Our friends the Malcolms in Australia have a brand new look to their CrazyCow website at www.crazycow.com.au. Check it out! Voting is still open for the 2007 Jersey Photographic Contest. CrazyCow always features considerable Jersey content from Australia, New Zealand, and around the world!!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Requiem for a Jersey friend on Jersey
This past May 16th marked another birthday for me. This year the day was also marked by an e-mail from Derrick Frigot on Jersey informing me of the passing that morning of John Le Ruez a famed Jersey breeder on the Island, home of the Jersey breed. The news was not totally unexpected as a week or so earlier Derrick had informed that John was facing some very serious health challenges.
John had led a long and effective life. He was within a week or so of celebrating his 87th birthday.
I first met John and his gracious wife Beryl in October 1986 on my momentous ( for me!) first trip to Jersey. (Since that visit I have always contended that everyone who is passionate, or let's not pussyfoot around, deeply in love with the Jersey breed, should make a big effort to visit the legendary and astounding tiny Island in the English Channel, where the Jersey cow's story started, at least once.)
Max Spann from New Jersey was on the Island at the same time being moved around by his good friend John (Jack) Rondel, another stalwart Jersey breeder and leader on the Island. John and Beryl kindly had us to lunch and I can recall much convivial conversation-undoubtedly about Jersey cows and Jersey breeding around the lunch table. I felt an instant connection with these lovely people. Thereafter, on my three, to date, subsequent visits to Jersey a visit to their farm and home at St. Peter was at, or near the top of, my "must do" list.
On my "walls of fame" at home I have two pictures from a 1992 trip to Jersey that were taken by that contstant photgrapher of global Jerseys and Jersey events Mr. Frigot. The photos show John and I and one of his cows. In one photo John is removing the blanket from a broken-coloured young cow-one of the very best in his not-large herd. In the next photo the nice yong cow has been "unveiled". That visit, like a subsequent one in 1994 was in that transitional period of late September/early October. The Le Ruezs farmed in the traditional way at the time-cows horned and pegged out on pasture with a tether tied around their horns and blankets on to guard against the increasing cold. I liked the Le Ruez's cows almost as much as I liked John and Beryl! The cows were good dairy cows with the will to milk. One that I recall, Itaskas Fillpail Merrydew had been champion producer over the Island I think twice.
Over the years a few pieces of correspondence floated back and forth between John and Beryl's home in the agricultural Parish of St. Peter on Jersey and where I was in Canada. A few years ago news reached us that the majority of their herd was being dispersed. As it turns out their good neighbours John and Sara LeFeuvre and son John-James, just a literal stone's throw away on Jersey bought some of the last few animals for their very good quality herd.
One sunny and glorious April day in the spring of 2006 I was back in Jersey after an absence of about eleven and a half years. Derrick very graciously took me to John and Beryl's home in mid-afternoon. Beryl answered the door for our unannunced visit and was still very much this gracious and graceful lady full of soft smiles and pleased to see us as Derrick has had a wonderful long term relationship with them. John, then almost 86 and not in the best of health, was stationed in the living room. Before long our talk turned to Jersey cows and bloodlines. John and Beryl explained that in their herd the Itaska Filpail cows had been his line, Beryl had been involved with the Vedas and their daugher Kate (one of four children) worked with the Louise line. (Subsequent study revealed that a version of the Louise family has been owned by the Le Ruez family for a very, very long time. John and his well known Jersey breeding brothers the late Francis, like John regarded as a master breeder, and Laurence, now 89, and their numerous siblings had been grandchildren of two renowned Jersey breed movers and shakers on the Island, Francis Le Brocq an effective marketer of Jerseys and their grand father Le Ruez who started his Jersey breeding endeavours with a cow named Sainte Louise. More about the Louises anon.)
