On Thursday, June 18 in Walnut Creek, Ohio, Guernsey breeders from across the nation were honored for their achievements in milk production. The awards were part of the National Guernsey Convention and 139th Annual Meeting. High TPE Lactation Average for Milk and Protein:
Gurn Z Meadow Farm:
20 Records, 21,671M 4.9% 1,057F 3.3% 722P
The high TPE Lactation Average for Milk and Protein is awarded to Gurn Z Meadow Farm of Columbus, Wisconsin. Julie, Kristi and Jennifer Orchard maintain the milking herd in Columbus, WI together with the Bacon’s Rolling Acres Holstein herd belonging to Julie’s husband, Ed Bacon. The girl’s father, Bill Orchard is still very active on the farm as well. The cows are milked at a Lely robotic dairy facility and fed a partially mixed ration. Pellets are also automatically fed during milking. Dry cows and springing heifers are fed a TMR. The robot milker allows fresh and high-producing cows to be milked up to six times a day, which gradually declines with each cow’s production. The herd is divided into two groups of 60 cows, each with its own robot milker. The Gurn Z Meadow Guernseys are all together in one of the groups with some of the Holsteins mixed in. The average cow at Gurn Z Meadow is milked 2.8 times a day. The robot milker maintains statistical data that the Orchards use to help improve their production. The herd is housed in a freestall barn bedded with sand.
Gurn Z Meadow is home to the 4th place 2014 Component Queen, Gurn Z Meadow Spruce Sunbeam. The VG-86 Blue Spruce daughter made 4-00 305D 26,740M 5.8% 1,543F 3.6% 953P. The Orchards also boast two additional cows on the top 100 2014 Component Queen List. In addition to being the high herd for milk and protein, Gurn Z Meadow is second for fat. In their division of 10-25 records, Gurn Z Meadow is also first for milk and protein and second for fat.
High TPE Lactation Average for Fat:
Walnut Ridge Farm:
21 Records, 19,220M 6.1% 1,170F 3.5% 667P
Walnut Ridge Farm of Middletown, Maryland is the high herd for butterfat with 21 records at 19,220M 6.1% 1,170F 3.5% 667P. The milking herd consists of 84 total head with a mix of all breeds. The cows are housed on pasture, straw bedded pack and a shavings area. They are fed a TMR mix of corn silage and added commodities. The heifers are fed a grain mixture, pasture and hay.
Currently owned and operated by Douglas Hawker, Pam Moser, Brandon Myers and Amber Beachley, the farm began in 1936 when Douglas’ parents were married. The farm has been passed through the generations since. The entire family, including spouses, children and grandchildren, work on the farm. Brandon does the bulk of the crop work, feeds the milking cows and does all the mechanical work. Amber does most of the feeding of the young stock, bred heifers and dry cows. She also helps milk as needed and is the “official halter-breaker.” Pam does the bulk of the milking, breeding, bookkeeping and financial work. Douglas helps milk, assists with field work and does general maintenance.
Walnut Ridge owns 181 acres and rents an additional 120. Everything they grow is for feed. Walnut Ridge is home to the perennial Living Lifetime winner, Walnut Ridge Magic Cher EX-92, whose Lifetime total of 342,640M 5.2% 17761F 3.4% 11706P certainly helped Walnut Ridge secure their spot on the list. An impressive young cow is Walnut Ridge Mentor Sophia, who made a record of 2-03 29,660M 5.7% 1,691F* 3.5% 1,036P, a class-leading record for fat. This VG-88 Mentor daughter was Honorable Mention All-American Senior Two-Year-Old in 2014. In addition to being the top herd for fat, Walnut Ridge was 9th in milk and 6th in protein. They are also home to eight of the top 40 2014 Component Queens.
Commercial Herd Award:
Coulee Crest LLC, 62 Records, 25,368 ECM
The Commercial Herd Award recognizes the top herd in the nation for Energy Corrected Milk. The herd must complete over 50 lactations during the year.
Coulee Crest LLC had 62 records in 2014 that provided an energy corrected total of 25,368M. The farm consists of the Guernsey milking herd and heifers, with an additional 150 Holsteins. The cows are housed in both a free stall and compost barn with outside exercise areas available when weather permits. The herd is milked in a swing-10 New Zealand style parlor.
Don took over the farm in 1958 from his parents, married Dorothy in 1967 and began converting their 40 grade Guernseys to 100% registered by using the Genetic Recovery program. Son Kurt joined the farm after graduating from University of Wisconsin – River Falls with a degree in Dairy Science. In 1998, they expanded the herd, and then Scott joined the partnership in 2008 and allowed the herd to expand again. Prior to that, he had worked full time off the farm, and has a Computer Science degree from University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. Currently, Scott handles the financial records, employee scheduling and crops. Kurt manages the herd’s genetics and production advancement. Don helps with the field work and whatever else needs done. The farm also employs two full time and three part time employees.
The Coulee Crest prefix has graced the pedigree of many outstanding cows. Most currently, Coulee Crest Nick Lorilyn EX- 91 has not only been a national class-leader, but has transmitted excellently. Her daughter, Coulee Crest AP Lorilee EX- 90 is the first and only third-generation Guernsey to produce 40,000M. The Lorilyn family has been making their mark in the sale ring as well, as family members have topped two sales this year already. Additionally, Coulee Crest Skipper Jewel EX-90 is the 100,000-pound dam of over 10 Very Good and Excellent daughters, as well as last year’s All-American Spring Calf, Coulee Crest AP Jinx-ET. Another great transmitter is Coulee Crest Visa Celeste-ET, a VG-87 class leader with numerous Very Good, component queen and high-producing daughters.
