2004
News Release Archive | Click on ### after each article to return to this index. |
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NORTH
AMERICA’S TOP JERSEYS WILL HEAD TO August
2, 2004, USJersey, Reynoldsburg,
Ohio—Registered Jerseys will once again take center stage when the 52nd
All American Jersey Show and Sale returns to the North American
International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Ky., November 6 to 8. More
than 700 entries are expected in the open division of the All American
Jersey Show, annually ranked as one of the largest single-breed dairy
shows in the world. Last year, 379 cows and heifers were shown. The 2003
National Grand Champion was Family Hill F Prize Circus, Excellent-95% with
production of 1,087 lbs. fat, for Ryan Lancaster, Ferndale, Wash. Alta
Mae Core, Salvisa, Ky., will judge the 2004 All American Jersey Show, with
her husband Jeff serving as the consultant. Placing the 3-year-old cows in
the 49th National Jersey Jug Futurity will be Kevin Williams of
McConnelsville, Ohio. His associate will be Michael Hurst, Waynesville,
Ohio. Ron Rider, Upton, Ky., will officiate in the All American Junior
Jersey Show, with his brother Michael as the consultant. Two
sales, both managed by Jersey Marketing Service of Reynoldsburg, Ohio,
will occur that weekend. A total of 32 Registered Jersey™ heifers will
be offered in the Pot O’Gold Sale for youth between seven and 20 years
of age. Cow’s Match® Jersey Blend is the corporate sponsor of the Pot
O’Gold. The All American Jersey Sale, the premier showcase for
Registered Jersey™ genetics in the United States, will offer
approximately 80 lots. Corporate sponsor for this event is Merial®. All
events will be held at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center,
conveniently located near the Louisville airport. The schedule is:
Saturday, November 6
8:00
a.m. All
American Junior Jersey Show, Freedom Hall
Sunday, November 7
12:30
p.m. National
Jersey Jug Futurity, Freedom Hall
Monday, November 8
8:00
a.m. All
American Jersey Show, Freedom Hall The
All American Show and Sale is an annual production of the American Jersey
Cattle Association, Reynoldsburg, Ohio. More than 100 Jersey breeders from
across the United States serve on the All American planning committees,
which meet annually in March. The entry deadline is September 20. Premium
lists and entry forms are available online at www.livestockexpo.org. Nominations
for the sales will be accepted through early September. Contact JMS
Manager Herby Lutz at 614/861-3636, ext. 328. Headquarters for Jersey exhibitors is the Hilton Garden Inn Louisville Airport. For reservations, call 502/637-2424 and mention the Jersey event for best rates.
International Young Jersey Breeder
Educational Travel Award June 28,
2004, St.
Heliers, Jersey, Channel Islands—Young Jersey breeders who have exhibited unique leadership
qualities and achieved success in their Jersey businesses now have the
opportunity to gain further knowledge and industry contacts at the
International Conference of World Jersey Cattle Bureau (WJCB).
During
the 2004 Council Meeting in Buenos Aries, Argentina, the WJCB announced
the International Young Jersey Breeder Educational Travel Award (JETA),
which provides stipends to enable up to five individuals to participate in
the International Conference held every three years in a major dairy
producing country. Russell
Gammon, Senior Vice President of the WJCB commented, “For a long time
many have said that we needed to enliven the profile of the Bureau’s
conference and annual council meetings by having more young and active
Jersey producers involved. Well,
talk is cheap, as we all know! Now
we are doing something about it and taking firm and real action!” WJCB
will pay for JETA award winners’ travel documents, air and ground
transportation, registration and conference fees, a per diem for
incidental expenses, and a lifetime membership in the World Jersey Cattle
Bureau. Award recipients will
attend all of the conference sessions, make a presentation at the
conference, and afterwards report on their experiences through speeches to
Jersey, dairy, and agriculturally related groups in their home countries. The
next International Conference will be held June 26 to July 4, 2005 in
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Gammon
says, “The truly exciting thing about all of this is the perfect way in
which the launch of JETA at the 2005 conference meshes with our chosen
theme of ‘Shaping Tomorrow: Focus on Jersey Youth.’
We will be introducing a prime slice of the breed’s future global
leadership into the Jersey world. “My
expectation is that we’ll every bit learn as much from the dynamic
winners of the awards as they will from the conference sessions and
interaction with Jersey enthusiasts from scores of countries,” continued
Gammon. “I look forward to
shaking hands with five highly motivated recipients of the inaugural
edition of this wonderful new award!”
Applications
can be obtained at http://www.wjcb.org/YouthAward.html and must be
submitted to the applicant’s national Jersey organization by October 15,
2004. Residents of all
countries ages 18 to 40, who can demonstrate an involvement in dairy
farming, enthusiasm for breeding and developing Jersey cattle, and who
have a genuine interest in an international education experience are
invited to apply. For more information about JETA or other World Jersey Cattle Bureau programs, visit the website at http://www.wjcb.org. 1,800
JERSEYS WILL SELL IN FALL AUCTIONS
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| “National All-Jersey
has always depended upon leadership from a person who knows the
dairy industry inside and out,” Smith said. “Erick is uniquely
qualified to head a company that promotes the idea that quality
milk, equitable markets and awareness of consumer desires is basic
to the future of the dairy industry.
