March 2021

‘In our breeding goal we have always focused on conformation, production, and fitness.’ Lachlan Fry, the breeder at Katandra-Park Holsteins & Jerseys (140 milking cows)...

March 2021

Can you remember the first pedigree cow purchased for your herd? The Carlson family definitely do… Why? Because Brad Carlson’s great-grandfather purchased the founding purebred...

March 2021

One of the keenest breeders from the Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland is Henry Bevan from Bevandale Holsteins. Dairy farming in the tropics has...

March 2021

In the foreground of the accompanying picture, you see the now 5-year-old Gold Chip daughter Redlodge Chip Alani VG-88. At the same time, in the...

March 2021

The number of farms in German that have 1,300 cows or more is relatively low at around 300. And while there are always more farms...

March 2021

With 47 EX cows and a rolling herd average of 34,851lb./15,808kg 4.2% 3.3%, Wargo-Acres has the credentials to compete with the very best. Owned by...

March 2021

From Avatar to Power, Rambo to Mauro, Redalex to Unstopabull, Noah to Rager, Manana to Go Fast and Swingman to Solitair; here are the most...

March 2021

Since the breakthrough of genomics in 2008, the situation in the breeding industry has clearly changed. Our regular guest writer, An American Dairyman, is taking...

March 2021

Many of you will know at least one of Mark Comfort’s businesses – like “Udder Comfort”, “Comfort Holsteins”, or his former semen distribution company “Transfer...

March 2021

Holstein breeding is a truly international industry. Thousands of bulls enter AI studs around the globe every year. How do you know which ones are...

March 2021

That Denmark recently welcomed the 13-year-old Bojer daughter Frida as an ultra-young 200,000 kg cow is no coincidence. The Danish dairy industry has progressed tremendously....

March 2021

The surge in use of beef bulls on lower genetic merit dairy cows continues to grow, and part of the evolution in this market is...

March 2021

The family of Clear-Echo Ramo 1200 has produced another high-flying bull, Hercules, currently ranked at Nr.2 on the US genomic list. His sire is the...

March 2021

With +19 overall conformation based on 72 classified daughters, Sidekick is the highest progeny proven conformation sire available in Canada, while the three leading positions...

March 2021

There are many traits that international Holstein breeding is working to develop at the moment. However, none of them have generated attention in the same...

March 2021

Before we begin the portrait of Leif, the remarkable maternal grandsire of AltaOak, we will take a short look at Oak’s career. How did Oak...

March 2021

‘Multimate can attribute his popularity to the fact that he transmits cows that are robust and produce a lot of milk from well-attached, shallow udders,’...

March 2021

This coming summer, it will be five years ago that DNA sire Melarry Frazzled made his debut: in 13th place with 2751 gTPI. Today, the...

March 2021

Indeed! The starting shot of HI’s unique tournament of the world’s most influential cow families has been given. Here is the first preliminary round; on...

February 2021

Velthuis is one of just 5-6 breeder herds across Canada that continues to play a significant role in the breeding of young sires for AI....

February 2021

In 2018, Darita Holsteins was one of 16 herds across the US to win the coveted Herd of Excellence award. With a modern farmstead and...

February 2021

One of Italy’s highest type bulls is Al.Ce Sneaker, with +2.52 for tipo: And no less than +3.92 for udders – one of the highest...

February 2021

In North America the heifer programs established by the major bull studs are a core part of the bull breeding industry. Most bull studs now...

February 2021

We are taking you along to the French department of Sarthe, 245 km southwest of the metropolis of Parisz; To a Holstein farm close to...

February 2021

She is the dam of the internationally intensively used sire of sons Keith and of the popular polled sire and DTG bull Mali-P. But above...

February 2021

One of the most enduring cow families of the breed is again right at the top of the index list. The US has just one...

February 2021

Mark Brantner in Pennsylvania, together with his family, is pursuing a dream: owning a dairy farm with beautiful and high-producing Holsteins. And the realization of...

February 2021

The forced cancellation of the annual Irish National Dairy Show in October led to a competition to determine the Champion of the Decade. Ridgefield Dundee...

February 2021

Solid milk yields, high components, top udders, below average frame, easy calvings, high longevity, above average metabolic stability, and strong health. If commercial dairy farmers...

February 2021

‘Star is bred for robot milking and combines everything that the RUW breeding program stands for: production, components, average stature, udder, feet & legs, excellent...

February 2021

An enormous frame, deep and open ribs, impressive milk type, outstanding udder and strikingly correct feet & legs are the eye-catching traits with which the...

February 2021

At Nr.4 on the genomic list in France is Prodigy, who combines impressive allround type with outstanding longevity and functional traits. Sired by Adlon-P (Adagio-P-Rubicon),...

February 2021

‘For three index releases in a row, Calvo has been able to improve, especially for production. His daughters leave a positive impression on farms. In...

February 2021

Born in the US, housed in Canada, owned by a Spanish AI company. That is true of the young bull Siemers CD Pairing 31607. Sire...

February 2021

Each proof run HI explores the highest index sires worldwide, but unfortunately we do not always have space and time to investigate who leads for...

February 2021

Raising calves is an indispensable part of dairy farming. HI spoke to four international players with tremendous expertise in this area. They passionately share about...

February 2021

The use of beef sires on the bottom end of the herd (Beef-on-Dairy) has become a popular concept on dairy farms. In this series of...

February 2021

Polled breeding and the goal of bringing the polled segment to the peak of the conventional top lists are among the main tasks that breeding...

February 2021

Just three Holsteins were able to become a World Champion twice in their career: Thrulane James Rose, RF Goldwyn Hailey and Decrausaz Iron O’Kalibra. Precisely...

January 2021

Blumenfeld has become a prominent name as a source of bulls for the breed – Resolve debuted last year in the top-10 of the TPI...

January 2021

There is one farm in France that has (twice) provided the National Champion for both Holsteins and Red Holsteins, and that won the Red Holstein...

January 2021

For HI’s 3rd instalment of the “herdbook series” we visit Holstein UK – who continues to bolster its position as the pivotal British herdbook by...

January 2021

Partially thanks to the arrival of genomics, there are fewer and fewer bulls from which the descendants are born with difficulty, or from whom the...

January 2021

Sound System, Sinus, Burley, Bosman, Empire, Uranus, Louxor, Perks, Sunlight… all names of sires that are positioned as Nr. 1 in December, and in the...

January 2021

The wide array of breeding values offers young Holstein bulls the possibility of tremendous indexes. High production and fitness values often turn out to be...

January 2021

The use of beef bulls on lower genetic merit dairy cows has become a worldwide phenomenon. With continued growth in dairy-beef demand, Holstein International will...

January 2021

The stability and the consistency which the December evaluations showed in almost all leading Holsteins countries rubbed off on the section for polled and red...

January 2021

Recently Meadow-Green Abso Fanny-Red EX-96 was selected as the new Red Holstein World Champion (HI 10/2020). Will she also excel as a brood cow? Those...

January 2021

‘Oh, was she ever in heat!’ Joel Lepage from the Canadian province of Quebec still vividly remembers the scene. In 2015, when he participated with...

January 2021

In 2009, Kamps-Hollow Altitude won HI’s Red Impact Competition. In 2013 and 2015, that honour fell to her daughters Apple and Aiko, while in 2016...

January 2021

In the spring of 2013, a young Supersire calf in the Wilra herd came up with an index that placed her among the top ranks...

January 2021

Outstanding udders, daughter fertility, production and conformation: those are the principles that Tom and Rick Simon have used to develop their world famous Farnear herd...

January 2021

During the past half year, Etesian was the most sold bull at Semex. According to Mike West, there are several reasons for this popularity. ‘As...

January 2021

This is a scene from fall 2019, which we encountered when we were allowed to enter the bull barns of Accelerated Genetics near the town...

January 2021

He has not yet appeared on HI’s cover as a mature bull… but now it seems like the right moment. Seagull-Bay Silver is no longer...

January 2021

The selection of high-quality sires who have the A2A2 or BB casein variants has been intensifying for y ears. And indeed, the offer of A2A2...

January 2021

After months of restrictions due to the Coronavirus pandemic, anyone looking back at 2020 will likely remember better and perhaps more successful years. However, for...

January 2021

Bovec began in February 1971: Initially as a consulting firm for larger dairy farms, and since 1974 also an importer and distributor of American Holstein...

January 2021

Boulet Goldwyn Chalou EX-96 was Canada’s Cow of the Year 2018. She first attracted international attention at the World Dairy Expo in 2012 when she...

December 2020

Who were the most sold Holstein bulls during the past six months? HI posed this question to breeding companies world-wide. The answers resulted in the...

December 2020

Canadian veterinarian Dr. Gordon Atkins is renowned internationally for his presentations on functional type in dairy cattle. He has been a practicing vet for more...

December 2020

In his 5th contribution to Holstein International, our guestwriter An American Dairyman is focusing on sire selection. As the headline says: changing your goals too...

December 2020

Lively London to leisurely Lincolnshire: Why Matthew Winter left his big-league job in the city to return to the family farm… and what he wants...

December 2020

A new IVF lab in Dumfries, Scotland, will enable Vytelle to make available its hormone-free IVF technology to dairy and beef cattle breeders in the...

December 2020

Most health problems with the dairy cow occur when giving birth or within the first 2 months of lactation, when her body is dealing with...

December 2020

Since the August evaluations, Germany’s dairy farmers can look at the new economic index RZ€ in addition to the RZG. However, the RZ€ is not...

December 2020

Dairy farmer: The name indicates exactly what this universal occupation means. Or calling? Either way, the Haahr family has all the necessary qualities in their...

December 2020

This scarcely happens. That we publish in large format a picture that was taken 12 years ago already. But… it is now entirely warranted! First...

December 2020

Farnear-TBR Aria Adler, who recently scored EX-96, has been a superstar on the American show scene this year: Grand Champion titles at the Mid-West Fall...

December 2020

Francois Paiement was just 12 years old when his father sold the dairy herd. Even then, Francois dreamed of some day owning his own farm....

December 2020

Solid conformation cows with average production of 12,274 kg/27,060 lb. milk and 3.56% protein, and a lifetime total at culling of 55,000 kg/121,250 lb; at...

December 2020

‘In her best days, Portefolio was the cow that every breeder dreams about. Her conformation, especially when it came to her exceptional udder, was nearly...

December 2020

‘She is the embodiment of what we want to breed! She has good fertility, strong production and has an impressive conformation. Indeed, Jabobina is a...

December 2020

In 2008, a silky black senior calf entered the show ring at the BC Holstein Spring Show. On her way to a second place finish,...

December 2020

She is the cow with the highest breeding value in Germany, the dam of the highest male calves as well as that of three other...

December 2020

With a combination of a different sire lineup (Millington-Jacey-Sudan) and a balanced no-holes proof, Totem claimed the Outcross title for 2020. Not only does this...

December 2020

KNS Rendezvous has now more than proven herself as a brood cow. The well-known German Man-O-Man daughter from the offspring of the famous French Jocko...

December 2020

‘From the outset I want to say – and I admit that I am biased – that we are tremendously enthusiastic about this bull. I...

December 2020

It is not always the breeding values that explain the popularity of certain sires. There are more characteristics that are important to dairy farmers when...

December 2020

In April, he immediately debuted in the German progeny proven top-5, and in August, he climbed six points, making him the strong German Nr.2: Sinus....

December 2020

Close to Ruffiac, 77 km southwest of Rennes in the French region of Brittany, a cow family is quickly expanding. In the home herd, it...

December 2020

In the list of influential sires in the American population, we see a notable trend. Never before has a bull approached the legends Elevation and...

November 2020

Last year it was Cookiecutter Halo who claimed the Global Cow title. This year two of her daughters Hanker and Has fought a duel for...

November 2020

‘Teats must definitely not become any shorter!’ We are hearing this statement more and more frequently – and world-wide. Especially now that the number of...

November 2020

This is the third installment in our series featuring the major Holstein herdbooks around the globe. Did you know that the same foundation animals that...

November 2020

Black Silver is a new name in the world of international Holstein genetics. Founded by some passionate young Holstein breeders from Canada, Black Silver has...

November 2020

There was already a small earthquake that rattled through the German breeding branch in mid-September when 6 German breeding companies at once announced that as...

November 2020

Dairy-beef has become a worldwide trend. European bull-studs report that up to 40% of dairy cows are now bred to beef bulls. In North America...

November 2020

In my experience as a US dairyman the issues with stature today are more regionalized than worldwide. I am located in the Southeastern US. It’s...

November 2020

The Wisconsin herd Bert-Mar Farms is home to the reigning Red-Impact winner, Luck-E Advent Asia, along with many members of her extensive family line. A...

November 2020

When HI asked Gill Zeilon and Waldemar Andersson – the manager and former manager respectively of the Swedish Holstein herdbook – about the best Holstein...

November 2020

An average production of 13,471kg/29,636lb, an average production per day of life of 23.1kg/50.8lb, a herd turnover rate under 20%, an unbelievably balanced and strong...

November 2020

After an outstanding debut and gains during recent index releases, Stantons Alligator is solidly positioned in Canada’s LPI top-5. In addition, with +17 overall conformation,...

November 2020

Mr Mogul Delta, after Rubicon the highest Mogul son, has been among the highest progeny proven TPI sires for several index rounds. Expectations for his...

November 2020

Proximo is just outside of the German absolute top. Torsten Lenk, sire analyst for Masterrind: ‘Since May, we have been using Proximo as a sire...

November 2020

Photography in the time of the coronavirus sometimes results in special pictures. For example, in the spacious gardens by the facilities of Genes Diffusion (GD)...

