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Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Bullvine podcast.

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I'm your host, Bella, and I'm joined today by my co-host, Douglas.

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We've got an absolutely fascinating episode lined up for you today about a Holstein cow

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that quite literally changed the global dairy landscape.

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That's right, Bella.

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Today we're diving into the extraordinary story of Day Crow saws iron, O'Colly Bra,

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a Swiss bred Holstein who shattered preconceptions about European dairy cattle and rose to become

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Holstein International's all-time world champion.

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If you breed Holsteins or just appreciate exceptional dairy cattle, you won't want to

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miss this one.

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I'm particularly excited about this episode because O'Collibre's story challenges so

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many assumptions in our industry.

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For decades, we've thought of North America as the epicenter of Holstein excellence, with

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Madison's colored shavings and Toronto's royal winterfair as the ultimate proving grounds.

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But O'Collibre rewrote that narrative, didn't she, Douglas?

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She absolutely did, Bella.

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And what makes this story even more remarkable is that O'Collibre never even set foot on

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North American soil, yet she earned global recognition that surpassed even the most celebrated

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North American champions.

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Her impact continues today through her descendants winning major shows worldwide.

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It's a story about exceptional genetics, visionary breeding, and breaking geographical boundaries.

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Well, I can't wait to dive into this fascinating journey.

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Let's get started.

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Douglas, let's start at the beginning.

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When and where was O'Collibre born, and what was special about her pedigree?

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O'Collibre was born on September 4th, 2008 in Switzerland, bred by Freddie Decraçaz and

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his sons.

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Her pedigree was carefully constructed, sired by Boss Iron, with her dam being an excellent

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92E integrity daughter, followed by a very good 89 milestone.

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What's interesting is that while this is certainly a good pedigree, it wasn't necessarily

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what you'd call a royal pedigree at the time.

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It just goes to show that sometimes exceptional animals can emerge from thoughtful, strategic

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breeding rather than just combining the most fashionable bloodlines.

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That's fascinating.

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Were there any early indications that she was special or did that become apparent later

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in her development?

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You know Bella, with truly great cows, there's often something that catches the eye even

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early on.

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With O'Collibre, she developed that rare combination of dairy strength and refinement that makes

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a cow stand out.

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According to those who saw her develop, she displayed exceptional width of frame, dairy

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character and that distinctive silky, nearly translucent hide quality that would become

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her trademark.

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At what point did people outside the Decraçaz family start to take notice of her?

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Edwin Steiner of GS Alliance had that critical, good eye that great cattle people possess.

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He purchased O'Collibre when she was almost dry as a two-year-old, recognizing her potential

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before many others did.

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Later, when she was a fresh four-year-old showing her true magnificence, American Pat

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Conroy from Indiana acquired a share in this emerging superstar.

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That's quite the international partnership.

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Did Pat Conroy ever share what initially caught his eye about O'Collibre?

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Indeed he did.

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That was quoted saying, what caught our attention was her massive frame, wide chest and high

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quality udder.

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She was the kind of cow that could look after herself and never had a bad day.

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In addition to that, she milked like crazy.

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That combination of functional traits and dairy character would prove crucial to her

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longevity and success both in and out of the show ring.

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It's interesting how he mentioned both her confirmation and her production abilities.

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But balance seems to be a recurring theme in her story.

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Absolutely Bella.

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If I could sum up what made O'Collibre so special in one word, it would be balance.

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She wasn't just extreme in one area at the expense of others.

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She excelled across the board.

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And that's what makes a truly great cow, regardless of where she's born or shown.

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And so, let's talk about O'Collibre's show career.

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When did she first start making waves in the show ring?

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O'Collibre's competitive career began in earnest in 2011.

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That year she claimed honorable mention champion and reserve best uddered cow at Swiss Expo

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in Lausanne, one of Europe's premier dairy cattle shows.

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That same year she continued building her reputation by securing reserve grand champion

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at Expo Bull.

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Those are impressive accomplishments, but I understand her biggest wins came later.

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Yes, 2012 is when O'Collibre truly arrived on the international stage.

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She returned to Swiss Expo and claimed the supreme champion title.

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But what's truly remarkable is that she wasn't a one hit wonder.

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She came back in 2013 and defended her crown, again being named supreme champion at Swiss

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Expo.

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She would later secure this prestigious title a third time in 2015, establishing an unprecedented

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record of excellence at one of Europe's premier dairy events.

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Three supreme champion titles at Swiss Expo is extraordinary, but her influence extended

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beyond Switzerland, didn't it?

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Absolutely.

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In 2013, O'Collibre competed at the All-European Holstein show in Freiburg.

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This is where the finest Holsteins from across the continent gather and the competition is

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incredibly stiff.

