FOUNDATION NEWS & EVENTS]

Dairy Center Connection Newsletter [Vol. 10, No. 3, Summer 2008]

Dale Thoreson of Iowa State University Extension inspects the corn planted for silage.

Calmar, Iowa - The young plants in Iowa’s only corn silage test plot are growing on high ground, and they promise to share much needed information with dairy producers later this summer.

The Dairy Foundation is working with Iowa State University Extension and NICC on the project.
Twelve of the more popular locally grown corn hybrids were planted including an organic selection, representing four major seed companies.

The plot is located on rented land about five miles from the Dairy Center. The location was chosen for it’s uniform soil quality and cropping history, and because it has good public access.

“We want to compare the more popular hybrids of corn silage grown in Northeast Iowa in a setting where they are all replicated under uniform conditions,” said Dale Thoreson of Iowa State University Extension. “We hope to help farmers sort through the hybrids that really stand out or fall below in a way where we can really trust the data.” The hybrids were all planted the same day in the same field, and it will all be harvested in the same manner.

There will be several comparisons made during the project. A stand count has been done to determine germination and seedling vigor, a set of data will be collected at pollination time, and when a segment of each plot is harvested they will do an analysis of nutritional content including dry matter, protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibility.

A field day will hopefully be set for August, and the field data should be available in late August or early September. Final result should be available by early November. A research report will be compiled using statistical analysis to determine true differences, and all information will be shared at the Foundation’s annual meeting in March.

Watch www.iowadairycenter.com later this summer to find out when the field day date is set.
An increased amount of corn being planted for silage could play a role in soil conservation. If no-till winter rye is planted after the silage is harvested, the land is protected from winter wind and water erosion. The rye, harvested in mid to late May, is a medium-quality protein forage which makes ideal feed for heifers. The practice of planting winter rye after harvesting corn for silage is very popular in some areas, and there is little doubt soil and farmers in Northeast Iowa could benefit from the practice.

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BOYLEN NAMED DIRECTOR OF NORTHEAST IOWA COMMUNITY BASED DAIRY FOUNDATION

As of March 25, Kelli Boylen is the new director of the Northeast Iowa Community Based Dairy Foundation.

Boylen has spent the last three and a half years working for the Dairy Star Newspaper as a writer, photographer, columnist and ad rep, covering the 14 most northeastern counties of Iowa. Prior to that she spent seven years as editor of the Courier Press Newspaper in Prairie du Chien, WI.

Growing up on a small family dairy in Southern Wisconsin, her background includes FFA, 4-H and serving as county dairy royalty.

She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in December of 1993, with a degree in communication, public relations and journalism.

She has lived with her husband and their two children in Northeast Iowa for 10 years.

About eight years ago, the Northeast Iowa Community Based Dairy Foundation, a grassroots organization, partnered with Iowa State University and Northeast Iowa Community college to develop a strategic plan for the region’s success. The result of the partnership is the Dairy Center, located just south of Calmar on Highway 150. It is a $4.2 million facility for dairy education, applied research, advocacy and demonstrations, which benefit all of Northeast Iowa by improving the quality of life for dairy farmers. It opened in 2000.

The Dairy Center includes a 16,000 square foot education center, a milking herd of about 200 cows, a milking parlor with a herringbone system on one side and a parallel system on the other, a free stall barn with a scraper system and pits with slats, a new calf barn, a special needs barn with veterinary and lab facilities and 245 acres for forage and pasture research.

The Grazing Center portion of the Dairy Center opened in 2005. It features a low-cost parlor constructed in the old tie-stall barn, demonstrates rotational grazing, pasture and forage management and herd management. There are about 80 cows there.

These two dairy operations contribute more than $1.35 million annually to the area economy.
It is believed NICC is the only campus in the nation to offer these two different types of milking setups for students to learn from.

“I am trilled to be part of an organization which is dedicated to the future of the dairy industry in Northeast Iowa,” she says. “What the foundation has accomplished thus far is extremely impressive and I look forward to what we will do in the future.”

Some of her duties will include public relations and fundraising.

Foundation President Jed Becker said, “We are very fortunate to have someone of her knowledge and talent to be part of our team. “

Northeast Iowa Community Based Dairy Foundation projects for which funds are currently being gathered include the Beginning Farmer Project, the Dry Cow Research Barn, Operation Cattle Drive II and the Iowa Dairy Story and Museum. The Dairy Foundation serves 17 counties of Northeast Iowa.

Visit www.iowadairycenter.com for more information or call (563) 534-9957.

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Hanson joined the Dairy Foundation staff on September 17, 2007. Raised on a northeast Iowa dairy farm between Ossian and Decorah, Hanson took his dairy interest on to Iowa State University and graduated with a dairy science degree in 1990. He went on to work in dairy nutrition and then genetics as a salesman for Accelerated Genetics for more than eight years. He resides near Decorah with his wife Rachel and three sons. They are active members of the Winneshiek County Dairy Promotions Council and coordinate the annual Youth Classic Dairy Show.

No doubt, Hanson’s previous experience allows him to fit easily into the management role at the Grazing Center. “My number one goal,” he said, “is reproduction efficiency and improvement.” He is also striving for maximized production of the herd and proper functioning of the compost barn. His duties include not only managing the 65-cow herd, eighty acres of rotationally grazed pasture and compost-style bedded pack barn, but also working along side and overseeing eight student employees from the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC).

“Being able to manage a herd of cows with links to research, working with students and helping them learn are the best parts of the job,” Hanson said.

“We’re very pleased to have Brian on board at the Dairy Foundation,” said Dave Lawstuen, chair of the Dairy Foundation’s Farm Operations Committee. “The management and interpersonal skills he brings are exceptional, complimented by the fact that both Brian and his wife are Iowa State graduates and come from families who are a lifelong part of our local agriculture community,” he added.

The Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation is a grassroots, community-based initiative that was founded in 1999 by visionaries including local dairy producers and business people who identified a need to ensure the prosperity of the dairy industry in northeast Iowa. In partnership with the Northeast Iowa Community College and Iowa State University, the Dairy Center was built as an educational center for future and existing dairy producers and the general public. Visit www.iowadairycenter.com for more information or call (563) 534-9957.

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