KY Milk Matters May/June 2021

May - June 2021 • KDDC • Page 1
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Milk Matters
M a y - J u n e
w w w. k y d a i r y. o r g
K
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T
U
C
K
Y
Supported by
What to Consider When Using
Fans on Your Dairy for Cooling
page 6
Kentucky Farm Bureau Update
page 11
Swiss Continue to SHINE at EKU’s Stateland Dairy
page 14
JUNE is National
D A I RY M O N T H

2020 KDDC Board of Directors & Staff
Executive Committee
President: Freeman Brundige
Vice President: Charles Townsend, DVM
Sec./Treasurer: Tom Hastings
EC Member: Greg Goode
EC Past President: Richard Sparrow
Board of Directors
District 1: Freeman Brundige 731.446.6248
District 2: Josh Duvall 270.535.6533
District 3: Keith Long 270.670.1388
District 4: Bill Crist Jr. 270.590.3185
District 5: Tony Compton 270.378.0525
District 6: Mark Williams 270.427.0796
District 7: Greg Goode 606.303.2150
District 8: Steve Weaver 270.475.3154
District 9: Jerry Gentry 606.875.2526
District 10: Terry Rowlette 502.376.2292
District 11: Stewart Jones 270.402.4805
District 12: John Kuegel 270.316.0351
Equipment: Tony Cowherd 270.469.0398
Milk Haulers: Mike Owen 270.392.1902
Genetics: Dan Johnson 502.905.8221
Feed: Tom Hastings 270.748.9652
Nutrition: Elizabeth Lunsford Alltech 859.553.0072
Dairy Co-op: Stephen Broyles 859.421.9801
Veterinary: Dr. Charles Townsend 270.726.4041
Finance: Todd Lockett 270.590.9375
Heifer Raiser: Bill Mattingly 270.699.1701
Former Pres.: Richard Sparrow 502.370.6730
Employee & Consultants
Executive Director: H.H. Barlow
859.516.1129
kddc@kydairy.org
DC-Central: Beth Cox
PO Box 144, Mannsville, KY 42758
bethcoxkddc@gmail.com
859.516.1619 • 270-469-4278
DC-Western: Dave Roberts
1334 Carrville Road, Hampton, KY 42047
roberts@kydairy.org
859.516.1409
DC-Southern: Meredith Scales
2617 Harristown Road, Russell Springs, KY 42642
mescales2@gmail.com
859.516.1966
DC-Northern: Jennifer Hickerson
PO Box 293, Flemingsburg, KY 41041
j.hickersonkddc@gmail.com
859.516.2458
KDDC
176 Pasadena Drive • Lexington, KY 40503
www.kydairy.org
KY Milk Matters produced by Carey Brown
President’s Corner Freeman Brundige
C
urrently, the major topic
throughout the dairy
industry is reform or
refurbishing the pricing policies
that are now in place. At the
forefront right now is the Class I
pricing formula. There are several
different proposals and ideas
out there, with different levels of
support from different regions of
the country. We in the southeast
have a different set of problems
than our fellow dairyman both
North and West of us, but we
seek a change that will be equally
fair to all of us.
We at KDDC feel that it is
important that changes in pricing
policies should be dealt with at this
time since the industry as a whole is focused on it. Not addressing
these problems now will only lead to more concern later. Each week
there seems to be a different plan or scenario out there that we need
to study and evaluate, and for us its effect on Kentucky and other
southeast dairy farmers. It is an everchanging land scape, but it is
of utmost importance to the future of our business that we put great
efforts to get the best results we can.
As the outlook changes, we will try to keep our Kentucky Dairy
farmers informed, and hope they will share their thoughts about what
they see as pros and cons of the plans. Your input is always valuable.
SAVE THE DATE: JULY 21-22, 2021
BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY
MULTI STATE VALUE ADDED CONFERENCE
2021: KENTUCKY
2022: NORTH CAROLINE
2023: TENNESSSEE

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859.553.0072 Alltech.com AlltechNaturally @Alltech

Executive Director Comments
H H Barlow
M
any challenges and opportunities
are ahead of us as we enter a
new growing season. At this point,
the challenges seem to outweigh the
opportunities.
At a recent forum, I was asked what the main
concerns for Kentucky dairymen are. My immediate answer was
two words, “Feed cost”. You could also add many increasing
input costs, such as fertilizer, fuel, labor, hauling and interest
rates.
In addition, many government policies are negatively impacting
farmer incomes. What happens in Washington matters, so your
voice and vote are important.
With all the factors listed, the cost of producing 100 lbs. of milk
will be significantly higher this year compared to the last few
years. The question becomes, how do we navigate through this
season of increased cost.
To offset increased cost, the milk price becomes extremely
important, more so than ever. The good news at this writing
is that all predictions are for higher milk prices. Milk market
administrators, Dixie Dairy Reports and most economists are
predicting prices to rise 10%-15%. Futures markets for all dairy
commodities have been steadily rising the past few weeks. Class
III futures went above $20 on May 12. Butter, cheese, whey and
powder prices all increased on the CME this week.
What is the outlook for these increased prices to continue?
To answer that question, we turn to exports and increasing
consumption as food service opens up.
March exports were the second highest month ever. Of milk
produced in March, 18.6% was exported. Production worldwide
seems to be flat and dairy demand around the world is growing.
With restaurants opening near capacity, higher amounts of cheese
and butter are being consumed. Pizza sales are booming, with
Dominoes, Papa John’s and Pizza Hut all announcing over 13%
growth in sales the first quarter of 2021.
Historically, high feed cost usually means strong milk prices.
When considering all of these factors, it appears prices will
continue to improve and be strong throughout 2021-2022.
For dairymen, the question will be, “Are higher milk prices
going to be enough to cover the dramatically higher cost of
production?”.
As always, efficient management practices will be more
important than ever to meet the higher cost challenge. Absolute
essentials are keeping records, evaluating herd, culling problem
cows, knowing your break-even production number and culling
open cows. Top producers will all tell you to run your facility to
capacity which spreads your overhead cost. All of us have weak
links in our operation that can be fixed Again…management,
management, management!!
Moving past higher cost and milk price discussions, KDDC has
a vigorous program to give everyone some new tools to improve
production and profits.
Our new 4.0 program has begun. Our introductory road
show in late March was well attended and the program was
excellent. The highlight was two speakers—John Bean from
North Carolina and Brian Houin from Ohio. These men have
used the technologies of improved reproduction performance and
genomic testing to dramatically improve their own herds and their
testimonials were inspiring.
I heard from several attendees that this program was one of the
best ever presented by KDDC. Video copies of the program are
available if any producer would like to see it at www.kydairy.org.
Several herds have already started genomic testing their animals.
KDDC staff have had several training meetings to prepare for
implementing the genomic testing. The information created by
the test is extensive and reveals how each animal compares to
breed benchmarks. This information will be vital in making
management decisions regarding breeding, culling and identifying
heifers to keep for replacements.
On the financial front, several herds are participating in the
Cornell Dairy Profit Margin program. Two other financial
programs are available to our producers, the Dairy Gauge and the
Rockingham program. Letters have been mailed to all producers
explaining our MILK 4.0 program and we look forward to our
producers signing up.
Beef-on-dairy is a national endeavor being implemented in
herds across the country. KDDC is sponsoring a beef-on-dairy
conference June 29-30 at Bluegrass Stockyards in Lexington.
Invitation letters have been mailed to all Kentucky dairymen.
The two-day meeting will feature speakers covering these topics:
Beef-on-dairy, proper baby calf care, nutrition for crossbred
calves and the importance of proper carcass quality for beef
processing. The second day will be a tour of calf feeding
operations. There will be a $20 registration fee. After that,
KDDC will provide all meals and lodging Tuesday night for
producers who have distance-travel to attend.
Beef-on-dairy is another profit potential for our farmers. We
are excited to put on this program and look forward to seeing all
of you at this conference.
MILK 4.0 is an ambitious endeavor which has many ways
to incentivize our producers to become more profitable by
concentrating on these new technologies.
Thankfully, June Dairy Day events will be held this year. The
popular ballgames in Lexington and Bowling Green will take
place and a June Dairy Month proclamation event will be held in
Frankfort with Ag Commissioner Ryan Quarles.
May and June are beautiful in Kentucky and I wish everyone
success in spring harvest and planting. Everyone, please plan
a late spring cookout and load your burgers with your favorite
cheeses!!!