November 2020

High components, great conformation and good fitness traits have been the trademarks for the offspring of Wilder Hira VG-85 for years and allow them to...

November 2020

In April 2019, he emerged at the top of Canada’s progeny proven ranking and has not left the Canadian top since: Benner Bardo, bred by...

November 2020

Holsteins in the US which receive the nearly ultimate score of EX-96 are sensationally beautiful! The same is true of Arethusa Dice. In June, the...

November 2020

Oakfield Corners Dairy (OCD) milks a total of over 8,000 cows at 4 separate locations: 3 in northern New York and 1 in Ohio. Their...

November 2020

In August, HI wrote extensively about 50 years of Koepon. At Koepon Garnwerd, Wijnand Pon’s dairy farm in the northern Dutch province of Groningen, various...

November 2020

Just due to her colour alone, Logan Jodie 3-Red turns out to be a special sight. ‘She is nearly entirely white, only the tips of...

November 2020

Really, the problem is impossible to solve. Year after year since 2011, HI has searched for the Outcross Sire of the Year. Naturally, the search...

November 2020

‘Delroy has been popular ever since his youth. More than 180,000 doses of his semen have been sold world-wide, and he is currently one of...

November 2020

Envy has one of those no-holes proofs with no significant weaknesses across his entire proof breakdown. He is a solid bull with no extremes though...

October 2020

Programs that give recognition to outstanding brood cows have been implemented in various Holstein countries worldwide. In the US two different awards are given to...

October 2020

It is a beautiful drive from downtown Madison. There, in the centre, is the “State Capitol”, a remarkable building. But breeding enthusiasts know about a...

October 2020

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, once said, “the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” The dairy industry is filled...

October 2020

Gillette is one of the most renowned prefixes on the Canadian Holstein scene – a top-10 finish in the Global Breeder award; home to Smurf,...

October 2020

In 2018, Sweetview Avalanche Mitsou, at 30 months of age, became the Reserve Grand of the Red Holstein Show at the Canadian Royal. Now in...

October 2020

Naturally, there are special reasons to explain why we are presenting the 4-year-old Maren here. The VG-88 Goldday daughter, whose pedigree, via daughters from Mascalese...

October 2020

‘Hellen 589 is, in time to participate in the NRM next year, pregnant to Dempsey. She is enormously powerfully built, but also has the femininity...

October 2020

The German breeders had a fine sense of the breeding capital that the Commander daughter GOL Nachtigall had to offer. This summer, a large majority...

October 2020

No, we don’t want to draw the devil on the wall and we do not want to give inbreeding, which was helped the breed with...

October 2020

No, there is no special topic for this interview. This interview is not only a general review of Holstein breeding, but also a view towards...

October 2020

They are red, young and high conformation. They are polled, breed for positive components and come with attractive pedigrees. It is not easy to find...

October 2020

With 3842 PFT (based on 212 milking daughters) he holds a strong 2nd position on Italy’s ranking of progeny proven sires. However, despite that high...

October 2020

‘Achiever was the first bull from the Icon Sires program at ABS, and thus continued to be extremely popular with many customers world-wide. The fact...

October 2020

The ability of Morningview Kingboy to transmit a mixture of solid production with elite type has resulted in a powerful legacy. Daughter-proven sons such as...

October 2020

Gladius is the new leader in Germany, based on both gRZG (169) and the new economic index gRZ€ (2904). Gladius will transmit lots of milk...

October 2020

Through its LG brand, Limagrain Europe is a leader in animal nutrition and is known for its expertise and ability to offer varieties that meet...

October 2020

The costs incurred for treatment and from lost production due to mastitis have made it one of the biggest challenges facing the average dairy producer....

October 2020

The exciting news from the UK is the arrival of a homozygous polled bull at almost 700 PLI, and he comes from the Debutante Rae’s....

September 2020

Everything comes to an end. Also the life of a World Champion with a marvelous career. In the accompanying photograph is Bopi Talent Lotanie-Red, who...

September 2020

The world is welcoming a new Holstein millionaire: the 10-year-old New Zealand transmitter San Ray FM Beamer. A son of the legendary Fairmont Mint-Edition, he...

September 2020

You likely know both names: Castelverde Holsteins and owner Giuseppe Quaini, also well-known as judge “Peppo” Quaini from numerous shows. In the meantime, Quaini is...

September 2020

He’s back: An American Dairyman. Since November 2019, our guest author has already written three articles for HI, packed with practical tips for dairy farmers...

September 2020

With its green rolling hills and vales, Ireland has earned itself the title of the Emerald Isle. Since emeralds and diamonds are the most precious...

September 2020

Jonathan Lamb is no stranger to the dairy business. In partnership with his parents and brother Matthew, Jonathan and his wife Alicia, along with their...

September 2020

With 1.5 million registered cows, France is one of the global Holstein giants. In total, 4,800 French Holstein breeders are associated with the independent herdbook...

September 2020

Sound System, Helix, Louxor… many of the big leaders from the April release retained their top positions in August. Does that indicate little news with...

September 2020

It was the 27th of June, 2019, when the 4-year-old Barbwire daughter Golden-Rose Barbritzi B-Red was the first Holstein, and obviously the first Red-Holstein, to...

September 2020

That is how it happened in 2009. Bull dam Mountfield Marsh Maxine VG-88-2yr had just recovered from a serious illness, and owners Marshfield-Fitzsimmons had decided...

September 2020

When it comes to the development of the breed, Holstein bulls that are carriers of the red factor have time and time again had their...

September 2020

Note here one of the most popular Red Holstein and polled sires right now: Caudumer Solitair-P-Red. Liane Krauter from owner RUW in Germany can be...

September 2020

In April, many countries had a base adjustment. In order to then immediately be able to truly judge the new indexes at their value requires...

September 2020

Dynamic! That was the word to describe the August evaluations which rewrote the international rankings, particularly in the polled sector. There were exciting debuts on...

September 2020

Kings-Ransom Farm has been a part of the landscape of Schuylerville, New York, for many years. The King family has been at the present location...

September 2020

In all likelihood, Austria’s Holstein population is one of the most underestimated in the world. Anyone who enjoys good conformation, production and longevity would be...

September 2020

With 538 PLI, based on 3,035 daughters, Topcroft Pesky Trix is one of the highest bulls in the United Kingdom. Topcroft is the prefix of...

September 2020

Ponte de Lima is the oldest villa in all of Portugal and was historically significant as a Roman settlement on the road from Braga to...

August 2020

Savage-Leigh Bellwood Linda EX-92 GMD made significant furor as a brood cow, and in North America especially received a sequel with her famous Durham daughter...

August 2020

Two 94-point cows, both over 200,000lb. (90,000kg), with a pedigree of 5 and 6 generations of EX: It’s the kind of cow family that dreams...

August 2020

Two bulls stand out as the major contributors to Red-Holstein proof lists worldwide at present, Salvatore RC and Swingman-Red. Placing second in HI’s 2020 Red-Impact...

August 2020

When the Dutchman Norwin Piet (NRP Holsteins) became the new owner of ALH Australia in 2014, he could not have imagined where this purchase would...

August 2020

The enthusiasm with which Thomas Rindesbacher speaks about Sunibelle Dempsey Esprit, causes one to forget that the two-time Swiss Expo Grand Champion is grazing in...

August 2020

What follows is a special story. Because the splendid French Red Holstein cow on the accompanying picture - in her 5th lactation and good for...

August 2020

On first glance, the farm does not seem much different than so many family farms in Germany. A well-managed, high-producing herd in a typical free-stall...

August 2020

All over the world, early summer is a busy season for dairy farmers. Sometimes it can be so busy, that a report about a breeding...

August 2020

In celebration of its 25th anniversary in 2019, HI organized a competition to highlight the best breeders worldwide during the past 25 years. As a...

August 2020

Those who love Holsteins normally also love pretty Holsteins. The same is obviously true for those who are interested in Red Holsteins as well. As...

August 2020

‘From my former work before joining the genetics industry I was very familiar with the concept of return on investment,’ comments Italian Luca Santuari. ‘The...

August 2020

Every birth demonstrates it again: fertility is an essential aspect of dairying. Heat detection plays a critical role in this. Cows and heifers, first of...

August 2020

Right from the start it was evident that Swingman was a special bull, a generational sire that would give an impulse to Red-Holstein breeding. Shallow...

August 2020

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August 2020

Teat placement, teat length, udder form, udder health, milkability, character, movement – there are man traits that determine whether a sire is suited for automated...

August 2020

Of course, everyone knows Jedi… S-S-I Montross Jedi, who in the meantime has about 15,000 daughters world-wide. But here it is about a different, lesser...

August 2020

This year it is 50 years ago that the first Koepon dairy farm was started in Garnwerd in the Dutch province of Groningen. The very...

July 2020

The Charitys and Cinderellas from Giessen Holsteins are well-known domestically and abroad and have provided various outstanding sires. In the home herd, Theo van Vliet...

July 2020

The club has 24 members world-wide– with numbers 25 and 26 now standing on the threshold – and is considered an elite group of absolute...

July 2020

Idole 91 VG-86, a Uno daughter from the 70-head milking herd of Vincent Belec in Lanrivoare (Brittany region) and her descendants score well on the...

July 2020

The Isle of Man is situated in the Irish Sea midway between the UK and Ireland. It is self-governing and not actually part of the...

July 2020

The breeding power of Shottle is highly respected around the globe and has moved him into 4th place on the list of most influential sires...

July 2020

Her values on a US basis are formidable. Even there she has the level to be a bull dam. But as the Danish Tirsvad Giga...

July 2020

In April 2016 he made his DNA debut: Izonogoud son Louxor, with a magnificent gISU score which gave him an unprecedented lead on his competitors....

July 2020

With the last milk production recording (June 2020), Ton and Wim Mooijman in the province of Groningen (northern Netherlands) had seven cows pass the milestone...

July 2020

Holstein breed associations around the globe are a significant force in directing the breed progress worldwide. In this series, Holstein International will introduce many of...

July 2020

She could be the highest index cow in her country, have the most stars, the highest classification, production, lifetime production, or best health. No problem:...

July 2020

Recently, on June 22, Mountfield Mogul turned ten years old. In five months, on December 28, Seagull-Bay Supersire hopes to turn ten. The barn mates...

July 2020

The dominance of Mogul bloodlines has been a significant factor in shaping the Holstein breed over the past decade. Leading his list of sons are...

July 2020

The Renegade son Heart is out of a Frazzled that traces through Montross to Cookiecutter Epic Hazel (dam of Hodedoe, Humblenkind and Harper) and then...

July 2020

When he got his first breeding values on daughter-proven basis in December, he exceeded his genomic evaluation from August by almost 50 points. In April...

July 2020

In addition to the traditional overall breeding values, indexes that are focused on economically relevant traits are gaining traction. Besides production and longevity, health traits...

July 2020

You already read it in HI: AOT Helix, America’s progeny proven nr.1 bull, is the “Talk-of-the-Town” with his outstanding profile. Now we go to a...

July 2020

The bull that spent much of the last two years as the Nr.1 udder bull in the breed – Luck-E Awesome-Red – was a major...

June 2020

Last year, she was overwhelmingly the readers’ favourite and finished second. As such, from the outset, Luck-E Advent Asia-RC EX-94 was a big favourite for...

June 2020

Are you overlooking the passive improvement you could gain in your herds’ fertility?

June 2020

After the April release, Captain is far and away the leader on the American gTPI list. His profile: lots of production (1481 lb +0.19% +.05%),...

June 2020

Which traits receive the most attention in sire selection? What is the contribution of DNA and polled sires on your farm? Which bulls have you...

June 2020

Do-It-Yourself Artificial Insemination (DIY AI) has made significant gains in recent decades. World-wide, millions of Holsteins are being bred by farmers themselves or by employees...

June 2020

No matter whether your breeding goals are aimed at producing a cow for commercial milk production, a high-type show animal, or if you are trying...

June 2020

From quick processing of daily administration to complete overviews of herd performance; it is hard to imagine modern dairy farming without a well-functioning management program....

June 2020

‘We do not want to sacrifice any type, but also pay attention to fitness traits like DPR.’ Joseph Osinga from Hico has a clear breeding...

June 2020

Here is a wide view from the French department of Haut-Rhin. Exactly four years ago, this region – and especially its capital – was in...

June 2020

Just in 2019 alone, no less than 16 Holstein cows were able to pass the special milestone of 300,000 lb (136,360 kg) milk at Siemers...

June 2020

It is the top sires like Basist-PP, Bronneus-P, Reduro-Red, Romanus-PP, Benettoni or Samon-RC that have helped give the TGD barn of Thomas Gerber its international...

June 2020

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June 2020

The whole herd descends from just one cow, a cow born in 1996. This is the Schmitt family’s 100-cow Ralma herd at Rice, Minnesota. Indeed,...

June 2020

Amazingly it has been over five years since HI has dedicated a cow family story to the Canadian Blondin Supra family. Starting at Blondin with...

June 2020

The recent Italian April release once again brought the Zani prefix into the forefront. The index list for cows is led by Zani Bandares Mony...

June 2020

Around 60-70% of the 100-cow Marshland herd (Wisconsin, US) goes back to the 1960s cow, Marshland Reflection Beatrice EX-91. Understandably for a long-standing family there...

June 2020

In April, a large number of Hotspot sons stormed the international DNA lists. Geyser-P, Vogue 2020-PP, Harley-P, Halifax-P, Hesekiel-PP, Perfect, Otorina, Nippon-P, Hilmar-P; all members...

June 2020

They are all polled – homozygous polled (PP). They all debuted in April and they all started with noteworthy breeding values. The quartet that we...

June 2020

It really makes no difference if we present the Millington son Totem on US or Canadian basis. The debut for the allrounder, most of whose...

