1. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 1
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Milk Matters
J u l y - A u g u s t
w w w. k y d a i r y. o r g
K
E
N
T
U
C
K
Y
Supported by
Meat Me at the Table
page 6
World Dairy Expo Fall Trip
page 9
WKU Smart Holstein Lab Formed
page 14
M
eredith Scales, Kentucky Dairy Development
Council (KDDC) consultant in the southern region,
retired effective July 31, 2021. He had been
with KDDC since October 11, 2011. He is very thankful
and appreciative to all the people that helped make the
experience such an enjoyable one.
He enrolled at The University of Kentucky Community
College in Somerset in August 1967. Before he transferred to the
main campus in Lexington, he and his high school sweetheart,
Mary “Rethie” Roberts, were married on August 8,1969. That
was the beginning of a soul bonding relationship that has been
on going. If you saw Meredith at any dairy event, you most
likely saw Rethie there by his side. She loves people as much as
he does.
Merdith and Rethie have one daughter, Jennifer. She and her
husband Seth have two wonderful children Alexa and Owen.
These two children are the apple of their eye.
After he graduated from The University of Kentucky College
of Agriculture in December 1971, he began a lifetime in the
dairy industry. He began his dairy career with The Cudahy
Cheese Company in Russell Springs, Kentucky on January 01,
1972. During his tenure with Cudahy, he had the opportunity
to be a part of all four plants in Kentucky. He trained at the
Tompkinsville operation, head fieldman and assistant plant
manager at the Russell Springs operation, plant manager at the
Cynthiana operation, shipping supervisor at the Harrodsburg
operation, quality control manager at the Russell Springs and
Tompkinsville operations and later the plant superintendent at the
Russell Springs operation until the closure of the plants in 1981.
On January 25, 1982, he continued his career in the dairy
industry as a fieldman with Southern Belle Dairy, Somerset,
Kentucky working with The Southeastern Graded Milk
Producers Association’s dairy farmers that supplied milk to
the plant. In October 1985 he assumed the position as field
supervisor for the procurement of milk and balancing the milk
supply for Southern Belle Dairy. After many acquisitions,
Prairie Farms Inc. purchased Southern Belle Dairy in 2007 and
continued on page 7
2. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 2
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
2021 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-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
onfidence – the feeling or
belief that one can rely on
someone or something.
Regretfully many of us longtime
dairy farmers have lost confidence
in the people and organizations
that we put our trust in over the
years. Mainly we are not sure
that they have our best interest at
heart. This includes promotion,
pricing, political, and definitely
marketing, all of which are paid
with money from our milk checks
or taxes.
A lot of the blame for this has to be shared with us, the farmers,
for not speaking up when we saw things going in the wrong
direction. We had blind trust in people to work for us. Some of that
is understandable with the constant stress that dairy farming has been
for lots of the past years. Old saying: “It is hard to remember that
the mission was to drain the swamps, when you are up to your ass in
alligators.”
This can’t be changed overnight, but maybe if all of us start being
more aware of what our member organizations are planning and
forcing them to be transparent in their vetting process. We need to try
to elect directors and representatives that are in touch with the feelings
of their constituents. It won’t be an easy task but maybe we can turn
some of this around. At times there has to be accountability for bad
decisions and lack of interest.
N O T I C E
KY No Discharge Operating Permits are due for renewal by
September 30, 2021. However, new forms have not been
established by the Division of Water so producer’s current permits
will carry over until new ones are established. KDDC will keep
dairy producers informed and let you know when they become
available. Again, your current KNDOP will continue to be effective
until new renewal forms are available.
3. DEFEAT THE HEAT
W I T H Y E A - S A C C ®
Heat stress in your dairy herd decreases milk production, lowers reproduction, increases acidosis
and causes a long list of other costly issues. For you, that means less profitability, less efficiency
and even more work to do. Yea-Sacc is a feed additive specifically designed to help cows combat
heat stress by promoting dry matter intake and stabilizing rumen microbes. Defeat the “dip” of
summer by joining hundreds of producers who have made the switch to YEA-SACC®.
INCREASES
INTAKE
PROMOTES
NUTRIENT
UTILIZATION
STABILIZES
RUMEN PH
PROMOTES
MILK
PRODUCTION
+
Elizabeth Lunsford
Territory Sales Manager
elunsford@alltech.com
859.553.0072 Alltech.com AlltechNaturally @Alltech
4. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 4
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Executive Director Comments
H H Barlow
I
n the midst of the dog days of summer,
KDDC is very active with programs and
meetings. At the end of June, we had a
very successful Beef on Dairy conference
at Blue Grass Stockyards with over 60 in
attendance. I never dreamed a few years
ago that I would be talking about breeding my Jersey
cows to beef bulls. With the advent of sexed semen, dairy
breeding has changed. Nearly every dairyman I talk to has
an abundant supply of heifers. Many have more than they
need, therefore the value of heifers has really declined.
The other new challenge is many dairies are feeding these
excess heifers creating an extra expense for the farm.
The recommendation now is breeding the bottom 40% of
your herd to special selected beef bulls creating a very desirable
crossbred calf for beef feedlots. This improved bred calf has been
averaging $100 to $150 higher than the purebred dairy bull calf.
