By Dr. John Goeser
Let’s take a look at the last few months.  First, we had a warm and dry winter.  Next, summer came early in the upper Midwest with March temperatures in the 80s.  Then the chilly temperatures came back for most of April.  We even saw frost return to some areas.  This roller coaster of weather makes us scratch our heads and wonder how the 2012 alfalfa crop will be affected.

Effects on plant growth
With the warm March, we saw early growth of alfalfa across the entire upper Midwest.  According to Dr. Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin-Madison agronomy professor, this early growth will be limited by a couple of factors.  First, this winter’s drought led to low soil moisture.  Second, April’s frost stunted some of the alfalfa crop as well.

But before we go into panic mode, let’s take a step back and assess the situation.

Remember that alfalfa is a very frost-hardy plant.  It takes temperatures below 24 degrees F for more than four hours to freeze alfalfa top growth.  That means the plant will most likely be okay if temperatures stay above that mark or only dip for a small period of time.

That said, if cold enough for long enough, frost can kill the terminal bud of the alfalfa plant (the bud at the top of the stem where new growth occurs) because it’s most exposed to the elements.  The plant will still try to grow even if the terminal bud is killed, but will not grow taller.  It may develop axillary buds at intersections of lower leaves of the stem.  Thus, the plant may continue to grow and produce some additional forage, but yield will be depressed and, at some point, we will need to cut the plant to allow full regrowth (second crop).

Making first crop harvest decisions
Before you decide to cut, slow down and closely monitor plant performance.  We do not recommend harvest at 10 to 12 inches of height unless the plants are completely dead and we really have not seen that kind of total loss in our area.

This year, we’re likely going to have lower yields as plants are shorter, but we’ll probably see improved forage quality.  That’s because forage quality is the ratio of stem tissue to leaf tissue.  This is where the cool weather is actually on our side.  With cooler temperatures, the xylem in the stem won’t grow as thick with lignified tissue, leading to higher NDFD.  Plus, we’ll likely see a greater leaf-to-stem ratio, meaning higher RFQs.

If your fields are damaged, take a closer look; watch plant height and take scissor clippings to assess forage quality.  If PEAQ height doesn’t agree with scissor clip results (e.g. 18-inch height, but 140 RFQ scissor results) and you see a lot of leaves on the ground, your feed value will not improve and it makes sense to cut at that time.  If the leaves are still there, let your fields recover and continue monitoring plant quality over the following week.

Also watch for buds.  The alfalfa plant will stop growing in height when it starts to bud and flower.  This is where you need to combine PEAQ stick measurements (which generally aren’t accurate until the plant reaches 15 to 17 inches in height) with scissor clippings to make an educated decision about harvesting your first crop.  It may make sense to cut the plant at that point and let second crop grow.

Keep in mind, the effects of this spring will likely extend to second and third crop as well because of early injury to the plants and poor stand.

Inoculants are important
When you decide to cut, don’t forget that bacterial inoculants are especially important this year.  The low temperatures will cause a low natural population of Lactobacillus bacteria in the field.  That makes it all the more important to have a known quantity of proven Lactobacillus bacteria applied to the forage when it’s stored.  This will allow for a more rapid fermentation and improved digestibility and palatability.

This year’s weather – and the subsequent effect on alfalfa – is something we haven’t seen before, so we have no precedent for basing our decisions.  Instead, we simply need to monitor plant performance and make our decisions on a case-by-case basis after carefully considering all of the factors.  Your agronomist and nutritionist can help you in this process.

Stay tuned for our next Dairy Performance article when we will discuss other factors affecting the 2012 alfalfa crop.  Click here for a UW Extension technical bulletin from Dr. Dan Undersander regarding frosted alfalfa.  Watch  Dr. Undersander’s recent webinar on alfalfa quality in the video window below.

About the author: Dr. John Goeser is a part of the Vita Plus dairy nutrition and technical services team.  He grew up on his family’s 1,200-cow dairy in eastern Wisconsin.  He earned master’s degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in both plant breeding and genetics and dairy nutrition.  His researched produced a better understanding of how corn silage genetics influence dairy cattle productivity.  He went on to earn his PhD in dairy nutrition and spent five years in research at the university.  His doctorate research developed an improved method for measuring fiber digestibility, which UW-Madison patented and is now being used commercially.  At Vita Plus, Goeser focuses his time on helping dairy customers understand the relationship between forage quality and dairy production, and provides technical support for the Vita Plus team.

