Creeping over fields of green Remembering the
faces The moments unseen The hands that built
a dynasty The vision in their eyes Echoes in
the auction bar Beneath an endless sky This is
the bull buy Turn the bar What if I told you
that the cow everyone walked away from at auction
became the foundation of a genetic empire worth
hundreds of millions of dollars? I'm talking
about a Holstein with a rump that wasn't entirely
balanced, who got rejected by experienced breeders,
but went on to become the 2014 Global Cow of
the Year. Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast. I'm
your host, and today I'm sharing the incredible
story of Westwood HC Rudy Missy ET, a cow whose
genetics are shaping breeding decisions on farms
around the world today. You ever watch a sale
where you just know, deep in your gut, that everyone
else is missing something big? I'm talking about
that February morning in 2003. some drafty barn
up in Wisconsin where the snow's still coming
down sideways. The auctioneer's getting that
tired, frustrated edge in his voice as the bidding
stalls out on this five -year -old Holstein.
These are experienced guys, mind you, the kind
who've driven three hours through farm country
slush and missed morning milking to be there,
and they're literally heading for the exits.
Why? This cow's rump wasn't entirely balanced.
In our world, that phrase might as well be a
death sentence at auction. Then this phone rings
in the back office. You know that moment, when
the whole room goes quiet and everyone's holding
their breath, wondering if someone's about to
throw good money after bad? Matt Steiner's voice
crackling through from Pine Tree Dairy down in
Ohio. The man had never even laid eyes on this
cow in person, but something about her, maybe
the way she held her head in that catalog photo,
maybe 30 years of studying what makes genetics
tick, told him everything he needed to know.
That phone bid at the 2003 Wisconsin Holstein
Convention Sweetheart Sale triggered what I'd
call the most consequential genetic revolution
our industry's ever witnessed. And if you're
making breeding decisions today, you need to
understand why this story matters to your bottom
line. Here's the thing about the best breeding
stories. They always start with someone who's
brutally honest about what they don't know. Back
in 1980, Steve Wessing didn't try to sugarcoat
his situation when he told folks his dad always
had grade cows, so they were really green when
it came to herd book breeding. You know the type,
right? Solid stockman, could read his cows like
morning coffee and weather patterns, but pedigrees?
That was foreign territory. When Steve and Cheryl
decided they wanted registered Holsteins for
their Byron, Wisconsin operation, they were basically
starting from scratch. What's interesting is
how opportunity came knocking. 18 cows and 5
heifers from the Milkstein herd down in Appleton
became available. Now, anyone who knew the Midwest
Holstein scene back then, and I mean really knew
it, not just what they read in the magazines,
heard the same warnings Steve got. There wasn't
a lot of type in that herd. But here's what strikes
me about good stockmen, and Steve was definitely
that. They trust their eyes over other people's
opinions. When those first cows got classified,
only one scored very good. Milkstein Citation
Della. And honestly, nothing about her screamed
genetic goldmine. Just a cow that showed up every
day, did her job, kept producing. The kind that
pays the bills when feed costs are climbing and
milk prices are... Well, you know how that goes.
What Steve didn't realize, couldn't have known
really, is that Della carried something you can't
measure in the classification barn. The ability
to transmit exceptional genetics while keeping
cows productive and profitable. Her daughter,
Westwood Bell Claudette VG87, might have only
scored VG87, but she had that durability trait
that shows up in your milk check, not your ribbon
collection. What's really interesting about Steve
Hayes is how he watched genetics develop the
way the best breeders always have, not from genetic
printouts or sale catalogs, but from daily observation.
Picture this. Every morning, walking past the
fence line between his place and Wessings, he'd
pause and study those young cows. The depth through
their hearts. How they moved around the feed
bunks. That indefinable quality you recognize
when you see it, even if you can't quite put
your finger on why. Hayes spotted it in Westwood,
Elton Mimi, Claudette's granddaughter. Sired
by Emprise Belle Elton, huge syndicate bull back
in 94, the kind every AI rep was pushing. She
was already turning heads as a two -year -old.
