Young Jersey Breeders Named for 2026

Rocha Impuls Whitney-ET, Very Good-89%, was an instrumental purchase for Tommy from the Pot O’Gold Sale in Louisville, Ky. “Whitney” went on to win the production contest three years later. She also produced several sons that went into AI, and multiple descendants have been consigned to the Pot O’Gold Sale.

Building on “Whitney’s” success, Tommy continued investing in promising genetics. A few years later, Tommy made another key purchase from the Pot O’Gold, Jars of Clay Iatola 2751-ET, Very Good-87%. Her son, All Lynns Valentino Irwin-ET, has influenced the Jersey breed worldwide. Today, he has sired over 4,500 daughters, including a National Jersey Jug Futurity winner, multiple grand champions around the world, and a plethora of high-scoring daughters.

“Tommy is the driving force behind the success of All Lynns Jerseys today,” said Herby Lutz, Jersey Development Manager for Select Sires, Chester, N.C. “He had a keen interest in genetics from an early age and has provided the breed with some influential sires.”

His investments into his herd early on set Tommy with a great foundation of animals. In fact, one of his favorite ways to give back is to consign animals to the Pot O’Gold Sale down in Louisville, Ky. He also consigns animals to other key events throughout the year, such as the Top of the World at World Dairy Expo and the All American Jersey Sale.

“The consignment I am most proud of to date is syndicating All-Lynns Chatham Martini-ET to the All American,” wrote Tommy in his application. “He is elite in JPI, while still having impressive JUI and DPR numbers. It was very exciting as a breeder to know these genetics were going to be made available to all breeders.”

Today, Tommy’s herd consists of 15 Registered Jerseys. While he does not have a milking herd on site, he aspires to build a facility to house donors and show animals. He would also like to expand the number of calves he raises on milk and house cattle for other breeders.

Currently, Tommy purchases individuals he believes can be donors, creates embryos through embryo transfer or invitro fertilization and then resells the donors as bred heifers. He implants the embryos into donors from Endres Jazzy Jerseys in Lodi, Wis., and picks up the calves at about one week of age.

“This practices reduces my cost per donor and makes it so I do not have to pay a boarding bill on milking females,” explained Allen.

Tommy also enjoys dabbling in show cattle, which gives him another outlet for creating the next best mating. He’s passionate about developing cattle to the best of their potential, which has been evident in the results he’s seen inside and outside of the showring.

A graduate of the second class of Jersey Youth Academy, Tommy was active in the Wisconsin Junior Jersey Breeder Association growing up which led to him serving as a director at-large in the adult organization today. He also serves on the board for his local Farm Bureau chapter.

“Jersey cattle have always provided for me,” wrote Allen in his application. “A Jersey bull paid for me to go to college and a show cow paid for my wedding. Today, I have the financial ability to raise my children because of the Jersey breed. I look forward to pushing the breed forward while maintaining the friendships I have built for the rest of my career.”

Tommy is supported in his endeavors by his wife, Amanda, and daughters, Cora and Gwen. His commitment to advancing the Jersey breed and nurturing the next generation remains unwavering.

Sydney and Mitchell are graduates of Jersey Youth Academy and continue to advocate for other Jersey youth to attend. Sydney also served as the 2013 National Jersey Queen. Amid those involvements, the pair were each still active on the farm in various aspects.

After high school, Sydney attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, obtaining degrees in dairy science and life science communications. For three years, she worked full-time as an area representative and type traits appraiser for the American Jersey Cattle Association prior to returning to the farm full-time in 2022.

After high school, Mitchell attended the Diesel Driving School to obtain his CDL and heavy equipment certification. He worked for excavation and landscaping businesses before transitioning to a full-time role on the farm.

“We both had an active role on the farm while working elsewhere but gained valuable experiences off the farm, assuring that we did indeed want to return,” noted the pair in their application.

Today, Sydney manages the people, cows and accounting on the dairy. In addition to those responsibilities, she oversees the farm store, retail meat business and co-manages the family’s Beck’s Seed dealership with her father. Mitchell is responsible for cropping and nutrition. The pair works alongside their father to make management decisions.

Sydney and Mitchell have worked diligently to continue bringing value to the farm from their previous experiences. Simple protocols such as lung scoring, colostrum supplementation, and beef-on-dairy breeding strategies have increased herd profitability. They are also constantly looking at ways to increase cow comfort and improve health, whether it is through milking protocols or building improvements.

