world dairy expo special edition

September 26, 2009

Dairy St rWorld Dairy Expo Special Edition

September 29-October 3, 2009Alliant Energy Center

Madison, Wisconsin, USA

What’s Inside...Schuttes featured in Expo’s virtual farm tours ...................................................Pages 1 - 2Sprengeler takes center ring .........................Pages 5 - 6Mohrs pass on Expo excitement ................Pages 9 - 10World Dairy Expo virtual farm tours span the globe .................................................. Pages 12, 15Life-long elementary school teacher shares his Expo experience ................................Pages 16 -17Albrecht remembers 42 years of memories at World Dairy Expo ...........................................8World Dairy Expo to host five breed sales ........Page 20Expo grounds map ............................................Page 21Learn from industry experts at 2009 education seminars ..........................................................Page 22

By Heidi deGierStaff Writer

MONONA, Iowa – Lance and Jonna Schutte have a unique op-portunity to showcase their dairy operation this year. The couple from Monona, Iowa, had their farm selected as one of eight farm operations to be featured as part of the virtual farm tours during World Dairy Expo. The Schuttes’ plan to focus on how they produce high quality forag-es and the use of liquid feed supplements to enhance production during a presentation on Friday, Oct. 2. The presentation will begin at 2 p.m. in the Mendota 1 meeting room in the Exhibition Hall. Time for questions and discussion will follow. “It’s an honor,” Lance said of being able to talk about their farm operation at World Dairy Expo. “It’s a neat opportunity,” Jonna said. Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc. (QLF) is sponsoring the Schuttes’ presen-tation and it was Dave Lundquist of QLF who nominated the Schuttes as participants for the virtual farm tours. The Schuttes then filled out an application and were accepted to participate. “One of the reasons we were chosen was because of our high qual-ity forages and our use of liquid feed,” Jonna said. “It’s a custom mix that has sugars, vitamins and minerals and all the feed additives which increases palatability. The mixing of the vitamins and minerals is a ho-mogenous mixture; it’s intermixed very well.” Lance said he has seen improvement in reproduction with the cur-rent feeding practices. The addition of the liquid feed to the herd’s ration also helps to achieve optimal rumen fermentation. Jonna said the cows eat the feed really well and production has done well. “We’ve always been right around 30,000 pounds,” Lance said. “Right now we’re at 32,000 on both Holsteins and Brown Swiss. The [Brown Swiss] are only 300 pounds behind the Holsteins.” The Schuttes just recently switched back to two-times-a-day milk-

Schuttes featured in Expo’s virtual farm tours

Turn to Schuttes / Page 2

PhoTo by heidi degierLance and Jonna Schutte, with their son, Blake, had their Monona, Iowa, farm selected as one of eight farm operations to be featured as part of the virtual farm tours during World Dairy Expo, Sept. 29 - Oct. 3. The Schuttes milk 130 cows and grow alfalfa, corn and oats on 300 acres of cropland.

• World Dairy Expo • Dairy Star Special Edition • Saturday, September 26, 2009

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ing after milking three times a day from November 2008 to August 2009. Their herd of 130 cows is made up of 115 Holsteins and 15 Brown Swiss. “We saw a 13 to 15 percent im-provement in production with three-times-a-day milking,” Lance said. The Schuttes grow alfalfa, corn and oats on 300 acres of cropland. They raise pure alfalfa and grow a va-riety of corn for corn silage including brown midrib. They make four cuttings of hay and chop approximately 75 per-cent of their alfalfa and put the rest in big square bales, round bales and small squares. They also plant oats as a cover crop for alfalfa. The oats is chopped for the heifers and made into round bales for the dry cows. Lance said they strive to get good yields and high quality. The alfalfa is cut at pre-bloom. Relative feed values range from 150 to 190 and protein lev-els are from 22 to 25 percent. “The brown midrib corn silage is more digestible,” Lance said. “We can feed less dry corn with that.” Lance and Jonna said the other keys to achieving high production are cow comfort and management. The Schuttes have mattresses and some waterbeds in their tiestall barn which has tunnel ventilation. The frees-talls are bedded with sand and have sand traps which Lance said saves a lot of sand. The pre-fresh group, 21 days

and under, are on a bedding pack. The dry cows are in a separate freestall barn with dirt lots. The milking cows are inside during the day and on pasture at night. A total mixed ration is fed inside during the day and in a bunk outside at night. The Schuttes were married three years ago and have a one-year-old son, Blake. Lance has been involved in the operation since graduating from North-east Iowa Community College’s dairy science program in 1998. Jonna has a degree from Iowa State University in dairy science and ag education com-

munications. Lance started out with 10 registered Holsteins. Today there are 20 registered Holstein cows and 15 regis-tered Brown Swiss cows. As of April 1, the Schuttes had 35 registered baby calves and have started to register the rest of the herd. “We use bulls that are in the top 50 for TPI (Total Performance Index) and try to use bulls that sire the best ud-ders,” Lance said. The Schuttes have purchased some cattle over the years to improve the herd. On April 1 of this year they bought all the cows and bred heifers from Lance’s father’s (Roger Schutte) herd. The labor force on the farm in-cludes Lance and Jonna and Lance’s fa-ther, who works as an employee. Lance and Jonna both milk and Jonna does the calf chores. Lance is a director for the District I Holstein Association. Jonna is secre-tary-treasurer for the Iowa Brown Swiss

Continued from Schuttes / Page 1

Association and is also involved with Midwest Dairy Association’s Speak-Out! Program. “Long-term goals include just try-ing to be profitable,” Lance said. A calf barn was built in 2005 and the Schuttes would like to build a heifer barn. Other plans include either putting in a parlor and freestall barn or upgrad-ing the tiestall barn. The Schuttes will also be participat-ing in the International Ayrshire Show at World Dairy Expo. They will be ex-hibiting a winter yearling that was ju-nior champion at this year’s Iowa State Fair and was an All-American last year as a winter calf.

