BRATTLEBORO, Vt. – The esteemed Star of the Breed award was introduced in 2007 to acknowledge an elite Registered Holstein® cow that embodies outstanding production combined with exceptional type. This year, Holstein Association USA presents the Star of the Breed distinction to Smith-Crest-TW SH Virgie-ET. At the time of recognition, Virgie was owned by 21-year-old Paul Grulke of Mayville, Wis. Her balance, depth of body and front-end strength are attributes Paul says he admires about Virgie. He began working with her as a Junior Holstein project alongside Matt and Travis Smith of Smith-Crest Holsteins. During her last lactation, calving in at six years and four months of age, on two-time a day milking, Virgie produced 44,710 pounds of milk, with 1,784 pounds of fat and 1,296 pounds of protein. Classified Excellent-95 2E, Virgie is a cow to be admired by any Registered Holstein breeder. Currently a junior at University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Paul is majoring in dairy science with a minor in agriculture business. He enjoys finding the best mating for each cow, while learning how genetics evolve over time. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in genetics. His aspirations include being a herdsman or owning his own dairy farm where he could focus on breeding high-type animals. Smith-Crest-TW SH Virgie-ET will be honored during the 2018 Holstein Association USA’s Annual Meeting, July 2-3 in Acme, Michigan. Registration is available at www.holsteinusa.com. About the Award To be eligible for the Star of the Breed award, a cow must place in the top five in her class at a National Holstein Show, be in a herd enrolled in the TriStarSM program and have an official classification score. Once the eligible cows are determined, the following calculation is used to determine the award recipient: Combined Mature Equivalent (ME) Fat and Protein + Age Adjusted Classification Score x (Breed Average ME CFP/ Breed Average Age Adjusted Score). For more information about the Star of the Breed Award, visit www.holsteinusa.com/awards/animals.html.
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