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What to Consider When Using Fans on Your Dairy for Cooling
Morgan Hayes, Ph.D, P.E., Assistant Extension Professor, Biosystems Engineering, University of Kentucky
D
airy cattle are very susceptible to heat stress,
however there are individual responses in how cows
experience heat stress. Each cow’s threshold where
they begin to experience heat stress and the rate at which
heat stress amplifies can be affected by genetics, body
size, and milk production. The way cows experience heat
stress is also affected by air temperature, humidity, solar
radiation and air speed. Typically, when the temperature-
humidity index (THI) rises above 68, heat stress starts to
affect the most of cow’s behaviors and physiology. Many
cows have decreased milk production and increased
reproductive issues above this threshold. While the
general THI recommendation is useful, each farmer
needs to determine for their own animals if this threshold
is appropriate. Some high producing herds may need to
manage heat stress at cooler conditions while other farms
may be able to postpone management until it is warmer.
Heat abatement strategies such as shade, soakers,
sprinklers, and fans have been shown to be effective in
reducing heat stress in dairy cattle. In dairies, the goal is to
provide one or more of these strategies to all the cattle. In
barns, adding circulation or panel fans can create air speed
across the cattle to help cows dissipate heat through their
skin. The key to fans is to create an appropriate air speed for
cooling. Cows begin to see productive impacts in cooling
when air speeds across the cows reach 200 feet per minute,
however most farms target air speeds between 400 and 600
feet per minute because research has shown the effectiveness
of these air speeds to reduce heat stress throughout the barns.
While the air speeds might start at 400-600 feet per minute
by the time the air moves over one or two cows it will begin
to slow and this range allows much of the area covered by
the fan to receive adequate air speeds. Most fans produce air
speeds in excess of this target, but the importance is not what
air speed is produced at the fan but instead what air speed is
felt by the cow, which depends on the placement of the fans.
FAN PLACEMENT
Circulation or panel fans should be placed so there is a fan
every 10 fan diameters (example: a 48-inch or 4-ft diameter
fan would cover 40 feet down the length of the barn). This
spacing is critical to getting enough air speed to actually
provide cooling effect for the cattle. The goal is to angle
these fans so the center of the jet of air that comes from one
fan hits the ground directly below the next fan. With typical
truss heights, these fans are often set up on approximately a
20-degree angle to direct air towards the ground. The picture
below illustrates the spacing and the type of angle.
Many farms do a good job getting the spacing correct down
the length of the barn, but fans are rarely close enough side
to side to cover the width of the barn. For the best coverage
of the total area, the fans should be placed every 4 to 5
diameters across the width of the barn (example: a 48-inch
fan would cover 16-20 feet of width in a barn. Fans are rarely
quite this close, often they are closer to 6 to 8 diameters
apart or just over the feed alley. Only having high air speeds
in some areas may create bunching or only allow dominant
cows to receive the heat abatement. If the fans are only
placed over feed alleys, the set up will not encourage the
cows to lay down.

GETTING THE MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
Costs to purchase and operate fans can be a
challenge and not all areas on the farm will rate at
the same priority level when purchasing fans. Other
research has recommended the following approach for
prioritizing areas on the farm to add heat abatement: 1.
Calving area; 2. Close up dry cows; 3. Holding area;
4. Milking area; 5. Fresh cows; 6. High producers;
and 7. Low producers. These priorities are designed
to ensure the best milk production is available to
the farm over the entire lactation cycle of the cows.
When specifically looking at priority of fan locations
installed in a naturally ventilated free stall barn is:
1. Over any inner rows of stalls; 2. Over the feed
alley; and 3. Over the outer row of stalls. With wider
naturally ventilated barns the outside rows tends to
receive decent wind speeds, however the center of the
barn tends to have more stagnant air. Ensuring that
cows which lay in stalls in the center of the barn do
not need to get up very often because they are under
heat stress will increase milk production.
Because there are costs associated with running
fans, there are some considerations farms should
make in purchasing fans. Many dairies have 3-phase
power and a 3-phase fan will be more economical
to run. Also, starting all these mixing fans can
create significant demand charges. There are a
couple ways to start fans with less initial demand,
one is using multiple thermostats with different set
points in different areas of the barn and another is
to delay the start on certain fans so all fans do not
start simultaneously. However, the most effective
ways to get value from your fans is to perform proper
maintenance.
FAN MAINTENANCE
Creating a maintenance plan for your fans is critical
to getting the air speed needed for the cows. One key
is to make sure the fans and any protective shrouds are
clean. Dirty fans and shutters can create up to a 40%
reduction in air flow for the same energy demand.
Even one cleaning each summer is better than none,
but ideally the fans should be cleaned monthly to
reduce the build-up of dirt and grime. Additionally,
loose and frayed belts can reduce the rotation speed
of the fan blades reducing down the airflow. If a belt
is broken or extremely loose and the motor is still
turning you are essentially paying to run a motor and
not gaining any benefits for your cows. Similarly bent
or broken fan blades and worn bearings can reduce
fan performance. Most fans run based on one or more
thermostats in the barn. It is worthwhile to also check
the thermostat and ensure it is operating correctly so
you get fan operation when you want it.
Dear County Agriculture Development Council Members and agricultural
leaders,
Growing up on my dad’s tobacco and cattle farm, I saw firsthand how im-
portant tobacco was to Kentucky’s economy. When I was a kid, nearly every
farm family had a little bit of tobacco. It was a valuable crop that helped me
not only pay for my first vehicle, but also helped me pay my way through
college. That story is not unique; it’s the same one shared by many of you.
When the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was reached in the late
1990s, Kentucky had tens of thousands of tobacco farms. Now there are
fewer than 3,000. In those earlier days, a group of farmers and government
leaders saw an opportunity to take half of the funds from the Master Settle-
ment Agreement and wisely invest them into the future of Kentucky agricul-
ture. Since that time, KADF has done incredibly transformative work and has
changed Kentucky agriculture for the better. I can tell you that I have seen
these changes first hand, as I’ve visited countless farms across the state in
my five years as Commissioner.
As you have likely heard by now, the General Assembly made a policy
change two weeks ago and passed Senator Paul Hornback’s Senate Bill 3,
which moves the administration of the Kentucky Agricultural Development
Fund from the Governor’s Office to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
The new name of the office will be the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy.
I am a big believer in the idea that it’s better to get it right than to get it done
fast. That’s why in the first two weeks since Senate Bill 3 became law, I have
been meeting regularly with KADF staff to listen to their ideas about how
things can be improved and how we can stand on the shoulders of the agri-
cultural giants who envisioned this fund years ago. As the Commissioner of
Agriculture, a Kentucky farm kid, and someone who has seen what the KADF
has done over the years, I want to make a promise to you: we are going
to keep up the great tradition of excellence with the Kentucky Agricultur-
al Development Board and the Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation.
However, this is also a great opportunity to kick the tires and see what can
be done better going forward.
I understand that many folks have questions about this process (including
me) and we are working quickly to develop answers as the transition to the
Department of Agriculture progresses. For sure, this change is not going to
happen overnight. In the meantime, please know that it is business as usual
at the Kentucky Ag Development Board and the Ag Finance Board. My office
is fully committed to ensuring that these changes are done in a way that
does not disrupt the function of the boards, the regularly scheduled meet-
ings, or any of the services that staff have provided so well over the past
decades. We plan to do all of this in a nonpartisan way, just like Kentucky
agriculture expects us to.
With hundreds of millions of dollars invested over the lifetime of the fund,
Kentucky agriculture has been transformed and it’s important we continue
to work together to make life better for Kentucky’s farm families. I look for-
ward to continue working with you in our shared mission to further the good
work of this fund and build on the record of success that has been achieved
for the Commonwealth.
I also encourage you to share this letter with those you think may be inter-
ested in learning more about this transition. Should you have any questions
about the transition or the next steps, please do not hesitate to reach out to
my office.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ryan F. Quarles Commissioner of Agriculture

