Fuller Wins 2022 Youth Production Contest with Pippa

Chelsie Fuller, Newark Valley, N.Y., has won the 2022 National Jersey Youth Production Contest with Rog-Al Casino Pippa. “Pippa” also won the Pot O’Gold Production Contest in 2021.

Chelsie and the 20 other juniors who placed in the youth production contest will be recognized for their achievements on November 5, 2023, at the Junior Banquet at The All American in Louisville, Ky. They 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 for production contest are ranked by the 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 $3.26 per pound fat, $2.72 per pound protein, $0.x42 per pound solids and $1.43 per pound PPD.

This contest recognizes the efforts of junior owners to compile and utilize official pro-duction 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, 76 qualified entries from 43 juniors from 13 states were received. The top 20 animals ranked in this year’s contest have an m.e. average of 25,091—1,283—931 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 $7,678.71.

This year, the winner of Division II for older cows was named the overall winner as well. The previously mentioned “Pippa” produced a record with an m.e. of 27,792—1,492—1,076 and a value of $8,863.21 to edge her peers. The Excellent-90% daughter of Elliotts Regency Casino-ET, GJPI +29, produced an actual 4-0 record of 25,720 lbs. milk, 1,425 lbs. fat and 1,022 lbs. protein.

She freshened again in October 2022 and gave more than 100 lbs. milk on each of her first three tests and is projected to make an actual 305-day record of 26,115 lbs. milk, 1557 lbs. fat and 1,055 lbs. protein at 6-1. “Pippa” kicked off the lactation with the delivery of her first daughter, Lawtons Graduate Paisley.

Chelsea purchased “Pippa” from Sara Mae Alexander, Liberty, Pa., at the Pot O’Gold Sale in 2018. She won the ensuing production contest in 2021 and then placed second in Division II of the National Jersey Youth Production contest last year. “Pippa” is managed with the rest of the herd at Lawton Jersey Farm, owned and operated by Chelsea’s mother and stepfather, Debbie and Tim Lawton, and the rest of the Lawton family in Newark Valley. Lawton Jersey Farm ranks third in the nation for standardized milk production and sixth for components.

Coltan Owen Seals, Tillamook, Ore., placed second in Division II with his entry, Scenic View Promo Alympian-PP-ET. She produced a junior three-year-old record with an m.e. of 26,741—1,350—1,042 and a value of $8,263.82. Actual production is 23,770 lbs. milk, 1,463 lbs. fat (6.2%) and 939 lbs. protein (4.0%).

Like “Pippa,” she is a product of the Pot O’Gold program. Coltan purchased “Alympian-PP” from Leroy and Martha Sue Miller, Mayslick, Ky., in the 2019 sale. An Excellent-90% daughter of River Valley Pfen Promo-P-ET, GJPI +61, she freshened with her third calf in September 2022 and just completed a 305-day record of 18,570 lbs. milk, 897 lbs. fat and 715 lbs. protein. She has been in the donor dam program at Legendairy Farms, operated by his parents, Tom and Jennie, and his siblings, and has six registered progeny to date. One of her daughters, Legendairy Duramax Aurora-P-ET, has a GJPI of +133. The 509-cow herd owned by the Seals family ranks #24 in the nation for genetic merit with a herd average JPI of +62.

Lucky Hill Choice Firecracker, the entry of Nicholas J. McReynolds, Dansville, Vt., placed third in Division II with a record with a value of $8,012.96. His homebred entry made a record of 2-6 305 20,570 5.8% 1,197 4.0% 831 102DCR in her second lactation. She is sired by River Valley Cece Choice-ET, GJPI +35, and appraised Very Good-87%.

She is backed by the same maternal line as his entry in the 2021 youth production contest, JX Lucky Hill Got Maid Oreo Ball {6}, who placed 10th in Division II. The two share the same third dam. Though “Firecracker” has left the herd, Nicholas will continue to develop the family line through a daughter, Lucky Hill Holeinone Fireworks, born in January 2022.

Nicholas’ sister, Abigail, also placed among the top 10 in the division for older cows and their brother, Andrew, won the contest last year with Lucky Hill Plus Pringle {6} and the 2017 Pot O’Gold Production Contest with Avi-Lanche Dazz Buttermilk 12564. The McReynolds family operates Lucky Hill Farm, which ranks #20 nationally for JPI with a herd average index of +64.

Tyler Bohnert, East Moline, Ill., ranked fourth in the division for older cows with his homebred entry, JX Bohnerts Got Maid Fussy {6}. She produced a record with an m.e. of 25,409—1,275—993 and a value of $7,837.08. Actual production for the 2-9 record is 23,930 lbs. milk, 1,260 lbs. fat and 982 lbs. protein.

The four-year-old daughter of JX Sunset Canyon Got Maid {5}-ET, GJPI +121, has improved with age. She produced 15,940 lbs. milk, 874 lbs. fat and 571 lbs. protein as a milking yearling and received a first final score of Desirable-78%. She is now Very Good-82% and recently completed a 3-10 record of 24,460 lbs. milk, 1,260 lbs. fat and 982 lbs. protein. “Fussy {6}” has two daughters, including JX Bohnerts Archie Fairy {6}, with a GJPI of +92.

Rounding out the top five rankings in Division II of the 2022 National Jersey Youth Production Contest is Sophie Bollenbacher, Argos, Ind., with Bolle-Acres Innovation Belle. She made a record with a value of $7,798.59 and an m.e. of 25,347—1,288—965. The actual record is 4-0 305 3x 28,410 5.1% 1,438 3.8% 1,080 91DCR.

