14 CapitalPress.com
February 10, 2017
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Dairy/Livestock
Brothers add robotic Glanbia announces joint
system to Illinois dairy venture for Michigan plant
By DEBORAH GERTZ HUSAR
The Quincy Herald-Whig
CARTHAGE, Ill. (AP) —
The cows are lining up to be
milked at Udder Hill Dairy
south of Carthage.
But it is a robot, not a
farmer, who will do the milk-
ing as the cows crunch on
feed pellets.
Brothers Sid and Nate
Huls installed the robotic sys-
tem in December as a way to
deal with the dairy’s time and
labor demands — and with an
eye toward the future.
“It’s the future of farming,
I guess, if the family wants to
stay in business and still go to
ballgames and whatever,” Sid
said. “We’re not tied down to
the farm near as much.”
Twice-daily milkings and
chores, starting at 3:30 a.m.
and 3 p.m., used to take four
hours each for the brothers,
one full-time employee and
three part-time employees.
With the new system and its
three robotic units capable of
handling 60 cows, “somebody
still has to come through and
do chores, but it should go
from four hours morning and
night to roughly one hour,”
Sid said.
The brothers remain on
call 24 hours a day in case of
any issues with the computer-
ized equipment, which shuts
down for 30 minutes twice a
day for cleaning, but for the
rest of the time is milking
cows or waiting for cows to
come in to be milked.
“The machines don’t let us
expand cow numbers at all,
but let us add a milking per
day with the same amount of
labor,” Nate said.
Robotic milking takes an
average of 6 minutes, 48 sec-
onds per cow — and it’s done
on demand.
‘It’s their choice’
“If they want to come in
and milk five times a day,
it’s their choice. We do try to
make a minimum of two milk-
ings per day, and right now we
average just a little over three
milkings a day,” Sid said.
Part of the new system’s
appeal for the cows is the feed
pellets released during the
milking process.
“It doesn’t dump them all
at once,” Sid said. “It gives
her a little at a time to keep
her busy.”
The amount of pellets var-
ies from cow to cow based
on their production, which
“makes it more efficient feed-
ing,” Sid said. “Before we’d
feed basically the whole herd
as one individual cow. Now
we’re getting what she needs.
It’s specialized.”
Even more impressive than
the time and labor savings is
the technology involved.
Collars with computer
chips allow the robot to rec-
ognize each of the herd’s 160
milking cows and her unique
teat placement.
The robotic arm scrubs
the cow’s teats twice before
attaching the milking equip-
ment, tracks milk flow, re-
moves teat cups as needed to
prevent overmilking and san-
itizes the milking equipment
after each milking.
“If the cow moves forward
or back, the arm moves with
her. It’s like a slow dance all
the time,” Nate said. “If you
let it work, it’s usually smart
enough to fix itself.”
“Basically it’s a Fitbit on a
cow. It tracks her movement
every day,” Sid said, referring
to the popular wearable ac-
tivity tracker for people. “It’s
like an information overload.
It’s so much more information
than we ever had before.”
Newer features of robot-
ic milking systems “catch”
cows in heat or signaling ill-
ness, then open a gate to move
those animals into a separate
management pen. “Over time
it helps with herd health man-
agement, to catch cows with
sickness before they’re actu-
ally showing physical signs,”
Sid’s wife, Kristin, said.
The brothers and their
employees still have dai-
ly chores, starting with the
“fetch list” supplied each
morning by the computer —
a list of those cows that hav-
en’t milked in eight hours or
more. They hose down barn
floors, change milk filters dai-
ly, check the herd, bottle feed
calves and feed the milking
cows and young stock.
Maintaining young stock is
key to the dairy operation.
“Our goal is to raise our
own from the time they’re
born,” Kristin said. “There’s
less risk of introducing health
issues into the herd. You know
your genetics.”
Robotic milking systems
have been used in other coun-
tries for nearly two decades,
but have been in use in the
United States only for about
six years. Already using tech-
nology like GPS to raise corn
and soybeans, the brothers
said adding it to the dairy was
the next step — even if it was
something their dad, Lloyd,
never expected to see.
‘A long time ago’
“I started when I was six
years old with a T-handled
milk stool and a three-gallon
stainless steel pail milking
cows by hand. That was a
long time ago,” Lloyd said.
“I’m not computer literate,
and I won’t say it’s the thing
of the future, but it’s definitely
a labor saver, herd improve-
ment-type thing.”
Planning for the system
began in July with research
and visits to farms already us-
ing similar equipment. Work
on a new barn to house the ro-
bots began the day after Labor
Day, and they were milking
robotically by Dec. 7.
Big adjustments
“Our goal when we started
was to have it pretty self-suf-
ficient when we got back into
the field” this spring, Nate
said.
The first three weeks
meant plenty of adjustment
for humans and herd.
“Like the cows are learn-
ing it, we’re learning it,” Nate
said.
“For the first week, we had
to help each cow, coax them
to get into the machine. Once
they learned the system, they
caught on fast,” Sid said. “The
first time a new cow would
come in, we had to get the
(robotic) arm in the right po-
sition to help it find the first
milking.”
