 Brattleboro, Vt. (February 15, 2010)...The Holstein breed has a new national milk production record holder! Ever-Green-View My 1326-ET, bred and owned by Thomas J. Kestell of Waldo, Wis., calving at four years and five months of age has produced a 365-day record of 72,170 pounds of milk, with 2,787 pounds of fat and 2,142 pounds of protein.
Sired by Stouder Morty-ET, 1326-ET hails from Ever-Green-View's prolific "Elsie" family. She is scored EX-92, and also holds the national Junior Four-Year-Old records for milk and fat production in both the 305 and 365-day categories. She produced almost 37,000 pounds of milk as a two-year-old and over 46,000 pounds as a three-year-old.
"We never expected her to break this record when she first started out," said breeder Tom Kestell, "but by the time she was three-quarters of the way through her lactation, we knew she had a good shot."
"She's always been a really good milk cow, and a very solid type cow," he added. "This record wasn't hard on her – she looks great and feels great. She just wasn't stressed out at all, just like the rest of her family."
This record breaks the previous 365-day record of 67,914 pounds of milk, set by Muranda Oscar Lucinda-ET VG-86. As a frame of reference, the 2008 actual production average for all U.S. Holstein herds enrolled in production-testing programs was 23,022 pounds of milk, 840 pounds of butterfat and 709 pounds of protein.
1326-ET's exceptional record is backed by several generations of impressive performance. Her dam is a VG-85 GMD daughter of Ricecrest Lantz-ET, with two 305-day records over 30,000 pounds of milk. Behind that is Ever-Green-View Elsie-ET (by Emprise Bell Elton), scored EX-92 2E GMD DOM, who has a best record at 4-09 of 52,580 pounds of milk, with 4.4 percent fat and 3.3 percent protein. Elsie's dam is an EX-90 2E GMD DOM daughter of Drendel Melvin Grant-Twin with a four-year-old record over 50,000 pounds of milk, out of a Stardell Valiant Winken-ET daughter, scored EX-91 2E GMD DOM with multiple records over 40,000 pounds of milk.
Kestell says that they have been working with this cow family for over 28 years, and have several members on their farm. 1326-ET is the sixth generation to carry the Ever-Green-View prefix. They have marketed many members of this family that have gone on to do well for others, carrying on the family tradition of excelling in both type and production, including Ever-Green-View Legacy-ET EX-90 (purchased by Eskdale Dairy of Utah), dam of All-American Eskdale Stormatic Legend-ET EX-95, and Ever-Green-View Elsa VG-89 GMD DOM, who sold for $100,000 in the 2003 National Convention Sale and is now owned with Kingsmill Farm II, LLC and has a great deal of international interest.
The Kestells have genomically tested 1326-ET and are eagerly awaiting her results. They did not breed her back this year and plan to flush her now that her record is complete. 1326-ET currently only has one daughter, her February 2009 natural calf by Barbee-M Juror Ito-ET.
Ever-Green-View Holsteins is owned by Tom and Gin Kestell, with son Chris involved in the operation on a day-to-day basis as well. They have 130 cows with a BAA of 109.7 percent, and a Rolling Herd Average of 35,151 pounds of milk, 1,351 pounds of fat, and 1,083 pounds of protein. More detail on Ever-Green-View My 1326-ET's family can be found on the farm's web site at www.holsteinworld.com/ever-green-view/.
For more information, contact Lindsey Worden at 800.952.5200, ext. 4096. A professional photo of Ever-Green-View My 1326-ET is available from Beth Herges.
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Brattleboro, Vt. (January 29, 2010)…A new Official Holstein International Pedigree is now available on the Holstein Association USA Web site at www.holsteinusa.com. This three-generation pedigree enables producers that market cattle internationally to provide pedigree information to the global audience in a format that is familiar and useful to them.
The development of this new product was driven by the desire to assist members in more easily providing information about animals to potential buyers. The two major differences between an International pedigree and a traditional pedigree are that, on the International pedigree:
- Production records are displayed in kilograms, as opposed to pounds.
- Protein values are recorded as crude protein, keeping with the international standard.
A new header graphic featuring an image of a globe will immediately distinguish the International pedigree from a traditional U.S. Official Holstein Pedigree. It is important to note that Predicted Transmitting Ability (PTA) values are unchanged, as U.S.-based PTA values are considered a world-wide standard. International pedigrees are only available as PDFs (Portable Document Format).
Click here to download Official Holstein International Pedigrees.
For more information, contact Holstein Association USA at 800.952.5200.
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Brattleboro, Vt. (January 8, 2010)…With the January genetic evaluations, a new Total Performance Index (TPISM) formula is being introduced by Holstein Association USA. Recognizing the needs, strengths and opportunities in the Holstein breed, some slight modifications have been made to the formula, which was last updated in May 2007. TPI is used to rank Holstein cattle and assist dairy producers worldwide in identifying superior cattle with a combination of high production, sound conformation and desirable health and fertility.
"The Genetic Advancement Committee recommended the update to the TPI formula to reflect the wants and needs of today's dairymen," said Dr. Tom Lawlor, Holstein Association USA Director of Research and Development. "The opportunity to improve the lower heritability health and fertility traits is greater now than ever before with the information provided by genomic evaluations."
The updated TPI formula includes an increased emphasis on Productive Life (PL) and Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR); maintains the current emphasis on udders and feet and legs; aims to slow the increase in body size; and slightly reduces the emphasis on production. New weights for the major categories include: 42 percent on production (down from 45 percent), 33 percent on health and fertility (up from 27 percent), and 25 percent on conformation (down from 28 percent).
*The value 1815, adjusts for our periodic base change, allowing TPI values to be comparable across time
This change comes along with the updating of the genetic base, which occurs every five years, to ensure the genetic evaluations are being compared to a current and up-to-date population. The new base now reflects cows born in 2005, whereby the average PTA of those cows equals zero. Some adjustments to the major traits include:
| Milk |
- 415 |
| Fat |
- 15 |
| Protein |
- 14 |
| PTAT |
- 0.87 |
| UDC |
- 0.85 |
| FLC |
- 0.65 |
The January 2010 genetic evaluations will become available on Tuesday, January 12. For the latest information as it becomes available, visit www.holsteinusa.com.
With questions or for more information about the updated TPI formula, contact Tom Lawlor at 800.952.5200, ext. 4228.
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Dennis Devore
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Callie Unruh
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Brattleboro, Vt. (January 8, 2010)…Two new Regional Representatives have recently been hired to provide service to Holstein Association USA members in the central United States.
Dennis Devore of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has joined the Association as a Regional Representative covering Iowa and the following counties in southwestern Wisconsin: Crawford, Grant, Green, Iowa, LaCrosse, Lafayette, Monroe, Richland, and Vernon. Devore is a graduate of the University of Illinois, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science. He brings a wealth of dairy industry experience to the position, having previously worked as a District Sales Manager for Alta Genetics and at the Southern Illinois University Dairy Center. Dennis grew up on a Registered HolsteinSM farm in southern Illinois. Callie Unruh will serve members as a Regional Representative in Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas. A recent graduate of Kansas State University, Callie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, Animal Sciences, and Industry. While in college she was active with both the Kansas State University Dairy Club and the Dairy Judging team. Growing up she has been heavily involved with her family's farm, Prairie-Sun Holsteins. Unruh will be based out of her home in Illinois.
For more information, please contact Lindsey Worden, Communications Manager, at 800.952.5200, ext. 4096.
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