The start of his herd

CALEDONIA/SPRING GROVE, Minn. — Lane Hoscheit has just won the beginning of his very own herd of cattle through the Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Giveaway. Lane and his sister, Madeline, will be sharing the grand prize calf, 1692 Reads Telsa Meteor.

“I’m going to take over this farm, definitely,” Lane said. “If I still have … one of these cows (then), I am going to be so happy.”

Lane and Madeline are the children of dairy farmers Cole and Amy Hoscheit of rural Caledonia.

The Hoscheit children were not the only lucky people in southeast Minnesota. About 15 minutes away in Spring Grove, Dan Wiste was the winner of the adult $500 grand cash prize. This year, both the calf winner and the cash prize winner happened to have signed up for the Christmas giveaway at the same business, Brynsaas Sales & Service Inc., in Decorah, Iowa.

Cole and Amy chose to surprise Lane with the news that he had won the calf. Cole took time out of a busy morning drying off cows Dec. 12 to drive over an hour and a half to rural Austin to pick up Meteor. Then, once Lane and Madeline were home from school, Cole brought them to the calf barn where their new bovine friend awaited.

“We thought it couldn’t be more fitting for somebody to win a calf because he’s really excited about farming,” Cole said.

Lane said he is happy his parents surprised him.

“She is my Christmas present,” Lane said. “She is … (the) one I wanted (the most). She’s like, the best Christmas present. Even though Christmas didn’t even come (yet), she’s my best.”

Lane said the thing he is most excited about is the possibility of Meteor having calves herself.

“We should name all her babies in her whole entire family about space,” Lane said.

This is the first time the Hoscheit children have had a dairy animal of their own. Meteor, a registered Brown Swiss calf, is breaking up the Holstein monopoly on the Hoscheit farm, taking it from 100% Holsteins to 99% Holsteins.

“I’m so happy I won,” Lane said.

Cole and Amy farm in partnership with Cole’s parents, Tom and Manon. Cole returned to the dairy farm in 2005 after college and the couple married in 2009.

“I’ve been here and just been taking over a little bit more and a little bit more,” Cole said.

Cole said Lane, who is a third grader, is still young enough that he is not asked to help a lot on the farm, although Lane is enthusiastic to be of assistance. Right now, Lane said he helps with garbage and adding salt to the water softener.

“I also help Dad with lots of stuff, like cows (and) fixing stuff,” Lane said.

Madeline, who is in seventh grade, has more extensive farm duties. She feeds calves two evenings a week and helps with blood work for pregnancy checks. She also assists with washing and putting on calf jackets, cleaning calf buckets, mowing the lawn in the summer and helping with Cole’s bookwork.

“I like hanging out with the animals and seeing the babies … grow up,” she said.

The calf the Hoscheits won was bred by Roger and Lori Read. The Reads have had four sires go to stud, are four-time Brown Swiss protein genetic herd winners, and have been a national Brown Swiss genetic honor herd for 20 years running.

Over in Spring Grove, cash prize winner Wiste has been dairy farming since 1971. He farms alongside his daughter, Amanda, and her husband, BJ Rud. The family milks over 50 cows and farms 600 acres. They also have a beef herd and finish out all their cattle.

Wiste said he plans to use his prize winnings to celebrate Christmas.

“We have signed up for this (Christmas giveaway) for many years and never gotten it before,” Wiste said.

Wiste’s family has owned the dairy since his grandpa bought the farm around 1945. Wiste’s grandchildren now represent the sixth generation on the land.

“It’s something you’re proud of that you can keep that (dairy) going,” Wiste said. “You don’t want to be the last one to have the place. … You want it to keep going after you.”

Wiste’s herd has an average test of 4.4%-4.6% fat and 3.5% protein. He said the udders on his herd are what he likes best. Utilizing A.I. on their farm began over 75 years ago. Wiste said he saw a breeding receipt dated November 1948.

“You’ve got to like what you do,” Wiste said. “I like seeing the herd develop: better cows, better heifers, better genetics.”

Though Wiste and Lane are in totally different eras of their dairy careers, both Christmas prize winners represent Minnesota dairies with families continuing the farm.

“I love the farm just like dad does,” Lane said. “I want to take it over.”