L-R: DREAM-MAKER, Jordan photo; Hirds Colton Dream (E-97%), dam of DREAM-MAKER, Jordan photo; Hirds Colton Dream (E-97%), senior and grand champion, GJPI™ senior champion, premier performance winner and first place lifetime cheese merit cow, All-American Jersey Show, 2021, Cowsmopolitan photos.
Backed by the cow that swept the 2021 All-American Jersey Show and the sire of current show-winning cows, DREAM-MAKER is sure to help you land in the winner’s circle. The udder potential is extremely promising with this stacked pedigree and elite JUI ranking.
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Hitting
Jubies! 24 KILGUS DAIRY AND FARMSTEAD
Jersey cows, Jersey sires, and much, much more!
A
by Carla Panciera
On the Cover:
Gracing our Fall cover is Kilgus Chrome Maci-ET (EX-94%), a leading lady at Kilgus Dairy and Farmstead, IL. She is the epitome of their breeding philosophy - strength & width with great production while being stylish. Her sons, Mustang & Matcha, are headliners of the new Kilgus Jersey Elite Sires lineup.
Media Manager & Subscriptsion (209) 202.5709 · eneves@cowsmo.com
CATHY BEWLEY
(570) 575-0454
“Chance favors the prepared mind.” ~ LOUIS PASTEUR
from the editor
Be Ready When The Luck Happens!
I’ve got to fess up. I stole the title of this editorial from an upcoming book written by Ina Garten. You may recognize her name from her Food Network show or from her many, many cookbooks as The Barefoot Contessa. I love Ina and I can’t wait to read her memoir. She’s a person who’s changed course in her life, and took the chance to grab the brass ring when the opportunity presented itself.
It was serendipitous that I saw that title, as I’ve had some thoughts tumbling around in my brain in these days leading up to World Dairy Expo. It’s our industry Super Bowl and our Homecoming Week. I follow all the social media posts that show people loading trucks and trailers, and hitting the road for a ten or twenty or even thirty hour trip. (As a Wisconsin native, I’m spoiled by my proximity to Madison, and I stand in awe of you road warriors.)
I’ve been thinking of the time and effort put into those cattle through the whole year, whether they are odds-on favorites to win a class or not. It brings to mind conversations with so many outstanding cow people over the years that talked about controlling what you can when you get to a big, deep show like Expo or the Royal. Keeping cows on a schedule, and doing the things to help them relax, eat, and sleep.
And yet, there’s always something that happens that’s outside of your control. It’s why so many of those expert cow people always mentioned needing some luck, along with all the preparation, to claim the highest prizes. Maybe your best animal doesn’t catch the bug that’s going around the barn, she doesn’t take that bad step on the washrack, you don’t get that flat tire, the show runs on time instead of hours late - all the things that can go wrong, but don’t, make it much more possible to fulfill that dream of having an Expo winner.
Now, I’m a big believer in preparation making your own luck to a point, but I’ve also witnessed the vicissitudes of luck, both good and bad, when showing cattle. But let’s say everything goes perfectly and you grab that blue or purple ribbon. Are you ready for the positive possibilities of that good fortune? What if somebody asks a price for her - before or after the show? Do you want to sell her? Do you have that number in mind? Do you have something you can consign to an upcoming sale that can capitalize on your showring success?
Strike while the iron is hot!
This also applies to those of us working the trade show in allied industry. What if that big whale of a customer stops by your booth? Do you have your product information in order? A business card handy, whether paper or digital? Do you have a ‘big whale’ proposal sketched out in your mind that you can offer to them? Have you ever watched Shark Tank where the entrepreneurs presenting have that ‘deer in the headlights’ look once the Sharks start proposing deals? They haven’t thought out the various possible scenarios ahead of time, and it shows.
If you’re looking for a job, it’s a great place to do some exploring and networking. What if a company shows interest in you? Do you have a resume you can give them? Do you have the contact info for a couple of references that you give them immediately? The energy of Expo is advantageous to those who can move and deliver quickly. Once people have packed up their cattle or their booths and headed home, it’s much harder to get them to act or to commit.
It can be a tremendous place to do business. Be ready when the luck happens for you!
Come visit us at the Cowsmopolitan booth - MC 55-56 - in the Coliseum! We can’t wait to say hello!
Kathleen
HOLY-P, Thomas photo; Siemers Lstr Hanan
Farmgirl Photography photos.
As you drive through the rolling farmland of Maryland, you’d be forgiven if you started thinking it’s a farmer’s heaven on earth. Green fields, rail or stone fences, trees, ponds - it’s one of the prettiest places you will find for a dairy farm. Add to that the legacy of Maryland purebred dairy cattle breeders - for a relatively small geographical state, it’s had a weighty influence on all the dairy breeds. Farms here tend to be held in a family for generations if possible, and say something nice about everyone, because many of these breeders are related in a ‘cousins’ web that seems to stretch across the state.
And right in the middle, in the north central town of Union Bridge, you’ll find Peace & Plenty Farm, home of the Schwartzbecks. Originally located in Gaithersburg, MD, on the outskirts of Washington DC, where the Schwartzbeck family had been for generations, Joe started milking some Holsteins and Jerseys when he was 16 years old. He sold the canned cream from the Jerseys and fed the skim milk to the hogs they raised. He went from shipping Class B milk to Class A milk, and in 1968, Joe and Nona Schwartzbeck and their children relocated Peace & Plenty Farm to Union Bridge.
At their new place in Carroll County, the Schwartzbecks settled in and got to work building their operation and breeding a herd of Registered Holsteins. Fellow Carroll County Holstein breeder Marlin Hoff of Coldsprings Farm taught Joe a lot about feeding cattle and experimenting with total mixed ration. Then, as now, the secret to good cows was feeding them well.
Hitting tHe spotligHt witH tHe Jubies!
The farm grew over the next 55 years to the size it is today, where the Schwartzbecks farm about 1200 acres of land, mainly no-till, planted in corn, alfalfa hay, timothy hay, soybeans and wheat. The 245-cow Holstein herd is primarily housed in a 180cow freestall barn and two compost pack barns, and all the cows have access to pasture or exercise lots at all times. There are 600 total head on the farm currently, including heifers.
Currently, the farm is owned by Joe and Nona Schwartzbeck and their son and daughter-in-law, Gus and Lisa Schwartzbeck. Gus and Lisa’s children, Davis, Aubrey, and Austin, are all involved with the farm.
Gus tackles a large amount of the cropping, and the normal day-to-day chores of the operation. Lisa manages the calves and heifers together with Austin. Davis is the farm’s main herdsman, and manages the herd health. Along caring for the young stock, Austin is handling more field work, and is also the farm’s spokesperson at meetings and public events. Aubrey and Austin’s wife, Lauren, help with heifer chores and work with the show heifer program. David Miller is a full-time feed man for almost 30 years and Gus’s brother, Shane, assists with feeding part-time. Nona still takes care of the finances and Joe oversees all the field work.
At Peace & Plenty, cow care is the number one priority on the farm. The cows are housed in a freestall barn with mattresses. They also have a newer loose housing barn for the dry cows. Fresh cows and the show cows are also kept in Peace & Plenty was named Premier Breeder at the 2024 Eastern Fall National Holstein Show. They exhibited 6 heifers and 6 cows in the top 5!
“YOU SEE THE TREMENDOUS DAIRY STRENGTH AND OPENNESS OF RIB IN GENERATION AFTER GENERATION. THEY’RE NOT PANSIES. THEY HOLD THEIR OWN OUT IN THE FREESTALL - THEY DON’T GET BUMPED AROUND AT THE FEED BUNK. THE JUBIES HAVE CONSISTENTLY GOOD UDDERS, AND THEY MILK AND MATURE REALLY WELL.
DAVIS SCHWARTZBECK
a special barn to receive extra attention. Recent improvements include a new calf barn that has elevated their calf care efforts, a new weaning barn that allows them to transition calves with a less stress, and a new bred heifer barn that has increased animal comfort and cleanliness. Currently, they ship over 2,000 gallons of milk a day to Maryland Virginia Milk Producers, where they have been members since 1985.
As Holstein breeders, the Schwartzbecks have bred close to 200 Excellent cows. As a family, they’ve always enjoyed taking a string out to the shows, and they have been regular participants at the Maryland Spring Show, Maryland State Fair, and the AllAmerican Dairy Show in Harrisburg, PA for years, with countless All-Maryland winners and numerous All-American nominations. In recent years, one cow family in particular has been responsible for many of their champion rosettes and Premier Breeder banners: the Jubies!
The family originates at Peace & Plenty from a Dundee calf purchased at the 2008 Maryland State Sale. Behind her was a VG-86 Stormatic, an EX-93 Outside, then Ehrhardt Astro Jody EX-94 2E, who had been a nine-time All-Maryland winner in her show career. That calf, Ehrhardt Dundee Jewels would become an EX-91 cow.
An Atwood heifer calf out of Jewels was born in September 2011 - Peace&Plenty Atwd Jubilant (Jubie) - who would become the EX-93 foundation of a prolific cow family. She had nice results as a local show cow, but really found her value in being a tremendous flush cow. Now with over 50 daughters by 12 different bulls, Jubie has 20 EX and 11 Very Good daughters, with about ten yet to freshen. Of her Excellent daughters, four are EX-94 (two by King Doc, one by O’Kaliber, and one by Avalanche).
Her first flush was to GS Alliance O Kaliber, the Acme son of the legendary European show cow, Decrausaz Iron O Kalibra EX-97. Davis spent a number of years on the road as a professional fitter and had worked with O Kalibra in Switzerland, so was eager to use one of her sons. Between six ET pregnancies, and Jubie’s next natural calf, they ended up with seven O Kaliber daughters, five scored Excellent and two Very Good.
They showed the O Kalibers as heifers and as young cows, and they all did quite well. The best of the bunch would have to be Peace&Plenty Obr Jubie 2 EX-94, who was the winning 4-yearold and Reserve Grand Champion at the Eastern Fall National Show in 2019. She also has bred on as her six scored daughters are all VG & EX.
About a year after the O Kaliber flush, they IVF’d Jubie again, and she made over 80 oocytes. Davis had heard about Woodcrest King Doc, a bull that could put some more milk in the family, so the flush was planned to him. With the big number of oocytes, they also used some Gold Chip semen, as he was the sire of the nicest young cows on the farm at that time, and they ended up with six Doc and six Gold Chip daughters from that flush. The Gold Chips resulted in five Excellent cows and one Very Good, while the Doc daughters are highlighted by two EX-94 and two EX-92 cows.
One of those Docs is Peace&Plenty Doc Jubie16 EX-94, now owned by Showbox Sires and Milksource Genetics in Wisconsin. Jubie16 was 4th in the 4-year-old class at the International Holstein Show in Madison, and was nominated All-American 4-Year-Old at the end of the show season. This summer, Showbox Sires released two Lambda sons out of Jubie16, Judge and Jinx, both bulls are over +3.00 Type and over +1400M.
Peace&Plenty Doc Jubie16-ET (EX-94) was nominated All-American 4-Year-Old in 2023 and is owned by Showbox Sires and Milk Source LLC. She has two sons that are in the Showbox Sires lineup as well.
Peace&Plenty SdKick Jubtoit (EX-90) was the winning senior 3-year-old and Reserve Intermediate Champion of the 2024 Eastern Fall National Holstein Show.
and they hope to have a good showing with her this fall.
In fact, it was a very big year for the Jubies in the 2023 All-American contest, where they exploded on the scene with six nominations: Jubie16; Peace&Plenty Sk Jubie37 VG-88, nominated AllAmerican Junior 2-Year-Old and HM Junior All-American (owned by Bristol Ehrhardt, a fellow Marylander); Peace&Plenty Tat Jubie41, nominated All-American Winter Yearling (owned by Hadley Ross, AZ); Peace&Plenty Hanans Jub231, nominated All-American Summer Yearling; Peace&Plenty Foot Jub192, nominated All-American Spring Calf; as well as a produce out of Jubie that was voted Reserve All-American Produce of Dam.
