SEED MONEY TO DISCOVER JERSEY DIFFERENCES

“A distinguished and capable group of men” appointed by President Herman Heep tothe first Research Committee of The American Jersey Cattle Association joined the Boardof Directors and staff at its regular meeting on March 2, 1948. Pictured, from left to right,are Charles Bohl, staff; Frank B. Astroth, director; Dr. Fordyce Ely, Ohio State University;directors W. W. Trout, David E. Moulton and Judge J. G. Adams; AJCC Executive Secre-tary Floyd Johnston; William R. Kenan, Jr., Randleigh Farm, committee member; Heep;Dale Dean, director; staff members Darrell C. Weakley and Edward T. Oleskie; J. F.Cavanaugh, Assistant Secretary; H. G. Myers, director; Prof. F. W. Atkeson, Kansas StateCollege; R. K. Brown, Jersey Bulletin; staff Dexter Putnam; Prof. Charles N. Shepardson,Texas A. & M. School and Research Committee chair; Laurence Gardiner, director; Dr. J.L. Lush, Iowa State College; directors Arthur B. Purvine and J. S. Campbell, Jr.; LynnCopeland, Research Committee member; and staff William Meachem.

On March 17, 1967, J. F. Cavanaugh,then Executive Secretary of The AmericanJersey Cattle Club (now Association), re-ceived a check for $100.00 from L. A.Rigrish, with the stated intention to createa trust to be “operated exclusively for thepurpose of promoting and sponsoring sci-entific research for the advancement ofdairy technology and the dairy industry.

“This trust shall be called the‘AMERICAN JERSEY CATTLE CLUBRESEARCH FOUNDATION.’”

Forty years later, the Foundation hasgenerated seed money approaching $1million for Jersey-specific research, whilealso growing to a market value on May 31,2007 of $1,607,946.

The story of scientific research aboutJersey cattle and Jersey milk is one ofneeds, priorities and, of course, dollars. Butit starts not on March 17, 1967, but 20years before that when six “practical ‘cowmen,’ geneticists and breed-ers” accepted an invitation toserve on the “A.J.C.C. Re-search Committee.”

“Great Progress”The March 25, 1948 issue

of Jersey Bulletin was prac-tically breathless in report-ing on the committee’s firstmeeting, March 2 and 3 inColumbus, Ohio.

“Group Will Have Worldsof Information Available forStudy,” trumpeted the head-line. “After two days hardwork by the committee, Jer-sey breeders can be assuredthat many of the questions intheir minds regarding Test-ing, Classification and ClubPrograms will be answeredin the coming years.”

Mountains of data are worthless until analyzed and madeinformative. Where information is needed, data must beobtained and analyzed. Not only human effort and time, butalso dollars are necessary to accomplish scientific study. Andalthough Jersey-specific research was defined as a necessaryactivity for this organization in 1947, it took another 20 yearsto put a funding agency into place to help pay for it.

With the establishment of the Registerof Merit program in 1903, and classifica-tion in 1932, production and type data hadaccumulated to the point where the ques-tion was being asked, “How can we usethis information to improve our breedingprograms?”

The Board’s vision was nothing next tothat of the committee, chaired by C. N.Shepardson, dean of the School of Agri-culture at Texas A. & M. College, and in-cluding the luminaries, geneticist Dr. JayLush of Iowa State College, and businessexecutive and 1945 Master Breeder hon-oree, William R. Kenan, Jr., of RandleighFarm.

“It is our belief that the research pro-gram may well be divided into two phases,”Dean Shepardson reported to the Board.“The first phase would involve a continu-ing analysis and re-evaluation of the sev-eral rating devices or yard sticks now in

use in connection with the various Clubprograms. Much of this work can best bedone by the Club staff with the records andother data available in the Club office.

“A second group of projects would in-clude those based on information yet tobe assembled from the field, some of whichmay involve basic research with little orno apparent immediate application.

“On this type of project, we recommendthat the work be assigned to interested stateagricultural colleges having the staff andfacilities for such work. We further rec-ommend that grants to cover graduate re-search assistantships and necessary main-tenance funds be appropriated to such in-stitutions as these co-operative projects areapproved.”