PhoTo by heidi degierThe Schuttes, Lance, Jonna and Blake milk a herd of 115 Holsteins and 15 Brown Swiss. The Schuttes focus on high quality forages and use liquid feed which is one of the reasons they were chosen for the virtual farm tour. Dave Lun-dquist of Quality Liquid Feeds Inc. nominated the Schuttes for the virtual farm tours.

“One of the reasons we were chosen was be-cause of our high quality forages and our use of liquid feed.” - Jonna Schutte, farm will be featured on the virtual farm tour

2 p.m., Fri., Oct. 2 at the Mendota 1 meeting room in

the Exhibition Hall.

Schuttes’ farm tour

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By Krista M. SheehanStaff Writer

PLATO, Minn. – Thirty-one years after David Sprengeler walked the colored shavings with his first place University of Minnesota dairy judg-ing team, he’ll be judging in the ring again. This year the dairy producer from Plato, Minn., who operates Arthurst Farm with his family, is an official judge for the Central National Brown Swiss show at World Dairy Expo, which starts with heifers at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30, and continues with the cows at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1. “This is something you think about when you showed as a kid. You would see other judges years ago and think, ‘How did they get there?’ and then later you get the opportunity,” Sprengeler said. “It will be a big responsibility, but as one guy told me, ‘Just take a deep breath and then go.’” But Sprengeler is feeling more than just nerves. “I’m really excited,” he said. “It’s quite an honor that your peers select you to do it.” Although this is Sprengeler’s first time as an official judge at World Dairy Expo, he has a long history of dairy judging experience. At a young age, Sprengeler started learning how to pick out good cows from his dad, Melvin, when they attended twilight meetings and Brown Swiss Canton shows. “There were always judging con-tests at those gatherings,” Sprengeler said. “That was where I learned a lot of the basic stuff and my dad taught me a little bit of reasons, too.” Throughout his 4-H years, Spren-geler rarely competed with a McLeod County team since there weren’t enough other kids interested. He would judge with one or two other 4-Hers and get advice from his dad, who acted as coach. But his involvement in dairy judg-ing accelerated in college when Spren-geler transferred to the University of Minnesota his sophomore year in 1976

and joined the dairy judging team. His coach, Mike Hutjens, quickly became a mentor. “That’s where I learned a lot be-cause you’d sit and argue,” Sprengeler said about his time on the University of Minnesota judging team with Hutjens as coach. “You could disagree about placings [with Coach Hutjens], but he made you look at both sides. It was a lot of discussions and it was a lot of fun. Mike was a real big influence.” The discussions paid off when Sprengeler and his teammates – Mike Annexstad, Russ Grabau and Karl Kent – took first place honors at the national dairy judging contest at World Dairy Expo in 1978. Since then, Sprengeler has judged in numerous show rings from local fairs with 4-H members to international events with some of the best breeders in the world, he said. He estimates that he has judged between five and 10 shows every summer, including states fairs in Minnesota, California, Maryland, Wis-consin, South Dakota and North Dakota. Internationally, Sprengeler has judged in Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Hondurus, the Dominican Republic and France. “They’re all so different,” Spren-geler said when asked about his favor-ite show. “I like 4-H shows and work-ing with the kids, especially if they’re really interested in the project. I like big shows with good cattle, too. It’s fun to get the chance to place some really spe-cial cattle.” No matter what type of show Spren-geler is judging, he always looks for the same type of cows: ones with deep open ribs, straight lines, good feet and legs, good udders and an animal that is very balanced. “They don’t have to be the biggest animals for me as long as they are very correct,” he said. Sprengeler said he expects to see many of the animals in the Brown Swiss show to stand on a deep heel since that is a breed characteristic. Brown Swiss are also developing higher and wider

Sprengeler takes center ring

PhoTo by KriSTa M. SheehanDavid Sprengeler from Plato, Minn., will be judging the Central National Brown Swiss show at World Dairy Expo. Sprengeler and his family operate Arthurst Farm – a dairy with a herd of 100 registered Brown Swiss cows.

Plato dairy producer will judge Central Brown Swiss Show at World Dairy Expo

Turn to Sprengeler / Page 6


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rear udders than they were 10 years ago, Sprengeler said. “The breed has come a long way with quality of mammaries and clean-ing up with a deep open rib,” he said. On his own family farm, Sprengel-er has been able to breed his 100-cow herd of registered Brown Swiss for bet-ter traits. “Years ago, one thing I said I re-ally wanted to concentrate on was rear udders because they needed to be im-proved,” he said. He follows in his grandfather and father’s footsteps in wanting to breed high quality animals fit for the barn and the showring. Sprengeler’s breed-ing philosophy also works on making stronger and higher front ends, and making the cows sharper and more dairy. Components are also a large part

Continued from Sprengeler / Page 5

of his herd’s breeding program. The Sprengeler family’s cattle breeding philosophy has proved suc-cessful in the show ring. They exhibited cattle at World Dairy Expo in Spren-geler’s childhood years and then started showing again in Madison annually in 1993. In 1968 the family had grand champion bull and in 1994 they had reserve junior champion and the All-American Brown Swiss fall yearling. As he chooses this year’s cham-pion, Sprengeler will be relying on his years of judging experience and his own knowledge of breeding cows. “These cattle are all so close, so it’s going to be tough,” he said. “I just have to go out there … get myself in a pat-tern, hopefully break them down and give good reasons.”

PhoTo by KriSTa M. SheehanSprengeler said he will be looking for cows with deep open ribs, straight lines, good feet and legs, and well attached udders. He also tries to breed his own herd for those traits. Three of his cows from his dairy are (from left to right) 6-year-old Croat Silvia, 2-year-old Arthurst Duena and 5-year-old Arthurst Domino Kitty Hawk.

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Doug and Cindy ThesingWinona, Minn.; Winona

County, 180 cows How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? We have been attending World Dairy Expo as a cou-ple since 1986.

