The Holstein Pulse - Spring 2015

SPRING 2015 • HOLSTEIN ASSOCIATION USA, INC.
IN THIS ISSUE:
• Star of the Breed
• Herds of Excellence
• 2015 National Holstein Convention Preview
The Holstein Pulse is proudly sponsored by
1
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
The Challenges of Change
And the changing of the guard: President Brown’s farewell message
H
olstein Association USA had a good year, with strong
activity and services used. The annual report, available
at our national convention, will address the details for your
review. Our Association going forward will continue to
have both opportunities and challenges that will need to be
addressed. Among them will
be the challenge of a rapidly
changing industry, the likes
of which we have seen rarely,
if at all, before in our history.
It is my judgment that one
of the biggest—if not the
biggest—challenges we will
face is that of keeping our
Association relevant to its
members.
genomic numbers is and has always been
the foundation of any system of dairy cattle
evaluations, both male and female.
So when the milk tester pulls into your yard
and the Holstein
BY GLEN
classifier pays
BROWN
you a visit, you
are not only securing important
information regarding your cows
and herd, you are also making
an essential contribution to the
national system that benefits
every dairyman who makes
breeding decisions based on
official information. Holstein USA
provides the unbiased information
that allows us to be the gold
standard for the industry. A great
deal of time and effort on the part
of our qualified and dedicated
staff continues to evaluate that
information.
A lot is written and debated
concerning the “1 percent”
in our national economy
and how the recovery has
benefitted them, while
the majority has not felt
“Our cows are great, but the
the same recovery. Our
members of Holstein Association USA Hopefully there will always be
Association faces some of
the bulls available in the future to
the same parallels. Many
are the greatest.”
provide the ability for each breeder
member-breeders, who had
to pursue their individual breeding
opportunities to provide
goals. Diversity has served us well, in part, and will continue
seedstock for the advancement and improvement of our
to keep our breed, the U.S. Holstein, the best in the world.
breed, now find themselves with little or no opportunity,
with the rapidly changing criteria for entry. This is driven by
Spring is arriving in all parts of our country. Some areas
near-instant projections and by shortening the generational
have had a long hard winter and others have had the extreme
intervals, coupled with high numbers mated to high numbers
opposite. Regardless, we are happy it is here.
to get the next generation of the high GTPI®s. Those of our
members who are leading the way are to be admired for their
As my time as President is coming to a close, I wish to
success and leadership in providing outstanding young GTPI®
express my thanks and appreciation to all of you members for
bulls.
the support and great opportunity to be President. Our cows
are great, but the members of Holstein Association USA are
Genomics has no doubt changed the way we are mating our
the greatest.
animals and has raised our expectations of the genetic gains
that we can make with the rapid generational intervals. But
we must never forget that the phenotypic information of the
2
— Glen Brown is President of Holstein Association USA, Inc.
CEO’S MESSAGE
The Time for Polled Holsteins is Right Now
Consumers are asking for milk from polled dairy cows…and we can give it
T
here is more interest in milk coming from polled Holstein
cows than ever before! The catalyst for the growing interest
and demand isn’t necessarily coming from dairymen but from
the consumer.
This heightened interest has been in my forecast for a couple
of years. In March of 2014, I invited Dr. Ben Dorshorst, an
assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Poultry
Sciences at Virginia Tech and an expert on polled genetics, to
speak to the Holstein Association’s
Board of Directors and management
staff during the board meeting
in Brattleboro. His presentation
furthered my interest and zeal
for thinking broadly about the
opportunities that could become
available for Holstein Association
members.
cows, but experts say the dairy industry
has been slow to expand polled genetics
because it has been focused on boosting
milk productivity. Yet the change may come
sooner than producers expected, as some of
the nation’s largest food companies, such as
General Mills, Nestlé, and Dunkin’ brands,
are asking dairy suppliers to incorporate
polled cattle into their herds.”
BY
JOHN M.
MEYER
The article continued, “General
Mills, which makes Häagen-Dazs
ice cream and Yoplait yogurt, is the
latest with a new animal welfare
policy that ‘supports the use of
polled genetics breeding programs
to promote polled or naturally
hornless cattle, thereby eliminating
the need for dehorning’.”
