Jersey Production Achievements for 2024 Recognized
Outstanding production achievements of three cows will be recognized at the annual meeting of the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) in Lexington, Ky., on June 28, 2025.
For the second consecutive year, Oakfield TBone Vivianne-ET, owned by Kevin and Annetta Herrington, Dansville, N.Y., has topped every division of the AJCA Leading Living Lifetime Production Contest. She will receive the Ogston Trophy for milk, the High Lawn Trophy for fat and the Edyvean Farm Trophy for protein production. Her lifetime totals through December 31, 2024, are 310,396 lbs. milk, 16,748 lbs. fat and 12,547 lbs. protein in 4,091 days.
JX Red Top Altamontra 56128 {5}, owned by Red Top Jerseys, Hilmar, Calif., will receive the President’s Trophy for protein production with a 2-9 record with a mature equivalent (m.e.) of 1,331 lbs. protein.
JX Evergreen Gus 3660 {4}, owned by Evergreen Dairy, Antigo, Wis., will be presented with the Hilmar Cheese Yield Trophy for actual cheese production with a 7-0 record of 4,267 lbs. cheese yield.
Leading Living Lifetime Production Contest
The 2024 Leading Living Lifetime Production Contest distinguishes cows alive as of December 31, 2024, who produced a minimum of 225,000 lbs. milk, 10,000 lbs. fat or 8,000 lbs. protein. Twenty-five cows qualified for the contest. Fourteen of them are represented in the top 10 placings for milk, fat or protein. As a group, the top 10 in each division produced 256,235 lbs. milk, 13,115 lbs. fat and 9,616 lbs. protein, with average daily production of 77.2 lbs. milk, 4.1 lbs. fat and 3.0 lbs. protein. They hail from farms in just three states: Iowa, New York and Ohio.
A genetically diverse group, the 14 cows represented in the top placings in each division are sired by 13 different bulls. BW Surefire, GJPI -15, is the only bull that sired multiple daughters ranked among the top 10, at two.
As mentioned, “Vivianne” was the top producer in every contest division. She first placed in the contest in 2021, ranked second in each category the following year, and won every division last year and this year. She calved eight times, most recently in October 2021, and was in the milking string through June 2024. During the calendar year, she added 16,720 lbs. milk, 1,055 lbs. fat and 774 lbs. protein to her lifetime totals. Her average daily production stands at 75.9 lbs. milk, 4.1 lbs. fat and 3.1 lbs. protein.
Seven of her eight lactations exceed 21,000 lbs. milk and two are over 30,000 lbs. milk. Two lactations rank on the current National Class Leader list for production among cows 10 years and over. Her 10-10 record (28,060 lbs. milk, 1,418 lbs. fat, 1,095 lbs. protein) ranks for protein and cheese yield (3,671 lbs.). Her 11-10 record (31,720 lbs. milk, 1,676 lbs. fat, 1,179 lbs. protein) ranks for milk, fat and protein and is the class leader for cheese yield at 4,078 lbs.
“Vivianne” is the highest appraised matriarch in the contest, at Excellent-96%, and has the most registered progeny at 76. Sired by Richies Jace TBone A 364, GJPI -4, she was bred by Alicia and Jonathan Lamb, Oakfield, N.Y., and purchased by the Herringtons privately in June 2010 after they bought her full sister as a choice in the Oakfield Corners Spring Sensation Sale in 2009. Her grandam is Huronia Centurion Veronica 20J. The Herringtons have heavily marketed descendants from the “Queen of the Barn” over the years.
Lawtons Academy Kassie, one of six matriarchs at Lawton Jersey Farm, Newark Valley, N.Y., to rank in the lifetime production contest this year, moves up in the rankings this year with lifetime totals of 266,263 lbs. milk, 11,176 lbs. fat and 8,999 lbs. protein in 3,416 days. She first placed in the contest in 2022 and ranks second for milk and eighth for protein in the 2024 contest.
The Excellent-95% daughter of BW Academy-ET. GJPI +50, freshened with her 10th calf in July 2024 and celebrated her 13th birthday three months later. year. “Kassie” recently completed that lactation with 17,710 lbs. milk, 739 lbs. fat and 583 lbs. protein in 305 days. She made an actual record of 19,510 lbs. milk, 817 lbs. fat and 654 lbs. protein as a milking yearling and then completed eight lactations over 23,000 lbs. milk. She has a top record of 4-1 305 28,400 4.4% 1,237 3.4% 964 102DCR. Her daily production is 77.9 lbs. milk, 3.3 lbs. fat and 2.6 lbs. protein.
