairy-mar-ket information.

Can You Hear Me Now? Communi-cating About Food in a Hyper World

There’s no shortage of food and nutrition information in the news, on blogs or on Twitter. Hyper communica-tion about food seems to be burning out

consumers with conflicting messages. Registered dietitian and award-winning journalist Carolyn O’Neil explains why the need for effective, accurate com-munication and education is more important than ever.

Here’s one dietitian who wants your message to be heard, and she will pro-vide guidance for telling dairy’s nutri-tion story effectively.


Carolyn O’Neil is a registered dietitian, writer, author and nutrition advi-sor to BestFoodFacts.org. She has covered food , nutrition and cuisine for CNN and is now at the Atlanta Journal-Consti-tution. She is a passionate

nutrition communicator focused on helping others make informed and inspired decisions on what to eat for optimal health.

Got Conflict? Be a Bridge BuilderLoss of time, money, production, effi-

ciency, creativity and morale are the costs of unresolved conflict. Has your team made needless mistakes, distracted and upset others, or lost interest in their work?

There are proven strategies for resolv-ing conflict. Becky Stewart-Gross will share the myths about anger and con-flict, and offer five styles of handling conflict in the way that is best for you. You’ll leave with more confidence in handling difficult, stressful situations ahead.

CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCAB e c k y S t e w -

art-Gross, president of Building Bridges Semi-nars, offers custom lead-ership and sales training. She works with leaders from family-owned busi-nesses to international corporations.

She and her husband co-authored “Sleeping

with Your Business Partner: A Communi-cation Toolkit for Couples in Business Together.”

SessionsContinued from page 5

Jim Barmore

Jerry Gaska

Jeremy Natzke

Paul Fricke

Mary Ledman

Carolyn O’Neil

Becky Stewart-Gross


Pass It On: Generational Farm Transfers that Work

Hear the stories of two farm families who have been able to keep their dairy farms in the family for multiple genera-tions. Learn what worked well, including strategies for involving and working alongside family members. With attorney Melissa O’Rourke moderating, you’ll take home suggestions and resources that will put you on the path to a successful farm transfer.

CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM

Melissa O’Rourke is a farm and agribusiness management specialist and attorney for Iowa State University-Exten-sion and Outreach. She provides business plan-ning and legal advice to the farm and agribusiness communities.

L e e a n d E m i l y Maassen have a 700-cow dairy farm in Mau-r i c e , I o wa . T h ey a re p a r t n e rs w i t h s o n s Aaron, Adam and Ste-fan. Lee is past president o f t h e Wes t e r n I o wa Dairy Alliance.

D e n n i s a n d B a r b Mashek run the 160-cow Hilltop Acres Farm n e a r C a l m a r, I o w a . T h e i r h e rd i s k n o w n worldwide for its Brown Swiss genetics. Their children will be the sev-enth generation in the family business.

They earned the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award for the state of Iowa in 2012.

Melissa O’Rourke

Lee Maassen

Dennis and Barb Mashek

High school students – ready for an amazing weekend? Want to dive-in, dis-sect and discover dairy? How about a chance to meet Greg Peterson? Greg and his brothers, known as “The Peterson Farm Bros.,” have shared their passion for agriculture through their music parodies on YouTube.

Join PDPW for a two-day overnight educational experience at the 2015 Youth Leadership Derby, to be held April 18-19 in Waupun, Wis. The derby is for high school students who want to dive into the dairy and agriculture industry, the food-science field and/or the manufac-turing field. With hands-on, on-farm lab dissection and exposure to the industry’s leading advocates and college mentors, attendees will discover the breadth of careers the dairy industry offers. They will grow leadership, communication, technical and life skills.

Top reasons to attend:• Explore more than 20 dynamic

agricultural, science and dairy industry careers.

• Dissect alongside veterinarians and dairy experts at Hilltop Dairy.

• Dig into sessions from sire selection, seed technology, social media advocacy, dairy food science and more.

Be inspired by world-class keynote speakers:

• YouTube sensation the Peterson Farm Bros.