Why do you attend World Dairy Expo? It is a great gathering place for dairy producers. We enjoy walking through the trade show and seeing the new products that are available. The displays and the cattle in the barns are always so impressive.

What is the highlight of World

“It is a gathering place for dairy producers.”

Dairy Expo for you? Explain. If we are able to attend on Saturday, the high-light would be to watch the Supreme Champion show.

How does attending World Dairy Expo benefit your operation? Each time we attend, we come home with something that we have learned or want to learn more about.

Describe your favorite World Dairy Expo memory. Our best memory to date is having our family watch our son compete on the colored shavings in 2008.

Tell us about your farm. We farm two miles south of I-90 near the Winona exit. Our farm has been in the family since 1941. We milk Holsteins and Jer-seys and raise our own replacement heifers. We raise corn, alfalfa, wheat, oats and soybeans on about 500 acres. We milk three times a day and have five part-time employees. Our son, Brandon, is a junior at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and our son, Aaron, is a junior at Onalaska Luther High School.


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GLENCOE, Minn. – Al-though the Mohr family from Glencoe, Minn., can be found on the grounds of the Alliant Energy Center during the week of World Dairy Expo, they’re not always together. Regardless of whether they’re together or apart, John and Bonnie Mohr, who milk 80 cows on their farm, Glenmark Genetics, have made time at World Dairy Expo a fun fam-ily event. All five of the Mohr children – Amanda (19), Katie (17), Taylor (15), Jacob (11) and Zach (8) – have attended World Dairy Expo. “It’s that time of year to take the kids with you,” Bon-nie said. “It’s like a vacation, getting away from the farm and just being in an environ-ment where everyone shares the same camaraderie and pas-sion for cows.” Since John and Bonnie both grew up on farms, they look forward to dairy events throughout the year to connect with other farm families. The two have attended World Dairy Expo since the early ‘80s, and since their marriage in 1983,

they haven’t missed a single year. However, Expo for this family is a little different than for most. Since 1985, Bonnie has been selling her artwork during the dairy event of the year. “I wanted to paint what I loved and that was cows,”

Bonnie said about her work. One of the highlights of World Dairy Expo for Bonnie came in 1995 when she was asked to paint an updated ver-sion of the dairy breeds poster and showcase it for the first time at Madison. “That was my No. 1 goal – to paint the breeds poster,”

Bonnie said. “That really was a dream come true.” John’s favorite Expo mem-ory happened on the colored shavings. Since he and Bonnie bought their farm in 1988, the couple has worked on breeding high quality cows. In 1998, the Mohrs exhibited animals for the first time and John showed

their senior bull calf, Glenmark Encore Madison, who placed third in the class. The next year, the family exhibited their bull again, but came home with more than a ribbon. Glenmark Encore Madison took grand

Passing on the Expo excitementMohrs make World Dairy Expo a family event

PhoTo by Jill WarrenJohn and Bonnie Mohr have made World Dairy Expo a family event, sharing their enthusiasm for the dairy event with their five children – (from left to right) Jacob (11), Zach (8), Amanda (19), Katie (17) and Taylor (15). At Expo, the family likes to catch up with friends, see good cows, look at commercial exhibits and participate in the showmanship contest.

Turn to Mohrs / Page 10


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champion Holstein bull honors as a se-nior yearling. “We bred him and raised him and I got to show him myself. It was a great feeling to experience the thrill of victory,” John said about winning with a homebred animal. “It’s fun for the whole family because those things don’t happen very often. It’s something you’ll never forget.” Those first two years of showing were also the first years the older chil-dren were able to attend Expo. “Since then … at least a couple of the kids have come down with us,” Bonnie said. John and Bonnie said Expo is an event the kids want to attend. “When they heard us talking about it, they knew this was something fun that they wanted to be at because there were cows and a lot of dairy people and a lot of friends.” In the last seven years, the Mohrs’ daughters have helped Bonnie work and take care of her art booth. Most of the Mohr kids also like participating in the youth showmanship contest. “Showmanship gave me a chal-lenge, especially the year I was in the older division and I made the top 15 to do the clipping and fitting portion,” Amanda said. Of course they all like to watch the shows, look around the trade show and hang out with some of their own dairy friends. “I can reconnect with dairy people

I haven’t seen in awhile,” Amanda said. “Sometimes it would be a year before I would see friends and we would meet up at Expo.” Amanda also likes walking around the barns looking at cows with her dad. “I get to see good quality animals with my dad and we get to have that bonding time, especially when I was in dairy judging because he would point out particular things to look for at judg-ing contests,” she said. However, there have been some years where the whole family can’t at-tend, especially with chores to do at home. “We’ve had to take turns and there have been years where one or two of the kids have stayed back to work on the farm or it didn’t work for them to come [to Expo] because they had a school ac-tivity,” Bonnie said. But the Mohrs know that’s all part of being in the dairy business. Whether all seven of the Mohrs are in Madison or not, they still make it a family affair and encourage the positive interest in the dairy industry. “It’s another place where your kids get to experience another dimension … of not just being a part of a dairy farm-ing family, but our kids have gone and they get to see good cattle; they see com-mercial exhibits, and they, too, meet up with their friends,” Bonnie said. “It’s a place where you can learn and they can have fun and you can teach them things.”

Phil Suess, Grand Meadow, Minn.; Mower County110 mostly registered Jerseys

How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? I have attended World Dairy Expo two years.

Why do you attend World Dairy Expo? I enjoy going to World Dairy Expo to see the terrific quality dairy cattle there. Also, I like checking out the new innova-tions that might work on our farm.

What is the highlight of World Dairy Expo for you? Explain. The highlight of Expo for me is watching the Jersey cattle show. There always seem to be many awesome uddered, quality cows. How does attending World Dairy Expo benefit your dairy operation? World Dairy Expo is the one place you can find all the newest technologies in genetics, nutrition and dairy equipment.

Describe your favorite World Dairy Expo memory. Since I’ve only been down there twice I don’t have a specific memory. However, the years I have attended, it has been fun catching up with old friends and interacting with the nation-wide breeders of such high quality animals.

