Making Genomics Profitable in Washington State Breeding Excellence on Pennsylvania Dairies 2015 World Dairy Expo Coverage

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1 FALL 2015 HOLSTEIN ASSOCIATION USA, INC. IN THIS ISSUE: Making Genomics Profitable in Washington State Breeding Excellence on Pennsylvania Dairies 2015 World Dairy Expo Coverage The Holstein Pulse is proudly sponsored by 1

2 PRESIDENT S ADDRESS Food for Thought Gordie Cook, the new president of Holstein Association USA, shares some ideas Hopefully everyone is either done or in the finishing stages of a safe and successful harvest season. I was at World Dairy Expo earlier this month and traveled from Lacrosse to Madison. The crops there certainly looked tremendous, with fourth and fifth cuttings of alfalfa knee-high and no place to put it. Here in the Northeast, we had our issues with the weather but got enough moisture and sun to get things done in between. Here are a few updates and first impressions. I have been to two Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) events and on several conference calls. I think most parties realize that our groups common bond and interest is to benefit our dairy industry, not to take it over. The council has done quite well financially and hopefully will find research projects to fund that enhance our industry. Genomic testing is primarily responsible for the Council s treasury. While genomics has become very popular for choosing young sires to enter our breeding programs, many are also using it for screening females to determine who to raise, who to flush, who to breed with sexed semen, and which to use as recipients. A very important message here is to understand that our genotypic expectations depend on continuously recalibrating our formulas, based on actual phenotypic results, i.e. DHIA testing and classification of daughters, to be sure our predictions remain on target. These things cost money to those who provide this information, then the results are used by all. We must make sure that providers are fairly compensated for their efforts. In early August the Germans at the Interbull meeting in Florida announced the discovery of a new, undesirable haplotype, cholesterol deficiency (HCD) in the Holstein breed. It s a condition that, if found in the homozygous state, will result in calves starving to death. This started with a mutated gene some generations prior to Maughlin Storm but, due to his propensity in our breed i.e. sires such as Goldwyn, Stormatic, Alexander, Destry, Windbrook, and others this is the line that we now find the problem. Prior to this discovery, many calves died A very important message here is to understand that our genotypic expectations depend on continuously recalibrating our formulas, based on actual phenotypic results. BY GORDIE COOK for seemingly unknown reasons. Having said this, one should be careful when using these bulls or mating daughters of them, not to double up on this condition. Genomic testing and a knowledge of the pedigree can pretty much tell you if the condition is present in an offspring of an affected parent. One would imagine that, going forward, bulls entering AI will be free of this condition. I am sure that many of you are aware of this but I thought it was worth mentioning here (read more about this on page 10). It should also be noted that, unlike many other haplotypes, a single copy of HCD has some expression of the condition, i.e. lower level of cholesterol. Just think of those dairy four-yearold Stormatics a few years ago at Expo, the sharp Goldwyn with the great blend of shoulder, the lean Alexander heifers. I wonder if they were heterozygous HCD. Just sayin! Just a few thoughts on some recent changes affecting our bottom line. Our $500 bob calves are now $200-ish. Those $1.20-per-pound cull cows are now in the low 90-cents. The beef herd is building back up and $15 milk is taking its toll on a greater number of cows, bringing in boxed beef from Brazil and Argentina since September 1, ALL result in less income to our members. Now add this to a lower milk price, and maybe there needs to be a discussion about managed supply. In the meantime, keep your butterfat tests up and your somatic cell counts down. Quality premiums are a good thing to get. 2 Gordie Cook is President of Holstein Association USA, Inc.

3 Holstein Pulse FALL 2015 Holstein Association USA, Inc. 1 Holstein Place, PO Box 808 Brattleboro, VT info@holstein.com Fax EDITOR: Susan Harlow sharlow@holstein.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Pat McDerby BOARD & OFFICERS PRESIDENT Gordie Cook East Hadley Road, Hadley, MA VICE PRESIDENT Boyd Schaufelberger IL Rt. 127, Greenville, IL CEO/EXECUTIVE SECRETARY John M. Meyer Holstein Place, Brattleboro, VT TREASURER Barbara McQueen Casna Holstein Place, Brattleboro, VT John A. Andersen Pheasant Road, Jerome, ID Roy Buessing th Road, Axtell, KS R. Paul Buhr S4166 Orchard Road, Viroqua, WI John S. Burket Polecat Road, East Freedom, PA Gayle Carson Keeland Drive, Gray, TN Dale Drendel N057 Walker Road, Hampshire, IL Corey Geiger W1938 County Road J, Mukwonago, WI Mike Jones E 450 N, Marshall, IN Mark Kerndt W Main Street, Waukon IA Patrick Maddox W. Davis Ave., Riverdale, CA John Marshman County Road 32, Oxford, NY Peter B. Waterman Sabattus Road, Sabattus, ME On the Cover George DeRuyter, with his son, Dan, and dairy manager Jeremy Waterman, partners in George DeRuyter and Sons Dairy in Outlook, Washington. DeRuyters dairy milks its 5,000-head herd in two locations. In This Issue PRESIDENT S COLUMN 2 Meet the new Holstein Association USA President. CEO S MESSAGE 4 CEO John Meyer spells out the Holstein breed s many advantages. PROFILE: GEORGE DERUYTER AND SONS 6 This Washington dairy finds the genomic advantage. AIMING FOR DIVERSITY 8 Numbers prove the benefit of wide selection of Holstein bulls. TRACKING NEW HOLSTEIN HAPLOTYPE HAUSA provides extensive data on new haplotype. 10 PROFILE: DRYHOUSE HOLSTEINS Mike Yoder of Pennsylvania has been using genomic bulls from the start WORLD DAIRY EXPO Highlights from the 49th Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. 12 PROFILE: PENNSYLVANIA S BOOP FAMILY Doug and Jen Boop and sons love breeding and showing good cows. 14 PROFILE: MATT RUBY, OREGON Choosing matings is Matt Ruby s most important job at Fir Ridge. 16 APPLAUSE, PLEASE Annual awards to excellent Holstein herds and animals are announced. 19 GUEST EDITORIAL Allflex President Glenn Fischer says data can and must lead to appropriate action. 22 Dam of Merit SM, Elite Performer, Gold Medal Dam SM, Holstein COMPLETE, Official Holstein Pedigree, Progressive Breeders Registry SM, Progressive Genetics Herd SM, Red Book Plus/MultiMate, Registered Holsteins, TPI and all variations, and TriStar SM are all servicemarks of Holstein Association USA, Inc. Enlight is a trademark of Holstein Association USA, Inc. and Zoetis LLC. 3

