HARTVILLE, Ohio – There are 29 cows from 10 herds on the Stark County Dairy Board’s 2003 list of cows producing more than 200,000 pounds of milk in their lifetime – illustrating the level of management and skill among the county’s dairy producers.
Herd owners received production recognition at last week’s county dairy banquet April 1 at Hartville Kitchen.
The county’s top herds – Campbell Bros. and Paradise Valley Farms – both had several cows on the list, but it was a gem of a cow from Norwescor Holsteins that topped the list.
Still milking. Jewel, who’s still milking in Jim Stockert’s herd, has a lifetime production of 307,061 pounds of milk. She has milked for 4,042 days since she was born in February, 1989.
Other producers with cows in the 200,000-pound club include: Dan Kolm, Vereldo Farms, Raber Dairy Farms, Kinsey Farms, Rummell Farms and Hickory Lane Farms.
Top farms. Campbell Bros. and Paradise Valley Farms each received top herd awards and elite Holstein herd distinction for production in the top 5 percent of the state’s herds on DHI test.
The farms earned the elite herd honor for all three milk components: milk, fat and protein.
The Campbell Bros.’ 72-head herd averaged 28,652 pounds of milk; 1,056 pounds of fat; and 901 pounds of protein.
Paradise Valley Farms, which milks three times a day, averaged 29,097 pounds of milk; 1,040 pounds of fat; and 861 pounds of protein. The Paul Ramsey family is milking 379 head.
The Campbells received Stark County’s top award for herds milking twice daily; Paradise Valley received the county award for herds milking three times a day.
Campbell Bros. farm also received the Paul Stockert Memorial Award for most improved herd.
Vereldo Farms also received elite herd status for their fat component. Their herd averaged 24,864 pounds of milk; 1,015 pounds of fat; and 768 pounds of protein.
Rounding out the county’s top five dairy herds are Norwescor Holsteins, with herd averages of 24,672 pounds milk; 929 pounds fat; and 737 pounds protein; and Clardale Farms, 24,372 pounds milk; 879 pounds fat; and 742 pounds protein.
Both milk three times a day.
State ranked. While Portage County’s Grac-Glen Farm leads the state in milk production, the Campbell herd is ranked third in the state, based on energy-corrected milk.
Paradise Valley is ranked sixth in Ohio.
Other awards. Phil Hawk of Circle Hawk Farm received the top Jersey herd award. His herd averaged 16,978 pounds of milk; 858 pounds of fat and 582 pounds of protein.
App-Fox Farms received an award for the lowest somatic cell count, 99,000 – a level emcee Bill Ramsey said should be “a goal for all of us.”
Individual cow production awards were also presented.
Surprise award. Wilbur and Janice Lingenhoel received a surprise lifetime award for their commitment to the county’s dairy industry and the dairy board.
Wilbur Lingenhoel is a past board member and Janice Lingenhoel served as the board’s secretary/treasurer for almost 30 years.
Ohio DHI update. Carroll County dairyman Kerry Tessanne, who is retiring from the state board of the Ohio DHI Cooperative, updated producers on state level activities.
Most notably, Ohio DHI acquired the herds of Dairy One and is now processing records for approximately 1,200 herds, Tessanne said.
“We can take care of herds in Ohio better than anyone else,” he added.
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