WEBVTT 00:00:14.189 --> 00:00:20.969 Creeping over fields of green Remembering the 00:00:20.969 --> 00:00:27.269 faces The moments unseen The hands that built 00:00:27.269 --> 00:00:33.590 a dynasty The vision in their eyes Echoes in 00:00:33.590 --> 00:00:38.810 the auction bar Beneath an endless sky This is 00:00:38.810 --> 00:01:04.420 the bull buy Turn the bar What if I told you 00:01:04.420 --> 00:01:07.000 that the cow everyone walked away from at auction 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:10.659 became the foundation of a genetic empire worth 00:01:10.659 --> 00:01:14.939 hundreds of millions of dollars? I'm talking 00:01:14.939 --> 00:01:18.280 about a Holstein with a rump that wasn't entirely 00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:21.780 balanced, who got rejected by experienced breeders, 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:27.140 but went on to become the 2014 Global Cow of 00:01:27.140 --> 00:01:30.670 the Year. Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast. I'm 00:01:30.670 --> 00:01:32.930 your host, and today I'm sharing the incredible 00:01:32.930 --> 00:01:39.310 story of Westwood HC Rudy Missy ET, a cow whose 00:01:39.310 --> 00:01:43.790 genetics are shaping breeding decisions on farms 00:01:43.790 --> 00:01:46.530 around the world today. You ever watch a sale 00:01:46.530 --> 00:01:49.329 where you just know, deep in your gut, that everyone 00:01:49.329 --> 00:01:52.189 else is missing something big? I'm talking about 00:01:52.189 --> 00:01:55.750 that February morning in 2003. some drafty barn 00:01:55.750 --> 00:01:58.489 up in Wisconsin where the snow's still coming 00:01:58.489 --> 00:02:01.349 down sideways. The auctioneer's getting that 00:02:01.349 --> 00:02:04.489 tired, frustrated edge in his voice as the bidding 00:02:04.489 --> 00:02:06.709 stalls out on this five -year -old Holstein. 00:02:07.609 --> 00:02:10.969 These are experienced guys, mind you, the kind 00:02:10.969 --> 00:02:13.189 who've driven three hours through farm country 00:02:13.189 --> 00:02:15.590 slush and missed morning milking to be there, 00:02:15.710 --> 00:02:17.750 and they're literally heading for the exits. 00:02:18.110 --> 00:02:21.889 Why? This cow's rump wasn't entirely balanced. 00:02:22.229 --> 00:02:25.060 In our world, that phrase might as well be a 00:02:25.060 --> 00:02:28.139 death sentence at auction. Then this phone rings 00:02:28.139 --> 00:02:31.039 in the back office. You know that moment, when 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:33.360 the whole room goes quiet and everyone's holding 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:35.879 their breath, wondering if someone's about to 00:02:35.879 --> 00:02:39.860 throw good money after bad? Matt Steiner's voice 00:02:39.860 --> 00:02:42.659 crackling through from Pine Tree Dairy down in 00:02:42.659 --> 00:02:46.060 Ohio. The man had never even laid eyes on this 00:02:46.060 --> 00:02:49.560 cow in person, but something about her, maybe 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:51.900 the way she held her head in that catalog photo, 00:02:52.430 --> 00:02:54.930 maybe 30 years of studying what makes genetics 00:02:54.930 --> 00:02:57.590 tick, told him everything he needed to know. 00:02:57.830 --> 00:03:01.490 That phone bid at the 2003 Wisconsin Holstein 00:03:01.490 --> 00:03:04.409 Convention Sweetheart Sale triggered what I'd 00:03:04.409 --> 00:03:06.930 call the most consequential genetic revolution 00:03:06.930 --> 00:03:10.129 our industry's ever witnessed. And if you're 00:03:10.129 --> 00:03:12.629 making breeding decisions today, you need to 00:03:12.629 --> 00:03:15.129 understand why this story matters to your bottom 00:03:15.129 --> 00:03:18.009 line. Here's the thing about the best breeding 00:03:18.009 --> 00:03:21.500 stories. They always start with someone who's 00:03:21.500 --> 00:03:25.259 brutally honest about what they don't know. Back 00:03:25.259 --> 00:03:28.139 in 1980, Steve Wessing didn't try to sugarcoat 00:03:28.139 --> 00:03:30.699 his situation when he told folks his dad always 00:03:30.699 --> 00:03:33.719 had grade cows, so they were really green when 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:36.699 it came to herd book breeding. You know the type, 00:03:36.860 --> 00:03:40.280 right? Solid stockman, could read his cows like 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:43.080 morning coffee and weather patterns, but pedigrees? 00:03:43.340 --> 00:03:47.349 That was foreign territory. When Steve and Cheryl 00:03:47.349 --> 00:03:49.830 decided they wanted registered Holsteins for 00:03:49.830 --> 00:03:53.150 their Byron, Wisconsin operation, they were basically 00:03:53.150 --> 00:03:55.490 starting from scratch. What's interesting is 00:03:55.490 --> 00:03:59.289 how opportunity came knocking. 