Page 14 - BCHNews-122023-Web

14 WC DAIRY NEWS  CHRISTMAS 2023
BC Branch News
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Reflecting on the last year as President of the BC Holstein Branch, I am so happy with what our Branch has been able to bring to BC’s Holstein Canada members. This year felt like it was business as usual and many events that we loved to enjoy in the past were back in full swing!
We kicked off the new year by hosting our Dairy Management seminar in conjunction with the BC Dairy Association. Guests listened to experts of farm management and brought back new ideas to their businesses. Shortly after, we hosted an amazing BC Holstein and Jersey show in Chilliwack, with great participation and enthusiasm. I represented the BC Branch at the Holstein Canada AGM in Montreal, Quebec. It was impressive to watch the BC National Director and current Holstein Canada president lead this well-run meeting. Then in late June we held the BC Holstein picnic at Arendsdale Dairy in Abbotsford. With a great turnout, we had just enough food to feed the masses. It was a great kick-off to summer. We were happy to support the Maple Ridge Fair 4-H dairy show by sponsoring prizes for the Grand and Reserve Champion calves once again. Later in the summer, three Holstein clubs each held an on-farm breeders cup event with great participation. We are hopeful that we can expand this on-farm competition into having a provincial final in the future! We supported our BC WCC team as they competed in Saskatoon and were proud that our BC team won the Premier Province title again this year! Congratulations to all the competitors, leaders and volunteers!
I want to thank all the leaders and volunteers at the club level for putting on events that bring fun and educational opportunities to our members.
I want to thank our Directors for
willingly serving our Holstein
community – Thomas Cuthbert,
Angela Hamming, Ben Cuthbert,
Ridley Wikkerink, Greg Hessels,
Luke Van Huizen, Mike Duncan,
Lexi DeJong, Clayton Hamming,
as well as our Branch Secretary
Joan Wikkerink. Thank you, Angela and Ridley for letting your names stand for another term on our board. I offer a warm welcome to Morgan Sangster as our newest Branch Director. Thank you to our outgoing director Mike Duncan for your time on the BC Holstein Branch over the last three years.
Thank you to all involved with the BC Branch: Directors, volunteers, sponsors, industry partners, and most of all – the breeders. Be sure to stay connected to all upcoming events on www.bcholsteins.com or on our Facebook or Instagram page: BC Holstein Branch. I am sure that there will be great opportunities to participate in 2024.
BC Branch Holstein Association of Canada Directors
President
Thomas Cuthbert
3056 Adshead Rd, Nanaimo, BC V9X 1T1 • Ph: 250-618-5551 Fax: 250-245-3299 • Email: southcoastagro@outlook.com
Vice President
Luke Van Huizen
4440 Koksilah Road, Duncan, BC V9L 6N2
• Email: luke_rockycrestholsteins@hotmail.com
BC Branch Secretary/Treasurer
Joan Wikkerink
847 Garnett Road, Cobble Hill, BC V0R 1L3 • Email: bcbranch@telus.net
National Director
Ben Cuthbert
13750 Adshead Road, Ladysmith, BC V9G 1H6 • Ph/Fax: 250-245-3299
• Email:b.cuthbert@telus.net
Directors:
VANCOUVER ISLAND
Ridley Wikkerink
3920 Lefran Road, Cobble Hill, BC V0R 1L4
• Ph: 250-920-9347 Fax: 250-743-9700
• Email: rwikkerink@shaw.ca
Thomas Cuthbert
3056 Adshead Rd, Nanaimo, BC V9X 1T1 • Ph: 250-618-5551 Fax: 250-245-3299 • Email: southcoastagro@outlook.com
Luke Van Huizen
4440 Koksilah Road, Duncan, BC V9L 6N2
• Email: luke_rockycrestholsteins@hotmail.com
Morgan Sangster
PO Box 1927, Parksville, BC V9P 2H7 • Ph: 306-290-5695
• Email: msangster@bcdairy.ca
NORTH OKANAGAN
Clayton Hamming
9344 Hwy 97N, Vernon, BC V1H 1W9
• Ph: 250-306-5231
• Email: clayton0317@hotmail.com
FRASER VALLEY
Angela Hamming (R/D)
6905 68 Street, Delta, BC V4K 4E2
• Ph: 604-818-7113
• Email: pahamming@dccnet.com
Carl Barclay (LFV)
12420 Blackstock Street,
Maple Ridge, BC V2X 5N6
• Ph: 778-875-3709
• Email: carlbarclay@hotmail.com
Lexi DeJong (CFV)
33775 Aish Avenue, Abbotsford, BC V4X 3R2 • Email: lexidejong09@gmail.com
Greg Hessels (R/D)
4844 – 112th Street, Delta, BC V4K 3N3
• Ph: 778-991-0840
• Email: hesgenholsteins@gmail.com
