Lehr Wins Pot O’Gold Contest with Dutch-Hollow Bred Female

Kylie Margaret Lehr, Canastota, N.Y., has won the top prize in the 2023 Pot O’Gold Production Contest with Dutch Hollow Dashiell Honest. Ranked behind her in second is another cow bred by the Chittenden family, Dutch Hollow Alto Diana, owned by Colin Wussow, Cecil, Wis., winner of the 2020 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest, the 2022 Pot O’Gold Contest, and the 2009 National Jersey Youth Production Contest.

Kylie and Colin and the other juniors who placed in the Pot O’Gold 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 receive certificates and cash prizes from the funds set aside from the sale three years ago.

Records for the production contest were 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.

Since its inception in 1958, the Pot O’Gold Sale has offered youth between the ages of seven and 20 the opportunity to purchase genetically superior heifers from top herds across the country. A percentage of the sale gross (varying from 7-25% over the years) is set aside in a fund and held for three years to provide cash awards for the juniors whose heifers complete the highest records for dollar value.

On November 7, 2020, the 63rd program offered 23 heifers to juniors in the Pot O’Gold Sale in Louisville. From the sale of those heifers, $12,410 was set aside in the fund to pay out this year. It will be distributed as follows: first prize, 18%; second, 11.5%; third, 8%; fourth, 6.5%; fifth, 6%; sixth, 5.5%; seventh, 5%; eighth, 4.5%; ninth and 10th, 4%; 11th-13th, 3%; 14th-16th, 2.5% each; 17th-19th, 2.0%; and 20th-22nd, 1.5%.

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, 17 of the entries met the qualifications to compete in the 2023 edition of the contest. The records had an average m.e. of 24,029—1,137—872 and an average value of $7,000.17.

As mentioned previously, Kylie Lehr won the contest with Dutch Hollow Dashiell Honest. In her first lactation, the daughter of JX Avi-Lanche Viceroy Dashiell {6}-ET, GJPI +85, produced a record with a value of $10,636 to win the contest. Kylie will receive a cash prize of $2,441.31, which exceeds her purchase price of $2,300.

“Honest” has been a profit maker beyond prize winnings. She calved for the first time in late October 2021 at 1-11 and gave 74 lbs. milk for the tester 12 days fresh. She gave more than 100 lbs. milk for three subsequent tests and completed a 305-day record of 28,070 lbs. milk, 1,337 lbs. fat and 1,065 lbs. protein. The m.e. on the record is 36,394—1,720—1,394. She appraised Very Good-85% as a junior two-year-old and was raised to 87 points as a senior two-year-old.

She calved with her second offspring, a heifer registered as Ky-Hi Fringe Honestly, in March 2023. She gave 141 lbs. milk in May and 116 lbs. milk in July and is projected to make another stellar record of 32,992 lbs. milk, 1,455 lbs. fat and 1,395 lbs. protein actual at 3-3.

“Honest” is managed with the herd at Den-Kel Jerseys, owned and operated by Kip and Katie Keller in Byron, N.Y. The Kellers also cared for another winner of the Pot O’Gold Contest (2020) that carried the Chittenden prefix, Dutch Hollow Monument Cherry, owned by Kylie’s brother, John. There is strong competition to shine in the Den-Kel string as it led the nation for all measures of standardized milk production in 2021 and today ranks third for components and fourth for milk.

Kylie purchased “Honest” from AJCA President Alan Owen Chittenden at the 2020 Pot O’Gold Sale. She traces 10 generations back to Dutch Hollow Chief Honey-P, Excellent-90%, a cow transferred to Alan by his mother, Melanie, in 1985. Nine of these dams have records exceeding 20,000 lbs. milk.

Colin Wussow placed second with another Dutch Hollow-bred animal, Dutch Hollow Alto Diana. She made a first lactation with a value of $8,834.56. Colin will receive a check in the amount of $1,559.73. “Diana” was consigned by Karin Chittenden Couch.

The Very Good-80% daughter of JX Forest Glen Alto {6}-ET, GJPI +82, kicked off her milking career with the birth of a daughter, Dutch Hollow Starlord Diane, in July 2021. She peaked with 129 lbs. milk for her January 2022 test and completed an actual 305-day record of 23,530 lbs. milk, 1,150 lbs. fat and 886 lbs. protein. The m.e. of the 1-8 record is 29,750—1,450—1,130. She completed a second 272-day record of 21,020 lbs. milk, 1,034 lbs. fat and 815 lbs. protein at 2-8. “Diana” calved with her third progeny, a heifer named Colins Tucker Dayana, in July 2023.