18 cows and 5 00:03:59.289 --> 00:04:01.669 heifers from the Milkstein herd down in Appleton 00:04:01.669 --> 00:04:05.430 became available. Now, anyone who knew the Midwest 00:04:05.430 --> 00:04:08.169 Holstein scene back then, and I mean really knew 00:04:08.169 --> 00:04:10.030 it, not just what they read in the magazines, 00:04:10.310 --> 00:04:13.530 heard the same warnings Steve got. There wasn't 00:04:13.530 --> 00:04:16.689 a lot of type in that herd. But here's what strikes 00:04:16.689 --> 00:04:19.629 me about good stockmen, and Steve was definitely 00:04:19.629 --> 00:04:23.110 that. They trust their eyes over other people's 00:04:23.110 --> 00:04:25.949 opinions. When those first cows got classified, 00:04:26.250 --> 00:04:29.290 only one scored very good. Milkstein Citation 00:04:29.290 --> 00:04:32.310 Della. And honestly, nothing about her screamed 00:04:32.310 --> 00:04:35.329 genetic goldmine. Just a cow that showed up every 00:04:35.329 --> 00:04:38.430 day, did her job, kept producing. The kind that 00:04:38.430 --> 00:04:41.110 pays the bills when feed costs are climbing and 00:04:41.110 --> 00:04:43.629 milk prices are... Well, you know how that goes. 00:04:44.589 --> 00:04:47.069 What Steve didn't realize, couldn't have known 00:04:47.069 --> 00:04:50.069 really, is that Della carried something you can't 00:04:50.069 --> 00:04:53.430 measure in the classification barn. The ability 00:04:53.430 --> 00:04:56.310 to transmit exceptional genetics while keeping 00:04:56.310 --> 00:04:59.790 cows productive and profitable. Her daughter, 00:04:59.910 --> 00:05:03.149 Westwood Bell Claudette VG87, might have only 00:05:03.149 --> 00:05:06.350 scored VG87, but she had that durability trait 00:05:06.350 --> 00:05:08.829 that shows up in your milk check, not your ribbon 00:05:08.829 --> 00:05:11.730 collection. What's really interesting about Steve 00:05:11.730 --> 00:05:14.069 Hayes is how he watched genetics develop the 00:05:14.069 --> 00:05:16.790 way the best breeders always have, not from genetic 00:05:16.790 --> 00:05:19.829 printouts or sale catalogs, but from daily observation. 00:05:21.129 --> 00:05:24.649 Picture this. Every morning, walking past the 00:05:24.649 --> 00:05:27.050 fence line between his place and Wessings, he'd 00:05:27.050 --> 00:05:30.230 pause and study those young cows. The depth through 00:05:30.230 --> 00:05:32.589 their hearts. How they moved around the feed 00:05:32.589 --> 00:05:35.389 bunks. That indefinable quality you recognize 00:05:35.389 --> 00:05:37.730 when you see it, even if you can't quite put 00:05:37.730 --> 00:05:41.269 your finger on why. Hayes spotted it in Westwood, 00:05:41.410 --> 00:05:44.649 Elton Mimi, Claudette's granddaughter. Sired 00:05:44.649 --> 00:05:47.870 by Emprise Belle Elton, huge syndicate bull back 00:05:47.870 --> 00:05:51.670 in 94, the kind every AI rep was pushing. She 00:05:51.670 --> 00:05:53.730 was already turning heads as a two -year -old. 00:05:54.610 --> 00:05:57.910 VG87 at classification, sure, but you could see 00:05:57.910 --> 00:05:59.970 the potential in her early production patterns. 00:06:00.410 --> 00:06:03.189 The two Steves describe her as a treasure of 00:06:03.189 --> 00:06:06.189 a cow, very low maintenance, easy to work with. 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:09.120 When new feed was delivered, she made sure she 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:11.660 had her own place at the front of the line. You 00:06:11.660 --> 00:06:14.600 can picture it, can't you? That alert, assertive 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:17.579 heifer who somehow knew she was special before 00:06:17.579 --> 00:06:21.220 anyone else figured it out. The kind of cow that 00:06:21.220 --> 00:06:23.660 positions herself where she needs to be when 00:06:23.660 --> 00:06:27.079 she needs to be there. We've all had cows like 00:06:27.079 --> 00:06:29.699 that. The ones that seem to understand the business 00:06:29.699 --> 00:06:33.439 better than we do sometimes. The peaceful routine 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:36.279 was shattered when devastating flames tore through 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:39.139 the Wisconsin barn. Thirteen -year -old Claudette 00:06:39.139 --> 00:06:41.879 stood among the smoke and chaos, her massive 00:06:41.879 --> 00:06:44.699 frame somehow still dignified despite the turmoil 00:06:44.699 --> 00:06:48.160 swirling around her. This old girl had already 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:50.759 pumped out a quarter million pounds of milk for 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:53.839 the Wessings, a lifetime of dedication now threatened 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:57.360 by forces nobody could control. Steve Wessing 00:06:57.360 --> 00:06:59.920 stood in that ash -covered milking parlor afterward. 