Holstein Association USA, Inc. is pleased to honor Mackenzie, Andy, Tyler, and his wife Kelly Reynolds of Reyncrest Farm with the 2021 Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder Award.
The Reynolds are the third generation on the farm in Corfu, New York, which is owned by their parents John and Shelley. Their 1,400-cow herd is milked three times a day and has a rolling herd average of 27,533 pounds of milk with 1,042 (3.8%) pounds of fat and 855 (3.1%) pounds of protein.
The Reynolds siblings all attended Cornell University prior to returning home to farm. They started with whatever position was open before transitioning to their current jobs. Tyler has a general farm and employee management role, Mackenzie is the herd manager, and Andy is responsible for calf feeding, heifer care, and crops. Kelly runs the farm’s social media pages and engages in community outreach. Tyler and Kelly have a tenth-month old daughter, Cannyn.
Reyncrest is also home to a show string, currently consisting of eight cows and 25 heifers. All four of the Reynolds, along with Andy’s fiancé Whitney Kugler, make decisions and care for the show herd. Over the years they have owned 35 All-American Nominations and won over 130 All-New York Awards. In 2019 they took home the Premier Breeder and Exhibitor of the heifer show at World Dairy Expo.
The Reynolds family has implemented many changes that have bettered their herd and improved their profitability. They have placed an emphasis on cow comfort and efficiency, especially when building new facilities and renovating existing ones.
They are also passionate about breeding, exhibiting, and marketing quality Registered Holsteins. They aim to blend both type and production into their herd and enjoy classifying several times a year. They have bred and developed 35 Excellent cows, including three 95-point cows. On their main dairy, they place an emphasis on milk, combined fat and protein, daughter pregnancy rate, and somatic cell count, while striving to breed functional type cows with good feet and legs.
Tyler, Kelly, Mackenzie, and Andy were all involved in Junior Holstein activities growing up and say working with Registered Holsteins keeps them excited about the dairy industry. Now they share their talents by serving on their local Holstein club board, hosting judging team practices, and serving as official judges at shows.
About the Award
The Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder award recognizes significant accomplishments of young Registered Holstein® breeders for their commitment to preserving the dairy industry and for achieving excellence in their daily lives. The Reynolds will be recognized during the 2021 National Holstein Convention on June 24th in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
