Holstein Association Announces First Star of the Breed
Brattleboro, Vermont (April 24, 2008)…As part of the 2007 Business Plan, the Holstein Association USA board of directors approved the development of several new awards for members, cows and industry leaders. Two of the awards, Elite Breeder and Distinguished Leadership, were presented at last year’s national Holstein convention. This year, the Star of the Breed honor is being presented for the first time.
MS Crockettacres Monique-ET has been named the first winner of Holstein Association USA’s Star of the Breed award. Monique is owned by Terry and Marcia Stammen and their son, Zach, and daughters Allison, Elizabeth and Emily of Wabash-Way Holsteins, New Weston, Ohio.
Purchased as an embryo, Monique was delivered by c-section on June 12, 2004. Sired by Braedale Freelance-ET, Monique is classified Very Good-88 and in her first lactation made a record of 2-5, 2x, 305d, 32,900M, 1,491F, 1,169P. Her dam is Crackholm M Madonna-ET, VG-85, with records of 2-2, 2x, 365d, 33,596M, 1,451F, 1,185P and 3-9, 2x, 365d, 36,850M, 1,378F, 1,120P. She is sired by Sildahl BW Dutch Boy-ET. Maternal Granddam is Crackholm Comestar Memory-ET, VG-87, with a record of 2-2, 2x, 365d, 41,250M, 1,667F, 1,299P.
Monique was the third place junior three-year-old at the 2007 Mideast Spring National Holstein Show and was third in the futurity class. She had previously placed third in the summer yearling class at the 2005 Mideast Fall National show.
To be eligible for the Star of the Breed award, a cow must have placed in the top five in her class at a National Holstein Show, must be in a herd enrolled on the Association’s TriStar program and must have an official classification score. A point score is determined by the following calculation: Combined ME Fat and Protein + Age Adjusted Classification Score x (Breed Average ME CFP/Breed Average Age Adjusted Score).
Wabash-Way Holsteins consists of 100 Registered Holstein cows. The Stammens have been in the Registered Holstein business for more than 25 years.
For more information, contact Jim Leuenberger, Communications Manager.
First Herds of Excellence Announced from Holstein Association
Brattleboro, Vermont (April 24, 2008)… Holstein Association USA is excited to announce the first recipients of a new award for Association members, the Herd of Excellence. An elite group of eleven dairy producers from throughout the United States have met the stringent criteria to qualify as the first members who will receive the prestigious award. Those criteria are:
- Must be 25 percent above breed average Mature Equivalent (ME) for milk, fat and protein;
- Must have an actual average classification score of 83 points or higher;
- Must be 70 percent homebred;
- Must be enrolled in the Association’s TriStar program;
- Must have classified in the award year.
 Tim Baker |
Tim Baker
Star-Summit Holsteins
Byron Center, Michigan
More than 94 percent of Tim Baker’s 55 cow Registered HolsteinSM herd is homebred and their average classification score is 88.29. They have ME production averages of 32,936M, 1,230F, 1,014P.
Tim’s parents, Henry and Ruth own the 200-acre farm while Tim and his wife, Jennifer, own the dairy herd. They have two sons, Gerrit-9 and Jack-7, and a daughter, Elise-3.
Thanks to having Registered Holsteins, Tim has been able to do a considerable amount of merchandising, which in turn has allowed him to maintain a relatively small herd. Females are consigned to sales, bulls are sold for breeding purposes, and a considerable number of embryos are sold annually.
The Bakers use the top end proven AI sires that transmit a balance of production and type, breeding to get the best females possible, with strong feet and legs their number one type goal. They like big, strong cows that last and that they can breed from. One of the top cows they bred was Star-Summit Mars Betsy that was EX-93-4E and made a record of 51,410 pounds of milk in 365 days as a ten-year-old and finished with over 380,000 pounds lifetime.
A cow Tim bought when he was 19 years old, LWS Patty Segis, was EX-91-5E, made over 265,000 pounds of milk lifetime and was the foundation of one of their best cow families.