Launching the system in
the winter when cows are
most comfortable made sense,
but the brothers hit a bitter
cold snap that stressed both
them and the herd just after
switching to the new Lely
units built in Pella, Iowa.
‘Fitbit on a cow’
Cow comfort
The computer measures
the cow’s temperature and
records daily milk produc-
tion, feed intake and activity
including how much the cow
chews its cud.
“Any dairy farmer will tell
you their No. 1 goal is cow
comfort,” Kristin said.
“The more comfortable the
cows are, the higher they’ll
produce.”
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press
Glanbia has announced
that it is in advanced discus-
sions with the Dairy Farmers
of America, Michigan Milk
Producers Association and
Foremost Farms to create
a stand-alone joint venture
to build and operate a new
cheese and whey facility in
Michigan.
Upon completion, the
plant is projected to process
8 million pounds of milk per
day.
Under the proposal, Glan-
bia would own half of the
venture and the other half
would be owned by DFA,
MMPA and Foremost Farms.
As part of the proposed
joint venture DFA, MMPA
and Foremost Farms would
supply all milk required by
the plant, while Glanbia
would have full responsibility
for all commercial, technical
and operational aspects of the
business.
If the project proceeds as
planned, commissioning of
the new facility is expected to
take place in the second half
of 2019.
“This proposed joint ven-
ture is a strategic move by all
the partners to benefit from
the growing, large-scale milk
pool in the state of Michigan,”
Brian Phelan, CEO of Glanbia
Nutritionals, said in the press
release
“Consistent with Glanbia’s
growth strategy, this proposed
venture will build on our po-
sition as the number one pro-
ducer of American-style ched-
dar cheese and simultaneously
expand our global position as
a supplier of advanced tech-
nology whey protein to the
nutritional sector,” he stated.
Lori Potter/The Daily Hub via AP
Alma sale barn manager Matthew Hegamen stands in the sale ring where Tuesday cattle sales that
had been suspended in March were restarted under local ownership. Alma Commission Company
soon will become Alma Livestock Auction LLC and operate similar to a co-op, according to the steering
committee president.
Investors save historic
livestock sales barn
the business model completed
and then we can get working.”
Kauk said employee safety is
a priority.
ALMA, Neb. (AP) — A
The effort to purchase and
sale barn has been a part of
restart a livestock market that
the Alma community for near-
had seen dwindling sales in
ly as long as there has been a
recent years began with two
community.
public information meetings
However, that chain of
in January 2016. Kauk said
history was nearly broken
the 100 people who attended
a year ago, until a group of
each meeting understood that
local investors stepped for-
saving the business was good
ward to purchase the Alma
for the community, the em-
Commission Company and
ployees and agriculture.
restart Tuesday cattle sales on
Kauk cred-
July 12 that
longtime
had ended in “We know we need to do some pen work, but its
Alma Commis-
March, the
Kearney Hub the general appearance is pretty good. We have sion Company
Bren-
reported.
to get the business model completed and then employee
da Molzahn,
“I’m not
who died unex-
sure when it
we can get working.”
pectedly three
originated.
Terry Kauk, sale barn steering committee president weeks ago, as
Maybe 100
the leader of
years,” said
that effort.
sale
barn
The next step was creating
He added that the limited
steering committee president
Terry Kauk of Alma, adding liability company will be op- the 13-member steering com-
that researching more about erated similar to a co-op, with mittee that has representatives
Alma’s livestock sales history patronage dividends and votes from Franklin, Harlan, Phelps
is on the to-do list. “It’s been weighted based on investment and Furnas counties in Ne-
braska, and Phillips County in
in the company.
here a long time.”
Steering committee trea- Kansas.
He said a sale barn orig-
Kauk and Alma sale barn
inally was where the city’s surer Dená Dunse of Repub-
Harlan County Lake boat lican City said the goal is manager Matthew Hegamen
dock is now. The business was $350,000 of investment. She said there used to be livestock
along the railroad tracks, be- and her husband, Nate, have markets in Franklin, Oxford,
fore the tracks, barn and other a cow-calf business and do Holdrege and Phillipsburg in
addition to Alma. Now the
buildings were “moved up the some backgrounding.
“We’re going to put some closest regular cattle sales are
hill” and out of the way of the
money into it, obviously,” in Kearney, Lexington, and
lake project.
There were several owners Kauk said, when asked about Norton and Plainville, Kansas.
“I think that was one of
along the way, most recently building improvements. Work
Jim Barta of Norfolk. “That’s has started with a new com- Brenda’s things. That between
who we purchased it from,” puter system and office re- Plainville and Kearney is a
long stretch,” Kauk said.
Kauk said, adding that the modeling.
The Tuesday sale in Alma
“Structurewise, it’s fair.
closing was on May 4.
“Right now, the steering We know we need to do some that start at noon primarily is for
committee and its members pen work, but the general ap- cattle, but Hegamen said there
own the barn,” Kauk said, pearance is pretty good,” he are sheep and goat sales on the
but the business soon will be continued. “We have to get first Tuesday of every month.
