Assignment Ethiopia: Reagan Bluel brings her knowledge to Ethiopia
Cade Claycomb: Hard Work Pays Off
250HO16115
SIEMERS RZ PAZZLE 34954-ET
ROZLINE x Delta-Lambda x Denver
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.
Brian Riegel (573) 680-9564 • Alfred Brandt modairy.org
and white Holstein relaxing at ST-MILL
Trent and Stephanie Miller, in
JANUARY
3 Cow of the Year Ballots Postmarked (or online forms) 24-25 State Holstein Convention & MO Dairy Expo; Oasis Hotel, Springfield, MO 31 MO Dairy Hall of Honors Awards Presentation, Columbia
FEBRUARY
1 2027 MO Holstein Futurity Entries Due 10 Pulsator Deadline Spring – Midwest Holstein Issue
MARCH
Mid March Southern National Entries Due
Mid March Accepting consignments MO All Breeds Heifer Tag Sale
APRIL
1 Dick Little Jr. Essay Contest Deadline 6-10
Southern National Holstein & Jersey Show & OK State Sale
15 Cow Camp Registration Deadline
MAY
15 MO Holstein Assoc Dues are payable 20 Summer Pulsator Ad Deadline
End of May MO 4-H Cow Camp
MO All Breeds Heifer Tag Sale
MO All Breeds Heifer Show
FEEDING FOR THE FUTURE
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2025
Oasis Hotel & Convention Center
Springfield, MO
Dairy producers and vendors alike are invited to the Oasis Convention Center in Springfield, MO on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025 for an all-day event. The goal of this year’s expo is to educate producers on the emerging market of high oleic soybeans in the dairy ration.
JOIN US FOR THE LARGEST EXPO TO DATE!
Missouri Dairy is returning to the Grand Hall and offering valuable sessions on industry growth.
FEEDING FOR THE FUTURE
We welcome dairymen from across the state to come visit the largest dairy expo in the state to learn how to feed for a profitable future.
On January 24, 2025 Missouri Dairy hosts a learning symposium where we will discuss topics that affect the bottom line of your businesses. We will examine new technologies in soybean genetics allowing you to increase the use the beans that you grow right on your own farm, and increase your production while doing it.
Feeding for the future also means reducing the drag of heat stress as well as understanding the impact of your forage quality on the kinetics of the fiber digestion.
Ultimately, managing feed and maximizing production is what boils down to Profit.
Join us to learn how to “Feed for the Future” on January 24, 2025.
EXPO HOTEL: Oasis Hotel & Convention Center 2546 North Glenstone Ave. Springfield, MO 65803 (417) 866-5253 | (888) 532-4338
Block Room rates are $109 until 1/9/25.
FRIDAY JANUARY 24
Following the Awards Banquet
Have
All
Topics
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24
n Making the Most of Your Farm Income Potential
n Ruminal fiber digestion and passage kinetics: Bringing a complex topic “down to earth”
n 2025 Dairy considerations post election
n Reducing the threat starlings pose on your farm
n Controlling heat stress using ICE premix
Meetings
THURSDAY, January 23
n 4 p.m. – State Milk Board*
n 6 p.m. – Missouri Dairy Growth Council*
* By invitation only
SATURDAY MORNING, JANUARY 25
n MO Brown Swiss Association*
n MO Holstein and Junior Holstein Association*
n MO Jersey Cattle Club*
*Check with leadership for more details.
Missouri Dairy wants YOU as a member. We value your input and interest in educational programs and legislative action. We hope you’ll JOIN US for $20.00/month.
Holstein Association
STATE CONVENTIO N
January 24-25, 2025
Oasis Hotel & Convention Center
2546 North Glenstone Ave. Springfield, MO 65803
(419) 866-5253 • (888) 532-4338
Block Room rates $109 until 1/9/25
Schedule
FRIDAY, JAN. 24
5:00 PM:MO Holstein Princess/Miss Interviews
5:30 PM: MHA Commitee Meetings
6:00-9:00 PM: Silent Auction of donated items. Donate items to your breed of choice or youth.
