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Rosalea dispersal sale signals the end of an era

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Dairy herd dispersals are happening more and more frequently, but occasionally the announcement carries a degree of shock value.

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When Andrea Nixon tweeted out the Rosalea Jersey herd near Rockwood, and its quota, will be going g up for auction Oct. 18, there was a collective social media gasp.

“A lot of people were shocked. We had kept it pretty quiet and just kind of discussed it amongst our-selves for quite a while,” Nixon said.

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“We knew that it would come one day, we just weren’t sure exactly when…but the timing works out now for us.”

John Nixon, her father, has been mulling over retirement for the better part of a decade but when Andrea had her first child, Faith, over the summer and his son moved back to Ontario with his wife and three children it tipped the scales.

“It’s a shock when you hear, you know, you’ve been going that long, but you know there’s always an end sometime,” said John. “It’s kind of exciting too, it’s scary. You know, am I gonna wake up in the morning wondering, ‘What the heck am I doing?'”

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When John’s grandfather, John Nixon Sr, began cultivating the Rosalea Jersey herd in 1928 with approximately 20 cows he likely couldn’t imagine the legacy would grow to the approximately 250 cows and calves slated for auction.

The latest generation of Rosalea Jerseys will be available for sale, offering buyers a number of ways to bring Rosalea genetics into their herd.
The latest generation of Rosalea Jerseys will be available for sale, offering buyers a number of ways to bring Rosalea genetics into their herd.

It’s no secret the Rosalea Jerseys have built up some excellent cow families known for their consistent milk production, confirmation and strong genetics.

“When we announced (the dispersal) we had three or four offers from people to buy the herd,” said Nixon. “That’s not really something I thought would happen. It was a big compliment and having it happen more than once was another surprising thing.”

Because the family had already put the wheels in motion for an auction, the offers were turned down.

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John said they may not have a high average auctioning off such a large herd, he’s confident everyone will be walking away with a quality cow to add to their existing herd or create a strong performing herd for someone starting out in Jerseys.

“There will be something for everybody, it’s kind of nice to have it that way,” said John. “Somebody is going to say, ‘Gee I got a great milk-producing cow and a type cow’.”

There will be some sad goodbye’s come auction day.

Nixon and her mother, Cathy, point to cow 717, a good producer with a soft eye and temperament to match.

“It was my birthday and every box stall was filled with cows that were due to calf and dad’s like, ‘what do you want for your birthday?'” Nixon said, adding she told him she wanted a cow.

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Her dad promised if one of the cows produced a heifer that day it would be hers.

“Looking back in the herd book, we have records going back to basically when the farm started, there was not another heifer that has been born on my birthday since the 60s or something,” said Nixon. “We came back to the farm for afternoon chores and there’s a heifer calf from this one Governor cow.”

Seven-17 is an awesome looking cow, she said, with really great production and good genetics behind her for confirmation. The cow also a bit of a pet, the one who looks for apple cores when you finish milking her and is always looking for some attention. Nixon said 717 is due to calve September 27, and as much as she loves the cow, it wouldn’t do her justice to be held back.

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“She should still get those milk records and stuff somewhere else and do good for someone,” she said, adding she’s been trying to convince the vet to buy the cow for his son. She’s positive 717 would be a strong addition to the teen’s burgeoning Jersey herd, with the added bonus of Nixon being able to visit.

The loss of 717 will be tough, but Nixon is holding back a small number of cows to maintain a small scale breeding program along with a few cows who have earned their retirement.

“We have a 20-year-old cow, she’s been retired for a couple of years now,” she said. “She’s had 11 calves and 10 were heifers. She’s an awfully good cow but she’s earned her retirement here.”

She said Rosalea Jersey’s often continue to produce well up into their mid-teens because they possess good feet, legs, production and longevity.

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The Nixons have spoken at length with Andrea and her husband Devon about what direction the farm will take in the coming years, some of it will branch out into cash cropping some of the 250 acres but there will always be the opportunity to return to being a dairy operation.

“I think it helps that we are keeping a number of cows because then it won’t be a totally empty barn,” said Andrea. “We will still be breeding them and getting calves and stuff it’s just going to be a lot less.”

Devon and Andrea both believe it’s important to raise their daughter Faith, and any other kids that may come along in the future, in agriculture especially given how far removed society is getting from food production.

“That’s super important and I’m glad we can keep the Jerseys to a degree. It’ll give our kids a chance to see what they want to do,” she said. “If they want to do something with it then, like dad said, this stuff is still here, everything is still here.”

Andrea’s sweeping arm encompasses the clean, breezy barn where 250 cows and calves are contentedly eating hay and little Faith is asleep in her stroller.

Perhaps her dreams will include taking a small herd of 20 foundation Rosalea Jersey cows and building them up into the herd she sees reflected in this family portrait.

The sale, which will be held in the Rosalea barn Oct. 18, will begin at 10:30 a.m., with the Nixon’s welcoming those who may want to look at the herd in the days before the sale.

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