Anderson's Royola to host WHA Convention tour

Anderson's Royola, Ogdensburg, will open its doors to Holstein breeders statewide as they host one of three farm tours during the Wisconsin Adult Holstein Association (WHA) annual convention. Feb. 24-25 in Waupaca.

The farm tours are scheduled to get underway on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.; bussing will be provided.

Anderson's Royola was established in 1949 by the late Andrew "Andy" and Jeanette Anderson, Tom's parents. Tom and Sharie purchased the family farm in 1976, and partner Justin Hintz joined the operation in 1998.

"I began working for Tom and Sharie in high school," Hintz explained. He added, "I had spent much of my time as a youth working on my grandfather and great uncle's 200-cow commercial dairy operation and so I had always had an interest in dairying."

Hintz continued, "While working for the Andersons I began to purchase my first registered animals. Tom was willing to allow me to house them on his operation while teaching me about breeding, pedigrees and caring for registered Holsteins. After graduation I decided to purchase some more cows of my own."

When Hintz joined the operation 13 years ago, 20 milk cows were added, along with a 16-cow dry cow facility.

The farm has expanded from its original size of 220 acres to 450 cropable acres with corn, wheat, soybeans, oat and alfalfa grown as the staple crops. About 200 acres are also rented.

Today the farm consists of over 140 head, including 75 milk cows. The Rolling Herd Average is 25,653 pounds of milk, 983 pounds of fat and 815 pounds of protein on two-times-a-day milking, with a BAA of 107.8 percent. Their milk is shipped to Agropur, one of the WHA Convention sponsors.

Calves are raised in hutches until weaning, at which time they are moved to super hutches until about 5 months of age. Next they are moved to a neighboring farm until confirmed pregnant, then brought home and put on pasture until calving.

The majority of the herd traces back to one or two cow families, including Royola Cinnamon Gewen, VG-88 GMD, heading up the start of a five-generation "Excellent" line. They flush about 15 times a year.

After 20 years of breeding from only homebred families, the duo decided to invest in outside genetics to improve upon the herd and capitalize on more merchandising.

One of those purchases resulted in Rabur Outside Pandora, whose daughter, Rabur Goldwyn Panzer, VG-87, has produced numerous embryo contracts, has a son at Select Sires (Prance) and the number one Man-O-Man daughter in Europe.

Other cow families include a Throne daughter, Sewards-Folly T Deanna-ET, VG-88, who was purchased in the Waupaca-Waushara Show Opportunity Sale. Deanna has produced several offspring, including Royola Shottle Dorrie-ET, VG-88 and Royola Shottle Danni-ET, also VG-88.

Their herd philosophy is to breed for a balance of type and index, with an emphasis on deep cow families. On average, they sell 10 to 12 breeding age bulls to local farmers annually.

Sires currently utilized in the herd are Guthrie, Palermo, Dempsey, Windbrook, Lauthority and Shottle.

When evaluating pedigrees for purchasing potential herdmates, both Anderson and Hintz look for strength of the cow family, multiple generations of excellents, high components and the ability to milk.

Anderson's Royola has earned 25 consecutive Milk Quality awards, were awarded the Waupaca Bankers Outstanding Farm Award and were honored with the Progressive Genetics Herd Award.



Involved in the COmmunity

In addition to managing the dairy farm operation, Anderson is also involved in the community. He has chaired the Waupaca-Waushara Show Opportunity Sale for over 20 years and just last year they hosted the county twilight meeting on their farm.

In addition, Tom and Justin have served several leadership roles on the county Holstein board, and both are assisting in coordinating the WHA Adult Convention, Feb. 24-25, at the Comfort Suites Fox Fire & Ale House, Waupaca.

Both Tom and Sharie, who is a dietary supervisor at Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca, are active members of St. Peters Lutheran Church in Big Falls. They have three children, Shane (deceased), Kotti and Adam.

Tom is also an avid hunter and enjoys golfing, fishing, shooting and collecting firearms in his spare time.

Recreational activities Hintz partakes in include hunting, attending Holstein sales, golfing, spending time with his family, snowmobiling and watching the Green Bay Packers.

In the near future, Anderson's Royola hopes to be adding a pack-type barn for weaned calves, potential sales animals and flush heifers.

They might also look into some type of a sand-bedded freestall barn to house the milking herd, providing the opportunity to milk a few more cows.

Tom concluded, "We believe that there will be opportunities for all types of operations in the future. Operations our size may become organic dairies, or provide genetics, or provide milk for specialty cheese, or derive extra income by selling grain or hay."



WHA Sponsors

Major sponsors of the Wisconsin Adult Holstein Convention include: Spiegelberg Implement, Weyauwega; Tina Auer Insurance, New London; Pfizer Animal Health, Marion; Segga-ET, Weyauwega; First State Bank, New London; International Protein Sires, Rock Springs; Northstar Cooperative, Lansing, MI; Larsen Cooperative, New London; Pioneer, Johnston, IA; The Farmers State Bank, Waupaca. Wisconsin State Farmer, Waupaca; and Waushara County Dairy Promoters.

Additional sponsors include: United Veterinary Service, Bear Creek; Genex Cooperative, Shawano; Grassland Dairy Products; Greenwood; Hampel Corp., Germantown; Wittenberg Embryo Transfer, SC, Wausau; Fox City Builders, Seymour; Caroline Equipment, Marion; Merial Ltd, Viroqua; Charter Fuels, Lancaster; Waupaca FFA Alumni, Waupaca; Russell Robaidek, Inc., Pulaski; Oak Grove Dairy, Clintonville; Tom Morris LTD, Amery; Modern Dairy Systems, LLC, Kaukauna; Ron & Sandra Curran, Madison; Family Dairies USA, Madison; Bear Lake Enterprises, Manawa; Stevens Point Veterinary Service, Stevens Point; First National Bank, Clintonville; Berlin Feeds, Berlin; DuPont Cheese, Marion; Animart, Beaver Dam; Fleet Farm; and Agropur, Weyauwega.

For more information, contact Grady Auer at 920-538-1183, or Chris Williams at 800-223-4269.