Pipeline March 2011 1

PipelineVOL 31, NO 3 Pipeline is the newsletter of Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc.

Growing with 3-A-Day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fair Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .How to Beat the Heat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Scholarship Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .New Dairy Cookbook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .All Systems ‘Go’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

May /June 2015IN THIS ISSUE

34681011 Little Warehouse in the City

he Maryland & Virginia Farm SupplyWarehouse first opened its doors in1928 nestled among the sprawlingfields of the open countryside in andaround Frederick, Maryland. e co-operative relocated the business five

different times until it chose the current Grove Road lo-cation as its permanent home in 1948. An old mail spot for field staff, the warehouse nowoffers more than 1,500 products available to order andhave shipped directly to the farm. “If it’s used on thedairy, you can find it in the warehouse,” says WarehouseManager Nathan Wolfe. “In the odd chance that wedon’t carry it, we will find a way to get it for you.” With Frederick’s changing landscape, the territoryof Maryland & Virginia’s membership has grown sig-nificantly. In July of 2008, a southern warehouse loca-tion in Hickory, North Carolina was opened to betteraccommodate members located in the south. Today, thewarehouse serves members in Pennsylvania, Delaware,West Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentuckyand the Carolinas. For Nate, the Farm Supply Warehouse is more thanjust a place for members to buy their farming equipmentessentials. It’s an entity dedicated to making each andevery Maryland & Virginia member successful. A dairyman himself, Nate understands firsthand theunique challenges and frustrations that producers face.A native of Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, Nate grew up on the dairy farm that his great grandfatherpurchased upon returning home after World WarII. e original nine-cow dairy has been passeddown through the generations, from his great

grandfather to his own father, and is now currently milk-ing 56 cows. “Before I was born, I was in the barn,” Nate saidwith a chuckle. Because of his roots, member success hits home forNate. “I remember what it was like growing up andwatching my Dad deal with the stress of doing every-thing right, but still struggling to achieve the ideal,” re-called Nate. With an amused smile, he added, “I willlose sleep over helping our members. You can ask mywife about that.” How does the warehouse differ from other services? ForNate, it’s all about getting to know each member - literally. “My goal is to meet with every one of our mem-bers – every single one,” he said with a grin. “It maytake me 20 years to meet them all, but I don’t see howyou could possibly be the manager of the warehouseand not take the time to meet with your members.” Since starting with the cooperative, Nate has workedhard to build a resilient team atmosphere where staff is en-couraged to learn from one another in an effort to betteraddress member needs. “As a cooperative, we want to offer the whole pack-age to our membership,” he said. It’s no secret that con-sulting services can be expensive, which is why offeringcomplementary assistance is a no-brainer for Nate and his team.

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Warehouse continued on page 2

FeeDING cAlveS twice a day has beenthe normal routine on dairy farms. But haveyou ever wondered if adding a third feedingmight result in healthier heifers? MemberAmanda Biddle has, and she thinks there is adecided benefit to three-a-day calf feedings.

Amanda oversees the calves and heifers on her family’sfarm, Mill Hill Farms, llc. Amanda, her husbandJosh, and their three children levi, emma and Mason,farm in partnership with Josh’s parents, Jim and carolBiddle, where they milk around 260 cows.

Amanda began managing the calves about a yearago, although she has actively been involved in thefarm for the past eight years. “When I took over thecalves, I wanted to give three a day feedings a try,” saidAmanda. “I had read about the benefits of feeding extramilk to calves and I’m always looking for ways to im-prove things when it comes to our animals’ health.”

After a year of feeding her calves three times a day,Amanda believes the results are evident. She has health-ier, larger calves and she’s able to wean them at sixweeks of age. “We saw positive results within one weekafter we started the three a day feeding,” she noted.

Good Start on LifeAmanda recognizes the importance of a solid new-born calf protocol. All of the Biddle’s newborn calvesreceive three quarts of quality colostrum or colostrumreplacer, and have their navels dipped as soon as pos-sible after birth. All newborns are also promptlytagged and given a set of vaccinations.

The Biddles put one set of ear tags and a singledose of vaccinations all in a small zip lock bag. “Itwas actually Josh’s idea,” said Amanda. Newborncalves are given endovac, First Defense, calf-Guard, Inforce and Bo-Se. “The zip lock bag makesit almost fool-proof because whoever is caring forthe newborn has everything they need right in oneplace,” she added.

Keep it ConsistentSimilar to the Biddle’s three times a day milkingschedule, calves between the ages of a few days old tofour weeks old are fed at 3:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and10:00 p.m. Previously on two a day feedings, calvesreceived four quarts of milk. On the new three a dayprogram, they are given nine quarts of milk.

“e extra feeding adds an extra set of eyes sothat you can catch a sick calf or scouring calf earlier,”said Amanda.

To feed their 32 calves on milk, Amanda uses aMilk Taxi to mix batches of milk replacer and totransport and dispense the milk to the calves. Beforethe Milk Taxi, she carried five gallon buckets of milkreplacer to the calves, who are housed in calf condos.And while only two others, Amanda’s sister-in-lawSarrah lyons, and one other employee, help with calffeedings, everyone’s way of measuring and mixingmilk replacer was a little different.

e Milk Taxi helps to keep the milk warm untilit is fed, and it dispenses an exact amount of milk toeach calf. Amanda goes one step further to make sureher calves receive the precise amount of milk replacer.

