WEBVTT 00:00:10.669 --> 00:00:13.349 Hey there bovine listeners and welcome back to 00:00:13.349 --> 00:00:16.449 the podcast It's great to have you tuning in 00:00:16.449 --> 00:00:19.469 today. I've got a story for you And honestly, 00:00:19.489 --> 00:00:21.750 it's one of those tales from Holstein history 00:00:21.750 --> 00:00:23.949 that just gets better every time you hear it 00:00:23.949 --> 00:00:27.050 It's got drama vision a bit of a gamble and a 00:00:27.050 --> 00:00:29.929 legacy that quite frankly, is still walking around 00:00:29.929 --> 00:00:32.869 in our barns today, woven into the very fabric 00:00:32.869 --> 00:00:35.729 of the Holstein breed. We're going back in time, 00:00:35.750 --> 00:00:39.070 way back to the 1950s, to talk about a man who 00:00:39.070 --> 00:00:41.090 many called the Holstein man's Holstein man. 00:00:41.789 --> 00:00:43.909 Say, a breeder whose eye for cattle was legendary, 00:00:44.710 --> 00:00:47.570 whose methods were both revolutionary and grounded 00:00:47.570 --> 00:00:50.229 in common sense, and who built an empire on the 00:00:50.229 --> 00:00:53.890 back of one single, remarkable white cow. I'm 00:00:53.890 --> 00:00:55.950 talking, of course, about Frederick Roy Ormiston. 00:00:56.829 --> 00:00:59.829 Or Roy as everyone knew him in the incredible 00:00:59.829 --> 00:01:03.990 story of Roy Brook Farm. Here it's November 1956. 00:01:04.810 --> 00:01:06.769 The air is crisp but specific kind of chilly 00:01:06.769 --> 00:01:08.450 you get at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. 00:01:08.950 --> 00:01:12.129 Inside the Coliseum, the lights are bright, the 00:01:12.129 --> 00:01:14.349 smell of livestock and tambour king's heavy, 00:01:14.590 --> 00:01:16.549 and there's that buzz of anticipation that always 00:01:16.549 --> 00:01:19.329 fills the air during the big shows. The edge 00:01:19.329 --> 00:01:22.230 cow class is underway, some of the finest Holsteins 00:01:22.230 --> 00:01:24.909 in the country vying for that coveted championship, 00:01:24.930 --> 00:01:28.409 and then she enters the ring. A stunning, predominantly 00:01:28.409 --> 00:01:30.989 White -Holstein. She moves with this incredible 00:01:30.989 --> 00:01:33.769 grace, almost like a dancer, commanding attention. 00:01:34.450 --> 00:01:37.069 The crowd quiets down, watching the judge make 00:01:37.069 --> 00:01:39.450 his rounds. You can feel the tension building. 00:01:40.310 --> 00:01:42.870 Finally, the judge pauses, his hand extends, 00:01:43.269 --> 00:01:47.349 and points right at her. Champion -age cow. And, 00:01:47.469 --> 00:01:49.329 as if that weren't enough, best utter of the 00:01:49.329 --> 00:01:53.030 show. Up in the stands. A man named Roy who misses 00:01:53.030 --> 00:01:55.450 and watches. He's not jumping up and down. Maybe 00:01:55.450 --> 00:01:58.590 just a quiet nod. A look of measured satisfaction. 00:01:58.909 --> 00:02:01.390 Because Roy had seen something special in this 00:02:01.390 --> 00:02:03.409 Cal Months. Earlier, something others had missed. 00:02:03.870 --> 00:02:06.310 You see this magnificent champion? This five 00:02:06.310 --> 00:02:07.730 -year -old beauty turning heads at the Royal? 00:02:08.150 --> 00:02:11.409 Just a few months before, she was standing in 00:02:11.409 --> 00:02:13.650 a modest barn on the road in Bowmanville, owned 00:02:13.650 --> 00:02:16.330 by a fellow named Ben Brown. And her perceived 00:02:16.330 --> 00:02:21.620 value? A mere $750. That's right. $750. That's 00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:23.460 the price Roy Armiston had managed to secure 00:02:23.460 --> 00:02:26.580 her for. And get this, it wasn't even a straightforward 00:02:26.580 --> 00:02:31.520 $750. Roy Hever, the shrewd negotiator, had offered 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:34.300 the money contingent on the cow testing at least 00:02:34.300 --> 00:02:37.379 3 .6 butter fat. He even promised Ben Brown extra 00:02:37.379 --> 00:02:40.400 50 bucks if she hit that mark. Talk about a gamble 00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:43.460 based on conviction. Has that white cow stood 00:02:43.460 --> 00:02:46.219 there? Draped in ribbons basking in the real 00:02:46.219 --> 00:02:49.240 spotlight, nobody, maybe not even Roy himself 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:52.240 in his wildest dreams, could have fully grasped 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:55.319 the monumental impact this single animal, this 00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:58.900 $750 investment, would have. This wasn't just 00:02:58.900 --> 00:03:02.159 a show win. It was the spark that ignited a breeding 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:04.919 dynasty. the cornerstone laid for an empire that 00:03:04.919 --> 00:03:07.780 would reshape Holstein genetics across the globe. 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.719 This cow, soon to be known simply as the white 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:13.300 cow, was about to become one of the most influential 00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:16.039 matriarchs in breed history. But how did Roy 00:03:16.039 --> 00:03:18.719 Ormiston get to this point? What gave him the 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:21.819 eye? The confidence to see potential where others 00:03:21.819 --> 00:03:25.340 saw just a good, solid cow? Well, like so many 00:03:25.340 --> 00:03:27.400 great breeders, his story starts long before 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:30.560 that fateful purchase. Roy Ormiston wasn't just 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:33.349 someone who decided to get in cows. Holstein 00:03:33.349 --> 00:03:36.310 heritage was literally in his blood He was born 00:03:36.310 --> 00:03:39.229 into it the son of Fred Ormiston himself a pioneering 00:03:39.229 --> 00:03:43.250 Holstein breeder family farm Just south of Brooklyn, 00:03:43.530 --> 00:03:46.289 Ontario a place that would later become synonymous 00:03:46.289 --> 00:03:49.270 with the Roy Brook name Was Roy's first classroom 00:03:49.270 --> 00:03:51.789 and it became clear pretty early on that. He 00:03:51.789 --> 00:03:54.930 wasn't just learning. He had the eye You know, 00:03:54.969 --> 00:03:57.789 that's the innate ability some folks have to 00:03:57.789 --> 00:04:00.419 just see cattle differently to understand their 00:04:00.419 --> 00:04:02.939 structure or their potential. Legend has it, 00:04:02.939 --> 00:04:05.840 when Roy was just 16 years old, he took his father's 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:09.780 show string to the Royal Winter Fair. 16. And 00:04:09.780 --> 00:04:12.259 Wesley Duhilly leads them to second prize in 00:04:12.259 --> 00:04:15.080 the prestigious senior get of sire class. That's 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:18.199 not just participating. That's