September 2012 Mid-States Holstein News

Mid-States Holstein NewsSeptember 2012

Holstein Convention a Great Success!

Complete DispersalFriday, Oct. 19 - Houston, MO

100% Homebred; 100% Registered - n

o bST

38 years AI B

reeding

Up to 15 generation VG/EX

Longevity - records over 200,000M

Progressive Herd Award - 1

6 years

Many Members of the Silk Family Sell!Best-Sunrise Chespk Silk-ET EX-92 EX-MS GMD DOM3-11 365 2x 42,966 3.2 1481 3.0 12966-01 365 2x 39,151 3.7 1441 2.7 1078Dam: Paulkay Blackstar Sandra EX-91 EX-MS GMD DOMover 34,000M 1000F and 200,000 lifetime

Our walk with the Registered Holstein has been a great one. We have made so many new friends throughout the Holstein industry, had the privilege of hosting the National Pre-Convention Tour this year and have learned so much over the years. We believe in cow families and have something for everyone - whether you are looking for that next show animal or a good pedigree or type or milk - we have it all here for you. Our passion is to breed good cows - now it is time to pass them on to you. We look forward to seeing all of you on October 19th.

- Richard & Shirley

Owners: Richard & Shirley, Michael & Hope Best6340 Lily Rd * Houston, MO 65483417.967.2465 * fax 417-967-5615email: [email protected]/bestsunrise

Sale Managed by

Sires include: Durham, Colby, Toystory, Blitz Ross, Morty, Dundee, Damion, Advent, Braxton, Sanchez, Hero, Million, Shottle just to mention a fewService sires include: Hero, Major, Atwood, Gold Chip, Planet and more!

200 Head SellCows - Springing Heifers - Open Heifers - Calves - Bulls

catalog will be available on dairyagendatoday.com

Dallas Burton [email protected]

Sue Ann Steele, EditorRte. 4, Box 676Butler, MO 64730660.679.3495Email: [email protected]

Kate Geppert, Managing Editor5803 Redwing DriveColumbia, MO 65202573.814.3148 or 573.808.5607Fax: 573.814.3148Email: [email protected]

ARKANSAS: President: Bruce Tencelve, Little Rock; Vice-President: Susan Fisher, Beebe; Secretary/Treasurer: Jim Griffin, 15542 Logan Cave Rd, Siloam Springs, AR; BOARD MEMBERS: Doug Herbaugh, Dr. Wayne Kellogg, Jodie Pennington, James Smith, Mike Quattlebaum, Randy Spears, Brian Weisenfels

KANSAS: President: Robbie Leach; Vice-President: Dwight Rokey; Past President: David Rotting-haus; Secretary: Kerri Ebert, 4210 Wam-Teau Drive, Wamego, DIRECTORS: Devon Benfer, Dar-ren Benfer, Ryan Bodenhausen, Harry Clubine, Eugene George, Kevin Fast , Dale Klassen, Carol Keen, Doug Unruh, Kevin Winter

MISSOURI: President: Alfred Brandt, Linn ; Vice-President: Eric Ling, Springfield, Linn; Secretary/Treasurer: Jodi Wright, Clever; Director-at-large: Jay Moreleand, Harrisonville, DIRECTORS: Eric Adkins, Dallas Cornelius, Matt Day, Stacey Dohle, Kirby Hanson, Joe McClellan, Jay Moreland, Justin Nelson, Crystal Radamacher, John Schoen, Marvin Schoen, Ed Steele

NEW MEXICO: President: Andy Vaz, Roswell; Vice-President; Buster Goff; Secretary/Treasurer: Wendy Zens, 190 Dairy Rd, Willard

OKLAHOMA: President: Todd Mason, Kingfisher;, 1st Vice President: Tom Meyer, Okarche Secretary/Treasurer: Angie Meyer, Rte. 4, Box 82, Okarche; DIRECTORS: Fred Chitwood, Norman Bayless, Steve Pope, David Jones, Brad Chapman

TEXAS: President, Michael Schreiber, Windthorst; Vice-President: Leo Hoff, Jr, Windthorst, Sec/Treas: Elwyn Liggett, 519 Liggett Rd, Bellevue; DIRECTORS: Randy Carpenter, Richie Heida, Gerard Hoekman, John Koster, Joseph Osinga, Stanley Haedge, Bradly Veitenheimer, Chad Steinberger

The MID-STATES HOLSTEIN NEWS (ISSN 0884-2809) is published 4 times yearly - March, June, September, and December - by the Holstein As-sociations of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Periodical postage paid at Butler, MO 64730 and at additional mailing offices. Subscription rate, $5.00, included in each state membership fee. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MID-STATES HOLSTEIN NEWS, Kate Geppert, 5803 Redwing Dr, Columbia, MO 65202.PERIODICAL POSTAL CODE:355240

Mid-StatesHolstein News

September 2012 VOLUME 147 Published: September 1 December 1 March 1 June 1

Regional Representatives:Jenny Elliott Iley Charlie Schiller1404 Westwood Court 2060 E Harvest Ct, Apt 21Stephenville, TX 76401 Salt Lake City, UT 84121254-485-8629 [email protected] [email protected]

Nat’l Holstein DirectorTim Ewing Roy Buessing4784 St. Hwy PP 1083 29th RoadFordland, MO 65652 Axtell, Kansas 66403417-818-6455 [email protected] [email protected]

Ad Deadlines Issue Deadline No ads after Dec. 1 Oct. 22 Nov. 10 March 1 Jan. 22 Feb. 1 June 1 April 22 May 10 Sept. 1 July 22 Aug. 10

Mid-States Subscriptions are available. It’s $5 for those in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. For those outside the region, it’s $10. Contact Kate Geppert for more information.

Classification Schedule

September Arkansas & MissouriDecember Kansas, Colorado & NebraskaFebruary 2013 New Mexico, Texas & OklahomaApril Arkansas & Missouri

Inside:Holstein USA Convention HighlightsMissouri State Fair Results

On the coverFrom the float trips, farm tours, trips to Branson, Bass Pro and PFI, Precious Moments, entertaining games, junior dance at Fantastic Caverns, successful sales, business meetings, competitions, dining at the dairy bar, and fellowship with friends, Holstein breeders from across the country enjoyed ‘Getting Their Kicks on Route 66’ at the 2012 National Holstein USA Convention in June. Check out pages 8-9 for a full photo documentary of the Convention and its activities. Thank you to Holstein USA, Daisy Parsons, Dairy Agenda Today, Fritz Hegeman, Janice Perry, Jennie Manes, Jodi Wright, Holstein World, Lora Wright, Marilyn Moreland, Mary Angelo, Michelle Proctor, and Rex Ricketts for all the photos provided from the convention activities.

PAGE 2 - MSHN, September 2012

Don’t forget to send in your ballots for the 2013 delegates to the 2013 National Holstein in Indiana. They are due in the Holstein office in Brattleboro, Vermont by Oct. 8.

Nominations for the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honor Awards are due Oct. 20, 2012. Awards include Dairy Cattle Breeder, Dairy Leadership and Pioneer Awards. For more information, contact Rex Ricketts, 573-882-4553.

Mason Dairy Farm Todd Mason ph: 405-408-8941 [email protected]

Kingfisher, Oklahoma

MSHN, September 2011 - PAGE 3

Our Breeze 2E-95 offspring just keeps coming!2 beautiful Destry heifers born in August

Ultrasound Durham Heifer calf due in March 2013Ultrasound Talent Heifer calf due in March 2013

Coblentz Laurin Sue-ET VG-88 @ 2Y2-02 365 3x 29,122 4.5 1321 3.1 912

1st Sr. 2-Yr Old, 2011 Southern Spring National ShowOwned with Tencleve Farms

Laurin X Mr Sam X 2E-92 Emory X EX-93 Emory X 3E-92 Highlight X VG Bootmaker X 2E-90 Fury X 2E-92 Bellboy

Getting Ready for 2013!