The Very Good-83% daughter of BW Innovation, GJPI +10, has been a standout in the milking string at Bolle-Acres Jerseys, operated by her family, from the onset. She made a first record of 21,990 lbs. milk, 1,017 lbs. fat and 791 lbs. protein at 2-0 and followed that up with a second lactation of 23,690 lbs. milk, 1,247 lbs. fat and 900 lbs. protein at 2-11. “Innovation Belle” freshened with her fourth calf in December 2022 and peaked with 110 lbs. milk in March and 109 lbs. milk in May. She is projected to 27,342 lbs. milk, 1,356 lbs. fat and 969 lbs. protein actual at 5-1.

She hails from a long-lived maternal line that includes an Excellent-93% dam with eight lactations and her third dam, Bolle-Acres Sambo Belle, Excellent-90%, who placed five consecutive years in the AJCA Leading Lifetime Production Contest and wound up with more than 335,000 lbs. milk, 15,000 lbs. fat and 11,600 lbs. protein.

“Innovation Belle” has been equally profitable in the heifer calf department, giving birth to a daughter with each of her first three lactations.

The winner of Division I of the 2022 National Jersey Youth Production Contest is Sara Jane Bok, Defiance, Ohio, with Four J Chrome 19117 {6}. In her first lactation, she made a record with a value of $8,816.56 and an m.e. of 32,033—1,435—1,069. Actual production for the 1-7 record is 24,276 lbs. milk, 1,083 lbs. fat and 798 lbs. protein.

The Very Good-80% daughter of River Valley Cece Chrome-ET, GJPI +68, also placed third in the 2023 Pot O’Gold Production Contest. She freshened with her second calf in December 2022 and has an m.e. of 17,308—889—631 on the 2-8 lactation. Sara purchased “Chrome 19117 {6}” from Four J Jerseys, Tipton, Calif., at the 2020 Pot O’Gold Sale.

Cassie Bohnert, East Moline, Ill., a sister to Tyler, placed second in Division I with Bohnerts Madison Annie, who made a 1-11 record with a value of $7,955.53.

The daughter of Prometedor Madison-ET, GJPI +76, is appraised Desirable-77% and made a milking yearling record of 19,370 lbs. milk, 1,202 lbs. milk and 764 lbs. protein, with an m.e. of 23,120—1,403—916. She completed a second lactation of 18,820 lbs. milk, 1,114 lbs. fat and 763 lbs. protein at 2-11.

Cassie has drawn the long straw with both calvings as “Annie” has two daughters by natural birth on which to develop her Jersey herd.

One of three members of the Chittenden family to place among the top rankings in the youth production contest, Jonathan, ranks third with his homebred animal, Dutch Hollo Jiggy Cocoa. The Very Good-85% daughter of JX Kash-In Got Jiggy {6}-ET, GJPI +128, made a 1-8 record with a value of $7,759.34 and an m.e. of 25,247—1,293—946. The actual record is 20,710 lbs. milk, 1,015 lbs. fat and 756 lbs. protein.

“Cocoa” freshened with her second calf in December 2022 and gave 91 lbs. milk for the tester 29 days fresh in January. She has an actual projected record of 22,772 lbs. milk, 1,281 lbs. fat and 860 lbs. protein at 2-10. “Cocoa” is from the same cow family as Jonathan’s entry from last year, Dutch Hollow Chrome Caitlin, who placed seventh in Division I. Their dams are maternal sisters.

Jonathan and his extended family own and operate Dutch Hollow Farms, recipient of the 2012 AJCA Master Breeder Award, in Schodack Landing, N.Y.

Kentucky junior, Jace Briggs of Campbellsville, placed fourth in the division for younger cows with his entry, Walnut Valergo Imp Flower-P. She made a first lactation with an m.e. of 24,532—1,241—932 and a value of $7,524.23. Actual production is 17,840 lbs. milk, 935 lbs. fat and 682 lbs. protein.

Appraised Very Good-86%, the daughter of All Lynns Nikon Valergo-PP, GJPI +5, recently completed a second lactation with an m.e. of 21,325—1,142—829 at 2-11.

Reese Ahlem, Hilmar, Calif., rounded out the top five rankings in Division I with JX JCJ Metal 44353 {5}. The Very Good-81% daughter of JX Avi-Lanche Disco Metal {5}-ET, GJPI +33, made a first lactation with a value of $7,519.92 and an m.e. of 26,028—1,198—961. Actual yield for the 1-10 record is 18,101 lbs. milk, 860 lbs. fat and 671 lbs. protein.

“Metal 44353 {5}” has continued to prove her worth in the milking string owned by Grant Ahlem and his family as she has completed another stellar record and calved three times before her fourth birthday. Her second lactation of 21,620 lbs. milk, 1,058 lbs. fat and 835 lbs. protein has an m.e. of 27,143—1,286—1,038. She calved in June with her third calf, gave 108 lbs. milk on her August test, and is working on a record with a projected m.e. of 26,152—1,380—999. She has an August 2021 daughter by Primus Viceroy Caliban-ET, GJPI +109.

Other juniors to be honored for accomplishments in Division I of the contest are Jacob Bohnert, East Moline, Ill.; Bryson J. Josi, Tillamook, Ore.; Tyler G. Seals, Tillamook, Ore.; Leanne Clark, Tyrone, Pa.; and Zachary S. Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y.

Juniors to be recognized for achievements in Division II of the contest are Anna C. Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y.; Natalie Grumbine, Bethal, Pa.; Abigail E. McReynolds, Danville, Vt.; Elizabeth Hyman, Adams, N.Y.; and Austin Dizek, Hadley, Mass.