6:30 PM: Hors d’oeuvres and cash bar
7:00 PM: Missouri Dairy-All Breeds Award Banquet
MHA Awards Presentations: All-MO Awards, Junior All-MO Awards, Futurity, Cow of the Year, Crowning of Princess/ Miss Spring Classic Scholarship and Distinguished Juniors
7:30 PM: Cornhole Tournament:Teams can enter Friday, 24th for $40/team. Categories and prizes for adults, family (adults/youth), youth (2 youth)
SATURDAY, JAN 25
9:00 AM: MHA Board Meeting
9:00 AM: Missouri Junior Holstein Speech Contest
10:00 AM: Jr Holstein Annual Meeting
10:30 AM: MHA Annual Meeting
Juniors
2025 District Officers
Northeast Central:
James Penn, president; John Denbigh, vice-pres.; Kate Geppert, sec./treas.; Alfred Brandt, director.
Becky Durst, chm; Brad Groves, Kate Geppert, Scott Wilson
Resolutions:
Ed Wittorff, chm; Barry Steevens, Ted Probert, James Penn
Awards:
Karla Deaver, chm; Becky Durst, Ed Wittorff, John Schoen, Roy Parsons, Barry Steevens, Rick King
Can’t wait to see you at the State Convention!
Public Speaking Contest
Juniors interested in the Public Speaking contest at National Convention need to pre-qualify this year!
Qualifying contest will be held Saturday at State Convention. Sign-up with Bailey byJan 10, 2025.
Auction Items Needed
NEEDING DONATIONS: Anyone interested in donating or contributing items to our annual silent auction held during the state convention would be greatly appreciated. The auction will run Friday evening. Please deliver your items to Jodi, Bailey on , Friday, January 24, by 3 pm. Thank You!
Annual Meeting
Please make plans to attend our Junior Meeting Sat. morning at 10:00am during the state convention. This is where a lot of decisions are made regarding the junior association's actions throughout the year. There are numerous items to discuss and we need everyone's thoughts and ideas to help make it a wonderful year.
Junior Advisor: Bailey Keltner: (417) 399-3098
Holstein Association
2024 AWARDS
2024 progressive genetics winners
Herd Name Yrs Qualified Avg. CTPI
James L. & Novalee Coats 18 2490
Lamar Oberholtzer 3 2421
Leslie Parrigon 1 2308
Purina Animal Nutrition 11 2542
Schoen Farms 1 2342
University of Missouri 6 2506
Herd Name
Anthony L. Musser
40-Year Holstein USA Members
O-Rich Dairy, Mora Tom Durst, Huggins
2024 Missouri Cow of the Year: Wrightvale Doorman Pony, Larry & Jodi Wright, Verona
2024 progressive breeders registry winners
Clifford M Oberholtzer
Todd & Brad Groves
Toecky Farm University of Missouri
National Jr. Holstein Convention Awards
Holstien Miss- Lexi Angelo, Fair Grove, MO
HolsteinPrincess- Amanda Brooks, Mountain Grove, MO
Jr. Distinguished Jr Division- Brantley Keltner, Willow Springs, MO
Spring Classic Scholarship- Emma Parrigon, Stotts City, MO
Folding Display- Amanda Brooks, Mountian Grove, MO and Sophie Geppert, Kingdom City, MO
Digital Scrapbook- 2nd place, Kason Wilson, Miller, MO
Banner- Kimber Wilson, Miller, MO
Dairy Jeopardy- Kason Wilson, Miller, MO (advanced to the 2nd round)
Junior Dairy Bowl- Monique Streets; Marshfield, MO Faith Ling; Springfield, MO Lexi Angelo; Fair Grove, MO, and Brantley Keltner; Willow Springs, MO (advanced on to 2nd round of bracket play) Cream of the Crop Award-Kelby Schoen, Oak Ridge, MO
Missouri State Junior Awards
Kay Bacon Memorial Award (23nd):
Topp-View B Dback Rosey-Red, Fall Calf, Samantha Justice, Clever
Mark Highfill Memorial Award (20th):
JL-KEL-LAND Unstpabul Mango, Lila Wantland, Jr 2-Yr Old
2024 3-Yr-Old Sho-Me
1st Place, 2nd Prod.
