2016 Active Master Breeder Award Charles Voelker

Transcription

1 2016 Active Master Breeder Award Charles Voelker The 2016 Active Master Breeder has spent his entire life with the Brown Swiss breed. His involvement and contributions have been well-rounded from show winners, high index cows, top PPR bulls, active in the state association, on the National Board and serving two terms as National President. This year s honoree is Charles Voelker, Voelker s Brown Swiss, Perryville, Missouri. Charlie and his family are the fifth generation to farm land that was homesteaded by the Voelker family in the 1860 s. Following World War II, Charlie s parents, Chalmer and Evelyn, developed the farm into a traditional dairy farm. Their first Swiss were purchased in 1948 and during the 1960 s it became a 100% Brown Swiss herd. On January 1, 1983 at the ripe old age of 22, Charlie and his wife, Nancy bought the 42 cow herd from his parents. The herd size grew, increasing in both production and type and numbers around 150 in the milking herd at the moment. The current Rolling Herd Average on 132 cows is 20,659 pounds. Today s work force includes Charlie, his son, Chad, and two full time employees. His wife Nancy is involved as time permits. They own 260 acres and rent an addition 100 for a total of 360 acres. Feed is home grown wheat for balage, corn for silage and alfalfa for hay. In 1991 Charlie showed at the Missouri State Fair for the first time. In 1993, he had Grand Champion with Voelkers J King Ida. He took her to Madison for his first year there as an exhibitor. In 1995 he was named Premier Charles and Nancy Voelker Chalmer and Charlie Voelker in 1992 Voelkers J King Ida 1993 Missouri State Fair Grand Champion, Charlie s first. A favorite in the early days.

2 Grand in 2004 at the Southeastern National Show with Fergie It s not all at the shows! Breeder for the first time at the state fair and has shown there every year since There have been numerous Grand Champions, reserves, junior champions and many Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor banners to take home to Perryville. In 1999 he also showed at the Southeast National and had his first All American Nomination with Voelkers Pete Jessie, a senior two year old. In 2000 he returned to Madison with a heifer and since 2002 has shown at the national show at WDE every year. In 2003 Voelker Denmark Fergie was fourth Jr. 3 Year Old at Madison, Reserve Intermediate Champion at Louisville and was Nominated All American was a banner year for Fergie. She was Grand Champion at the Central National Junior Show for daughter, Katie. Voelkers Pete Jessie First All American Nomination in 1999 Voelkers Denmark Fergie Honorable Mention All American 4 Year Old, 2004 At the Southeast National she was Grand Champion and Voelkers were Premier Exhibitor and Premier Breeder. They repeated as Premier Breeder and Exhibitor at the Southeast National in Fergie was named Honorable Mention All American 4 Year Old in Voelkers Camelot Peony, maternal sister of Fergie, and 2005 at World Dairy Expo. The Voelker family at the 2006 Missouri State Fair with Voelkers Monaco Alexis, Supreme Champion of the Junior Show.

3 Voelkers Camelot Peony - with Fergie Honorable Mention Produce of Dam 2003 and 2004 Compost barn in 2006 Fergie were Honorable Mention Produce of Dam in 2003 and Also in 2004, along with Voelkers Collection Amber, they were Honorable Mention All American Best Three Females. Voelkers Denmark Fergie was E92/93MS. Her high record was d 29,240m 936f 989 protein. Peony was 2E93/93MS with a high record of 29,550m 1061f 947p at 5-9. In 2009 Peony was the 1st Component Merit Cow at the Southeast National. In 2001 Voelkers Prophet Milly 2E92/94MS was Grand at the Missouri State Family photo at the Missouri State Fair Fair and Reserve in Her name is not nationally recognizable and you wonder mentioned. Her son was Voelkers Collection Miguel. Recognize that name? No? Well he was the sire of Voelkers Migel Candid. Candid was the first 5 year old at the Central National in 2009 and All American that year. She was Grand Champion at the Missouri State Fair in 2008 and 2009 and Reserve Intermediate Champion at the Southwest National in Candid was scored 4E94/95MS with a high record of d 33,090m 5.1% 1673f 3.6% 1189 protein. She Voelkers Migel Candid All American 5 Year Old, 2009 Voekers Wndt Chilli Pepper