• The energetic and engaging Eddie Slowikowski, who represented the USA at the 1987 Pan American games and 1990 USA Track and Field Team in Lon-don, and who held the fastest college indoor mile record – 3 minutes 58 sec-onds – in the nation in 1990.

Connect and have fun with students with similar interests, and take the next step toward school and career goals.

Contact PDPW at 800-947-7379 or [email protected] or visit www.pdpw.org for more information.

Peterson Farm Brothers show off their wacky sense of humor in a YouTube video.

Dig into dairy: Youth Leadership Derby®, April 18-19

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For anyone who thinks attending the PDPW Business Conference is a cushy day off the farm, think again. Three hands-on labs in the Hands-on Hub will offer opportunities to dive into the science that led to current dairy practices.

The hands-on labs are a new addition to the conference. In addition to thought-provoking speakers and networking opportunities, the business conference offers hands-on workshops in the Hands-on Hubs for farmers who learn by doing. The labs will provide a deeper understanding of the “why” behind expert advice given to dairy producers.

The three lab experiences offered are:

• “The Anatomy of the Dairy Cow Udder” Dr. Peter Vanderloo and Dr. Keith Poulsen of the Wisconsin Vet-erinary Diagnostic Laboratory will offer an inside look at the bovine udder in order to pro-vide understanding of the “whys” behind dairy-cow care. This session will connect the d o t s b e t we e n a n a to m y,

physiology and every-day management.

• “All Hoofs on Deck” Gerard Cramer will focus on how to treat lame cows – every-thing from the basics of treat-ing foot lesions to techniques for therapeutic trimming and blocking. Participants will use real equipment to practice skills taught in the session.

• “Is She Pregnant?” This two-hour lab will feature the latest technology for reproduc-tive management — technology that is becoming more popular on dairy farms. Dr. Paul Fricke of the University of Wiscon-sin-Madison will help partici-pants experience the new IDEXX Visual Read Pregnancy Test and learn how such testing can improve reproductive man-agement.

More opportunities for hands-on interaction will take place in the Hall of Ideas and Equipment Show, where exhib-its offer products and ideas from preferred suppliers.

Visit www.pdpw.org or call 8 0 0 - 9 47-7 379 fo r m o re information.

Hands-on Hub offers learning through hands-on experience

For those producers who prefer to see it, feel it and try it before believing it, PDPW’s business conference features hands-on labs.

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SEE PAGE 14 FOR DAY 2 LEARNING LOUNGES

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The saying, “what goes up must come down,” holds true not only for gravity but also for the market. In this case I’m talking about milk prices.

After a record year in 2014, those impressive milk prices have fallen off considerably and are predicted to remain low throughout 2015.

The first question I typically hear from the dairy farmers I work with is this; “If I can’t guar-antee enough income, where can I cut costs efficiently?”

My response remains consis-tent; “If you are efficient man-aging your dairy business, there should not be many costs you

can cut.”I like to think dairy farmers

look at costs and aim to be just as efficient when milk is $24 per hundredweight or $15 hundred-weight. No one wants any more costs than necessary.

Beware decisions based on low milk prices

See MILK, PAGE 12

Dairy farmers looking for ways to cut costs need to keep the health of their herd and their long-term profitability in mind as they make their calculations.

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University of Wisconsin students learn about dairy herd management along with rising and falling milk prices, partly by studying the university’s Allenstein herd. Signs point toward a decline in net farm income in 2015, according to the university’s agricultural and applied economics Professor Bruce Jones. One major factor will be milk price, which is expected to drop by at least $7 per hundredweight.

While we have seen some input costs such as fuel and some feed go down recently, it’s certainly not at the same rate as the income decrease based on milk prices. That being said, when we look at costs it is important to concentrate on those that have the most impact on the bottom line. Following are some things to keep in mind.

Feed costs: Feed is a large expense to a dairy. No matter the milk price, aim to feed cows a ration that is at optimum effi-ciency for cost and production. While it is true you can cut costs drastically by cutting the feed bill, what will it do to milk pro-duction?

The dairy herd needs to be at maximum production all the

time because milk prices will increase again; when they do you need to be in a position to take advantage of higher prices with maximum production. Long story short – cutting feed

costs might actually make cash flow even worse.

