Putting My Passion First

As I have posted before, I "lost" a local pageant in September. After that, I decided that I was done with pageants. I hated feeling like I had done better than the results showed. I also wanted to just eat whatever I wanted and start working out for fun instead of for a goal. So I was done. My competitiveness clouded my judgement and what was really important to me.

But then I attended a Dairy Girl Network event in Sioux Falls in November. For two days, I watched amazing and inspirational women in the dairy industry with similar goals and dreams speak and it was like they were talking directly to me.

Dairy Carrie with my friend Chelsea and I after her presentation .

Before one of the sessions, these two women sitting next to me asked if I had ever been a dairy princess and I shared that I had been a butterhead in 2012. Then I told them how now I held a local crown within the Miss American Organization, and I was still promoting dairy with it. They got so excited and one of them said "you have to keep doing it." My heart smiled as they spoke and I knew at that moment that yes, I HAD to keep doing it. Then the very next speaker, Dairy Carrie, showed a video of the main actress in Bones, Emily Deschanel, one of my favorite shows. She was speaking on behalf of PETA. After that video, I just had this weird feeling that if I just gave up on promoting my platform in pageants, PETA won. (Sounds crazy, but it was the push I needed.)

So when I step on that stage this Saturday and Sunday competing for Miss Rapid City, I will put everything I have out there. I will not be afraid of not walking away without a crown because by just performing my talent, I will have shown what dairy farming truly is to an room full of people, hopefully encouraging them to support their local community by buying dairy products. I will know that I have put nothing before my love of promoting the dairy industry and my cows. Nothing, not even a cheeseburger or pizza, nor a night I just did not want to go to the gym, nor my fear of losing again, nothing!

7342, my favorite heifer on the SDSU Dairy Farm.

On a dairy farm, cows come first. In my heart, cows come first. So when I get on that stage, cows will come first and nothing else will matter because Monday morning I will be with the cows once again and they will love me no matter what, crown or no crown. And if I have the honor of winning that title, I would be more than pleased to promote dairy across this wonderful state of South Dakota.

Your Neighbor's Opinion - Antibiotic Use in Animals

For a moment, I would like you to picture yourself as farmer. You're milking your cows when you come across a cow that is not feeling well. Her udder is hot to the touch, it appears red, and her milk is not normal. She has mastitis, the most common infection on a dairy farm. However, just because it is more common does not make it any less serious. She is in pain and you want to treat that as soon as possible. You, as a farmer, care deeply for the health of your cows. The next step would be to administer some antibiotics to get rid of the infection as fast as possible so she can start feeling better. Now if people have their way and make it impossible for us, as farmers, to give our animals antibiotics, she would just have to suffer through the mastitis. Hopefully, her body would be able to overcome the infection, if not, she would have to be put down.

One of my favorite calves, Monica, and I, working up close and personal to ensure she is healthy.

Now, picture yourself as a parent. Your child has a very painful sinus infection. The doctor has prescribed antibiotics to help heal your child as soon as possible. But your neighbor has decided that you cannot give your child antibiotics because they do not feel that it is right. Your neighbor does not have to watch your child suffer, your neighbor doesn't have to deal with the consequences of this decision, but they are louder than you and now make the rules. This is how farmers feel about antibiotics. People who have never been on a farm or worked closely with animals are restricting us from helping these animals we care so much for. We are the ones that have to watch them struggle through the pain, we are the ones that have to deal with the consequences of loosing an animal. So please rethink your opinion on antibiotics in animals. We only administer them when the animal is sick and needs it, just like a doctor would for your child. These animal are not just our livelihoods, they mean more to us than you know.

Just Trying to Live a Childhood Dream

My grandma, my sister, and I showing off our close relationship.

A blue tractor, nineties country playing on the radio, a field full of beautiful alfalfa, ready to be cut, my butt bouncing around in the "passengers" or "buddy" seat of the tractor, and my strong, well worn, stubborn, funny Grandpa with his hands on the wheel. I never had a babysitter growing up. My parents would take us to spend the day with my grandparents. This would include ice cream at 9am, probably where my ice cream addition came from, tractor rides, helping feed corn to the cows, and of course, my sister and I both sitting on the lawnmower seat to ensure we were heavy enough to start it and would leave Grandma in our dust.

My first show heifer, Midnight, and I.