4 CEO S MESSAGE The Holstein: Best by Far Progressive Dairyman gives us the opportunity to extol Holstein advantage Recently I was asked by Progressive Dairyman editor Peggy Coffeen to answer some questions on how the Holstein breed is taking form for the future. You might find her questions and our answers interesting, so I thought I would share some of the material with you here in the Holstein Pulse. Describe your Association s long-term breed improvement plan. One of Holstein USA s primary goals when it comes to breed improvement and our genetic products has been and will be continue to be to provide Holstein breeders with the information they need to breed the kind of cows that are most profitable for them on their individual dairies. Our top initiatives focus around breeding healthier, more trouble-free cows and using genomics to help us identify individuals that possess those genetics. Breed improvement strategies are primarily driven by member input through work on our committees and board of directors. Our Total Performance Index (TPI ) is the gold standard in ranking worldwide Holstein genetics and serves as a rudder for breed improvement not necessarily aimed at breeding individual cows but rather to advance the entire genetic pool. What are the main areas/ characteristics of the breed that your Association is focusing on developing? Why have you identified them as top priorities? Traits receiving the majority of development effort are those that will return multiple benefits for breeders in the BY JOHN M. MEYER areas of overall production efficiency, animal well-being, and minimizing environmental impact. Management of individual genes through matings will become a greater emphasis, with focus on minimizing increases in inbreeding levels while making genetic progress. Two key areas where efforts are currently being dedicated are: Reproductive efficiency. Data shows Holstein heifers are more fertile than those of any other dairy breed. Holsteins have made positive progress in improving Daughter Pregnancy Rate over the past decade, as the only breed to show positive genetic gains for this trait in the last base change, and we hope to continue that trend. Foot health. We are currently in the early stages of collecting data on hairy heel warts, with the eventual goal of developing a genetic evaluation for resistance to heel warts, which plagues cows of all breeds and farms of all sizes across the country. Are there specific traits such as polled (or others) that your breed is placing higher emphasis on in the future than in the past? 4 Let s all do our part at every opportunity to wave the Holstein breed flag! Ideal Holstein image by Bonnie Mohr Consumers will make polled a trait of economic importance to breeders, and Holsteins are the only breed of cattle with the sheer numbers and genetic base needed to fulfill future demands for milk produced by polled dairy cattle. More polled Holstein bulls are becoming available all the time, with genetic merit equal to or surpassing their horned counterparts, so using polled Holstein genetics is becoming an easier decision for many dairy producers across the country. Feed Efficiency and the Fertility Index are two new components which were added to the TPI formula in December 2014, reinforcing the importance of those Holstein traits. We want to see continued progress in helping Holstein breeders select genetics which will lead to more profitability through cows who get bred easily, stay pregnant, and produce large volumes of milk.

5 Twenty years from now, what will the ideal Holstein cow look like, phenotypically and genotypically? Fifty years from now? As documented by the CDCB-USDA, Holsteins, as a breed, continue to make faster genetic progress in all economically important traits than any other breed. With regard to overall profitability, the Holstein breed will pull away from its competitors at a faster and faster pace. The profitability of the Holstein cow in the future, whether that be 20 or 50 years from now, will be more pronounced and evident. Phenotypically, the ideal Holstein will be mobile and athletic, with tremendous dairy strength and quality, and an outstanding udder capable of producing the high volume and quality of milk she has always been known for. She ll breed back quickly, stay pregnant, and calve easily. The polled gene will continue to be more common across the breed. Genotypically, Holsteins will continue to improve fertility through genetics, with the use of existing data and new traits such as the new Heifer Conception Rate, Cow Conception Rate, and the Fertility Index. We will also breed a genetically healthier cow, with the availability of information that we don t yet have access to today, including resistance to hairy heel warts, mastitis, and metabolic diseases. What role will genomics play in this progress? When you couple genomic testing with in-vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, and the large population of the Holstein breed, we see genomics as a game-changing technology that will strengthen the position of the Holstein breed as the most important dairy animal in the world and lead to faster genetic improvements in the years ahead. More genomic tests have been run on Holsteins already this year than on any other breed since genomic testing has been available. With more than 885,000 Holsteins genomic-tested since its inception, and more than 160,000 tested already this year (as of July 2015), Holstein breeders have embraced the technology and have a tremendous opportunity to benefit from it. Since the implementation of genomics, the Holstein breed has made faster genetic progress than ever before, and that progress will only continue as breeders have access to more accurate information to make better selection and mating decisions for their animals at a younger age than ever before. Today s dairy cow has a long list of expectations. She must efficiently produce high volumes of milk with high levels of components to meet the demands of the dairy market. She is also an important contributor to the beef supply, as a cull cow herself and through her male offspring. How will the Holstein breed continue to evolve to meet these multiple demands for milk and beef? Today, Holstein beef is an integral part of the marketplace because of the breed s ability to produce well-marbled meat without excessive external fat cover. Its carcass size and fat composition fit well with consumers preferences. Holstein steers are the largest purebred population of feeder steers and provide a more consistent product than pens of unknown beef crossbreds. Every Holstein calf born on the farm not needed for dairy purposes is considered suitable for beef production; there is no need to implement crossbreeding programs to maximize beef potential for the farm. Holstein bull calves are worth more at market than ever before, and with high cull cow prices and carcass weights from larger-framed Holstein cows, beef checks have provided real benefit for our breeders. The Holstein breed has unquestioned superiority in milk production per cow and is the most well-recognized breed worldwide. Because of the very large Holstein population, there is an opportunity to genetically move the breed toward optimal performance in diverse environments. Reprinted with permission from Progressive Dairyman, August 25, 2015, Vol. 29, Issue 14. Editor Coffeen s invitation was certainly appreciated. Her questions provided the perfect opportunity to extol the virtues of our beloved Holstein breed. All of us in the Holstein business need to be zealous promoters of the wonderful Black & White cow. Let s all do our part at every opportunity to wave the Holstein breed flag! Perhaps there are some tidbits in this column that you might want to share with those who have other breeds or your friends in the dairy media. As we approach Thanksgiving, thank you for making U.S. Registered Holsteins far and away the world s most popular dairy breed, and the Holstein cow the most iconic symbol in agriculture. Thanks, too, for the high-quality milk you produce at your dairy, to help feed the world. John M. Meyer is Chief Executive Officer of Holstein Association USA, Inc. 5

6 Breeding More Productive Holsteins This Washington dairy uses genomic testing to build a better herd of Holsteins BY SUSAN HARLOW Once George DeRuyter and Sons Dairy LLC in Outlook, Washington, discovered the benefits of genomic testing and IVF, they jumped right in, using those strategies to improve their herd. And they ve been willing to invest the resources to make them work and make them pay. About two years ago, George DeRuyter, his son, Dan, and dairy manager Jeremy Waterman decided their 5,000-head dairy had reached its limit. More cows would mean more labor and more manure to deal with. We were maxed out on the number of cows we could milk here, so we were going to sell cows, according to Dan. We said, let s figure out how to sell the bottom end and not our best ones. Darren Coonrad, their Zoetis sales representative, suggested they do some genomic testing. The DeRuyters chose 25 Holstein calves to test; the results showed that nearly 50 percent of those calves were in the top half of the breed. That information fired up DeRuyters dairy manager, Jeremy Waterman, and he immediately began planning how to use embryo transfer and IVF to maximize the genetics of their best cows. At first, they worked with Trans Ova Genetics lab for oocyte collection. Last fall, to avoid moving cows, they built their own small laboratory on the dairy, where they IVF every two weeks. They also assigned an employee, Jessica Wiersma, to coordinate the "Maybe we won t be milking 10,000 cows, but if we have 5,000 cows milking like 10,000 cows. that changes your perspective. 6 These donor heifers are from the genomic top third of the DeRuyters herd.