00:07:00.459 --> 00:07:02.699 watching Claudette's labored breathing as smoke 00:07:02.699 --> 00:07:05.240 still clung to her coat and felt his stomach 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:08.680 drop as he calculated what years of genetic progress 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:11.339 looked like disappearing into the night air. 00:07:11.740 --> 00:07:15.620 The decisions came fast and brutal. Claudette 00:07:15.620 --> 00:07:18.639 had to be moved to a neighbor's place. Hip problems 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:21.220 don't wait for convenient timing, effectively 00:07:21.220 --> 00:07:23.519 ending a production career that would have easily 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:27.279 hit 300 ,000 pounds if she'd had just a few more 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:31.170 months. The emotional weight of rebuilding. God, 00:07:31.310 --> 00:07:35.589 I can't imagine. By December 1994, Steve made 00:07:35.589 --> 00:07:37.810 the call that went against every farming instinct 00:07:37.810 --> 00:07:41.629 he had. Dispersal sale. The kind of decision 00:07:41.629 --> 00:07:44.389 that keeps you awake at 3 a .m. wondering if 00:07:44.389 --> 00:07:47.350 you're doing the right thing. Westwood Elton 00:07:47.350 --> 00:07:50.709 Mimi headlined as Lot 1. The interest was real. 00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:54.259 Doug Maddox from Ruan Holsteins even called asking 00:07:54.259 --> 00:07:56.660 questions, which tells you something about the 00:07:56.660 --> 00:07:59.680 buzz building around this offering. But Hayes 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:01.860 had worked out an understanding with his neighbor. 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:05.279 If Hayes bid highest, they'd own Mimi together. 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:08.819 Watching Hayes keep raising his hand as the price 00:08:08.819 --> 00:08:11.339 climbed past what made most breeders squirm, 00:08:11.500 --> 00:08:14.680 when he made that final bid, suddenly two friends 00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:17.180 from rural Wisconsin owned what would become 00:08:17.180 --> 00:08:20.000 one of the most valuable cows in Holstein history. 00:08:20.750 --> 00:08:23.310 Neither of them had any clue what they'd just 00:08:23.310 --> 00:08:26.670 bought. Here's where genetics gets really interesting, 00:08:26.850 --> 00:08:29.250 and where I think this story teaches us something 00:08:29.250 --> 00:08:33.090 important about taking calculated risks. With 00:08:33.090 --> 00:08:35.649 Mimi thriving under their joint care, the two 00:08:35.649 --> 00:08:38.190 Steves faced a breeding decision that would literally 00:08:38.190 --> 00:08:41.909 reshape our entire industry. They agreed to a 00:08:41.909 --> 00:08:44.450 contract mating with Startmore Rudolph, and get 00:08:44.450 --> 00:08:47.830 this, the AI stud specifically wanted this breeding 00:08:47.830 --> 00:08:50.980 because they expected a bull calf. Rudolph was 00:08:50.980 --> 00:08:54.059 being used as a sire of sons, you know? Classic 00:08:54.059 --> 00:08:57.580 breeding strategy back then. The two Steves stood 00:08:57.580 --> 00:09:00.460 in the pasture that morning, watching Mimi graze, 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:02.940 both knowing this breeding decision would either 00:09:02.940 --> 00:09:05.620 validate their partnership or haunt them for 00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:08.580 decades. What strikes me about guys like this 00:09:08.580 --> 00:09:10.740 is how they make decisions based on what they 00:09:10.740 --> 00:09:13.679 see in their cattle, not what some breeding consultant 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:18.080 tells them they should be doing. In 1997, a heifer 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:23.450 calf was born. Westwood HC, Rudy Missy ET. Think 00:09:23.450 --> 00:09:25.889 about that twist of fate for a minute. If she'd 00:09:25.889 --> 00:09:28.110 been born male, she would have contributed the 00:09:28.110 --> 00:09:31.429 genetics of one individual to our breed. Important? 00:09:31.649 --> 00:09:35.309 Maybe. Revolutionary? Probably not. But as a 00:09:35.309 --> 00:09:38.389 cow, she became what geneticists call a genetic 00:09:38.389 --> 00:09:42.909 multiplier. 18 sons in AI service, 42 daughters 00:09:42.909 --> 00:09:45.850 classified excellent or very good. And that's 00:09:45.850 --> 00:09:48.350 just the beginning of her story. For the next 00:09:48.350 --> 00:09:50.429 few years, Missy developed under the Wessing 00:09:50.429 --> 00:09:53.370 -Hayes partnership. Same alert, assertive personality 00:09:53.370 --> 00:09:56.769 as her dam. First to the feed truck, first to 00:09:56.769 --> 00:09:59.590 catch the attention of every AI rep and embryo 00:09:59.590 --> 00:10:02.409 buyer who came calling. The two Steves would 00:10:02.409 --> 00:10:04.730 watch her position herself at the gate every 00:10:04.730 --> 00:10:07.509 morning, almost like she knew something big was 00:10:07.509 --> 00:10:10.769 coming. Steve Hayes knew the writing was on the 00:10:10.769 --> 00:10:14.330 wall. Hip problems were making twice -daily milking 00:10:14.330 --> 00:10:17.620 a real challenge. And despite the emotional attachment, 00:10:18.019 --> 00:10:20.299 anyone who's been in this business understands 00:10:20.299 --> 00:10:23.179 that bond. He'd have to make the tough call. 