 Agriculture is in my blood, my family has been farming for generation after generation. And even though my parents both have off the farm full time jobs, we still have cattle, goats, chickens and various other farm animals that happen to show up. When I was nine, I got my first cow, Dottie. And from there, I fell head over heels for cows. Now a days, not only do they cover my walls and jewelry, they also motivate me in the mornings when I feed them, they remind me why I am here in South Dakota and why I strive to learn as much as I can.

My very first calf, Dottie and I.

Yes, I could be anything I want. Yes, there are many opportunities in Agriculture to be more than "just a farmer." But being "just a farmer," would be a dream come true. Working day in and day out with cattle and feeding the nation with delicious and nutritious dairy products is exactly what I want, and I couldn't imagine a more perfect job.

The Difference Between Learning for a Test and Learning for Knowledge

I took my first Advanced Placement course when I was a junior in High School, the whole time I heard "this will be on the test." The second half of my high school career was learning for the sake of preparing for a test. All I had to do was take in a bunch of information until the beginning of May and then it could all be forgotten at the completion of "the test." Unfortunately, due to this mindset, I looked at college this way as well, only seeming to take in what I thought would be on a test. And I feel as though my classmates are doing the same thing, but then I spent a summer learning for the sake of gaining the knowledge and it opened my mind to a whole new world.

This past summer I had an internship with Cargill Animal Nutrition, as a dairy focused consultant intern. I worked with so many great minds in dairy nutrition that were bound and determined to help me grow as an individual and as a student. Over the summer, I spent so many days learning the ins and outs of the science behind dairy cattle nutrition. There was no test to prepare for, no homework to turn in. The only goal was to learn and understand more of what my future might hold.

Some beautiful cows from this summer indulging in their delicious TMR/breakfast.

As I start my senior year of college, I find myself reading and listening to lectures more closely, and asking questions because I'm curious, not because it is going to be on a test. I now want to go to class because I want more knowledge, not because I want the letter A on my transcript. College is not simply a stepping stone to great things, it is our present, our right now. From now on, I'm going to live in the present and soak up every ounce of that $15,000 a year education.

Support Comes in Many Forms: Sometimes Even Butter

Some may think that walking on a stage in front of hundreds of people hoping to become the dairy princess that I had been idealizing my entire life could have been be the loneliest moment of my life. I was standing there, looking out from the backstage curtain, only able to see the bright lights and maybe a couple people in the front row. Nerves took over and all I could think was "don't trip, don't trip." Then it was my turn, I took a deep breath and stepped out there in my white, sparkly gown that I loved so much. The next thing I remember is a huge lump in my throat and tears welling in my eyes. There were over fifty people in purple shirts standing and screaming my name. They had come from all parts of my life to support me in this journey. I knew from that moment on that no matter what happened that night, I was loved and had the support of all of my family, friends and fellow farmers.

So to those twelve amazing young ladies that take the stage this Wednesday, and to all those lucky women that will follow in our footsteps, good luck! But I want you to know that even if you don't win, you still have the backing of Minnesota's Dairy Farmers, your families, and all of us former butterheads the rest of your life, in all your adventures. Also you will never have to struggle in the "What makes you unique" get to know you game ever again! "I have a 90 pound block of butter that looks just like me" always wins!

Day 3 Miss SD: How Cow Shows are like Pageants!

Day 3 at the Miss South Dakota Pageant was super busy with production items. During the breaks, we all get to talking and I was telling someone how preparing for a pageant is like preparing for a dairy show. For those of you who are not from the cow world, you will think I'm crazy, but those of you who have shown might see where I'm coming from.

Pre-Show/Pre-Pageant:
Before the show you work constantly with your heifers on walking, just as a pageant contestant does with her swim suit and evening gown walks. Your heifers must keep their head high and strut their stuff, just like a contestant in the pageant. Also when you practice setting up your heifer, you emphasis her strengths and fix her weaknesses, exactly like when contestants pick swimsuit posses. You also work on slimming down your heifers to make sure that she is in the right condition and we are in the gym everyday, also watching what we eat. Then before the show you shave your heifer to show off her strengths and femininity. The pageant girls shave their legs to make them look as sleek and feminine as possible.

Miss America 2015, Kira Kazantsev, showing off all the work she put in for her walk.