Spring Classic Scholarship 2023: Emma Parrigon, Stotts City, MO
Futurity
Wrightvale LO Emp Melania VG-87 Lora Wright
2nd Place, 1st Prod. C-of-O Tatoo Areona VG-88 College of the Ozarks
3rd Place Wrightvale Dmndback Rosa-Red VG-88 Lora Wright
4th Place, 3rd Prod. Toecky Unix Maranda VG-86 Tom Durst
5th Place Groves-Vu Altitude Blush Jessilyn McLean Rollins
6th Place C-of-O Artist Tosha-ET GP-84 College of the Ozarks Total Original Entries: 45 head, 6 breeders; Total Pot $1125.00
Thank you to Futurity Sponsors: Select-Sires and ABS - Ray Schooley
2024 ALL-MISSOURI AWARDS
Spring Heifer Calf
AM Ms Rehab Hulu Reaper-Red Lora Wright
RAM C-OF-O A-Shock Tatiana Ann College of the Ozarks
JAM Keltner-Farm Cad Delilah Brantley Keltner
Winter Heifer Calf
AM C-OF-O Chief Beyonce College of the Ozarks
RAM Kara-Kesh-RK Sabrina-RED-ET K & KWilson,Brynn Grewe
JAM Kara-Kesh-RK Sabrina-RED-ET K & K Wilson,Brynn Grewe
RJAM Parrdari Network 1016-Red Emma Parrigon
Fall Heifer Calf
AM Topp-View B Dback Rosey-Red Samantha Justice
RAM Wrightvale Dormn Britney-ET Blake Wright
JAM Topp-View B Dback Rosey-Red Samantha Justice
RJAM Groves-Vu TopoftheClass-Red David Melzer Summer Yearling
AM Char-Land Denver Slew Case Melzer
RAM C-OF-O Tatoo Bounce College of the Ozarks
JAM Char-Land Denver Slew Case Melzer
RJAM Mi-Wil B Destinys Child-Red Colton Kleiboeker Spring Yearling
Paul Selken Memorial Herdsmanship Award: Moreland Farms
Kylie Scrivner (Ava FFA) American FFA Degree
2024 Milk Quality and Products National winner: Fair Play FFA
Dallas Hardt1st Overall, Alexis Bee2nd Overall, Riley Bruce5th Overall, William Frye13th Overall Advisor: Randy Lightfoot
James DeFreece 10th (Gold) Overall National FFA Dairy Handlers (Marshfield FFA)
Missouri
Jodi Wright 11449 Lawrence 2220 Verona, MO 65769 417-743-2921
2024 MISSOURI COW OF THE YEAR CONTEST
Jodi Wright 11449 Lawrence 2220 Verona, MO 65769 417-743-2921
OFFICIAL VOTING BALLOT
Voting Deadline: Friday, January 3, 2025
NOMINEES FOUND IN PULSATOR
The MO Cow of the Year will recognize an animal which is bred & owned, at least 87%RHA, and was alive on January 1, 2024. Voting Rules: Each paid 2024 MO Holstein membership receives ONE vote. Each paid junior member (age 9 by Jan. 1, 2024) also receives ONE vote. Vote by Mail:Make copies of this ballot if needed. Mail to address on reverse. Postmark by Jan. 3
Vote Online at: https://forms.gle/YAMtkmLxZcd2dtHt9 (only allowed to vote once per e-mail address)
(Indicates issue nominated) Vote for only one
C-OF-O DEFENDER SANDRA “DOTTIE”, College of the Ozarks (Fall Pulsator)
Any unsigned or unlegible ballots will not be counted. You may make copies of this ballot. Ballots can be found on website, Fall Pulsator, and Facebook page.
VOTE ONLINE OR MAIL BY JAN. 3 Missouri Holstein Association, 11449 Lawrence 2220, Verona, MO 65769
ASSIGNMENT: ETHIOPIA
WRITTEN BY: SHANNON KLEIBOEKER
We should always be cautious when a stranger reaches out to us over the internet, but luckily for Reagan Bluel, University of Missouri Dairy Extension Specialist, a stranger reaching out led to quite the opportunity and adventure. This encounter with a stranger led her to work with dairymen on the opposite side of the world, all the way in Ethiopia, where dairy is quite different than what we are accustomed to here in the states.
