EAST PEORIA, Ill. — The American Jersey Cattle Assoc. (AJCA) and National All-Jersey, Inc. (NAJ) recently convened in East Peoria for their annual convention. Business meetings, recognition of breeders, support of junior programs and touring local Jersey herds filled the convention schedule June 24-27.

The Jersey Breeders Recognition Banquet was the evening feature that Thursday. The American Jersey Cattle Club presented the Distinguished Service award to George and Shirley Barlass of Janesville, Wis. This is bestowed annually upon living AJCA members and or members’ families who, in the opinion of the board of directors, have rendered outstanding and unselfish service and made a notable contribution to the advancement of the Jersey breed.

The AJCA-NAJ award for Meritorious Service was presented to Paula England of Columbus, Ohio. This goes to an individual who, in the joint opinion of the boards of AJCA-NAJ, has made notable contribution to the advancement of the breed.

Lyon Jerseys, LLC of Toledo, Iowa, was the recipient of the Master Breeder Award.  Joe, Stuart and Eric Lyon were given this award for breeding outstanding Jerseys for many years.

The 58th annual National Heifer Sale was June 26 and the 39 consignments averaged $3,842. This is a unique sale where all the consignments are donated by the breeders and all the money raised is used to fund AJCA Junior programs.

River Valley Farm, owned by Gregg and Cindy Sauder and their seven children of Tremont, Ill., hosted a tour of their 300-head Jersey operation. The Sauders are using robotic milkers, an automated calf feeding system and have a boxstall barn full of deep-pedigreed Jerseys that are perennial show ring favorites. Convention attendees enjoyed touring the entire farm and learning more about River Valley 7JE5000 genetics.

The 7JE5000 is a slate of AI bulls River Valley offers direct from Select Sires. “Genetics to Believe In” is their motto, which describes their focus of developing breed-leading females that can provide dairy producers around the globe with genetics they can trust from cow families they can respect.

Top Jersey genetics and a milk bottling plant were the featured attraction at Kilgus Farmstead of Fairbury. Having been in the Kilgus family for 60 years, the original dairy herd consisted of Holsteins but when the family decided to start bottling their own milk they switched to the Jersey breed because a higher value is placed on milk with greater butterfat and protein content.

Today they milk 160 registered Jerseys, raise meat animals for retail sales and have a country store on the farm where they sell milk, ice cream, farm-raised meats and locally made cheese.

The business of the association was taken care of at the annual meeting, where AJCA CEO Neal Smith presented an overview of the group and the Jersey breed’s genetic progress over the last 20 years. The final evening of the convention found attendees enjoying dinner and amusement hosted by the Sauders, with fireworks topping the event.

The 2016 AJCA-NAJ annual meeting will be hosted by the California Jersey breeders in San Diego next June.