Our conference showed there is a definite demand and facilities
for these crossbred calves. One critical issue to capture these extra
dollars is making sure you breed to the correct beef bull who has
the carcass traits the processor demands. Just breeding to any
black bull will not earn the extra dollars. This is new technology
that can be an extra income stream.
In mid- July, KDDC hosted a Value-Added Dairy Processing
conference in Bowling Green with over 70 participants. This
conference was a collaboration with The University of Tennessee
and North Carolina State University. KDDC is working with
Tennessee and NC State on this multi-million dollar USDA grant
to help create dairy Value-Added enterprises. There is a national
move afoot to improve and enlarge local food supplies. This grant
is available to dairy farmers who want to start or enlarge an on
farm processing venture. The money available can only be used
for dairy equipment and not bricks and mortar. This program
is an excellent opportunity for any producer who wishes to add
value to the milk he is producing. Contact any consultant for more
information.
County fairs and District Dairy shows are taking place with
excellent participation. The Barren County fair had a kiddie class
with over thirty-two participants. If that is any indication, dairy
showing will be active for years to come. State Fair preparation
is ongoing and is always a great time for fellowship and fun. The
fair is supposed to be back to normal so I hope to see you there.
In the dairy world, it is a time of great challenges. I have
always considered myself to be an optimist, but most of the news
for milk prices, feed prices and too much overall milk production
are all troubling. The national milk herd is over 9.5 million head.
This is the largest herd since 1994 and with higher production per
cow than ever before, we have an oversupply of milk which is
depressing prices.
Thank God for exports which are at their all-time highest level.
One day out of every six days production is exported.
Since the beginning of 2020, KDDC has been involved in
Federal Order reform and dairy legislation. I have been on
numerous calls with Southeast stakeholders and dairy leaders
from all across the country and the result is, there just isn’t any
agreement that all dairymen support. Without industry-wide
support, pricing reform will be extremely difficult.
At the present time, there is a proposal by the American Dairy
Coalition to return the Class I mover price to the higher of Class
III or Class IV instead of the average, plus $.74. This new Class I
pricing method promoted depooling, which caused losses of over
$725 million to dairy farmers. These numbers were documented
and can be seen in the July 7, 2021 issue of Progressive
Dairymen. The summary article, by Dave Natzke, documented
that 21% ($155 million) of the losses occurred in the Southeast.
The Southeast only has 5.5% of the milk and we took 21% of
the losses. This actually equaled $1.25/cwt. KDDC supports
the return to the higher of pricing mechanism. It is a legislative
decision and is supposed to be proposed in Congress. If and when
the legislation comes up for a vote, we will inform all Kentucky
dairymen to contact their Senators.
KDDC consultant, Meredith Scales, announced his retirement
July 31st. Meredith is a great person who has been a wonderful
asset to the Kentucky dairy industry. I’m going to miss my good
friend, but I wish him well in his retirement. Please check out his
storied career of 50 years, with the last 10 in KDDC, in a tribute
to him in this newsletter.
Also, Eunice Schlappi is retiring from the Kentucky
Department of Agriculture as Dairy Marketing Specialist.
Everyone involved in the dairy industry knows Eunice. We are all
aware of the many, many contributions she has made to KDDC
and all of dairying. I think she should be named Miss Kentucky
Dairy. The good thing about Eunice’s story is that she is a partner
with her nephew in their own dairy and she still plans to help
with many of our KDDC events, such as the World Dairy Expo
trip. We’ll definitely miss Meredith and Eunice.
I’m announcing a job opening for Dairy Consultant in the
central region. More information is on our website and you can
contact President Freeman Brundige, Dave Roberts or me if you
are interested. You must submit a resume.
As in all area’s of life, change is taking place in KDDC. The
board and staff are committed to continue working hard and
serving all of our producers.
It’s HOT and July is National Ice Cream month so have a
double dip every day and thank a dairyman.
5. LIMITED TIME
OFFERS!
Contact your local
GEA milking
equipment dealer
for a quote!
Take advantage of great savings
on five different detacher
options. Save up to 25% on
GEA detachers and optional
accessories.
• DeMax 55 and 55S
• Dematron 60
• Dematron 70 and 75
Which system is best for you? Your local
GEA dealer can recommend a solution to
meet your needs!
Prepare for the future and
save up to 25% on a complete
CowScout system!
With CowScout you can monitor cow
activity, eating time and rumination for
better heat detection. Integrate CowScout
with any GEA robotic or conventional
milking system and make quicker, more
accurate decisions.
CowScout™
SAVINGS!
Detacher
TRADE OUT!
YOUR LOCAL GEA DEALER:
Trenton Farm Supply LLC
2470 Cemetary Rd.
Trenton, KY 42286
(270) 466-3180
6. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 6
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Meat Me at the Table
HH Barlow
A
nimal Agriculture stood tall “Front and Center” July
7th at the Tim White farm in Fayette County.
The Kentucky Livestock Coalition sponsored the event
to promote all animals that contribute to America’s fantastic food
supply. Just think about meals without beef, pork, chicken and
specialty items like lamb or goat and all of the great tasting dairy
products that come from cows. Consumers are blessed to have
these wonderful products that are nutritious, healthy and super
tasty.
Meat Me at the Table is an idea from the Livestock Coalition
to bring awareness to our respective animal agriculture
enterprises and stand against groups who want to eliminate
animal agriculture.
The event was attended by approximately 100 people
including Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman who presented a
proclamation designating July as Meat Me at the Table month.