By Ann Hoskins

A successful biosecurity plan must address isolation of new animals brought to the farm, isolation of sick animals, regulation of the movement of people, animals, and equipment, and procedures for cleaning and disinfecting facilities.

Maternity area
Let’s start where the calf starts – in the maternity pens. Maternity areas tend to be high traffic areas on most operations. Because vet rooms tend to be in the same area, we often find a sick cow hanging out next door to a maternity pen. Keep calves isolated from the sick cows as those animals can shed pathogens in their manure. Fecal-oral contamination is one of the biggest causes for the spread of disease. If possible, do not put a calving cow in the same pen as a sick cow. Disinfect a sick cow’s pen before moving a calving cow into that area. Limit people traffic in and out of maternity areas. Maternity managers should be clean, wear gloves and wash their boots frequently.

Once the newborn arrives, remove the calf from the maternity area as soon as possible and place it in a disinfected, clean, dry area for processing. Once the calf is processed, it can be moved to its new home.  The trailer, cart, etc. you use to move calves should be cleaned and disinfected regularly and not used for anything else.

Pre-weaned calf areas
Ideally, whether they’re in hutches or a barn, new calves should be placed on new dirt or an area that has had time to “rest” between calves.  Always wash and disinfect these areas before the new calf arrives.

In most cases, you are using a skid loader of some kind to clean between calves. Do you have a dedicated bucket for these areas? How dirty are the tires from cleaning other parts of the farm? If you don’t have dedicated equipment, make sure you are at least cleaning the buckets and tires before entering the calf areas.

Always work with the youngest calves first, older calves second and sick calves last. If you handle a sick calf first, make sure you wash your hands, change gloves and disinfect your boots before handling the next calf.

On-farm traffic
Have you ever thought about the equipment that may be driving by your hutches – feeding carts, trucks, trailers, etc.? Does driving through the calf area serve as a short cut to other parts of the farm, leading to a lot of cross-traffic?  Think about traffic flow when placing hutches or looking for a location for a barn. Look for spots where your calves can be isolated from people driving in and out of the farm as well as cross-traffic of farm personnel.

This article originally appeared in the February 2012 edition of Starting Strong, the Vita Plus calf care e-newsletter.  Click here to learn more about Starting Strong.

About the author: Ann Hoskins is the Vita Plus calf products manager.  She grew up on a dairy farm in DeForest, Wis., which she says is instrumental to where she is today.  “The lessons and values I gained growing up in this industry have given me the passion to stay involved and continue to learn more every day.” Hoskins earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has spent that last five years at Vita Plus, working with producers to improve performance and help them reach the goals of their calf operations.

It may seem like it’s a long way off, but setting your harvesting and packing goals now will provide you with the guidance you need as things get busy.

Why it’s important
There are three main reasons why you should have a well packed bunker:

• The denser the forage, the less air that is able to enter and contribute to dry matter loss during filling, storage and feedout
• A higher density increases the capacity of your silo
• A well packed bunker is safer for you and your employees

Dry matter loss
Harvesting at proper moisture, rapid harvesting and filling, and covering your bunker immediately with plastic are all important practices to limit oxygen in your forage during storage. Research done at Cornell University proves that bunker density is another important factor. Dr. Ruppel was able to equate average dry matter loss in respect to bunker density as shown in the table below.

Based on this information, bunkers should have at least 15 pounds of DM per cubic foot with exceptional bunkers having over 20 pounds of DM per cubic foot.

Contributing factors
Many factors come into play when trying to achieve high densities in your bunkers.  With more custom harvesting, one of the hardest factors to manage is forage delivery rate. The University of Wisconsin suggests that the fill rate (tons/hour) should not exceed the tractor weight divided by 800. Here are two tables to help you calculate the amount of weight you need based on your delivery rate:

Adding weight to your packing tractor or adding another packing tractor will help with packing efficiency.

As forage comes in, it should be spread in thin layers, no more than 6 to 12 inches, and the tires of the tractor should pass over the entire surface before the next layer is distributed.

Other factors that can have a major impact on your final density include maturity, dry matter, chop length, corn silage processor and the storage unit.

