In our most recent post we commented on the significant increase in numbers of Jersey cows involved in milk recording programs in Canada over the latest nine years. We also trumpeted the fact that the number of milk-recorded herds that contain Jerseys had jumped by 96% over the same time period!!
As with so much in life there is "a story behind the story". A couple of regions of the country really experienced super-significant growth during those nine years.
Western Canada is really interesting in that the number of herds containing Jerseys more than doubled from 2001 to 2010-up 106% from 62 such herds up to 128 as of September 2010! The number of Jerseys on milk recording also outstripped the fine national increase of 19.6% by landing at 34.5%!
In The East the province of Quebec has been at the center of a very positive Jersey explosion! The number of herds containing Jerseys in this province has grown from 140 in late 2001 to 622 as of September 30, 2010!! That is an increase of....wait for it..........344%!!! 2010 marks the first year that the number of herds containing Jerseys has been over 600!
No surprise that there has been an increase of 186% in the number of Jersey cows on milk recording in Quebec as well!
The province just to the west of Quebec, Ontario has certainly fueled demand for Jersey cows in Quebec with loads and loads of cattle!
The story simply gets better and better each year and we are motivated and inspired by this growth and also very thankful!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
News SO Worth Sharing!!
One of the annual reports that is available within the Canadian dairy industry speaks to the number of herds and cows covered by DHI/milk recording services across the land. For some reason or other these reports cover the period from October 1 to September 30.
The latest version of this report was created by Canadian Dairy Network early this month and covered the period up to September 30, 2010. What a bread-basket full of great news this report supplies for those of us involved with the Jersey breed in Canada!
Overall the number of Canadian milk-recorded dairy herds that contain Jerseys has grown from 607 in late 2001 to an impressive 1188 in late 2010! That is an increase of...wait for it......96%!!!!!!!
To put these numbers in even clearer perspective the 607 herds in 2001 would have equated to between 5 and 6% of all milk recorded herds in Canada. In 2010 there were 9535 individual milk-recorded herds in Canada. Therefore a much larger 12.5% of herds would have contained Jerseys in late 2010!!!!
We fully appreciate the fact that the number of Jerseys in many of these herds may be small-less than 5. However; those herds did not contain any Jersey presence in late 2001!!! Now that spells potential! We find that the success rate for those investing in Jerseys is very high. Your association is doing everything in its power to ensure that the success rate remains high!
The great news continues at cow-side! The number of Jerseys involved in milk recording in Canada has grown by 19.6% since September 2001! This kind of growth is every bit as important as the amazing migration of Jerseys into barns where other breeds are milked over the last nine years!
The number of herds where Jerseys are present has grown every single year since 2001 and the number of Jerseys in milk recorded herds has grown every year for the most recent five years! Jersey's growth based on these two measures can only be described as beyond robust and shines among breeds!
The target for tomorrow and the tomorrows after that remains keeping these numbers on an upswing!
Go Jersey breed, GROW!!
The latest version of this report was created by Canadian Dairy Network early this month and covered the period up to September 30, 2010. What a bread-basket full of great news this report supplies for those of us involved with the Jersey breed in Canada!
Overall the number of Canadian milk-recorded dairy herds that contain Jerseys has grown from 607 in late 2001 to an impressive 1188 in late 2010! That is an increase of...wait for it......96%!!!!!!!
To put these numbers in even clearer perspective the 607 herds in 2001 would have equated to between 5 and 6% of all milk recorded herds in Canada. In 2010 there were 9535 individual milk-recorded herds in Canada. Therefore a much larger 12.5% of herds would have contained Jerseys in late 2010!!!!
We fully appreciate the fact that the number of Jerseys in many of these herds may be small-less than 5. However; those herds did not contain any Jersey presence in late 2001!!! Now that spells potential! We find that the success rate for those investing in Jerseys is very high. Your association is doing everything in its power to ensure that the success rate remains high!
The great news continues at cow-side! The number of Jerseys involved in milk recording in Canada has grown by 19.6% since September 2001! This kind of growth is every bit as important as the amazing migration of Jerseys into barns where other breeds are milked over the last nine years!