Warren Beeler, spokesperson for the Coalition gave an inspiring
talk about how we do animal production so much better than 50
years ago. Production is up dramatically in every species with
much less resources used and a smaller carbon footprint than
created in the past.
Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles called livestock
“Super Heroes” for converting grass into tasty meat. The event
closed with everyone being served all varieties of the meat
represented and topped off with delicious ice cream.
Further events will be planned in the future along with special
emphasis at the Ky. State Fair. All promoting meat, the real
natural protein!!!
7. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 7
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Cowherd Equipment
& Rental Inc.
Cowherd Equipment & Rental, Inc.
Cowherd Equipment & Rental, Inc.
1483 Old Summersville Rd.
1483 Old Summersville Rd.
Campbellsville, KY 42718
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
Cowherd Equipment & Rental, In
For More Information
Cowherd Equipment & Ren
1483 Old Summersville
Campbellsville, KY 42
Office 270-465-2679
Tony 270-469-0398
Vince 270-469-5095
Penta 4030
Tire Scraper
J&D Head Locks
Hagedorn
Manure Sp
Silage Defacer
Penta 4930
Cowherd Equipment & Rental, Inc.
For More Information:
Cowherd Equipment & Rental, Inc.
1483 Old Summersville Rd.
Campbellsville, KY 42718
Office 270-465-2679
Tony 270-469-0398
Vince 270-469-5095
Penta 4030
Tire Scraper
J&D Head Locks
Hagedorn 5440
Manure Spreader
Silage Defacer
Penta 4930
Cowherd E
Penta 4030
T
J&D Head Locks
Silage Defacer
Roto-Mix Mixers
Tire Scraper Hagedorn 5440
Manure Spreader
Penta 4030 J&D Head Locks
transitioned the producer group to be Prairie Farms members. He
continued his career with Prairie Farms until he retired on March 01,
2011.
Not long after his retirement from Prairie Farms Inc, he learned
the KDDC consultant’s position was vacant in the southern region. He
applied for the position and on October 11, 2011, was blessed to get
the opportunity to be a part of one of the greatest dairy organizations,
the Kentucky Dairy Development Council. He says he is grateful
to have had the privilege to serve as consultant for nine years, nine
months and twenty days. He hopes the future will be bright for
KDDC and the dairy farmers in Kentucky and may God bless each
and everyone.
He hopes with God’s grace, he will have some time to do more
church activities, follow the grandkids, travel, and farm a little bit if it
comes handy.
He again wants to thank everyone for the opportunity and privilege
to be associated with such a dynamic industry for forty-nine years and
seven months.
continued from cover
8. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 8
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Agricultural Exemption Number Required
for Tax Exempt On-farm Purchases
E
ffective January 1, 2022, KRS 139.481
requires that farmers have an
Agriculture Exemption Number for
use on Forms 51A158 and 51A159 to
make purchases exempt from sales
tax.
The application form can be found
at the Department of Revenue website
http://www.revenue.ky.gov under Sales
Tax Forms.
Farmers are asked to submit
applications to the Kentucky
Department of Revenue via email at
DOR.Webresponsesalestax@ky.gov or
to the following address:
Division of Sales and Use Tax
Department of Revenue
P.O. Box 181
Frankfort, Kentucky 40602-0181
After approval of the application, the department
will issue an Agriculture Exemption Number to
the applicant by letter. Until an Agriculture
Exemption Number has been assigned, the
farmer may still issue a farm exemption
certificate by using the farmer’s
driver’s license number as an identifier.
The driver’s license number can no
longer be used on the farm exemption
certificate after July 1, 2022.
Please contact the Division of Sales
and Use Tax at 502-564-5170, option 1
with any additional questions.
Shelby
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
Glasgow, KY
In Glasgow: On the Web: In Danville:
1-800-589-2174 www.burkmann.com 1-800-786-2875
Kubota Giveaway
Sponsored In Part By:
November
2021
9. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 9
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
FALL TOUR: SAVE THE DATE
September 28th through October 1st
KDDC World Dairy Expo Fall Trip is happening in 2021!!
Get your registrations in quick seats are limited.
REGISTRATION FORM
KDDC/YDP Wisconsin Tour (September 28- October 1, 2021)
FIRST ATTENDEE
ADDRESS
BIRTHDATE (IF UNDER 21)
SECOND ATTENDEE BIRTHDATE (IF UNDER 21)
ADDRESS 2 HOME PHONE
CELL PHONE EMAIL
$150 Young Dairy Producers/KDDC Board Member – young farmers must meet criteria - limit 2 per dairy farm at $150 -
additional members from farm at $300 - $50 each non-refundable
$300 All other dairy farmers-per person - $50 non-refundable
$600 Industry representatives (non-sponsor) - $50 non-refundable
$300 Industry rep ($1000 - $1499 sponsor) - $50 non-refundable
TOTAL ENCLOSED
Make checks payable to: KDDC
Send registration/check to: Jennifer Hickerson
KDDC
PO Box 293
Flemingsburg, Ky 41041
(After your registration is received, we will send you a full agenda once it is set)
10. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 10
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Kentucky June
DAIRY MONTH
Proclomation 2021
11. DWP$ provides proven predictions designed to help producers make more profitable decisions. In the first
10 years of genomic testing, Zoetis®
has driven to find profitable outcomes through genetic selection for
producers. DWP$ was the result of this research and has been helping operations make genetic decisions
since 2016. Recently, the DWP$ validation that Zoetis completed was published in a peer reviewed
publication (Journal of Dairy Science) that reported DWP$ as a reliable tool to predict lifetime profitability
for dairy producers.