The cows are milked twice a day in comfort stalls and are housed in a free-stall barn with sand bedding. Henry started the herd in 1957 and is in the process of putting together a 50-year history of the herd. With the outstanding cows and cow families they have developed, it should be a history worth reading.
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| Back row, l-r, Marcia DeBuhr, Sunny-Valley Advent Frito-Red-ET, Ron and Jean DeBuhr, Sunny-Valley Freelance Elsie-ET, Wayne DeBuhr. Front, l-r, Trevor, Brandon and Sheila Simpson. |
Ron and Wayne DeBuhr
Sunny-Valley Holsteins
Belmont, Wisconsin
Sunny-Valley has 52 Registered Holsteins, 94 percent of which are homebred, have an average classification score of 83.8 and ME averages of 32,392M, 1,257F and 951P.
The 350-acre dairy in southwestern Wisconsin was formed in 1970 as an all-grade, non-AI herd. Fourteen years later, Sunny-Valley Registered Holsteins came into existence as a 100 percent registered and AI herd.
Sunny-Valley is a family farm, with Ron and Jean DeBuhr the owners and operators with the kids key assets as well. Wayne does the marketing, mating and showing. Marcia does the veterinary work and assists with showing. Sheila does the registration paperwork and assists with the bookkeeping while her husband, Trevor, is a Programmer for Great Lakes Higher Education.
Currently, three main cow families are being flushed. One they have had great success with is the “Ellie Bell” cow family with Sunny-Valley Durham Electra being the family member Sunny-Valley is best known for. Electra is classified Excellent-95 with a four-year-old, 2x record of 37,930M, 1,755F and 1,220P. Electra was unanimous All-American Junior three-year-old in 2004, two-time Reserve All-American and Reserve Grand Champion at the Eastern Fall National in 2006 and also second place five-year-old at World Dairy Expo in 2006. Her most exciting award came in 2004 when she was named first junior three-year-old, Intermediate Champion and Reserve Grand Champion at World Dairy Expo.
Another major show cow at Sunny-Valley is April-Day D Burgundy-Red that was purchased as a calf. Currently classified Excellent-90, she has been to World Dairy Expo every year and in 2006 won the Junior three-year-old class and was first in the Kingsmill Futurity.
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| From left, Mark Brehm, Libby Schmitt, Tim Schmitt, Tom Schmitt, Peter Schmitt and Zach Nilles. |
Paul, Tom and Tim Schmitt
Morningview Holsteins
Durango, Iowa
The 90-cow Registered Holstein herd owned by Paul and Donna Schmitt, and their sons Tom and Tim, has ME production averages of 32,038M, 1,231F, 968P. The herd has an average classification score of 84.83 and is 78 percent homebred. The herd is milked twice a day in a tie-stall barn.
In 1990, the Schmitts made the decision to switch to an all registered herd and get more involved in merchandising. They purchased Walnutknoll Memorial Judy that turned out to be the foundation of one of their best cow families. One of her granddaughters, Morningview Converse Judy EX-93, made over 38,000 pounds of milk as a three-year-old and ended up with 12 sons in AI along with numerous female offspring.
The herd is on Holstein COMPLETE, is classified at least every seven months, uses the EASY program for registering calves and uses custom Holstein tags. “With so many calves to register, the EASY program is a real time-saver,” Tim said.
With three families to support, merchandising has been very important to the success at Morningview. The Schmitts do lots of flushing and sell numerous embryos each year, both in the U.S. and internationally. “One of the most enjoyable parts of the registered business is having people visit our farm and showing them our cattle,” Tim said. “That’s an important part of merchandising.”
As far as service sires, “we use a little of everything,” Tim said. Sires that improve feet, legs and udders are most important. “We like to milk cows with good type,” he added.
Tom and his wife, Donna, have three kids, as do Tim and his wife, Kim. Everyone is involved in the management and ownership of the dairy.