Heat Stress affecting Reproductive Performance in Dairy Cows
Dan Johnson, Select Sires
M
any very good articles have been published in
the past concerning ways to reduce the stress of
summer heat on dairy cows.
Fans and soakers are routinely used over feed bunks to
encourage cows to come to the bunk and eat to reduce a drop in
feed intake. Soakers are also successfully used in holding pens to
prevent cows from overheating while congregating to be milked.
Water tanks are cleaned regularly and sized and spaced so that
cool, clean water is always available, especially immediately
after the cows exit the parlor and the feed bunks.
Fly control programs are routinely evaluated to prevent cows
from bunching in alleyways and being stressed due to repetitive
biting.
Dry cows are particularly considered for their heat abatement
needs. Entering their lactation is no time to suffer the effect of
heat stress and a drop in Body Condition Score.
All of these management practices are routinely used on
today’s well managed dairy farms. But after each of these
management practices are implemented, what additional tools,
or practices can be used to deal with heat stress during the long
days and nights of summer in the south?
For the purposes of this article, we would like to take a look
at a couple of tools that can be used to reduce the effects of
summer heat stress- specifically on reproduction. While milk
production is often the first outward sign of cows suffering from
heat stress, the reproductive costs are often not seen for many
weeks or months after the heat stress occurred. As temperatures
and humidity increase, cows show reduced activity, until cows
in heat are often very difficult to detect in estrus- making it very
difficult to maintain a successful AI program.
After all of the appropriate management steps are implemented
to remediate heat stress, what other steps or tools can be utilized
to reduce the effects of heat stress in your reproductive program?
There are a couple of areas of newer technologies that could
play an important role in maintaining an adequate reproductive
performance even in the hot humid summer days in our area.
One such tool that is gaining widespread usage is cow activity
systems. Activity systems have gained wide acceptance in the
past 5-10 years at an incredible rate. Activity systems today, are
doing for the dairy industry what DHIA did in the 1970’s and
‘80’s. They provide needed management information that is not
otherwise readily available. As the technology has continued to
evolve and improve, the information has become more accurate,
more immediate, more complete and more user friendly. Many
systems are available as a total package, and some have a la carte
features that allow you to choose if you would like to subscribe
to a Fertility (reproductive/ estrus detection) module, a Health
module and/or a Nutrition Module. Costs for these systems have
come down dramatically for these systems as they have become
more widely accepted. If you have not looked into an activity
system recently, you should at least investigate the cost and pay
back or return on investment for several systems to see what
options will fit your needs.
Some of the advantages of adding activity systems to your
management practices are:
1) Reduced days open, lowered calving interval and increased
Pregnancy rates due to increased heat detection capabilities even
during times of reduced estrus signs.
2) Reduced lag time between pregnancy/open status diagnosis
and re-initiating a synchronization protocol
3) Reduced drug costs due to breeding a higher number of
natural heats vs induced heats
4) Reduced dependency on accurate shot compliance for synch
protocols. Synch protocols are very effective when properly
administered. However, one cow that is not located and misses a
shot during a synchronization protocol will almost always fail to
become synchronized with her breeding group.
5) Reduced semen usage due to higher conception rates
6) Estrus activity is not missed even during reduced activity
during heat stress. In periods of heat stress, cows often only
show estrus activity in the coolest part of the day, around 2 or 3
am, when there are fewer workers present to visually detect these
heats.
Many activity systems can additionally detect illness that are
occurring- prior to any visible symptoms being present- allowing
for intervention to be performed before the cow goes clinical.
Body temps and rumination counts can also be detected on some
systems. This allows the dairy producer to monitor health issues
and intervene if cooling systems are failing or if health issues
arise. This is also a key indicator that a fresh cow is not getting
started off nutritionally and metabolically as she should.
While the information gained from an activity monitoring
system will greatly improve summertime breeding performance,
the same benefits are seen during times of field work when all
hands are on deck to plant, chop, roll and harvest crops in a
timely manner.
Your equipment service provider or semen supplier can help
you evaluate the costs and payback on activity systems that can
help you decide if this is a good option for your dairy.
One other area of interest that I would like to touch on that
is gaining increased usage to beat the heat is the area of feed
additives. Maintaining feed intake during times of hot weather
will mostly be controlled by the proper management techniques

Brian Lacefield Named Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy Director
OFFICE RECENTLY ATTACHED TO THE KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
B
rian Lacefield, of Versailles, has been
named the new director of the
Kentucky Office of Agricultural
Policy, Agriculture Commissioner Dr.
Ryan Quarles announced today. The
Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy is
the new name for the former Governor’s
Office of Agricultural Policy after Senate
Bill 3 shifted responsibilities for the
Kentucky Agricultural Development
Fund from the governor’s office to the
Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
“Brian Lacefield is well-respected in
Kentucky’s agricultural community and has years of
agribusiness and investment experience that makes him the
perfect fit to lead the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy,”
Commissioner Quarles said. “Brian will be a strong asset for the
KDA as we implement Senate Bill 3 and move the management
from the Governor’s Office to the Department of Agriculture. I
am grateful for his willingness to serve.”
“I am honored to be named to this position by Commissioner
Quarles,” Lacefield said. “I look forward to working with
board members to uphold the great tradition of innovation and
excellence at the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.
There is tremendous opportunity to strengthen and diversify
our agricultural economy and I am excited to hit the ground
running.”
Lacefield most recently served as the Kentucky State
Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service
Agency (FSA), where he directed and administered FSA
programs and managed staff across the state. Prior to joining
the Trump administration, Lacefield served in various roles in
the agriculture industry, most recently as market
president at Trigg County FNB Bank. He
has also worked as chief financial officer
of Agri-Chem and general manager for
Commonwealth Agri-Finance, both
divisions of Hopkinsville Elevator
Cooperative. He served as vice president
of agriculture and commercial banking
with Planters Bank and as an area
extension specialist with the University
of Kentucky Farm Business Management
Program.
Lacefield has been a board member for
the Kentucky Retail Federation, Kentucky Corn
Growers, Kentucky FFA Foundation, and the Kentucky
Ag Leadership Program. Over the past decade, he has served
nonprofits and charitable organizations in his communities
including Cadiz Rotary, the United Way of the Pennyrile and the
Hopkinsville Farmers Market.
“Commissioner Quarles has made a solid appointment in the
selection of Brian Lacefield to serve as director for the Kentucky
Office of Agricultural Policy,” said Warren Beeler, former
executive director of the Governor’s Office of Agricultural
Policy. “Brian has the experience and the passion for this
role and will help move Kentucky’s agricultural community
forward.”
Lacefield is a graduate of Western Kentucky University,
where he gained a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness and a
master’s degree in agriculture. He also holds a master’s degree in
agricultural economics from the University of Florida. Lacefield
and his wife, Michelle, live in Versailles with their two children,
Brianne and Braden.
described in my opening paragraph. However, once all of these
management practices are put into place, there are additional
benefits seen with these products. Preventing feed from heating
in the bunk and mixer wagon is an important way to reduce a
drop in milk production and feed intake. Additives that control
the heating of feed over time have shown great benefits in
palatability of the feed as well as maintaining the nutritional
integrity of the ration.
Other products help cows metabolically reduce their stress
from heat. “Gatorade for cows” is a phrase we often hear when
producers and nutritionists talk about these products. These
products work to help control the body temperature of the cow.
Decreased panting and the maintenance of water intake are
regularly seen when using these products. Be sure to consult
your nutritionist, veterinarian or service consultant if you want
more information on this class of management products.
Heat and humidity is certainly a challenge to maintaining
a healthy, comfortable and productive dairy herd. However,
technology continues to evolve to assist in this challenge! Have a
successful and safe summer.

