The drive to improve their dairy farm and provide better opportunities for their family has led John and Berlinda VanderWal to farms in three countries – Netherlands, Canada, and the U.S. – with multiple expansions over the past 25 years. With each move or new project, they look for ways to adopt new management practices or technologies to be more productive and provide better care for their cows.
John and Berlinda VanderWal own and operate Newalta Dairy near Pipestone, Minnesota. They moved to the area with their five children: Jennifer, Alisha, Bernice, Amy-Jo, and Ian, from Alberta, Canada, in 2005 to construct and begin operating the new dairy in 2006.
John began milking with his father in the Netherlands after college. He married Berlinda in 1989, and they relocated to Alberta, Canada, to begin their own dairy. They were milking about 200 cows in Canada, but were frustrated by the quota system that managed milk production at the dairy level.
“I had always been intrigued by larger dairies that I read about in Hoards Dairyman and other publications, and we wanted to take on the challenge for ourselves,” John said.
In Minnesota, they began milking 700 cows, then expanded to 1,100 cows in 2008, and recently completed an expansion to milking 1,600 cows last year. They maintain about a 90 pound daily average and ship milk to the Davisco cheese plant in Lake Norden, South Dakota. They have also expanded the dairy’s operating team in recent years. John and Berlinda’s daughter, Alisha and her husband, Trevor officially joined the dairy operation.
The Vanderwals built the Newalta Dairy milking herd from scratch as well because the borders between the U.S. and Canada was closed to moving dairy cattle at the time they moved. They now maintain their own herd, with the exception of purchasing a few registered Holsteins each year for show cattle.
“We keep all our heifer calves and have been able to expand the dairy as those heifers mature and enter the milking herd,” he said.
They raise new calves until they are weaned, then calves are moved to other area farms that specialize in raising dairy calves and heifers. They return to Newalta Dairy to have their first calf and join the milking herd.
Newalta’s most recent expansion included building a new barn in the fall of 2013 that features a tunnel ventilation system. The system is designed to improve air flow and keep cows cooler during hot, humid, summer months compared to naturally ventilated barns.
“I’m curious to see how well it works this summer to improve airflow and keep cows cool. High temperatures can be stressful for cows, so everything we can do to keep them cool and comfortable is important,” said John.
Maintaining top notch herd health is a top priority for the VanderWals and they work closely with veterinarians from Pipestone Veterinary Services. Veterinarians do weekly herd health checks at Newalta Dairy, spending about three hours every Tuesday monitoring the herd. They also work with the dairy to manage vaccination protocols, breeding program and any necessary treatments for sick animals.
“We’ve had a great partnership with Pipestone Veterinary Services since day one,” said John. “The vets we work with now and over the years have made a big contribution to the dairy and our success.”
The VanderWals have been very happy with their move to the Pipestone area. One of the biggest reasons they chose the area was the availability of Christian schools for their children.
“We like to do as much business in our local community as possible,” he said. “Pipestone may not be a large town, but it has most of the businesses and resources we need.”
They have become active in dairy and church organizations as well. John is currently vice president of the Minnesota Holstein Association board and their daughters enjoy showing dairy cattle at local, state and national dairy shows, even showing at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. They are actively involved in the U.S. Holstein Association, American Dairy Association and the Church Cadets groups.
