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OFFICERS,
DIRECTORS ELECTED AT AJCA AND NAJ ANNUAL MEETINGS Reynoldsburg,
Ohio—Officers and directors
for the two U.S. Jersey organizations
were elected during the recently concluded Annual Meetings of the American
Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) and National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ). The
meetings were held July 3, 2004, at the Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue in
Seattle, Washington. Donald
S. “Donnie” Sherman was elected to his first one-year term as
President of the American Jersey Cattle Association. Along with his wife,
Elsa, he owns and operates D&E Jerseys and D&E Jerseys Too, a
1,200-cow dairy in Hilmar, Calif. Sherman
is also one of the owners of Hilmar Cheese Company, the 30th
largest dairy processor in the U.S., according to the 2004 rankings by Dairy
Field. Elected
to serve as Vice President of AJCA was Dr. Joseph A. Lineweaver, Radford,
Va. Lineweaver is the owner of Cardinal Jerseys and is also involved in a
partnership with Waverly Farm, WF/L&M Jerseys. Bearl
A. Seals, Cloverale, Ore., retired as an AJCA Director at this meeting
after six years of service including two terms as AJCA Vice President. Succeeding
him is Paula Wolf, Beaver, Ore. Re-elected
for a second three-year term were Paul R. Schirm, West Salem, Ohio; Clint
L. Collins, III, Sylacauga, Ala.; and Michael Fremstad, Westby, Wis. Wolf
owns and operates Sunset Canyon Jerseys, a 160-cow dairy, with her husband
Eric Silva. Schirm and his
wife Dawn own and operate Schirm Jersey Farm, with over 170 milking cows.
Collins, his wife Julie, and son Ben own and operate Arco Jersey Farm now
focused exclusively on replacement heifers. Fremstad is the co-owner of
the 450-head Norse Star Jerseys along with wife Merna and partners Arden
and Jan Sherpe. James
Ahlem, Hilmar, Calif., was re-elected to serve as the President of
National All-Jersey Inc. He
is the owner and operator of James Ahlem Dairy, a 2,000 milking cow herd.
Ahlem is also an owner of Hilmar Cheese Company.
David Endres, Lodi, Wis., was elected to serve as Vice-President
for NAJ. Endres and wife, Patty, own Endres Jazzy Jerseys, a 700 milking
cow dairy located near Madison. J.
Patrick Rankin, Faunsdale, Ala., was re-elected to serve a second term as
District 5 Director for National All-Jersey Inc.
Rankin is a member of the family corporation that owns and operates
Cedarcrest Farms, home of 1,300 Registered Jerseys™.
He is also the manager of Southeastern Cheese LLC, Uniontown, Ala. The
American Jersey Cattle Association was organized in 1868 to improve and
promote the Jersey breed. Since 1957, National All-Jersey Inc. has served
Jersey breeders by promoting the increased production and sale of Jersey
milk and milk products. For more information on services provided by the
U.S. Jersey organizations, visit the website at www.USJersey.com or call
614/861-3636.