What really sparked my desire to
Quoting from the Janesville Gazette,
have Ben speak to us was the fact
“The animal welfare policy of
that two large restaurant chains
Dunkin’ brands, which owns Baskinand a major milk cooperative had
Robbins ice cream, asks its suppliers
contacted me in late 2013 asking
“Today’s consumer is highly
to ‘support industry-wide efforts
me the same question: “How much
interested in social issues, and
to promote the humane treatment
of our milk supply could we get
the
polled
subject
is
getting
of cattle, including the responsible
from polled Holstein cows?” My
use of polled breeding.’ And dining
answer to the restaurant folks was,
their attention.”
chain Denny’s released a policy in
“probably not enough to fulfill the
February indicating a ‘purchase preference’ for milk from polled
dairy needs of your smallest restaurant for one day.” Even so,
dairy cattle.” Don’t be surprised to see other restaurants, grocery
the parties’ interest didn’t wane.
stores, and food distributors adopting similar policies.
The topic of polled dairy cattle has
now hit Main Street America.
4
Those of you reading this column fully understand why there
hasn’t been more widespread use of polled Holstein genetics to
date. Bottom line, at this stage, there is a lot more of what you
are looking for as a breeder with horned Holstein genetics than
there is in polled.
Fast forward to the Sunday, March 29, 2015, online edition
of the Janesville Gazette Xtra from Wisconsin, where there was
a front page feature article from the Associated Press, “Dairy
farms asked to consider breeding no-horned cows.” The lead
paragraph stated, “Food manufacturers and restaurants are
taking the dairy industry by the horns on an animal welfare
issue that has long bothered activists but is little known to
consumers: the painful removal of budding horn tissue from
calves so farm workers or other animals don’t get gored later.”
Even so, the dairy consumer doesn’t care. They don’t concern
themselves with the cow’s GTPI®, her milk production record,
or where she stood in a show. Today’s consumer is highly
interested in social issues, and the polled subject is getting their
attention.
The article went on to say, “Certain cows carry a dominant
no-horn genetic trait, and are called polled cows. Research
has shown it is cheaper to breed polled cattle than to dehorn
Recently I returned from a Dairy Industry Executive Forum
which included 16 invited guests. The topic of the forum was
“What does the future hold for the dairy industry?” Attendees
came from the broad spectrum of the dairy industry at large. The topic that most wanted
to talk to me individually about was polled Holstein genetics.
What’s the future of polled Holsteins?
As I consider what dairymen might be looking for in their dairy cattle in the future, and
what consumers might be looking for in the dairy products they consume, I believe polled
Holsteins fit in the picture.
I ask myself, “What percent of the black Holstein calves born in 2020 will be polled?
What percent of the U.S. Holstein herd will be polled in 2030?”
“As I consider
what dairymen
might be looking
for in their
dairy cattle in
Perhaps the most important question we need to answer now is, “What role, if any, do
you want your Holstein Association to play in the future of polled Holsteins?” As I see it,
if we do not take a leadership role in this area, we stand the risk of not keeping up with
the future demands of the industry at both the farm and consumer level.
the future, and
One of my roles as your hired man is to have an eye on the future and analyze areas
of opportunity that might be beneficial to Holstein Association members. Oftentimes
in performing such due diligence, one has to look beyond today, and try to envision
what the landscape might be five, 10, 20, or 50 years down the road. What impact will
decisions we make today have on the Holstein breed and Association members 15 or 50
years from now?
for in the dairy
As you can see, there is demand for milk from polled Holsteins. Holstein Association
USA is in a far better position to take the lead on this matter than any other organization.
We have the critical mass of members and cows to work with. At the Association
level, we could provide leadership, education, and organization to make high-quality,
wholesome, tasty Holstein milk available to consumers.
Holsteins fit in
what consumers
might be looking
products they
consume, I
believe polled
the picture.”
At this juncture, some of you might want to consider making a concerted commitment
to tap the genetic pool of polled Holsteins available to you. The primary measure of
performance for any dairy breed is competitive, profitable milk production and a sound
genetic base to sustain this production. Holsteins are the only breed of cattle that has the
sheer numbers and genetic material it needs to fulfill future demands for milk from polled
dairy cattle.