HOLSTEIN ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
Box 610, Brantford, ON N3T 5R4
Ph: 519-756-8300 Fax: 519-756-5878
or 519-756-3502 (Performance Records)
HOLSTEIN CLUB OFFICERS
VANCOUVER ISLAND HOLSTEIN CLUB President:
Amanda Poelman, Cowichan Bay
Ph: 250-710-0182
Secretary:
Cindy Wikkerink, Cobble Hill
Ph: 250-743-2430 Fax: 250-743-6822
RICHMOND-DELTA HOLSTEIN CLUB President:
Alan Hessels, Delta
Ph: 604-805-7563 Fax: 604-590-2437 Secretary:
Celine Hessels, Delta
Ph: 604-760-4367 Fax: 604-590-2437
LOWER FRASER VALLEY HOLSTEIN CLUB President:
Kevin Antonsen, Aldergrove
Ph/ Fax: 604-856-6650
Secretary:
Carl Barclay, Maple Ridge Ph: 778-875-3709
CENTRAL FRASER VALLEY HOLSTEIN CLUB President:
Kelwyn Hoeppner, Abbotsford
Ph: 604-217-5996
Secretary:
Amanda Luymes, Abbotsford Ph: 778-549-0563
UPPER FRASER VALLEY HOLSTEIN CLUB President: TBA
Secretary:
Ashley Vander Kooi, Chilliwack
Ph: 604-819-8733
NORTH OKANAGAN HOLSTEIN CLUB President:
Sydney Fox, Westwold
Ph: 778-220-2518
Secretary:
Corissa Haambuckers, Enderby Ph: 250-540-2962
NATIONAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Merry Christmas everyone!
Carl Barclay
President
The year will soon be coming to an end and the holiday season will be upon us. Over the course of this year, Holstein Canada has accomplished a lot. We have celebrated various achievements of our members, introduced new tools to make registration and genomic testing easier (ConneXXion App) and implemented changes in our Classification program to further improve functional conformation and longevity within the Holstein breed.
Specifically, with respect to robot herds, there are traits within the mammary system classification that are of key importance. One of which is udder floor, as an imbalanced tilted udder makes it quite difficult for the robot to locate and attach to the teats properly. Similarly, teat placement is also quite important with respect to robot herds, and producers expressed some concern about rear teats becoming too close together. In response to this, earlier this year, Holstein Canada added a defect of “rear teats too close” to the mammary scoring system, whereby an animal that receives a linear score of 9 will have 2 points deducted from the total mammary system score.
Mobility is also an important trait within any dairy herd. Specifically, as it relates to robot herds, this trait is key for ensuring your cows are consistently visiting the robot and the feed bunk throughout the day to maximize profitability.
Therefore, in order to evolve and continue to make gains within the Holstein breed, two new traits were officially added within the feet and legs classification section this year. Locomotion became an officially weighted trait for loose housing systems, making up 18% of the overall feet and legs score. Additionally, front leg view was also added to the classification system for feet and legs, making up 7% of the overall feet and legs score.
Ben Cuthbert
National Director
Holstein Canada President
At Holstein Canada, our members
are always at the forefront of our decision making and this year was no different with respect to the changes implemented in our classification system. I have no doubt that next year will continue to bring about positive changes within the breed and our Association and I look forward to seeing this evolve.
Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year to all of you!
Congratulations to the Carlson
family of Sunnyhome Farms!
“Shottle Marilyn has 7 EX and close to 40 VG daughters and granddaughters so far. She has been a great transmitter of well-balanced cows showing functional type and high production that have been trouble free and easy to work with. She now has 12* and counting and has offspring that are continuing the family. Marilyn’s daughter, Sunnyhome LIS Maryjane, was purchased by Tappenvale farms and classified EX-91 3E 1* and is the foundation cow of over 44 offspring in the Tappenvale herd. 7 bulls have been put in AI to date, most of these are at the top of the conformation lists. Sunnyhome LIS Marilee VG 88 3* has 8 classified daughters, 2 EX and 6 VG, including a 93 point Mogul daughter.” - Brad Carlson
The WINNER of the BC Cow of the Year is... SUNNYHOME SHOTTLE MARILYN EX-91-5E-CAN 12*