Andrew McReynolds Wins ’21 National Youth Production Contest
Andrew McReynolds, Danville, Vt., has won the 2021 National Jersey Youth Production Contest with Lucky Hill Plus Pringle {6}.
“Pringle {6}” topped Division II of the contest for older cows and was overall winner as well.
This is the fourth time the previously mentioned “Pringle {6}” has placed in the National Jersey Youth Production Contest. The Excellent-92% daughter of Sweetie Plus Iatolas Bold {5}, GJPI +3, placed fourth in the 2017 contest with her first lactation at 1-7 and then ranked among the top five in 2019 and 2020 with her third and fourth lactations.
This year, she shook off the slogan “always a bridesmaid, never a bride” by completing a five-year-old record with a value of $6,467.91. To start this year’s winning lactation, she calved in August 2020 and gave 98 lbs. milk for the tester in October. She peaked with 100 lbs. milk in November and completed an actual 305-day record of 25,730 lbs. milk, 1,398 lbs. fat and 1,012 lbs. protein. The m.e. on the 5-10 record is 28,268―1,532―1,082. She freshened again with her sixth calf in September 2021 and completed another stellar record of 23,720 lbs. milk, 1,290 lbs. fat and 944 lbs. protein at 6-11.
A dairy producer’s dream and a foundation cow family for Andrew, “Pringle {6}” freshened six times before her seventh birthday and has five heifers by natural birth. Andrew topped the previously mentioned Pot O’Gold Production Contest with another foundation cow, Avi-Lanche Dazz Buttermilk 12564, Excellent-93%. Purchased from Richard and Jennifer M. Avila, Dalhart, Texas, in the Pot O’Gold Sale in 2014, she has three lactations over 20,000 lbs. milk and five daughters as well.
A good portion of Andrew’s herd has been creatively named in honor of culinary delights, like “Parfait,” “Poptart,” “Potato Chip,” “Butterscotch,” and “Butterfinger.” Andrew and his family milk about 150 Registered Jersey cows at Lucky Hill Farm in northeast Vermont. The herd ranks #16 for genetic merit with a herd average JPI of +56 and has a lactation average (m.e.) of 22,113 lbs. milk 1,176 lbs. fat and 847 lbs. protein.
Awards Presentations
Andrew and 36 other juniors who placed in either the 2021 National Jersey Youth Production Contest or the 2022 Pot O’Gold Production Contest will be recognized for their achievements on November 5, 2022, at the Junior Banquet, which wraps up junior events at The All American in Louisville, Ky.
The 20 winners in the National Jersey Youth Production Contest will be given plaques and cash awards made possible, in part, by Jersey breeders who consign animals to the National Heifer Sale. Each year, 10% of the proceeds from this sale are designated for youth program support, including the National Jersey Youth Production Contest.
Records are ranked by the dollar value of the record. 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). This is the fourth year this method has been used in the National Youth Production Contest. Those values were $1.89 per pound fat, $2.76 per pound protein, $0.39 per pound solids and -$0.14 per pound PPD.
Contest Details
This contest recognizes efforts of junior owners to compile and utilize official production records of their animals. Through this one activity, youth gain experience using records to manage and breed their Jersey cows and understand the value of production.
To qualify for the competition, cows must have completed a lactation of no more than 305 days during the calendar year. The contest is divided into two divisions. Division I is for first-lactation cows that calve before they reach 30 months-of-age. Division II is for all other cows. Participants are eligible for an award in only one division and an overall contest winner is recognized.
A junior is eligible to win the overall National Jersey Youth Production Contest just once.
Total cash awards are $550. Each division winner receives $100. The second-place honoree receives $75; third takes home $50; and fourth receives $25. The overall winner gets an additional $50, bringing their award total to $150.
This year, 83 qualified entries from 42 juniors from 14 states were received. The top 20 animals ranked in this year’s contest have an m.e. average of 24,852―1,294―926 and a dollar value of $5,515.05. All entries have an m.e. average of 21,846―1,096―800 and a dollar value average of $4,726.52.
Other Division II Winners
The 2021 Pot O’Gold Production Contest winner, Rog-Al Casino Pippa, placed second in Division II of the youth production contest. Owned by Chelsie Fuller, Newark Valley, N.Y., she produced a second lactation with a value of $6,464.36. She freshened with her second calf in September 2020. Consistency is her method of operation, as “Pippa” kicked off the record with 84 lbs. milk on her first test, peaked with 86 lbs. in January and was still giving 82 lbs. milk at 285 days in milk. She completed a 305-day record of 23,770 lbs. milk, 1,463 lbs. fat (6.2%) and 939 lbs. protein (4.0%) as a junior three-year-old.
