WEBVTT 00:00:10.220 --> 00:00:14.039 Creeping across the pasture land. Got dirt on 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:18.719 the boots and a working hand. From the milk house 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:24.000 home to the auction call. These are the folks 00:00:24.000 --> 00:01:01.560 standing strong and tall. Yeah, this is... Hello, 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:04.280 and welcome to the Bullvine Podcast. I'm your 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:07.060 host, and today I have a story for you that is 00:01:07.060 --> 00:01:10.280 going to absolutely blow you away. It's a story 00:01:10.280 --> 00:01:13.260 about passion, about vision, and about proving 00:01:13.260 --> 00:01:16.120 that in the dairy industry, size isn't everything. 00:01:16.540 --> 00:01:19.739 It's the story of Molly Westwood and her incredible 00:01:19.739 --> 00:01:23.260 journey building Panda Holsteins. Picture this, 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:26.980 a 30 -cow operation in the UK. not focused on 00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:29.379 pumping out gallons of milk, but on creating 00:01:29.379 --> 00:01:31.659 some of the most elite genetics on the planet. 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:35.260 And get this, it's so successful that it's earned 00:01:35.260 --> 00:01:38.879 its young founder master breeder status. This 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:41.560 isn't just a business, it's a revolution in red 00:01:41.560 --> 00:01:44.560 and white. So grab a coffee, settle in, and let 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:46.540 me tell you how a young farm girl with a dream 00:01:46.540 --> 00:01:49.140 is now shaping the future of Holstein Genetics 00:01:49.140 --> 00:01:53.159 worldwide. Our story starts, as many great ones 00:01:53.159 --> 00:01:56.280 do, on a dairy farm in the northern UK. Molly 00:01:56.280 --> 00:01:58.859 Westwood grew up not on a fancy pedigree farm, 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:02.099 but a commercial one. But her dad, Andrew, taught 00:02:02.099 --> 00:02:03.959 her something from day one that stuck with her. 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:07.120 As Molly told me, despite being a commercial 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:10.080 herd, he always used the best bulls and ensured 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:12.879 the cows were looked after like queens. You look 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:15.240 after the cows, and they will look after you. 00:02:16.460 --> 00:02:19.620 Even as a kid, doing chores, the standard was 00:02:19.620 --> 00:02:22.520 high. She remembers her dad telling her, You 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:24.639 make sure you clean those beds like it was your 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:27.639 own. If it's not good enough for you, it's not 00:02:27.639 --> 00:02:31.099 good enough for the cows. That principle, it's 00:02:31.099 --> 00:02:34.120 the bedrock of everything she does today. But 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:36.539 the real spark, the moment that changed everything, 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:40.560 came on Christmas Day when Molly was 14. She 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.360 didn't get a new phone or a video game. She got 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:45.979 a pedigree heifer named Hannesberry Charles Gem. 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:49.500 In her own words, this was the start of my passion 00:02:49.500 --> 00:02:52.560 for the pedigree world. That next summer, Molly 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:55.500 was hooked. She halter broke Jem, learned to 00:02:55.500 --> 00:02:57.960 clip, and convinced her parents to let her hit 00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:00.780 the show ring. That first taste of competition 00:03:00.780 --> 00:03:03.879 lit a fire in her. It wasn't long before she 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:06.080 was helping the family convert their entire commercial 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:09.840 herd to a registered pedigree operation. The 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:12.539 goal was twofold. Maybe show some home -bred 00:03:12.539 --> 00:03:15.460 animals and add some serious value to the cattle 00:03:15.460 --> 00:03:18.719 they already loved so much. But Molly had a bigger 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:21.939 vision. A global vision. She knew that to compete 00:03:21.939 --> 00:03:24.759 on the world stage, she needed world -class experience. 