“He understands what we do and why we do it. We are confident that as General Manager, Erick will build on a particularly dynamic period for National All-Jersey Inc. to increase the total Jersey business.” |
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Metzger joined the management staff of the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) in November of 1992 as Superintendent of Records. The ensuing decade has been a period of unprecedented growth in AJCA animal identification and performance services. In 2003, the AJCA recorded 69,244 animals, with 98,215 cows enrolled on performance programs in 929 herds. Metzger helped to develop, market and manage REAP (registrations, Equity, appraisal, and performance testing), which includes the state-of-the-art JerseyMate™ program. He also supervised the transition to Internet-based services, and initiated the Jersey organization’s American ID tag program.
Metzger added the responsibility of Field Service Coordinator for the 11-person AJCA-NAJ field staff last July. He will retain that position, plus for the time being continue as manager of the AJCA Herd Services department.
National All-Jersey Inc. and subsidiary, All-Jersey Sales Corporation, reported $758,687 in revenues for 2003, including $357,956 in Equity project investment and $372,476 in commissions from Jersey Marketing Service (JMS) activities. Both companies are off to a fast start in 2004. Equity revenues are up 7.5% over the previous year, and membership has increased nearly 20% since the beginning of 2004. JMS conducted auction sales of over $2.25 million in April. Private treaty sales are nearly 30% above this time last year.
In recent months, NAJ staff have assisted members of the Central Equity Milk Producers Cooperative in securing a true multiple component pricing (MCP) market for their milk. Since completing negotiations with an evaporated milk plant located in southwest Missouri, the cooperative has grown rapidly to more than 150 producers shipping in excess of 600,000 lbs. daily.
Metzger will direct NAJ’s ongoing efforts to improve and expand similar voluntary MCP markets, plus focus on national marketing issues. These include working with industry to promote a higher, more flexible protein standard for fluid milk and develop regulated pricing for milk-based beverages. Additional issues involving NAJ staff include changes in Federal Order policy and operations, trade and milk protein import issues, and support for effective risk management programs.
Before joining the AJCA, Metzger was for five years Executive Secretary and CEO of the American Guernsey Association. Prior to that he managed Guernsey Marketing Service and directed the young sire development program for five years.
He earned a B.S. in animal science from Purdue University in 1982, and completed an MBA specializing in international business in 1999 at Franklin University.
A search continues for the position of Customer Service Coordinator, reporting to the General Manager.
National All-Jersey Inc. was founded in 1957 to promote the increased production and sale of Jersey milk and milk products, and to promote Jersey cattle and the interests of breeders of Jersey cattle. All-Jersey Sales Corporation was incorporated in 1961 and expanded in 1970 to provide Jersey cattle marketing services to the U.S. dairy industry. For more information on National All-Jersey Inc., visit its web site at http://naj.usjersey.com or call 614/861-3636.
LONG
MEADOWS FARM TO HOST
USJERSEY MANAGEMENT
DISCUSSION ON APRIL 30
Reynoldsburg,
OH, April 6, 2004—Dairy producers with an eye on the bottom line are
invited to Long Meadows Farm at Hamburg, Pennsylvania, on Friday, April
30, 2004 for a USJersey management discussion, Improving the Bottom Line
3.
The
program, which starts at 10:30 a.m., is an opportunity to learn first-hand
about the advantages of Jersey cows for increasing profits from one’s
dairy business and equity growth. It will be held against the backdrop of
Wilderness Jerseys, being dispersed at public auction on May 1 by its
retiring owners, Dr. Robert and Helene Dreisbach.
The
herd was established in 1970 with 50 cows that averaged 8,800 lbs. milk.
It was enrolled on DHIR test with the American Jersey Cattle Association
(AJCA) in January of 1973, switching to its Total Performance Evaluation
program in 1977, and then to the comprehensive REAP service package in
1997.
Last
year, 98 Wilderness cows completed records averaging 18,185 lbs. milk, 816
lbs. fat and 650 lbs. protein (305-day, actual, no BST). Genetically, it
is one of the top 50 Registered Jersey™ herds in the United States, with
a PTA herd average of +757M, +27F, +27P and +246 Cheese Merit dollars.
“For
many years, we have concentrated on making the Jersey breed a more
profitable, efficient cow,” says Helene Dreisbach. “Jerseys
with the Wilderness prefix are strong, long-living, durable cows with the
ability to pass on these traits to their progeny. We pride ourselves on
how well our Jerseys fare in other breeders’ herds.”
Since
1998, the herd has been on a management-intensive grazing program, with 50
acres of improved pasture providing most of the forage for the milking
herd from April through November. “Grain is still fed, but at a much
lower level than during the winter when the cows are still handled in a
conventional manner,” Helene notes. “Cows milk almost the same amount
in summer or winter, but profit and health are much better when the cows
are on grass.”
The
program on April 30 will feature not only the Dreisbachs, but also Alan
Kozak of Millersburg, Ohio, and AJCA President James S. Huffard, III, from
Crockett, Va. Alan is a former manager of the Pennsylvania Guernsey
association, worked for the American Jersey Cattle Association, and is now
operating a 200-cow seasonal calving, grazing operation in Ohio with his
wife, Sharon. Jim Huffard, in addition to operating a 450-cow dairy in
Virginia, is also a consulting nutritionist. They will discuss Jersey
nutritional requirements, feeding strategies to utilize quality pastures,
and practical biosecurity for profitability.
Improving the Bottom Line 3 is made possible with support from Farmshine, the Pennsylvania Grazing/Forage Lands Conservation Coalition, Land O Lakes Animal Milk Products, Select Sire Power Inc., Liberty Jersey Sires, Accelerated Genetics, Alta Genetics, ABS Global, Horizon Organic, LBL Foods Inc., Lancaster Farming, Jersey Origins, and ADM Alliance Nutrition/Sensenig's Feed Mill.
