Holstein World: Describe for our readers the different operations you are involved in - Hilmar Holsteins & Cranehill Genetics. What are your key responsibilities and what are some of the general stats…Number of animals, Acres farmed, Location, Type of facilities, etc.

Ryan Matheron: Hilmar Holsteins is a family run business between my father, Duane, uncle, Dale, brother, Aaron, and myself. The herd consists of 1700 milking cows and a total of about 3600 females. We raise another 80 to 100 breeding bulls, which are sold annually. All cows are housed in a free-stall operation and are milked in a rotary parlor twice a day with no BST. Our current rolling herd average is 25,600 lbs of milk. We farm about 500 acres of all irrigated land including corn, oats, sudan and alfalfa. Hilmar Holsteins is located in Hilmar California, which is about an hour south of Sacramento.

Cranehill Genetics is a partnership between Emanuel Azevedo, Joe Oliveira, and myself. It consists of 30 head total and numerous embryos yet to calve. All three of us have dairy operations so the cattle are housed at each of our locations.

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