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Once this elite field, O'Collibre stood supreme, being crowned champion in what observers described

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as one of the finest displays of black and white cattle ever gathered at one location.

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That's when the global dairy community really started taking notice, right?

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What was the reaction from North American breeders and judges?

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It sparked quite the international conversation, Bella.

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Many North American experts confidently stated that she should walk on the colored shavings

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at Madison and give the North American cattle a run for their money.

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That's high praise coming from people who've seen the best of the best at World Dairy Expo.

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Though she never crossed the Atlantic to compete, her reputation certainly did.

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Why didn't she ever compete in North America?

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Was there a specific reason?

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Great question.

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There are several factors that make international cattle transport challenging.

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Logistical complexities, quarantine requirements, health certificates, and significant costs.

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Plus, there's always risk involved in shipping a valuable animal such long distances.

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Her owners likely weighed these considerations and decided her European show career was sufficient

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to establish her legacy.

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And history proved them right.

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She didn't need to compete in North America to be recognized globally.

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What do you think made her so successful in the show ring?

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What were judges consistently commenting on?

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Judges were consistently impressed by three main attributes.

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First, her dairy strength, that exceptional combination of openness, angularity, and power

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that defines elite dairy cattle.

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Second, her mammary system, perfectly balanced with exceptional fore and rear attachments.

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And third, that incredible hide quality, silky and almost translucent, which is something

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that can't be manufactured but signals exceptional dairy quality.

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But beyond these physical traits, she had that indefinable presence that makes a champion.

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When she entered the ring, people noticed.

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That's something you can't really measure or classify.

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It's just there with truly special animals.

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Let's talk about classification, Douglas.

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I understand Okalibra achieved some remarkable scores.

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She sure did, Bella.

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Okalibra became Switzerland's first cow ever classified, Excellent 97, which is an extraordinary

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achievement that places her among an elite group of Holsteins worldwide.

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To put this into perspective, only a handful of cows globally achieve this near perfect

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score in any given year, making it a hallmark of confirmation excellence.

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For listeners who might not be as familiar with the classification system, can you explain

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why an Excellent 97 score is so significant?

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Certainly the classification system evaluates cows on a range of traits that contribute

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to functional type, mammary system, feet and legs, dairy character, and frame.

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The score ranges from poor to excellent with numerical values assigned within each category.

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Excellent scores start at 90 and anything 95 or above is considered truly exceptional.

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An Excellent 97 score means the cow is approaching perfection and confirmation.

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Classifiers are extremely conservative with scores at this level as they represent the

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absolute pinnacle of the breed.

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For context, in many countries, only a handful of cows, sometimes zero, reach EX-97 in a

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given year out of tens of thousands classified.

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So for Okalibra to be the first in Switzerland to achieve this score speaks volumes about

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her exceptional quality.

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That really helps put it in perspective.

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And I imagine her classification wasn't just about aesthetics, right?

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These scores reflect functional traits that contribute to longevity and productivity.

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That's exactly right Bella.

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Her classification wasn't just about looking pretty.

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It reflected structural attributes that contributed to her functionality and longevity.

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This harmony between beauty and utility represents the ultimate goal of Holstein breeding.

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Skills that excel in both the show ring and the milk parlor.

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Take her mammary system, for example.

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The exceptional attachment scores she received.

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Strong fore attachment, impressive rear udder height, and exceptional rear udder width.

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These aren't just about show ring success.

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They contribute to longevity, reduced risk of injury, and sustained production over multiple

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lactations.

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Were there specific trade evaluations where she really stood out?

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According to her linear evaluation data, Okalibra demonstrated positive scores for dairy form,

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indicating her openness of rib and angularity characteristic of high producing dairy animals.

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Her thorough width received an exceptional score, demonstrating remarkable width through

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her pelvic region that facilitated calving ease and overall structural stability.

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But her mammary system was perhaps her most exceptional feature.

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The teats were ideally placed with both fore and rear teat placement receiving positive

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scores indicating centralized positioning beneath each quarter that optimized milking

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efficiency and reduced injury risk.

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So her classification excellence directly translated to her productive life and her

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ability to remain in the herd for many lactations.

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Absolutely Bella.

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And that's the key takeaway for breeders listening to this podcast.

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Production isn't just about winning in the show ring.

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It's about identifying animals with functional traits that promote longevity, health, and

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productivity.

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Okalibra embodied that principle perfectly.

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Speaking of productivity, let's talk about Okalibra's production records.

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Sometimes exceptional show cows don't always excel in the milk parlor.

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Was that the case with Okalibra?

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Not at all Bella.

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What made Okalibra truly special was that her show ring accomplishments were matched by her

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production capabilities.