Reagan’s adventure began well over a year ago when Dr. Haptamu Lemma reached out after listening to her dairy podcast. Although she was a bit skeptical, she continued to speak to him and the idea of traveling to Ethiopia to work and meet dairy farmers started to become a reality. As many of the farmers are women who are over forty, Dr. Lemma felt Reagan could connect with them. Dr. Lemma and Reagan worked on ways to make the trip financially possible. He secured funding through a university for everything but the flight, which Reagan would cover out of pocket.
Everything was coming together. But, how often does everything go according to plan? As most dairymen know, almost never. Reagan’s personal life decided to take a few twists and turns for her and her trip became delayed due to an unexpected surgery. When life settled down, she reached back out and was ready to take the trip. But, with the delay, the university pulled the funding and any hopes she had of going across the globe. Ironically, soon after the devastation that she may not get to go was settling in, a colleague reached out to inquire how the trip plans were taking shape. Upon hearing the news, the colleague got an idea and found a solution.
It was at this point in time Reagan connected with the US-AID “Farmer-to-Farmer” Program, sponsored by Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Within this program there just happened to be a dairy husbandry “scope of work” that was started by someone else that they were unable to complete.
“The Scope of Work was literally what I do every day for MU Extension, as field faculty for dairy,” Reagan described. So, she prepared her CV and applied. Before she knew it she
accepted travel to Ethiopia. This time traveling under a Federal Government assignment. All the pieces had finally come together.
“Working with the Farmer-to-Farmer program gave me more security and peace of mind about traveling to a foreign country,” Reagan recalled. This program generously offered her “personal time” following the two-week assignment to also still pursue what she and Dr. Lemma had originally worked towards.
So, after months and months of preparation, planning, and failed plans, Reagan was finally set to travel to Ethiopia to work with farmers to problem solve, set goals and improve their dairy operation. At the end of June, Reagan began her adventure as she arrived in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, with a population of 5 million people. Here, she immersed herself in the culture, watching the constant building construction, the hustle and bustle of all the taxis, and her favorite, the food.
Although the sightseeing was fun, Reagan was there on assignment. Following a day of rest, she made her way to more rural areas where she was to meet the dairymen she was going to work with. She said, “rural was still very populated, 400,000 called Bishoftu home, including Cherinet Farms.”
She soon made it to the dairy she would be working with, Cherinet Farms. The farm was managed by brothers, Fanuel and Nat. Fanuel was the farm manager and oversees all of the operation, while Nat was the younger brother and had recently graduated medical school. One of Reagan’s assigned tasks was to help the farm with existing problems and find improvements that could be made. Upon meeting the family and exploring the dairy she soon found just how different Ethiopian dairies are. Luckily, the brothers were eager to learn and wanted to improve any aspect of their operation they could.
Their dairy was large for the area, milking a total of 14 Holstein cows in a tie stall barn. Reagan recalled, “This was rare and in most cases, animals just roamed everywhere-there weren’t pasture fences. Animals may travel several miles in search of food and water, but they always come home the locals assured me.”
All the tie stall cows at Cherinet Farms were hand milked, as parlor equipment wasn’t readily available. The milk was then put into milk cans and delivered to one of Fanuel’s two stores in Addis Abba. At the stores, the milk was sold in unsealed bags, simply knotted at the top.
As Reagan dove into learning about aspects of the operation, she began with simple things. “What do the cattle eat and drink,” was her first question. The cows were housed in a tie stall barn, with separated concrete bunks in front of each of the cows. They were fed slick bunk style, where all their eating was done at one sitting twice a day. The ration consisted of moistened flax, teff straw, wheat straw and a small amount of grass hay. Other grains that could be consumed by people, such as corn, were very expensive and therefore reserved for human diets. After eating, they wheeled a water cart between cows for a drink. The cows would drink, and as they lifted their heads to breathe, the cart would be moved to the next set of cows, not fully giving them the amount of water they needed. This was the first thing that Reagan approached changing. Before she left, they were filling one of the bunks in front of each cow with water. Although it was still not ideal, it was a small immediate improvement.
Wolaita Sodo University dairy farm crew!