The number of herds where Jerseys are present has grown every single year since 2001 and the number of Jerseys in milk recorded herds has grown every year for the most recent five years! Jersey's growth based on these two measures can only be described as beyond robust and shines among breeds!
The target for tomorrow and the tomorrows after that remains keeping these numbers on an upswing!
Go Jersey breed, GROW!!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Declutterization
In the spring of 2010 Jersey Canada staff initiated a process that has proven to be extremely valuable and reaped huge rewards. What we did was take part in a truly major version of what is commonly known as "spring house-cleaning".
Major discoveries were made as part of this process. One prominent discovery was that we were keeping/storing many items that we had no use for and thus there was not one valid reason to be keeping those items.
After all if the item is at least ten years old and you haven't used it in at least eight or nine years do you really need to keep it? Really?
We also discovered that there are not that many items that justify their existence on the basis of "sentimental value". When the "pitching" process starts a ruthless approach is decidedly the best one.
Think about some really impressive places, rooms, houses, barns that you have visited. Are they often cluttered? Are they often overflowing with items? The ones I recall most clearly are not stark and essentially empty but are well-organized, living up to the maxim: " There is a place for everything and everything in its place", and radiating a sense of order and peace.
When you declutter and organize those items that remain are either tucked away out of sight or easy to see because they do not compete with unnecessary items.
As part of the process we learned another maxim from a very wise lady who knows the subject of cleaning and organizing inside out. Her words were: "If something remains in your work-space or barn or home you have made an decision that it can stay there-even if you never use it, you simply walk by it and in essence no longer even notice that it is present. You are still making a decision about it every day, if if you don't realize you are!" Now, I grant you that at first that seems far from profound. I do, however, invite you to apply that kind of thinking to the area where you live and move and have your being. A massive percentage of that which surrounds us is there because we have made the decision that it can stay around us! What we have to ask ourselves is: Do we need each physical item to stay around us?? Really and truly? Sometimes the answer will be yes and sometimes no. "When the answer is no, the item should go"! Just creating a one-line poem!
We'll be honest that the declutterization process made a demand on us that we make a ton or two of decisions and that we had to work to do the pitching. BUT.....was this process ever worth it, was it ever laden with value!!!
After a big chunk of two separate days we had the lion's share of what we needed to do done! The results were very close to having a brand new work area!
One extra benefit of the work was that there was a palpable sense of peace in the office once the process was completed. Things "felt organized".
We've also learned that good habits can be maintained. Once you have things cleaned up you really notice piles accumulating. You "nip the rebirth of clutter in the bud so to speak"! You also find that time spent searching for items or information that you truly do need is radically reduced. Without making too much of an issue of it you are partially "taking back your life" when you declutter!
Having enjoyed the immense benefits of the process at work I applied it at home and was amazed by the transformation there! That which was once cluttered is now wide open and those remaining items are so easily visible and accessible.
As another step in the process I "went after" an overflowing e-mail in box and deleted or filed in folders, let's just say " a lot" of e-mails, and made notes on a surprisingly small number that required action.
Ultimately it is a matter of focus and being able to focus on the right tasks and projects. Once decluttering has taken place you can access what you need, when you need it with relative ease.
We've noticed that once you've gone through the process and then followed up by keeping things in order and pitching the non-useful on a regular basis you notice circumstances that could use a serious decluttering. As much as possible should be decluttered so that we can think effectively and save time and spend more of our precious hours reaching goals!
Yes, I'm a convert and a reformed believer and fan of the idea! I know some will argue that there daily agendas are too full, every day, to be able to take part in the "time-consuming" process of clutter-busting. I would argue that you are not consuming time but rather investing it wisely when you declutter! Time and effort spent sorting and letting go of "stuff" can be some of the best time and effort that you'll ever expend. Getting back to the basics of what you need can and does prove to be golden!
Then you have time and desire to sort out the clutter that lives in some minds!
Congratulations to those who have never had to deal with clutter or who have been free from it for years! It is one of life's great delights to "join the club" of those who have wrestled clutter to the ground and vanquished it and want that state to be maintained!
Couldn't recommend the process of declutterization and all the benefits that flow from it more highly! Great stuff it is to release stuff from your life!
Major discoveries were made as part of this process. One prominent discovery was that we were keeping/storing many items that we had no use for and thus there was not one valid reason to be keeping those items.
