The 133rd AGM of the U S Guernsey Association took place last weekend in Texas, organised primarily by Todd Moore of Lavon Farms, who is involved with the successful Lucky Layla Cheese and Milk products.
A feature of the annual event is a select sale of top quality heifers ,embryos and semen which are auctioned on the last day of the AGM. These animals are selected by Seth Johnson and his colleagues and each year the choice seems to improve and in each of the last three years have set new records. This year maintained that trend with an average for 30 Lots and choices of over $5000 and with 65 embryos averaging $435.
The top priced animal had herself been purchased at an earlier AGM sale and she had been owned in partnership by Todd Moore and Gary Estes and had been All American 2 Yr old in 2006 and All American Senior 3yr old in 2007. Classified EX 92 Moziers Lux Anne of Lavon Farms was sold for $59,000 to Springville Farms of Emory Texas, Anne traces to the Blackwater Jay Addie cow family one of whose sons was Blackwater Enhancer Al the sire of Easby Alacrity who sired the Stithians Champion this week.
The second top price was for a “choice” of either a Yogibear or a Mercury Loral out of the fabulous EX95 Cedar Fringed Altann the dam of Aaron amongst others and this “choice” sold for $8800.
The next high priced Lot was for Springhill J Lone Star a Coulee Crest Luxury Spider son out of Dix Lee Tiller Joke Ex 90 and she was the sale topper at the AGM in 2007, Lone Star was syndicated and will have semen collected by Golden State Breeders of California he has a GMI from his parent average of +433.
The pedigrees of the sale Lots are online at www.usguernsey.com (click here to be taken directly to sale details) and a full list of buyers will doubtless appear on that site in the next few days. There have been mutterings in the last few years of doing something similar over here but it has yet to happen, it should and soon.