Indiana Dairy Producers E-Newsletter
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IDP in Motion: Better Together
As we move though the hazy days of July, the days are anything but lazy. There are many plans in motion as we look to work with and learn from other organizations. For example, I am working on regional meetings for the winter that will include a different approach as we look to gain insight from our colleagues in Kentucky. Our July board meeting will be a time where we look at our Strategic Plan and consider how we can best partner with other dairy-supporting organizations. Looking back to May, we should all be proud of the great work of ADAI as dairy was definitely in the spotlight during and after the Indy 500 with race winner Josef Newgarden being a dairy fan. Thank you, Jennie Browning and team!
Of course, we always look forward to the Indiana State Fair and seeing so many of our industry friends. It is always good to walk through the barn on Dairy show days – and of course get some ice cream at the Dairy Bar. We are delighted that Charlie and Margaret Carter and their family are Featured Farmers at this year’s fair on Sunday, August 13. Link here to read the write up on these great dairy industry ambassadors.
Another way we are better together is working with Purdue to look at their work and consider how to best use data and metrics to help all of us continue to improve. We’ll continue staying involved at the state and national level to stay on top of important issues and legislation impacting the dairy industry. You’ll see many examples of collaboration and being better together in this month’s newsletter.
Wishing you a safe and enjoyable summer!
Steve
Steve Obert, Executive Director
317-779-6775
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Our Vision: To Make Indiana the most desirable state in which to produce milk.
Mission Statement
To promote a profitable, positive, professional image of
dairy producers while providing educational opportunities
for the interchange of ideas and to speak as a proactive voice
for Indiana dairy producers.
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Calendar of Events
- IDP Kentucky Bus Tour
- November 9th-11th
- Partners in Success Luncheon
- November 15th
- IDP Regional Meetings
- February 6th, 7th, 8th (2024)
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In This Issue
Sponsor Spotlight
Industry Insights
IDP Member Moments
Our Industry In Action
Our Mission In Action
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Sponsor Spotlight: ISA & ICMC Nourish the Dairy Industry with Corn and Soybean
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The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) are Premier Sponsors of IDP, and we appreciate all they do for Indiana Agriculture.
Nutrition Indiana's soybean and corn checkoff programs play a vital role in supporting research, promoting awareness, and providing information to consumers and industries aimed to increase demand and expand markets for soybean and corn farmers in the state. The dairy industry, including organizations like IDP, holds a pivotal position as one of the key consumers and market drivers for Indiana’s corn and soybeans.
In 2022 alone, the substantial contribution of the dairy sector to the demand for corn and soybeans in Indiana was evident, with approximately 16 million bushels of corn and 4 million bushels of soybeans solely dedicated to creating high-quality livestock feed for dairy animals
The partnership between Indiana’s corn and soybean checkoff programs and IDP is instrumental in furthering the growth and success of our farmers. By supporting these partnerships, the checkoff programs actively contribute to the resilience and expansion of markets for corn and soybeans while simultaneously promoting the growth and enhancement of the dairy industry.
Our organizations are pleased to actively support the advancement of the dairy industry in Indiana and look forward to our valued partnership with IDP and our sponsorship of their annual banquet and dairy meetings.
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Industry Insight: ZFS Feed Ingredients Update: Rain and Grain
While we are welcoming the rains, exports slowed a bit, and CME commodities took notice, the feed ingredients are holding steady on values using old crop grain.
Cottonseed old crop had dipped down on offers late last week and is holding steady now and looking good for rations on new crop values also.
Canola meal is tight on supply via rail, keeping basis values steady to higher as inventories at processors near end, into new crop harvest in August. There have been good rains in the growing crop area, showing good promise for supply on new crop offers, though processors are waiting on margins to bring better basis to market.
DDGs, distillers’ grains holds steady and demand strong as quality is good in Indiana, with export steady, and Eastern states still struggling on vomitoxin levels. This is a good low cost protein for rations.
Gluten feed is steady at processors, with more WET feed being available than pellets, as maintenance on pellet machines is busy. New crop offers are minimal yet as the buyers wait on corn crop progress.
Hominy has been lower on values recently, as processing improved and is greater even including some Saturday loading. Values are good vs ground corn, so take a look. New crop Clock offers are available also.
Soybean meal is steady on basis, with good supply on crush, though be stocked up by end of July, as downtime for maintenance comes in play for August, September at plants.
