WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.600 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Now, if you're listening, 00:00:02.740 --> 00:00:04.719 you probably already know that the first weekend 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:08.230 in October in Madison, Wisconsin... Well, it 00:00:08.230 --> 00:00:10.470 isn't just another livestock show. No, definitely 00:00:10.470 --> 00:00:13.750 not. It's the peak, the absolute undisputed Super 00:00:13.750 --> 00:00:16.289 Bowl of the competitive dairy world. Exactly. 00:00:16.289 --> 00:00:19.309 This is where genetics get showcased, where careers 00:00:19.309 --> 00:00:22.390 take off, legacies are cemented. And really, 00:00:22.489 --> 00:00:24.870 the roadmap for the next few years gets laid 00:00:24.870 --> 00:00:28.129 out right there on those famous colored shavings. 00:00:28.149 --> 00:00:31.690 And World Dairy Expo 2025, this year, it really 00:00:31.690 --> 00:00:33.570 delivered. I mean, the sources we looked at, 00:00:33.609 --> 00:00:35.450 they describe an atmosphere that was just... 00:00:36.360 --> 00:00:39.079 Electric. Pure chaos and excitement. You hear 00:00:39.079 --> 00:00:42.140 stories about grown farmers actually crying. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:44.520 Wow. Yeah, it was more than just a show. It felt 00:00:44.520 --> 00:00:46.859 like a real collision, you know. Dynasties, new 00:00:46.859 --> 00:00:49.100 bloodlines, big strategies all coming together. 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:51.340 Okay, so our mission today really is to give 00:00:51.340 --> 00:00:53.240 you a shortcut. You didn't have to be there for 00:00:53.240 --> 00:00:55.579 six intense days at the Alliant Energy Center, 00:00:55.700 --> 00:00:58.200 but you definitely need the takeaways. The genetic 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:00.619 shifts, the business lessons from that final 00:01:00.619 --> 00:01:03.340 day drama. Right. We're boiling it down so you 00:01:03.340 --> 00:01:05.260 can hopefully take these insights and, you know, 00:01:05.260 --> 00:01:07.420 think about how they apply back on your own operation 00:01:07.420 --> 00:01:09.379 pretty much right away. And if we're doing a 00:01:09.379 --> 00:01:11.780 deep dive, we absolutely have to start with the 00:01:11.780 --> 00:01:14.239 main event. The thing that stopped Madison Cold, 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:17.900 honestly, sent ripples, really, through the whole 00:01:17.900 --> 00:01:20.640 global dairy scene. Uh -huh. The big white. The 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:23.780 reigning legend, the queen, Stony Point Joel 00:01:23.780 --> 00:01:26.920 Bailey, she was dethroned. That's the headline, 00:01:27.060 --> 00:01:29.530 isn't it? And you can't really grasp how big 00:01:29.530 --> 00:01:31.989 of an upset this was without understanding Bailey's, 00:01:31.989 --> 00:01:34.390 well, her reign. She wasn't just a cow. She was 00:01:34.390 --> 00:01:36.790 almost mythology walking onto those shavings. 00:01:36.810 --> 00:01:39.049 Yeah, she was a powerhouse. Yeah. For years. 00:01:39.230 --> 00:01:42.109 She took the Supreme Champion title back in 2024. 00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:44.739 And that itself was huge. Remember, she was the 00:01:44.739 --> 00:01:47.760 first Jersey Supreme Champion since, what, 2016? 00:01:48.099 --> 00:01:50.379 That's an eight -year gap. It really shows you 00:01:50.379 --> 00:01:53.200 how tough it is for the, let's say, the smaller 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:55.640 breeds to compete against the scale of the Holsteins 00:01:55.640 --> 00:01:58.099 sometimes. And just earlier that week, she'd 00:01:58.099 --> 00:02:00.739 done it again. Clinched her third consecutive 00:02:00.739 --> 00:02:03.420 Grand Champion Jersey title. Three years in a 00:02:03.420 --> 00:02:05.939 row in the jersey breed, which is incredibly 00:02:05.939 --> 00:02:08.840 competitive globally. Her handler, Nathan Thomas, 00:02:09.060 --> 00:02:11.360 he even said she'd kind of moved beyond being 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:14.520 just a champion of her time. She was like an 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:16.659 institution. Yeah, she really represented the 00:02:16.659 --> 00:02:18.599 best of the jerseys, but also that consistency, 00:02:18.819 --> 00:02:21.819 right? Proven performance over multiple years. 00:02:21.979 --> 00:02:24.500 When she walked into that supreme ring. You could 00:02:24.500 --> 00:02:26.680 feel it. The sources suggest the feeling was 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:29.639 just, she's untouchable. The crowd was almost 00:02:29.639 --> 00:02:32.500 expecting a coronation, another win, cementing 00:02:32.500 --> 00:02:34.599 her as maybe one of the greatest expo champions 00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:38.319 ever. Yeah. History had other plans. And interestingly, 00:02:38.460 --> 00:02:41.199 a five -year -old cow of a, let's say, unexpected 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:43.919 color. This is where it gets really fascinating. 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:47.280 The new Supreme Champion, Golden Oaks, Temptress 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:50.939 Red E .T., a red and white, an unstoppable daughter. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:52.719 The reaction must have been something. Oh, a 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:55.020 seismic. Apparently, when they announced Temptress 00:02:55.020 --> 00:02:58.280 Red E .T. as Supreme, beating Bayley? Hmm. The 00:02:58.280 --> 00:03:00.280 roar from the crowd wasn't just happy. It felt 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:03.099 like validation, like proof that top tier type 00:03:03.099 --> 00:03:05.180 and quality can just smash through breed lines, 00:03:05.340 --> 00:03:07.500 color perceptions, everything right there on 00:03:07.500 --> 00:03:10.020 the biggest stage. A red and white taking the 00:03:10.020 --> 00:03:13.360 overall supreme. That's a statement. It's a massive 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:15.319 statement. It says a lot about where genetics 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:17.300 are heading right now. And you mentioned strategy. 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:18.860 This wasn't just a random occurrence, right? 00:03:18.900 --> 00:03:21.080 Not at all. This was the culmination of, believe 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:23.319 it or not, a three -year plan by the ownership 00:03:23.319 --> 00:03:26.439 group. That's Milk Source, Fisher, Steinkrest, 00:03:26.539 --> 00:03:29.400 and Crescent Mead. They didn't just stumble into 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:31.960 this. It was, you know, focused breeding, careful 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:35.099 management, showing strategy, all leading to 00:03:35.099 --> 00:03:37.319 that ultimate prize. Three years of planning. 00:03:37.500 --> 00:03:39.930 Wow. And think about this. What makes it even 00:03:39.930 --> 00:03:42.229 more impressive for temptress ready tea? She 00:03:42.229 --> 00:03:44.729 also had to beat the Holstein Grand Champion. 00:03:44.889 --> 00:03:47.990 Ah, right. Who is reserve supreme. Exactly. Love 00:03:47.990 --> 00:03:51.009 Hill sidekick Candy Cane. So to win supreme, 00:03:51.210 --> 00:03:53.569 you're literally up against the absolute best 00:03:53.569 --> 00:03:56.250 example of type from every single major dairy 00:03:56.250 --> 00:03:58.669 breed. The fact that this red and white cow rose 00:03:58.669 --> 00:04:01.610 above all of them, that I think is maybe the 00:04:01.610 --> 00:04:03.490 most significant genetic takeaway from Madison 00:04:03.490 --> 00:04:05.889 this year. Okay. Let's dig into that implication. 00:04:06.490 --> 00:04:10.210 We know Unstoppable is a popular sire line, but 00:04:10.210 --> 00:04:13.610 why is a red and white, specifically winning 00:04:13.610 --> 00:04:17.009 Supreme, such a big deal for the industry, for 00:04:17.009 --> 00:04:19.449 the listeners? Well, it fundamentally resets 00:04:19.449 --> 00:04:21.899 market perceptions, doesn't it? For a long time, 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:24.279 the biggest premiums, the most intense genetic 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:26.800 chase was often focused on the black and white 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:29.540 Holsteins. And then, yeah, the jerseys like Bailey 00:04:29.540 --> 00:04:31.899 represented. Right. Temptor's red ET winning 00:04:31.899 --> 00:04:34.540 Supreme just instantly validates the quality 00:04:34.540 --> 00:04:37.120 potential within red and white genetics, especially 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:39.339 that unstoppable influence. They're known for 00:04:39.339 --> 00:04:42.660 power, function, amazing udders. It proves the 00:04:42.660 --> 00:04:44.839 judges are prioritizing that functional excellence 00:04:44.839 --> 00:04:48.079 and it can compete no matter the color. type 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:50.439 Trump's color, basically. In this case, absolutely. 00:04:50.699 --> 00:04:52.740 You can probably expect to see, well, immediate 00:04:52.740 --> 00:04:55.339 interest and maybe upward pressure on unstoppable 00:04:55.339 --> 00:04:57.759 genetics now, red or black, just because of this 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:00.000 massive validation in Madison. The market definitely 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:02.439 watches Madison. And when a ceiling like that 00:05:02.439 --> 00:05:04.300 gets broken, the money tends to follow, right? 00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:06.139 It's a real signal for where future breeding 00:05:06.139 --> 00:05:08.300 investments might go. Exactly. A bellwether moment. 00:05:08.620 --> 00:05:10.939 OK, so let's shift gears a bit. We've got this 00:05:10.939 --> 00:05:14.079 huge dynasty changing upset. Now let's look at 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.680 two really different paths to success that week. 00:05:17.100 --> 00:05:20.379 Equally successful, but totally different approaches. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:22.319 Yeah, this is a great contrast. We should talk 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:25.300 about the, let's call her the validated contender, 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:28.740 and then the sheer scale of a global empire and 00:05:28.740 --> 00:05:31.279 pit that against, well, the perfect underdog 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.120 story. Let's start with the Holstein Grand Champion, 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:37.689 Love Hill sidekick Candy Cane. She ended up reserve 00:05:37.689 --> 00:05:40.910 supreme champion right behind Temptra's Ready 00:05:40.910 --> 00:05:43.050 Tea. That's right. She represents the absolute 00:05:43.050 --> 00:05:45.569 peak of the Holstein breed, the world's largest 00:05:45.569 --> 00:05:48.790 dairy breed population. A huge win for the Lamb 00:05:48.790 --> 00:05:51.310 family from Oakfield, New York. She's a five 00:05:51.310 --> 00:05:53.350 -year -old sidekick daughter, and her win there, 00:05:53.430 --> 00:05:56.189 it just validates years of their hard work. And 00:05:56.189 --> 00:05:58.350 Candy Kane, she wasn't exactly a surprise, was 00:05:58.350 --> 00:06:00.410 she? She came into Madison with serious momentum. 00:06:00.730 --> 00:06:03.050 Oh, definitely not a surprise. The sources tracked 00:06:03.050 --> 00:06:05.389 her wins earlier in the year. She dominated the 00:06:05.389 --> 00:06:08.269 Eastern Fall National, the Northeast Spring National. 00:06:08.730 --> 00:06:10.910 Madison was kind of the ultimate confirmation. 00:06:10.949 --> 00:06:13.550 It proved she wasn't just great in her region. 00:06:13.589 --> 00:06:16.709 She was genuinely world class. And the sidekick 00:06:16.709 --> 00:06:19.620 sire line itself. That's significant, too, isn't 00:06:19.620 --> 00:06:21.819 it? Very significant. Sidekick is really valued 00:06:21.819 --> 00:06:24.920 for transmitting that incredible structural correctness, 00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:28.139 amazing feet and legs, great utter texture, all 00:06:28.139 --> 00:06:30.899 things you need for longevity, but also absolutely 00:06:30.899 --> 00:06:33.339 essential for winning on a type stage like Madison. 00:06:33.579 --> 00:06:35.899 Right. I mean, to win Grand Champion Holstein 00:06:35.899 --> 00:06:39.360 against, what is it, 467 other animals? You have 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:42.459 to be practically fault -free in your type. Candy 00:06:42.459 --> 00:06:45.120 Cane clearly delivered that. So that's the proven 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:47.459 contender path. Now let's talk about the Empire. 00:06:48.060 --> 00:06:50.600 Butler View Farm. They took home the Premier 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:53.199 Exhibitor banner. And that's not just about one 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:56.220 cow, is it? No. Premier Exhibitor is about comprehensive 00:06:56.220 --> 00:06:58.980 dominance. It speaks to the depth of quality 00:06:58.980 --> 00:07:01.920 across their entire string. And Butler View's 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:04.819 operation is... Well, it's kind of mind -boggling. 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:06.839 Their success was layered, right? They had the 00:07:06.839 --> 00:07:08.600 intermediate champion and reserve grand champion 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:11.079 Holstein, West Edible Lambda Sadie. Correct. 00:07:11.259 --> 00:07:14.079 And that Lambda influence is highly sought after 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:17.040 right now. Very modern, refined type. But the 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:19.259 real story with ButlerView is the sheer scale 00:07:19.259 --> 00:07:22.000 behind those wins. Okay, unpack that scale. You 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:23.860 mentioned global reach. What does that actually 00:07:23.860 --> 00:07:26.079 look like? We're talking owner Mike Dever operating 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:29.279 internationally. His team, their genetic pool, 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:31.779 it spans... Three or four different countries. 00:07:31.819 --> 00:07:33.939 This isn't just hitting a few local sales. Right. 00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:38.079 It's intense global collaboration, scouting genetics 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:41.240 worldwide, managing logistics across continents. 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:44.519 Debra mentioned flying over 400 ,000 miles in 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:46.819 just three years, basically scouting cattle. 00:07:47.560 --> 00:07:52.439 400 ,000 miles. Wow. Yeah. That level of investment, 00:07:52.620 --> 00:07:55.699 it spreads risk, gives them access to the absolute 00:07:55.699 --> 00:07:58.819 deepest, most diverse elite genetics out there. 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:02.060 It lets them build a truly comprehensive breeding 00:08:02.060 --> 00:08:04.519 program. Sounds complex, but obviously effective. 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:06.639 They pulled off something pretty rare, didn't 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:08.459 they? First, second, and third in one class? 