Due in December


National Director Notes ...Congratulations Missouri on an outstanding convention. Once again the midwest hospitality rises to the top. Thanks again to the farms who hosted the host day tours. What great groups of cows there were on display in spite of the sweltering heat. We as a board felt we made our position very clear as to why we have not supported the proposed Dairy Data Alliance as proposed. Anyone who missed the speeches and would like to watch Glen Brown’s speech can find that on the Holstein USA website. As of today we do not have any different things to tell you about as there has not been any progress in negotiations on the future evaluations. You can be assured that we as a Board will do everything we can to protect the interests of all dairy farmers. As dairy farms keep leaving the industry it gets harder to tell these guys goodbye. The older I get the closer you get to a lot of people especially those who have a like interest in the Holstein cow. I hope the best for all of you and would like to see you all stay involved in the industry in some capacity. There is just too much knowledge and passion to just walk away and forget about the ones still involved. We all need your wisdom and un-derstanding and sometimes just a shoulder to lean on. As football season begins be sure to keep an eye on the KSU Wildcats! Thanks for your support. Roy

From the Field ...Tim Ewing has joined Holstein USA as a Field Representative for Arkansas, Missouri, and southern Illinois. Tim has relocated to the home farm in Fordland, Missouri. Tim, a 1981 graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in Dairy Science is a third generation dairyman. In 1939 his grandfather began dairying on the fam-ily farm which had been homesteaded by a Ewing in 1840. In addition to the dairy farm, the Ewings raised Hereford Cattle. In 2000, the family was inducted into the Mis-souri Hereford Hall of Fame. After graduating from college, Tim began to acquire some registered Holsteins from the Lorenz and McLean herds, along with animals from the Braswell Dairy Sales. In 1986, Tim re-served the Ewing prefix with Holstein USA. A goal of the Ewing family was to obtain the Holstein PBR Award. This goal was ac-complished in 2006 and 2007. For the past three years, Tim has working for East Central/Select Sires in Wisconsin as a member service representative. He and his wife, Jeannie, have three children; Jason, Tabitha and Thomas.

2012 PBR Award WinnersRobthom Farm, Springfield, Missouri57 yrs 108.2 BAA 27,607M 976F 800PGroves-View Farm, Billings, Missouri3 yrs 107.9 BAA 32,181M 1293F 976P

2012 Progressive Genetic WinnersDonald Deters, Vermillion, Kansas4 yrs 1593 PTPIHendrika Vos, Cedar Point, Kansas2 yrs 1623 PTPIKevin Friess, Conway Springs, Kansas1 yr 1639 PTPIBorman Farm, Kingdom City, Missouri16 yrs 1606 PTPIGroves-View Farm, Billings, Missouri11 yrs 1643 PTPIWilson Martin, Memphis, Missouri2 yrs 1653 PTPIJerry Vieth, Windthorst, Texas20 yrs 1669 PTPIMichael Schreiber, Windthorst, Texas6 yrs 1668 PTPI

40 Year Holstein Members RecognziedAt the 2012 National Holstein Meeting in Springfield, Kenneth Hall of Conway, Missouri; Kirby Hanson, Cosby, Missouri and Steele & King Farms, Butler, Missouri were recognized for their 40 years of membership in Holstein USA. Included in the photo is Holstein USA President Chuck Worden, Kenneth Hall, Jerry King, Ed Steele, and Holstein CEO John Meyer.

Klassen Complete DispersalKingsmill Destry Jenea-ET topped the Klassen Dairy Complete Dispersal at $10,000 on September 5 in Hillsboro, Kansas. Commanding the 2nd high price was Luck-E Mr B Trix, an EX-91 Mr Burns daughter. She was purchased at $7000 by Todd Mason, Kingfisher, Oklahoma. Over 500 animals went through the ring, with the first 100 lots consisting of young cows averag-ing $1747.45. The sale was managed by Burton & Associates.

Jayden Pritchett, Rose, Oklahoma was the win-ner of the 2012 Mis-souri Holstein Junior calf Raffle. Throughout the year, the Juniors sold $5 raffle tickets, raising over $1500. The winner was se-lected at the Missouri State Fair in August. Donating the calf was the University of Mis-souri Foremost Dairy.

Missouri Junior Raffle Calf to Oklahoma

Missouri Farmers Care Food DriveOver 11,500 pounds of food was raised this summer in the Mis-souri Farmer Care food drive. Over 3,500 pounds of food was raised throught the Missouri State Fair with a $1 of admission for each can of food, up to half the admission ticket price. A full size Ford F-250 truck was constructed totally with cans of food and was on display at the Fair in the Agriculture Building.

Groves Family Sweeps Judging ContestBrittany, Grant and Bailey Groves were high individuals in the senior, intermediate and junior divisions respectively of the Mis-souri State Dairy Judging Contest held Aug. 18 at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. All are the children of Todd and Sheila Groves of Billings. “We believe this is a first in the history of our contest,” said Karla Deaver, 4-H youth development specialist. “Having all three division winners coming from the same family is certainly unique, and we know the family is very proud of their accom-plishment.” Brittany Groves was the high individual in the senior divi-sion with 377 points. Grant Groves was the high individual in the intermediate division with 354 points and Bailey Groves of Billings was the high individual in the junior division with 356 points. The 70 contestants placed six classes and gave two sets of reasons.

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Heifer Composite L-R: Speek-NJ ManOman Rocket-ET, ©Beth Herges. Cherry Crest Manoman Rosie, ©Patty Jones. Genervations Manoman Lemonade, ©Patty Jones. Blondin Man O Man Ashley, ©Vicki Fletcher. Cow Composite L-R: Blondin Man O Man Camille VG-86 ©Patty Jones. Blondin Man O Man Arkansas GP-83, ©Vicki Fletcher. Genervations Man O Man Lola VG-86 CAN, ©Mapel Wood Man O Man Bombi VG-88 CAN, ©Patty Jones.

THE POWER OF MAN-O-MAN


Missouri State Fair ChampionsRes. Grand: Robthom Amarilo Ramses

Grand Champion: Roslem Gibson March

Missouri State FairAug. 17, 2012Sedalia, MO

Judge: John ErbsenSpring Heifer Calf (7)1.Whitehead Next Aftershock, Bailee Whitehead, Conway; 2. Char-Land Deuce Monica, Karlin Peters, Holt; 3. Ram-Elle Tenacious Porsha, Michelle Eilenstine, Mountain GroveWinter Heifer Calf (11)1.Redcarpet Kbbrx Target-ET, Jayden Pritchett, Rose; OK; 2. Toekcy Elvis Smooch, Candy Durst, Huggins; 3. Groves-Vu Gutherie Riveria, Brittany Groves, BillingsFall Heifer Calf (5)1.U-Mo Pronto Amelia, University of Mis-souri, Columbia; 2. Willadon Macey, Josh Highfill, Pleasant Hope; 3. J-Hanna GW Atwood 1304, Jayden Pritchett, Rose, OKSummer Yearling (3)1.L&M Atwood Amanda, Cole McMullin, Sedalia; 2. Char-Land Sanchez Sake, Ja-cob Peters, Holt; 3. Ram-Elle Force Allison, Ellie Wantland, NianguaSpring Yearling (4)1.Mik-Nels Domino Ciara, Steven Nelson, Grovespring; 2. Mi-Wil Atwood Berta, Mike Wilson, Neosho; 3. Char-Land Sanchez Miles, Austin Moreland, HarrisonvilleWinter Yearling (6)1.St.Jacob Aftrshok Amelia-ET, Steven Nelson, Grovespring; 2. Hack Talent Ms Daisy, Nora Hackmann, Marthasville; 3. J-Lean Stylemaster Kena, Dustin Luttrell, SpringfieldFall Yearling (6)1.Wrightvale E Elvis Datoma, Josh & Amber Highfill, Pleasant Hope; 2. Woods-Valley Taye-Red, Crystal Chamberlin, Cole Camp; 3. Lc-MLG Debonair Tiara-Red, Bailey GrovesJunior ChampionWrightvale E Elvis DatomaRes. Junior ChampionRedcarpet Kbbrx Target-ETJr Best Three1.Kristin Luttrell, SpringfieldDry Aged Cow (1)1.J-Lean Zenith Spring, Kristin Luttrell, SpringfieldDry 3 & 4-Yr Old (3)1. Ram-Elle Turbo Venus, Michelle Eilen-stine, Mountain Grove; 2. Toecky Derek Shannon, Candy Durst, Huggins; 3. J-Lean Sam Casey, Kristin LuttrellJr. 2-Yr Old (2)1.Toecky Ann-Lyss Sanchez, Becky Durst, Huggins; 2. A-Grimm S-Storm Halo, Fulp-Grimm Dairy, AuroraSr. 2-Yr Old (4)1.Voskamp Debonais Haylie-Red, Vos-kamp Farms, Mt. Vernon; 2. Whitehead Astro Coco, Bailee Whitehead; 3. C-Beauty Prentice Patsy, Nancy Jackson, CairoJr. 3-Yr Old (3)1.L&M Rampage Red Apple-Red, Cole McMullin, Sedalia; 2. Ms Highlane Zenith Ashlyn, Josh & Amber Highfill; 3. U-Mo Sprite Camden, University of Missouri, ColumbiaSr. 3-Yr Old (5)1.Wrightvale JL Aspen Jewelry, Larry & Jodi Wright, Clever; 2. Robthom Linzee