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One of the most important issues facing the agriculture industry today is
the ability to pass a farm on to the next generation either by inheritance or
through selling. It sounds easy enough but often tax laws can make the pro-
cess cumbersome and expensive.
We have been fortunate in Kentucky to have some specific legislation to help
in the matter. The bill that created the Kentucky Selling Farmers Tax Credit
(KSFTC) Program passed during the 2019 General Assembly and is a prime
example of how Kentucky Farm Bureau’s advocacy efforts can payoff when
working with our legislative members.
Kentucky Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens was instrumental in
getting this legislation through to fruition. The KSFTC Program promotes
the continued use of agricultural land for farming purposes by granting tax
credits to selling farmers who agree to sell agricultural land and assets to
beginning farmers.
We are thankful to Senator Givens for his devotion to agriculture and his help
in getting this legislation passed.
However, there is much work that needs to be done to continue this forward
progress when it comes to helping with the passing of farmland along to a
new generation of farm families. All too often we see production farmland
turn into a housing developments because so many young and beginning
farmers just don’t have the capital to make the purchase, and an oversized
tax bill only makes the situation worse.
There is currently national legislation that has been introduced in the U.S.
House and Senate that would eliminate the estate, or “death” tax which would
be of considerable help as it relates to this issue.
But there is also the discussion of lowering the current estate tax exemption
to a level that would be detrimental to many farm families. Lowering the ex-
emption below current levels would cause an increased tax burden on many
of them looking to take over the family farm after a death.
The last thing a family needs to worry about at a time like that is how to
transfer their property when losing some or all of it because of an undue tax
burden. This isn’t rocket science folks. Simply put, we must have farms to
eat, therefore we must do all we can to ensure existing farms can be passed
on to the next generation without breaking the bank.
Another issue that has surfaced when it comes to inheriting farmland is the
announcement of a new proposal to end stepped-up basis when calculating
capital gains taxes on inherited income, which would include inherited farm-
land.
Current stepped-up basis law allows heirs to step up their cost basis in inher-
ited property to match the value on the date of the previous owner’s death,
meaning that only capital gains above that point could ever be subject to
income taxes.
Removing stepped-up basis would require the heir of the property to pay tax
gains based on the original purchase price of the farmland rather than the
market value on the date of inheritance. Farm Bureau opposes this, and we
must continue our efforts, at all levels, to ensure sound legislation is passed
that would help farm families, not penalize them for wanting to continue a
tradition which we all depend upon.
Mark Haney, President
Kentucky Farm Bureau
MILK 4.0 ROADSHOW RECAP
Dave Roberts
T
he kickoff of KDDC’s new MILK 4.0 program took
place the 4th week in March at three locations across
Kentucky. The program included six speakers, four in
person and two via video link. All presentations tied directly
to achieving dairy herd improvements contained in all four
parts of MILK 4.0.
Dr. Jeffrey Bewley began by giving an overview of KDDC’s
MILK 4.0. Next John Beam a dairyman from Cherryville North
Carolina described the management practices used to increase
and maintain the high (PR) pregnancy rate at Beam Dairy LLC.
Also shedding light on getting cows bred sooner, Dr. Paul
Fricke of the University of Wisconsin-Madison touched on the
importance of maintaining correct body condition in the dry
period and transitioning fresh cows well. Another part of MILK
4.0 is genomic testing. David Erf of Zoetis described the many
traits identified by genomic testing and the variety of ways a
dairy producer could use it to increase his herd’s genetic base.
Production, fat, and protein are just a few of the genetic traits
that are revealed in a genomic test. Now many health traits are
included in the Zoetis test. Next Brian Houin, a producer from
Plymouth Indiana described how he uses genomic testing to
increase his herd’s genetics and manage his replacement heifers
more efficiently. Getting those newborn calves off to a go start
was covered by Adam Geiger Ph.D.,PAS, Dairy Nutritionist from
Zinpro Corporation. Adam emphasized how important getting
high quality colostrum in that calf within the first few hours is.
The four components of MILK 4.0 are targeted to benefit
Kentucky producer’s bottom line. The Pregnancy Rate and
Somatic Cell Count components pay premiums when goals
are reached which also raises production per cow with less
days open. The bookkeeping options offered by MILK 4.0 can
help producers manage finances better and benchmark inputs.
Last but not lease is our Genomic Testing component. KDDC
is in partnership with Zoetis to offer Genomic Testing to all
Kentucky producers at a greatly reduced rate. This is the only
program like this in the nation. If Kentucky producers sign up
for the MILK 4.0 program, they will be able to genomic test a
cow or heifer for about $14.00 each.
At several of the KDDC MILK 4.0 Roadshow meetings
comments were made that “this is a deal that you’d be crazy
not to take advantage of” and “MILK 4.0 is really exciting
and visionary, this is what we need”. Although MILK 4.0 is
a new program quite different from the Old MILK Program
KDDC believes that this could have a huge positive impact on
the future of Kentucky’s dairy industry. By giving producers
the opportunity to greatly improve their genetics, increase
production through lower somatic cell counts and higher
pregnancy rate, and a financial record keeping system to better
benchmark inputs.