Labor costs: It is easy to decrease labor costs by letting people go or cutting back hours, but like feed costs, consider the effects. A short-term solution might have long-lasting conse-quences, especially if the remaining workers are over-wo r k e d a n d p o te n t i a l l y unhappy.

Veterinary and breeding: Breeding expenses can easily be reduced by using cheaper bulls, but is the short-term, reduced cost worth risking the future quality of the herd? You can also limit veterinary calls, but what effect will that have on the overall health of the herd?

Fertilizer, Seed, Chemi-cals: Total costs can be greatly decreased by reducing the amount of chemicals and fertil-izer applied on the crops, as well as buying lower-cost and possi-bly lower-quality seed. How-ever, consider the impact if lower costs lead to lower yields.

You might have noticed a theme here. While all the exam-ples I’ve given are areas in which you could potentially cut costs

in the short term, they could have significant impact for your dairy in the long-term. Is it worth risking the long-term profitability and health of the dairy herd? Instead, it is i m p o r t a n t t o c o n s i d e r cost-conscious financial strate-gies when milk prices decrease and cash flow is tight.

Loan payments: Look at all your loans and determine how long each loan is amortized. If you have a heavy loan payment, ask your lender to reduce the principle and interest payment to a more reasonable level. A $10,000 reduction in monthly payments is the same as receiv-ing more for your milk. Perhaps some loans can be consolidated to reduce payments.

Repairs: In a low milk-price year, only make necessary repairs to machinery and build-ings and nothing more. In a bet-ter-cash-flow year, more exten-sive repairs can be, and should be, made.

Limit capital purchases: While it is important to replace some capital items each year, during low milk prices prioritize the items that need to be replaced versus items you would like to replace. Is it a want or a need?

Overall, the main point I want to convey is to not make drastic decisions on your dairy farm when milk prices go down. While there are no easy answers when milk prices drop as much as they have, maintain the same practices that have made your dairy successful in the past.

Continue to keep as your main priorities the long-term profitability, production and health of your dairy herd. And make sure you are at optimum efficiency to take advantage of higher milk prices when they bounce back, which we all hope will be sooner rather than later.

MilkContinued from page 11

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RED STAGE BLUE STAGE GREEN STAGE

TO ANSWER PRODUCER QUESTIONS, PDPW’S LEARNING LOUNGES OFFER A MYRIAD OF RESOURCES ON THREE STAGES.

SEE PAGE 10 FOR DAY 1 LEARNING LOUNGES

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PDPW takes pride in being a producer-led national organi-zation that raises the bar for education, takes the lead on connecting the dots on key issues, helps prepare the next generation, and builds a grass-roots network to help dairy pro-ducers succeed.

The individuals who sit on the PDPW Board of Directors are key to the organization’s success because they help iden-tify industry needs and take leadership to the next level.

PDPW’s nominating com-mittee has identified five indi-viduals as candidates for the three positions open on the PDPW Board of Directors.

• Sherry Arnold, Barron, Wis.;

• Jay Heeg, Colby, Wis.;• Gary Janssen, Wauconda,

Ill.;• Dan Scheider, Freeport, Ill.;

and• Linda White, Reedsburg,

Wis.White is an incumbent who

has served one three-year term and qualifies for a second term.

PDPW bylaws allow one vote per dairy-farm membership. Because the Board of Directors has three available positions, each PDPW dairy-farm member can vote up to three times.

Ballots can be cast in one of two manners: 1) at PDPW’s

Three PDPW board positions: five candidates

See BOARD, PAGE 16

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Business Conference, March 18-19, in Madi-son or 2) mail a marked ballot to PDPW. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Mon-day, March 2.

All votes will be kept confidential and will be counted by the PDPW ballot clerks at the 2015 Business Conference. Ballots will be available at the Business Conference. All votes must be cast by 1 p.m. March 19.

Candidates vying to be on PDPW’s Board of Directors:

Linda White , her hus-band, Jerry, and their sons Nathan and Ryan own and operate Kinna-mon Ridge Dairy. Located near Reedsburg, Wis., the dairy started with 50 cows. They now have 700 cows and crop approxi-mately 1,000 acres.

