World Dairy Diary

Calvin and Lorraine Covington, Clemmons, N.C., made a contribution in memory of Norma “Duffy” Lyon, Toledo, Iowa. Known the world over as “the Butter Cow Lady,” Duffy was named an AJCA Honorary Member in 2007 and was World Dairy Expo’s Dairywoman of the Year in 1990.

Memorial gifts were also received honoring Neal F. Schirm, Canal Winchester, Ohio. A lifelong Jersey breeder, Schirm served as Director of the American Jersey Cattle Club and received the AJCA Distinguished Service Award in 2004. He was one of the founders and original delegates to the Central Ohio Breeders Association. Making contributions were J. Lawrence and Barbara C. Benson, New Lebanon, N.Y.; Frank and Diane Bordonaro, Mineral Ridge, Ohio; Arlene Chamberlain, Wyoming, N.Y.; COBA/Select Sires, Inc., Columbus, Ohio; Mary S. Creek, Hagerstown, Md.; D. Todd and Kelly J. Kranz, Dublin, Ohio; Lawrence E. and Betty E. Neel, Lancaster, Ohio; the Ohio Jersey Breeders Association Inc.; Jeanne and Harold Schacht, Canal Winchester, Ohio; and Wickstrom Jersey Farms, Inc., Hilmar, Calif.

In Australia, seven flavors (Peach, Blueberry, Strawberry, Vanilla, Mango, Passion Fruit, and Pineapple) are available in Woolworths stores throughout New South Wales.

In Canada, five flavors (Black Cherry, Strawberry, Peach, Plain and Pomegranate) are available at a variety of Loblaw banner stores in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton. Loblaw Cos. Ltd. will serve as the test market retail partner in the Greater Toronto Area for a one-year period.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport, 3220 S 48th St, Phoenix, AZ 85040, with a $119 rate, which is available until January 3, 2012; to make a reservation, visit the hotel’s web site and use the group code “HOL”. To RSVP for the lunch, contact Kelli Dunklee at 800.952.5200, ext. 4124, or kdunklee@holstein.com.

Agenda items include:

• “Introduction to Genomics and How It Can Be Useful to Commercial Dairymen,” Dr. Roger Shanks, Holstein Association USA Dairy Genetics Consultant.
• Update from Holstein Association USA, CEO John M. Meyer
• “What Can AgriTech Analytics Do For You?,” Bill VerBoort, General Manager of AgriTech Analytics. AgriTech Analytics (ATA) is a dairy records processing center owned by Holstein Association USA, based in Visalia, Calif., that offers a variety of services for dairy producers across the country.
• “Practical Applications for Genomics on a Large-Scale Dairy Operation,” John Andersen, Manager of Dairy Operations for the Aardema Group.

Jim Quist, Fresno, Calif., will chair the Sale Committee, succeeding Corey Lutz, Lincolnton, N.C., who will serve as the 2012 associate general chairman. The 2012 associate chair for the sale committee will be Pat Gourley, Portland, Ore.

Chair of the Open Show Committee will be Joshua Gordon, Warsaw, Ind. Named associate chair was C. Neal Smith, Smyrna, Tenn.

Wesley Blankenship, Jackson, Tenn., will chair the meeting of the Junior Activities Committee, with William Grammer, Sebring, Ohio, serving as the associate chair. Also serving on this committee will be the 2011 National Jersey Queen, Cassy Krull, Lake Mills, Wis.

“For the millions of Americans who live with lactose intolerance, Yoplait Lactose Free yogurt delivers worry-free consumption with the great taste expected from Yoplait,” General Mills added.

Much of the checkoff’s success is achieved through its business strategy of partnering with industry leaders, including McDonald’s® and Domino’s Pizza®.

The new calf grower feed was developed for calves raised on AMPLI-Calf® starter feed. When fed AMPLI-Calf® grower feed vs. traditional grower feed during weeks 12-24, calves gained 70 lbs more, grew longer and taller, and had better average daily gains and feed efficiency. The Young Animal team led by Dr. Dari Brown ensured that the product feeding amounts and inclusion of hay are optimal for rumen development in calves. Land O’Lakes Purina Feed patented its breakthrough system and method for feeding ruminants based on rumen morphology.

“For my family and our company, we are deeply saddened by his passing,” said company President Carmine Catalana IV, the oldest of the Catalana siblings. “He led our company for many, many years. Without his leadership, both our family and our company would not be where we are today.”

