SALEM, Ohio — Dairymen in Columbiana and Mahoning counties are among the best in Ohio, and Friday they took home armfuls of awards to prove it.
Smith Vale Farms earned DHI Cooperative elite awards, given to only the top 5 percent on test, for all three components: milk, fat and protein. The farm, with a 136-head Holstein herd average of 30,005 pounds of milk, 1,078 pounds fat and 925 pounds protein, is ranked No. 2 in the state for both milk and protein, and 10th in the state for butterfat production. (Here’s a .pdf list of Ohio’s top DHI herds in 2008.)
The Smiths and other dairymen received their awards during the Columbiana-Mahoning DHI annual luncheon April 3 at the First United Methodist Church in Salem.
More elite herds
The Dale Lowmiller family also received state DHI elite awards for all three components, with a herd average on 146 head of 28,924 pounds milk, 1,027 pounds fat and 889 pounds protein. The Lowmiller Holstein herd is ranked seventh in the state for protein, 11th for milk and 18th for fat.
Steve Crist also received elite awards for milk, fat and protein. His herd of 225 Holsteins averaged 27,875 pounds milk, 1,041 pounds fat and 848 pounds protein, and is ranked 15th for protein, 17th for fat and 18th for protein.
Jersey leader
Bill Grammer of Grammer Jersey Farm is also at the top of the ranks among Ohio dairymen. The Grammer herd, at 756 head, is ranked third in the state for butterfat production, and fourth in the state for both milk and protein.
His 2008 rolling herd average was 19,480 pounds of milk, 962 pounds of fat and 693 pounds of protein.
Most improved
Bricker Farms received the Most Improved Herd award for a jump of 181 pounds. The Bricker family also received the Top Quality Herd award for a somatic cell count of 75,000.
The Brickers also earned the top Ayrshire herd (19,228 pounds energy-corrected milk) and top mixed herd (23,400 pounds ECM) awards. Their Ayrshire herd of 28 head is ranked fifth in Ohio for energy-corrected milk, with average of 19,228 pounds milk, 680 pounds fat and 586 pounds protein.
Top cow awards
The Brickers were recognized for their top-producing Ayrshire, which gave 22,696 pounds milk, 717 pounds fat and 748 pounds protein.
Leading the Brown Swiss ranks was a cow owned by Bill Kornbau that produced 26,381 pounds milk, 948 fat and 769 protein.
A Lowmiller Holstein topped that breed with production of 41,004 pounds milk, 1,510 pounds fat and 1,170 pounds protein, and a Grammer Jersey led the Jersey list with production of 38,346 pounds of milk, 1,710 pounds fat and 1,052 pounds protein.
Other business
The association presented three $750 scholarships last year to Seth Fieldhouse, Elizabeth Moff and Caitlin Wiley. Applications for this year’s round of scholarships are currently being accepted. The deadline is May 1.
In the local DHI director election, Steve Crist and Joel Smith were elected to three-year terms; Adam Whiteleather was elected to a one-year term.
