North Carolina Meeting 2019

Meeting

Members were brought up to speed on national Jersey activities by Erica Davis, area representative for the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) and National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ). She reported that the AJCA celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2018 in conjunction with the World Jersey Cattle Bureau International Conference and registered 132,166 animals—second high in breed history. A record 49,067 Jersey females were genotyped during 2018, nearly double that of the previous year.

Davis noted that complete results from the A2/A2 milk study funded by NAJ should be available later this year. She told the group efforts to get multiple component pricing adopted in the southeast Federal Milk Marketing Orders have stalled but will resume when market conditions become more favorable.

She encouraged Jersey breeders to capitalize on cattle marketing opportunities at the Kentucky National Sale on April 4 in Louisville, Ky., and the National Heifer Sale on June 28 in Syracuse, N.Y. She also urged them to sign up for the Jersey Value-Added 101 Workshop sponsored by NAJ in Brattleboro, Vt., from April 9-11.

Members were invited to attend the 2019 North Carolina Field Day and consign to the North Carolina Pot O’Gold Sale, to be held at Stamey Farms in Statesville on July 13. Early consignments have been pledged from Biltmore Farms, Fletcher, Chapman Jersey Farm, Taylorsville, Coy Reese, Taylorsville, and Wayne Lutz, Mocksville.

Nancy Keith, extension director for Iredell County, reported on junior activities. She encouraged youth to participate in the 4-H and FFA dairy judging and handlers contest held in conjunction with the inaugural North Carolina Spring Dairy Show at the Dixie Classic Fairground in Winston-Salem on March 22. She also invited them to participate in the state quiz bowl and skill-a-thon on April 6 at the Ag Center and the Southeast Dairy Youth Retreat from July 7-11 in Virginia.

Officers re-elected to serve the organization in 2019 were Corey Lutz, president; Major Bond, Hickory, vice president; Shirley LeForge, Union Grove, secretary; and Coy Reese, treasurer. Jersey breeders elected to serve on the board were Amanda Elmore Baldwin, Statesville, Major Bond, Lonnie F. Hoffner, Mooresville, Lane Karriker, Mocksville, and Kevin Eric Lutz, Lincolnton.

Awards

Juniors were recognized for production and show ring achievements.
Colton Blake Garland, Julian, won the 2019 North Carolina Pot O’Gold Contest with his entry, JX Deerview Lemonhead Bessie {5}. The Very Good-82% daughter of Steinhauers Samson Lemonhead, GJPI +145, produced a 1-10 record with a total dollar value of $5,441.15 to win the contest. Actual production is 18,510 lbs. milk, 940 lbs. fat and 610 lbs. protein (3x milking). Colton received a check in the amount of $1,650.

“Bessie {5}” was consigned to the 2016 North Carolina Pot O’Gold Sale by Coet Munden of Mocksville and milked at Bowman Dairy Inc., in Julian.

Other juniors to place in the contest and receive cash prizes were Luke Holland, Olin; Isabella Haithcox, Taylorsville; Landon Trey Oliver, Burlington; and Brianna Chapman, Taylorsville.

Lane Bolmer, Mount Ulla, received the Kenneth E. Myatt Senior Memorial Trophy for exhibiting the Grand Champion at the 2018 North Carolina Junior Dairy Show, Cowbell Impression Nevada-ET, Very Good-88%.

Senior club members were recognized for production achievements for herd averages and health traits and for individual cow production.

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, earned three of the five trophies for individual cow production. The dairy took home the Biltmore Farms Cup for high milk production among cows three years-of-age and older with JX Randleigh Valentino 2844 {5}. She produced an actual 3-0 record of 26,200 lbs. milk, 958 lbs. fat and 951 lbs. protein, with an m.e. of 30,302–1,070–1,077.

JX Randleigh Gold Luna 2887 {4} earned both the Ray Mayne Trophy for high milk production among cows under three years-of-age and the Myatt-Lutz Cup for high protein production regardless of age. She produced a 1-10 record of 23,240 lbs. milk, 858 lbs. fat and 827 lbs. protein, with an m.e. of 33,182–1,188–1172.

North Carolina State University was the top herd for calving interval with a herd average calving interval of 11.9 months on 57 cows.

Piedmont Jerseys, owned by Corey Lutz and his family, received the other two trophies for individual cow production, both for lifetime production. Piedmont Avery Lindsey, winner of the Sunbeam Farms Trophy for milk production, has lifetime credits of 245,804 lbs. milk. The Excellent-93% daughter of Bancrest Lester Avery, GJPI -2, has a lifetime m.e. average of 20,100–829–706 on 12 lactations and a best record of 5-8 305 23,710 3.7% 876 3.4% 795 102DCR. Though she left the herd at 14 years-of-age in January, her legacy at Piedmont Jerseys continues through five daughters.

Piedmont Sambo Little Bits, Excellent-91%, was the winner of the Howard Odum Trophy for lifetime fat production with 10,627 lbs. in a dozen lactations. The daughter of Lester Sambo, GJPI -33, has an m.e. average of 20,819–970–738 and made her best record of 23,480 lbs. milk, 1,106 lbs. fat and 853 lbs. protein in her most recent lactation at 12-6. Like her former herdmate, she is no longer in the herd, but has five daughters as well.
For the second consecutive year, Moore Jersey Farm, owned by Brian Moore of Mount Ulla, was the state’s leading milk and protein producer. The 96-cow dairy has a herd average of 23,671 lbs. milk, 1,015 lbs. fat and 818 lbs. protein. Moore also received the award for low age at first calving for the second straight year, freshening first calf heifers on average at 20 months.

Bowman Dairy Inc. was the top fat producer with a herd average of 21,131 lbs. milk, 1,038 lbs. fat and 758 lbs. protein on 93 cows.

Chapman Dairy Farm, owned by the Chapman family of Taylorsville, received the award for somatic cell count (SCC) for the second straight year. This past year, the 247-cow herd had an average SCC of 139.