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E381 World Dairy Expo Day 4: 10-Year-Old Cow Stuns Industry with Second Grand Championship
Season 1 Episode 381
A decade-old Brown Swiss in her seventh lactation just demolished 379 younger competitors to claim her second Grand Championship at World Dairy Expo—while producing 60 kilos daily. With replacement heifers now exceeding $4,000 and dairy farms culling at three lactations, this unprecedented victory exposes the industry's most expensive mistake: premature culling. This emergency recap from Madison reveals why farms keeping cows to seven lactations are banking $20,000 more per cow than those following conventional wisdom, and how a California-Canada partnership built on trust is rewriting the rules of modern dairy management.
Key Takeaways:
- Why Iroquois Acres Jong Cali's championship at age 10 signals a fundamental shift in replacement economics—and what it means for your bottom line
- The $20,000 question: How keeping cows to seven lactations versus culling at three changes profitability math when replacements cost $3,500-$4,500
- Inside the 2,000-mile partnership that proves geography means nothing when trust drives management decisions
- New Generation Genetics' Swiss embryo import strategy and why genetic diversity is becoming survival insurance, not luxury spending
- The quality explosion that has judges placing state fair champions in the twenties—and why yesterday's excellence is today's average
- Red & White and Milking Shorthorn junior championships that prove the next generation is already outperforming established operations
- Your three-step action plan for evaluating every cow over five years old before making another culling decision
Deeper Dive - Why Listen:
This isn't just another show recap—it's an economic wake-up call backed by real-world proof. Judge Allyn 'Spud' Paulson, with decades of experience dating back to when "Jades and Jetways were popular," watched this 10-year-old cow move like a three-year-old and dominate animals in their prime. The episode breaks down the brutal economics: while the average U.S. dairy culls at 2.8 lactations for $8,000 lifetime profit, Cali's seven lactations represent $28,000+ in value. With replacement costs hitting record highs and availability at 20-year lows, the math is undeniable.
Jake Hushen from New Generation Genetics reveals how Brown Swiss winter calf classes exploded from 30 to 60 animals, with their company claiming 14 class winners from 10 different sires. But the real story is their importation of full-blooded Swiss embryos—a strategic move to combat genomic bottlenecks that most operations ignore until it's too late. Brown Swiss Association President Brian Pacheco confirms the competitive landscape shift: where five or six good cows once dominated, now 15 to 25 exceptional animals compete for top spots.
Resources & Engagement:
Subscribe to The Bullvine Podcast on Apple Podcasts for weekly episodes that challenge industry assumptions and deliver actionable profitability strategies. Access the complete World Dairy Expo Day 4 championship results, our proprietary longevity profit calculator, and exclusive interview transcripts at https://www.thebullvine.com/news/world-dairy-expo-day-4-10-year-old-cow-stuns-industry-with-second-grand-championship/. Join the conversation using #BullvinePodcast on social media to share your own culling economics and connect with progressive producers worldwide who are rethinking replacement strategies. Email your operation's longevity success stories to podcast@thebullvine.com for potential feature coverage.
Published on 1 week, 1 day ago