Holstein Canada Announces 2012 Master Breeders

Jan 14, 2013

Twenty-One Recipients among Elite Holstein Breeders across Canada

It’s a dream that almost any dairy farmer would want – being named a Master Breeder; and that dream has turned into a reality for 21 dairy producers across Canada.

Holstein Canada was proud to announce its top Breeders, who will be honoured at their upcoming National Holstein Convention in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

It’s a millstone that one can win more than once too. There were seven previous winners, and 14 first-time winners. The following is the breakdown by province:

•Québec – Eight Winners
•Ontario – Eight Winners
•British Columbia – Three Winners
•Manitoba – One Winner
•Saskatchewan – One Winner

The prestigious award began in 1929 and since that time there have only been 924 Master Breeder shields presented and given to Holstein Canada members. The winners are selected based on having the best ratio for breeding cows that have the best traits, such as high milk production, outstanding confirmation, health and longevity.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.