“Diana” is from the “Deva” cow family at Dutch Hollow. Her grandam, Dutch Hollow Rebel Diva-P, Excellent-92%, won the High Lawn Trophy and the Edyvean Farm Trophy in 2019 and 2020 for lifetime production of components. Her dam and family matriarch, Dutch Hollow Klassic Deva-ET, Very Good-88%, also placed in the lifetime production contest.

Sara Bok, Defiance, Ohio, ranked third in the 2023 Pot O’Gold Production Contest with Four J Chrome 19117 {6}. She also won Division I of the 2022 National Jersey Youth Production Contest. Sara will receive a check for $1,085.03.

Brothers Devin and Brenden Haywood of Hastings, Mich., placed fourth and fifth in the contest with their entries. Devin’s entry, Sun Valley Viceroy Dolly, edged her herdmate by completing a first lactation with a value of $8,070.25. He will receive a cash prize of $881.58.

“Dolly” has proven to be a very worthy investment. She is a Very Good-82% daughter of CDF Viceroy-ET, GJPI +69. “Dolly” calved at 1-11 in September 2021 with a heifer, Sandcreeks Suavecito 14452 (GJPI +119). She gave 71 lbs. milk a month fresh and was consistent across her lactation, never dropping below 79 lbs. and still giving 82 lbs. milk at dry off. She completed an actual record of 24,690 lbs. milk, 1,069 lbs. fat and 881 lbs. protein, with an m.e. of 29,058—1,264—1,052.

She calved again in September 2022 with another heifer, Sandcreeks Graduate 15603 (GJPI +113), and made an actual record of 2-11 3x 32,600 4.2% 1,385 3.6% 1,179 104DCR.

“Dolly” was consigned by AJCA Master Breeders, Bearl A. and Joanne K. Seals, Sun Valley Jerseys, Cloverdale, Ore. Devin purchased her for $4,400 as the fourth high seller of the sale.

Brendon’s entry, Cal-Mart Viceroy Geva 1354, Very Good-84%, a paternal sister to her herdmate, made a first lactation with a value of $7,826.77. He will be presented with a check in the amount of $813.77.

She has been as profitable for Brendon as “Dolly” was for Devin. Among the youngest heifers to sell, “Geva 1354” freshened with a heifer calf, Haywoods Tucker 14934 (GJPI +132) in January 2022. She gave 93 lbs. milk on both her April and August tests and completed a record of 1-11 304 3x 25,430 4.5% 1,134 3.6% 911 104DCR. The m.e. is 27,802—1,283—1,032.

“Geva 1354” calved again in January 2023 with another heifer, Sandcreeks Jiggy 15942 (GJPI +120). She gave 102 lbs. milk 18 days fresh and had 91 lbs. milk on her most recent test. She has an actual projected record of 28,763 lbs. milk, 1,203 lbs. fat and 1,038 lbs. protein at 2-11.

Brendon purchased “Geva 1354” from Martin Dairy LLC, Tillamook, Ore., as the high seller for $6,000.

Devin and Brendon and their family operate Sand Creek Dairy LLC. The dairy ranks #8 in the nation for genetic merit with a herd average JPI of +74 (August 2023). The 260-cow herd ranks fifth in the nation for actual protein production and sixth for fat.

Other juniors being recognized in the 2023 Pot O’Gold Production Contest are Clayton Kirchdoerfer, Cape Girardeau, Mo.; Ivy Hegben, DeForest, Wis.; Sofie Zina, Hadley, Mass.; Ela Hebgen, DeForest, Wis.; Kenley Kessenich, DeForest, Wis.; Bryson Josi; Elaina Hodge, Norwich, Ohio; Addison Josi, Tillamook, Ore.; Makayla Monk, Artesia, N.M.; Jason King, Fremont, Ohio; and Kayley Herrin, Carriere, Miss.

The 66th Pot O’Gold Sale is scheduled for November 4, 2023, in Louisville. The animals purchased from this sale will compete in the 2026 Pot O’Gold Production Contest. It will begin at 7:00 p.m.