June 2020

Established in 2012, Global Ag Alliance (GAA) initially sold fresh semen to large commercial herds in California. ‘The goal was higher conception rates but it...

June 2020

Now he has a progeny proven index! Indeed, no less than 609 milking daughters were included in one and the same release in the index...

May 2020

Over the years Crescentmead has enjoyed a strong international reputation and is a widely recognized name in Holstein circles around the world. The breeding program...

May 2020

Julian Rodriguez-Perez and his parents are clear about it: the discussion about small and efficient cows is not for them. Within the Flora herd, they...

May 2020

The family-run Priestland herd is synonymous with high-type, deep pedigreed cattle. An enjoyable visit HI will never forget: Here we provide some insight into the...

May 2020

Canadian Holsteins with several breeding stars often appear in HI. British Holsteins with several stars were placed in the spotlights in the March 2020 issue....

May 2020

He has become a global superstar in the polled breeding sector, the Australian bull Coomboona Zipit Mirand-PP, perhaps the most outstanding type bull the polled...

May 2020

The silky, stylish lines of Harvue Roy Frosty EX-97 made her a crowd favorite during her stellar show career that included Intermediate and Reserve Grand...

May 2020

‘We actually use quite a few current sires.’ Not a particularly unique statement. But those who know the tradition of Lantland Farms in New York...

May 2020

As the 1750-cow Cirio herd in Italy is in the fluid milk market, it has always been looking for production. Five years ago it began...

May 2020

Polled Holsteins have been a part of the breed for many years, but have usually been considered something of a novelty. While all breeders can...

May 2020

They possess a high overall breeding value and a solid profile which generate interest among commercial dairy farmers and breeders alike. Also: they breed for...

May 2020

They reign in Italy. Sire Mirabell Sound System is Nr.1 on the progeny proven list, while his grandson Zani Inseme Stradivari is Nr.1 on the...

May 2020

Whether or not we are speaking about an economically relevant trait here has no bearing. The fact is that that hardly any distinction is tied...

May 2020

A son at N°3 in the French top list, and a former N°1 daughter that currently ranks fourth on the official French heifer top list!...

May 2020

On the cover of this HI issue, you see a bull with rather uncommon type: VVH Repairman. ‘A “powerhouse” with lots of width and outstanding...

April 2020

“Fresh Cow YMCP® is a proven product of twenty plus years in my dairy practice. It is a convenient, well balanced, and ready to use...

April 2020

Dairy farming is a wonderful job like no other. But it also presents its fair share of challenges. There’s peace of mind knowing you have...

April 2020

As you will have read in HI’s recent herd report on AOT Genetics in January, Cookiecutter MOM Halo has had a huge impact on their...

April 2020

A former Nr.1 gLPI female in Canada, Stantons McCutchen Agree, currently has two sons (Alligator and Adagio-P) in the Canadian top-10 proven sire list as...

April 2020

Aikman-daughter Loh Lilliaik VG-88 is a potential homebred 7th generation EX. She has three 100,000kg (220,000lb) milk cows in her pedigree, and more: it is...

April 2020

While udder and longevity specialist Unix (Uno-Regan-ALH Domain Daya EX-93) successfully represents the Raven family from Canada, his sister Ms Alphagen Daluna EX-90 (<Day) stands...

April 2020

Both the Grand Champion and the Reserve at this year’s International DairyWeek in Australia were bred in the Gardiner family’s Avonlea herd. Avonlea has long...

April 2020

They are among the Holstein pioneers of Europe: the Ladina family from northern Italy. In HI’s previous issue (3/2020) we described how the Ladinas, after...

April 2020

One of the new names on the North American Holstein scene is GenoSource, an enterprise that was formed for the express purpose of being one...

April 2020

Scientists around the world have been searching for ways to reduce agriculture’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Perhaps the most exciting discovery comes from Australia...

April 2020

The use of beef sires on lower-end genetic-merit cows has become a widespread trend in dairy herds around the world. Extensive use of sexed semen...

April 2020

On our photo pages this month, we turn our attention to the transmitter that in just six production years reached the magical milestone of one...

April 2020

‘Legacy was heavily used as a mating sire and we have genomic-tested over 800 sons to date,’ explains Jeff Ziegler (Select Sires), ‘this obviously is...

April 2020

A typical antagonism that the breed has been fighting with for generations is that of maternal and paternal calving ease. Calves that are born easily...

April 2020

At the German breeding company RBB, the use of DNA sires is high: 75%. Even so, among the progeny proven bulls, one stands out –...

April 2020

With 3.12 gPTAT, he counts among the best that can be found in the polled sector for conformation at this time. Above all for the...

April 2020

The deep D family owned by the Niermanns (KNS Holsteins) has already proven itself for generations. And with Belsan, this strong breeding German cow family...

April 2020

Avoiding heat stress for cows and the associated decreases in production and fertility is a main management topic in dairy farming, and this by now...

March 2020

For two years already, Brekem has been the most used import bull in the Netherlands, while he also remains popular in several other countries. The...

March 2020

An attractive pedigree that traces back to the highly esteemed Lead Mae. A complete transmitting profile for both production and type, including modest stature and...

March 2020

With 33 daughters in Germany (25 classified) and Switzerland, Power stands at the beginning of his progeny proven career. A career that during the German...

March 2020

Salvatore began his career as the high-testing RC Supershot son. Currently, he is making good on his DNA figures, and even shows gains for fat...

March 2020

Rocketfire has been one of those pleasant surprises. As a young genomic bull he ranked at Nr.179 for NM, and now with milking daughters he...

March 2020

For anybody who wants to produce milk economically, persistency must count among the must important traits when making sire selections. However, there are still many...

March 2020

‘He is clearly our best homozygous polled sire and he is helping us to increase the popularity of our polled program,’ says sire analyst Fancesco...

March 2020

Indeed: the muscleman from the famous French comic series finally has a successor in the Holstein world. From the Barbie family! With lots of milk...

March 2020

Striking: in the recent December release, the Toullec name appeared in the top of both the French progeny proven and the DNA tested list. For...

March 2020

When discussing the big names on the Swiss Red Holstein scene, the Schuwey prefix is bound to get mentioned. The farm, which was passed from...

March 2020

WinStar is a new name in Holstein circles. It was formed at the start of 2017 and now after just three years of operation already...

March 2020

That heat and humidity cause stress for cows and reduce production is nothing new. But it is a phenomenon whose economic impact even in moderate...

March 2020

Throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, the global popularity of the Holstein cow continued to climb in line with her improved performance. Heavy selection emphasis...

March 2020

In this investigative article HI explores the UK’s Star Brood system and discovers more about its leaders, as well as some select position holders.

March 2020

Heidenskipster Goldwin Destiny, the dam of the German type and longevity specialist Beart, made her career in the Netherlands. Her best daughter is in Australia:...

March 2020

The 100-cow herd of Darita Holsteins in Indiana, Herd of Excellence in 2018, is the home of a bull-dam who only needed one son to...

March 2020

Windsor-Manor Rud Zip EX-95 was a cow ahead of her time when it comes to productive life and the health traits she transmitted. The cow...

March 2020

Six appealing sons on the German DNA list, with two in the top-10. The record of KNS Missboard-P is truly phenomenal. Especially when we consider...

March 2020

Two full sisters. Both in their 10th lactation. Both scored excellent. Both 13 years old. Both have surpassed 100,000 kg. Both Shottles. Both outstanding brood...

March 2020

The Nr.1 NM sire, Nr.2 gTPI sire, Nr.1 NM cow, Nr.1 gTPI female (<9 months old) and Nr.1 gPLI sire. What do they have in...

March 2020

Widely known: in Italy, there is a lot of passion for Holsteins. A whole lot. This is likely the result of the early arrival of...

February 2020

‘She has made all my dreams come true!’ Thomas De Brabander speaks directly from the heart when he talks about Failue de L’Herbagere EX-90. De...

February 2020

After 45 years of breeding Holsteins, a lifelong goal was achieved for the Lang family of Springhill Farms as their homebred Springhill-OH Wind Jada EX-91...

February 2020

The EX-96 Stormatic daughter Quality-Ridge Stormi Hazel was one of the big name stars on the North American show scene. However, even more impressive was...

February 2020

Within the UK Whinchat herd there are three dominant families – Savoire Fare, Farrah and the oldest of the three: Tippy. Despite starting with foundation...

February 2020

Over the past 10-15 years the Canadian herd Kingsway Farms has progressively risen to prominence in the area of breeding, developing and selling top quality...

February 2020

Sunnylodge Prelude Spottie was a first crop young-sire daughter of Ronnybrook Prelude that became the Canadian Cow of the Year 1998. Her son Sunnylodge Linjet...

February 2020

HI traditionally keeps a close eye on breeding developments and reports on new trends which can be reasonably expected to make a positive contribution to...

February 2020

The success of the Ferme Blondin herd in Quebec, Canada is world-famous. Many great type and index cows have passed through its barn including Blondin...

February 2020

We all know that cattle breeding and genetic selection can be complex, but have you ever considered the process outside the Holstein arena? Here we...

February 2020

Notable. During the Dutch December release, Double W Ranger plummeted to 288 gNVI (-117). With 110,000 first inseminations during the past two years, he was...

February 2020

615: That is the aAa code of the Italian bull Berico. As such, he was already very popular as a young sire, and today with...

February 2020

In April 2016, Louxor blew away the entire French DNA competition and debuted at a record high 237 gISU, no less than 24 points above...

February 2020

It was a noteworthy debut given by Germany’s new daughter-proven Nr.1, the Mardi Gras son Monarch, in the December evaluations. It was particularly noteworthy because...

February 2020

AltaMarlon has a very balanced, no-holes proof that has steadily climbed and now lands him at Nr.1 LPI bull in Canada. ‘He sires consistently good...

February 2020

An Estonian proverb says, “If your spirit is wise, age does not judge.” Of course, this expression does necessarily apply to breeding. Nonetheless there is...

February 2020

An interesting list from Holstein USA: the sires with 97% or higher reliability. Notable: half of this ranking is bulls from Select Sires. Even more...

February 2020

Super sires: A phenomenon that we come across in Holstein breeding from time to time, among the very big names. These Holstein sires are so...

February 2020

With 300 milking cows (which does not include the 50 dry cows) the Menoud Red herd is the largest source of milk in Switzerland. They...

February 2020

For the second release in a row, Freemax is in second place in Germany with 164 gRZG. Employees at owner RBB are thrilled with their...

February 2020

For international RH breeding there is no way around this sire. Hoogerhorst Rubels-Red is the rising star on the red and white scene and an...

February 2020

Cows that produce 700 kg fat+protein per lactation, classify excellent at a mature age, and complete a minimum of five lactations. And preferably furnished with...

January 2020

In the barns of the Johnson family in Minnesota, a lot of high quality milk is produced. Nice results that are certainly being seen as...

January 2020

In modern farming, environmental regulations controlling farming practices are becoming more and more restrictive in many regions of the world. Climate change and the contribution...

January 2020

In 2017 Australia became the first country to publish genetic evaluations for Heat Tolerance. At first glance it would seem that a trait such as...

January 2020

Picture a glass of JERSEY milk… rich & creamy! Picture a glass of GUERNSEY milk… golden & flavorful! Now, picture a glass of HOLSTEIN milk…...

January 2020

Throughout the Holstein world there are many, many examples of highly successful cows and cow families that have been established from animals exported from North...

January 2020

A Rubicon daughter is one of the most appreciated progeny proven bulls in recent years. She herself was the 18th VG/EX in a row, descending...

January 2020

An average production of 10,756 kg (23,715 lb.) milk with 4.43% fat and 3.62% protein, average type of nearly 86 points and 16 cows that...

January 2020

Udder quality is at an exceptionally high level, there are no cows with poor feet & legs, and the herd average is currently 10,600 kg...

January 2020

Thrulane James Rose, Loyalyn Goldwyn June and Bruynland Storm Kendra: Three 97-point cows that are just a few of the many great cows that have...

January 2020

The Jeffrey-Way herd in Wisconsin is a great type herd... cows with capacity, balance and size, great udders, big records and high lifetime production. Their...

January 2020

The last couple of months have been especially exciting for Marc Comtois, of Comestar Holsteins at Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada. In December he learned that he...

January 2020

Currently AOT Silver Helix reigns supreme as the Nr.1 TPI daughter-proven sire in the US following his breakthrough in August of 2019. His maternal sister...

January 2020

With 2727 TPI based on 1776 daughters, Duke has well surpassed his DNA index. The greatest influence of the Montross son is being felt in...

January 2020

Most likely Jocko will never lose this status: the most popular Holstein bull in French history. After all, no other French bull has ever passed...

January 2020

Back in the early 1990s Richard Charles’s family had a non-pedigree, commercial herd. However being a young, enthusiastic Holstein fan, the pedigree world was a...

January 2020

Whilst the start of the reigning Nr.1 gTPI sire, AltaZazzle’s pedigree story begins over 20 years ago with the legendary brood-cow Windsor-Manor Rud Zip –...

January 2020

The Dutch company CRV the selection for fat and protein has a long tradition. We could present an entire team of sires, but there is...

January 2020

In Italy, Westcoast Perseus (Penmanship-Doorman) is successful as a sire of sons: the list of top-25 DNA-tested sires includes no less than five Perseus sons....

January 2020

Jay and Jack Hein had to drive quickly straight through their home state of Ohio, arriving just on time at the sale of Doug Dye....

December 2019

Although the Jones family are now into their third generation dairy farming in South Wales, it is arguably their achievements in recent years that have...

December 2019

Slowly but surely, gains are being made by polled within international Holstein breeding. In the one country (including Germany) notably quicker than the other. There...