Davis admires the power transmitted by the cow family. “You see the tremendous dairy strength and openness of rib in generation after generation. They’re not pansies. They hold their own out in the freestall - they don’t get bumped around at the feed bunk. The Jubies have consistently good udders, and they milk and mature really well,” he says. “We’ve got a bunch of them now, and it’s a challenge to figure out what bulls to use with all the branches. I’m a sire stack guy, and we’ve had to put some thought into mating the next generations.”
old and Reserve Intermediate Champion. She had also been crowned Grand Champion of the Premier National Junior Show earlier in the week for her owners Ella Hlavaty and Madden Storey (Madden is Aubrey’s son). Jubtoit was also the winner of the esteemed Futurity class at the Maryland State Fair, following in the footsteps of several Jubie descendants. Peace&Plenty Foot Jub192, won the spring yearling class, and then was tapped as Junior Champion of the show. This Footprint daughter is out of an EX-94 Doc daughter of Jubie. Members of the show string stood in the top three all day, claimed the Junior Best Three and Produce of Dam class on their way to snagging the Premier Breeder banner.
Peace&Plenty will hit the road to Madison with a string of about seven or eight knowing that the waters are deeper at World Dairy Expo. The Schwartbecks feel that the group will make a very attractive display to help promote their upcoming saleSpringtime Jubilee - to be held March 15, 2025 at the farm in Union Bridge. “We’re looking to put 20-25 in the sale. We’re really going to pick out the better ones - some show age calves, some prospective two-year-olds. Then we’ll have consignments from Duckett Holsteins, Tim Abbott, and other guest consignors,” says Davis.
“ WE’VE GOT A BUNCH OF THEM NOW, AND IT’S A CHALLENGE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT BULLS TO USE WITH ALL THE BRANCHES. I’M A SIRE STACK GUY, AND WE’VE HAD TO PUT SOME THOUGHT INTO MATING THE NEXT GENERATIONS.”
DAVIS SCHWARTZBECK
“
WHILE THE WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY, THE ONE CONSTANT WE ALWAYS HAVE IS OUR PLACE WE CALL HOME. THE FARM IS HOME TO EVERYONE…NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, FAMILY AND ANYONE WHO IS WILLING TO TALK COWS. THAT IS ONE THING MARYLAND DAIRIES ARE STRONG IN. THEY PRIDE THEMSELVES IN SUPPORTING EACH OTHER AND CELEBRATING EACH OTHERS ACHIEVEMENTS.
AUSTIN SCHWARTZBECK
They hope it’s an event that brings people to the farm, and gathers together all of their friends from Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region. Austin sums up the camaraderie of the area, “While the world is changing rapidly, the one constant we always have is our place we call home. The farm is home to everyone…neighbors, friends, family and anyone who is willing to talk cows. That is one thing Maryland dairies are strong in. They pride themselves in supporting each other and celebrating each others achievements.”
throughout our journey. He had a keen eye for good cattle and knew what the next sire was before anyone else. He provided encouragement and was the one person you could always count on for the truth in your cattle. During his last cherished visit on the farm he stated that ‘you all have one of the best group heifers I have seen....and that ain’t blowing smoke.’,” relates Austin.
Four generations of Schwartzbecks now work and play on Peace & Plenty Farm, and all of the adults aspire to passing the farm to the next generation. There may be fewer small farms than in the past, but they’re optimistic that the Maryland camaraderie will continue on as well!
By Kathleen O’Keefe
The future at Peace & Plenty looks bright, as the fourth generation of Schwartzbecks are on the farm today.
Madden Storey is the oldest of the Schwartzbeck grandchildren and has had a storybook first year of 4-H. Peace&Plenty O Kal Jub181 was Supreme Junior Champion of the Maryland 4-H Show, Junior Champion at the Maryland State Fair Open Show and the winning winter calf at the Eastern Fall National Holstein Show. She is out of an EX-92 Doc then the original ‘Jubie’.
WISCONSIN SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW
August 19-21, 2024 · Madison, WI
HOLSTEIN
Judge: Matt Templeton, AUS | 236 Head
SENIOR & GRAND CHAMPION & BEST BRED & OWNED
Ms Beautys Black Velvet-ET (Goldwyn), 1st production cow, Mike & Julie Duckett, Vierra Dairy & Triple-T, Rudolph, WI
RESERVE SENIOR & GRAND CHAMPION
Sandy-Valley Francy-ET (Fabulous), 1st aged cow, Siemers Holsteins, Newton, WI
HM SENIOR CHAMPION
Havenvalley Light Bobbyhoe (Lighthouse), 1st 4-year-old, Mike & Julie Duckett, Rudolph, WI
INTERMEDIATE & HM GRAND CHAMPION
Jacobs Chief Dina (Chief), 1st senior 2-year-old, Milk Source LLC, Ransom Rail Farms & Laurie Fischer, Kaukauna, WI
RESERVE INTERMEDIATE CHAMPION
Lehoux Victor Topage (Victor), 2nd senior 2-year-old, Arizona Dairy Co & Richard Breunig, Gila Bend, AZ
Bella-Ridge WR Madrigal-Red (Warrior), 1st spring yearling, J, L & M
Harbaugh and A & A Loehr, Marion, WI
PREMIER BREEDER - HEIFER SHOW Ocean View Genetics, Deerfield, WI
PREMIER EXHIBITOR - HEIFER SHOW Bella-Ridge Holsteins, Marion, WI
JUNIOR SHOW CHAMPIONS
SENIOR & GRAND CHAMPION: SS-Maplecrest Tatoo Jasmine (Tatoo), 4th 5-year-old, Tyler Leuch, Pulaski, WI
RESERVE SENIOR & GRAND CHAMPION: Luck-E Merjack Asalia (Merjack), 2nd production cow, Tessa & Stella Schmocker, Whitewater, WI
INTERMEDIATE & HM GRAND CHAMPION: Peace&Plenty Tat Jubie41ET (Tatoo), 4th senior 2-year-old, Hadley Ross, Gila Bend, AZ
RESERVE INTERMEDIATE CHAMPION: Smith-Crest Sidekick Braz (Sidekick), 4th junior 2-year-old, Leah, Hattie & Blake Smith and Elizabeth Gunst, Watertown, WI
Bella-Ridge WR Madrigal-Red (Warrior), 1st spring yearling, J, L & M Harbaugh and A & A Loehr, Marion, WI
Ocean-View Sweeter In-Red (Warrior), 1st summer yearling, Kailey Guilette, New Franken, WI
JUNIOR CHAMPION: Lazy M Auto My Mind (Autograph), 1st spring yearling, Dylan & Cameron Ryan, Fond du Lac, WI
RESERVE JUNIOR CHAMPION: Old-Bankston-JC Bulletproof-ET (Autograph), 1st summer yearling, Dylan & Cameron Ryan, Fond du Lac, WI
Senior & Grand Champion Palmyra Predator B Ruthless-ET, Kurt, Michelle & Cooper Wolf, Epworth, IA.
Junior Show Senior & Grand Champion Moy-Ayr Predator Lively, Steve, Pauline, Rebecca & Emily Schmidt, Delavan, WI.
Grand Champion LtoR: Grand Champion Palmyra Predator B Ruthless-ET, Kurt, Michelle & Cooper Wolf, Epworth, IA; Reserve Grand Champion Twincounty Bacardi Breezer-ET, Brothers Three & Kurt & Michelle Wolf, Epworth, IA; HM Grand Champion Family-Af-Ayr Bravo Dare, Sarah Borchardt, Caledonia, IL.
Reserve Senior & HM Grand Champion FamilyAf-Ayr Bravo Dare, Sarah Borchardt, Caledonia, IL.
PAZZLE’s popularity continues to grow as he offers a 250HO12961 DOC-free pedigree and creates beautiful, black-hided daughters with extreme style. He combines two prestigious maternal lines, Cherry Crest ManOMan Roz-ET (EX-91-EX-MS) and Siemers Lmda Paris 27856-ET (EX-91-EX-MS-GMD-DOM). PAZZLE was used as a sire father and mated with some of the industry’s favorite maternal lines to create the next generation of Showcase™ leaders and his genetics delivered! Add PAZZLE and his sons to your matings to boost your herd’s style.
Kilgus Dairy and Farmstead Jersey cows, Jersey sires, and much, much more!
Best known to the readers of this publication as the breeders of a high-type Jersey herd with plenty of show ring success, the Kilgus family oversees a growing array of diversified ag businesses based on their farm in Fairbury, IL. With their roots buried deep in central Illinois farmland, this hard working crew has embraced the challenge of finding ways to include more family members back to the operation, and now steer a growing multi-generational family enterprise.
The road to this expansive operation began in 1958 when Duane and Arlene Kilgus started milking 55 Holstein cows on the family farm. Two of their seven children, sons Paul and Jeff, took up the reins in 1989 and expanded the dairy herd as way to earn more income. Less than a decade later, Jeff passed away from cancer, and his son Matt became a full partner with his uncle Paul after graduating from college.
In that new partnership, Paul and Matt made a major change to the dairy operation when they decided to implement seasonal rotational grazing on the farm in 2005. They converted over 50 acres of good black soil into 17 grazing paddocks planted with rye, orchard grasses, and clover. Along with that management decision, they looked at the Jerseys as a breed that would thrive in the grazing system, and started to change the herd over from Holsteins to Jerseys.
The family continually explored options on how best to preserve the farm for future generations and in 2009, Kilgus Dairy began bottling and distributing their own milk and Kilgus Farmstead was born. The company that picked up their milk previously dropped the dairy as soon as they put their first bottle on the shelf, so that led to their investment into Berkshire hogs, a heritage breed known for its outstanding meat quality. While they were getting their processing up and running, they fed the extra milk to the hogs, which then launched the farmstead meat business which has grown up along with the creamery.
The creamery is located on the farm and attached to their small country store. The on-farm location allows customers both how the milk is processed and how the animals are cared for. Kilgus Farmstead sells their milk in their store and distributes it to restaurants, retail stores, and coffee shops throughout Illinois.
Paul’s sons, Justin (33), and Trent (31), joined the operation after high school and lent their efforts to the growing businesses. Both of them raised and showed goats in 4-H when they were kids. Learning there was a demand for goat meat in the Chicago market, they built a permanent hoop structure for their goats, and began supplying Chicago restaurants with the meat. They added steers to the mix as well, and now Kilgus Farmstead offers a line of pork and beef, while also continuing the goat meat distribution to Chicago.
There’s enough work for everyone to specialize on the farm. Paul handles day-to-day milking and chores with the dairy herd, as well as managing the calves and the steer operation. Matt manages the bottling plant, milk marketing and customer relations. Justin tackles the meat processing, hog operation and is involved with the day-to-day labor in the bottling plant, while Trent works with the dairy herd, overseeing nutrition and the replacement heifers. He also manages the show cows and Kilgus Elite Sires.
All four owners do the crop farming together, as they run about 2,000 acres rotating corn, beans, and wheat, and 80 acres of alfalfa. They currently have three full-time employees on the dairy/crop side, with several part-timers to help with the harvest. The milk bottling, deliver, and meat processing businesses employ four full-time and four part-time employees.
While there is family enthusiasm for all of their undertakings, Trent Kilgus admits his passion will always be with the 200-cow Jersey herd - the management, the matings, and developing the cow families. While cow numbers have grown over the years, the quality has as well. They’ve quietly gathered a top tier group of three EX-95 cows, 14 EX-94 cows (12 of those homebred), and 15 EX-93 cows (10 are homebred). On 216 cows, the first lactation cows average 85.1 points; second lactation cows average 88.6; and third lactation and over cows average 91.7. That scoring average combined with their rolling herd average of 17,013M 4.7% 795F 3.6% 618P indicate their breeding goals of big production, high type, and consistent cow families.