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:27.279 By 2003, that decision couldn't be put off any 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:30.320 longer. Hayes was dealing with physical limitations 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:33.840 that made milking impossible. You know how it 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:36.659 is in our business. The spirit's willing, but 00:10:36.659 --> 00:10:40.240 the body starts making decisions for you. So 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:42.620 there they were at the Wisconsin Holstein Convention 00:10:42.620 --> 00:10:45.700 Sweetheart Sale. That thick anticipation you 00:10:45.700 --> 00:10:48.139 get when word spreads about a special offering, 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:50.340 but also that nervous energy when you're not 00:10:50.340 --> 00:10:52.480 sure if the market's going to recognize what 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:55.379 you've got. As the bidding unfolded, you could 00:10:55.379 --> 00:10:57.820 feel disappointment settling over the crowd like 00:10:57.820 --> 00:11:01.679 morning fog after a warm night. Missy's rump 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:05.720 wasn't entirely balanced. Game over, right? Steve 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:08.179 Hayes felt his stomach drop as another bidder 00:11:08.179 --> 00:11:11.240 shook his head and walked away. This cow he'd 00:11:11.240 --> 00:11:14.919 helped develop, believed in. invested in. Was 00:11:14.919 --> 00:11:17.299 she really just going to be another disappointing 00:11:17.299 --> 00:11:20.659 sale? Experienced Holstein breeders, guys who'd 00:11:20.659 --> 00:11:22.659 driven hours through Wisconsin winter to be there, 00:11:22.840 --> 00:11:25.379 started drifting toward the exits, probably already 00:11:25.379 --> 00:11:28.159 thinking about the drive home. What they saw 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:30.080 was just another decent five -year -old cow. 00:11:30.379 --> 00:11:34.720 86 points, second lactation of 31 ,880 pounds 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:39.740 at 4 .1 % fat and 3 .2 % protein. Respectable 00:11:39.740 --> 00:11:43.409 for sure, but revolutionary? Not hardly. That's 00:11:43.409 --> 00:11:45.870 when the phone rang. Matt Steiner's voice carried 00:11:45.870 --> 00:11:48.149 absolute conviction through that phone line, 00:11:48.309 --> 00:11:50.470 cutting through all the disappointment in the 00:11:50.470 --> 00:11:54.389 room like a hot knife. No hesitation. No second 00:11:54.389 --> 00:11:57.470 guessing. The man saw potential where everyone 00:11:57.470 --> 00:12:00.970 else saw problems. What happened to Missy at 00:12:00.970 --> 00:12:03.590 Pine Tree Dairy in Marshallville, Ohio proves 00:12:03.590 --> 00:12:05.710 everything we know about the importance of the 00:12:05.710 --> 00:12:09.289 environment in genetic expression. The Steiner 00:12:09.289 --> 00:12:11.909 sons initially had their doubts. Those curved 00:12:11.909 --> 00:12:15.049 legs. those long teats, the usual concerns that 00:12:15.049 --> 00:12:16.950 make you second -guess your breeding decisions 00:12:16.950 --> 00:12:19.889 at 2 a .m. when you're lying awake wondering 00:12:19.889 --> 00:12:23.570 if you just made a huge mistake. But their father's 00:12:23.570 --> 00:12:26.549 eye for genetic potential that proved prophetic 00:12:26.549 --> 00:12:30.269 in ways nobody could have predicted. Here's what's 00:12:30.269 --> 00:12:32.090 really interesting about Pine Tree's approach. 00:12:32.690 --> 00:12:35.750 Their management philosophy is centered on what 00:12:35.750 --> 00:12:38.710 actually matters in our business, cheese merit, 00:12:38.950 --> 00:12:42.159 component production, and health traits. The 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:44.860 stuff that shows up in your milk check, not necessarily 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:48.500 in the show ring. Under their care, Missy's genetic 00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:51.200 strengths didn't just get identified, they got 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:55.500 amplified. Classification jumped to EX92, but 00:12:55.500 --> 00:12:57.559 here's the number that tells the real story. 00:12:58.059 --> 00:13:01.200 The mating that defined Rudy Missy's legacy came 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:04.940 through her cross with O -Man. OB Manfred Justice 00:13:04.940 --> 00:13:08.559 ET. Now this wasn't some random breeding decision 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:11.059 made on a whim or because semen was on sale. 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:14.139 This was a calculated genetic strategy by people 00:13:14.139 --> 00:13:17.440 who understood what complementarity really means. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:20.620 What strikes me about that cross is how it turned 00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:24.460 out. All seven females scored very good and became 00:13:24.460 --> 00:13:26.840 instrumental in developing bloodlines for some 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:29.379 of the most influential sires we've seen in the 00:13:29.379 --> 00:13:32.960 past two decades. When you consistently produce 00:13:32.960 --> 00:13:35.279 offspring that are superior to either parent 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:37.580 in overall genetic merit, you're not dealing 00:13:37.580 --> 00:13:40.740 with luck. You're witnessing the power of superior 00:13:40.740 --> 00:13:43.399 genetics meeting strategic breeding decisions. 00:13:44.139 --> 00:13:47.860 The cross worked. And it kept working. Generation 00:13:47.860 --> 00:13:50.580 after generation. That's the kind of consistency 00:13:50.580 --> 00:13:53.019 that separates good genetics from great genetics. 00:13:53.940 --> 00:13:56.899 What came from that O -Man cross reads like a 00:13:56.899 --> 00:13:59.879 who's who of modern Holstein genetics. But let 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:02.000 me paint you the picture of what really happened 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:06.549 in those barns. Pine Tree Missy. Miranda ET became 00:14:06.549 --> 00:14:09.230 the genetic bridge to sires that are still shaping 00:14:09.230 --> 00:14:12.129 breeding programs today. Her production credentials 00:14:12.129 --> 00:14:16.450 were solid. 35 ,550 pounds of milk carrying 4 00:14:16.450 --> 00:14:21.929 .9 % fat and 3 .7 % protein in 365 days on 3x 00:14:21.929 --> 00:14:25.409 milking at just 3 years and 8 months. Those are 00:14:25.409 --> 00:14:27.230 the kind of numbers that make you recalculate 00:14:27.230 --> 00:14:28.929 your feed costs and wonder if you're pushing 00:14:28.929 --> 00:14:31.879 your own cows hard enough. But Miranda's real 00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:34.220 value lay in her daughters, including Mountfield 00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:37.460 Marsh Maxine ET, who'd become dam of Mountfield 00:14:37.460 --> 00:14:41.820 SSI DC Mogul ET. Now Maxine's story, this is 00:14:41.820 --> 00:14:44.480 the kind of drama that reminds you why we stay 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:46.860 in this business despite all the challenges. 00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:50.240 After getting flushed as a heifer, within hours, 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:53.179 she developed massive swelling around her head 00:14:53.179 --> 00:14:56.220 and neck. The Marshfield family rushed her to 00:14:56.220 --> 00:14:59.019 Cornell, and for weeks, they faced that daily 00:14:59.019 --> 00:15:02.019 ritual. every dairy family dreads, wondering 00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:04.759 each morning if their genetic future was still 00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:08.320 breathing. Can you imagine? Walking to the barn 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:10.600 each morning, coffee getting cold in your hand, 00:15:10.740 --> 00:15:13.120 not knowing if everything you'd worked for was 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:16.279 about to slip away. The kind of stress that makes 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:18.360 you question whether this whole breeding game 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:22.519 is worth it. But Maxine fought. She survived. 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:26.220 And she became damn of one of Select Sire's most 00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:29.909 successful bulls. Sometimes I think about that 00:15:29.909 --> 00:15:32.190 when I'm making breeding decisions. You never 00:15:32.190 --> 00:15:34.490 know which animals are going to fight their way 00:15:34.490 --> 00:15:36.710 through adversity to become something special. 00:15:37.389 --> 00:15:40.509 Pine tree Missy Monica ET might not have gotten 00:15:40.509 --> 00:15:43.429 the same attention as her sisters, but her contribution 00:15:43.429 --> 00:15:47.289 through pine tree Monica Susie ET, maternal grandam 00:15:47.289 --> 00:15:50.450 of pine tree Alta Oak ET, shows the depth of 00:15:50.450 --> 00:15:53.629 this genetic pool. Sometimes the quiet ones in 00:15:53.629 --> 00:15:55.409 the corner are the ones changing everything. 