World Dairy Diary

Awards will cover the cost of travel documents, roundtrip air fares and ground transportation, registration and all other conference fees for the week of the conference. The recipients will also be awarded lifetime membership of the World Jersey Cattle Bureau.

Award recipients agree to attend all conference sessions and make a short presentation (approximately 20 minutes) while at the conference during a Young Breeders focus session. Following the conference, they are expected to report on their experience and what they learned, both in a written report submitted to the WJCB President, and through speeches to Jersey, dairy and other agriculture-related groups in their home country. A final report on activities is to be submitted to the WJCB President no later than six months after the conference.

Applications consist of a résumé, clearly summarizing work experience in dairy farming, experience with Jersey cattle, and formal education, and an essay of 750 words describing personal ambitions in the dairy industry with Jersey cattle, and stating reasons for attending the conference. Two letters of recommendation must also be submitted. Deadline is Monday, September 20, 2010.

On the River Valley Dairy page, visitors will join fellow Jersey enthusiasts already following the happenings at River Valley Dairy. The page includes: Hundreds of cow pictures; Show-ring snapshots and coverage; Pictures and videos of the farm; Weekly updates from the dairy and Interaction with other followers of the page.

Applicants must be a junior or life member of the American Jersey Cattle Association upon submitting their application. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) is required to apply for these scholarships. A copy of the applicant’s high school or college transcript must be included with the application form.

A Russell–Malnati Scholarship for Advanced Studies of $5,000 will be awarded. Undergraduate students who have completed at least one-half of coursework credit hours required for a degree in dairy science, animal science (dairy emphasis), large animal veterinary practice, dairy production or manufacturing, or dairy product marketing, and graduate students in those program areas are eligible to apply.

The William A. Russell Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 will be presented to a student who will begin a program of study at an accredited college or university in the fall of 2010.

The Cedarcrest Scholarship of $1,500 will be awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student seeking a degree in large animal veterinary practice, dairy production, dairy manufacturing, or dairy product marketing.

Also to be awarded is the $1,500 Bob Toole Jersey Youth Award, which can be used for either college expenses or a well-defined practical experience related to breeding, developing and showing Registered Jerseys™.

The V. L. Peterson Scholarship and Paul Jackson Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to students who have completed at least one year of college or university work. The award amount for each scholarship is $1,000.

Residents of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia who are at least high school graduates, but not older than 36 years of age as of January 1, are eligible to apply for the Reuben R. Cowles Jersey Youth Award. Applicants must state whether the award money will be used for to support their education or to fund a trip to the All American Jersey Show and Sale, the AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings or other Jersey educational activities. The value of this award is variable; for 2009, it was $1,000.

Kim Wilson started her eight-week internship with Jersey Marketing Service on May 10 assisting with the Illinois Invitational Sale. Her experience will include herd visits with JMS Manager Dan Bauer, working in the national Jersey headquarters, and traveling to Oregon to work on the crew for the 53rd National Heifer Sale, June 26.

Wilson is a rising senior at Oklahoma State University, majoring in animal science with an option in livestock merchandising. She lives and works at the school’s dairy cattle center, is a student supervisor and has assisted with research trials to evaluate calf starters. She was a member of the OSU dairy judging team that placed ninth in the 2009 national intercollegiate contest, and also the Neosho FFA team that was national champion in 2006.

For her on-farm Stout Experience, Ivy M. Roberts will intern at the 700-cow Registered Jersey™ dairy owned by AJCA Director Bill Grammer and family near Sebring, Ohio.

Born and raised on a Kansas farm, he graduated from Kansas State University. In 1939, he was selected by the Borden Company to work at the company’s exhibit at the 1939 New York World’s Fair where he cared for the famous “Elsie” the Borden cow. Cavanaugh is shown in the photo during a 2007 reunion of the Borden Boys in New York. During World War II, he flew 50 missions as a bomber pilot. Cavanaugh joined the Hoard’s Dairyman editorial staff prior to entering military service and remained on the staff until 1947 when he joined the national Jersey association as assistant secretary.

Soon after Cavanaugh’s retirement from the American Jersey Cattle Association, Cavanaugh was persuaded to accept an 18-month appointment as secretary-treasurer of the American Guernsey Association on January 1, 1986. Then Cavanaugh was named acting secretary of National DHIA in April 1987 and stayed on until March 1, 1988.

Cavanaugh served as President of National Dairy Shrine in 1962. In 1975, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Dairy Science Association, and, in 1977, was World Dairy Expo Industry Person of the Year. The very next year he was honored as the National Dairy Shrine Guest of Honor.

Demonstrations or speeches are to focus on any phase of the Registered Jersey™ business, including current affairs and dairy industry trends. Judges will evaluate the speaker’s personal interest in the topic, as well as its appropriateness for a general dairy audience.

Participants will be divided into groups by their age on January 1, 2010 as follows: Division I, 7 to 10 years; Division II, 11 to 13 years; Division III, 14 to 16; and Division IV, 17 to 20 years. Division I contestants present demonstrations between four (4) and six (6) minutes in length. Posters may be used in addition to demonstration materials.