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| Joe Brantmeier, center, with sons Andy, left, and Jeff, right. |
Joe and Chris Brantmeier
Hilrose Holsteins
Sherwood, Wisconsin
Joe Brantmeier took over Hilrose Holsteins when his dad retired in 1981. At the time, the herd totaled about 50 cows, not all of which were registered. By 1990, the herd was all registered, and today totals 108 cows on test, 78 percent of which are homebred. They have an average classification score of 86.25 and ME production averages of 32,162M, 1,239F, 956P.
Joe and his wife, Chris, who is a longtime teacher, have two sons, Andy and Jeff, who are active in the operation. Their daughter, Sarah, works for Pfizer.
Joe’s main breeding goal is to develop cows with long productive lives, so service sires used have extremely high type, good components and higher reliability. “Because we keep cows longer, we sell a lot of fresh heifers,” Joe said, “so having good type is important. It adds value because no dairyman wants animals with poor type.”
The Hilrose herd is on Holstein COMPLETE, classifies regularly and uses the EASY program for registering calves. “We love the EASY program because it’s so simple and quick,” Joe said. A button tag is put in the calves at birth and custom Holstein tags with the registration number and sire ID after they are registered.
Joe sees the added value Registered Holsteins bring to their dairy. “They are no more work than grades,” he said, “and they give you a chance to develop the really good ones, do some merchandising, and provide additional income.”
Joe and his sons share the workload at Hilrose and work together to make breeding decisions for the herd. “And to be honest,” Joe said, “if we didn’t have a registered herd, I’m not sure the boys would want to be dairying. So that’s another benefit.”
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Randy and Jana Kortus |
Randy and Jana Kortus
Mainstream Holsteins
Lynden, Washington
Mainstream Holsteins was started by Randy Kortus in 1981 with 45 Registered Holsteins. Today the herd includes 55 Holstein cows and 22 Registered Jerseys. The Holstein herd is 100 percent homebred, has an average classification score of 84.95 and has ME production averages of 36,466M, 1,406F and 1,087P.
The herd is grazed, supplemented with grain and other forage as needed.
As far as breeding goals, Kortus concentrates on production. “Of course we also breed for type,” he said, “but we never lose sight of the importance of production.” Several cows in the herd are flushed regularly, depending on the embryo market. The herd has had considerable AI interest in recent years, with about 15 bulls sent to AI annually. The herd is classified every seven months, with special classifications scheduled as needed.
A highlight for the Kortus’ herd in 2007 was having their first cow produce over 60,000 pounds in a single lactation. Mainstream Beaver Heavenly, VG-86, produced the record at 3-4 on 2x milking, peaking at 203 pounds per day. The 365-day record of 60,420M places her first for milk nationally in her class.
Heavenly’s granddam, Mainstream Emory Hershey, EX-90, made a great record of 6-7, 365d, 2x, 56,390M, 2,433F, 1,507P. Another cow, Mainstream Adan Harbor, EX-91-2E, has two records over 57,000 pounds of milk, including 4-7, 365d, 2x, 59,590M, 1,845F, 1,645P that places her second nationally for milk in her class.
Randy and Jana have four children, including sons Mark and Mike, who are active on the dairy, and Matt and Melissa, who work off the farm. Randy currently serves as president of the Select Sires board of directors.
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| From left, Tim, Julie, Kristi and Sandy VerHage. |
Tim and Sandy VerHage
VerHage Holstein Farm
Allegan, Michigan
Tim and Sandy VerHage have a 94 percent homebred herd of 59 Registered Holsteins that have ME production averages of 35,425M, 1,730F and 1,006P. Their average classification score is 83.2.
The VerHage herd ranked number one for production in Michigan in 2007, the sixth time it garnered that honor in the past 10 years, and was also the number one dollar value herd. Also in 2007, the herd was a National Dairy Quality Award Gold winner, with a Somatic Cell Count less than 86,000. It received NDQA recognition in 2006 as well.
The VerHage herd is on Holstein COMPLETE and usually classifies twice a year. Tim breeds for a balance between type and production, hoping to get cows with long productive lives.
In 1996, they sold their first embryo and first bull to AI and have since sold hundreds of embryos and several bulls to AI each year.