7 collection of oocytes and manage the inventory. I knew from the get-go that we needed someone to look at donors, recipients, scheduling, doing the right matings, and that was Jessica, Jeremy said. As of August, 56 calves had been born from their first round of IVF. But it will be three years before the dairy sees the first results in their milking cows, and IVF is expensive. So the DeRuyters have managed their costs from the outset. They use sexed semen rather than reversesort semen, saving 90 Dan DeRuyter in the IVF laboratory the dairy built last November. percent of the semen cost. They also pool donors, making a unit of semen stretch farther. The DeRuyters also improved their donor selection, increasing the number of successful embryos from less than four per donor to seven per donor. All of these management strategies have cut the IVF cost from more than $400 to under $200 per embryo. They made other adjustments along the way, such as improving the pregnancy rate of embryo transfers from percentages in the low 40s to close to 50 percent by training staff and improving animal nutrition. All calves on the dairy are being genomically tested and sorted into one of three groups: donor, recipient, or cull. As the bottom end of the herd improves, these animals won t be just sent to the auction barn but sold privately or exported, generating more income. The dairy registers all donor animals and calves under 3 months; currently about 20 percent of their herd are Registered Holsteins. Better genetics are making registration an essential piece of their operation. We used to go to the auction and then throw away the registration papers; now we keep them, George said. Making more milk Success hasn t distracted them from their main goal for the dairy. We still want to produce milk, Dan said. But genomics has made registering and selling top-notch embryos and animals much more feasible and it is playing a large role in improving the DeRuyters herd. You can see that the genetics in this herd will really go through the roof. You can set yourself a destination and where you want to go with embryos, you can go there. George DeRuyter began dairying in 1972 with 400 cows. He sold the herd to work in the tractor business for a while, but eight years later started farming again. Today the dairy has a rolling herd average of 27,000 pounds of milk, with 3.9 fat and 3.0 protein. Cows are housed in shaded freestalls on two sites, and milked in a double-40 parallel parlor at the DeRuyter site and a double-28 parallel at their nearby D&A Dairy. DeRuyters grow their own feed, 7,000 acres of alfalfa and corn. How have they developed good cows? They ve paid attention to the bulls they use and didn t settle for cheap semen during milk price slumps. And they relied on good advice. I just think through the years, we ve had good people, George said. I know a good cow but I don t know how to pick bulls. Components are at the top of their list ( I don t want to ship water, Dan said), so they choose bulls for total pounds and percentage of protein and fat, followed by type. If you have a good program, you re going to get good udders, and feet and legs anyway, he said. We re all green, all learning, but it s working, Dan said. First, the goal is we want to better the herd. Second, we want to produce enough embryos to pay for bettering the herd. Also there s the fun of it and maybe hitting a home run. It s a whole new game. And who s to say we re not a 120-lb. herd in a few years? Maybe we won t be milking 10,000 cows, but if we have 5,000 cows milking like 10,000 cows.that changes your perspective. Meanwhile, to underwrite the cost of the genetics program and make the enterprise cash flow, the DeRuyters are selling embryos. Their website, gdrholsteins.com, went live in late August. They may also partner with other area producers, by leasing the lab for oocyte collection or acquiring embryos from other farms to improve their own Holstein genetics. Andrew King, HAUSA regional sales representative, talks with Jessica Wiersma, who coordinates embryo transfer and IVF work at the dairy. 7

8 Choose U.S. Registered Holsteins for Diversity Our breed can meet the needs of any dairy producer The most recent data clearly shows that U.S. Registered Holsteins have the genetic base and diversity for breeders to select bulls that maximize profit on their operations, regardless of individual breeding goals. Holstein Association USA s Total Performance Index (TPI) is the gold standard in ranking worldwide Holstein genetics. Holstein USA also encourages diversity in breeding philosophies to ensure the continual improvement of the breed. Data from the August 2015 national dairy genetic evaluations confirms that breeders need look no further than Holsteins to fulfill their breeding goals for a profitable operation. (The lists below were compiled using August 2015 data, from bulls with NAAB semen statuses of Active, Limited, Foreign, or Genomic.) Selling Milk to a Cheese Market? Holstein cows produce more pounds of milk, fat, and protein than any other dairy breed. USDA-AGIL maintains the Cheese Merit (CM$) index for those producers who want to place a heavy emphasis on component production or are selling milk to a cheese market. There are more than 800 Holstein bulls available over 600 CM$. Aug 15 Rank Bull Name NAAB CM$ % TPI Rel 1 SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET 7HO MR MOGUL DELTA 1427-ET 203HO S-S-I MONTROSS JEDI-ET 507HO SEAGULL-BAY COMANCHE-ET 147HO NO-FLA ALTAFIREUP 11HO DE-SU ALTASUPERSTAR-ET 11HO EDG RUBICON-ET 151HO COGENT SUPERSHOT 224HO PEAK ALTAFIREBIRD-ET 11HO DA-SO-BURN ALTABURNER-ET 11HO Feed Efficiency to Maximize Profits The Feed Efficiency (FE) value was first introduced and incorporated into TPI in December It helps identify Holsteins with the genetics to produce more milk with lower feed and maintenance costs, leading to more overall profitability. Aug 15 Rank Bull Name NAAB FE % TPI Rel 1 SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET 7HO WELCOME SS PETERPAN-ET 7HO UECKER SUPERSIRE JOSUPER-ET 29HO RH SUPERMAN-ET 200HO S-S-I MONTROSS JEDI-ET 507HO MR MOGUL DENVER 1426-ET 151HO STANTONS SS EZIO 9142-ET 250HO LEOTHE DRUMSTICK 200HO STE-PEN ALTAWISHIN 11HO WOODCREST MOGUL YODER-ET 7HO SEAGULL-BAY SILVER-ET 29HO Breed More Fertile Holsteins with Fertility Index Ratings To aid in the improvement of fertility traits in the Holstein breed, Holstein USA introduced the Fertility Index (FI) as a part of TPI in December It combines several components of the reproductive process into one overall index: ability to conceive as a maiden heifer (Heifer Conception Rate), ability to conceive as a lactating cow (Cow Conception Rate), and a cow s ability to start cycling, show heat, conceive, and maintain a pregnancy (Daughter Pregnancy Rate). More than 1,800 Holstein bulls now available have positive FI values, giving breeders a broad selection of bulls who will improve fertility and other traits that are important for profitability. Aug 15 Rank Bull Name NAAB FI TPI % Rel 1 CO-OP JABIR TESTAROSSA-ET 1HO STANTONS EXEMPLAR 200HO STANTONS CONTRIBUTION-ET 14HO DE-SU HALBERT ET 7HO MOUNTFIELD JBR MOZAIC-ET 14HO DINOMI ALTATYSON 11HO PINE-TREE FREDDIE WRIGHT-ET 7HO COOKIECUTTER PETRON HALOGEN 7HO CO-OP ACHILLES-ET 1HO NO-FLA ALTAREMAND-ET 11HO FURNACE-HILL SUPER ZIGGY-ET 7HO

9 Registered Holsteins have given us the opportunity to improve the genetics and quality of our herd through the use of the many Holstein USA programs. Mike Santos Dehorn with Genetics Breed for Polled Holsteins More consumers than ever are interested in milk coming from polled dairy cattle. To introduce this gene into their herds, breeders can select from more than 100 Holstein bulls. Aug 15 Rank Bull Name Polled Code NAAB TPI % Rel 1 VIEW-HOME POWERBALL-P-ET PC 534HO SCHREUR ALTACASUAL P PC 11HO DANGIE S-SIRE JAX P-TW PC 14HO PINE-TREE HOMERUN-P-ET PC 29HO COMPASS-TRT LAYTON-P-ET PC 29HO REGANCREST MILFORD-P-ET PC 200HO BRYHILL SOCRATES P-ETN PC 151HO SPRUCE-HAVEN KEENE-P-ET PC 29HO PINE-TREE-GF REMARK-P-ET PC 29HO BUCK-H-CREEK MGL PIRANHA-P PC 1HO Whatever the goals for your farm, the Holstein breed offers you a selection of bulls to help breed the kind of cows you want to milk and to make faster genetic progress than is possible with any other breed. Holstein Association USA s Red Book Plus/MultiMate program, along with other available lists, can help breeders identify bulls that maximize profits on their operations by helping them breed the kind of cow that best meets their individual goals. Visit for more information. Mike Santos Tulare, California. Milks 1,300 cows. The Holstein Association Start-Up program has increased the value of our herd in many ways. The value of registering has many layers, including increased marketing avenues, classification value, and pedigree value. This has opened up exposure for advertising opportunities and better marketing of our herd. It s very simple, and the cost is minimal. We believe in quality records to increase the value of our herd and this is a very good tool to do that. 9