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:11.180 That was the two -year -old class. And yes, winning 00:08:11.180 --> 00:08:13.720 first, second, and third in a single class at 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:15.899 World Dairy Expo. Yeah. It's almost unheard of. 00:08:15.939 --> 00:08:17.839 It's the ultimate signal of dominance. What does 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:20.060 that tell you specifically? It tells you they 00:08:20.060 --> 00:08:22.540 have profound depth in their key cow families. 00:08:22.779 --> 00:08:25.420 It shows incredible consistency in their breeding 00:08:25.420 --> 00:08:27.879 philosophy and management. They aren't just relying 00:08:27.879 --> 00:08:30.199 on one superstar animal. They have whole strings 00:08:30.199 --> 00:08:32.360 of cattle that can compete at the very highest 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:34.779 level. They really represent that model of like 00:08:34.779 --> 00:08:38.019 industrialized elite genetics on a global scale. 00:08:38.220 --> 00:08:40.860 OK, so that's the empire. Now, the complete flip 00:08:40.860 --> 00:08:43.500 side, the story that probably resonates with 00:08:43.500 --> 00:08:45.919 a lot of listeners who aren't operating with 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:51.559 quite that budget. Ronald Grandy. Ah, yes. Grandy 00:08:51.559 --> 00:08:55.220 from Beaverton, Ontario. He showed up with about 00:08:55.220 --> 00:08:57.279 the smallest string you could imagine for someone 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:59.960 making a real impact. Just four animals. Only 00:08:59.960 --> 00:09:02.919 four. And he went four for four. A perfect record 00:09:02.919 --> 00:09:05.279 in the classes he entered. Every animal he brought 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:08.029 won its class. Four for four. That's efficiency 00:09:08.029 --> 00:09:10.710 and the highlight. The absolute highlight was 00:09:10.710 --> 00:09:13.549 Echo Glenmaster Ivy. She's a winter yearling 00:09:13.549 --> 00:09:15.970 Holstein, and she was crowned Supreme Champion 00:09:15.970 --> 00:09:19.250 Heifer of the entire show. Supreme Champion Heifer 00:09:19.250 --> 00:09:21.850 with one of only four animals brought. That's 00:09:21.850 --> 00:09:24.529 incredible. And Grandy's reaction, it was apparently 00:09:24.529 --> 00:09:27.570 very emotional, speechless, saying he never thought 00:09:27.570 --> 00:09:30.490 it would happen, just on a big high. But here's 00:09:30.490 --> 00:09:32.629 the key detail for listeners, the really interesting 00:09:32.629 --> 00:09:38.029 part. How did he get Ivy? He bought her in March, 00:09:38.230 --> 00:09:40.730 just a few months before the show at a Clark 00:09:40.730 --> 00:09:43.769 Valley sale. March. So you've got Butler View 00:09:43.769 --> 00:09:47.330 with this massive global machine built over years. 00:09:47.730 --> 00:09:50.950 Decades, really. Immense resources, deep cow 00:09:50.950 --> 00:09:53.649 families. And then you have Grandy winning the 00:09:53.649 --> 00:09:55.710 biggest heifer prize with surgical precision, 00:09:55.950 --> 00:09:58.730 buying one animal just months earlier. What's 00:09:58.730 --> 00:10:01.250 the takeaway there for the average producer trying 00:10:01.250 --> 00:10:03.970 to balance their budget with wanting... Top genetics. 00:10:04.269 --> 00:10:06.850 Grandy's story is just the ultimate proof that 00:10:06.850 --> 00:10:09.049 smart genetic investment can still absolutely 00:10:09.049 --> 00:10:11.929 triumph over sheer volume or budget size. It 00:10:11.929 --> 00:10:14.009 tells every listener that, yeah, the global empires 00:10:14.009 --> 00:10:16.049 are powerful, but there's still immense value 00:10:16.049 --> 00:10:18.389 in just having an eye for the right animal. Spotting 00:10:18.389 --> 00:10:21.110 the potential. Exactly. Grandy saw the potential 00:10:21.110 --> 00:10:24.870 in IV, the genetics, the physical makeup at a 00:10:24.870 --> 00:10:28.230 regional sale back in March. And then crucially. 00:10:28.909 --> 00:10:31.169 He and his team managed her perfectly in those 00:10:31.169 --> 00:10:33.070 intervening months to bring out that potential. 00:10:33.330 --> 00:10:35.970 So it proves you don't need to fly 400 ,000 miles 00:10:35.970 --> 00:10:37.950 necessarily. Maybe you just need to find the 00:10:37.950 --> 00:10:40.049 right animal at the right time closer to home. 00:10:40.149 --> 00:10:43.289 If replacement heifers are costing, say, $3 ,000 00:10:43.289 --> 00:10:45.950 to $4 ,000 on average, that's a big investment. 00:10:46.049 --> 00:10:48.669 It has to pay off. Right. Grandy's win just confirms 00:10:48.669 --> 00:10:51.029 that making a targeted buy of superior genetics, 00:10:51.289 --> 00:10:53.990 if you manage it impeccably, can still go head 00:10:53.990 --> 00:10:55.950 -to -head with the giants and sometimes win. 00:10:56.309 --> 00:10:58.830 It's a really powerful message. for that small 00:10:58.830 --> 00:11:01.929 or mid -sized farm, precision breeding, smart 00:11:01.929 --> 00:11:05.250 buying, it can genuinely change your farm's future. 00:11:05.409 --> 00:11:07.629 It validates spending carefully on the right 00:11:07.629 --> 00:11:09.629 potential. Okay, let's shift from the winners 00:11:09.629 --> 00:11:11.789 for a moment and talk about the judge. The person 00:11:11.789 --> 00:11:13.669 who had to sort through all this incredible quality, 00:11:14.129 --> 00:11:16.730 Aaron Eaton. That must have been an immense task. 00:11:17.029 --> 00:11:19.549 Oh, unbelievable. A feat of concentration, endurance. 