Every $1 increase in DWP$ was correlated with $1.84 more in observed lifetime profit
DAIRY WELLNESS PROFIT INDEX®
(DWP$®) PROVIDES LIFETIME PROFIT
PREDICTIONS FOR DAIRY PRODUCERS
CLARIFIDE® PLUS
A PROVEN WAY TO GENOMICALLY SELECT AND BREED FOR MORE PROFITABLE ANIMALS WITH DWP$®
The validation study was completed using more than 2000 Holsteins that were genomically tested and
ranked on the 2018 version of DWP$. In this study animals were ranked on their DWP$ value in 2012. The
top graph illustrates these results found that Best 25% DWP$ group generated $811 more profit in their
lifetime than the worst 25%, meaning that this group of animals saw $1.84 more lifetime profit for every 1
point increase in DWP$. This included using a discount rate (interest rate) of 10.5% and taking into account
heifer replacement costs. In the table above you will also see that these animals had highly correlated DWP$
rankings with production performance in daily and lifetime measures. Dairy Wellness Profit Index guides
selection for cows with increased salable milk leading to increased profits.
DWP$ Genetic Group
a-c
Marginal means with different superscripts differ (P<0.01), SEM=297
Association between DWP$ and Observed Lifetime Profit
DWP$ 2018 Genetic Group Daily ECM (lbs.) Lifetime ECM (lbs.)
0-25% 72 54740
26-50% 76 64522
51-75% 76 68589
76-100% 78 74757
Difference Between Best and Worst Groups 6 20017
$-
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
Worst 25%
$167a
$561b
$706b
$978c
26-50% 51-75% Best 25%
12. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 12
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Dixie Dairy Report
July 2021
Calvin Covington
Cow numbers keep growing. According to USDA, the
nation’s dairy herd is estimated at 9.505 million head at the
end of May. As the graph below shows, this is 145,000 more
head than last May. Six states, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota,
South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin account for 124,000 of the
increase in dairy cows. Texas leads the way with 32,000 more
cows. Pennsylvania had the largest decline, down 8,000 head.
More cows, along with more milk per cow (milk per cow is
up 1.2% this year) results in more milk. May milk production
was 4.6% higher than last May. Due to the pandemic, May
2020 milk production was 0.5% lower than the previous year,
compared to May 2019 this May’s production was still up over
4%. For the year-to-date, production is 2.3% greater than a year
ago.
For the three Southeast reporting states, May production
numbers were mixed. After 12 months of consecutive lower
production, Florida production in May was up 0.5% due to more
milk per cow. However, compared to May 2019 production was
5.6% lower. Georgia saw a May production increase of 2%,
again due to more milk per cow. Virginia’s production was 2.3%
lower, due to 2,000 fewer cows. For the year-to-date, production
in the three Southeast reporting states is 3.6% lower, a large
contrast between the national increase of 2.3%.
Cheese price tumbles. The June CME block cheddar
price declined $0.18/lb. from May. This is the lowest June block
price since 2009. Barrel cheddar dropped $0.13/lb. In May and
June, the barrel price was higher than block. Lower cheese
prices are primarily due to large supply of cheese resulting from
an abundance of milk, plus new and expansion at current cheese
plants. For the months of March, April, and May combined,
cheese production was 5.9% higher than the same three months
last year and 4.7% higher than 2019. Other factors moving
cheese prices lower include: food service sales softening as
inventories are replenished, transportation challenges, and
difficulty in fully staffing dairy plants. During the past week,
blocks recovered slightly closing at $1.5435/lb. on July 2, but
barrels retreated to $1.4955/lb. As shown below, butter declined
slightly in June, but the price remains relatively steady. Butter
production is below a year ago, and exports are almost three
times greater than last year.
Moving to the other two products determining federal order
class prices, the June nonfat dry milk powder (NDM) Dairy
Product Sales Report (DPSR) price was $1.2696/lb., up three
cents from May, and the highest NDM price since 2014. Due to
increased NDM production (31% more than last May) further
price increases in the coming months look doubtful. After
almost a year of monthly price increases, the June DPSR dry
whey price fell a fraction of a penny to $0.6437/lb. More cheese
means more whey products. The bottom line, the abundant
supply of milk is moving dairy product prices lower, which in
turn results in lower milk prices.
As shown below, the lower cheese price pushed the July Class
I Mover down $0.87/cwt., and the June Class III price down
$1.75/cwt. June Class II and IV prices increased slightly. A
lower August Class I Mover is projected along with lower prices
for the three other classes in July. Current projections show the
June Class I Mover and the May Class III, are the highs for the
year. Relatively strong Class III prices are a large contributor
for increased milk production, especially in areas with a high
percentage of milk used in cheese. Time will tell the impact of
lower, Class III prices on milk production in the heavy cheese
producing areas.