“Pippa” freshened again in September 2021 and recently completed a 305-day record of 25,720 lbs. milk, 1,425 lbs. fat and 1,022 lbs. protein as a junior four-year-old. The daughter of Elliotts Regency Casino-ET, GJPI +34, has aged gracefully. Yield has improved each lactation as has final score. She appraised Very Good-85% at 2-3, was raised to Very Good-87% at 3-5 and recently earned 90 points from the appraiser at 4-6.
“Pippa” is managed with the herd at Lawton Jersey Farm, owned and operated by Chelsie’s mother and stepfather, Debbie and Tim Lawton, and the rest of the Lawton family in Newark Valley.
Luke W. McReynolds, Danville, Vt., and his entry JX Lucky Hill Listowel Gem {5}, return to the top rankings of the national youth production again this year. “Gem {5}” placed third in the division for younger cows last year and retains the ranking in the older division this year. She produced a second lactation with a value of $5,902.99.
The daughter of Hillview Listowel-P, GJPI +137, calved in February 2021 and gave 94 lbs. milk on her March and April tests. She completed a 305-day record of 21,800 lbs. milk, 1,283 lbs. fat and 871 lbs. protein. The m.e. on the 2-8 record is 24,648―1,429―975.
“Gem {5}” is out of JX Cedar Mtn Farm Topeka Garnet {4}, Excellent-91%, a purchase from Kerry Gawalt, Harland, Vt., in the 2014 Pot O’Gold Sale. She placed eighth in the ensuing production contest and then completed a pair of records over 23,000 lbs. milk, 1,160 lbs. fat and 820 lbs. protein.
Luke is a brother to Andrew. The two and their sister, Abigail, and brother, Nicholas, rank among the top 10 in Division II of the contest this year.
Clayton Kirchdoerfer, Cape Girardeau, Mo., placed fourth in the division for older cows with Jo-Kirch Saxon Nifty-P. As a junior four-year-old, she produced a record with a value of $5,723.50. Actual yield is 30,780 lbs. milk, 1,197 lbs. fat and 1,097 lbs. protein. The m.e. of the record is 30,088―1,152―1,059. She calved in October 2020 to start the record and peaked with 131 lbs. milk in January. The Excellent-91% daughter of Kash-In Saxon-P-ET, GJPI +44, is still contributing to the bulk tank at Kirchdoerfer Dairy Farm, giving 48 lbs. milk for the tester in July 2022.
Much of Clayton’s herd has been developed through purchases from the Pot O’Gold Sale, including “Nifty-P.” He purchased her dam, Yosemite Critic Nile S28302, Excellent-90%, from Doreen Snyder, Hilmar, Calif., in 2013. She completed five lactations over 19,600 lbs. milk and gave Clayton five heifer calves. Among them is a maternal sister to “Nifty-P” and the highest appraised cow in the herd, Jo-Kirch Samson Nikki, Excellent-93%. She has three records over 21,000 lbs. milk and three daughters.
Clayton placed among the top 15 in the Pot O’Gold Production Contest six times over the past eight years. He earned his highest ranking, second, last year with Clemson Disco 2257 725, Very Good-87%, who is on her third lactation and has two registered daughters to date.
Rounding out the top five placings in Division II is Coltan Owen Seals, Beaver, Ore., with Legendairy Steve Bring It On. She produced a second record with a value of $5,592.74. The high tester was consistent across her lactation, giving 75 lbs. milk on her first test in July 2020 and completing a 305-day record of 19,840 lbs. milk, 1,083 lbs. fat (5.5%) and 817 lbs. protein (4.1%) at 2-9. The m.e. on the record is 23,603―1,328―949.
The Very Good-80% daughter of CDF Irwin Steve, GJPI +108, freshened again in August 2021 and recently completed a 3-11 record of 18,570 lbs. milk, 1,136 lbs. fat (6.1%) and 779 lbs. protein (4.2%). She has a P8 daughter in the herd by ISDK VJ Hagenbjerggaard Hitman {5}, GJPI +57, and a daughter by JX Kash-In Got Jiggy {6}-ET, GJPI +146, with a GJPI of +126.
Division I Winners
The winner of Division I of the 2021 National Jersey Youth Production Contest is Peelers Oliver Apricot 1837-Twin, owned by Renee Lydia Bok, Defiance, Ohio. “Apricot 1837” also placed second in the Pot O’Gold Production Contest.
The daughter of Dutch Hollow Oliver-P, GJPI +12, produced a first lactation with a value of $6,225.90. She calved in August 2020 as a milking yearling and peaked with 89 lbs. milk in December and 88 lbs. in January. She completed a 305-day record of 20,470 lbs. milk, 1,159 lbs. fat and 835 lbs. protein. The m.e. on the 1-9 record is 26,927―1,452―1,070.
Renee purchased “Apricot 1837” from Iris Barham Peeler, Davis and L.D. Peeler, Starr, S.C., in the 2019 Pot O’Gold Sale. She will receive a check for $1,498.51, an amount well over the purchase price of $1,250.
