LOUISVILLE, Ky. — James Comer, Kentucky’s new ag commissioner, has promised the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) will proudly continue to sponsor the Kentucky National Dairy Show and Sale.

He said the annual sale is an opportunity for top dairy cattle producers to showcase their genetics and for buyers from all over the nation to buy quality stock for their herds.

The tradition for this event began In the early 1960s after the Kentucky legislature passed a law stating the KDA “shall aid and assist in the promotion of annual shows and sales of purebred livestock in Kentucky, with the object and purpose of establishing Kentucky as one of the greatest centers in the United States for breeding, exhibition and sale of purebred cattle.”

This year’s April 13–14 show was the 50th consecutive sale. Comer said before the show he was looking forward to fellowship at the celebration banquet, where he expected to see many generational dairy families in attendance.

Five breeds in all were shown and sold that Friday and Saturday. Classes represented this year were Ayrshire, Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey and Milking Shorthorn.

Kentucky dairy farmer Billy Branstetter of Hardyville was one of the dairymen participating in this year’s event. He is the secretary and treasurer of the Ayrshire Sale for 2012. Branstetter’s JSB Acres farm won top honors for Junior Champion Ayrshire, with JSB Acres Cindy, and Reserve Champion with JSB Acres Cherry. Both cows were shown by Branstetter’s adult son Joey.

“I’m the manager of the Kentucky Ayrshire sale,” Billy Branstetter said. “Our Kentucky Ayrshire Club puts this sale on every year and we usually sell around 50 head of animals from baby calves on up through milking cows.

“My job is mostly is to get Ayrshires from all across the country assigned to our sale. We try to sell the best genetics in the breed, and it helps to promote our breed.” He added there were show-quality animals present from Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland and Tennessee and buyers from all over the country.

Katherine Wheatley is the Dairy Program coordinator in the Division of Show and Fair Promotions for the KDA, the person ensuring the overall event was a success. She said each of the breed associations in this show had good sales, contributing to a total sales gross of $513,000.

The highest-selling animal among all sales, she said, was from the Jersey breed association and was Grand Champion of the show. The winner was Lot #76, Payneside GG Got Milk, which was consigned by Steinridge Jerseys & Jason Volker of Lowler, Iowa, and sold to River Valley Farm of Tremont, Ill., for the price of $18,500.

Wheatley said, “This 50th celebration of the Kentucky National Dairy Show and Sale will be one to remember. The great consignments from each of the sales will hopefully go on to be competitive in herd and in the show ring.

“The memories made from the banquet will not be forgotten, as many great people gathered together to celebrate something we all held near to our hearts.”