Tim is sold on the added value provided by registered cattle. “Registered animals allow us to market our genetics and provide another income so we can keep our herd small and remain profitable,” Tim said.
The cow that got the VerHage herd rolling was SFL Bootpeg W Bethany-ET that they purchased as a just fresh two-year-old. Bethany, EX-91-2E-GMD-DOM had a top record of 4-2 365d 2x 48,660M, 2,571F, 1,661P. She and her offspring have been the focal point of the VerHage breeding program, with numerous embryos exported and five sons going to AI. A grandson of Bethany’s is currently #50 on the top 100 TPI list.
Tim and Sandy have two daughters, Julie-17 and Kristi-15.
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| At right is Allen Johnson, owner of Jafral Holsteins, and at left, his nephew, Kevin Huie. |
Allen Johnson
Jafral Holsteins
Hamptonville, North Carolina
Allen Johnson’s 39-cow Registered Holstein herd is 100 percent homebred and has ME production averages of 34,552M, 1,236F, 1,014P along with an average classification score of 86.2.
Allen’s parents started the commercial herd in 1945. Allen took over the dairy after getting out of the Marines in 1972 and over the next decade sold the grades and replaced them with registered animals. By 1981, the herd was all-registered.
Today’s herd basically has two cow families. One started with Rilara Mars Las Ravena that Johnson bought in 1981 as a bred heifer. She was EX-91-2E-GMD. The other was Bonnyside Bova Brenda EX-90-2E-GMD that he bought in 1986.
Prior to last year, the highest record a cow had produced in the herd was just over 45,000 pounds of milk. But last year, a Finley daughter topped that with a record of 3-1, 365d, 2x, 55,700M.
Johnson breeds to maintain stature and front end strength in his cows. “If they have strength of front end, they’ll generally have strength throughout,” he said. The herd has an overall CTPI of over 1550 and is classified every seven months.
Working with Allen on the dairy are his nephew Kevin Huie, who does the outside feeding and cropping, and Kevin’s mom, Janet, who feeds calves. The cows are fed corn silage and hay along with a 24 percent protein pellet in the parlor. Grain totals 26-30 pounds per cow per day.
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| Evie and John Hamilton and their son, Charlie. |
John and Evie Hamilton
Hill-Ton Holsteins
Cuba City, Wisconsin
John Hamilton has farmed with his dad, William, since 1980. William owns the farm and helps with fieldwork, while John and his wife, Evie, own the dairy herd. The Hamiltons milk 52 Registered Holsteins, 100 percent of which are homebred. They have an average classification score of 85.11 and ME production averages of 32,024M, 1,218F, 951P.
Service sires used in the herd must improve strength and stature and be plus for foot & leg composite, udder composite and component percentages.
The Hamiltons have earned the Progressive Breeders Registry award for 14 consecutive years. They have bred 33 Excellent cows. There are currently five Excellent and 32 Very Good cows in the Hill-Ton herd.
John and Evie’s son, Charlie, has shown at the county and district levels and plans to show at the state fair this summer. He just recently received a junior member recognition award in the 12 and under age group from the Wisconsin Holstein Association. His best cow, “Cheery,” is VG-88, made over 23,000 pounds of milk as a two year old and will make over 30,000 pounds of milk in 305 days in her second lactation.
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Brenda and Bruce Long |
Bruce and Brenda Long
B-Long Holsteins
New London, Wisconsin
Bruce and Brenda Long started B-Long Holsteins in 1990. Today, their 55-cow Registered Holstein herd is 96 percent homebred and has ME production averages of 34,765M, 1,221F, 1,013P. Classification average is 85.38. There are currently five Excellent and 34 Very Good cows in the herd.
The Longs have developed 16 cows with over 200,000 pounds of milk lifetime and four over 300,000 pounds, along with 16 Gold Medal Dams and 10 Dams of Merit.
Breeding decisions are based on a balance of production and type, with emphasis on improving type and components. They also consider health traits that they hope will improve their cows’ longevity and help their merchandising program.