10 10 10 Tracking New Holstein Haplotype No treatment for HCD haplotype, which costs $450 per case Information on a newly discovered unfavorable haplotype in Holstein cattle, known as haplotype associated with cholesterol deficiency (HCD), was made available with August s genetic evaluation release. Calves who are homozygous for the unfavorable form of the haplotype survive for only a few months after birth. The new haplotype was identified by German researchers and first reported at the July 2015 Interbull meeting. The researchers reported that calves inheriting the homozygous form of the unfavorable haplotype had chronic diarrhea, did not respond to any treatment, and tested negative for pathogens that may cause those symptoms. The calves became very thin, depleting all their fat reserves, and in their weakened state sometimes developed other diseases such as pneumonia. Most of these calves died between three weeks and six months after birth from apparent starvation or from complications of a secondary disease. The economic impact of HCD is estimated to be about $450 per case, including the value of the calf, cost of raising until death, and medical treatment. There is no treatment or cure for affected calves. Since the genetic variant causing this genetic defect is relatively new, the haplotype carrying the defect is difficult to track. Both the normal version and the unfavorable version occur frequently, especially in Canadian Holsteins. The earliest known carrier of the unfavorable haplotype is Maughlin Storm-ET (HOCAN ), born in The primary source of the normal form of the haplotype is Willowholme Mark Anthony (HOCAN ), born in The exact genetic variant causing this inherited condition has yet to be identified. Researchers have been able to narrow down the search to a haplotype which encompasses the precise location of the genetic defect. The two haplotype versions look identical when examining only the surrounding marker genotypes. Pedigree information, combined with knowledge of the haplotype status of earlier ancestors, allows for an accurate determination. An animal's true HCD status is simple to determine when only one of those two ancestors appears in the pedigree but is more difficult to ascertain when both appear, which is not uncommon for younger animals. This leads to different coding than what has previously been used for Haplotypes Impacting Fertility, with two new codes denoting suspect animals. USDA-AGIL, CDN and Germany's VIT are cooperating to improve the precision of HCD tracing. The discovery of HCD is an example of how genomic testing, coupled with excellent data collection, good pedigree data, and rigorous scientific investigation, has led to valuable genetic information, says Dr. Tom Lawlor, executive director of "The discovery of HCD is an example of how genomic testing, coupled with excellent data collection, good pedigree data, and rigorous scientific investigation, has led to valuable genetic information." research at Holstein Association USA. However, the lack of a gene test indicates that more work needs to be done in obtaining a more complete genetic map of the full sequence of our cattle, as well as obtaining a better understanding of the metabolic pathways involved. Labeling this haplotype as a Cholesterol Deficiency indicates our knowledge of this genetic condition today. The actual name of this inherited disorder could change when the precise error in lipid (fat) metabolism and/or the actual gene involved is discovered. Holstein Association USA encourages breeders to pay attention to pedigrees, work to learn the status of their animals, be mindful of the status of service sires in their herd, and avoid mating carriers of individual unfavorable haplotypes to carriers of the same haplotype. Discovery Dr. Tom Lawlor and labelling of these haplotypes is a benefit of genomic testing and gives breeders the opportunity to improve the genetic quality of the breed through careful mating. Codes of 0 to 4 are being used to denote an animal's status, with approximate percentages of animals in each category shown below, as of July Animals with missing pedigree were coded as non-carriers (0) in the counts below but will have code 3 in the future if they carry a haplotype but lack the pedigree to determine its source. Haplotype Code % Affected Animals Description % Non-carrier: free of HCD 1 4.4% Carrier: haplotype confirmed with pedigree information % Homozygous: confirmed on both sides of pedigree 3 1.6% Suspect carrier: haplotype origin could not be confirmed from pedigree % Suspect homozygous: probable carrier and may be homozygous; origin of haplotypes could not be confirmed from pedigree HCD results were made available, for all animals who have been previously genomic tested, after the August 2015 genetic evaluation. Lists of tested animals appear on the Holstein Association USA web site, and HCD status also appears on the Family Tree Search results in the haplotype section. Breeders using Enlight may use the Genetic Conditions report to view the status of all tested animals in their herd, and the haplotype result will be available on Holstein Association USA s preliminary and interim genomic reports after the release.

11 DAIRY PROFILE Breeding for Balance and Style Dryhouse Farm Holsteins offer something for everyone Mike with two-year-old Dryhouse-M Gold Chip Leona. Mike Yoder of Dryhouse Farm in Belleville, Pennsylvania, began using genomic bulls when they first became available; now, his herd s oldest genomic daughters are having their fourth calves. What does he think? His approach is laid-back but positive. I guess I haven t been disappointed. For the most part, they have turned out as expected, he said. For Mike, using young genomic sires is an intriguing yet reasonable gamble. If I use 10 units of genomic semen and get two daughters and those two don t work out, it won t break me, he said. But two daughters out of the right bull then things could get interesting. I m probably the person most critical of my cows. I see the flaws right away, and I know immediately what I want to correct. Mike milks 180 head, all Registered Holsteins. Milked 2X in a double-six parlor, the herd s average is 24,263 pounds, with 921 pounds of fat and 725 pounds of protein. Mike crops 210 acres of corn and alfalfa for haylage. Mike, who grew up just five miles away, worked for Genex in western New York State for seven years after college before coming back to central Pennsylvania. He rented the Dryhouse farm, purchasing its herd. Four years later, in 2013, when he bought the farm outright, the cows had already given him a solid start in the dairy business. When I bought it, it was a solid herd, not fancy pedigree but good cows, definitely a good basic herd, he said. All the cattle were Registered Holsteins but hadn t been classified in a decade. Mike wanted to keep the original prefix but make it unique to him, so he chose Dryhouse-M. He immediately began scoring his cows, and went on Holstein COMPLETE. To improve the herd, he began using proven bulls such as Welcome Super Petrone-ET, Willsbro Larson-ET, Mr Chassity Gold Chip-ET, Maple-Downs-I GW Atlantic-ET, and Picston Shottle-ET. These days, Mike relies on View-Home Powerball-ET PO, Seagull-Bay Silver-ET, View-Home Cashflow-ET, Ladys-Manor Doorsopen-ET, Ladys-Manor Octoberfest-ET, Silverridge V Wickham, S-S-I Partyrock Profit-ET, Val-Bisson Doorman, and KH Cinderdoor-ET, to name a few of his favorite bulls. Last spring he had just calved in four heifers by Gold Chip. He classifies on Holstein s Limited program and his last classification, in March, gave him three new Excellents, for a total of 19, and 18 new Very Goods for a total of 89 Very Good, and 55 Good-Plus animals. He has won a Progressive Breeders Award for the last four years and has sold seven bulls into AI. Breeding for Balance When it comes to a breeding strategy, Mike says he plays both worlds a little bit, looking to breed a balanced cow with a good udder and good feet and legs, along with width and strength. He genomic-tests Mike shows off an impressive line-up of two-year-olds in the Dryhouse herd. 75 percent of his calves at two to three months of age. The top two-thirds of the cows are bred to high-tpi bulls, while the rest are bred to high-type bulls. As for the heifers, the top one-third are bred to high-genomic bulls and the middle one-third are bred with sexed semen, while the rest are used as recipients. I pay attention to cow families and what seems to be doing well in the industry and what crosses make sense, he says. I m probably the person most critical of my cows. I see the flaws right away, and I know immediately what I want to correct. He points out that, on the farm, he has five generations from and including Dry-House Cooper 789, 3E-93, 93 MS, who has more than 30 descendants currently in the herd. He has other favorites, too, such as Dryhouse-M Atlantic Lady Gaga, EX-91, pregnant last summer with a heifer by KH Cinderdoor. He s enthusiastic about Dry-House Sable 893, 2E-92, pregnant with Gold Chip embryos, and with daughters by Gillette Windbrook and Crackholm Fever. Her daughters and granddaughters are doing well, Mike said; they include four-year-old Dryhouse-M Sebastian Jemma, EX-90, who has three daughters in the Dryhouse herd and is well on her way to becoming a matriarch in her own right. Mike and his wife, Maria, an RN who earned her master s degree in education from Penn State University in the spring, have four children, Natalie, Paul, Grant, and Cade, who are involved in 4-H and showing cattle

