If you work in the dairy industry, especially as a producer
or Registered Holstein breeder, chances are high that one cow played a special
part in making the decision to have a career in agriculture. This month, WHA
continues the #OneBlackandWhite campaign, focusing on that one black and white
Holstein cow that changed a life.
For Steve and Amanda Killian, Castleholm T Carlo-ET, EX-91,
paved the way into the Registered Holstein business.
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| Castleholm T Carlo-ET EX-91 |
The Killians purchased Carlo at the Castleholm dispersal
in 2003. Her high protein test (over 4.0%) and great type in the cow family
piqued Steve and Amanda’s interest – she had everything they were striving to
breed their herd for. Carlo was a top 1,000 CTPI cow and backed by several
generations of GMD and DOM dams. She sold over 500 days in milk, had been
flushed, and wasn’t pregnant, which helped the Killians get her for a price
they could afford.
Steve and Amanda could have gotten discouraged after
getting Carlo pregnant and having her freshen with a stillborn bull calf, but
they turned it all around when they flushed her to Goldwyn. At the time, it was
only the second flush they had done on the farm, and the only resulting heifer
from the flush was Dirt-Road Goldwyn Cami, VG-86.
“The cross of Goldwyn on the family’s high components and
CTPI drew interest of foreign embryo buyers, and we started getting visitors to
the farm to see her,” Steve commented. “Though we continued to work with Carlo
and she produced other daughters, Cami proved to be the next great one the
family. Cami was VG-86 as a two-year-old and flushed 13 times her first
lactation with many embryos exported and additional family branches created
here at the farm.”
Cami produced many daughters, including Dirt-Road ManOMan
Cameo, VG-88, who was also a heavy embryo exporter. Dirt-Road Shottle
Cinderella, EX-90, was a late Shottle daughter but an important cross on
Goldwyn Cami. Her daughters include Dirt-Road Gerard Cleopatra, VG-87, an
individual in the top 20 GTPI cows for most of her first lactation. Cleopatra consistently produces very
balanced offspring with great components and type. She joins the group of
embryo exporters from the farm and has several sons in A.I., including
Dirt-Road King Tut, who is owned by Select Sires and is currently being used as
a mating sire.
“Carlo was the first Registered Holstein we sought out and
purchased at auction,” Amanda added. “Though it's been only 13 years since we
brought Carlo home, we now have calves that are 5 generations from her. Carlo
was loved by everyone here at the farm and had a wonderful personality - a
trait that nearly all members of the family inherited from her. She lived
to be 13 and has over 200 descendants. Twenty bulls have gone to A.I. with more
in waiting.”
The Killians admit that being able to sell embryos and
bulls helped their herd drastically. Not only has the extra income been
vital for the farm's survival during times of low milk prices, but it also
allowed Steve and Amanda to do much more embryo transfer work than they would
have otherwise been able to. Nearly all animals from the cow family have
been wonderful embryo producers, averaging 15 embryos per flush. The
Killians always implant several embryos from each flush in order to continue to
produce the next generations from the family.
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| The Steve & Amanda Killian Family of Dirt-Road Holsteins |
From the time Steve and Amanda began to plan their marriage
and future farming together, they dreamed of developing a herd that would not
only be productive and profitable, but also possess genetics that other dairymen
would want to invest in. They were young and bought their farm, cattle and
machinery all at once in 2000. They put many of their resources toward
improving the genetics and productivity of the herd. They had some cows making
great records and scoring well, but because most of herd had come from grade
cows and they were working to upgrade cows through Holstein USA, their
pedigrees lacked some depth.
For the first several years, Steve and Amanda relied solely
on their milk check for income. There were years when it was really hard
for the farm to survive – They were making steady progress while breeding the
herd they had but Carlo was a leap in the right direction. Their genetic
sales have become a vital part of the business. Along with exporting
embryos and selling bulls to A.I. studs, the Killians raise and sell all
remaining bull calves for herd sires.
Through it all, the Killian’s breeding philosophy has remained
the same. They will continue to strive to breed high component and high
type animals. They hope to expand their genetic marketing program and
continue to sell bulls to the A.I. industry. A goal they have for the
future is to breed a "breed changer" sire. They truly
believe that the Carlo cow family has the genetic power to do it.
When it comes to advice, Steve and Amanda have this to
offer, “Be a student of the industry. We have spent many hours studying
bulls and traits before deciding on matings. We have never mated
completely based on a number or let a computer tell us how to breed an animal.
Go to sales even if you don't plan to buy anything. Getting out to see animals
and cow families is vital.”
“Secondly, surround yourself with people who will challenge
and inspire you. It can sometimes be hard for us to see beyond our own farm gate
when we don't leave home. Making connections with those involved within
different aspects the industry has helped us develop a circle of friends and
colleagues whose knowledge helps us greatly. Attend the WHA annual
convention, barn meetings, etc. if you can. There is a wealth of knowledge
among fellow members and we were blessed to meet so many wonderful people whose
support and knowledge made a huge impact on us.”
“Next, continually add great genetics to your herd. Breed your cows to the best
bulls that you can afford. A few dollars difference in semen can make a HUGE
difference in the resulting calf. Don't underestimate the difference one
generation can make; every breeding is an important one. Purchasing an animal
with great genetics can fast forward your breeding program. Though
we haven't bought very many animals since, buying Carlo was monumental for our
farm. She was the one black and white cow that made
a world of difference at Dirt-Road Holsteins.”