00:03:25.340 --> 00:03:28.360 So at just 16 years old, this self -described 00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:31.379 homegirl, who was so shy she barely answered 00:03:31.379 --> 00:03:35.259 the phone, made a bold move. A really bold move. 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:38.159 She told me, as soon as I had a taste of competition 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:40.819 with my show -calf gem, I wanted to breed the 00:03:40.819 --> 00:03:43.340 best and become a breeder recognized worldwide 00:03:43.340 --> 00:03:46.520 one day. I knew I had to work hard and take any 00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:49.330 opportunities I could find. That opportunity 00:03:49.330 --> 00:03:52.629 came from a family friend, Chris Perry, who offered 00:03:52.629 --> 00:03:55.030 her a job at Morson Farms in Alberta, Canada, 00:03:55.210 --> 00:03:58.189 one of the best Holstein operations in the world. 00:03:58.610 --> 00:04:01.250 So she finished school, worked at a local pub 00:04:01.250 --> 00:04:03.490 to save for the flight, and flew halfway across 00:04:03.490 --> 00:04:07.069 the world. She admits she was shy, inexperienced, 00:04:07.150 --> 00:04:10.990 a real homegirl. But as she says, having a connection 00:04:10.990 --> 00:04:13.669 with cows, I knew I was going to be just fine. 00:04:14.349 --> 00:04:16.730 and she was more than fine. Those four years 00:04:16.730 --> 00:04:19.990 at Morson were her university. She worked with 00:04:19.990 --> 00:04:22.069 the best of the best, learning from industry 00:04:22.069 --> 00:04:26.129 giants. I remain eternally grateful to the Thalen 00:04:26.129 --> 00:04:29.250 and Perry families, she reflects. I headed to 00:04:29.250 --> 00:04:31.910 Canada as a young girl, but the time over there 00:04:31.910 --> 00:04:34.310 helped me develop and shape into a young lady 00:04:34.310 --> 00:04:37.170 who knew exactly what I wanted to do with a little 00:04:37.170 --> 00:04:40.509 more experience on her belt. It was in Canada 00:04:40.509 --> 00:04:43.470 that the seed for Panda Holsteins was truly planted. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:47.220 And it all started with one cow. One evening, 00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:49.800 Molly's boss drove her out to the heifer barns 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:52.180 to see some new arrivals. And there she was, 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:55.379 a heavily pregnant heifer named Stonedin Fool's 00:04:55.379 --> 00:04:59.120 Gold Red. Molly recalls it vividly. This incredibly 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:01.699 balanced heifer with a super wide rump was the 00:05:01.699 --> 00:05:04.000 type I'd always try and breed in the future. 00:05:04.939 --> 00:05:08.620 But this cow had a secret weapon, the VRC gene. 00:05:09.230 --> 00:05:11.189 This meant you could breed her to the absolute 00:05:11.189 --> 00:05:13.730 best black and white bulls and still get a red 00:05:13.730 --> 00:05:17.310 calf. It was a game changer. Molly watched Fool's 00:05:17.310 --> 00:05:20.170 Gold calve and develop, and her admiration just 00:05:20.170 --> 00:05:23.269 grew. So before she left Canada to return home 00:05:23.269 --> 00:05:25.689 to the UK, she made a calculated investment. 00:05:26.129 --> 00:05:28.750 She bought five embryos from Fool's Gold, bred 00:05:28.750 --> 00:05:31.250 to a sire of her choice. She had them shipped 00:05:31.250 --> 00:05:33.449 home with specific instructions for implanting. 00:05:33.750 --> 00:05:36.370 When she finally got back to the UK for good, 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:39.879 she found out all five embryos had taken. The 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:42.660 first calf born was a red heifer. I thought I 00:05:42.660 --> 00:05:45.600 had hit the jackpot, she remembers. That red 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:48.699 heifer was named Lexi. She was followed by two 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:52.180 black heifers, Allie and Alexa, and two bulls. 00:05:52.300 --> 00:05:55.459 That summer, while Lexi stayed home, Molly took 00:05:55.459 --> 00:05:58.399 the two black sisters on the road, and they dominated. 00:05:58.620 --> 00:06:01.360 They won top honors at major national shows like 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:03.680 the All Breeds All Britain Calf Show. It was 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:06.680 instant validation. The three original Heffers 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:09.300 went on to score VG88 as a three -year -old, 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:13.100 EX90 as a four -year -old, and even EX93 as a 00:06:13.100 --> 00:06:16.720 five -year -old. And Lexi, the red one? She calved 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:19.579 out at VG88 as a two -year -old and had her own 00:06:19.579 --> 00:06:22.639 incredible show career. This was the proof of 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:25.939 concept. This was the birth of Panda Holsteins. 