showing an early 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:21.420 mastery. But Roy didn't just ride on his father's 00:04:21.420 --> 00:04:25.199 coattails. He wanted to forge his own path, deepen 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:28.240 his own understanding. He became a fieldman for 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:31.000 the Holstein Association of Canada, taking over 00:04:31.000 --> 00:04:33.399 the East Central Ontario territory from another 00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:36.079 well -respected name, Bob Holtby. Now think about 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:39.399 that job for a minute. For seven years, Roy traveled 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:42.339 across the province, visiting countless farms, 00:04:42.379 --> 00:04:46.879 seeing the best and maybe the not so best. Animals 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:48.839 talking to breeders, learning about different 00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:51.160 management styles, different breeding philosophies. 00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:54.800 Can you imagine a better education? for someone 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:57.060 wanting to build a world -class herd. It was 00:04:57.060 --> 00:04:59.519 like a seven -year master class in Holstein breeding. 00:05:00.060 --> 00:05:03.139 It exposed him to the top bloodlines, sharpened 00:05:03.139 --> 00:05:05.779 his evaluation skills, and honed those instincts 00:05:05.779 --> 00:05:08.139 that would later set him apart. It's during these 00:05:08.139 --> 00:05:11.160 years, I believe, that he solidified his vision 00:05:11.160 --> 00:05:14.220 for the kind of cow he wanted to breed. So when 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:18.139 he finally established Raybrooke Farm in 1951, 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:20.720 he wasn't starting from scratch mentally. He 00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:23.639 had a plan. And the timing was interesting, wasn't 00:05:23.639 --> 00:05:26.420 it? The post -war era saw huge changes in dairy 00:05:26.420 --> 00:05:29.139 farming. The biggest, perhaps, was the rise of 00:05:29.139 --> 00:05:31.519 artificial insemination, moving from experimental 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:34.139 to commercial reality. This created a whole new 00:05:34.139 --> 00:05:37.079 dynamic, sometimes even tension, between the 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:40.139 old -school cow -sensei breeders and the emerging 00:05:40.139 --> 00:05:42.720 statistically -driven approaches promoted by 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:45.500 the I .I. studs. Horry found himself right in 00:05:45.500 --> 00:05:48.759 the thick of it, establishing his herd in Ontario 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:51.600 County. an area already considered hallowed ground 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:54.660 for Holstein genetics. Names like Montvic, Hiram 00:05:54.660 --> 00:05:57.300 K. Pichay, Posh Extra, and Hawkerst, Emperor 00:05:57.300 --> 00:05:59.980 Pathfinder B, weren't just entries in a pedigree. 00:06:00.579 --> 00:06:02.639 There were legends whose influence was palpable 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:05.100 in the region's herds, where we knew the local 00:06:05.100 --> 00:06:07.800 landscape. He drew from this rich genetic pool, 00:06:08.259 --> 00:06:10.459 bringing in foundation animals from respected 00:06:10.459 --> 00:06:12.860 herds like Gibby, Ujaya, Seymour, Springdale 00:06:12.860 --> 00:06:16.310 operation. He built around key females, cows 00:06:16.310 --> 00:06:18.790 like Sigis Poshloch and Varn Baroness Hawker's 00:06:18.790 --> 00:06:21.490 Pathfinder B. He was carefully assembling the 00:06:21.490 --> 00:06:23.750 pieces, laying the groundwork, he was the architect, 00:06:24.350 --> 00:06:26.829 sketching out a genetic blueprint. But for a 00:06:26.829 --> 00:06:29.629 great structure needs a cornerstone. That one 00:06:29.629 --> 00:06:32.389 piece that elevates the entire design from ambitious 00:06:32.389 --> 00:06:36.129 to truly legendary. Roy was building his foundation 00:06:36.129 --> 00:06:39.029 brick by genetic brick, but the cornerstone, 00:06:39.029 --> 00:06:40.850 well that was still waiting to be discovered. 00:06:41.129 --> 00:06:43.430 and his discovery would come not through a planned 00:06:43.430 --> 00:06:46.889 purchase from a famous herd, but through a keen 00:06:46.889 --> 00:06:50.269 observation and a shrewd deal in a neighbor's 00:06:50.269 --> 00:06:52.930 barn. Thoughts go back to that summer of 1956, 00:06:53.810 --> 00:06:57.350 just before the Royal. The story of how Roy actually 00:06:57.350 --> 00:07:00.269 acquired Balsam Bray Pluto Sovereign, the white 00:07:00.269 --> 00:07:03.149 cow, is fascinating and tells you so much about 00:07:03.149 --> 00:07:06.670 the man. According to Walter Barron, a cattle 00:07:06.670 --> 00:07:08.649 dealer from New York who was active in the area. 00:07:08.750 --> 00:07:11.670 He and another dealer, Max Height, had already 00:07:11.670 --> 00:07:15.610 been to Ben Brown's farm. They saw the cow, liked 00:07:15.610 --> 00:07:20.029 her, and offered Brown $700 for her. $700 bucks. 00:07:20.670 --> 00:07:22.870 But Brown turned them down shortly after Roy 00:07:22.870 --> 00:07:25.930 Ormiston pays a visit. He sees the same cow, 00:07:25.949 --> 00:07:30.790 but maybe he sees more. He offers $750. But remember 00:07:30.790 --> 00:07:33.970 that condition only if she tests 3 .6 Butterfat 00:07:33.970 --> 00:07:36.680 or High. If she does... He'll even throw in an 00:07:36.680 --> 00:07:40.000 extra $50. It was clever, it mitigated some risk, 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:42.779 but also showed his confidence in the cow's potential 00:07:42.779 --> 00:07:45.540 beyond just her looks. Ben Brown accepted the 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:48.920 deal. And just like that, for a potentially $800 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:52.019 max, Roy Ormiston secured the animal that would 00:07:52.019 --> 00:07:54.879 define his life's work, while Sam Bray Pluto 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:56.980 sovereign walked onto the truck destined for 00:07:56.980 --> 00:08:00.139 Roy Brook Farm soon to be known simply, affectionately, 00:08:00.259 --> 00:08:03.660 and famously as the White Cow. Now this wasn't 00:08:03.660 --> 00:08:05.839 some random calve that just happened to good. 00:08:06.500 --> 00:08:09.360 Her pedigree was royalty, tracing back through 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:12.379 generations of proven genetics. Her sire was 00:08:12.379 --> 00:08:14.800 heinous crest, sovereign tycoon, and excellent 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:18.300 silver metal type sire. And his sire. None other 00:08:18.300 --> 00:08:21.079 than the legendary Jean -Pabst Rigg Epilex for 00:08:21.079 --> 00:08:24.180 Echik. Okawa's lifetime production was staggering 00:08:24.180 --> 00:08:28.300 even then. Over 193 ,000 pounds of milk and nine 00:08:28.300 --> 00:08:31.459 lactations. That's serious foundation genetics. 