The main herd, in addition to grazing, is housed in a compost barn that is tilled twice a day, where they are split into two groups - a fresh group, and a pregnant group. “We pasture from April to November, and in our system, the cows are rotated to
a fresh paddock every 24 hours. Basically, spring and fall, the cows go out to the pasture during the day. In the summertime, they stay in during the day, and go out at night. Along with the pastures, the compost pack barn has really been valuable for cow comfort and relaxation,” notes Trent.
A current herd star is Kilgus Chrome Maci-ET EX-94% (max), a daughter of an EX-91% Verbatim Response, then the 2011 International Jersey Show & All-American Jersey Show Grand Champion, Pine Haven SSM Marmie EX-95%. At 5-03, her 305 ME is 27,338M 5.1% 1339F 3.4% 932P. “With the production and type on Maci, we feel like she is the kind of cow we strive to breed for, and could be the best cow to ever call Kilgus Dairy home!,” enthuses Trent. So far, she has VIP and Chocochip daughters, and her two sons, Matcha (by Chocochip), and Mustang (by VIP), are cornerstones of the new Kilgus Elite Sires program.
Other herd favorites include the dam and daughter pair of Kilgus Applejack Bliss-ET EX-93% (max) and Kilgus Victorious Brex EX91%. Brex was the 2nd place junior 3-year-old and HM Grand Champion at the 2024 IL State Fair Jersey Show in August, and last year was the Reserve Junior All-American Junior 2-Year-Old for Trent’s sister, Carla. A maternal sister to Applejack Bliss, Kilgus Tequila Briana EX-94% (max) is owned by Jim & Janet Kappers in Minnesota. Briana was the ABA HM All-American Senior 3-Year-Old in 2022, and was the winning 5-year-old at this year’s Minnesota State Fair Jersey Show.
Bliss and Briana are both out of Lyon Action Borgny EX-94%. They have another sister scored EX-94% - Lyon Ajack Bay, Reserve AllAmerican Senior 2-Year-Old in 2017 and Reserve All-American Senior 3-Year-Old in 2018. There are also four Kilgus-bred sisters scored EX-93%, so the ‘B’ family looks to be growing rapidly in the herd.
Kilgus Chrome Maci-ET (EX-94%), center, is one of the current herd favorites. She is pictured with her VIP daughter, left, a senior 2-year-old prospect for 2025, and VIP Mustang, one of the headliners in the new Kilgus Elite Sires lineup.
Trent manages the show cows, who get separated out from the grazing herd and spend their time on a pack bed. “They’re in a separate pen and are fed baleage, hay, grain and beet pulp, and do get roughly 2/3 TMR. My vision with the show cows is if they can’t stay on some TMR and get ready that way, they’re not milking hard enough,” explains Trent.
The Kilgus showstring targets the Illinois State Fair and the All-American Jersey Show in Louisville, while bypassing World Dairy Expo. “That might keep us from being better known to people with other breeds, but it is gratifying when someone admires our string at Louisville. We strive to have a group of cows that are uniform with great rear udders that look like they milk, and hopefully that spurs people to visit us at the farm, or take a second look at a sale animal,” says Trent. “We’ve had a couple of tag sales in 2021 & 2023, and there have been some outstanding results from those sales. We’re planning another Spring Spotlight at Kilgus Dairy Sale in 2025.” A big highlight from the 2023 sale was Kilgus VIP Mickey VG-88% @ 2-01, who was the winning Milking Intermediate Yearling at last year’s Royal Winter Fair Jersey Show, and subsequently named the 2023 All-Canadian Milking Intermediate Yearling.
Kilgus Victorious Maria {6} (EX-91%) was named the Premier Performance Cow of the 2023 All American Jersey Show and was the winning senior 3-year-old.
K&M Victorious Glad-ET (EX-93%) was the Premier Performance Cow of the 2023 All American Junior Jersey Show and nominated ABA Junior All-American Junior 3-Year-Old. The Kilgus juniors were also named Premier Breeder & Exhibitor of the show.
with the right mating that could make a very marketable bull in which people would want to use in their herd. In addition to consistent high scores in the pedigree, they have to have good production, because at the end of the day, cows in our herd have to pay the way by putting milk in the tank!”
Known for their lineup of beautiful cows at the shows, Trent says in the near future they would like to shift a bit and also start focusing more on show heifers. He and his wife, Kayla, have four boys, while Justin and Kaylee have three boys and two girls, and all of the kids are approaching 4-H age. “It would be the best of both worlds, where people could come whether they want to buy a show calf or show cow,” he says.
While they like to merchandise from the herd, the Kilgus family never passes up the opportunity to add a quality female to the herd. Trent outlines his criteria for a potential purchase, “Cow families are vitally important and, more importantly, cow families that breed true. We don’t always try to purchase a show winner, but one with the pedigree that we think has the potential to make the next great one, or an intriguing pedigree
The most recent diversification on the farm has been the launch of Kilgus Elite Sires in January of 2024. Trent admits that there were fewer type bulls to choose from on the market, and he was encouraged by other Jersey breeders to collect a few of his own bulls for the segment of the breed that wanted purebred, high-type sires. “I’ve started by focusing on some top cows in our herd, and planning a mating specifically to get a bull to use. We’re getting pretty populated with certain sires, Victorious for instance, and now I’m looking to pull some different genetics to offer a marketable bull from cow families that people know and want to use,” he states. “We’re going all in on this. We’ve just started making sexed semen, and that’s an investment.”
The program has eight active sires right now, and hopes are that number continues to grow. Trent keeps the bulls at his place, and they are trucked up to Hawkeye North in Wisconsin for collection. In addition to bulls from the Kilgus herd, they have brought in bulls from other breeders, including grandsons of Hird’s Colton Dream EX-97% and MB Lucky Lady Feliz Navidad EX-93%. “My goal is to keep these bulls around until they have daughters calved in. A lot of these good bulls are being culled too soon, and that’s frustrating for breeders. We’re hoping to add one or two new bulls each quarter, so four to six new bulls each year,” states Trent. “My long term goal is that maybe this could grow into something where it could give an opportunity for the kids to come back to the farm like I did, because there’s not many opportunities to come back to the dairy industry anymore.”
With big goals and optimism for the future, Trent reflects on a couple of people that helped them see the vision for their Jersey herd. “We really have to credit Ted & Don DeMent, fellow Illinois Jersey breeders. When we started in the Jersey business, they were the first ones to help us narrow our focus on where we wanted to go breeding jerseys to make the ‘right’ kind. I believe I was 14 years old when they let us join them going to shows and helped drive my passion for the show ring. Shortly after we started bottling milk in 2009, they reached out to us about working together, so we brought the DeMent milking herd here, and they raised our heifers for a number of years. Since then, we
Kilgus Victorious Brex-ET (EX-91%) was named the HM Grand Champion of the 2024 IL State Fair. She was the Reserve ABA Junior All-American Junior 2-Year-Old in 2023.
haven’t looked back, and Ted, who is one of the most honest and well respected guys in the breed has always been there for us to lean on whenever we had any questions,” says Trent. While the Kilgus heifers are now raised back on the family farm, they still own about a dozen head with Ted DeMent, mainly animals with show potential.
Trent has also started to do some judging, and he credits Ted for giving him a start in that arena. “In 2021, he sparked my love for judging when he asked me to be his Associate for the All American Jersey Show. I will be forever grateful for that moment as it’s given me so many opportunities since then and hopefully many more!,” he exclaims. In 2024, Trent has judged the Jerseys at the Kentucky State Fair and also officiated at the Western National Jersey Show.
Andrew Vander Meulen of Avonlea Genetics is another distinguished Jersey breeder that has assisted the Kilgus family in recent years. “Andrew has also helped us purchase some genetics that have made an impact on our herd. He has so much experience and is always willing to share advice with us. The most recent purchase he made for us was Maker Gentry Arielle EX-91% (max), who ended up being Reserve All-American Summer Junior 2-Year-Old in 2022 and 3rd Junior 3-Year-Old at the All-American Show in 2023,” points out Trent.
Trent and Kayla are raising their four boys on the farm and hope they will be able to return to the operation if they choose because of the diversification over the last two decades.
With the next generation of Kilgus kids starting to help with the herd and other businesses, Trent keeps some priorities in
mind for the future. “The industry has changed immensely over the last 10 years, more larger dairies, fewer smaller dairies. I think this makes it that much more important for us smaller breeder herds to stick together and support each other, and that was a motivation to start Kilgus Elite Sires. We’ll always have an open mind for diversification, which is why we’ve done what we have. When my brother and I were in high school, we had two options to come back to the family farm: either milk 1,000 cows or bottle and go direct consumer. We wanted to know our cows and keep the ‘family’ in the business, and hopefully, that will be behind the decisions we make in the future.
By Kathleen O’Keefe
Ted & Cheryl DeMent have been close friends and partners with the Kilgus family since 2009. Pictured is Dements Victorious June (EX-91%), the 2023 AJCA All American Summer Junior 2-Year-Old and maternal sister to Victory Bell, another featured sired in the Kilgus Elite Sires lineup.
