Featured Breeder

IT’S A BALANCING ACT

By David Jons

“I’m a strong believer in the maternal influence of cow families,” stated Richard Sparrow, Fairdale Farm of Owenton, Kentucky. “It’s a balancing act between a cow’s type, yet be breed leaders for production.” Fairdale Farm, which consist of Richard, his wife Renelle, and their three sons Joe, Ben, Kirby and their families, have elevated that balancing act to an inspiring level.

The Sparrows' April 2021 Rolling Herd Average is 2X 29,416 M 1205F 1009P on 46 Brown Swiss cows. Fairdale Farm has been in the Brown Swiss Association’s top 10 herds for production, fat, and protein for herd size numerous times and was recognized as the highest RHA energy corrected milk herd in the state of Kentucky in 2020. This is accomplished with only labor from the Sparrow family while Joe, Ben and Kirby all hold full-time, off-farm jobs. “Milk pays the bills,” said Richard.

Equalizing the balancing act is the success Fairdale Farm has had in the show ring. Owning or breeding over 50 All-American Nominations has provided a library of highlights. “I believe the best heifer we ever bred was Fairdale-Renegade PS Carma ET,” said Richard. “She was the first heifer we had that placed first at Madison.” Carma won the Spring Heifer Calf class in 2010 in the International Brown Swiss Show at World Dairy Expo and was first place Spring Yearling Heifer in the International Brown Swiss Show at World Dairy Expo in 2011.

Other highlights include Kruses Victor Judy 2E94 crowned Intermediate Champion in the International Brown Swiss Show at World Dairy Expo in 2012. Judy herself has been Honorable Mention All American or better five times in milking form and was Grand Champion at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in 2016, placing over the Reserve Grand Champion Cutting Edge T Delilah. In 2013, Frosted Sieg Wammy ET 2E93 E95MS, a 2X All-American, won Supreme Champion of all breeds at NAILE. Fairdale Farm was named Premier Exhibitor at the Eastern National in 2019 and the Southeastern National in 2020.

Perhaps there is no better measure of a balance between type and production than the Vernon C. Hull Total Performance Award which is given each year to the cow with the highest point total determined by the cows highest 305-day Energy Corrected Milk (ECM) record, the total pounds of lifetime ECM per day over 24 months of age and class-placing score from among the National Shows. In 2019, the Fairdale Farm-owned cow La Rainbow Bfly Sunkist ETV 3E94 E94MS was named both the Vernon C. Hull National Total Performance and Cow for All Seasons award. Sunkist was nominated All-American 4-Year-Old in 2016, HM All-American Component Merit Cow 2020 and has calved at 2-0, 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, with her top record being 6-1 365 2X 45,770M 3.4 1577F 3.4 1548P. Sunkist was purchased by the Sparrow’s in 2014 at the Midwest Revue Sale because of her potential and deep maternal pedigree.

In 2020, another Fairdale Farm-owned cow, Lorreda SSbloom Panda E91/92MS, was named the Vernon C. Hull National Total Performance winner. Panda was Nominated All-American Senior 3-Year-Old in 2018, Nominated again as a 4-Year-Old in 2019 and HM All-American 5-Year-Old in 2020. Her 4-04 365 2X 49,450M 4.1 2051F 3.4 1667P record converts to 55,483 ECM. Panda was purchased at the Lorreda Swiss Dispersal in 2017 and has a deep maternal pedigree. “We don’t have any daughters from Panda.” Richard continued, “We do have four IVF Supreme pregnancies from reverse-sorted semen due in September and I’m really looking forward to those calves being born.”

Marketing Brown Swiss females is a huge part of the Fairdale Farm operation. They manage the Kentucky National Brown Swiss Show and Sale as well as market over 25 head per year through sales or by private treaty. There are many success stories with Brown Swiss purchased from Fairdale Farms. One they are particularly proud of is Fairdale Total Cali E94. Cali was the 2020 Reserve All-American Aged Cow.

Fairdale Farm strives to continue breeding and purchasing Brown Swiss with deep maternal pedigrees. “We want to breed and develop cows that can show and be breed leaders for production,” says Richard. “There are a lot of great cows in the breed, but in my opinion Top Acres EJ Whizzbang is the ‘Gold Standard’ for maternalism in the Brown Swiss breed. However, I am a fan of Valligrove Jetway Nora and R-Hart Brookings Atlanta, both cows have tremendous production, and transmitting ability”.

Off the farm, the Sparrows have been active in Brown Swiss affairs with Richard serving as President of the Brown Swiss Association Board of Directors from 2013 to 2019. Joe has judged shows around the country, including evaluating the cattle at the 2019 International Brown Swiss Show at World Dairy Expo.