Walk-Era Farms to Host WHA Barn Meeting Thursday, March 27

The Wisconsin Holstein Association invites all members and area dairy farmers to the 2014 Barn Meetings. The focus of this year’s barn meetings is show heifer management. Host farms will open their facilities for tours and will be on hand to answer questions. Nick Uglow, a nutritionist with Vita Plus, will speak at each barn meeting on show heifer nutrition.

Walk-Era Farms - Walker Family

Built on family and faith, Walk-Era Farms of Wisconsin Dells is truly where dreams of excellence are coming true. The Walker family has been located in the Wisconsin Dells area since Erwin and Ella Walker arrived from North Dakota in 1936. In 1957, their son Dean married Doris, and they purchased the farm from Dean’s parents. At that time, the farm consisted of 240 acres, a 23-cow stanchion barn, 20 grade and three Registered Holsteins.

The farm has come a long way since its birth in Wisconsin. In 1963, a free stall barn and double four swing parlor were built, and the herd number grew to 70 cows. Dean and Doris’ sons slowly grew the number of Registered Holsteins through involvement in 4-H and showing over the years, and by 1983, the decision was made to improve and expand facilities. That year a 100-cow stall barn was built, with a double five herringbone parlor. The decision to build a stall barn rather than free stall was a simple one for the Walker boys, as their desire to show and merchandise their cattle trumped the poorly designed free stalls that were being built in the 70’s and 80’s.

John and his wife Marci, along with children Alli, 14, and Brett, 11, are heavily involved in the cows, as John takes care of the breeding and the family works with the show animals and feeds calves. John is a graduate of UW-Madison and Marci from UW-River Falls. Marci is very active in the industry, serving as president of the Wisconsin Holstein board, and providing her leadership to the District Five junior Holstein delegation.

Tim and Tracy, along with their children Gracie, 11, Libby, 8, and Emmy, 4, are excited to continue getting their children involved in the farm. Tim helps with both the cows and crop work, and is also a graduate of UW-Madison. Tracy is a graduate of Cal Poly/Fresno State, and was a nurse before becoming a stay at home mom.

Tom and Jackie have a daughter Nora, age 2 and a 4 month old son Nash, and look forward to the day they will be able to show and help on the farm. Tom focuses on the crops, is a graduate of UW-Platteville in engineering, and Jackie is a physical therapist.

Walkers milk 100 cows in a double-five herringbone parlor and the cows are housed in a 4-row wide tie-stall barn. The bred heifers and dry cows are housed in a freestall barn. The herd boasts a rolling herd average is 23,748 3.86 947 3.16 751 and a BAA of 109.2% with 24 EX, 49 VG and 37 GP cows. Over the years, the Walkers have bred 92 Excellent cows, received the PBR Award 9 times, had six All-Wisconsin and Reserve All-Wisconsin

winners, five animals place in the top 10 at World Dairy Expo, and have won Premier Breeder or Premier Exhibitor honors at the District 5 Show five times.

There are several key families that have contributed to the Walk-Era success over the years. The Rose family matriarch is Pearmont-LTD Mandingo Rose, EX-91 3E and backed by four generations of Excellent, was purchased as a yearling heifer in 1988. Her pedigree includes Spring Farms Citation Rosetta, a cow that was Grand Champion at the Royal Winter Fair in 1977. Rose has over 30 Very Good and Excellent descendants, including four Excellent daughters – two by Raider, one by Kite and one by Roy.

Carldot Raider June, EX-91 in Canada, had three Excellent daughters for the Walkers, but her best was Walk-Era Counselor Jena, EX-93 3E. A prominent show cow, Jena had six daughters that included EX-92 Linjet Justine. Justine’s record at 4-05 and 365 days included 30,639M with 3.8 1206F and 3.2 990P. Justine is a tremendous brood cow in her own right and has produced one Excellent and three VG-87 Goldwyn daughters that are all excelling as young cows in other herds. The Walkers sold all but one of the VG daughters, and are excited to flush and work with Walk-Era Just a Dream VG-87. Raider June has over 20 VG and EX offspring to date. She has transmitted phenomenal udders and style to her progeny, and has welded on some of the best udders in the Walker herd. In addition to Jena, June had another Excellent Counselor and an Excellent Broker.