Tell us about your farm. My wife, Deb, and I milk 110 mostly registered Jersey cows with the help of two part-time employees. We also have 35 cows from Nel-son Farms in Dassel, Minn., and 10 Ayrshires for Cool-Aire of Rochester, Minn.

“I like checking out the new innovations.”

Continued from Mohrs / Page 9


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How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? I have been attending for six years.

Why do you attend World Dairy Expo? To exhibit livestock.

What is the highlight of World Dairy Expo for you? Explain. I like watching the Hol-stein show because it is fun to watch the cows being placed in the class. They’re all very similar because they are so good.

How does attending World Dairy Expo benefit your dairy operation? A person can learn a lot about dairy farming by talking and meeting new people from other states and even other countries.

Describe your favorite World Dairy Expo memory. When my sister’s cow was third in the junior 2-year-old class of the junior Jersey show in 2007.

Tell us about your farm. We milk 275 cows two times a day and farm 200 acres for feed. My mother and father take care of most of the milking and I do all the feeding, herd health and breeding. We also have two full-time employees and two part-time employees.

“I like watching the Holstein show.”


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Dairy operations from coast-to-coast in the U.S. and Argentina will be featured at the 2009 World Dairy Expo, held at the Alliant Energy Center, Sept. 29 to Oct. 3. Virtual Farm Tours will focus on a variety of management topics, including: cow comfort, grass based forages, sexed semen, calf comfort, transition cows, modernizing the family farm, feed additives and integrating technology. Free tours will be presented daily, Tuesday through Saturday, in the Mendota 1 meet-ing room in the Exhibition Hall. The producers and managers will present a half-hour pictorial view of their operation, including general operation information and highlights of exceptional management practices. Time for questions and discussion will follow. Ag-Source Cooperative Services, BASF Plant Science, Barenbrug USA, Cover-All, Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc., Sexing Technologies and Vita Plus Corporation are sponsoring the 2009 Virtual Farm Tours. Following is a short biography and description of this year’s tours:

Tues., Sept. 29, 2 p.m.Hosted by: Valley Vu Dairy, Cumberland, Wis.700 Milking/Utilizing Technology for Cow ComfortSponsored by: Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc. Dan and Pam Schullo of Valley Vu Dairy understand the importance of cow comfort, especially during the summer months. Since the couple started farming in 1976, they have been quick adapters of the latest advances in cow comfort from the advent of mattresses to a state-of-the-art sprinkler system. When they built a new free stall barn last year, the Schullos were able to add several advanced cooling technologies, including a thermostat-controlled fan sprinkler system. As the temperature rises, the intervals between sprays are shortened. Additionally, the new barn features larger fans, increasing air flow while reducing the amount of noise. Installing 12 foot waters has also been advantageous, mak-ing sure there is enough space for all animals to drink, including less aggressive heifers. But new technology is not without its challenges. Despite some setbacks, the Schullos are excited for the future of the dairy industry and look forward to more innovative technolo-gies.

Wed., Sept. 30, NoonHosted by: Fietzer Dairy Farms, Inc., Manawa, Wis.210 Milking/Grass Based Forages Increasing ProfitabilitySponsored by: Barenbrug USA When cousins Craig and Kyle Fietzer assumed responsibility for Fietzer Dairy Farms, they saw the potential in using grass forages as a means to increase herd health and pro-ductivity. The Fietzers started by balancing the ration, leading to a 20-pound increase in production. In 2006, they started planting grass in an effort to help battle displaced abomasums. After the introduction of the grass/forage blend, the incidence of displaced abomasums declined dramatically, making the switch to grass a valuable change. Nearly 160 acres is put into an alfalfa/grass blend, which is used for silage and baled for dry hay. Additionally, the blend has been helpful in weed suppression, making better quality for-age. With the improvement of stall comfort and ventilation, Craig and Kyle have achieved another seven pound increase in production. Currently, Fietzer Dairy Farms has a daily production of 67 pounds per cow. Both Craig and Kyle look forward to integrating more grass/alfalfa blends and technology into the operation in the future.

Wed., Sept. 30, 2 p.m.Hosted by: JER-Z-BOYZ Ranch, Pixley, Calif.2,700 Milking/Success with Sexed SemenSponsored by: Sexing Technologies Sexed semen has made all the difference at JER-Z-BOYZ Ranch. The dairy is owned and operated by Gary and Donna de Graaf, along with their two sons, Dustin and Daniel, and their young families. JER-Z-BOYZ has focused heavily on marketing quality re-placements to both conventional and organic dairy producers. Currently, sexed semen is used on all heifers and approximately 90 percent of the milking herd on first and second services. The comprehensive breeding program incorporates proven sexed sires, which are used predominately on heifers and selected individuals in the milking herd and sexed young sires which are used in the majority of the milking herd. Over the past three years, merchandizing has shifted from selling heifers that are five to six months old, to selling heifers that are 12 to 16 months of age to calving every heifer born on the farm with sexed heifer semen and selective fresh cow merchandising. JER-Z-BOYZ Ranch had 3,848 live calves born on the farm in 2008 and harvested just over 1,000 additional heifers with the use of sexed semen.

Thurs., Oct. 1, NoonHosted by: Tauscher Farms, Inc., Green Bay, Wis.250 Milking/Calf ComfortSponsored by: Cover-All The Tauschers emphasize the importance of calf care. The future of their dairy herd relies on the latest in technology to maximize growth and potential. Brothers Al, Ray and Mark own and manage Tauscher Farms, Inc. In 2008, a large Cover-All TITAN building was built on the farm to help manage animals and manure better. The building measures 100 feet wide and 280 feet long. With the calves and heifers now on the same farm as the cows, more individual attention can be given to each group. The barn provides ample light, and tunnel ventilation delivers adequate fresh air and improved circulation. Ad-ditionally, the barn was outfitted with waterbeds for larger bred heifers while younger animals are on pillow-like mattresses. With a rolling herd average of 26,085 pounds and a somatic cell count of 120,000, the Tauschers are striving to continue to produce quality milk with the next generation of animals.