“We use a scale to measure the milk replacerpowder,” she said. “everyone’s scoop of milk replacerwas different. By weighing the milk replacer powder,we eliminate the inconsistencies,” she said.

Amanda uses a dry erase board with details ofeach individual calf and how much milk they shouldreceive depending on their age. is helps the personfeeding the calves know exactly what to mix. each calfreceives calf starter starting at birth, even though theymay not eat it at first. And every calf is given freshwater after their milk.

2 Pipeline May/June 2015 Pipeline May/June 2015 3

Dwayne MyersPresident

R. Steven GraybealFirst Vice President

Kevin SatterwhiteSecond Vice President

Jay BryantCEO, Treasurer & Secretary

Jan tenPasAssistant Treasurer

Pipeline is published by

MARYLAND & VIRGINIA MILK PRODUCERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, INC.

Amber Sheridan, Editor - asheridan@mdvamilk.comHannah Kleckner, Asst. Editor - hkleckner@mdvamilk.comDaniela Roland, Contributor - droland@mdvamilk.comAnn Marie Ternullo, Creative Director

HEADQUARTERS

1985 Isaac Newton Square WestReston, Virginia 20190-5094800-552-1976 phone757-952-2370 faxDial Line 800-485-8067www.mdvamilk.com

OFFICERS

NASS Cheese Prices

The NASS Block Cheddar price for June 13 is$1.6962. This is 32 cents lower than the June 14,2014 price of $2.0153.

Class I MoverCompared to 2009

The July Class I Mover is $16.53, up $0.39 from June2015. The year to date average is $16.34. This month’sClass 1 Mover is $6.49 lower than July 2014’s price of$23.02.

Markets At-A-Glance “My parents always

taught my brothers and meto look out for each other,and that’s how I feel about myteam and ultimately ourmembers,” recalled Nate.“Whether it’s assisting inwash-ups or helping to trou-bleshoot PI counts, we are will-ing to do whatever we need to make you, the member,get the results that you need – you’re more than just acustomer to us.” A lot of behind-the-scenes effort goes into ensuringthat members receive attentive service. “A lot of times,our guys are up and out long before the warehouse opensand won’t be done until long after the warehouse closes.ey’re on the road, they’re in the field – they go wher-ever you are, whenever you need them.” rough his dedication, Nate hopes to achievebut one thing – to make the warehouse benefit theentire membership. “e members own us. Whatever

profits we see go directly back to the membership,whereas the other guys will just pocket it. “My biggest message for our members? We arehere for you – that’s why we do what we do,” saidNate. “At the end of the day, the more members thatsupport the warehouse only helps the membership tosupport themselves and the cooperative as a whole.” For more information about the Farm SupplyWarehouse, please visit www.mdvamilk.com orcontact the warehouse directly at 1-800-424-2111.

YCs Headed to Historic Frederick, Maryland, July 19 & 20Maryland & Virginia Young Cooperators are invited to Frederick, Maryland, on July 19 and 20 for farm tours in theheart of Maryland & Virginia territory. The YC Summer Break offers members and their families the opportunity tovisit a variety of farms, network and enjoy fellowship with their peers.

The Summer Break will begin Sunday, July 19 with an optional dinner and farm tour hosted by the 2015 OutstandingYCs, Jason and Mary Crum.

Monday’s tour includes stops at the following member farms:Glamour View Farm, which features three new Lely robotic milkers, an automated calf feeder and state-of-the-artsolar arrays.Coldsprings Farm, a 900-cow dairy with an array of new facilities including a new cow incinerator, compost barnand free-stalls. Glade Haven Farms, a 300-cow dairy with updated facilities that focuses on a cow comfort philosophy.

The event will conclude with a picnic dinner on Monday evening at Cedar Knoll Farm, operated by YC Justin Watt and his family. Kids will have the chance to cool off in the swimming pool or unleash their energy in a moon bounce at the Watt's farm.

If you can escape the farm, the YC Summer Break is a great opportunity to explore new dairies and makenew friends. Better yet, Maryland & Virginia will cover lodging, meals and reimburse travel expenses up to $400 per YC family, including members and members’ employees, ages 18-40.

To register online, go to http://bit.ly/YCBreak2015 or contact Daniela Roland at droland@mdvamilk.com or 800-552-1976.

Nate Wolfe, left, and his warehouse team flanking one of their familiar white vans

Join Us! 3-A-Day continued on page 9

Helps em Grow the RightWayDAY3- -A

Warehouse continued from page 1

OR MANY OF uS, the beginningof summer signals one much-antic-

ipated time year: fair season! Showinganimals is a wonderful learning experiencefor kids and it also provides a chance forthose of us in the dairy industry to engagewith consumer families.

Did you know that farmers are one of the mosttrustworthy groups of people in the eyes of con-sumers? Having conversations directly with fair visi-tors and sharing your own family farm story can helpto increase consumer confidence and put their trustback in the dairy industry.

As you prep animals and supplies for your fairtrip, don’t forget to practice your “fair talk” so youand your kids can engage with a variety of fair-goingconsumer audiences.

Keep in mind that run-ins with animal activistsare unusual – most people are just genuinely inter-ested in learning more about what you do. Be sure tokeep an open mind when consumers approach youand remember that these interactions do make a dif-ference – don’t let an assumption make a good con-versation go sour. Be friendly, keep the conversationlight and answer questions honestly. Most consumersare simply looking for confirmation; they want toknow that you take good care of your animals, takecare of the land and want to feel good about purchas-ing and consuming dairy foods.

