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NorthStar Cooperative Recognizes Top Production Winners

Lansing, Michigan –Nine dairy producers from Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin were recognized by NorthStar Cooperative Dairy Herd Information (DHI) Services for their outstanding production records for the 2010 testing year. Awards are given to dairy producers based on a herd’s annual rolling herd average (RHA), as completed with NorthStar Cooperative’s DHI Services, and are distributed based on geographical location. Honors include the Progressive Dairy Producer of the Year, High Milk Production Herd, High Dollar Value Herd, High Dollar Value Protein Breed Herd, Lowest Somatic Cell Count (SCC) Herd Average and High Lifetime Production for an individual animal.

Burke and Lisa Larsen of Scottville, Michigan, earned the NorthStar Cooperative DHI Services 2010 Progressive Dairy Producer of the Year Award. The award is presented to the producer whose herd shows the greatest increase in dollar value over the last five years. The Larsen’s 367- cow Holstein herd has an RHA of 26,178 pounds of milk, 1,068 pounds of fat, 805 pounds of protein and $3,973 dollar value. In the past five years, the farm has increased milk production by 4,518 pounds, 284 pounds of fat, 160 pounds of protein and have lowered SCC by 21,000. The herd’s dollar value increase of $904 was the greatest gain compared to all herds using NorthStar’s DHI Services.

Winners in the Michigan, Indiana and Ohio area include:
Tim and Sandy VerHage of Allegan, Michigan earned the award for High Dollar Value Holstein Herd Average. The 73-cow registered Holstein herd won the award with an RHA of 29,198 pounds of milk, 1,368 pounds of fat, 891 pounds of protein and a dollar value of $4,710.

The High Dollar Value Protein Breed Herd award was once again earned by Nor-Bert Farms of Bremen, Indiana. Nor-Bert’s herd of 24 Brown Swiss cows earned the award with an RHA of 25,325 pounds of milk, 1,321 pounds of fat, 872 pounds of protein and $4,549 dollar value.

The award for the Lowest SCC Herd Average was earned by Tom Carson of Hesperia, Michigan. The 89-cow Holstein herd earned this award with an SCC average of 54,000, while producing an RHA of 23,652 pounds of milk, 901 pounds of fat, 713 pounds of protein with a dollar value of $3,448.

A 7HO4324 Ridge-Heights BENDIX daughter owned by Wilson Family Farm of Carson City, Michigan earned the Highest Lifetime Cow for Milk Production award. In nine lactations, cow #925 has produced 371,633 pounds of milk.

Winners in the Wisconsin area include:
Rosy-Lane Holsteins, LLC of Watertown again earned the High Dollar Value Holstein Herd award. The 881-cow herd recorded an RHA of 30,696 pounds of milk, 1,206 pounds of fat, 942 pounds of protein with a dollar value of $4,815.

The High Dollar Value Protein Breed Herd award was earned by Twinkle-Hill Brown Swiss of Watertown, Wisconsin. The 58-cow herd earned the award with an RHA of 25,371 pounds of milk, 1,114 pounds of fat, 848 pounds of protein and $4,361 dollar value.

Gary and Helen Lisowe of Gillett, Wisconsin received the award for Lowest SCC Herd Average. The Lisowe herd of 42 cows earned the award with an SCC of 48,000, while maintaining an RHA of 23,156 pounds of milk, 999 pounds of fat, 803 pounds of protein and $3,825 dollar value.

An Etazon Jimtown daughter owned by Petersen Dairy Farm in Appleton, Wisconsin earned the High Lifetime Cow for Milk Production award. In ten lactations, cow #9 has produced 382,831 pounds of milk.

NorthStar Cooperative, Inc. is a stock based cooperative, owned by dairy and beef producers in Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin. Originally formed in 1944 as an artificial insemination cooperative, NorthStar Cooperative, Inc. is now comprised of sales and service for Select Sires, Ag Products and Technologies, DHI Services and AntelBio Systems, an animal disease testing center. Based in Lansing, Michigan, NorthStar provides sales and service to producers, veterinarians and industry members across the United States. A complete summary of the 2010 year-end production results can be obtained by calling 1.800.631.3510. For more information, visit www.northstarcooperative.com.