Dixie Dairy Report
May 2021
Calvin Covington
Dairy product prices. April Dairy Products Sales Report
(DPSR) prices, for the four dairy products used to calculate
federal order class prices, were all higher than March. Strong
food service sales are strengthening butter and cheese prices.
April butter increased over $0.20/lb. from March to $1.7814/
lb., and is the highest butter price since last July. Based on
recent CME trading activity the butter price appears to be
softening. Cheese gained over a dime for an April average price
of $1.7106/lb. Barrel cheese is reported “tight”, a reason for the
current CME barrel price higher than block. Cheese production
is at a record high with March production almost 5% greater
than last March. Expect, this increased production will put a
lid on higher cheese prices. Nonfat dry milk powder (NDM)
and dry whey continue several months of price increases. Each
advanced over a nickel per lb. from March to April. Good
domestic and strong export demand are driving both products.
Plus, the NDM inventory is declining, almost 10% lower than
last year. The April NDM price of $1.1680/lb. is the highest in
over a year. April dry whey at $0.6135/lb. is the highest price
since 2014. As shown below, all Class prices are higher than the
previous month with the large spread between Class III and IV
continuing.
More cows and more milk. USDA estimates 9.468
million dairy cows as of March 31. This is the largest dairy
cow inventory since 1985, the year of the whole herd buyout.
March milk production was 1.8% higher than last March. More
milk was due to more cows with March milk per cow up 1%.
States with the largest first quarter production increases were:
South Dakota + 10.5%, Indiana + 9.4%, Minnesota + 6.0%,
and Texas + 3.7%. First quarter production in California and
Wisconsin was + 0.7% and + 2.4%, respectively. In some of the
areas of the country, additional milk volume is causing hauling
challenges. Dairy Market News reports finding enough milk
truck drivers a growing concern.
While most of the nation continues to add cows and produce
more milk, the opposite is occurring in the Southeast States.
First quarter milk production in the ten Southeast States was
5.7% lower than last year with all states reporting lower
production. Lower production in the Southeast is due to fewer
cows, about 20,000 head less than last year. The Southeast dairy
herd is currently estimated at 409,000. In 2015, the Southeast
had 500,000 dairy cows. Florida, Georgia, and Virginia, which
account for about two-thirds of Southeast milk production, were
down 8.5%, 3.4%, and 4.0%, respectively, for the first quarter.
North Carolina had the lowest first quarter decline, down 0.4%.
Challenging first quarter for fluid milk sales. Class
I producer milk in all federal orders was 3.6% lower for the
first quarter of 2021 compared to the first quarter of last year.
(Note: In our opinion Class I producer milk provides a quicker
and a more producer-oriented measure of fluid milk sales.) In
the three southeastern federal orders the decline is greater at
5.2%. All but one of the eleven (11) federal orders saw first
quarter declines in Class I producer milk. The one exception
was the Northeast order with Class I slightly higher than a year
earlier. The largest Class I decline was in the Central order with
a drop of 8.1%, followed by Florida which was down 7.7%.
We can speculate government restrictions kept normal winter
travel from northern to southern states lower this year. This may
partially account for slightly higher fluid sales in the Northeast,
but lower in Florida and the Southeast.
Higher retail fluid milk prices do not appear to be a reason
for lower fluid sales. Nationwide, whole milk retail prices only
averaged about $0.07/gallon higher during the first quarter
of this year compared to a year ago. While in the Miami and
Atlanta markets, average first quarter retail whole milk prices
FEDERAL ORDER CLASS PRICES (2021 YTD)
CLASS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY
($/cwt. 3.5% fat)
Class I $15.14 $15.54 $15.20 $15.51 $17.10
Class II $14.18 $14.00 $15.07 $15.56
Class III $16.04 $15.75 $16.15 $17.67
Clas IV $13.75 $13.19 $14.18 $15.42
AVERAGE DAILY CLASS I PRODUCER MILK – FIRST
QUARTER 2021 VS. 2020
FEDERAL ORDER 2019 2020 2021 CHANGE
(million lbs. per day) (%)
Appalachian 10.8 10.9 10.7 -1.9%
Florida 6.2 6.1 5.7 -7.7%
Southeast 10.0 9.5 8.8 -7.2%
3 Orders Total 27.0 26.5 25.2 -5.2%
All Federal Orders 125.5 124.7 120.1 -3.7%

Milk Prices
FMMO 5
www.malouisville.com
May 2021
Class 1 Advanced Price
(@3.5%BF)
$20.50
June 2021
(@3.5%BF)
$21.69
FMMO 7
www.fmmmatlanta.com
May 2021
(@3.5%BF)
$ 20.90
June 2021
(@3.5%BF)
$22.09
PROJECTED* BLEND PRICES – Base Zones – SOUTHEASTERN FEDERAL ORDERS
MONTH APPALACHIAN FLORIDA SOUTHEAST
($/cwt. at 3.5% butterfat - base zone)
February 2021 $17.56 $19.54 $17.72
March $17.94 $20.11 $17.92
April $18.39 $20.43 $18.79
May $19.41 $21.32 $19.67
June $20.18 $22.34 $20.64
July $20.45 $22.36 $20.72
* Projections in bold
are about $0.25/gallon and $0.50/gallon lower than last year, respectively. Sales
growth of plant- based beverages, sold alongside fluid milk in the dairy case, may
account for some of the fluid sales loss. The April 9, 2021 Cheese Reporter reports
sales of these plant-based products was $2.5 billion in 2020, an increase of 20% from
2019 to 2020. The article further reported these plant-based beverages account for
15% of milk category sales in all stores, and 45% in natural food stores
Dairy industry important to Southeast. Even though Southeast milk
production is on a downhill slope, it is still economically important to the Southeast.
USDA’s 2020 Milk Production, Disposition and Income Summary reports cash
receipts from 2020 milk sales in the Southeast States almost $1.7 billion. The
following table shows the cash receipts for each Southeast state.
Blend prices continue to advance. As shown below, April blend prices in the
three southeastern orders, are projected higher than March. Blend prices are projected
to add about a $1.00/cwt. each in May and June before starting to level off. Our
projections are higher than last month, but still not as high as current futures prices
indicate. This is due to a strong milk supply and anticipating food service sales to
moderate. Even though blend prices are moving higher, gross margins are declining.
Using the USDA gross margin formula, average 2021 first quarter gross margin is
$3.37/cwt. lower than a year ago.
2020 CASH RECEIPTS FROM MILK SALES – SOUTHEAST STATES
STATE ($) STATE ($)
Alabama $8,052,000 Mississippi $24,897,000
Florida $486,492,000 North Carolina $167,132,000
Georgia $349,272,000 South Carolina $35,898,000
Kentucky $174,097,000 Tennessee $100,768,000
Louisiana $24,366,000 Virginia $297,667,000

Swiss Continue to SHINE at EKU’s Stateland Dairy
Jennifer Hickerson
T
he Swiss experience at Stateland Dairy continues
to flourish under the supervision of long-time
farm manager Chad Powers and his team at
Meadowbrook Farms located in Richmond, Kentucky. The
story of the addition of the Brown Swiss line into EKU’s
herd is unique to say the least, one where the pieces fell
into place by chance creating a one-of-a-kind distinctive
opportunity to build a Swiss legacy..
THE PIECES
Sunshine Genetics was founded
in 1983 by Dr. Dan Hornickel and
Dr. Chris Keim two veterinarians
that shared a fascination for elite
dairy cattle and new technology.
Dr Greg Schueller joined the
veterinary practice in 2009 where
the IVF program began under his
direction. In 2019, as part of our
annual fall trip to the World Dairy
Expo, KDDC was fortunate to
visit this state-of-the-art facility
that at that time housed around 205 animals, including “Twiggy”
the last show animal of Dr Keim.
The Brown Swiss Association was established in 1880,
registers about 10,000 animals per year and serves about 1800
combined adult and junior members. It is governed by a board of
directors elected by and from the membership.
BSCBA Mission Statement: To promote and expand the
Brown Swiss breed with programs that assist the membership
and industry to compete favorably in the marketplace now and in
the future.
Originating in the Swiss Alps, Brown Swiss adapt well to
high altitudes and hot or cold climates, while producing large
volumes of milk, ideal for cheese-making. Their unique ability
to yield high components with an ideal fat-to-protein ratio sets
them apart from other dairy breeds. Correct feet and legs, well-
attached udders and dairy strength contribute to their exceptional
productive life, allowing them to thrive in any modern dairy
set-up. Style, balance, and fancy frames also make Brown Swiss
easy winners at county, state, national and international shows.
Today’s U.S. breeders have built upon the breed’s rich heritage
to develop a worldwide demand for their cattle in both the show
ring and commercial dairy herd.
Allen Bassler owner of Old Mill Farms, Virginia, a Brown
Swiss enthusiast that developed his interest for the Brown Swiss
at an early age during his 4-H years. A highly respected breeder
having bred and shown a significant number of award-winning
cows whose offspring’s still grace the show and sale rings
across the globe. One of those being the famously recognized
far and wide as one of the greatest cows in the dairy industry,
Snickerdoodle. Allen also bred many sires that have contributed
to the growth and improvement of the Brown Swiss breed
throughout the years.
Richard Sparrow of Fairdale Farms is a Brown Swiss breeder
who has a passion for the Brown Swiss cow and has been
involved with the Kentucky National Show and Sale in some
aspect since purchasing his first Brown Swiss calf. Richard
purchased his first brown Swiss calf in 1962. Richard along
with his sons have been involved in managing the show and sale
for several years that normally takes place every year at the state
fairgrounds in Louisville.