Baxter, Janice Ling, Springfield; 3. Highlane Dundee Kiara, Josh & Amber Highfill, Pleasant HopeIntermediate ChampionW r i g h t v a l e J L A s p e n JewelryRes. Intermediate ChampionRobthom Linzee Baxter4-Yr Old (3)1. Roslem Gibson Marcy, Grace Hil-genberg, Neosho; 2. Robthom Lilah Lou, Kelsey Zydenbos, Sarcoxie; 3. Yortons Adam Halley, Steven Nelson, Grovespring5-Yr Old (3)1. Robthom Rachel Kiel, Janice Ling, Springfield; 2. Ms Hack SS Ella Rae-Red-ET, Nora Hackmann, Marthasville; 3. Lucky-7 Avalanche Reba, Nancy Jackson, CairoAged Cow (2)1.Viethsons Outside Sheryl, Ka-tie Wantland, Niangua; 2. Mik-Nels Lheros Joett, Steven Nelson, Grovespring125,000 lb Class1.Robthom Amarilo Ramses, Jan-ice Ling, Springfield; 2. Mi-Wil Sil-ver Miranda, Scott Wilson, NeoshoSr. & Grand ChampionRoslem Gibson MarcyRes. Sr. & Grand ChampionRobthom Amarilo RamsesBest 3 Females1.Robthom Farm, Springfield; 2. Becky Durst, HugginsProduce of Dam1.Red Apple & Ablaze, Cole McMul-lin, Sedalia; 2. Shannon & Smooch, Candy Durst, Huggins; Blair & Blane, Crystal ChamberlinDaughter/Dam1.Marcy & Gay, Grace Hilgenberg, Neosho; 2. Red Apple & Amanda, Cole McMullin, SedaliaPremier BreederRobthom FarmPremier ExhibitorRobthom FarmHerdsmanship AwardMichelle Ramaeker Eilenstine

Missouri State Fair Intermediate ChampionsRes. Int Champion: Robthom Linzee BaxterInt. Champion: Wrightvale JL Aspen Jewelry

Missouri State Fair Junior ChampionsRes. Jr Champion: Redcarpet Kbbrx Target-ET

Jr Champion: Wrightvale E Elvis Datoma

Missouri State Fair Queen Emily Woods presents Stacy Dohle with the 2012 Missouri State Fair Dedication Award.

Missouri State Fair Honors DohleStacy Dohle was recognized as the 2012 Missouri State Fair Dairy Dedication Award. The award presented annually recognizes a farm or person for their contribution and support of the Mis-souri State Fair. For the past 10 years, Dohle has been the force behind the best ice cream and grilled cheese sand-wiches at the Fair. As the Program Man-ager, Integrated Communications for Midwest Dairy Association, Dohle works to promote the dairy industry through the dairy products served at the Gerken Dairy Center and the milking demon-strations and dairy exhibit herd. Dohle and her husband Dean and son Grant also own and operated Starstruck Jer-sey Farm in Pleasant Hope, Missouri.


2012 Missouri Holstein Field Day & FuturitySaturday, Oct. 13

Directions: US-65 south of I-44 to Kearney Street Exit. Travel east on Kearney Street to N. LeCompte Rd. Turn South on LeCompte Rd. Cross railroad tracks and turn East on E. Farm Road 116. Travel two miles to farm on left or North side of road.

Hosted by

10:00 am Registration & Welcome12:00 Noon 3 Yr Holstein Futurity(cattle in Futurity may arrive at Robthom on Thursday, Oct. 11)

12:30 Lunch with Door Prizes

Check Out the Herd!Robthom is one of the oldest Registered Holstein herds in Missouri. With a BAA of 108.2; 18 multiple ‘E’ cows; 34 Excellents and 81 Very Goods

Judging ContestsTest your skills with some of Robthom’s show winning animals, including 21 living animals that have placed 1st at the Missouri State Fair or Spring Show

Check out the Herd - Visit with Friends - Enjoy the Futurity

Udder Health & SCCDr. Barry Steevens will address ideal udder health and ways to get your SCC under 400,000

Android app for PC DartMark Witherspoon, of Mid-South DHIA will demonstrate the benefits of the new app that will bring your PC Dart to your phone!

Ideal Healthy HoofHoof Trimmer Kary Crumpley will feature how trimming benefits the hoof

Visit with Vendors & Exhibitors


Experience the 2012 National Holstein Convention through the Camera’s Eye!

Pre-Convention ToursA float trip and time spent fishing in Bran-son kicked off the Con-vention activities. They were followed by tours to Best-Sunrise Dairy, the DFA New Prod-ucts Lab, Laura In-gells Wilder Home and the Precious Moments Chapel. Guests had the chance to relax, have some fun and see some of the best Mis-souri has to offer.

Host Day ToursThe host day tours picked up where pre-convention left off with farm tours to Robthom Farms and Groves-View Dairy. Along the way were stops at Bass Pro Shops and PFI Western Wear. Lunch at the College of the Ozarks and a chance to tour the beautiful campus was a high-light for many. The day was capped with a din-ner show aboard the Branson Belle Show-boat. For those young at heart, the day was spent enjoying the fun and festivities at Silver Dollar City.

Family NightA classic Chevy car show greeted guests as they entered Hammons Field for the night. The mechancial bull and obstacle course provided thrills while videos from Pop Noggins provided lasting entertainment. For the sporting at heart, the Home Run Derby was won by Tim Borman.

BanquetThe banquet was a fitting conclusion. Convention Chairman Barry Steevens and the late Darryl Robertson were presented with the Missouri Distin-guished Service Award.


Convention SaleFrom Lot 1 magically rising to the stage, the Convention sale was a spectacle to behold. Earlier, pre-sale mu-sic from the Bontrager family provided a great opening act. As the gavel dropped on the last animal, the 103 lots averaged $12,671. Topping the sale at $70,000 was Cook-iecutter Epic Hadele-ET. She was purchased by Daisy Dairy, Paris, Texas, the volume buy-er of the night.

JuniorsFrom dancing in a cave to competitions, the Juniors kept busy. The kick-off luncheon featured KC Wolf, the mascot of the KC Chiefs. Missouri won the battle to claim ‘Penny’, in penny fun-draising war. A high-light for many was the dance held in Fantastic Caverns. It was a ‘cool’ evening! The Junior banquet was a hit with Miss Oklahoma.

It’s Been a Tough 2012 Growing Season - What Can We Do Now?


