KAMPS-HOLLOW ALTITUDE NAMED
2009 COW OF THE YEAR, NILSESTUEN ANNOUNCES

MADISON -- A Holstein dairy cow named Kamps-Hollow Altitude is the 2009 Cow of the Year, Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Rod Nilsestuen announced today.

"Congratulations to KHW Genetics, Ryan Kamps and Ryan Weigel, and their families for involvement with this outstanding animal," said Nilsestuen. “As the 2009 Wisconsin Cow of the Year, she represents the outstanding attributes that make Wisconsin America's Dairyland."

The Cow of the Year Proclamation will occur on Monday, Sept. 28, and will be videocast during the Red & White and Holstein shows during World Dairy Expo at the Alliant Energy Center, Madison later in the week.

Altitude was bred by Richard and Ryan Kamps of Kamps Hollow in Belmont. As a heifer, she was sold through the 2000 Pioneer Dairy Club Classic Sale at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, to Mark Haag, Kamps and Weigel.

This 9-year-old cow has had a tremendous impact on the breed through numerous sons and daughters that transmit her family’s superior type. Among the most notable are daughter KHW Regiment Apple-ET, who as a red and white topped the junior 2-year-old class at the 2006 International Holstein Show, and son KHW Kite Advent Red, the first red and white Holstein bull to transmit three points of type. He has sired numerous show winners. There is strong demand for Altitude’s genetics, with additional sons in artificial insemination, and daughters and granddaughters that have topped sales and distributed embryos around the world.

“Altitude’s genetics and impact on the breed will continue to transmit generation after generation. The impact she’s made and her future mark wouldn’t be possible without the daily attention and devotion Altitude receives from the Kamps family,” noted Ryan Weigel.

Altitude’s most recent production record at 7-00 at twice a day milking for 365 days yielded 39,690 pounds of milk with a 4.7 percent fat and 1,849 pounds and a 3.5 percent protein with 1,385 pounds. She currently is the sixth highest red carrier CTPI cow in the breed at a 2051 CTPI. She was named Holstein International’s 2009 Global Red Impact Cow of the Year, a recognition that is voted on worldwide by the publication’s readers. She is also a Dam of Merit and was named a USDA Elite Cow.

Altitude is classified EX-95. “Altitude is one of a few elite cows to transmit type and production through bulls in AI and her daughters. With a stack of sires behind the family and being red factor, she fits well into many breeding programs – she makes Wisconsin Holstein very proud,” said Mark Gilbertson, president of the Wisconsin Holstein Association.

The Wisconsin Holstein Association selected Altitude as the representative of the Holstein breed; the Holstein breed was selected to receive the Cow of the Year award according to a succession plan among the major dairy breeds, as determined by the Wisconsin Purebred Dairy Cattle Association.

PDCA Conference Attendees
The following list is the County Fair Dairy Judges that have attended a Wisconsin Purebred Dairy Cattle Association Judging Conference at least one time in the last 4 years (2006-2009).