00:15:56.429 --> 00:15:59.830 Then there's Pine Tree Missy Martha ET, who established 00:15:59.830 --> 00:16:02.350 what might be the most celebrated branch of the 00:16:02.350 --> 00:16:05.029 whole family tree. Through her daughter Pine 00:16:05.029 --> 00:16:07.929 Tree Martha Sheen E, Martha became Grand Dam 00:16:07.929 --> 00:16:11.870 of Ammon Peachy Shawna ET, the 2015 Global Cow 00:16:11.870 --> 00:16:14.669 of the Year, and Dam of Seagull Bay Super Sire 00:16:14.669 --> 00:16:18.529 ET. Seagull Bay Super Sire ET. Where do you even 00:16:18.529 --> 00:16:21.090 start with this bull's commercial success? His 00:16:21.090 --> 00:16:24.340 dam, Ammon Peachy Shawna ET. was the kind of 00:16:24.340 --> 00:16:26.820 production powerhouse that makes you stop what 00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:29.159 you're doing and stare at the milk meters. What 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:31.279 really impressed the folks at Seagull Bay about 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:34.000 Shauna was how she combined exceptional milk 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:36.779 production with the kind of durability that keeps 00:16:36.779 --> 00:16:39.360 cows profitable throughout extended lactations. 00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:43.419 Super Sire became a generational sire, achieving 00:16:43.419 --> 00:16:46.580 remarkable commercial success in AI markets worldwide. 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:50.220 The genetic contributions, deeply rooted in the 00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:52.889 Rudy Missy family, are now woven into Holstein 00:16:52.889 --> 00:16:56.730 pedigrees on every continent. Think about that 00:16:56.730 --> 00:16:59.049 for a second. We're talking about genetics from 00:16:59.049 --> 00:17:01.409 a cow that couldn't find enthusiastic buyers 00:17:01.409 --> 00:17:03.970 at auction becoming the foundation for some of 00:17:03.970 --> 00:17:07.569 today's most sought -after bloodlines. Mountfield 00:17:07.569 --> 00:17:11.069 SSI Desiway Mogul ET represents that perfect 00:17:11.069 --> 00:17:14.069 fusion of the Rudy Missy maternal line with elite 00:17:14.069 --> 00:17:17.329 sire genetics. One of Select Sire's most significant 00:17:17.329 --> 00:17:20.069 global bulls, proving that great cow families 00:17:20.069 --> 00:17:22.569 don't just produce one standout, they produce 00:17:22.569 --> 00:17:27.450 consistency across generations. DSU 11236 Ballisto 00:17:27.450 --> 00:17:30.789 ET took the family international, becoming highly 00:17:30.789 --> 00:17:34.029 ranked in German genetic evaluations. That's 00:17:34.029 --> 00:17:36.710 not just about genetic merit, that's about adaptability 00:17:36.710 --> 00:17:39.049 across different management systems, different 00:17:39.049 --> 00:17:41.609 breeding objectives, different economic pressures. 00:17:42.589 --> 00:17:45.289 The Rudy Missy genetics don't just work in one 00:17:45.289 --> 00:17:48.890 environment, they work everywhere. Here's the 00:17:48.890 --> 00:17:51.170 thing that should grab your attention. And I 00:17:51.170 --> 00:17:53.690 mean really grab it. This isn't some feel -good 00:17:53.690 --> 00:17:57.369 historical story. The Rudy Missy legacy is actively 00:17:57.369 --> 00:17:59.910 shaping breeding decisions being made right now 00:17:59.910 --> 00:18:03.589 in 2025 on farms from Wisconsin to New Zealand. 00:18:04.329 --> 00:18:07.150 From what I'm seeing across the industry, breeders 00:18:07.150 --> 00:18:09.410 are paying closer attention to maternal lines 00:18:09.410 --> 00:18:12.660 than ever before. The genomic revolution gave 00:18:12.660 --> 00:18:15.400 us better tools, sure, but it also validated 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:18.059 what good stockmen like the two Steves knew all 00:18:18.059 --> 00:18:21.599 along. Some families just have that special something. 00:18:22.059 --> 00:18:24.319 When you look at current genetic evaluations, 00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:27.519 you see the Rudy Missy influence appearing consistently 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:31.319 among top -ranked bulls. Industry data shows 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:34.440 her genetics continuing to appear in high TPI 00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:37.599 bloodlines, demonstrating unprecedented staying 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:40.400 power in an industry that's constantly evolving, 00:18:40.829 --> 00:18:43.089 and introducing new genetics. Here's where it 00:18:43.089 --> 00:18:45.589 gets practical for those of us making breeding 00:18:45.589 --> 00:18:48.450 decisions on real farms with real constraints. 00:18:49.130 --> 00:18:52.410 When you're evaluating potential AI sires today, 00:18:52.670 --> 00:18:55.490 look for the Rudy Missy influence in bloodlines 00:18:55.490 --> 00:18:58.130 that consistently deliver both production and 00:18:58.130 --> 00:19:01.650 longevity traits. That combination of high milk 00:19:01.650 --> 00:19:03.890 yield with the kind of durability that keeps 00:19:03.890 --> 00:19:07.210 cows productive year after year, that's exactly 00:19:07.210 --> 00:19:09.730 what we need as we face everything from labor 00:19:09.730 --> 00:19:13.250 shortages, to sustainability pressures. What's 00:19:13.250 --> 00:19:15.730 happening across the industry is a renewed focus 00:19:15.730 --> 00:19:18.589 on maternal lines that deliver both production 00:19:18.589 --> 00:19:23.009 and sustainability. The Rudy