Show/Pageant Day:
You get up early, shower to make sure you are fresh and clean, ready to go. Then you spend quite a bit of time doing your hair and make-up, to help emphasis your strengths and hide your weaknesses. Showmen get up early (or don't go to bed at all), give the cows bathes, then style the hair on their spine, or "top line," to make her look as straight across her back as possible, as well as sharper (thinner) throughout. We even rat our cows tails like a good number of pageant girls will do to their hair.

My heifer, Rio, showing her style off with that straight top line and sleek black coat after winning.

In Ring/On Stage:
You get out their and let all of your hard work show, strutting and showing off all of the skills you have honed. And if something goes wrong, you smile and let the judge(s) see who you are and the work you've put in.

My sister, Laura, supporting me through everything.

Support:
Both of these amazing activities would not be the same without all of the support. In my show life, as well as my pageant life, my family has been the key to my success. I could not have made it this far without any of them. Tomorrow I will go more in-depth on this, but I cannot thank them enough so why not thank them in this blog post too?

Always Improving

Here I am working on a research project
 to help increase growth rates of calves.

"Simply doing what the previous generation did will not keep the farm competitive in the long run." Nor will it produce enough to feed the world's growing population. To me, this quote, taken from my Farm and Ranch Management class book entitled Farm Management by Kay, Edwards, and Duffy, really speaks to todays generations, both on the farm and off.

On the farm, we sometimes like to get stuck in our ways, getting in the mindset that it has always worked so why wouldn't it keep working. But we must challenge ourselves to keep striving for better. To keep pushing the limits of what we know and the success of our farms. Agriculture as a whole has made huge improvements over the years and many farmers have taken great advantage of this. I just wanted to post this to remind us to keep striving and improving.

Off the farm, this can remind each person who eats or wears clothes, that farmers must keep improving, like the rest of our lives. Our cows can't walk out to the pasture each day like they did on my grandpa's farm, but our cows can produce 1/3 more milk per day in a comfy barn.

THANK YOU FARMERS!

So June Dairy Month is coming to an end, and I have made it everyday with posting a picture of the dairy industry I love. But now I'd like to take a moment to thank all of the dairy farmers for everything. If you eat today, thank a farmer. If you are wearing clothes, thank a farmer. They all work so hard to provide us with the things we need to live. I'd also like to thank the cows, they often get over looked, and these ladies (and gentlemen when it comes to meat) work so hard to provide us with nuticious food. And by working hard I mean sleeping 14 hours a day, eating 6 hours a day, and bumming around the other 4:) 1% of america feeds everyone, and they are often overlooked themselves. So THANK YOU FARMERS!!!

How I Know my Cows are Happy:)

A few weeks back I was letting the cows out of the barn for the afternoon, I came up to this one cow and when I reached for her collar, I realized she was loose. She was loose all day long, could have walked out of her spot and right out the door of the barn, but she didn't, she stayed there. Why would she leave, she has everything she could have ever asked for there? She has all the food she wants and the ingredients are fresh, the recipe, which has been created by her personal nutritionist, is strictly followed. It is put together by "Cow Chefs" as I like to call myself, who have at least 2 years of experience in feeding. If she was not on the farm she would have to scavenge for food and wonder where her next meal is coming from. She has all the fresh clean water she needs, even enough to play in. She has fans blowing when its warm outside, cooling her down, and the doors closed when it is cold outside, to keep her warm. If she was on her own, she would be exposed to the elements, which would be really hard on her. Also when her udder gets full, it is cleaned to keep her healthy and milked out, keeping her comfortable. If it didn't get milked out when it was full, it would just stay full, and that would hurt. She also would be more prone to getting an infection. Then most importantly, she was surrounded by all of her friends, why leave when you can hang out with your friends all the time? She has the perfect life. Its like how kids have to live with their parents, who feed, clothe and care for them. Yes kids have to obey their parents rules, like when to go to bed and when they can leave to go out and when they have to stay home, but without parents, kids would be in a world of trouble. And that is how I know my cows are happy, they have farmers to keep them happy and healthy. Sometimes I think they live better than I do.