After all if the item is at least ten years old and you haven't used it in at least eight or nine years do you really need to keep it? Really?
We also discovered that there are not that many items that justify their existence on the basis of "sentimental value". When the "pitching" process starts a ruthless approach is decidedly the best one.
Think about some really impressive places, rooms, houses, barns that you have visited. Are they often cluttered? Are they often overflowing with items? The ones I recall most clearly are not stark and essentially empty but are well-organized, living up to the maxim: " There is a place for everything and everything in its place", and radiating a sense of order and peace.
When you declutter and organize those items that remain are either tucked away out of sight or easy to see because they do not compete with unnecessary items.
As part of the process we learned another maxim from a very wise lady who knows the subject of cleaning and organizing inside out. Her words were: "If something remains in your work-space or barn or home you have made an decision that it can stay there-even if you never use it, you simply walk by it and in essence no longer even notice that it is present. You are still making a decision about it every day, if if you don't realize you are!" Now, I grant you that at first that seems far from profound. I do, however, invite you to apply that kind of thinking to the area where you live and move and have your being. A massive percentage of that which surrounds us is there because we have made the decision that it can stay around us! What we have to ask ourselves is: Do we need each physical item to stay around us?? Really and truly? Sometimes the answer will be yes and sometimes no. "When the answer is no, the item should go"! Just creating a one-line poem!
We'll be honest that the declutterization process made a demand on us that we make a ton or two of decisions and that we had to work to do the pitching. BUT.....was this process ever worth it, was it ever laden with value!!!
After a big chunk of two separate days we had the lion's share of what we needed to do done! The results were very close to having a brand new work area!
One extra benefit of the work was that there was a palpable sense of peace in the office once the process was completed. Things "felt organized".
We've also learned that good habits can be maintained. Once you have things cleaned up you really notice piles accumulating. You "nip the rebirth of clutter in the bud so to speak"! You also find that time spent searching for items or information that you truly do need is radically reduced. Without making too much of an issue of it you are partially "taking back your life" when you declutter!
Having enjoyed the immense benefits of the process at work I applied it at home and was amazed by the transformation there! That which was once cluttered is now wide open and those remaining items are so easily visible and accessible.
As another step in the process I "went after" an overflowing e-mail in box and deleted or filed in folders, let's just say " a lot" of e-mails, and made notes on a surprisingly small number that required action.
Ultimately it is a matter of focus and being able to focus on the right tasks and projects. Once decluttering has taken place you can access what you need, when you need it with relative ease.
We've noticed that once you've gone through the process and then followed up by keeping things in order and pitching the non-useful on a regular basis you notice circumstances that could use a serious decluttering. As much as possible should be decluttered so that we can think effectively and save time and spend more of our precious hours reaching goals!
Yes, I'm a convert and a reformed believer and fan of the idea! I know some will argue that there daily agendas are too full, every day, to be able to take part in the "time-consuming" process of clutter-busting. I would argue that you are not consuming time but rather investing it wisely when you declutter! Time and effort spent sorting and letting go of "stuff" can be some of the best time and effort that you'll ever expend. Getting back to the basics of what you need can and does prove to be golden!
Then you have time and desire to sort out the clutter that lives in some minds!
Congratulations to those who have never had to deal with clutter or who have been free from it for years! It is one of life's great delights to "join the club" of those who have wrestled clutter to the ground and vanquished it and want that state to be maintained!
Couldn't recommend the process of declutterization and all the benefits that flow from it more highly! Great stuff it is to release stuff from your life!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Art of The Possible.....
One of the great joys for those involved with Jersey Canada has been the steady growth in both the people and the animal sides of our business that we've seen over the latest decade! This current decade has commenced with another year that looks like the trend is going to continue and amplify!
Allow us to provide a sampler of stimulating news on Jersey advancement in Canada in 2010:
-One of the most important aspects of a company's business life is the ability to keep growing as evidenced by new people making investments in the breed. Our success in this area has been nothing short of astounding in recent years! Many people are buying their first Jerseys now. A goodly percentage of these new buyers are settling in to owning Jerseys. They express their longer-term commitment by registering a herd prefix. This act signifies that they plan to register Jersey cattle.
