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When migrant European tribes settled the Netherlands close to 2,000 years ago, they wanted animals that would make the best use of the land. The black cattle of the Bata ians and white cows of !riesians were bred and strictly culled to produce animals that were the most efficient, producing the most milk with limited feed resources. These animals genetically e ol ed into the efficient, high producing black"and"white dairy cow, known as the #olstein"!riesian.
Imports to America
$merican breeders began to become interested in #olstein"!riesian cattle around the %&'0s. Black and white cattle were introduced into the () from %*2% to %**+. The eastern part of New ,ork was the -utch colony of New Netherlands, where many -utch farmers settled along the #udson and .ohawk /i er alleys. They probably brought cattle with them from their nati e land and crossed them with cattle purchased in the colony. !or many years afterwards, the cattle here were called -utch cattle and were renowned for their milking 0ualities. The first permanent introduction of this breed was due to the perse erance of #on. Winthrop W. 1henery, of Belmont, .assachusetts. The animals of his first two importations, and their offspring, were destroyed by the go ernment in .assachusetts because of a contagious disease. #e made a third importation in %&*%. This was followed in %&*2 by an importation for the #on. 3errit ). .iller, of 4eterboro, New ,ork, made by his brother, -udley .iller, who had been attending the noted agricultural school at Eldena 5 the latter today a locality of the former6, 4russia, where this breed was highly regarded. These two importations, by #on. William $. /ussell, of 7awrence, .ass., and three animals from East !riesland, imported by 3en. William ). Tilton of the National .ilitary $sylum, Togus, .aine, formed the nucleus of the #olstein #erd Book. 4erhaps the most famous #olstein of those times was 4auline Wayne, which ser ed from %8%0 to %8%' as the official presidential pet to the 22th 4resident of the (nited )tates, William #oward Taft. 4auline Wayne li ed and gra9ed on the White #ouse lawn and pro ided milk for the first family. 4auline Wayne was the last presidential pet cow.
Genetic Improvements
The artificial insemination A$:6 industry has had a tremendous impact on genetic impro ement of the breed. )ince perfection of the semen free9ing process in the late %8+0?s, $: has allowed the use of superior, pro en bulls by #olstein breeders across the country. Today, $: accounts for &B percent of #olstein births. $: made the de elopment of reliable, unbiased methods to e aluate #olstein genetics possible. With $:, a single #olstein bull can sire as many as B0,000 daughters. Type and production information on all these females makes it easier to predict performance of future offspring and e aluate the 0uality of genetics transmitted from sire to offspring. :n the late %8*0?s, the $: industry, the -airy #erd :mpro ement $ssociation A-#:$6 and breed organi9ations, including the #olstein $ssociation, worked together to de elop genetic tools that dairy producers could use to breed their cattle for impro ement. They used type and production information and research data from uni ersities to de elop measures #olstein breeders now use to e aluate bulls and select sires according to their needs. Today, dairy producers ha e the ability to utili9e genomic technology to disco er the genetic potential of their animals at an earlier age than e er before. 3enomic testing analy9es the -N$ of an animal to determine what genes they actually possess, information that can be used to estimate future performance more reliably than simply taking an a erage of the parents? genetic alues. The maCority of bulls that enter $: are genomic tested, and many breeders are genomic testing their females to make more educated breeding decisions, particularly on heifers. Dne thing is for certain " technology is constantly e ol ing, with more tools being added to breeders? arsenal of options to consider in their Courney to breed a better cow.
Muranda Oscar Lucinda-ET VG-86 Bred by Thomas and Nancy .urray, Waterloo, N, Dwned by !loyd > 7loyd Baumann > !red 7ang, .arathon, W: /ecord completed in No ember %882 2F '*B days *2,8%+ lbs
Twin-B-Dairy Aer s!a Lynn VG-8" Bred and Dwned by !loyd > 7loyd Baumann, .arathon, W: /ecord completed in $ugust %88* 2F '*B days *',+++ lbs
#ai$ Mar% &in' EX-91 Bred and Dwned by /aims -airy, 1edaredge, 1D /ecord completed in .ay %88B 'F '*B days *0,++0 lbs
Be((-&r # sa)e(-ET VG-8* Bred > Dwned by Bell";r 3roup, 1alhan, 1D /ecord completed in ;anuary %88B 'F '*B days *0,'&0 lbs
# )!+ $ ,u-e! .addy EX-9* Bred > Dwned by /obert .. Thomson ;r., )pringfield, .D /ecord completed in $ugust %88' 2F '*B days B8,'00 lbs
Tu((and # ya(!y Ma'i$a G.-83 Bred by Nancy !leming, Drford, N# Dwned by Tullando !arm, :nc., Drford, N# /ecord completed in -ecember %882 'F '*B days B&,8B2 lbs
Beec+er Ar(inda E((en EX-91 Bred > Dwned by Beecher #olsteins, /ochester, :N /ecord completed in Dctober %82B 2F '*B days BB,**% lbs
M wry .rince / rinne EX-92 Bred > Dwned by 1larence > Eenneth .owry, /oaring )pring, 4$ /ecord completed in -ecember %82+ 2F '*B days B0,2B8 lbs
Bree-ew d .a!sy Bar . n!iac EX-93 Bred > Dwned by 3elbke Brothers, =ienna, D# /ecord completed in .ay %82+ 2F '*B days +B,220 lbs
,%a0va(e Grace1u( 2a!!ie VG-8" Bred > Dwned by Tenneson Bros., )edro Woolley, W$ /ecord completed in Dctober %82% 2F '*B days ++,0%8 lbs