Making her debut in the top rankings of the youth production contest ranked second in the division for younger cows is Anna C. Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y., with Dutch Hollow Willow Jillrose-Twin. In her first lactation, “Jillrose” produced a record with a value of $5,656.07.
She calved in April 2020 to start her milking career as a milking yearling. She showed her potential with milk yields of 86 lbs. in May and 87 lbs. in both June and July. She completed a 3x record of 21,930 lbs. milk, 1,022 lbs. fat and 767 lbs. protein. The m.e. on the 1-8 record is 26,829―1,279―972.
“Jillrose” is a model of Jersey efficiency as she calved again at 2-9 in May 2021 and completed a 291-day record of 21,270 lbs. milk, 1,188 lbs. fat and 718 lbs. protein. She freshened with her third calf―a heifer by Ehrhardt Solstice-ET, GJPI +35―in April 2022. She gave 96 lbs. milk on her May test and is projected to 23,864 lbs. milk, 1,245 lbs. fat and 831 lbs. protein at 3-8.
Anna helps to operate Dutch Hollow Farm LLC with her extended family in New York’s Hudson Valley. “Jillrose” traces to cows bred by her grandmother, Melanie Chittenden, and great-grandfather, Louis W. Fish.
Another New York junior, Elizabeth Hyman of Adams placed third with her homebred entry, Hy-Light Completely Marisol 2909. The Very Good-85% daughter of Progenesis Completely-ET, GJPI +85, made a first lactation with a value of $5,467.09.
“Marisol 2909” calved for the first time in November 2020 and completed a 305-day record of 24,080 lbs. milk, 1,117 lbs. fat and 769 lbs. protein at 1-11 on 3x milking. The m.e. of the record is 27,115―1,291―896.
She kicked off her second lactation in March 2022. She gave 112 lbs. milk in May and 103 lbs. milk in June. She has an actual projected record of 27,360 lbs. milk, 1,292 lbs. fat and 859 lbs. protein at 3-3.
This is not the first time Elizabeth has placed in the youth production contest with a member of the “M” cow family. The past two years she has ranked among the top 10 with Hy-Light Daybreak Marly 1315, out of a full sister to the grandam of “Marisil 2909.” The cow family is a foundation family at Hy-Light Farms LLC, with multiple generations of cows with 20,000 lbs. milk records.
The reining Iowa Jersey Princess, Mary Holtz, Maquoketa, placed fourth with JX Max-Lord Barley Keizerin {4}.
Mary purchased the daughter of JX Meier Marlo Barley {3}, GJPI +73, as a bred heifer from Max-Lord Jerseys, a partnership of Heather Lord and Amy Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa. She freshened with a heifer calf by Primus Comanche Kestrel-P-ET, GJPI +138, in March 2021 and completed a 305-day record of 20,460 lbs. milk, 968 lbs. fat and 728 lbs. protein in December. The m.e. of the 1-11 record is 26,092―1,231―940 and the value is $5,408.73.
“Barley {3}” calved again in May 2022. She gave 81 lbs. milk on her most recent test in August and has a projected m.e. of 20,554―977―731 at 3-1.
Rounding out the top five rankings in Division I is the winner of the 2021 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest, Lydia Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y. Her entry, Dutch Hollow Rufus Kasper, is in the milking string with the previously mentioned “Jillrose,” owned by her cousin, Anna.
In her first lactation begun in July 2020 as a milking yearling, “Kasper” produced 19,460 lbs. milk, 967 lbs. fat and 680 lbs. protein on 3x milking. The m.e. of the record is 24,789―1,255―888 and the value is $5,336.59.
She freshened with her second calf a year later and made 18,280 lbs. milk, 1,149 lbs. fat (6.3%) and 696 lbs. protein (3.8%). “Kasper” recently calved for the third time in late July at 3-9. If history repeats itself, she is on pace to complete three lactations before her fourth birthday. She has two daughters and is the second generation to place in the production contest as Lydia placed eighth in Division II in 2017 with her dam, Dutch Hollow Samson Kallie-ET, Very Good-86%. Her dam, Dutch Hollow Legion Kitty, Excellent-94%, was a donor dam at Dutch Hollow and a foundation cow for Lydia and her sister, Emily.
Other juniors to be honored for accomplishments in Division I of the contest are Tyler Bohnert, East Moline, Ill.; Jonathan S. Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y.; Tyler G. Seals, Tillamook, Ore.; Ava and Ela Hebgen, De Forest, Wis.; and Jace Briggs, San Antonio, Texas.
Other juniors to earn prizes in Division II of the contest are Cassie Bohnert, East Moline, Ill.; Ela May Hebgen; Abigail E. McReynolds, Danville, Vt.; Jacob Bohnert, East Moline, Ill.; and Nicholas J. McReynolds, Danville, Vt.
