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Y E A R S
DAIRY ST R 25
January 13, 2024
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 25, No. 22
A historically golden day for Guernseys Malt becomes breed’s rst-ever Excellent 97 cow By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
CUMBERLAND, Wis. — Some children growing up on dairy farms may dream of having cows that accomplish once-in-a-lifetime achievements. Some dream of having an All-American, some dream of having a World Dairy Expo champion, and some dream of having a cow obtain the ultimate pinnacle score of Excellent 97. Brandon and Kim Grewe each grew up with those goals, Brandon on his family’s northwestern Wisconsin dairy farm and Kim on her family’s farm in southwestern Missouri. Together, they have ridden the whirlwind of accolades accomplished by their bred-andowned Guernsey cow, Valley
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW HETKE PHOTOGRAPHY
The Grewe family — Brandon (from leŌ), Kim and Brynn — celebrates with Valley Gem Atlas Malt Oct. 4, 2022, aŌer claiming her third World Dairy Expo championship banner in Madison, Wisconsin. Malt was recently made the rst-ever U.S. Guernsey to achieve an EX-97 classicaƟon score. They milk cows near Cumberland, Wisconsin. Gem Atlas Malt, a daughter of the cow that brought the cou-
ple together over 15 years ago. “Malt has made all of our
wildest dreams and goals come true,” Brandon said. “What
she has done, and how she has done it, it is really just amazing. She is an amazing cow.” The Grewes operate Valley Gem Farms in partnership with Brandon’s parents, Roy and Gina, near Cumberland. The Barron County dairy farm is home to 170 head of Guernseys, Jerseys and Holsteins. The Grewes crop 500 acres as well. Malt has spent the past ve years claiming titles and banners galore. On Dec. 27, 2023, Malt was cemented in the history of the Guernsey breed by being conrmed by Holstein Association USA classiers as the rst-ever Guernsey cow in the U.S. to be assigned a nal score of Ex-97. With the mark, she joins an elite group of dairy cows. Before the American Guernsey Association joined the Holstein Association USA classication program in 2017, the top Guernsey had a score of Ex-96. Turn to GREWES | Page 2
Doing the Pulaski polka in Pasadena High school band, choir entertain at Tournament of Roses Parade By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
PULASKI, Wis. — With horns blaring, drums pounding, happy voices sounding and an accordion or two, the Pulaski Red Raider Marching Band and the school’s choir took the city of Pasadena, California, by storm with their energetic brand of bombastic music. Over 250 students packed up their instruments to celebrate the new year in the Golden State as one of 15 marching bands to perform in the 135th
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Pulaski Red Raiders Marching Band performs in the Tournament of Roses Parade Jan. 1 in Pasadena, California. One of the students, Jacob Betley, is a 17-year-old junior at Pulaski High School whose family operates Betley Family Farms, a 3,000-cow dairy farm near Pulaski, Wisconsin. Tournament of Roses Parade Jan. 1. In addition to their performance in the parade, there were a bevy of performances at Universal Studios and Disneyland. They also participated in the Tournament of Roses Bandfest
at Pasadena City College. This year’s trip marked the band’s fourth invitation to perform in the Tournament of Roses Parade. The band previously marched down the streets of Pasadena in 2007, 2012 and 2017. For the rst time ever
in the history of the event, the Pulaski High School choir was invited to attend alongside the band. The process the Pulaski marching band followed to attend this year’s event went back nearly two years and in-
cluded the submission of audition videos. The choir’s pioneering invitation came after the president of the Tournament of Roses Parade came to Wisconsin and watched a performance. Turn to PULASKI | Page 6