Cowherd Equipment
& Rental Inc.
Cowherd Equipment & Rental, Inc.
1483 Old Summersville Rd.
Campbellsville, KY 42718
Office 270-465-2679
Office 270-465-2679
Tony 270-469-0398
Tony 270-469-0398
Vince 270-469-5095
Vince 270-469-5095
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1483 Old Summersville
Office 270-465-2679
Tony 270-469-0398
Vince 270-469-5095
Penta 4030
Tire Scraper
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Hagedorn
Manure Spr
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For More Information:
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Tony 270-469-0398
Vince 270-469-5095
Penta 4030
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Tire Scraper Hagedorn 5440
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Fairdale Farm LLC is a family partnership located in Owenton, Ky
of the Sparrow Family, comprised of Richard, Renelle, Kirby, Ben,
Callie, Hallie, Joe, Angela, Archie, and Wylie. The current home
to Fairdale was built in 2012 where the herd produces a RHA Milk
of 32,067, Fat 1,212 and Protein of 990. That essence of quality of
production spills over into the showring as that is one of the main
passions of the Sparrow’s. Now Fairdale is home to the last 8 Grand
Champions of the Kentucky State Fair , they have also owned the
Supreme Champion of the North American International Livestock
Exposition, intermediate champion at World Dairy Expo, and was
named Premier Exhibitor at the Eastern National. They have also bred
or owned over 40 All American Nominations and had the opportunity
to be owners of the national Total Performance Winner for the breed.
As proud as they are of all that the cows have accomplished , the real
win is in seeing the next generation growing up around cows!
Chad Powers, a graduate of Virginia Tech began at EKU in 2010
as farm manager. Chad a native from Virginia started his dairy show
career with leasing a Brown Swiss calf from Allen Bassler as a 4-H
project. That was the first step of years to come of being around
the breed and involvement in dairy. The appreciation and love for
the breed only grew from that point developing into a deeply rooted
passion for the Brown Swiss. Powers having extensive experience in
the management and breeding of elite registered dairy cattle brought a
diverse set of skills with him when coming to Stateland Dairy.
Willy Campbell, a long-time dairy showman and Swiss breeder
from Northern Kentucky while spending much of his career around
the showrings has a partiality for elite cattle, especially in the Brown
Swiss breed. Willie is a past KDDC Consultant and still enjoys
working with the breed.
Eastern Kentucky University, Meadowbrook Farm home to
Stateland Dairy has a rich history of excellence and awards. Stateland
Dairy was founded in 1912. It has been in continuous operation since.
The facility has been relocated four times and has occupied the current
location at Meadowbrook since 1996. The state-of-the-art facility
houses approximately 105 total animals. Approximately 70 head are
of lactating age at any one time. All animals are registered Holsteins
and Brown Swiss. Many of the Holsteins can be traced back to 5
cows purchased in the 1920’s. In 2018 the dairy transitioned from a
herringbone parlor to a Lely robot unit being the first university farm

in the Commonwealth to acquire a robotic milking system. Dr.
Laurie Rincker, the associate professor in EKU’s Department of
Agriculture at the time of the embryo donation helped facilitate
the process. Current associate professor Dr. Andrea Sexton has
continued that support of the dairy program.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
In 2010, Sunshine Genetics a renowned Embryo Transfer
Service organization known worldwide for their embryo
technology services and elite bovine genetics, located in
Wisconsin, found themselves in a position of having an
abundance of high-quality embryos on hand. After some
discussion, the decision to donate the embryos were made. That
left the question of how and to where.
Sunshine reached out to the Brown Swiss Association and the
suggestion of donating the embryos to university dairy farms
was made. With both Sparrow and Bassler being affiliated with
the association, Sparrow a Kentucky director and Bassler a past
director having a connection to the farm manager, Chad Powers,
EKU became a prospect.
The association contacted EKU as one of the universities to
see if they would be interested in receiving a donation of bovine
embryos. Dr. Laurie Rincker, associate professor in EKU’S
Department of Agriculture at that time was supportive of the
idea and was instrumental in facilitating the donation. It was
during this time that the eventual goal for the dairy to became
fifty percent Holsteins and fifty percent Brown Swiss originated.
They have almost obtained that goal today with having 105
animals while 45% of those are Brown Swiss and 55% being
Holsteins.
The embryos once received were implanted in both Holsteins
at the farm and other cattle that was made available through the
help of Willy Campbell. One of the first born was a cow by the
name of Sun-Made Valentina ET, a Wonderment daughter. As
Valentina grew it was evident that she possessed that special
quality about her that every dairy showman wants to walk in
the ring with. In 2016, with the support of the Dr. Rincker and
EKU faculty under the care and supervision of Powers it was
decided that EKU would take the trip to the World Dairy Expo in
Madison with Valentina. A trip that most universities do not get
to do with an animal from their herd.
Valentina made the trip to Madison for the World Dairy Expo
show with Kentucky’s Fairdale Farms. EKU’s Dairy Herd
Management class attended providing Valentina, Powers and
EKU a fan section at the World Dairy Expo show. Valentina
placed 7th in the Milking Yearling Class a truly magnificent
accomplishment for a university dairy. That same year Valentina
continued gracing the shavings at the Southeastern National
Brown Swiss Show in Louisville winning her class. She
was one of six cows nationally nominated for All-American
honors. It was a great accomplishment that normally does not
get bestowed upon a university when she was named honorable
mention All-American cow.
Five years later, after years of sound breeding management
under farm manager Chad Powers and building upon the
donation of embryos received from Sunshine Genetics along
with the support of Dr. Andrea Sexton, Associate Professor in
the Department of Agriculture, the current administration and all
the team members of the farm crew, the journey of the embryo
donations continue.
During a routine visit by CPC nutritionist Joe Sparrow at the
Meadowbrook dairy, farm manager Chad Powers having seen
Payva’s potential after freshening in with her second calf and
producing 128 pounds on the robot at 40 days it was evident that
she was a class act.
Upon the suggestion of Joe to include her into the Kentucky
National Show and Sale on April 9,2021, another historic
milestone was accomplished by the university’s Meadowbrook
Farm. They made their first ever consignment to a purebred
Brown Swiss sale. Eastern Goliath Payva 1726, a senior 3-year-
old was consigned to the Kentucky National Show and Sale
which was held in Louisville, KY. Eastern Goliath Payva 1726

Eastern Golaith Payva 1726
was named the grand champion of the show by
judge Jeff Core of Salvisa, Kentucky. At the Brown
Swiss sale following the show Payva was top seller
of the day when bidding ceased at $11,000.00 with
Kentucky resident Jeff Jones being the successful
bidder.
As EKU’s dairy continues down the road with their
genetic progress developing consistent, productive,
and outstanding cow families we look forward to
seeing the continuation of excellence from them with
future achievements.