All too soon Derrick and I had to move on. Without being too morose I did wonder numerous times afterward if I would ever see John again on this earth. There was hope that in May 2008 when the Jersey world once again descends on Jersey for a super World Jersey Cattle Bureau Conference that a visit could be made. As it turns out another visit to see and talk with John was not to be.
His funeral was held on May 24th. It fell to his neigbour John Le Feuvre to eulogize and pay tribute to his long time fellow Jersey breeder and mentor and friend and close neighbour. By all accounts he did a masterful job with love, respect and appropriate touches of humour! One of the interesting points John LeF made was that in early 1961 the US Jersey Journal devoted a special section to Itaskas Fillpail Dream, a stand out cow in the Le Ruez herd and a cow that had a gigantic influnce on the breed overseas too!
But our story does not end there as the Island Spring Show was held two days later on Saturday, May 26th. Kate LeRuez still owned one milking age female, a younger cow named Maygan Louise. This cow is housed with, and cared for with great attention, by the LeFeuvres.
Late that morning, our time, e-mails started flowing in from various sources on Jersey sharing some truly wondrous news! Maygan Louise had been named the Surpreme Champion of the show! Reports stated the firm opinion that she was the best Champion at Island shows in perhaps a decade or more and some veteran observers were comparing her to the acclaimed show cow of the 1950s Seers Bouquet! It was inspiring and touching to see the love and respect for the Le Ruez family and their cattle breeding efforts that overflowed in these messages and the excitement and rejoicing that also populated them!!!
The next day David Hambrook graciously faxed over a pedigree on Maygan Louise and her ancestors. Subsequent analysis revealed that of her 64 closest relatives in the five nearest generations a full 33 of them would have come from the hands of John or Francis or their brother Laurence at Fairfield, or in recent generations on the female line, Kate. The afore-mentioned Seers Bouquet also features among the ancestors of the new Champion.
In a month when the Jersey breed saw the passing of two international giants of the breed Mr. Jim Thwaites of the Glanton Jersey stud in New Zealand, breeder of Glanton Red Dante, and John Le Ruez on Jersey we can remain thankful for their profound influence on the cow and her fortunes. How rich are the blessings life can offer when we have the chance to meet and know people like these! How much better the experience is when we are aware that we are in the presence of human greatness when we encounter peope like John and Jim! While they would never think that way it is still true!
John had led a long and effective life. He was within a week or so of celebrating his 87th birthday.
I first met John and his gracious wife Beryl in October 1986 on my momentous ( for me!) first trip to Jersey. (Since that visit I have always contended that everyone who is passionate, or let's not pussyfoot around, deeply in love with the Jersey breed, should make a big effort to visit the legendary and astounding tiny Island in the English Channel, where the Jersey cow's story started, at least once.)
Max Spann from New Jersey was on the Island at the same time being moved around by his good friend John (Jack) Rondel, another stalwart Jersey breeder and leader on the Island. John and Beryl kindly had us to lunch and I can recall much convivial conversation-undoubtedly about Jersey cows and Jersey breeding around the lunch table. I felt an instant connection with these lovely people. Thereafter, on my three, to date, subsequent visits to Jersey a visit to their farm and home at St. Peter was at, or near the top of, my "must do" list.
On my "walls of fame" at home I have two pictures from a 1992 trip to Jersey that were taken by that contstant photgrapher of global Jerseys and Jersey events Mr. Frigot. The photos show John and I and one of his cows. In one photo John is removing the blanket from a broken-coloured young cow-one of the very best in his not-large herd. In the next photo the nice yong cow has been "unveiled". That visit, like a subsequent one in 1994 was in that transitional period of late September/early October. The Le Ruezs farmed in the traditional way at the time-cows horned and pegged out on pasture with a tether tied around their horns and blankets on to guard against the increasing cold. I liked the Le Ruez's cows almost as much as I liked John and Beryl! The cows were good dairy cows with the will to milk. One that I recall, Itaskas Fillpail Merrydew had been champion producer over the Island I think twice.
