FROM THE FARM REPORT: CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF COLLABORATION WITH ZEN-NOH

“Kanpai”, the Japanese word for “cheers”, was a word I found myself saying often during a recent trip to Japan. This visit was more than a cultural experience but marked a significant milestone for Miner Institute: 30 years of research collaboration with ZEN-NOH, the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations. This partnership is the longest-running research collaboration in Miner Institute’s history and has delivered practical benefits to dairy farmers in both Japan and the US. Joining me on this trip were our Director of Research, Katie Ballard, and research scientists Sarah Morrison and Marcos Marcondes. Together, we celebrated three decades of shared commitment to advancing dairy nutrition and management for the dairy farmers we serve.

The collaboration began in 1996, initiated by former Miner president Charlie Sniffen and has since grown into a cornerstone of our global outreach. Over the years this partnership has supported dairy farmers in both countries by funding applied research focused on improving animal health, productivity, and profitability. Unlike many industry-sponsored projects, ZEN-NOH’s support has emphasized practical feeding strategies that truly matter on-farm rather than solely product testing. Key areas of focus have included: education and extension tools, forage quality and fiber analysis, ration formulation and modeling, youngstock nutrition and growth strategies, transition cow nutrition and management, nutritional approaches using different carbohydrates, proteins, and feed additives, and reproductive management.

ZEN-NOH was founded in 1972 and is an organization consisting of farmers’ cooperatives, whose purpose is to protect and enhance agricultural management and the livelihood of farmers. It works to connect producers and consumers. With over 27,000 employees and 900+ sites across Japan, ZEN-NOH plays a critical role in sourcing feed and fertilizer for Japanese agriculture. In fact, ZEN-NOH is one of the world’s largest importers of animal feeds and operates ZEN-NOH Hay, Inc in Washington state and ZEN-NOH Grain Corp. in New Orleans to supply Japanese livestock producers. Feed costs in Japan are significantly higher than in the US, and prices fluctuate more due to the heavy reliance on imports. This reality underscores the importance of research on ration formulation and feed efficiency.

One unique aspect of this collaboration has been the exchange program that brings ZEN-NOH employees to Miner Institute for training. Over the past 30 years, 18 employees have spent one to two years here conducting research, learning about US dairy practices, and improving their English skills. Many have become lifelong friends and part of our “extended professional family,” as Rick Grant, who led the collaboration for 20 years, aptly described. During our trip we enjoyed a reunion with several former trainees, now working in diverse roles across ZEN-NOH’s vast organization.

Japan has fewer than 10,000 dairy farms milking about 1.4 million cows and producing roughly 8 million tons of milk annually. Holsteins dominate the dairy herd, accounting for about 90% of cows. The island of Hokkaido produces nearly half of the nation’s milk. Japan’s dairy industry faces challenges familiar to US dairy farmers: declining herd number but increasing herd size, an aging farmer population with limited successors, labor shortages, rising feed and energy costs, and expensive replacement heifers. Often our trips to Japan involve outreach, and this trip was no exception. Sarah Morrison and Marcos Marcondes presented seminars in Hokkaido to farmers, consultants, and feed mill staff, focused on critical areas for long-term herd success: youngstock nutrition and management.

Beyond the formal meetings and seminars, we visited one dairy that was milking 3,000 cows, very large by Japanese standards where the average herd size is just over 100 cows. Interestingly, this farm, along with many others, integrate Wagyu Japanese Black beef production through embryo transfer or artificial insemination, reflecting the economic importance of high-quality beef in Japan. Beef appears to be a primary focus with milk as a secondary product. This farm was sourcing their replacement heifers from farms in Hokkaido. All of their forages are imported and they are using about 1 cargo container of hay a day from the US, sourced by ZEN-NOH Hay, Inc. They use multiple types of hay daily to manage nutrient variation, very much like we do in the US when feeding byproduct feeds. We also toured ZEN-NOH’s research farm dedicated to Japanese Black cattle, learning about the specialized nutrition and management required to produce highly marbled beef at 27 to 28 months of age. This visit in particular highlighted the unique challenges posed by Japan’s geography, with mountains and volcanoes limiting farmland and making feed imports essential. From the farm we could see an active volcano. We did take a little time to sightsee in Tokyo and made a trip up the Tokyo Skytree, the world’s tallest tower. It was breathtaking to view Tokyo, home to 37 million people and the largest city in the world, from 1480 feet in the air! We were even able to see the beautiful snowcapped Mt. Fuji in the distance.

As we look ahead, the commitment to applied research and farmer-focused solutions remains strong. Collaborations like this remind us that while farming practices may differ across continents, the goals are universal: healthy and productive animals along with farms that are financially, socially and environmentally sustainable.

Kanpai to 30 years of progress and many more to come!

— Heather Dann

dann@whminer.com