Fluid milk sales continue to struggle. May was another
challenging month for Class I sales. In all federal orders,
producer milk utilized in Class I was 4.7% lower than last
May or about 5 million less lbs. of milk per day used in Class I
(additional milk that ended up in cheese or NDM). For the year
to-date, total federal order Class I producer milk is 3.7% lower
than 2020 and 5.3% below 2019. The three southeastern federal
NUMBER OF DAIRY COWS AT THE END OF MAY (2014-2021)
13. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 13
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Milk Prices
FMMO 5
www.malouisville.com
July 2021
Class 1 Advanced Price
(@3.5%BF)
$20.82
August 2021
Class 1 Advanced Price
(@3.5%BF)
$20.20
FMMO 7
www.fmmmatlanta.com
July 2021
Class 1 Advanced Price
(@3.5%BF)
$ 21.22
August 2021
Class 1 Advanced Price
(@3.5%BF)
$20.70
FEDERAL ORDER CLASS PRICES (2021 YTD)
CLASS JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY
($/cwt. 3.5% fat)
Class I Mover $15.14 $15.54 $15.20 $15.51 $17.10 $18.29 $17.42
Clas II $14.18 $14.00 $15.07 $15.56 $16.22 $16.66
Class III $16.04 $15.75 $16.15 $17.67 $18.96 $17.21
Class IV $13.75 $13.19 $14.18 $15.52 $16.16 $16.35
orders did a little better than the national average. May Class I producer milk in the
Florida order was almost identical to last May. The Southeast and Appalachian orders
were down 4.4% and 6.7%, respectively. Combined, May Class I producer milk in all
three orders was down 4.4%. For the year-to-date Class I producer milk is 4.6% below
last year.
Blend prices. 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. May blend prices, in all three Southeast
orders, were about $1.00/cwt. higher than April. As shown below we project June
blend prices up $0.95/cwt. in the Appalachian, up $1.34/cwt. in the Florida, and
up $1.33/cwt. in the Southeast orders. Unless there is a significant decline in milk
production or a surge in demand, June will likely be the high blend prices for the year.
A $0.50-$0.85/cwt. decline is projected for July and a smaller decline in August.
CME CHEESE AND BUTTER PRICES (JANUARY-JUNE 2021)
CLASS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
Cheddar
(block)
$1.7470 $1.5821 $1.7362 $1.7945 $1.6778 $1.4978
Cheddar
(barrel)
$1.5141 $1.4420 $1.4811 $1.7119 $1.6923 $1.5639
Butter $1.3496 $1.3859 $1.7153 $1.8267 $1.8124 $1.7758
PROJECTED* BLEND PRICES – Base Zones – SOUTHEASTERN FEDERAL ORDERS
MONTH APPALACHIAN FLORIDA SOUTHEAST
($/cwt. at 3.5% butterfat – base zone)
APRIL 2021 $18.43 $20.21 $18.46
MAY $19.35 $21.26 $19.52
JUNE $20.30 $22.60 $20.85
JULY $19.80 $21.75 $20.03
AUGUST $19.60 $21.43 $19.58
SEPTEMBER $19.55 $21.48 $19.82
*projections in bold
14. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 14
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Holstein Association USA and Western Kentucky University
Announce Formation of WKU SmartHolstein Lab
H
olstein Association USA, in partnership with Western
Kentucky University (WKU) and the Kentucky
Agricultural Development Fund, is thrilled to announce
the formation of the WKU SmartHolstein Lab. The lab, located
at the WKU Agriculture Research and Education Center, is
designed to be a research, development, and demonstration
center for the dairy industry.
“We’re delighted to be able to work with Western Kentucky
University on the WKU SmartHolstein Lab partnership. This
creative initiative gives us the opportunity to work with new
dairy technology and data and assess how it can be of value to
Association members and the dairy community at large,” states
Holstein Association USA Chief Executive Officer John M.
Meyer.
The mission of the WKU SmartHolstein Lab is to lead
Holstein and dairy advancements through research, development,
and outreach in technologies, analytics, and genetics. This
endeavor will also provide students with unique experiential
learning opportunities.
“The WKU SmartHolstein Lab is a remarkable collaboration
with Holstein Association USA, the Kentucky Agricultural
Development Fund, and a number of dairy industry partners.
This collaboration will provide unique opportunities that will
directly benefit our students, dairy producers, and the dairy
industry in general,” says Dr. Fred DeGraves, Chair, Western
Kentucky University Department of Agriculture & Food
Science. “We are excited with the synergism this collaboration
offers and look forward to the wide array of opportunities in
teaching, research, and outreach that this project will generate.
We would like to thank Holstein Association USA, the
Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, the Kentucky Dairy
Development Council, our dairy industry collaborators, and dairy
producers from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky for their
support of this project.
The WKU SmartHolstein Lab will greatly enhance the
educational experience of our Agriculture & Food Science
students. Our program is all about providing experiential
learning opportunities and this Lab will allow our students to
work with cutting-edge technologies on a daily basis. In addition
to classroom and laboratory activities, our students provide the
day-to-day labor that operates the dairy, which will allow our
students to become quite familiar with the technologies. They
will also be directly involved with the assessment of these
technologies through applied research projects, which will offer
an opportunity for students to have a role in improving the
technologies. Our students will experience first-hand genomic
testing, genetic selection strategies, and advanced analytics.
Understanding these technologies will be fundamental to the
success of our future dairy producers and having the WKU
SmartHolstein Lab as a demonstration herd will provide the ideal
classroom environment for making this happen.”
