BSCBA-USA 2000-2009

“A New Millennium”

Roger’s Note: Not everyone gets to see the world roll into a new century. Perhaps this first decade of the 21^st century could be labeled the decade of “Snickerdoodle”. However, there were many other events, accomplishments, both cows and people, that were noteworthy during this decade. The year 2000 started off with a bang.

Miss Millennium: The January 2000 Bulletin began with the announcement of the winner of the Miss Millennium contest. She was Idyl Wild Improver Jinx owned by Forest Lawn Farm, Wausau, Wisconsin. Jinx, a Superior Brood Cow, was an All-American in 1981, 1982, and 1985. Forest Lawn purchased Jinx at the Springtime Show Window Sale in April 1983 for $60,000, the top selling female at that time. Highlights of her career can be found in the January Bulletin. Runner up in the contest was Arnola Peggy Priscilla, owned by Top Acres, St. Paris, Ohio. While Jane of Vernon did not meet the requirements for the contest, she was recognized as the Queen Mother for the Millennium.

First Female President: Kathleen Beatty, the first female president of the Brown Swiss Association in breed history, presides over her last annual meeting at the National Convention held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in July 2000. Kathleen had been Association President for the past 4 years.

The World Wide Web: With technology expanding rapidly, the Association announces it now has a home page on the World Wide Web. The official site is: www.brownswissusa.com. This was the beginning of communication with the National Association on several levels. Obviously, upgrades, updates, and expansion on the use of the web continued through the years and will continue to be into the future.

6^th World Conference: The USA Brown Swiss Association hosted the First International Conference in 1980 in Madison, Wisconsin. From October 4^th through the 8^th, 2000, over 400 Brown Swiss breeders and enthusiasts again gathered in Madison for the 6^th World Conference. Breeders and Association leaders from 21 different countries met to discuss and exchange ideas, practices, and research results. Special recognition during the conference including World Dairy Expo, included Howard Voegeli, Wisconsin, as World Dairy Expo’s Dairyman of the Year and Heinrich Meli, Switzerland, as World Dairy Expo’s International Person of the Year.

All-Time Production Records: Record breakers for milk, fat, and protein production begin right away in 2000. Due to the number of records broken during this decade, only the name of the cow, her record ,and the owner will be listed here.

Executive Secretary Changes: In July 2001, John Meyer announces his resignation at Brown Swiss and assuming the CEO position at Holstein USA. John has been Executive Secretary at Brown Swiss for the past five years. Ron Johnson of Ottumwa, Iowa, was appointed Acting Secretary until a replacement is hired. Ron previously worked for Brown Swiss as central field representative and more recently as a classifier. On April 1, 2002, Dave Kendall was appointed Executive Secretary for Brown Swiss. Dave previously had been Executive Secretary for the Milking Shorthorn Society and will continue in that roll as well.

Fast forward to July 2009, when Dave Kendall steps down as Brown Swiss Executive Secretary. He remains as Secretary for the Milking Shorthorn Society. He will also assume the role of Director of Genetic Research for Brown Swiss. Dr. Roger Neitzel is appointed Interim Executive Secretary while continuing his role as Superintendent of Records until a replacement is hired. Late in 2009, the Brown Swiss board hired David Wallace to begin work at Brown Swiss December 1 and assume the position of Executive Secretary on January 1 when Roger will begin his semi-retirement.

Other Significant Events:

1. In July 2002, the Ayrshire and Brown Swiss Associations hold a Joint Breeds Convention at Green Bay, Wisconsin. The May/June Ayrshire Digest/Brown Swiss Bulletin publication cover shows a famous cow of each breed on Lambeau Field of the Green Bay Packers, eating grass.
2. During the 2002 World Dairy Expo, Rita Kennedy of Valencia, Pennsylvania, is honored as the World Dairy Expo 2002 Dairy Woman of the Year. Also at this time Marvin Kruse, who passed away in 2000 at the age of 81 and who had been Bulletin Editor, Executive Secretary for Brown Swiss, as well as Director of Brown Swiss Enterprises, was honored with the Pioneer Award by National Dairy Shrine.
3. In 2005, the Association celebrates its 125^th Anniversary (1880-2005). The Office Staff host the National Convention in South Beloit with the logo “Franchise 2005”. The November 2005 Bulletin becomes the Anniversary Issue, featuring Jane of Vernon on the cover. This issue contains history lists of Presidents, Secretaries, sales, production awards and All-Americans.
4. The first Brown Swiss clone was performed in 2006. The animal Blue Heaven JW Snowplow ET, owned by Bill Kelly of Winchester, New Hampshire, is the only Brown Swiss cloned at this time.
5. In June of 2008, the rains began and continued until the Rock River, on the west side of the Association Office building, began rising and rising. The actual offices of both the Milking Shorthorn Society and the Brown Swiss Association are located on the second or top floor. However, the garage area stores all the historic Bulletins and other historical items. Office staff began filling sandbags and arranging them in front of the garage door entrance. Unfortunately, there were other areas where water was creeping in leading to about a foot of water in that area. All items were moved to a higher location, and some moved to a storage shed.
6. The first Palmer Hoffman Junior Heifer Show was held in conjunction with the National Convention in Lima, Ohio, in 2008.
7. The September 2009 Bulletin announces the very first Genomic Evaluations are published in the current issue with the August Genetic Evaluations.