Certainly, not all of you reading this are, or will be, interested in milking a herd made
up of entirely polled Holsteins. As I have said many times before, one of the great things
about being in the Holstein business is that we have the diversified genetics that allow you
to be the best in class in any dairy market you want to be in.
In this column, my intent is to advise all of you of the consumer interest in milk from
polled Holsteins. Rest assured, I understand the concept of using genetics to appeal
to food consumers’ demands is non-traditional. However, for those of you who are
interested in polled Registered Holsteins®, I see strong potential for a good return on your
investment.
Please let me know if these thoughts have piqued your curiosity. If this is something you
would like your Holstein Association to take a leadership role in, contact me at your
convenience. As always, I look forward to visiting with you.
— John M. Meyer is Chief Executive Officer of Holstein Association USA, Inc.
55
W
“
e’ve planned a wide array of
activities to suit everyone’s
interest level, from Junior to Senior,
and we’ve tried to be a little bit different.
It’s been 40 years since we’ve been in
Illinois, so we have more to offer—
we’ve come a long way in 40 years!”
— Dale Drendel
The headquarters
of the convention
will be the Pheasant
Run Resort, located
on the original Silver
Glenn Farm, home
to the first Holstein
classification in 1929.
Don’t delay. The registration deadline is June 1. There is
a $50 late fee after that date, and ticket sales close on
June 10. The best room rates at the resort hotel are only
available until June 7.
All
Roads
Lead to
Your 2015
National Holstein
Convention
Whatever route you plan to take, follow it to the
Land of Lincoln and the 2015 National Holstein
Convention, June 23-26, 2015, in St. Charles, Illinois.
Hosted by the Illinois Holstein Association and
co-chairs Ron Schaufelberger and Dale Drendel, the
event will offer plenty to see and do throughout the
week. The best part is that you’ll get to connect with
old friends and meet new Holstein breeders.
66
Photo courtesy of Greater St. Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau
You won’t want to miss anything that’s happening at the
convention. Plan a pre-convention tour of regional dairies
on your way to St. Charles: you’ll find a tour map on the
convention website. The on-site convention gets underway
on Monday evening, June 22, with Dairy Jeopardy
orientation and a mixer and dance for Juniors in the evening.
Tuesday, June 23
Interviews for Distinguished Junior Member and National
Holstein Women's Scholarship Organization (NHWSO)
scholarship will be conducted. The Dairy Jeopardy, Public
Speaking, and the Dairy Knowledge Exam contests will be
held in the evening for Juniors, who can enjoy a Junior Mardi
Gras, with pizza, afterward.
The golf tournament is scheduled for Tuesday at Pheasant
Run’s excellent golf course, with two tee times.
Wednesday, June 24, Host Day
The first of the Host Day tours will head to the North
American headquarters of GEA Farm Technologies, whose
history in the milking equipment industry dates back to 1906
and includes Babson Bros. (SURGE) and the Westfalia
group, which both pioneered machine milking around the
world.
If you’re hungry, the Dairy Bar is open
every day, from early until late.
Photo courtesy of The Field Museum
From there, you can head to Wauconda, Illinois,
and Golden Oaks Farm and Midwest Organics,
both owned by the Crown Family. Golden Oaks
milks more than 700 cows and is known for
breeding two of the best Roxy descendants,
Champ Rae and Perk Rae. Midwest Organics is
a composting business that serves the Chicago
suburbs.
Or you can take the tour to
Hampshire, Illinois, to visit Luck-E
Holsteins, owned and operated
by Dennis and Beth Engel and
their sons, Matt and Joe, home to
Luck-E Advent Kandie-Red (EX95) the Red & White Cow of the
Year. Lindale Holsteins and Team
Holsteins, operated by Dale and
Linda Drendel, their son, Jeff, and
daughter, Julie Ashton, is also
on this leg of the tour. The third
and fourth tour choices are to the
Chicago Lakefront Museum, or to Magic Waters
outdoor water park.
In the evening
the 2015
National
Holstein
Convention
Sale begins at
7 p.m. after
a pre-sale
meal. Juniors
may attend
the Junior Ag
Olympics and
Dance at the
Kane County Fairgrounds.