Central Wisconsin survey
Dairy specialists from Vita Plus Loyal conducted a survey of bunker densities this past winter to help improve forage programs. Samples were taken from 32 bunkers and piles. An average of 16.8 pounds of DM per cubic foot was seen across all bunkers with a range of 11.3 to 24.1 pounds DM of per cubic foot. The average haylage density was 16.4 pounds of DM per cubic foot and the average corn silage was 16.8 pounds of DM per cubic foot. These producers are now able to use this information to focus on improving their bunker densities and use it as a benchmark for improvement.

What’s your number?
Talk to your Vita Plus consultant about doing a density survey on your farm to find your most limiting factor and to set goals for the future.

About the authors: Kim Bremmer, Eliza Ruzic, Josh Braman, Kristan Noeldner, Steve Radsek and Darci O’Brien make up the Vita Plus Loyal Dairy Team.  With more than 30 years of experience, the Loyal team is proud to work with central Wisconsin dairy producers and offer cutting edge, nutrition, technology and management expertise.  Consultants join your team to get an in-depth understanding of your farm and goals and design customized solutions to meet your needs.  As employee owners, their actions are guided by the Vita Plus Values of safety, teamwork, commitment, quality, communication, attitude and performance.  They understand their success depends on the success of your farm and they’re excited to work with you every step of the way.

We all know the value of heat stress abatement for milking cows as temperatures spike in the summer and milk production drops.  But the value of keeping animals cool isn’t limited to the milking herd.

Before joining the Vita Plus dairy team in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, I conducted post-doctorate research at the University of Florida to evaluate the effects of heat stress abatement during the dry period on the subsequent lactation of dairy cows.  We made some key discoveries that showed how keeping dry cows cool affects subsequent health and performance.

In our first experiment, we split a group of dry cows in half.  All cows were kept in a freestall barn and fed the same ration.  Half of the cows had sprinklers and fans; the other half did not.  After calving, all cows were moved to a sand-bedded freestall barn with fans and sprinklers and fed the same milking cow ration.  This experiment was conducted during an especially hot summer.  Here’s what we found:

• Cows exposed to heat stress calved seven days earlier than those that were cooled.
• Calf body weight was 28.7 pounds lighter for calves born from heat-stressed cows.
• Milk production up to 30 weeks of lactation was higher for cows cooled during the dry period.  The average increase in 3.5-percent fat-corrected milk (FCM) in cooled cows was 18.7 pounds of milk per cow per day compared to cows exposed to heat stress.

Remember, the cows were heat-stressed only during the dry period.  The magnitude of response in milk production is related to heat stress load and intensity.  In other words, how high the temperatures rise and how long it stays hot influences how much milk production is affected.

With such dramatic results in this experiment, we decided to delve into the topic further.  Our second experiment was designed similarly to the first, but the ambient heat that summer was not as intense as the summer before.  Here’s what we found the second time around:

• Rectal temperature was increased in heat-stressed cows.
• Heat-stressed cows showed greater respiration rates.
• Heat-stressed cows again calved seven days earlier than cooled cows.
• Calves born from heat-stressed cows were 11 pounds lighter.

This experiment also evaluated immune function of the cows.  Neutrophils are specialized cells that act as the immune system’s “first line of defense.”  Through a process called phagocytosis, neutrophils engulf foreign bacteria and “kill” them through oxidative burst.  This experiment showed that heat stress reduced both neutrophil phagocytosis and oxidative burst ability.  Furthermore, heat-stressed cows produced fewer antibodies to fight against disease.  This means the immune system was compromised in its ability to fight infection when cows were heat stressed during the dry period.

Our third experiment was again designed similarly to the first and looked at the effect of heat stress on mammary gland cell proliferation (the multiplying of cells).  Through udder biopsies, we were able to see that heat-stressed cows had lower proliferation of epithelial cells (milk-producing cells), which may be a contributing factor to the low milk yield.

So what’s the take home message here?

Keeping dry cows cool – as much as possible – increases milk production, immunity and mammary cell proliferation in the subsequent lactation.  Any cooling is better than nothing, and minimizing heat stress in dry cows is a valuable management tool to increase milk production in the subsequent lactation.

About the author: Dr. Bruno Amaral earned his bachelor’s degree in animal sciences in 2001 and his master’s degree in animal production in 2003 from the Federal University of Lavras in Brazil.  In 2008, he finished his Ph.D. at the University of Florida, focusing on the effects of supplemental fat sources on production, reproduction, immunity, and metabolism of periparturient dairy cows.  That same year, he was awarded the Omega Protein Innovative Research Award from the American Society of Animal Science for his Ph.D. research.  Amaral’s post-doctorate work in Dr. Geoffrey Dahl’s lab evaluated the effects of heat stress during the dry period on the subsequent lactation of dairy cows.  Amaral previously worked with Vita Plus as a dairy nutritionist and technical support specialist for Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.  His passion is to be on the farm working with dairy cows, supporting our team of nutritionists and helping farmers to be more profitable.  He and his wife, Michelle, have a six-year-old daughter, Natalie, who also loves cows.