SUPREME CHAMPION
MARYLAND STATE FAIR
August 29-30, 2024 · Timonium, MD
SSF Andreas Camilla (Andreas), 1st aged cow Jersey, Ernest Kueffner & Terri Packard, Boonsboro, MD
Downtown Brown x EX-91% Bontino FAVOR x EX-93% Excitation FLAWLESS
100JE7484 REMBRANDT
Bontino x EX-93% Velocity ROSIE x EX-91% Primetime
100JE7483 CHEAP TRICK
Joyride x EX-91% Nuance CHAOS x EX-93% Regency
100JE7460 GRAVITY
Kid Rock x EX-93% Tequila GAYLE x GP-83% David
100JE7473 SHOWTIME
Andreas x EX-91% Premier SISOWN x EX-95% Tequila SHOT
100JE7462 VICTORY LAP
Camelot x VG-88% Caliban VIXEN x EX-93% Chrome VIOLIN
100JE7486 GOLDDUST
Joel x EX-95% Premier GIDGET x EX-90% Rocket
100JE7481 AMBITION
Fringe x EX-91% CRAZE x EX-93% FEARLESS
100JE7459 GENUINE
Joel x EX-90% Colton GINNY x EX-90 Gentry GYPSY
100JE7461 SHOW OFF
+23.8JUI+1.90PTAT+0.17%F+0.11%P
+23.8JUI+1.70PTAT+0.29%F+0.15%P
+21.3JUI+1.50PTAT-0.03%F+0.03%P
+20.8JUI+1.90PTAT+0.10%F+0.01%P
+20.8JUI+1.40PTAT+0.17%F+0.09%P
+19.4JUI+1.90PTAT-0.02%F+0.01%P
+19.1JUI+1.00PTAT+0.00%F+0.08%P
+18.9JUI+1.40PTAT+0.09%F+0.06%P
+18.6JUI+2.10PTAT+0.10%F+0.04%P
Camelot x EX-90% Casino x EX-93% Mozart SUNSHINE +18.1JUI+2.10PTAT+0.12%F+0.07%P
100JE7482 JUKEBOX
Presto x VG-89% Bionic JAZZ x EX-92% Chrome JOSIE
100JE7489 CANNON
Colton x EX-95% Furor COMET x EX-97% Centurion VERONICA
100JE7463 FOGERTY
Joel x EX-94% Vaden FERN x EX-94% Belmont FASHION
100JE7472 COLDPLAY
VIP x VG-88% Fizz CABERNET x EX-95% Centurion VERONICA
100JE7474 VICENZO
Premier x EX-96% Response VIVID x EX-97% Centurion VERONICA
100JE7485 HILDAGO
Reviresco x EX-94% Premier HALCYON x EX-91% Velocity
100JE7493 SLASH
Colton x
+18.1JUI+2.00PTAT-0.01%F-0.01%P
+18.0JUI+0.90PTAT+0.32%F+0.14%P
+17.6JUI+1.20PTAT+0.03%F+0.09%P
+16.8JUI+0.90PTAT+0.32%F+0.11%P
+15.0JUI+0.50PTAT+0.37%F+0.16%P
+14.9JUI+0.50PTAT+0.15%F+0.14%P
Cornell Animal Science Dairy Management
Cornell provides a diverse education allowing students to experience international travel, pursue internships, formulate a career plan, and develop both personal and professional networks in the dairy industry. Students are involved in farm visits
students in Italy visiting a Parmigiano cheese plant
students in Germany at the Lely Innovation Center
+3.65 TYPE +3.34 UDC +1029 MILK A2A2 & BB 3 3 3 3
DAM OF EPIPHANY & SISTER OF CAUGHTUP
D2 LAMBDA EYES ON THE PRIZE VG-89 88-MS 2YR NOM. ALL-AMERICAN SUMMER JR 2-YEAR-OLD 2023
MEMBER ALL-AMERICAN PRODUCE OF DAM 2023
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AG3.ca | info@ag3.ca | David Dyment | 905.308.1008
Distributors: Australia>Agri-Gene
AG3.ca | info@ag3.ca | David Dyment | 905.308.1008
Distributors: Australia>Agri-Gene
+2.50 TYPE +696 MILK RED POLLED A2/A2 NO APPLE 3 3 3 3 3 3
LEFT: TOWNLINEACRE HANANS LONDON VG-85 2YR / RIGHT: TOWNLINEACRE HC LIBERTY VG-87 2YR MATERNAL SISTERS TO LIONHEART
NEW YORK STATE SHOW
September 7-8, 2024 • Greenwich, NY • Judge Mark Rueth, WI
HOLSTEIN
193 Head
SENIOR & GRAND CHAMPION
Rach-Len Dundee Lilly (Dundee), 1st lifetime production cow, Eaton Holsteins, Glamourview Farms, Morrill, Zeh & Cates, Marietta, NY
RESERVE SENIOR & GRAND CHAMPION
Intense Tatoo Leela-ET (Tatoo), 1st 5-year-old, Hailee Liddle, Argyle, NY
HM SENIOR & GRAND CHAMPION
Lo-Pine-VA Lady Crush (Crush), 2nd 5-year-old, Chase Savage & Landree Fraley, Union Bridge, MD
Junior Show Grand Champion Lantland Dalton Acai-Red, Jacob Menzi, Horseheads, NY.
Grand Champion Shoresbrook Awe Pumpkin-Red, Adam Liddle, Argyle, NY.
From humble beginnings in May 1974, Semex's 50-year history is a direct reflection of agriculture's evolution worldwide. Over five decades we have grown from a humble staff of six to over 1800 employees worldwide, proudly representing Semex in over 80 countries. And we have delivered. From the most Millionaire Sires in the industry to breed and trait leaders, and now supplying the real solutions our industry needs for long-term sustainability and profitability, we are stronger than ever. But we're far from done. We're investing, we're growing, we're expanding. WE HAVE BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE GENETICS FOR LIFE.
www.semex.com
WESTERN NATIONAL JERSEY SHOW
September 1, 2024 • Salem, OR • Judge Trent Kilgus, IL · 104 Head
Junior Champion MM Chocolatier Martini, Misty Meadow Dairy, Tillamook, OR.
Reserve Senior & HM Grand Champion Pacific Edge Premier Diva-ET, Pacific Edge Dairy, Tillamook, OR.
Reserve Intermediate Champion Vila Nova Joel Vali-ET, Mike Berry and T & L Cattle, Sherwood, OR.
Junior Show Senior & Reserve Grand Champion Royalty Ridge RF VIP Friday-ET, Roger Fluegal and Ryan & Tatum Lancaster, Tillamook, OR.
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A VISIT WITH RUSSELL GAMMON
Each year in our Fall/Expo issue, we sit down and chat with someone who has been involved in varied aspects of the purebred dairy cattle business - this year we’re happy to talk with our enthusiastic, upbeat, encouraging friend from Canada, Russell Gammon!
Cowsmo: Hi Russell! Thanks for putting aside a little time to sit down with us. Anyone who knows you personally or even just knows you through social media can vouch that you are a person that has rampant enthusiasm for both our industry and agriculture at large. Where do you think this stems from in your past? A natural gift from above or nurtured in your youth?
Russell: I developed a deep interest and passion for livestock in my teenage years. In those days, information was disseminated in breed magazines and somehow I scraped together the money to subscribe to a number of these publications. I was getting everything under the sun: Holstein Journal, Jersey Breeder, Feather Fancier, something about horses. I became a reader as a teenager, and soaked up everything I could after checking the mail delivery every day!
The second thing that was formative was working for the Clark family of Mornglow Ayrshires in Nova Scotia, where I grew up. Mornglow was where I learned to pull mustard out of grain fields, throw bales, build loads, train cattle, all about pedigrees and registered stock and learned a love for Ayrshires. They were very much into the breed, very much into their cows, which ones were going to be in the show string, which sire to use. That was totally instrumental in getting me even more interested in the purebred and registered side of things.
The other person that actually changed my whole approach to life was Gilbert Robison of Campburn Farms in Harvey Station, New Brunswick. I was a few years
older when I met him and knew him for about three years before his untimely passing. He was a Jersey breeder and living through a time when the breed was in quite a lull. In spite of that, the man was a master encourager, a true believer in and supporter of the causes he believed in, a leader, a marketer, a family man, a farmer, a community activist and a keen competitor. I hope everyone can have one friend and supporter in life like Gilbert, and that you will be a mentor to at least one person as Gilbert was to so many!
Cowsmo: Tell us about your journey from Nova Scotia to your now 40-year residence in Ontario. When did that happen?
Russell: I was set on attending the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. If you were doing a four-year degree, you did two years at the Truro campus, then the next two years you went either to the University of Maine in Bangor, McDonald College in Quebec, or the University of Guelph. My class sent a large contingent to Guelph, and I was one of them. The summer after I graduated with my degree in animal science, I didn’t have a full-time job, but took a temporary position for the summer as a field rep for the Ontario Guernsey Association. That summer I did visits to 200-225 farms, all that had some or all Guernsey cows. It’s remarkable to think of now - imagine finding 225 farms with Guernseys today. But it was an education in geography, dealing with all sorts of people with passions and interests, and really set the stage for what I maybe would like to do in life. I got to see a lot of Ontario
that summer tooling around and it was a great, great education after I received my college degree!
Cowsmo: In your career, you’ve had the unique opportunity to work for both a breed organization with Jersey Canada, and an AI organization, Semex. How did those two compare? How were they different? Any thoughts in hindsight about your years spent at each?
Russell: Both were very good, but very different. I spent almost thirty years with Jersey Canada, and just over five years with Semex. I think it might have been my Semex colleague Pierre Laliberté who said it best. He said, ‘When you were with Jersey Canada, it was about cooperation: bringing people along; bringing a breed along. At Semex, it’s about competition because there are other players on the field, and we need to make a profit to survive and compete.’
In that time, in my time, with Jersey Canada, it became obvious to me that the breed was lagging in terms of sampling young sires. There was a very small population of proven sires without a lot of turnover that people would keep using plus a high percentage of natural service sires, and that was creating a drag on the breed. The AI companies did us a favor by incorporating some young sires and having another product, different genetics, to offer when they drove down the lane to a Jersey farm.
In that time, we were striving to make the Jersey cow more productive, we needed to use more AI, we needed goal setting and some focus. It was a demoralizing time after the all-Jersey
milk markets disappeared, and the breed needed to adapt and change to survive in the ‘real world’. You had to give a lot of encouragement to people who were doing things correctly, and getting them to believing there was a future there.
And just at the right time, you get a gamechanger in the breed - in that era it was Duncan Belle. She was an amazing show cow, a very high index cow, a good production cow, had a deep pedigree, and was able to transmit that superiority to both sons and daughters. Ten or fifteen years later, it was Veronica, who maybe transmitted a little more to the female side, but again, another game changer when the breed needed it. And as technology changes, you find a new niche. With the adaptation of robotic milkers, that has been a real plus for the Jersey breed as they fit that system really well.
When I started with Semex in 2011, we were rolling into the genomic age. There was a desire to expand the Jersey program. Guimo Joel came into the program when I was there, credit my predecessor Harley Nicholson, for contracting him. Obviously, Joel continues to be a big influence, especially in the type part of the business. A bull that I admired and we contracted was a Danish bull named Golden GBK Vivaldi, who fit the system really well, but saw limited use because of a health test situation in Europe. I enjoyed collaborating with my colleagues in the company who worked in other countries.
Cowsmo: You certainly worked through a couple of decades that saw tremendous change in how we breed cattle and how we market cattle. Any insights on that?
Russell: I think for Canadian breeders, a shocking change was when the borders closed due to BSE in May 2003. Exporting cattle had been such big business and so much of a driver as to decisions made on the farm. I think one out of every
a step back now and see that we finally kept some of those good genetics in the country, and bred on from them. In May 2005, Norval Acres Jerseys had their dispersal. A tremendous, influential herd that sold 120 head that day, and I don’t know if even one or two changed to American ownership. Those cattle were spread out across Canada to 60 different buyers, and Canadian breeders were able to benefit from those cattle. Don’t mistake me, the border being closed was tough, but for those that were able to pivot, with hindsight, maybe it wasn’t a totally bad thing after all.
And, now again, we see the change in marketing technique through the use of online sales, which have been tremendous. I think the COVID times really pushed people to accept and adapt to online sales, as well as doing their promotion and merchandising online with Facebook, etc.
Cowsmo: Russell, we both have some decades behind us, and hopefully, we both have some perspective. Tell me how you feel about the future of our business, and about the purebred business in particular.
I’m very optimistic for both the dairy industry and the purebred business, namely for two reasons. One is that I’m astounded by the caliber of cattle we have today. The level of excellence on the larger parts of the dairy cattle population are unbelievable, especially compared to years ago.
Secondly, I’m so encouraged by the number of bright young people who are innovators, who are communicators, who are open-minded to diversification that are coming back to the family operations. They really want to connect to the consumer in a friendly and imaginative way, whether that is through direct sales, or telling the agriculture story through social media. That’s a big shift from years gone by. And we have to credit parents in that. In the 1990s, often kids were discouraged from pursuing agriculture, but now we have great examples of people who are saying, if you want a place in this operation and you’re motivated, we’re going to figure out how to make that happen. It’s really a sea change from thirty years ago, and instead of this talent drain from our industry, they’re coming back with their love of cows, and their passion to breed a better cow and we should all be standing alongside cheering them on!
Reserve Senior & Grand Champion Flower-Brook Gelato-ET, Andrew Stuewe, Hamburg, MN.
Grand Champion LtoR: Grand Champion Bevens-Creek Wilma, Feltmann Dairy Farms LLC, Norwood, MN; Reserve Grand Champion Flower-Brook Gelato-ET, Andrew Stuewe, Hamburg, MN; HM Grand Champion Cal-Denier-I Gldwn Elsie-ET, Blackjack Holsteins, T & L Cattle Ltd, and Frank & Diane Borba, Wykoff, MN.
Intermediate & HM Grand Champion CalDenier-I Gldwn Elsie-ET, Blackjack Holsteins, T & L Cattle Ltd, and Frank & Diane Borba, Wykoff, MN.