Over the years a few pieces of correspondence floated back and forth between John and Beryl's home in the agricultural Parish of St. Peter on Jersey and where I was in Canada. A few years ago news reached us that the majority of their herd was being dispersed. As it turns out their good neighbours John and Sara LeFeuvre and son John-James, just a literal stone's throw away on Jersey bought some of the last few animals for their very good quality herd.
One sunny and glorious April day in the spring of 2006 I was back in Jersey after an absence of about eleven and a half years. Derrick very graciously took me to John and Beryl's home in mid-afternoon. Beryl answered the door for our unannunced visit and was still very much this gracious and graceful lady full of soft smiles and pleased to see us as Derrick has had a wonderful long term relationship with them. John, then almost 86 and not in the best of health, was stationed in the living room. Before long our talk turned to Jersey cows and bloodlines. John and Beryl explained that in their herd the Itaska Filpail cows had been his line, Beryl had been involved with the Vedas and their daugher Kate (one of four children) worked with the Louise line. (Subsequent study revealed that a version of the Louise family has been owned by the Le Ruez family for a very, very long time. John and his well known Jersey breeding brothers the late Francis, like John regarded as a master breeder, and Laurence, now 89, and their numerous siblings had been grandchildren of two renowned Jersey breed movers and shakers on the Island, Francis Le Brocq an effective marketer of Jerseys and their grand father Le Ruez who started his Jersey breeding endeavours with a cow named Sainte Louise. More about the Louises anon.)
All too soon Derrick and I had to move on. Without being too morose I did wonder numerous times afterward if I would ever see John again on this earth. There was hope that in May 2008 when the Jersey world once again descends on Jersey for a super World Jersey Cattle Bureau Conference that a visit could be made. As it turns out another visit to see and talk with John was not to be.
His funeral was held on May 24th. It fell to his neigbour John Le Feuvre to eulogize and pay tribute to his long time fellow Jersey breeder and mentor and friend and close neighbour. By all accounts he did a masterful job with love, respect and appropriate touches of humour! One of the interesting points John LeF made was that in early 1961 the US Jersey Journal devoted a special section to Itaskas Fillpail Dream, a stand out cow in the Le Ruez herd and a cow that had a gigantic influnce on the breed overseas too!
But our story does not end there as the Island Spring Show was held two days later on Saturday, May 26th. Kate LeRuez still owned one milking age female, a younger cow named Maygan Louise. This cow is housed with, and cared for with great attention, by the LeFeuvres.
Late that morning, our time, e-mails started flowing in from various sources on Jersey sharing some truly wondrous news! Maygan Louise had been named the Surpreme Champion of the show! Reports stated the firm opinion that she was the best Champion at Island shows in perhaps a decade or more and some veteran observers were comparing her to the acclaimed show cow of the 1950s Seers Bouquet! It was inspiring and touching to see the love and respect for the Le Ruez family and their cattle breeding efforts that overflowed in these messages and the excitement and rejoicing that also populated them!!!
The next day David Hambrook graciously faxed over a pedigree on Maygan Louise and her ancestors. Subsequent analysis revealed that of her 64 closest relatives in the five nearest generations a full 33 of them would have come from the hands of John or Francis or their brother Laurence at Fairfield, or in recent generations on the female line, Kate. The afore-mentioned Seers Bouquet also features among the ancestors of the new Champion.
In a month when the Jersey breed saw the passing of two international giants of the breed Mr. Jim Thwaites of the Glanton Jersey stud in New Zealand, breeder of Glanton Red Dante, and John Le Ruez on Jersey we can remain thankful for their profound influence on the cow and her fortunes. How rich are the blessings life can offer when we have the chance to meet and know people like these! How much better the experience is when we are aware that we are in the presence of human greatness when we encounter peope like John and Jim! While they would never think that way it is still true!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Perspective
Recently we've engaged in a couple of conversations about the value of genetic evaluation tools like our Canadian Lifetime Profit Index. It seems that some people equate animals who rank high on this listing - be they male or female - as being high production cattle only! It is interesting to speculate where this concept comes from and why it is so ingrained in some mindsets. In truth, animals are evaluated for their estimated transmitting abilities for fat and protein production and type or durability traits and health and fertility or fitness traits as components of the LPI. While we'll be doing some "technology transfer" on this topic in the pages of the Canadian Jersey Breeder in coming issues a few points are worth noting now.
