Holstein Association USA’s 2023 Herds of Excellence recipients have bred and developed herds with superior production and type. This prestigious award, presented on an annual basis, celebrates exemplary Registered Holstein® herds that have met rigorous qualifying criteria with their 2023 records.
“Congratulations to these remarkable Registered Holstein breeders for developing herds with outstanding production and type,” says Holstein Association USA CEO John Meyer. “These six herds are truly all-star performers and examples of what can be accomplished with our beloved Registered Holstein cow!”
The award is broken down into three divisions based on herd size, including the Large Herd Division (500+ cows), Medium Herd Division (100-499 cows), and Small Herd Division (10-99 cows).
This year’s honorees are:
Large Herd Size Division (500+ Cows)
Siemers Holstein Farms Inc. — The Siemers Family, Newton, Wisconsin
80.0% homebred; AACS — 84.7 points
ME Production Averages — 34,042M 1,543F 1,057P
Eight Year Honoree
Medium Herd Size Division (100-499 Cows)
Koester Dairy Inc. — The Koester Family, Dakota, Illinois
99.8% homebred; AACS — 85.2 points
ME Production Averages — 34,013M 1,519F 1,086M
Eight Year Honoree
Small Herd Size Division (10-99 Cows)
Kal-Side Holsteins — The Oberholtzer Family, Hillsboro, Wisconsin
94.0% homebred; AACS — 85.8 points
ME Production Averages — 35,636M 1,477F 1,131 P
First Year Honoree
Doorco Holsteins—The Vandertie Family, Brussels, Wisconsin
100% homebred; AACS — 89.3 points
ME Production Averages — 37,252M 1,503F 1,160 P
Seven Year Honoree
Ever-Green-View Holsteins, LLC — The Kestell Family, Waldo, Wisconsin
98.9% homebred; AACS — 87.6 points
ME Production Averages — 37,653M 1,609F 1,170P
Fourteen Year Honoree
Lazy M Farm, LLC — Herman and Michael Maier Families, Stitzer, Wisconsin
78.3% homebred; AACS — 88.1 points
ME Production Averages — 35,515M 1,514F 1,119P
First Year Honoree
The awards will be presented during Holstein Association USA’s 138th Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. To register for convention or learn more, visit www.holsteinconvention.com.
Read more about the 2023 Herds of Excellence in the Spring 2024 issue of The Pulse. Select pages of The Pulse are available at www.hoslteinusa.com under the Latest News tab.
About the Award
The Herd of Excellence designation honors Registered Holstein breeders who have developed Holsteins herds excelling in both production and type. To be recognized with this accolade, herds must have classified within the last year and have an age-adjusted classification score (AACS) of 83 points or higher; have at least 70 percent of the herd homebred; and be enrolled in Holstein Association USA’s TriStarSM production records program.
Additionally, qualifying herds must meet the following production criteria:
- Large Herd Division: 15 percent above breed average for ME for milk, fat and protein
- Medium Herd Division: 20 percent above breed average ME for milk, fat and protein
- Small Herd Division: 25 percent above breed average ME for milk, fat and protein
Congratulations to the 2023 Herds of Excellence!