ELORA — Albadon Farms has been crowned as Western Ontario’s highest BCA for the third year in a row.
The Holstein farm, owned by Josh Ireland, and his wife, Marjan, and his parents, Mark and Debbie, of Teeswater in Bruce County, had a score this year of 339.3. This was the second-highest score in Ontario, trailing only Prinzhaven Farms in Prince Edward County, which had a score of 365.7 for its mixed Jersey and Holstein herd. BCA measures milk, fat and protein.
Ireland has previously credited a switch to sand bedding in 2010 as a catalyst for success. In 2013, he had the best-managed herd from Ontario to British Columbia in CanWest DHI’s annual rankings, and received its first Master breeder Shield in 2015.
Here are the top-ranked dairy farms for highest BCA average in Western Ontario and according to the 2017 CanWest DHI progress report.
• Brant County (average BCA of 225.8); Emcrest Farm, owned by William and Jean Emmott at Brantford: 284.3
• Bruce County (average BCA of 246.3); Albadon Farms Ltd., owned by Mark and Josh Ireland at Teeswater: 339.3
• Dufferin County (average BCA of 239.8); Colmont, owned by Joe Oosterhof at Grand Valley: 270.7
• Elgin County (average BCA of 241.1); Silverridge Farms, owned by Charlie Dykxhoorn at Springfield: 301.7
• Essex-Kent County (average BCA of 222.7); RCAT Dairy, owned by Ridgetown College at Ridgetown: 261
• Grey County (average BCA of 233.7); Gamblane Farms, owned by Ian and Mark Gamble at Owen Sound: 296
• Huron County (BCA of 233.7); Gubelmann Brown Swiss Ltd., owned by Ernst Gubelmann at Walton: 316.7
• Lambton County (average BCA of 222.5); Stewardson Dairy Inc. at Thedford: 298.3
• Middlesex County (BCA of 231.5); Stanton Bros Ltd., owned by Jim, Jeff and Greg Stanton at Ilderton: 305
• Norfolk County (average BCA of 230.6); Marbank Farms Ltd., owned by Wayne and Leonard Bootsma at Port Dover: 278.7
• Oxford County (average BCA of 243.4); Paradigm Holsteins, owned by Steve Vandendool at Woodstock: 322.7
• Peel County (average BCA of 227.5); Armstrong Manor at Caledon: 296.7
• Perth County (average BCA of 241.4); Hyden Holsteins, owned by Bryan Zehr at Milverton: 310
• Simcoe County (average BCA of 229.5); R&D Klein-Gebbinck at Elmvale: 270
• Waterloo County (average BCA of 244.4); Weberlea, owned by Jesse and Ellen Weber: 310.3
• Wellington County (average BCA of 244.0); Bellwin Farms Inc., owned by Jim Bell at Elora: 302.3
• Wentworth County (average BCA of 224.8); Summitholm Holsteins, owned by Joe Loewith & sons at Lynden: 310.7