If the conversation begins to get heated or takesa turn that makes you uncomfortable, end it on agood note. A pleasant “ank you for sharing yourthoughts. It sounds like we can’t come to an agree-ment, but I’m happy to put you in touch with an ex-pert if you’d like more information” helps to showprofessionalism and respect while still being helpful.

Here’s a few things to keep in mind while per-fecting your “fair talk”:

Most consumers are just curious – the questionsthey ask are not meant to attack you or your farm.ey honestly don’t know the answer and are ex-cited to talk to a real farmer!Use simple terms – many people don’t understandthe industry terms we use on a day-to-day basis.Always say “farmer” or “farm” – these terms havemore of a personal connection to consumers, versus“producer” or “operation”. Focus conversations to how you care for youranimals and your land – try not to tie your meth-ods to a financial incentive, which may be misun-derstood by consumers.Share your own personal story – relax and stickwith points you feel comfortable talking about.

Prepare for awkward questions by reviewing re-sources that your local checkoff organization hasavailable. A few questions you may want to have an-swers prepared for include:

• Why do you take the babies from their mothers?• Do you use antibiotics?• Is your farm/milk organic? Do you use GMOs?• Do your cows live on pasture?• How long do your cows live?• Does your milk have hormones in it?• Should I consume/buy raw milk or raw milk foods?

Don’t forget to keep these tried-and-true talkingpoints in your back-pocket for everyday interactions:“Caring for the land and our animals is my num-ber one priority. Not only is it the right thing todo, it’s something I’m proud to do.”

“I serve my family the milk and dairy food I pro-duce; that’s why it’s so important for me to provideexceptional care for my animals and the land.”

“No matter the type of milk you choose, you canrest assured that it has been tested many timesfrom farm to table and is safe and nutritious foryou to consume.”

If you would like more information or resourcesto prepare messaging for your time at the fair,please contact Hannah Kleckner at 571-279-5956 orhkleckner@mdvamilk.com.

e’ve all seen them. No matter what grocery store you’re shopping at,you’ll find them lurking on the shelves around you.ey’ll greet with you bright colors and promises ofbetter health, wholesome nutrition, a flourishing en-vironment, and ultimately undiscovered happinessshould you just pick the products labeled with “Or-ganic,” “All-Natural” or “GMO-free.”

Whether it’s in the grocery store aisle or on thecongressional floor, there’s no denying GMOs are ahot and heated topic. e growing quest to learnmore about what we put into our bodies has resultedin a stark divide between those who rely on GMOsto produce food for the world and those who questionthe role of gene-altering technology.

ere is no denying the contribution thatGMOs have made in our world. Since the day Nor-man Borlaug introduced the first GMO seed to strug-gling communities in Mexico, Pakistan and India,GMOs have played a key part in feeding the globalpopulation. Whether it’s helping to solve worldhunger by offering impoverished communities solu-tions to growing crops amidst unfavorable climateconditions or unlocking opportunities for advance-ment in agricultural technologies, they have provideda lot of global good deeds.

So how do we, as agriculturalists, help to con-quer the divide that has grown out of misunderstand-ing and fear? While they’re not always easyconversations to have, they are conversations we needto be willing to share. “People are concerned aboutthe safety of GMOs,” says National Milk ProducersFederation vice President of Government RelationsJohn Hollay. “e more that we do to share that weare concerned about their concerns, the better it is forthe industry.”

An initiative committed to responding toconsumer questions about how food is grown,GMOAnswers.com seeks to make information aboutGMOs in food and agriculture easier to access and un-derstand. Powered by a team of leading biotech andagricultural industry experts, GMOAnswers seeks tospark new conversations by inviting consumers to askquestions – any questions – they have about GMOs.

With fair season in full swing, there are plentyof opportunities to have your own conversationsabout GMOs with questioning fair-goers. Keep thesefrequently-asked consumer questions in mind to helpnavigate any sticky conversations:

Q Do GMOs cause cancer?A No, there is absolutely zero reputable evidence that

GMO foods cause cancer. e health and safety ofGMOs have been validated by many independentscientists and organizations around the world.

Q Are GMOs causing an increase in allergies?A No, GMOs do not introduce any new allergens

and the rigorous testing process that GMOs gothrough ensures that will never happen. If a personis allergic to a non-GM plant, he or she will alsobe allergic to that plant’s GMO counterpart on themarket today.

Q Are big companies forcing farmers to grow GMOs?A None of the seed companies force farmers to buy

any particular product. Instead, farmers chooseseeds based on what is best for their farms, marketdemand and local growing environments.

Q Are GMOs causing an increase in the use ofpesticides?

A No – overall, pesticide applications have decreased,largely due to the adoption of insect-resistantcrops. Reducing the need for pesticide applicationsaves farmers’ time and money, and has benefittedthe environment, including a reduction in green-house gas emissions equivalent to taking 11.9 mil-lion cars off the road in one year.

Q If livestock eat genetically modified grain, willthere be GMOs in my meat or milk?

A No, genetically engineered crops are digested byanimals the same ways as conventional crops.GMOs have never been detected in the milk, meator eggs derived from animals fed GM feed.