Wildcat Wisdom
Donna Amaral-Phillips
UK Dairy Extension Group
Take Time to Protect Your Golden
Crop—Corn Silage!!!
T
his year, your corn silage crop may be worth
its weight in gold! With the prices of corn grain,
soybean meal and other grain sources at all-
time highs, the nutritive value of corn silage has been
calculated to be worth over $80/ton on an as fed basis;
over double the nutritive value calculated when corn and
bean prices were in more historical price ranges. Forage-
related management practices centered around harvest
can help protect and optimize the feeding value of this
crop and will be paramount to the economic situations on
dairies feeding this valuable crop.
Corn Silage Excellent Source of Energy
Corn silage is often referred to as the king of the forages. This
high-yielding crop is an efficient utilizer of nutrients in manure
and since it is harvested one time per growing season, quality
can be more consistent compared to forage harvested multiple
times in a growing season. The corn kernels in silage are
responsible for 60 to 70% of the crop’s energy content. During
normal growing years, half of the harvested plant weight is
considered “forage” and the other half of the weight comes from
the corn grain. Thus, corn silage can supply a source of needed
fiber as well as starch and oil in the diets of dairy cows
Growing Conditions Impact Yield and Quality
Growing conditions, specifically the amount and timing of
rainfall, impact yield, fiber digestibility (energy value derived
from the forage component and a determinate of feed intake),
and ear development. The amount of moisture pre-tasseling
sets the height and fiber digestibility of the corn plant. In years
with above average moisture pre-tasseling, the spacing between
internodes is longer, thus the plant grows taller, but fiber
digestibility is reduced. The opposite effects are seen under drier
conditions pre-tasseling. Research suggests that moisture, not
heat units, is more influential on fiber digestibility. Decreases
in digestibility can explain some of the differences seen in
milk production between years even when ear development is
normal.
The growing environment post-tasseling seems to have
little effect on fiber digestibility, but impacts ear development
and silage starch content. Both lack of needed moisture and
excessive heat can negatively impact kernel development. The
highest demands by the corn plant for water (estimated at 0.32
inches/day) occur around the time of tasseling, silk formation
and blister stage of ear development. Excessive heat can dry out
silks and pollen, resulting in abortion of fertilization of ovules
that could have become kernels of corn.
Growing conditions do impact feeding programs for lactating
dairy cows and must be accounted for when developing rations.
But, farmers have very little control over moisture patterns,
unless grown under irrigation during the growing season. What
is under one’s control is harvest-related management practices
for this valuable forage-grain resource.
√ Advanced Preparations Important
Spend time getting equipment ready before harvest time
is a cornerstone of harvesting at the optimum time. General
maintenance, such as greasing equipment, sharpening knives,
and adjusting rollers of kernel processors, needs to be done well
in advance of anticipated chopping date. Check for excessive
wear on rollers and roller teeth of kernel processors and replace
if needed. Rollers and roller teeth have a finite lifespan related
to hours of use.
Advanced planning is important for timely harvest at the
proper moisture content. Prepare silos so they are ready to be
filled. Make sure that plastic supplies are available to cover the
silo (or filling of bags) so the task can be completed very shortly
after harvest.
√ If Using Custom Chopping Services, Re-Contact Custom
Operator
Continuous communication with the person providing
custom chopping services is critical to keep them updated on
the growing progress of the crop and for you to know when
to expect your silage to be chopped. Prepare silos and other
equipment ahead of the harvest window so that it is ready when
the custom harvester arrives.
√ When Should I Start Harvesting?
Harvesting at the correct moisture promotes favorable
fermentation in the silage crop and decreases storage losses.
Thus, the moisture content of the chopped plant should be the
determining factor for when to harvest. Silage should contain
between 35 to 38% dry matter (62 to 65% moisture) and the
crop should be harvested as quickly as possible. Agronomists
generally estimate that a healthy corn plant dries down 0.5
to 1.0% per day. During “normal” growing conditions, corn is
harvested approximately 40 to 45 days after tasseling.
Moisture content is related somewhat to the stage of maturity

of the corn grain. Corn is harvested for silage at a ½ to ¾ milk
line. However, weather and growing conditions can change the
optimum stage of maturity for harvest. An experiment showed
that the stage of maturity of the corn plant only correctly
predicted harvest moisture content 68 to 85% of the time. Thus,
the strong recommendation is to actually measure the moisture
or dry matter content of representative chopped corn plants.
The moisture content of fresh corn plants can be determined
by chopping a small amount and using a microwave or Koster
tester to determine moisture content. A small digital scale
that measures in grams helps obtain more accurate results.
Some estimate the moisture or dry matter content of corn
silage using the grab method where one squeezes a handful of
chopped material as tightly as possible for 90 seconds. When
one releases their grip, the ball of material expands slowly and
if no dampness appears on your hand, the material contains 30
to 40% dry matter. However, this method only allows a general
estimation of the moisture content of the chopped silage. In
the past, the appearance of brown leaves was used as a factor in
determining the optimum harvest window. With today’s corn
genetics, corn plants stay green longer and this target is not an
appropriate benchmark.
In research studies, harvesting corn silage at 40% dry matter
or greater resulted in decreased milk yields of 4.4 lbs milk/
cow/day. At a dry matter of 35%, effluent from silos should be
minimized. Silage that is put up too wet results in a butyric
acid type fermentation which decreases feed intake and can
result in ketosis in early lactation cows. Silage that is too dry
will have more and larger air pockets which results in a poorer
fermentation and less beneficial acids for cows to use to make
milk and meat.
Over the years, some have tried added water to dry silage at
the silo or blower using a garden hose. To increase the moisture
content 1% unit (i.e. 60 to 61%), requires 5 to 7 gallons of
water per ton of silage. At normal unloading speeds, inadequate
amounts of water often are added and do not change the
moisture content appreciatively to make a difference. It’s best
to monitor the moisture content, and harvest at proper and best
moisture content. To prevent silage from becoming too dry if
harvest time is extended or plant diseases will result in rapid dry
down of the plant (i.e. fungal diseases), one may want to start
harvest at a slightly wetter moisture content.
√ Adjust Kernel Processors to Optimize Use of Starch by
Cows
To optimize starch digestion by the cow and provide adequate
effective fiber, the recommendation is to cut silage to ¾ inch
theoretical length with an initial roller clearance of 1 to 2 mm
(clearance of a dime). To test on farm whether adequate kernel
damage is occurring, collect multiple silage samples using a
32 oz. cup. Pick out and count the number of whole and half
kernels. No more than 2 or 3 half or whole corn kernels should
remain after sorting the contents of the 32 oz. cup and corn
cobs should be broken into 8 pieces. If kernel breakage is not
adequate, the roller clearance should be decreased. Achieving
this degree of kernel breakage does require more horsepower
and fuel usage, but results in better use of nutrients by cows;
an area we need to consider always, but even more importantly
during tight profit margins.
√ Choppers without Kernel Processors
For choppers without kernel processors, silage should be
chopped to a ½ inch theoretical length and harvested a little
wetter 32 to 35% dry matter and usually less mature to help
break up the corn kernels as chopping occurs.
√ Manage Storage Structures for Best Silage Quality
For Bunkers and Piles: Packing tractor weight should equal
800 times the number of tons of forage delivered hourly. Pack
with a tractor at a speed of 1.5 to 2.5 mph. Spread silage in 4
in. thick layers over pile in a wedge configuration. Do not turn
around on surface. Packing is complete when surface is covered
with tire tracks and is smooth.
Prior to filling, line sides of bunker walls with plastic with
extra plastic overlapping the walls. Once filling is complete take
the excess plastic overlapping the walls and cover the top. Place
another piece of plastic over the top of the silo. These pieces of
plastic should overlap by 3 to 4 feet and the overlap weighted
down with double the amount of weight as the remaining
plastic. Tires that touch or sand bags should be used to weight
down plastic such that the plastic stays in contact with the silage
surface.
For drive-over piles, side slopes should not exceed a 3:1 slope.
This allows for water to drain off the pile and for safer packing
with equipment. When covered, plastic should extend 4 to 6 feet
off the forage surface around all 4 sides and be weighted down
with a 6 to 12 inch layer of sand, soil, or sandbags.
Bags: Make sure bagger is working properly to allow for
effective packing of silage. Place bags on solid surface, ideally
concrete or asphalt, to minimize mud at feedout. Mud decreases
feed quality and increases the possibility of unwelcome bacterial
contamination of feed. Ends of the bags should be closed and
sealed using dirt or other such products. Check often for holes
in the plastic and when found reseal with tape.
Uprights: Fill as quickly as possible. After filing is complete,
silos should be leveled and covered with plastic. Limit access
by raccoons and other varmints that can cause damage to silage
surfaces resulting in increased spoilage. During silo filling and
for at least 3 weeks after, special care should be taken when
working around or entering these silos as silo gases accumulate.
Even after this time frame, run the forage blower for 15 to 20
minutes with the door closest to the top of the silo open before
entering the silo.

