Oeh-My Farm, Craig & Christy Oehmichen Family
Oeh-My Farms, Abbotsford, is
owned by Craig and Christy Oehmichen and their children, Chase (11) and Willow
(8). Christy grew up on her family farms of Mayerheim in Deer Park, and Pepst
Farms in Centuria. She attended UW-Madison and earned a degree in dairy
science. Following graduation she worked for a reputable dairy company but
always knew her dream was to have a herd of her own. In 2008 Christy and Craig
purchased the farm just down the road from where Craig grew up. The couple
hassince built a very reputable herd. They also co-own Short Lane Ag Supply, a
full service agronomy business with locations in Colby and Mishicot.
On the farm, Christy
primarily manages the cows while Craig takes care of the crops. The kids
complete daily chores and are getting more and more involved as they become
older. Additionally, Christy has been able to mentor high school students
through a youth apprenticeship program and shares her love of showing with
younger children by allowing them to exhibit animals at area shows. Chase and
Willow are also taking a liking to the show ring and have participated at shows
such as the Central Wisconsin State Fair, Wisconsin State Fair, District
Holstein Show and the Wisconsin Championship Show and the Wisconsin Jersey
State Show. They also attend the annual Cow Camp and the Wisconsin Junior
Holstein Convention.
Oeh-My Farm is located on
174 acres, 135 of which are tillable. They also rent an additional 145 acres.
The herd consists of 85 head, including youngstock. The milking herd includes
30 Registered Holsteins and three Registered Jerseys with a rolling herd
average of 22,604 milk with 3.8% 854 pounds fat 3.0% 683 pounds protein. Cows
are milked in a tie-stall barn that holds 39 cows and heifers are raised in a
recently constructed heifer facility.
The Holstein herd includes
24 head that go back to the Mark Maui family and eight head that descend from
the Elegance family. Christy breeds for type and selects sires with high type,
udder composite and foot and leg composite numbers. She is currently using
Gulf, Brokaw, Richman, Moregold, Guthrie, Armani, Absolute, Atwood, Shot and
Spur.
Frozenes Durham Velma, EX-94
3E and a daughter of Frozenes Broker Vidalia EX-94 GMD DOM, is one of the
farm’s top brood cows. She has daughters by Absolute and Atwood. Velma has a
deep show record including being first aged cow and Reserve Senior Champion at
the District 5 Show in 2009. She was also the second place four year old at the
Midwest Fall National Show in 2007 and Nominated All-American Winter Calf in
2003.
Some of the other herd
highlights and favorite show cows include Ms Drake M-Azement, EX-91, who was
the winning 5 year old at the District 4 Show and Central Wisconsin State Fair
in 2012. She has daughters by Atwood, Sid and Dempsey. Four-of-a-Kind Mich
Miracle, EX-92, is a granddaughter of Four-of-a-Kind Jolt Justine, EX-94 2E,
and was the first 5 year old and Reserve Senior Champion at the 2013 District 4
Show. She was also the first 5 year old, Grand Champion and Reserve Supreme
Champion at the Central Wisconsin State Fair. Miracle has an Atwood daughter
due in March. Kietz Sanchez Blondie, EX-90, also has an Atwood daughter and was
second place as a Junior 2 year old and Junior 3 year old at the District 4
Show. She was also first Junior 3 Year Old and Reserve Intermediate Champion at
the Central Wisconsin State Fair.
The Oehmichens have had much
success with their show heifers over the last few years. Oeh-My Hero Ebony,
from an EX-90 Ross, was the winning fall calf, Junior Champion of the Junior
Show and Reserve Junior Champion of the Open Show at last summer’s District 4
Show. She was also the first fall calf and Reserve Junior Champion at the
Wisconsin State Fair. Oeh-My Dempsey Molly comes from the Maui family and was
the second place and first junior spring calf at the 2012 District 4 Show. She
followed that up as the second spring yearling in 2013 and was the first place
spring yearling at the Central Wisconsin State Fair and Wisconsin State Fair
open show. Finally, Oeh-My Richman Eliza, from the Elegance family, is a
perennial winner at the District 4 show. She was the first spring calf and
Reserve Junior Champion of the Junior Show in 2011, second spring yearling in
2012 and first Junior 2 year old of the junior show in 2013.
Oeh-My Farm was the Premier
Exhibitor at the 2013 District 4 Show and exhibited the Junior Best Three
Females in 2012. They have exhibited the Supreme Champion at the 2012 and 2013
Central Wisconsin State Fair and won the Herdsman Award the last two years.
Christy has continually
enhanced her heifer raising program. The new barn is a pack barn and is very
versatile. This allows her to separate show heifers or heifers that need to be
fed differently and each pen has access to a pasture. A variety of bedding is
used with decisions made based on weather, price and availability.
Newborn calves are fed
colostrum from Johne’s and leukosis negative dams at birth. If this isn’t
available, Secure colostrum replacer is used. Calves are raised in hutches and
fed whole milk from Johne’s and leukosis negative cows until they are ten weeks
old. In the winter they are fed milk three times per day supplemented with Vita-Lyte and are started
on a 20% starter and fed soft hay only. As animals get older, a higher protein
hay is made available to heifers. Pellet feed and hay is adjusted according to
manure, weight and
availability. At breeding
age, a ground protein mix is added. The effective, yet costly Fermentin protein
is limited to potential show heifers only. Long dry hay is always fed free
choice and not limited.
The Oehmichen family has
mostly shown younger calves as the neighborhood kids that show with the farm
are pretty young. Christy selects potential show animals early and ties these
animals up to work with them each time they need to be vaccinated or cared for
on an individual basis. She believes the key is to start this process early. A
bunch of the nicest looking heifers are tied up early in the spring and are
clipped off as soon as weather allows. This gives her a chance to see how the
heifers look and also how the kids relate to each heifer. Each kid selects the
calf or calves they are going to work with during the year. Christy has the
group of kids practice leading as schedules allow. The heifers are washed a couple
times a week but are sprayed off as often as possible. Christy also trims feet
on all show cattle early in the year and then has the hoof trimmer on the farm
once every six weeks to do any feet that need more maintenance. Prior to any
show, calves are tied up on a pack to get used to things like being watered,
having a fork underfoot and people walking up between them, etc.
The Oehmichen family would
like to extend a warm welcome to everyone who is able to attend the meeting and
appreciate the Wisconsin Holstein Association for this opportunity. It’s always
an honor to have people to the farm. They love what they do and couldn’t do it
without the help of the countless friends and mentors who have helped along the
way. First and foremost, they’d like to thank their parents – Jim and Carlene
Mayer and Larry and Carol Oehmichen. Also special thanks to Joey Kietzman, Joe
and Belle Sigwarth, Chad Ryan, Lynn Harbaugh, Perry Phend, Tim Rau, Kim
Bremmer, Matt Dorshorst, Tom Steive, and many others for their role in
developing this herd.
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