Springbank Snow Countess was the world’s record lifetime producer of butterfat in the 1920s and 1930s. Owned and bred by Thomas Roy Dent, the Holstein cow spent her life on Dent’s 240 acre Springbank Farm. Springbank Snow Countess produced 2 sons (one was sold to the Japanese government for $5,000 and became one of the nations top breeding bulls) and 5 daughters. She was a lifetime champion over all other breeds with a total 4,119 kg of butterfat from 94,114 kg of milk in 10 lactations. This was the highest lifetime total for milk and butterfat then, a record that wasn’t broken for 18 years. She was the only cow that ever lived (at the time) to make 3 records above 499 kg (1100 lbs.) of fat 5 records above 454 kg (1000 lbs.) of fat 6 records above 408 kg (900 lbs.) of fat 8 records above 363 kg (800 lbs.) of fat.
Schedule for 2024 New England Dairy Travel Course
January 8-12, 2024
Day 1 - Monday January 8, 2024
9 am - Meet students from other universities at UVM Farm, tour farm
10:00am - Leave UVM for Miner Institute
11:30am - Tour of Miner and pizza lunch provided
Miner Institute conducts practical research on the dairy-crop interface, equine reproduction and management, and environmental conservation. Its research activities combine a global perspective with a regional application. Miner Institute offers a range of undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs in dairy and field crop science, equine management, and environmental conservation.
1:30pm - Leave for Woodstock, Ontario
9:30pm - Arrive at hotel in Woodstock, Ontario
Day 2 - Tuesday January 9, 2024
8:00 am - Depart hotel, Woodstock
9:30 am - Arrive at Fraeland Farm - Fergus, ON
~100 Holsteins, milk with robots, freestall barn. Part of herd are Holstein show cows (live on bedded pack - unique barn setup)
12:15 pm - Arrive at Wallenstein Feed Supply - Largest feed mill in Ontario.
Wallenstein Feed Supply develops, manufactures and transports agricultural feed for farms across Ontario. A third generation, family owned and operated Canadian company, in business for 60 years, they work hard to support an industry that feeds the people of their province. Their facilities are equipped with state of the art, modern mill equipment. Within these facilities, their processes are computer-controlled with customized software. Their large and well-maintained fleet of trucks provide timely and courteous deliveries across the province.
3:00pm - Arrive at Summitholm Holsteins(link is external) – 500 cow dairy, consistently one of Canada’s top managed herds, just starting to do on-farm processing
Day 3 - Wednesday January 10, 2024
9:30am - Arrive at Scenic Holsteins - Stonetown Cheese(link is external) – 250 cow farm, on-farm cheese plant (award winning). Cheese plant first (biosecurity) 9:30am (1hr) Parking lot in front cheese plant then walk to barns for barn tour.
12:00pm noon - Lunch in Stratford on own
1:00pm - Boernview Farms, large robot dairy in cross ventilated barn (11 robots, ~450 cows), winner of multiple DCRC reproduction awards over the years -
3:00pm - Hogendoorn Dairy 600 cows milking. Large rotary parlor with “robot” arm for prepping cows and for post-dip before cows get off the table. Focus on A2A2 and BB in their genetic program (need to text day prior to confirm)
Day 4 - Thursday January 11, 2024
8:30am - depart hotel, Woodstock
9:30am - arrive at University of Guelph Dairy Research Farm(link is external) (and Feed Centre and Beef Research Farm)
Dr. Trevor DeVries University of Guelph faculty member will be assisting with the tour.
@email(link sends e-mail)
Elora Dairy, 6185 2 Line E, Centre Wellington, ON N0B 1B0, Canada
3:00pm - Arrive at Karnview Farm (Woodstock) Fancy show herd of Holsteins. Tie stall
Day 5 - Friday January 12, 2024 7:00am - depart hotel, Woodstock, 4:00pm - arrive at UVM