12 Lovhill Goldwyn Katrysha, Supreme Champion of World Dairy Expo, receives her accolades. Hank van Exel of Lodi, California, Dairyman of the Year, gets ready for the ring. Break out the broom: Holsteins swept the top two awards at the 2015 World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Lovhill Goldwyn Katrysha, EX-96, owned by MilkSource Genetics of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, was named Supreme Champion of the show. Katrysha also took home top prizes in the Six-Year-Old & Over class, Senior and Grand Champion Female, and Best Udder, in the International Holstein Show. Blondin Goldwyn Subliminal-ETS, EX-95, a six-year-old Holstein, was named Supreme Champion of the Junior Show. She was exhibited by Trevor Tuman and Chandler Bening of Arlington, Minnesota. Many Holstein USA breeders also were honored. Hank van Exel of Lodi, California, was named Dairyman of the Year and Rosalie Geiger of Reedsville, Wisconsin, was presented with the 2015 Dairy Woman of the Year Award at the Dinner with the Stars. Jim Dickrell, editor and associate publisher of Dairy Today, was named Industry Person of the Year, and Kevin Lang of Howick, South Africa, was recognized as International Person of the Year. Jordan Siemers, below left, prepares to lead Siemers Dundee Hilda into the ring to receive the 2015 Wisconsin Cow of the Year award, accompanied by Teyanna Loether, this year s Alice in Dairyland; Larry Nelson, Wisconsin Holstein Association executive director, and Scott Walker, governor of Wisconsin. A 10-year-old cow, Hilda has produced more than 254,000 pounds of lifetime milk. 12

13 Regional Sales Representatives Chris Lyons and Mandi Ramsburg, with Jodi Hoynoski, Executive Director, Holstein Identification and Member Services, center, are ready to assist customers at the Holstein Association USA booth. The Walker family of Walk-Era Farm, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, received the Robert Whitey McKown Master Breeder Award. National Dairy Shrine honored Heather Gregoire of Warren, Massachusetts, with the Graduate Production Award. Timothy Coon of Armenia, New York, was presented with the Klussendorf-MacKenzie Award. At the World Classic 15 Holstein Sale Gil-Gar Sshot Faith-ET, a Supershot daughter, was sold for top dollar $117,000. She was purchased by Triple Crown Genetics & Abe Light of Jerome, Indiana, and consigned by Stelling Farms, Inc. of Millville, Minnesota. The average sale for the 47 lots was $27,757. There were buyers from 12 states, three Canadian provinces, and three countries. More than 72,000 people attended the five-day show. Exhibitors brought a total of 2,296 dairy cattle; of those 588 were Holsteins, 251 Junior and 337 Open. These Randolph, Wisconsin, high-schoolers, had a fun time in the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin booth. Next year s World Dairy Expo will be held October 4-8. It will be a big year the 50th anniversary of the world s premier dairy cattle show. National Sales Manager Steve Peterson talks with Wilfried Reuvekemp of South Dakota about the benefits of classification. Mike Van Amburgh of Cornell University was one of several experts presenting an educational seminar at Expo. 13

14 BY SUSAN HARLOW 14 It s All About the Show Ring Pennsylvania s Boop family focuses on raising and selling stellar show cows If you ask the Boop family for highlights from their years of showing Holsteins, they don t have to think about it for long. For Jennifer and Doug Boop Sr., it was the day in 2009, when Heart & Soul Alegnc Ribbon-ET won Grand Champion at the Pennsylvania Fall Championship Show, their first time with a homebred cow. For Doug Jr., 19, it was in 2011, the first time he won Grand Champion Holstein at the Premier National Junior Show in Harrisburg Pennsylvania, with Linden- Loch Damion Delila (EX-94, EX-93 MS). He also took home Red & White Grand Champion honors with his Woodfield Contender Bunnie-Red EX-93. It was the first time any exhibitor had won both awards. Delila went on to claim Supreme Champion honors that day. Doug is a sophomore at Penn State University, studying animal science. For Matt, 16, the highlight was winning Junior Champion at the 2013 Premier National Junior Show with Heart & Soul Dundee Rhyme-ET; she also took third as a winter yearling at the International Junior Show in Madison, Wisconsin, that same year. But the real story is the long road to get there. Rhyme Matt, with Heart and Soul C ME IM Radiant EX-93, the fourth in a generation of homebred Excellents. We want to focus on show cows because that s our niche. The Boop family Jennifer and Doug Sr., seated, with Dairy and Harley. Standing, Doug Jr., with J&K-Vue Goldwyn Glamour EX-95, and Matt, with Heart and Soul C ME IM Radiant EX -93. broke her pelvis the previous winter and was taken to the New Bolton Center Hospital for Large Animals. Ultrasounds revealed that the damage to her pelvis was inoperable, and New Bolton recommended that she be put down. But Rhyme could still rise on her own and had limited motion, so the family decided to bring her home and give her time to recover. She was put in box stall rest for six months while her pelvis healed. Because their main focus is on the show ring, the family maintains a small herd of 40 Registered Holsteins and crops 250 acres of corn and alfalfa along with small grains at their Millmont, Pennsylvania, farm. The Boops don t have plans to expand the herd; they choose to focus on marketing and merchandising show quality cattle. Marketability we re looking at what people want, said Doug Sr. We want to focus on show cows because that s our niche. We tried to expand by adding a focus on index, but with a small herd size, quickly realized that we do not have the resources to focus on both sides of the cattle industry. Doug s parents, Gerald and Kathy Boop, hold the J&K-Vue prefix from when they first began to farm, starting with grade

15 cows and working toward an all-registered herd. They still live on the farm, where they care for 43,000 laying hens that the Boops raise under an egg contract. The elder Boops still breed cows, and IVF J&K-Vue Encore Gina-ET (2E-93), who has produced many Junior All American Nominated offspring, such as J&K-Vue Goldwyn Glamour (EX-95), the 2014 Reserve Junior All American Aged Cow and Supreme Champion of the Premier National Junior Show World Dairy Expo When Doug and Jen first moved to the farm, in the early 1990s, Doug worked as a nutritionist (he still does) while running a forage bagging business from September through Thanksgiving each year. It was a hectic life, but worth it. I ran the forage bagging primarily to help us purchase and flush cattle that we felt we could build a quality herd from, Doug said. In 2002, they won their first championship at the Pennsylvania Spring Show with Heart & Soul Durham Roxy, EX-90, who took home the Reserve Junior Champion award. Roxy went on to become a staple of the breeding program at Heart & Soul. She has produced many daughters who proved to be competitive in the show ring and great brood cows. One of her most influential daughters was Heart & Soul CS Roxanna, who produced many Excellent daughters, two who scored EX-94. Doug Jr. has plenty of work during the summer, before he heads back to Penn State. Doug Boop said he only likes to use bulls from proven families, including Allyndale-I Attic, Lirr Drew Dempsey, and Mr Chassity Gold Chip-ET. The decisions are based on pedigrees we re trying to breed generations of Excellent. That would include cows like his favorite, Heart & Soul Alegnc Ribbon, EX-94. She proved to compete very well in the show ring but, more importantly, produced many high-quality daughters who have been making their own mark on the show ring. After the Boops recent classification, all of Ribbon s second-calf daughters are scored Excellent. The Boops rarely choose to conventionally flush any cows because they were ending up with a lot of infertile eggs and bulls. Instead, they decided to invest in IVF because they get much better results along with mostly heifer calves. We spend more money but get better results, Doug said. No one can argue with the results. Heart & Soul Holsteins last classified in July, with a BAA and none of their animals lower than 85. The herd now has 19 Excellent cows. The family is also very involved with the Pennsylvania Holstein Association and all of its programs. The Boops feel that adding the layer house and focusing on superior Holstein genetics will allow the farm to be profitable for generations to come. Jared Dueppengiesser, son of Peter and Roxanne Dueppengiesser of Ransom Rail Farms, Perry, New York, was named the 2015 Merle Howard Award winner. He is a sophomore in animal science at Cornell University. The Walker family of Walk-Era Farm, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, received the Robert Whitey McKown Master Breeder Award. From left to right, Tim Walker, Tom Walker, John Walker, Mark Rueth, Corey Geiger, and Ken Empey

