September 1998 Black and White Briefs

500 Head Offered In New Consignment Sale
A new consignment sale with a different twist is slated for October 16. Named the Breeders’ Springer Heifer Bonanza, the sale will feature 400 Holsteins, 50 Brown Swiss and 50 Jerseys - all bred heifers due to calve from November 1 to mid-December. The new sale will be held in conjunction with the Western Dairy Expo, October 15 & 16 in Tulare, CA. The heifers will be sold 10 at a time, with each consigned “lot” of heifers coming from an individual breeder. Included will be registered and non-ID heifers with the number one requirement for the sale being good conformation, according to Dallas Burton of Burton-Fellers Sales, the sale manager. A limited number of open heifers and service-age bulls will also be offered, but will be sold absentee.
Available performance information for each lot of heifers will be listed on a two-page spread in the sale’s catalog, which will also include a brief summary about the consignor’s operation. Consignor commission for the sale will be 12% for registered heifers and 10% for non-ID heifers. “We think this is the direction our breed is going. For buyers who need replacements or are expanding, this is a way for them to buy a semi-load with just a few bids. If they like what they get, they can go back to the consignor for more,” Burton points out. “For sellers, it’s a way to sell an entire group of surplus, uniform heifers and tap into the California market, which is strong right now.”

Disqualifications at Midwest Spring National
Holstein Association U.S.A. has confirmed three high-placing animals were disqualified at the Midwest Spring National Holstein Show held April 8 in Jefferson, WI. Animals named to replace these individuals were moved up in class and now carry these official placings: C Tovmill Astro Carol is winning 125,000-lb. Cow, Senior & Grand Champion Female, exhibited by Carrousel Farms, Orangeville, IL. She replaces Stookey ElmPrk Blackrose-ET *RC, exhibited by Robert Schauf, Barron, WI, Mark Rueth, Jefferson, WI and Mark Van Mersbergen, Lynden, WA. Miss Mark Maui, exhibited by Joel Kietzman, Clinton, WI, J.W. & J.F. Sigwarth
and J. Breitbach, Holy Cross, IA and the top 6-year-old & over cow, is now Reserve Senior Champion Female. The Reserve Grand Champion Female is now Moondale Fantastic, winning senior 2-year-old in milk for Vernice & Dan Moon, Moondale Farm, Monona, IA. Frandale Astro Marge-ET, exhibited by Mayer Farms, Slinger, WI moves up from second to first in the 5-year-old in milk class, replacing Krull Broker Elegance, exhibited by John & Tom Cull, Budjon Farms, Pewaukee, WI & Joel Kietzman, who was disqualified. In the junior 3-year-old in milk class, Whitnell Raider Bau, the entry of Gary Thalacker, Thal-View Dairy, Edgerton, WI, was disqualified. She is replaced in second by Budjon Stardust Sophia, the entry of Patrick Cull, Pewaukee, WI. The remaining six animals in class also move up one placing. With these placing changes, Willows Edge Holsteins, New Richmond, WI becomes Premier Breeder & Exhibitor of the show.

ABS Honors Southwind
ABS Global Inc. recently paid tribute to Southwind Bell Of Bar-Lee and his breeders, Robert and Byron Yeoman of Sandy-Dale Farms, Dover, OK, at a luncheon ceremony. Southwind, a 14-year-old sire in ABS Global’s lineup, has produced and sold over 1.2 million units of semen, according to Dick Smith, center, ABS Sire Acquisitions Manager. To produce this amount of semen units there were approximately: 3123 ejaculates in 1041 collections; 14,035 eggs cracked for use as semen extender; 18,000 pieces of processing equipment cleaned; and 156,000 individual cells evaluated for quality and motility, according to an ABS Global report.

Holstein Association Committees Named
At its June 30 organization meeting, Holstein Association USA leaders named key committees for the coming year. Committee members appointed by the board: Executive - Chairman Tom Nunes, Dave Pierson, Linda Hodorff, John Howard, Ron Wood, Richard Keene and James “Bud” Leckie Jr.; Field Operations - Chairwoman Linda Hodorff, Ron Wood, Ray Ruby, Edgar Miller, Henry Beneke and Tom Nunes; Finance - Chairman Dave Pierson, Randy Gross, John Emerling, Jim Spreng and James “Bud” Leckie Jr.; Genetic Advancement - Chairman John Howard, C. Ray Bennett, Elmo Wendorf Jr., John Gross, Ron Schaufelberger and Charles Worden; International - Chairman Richard Keene, James “Bud” Leckie, Tom Nunes, Dave
Pierson, Linda Hodorff, John Howard, Ron Wood, Ray Bennett and Steve Kerr; Pension - Chairman Tom Nunes, Dave Pierson and Steve Kerr; Milk Advisory - Chairman Gordon Cook, remainder of committee to be announced; Type Advisory - To be announced.
Holstein Association USA officers include: President Richard Keene, Vice President James “Bud” Leckie, Jr., Chief Executive Officer Steve Kerr and Treasurer Ted Kuchinski, Jr.

Internet Auction Format Modified
The Dutch auction format which began in June for the AMS/COW Internet Embryo Auction (“Internet Embryo Auction Has New Format, Sale Manager,” page 14, July Holstein World) has been modified. Now a bidder can reserve a bid by posting it any day instead of waiting for the day when the listed Dutch auction price reaches the level they want to bid. As always, the listed price of consignments will drop each day, but now a bidder does not have to check the price each day to see if it is at the level they want to bid. The bid will be successful when the daily listed price reaches the posted bid, unless it is purchased for a higher bid or reaches the minimum bid before that.

New Structure For Holstein Association Sales and Marketing
In an effort to provide consistent and effective sales and marketing effort, Holstein Association USA has established a marketing and sales department which is the umbrella over the areas of field staff, marketing communications and customer service. Dave Hollis, who formerly served as director of marketing, has been named the executive director of marketing and sales. In this position he will oversee and coordinate the sales and marketing of Holstein Association USA products and services. Holstein will be hiring a director of sales and sales training to provide technical and sales support and training of regional field reps and field reps (formerly titled part time reps). “Initially, members will not notice an appreciable difference. However, long term their service will be enhanced by a field staff which receives more technical training and support,” says Tom Moses, Holstein Association USA executive assistant, administrative affairs. Also as part of the restructuring, Mel Hertzler, who previously held the position of director, field service reps, will be relocating to the Southwest
to become a regional field rep in this growing dairy area.

New England Picnic
A beautiful location, fine food and good company set the scene for those who attended the New England Holstein Association Picnic, July 11, at the Putney School, Putney, VT. Home of Elm Lea Farm, the Putney School is a private, four-year preparatory high school that was started in 1935. It has been located on a dairy farm since its origin and presently houses a 30-cow herd managed by Peter Stickney. A tour of the school and dairy facilities were part of the mid-day activities, as well as a catered lunch, brief meeting and drawing for door prizes.

NY Holstein Association Picnic
Approximately 250 people attended the New York Holstein Association picnic July 12 at Kings Ransom Farm, Schuylerville, NY. The farm is owned by Edgar and Carolyn King and their sons, Jeff and Jan. Visitors were invited to tour the farm and the Bed & Breakfast Carolyn operates out of their beautiful farmhouse. Following a chicken barbecue, a magician provided entertainment. The New York Junior Holstein Association sponsored a silent auction of donated crafts and other items throughout the event. A total of $350 was raised and added to the New York Junior Scholarship Fund.