00:11:19.850 --> 00:11:23.309 Judge Eaton handled 468 Holsteins in just two 00:11:23.309 --> 00:11:25.799 days. Yeah, think about the mental focus required, 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:28.600 the physical stamina needed to maintain that 00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:31.600 level of scrutiny, stay objective for hours on 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:34.279 end. The sources mentioned that in some classes, 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:36.480 like the junior three -year -olds, the quality 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:38.980 was running like 20 deep, just phenomenal depth. 00:11:39.179 --> 00:11:41.399 And there was one class in particular that really 00:11:41.399 --> 00:11:43.840 highlights the intensity, right? The winter calf 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:48.159 class. That class alone had 61 head in it. 61 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:51.179 winter calves. And it took Judge Eaton a full 00:11:51.179 --> 00:11:53.879 90 minutes just to evaluate and place them. An 00:11:53.879 --> 00:11:55.840 hour and a half for one class. Yeah. And think 00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:59.419 about it, trying to sort 61 young, highly competitive 00:11:59.419 --> 00:12:02.539 animals. It shows the extreme depth of quality 00:12:02.539 --> 00:12:05.100 out there in Holsteins right now. And the challenge 00:12:05.100 --> 00:12:06.759 for the judge isn't just finding the winner. 00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:09.860 It's finding those tiny differences that separate, 00:12:09.980 --> 00:12:12.299 say, the fifth place animal from the 10th. It 00:12:12.299 --> 00:12:14.639 demands absolute consistency in what you're looking 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:17.120 for, utter structure, how they move. And all 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:19.539 that focus, all that pressure, it led to a really 00:12:19.539 --> 00:12:21.759 poignant moment, didn't it? Something Judge Eaton 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:24.480 himself said choked him up. The longevity moment. 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:29.059 Ah, yes. the 16 -year -old cow. She walked into 00:12:29.059 --> 00:12:31.419 the ring still looking competitive, still proud, 00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:34.879 and the entire Coliseum gave her a standing ovation. 00:12:35.139 --> 00:12:36.919 Just incredible. And she wasn't just old. She 00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:39.899 had produced, what, 11 calves? 11 calves. That's 00:12:39.899 --> 00:12:42.039 the stat that really hits home. A 16 -year -old 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:45.360 cow, 11 calves, still walking proudly at World 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:47.759 Dairy Expo. Judge Eaton talked about the dedication 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:50.059 behind that. It takes so much time and patience 00:12:50.059 --> 00:12:52.519 and dedication. Let's unpack that. What does 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:55.460 that moment really say about the industry's core? 00:12:55.629 --> 00:12:57.450 values versus maybe some of the modern economic 00:12:57.450 --> 00:13:00.110 pressures? Well, it's a really important counterpoint, 00:13:00.190 --> 00:13:02.029 isn't it? Especially when you consider how fast 00:13:02.029 --> 00:13:04.250 genetics are changing. We know from the source 00:13:04.250 --> 00:13:06.690 material that genomic testing is accelerating 00:13:06.690 --> 00:13:10.870 genetic progress incredibly fast, like 87 .5 00:13:10.870 --> 00:13:14.429 % faster than just back in 2010. Wow. 87 .5 % 00:13:14.429 --> 00:13:16.850 faster. Yeah. And that speed, it often pushes 00:13:16.850 --> 00:13:18.769 producers towards faster turnover. You know, 00:13:18.789 --> 00:13:20.490 cull quicker, bring in the next high genomic 00:13:20.490 --> 00:13:22.570 heifer. So the economic pressure is often to 00:13:22.570 --> 00:13:24.980 replace maybe even before a cow reaches. peak 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:28.100 lifetime production. Often, yes. But that standing 00:13:28.100 --> 00:13:30.820 ovation for the 16 -year -old cow with 11 calves, 00:13:31.059 --> 00:13:34.059 it shows you where the heart of the industry, 00:13:34.220 --> 00:13:36.940 or at least the ideal, still lies. It's with 00:13:36.940 --> 00:13:39.860 persistence, with lifetime profitability. Right. 