Holstein Association USA Announces 2022 Elite Breeder Award Recipient

 

The Registered Holstein^® herd at Sandy-Valley Farms in Scandinavia, Wisconsin, has achieved the sought-after balance of cattle with high type and genomic value. Their herd’s elite genetics have performed well not only at Sandy-Valley Farms, but also across the nation and throughout the world.

Holstein Association USA is pleased to honor the Bauer brothers of Sandy-Valley Farms with the 2022 Elite Breeder Award. The influence of their herd’s top-notch genetics on the progress of Registered Holsteins is a testament to their dedication and hard work over the years.

Although the family is no longer farming, the positive contributions Sandy-Valley genetics have had on the Holstein breed will leave a lasting influence. The four Bauer brothers — Frank, Patrick, David, and Greg — worked together to achieve their goals, along with Frank’s children, Danae and Ethan.

The family’s commitment to breeding high-quality genetics led to much success for Sandy-Valley Farms over the years. “With the Registered Holsteins, there is tremendous opportunity to market your genetics,” Greg Bauer says.

This includes both cows and sires. Sandy-Valley developed an outstanding set of high index animals over the years, including two number one TPI^® bulls, a number one CTPI cow, and a number one GTPI female.

Sandy-Valley Farms bred an impressive 107 Dams of Merit and 106 Gold Medal Dams, including 46 cows receiving both distinctions. They also bred 10 Gold Medal Sires and a total of 186 Excellent females and males. In 2019, Holstein International recognized them as number six on the “25 Most Influential Breeders of the Last 25 Years” list, as selected by their readers.

The Bauer brothers’ thirst for knowledge and determination to find the best mating resulted in a uniform group of cows with flawless udders, sound feet and legs, and solid production. “Our main goal was to breed a cow the commercial dairyman could respect and the type oriented breeder could admire,” Bauer says. “We wanted our cows to fit both categories.”

The Elite Breeder award is bestowed annually upon a living Holstein Association USA member, family, partnership or corporation who has bred outstanding animals and made a notable contribution to the advancement of U.S. Registered Holsteins. The Bauer family of Sandy-Valley Farms will be recognized during the 2022 National Holstein Convention July 1 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Holstein Association USA, Inc., provides programs, products and services to dairy producers to enhance genetics and improve profitability — including animal identification and ear tags, genomic testing, mating programs, dairy records processing, classification, communication, consulting services, and Holstein semen.

The Association, headquartered in Brattleboro, VT., represents approximately 25,000 members throughout the United States. To learn more about Registered Holsteins® and the other exciting programs offered by the Holstein Association, visit www.holsteinusa.com, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.