A Barron, WI, dairy farm with a high-producing registered Holstein herd is the 2012 World Forage Analysis Superbowl grand champion.
The 85-cow herd at Indianhead Holsteins, owned by Bob and Karyn Schauf, currently averages 28,500 lbs of milk, 1,050 lbs of fat and about 825 lbs of protein. The operation is known for turning out high-producing cows that also perform well in the show ring. Indianhead cows have won high honors at numerous Holstein shows, and many of the farm's cattle and embryos have been sold to buyers from throughout the U.S. and several foreign countries.
The Schaufs were honored at a luncheon held during last week’s World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI. Their winning superbowl entry was a sample of brown midrib (BMR) corn silage that tested 37.1% starch, 35.5% NDF and 65.3% NDF digestibility, producing 3,754 lbs of milk per ton.
This year’s superbowl category winners, followed in each case by the second- and third-place finishers, are:
BMR Dairy Corn Silage – Co-Vista Holsteins, Arcade, NY; Rich-Ro North, St. Johns, MI; Trierweiler Dairy, Portland, MI.
Standard Dairy Corn Silage – Sunrise Lake Farm, Cuba City, WI; Steinhaus Ponderosa Farms, LeRoy, MI; Ben Fisher, Greens Fork, IN.
Dairy Hay – Rainbow’s End Dairy, Waldo, WI; Greg Sebold, Dorchester, WI; Linnemeier Farms, Ft. Wayne, IN.
Dairy Haylage – Tim Mater, Deckerville, MI; Tim Busch, Cecil, WI; Sellent Dairy Farms, Almena, WI.
Commercial Hay – Lazy 2K Farm, Wheatland, WY; Hardrock Farms, Wheatland; Ervin Gara, Torrington, WY (see “Wyoming Tops Superbowl’s Commercial Hay Category – Again”).
Commercial Baleage – Heatherstone Enterprises, Baraboo, WI; Kendall Guither, Walnut, IL; R & R Swiss Farm, Lakeville, OH.
Grass Hay – Pounder Brothers, Inc., Delavan, WI; Olson Farms, Lena, WI; Gerry Danko, Powell, WY.
Atwater Farms, Barker, NY, was named champion first-time entrant. Dee’s Dairy, Inc., Morgan, UT, and Merrell Farms, Inc., Wolcott, NY, won Quality Counts awards.
Winners and finalists took home more than $22,000 in cash prizes. This year’s contest had 345 entries.
For more on Indianhead Holsteins, watch for Hay Forage Grower’s November issue. For a photo gallery of winners, visit “2012 World Forage Analysis Superbowl Winners Named.”