While facts are important, conveying the truth aboutGMOs requires more of a personal touch. “Have aconversation about how you feel about GMOs per-sonally,” says John. “Facts only go so far, but peopleare more interested in why it is you believe a certainway and why they should believe you.”

“If this is a story you’re comfortable in telling,tell it,” encourages John. “Other people are telling ourstory for us, and we don’t know it.”

For additional resources and handouts onGMOs, please visit GMOanswers.com or contactHannah Kleckner in the communications Departmentat hkleckner@mdvamilk.com or at 571-279-5956. Perfecting conversations withconsumers

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TalkFair

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conquering the Divide -

Navigating Sticky GMO conversations

GM

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Don’t forget to remind others that:• To keep cows healthy, dairy farmers build and

maintain animal housing facilities that providesanitary milking areas and protection frombad weather. Advanced ventilation andwater distribution systems are used tomoderate temperatures in extreme hot orcold weather.

• Healthy, comfortable cows aremore productive—that’s whydairy farmers provide shelter tokeep cows warm in the winter, as wellas nutritious feed, excellent veterinarycare and sanitary milking procedures forthe herd. The health of each cowhas a direct impact on the livelihood of dairy farmers.

For more informationor assistance with mes-saging about your animalcare practices, or for more information about the FARM program, contact Daniela Roland at droland@mdvamilk.com.

Beat theHeat!

eat, humidity andsweat are permeat-i n g t h e Mi d -A t lantic regionconfirming with-out a doubt that

summer has ar-rived. With it comes an increased need to pro-tect cows from the stress and impact hotweather conditions can inflict. How you ad-dress cow comfort and heat stress managementis critical for successfully maintaining milkquality and herd health.

As you work to keep your girls cool,healthy and happy this summer, considerthese additional tips to boost your herd’s peakperformance.

Provide Adequate WaterJust like any human, cows need an increasedwater supply during times of heat stress; in fact,water consumption increases as much as twotimes when heat stress conditions are prevalent.Keeping in mind that milk is 90% water, suffi-cient access to clean water is vital to milk pro-duction and maintaining thermos homeostasis.To keep your parlor flow working well, havewater available in the exit lane. Make sure yourwater pressure is sufficient to deliver enoughwater for the entire herd.

Manage Barn VentilationIn addition to offering plenty of shade in pas-ture areas, staying on top of barn ventilation isan essential element of cow comfort. A well-dis-tributed cooling breeze helps to encourage cat-tle to spend more time laying in theirdesignated beds rather than crowding in coolpockets. A little extra air goes a long way; ac-cording to Progressive Dairyman, continuedstudies from Kansas State university have re-peatedly shown increased barn airflow duringsummer months can yield increased profits ofup to $120 per cow per year, which equates toan additional $60,000 net gain for a 500-cowmilking herd. compared to traditional on/offhigh speed fans, larger variable-speed fans arecost-effective and allow farmers to have totalmanagement over their barn temperature.

Prioritize Udder HealthDuring a time when overall cow health is com-promised, placing an emphasis on maintainingudder health is necessary for improving cowcomfort and maintaining milk quality. Keepinga clean and dry environment helps to fight mas-titis-causing bacteria. According to a recent ar-ticle by Keith engel for Dairy Business,removing the outside environment that comesin contact with the udder helps to “optimizemilk quality and minimize the rate of new in-fections.” Remove excessive moisture by thor-oughly drying teat ends and ensure that linerheads are kept clean to maintain health, per-formance and milk quality.

Reduce Heat-Induced Fertility LagResearch shows that milk production drops offduring summer months, with fertility taking aneven harder hit for both cows and bulls. “De-pending on the severity of heat stress andamount of cow cooling techniques, it’s commonfor milk production to drop 10 to 30 percentand fertility to drop 30 to 70 percent,” saysTodd Bilby, Ph.D. Merck Animal Health. In-corporating additional heat stress abatementtechniques in your summer management rou-tine can help to combat this lag which often canbe seen for as long as two months after the sum-mer temperatures wind down. utilizing a morerobust and timed AI program can also work toimprove fertility conditions during the hotsummer months.

Feed When It’s CoolestMake your feeding times flexible so that feed isprovided during the cooler times of the day.When the temperatures rise, your herd is lesslikely to consume as much feed, which can de-crease productivity. “A cow’s body temperatureis warmest between 6 p.m. and midnight, so re-ducing activity during this time is best,” saysBilby. Also consider reformulating your rationsto ensure your herd is receiving the necessarynutrients. Work with your nutritionist to makesure your ration is mixed for peak performancein hot weather.

Don’t Forget the Tie Stalls, tooWhile older set-ups can be a challenge, makingsimple adjustments to tie-stall barns can help tovastly improve cow comfort. “If built and used

correctly, tie stalls can be a productive choiceand may be appealing due to their compara-tively low investment cost,” says Jeffrey Bewley,university of Kentucky associate extension pro-fessor. Installing new fans to increase ventilationsystems, ensuring sufficient, high-quality bed-ding, and providing each cow with easy accessto her own water bowl can make strides in re-ducing the effects of heat stress on cattle resid-ing in tie stall setups.