16 DAIRY PROFILE Choosing Bulls on the Fast Track Young Holstein breeder says good bulls and genomics improve herd quickly 16 Matt Ruby is just 19 years old but well on his way as a progressive Holstein producer with an eye for breeding good commercial cows. Matt, a sophomore studying dairy science at California Polytechnic State University, is not quite ready to start farming full-time. But he s close. He spends his summers working on the farm, Fir Ridge Holsteins LLC, in Scio, Oregon, doing whatever needs to be done. While back at school, his job may be even more important choosing the matings for all the cows and heifers. Fir Ridge Holsteins is a partnership of Matt s father, Scott Ruby, his aunt, Michele Ruby, and his grandmother, Ida Ruby. Ida is the widow of former Holstein USA director Ray Ruby; she is, Michele says, not only its business manager but the heart and soul of the dairy. Michele manages employee relations, takes care of all records, and helps problem solve when she s needed. Scott, who is also vice president of sales and marketing for World Wide Sires, helps by contracting all of the dairy s feed, as well as bull selection. He and Matt communicate often about which bulls to use, and flush and IVF cow matings. Fir Ridge has a rolling herd average of 24,122 pounds of milk, 3X, with 3.85% fat (928 pounds) and 3.10 % protein (748 pounds). The herd is 100 percent Registered Holsteins, is on Holstein COMPLETE, and classifies every seven months. In the past five-and-a-half years, they have had 664 Very Good and 39 Excellent animals. The cows are housed and milked in two locations: Scio (where the youngstock are also raised) and 83 miles away in Cloverdale, Oregon. Each location has between 550 and 600 cows and a double-14 herringbone parlor. The cows are fed essentially the same ration, in three groups: high-production, low-production, and two-year-olds and fresh cows. Milk from one herd is shipped to Tillamook Cheese and the other to Safeway s Portland, Oregon, processing plant. The farm raises about a third of its forage, including grass and clover hay, and purchases all commodities, including byproducts from local canneries. All the animals are pastured although by August this year, the pastures had run out of grass because of the stubborn drought. Matt Ruby and Andrew King, Holstein Association USA regional sales representative, discuss Enlight. Breeding Strategy In his breeding program, Matt aims for a balanced cow with good milk production that breeds back easily; type and udder are also important when selecting bulls. We don t look at pounds of milk but pounds of fat and protein when breeding, he said. And we don t look at Productive Life as much as we used to, because if cows breed back and have good milk production, they re going to last long anyway, so Productive Life isn t as important. He and his dad pick 10 high-ranking genomic bulls from each proof, using a formula to create their own index: 20% PTA Protein, 15% PTA Fat (35% Production Traits), 20% Fertility Index, 5% Somatic Cell Count, 5% Daughter Stillbirth (30% Health Traits), 15% PTA Type, 15% Udder Composite, and 5% Strength (35% Type Traits). They use those bulls for at least four months, until the next proof. Since we cycle bulls in and out of the program so often, due to lower reliability on genomic bulls with less data and no daughters, we mostly use our new, higher-ranking proof bulls on high-index cows and heifers, with sexed semen on first service on all heifers, Matt said. On other cows, they use up the semen from previous proof runs. Semen value decreases so quickly

17 Matt Ruby with one of his favorites, Miss TMK Jackman Milly-ET. in the genomic age that the quicker you get rid of the semen you paid top dollar for, the more value you can potentially bring to the next generation at a quicker rate. The dairy does little conventional flushing but they do IVF highranking heifers, using Enlight TM to choose the recipients from the bottom 20 percent of their herd. We look at the daughter pregnancy rate (DPR), always the parentage, and then classification scores to make sure the dam is not a high scorer. And we usually use virgin heifers. We used to use cows as recips but the conception rate was not as good. Matt s a fan of Enlight. Whether it is for finding ET recipients, heifers to genomic test, or viewing the progress of the herd as a whole, it captures a herd the size of ours either at a population point of view or individually extremely well and makes it easy to manage all of our Holsteins. The program saves me a lot of pedigree evaluation and headaches. A Better Herd Through Genomics The dairy genomic-tests animals above 2050 TPI, which is 15 percent of the herd. It uses genomics to improve the herd, not just for potential future bull contracts. Genomic tests can verify missed identifications and help with their heifer flushing program. It also aids us in understanding where our herd is compared to the rest of the U.S. Holstein breed, Matt said. Fir Ridge lags a bit behind top genetic herds because the dairy didn t begin genomic testing or using high TPI bulls until about three years after genomics became available. That s why we do not always get bulls like Jedi in our herd until he is released to everyone with sexed semen because our numbers are good but not elite, Matt said. However, our philosophy is that, with the number of replacements that roll through our herd and by only using good bulls, with continued genomic testing on the top 15 percent of our herd we could potentially get consecutive 200-TPI point jumps over parent average with the testing over several generations. Outstanding Breeder Award Applications Open Help honor our outstanding Holstein breeders. Applications for the 2016 Holstein Association USA, Inc. awards that recognize notable members, breeders, and friends of the Association are due in the HAUSA office by February 26, Here s how to nominate yourself or someone you know. You may download applications for the Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder, Applications due February 26, 2016 Elite Breeder, and Distinguished Leadership Award from our website, Recipients for each award will be announced at the final banquet, during the National Holstein Convention, June 27 July 1, 2016, in Saratoga Springs, New York. The Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder Award recognizes significant accomplishments of young Registered Holstein Breeders, ages 21 to 40. Applicants can nominate themselves or be nominated, and may apply as individuals, a couple, or business partners. The winning applicant will receive travel and lodging expenses for two to the National Holstein Convention, complimentary tickets to the Convention banquet, a $2,000 cash award, and a plaque. The Elite Breeder Award honors a living Holstein Association USA member, family, partnership, or corporation who has bred outstanding animals and thereby made a notable contribution to the advancement of U.S. Registered Holsteins. The applicant must have been a member of Holstein Association USA for at least five years. Applications will be considered for three years. The Distinguished Leadership Award is given to an individual who has provided outstanding and unselfish leadership that has contributed to the improvement of the Holstein Association and/or dairy industry. This is a unique award, as the recipient does not necessarily have to be a Holstein Association USA member. Applications will be considered for three years. There is also a scholarship available to students interested in agriculture who plan to pursue their Master's Degree in Business Administration. The Robert H. Rumler MBA Scholarship awards $3,000 to a qualified individual pursuing their MBA at an accredited university. Applications for this scholarship are due to the Holstein office by April 15, With questions or for more information, visit and click on Awards, then Individuals in the main menu, or contact Susan Harlow by , sharlow@holstein.com or , ext