White chaired her township’s strategic

planning committee, was a member of the Sauk County strategic planning committee and led successful efforts to write a county manure ordinance that is workable for farm-ers. White is currently chair of the Sauk County Board of Adjustments.

In addition to working on the family dairy, White returned to school and, in 2001, earned her bachelor’s degree in organizational management.

Dan Scheider is a fifth-generation dairy farmer who lives in Free-port, Ill. Along with his parents, Doug and Trish Scheider, he owns and operates Scheidairy, which has 650 milk cows and crops 1,100 acres of corn and alfalfa. The

sixth generation is being raised on the farm; the Scheiders have two small children.

Before returning to farming, Scheider spent three years in agricultural and busi-ness banking in north-central Wisconsin.

Scheider serves on the Stephenson County

Board of Health, the County Farm Bureau Board and the Missions Endowment Fund Committee at his church. Additional experi-ence includes having served on the commu-nity college strategic planning task force.

Gary Janssen is senior genetics consultant for Golden Oaks Farm in Wau-conda, Ill.; he has 700 milk cows and raises 700 young stock. Before taking on his current position, Janssen, who has been with Golden Oaks Farm for 25 years, served as general manager of the dairy. Janssen cut his

industry teeth working for the Holstein Asso-ciation as well as managing several registered dairies in New York before moving to Illinois.

Janssen is wrapping up six years on the Illinois Holstein Association board, serving four years on the Executive Board. He is a first-term director of the Red & White Dairy Cattle Association. He and his wife of 43 years have two sons involved in the dairy business, a daughter and five grandsons.

Linda White

Dan Scheider

Gary Janssen

BoardContinued from page 15

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Jay Heeg owns and operates Heeg Brothers Dairy LLC, along

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dairy, which has 990 Holstein cows. The dairy raises all its heif-ers and employs 20 full-time workers. Heeg Brothers also crops 2,500 acres of corn and alfalfa.

A graduate of UW-River Falls with a bachelor’s degree in broad area agriculture and a minor in animal science, Heeg worked for Babson Brothers Company, the parent company of Surge milk-ing equipment, before returning to the farm in 1999. Active members of their church, Heeg

and his wife, Cheryl, have two young children.

Sherry Arnold is co-owner of Busse’s Barron Acres, a cus-

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milk production: hypocalcemia (low-blood calcium) and ketosis (high-blood ketones). He will also address herd-level inci-dence of hypocalcemia, eco-nomic returns from oral calcium supplementation, new ketone monitoring options and how to measure returns from early detection and treatment of keto-sis as well as provide take-home strategies for preventing hypo-calcemia and ketosis.

Transition Cow Conference participants will also rotate through three, one-hour after-noon sessions:

• Transition with Ease, Dr. Phil Cardoso, University of Illi-

nois. Cardoso will share how t r a n s i t i o n cows should be fed, plus how results s h o u l d b e measured and m a n a g e d . He’ll chal-l e n ge h ow

participants think about body condition scores and dry matter intake monitoring. In addition to discussing nutritional strategies, Cardoso will analyze tools such as direct-fed microbials and rumen-protected methionine.

• T i m e d Tr i m m i n g for Transi-tion, Karl Burgi, pro-f e s s i o n a l trimmer. This dynamic ses-s i o n w i l l change how participants

look at hoof care, a dairy’s fresh pen and individual cow care.

Burgi will cover lameness cul-prits and why timed, functional hoof trimming works, plus explain the best trimming and hoof management solutions for the high-maintenance cows. This hoof care guru will do more than talk, as he’ll demonstrate using actual hoof specimens.

• Managing for Optimal I m m u n i ty, D r. A m e l i a Woolums, University of Georgia.

Woolums’ ses-sion will arm participants with ways to prevent illness and boost a dairy’s bottom line. This expert will delve into wh a t h a p -pens—when

and how—to the cow’s overall immune response system during the transition period and provide fresh insight on preventing respira-tory outbreaks and other costly health issues in milking herds. She’ll also discuss the timing of vaccina-tions during transition and the entire production cycle, with emphasis on vaccination to prevent respiratory disease in adult cows.

