Recipe Corner

What is your breeding philosophy/goals? What sires are you using?

At the age of 8, I relied on others to make breeding decisions for me as I had no clue what was happening; I just knew I liked cows and that was it. As I got older, I started learning the ins and outs, like what to look for in a bull and my animal to make for a successful breeding. What I’ve been looking for most recently is to create an animal that makes milk but still exhibits that stylish, high-quality dairyness.

At the age of 16, I’m making all of the breeding decisions (with a bit of criticism from Grandpa), for my herd and extensively analyzing the matings to ensure the best for that cow and the future of that line. Even though my Holstein herd is on the smaller side, I keep up to date with the newest and most popular sires being used. In picking these sires, I look through show results and sale catalogs to see which bulls industry leaders are using to top the classes. Winning a class doesn’t mean so much to me, but what does mean the most is getting a name out and showing that you can still make a good animal at a young age. The sires I use extensively that reflect my philosophy are Farnear Delta-Lambda, Stantons Chief, and Blondin Thunderstorm. I chose these sires because of the high-quality daughters around the world. They also combine style with productivity as they are all positive on milk production, which stands out most when choosing sires. Something else that I am passionate about breeding for is more of a correct calf than a big calf. The modern cow is now conforming to an average size animal that is productive and sustainable. Massive cows don’t work in many facilities anymore, and they also impact feed efficiency because of the amount needed to stabilize their size. These are just some breeding techniques I plan to carry into the future.

Future plans for your dairy project

From a young age, I always knew I wanted to work in agriculture but, most importantly, have high-quality show cows. Over the last couple of years, my love for the show industry has grown exponentially, and I know that this is what I want to do for many years to come. As college is only two years away for me, it is best to choose somewhere that reflects my love for agriculture and where there are students with the same interests. One of the universities I have thought about attending is the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, majoring in Ag Business and a minor in Dairy Science with a focus on genetics. Genetics has always interested me but especially embryology. After college, I plan to run a show farm under my prefix, Nu-Horizons, and primarily raise Jerseys and Holsteins. It would be gratifying to see my ideas come to life and my genetics from the past and present show up in animals ten years from now. All the steps and decisions I am making right now are to ensure the best quality to come in the future of my herd.

CK-Horizons Diamond -Red-ET Nu-Horizons Fizz Misletoe VG-89 Budjon-Vail Drmn Annie-ET EX-90 as a heifer then showing at WDE as a 2-year-old

Holiday Mac and Cheese

Recipe from WisconsinCheese.com

Ingredients • 1 package (16 ounces) uncooked fusilli pasta • 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed and divided • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 4 cups (1 quart) whole milk • 1 tablespoon kosher salt • 1 1/2 Henning’s Mild Cheddar cheese, shredded • 1 1/2 cup Roth Original Havarti cheese, shredded • 1 cup Sartori Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago cheese, shredded • Pepper to taste • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs • Fresh rosemary leaves, optional

Instructions Heat oven 400°F. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, melt 1/2 cup butter in a Dutch oven over mediumlow heat. Whisk in flour until light brown. Gradually whisk in milk and salt. Bring to a boil; cook and whisk for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in the cheddar, havarti and asiago until melted. Remove from the heat. Stir in pasta. Season with pepper to taste. Spoon pasta mixture in a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Melt remaining butter; toss with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle crumb mixture and rosemary if desired over top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.