Thursday, June 25
At the first day of the Holstein
© Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez
Association USA annual business
meeting, President Glen E. Brown, CEO John M. Meyer, and Treasurer
Barbara Casna will report to the
membership. Regional caucuses are
also scheduled.
Photo courtesy Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament
Meanwhile, the Dairy Bowl
competition will run all day, along
with the National Holstein Women
Scholarship Organization’s silent
auction. If you’re not attending the
meeting, there will be plenty to see
on a Chicago Architectural Tour,
followed by lunch and shopping on
Navy Pier.
A Junior & Adult Luncheon is scheduled. For evening festivities, Family
Night will be held at Medieval Times, offering dinner and a medieval
tournament.
The trade show is in full swing Thursday and Friday.
Friday, June 26
The annual meeting continues in the morning, and the NHWSO will
hold its meeting
today as well.
Registration deadline: June 1
Meanwhile the finals
Find out more at
of the Dairy Bowl,
www.holsteinconvention2015.com
the National Junior
Forum, and the
Junior Awards Luncheon will keep Juniors busy through the day.
The day—and the convention—will finish up with the President’s
reception and adult banquet. Broadcaster Orion Samuelson will be the
guest speaker.
Photo courtesy Wendella
Go to our website to find more information,
as well as the registration and ticket order form, at
www.holsteinconvention2015.com
7
BETHANY
1212
Pineylawn Jasper Bethany EX-94
4-04 2X 365d 46,920M 4.5%F 2,130F 2.9%P 1,366P
5th 5-Year-Old – 2014 Midwest Spring National Holstein Show
5th 5-Year-Old – 2014 Midwest Fall National Holstein Show
Bred by Pineylawn Acres, Fond du lac, Wis. • Owned by Heatherstone Enterprises, Baraboo, Wis.
2014 Star of the Breed
Enjoying the Journey: Pineylawn Jasper Bethany
I
t was lucky for Mike Holschbach that he listened to a friend
two years ago and took a look at a Registered Holstein named
Pineylawn Jasper Bethany. Mike was reading pedigrees for
the Barron County, Wisconsin, spring sale, when Jerry Muzzy
stopped in. He told Mike about an exciting young cow that he
had worked with at World Dairy Expo the previous fall. The
owners were dispersing the herd. “He was very convincing that I
needed to go look at her. So I took him at his word. And when I
left the barn, I knew that was a very special cow,” Mike says.
Mike purchased her at the dispersal and, two years later,
Bethany is Holstein Association USA’s 2014 Star of the Breed.
Classified Excellent-94, she’s a consistently high producer for the
Holschbachs’ Heatherstone Enterprises
in Baraboo, Wisconsin, peaking at 175
pounds a day and very consistent on
butter fat and protein, with a reliably
low SCC. In her last lactation, Bethany
produced 46,920 pounds of milk, with
4.5 percent fat and 2.9 percent protein.
“She’s everything you want in a cow,”
Mike says. “She knows her job and she’s
also a cow that likes to go to shows, very
willing to jump on the trailer without
missing a beat. She enjoys the journey.”
Mike bought Bethany at a dispersal
sale for Pineylawn Acres, owned by Ed
Monstma, a long-time Holstein breeder
in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Ed’s father
immigrated from Holland, where
he raised Registered Holsteins and
where Ed’s grandfather was known for
walking his cows seven miles to breed
them to a particular bull.
Their daughter Brienne, 32, is a teacher and administrator
for the Madison, Wisconsin, school district, and a wife and
mother of two. Their daughter Chelsea, 26, is an intern in DVM
livestock medicine and surgery at Colorado State University,
and will return to Wisconsin this summer for a residency.
“We are extremely proud of our children and the young adults
they have become, each passionately pursuing their own
dreams,” Mike says. They have all been actively involved on the
farm, showing and judging cattle. “We feel so fortunate to have
raised our family on this farm.”
The Holschbachs’ breeding strategy is diversified. Their best
young cows are sired by Atwood, Regancrest Gv S BradnickET, Apples Absolute-Red-ET, and PineTree Sid; their best heifers by Val-Bisson
Doorman, Mr Chassity Gold Chip-ET,
and the young sire of their own breeding,
Heatherstone Malicious-ET. Higher
genomic animals are individually mated
using the current top genomic young sires.