December 2019

They reigned supreme during Finland’s National Show last summer in Okra. Vanhatalon Holsteins won all the champion titles for the milking animals, and provided a...

December 2019

The arrival of genomics brought a world of change to the bull breeding side of the industry. Welcome is one herd that adapted seamlessly and...

December 2019

Bronze for Hanover-Hill. Silver for Regancrest. And now, in this December issue of HI, follows the gold medal: for Comestar Holsteins in Quebec, Canada! Is...

December 2019

The beauty of the Holstein breed is that it offers so much diversity. Here we investigate the breeding tactics of four breeders with differing goals.

December 2019

Anyone who interprets breeding in a traditional manner thinks of the selection of one sire for one cow. Of course, this approach is not outdated....

December 2019

Of the current top-15 progeny proven bulls in Spain, ten are owned by Xenética Fontao. In the DNA list, they even have a share of...

December 2019

Vander Woude Dairy is based at Merced, California, and for the last seven years they have been using beef semen on part of their Holstein...

December 2019

We all know colostrum and pre-weaning nutrition is important for calf vitality, but how much does it impact a cow’s long-term milking career? Here we...

December 2019

The Nr.1 bull in the Netherlands and the Nr.1 bull in Germany: Bouw Rocky is creating waves as a sire of sons! Rocky, compared to...

December 2019

Until now, S-S-I Renegade was only available from his owners Select Sires through the NxGEN program and produced an impressive 55 sons for that breeding...

December 2019

Fustead Rubicon Lavon was a finalist in the 2019 Global Cow competition. Her sons include the popular Frazzled son Solution and the Superhero sons Nacash...

December 2019

I/S Hedelund, a dairy enterprise in the northern Danish Aalestrup, made a flying start in the 1970s with the use of the ground-breaking German bull...

December 2019

Spectacular type, the red colour and polled...the descendants of Luck-E Advent Asia now fulfill a number of niche markets and appeal to an ever widening...

December 2019

With 23 EX daughters in Holstein USA’s data base, Windy-Knoll-View Promis is one of the absolute phenomenon of the Holstein breed. An unprecedented performance, which...

December 2019

She is a cow that makes the mouth water and her pedigree likely does the same for many experienced Holstein fans. The cow we are...

December 2019

Okay, even Axl, the young King Royal son from the Jetstream program, could have a slightly better rump angle (-0.47). But along with short teats...

December 2019

Don Bennink of No-Fla Holsteins in Florida has a clear vision which guides his breeding in his over 10,000 head herd: his ideal cow has...

December 2019

‘Alligator has always been very popular; every dose that he produced, is sold. That happened even before his official index, and his popularity has only...

December 2019

Twitch is the nr.1 gTPI son of Helix, since August, the progeny proven leader in the US. The more than two-year-old STgenetics bull displays an...

December 2019

‘At Global AG Alliance, we believe that we have won the “jackpot” with this sire.’ Speaking is Wout van der Goot about the nr.1 bull...

November 2019

With a jump of 162 TPI points, AOT Silver Helix stormed to the top of the TPI list in August. The Silver son from the...

November 2019

It’s time to dry cow #374, a Supershot daughter that’s still milking 88lb (40kg). But, it feels wrong. Why? For generations, we have carefully coordinated...

November 2019

The idea of writing about micronutrients in our management series is not something that came on a whim. The current discussion about climate change and...

November 2019

It started as a boyhood dream. Cousins Lowell and Jared Martin went to school and church together, and regularly shared ideas about their passion of...

November 2019

Beef-on-Dairy, the use of beef sires on (part) of the dairy herd, is a global phenomenon. In North America, Beef-on-Dairy has been the most significant...

November 2019

It can be heard regularly, that it is all about the nr.1, the winner. Well, let us immediately state that this is certainly not the...

November 2019

In the genomic era, the breeding of AI bulls has become very specialized. In North America, apart from the 4 main bull-stud programs which between...

November 2019

With “Libramont 2019”, the European Show returned to Belgium after 15 years. During this event, the prominent Belgian breeding herd Bois Seigneur opened their doors....

November 2019

The Dafné family from Gaec du Moulin Trefoux in the west of France is well-known for fine shows results, females with high potential and high...

November 2019

The Roz family at Siemers Holsteins in Wisconsin has become one of the top performers on the genomic scene. A finalist in this year’s Global...

November 2019

This story comes without any reference to high-testing and intensively used sons or grandsons. Without high genomic values. Without bull dams. And nonetheless this is...

November 2019

Holstein International first contacted Murray Polson from Australia this summer for some information about his cow Mario Park Goldwyn Alicia (for July’s CowCountry). We expected...

November 2019

While we were travelling for several stories two years ago in Austria, we had the opportunity to visit a special operation. The host on this...

November 2019

It all goes back to the 2009 International Intrigue sale where a cow sold with a package for a monumental $1.5 million. That cow is...

November 2019

During the Sale of Stars 2018, a 50% share in the EX-94 Lauthority daughter Bons-Holsteins Koba 219 was sold for C$47,000 to Westcoast Holsteins. Embryos...

November 2019

She did it again. For the second time after 2016, the 15-year-old Swiss exceptional phenomenon Suard-Red Jordan Irene EX-97 was crowned World Champion. What more...

November 2019

Apprentice has already left his mark on the breed, especially via his sons such as the wildly popular red bull Swingman. Apprentice was bred by...

November 2019

With two sons in the progeny proven top-10, the German bull dam KNS Reality VG-86 is meeting expectations in Italy. Her Balisto son Brasileiro (3398...

November 2019

For more than a year IPS of the USA has been offering their Tobin son Chile-PP on the international market and the demand for the...

November 2019

In April, he had insufficient daughters (30). But by August, the number had risen to 138 head and he was able to storm onto America’s...

November 2019

Standing out on the TPI list of the highest and also the most reliable bulls is View-Home Monterey, who is the only transmitter with >3.00...

November 2019

‘She was my once in a lifetime cow,’ begins Cameron Hickling of the Master Breeder Hicklee herd in Ontario. Hicklee Dundee Glow EX-93 produced over...

October 2019

Master-Breeder award in 2015

October 2019

This month our management series looks at different equipment now available for the on-farm handling of milk. Under many circumstances, the chilling of milk before...

October 2019

The industry is on the cusp of a new revolution in dairy cattle breeding – the selection for feed conversion efficiency. While this trait has...

October 2019

One judge, one vet, one classifier and one breeder help us understand what their ideal cow looks like, and the problems the breed needs to...

October 2019

Clinical and subclinical milk fever are very costly. They incur not only direct economic losses, but also open the “door” to other illnesses. Health and...

October 2019

A keen eye for development in the dairy industry: That is one of the most prominent core qualities of the Dutch company Bles Dairies. With...

October 2019

Ardylbar has been a prominent name on the Holstein scene in Queensland over recent decades. Down through the years a regular supply of show champions...

October 2019

‘It is not easy to be a cow here.’ Those are the words spoken in unison by mother Jeanette and daughter Amanda Sjöland. ‘We namely...

October 2019

Steve Buschur from Plain-Knoll Holsteins in Ohio is not only a very friendly man, but also someone who approaches Holstein breeding very progressively. For example,...

October 2019

Quite soon after the nomination of the 100 candidates for this competition, a reader posed the following question: “Hanover-Hill… is it not too old for...

October 2019

With numerous Frazzled sons and daughters featuring on high genomic lists, the daughter-based proof of this Josuper son was highly anticipated: Quite a lot depended...

October 2019

Supersire son Uecker Josuper sits at Nr.10 on the TPI charts with three sons ranked ahead of him: Frazzled, Rowdy and Raiden. His all important...

October 2019

In the French August release, three early sons debuted in the top-15. Among them were leader Oken and runner-up Ozy JBT. Molenkamp KP Carter himself...

October 2019

In the 1970’s, Glenridge Citation Roxy EX-97 emerged as one of the great cows of the breed, eventually going on to be acclaimed as the...

October 2019

No matter what you think of line-breeding, it worked for Canada’s Nr.1 gLPI sire S-S-I Biggelo, as the Delroy-son features the O-Man Mirror family on...

October 2019

Combining the Lila Z family through his sire Westcoast Lighthouse (Spring-Distinction) with the Barbie family through his dam Walnutlawn Abbott Bree VG-85-2yr, already the high-conformation...

October 2019

In his debut on a daughter-proven basis in August he was able to celebrate being one of the most noteworthy newcomers with his 2612 TPI...

October 2019

After years of absence, Brent and Kim Mitchell from Victoria immediately captured the Intermediate title with Mitch Aftershock Irene at Australia’s national show (IDW) in...

October 2019

‘The most prominent qualities of this family are capacity and strength. The cows have outstanding frames with tremendous capacity, strength through the loins, and wide...

October 2019

He is new in America’s progeny proven type top-10, holding 6th place, with no less than +3.48 PTAT. With 2525 TPI, he is the highest...

September 2019

With 800 milking and dry cows, the dairy of John Koster (JMK Holsteins) is clearly below the average size in Texas (1343 cows), making it...

September 2019

With six finalists, including the Grand Champion, as well as the best herd group Raunhøj Dairy had a sensational performance during the Danish National Show....

September 2019

The Kathy family at Penn-Dell is built around a daughter-dam pair of 94-point cows that have both been Grand Champion at their county fair. Further...

September 2019

Suddenly he appeared: Oxterril. With +218 gISU (index release 4/2019) one of the very highest in the French index round. With a relatively unknown sire...

September 2019

Here we are! We have arrived at the top-4, and thus the quartet of HI reader’s highest ranking breeders during the last 25 years. In...

September 2019

In 2013 she won the Quebec People’s Choice Cow of the Year title: Lehoux Goldwyn Ruby is a 20 star brood cow with 7 EX...

September 2019

Although we are now nearly 30 years on from when Castelverde Chief Mark Susy EX-97 was born, her genetics have not got old. In the...

September 2019

Progressively, more and more breeders are paying attention to management traits. The reason is the impact they have on farm profitability. Chief among these traits...

September 2019

At the Genetics Conference 2019, Dr. Mike Lohuis, Vice President of Research and Innovation at Semex, based in Guelph, Canada, presented a 10-Year report card...

September 2019

Todd Stanek did not grow up with registered Holsteins: He was already an adult before he caught the passion for cattle breeding. Recently at this...

September 2019

When our photographer Christine Massfeller was asked if she would be able to take a picture at the Kleemann family farm in Germany, the request...

September 2019

At Cogent in Great Britain, they had to bid farewell to a popular favourite in their sire facility: Cogent Twist. And… Twist was not only...

September 2019

On first glance, it is the all-around positive values for all management and health traits that grab attention. Additionally, there is the good heritability for...

September 2019

No matter what you think of line-breeding, it worked for Canada’s Nr.1 gLPI sire S-S-I Biggelo, as the Delroy-son features the O-Man Mirror family on...

September 2019

Don Mayer in Wisconsin has such confidence in Catamount’s genetics, in three years he would like 75% of his 55-cow Mayerlane herd to be from...

August 2019

For generations the breed has been working to reduce calving interval length. The quicker a cow becomes pregnant again, the better the economics. There is...

August 2019

In the article “The Background and Future of the Most Significant Red Holstein Populations” in HI’s Red Review issue 08/2018, the decreasing number of Red...

August 2019

The topic of “intelligent barns” flags up many questions. With milk price struggling, is the investment worth it? How will automated technology affect my workforce?...

August 2019

We couldn’t have found a more ideal herd for our Red Review issue: Or a much better herd either. Do you know a dairy farm...

August 2019

Through an intensive ET programme, the American Pheasant-Echos herd continues to build a solid type foundation. So far, this strategy has earned them a World...

August 2019

At +4.82 for type, Schur-Vu Undenied Neon is a standout among young genomic bulls. He’s the kind that creates excitement among type enthusiasts everywhere. The...

August 2019

After graduating with a daughter proof in December 2015, Scientific Defiant went on to spend more than 12 months sitting atop the Holstein type list...

August 2019

Some top breeders garner a lot of respect for the influential bulls that they have bred and that have left their stamp globally. Such as...

August 2019

We want to begin our story about Prince with an “upgrade”. Did you know that Prince produced a total of 501,084 doses of semen, that...

August 2019

In the All-New Zealand photo competition, the Ohaka-based Sherraine herd won all 3 milking classes. And testament to this 180-cow herd’s breeding, two of these...

August 2019

Ladd was the first polled bull used by Casey Jones on his family farm Scenery-View Farm in Pennsylvania. The results are noteworthy; within two generations...

August 2019

The Caudumer Lol family has been a household name in Red Holstein breeding for years. In the Netherlands, but now also beyond. A prominent cow...

August 2019

He supplies the type, the udders and the width & depth to the body many Red-Holstein breeders are looking for. In addition he improves the...

August 2019

We already wrote about it: Salvatore continues to be a high calibre sire of sons and is still delivering remarkable sons. New in his top-5...

July 2019

Since the recent April release, Natural is the proud owner of the two highest Czech Holstein bulls: Zetor and Zologram-P, while their colleague Attila also...

July 2019

Several years have passed since the last calculation of the worldwide breeding index (2013), which Holstein International did regularly since 1996. Enough time, which national...

July 2019

With this photo page we arrive in Uruguay, South America: Or more specifically in Sarandi Grande in the Florida Department, 140 km north of Uruguay’s...

July 2019

Murano (150 RZG), Morgan (148 RZG) and Masato (147 RZG) occupy 3 of the top-4 positions on the German progeny proven index list. They are...

July 2019

Unstopabull and Incredibull – the two high-type red bulls have been giving the Riverdown name a presence on the international Holstein scene over recent years....