18 Records received prior to 9/15/2015 WEBB-VUE OBSERVER IVA-ET USA NA Thomas J. Kestell, Waldo, WI X 365D 67,720M 99DCRM 3.4%F 2333F 3.0%P 2007P 99DCRC 1st Place Milk Sr 3 Yr 3X 365 Days 1st Place Protein Sr 3 Yr 3X 365 Days K-STAR GERARD LAKARA-ET USA NA Koester Dairy, Inc, Dakota, IL X 365D 51,580M 95DCRM 3.6%F 1880F 3.0%P 1525P 95DCRC 4th Place Milk Sr 2 Yr 3X 365 Days 4th Place Protein Sr 2 Yr 3X 365 Days Records received prior to 8/21/2015 RODROG BRAXTON USA NA John & Larry Roorda, Paullina, IA X 305D 46,280M 100DCRM 3.2%F 1,489F 2.7%P 1,257P 95DCRC X 2nd Place Milk Sr 2 Yr 3X 305 Days Delegate Election Underway Ballots for the election of delegates for the 2016 Annual Meeting will be mailed to members on November 2. They must be received by Holstein Association USA by January 4, The delegate election is final February 1. Each state is automatically allowed one delegate, plus one additional delegate for every 100 active member, or major fraction thereof. An amendment to Association bylaws was passed, reducing the number of delegates per active members from 150 in order to increase the total number of delegates for the annual meeting. This will go into effect in Delegates also voted to amend an Association bylaw to allow appointment of an unelected nominee to an unfilled seat from another state in the same region, effective this year. Also going into effect this year is the combination of Connecticut and Rhode Island into one district. The 2016 Annual Meeting will be held in Saratoga Springs, New York, June 27- July Juniors, Win a Kindle Fire in our National Junior Holstein Photo Contest Our National Junior Holstein Photo Contest is underway. We re looking for photos that showcase the Holstein breed and its people at their best. Maybe you have taken photos at your farm or at one of the many Junior Holstein activities you re involved with that illustrate the values and attributes of the Holstein industry we want to see them! The requirements: the photo must include at least one Holstein animal and only one entry per person, please. To start you off with some ideas, select from the following themes: Scenes around the farm People at Holstein activities Kids with calves Seasonal The contest is divided into three age divisions. Prizes will be awarded to the top three photos in each age division. One Grand Prize winner will receive a Kindle Fire tablet. Entries must be received by January 5, Got to for complete contest rules. Team Welcomes New Sales Representatives Seth Carpenter of West Burke, Vermont, has joined Holstein Association USA as regional sales representative for New England and Eastern New York. He was East region sales manager for Agromatic Inc. in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, and brings a strong background of dairy experience to the Association. Lacee Paulo of Hanford, California, is the new regional sales representative for Northern California and Nevada. Previously, Lacee was a summer intern for World Wide Sires in Visalia, California, and a small business account manager at Mackey and Mackey Insurance Agency in Hanford, California.

19 Top-Performing Herds Recognized Holstein Association USA announced the 2015 Progressive Breeders Registry and Progressive Genetics Herd awards, given annually to the top Registered Holstein herds excelling in type, milk production, and genetic merit in their herds. Progressive Breeders Registry There were 232 herds that received the Progressive Breeders Registry (PBR) award this year; 24 for the first time. Walhowdon Farm of New Hampshire has received PBR honors for 56 years. To receive the award, a herd s BAA (Breed Age Average) must be in the top 25 percent of herds classified in the 18 months prior to March 1 of the award year. Herds must have at least 20 cows which are 87% Registered Holstein Ancestry (RHA) or higher, and at least 75 percent of the herd must be homebred. Herds must exceed award-year production level cutoffs, which are based on the Mature Equivalent (ME) for combined fat and protein. Cut-offs are adjusted for each state, based on the ME herd averages for that state, to compensate for regional differences in production levels. For 2015, herds had to achieve a BAA of at least and have an adjusted TriStar SM herd ME exceeding the national cut-off of 25,700 pounds of milk, 925 pounds of fat, and 743 pounds of protein. The PBR recognition was first given in 1937 to promote interest in both the Holstein Association classification program and production testing. Herds receiving this honor must be enrolled in the Association s TriStar production records program (Premier or Deluxe levels) and participate in either a Classic or Standard classification program. All eligible herds are evaluated automatically each year. Progressive Genetics Herd award The Progressive Genetics Herd (PGH) award honors herds with high genetic value, based on average TPI levels, which lead toward continued breed progress. This award was first given in 1991, and recognizes the top 500 herds for average TPI values, from the group of herds meeting minimum requirements. The cut-off TPI value for PGH herds in 2015 was Like the PBR recognition, PGH herds must participate in the TriStar production records program at the Premier or Deluxe levels, and classify. Herds must have at least 20 cows of 87% RHA or higher. All eligible herds are automatically evaluated annually. Twenty-seven herds have received the PGH recognition every year it has been given: Floyd & Lloyd Baumann & Fred Lang, Wisconsin; Bomaz Inc., Wisconsin; R. Paul Buhr, Jr., Wisconsin; De Su Holsteins LLC, Iowa; End Road Farm, Michigan; Brian & Wendy Fust, Wisconsin; Jeff Henschel, Wisconsin; Steven G. Holte, Wisconsin; Gary L. Housner, Wisconsin; Jaloda Farms, Ohio; Randy W. Kortus, Washington; Roger & David Latuch, Pennsylvania; Larry Lexvold, Minnesota; Lirr Farm, Wisconsin; Nordic-Haven Holsteins, Iowa; Gaylon, Gary & Steve Obert, Illinois; Mark P. Paul, Wisconsin; Regancrest Farm, Iowa; Darrell Richard, Indiana; Alfred & Mark Schmitt, Minnesota; Scott Seward, Wisconsin; Stelling Farms Inc., Minnesota; Springhill, Ohio; Veazland Farms, Maine; Walhowdon Farm Inc., New Hampshire; Wardin Bros., Michigan; and Welcome Stock Farm LLC, New York. Forty-six herds received the award for the first time. Mark Patch's Walhowdon Farm of New Hampshire has received PBR honors for 56 years and the Progressive Genetics Herd award every year since it began 27 years ago. Complete lists of this year s recipients, along with those from past years, are found at the Holstein Association USA web site, under Awards, then Herds in the main menu. Or go directly to Gold Medal Dams and Dams of Merit Named Holstein Association USA announced 347 Gold Medal Dam (GMD) winners and 498 Dams of Merit (DOM) for All cows 87% Registered Holstein Ancestry (RHA) or higher born in the past 25 years are automatically evaluated twice a year for these awards. The DOM award and the GMD award are both permanent recognitions. See the list of this year s new Gold Medal Dams and Dams of Merit, along with the criteria, on our website Go to Awards, and then to Animals. Or go directly to 19