Record keeping of milk production is not a common practice in Ethiopia. Fanuel had been keeping hand written milk weights for about 3 months. Reagan graphed out the records on the computer to visually show them how their production curves looked. They were unaware that cattle had a lactation curve with milk production, so education on how their cattle were going to produce differently relative to day of calving was a big insight to them. Their current average is 10.2L per day, or about 23lbs and they look to increase that in the future.
One big struggle the farm has faced is losing ½ of their calf crop last year. There are almost no livestock markets for replacements and if they did find some for sale, the cost is not feasible. So, finding out why they lost the calves was a major goal. It was soon determined that the importance of colostrum was not well understood and management of colostrum was simply inadequate. Reagan proved a basic colostrometer and education is important to maximize colostrum igG absorption. This basic yet vital management step will hopefully play a role for future successful calf crops.
When it came time to breed a cow, Fanuel would call a federal official at the first site of mucus. The government official would determine which sire to use and would log the breeding on an individual cow cardstock. Ethiopian agriculture officials seek to improve the genetics being used and provide what they have determined will most rapidly advance the Ethiopian dairy herd.
Another small set back for the operation is milk marketing. The Ethiopian population is almost equally divided relative to religious beliefs. Half of the population is Orthodox Christian and half is Muslim. A key part of religious practice for Orthodox Christians is fasting. Fasting includes going Vegan, and fasting days are spread throughout the year, but accumulate to about 6 months out of the year. That means, over the course of the year, Fanuel has no milk market for a quarter of his production. Therefore, they produce mozzarella balls and butter. Both items are hard to come by and can be quite the commodity, however, Ethiopians don’t often eat cheese or butter due to lack of access. Looking for ways to use and market the milk remain a large goal for the operation.
So, after visiting and helping on the farm Reagan worked with the family to set goals and talk about ways to achieve these goals.
Within 12-15 months the brothers look to develop an on-site forage system. All forages would be hand cut, and are looking at types that would thrive in their mild climate. Average temperature throughout the year is 70 degrees. Within this same timeframe, they look to increase their herd size to 30, and double their peak milk production, which Reagan describes as “a very lofty goal.”
Within 6-12 months Reagan is working with them to reduce calf mortality, purchase enough forage for incoming heifers and work with the CRS (Catholic Relief Services) on a business plan. Immediate goals include giving cattle access to water, increasing feed, colostrum management, feed transition milk to calves and making monthly production graphs.
Developing ideas for the surplus of 6 months milk supply is also an ongoing situation. After meeting a food scientist from Georgia, who was also visiting Ethiopia on a separate Farmer-to-Farmer scope of work, they looked at the possibility of spray drying the milk to make infant formula. But machinery is expensive and always requires upkeep and repairs. Parts and skilled repairmen are one of the things that is lacking in this part of the world. In order to get them the equipment needed to do this, it requires a level of commitment and accessibility that Reagan and other colleagues that visited Ethiopia are working on developing.
Continued on next page
Pictures L to R from the top: *Medicinal plant for transition cows, *Hauling milk and eggs to Addis Ababa (city of ~5 million) from Bishoftu (where the farm is located), *Research herd also supplied the university population with milk, *Weighing concentrate: primarily flax - we also weighed bales of teff grass, *Wheat straw and grass hay to calculate DMI and cost/day, *Typical meal - delicious!! The Injara “pancake” on the bottom was used to pick up the shiro (cooked down lentils) and “fried” meat (imagine pot roast), *The curds and whey, *“Hutch phase”, *Butter stored in tree bark then frozen if possible,*Shop #1 has been open for 5 year
Nothing can be fixed overnight, but through the FarmerTo-Farmer program Reagan is committed to this farm for 5 years. She looks forward to having continued communication with them and hopes to visit again, continuing to help them achieve their goals and provide them with the education support needed to maximize their potential.
Once her time with Fanuel and Nat was over, Reagan set off to visit Dr. Lemma. This was personal time, so the previous “security” she had with her assignment was now a thing of the past. Once she met Dr. Lemma, she visited more dairies and toured more countryside along with a network of universities. Here she hopes to work collaboratively on forage advancements to support the dairy operations countrywide.
When the idea of visiting Ethiopia initially came to light, Reagan felt called to the country. “I felt called to feed the babies,” she said. “It wasn’t what I initially thought; improved milk yields would improve mothers’ plane of nutrition to support the infant. Rather, teamwork, talking out the market situation with a colleague helped identify a far better way to disseminate dairy to the masses.”