00:08:31.709 --> 00:08:34.809 And on the maternal side, her lineage traced 00:08:34.809 --> 00:08:37.529 all the way back to a cow named Brema, imported 00:08:37.529 --> 00:08:41.350 directly from Friesland way back in 1884. So 00:08:41.350 --> 00:08:43.970 the white cow wasn't an accident. She was the 00:08:43.970 --> 00:08:47.809 result of generations of careful breeding, a 00:08:47.809 --> 00:08:50.590 convergence of superior genetics, just waiting 00:08:50.590 --> 00:08:52.769 for the right environment, the right management, 00:08:52.909 --> 00:08:54.909 the right vision to unlock her full potential. 00:08:55.769 --> 00:08:59.029 And unlock it, Roy almost did, under his care 00:08:59.029 --> 00:09:01.370 at Roybrook. The white cow didn't just blow, 00:09:01.529 --> 00:09:04.250 she exploded under the scene. We already heard 00:09:04.250 --> 00:09:07.769 about her 1956 Royal Triumph, but that was just 00:09:07.769 --> 00:09:10.789 the beginning. She was grand champion at the 00:09:10.789 --> 00:09:14.309 prestigious Pearlboro exhibition four times between 00:09:14.309 --> 00:09:18.230 1956 and 1960. She earned all Canadian nominations 00:09:18.230 --> 00:09:22.590 for six consecutive years. Think about that consistency 00:09:22.590 --> 00:09:25.029 at the highest level. One of her first three 00:09:25.029 --> 00:09:28.230 lactations before Roy bought her weren't officially 00:09:28.230 --> 00:09:31.100 recorded. Their lifetime production was still 00:09:31.100 --> 00:09:34.700 phenomenal. Over 185 ,000 pounds of milk with 00:09:34.700 --> 00:09:39.440 a solid 3 .9 tests, yielding over 7 ,250 pounds 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:42.879 of butterfat. Impressive numbers for sure. But 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:45.419 here's the crucial part, the thing that really 00:09:45.419 --> 00:09:48.440 set Royer -Miston's mind working, the unsighted 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:51.360 that changed everything. The white cow's true 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:53.120 magic wasn't just in her own accomplishments, 00:09:53.259 --> 00:09:56.220 but in her uncanny ability to transmit that excellence, 00:09:56.559 --> 00:09:58.820 that type, that quality, no matter who she was 00:09:58.820 --> 00:10:02.440 bred to. Roy saw this developing. There was a 00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:04.379 daughter of the white cow that had been left 00:10:04.379 --> 00:10:06.600 behind at Ben Brown's farm when Roy bought the 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:09.399 mother. Many people who saw this daughter considered 00:10:09.399 --> 00:10:12.039 her truly exceptional, perhaps even better than 00:10:12.039 --> 00:10:15.000 the white cow herself in some ways. Roy tried 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:17.100 persistently to buy this daughter from Brown. 00:10:17.789 --> 00:10:20.509 But Ben Brown, perhaps now realizing what he'd 00:10:20.509 --> 00:10:23.990 let go for $750, wasn't selling. He reportedly 00:10:23.990 --> 00:10:26.250 told Roy the price would be a damn sight more 00:10:26.250 --> 00:10:30.529 than the $500. Six would be $750 Roy had paid 00:10:30.529 --> 00:10:33.789 for her damn. Tragically, this daughter named 00:10:33.789 --> 00:10:36.710 Balsam Bray, Pluto governor, died young after 00:10:36.710 --> 00:10:38.929 getting into feed room during some kind of emergency 00:10:38.929 --> 00:10:42.919 in the farm. A huge loss. But seeing the quality 00:10:42.919 --> 00:10:45.139 of that daughter even briefly combined with the 00:10:45.139 --> 00:10:48.620 other calves the white cow was producing at Roybrook 00:10:48.620 --> 00:10:51.279 solidified a revolutionary idea in Roy's mind. 00:10:51.899 --> 00:10:54.919 He later explained it himself. He saw the governor 00:10:54.919 --> 00:10:57.240 daughter at Brown's. Then the first calf born 00:10:57.240 --> 00:10:59.879 at Roybrook carried in dam was Royal Delight 00:10:59.879 --> 00:11:03.179 X7. She was sired by a fairly nondescript bull 00:11:03.179 --> 00:11:06.100 from the nearby Aldersley herd. Nothing fancy. 00:11:06.700 --> 00:11:09.870 Yet Royal Delight was outstanding. Then came 00:11:09.870 --> 00:11:12.950 Roebrook Model ADX3 sired by Roebrook Model. 00:11:13.470 --> 00:11:15.750 Another exceptional daughter. That's when the 00:11:15.750 --> 00:11:18.710 light bulb went on for Roy. As he put it, it 00:11:18.710 --> 00:11:20.509 was then I realized that no matter what she was 00:11:20.509 --> 00:11:23.529 bred to, the white cow would always produce a 00:11:23.529 --> 00:11:25.970 good daughter. That's when I knew I could line 00:11:25.970 --> 00:11:29.850 breed on her. That realization was the key. He 00:11:29.850 --> 00:11:32.529 saw that the white cow wasn't just a great individual. 00:11:33.129 --> 00:11:35.690 She was a genetic powerhouse, a dominant force 00:11:35.690 --> 00:11:38.769 capable of stamping her quality onto her offspring 00:11:39.259 --> 00:11:41.980 Overriding the influence of Lesser Cyrus gave 00:11:41.980 --> 00:11:44.960 him the confidence to do something relatively 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:48.039 bold for the time. Concentrate her genetics through 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:50.720 line breeding, and her progeny became the pillars 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.240 of the Roybrook dynasty. That first daughter 00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:56.240 born at Roybrook Royal Delight, she went on to 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:59.340 make history alongside her mother. They became 00:11:59.340 --> 00:12:01.960 the only damn daughter pair to ever both win 00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:04.779 the best utter class at the Royal Winter Fair. 00:12:05.460 --> 00:12:08.799 Think about that genetic potency for utter quality. 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:12.620 And Delight wasn't just pretty. She worked hard 00:12:12.620 --> 00:12:16.340 too, producing nearly 180 ,000 pounds of milk 00:12:16.340 --> 00:12:19.559 with almost four fat over 10 lactations. Then 00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:22.259 there was Roybrook Model Lady, another superstar. 00:12:22.940 --> 00:12:26.159 She won her class at the Royal Three Times and 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:29.379 hit the honor list with records topping 25 ,000 00:12:29.379 --> 00:12:32.620 pounds of milk. A huge achievement back then. 