Junior Champion Flower-Brook Tatoo Justine, Andrew Stuewe, Hamburg, MN.
Junior Show Intermediate & Grand Champion Dreamway-Genx Master Abby, Chloe & Carly Feltmann and Keaton Phoenix, Norwood, MN.
Junior Show Reserve Intermediate & Grand Champion T-Triple-T Puzzle-ET, Feltmann, Smith & Phoenix, Norwood, MN.
Meadowridge Vitality Strawberry (Vitality), 1st aged cow, Roger Riebe, Cumberland, WI
INTERMEDIATE & GRAND CHAMPION
Discoverys VIP Esther (VIP), 1st summer junior 2-year-old, Lisa Demmer, Ellsworth, WI
RESERVE INTERMEDIATE CHAMPION
Meadowridge Maestro Angel (Maestro), 1st senior 2-year-old, Roger Riebe, Cumberland, W
HM INTERMEDIATE CHAMPION
Rem Rock Tequila Mariachi (Tequila), 2nd senior 2-year-old, Chad Bohn, Litchfield, MN
JUNIOR CHAMPION
Annette’s Joel Erin Andrews (Gentry), 1st fall calf, Chad Bohn, Litchfield, MN
RESERVE JUNIOR CHAMPION
CJL Kid Rock Four Loco (Kid Rock), 1st spring calf, Jamie Gibbs, Rollingstone, MN
HM JUNIOR CHAMPION
Meadowridge Supreme Ivy (Supreme), 2nd fall calf, Roger Riebe, Cumberland, WI
PREMIER BREEDER & EXHIBITOR
Meadowridge Jerseys, Cumberland, WI
Grand Champion LtoR: Grand Champion Discoverys VIP Esther, Lisa Demmer, Ellsworth, WI; Reserve Grand Champion Meadowridge Spock Petunia, Roger Riebe, Cumberland, WI; HM Grand Champion Stadview Gentry Velocity, Borderview Genetics and Bos Dairy, Litchfield, MN.
JUNIOR SHOW CHAMPIONS
GRAND CHAMPION: Jasmari VIP Lil Victory-ET (VIP), 3rd 4-year-old, Brooklyn, Bryce & Blakely Kohls, Arlington, MN
RES. GRAND CHAMPION: Stadview Ferdinand Vicious (Ferdinand), 3rd senior 2-year-old, Kolton Bohn, Litchfield, MN
Palmyra Petition R Gigi (Petition), 1st junior 2-year-old, Anthony Kohls, Arlington, MN
JUNIOR CHAMPION
Good-Vue Auto R Britney (Autograph), 1st summer yearling, Mattea Quigley, Goodridge, MN
Hamburg, MN.
Intermediate & Grand Champion Morrill Warrior 4271-Red, Anthony Kohls & Luke Alsleben, Arlington, MN.
RESERVE JUNIOR CHAMPION
Stillmore Reynold Foxy Lady (Reynolds), 1st spring yearling, Steve Searles, Pine Island, MN
PREMIER BREEDER & EXHIBITOR
Irrthum Farm, Inc., Wanamingo, MN
JUNIOR
SHOW CHAMPIONS
GRAND CHAMPION: Rustic-Creek Ringer Skittles (Ringer), 1st summer junior 2-year-old, Taylor Fester, Grove City, MN
RES. GRAND CHAMPION: Stillmore Trident Mylanta (Trident), 3rd senior 3-year-old, Megan Gochnauer, West Concord, MN
JUNIOR CHAMPION: Good-Vue Auto R Britney (Autograph), 1st summer yearling, Mattea Quigley, Goodridge, MN
RES. JUNIOR CHAMPION: Miss Rejoice Wicked
Rebellion-ET (B Wicked), 1st fall calf, Daniel Brasch, Brownton, MN
Arlington, MN; Reserve Grand Champion Flower-Brook Helcarmina-Red, Andrew Stuewe, Hamburg, MN; HM Grand Champion Flower-Brook Giggles-Red, Andrew Stuewe,
Junior Show Grand Champion Mat-Ar-Dor Warrior Rose-Red, Jacob & Aiden Timmer, Ellsworth, MN.
We’re delighted to be publishing this excerpt from the book Barnflower: A Rhode Island Farm Memoir written by Carla Panciera. Her father, Aldo Panciera, was a well-known New England Holstein breeder whose single-minded belief in a big, skinny, awkward bull calf saved the life of Osborndale Ivanhoe and changed the Holstein breed forever. The story presented here has been abridged and edited from its original form in the book.
Ihad never seen Misty in the corner pen of our barn, had never seen her anywhere except for in an oil painting that hung in our living room behind my father’s recliner. The painting’s background was not the pitted plaster of the barn walls, but a meadow, a meandering stone wall, trees in full bloom. No place she had ever been, but Misty looked into that world with her one beautiful eye.
More than ten years before Misty was born, my father had been stationed with the Army Air Corps in England, and had posed for a picture on a bicycle before an English hedgerow. I stare at the wartime picture and I know this is not just joyriding. This is not riding a bike the way others would ride one. Instead, my father is thinking about coming home and making changes on his family’s farm. He’s been considering bulls. Not the young ones they run with the herd at home. No. He mulls the kinds of bulls that make a herd famous. He’s figuring how he might buy such a bull, considering what to name it.
When he finally returned to the farm, my father bought three registered Holsteins, registered, as in animals with birth certificates, pedigrees. With the same Brownie camera someone had sent with him to war (his sister, Dolly, maybe, so she could see that he was okay), he posed with one of these cows in the front yard of the house. No shrubs obscured the house’s facade, no overgrown yew branches scraped panes on windy nights. The cow was sole ornament.
His father and his brothers thought he’d lost his mind. They had a barn full of cows already, a mishmash of fawn coats, or white with speckled red coats, coarse-boned cows my father would not have called dairy cattle. He wanted a barn of black and white cows. He made this photographer take several pictures of this first heifer, just in case some didn’t come out.
Tumbo, that’s what my grandmother called him. From the Zoldani dialect for ‘tough kid’. To his boyhood friends he was Tum, Tumalum. He had lungs so weak, he slept on a cot in the kitchen, the warmest room in the house, every winter of his life. My grandmother had lost two sons as children. Perhaps that’s why my father was her favorite, because after his poor, doomed brothers, he was now her sickliest. But my father was my grandmother’s brightest child, and her hardest working one. After his father’s death, his brothers married
and moved onto their own farms, and my father and his mother were alone. She was only a few months from her cancer and his spoonfeeding her soup between morning milking, cleaning barns, chopping corn.
One day, he left her with his sister and bought a little black bull from the famous Carnation Farms. That September, he crouched down beside Inka, whose horns had not grown beyond numbs, for a picture taken at the Eastern State Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Anyone who saw him must have thought, ‘Well, that’s just some fool with a camera wasting his film.’ Some fool whose name they couldn’t imagine knowing.
“Get the sign in the background,” my father might have said, because there it is: Tum-A-Lum Farm. The name he gave to his new cattle breeding business.
Carnation Revelation Inka would become a Gold Medal sire, the highest distinction a bull can receive based on the productivity of his offspring. But my father knew the bull he really wanted, had recognized the calf’s potential before it had been conceived and had tried to buy the cow who would produce it, but he couldn’t match the $1,350 she brought at yet another auction. By the time, a few years later he stepped into the barns of the Connecticut farm that had outbid him, the cow he’d come to see had delivered a disappointing son a few days before my father’s visit. A big, skinny calf that hadn’t impressed the man to whom the calf had been promised, a professor who had named the bull after a Saxon hero my father had most likely never heard of. The professor had arrived with a truck to claim his purchase, but for a smart man, the professor did a stupid thing. He took one look at the calf and changed his mind. Instead, my father contacted two other farmers he trusted, and, on his recommendation, they purchased shares in the awkward animal my father took home.
What to believe in, that’s the question for most of us. It was not my father’s question.
In the 1950’s, dairy cows were compact animals, deep-bodied, strong-boned. Breeders, however, wanted to improve the size of their animals. Bigger animals (not fatter, but taller, leaner) would produce more milk. The stronger they were, the more perfect their conformation, the longer these big producers would milk.
Aldo Panciera saw something special in Osborndale Ivanhoe when no else did.
Osborndale Ivanhoe
So Osborndale Ivanhoe, the big calf, came to Tum-A-Lum and, by all evidence, had himself a productive time in our pastures.
What my father ended up with was a barn full of scrawny heifers experiencing a gangly and, to the men who owned shares in their sire, an alarmingly homely adolescence. These leggy youngsters looked more like racehorses than animals bred to give milk. It was common for farmers to own shares in expensive herd sires, but rare for them to disagree on whether or not a bull was valuable once his offspring produced evidence. The bull’s other owners stopped using him. One even sold his share to my father, but my father hadn’t seen heifers like these before. He reasoned he and his slab-sided Ivanhoe must be onto something, which is why, once these daughters started milking, everyone but my father was surprised to see how they filled out. Ivanhoe’s daughters had their father’s stature, his sharp bones and large, lean scale, none more dramatically than the first daughter who caught anyone’s attention: Misty.
My father thought about his Misty cow. He needed a bigger stage than Rhode Island to show off an animal like her. The state had an annual Black and White Show, but my father knew this cow, and through her, Ivanhoe, needed a bigger audience. He had to get Misty out into the world and then get back home to the rest of the herd as quickly as possible. He tossed hay and bedding into the yellow International pickup he’d fashioned plywood sides for, and, after he finished milking, he and his cousin Santo headed to the biggest fair he could think of: thirtysix hours away in Des Moines, Iowa. Santo was not allowed to drive or to request a restroom break. The stopped once on the Ohio Turnpike where my father let Misty graze in the grass on the side of the highway. The men themselves, once they’d finished the bag lunch Santo’s wife had packed, never ate.
“Couldn’t leave the cow in the parking lot of a restaurant, I guess,” Santo said. “But I thought he’d starve me to death on that trip.”
Misty didn’t win her class, not after such a long journey that occurred in the final days of August. She would have stood for most of those hours, rocking along with the truck bed. She would not have had the comfort of her herd mates, or the schedule of feedings and milkings she depended on. Without
Tum-A-Lum Ivanhoe Misty (EX-91) was Ivanhoe’s first daughter and made the long trip to Des Moines, IA where she didn’t win her class, but attracted the eyes of breeders from around the nation.
her usual water and feed intake, she might have appeared as gaunt as her sire, but she still caught the judge’s attention. He placed her high in the class and when the show ended, cowmen gathered around her, not the few animals who beat her, to find out where she’d come from.
My father was right: you had to see her. You had to run your hand along her spine and feel her sharp shoulders, the wide spring of her ribs, the square rump. She had to flick her ears your way and flare her nostrils, pinpricked with condensation. Even then, she was hard to believe.
Misty, Ivanhoe, and my father changed the Holstein breed. The bull re-established the ideal Holstein as a tall, sharp-shouldered animal like his first famous daughter. My father’s unswerving faith in the yearling bull he’d turned out with his herd produced more than forty daughters. Busloads of Holstein owners from across the country and around the world wandered through the pastures of our farm. University agricultural students arrived with clipboards and followed their professors through our barns. Bull studs offered money for Ivanhoe himself and the sons he had produced. Judges at the fairs in the eastern part of the United States admired Ivanhoe offspring, while the west coast breeders clamored for semen.
The Ivanhoes on our farm and on farms all over the world went on to win many accolades - rosettes and trophies, milk production records, Gold Medal dam and sire status, more impressive price tags than even their granddam. Misty herself was named Grand Champion of the Eastern States Exposition in 1959, the first cow bred and owned by her exhibitor to do so in the history of that regional fair, the largest in this part of the country.
One woman said, “I want to paint a picture of that cow.”