By LORI POTTER
Kearney Hub
rolled over into a new compa-
ny, Alma Livestock Auction
LLC.
When that change is com-
plete, the business will have
a seven-member board for
which there already have been
nominations submitted.
“It will be producer-owned
by the entire group. We hav-
en’t reached that benchmark,”
Kauk said, but the group is
getting close. “We’ll be get-
ting close to 100 when it’s
done.”
Dairy
Markets
Lee Mielke
Cheese
traders
create
whiplash
By LEE MIELKE
For the Capital Press
C
ash cheese traders gave
us a little whiplash to
start February.
Cheddar block jumped a
dime last Thursday, climb-
ing to $1.85 per pound, only
to give back 11 cents Friday,
and close at $1.74, still 5 cents
higher on the week and 27
cents above a year ago.
The barrels closed at
$1.7075, up 26 cents on the
week, 24 1/4-cents above a
year ago, and re-established a
more normal 3 1/4-cents be-
low the blocks.
Three cars of block were
sold on the week and 23 of
barrel.
The blocks dropped 4 cents
Monday, as traders awaited
Tuesday morning’s Global
Dairy Trade auction and, not
liking what they saw, took the
blocks down 7 cents Tuesday
to $1.63.
The barrels inched up a
quarter-cent Monday but lost
a penny Tuesday, slipping
to $1.70, an inverted 7 cents
above the blocks.
After weeks of varying
spot milk availability, Mid-
western cheese producers re-
ported readily available milk
last week, says Dairy Market
News, but less of it. Cheese
demand is varied and the
market undertone is uncertain
as some contacts are taking a
wait-and-see approach regard-
ing international trade.
Spot butter closed the first
Friday of February at $2.1575
per pound, down 6 1/4-cents
on the week, 1 1/4-cents be-
low a year ago, and the lowest
price since Dec. 15.
The butter was unchanged
Monday and inched up a quar-
ter-cent Tuesday to $2.16.
DMN says cream is still
abundant in the Central region.
January was fairly quiet but
butter demand is steadily in-
creasing as springtime holiday
orders are starting.
Western butter output is
steady but inventories are ris-
ing.
Spot Grade A nonfat dry
milk closed three-quarter cents
lower last week, at 94 cents
per pound, but 23 cents above
a year ago.
The powder was steady
Monday but gained a penny
Tuesday, hitting 95 cents per
pound.
Politics is concerning the
market. As per its campaign
promises, the Trump adminis-
tration is taking on the Mex-
ican border issue and trade
agreements deemed not ad-
vantageous to the U.S. Mexico
is one of the U.S. biggest cus-
tomers for powder.
GDT inches back
Tuesday’s Global Dairy
Trade auction saw its weight-
ed average for all products
offered climb another 1.3 per-
cent, after inching up 0.6 per-
cent Jan. 17, which followed
drops of 3.9 percent on Jan. 3
and 0.5 percent Dec. 20.
Buttermilk powder again
led the declines, down 7.5
percent. Cheddar cheese was
down 3.7 percent, after a 1.3
percent gain last time.
Milk Producers Council’s Vandenheuvel moves to California Dairies Inc.
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press
The Milk Producers Coun-
cil has announced a changing
of the guard, with long-time
general manager Rob Van-
denheuvel stepping down.
He will be replaced by
Kevin Abernathy, the coun-
cil’s director of regulatory
affairs.
Vandenheuvel, who has
served at the helm of the
producer organization since
2007, has accepted a position
with California Dairies Inc.,
the largest dairy processing
cooperative in the state. He
will be CDI’s vice president
of industry and member rela-
tions.
On behalf of MPC, Van-
denheuvel has been a vocal
proponent of milk pricing re-
form, calling out the state’s
secretary of agriculture on
many occasions and rail-
ing against what he called a
significant discount in Cali-
fornia’s Class 4b milk price
compared with the price for
like milk in federal milk mar-
keting orders.
He has voiced strong sup-
port for establishing a federal
order in California, an effort
led by CDI, Dairy Farmers of
America and Land O’Lakes.
Abernathy, who has been
with MPC five years follow-
ing seven years as executive
director of the California
Dairy Campaign — another
dairy farmer trade associa-
tion — has been promoted to
general manager.
He serves as a member
of USDA’s Agricultural Air
Quality Task Force and has
served on numerous state and
local environmental commit-
tees and working groups.
He also served six years as
Western states territory man-
ager for Brown Equipment
Co. and holds a degree in an-
imal science from California
State University-Fresno.
“While the board of di-
rectors has greatly appreci-
ated the work that Rob has
done in this industry these
past nine-plus years running
MPC, we are also excited to
be able to hand the reins to
Kevin, an accomplished in-
dustry leader and valuable
member of MPC’s staff for
the past five years,” MPC
Board President Cornell
Kasbergen said in Friday’s
MPC newsletter.
“Kevin has already prov-
en his worth as a huge asset
to MPC’s membership in his
current role, and this pro-
motion will ensure that our
members continue to receive
the highest quality of service
and representation through-
out and beyond this organi-
zational transition,” Kasber-
gen said.