Wisconsin Makes Final Plans for Annual Meetings

Finishing touches for the annualmeetings of the American Jersey CattleAssociation (AJCA) and National All-Jersey (NAJ) Inc. were on the mindsof Wisconsin Jersey breeders as theygathered for the annual meeting of theirstateJerseyassociationonMarch5,2011,inBlackRiverFalls. Forthefourthtimein34years,Jerseybreeders from America’s Dairyland willhost the annual meetings of the nationalJersey organizations. This summer, theywill be held in the Wisconsin Dells onJune22-25.Theeventwillincludetheall-donationNationalHeiferSale,whichwillhelptofundJerseyYouthAcademy. Mike Fremstad, Westby, one of themeeting’s chairs, encouraged everyoneto get involved by lending a hand withlast-minute details, securing sponsorsfor financial support and attending themeetings. In anticipation of the event, membersheard fromanumberofAJCAandNAJrepresentatives, including the executivesecretaryoftheorganizations,NealSmith,who reported 2010 was another banneryearforparticipationinkeyprograms.Arecord132,246cowsand1,059herdswereenrolledonAJCAperformanceprogramsduring 2010, including 127,545 cowsand 888 herds on REAP. Registrationsexceeded90,000forthethirdconsecutiveyear.Seventy-ninepercentofanimalsareregistered before they reach six months-of-age; 45% are permanently identifiedusingdouble-matchingapprovedeartags.Smith highlighted goals for the AJCAandNAJfor2015,whichinclude120,000registrations, 170,000 cows enrolledon performance programs and 45,000genotypedanimals. AJCA Director Chris Sorenson, PineRiver, Wis., echoed Smith’s sentimentsabout Jersey performance in 2010.Productive life for the Jersey cowcontinues to be a selling point for thebreed at 1,026days—183more than theaverageof allotherbreeds.Thegoal for

2015istohavetheJerseybreedrepresent12.5%ofthenationaldairyherd. Jersey breeders also heard from thepresidents of both organizations andthe two candidates for AJCA president,Robert Bignami of Orland, Calif., andRichardDoranJr.ofNewberry,S.C. The current AJCA president, DavidChamberlain, Wyoming, N.Y., spokeabout the Foundation for the Futurepolicy from National Milk ProducersFederation. The policy proposes toreform Federal Milk Marketing Ordersbyreducingthecurrentfour-classpricingsystemtotwoandessentiallyeliminatingmultiplecomponentpricing.Chamberlainurged Jersey breeders to appeal to theirrepresentativestoleavethecurrentsysteminplaceastherecommendedpolicyisnotbeneficialforJerseybreeders. President Chamberlain encouragedJerseybreederstogenotypetheiranimalsand consign to theNationalHeiferSale,which will be an all-genotyped eventlike the record-breaking Pot O’GoldSale this past November. He also askedJersey breeders to cast their votes in theupcomingAJCA-NAJ elections either inpersonorbyabsenteeballot. NAJPresidentDaveEndres,Lodi,Wis.,toldJerseybreedersthatnutritionalanalysisbeingdonebyNAJshowsconsumersfavorthetasteandnutritionofJerseymilkoverothermilk.AproducerinOregon,Garry’sMeadowFreshJerseyMilk,recentlytested13%higherinproteinand21%higherincalcium.This is one of the reasons why

moreJerseyproducersarebecomingAll-Jerseydistributorseveryyear.