For more information about Barnflower - please visit: carlapanciera.wordpress.com
The author’s website also includes a blog with thoughts on the 30 years it took her to compile the collection of personal essays based on growing up on her family’s dairy farm in Westerly, Rhode Island.
NEW JERSEY STATE HOLSTEIN SHOW
August 21,
SENIOR & RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION
Garden-State Freckle-Red-ET (Warrior), 1st 4-year-old, Kevin Beiler
Grand Champion LtoR: Grand Champion Garden-State Folke Fruit-Red, Kevin Beiler; Reserve Grand Champion Garden-State Freckle-Red-ET, Kevin Beiler; HM Grand Champion Wolfepack 1Grade Shimmer-TW, Sarah Lyness.
Intermediate & Grand Champion Garden-State Folke Fruit-Red, Kevin Beiler.
Senior & Reserve Grand Champion Garden-State Freckle-Red-ET, Kevin Beiler.
Junior Champion Ms Hancock Koffee Kake, Madeline Decker, Matt Farber, and Shane & Jason Swarts.
Junior Show Grand Champion AM-Dckrtown Select Dahlia, Molly Swarts.
BROOD COW QUEEN Idyl Wild Improver Jinx
The definition of the word Jinx is ‘something that causes bad luck.’ Idyl Wild Improver Jinx was anything but bad luck to her various owners over the years. This 3E90, four-time Grand Champion award winner and three-time All-American cow was selected the “Cow of the 80’s” in the 1990 ‘110th Anniversary Issue’ of the Brown Swiss Bulletin. Jinx shined in the production department as well as the tanbark trail. She completed four records over 20,000 milk and 1,000 butterfat. Her last record at 7-10 in 365 days was 29,840 milk, 1,284 fat and 1,060 protein. Her lifetime totals are over 140,000M and 6,100F. Her accolades don’t end there. Her story contains various owners, the notoriety of holding the highestselling Brown Swiss at public auction for 20 years and producing offspring that established her reign as a Brood Cow Queen.
Her story begins on the West Coast. Jinx was bred by the Weber family of Idyl Wild Farm, originally located in Oregon. She was born in October of 1978 and was chosen out of a group of heifers by the Massingill family for an FFA project.
“We had a 300-head Holstein dairy, and I wanted something different to show,” Doug Massingill said. “Dad bought her as a calf from Idyl Wild Farms and gave her to me as a 16th-birthday present. She was one of only two Swiss we owned, and we never imagined the future she had in store. I treated her more like a pet than livestock!” Massingill stated.
Jinx was sired by West Lawn Stretch Improver. He was a Welcome In Stretch son of West Lawn Gladys, 3E90 with five records over 22,000M. Jinx dam was Idyl Wild Des Bobo Jojo a VG88 Rancho Rustic My Design (EX90) daughter from the 90-point Arbor Rose Jesta Bobo. Bobo was bred by Arbor Rose Farms, also of Oregon. Bobo’s dam was a 2E90 Welcome In Chatham daughter with almost 140,000M lifetime.
Massingill showed Jinx as an FFA project at several junior shows. Her first open show was at the Oregon State Fair. She won her class and was named Reserve Grand Champion to her dam, Idyl Wild Des Bobo Jojo, who took Grand Champion honors at that show. Massingill then took her to the Western National Show in Fresno, California, as a two-year-old where she won Grand Champion. She was the talk of the barn. Both Bill and Pete Vanderham of Bridge View Farms, California, talked about how silky-hided she was. Bill said, “Jinx was a tall, framy, angular cow, extremely different kind of Swiss than had been around, and a good udder.”
“She was named Champion by an Ohio judge, young John McKitrick,” said Pete Vanderham. “After the show, he kept marveling about her and I figured she’d wind up in Ohio, so I asked the young Massingill what he wanted for her. He didn’t really want to milk cows, but wanted another project so we struck a deal with him getting her calf, so she came to our string. McKitrick and Darrel Pidgeon came back later that evening to look at the cow and when she wasn’t there, they asked Bill Notter, who was tied across the isle from the young man, where she went. He told them she was in our string, and they just left the barn,” Pete chuckled.
Pete’s son Bill remarked on a Facebook post by Lengendairy Swiss & Holsteins highlighting Jinx, “When my dad purchased [Jinx] she was pregnant to EE Beautician King with a bull calf that went back to the FFA kid (Massingill). I believe Doug Maddox was trying to buy her also then. The next year of course she was Champion at Harrisburg and Madison then Reserve Grand at Fresno to Bridge View Modern Jewel, the dam of Jade.
Peter Coyne also weighed in on that Facebook thread, “Yes Doug (Maddox) was trying to buy her. I was working for him that year with a string assembled from New York and California, we went in from Riverdale to bed and I went over to wash up after bedding and walked by this kid in a fold-up lawn chair asleep, a couple bales of hay, a little show box and a cow that stopped me in my tracks. After waking the kid up to ask about her I called Lewis Porter and told him I just saw one of the finest, if not the finest, Brown Swiss cow ever. A couple days later she was in your (Vanderham) string. A side note is that 35 or so years later, I’m in Ohio helping one of our nutritionist’s and doing a farm visit and we pull into Idyl Wild Farm- [Weber], great guy {who} had moved out east, really good cow man and he loved the story.”
The Vanderhams, as Bill stated, had success in the show ring with Jinx that next year taking home champion banners from Harrisburg and Madison. Pete said, “She calved out after we bought her and she looked even better. Loren and Ruth Guernsey from New York hauled out two really good Holstein twins to Chino and stayed at our place that night. They had an empty trailer going back so I sent Jinx out to Wayne Conard’s. The Guernseys took her to Harrisburg where she was Champion and then back to Conard’s until Madison. Then Jinx came back out west.”
Idyl Wild Improver Jinx 3E90 started as an FFA project and eventually became a brood cow with numerous daughters and sons that helped changed the breed.
After being named All-American, Jinx was consigned by Pete to the 36th Springtime Show Window Sale in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, in 1983. “Norm Magnussen and I talked quite often on the phone, and he asked about consigning her to his sale,” Pete said. “I had seen both her full sister and her dam at Idyl Wild and wasn’t sure how she’d fair as an older cow, so I agreed, after telling Norm she needed to break the breed record!” he laughed. Bred to Bridge View Jesta Jubilant, Pete and Norm reached an agreement, and she was sale bound. Norm remembers from sale day, “I was manager of that sale and when Jinx was in the ring, David Brown was on the halter of her and as he led her around the ring, we could hear the floorboards creak because she was so heavy and such a big cow.”
Idyl Wild Improver Jinx 3E90 sold for $60,000 in the 36th Springtime Show Window Sale in 1983. In 1985, Jinx took home Grand Champion honors at World Dairy Expo
Bidding was brisk with several bidders he said, including J. Philip Gerbode of Borderline Farms, Vermont, an heir of the Dole pineapple family, who dropped out when the price went above $45,000. Tom Pearson, the seller of the million-dollar Allyndale Glamorous Ivy, was the final contending bidder. Magnussen said, “As bidding was going on, Tom Pearson was behind the box, one of the ringmen had his bid, I was looking around when Darrell Worden, who was auctioneering the sale, slid me a note to watch his wife. And she started bidding!” When the gavel fell, the Worden family had purchased Jinx for $60,000, the new record set for a Brown Swiss female sold at public auction - a record that stood for 20 years. Two years later, in 1985, Jinx was again named Grand Champion of the World Dairy Expo. Together Jinx and the Wordens went on to further cement her legacy as a brood cow extraordinaire.
Jinx went back to California after she was calved out to be flushed at Vanderham and partners Tri-Embryos. She was flushed to Bridge View Distinction and Norvic Telstar. “The Distinction calves were born there on the California Dairy,” Bill said. “There were three bull calves that were flown to Minnesota via the LAX airport. I remember because they were still on milk! The three heifers were later trucked out to Forest Lawn.”
Jinx was then sent to Forest Lawn where she went on to, as Darrell Worden said, “put us on the map. She created interest in Forest Lawn genetics and definitely helped stimulate activity for us.” Worden went on, “I have bought many cows through the years, but she was most definitely the cheapest because her return on investment far exceeded the price we paid. At the time, if it hadn’t been for the help of my parents to fund the $60,000 price tag, I just hoped we could get it back!” But get it back they did. “We sold her son Jinxson ET in the National Sale for $38,000. Then we sold half interest to Noba in Jetway plus royalties, and of course her daughters and granddaughters that we marketed.”
The Worden family showed Jinx multiple times and at many different shows. “We went to a lot of shows with her,” said Darrell, “some cows you gotta get their attention to look their best. One thing that fascinated me more about her {Jinx} than any other cow I ever led; she was a show cow! She’d walk to the ring normal, with head about even with you, but once you entered that arena, her head popped up, ears came forward and she showed me – I didn’t show her!” Darrell also added, “the family was not only a merchandising family, but the entire family milked!”
Through the use of embryo transfer, Jinx had 23 offspring. For a while she was housed at Select Embryos in Ohio. “The year she was Total Performance Cow at Madison, Wayne Sliker went over and got her and brought her up to Madison for the show,” said Worden.
“After Madison, I brought Jinx back to Ohio and that Monday took her over to Select,” stated Sliker. “We had Top Acres Elegant Simon housed at Select. That was the flush that created Jetway, Jupiter and a total of eight outstanding Simon offspring.”
Just under a dozen of Jinx’s daughters were scored in the U.S. with seven scored EX90 and the rest 85 points or better. One of her daughters, Forest Lawn Simon Jem, was sold to South America where she went on to win several banners for her new owners including Grand at the Brazil National.
Forest Lawn Distinct Joyous ET was one of those heifer calves born in California and later purchased by the Vanderhams. She in turn produced eight daughters, four of which scored Excellent, including Bridge View Jades Josay ET EX92, and two Very Good at 88points. One of those 3E90 daughters, Bridge View Magic Joisee ET, was a Protein Plus cow with records to 33,220M. She was also a member of the 2000 Honorable Mention All-American Produce of Dam. Her Pete Rose daughter, Brierwood PR Jacee 3E93 was a multiple All-American nominee, also with records to 33,400M 1189F 1131P.
Forest Lawn Simon Jinxs Joy ET 2E90, one of the Simon daughters, was purchased as a pick of calves by Ken Manion and Wayne Sliker. She went on to produce records to 25,700M 1,059F 925P. Her highest scored daughter was Manions Dotson Jinxs Jo at EX93, and an All-Amercian Nominee. Jinxs Jo was also the Reserve Grand Champion of the Southeast National in 1997. A Jade daughter scored 5E90 and was a member of the All-American nominated Sr. Best 3 Females in 1996 and Produce of Dam member in 1997.
A flush of Jinxs Jojo resulted in several additional Excellent and Very Good daughters. A 3E91 daughter was Top Acres M Ensign Joann ET. She was purchased by the Regusci’s and Busy Bee Syndicate in California. She was the Reserve Grand Champion of the Western National in 2004 and 1st Aged Cow in 2006. She had lifetime credits to 124,570M 4,408F 3,888P. Her daughter, Busy Bee Syndicate Jasper, was her highest scoring daughter at 94-points.
Jinx also had a multitude of influential sons. Eight of her sons were distributed through Interbull with over 50,800 daughters
reported world-wide. Jinx King, the first bull calf by E E Beautician King, returned to Massingill, resulted in 1688 daughters in the US and another 272 internationally. He was collected and distributed through Tri-State Breeders of Wisconsin. Of those daughters, almost 60 daughters were scored Excellent with the two highest at 92 points.
Forest Lawn Tradition ET (D), Jinx’s Norvic Telstar son, had over 1740 daughters in the United States and 3288 internationally. Over 40 of those in the US are Excellent with the highest scored 93-points.Tradition was owned by Landmark Genetics.