Thurs., Oct. 1, 2 p.m.Hosted by: Stone-Front Farm, Lancaster, Wis.400 Milking/Facilities for Transition CowsSponsored by: AgSource Cooperative For over 100 years, Stone-Front Farm has been utilizing cutting-edge research to help make the dairy more profitable. In 1997, the farm was moved to its present location in Lancaster, Wisconsin. Since the move, the herd has steadily grown from 65 registered cows to 420 registered cows, resulting in the need for new facilities. Stone-Front part-nered with the University of Wisconsin - School of Veterinary Medicine and University of Wisconsin Extension to design and build a state-of-the-art facility that focuses on transi-

World Dairy Expo virtual farm tours span the globe

Turn to Virtual Tours / Page 15


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tion cow management. The new facility was designed to minimize stress on cows at this critical time. Transition animals enter pre-fresh pens in small groups and are not moved until after calving, minimizing pen moves reduces stress. In addition, transition cows and heifers are grouped separately to minimize social stress and to increase biosecurity. This system has been very successful for their farm.

Fri., Oct. 2, NoonHosted by: Voegeli Brown Swiss Farm, Monticello, Wis.190 Milking/Modernizing a Growing Family FarmSponsored by: Vita Plus Corporation To provide opportunities for continued development and the next generation, Voegeli Brown Swiss Farm expanded its operation while still using existing facilities to support a mid-sized herd. The first phase of expansion included a three-row freestall barn with 146 sand stalls. Two years later, a new parlor was retrofitted in the original barn that had been in use for the past 90 years. The new facilities improved labor efficiency without com-promising herd health and performance of the 190 milking cows on this fifth-generation farm. Voegeli Brown Swiss Farm was established in 1854 and since then the Voegeli fam-ily has created a long tradition of breeding, developing and marketing top shelf Brown Swiss cattle and genetics. Today, farm visitors can easily view and evaluate outstanding herdmates, including members of the 13-generation Excellent Madora Family.

Fri., Oct. 2, 2 p.m.Hosted by: Schutte Dairy Farm, Monona, Iowa120 Milking/High Quality Forages/Feed Supplements Enhancing ProductionSponsored by: Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc. Producing high quality forages is what the Schutte family does best. Schutte Dairy is owned and managed by Lance and Jonna Schutte. Alfalfa, corn and oats are grown on 300 acres. In 2008, the haylage had a relative feed value of 182 and corn silage had 30-hour NDFD of 60 percent. To maximize the digestibility of these high quality forages, they feed supplemental sugar to compliment starch from corn silage and ground corn to achieve optimal rumen fermentation. The herd is a combination of Holsteins, Brown Swiss and Ayrshires that are fed a 60 percent forage ration. By adding a liquid supplement to the ration, they can minimize sorting and increase intake consistency. The results speak for themselves. Earlier in 2009, the herd achieved a standardized average daily milk pro-duction of 101 pounds/cow/day with a rolling herd average of 31,875 pounds.

Sat., Oct. 3, NoonHosted by: Monte Chico, Ballesteros, Cordoba, Argentina360 Milking/Argentine Dairy Integrates TechnologySponsored by: BASF Plant Science Monte Chico has been in the Marinelli family for over 100 years. In that time, nu-merous technologies have been integrated into the farm, making Monte Chico one of the premier dairies in Argentina. Today, the dairy is home to 360 Registered Holstein cows with an additional 380 youngstock. Monte Chico focuses on cow comfort by providing wide stalls for larger Holstein cows in the barns. To minimize stress on the milking herd, cows are milking twice daily during the coolest parts of the day. Milk cows rotate between different freestalls located across 168 acres. An additional 160 acres is used to raise crops. A TMR is used to maximize milk production and profitability. The Marinelli family hopes to continue utilizing technology as future generations expand the dairy.

Continued from Virtual Tours / Page 12

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See More Than Just NumbersSee The Data That Matters

Be sure to stop AgSource’s Booth at World Dairy Expo

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By Jennifer BurggraffStaff Writer

ROYALTON, Minn. – Jerry Goedderz of Royal-ton, Minn., openly admits he doesn’t know cows. The ma-jority of his dairy experience came from his early child-hood. “When I was growing up my dad had one cow, [but even-tually sold her],” Goedderz said. “Our neighbor had three Guernsey cows and it was my job to walk over there and get one gallon of milk every day. There was usually about four inches of cream at the top, and one gallon cost 50 cents.” As a veteran elemen-tary school teacher, however, Goedderz is always looking to learn something new, espe-cially on topics prevalent in the Royalton area. So when he was asked to attend the 2008 World Dairy Expo with friend and dairy farmer, Ed Popp, Goed-derz took the chance. What first sparked his in-terest in World Dairy Expo was the name.

“I think the name is really cool,” Goedderz said. “And I was interested to go and see dairy from around the world with someone who knows a lot about it.” “As a teacher in a rural community, I’m interested to know what’s going on in the farming community so when kids come to school smelling a little like barn or talking about picking rocks it is easier for me to relate to them,” he added. Goedderz said being up to date on ag issues also helps while talking with parents. “I could talk to the farmers [about farming issues], and I think I had better rapport with them because of that,” he said. Although Goedderz had been asked to attend World Dairy Expo before, last year was the first time he was able, after retiring from his 32-year teaching position at the Royal-ton Elementary School in 2007. While he had certain expecta-tions going into World Dairy Expo, the magnitude of the ac-tual event blew him away. “Last year was the first

time I was to any cow event; it was all brand new to me. What I wanted to get out of [World Dairy Expo] was to experience dairy at a high level. One cow sold for $93,000; I wanted to see what a cow like that looked like – what made her worth that much money,” Goedderz said. “My expectations were

far exceeded. The cows were unbelievable.” What amazed Goedderz the most was the passion of the dairymen there. He compared that passion to his for fishing. “I can fish all day,” he said. “Those people had that same passion. They could sit all day [looking at the cows].”