Show cows and heifers are correctively
mated in hopes of creating the next “great
one.” Sires include Braedale Goldwyn,
Regancrest Elton Durham, Mr Atwood
Brokaw, Oh-River-Syc Byway-ET, Atwood,
and Malicious. The remainder of the
milking herd is bred to both proven and
young sires. The key factors they use
to select sires for this group
include type, components,
Productive Life, daughter
pregnancy rate, sire conception
rate, and cow families.
Herdspersons Raymundo ValentinCruz and Megan Slayton with
Bethany, above. Chelsea Holschbach,
right.
Ed is thrilled by Bethany’s honor. “I
always showed cattle so I always aimed
for type without trying to sacrifice a lot of production—those
are the bulls I tried to use,” he says. A veteran semen salesman
had advised him that Wilcoxview Jasper-ET [Bethany’s sire]
was going to be a good bull. “So I jumped on him a little early,
and lucked out–I used him before he ever got hot.”
Since Bethany has been at Heatherstone, she’s calved twice. One
was a Maple Downs-I GW Atwood-ET heifer she was carrying
when they bought her; the other is a heifer, born in April, by
their own Heatherstone Malicious-ET, a high-type genomic bull.
The Holschbachs plan to flush Bethany in her current lactation,
but she’ll have to wait in line for recipients behind her barnmate,
another stellar Holstein: Brookhill Goldwyn Cecile, one of the
few new 95-point cows this year.
The Holschbachs milk 130 Registered Holsteins, with a rolling
herd average of about 30,408 pounds on 2X, with 1,267 pounds
of fat and 973 pounds of protein. Their son Chase, 29, is in
charge of feed and forage production on the farm’s 300 acres.
He has won the World Forage Analysis Superbowl (2012, for
baleage) and often places in the top five.
Heatherstone Enterprises’
farmstead gets a great deal of
attention—it’s a picturesque
dairy along busy Route 12
between Wisconsin Dells and Madison which Valerie’s parents,
Duane and Carol Jean Hegna, bought in 1974. Mike grew up
in Sheboygan County, where his dad managed a show herd and
Mike quickly got involved in showing. After Mike and Valerie
married, he worked for International Holstein Sales and Service
in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, for several years before coming back
and purchasing Heatherstone from the Hegnas in 1994. At 80
years old, Duane still puts in his hours on the farm.
Bethany placed fifth in the Midwest Spring National Show
last year, and at the Midwest Fall National Show, and fourth
at the Wisconsin State Champion Show. “She’s coming into
her own,” Mike says. “We really believe this should be her best
year, because she’s aging very gracefully; she will be a very
competitive aged cow.”
The Holschbachs chalk up their success to attention to detail
and their passion for dairying. “We’re extremely dedicated—it’s
our dedication and the details that I think make a difference,”
Mike says. Valerie agrees. “Mike has an extreme passion for
what he is doing, and that’s the key.”
1313
of which opened last October down the road to milk firstlactation heifers. They raise about 5,500 youngstock along
with growing corn and oats for cattle and 700 acres of
almonds.
H
olstein
Association USA
is pleased to present
our 2015 Herds of
Excellence. These
four outstanding
Holstein herds excel
in production and in
type—three of them
are multi-year winners.
All meet the criteria
listed below.
HERDS OF EXCELLENCE
CRITERIA:
Herds receiving the
award must:
• Be 25 percent above
breed average Mature
Equivalent (ME) for
milk, fat
and protein;
• Have classified within
the last year and have
an actual average
classification score of
83 points or higher;
Cows are housed in freestall barns with outside exercise pens
and milked 3X in a 60-cow rotary parlor, 22 hours a day. The
dairy classifies and uses EASY ID and Holstein tags, as well
as Enlight.
DOUBLE D DAIRY
Harold and Marlene Agresti • Ceres, California
First-Year Honoree • 71.9% Homebred
Average Classification Score: 83.3
ME Averages: 37,677M 1,324F 1,121P
There’s a story behind this dairy’s name,
Double D, which stands for “Danny’s
Dream.” Danny Agresti, who had wanted
to start a dairy, was killed tragically in a car
accident in 1985. But his aspiration lived
on with his father, Harold Agresti, and
Harold’s brother, Don. In 2005, they built a
dairy facility and purchased a herd of 1,000
cows in a dispersal sale.
