Local dairy producers received numerous quality production awards during the Dairy Herd Improvement Association annual meeting.
H and H Dairy (David Hutchison) earned the Master Dairy Award, which includes breeding records and other management areas.
Second place was earned by Rowe Farms and third place by Greg Burton.
Burton also earned the top award for rolling herd average, with 23,996 pounds. H and H Dairy took home second place, Archie Burton third place, Tony Compton fourth place and Jonathan Gaskins fifth place.
Rowe Farms recorded the cow with the highest lifetime production of 202,990 pounds. Greg Burton registered the most valuable herd and the most valuable cow.
Edward and Garnett Kessler received a new award this year, the value-added award, which took into account butter-fat and somatic cell counts. The cow received a $1.10 increase per cwt based on value-added pricing.
A cow belonging to Tony Compton had the lowest somatic cell count and also earned the second best spot in the state with a 118,000 scc.
Mitchell Burton earned the most improved award. Production awards went to Greg Burton, Holsteins (31,887 pounds); Rowe Farms, Cross Bred (29,723 pounds); Laurel Ridge Farms (Bruce Held), Jersey (18,652 pounds); and Rowe Farms, Brown Swiss (21,054).
The organization also elected officers during the annual meeting. Bruce Held was reelected as president, Billy Rowe as vice president, and Greg Burton as secretary/treasurer.
