WALNUT CREEK, Ohio – “We have had the highest percentage of improved dairy herds during the past year than we have had at any time before despite a very difficult year,” said Dean Slates, Holmes County agriculture extension agent.
Slates made this remark as he congratulated the dairy farmers at the Holmes County 2003 Dairy Recognition program held at the Carlisle Village Inn at Walnut Creek. About 160 dairy farmers and guests attended the event.
The Holmes County Dairy Committee presented plaques to farmers with top dairy herds and individual cows.
Improving. Willis N. Mast received the Most Improved Herd award for his Holstein herd of 22 cows for an increase of 2,725 pounds of milk.
Dar-Re Farm (Regan Miller) received the Most Improved Herd award for his Jersey herd of 129 cows for an increase of 154 pounds of fat, 3,365 pounds of energy-corrected milk and 73 pounds protein.
Lester O. and Myron Schlabach received the Most Improved “Elite Herd” award for their 64-cow Holstein herd with an increase of 2,172 pounds of milk.
Others receiving plaques were the following: Gerber Valley Farm, high herd under 50 cows, with 1,053 pounds of fat and 27,549 pounds of energy-corrected milk for 37 cows; Paul J. Miller for 25,534 pounds of milk and 784 pounds of protein; and Mead-Val Farm for a somatic cell count of 122,000 in a 32-cow herd.
High herds. Kick’s Dairy Farm got the High Herd Over 50 Cows award for 28,126 pounds of milk, 854 pounds of protein and 28,806 pounds of energy-corrected milk in 136 cows. Hal and Rod Hunsberger were awarded for 1,094 pounds of fat and 140,000 somatic cell count for 128 cows.
Kick’s Dairy Farm had the high 2-year-old cow, which was 41,460 pounds of milk, 39,321 pounds of energy-corrected milk and 1,110 pounds of protein.
In the same award, Springwalk Farms was recognized for a cow producing 1,476 pounds of fat.
High colored-breed herd awards went to R&R Swiss (Ron Michalovich, Brown Swiss) with 22,053 pounds of milk, 723 pounds of protein and 23,973 pounds of energy-corrected milk; Dar-Re Farm (Jersey) with 192,000 somatic cell count; and Spring Valley Farm (Mike Hochstetler) with 909 pounds of fat.
Two years. The high 2-year-old colored-breed cow went to R&R Swiss with 25,530 pounds of milk and 815 pounds of protein; and Hyland Acres with 1,154 pounds of fat and 27,033 pounds of energy-corrected milk.
High cows. The high Holstein cow went Springwalk Farm with a 4-year-old producing 52,020 pounds of milk, 1,942 pounds of fat, 1,320 pounds of protein and 52,191 pounds of energy-corrected milk.
Doughty Valley Farm had the high lifetime production cow, producing 282,220 pounds of milk, 8,877 pounds of fat, 8,806 pounds of protein in 91 lactations.
Elite herds. Elite Herd awards for Holsteins for fat were Hal and Rod Hunsberger with 1,094 pounds; Springwalk Farm with 1,068 pounds; Gerber Valley Farm with 1,053 pounds; and Kick’s Dairy Farm with 1,013 pounds.
Elite Herd awards for Holsteins for milk were Kick’s Dairy Farm with 28,126 pounds and Springwalk Farm with 26,677 pounds.
Elite Herd awards for Holsteins for protein were Kick’s Dairy Farm with 854 pounds, Springwalk Farm with 819 pounds and Hal and Rod Hunsberger for 911 pounds.
Elite Herd awards for Jerseys were Spring Valley Farm with 909 pounds of fat and Dar-Re Farm with 905 pounds of fat and 18,771 pounds of milk.
Brian Gerber, Darrell Kick and Myron Schlabach were elected for two-year terms to the county dairy committee.