AUCTION
RAISES $15,000 FOR JERSEY RESEARCH FOUNDATION Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USJersey, July 14, 2004—The endowment fund of the AJCC Research Foundation increased $15,000 on July 2, when seven unique items were sold in the third Foundation Benefit Auction. An audience of 400-plus assembled at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, Lynden, Wash., for the fun, action-packed event. Larry Benson, New Lebanon, N.Y., donated his services to sell the items offered buyer’s choice. David and Linda Spahr, Findlay, Ohio, had the first choice with their bid of $2,200. They selected the early-release porcelain china models of the Jersey cow, Ch. Newton Tinkle, and the Jersey bull, Ch. Dunsley Coy Boy. The models featured handcrafted detail and were made by the John Beswick Studios at Staffordshire, England. Kelvin Moss, Litchfield Park, Ariz., bid $1,750 next, choosing the framed All-Jersey® milk advertising poster. The poster dates from the launch of the national program in 1957 and came from the collection of Myatt-Lutz Auction Service, Cary, N.C. Richard and Jennifer Avila, Hilmar, Calif., took home a vintage Edwin Douglas print for a bid of $2,200, donated by Paul and Dawn Schirm, West Salem, Ohio. The print, titled “Sark,” was dated from the 1890s and sold re-mounted in the original frame with the original glass. Elsa Sherman, Hilmar Calif., bid $2,200 and selected a modern model of the Jersey cow with her newborn calf. The figurine was handcrafted by Scottish artists of the Border Fine Arts Company. Scott and Mike Wickstrom, Hilmar, Calif, bid $2,000 and chose the “Dollars and Sense of Dairying with Registered Jerseys" advertising poster. The poster from the early 1960s was another of those used for many years by Myatt-Lutz Auction Service at its sales in the Southeast. Allen and Bonnie Kracht, Newton, Wis., bid $2,000 for the figurine, “Wash and Brush Up,” from the Border Fine Arts collections. The model displayed a young man preparing his Jersey heifer for her big day. At the last minute, surprising the entire crowd, one day’s time from Neal Smith, Executive Secretary of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc. was put up for auction. A syndicate of Carol Ahlem, Elsa Sherman and Cindy Wickstrom, all of Hilmar, Calif., bid $2,500. At the very end, $150 was added by Norman Martin, Tillamook, Ore., to bring the total proceeds to $15,000. The AJCC Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) permanent trust operated exclusively to promote and sponsor scientific research in the dairy industry. Gifts assigned to the use of the Foundation are deductible for Federal estate and gift purposes, and may be made at any time. Current funding priorities are:
TOP
PRODUCERS RECOGNIZED AT AJCA ANNUAL MEETING
Reynoldsburg,
OH, USJersey, July 12, 2004—The
highest producing Registered Jerseys™ of 2003 were recognized on July 4,
2004, by the American Jersey Cattle Association during its annual meeting
in Seattle, Washington. Individual trophies were presented to the Living
Lifetime Production champions, and also to the 2003 winners of the
President’s Trophy and Hilmar Cheese Yield Trophy. The
AJCA’s annual Living Lifetime Production Contest recognizes cows alive
as of December 31 of the contest year that have produced a minimum of
175,000 lbs. milk, 8,750 lbs. fat, or 7,000 lbs. protein. A total of 31
cows were nominated for the 2003 contest. The
Ogston Farm Trophy was presented to the Living Lifetime Milk Champion.
William Eick, Columbia Cross Roads Penna., received the award for
Windy Acres Legend Carla, Excellent-92%, who has production credits of
265,463 lbs. milk in 4,623 days. Her average daily production was 57.4
lbs. milk. “Carla”
was also winner of the Edyvean Farm Trophy for the Living Lifetime Protein
Champion (9,145 lbs.). The
High Lawn Farm Trophy for the Living Lifetime Fat Champion was presented
to Chasin Rainbows Brig Gold, Excellent-94%. Her lifetime totals as of
December 31 were 12,890 lbs. fat in 3,401 days. She is owned by Patti
Tohl, Tillamook Ore. The
President’s Trophy has been presented since 1923 to the cow with the
highest individual 305-day record for pounds protein m.e. (mature
equivalent). For the second consecutive year, Mainstream Berretta Joy,
Very Good-88%, owned by Melissa R.
Kortus, Lynden, Wash., was the winner. On her third lactation,
beginning at 4 years, 9 months of age, she produced 38,550 lbs. milk,
2,016 lbs. fat and 1,300 lbs. protein (99 DCR). The m.e. for protein was
1,284 lbs. The
Hilmar Cheese Yield Trophy for 305-day production was presented to Maack
Dairy, Cloverdale, Ore., for Cottonwood Merry Violet, with Cheddar
cheese yield of 4,574 lbs. (actual). The complete lactation is 6-4 305
37,640 4.5% 1,708 3.5% 1,330.
NATIONAL
JERSEY SALE ON JULY 4 Reynoldsburg, Ohio—Paced by a $9,100 high seller, eight more calves selling for $5,000 and over, and a renowned Holstein breeder as the top volume buyer, the 47th National Heifer Sale on Independence Day 2004 averaged $3,543.55 with 62 head sold.