The dairy is now owned by Harold and
Marlene Agresti (Don Agresti died last
fall), with the help of their grandson,
Dominic Agresti Assali, and their longtime herdsman, Manuel Botelho. With
youngstock from their heifer-raising
operation, the Agrestis have expanded
to milk 4,000 head at two locations, one
The Agrestis have been breeding Registered Holsteins for
eight years, and now have 350 Registered animals, including
120 milking head. They breed for type, feet and legs, udders,
and more than 1,000 pounds of milk.The bulls Deslacs
Offroad and Comestar Outside-ET have had a major
influence on their commercial herd, where they use about
85 percent proven bulls. For current bulls, the Agrestis rely
on Canyon-Breeze At Airlift-ET, Seagull-Bay Supersire-ET,
Aurora Monterey 372-ET, Morningview Mcc Kingboy-ET,
Seagull-Bay Silver-ET, De-Su BKM McCutchen, and Daveco
River B Farve Ettm, just to name a few. The registered herd
is divided between genomic and type/show animals and are
bred accordingly.
The farm’s foundation cow was Pappy’s Goldwyn Reanna,
and she was a gem. “She was a cow that just flat out
transmitted,” says Dominic Agresti-Assali. “If we wanted
show cows, she made them; if we wanted high-numbered
cows, she made them.” Her highest genomic daughter is
Agresti Airnet Reanna-ET TPI 2438. They’re also proud of
another Reanna daughter, Agresti Halogen Reanna GTPI
2535. Their showring star is Zehrview Atwood Dess, raised
at Double D, now owned with the Van Exel family of Lodi,
California, and just named First Senior Three-Year Old
and Intermediate Champion at the 2015 California State
Holstein Show.
(l to r) Harold Agresti, Dominic Agresti-Assali
•Have at least 70
percent of the herd
homebred;
•Be enrolled in the
Association’s TriStar
production records
program.
Thomas J. Kestell • Waldo, Wisconsin
Five-Year Honoree • 76.4% Homebred
Average Classification Score: 83.8
ME Averages: 36,402M 1,555F 1,133P
“If your goal is to be average, you’ll never achieve that,”
Tom Kestell says. “Our goal is not a high herd average—our
goal is to do everything right and let the results speak for
themselves.”
Nevertheless the statistics also speak clearly about the high
quality of this Herd of Excellence. This is the fifth year the
farm has received the honor. Kestell himself was named one
of four 2014 Master Agriculturists in Wisconsin.
Ever-Green-View Farms’ main focus is on genetics, which
make up 75 percent of their farm income, mostly from
embryos. In 2014, they merchandised 2,600 embryos to
several countries around the world, and this year they hope
to sell more. They also merchandise young heifers, bulls, and
milking animals.
Tom was twice awarded the Governor’s Export Award. Last
year he exported 1,300 embryos to a farm in Russia with which
he has a joint venture embryo facility. In April, he traveled to
the dairy summit in Harbin, China.
EVER-GREEN-VIEW FARMS
In 2000, Tom launched the Embryo Share
program to help local Junior Holstein
members and established dairy producers
improve their herds. His Ever-GreenView My 1326-ET, who set a new world
production record in 2009 of 72,190 pounds
of milk (a record still standing today), was a
product of the embryo share program. The Kestells’ top cow family traces back to
Ever-Green-View Elsie-ET 2E-92 GMDDOM, a stellar cow and the grand dam of
Chris Kestell kneeling; Gin Kestell; to her left Jennifer Kestell, Chris’ wife; and Tom Kestell
1414
My 1326-ET. One of Elsie’s great-grandsons, Flevo Genetics Snowman-ET, is a top TPI bull.
Tom believes in Snowman because he likes the way his daughters breed back easily and flush
at an early age; they produce tremendous amounts of milk with high components and low cell
counts. He also uses two bulls that are siring a new wave of Holsteins, Mountfield SSI DCY
Mogul-ET and GenerVations Epic.