While keeping the entire tran-sition management package together consistently on a daily basis can be challenging, the information provided by these four authorities will help Tran-sition Cow Conference attend-ees achieve an optimum blend of their desired outcomes as well as greater potential for profitability on the dairy.

PDPW’s Transition Cow Conference is an accredited training program with the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and veterinarians may receive up to 5.4 CEUs for the training. The training has also been

Phil Cardoso

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See COW, PAGE 22


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as well as greater potential for profitability on the dairy.

PDPW’s Transition Cow Con-ference is an accredited training program with the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and veterinarians may receive up to 5.4 CEUs for the training. The training has also been pre-approved by American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists for up to 4.0 CEUs for the training.

Registration for the one-day Transition Cow Conference workshops is open to dairy owners, herdspersons, dairy veterinarians and professional dairy nutritionists seeking the latest research, insight and techniques for furthering tran-sition-cow management abili-ties. Individuals can obtain additional information about the workshops—as well as reg-ister—online at www.pdpw.org or call PDPW at 800-947-7379.

CowContinued from page 20

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Consistency is the No. 1 fac-tor contributing to the success of Horsens Homestead Farm, Connie Horsens said.

Located in Cecil, the farm boasts a 500-head Rolling Herd Average of 35,200 pounds of milk. Their 21-day pregnancy rate is 26 percent. Connie and her husband, Jeff, raise their cows from start to finish using a measured, tried-and-true approach.

Raising all livestock on site, the Horsens house their calves in individual calf hutches until they reach 2 months of age. By 2 to 4 months of age, calves are housed in super hutches. Heifers 4 to 13 months are housed in a naturally ventilated, six-row freestall barn.

The Horsens’ system has

been configured down to every detail.

“There is a positive-pressure ventilation tube to keep the air fresher for the younger heifers,

and the manure is cleaned by self-cleaning ally scrapers,” Connie Horsens said.

The Horsens milk their herd three times per day, and their

cows enjoy much more than the basic amenities.

“Cow comfort is vital to our success,” she said. “Our frees-tall barns are sand-bedded, four-row head-to-head stalls. They include fans, sprinklers and grooved floors. An overshot ridge along with solar panels allows for additional sunlight, making it a comfortable work-ing environment for both the cows and people.”

Along the overshot ridge in the barn is an adjustable curtain that controls fresh air and nat-ural ventilation. Argillite panels and transparent curtains allow for additional natural lighting. The cows’ social groupings and potential anxieties are also taken into account.

On the cover: Dairy family values consistency

From left to right, Curtis, Connie and Jeff Horsens are diligent in maintaining a consistent high-quality of care for their cows. They have their employees to thank for upholding their standards. “Our employees are vital to our farms success,” Connie said. “To say we appreciate all they do here would be an understatement.”


See FAMILY, PAGE 26

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“We have groups of milking cows, post-fresh cows, pre-fresh cows and dry cows along with maternity pens where ani-mals calving can do so with minimum interruption,” Connie Horsens said.

The systematic and consis-tent approach to the care of their animals extends into the feeding program. The Horsens’ comfortable cows are fed a sin-gle group total-mixed ration consisting of corn silage, hay-l a ge , wh o l e c o t to n s e e d , high-moisture corn, canola meal, protein mix and vitamins. They explained they use a feed-ing program called EZFeed to ensure all feed is accurately measured.

All corn silage, haylage, high-moisture corn, wheat straw and dry hay is raised on the farm.

“We follow a nutrient-man-agement plan, which is a plan-ning resource that defines the nutrient needs of crops and the amount, placement and timing of fertilizer applications to maximize nutrient uptake of the crops and improve the yields,” Connie Horsens said. “Imple-mentation of the nutrient-man-agement plan should protect the environment and maintain crop productivity.”

The Horsens maintain consis-tency in the fields by using GPS technology when they apply organic nutrients or manure, during field tillage and when planting. The technology allows the rate of organic nutrients to be adjusted according to the crop yields and soil types while applying nutrients to the fields.