Contributing factors
Much of the variation in how well cows go through transition can be explained by changes in cows, feedstuffs and the cow environment.  Cow factors, such as long previous days in milk (DIM) and days dry, excessive body condition, and older age, all raise the risk of metabolic disease and culling.

Likewise, cow environment factors like overstocking, pen changes near calving, heat stress and inadequate cow comfort also raise the risk of poor fresh cow performance.  Lastly, common nutritional factors that contribute to fresh cow problems include poor bunk management, sorting, poor dry matter intakes and forages with elevated levels of butyric acid.

All cows experience some degree of negative energy balance after calving due to a combination of lowered intakes and greater energy demands.  The liver produces ketones as it converts body fat to provide energy during the transition period.

The major ketones produced are acetate, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA).  Although cows can use ketones as a source of energy for many body functions (not milk production), ketosis occurs when excessive amounts of ketones build up within the bloodstream.

Ketosis and animal health
Herd prevalence of ketosis has been reported to be 30 to 50 percent based on work by multiple researchers in recent years.  Cows experiencing ketosis eat less, resulting in additional body condition loss and lowered milk production.  Clinically, cows are often off-feed and may have an acetone smell on their breath.  Most importantly, cows experiencing ketosis are at greater risk for other problems, including metritis, mastitis, and displaced abomasum (DA).  That’s in addition to reduced milk production and fertility.

Monitoring ketone levels
The gold standard for measuring ketone levels is blood BHBA testing.  Recently, some nutritionists, veterinarians and herd managers have started taking advantage of a new technology that allows them to test blood BHBA at a fraction of prior costs using a small handheld meter originally targeted for human diabetics (Precision Xtra™).  The tool can be used to evaluate metabolic risk of the herd and detection of ketosis on individual cows.

To monitor metabolic risk in groups of fresh cows, individually test a target group of 12 cows that are 2 to 15 DIM using the blood BHBA meter.  If two or more cows have BHBA results of 1.2 mmol/L or greater, your herd metabolic risk is high and you should investigate possible influencers.  If fewer than two cows hit that level, you are doing a good job with your transition cow health.

Changes in treatment
Many people have elected to use blood BHBA meters to test individual cows at 4 and 11 days in milk instead of routine urine and milk tests.  Because the BHBA tests enable you to accurately detect very low levels of ketones, we suggest ketosis protocols be thoroughly reviewed and separated into progressive levels (from conservative to aggressive treatment).  Progressive protocols have the advantage of avoiding overtreatment and limiting the number of cows that go off-feed.

One of the biggest benefits of progressive protocols has been reduced use of dextrose IV.  In the past, this treatment was regularly used to treat ketosis and prevent DAs.  However, new research indicates that the high dosage of dextrose IV may actually cause DAs.

Preventative care
Regularly testing BHBA levels on a herd basis also has improved preventative care.  Herdsmen will sample 12 to 15 cows every other week to identify trends in metabolic risk.  By keeping accurate records over time, they are able to link subclinical ketosis with factors such as previous DIM, days dry, and days in the close-up pen.  This helps you better manage transition cows and solve the roots of ketosis rather than treating the symptoms.

About the author: Dr. Neil Michael is the Vita Plus director of dairy initiatives.  He grew up on a dairy and swine farm in northeast Indiana and attended Purdue University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in food science, his DVM degree from the School of Veterinary Medicine and his MBA from the Kranert Business School.  Michael joined the Vita Plus team in 2010 with a special interest in helping producers with transition cow health and economics, reproductive management, and data management related to animal performance and employees.

First, let’s take a step back to understand why milk solids play such a big role in the milk check.  World demand for dairy is on the rise, but consumer preferences are also changing. Since 1985, demand for fluid milk has held steady whereas demand for products like butter, non-fat dry milk and cheese has grown. The largest growth has been seen in the non-American cheese market with a 4.4-percent increase.