For
more information or to register for the program, which includes a
sponsored lunch, call 614/755-5857, ext. 334, or send email to info@usjersey.com.
Long Meadows Farm is located at 94 Academy Road near Hamburg, Penna. From Hamburg, go west on old Route 22 (also called Hex Highway or State Street). Turn right on Clayton Avenue, which becomes Academy Road, and travel one mile to first farm on right side. Click here for additional directions, or map to the farm.
For more information about
the operation, see the website at http://longmeadows.usjersey.com.
LOOK INTO REGISTERED JERSEYS AT 2004
AJCA-NAJ ANNUAL MEETINGS
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, April 6, 2004—Washington State is set to become the Window on the Jersey World this summer, when the Annual Meetings of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc. convene in Seattle on July 1 to 4.
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More than 350 Jersey breeders from across the country, plus international guests, are expected. The Red Lion on Fifth Avenue is the headquarters hotel.
The convention will include a day-long excursion to Whatcom County, an area rich with some of the finest Jersey cows in the world. |
The tour will stop at Mainstream Jerseys, near Lynden, the nation’s highest producing Jersey herd at 26,667 lbs. milk, 1,253 lbs. fat and 921 lbs. protein (305-day, 2x, actual). It is the home of the reigning Jersey world milk production champion Mainstream Berretta Joy (VG-88%, 44,930 lbs. milk, 365 days, 2x) and her Excellent dam, Lagerweys 285 Silky, the first Jersey cow to complete four consecutive records over 32,000 lbs. milk.
Another stop is planned for Family Hill Farm at Ferndale, home of the 2003 National Grand Champion, Pleasant Nook F Prize Circus, Excellent-95% with production over 21,000 lbs. milk. Visitors will also see four of the breed’s longevity queens, Duncan Hibrite of Family Hill, Family Hill Silver Angel, Brooks Magic Delores, and Maurice Trader Chancel. Their lifetime production to date averages 208,950 lbs. milk, 9,515 lbs. fat, and 7,700 lbs. protein.
The AJCA and NAJ business meetings will be held on July 3, as will an interactive seminar on Johne’s Disease conducted by Victor Eggleston, D.V.M., of New Glarus, Wis. The highest honors awarded by the Jersey organizations will be presented at a banquet that same evening. Charles Steer, Cottage Grove, Tenn., will receive the Master Breeder Award. The Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Neal Schirm, Canal Winchester, Ohio. Former NAJ General Manager Michael Brown will receive the AJCA-NAJ Award for Meritorious Service.
A brunch on July 4 will recognize five of the nation’s outstanding Jersey producers and the top producers of 2003. The AJCA Young Jersey Breeder Award will be presented to Brian Barlass, Janesville, Wis.; Clinton Beyer, Manawa, Wis.; Scott Bohnert, East Moline, Ill.; Chad and Fran Martin, Tillamook, Ore.; and David and Kim Seals, Cloverdale, Ore. William Eick, Columbia Crossroads, Penna., will receive the Living Lifetime Production Award for milk and protein for Windy Acres Legend Carla (265,463 lbs. milk, 9,145 lbs. protein.). Patti Tohl of Tillamook, Ore., will pick up the Living Lifetime Production Award for fat on Chasin Rainbows Brig Gold (12,890 lbs.).
Also on July 4, the 47th National Heifer Sale will be held the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe. The sale averaged $2,620.13 in 2003, ranking as the eighth-high auction of the year.
The day will conclude with a harbor cruise to Tillicum Village for an authentic Pacific Northwest Native American salmon and chicken barbecue and Native American show. The return by boat will provide a spectacular view of the Independence Day fireworks as they explode over Elliot Bay.
Rooms for the Jersey meetings are $125.00 per night (flat rate), if reservations are made by June 7. Phone the Red Lion at 206.971.8059 for reservations.
For the complete meeting schedule and convention registration forms, use the quick link
“See More in 2004” on the USJersey.com website. This information is also available by
email request, or calling the AJCA at 614.755.5857, ext. 332.
SHOW
RING STANDARDS SET IN NEW PDCA CODE OF ETHICS
Columbus, Ohio, April 3, 2004—The Purebred Dairy Cattle Association (PDCA) today approved sweeping revisions to its Show Ring Code of Ethics.
The revised code states what is, and is not, acceptable practice in preparing purebred dairy cattle for shows, fairs and expositions at all levels of competition in the United States. It takes effect immediately.
The revision process involved consultation over the past year with owners and exhibitors of purebred dairy cattle, show judges, youth program leaders, fair managers, and state regulatory officials.
There was broad consensus that fairness in the show ring requires that all animals be presented so judges can accurately evaluate their natural conformation and mobility. Conversely, practices that misrepresent the animals in any way; threaten their health, safety or welfare; or violate law should not be tolerated.
“Exhibitors take great pride in being able to make their animals look their best, and everyone enjoys looking at a great class of cows, no matter what the breed is,” said Jersey association CEO Neal Smith, chair of the subcommittee that drafted the revisions.
“What we heard was that PDCA’s rules were not specific enough in some areas and out of date in others. They needed to be plain and simple and, above all, they had to be enforceable. This new Code of Ethics is a significant improvement over what we had before.”