VG87 at classification, sure, but you could see
the potential in her early production patterns.
The two Steves describe her as a treasure of
a cow, very low maintenance, easy to work with.
When new feed was delivered, she made sure she
had her own place at the front of the line. You
can picture it, can't you? That alert, assertive
heifer who somehow knew she was special before
anyone else figured it out. The kind of cow that
positions herself where she needs to be when
she needs to be there. We've all had cows like
that. The ones that seem to understand the business
better than we do sometimes. The peaceful routine
was shattered when devastating flames tore through
the Wisconsin barn. Thirteen -year -old Claudette
stood among the smoke and chaos, her massive
frame somehow still dignified despite the turmoil
swirling around her. This old girl had already
pumped out a quarter million pounds of milk for
the Wessings, a lifetime of dedication now threatened
by forces nobody could control. Steve Wessing
stood in that ash -covered milking parlor afterward.
watching Claudette's labored breathing as smoke
still clung to her coat and felt his stomach
drop as he calculated what years of genetic progress
looked like disappearing into the night air.
The decisions came fast and brutal. Claudette
had to be moved to a neighbor's place. Hip problems
don't wait for convenient timing, effectively
ending a production career that would have easily
hit 300 ,000 pounds if she'd had just a few more
months. The emotional weight of rebuilding. God,
I can't imagine. By December 1994, Steve made
the call that went against every farming instinct
he had. Dispersal sale. The kind of decision
that keeps you awake at 3 a .m. wondering if
you're doing the right thing. Westwood Elton
Mimi headlined as Lot 1. The interest was real.
Doug Maddox from Ruan Holsteins even called asking
questions, which tells you something about the
buzz building around this offering. But Hayes
had worked out an understanding with his neighbor.
If Hayes bid highest, they'd own Mimi together.
Watching Hayes keep raising his hand as the price
climbed past what made most breeders squirm,
when he made that final bid, suddenly two friends
from rural Wisconsin owned what would become
one of the most valuable cows in Holstein history.
Neither of them had any clue what they'd just
bought. Here's where genetics gets really interesting,
and where I think this story teaches us something
important about taking calculated risks. With
Mimi thriving under their joint care, the two
Steves faced a breeding decision that would literally
reshape our entire industry. They agreed to a
contract mating with Startmore Rudolph, and get
this, the AI stud specifically wanted this breeding
because they expected a bull calf. Rudolph was
being used as a sire of sons, you know? Classic
breeding strategy back then. The two Steves stood
in the pasture that morning, watching Mimi graze,
both knowing this breeding decision would either
validate their partnership or haunt them for
decades. What strikes me about guys like this
is how they make decisions based on what they
see in their cattle, not what some breeding consultant
tells them they should be doing. In 1997, a heifer
calf was born. Westwood HC, Rudy Missy ET. Think
about that twist of fate for a minute. If she'd
been born male, she would have contributed the
genetics of one individual to our breed. Important?
Maybe. Revolutionary? Probably not. But as a
cow, she became what geneticists call a genetic
multiplier. 18 sons in AI service, 42 daughters
classified excellent or very good. And that's
just the beginning of her story. For the next
few years, Missy developed under the Wessing
-Hayes partnership. Same alert, assertive personality
as her dam. First to the feed truck, first to
catch the attention of every AI rep and embryo
buyer who came calling. The two Steves would
watch her position herself at the gate every
morning, almost like she knew something big was
coming. Steve Hayes knew the writing was on the
wall. Hip problems were making twice -daily milking
a real challenge. And despite the emotional attachment,
anyone who's been in this business understands
that bond. He'd have to make the tough call.
