The 68th National Heifer Sale: An Evening to Remember
The 68th National Heifer Sale is one for the memory books, not for the premium genetics that were cataloged, but for an unexpected turn of events leading up to it. On the afternoon of June 25, severe storms swept through Lexington, Ky., knocking out power at the Embassy Suites-UK Coldstream—the sale venue and headquarters for the annual meetings of the national Jersey organizations.
With limited options and no clear end in sight for the outage, Jersey Marketing Service adopted the old showbiz motto “the show must go on.” The sale proceeded in a throwback setting, reminiscent of decades past, with limited technology and few amenities. For about two-thirds of the sale, CowBuyer.com enabled live viewing and online bidding. Once batteries drained, bidding continued live and over the phone.
When auctioneer Chris Hill brought the gavel down for the final time, 40 lots were struck off for an average of $3,799.38 and a gross of $151,975, proving that not even a blackout could dim the spirit for the event that is one of the largest fundraisers for Jersey youth activities. Ten percent of the gross—$15,197— will be deposited in the National Jersey Youth Development Fund.
Matthew Steiner of Pine Tree Jerseys, Marshallville, Ohio, purchased the high seller, Peak 236297 {6}-ET, for $11,500. The November 2024 daughter of JX Peak Altafarva {6}-ET, GJPI +180, ranked #56 on the list of the Top 500 Herd Register and Generation Count 5-6 Females on sale day and ranks #71 today with a GJPI of +183 (July 2025). She has Genomic Predicted Transmitting Abilities (GPTAs) of +687M, +38F and +30P and is +1.5 for Cow Conception Rate (CCR) and +3.3 for Heifer Conception Rate (HCR).
Her dam, sired by Primus Comanche Kestrel-P-ET, GJPI +116, has a GJPI of +142. She has a maternal brother in A.I. and a maternal sister ranked among the breed’s top 1.5% for GJPI. Their dam, sired by JX Twinridge Altasasso {4}-ET, GJPI +124, has a GJPI of +157. The next dam is a daughter of JX Cal-Mart Westport {5}-ET, GJPI +101.
“Peak 236297 {6}” was consigned by Peak Genetics, Watertown, Wis.
Sexing Technologies, South Charleston, Ohio, was the final bidder on the second high sale. The genetics company took home JX Ahlem Altamalachi Charm 69191 {6} for $11,100. The deep-pedigreed daughter of Peak Altamalachi-ET, GJPI +140, born in late August 2024 ranks on the same genetic list as the high seller with a GJPI of +173. She has GPTAs of +298M, +47F (+0.17%) and +25P (+0.07%) and is +1.4 for CCR and HCR and +0.7 for Type.
Her dam is a Very Good-85% daughter of ISDK VJ Raastrup Hihl Gislev, GJPI +139, a two-lactation m.e. of 24,545—1,381—985. She currently ranks among the breed’s top 400 genotyped cows with an index of +148. She has four Very Good maternal sisters with records over 20,000 lbs. milk, three ranked for genetic merit on sale day as well. Among them is JX Ahlem Thrasher Charm 60304 {5}-ET, Very Good-85%, with 24,180 lbs. milk, 1,394 lbs. fat and 976 lbs. protein at 3-1.
The grandam of “Charm 69191 {6}” is sired by Cal-Mart Medalist Pilgrim, GJPI +92. The next dam, JX Ahlem Vandrell-G Charm 48114 {3}, Very Good-83%, has an m.e. average of 18,009—900—722 on four records. The fourth dam, Ahlem Frontrunner Charm 43930, Very Good-86%, has seven complete lactations—three over 20,000 lbs. milk—and a best record of 6-10 278 3x 21,460 4.6% 997 3.7% 798 95DCR.
The fifth dam of “Charm 69191 {6}” is Ahlem Valentino Charm 39652, Excellent-01%. She has a top record of 20,790 lbs. milk, 868 lbs. fat and 759 lbs. protein at 3-7. The next six dams are Very Good; four have m.e. averages over 20,000 lbs. milk.
“Charm 69191 {6}” was consigned by Ahlem Farms Partnership, Hilmar, Calif.
Victory Farms LLC, Revillo, S.D., purchased the third high-selling lot with a final bid of $7,300. With the successful bid, the dairy purchased rights to control the next in vitro fertilization (IVF) session with Kash-In Thrasher 76560 {5}, with a guarantee of a minimum of eight #1 or #2 embryos from one or more sessions.
“Thrasher 76560 {5}” currently ranks #6 among Herd Register and Generation Count 5-6 females with a GJPI of +193. The “Thrasher {6}” daughter has GPTAs of +845M, +48F and +33P and is plus for component tests, CCR and HCR and is +0.9 for Type. She has a maternal brother in A.I. and a maternal sister ranked for genetic merit as well.