Uniform standards for accepted grooming practices have been established in the revised code, Smith noted. A range of practices considered false, deceptive or unacceptable were defined as violations subject to disciplinary action. The code also provides guidelines for monitoring and enforcement by show management and/or the national dairy breed organizations. Key revisions are summarized below.
Exhibitor Responsibility
The revised code
includes several references to “exhibitor” responsibility, based on
language from the International Association of Fairs and Exhibitions (IAFE).
To summarize, absolute responsibility for an animal’s condition at a
show lies with the owner, exhibitor, fitter and/or responsible agent.
Violations
Violations that are to be reported to show management were defined as follows:
1. Misrepresenting the age and/or milking status of the animal for the class in which it is shown.
2. Treating the animal, particularly the udder, internally or externally:
a. with an irritant or counter-irritant,
b. using a device to artificially create or enhance the udder crease,
c. using other substances as detected by testing that causes changes in the udder to artificially improve the conformation.
d. plugging of teat canal with foreign substances.
3. Surgical or unethical insertion of any matter under the skin or into body cavities, performed to change the natural contour or appearance of the animal’s body (e.g., administration of fluid via a stomach tube or other similar apparatus to fill the rumen), though not to preclude practices required or involved in normal management.
4. Criticizing or interfering with the judge, show management or other exhibitors while in the show ring or other conduct detrimental to the breed or the show.
5. Challenging, threatening or interfering with an ethics committee appointed by show management to monitor the animals on exhibit on the show grounds.
Topline
Hair
The reference to “excessive manipulation of hair” in the previous code has been replaced by the following rule: “The maximum allowable length of naturally growing hair anywhere on the topline is not to exceed 1 inch.” The addition of foreign objects, including but not limited to hair or hair substitutes, cloth or fiber, is prohibited.
Ethics
Committees
An Ethics Committee responsible for monitoring violations and receiving complaints should be appointed for each show. The make-up of the committee may vary between county, state, regional, and national shows, but ideally will include official breed representatives, show management, the official veterinarian, and Extension representative. Additionally, procedures for reporting and investigating violations were revised. Possible sanctions were added, ranging from forfeiting awards to disqualification of the animal and/or exhibitor.
Complete
Code
For a complete copy of the revised PDCA Show Ring Code of Ethics, effective April 3, 2004, write Purebred Dairy Cattle Association, 2820 Walton Commons W, Madison, WI 53718-6797, phone 608/224-0400, or send email to pdca@wdexpo.com.
The Purebred Dairy Cattle Association, Inc. is a federation of the national dairy breed registry associations serving breeders and owners of Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey, Milking Shorthorn and Red and White dairy cattle. PDCA and its member organizations promote the added value and profitability registered dairy cattle offer all dairy business owners.
SEARCH BEGINS FOR NATIONAL ALL-JERSEY GENERAL MANAGER
Reynoldsburg,
OH, March 25, 2004—A national search is underway for the position of
General Manager of National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ).
In
announcing the position, the company’s Executive Secretary and Chief
Executive Officer Neal Smith stated, “This is a very important
position.
“Since
its inception, NAJ has been successful in achieving equitable milk
pricing and better marketing opportunities for our members.
Achieving our mission and goals in the years ahead will require a person
with a high level of milk marketing expertise and the ability to work
with all segments of the dairy industry.
“We
are seeking the right person to continue the excellent service National
All-Jersey Inc. has provided to its members and the U.S. dairy industry
for over 45 years.”
Position
descriptions for the General Manager and a second position, Customer
Service Coordinator, are now available on the Web at www.USJersey.com.
Copies may be requested by calling 614/861-3636, ext. 332.
National
All-Jersey Inc. was founded in 1957 to
promote the increased production and sale of Jersey milk and milk
products, and to promote Jersey cattle and the interests of breeders of
Jersey cattle. For more information on its services, visit its web site
at http://naj.usjersey.com or call 614/861-3636.
JERSEY
PRODUCERS RANK AMONG THE BEST IN U.S. FOR MILK QUALITY
Reynoldsburg,
OH, March 24, 2004--Two Jersey dairy operations have been recognized as
the best milk producers in the United States by the National Dairy
Quality Awards program.
Dean
and Patti Tohl, owners of Chasin Rainbows Dairy, Tillamook, Ore., were
among the nine Platinum Award Winners honored at the 43rd Annual Meeting
of the National Mastitis Council, February 1 to 4, in Charlotte, N.C.
Hawarden Jerseys Inc., owned by H. Ward, Nancy, Eric and Wynn Nielsen of
Weston, Idaho, were Silver Award Winners.
This
is the tenth year that the National Dairy Quality Awards have been
presented. Dairy farms are nominated for the award by industry
professionals who work with producers, such as dairy plant field
representatives, veterinarians, DHI supervisors, and extension
personnel. The operations were judged by a panel of milk quality experts
who looked at milk quality indicators such as somatic cell count,
bacteria count, and incidence of mastitis, along with overall herd
health monitoring and management practices implemented on the dairy. A
total of 28 Silver, Gold, and Platinum winners were designated from the
group of 60 finalists.
The Tohl
and Nielsen operations are also being recognized in the April issue
of Jersey Journal
as leading production herds. The 97-cow herd at Chasin Rainbows
Dairy includes 51 Registered Jerseys that produced an average of 21,948
lbs. milk, 1,026 lbs. fat, and 797 lbs. protein (305-days actual). The
83 Registered Jerseys at Hawarden averaged 17,396 lbs. milk, 801 lbs.
fat, and 653 lbs. protein in 2003.