Continue to Assess Heat StressHeat stress management should be monitoredand assessed often in order to ensure you areproviding adequate care for your cows. Thereare many tools, strategies and technologies youcan use to evaluate if your cows are stressed andto help evaluate the severity and location oftheir stress. Keep in mind that managing heatstress doesn’t end after the hottest days of theyear. “Managing heat stress at the end of sum-mer is similar to taking a seven-day antibioticpack when you’re sick,” says Bilby. “You maystart feeling better after day four or five, but it’simportant to take the medication for all sevendays to be completely cured.”

Share your summer weather animalcare practices with others. Snap a photo of yourcows staying cool with your smartphone, add ashort caption and share it with your Facebookfriends. Write your local paper to help educateyour community or offer farm tours and pointout the specific practices you take to keep yourcows cool and comfortable during the summer months.

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Tips for Preparing cows

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Katelin Benkoski, Madison, GeorgiaKatelin is currently a junior at the Uni-versity of Georgia majoring in Agribusi-ness and Animal Science and is thedaughter of John and Julie Benkoski.Katelin has been a member of the Mor-

gan County Dairy Association for 11 years. She also enjoysher leadership roles in the Morgan County 4-H and theMorgan County FFA. Various awards that Katelin has re-ceived on her road to becoming a leader in the world ofanimal science and health include the Presidential Aca-demic Excellence award, the Academic Achievementaward, and the Academic Honor award. After graduation,Katelin would like to be a positive and accurate advocatefor the dairy industry focusing on saving the good nameof farmers

cathleen Doody, union Bridge, Maryland

Cathleen attends Mount Saint Mary’sUniversity where she plans to graduatein spring of 2016. She is the daughterof David and Carole Doody. She hasworked full time with her parents milk-

ing, feeding both calves and heifers, and working in thefields of her family farm. Cathleen has plans to continue

helping on her family farm when she graduates. She alsoplans to work in the accounting or finance field upon grad-uation. Cathleen has learned great work ethic from herparents and hopes that she can one day carry that samework ethic on to her children. She prides herself on beingraised on a dairy farm and wishes that everyone wouldhave the same type of excitement she has for agriculture.

Meridith Franks, Waynesboro, Georgia Meridith Franks, a senior at the Univer-sity of Georgia, is the daughter ofJimmy and Virginia Franks. Meridithhas been involved in the Georgia JuniorHolstein Association for 13 years and

the National Brown Swiss Association for 11 years. Sheis currently studying Agricultural Education with plans ofreturning to her home town of Burke County where shewould like to become a 4-H agent, livestock agent, or agri-cultural education teacher. She has a registered herd ofBrown Swiss that she wishes to continue showing alongwith her family at a local, state and national level.

clarissa Fuoss, unityville, PennsylvaniaClarissa Fuoss is a junior at DelawareValley University majoring in LargeAnimal Science. Clarissa also workspart-time for Maryland & Virginiamember William Hess Farms, LLC.

Working on this farm has given her a stronger understand-ing of the dairy industry and she hopes to continue work-ing on the farm after college. Clarissa also plans to obtainher Masters in Dairy Nutrition and to become an animalnutritionist upon graduation.

Maryland & virginia is pleased to announceit’s 2015 scholarshipwinners.Five $1,000 scholarships are funded through the co-operative’s operating budget, and four additional$1,000 awards are made possible thanks to generousdonations from members, staff and industry, as wellas proceeds from the Annual Meeting Silent Auc-tion. ese scholarships will help to offset collegeexpenses for the 2015-2016 academic year. e re-cipients were selected based on their responses toessay questions, financial need, leadership activitiesand career aspirations.

We wish this crop of promising studentsall the best as they develop and grow intofuture industry leaders.

Maryland & virginia Awards

$9,000 in Scholarships

leah Hershberger, Martinsburg, Pennsylvania

Leah Hershberger is the daughter ofRoss and Yvonne Hershberger. She cur-rently attends Potomac State Collegeand will be transferring to The Pennsyl-vania State University in the Fall of

2015. Leah has been involved with the Southern CoveDairy 4-H club for 10 years where she has served as theSecretary, Treasurer, and Reporter. She has also been in-volved in the Bedford County Dairy Promotion program forthree years where she served as the Dairy Princess and aDairy Maid. After graduating, Leah plans to return to herfamily farm and implement new techniques and manage-ment skills that she has learned through her educationalexperiences.

courtney Hoff, New Windsor, MarylandNew Windsor, Maryland native Court-ney Hoff is the daughter of Matthewand Debra Hoff. She is an Animal Sci-ence major at Cornell University andplanning to graduate in 2018. She was

active in her county 4-H program as well as the NationalFFA Organization. At Cornell, she is involved in Dairy Cluband Sigma Alpha, a professional agriculture sorority.Courtney hopes to use her degree to work in the dairy in-dustry possibly in genetics or for a cooperative. She alsohopes to return home to work on her family’s farm.

Dow cole leonard, Spottswood, virginiaDow Cole Leonard is the son of Kyleand Keedie Leonard, members fromSpottswood, Virginia. Cole will be en-tering his freshmen year this fall at Vir-ginia Tech where he will major in

Engineering. Cole works part-time on his family’s farm andhas been active in the National FFA Organization and 4-Hprograms as well as the Virginia Junior Holstein Associa-tion. Upon graduation, he would like to put his degree togood use to improve the efficiency of farming equipmentto help dairy producers.

caitlyn Pool, Robesonia, PennsylvaniaCaitlyn Pool is majoring in Animal Sci-ence with a minor in International Agri-culture and Agricultural BusinessManagement at The PennsylvaniaState University. She is the daughter of

David and Martha Pool of Robesonia, Pennsylvania. Sheis active in the Pennsylvania Holstein Association, the Redand White Dairy Cattle Association, the National FFA Or-ganization and she is involved in Penn State’s Dairy Sci-ence and Block and Bridle clubs. After completing school,Caitlin hopes to work in public relations or related field tohelp promote the dairy industry.