Overall emphasis in the breed-specific formula for Jersey are 57% production, 33% durability and 10% health and fertility. In greater detail, the weightings within the production component for Jersey are (out of a total of ten) 5.1 protein yield, 0.9 protein percent, 3.4 fat yield and 0.6 fat percent. Our emphasis on yields is lower than the other breeds and our emphasis on percents is notably higher. Durability considers ratings for herd life, mammary system, feet and legs and dairy strength with the three type traits receiving descending emphasis in the order they are listed.
Within the health and fertility section, somatic cell score, udder depth, milking speed and daughter fertility are all considered. Again, Jersey varies from most other breeds by placing more emphasis on somatic cell score, udder depth and milking speed than daughter fertility. Part of the decision was based on the fact that Jerseys excel when compared to other breeds for daughter fertility.
The exact emphasis within the Jersey breed was developed by our Genetic Improvement Committee and recommended, as stated above, to the Board of Directors of Jersey Canada who approved it for implementation by Canadian Dairy Network, Canadian supplier of genetic evaluations.
In recent years the Genetic Improvement Committee have done pedigree studies of the high ranking LPI cows in Canada. The discovery was that most of the high-ranking cows come from deep pedigrees with numerous generations of high scoring cows or higher scoring cows for the herd of origin. There is usually good/above average production evident for generations and sometimes quite excellent performance for health traits.
While slavish devotion to the exact rankings of cows or bulls on these lists could end up being overly restrictive and cause narrowing of genetic bases they do serve as a terrific genetic direction tool. Canadians love balanced cows and balanced genetics. We want productive cows with strong type who are healthy and last a long time. It would be both prudent and wise to consider what the LPI lists tell us and to shrewdly consider what the true capabilities of high ranking cattle, male or female, really are. Take a look at the top few LPI bulls and think about what characteristics their proofs have.
Food for thought!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
New Jersey Canada Milk Marketing Page!
Be sure to check out the new Jersey Canada Milk Marketing Page, available at www.jerseycanada.com/milk/. It will serve as a portal for all dairy producers to access up-to-date milk marketing information from across Canada. Also, the site features the Milk Blog, a place for milk producers and Jersey breeders to discuss and debate issues in milk pricing, market development, and the greater dairy industry.
Log on today and check it out!!
Log on today and check it out!!
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Website Update - Unique Valleystream Genetics
Unique Valleystream Genetics / Unique Stock Farms has just updated and refreshed their website, designed and hosted by Jersey Canada. Included is updated information on some of their top cow families, as well as recent results from the spring shows!
You can access it at www.jerseycanada.com/unique
You can access it at www.jerseycanada.com/unique
Earl Vander Meulen Memorial Award
This award is established by his friends to remember the late Earl Vander Meulen. It will be presented annually to the person that best exemplifies the qualities and values that Earl held dear. The presentation of this award to one individual will take place during the Jersey Show at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
This award commemorates Earl’s strong character, and recognizes his legacy of caring for family, establishing life long friendships, a strong faith and love of the farm. The recipient will be of high integrity, display a positive attitude and progressive leadership skills, involvement in the dairy industry and other community organizations.
Written nominations, must be received by Jersey Canada by September 1st, 2007. Applications are available from the Jersey Canada office at 9-350 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7M7. Applications are open to anyone involved in the dairy industry - you need not work with Jersey cattle directly. The applications will be forwarded to the selection committee to determine the winner.
