Megan Schrupp named 2018 National Outstanding Young Guernsey Farmer - Cowsmo

Megan Schrupp named 2018 National Outstanding Young Guernsey Farmer

At the recently concluded National Guernsey Convention, in Dubuque, Iowa, numerous awards were presented for outstanding performance within the Guernsey breed. The National Outstanding Young Guernsey Farmer is Megan Schrupp of Paynesville, Minnesota. Megan is the CEO and Veterinarian of NexGen Dairy, home of Empire Guernseys.

Megan & Tim Schrupp

NexGen Dairy was started in 1967 by Megan’s grandfather, and was historically a Holstein and crossbred herd. However, in recent years, Megan and her husband, Tim, as well as her sister and brother-in-law, co-owners of the dairy decided to convert NexGen Dairy to a Guernsey and Jersey herd. The dairy’s milk is processed into high-quality cheddar cheese, which is one of the reasons Megan chose to go with breeds known for high components and small stature. Guernseys are also a part of her family’s heritage, as Tim’s family milked Guernseys for generations until selling their herd in 2007. One year after their dispersal, Megan and Tim chose to purchase the last five Guernseys from David and Pam Schrupp, thus continuing the legacy of Empire Guernseys.

Megan graduated from the University Of Minnesota College Of Veterinary Medicine in 2011, and practiced dairy medicine for two years. In 2016, after managing NexGen Dairy for three years, Megan and her sister purchased the larger of two dairies operating under the NexGen name along with their husbands. As CEO and veterinarian, Megan is responsible for herd health, the reproduction program and the management of the milking parlor, overseeing 11 full-time and six part-time employees and developing and teaching herd protocols. Megan has also begun an in-house embryo transfer program that focuses on high components, small frames, sound feet and legs, good reproductive traits and A2 Beta Casein. In addition to her titles at NexGen Dairy, Megan created her own dairy veterinary practice, Dairy Performance Service, LLC. Megan describes her services as varied, including “working on a variety of sized dairies, both consulting and working on both whole herd and individual cow care,” and states, “Working with other dairy producers and industry partners enables me to continue learning about all aspects of dairying.”

Megan’s five-year plan includes converting the entire herd to producing A2A2 milk, increasing the genomic value of her herd, and reducing the Holstein herd to better increase cheese yield. Megan also hopes to spread the Guernsey breed by using her embryo transfer program to create more high-quality females to market. Says Megan, “We like the Guernsey breed as they are smaller-statured cows which are easy to handle and known for their golden, rich A2A2 milk.”

The American Guernsey Association is dedicated to the advancement and promotion of the Guernsey dairy cows. The American Guernsey Youth Association boasts membership of over 700 young people nationwide. For more info visit www.usguernsey.com

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