July 2019

Spectacular! We have not yet started with the top-5 of our competition and now already we come across real heavyweights… en route to the absolute...

July 2019

A multi-faceted operation with many interesting features, join us as we visit the American Savage-Leigh herd where two very different operations work harmoniously under the...

July 2019

The truth of the matter is that we would like to use as few words as possible for this story to maximize the focus on...

July 2019

Idee Lustre was Grand Champion at the Royal in 2002, and in the almost 20 years since, this family has never been far from the...

July 2019

Tuesday February 26, 2019 was a historical day in France. Indeed, a very special heifer was sold during the Paris Dairy Sale at Simagena and...

July 2019

Production, longevity and type: It is hard to find a breeder who isn’t interested in at least one of these traits – and it is...

July 2019

‘Our dairy farmers appreciate Balic and are using him again as a progeny proven bull,’ states Mathias Poferl from Rinderzucht Baden-Württemberg (RBW). ‘Also in his...

July 2019

The breeding values for conformation are among the best the breed has to offer, but that is not the reason why we are presenting these...

July 2019

With 2111 TPI, Niclo O-Man Debbie VG-87 (born 2004) is one of the very highest American index cows from her birth year. The O-Man owned...

July 2019

Giordano is the new Nr.1 DNA-proven bull in Italy and combines solid production (+1330kg milk) with high components (+.50%f +.24%p) and is the highest rated...

July 2019

After their herd dispersal sale in April, the only milking cows the Irish Sinnott family kept were their homebred dam and daughter pair – Ballyboy...

July 2019

Salvatore dominates for the red & white sire of sons, but in his wake we find Endco Apprentice RC, a Kingboy son of Blondin-TJR Supersire...

June 2019

As herds get larger and livestock handling systems become more mechanized, time spent on heat detection for each individual cow continues to dwindle. However, next...

June 2019

As there are only a handful of herds in western Germany that are of a similar size, simply the number of 1,200 cows that Marc...

June 2019

La Waebera, the ultra-modern farm of the Clément family, is world-class for conformation. But there is much more to the story than that. La Waebera...

June 2019

Numerous top TPI sires, globally impacting families and highly productive cattle thriving in a large scale environment are what symbolises the American Coyne-Farms herd. Home...

June 2019

Never before has interest in a competition during HI’s 25 years been as great as it is in the unique breeder competition that was introduced...

June 2019

Problems with hoof health (lameness in cows) is among the biggest irritations of dairy farmers – the costs of lost milk production, additional labour, veterinarian...

June 2019

Soon the stifling heat of summer will be with us and that can adversely affect the production levels of high yielding dairy cows. Here we...

June 2019

In the US there are 12 cows that have produced 22 EX daughters or more. Gloryland Lana Rae EX-94 is one of the cows on...

June 2019

Progressive elite breeding sometimes results in small, fragile Holsteins with insufficient durability for long-term production. This is anything but the case for the native Dutch...

June 2019

Grand Champion of the Swiss Expo and Reserve Grand at the European Show in Libramont: Sunibelle Dempsey Esprit is one of the true superstars of...

June 2019

During the finale of an enthralling Holstein show, thousands of enthusiastic Holstein fans in Libramont (Belgium) witnessed as judge Mark Nutsford crowned the pitch-black Du...

June 2019

During the past decade, a lot has been said and written about the stature of Holsteins. The trend towards less tall Holsteins is now probably...

June 2019

‘He is the undisputed French leader at an unparalleled level – never before has a bull reached this high.’ This is what HI wrote in...

June 2019

With a unique selection criteria, that includes the requirement of all bulls to be A2A2 and have no haplotypes, a look into Jetstream Genetics’ ethos...

June 2019

America’s nr.1 Einstein, Homeground, Mixology and Maestro in Canada; these four young Semex bulls debuted in the absolute top during the April release. Brian Carscadden,...

June 2019

He is the very highest NTM transmitter of Scandinavia and is available both domestically and abroad: Growny with +41 NTM. ‘Certainly a very interesting bull:...

June 2019

The dam is an early daughter of the Balisto son Brasil and the granddam is a productive Snowfever daughter with Laron-P, Canvas and Lightning in...

June 2019

For the leading group of young DNA sires, Checkmate always came just a few RZG points short, but in the end, according to Ingo Schnoor...

June 2019

The 300-cow Belbrook herd was recently identified in HI as the leading herd in New Zealand for the highest number of excellent cows. However looking...

May 2019

Over the forecast period of 2017-2023, the robotic milking market is projected to grow at an annual growth rate of 9.78%. Yes: We can expect...

May 2019

Canada has two main total merit indexes. The Lifetime Performance Index (LPI) has been the recognized measure of Canadian genetics for decades, while the Pro$...

May 2019

Grand Champions of the prestigious Swiss Expo in Lausanne all enter Holstein history with full capitalization. Because victory at the prestigious Swiss Expo is in...

May 2019

Stone-Front Iron Pasta EX-96 was Reserve Grand Champion at the World Dairy Expo in 2010. Currently the Stone-Front name attracts attention through the popular high...

May 2019

For months, Frist PJP was the master of French conformation proofs before to be dethroned by a new sire: Norman EFP. This bull, who received...

May 2019

Elegance has 69 classified daughters in the US, 34 of which have scored EX. That ranks her third behind only Ashlyn (60) and Adeen (37)...

May 2019

Jedi has been one of the most extensively used sires of sons of the genomic era establishing his position as a major impact sire of...

May 2019

‘The appearance of his first progeny proven index last December marked the comeback of Board, who is currently in high demand both at home and...

May 2019

Debutante Rae, Rhonda, Perk Rae, Cinderella – the Roxy family has reinvented itself through many different lines. Here we discover a powerful UK branch that...

May 2019

In the meantime, you have read the stories about numbers 10 and 9 from the top-10 of HI’s unique Breeders Competition: Pine-Tree in March and...

May 2019

‘Rowdy is an exceptional production bull transmitting extreme milk and yet still with good components,’ comments Ryan Starkenburg from ABS. ‘Along with the extreme production...

May 2019

No other evaluation period of the year routinely serves as many changes as the April evaluations. In addition to the base changes, tweaks to the...

May 2019

What a perfectly chosen name! His DNA index of 2010 (2098 gTPI) is virtually exactly the same as his progeny proven index today: 2060 TPI....

May 2019

‘She makes you look smart,’ says Anthony Liddle about Liddleholme Resurrect Lu-RC, one of the breed’s newest 97-point cows. ‘She likes to be left alone...

May 2019

The development and the discovery of new and unique cow families is one of the most important challenges facing Holstein breeding. But new families with...

April 2019

No less than seven representatives of Darnlaw Farm (prefix: Townlaw) – including six of them scoring EX – passed the milestone of 100,000 kg in...

April 2019

The minute we stepped out of the car we knew it was going to be a good visit. Following a miserable, cold and wet morning,...

April 2019

Impressive. That is the right word – and certainly not an overstatement – to describe the entire herd of father Rolland and son Marc-André Dubois...

April 2019

The results are complete: the top-25 most influential breeders of the past 25 years. But, as promised, the results will appear one month at a...

April 2019

Highly remarkable: a herd of 150 Holstein cows with 25 daughters of Paclamar Astronaut, Paclamar Bootmaker and Round Oak Rag Apple Elevation! And: more of...

April 2019

With bulls such as Leadman, Lord Lily and Novalis, the Lou Etta family has been a major influence on the bull breeding scene for decades....

April 2019

In HI’s February issue (pgs. 10-11) you became acquainted with the phenomenon Beef-on-Dairy: the breeding of dairy cows to beef bulls. As the result of...

April 2019

Penn-Gate Skychief Finesse was a strong, deep-bodied cow that became an exceptional transmitter, now with 26 EX daughters. She was also the dam of the...

April 2019

Antibiotic resistance and reducing the amount of antibiotics used in livestock production – it’s a topic all livestock producers have heard over and over during...

April 2019

Mayflower is a high-production Snowman son, now with +2591 of milk, -.14% fat and +.00% protein along with 0.93 type. His dam, Roylane Socra Mira...

April 2019

The dam No-Pe Yoder Elena is a granddaughter to Morningview Super Ellie EX-90, whose dam of course is Shottle Madilyn EX-94. With that the pedigree...

April 2019

JK DG Esmeralda EX-90 is as special on paper as she is in real life. Firstly she is a product of the special Doorman-Goldwyn-Shottle cross,...

April 2019

Does the Jonsson family in Stöde, Sweden have an international production champion with their Wilhelmine, who will turn nine years old next month? Possibly not....

April 2019

He is the highest available type transmitter of France: no less than +4.7! Plus… in the area of fitness, he is nearly faultless. Add to...

March 2019

The European Holstein Show returns to Belgium! Fifteen years after the last of various editions in the Belgian capital of Brussels, on April 9 the...

March 2019

‘When you put too much focus on the top lists, quite a number of valuable bulls end up being missed.’ HI wrote this in August...

March 2019

In December 2012, he was America’s nr.1 DNA tested sire with 2530 gTPI. Six years later, in December 2018, he scores 2518 TPI based on...

March 2019

With 32 excellent daughters in the US and Canada, in terms of conformation, Alicia is one of the elite transmitters of North America. As such,...

March 2019

To keep his fairly large Tirsvad program successful, the Danish breeder Søren Ernst Madsen prefers to work with cow families that can generate high sires...

March 2019

The village of Pepin in central-western Wisconsin lies on the shores of Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River. It used to be very much a...

March 2019

It’s hard to believe! Wescoast Holsteins was only formed in 2010 and yet it has already become a major force in the breed. They’ve paraded...

March 2019

To keep his fairly large Tirsvad program successful, the Danish breeder Søren Ernst Madsen prefers to work with cow families that can generate high sires...

March 2019

Theoretically, a breeding value for somatic cell score (SCS), as is routinely calculated in most countries around the world, could continue to serve as a...

March 2019

He has no more than 350 milking daughters in North America – even so, one of them becamethe Intermediate Champion at the World Dairy Expo...

March 2019

As a DNA bull, he was already sky high in the index list and was thus popular. That popularity continues, because based on 1000 daughters,...

March 2019

He looks at you sternly. Maintains a steady gaze. Yes, indeed, so it was when Han Hopman photographed this bull 18 years ago. Because Jesther...

March 2019

Every top bull is unique. L-L-M-Dairy Pond Passat, a top-10 newcomer in America’s progeny proven list, especially stands out with his particularly rich profile for...

March 2019

Of course Miss Pottsdale DFI Tang-Red is one of the outstanding Red Holsteins in the barn of Golden Oaks Farms in Illinois. After her breeders...

March 2019

Sandy-Valley Eternity is without doubt a female breed phenomenon, that will sustainably leave her marks in the population. This attractive VG-88 (2yr) Rubicon, a great...

March 2019

They are not the highest bulls, not necessarily successful sires of sons, and not the top genomic sires, but they are proven, have hundreds of...

March 2019

The votes have been counted. That took much longer than we had expected. Never before in HI’s 25 years of existence has a competition drawn...

March 2019

It is still early in the morning, September 21, 2017. Nevertheless, it is warm already – a tropical day is in the works. But we...

March 2019

Many bulls can be labelled as all-round: good production, solid type and positive fitness. Louxor, since April 2016 France’s Nr.1 for almost two years, gives...

March 2019

Over the last decade, Supersire, Mogul and Balisto have been among the most influential sires of the breed – and they represent 3 different branches...

March 2019

Cogent Supershot debuted in 2014 for the British breeding program Cogent as the Nr.1 bull for gTPI, gLPI and gPLI. His flamboyant debut coincided with...

March 2019

Once in a while a true outlier comes along who defies the odds and remains at the top of the list for an extended period...

March 2019

With sons like Hayes-P and Hologram-P or grandsons like Pontiac-P, Paiton-PP and Mystic-PP, Bomaz Uno 5904 (Uno-Lawn Boy-Laudan-Garter) has established herself as a productive wellspring...

March 2019

In the English language, the name “Iznogoud” might seem to be a peculiar choice. After all, it sounds like “Is no good” and that would...

March 2019

To find an answer as to which sons of the exceptional Mogul are having the largest influence on the breed is not an easy task....

March 2019

During the first edition of the breeding event Holstein Vision, RinderAllianz displayed an appealing daughter group from Snake-Red and the rumour mill had it already...

March 2019

A high PTAT (America’s index for type) traditionally generates a lot of attention. This is underscored by the American Kingboy. From the outset, breeders and...

March 2019

High Octane, Capital Gain, Gold Chip, Brokaw, Braxton, Baltimore, Brady, Bankroll: The Barbies are world-renowned for being one of the best breeding type families. And...

March 2019

The Lead Mae family has produced a number of high-ranking bulls around the world with two of the most notable being Kingboy in the US...

February 2019

‘Of course, it is too early to say it with certainty, but he will likely become one of the most popular polled sires world-wide,’ says...

February 2019

For many years the international icon for the Ri-Val-Re herd in Michigan has been the bull Ri-Val-Re Niagra. Now he is being superseded by the...

February 2019

‘Her older offspring in our herd are not quitting and in the meantime, new and talented young generations are emerging.’ Cindy Wikkerink identifies the source...

February 2019

The career of the Diablesse family is quite unusual. This bloodline was completely unknown some years ago, but now it is a popular source for...

February 2019

Bulls such as Atwood, Atlantic, Aftershock, Golden Dreams and Archrival rank among the great type transmitters of the past decade, and all trace back through...

February 2019

AI companies like Inseme, Intermizoo, ABS and Semex keep a close eye on this Italian farm: Cristella, owned by the Marchi-Balestreri family. That is not...