Coulee Crest has 13 animals among the top 100 Component Queen list this year, and ranked 16th on the high-CPI list. They placed in the top 3 overall herds for milk, fat and protein, and ranked first in all those categories in their division of 51-99 records. Coulee Crest cows are consistently seen on the high CPI list as well as the tanbark trail, as Coulee Crest has numerous All-American honors to their credit.
Leibers Trophy, Valley Set Award, Arnold Knight Award (Living Lifetime Awards):
Walnut Ridge Magic Cher: 342,640M 5.2% 17,761F 3.4% 11,706P
These three awards are given annually to the cow with the highest lifetime milk, fat and protein production. The Leibers trophy is given in honor of Mr. & Mrs. Otto Leibers of Nebraska to the cow with the highest lifetime milk production. The Valley Set Award, established in 1986 by Ron Wenger and Family, recognizes the highest lifetime fat production.
The Wisconsin Guernsey Breeders Association established the Arnold Knight Trophy in 1992 to honor the cow with the highest lifetime protein production. In order to be eligible for these awards, the cow must have been DHI tested at least once during 2014.
This year’s recipient is an unprecedented seven-time award-winner for these three awards with 342,640M 5.2% 17,761F 3.4% 11,706P. The winner is the now-legendary Walnut Ridge Magic Cher, an EX-92 Nells Glow Admiral Magic daughter owned by Walnut Ridge Farm of Middletown, Maryland. Cher has a VG-86 daughter with records to an impressive 7.4% fat. A Carter daughter of this cow is being offered in the Convention sale. Cher is also the dam of Walnut Ridge Kringle Classic, who is currently being sampled through Idle Neer Sires. With the help of Cher and her hardworking herdmates, Walnut Ridge Farm ranks first in the nation for fat, as well as ninth for milk. Walnut Ridge also ranks in the top 5 for milk, fat and protein in their division of 10-25 records. Another impressive herdmate is Walnut Ridge Mentor Sophia VG-88 with a 5.7% F and the title of Honorable Mention AllAmerican last year.
New England Trophy (Highest 305 day milk record for the year):
Trotacre Almas Ali, 3-07 305D 3X 37,800M 3.6% 1,342F 2.9% 1,090P
The New England Trophy is awarded to the cow completing the highest 305 day actual record for milk. This year’s winner is Trotacre Almas Ali, who made 37,800M 3.6% 1,342F 2.9% 1,090P at 3-07 in 305 days in a three-times-a-day milking. This record is class-leading for milk and protein and lead to a 365 day record of 46,070M* 3.7% 1707F 3.0% 1397P*. Ali is an EX-91 daughter of Sniders Adacka Delmar. Her granddam was a VG-84 point Mercury daughter with over 100,000M in her lifetime. Ali is bred and owned by Jamie Trotter of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania.
Tarbell Trophy (Highest 305 day fat record) & California Protein Award (Highest 305 day protein record) Coulee Crest AP Lorilee, 2-10 305D 3X 35,250M 4.7% 1,663F 3.4% 1,202P The Tarbell Trophy recognizes the highest 305 day fat record of the year, while the California Protein Award recognizes the highest 305 day protein record of the year.
The Tarbell Trophy was established in 1948 in memory of Gage Tarbell, founder of Tarbell Guernsey Farm, Smithville Flats, New York. The California Protein Award is sponsored by the California Guernsey Cattle Club. This year, Coulee Crest AP Lorilee has achieved both awards for her owners, Lily Lane Farm of Oklahoma and Trotacre Farm of Pennsylvania.
Lorilee, the number one Component Queen of the Breed, made 35,250M* 4.7% 1,663F* 3.4% 1,202P* in 305 days at 2-10. The EX-90 American Pie daughter carried this class-leading record through 365 days for 41,180M* 4.7% 1,945F* 3.5% 1,425P*, making her the first and only third-generation 40,000 pound cow in the breed. Lorilee’s son is being syndicated at the National Convention Sale this week, and family members have been consistently high-selling at sales this spring. Her dam is Coulee Crest Nick Lorilyn EX-91, another class-leading and former #1 CPI cow. The 2nd-4th dams have over 100,000M and the 2nd-5th dams are all Excellent.
Nyala-Bedford Trophy (Highest 305 day first lactation ECM record)
Trotacre Indian Altanic Honey-ET 2-01 305D 3X 31,780M 4.5% 1,433F 3.1% 1,000P 36,149ECM
The Nyala-Bedford Trophy is presented in memory of F.T. Bedford, founder of Nyala Farm in Green Farm, Connecticut. It is now awarded to the cow completing the highest energy corrected record in her first lactation. This year’s winner is Trotacre Indian Altanic Honey-ET, owned by Cara Trotter of Trotacre Farm, Enon Valley, Pennsylvania. The EX-90 Altanic daughter has 2-01 305D 3X 31,780M* 4.5% 1,433F 3.1% 1,000P* with an energy corrected milk record of 36,149. This record is class-leading in milk and protein and led to a 365 day record of 34,890M* 4.6% 1,598F 3.2% 1,126P*. Honey combines type and production, as she was Honorable Mention All-American Junior 3-Year-Old last year, as well as a two- time Honorable Mention Junior All-American winner in 2013 and 2014.
Honey is out of the incredible brood cow Windsong Spade Hope EX-91, who has produced over 10 VG daughters to date. One of them is Honey’s full sister, Hillary VG-88, who was Reserve All-American Junior 3-Year-Old in 2014 and has another impressive first record of 2-08 365D 31,920M 1,329F 1,019P.
The American Guernsey Association is based in Columbus, Ohio and is dedicated to the advancement and promotion of Guernsey dairy cows and products.