The
Tohls were featured with the other Platinum Award winners in the
February 10, 2004 issue of Hoard's Dairyman. The awards were
sponsored by the National Mastitis Council in partnership with
Hoard's Dairyman, DTN Dairy, QMI, Alcide Corp., and IBA, Inc.
AHLEM TO SPEAK AT INTERNATIONAL DAIRY FORUM
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, March 23, 2004--Charles Ahlem, lifelong Jersey milk producer and now Undersecretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, will be a featured speaker at the International Forum of Women in Dairying, on September 27 at the Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wis. Ahlem's talk on food systems and producer involvement will draw upon his policy and market development experiences, including being one of the 12 Jersey dairymen who in 1984 founded Hilmar Cheese Company, the largest single-site cheese manufacturer in the world. Ahlem will also discuss the critical role that animal identification has in the food system.
GRANTS
AWARDED BY JERSEY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Reynoldsburg,
Ohio, March 11, 2004—Four scientific investigations on the nutrition and
performance of purebred Jersey cattle and Jersey-sired crossbreds, plus an
evaluation study of the Jersey Performance Index™, have been selected
for partial funding by the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA).
The
2004 awards, totaling $18,000, bring the funds invested in Jersey-related
research since 1990 to $523,500. Funding was provided from interest income
of the AJCC Research Foundation.
A
$5,500 grant was awarded to Michael R. Murphy and Wenping Hu of the
University of Illinois, Urbana, to study effects of dietary cation-anion
difference on the performance of Jersey cows in early lactation. Milk
production and composition will be measured, as well as acid-base status
and metabolism of macrominerals and nitrogen. Potential breed differences
(Jersey vs. Holstein) will also be examined.
A
grant of $4,000 will support one of the largest U.S. calf studies in
recent years. The research, directed by Kent Weigel of the University of
Wisconsin, Madison, is being conducted at the UW-Arlington experimental
dairy and at a high-producing 300-cow Holstein operation in southeast
Wisconsin. Birth weights, stillbirths, dystocia, calf mortality, scours
scores, respiratory disease scores, serum immunoglobulin G and serum
protein will be evaluated for approximately 300 F1 Jersey x
Holstein calves, 200 backcross (Jersey x Holstein) x Holstein calves, and
700 pure Holstein contemporaries. The reproductive efficiency and
lactation performance of the dams of these calves will also be measured to
assess indirect effects of the sire of the calf on production and
reproduction.
Two
additional projects on the performance of Jersey-Holstein animals were
funded at $3,000 each.
Bennett
Cassell and Raymond Nebel of Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State
University, Blacksburg, will compare growth, health, and sexual
development of 20 Jersey heifers to 20 Holstein calves, and also to calves
resulting from reciprocal crosses of the two breeds (20 Jersey x Holstein,
20 Holstein x Jersey). This project is part of a longitudinal study to
contrast the four groups for lifetime economic merit.
A
team from the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, headed by Leslie Hansen
and Tony Seykora, will collect data on a minimum of 20 Jersey-sired and 20
pure Holstein cows starting their first lactations this fall. Measurements
will be made of calving ease, stillbirths, postpartum complications, plus
production, feed efficiency and economic merit throughout the 305-day
lactation. The study will extend ongoing crossbred research now involving
nearly 200 head of Jersey-Holstein and Holstein females.
These
four studies were selected from 11 proposals submitted in the AJCC
Research Foundation’s competitive grants program. In addition, Ronald E.
Pearson of Virginia Tech was granted $2,500 for directed research that
will add Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR) to the AJCA’s Jersey Performance
Index ™. This work will involve analyzing 15 years of production, reason
for culling and average somatic cell score (SCS) records to calculate the
economic value of DPR to be included in the formula.
The
AJCC Research Foundation was established in 1967 as a permanent trust
operated exclusively to promote and sponsor scientific research in the
dairy industry. The current funding priorities are in the areas of:
Nutrition
of high-producing Jerseys, particularly practical feeding methods to
maximize production of valuable milk components;
Factors
affecting yield of products manufactured from Jersey milk;
Factors
affecting net income, longevity, and lifetime profit;
Breeding
plans to optimize genetic gain while maintaining genetic diversity;
Biological
and economic efficiencies of Jerseys; and,
Factors
affecting management of Jersey calves.
An advisory committee
that includes Jersey producers, dairy scientists, and allied dairy
industry representatives evaluates proposals. The final decision on
funding is made by the Directors of the American Jersey Cattle
Association.
The
next Request for Proposals will be issued in August, with projects due by
December 1. Detailed information about the Competitive Grants Program can
be found on the USJersey website (www.usjersey.com/Programs/Researchprogram.html)
or requested from Cari W. Wolfe, Director of Research and Genetic Programs
Development, at 614/861-3636.
The American Jersey Cattle Association was organized in 1868 and offers a comprehensive service package to herd owners seeking ways to improve returns from their dairy businesses. For more information, visit the website at www.USJersey.com or call 614/861-3636.
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, March 11,
2004—Nominations are now being accepted for the 47th National
Heifer Sale, scheduled for July 4 at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in
Monroe, Washington.
Held annually during the Annual Meetings of
the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., the
sale is a showcase for the top Registered Jersey™ genetics in North
America.
Last year’s catalog featured 76 heifers with
a P-Level of 7 or greater (minimum USDA Parent Average of 25 lbs.
protein). Twenty-six of the heifers were out of Excellent dams. A total of
46 dams had actual production over 20,000 lbs. milk and 39 dams had Yield
Deviations of 3,000 lbs. milk or greater.