The next foundation family is backed by Cherown Strategy Marsha, EX-92 3E. Her dam was an EX-94 Raider and granddam the EX-92 Mark Ruperta. Marsha also has over 20 VG and EX descendants in the Walk-Era herd – including two EX daughters by Champion and two by Outside. These four Excellent daughters have combined for an EX-92 Damion, two EX-91 Durhams, an EX-91 Advent, and an additional EX-90 Durham. Marsha’s most notable daughter, though, has been Walk-Era Champion Matrix, EX-90 2E. Matrix was

Nominated All-American as a winter yearling in 2005, standing second at both the Midwest Fall National and Midwest Spring National shows that year. Her record at 6-0 2x 365d yielded 35,845M with 4.6 1665F and 3.3 1174P. Her best daughter has been Walk-Era Durham Monarch, EX-90, who was second four-year-old and Reserve Grand Champion at the District 5 Holstein Show in 2011. Her record at 3-02 2x and 365d totaled 34,026M with 4.3 1448F and 3.4 1143P. Monarch has milking a Windbrook and Fevers.

Holbric Ravage Orsmby, EX-93 3E is another matriarch that was added to the Walk-Era herd. Nominated Junior All-American as a four-year-old, Orsmby was flushed to Dundee early on and her daughters have packed a punch in the show ring. Walk-Era Dundee Oh My, VG-87, was All-Wisconsin Winter Yearling in 2011 and ninth at Madison. As a senior 2-year-old in 2012, Oh My was first senior two-year-old at the Midwest Spring National, first and Reserve Intermediate Champion at the District 5 Holstein Show, and seventh in class at the WI Championship Show.

Walk-Era Dundee Oreo-ET, EX-90, is another prominent Dundee from Orsmby. Oreo was 1st Spring Yearling & Reserve Junior Champion at the Midwest Spring Show, Junior Champion at the WI Championship Show, 4th at WDE, Nominated All-American Spring Yearling in 2009. She has a VG milking Aftershock daughter and a Sid Winter Yearling. Orsmby also has two exciting heifers for 2014 by Fever and Goldsun.

Other cows leaving their mark in the Walk-Era herd include Liessels Outside Allie, EX-91, and her nine daughters; KHW Distorted Humor, an EX-90 Jasper from the Altitude family and an eighth generation EX; and Miss Triumphant Kandy-ET, EX-91, who has milking daughters by Durham, Atwood and Aftershock.

All calves at Walk-Era are given the same ration and opportunity to develop in their calf barn up to 10-12 months of age. They begin with whole milk and calf starter in indoor or outdoor hutches, depending on the season. At weaning they move into groups of no more than seven head per pen, transition to grass hay and 20% starter and then at 6 months of age are transitioned to a protein pellet. Those that display show potential are moved to our show barn where we have four separate pens and are able to monitor feed intakes with more precision and handle them easier for halter breaking. The facility also has a wash rack, fans and pasture access.

The Walker family would like to welcome you to their barn meeting. There will be an open barn from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon with lunch available from 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Nick Uglow with Vita Plus will give a presentation on show heifer nutrition at 12:30 p.m. followed by an overview of the Walk-Era show heifer program and a tour of the heifer facilities. Walk-Era’s nutritionists, James Hoffman with Frontier FS, Argyle, and Lisa Peterson with Allied Coop, Adams, will also be on hand to answer questions.

To get to the farm from Portage, take the Hwy. 16 west toward Wisconsin Dells about 8 miles. Turn right onto Lewiston Station Road. Go 1.8 miles and the farm will be on the right at N9036 Lewiston Station Road. From Wisconsin Dells, take Hwy 16 east about 6.5 miles and turn left onto Lewiston Station Road. Go 1.8 miles and the farm will be on the right at N9036 Lewiston Station Road.