20 20 Upcoming Classification Schedules A Holstein Association USA classifier will be in your area in the coming months. To sign up for the February program, call All applications taken after December 1, 2015, will be charged a $ late fee. The deadline for March classification is January 1, FEBRUARY 2016 Area 1 Eastern New York Albany, Bronx, Columbia, Dutchess, Essex, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Kings, Montgomery, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Westchester North Central Pennsylvania Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Elk, Lycoming, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union Area 2 Southern Michigan Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Clinton, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ionia, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lenawee, Monroe, Ottawa, St. Joseph, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne Area 3 Illinois Adams, Alexander, Bond, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Dewitt, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Johnson, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lawrence, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Massac, McDonough, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, St. Clair, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Washington, Wayne, White, Will, Williamson, Woodford Central Wisconsin Langlade, Marathon, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago Area 4 Northern California Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, Yuba Nevada All Area 1 Connecticut MARCH 2016 Western Maryland Allegany, Garrett Massachusetts New Hampshire Southwest Pennsylvania Armstrong, Bedford, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Fayette, Indiana, Jefferson, Somerset, Westmoreland Rhode Island Vermont North Central West Virginia Barbour, Doddridge, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Mineral, Monongalia, Preston, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshure, Wetzel All All All All All Area 2 Northern Ohio Allen, Ashland, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Holmes, Huron, Lorain, Lucas, Marion, Medina, Mercer, Morrow, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Wayne, Williams, Wood, Wyandot Louisiana Mississippi Tennessee All All All Area 3 Eastern Iowa Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cedar, Chickasaw, Clayton, Clinton, Davis, Delaware, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fayette, Floyd, Grundy, Henry, Howard, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Mahaska, Mitchell, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Scott, Tama, Van Buren, Wapello, Washington, Winneshiek, Worth West Central Wisconsin Adams, Crawford, Juneau, LaCrosse, Monroe, Portage, Richland, Sauk, Vernon, Wood Area 4 Arkansas Missouri All All Former Holstein Association Executive Secretary Charles Larson Passes Away Charles Jay Larson, former executive secretary of the Holstein-Friesian Association of America and dedicated dairy industry leader, passed away on June 15, 2015; he was 89 years old. Larson served as executive secretary of the Holstein-Friesian Association of America (now Holstein Association USA, Inc.) from 1975 to Born in Middleton, Connecticut, Larson graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor of science degree in animal husbandry in 1950 and from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1951 with a master of science degree in animal genetics. Following graduation, he returned to the family Registered Holstein dairy farm until Larson s career with the Holstein-Friesian Association of America (HFAA) began in October, He started in the Advanced Registry Department, quickly taking on administrative responsibilities for the Holstein genetic improvement programs. From 1962 to 1975 he held several positions assisting longtime Executive Secretary Robert Rumler. Larson also served from 1968 to 1978 as executive vice president and general manager of Holstein-Friesian Services, Inc. (HFS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of HFAA. In August, 1975 he was promoted to executive secretary and chief executive officer, a position he held until 1978, when Zane Akins succeeded him. Following Larson s successful career at HFAA, he joined the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, serving internationally as an agricultural trade officer for five years. He then took on the position of CEO for a livestock export company, retiring in Larson took pride in his accomplishments at HFAA, in particular the design and development of the HFS, Inc. international dairy cattle export operation. Under his leadership, exports of Holstein cattle increased seven-fold, to more than 55,000 head annually. He was well-known and highly respected both nationally and internationally for his knowledge of and passion for the U.S. dairy industry and the Holstein cow.

21 We re here to help you! Our Regional Sales Representatives are located all across the United States. Give us a call, us, or call Customer Service at HAUSA office in Brattleboro, Vermont, Steve Peterson National Sales Manager speterson@holstein.com Seth Carpenter scarpenter@holstein.com Max Dunseth Jenny Iley Sandy McCauley mdunseth@holstein.com jiley@holstein.com smccauley@holstein.com Tim Ewing Darin Johnson Dave Paddon djohnson@holstein.com dpaddon@holstein.com kcorreia@holstein.com Alan Graves Andrew King Lacee Paulo aking@holstein.com lpaulo@holstein.com Dennis Devore Mike Hendrix Chris Lyons Mandi Ramsburg mhendrix@holstein.com clyons@holstein.com mramsburg@holstein.com Sarah Trapp strapp@holstein.com ddevore@holstein.com Bethany Spencer bspencer@holstein.com agraves@holstein.com tewing@holstein.com Katharine Correia Glenn Sageser gsageser@holstein.com Dave Wagner dwagner@holstein.com

22 GUEST EDITORIAL Data Leads to Action We are harnessing today s superabundance of data to improve dairy industry quick walk around this year s World Dairy Expo A in Madison, Wisconsin, confirmed that we are in a data renaissance in the dairy industry, and, more broadly, in every aspect of our day-to-day lives. It s a very exciting time and, at times, a little bit overwhelming. Identification, genomics, heat monitoring, rumination, activity monitoring.all with so much promise to enhance our industry, all with many, many data points coming back to us to digest, understand, and act on. Back in 2004, Gene Bellinger ( published an interesting paper entitled Data, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom that does a nice job summarizing how data, which is raw numbers, letters, and symbols, evolves into Information, Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom. It is well represented in the following diagram from his paper: connectedness data information knowledge understanding relations wisdom understanding patterns understanding principles understanding Bellinger s diagram takes us from Data to Wisdom. But I would submit that Action is the destination, not Wisdom (as I tend to leave wisdom to the silver-haired wizards in Harry Potter novels), as it is only through Action that we improve things. At each step of this process, in moving from Data to Information to Knowledge and so on, we gain Understanding and that is central to this process understanding of relations between data points, in patterns of information and principles that emerge throughout. Further, at each step, there must be a compelling value proposition that encourages and leads us to the next step. Genomics: Data Trove The important topic of genomics, in which your Association takes a leading role in the industry, provides a great example. The data we can harvest by looking at 3 billion genomic base pairs for each animal and the information we can assess through the 22,000 genes on the bovine genome is an overwhelming amount of data for any of us to have to sift through. It has only been through your Association team s leadership and engagement with government, researchers, and industry that we have been able to understand DNA differences, or haplotypes, and open ourselves to enhanced selective breeding opportunities that raise the bar for our herd, our breed, and our industry. BY GLENN FISCHER...through your Association team s leadership...we have been able to understand DNA differences and open ourselves to enhanced selective breeding opportunities that raise the bar for our herd, our breed, and our industry. Today, with the rapid growth of technology, there are many more examples of how data can move through to action in the dairy industry, and really no shortage of brilliant and dedicated people looking at how we can make sense of it all. This will open up new and exciting ways to take care of our wonderful Holstein cow to know when she is stressed, off feed, ready to breed, etc. and will allow the breed to flourish in this age of data and information as long as we can act on it. Indeed, it is a very exciting time. 22 Glenn Fischer is President of Allflex USA, Inc.

23 Tissue Sampling Technology by Allflex Allflex has been working with the country s leading biotechnology companies, livestock genetic testing labs and leading livestock producers to develop a unique device for collecting tissue samples. The result is the nextgen Tissue Sampling Unit (TSU) by Allflex. nextgen by Allflex maintains Allflex s commitment to innovation, quality and performance. The nextgen TSU provides: Fast, high performance sample collection Clean, uncontaminated sampling Visual, DNA-sample identification Minimize retesting Tissue Sampling Applicator Tissue Sampling Units TAGS allflexusa.com 23

24 Holstein Association USA, Inc. 1 Holstein Place, PO Box 808, Brattleboro, VT Illuminate Your Dairy s Future with TM "I use Enlight all the time. Whether it is for finding ET recipients, heifers to genomic test, or viewing the progress of the herd as a whole it captures a herd the size of ours either at a population point of view or individually extremely well and makes it easy to manage all of our Holsteins! The program saves me a lot of pedigree evaluation and headaches." Matt Ruby, Fir Ridge Holsteins, Oregon Enlight is an online management tool designed to help Holstein breeders handle herd genetics more efficiently. This valuable resource is a collaboration between Holstein Association USA and Zoetis. Once enrolled in Enlight, all tests ordered by a herd will be processed by Zoetis, using one of their CLARIFIDE test options. Learn more about Enlight at To enroll, contact Holstein USA Customer Service at , or visit