4 Voekers Brook Cara #17 May 2016 PPR Cow List also was high on the breed s PPR lists. Pretty good for a cow from a homebred sire and dam! But this is the Master Breeder Award so most important are her offspring. Voelkers Wndt Chilli Pepper, her son by Top Acres C Wonderment ET, has been one of the post popular sires in recent years. He helped put Charlie and his herd on the map for top of the sire lists and high on genomic lists. Candid s daughter and full sister to Chilli Pepper, Voelkers Wndrnt Carabella, is E90 with a high record of 32,300 milk 1368 fat and 1106 protein. In 2011 Carabella was 4th on the PPR Lists while Candid was tied for 8th. Carabella is the dam of Voelkers TD Carter and Voelkers Galaxy Cosmo. Another popular sire, Carter was top of the PPR Type List at +1.3 in May Carabella s daughter, Voelkers Brook Cara, sold as the #1 PPR Heifer in the 2013 National Sale and was #17 on the May 2016 PPR List. In 1998 Charlie purchased Wind Mill Ensign Alena Voelkers Wonderment Carabella Voelkers TD Carter Voelkers Lovery Moe Hon. Mention Component Merit Cow Grant and Charlie with Voelkers Durango Sasha Grand Champion at the 2015 Missouri State Fair

5 ET from Ronald Ray and Dennis Daubert. She is classified 2E93/ 94MS. She was the dam of the aforementioned Voelkers Collection Amber and Voelkers Monaco Alexis. Amber was 2E92 and Nominated All American 4 Year Old in She had a lifetime of 175,050m 6973f and 5847p. Amber has an Ex daughter, Voelkers Jet Pilot Amikelinn. Another daughter, Voelkers Parde Addison, is 2E92 with 39,620 pounds milk in 365 days. She was Reserve Grand Champion at the Missouri State Fair in Amber also has a son in A.I. Amber was owned and shown by Charlie s daughter, Suzanne. A couple of recent noteworthy cows were Voelkers Durango Sasha VG89/ExMS, Grand at the 2015 Missouri State Fair as a two year old and sold to Main and Vail after Board of Directors Chad, Suzanne, Charlie, Nancy, Katie Dayne and Grant Hoard s Dairyman Judging Contest Expo. Voelkers Lovery Moe is E93 with d 29,849m 4.4% 1350f 3.4% 1047p. She was Honorable Mention All American Component Merit Cow in 2014 and 1st in her class at the 2015 Southeast National. To date Voelkers have 13 proven sires on the PPR list. They were honored when their Brown Swiss were used the Hoard s Dairyman Contest in Charlie served two terms as president of the Missouri Brown Swiss Association and co-chaired the 1994 National Convention hosted by Missouri. From he represented District VI as a National Director. From Charlie served the National Association as its president. He also served many years on the National Type Committee. Charles and Nancy were inducted into the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors in 2006 as Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeders. The entire Voelker family was involved in the work growing up and all the kids showed their Swiss bringing home many blue ribbons, championships and Bell Ringer winners, state and national. Charlie and Nancy have five children, Katie, Chad, Suzanne, Dayne and Grant.

6 Chad has rejoined the operation and Voelker dairy underwent a major expansion and construction upgrade. the summer of Ten years ago a 160 cow compost barn was built. In the 2016 upgrade a 40 cow compost barn was built to hold fresh cows, special need cows, etc. The old double four parlor was replaced by a new double 10 parrallel parlor. RFID tracking was installed to identify each cow as they enter the parlor and will aid in monitoring cow health and performance. Sort gates were added to make it easier to move cows and work with the individual cows as needed. The plan is to increase the milking herd to head At the 2016 convention, Charlie with his family able to attend Darin and Katie (Voelker) Hill, Charle, Grant and Dayne Voelker.