Archive for St. Jacobs

RAINYRIDGE TALENT BARBARA: 2013 Canadian Cow of the Year Nominee

The journey of Rainyridge Talent Barbara EX95 3* to the 2013 Cow of the Year nomination is one where genetics, breeder passion and marketing potential all came together in one cow. Barbara is a 4th Generation Excellent Red Carrier recognized and admired worldwide for her exploits as a show cow. Her impact on the Rainyridge herd is the stuff that cattle breeding dreams are made of.  The next chapter of Barbara’s intriguing story will no doubt be defined by her growing influence as a brood cow.   (Read more: LASTING LEGACY: A Tribute to Rainyridge Talent Barbara and RAINYRIDGE HOLSTEINS: A Turn in the Road)

RAINYRIDGE TALENT BARBARA EX-94-CAN EX-95-5YR-USA

RAINYRIDGE TALENT BARBARA EX-94-CAN EX-95-5YR-USA

A Winning Pedigree

Rainyridge Talent Barbara EX95 3* comes from the Rainyridge Tony Beauty EX-5E 9* cow family.  Tony Beauty goes down in history as the oldest Grand Champion that has ever won World Dairy Expo. This occurred in 1999.  Beauty was a well respected show cow by all standards, having achieved All Canadian and All American Mature Cow status multiple times.  Barbara`s own dam is RF Outside Breeze EX94 2*, with show winnings and two Superior Lactations. Behind Breeze is the EX 2E 6* Rainyridge Briana Milan. Then comes Barbara’s 4th dam Tony Beauty. On the sire side, Talent Barbara comes from a solid sire stack including Talent, Outside, Milan, and Tony. Superior Type and Extra and Gold Medal sires fill her pedigree.

RAINYRIDGE TONY BEAUTY EX-5E-CAN 9* - 3rd dam of Barbara

RAINYRIDGE TONY BEAUTY EX-5E-CAN 9* – 3rd dam of Barbara

Barbara, Breeze, Briana and Beauty all have low inbreeding percentages.  In today`s day and age that is looked for.

The Spotlight Shines on Barbara`s Performance and Production Awards

In both production and classification, Talent Barbara was just like all the others in the Tony Beauty family. She kept improving with age. Talent Barbara first gained recognition early in her productive life when, at 26 days fresh as a two year old, she was made VG86. She continued to go 87 and 88 as a two year old in subsequent classifications.  As a three year old, during her second lactation, she went VG89 (maximum score). In her third lactation she earned EX92. While in Canada she was raised to EX94 and in the US she scored EX95 in 2010.

Her production records also set her apart. Talent Barbara earned 1 Superior Lactation at three years four months. She has completed three lactations totalling 45,920kg.of milk, 3.9% fat and 3.2 protein. Rounding out her excellent career to date is her exceptional conformation index (CONF) which stands at +15, putting her in the top 1% of the breed in Canada.

Talent Barbara Has Got Talent!

Talent Barbara started her show career as a Junior three year old in 2008, when she placed first at the Manitoba Spring Show, first 3 year old at the Westerner Championship and Intermediate Champion and Reserve Grand there as well. Quite a start. She was 1st 4 yr old and Grand Champion at both the 2009 Manitoba Spring Show and the Morris Exhibition.  She was Honorable Mention Grand at the Calgary Spring Show in 2009.

As a show cow, she really came to the forefront as a five year old with these outstanding results:

  • All Canadian and All American 5 Yr Old 2010
  • 1st 5-YR Royal 2010
  • 1st 5-YR Madison 2010
  •  Grand Champion Morris 2010

Celebrity Barbara has Star Power Progeny

Talent Barbara was well travelled among elite breeders in both Canada and the US including Kueffner-St. Jacobs where emphasis was placed on producing show type progeny from this Bull Dam.  Barbara currently has 38 progeny and in 2013 they shone. (Read more: KUEFFNER DAIRY TEAMWORK “2 Dream the Impossible Dream!” and The Judge’s Choice – Investment advice from Tim Abbott)

Her best mate was Charlesdale Superstition. She has three VG high indexing daughters from that mating. In June of 2013 her daughter Rainyridge Super Beauty classified VG87 as a two year old and topped the Rainyridge dispersal at $48,000. At that same sale in June 2013 she had six daughters sell for $97,200. Cornerstead bought many of those six daughters and already owned Rainyridge Super Belinda VG85 2yr old.

Rainyridge Super Beth VG-86-CAN 2yr.