Chris, Jennifer, and their son, Will, born
in March, live on the nearby homestead
farm. Tom credits the attitude of Chris and
the other employees at Ever-Green-View
Farms for its accomplishments.
Tom and his wife, Gin, are forming an LLC to pass on the dairy to the next generation: their
son, Chris, and Chris’ wife, Jennifer. They milk 90 Registered Holsteins 3X a day in a tiestall
barn. The rolling herd average is 41,500 pounds of milk, 1,694 pounds of fat, and 1,293
pounds of protein. An additional 40 cows are kept as dry donors.
The dairy is enrolled in Enlight and is on
COMPLETE. They classify regularly: the
Kestells’ BAA is 110.9, which is top in the
nation for herds of 115 animals or more.
She and Steve started out farming 15 years ago with a dream to market genetics, and
gradually turned their grade herd into an all-Registered herd. They participate in Holstein
COMPLETE, use EASY ID and Holstein Tag ID, and classify every seven months.
Today, the Killians breed for type and components. They flush their best cows and use the
rest as recipients. They use almost all young genomic sires, such as Mr Mogul Delta 1427ET, EDG Ruby Mogul 1336, De-Su BKM McCutchen, and Woodcrest Mogul Yoder-ET.
DIRT-ROAD HOLSTEINS
Steve and Amanda Killian • Blair, Wisconsin
5-Year Honoree • 92.3% Homebred
Average Classification Score: 83.3
ME Averages: 32,862M 1,388F 1,099P
Steve and Amanda Killian milk 80 cows
at their Dirt-Road Holsteins. On that size
dairy, every calf counts. “We’re so small that
every possible pregnancy is very exciting and
very important,” says Amanda. Their five
children share in the excitement. “If Mom
isn’t in the barn, the kids won’t have that
interest. The fact that we all love it and the
kids love it, it keeps making it worth it.”
They were skeptical about genomics when they first emerged but were gradually won over,
especially when they started flushing the first embryos from their cow Dirt-Road Goldwyn
Cami-ET. “It became clear that was what the market was going to demand.”
Cami herself is the daughter of Castleholm T Carlo-ET, one of their early good cows, from
a flush to Braedale Goldwyn. “Cami’s daughter, Dirt-Road Shottle Cinderella, is the best we
have had. And her offspring are the best, like Dirt-Road Gerard Cleopatra, who has been in
the Top 100 Females for two years and has made some really nice daughters.”
Amanda grew up in a large family headed by a single mother who farmed. After Amanda’s
first date with Steve, he showed up two days later with a pitchfork to clean out her calf pen.
“I never saw anyone who worked so selflessly, so hard, with such joy. That’s how he is about
all his work. He just loves what he does.”
They bought her mother’s bare-bones farm and with a lot of hard work and little money, they
built a thriving genetics business. “Flushing and buying the best semen supported our vision
and our dream, and that has made a big difference in our success,” Amanda says. She also
gives credit to friends and others in the industry who encouraged them along the way.
Top row: Christian & Sam, Front row: Bo, Steve, Amanda, Jack & Olivia
Randy and Jana Kortus • Lynden, Washington
5-Year Honoree • 100% Homebred
Average Classification Score: 84.2
ME Averages: 36,603M 1,544F 1,075P
Randy Kortus keeps a sharp eye on milking ability when breeding cows. “I never want to lose
sight of production, which you can lose really fast using the wrong bull,” he says. He breeds
for high TPI as well as milk, using such bulls as Yoder-ET, Morningview MCC Kingboy-ET,
Kian-ET, Halogen, Montross-ET, and Pety.
Randy grew up on a commercial dairy five miles from where he lives now. He and his wife,
Jana, have four children, Melissa, Mark, and Matt, who help on the farm, and Michael, who
works and owns cattle at Mainstream. They are proud of their children, and the work ethic
they learned on the farm.
In February, the Kortuses sold 20 young cows to Canada and they now milk 45 Holsteins, 35
Jerseys, and five Ayrshires in a flat barn parlor and house them in a freestall.
