WOOSTER, Ohio — Rupp-Vue Farm and Schirm Jersey Farm received the Wayne County Dairy Service Unit’s Outstanding Management Award during the group’s annual meeting March 19 at Fisher Auditorium in Wooster.
Rupp-Vue Farm also topped the 28,000-pound rolling herd average or greater group as well as winning the Outstanding Herd Management award for Holsteins, while Schirm Jersey Farm topped the colored breeds.
About the award
Art Stoller, board member, said the management award is based on production and reproduction, with a point system based on the herd’s improved production and reproduction from the previous year, including the herd’s calving interval, days to first service, conception rates, heat detection, and age at first calving.
He said the committee is working on developing a better scoring system to account for some basic differences between the Holsteins and other breeds.
Other top producers
Winners in the other divisions were: Stan Carmony in the 26,000- to 27,999-pound division; Lingle Holstein Farms, 24,000- to 25,999-pound division; and Arthur Amstutz in the less than 24,000-pound division.
Kenneth Weaver was recognized as the Most Improved herd among the Holstein herds. Gary Dotterer was recognized as the Most Improved herd among the colored breeds.
Acker Dairy Farm was recognized as the county’s top 2X Holstein herd, with 28,936 pounds of energy corrected milk, 1,046 pounds of fat and 837 pounds of protein.
Steffen Farm was recognized for the county’s top 3X Holstein herd, with 31,304 pounds of energy corrected milk, 1,081 pounds of fat and 940 pounds of protein.
Steinhurst Farm had the top Holstein cow with 44,116 pounds of energy corrected milk, 1,679 pounds of fat and 1146 pounds of protein.
Frankenburg Farms was recognized as the county’s top 2X Jersey herd and Brown Swiss herd. Their Jersey herd produced 25,096 pounds of energy corrected milk, 1,016 pounds of fat and 691 pounds of protein, while their Brown Swiss herd produced 26,076 pounds of energy corrected milk, 996 pounds of fat and 629 pounds of protein.
Ben-Alli Jerseys had the top Jersey cow for the county with a completed a record of 31,380 pounds of energy corrected milk, 1,315 pounds of fat and 907 pounds of protein.
Ro-La-Sue Farm had the top Ayrshire herd in the county, with 20,532 pounds of energy corrected milk, 772 pounds of fat and 629 pounds of protein. They also had the top Ayrshire cow with 26,406 pounds of energy corrected milk, 1,005 pounds of fat and 805 pounds of protein.
Brook Hollow Farm had the top Brown Swiss cow with 37,228 pounds of energy corrected milk, 1,356 pounds of fat and 1,119 pounds of protein.
Gary Dotterer had the county’s top mixed herd with 26,688 pounds of energy corrected milk, 958 pounds of fat and 796 pounds of protein.
Carlton Zimmerman had the top mixed breed cow with 32,827 pounds of energy corrected milk, 1,140 pounds of fat and 985 pounds of protein.
The top herds in the county for low somatic cell counts were Wayne Hartman, Ken Weaver, Jeff Winkler, Pine Tree Dairy Farm and Dan and Duane Eberly.
Manure issues
Rory Lewandowski, OSU Extension educator, gave an update on Extension activities during the year. In addition to the Dairy Twilight Tour, Wayne County also hosted the Manure Science Review and held training and certification sessions for fertilizer and nutrient management.
Lewandowski said nutrient management issues will continue to be in the forefront of issues facing agriculture, and finding a solution is critical.
Wayne County also hosted an estate planning and farm transition workshop.
Lewandowski encouraged producers to take part in the Farm Benchmark Analysis program that helps dairy farmers review the financial aspects of their dairy operation. He also encouraged producers to take part in one of two discussion groups that meet during the winter months. The Dairy Managers of Tomorrow is open to producers at least 25 years old, while the dairy discussion group is open to older producers.
DHI update
Brian Winters gave an update on Ohio DHI, which has 160,000 cows in 950 herds on test in Ohio. Winters recognized Pine Tree Dairy and Steffen Farms for being in the top five percent of Ohio dairy herds for production.
During the banquet, several items donated in memory of DSU board member Kevin Lingle were auctioned off, with the proceeds benefiting the Wayne County Dairy Service Unit Scholarship fund.
Tom Stocksdale thanked the Greg and John Steffen family for hosting the 2014 Dairy Twilight Tour and announced the 2015 tour would be held at Sterling Heights Dairy Farm July 21.
Ashland group merging
During the meeting, producers approved a request from the Ashland Dairy Service Unit to merge two groups later this year.
The two counties will hold a joint annual meeting, but will continue to sponsor their respective recognition awards. The board will be made up of nine representatives from Wayne County and three from Ashland.
Elected to serve on the Wayne County Dairy Service Unit board were Art Stoller, Jeremy Roar and Dave Colvin.
