I spent much of my week at the Dairy Challenge Midwest Regional contest in Brookings, South Dakota. I caught up with old friends, made new friends, and learned a few new things about our industry. Here are some of the random highlights.
Modak Dairy and the I-29 Corridor
Thank you to the Dairy Challenge host farm. There are no robots at Modak Dairy, but I still enjoyed visiting this well managed dairy. It was -20 the morning of the contest – uncomfortable for the contestants to be sure. But, even more uncomfortable for the host farm. There are plenty of problems on a dairy farm when it is -20, from frozen waterers to frozen manure, frozen feed, and frozen equipment. I can’t imagine dealing with all of those, and having over 100 people wandering all over the farm while you are doing it. Modak Dairy dealt with all of those things and gave the students a great experience too.
I had a chance to visit with Modak Dairy owner, Greg Moes. I learned that Modak Dairy has had a leadership role in the I-29 corridor dairy industry throughout their 130-year history. Many of the immigrants who brought their dairy businesses to the I-29 corridor made stops at Modak Dairy on their way. Change is a constant in the area as cow numbers and farm sizes increase.
Flavored Pellets
Dylan Brockshus stopped to visit with me and shared some research his company has done on flavored pellets. For a long time, it has been my opinion, that flavored pellets are a temporary solution - they will stimulate extra visits as long as cows are curious about something new but the effect will not last. Dylan got me thinking in a couple of other directions. Flavoring is not a replacement for bunk management, cow comfort, healthy cows, and efficient reproduction. But, if a group of cows has developed bad habits, a flavored pellet may help to reset those habits. A flavoring ingredient may also ensure that pellets have a consistent flavor if ingredients need to change.
Precision Dairy Conference
Marcia Endres shared a preview of the Precision Dairy Conference coming up in Minnesota, in June. The conference always features panel discussions in which producers share their experience with the latest technologies. I won’t miss it.
A Dedicated Group of Volunteers
Dairy Challenge doesn’t happen on its own. An amazing group of volunteers organizes the contest, trains the contestants and gets them to the contest, makes sure all the information, boots, vests, maps and transportation are in place for the farm visits, judges the contests, and so many other things I don’t know about or forgot to mention. These people are doing their part to prepare the students who will lead our industry into the future.
The Future of the Dairy Industry
As I watch the effort and enthusiasm of these students, I know our industry will be in good hands in the next generation. Find an opportunity to encourage them, whether that is working with an organization, welcoming them to your farm, or just sharing your experience.
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