Hoard Farm appraisal day goes well

Just two days after the close of World Dairy Expo, Brian Schnebly, an appraisal specialist (classifier) with the American Guernsey Association, stopped by and evaluated the entire Hoard's Dairyman herd which included looking at 268 milk cows.

Work got underway at sunrise which takes place at 6:30 a.m. in southeast Wisconsin these days. Schnebly moved briskly through the herd, and, other than a half-hour break for lunch, the team worked steadily through the herd and wrapped up the project at about 5:30 p.m.

As shown in the photo above, nearly all the cows were evaluated in the free stall barn. A small group of 2-year-olds were looked at as they stood in the holding pen. Shown above is Brian Schnebly evaluating a cow with associate editor Corey Geiger keeping the cow in position.

We keep an Excel Spreadsheet on the entire herd. By weeks end, we should have classification, udder, and feet and leg averages for the 2-year-olds, as well as the entire herd. In the meantime, we can give you some highlights . . . we had one cow go EX-92 and four new Excellents:

• Rutter Bros Royal Oaks Dawn EX-92, EX-92 MS

• Rolling Prairie Lucky EX-91, EX-90 MS
• Howerton Farms Dee Nutmeg EX-90, EX-90 MS
• Sunset Farms Hawk Daisy EX-90, EX-90 MS
• Howerton Farms Roy Pistachio, EX-90 MS, EX-91 F&L

Those going VG-88 for the first time included:
• Dairyman Regis Dimple VG-88, EX-90 MS
• Rolling Prairie Dee Pony VG-88, VG-87 MS
• Rolling Prairie Colgate VG-88, VG-87 MS
• Dairyman Storm Bonella VG-88, VG-87 MS
• Dairyman Regis Nancy VG-88, VG-88 MS
• Dairyman Sam Britain VG-88, EX-90 MS
• Dairyman Lamar Rum VG-88, VG-88 MS
• Rolling Prairie P King Pansy VG-88, VG-88 MS