February 2019

The achievements of the thirteen-year-old Feizor Shottle Delia speak volumes. Just starting her 11th lactation and well on her way to 140,000 kg lifetime production,...

February 2019

The cows at Lisduff Farms in Ireland live entirely off of grass for eight months of the year, walking a significant distance daily to and...

February 2019

The three main rules of marketing are location, location, location... and in that regard, Luck-E Holsteins fulfills them all. Located just 10 minutes off the...

February 2019

In December 2017, he debuted in the top position of the prestigious top-200 for DNA bulls in the US. In the meantime, he has remained...

February 2019

‘We do not have the best land, or the best buildings, or the best cows, and yet, in one way or another, it works.’ He...

February 2019

The most photographed bull?

February 2019

With eleven sons in the TPI top-50, the consistent breeding qualities of Miss OCD Delicious are being clearly underscored. This consistency turns out to be...

February 2019

In HI, we seldom or never write an article about the beef breeds. Nevertheless, there is a good reason to do that now, because the...

February 2019

Use of genomics in official genetic evaluations has transformed the dairy cattle breeding industry over the past decade. Now genomics is being used to offer...

February 2019

We gave you a tip about him earlier already, the successful sire of sons for Red Holsteins: Mr Salvatore. In Canada, Germany and the US,...

February 2019

It was the first 24 daughters with production data and 46 daughters with classification data that lifted the Balisto son Barcley to Nr.2 on the...

February 2019

The year 2019 is still young and just the right time to present Canada’s leading genomic young bull to the Holstein world. We are talking...

February 2019

Anyone who breeds Holsteins will always have the traits milk production and fertility integrated in his philosophy in some way. And this exactly is a...

February 2019

‘Tarrino is currently Modesty’s highest available son, and his numbers have continued to climb,’ comments Rick VerBeek from Select Sires. ‘He comes from the Colby...

January 2019

A rare double dominated the show results from the year 2001: Grand Champion at both the World Dairy Expo and the Royal went to the...

January 2019

The purchase of a lifetime. Jeff Hendrickson made it in 1982, when he bought Inwood Taffy Apollo. ‘I had been a herdsman at Inwood for...

January 2019

The primarily red & white herd of Jacob Werler in the Netherlands, with 11 AI sires launched, is not among the most dominant. Nevertheless, results...

January 2019

Admittedly, we could write this article more critically, as the summit of polled breeding, which is by now much more than just a niche, is...

January 2019

The breeding of tall, impressive looking cows has been the goal for many a breeder down through the years. Now, slowly the tide of opinion...

January 2019

The likelihood is great that she is the world’s most influential Holstein cow of all time: Wesswood-HC Rudy Missy. In 2014, she was selected as...

January 2019

Martintown is a quiet village in the very east of Ontario halfway between Ottawa and Montreal. It is here amongst gently rolling farmland at the...

January 2019

Bingo! That may certainly be said about the young bull Eildon-Tweed Sam British, as he now scores 2961 gTPI. His arrival is a new highlight...

January 2019

Davide Errera has two big hobbies: soccer – FC Internationale Milano (Inter) – and show cows. With the latter, he experienced a splendid highlight this...

January 2019

With US Holstein genetics playing a major role on the international scene, the TPI is widely recognized and has become a common language understood in...

January 2019

During the mid-1980s, David Peterson from Majestic-Manor Dairy in Iowa had an internationally popular embryo donor in the form of Oak-Krest Bretta EX-90. It was...

January 2019

He is now more than 6 years old but continues to work hard. ‘He is still the most sold bull at Select,’ says Jeff Ziegler...

January 2019

Have you ever tried to find a sire of sons that has a high overall breeding value with below average inheritance for frame size? We...

January 2019

Impressive! Our visit to Warnelview Holsteins in the far northwest of England can be summarized with just one word. Impressive, due to top-notch management and...

December 2018

Our-Favorite Undenied is on the sire list of many type enthusiasts world-wide. The American Solomon son scores no less than 4.16 gPTAT, and with that,...

December 2018

Bomaz, the farm owned by the Zwald and Schalla families in Wisconsin, with Skywalker and AltaDelson-P, bred two young sires that are remarkable right now....

December 2018

The opportunistic purchase of a 10-year-old dry cow resulted in an abundantly successful cow family at the world-famous Gillette herd in Canada. Read on to...

December 2018

The Trio Group of Companies was working with Simmentals but shifted to Holstein cows shortly after it got acquainted with this breed. Today Trio is...

December 2018

Apple. The name has a magical ring in breeding. Certainly within the Red Holstein world, but also beyond, all over they speak with deep respect...

December 2018

‘Udder quality is certainly a family strength, as are the high productions.’ Lysanne Pelletier legitimately speaks about the qualities of the La Presentation Daurel dynasty....

December 2018

Those who thought that genomics would eliminate them… are mistaken! They still exist, the tenacious super-millionaires. In October, we reported that the 15-year-old Planet passed...

December 2018

Since his start a good year ago, Stone-Front Artist has been one of the best-liked sires in the program of St Jacobs ABC. And now,...

December 2018

In contrast to beta casein, whose ideal form is A2A2, the kappa casein variant has real economic meaning. Milk from cows with the ideal genotype...

December 2018

At 13,951kg, the 50-cow herd that Christoph and Wilhelm Eberhard milk at their meticulously cared for farm in the west German municipality of Kalkar had...

December 2018

Classified EX-96, this sublime transmitter has 13 EX daughters! Hendercroft Lheros Gumball was also Grand Champion at the East Ontario Championship Show 2008, while her...

December 2018

On the cover of this HI edition, you already became acquainted with this farm: Kiko Holsteins from the American state of Ohio. On the cover...

December 2018

At the end of this month, on December 28, 2018, he will turn 8 years old – and by then will have substantially exceeded one...

December 2018

Improved cow comfort is often listed as a major contributor to increased milk production. Improved barn design, increased air flow and ventilation, better access to...

December 2018

‘We use bulls that tick every box.’ With this statement, Chris Durrer gives a clear indication of the goal he has in mind. For years...

December 2018

France has two large breeding companies: Evolution and Gènes Diffusion. At the latter, Frédéric Lepoint has already been employed for 28 years and thus is...

November 2018

Nestled in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains at Hudson Falls, New York, is Ideal Dairy Farms. Ideal has been operated by the same family...

November 2018

We are notably impressed in the beautiful new barn of Ve-Tech Holsteins in the Scottish county of Ayrshire, which makes use of all available automation,...

November 2018

Timely pregnancy of heifers and cows is critical to the economics of dairy farms. That is the reason why during the past number of years,...

November 2018

The powerful, spotted Shottle daughter Larcrest Cosmopolitan captured worldwide attention when she became the Nr.1 GTPI cow of the US. Today the very vital 13-year-old...

November 2018

Numerous northern Italian Holstein farms – located at the base of the powerful Alps – have a background as Brown Swiss herds: Or the “bruna”,...

November 2018

The modern, picturesque farmstead overlooks the Trent River near Hastings, Ontario, an hour east of Toronto. Inside the state-of-the-art barns a high-type herd including numerous...

November 2018

Last year she completed her lactation with the highest milk figures ever recorded: Selz-Pralle Aftershock 3918 VG-88 produced 5.11 3x 365 78,170lb (35,457kg) 4.0% fat...

November 2018

Partly because of the success of the German Bookem son Big Point, in January 2017 HI wrote about the comeback of the Tidy-Brook Elton Steph...

November 2018

In early October, at Character Holsteins in Canada, the Marius daughter Peaches was celebrated as the first female Holstein above 3000 gTPI for the Progenesis...

November 2018

At the start of this career he was the German Nr.1 among the red young sires. Then came his sons and Schreur Apoll, the Aikman...

November 2018

At Mosnang Holsteins in the Canadian province of Alberta, 95 cows are being milked, and the highest producing cow family (L family) also provided the...

November 2018

Brandon and Lisa Weaver from Misty-Moor Holsteins in Pennsylvania had it right. During their visit to the dispersal of All-Riehl Holsteins in 2010, they purchased...

November 2018

He is one of the top-5 highest gTPI Red Holstein bulls and is widely available: Rhala-Re Blues-Red. Good for 2664 gTPI, owned by AI Total,...

November 2018

Since April, Neutron has been in the Italian top-3 and is thus the most significant new name behind the reigning leader, Sound System. ‘Neutron is...

November 2018

For commercial dairy farmers, it likely does not make a difference if a sire was born via ET/IVF or via more natural means. But for...

November 2018

After the Mogul Memorandum in HI June 2018, we are now publishing the Doorman Dossier. It is a unique and extensive article about the background...

November 2018

With an increase of 5 points for his overall breeding value to 135 RZG and an impressive 8-point gain for conformation to a strong value...

October 2018

Holstein International regularly receives tips from readers, from all over the world. We are always pleased because the tips are frequently valuable. And so at...

October 2018

‘Stress reduces the resistance of cows, causing the likelihood of infections to increase. And the number of stress moments is quite high actually; cows are...

October 2018

The ultimate goal for many high-ranking index families is the breeding of numerous popular sires. This task can be confidently entrusted to the family of...

October 2018

The Kings-Ransom herd at Schuylerville, New York, is especially dazzling at present, home to the EX-95 full sisters Cleavage and Cleo, and also the 94-point...

October 2018

It has happened! Eight giants have preceded him. One of these weeks, Ensenada Taboo Planet, more than 15 years old, will become the world’s ninth...

October 2018

Despite his age of three years, he still possesses outstanding numbers with 3315 gLPI and 2734 gTPI. His owner Semex alone has 12 sons with...

October 2018

40 minutes west of Quebec City and within 20 km of the south shore of the St. Lawrence River is one of Quebec’s largest dairy...

October 2018

Roylane Robust: Roylane Jordan: Roylane Mindy: Three giants in Holstein breeding. And in their wake are strong transmitters like Roylane Bob and Roylane Punch, all...

October 2018

Progress for longevity in the Holstein world is clearly visible. So much so, that it is sometimes invisible. That may sound contradictory, but this is...

October 2018

In the Netherlands and Flanders, Etazon Renate is a household name. Thanks to the combination of a superior NVI and abundant embryo production, the O-Man...

October 2018

Mogul sons abound among the top ranks on daughter-proven sire lists around the globe. Which one is the best? A strong contender for that title...

October 2018

In 2012, Muri Popsy created a stir as the nr.1 gTPI cow of Europe. Now, six years later, the Planet daughter from the deep Italian...

October 2018

From time to time a generational sire appears that is a cut above the rest. In the world of red & whites, Westcoast Swingman appears...

October 2018

‘We do not breed a cow like her every day!’ These are the opening words of Sylvain Pioud from Ferme du Moulin Gallet in eastern...

October 2018

Two years ago, his debut created quite the stir. Westcoast Styx-Red broke through with strong DNA total indexes in various countries; in his homeland of...

October 2018

‘Even though it is still early in his career, Luster has rapidly risen to become one of the most popular polled sires in our program,’...

October 2018

For anybody studying the current bull catalogues will notice a severe lack of sires that inherit a high overall genetic level while also correcting for...

September 2018

In January 2008, DT Spottie adorned the cover of HI’s “Excellency Issue”. More than ten years later, the EX-93 Derry from the Prelude Spottie family...

September 2018

A short 3-mile, north-easterly drive out of Portadown town in Northern Ireland lies an industrious Holstein hub. Breed-leading type is what you will find in...

September 2018

The “Legend Dairy” prefix has been a household name for decades in American Holstein breeding. The Californian herd of Ron Pietersma has turned out to...

September 2018

‘Our breeding goal? True type, preferably with the red colour. True type, because in terms of type, the most correct cow lasts the longest. And...

September 2018

Morningview Converse Judy EX-93 contributed a lot to putting the Morningview herd from Iowa on the international Holstein map. Key bulls from this family around...

September 2018

She is world famous: Krull Broker Elegance, the formidable brood cow from Wisconsin. But in the meantime, her reputation is receiving competition, because since her...

September 2018

Pierre Oberson is a familiar face in Switzerland. Those who have visited the large shows in the land of the Alps, will certainly have seen...

September 2018

‘Right now, we have 850 ET pregnancies.’ Not only is the size of Leaninghouse Holsteins, as described by manager Les Terpstra, impressive. The relatively new...

September 2018

It had never been achieved before: Five full sisters all made the CTPI top-100 list at thesame time! That magical moment belonged to 5 young...

September 2018

It is a secret of the trade why the Pledge family, developed at Windy-Knoll-View in the USA and with many successful individuals around the world,...

September 2018

As a young DNA bull, Weigeline Tabasco expressly remained off the gTPI radar. With an average of 2515 gTPI, he did not stand out in...

September 2018

He’s the Nr.1 RZG bull in Germany at 165 and he is also a red carrier! Gywer is sired by the Doorsopen son Boldi Gymnast...

September 2018

‘If polled, then homozygous polled!’ – This is the declaration of many dairy farmer that are playing with the thought of breeding their herd to...

August 2018

Durham daughter Scientific Debutante Rae gave owners Matt and Mandy Nunes the Reserve Grand Champion title at the 2005 World Dairy Expo. A 7th generation...

August 2018

It is now almost 10 years since the arrival of the genomics. In that time it has evolved into the biggest revolution the cattle breeding...

August 2018

A common sight on many farms around the world is the arrivial of the AI technician to breed cows. Now the number of farmers with...

August 2018

It achieved all of its goals and more – and realising the Lesperron herd’s breed-leading accomplishments was no easy feat. Read about how Lesperron shot...

August 2018

Located right in the heart of Wisconsin, L-L-M Dairy has been increasingly gaining attention over recent years with sale-topping consignments and bulls in AI. This...