Goedderz recalled one such moment when he and Ed Popp were walking to the main show arena and they passed some people walking a cow. “Eddie and four other farm-ers just stopped and looked at

Life-long elementary school teacher shares his Expo experience

Goedderz amazed by the magnitude of the event

PhoTo by Jennifer burggraffJerry Goedderz of Royalton, Minn., attended World Dairy Expo for the first time last year after retiring from his 32-year teaching position at Royalton Elementary School in 2007. Although he has very little dairy background, Goedderz was amazed by the entire event and plans to eventually make a return trip.

Turn to Goedderz / Page 17


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How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? Forty-two years, including the first expo in 1967 when showing was in the arena building next to coliseum. My mentor, Allen Hetts, said “The Coliseum was built for Elvis Presley concerts, etc., but we are go-ing to show in it next year.” The Grand Champion Cow Trophy for each breed is now the Allen Hetts Memorial Tro-phy.

Why do you attend World Dairy Expo? If I am not at Expo, you will

the cow like she was a ‘63 Corvette,” he said. “They all said she would place in the show; she took first. The cow didn’t look any different to me, but they knew. It was fun to see that enthusiasm.” In the three nights and four days they were at Expo, Goedderz said they spent a lot of their time taking in the different dairy shows. He also did a lot of people watching. “Some people sitting by me owned the cow that won first place in her class,” Goedderz said. “He was crying; she was crying. It was amazing to see the impact that had on them.” His most memorable moments, however, came during the Holstein sale, where he saw one cow sell for $93,000 and an embryo that had not yet been produced sell for $25,000. Looking back, Goedderz was very impressed with the entire World Dairy Expo – the quality of the animals, the size of the event, the organization and the dairymen and women themselves. “The intelligence level of the peo-ple in this field is mind-boggling,” he said. “… I wish I would have gone years ago.” Although World Dairy Expo is not something he will go to every year, Goedderz does plan to go back. “Maybe next year,” he said. “Now I

Continued from Goedderz / Page 16

know what to expect. I’ll be able to see things I didn’t last year and understand it more.” Goedderz said he would encourage anyone with an interest and an open mind to attend World Dairy Expo. “Anyone who wants to learn some-thing about [dairying],” he said. Goedderz resides in Royalton with his wife, Audrey, who currently teach-es third grade at Royalton Elementary School. They have two adult children, Josh (25), who works in Denver, Colo., and Andrea (23), who works in Mason City, Iowa.

“If I am not at Expo, you will know I’m dead!”

know I’m dead! Expo is my most valuable week each year. Lifelong, world-wide friendships are renewed and new ones are formed. I like to see the world’s greatest cattle, breeders, herdspeople and fitters. I am not an equipment freak, but Expo’s equipment displays, dairy information and forums are unequaled.

What is the highlight of World Dairy Expo for you? Explain. My Expo high-light was the 1977 Reserve Grand Champion Cow of the International Holstein Show. I sold this cow (Pam – EX-96) for $30,000 and her daughter for $15,000. Pam’s maternal granddaughter (Canadian bred and owned, sold at $125,000) was Res. Grand Champion Cow at a recent International Holstein Show. How does attending World Dairy Expo benefit your dairy operation? A one-week “learning experience,” equaling four years dairy science at the University of Wisconsin. I met Frances Dekker from the Netherlands at Expo, which led to exporting 400-plus bulls over a seven-year period.

Describe your favorite World Dairy Expo memory. Jim Crowley Recognition night. Jim Crowley, the long-time Expo director, was my judging coach. Our 1963 judging team was introduced; classmates and lifetime friendships were renewed. The Senior Champion Cow Award for each breed is now the Jim Crowley Memo-rial Award.

Tell us about your farm. My herd, the Exodus Herd, has been housed at Hawk-tree Robotic Dairy in Buffalo Center, Iowa, since May 2009. Presently, the Exodus Herd has 40-plus daughters of Picston Shottle (EX-96-Extra). He is the No. 1 Total Performance Index (TPI) sire ever, at 99 percent reliability. To date, Exodus has bred 73 excellent cows.

“The intelligence level of the people in this field is mind-boggling. I wish I would have gone years ago.” - Jerry Goedderz on his first visit to the Expo


By Krista M. SheehanStaff writer

WATERTOWN, Minn. – On Friday and Sat-urday of World Dairy Expo week, Jerry Albrecht can be found in the same place he’s been in for the past 42 years – in the coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., watching the International Holstein Show. Since the start of World Dairy Expo in 1967, 68-year-old Albrecht has traveled to Madison every fall to take in the activities during the dairy event of the year. Albrecht, who has a 30-cow dairy near Watertown, Minn., with his wife, Jan, can recall memories of class winners, event highlights and changes over the years. “I’ve never missed one,” Albrecht said. However, Albrecht’s national dairy memories don’t begin in Madison. At the age of nine, Al-brecht traveled with his uncle, Hugo, to National Dairy Cattle Congress in Waterloo, Iowa. This first-time experience sparked his interest in dairy shows and expos, and grew exponentially in the following years. From 1950 to 1965, Albrecht only missed two Cattle Congresses because he was in the army in 1963 and 1964, and in 1966 there was no na-tional show. In 1967, Albrecht remembers watching the first grand champion of World Dairy Expo, Bayland Crescent Charmane, awarded with a blanket of ros-es and having her picture taken in front of the globe – one of the very few remaining original items of World Dairy Expo other than buildings, Albrecht said. At that time, the show was held in the arena – the building just south of the coliseum. Given as awards were Allen Hetts trophies, which sat on the floor and were about 5 feet tall. “They were too tall for tables,” Albrecht said. The first two years of Expo, Albrecht remem-bers a carnival with rides in the area where cows are now housed in tents. The kick-off years also fea-tured entertainers: Allen Hurt in 1967 and the duet, Dolly Parton and Porter Wagner, in 1968. “They both bombed [in attendance]. There was a tiny crowd,” Albrecht said. “People wanted to see the cows, not singers. And the rides they could do at the county fair.” The show ring had no problems with atten-dance. “It was always so packed in that arena,” Al-brecht said. “You could barely see the show and