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:36.220 And talk about longevity. Model Lady completed 00:12:36.220 --> 00:12:40.700 12 lactations. producing over 243 ,000 pounds 00:12:40.700 --> 00:12:44.720 of milk with a fantastic 4 .9 test, resulting 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:47.720 in nearly 10 ,000 pounds of lifetime fat. That 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:49.519 kind of lifetime production from a high -type 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:53.440 cow would be impressive even today. These incredible 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:56.159 daughters. Along with the white cow's equally 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:58.980 impressive son, Roybrooke Ace X -Dest became 00:12:58.980 --> 00:13:02.120 the core group. Roy started strategically lion 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:04.200 breeding, concentrating the influence of the 00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:06.980 white cow by mating these closely related superior 00:13:06.980 --> 00:13:09.740 animals. Often he would breed maternal half -siblings 00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:13.679 together, different sires, but a lot of the white 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:15.899 cow were her best daughters. He was very clear 00:13:15.899 --> 00:13:18.139 though, he was lion breeding, not inbreeding. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:21.360 Whenever inbred, he was aiming to intensify and 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:24.389 fix the desirable... traits of the white cow 00:13:24.389 --> 00:13:26.610 family. The type, the udders, the components, 00:13:26.809 --> 00:13:29.289 the will to moke, without falling into the trap 00:13:29.289 --> 00:13:32.190 of severe inbreeding depression. It was a masterful 00:13:32.190 --> 00:13:35.250 balancing act, guided by his deep understanding 00:13:35.250 --> 00:13:38.450 of the animals themselves. Axor's genetic concentration 00:13:38.450 --> 00:13:41.970 reached a pinnacle, perhaps, when he bred Roy 00:13:41.970 --> 00:13:46.250 Burke Model SX -15, who was Model Lass. She was 00:13:46.250 --> 00:13:48.730 the result of breeding Royal Delight White Cow's 00:13:48.730 --> 00:13:51.309 daughter by the Elder Sly Bull, back to Roy Burke 00:13:51.309 --> 00:13:55.700 Model. Sierra of Model Lady. So Model S was intensely 00:13:55.700 --> 00:13:58.840 landbred to the white cow. And she in turn would 00:13:58.840 --> 00:14:01.080 become the dam of bulls that would take the Roybrook 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:03.940 name and genetics onto the world stage. The foundation 00:14:03.940 --> 00:14:07.720 was set. The cornerstone, the white cow, had 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:10.019 proven her worth tenfold. Her daughters and son 00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:13.179 were exceptional. Roy Ormiston's vision for land 00:14:13.179 --> 00:14:15.779 breeding was crystallizing. The stage was set 00:14:15.779 --> 00:14:18.600 for the Roybrook revolution to go global. The 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:21.879 year is 1964. At the national sale, Holstein 00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:25.080 breeders are buzzing about a bull calf. Not just 00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:27.659 any calf, a six -month -old youngster carrying 00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:31.080 the Roebrook prefix. His name, Roebrook Tailstore, 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:34.700 and the price he commanded. A staggering $25 00:14:34.700 --> 00:14:39.519 ,000. 25 grand for a six -month -old calf in 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:43.720 1964. This wasn't just a high price, it was astronomical. 00:14:43.779 --> 00:14:46.679 Headline grabbing news, and it instantly put 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:49.220 the Roebrook breeding program under an international 00:14:49.220 --> 00:14:52.480 spotlight. Why the hype? Well, Telstar wasn't 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:54.759 just a random calf from the herd. He was the 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:57.360 embodiment of Roy Ormiston's breeding strategy. 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:00.600 He represented three generations of careful, 00:15:01.340 --> 00:15:03.740 focused line breeding. His sire, Roebrooke Ace, 00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:06.799 the white cow's son. His dam, Roebrooke Model 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:09.320 S, that intensely line bred daughter of royal 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:12.240 delight we just talked about. Telstar was dripping 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:14.740 with the concentrated genetics of the white cow 00:15:14.740 --> 00:15:19.059 family, and his name, Telstar. Remember, Telstar 00:15:19.059 --> 00:15:22.230 satellite. launched just a couple years earlier 00:15:22.230 --> 00:15:25.690 in 1962. It was the symbol of a new era of global 00:15:25.690 --> 00:15:28.870 communication. How fitting, because Roybrook 00:15:28.870 --> 00:15:31.330 Telstar the bull was about to broadcast Roybrook 00:15:31.330 --> 00:15:33.549 genetics across the globe just as effectively. 00:15:34.450 --> 00:15:36.509 Telstar quickly lived up to the expectations. 00:15:37.070 --> 00:15:40.389 He became one of the youngest bulls ever to achieve 00:15:40.389 --> 00:15:43.600 the coveted class extra rating in Canada. His 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:45.879 proof was phenomenal, especially for the time. 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:49.379 His 709 classified daughters averaged an incredible 00:15:49.379 --> 00:15:53.480 83 good plus, or better, earning him a 31 rating 00:15:53.480 --> 00:15:56.059 for type confirmation. That's breed -changing 00:15:56.059 --> 00:15:59.019 type improvement. But here's the kicker. He wasn't 00:15:59.019 --> 00:16:02.179 just a tight bull. He was also plus for production, 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:05.100 six for milk. He delivered the complete package, 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:08.100 validating Roy's emphasis on balanced breeding. 00:16:08.980 --> 00:16:11.480 Before his Canadian proof was even fully finalized. 