The Long herd consists of three main cow families. The top genetic cows are flushed each year to fill AI and embryo contracts and to breed the next generation of top females in the herd.
Investing in Registered Holsteins has been very beneficial to the Longs financially. Animals consigned to sales have brought excellent prices and embryos and bulls have sold well, too. “Merchandising Registered Holsteins has allowed us to stay a true family farm,” Bruce said, “and the extra income has allowed us to continue dairying without expanding or hiring help.”
Bruce and Brenda, who were the Holstein Association USA Distinguished Young Holstein Breeders in 2007, have three sons, Bryant-18, Brandon-17 and Bret-16.
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| Steve and Amanda Killian and their children, from left, Christian, Olivia and Samuel. |
Steve and Amanda Killian
Dirt-Road Holsteins
Blair, Wisconsin
Steve and Amanda Killian having been farming on their own since they bought a 284-acre farm from Amanda’s mother in 2000. They have a herd of 60 cows, 25 of which are Registered Holsteins, the others Registered Jerseys. The ME production averages on the Holsteins, 72 percent of which are homebred, are: 34,393M, 1,312F, 1,079P. The herd has an average classification score of 84.27.
The herd is enrolled on the Holstein COMPLETE program and is classified every seven months. Cows are milked twice a day, with Steve handling most of the milkings.
In 2007, the Killians received a special award at the Wisconsin Holstein Convention for their cow “Jody” that made a 305-day, junior four-year-old, 2x record of 53,273M, 2,078F and 1,505P. It was the first cow in their herd to produce a 305-day record over 50,000 pounds of milk.
Steve and Amanda enjoy the Registered Holstein business including the challenge of matching bulls with cows to breed the best animals possible. They know having records adds greater value to their herd as well. Service sires used must transmit high components and very strong type.
“We want to build a herd of really beautiful, high-producing cows,” Amanda said. “Our cows seem to get better every year and the heifers coming up are the best we’ve ever bred,” she added. “We’re very excited about the future.”
Steve and Amanda have two sons, Sam and Christian, and a daughter, Olivia, with their fourth child due in July.
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Jake and Sallianne Tanis III |
Jake, Sally and Adam Tanis
Ideal Holsteins
Centre Hall, Pennsylvania
Jake Tanis III and his wife, Sally, and their son, Adam, own Ideal Holsteins, an 85-cow herd of which 96 percent are homebred and have ME production averages of 33,590M, 1,264F, 988P. The herd’s classification average is 84.64 points.
The herd is classified regularly and uses the EASY program for registering calves. Holstein tags are used on all animals in the herd.
After spending 10 years in Missouri raising registered Angus cattle, Jake moved to New Jersey in 1983 and started milking about 70 Holsteins. All were Holsteins, but not all were registered. Five years later, he moved to his present location in Pennsylvania, at which time about 95 percent of the herd was registered.
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Adam Tanis and Nathan Rimmey |
Jake likes strong cows with wide front ends that track straight ahead and have good udders. He believes in the importance of having strong cow families as well. Emphasis for service sires is on type and components.
Jake says a lot of credit for the herd’s success has to go to Sally and Adam. Sally did not grow up around cows, but today does all the record-keeping for the herd and has as much interest in the cows as Jake does. Adam, a graduate of Penn State, worked for eight years at North Florida Holsteins before joining his parents’ operation. He does most of the milking and does a great job of raising crops on their 400-acre farm. He also serves as the operation’s mechanic and electrician.
The cows are milked in a tie-stall barn with newspaper bedding. “Every cow is treated the same,” Jake said. Several cows in the herd have produced records over 45,000 pounds of milk and one has surpassed 300,000 pounds of milk lifetime.
For more information, contact Jim Leuenberger, Communications Manager.
Holstein Association USA Recognizes Outstanding Junior Project Work
Brattleboro, Vt. (April 15, 2008)…Holstein Association USA is pleased to announce twelve semifinalists in the 86th annual Distinguished Junior Member (DJM) competition. The Distinguished Junior Member award, established in 1922, is the highest honor given to Junior Holstein members.
