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CapitalPress.com
Friday, June 4, 2021
HANSEN QUALITY JERSEYS
Where the cows are stars
By DIANNA TROYER
For the Capital Press
RUPERT, Idaho — Wonder-
ing which of three breeds would be
most productive and profi table for his
dairy, Leland Hansen bought Holstein,
Guernsey and Jersey cows in the late
1930s for his farm near Twin Falls,
Idaho.
“He kept them all separate and kept
track of the feed costs and what he sold
the milk for,” said his grandson, John
Hansen, 55, who now runs the family
dairy his grandfather started.
“It was an easy decision. He kept
the Jerseys,” Hansen said. “They’re
easygoing and productive without
needing as much feed as a Holstein.
We still have the genetics from those
50 cows in our herd.”
They became the foundation of
Hansen Quality Jerseys north of
Rupert. The milk from the Hansens’
Hansen Quality Jerseys
Cows on the rotary carousel at Hansen Quality Jerseys near Rupert,
Idaho.
dairy, prized for its high fat content, is
sold to Gossner Foods in nearby Hey-
burn and is made into Swiss cheese.
“Grandpa moved the business from
Twin Falls up here to Rupert in 1956,”
Hansen said. “My dad and his brothers
came, too, so I grew up in the business
along with my cousins.”
Hansen and his cousins run the
dairy in partnership. About a decade
ago, they expanded from 1,000 to
3,000 cows. Wanting to diversify the
genetics of the herd, Hansen bought
Jerseys from dairies in Oregon and
California.
To accommodate the extra milk
production due to the expansion, Han-
sen built a rotary milking facility.
The business provides jobs for 40
employees.
“Our daughter and son are involved
with running the dairy along with my
cousins’ sons,” he said.
The Hansens and their extended
family also grow feed for their Jerseys.
On 9,000 acres, they raise hay, corn
silage, and grain for the dairy as well
as barley, sugar beets and potatoes.
“We’re grateful our Jersey dairy
has provided a livelihood for all of
us,” Hansen said. “Running a dairy
is tough these days, but we’re glad
to be able to continue our family’s
heritage.”
ON THE COVER
On the cover is a calf at
Hansen Quality Jerseys near
Rupert, Idaho.
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