“Kassie’s” herdmate, Lawtons Legal Peanut, ranks in the competition again this year with 264,868 lbs. milk, 13,620 lbs. fat and 10,229 lbs. protein in 3,202 days. Like “Kassie,” she made her debut in the lifetime production contest in 2022, rose in the component rankings last year and placed second for components and third for milk this year. Her daily production stands at 82.7 lbs. milk, 4.3 lbs. fat and 3.2 lbs. protein.
Owned by Jersey junior Nathan Lawton, she is a fourth-generation Excellent, scored 91 points and sired by Tollenaars Impuls Legal 233-ET, GJPI +8. She was an early production star, with more than 19,700 lbs. milk in her first lactation followed by seven consecutive lactations over 26,000 lbs. milk. She made her best record of 31,150 lbs. milk, 1,576 lbs. fat and 1,179 lbs. protein at 7-11. “Peanut” calved in late September 2024 with a heifer calf—Lawtons Engineer Patches—and just completed a 305-day record of 15,790 lbs. milk, 843 lbs. fat and 584 lbs. protein at 12-8.
“Kassie,” “Peanut” and the other members of the milking string at Lawton Jersey Farm are paying the bills, with an actual 2024 herd average 21,964 lbs. milk, 1,081 lbs. fat and 781 lbs. protein. The herd ranks ninth nationally for milk on an actual basis and seventh for standardized production. With the December herd appraisal, the herd includes 50 Excellents and 34 Very Goods (none lower) and has an average final score of 89.5%. Cows are managed in a tiestall barn and four group pens. The Lawtons attribute their high production to consistent feed quality and constant access to production and profitability along with genetics and cow comfort.
A newcomer to the top rankings, SSF Jade Bethany, places fourth for milk and protein and sixth for fat with lifetime totals of 255,209 lbs. milk, 12,788 lbs. fat and 9,463 lbs. protein in 5,056 days. Her daily production is 50.5 lbs. milk, 2.5 lbs. fat and 1.9 lbs. protein.
“Bethany” is owned by Charles F. Luchsinger of Silver Springs Farm in Syracuse, N.Y. She is an Excellent-95% daughter of Giprat Belles Jade-ET, GJPI +14, with 11 complete lactations. The oldest of the matriarchs in the contest, she turned 19 years old in August 2024 and is living out her days in the pastures and barns at Silver Springs Farm. She has a pair of records over 19,600 lbs. milk and an m.e. average of 17,587 – 866 – 631. Her last official test was in March 2023. She has four registered daughters.
Rounding out the top five rankings in the milk division is another member of the herd at Lawton Jersey Farm, Lawtons Galvanize Ernie. She placed in the contest for the first time last year and rose in the rankings this year, bolstered by the contest’s highest daily milk and fat production (85.5 lbs. milk, 4.5 lbs. fat and 3.1 lbs. protein). Her lifetime totals of 253,019 lbs. milk, 13,094 lbs. fat and 9,131 lbs. protein in 2,959 days rank fifth for milk and fat and seventh for protein.
Sired by Buttercrest Galvanize, GJPI +17, she is appraised Excellent-93% and has an m.e. average of 28,415 – 1,465 – 1,009 on eight records. She has a top record of 31,790 lbs. milk, 1,596 lbs. fat and 1,108 lbs. protein at 8-10. “Ernie” last calved in December 2023 with a heifer—Lawtons Candyman Emory—and completed a 10-3 record of 24,900 lbs. milk, 1,290 lbs. fat 852 lbs. production in October 2024. She was confirmed pregnant in late 2024 and is due in late August.
The fourth member of the herd at Lawton Jersey Farm to earn a spot on the lifetime leader list is Lawtons Champ Half, owned by Nathan’s brother, Ryan. She ranks third for fat, fifth for protein and eighth for milk with 242,714 lbs. milk, 13,418 lbs. fat and 9,330 lbs. protein in 3,296 days. Daily production for these totals is 73.6 lbs. milk, 4.1 lbs. fat and 2.8 lbs. protein.
The 13-year-old daughter of Margandale Cherry Champ, GJPI +2, is appraised Excellent-90%. She made 16,600 lbs. milk as a yearling to start her milking career and then gave 19,600 lbs. in her second lactation. She made more than 24,000 lbs. milk in each of the next six lactations and then freshened with her ninth calf to start her current lactation on May Day in 2024. The 305-day totals for this 12-5 record are 21,720 lbs. milk, 1,167 lbs. fat and 769 lbs. protein. She has a best record of 8-10 305 27,840 5.6% 1,562 3.7% 1,031 102DCR.