By 2003, that decision couldn't be put off any
longer. Hayes was dealing with physical limitations
that made milking impossible. You know how it
is in our business. The spirit's willing, but
the body starts making decisions for you. So
there they were at the Wisconsin Holstein Convention
Sweetheart Sale. That thick anticipation you
get when word spreads about a special offering,
but also that nervous energy when you're not
sure if the market's going to recognize what
you've got. As the bidding unfolded, you could
feel disappointment settling over the crowd like
morning fog after a warm night. Missy's rump
wasn't entirely balanced. Game over, right? Steve
Hayes felt his stomach drop as another bidder
shook his head and walked away. This cow he'd
helped develop, believed in. invested in. Was
she really just going to be another disappointing
sale? Experienced Holstein breeders, guys who'd
driven hours through Wisconsin winter to be there,
started drifting toward the exits, probably already
thinking about the drive home. What they saw
was just another decent five -year -old cow.
86 points, second lactation of 31 ,880 pounds
at 4 .1 % fat and 3 .2 % protein. Respectable
for sure, but revolutionary? Not hardly. That's
when the phone rang. Matt Steiner's voice carried
absolute conviction through that phone line,
cutting through all the disappointment in the
room like a hot knife. No hesitation. No second
guessing. The man saw potential where everyone
else saw problems. What happened to Missy at
Pine Tree Dairy in Marshallville, Ohio proves
everything we know about the importance of the
environment in genetic expression. The Steiner
sons initially had their doubts. Those curved
legs. those long teats, the usual concerns that
make you second -guess your breeding decisions
at 2 a .m. when you're lying awake wondering
if you just made a huge mistake. But their father's
eye for genetic potential that proved prophetic
in ways nobody could have predicted. Here's what's
really interesting about Pine Tree's approach.
Their management philosophy is centered on what
actually matters in our business, cheese merit,
component production, and health traits. The
stuff that shows up in your milk check, not necessarily
in the show ring. Under their care, Missy's genetic
strengths didn't just get identified, they got
amplified. Classification jumped to EX92, but
here's the number that tells the real story.
The mating that defined Rudy Missy's legacy came
through her cross with O -Man. OB Manfred Justice
ET. Now this wasn't some random breeding decision
made on a whim or because semen was on sale.
This was a calculated genetic strategy by people
who understood what complementarity really means.
What strikes me about that cross is how it turned
out. All seven females scored very good and became
instrumental in developing bloodlines for some
of the most influential sires we've seen in the
past two decades. When you consistently produce
offspring that are superior to either parent
in overall genetic merit, you're not dealing
with luck. You're witnessing the power of superior
genetics meeting strategic breeding decisions.
The cross worked. And it kept working. Generation
after generation. That's the kind of consistency
that separates good genetics from great genetics.
What came from that O -Man cross reads like a
who's who of modern Holstein genetics. But let
me paint you the picture of what really happened
in those barns. Pine Tree Missy. Miranda ET became
the genetic bridge to sires that are still shaping
breeding programs today. Her production credentials
were solid. 35 ,550 pounds of milk carrying 4
.9 % fat and 3 .7 % protein in 365 days on 3x
milking at just 3 years and 8 months. Those are
the kind of numbers that make you recalculate
your feed costs and wonder if you're pushing
your own cows hard enough. But Miranda's real
value lay in her daughters, including Mountfield
Marsh Maxine ET, who'd become dam of Mountfield
SSI DC Mogul ET. Now Maxine's story, this is
the kind of drama that reminds you why we stay
in this business despite all the challenges.
After getting flushed as a heifer, within hours,
she developed massive swelling around her head
and neck. The Marshfield family rushed her to
Cornell, and for weeks, they faced that daily
ritual. every dairy family dreads, wondering
each morning if their genetic future was still
breathing. Can you imagine? Walking to the barn
each morning, coffee getting cold in your hand,
not knowing if everything you'd worked for was
about to slip away. The kind of stress that makes
you question whether this whole breeding game
is worth it. But Maxine fought. She survived.