00:16:11.740 --> 00:16:14.779 the international demand was immense. Telstar 00:16:14.779 --> 00:16:17.879 was sold for what was then a record price for 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:20.639 a Canadian Holstein Bowl to the Federation of 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:23.779 Agricultural Societies in Japan and its impact 00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:28.379 in Japan, profound so much so that in 1978, Roy 00:16:28.379 --> 00:16:32.580 Armiston himself traveled to Japan. Why? To unveil 00:16:32.580 --> 00:16:35.279 a life -size bronze statue erected in Telstar's 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:38.779 honor. Think about that. A bowl. bred on a modest 00:16:38.779 --> 00:16:41.320 farm in Brooklyn, Ontario, immortalized in bronze 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:43.440 on the other side of the world. It's a powerful 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:46.759 testament to the reach and impact of those genetics 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:51.299 that started with that $750 white cow. But Telstar 00:16:51.299 --> 00:16:53.620 wasn't a one -hit wonder. He was just the first 00:16:53.620 --> 00:16:55.779 of a triumvirate of Roybrook sires that would 00:16:55.779 --> 00:16:59.320 dominate the breed. Next came Roybrook Starlakes 00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:02.860 Extra. Starlight's pedigree was another masterclass 00:17:02.860 --> 00:17:04.799 in line breeding, although slightly different. 00:17:05.339 --> 00:17:07.440 His sire was the legendary sea -ling Rockman, 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:10.380 one of the dominant bulls of that era. But his 00:17:10.380 --> 00:17:14.079 dam, once again, it was Roybrook Motilassi, Telstar's 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:16.460 mother. So Starlight brought in the power of 00:17:16.460 --> 00:17:19.319 Rockman, but combined it with the strengths and 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:21.859 consistency of the white cow family through Motilass, 00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:25.500 proven at United Breeders Inc. Other precursor 00:17:25.500 --> 00:17:27.660 to CEMEX, Starlight became one of Canada's most 00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:30.279 dominant production sires. He topped the list 00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:33.339 of sirers with daughters on the national honor 00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:36.240 list for production three times. His daughters 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:38.920 were moped machines with style. One famous daughter, 00:17:39.220 --> 00:17:42.019 Grassell Starlight Madge VG, made history as 00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:44.240 the first junior two -year -old in Canada ever 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:47.079 to produce over 1 ,000 pounds of butter fat in 00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:50.099 a single lactation. Starlight delivered production 00:17:50.099 --> 00:17:53.299 in spades. And the third member of this legendary 00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:57.519 trio, Roybrook Tempo X Extra. Tempo's story adds 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:00.460 another layer to Roy's genius, not just as a 00:18:00.460 --> 00:18:02.740 breeder, but as a cattle evaluator and selector. 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:06.559 Tempo's sire was Starlight, the production powerhouse 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:09.279 we just discussed, and his dam? They had a cow 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:12.240 named Brewerwood Melissa. Now, Melissa wasn't 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:15.130 originally a Roybrook cow. Roy Miston had spotted 00:18:15.130 --> 00:18:18.049 her at the 1968 sale of stars and purchased her 00:18:18.049 --> 00:18:21.349 for $7 ,000. What was special about Melissa? 00:18:21.589 --> 00:18:25.190 She was a Telstar daughter. So let's break down 00:18:25.190 --> 00:18:28.569 Tempo's pedigree. His sire, Starlight, was out 00:18:28.569 --> 00:18:32.390 of Model -Lass. His damn Melissa was a Telstar 00:18:32.390 --> 00:18:35.250 daughter, and Telstar was also out of Model -Lace. 00:18:35.690 --> 00:18:37.750 Roy had essentially bred the son of Model -Lass, 00:18:37.769 --> 00:18:39.670 Starlight, to the granddaughter of Model -Lass 00:18:39.670 --> 00:18:41.589 and Melissa via Telstar. It was line breeding 00:18:41.589 --> 00:18:44.500 layered upon line breeding. concentrating the 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:47.500 strengths of the white cow family while strategically 00:18:47.500 --> 00:18:50.700 incorporating the Rockman influence. The result? 00:18:51.299 --> 00:18:54.039 Raybrook Tempo. He earned his extra rating in 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:58.059 1979 and became another global sensation used 00:18:58.059 --> 00:19:01.079 extensively through AI worldwide. Industry experts 00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:03.920 looked at this Telstar Starlight Tempo combination. 00:19:04.790 --> 00:19:07.069 particularly the success of crossing Telstar 00:19:07.069 --> 00:19:09.170 daughters with Starlight, which produced Tempo's 00:19:09.170 --> 00:19:12.430 Dam, for instance, and saw it as undeniable proof 00:19:12.430 --> 00:19:14.509 of the power of Roy's line breeding program. 00:19:15.210 --> 00:19:18.190 The consistency was remarkable. The daughters 00:19:18.190 --> 00:19:20.450 of these bulls filled the Roebrook barns and 00:19:20.450 --> 00:19:23.029 herds around the world. Cow's Lake Roebrook Vale 00:19:23.029 --> 00:19:25.990 X, who had two honor list records and completed 00:19:25.990 --> 00:19:28.950 six lactations exceeding 1 ,000 pounds of fat, 00:19:29.609 --> 00:19:32.829 or Roebrook Herriot X, with five records over 00:19:32.829 --> 00:19:35.490 1 ,000 pounds of fat. These weren't just high 00:19:35.490 --> 00:19:38.109 -record cows. They were cows that did it year 00:19:38.109 --> 00:19:40.809 after year, lactation after lactation. They were 00:19:40.809 --> 00:19:43.630 the embodiment of the Roybrook ideal. As the 00:19:43.630 --> 00:19:46.690 fame of Telstar, Starlight, and Tempo spread, 00:19:46.950 --> 00:19:49.130 that unassuming farm south of Brooklyn became 00:19:49.130 --> 00:19:52.869 a kind of pilgrimage site for Holstein breeders. 