Their dam is a Very Good-85% daughter of JX Progenesis Circle {5}-ET, GJPI +138, with 21,380 lbs. milk, 1,146 lbs. fat (5.3%) and 834 lbs. protein (3.9%) in her first lactation at 1-11. She calved again at 2-11 and has a projected m.e. of 24,460 lbs. milk on that record. The next dam, sired by JX Ahlem Frisco Pine {6}-ET, GJPI +117, is appraised Excellent-91% and has a three-lactation m.e. average of 23,694—1,197—906.
The third dam of “Thrasher 76560 {5}” is a Very Good-85% daughter of Heartland Irwin Texas-ET, GJPI +18, with a pair of records over 20,000 lbs. milk, 1,000 lbs. fat and 750 lbs. protein. The next dam has an m.e. average of 24,823—1,252—927 on two records.
The IVF session was consigned by Kash-In Jerseys, Tulare, Calif.
As the volume buyer of the day, Sexing Technologies also purchased the fourth high seller, JX T-D-I Clooney 18074 {5}, for $6,800. The December 2024 daughter of JX Primus Geppetto Clooney {6}-ET, GJPI +160, ranks #108 on the list of Herd Register and Generation Count 5-6 Females with a GJPI of +180. She has GPTAs of +1,119M, +54F and +42P, is +573 for Cheese Merit Dollars and plus for CCR and HCR. She has a maternal brother in A.I.
Their dam is an Excellent-90% daughter of JX CDF JLS Pilgrim Thrasher {6}-ET, GJPI +175, with a two-lactation m.e. average of 20,307—1,017—790. She has a GJPI of +143. The next dam, sired by DP Kilowatt Amp-ET, GJPI +39, is appraised Very Good-80% and has a pair of records over 20,000 lbs. milk.
The third dam of “Clooney 18074 {5} is a daughter of JX Ahlem Harris Baltazar {5}-ET, GJPI +39, with an m.e. average of 19,154—798—690 on four lactations. The next dam has three records over 20,000 lbs. milk.
“Clooney 18074 {5}” was consigned by The Dairy Inc., Five Points, Calif.
In all, Sexing Technologies purchased eight lots for $45,200.
Rounding out the top five high-selling lots was another IVF session, purchased by Vierra Dairy, Hilmar, Calif., for $6,500. The dairy purchased rights to control the next IVF session with JX Dupat Cabal 28672 {6}-ET, with a guaranteed minimum of eight #1 or #2 embryos from one or more sessions.
The daughter of JX Primus Watkins Cabal {5}-ET, GJPI +154, currently ranks #52 among Herd Register and Generation Count 5-6 females with an index of +185. She has GPTAs of +675M, +27F and +25P. She is +3.4 for CCR, +2.1 for HCR and +3.0 for Daughter Pregnancy Rate.
Her dam is a Very Good-82% “Thrasher {6}” daughter with an m.e. average of 19,457—1,053—769 on two records. She has two maternal brothers in A.I. and eight maternal sisters appraised Very Good or Excellent, all with records over 21,000 lbs. milk and to 27,000 lbs. milk. Two ranked among the top 1.5% for GJPI on sale day. Their dam, sired by JX Sunset Canyon Got Maid {5}-ET, GJPI +110, has three records—all over 23,000 lbs. milk—and a top milk record of 4-7 305 3x 28,190 4.6% 1,300 3.7% 1,038 104DCR.
The third dam of “Cabal 28672 {6}” is Dupat Critic 406P-ET, Excellent-92%. She has nine complete lactations—five of them over 20,000 lbs. milk. The next dam is a Very Good-86% daughter of Schultz Rescue Headline, GJPI +18, with a two lactation m.e. average of 20,719—996—736. The Excellent-91% fifth dam of “Cabal 28672 {6}” has three records over 23,000 lbs. milk. The next five dams are Very Good with stellar production.
The IVF session was consigned by fellow Hilmar Jersey breeders Wickstrom Jersey Farms Inc.
Two donation lots were also auctioned to raise funds for junior programs. JX Primus Mist Caity 54479 {6}-ET was struck off for $4,800 to Lauren and Luke Albright, Willard, Ohio. Donated by Jerseyland Sires of Turlock, Calif., proceeds will go to the Fred Stout Experience program in memory of Ray Schooley. “Caity 54479 {6}” is an October 2024 daughter of MM S-S-I Duramax Mist-ET, GJPI +143, out of an Excellent-92% dam with two records over 23,000 lbs. milk. Her eighth dam is two-time National Grand Champion Pleasant Nook F Prize Circus, Excellent-97%. The cow family has been heavily merchandised, and several contemporary bulls are in A.I.
JX TLJ Crispin Hilife 3175 {6}-ET sold for $4,300 to her breeder, Travis Lehnertz, Plainview, Minnesota. She was donated by Select Sires and Jerseyland of Plain City, Ohio, who purchased her from Lehnertz at last year’s National Heifer Sale as the third high seller. She is due to Valsigna Pine Blizzard, GJPI +147, on Christmas Eve. Proceeds will go to Jersey Youth Academy.
In all, 21 buyers from 13 states made purchases.