00:06:26.139 --> 00:06:28.399 But Molly wasn't about to build a traditional 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:31.279 dairy. I have never wanted to milk hundreds of 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:34.740 cows, she emphasizes. I love working with animals, 00:06:34.860 --> 00:06:37.379 and seeing progression from my input, breeding 00:06:37.379 --> 00:06:40.000 and developing the best Holstein genetics has 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:43.800 always been my herd slogan. So, she went to the 00:06:43.800 --> 00:06:46.620 bank. Not with a plan to sell milk, but with 00:06:46.620 --> 00:06:50.040 a plan to sell elite genetics. It took two years 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:52.279 of planning applications and mortgage meetings. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:54.920 Our bank had never seen a five -year business 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:58.019 plan like mine, she told me. I had to explain 00:06:58.019 --> 00:07:00.699 that I was not a typical dairy farmer. and Panda 00:07:00.699 --> 00:07:03.300 Holstein's income does not rely on fluctuating 00:07:03.300 --> 00:07:06.180 milk prices. Can you imagine that conversation? 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:10.519 But she did it. At just 23, she secured her first 00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:12.740 loan and built a barn designed for her unique 00:07:12.740 --> 00:07:16.839 vision. The initial model was genius. She'd calve 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:19.899 30 commercial heifers a year and sell them freshly 00:07:19.899 --> 00:07:22.240 calved to the top end of the commercial market. 00:07:22.779 --> 00:07:25.399 These were recipient heifers bought from high 00:07:25.399 --> 00:07:27.680 -health farms with a quick 12 -month turnover 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:31.389 to keep costs low. Meanwhile, she was flushing 00:07:31.389 --> 00:07:33.750 her elite pedigree animals to create embryos 00:07:33.750 --> 00:07:37.629 for her own herd, and crucially, for sales. This 00:07:37.629 --> 00:07:40.189 allowed her to invest in one new special cow 00:07:40.189 --> 00:07:43.410 family every single year. She wasn't chasing 00:07:43.410 --> 00:07:46.230 what was popular. She was looking for, as she 00:07:46.230 --> 00:07:48.810 says, the special hidden gem nobody has over 00:07:48.810 --> 00:07:51.670 -marketed, one I can add value to, and most importantly, 00:07:51.769 --> 00:07:55.750 is different. Then, the world changed. COVID 00:07:55.750 --> 00:07:58.689 and Brexit hit. Before that, Molly was selling 00:07:58.689 --> 00:08:01.449 80 % of her embryos and elite animals to Europe. 00:08:01.610 --> 00:08:04.889 She knew she had to adapt. I felt I had only 00:08:04.889 --> 00:08:07.449 scratched the surface proving our genetics, she 00:08:07.449 --> 00:08:10.189 explains. I wanted to show the longevity, ability 00:08:10.189 --> 00:08:12.850 to milk, and solid brood cows we were producing. 00:08:13.269 --> 00:08:17.129 So, in 2022, she sold one of her best show cows, 00:08:17.389 --> 00:08:20.189 Panda Pure Gold Red, they called her Goldie, 00:08:20.290 --> 00:08:23.230 to a European buyer. She took that money and 00:08:23.230 --> 00:08:25.790 reinvested it right back into the farm, building 00:08:25.790 --> 00:08:29.230 a dedicated calf barn. The next year, she expanded 00:08:29.230 --> 00:08:32.009 again, building facilities for milking cows and 00:08:32.009 --> 00:08:35.250 investing in a second -hand Delaval robot. By 00:08:35.250 --> 00:08:38.889 2024, the transformation was complete. She now 00:08:38.889 --> 00:08:41.549 has the capacity to milk 30 elite show cows in 00:08:41.549 --> 00:08:45.289 absolute comfort. Deep straw beds, spacious loafing 00:08:45.289 --> 00:08:48.450 areas, the works. It's a setup designed for champions. 00:08:48.730 --> 00:08:51.490 And the robot? That allows her to milk her show 00:08:51.490 --> 00:08:54.090 cows three times a day for optimal udder health 00:08:54.090 --> 00:08:56.889 and embryo production. all without needing extra 00:08:56.889 --> 00:09:00.230 staff. It's a sustainable, efficient model that 00:09:00.230 --> 00:09:03.710 has diversified her income. Now it comes from 00:09:03.710 --> 00:09:07.190 milk from 30 cows, sales of 20 to 25 heifers 00:09:07.190 --> 00:09:10.509 a year, 10 to 15 recipient sales, and a booming 00:09:10.509 --> 00:09:13.429 global embryo business. She's turned a challenge 00:09:13.429 --> 00:09:16.950 into an even stronger business. Now, let's talk 00:09:16.950 --> 00:09:19.769 about the color red. Because at Panda Holstein's, 00:09:19.789 --> 00:09:23.320 it's not just a color, it's a statement. 