The Wisconsin Holstein Association has scheduled this year’s Barn Meetings for March 24, 28 and 30 and April 1. All meetings will start at 11 a.m. and will feature presentations by Dr. Chris Booth or Dr. Matthew Dorshorst on reproductive tools and current reproduction protocols.

Booth is a food animal veterinarian and partner at Dairy Doctors Veterinary Services located in Plymouth, Wisconsin. He provides medical, surgical and production medicine services to clients ranging from 50 to 3,000 cows, while helping them maximize animal health, production and profitability. Booth frequently provides training sessions for clients in the areas of transition cow care, milk quality and reproduction management. His discussion at the barn meetings will involve utilizing available reproductive tools to meet your herd's reproductive goals.

Dorshorst and his father, Charles Dorshorst, operate a veterinary clinic in central Wisconsin, as well as their dairy farm. Dorshorst specializes in embryo transfer, reproductive ultrasound and other advanced reproductive procedures, including invitro fertilization. His topics for the barn meetings will include a brief summary of current reproduction protocols and the use of ultrasound in herd health reproduction programs. He will also discuss an overview of embryo transfer and other advanced reproductive techniques.

Paradise-D Holsteins
The first of four meetings will be held at Paradise-D Holsteins, the Dan and Nancy Pagenkopf Family, near Lancaster, Wisconsin, on Thursday, March 24. The Pagenkopf family has been involved in the Registered Holstein industry for more than 25 years. Dan and Nancy’s three children, Craig, Scott and Andrea, along with Craig’s wife Ela, help out in various aspects of the farm. The Pagenkopfs also have two additional part-time employees who are mainly relief milkers.

They currently milk 130 Registered Holsteins, and their cows are housed in a 58-cow tie stall barn and a 97-cow free stall facility. The Pagenkopf’s rolling herd average is 26,500 pounds of milk on twice a day milking. They operate a combined 500 acres that are owned and rented, and raise 125 heifers and 60 bulls annually. The milking herd is fed a TMR.

The Pagenkopf family has been marketing Registered Holstein bulls and embryos both domestically and internationally since 1995. Their main goal is to continue to breed and develop strong cow families that interest both the local dairyman as well as the A.I. industry with profitable genetics including production, type and longevity. The herd currently has family members of Paradise-D proven bulls Gilmore, Sparta, Suede, Swift, Mast and Paradise.

The Pagenkopfs are excited to host a barn meeting and hope that Holstein breeders will come out for lunch, speaker Dr. Chris Booth and great fellowship with other Holstein breeders. The farm is located about three miles east of Lancaster on County Road A at 4613 County A, Lancaster.

Forest Ridge Holsteins
The second WHA Barn Meeting will be held on Monday, March 28 at Forest Ridge Holsteins, Kurt and Sarah Loehr, Eden, Wisconsin. Working with the Loehrs on the farm are Kurt's parents, Randy and Ellen, several part-time employees and Kurt's brother, sister, and grandmother who help when needed.

Forest Ridge Holsteins is home to 100 milking females and 140 heifers. Currently, 50 percent of all animals are registered with the remaining half sire ID. The current herd average is 25,500 pounds of milk with 3.8 percent fat and 3.1 percent protein. The Loehrs’ current (and first) BAA in October 2010 was 109.9 percent. The Loehrs run approximately 700 acres of hay and corn, and all crop work is done jointly with Kurt's uncle who farms a half-mile away.

Forest-Ridge is excited to showcase several cows that they are currently working with. They have a full sister and maternal sister of Rosedale Lexington, VG-89, Reserve All-American Junior 2-year-old in 2010. The Loehrs also have a full sister to Van-Goh Durham Treasure, EX-95 Nominated All-American, a Rubens daughter from Greenlea Rub Marlene-Red, EX-94 and Champion of the International Red and White Show at World Dairy Expo, and several descendants of Stelbro Michelle Rubens 3E-93, Nominated Red and White AA 2004, including her daughter Forest-Ridge Minnie, EX-93, who was Nominated Red and White AA in 2009.

Additional cows of interest include Krull Goldwyn Echo, VG-88 and daughter of Krull Elegant Rose, 2E-93 GMD DOM, and granddaughter of Elegance. Forest Ridge Drake Jemma, EX-90 EX-94 MS at 3-06, has seven generations of EX behind her going back to GBM Valiant Starbuck Janice, EX-94 3E. Wegnerlann Durham Geneva, VG-87, is from the Gabby family at Wegnerlann Holsteins, as well as Wegnerlann Miss Universe, fourth and Best Bred and Owned Winter Yearling at the 2010 WI Championship, who is due early March and goes back to Sarah's very first purchased calf at age 11.

The Loehrs open their doors to everyone to see their new and updated facilities. They moved into a brand new special needs barn in December, their tie-stall barn was remodeled in 2008, and their calf barn is just six years old. They try to emphasize that with excellent cow comfort, longevity and productivity will provide financial compensation. The farm is located at W2133 Randellen Lane, Eden. To get to the farm from Fond du Lac, follow Hwy. 23 east about 10 minutes to Hwy. W, turn south on Hwy. W and proceed straight through two stop signs; after the second stop sign, the farm will be on your right.