These efforts have paid off, as today, herd has an actual rolling herd average of 17,492 lbs. of milk, 867 lbs. of fat and 672 lbs. of protein on 942 cows. Jazzy Jerseys is a long-time REAP herd and Equity supporter and uses JerseyMate to help create the next generation of their herd.

Scott Schultz, a farm consultant with GENEX, wrote in a letter of support, “The Endres family embodies the spirit of farming. Their community involvement, hard work and passion for the Jersey cow set them apart as leaders in the agriculture industry.”

The Endres family has always believed in serving their communities. They are each involved in their local fair, Mitchell helping with operational duties and Sydney overseeing an educational barnyard and being the co-superintendent of the dairy show. They are also active in the Columbia County Farm Bureau. Both believe in educating and advocating for agriculture, which led the farm to welcome 1,500 people in 2025 for the Columbia County Moo Day Brunch.

“With their prime location among a large residential community, instead of sitting back, they (Sydney and Mitchell) take a proactive role of educating and connecting the public,” commended Leah James, WJBA President.

“You will often find the herd featured on the local news channels, highlighting the importance of dairy operations and what they do to drive value throughout our local and state communities.”

Sydney also serves as the secretary/treasurer for the Wisconsin Jersey Breeders Association and is active in the county dairy promotion committee. She also sits on their local cross-country ski board.

In the next 12 months, the pair hope to increase milk production on the farm by five pounds per animal and to construct a new heifer facility for their weaned calves through 7 months of age. Mitchell, Sydney, and Dave are also going to continue working together on the farm transition plan to have things formally outlined and a timeline put into place for the future of Endres Jazzy Jerseys.

Mitchell and his wife, Paige, have two daughters, Eleanor and Loretta. Sydney is married to Eddie and together they have a son, Cooper. Both Mitchell and Sydney want to provide a life like the one they had growing up for their young families.

He went on to attend Texas A&M University, where he earned degrees in dairy science and wildlife and fisheries science. On campus, he was involved with the Dairy Science Club and the dairy judging and Dairy Challenge teams.

After graduation, he returned home to the farm. Due to the economy, times became increasingly challenging financially, which led the family to consider pursuing different revenue streams with their milk. Ultimately, the family decided they were not ready to stop dairy farming and started bottling and marketing their raw, Registered Jersey milk and products. This complemented their already present agri-tourism business, where they also sold beef from their Angus herd.

Love found Neal moving to the Texas panhandle while his wife, Kayla, attended veterinary school at Texas Tech. Neal began working at Dairy Foundation, a multi-site dairy farm with locations in Texas and Oklahoma. They milked over 6,500 head of Holstein, Jerseys and Norwegian Red crosses while raising the replacements onsite.

Neal took on a variety of roles during that time. He managed youngstock, worked with the farm cropping department, managed the irrigation systems, and oversaw the small beef herd and its rotational grazing operation.

“Neal is a self-starter and self-motivator,” explained Ron Welper, General Manager for United Ag, LLC. “It is obvious to those whom he has worked with that he pursues excellence in all that he does.”

In May of 2025, Neal and Kayla returned home to LaGrange, where she now works for a local veterinary clinic and Neal on the family farm. While Neal was gone, the farm grew and expanded its offerings.

Today, they have over 300 animals onsite between the milking herd and replacements. In addition to milk and beef, they also sell lamb and pork from the farm store. They have moved to a fully intensive grazing operation, moving paddocks daily and using different crops to supplement during the various growing seasons via no-till planting methods.

The family also operates a wildlife management business that offers deer hunting for interested parties, which Neal oversees. This was a value-added opportunity added to the farm in 1998. This is just another of the many hats that Neal wears in the family business.

“Frerich Dairy’s management practices, while differing from conventional dairies, are profit-focused and based around the expectations of their end customers,” said Mike Brown, VP of Dairy Market Intelligence for T.C. Jacoby, Inc., in a letter of support.

“This allows them to achieve price multiples above conventional milk values, making this family farm of over 135 years sustainable for present and future generations.”

In the future, the Frerichs plan to expand their store to include milk, meat, clean food, and wellness products. They are also going to expand the facility’s educational components. Eventually, they would like to make their own cheese, butter and cream, as well as increase production of yogurt and chocolate and java milk products.

As for Neal’s thoughts on the future, he wrote, “As long as we continue to have happy Jerseys, we will have happy customers.”