Snickerdoodle: The Old Mill E Snickerdoodle OCS saga begins in 2001 and lasts throughout the entire decade, and further. She is owned by Allen Bassler, Jr., of Upperville, Virginia. As a Senior 2-year-old she was 1^st & 1^st Best Udder at both the Eastern and Central National shows in 2001. She is also Int. Champion at the Central Nat’l. and becomes All-American Sr. Two-Year-Old. To take a step forward, in 2002, she again is Int. Champion at WDE and begins her reign as Grand Champion at the Central Nat’l. She also is the All-American Three-year-old. Moving to the top, in 2003 Snickerdoodle not only is the Brown Swiss Grand Champion at both the Eastern and Central shows but moves on to become World Dairy Expos “Supreme Champion” over all breeds. She is an Emory out of Old Mill E Cookie. As a Five-year-old in 2004, Snickerdoodle continues her reign at WDE by winning her third in a row Grand Champion trophy. In 2005, Snickerdoodle would win her 5^th class in a row and her 4^th consecutive Grand Champion ribbon. What an accomplishment! At the 2006 Central show, Judge Larry Tande says, “The Legend is here” meaning Snickerdoodle. She won the Component Merit Class, remaining undefeated in milking classes at WDE. However, the Grand Champion was won by Sunnyisle Colby Twilite ET, as Snickerdoodle was awarded the Reserve Grand Champion. She did, however, capture the Total Performance Banner. At 10 years of age in 2008, Snickerdoodle was named Grand Champion at the Eastern National Show and went on to be named Supreme Champion of the All-American Show. She was also Grand at WDE for the 5^th time. And finally, to end this decade, in 2009, Snickerdoodle was back in action at the Eastern National and took home another Grand Champion and was Supreme Champion for the second year in a row. Then on to Madison, WI and WDE where she again was named Grand Champion for the 6^th time, something no other cow has ever achieved at WDE. She also was Reserve Supreme, her second in a row.

Sales Records: Two Dispersal sales, almost back-to-back, broke the record book for sales in June of 2003. On June 14, Wayne Sliker of Top Acres, St. Paris, Ohio, held a complete milking herd dispersal. The 113 Brown Swiss set a new breed record averaging $8,282.30. One week later, on June 21, the second record breaking sale occurred as Rex Mort, Pierceton, Indiana, held his complete herd dispersal. Sixty-eight head broke the previous complete herd dispersal with an average of $7,928.67, making it the second highest sale of all-time. Then, on May 28, 2005, the Springhill/Starmark sale topped all other sales. The superb offering of 40 head sold to 29 buyers from 14 states set the bar high with an average of $12,342. The classic event helped celebrate 50 years of Top Acres breeding as every consignment contained the Top Acres prefix in their pedigree.

Female Record Breakers: From those 3 record breaking sales above, there were 4 animals that also set records breaking the 1983 high-selling female of Idyl Wild Improver Jinx at the Springtime Show Window Sale. At the Top Acres Finale, Top Acres Coll Party sold for the top price of $86,000 which stands today. Also in this sale, Top Acres Pre Bouquet ET sold for $67,000, placing her second. One week later at the Mort Dispersal, Mort Tower Frisky sold for $78,000, placing her second on the all-time list. Finally at the Springhill/Starmark sale, Round Hill Pre Wishful sells for $65,000, placing her 4^th on the list of Top Selling Females.

Through The Decades