The WKU dairy farm is set up to milk 50 cows and raise
associated replacement heifers. The long-term goal is to develop
a 100% A2, polled herd of cows in the top 20% of the breed for
TPI with additional emphasis on health, reproduction, and fitness
traits.
To increase the genetic potential of the herd at the WKU
SmartHolstein Lab, Holstein Association USA members are
invited to donate Registered Holstein® animals or embryos
through the Send a Holstein to College program. If you do not
currently own Holsteins but would like to contribute to the
Send a Holstein to College effort, we will help you identify a
breeder or an auction where you can buy a Holstein to donate. To
nominate an animal for the program or learn more, visit www.
smartholstein.com. Nomination forms are due December 1, 2021.
The SmartHolstein Lab has been established as an easy-
to-access demonstration and development farm to explore
new technologies designed to collect novel phenotypic traits
including wearable or indwelling sensors and milk-based
biomarkers. A major emphasis will be placed on practical use
of data for on-farm decision making. This herd will also be a
nucleus herd for genetic selection strategies and collection of
novel phenotypic information.
“I want to congratulate Western Kentucky University and
Holstein Association USA on this incredible ag tech partnership,”
said Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles.
“As Chair of the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board,
I speak for all our board members when I say we all believe
strongly in the importance of cutting-edge research to the
future of the agriculture industry. Projects such as the WKU
SmartHolstein Lab will help us innovate our way to the next
generation of Kentucky agriculture. The Kentucky Agricultural
Development Board is proud to support this initiative.”
Collaborations and partnerships from established and startup
dairy technology and data providers are welcomed and essential
for the success of this project. Many industry partners have
already donated technologies to this endeavor. The WKU
SmartHolstein Lab is a place where partners can come to explore
new opportunities with an experienced team of dairy analytics
leaders. Industry partnerships may come in the form of donation
of expertise, technologies, or graduate student stipends. Mutually
beneficial collaborations with other university faculty members,
international visitors and scientists, and non-profits are also
welcome. Please contact us at wkudairy@smartholstein.com with
questions or expressions of interest.
You can learn more about the WKU SmartHolstein Lab at
www.smartholstein.com or by following SmartHolstein on
Facebook or Instagram.
15. Send a Holstein to College
You are invited to participate in the next generation of holstein
breed research! Let’s showcase quality kentucky holstein genetics!
To build the nucleus herd, we are asking for contributions to this
project by donating an animal or embryo.
• Contribute to genetic, technology, and data research and
development
• Support dairy education and youth
efforts, allowing students to work with
your genetics.
• Receive permanent on-site
recognition.
• Receive a picture of your cow fully
decked out with the latest sensors.
• Follow research your cow is involved in on
social media.
• Visit anytime to see the latest technology.
• If you don't currently own Holsteins but would like to contribute
to the Send a Holstein to College effort, we will help you identify
a breeder or an auction where you can buy a Holstein to donate.
Please submit the form below by December 1, 2021.
For animals or embryos to be donated to the Western Kentucky Universsity SmartHolstein Lab, a
collaborative effort between Holsstein Association USA and Western Kentucky University
• Please submit the form below by December 1, 2021. At that point, central collection points will
be determined for the animals for transportation. Animals should arrive by December 31, 2021.
• To be considered, animals must be under three years of age, genomic tested, and free of
haplotypes impacting fertility.
• Genetic preferences: cows >2500TPI®, heifers >2600TPI®, female sexed embryo Parent Average
>2700 TPI®. Other unique contributions will also be accepted.
Contact: wkudairy@smartholstein.com, (270) 401-8822, 4660 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY 42101
FARM CONTACT NAME NAME AND PREFIX OF FARM
HOLSTEIN ASSOCIATION USA ACCOUNT NUMBER ADDRESS
PHONE EMAIL
16. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 16
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (DBII) is an effort supported by the
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service focusing on Value-Added Dairy
Businesses in Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Prospective and
current value-added dairy businesses in Kentucky, Tennessee, and North
Carolina are now eligible to submit applications for funding through the
Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (DBII).
Dairy businesses in the three states that develop, produce, market, or
distribute dairy products are now eligible to apply. Applicants will have the
opportunity to submit project proposals for up to $500,000 from now until
October 1, 2021.
Application, eligibility information, frequently asked questions, supporting
application documents, and more can be found at the DBII website.
If interested in applying or have any questions, please contact
j.hickersonkddc@gmail.com or 859-516-2458. KDDC’s consultants will
help with any questions you may have to help in your process of submitting
an application. Link to the 2021 grant portal is below and can be found on
KDDC’s website www.kydairy.org under the value-added tab also.
https://utdairy.tennessee.edu/value-added-dairy-grant-application/
17. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 17
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
KY MILK MATTERS ADVERTISING RATES
Ad Size BW/C (1x) BW/C (3x) BW/C (6x)
Full Page $400/$450 $380/$428 $360/$405
1/2 Page $300/$350 $285/$333 $270/$315
1/4 Page $200/$250 $190/$238 $180/$225
Business Card $100/$125 $95/$119 $90/$113
AD SIZE SPECIFICATIONS
Full page (bleed)........................................................................................................................................................................................8.75 x 11.25
Full page (no bleed).........................................................................................................................................................................................7.5 x 10
Half page (horizontal)...............................................................................................................................................................................7.5 x 4.875
Half page (vertical)................................................................................................................................................................................3.625 x 4.875
Business Card............................................................................................................................................................................................3.625 x 2.3
N O T I C E
Dairy Consultant Position Vacancy
Kentucky Dairy Development Council (KDDC) is seeking qualified applicants
for the position of Central Region Dairy Consultant. Please visit our website
www.kydairy.org for more information and full job description.