“These Junior Holstein members are the cream of the crop,” said John M. Meyer, Holstein Association USA CEO. “Each year, I am impressed by the quality of all of our youth, especially those who apply for this recognition. It’s inspiring to see the passion these kids have for Registered HolsteinsSM and the dairy industry.”
The semifinalists in the 2008 Distinguished Junior Member contest are: Jessica Berg, Baltic, S.D.; Andrew Birch, Derby, Vt.; J.R. Boyke, Fond du Lac, Wis.; Danyel Hosto, Juda, Wis.; Julia Hudyncia, Fort Plain, N.Y.; Heather Petersheim, Viroqua, Wis.; Kate Probert, Mansfield, Mo.; Kelly Sheehan, Huntley, Ill.; Lucas Sjostrom, Lafayette, Minn.; Michael Stewart, Oelwein, Iowa; David Wilson, Port Royal, Penn., and Hannah Young, Clifton Springs, N.Y.
“As I look back over my years of involvement with the Junior Holstein Association, I see remarkable growth and change,” said David Wilson in his Story of Junior Project Work. “I like to believe this change is due not only to my involvement in Junior Holstein activities, but also the friends I have found through Junior Holstein and the adult advisors who have helped me along the way.”
Heather Petersheim stated in her project story, “Ideally, I would love to own a small farm of my own someday, where I could raise a family with the same great values that I learned growing up on a farm. I can’t imagine myself working anywhere other than in the dairy industry. It is what I love to do, it’s my passion.”
These semifinalists will interview at the National Junior Holstein Convention, June 23-26 in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., where six finalists will be chosen to receive the DJM honor.
Any junior Holstein member, age 17-21, is eligible to compete in the Distinguished Junior Member contest. Contestants are judged on an entry book highlighting their Junior Holstein project work and involvement with activities, both in the Holstein and dairy industries, as well as in their schools and communities.
For more information about these, or other Junior Holstein programs, contact Kelli Dunklee at 800.952.5200, ext. 4124 or visit www.holsteinusa.com.
*Click here to view pictures of the DJM Semifinalists
For a hi-res picture of any of the DJM Semifinalists, contact Lindsey Worden at 800.952.5200, ext. 4096.
Holstein Association USA Names Finalists in Young Distinguished Junior Member Contest
Brattleboro, Vt. (April 15, 2008)…Holstein Association USA is proud to recognize eight finalists in the fifth Young Distinguished Junior Member (YDJM) contest. Similar to the Distinguished Junior Member contest for older Junior members, the YDJM contest recognizes the work of Junior Holstein members ages 9-16.
“Holstein Junior members are among the most passionate and involved youth in the dairy industry,” said Kelli Dunklee, Program Specialist. “These outstanding and enthusiastic young people are dedicated to the dairy community and are the future leaders of our industry.”
The 2008 Young Distinguished Junior Members are: Jacob Achen, Sauk Centre, Minn.; Sara Bechtel, Martinsburg, Penn.; Sarah Davis, Union Bridge, Md.; Kyle Demmer, Peosta, Iowa; Matt Henkes, Luana, Iowa; Tera Koebel, Three Oaks, Mich.; Taylor Pires, Los Banos, Calif., and Rachel Sammons, Johnstown, N.Y.
“'Cows are my life…the rest is just details’ is the logo on my favorite tee-shirt,” said Matt Henkes in his Story of Junior Project Work. “That quote pretty much sums up my life. My favorite hobby is showing cattle, my favorite leisure activity is going to cow sales, and my favorite vacation includes visiting outstanding Holstein herds.”
Taylor Pires stated in her Junior Project Story, “I have learned leadership skills, new knowledge I would have never known, met fascinating people, and took part in many memorable experiences. “I feel the [Junior Holstein] association has agitated my dreams and ideas, making them a reality.”
These eight junior members will be recognized at the National Junior Holstein Convention, June 23-26, in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. YDJM contestants are judged on an entry book similar to that submitted for the Distinguished Junior Member contest. The entry book highlights their Junior Holstein project work and involvement with activities, both in the Holstein and dairy industries, as well as in their schools and communities.