00:13:39.899 --> 00:13:42.559 An animal that gives you 11 lactations, that's 00:13:42.559 --> 00:13:45.360 phenomenal lifetime production value, or LPV. 00:13:45.539 --> 00:13:48.480 And LPV sometimes gets overlooked when everyone's 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:50.779 chasing the short -term genomic index value, 00:13:50.899 --> 00:13:53.659 the GIV. There's a point. That 16 -year -old 00:13:53.659 --> 00:13:57.720 cow. She embodies the ideal. She must have incredible 00:13:57.720 --> 00:14:00.600 structural soundness, persistent fertility, the 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:03.299 ability to keep producing year after year. It's 00:14:03.299 --> 00:14:06.600 such a powerful emotional reminder that breeding 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:09.820 for soundness, for longevity, that's often the 00:14:09.820 --> 00:14:11.940 real key to long -term stability on the farm. 00:14:12.019 --> 00:14:13.639 It really grounds the whole spectacle, doesn't 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:15.759 it? Even while you have the Butler views chasing 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:18.259 cutting -edge global genetics, Madison pulls 00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:20.659 everyone back to that fundamental truth. Patience, 00:14:20.659 --> 00:14:23.080 dedication to good type, that's what Bill's enduring. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:25.019 value. And that dedication, that commitment, 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:27.299 it flows right into the next generation, doesn't 00:14:27.299 --> 00:14:28.960 it? The torchbearers. We saw that clearly in 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:30.940 the Junior Show. Yeah, the Junior Show is always 00:14:30.940 --> 00:14:33.279 a highlight, always emotional. But this year, 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.240 when lucky Merjack Aselia won Supreme Champion, 00:14:36.500 --> 00:14:39.299 the reaction from the Schmacher sisters, Tessa 00:14:39.299 --> 00:14:41.580 and Stella, just jumping into each other's arms, 00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:45.309 pure joy. That kind of raw emotion, it tells 00:14:45.309 --> 00:14:47.710 you about the sacrifice involved. The sources 00:14:47.710 --> 00:14:51.509 mention, you know, years of 5 .45 a .m. wake 00:14:51.509 --> 00:14:53.649 -up calls, missing school dances, things like 00:14:53.649 --> 00:14:55.590 that. These aren't just kids having fun with 00:14:55.590 --> 00:14:57.850 cows. They're essentially running small businesses 00:14:57.850 --> 00:15:00.350 already. They're showing the commitment level 00:15:00.350 --> 00:15:02.610 you need to be a future leader in this industry. 00:15:02.669 --> 00:15:04.970 They really earn those moments. And what struck 00:15:04.970 --> 00:15:07.509 me about the Schmacher sisters' win was the kind 00:15:07.509 --> 00:15:09.929 of cow they won with. Their supreme champion 00:15:09.929 --> 00:15:13.809 was a lifetime production cow. Yes. That choice 00:15:13.809 --> 00:15:16.370 is so telling. It really reveals the values being 00:15:16.370 --> 00:15:18.409 instilled in this next generation. They could 00:15:18.409 --> 00:15:20.090 have gone for a flashy heifer, maybe something 00:15:20.090 --> 00:15:22.169 with sky -high index numbers, but they chose 00:15:22.169 --> 00:15:24.389 to champion a cow known for sustained production 00:15:24.389 --> 00:15:27.590 over many years. So that core wisdom, that lifetime 00:15:27.590 --> 00:15:30.330 quality equals profitability, it's getting passed 00:15:30.330 --> 00:15:32.830 down. It seems so. They're focused on sustainability, 00:15:33.129 --> 00:15:35.409 on building for the future, not just chasing 00:15:35.409 --> 00:15:37.840 a quick ribbon. Which is really encouraging to 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:39.799 see. And we saw that family focus again with 00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:42.159 the Reserve Supreme, right? Right. Toplin Wishful 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:44.899 Thinking ET, shown by the top siblings Tanner, 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:47.899 Brennan, Marissa, and Logan. That group hug photo 00:15:47.899 --> 00:15:50.820 said it all. Family effort. Absolutely. Success 00:15:50.820 --> 00:15:53.500 at this level, it's so often tied to that multi 00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:56.279 -generational support and commitment. It takes 00:15:56.279 --> 00:15:58.950 a village or at least a dedicated family. And 00:15:58.950 --> 00:16:00.970 speaking of lifetime commitment and dedication, 00:16:01.330 --> 00:16:04.370 those core values were really honored formally 00:16:04.370 --> 00:16:06.549 later in the week with the Klusendorf Award. 00:16:06.850 --> 00:16:10.090 Ah, the 83rd Klusendorf. A huge honor in the 00:16:10.090 --> 00:16:13.169 industry. Recognizing not just skill, but character, 00:16:13.309 --> 00:16:16.009 sportsmanship, dedication over a lifetime. And 00:16:16.009 --> 00:16:18.309 this year it went to Clark Woodmancy. 40 years 00:16:18.309 --> 00:16:20.090 in the business, partnerships with legendary 00:16:20.090 --> 00:16:22.809 cows like Hazel. That's a serious legacy built 00:16:22.809 --> 00:16:25.110 on unwavering commitment. And Woodmancy delivered 00:16:25.110 --> 00:16:27.049 maybe the quote of the week. Something that should 00:16:27.049 --> 00:16:29.120 probably be... like you said, taped up in every 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:32.700 bar. And he said, it's a 365 day deal. Simple, 00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:37.039 but profound. Everyone in that Coliseum, whether 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:40.019 they owned a global empire or were a small strategic 00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:42.620 buyer like Grandy, they knew exactly what he 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:44.600 meant. Totally resonates. It's the universal 00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:46.860 truth of doing dairy farming at a high level. 