A Manitowoc area dairy producer has been chosen as the Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder of the Year by the national Holstein Association. Mitch Kappelman will be honored during the group's annual convention in South Dakota next week.
As the owner of Meadow Brook Farms, Kappelman milks around 425 cows in a double-nine parallel parlor. The rolling herd average is just over 30,000 pounds of milk, with 1,230 pounds of fat and 927 pounds of protein and 4.1% fat and 3.1% protein test.
"To win this award means that I'm on the right track," he says. "It means I'm doing good things, but that doesn't mean I want to stop. I want to keep going, I want to do more, I want to be better. And I'm excited for where that future is going to lead."
Mitch attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated with a degree in dairy science in 2013. After working as a herd analyst for a couple of years, He returned to his family's farm where his biggest priorities became managing employees and cow health.
Kappelman has taken on leadership roles in his local Manitowoc County Holstein Association, serving on the board for six years. He's also a graduate of Class 10 of the Holstein Foundation's Young Dairy Leaders Institute.
Categories: Wisconsin, Livestock, Dairy Cattle