00:19:53.170 --> 00:19:54.730 Especially around the time of the Royal Winter 00:19:54.730 --> 00:19:58.490 Fair, you'd find buses pulling in, carrying visitors 00:19:58.490 --> 00:20:02.130 from Europe, Japan, South America, Australia, 00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:04.359 All wanting to see the fountainhead the source 00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:06.359 of the genetics that were transforming their 00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:09.920 herds back home. For the late 1980s, the respect 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:12.859 for Rora Miston was immense. Holstein World magazine 00:20:12.859 --> 00:20:15.380 readers voted him North America's most admired 00:20:15.380 --> 00:20:18.500 breeder. Richard Beard, a respected Holstein 00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:21.519 expert from the UK, described him almost mystically 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:24.059 as a 20th century murk because of the seemingly 00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:26.839 magical consistency he achieved in his breeding 00:20:26.839 --> 00:20:30.660 results. So, what? What was the secret? What 00:20:30.660 --> 00:20:32.980 was the Armiston method? Was it magic, or was 00:20:32.980 --> 00:20:34.960 it something more grounded, something we can 00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:37.779 still learn from today? When you peel back the 00:20:37.779 --> 00:20:40.460 layers of the Roybrook success story, you find 00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:44.380 a breeding philosophy that was remarkably straightforward, 00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:48.339 yet incredibly profound. It wasn't based on complex 00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:51.259 formulas or chasing the latest fads. It was built 00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:54.640 on careful observation. Discipline selection 00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:58.019 and an unwavering focus on the fundamentals of 00:20:58.019 --> 00:21:00.960 what makes a great dairy cow. Roy himself had 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:04.640 a great analogy. He once said, I like to compare 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:06.880 a dairy cow to a building. If you don't have 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:09.319 a very good foundation, then it isn't going to 00:21:09.319 --> 00:21:11.960 stand up too long, especially in a storm, and 00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:14.680 that is heavy production. That simple statement 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:18.160 captures so much of his thinking. Genetics had 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:21.380 to build a cow with structural integrity. Sound 00:21:21.380 --> 00:21:24.140 feet and legs. while attached to others' strength 00:21:24.140 --> 00:21:26.900 and capacity. To withstand the storm of high 00:21:26.900 --> 00:21:30.819 milk production, lactation after lactation. Thrift's 00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:34.000 focus on the foundations is just as critical 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:36.799 today, maybe even more so, as we push production 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:39.319 levels ever higher. So what were the pillars 00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:42.779 of his approach? First and foremost, cow families. 00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:45.799 Roy was adamant about this. I always believed 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:49.630 in cow families. He emphasized His discovery 00:21:49.630 --> 00:21:51.930 of the white cow's transmitting ability confirmed 00:21:51.930 --> 00:21:54.950 this belief. He didn't just randomly pick Cyrus. 00:21:55.730 --> 00:21:58.269 He identified the superior maternal lines within 00:21:58.269 --> 00:22:01.309 his own herd and concentrated their influence. 00:22:01.869 --> 00:22:04.869 He explained his proxy. When the best cows in 00:22:04.869 --> 00:22:06.809 the herd traced back to this one, Calvi or Inti 00:22:06.809 --> 00:22:10.029 kept those. It got to the point where maybe two 00:22:10.029 --> 00:22:11.890 or three other cows weren't of that bloodline. 00:22:11.910 --> 00:22:14.029 The next best bred cow had a few progenies but 00:22:14.029 --> 00:22:16.750 didn't breed as well as the white cow. So... 00:22:16.890 --> 00:22:19.730 They eliminated themselves through culling. It 00:22:19.730 --> 00:22:22.430 sounds ruthless, but it was disciplined. He let 00:22:22.430 --> 00:22:24.890 the cows prove their worth not just as individuals, 00:22:25.029 --> 00:22:27.910 but as transmitters, as founders of families. 00:22:28.849 --> 00:22:32.109 This intense focus on elite maternal lines is 00:22:32.109 --> 00:22:35.750 mirrored today in genomic programs that identify 00:22:35.750 --> 00:22:39.009 top cow families, but Roy did it decades earlier 00:22:39.009 --> 00:22:42.170 using his eye, his records, and his intimate 00:22:42.170 --> 00:22:46.480 knowledge of his animals. Second, strategic line 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:49.440 breeding. As we discussed, he concentrated the 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:52.019 genetics of the white cow family, but he always 00:22:52.019 --> 00:22:55.019 drew the distinction. Line breeding, not in breeding. 00:22:55.259 --> 00:22:58.180 He skillfully walked that line to intensify desirable 00:22:58.180 --> 00:23:01.099 traits without sacrificing the overall health 00:23:01.099 --> 00:23:04.279 and vigor of the animals. Today, we have genomic 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:07.799 tools to manage in breeding coefficients. Precisely, 00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:11.160 but Rory achieved a similar outcome through masterful 00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:14.950 pedigree analysis and observation. Third, Balance 00:23:14.950 --> 00:23:17.829 selection. This is huge. In an era where some 00:23:17.829 --> 00:23:20.109 breeders might chase extreme type or solely focus 00:23:20.109 --> 00:23:22.410 on milk volume, where I maintained a remarkable 00:23:22.410 --> 00:23:26.549 balance. He simultaneously improved udder. Confirmation 00:23:26.549 --> 00:23:29.369 room are best udder winners. Component percentages 00:23:29.369 --> 00:23:33.410 of that cow herself was 3 .9W model 80 over 4A. 00:23:33.670 --> 00:23:36.390 And productive efficiency and longevity. He wasn't 00:23:36.390 --> 00:23:39.109 just breeding show cows or milk wagons. He was 00:23:39.109 --> 00:23:41.289 breeding cows that excelled across the board. 