The sale, managed by Jersey Marketing Service and held at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, Wash., ranks second only to the 2000 sale in Charleston, S.C., which averaged $3,626.97 on 45 lots.
It was arguably the finest group of heifers ever assembled for this event. The Parent Averages for the group were 1,148M, 49F and 40P, with PA Type of 1.6. The dams averaged 88.7% for final score, The average of the dams' best completed lactation was 21,723 lbs. milk, 1,020 lbs. fat and 765 lbs. protein (305 days, actual production).
Golden Meadows Morgans Glow 852, a November calf bred and consigned by Paul Dias of Hilmar, Calif., was the high seller at $9,100. She was purchased by the Glow Syndicate, Stevinson, Calif., with Craig Rhein of Pine Grove, Penna., contending.
The daughter of Wilsonview Khan Morgan-ET, JPI +232, is out of Buttercrest Klassic Glow-ET, who was the top seller of the 2002 National Heifer Sale in Sacramento, Calif. “Klassic Glow” is currently projected to 33,220–1,612–1,024 m.e. on her first record started at 22 months of age. She scored Very Good-89% earlier this spring and ranks 42nd in the breed for Jersey Performance Index™. Four brothers to the dam are in A.I. progeny test programs.
The Eagles Only Syndicate, based in Crockett, Va., paid $6,500 for the second-high seller, Ahlem Klassic Tiffany 3202-ET. She was consigned by William Ahlem Jr., Hilmar, Calif. The four dams behind this heifer are all scored Excellent with records in excess of 1,000-lb. fat. She is sired by Eastglen Alf Klassic-ET, JPI +262.
Other heifers selling for $5,500 and higher were:
Leprechaun Holsteins Inc. of Centralia, Wash., was the top volume buyer, selecting five heifers for a total of $16,750.
The National Heifer Sale has been held annually since 1958 to provide funds for the youth development program of the American Jersey Cattle Association, headquartered in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Including the 2004 sale, 2,173 heifers have been sold for a grand total of $4,195,722 and an overall average of $1,930.84.
Complete pedigrees for all consignments in the 47th National Heifer Sale can be viewed on the USJersey website at www.usjersey.com/jms/NHS/Default.htm.
SCHIRM
RECEIVES JERSEY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD July
8, 2004, Reynoldsburg, Ohio—Neal F. Schirm, Canal Winchester, Ohio, was
presented the 54th Distinguished Service Award of the American
Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) on July 3, 2004, in ceremonies during the
association’s Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington. The
Distinguished Service Award is made by the Board of Directors to as many
living AJCA members and/or members’ families, who, in the opinion of the
Board of Directors, have rendered outstanding and unselfish service for
many years and thereby have made a notable contribution to the advancement
of the Jersey breed in the United States. For
more than 65 years, Neal Schirm has been an ambassador for the Jersey
breed by being an example of success to all who came into contact with
him. His service stretches from his days operating Schirm Jersey Farms, to
being a leader in the Ohio dairy industry, to his time serving on the AJCA
Board of Directors. Schirm
used the example of his own Jersey herd to convince others of the extra
profit to be gained by milking Registered Jerseys™.and
the benefits of using the services of the Jersey organizations. Visitors
to the farm found a well-managed, high-producing herd, one ranked among
the nation’s best for production starting in the 1974. By 1988, the
Schirm herd had achieved a DHIR lactation average of 18,137 lbs. milk, 763
lbs. fat and 628 lbs. protein. The average placed the herd fourth in the
nation for milk, regardless of herd size. Neal
would share the “secrets” of his success, among them, the type of
bulls that he used and his feeding program. He was candid in telling
visitors what worked and what didn’t. The trip to the Schirm dairy gave
dairy producers a real-world view of how programs of the American Jersey
Cattle Association could be utilized. “Neal
always bred good cattle, and was a giant of a leader in our state and in
our national organization,” notes Bill Grammer of Grammer Jersey Farm,
Sebring, Ohio. “I could
always count on his honest, well thought-out
opinion.” Through
the years, Schirm hosted AJCA Type Conferences, PDCA judging schools, and
numerous 4-H, FFA, and collegiate teams looking for a chance to judge a
good group of cows. Schirm
Jersey Farm also furnished a class for the annual Hoard’s Dairyman
judging contest. He
also supported the Ohio and national junior Jersey programs by consigning
to the Pot O’Gold and Ohio Jackpot Sales for many years. In fact, the
current number one cow for Jersey Performance Index™, Berrettas Linette,
was sold from the Schirm herd to a young Wendy Bok of Defiance, Ohio, in
the Pot O’Gold sale. “Linette” is a direct maternal descendant of
the first calf Neal ever owned, Oaklands Rebecca Poppy. For
many years, Schirm served as a delegate for Milk Marketing Inc. and COBA.
