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A Dairyman’s Dream in Ohio
“It’s a dairyman’s dream, what happened to us and how it all unfolded”, states a humbled Rick Conrad of Grafton, OH. Con-River Holsteins is a 230 cow dairy owned by Rick and his brother David. Together they farm 950 acres of land - plus they run a custom forage harvesting business. “It’s unbelievable, really”, reiterates Conrad. It all started with the purchase of a young calf named Ri-Val-Re Finley Carol, but what transpired is a feel-good story that simply needs to be shared.
The purchase of Carol was meant to be about genetic improvement for the herd, plus providing a 4-H club project calf for his daughter Jennifer. For although Carol was a long-legged calf with eye appeal, Conrad’s focus was “to buy something with some numbers behind her”. A bull mother in her own right, Carol’s dam, Ri-Val-Re Convincer Lacy EX-90 not only has the “numbers”, she completes 8 generations of breeding that include 5 EX dams – two of which boast 94 point scores – plus 3 generations of VG-88 cows. Basically, it’s as deep a pedigree as you’ll find and with AltaFINLEY as her sire, it seemed like a pedigree that could produce a marketable cow.
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Carol was shown with success in 2004 as a 4-H project calf, winning at the county level and near the top of her class at the district level. In 2005, Conrad felt he had a better heifer and left Carol at home through the summer show season. Partly, this was because she carried extra condition which Conrad was loathe to take off, since she would be calving in the fall too. Still, as the summer progressed, Carol would grow and grow and when she calved with a fantastic udder, to the show ring she would return - actually, not without some difficulty. |
The entry deadline to the All-American show in Louisville had already passed. The only possible way to get her into the show was by entering her on-line (a couple of hours of effort in itself according to Conrad) and paying the late fee. But once at the show, it was clear that there wasn’t another milking yearling that could touch her. More importantly, it gave her the National exposure she would need, culminating in an honorable mention All-American award. A few months later, Carol would be sold to Ernie Keuffner for a price that made parting with her easier to bear. By then Carol was milking 150 lbs of milk per day. “She just eats and chews her cud”, recalls Conrad. And another flush stipulated in the terms of the sale agreement have netted 7 more pregnancies. The original $6,000 investment - whose real purpose was to deliver a potential mother – has yielded a very nice return. And the bull mother goal, well that’s another story.
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Back in 2004, Conrad discussed with Alta personnel if there might be interest in Carol as a potential bull dam. Receiving a favorable response, he set about scheduling her for an ET flush. But, what to breed her to? Three Alta sire analysts discussing potential sires for the fine AltaFINLEY came up with the intriguing suggestion of the Type specialist from the Netherlands named AltaLUCKY MIKE who they believed would be a very good fit. The resulting offspring from the flush include Con-River 854 Lucky Mel ET, a very stylish young calf who would be consigned to the recently held Ohio Spring Expo Sale. In fact she was the sale topper at $11,000 and placed 3rd in her class at the Ohio Spring Show. A resulting bull calf is already at Alta, slated for Advantage® testing by year-end too. |
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“The AltaLUCKY MIKE mating was done mainly for the bull contract”, concedes Conrad. “Three heifers and two bulls resulted, and the calf purchased by Spring Brook Farms, Marshall, IN, is exceptionally long, states Conrad. “Even the judge commented on it. It’s her length that sets her apart, but she is growthy and dairy too.” Although this special heifer was sold the Conrads still have a second AltaLUCKY MIKE daughter at the farm, plus her natural heifer calf too. And of course there are 7 pregnancies still on the way, which will no doubt help achieve the original goal that Carol’s purchase was designed to accomplish: genetic improvement for the herd. |
The results achieved by Rick Conrad with his initial purchase are uncommon - the stuff of dreams he concedes. Still, Alta is proud to have played a role. Good sires like AltaFINLEY and AltaLUCKY MIKE played their part too, but even more, it was good people, adding value through advice that made a difference. And that’s why this is not just a feel-good story or a dream come true for a deserving breeder. It’s also about how companies like Alta can make a difference; how they can create value that goes beyond the semen in the straw, how they can build trust with clients and most of all how they can - through their products, programs, services and people - deliver results.
Posted Apr 7th