With the extreme drought dairymen have been facing this year, the Mid-States focuses this issue of the roundtable on areas that may be able to help dairymen. Participating in the roundtable are Mike Brouk from Kansas State; MU Dairy Spe-cialist Tony Rickard; Bruce Tencleve, Co-ordinator of Dairy and Poultry, Arkansas Farm Bureau; and Matt Waldron, from the University of Missouri.What should dairymen do about the nitrate level in their feed? Brouk: First, test. If you have not chopped, select 10-15 of the most drought stressed stalks and cut the bottom 12 inches of the stalks off and send to the lab for analysis. The most drought stressed and the lower portion of the stalk will have the greatest nitrate content. If this test comes back negative, the field is likely okay. If posi-tive, this will likely be a higher level than the field average. If at all possible, ensile forages with high nitrate levels. This will reduce the nitrate level by 30-70%. Re-check the silage after fermentation.Rickard: TEST! Most forage tested this summer, using a qualitative test, has indicated the presence of high levels of nitrates. However, a summary of over 100 Missouri corn silage samples submitted to a northern laboratory has not indicated any problems. Fortunately, when high ni-trate feed is allowed to ensile we typically see a loss of 30-50% of the nitrates. But, to be on the safe side all of our problem forages should have a quantitative test for nitrates. The $8-10 cost is low compared to the loss of a calf or death.Tencleve: Forages that contain high nitrate levels can be diluted in the diet with grains or with other forages that are chopped and mixed as a complete ration. Feeding grain in combination with high nitrate feeds helps reduce the effect of the nitrate content. Cattle losses to nitrate toxicity usually occur in hungry cattle that have not had time for some adjust-ment to feeds with potentially toxic levels of nitrates. Feed long stem forages such as wheat or oat that contain high amounts of nitrate in limited amounts several times daily rather than feeding large amounts once or twice daily. In addition, long stem hays suspected of nitrates can be fed in combination with hay low in nitrate to dilute the nitrate intake with little risk of nitrate problems. Livestock should have access to clean water at all times.Waldron: Yes, they need to be concerned, but in most cases the concern is manage-able. The number one thing producers can do to address this concern is testing for nitrate levels. Through a good testing program, they should be able to manage problem feedstuffs and alleviate concerns relating to nitrates. Depending on the farm, the amount of plant stress, the type of forage, the amount of the particular forage in the diet and the feeding strategy (TMR versus component offerings), will dictate how aggressive the testing program for a particular farm should be. When in doubt, test - test forages at harvest, test forages at feed-out, test forages from known problem fields or from areas of a field that have been more stressed than others (especially if they will be fed in a way that those problem areas are not diluted with low-nitrate feeds). If forages are still growing at this time, beware of rains – they can cause nitrates to rapidly accumulate to even higher levels in the plant for the next week or so after a significant rain.

Is Alfatoxin a concern? Brouk: Aflatoxin has been detected in some corn samples. Amounts have been variable. For dairy, the total ration needs to be less than 20 ppb. Keep in mind that aflatoxin could be found in other diet ingredients like corn silage, whole cotton-seed, distillers grains, etc. Just checking and considering the level found in corn grain may not ensure that the total diet is below 20 ppb. General recommendation for lactating dairy cows is to avoid feeding grain that has more than 20 ppb aflatoxin.Rickard: Reports have come in of over 100 ppb in corn grain, where 20 ppb is the acceptable level. All corn purchased or raised should be tested. The toxicology laboratory at the University of Missouri has only had two corn silage samples submit-ted for analysis at the time of this writing, and even though both proved negative, they anticipate many positive results, so silage should also be tested. Similar to the grain analysis, proper sampling technique is critical for reliable results. If afflation is present the only answer is purchase clean feed or dilution in the diet.Tencleve: The widespread drought condi-tions in Arkansas and surrounding states could have resulted in some of the corn be-ing contaminated with aflatoxin. Though there is reason for concern, problems with aflatoxin can be avoided with proper cau-tion. The simplest method for lowering the level of aflatoxin in feed is to blend down the contaminated corn with clean corn or other feed ingredients to dilute the level that is in the total ration or grain mix. There are no clear-cut safe levels estab-lished for feeding aflatoxin-contaminated feed to different animal species regarding their resistance or tolerance to aflatoxin. Lactating dairy cows should not receive more than 20 ppb of aflatoxin because of the possibility of going above the 0.5 ppb level in the milk.Waldron: There are two different sce-narios we need to be concerned with – first with feed purchased off the farm, and sec-ond, with home grown feeds. With feeds purchased off-farm, the best solution is to buy from a known vendor that is vigilant about testing their grain products. This is not necessarily a guarantee that you will not bring aflatoxin onto the farm, but you certainly can lower your risk by going with a known vendor who you trust. In short, purchase from vendors who have a manda-tory testing and rejection program for the grains that they buy to make your feeds. Regarding homegrown grain or corn silage, producers must thoroughly scout their fields. It is not sufficient to just spot-check corn fields for moldy ears. Each field should be thoroughly scouted in many locations, ears checked, and (green/gray) molds noted. Work with your agro-nomic advisor to determine an appropriate scouting strategy for your acreage. Do not comingle aflatoxin contaminated corn with clean corn, and as seems to be the theme this year, test, test, test. Last week we heard that Iowa was going to be increas-ing their milk testing for aflatoxin; other states will follow suit and you need to be vigilant that aflatoxin is not a problem in milk leaving your farm.What alternative feeds are available that dairymen should be considering?Brouk: Looking ahead, we will likely have short forage supplies for the next 10 months or longer, depending on forage harvest next spring and early summer.

Because of the price of grains, by-products will be expensive but are still an alterna-tive as a partial replacement of forage. Consider feeding some lower cost forage such as straw, corn stalks or sorghum stalks. For heifers, dry cows and even limited amounts in lactating cow diets may stretch the supply of higher quality corn silage and alfalfa hayRickard: There are many types avail-able, but perhaps the question should be “which ones fit the needs of your feeding program?” The following link allows you to compare the relative value of various feeds that might be considered, http://agebb.missouri.edu/dairy/byprod/energygain.asp. However, if your forages are low qual-ity, selecting an alternative feed based strictly on its price or feed value might not be prudent, when what you need is a feed higher in starch. It is critical that you work with your consultant or feed company to develop a ration that meets the require-ments of the animals, even though it might be a bit higher priced.Tencleve: The drought is creating signifi-cant challenges for dairy farmers and their herds. There are some possible strategies producers can consider to reduce the financial impacts of the drought. Use non-forage fiber sources in dairy diets. Al-though some effective fiber is necessary in a dairy cow’s diet, non-fiber feed sources, such as soybean hulls, corn gluten feed, cottonseed hulls and wheat midds can help meet the animal’s fiber requirements while still maintaining production and health. Some less expensive effective fiber such as straw or low-quality hay may be added.Waldron: This is the type of year when producers are going to be trying many different potential feeds in order to cut costs and stretch farm feed inventories. Traditional byproducts that have been fed are beet pulp, citrus pulp, whole cotton-seed, cottonseed meal, cottonseed hulls, cotton burr or gin trash, soybean hulls, wheat midds, various bran products, corn gluten feed, rice straw, brewer’s grains, and distiller’s grains. These are all viable options again this year; however, this is by no means an exhaustive list. Any product that is free from toxins, is poten-tially digestible by rumen microbes, has a consistent nutrient profile, and exists in sufficient supply that it is worth substitut-ing in the diet should be considered. In different parts of the country, many other byproducts are fed to dairy cattle – some are partial forage replacements, others are great at replacing grain fractions. I always find enjoyment in going to other parts of the country, or the world, and investigating their commodity sheds to see what they are feeding to their animals – the results are often surprising. Is your imagination limiting your ingredient selection? In the end, it’s all about digestible nutrients that a potential ingredient can supply and not about “feeds”.Is it economically wise to sacrifice milk production for low quality/low cost for-ages and feedstuffs?Brouk: Producers need to look for a “best cost” ration, not the cheapest ration. You can use income over feed cost as a mea-sure. For every $0.50 reduction in daily feed cost per cow, milk production should not drop by more than 2.8lbs/cow when milk is worth $18.00/cwt. Larger drops in milk will actually result in less net rev-enue. Look for ways to group cattle and utilize high quality forages on those cows


