The Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders' Association has named Grant Voelker of Perryville, Mo. the National Youth Production Award Winner, out of 18 contestants. Voelker's cow, Voelkers Padre Addison, reached a deviation of +15,742 over herd mates, garnering her top honors both overall and in District IV.Voelkers Padre Addison was classified 2E91, 92MS' at 5 years and 11 months. In a 305-day lactation, Addison produced 32,770 pounds of milk, 1,264 pounds of fat, and 1,022 pounds of protein to make 34,443 pounds of energy corrected milk.
Voelker is the son of Charles and Nancy Voelker and just completed his freshman year at the University of Missouri. He has been involved in Brown Swiss cattle since he was eight years old and has many responsibilities on the family farm. The Voelker family has contributed sires to A.I. including Voelkers Wndt Chilli Pepper, a bull whose daughter recently topped the Spring for Colors Sale in Elkhorn, Wis., selling for $35,000.
Grant Voelker has previously held National Cheese Yield Award honors with two different cows. He owns a herd of 14 Brown Swiss cows and heifers and says in the future he hopes to be the fourth generation to run his family farm. He also plans to become an agriculture education instructor.
The Youth Production Contest recognizes an individual whose cow reaches the highest deviation from herd-mates within a 305 day period for 2013. To be eligible the cow must have calved within the past year and have completed the lactation entered in the contest. The Overall Winner will be recognized at the National Brown Swiss Convention in East Peoria, IL and receives a $100 cash award.
To participate in the Youth Production contest, a youth must be a Brown Swiss National Junior member as defined by owning or leasing a registered Brown Swiss animal and be 9-21 years of age as of January 1 of the current year. For more information contact Junior Advisor Charlotte Muenzenberger at cmuenzenberger@brownswissusa.com, call the Brown Swiss Association at 608-365-4474 or visit the website: www.brownswissusa.com
The Brown Swiss Association was established in 1880, registers about 10,000 animals per year and serves about 1800 combined Adult and Junior Members.
5.29.2014