Michigan Cow of the Century Contest

MICHIGAN Cow of the Century

Contest

The Michigan Cow of the Century Contest was developed to highlight some of the favorites of Michigan Holstein genetics. We had several nominations, and they are all presented here. The Michigan Holstein Association Facebook Page will have instructions for online voting. OR you can vote by selecting your favorite cow and emailing that vote to the MHA office at michholstein1@gmail.com. The top 10 vote getters will be announced in the Spring issue of the Michigan Dairy Cattle News and announced at the MHA Annual Meeting. Thanks to the Michigan Holstein Association for sponsoring this contest that highlights the hard work of Michigan’s Holstein breeders! All-Michigan Senior Three-Year-Old 2002

GAWTHORNE CM PATTY EX-96

Patty went EX-96 at 12 years old. That year she was first place production cow, Senior and Grand Champion at Michigan Dairy Expo. Patty and her EX-94 Triple Threat daughter were 1st Dam & Daughter at Michigan Dairy Expo, Michigan State Fair and Ohio Spring National. She made over 250,000 pounds of milk lifetime. She was bred by Garthorne Holsteins and her final owner was Gold Medal Breeders – the Bush Family.

KAYMANOR ELEGANT DENTINE EX 2E 94 EEEEE

Dentine was owned by Esquerita Holsteins of Fowler, MI (Todd Watts and family) as a calf, yearling and 2 year old cow. During her first lactation, Winterfield Holsteins of Wheeler, MI (Keith Bott and family) purchased half interest in Dentine, and she was owned by this partnership for the rest of her life.

Dentine was bred by Doug McKay of Kaymanor Holsteins, Stratford, Ontario.

Kaymanor Elegant Dentine, EX 2E 94 EEEEE arrived in Michigan as a baby calf and spent the entirety of her life housed in state and owned by Michigan breeders, along the way becoming a household name and ringside favorite on the Michigan show circuit. While many famous show cows are ‘one hit wonders’, Dentine stood the test of time to show competitively from a calf all the way up to a production cow. Dentine was All-Michigan 5 times; as a calf, a yearling, and 3 times in lactating form. She also was competitive at the national level, including the Mideast National Spring Show, the Midwest National Spring Show, and World Dairy Expo. Dentine’s show record is as follows: All-Michigan Fall Calf, 1999 All-Michigan Fall Yearling, 2000 1st Senior Yearling, Michigan State Fair 2000 Junior Champion, Michigan State Fair 2000 1st Senior Two-Year-Old, Great Lakes Spring Show 2001 1st Senior Three-Year-Old, Great Lakes Spring Show 2002 2nd Senior Three-Year-Old, Mideast National Spring Show 2002

Grand Champion, Great Lakes Spring Show 2002 Grand Champion Holstein, Michigan Dairy Expo 2002 Supreme Champion of all breeds, Michigan Dairy Expo 2002 1st 5-year-old, Great Lakes Spring Show 2004 Grand Champion, Great Lakes Spring Show 2004 All-Michigan 5-Year-Old, 2004 Grand Champion Holstein, Michigan Dairy Expo 2004 1st Aged Cow, Great Lakes Spring Show 2005 Grand Champion, Michigan Spring Show 2005 All-Michigan Aged Cow, 2005 Grand Champion Holstein, Michigan Dairy Expo 2005 Supreme Champion of all breeds, Michigan Dairy Expo 2005 8th Aged Cow, World Dairy Expo 2005 1st Production Cow, Great Lakes Spring Show 2007 Reserve Grand Champion, Great Lakes Spring Show 2007 1st Production Cow, Midwest National Spring Show 2007

Additionally, Dentine made her mark as a brood cow with multiple daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters scoring Very Good and Excellent. Her most well-known daughter was Esquerita Linjet Delaney EX 2E 93 EEEEE, who followed in her mother’s footsteps to become the All-Michigan 5-Year-Old in 2007. Delaney was also Grand Champion Holstein and Supreme Champion of all breeds at the Michigan Dairy Expo 2007. Dentine’s legacy continues today here in Michigan with several Excellent great granddaughters and their offspring in the Esquerita and T & H herds, as well as progeny from embryo and live animal sales as far away as Missouri and North Carolina.

While generating income for her owners thru merchandising, Dentine also paid the bills as a milk producer. She achieved Production Cow status on 2 time a day milking by 2007. Dentine’s highest individual milk record was 7-01 365D 37,850M 3.7 1389F 2.9 1087P. Her lifetime output was 166,042M 3.8 6340F 2.9 4894P. Both of these records are significant for a cow milked in a grazing operation.