Rainyridge Super Beth VG-86-CAN 2yr.
Dam to the #1 GPA-LPI Red Carrier Heifer, Calbrett Supersire Barb *RC
Calbrett Supersire Barb *RC is the top seller of the Cormdale Summer Sale for $265.000
Daughter of Rainyridge Talent Barbara

In July of 2013 Talent Barbara`s daughter, Rainyridge Super Beth VG86 sold for $75,000 in the Cormdale Summer Sale and Beth`s daughter, Calbrett Supersire Barb, topped the sale at $265,000.  Barb, Barbara`s grand-daughter, was the number one gLPI and gTPI RDC heifer. Her DGV is very high at +3600 gLPI.

Talent Barbara`s first proven son came out in 2013, Rainyridge Perseus, sired by Jasper with +12 for CONF, +0.46% F and +0.11P. Barbara will have more proven sons because she was on the St. Jacob`s bull dam program.

RAINYRIDGE RAMPAGE BARB RED VG-86-3YR-CAN - daughter of Barbara

RAINYRIDGE RAMPAGE BARB RED VG-86-3YR-CAN – daughter of Barbara

To end off 2013 she had her first Excellent daughter, Rainyridge Rampage Barb RED EX92 as a third calver. Talent Barbara’s 10 daughters are 1EX, 8VG, 1 GP and their average BCAs are 221-230-217.

Many more progeny can be expected to make their mark. Talent Barbara has several Goldwyn daughters born in 2013 at River Valley Farm in Ohio.  Furthermore she has young sons and daughters by Lauthority, Destry, Secure and Ladd P at EK-St.Jacobs.

As a Cow of the Year, Talent Barbara represents herself very well as a show cow and as the dam of elite progeny

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Each of the nominees is a winner in her own right simply for getting this far. Over the next few days we will get to know all of the nominees better.  Some are already household names.  Others are less familiar.  Obviously they are all worthy of cheering on to the finish line. Who is your pick for 2013 Cow of the Year?

Please like and share if you think Barbara should be the 2013 Canadian Cow of the Year!

The Cow of the Year nominee booklet which includes a resume on each finalist and a voting card will be mailed to Holstein Canada members in the February-March 2014 Info Holstein. Voting options include mailing the postage-paid, tear-off voting ballot; faxing your ballot; emailing your vote to cowoftheyear@holstein.ca; or voting online from a confidential Holstein Canada online account.

 

 

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All-American Dairy Show: To Go or Not To Go?

This week there is a great dairy event going on in Harrisburg Pennsylvania.  It is the 50th All-American Dairy Show and I find myself wondering whether it is worth going or not?

The Cattle

When I am deciding if it is worth going to the show, I first look at what cattle are going to be there.  There have been times I have driven 10 hours just to go to a small show because I knew that show would have some great cattle.  There are other times that I have not gone to a show that was under an hour’s drive away.

all-american Supreme 2012

Supreme Champion entries during the 2012 All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, pictured from left to right: Brown Swiss entry Dublin-Hills Treats exhibited by Kyle Barton, Copake Falls, N.Y.; Red & White entry MS Glad Ray Morefun -Red exhibited by Jarrod Duepengiesser of Nunda, N.Y.; Milking Shorthorn entry Mi-Sans Acres O Lust-ET exhibited by Mark Riley of Williamsfield, Ohio.; owner Gene Iager; Jersey entry Cascadia Iatola Puzzle exhibited by Emily Thornburg, Pleasant Plain, Ohio; Ayrshire entry Sunny Acres Rattler’s Kacie exhibited by Andrew Evans of Georgetown, N.Y.; Guernsey entry Walnut Ridge Russ Noper exhibited by Kaitlin G. Moser of Middletown, Del.; and Holstein entry Savage-Leigh Leona-ET exhibited by Chip Savage of Copake Falls, N.Y. (Photo by All-American Dairy Show)

This week in Harrisburg there will be five breed shows as well as junior shows and showmanship classes.  It will be a great event to get to see many breeders.  But for me it’s not the numbers it’s the quality.  And while the All-American Show carries a title that would have you think that it is fully representative of cattle across the US, unfortunately due to it’s location and timing, less than a month from World Dairy Expo, many breeders have to choose between the two shows, and except for Jersey’s many of the other breed shows are missing the headliners that will go on to be All-American.

In talking with the owners and cattlemen responsible for looking after the headliners for World Dairy Expo, they all admit that they would love to go to the show this week.  It’s a great show that the Pennsylvania department of agriculture does a great job supporting.  However, there comes a point that you just cannot take these great cows to many more shows.  By the time you hit the county, state and spring shows you have already put a fair bit of strain on these animals.  To add another whole show, that for most requires a long ride, may be too much for these cows that still need to look their best less than a month later at World Dairy Expo.  Though if you happen to be judging at World Dairy Expo and have an All-American nomination level animal, this show becomes very important.