Awards Jersey breeders also took opportunityto recognize achievements of their peersduringthepastyear. Steve Guell, Waupun, was namedWisconsinJerseyBreederoftheYear.Heand his wife, Sue, operate SRG RoyalJerseys. The couple started their dairycareermilkingregisteredHolsteins.TheyaddedJerseysin1989;theherdhasbeenall brown since 1993. They prefer theJersey’s reproductiveadvantages, smallerframesize,highercomponentsandnaturalgrazing ability, a bonus for rotationalgrazing,whichhasbeenahallmarkofthefarmthepast18years. The34-cowherd isbred for longevityanddepthofpedigree,withsomemembersof the herd tracing seven generations ofGuell breeding. In the past five years,Guell has bred eight All-Wisconsin orReserveAll-Wisconsinwinners. SRGRoyalJerseysmerchandisesabout10-15 head each year through privatetreaty and leading consignment sales.TheGuellsaremost satisfiedwhen theiranimals do well for their new owners.Among the standouts are SRG RoyalAmadeo Claudia, Supreme Championof theWisconsinStateFair in2009,andSRGRoyalPitinoLiberty,ReserveGrandChampionoftheWisconsinStateShowin2007. Both are appraised Excellent-95%and made 365-day records in excess of28,800lbs.milk,1,600lbs.fatand1,000lbs.protein. Shari Strickhouser, Stephan Jerseys,Elkhorn,wasnamedJerseyWomanoftheYear. Strickhouser developed a love forcattleearlyinlife,havingbeenraisedonaHolsteinandBrownSwissdairyownedbyherparents,thelateRichardStephanandMarilynSusina.Aftershegraduatedfromthe University of Wisconsin-Madison in1991,shereturnedhometofarmwithherparents. StrickhouserpurchasedherfirstJersey

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Youth earning Junior All-Wisconsinawards included Abby Tauchen, left, DerekSokolowskiandCassyKrull.

Youth earning awards in the juniorproductioncontestinclude(lefttoright)IndiaTauchen, Justin Cornell, Wade KessenichandKaitlynRiley.

OutgoingWisconsinJerseyQueenCassyKrull, right, congratulates her successor,AbbyTauchen, on being crowned the stateJerseyqueenfor2011.

The Wisconsin Distinguished ServiceAward was presented to Dean Peterson,picturedherewithhiswife,Pat.

fromGil-BarFarmofJanesvillein1993.After working at the dairy during thesummerof1998,shebecamehookedonregistered cattle. She purchased 23 headfrom Gil-Bar Farm and these animalsbecamethefoundationofthe62-cowherd,whichisallJerseytoday. Stephan Jerseys is enrolled on REAPandamemberofDairylandJerseySires.Strickhouser is a routine exhibitor at theCentralNationalJerseyShow,WisconsinSpring Spectacular Show and several

local shows. Shebred StephanSparkler Vera,E x c e l l e n t - 9 5 % ,who was tapped asGrandChampionoftheCentralNationalShow in 2009 fornew owners, Gregand Joel Bourne,Ansonia,Ohio.

ShewontheAJCAYoungJerseyBreederaward in 2009. Strickhouser sits on theboard of the Wisconsin Jersey BreedersAssociation and has been president andvicepresidentoftheParish2club.Shehasservedonthestateshowcommitteesince2005andisapastsecretaryoftheElkhornFFAAlumniAssociation. Dean Peterson, Viroqua, won theDistinguishedServiceAward.Heandhiswife,Pat,anddaughters,AlanaandJackie,operatePetersonJerseysonafarmthathasbeen in his family for three generations.They breed Registered Jerseys using thePJFprefix. Peterson has served the WisconsinJersey Breeders Association as directorand president and has also received theorganization’s award for Senior Breederof the Year. He has lent a hand at theWisconsinStateSalesincethemid-1970sandregularlyvolunteersattheWisconsinState Jersey Show and the WisconsinSpringSpectacularShow. He has been active in the show ringsince for five decades, exhibiting hisfirst Jersey at the Vernon County Fairtwoweeksbeforehe turnedfive.Hehasshowncattleat this faireveryyear sinceand broadened his venue to include theWisconsin Spring Spectacular Show, theWisconsin State Fair and the MinnesotaState Fair, earning Premier Breeder andPremierExhibitorbannersateachoftheseevents. He also shows at the WisconsinStateShow,theWisconsinJerseyFuturity,theCentralNationalJerseyShowandTheAllAmericanJerseyShow.Peterson-bredanimalshavetoppedclassesateacheventandtheRoyalAgriculturalWinterFair.