While the task is far from over, there seems to be a path to ensure more infant Ethiopians are supported nutritionally. This is exactly the path Reagan will continue to pursue in hopes the achieve the goal she originally felt called to to do.
“The
Farmer-to-
Farmer Program
is a US funded program that provides technical assistance from US volunteers to farmers and other agriculture sector institutions in developing and transitional countries. The program aims to promote sustainable economic growth, food security, and agricultural development worldwide.”
WORLD DAIRY EXPO RESULTS
Ayrshire
Good-Vue Gently Joyce-ET
Spring Calf, Diesel Dixon, 21st Open
Stil-Dreamn B-King Queen Cookie
Sr 3 Year Old, Diesel Dixon, Matthew Thompson and Cooper Wolf, 6th Open, 2nd Jr
Brown Swiss
Edge View Voelkers Watch Her
Fall Heifer Calf, Voelker Bros Syndicate, 19th Open
Spring Calf, Cobie Kleiboeker and Brynn Grewe, 26th Jr
Kash-in Kid Rock Syracuse-ET
Spring Yearling, Grant Dohle and Brielle Helmer, 16th Jr, 24th Open
Vierra Rock Show-ET
Summer Yearling, Fallenleaf Jerseys, 27th Open
Victorious Cinn-Star Bentley
Milking Winter Yearling, Grant Dohle and Brielle Helmer, 2nd Jr, 11th Open
Underground Lollipops Lydia
Milking Yearling, Fallenleaf Jerseys, 29th Open
PD Maker Taija
Milking Yearling, Caleb Peterson, 23rd Open
MM DB Bentosa 20756-ET
Milking Yearling, Melissa Gant, 20th Open
SLJ Barnabas Delilah
Jr 2 Year Old Cow, Peterson Dairy and Treasure and Maelee Clark, 5th Jr, 10th Open
Milking Shorthorn
Aragorn Barnstomper
Winter Yearling, Lucille Day, 3rd Jr 3rd Open
Red and White Holsteins
MS Rehab Hulu Reaper-Red
Spring Calf, Wrightvale, 15th Open
Kara-Kesh-RK Sabrina-Red
Winter Heifer, Kason and Kimber Wilson, 8th Jr
V-Lane Warrior Freya-Red-ET
Fall Heifer, Wrightvale, 1st Open
Kason Wilson, 3rd Junior Showmanship
MISSOURI NEWS
Harlan Borman Borman Farm “Radine Holsteins”
Harlan Borman of Kingdom City went to be with the Lord on Monday, October 7, 2024, at Fulton Manor. Harlan was born August 23, 1939, in Owatonna, Minnesota, the oldest son of Ivan and Dorothy Borman. Harlan was a 1957 graduate of Hickman High School in Columbia and attended the University of Missouri. On August 11, 1963, Harlan married Judy Atkinson.
Harlan was a lifelong dairy farmer, working with Registered Holsteins alongside his wife and children. Harlan took great pride in the accolades and recognitions the herd garnered throughout the years. He was actively involved in several dairy organizations including National Dairy Herd Improvement President and Missouri (later Mid-South) DHIA president. The family was recognized as the 1998 Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder by the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors. He was especially proud of the family representing Missouri at the 1991 Smithsonian’s Festival of Folklife at the National Mall in Washington D.C. In 2011 Harlan was presented with the Victor Joachim Distinguished Leadership Award from National DHIA. In addition to serving on the KABA Select Sires Board of Directors, he was also involved in the Missouri Holstein Association and a long-time 4-H Leader.
As an active member of the Richland Baptist Church, Harlan was a Sunday School Director for many years, along with serving as a deacon. He was active in the Gideon’s Association, taking the gospel message to churches in Callaway County for over 25 years.