Albrecht remembers 42 years of memories at World Dairy ExpoWatertown producer has never missed a year in Madison

people were always looking over you.” When the show moved into the newly con-structed Coliseum in 1969, it had room to fit people more comfortably. That year, in the Holstein ring with Dick Keene as judge, Albrecht remembers three Ivanhoe daughters placed in the top three of the aged cow class. The first place cow, Miss Ivan-hoe Scranton, went on to become grand champion and the first cow in the breed to be classified as a six-time Excellent cow. Albrecht remembers this clearly because he and his wife later bought an Ivanhoe daughter, State Hill Ivanhoe Delia, who went on to become the second cow in the breed with 6E status. The next year, in 1970, the same farm exhibited the grand and reserve grand champions of the Hol-stein show: Wind Drift Countess Nora and Md Ma-ple Marquis Glamour. Wind Drift Countess Nora went on to receive supreme champion honors. Be-cause of the calendar year, the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, Penn., and World Dairy Expo were only separated by a week. The two cows were brought in to Madison by plane rather than truck. “He (the owner) thought trucking them that far in that short time was dangerous,” Albrecht said. Between 1982 and 1987, Albrecht also watched as Brookview Tony Charity claimed the supreme

champion honors four times – the only cow with that honor. In more recent years, Albrecht remembers the uncertainty after Sept. 11, 2001. “It was real touch and go that year if the show would go on,” he said. After the show, Albrecht said there was a pa-triotic ceremony with a spotlighted flag. To him, the mood was different. “It was a real tense time,” Albrecht said. Albrecht liked the addition of the futurity class in 2000. “It gives a few other people a chance to do well,” he said. Over the years he’s been there, Albrecht said the trade show has grown the most, guessing now that almost half of the people who visit to World Dairy Expo come just to see the business exhib-its. “It’s just incredible,” Albrecht said about the trade show size. “[World Dairy Expo] really caters now to the commercial dairymen. There are lots of people that come just for commercial exhibits and could care less about sitting down to watch the cow show.” But not Albrecht. One day of looking through trade show booths is enough for him. “I come strictly for the cows,” Albrecht said. “We sit and watch as many breeds as we can.” Of course, he can always be found on Expo Friday and Saturday watching his favorite show parade around the ring – the Holsteins.

PhoTo by KriSTa M. SheehanJerry Albrecht, a dairy producer from Watertown, Minn., has never missed a World Dairy Expo since its start in 1967. Even before Expo, Albrecht attended National Cattle Congress in Waterloo, Iowa, from 1950 to 1965, only missing two because of his service in the army.

PhoTo by KriSTa M. SheehanAlbrecht has watched several historical events during his 42 visits to World Dairy Expo, including watching Brookview Tony Charity become the only cow to be named supreme champion four times. He has a limited-edition figurine of the four-time champion cow.


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How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? I have attended World Dairy Expo eight years.

Why do you attend World Dairy Expo? I attend World Dairy Expo to see the great cows from across the country and to see the new technologies that are out there for dairy producers.

What is the highlight of World Dairy Expo for you? Explain. One of the highlights of World Dairy Expo would have to be the dairy shows. Seeing all of those gorgeous cows ... I always wished I owned some of them! But seeing those

World Dairy Expo brings together some of the finest cows in the world, featuring the best genetics in the industry. At the Dairymaster Sale Pavilion and Memorial Coliseum, these same genetics bring top dollar on the sale block. Please see below for a schedule of sales. For catalogs, please contact sale managers.

TOP OF THE WORLD JERSEY SALE Tuesday, September 29, 7 p.m. - Dairymaster Sale PavilionManager - Dan Bauer, Jersey Marketing Service, 6486 East Main St., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068, 614-861-3636 phone, 614-861-8040 fax, www.usjersey.com

WORLD AYRSHIRE EVENT SALEWednesday, September 30, 7 p.m. - Dairymaster Sale PavilionManager - Becky Payne, Ayrshire Breeders Association, 1224 Alton Creek Road, Suite B, Columbus, OH 43228, 614-335-0020 phone, 608-365-5577 fax, www.usayrshire.com

WORLD PREMIER BROWN SWISS SALEThursday, October 1, 2 p.m. - Dairymaster Sale PavilionManager - Norman Magnussen, Brown Swiss Sale Service LLC, P.O. Box 146, Lake Mills, WI 53551, 920-648-2428 phone, 920-648-6748 fax, www.holsteinworld.com/brownswisssales/

INTERNATIONAL GUERNSEY CLASSIC SALEThursday, October 1, 7 p.m. - Dairymaster Sale PavilionManager - Seth Johnson, American Guernsey Association, 7614 Slate Ridge Blvd., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-0666, 614-864-2409 phone, 614-864-5614 fax, www.usguernsey.com

WORLD CLASSIC ’09 HOLSTEIN SALEFriday, October 2, 7 p.m.- Coliseum FloorManager - Tom Morris, Tom Morris LTD, 329 S. Keller Ave., Amery, WI 54001, 715-268-2629 phone, 715-268-6239 fax, www.tommorris-ltd.com

“I can take some of these ideas back to my own farm.”

cows parade around the ring makes me want to keep breeding my own herd so one day I will have a cow that will grace the colored shavings at World Dairy Expo. How does attending World Dairy Expo benefit your dairy operation? Attend-ing World Dairy Expo benefits my farm because I can see the new technologies and see if they could work for our operation. I also talk to other breeders from across the country about their operations, breeding decisions and what works and does not work for them. I can take some of these ideas back to my own farm.