‘index’ thing to do but I thought, even though it was late in the game, Simon was the best mating. When I went out to look at the bulls, it was lights out, no question on Jetway. He was a show bull incredible – he was an ultra-quality, clean-cut, dairy animal. He was so uniquely ahead of his time with dairy and style and strength.” The deal was made over breakfast that day.
Jetway carried the Premier Sire reign at World Dairy Expo for almost a decade, his son Top Acres Jet Pilot was named Premier Sire three times between 2007 and 2011.
Forest Lawn Jinxson ET, one of the Distinction sons mentioned earlier by Worden, was sold through the South Dakota National Sale and purchased by the Jinxson Dozen and had over 1400 daughters of which there were a multitude of Very Good and Excellent daughters, including five 91-point Excellents. Internationally there were another 1400 daughters for over 2800 total daughters on the Interbull proofs.
Another Distinction son, Forest Lawn Jargon ET (M) had almost 3450 daughters throughout the US, Mexico, South American and world-wide. He was owned by Trans-World Genetics (now ST Genetics).
Another Jinx son, owned by Trans-World that had an impact was a Top Acres Balison Tempo son, Forest Lawn T J Rhythm (D) (M). With over 1275 daughters world-wide, several show up regularly in pedigrees including Terra Rose Rythm Sadie EX94; Heiz Acres Rhythm Marlo EX94; Mort Rhythm Darcy, EX94; La Rainbow Butterfly ET EX93 and a brood cow in her own right, Hawthorne Rhythmic Riki TW EX94.
Most notable of all her sons though, is Forest Lawn Simon Jetway ET (M) who had 26,794 daughters throughout the world. Over 7300 daughters in the US include household names such as Toni, Sasha, Prize, Nora, Shatzi, and Snowplow. Each of these, along with many others, have sons and daughters that are making history of their own.
Jetway also transmitted to his sons who have carried the success of Jinx through the lines such as Top Acres Jet Pilot at ABS, Bridge View Primetime at Trans-World, Lost Elm Portfolio at Semex and Lost Elm Prelude Pilot at Select Sires. Several other sons have been marketed abroad in Switzerland, Mexico and South America.
Brian Garrison, made the selection of Jetway for Noba, Inc. “I always liked Jinx a lot and at that time, this mating wasn’t the
“On the daughter side, one of Jetway’s most prolific daughters is Timberline Jetway Toni (M). This four-time All-American is 3E94 with records to 29,15M6 5.3% 1,552F 3.5% 1,008P. She appears in multiple pedigrees of today’s leading ladies. With 40 offspring she had 10 Excellent daughters including Milk & Honey Tonis Tessa EX92, Milk & Honey Pre Time ET EX93 and Milk & Honey Prem Tifany ET *TM EX93.
Another household name sired by Jetway is Valligrove Jetway Nora ET 2E93, a multiple All American and Grand Champion at World Dairy Expo. With 52 offspring, she has 18 Excellent daughters and sons in A.I. The highest-scored daughter is by Prelude, Jo-Dee Prelude Nancy ET EX94. Another daughter, JoDee Wonderment Nuclear ET is 2E92 with several All American nominations, high-scoring daughters and granddaughters.
Across the US, Jetway daughters like Nor Bella Jetway River ET, Blue Heaven Snoball Twin ET, Blue Heaven JW Snowplow ET, Kruses Jetway Fashion and Ken IR Jetway Adrea, all of which are scored 94 points along with Dublin-Hills Sasha and Top Acres Jetway Prize ET, both 93-points are reaching brood cow status themselves. And there are more that time and space don’t allow us to mention, but suffice it to say, Jetway crossed well on almost all pedigrees with outstanding results.
“Jinx was never treated any different than the other cows,” said Worden fondly, “but if she was out with the cows in the pasture and saw you, she’d come up to get her head scratched.” Jinx passed away at the age of 12 from pneumonia complications, something she battled with off and on over her life according to her various owners. The Worden’s buried Jinx in their backyard and her grave is marked with a headstone representative of the Brood Cow Queen she was.
The Forest Lawn Brown Swiss herd was recently dispersed which reminded us of the legacy of Jinx and the dominance of Jetway at World Dairy Expo.
By Cheri Oechsle
I always liked Jinx a lot and at that time, this mating wasn’t the ‘index’ thing to do but I thought, even though it was late in the game, Simon was the best mating. When I went out to look at the bulls, it was lights out, no question on Jetway. He was a show bull incredible – he was an ultra-quality, clean-cut, dairy animal. He was so uniquely ahead of his time with dairy and style and strength.”
BRIAN GARRISON
Jinx will forever be remembered for not only her show resume, but her descendants that can be found in pedigrees around the world.
102ND ALL-AMERICAN HOLSTEIN CONTEST
OFFICIAL RULES
ELIGIBILITY
1. All animals that have been shown in the U.S. during the 2024 show season are eligible.
2. All-American Group Class Entries – In the Open All-American contest, Cowsmopolitan/HolsteinWorld accepts the group entries as shown in the ring. Therefore, any entry that is shown and placed at a qualifying show will be eligible for the contest in the class.
3. Exhibitor must be in good standing with Cowsmopolitan/ HolsteinWorld.
ENTRY FORM & REGISTRY CERTIFICATE
It is the responsibility of the owner/exhibitor to submit a signed, completed entry form for each animal or group in order for it to be considered for All-American Nomination. Entry forms are available online at Cowsmo.com and are available on request from the Cowsmopolitan/Holstein World office and staff. Please list placings from all shows. Placings will be verified. A photocopy of the Registration Certificate for the animal being entered must accompany the entry form. Ownership of animal at deadline date will be the ownership published in the All-American issue.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Together with a completed entry form, it is the responsibility of the exhibitor to secure and supply a full-color professional backdrop photo of each animal entered in the contest. Pictures must be taken during the current year and show the animal in the same stage of growth and/ or lactation as when making the qualifying show ring appearance.
It is encouraged that all photos be submitted electronically either from the livestock photographer or the exhibitor to allamericancontest@gmail.com.
CONTEST PROCEDURE
A Nominating Committee of five to seven judges will consider the photographs and placings of eligible animals for which an entry form has been received. The top six entries in each class are chosen for Nomination. These Nominations are submitted to the All-American Panel for voting. The panel is made up of the judges of the leading shows in the current season.
The panel members vote separately by mail and indicate in each class their first, second, and third choice. Point values are assigned as follows: Each first place vote, 7 points; second place, 3 points; and third place, 1 point. By simple arithmetic, the award of All-American and Reserve AllAmerican are determined in order of total points.
CLASSES IN COMPETITION (20)
Spring Calf (born on or after 3/1/24)
Winter Calf (born 12/1/23 thru 2/28/24)
Fall Calf (born 9/1/23 thru 11/30/23)
Summer Yearling (born 6/1/23 thru 8/31/23)
Spring Yearling (born 3/1/23 thru 5/31/23)
Winter Yearling (born 12/1/22 thru 2/28/23)
Fall Yearling – not in milk (born 9/1/22 thru 11/30/22)
Milking Yearling (born on or after 9/1/22)
Summer Junior 2-Year-Old* (born 6/1/22 thru 8/31/22)
Junior 2-Year-Old (born 3/1/22 thru 5/31/22)
Senior 2-Year-Old (born 9/1/21 thru 2/28/22)
Junior 3-Year-Old (born 3/1/21 thru 8/31/21)
Senior 3-Year-Old (born 9/1/20 thru 2/28/21)
4-Year-Old (born 9/1/19 thru 8/31/20)
5-Year-Old (born 9/1/18 thru 8/31/19)
Aged Cow (born before 9/1/18)
Lifetime Production Cow** – over 150,000 Lbs of milk
Produce of Dam (two females, any age, that are maternal sisters)
Junior Best Three Females (Group to consist of three females born on or after 9/1/22 which have not yet calved. Each must have been bred, all or in part, by its exhibitor.)
Senior Best Three Females (Group to consist of three milking age females all who have been bred, all or in part, by their exhibitor.)
*To be eligible for this class, the cow must qualify in a Summer Junior 2-Year-Old class. List only placings from the class entered in the contest. In no case will the same animal be eligible for the Summer Junior 2-Year-Old and the Junior 2-Year-Old class in the same year.
**To be eligible for this class, the cow must qualify in a Lifetime Production (150,000 Lb.) class. List only placings from the class entered in the contest. In no case will the same animal be eligible for the Lifetime Production class and the Aged Cow class in the same year.
***Group classes – Individual photos of each of the animals entered in a group must be taken during the current contest year and submitted with the group entry.
NOMINATION FEE
Color photographs of all animals nominated in each class will be presented in the All-American issue of Cowsmopolitan/HolsteinWorld released in January 2025. Exhibitors who have entries selected for nomination will be required to pay a nomination fee of $150 per animal/group nominated within three days of notification.
Upon notification of nomination, exhibitor will be responsible to provide a valid credit card number against which the fee will be charged. Judges will select an alternate nominee in each class, which will be substituted if the fee is not submitted for a nomination.
An advertisement placed in the Late Winter 2025 or Spring 2025 issue of Cowsmopolitan will waive nomination fees from the contest.
Please submit all entries and pictures by November 1, 2024
For animals exhibiting at later shows, their additional placings will be added to the entry form.
Email: allamericancontest@gmail.com / / Online entry forms available at www.cowsmo.com
19TH ALL-AMERICAN JERSEY CONTEST
OFFICIAL RULES
ELIGIBILITY
1. All animals that have been shown in the U.S. during the 2024 show season are eligible.
2. All-American Group Class Entries – In the Open All-American contest, Cowsmopolitan/HolsteinWorld accepts the group entries as shown in the ring. Therefore, any entry that is shown and placed at a qualifying show will be eligible for the contest in the class.
3. Exhibitor must be in good standing with Cowsmopolitan/ HolsteinWorld.
ENTRY FORM & REGISTRY CERTIFICATE
It is the responsibility of the owner/exhibitor to submit a signed, completed entry form for each animal or group in order for it to be considered for All-American Nomination. Entry forms are available online at Cowsmo.com and are available on request from the Cowsmopolitan/Holstein World office and staff. Please list placings from all shows. Placings will be verified. A photocopy of the Registration Certificate for the animal being entered must accompany the entry form. Ownership of animal at deadline date will be the ownership published in the All-American issue.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Together with a completed entry form, it is the responsibility of the exhibitor to secure and supply a full-color professional backdrop photo of each animal entered in the contest. Pictures must be taken during the current year and show the animal in the same stage of growth and/ or lactation as when making the qualifying show ring appearance.
It is encouraged that all photos be submitted electronically either from the livestock photographer or the exhibitor to allamericancontest@gmail.com.
CONTEST PROCEDURE
A Nominating Committee of up to seven judges will consider the photographs and placings of eligible animals for which an entry form has been received. The top six entries in each class are chosen for Nomination. These Nominations are submitted to the All-American Panel for voting. The panel is made up of the judges of the leading shows in the current season.
The panel members vote separately by mail and indicate in each class their first, second, and third choice. Point values are assigned as follows: Each first place vote, 7 points; second place, 3 points; and third place, 1 point. By simple arithmetic, the award of All-American and Reserve AllAmerican are determined in order of total points.