00:16:46.899 --> 00:16:48.639 Let's really break that down for the listener. 00:16:48.779 --> 00:16:52.200 It's a 365 day deal. Everyone knows farming is 00:16:52.200 --> 00:16:55.200 every day. But in the context of winning at Madison. 00:16:56.279 --> 00:16:58.879 What's the deeper layer there? I think it speaks 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:01.779 to relentless consistency, absolute discipline. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.380 The success you see under the lights in Madison, 00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:06.839 that's just the tiny tip of the iceberg. It's 00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:09.539 the result of meticulous, nonstop effort happening 00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:11.960 all year round. Right. It means hitting those 00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:14.200 nutrition targets perfectly every single day, 00:17:14.299 --> 00:17:16.799 constant health monitoring, catching issues early, 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:19.119 patiently training animals from the time they're 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:21.380 calves, and maybe most crucially, continuous 00:17:21.380 --> 00:17:24.410 genetic evaluation. Always thinking about the 00:17:24.410 --> 00:17:26.450 next generation every single day. You can't just 00:17:26.450 --> 00:17:29.009 cram for World Dairy Expo in September. Exactly. 00:17:29.190 --> 00:17:31.750 It's the complete opposite of a quick fixer luck. 00:17:32.349 --> 00:17:34.890 Woodman sees, quote, it brings all the glamour 00:17:34.890 --> 00:17:37.519 back down to earth. It reminds everyone listening 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:40.380 that the supreme champion cow, she's built through 00:17:40.380 --> 00:17:43.000 the quiet, sometimes mundane, hard work back 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:45.079 in the barn when nobody's watching. It's the 00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:47.900 daily grind. It's the discipline of keeping good 00:17:47.900 --> 00:17:50.319 records, the commitment to things like hoof health, 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:53.400 the patience to let an animal mature properly 00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:56.740 over years, that relentless day -in, day -out 00:17:56.740 --> 00:17:59.579 consistency. That's what really makes a champion. 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:02.980 Yeah, consistency truly is the backbone. OK, 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:04.279 let's bring it all together now. Let's pivot 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:06.740 right back to you, the listener. All these results, 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:09.519 the drama, the emotions from World Dairy Expo 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:13.099 2025. Why does this actually matter to your operation, 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:16.059 maybe miles away from Madison? Well, first and 00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:18.180 foremost, Madison sets the direction for the 00:18:18.180 --> 00:18:20.359 market. It defines what genetics are hot, what 00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:22.799 traits are being prioritized. We saw clearly 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:25.819 three major genetic trends confirmed or boosted. 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:28.779 OK, what were they? One, the red and white breakthrough 00:18:28.779 --> 00:18:32.849 with temptress red ET. Two, the continued dominance 00:18:32.849 --> 00:18:35.190 of functionally correct lines like Sidekick, 00:18:35.289 --> 00:18:38.809 shown by Candy Cane. And three, the success of 00:18:38.809 --> 00:18:41.490 refined, modern type seen through lines like 00:18:41.490 --> 00:18:44.210 Lambda, which Butlerview showcased. And these 00:18:44.210 --> 00:18:46.720 winners. These winners, they immediately influenced 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:49.940 demand and pricing for semen, embryos, and elite 00:18:49.940 --> 00:18:52.880 breeding stock. If you're selling genetics, you 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:54.880 need to know that the bar for red and white excellence 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:57.359 just got significantly higher. They command new 00:18:57.359 --> 00:18:59.859 respect, potentially new premiums. The market 00:18:59.859 --> 00:19:02.220 reacts fast. Yeah. Madison is like the stock 00:19:02.220 --> 00:19:04.339 market ticker for dairy genetics. Pretty much. 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:06.660 Second big takeaway, investment justification. 