that will produce the most milk. Also keep in mind that every lb of peak milk produc-tion is equal to about 300 lbs on the whole lactation. Feeding for less milk in early lactation can significantly reduce milk production for the next several months. My concern is that many of our feeding decisions may be driven by the available cash, not the most economical ration. Without access to cash to purchase feeds, many dairymen will be forced in a situation where they will feed cheaper diets resulting in significant decreases in milk production. The result will be less net income and a worse economic position for the dairyRickard: “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later” certainly pertains to the current situation. Energy intake is almost always the most limiting factor for pro-duction. If one takes draconian measures that significantly lowers energy intake, you will pay for it in loss of production, reproduction and body weight. Not only will it affect the current lactation, but the next one as well. Try to feed a minimum of 10-15 pounds of high quality alfalfa and use as good a grass forage you can. Add fat or whole cottonseed to increase the energy density to counteract the lower quality forages. Fat has 2.25 times the energy of carbohydrate or protein. Tencleve: It may not be wise to do but completely understandable by struggling producers. Not being in the milking busi-ness, that decision has to be measured in the bottom line. Can you afford to feed the same more expensive ration to maintain milk production or should you use a lower cost ration but suffer in milk production? Producers are doing their best to stay in business and at the end of the day this question has to be measured by ‘how deep into their pocket do they have to reach’ to survive another day. There will have to be some creativity in putting together rations to survive in the coming months.Waldron: Each farm situation is different, so never say “never”, but typically speak-ing, paying for quality feeds pays for itself. We don’t need to always try to maximize milk yield, but we should be striving to optimize it. Often there are diminishing returns when we spend for feed in order to get the very last drop of milk out of the cows. However, even in times where milk and feed prices seem inverted, it will usu-ally still be cost effective to maintain herd nutrition such that milk yield stays at least within a few percentage points of where it was when times were good. Once the cow’s maintenance requirements are met, each pound of quality dry matter she consumes should result in a return of 2-3 pounds of milk. Even if your TMR is costing you 30 cents per pound, quality feed is still paid for if milk is $15-20/cwt. We need to be a bit careful here because this is a bit of an oversimplification – we can’t afford to just swap feed costs for milk receipts and expect to stay in business long-term, but the point remains, good quality feeds (digestible forages and overall diets with balanced nutrient profiles to meet the stage of production), are a sound investment. Along these lines, remember that we aren’t just feeding these cows for today’s milk check; we are also feeding her for future profitability (think reproduction).What can the dairyman do to try and improve reproduction following the prolonged heat and drought?Brouk: It has been a tough summer to obtain pregnancies in most dairy herds. I think a dairyman needs to really look at the open cows in the herd, especially those

animals over 150 DIM. Based on cull cow prices and heifer prices, it might be time to do some culling and possibly purchas-ing. Dairymen will need a good supply of milk in the coming months. Cows that are open more than 150 should be considered for culling under the current economic conditions.Rickard: According to Dr. Scott Poock, MU Ext. Vet., the heat, drought and low quality feed its going to impact reproduc-tion in a number of ways. Producers will see a decrease in conception rates, more open cows, more Early Embryonic Deaths and abortions. Cows may transition fine, but lower energy will delay cyclicity, thus decreasing conception rates and increas-ing days. Tencleve: The tell-tale signs are there: fewer cows showing signs of estrus, in-consistent heats, more cows open after insemination. Heat stress is starting to take a toll on your herd’s reproductive per-formance. Heat stress can have long-term effects on conception and pregnancy rates, lower milk production and increase health problems, resulting in lowered profitability. Producers can mitigate some negative effects of summer heat with proper cow comfort, nutrition and reproductive man-agement. Combating the symptoms of heat stress requires focus on improving detection of estrus and managing heat-stress-related embryonic mortality. Keep cows comfortable. Shade, water availabil-ity, air movement and sprinklers are key to cooling cows. Focus on nutrition. Properly balanced rations provide adequate energy to reduce problems of herd health and reproduction associated with decreased DMI during heat stress. Heat detection aids. Summer weather makes a convincing argument to utilize detection aids, includ-ing tail chalk, tail patches and pedometers. Timed A.I. is particularly useful to bypass the often nonexistent signs of estrus. Waldron: There is certainly the potential for decreased reproductive efficiency to follow the current challenges we are fac-ing. However, unless we are planning on exiting the business in the next month or two, we need to be thinking about the future today. We need to be feeding and managing to succeed long-term. As is the case for any business owner during a chal-lenging period, these are the times to do your best work – the most successful will focus on efficiency and doing things right rather than making excuses, blaming oth-ers, or just generally giving up when things get tough. Now is the time to buckle down and focus on those aspects of management that might not necessarily cost you a lot, but might significantly improve operations, production efficiency or profitability. This has been a very hot year; however, the cows in much of Missouri are telling us it wasn’t as bad as we think it was. There apparently has been one bright spot relating to the drought – the dry air that has been centered over the state has been just that – dry! Humidity has been very low by Missouri standards and the cows are telling us that. Despite record temperatures, July 2012 milk production per cow in MO was up 7.6% compared to a year ago. Now, certainly we need to be careful what we compare things to – last summer was a tough summer, but overall I am really happy with the way cows have performed in MO, not just compared to last year, but within a herd compared to the rest of the year. So that just a long way to say, “if the

cows didn’t think the heat was that bad, perhaps we have at least a small reason to be cautiously optimistic for fertility this year compared to others”. Now, that is the effect of heat alone (mostly in confine-ment herds where nutrition was reason-ably maintained). In those herds where nutrition dried up quality feed supplies and poor quality forages had to be fed, fertility may suffer. Similarly, in herds where summer feeding remained reason-able, but we have now burned through our winter feed supply and face feeding poor quality forages throughout the Fall and/or winter, future reproductive efficiency could suffer. What can we do? First is to acknowledge the problem. Next, is to resolve ourselves to overcome the chal-lenge the best we can. Again, this means rededicating ourselves to do the best job possible, 1) Support reproduction through nutrition, 2) Be thorough in vetting your feed sources (internal and external) – we don’t need negative influences of nitrates or mycotoxins complicating the situation, 3) Whatever, your reproductive manage-ment scheme, do it the best you possibly can - whether this is the timeliness of in-jections, estrus detection, paying attention to the bull to cow ratio, or record keeping. Many variables can influence reproductive success and help determine whether you are minimizing the effects of the current situation, or whether you are making the current struggles worse.With rainfall from Hurricane Isaac, what can dairymen do to try and in-crease their fall/winter feedstuffs?Brouk: Winter annuals (wheat, rye, barley, triticale, etc) can be excellent choices for forage this fall and next spring. Maybe graze some this fall and then harvest either hay or silage in the spring. One could also graze both fall and spring.Rickard: Winter annuals are a viable al-ternative producers should consider. Typi-cally they should be planted by the first to mid-September in Missouri. Plantings after October 1 may not result in much growth, although a mild winter would be very beneficial. Estimated fall dry matter yields for popular annuals would be: cereal rye, 1.5T/A; oats, 2T/A; wheat, 1T/A; and turnips, 3T/A. Tencleve: In Arkansas, fall pastures are not planted until late September but many are planting early to potential get earlier grazing. Isaac brought the western side less than 2” of rain while many on the east-ern side of the state received 4 to 8 inches. If moisture is sufficient to produce a crop of fall pasture, producers may buy some time on an already short supply of hay. Waldron: Although we can’t say with certainty how long our Fall growing season will last until this year, based on typical weather patterns, we still have a good po-tential to plant and harvest forages. There are several options, but at MU Foremost Dairy, we will be planting oats to put up as silage. We don’t expect oats to persist through normal winters in most of MO, but they can be a great Fall hay or silage crop if we need extra forage to help stretch us through the winter. For lactat-ing cows, harvest oats for forage at the late boot stage; you will sacrifice a little ton-nage, but the energy to support good milk yield will be more available. For dry cows and heifers, harvest a little later, say milk to soft-dough stage. Please remember, oats will go from boot stage to soft-dough very quickly, so be ready to stay aware of crop maturity in the field and be ready to “pull the trigger” for harvest. Certainly