Participants in Divisions II, III and IV present speeches between five (5) and seven (7) minutes in length. Visual aids are not allowed. Speaker notes are permitted. No more than four (4) 4″ x 6″ notecards may be used. Judges will ask questions after each presentation is completed. Judging will be open for viewing by interested parties.

Contestants will be scored on the basis of 50 points, as follows: topic selection and content, 15 points; organization of speech, 10 points; vocal presentation, 10 points; presentation and effectiveness, 10 points; and response to questions, 5 points. One (1) point will be subtracted from the total point score for each 30 seconds over or under the required speaking time.

Entries may also be made in the category of narrated video or PowerPoint presentations. This presentation must be the contestant’s own production and have been created between September 1, 2009 and June 1, 2010.

The topic must be a subject directly related to Registered Jerseys™. Entries must be between five (5) and seven (7) minutes long, and feature the contestant as the only speaker. No costumes may be used, and no interviews with other persons are allowed. Musical tracks or background music cannot be used in these presentations.

Entries will be divided into three groups by contestant age on January 1, 2010: Division I, ages 7 to 12 years; Division II, ages 13 to 16; and Division III, age 17 and older.

Applicants must be a junior or life member of the American Jersey Cattle Association upon submitting their application. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) is required to apply for these scholarships. A copy of the applicant’s high school or college transcript must be included with the application form.

A Russell–Malnati Scholarship for Advanced Studies of $5,000 will be awarded. Undergraduate students who have completed at least one-half of coursework credit hours required for a degree in dairy science, animal science (dairy emphasis), large animal veterinary practice, dairy production or manufacturing, or dairy product marketing, and graduate students in those program areas are eligible to apply.

The William A. Russell Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 will be presented to a student who will begin a program of study at an accredited college or university in the fall of 2010.

The Cedarcrest Scholarship of $1,500 will be awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student seeking a degree in large animal veterinary practice, dairy production, dairy manufacturing, or dairy product marketing.

Also to be awarded is the $1,500 Bob Toole Jersey Youth Award, which can be used for either college expenses or a well-defined practical experience related to breeding, developing and showing Registered Jerseys™.

The V. L. Peterson Scholarship and Paul Jackson Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to students who have completed at least one year of college or university work. The award amount for each scholarship is $1,000.

Residents of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia who are at least high school graduates, but not older than 36 years of age as of January 1, are eligible to apply for the Reuben R. Cowles Jersey Youth Award. Applicants must state whether the award money will be used for to support their education or to fund a trip to the All American Jersey Show and Sale, the AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings or other Jersey educational activities. The value of this award is variable; for 2009, it was $1,000.

To apply, submit a one-page résumé listing work experience, skills and relevant qualifications. In a separate cover letter state the option you wish to apply for (JMS, on-farm internship, or both). Discuss your ambitions, goals and career aspirations, including plans for achieving them. Summarize your previous experience with and continued interest in Registered Jersey(tm) cattle. Explain how and why the Fred Stout Experience will be of benefit to you in achieving your goals.

Applicants must also request two letters of support, one from an active breeder of Registered Jersey(tm) (excluding immediate family members), and the other from a teacher, mentor or past employer. These must be mailed directly by the supporters to the AJCA office. Applications and letters of support must be postmarked no later than February 1, 2010 and addressed to Fred Stout Experience, American Jersey Cattle Association, 6486 E. Main Street, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-2362.

The seminar, also to be broadcast as a live webinar, will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 13 at the Concourse Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio. The program is being held in conjunction with the winter meetings of the directors of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., and the 2010 planning meetings for The All American Jersey Show & Sale.

Since beginning his career in 1971 as a USDA research geneticist, Pearson has been a prolific scientific author and contributor to the success of the worldwide dairy industry. He has been honored by the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) with the J.L. Lush Award for outstanding contribution in dairy genetics. He also received a National Association of Animal Breeders award for outstanding research and the AJCA-NAJ Meritorious Service Award in 2009 for his research focused on developing selection tools based on their impact on improving herd profitability.

A record 87,911 lactations were processed by the AJCA. This was a gain of 9,687 records (12.4%) over the previous year, and also represents a 22% increase in records processed since 2007.

2009 caps a decade of dramatic Jersey breed growth:

· A 50% increase in registrations from 63,776 in 2000 to the December 31, 2009 final count of 95,557;

· A 41% increase in performance program enrollments from 92,369 cows in 2000 to 130,810 on December 31, 2009;

· A 50% increase in REAP cow enrollments from 84,448 cows in 2000 to 127,023 on December 31, 2009; and

Distinguished Service Award – is bestowed upon as many living AJCA members and/or members’ families, who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, have rendered outstanding and unselfish service for many years and thereby have made a notable contribution to the advancement of the Jersey breed in the United States.

Award for Meritorious Service – is bestowed annually upon a living individual, who, in the joint opinion of the Boards of Directors of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., has made a notable contribution to the advancement of the Jersey breed and the livelihood of Jersey owners in the United States through research, education, development, marketing, or other significant activities of the allied dairy industry.