Randy’s philosophy is “Make the best of what you have.” His best is pretty darn good: this
is Mainstream's fifth year as a Herd of Excellence. He has received the Progressive Genetics
Award for 24 years. The dairy has classified since the 1970s, and is on Holstein COMPLETE.
Randy speaks highly of the H cow family, which included cow Lor-Les Nugget Hope who
had 60 offspring. Her descendants include Mainstream Manifold, who has bred 14 cows that
have produced more than 300,000 of lifetime milk; most came from the H family.
An especially notable cow is Mainstream OR Candace-ET EX-93, 2E. She has two records:
over 50,000 pounds of milk and 2700 pounds of fat in one lactation (365 days) and 250,000
pounds of lifetime milk. Candace has eight milking daughters in the current herd; all averaged
86 points as young cows with an average age at first calving of 1-11 months, and 38,974
pounds of milk on 2X, 461 fat and 787 protein. She has five sons in AI.
MAINSTREAM HOLSTEINS
Genomics has changed Randy’s breeding
decisions. He seldom used young sires in
the past; today he rarely chooses proven
bulls. But bulls such as Walkway Chief
Mark and Ensenada Taboo Planet-ET and
his sons have also had a huge impact on his
herd and on his H cow family.
Randy says that part of his success comes
from his international traveling and work.
“But no matter where you go, whether
it’s from farm to farm in your community,
internationally, or across the United States,
there’s always something you can learn.”
Randy and Jana Kortus
1515
Chance to
Win a Kindle
W
e’ve rolled out a new set of
National Junior Holstein Contests
for Holstein Junior members in 2015.
Whether you like taking photographs,
cooking, shooting video, or analyzing
genetics, we have something for you to
get involved in.
For each contest, there are three age
divisions. Awards will be given to the
top three individuals in each division,
and the grand prize winner overall will
receive a Kindle Fire.
Details and rules for each contest will be announced and posted as the time gets
nearer. Meanwhile, to get your creative juices flowing, here are descriptions of the
upcoming contests:
Video. Create a short video promoting your dairy farm. Deadline: July 1.
Mating. Choose a mating for a cow, then write an essay discussing why you chose
that particular bull. Deadline: September 1.
Recipe. Enter your favorite dairy recipe, along with instructions on how to make it.
Deadline: November 1.
Photo. Send a photo that captures today’s Registered Holstein industry with creativity
and flair. Deadline: January 1, 2016.
The acrostic contest is underway now—we should be announcing the winners in
mid-May. The essay contest was held earlier this year. The division winners were:
Intermediate: Dawson Nickels, Watertown, Wisconsin —“The Holstein Breeder I
Would Want to Have Dinner With.”
Junior Division: John Achen, Aberdeen, South Dakota—“Milk is the Real MVP.”
Senior Division: Tony Lopes, Gustine, California—“Registering Your Success.”
The Grand Prize winner was John Achen.
Congrat
ulat
ions
to our 2015 DJM SEMIFINALISTS AND YDJM FINALISTS!
Say hello to our Distinguished Junior Member (DJM)
semifinalists and Young Distinguished Junior Member (YDJM)
finalists. These are the highest honors that a Junior Holstein
Association member can receive, and recognize outstanding
youth and their involvement with the Holstein youth.
The twelve DJM seminfinalists will interview at the National
Holstein Convention, June 23-26, in St. Charles, Illinois. Six
Anna Culbertson
Minnesota
David Hardesty, Jr.
Virginia
Hannah Douglas
New York
Elizabeth Endres
Amber Gabel
WisconsinPennsylvania
Kayla Krueger
Kathryn Osborne
Caitlyn Pool
Wisconsin PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
Jessica Pralle
Megan Rauen
Andy Sell
Jacob Shaffer
WisconsinIowaWisconsinPennsylvania
finalists will receive annual renewed memberships to
Holstein Association USA.
All Junior Holstein members between
the ages of 17 and 21 are eligible to
apply for DJM recognition. For more
information about DJM or other Holstein youth
programs, go to www.holsteinusa.com/juniors.
Nicholas Achen
Nathan Arthur
Matthew Boop
South DakotaIowa Pennsylvania
Connor Erbsen
Illinois
Brock Irwin
Illinois
Isabelle Leonard Rachel McCullough Dawson Nickels Virginia
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
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