Even though he was a competitive bowler, watching his children and later grandchildren play sports gave him some of his greatest pleasures. He was a little league baseball coach in Fulton for many years and even stepped on the field himself as the long-time coach and pitcher of the church’s slow pitch softball team. If Tim or Kate were playing a game, Harlan was always there. Later, he attended as many of his grandchildren’s games as possible. Even with limited mobility in recent years, he continued to play ball with the great-grandchildren. Harlan was a passionate fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He also enjoyed following the St. Louis Cardinals and Mizzou if they weren’t playing Nebraska. Playing card games was a serious family activity, where Harlan was often known to win. He eventually joined a Bridge league where he played for many years.Harlan was skilled in working with wood. Many friends and family were gifted with special handcrafted items over the years. He also loved growing day lilies.
He was proceeded in death by his parents, brothers Raymond, Loyal, David and Curtis; and son-in-law Doug Geppert. Surviving are his wife Judy, at the home; son Tim Borman (Kelly) of Kingdom City; daughter Kate Geppert of Kingdom City; grandchildren: Brendan Borman (Skyler) of Sedalia; Brady Borman of Columbia; Baylie Pezold (Michael) of Kingdom City; Sophie Geppert of Kingdom City, MO; great-grandchildren Miles and Mackenzie Borman and Langston and Adler Pezold; brother Dale Borman (Helen) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Condolences sent to: 4704 County Rd. 240 Kingdom City, MO 65262
Ray Schooley- Schooley Jerseys
Ray Ronald Schooley of Marshfield, Missouri, passed away on October 4th, 2024, at the age of eighty-eight. Born on August 16, 1936, in Stark, Kansas to Merle and Geneva (Neal) Schooley, Ray led a life dedicated to the dairy industry and community service.
Ray grew up on a small farm in Stark, Kansas, graduating from Stark High School in 1954. He went on to attend Kansas State University, where he was a member of FarmHouse Fraternity. While pursuing his education, Ray also served as a National Guardsman for six years. In 1960, he completed his master’s degree in Dairy Cattle Breeding at Kansas State.
Ray’s distinguished career in the dairy industry began in 1961 when he became Executive Secretary of the American Milking Shorthorn Society. In 1967, he joined the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) as Treasurer and later Superintendent of Records, marking the start of his long-standing relationship with Jersey cattle.
In 1977, Ray and his wife Margaret established Schooley Jerseys, initially in Kansas before relocating to Niangua, Missouri. Their operation was later inducted into the Missouri Dairy Hall of Fame. Ray’s expertise and leadership were widely recognized. He served on the AJCA Board for six years, including two as president, and received the AJCA Distinguished Service Award. He also served as president of National Dairy Shrine, was a board member of the National FarmHouse fraternity, and helped establish a local 4-H dairy club. After selling the Schooley Jersey herd in 1998 and relocating to Marshfield in 1999, Ray continued his involvement in the dairy industry as a market reporter for the Missouri Department of Agriculture and a sales representative for ABS, Alta, and Semex.
Ray was an active member of the Marshfield community, participating in various organizations including the Marshfield United Methodist Church, University of Missouri Extension, Webster County Extension Council, Webster County Fair Board, and United Methodist Men. He volunteered for Meals on Wheels and enjoyed ringing the bell for the Salvation Army during Christmas.
Ray married Margaret (Nicholson) Schooley in 1964. He is survived by Margaret; two sons, Stuart and K.C. Schooley of Ranchvale, New Mexico, and John Schooley of Austin, Texas; one grandson, Warren Schooley; and one sister, Rita Howard of Overland Park, Kansas. Ray took great pride in his family, in recent years enjoying trips to New Mexico to watch his grandson Warren play football and win the state championship in 2023. Ray will be remembered fondly by friends and
Checkoff at Work
Bringing Dairy to Life
Scan the QR code to learn more about how Midwest Dairy is making every drop count!
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HARd WORk PAYs OFF FOR CAdE CLAYCOMB
by Shannon Kleiboeker
The decision to purchase five registered Jersey heifers started quite the journey for Cade Claycomb. This purchase opened doors and created opportunities that surpassed his expectations. He says, “I didn’t realize something so simple could turn out to be the best decision I ever made.”
Cade was recently recognized as the National Proficiency winner for Dairy Production Entrepreneurship at the 2024 National FFA Convention. After winning the proficiency in Missouri, he represented his state and Trenton FFA chapter at the national level. He exclaims, “Hearing my name on that big stage was a surreal moment, knowing all the hard work and passion I’ve poured into my SAE paid off. It’s an honor I’ll never forget!” This huge honor followed another big title, as earlier in the year he was named the Missouri State Star Farmer.