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First calving at two years and two months, she produced a respectable 9,166 kilograms

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of milk with 3.6% fat and 3.3% protein in 305 days.

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And did her production improve as she matured?

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It certainly did.

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Her peak performance came as a four year old when she produced 14,247 kilograms with 4.0

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percent fat and 2.9 percent protein in a 305 day lactation.

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That's over 31,000 pounds of milk in a single lactation, which is exceptional by any standard.

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Was production excellence something that ran in her family?

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Yes, it was actually a family trait.

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Her dam produced 13,372 kilograms as a four year old while her grandam recorded 14,217

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kilograms as a seven year old.

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These production records demonstrate the depth of genetic potential in Okalibra's lineage.

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Great cows come from great cows.

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That's a principle that holds true generation after generation.

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What about her lifetime production?

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Do we have those figures?

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We do and they're remarkable.

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Over her lifetime, Okalibra accumulated an astounding production total of 94,000 kilograms.

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That's 206,800 pounds of milk with considerable components.

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This exceptional lifetime yield places her among elite producing cows globally and underscores

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how show winning type and high production can coexist in the same animal.

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That's truly impressive.

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It seems like Okalibra really embodied the ideal of form following function.

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Her beautiful conformation directly supported her outstanding production.

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That's a great way to put it Bella.

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In the dairy industry, we sometimes create false dichotomies, show type versus commercial

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functionality, beauty versus production.

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But the truly exceptional animals like Okalibra remind us that with the right genetics and

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management, one cow can excel in both areas.

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I've seen too many breeders chase extremes in one direction or the other, either focusing

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entirely on show type at the expense of production or maximizing production while ignoring functional

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conformation.

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Okalibra represents the ideal balance, exceptional in the show ring and the milk parlor.

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It sounds like there's a valuable lesson there for breeders.

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Balance should be the goal rather than extremes.

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Absolutely.

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Pat Conroy said it best when discussing Okalibra.

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Cows that have some power and strength, yet are still dairy, will ultimately outlast and

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outmilk the high style younger cows that seem to be one hit wonders.

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I think that iron Okalibra is one example that proves this fact to be true.

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You know, Veal, let's talk about Okalibra's genetic impact.

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How has her influence spread throughout the Holstein population?

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Okalibra's lasting legacy extends through her offspring, which have influenced Holstein

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populations worldwide.

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Her sons have been particularly impactful with several entering artificial insemination programs.

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Notable among these are her red-destry son, Okalif, and her Akmi son, Okalibra, both acquired

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by Swiss genetics.

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And have these sons proven successful as sires?

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Her son from Akmi, Okalibra, became particularly influential as a sire of show-winning daughters.

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He was the number one daughter proven type bull in Switzerland with a 134 ITP.

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His daughters include some truly exceptional animals that have continued the family's

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show ring dominance.

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Are there any specific daughters or granddaughters that have made a significant impact?

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One of the most notable is Urbacrez Snapple Shakira, a granddaughter through Okalibra

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who captured junior two-year-old at the Royal Winter Fair in 2017 and later developed into

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an excellent 97 II e-cow.

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Shakira went on to claim supreme champion honors at World Dairy Expo, proving that Okalibra's

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genetic excellence transmits reliably through generations.

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Other notable descendants include Lee Matters V. Calamerra, who was first senior two-year-old

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and honorable mention intermediate champion at Swiss Expo 2018, GS Alliance Sid Okamila

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RC Excellent 90, GS Alliance Okisha RC Excellent 91, and GS Alliance knowledge Okatanga Excellent

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92.

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It's fascinating how one exceptional cow can have such far-reaching impact through

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her offspring.

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Are there more recent examples of her descendants making an impact?

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Absolutely Bella.

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As recently as 2025, her descendants have been dominating major shows.

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At the Schauder Best in 2025, one of Germany's premier dairy shows, Okati captured both intermediate

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champion and grand champion titles.

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Okati is a three-year-old Stanton's chief daughter, and this victory follows her junior

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champion win at the same event in 2024, and the success didn't stop there.

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At that same show, Wilkor Awesome Okalata Red secured the senior champion title.

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Okalata Red is actually a full sister to Okatizdam Okamera, further cementing the strength of

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this genetic line.

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That's remarkable.

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Winners in multiple age categories all tracing back to Okalibra.

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Can you trace that lineage for our listeners?

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Finally Okatizdam is Wilkor Awesome Okamera RC Excellent 90, who was second-placed junior

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three-year-old at the German Dairy Show in 2019.

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Okamera's dam is GS Alliance Sid Okamila RC Excellent 90, and Okamila's dam is none

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other than Dekrasaz Iron Okalibra Excellent 97.

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So Okatizdam is actually Okalibra's great-granddaughter.