oats are not the only option for Fall harvest (barley, rye, wheat, and triticale all have good potential), but given where we are on the calendar, I like the aggressive growth of oats in the cooler Fall weather coupled with the nutritive value when harvested at the proper stage of maturity. How should the government help?Rickard: Joe Horner, MU Ag. Economist recently suggested: emergency feed loans, emergency cost share on forage purchases for this winter, low interest loans and cost share on forage storage similar to that on grain storage structures and add cull cows to the USDA purchases to hold up cull cow values this fall.Tencleve: The government had put in some $5 million in drought assistance. The major problem with that was that $52 million in assistance was requested. Arkansas governor put an additional $2 million for drought assistance and nearly 4,000 producers asked for that assistance. Needless to say although any and all help is appreciated, neither program had enough money to provide much help to producers. Arkansas representatives have ‘indicated’ that when they return to Washington they would work on additional money for drought assistance. Waldron: Our producers have received some decent assistance from the govern-ment so far. It started out being completely insufficient, but eventually (partially due to vocal participation of producers in the state) it has gotten to the point of a respect-able response. Is it adequate, probably not, but I also think the response is not over yet. Exactly what we should be doing is dif-ficult to say and within our industry, many are divided over what to do specifically as it relates to the drought. But also on the big-ger landscape of the industry, addressing price volatility. I’m not an policy expert, but here are a couple of my desires, 1) Have politicians do what they are supposed to do – face tough issues head on, work through disagreements, and find a common path forward – everyone shouldn’t win, everyone shouldn’t lose, but if they work through the issues methodically with a spirit of coop-erativeness, progress will be made, and 2) Let’s get harvest numbers in, but then the ethanol mandate needs to be reconsidered in light of grain inventories this year.If the drought continues to next year, how can dairymen prepare?Brouk: For most dairymen, they raise a significant partition of the forage and may-be some of the grain consumed by the herd. In the current economic environment, what a dairyman can produce will cost less out of pocket than purchasing feedstuffs. Focus on getting maximum production on the acres under your control and strive to increase the quality as much as possible. This will likely have the greatest impact on reducing overall feed cost and could actu-ally increase milk production. Consider alternative crops like bmr sorghum rather than corn silage on some of the dry land acres. Double cropping may also help in-crease total forage production or allow for more acres for grain production.Rickard: Become more efficient is the pat answer most would give, but what dairy has not already implemented those mea-sures due to past economic conditions? When was the last time you revisited your business plan? What are your objec-tives? Is it to sell breeding stock, milk or a combination? Are you overstocked for the capability of your farm to support a major portion of your feedstuffs during condi-

tions we have experienced or do you have a contingency plan for acquiring additional feed. Consider making arrangements with a neighbor for corn you will purchase for silage, based on a price mutually agreed on before planting season. Feed is the major cost of production and is the factor needing serious consideration for next year.Tencleve: Year after year producers are asked to give more while getting very little. I am sure that no producer has any mar-ginal cows in their herds. With cull cow prices where they have been, no one should have that below average cow. Dairy pro-ducers are survivalists and have displayed much resilience during these most difficult times. Some producers will unfortunately get out of the dairy business while others will survive to fight another day. This na-tion has to get a milk marketing system that works for everyone, not just a few.Waldron: This is a good question, and I do believe we need to think like the drought will continue next year. It seems like ev-erything goes in cycles and we know that is true for weather. We have a much better understanding of some variables in our weather cycles (El Niño, La Niña, etc.), but meteorologists’ ability to accurately model and predict more than about a week in advance is an imperfect science, at best. Given the way we saw the drought progress this year from 2011, and thinking of what I’ve read regarding the dust bowl years and other less severe drought periods, I wonder if we will see another year or two of dryer than normal conditions. This opinion is obviously just my speculation, but I think we need to be prepared. I think we need to take advantage of Spring and Fall forages, and store them – don’t just graze them. I think that pasture-based dairies need to think a little more like hybrid (grazing + confinement) dairies – don’t just store forages for the winter months, put up lactation-quality forages to get you through an extra couple of months per year. Yes, this will add to your operating costs, but it will be a good insurance policy in the dry years and give you management flexibility (or at least another source of potential income) in the normal years. Confinement dairies that have tradition-ally just relied on traditional hay crops and corn silage need to also take advantage of these (potentially) moist (Spring and Fall) growing seasons as well. Another alter-native that I would like for confinement dairies to consider is to put up enough forages for 14-15 months one year. In so doing, if the next year is dry and you can’t harvest enough forages, you have enough forage stockpiled from the previous year to get by if the weather doesn’t cooperate and yields are low. If that next year is a good year, well, now you have enough of a forage inventory to let your new crop fully “cook” before you start feeding it. The formal fer-mentation phase of silage may only be 2-3 weeks long, but experienced nutritionists believe that silage isn’t at its best until it has been in the silo for 60-90 days. Note, if each year is a reasonably good forage year, you only need to harvest extra forage that first year, each year after that, all you need to do is harvest enough for 12 months. We talked about the positives – insurance forage for a poor crop year and increased forage quality by only feeding silage that has steeped for 60-90 days. What are the negatives? First, you will have to put up an extra 2-3 months of forage one year – this is obviously an expense. Second, you will be carrying that extra feed inventory on your

books. Finally, logistics of those extra 2-3 months of forage can be difficult; Very often there just isn’t space for it, or it is difficult to manage when you have 2-3 months of forage left at the time when you are ready to store your new crop. This last obstacle can be overcome by having the extra forage in bags, having extra silo space, or having a (bunk or pile) silo that can efficiently be accessed for feedout from both ends.Looking into your crystal ball, what will the next 12 months bring for the dairy industry?Brouk: I look for some major changes in the dairy industry. Tough economic times will likely result in fewer cows and a decrease in milk production. We will exit this time with stronger dairies and will be better equipped to meet future challenges. A reduction in the number of dairies and a reduction in the number of cows does not mean that the industry becomes weaker. We have and will have lots of opportunities for young people to enter the dairy indus-try. We need to focus on those things that we can change and control. I would expect a more favorable economic environment 12 months from now. The key is getting across the great divide. Controlling ex-penditures while maximizing economical milk production will be an important part of making the transition. Rickard: Much better milk prices. Dairy cow numbers will be declining, we have been pulling heifers into beef feedlots for 9 months already and low energy forages will reduce production. Producers can expect $22-25 per cwt for the next 12 months.Tencleve: I don’t really think anyone can accurately answer that question. Dairy-men have been at the end of their ropes for some time now. While other sectors of agriculture have stayed above water, dairy has been hit from all sides. Corn and soy-beans doing great – dairyman pay higher prices for feed input. No hay to be found or if you do find hay you cannot afford it. Milk prices in the ‘tank’ but the consumer pay more for it at retail. NOTHING adds up to be good for dairy. According to the USDA cow numbers are a ‘little’ down but milk production is up. The United States has a proposed farm bill that I am convinced will not help all dairyman. You can bet that some producers won’t make it through these most difficult times. Others will decide it’s not worth loosing anymore. I don’t have that crystal ball but if I did it would probably be fuzzy. Waldron: Unfortunately, I believe it is going to be difficult. I don’t see feed prices dropping to reasonable levels for at least 16 months and perhaps 28 months is more re-alistic. I think one of our main challenges is that we just didn’t have long enough to recover from 2009 and 2010. To make matters worse, even 2011 was not a kind year to those depending on grass under drought conditions in many parts of our state. Unfortunately, I think the reality will be that unless there is some type of a res-cue program, it is going to be very difficult for many dairy farms in MO to survive the environment of the next 12 months. Many of those that do come out the other side will need a few good years to recover financial stability. For many established farms time will be tough, however, there will be some advantages for those lucky enough to be in a strong financial position. Replacement prices and perhaps prices for lactating cows will be reasonable, and if one is in a strong financial position, such that lenders will even look at you, interest rates look attractive for the foreseeable future.