He was the first President of the Ohio Young Farmer’s Association
and was Treasurer of the Ohio Dairy Farmers Association. He also dedicated
numerous years of service to local, state, and national Jersey
organizations, including two terms on the AJCA Board of Directors (1989
through 1995) and on the planning committee for two national Jersey annual
meetings held in Ohio (1983 and 2003). The
dairy operation continued in Canal Winchester until 1996 when he and wife
Mary Alice retired from dairying. The
land was sold for development and the cows moved 120 miles north to
facilities now managed by son Paul and his family. Their oldest son,
Larry, is the Jersey sire analyst for Alta Genetics. Daughter Sara, who
worked for Jersey Marketing Service until her marriage in 1988, also
operated a dairy. “Neal
has continued to be a source of knowledge and has always served our breed
well with his dedication to continually stand on policy and integrity, all
the while promoting and furthering the Jersey breed,” comments Kevin
Williams, President of the Ohio Jersey Breeder Association. “His
life’s work is the advancement of the Jersey cow.”
CHARLES
STEER NAMED MASTER BREEDER BY JERSEY ASSOCIATION July 8, 2004, Reynoldsburg, Ohio—Life-long Jersey breeder Charles Joseph Steer, Cottage Grove, Tenn., was honored July 3, 2004, as Master Breeder by the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA). The presentation was made during the organization’s Annual Meetings, held in Seattle, Washington. The Master Breeder award is bestowed annually to a living AJCA member, family, partnership, or corporation that, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, has bred outstanding animals for many years and thereby made a notable contribution to the advancement of the Jersey breed in the United States. The lifework of this fourth generation Jersey breeder has been to breed a more profitable, milkier Jersey cow. When he was 17, his father passed away unexpectedly, leaving Charles and brother, Robert, to become partners in the family dairy, Greenwood Jerseys, Ninety Six, S.C. In the 1970s Charles made numerous trips to New England to study the herds at Briarcliff and High Lawn, and also to purchase daughters of the under-utilized A.I. sire, Observer Chocolate Soldier. Inspired by Henry Black, himself an AJCC Master Breeder, Charles developed his breeding philosophy to produce strong long-lasting cow families that produce the right kind of bulls that sire profitable cattle time after time. As a result, several lines were developed within the Greenwood herd that would become significant in the Jersey breed. These notable cow families included the “Endearment” family, which produced Greenwood Lotus-Lad Valentine, the 1993 Jersey Living Lifetime Production champion for milk and butterfat with 253,367 lbs. milk and 10,541 lbs. fat in 15 lactations. Arguably the most famous bulls developed in the Greenwood herd were Greenwood Sooner Khan and Greenwood Poseidon-ET. Among “Khan’s” 6,200 daughters was Normandell Khan Ariel, former World Jersey milk and protein Champion with a 365-day record of 43,023 lbs. milk, 1,914 lbs. fat, and 1,529 lbs. protein. “Khan” is also the sire of Priceland Butler-ET and Wilsonview Khan Morgan-ET, ranked 19th and 30th respectively, on the active A.I. summary (May 2004). “Poseidon” has 2, 746 daughters in his proof and the May Active A.I. Jersey sire line-up includes three cons and two maternal grandsons. “Charles’ many years experience in breeding and developing production genetics have provided important contributions to the Jersey breed,” notes Dr. John C Wilk, Professor Emeritus, North Carolina State University. “The Greenwood herd was developed to national prominence largely through his management ability and genetic decisions.” In 1985, Charles was instrumental in developing the first regional sire proving group, Dixieland Jersey Sires Inc. and was a charter Director. The partnership between Charles and Robert was dissolved in the 1990s and Charles relocated his half of the herd to a leased farm in Texas under the new name, Sunbow Jerseys. The family—which includes his wife Carol, and three children, Eric, Veronica and Alex—would relocate again to West Tennessee, where they