Learning as they go

PAYNESVILLE, Minn. — Johann “CJ” Spangenberg has been dairy farming since he was 16 years old. During his tenure, he has worked on many farms in various countries with different milking systems.

“Animals have always been my passion,” CJ said. “I have never wanted to be a vet, but I have always wanted to be a farmer.”

Now, CJ and his wife, Yvette, are buying equity in a dairy farm near Paynesville.

The farm is home to 280 cows — Holsteins, Brown Swiss and crossbreds — that are milked with four DeLaval robotic milking units.

“The owners are retired bachelors, so we are their transition plan,” CJ said. “I have been dairying for a long time but never with robots.”

The Spangenbergs’ succession plan allows the couple to receive equity each year, and eventually, the farm will belong to them.

The barn, which was built in 2019, houses newborn calves, milk cows and dry cows, all under one roof. The owners of the farm had housed and milked the herd in a tiestall barn. Spangenberg said the transition to the robotic barn has had its challenges.

“We are here now to help them … so they can retire properly,” CJ said.

The Spangenbergs have completed their first year at the farm and said they have learned a lot. Over the past year, they have increased the herd from 235 cows to 280, adjusted the breeding strategy so the cows fit better in the robots and changing the ration to encourage the cows to enter the robots on their own. They also have had to learn the ins and outs of the robotic milking units.

“The technology was the biggest learning curve,” CJ said. “At the large dairies, you feed a (total mixed ration). Here, it is a (partial mixed ration) with some of the feed being fed with the robot. I know there are different philosophies as to what is the best way to manage a robot dairy, and we are still learning them.”

Yvette agreed.

“The robot community is amazing,” she said. “We visited with a lot of farmers, and a lot of them came here. We were all brainstorming different ideas on how to do things. We take a little bit from here and there to find what works best for us. It’s actually quite exciting to be a part of this community.”

The Spangenbergs, who are originally from South Africa, have worked at several types of dairy farms before settling in Stearns County. Prior to managing this farm, they managed a large dairy farm in southern Minnesota.

“Ever since we got married, we decided we wanted to own a robotic dairy farm,” Yvette said. “We tried establishing one in South Africa. We still go back every two years to see family.”

The couple came to the U.S. in 1998 to learn about dairy farming. Then, they returned to South Africa in 2000. They subsequently traveled to New Zealand and Canada to work and learn about types of dairy farms.

In 2012, while the Spangenbergs were working on a research farm in Canada, the same dairy farmer they worked for in southern Minnesota originally asked if they would work for him again, and they agreed. Eventually, that farm came under new ownership. When CJ and Yvette heard about a farm for sale in Stearns County, they saw their opportunity.

“It is tremendous hard work,” CJ said. “It is much different than a large dairy. ... Here, it is just us, so we are the manager, laborer and everything in between. Luckily, I am not scared of hard work and don’t like sitting still.”

The day-to-day tasks are carried out by CJ and Yvette, their daughter, Karlijn, and neighbors, as needed. Karlijn is in 4-H, where she participates in dairy bowl, dairy judging and shows. The couple’s son, Zac, joined the military after high school. Yvette does the calf chores and CJ does the herd health.

“Everything comes natural to us, and we share most of the responsibilities,” Yvette said.

CJ agreed.

“We complement each other well by making sure all the chores get done,” he said. “It gets to be a lot of getting up early and going home late, but everything gets done.”

After adjusting the herd size, breeding program and rations, the Spangenbergs are seeing progress with the cows.

“Every day things are getting better,” CJ said. “Each day, more cows come to the boxes themselves. There is a lot of information and data, and we are still learning how to process it.”

It has been a long road for the Spangenbergs to operating their own robotic farm.

“It’s very fulfilling to see your own heifers come into the barn, and you remember when they were born,” CJ said. “It’s a lifestyle, and if you aren’t made for it or you don’t like it, you will never make it.”