Publish date: 10/17/23
World Dairy Expo is where bovine beauty, cutting-edge technology, and a passion for dairy farming converge in a spectacular celebration of all things dairy. This annual event, held in the heart of America’s Dairyland, brings together farmers, industry experts, and enthusiasts from around the globe to showcase the latest innovations in dairy production, promote the finest cattle breeds, and foster knowledge exchange in an industry that is vital to our global food supply. Whether you’re a dairy enthusiast, a farmer, or simply curious about the world of dairy, there is something for everyone at World Dairy Expo!
Our St. Jacobs’ brand had stellar showing at the biggest stage the dairy show industry has to offer. Although, the legendary moment happened at the end of the week during the Supreme Champion Overall selection in which the dam of St. Jacobs’ sire, SHOWTIME*RC, was selected for the highest honors. This selection just further strengthens the power in the bloodlines offered within the St. Jacobs lineup.
As a special treat for our readers, here is a recap of how we secured SHOWTIME*RC in our lineup and how truly special his dam is from none other than St. Jacobs’ Business Manager, Brian Behnke.
Erbacres Snapple Shakira-ET, SHOWTIME*RC’s dam, is a two-time Grand Champion and Supreme Champion of World Dairy Expo. The Canadian breeders of SHOWTIME*RC, the Jacobs family, originally sold him to another Canadian breeder, Tony Van Lith. After that purchase, Tony contacted me to see what his U.S. numbers would be and to inquire if I was interested in the bull. I told Tony I would be interested.
This conversation occurred in March 2020 which was before Shakira would become a household name. I told Tony that if SHOWTIME*RC was better than parent average on his U.S. genomic information, I would take the bull. This was because I really liked Shakira and thought she was a cow that was only getting better with age. Of course, after seeing the data, it was a no brainer for me to add him to our lineup.
In the back of my mind, I believed Shakira being in SHOWTIME*RC’s pedigree would be to our benefit as I was truly impressed with her as a cow and believed she was destined for great things. She was going to classify EX 97 (highest rating awarded) which would help us. However, I could not have predicted the success she would have. As luck would have it, she won Grand Champion at World Dairy Expo as well as the Canadian National Show, which replaced the Royal Winter Fair Show when it was canceled.
Shakira will go the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto in November to see if she can be named champion, again. It really has been a Hollywood type of script for SHOWTIME*RC. We are anxiously awaiting the first daughters to calve in December to see how good they are in milking form to see how the story will continue.
Special thanks to Brian for providing these behind-the-scenes insights on how SHOWTIME*RC came to call ABS Global home. This big win at World Dairy Expo for Shakira further displays the strength of the St. Jacobs’ lineup. The goal of the St. Jacobs brand is to create cows that last longer, are more profitable, and of course, are just good to look at. It is a lineup of sires truly focused on type without compromise.
To learn more about St. Jacobs’ SHOWTIME*RC or using St. Jacobs sires in your herd, contact your ABS Representative or complete the form below.
(608) 846 3721