Currently, the Claycomb family milks a herd of around 100 head, consisting of Jersey’s and crossbred cattle. Cade personally owns 32 of the milking Jerseys. The family began milking in April of 2009, after calving in their first set of crossbred heifers. In the summer of 2020, Cade decided to purchase registered Jerseys for his SAE project. “I wanted something new and the ability to show, while also choosing a breed that would work well at home,” he says. Cade describes key points when it came to his decision to purchase his Jerseys, “Jerseys are smaller in structure, easier to handle, and more profitable.”
Although Cade owns cattle and works on the dairy, the farm is a family operation that involves everyone. Cade’s father is the main operator, while his mother assists and his grandparents step in and milk when needed. On the farm, Cade is responsible for cattle registration and the
breeding records. He also helps with daily farm tasks such as feeding calves, checking pasture conditions and monitoring herd health. We mainly calve in the spring and fall. The cows are on pasture 365 days of the year and are supplemented sorghum silage and grass hay during the winter months.
Cade is currently attending Oklahoma State University where he is majoring in Agricultural Communications. “After earning my degree, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications and purse a career in marketing within the agricultural industry,” he explains. “After gaining professional experience, I intend to return to my family’s farm.” He hopes to return to the farm and looks to grow the operation in the future.
“One of my favorite things about the dairy is the diverse range of opportunities it has brought me over the last 4 years.” Cade reflects, “when I started my SAE back in 2020 by purchasing 5 registered Jerseys, I never imagined it growing into the operation that it did. Working with Trans Ova Genetics, attending the Jersey Youth Academy, growing my herd to 42 head, and being named the 2024 Missouri State Star Farmer and National Proficiency Winner for Dairy Production were honestly never in the plan, but those first 5 heifers started the journey.” He expands, “This whole journey wouldn’t have been possible without the wonderful support of my parents and family. As well as my FFA Advisors Kabel Oaks and Sadie Stimpson, that saw the potential in me even when I didn’t.”
Above: Cade and his family at National Convention-Cade received National Dairy Production Entrepreneurship Proficiency Bottom L to R: Cade showing his jersey at Missouri State Fair, Cade becoming and alumni of Jersey Youth Academy, Cade at Missouri State Fair, and standing on the stage of National Convention for Dairy Production
POLICY CORNER
The month of November in our nation’s capital has been one of many twists and turns, as the November election was successful for the efforts of the Republican Party. Donald Trump decidedly regained the White House by winning the electoral college vote against Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans flipped four Senate Seats to regain the majority in the upper chamber. While Democrats net flipped one seat in their favor, it wasn’t enough to regain the majority, as Republicans kept control of the lower chamber with a 220215 seat margin, earning them a governmental trifecta.
Some of the picks from the Trump Transition Team that will have a sizable impact on dairy and ag policy include USDA Secretary Nominee-Designate Brooke Rollins, EPA Administrator Nominee-Designate Lee Zeldin, and US Trade Representative Nominee-Designate Jamieson Greer. The USTR nominee is currently not expected to have any roadblocks concerning his Senate confirmation, but many questions still remain on how aggressive his tariff prescriptions will be and how that interacts with the ag industry writ large, including commodity markets and exports, and subsequent domestic effects.
Congress is currently in the lame duck phase in between the November election and the incoming Trump Administration on January 20th, 2025. Two weeks after the election, Senate Ag. Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), released the Senate’s version of the Farm Bill, which was immediately panned as “legacy-proofing” and a non-starter by Republicans, considering the more favorable political environment for Republicans in the next session of Congress. This led to the current conclusion that another Farm Bill extension will be passed before the December 31st deadline which would mainly affect commodity programs such as the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program and other crop programs.
Things that I will be paying attention to in the meantime will include the status of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee Advisory Report and the aftermath of the release of the Federal Milk Marketing Order amendment rule.
Enter this years essay contest to receive the “Dick Little Grant” Deadline: April 1, 2025 Juniors are asked to write and essay and fill out an application to earn a grant to use towards the purchase of a new Holtein calf. Applications are on website or contact Bailey Keltner: bskeltner@gmail.com