now operate the 75-cow Jersey operation. “The Sunbow herd has also achieved national prominence and continues to develop production genetics and provide a popular source for highly rated young bulls for sampling in AI,” added Wilk. In 2003, the Sunbow herd had an m.e. lactation average of 18,645 lbs. milk, 810 lbs. fat, and 659 lbs. protein. The 82 cows have an average PTA of +898M, +30F, and +27P, ranking the herd 52nd in the breed. The herd includes Sunbow Bold Daniel Emerald, ranked second in the nation for Jersey Performance Index™ (JPI) and “Emerald’s” dam, Sunbow Khan Pearl-ET, currently ranked 12th for JPI. Over 50 bulls bearing the Greenwood and Sunbow prefixes have entered A.I. programs. They have sired over 17,000 daughters listed in their proofs. The Sunbow and Greenwood bulls in the May UDSA genetic summary average +1,184M, +34F, +35P, and +147 JPI. Today, there are two Sunbow bulls, Sunbow Rueben and Sunbow Dextro, in active A.I., both housed at ABS Global Inc. “Steer has studied the pedigrees, observed the performance, strengths and weaknesses of the animals, and blended them together to produce powerful genetic packages that can increase the milk production in the herds of his fellow Jersey breeders from coast to coast,” comments Richard Smith, Jersey Sire Analyst for ABS Global Inc. “Charles Steer is a knowledgeable cowman,” concludes Dr. John Wilk. “His diligent efforts in developing production genetics are making a positive impact on the Jersey breed in the U.S. and many other countries.”
MIKE
BROWN RECEIVES AJCA-NAJ MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD July
7, 2004, Reynoldsburg, Ohio—Michael
Brown, former manager of National All-Jersey Inc., was honored July 3,
2004 with the Meritorious Service Award of the American Jersey Cattle
Association (AJCA) and National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ). The
award is bestowed annually upon a living individual, who in the joint
opinion of the Boards of Directors of the Jersey organizations, has made a
notable contribution to the advancement of the Jersey breed and the
livelihood of Jersey owners in the United States through research,
education, development, marketing, or other significant activities of the
allied dairy industry. “It
didn’t matter what issue he was working on, Mike always asked if it was
in the best interest of Jersey breeders, and proceeded accordingly,”
commented Neal Smith, Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of
the national Jersey organizations. Brown joined the staff of NAJ in 1993 and provided key leadership in developing the framework that led to the implementation of Multiple Component Pricing in seven of the eleven Federal Orders on January 1, 2000. However, Brown’s impact was not only felt in the Federal Orders, he also helped to develop new markets for high-solids milk and assisted numerous milk producers and milk buyers in developing and implementing end product, MCP, and forward contracting programs. During
his 10 years as NAJ General Manager,
Brown was a resource for Jersey milk producers and the entire dairy
industry on milk pricing, milk marketing, and analysis of industry trends
and forecasts. He was
responsible for writing over two dozen articles for the Jersey Journal,
several of which analyzed
opportunities and strategies for risk management.
Brown was also behind the weekly dairy market review and the
monthly “Milk and Component Outlook” published by National All-Jersey
Inc. for its membership. “He
was the total package,” noted Bill Mason, former NAJ President.
“Mike was a tremendous presenter.
When he spoke things always sounded positive.” The American Jersey Cattle Association was organized in 1868 and has provided herd identification and production recording services since 1928. The only dairy breed organization to show continuous growth over the past decade, the AJCA is delivering service for approximately 98,000 cows on performance programs. An average of 69,826 animals have been recorded in the most recent 3-year period. For more information on the association’s complete line of services for dairy business owners, visit the website at www.USJersey.com or call 614/861-3636.
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