Mind-boggling average herd pregnancy rates were the norm among winners honored yesterday at the 7th annual Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council annual meeting in Sacramento, Calif. The meeting concludes today.
A total of 52 herds were independently nominated and judged from 17 different states and three countries in the fourth annual competition, which is sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health and Hoard's Dairyman.

Awards were presented in four categories – Honorable Mention, Silver, Gold and Platinum – with separate judging criteria used for Holstein and Jersey herds. Among the Platinum Award Holstein herds, pregnancy rates were typically 34 to 36 percent. For the Platinum Award Jersey herd (Kloppe Dairy) the figure was 42 percent.


Pictured above are the Platinum Award winners. From left to right are Jay Rull, representing Select Sires which nominated Collins Dairy in Greenleaf, Wis.; Jill Kloppe from Kloppe Dairy in New Haven, Mo.; Barry Kleppe, herd veterinarian; Yogi and Brian Brown from SunBurst Dairy in Belleville, Wis.; Dave Duitscher from Dutchland Dairy in Rolfe, Iowa; and Sara, Andy and Brian Schilling from Schilling Farms in Darlington, Wis.