Missy family exemplifies 00:19:23.009 --> 00:19:25.789 this trend. High production combined with the 00:19:25.789 --> 00:19:28.269 kind of durability that keeps cows profitable 00:19:28.269 --> 00:19:31.849 throughout extended lactations. When feed costs 00:19:31.849 --> 00:19:34.230 are climbing and good help is harder to find, 00:19:34.410 --> 00:19:38.089 these traits become even more valuable. In an 00:19:38.089 --> 00:19:40.650 era when environmental concerns demand cows that 00:19:40.650 --> 00:19:43.329 produce efficiently over longer lifespans, the 00:19:43.329 --> 00:19:45.630 Rudy Missy line's inherent durability becomes 00:19:45.630 --> 00:19:48.569 even more valuable. Think about Claudette producing 00:19:48.569 --> 00:19:51.430 for 13 years, or the way these genetics consistently 00:19:51.430 --> 00:19:54.569 produce daughters with both high components and 00:19:54.569 --> 00:19:58.049 extended productive lives. That's not just good 00:19:58.049 --> 00:20:02.190 genetics. That's sustainable genetics. From what 00:20:02.190 --> 00:20:05.109 I'm seeing on farms, Producers are starting to 00:20:05.109 --> 00:20:07.589 look beyond just genetic evaluation numbers. 00:20:07.990 --> 00:20:11.130 They want genetics that work in real -world conditions, 00:20:11.390 --> 00:20:14.869 with real economic pressures. The Rudy Missy 00:20:14.869 --> 00:20:17.210 line delivers that combination of high production 00:20:17.210 --> 00:20:19.869 with practical durability that makes farming 00:20:19.869 --> 00:20:23.089 profitable when margins are tight. When Holstein 00:20:23.089 --> 00:20:26.089 International named Westwood HC Rudy Missy Global 00:20:26.089 --> 00:20:29.390 Cow of the Year in 2014, the judges specifically 00:20:29.390 --> 00:20:33.269 mentioned Mogul, Super Sire, Silver, and Ballisto 00:20:33.269 --> 00:20:36.250 as examples of her tremendous influence. That's 00:20:36.250 --> 00:20:38.690 not just about individual achievement. That's 00:20:38.690 --> 00:20:40.990 about sustained genetic impact across multiple 00:20:40.990 --> 00:20:43.750 generations and breeding programs. But here's 00:20:43.750 --> 00:20:45.809 what made that recognition even more special. 00:20:46.190 --> 00:20:49.589 The following year, Ammonpichi Shawna E .T., 00:20:49.589 --> 00:20:51.910 Rudy Missy's great -granddaughter, received the 00:20:51.910 --> 00:20:54.549 same honor. Grandmother and great -granddaughter, 00:20:54.630 --> 00:21:00.039 back -to -back global cow recognition. That's 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:02.500 the kind of genetic consistency that validates 00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:07.920 every breeding decision made along the way. When 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:09.880 Steve Wessing heard about Missy's recognition, 00:21:10.140 --> 00:21:12.279 he probably thought back to that same Wisconsin 00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:14.960 pasture where it all started and wondered if 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:17.599 she somehow knew she was special when she pushed 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:19.339 to the front of the feed line all those years 00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:22.819 ago. That's the kind of moment that makes all 00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:25.539 the long days and tough decisions worthwhile. 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:28.619 Let's talk about numbers that affect your bottom 00:21:28.619 --> 00:21:31.240 line. because this is where the Rudy Missy story 00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:33.759 gets really interesting from a business perspective. 00:21:34.279 --> 00:21:36.799 The economic impact of Rudy Missy descendants 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:40.799 extends far beyond individual semen sales. It's 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:42.940 about the genetic improvement in milk production, 00:21:43.299 --> 00:21:46.660 health traits, and longevity across global dairy 00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:50.539 herds. When you factor in the productivity gains 00:21:50.539 --> 00:21:53.200 from her genetics being used in breeding programs 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:56.200 worldwide, you're talking about an impact that 00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:59.400 touches millions of dairy cows. Recent market 00:21:59.400 --> 00:22:01.799 validation continues to demonstrate confidence 00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:04.880 in this bloodline. When European breeders consistently 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:08.319 invest premium dollars in genetics tracing back 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:10.720 to this family, that tells you everything about 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:14.400 long -term market confidence. Behind every genetic 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:16.900 revolution, you've got people making decisions 00:22:16.900 --> 00:22:20.579 based on observation, intuition, and courage. 