Ryan Zimmerman, littlestown, Pennsylvania

Ryan is the son of Kathy Zimmermanand the grandson of member ArthurJohnson. He is a Dairy Science majorat Virginia Tech. While growing up,Ryan was active in 4-H and the Na-

tional FFA Organization. At Virginia Tech, Ryan is involvedin Alpha Gamma Rho, the Virginia Tech Dairy Club anddairy judging. With a strong interest in registered cattle,Ryan hopes to work for a breeding company or be a clas-sifier after graduation.

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A MARYLAND &

VIRGINIA MILK PRODUCERS SCHOLARSHIP, students

must be the son, daughter or employee of a current co-op

member and attending an accredited college or univer-

sity. Applications are made available in November of

each year and are due in mid-February. For more schol-

arship program information contact Daniela Roland at

800-552-1976 ext. 449 or droland@mdvamilk.com.

3-A-Day continued from page 3

Ease into weaninge Biddles are able to wean healthy, robust calvesat six weeks of age. To help for a smooth transitionduring the weaning period, Amanda gradually weansher calves off of milk. At four weeks of age, calves arecut back from three a-day milk to two times a day.en at five weeks, calves are given good quality hayand are cut back to once-a-day milk.

“Our calves are finishing nicely at six weeks ofage,” Amanda commented. “e calves’ immunityis better, they have better weight gain, and theytransition better into the weaned pens.”

calves are kept in their calf condo until sevenweeks of age so that they can be closely monitoredto ensure they are eating properly. Weaned heifersare then moved to group pens in groups of six.

Amanda said she hasn’t lost any calves due toscours this year. “I’m getting complaints that we havetoo many heifers,” she jokes. even with the addedlabor, Amada believes those costs are offset by reducedtreatment costs and labor associated with sick calves.

“I’m very protective of my babies,” saidAmanda. “I invest too much time to have thingsmessed up or go wrong.” With the new three a dayfeedings in place, Amanda doesn’t see making anymajor changes to her calf rearing program. “Ourveterinarian says consistency is the key and that’swhat I am trying to provide for my calves.”

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From top: Amanda recording details on a dry eraseboard; checking the milk mix; the Milk Taxi in action.

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T H E

Trading Post

WANTEDDairy farm to buy in Pa. or Md. or within 50-60 miles ofSharpsburg, Md. Looking for fairly modern facility. Open to different situations like a retiring farmer. Call 240-446-9756.

FOR SALEFour surge weigh jars with holders. Call 240-674-7670 or301-748-9299.

FOR SALEWaste milk pasteurizer. Dairy Tech DT60G. New, still in box.

Call Ronnie at 540-272-2854.

To place a listing, contact Daniela Roland at

814-635-3958 or droland@mdvamilk.com.

CATTLE FOR SALE

Holstein bulls. Please call 717-597-7860 or 717-658-5328.

FOR SALE1995 Walker trailer. 6000 gallon, 2 compartments. Please

call Larry at 443-277-2914.

FOR SALE790 New Holland Chopper with pick up head. 970 Gehl forage wagon. #8 New Holland forage wagon. Call Franklin Ott at 301-473-8162.

FOR SALE78 vacuum pump. 7.5 horsepower motor. $500. 5x8 concreteH feed trough, like new, 16 available. Also parlor mats andDelaval milk pump with 2 horse power motor. $300 for themilk pump. Call 301-733-8511.

FOR SALE500 gallon poly cone tank with metal stand, $300.

Tenderfoot flooring, four 6x8 foot sheets, $300. Gun safe

in decent condition, $250. Call 410-275-1486.

FOR SALEDeLaval milking system for 52 stall stantion barn. Call 301-898-7471.

WANTED24-32 milk cows to buy on milk assignment or lease. If available for lease, would like to buy out after lease ends.Located in Southern Va. Contact Johnathan Wooldridge at 434-660-7301.

WANTEDDairy farm wanted to lease with option to purchase near theLexington, Ky. area. Call Blair Burrage at 704-606-2040.

FOR SALE1750 John Deer no till planter, $12,00

0. Call Thomas

Muller at 410-848-7902.

Broken jetter bowls, leaky hoses and lukewarm watertemperatures can cause quality counts to be higherthan desired. Routine equipment maintenance is thefirst line of defense to ensuring that your systems areset to make the milk quality grade. “It’s actually as sim-ple as ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound ofcure,” says Raw Milk Quality Manager Grant Gayman.

As the old adage goes, there is no time like the

present. Summer months are the perfect opportunity to

get ahead on your routine check-ups. “During summer months, it’s more important to watch tank milk cooling closer,

whereas in the winter, you need to watch hot watch temperature,” says Grant. Here’s a few key routine maintenance

items to help you make all your systems a “go”.

Dairy Good Recipes Dish up consumerconnections

WIN A DAIRY GOOD COOKBOOKEnter the DairE-Q Summer Sweepstakes!