In addition, new nutrition trends have changed the way milk is used. Greek yogurt sales have gone from $60 million in 2006 to $1.5 billion in 2011. The “granola bar evolution,” or the recent popularity of high-protein energy bars, has also grown demand for milk protein concentrate. China and other populous Asian countries rely on imports of whey and other dairy products because they do not have the ability to produce enough dairy products to feed their populations.

Long story short, people aren’t drinking their milk, they’re eating it.

Using numbers from Federal Milk Marketing Order 30 (Upper Midwest), we estimate that, with a 5-percent jump in components, dairy farmers could gross $0.53 per head per day. For a 500-cow dairy, that would be about $95,400 per year.

It may make financial sense, but can it be done?

Absolutely, and here are two examples.  On one farm, we saw a 7-percent rise in protein and a 13-percent jump in butterfat since 2003. On another, we gained 4-percent in butterfat and 7-percent in protein.  Both herds currently boast 30,000 rolling herd averages.  That shows we don’t need to sacrifice milk production to see high components.

A variety of factors can hinder progress in improving solid percentages in milk. One of the biggest culprits is heat damage and spoilage of your forages. Heat-damaged protein is unavailable to rumen microbes.  Butyric and moldy haylage means you have to feed more protein to give rumen microbes what they need.

Inconsistent byproducts and variable feedstuffs prove difficult to balance in a ration as well.  My advice:  know where your byproducts come from and test them often. It’s good to see the back of your commodity bay every now and then. Clean it out all the way a few times a year.

Carbohydrates are important too. Rumen microbes grow most rapidly on starch and sugars, but they need adequate surface area to digest the starch in corn kernels.  This places a lot of importance on adequately processing corn grain and silage.  Ensiled corn also needs adequate time to “soften.”

We also need to make sure we’re providing rumen-healthy diets with limited amounts of unsaturated fats.  Amino acid-balanced diets are also crucial in reaching protein goals.

Finally, consistency is king.  By reducing nutrient variation and paying attention to details, improving component content in milk can be a realistic goal. Call up your Vita Plus consultant to start talking strategy and develop a plan for your dairy operation.

About the author: Dr. Eric Schwab grew up in a rural town in New Hampshire.  He attended the University of New Hampshire – Durham, where he received bachelor’s degrees in dairy management and environmental and resource economics in 1998.  While working in northeast Wisconsin, he met Dr. Randy Shaver and returned to academia at the University of Wisconsin – Madison to pursue his graduate degrees.  In Shaver’s lab, Schwab’s master’s degree research focused on kernel processing and chop length in BMR corn silage.  His Ph.D. dissertation focused on B vitamin nutrition and ruminal B vitamin synthesis in lactating dairy cows.  In September 2005, Schwab joined Vita Plus on the dairy nutrition and technical services team.  He lives in Rice Lake, Wis. with his wife and their two sons.

A key to reaching that goal is improving aerobic stability by inoculating with the world-leading Lactobacillus buchneri 40788.  Benefits of this inoculant include less heating, fewer yeasts and molds, improved aerobic stability at feedout and in the TMR, reduced spoilage, and improved intake and performance.

You may have heard a rumor that L. buchneri 40788 has a negative effect on dry matter recovery.  Not true.  Research conducted with L. buchneri 40788 has shown that the loss of dry matter during fermentation/storage is virtually the same as in untreated silage.  In 26 published trials comparing untreated and L.buchneri-treated forages, dry matter loss was minimal even at very high levels for L. buchneri addition.

The potential for sparing greater spoilage losses during storage and feedout far outweighs the small losses that might be incurred as a result of the fermentation.  Total DM losses from aerobic stability issues can be as high as 25 percent compared to about 4 percent from fermentation losses (Zimmer et al.).

Keep in mind, L. buchneri 40788 is hard at work improving aerobic stability, but it does not strongly contribute to the upfront fermentation.  That’s why Vita Plus has chosen to pair L. buchneri with the upfront homolactic bacterium Pediococcus pentosaceus 12455.  By combining the power of two, Crop-N-Rich Stage 2 will protect your forages during the upfront fermentation (P. pentosaceus) and through improved aerobic stability in storage and at feedout (L. buchneri).

We see a lot of claims out there about available forage inoculants.  Need help digging through all the information?  Your Vita Plus consultant can help you evaluate all the claims and see how they stack up against the research-proven Crop-N-Rich Buchneri and Crop-N-Rich Stage 2.  We know your farm is not identical to others and we are committed to working with you to find the best forage solutions for your individual operation.  Because, just like you, we know quality forages are where sound nutrition starts.