The pair met when Kristen began milking at Gil-Bar Farms after her first year at UW-Madison. Corey was working full-time for the Barlass family,  responsible for milking chores, sick and fresh-cow care and some fieldwork. It was that experience that inspired his fondness for Jersey cattle, as he appreciated their smaller size, feed efficiency, health traits, and milk components.

So began Corey’s journey to dairy farming. He started purchasing young stock and raising them to become the future of his milking herd. In 2017, the Metcalf family broke ground on the dairy. With his parents, Terry and Jane, they built a machine shed, freestall barn, parlor and manure pit. At the time, the herd consisted of 350 Registered Jerseys and was milked twice per day.

In 2023, the Metcalfs added onto the freestall barn and doubled the current barn to 750 stalls. Today, the herd currently consists of 800 milking Registered Jerseys, along with 30 Holsteins which trace back to Kristen’s family’s roots. With the expansion, they began milking three times per day.

Today, both Corey and Kristen work on the farm full-time with support from Corey’s parents. They also employ nine full-time and one part-time employee.

In December 2025, the herd boasted a rolling herd 20,730 lbs. milk with 1,137 lbs. fat and 808 lbs. protein on 810 cows. This is testament to the dedicated breeding program that the Metcalfs have established over the years.

In partnership with Jersey Marketing Service (JMS), Corey and his parents have made key purchases over the years to continue bettering the genetics in their herd. Corey chooses bulls based on JPI, production and strength traits. They also genomic test every female in their herd. The Metcalfs were also early adopters of the beef-on-dairy breeding strategies.

The Metcalfs have sent several bulls to genetic companies and have exported embryos to other countries. In fact, they syndicated Metcalf Double Dare in the All American Jersey Sale in 2022 with Semex.

“What truly sets Corey and Kristen apart is their progressive approach to genetic selection,” said Eric Zwiefelhofer, Central US Sales Manager at STGenetics. “They were adopters of genomic testing and continue to test their entire herd, fully utilizing the information in their breeding decisions and genetic creation.”

Both Corey and Kristen find it important to give back to their community and industry organizations. Kristen regularly judges at county and district shows, as well is the coach and junior advisor for the Rock County Junior Holstein Association and the dairy judging and dairy quiz bowl teams. In addition, she serves on the board of Dairy Farms of Wisconsin, the state dairy check-off organization. Corey and Kristen are both active members of the Milton FFA Alumni.

The Metcalfs are known for their willingness to open the farm to others. In a letter of support, Leah James, Wisconsin Jersey Breeders Association President, said, “Corey and Kristen are quick to help young people, regularly hosting countless tours on the operation. From community dairy breakfasts to school-aged children, or international industry guests, Glacier Edge Dairy is a welcoming stop that prioritizes advocacy, cow comfort, and highlighting deep genetics.”

The future is bright for this determined young couple. They have ambitious plans, but the most important step is to watch their daughter, Olivia, celebrate her first birthday and raise her on the family farm.

The sisters dove head-first into this venture. Guided by seasoned mentors, Michelle and Rose immersed themselves in the art and science of making breeding decisions, carefully selecting sires to enhance their herd’s quality.

Mish-Ro Jerseys is enrolled in REAP and is an Equity member. By 2003, after years of dedicated and strategic mating decisions, the Morian sisters hosted their first appraiser from the American Jersey Cattle Association. To their surprise, they were three-for-three on Very Good appraisal scores, including a Very Good-87% first-calf two-year-old. Today, the herd has developed over 35 Excellent Registered Jerseys with one earning Excellent-95%, four at Excellent-94%, three at Excellent-93% and six appraised at Excellent-92%.

“From the moment they became involved in the dairy world, Rose and Michelle distinguished themselves through a level of work ethic that rivals many seasoned breeders,” wrote Heather Boughner, Morrel Family Farms of Cochranton, Pa., in a letter of support. “They are not simply participants; they are active learners who embrace responsibility, take pride in their care for animals and consistently seek ways to improve.”

Both Michelle and Rose enjoy breeding exceptional cattle. In 2019, they exhibited the fifth-place milking yearling heifer, Mish-Ro VIP Shabbat Shalom, Very Good-88%, at the All American Jersey Show in Louisville, Ky. They have also sent one young bull to Masterpiece Genetics from their herd star, Mish-Ro Comerica Lettie, Excellent-94%. “Lettie” has three lactations over 9.0% combined fat and protein with each of those lactations producing over 1,300 lbs. of fat. They are excited to see the impact her genetics have on the Jersey breed.