Summer’s heating up and so is our sweepstakes!Test your DairE-Q and enter today for your chance towin a copy of the newly-released Dairy Good Cook-book or our Grand Prize – a commercial qualityCuisinart Ice Cream Maker. Three cookbook winners and one Grand Prizewinner will be selected at random during themonths of June and July. Simply complete an entryform online and answer one of our DairE-Q ques-tions correctly for your chance to win! Entries must

be submitted by July 31, 2015 to be considered for the

Sweepstakes.

For more information on the contest and to enter,visit http://bit.ly/DairEQSummerSweeps or contactHannah Kleckner at hkleckner@mdvamilk.com.

All Systems Go! Increasing Milk Quality

through Routine Equipment Maintenance

CHECK YOUR LIST

Items used routinely should be checked at least once a

week to avoid any serious issues arising. “A complete

milking system check should be done by a professional,”

recommends Grant. “Smaller farms that milk less than

100 cows should have this done at least once a year,

while farms larger than 100 cows should have a check

completed every six months.”

...and CHECK IT TWICE

According to Grant, yearly check-ups, early summer bulk

tank cooling, and a washing check are overlooked most

often in routine maintenance programs. Make sure you

double check and have them crossed off your list.

MAKE IT AN ‘A’ LIST

On a weekly basis, a complete wash system cycle should

take place, hot wash temperatures should be noted. A

complete tank wash should also be observed, including:

Milk and wash hoses, milker claws, inflations, valves,

vacuum pump lubricant levels, milk cooling times, water

leaks and all lines should be checked. “Checking how

long it takes for the milk tank to cool to 38 degrees,

or less, after milking is also often overlooked,”

notes Grant.

WHAT THE SOP?

Standard Operating Procedures, or SOPs, are a

valuable tool to have in your maintenance tool-

box. Besides being useful for all workers on your

operation, many customers like to see SOPs

recorded. “Having a simple written checklist of

items that should be looked at each will can

prevent costly major items to break down un-

expectedly in the future,” says Grant.

MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Replacing hoses, gaskets and all rubber

parts before they are actually worn out

should be the goal of any routine maintenance

program. All equipment associated with milking systems

has a normal lifetime of use and should be replaced at

the manufacturer’s recommended time. “Keeping track of

when routine maintenance items are replaced is a great

way to save money,” recommends Grant.

Let’s face it – while routine maintenance may not be the

most exciting task at hand, it’s one of the most simple

and important things a dairy farmer can do to ensure a

high quality and safe product.

“With cows being milked twice a day, every day,

milking equipment, pipeline washers and bulk tank cool-

ing and washing needs to be working properly every

time,” says Grant. “It can be one of the easiest things

to skip during times of tight margins, but neglecting to

maintain your equipment can become costly, quickly.”

Jeopardizing udder health, missing Quality Premi-

ums – or worse yet – being penalized for substandard

quality can end up as a massive expense in the long run.

For more information on how to create a written main-

tenance program and SOPs, contact your Field Repre-

sentative or visit www.nationaldairyfarm.com/resources.

Check my ListCheck my List AGAIN!Make my ‘A’ ListSOPs

SAVE $!

4

4

4

4

4

hile there are thousands of ways to includedairy in your cooking, a new industry sup-

ported cookbook serves up more than 100 mouth-watering new ways to showcase our favorite dairyfoods. e Dairy Good Cookbook: Everyday ComfortFood from America’s Dairy Farm Families featuresrecipes inspired by dairy families nationwide in-cluding Maryland & virginia’s own Myers family. e book, “authored” by the more than47,000 dairy farming families from across the na-tion, offers an insightful peek into life on today’sdairy farms and aims to reconnect consumers withthe farmers who put the milk in their refrigerators. Of the 115 delicious homemade recipesfeatured in the cookbook, two are from BarbaraMyers’ kitchen: Granny’s Chicken Pie andMacadamia Ice Cream Pie, featured below. “It’s very exciting for me to be featured in thecookbook. Two of my greatest loves in life are dairyand cooking,” said Barbara. “e chicken pie recipe

has been passed down through many generationsin my family while the macadamia ice cream pie isan original creation. It’s very important for con-sumers to understand where their foods come fromand the cookbook helps to explain the importanceof dairy foods in a fresh and fun way.” Released in June, the book can be purchasedonline for less than $20. While the book has beenreceiving industry support from coast-to-coast,Dairy checkoff has taken special effort in promot-ing the book traditionally and through social media.

is consumer-facing publication will enhancethe image of the dairy industry and lead to increaseduse of milk and other dairy products in recipes. “eDairy Good cookbook is not a typical cookbook,”said cheryl Hayn, SuDIA General Manager. “It’s acompilation of stories and photos featuring dairyfarmers and their families, the wholesome dairyproducts they produce and the treasured familyrecipes that have nourished them for generations.” Both SuDIA and Mid-Atlantic Dairy Associ-ation have plans to promote the cookbook throughrecipe demos, blog posts and book “signing” eventsfeaturing producers in our membership territory. To order your own copy of the cookbook,visit Amazon today for tablet or hard copy versions.For more information about SuDIA’s cookbookpromotions, contact Anne cain at 1-800-343-4693. For more information on Mid-Atlantic’scookbook promotions, contact laura englandat 215-627-8800.