Research available upon request.

About the author: Chris Wacek-Driver is the Vita Plus forage program manager.  She grew up on a farm outside of Denmark, Wis. and attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where she earned her bachelor’s degree in dairy science with an ag business minor.  She went on to receive her master’s degree from UW-Madison.  She conducted her research focusing on forage quality at the USDA Forage Center under Dr. Larry Satter.  In particular, she studied forage fermentation, the role of microbial and enzyme additives, and their effects on dairy animal performance.  Wacek-Driver has been a Vita Plus employee owner for the past 21 years and worked in dairy technical services prior to her current role.  She has a passion for working with dairy producers to help them with on-farm feed inventory, feed management, forage fermentation and production, and dairy nutrition.  She resides on a 240-acre farm along the bluffs of the Mississippi River in western Wisconsin.

By Bob Hagenow

Here at Vita Plus, we use the Insights system to identify and adapt to unique personality and behavior styles.  According to Insights, we see four distinct personality styles:  fiery red, sunshine yellow, earth green and cool blue.  Each style has unique talents and preferences.  In a productive team meeting, participants adapt their communication to better meet the needs of the different styles in the room.

Characteristics of communication styles

• Fiery red: Determined, assertive, bold, outspoken, goal-oriented, demanding and strong-willed
• Sunshine yellow: Social, enthusiastic, persuasive, dynamic, creative and big picture-oriented
• Earth green: Caring, good listener, patient, methodical, relaxed and team-oriented
• Cool blue: Detail-oriented, analytical, precise, introspective, cautious and formal

Tips for working with different communication styles

• Fiery red: Be direct and use bullet points; define the specific actions needed; avoid fluff and idle chit-chat; don’t take a short or direct reply personally; and don’t take over the conversation.
• Sunshine yellow: Be upbeat and personable; be creative and think outside the box; don’t overload them with details; expect getting off task; and keep the topics interactive.
• Earth green: Avoid putting an “urgent” status on a lot of things; be open, friendly and supportive; ask and try not to tell; be a good listener with patience; and don’t be overbearing.
• Cool blue: Be specific and detailed; don’t exaggerate or embellish points; clearly outline the process and outcomes; offer ample support material; and give them plenty of time to consider all the information presented.

A good team needs people from each style to give synergy and see things from different perspectives.  It is here that a good facilitator recognizes the differences and has participants adapt their methods to create an environment where all perspectives are respected and valued.

It can be well worth your time and money to invest in a personality evaluation program such as Insights, DISC or Myers-Briggs.  Remember, the culture of a team can change based on team members leaving or new members joining.  That’s why it’s important to take time to regularly review the different personality styles and the basics of a team meeting.  This helps the team move forward in accomplishing the goals it has set, which leads to a sense of accomplishment, which, in turn, boosts cohesiveness and engagement.  After all, aren’t fully engaged employees what everyone wants?

An extended version of this article originally appeared in the January 1, 2012 edition of Progressive Dairyman magazine.  Click here for the full article.  Check out our January 12 post for Hagenow’s thoughts on meeting structure.

About the author: Bob Hagenow is a sales manager with Vita Plus and has been an employee owner for about 25 years.  He grew up in eastern Wisconsin on a registered Holstein dairy farm and actively participated in 4-H and FFA.  He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned his bachelor’s degree in dairy science in 1985.  In addition to his nutrition and farm consultation responsibilities, Hagenow is involved in training and recruiting at Vita Plus.  He is actively involved in numerous organizations and is well networked throughout the dairy industry.

By Bob Hagenow

• Attendees: Participants should be those who contribute to the farm in a positive way while offering thoughts and ideas in a constructive and courteous manner.  Consider key players from both inside the operation and among your outside consultants.
  
• Attitudes: Don’t let participants carry personal agendas that could get in the way of the team’s purpose.  The ultimate goal should be to proactively move the operation toward its long-term objectives and minimize challenges along the way.
  
