Host Day Farm Tours Some of Wisconsin’s finest farms will be featured during Host Day Farm Tours on Tuesday, June 25 during the 2019 National Holstein Convention. MilkSource Genetics, Synergy Dairy, Siemers Holsteins and Hilrose Dairy, LLC are on the day’s agenda. Lunch, sponsored by Channel Seeds, will be served at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center, a new state-of-the-art educational facility devoted to sharing Wisconsin agriculture with the public. Host Day Farm Tours are made possible with a generous sponsorship from STgenetics.
MilkSource Genetics This family-owned show herd began in 2007 and continues striving to become one of the premier herds in the world. The Ostrom and Vosters families are honored to currently have 24 cows in the herd classified as Excellent with two at EX-95, five at EX-96, and three at EX-97. While many of their cows have been acquired over the years, more than half of the cows and majority of heifers were bred by the MilkSource Genetics team. The herd consists of about 60 cows and 160 youngstock across three different show breeds, including Jerseys, Holsteins, and Red & Whites. Since 2012, the farm has had more than 70 All-American nominations with more than 30 All-American and 15 Reserve All-American titles across three different breeds. The main barn has 30 tiestalls and 18 large box stalls that contain their most-prized occupants. Each cow also has access to pasture so they can seasonally graze or roam if they wish. Milking takes place in the stall that the cow resides and adjacent from the box stalls is a full-service wash rack that is lined with mats to prevent falls and slips. In addition, the facility features an award room containing many ribbons, banners, trophies, and pictures from their 12 years of competition. As with all Milk Source facilities, animal care is always the top priority. To keep the cows cool and comfortable in the warm summer months, 24 fans maintain a constant wind speed of 7 miles per hour. On the flip side, in-floor heating is used during the harsh Wisconsin winters to keep the barn and scrape alleys at a moderate temperature. To keep the show cows in good health and condition, they receive a specially formed diet that contains grain, dry hay, and baleage. As for the cows that are not being shown, they receive a total mixed ration
MilkSource Genetics has developed a number of household names in the registered business. 30 - NATIONAL HOLSTEIN CONVENTION
twice per day. Additionally, the barn is scraped twice daily and cows and heifers on the show track are washed every day. The day-to-day team consists of six full-time employees, including a night watcher and 3 part-time employees that assist with calf feeding. Eddie and Mandi Bue joined the MilkSource Genetics team about two years ago and serve as herd manager and youngstock manager, respectively. Eddie, Mandi, and the rest of the team bring extensive and successful show cattle experience to the table, making them a huge contributor to MilkSource Genetics’ success. The breeding program for the herd is extensive and includes active in-vitro fertilization (IVF) programs and flushing. On average, 10 cows are on an active IVF program at one time and heifers are conventionally flushed. Bulls that are commonly being used on their Holsteins include Dempsey, Diamondback, Doorman, Goldwyn, Crush, Solomon, Unix, Impression, and Avalanche. The team is grateful to care for, own, and house three amazing EX-97 cows: Musqie Iatola Martha, a Jersey co-owned with Guatemala-based Finco Valparaiso; Weeks Dundee Anika, a Holstein; and Blondin Redman Seisme, a Red & White Holstein. “It was like lightning striking the same spot three times,” John Vosters once observed. “There simply aren’t words to describe it.” Like each of the EX-97 cows, Seisme’s accomplishments stretch way back. Prior to receiving the prestigious classification, she was a 3-time consecutive Grand Champion at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and 2-time consecutive Grand Champion at the International Red and White Show. Additionally, after 10 years of goal setting, hard work and dedication, the MilkSource Genetics team was honored to win Grand Champion honors with three different show breeds at the World Dairy Expo in 2015: Lovhill Goldwyn Katrysha in Holsteins; Strans-Jen-D TequilaRed-ET in Red & Whites; and Musqie Iatola Martha in Jerseys. Katrysha and Martha would go on to be named Supreme and Reserve Supreme Champions, respectively, easily making those wins rank as some of the best moments in the farm’s history. While the MilkSource Genetics team is honored and humbled to own cows with incredible show records, the future of the herd is what excites them the most. Antia Absolute Joline, the newest see HOST DAY, continued on page 31
The main barn has 30 tiestalls and 18 large box stalls that contain their most-prized occupants.