Breeder Profile: Flannery-Vu Holsteins

Breeder Profile

District 6: Flannery-Vu Holsteins

by Brittany Olson

What began as the opportunity of a lifetime snowballed into a waking dream for Brandon Flannery of Green County.

“I began a partnership with my uncle Marco in August of 2012. Marco was looking to phase out of the milking aspect while still being able to keep ‘the’ dairy going. I bought 50 cows and 10 bred heifers to get started,” Brandon says. “I knew they weren’t exactly ‘my’ kind of cows, but I knew it wasn’t an opportunity that I was going to pass up. I had been trying to get started milking on my own for a while and this was the ‘right’ fit.”

Nine years later, the partnership is still going strong at Flannery-Vu. Today, the Flannerys’ herd includes 120 cows, milking and dry.

Marco owns the farm and the land while growing the feed for all the cows and heifers, while Brandon owns all the cattle and supplies everything else that isn’t grown right on the farm. FlanneryVu also has one full-time employee whose main responsibilities include milking and other chores. In addition to 250 acres for feeding the cows, the Flannerys run an additional 1,200 acres for cash crops and heifer feed.

“The farm has seen some major changes. In 2019 we moved cows into an 80 stall 3-row freestall barn. My cow numbers had went from 50 to 90 and we could not accommodate them in just the tiestall barn and the pasture. The cow comfort in the freestall barn exceeded my expectations and cows are certainly doing better than ever from production, lameness, growth, and just the overall look and feel to the cows,” Brandon says.

The cows are housed in a sand-bedded freestall barn and milked in a tiestall barn. During the winter, a group of cows reside in the tiestall barn while part of the freestall is used for dry cows and bred heifers. In addition to the milking herd, most of the youngstock breeding age and older are kept at a nearby farm where Brandon utilizes a combination of bedded pack housing, headlocks, and pasture.

Brandon added, “In 2021 we completed a new heifer shed for weaned calves on up to pre-breeding age. I have only been in it for a few months, but the growth of my heifers has been much [better] than in the past. Heifers have been overcrowded the last couple years and I felt like I either needed to build something or cut down on my heifer numbers.”

The herd dines on a TMR with baleage, corn silage, high moisture corn, and a protein mix with a small amount of dry hay that is side dressed – and they enjoy it to the tune of a 26,129 pound herd average with 3.9 percent fat and 3.1 percent protein. Flannery-Vu also boasts a BAA of 110.6 – a statistic Brandon wants to keep improving upon. “My goal this year was to get my BAA over 110,” Brandon says. “[When] 10 of the 24 Excellent cows are in their second lactation I feel like I’m heading in the right direction.” Herd favorites include Anglewood B&B Doorman EX-91, a secondlactation cow that earned third place senior three-year-old at the Midwest Spring National Show and made 42,000 pounds of milk this lactation; Sherona-Hill Jct Annie-Red EX-90, a second lactation granddaughter of Brandon and his wife Amy with children Harvey, Gracie and Jay. KHW Regiment Apple-Red EX-96 that came in second place in the senior three-year-old class at this year’s District 6 show and won fourth place at state show; and FlanneryVu Doorman Ardy EX-91, a second lactation granddaughter of TriDay Ashlyn EX-96 by way of an EX-91 Durham. “Ardy’s Undenied summer junior two-year-old is just fresh a month and may be the best young cow I have bred to date,” Brandon says. Brandon’s first brush with Registered Holsteins, despite growing up on a dairy farm, didn’t happen until he was 18. “Erik Gilbertson had me help him at district show that year – my first ever show. I knew nothing about showing or breeding. I didn’t even know how to read a pedigree or a bull’s linear,” he says. “When I took over my uncle’s herd in 2012, I was still very ‘green’ and have learned a lot about cows since then thanks to some great mentors and friends helping me along the way.” Brandon’s achievements with Registered Holsteins are rooted in two solid purchases: Larlee Talent Ember and Vale-O-Skene Atwood Stars. While Ember was not his first registered animal, she was the Argyle first one to turn out well for him – and did she ever. “Ember was purchased from my neighbor Larry Hendrickson as a yearling, her dam was an Advent that went on to be a 93-point cow. Her impact on the herd is probably stronger today than ever,” he says. Copyright © Free Vector Maps.com

Flannery-Vu Holsteins, Argyle, Wis. | Brandon, Amy, Gracie, Harvey and Jay Flannery Number of Cows: 120 including dry cows Number of Acres: 250 to feed the cows and an additional 1200 for cash crop and heifer feed Crops grown: Corn, alfalfa and soybeans Average Production: 26,129 lbs., 3.9% fat, 3.1% protein Ration: TMR with Balage, corn silage, high moisture corn and protein mix; small amount of dry hay side dressed Housing: Cows primarily live in a sand-bedded freestall barn and milked in tie-stalls. In the winter a group is kept in the tiestalls and use part of the freestall for dry cows and bred heifers.

Flannery-Vu Atwood Ella, a granddaughter of Ember via a GP84 Durham-Red, was his homebred Excellent cow. She is currently scored EX-93 and just calved, entering her fifth lactation. Daughters of Ella are really starting to shine in the herd.

Flannery-Vu Solomon Erin-ET is max scored at EX-92, FlanneryVu Solomon Evelyn-ET is EX-91, Flannery-Vu Solomon Elena-ET is EX-90 and Flannery-Vu Doorman EL is now VG-87. Brandon notes that Ella also has eight ET Avalanche heifer calves due in December. “Ember’s youngest daughter and only daughter still in the herd is Flannery-Vu Atwood Emi; she scored EX-90 in her second lactation and has a very exciting red Diamondback summer yearling for next year’s shows,” he says.