95 % 00:09:23.320 --> 00:09:26.279 of Molly's herd is either red or a red carrier. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:30.519 I have always loved Rand Ws, she says. They are 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:33.179 the minority of the Holstein breed, but can compete 00:09:33.179 --> 00:09:36.360 against the Band Ws on so many levels. I love 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:39.559 topping the Band W classes with a red. She's 00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:42.340 had to fight against old stereotypes. Somebody 00:09:42.340 --> 00:09:45.580 once said to me, red Holsteins are no good. They 00:09:45.580 --> 00:09:47.919 don't give any milk, and they are non -comparable 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:50.580 to the black and whites. Well, she says with 00:09:50.580 --> 00:09:53.830 a laugh. I love to prove people wrong. And has 00:09:53.830 --> 00:09:57.049 she ever. In just eight years, Panda Holsteins 00:09:57.049 --> 00:09:59.409 has bred and developed nine excellent and 41 00:09:59.409 --> 00:10:03.009 very good females. The Fool's Gold family, that 00:10:03.009 --> 00:10:05.330 foundation line from Canada, has become royalty. 00:10:05.809 --> 00:10:09.169 Remember Lexi, the first red heifer? Molly flushed 00:10:09.169 --> 00:10:12.570 her and got 32 grade A embryos. This launched 00:10:12.570 --> 00:10:15.470 her international embryo sales. That line produced 00:10:15.470 --> 00:10:18.809 Panda Heart of Gold Red, the 2018 All -Britain 00:10:18.809 --> 00:10:22.059 Rand W Champion. Molly sold her to a farm in 00:10:22.059 --> 00:10:25.480 Northern Ireland where she scored EX92 and became 00:10:25.480 --> 00:10:28.840 an eight -star brood cow. The success just kept 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:32.279 cascading. Molly kept a crushable daughter of 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:35.299 Hardy's named Goldie. She followed in her mother's 00:10:35.299 --> 00:10:37.899 footsteps, winning at the National UK Dairy Day 00:10:37.899 --> 00:10:40.759 and becoming the 2022 All -Britain Champion. 00:10:41.460 --> 00:10:44.399 After Goldie was sold to an international syndicate 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:47.159 and moved to Italy, Molly focused on her Red 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:50.340 Lambda daughter, Panda Lamborghini Red. And what 00:10:50.340 --> 00:10:53.059 do you think happened? She calved in late 2023 00:10:53.059 --> 00:10:57.039 and won her class at the 2024 National UK Dairy 00:10:57.039 --> 00:11:00.059 Day. That's four consecutive generations from 00:11:00.059 --> 00:11:02.320 this one family winning at this massive show. 00:11:02.860 --> 00:11:06.179 Today, the original red heifer Lexi has produced 00:11:06.179 --> 00:11:10.539 13 VG or EX daughters and 23 VG or EX granddaughters 00:11:10.539 --> 00:11:13.759 living in over seven countries. She's now a 14 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:17.200 -star brood cow. It's simply incredible. And 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:19.549 it's not just the Fool's Gold family. There's 00:11:19.549 --> 00:11:23.830 Panda Autumn Ocalibra Red EX95 -3E, a granddaughter 00:11:23.830 --> 00:11:26.169 of the world champion Ocalibra, who has produced 00:11:26.169 --> 00:11:29.629 over 80 ,000 kilograms of milk and has nine VG 00:11:29.629 --> 00:11:32.990 or EX daughters. And maybe the most remarkable 00:11:32.990 --> 00:11:36.950 achievement of all, in 2023, Panda's Golden Rose 00:11:36.950 --> 00:11:39.750 Jordi Rita Red became the first animal in the 00:11:39.750 --> 00:11:42.529 world to complete 21 generations of excellent 00:11:42.529 --> 00:11:46.169 classification. 21 generations. That's not luck. 00:11:46.289 --> 00:11:49.059 That's a masterclass in breeding. Molly's philosophy 00:11:49.059 --> 00:11:52.399 is key. She told me, corrective mating is key 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:55.559 and pays off in the long run. She's not chasing 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:57.820 trends. She's building balanced, functional, 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:00.840 beautiful cows. She follows cow families for 00:12:00.840 --> 00:12:04.419 years before investing. I only invest if it adds 00:12:04.419 --> 00:12:07.519 to our portfolio, she says. I see no point investing 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:09.980 in something with the same target market as something 00:12:09.980 --> 00:12:13.539 else at home. This dedication has not gone unnoticed. 