August 2018

From the outset, a question for all HI readers world-wide: do you know a cow with at least eight daughters that all score 93 points...

August 2018

‘We are pleased to see several of her granddaughters coming up with impressive numbers – several of them have tested nearly 4 points on type. ...

August 2018

The name Cosmopolitan brings instant name recognition throughout the Holstein world. This month we take you for a visit to her home in Minnesota, Larcrest,...

August 2018

In June, HI published part II of a unique overview of farms with the most living excellent cows. Appearing in fourth place on the Irish...

August 2018

What do you know about Barbie’s older full-sister Rgncrst-Rh Durham Bianca EX-92? Perhaps you didn’t even know she existed? To us, this line of this...

August 2018

A note from the outset: this is not a Holstein bull! But: he is black & white and so special that he deserves his own...

August 2018

Bulls with a profile that offers more strength than size are few and far between. While hardly any breeder or sire analyst wants to bring...

August 2018

We could not believe our eyes. The Swiss breeder Heinz Meier showed us his cow Editha, which he had made ready for a picture. For...

July 2018

A daily production of 40 kg/cow; Pieter Karst Bouma wants to reach this goal within two years. ‘After raising the roof on the old barn,...

July 2018

A much talked about article was HI’s recent worldwide investigation to find the herds with the highest number of EX cows worldwide. The results showed...

July 2018

During a 5-day trip around the Maryland area in the US, an outstanding stop was with the Schwartzbeck family. Aggressive, strong, high-type cows with liveability...

July 2018

Selecting consistently for type, balanced nutrition and a French American cow family. Those are the three most prominent ingredients that make the Riedill herd in...

July 2018

Owen Sound, a city in the northern area of southwestern Ontario, Canada, is located at the mouths of the Pottawatomi and Sydenham rivers. Dairy farming...

July 2018

With maximum votes from judges, the American KHW Super Aderyn RC EX-90 from Nova Holsteins was selected in HI 06/2018 as Red Impact Cow 2018....

July 2018

Fradon Rudolph Jodie EX 22*: The global success of this family needs no introduction. Numerous intriguing lines can be found in many different countries worldwide,...

July 2018

With 3293 gLPI, he is the highest Red Holstein bull in Canada. With 2676 gTPI, he is the highest Red Holstein bull in the US....

July 2018

Bluebill has become the leading contender in the race to catch the long-time Italian Nr.1, Sound System... and he’s a rare Gatedancer (Alta1stClass-Supersire) son in...

July 2018

In all of the breeding evaluations he has gone through in his young career he has placed in the German top-10, although he had never...

July 2018

In the aAa system used by many dairy farmers, the “6” is the for the base type “style.” It describes a centrally placed thurl, durable...

June 2018

June 2015 HI wrote about an up and coming brood cow. Exactly 3 years later we revisit this interesting individual, who is no longer an...

June 2018

Elevated somatic cell counts not only cause production losses, but also increase the likelihood of mastitis, with all the associated problems and costs. To prevent...

June 2018

This chapter plays out in the splendid landscape around West Charlton, a very small town in the far eastern part of the American state of...

June 2018

The US cow Seagull-Bay Oman Mirror is one of the legendary brood cows of the breed: Dam of Robust and foundation behind such bulls as...

June 2018

“The Program for Healthy Cows”: That is how the ProFitPlus program is described on the websites of the German AIs RinderAllianz (RA) and Rinderzucht Berlin...

June 2018

DG Charley, the production and somatic cell specialist from the esteemed Crimson family, is distinguishing himself with high sons in Germany, Italy and the US....

June 2018

Cows in their 7th, 8th, 10th and even 15th lactation. Protein figures of close to 4%, and even above. Impossible? Certainly not! Within the 90-head...

June 2018

US Route 20 is one of the longest highways in the entire US, which stretches from Oregon at the Pacific Ocean to Massachusetts at the...

June 2018

In terms of milk production, California is still America’s nr.1 state, and within California the most milk is produced in Tulare county. HI’s destination in...

June 2018

There are not many barns in Germany that enjoy a comparable international reputation. Martin Ruebesam, the breeder behind the Wiesenfeld prefix, was possessed by breeding....

June 2018

In Stuhr, close to the northern German city of Bremen, GHH Talent Marie owned by Frank and Frederike Kastens recently became the first German Red...

June 2018

Owner RUW is very clear about their Epochal: ‘A type transmitter with superior quality.’ The German breeding company does not say this easily. The linear...

June 2018

Apart from his sky-high genomic values and the fact that he is the Nr.2 gTPI and Nr.1 NM$ sire ($1074), what else do you know...

June 2018

Due to a gain of no less than nine points, Hurion Isy (184 ISU) is reigning supreme on the French index ranking since April. Lots...

May 2018

Average daily milk production per robot for all Lely milking robots world-wide reaches 1628 kg, while the top farm is now above 3000 kg! ‘The...

May 2018

In August 2011, the Nordic Total Merit (NTM) index – used in Denmark, Sweden and Finland – became the first total index worldwide to include...

May 2018

Washington State on the the US Pacific coast is the Nr.10 dairy state of the US and the Nr.4 for average cow production. It’s a...

May 2018

Ralma Juror Faith – the name certainly has a magical ring. Faith is undoubtedly one of the most famous brood cows in the Holstein breed....

May 2018

Nestled alongside the River Torrent in the south-east of County Tyrone in Northern Ireland, 5km (3 miles) northwest of Dungannon, lies Donaghmore. With a population...

May 2018

Sunnyside has been a prominent name in Holstein breeding in Wisconsin for almost 100 years. Their deep, home-bred cow families have contributed a solid foundation...

May 2018

With 32,937 first services, WEH Beatstick was Germany’s most used sire in 2017. In December, the equally intensively used Acapulco led the list of Atwood...

May 2018

First Valsie, then Vedette and the great Valana… Ferme Jacobs’ “V” family has produced many show-ring headliners. But do you know about the family’s deep...

May 2018

This story could have gone differently. And maybe we would not have heard about it if Kirsten and Heike Kemmerling had actually given up their...

May 2018

Every Canadian Holstein with 20 stars to her name has attained a formidable breeding achievement. That is certainly the case for Hendercroft Lheros Gumball EX-96....

May 2018

In 2011, HI started its annual publication of notable outcross bulls. In October 2011, Va-Early-Dawn Sudan became HI’s first “Outcross Sire of the Year”. Today...

April 2018

Rarely do cow families compete at the top level in the show ring for more than a generation or two. However, this past show season...

April 2018

Located around 120 miles (200km) north of Halifax in Nova Scotia and 370 miles (600km) east of Quebec City lies the Canadian province, Prince Edward...

April 2018

Cees de Jong, the breeder at VOF Jongsteins in the Netherlands, has a passion for Holsteins. He likes to praise the progress made by the...

April 2018

Several months ago, when the Swiss herdbook held its SwissCow Convention at the farm of Alex Gobeli, it was a sign. The event, at which...

April 2018

Grand Champion at the Royal last fall and Intermediate Champion in 2015, Co-Vale Dempsy Dina is one of the superstars of the show scene in...

April 2018

It was the largest investment that Florian Grosse Honebrink ever made in a calf. It was not an easy decision for the young breeder, but...

April 2018

And who do we find here at the top? At the peak of this Swiss mountain, between Neuchatel and the border with France? Here we...

April 2018

She was four years old, the white Tommily du Tombuy, when we paid a visit 11 years ago to the French Tombuy herd. Not only...

April 2018

High production, sale topping prices and a long list of breed leading AI sires… The accomplishments of Unique-Style Bolton Money make extremely impressive reading. Read...

April 2018

‘I saw a photo of Crescentmead Shottle Empress VG-86 in a herd dispersal advert. She was my kind of cow: tall, wide, long from end...

April 2018

In the long list of Monterey sons, Vogue Leap Year stands out for type: +3.35 on the American base, +11 on the Canadian base. Not...

April 2018

Will the McCutchen-sons be better than their sire for type? To help you decide, here we bring you details of McCutchen’s highest ranking daughter-proven son:...

April 2018

When Boldi-V Gymnast, the Doorsopen son from the Albany branch of the Atlees, got his first genomic breeding values at the end of 2016, he...

April 2018

Tim Abbott, the former owner of St. Jacobs ABC, preferred to use bull dams that were tremendous individuals from families with several generations of proven...

March 2018

There are a large number of farms in Germany that could be put into the same category as Grunewald-Olbing GbR. High-value herds that don’t enjoy...

March 2018

Against recommendations, the new dairy barn at Alfalawn Farm is furnished with large fans on the south side and is fully open on the north...

March 2018

Leading Canadian herds host many visitors, especially international tour groups attending the Royal each fall. One stop that creates a sparkling impression is the brand...

March 2018

From 2003 to 2007, Regancrest Elton Durham was Premier Sire at the World Dairy Expo for five successive years. One of his daughters that successfully...

March 2018

The huge French Gold Chip daughter Hermine Tual is not only well-known for being a show cow, she also comes from a strong family with...

March 2018

$1.15 million… Sure, Lylehaven Lila Z was a huge investment. But as our global overview highlights here, her impact on the breed is as big...

March 2018

For more than 25 years the Southwind Saturday family has been sending bulls to AI. Even today, a Canadian branch of the family, head-quartered at...

March 2018

If you haven’t heard of the 3-time Global Cow of the Year nominee, Miss OCD Rbst Delicious… Frankly, where have you been? A cow that...

March 2018

The Northern Irish Hilltara herd first became famous thanks to Medway Supreme Maude EX-97. The herd owned by the McCormick family contains more remarkable families...

March 2018

There are currently four heifer calves dominating the top-list in the USA with official breeding values of more than 3000 gTPI. In order, they are...

March 2018

It is not surprising that the influence of the milky Bacon-Hill Montross continues to increase. Elsewhere on this page we highlight his Italian son VanHalen,...

March 2018

‘Maybe,’ explains Rick VerBeek of Select Sires, ‘one should consider his good but not overwhelming production numbers when pairing him, but otherwise we are talking...

March 2018

Based on his attractive DNA figures and pedigree, at a young age already, Inseme sold 50,000 doses of Chapeau semen. The high Italian Mogul son...

February 2018

Whether or not to use dry cow treatment, housing in one or two groups, a dry period of six weeks or is eight weeks better?...

February 2018

‘The changes adopted by Holstein USA to reduce the prejudice against small cows has been received by us with applause.’ Dan Weigel, who together with...

February 2018

Just any three cows on pasture in the north German region of Oost-Friesland? Thrice no! These three cows are clearly super-producers, all three are members...

February 2018

When the December HI was sent to thousands of breeders around the world two months ago with the World Champion Poster 2017, there were likely...

February 2018

When the Holstein Association recently announced the winners of its Progressive Genetics Herd awards for 2017, the herd with the highest average TPI in the...

February 2018

Just less than two years ago, full brothers Gandy Valverde and Warren broke through on the Italian progeny proven top list. Sons of Goldday out...

February 2018

At the beginning of the decade, GBM Annabell, a granddaughter of GBM Blackstar Jean, made headlines in North America with unbelievable results from flushing and...

February 2018

Over the last 30 years, 10 generations of the Ladys-Manor Jem family have sent bulls to AI. Such family products as Winchester, Wildman, Marbach, Shamrock,...

February 2018

Several of his daughters and granddaughters are among the most distinguished brood cows in Canada. In addition, his name shines in the pedigrees of world...

February 2018

No, the Nr.1 female in Australia is not a young calf by a hot genomic sire. It is 3rd lactation Glomar Lucky 4319 VG-87 (394...

February 2018

One can still find them, those genomic outliers from unfamiliar herds, unfamiliar families and unusual sire stacks. Eleven-month-old Bertoni Holsteins Grana is exactly such an...

February 2018

He is Nr.2 among the highest available black & white Dutch sires for type (see table): Lowlands Debark, owned by CRV. The DNA tested Danno...

February 2018

Usually in today’s genomic world, as a female ages the attention of her breeding potential is refocussed to the next generation. Luckily for Canada’s new...

January 2018

Clear-Echo Ramo 1200 EX-94 has been a finalist in the Global Cow competition, and she is the icon of a family that is making its...

January 2018

In late 2017, the German RBB Show was won by Manchester, a Holstein cow in her 10th lactation with 100,000 kg to her credit. In...

January 2018

After her unexpected victory at Madison 2016 she became the Holstein talk of the day, world-wide: Sheeknoll Durham Arrow, alias “Thomas”. But the EX-96 Durham...

January 2018

ZAO Niva is taking advantage of the highly-productive Holstein cows at its farm in Samara Oblast, Russia. Now there are plans for a major business...

January 2018

Strong cow families are the basis behind the success of many top breeders around the world. Working with maternal lines that transmit with a high...

January 2018

The Dutch Froukje family – synonymous with high components and type – is recognised worldwide. Whilst it is still an integral part of the Essen...

January 2018

Maryland, USA: Since the 1950s it’s been home to the Savage-Leigh herd’s “Licorice” family. First making major headlines in the 1990s with the Gold Medal...

January 2018

‘During daily tasks, she never stands out, then you don’t notice her. But if you walk through the barn, or look through the list of...

January 2018

As the sire of the new world champion for production, MS Atlees Aftershock continues to be in the spotlights. But also without the world record...

January 2018

For enthusiasts of race horses, the name “Chip” is world famous. At one point, Pine Chip was the world’s fastest trotter. He celebrated tremendous successes...

January 2018

Goldwyn was one of those “once in a lifetime” type of bulls in the way that he dominated show-rings around the world like no other...

January 2018

When he was just starting out as a dairy farmer, Marcel Heylen, in Geel, Belgium, had a number of wishes. One of them was breeding...

