Congratulations to the following The Young Jersey Breeder Award winners: Amanda Elmore Baldwin, Statesville, N.C., Ryan A. and Freynie E. Lancaster, Ferndale, Wash., Brian Nichols, Lyndonville, Vt., Christy Ratliff, Garnett, Kan., Brian S. Seacord, Greenwich, N.Y. and David and Yvonne VanBuskirk, Carleton, Mich. The award is given annually to individuals or couples who are at least 28 years old and under the age of 40 on January 1 of the year nominated, who merit recognition for their expertise in dairy farming, breeding Jersey cattle, participation in programs of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., and leadership in Jersey and other dairy and agriculture organizations.
Amanda Elmore Baldwin has been active in the Jersey industry since childhood. She is now co-manager of Dusty Road Jersey Farm, and owns 130 of the herd’s 175 milking Jerseys. The herd has a rolling herd average of 13,720 lbs. milk, 591 lbs. fat and 489 lbs. protein.
Ryan A. and Freynie E. Lancasters’ Family Hill herd includes 68 Excellent cows and another 47 Very Good cows, with an overall average final score of 89%. It is also an outstanding herd for production. Enrolled on REAP, the herd posted a 2007 AJCA herd average of 17,578 lbs. milk, 831 lbs. fat, and 633 lbs. protein on 86 completed lactations.
Brian Nichols has known exactly what he wanted to do for as long as he could remember, and that was to be a dairy farmer. He rented his first farm in 1988 after graduating from Vermont Technical College with a degree in dairy farm management. After a few years of transitions, he established Speedwell Farms of Lyndonville, Vt., in 1998.
Christy Ratliff has been described by people close to her as “hard-working, competitive and passionate.” These traits have helped her develop Ratliff Jerseys, owned with her husband Ron, into a herd highly-regarded for production and show-winning type.
Brian Seacord got his start at the age of five when his father gave him the gift of a Registered Jersey™ calf. Since then he has been busy building his herd and now has 150 Registered Jersey milking cows. Seacord Farm posted a 2007 AJCA lactation average of 17,858 lbs. milk, 850 lbs. fat, and 655 lbs. protein. The herd includes 29 Excellent and 103 Very Good cows; and is enrolled on REAP and a member of New England Jersey Sires, Inc.
David VanBuskirk is the eighth generation to produce food on a farm which has been the family since 1835. He is intent on improving the family’s Registered Jersey™ herd and giving back to his community. David operates JVB Red Hot Jerseys in partnership with his parents, Jim and Janet. The 100-cow herd is enrolled on REAP and a member of Liberty Jersey Sires Inc.; and had a September 2007 rolling herd average of 16,122 lbs. milk, 741 lbs. fat and 609 lbs. protein on 112 lactations.