00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:09.579 Look at Ronald Grandy's perfect run. Right, the 00:19:09.579 --> 00:19:11.940 4 for 4 guy. With replacement heifers costing 00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:13.960 what they do and pressure to improve quickly, 00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:16.880 every dollar you spend on genetics has to count. 00:19:17.289 --> 00:19:19.970 Grandi proved that being a smart, strategic buyer 00:19:19.970 --> 00:19:21.950 spotting potential and managing it perfectly 00:19:21.950 --> 00:19:25.029 can yield massive returns. It shows that targeted 00:19:25.029 --> 00:19:27.750 investment can compete with huge budgets. It's 00:19:27.750 --> 00:19:29.869 the blueprint for making your genetic dollars 00:19:29.869 --> 00:19:32.190 work smarter. Makes sense. And the third point. 00:19:32.309 --> 00:19:35.390 Comes back to that 16 -year -old cow. That standing 00:19:35.390 --> 00:19:38.650 ovation. Mondevity. Exactly. It reinforces the 00:19:38.650 --> 00:19:41.490 value of the long game. Even with genomics pushing 00:19:41.490 --> 00:19:44.069 for rapid turnover, the ultimate admiration, 00:19:44.470 --> 00:19:47.369 the deepest respect, goes to the animal that 00:19:47.369 --> 00:19:50.329 delivers profitability year after year through 00:19:50.329 --> 00:19:53.549 soundness and fertility. If your goal is true, 00:19:53.769 --> 00:19:56.690 long -term economic stability on your farm, you 00:19:56.690 --> 00:19:59.230 have to keep prioritizing those structural traits 00:19:59.230 --> 00:20:01.529 that let a cow reach that kind of age and lifetime 00:20:01.529 --> 00:20:05.269 production. That LPV often outweighs short -term 00:20:05.269 --> 00:20:08.069 genomic gains. So genetics, smart investment, 00:20:08.190 --> 00:20:10.309 and valuing longevity. Those are the core takeaway. 00:20:10.430 --> 00:20:12.849 I think so. And underlying it all was the sense 00:20:12.849 --> 00:20:15.190 of community, too. The sources mention how even 00:20:15.190 --> 00:20:17.509 fierce competitors ended up hugging, celebrating 00:20:17.509 --> 00:20:19.750 together afterwards. Yeah, it wasn't just about 00:20:19.750 --> 00:20:21.849 winning, but about the industry itself. It felt 00:20:21.849 --> 00:20:23.710 like a celebration of progress, of evolution. 00:20:23.869 --> 00:20:26.809 You saw the supreme torch pass from Bailey, the 00:20:26.809 --> 00:20:28.910 established Jersey legend, who still had an incredible 00:20:28.910 --> 00:20:31.289 run to temptress red ET, this powerful modern 00:20:31.289 --> 00:20:33.900 red and white. It symbolizes that constant drive 00:20:33.900 --> 00:20:36.599 to breed a better cow, more efficient, more sound, 00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:39.900 more profitable. World Dairy Expo 2025 definitely 00:20:39.900 --> 00:20:42.680 made some legends, validated different ways to 00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:45.859 succeed, and absolutely set the genetic trends 00:20:45.859 --> 00:20:47.640 we'll be watching for the next few years. It 00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:50.000 really does set the pace. And it grounded everyone 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:52.160 again with that fundamental truth from Clark 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:56.400 Woodmansey. It's a 365 -day deal. No shortcuts 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:58.660 to the top. So why does Madison really matter 00:20:58.660 --> 00:21:01.299 to you, the producer listening right now? Focus 00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:04.569 on your own farm, your own bottom line. It matters 00:21:04.569 --> 00:21:06.349 because the genetics that win on those colored 00:21:06.349 --> 00:21:08.890 shavings today, the daughters of sires like Sidekick, 00:21:08.990 --> 00:21:11.930 Lambda, Unstoppable, those are the genetics that 00:21:11.930 --> 00:21:15.210 will be influencing your milk check, your herd's 00:21:15.210 --> 00:21:18.470 performance, your benchmarks come 2030. What 00:21:18.470 --> 00:21:20.470 happens in Madison doesn't stay in Madison. Not 00:21:20.470 --> 00:21:22.789 at all. The decisions made in that ring directly 00:21:22.789 --> 00:21:25.130 shape the future productivity and profitability 00:21:25.130 --> 00:21:27.509 potential for the entire industry. Which brings 00:21:27.509 --> 00:21:29.430 us to the final question for you, the listener, 00:21:29.589 --> 00:21:31.529 to think about today as you head back to the 00:21:31.529 --> 00:21:33.819 barn or the office. Based on everything we saw 00:21:33.819 --> 00:21:36.019 play out in Madison, the rise of elite red and 00:21:36.019 --> 00:21:39.059 white genetics, the proof that smart, smaller 00:21:39.059 --> 00:21:42.220 scale investment works, the deep appreciation 00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:44.660 for longevity. Are you currently setting up your 00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:46.839 breeding program based on yesterday's champions 00:21:46.839 --> 00:21:50.140 or are you strategically breeding for tomorrow's 00:21:50.140 --> 00:21:52.319 milk check? Something important to consider as 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:54.119 you plan those next meetings. Thanks for going 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:55.359 on this deep dive with us.