Jersey Leaders Donate to Dairy Star’s “Great Christmas Giveaway”

“It happens time and time again that a kid’s 4-H project gets out of hand and becomes a livelihood. How often do we read in the Jersey Journal about someone who got a Jersey calf when they were a kid, and today they are a nationally prominent herd?” said Cal Graber, National All-Jersey (NAJ) Board Member from Parker, S.D.

That was the goal for Cal and his brother Jay, Dave Endres, retired NAJ board member of Jazzy Jerseys, Lodi, Wis., and Owens Farms, Inc., Frederic, Wis., when they were each approached by the Dairy Star to donate a calf for their “Great Christmas Giveaway.”

The Dairy Star is a regional newspaper that covers Minnesota, Northern Iowa, Eastern South Dakota, and Western Wisconsin. Each year the Dairy Star gives away a grand prize of $1,000 to an adult and a donated calf to a youth for the “Great Christmas Giveaway.” The newspaper has two geographic zones, each with their own paper featuring information, advertisements and stories for that area. For the 2019 giveaway, Graber Jerseys donated for Zone 1 and Jazzy Jerseys for Zone 2. “Obviously we would have been happy to have our calf go to any youth, but it was especially fun for it to be this kid’s first Jersey and hopefully have be the start of one of those projects gone wild,” said Endres.

Walter, Wilfred, and Roger Owens, the three brothers of Owens Farms donated a calf a few years ago for the giveaway. Their farm that was established in 1912 milks around 700 Jerseys and is run by three brothers along with five of the next generation.

“We think it’s good for the Jersey breed to donate a calf and we especially like to see Jerseys go to new people,” explained Walter, current NAJ board member. Their calf went to a herd of 100 cows in Iowa, and it was the first Jersey on the farm. “The kid was really excited to get a Jersey calf and that’s what he wanted at the time. Hopefully that is still what he wants, and they have more on the farm.”

Similar reactions were reported from the calf giveaway winners this year. Jazzy Jerseys’ calf went to a 12-year-old boy named Nathan, who was from a 90-cow farm in Central Wisconsin. While the farm has a few of almost every breed, this is Nathan’s first Jersey. “When Nathan and his parents came to pick up the calf, you could tell the whole family was excited. He hopes to show the calf this year at their fair,” explained Endres.

The calf from Graber Jerseys went to Adam, a five-year-old boy from Eastern Iowa. His family milks 80 registered Holsteins and their herd has been closed to outside animals since the 1930s. This Jersey will be the first splash of color in the barn in many years.

“Hopefully it’s the start of a new herd for Adam,” stated Graber. “He was a very mature and sharp kid for five years old and was very excited to pick the calf up.”

Grabers’ donated calf from their 30-cow herd, Graber Maid-Rite Stella, is from a cow family that traces her pedigree back to the 1930s.
“Hopefully she has a heifer calf for them and turns out to be a foundational type of animal on their farm,” said Graber.

JX Jazzy Dox Dot 8330 {4} was the donated calf from the Endres family which milks 800 Registered Jerseys in southern Wisconsin. Dot hails from a cow family with decent production and good type.

“I hope the winning family falls in love with the breed and switches to Jerseys; that’s how it started for us,” said Endres when he was initially interviewed by Dairy Star.

While Graber Jerseys, Owens Farms, and Jazzy Jerseys all have different histories of how they started out raising registered Jerseys, the reasons they fell in love with the Jersey are all very similar.

“Our hope is that these kids and their families discover those same reasons and fall in love with the breed too,” said Endres.

Story contributed by AJCA-NAJ Area Representative Sydney Endres, Lodi, Wis.