Freeborn, Faribault, Martin and Waseca counties Dairy Herd Improvement Association held their annual meeting and presented production awards on March 17 at the New Richland American Legion.

Three cows achieved 250,000-pound lifetime production during 2007.

Larcrest Holsteins of Albert Lea owned two of the cows.

Sohn Dairy Inc. of Blue Earth owned the other cow.

Highest Herd Production Award went to Bruce Ness, Albert Lea, with average per cow production of 27,452 pounds of milk, 955 pounds fat and 856 pounds protein.

The Premier Dairyman Award went to Mark and Donna Sonnek of Easton. This award is for the highest last three years of herd production.

The Sonnek herd had average annual per cow production of 25,871 pounds of milk, 1,015 pounds of fat and 771 pounds of protein.

Highest Herd Increase Award went to Miller Farms of Oakland. The herd increased in per cow production by 1,900 pounds milk, 55 pounds fat and 46 pounds protein.

Lowest Herd SCC went to Keith Root of New Richland. This is a milk quality award.

Highest Production Cow Award went to Ronald and Scott Jahnke of Wells, with annual production of 40,511 pounds of milk, 1,343 pounds of fat and 1,179 pounds of protein.

Lester Perschbacher, association field technician, reported the 2007 average production for the association cows on official test was 20,571 pounds of milk, 772 pounds of fat and 640 pounds of protein.