Submit letter of application and résumé to Kimberly A. Billman, Editor, Jersey Journal, American Jersey Cattle Association, 6486 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-2362. Applications may also be submitted by fax at 614.861.8040 or by email with “Assistant Editor” in the Subject Line of the message.

The National Jersey Queen Scholarship Fund was established in 2005 by a group of Jersey women interested in expanding travel and educational opportunities for the National Jersey Queen and members of the court. It provided a $500 scholarship and travel support to three national Jersey events for 2008 National Jersey Queen, Kristin Hogan, Tillamook, Ore. Scholarships of $300 and $200, respectively, were also provided to the two alternate Queens: Julie Ann Ozburn, Nolensville, Tenn., and Katie Wirkus, Athens, Wis.

The National Jersey Queen contest is held in conjunction with The All American Jersey Shows and Sales, scheduled for November 7 through 10 in Louisville, Ky. Over the two-day contest, the contestants complete a general dairy knowledge test, are interviewed by a panel of judges, and prepare a two-minute video presentation demonstrating their public speaking skills.

The judge of the 2007 All American Jersey Show, Wayne Sliker, St. Paris, Ohio, will return to Freedom Hall to place entries in the 56th National Jersey Jug Futurity. Sliker is well known in the dairy industry as a judge and Brown Swiss breeder. Previous judging assignments include more than 40 national shows in the U.S. and Canada, plus exhibitions in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Italy, Japan and Mexico. His consultant will be Chris Lahmers, Marysville, Ohio.

The National Jersey Jug Futurity is the oldest and richest class for dairy cattle. Premiums for the 2009 show are estimated at over $10,000.

The judge for The All American Junior Jersey Show will be Herby D. Lutz, Chester, S.C. Judge for the National Jersey Jug Futurity in 2000, 2009 will be his debut in the junior show ring. Lutz has officiated at many state fairs and national shows in Australia, Brazil and Colombia. Lutz developed the Sunny Day Jersey and Guernsey operation, then in 2001 became manager of Jersey Marketing Service manager. He is now sire analyst with Select Sires Inc. Herby and his wife, Amanda, own and operate Her-Man Jerseys. Craig Padgett, Waynesburg, Ky., will be the consultant.

President James Ahlem, Hilmar, Calif., will call the 51st annual meeting of National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ) to order at 7:30 a.m. EDT on Thursday, July 2. The company reported all-time member participation in its Equity program for 2008. The NAJ subsidiary Jersey Marketing Service, reported its fourth best year in history at $9.4 million in public auction and private treaty sales.

At the conclusion of this meeting, Dr. Chad Mueller and Garrett Tschida of Oregon State University will present findings from their NAJ-funded research on the growth and development of Jersey steers.

The annual meeting of the World Jersey Cattle Bureau is scheduled for Friday, July 3, with Dr. Gonzalo Maldonado of Colombia presiding. Evening activities will be held at Sycamore Hill Gardens, Marcellus, N.Y. There, Kathy Guidi, maitre fromager and the founder and president of Artisan Cheese Marketing of Toronto, will talk about opportunities for Jersey milk cheeses in the fast-growing artisan retail segment.

Then, at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, president David Chamberlain of Wyoming, N.Y., will conduct the 141st annual meeting of the American Jersey Cattle Association. Executive Secretary & CEO Neal Smith will report on the multiple all-time records set by the company in 2008.

That will be followed by the 52nd National Heifer Sale at the Empire Expo Center in Syracuse. Consignments include 50 Jersey heifers ranked in the top 10% of the breed today for genetic merit. Jersey Marketing Service will manage the sale.

William and Carolyn Ahlem, Sabino Ahlem Herrera, D.V.M., and Ed Fisher will receive the Master Breeder Award. The Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Dr. Robert C. and Helene Z. Dreisbach, Mercer, Penna. And, the AJCA-NAJ Award for Meritorious Service will be presented to Ronald E. Pearson, Ph.D., Blacksburg, Va.

The Young Jersey Breeder Award is presented by the American Jersey Cattle Association to individuals or couples who are at least 28 years old and under the age of 40 on January 1 of the year nominated, who merit recognition for their expertise in dairy farming, breeding Jersey cattle, participation in programs of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., and leadership in Jersey and other dairy and agriculture organizations.

“Beef operations have an interest in feeding Jersey calves for meat production due to the low input costs and the propensity to generate high quality, marbled carcasses,” Dr. Mueller explained in 2007. “However, due to a lack of known growth parameters, feedlot operators are simply using trial-and-error to feed out these calves. This has resulted in over-conditioned carcasses and reduced growth efficiencies, both of which have limited the usefulness of Jersey steers in feedlot operations.”

Berry has also worked as professional paramedic since 2006, after completing the EMT Paramedic Certificate program at Lansing Community College in Michigan. He earned academic honors in all semesters, and ACLS, PALS, PHTLS and CPR certifications.

The association has evaluated 31,327 cows through the first four months of 2009, 23% ahead of the same period in the record-setting year of 2008.