RAGERSVILLE, Ohio – Despite a snowy, hazardous driving conditions, 115 dairy farmers and guests attended the annual Tuscarawas County Dairy Farmers banquet Feb. 24 at Ragersville Zion United Church of Christ.
Top dairy herds, in both the official and unofficial category, were recognized.
Plaques were presented to the top official and unofficial herds for the production of milk, fat or protein. Also receiving plaques were the most improved herd, high lifetime cows and low somatic cell count herds.
Lovedays have top herd. Jim and Marcia Loveday, Dundee, had the high official herd for milk for a herd of 100 or fewer cows. Their herd of 80 cows produced an average of 23,932 pounds of milk per cow.
The Loveday herd was also the top official herd of 100 cows or less for protein, with an average production of 692 pounds.
Larger herds. Putt Dairy Farms of Sugarcreek was the top official herd in milk, butterfat, and protein production for a herd of more than 101 cows. The herd of 315 cows produced an average of 26,335 pounds of milk, 944 pounds of butterfat and 835 pounds of protein.
Following a close second in the more than 100-cow official herd category was the 350-cow herd of Gary Burky of New Philadelphia, which produced an average of 25,329 pounds of milk, 913 pounds of fat and 761 pounds of protein per cow.
Carlene Farms of New Philadelphia received the official herd award for butterfat production for a herd of less than 100 cows. Their herd of 75 cows averaged 881 pounds per cow.
Unofficial herd tests. High unofficial herd in milk production went to Norman D. Miller of Sugarcreek for an average production of 21,942 pounds of milk for his 34-cow herd.
The Miller herd was also the top unofficial herd of 100 cows or less for the production of protein, with an average production of 662 pounds.
In addition, the Miller herd also received the most improved unofficial herd award with an increase of 3,484 pounds of milk.
Lemuel Farms of Uhrichsville received the most improved official herd award. The 175-cow herd had an increase of 784 pounds of milk.
Bill Deetz of Sugarcreek had the high milk, butterfat and protein award for an unofficial herd of more than 100 cows. His 419-cow herd produced an average of 26,530 pounds of milk, 855 pounds of butterfat and 765 pounds of protein per cow.
High unofficial herd in butterfat production for herds of less than 100 cows went to Ray Mutti of New Philadelphia. His 61-cow herd produced an average of 839 pounds of butterfat per cow.
The Loveday herd was honored for the official herd low somatic cell count of 121,000, while the Yoder Dairy herd had the unofficial low somatic cell count of 126,000.
Colored breed awards. Anderson’s Jerseys, New Philadelphia, took top honors in most Jersey breed categories. The 117-cow herd produced an average of 13,983 pounds of milk, 665 pounds of fat and 513 pounds of protein.
Honors for Brown Swiss were shared by Anderson, Mutti Dairy Farms, and O.K.Haven.
Princess crowned. Thursday’s snowy weather threw a glitch in the program. The selection of the junior dairy princess was delayed because of a traffic crash that injured Christine Mutti, 19, who was coordinating the princess program.
Her sister, Clarissa, a junior princess candidate, was also in the car. Neither of the girls sustained serious injuries when their car slid off the road
Keturah Kneuss, 15-year old daughter of Dave and Jennifer Kneuss of New Philadelphia, was crowned the 2005 Tuscarawas County senior dairy princess.
She has been involved in the Tuscarawas County dairy program for six years.
Brittany Beavers of Newcomerstown also competed for the title.
Lori Crawford, 11-year old daughter of Dan and Lois Crawford of Dover, was crowned 2005 junior dairy princess. Other members of the junior princess court include: Amy Donato, Mackenzie Deetz, Sue Ann Feller, Clarissa Mutti, and Katlyn Beavers.
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