DCRC names Excellence in Dairy Cattle Reproduction Award winners

With dairy cattle reproduction success playing a key role in dairy farm profitability and sustainability, the Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) honored 24 dairies for reaching exceptional reproduction achievements. These dairies received Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze in DCRC’s Excellence in Dairy Cattle Reproduction Awards program during the group’s annual meeting, held Nov. 12-14 in Arlington, Texas. The 24 dairies excel at reproductive efficiency, fertility and well-implemented management procedures. Platinum recognition went to: Crosswind Jerseys (Stefan Temperli), Elkton, S.D.; Diamond J Dairy (Wiebren Jonkman), Merced, Calif.; Felling Dairy LLC (Jason Felling), Sauk Centre, Minn.; Nustar Farms (Anthony and Lori Nunes), Sibley, Iowa; Ryzebol Dairy, (Brant Ryzebol), Mantorville, Minn.; and Windulan Holsteins (Mike Portena), Monkton, Ont., Canada.

In addition to the six Platinum winners, there were six Gold, six Silver and six Bronze winners (listed below). Seventy-five nominations came from eight countries, 14 U.S. states and one Canadian province. Farms were nominated by dairy professionals who serve the dairy industry, such as veterinarians, extension specialists and artificial insemination and pharmaceutical company representatives.

Gold
Davis Family Farm (Brad and Jayme Davis), Darlington, Wis.
Pleasant View Farm (Rodney Metzler), Martinsburg, Pa.
Ripps Dairy Valley (Chuck and Troy Ripp), Waunakee, Wis.
Ruedinger Farms (John Ruedinger and Dave Zappa), Van Dyne, Wis.
Scheps Dairy (Ken and Dan Scheps), Almena, Wis.
Verhoef Dairy Farm Inc. (Reinoud & Klaartje Verhoef), Belmont, Ont., Canada

Silver
Az. Agr. Cervi Ciboldi (Giovanni and Cecilia Ciboldi), Luignano, Cremona, Italy
Johnson Hill Dairy (Johnson Family), Valders, Wis.
Maple Ridge Dairy (Brian Forrest), Stratford, Wis.
Rock River Jerseys (Brett Kirkley), Doon, Iowa
Stewardson Dairy Farms (Dylan Stewardson), Thedford, Ont., Canada
Victory Farm (Kevin Souza), Milbank, S.D.

Bronze
Brian Ryzebol Dairy (Ryan and Marique Buchanan), Bailey, Mich.
Ferme Dessaint Inc. (Nicholas Dessaint), Sarsfield, Ont., Canada
Hammink Dairy (Wim Hammink), Bruce, S.D.
LDT Keller (Luke and Dan Keller), Fort Recovery, Ohio
Marks Farms (Lindsey Peck), Lowville, N.Y.
Newmont Dairy (Walt and Will Galdstone), Fairlee, Vt.

This awards program, sponsored by Hoard’s Dairyman magazine and DCRC, recognizes dairy producers whose herds excel in getting cows safe in calf. DCRC’s Excellence in Dairy Cattle Reproduction judges considered many criteria when reviewing finalists’ applications, including pregnancy rate, voluntary waiting period, interbreeding intervals, heat detection, conception rate, value of reproduction and culling rate.

The Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council is focused on bringing together all sectors of the dairy industry – producers, consultants, academia and allied industry professionals – for improved reproductive performance. DCRC provides an unprecedented opportunity for all groups to work together to take dairy cattle reproduction to the next level.