And with that, the work began. A Re-search Director, John N. Beardsley, washired and outlined “a very full schedule ofprojects.” They were to first, develop ageand milking frequency conversion factorsfor the analysis of production records, thento study the relationship between “classi-fication of individual parts and overallclassification, to determine the observedand genetic relationships between the in-dividual parts and production.”

At Ohio State University, work beganto characterize cellular antigens in bloodfor “the routine testing in identification.”It cost the Club $1,500. At Iowa State,

under Dr. Lush’s su-pervision, J. E.Legates began analyz-ing records from “thecow and her relatives”to develop a “selectionindex for butterfat pro-duction,” and W. R.Harvey delved intothe bank of butterfatand classif icationrecords, to “determinethe actual correlationand to apportion it totrue genetic correla-tion and to environ-mental correlation.”The two studies werefunded for $650 and$550, respectively.Other grants rangedbetween these twoamounts, the differ-

DEFINING MOMENTS

Reprinted from JERSEY JOURNAL, July 2007 © American Jersey Cattle Association. All Rights Reserved.

In March of 2005, a Foundation seed grant was made to support geneticmarker research at the Bovine Functional Genomic Laboratory by Curtis P.Van Tassel (pictured) and Tad S. Sonstegard, both research geneticists withthe USDA Agricultural Research Service. This is their progress report.

The bovine genome sequencing project was initiated in 2004. As part ofthat effort, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) project was proposed toidentify and validate 20,000 of these genetic markers. Breed associationsaround the world were invited to participate through funding the genotypingand facilitating DNA collection. The American Jersey Cattle Association wasone that committed to fund and endorse this effort. Several major artificialinsemination companies also agreed to provide DNA via semen to supportthis research. In total, organizations around the world representing nearly 20breeds committed support to this project. While the project has taken longerto complete than originally anticipated, the project goals have been met andsubstantially exceeded.

The data collection phase was recently completed, and comprehensiveanalyses have been initiated by the International Bovine Haplotype MapConsortium. The final data set includes genotypic information on nearly 500animals representing 19 breeds. A total of over 35,000 SNP werecharacterized, and about 25,000 markers randomly distributed across thegenome were selected for validation. In addition, 4,500 markers were identifiedthrough additional DNA sequencing of regions on chromosomes 6, 14, and25. These targeted regions were chosen in an effort to characterize the effectsof selection for traits of economic importance on the genome. Finally, 7,000markers were identified through the sequencing of Brahman DNA to helpunderstand genetic diversity among cattle.

Preliminary data indicated that the information content of these geneticmarkers, measured as minor allele frequency, will be useful for marker-phenotype association studies for the breeds evaluated.

As we look forward, these data will be invaluable on a number of fronts.First, they will provide the first look at the structure of the bovine genome.Understanding the impact of selection and population dynamics will beessential for moving forward in genetic improvement programs. These datawill also be useful for developing and refining sets of genetic markers that areuseful for parentage verification and product and animal traceability. Finally,these markers will be considered in the development efforts to expandgenotyping tools to a new level. As an example of that role, an independentconsortium has recently completed the design of a 58,000 SNP assay platform.Data from this new assay will provide an even deeper understanding of thestructure, function and evolutionary history of the cattle genome. We expectthese assays to have a profound impact through the enhanced prediction ofgenetic merit.

The world of genetic improvement is poised to take a dramatic step forward,and it was through participation of organizations like the American JerseyCattle Association that this all became possible.

INITIAL GOALS OF BOVINE GENOME PROJECT“MET AND SUBSTANTIALLY EXCEEDED”

ence in cost being researchexpertise and priority to theassociation.

The matter of money wasnot lost upon the Board ofDirectors. The minutes ofthe December 7, 1948meeting contain a reportfrom Judge J. G. Adams ona “Research Foundation,”with seven trustees named,three yet to be determined,and the outline for solicit-ing donations. It nevercame to fruition.