And she became damn of one of Select Sire's most
successful bulls. Sometimes I think about that
when I'm making breeding decisions. You never
know which animals are going to fight their way
through adversity to become something special.
Pine tree Missy Monica ET might not have gotten
the same attention as her sisters, but her contribution
through pine tree Monica Susie ET, maternal grandam
of pine tree Alta Oak ET, shows the depth of
this genetic pool. Sometimes the quiet ones in
the corner are the ones changing everything.
Then there's Pine Tree Missy Martha ET, who established
what might be the most celebrated branch of the
whole family tree. Through her daughter Pine
Tree Martha Sheen E, Martha became Grand Dam
of Ammon Peachy Shawna ET, the 2015 Global Cow
of the Year, and Dam of Seagull Bay Super Sire
ET. Seagull Bay Super Sire ET. Where do you even
start with this bull's commercial success? His
dam, Ammon Peachy Shawna ET. was the kind of
production powerhouse that makes you stop what
you're doing and stare at the milk meters. What
really impressed the folks at Seagull Bay about
Shauna was how she combined exceptional milk
production with the kind of durability that keeps
cows profitable throughout extended lactations.
Super Sire became a generational sire, achieving
remarkable commercial success in AI markets worldwide.
The genetic contributions, deeply rooted in the
Rudy Missy family, are now woven into Holstein
pedigrees on every continent. Think about that
for a second. We're talking about genetics from
a cow that couldn't find enthusiastic buyers
at auction becoming the foundation for some of
today's most sought -after bloodlines. Mountfield
SSI Desiway Mogul ET represents that perfect
fusion of the Rudy Missy maternal line with elite
sire genetics. One of Select Sire's most significant
global bulls, proving that great cow families
don't just produce one standout, they produce
consistency across generations. DSU 11236 Ballisto
ET took the family international, becoming highly
ranked in German genetic evaluations. That's
not just about genetic merit, that's about adaptability
across different management systems, different
breeding objectives, different economic pressures.
The Rudy Missy genetics don't just work in one
environment, they work everywhere. Here's the
thing that should grab your attention. And I
mean really grab it. This isn't some feel -good
historical story. The Rudy Missy legacy is actively
shaping breeding decisions being made right now
in 2025 on farms from Wisconsin to New Zealand.
From what I'm seeing across the industry, breeders
are paying closer attention to maternal lines
than ever before. The genomic revolution gave
us better tools, sure, but it also validated
what good stockmen like the two Steves knew all
along. Some families just have that special something.
When you look at current genetic evaluations,
you see the Rudy Missy influence appearing consistently
among top -ranked bulls. Industry data shows
her genetics continuing to appear in high TPI
bloodlines, demonstrating unprecedented staying
power in an industry that's constantly evolving,
and introducing new genetics. Here's where it
gets practical for those of us making breeding
decisions on real farms with real constraints.
When you're evaluating potential AI sires today,
look for the Rudy Missy influence in bloodlines
that consistently deliver both production and
longevity traits. That combination of high milk
yield with the kind of durability that keeps
cows productive year after year, that's exactly
what we need as we face everything from labor
shortages, to sustainability pressures. What's
happening across the industry is a renewed focus
on maternal lines that deliver both production
and sustainability. The Rudy Missy family exemplifies
this trend. High production combined with the
kind of durability that keeps cows profitable
throughout extended lactations. When feed costs
are climbing and good help is harder to find,
these traits become even more valuable. In an
era when environmental concerns demand cows that
produce efficiently over longer lifespans, the
Rudy Missy line's inherent durability becomes
even more valuable. Think about Claudette producing
for 13 years, or the way these genetics consistently
produce daughters with both high components and
extended productive lives. That's not just good
genetics. That's sustainable genetics. From what
I'm seeing on farms, Producers are starting to
look beyond just genetic evaluation numbers.