To be considered, each applicant should submit a resume and cover
letter to KDDC President, Freeman Brundige at fhbrundige@gmail.com.
Applications are being accepted until September 30, 2021.
If you have questions, please contact Freeman Brundige at 731-446-6248
or H.H. Barlow at 859-516-1129.
Thank you
18. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 18
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Wildcat Wisdom
Donna Amaral-Phillips
UK Dairy Extension Group
Career Opportunities for You and Your
Family
E
veryone involved directly or indirectly in the
dairy industry over the past couple of years
has definitely felt the effects of the on-going
economical rollercoaster. Price volatility of milk, feed,
and other inputs along with changing or exiting markets
has definitely presented many challenges. Strategies
to survive this economic rollercoaster have been the
topic of many articles in all of the national or regional
popular press magazines, newspapers, and newsletters,
KY Dairy Notes and here in Milk Matters. While these
articles have provided sound advice and strategies for
managing the cattle side of a quickly evolving dairy
business, they have not addressed or discussed the
choices available to expand, maintain, or change one’s
source of family or personal income in light of this price
volatility. Contemplating one’s chosen career and future
opportunities is natural and should be considered the
most important decision one can make. These family
discussions and personal decisions can be very difficult,
but are a must no matter the economic climate of the
industry.
Future Direction- Make It Your Choice!
With all the recent price volatility, questioning one’s future
role in this rapidly changing industry would not be surprising
and should be considered normal. Many may decide they want
to continue their current involvement in the dairy industry
without making any changes as they have the markets and
capital to continue currently. Others may seriously want to
consider changes or additional income options to improve their
personal income. By thinking through the pros and cons of
various options, one can make a decision as to what you want
to do next. One key driving factor behind your final decision
needs to be what is important and enjoyable to you and what
is best for you and your family. Hopefully, expectations from
others will not drive your final decision and they will champion
your decision no matter the course it takes.
With all of the financial and personal challenges over the past
couple of years, one’s positive outlook for the industry has more
than likely been tested at times. By looking for positive and
personally rewarding experiences, one can have a more positive
outlook for our chosen profession. Sometimes this can come
in the form of adding a new technology or simple, lower cost
updates to facilities making the day-to-day management and
chores more enjoyable and productive. Setting small attainable
goals and measuring progress toward these goals also can help
one maintain a positive outlook for not only its owners, but also
employees. Examples that quickly come to mind are improving
pregnancy rates by 2% (i.e. increasing pregnancy rate from 16
to 18%) or decreasing SCC by 25,000 in the next 3 to 6 months.
Sometimes a planned and attainable challenge can help one
have a more positive outlook or acceptance toward those aspects
we have little control over.
Additional Income Streams
Historically, diversifying a farming enterprise was one
way farmers used to spread the financial risk over multiple
enterprises (i.e. tobacco, grain), utilize unallocated labor, land,
and other available resources not assigned to the dairy cows,
and potentially provided additional family income. Over the
years, use of this approach has decreased as markets have
changed along with the realization that the cows often took a
back seat, especially during certain times of the year, and cattle
performance often suffered. To replace this lost income, dairy
farmers classically added cows and management time was
devoted solely to the cows instead of a multitude of enterprises.
More recently, this diversification approach has regained
favor as income margins have been squeezed. The key before
adding any additional enterprise is to pencil out if your new
enterprises (i.e. raising Holstein steers) is profitable, fits within
your available labor and management skills and you have a
sound market for the crop/animal in the end. Some of us can
remember the ostrich/emu craze where early on those producing
breeder stock made money, but those financial rewards did
not last for long. Besides the more classical diversification
approaches (i.e bedding plants, steers), some close to population
centers have added agrotourism or farm tours for those wanting
to learn more about where their food comes from as an
additional income stream
Removing the “Middle Man”
US dairy farmers receive 51% of the retail price for a gallon
of whole milk and only 14% of a carton of ice cream (USDA
lists the retail size as a half gallon, but I haven’t seen half
gallons in my retail store for years!). These disparities in
sharing the proceeds have driven many to consider processing
their own milk and retaining this potential income for
themselves. Many have successfully developed businesses
that market their own milk as either cheese, bottled milk,
20. • I D E A L B E E F O N D A I R Y G E N E T I C S
• H y b r i d v i g o r a n d c o m p l e n t a r y
a d v a n t a g e s o f A n g u s a n d
S i m m e n t a l u s i n g S i m A n g u s
s i r e s
•
• T h e H O L S i m i n d e x e m p h a s i z e s :
o C a l v i n g e a s e
o M u s c l e c o n f i r m a t i o n
o G r a d i n g a b i l i t y
o C a r c a s s l e n g t h
• O n l y h o m o z y g o u s p o l l e d a n d
b l a c k b u l l s r a n k i n g t h e h i g h e s t
f o r t h i s p r o f i t a n d s c i e n c e
b a s e d i n d e x a r e e l i g i b l e t o s i r e
H O L S i m c a l v e s
MA XIMIZIN G
R EVEN U E
F OR YOU R
B EEF ON
DAI RY
The Holstein USA/KDDC program’s objective is:
to provide additional revenue to dairy producers
through the production of value-added terminal
calves; and to offer a consistent supply of high-
quality calves better situated to capture market
premiums; and to eliver mating solutions to dairy
farmers who include beef sires in their breeding
program.