As of the latter part of September we had registered 108 new herd prefixes since January 1, 2010.
This accomplishment marks the fifth consecutive year that Jersey Canada has registered more than 100 new herd prefixes in a year! Results from the last quarter of the year are still to be tallied. It does appear that by January 1, 2011 we'll be enjoying and celebrating our fifth consecutive year with over 130 new herd prefixes registered!
Add to this good news the fact that since January 2004 we have registered well over 930 new herd prefixes and you can see that a significant growth trend is well under way!
Continuing on the people side it is encouraging to see that our 2010 membership total is slightly ahead of our 2009 year-to-date total! 2009 was our best year for memberships since 1967, over four decades earlier! We'll see where we land but for now things look promising!
With regard to animal-related activity it is neat to be able to report that we are ahead of our 2009 registration total. The 2009 year end registration stat was the highest since 1985, 24 years earlier and the second best annual finish since 1969. If all continues as it is now we'll be at our highest level since 1969 this year!
Transfers of animals are slightly behind the 2009 total.
And how are those registrations arriving at Jersey Canada? More and more arrive as an electronic file!
This year we are running at 57.6% of registration applications submitted electronically after nine months. Last year we set an all time record of 57.2% electronic. We are convinced that we'll see the first year in history over 60% this year!
To think that many of our measures of activity are the best they've been in over 40 decades in a radically changing industry is both exciting and motivating! And then when one dreams about how much more we'll grow during this new decade the motivation factor expands!
It is understandable that questions arise after a period of sustained and steady growth. Will this continue? Will things get even better? Is that possible?
For now the answer appears to be that the upward trajectory of the last five to ten years is being well-maintained! Now that's exciting and inspires us to dream of even more growth! Go Jersey!
Allow us to provide a sampler of stimulating news on Jersey advancement in Canada in 2010:
-One of the most important aspects of a company's business life is the ability to keep growing as evidenced by new people making investments in the breed. Our success in this area has been nothing short of astounding in recent years! Many people are buying their first Jerseys now. A goodly percentage of these new buyers are settling in to owning Jerseys. They express their longer-term commitment by registering a herd prefix. This act signifies that they plan to register Jersey cattle.
As of the latter part of September we had registered 108 new herd prefixes since January 1, 2010.
This accomplishment marks the fifth consecutive year that Jersey Canada has registered more than 100 new herd prefixes in a year! Results from the last quarter of the year are still to be tallied. It does appear that by January 1, 2011 we'll be enjoying and celebrating our fifth consecutive year with over 130 new herd prefixes registered!
Add to this good news the fact that since January 2004 we have registered well over 930 new herd prefixes and you can see that a significant growth trend is well under way!
Continuing on the people side it is encouraging to see that our 2010 membership total is slightly ahead of our 2009 year-to-date total! 2009 was our best year for memberships since 1967, over four decades earlier! We'll see where we land but for now things look promising!
With regard to animal-related activity it is neat to be able to report that we are ahead of our 2009 registration total. The 2009 year end registration stat was the highest since 1985, 24 years earlier and the second best annual finish since 1969. If all continues as it is now we'll be at our highest level since 1969 this year!
Transfers of animals are slightly behind the 2009 total.
And how are those registrations arriving at Jersey Canada? More and more arrive as an electronic file!
This year we are running at 57.6% of registration applications submitted electronically after nine months. Last year we set an all time record of 57.2% electronic. We are convinced that we'll see the first year in history over 60% this year!
To think that many of our measures of activity are the best they've been in over 40 decades in a radically changing industry is both exciting and motivating! And then when one dreams about how much more we'll grow during this new decade the motivation factor expands!
It is understandable that questions arise after a period of sustained and steady growth. Will this continue? Will things get even better? Is that possible?
For now the answer appears to be that the upward trajectory of the last five to ten years is being well-maintained! Now that's exciting and inspires us to dream of even more growth! Go Jersey!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Site update: Jersey West
The Jersey West website has been updated this morning will some of the latest news from Jersey breeders and programs in Western Canada. Included are links to pedigrees on Jersey consignments to the Red Deer Westerner Dairy Showcase Sale on October 29th.
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