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Wisconsin’s Outstanding Holstein Girl

Danae Bauer, of Scandinavia, has been selected Outstanding Holstein Girl by the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association. She received the award during the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Convention held Jan. 8-10 in Stevens Point.

Jacob Brey, of Sturgeon Bay, was named Outstanding Holstein Boy. These are the highest honors bestowed to junior Holstein members.

The daughter of Frank Jr. and Ruth Bauer, Danae plays an integral role at Sandy-Valley Farms in Scandinavia, which is owned and operated by her father and two brothers. She has three brothers, Ethan, 17, Seth, 15, and Ryan, 12. The farm consists of 1,000 acres of corn and alfalfa to support the 400 cows and 500 head of youngstock raised. Sandy-Valley Farms merchandises up to 60 bulls a year into artificial insemination and sells embryos worldwide.

As calf manager of the farm, Bauer’s responsibilities include managing newborns to breeding-age heifers. With the intensive flushing program implemented, approximately 400 calves are born yearly, with 70 on milk at any given time. Bauer is in charge of calfhood vaccination, administers treatment when needed and keeps accurate calf records, including registrations.

In addition to calf manager, she is responsible for coordinating the farm’s extensive embryo transfer program, is highly involved in merchandising their genetics, updates the farm’s website, and serves as tour guide for the many national and international guests who tour the farm regularly. She currently owns 14 animals with her brother.

She is involved in a variety of organizations while completing 12 years of academics in a home-school-based program through the Christian Liberty Academy.

The 19-year-old was a member of the Waupaca County Dairy Judging team that placed second in the state; she also finished first at the Area Animal Science Days Judging Contest.

The Outstanding Holstein Girl has been an active local, state and national Junior Holstein member for numerous years. On the state level, she participated on the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Trip Award as well as numerous other contests. Most recently, as team captain, she led the Waupaca-Waushara Dairy Bowl team to a fifth-place finish, a notable feat since the county re-established a dairy bowl team just three years ago.

On the local level, the Scandinavia youth is currently serving as the Waupaca-Waushara Junior Holstein president, after serving roles as secretary and reporter. In addition, she plays an important leadership role every year during the Waupaca-Waushara Show Opportunity Sale, where she earned a calf scholarship. Her involvement in the county association earned her the honor of Waupaca County’s Outstanding Holstein Girl.

The Waupaca County native enjoys showing her cattle at the local and state levels, but more importantly, shares her knowledge with others while serving as a leader in numerous fitting and showing clinics. One of her most notable teaching experiences came this year when she worked all summer long with her cousin, Katie Bauer, also of Scandinavia, honing her showmanship skills, and later at the Wisconsin Junior State Fair, Katie placed third in her age division.

Bauer is also active in 4-H and FFA, and earned the Wisconsin FFA Foundation Supervised Agricultural Experience Dairy Initiative Grant.

In the future, Bauer plans to take dairy management and business classes through Fox Valley Technical College to better prepare her for eventually taking over management at Sandy-Valley.

“The dairy industry is one I want to be involved in for the rest of my life. My goal for the future is a rewarding and challenging career as a dairy farmer,” she stated.

After being named Wisconsin’s Outstanding Holstein Girl, Bauer shared, “It’s truly an honor,” adding that she will strive to work hard to live up to the honor that this award means.

Bauer was also chosen as one of four representatives to compete in the National Distinguished Junior Member Contest in June during the National Holstein Convention. Joining Bauer in a quest to earn the title of National Distinguished Junior Member will be Kelly Lee, Johnson Creek; Carl Lippert, Pittsville; and Mitchell Kappelman, Two Rivers.

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