During tillage and planting, the GPS technology reduces fuel

consumption, reduces soil com-paction and ensures accurate seed placement by allowing for fewer passes in a field.

The Horsens’ efficient use of land, feed and technology, all while prioritizing cow comfort, has evolved through their com-mitment to the dairy business.

“We are excited about dairy farming because it is an oppor-tunity to own our own business and be our own boss,” Connie Horsens said. “What we make of this career is up to us, through wise decisions. That gives us a lot of motivation.”

The couple bought the farm from Jeff’s parents, Marshall and Edith Horsens, in 1993. The original acreage was home-steaded in 1879 by Jeff ’s great-grandparents. The con-nection to family is important to Connie, who is grateful to work with family on a daily basis.

T h e Ho rse n s ’ c h i l d re n returning to the farm will be the fifth generation on the land. Eldest son Curtis graduated from UW-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in dairy sci-ence. After several years of off-fa r m ex p e r i e n ce , h e h a s returned to Horsens Homestead Farm. His brother, Ryan, will also return after his graduation from UW-Madison, where he is earning a bachelor’s degree in animal science.

The youngest, Abbey, attends Edgewood College in Madison, majoring in child life. She has plans to work in a children’s hospital with families who have long-term medical needs.

The Horsens are looking for-ward to another eye-opening PDPW Business Conference. The family said they appreciate their ties to PDPW and the opportunities the organization provides to attend educational seminars and network with other farmers.

FamilyContinued from page 25

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Good news travels fast.Recently, Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition acquired Vi-COR,® a world-class manufacturer of fermented yeast-based feed ingredients and Refined Functional Carbohydrates™ (RFC™). That means Celmanax®

and every other Vi-COR product is now part of the Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition family, further strengthening our position as the brand that stands for “Animals First. Productivity Always.”

© 2015 Church & Dwight Co., Inc. ARM & HAMMER,™ the ARM & HAMMER logo, BIO‑CHLOR,™ DCAD Plus,™ FERMENTEN,™ The Lysine Leader™ and MEGAMINE‑L™

are trademarks of Church & Dwight Co., Inc. MEGALAC® is a registered trademark of Volac International Limited and is licensed to Church & Dwight Co., Inc.Celmanax® and Vi‑COR® are registered trademarks and RFC™ and Refined Functional Carbohydrates™ are trademarks of Varied Industries Corporation. AHD0215573Ha

See more at transition.ahdairy.com

YouTube.com/AHDairy

To learn more contact your nutritionist, veterinarianor Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition representative.

BUFFERS


“The PDPW Business Conference is a place for every producer no matter how many cows – 40 or 4,000. The

education it provides is second to none. You can tailor your day

around the content you feel is most important. If you can’t make it both

days, plan to come for one day.” — Ryan Keller, Junction View Dairy, Richland Center, Wis.

“I really enjoyed the PDPW Business Conference, especially the breakout sessions on specialty topics. And there is always great value in sharing experiences with other dairy producers, especially from other states.

We have many similar challenges – just different local processes. We can learn from each other.”

— LouAnne King, Mapleview Dairy, Madrid, N.Y.

“You’re missing out if you’ve never gone. There’s always something on the farm you’re dealing with, or you feel you don’t know enough about.

Or there’s some sort of new research presented. It’s good to go there and

find answers.”

— Deric Lindstrom, Breezy Point Farms, Durand, Wis

Attendees give the 2015 PDPW Business Conference "5 Stars"

Insurance CompanyRural Mutual

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CORNERSTONE DAIRY ACADEMY™ will be held March 17-18 at the 2015 Busi-ness Conference. The academy focuses on the training and development needs of those needing to communicate, col-laborate and lead more effec-tively. The academy will be valuable to anyone pursuing dairy-related careers or want-ing to retool because they are at a crossroads in their dairy careers.

TWO DAYS. TWO PRO-G R A M S . U N L I M I T E D GROWTH POTENTIAL

The academy offers two dif-ferent courses, each focusing on a different suite of communica-tion and leadership skills.