The sale averaged $2,620.13, ranking as the
eighth-best Jersey auction sale of 2003. The top seller, at $8,500, was
Buttercrest Paramount Goldrush, a bred heifer consigned by Buttercrest
Jerseys, Croton, Ohio. Lisa Martin, Gratiot, Wis., purchased the daughter
of Rock Ella Paramount-ET out of Buttercrest Mannix Goldrush, Excellent as
a two-year-old with actual 305-day production of 18,450 lbs. milk on her
first lactation.
Ten percent (10%) of the sale proceeds are
designated for the national Jersey youth development efforts, which
include achievement and production contests, the All American Junior
Jersey Show, and a scholarship program.
Submit nominations before April 10 to Jersey
Marketing Service at 614/755-5857, ext. 325; fax at 614/861-8040; or by
email to JMS@USJersey.com.
The American Jersey
Cattle Association was organized in 1868 to identify and record ancestry
of Jersey cattle. It has provided production recording services since
1928. National All-Jersey Inc. was founded in 1957 to
promote the increased production and sale of Jersey milk and milk
products, and to promote Jersey cattle and the interests of breeders of
Jersey cattle. The organizations offer a comprehensive service
package through REAP (registrations, Equity, appraisal, and performance
testing), which also includes the state-of-the-art JerseyMate™ program.
For more information, visit the website at www.USJersey.com or call
614/861-3636.
Reynoldsburg,
OH, January 30, 2004—Late yesterday, Michael L. Brown, General Manager
of National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ) since 1995, announced his resignation to
accept a position with Northwest Dairymen’s Association, effective April
1, 2004.
“Mike
has been an asset to National All-Jersey Inc. and the Jersey organizations
for many years,” commented Neal Smith, NAJ Executive Secretary and Chief
Executive Officer. “His broad expertise has been invaluable in helping
NAJ achieve its mission of increasing the dollars returned to dairy
producers who produce high-component milk.”
Added
producer James Ahlem, President of National All-Jersey Inc., “We have
long appreciated the knowledge of milk markets, pricing formulas, and risk
management that Mike has put to work on behalf of not only our 700
producer-members, but also every producer of high-solids milk in the
United States.”
Brown
joined the NAJ staff in November of 1993. During his 10 years of service,
National All-Jersey Inc. was successful in efforts to add provisions to
the 1995-96 Farm Bill that expanded Federal Order multiple
component pricing (MCP). Brown was a developer of the MCP plan at the
heart of the Federal Order reforms implemented January 1, 2000. He later
worked with over 70 industry affiliates to successfully oppose inequitable
changes in Class III pricing recommended by USDA that same year.
Brown
also continued NAJ’s original mission to identify and develop
value-added markets for high-solids milk all across the United States. He
represented NAJ members in pricing negotiations while also developing
pricing formulas based on end-product values that served manufacturers’
needs. More recently, he has assisted NAJ members in analyzing
opportunities and strategies for risk management.
The
author of more than 25 articles on milk marketing issues published in the
Jersey organization’s magazine, Jersey
Journal, Brown also compiled weekly and monthly fact sheets and market
analyses used by all segments of the dairy industry. He also presented
testimony in state and federal milk marketing hearings, plus made numerous
presentations on component pricing to producer and industry groups.
Brown
will become Director, Industry Relations for Northwest Dairyman’s
Association, a Seattle-based cooperative marketing 6.8 billion pounds milk
produced by over 700 dairy farmers in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and
California. A full line of fluid and hard products are manufactured and
sold by the subsidiary WestFarm Foods, which posted net sales of over $1.1
billion last year.
“While
we regret his departure,” Smith said, “this is a great opportunity for
Mike. We wish him success in his new professional endeavor.”
National
All-Jersey Inc. was founded in 1957 to
promote the increased production and sale of Jersey milk and milk
products, and to promote Jersey cattle and the interests of breeders of
Jersey cattle. For more information on its activities and services, visit
its web site at http://naj.usjersey.com or call 614/861-3636.
January
20, 2004—She’s been a star since the
beginning, shooting to the top of the yearling National Class Leader list
in 2000 and winning the National Jersey Youth Production Contest for her
young owner. Now, not only has the 2002 President’s Trophy winner set an
all-time record for milk yield, she also becomes the first Jersey cow to
complete two consecutive records over 40,000 lbs. milk in AJCA production
testing history.
Mainstream
Berretta Joy, bred and owned by Melissa R. Kortus, Lynden, Wash., is
the new U.S. and World Milk Champion. On her third lactation, calving at 4
years, 9 months of age, she produced 44,930 lbs. milk in 365 days on
twice-daily milkings.
Based
upon Pacific Northwest Federal Order prices, the value of this lactation
was $5,893, for average gross income per day of lactation of $16.15.
The
peak for this world record was made on the herd’s winter ration. It’s
based on 27 lbs. of corn silage that includes about 10% beet pulp, with 6
lbs. of a mixture of cottonseed, beet pulp, distiller’s grains and
soybean meal. The rest is 10 lbs. alfalfa (22% to 24% crude protein), 10
lbs. grass hay, 2 lbs. oat hay, the .6 lb. niacin pellet and Fastrack
probiotic. In the parlor, cows are fed one pound of grain for every 3 lbs.
milk.
From
April through mid-October, the Kortus herd—55 Holsteins and 20
Jerseys—is on supplemented rotational grazing. The grass is a mixture of
BG-3 Dutch ryegrass and New Zealand white clover and “there’s a lot of
it.” What keeps the ration consistent is 2 lbs. oat hay, 6 lbs. alfalfa
hay, 5 lbs. grass hay, 6 lbs. of the “outside” grain mix, plus the
parlor ration.