So God Made a 4-Her

And on the 8th day God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a leader!". So, God made a 4-Her! God said I need somebody to get up before dawn and milk cows and work all day with their show calves, milk cows again, eat supper and then go to into town and stay until 11 at a meeting for the county. So, God made a 4-Her!
I need somebody with strong arms. Strong enough to rustle a calf into a halter, yet gentle enough to tame that same calf to follow. Somebody to call hogs, fix cantankerous machinery, come home hungry and have to wait for lunch until her mom is done feeding and visiting with other 4-H moms about how busy and crazy her child is and mean it. So, God made a 4-Her!
God said "I need somebody that can shape a sculpture, make a project with a hunk of car tire, make an answer out of thin air, take pictures and edit video. And...who, at county fair time and show season, will finish her forty hour week by Tuesday noon. Then, pain'n from rope burn, put in another seventy two hours. So, God made a 4-Her!
God had to have somebody willing to tame to steers in double speed to get them ready by fair time and yet stop mid-halter breaking and race to volunteer at camp for the local kids. So, God made a 4-Her!
God said, "I need somebody strong enough to lose after working all summer, and see others win, yet gentle enough to win graciously and keep trying year after year and teach the younger kids...and who will stop everything for an hour to lend a hand to a friend who's cow won't walk. So, God made a 4-Her!
It had to be somebody who'd try hard and long...and not cut corners. Somebody to lead and pull, study and learn...and clip and brush and glue and cut and crochet the blanket and knit the sweater. Somebody to refinish a table and then finish a hard days work with a five mile drive to the neighbors to help them finish theirs. Somebody who'd grow a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing and hard work, who'd laugh and then sigh...and then respond with smiling eyes, when her sister says she wants to spend her years "doing what her sister does". So, God made a 4-Her!

-edited by Maggie Stiles, from orginal by Paul Harvey

A Calf Story: Robert Joseph



Robert Joseph, just one day old.



This is the story of how Robert Joseph can to be in this world. It starts out the same as any story, a heifer who's just living her life to the fullest; eating, sleeping, training with her handler, and of course traveling the county going to shows, like any show heifer does. Until one day, the farmer thinks, "I bet she would make a great addition to my milking herd, I should breed her." So that night the farmer opens up her Stud Book, to pick out a very nice bull for her young star, Bobbie Jo. After looking through almost the entire book, she is about to give up, thinking that no bull is good enough for her hefier, when she stumbles across Man-O-Man. This bull has it all, the ease of calving, the high production of milk, and the looks; everything she was hoping for for her dazzling heifer. The next day, the breeder comes by with a straw of Man-O-Man for Bobbie Jo. And it must have been a match made in heaven because she took the first time, to the farmers delight.

Bobbie Jo at the county fair.

Over the next couple months, Bobbie started to put on some weight, was eating like a horse, and her udder started to form, her body was getting ready to join the milking force. Throughout the whole nine month gestation, everything was on track for Bobbie and things were looking great. But just like in humans, sometimes cows have trouble during labor, as was the case for Bobbie Jo. Lucky for Bobbie, farmers take amazing care of their cows, and the vet was called once the problems started to arise. Turns out Robert Joseph was just a little too big for his mother, but with a little help, he came out with no problem. After that, the farmer and vet noticed that Bobbie wasn't feeling well, she had an infection in her udder, called mastitis. But after a little medicine from the vet, she is feeling great and happy to be apart of the great milking team that is helping feed the nation, definitely worth giving up her crazy heifer ways.

As for Robert Joseph, he is in his own hutch, where he gets milk twice a day, and has grain and water all the time. Here he will live, until he is about a month old, then he gets to move in with others his age, like going to school. He as a very fun near future ahead of him.



Bobbie Jo at work, milking like the great cow she is!



My Hero: My Grandfather

I know this is not the best essay, but I wrote it as a freshman in high school, found it today and thought I'd share it. The topic was who is your hero:

"The rumble of the tractors engine, the crunching of the ground beneath the large tires, Johnny Cash's voice ringing form the radio, and Grandpa's rough yet gentle hands lightly gripping the black steering wheel. I was the little child that sat being bumped around in the giant, blue tractor's cab just so I could watch my grandfather control the great machine. Maybe it was these experiences with him that made him my hero. No, he did not wear a cape or spandex, nor did he have the power to fly, but he had a true faith in the Lord above, a passion for animals and farming, and a personality that would make anyone smile. He was a real role model for me as a young child and even now.

My grandfather and I at the kitchen table.

His knees were worn down and replaced, more than once, by the years of farming. Even through all of this pain, he got on those sore appendages every night by the side of the bed to pray to the Lord in which he held a lot of faith in. Also he had a rosary that he prayed each night and the beads were so worn they were almost not there anymore. Even as a young man in World War II, he went to church every chance that he had. This was a very admirable quality in my grandfather. He helped me to understand God. Then when it was his time to die, it was horribly sad, but the pain was eased with the thought of him being free of pain and with God. I hope now that he is looking down and happy with the way in which I hope to follow in his food steps.

