Offers’ Ayrshire Proclaimed ‘Cow of the Year’

By Jane Fyksen Crops Editor
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 9:34 PM CDT

Don’t bother her when she’s eating, cautions John Offer of “Marigold,” who doesn’t worry about watching her Excellent 92 “figure.” Never mind her prestigious title of 2008 Cow the Year or that the global dairy industry spotlight is on her this week during World Dairy Expo, this nine-year-old cow is an Ayrshire with an attitude when there’s feed in front of her.

“She’s ornery if she sees food,” confirms Shauna, John’s wife of almost two years. She and John n the fifth generation on his home farm that in his family to 1881 n definitely aren’t going to stand in Marigold’s way. She’s enabled these Marathon County dairy producers to achieve a major goal n Expo Cow of the Year recognition.

John and Shauna farm with John’s folks, Philip and Gladys Offer at Foggy Valley, a family farm northeast of Auburndale that abuts the Mead wildlife area. Thus their registered Ayshires and registered Holsteins share pastures with large herds of whitetails n Foggy-Valley Volage Marigold, a two-time All-Wisconsin Aged Cow, right with the rest.

There’s no special treatment despite that in 2006 at the state Ayrshire show, Marigold was first aged cow, best udder and reserve grand champion. This year she again nabbed first aged cow and best udder, along with honorable mention grand champion. And at the Central Wisconsin State Fair in Marshfield this year, she was first aged cow, best udder, production winner and grand champion. She’s also been a state production winner with her six-year-old record of 27,930, 3.7 and 1,046 pounds of butterfat, 3.4 and 946 pounds of protein.

Marigold came fresh in March and at 200 days, had given about 20,000 pounds. Her highest cell count since calving was a mere 6,000. Unfortunately, she’s only had one daughter, which John sold. He’s tried flushing her but didn’t get any fertile eggs; he suspects they’ll try again after Expo.

For John, 34, it was love at first sight when he met the Ayrshire breed back in high school. A Marshfield Senior High grad, who was FFA chapter vice-president his last two years, and a Mid-State Technical College farm operations graduate, he steered his folks, who milked grade Holsteins when he was growing up, into registered Ayrshires and registered Holsteins. Today, there’s roughly double the number of Ayrshires as Holsteins in their 65-cow herd. Rolling herd averages are approximately 20,000 for the Holsteins and around 16,000 for the Ayrshires. The Offers operate around 360 acres for 270 tillable (corn, alfalfa and oats with new seedings). They own about 200 acres.

While John’s mom had Ayrshires in 4-H, it was his younger brother, Steve, who “reintroduced” Ayrshires on the farm, bringing home a calf for 4-H; John quickly followed Steve’s lead. But while Steve is busy these days at the University of Minnesota, studying for a career in genetic research, John has remained in the showring with Ayrshires. He’ll be showing Marigold and six others at Expo, where he’s been showing every year since 1993.

Shauna notes that the only “pampering” Marigold gets is “when she goes to a show.”

Shauna herself is no stranger to the tanbark, though with registered Holsteins. Her home farm is in Rush City, Minn., where her parents Nick and Diane Buehring, and her three brothers have 200 cows and 1,000 acres. She met John (and his red cows) while she was working as a herdsman on a farm near Fairchild. John was at that farm to assist with photographing cows.

Today, Shauna works part-time milking in a parlor near Blenker, in addition to pitching in at home, where, she notes, she’s come to view her husband’s beloved Ayrshires as “red and whites.” “They’re just like a Holstein to me,” she grins.

The two breeds, of course, aren’t alike, just as every cow is also an individual. One that stands out alongside Marigold in the Offer herd is Foggy-Valley Wilton Neptune, who was Reserve All-American as a junior three-year-old last year and placed second at Expo and best udder. She’s also Excellent 92 now, and like Marigold, homebred. She’s no relation to the Cow of the Year, who was sired by a Semex bull, Mardel Volage, and was out of a Very Good 88 dam, which the Offers no longer own. The Reserve All-American is belongs to the cow family, out of which most of John’s show cattle come. He’d bought her granddam, Moy-Ayr Bonoparte Nicki, in 1996 at the breed’s fall sale.

Today, Nicki (91 points) is 14 1/2 years old and due to calve in April. John says she’s had eight natural heifers and about that many through embryo work, too.

John sells some breeding stock privately every year and a couple at the spring sale of the Wisconsin Ayrshire Breeders, and raises a couple bulls every year to sell. He’s currently state vice-president. He and Shauna also belong to the Wood County Holstein Breeders, and they take some of their registered Holsteins to their district show and the Marshfield fair every year.

Their show cows get some baled hay; that’s the only concession the Offers make. Otherwise, the cows get a corn-based grain mix and protein topdress in the barn. Forage, fed outside in a bunk, is half haylage, half corn silage. The Offers don’t feed a TMR. At present the herd is outside day and night, except for milking. Cows go out every day in the winter, too. The barn consists of 62 stanchions and tiestalls.

This hard-working herd has turned out two previous Wisconsin Ayrshire Cows of the Year, honored as such by the breed association in 1998 and again in 1999. And now there’s Marigold, the Wisconsin Cow of the Year.

Back in 1972, the state Legislature authorized the Governor to pick a Wisconsin-born purebred cow on an annual basis as a representative of the nation’s leading purebred cattle and dairy industry. The honor rotates through the six major dairy breeds, each of which forward a specific cow to receive a proclamation from the Governor in their designated year. Announcement of the specific cow to receive the proclamation is delayed until September so as not to influence the dairy cattle shows at the state fair or county fairs.

In representing Ayrshires, a breed that originated in County Ayr in Scotland prior to 1800, Marigold draws attention to a breed known for good type, hardiness and low cell counts. These strong, rugged cattle do well in virtually any system, including pasture-based management. The breed excels in udder confirmation, has sturdy feet and legs, and is known for natural heat resistance and calving ease.

The Wisconsin association, notes John, has over 100 members, and will be hosting the national convention in 2012. Ten percent of the registered Ayrshires in the U.S. call this state “home.” After Expo, the Offers are looking forward to the breed’s fall sale (in conjunction with fellow Ayrshire breeders in Illinois) at the fairgrounds in Lancaster Oct. 11.

As for the proclamation ceremony at Expo and all the attention focused on Marigold and the breed, Shauna says it’s all “very exciting.”

In making the announcement and congratulating the Offers, Rod Nilsestuen, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said, “This is a family that has been part of the Wisconsin farm scene for more than a century. Out state’s worldwide reputation for the finest dairy products and dairy genetics rests on farm families like the Offers. We thank them for their contributions.”

Just don’t stand between stand between this year’s Cow of the Year and her feed, Mr. Secretary…

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