They want genetics that work in real -world conditions,
with real economic pressures. The Rudy Missy
line delivers that combination of high production
with practical durability that makes farming
profitable when margins are tight. When Holstein
International named Westwood HC Rudy Missy Global
Cow of the Year in 2014, the judges specifically
mentioned Mogul, Super Sire, Silver, and Ballisto
as examples of her tremendous influence. That's
not just about individual achievement. That's
about sustained genetic impact across multiple
generations and breeding programs. But here's
what made that recognition even more special.
The following year, Ammonpichi Shawna E .T.,
Rudy Missy's great -granddaughter, received the
same honor. Grandmother and great -granddaughter,
back -to -back global cow recognition. That's
the kind of genetic consistency that validates
every breeding decision made along the way. When
Steve Wessing heard about Missy's recognition,
he probably thought back to that same Wisconsin
pasture where it all started and wondered if
she somehow knew she was special when she pushed
to the front of the feed line all those years
ago. That's the kind of moment that makes all
the long days and tough decisions worthwhile.
Let's talk about numbers that affect your bottom
line. because this is where the Rudy Missy story
gets really interesting from a business perspective.
The economic impact of Rudy Missy descendants
extends far beyond individual semen sales. It's
about the genetic improvement in milk production,
health traits, and longevity across global dairy
herds. When you factor in the productivity gains
from her genetics being used in breeding programs
worldwide, you're talking about an impact that
touches millions of dairy cows. Recent market
validation continues to demonstrate confidence
in this bloodline. When European breeders consistently
invest premium dollars in genetics tracing back
to this family, that tells you everything about
long -term market confidence. Behind every genetic
revolution, you've got people making decisions
based on observation, intuition, and courage.
Steve Wessing and Steve Hayes were admittedly
green when it came to herd book breeding. but
they trusted what they saw in their pastures
long before any genetic evaluation system could
validate those choices. That's something worth
remembering in our genomic age. Sometimes the
best breeding decisions come from stockmen who
understand cattle, not from computer printouts.
Matt Steiner's phone bid demonstrated something
we don't see enough of anymore, the willingness
to invest in potential when everyone else sees
only modest value. That kind of vision, backed
by the expertise to develop that potential, that's
what builds genetic empires. Today, when you're
running genetic evaluations on your herd and
see names like Super Sire, Mogul, or Ballisto
in those pedigrees, you're witnessing the continuing
influence of decisions made by neighbors in Wisconsin
who understood cattle better than they understood
their own credentials. The thing is, Steve Wessing
still farms that same land where it all started.
Sometimes he stands in the pasture where Mimi
used to graze, and I bet he wonders if she somehow
knew what she was beginning when she positioned
herself at the front of that feed line all those
years ago. Here's what really strikes me about
this whole story. It proves something that gets
lost in all our genomic testing and genetic predictions.
Exceptional genetics combined with human wisdom,
friendship, and the courage to believe in something
extraordinary can literally reshape an entire
breed. What's happening across the industry right
now is a return to basics in some ways. Yes,
we've got better tools than ever before, but
the fundamental principles remain the same. Good
cattle in the right environment, managed by people
who understand what they're looking at. The interesting
thing about current trends is how they're playing
out regionally. Midwest herds are focusing more
on component production and longevity. California
dairies are looking at feed efficiency and heat
tolerance. Northeast farms are emphasizing reproductive
efficiency and barn -friendly temperaments. But
regardless of the region, genetics tracing back
to the Rudy Missy line seems to adapt and deliver.
Here's what's really interesting, though. We're
seeing third and fourth generation descendants
of this cow still achieving high genetic evaluations,
still setting production records, still generating
significant commercial interest. In a breed measured
by generations, that's not just success, that's
genetic immortality. Thunderdome, the quiet strength
they knew. Hear their stories now, coming right
on through. Oh, tell the tale, tell the tale,
the Beaumont legends live here.