This award commemorates Earl’s strong character, and recognizes his legacy of caring for family, establishing life long friendships, a strong faith and love of the farm. The recipient will be of high integrity, display a positive attitude and progressive leadership skills, involvement in the dairy industry and other community organizations.
Written nominations, must be received by Jersey Canada by September 1st, 2007. Applications are available from the Jersey Canada office at 9-350 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7M7. Applications are open to anyone involved in the dairy industry - you need not work with Jersey cattle directly. The applications will be forwarded to the selection committee to determine the winner.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Everyday is a feast
Thus goes a quote I picked up from Pierre Marx of Semex SA on a recent marketing trip to the thoroughly glorious country of South Africa. On a radiant spring day in May like today here in Ontario, Canada-sun, clear skies and not much wind-it is so easy to believe that everyday is indeed a feast! Pierre's quote ties in perfectly with a quote from a rather Good Book that says: "But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast!!"
Days like today prove a statement from our Universal Queen Mother of the Jersey Breed Ann(i)e Perchard at La Ferme on Jersey, the home of the breed. The phrase I learned from our beloved Annie is that "May is the Queen of the year!" Those who live in the northern hemisphere will be able to relate to the sentiment behind that quote!
So, what does this have to do with the Jersey breed or am I just exercising my OTT (over the top) extreme passion for writing and rambling? :-)
Actually in the Jersey breed in Canada these days every day is indeed a true and rich feast! Things are happening now that are either exceedingly rare or unique in the 106 year history of Jersey Canada! Recently we processed four new memberships in a 24 hour period! That is uncommon to say the least! Based on our historically high 2006 memberships that is a .4 of 1% increase in membership in 24 hours!
We are awaiting the unveiling of our new true type model and have just had some powerhouse, blockbuster committee meetings these past two weeks! These committees are aggressively developing input for our Strategic Planning Committee who will create a proposed plan for the board over the next five months. It is exciting to be part of the energy that overflows at these meetings! So much positive, crackling energy abounds! So much hope and desire for more and better things for the breed are expressed!!
The long and short of it is that Jersey Canada intends to be around for a good long time as we work with the Jersey breed to usher in a good, good future! Every day truly is a feast of new ideas, possibilities, opportunities, information that can be used for action and hope! Let us be open to all this and then run with it! Enjoy the scrumptious and delectable feast that awaits you every morning and all day long!!!
High on life and spring! RGG
Days like today prove a statement from our Universal Queen Mother of the Jersey Breed Ann(i)e Perchard at La Ferme on Jersey, the home of the breed. The phrase I learned from our beloved Annie is that "May is the Queen of the year!" Those who live in the northern hemisphere will be able to relate to the sentiment behind that quote!
So, what does this have to do with the Jersey breed or am I just exercising my OTT (over the top) extreme passion for writing and rambling? :-)
Actually in the Jersey breed in Canada these days every day is indeed a true and rich feast! Things are happening now that are either exceedingly rare or unique in the 106 year history of Jersey Canada! Recently we processed four new memberships in a 24 hour period! That is uncommon to say the least! Based on our historically high 2006 memberships that is a .4 of 1% increase in membership in 24 hours!
We are awaiting the unveiling of our new true type model and have just had some powerhouse, blockbuster committee meetings these past two weeks! These committees are aggressively developing input for our Strategic Planning Committee who will create a proposed plan for the board over the next five months. It is exciting to be part of the energy that overflows at these meetings! So much positive, crackling energy abounds! So much hope and desire for more and better things for the breed are expressed!!
The long and short of it is that Jersey Canada intends to be around for a good long time as we work with the Jersey breed to usher in a good, good future! Every day truly is a feast of new ideas, possibilities, opportunities, information that can be used for action and hope! Let us be open to all this and then run with it! Enjoy the scrumptious and delectable feast that awaits you every morning and all day long!!!
High on life and spring! RGG
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