All trademarks are the property of Zoetis Services LLC or
a related company or a licensor unless otherwise noted.
© 2020 Zoetis Services LLC. All rights reserved. CLR-00214R1
CHOOSE A HEALTHIER,
MORE PROFITABLE HERD.
YOUR HEIFER CALVES ARE YOUR LEGACY. PREDICT HOW
HEALTHY THEY AND THEIR NEXT GENERATIONS WILL BE
BY PROACTIVELY TESTING THEM WITH CLARIFIDE® PLUS.
CLARIFIDE® Plus provides unique genomic predictions that include cow and
calf wellness traits and novel fertility traits. These traits are incorporated into
a powerful economic index — the Dairy Wellness Profit Index® (DWP$®) —
allowing producers to have the unprecedented ability to choose and plan for
a healthier and more profitable herd.
To learn how CLARIFIDE Plus can help make your life easier by selecting
heifers to help build a healthier herd, contact your Zoetis representative or
visit CLARIFIDEPlus.com.
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DWP$
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DWP$
382
DAIRY WELLNESS MAKES A DIFFERENCE™
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Holstein cattle with CLARIFIDE Plus. Higher values are desired.

Meet Your Mobile Dairy Classroom Instructor
M
eet Haley Fisher, Southland
Dairy Farmers Mobile Dairy
Classroom Instructor serving the
Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Fisher has been employed with Southland
Dairy Farmers since February of 2019.
Receiving an Agriculture degree from Murray
State University and a Master’s Certification
in Organizational Leadership from Western
Kentucky University her dairy roots run deep,
as she grew up on her family’s dairy farm, in
Cave City, KY.
The Mobile Dairy Classroom features an
educational milking parlor with a live cow,
which is used to highlight the value of dairy
and healthy nutrition by demonstrating the
basic milking process and promoting dairy
and milk from farm to table. A typical week
for Fisher is traveling with her cow to schools
and events across the entire state to teach and
promote on the importance of dairy farming
and nutrition.
The Mobile Dairy Classroom is open to
all schools and events for free, courtesy of
supporting Kentucky dairy producers. Haley is
continuously booking and you can visit www.
southlanddairyfarmers.com to request your free
visit.
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To place a classified ad, contact any of the KDDC Dairy Consultants or Carey Brown at (859) 948-1256

Sharing Dairy Resources with Kentucky’s Health Professionals
T
he Dairy Alliance participated in the Kentucky Public
Health Association’s Educational Conference, which
was hosted virtually this year due to the pandemic.
Conference attendees work in health departments
across Kentucky at the city- and county-level, the state’s
department of public health, and at universities across
Kentucky and are seeking up-to-date resources. The Dairy
Alliance’s Tracey True held a live-chat with these virtual
attendees, answering their questions in real-time and
pointing them towards available resources, with topics
that range from how to manage lactose intolerance in
healthy eating, ways to include dairy in plant-based diets,
and choosing dairy as an affordable source of 3 of the
4 nutrients of public health concern. For those entering
the virtual booth outside of the live chat, the booth also
included links to educational resources, research studies,
and videos that would prove useful for public health
professionals. During the conference, the virtual booth was
visited 212 times and the educational documents were
viewed 276 times, with many of the approximately 335
attendees receiving helpful resources for how to include
more dairy in the diet.
Preparing Advocates for Effective Communication in a Virtual World
T
he Dairy Alliance continues to prepare dairy
advocates for sharing dairy’s story with media
outlets through video calls instead of traditional
in-person interviews and demos. The Dairy Alliance
held a virtual dairy advocate training this spring,
“Effective Communication in a Virtual World: Creating
Relationships in a World Without Handshakes.” Attended
by pediatricians, dietitians, and food bank professionals
from across The Dairy Alliance’s 8 state coverage,
advocates from Kentucky were Michael Halligan, CEO
of God's Pantry Food Bank, and Stephanie Fawbush
Grimes, a registered dietitian focused on millennials’
health. The training began with a webinar hosted by
Dr. Chris Cifelli, Vice President of Nutrition Research at
National Dairy Council, titled “Role of Dairy Foods in a
Healthy, Sustainable Eating Pattern.” Dr. Cifelli discussed
the growing body of scientific evidence supporting the
consumption of dairy foods as well as how dairy foods are
integral to sustainability efforts. Following the webinar,
communications trainer Teri Goudie lead a 4-hour
training, teaching participants the basics of remote media
interviews and communications and how to be prepared
to present to any audience in virtual and remote settings.
Following this event, these advocates now have the
knowledge of how to continue communicating to their
audience a healthy lifestyle in a new form of connecting.
Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) Is Here!
This recently released USDA product (DRP) is designed to
protect dairy farmers from the decline in quarterly revenue
from milk sales. Contact us today for more information
about protecting one of the biggest risks to your operation.
In Business Since 1972
1-800-353-6108
www.shelbyinsuranceagency.com
sia@iglou.com
We are an equal opportunity provider

Allied Sponsors
PLATINUM
AgCentral
Alltech
Bel Cheese
Bluegrass Dairy & Food
Burkmann Feeds
Cowherd Equipment
CPC Commodities
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Kentucky Farm Bureau
Kentucky Soybean Board
Prairie Farms
Shaker Equipment Sales
GOLD
Farm Credit Services
Givens & Houchins Inc.
Mid-South Dairy Records
Owen Transport
Select Sires Mid-America
SILVER
Day and Day Feed
Givens & Houchins Inc.
Grain Processing Corporation
KAEB Services
Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association
Luttrull Feed
Nutra Blend
Owen Transport
South Central Bank
Southwest Dairy Museum
BRONZE
Bagdad Rolling Mills
Bank of Jamestown
Central Farmers Supply
Hartland Animal Hospital
Kentucky Corn Growers Association
Limestone & Cooper
Mammoth Cave Dairy Auction
QMI Quality Mgt Inc.
Nutra Blend
Wilson Trucking
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

176 Pasadena Drive
Lexington, KY 40503
859.516.1129 ph
www.kydairy.org
Non-Profit
US Postage
PAID
JUN 14 Shelbyville District Dairy Show
JUN 18 Morehead District Dairy Show
JUN 19 Marion Co. Dairy Day and Dairy Show
JUN 24 Liberty District Dairy Show
JUN 24 Dairy Night at Lexington Legends, 5:30 P.M.
JUN 25
Dairy Judging 101 Workshop, Fitting Contest, and
Showmanship Contest
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM E.T. Casey Co Fairgrounds
JUN 29-30
KDDC Beef on Dairy Conference, Bluegrass Stockyard,
Lexington, KY
JUL 06
Young Dairy Producer Luncheon Meeting, Hopkinsville, KY
12:00 Noon C.T.
JUL 07
Young Dairy Producer Luncheon Meeting, Glasgow, KY
12:00 Noon C.T.
JUL 08
Young Dairy Producer Luncheon Meeting, Columbia, KY
12:00 Noon C.T.
JUL 08 Southern Kentucky District Dairy Show, Munfordville
JUL 09
Young Dairy Producer Luncheon Meeting, Lebanon, KY
12: 00 Noon E.T.
JUL 15
KDDC Board Meeting, Adair Co. Extension Office, 10:00
A.M. C.T.
JUL 21 Tollesboro District Dairy Show
JUL 21-22 KDDC Dairy Value-Added Conference, Bowling Green, KY
JUL 23-24 Bowling Green Junior Livestock Expo, Bowling Green, KY
AUG 19-29 Kentucky State Fair, Louisville, KY
SEP 09 CPC Fall Field, Fountain Run, KY 9:00 A.M. C.T.
SEP 16
KDDC Board Meeting, Barren Co. Extension Office, 10:00
A.M. C.T.
Calendar of Events

KY Milk Matters May/June 2021

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