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ThePetersonsoftenprovideJerseysforthejudgingcontestsatWorldDairyExpoandtheVernonCountyFair.Theirfarmisaregularstopforjudgingteamspreparingforcompetitionaswell. The entire family is active in athleticsand volunteering. Dean enjoys bowling,fishing andgolf andplays co-ed softballwithAlanaandJackie.AlanawasnamedJuniorBreederoftheYearandisarecentgraduate of the University of Wisconsin(UW)-RiverFalls.Shenowworksonthefarmwithherparentsandcoachesmiddleschoolbasketballandsoftball.JackiewascrownedWisconsinJerseyQueenin2009and will graduate from UW-LacrosseinDecemberwith amajor inhealth andfitness.PatwasnamedJerseyWomanoftheYearin2009.

Junior Program TommyAllen, Reedsburg, was namedWisconsin Junior Jersey Breeder ofthe Year. The 17-year-old is the son ofTroyAllen andLeighToberman and thegrandsonofDavidandKarenAllen.His34 head of Registered Jerseys are a partof All-Lynn Jerseys, established by hisgrandfather,andhousedatRyanDairyinPlain. Allenstartedshowingwhenhewasnineyears old and purchased his first groupof heifers in partnership with JuddaleHolsteinswhenheturned12.Hehassince

boughtoutJuddale’sshares and isnowaregular buyer at thePot O’Gold Sale.HepurchasedRochaImpulsWhitney,thehighseller,fromthePot O’Gold Sale in2007, Jars of ClayIatola 16710 2751two years later

and Woodstock Action Lola this pastNovember. The three as a group havea dozen contracts with A.I. “Whitney”placed 10th in the 2010 Pot O’Gold

ProductionContestandhas14registeredprogeny,includingfourdaughtersrankedon the list of the Top 500 Heifers forParentAverageJerseyPerformanceIndex(April2011). Allen was an escort for the NationalJersey Queen contest in 2010 and willattend the second JerseyYouthAcademyinJuly. All-Lynn Jerseys is one of farms thatwill be toured during the AJCA-NAJAnnualMeetingsandwillhosttheAJCCResearchFoundationBenefitAuctionandCow Pie Bingo.Tommy will donate thecalf for the bingo contest, which raisesfundsforJerseyYouthAcademy. AbbyTauchen,Bonduel,wascrownedas the 2011 Wisconsin Jersey Queen.Tauchenwillrepresentthebreedatdairyfunctions this summer and compete intheNationalJerseyQueenContestatAllAmerican festivitiesnextNovember. The outgoingWisconsin JerseyQueen,CassyKrull,LakeMills,wontheseniordivisionoftheyouth achievementcontest. Evan G.Jones, Ridgeway,placedsecondinthesenior division of the contest. Krull andJoneswillcompete in the2010NationalJerseyYouthAchievementContest. IndiaTauchen,Bonduel,earnedthetopspot in the junior division of the youthachievement contest. She received aRegistered Jersey calf donated by AllenHentsch and family, Spring Creek Farm,Hixton. Colin Wussow, Cecil, earnedthe Louis Haeuser MemorialAward anda show halter for placing second in thejuniordivisionofthecompetition. ScholarshipswerepresentedtoCharisseOrth, Stitzer; Michelle Owens, Frederic;Morgan Randall, Soldiers Grove; andAbbyTauchen. WadeKessenich,deForest,earnedthe

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Strickhouser

Allen

2010 Wisconsin Jersey Queen CassyKrull,left,and2011WisconsinJerseyQueenAbby Tauchen present Mike Fremstad withawardsforthestate’stopcowformilk,proteinandcheeseyield,NorseStarAbeTinker.

Wade Kessenich took home the prizefor the state’s leading fat producer, Gil-BarSparkler Juliann. “Juliann” also earned thehigh protein award in the junior contest,sponsoredbyStargazerJerseys.