“Just Do It”John Beardsley left the

staff in June of 1952, andthus began a period whenresearch was done sporadi-cally by Jersey staff mem-bers, on occasion at univer-sities, and/or in cooperationwith the other dairy breedassociations and USDA’sdairy genetics staff. It waspaid for from the annualoperating budget, as theneed arose.

The lack of a big-picturestrategy for a Jersey re-search program, because ofvariable f inancial re-sources, was a point of dis-cussion among the leader-ship. Cavanaugh recalls thatit was Paul Harber, a direc-tor from Oklahoma, whotold him that “it”—an en-dowment for research sup-port—just needed to bedone. With the first $100 inhand and trust agreementexecuted, it took just a fewmonths before the InternalRevenue Service grantedthe Foundation exemptionfrom Federal income tax asa charitable organizationdescribed in Section501(c)(3) of the InternalRevenue Code. This wasannounced in a full-pagearticle in the September 5,1967 issue of Jersey Jour-nal, with an invitation forcontributions from “all Jer-sey owners and others inter-ested in dairy research.” By

the end of 1970, just$1,217 had been receivedin cash. The Foundation’sassets were instead builton the contributions by di-rector Edwin C. Gamble ofKentucky of 65 shares ofProctor & Gamble stock,and 10 shares of E. I.DuPont in 1968, 1969 and1970.

The f irst project toreceive funding wasunexceptional for its day,but important to Jerseys,to study the requirementsfor certain minerals toprevent milk fever. Thenext request was anythingbut ordinary. The grant of$1,000 to Dr. Robert C.Lamb at Utah StateUniversity for a study of“suspected Limber Legcalves” marked thebeginning of a 13-yearinvestment in determiningthe nature and theinheritance of that con-dition, to be followed inshort order by the work onRectovaginal Constrictionby Kansas State Uni-versity researcher Dr.Horst Leipold.

The Events of 1985From 1968 through

1984, the AJCC ResearchFoundation had paid$79,225 towards Jerseyresearch, and had assets ofaround $110,000.

The announcement byJim Cavanaugh that hewould retire in June of1985 gave an unexpectedboost to the Foundation’scoffers. On March 29,AJCC President Clint L.Collins, Jr. and NationalAll-Jersey Inc. PresidentRichard Clauss an-nounced the creation ofthe J. F. CavanaughResearch Fund, “to thankJim for his untiringefforts.” The goal was toraise $50,000 for theFoundation, “hopefully

Research might not be as exciting as increasing the price of

milk but it is something we have to keep working at, because

nobody is going to do it for us. Universities will help us. But if

we don’t look after Jerseys, nobody else is going to.

David W. SpahrPast-President (1986-1989) and

Foundation Fundraising Chair (2001–present)

$100,000.” By the end of 1985, nearly$58,000 had been pledged. Eventually, thefinal accounting would put the CavanaughFund into the elite Founders category alongwith The Billings Farm Fund donation of$100,000 by Mr. and Mrs. Laurance S.Rockefeller.

Research priorities were at the sametime shifting, from genetic abnormalitiesto other needs. What, exactly, those mightbe was a matter of opinion. What was wellunderstood was that almost all universityresearch being done was with Holsteins,and not helpful to Jerseys.

Urged by a letter from Dr. John C. Wilk,who was guiding the research program inthe Randleigh Foundation Jersey herd atNorth Carolina State University, the Jerseyassociations convened the Jersey ResearchPlanning Panel on November 11 inLouisville, Ky. For over four hours, “well-respected research leaders” shared theirthoughts with Presidents Collins andClauss, Research Committee membersDavid Spahr and Ray Schooley, and fourmen from the office staff: Maurice Core,Calvin Covington, Eugene P. Barton, andJim Cavanaugh. The charge was to provideinput on two questions:

• What areas should have priority in theexpenditure of AJCC research fundsfor the next five to 10years?

• What specific actionscan the Jerseyorganizations, theirmembers, and othersinterested in Jerseystake to achieve moreuniversity researchwith Jerseys?

Dr. John White of VirginiaTech chaired the discussion, whichincluded H. Duane Norman of the AnimalImprovement Programs Laboratory,USDA; George Jung, from Dairymen, Inc.;Rodger Hoyt, Select Sires, Inc.; Dr.Leonard Bull, University of Vermont; Dr.Jack Britt and Dr. Wilk, both at NorthCarolina State; and David Dickson,University of Wisconsin.