Outside of the farm, both Michelle and Rose are active in industry-related organizations. The dynamic duo served as coaches for the Crawford County 4-H Dairy Judging team for a combined 20 years. Michelle is the chairman of the Western Pennsylvania Jersey Show, which had 71 entries for its inaugural show in 2025. She has also stood center stage at the Pennsylvania All-American where she was the official judge for the 2017 Intermediate Showmanship Contest.

Rose serves on the Crawford County DHIA Board, and is the proud editor of the Pennsylvania Holstein Profiles. She has grown the magazine substantially and is a medium for breeders to highlight and showcase their hard-earned efforts.

“The Jersey breed is fortunate to have these two young women who are advocates for agriculture, dairy farming and simply being good stewards,” commended Sara Barlass, former AJCA Area Representative.  “Their goal to continue offering all-around sound, lasting Jerseys for others to purchase and build their own herds is an asset to their future and the breed.”

The future of Mish-Ro Jerseys is bright. They will continue to breed balanced cows who are healthy and thrive in any environment. This is key to their success, as they rely on marketing their genetics to supplement the farm’s income. Michelle and Rose enjoy paying it forward by mentoring first-time Jersey owners, offering encouragement just as they once received.

“Our idea of the modern ideal Jersey is a healthy cow that breeds back each lactation, milks well and has high components,” described Brent in his application.

They make conscious efforts to use unproven sires and to research cow families before introducing new genetics into the herd.

“My breeding philosophy centers on producing cows that excel beyond linear evaluation – cows that make milk, contribute to farm profitability and produce sons worthy of use across the industry,” explained Brent.

Since joining the farm full-time, Brent has assumed responsibility of the show herd manager and also the herd health management for the commercial dairy. His daily responsibilities include managing the herd health, relief breeding, maternity and fresh cow care, calf and heifer care and overall show cow management.

In 2021, Brent pushed the family to explore the benefits of the REAP program and the farm enrolled. Today, all Jersey calves are registered and they participate in whole herd appraisal twice per year.

“I am a firm believer that accurate linear appraisal scores not only benefit my herd, but have a profound impact on the breed as a whole,” explained Brent of his intentional efforts to have each animal seen a minimum of once per lactation.

Today, the herd boasts an average type appraisal score of Very Good-85% on approximately 1,600 animals. Over 90% of the first-lactation animals are appraised Very Good, with Pacific Edge breeding and developing 21 two-year-olds that have earned the maximum score of Very Good-89% in their first lactation.

Brent is the sole operator of the show program at Pacific Edge. He oversees animal care and selection, as well as presentation for the show ring. Brent mates all the animals and has a very specific strategy to his IVF and embryo transfer program. Most recently, they have started adding high JPI and health index values to their show families, with the intent of creating good brood cows for a variety of herd types. This has paid dividends for the Rochas as they have marketed animals around North America and embryos internationally.

Kristin Hogan Killgore described Brent as having an exceptional eye for quality Jersey cattle, but more importantly, as having the ability to see potential beyond what most recognize.

“His understanding of cattle structure, balance and breed character allows him to develop animals to their full potential through thoughtful management and daily dedication,” she explained.

Pacific Edge Premier Diva, Excellent-96%, has been a cornerstone to the Pacific Edge show and breeding program. Bred and owned by Brent, “Diva” has claimed multiple banners in her showring career, but has started to influence the Jersey breed with her ability to transmit her genetics to the next generations. She has over 100 registered offspring to date, with sons marketing semen and several in the AI pipeline.

Brent takes pride in developing good cows into great cattle, which has led to the Pacific Edge team to earn the esteemed Premier Breeder banner three times each at World Dairy Expo and the All American Jersey Show. They have exhibited two National Jersey Jug Futurity winners, earned two Reserve National Grand Champion titles, several Champion Bred and Owned banners, along with a multitude of All American and Reserve All American honors with homebred females.

“As a fellow Jersey breeder and judge, I have been able to watch Brent thrive and achieve his goals, specifically in the show ring,” said Trent Kilgus, of Kilgus Dairy, Fairbury, Ill., in a letter of support.

“When I judged the Western National Jersey Show in 2024, it was evident Brent’s vision of his breeding program was on full display with the consistency in every animal they brought into the ring – cows with strength, great feet and legs, that you know work hard at home.”