“Half” is a product of the Pot O’Gold program. Ryan purchased her dam, SAR Walker Harley, from Clifford Henry Stiles of Newberry, S.C., at the Pot O’Gold Sale in 2009. “Half” has five registered daughters.
The final cow ranked among the top five in the component divisions of the 2024 Leading Living Lifetime Production Contest is Cinnamon Ridge Visionry Chastity-ET, owned by Amy Maxwell of Cinnamon Ridge Dairy Farm in Donahue, Iowa. She moves up two places in both the fat and protein categories from her debut in last year’s contest ranked fourth for fat and third for protein. Her lifetime totals are 244,412 lbs. milk, 13,280 lbs. fat and 9,837 lbs. protein in 3,339 days. Her daily average is 73.2 lbs. milk, 4.0 lbs. fat and 2.9 lbs. protein.
The Very Good-84% daughter of All Lynns Legal Visionary-ET, GJPI +55, made 15,700 lbs. milk in her first lactation as a milking yearling and followed this up with seven records over 20,000 lbs. milk. “Chastity” has a best record of 8-6 305 3x 28,800 5.2% 1,492 3.9% 1,109 104DCR. The 12-year-old recently freshened with her ninth calf in late March 2025 and has a projected 305-day record of 20,277 lbs. milk, 1,109 lbs. fat and 740 lbs. fat actual at 12-7.
“Chastity” is out of Cinnamon Ridge Artis Praise, Very Good-87%, who won many production awards for Amy in youth competitions and was in the donor dam program at Cinnamon Ridge. Amy purchased her dam, Woodstock Hallmark Louisa, from Woodstock Dairy, Corning, Calif., in the 2007 Pot O’Gold Sale. Cinnamon Ridge Nitro Noble-ET, a maternal sister to “Chastity,” won the Hilmar Cheese Yield Trophy in 2022.
Cows are milked in a robotic facility at Cinnamon Ridge Dairy Farm, owned and operated by Amy’s family. The dairy leads the nation in milk and fat production on an actual and standardized basis. The herd has an actual 2024 herd average of 25,891 lbs. milk, 1,186 lbs. fat and 949 lbs. protein and a herd average JPI of +54 following the April 2025 genetic evaluations.
President’s Trophy and Hilmar Cheese Yield Trophy
As mentioned, JX Red Top Altamontra 56128 {5} is the winner of the President’s Trophy. This award is for the Registered Jersey with the highest protein yield on an m.e. basis. In her second lactation, “Altamontra 56128 {5}” made a 2-9 record with an m.e. of 35,070 – 1,703 – 1,331 to win the award. Actual production was 28,350 lbs. milk, 1,433 lbs. fat and 1,109 lbs. protein.
A Very Good-82% daughter of JX Peak Altamontra {6}-ET, GJPI +75, she made 20,320 lbs. milk, 1,033 lbs. fat and 794 lbs. protein in her first lactation as a milking yearling. She freshened with her third calf in late August 2024 and has an actual projected 305-day record of 23,000 lbs. milk, 1,193 lbs. fat and 888 lbs. protein at 3-10. She has one daughter in the herd: JX Red Top Midway 65961 {6}.
Red Top Jerseys ranks third in the nation for milk production with a 2024 lactation average (m.e.) of 25,013 lbs. milk, 1,216 lbs. fat and 934 lbs. protein on 5,688 cows. The herd also ranks among the top 10 herds in the country for genetic merit with a herd average JPI of +83 (April 2025) on 2,991 cows.
JX Evergreen Gus 3660 {4}, the winner of the Hilmar Cheese Yield Trophy, is a Very Good-82% daughter of JX Faria Brothers Gus Fring {3}, GJPI +5. In her sixth lactation at 7-0, she produced 33,700 lbs. milk, 1,597 lbs. fat and 1,235 lbs. protein, with a cheese yield equivalent of 4,267 lbs. to win the award.
The milk wagon was a standout in the milking string at Evergreen Dairy from the outset. She gave more than 90 lbs. of milk for the tester three times in her first lactation and wound up with an actual record greater than 25,000 lbs. milk. In her second and third lactations, she made more than 28,000 lbs. milk and followed this with a pair of records over 30,000 lbs. milk.
Though “Gus 3660 {4}” left the herd in June 2024, her legacy continues through two registered daughters. The production gap has been filled by other high producers at Evergreen Dairy, which ranks ninth in the nation for actual fat production with a 2024 herd average of 20,147 lbs. milk, 1,158 lbs. fat and 785 lbs. protein on 733 cows. The dairy also ranks among the top 60 herds for genetic merit with a herd average JPI of +67 (April 2025).