Their discussion eventually helpedshape the Foundation’s funding prioritiesas they are stated today:

• Nutrition of high-producing Jerseys(particularly practical feedingmethods to maximize production ofvaluable milk components);

• Factors affecting yield of products

manufactured from Jersey milk;• Factors affecting net income,

longevity, and lifetime profit;• Breeding plans to optimize genetic

gain while maintaining geneticdiversity;

• Biological and economic efficienciesof Jerseys; and

• Factors affecting management ofJersey calves.

The other outcome from that meetingwas investing more effort on endowmentfundraising activities. After all, “There’sonly one way to get money, and that’s toknock on the door and talk to people.”

The Board of Directors, with DavidSpahr at the helm as President, declared af ive-year campaign to increase theendowment to $1 million. A nationalfundraising committee was appointed,headed by immediate past-PresidentCollins, and the services of Jim Cavanaughwere retained to go door-to-door andknock. That campaign was declared closedin 1998, with Foundation net assetsreaching $999,294 at the end of that year.

What the stock market downturn of2001-02—which pushed the value of theFoundation’s assets down to just over$750,000 and reducing project funding in2002 to just $24,920—did was to convince

the Board of Directors that capitalfundraising must be an ongoing activity.David Spahr was asked in late 2001 to chairfundraising efforts. The Foundation bene-fited from auctions held during the 2002,2003 and 2004 annual meetings, then thehistoric all-donation National Heifer Salein 2005. A total of $506,574 incontributions were received across thesefour years, so that with 2006 donations,the Foundation’s account stood at$1,496,000 at year end 2006.

Making The DecisionsOver the past 20 years, the Foundation

has allocated funds in excess of $750,000for just more than 150 projects.

It is the policy of the AJCC ResearchFoundation to fund projects only frominvestment income and to refrain frompayment of overhead costs. The decisionson which projects are to be funded, andfor how much, is made by the Board ofDirectors of the American Jersey CattleAssociation, upon the advice of theResearch Advisory Committee.

The original members in 1967 wereStanley N. Chittenden, then AJCCPresident, and directors Paul Harber,Rowland F. Hill III of Virginia, AmziRankin, Jr., of Alabama, and Fred Weaverof Nevada. Later that year, Harber andRankin were replaced by Dr. J. J. Malnatiof Massachusetts, and Edwin C. Gamble.

For the next 13 years, various Directorsand Presidents rotated on and off thecommittee, including John Bishop VI,New Jersey; Donald D. Davis, Texas; MaxGordon, Indiana; Curtis J. Hobson,Tennessee; LaMar King, Ohio; G. JoeLyon, Iowa; C. Scott Mayfield, Tennessee;Joey Pendleton, Kentucky; Harold W.Roller, Virginia; David W. Spahr, Ohio;John Weir, Jr., Kansas; and Wyatt A.Williams, Virginia. Also, Claud Stanton,manager of the Hetherington herd ownedby Mrs. T. H. Carruthers III of Cincinnati,was appointed to the committee in 1981

and served until 1984. Hewas succeeded by a director,Ray Schooley.

Duane Norman was thefirst professional researcherappointed to the committee,in 1985. Since then, theacademicians to serve havebeen George E. Shook of theUniversity of Wisconsin;John C. Wilk; Ronald E.Pearson, Virginia Tech;

Leonard Bull, now at North Carolina StateUniversity; Eric D. Bastian, Utah StateUniversity; Robert Collier, University ofArizona; Barbara Glenn of theBiotechnology Industry Organization; andLloyd E. Metzger, South Dakota StateUniversity.

Drs. Norman, Wilk, Pearson, Bull,Collier, Glenn and Metzger all currentlyserve on the Research Committee, as doPaul Christ, retired Vice President of DairyPlanning and Analysis with Land O’Lakes,Inc., and Jersey breeders Ray Schooley andBearl “Smokey” Seals of Oregon.

They will resume their work afterDecember 1, when the next round ofproposals are due.