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The fact that this influence continues so strongly, three generations later, speaks volumes about

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how prepitant Okalibra was as a brood cow.

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And that's really the ultimate test of a great cow.

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Can she reliably pass her exceptional qualities to future generations?

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Okalibra has answered that question with a resounding yes.

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Trenching, let's talk about Okalibra's place in history.

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How has she been recognized on a global scale?

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Okalibra's achievements received the ultimate global recognition when Holstein International

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named her a world champion not once, but twice during her lifetime, in 2013 and 2015.

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This placed her in extremely rare company, as very few cows achieved this honor multiple

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times.

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But the crowning achievement came posthumously in 2021, when Holstein International conducted

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a special competition to name the all-time world champion.

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Okalibra was ultimately selected for this honor, cementing her place as one of history's

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greatest Holsteins.

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What kind of competition did she face for that all-time world champion title?

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She was up against some legendary competition, Bella.

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The final showdown included Okalibra, RF Goldwyn Haley from Canada, and Thru Lane James Rose.

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Both Haley and Rose are iconic North American champions, who, like Okalibra, had each earned

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multiple world champion titles during their careers.

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What makes this particularly significant is that Okalibra, a European cow, prevailed over

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these North American legends in a global competition.

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This outcome would have been almost unthinkable just a decade or two earlier, when North American

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Holsteins were generally considered superior to their European counterparts.

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That really seems to mark a shift in the global dairy landscape.

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What do you think contributed to this change?

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I think several factors have contributed to this evolution.

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First, there's been tremendous improvement in European Holstein breeding programs, with

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more emphasis on cow families and balanced breeding goals.

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Second, the widespread use of genomics and artificial insemination has democratized genetics.

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Top bloodlines can now be accessed almost anywhere in the world, which has helped level the playing

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field.

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Third, there's been increased knowledge sharing and international cooperation among breeders.

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Goals like Swiss Expo and the All-European Holstein Show have gained international prestige

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and judges routinely work across continents, helping to standardize evaluation criteria.

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Finally, I think there's been a global shift toward more balanced breeding goals, valuing

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cows that excel in both type and production, rather than pushing extremes in either direction.

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European breeding programs have traditionally emphasized this balance, which has served

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them well as global preferences have evolved.

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When did Okolibra pass away, and what were her final achievements?

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Okolibra passed away sometime before September 2018.

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Her final achievements included three Swiss Expo Supreme Championships in 2012, 2013,

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and 2015, European Champion at Freiburg in 2013, two Holstein International World Champion

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titles during her lifetime in 2013 and 2015, and ultimately being crowned all-time world

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champion in 2021.

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She was also named most influential cow of Switzerland in 2013, which recognized not

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just her show ring success, but her broader impact on the breed.

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When you consider her lifetime production of over 206,800 pounds of milk, her classification

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as excellent 97, and her prolific genetic impact through sons and daughters, it's clear

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that Okolibra truly earned her place among the all-time greats.

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Noving.

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As we wrap up our discussion about DeCrosse's iron Okolibra, I'm struck by how this one

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exceptional cow from Switzerland managed to challenge and ultimately change global perceptions

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about Holstein breeding.

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She wasn't just one of Europe's greatest Holsteins.

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She stands among the greatest worldwide regardless of origin.

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That's absolutely right, Bella.

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Okolibra's crowning as Holstein International's all-time world champion in 2021 solidified

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her place among legends like RF Goldwyn Haley and Thru Lane James Rose.

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But more importantly, she proved that exceptional genetics paired with balanced breeding goals

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can produce results that transcend geographical boundaries.

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And her legacy continues to thrive.

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The recent successes of her descendants at shows across Europe and North America demonstrate

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that her genetic influence remains powerful years after her passing.

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It's a testament to how truly prepotent she was as a brewed cow.

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For breeders listening today, Okolibra's story offers valuable lessons.

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First, balanced breeding goals that emphasize both confirmation and production tend to create

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the most lasting impact.

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Second, don't underestimate the power of cow families and consistent breeding philosophies.

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And finally, excellence can emerge from anywhere.

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It's not limited by geography or pedigree.

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In kneeling, we'd love to hear your thoughts about Okolibra or questions about her legacy.

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You can reach out to us through the Bullvine website or on our social media channels.

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And if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the Bullvine podcast and leave us a review.

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It helps other dairy enthusiasts find our content.

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Our next episode will explore emerging trends in genomic selection and how they're reshaping

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breeding decisions worldwide.

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Until then, keep breeding for balance and remember that the next global Holstein legend

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might be taking shape in your barn right now.

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Thank you for listening to the Bullvine podcast.

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I'm Bella, along with Douglas, wishing you successful breeding and healthy herds.

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We'll catch you next time.