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

2/3 cup raw macadamia nuts,

toasted and chopped (2 oz.)

1 cup shredded coconut, toasted

and cooled

1 (9 inch) prepared chocolate

cookie pie crust

Whipped cream

Chocolate syrup

Toasted shredded coconut

Barbara Myers’

Macadamia Ice cream Pie Courtesy of e Dairy Good Cookbook

Place the ice cream in a large bowl and stir with a large spoon until softened. Stir the nuts and

coconut into the softened ice cream until evenly distributed. Transfer the ice cream mixture to

the chocolate cookie crust and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, 5 hours or over-

night. let the pie stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. cut the pie into

wedges. Top each wedge with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and toasted coconut.

Prep: 20 minutes Freeze: 5 hours Stand: 10 minutes Makes 8 servings

�

This chocolate-crusted ice cream pie, studded with toastedcoconut and chopped macadamia nuts, is a refreshingmake-ahead dessert for a warm summer night.

TOP CO-OP COOKS: SHARE YOUR FAVORITE DISHES! Submit your recipe, contact information, and fun factsabout you or the dish to Daniela Roland at droland@mdvamilk.com or by calling 814-635-3958.

Photo: Peter Krumhart & Dean Tanner

W

12 Pipeline May/June 2015

Dairy, DFA Decry Cattle Abuse, Activist TacticsA Colorado dairy is under investigation following the release of an under-cover video showing alleged animal abuse. The hidden-camera videofootage was recorded by Mercy For Animals (MFA) activist Jessica Buck,who went undercover as an employee at Cactus Acres Holsteins, ownedby Jim and Marie Goedert, Fort Morgan, Colorado. It shows dairy workers punching, kicking, beating andstabbing cows. The Goederts milk approximately 2,500 cows, employing more than 30 people. The dairyfarm is a member of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA). In a press conference, MFA called on the MorganCounty Sheriff's Department and District Attorney's Office to pursue justice for the abused animals. TheGoederts said they were shocked to learn of the allegations levied against them, particularly becausethey utilize a video monitoring system on their dairy and had already terminated several employees overconcerns about poor performance and animal mistreatment in the preceding weeks. “We take great pridein running a quality operation, and abuse is never tolerated,” Marie Goedert said. “We acknowledge thatthere were mistakes made and take full responsibility for those.”

Prior to the MFA press conference, DFA released what it called MFA’s “highly edited and highly ma-nipulated” undercover video on its own website. The video can be viewed at www.dfamilk.com/animal-abuse-the-dairy-industry-not-tolerated. The cooperative is encouraging anyone who witnesses animal abuse to reportit immediately and has begun a social media campaign utilizing #ReportNotRecord. – Dairy Herd Management

PRESORT

FIRST CLASSU.S. Postage

PAIDGAM PRINTERS

Permit #8Sterling, VA

Have you Heard?DAIRY NEWS FROM AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Pipeline May/June 2015

1985 Isaac Newton Square West, Suite 200Reston, VA 20190-5094

Where Members Matter

“We’re doing our best to serve you better.”

FIELD REPRESENTATIVES

Hannah Bomgardner I 717-304-7967hbomgardner@mdvamilk.com

Bob Cooksey I 410-778-4603bcooksey@mdvamilk.com

Kelli Davis I 301-824-7532kdavis@mdvamilk.com

Pat Evans I 717-629-9254pevans@mdvamilk.com

Ernie Fisher I 301-447-6513efisher@mdvamilk.com

Grant Gayman I 717-762-5318ggayman@mdvamilk.com

Robin Harchak I 814-515-5772rharchak@mdvamilk.com

Ashley Hoover I 571-328-1803ahoover@mdvamilk.com

Jim Howie I 704-534-7958jhowie@mdvamilk.com

Laura Jackson I 540-272-0140ljackson@mdvamilk.com

Dave Kleintop I 717-548-4089dkleintop@mdvamilk.com

Janae Klingler I 717-305-8257jklingler@mdvamilk.com

Galen Kopp I 717-653-1567gkopp@mdvamilk.com

Kevan McDonald I 706-340-5161kmcdonald@mdvamilk.com

Carl Privett I 336-466-0566cprivett@mdvamilk.com

Peter Schaefer I 717-756-6949pschaefer@mdvamilk.com

Larry Seamans I 434-372-4534lseamans@mdvamilk.com

Johnny Sparkman I 931-657-6455jsparkma@mdvamilk.com

Steve Yates I 615-425-6670syates@mdvamilk.com

TANK CALIBRATOR

Mike Kidd I 814-623-8340mkidd@mdvamilk.com

Forgotten about our ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST? Noworries! There’s still plenty of time to start photograph-ing life on your farm before our Sept. 25th entry deadline.

All members, family members and employeesof Maryland & Virginia of all talent levels are welcome toenter this year’s contest. Winning photos will be featuredin the 2016 Member Calendar and winning photographerswill receive their choice of a BestBuy gift card or digitalcamera. Entries can be submitted electronically or via mail.

For digital submissions, please send a JPEG image that is 1.5 MB or larger. For print photos, please include copy of the negatives.

Enter your favorite photos today via e-mail tocontest@mdvamilk.com or through postal mail to Mary-land & Virginia Milk Producers, Photo Contest, 1985 IsaacNewton Square West, Reston, VA 20190. Please includeyour name and contact information with your submissions.

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