Jr. National Champion - Shepherd-Farms Aero Ruby, Collin Abraham
Holstein World: Share with our readers a little background about you and your farm.
Collin Abraham: The farm was first purchased by my great -grandparents. Currently my grandparents, Dean and Olivia Shepherd, own the 40 acre dairy farm in Hilmar, California. My uncle, Gary Shepherd, operates the dairy. There are 80 milking cows, half are Holsteins and half are Jerseys in the herd. The herd has a RHA of 24,079 lbs of milk 3.4% 807 Fat 3.2% 774 Protein and a BAA of 108.3.
HW: Outline Ruby’s pedigree and other unique attributes of her cow family.
Collin: Ruby is an Oliveholme Aeroline daughter. She classified Excellent 93 with an Excellent 94-MS. Her dam was a VG-85 Peartome Jackpot daughter with a 6-10 record of 365 33,980 2.9 983 3.1 1060. Her grand dam recorded over 184,000 lbs lifetime with 4.2% fat and 3.3% protein.
HW: What are Ruby’s show career achievements?
Collin:
2002 Res. All-CA & Res. Jr. All-CA Senior Calf
2003 Res. Jr. All-CA Senior Yearling & Res. Jr. Champion Merced County Fair
2004 Res. Junior All-CA Senior 2-Year-Old & Grand Champion Merced County Fair
2005 Res. All-CA & Res. Jr. All-CA Senior 3-Year-Old
Res. Int., Res. Grand Champion & Best Bred & Owned CA Holstein Show
Res. Int. & Res. Grand Champion Jr. CA Holstein Show
Grand & Supreme Champion Merced County Fair
1st Senior 3-Year-Old CA State Fair Jr. Division
11th Senior 3-Year-Old International Holstein Show
2006 1st Dry 3 & 4-Year-Old California State Holstein Show Open & Jr. Divisions
1st 4-Year-Old, Grand & Supreme Champion California State Fair Jr. Division
2nd 4-Year-Old California State Fair Open Division
1st 4-Year-Old, Grand & Res. Supreme Champion International Junior Holstein Show at World Dairy Expo
16th 4-Year-Old International Holstein Show at World Dairy Expo
HW: What is her current status? Milking, flushing, etc.
Collin: Ruby freshened on July 24, 2006 with her third bull calf. Ruby’s highest test day was 146 pounds of milk. On her last test day in November, Ruby tested with 140 pounds of milk. Her completed 3-Year-Old lactation was
3-03 2X 365 30,578 lbs milk 3.5 1059 lbs fat 3.9 942 lbs protein. Ruby was flushed the first of December 2006. She had four Dundee embryos. We are planning to flush her in February 2007 to Durham.
HW: Do you have any offspring or offspring on the way from her?
Collin: Unfortunately, we do not have any offspring or offspring on the way from Ruby. She has calved in the past three times delivering only bull calves.
HW: Any additional information you’d like to share?
Collin: Ruby is a homebred animal that I have had the pleasure of showing since I was 10 years old. In 2005 she was named High Honorable Mention Junior All-American Senior 3-Year-Old. Recently, she was nominated as a Junior All-American Four-Year-Old.
Also, I would like to send a special thank you out to my Uncle Gary for all he does.
HW: What was it like to exhibit the Grand Champion at the Junior Show at World Dairy Expo? What are your personal plans for the future?
Collin: Exhibiting the Grand Champion at World Dairy Expo was a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was an exciting and thrilling experience. I would like to send out a thank you to Seth Nehls for helping with Ruby at Madison. When Ruby was named Reserve Supreme Champion of the World Dairy Expo, I knew it would be a moment in my life that I
would never forget.
I am currently a freshman at Livingston High School in Livingston, California. I am the Greenhand Vice President of the Livingston FFA Chapter. My Grade Point Average is 4.0. I plan to graduate from high school in 2010. I would like to further my education at a university and become an Agricultural Lawyer or a History Professor.