Krull

junior high protein award sponsored byStargazerJerseys,theJodiCornellFamilyofRichlandCenter,withGil-BarSparklerJuliann. The Excellent-93% daughter ofGil-BarUniqueSparkler,JPI-159,made28,620lbs.milk,1,747lbs.fatand1,001lbs.protein(3xmilking)at5-8. Otherjuniorstoearnprizesintheyouthproduction contest were: Justen Cornell,Hillsboro;JonathonFraser,Viola;KaitlynA. Riley, Gays Mills; Abby and IndiaTauchen; and Kaila and Colin Wussow,Cecil. Thejuniorsheldadessertauctionatthemeeting thisyear inplaceof theauctionthat is normally held during the springshow.They raised$680 from theireffortat auctioning the delicious delicaciesdonated by board members. Funds willbeused topurchase shirts for the springshow, sponsor awards at the WisconsinStateFair,WorldDairyExpoandtheAllAmerican Junior Jersey Show and othereventsthroughouttheyear.

Production Awards D&DJerseys,Newton,earnedprizesforhighmilkandproteinproduction.The62-cowherdownedbyDonnaPhillipsandDanStockhadaherdaverageof21,787lbs.milk,1,029lbs.fatand784lbs.protein(3xmilking).D&DJerseysisalsorankednationallyformilk(second),fat(seventh)and protein (third) production with anAJCA lactation average of 25,502 lbs.milk,1,175lbs.fatand897lbs.protein. WoodmohrJerseys,ownedbyJonandWendySchmidt,Bloomer,tookhometheawardforhighfatproduction.The47-cowherd has a herd average of 19,438 lbs.milk,1,136lbs.fatand755lbs.protein. TheWisconsinJerseyherdthatboostedmilkproductionthegreatestduring2010was Riley Farms, owned by Jody Riley,Gays Mills. The herd increased milkproduction2,380lbs.versusthepreviousyear. The herd that increased proteinproduction the most is THF Jerseys,Somerset. The herd owned by MelissaTraiser and her parents, Chip and Pam,improved protein production by 107 lbs.during2010. Wisconsin’s top milk, protein andcheeseyieldproducerin2010wasNorseStar Abe Tinker, owned by Norse StarJerseys, Westby. The Very Good-87%daughterofAhlemLemvigAbe-ET,GJPI+157, produced a 4-4 record of 37,140lbs. milk, 1,577 lbs. fat and 1,125 lbs.protein(3xmilking),withacheeseyieldequivalentof3,880lbs. The fat champion is “Juliann,”mentionedearlier.

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Other Business The Wisconsin Jersey Booster has anew editor. Danielle Nauman, Norwalk,tookover the reins forMarkandAngelaBrown,whohadservedaseditorsforthepast16years, longerthananyoneelseinthemagazine’shistory. TheWisconsinState JerseyShowwillbeAugust16-17,2011,withshowmanshipclassesscheduledforthefirstdayandthebreedshowthenextday.LynnHarbaugh,Hillsboro, will serve as the official.TheWisconsinJerseyFuturitywillbeheldinconjunctionwiththeshow. Officers were elected as follows:Donna Phillips, president; David Allen,Reedsburg, vice president; Dennis Post,Clinton, secretary; and Nicolle Wussow,Cecil,secretary. Junior officers are: Abby Tauchen,president;CassyKrull,vicepresident;andKailaWussow,secretary.

Receivingparishproductionawardswere(front left to right); Mike Fremstad, NorseStarJerseys;DonnaPhillips,D&DJerseys;Walter Owens, Owens Farms; (back) SteveTauchen, Tauchen Jerseys; Bill Barlass,BarlassJerseys;RonKutz,KutzDairyLLC;andDavidAllen.

MembersoftheboardofdirectorsfortheWisconsin Jersey Breeders Associationinclude (front left to right) Dennis Post,secretary;StephanieHughes;DonnaPhillips,president; Jaclyn Pettis; Shari Strickhouser;(back) Bob Randall; Rob Klinkner; MarkAshmore; Lloyd Heinz; Ralph Uhe; WilfredOwens; and David Allen, vice president.Missing are Ron Wussow and NicolleWussow,treasurer.