00:23:41.990 --> 00:23:45.559 This holistic view. is exactly what modern indexes 00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:49.539 like Net Merit or TPRA or LPI try to capture 00:23:49.539 --> 00:23:52.279 with complex economic weightings. Roy was doing 00:23:52.279 --> 00:23:54.759 it by eye and by focusing on the complete cow 00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:59.299 decades ago. Fourth, emphasis on longevity and 00:23:59.299 --> 00:24:01.859 trouble -free cows. This might be one of his 00:24:01.859 --> 00:24:05.059 most relevant lessons for today. We talk a lot 00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:07.759 now about the declining productive life of Holstein 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:11.170 cows in some systems. Roy Ormiston seemed to 00:24:11.170 --> 00:24:13.230 instinctively understand the economic and genetic 00:24:13.230 --> 00:24:15.690 value of cows that lasted. The Roybrook herd 00:24:15.690 --> 00:24:17.849 was renowned for cows that routinely completed 00:24:17.849 --> 00:24:22.170 8, 10, even 12 lactations, producing high volumes 00:24:22.170 --> 00:24:24.730 of milk with high components year after year. 00:24:25.250 --> 00:24:28.809 Model 80s 12 lactations, Royal Delights 10, these 00:24:28.809 --> 00:24:31.069 weren't exceptions. They were the goal. Good 00:24:31.069 --> 00:24:33.720 bred cows that were built to last. cows that 00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:36.140 didn't cause problems, cows that were efficient 00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:38.680 converters of forage into milk over a long lifetime, 00:24:39.140 --> 00:24:42.140 and finally, a healthy skepticism of over -reliance 00:24:42.140 --> 00:24:45.579 on statistics alone. This is fascinating. Roy 00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:48.660 emerged when AI and statistical proofs were becoming 00:24:48.660 --> 00:24:50.599 dominant. While he certainly used records, he 00:24:50.599 --> 00:24:53.880 was wary of relying only on numbers. He saw the 00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:56.319 potential danger of losing cow sense, of letting 00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:58.799 statistical models overshadow the importance 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:00.980 of functional type in real -world performance. 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:05.240 Towards the end of the 20th century, he famously 00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:07.900 deplored the artificial insemination industry's 00:25:07.900 --> 00:25:10.480 increasing reliance on statistics at the expense 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:13.519 of common sense. He even described some of the 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:16.660 complex genetic material being presented as an 00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:20.319 insult to the human race. Strong words. But it 00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:23.000 came from a man who achieved unparalleled success 00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:26.200 by blending observation with data, not by letting 00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:29.019 one replace the other. Doesn't that sound familiar? 00:25:29.740 --> 00:25:32.559 Even today in the midst of the genomic revolution, 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:35.000 aren't we still having conversations about finding 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:38.460 the right balance? About ensuring that our sophisticated 00:25:38.460 --> 00:25:41.920 genomic predictions translate into functional, 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:45.599 durable, profitable cows in the barn? Or Miston's 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:49.400 perspective, born from decades of hands -on experience, 00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:52.700 serves as a valuable reminder. Data is a powerful 00:25:52.700 --> 00:25:54.700 tool, but it shouldn't replace the breeder's 00:25:54.700 --> 00:25:58.079 eye, common sense, and a deep understanding of 00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:00.680 the animals. As Roy's active breeding career 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:03.799 began to wind down, the Holstein world was on 00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:07.099 the cusp of yet another technological leap. The 00:26:07.099 --> 00:26:09.400 genomic era was still a couple of decades away, 00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:12.339 but the groundwork was being laid, Ormiston in 00:26:12.339 --> 00:26:15.700 his own way. They anticipated many of the principles 00:26:15.700 --> 00:26:18.299 that would become central to modern breeding 00:26:18.299 --> 00:26:21.400 goals. The focus on balanced performance indices, 00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:24.779 that echoes Roy's holistic approach. The increasing 00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:27.500 emphasis on health traits, feed efficiency, and 00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:29.970 trouble -free cows. that reflects his insistence 00:26:29.970 --> 00:26:32.690 on breeding cattle that lasted and efficiently 00:26:32.690 --> 00:26:35.589 converted feed into milk. His philosophy wasn't 00:26:35.589 --> 00:26:38.670 just for his time. It was remarkably prescient. 00:26:38.990 --> 00:26:41.349 The culmination of his active breeding program 00:26:41.349 --> 00:26:45.109 came on October 1st, 1990. The Roybrook Dispersal 00:26:45.109 --> 00:26:47.250 Sale billed as the Roybrook Retirement Party, 00:26:47.869 --> 00:26:50.950 and what a party it was. Over 3 ,000 people flocked 00:26:50.950 --> 00:26:53.309 to Brooklyn, Ontario, from all corners of the 00:26:53.309 --> 00:26:56.789 globe. There wasn't just a sale. It was an event, 00:26:56.990 --> 00:27:00.470 a tribute to a master breeder. 74 lots offered 00:27:00.470 --> 00:27:04.589 averaged an incredible $14 ,094. That's nearly 00:27:04.589 --> 00:27:09.609 $14 ,000 average. In 1990, and get this, I'm 00:27:09.609 --> 00:27:13.329 64, almost two thirds of the animals sold to 00:27:13.329 --> 00:27:15.849 international buyers proof of Roy Brooks global 00:27:15.849 --> 00:27:19.710 footprint. The sail topper, a son of the popular 00:27:19.710 --> 00:27:22.650 Sire walkway chief Mark. Out of none other than 00:27:22.650 --> 00:27:24.849 Roy Brooke Bailey, tremendous daughter of the 00:27:24.849 --> 00:27:28.710 Telstar Starlight Cross, with 61000 OB fat records, 00:27:29.150 --> 00:27:33.150 he sold for $140 ,000 to the KK Tokuchi -A Center 00:27:33.150 --> 00:27:36.190 in Japan, bringing the story full circle back 00:27:36.190 --> 00:27:39.609 to the nation that had so enthusiastically embraced 00:27:39.609 --> 00:27:42.789 Telstar years earlier. The dispersal marked the 00:27:42.789 --> 00:27:45.809 end of Roy Armiston's direct breeding activities, 00:27:46.130 --> 00:27:48.569 but in many ways it only accelerated the spread 00:27:48.569 --> 00:27:51.599 of his genetic legacy. those animals scattered 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:54.440 across the globe, carrying the Roybrook influence 00:27:54.440 --> 00:27:56.859 into countless herds. Frederick Roy Armiston 00:27:56.859 --> 00:28:00.619 passed away in December 2015, having lived an 00:28:00.619 --> 00:28:03.579 extraordinary life that spanned a century of 00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:05.460 change in agriculture and Holstein breeding. 