CLASSES IN COMPETITION (20)
Spring Calf (born on or after 3/1/24)
Winter Calf (born 12/1/23 thru 2/28/24)
Fall Calf (born 9/1/23 thru 11/30/23)
Summer Yearling (born 6/1/23 thru 8/31/23)
Spring Yearling (born 3/1/23 thru 5/31/23)
Winter Yearling (born 12/1/22 thru 2/28/23)
Fall Yearling – not in milk (born 9/1/22 thru 11/30/22)
Milking Yearling (born on or after 9/1/22)
Summer Junior 2-Year-Old* (born 6/1/22 thru 8/31/22)
Junior 2-Year-Old (born 3/1/22 thru 5/31/22)
Senior 2-Year-Old (born 9/1/21 thru 2/28/22)
Junior 3-Year-Old (born 3/1/21 thru 8/31/21)
Senior 3-Year-Old (born 9/1/20 thru 2/28/21)
4-Year-Old (born 9/1/19 thru 8/31/20)
5-Year-Old (born 9/1/18 thru 8/31/19)
Aged Cow (born before 9/1/18)
Lifetime Cheese Production Cow** – minimum lifetime production of 10,000 Lbs of cheese yield
Produce of Dam (two females, any age, that are maternal sisters)
Junior Best Three Females (Group to consist of three females born on or after 9/1/22 which have not yet calved. Each must have been bred, all or in part, by its exhibitor.)
Senior Best Three Females (Group to consist of three milking age females all who have been bred, all or in part, by their exhibitor.)
*To be eligible for this class, the cow must qualify in a Summer Junior 2-Year-Old class. List only placings from the class entered in the contest. In no case will the same animal be eligible for the Summer Junior 2-Year-Old and the Junior 2-Year-Old class in the same year.
**To be eligible for this class, the cow must qualify in a Lifetime Production class. List only placings from the class entered in the contest. In no case will the same animal be eligible for the Lifetime Production class and the Aged Cow class in the same year.
**Group classes – Individual photos of each of the animals entered in a group must be taken during the current contest year and submitted with the group entry.
NOMINATION FEE
Color photographs of all animals nominated in each class will be presented in the All-American issue of Cowsmopolitan/HolsteinWorld released in January 2025. Exhibitors who have entries selected for nomination will be required to pay a nomination fee of $150 per animal/group nominated within three days of notification.
Upon notification of nomination, exhibitor will be responsible to provide a valid credit card number against which the fee will be charged. Judges will select an alternate nominee in each class, which will be substituted if the fee is not submitted for a nomination.
An advertisement placed in the Late Winter 2025 or Spring 2025 issue of Cowsmopolitan will waive nomination fees from the contest.
Please submit all entries and pictures by November 8, 2024
For animals exhibiting at later shows, their additional placings will be added to the entry form.
Email: allamericancontest@gmail.com / / Online entry forms available at www.cowsmo.com
JUNIOR ALL-AMERICAN CONTEST HOLSTEIN & JERSEY
OFFICIAL RULES
ELIGIBILITY
1. All animals that have been shown in the U.S. during the 2024 show season are eligible.
2. Exhibitor must be in good standing with Cowsmopolitan/ HolsteinWorld.
If the junior exhibitor meets the criterion, they are eligible to enter the contest.
ENTRY FORM & REGISTRY CERTIFICATE
It is the responsibility of the owner/exhibitor to submit a signed, completed entry form for each animal in order for it to be considered for Junior All-American Nomination. Entry forms are available online at Cowsmo.com and are available on request from the Cowsmopolitan/ Holstein World office and staff. Please list junior placings from all shows. This contest is strictly for the junior show/placings at which that animal showed at under a junior’s ownership. A photocopy of the Registration Certificate for the animal being entered must accompany the entry form.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Together with a completed entry form, it is the responsibility of the exhibitor to secure and supply a full-color professional backdrop photo of each animal entered in the contest. Pictures must be taken during the current year and show the animal in the same stage of growth and/ or lactation as when making the qualifying show ring appearance.
It is encouraged that all photos be submitted electronically either from the livestock photographer or the exhibitor to allamericancontest@gmail.com.
CONTEST PROCEDURE
All entries will be given consideration by the Junior All-American Holstein Nominating Committee or the Junior All-American Jersey Nominating Committee. Each committee will select the top six animals in each class for nomination.
There is no Nomination or Entry Fee for the Junior Contests
Color photographs of all animals nominated in each class will be presented in the issue of Spring 2025 issue of Cowsmopolitan.
CLASSES IN COMPETITION (17)
Spring Calf (born on or after 3/1/24)
Winter Calf (born 12/1/23 thru 2/28/24)
Fall Calf (born 9/1/23 thru 11/30/23)
Summer Yearling (born 6/1/23 thru 8/31/23)
Spring Yearling (born 3/1/23 thru 5/31/23)
Winter Yearling (born 12/1/22 thru 2/28/23)
Fall Yearling – not in milk (born 9/1/22 thru 11/30/22)
Milking Yearling (born on or after 9/1/22)
Summer Junior 2-Year-Old* (born 6/1/22 thru 8/31/22)
Junior 2-Year-Old (born 3/1/22 thru 5/31/22)
Senior 2-Year-Old (born 9/1/21 thru 2/28/22)
Junior 3-Year-Old (born 3/1/21 thru 8/31/21)
Senior 3-Year-Old (born 9/1/20 thru 2/28/21)
4-Year-Old (born 9/1/19 thru 8/31/20)
5-Year-Old (born 9/1/18 thru 8/31/19)
Aged Cow (born before 9/1/18)
Lifetime Production Cow** – over 150,000 Lbs of milk (Holstein); over 10,000 Lbs of cheese yield (Jersey)
*To be eligible for this class, the cow must qualify in a Summer Junior 2-Year-Old class. List only placings from the class entered in the contest. In no case will the same animal be eligible for the Summer Junior 2-Year-Old and the Junior 2-Year-Old class in the same year.
**To be eligible for this class, the cow must qualify in a Lifetime Production class. List only placings from the class entered in the contest. In no case will the same animal be eligible for the Lifetime Production class and the Aged Cow class in the same year.
***Cowsmopolitan reserves the right to combine classes to ensure a contest with full, competitive classes.
If an entry also qualifies for competition in the OPEN All-American Contest, a separate entry should be submitted.
ENTRY DEADLINE
All-American Junior Holstein Contest Entry Deadline: November 1, 2024
All-American Junior Jersey Contest Entry Deadline: November 8, 2024
For animals exhibiting at later shows, their additional placings will be added to the entry form.
Please submit all entries and pictures Cowsmopolitan/HolsteinWorld Mail: All-American Contest, Attn: Kathleen 866 161st Street, Hammond, WI 54015 Email: allamericancontest@gmail.com Online entry forms available at www.cowsmo.com
OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM 2024 CONTESTS
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES
Holsteins: November 1, 2024
Jerseys: November 8, 2024
CLASS IN WHICH COMPETING: A completed entry form is required for EACH contest!
Name of Animal: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Registration Number: ___________________________________Date of Birth: _______________________________________
List the complete show record for the year. Please give all results regardless of placing, both junior and open. Placings will be verified for accuracy. Please use an extra sheet if additional space is needed.
Signature: __________________________________________________________________________ Entry Form MUST be signed With this signature, I agree to the All-American contest rules, including paying the required Nomination Fee if this animal or group is nominated. A photocopy of the Registration Certificate for the animal being entered must accompany this form.
Please submit all entries and pictures to Cowsmopolitan/HolsteinWorld Mail: All-American Contest, Attn: Kathleen; 866 161st Street, Hammond, WI 54015 Email: allamericancontest@gmail.com / / Online entry forms available at www.cowsmo.com
Upcoming events
SHOWS
Oct 1-4
Oct 12
World Dairy Expo, Madison, WI Cowsmo Coverage
Atlantic Dairy Championship Show, Judge Steve Wagner, ME; Truro, NS
Oct 16 Autumn Opportunity Show, Judge Molly Sloan, WI; Orangeville, ON
Oct 17 Eastern ON / Western QC Championship Show, Judge Pat Lundy, NY; Metcalfe, ON
Oct 17-19
Nov 4-5
Nov 7-9
Nov 10-11
Westerner Dairy Showcase, Judge Dominic Fortier, QC; Red Deer AB
TD Canadian 4-H Dairy Classic, Toronto, ON Cowsmo Coverage
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Toronto, ON Cowsmo Coverage
Mid-East Fall National Holstein Show, Judge Jamie Howard, ON; Louisville, KY Cowsmo Coverage
2025
Jan 18-23 International Dairy Week, Tatura, Victoria, AUS Cowsmo Coverage
Mar 12-13 BC Spring Holstein & Jersey Show, Chilliwack, BC Cowsmo Coverage
Mar 26-29 Ohio Spring Dairy Expo, Columbus, OH Cowsmo Coverage
Apr 4
Atlantic Spring Show in conjunction with Holstein Canada National Convention, Halifax, NS Cowsmo Coverage
Apr 23-24
Ontario Spring Discovery Holstein & Jersey Shows, Ancaster, ON Cowsmo Coverage
Apr 24-28 Wisconsin Dairy Showcase, Madison, WI Cowsmo Coverage
Aug 17-21 Wisconsin Summer Championship Show, Madison, WI Cowsmo Coverage
SALES
Oct 1 Top of the World Jersey Sale, Madison, WI, Managed by: Jersey Marketing Services
Oct 10 Mintoglen Farms and Glenlodge Holsteins Dispersal, Palmerston, ON, Managed by: Brubacher Sales
Nov 9 Pot O' Gold Jersey Sale, Louisville, KY, Managed by: Jersey Marketing Services
Nov 9 All-American Jersey Sale, Louisville, KY, Managed by: Jersey Marketing Services
Dec 9 Music City Celebration Sale 8, Nashville, TN, Managed by: The Alliance
Mar 14 1st Impressions at the Interstate IV, Clear Spring, MD, Managed by: The Alliance & Interstate Heifer Care
Mar 15 Springtime Jubilee with Duckett & Abbott, Union Bridge, MD, Managed by: Schwartzbeck, Duckett & Abbott
Apr 7
Midwest Edition hosted by Do-N-Joy Genetics, Arlington, MN
April 12 Quest for Success VII, Delavan, WI, Managed by: Maple-Leigh Futures
May 31 The Guernsey Event, hosted by Springhill & Warwick Manor, Assisted by: The Alliance
Jun 6-7
Woodmansee, Vail & Maple Downs
Special Sale, Cobleskill, NY, Managed by: The Alliance
Jun 12-14 Father's Day Weekend Tag Sale at the Interstate, hosted by South Mountain Jerseys & Interstate Heifer Care
EVENTS & MEETINGS
Sep29-Oct4 World Dairy Expo
Nov 1-10 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Toronto, ON
Dec 3 Genetic Evaluation Release
Feb 6 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference, Mt. Pleasant, MI
Feb 11 World Ag Expo, Tulare, CA
April 1-3 Western Dairy Management Conference, Reno, NV
April 2-3 Canadian Dairy Xpo, Stratford, ON
April 2-5 Holstein Canada National Convention, Halifax, NS
Jun 23-26 National Holstein Convention, St. Louis, MO
Jun 23-26 AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings, Lexington, KY
Ella Wright Photography
Advertiser Rates & Deadlines
2024 ADVERTISING DEADLINES:
LATE FALL2024 OCT 12 Space Reservation // OCT 24 Camera-Ready Deadline
2024 BREEDER ADVERTISING RATES:
FULL PAGE: $800 USD // $1075 CDN
HALF PAGE: $500 USD // $675 CDN
DOUBLE PAGE: $1500 USD // $2000 CDN
BUSINESS CARD: $150 USD per issue
*Contact us for Commercial & Sale Manager Advertising Rates!
2024 DIGITAL RATES:
Premium digital banner spots are offered to contract advertisers on a first-come, first-serve basis. Artwork for monthly banners can be changed 1X/month
Multi-week banner advertisers will be included in the Digital Weekly Newsletter, depending on length of contract. Sponsored Facebook posts negotiated on an individual basis. Contact us for more details. Call us to discuss a personalized Digital & Print Marketing Plan! Logo, flyer and ad design always available for all of your marketing needs! Now offering show signs as well! Contact