"Your grandfather said he hated cats, but when he thought no one was looking you could find him holding and petting a kitten," my mom told me as we fed my sister's baby kittens. Grandpa loved the animals no matter what shape, size or even attitude. His dog Bandit was one of the smartest dogs ever. He would give her commands in full sentences as if he were talking to a human and she would obey. My grandfather also had a passion for farming. This was evident when he "retired." Basically he stopped milking and started a beef herd of 100 cows. Now because of him, I want to be a farmer when I grow up. The passion and love has been passed down through three generations.

Whether you were stuck in a snow bank along the road or in an accident, my grandpa was there to help. Him and my grandma had a routine. Grandpa would pull them out of the ditch and Grandma would feed them. He also could make me laugh no matter what mood I was in. Just a simple funny face or a joke, he had me rolling on the floor laughing. This personality help him stay strong and gives me a good laugh even now when  I think back.

The breaks came to a squeaky stop, the engine faded to a dull roar then nothing, the radio was clicked off, and my grandfather opened the tractor door to the hot late august air. We were done from a good days work in the field and ready for Grandma's fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. My grandfather was my hero, and in my eyes he wore that superman cape. With his faith, passion, and personality, he flew me away from danger of any kind."
-Maggie Stiles, 2009

Weather: Everything in Moderation

As old as time, people have been trying to control this crazy thing we call weather, from rain dances to sacrifices to the gods because of a drought. But no matter what we do, weather is one thing we cannot change, as much as we want to. And weather lately has been a big problem in agriculture. Last year was such a bad drought that a lot of farmers lost their corn, skyrocketing corn prices. This year, winter left then came back again and again, the snow lingering into late April, this killed a lot of people's alfalfa. This year the price of hay will skyrocket. Putting farmers in yet another tight spot. Today the farm I milk for had to sell seven cows because they will not have enough haylage and hay to support them. Quite a few of them were past featured cows of the week, including Grandma Cow.

"Rain is a good thing" says Luke Bryan, but I have to admit in this situation there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Too much rain can cause flooding which will kill the crop. But not enough will kill the crop too. Like my grandma always said "everything in moderation." If only Mother Nature would listen and help out the farmers by giving out a more consistent weather pattern.

The Strong Mind of a Farmer

"Grandpas Milk Cow," one of my favorite paintings by Robert Duncan.

Today while volunteering at a nursing home, I got to work with an older man who used to be a farmer. This man's mind is not what it used to be, the effect of many years of wear and tear. Helping him made me think of my amazing grandfather and the wonderful values that farmers have. This man would not eat his meal until everyone else had food, and constantly wanted to give his food to others. The strong need to feed the world was still a large priority to this man, he had done it for so long that it had become natural. He was also very worried about what we would do with the food after he was finished, told me that we could "give it to a cat or dog." Not wanting to waste any of it, and use everything that he had. Then he kept saying that he needed to go home before the sun went down because he still had things to get done. Working hard is just second nature to a farmer, getting the most out of every single day.

This man is an inspiration to me, that someday when I am not quite in the right mindset that I am still able to hold on to what life has given me as a kid who grew up on a farm and one who hopes to spend the rest of my life feeding the world.

Lend an Ear: The Secrets to Listening to Cows

Ever wonder what a cow is thinking or how she is feeling? Just take a look at her ears and they will spill most of her secrets. The direction that her ears are facing will tell you what she is paying attention to. If she only has one ear facing you, she's only half listening, but that's better than not paying attention at all. Another thing her ears tell you is how she is feeling. If she has droopy ears, she is most likely sick and not feeling well. A big tip for farmers to see if she has been eating or milking, and then go from there. Ears are a farmers best friend because you can also tell what noises are bothering them and fix it, making her life easier.

Here you can see Barb B is listening to something in front of her.

What it means to be a Princess.

 After spending a year as a Princess, I got to know what it truly means to be one. It doesn't mean always being in a crown or in a beautiful dress, nor does mean special treatment. Being a Princess means having a voice for something you love and care deeply about, a desire to show the world what it means to you, and of course, a positive attitude and the heart of a child. Being a Dairy Princess means that when the chores are done, and cows are fed, you get to change out of those stinky barn clothes and get all dressed up and put on your crown, you get to go show the world everything you did that day in the barn. I am so thankful for this amazing year I have had. Thank you to everyone who helped me discover what it really means to be a Princess.

