News & FYI

2012 National Convention Delegates
The following will represent Iowa as delegates to the National Holstein Convention, June 29-30 in Springfield, Missouri:
Mark Knudtson, 313 Hwy 9, Waukon, IA 52172
563-568-3790 • knudtson@neitel.net
Sheri Danhof, 107 2nd Ave NE, Waukon, IA 52172
563-568-2055 • regancre@neitel.net
Matt Hamlett, 3669 B Ave • Arlington, IA 50606
563-933-4323 • hamletthill@yahoo.com
Larry Landsgard, 18239 Gunder Rd • St. Olaf, IA 52072
563-783-2489 • lansgard@netins.net

National Director’s Report
Welcome Spring!!! Was Winter ever here? Maybe not like we’ve seen the past several years. I pray everything finds you well and enjoying our wonderful weather.

Holstein Association USA again has had a great year with the highest number of registrations with over 360,000. Not since there were over 120,000 herds in the U.S., have we processed that many registrations. Complete is still growing with a 7% gain in cows and 4% in herds.

Classification also had a banner year with the team of classifiers evaluating 5% more animals than the previous year even when the set program being down 11% which was anticipated.

At the time of writing this, we have four candidates running for four positions on the board: Jonathan Lamb - at large incumbent, Bill Wright - Region 8 incumbent, R. Paul Burh, Jr. - Region 5, Pat Maddox - Region 9. We are looking for possible opponents for these candidates to make more competitive races. In 2013 we will need to find a replacement for Region 6 as my 6-year term will be up. If you have someone in mind that you feel would do a great job, please give them something to think about by putting a bug in their ear. Or if you feel this may be right up your alley, please give me a call. This last year will go really fast.

Genomics is still the talk of the town. Where is it going and how is it affecting the general population of dairy cattle is quite concerning. We as a board continually discuss how it has narrowed our gene pool rather than expand it which we hoped it would do. It has devalued a lot of really great cattle just because the numbers do not stack up.

My concern is that when we use the calculator to make breeding decisions we are in a whole lot of trouble. Genomics is not a bad thing, but it has been over-valued. The only way to prove the value of what genomics says is to have real phenotypic data to prove it. That means, milk records must continue to be sampled and type evaluations must be done. On the type side, we are falling behind. We as dairy farmers are the only ones that can change this process by how we spend our money on semen. As long as we spend the majority of our dollars on high genomic young sires and not on proven bulls, the bull studs will continue to push genomics as the only way. We have the power to change that, but only by how we spend our money.

I hope you have had a chance to see and read the new proposal from Holstein USA, called Dairy Genetic Evaluation Consortium compared to the DDA proposal. If not, give me a call.

This years regional meeting will be March 28, 2012 (1-4 pm) in conjunction with the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, SD. A different format will be used at this meeting.

Also new this year, Holstein USA is releasing a Dairy management software program entitled “Dairy Rhythms”. It will work extremely well with any size dairy and interface with Holstein USA and ATA. This software will provide three options for Complete. Complete as it has been in the past, Complete with ATA, and Complete with ATA and Dairy Rhythms. There will be price incentives for the two new Complete options. The field reps have the information to help you choose the best option for your dairy.

If at any time you have concerns or questions please do not hesitate to contact me. I appreciate all your comments.

Thanks for allowing me to serve you!
Leroy Eggink

From the Field
By Dennis Devore, Holstein USA Field Rep

Spring has sprung. Or at least I think it has. It’s the end of January and its 50 degrees outside and I think my lawn is turning a little bit green. Before we know it fields will be planted and 4-Her’s will be breaking those show heifers, practicing for their big days. The calendar year may begin in January but the farm year seems to renew in the spring.

This spring also marks the release of Dairy Rhythms, the herd management software developed by the Holstein Association through ATA. ATA is a record processing center owned by the Association. Rhythms has a couple of unique features. Dairy Rhythms offers genetic management tools unavailable elsewhere. Rhythms allows the herd owner to order and sort and store pedigrees. One feature that I find handy is Rhythm’s ability to load recipient data into directly into Easy. I’ve only been using the program for a few days, but I’m finding it fairly easy to maneuver around in and is extremely flexible. Rhythms is available at a discounted rate to Complete herds. If you would like a demonstration, let me know. An informational webinar for Dairy Rhythms will be on Monday March 12 (1-2 PM EST). Click here to register for the event.

Complete herds will also receive a quantity discount on genomic testing in 2012. The first 15 tests will be at normal price. Herds that run 16-50 tests will get a 3% discount. Every test after 50 will receive a 7% discount. The discount will be credited to your account at the end of the year.

Let’s finish with some dates to remember. June 1 is the deadline for the transfer of animals to juniors to be eligible for Junior Shows. Remember the earlier you send those transfers in the sooner you’ll get them back! The Regional Meeting will be March 28th at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The State Sale will be March 17th at West Union. I hope to see you all there.