Truly a Michigan cow for the ages, Kaymanor Elegant Dentine was, as described, the epitome of longevity on all fronts.

For years she teamed up with her dam Minnow Creek Eden Delight to hold the dam & daughter lifetime world production record. Her lifetime record was 5,339D 282,938M 3.6% 10,307F. Her two sons, Lakefield Fond Hope and Carnation Royal Master had an enormous influence on the breed.

Bred by Lakefield Farms, Clarkston, Michigan, and sold to Carnation Farms, Carnation, Washington.

LONG-HAVEN GOLD ROCHELLE-ET

Rochelle was named Junior Champion at World Dairy Expo in 2008. She went on to be named All-American Junior Yearling that year. In 2009 she won the Junior 2-Year-Old class at WDE and at the Royal Winter Fair. She went on to earn Junior 2-Year-Old All-American and All-Canadian honors that same year. Rochelle is a 12th generation Excellent.

Breeder: Long-Haven Farms, Inc. Clayton, MI

Owner: John Smith, Ontario

MICHIGAN RAMO DAQUIRI

Daquiri was the highest scoring cow in MSU dairy history, scoring a EX92. She held a high milking average and was a great cow. She is bred and owned by the MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center.

MODIK ELEVATION GINGER EX-92-3E

Born in August of 1975, Modik Elevation Ginger was bred and owned by Richard Gilna of Corunna, MI. She was scored EX92-3E, was a Gold Medal Dam and a Dam of Merit. She had a lifetime production record of 2753D 201,816M 3.5% 7109F. She is definitely the cow that put Modik Farms “on the map.”

Ginger was the culmination of a breeding program at Modik Farms that focused on strong type, longevity, and milk production. She is a direct descendent of Richard’s first 4-H project calf. Her four closest dams were all scored VG and were the foundation of Modik Farms’ success in the show ring for many years.

The first embryo transfer flush of Ginger in 1980 produced Modik Valiant Count-ET EX90 and Modik Valiant Duke-ET who were in service at Select Sires and Golden Genes, and were the first of many of Ginger’s male offspring to be proven at bull studs across the country.

Ginger’s ability to transmit her outstanding type and production is exemplified by her five EX daughters, most notably: *Modik Electra Pepper EX91-DOM -dam of Modik Board Chairman Jasmine EX90 DOM (Todd Benjamin, Williamston, MI) *Modik Valiant Gwynne EX92-DOM numerous sons in AI and outstanding daughters (Erksdale Dairy, Utah) *Modik Steady Daphne-ET EX91-DOM outstanding production cow: (Dedicated Dairy, Lake Odessa,MI) 7-01 365d 53,720M 3.3% 1797F 2.9% 1570P

Ginger is also the granddam of numerous Excellent granddaughters, and you can find Ginger’s name noted in the pedigrees of many outstanding Holsteins across North America.

At the end of her productive life, Ginger was donated to Michigan State University for genetic and reproductive research. She spent the end of her days back home on the farm and is buried there.

MSU ELLIE

Ellie was known as the super mom of MSU. Ellie lived for 12 years and had 10 calves. She also holds the highest lifetime production of any cow in the MSU herd. Ellie produced over 240,000 lbs of milk in her lifetime. Ellie is bred and owned by the MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center.

MICHIGAN DADDY SHERRI

Sherri was a great cow and held a very high milking average. Her offspring are great producers and she was used for many embryo transfers. Sherri scored a VG-85 and is bred and owned by the MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center.

PAUL-FARM COUNSEL PIXIE-ET EX-96 3E

Pixie was 1st 4-YROld and Reserve Grand at NAILE, nominated All-Canadian and All-American 4-year-old. She was Grand at the Ontario Spring Show and 1st at the Midwest Spring Show and 1st at the Midwest Spring National as an Aged Cow. That year she was also All-Michigan Aged Cow. Pixie was owned by hardy’s Holsteins in partnership with Stookeyholm, and Pennicks. She was then purchased by Gold Medal Breeders, the George Bush Family, where she went EX-95 and ended up EX-96 3E. She was bred by Paul Farms of Goshen, Indiana, and owned finally by Gold Medal Breeders.