FEATURED COW OF THE WEEK: LOUISE

Boy have I been crazy busy lately with the county fair, and now getting ready for the Princess Kay competition and packing for college.

Louise, I'm pretty sure she was a gift from heaven to make my county fair great. She was born on March 3 of 2012 and I showed her as a spring calf. Because she was so young and I had 3 yearlings to train as well, I only worked with her twice before the county fair. But immediately, I fell in love with her. She was just the sweetest little thing.

When Tuesday of the fair rolled around, it was show time, and she did a great job in the ring and she got an Award of Excellence (my first ever in dairy.) And her net merit was 967, earning Grand Champion Genetics (my first ever dairy champion plaque.) Then when showmanship came, I had a hard decision to make, I had four heifers there. My oldest one, Beatrice, threw me to the ground in the ring so I was for sure not going to take her. And then Bobbie Jo has trouble standing still, so I was not going to take her either. So it was down to Vanessa or Louise, I had used Vanessa in showmanship the day before for open, but she had gotten tired and stopped walking half-way through. So I figured Louise was small enough that if she misbehaved I could handle it. Much to my surprise, she was perfect!!! And we placed 3rd out of 19, (the best I have even done in county dairy showmanship!)

Louise and I with the Champion Ribbon.

She is just a born show cow that made my fair a great one.

Louise and I with our Award of Excellence along with Wishing and Laura and their Blue Ribbon.

FEATURED COW OF THE WEEK: GRANDMA

At the ripe old age of 12, grandma cow just had her 10th calf, and her first heifer, and that is why she is my featured cow of the week. In her lifetime, she has produced 232,153 lbs of milk with 7,767 lbs of fat and 6,453 lbs of protein. She is the oldest cow on the farm, but doesn't show it. Her udder still is not the lowest on the farm and she moves pretty good for a cow of her age. The only thing is she moves a little slower because she knows we will let her go nice and slow.

A cow living to 12 is becoming more and more rare. But grandma cow is still doing well. Her ear tag number is 93, and we have heifers coming into the barn now after their first calf at 370s. And she still produces well, her last lactation produced 28,847 and she peaked at 117. Her average milked produced in a day is 81 pounds since she was 2 years old.

Her sire is Convincer and the sire to her newest calf is Toy Story. We were so happy when we found out that she had a heifer, having a cow with such great longevity is a fantastic grate.

FEATURED COW OF THE WEEK: THE BEAST

If you are active in the twitter world, you might know of the hashtag beast mode. This is a phrased used for when one is always at the top of their game, cannot be stopped, and draws the attention of everyone around them. This describes 106, "the beast," in our barn. She is a big girl and one of the oldest cows on the farm. She produces 109 pounds per day and is always in beast mode.

When this cow walks into the barn you cannot miss her; she commands the attention of everyone in the room. She has her spot, and NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE, can go in her spot. If someone does manage to sneak into that spot, she will wait patiently for you to move them out, then she will saunter into the spot with grace and ease. She will get this spot no matter what and will not even think of going anywhere else. She's a big girl with an attitude and that is why she is my featured cow of the week.

FEATURED COW OF THE WEEK: OUR BULLS

This weeks featured cow of the week is going to be all the bulls that help out with our farm.

We usually use AI, artificial insemination, on our farm. We do this for many reasons. One is because of its convenience. All we have to do is have a tank to hold the semen straws, and then when a cow is in heat (aka ovulating) we will AI her with the bull that fits her best. Another reason is to prevent in-breeding. Because we only need to semen straw, we could breed our cows with bulls from all over the world. Where if you only have a couple bulls, you may need to worry about crossing breeding lines. A third reason is safety. Bulls are dangerous animals, especially Holstein bulls are known for their aggression. If we use AI, no bulls will be needed on the farm. One of Cindy's favorite bulls is Jeeves, from ABS.



Jeeves

We do also have a herd bull. We use him to help breed the heifers that we could not get with AI, it can be hard to get some heifers bred with AI because it is only done once and there is always room for human error. We will put her out with the herd bull and he will do the job. To help keep our farm safe, we only have a young bull, usually sell them by at least 4 years of age, we also keep the nicest one.