He was united in marriage to Ann Long on August 6, 1965. Gene was raised and worked on the dairy farm. He and Ann lived on his family’s Century Farm where they continued working side by side for 46 years. Gene was a hard worker but also enjoyed fishing. He was a member of St. Peter’s UCC in Billings. Gene’s parents and a sister, Kay Elizabeth Pitts, preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Ann; a daughter and her husband, Susan Staiger and Daniel Wilkins; two grandchildren, Brady and Brittany, all of New Braunfels, TX; a brother-in-law, Jim Pitts, Nixa, MO; a niece, Amy Pitts; a nephew, Brian Pitts; other relatives and many friends. Funeral services were held July 16, 2012 in Billings. Memorial contributions are suggested to the St. Peter’s UCC Wycliffe Fund. Cards may be sent to Ann Staiger at 1574 Staiger Rd, Billings, MO 65610

William Floyd McLeanWilliam Floyd McLean, age 78, of Rogersville, MO passed away July 26, 2012 in Mercy Hospital. Floyd was born November 30, 1933 in Springfield, MO to the late Frank and Georgia McLean. He graduated from Seymour High School in 1952. He was united in marriage to Marilyn Ann Carpenter in 1954. He started dairy farming in 1951 in Sey-mour with his mother and twin brother, Lloyd. He continued farming until 1997 when he retired to a small farm in Rogersville where he enjoyed raising beef cattle and baling hay for himself and his neighbors. He loved life, including his John Deere tractors, and will be missed by many. He was preceded in death by his parents; his two sisters, Dorothy and Hazel; and his brother Jim. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Marilyn; his two daugh-ters, Linda Whitman and husband Rick of Kansas City, MO, and Julie McGuire and husband Mark of Rogersville; his three grandchildren, Chad Whitman and his wife Laura of San Jose, CA, Kalie McGuire, and James McGuire of Rogersville, MO; his sister Frankie Botts and husband Paul; and his brother Lloyd and his wife Eileen. Funeral services were July 31, 2012 in Springfield. Online condolences may be made atwww.greenlawnfuneralhome.com.

Keith EngleKeith R. Engle passed away Friday, August 17, 2012 at the En-

terprise Estates in Enterprise, Kansas. Funeral service were held August 25 in Abilene, Kan-sas. Mr. Engle was born February 4, 1929 on the family farm near Abilene the son of Grant and Mabel (Robson) Engle. Keith graduated from Abilene High School in 1947 and was a retired registered Holstein dairy farmer and beekeeper in the Abilene area. Keith had served on the Boards of Turkey

Creek Watershed, Kansas Bible Camp, Rural Center School, and Newbern Cemetery; was a member of the North Central Kansas Beekeeping and Kansas Holstein Breeders Associations, and served as a Holland Sunflowers 4-H Club Leader. He attended Grace & Truth Gospel Chapel his entire life and enjoyed sharing poetry, stories, and songs to numerous community groups. Keith also coached Rural Center Softball for many years and enjoyed barbershop quartets. On August 15, 1949 he married Cleo Barten in Abilene. Sur-vivors include his daughters Lynette and husband Mark Stanger of Abilene, Debbie and husband Scott Tillotson of Ellinwood; his son Tim and wife Sherri Engle of Manhattan; sisters Eloise and husband Kevin Dyer of Arlington Heights, Illinois, Elaine and husband Charlie Corkill of Kansas City, Kansas, Jan and hus-band Ken Horst of Newton, Kansas; six grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Cleo on March 25, 1986; his son Daniel on March 31, 2007; and his brother Kenneth Engle. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dickinson County 4-H Foundation, the Kansas Bible Camp, or to Immanuel Mission and may be sent in care of the Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home 414 NW 3rd, Abilene, Kansas 67410. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mbcfh.com.

Robin D. LeachRobin D. Leach passed away June 16, 2012 at the University of Kansas Medical Center Cardiac Unit with his family at his side. Funeral services were held June 20 in Lawrence. Robin was born on September 21, 1939 in Lawrence, KS, the son of Joyce and Grace Stan-wix Leach. He was a dairyman, farmer, and realtor. He founded Lin-Crest Farms in rural Linwood and was still active there in the farming operation and the breeding of registered Holstein cattle. In

real estate, he was still actively involved in the sale of land and residential properties with the Coldwell Banker Griffith& Blair firm. Robin served in the Kansas Legislature as a State Representa-tive of the 46th and 47th districts from 1976-1988. While he was in the Kansas House, he once testified as a Kansas Representa-tive to the Senate Agriculture Committee in Washington, D.C. He maintained a strong interest in politics his entire adult life. He was a member of the Perry Christian Church and the Kan-sas Board of Realtors. He was a lifetime member of the Kansas Holstein Association. He was a sports enthusiast, especially those of his grandchildren’s athletic activities. Mr. Leach married Lana McCarter on July 31, 1959 in Perry, KS. She survives of the home. Other survivors include one son, Rob (wife, Lisa) Leach, Lin-wood, KS; a daughter, Chris (husband, Brian) Hahn, Linwood, KS; five grandchildren: Taylor Leach, Jake Hahn, Erin Leach, Anna Hahn and Sophie Leach. The family suggests memorials in his name to the Kansas Junior Holstein Association and may be sent in care of the mor-tuary. Online condolences may be sent to www.warrenmcelwain.com.

Gene StaigerGene E. Staiger, age 68, Billings, MO, passed away Thursday, July 12 ,2012 at his home with family at his side. He was born November 21,194 in Aurora, MO, to Oscar Frederich “Fritz” and Lucille E. (Zoller) Staiger.


Upcoming Drought Teleconferences The University of Missouri Extension Commercial Agriculture will host toll-free teleconferences throughout the Fall pertaining to the current drought and conditions. The first call was held on August 27, with future calls scheduled through October. Those calls are planned every two weeks on the dates listed below. The speakers and topics will be determined closer to each call.

MO Dairies Dealing with Drought Teleconference12:00 Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Toll Free Dial-In Number is: 888-861-1255Participant PIN is: 236158 #

Monday, September 10thMonday, September 24th

Monday, October 8thMonday, October 22nd

For more information, contact Joe Horner, Extension Econo-mist, 573-882-9339 or email:[email protected]

Exploring Feeding AlternativesThe Unveristy of Missouri Commercial Agriculture Program, the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council and the Missouri Cattle-men’s Association are partnering to demonstrate alternative feeding options available to cattlmen across the state. For more information, contact Commercial Ag at 573-882-4553. The scheduled dates are: 9 am Sept. 18 - MU Thompson Farm, Spickard 6 pm Sept. 20 - MU Beef Research Farm, Columbia 9 am Sept. 25 - MU Forage Systems Center, Linneus 6 pm Sept. 27 - Triple V Farms, Perryville

Future JuniorsMatt and Becky Moreland of Harrisonville, MO welcome their first daughter, Kinze Lee Moreland on Sunday, August 26, 2012. Proud grandmother is Marilyn Moreland of Harrisonville.

Juniors - Jot it Down...


2012 National Holstein Jr Convention

New DJM Applications AvailableHolstein Association USA’s 2013 Distinguished Junior Mem-ber (DJM) and Young Distinguished Junior Member (YDJM) applications are now available at www.holsteinusa.com/ju-niors. Entry materials must be postmarked by March 1, 2013, to be eligible. Following recommendations from the Junior Advisory Committee, applications for both the DJM and YDJM contests have been significantly revamped. Many sections were combined or shortened, reducing the total length of the re-quired entry portfolio.