January 2018

Are you looking for outcross? Sires from deep cow families with several lactations, longevity and proven type? And DNA figures are less important to you?...

January 2018

‘Lightstar made a fantastic debut in December by jumping straight to Nr.2 for our total index with 163 gRZG,’ explains Torsten Lenk from Masterrind. ‘He...

January 2018

Besides Julandy in Germany, the Julia family from the Dutch Werler breeding herd also has an extremely popular transmitter in its home country, namely Jotani....

December 2017

Whether you are thinking about enhancing your existing barn or building a new one –integrating milk-boosting tools will most likely be an advantageous goal. Here...

December 2017

In France, hardly any prefixes are used. That is unfortunate, because while in North America successful breeders can be identified via their prefixes, in France...

December 2017

Last April, HI published an article about the deep F family at Melarry, and now – eight months later – the breeding enterprise from Minnesota...

December 2017

We apologise! 11 generations of family farming, a large herd, breed-leading genomics and top type animals… There’s simply too much to write about Oakfield Corners...

December 2017

You’ve probably already heard the name of this Meridian daughter. She is famous for her show results and her fantastic udder. But do you know...

December 2017

Breeders regularly combine their best Holsteins with RC and Red Holstein sires in the hope of creating attractive breeding material for red & whites. However,...

December 2017

Finley was the biggest name to come from the Fiona family – he was the bull that put the Opsal herd on the international Holstein...

December 2017

The Debutante Raes, Lana Raes, Perk Raes and Cinderellas; all these successful breeding lines have proceeded from Hanoverhill Tony Rae EX-96. Right now, a prominent...

December 2017

There are 17 star-brood cows from the Dolly family in the British Kirkblythe herd. Born in 1991, the greatest is its founding member Kirkblythe Leadman...

December 2017

His full-sister SPH Yelena VG-89, about whom you can read more in this issue, is the topic of conversation in the German breeding scene this...

December 2017

Do you know who is among the most sold sires at World-Wide Sires? Mapel Wood Brewmaster! The now 7-year-old Canadian is very popular world-wide, explains...

December 2017

With Montross, the American brood cow Unique-Style Bolton Money EX-93 provided the most influential Mogul son. In combination with Mogul, Money also provided a second...

December 2017

In HI’s November issue, you could read about the selection of Marathon as the 2017 Outcross Sire. Notable: his half-brother Moyrath also ended up deservingly...

December 2017

Ideal Dairy Farms (1,900 cows) in New York is the home of several excellent cow families. Well-known examples are the EX-94 Bookem daughter Quiet-Brook-D Babybrook...

November 2017

The highest DNA bull with an AI code (Bomaz Skywalker, 2961 gTPI) and 14 female Holsteins in the top-200 for Net Merit; the Bomaz prefix...

November 2017

The San Joaquin Valley in California is 300 miles long and 100 miles wide and is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the...

November 2017

A passion for deep pedigrees and good cows has driven the Hazeleger family to create an interesting operational strategy. A number of the world’s finest...

November 2017

No, Clemens Eilmans is not a star of the scene. He is not a celebrated exhibitor at shows, not a successful seller at one of...

November 2017

Olmar has been one of the top breeder herds of Minnesota for almost 60 years. For most of that time, different branches of the one...

November 2017

With 130 RZG based on nearly 28,000 daughters, Guarini is the very highest of several dozens of German Goldwyn sons. Thanks to the strong maternal...

November 2017

In June 2003 HI reported about the Hidden-View Lead Becca cow family and in October 2003 we wrote about a headline daughter-proven sire that had...

November 2017

Five years ago the arrival of the high-type red bull Tiger-Lily Ladd-P focused attention on the Lulu family at Marshman Farms in New York. Via...

November 2017

With 3 sons on the TPI and LPI top-lists, along with 5 grand-sons and great grand-sons on the genomic top-lists in the US and Germany,...

November 2017

Germany’s highest indexing Holstein calf – no less than 169 gRZM – is owned by the Giesmann family and is a daughter of the cow...

November 2017

He is still young, only born at the end of June 2016. Furthermore, he is the Nr.6 of all French sires on the overall gISU...

November 2017

With 13 sons in the top 20 on the current TPI list in the US, Mogul is the dominant force in the breed right now....

November 2017

‘Achiever offers a wonderful combination of traits that are interesting today: medium stature (-0.24 stature), high components (952lb milk, +.30%F, +.06%P), great fitness (2.4 DPR,...

November 2017

Whoever has followed Holstein history over the last 40 years knows that the requirements of modern sires changes with time. Certain traits become more important...

November 2017

Since his debut in the French DNA top-3 – in April 2014 – Hammig Isy has been among the most used bulls at the French...

October 2017

For more than 100 years, the Baker family has been farming at Star-Summit, a property located on the highest point of Kent County in south-western...

October 2017

Although they share the same island, the “Republic of Ireland” and “Northern Ireland” are separate countries. Northern Ireland links with England, Scotland and Wales to...

October 2017

Exactly 10 years ago, HI published a farm report about Big Holsteins. At the time, the herd owned by the Knoef family had provided thirty...

October 2017

The well-managed 425-cow operation at Selz-Pralle Dairy in Wisconsin achieves extreme production from high-type cows with well-attached udders that are built to last. A branch...

October 2017

Widely regarded as one of the best Outside daughters, Ronelee Outside Dabble EX-91 had 17 sons go to AI in North America with the two...

October 2017

During the height of her show career Silvermaple Damion Camomile commanded a 6-figure price tag at public auction. Was she worth the investment? Find out...

October 2017

Do you like stories about very special cows? The ones that have something different than their paternal sisters? If you do, you should enjoy the...

October 2017

She is the first cow in Quebec’s history to complete 3 generations of 94/95 dams and is regarded as the best cow the Master Breeder...

October 2017

This will be the 4th time HI has focused on 3-year-old Battlecry, the last time was in March earlier this year when he was featured...

October 2017

Jameson ranks at Nr.4 on the list in Germany, and is one of 7 in the top-10 that are out of Balisto dams. His mother...

October 2017

The wait is finally over! Seagull-Bay Silver, the former gTPI headliner, has made his greatly anticipated daughter-proven debut. How did he fare? Find out here!

October 2017

He remains in the news, Garioni VanHalen, and there are many reasons. His career began in April 2016 when he immediately captured third place in...

October 2017

At first it was his many good daughters, that fresh in milk, gave high expectations. Then in April followed his debut on daughter-proven basis and...

October 2017

Bubba proves that we can’t always predict where the next breed-leading sire will be. Although the Jedi-son has 74 maternal siblings, with his score of...

October 2017

Mogul now has 8 sons in the top-10 on the official TPI daughter-proven sire list. Sitting at Nr.4 with 2723 TPI – and the leader...

September 2017

Do you know the story behind the semen millionaire Roylane Jordan? Or that of the genomic superstar Roylane Socra Robust? Or the story behind the...

September 2017

With the name Ptit Coeur, you likely think of the magnificent Red Holstein cow Kalinka: Tremendous in the show ring, but also tremendous for longevity....

September 2017

Undoubtedly you read about it in HI’s July issue: at Siemers Holsteins in Wisconsin, no less than 390 cows have passed the milestone of 100,000kg...

September 2017

With the latest proof round, Josuper added milking daughters pushing up his production numbers by over 500lb. of milk, making him the most extreme production...

September 2017

Nightsky is the highest son available so far from the former Nr.1 gTPI female, Nightout. Nightout is one of the Uno daughters of Miss OCD...

September 2017

The name Pine-Tree is synonymous with the Rudolph Missy family. Bulls such as Supersire, Mogul, Balisto – the most dominant bulls of the genomic era...

September 2017

Seldom is a Holstein buried on a farm. An exception is Havenvalley Zweetie. Even more remarkable: Larry Dykstra buried the Gibson daughter on his property...

September 2017

The Princess family, belonging to Hilrose Holsteins in America, has been in this award-winning herd for nearly 30 years. Much of the herd’s success can...

September 2017

Developed in the western US, discovered in France and now successful in the far northern part of Germany. In short, this is the story of...

August 2017

The Nooyen family’s stringent breeding strategy has elevated their herd to a breed-leading level. Reason why their accomplishments and statistics are extremely impressive. Find out...

August 2017

That attention to the individual and personalized matings can coexist well with a large herd is clearly affirmed by Green Meadow Farms in Michigan. On...

August 2017

Beautiful cows with beautiful pedigrees: That’s what you will find in the Liddleholme barn in New York. There’s a sense of discovery as you wait...

August 2017

To be honest, this report is long overdue. However, we now have the perfect reason to present Loh-An Holsteins to you, which is Loh Lilli...

August 2017

With 2494 TPI, Mogul is still nr.26 in the US. His index is now based on more than 17,000 daughters, with 72% of them on...

August 2017

The full brothers Topsy and Balisto now sit at Nr.12 and Nr.19 on the daughter-proven TPI top-100 in the US. However, Topsy had no sons...

August 2017

Last month we wrote about the “comeback” of progeny proven sires; in more and more countries, they are able to get closer to the DNA...

August 2017

Lencome is a “talk of the town” sire in France, combining high index, type and a top-class pedigree. Since the Capital Gain-son became available in...

August 2017

Want to know more about the top conformation Uno-son who carries his sire’s key qualities, but unlike Uno, he transmits ample milk? Read all about...

August 2017

One of these busy mornings when you are lamenting the fact that you have so many calves to feed, spare a thought for Ty Fullmer...

August 2017

Selection emphasis on fitness traits over the last 15 years has arrested the declining genetic merit for health in the dairy cow that had developed...

August 2017

Recently, Holstein International reported about the top management of three herds that reached record numbers of 100,000kg-220,000lb cows (HI 06/2017: Sandisfarne, Kellercrest & Iden). But:...

August 2017

Tricia is a Rudolph daughter whose descendants have put the Lars-Acres prefix on the map when it comes to successful bulls in AI. They were...

August 2017

Since the beginning of this century, longevity is playing a more prominent role in Holstein breeding. In the Ronbeth herd of the Warner family in...

August 2017

With the May release, Weelder Esmonique 38, a G-Force daughter owned by the Dutch Van de Kamp family provided 2 sons in the Dutch gNVI...

August 2017

Clearly, it was a special picture with a special cow that lured us to the farm of Clemens Eilmans in the town of Kevelaer in...

August 2017

On the Gandy dairy farm owned by the Gandolfi family in the northern Italian province of Mantova, the percentages of fat and protein, as well...

August 2017

We last reported on the Dragonfly family in April 2012. Since then the family has been spreading its wings and is now supplying some exciting...

July 2017

“New Italian Bertaiola Family Accelerates in the Netherlands”: In January 2013, that was the title of HI’s article about 2 full sisters of the Italian...

July 2017

It’s hard to ignore that kind of consistent transmitting power – 7 generations of Gold Medal Dams. ‘This family makes cows that show up to...

July 2017

Younger HI-readers may not remember the 2005 Madison Grand Champion, Budjon Redmarker Desire EX-96. However her achievements out of the show-ring will certainly earn her...

July 2017

Many national Herd-Book organizations award the “Cow of the Year” title to the most accomplished cow in their country. In New Zealand that award is...

July 2017

He was in the right place and the right time. The black, silky-hided Goldwyn yearling that walked into the sale ring at the 2008 Maryland...

July 2017

A powerful cow that ranked among the highest Massey daughters worldwide, Pompey has gone on to make her mark in two different sectors of the...

July 2017

When the two friends and neighbours David McAfee (Glamour) and Morell McCollum (Boghill) started their partnership 5 years ago, the goal was to build one...

July 2017

Bosdale is highly regarded on the international scene as one of the high type herds of Canada, but did you know that as of their...

July 2017

Dueholm, the family farm of Martin and Ann Rasmussen in the northern Danish Skive, has developed since 2004 into the home of international cow families....

July 2017

Do you still remember him: Willow-Marsh Gabor, the powerful milk, fitness and width bull that was extremely popular for years? Sales of his semen exceeded...

July 2017

‘Nothing is worse than waking up to an ugly cow.’ Those were the words of Jack Miller in 1991, when he shared his breeding goals....

July 2017

It is amazing how breeding and trait selection can transform and alter a breed.In Holsteins, over the decades we have seen alterations in size, fertility,...

June 2017

Extreme 5-figure prices and show wins across North America have boosted the profile of Wendon’s Divine family this spring. And with many intriguing offspring coming...

June 2017

Keylas Sid Roxanna EX-93 recently won the Ontario Spring Show. The daughter of Keylas Roxanne VG-85 (Atlas-Aeroline-Lindy-Starbuck) was discovered by Rob Eby (Pleasant Nook Farm)....

June 2017

Their history as an independent breed is relatively short, and for a long-time Holsteins had little chance in Austria against the dominance of Fleckvieh and...

June 2017

He stood patiently waiting for the train as it entered the station in Pine Island. His son Lloyd was returning home from University… bringing with...

June 2017

You may have seen the “Vogue” name before… You may even know some of the animals in their eclectic portfolio – but do you know...

June 2017

The combination of good genetics and good feed should lead to a high producing herd. However, seeing to all the smaller details that create an...

May 2017

At the 2016 US National Holstein Convention, Joe Loehr was honoured as the National Distinguished Young Breeder of the Year. Some months later he received...

March 2017

Can fertility be improved through breeding? Or is it simply down to management? Here we investigate the impact you can make by selecting for fertility.

January 2017

Did you know that 20% of semen sold in Norway is in the form of SpermVital? It’s a technology that prolongs the life of sperm...

December 2016

Heat detection is an important aspect of fertility management. In the past, it primarily involved visual observations, whether or not supported by tail chalking. In...