Describe your favorite World Dairy Expo memory. My favorite memory was the 2008 World Dairy Expo when I helped get two grand champions of the dairy show to the ring in the same week: the grand champion Ayrshire for Stillmore Cattle Company of Pine Island, Minn., and the grand champion Red & White Holstein, for Greenlea Holsteins of Middletown, Del.

Tell us about your farm. My family’s farm, Olson-Lane Holsteins, is located in Lewiston, Minn. My parents are Jim and Beth Olson, and we milk 65 Holsteins, raise 80 heifers and farm 300 acres.

World Dairy Expo to host five breed sales


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How many years have you attended World Dairy Expo? I’ve been attend-ing World Dairy Expo off and on since the ‘70s. My first time attending was at the second World Dairy Expo. There was a break where I didn’t go for five or six years because we couldn’t get help at home, but the last three years I have been there.

Why do you attend World Dairy Expo? Well, the first reason is I just like the good cows. Over the last couple of years the trade show has also gotten to be very good. Compared to what it was when World Dairy Expo started, the trade show is now tremendous; you can pick up a lot of good things there.

“The trade show is tremendous.”

What is the highlight of World Dairy Expo for you? Explain. Seeing the people that I have gotten acquainted with over the years. I get to see a lot of different people that I got to know through the Holstein business.

How does attending World Dairy Expo benefit your dairy operation? It has really helped in the selections I make – which bulls I want to use and which cow families I want to be a part of.

Describe your favorite World Dairy Expo memory. I don’t have any one spe-cific memory. I just enjoy going.

Tells us about your farm. I’ve been farming since high school. My wife, Kathy, and I bought our current farm in 1978. Our youngest son, Eddie (25), just came back to work on the farm in July. Along with helping on the farm, Kathy has also worked off the farm at the Royalton Elementary School for 18 years. We milk be-tween 110 and 115 cows in a double-six step up parlor and house our milking herd in a sand-bedded freestall barn. We built our freestall barn and parlor in 1997. We also farm 500 owned and rented acres on which we grow alfalfa, corn and rye.

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Industry experts share their experience, knowledge and ideas to help make your dairy operation and your clients’ operations more profitable and efficient as part of World Dairy Expo’s 2009 Education Seminars. Again this year, ten free seminars will be offered during the week of Sept. 29 to Oct. 3 at the Alliant Energy Center. There is valuable information for all sizes of dairies including: popular media communications, alfalfa technology, integration of RIFD tags, employee management, genomics, raising replacements, crisis management, manure man-agement, price volatility and energy efficiency. Continuing education credits can be earned for members of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS), the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), and the American Association of State Veterinary Boards – RACE Program* (RACE). Credits that can be earned are listed below. There will be two seminars each day, Tuesday through Saturday, in Mendota 2 meeting room, located in the Exhibition Hall. Seminars are structured with a 45-minute presentation and time for questions and discussion. Accelerated Ge-netics, ACME Engineering & Manufacturing Corp., AgStar Financial Services, Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition, APC, Inc., Dairy Management Inc., Ecolab, Jamesway Farm Equipment Inc., Syngenta and Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium are all sponsors of this year’s seminars. Following is a brief synopsis of the material that will be covered in each presentation.

Tues., Sept. 29 11 a.m., “Using Popular Media to Tell Dairy Farming’s Story”Polly Ligon O’Grady, Vice President, Weber Shandwick; Jolene Griffin, Manager of Industry Communication, Dairy Management, Inc. Sponsored by: Dairy Man-agement, Inc. 1 p.m., “The Future of Your Alfalfa”, Mark McCaslin, Forage Genetics Inter-national. Sponsored by: Syngenta

Wed., Sept. 30 11 a.m., “Interface Integration of RFID Tags into Management Software”, Sue Hart, Regional Sales Manager, AgSource Cooperative Services; Dr. Mike Wolf, Dairy Systems Specialist, Country Doctors Veterinary Servicel; Paul Fetzer, Own-er/Operator, Fetzer Farms Inc. Sponsored by: Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium 1 p.m., “Relief for Your Employee Management Headache”, Tom Wall, Presi-dent, Language Links, LLC. Sponsored by: Ecolab

Thur., Oct. 1 11 a.m., “Genomic Selection of Dairy Cattle: Opportunities and Challenges”, Dr. Kent Weigel, Professor & Extension Genetics Specialist, University of Wis-consin – Madison; Dr. C. Michael Cowan, General Manager, Genetic Visions. Sponsored by: Accelerated Genetics 1 p.m., “Feeding Calves to Maximize Potential Growth”, Dr. Robert B. Cor-

bett, Veterinarian-Dairy Nutritionist, Dairy Health Consultation. Sponsored by: APC, Inc.

Fri., Oct. 2 11 a.m., “Are You Prepared for the Worst? How to Plan for a Crisis”, Mike Opperman, Public Relations Director, Charleston|Orwig; Matt Joyce, Vice Presi-dent of Producer Communications & Programs, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board; Dan Monson, Manager, Spring Grove Dairy. Sponsored by: Arm & Hammer Ani-mal Nutrition 1 p.m., “Making Manure Pay: New Economics of Manure in an Era of Change”, Kevin Erb, Conservation Professional Development and Training Coor-dinator, UW-Extension. Sponsored by: Jamesway Farm Equipment

Sat., Oct. 3 11 a.m., “Taking Control of What You Can: Financial Management and Com-munication During Volatile Times”, Steve Bodart, Senior Business Consultant, Lookout Ridge Consulting; Cathy Olson, Business Consultant, Lookout Ridge Consulting. Sponsored by: AgStar Financial Services 1 p.m., “Making Your Electricity Work Smarter for You”, Dr. John W. Worley, Associate Professor, University of Georgia. Sponsored by: Acme Engineering and Manufacturing Corp.

Learn from industry experts at 2009 education seminars

PhoTo ProvidedThe Exhibition Hall is part of the trade show for the World Dairy Expo at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. Education Seminars are also located in the Exhibition Hall and are scheduled during the week of Sept. 29 to Oct. 3.


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