DAY 1OPTION 1: INFLUENTIAL

LEADERSHIP“Leadership, Interaction and

Influence”Success in today’s work-

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See ACADEMY, PAGE 30

AgStar Edge is an offering of AgStar Financial Services, ACA. AgStar Financial Services is anequal opportunity employer, lender and provider. © 2014 All rights reserved.

AgStarTechnoledge™

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Learn how todeterminewhattechnology holds themostpotential for your operation.

Youwant to integratemore technology into your

operations, but with all of the information out

there, you need a partner in the decision-making

process. That is why AgStar is offering

Technoledge, a new conferencewith topics

ranging from iPad applications to roboticmilkers.

employees with “soft skills” – the entire suite of skills related to personality, social skills, communication abili-ties and aptitudes. Sessions cover leadership; teamwork skills; communicating with different generations, person-alities and leadership styles; conflict resolution; business etiquette; and professional-ism.

This session of the academy is an accredited training program with the University of Wiscon-sin-School of Veterinary Medi-cine; veterinarians may receive up to 8.7 Continuing Education Credits for the training.

OPTION 2: VISIONARY LEADERS

“Business Ethics, Leadership and Outlook”

Good leadership is ethical leadership. Discover who you are as a leader and identify wh i c h o f yo u r c h a ra c te r strengths can positively influ-ence others to succeed in business. Then take those strengths and weave them with the mega forces and trends of agriculture as pre-sented by Dr. David Kohl. You’ll discover how to be an impact player who leads oth-ers th rough a turbulent, changing global economy.

This session of the academy is an accredited training program with the University of Wiscon-sin-School of Veterinary Medi-cine; veterinarians may receive up to 9.0 CEUs for the training. Both programs culminate in putting concepts into practice while networking at the PDPW Business Conference.

Contact PDPW at 800-947-7379 or [email protected] for more information.

AcademyContinued from page 29

“The Business Conference is a must-attend event each year. It’s a chance

to get away, to be with people you only see once a year, and it’s a chance

to learn from some of the greatest experts in the dairy industry.”

— Josh Meissner, Norm-E-Lane Farm Inc., Chili, Wis.


Learn leadership skills at the Cornerstone Dairy Academy.


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Luck o’ the Irish coming to WisconsinALEXANDRA STEUSSY-WILLIAMSAgri-View Assistant Editor

Irish dairy farmers struck a pot of gold this year. With April 1 marking the end of the European Union milk-quota system, 2015 brings opportunities for expan-sion for the country’s dairy pro-ducers. Irish dairyman Michael Murphy will share his perspec-tive on this turn of events during two presentations at the PDPW Business Conference.

“In 1984, I had 50 cows and could only expand by leasing land with an associated milk quota,” Murphy said. “This made expansion very expensive and awkward.”

The milk quota was instated

in 1983 in order to stabilize farmer milk prices. While the prices stabilized, there was then a dramatic reduction in the number of milk suppliers in Ire-land, according to the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society.

But now, with global demand on an upward trajectory, the EU

See IRISH, PAGE 34

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has decided the market will reg-ulate production going forward. Removal of strict supervision of milk quantity is big news for farmers across the little country.

“Now, expansion is more straight-forward and is the rea-son my son can join our busi-ness,” Murphy said. “There is a new enthusiasm in Ireland within the dairy industry, which stagnated under the quota regime.”

Murphy plans to expand his now-115-cow herd as quickly as his farm’s infrastructure will allow. He and his family have been anticipat-ing this change in regulation.

“In 2014, we completed a new milking parlor on our leased block of land, 3 miles from the home farm, and we intend to milk 190 cows in 2015 between both locations,” he said. “My son and I work full time on the farm, with my wife, Geraldine, and some labor part-time.”

Murphy comes from a long line of Irish farmers.

“Our land has been farmed by either a Michael or Jerry Mur-phy since the 1830s,” he said. “My dad’s name was Jerry and, as you can guess, my son’s name is Jerry; he has recently joined our farm.”

Murphy said his 28-year-old son first worked as an accoun-tant and has seen the world.

IrishContinued from page 33

See IRISH, PAGE 36

The Irish countryside is even more magical than imagined. Michael Murphy and his family have owned this land since the 1830s.


