Fridays schedule for the 2021 National Jersey Annual Meeting and Convention, hosted by Iowa Jersey Cattle Club, started with breakfast at the Isle of Capri. At 8:00 am the AJCA Annual meeting was called to order.
Highlights for 2020:
* Registrations over 100,000, 5th best year for registrations - 9th consecutive year registrations were over 100,000
* New production records set for milk, fat and protein
*All 3 companies, AJCA, NAJ and JMS, delivered positive financial results
* 154,924 cows enrolled in all programs
*43,529 identified Jersey females were genotyped
*110,540 animals scored with breakdowns, 995 herds in 45 states - 8th consecutive year over 100,000 animals scored
* Elected Board of Directors are Joe Vanderfelz, Josh Johnson, Ralph Friech and Bradley Taylor
First stop, Cinnamon Ridge Farms, John and Joan Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa. Cinnamon Ridge Farms is a multi-generational dairy farm with daughter Amy, who is in charge of the robots and milking herd, the sixth generation. John and Joan are the proud parents of five daughters.
John and Joan welcomed the crowd and explained the workings of Cinnamon Ridge Farms
Lunch was served at Cinnamon Ridge Farms and then attendees were given free access to the farm to view the numerous aspects of the farm.
Cinnamon Ridge Farms welcomes 7000 visitors a year to view the dairy and robotic milkers. Milking 200 Jersey cows with 4 robot milkers that were installed in 2012 and 2013 with a RHA of 26,304M 1277F 968P. Producing 1800 gallons of milk per day, 100 gallons is used to make cheese that is sold in an on farm store along with beef that is produced from raising Jersey steers. "The long term goal is to be able for us to produce and sell cheese from our entire production", said John. Jersey bulls are also raised and sold for breeders to use in their herds.
Cinnamon Ridge Farms also farms 1200 acres of corn and soybeans. Numerous crop production awards have been earned with corn yields as high as 400 bushels per acre.
Those not attending the Cinnamon Ridge Farms stop were provided an opportunity for a golf outing at Emeis Golf Course. There was also an opportunity for those at Cinnamon Ridge Farms to take a bus trip to LeClaire, Iowa to explore the many shops.
Dinner was served at Cinnamon Ridge Farms before the 64th National Heifer Sale.
Greg Lavan (left) read pedigrees and Todd Woodruff handled auctioneer duties
All lots were displayed on numerous TV screens throughout the tent
Ron Mosser took bids on what was the highest sale average ever for a National Heifer Sale
The 64th National Heifer Sale produced a record setting $11,139 average. Topping the sale at $85,000 was lot 6 JX Gure Behia Skyler 3946. Skyler sold open with a GJPI 155 and was consigned by Chateau Basque Jerseys, California and purchased by Pine Tree Dairy, Ohio.
Other top sellers were:
Lot 16 - $35,000
Lot 15 - $18,000
Lot 7 - $17,000
Lot B - $16,000
Lot 9 - $15,000
Lot 23 - $11,500
Lot 22 - $10,000
The 64th National Heifer Sale was managed by Jersey Marketing Service and broadcast on JerseyAuctionLive.com with online bidding.