Amy is one of those iron cows who was slow to mature and lived a long productive life. She’s never been the biggest cow and didn’t classify Excellent the first time until she was 6 years old. She will be 18 in December and has been enjoying retirement for the past 4 years. Amy continues to make an impact in our herd through her daughters and their offspring. Her highest scored daughter-to-date was a 92-point Shottle who has numerous VG offspring in the herd. Another EX Atwood is just starting to make an impact. Our nephew was fortunate enough to show at the Kent County Youth Fair this year with an Atwood calf (who was a class winner) that was 5 generations removed from Amy. Amy herself was no stranger to the show ring. She finished second in the Great Lakes Futurity with a total of three Reserve and two All-Michigan Awards of her own and numerous more in the Produce of Dam (with her Morty sister) and Dam and Daughter classes. Amy worked hard at Rod-er-Dic with a production record of 5-10 365D 36,445M 3.6% 1,304F 3.1% 1,148P and a lifetime record of 229,194M 8,483F 7,661P

She is bred and owned by Paul Meyer of Rod-er-Dic Farm.

ROD-ER-DIC STARBUCK ADA 5E94

Thirty years after she was born Ada is still an important part of our breeding and merchandising program with almost 20 percent of the herd tracing back to her. Ada was one of those rare animals that showed well as a heifer and continued to show well as a cow. She was named All-Michigan seven times. A good portion of these were won when the contest was based on a point system which included the spring and summer show, district show and state fair. Six months is a long time to stay in show form. The one Reserve was her last show in the Aged Cow class to her Tab daughter. She went to committee during the 1997 Convention but missed it by 1 vote. Her lifetime production was 160,071 pounds of milk and she was also the 1993 Great Lakes State Futurity Winner. She was bred and owned by Paul Meyer of Rod-er-Dic Farm.

C ROSSLAND ASTRO KAT EX-97

Kat was nominated All-American as a 4-Year-Old. She was the first-place Aged cow and Grand Champion and Supreme Champion at World Dairy Expo in 1991. Kat was owned by the Lawson Bennett Family in partnership with the Robert Binger Family of Ohio. Gold Medal Breeders – the George Bush Family were her final owners.

8-09 365 days 31,020 3.5% 1082 3.0% 920 Lifetime: 203,970 3.6% 7413 3.1% 6290

Bootsie had 6 Excellent daughters

She won her futurity in 1994

Reserve Grand at the Michigan State Fair in 1994

Bootsie has had tremendous impact on the herd and their family lines are still present in the milking herd today.

STAR-SUMMIT LINDY SWEET, EX-94 3E GMD, DOM

5-09 365 43,850 3.6% 1592 3.2% 1417

Of Sweet’s 6 daughters, 4 were Excellent and 2 VG

Sweet won her futurity in 1998 and still has an impact on the milking herd today.

STRAUTZ-AAA GWATWOOD ROSE 2E95

10/1/11-7/6/20 6-04 2X 365d 42,139 3.7% 1,557 Fat 3.0% 1,246 Protein

Over 160,000 lifetime

2015 Michigan Spring Show Grand and Intermediate Champion 2016 All-Michigan 4-Year Old 2017 Reserve-All Michigan 5-year old

These are the statistical highlights and they probably aren’t as outstanding as some, but like all the cows entered in this contest she was so much more than a bunch of stats. It’s still too soon to know the impact she’ll have on the herd with just three milking daughters to-date and some good-looking heifers coming up. Time and years will tell that story. But the real story of Rose is a cow with roots planted firmly in Michigan Holstein history and a three-generation love affair with the big black and white cow.

Rose was born at Rod-er-Dic from a cow they moved there as a yearling when Strautz Holsteins dispersed and Paul and Sherry were married. The granddam was a Rod-Er-Dic cow purchased by Sherry’s mom at the Lake O’Dessa Sale Barn. Paul and his dad had purchased a cow several years before this named Mari-Way Glendell Spots when Wayne and Rodney Pennock dispersed their herd. Spots was Rose’s 5th dam, and many animals were consigned to sales from her. Another line of this family also resulted in a 94- point Raider. The 8th thru 10th dams also carry the RodEr-Dic prefix with one of the cows tracing to the #2 cow in their herdbook. The 11th dam was an Ionia prison cow born in 1954 that Paul’s grandpa purchased when they were starting the herd.

Rose was one of those unassuming cows in the barn who knew and did her job. She bred back easily, produced a lot of milk, and never quit eating. Even on a show day in 90-degree heat with an udder full of milk she would come out of the ring and go right back to eating. She was definitely this breeder’s dream come true. She was bred and owned by Sherry Meyer.