00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:23.440 Steve Wessing and Steve Hayes were admittedly 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:26.099 green when it came to herd book breeding. but 00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:28.180 they trusted what they saw in their pastures 00:22:28.180 --> 00:22:31.700 long before any genetic evaluation system could 00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:35.339 validate those choices. That's something worth 00:22:35.339 --> 00:22:38.319 remembering in our genomic age. Sometimes the 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:40.779 best breeding decisions come from stockmen who 00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:43.660 understand cattle, not from computer printouts. 00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:46.740 Matt Steiner's phone bid demonstrated something 00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:49.059 we don't see enough of anymore, the willingness 00:22:49.059 --> 00:22:51.920 to invest in potential when everyone else sees 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:55.049 only modest value. That kind of vision, backed 00:22:55.049 --> 00:22:58.089 by the expertise to develop that potential, that's 00:22:58.089 --> 00:23:01.369 what builds genetic empires. Today, when you're 00:23:01.369 --> 00:23:03.829 running genetic evaluations on your herd and 00:23:03.829 --> 00:23:06.750 see names like Super Sire, Mogul, or Ballisto 00:23:06.750 --> 00:23:09.589 in those pedigrees, you're witnessing the continuing 00:23:09.589 --> 00:23:12.710 influence of decisions made by neighbors in Wisconsin 00:23:12.710 --> 00:23:16.009 who understood cattle better than they understood 00:23:16.009 --> 00:23:20.140 their own credentials. The thing is, Steve Wessing 00:23:20.140 --> 00:23:23.099 still farms that same land where it all started. 00:23:23.579 --> 00:23:26.000 Sometimes he stands in the pasture where Mimi 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:29.359 used to graze, and I bet he wonders if she somehow 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:32.440 knew what she was beginning when she positioned 00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:35.220 herself at the front of that feed line all those 00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:37.680 years ago. Here's what really strikes me about 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:40.400 this whole story. It proves something that gets 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:43.339 lost in all our genomic testing and genetic predictions. 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:47.160 Exceptional genetics combined with human wisdom, 00:23:47.559 --> 00:23:49.859 friendship, and the courage to believe in something 00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:53.079 extraordinary can literally reshape an entire 00:23:53.079 --> 00:23:56.839 breed. What's happening across the industry right 00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:00.619 now is a return to basics in some ways. Yes, 00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:03.140 we've got better tools than ever before, but 00:24:03.140 --> 00:24:05.640 the fundamental principles remain the same. Good 00:24:05.640 --> 00:24:08.279 cattle in the right environment, managed by people 00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:11.799 who understand what they're looking at. The interesting 00:24:11.799 --> 00:24:14.119 thing about current trends is how they're playing 00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:17.589 out regionally. Midwest herds are focusing more 00:24:17.589 --> 00:24:21.289 on component production and longevity. California 00:24:21.289 --> 00:24:23.990 dairies are looking at feed efficiency and heat 00:24:23.990 --> 00:24:27.430 tolerance. Northeast farms are emphasizing reproductive 00:24:27.430 --> 00:24:31.269 efficiency and barn -friendly temperaments. But 00:24:31.269 --> 00:24:33.890 regardless of the region, genetics tracing back 00:24:33.890 --> 00:24:36.829 to the Rudy Missy line seems to adapt and deliver. 00:24:37.549 --> 00:24:40.210 Here's what's really interesting, though. We're 00:24:40.210 --> 00:24:42.309 seeing third and fourth generation descendants 00:24:42.309 --> 00:24:45.269 of this cow still achieving high genetic evaluations, 00:24:45.730 --> 00:24:48.690 still setting production records, still generating 00:24:48.690 --> 00:24:51.849 significant commercial interest. In a breed measured 00:24:51.849 --> 00:24:55.150 by generations, that's not just success, that's 00:24:55.150 --> 00:25:14.470 genetic immortality. Thunderdome, the quiet strength 00:25:14.470 --> 00:25:20.789 they knew. Hear their stories now, coming right 00:25:20.789 --> 00:25:26.750 on through. Oh, tell the tale, tell the tale, 00:25:26.829 --> 00:25:30.250 the Beaumont legends live here.