00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:09.200 He lived to be 100 years old, witnessing the 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:11.680 evolution from the visual appraisal art form. 00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:14.440 He mastered to the data -driven science that 00:28:14.440 --> 00:28:16.980 breeding has largely become today. His list of 00:28:16.980 --> 00:28:19.200 accolades is long and distinguished Master Breeder 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:22.819 Shields from Holstein, Canada in 1963 and again 00:28:22.819 --> 00:28:26.079 in 1988. The prestigious Distinguished Cattle 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:29.220 Breeder Award from the U .S. Dairy Shrine in 00:28:29.220 --> 00:28:32.380 1989. Induction into the Canadian Agricultural 00:28:32.380 --> 00:28:35.759 Hall of Fame in 1999. Honors richly deserved. 00:28:36.380 --> 00:28:38.920 But Royal Armiston's true legacy isn't just etched 00:28:38.920 --> 00:28:41.759 on plaques or recorded in history books. He lives 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:44.700 on in the pedigrees of thousands upon thousands 00:28:44.700 --> 00:28:47.359 of Holstein cows worldwide that trace back to 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:50.099 the white cow to tell star starlight tempo and 00:28:50.099 --> 00:28:52.779 the other Roebrooke greats. He focused on in 00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:55.619 the urine principles he championed. The focus 00:28:55.619 --> 00:28:58.240 on great cow families, the commitment to balanced 00:28:58.240 --> 00:29:01.500 breeding, the importance of longevity and structural 00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:04.259 soundness, and the wisdom of blending technology 00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:07.319 with keen observation. These aren't just historical 00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:10.170 footnotes. There are foundational concepts for 00:29:10.170 --> 00:29:12.369 successful dairy breeding, regardless of the 00:29:12.369 --> 00:29:15.470 era or the technology available. His legacy is 00:29:15.470 --> 00:29:17.910 even visible in the community of Brooklyn, Ontario. 00:29:18.569 --> 00:29:20.970 Streets bear the names of his farm and his famous 00:29:20.970 --> 00:29:24.109 cattle. And in a gesture typical of his character, 00:29:24.410 --> 00:29:27.230 he generously donated 25 acres of valuable land 00:29:27.230 --> 00:29:30.369 for a new hospital, a lasting contribution to 00:29:30.369 --> 00:29:32.650 the community where he built his breeding empire. 00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:35.900 or once reflected perhaps with characteristic 00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:38.019 understatement. I don't think at first I had 00:29:38.019 --> 00:29:40.519 any definite plan. I was interested in Holsteins. 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:42.720 And when you're interested in something, you 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:45.460 want to breed the best. Maybe it's that simple. 00:29:46.059 --> 00:29:48.920 Not chasing trends, not getting swayed by extremes, 00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:51.779 but maintaining an unwavering focus on breeding 00:29:51.779 --> 00:29:54.619 the best. Cows that excelled not just for a single 00:29:54.619 --> 00:29:57.400 show season or one high lactation, but contributed 00:29:57.400 --> 00:29:59.700 positively over a long, trouble -free, productive 00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:03.240 lifetime. Roentz reflected, perhaps with characteristic 00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:05.359 understatement. I don't think at first I had 00:30:05.359 --> 00:30:07.859 any definite plan. I was interested in Holsteins. 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:10.059 And when you're interested in something, you 00:30:10.059 --> 00:30:12.819 want to breed the best. Maybe it's that simple. 00:30:13.380 --> 00:30:16.259 Not chasing trends, not getting swayed by extremes, 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:19.119 but maintaining an unwavering focus on breeding 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:21.960 the best. Cows that excelled not just for a single 00:30:21.960 --> 00:30:24.740 show season or one high lactation, but contributed 00:30:24.740 --> 00:30:27.039 positively over a long, trouble -free, productive 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:30.990 lifetime. In today's world of genomics, SMP chips 00:30:30.990 --> 00:30:33.869 and complex algorithms, the story of Roy Ormiston, 00:30:34.190 --> 00:30:36.349 and the white cow is more than just a nostalgic 00:30:36.349 --> 00:30:39.269 trip down memory lane. It's a powerful reminder 00:30:39.269 --> 00:30:42.430 of the fundamentals. That behind all the data, 00:30:43.109 --> 00:30:45.589 the ultimate goal remains the same one, pursued 00:30:45.589 --> 00:30:48.390 throughout his life, breeding cows that are sound, 00:30:48.529 --> 00:30:51.230 efficient, and profitable generation after generation. 00:30:51.569 --> 00:30:54.369 Cows built on a solid foundation, ready to withstand 00:30:54.369 --> 00:30:56.910 the storm of heavy production. Roy Ormiston was 00:30:56.910 --> 00:31:00.160 a visionary. a master craftsman of cattle breeding. 00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:03.960 With $750 gamble on a white cow set in motion 00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:06.819 a genetic revolution, he choreographed a ballad 00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:09.299 of bovine genetics, achieving an elegant balance 00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:12.039 between progress and timeless principles. And 00:31:12.039 --> 00:31:14.799 the echoes of that dance started over half a 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:17.680 century ago on a farm in Ontario, continue to 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:19.579 resonate in Holstein barns around the world today. 00:31:20.119 --> 00:31:22.599 He showed us that sometimes the most revolutionary 00:31:22.599 --> 00:31:25.099 act is simply the relentless pursuit of fundamental 00:31:25.099 --> 00:31:28.420 excellence or a store -write. Makes you think 00:31:28.420 --> 00:31:31.160 about the cows in your own barn, the history 00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:33.460 behind them, and the visionaries who shaped the 00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:36.660 breed we work with every day. Rory Ormiston truly 00:31:36.660 --> 00:31:39.359 was the Holstein man's Holstein man. That's all 00:31:39.359 --> 00:31:41.420 the time we have for today here on the Bullvine 00:31:41.420 --> 00:31:45.500 Podcast. Thanks so much for tuning in and sharing 00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:48.299 this piece of Holston history with me. Until 00:31:48.299 --> 00:31:50.319 next time, keep breeding those great cows.