Harmony-Ho Dairy
Harmony-Ho Dairy, Stratford, Wisconsin, will be hosting the next meeting on Wednesday, March 30. Harmony-Ho Dairy has been home to Ralph and Sharon Bredl since the purchase of the 60-cow dairy in 1989. They constructed their first freestall barn and milking parlor in 1994, and by 1999, a new parlor and freestall addition were built to accommodate the herd’s current size of 415 milking animals.

Harmony-Ho has become a very diverse operation, and in 2000, the Bredls formed a joint herd sire marketing enterprise with Badger Holsteins of Unity, Wisconsin. They sell 80 breeding age bulls annually. In 2004, their daughter Martine joined the farm after graduating from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls. In 2007, Harmony Specialty Dairy Foods was established with the purchase of a local cheese plant, and the Bredls began producing cheese from the Harmony-Ho milk supply. Harmony Specialty Dairy Foods now produces several varieties of cheese, all of which will be available for sampling during their barn meeting.

The Bredl family will be showcasing Genex Genesis cows. Genesis refers to a nucleus of herds utilizing breeding strategies and genetic or reproductive technologies to produce elite, highly profitable males and females resulting from embryo purchases, designated by the CRI suffix, combined with Genex owned females identified with the co-op prefix. In 1999, Harmony-Ho began housing the elite females to provide an unbiased environment.

The Bredl’s 415 milk cows have a rolling herd average at 29,369 pounds milk with 3.89 percent fat and 3.05 percent protein. Their herd pregnancy rate is 22 percent, with a voluntary waiting period of 75 days. The Bredls breeding program focuses on TPI, in addition to udder and feet and leg composite. They own and operate more than 450 tillable acres, and purchase any additional feed needed.

Harmony-Ho is excited to host a 2011 barn meeting, and along with sampling the many cheeses produced by Harmony Specialty Dairy Foods, visitors will hear featured speaker Dr. Matthew Dorshorst, DVM. The farm is located at B3571 River Rd., Stratford. Directions to the farm from from Marshfield: North on Hwy. 97 (9 miles), east on County Hwy. C (1 mile), north on River Road (1.5 miles), and the farm is on the west side of road. From the north/Hwy. 29 go south on Hwy. 97 (10 miles), east on County Hwy. C (1 mile), north on River Road (1.5 miles), and farm is on the west side of road.

Welsh-Edge Holsteins
The fourth and final barn meeting will be held on Friday, April 1 at Welsh-Edge Holsteins, the Ralph and Sheila Petersheim Family of Viroqua, Wisconsin. Welsh-Edge Holsteins has been a family run operation since Ralph and Sheila married in 1985. Their family includes six children and a son-in-law, Heather and Mike Metzler, Derek, Daniel, Heidi, David and Hope. All children are involved part-time in the operation.

The Petersheims moved to their current location in southwest Wisconsin in 1995. Before purchasing their Vernon County farm, they rented Ralph’s home farm in Pennsylvania, which was nestled along the Welsh Mountain. They sold their herd before moving to Wisconsin, and purchased the grade herd that was on the farm. Ralph and Sheila did, however, bring a load of heifers and calves as well as Welsh-Edge Leadman Ginger. Welsh-Edge has become a 100 percent registered herd once again since their relocation.

Welsh-Edge is home to 90 milking females in a remodeled 70-cow sand bedded tie stall barn. The herd’s rolling herd average is right at 21,000 pounds milk, with 3.7 percent fat and 3.0 percent protein. The BAA is 108 percent, with 16 Excellent, 32 Very Good and 29 Good Plus cows. The Petersheims pasture the milking herd extensively during the growing season. Their desire is to remain profitable but not necessarily to break records. Ralph and Sheila accomplish remain profitable by grazing and feeding high forage diets, which translates into healthy, low maintenance, cows with great longevity. Approximately 70 percent of the cows that leave Welsh-Edge are sold for dairy purposes, which greatly enhances the farm’s bottom line.

Ralph and Sheila have invested in several cow families over the years, including DRA-August, Bic Betty, Blackrose, and Rudolph Amy. While they enjoy working with these families and their offspring, their favorites remain in their Leadman Ginger family. This family continues to easily transmit true dairy strength and high scoring cows. The Petersheims are milking daughters of Durham Gingerheart, EX-92 3E, by Astronomical (EX-91), Roy (EX-92, EX-90, VG-86, and GP-80 at 2 yrs, with none lower), Stormin Norman (VG-86, VG-85, VG-85) Stormatic (VG-85), and an exciting Plaid that needs to see a classifier.

The Petersheim family is looking forward to hosting this Barn Meeting and invites you to join them for lunch and speaker Dr. Matthew Dorshorst. The farm is located at E5633A Sag City Rd., Viroqua, Wisconsin. To get to the farm from Viroqua go south on US-14/US-61/WI-27 and turn right onto WI-27/WI-82, follow WI-27 for 7 miles, turn right onto Sag City Road and go 2 miles to farm on left side of road.

For questions regarding these meetings or other WHA events, contact the WHA office at (800) 223-4269 or visit the website. PD

—From WHA news release