For more information about these, or other Junior Holstein programs, contact Kelli Dunklee at 800.952.5200, ext. 4124 or visit www.holsteinusa.com.
*Click here to view pictures of the YDJM Finalists.
For a hi-res picture of any of the YDJM Finalists, contact Lindsey Worden at 800.952.5200, ext. 4096.
Holstein Association USA Board of Directors Holds Spring Meeting
Brattleboro, Vermont (April 1, 2008)…The board of directors of Holstein Association USA held its spring meeting in Brattleboro, Vt. March 27-28.
During the meeting, the board approved the 2007 financial report presented by CFO Barbara Casna, which showed the Association realized net income of $331,000, which was $47,000 higher than 2006 results. Financial highlights included an increase in revenues from Holstein COMPLETE of 16 percent, an increase in TriStar revenues of five percent, an increase of 27 percent in ear tag sales, an increase in revenues received from registrations of four percent and an increase in revenues from classification of 10 percent.
A total of 215,632 animals were classified, an 11 percent increase, while number of herds classified increased to 5,174, or four percent. At year end, there were 197,680 animals enrolled in Holstein COMPLETE in 1,705 herds which is a 15 percent increase in the number of animals enrolled in the program and a 13 percent increase in herds compared to 2006.
Staff members provided updates on the 2008 Management-by-Objective Business Plan and directors and staff reviewed discussions from the recently-completed regional member meetings. Also discussed were the responsibilities and requirements of national convention hosts.
Committee Reports
The board heard reports of the following committees:
-Audit
-Governance
-Nominating
-International
-Junior Advisory
-National FAIR
Within the Governance Committee report, the board approved a motion to recommend that the President state at the beginning of each annual meeting that, unless the delegates object, the rules of the annual meeting will allow all members present to speak to issues being discussed. In the past, any member could have the floor during the first day’s business session, while only delegates were allowed to address the convention on the second day.
Also from the Governance Committee, the board approved a motion to amend Article III, Section 7 of the Bylaws to read: A person serving or elected as a delegate at three consecutive Annual Meetings is not eligible to be nominated to be a delegate again until at least two Annual Meetings are held. This proposed amendment to the Bylaws will be presented to the delegates for their consideration at the 2008 Holstein Association USA Annual Meeting in Wisconsin.
Director Glen Brown and staffer Tom Lawlor provided an update on the Association’s research on Genomic Selection. This cutting edge technology could speed up genetic improvement within the breed.
President Doug Maddox appointed a special Type Advisory Committee, which will be chaired by director Bill Peck. The charge of the committee is to evaluate the current dairy cattle scorecard to discuss its relevancy in today’s dairy industry. The committee plans to meet in May and will report to the board at its June meeting in Wisconsin.
The board approved a motion to grant the Great Western Holstein Show, to be held September 1 in Oregon, “National Show” designation for the open show and “Regional Show” designation for the junior show.
Staff members provided demonstrations of the updated software for Red Book Plus, DairyVision Trend Analysis Program (DVTAP) and DairyVision Current Herd Analysis Program (DVCHAP). They also reviewed the development of a new internet tag ordering system.
One of the major initiatives of the Association’s communications department for 2008 is a complete redesign of the Association’s Web site. The board previewed the progress that has been made on the redesign, which is scheduled to go “live” during the fourth quarter of the year.
The next meeting of the board of directors will be held prior to the annual meeting in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., on June 22-23. The fall meeting will be held in St. Louis on November 13-14.
For more information, contact Jim Leuenberger, Communications Manager.
Holstein Association USA, Inc., www.holsteinusa.com, provides products and services to dairy producers to enhance genetics and improve profitability–ranging from registry processing to identification programs to consulting services. The Association, headquartered in Brattleboro, Vt., maintains the records for Registered HolsteinsSM and represents more than 30,000 members throughout the United States. The Association is also leading the initiative for national animal identification through the National FAIR program.