1998 Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeders Award

Harlan and Judy Borman, Kingdom City

Both Judy and Harlan Borman have been in the dairy industry since childhood. When he was 13 Harlan’s family moved its dairy operation from Nebraska to Fulton in 1954. Judy’s family had been dairying at McCredie since the early 1940s. Harlan joined the McCredie 4-H Club where Judy was already a member and the two were competitors showing Holsteins. One of Judy’s cows was named Reserve Junior AllĀ­ American four-year old in 1961.

In 1959, Harlan’s family sold their farm and cattle and moved back to Nebraska. Judy’s father, Raymond Atkinson, bought a few animals at the Bormans’ sale to add to his herd. In 1962, Harlan began working for Judy’s father and using artificial insemination on the Atkinson 100-cow herd. In 1974 Harlan and Judy bought dairy farm from her dad.

Judy attended William Woods College and received a BS degree from the University of Missouri. Harlan also attended MU. Harlan and Judy were married in 1963 at Kingdom City. They had two children-Tim born in 1965 and Kate born in 1967.

The children became an important part of the family dairy operation at an early age. They both had 4-H and FFA projects involving Holsteins and contributed to the family operation. After they graduated from the MU College of Agriculture in 1987 and 1989 respectively, Tim and Kate worked in partnership with their parents. During this time the herd grew to 140 Holsteins and an equal number of heifers. The herd average increased through the years to 23,699 pounds of milk and 849 pounds of fat.

The Borman operation has bred and sold several Excellent cows and bulls to artificial insemination organizations. Tim and Kate both bought additional animals and Tim has been involved in partnership with several high indexing animals.

In 1997 Judy suffered a spinal cord stroke, paralyzing her from the waist down. In later months she regained some use of her upper legs but still has serious health problems.

In 1997 the Borman family decided to disperse the 140-cow milking herd but kept their heifers and started milking again early in 1998. As of December 1998 the milking herd had grown to 53 cows.

After the sale Tim took an off-farm job. Kate remains involved in the farm operation on a part-time basis and both still own Holsteins.

Through the years the interest, enthusiasm, and work of the family helped the dairy operation grow and reach several goals such as receiving the Progressive Genetics Award from the Holstein Association for five years plus receiving the Association’s PBR award.

Of particular interest is the fact that the entire Borman family has been selected as an Outstanding Junior Holstein Member by the Missouri Holstein Association. Judy and Harlan were named the Outstanding Holstein Boy and Girl in 1959 while Tim and Kate received the same awards in 1983 and 1985. In 1987, Kate was also selected as a National Junior Holstein Member semi-finalist.

Harlan served as president and secretary-treasurer of the local DHIA for years, was on the state DHIA board for 20 years and was president for 10 years. He is now a member of the National DHIA Board representing central states and he is also a board member of the Mid-South DHIA.

The family has been active in Holstein association work. Harlan is a past president of the Northeast Holstein District, has served on the Missouri Holstein Board, and as Missouri Junior Holstein chairman for several years. Judy was secretary/treasurer of the Northeast Holstein District for years.

Both Harlan and Judy were charter members of the Missouri Dairy Association and Harlan has served on the MU Dairy Advisory Group. Harlan is president of the Callaway County Soil Conservation District, is a past president of the Callaway Farm Bureau, chairman of the Callaway County Extension Council, is a member of the county cattle feeders group and was a deacon and Sunday School director at the Richland Baptist Church at Kingdom City. He was also a youth baseball coach for many years.

Judy was organist at the Richland Baptist Church for 42 years until her stroke and has taught Bible study classes for more than 30 years. She, like Harlan, has served on the Callaway Extension Council. Both served as 4-H leaders for more than 20 years and were active in school organizations.

In 1991, the Borman family was selected to represent Missouri at the Smithsonian Farm Folklife Festival on the Mall in Washington, D.C. Through demonstrations the family informed visitors about life on a Midwest dairy farm.

In 1989 Tim married Kelly English of Columbia. They have three childrenĀ­ Brendan 7, Brady 5, and Baylie 3. He is a investment broker at Callaway Bank in Fulton.

Kate is managing editor of Mid-States Holstein News and a free-lance journalist.