Now Jerry has returned to what Murphy calls the “home block,” which includes 85 usable acres, an 18-unit milking parlor and wintering facilities for 200 cows.

“(The acreage) is good grass-land but not suitable for tillage because it contains a lot of rocky outcrops and some wet peat soil,” Murphy said.

To supplement, the family has since 1995 leased 107 acres of land nearby. The Murphys use the land for rearing replace-ment heifers and growing silage for the home dairy herd.

The stereotypical image of green, rolling hills in Ireland is not just an American daydream. Grass is the foundation of Mur-phy’s herd.

“The entire farm is used for growing grass,” he said. “We block-calve the cows in the spring to match the growing season. Cows are out day and night grazing grass after calving until they are dried in Novem-ber or December. We measure and budget grass.”

His goal is to graze cows on grass in the fields day and night for 285 days of the year and to buy less than half a ton in feed concentrate per cow. Murphy will be fine-tuning his current feeding system as his herd grows this year.

“The focus in Ireland is

generally to optimize output of milk production per cow rather than maximize it,” he said. “Hopefully, this leaves more profit for the farmer. Our cows average between 1,100 and 1,400 gallons per year. The phi-losophy is to turn grass directly into milk.”

While government regula-tions no longer control herd expansion, the lack of grass does. Land ownership in Ireland is traditional. According to Murphy, it takes the average acre 500 years to come on the market. Generally, land is passed within the family even if the recipient is not an enthusi-astic farmer.

IrishContinued from page 34

Healthy grass for night-and-day grazing practices is the keystone of the Murphys’ success.

“The philosophy is to turn grass directly

into milk.” -Michael Murphy


“The amount of cows required to make a good income seems to be increasing all the time and competition for land will be one of the biggest challenges going forward,” Murphy said.

A 100-acre farm is typical. It can be difficult to put together a b i g ge r b l o c k , either by renting or buying. There i s i n t e n s e demand for land that comes on the market.

Murphy fre-quents the local pub to stay up to date on land in the area and meet neighbors. He is looking forward to swapping stories with American dairy producers at the PDPW Business Conference. He has had the opportunity to visit farms in the

United States and New Zealand.“Meeting very good farmers

has had a huge influence on my farming,” he said. “From attend-ing conferences like the PDPW Business Conference, I have heard interesting stories from

a r o u n d t h e world.”

He has his own stories — both good and bad. But his struggles over the years against stringent regula-tions and access to land are worth it to Murphy.

“I enjoy my cows,” he said. “I like being my own boss. At the

end of the day, I’m wild and I’m free, even though the impera-tives of normal living mean I have to work hard to make a life-style that suits us.”

“I enjoy my cows. I like being my own boss. At the end of

the day, I’m wild and I’m free, even though

the imperatives of normal living mean I have to work hard to make a lifestyle that

suits us.” -Michael Murphy

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Agri-View Editorial Box

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EditorialManaging EditorJulie Belschner608-219-8316

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Certain pre-conference and specialty ses-sions have been approved by the University of Wisconsin-School of Veterinary Medi-cine for Continuing Education Units — CEUs. The school is an accredited continuing-veter-inary medical-education provider. Partici-pants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on cer-tain methods of delivery.

Some sessions of the 2015 PDPW Business Conference have been pre-approved by the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists for Continuing-Education Units.

The registry is the organization that provides certification of animal scientists through exam-ination, continuing education and commitment to a code of ethics. Participants should know that limitations and restrictions apply to the number of CEU credits that can be obtained.

Select sessions at the PDPW Business Confer-ence have been pre-approved by Certified Crop Adviser for Continuing-Education Cred-its. The Certified Crop Adviser Program is one of the professional certification programs offered by the American Society of Agronomy.

See www.certifiedcropadviser.org for more information.

CEU credits available at PDPW Business Conference

“One of the big benefits of PDPW is the networking.

While I enjoy learning from presenters, I also

learn so much from fellow dairy producers who

openly share information about what has worked and what hasn’t worked

on their farms.” — Pete Brickner,

Brickner-Meikle Family Farms, Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

Angela, Pete and Matthias Brickner

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