2012 All-American grand

The Reserve Grand and Senior Holstein Champion is Witaker Stormatic Rae owned by Craig Walton and Gene Iager, Iager is at the halter. Savage-Leigh Leona-ET was the 2012 Grand Champion and Senior Champion Holstein exhibited by Christopher and Isha Savage, pictured with sons Chase and Connor. Holding the Champion Banner is Pennsylvania Alternate Dairy Princess, Deidra Bollinger. (Photo by All-American Dairy Show)

Having said that, there is one headliner that I know is going to the show, Butz-Butler Gold Barbara EX-92.  Gold Barbara, the unanimous All-American and All-Canadian in 2013, has calved again and is now owned by Kueffner Holsteins, St. Jacobs, Dr. Matt Iager and River Valley Dairy.  (Read more:  Sold- All-Canadian & Unanimous All-American Senior 2 year old from 2012 to Keuffner, St. Jacobs, Dr. Matt Iager and River Valley)  Here is a cow that from reports I have heard since she calved may be worth the trip in her own right.

HF29450Butz-ButlerGoldBarbara-ET

Butz-Butler Gold Barbara EX-92 (Max)
(Goldwyn x Regancrest Brasilia EX-92 x PR Barbie EX-92 x Brina EX-92)
All-Canadian & Unanimous All-American Senior 2 Year Old 2012
1st Senior 2 Year Old & HM Intermediate Champion Royal Winter Fair 2012
1st Senior 2 Year Old WDE 2012
Reserve Intermediate Champion WDE 2012

The Coverage

In this digital age, it’s amazing the coverage we get on all events.  With many publications desperate for content, the All-American show is a great opportunity to cover all audiences.  With all the major breeders and juniors there, there is certainly a strong readership among seed stock producers who would be interested in the results.

Supreme Champion lineup for the 10th annual Premier National Jr. Events at the 2013 All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg. (L-R): Pennsylvania FFA President Christopher Toevs; Agriculture Secretary George Greig; Red & White Grand Champion and exhibitor Cyrus Conrad of Sharon Springs, N.Y.; Milking Shorthorn Grand Champion and exhibitor Treven Andrews, Mansfield, Pa.; Jersey Grand Champion and exhibitor Patrick Youse, Ridgely, Md.; Supreme Champion, the Holstein, and exhibitor Chase Savage, Union Bridge, Md.; Grand Champion Guernsey and exhibitor Marshall Overholt, Big Prarie, Ohio; Grand Champion Brown Swiss and exhibitor Jesse Hargrave, Heuvelton, N.Y.; Grand Champion Ayrshire and exhibitor Jordan Helsley, Roaring Spring, Pa.; PA Dairy Princess Maria Jo Noble, Gillette, Bradford Co.; and Maryland FFA Vice-President Maegan Olson. (Photo by All-American Dairy Show)

Supreme Champion lineup for the 10th annual Premier National Jr. Events at the 2013 All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg. (L-R): Pennsylvania FFA President Christopher Toevs; Agriculture Secretary George Greig; Red & White Grand Champion and exhibitor Cyrus Conrad of Sharon Springs, N.Y.; Milking Shorthorn Grand Champion and exhibitor Treven Andrews, Mansfield, Pa.; Jersey Grand Champion and exhibitor Patrick Youse, Ridgely, Md.; Supreme Champion, the Holstein, and exhibitor Chase Savage, Union Bridge, Md.; Grand Champion Guernsey and exhibitor Marshall Overholt, Big Prarie, Ohio; Grand Champion Brown Swiss and exhibitor Jesse Hargrave, Heuvelton, N.Y.; Grand Champion Ayrshire and exhibitor Jordan Helsley, Roaring Spring, Pa.; PA Dairy Princess Maria Jo Noble, Gillette, Bradford Co.; and Maryland FFA Vice-President Maegan Olson. (Photo by All-American Dairy Show)

Even the show itself does a great job of covering the show.  There have been 24 press releases put out by the Pennsylvania department of agriculture since the last show.  In addition, they also offer a webcast of the show starting tomorrow.  Certainly great additional coverage for those that are not able to make the drive.  I do think these digital mediums affect the attendance at the shows, but they also increase the overall reach of the events, by reaching out to the whole world.  (Read more: Who is going to the show?  Why attendance is down at the dairy cattle shows).

The Bullvine Bottom Line

It truly is a perplexing decision.  I am sure there will many great breeders to chat with, and, with Barbara and the many other cattle that will be there.  There will undoubtedly be some great cattle to see.  However, with many of the headliners not there and such a long drive, it has us thinking about not attending…Stay tuned for our final decision.

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