The video tour will start at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 29 in Mendota 1 meeting room in the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis. The American Jersey Cattle Association is the program sponsor.

Achieving long-term financial security and providing a high quality of life for family and employees have been Alan and Sharon Kozak’s main focus in operating a successful dairy. Every aspect of their business reflects their attitude of working with what you have, thoroughly planning, carefully executing, and persevering in the face of setbacks.

Alan and Sharon started in the dairy business in 1991 by renting dairy facilities and focusing on ownership efforts on cattle. While working on budgets and planning, they determined that management-intensive grazing was their best route to long-term success. They decided to go with Registered Jersey™ cattle because of their higher milk component levels, adaptability, and high fertility. Plus, the smaller body size of Jerseys made them the only breed able to fit in the existing facilities and stalls.

Today, the Kozaks’ herd of 900 Jerseys—430 in milk—is managed on a 450-acre farm outside Millersburg, Ohio. The July rolling herd average was 17,816 lbs. milk, 843 lbs. fat and 668 lbs. protein per cow, and the herd ranks in the top 25% of Jersey herds ranked by herd average Jersey Performance Index™.

Alan Kozak currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Dairy Policy Action Coalition (DPAC), the Advisory Committee to the State Veterinarian of Ohio, and the North Central Ohio Dairy Grazing Council. He is also a past-president of the Ohio Forage & Grassland Council.