WALNUT CREEK, Ohio – The nearly 200 Holmes County dairy farmers and guests attending the annual dairy banquet are evidence of the good support the industry receives. The banquet was held March 26 at the Carlisle Village Inn in Walnut Creek.
Second in Ohio.
According to Dean Slates, agriculture and natural resources agent, this year, Holmes County ranks second in Ohio in number of herds on DHI test.
The Holmes County Dairy Committee presented plaques to farmers with top dairy herds and individual cows.
Over 50 cows.
Spring Hill Farm, (Tom and Chris Lang) of Big Prairie, won high herd honors in the over 50 cow category. Production was 22,482 pounds of milk, 865 pounds of protein, and 28,165 pounds energy corrected milk (ECM) for 192.1 cows.
Springwalk Farm (Bill and Kurt Wachtel) of Big Prairie, was recognized for high herd over 50 cows for 1,003 pounds of fat for 109.7 cows.
Under 50 cows.
San-Mar Holsteins (Mark and Sandy Bardall) of Millersburg, earned honors for high herd under 50 cows for 27,172 pounds of milk, 973 pounds of fat, 827 pounds of protein, and 27,505 pounds of ECM for a herd of 29.5 cows.
High two-year-old Holstein honors went to Maspring 2, Cow 017160441, for 31,094
pounds of milk; Spring Hill Farm, Cow No. 27, for 1,007 pounds of protein; Norman J. Troyer of Sugarcreek, Cow No. 290, for 1,326 pounds of fat and 32,445 pounds ECM.
Awards for high two-year-old colored breeds went to R & R Swiss (Ron and Rene Michalovich) of Nashville, cow “Jackie” for 28,570 pounds milk, 1,228 pounds fat, 1,000 pounds protein and 32,445 pounds ECM.
Winners in the high aged Holstein category included: San-Mar Holsteins, Cow No. 12, for 38,450 pounds of milk; Spring Hill Farm, 1,167 pounds protein; and Springwalk Farm, “Happy,” for 1,719 pounds fat, and 40,900 pounds ECM.
For high aged cow, colored breeds, R & R Swiss, “Jewel,” took honors for 31,250 pounds of milk and 1,001 pounds of protein. Springwalk Farm, “Missy,” was recognized for 1,464 pounds of fat.
Most improved herd.
The most improved herd award went to Maspring Farm’s 75.1 cows for an increase of 2,351 pounds of milk, 68 pounds of fat, 44 pounds of protein and 1,986 pounds ECM.
The most improved elite herds were San-Mar Holsteins for an increase of 1,400 pounds of milk; Hal and Rod Hunsberger, for an increase of 63 pounds of fat and 1.226 pounds of ECM; and Springwalk Farm Holsteins for an increase of nine pounds of protein.
Lifetime award.
Paul J. Miller of Shreve had the high lifetime cow, “Tidy,” a Holstein, who produced 328,120 pounds of milk, 10,955 pounds of fat, and 10,103 pounds protein in 10 lactations.
Myron Armstrong, DHI district manager, presented Ohio DHI certificates to five Elite herds with production in the top 5 percent in the state for either milk, fat, protein.
Receiving certificates were Ayrdell Farm Ayrshires, for producing 688 pounds of fat; Springwalk Farm Holsteins for 1,003 pounds of fat and 817 pounds of protein; Spring Hill Farm for 27, 482 pounds of milk, 1,000 pounds of fat, and 865 pounds of protein; San-Mar Holsteins for 27,372 pounds of milk, 973 pounds of fat and 827 pounds of protein; and Gerber Valley Farm (Stephen F. and Christina Miller) of Walnut Creek for 966 pounds of fat.
Solid track record.
This is the sixth year that Ayrdell Farm, owned and operated by the Ferman Wengerd family of Walnut Creek, has received the Elite Ayrshire herd award in fat.
For three of those years, they were the top Ayrshire herd in Ohio in all three categories – milk, fat and protein. This year, they missed the milk and protein by only a few pounds.
Brian Gerber and Myron Schlabach were elected to the Holmes County DHI Committee for two-year terms.
Other committee members whose terms expire in 2002 are Mike Hostetler, Tim Miller, Dale Mohler, Aaron Schlauch, and Kurt Schlegel.
Brian Winters, new DHI general manager, spoke briefly about the new DHI facility they are renting from COBA/Select Sires in Plain City.
Winters took over as general manager last fall after the retirement of Stuart Johnson.