00:12:13.980 --> 00:12:17.139 In 2017, she was named Young Farmer of the Year 00:12:17.139 --> 00:12:20.039 at the Food and Farming Industry Awards, presented 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:23.600 at the House of Commons. And last year, she achieved 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:25.860 what many breeders work their entire lives for. 00:12:25.980 --> 00:12:30.000 She was awarded Master Breeder status. She describes 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:33.100 it as, one of my greatest achievements, proving 00:12:33.100 --> 00:12:35.340 the families I have invested in over the past 00:12:35.340 --> 00:12:39.860 10 years have stood the testing times. Of course, 00:12:39.940 --> 00:12:42.080 this doesn't happen without a support system. 00:12:42.620 --> 00:12:45.659 She credits her parents, Andrew and Sharon, as 00:12:45.659 --> 00:12:48.740 her biggest influences. Her dad is still her 00:12:48.740 --> 00:12:51.379 business partner, handling the crops while she 00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:54.460 handles the cows. And her late mother, who sadly 00:12:54.460 --> 00:12:56.679 passed away from motor neuron disease last year, 00:12:56.820 --> 00:13:01.320 was her number one fan. She's also a huge advocate 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:03.620 for getting involved, especially in organizations 00:13:03.620 --> 00:13:07.580 like Holstein Young Breeders or HYB. She says 00:13:07.580 --> 00:13:09.720 it's the best place to learn and meet people, 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:12.519 and now she's the one giving back. teaching younger 00:13:12.519 --> 00:13:15.919 members how to clip, show, and judge. Because, 00:13:16.220 --> 00:13:19.240 as she wisely puts it, they are the future, and 00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:21.779 the way I see it, they could be future customers. 00:13:23.220 --> 00:13:26.240 So what's next for this trailblazer? She's not 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:28.980 slowing down. She's planning to develop her 30 00:13:28.980 --> 00:13:31.700 -cow nucleus herd and leverage females she owns 00:13:31.700 --> 00:13:34.360 in Canada and the U .S. to bring in new bloodlines. 00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:38.279 But the big date on the calendar is July 1, 2025. 00:13:38.980 --> 00:13:41.909 That's the pathway of panda sale. It will be 00:13:41.909 --> 00:13:44.470 a showcase of 10 years of breeding, offering 00:13:44.470 --> 00:13:47.730 her very best animals, with 95 % being red or 00:13:47.730 --> 00:13:50.590 red carrier. She told me that after the sale, 00:13:50.710 --> 00:13:53.070 her numbers will be a bit lower, but the core 00:13:53.070 --> 00:13:55.850 foundation cows will remain, ready to build the 00:13:55.850 --> 00:13:58.830 next chapter. And the long -term goal? Molly 00:13:58.830 --> 00:14:00.950 states it with absolute clarity and ambition. 00:14:01.789 --> 00:14:04.649 Long -term for Panda, we aim to have the world's 00:14:04.649 --> 00:14:07.570 most elite Rand W selection of cattle. My next 00:14:07.570 --> 00:14:10.750 goal is to breed the first EX97 Rand W cow in 00:14:10.750 --> 00:14:13.529 the UK. And you know what? I have absolutely 00:14:13.529 --> 00:14:16.789 no doubt she will do it. Molly Westwood's story 00:14:16.789 --> 00:14:19.629 is more than just inspiring. It's a strategic 00:14:19.629 --> 00:14:23.330 masterpiece. She's proven that with a clear vision, 00:14:23.450 --> 00:14:26.029 a deep understanding of genetics, and an incredible 00:14:26.029 --> 00:14:28.690 amount of hard work, you don't need a mega dairy 00:14:28.690 --> 00:14:32.210 to make a global impact. She's a pioneer who 00:14:32.210 --> 00:14:34.649 has single -handedly elevated the prestige of 00:14:34.649 --> 00:14:37.320 red and white Holsteins. She looked at the rulebook, 00:14:37.460 --> 00:14:40.659 saw a different path, and built a legacy, one 00:14:40.659 --> 00:14:43.100 red heifer at a time. Thanks for tuning in to 00:14:43.100 --> 00:14:45.600 the Bullvine Podcast. I hope Molly's story has 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:48.440 left you as inspired as it left me. It's a powerful 00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:51.279 reminder that sometimes the biggest revolutions 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:54.240 start with the smallest, most focused of dreams. 00:14:54.700 --> 00:14:57.919 Until next time, I'm your host, wishing you all 00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:58.360 the best.