REPORT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
The Cow of the Decade Excerpts from the reports of Neal Smith, Executive Secretary of the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) and National AllJersey Inc. (NAJ), at the 62stAnnual Meeting of NAJ on June 26, 2020, and the 152st Annual Meeting of the AJCA on June 27, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio.
Breed Performance “In 2019, the second highest historical registration count was achieved with just over 132,000 animals recorded,” declared Smith. “It allowed us to complete the three most recent years with over 130,000.” Smith went on to a graph which evaluated registration numbers over the decades starting at 1930. “As you can see, in the recent four decades, we have enjoyed significant growth as a breed and
creation. 2019 brought a total of 285,688 tag sales to 745 customers. Just over 1,000 herds were enrolled in performance programs for 2019, with over 155,000 cows enrolled in all programs combined. Smith considers the REAP program a cornerstone of the performance programs. irst, I want to express my appreciation In 2019, it accounted for 896 of the herds to both boards and all of our staff. I and 151,595 cows. have never been more proud of our team in “Average herd size was 169 cows. There my entire career at USJersey than I have the was a time we thought average last three months,” complimented herd size would skyrocket to Executive Secretary Neal Smith. really big herds,” said Smith. “I “It’s been self-evident it has think the design of the REAP been challenging for not only program has been healthy for the everyone across the United equity of members across herd States, but around the world. sizes and pricing. REAP has been It is unlike anything we have the sort of lifeblood program of ever experienced before. I really the association.” appreciate the support and Throughout the years, the cooperation we receive.” linear appraisal program has A majority of the meetings’ grown by leaps and bounds. A audience tuned in through a total of 112,337 females were virtual platform as the 2020 Annual Meetings of the American appraised by the USJersey linear Jersey Cattle Association appraisal team. (AJCA) and National All-Jersey “When I started working for Inc. (NAJ) were broadcast live. USJersey, we didn’t score enough Neal Smith, Executive Secretary Due to the coronavir us cows for more than four to five pandemic creating changes “We want to increase breed productivity, of us to have a few schedules worldwide, the meetings were each year. We were scoring about at a minimum maintain components held in Columbus, Ohio, rather 40,000 cows then,” he explained. and maintain the optimum size cow for than the originally scheduled “For the last seven consecutive Portland, Ore. Instead of a room efficiency and health.” years, we have scored over filled with hundreds of Jersey 100,000 cows. Right now we are an association in registration counts.” breeders and enthusiasts as in the past, a at 14 people evaluating cows. I think this Drawing attention to the middle of the small audience of the boards of directors, puts into perspective how much growth chart, Smith went on to explain how during USJersey staff and members were in we’ve enjoyed in the last few years.” the 1970s it took tough decisions by the attendance. A Productive Year for NAJ AJCA and NAJ boards to help change Reflections of 2019 During the NAJ annual meetings, the momentum. It was then the Genetic “One of the key changes implemented in Smith reflected on a positive year for the Recovery and Equity programs began to April 2019 was the multiple breed genomic organization. At the closing of 2019, Equity be implemented. evaluations,” said Smith. “That was a long investors numbered 937. As the primary Once again crediting leadership, Smith time coming. We worked very hard as a source of funding, it helped bring the year’s said, “Those were the two biggest steps—the board and team to see that through. We also total revenue to over $890,000. Equity program and Genetic Recovery— need to thank the Council on Dairy Cattle NAJ coordinated several important then we started seeing improvement and events in 2019. In February, eight directors Breeding for producing it.” growth. Leadership is just as important and three staff members attended a Any animal that is genotyped and has a today as it was then. Maybe more.” congressional fly-in in Washington D.C. lower than 90% Breed Base Representation Another key decision was the creation “We’re working on building a relationship (BBR), will be evaluated on a multiple of the JerseyTag program in the early with these people. It takes time to measure breed basis. These animals are on a 2000s. Requiring an amendment to the the impact and effectiveness of it. It’s a separate report from animals with a BBR constitution, the membership approved the long-term effort,” said Smith about the of 90 or greater. acceptance of two matching, tamperproof event. eartags as permanent ID. At the end of “This is a great improvement for the The third Jersey Value-Added 101 2019, the organization was approaching dairy industry, particularly the Jersey (continued to page 25) the sale of four million JerseyTags since its breed.”
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JERSEY JOURNAL
