Max and Carrie Jo Bollenbacher, Argos, Ind., will receive one of seven Young Jersey Breeder Awards given by the American Jersey Cattle Association in ceremonies on June 27, 2014, during the association's Annual Meetings in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Young Jersey Breeder Award is presented to individuals or couples who are at least 28 years old and under the age of 40 on January 1 of the year nominated, who merit recognition for their expertise in dairy farming, breeding Jersey cattle, participation in programs of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., and leadership in Jersey and other dairy and agriculture organizations.Dairying and breeding Jerseys has been a part of Max's family for over 100 years, beginning with his great-grandfather, Brayton Pyle. When Max graduated from high school, he began milking 25 Jerseys of his own, as well as 15 others belonging to fellow Indiana Jersey breeders. Max married Carrie Jo in 1997 and moved his Jerseys into Carrie's family's herd of 150 Holsteins not long after. Max became herd manager; the number of Jerseys has since grown to 125 and the Holstein herd now numbers 600 head.
The Jerseys are kept in a separate barn and fed their own ration. They include 50 Excellent homebred cows with an average score on 117 cows of 86%. In December the rolling herd average was 17, 813 lbs. milk with 5.4% fat and 4.0% protein tests. Max and Carrie Jo have received three Hall of Fame certificates, one of which was earned by Sambos Lady Luck of Bolle-Acres, Excellent-92%. She was also an Indiana state leader for several years with more than 190,000 lbs. milk lifetime.
Max and Carrie Jo both share a love for the show ring. Max has exhibited Jerseys at the Indiana State Fair for 30 consecutive years. Four of the past six years the family has won Premier Breeder honors. The family's success extends to The All American Jersey Show in Louisville, Ky., where their oldest son, Drew, exhibited the Junior All American Summer Yearling this past fall. Back in 1998, Max and Carrie Jo exhibited Bolle-Acres MJ Willie May, who was crowned National Grand Champion as a junior three-year old and came back the following year to capture the title again.
The American Jersey Cattle Association, organized in 1868, compiles and maintains animal identification and performance data on Jersey cattle and provides services that support genetic improvement and greater profitability through increasing the value of and demand for Registered Jersey cattle and genetics, and Jersey milk and milk products. For more information on the association's complete line of services for dairy business owners, visit the website at www.USJersey.com or connect at Facebook.com/USJersey.
6.16.2014