Digital Scrapbook Winners: 1st place Missouri; 2nd Florida; 3rd Iowa.

Folding Display Contest, Jr. Cre-ative Division: 2nd place Katelyn McClellan, MO; 3rd Rosie Lenz, MO

Int. Jeopardy 1st Megan Rauen, 2nd Andy Sell, 3rd Bailee WhiteheadJr. Division Speech 2nd place: Lora Wright

Missouri Dairy Bowl Team: Steven Nelson, Austin Moreland,

Jake Lenz, Jacob Peters

Great group of Kansas JuniorsMissouri Juniors with ‘Penny’

Junior Chairman Janice Perry and MO President Brit-

tany Groves

Missouri State Fair Youth ShowGrand & Sr. Champion: Roslem Gibson Marcy 1st 4-Yr Old, Grace Hilgenberg, NeoshoRes. Grand & Res. Sr. Champ: Ms Hack SS Ella Rae-Red 1st 5-Yr Old, Nora Hackmann, MarthasvilleInt. Champion, L&M Rampage Red Apple-Red 1st Jr. 3-Yr Old, Cole McMullin, SedaliaRes. Int. Champion, C-Beauty Prentice Patsy 1st Sr. 2-Yr Old, Nancy Jackson, CairoJunior Champion: Lin-Max-JM Pronto Noel 1st Wtr Yrlg, Lora Wright, CleverRes. Jr Champion: Hack Talent Ms Daisy 2nd Wtr Yrlg, Nora Hackmann, MarthasvilleSr. Showmanship: Steven NelsonJr. Showmanship: Katie WantlandYouth Show Supreme Champion: Roslem Gibson Marcy

Kansas All-Breeds Junior ShowGrand & Sr. Champion: AJ-Schmitz Allen Perfune-ET 1st Aged Cow, Tracy Schmitz, AxtellRes. Sr. Champ: AJ-Schmitz Morty Royal 664 1st 5-Yr Old, Austin Schmitz, AxtellJunior Champion: Jons-HBD Braxton Izzie 1st Fall Calf, Taylor Leach, LinwoodRes. Jr Champion: Paulinn Sanchez MO 804-ET 1st Fall Yrlg, Maggie Seiler, Valley CenterRes. Supreme Champion: AJ-Schmitz Allen Perfume-ET

4 State Dairy Show, Bentonville, ArkGrand & Sr. Champion: Bilinda Blitz, Will Smith, Carlisle, ARGrand & Res. Sr. Champ: C-of-O Advent Rose-TW, Kaitlyn KelleyJunior Champion: Redcarpet Kbbrx Target-ET, Jayden Pritchett, Rose, OKRes. Jr Champion: Bilinda Sanchez, Scott HortonJr. Showmanship: Tanner RiddleSr Showmanship: Jansen Riddle

Missouri State Fair Youth Show Grand Champion &

Supreme Champion

Missouri State Fair Youth Junior Champion

Kansas All-Breeds Junior Show Grand Champion & Res. Supreme Champion

Kansas All-Breeds Junior Supreme Champion

Taylor Leach

BUGG’S DAIRY FARM‘You’re always welcome at the Bugg House’

Bill & Pat Bugg8254 N 2810 Road

Hennessey, OK 73742405-853-2726

Ed & Sue Ann SteeleRt. 4, Box 676ph: 660-679-4477

Jerry & Jeanette KingRt. 4, Box 744ph: 660-679-4669

Rick KingRt. 4, Box 139ph: 660-200-5315

Brett Morris 405-222-2678

Ninnekah, Oklahoma

ROTTINGHAUS HOLSTEIN FARMSeneca, Kansas

David: 785-336-1543 Walt: 785-336-2681

For Sale: Embryos — Bulls — Heifers

Check out our web site: www.rottinghausholsteins.com Jay & Mike MorelandHarrisonville, Missouri - 816-884-4598

MORELAND FARMS

Tom & Angie Meyer

Megan, Lauren,

Joshua & Kristen

Okarche, Oklahoma

405-263-4920

M-6 Dairy Farm LLC


Breeding Age Bulls for Sale Todd 417-880-7012 Brad 417-224-1427

173 County Line Rd - Clinton, Arkansas 72031501-745-7577 (office)501-940-9711 (mobile)

Select SiresMid-America

For all your Select Sires needs in Missouri, contact:Dan Busch, Warrenton, MO 573-289-2058

Matt Drake, Freeman, MO 816-738-1825

Kevin Phillips, Nixa, MO 417-725-0127

Cliff Strieker, Jackson, MO 573-243-1969

DATES TO REMEMBERSept. 20 Columbia, Missouri Feed Alternatives Meeting Sept. 28 Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa State FairOct.2-6 Madison, Wisconsin World Dairy ExpoOct. 13 Springfield, Missouri Missouri Field Day & FuturityOct. 14 Little Rock, Arkansas Arkansas State FairOct. 19 Best-Sunrise Complete Dispesal Houston, MONov. 3 Louisville, Kentucky Grand National Jr Holstein ShowNov. 5 Louisville, Kentucky Mid-East Fall National ShowJan. 25-26, 2013 Springfield, Missouri Missouri Holstein ConventionJuly 7-11 Indianaoplis, Indiana National Holstein Convention

INDEX of ADVERTISERSAccelerated Genetics ..................................................5Best-Sunrise ...............................................................1Borman Farm ........................................................ IBCBuessing, Roy ...........................................................16Buggs Dairy Farm ....................................................15Groves-View Farm .................................................. 16Klassen Dairy ..........................................................16M-6 Dairy .................................................................15Mason Dairy Farm ......................................................3Missouri Field Day ......................................................7Moreland Farms ......................................................15Morrisland Holsteins .................................................15Robthom Farm........................................................ IFCRockwin Dairy .........................................................16Select Sires .............................................................. BCSelect Sires MidAmerica ...........................................16Steele & King Farms ................................................15Strickler Holsteins ...................................................15Whitehead Dairy .....................................................15


Roy Buessing Region 7 Holstein Director

1083 29th Rd, Axtell Ks. 66403 785.736.2766 cell:785.799.4514

[email protected]

Missouri Cow of the Year Nominees Must be Featured in the December Mid-States

Harlan & Judy, 573-642-2767 [email protected] & Kelly, 573-826-0803 [email protected] & Sophia, 573-814-3148 [email protected]

BORMAN FARM4704 County Rd 240, Kingdom City, MO 65262

PBR - 15 yrs Progressive Genetics - 16 yrs BAA: 107.4

This Ruby Still Shines Bright

Robin-Hood Musicmeadow Ruby 2E-92 EEEEE 5-00 365 2x 35,969 4.1 1461 2.9 1066

Lft: 123,650M 4830F 3738PRuby is bred to Armani (Goldwyn x Apple)

A Mich from an EX-93 Emory, Ruby was purchased as a young calf in the Oklahoma State Sale.

She is owned with Henry Zapalac.

Her Granddaughter we’re Developing:KG-HZ Glen Ria G-83@2y

2-01 328 2x 24,556 4.8 1168 3.2 780 IncRia is due in December to Dempsey and

has a 9/11 Sanchez dtr.

Her Granddaughters are going strong for others too:

Coblentz Laurin Sue-ET VG-88@2y2-02 365 3x 29,122 4.5 1321 3.1 912

1st Sr. 2-yr Old, 2011 Southern Spring Nat’lowned by Mason & Tencleve Farms

Coblentz Sanchez Rae VG-86@2y2-03 236 3x 18,767 3.2 608 2.9 550 Inc

owned by Tencleve FarmsThanks to Nathaniel & Rose Garber for purchasing Radine Sanchez Maurine-ET in the National Convention Sale.

Documents

September 2012 Mid-States Holstein News