HOLSim sired calves should enhance the profit
potential and predictability of BeefXDairy
approach. HOLSim sired calves should reduce
the risk to buyers and feedlots thus, with time and
data, enhance the value of such calves. Adding a
steady profit stream to commercial dairy
producers. We are looking for pilot farms to
participate in this program, using HOLSim sires
and marketing animals locally. Contact Jeffrey
Bewley at jbewley@holstein.com or 270-401-
8822 to learn more.
www.holsteinusa.com/holsim
1 Holstein Place, PO Box 808, Bratleboro, VT 05302-0808 Tel 800.952.5200
Kentucky
HOLSim Pilot
Project:
Premium
Branded Beef
For Your Dairy
21. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 21
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Southland Dairy Farmers Continue to Support the
Kentucky Special Olympics with Cool Dairy Treats
S
pecial Olympics Kentucky celebrated its 25th year
in 2019, and Southland Dairy Farmers was excited
to celebrate with the athletes, coaches and families
at the Kentucky games, held at the Richmond campus of
Eastern Kentucky University. The summer games are the
largest event of the year and over 1,400 athletes competed
in five sports that spread out from May 31 – June 2.
The Summer Games began with Opening Ceremonies early on
May 31 at the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort. The Final Leg of the
Law Enforcement Torch Run Final leg concluded in Richmond.
Southland Dairy Farmers were there showing their support and
passing out ice cream sandwiches for all that attended.
The Special Olympics Kentucky Summer Games are made
possible through sponsorship support. Southland Dairy Farmers
is proud to be part of such a worthwhile cause and promoting
milk and the dairy industry.
22. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 22
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
Educating On the Importance
of Milk in Schools
The 2021 Kentucky State Nutrition Association Conference
was held virtually for the first time this summer. The Dairy
Alliance made the most of the online meeting and had a strong
presence during the conference through the promotion of
available online trainings for how to move milk in schools.
The Dairy Alliance promoted dairy optimization programs like
Moo Brew, Cocoa Moo, Smooth & Smart, and Farm to School
options. Both the Dairy Good for You, Good for the Planet and
Strive for 35! with Alternative Feeding trainings were offered to
the approximately 300 attendees and continue to be available for
attendees to access throughout the year.
The Dairy Alliance Grants
Continue to Impact Kentucky’s
Food Banks
In 2018, God’s Pantry Food Bank in Lexington, KY,
partnered with The Dairy Alliance to launch a Milk2MyPlate
pilot program, a grant program designed to aid in funding
for obtaining refrigeration for dairy products. The food bank
originally planned to move 60 gallons of milk per week in
Fayette County after acquiring seven milk coolers to place in
its food pantries. By 2019, however, the program provided
approximately 5,500 gallons of milk per week across the 50
counties served by God's Pantry, representing 5.9% of the food
bank's total distribution volume that year.
Though Milk2MyPlate has grown through an expanded
governmental milk distribution and private relationships, The
Dairy Alliance grant has allowed an increase in overall volume.
Now, God's Pantry allows partner agencies to receive as much
milk as they can safely handle without fees or the need to order
ahead, ensuring the milk clients receive is always fresh and
distributed quickly and efficiently
.
Foil Fencer Kiefer Promotes
Milk Throughout Summer
In honor of June’s National Dairy Month and World Milk
Day, native Kentuckian and foil fencer Lee Kiefer, a two-time
Olympian, five-time NCAA Champion, and dairy advocate,
posted to her Instagram stories that engaged her followers in
milk trivia, highlighting milk's performance fueling nutrients.
Lee also shared a video, "13 Ways to Hit: In Celebration of the
13 Performance Fueling Nutrients of Milk," showcasing 13
fencing moves for each essential nutrient in milk.
Off social media, the Team Milk athlete promoted milk in
several interviews leading up to her third time representing
Team USA at the Olympic Games. These are just a few recent
examples of how over the last 2 years, Kiefer’s partnership with
The Dairy Alliance has provided numerous opportunities to
share milk’s important role in an athlete’s diet.
23. July - August 2021 • KDDC • Page 23
KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
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
24. 176 Pasadena Drive
Lexington, KY 40503
859.516.1129 ph
www.kydairy.org
Non-Profit
US Postage
PAID
AUG 17 Kentucky State Fair Dairy Products Judging, West Wing
AUG 19-29 Kentucky State Fair, Louisville, KY
AUG 19 Commodity Breakfast, Commodity Tent, Kentucky State Fair, 7:00 AM
AUG 19-21 4-H and Open Dairy Cattle Shows
AUG 20 Annual KY State Fair Junior Dairy Cheese Auction, West Wing State Fair, 2
AUG 26 Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast, South Wing State Fair
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.
SEP 28-OCT 1 KDDC Young Dairy Producers Bus Tour, World Dairy Expo. Madison, WI
OCT 12-14 Kentucky Milk Quality Conference, Dale Hollow State Park Resort, Burksville,KY
NOV 05-09 North American International Livestock Show, KY Fair and Exposition Center
NOV 18 KDDC Board Meeting, Adair Co. Extension Office. 10:00 AM C.T.
Calendar of Events