“Joy”,
scored Very Good-88%, and her dam, Lagerweys 285 Silky, Excellent-90%, are
“the kind of cows that excel for us,” Melissa’s father, Randy Kortus,
explains. Now eight years old, “Silky” is on schedule to complete her
fourth record over 32,000 lbs. milk. Her dam lived to be 10 years old and
had records exceeding 20,000 lbs. milk. The fourth dam, also a top
producer, calved for the final time at 9 years, 4 months of age.
They
are strong, aggressive cows. “‘Joy’s’ three nearest dams average
40 on width and dairy form,” Randy points out, and both cows “are
never off feed. They start out strong and you would think they would peel
off more weight than they do. But they stay in good condition.”
Mainstream Berretta Joy is one of three U.S.-bred world record Jersey producers, two of them sired by Mason Boomer Sooner Beretta. The fat production record of 2,421 lbs. was set in 2000 by Golden MBSB of Twin Haven-ET, Excellent-94%, bred by WF/L&M Jerseys, Clear Brook, Va., and owned by David Franzer, Coldwater, Ohio. The protein champion is Butterfield Reward Caladium, Excellent 91-3E (Canada), who produced 1,642 lbs. in a record completed at Piedmont Jersey Inc., Coaticook, Quebec, in April of 2002. She was bred by Roger Mabry, Bentonville, Ark., and is now owned by George Jutras, La Visitation, Quebec.
Click
here for Jersey Journal article (PDF document).
January 12, 2004—Twenty
auction sales for 2004 were announced today by Jersey Marketing Service,
the professional cattle marketing subsidiary of National All-Jersey Inc.,
Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
Highlighting the spring
schedule is the May 1 dispersal of the 150-head Wilderness Jersey herd at
Long Meadows Farm, Hamburg, Penna., and the third Cedarcrest Sale in
Alabama on April 19.
“Buyers will have an
opportunity to select from 3,250 Registered Jerseys™ in these 20
sales,” said JMS manager Herby D. Lutz. “All animals sell with
permanent verifiable identification and are tested for interstate
shipment.”
Milking females will have
a negative culture for Staph. aureus
and Mycoplasma. All animals are
pregnancy checked and examined on site by a licensed veterinarian.
Sales By Month
One sale—the Jersey
Stars of the Silent Screen—is scheduled for February. Sixty (60) animals
will be offered in 12 pens of five with the bidding starting on February
10 at the World Ag Expo grounds, Tulare, Calif. The sale closes two days
later on Thursday, February 12.
The April calendar
includes five sales, starting with the 41st Kentucky National
Show and Sale on April 10 in Louisville. More than 100 animals of all
ages, plus selected embryo packages, will be offered.
A week later, on April
17, 300 head will sell in the Deep South Sale and Southeast Heifer Growers
south sale, hosted at Arco Farm, Sylacauga, Ala. The much-anticipated
Cedarcrest Sale III will be two days later on Monday, April 19 at
Cedarcrest Farm No. 1, Faunsdale, Ala. Approximately 250 cows, bred
heifers, and potential show calves will be offered.
The cream of Northeast
Jersey herds will sell on April 24 in the New England Spring Sale, to be
held at the fairgrounds in New Haven, Vt. The 300 head to sell will
include a select group of calves for the Golden Bonus youth development
program.
There will be 150
Registered Jerseys™ selling in the Long Meadows Complete Dispersal on
May 1. Dr. Robert and Helene Z. Dreisbach are the owners of this
outstanding herd ranked 38th in the United States for herd
average Jersey Performance Index™ (JPI).
After the Long Meadows
sale, JMS staff will travel west for the California Jersey Gold Sale. At
least 200 lots will sell on May 15 at the Los Banos Fairgrounds.
The 47th
National Heifer Sale will be held July 3 during the annual meetings of the
American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc. in
Seattle, Wash. Between 75 and 80 heifers meeting stringent requirements
for genetic merit will be offered.
The Pride of the West
Sale—60 top individuals plus eight heifers for the Pot O’Gold
program—will be at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds in Oregon on July
17. It is to be followed by another two-sale event, the Dixie Invitational
and Southeast Heifer Growers north auction at Lutheridge Farm, Mt. Ulla,
N.C.
The Bush River &
Treasure Chest Combination Sale will kick off the fall sale schedule. The
sale of 150 cows and bred heifers will be held Labor Day, September 6 at
the Bush River dairy outside Newberry, S.C.
There will be 500 Jerseys
available in two northeast sales later in September. The New York Fall
Sale will offer 200 head, including calves for a Pot of Gold production
contest, on September 18 at the fairgrounds in Whitney Point. That will be
followed by the Vermont Jersey Breeders Sale on Tuesday, September 21. The
group to sell at the North Haverhill, N.H., sale grounds will include 300
animals of all ages.
The Top of the World Sale
will feature 20 hand-picked animals in a live auction on the grounds of
World Dairy Expo, Madison, Wis. Volume buyers will have 200 cows and bred
heifers to choose from at the second Dairyland Production Sale, October 1
in Janesville, Wis.
There will be two more
production sales in October. The Ohio Fall Production Sale, on October 16,
will feature 250 lots at the Wayne County Fairgrounds, Wooster, Ohio.