The storied history of Cumberland Dairy begins back in Bridgeton, N.J. in 1933. Charles Catalana and his wife Elizabeth formed the business in a garage at their home on South Avenue.

Carmine had grown up in the family business, spending three years with Cumberland Dairy before joining the U.S. Army in 1951 during the Korean War years. He returned from the service in 1954 and partnered with his parents to expand the business, which boomed in the following decades.

In 1974, McDonald’s called upon Catalana and Cumberland Dairy to pump up their production when the company’s main dairy supplier fell through. McDonald’s eventually offered Cumberland Dairy as many stores as it could handle. Cumberland Dairy later became a full-service distributor and processor for the company — a relationship that would stretch over three decades.

In 1985, Cumberland Dairy gained nationwide attention for installing an ultra-high temperature pasteurization system that gave products a longer shelf-life.

Some of his many appointments included the board of directors of the New Jersey Food Processors Association and past president of the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey.

The CME’s Daily Dairy Report attributes the increases to good weather but does note concerns about feed quality. October was revised to 15.2 billion pounds, up 1 million from the first guess and 2.5% more than October 2010. Production per cow averaged 1,738 pounds, 16 pounds more than November 2010.

The number of milk cows in the 23 top producing states was 8.48 million head, unchanged on the month and up 108,000 on the year. The U.S. total was 9.216 million head, down on the year and the first decline since the last CWT cull in August 2010.

California was the top producer at 3.343 billion pounds, 2.4% ahead of a year ago, followed by Wisconsin at 2.094 billion pounds, up 1.6%, and Idaho at 1.065 billion pounds, an increase of 1.7%.

Amber Ettinger, daughter of Ed and Cheryl Ettinger of Kinards, S.C., is the winner of the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest. A junior majoring in dairy science at Virginia Tech, she has completed 14 years with Jersey youth projects. Over that time, she has developed a herd of 28 cows and 25 heifers with the cows averaging 19,265 lbs. milk, 892 lbs. fat and 663 lbs. protein, mature equivalent, in 2010. For the past three years, Amber has placed first in the South Carolina Jersey Production Contest. In 2010, she was second alternate in the National Jersey Queen Contest.

Ranking second was Kyle Schirm, the son of Paul and Dawn Schirm, West Salem, Ohio. By making key purchases at the Pot O’Gold Sale and more recently utilizing sexed semen, he now owns 19 cows and 11 heifers. The average of 11 lactation records completed in 2010 was 17,589 lbs. milk, 818 lbs. fat and 648 lbs. protein, with four of his cows scored Excellent. Selected for the first Jersey Youth Academy, Kyle is majoring in finance at Ashland University. In 2010, Kyle received the Peter Jackson Scholarship and earned his American FFA Degree.

Third place went to Cassandra Chittenden, a fourth-generation Jersey breeder from Schodack Landing, N.Y., and daughter of Brian and Beth Chittenden. She now owns a herd of 28 cows, averaging 20,381 lbs. milk, 1,003 lbs. fat and 709 lbs. protein in 2010. She is a sophomore at Cornell University, majoring in animal sciences with plans to minor in agribusiness. As a student at Cornell, she is a member of the Red Carpet Society, an organization that hosts prospective students and provides guests with college experiences. Cassandra was a member of the first class of Jersey Youth Academy classes and received numerous state and national scholarships last year.

Ranking fourth through tenth in the contest were:

• Kelli Ann Carstensen, a junior at California Polytechnic State University majoring in dairy science with an agribusiness minor with plans to attend law school.
• Stacey A. Theobald, the daughter of Charles and Amy Theobald, Creamton, Pa. Stacey is a student at Penn State University majoring in animal science.
• Cassandra Krull, the daughter of Cindy Krull and the late Brian Krull of Lake Mills, Wis. She is a freshman at Allen County Community College in Kansas, majoring in agribusiness.
• Kara Maxwell, daughter of John Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa. During her 13 years of participation in Jersey youth activities, she has developed a herd of 22 cows and 24 heifers with the cows averaging 20,065 lbs. milk, 1,021 lbs. fat and 760 lbs. protein.
• Tera Koebel, daughter of Terry and Jennie Koebel, of Three Oaks, Mich. She is a senior at Michigan State University majoring in agribusiness management.
• Avery Lutz, daughter of Wayne and Karen Lutz, Mocksville, N.C. A student at New River Community College Avery has achieved considerable success with her Jerseys.
• Corbin Wood, son of Steve and Christine Wood, Littlestown, Pa. He is a sophomore at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, associated with Penn State University, majoring in building construction technology.

