Gen-Ace Holsteins

Rylee came home for the sale! Markwell Durham Rylee EX94 2E has been hanging out in Lynden, WA with her breeders, Marvin and Mark Van Mersbergen. Born in 2000, she still exhibits the strength and style that she has transmitted to her daughters, grand daughters, and great grand daughters. Join us April 14th for an opportunity to buy into the Raven and Rylee family.

We are extremely proud of our team of employees and advisors at Gen-Ace Holsteins. Paul Benevides (left photo-right side), our herdsman, keeps the operation running smoothly and handles most of the day to day decisions. Rudy Sevilla (left photo-left side), our assistant herdsman, is now doing almost all of the breeding and working with the animals. Ask anyone who has been around these two gentlemen, and they will tell you there are none better in our area. They oversee our ta...lented team of feeders, milkers, and outside personel. We couldn't do it without all of them. Fred Jorgensen (right photo), is our SMS evaluator, and is responsible for the uniformity and consistency in our herd. In addition we need to thank John Ellsworth (financial advisor), Dr. Lori (vet), Michel and Marc Etchebarne (nutritionists), Patrick Burt (outstanding calf ranch), David Bemm (hoof trimmer), Gabe Azevedo (consultant), and many others who's efforts and advice have allowed us to proudly present our herd at public auction. Last, but definitly not least, we need to recognize our family, from those that set us on this path 100 years ago, to those that support us today. Join us in celebrating the culmination of the "team effort" that brings us to sale day.

Rylee came home for the sale! Markwell Durham Rylee EX94 2E has been hanging out in Lynden, WA with her breeders, Marvin and Mark Van Mersbergen. Born in 2000, she still exhibits the strength and style that she has transmitted to her daughters, grand daughters, and great grand daughters. Join us April 14th for an opportunity to buy into the Raven and Rylee family.

One month until sale day! Here is an ad that will be in the current Holstein World. Check it out, and join us on sale day. The sale will be broadcast live on Cowbuyer.com.In addition to the Ravens, you will find direct descendants to Saturday, Dellia, Roxy, H H Barb, Valiant Sunshine, Laurie Sheik, Sheen, Barbie, Sleepy Hollow Papoose, Great, Kodak, and many other legendary cow families.

Here are three direct decendants of Rylee that are in the April sale. Gen-Ace Hero Rylee 7531 VG88, Gen-Ace Hero Rylee 7787 VG85, and Gen-Ace EpicRylee 5580 VG88. We will share other Rylees as we get closer to the sale.

In 1993 Bill visited his friends Marvin and Mark VanMersbergen while selecting for the Genasci Genetic Express sale. There he first saw a beautiful VG88 Blackstar daughter named Raven, and it was love at first sight. They consigned a pick of a Merrill flush which we purchased, and we have bought into the Ravens ever since. In 2001, at the International Revue Sale that Markwell hosted, we were able to purchase Raven's daughter, Durham Rylee, as an open heifer. Rylee had 9 daughters, 6 EX and 3 VG, and went on to score EX94. The Rylee family has grown tremendously, and you will find over 180 direct descendants of Raven in our milking herd sale on April 14th.Watch for more information to be released soon.

We are honored to be recognized by the Ag One-Stanislaus County Alumni. The time we spent at Fresno State over 40 years ago were priceless. Many of the friends we made are still in our lives, and the memories will continue on. As we close in on our 100th anniversary it is fitting that Ken Melvold, one of those early friends, is comanager of our celebration sale.

Our January classification left the herd with 32 excellents, 328 very goods, and 640 good plus cows. Well over 53% of the 1200 total cows with a score are in their first lactation. Todays cow is Gen-Ace Brdnk Rylee 12203. A Bradnick out of an Excellent Marshall out of Rylee. 5 generations EX out of the Ravens, and she is VG88.

John and Oscar operated the dairy from 1953 until 1967 when John tragically suffered a fatal heart attack. Ed, Jim and Bill were all still in school, so Oscar took over full responsability until we returned home. By 1972 we had all graduated from Fresno State College with degrees in Dairy Science. We were fortunate to have studied under Bob Selkirk, who we beleive to be the premiere dairy instructor around in the 60's and 70's. We all were working on the dairy and each had our seperate responsabilities. By the time this ad was placed in the California Annual we were well on our way to building our families, both personal and developing cow families.

92 Guthrie from the Sheens at Ocean View. One of the features of our tour before the California Holstein convention. Come by today between 12 and 4.

I apologize for taking so long between posts. I had a few distractions and the holidays, but I plan on being better in the future. We left off with the three herds combining in 1950 and building our current milk barn. Caesar passed away in 1953 leaving the two brothers to carry on the dairy. They made good partners with John being the cowman and Oscar taking care of the farming. The first registered females were purchased in the early 1960's, with Ed, Jim,and Bill each gettin...g an FFA project heifer. The Sawyer family at Diamond-S Ranch allowed us to pick a calf from their world class herd, and Wes couldn't have been nicer. After graduating from Fresno State we went back to Diamond-S to purchase a group of bred heifers to form our original foundation. I know the way we were treated encouraged us to develop a registered herd, and we still consider the Sawyers, Tom and Chris, to be friends. Todays featured cow is Gen-Ace Atwood Sunray6969-EX91. Sunray is out of two 87 point dams, and then Lana Rae herself. 10 VG & EX dams straight back to Roxy.She will be fresh before the sale. See more

In 1887 our Great Grandfather Guglielmo was killed in an avalanche in the Swiss Alps while trying to rescue some cattle from a snowy winter storm. Realizing that there was no future for the entire family to stay in Switzerland, our Grandfather Caesar (pictured) and his brother Severino set out for America in 1903. When they reached California they began milking cows at the Sacchi Lombardi Dairy in South San Francisco. Some of you may remember what happened in San Francisco in 1906. That would help explain why he settled in Modesto in 1916.For you younger folks google San Francisco 1906.

Obviously I don't know what I'm doing when posting photos. I'll get together with my technical advisors and find out what I did wrong. In the meantime just click on the photo and you can see the "whole" cow.

Here are the two VG Mogul sisters out of the 91 Baxter. They are two of our very highest GTPI milking females and trace directly back to Markwell Blackstar Raven.Both will be features on sale day.