Then, producers in the Southwest will have an opportunity to pick from 200
Jerseys selling in the Southwest Protein Sale, hosted at the T&S
Jersey Dairy near Winnsboro, Texas on October 26.
Thirty-two (32) more
Jersey heifers will sell in the Pot O’Gold program on Saturday, November
6, on All American Junior Day. The 51st All American Jersey
Sale will be the following afternoon, November 7. Both sales will be in
facilities at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, Louisville.
For More Information
For quick online access
to sale catalogs, including required health tests and sale terms and
conditions, bookmark the Jersey Marketing Service calendar at http://jms.usjersey.com/calendar.htm.
Catalogs will be posted three weeks before each sale.
Ahlem
Named California Undersecretary for Agriculture
Copyright 2004 McClatchy Newspapers, Inc.
Tuesday,
the 55-year-old Hilmar dairyman was named undersecretary of the California
Department of Food and Agriculture.
Ahlem
is the department's second in command, under Secretary A.G. Kawamura.
"My
work with environmental issues and food safety is going to be an
asset," said Ahlem, who started his new job the same day he
received the appointment. "I'll be able to focus in those
areas and still remain involved with ag."
California
's agriculture industry generated revenue of $31.1 billion in 2002. Dairy
products, with a value of $3.79 billion, led the list.
Ahlem
has owned and operated Charles Ahlem Ranch since 1974 and is one of the
founders of Hilmar Cheese Co., one of the world's largest cheese
facilities.
Because
of his dairy and milk processing interests, Ahlem will excuse himself from
milk pricing and other issues in which he might have a financial conflict
of interest. But he can use his dairy industry expertise to help formulate
other policies.
Ahlem
served on the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board from
1996 to 2000. Hilmar Cheese launched a $3 million incentive program in
2002 to encourage its 250 member dairies to improve environmental
practices.
"Agriculture
can no longer focus just on producing a product, getting it to market and
getting paid," he said. "We're accountable for the impact our
production has on the environment."
He
is a member of the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program, a
partnership among producers, government agencies and academic researchers
to address the issues affecting agriculture.
"Chuck's
work on water issues adds a great deal of credibility to his position with
CDFA," said Michael Marsh, chief executive officer of Modesto-based
Western United Dairymen. "We're going to see environmental issues
take on increasing importance as more people move to rural areas, where
dairies are located."
Many
of the state's most prominent environmental groups, including the Sierra
Club and the Center for Race, Poverty and the Environment, will be
watching Ahlem's performance closely.
"People
have mixed things to say about him," said Bill Magavern, a
legislative representative with the Sierra Club
"Others
say he's a moderate Republican trying to advance voluntary measures to
reduce pollution. He's someone we'd like to talk with and hear more of his
views on reducing pollution," Magavern said.
Ahlem
said he believes his dairy background will benefit Kawamura.
"I
have the dairy and animal background, and A.G. has the produce
knowledge," Ahlem said.
The
two served for six years together on the state Board of Food and
Agriculture, which advises the CDFA.
Kawamura,
a Republican, replaced Modestan Bill Lyons Jr. as agriculture secretary on
Nov. 5, after the election of Gov. Schwarzenegger. Ahlem is a Republican,
like the governor.
"The
administration wants me to have as much contact with producers as
possible," said Ahlem, noting that he will be traveling frequently.
"That's important because producers need to realize that the business
is changing."
Jersey Youth Experience Award Announced
November 15, 2003—Applications are now being accepted for the 2004 Fred Stout Experience Award. Persons who have significant and extensive experience in breeding, managing, and showing Registered Jersey™ cattle, plus the intention of making a career in managing and/or marketing Jersey genetics. are encouraged to apply.
The Stout Experience was created by friends of Fred J. Stout Jr., Mt. Carmel, Ill., a lifelong Jersey breeder who died in May of 2000. After managing herds in Illinois and Wisconsin, Stout joined the staff of Jersey Marketing Service (JMS) in 1978. He was instrumental in the growth of the company’s marketing activities, primarily public auctions and private treaty sales. He later added the duties of type evaluator and field service for the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA). He left the Jersey organizations in 1997 to start his own cattle marketing business.
Stout believed that the best learning experiences happen in the everyday world. This award honors that conviction. It provides partial support for an internship of at least two months in length proposed by the applicant. Preference will be given to proposals that involve on-farm practical management of Registered Jerseys or working with Jersey Marketing Service in a cattle marketing experience, such as the annual All American Jersey Sale.
The first recipient of the Fred Stout Experience Award was Tara Bohnert, East Moline, Ill. She completed a summer internship at Jer-Z-Boyz Dairy in California, then graduated with a B.S. degree in dairy science from the University of Illinois. She is now the Jersey Specialist for Alta Genetics U.S.A.
Applicants must be high school graduates. To apply, submit a one-page resume summarizing work experience, skills and qualifications with a cover letter. The cover letter should specify the applicant’s personal and career goals, including plans for achieving them. It should also explain how the Fred Stout Experience would benefit the applicant in achieving these goals. The letter must also specify the length of internship, type of experience, and the expected date of completion.
Two letters of support must be requested by applicants. One recommendation letter must be from a breeder of Registered Jerseys™ (excluding family members). The second recommendation should be written by a teacher, mentor, or previous employer. These letters must be sent directly by their authors to the AJCA office.
Applications and letters of support must be postmarked no later than February 1, 2004, and addressed to the Fred Stout Experience, American Jersey Cattle Association, 6486 E. Main Street, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-2362. Materials submitted by fax and/or email will not be accepted.