Leading the way this proof run with a new high GTPI InSire (genomically selected sire) CRV has 97HO40312 Lowlands HIGHLIGHT-ET (Man-O-Man x Goldwyn). He hails from the famous US cow family Leadmae. This sire combines extreme components at .10% fat and .07% with sound feet and legs, for all around performance. With a PTAT of over three points and solid udder composite, HIGHLIGHT assures increased dairyness and high, wide and firmly attached udders. In addition, HIGHLIGHT offers excellent calving ease at 6%.

097HO40560 Brandt-View CORNELIUS-ET provides a distinct pedigree with no Shottle or Goldwyn, and over 2200 GTPI. As a Superstition x Colby son, this bull will greatly improve productive life and longevity. CORNELIUS’s dam produced almost 40,000 pounds of milk in her last lactation, and his proof shows he will pass this along to daughters. He also garners an udder composite score of 2.84, producing outstanding udders.

Lots of production, NM$ and high GTPI are combined in InSire 097HO40535 Windsor-Manor ZP REDFORD (Robust x Planet). At over 2050 pounds of milk and a total of 130 pounds combined fat and protein, REDFORD is a CRV leader in NM$ at $774. Besides high production and components, he sires daughters with high and wide rear udders and sound type, with great productive life.

Show type and high TPI daughter proven sire, 097HO08287 Aurora ORMSBY (Shottle x O-Man) makes deep bodied, strong daughters with enhanced capacity. Balanced production traits and positive DPR make ORMSBY one of the stronger Shottle sons to date. He is a no holes kind of bull that works in any breeding goal.

CRV’s first homozygous polled InSire bull, 097HO40584 De Vrendt PAULUS RC PP (Mitey P x Lawn Boy P) has promise at over 1900 GTPI , being one of the top polled bulls in the industry. All of his offspring will be polled. Another polled favorite is new InSire with high components of .10% fat and .07% protein, 097HO40386 Delta FOXTROT RC P (Mitey-P x O-Man). A balanced proof with calving ease works great on a heifer pen.

With the use of genomics, CRV is able to identify outliers of the breed beyond the traditional high performing pedigrees and have the first InSire available in the US from this search. Also part of Diversity (bulls below 4.7% Expected Future Inbreeding) is 097HO40368 Delta EDISON (Peinzer Boy x Paramount). His outcross pedigree sets him apart among the rest, as well as being a foot and leg expert and protein improver.

The deadline to apply for scholarships, sponsored by the Center for Dairy Excellence and Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, is Jan. 13. Winners will be notified by Jan. 17.

To be eligible, applicants must operate a dairy farm, be employed on a dairy farm or be enrolled in an agricultural degree program in a college or trade school. All applicants will receive a Workforce Investment Board discount and must agree to attend and pay a $25 registration fee.

Scholarships are also on a first-come, first-served basis for Dairy Leader Scholarship winners to offset hotel costs. Up to 25 one- or two-night hotel scholarships are available at a maximum value each of $220, or $110 per night, and may be used only on Feb. 7 and/or 8, 2011.

The Pennsylvania Dairy Summit is hosted jointly by the center and the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania. Supporting partners are the Penn State Extension Dairy Team and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Farming has always been in the Maddox’s blood. The RuAnn prefix is a combination of his parents’ names: Rufus and Annie. For the past 54 years, he grew the family enterprise, and together RuAnn and Maddox Dairies have over 5,000 registered Holstein cows, with over 12,000 total animals. Over the years, Doug and his family exported dairy cattle and semen to over 40 countries. To this day, they still harvest between 3,000 and 4,000 embryos each year. A gifted entrepreneur, Maddox also farmed 10,000 acres. Of that total, 5,000 acres is vineyards and almonds, with the remainder used as cropland for the dairy herd.

Doug dedicated a great deal of time to the industry. Just this summer he committed time to travel to Washington, D.C., to discuss pending dairy legislation with Senators and Representatives. As a leader, Doug gave guidance to many organizations including: the Riverdale District School Board, National DHIA, the California Department of Food and Agriculture State Board, the California Milk Marketing Producer Review Board, and Holstein Association USA. He is past president of both California DHIA and Holstein Association USA.