Explore MNHolstein

2024 MHA Breeders Seminars

MHA is excited to welcome Jeff King of Saratoga County, New York, to Minnesota and South Dakota in the last week of January for the 2024 Breeder’s Seminar. From January 29 through February 1, King will visit six locations throughout Minnesota and South Dakota, sharing his wealth of knowledge acquired from his experiences as an influential dairyman. Read more about our guest speaker below. 

Meet Jeff King: 

  The King family breeds and manages a 2200 head registered Holstein herd, farming in Saratoga County, NY, and also operate an on-farm milk processing business. King Brothers Dairy is run by brothers Jeff and Jan King, the fourth generation to take the helm of the 120-year-old Kings-Ransom Farm, where they milk about 1000 head. Their grandfather and uncles bottled milk at the farm from the early 1900s until 1960. In 2016 a new creamery was built on the farm, followed by a retail space where they feature their milk and cream products and now make 90 flavors of ice cream. In addition to home delivery of fresh, glass bottled milk, they have their products in over 60 supermarkets in their area.

The Kings have an extensive breeding and genetic marketing program throughout the US and the world. Kings-Ransom MG Cleavage EX-95-USA (97 MS) completes 10 generations of Excellent Roxys and was credited with being a game-changer for the herd, opening the door to many new relationships and genetic customers. Cleavage has an EX-95, 97 MS daughter among her many descendants. Another highly marketable and successful family for the Kings is that of Kings-Ransom Casp Daze EX-94-USA, the dam of Kings-Ransom Dropbox at Semex. Kings-Ransom Dynasty is a current headliner in the Blondin sires lineup and hails from a second “D” family that the Kings have bred since the early 70’s.

Also bred by the Kings, MS Kings-Rnsm Champ Haley EX-GMD-DOM went on to establish the Holler family at Cookiecutter Holsteins, from which descends the $1.925 US million package selling S-S-I Doc Have Not 8784 EX-96-USA whom the Kings own in partnership.  

Showing is important to the family, and they are regular exhibitors at local, regional and national shows.  They are proud to have developed an All-American Produce and three nominated All-American Best 3 Female groups in recent years.

Jeff and his wife Becky are parents of 3 children: Johnathan who is working in the daily farm operations and Adam and Lauren who are enrolled at Cornell University.

DATE            TIME             TOWN                  LOCATION

January 29

7:30 p.m.

Foley, MN

Jack & Jim’s Restaurant

January 30

Noon

Wadena, MN

Pizza Ranch

January 30

7:30 p.m.

Brookings, SD

SDSU – Raven Precision Ag Building

January 31

11:00 a.m.

Willmar, MN

Ridgewater College

January 31

7:30 p.m.

Glencoe, MN

Unhinged Pizza

February 1

Noon

Stewartville, MN

Pizza Ranch