• Meeting leaders: Designate a facilitator who will keep the agenda moving forward.  It is the facilitator’s job to guide the discussion and make sure it stays within the stated time frame.  Designate a note-taker to summarize the meeting and distribute it to the team members.
• Agendas: Agendas should include follow-up items from the previous meeting, ongoing herd topics (with data to support trends presented), new ideas that proactively meet the goals of the operation and general information about the farm that should be shared with the group.
• Location: The ideal environment setting tends to be one where distractions are minimized and everyone can be comfortable and speak freely.
• Length: The average human brain and body can stay engaged for no longer than about two hours without taking a break.  Keep this in mind when planning for the duration and frequency of meetings.
• Decision-making: Determine who will ultimately make a decision and what the process will be to get to a decision point.
• Summary: The summary should be shared shortly after the meeting and include the main topics discussed, action items, time frames and individuals in charge of completing the actions.

An extended version of this article originally appeared in the January 1, 2012 edition of Progressive Dairyman magazine.  Click here for the full article.  Stay tuned for the second part in this series, which will focus on balancing different personalities within a team.

About the author: Bob Hagenow is a sales manager with Vita Plus and has been an employee owner for about 25 years.  He grew up in eastern Wisconsin on a registered Holstein dairy farm and actively participated in 4-H and FFA.  He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned his bachelor’s degree in dairy science in 1985.  In addition to his nutrition and farm consultation responsibilities, Hagenow is involved in training and recruiting at Vita Plus.  He is actively involved in numerous organizations and is well networked throughout the dairy industry.

The Greek debt crisis plunged the whole Euro zone into crisis and affected our U.S. markets.  A huge, global trading company placed a “bet” on the outcome and, within two days, found itself bankrupt, putting the commodity markets into a deep sea of uncertainty.

It seems the other major contributor to global commodity supply and demand swings is China.  My recent trip to this evolving nation helped me see the challenges and global impacts it may have in the years ahead.

China is not governed with the same form of communism we liken to the former Soviet Union.  China has been shaped by “five-year plans” since 1949.  A five-year plan is a process used to determine how to develop the entire country over a span of five years.  In the past, China pursued a planned economy model where the central government allocated resources and decided the targets for each region.

Now the Chinese government is moving away from the Soviet-style planned economy to a socialist market economy.  In its 12th five-year plan, which will guide development from 2011 to 2015, China has put forth the following goal:

Address rising inequality and create an environment for more sustainable growth by prioritizing more equitable wealth distribution, increasing domestic consumption and improving social infrastructure and social safety nets.

This plan is representative of China’s efforts to rebalance its economy, shifting emphasis from investment toward consumption and from urban and coastal growth toward rural and inland development.  So how does this affect our farm businesses a half a world away?

The world’s most populous nation, China has 22 cities with more than 5 million people each and 140 cities with 1 million or more.  As Chinese incomes rise and domestic consumption increases, the demand for animal-based protein is exploding.

Keep in mind major food safety concerns on the dairy side.  Chinese consumers are still leery of Chinese dairy products after the 2008 melamine scandal.  The breaking news of another milk contamination incident – this time with aflatoxin – could keep Chinese consumers demanding dairy products from outside the country’s borders.  In addition, issues like currency values, inflation, competition and global power will all affect China’s role in the global economy moving forward.

So how do you develop a global perspective that will help you keep up on events that might bring change to your doorstep?  Here are some things you can do:

• Read. Whether it’s a newspaper or Internet articles, widen your scope to see the world through the eyes of others.
• On that note, subscribe to a business publication like the Wall Street Journal. It will give you information about what’s happening in the world and where investments are being made that can shape your future costs of inputs and outputs.
• Watch the markets – not just milk and grain.  Keep an eye on oil, currency values and foreign catastrophes.
• Think global, but act local. Protect your margins first.
• Ask your professional advisors – banker, nutritionist, vet, etc. – what they are hearing and seeing.  Use them.  They are watching these events as well.
• Don’t be afraid of change. Try new things.  What would your operation look like if you were stuck doing what you did 10 years ago?

This article was written in conjunction with Gunderson’s kick-off presentation at Vita Plus Dairy Summit 2011.  Watch the video below for his key take-home messages from the event.  Click here to watch a full-length video of Gunderson’s presentation.

About the author: Al Gunderson is the Vita Plus vice president of sales and marketing.  He has served as the general sales manager since 1987 and added purchasing to his responsibilities in 1999.  Gunderson first came to Vita Plus in 1979 as the swine product manager after he earned a bachelor’s degree in meat and animal sciences and master’s degree in ag business management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He is a member of the American Registry of Professional Animal Sciences (ARPAS) and the American Society of Animal Sciences (ASAS).  Gunderson is the chair-elect of the board of directors of the American Feed Industry Association and chairman of the board of trustees for the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER).