Ella Herrera Wins Pot O’Gold Production Contest
Ella Herrera of Hilmar, Calif., has won the 2024 Pot O’Gold Production Contest with JX Sun Valley Got Maid Lucinda {6}.
She and 21 other juniors who placed in the contest will be recognized for their achievements on November 9, 2024, at the All American Jersey Youth Awards Ceremony in Louisville, Ky.
The Pot O’Gold program offers youth the opportunity to purchase genetically superior heifers from a sale held during All American festivities and then compete for prizes in a production contest just for heifers sold in the sale three years later. On November 6, 2021, the 64th program offered 26 heifers to juniors in the Pot O’Gold Sale in Louisville. From the sale of those heifers, $16,532.50 was set aside in the fund to pay out this year.
Records for are ranked by the multiple component dollar value of the record. The values were determined by calculating the 305-day mature equivalent (m.e.), then applying Federal Order component values for the previous year along with a weighted average Producer Price Differential (PPD). Those values were $2.51 per pound fat, $2.38 per pound protein, $0.19 per pound solids and -0.07 per pound PPD.
To qualify for competition in the Pot O’Gold Production Contest, heifers must calve before they reach 30 months of age, be tested in a DHI herd owned by the purchaser or his or her parents and have a Data Collection Rating (DCR) of 90 or higher for protein. Loss, death, or transfer of ownership of any purchase before the record is complete eliminates the heifer from competition.
This year, 22 of the entries met the qualifications to compete in the 2024 edition of the contest. The records had an average m.e. of 23,351–1,162–849 and an average value of $5,623.11.
As mentioned previously, Ella Herrera won the contest with JX Sun Valley Got Maid Lucinda {6}. In her first lactation, the daughter of JX Sunset Canyon Got Maid {5}-ET, GJPI +125, produced a record with a value of $6,910.87 to win the contest. Ella will receive a cash prize of $2,975.85.
“Lucinda {6}” calved in mid-July 2022 at 1-8 and gave 81 lbs. milk on her first test in August. She peaked with 92 lbs. in December and was still giving 83 lbs. milk at 333 days fresh. She completed a 305-day record of 23,360 lbs. milk, 1,001 lbs. fat and 858 lbs. protein with an m.e. of 31,989-1,326-1,161. Though she left the herd in mid-August 2023, Ella will be able to develop her maternal line through her daughter, Sun Valley AltaAllister 25652, who is managed with the herd at Ahlem Farms Partnership in Hilmar.
Ella purchased “Lucinda {6}” from Bearl and Joanne Seals in the 2021 Pot O’Gold Sale for $4,500.
Another junior from Hilmar, Jack Swanson, placed second in the 2024 Pot O’Gold Production with JX Primus Triumph Ceylon 22809 {6}-ET. She produced a record with a value of $6,862.93. Jack will receive a check for $1,901.24.
“Ceylon 22809 {6}” showed promise as a profit maker from the onset. Managed with the milking string at Vierra Dairy in Hilmar, she calved in June 2022 at 1-11 and gave 97 lbs. milk for the tester 24 days in milk. She gave 90 lbs. in January at 209 days in milk and followed this up with 96 lbs. in February. She completed an actual record of 23,100 lbs. milk, 1,141 lbs. fat and 900 lbs. protein. The m.e. on the record is 28,288-1,376-1,105.
She freshened again on May Day 2023 and continued the same pattern, with 96 lbs. milk just five days fresh. She gave 120 lbs. for the tester in August and had two additional tests of at least 100 lbs. milk in October and November. The actual 305-day record for this lactation is 27,810 lbs. milk, 1,187 lbs. fat and 1,056 lbs. protein at 2-10.
“Ceylon 22809 {6}” has been a donor dam and has 10 registered progeny to date. She has an extended second lactation but gave 44 lbs. milk on her last test in August 2024 and is confirmed pregnant.
Sired by JX River Valley Triumph {5}-ET, she is appraised Very Good-83% and has 10 registered progeny to date. Her seventh dam is two-time National Grand Champion, Pleasant Nook F Prize Circus, Excellent-97%. Another member of the family is River Valley Lemonhead Carnival-ET, the breed’s former high-selling female, purchased by Jerseyland Sires, Turlock, Calif., the consignor of “Ceylon 22809 {6}.” Jack purchased her at the 2021 Pot O’Gold Sale as the second high seller for $6,000.
Sara Bok, Defiance, Ohio, ranked third with JX Max-Lord Kestrel Kyzie {5}-P. She will receive a check for $1,322.
“Kyzie {5}-P” made a 1-6 record with an m.e. of 30,869-1,392-1,033 and a value of $6,835.44. She calved in September 2022 and kicked off her first lactation with a bang—87 lbs. of milk on her first test. She peaked with 91 lbs. of milk for the tester in April and completed a 305-day record of 20,443 lbs. milk, 947 lbs. fat and 703 lbs. protein. She freshened again in late December 2023 but left the herd in March.
Sara purchased “Kyzie {5}-P,” from Jeff, Mary and Lisa Holtz, Maquoketa, Iowa, at the 2021 Pot O’Gold Sale. She was bred by Heather Lord and Amy Maxwell of Donahue, Iowa.
Michigan junior Colton Haywood of Hastings ranked fourth with JX Forest Glen Gislev Becky {5}-ET. She made a first lactation with a value of $6,724.19. Colton will receive prize winnings of $1,074.61.
Consistency is the name of the game for “Becky {5}.” She calved in October 2022, gave 58 lbs. milk to start her milking career 11 days fresh, peaked in December with 83 lbs. and never dropped below 67 lbs. She completed a 1-9 record of 22,300 lbs. milk, 1,191 lbs. fat and 840 lbs. protein, with an m.e. of 25,972-1,413-1,004. The heifer born to start the lactation, JX Sandcreeks Dabo 15684 (6}, currently ranks among the top 500 for GJPI with an index of +177.
“Becky {5}” settled on her second service and calved again in October 2023 and is nearing completion of this record. She gave 109 lbs. milk in November, 118 lbs. in December and two additional tests over 90 lbs. milk. She is projected to make 27,924 lbs. milk, 1,527 lbs. fat and 1,049 lbs. protein actual at 2-10.
“Becky {5}” is managed with Sand Creek Dairy LLC, owned and operated by Colton and his family. The dairy ranks #6 in the nation for actual milk, fat and protein production and ranks #11 for genetic merit with a herd average JPI of +74 on 377 cows, nearly all genotyped.
Colton placed third in the 2022 Pot O’Gold Production Contest with JX Cal-Mart Craze Briza 565 {6}-ET. He purchased “Becky {5}” from Forest Glen Jerseys, Dayton, Ore., in the 2021 sale for $3,800.
Making his debut in the Pot O’Gold Production Contest is another Hilmar junior with an animal managed with the herd at Vierra Dairy. Diego Da Rocha ranks fifth with his entry, Bohnerts Jaywalk Britny, who produced a 1-11 record with a value of $6,616.86. He will earn a check for $991.95.
“Britny” has been an equity maker for Diego. She calved in December 2022 and gave 96 lbs. milk on her very first test. She completed an actual first lactation of 23,030 lbs. milk, 1,235 lbs. fat and 862 lbs. protein. The m.e. of the record is 25,847-1,390-985.
She bred back on her first service and freshened with her second calf in December 2023. She gave 88 lbs. milk for her first test, peaked with 92 lbs. in February and is projected to make 22,369 lbs. milk, 1,143 lbs. fat and 877 lbs. protein at 3-0.
“Britny” has two daughters. The oldest is sired by JX River Valley Chief {6}-ET, GJPI +126, and the youngest by Progenesis Sue-P-ET, GJPI +103.
Diego purchased “Britny” from Bohnert Jerseys, East Moline, Ill., as the high seller for $6,500.
Other juniors being recognized in the 2024 Pot O’Gold Production Contest are Brenden Hastings, Mich.; Renee Bok, Defiance, Ohio; Clayton Kirchdoerfer, Cape Girardeau, Mo.; Rhett Junio, Tipton, Calif.; Ivy Hebgen, DeForest, Wis.; Paisley Kessenich, DeForest, Wis.; Eva Jaskolski, Hatley, Wis.; Erica Neal-Stock, Newton, Wis.; Kenley Kessenich, DeForest, Wis.; Sophia Larson, Reedsburg, Wis.; Ava Hebgen, DeForest, Wis.; Emma Vos, Maribel, Wis.; Elaina Hodge, Norwich, Ohio; Robert Graves, Dundas, Ill.; Owen and Noelle Vos, Maribel, Wis.; Tyler Seals, Tillamook, Ore.; and Jason King, Fremont, Ohio.
The 67th Pot O’Gold Sale is scheduled for November 9, 2024, in Louisville. The animals purchased from this sale will compete in the 2027 Pot O’Gold Production Contest. The sale will begin at 1:00 p.m.
Click here for complete results of the 2024 Pot O’Gold Production Contest.