Soyhulls have been very tight, and values steady with wide U.S. drought and fiber shortages near and forward projected. Stay full on these, too, with downtime coming up. Wheat midds are more plentiful this time of year as flour is processed, take a look as an option on fiber source in ration.
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IDP Member Moments: Love of Dairy Runs Deep in Koester Family
Four pregnant heifers. That is what Sam Koester’s grandmother received as a wedding gift which propelled the farm family of Wadesville, Indiana, into the dairy business. As the third generation of dairy farmer for Diamond K Dairy and a fourth generation grain farmer, Sam shares the story of their 250-cow operation.
The farm was at a pivotal moment in 2012 when the third generation of family members were heading off to Purdue University for college. With the workforce going to West Lafayette, the family had to make decisions about the dairy side of the farm. “That was the point when we put in the robots to give flexibility to continue the dairy well while row crops required focus during the busy planting and harvest times,” Koester says.
Upon graduation, he went to work in grain merchandising for ADM before coming back to the farm in 2017. Koester says, “Our operation is diversified, and while in a family business you don’t really have job titles, I’ve always appreciated the cows, so I am the herd manager and also do the majority of the marketing for both the milk and the grain.”
When it comes to opportunities for the dairy industry, Koester points to value added products and trade. “As incomes rise around the world, people want more protein in their diets, and will spend money on items like higher end cheese and lactose-free products. We have to meet that demand.”
External pressures on the dairy help Koester appreciate how being part of Indiana Dairy Producers provides ideas and advocacy. “There is strength in numbers, and in the world we live in there is no reason to reinvent the wheel,” Koester says. “IDP provides a network to ask for advice and how to overcome challenges, you can often find someone in a situation similar to yours who you can lean on.”
Koester enjoys the lifestyle on the farm with his wife and two daughters yet is willing to travel to speak out for the industry. Last fall he flew to Washington DC to lend his voice to discussions on the Dairy Workforce Bill. Having farmers take the time to talk to Senators makes the industry’s labor issues more real to legislators.
Koester also enjoys being involved at the Cooperative level and appreciates seeing behind the scenes what it takes to move milk into the market. “We produce the most perishable product – once it leaves the cow, the clock starts ticking,” he points out.
Whether it is giving tours to young attorneys or talking about dairy automation with elected officials, Koester and his family continue on the journey started by those four gifted heifers who began the family’s dairy legacy.
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Industry Insight: Take Advantage of OSU Mycotoxin Seminar in Both English and Spanish
Molds and mycotoxins are present in feed worldwide with negative implications on cattle health and performance. Most toxins are produced in the field (forages) but molds could produce toxins during storage. Prevention and control of mycotoxins in cattle feed require an effective and integrated management strategy. This webinar will provide an overview of health effects, laboratory diagnosis, interpretation of results with risk levels and a practical approach to troubleshoot and control mycotoxins. The webinar is free of charge, but you must register (available in English and Spanish). Webinar is supported by USDA-NIFA grant # 2022-51300-37880.
Topic:
· Molds and mycotoxins in dairy cattle: Effects, diagnosis and control – Gustavo M. Schuenemann, The Ohio State University
Dates:
· July 19, 2023 (English session)
· July 20, 2023 (Spanish session)
Time: 12:00-1:00 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time) each day.
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Our Industry in Action: Discover Dairy Day a Big Success
What a great Day! Discover Dairy Day hosted on June 3rd at the Dubois County Museum by Alex and Abby Lueken was a huge success. There were more than 1,400 attendees who enjoyed a variety of activities. Dairy education and fun were combined through pet-a-calf, butter making, cheese pairing workshop and other fun educational activities.
The children's book, "Tales of the Dairy Godmother, Chuck's Ice Cream Wish" was the inspiration for the event. Donations were made by Prairie Farms, DFA and Danon. We also thank the numerous local companies who supported the event.
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Our Mission in Action: Scoop Ice Cream with ADAI In Pioneer Village at the State Fair
The Ice Cream Parlor in historic Pioneer Village is an extension of the American Dairy Association Indiana Dairy Bar and a way for Indiana State Fair attendees to experience dairy foods in a unique setting.