Brandon says about Stars, “Stars was bought in a partnership with Erik Gilbertson of Gildale Holsteins. In 2019, Stars was named Grand Champion of the District 6 show and Reserve All-Wisconsin 6-Year-Old and Older Cow. Stars has 11 daughters on the farm with the two in milk being scored 86 and 87 in their first lactation. I feel Stars’ impact will really be felt in the years [to come].”

Brandon’s breeding philosophy is focused on functional type, a cow that milks well, gets around well, and looks great doing it. Sires currently in the semen tank include Tatoo, Doc, Crushabull, Altitude-Red, Doorman, Solomon, Dempsey, Crush, Cadillac, Showtime, Delta Lambda, and Alleyoop.

“I try to breed cows with great udder attachments and quality, along with width throughout that move on a sound foot and leg. I like cows that can compete at the feed bunk and make large volumes of milk with ease, though I do not focus on positive milk bulls when breeding. A cow with a big wide chest, clean bone, and quality udder will perform in my environment,” Brandon says.

When Brandon isn’t in the barn, the fields, or the show ring he enjoys spending quality time with his family. He and his wife, Amy, have three children: Gracie, 5, Harvey, 3, and Jay, 7 months. He also enjoys serving on the Green County Holstein Breeders board of directors, where he organizes, plans, and selects cattle for the Green County Heart of the Wheel Sale.

Plans for the future are simply to keep improving and continue tapping into the potential of the cows that call Flannery-Vu home.

“My farm goal is to be a great breeder of Holstein cattle. I do not like mediocrity; I want to be the best. I want the Flannery-Vu prefix to be known for great cows. I measure it on how my herd has improved year to year – more production, more profitability, more Excellent cows, higher BAA, more competitive in the show ring,” Brandon says.

He added, “Mainly, I am competing against myself to be a better dairyman. Listen and learn from your peers, [as well as] from your mistakes and triumphs.”

The Flannerys’ heifer barn that was built in 2021 to house about 40 head of youngstock Solomon Erin EX-92 Max, Solomon Evelyn EX-91 and Solomon Elena EX-90

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© Dairy Agenda Today © Cybil Fisher

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Go-Sho Like a Rolling Stone EX-95 Sid x EX-90 Goldwyn x EX-94 BonVoyage Reserve Supreme Champion of the Junior Show, NAILE Grand Champion, Grand National Junior Holstein Show 1st Lifetime Prod. Cow, Grand National Junior Holstein Show 3rd 150,000-pound Cow, Int. Junior Holstein Show 10 – Wisconsin Holstein News – December 2021

Ms Rebas Raven Beauty Altitude x VG-87 Doorman x EX-91 Goldwyn x VG-89 Encore Junior Champion, International Holstein Show 1st Fall Calf, International Holstein Show Reserve Junior Champion, MW Spring Natl. Jr. Holstein Show Reserve Champion Heifer and Champion Bred & Owned Heifer, Wisconsin Junior State Fair Raven Beauty is now owned by Glamourview, Walton and Iager Thank you to everyone who helped make 2021 a year of winning! We’d like to especially thank our incredible show string crews at World Dairy Expo and NAILE!

Go-Sho Cattle Co.

Dave and Nina Schmocker, Tessa and Stella Dave: 920-723-1557 goshocattle@gmail.com

Esacrushable & Thunderbird Pirate

Sherona-Hill Jct Annie-Red EX-90 4th Sr. 3-Yr-Old, Wisconsin Championship R&W Show 2021 2nd Sr. 3-Yr-Old, District 6 Holstein Show Tombeth Esacrushable EX-92 (Crush 4 -r-old) 5th 4-Yr-Old, Wisconsin Championship Holstein Show 2021 1st 4-Yr-Old, District 3 Holstein Show 2021 N-Springhope Thunderbird VG-88 (Thunderstorm) Hardwood Doc Brizetta EX-92 MAX (King Doc) Intermediate Champion, District 6 Holstein Show 2021 4th Jr. 3-Yr-Old, Wisconsin Championship Holstein Show 2021 9th Jr. 3-Yr-Old, International Holstein Show 2021 Sildahl Steve The Pirate EX-92 MAX (King Doc) all owned with Heatherstone and Marty Kinyon

FLANNERY-VU HOLSTEINS Brandon Flannery and Family BAA 110.6 | 608-558-3594 Inquires always welcome!

Annie © Cybil Fisher; Esacrushable, Thunderbird, Pirate © Andrew Hetke; Brizetta profile © Cowsmopolitan

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PONDN PINES The Haag Family DAIRY Candids © Cowsmopolitan

Opsal Denver Seduction

Denver x EX-93 Aftershock x EX-93 Pronto x EX-93 GMD DOM Finley Honorable Mention Junior Champion, Int. Junior Holstein Show 2021 2nd Summer Yearling, Int. Junior Holstein Show 2021 5th Summer Yearling, Wisconsin Championship Holstein Show 2021 2nd Summer Yearling, Midwest Spring National Holstein Show 2021 Jr. Champion and Reserve Supreme Champion, Columbia Co. Fair 2021

It’s been a dream come true this year with Seduction! Thank you to Hailey Richardson for leading Seduction at World Dairy Expo. She is pregnant to King Doc and will have pregnancies coming by Summerfest and Showtime. Thank you to the Opsal family for making her available on your spring sale. We look forward to Seduction’s continued development! Kayleigh and Kelsey Haag Dane, WI | Registered Holsteins & Guernseys melissa.haag.dvm@gmail.com