With daily demonstrations and sitting right beside the barn housing a dairy calf, it’s a way to show visitors where their favorite dairy foods come from when they visit the fair. We are proud to partner with Pioneer Village for another year of ice cream and milk in the parlor! For information and to volunteer, contact Meg Magsamen (magsamen@winnersdrinkmilk.com)
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Industry Insight: Effect of Wildfires on Dairy Cattle
By Jackie Boerman, PhD, Associate Professor, Animal Sciences, Purdue University
Recently we have observed more visible signs of the effects of wildfires at home in Indiana. We are fortunate to have this be a rare occurrence in Indiana, with low risk of wildfires compared to other parts of the country or world. Recently, I traveled to Canada for a dairy conference and in Ontario they are having sustained poor air quality, with alerts on my phone indicating that it may cause severe health risks.
At this conference, there were timely presentations about the effects of wildfires and specifically the particulate matter that is created from wildfires and their effects of dairy cattle. A research group out of the University of Idaho conducted studies during last year’s wildfire season with more research being conducted this year. They sampled animals before, during, and weeks after exposure to particulate matter from a wildfire to determine what impact wildfires have on the health status of animals.
In lactating cows, respiratory rate was increased for several days following a wildfire smoke exposure event. Additionally, some immune cell types were elevated in cows following an exposure event, indicating that the animals were spending energy on activating their immune system. This can be seen by the reduction in body weight they observed after exposure events. Exposure to particulate matter from wildfires caused increases in lactating cow’s immune response, diverting energy away from productive outcomes.
This research group also looked at the effects of wildfire particulate matter exposure in pre-weaned calves. They observed that exposure is linked to clinical respiratory symptoms in calves as well as systemic inflammation. Lung ultrasounds were performed before, during, and after exposure. During and after exposure to particulate matter from wildfires, calves had elevated lung scores, indicating lung damage.
While the lungs of pre-weaned calves are resilient, there is evidence that extensive lung damage causes long term negative effects on survivability, reproduction, and growth. There are very few options for improving air quality when these small particles from wildfires are in the air, however, recent awareness will likely lead to innovation as regions are continuously battling with air quality due to wildfires. While these presentations were focused on the animals on the farm, we should also recognize that farmers are also susceptible to the negative effects of exposure to particulate matter due to wildfires.
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Our Industry in Action: Myth Busting always Important: Article is an Example
Executive Director Steve Obert ran across a great "fact based" article in Lancaster Farming publication that reminds us of the important work of myth busting around environmental issues. This article points out that science and data should influence our response to climate change- not perception or emotion. Link here to see the article.
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Individual membership in the Indiana Dairy Producers is $50. Encourage your dairy farming friends to join IDP! Also, any individual who is not a dairy producer but would still like to support IDP can join as an associate member. Download a membership/associate brochure here.
We appreciate our industry supporters. They make it possible for IDP to support the dairy industry in many ways. If your company is interested in finding ways to join IDP, download an information sheet here.
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Diamond Sponsors
Click on any logo to reach the company's website
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Platinum Sponsors
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Gold Sponsors
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Silver Sponsors
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Board of Directors
Executive Director
Steve Obert
812-779-6775
Arie Jan de Jong, President
Carrie Jo Bollenbacher, Vice President
Jacob Achen, Secretary
Jackie Boerman, Executive Treasurer
Board Members
Alex Lueken
Amy Weaver
Henk Sevenhuysen
Krent Frauhiger
Roger Hibschman
Aaron Claycamp
Industry Advisers
Chris Moore
Sarah Wagler
Steve Howell
Todd Janzen, Attorney
Zach Allen
Tanya Westfall, Executive Assistant
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Visit Our Bronze Sponsors |
(Click the bronze button) |
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IDP Corporate Sponsors
There is a growing list of companies that recognize IDP's value to Indiana's dairy industry. Please visit our list of companies that have become Corporate Sponsors for only $100. If you know of a company that may have an interest in supporting IDP at some level, please download a brochure here.
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Contact Chris Moore
For free insurance consultation and quotes on your farm and agribusiness Insurance needs! IDP members receive an exclusive discount on SECURA Insurance.
Chris Moore
317-650-4519
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Indiana Dairy Producers
7826 S 550 E
Fort Branch, IN 47648
812-779-6775
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RESOURCE CENTER
-Click on each picture or logo to learn more-
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Indiana Grazing &
Forage
NRCS Website
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Check out the resources available to you on the
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