By Dianna Malcolm
It’s not often you get to eavesdrop with fascinating international breeders that have all impacted the global dairy cow and Holstein breed. This podcast may not be for everyone, but DDNZ’s editor found it fascinating and thought it was so worthy of sharing.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7EsuPuP043hGiKFrqPhaDX?si=fa6863e853d946c5
Within the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, hosted by Peggy Coffeen, is the conversation that centres around what makes a great cow—and which breeding decisions shape the future of the Holstein breed?
It was recorded live during World Dairy Expo in the US in October and the special edition brings together Greg Andersen (Seagull Bay Dairy and WinStar Genetics, Idaho), Jordan Siemers (Siemers Holsteins, Wisconsin), and Andrew Steiner (Pine Tree Dairy, Ohio) for an open conversation about the cows and bulls that have influenced their breeding programmes. These men have so many runs on the board, and they also talk about many of the influential “one-name” cows and the sons they’ve contributed to the industry.
They revisit influential cow families, discuss the sires that made a lasting impact, and share the stories behind pivotal purchases and unexpected matings. The conversation also explores the balance between genomic rankings and real-world performance, including strength, fertility, health traits, production, and the ideal modern dairy cow.
Looking ahead, the breeders consider genetic diversity, international bloodlines, evolving evaluations and the traits that will matter most to profitable herds.
Uplevel Dairy Podcast is hosted by Peggy Coffeen.
Here’s what to expect:
00:00 — Introducing The Breeders' Table
02:02 — Why These Breeders Wanted to Talk Genetics
07:07 — The Holstein Cows That Belong on Mount Rushmore
10:34 — The Foundation Cows Influencing Today’s Breeding Programs
16:50 — The Bulls That Changed Holstein Genetics
20:00 — Influential Sires and the Traits They Transmitted
30:00 — What Makes a Profitable, Modern Dairy Cow?
35:00 — Genomics, Type and Real-World Herd Performance
40:00 — Breeding Decisions, Unexpected Matings and Lessons Learned
46:20 — The Purchases and Cow Families That Changed Everything
50:31 — Rebuilding Maternal Lines and Preserving Genetic Diversity
53:24 — European Genetics and New Opportunities for the Breed
55:54 — Rapid-Fire Questions: Indexes, Size, Fat and Protein
1:00:00 — What Makes Breeding Holsteins Rewarding?
1:02:22 — The Decisions and People Shaping the Future of Genetics
Brief bio about the breeders:
JORDAN SIEMERS, SIEMERS HOLSTEINS, Wisconsin
• Scale & Size: Manages a large herd (thousands of cows) paired with ~5,400 farmed acres growing crops like corn silage, haylage, and wheat.
• High Production Averages: Rolling herd averages reach over 34,000–37,000 lbs of milk, with strong butterfat and protein components.
• Homebred Genetics: Roughly 80% to 95% of the cattle are homebred.
INFLUENCIDAL COW: Nearly 1,300 Excellent-scored cows carry the Siemers prefix (including multiple EX-95 cows and dozens scored EX-94 or higher), alongside hundreds of AI sires and Gold Medal Dams.
• Global Cow of the Year: The only farm in the world to breed three Holstein International Global Cow of the Year winners, including Siemers Lstr Hanan 33317-ET EX-91. Siemers Lstr Hanan 33317-P was selected by the readers of Holstein International and the judging panel in 2024 as the most influential brood cow in the world.
GREG ANDERSON, SEAGULL BAY DAIRY, Idaho
Seagull Bay Dairy milks approximately 2050 cows across a specialised two-farm operation managed by Greg Andersen. Seagull Bay Dairy, established in 1980, is the creation of Alan and Norma Andersen of American Falls, Idaho. The management of the dairies is a team effort. Greg Andersen lives in American Falls and primarily manages Seagull Bay Dairy while Andersen Dairy is managed by Ben Andersen who resides in Declo. Alan is the CEO of the family dairies while Norma is the CFO and they live in Burley, ID.
INFLUENCIAL COW: Greg Andersen purchased Ammon-Peachey Shauna as a young cow/lot at auction for $21,000 and used early IVF and embryo transfer programs to multiply her genetics. Global impact: She became one of the most famous and highly ranked genomic brood cows in the Holstein breed, influencing herds worldwide.
MATT STEINER, PINE-TREE DAIRY, Wisconsin
Located in Marshallville Ohio, Pine-Tree Dairy is operated by Matt and Gail Steiner and family. Construction of the new dairy facility was finished in 2012 and houses 650 milking animals. It features a parallel parlor and sand bedding. The heifer raising facility is housed down the road at the home farm (previous milking location). 4 other satellite herds currently are in operation.
INFLUENCIAL COW: In 2003, Wesswood-HC Rudy Missy was purchased at an auction in Wisconsin. She was widely regarded as the most famous and influential foundation cow associated with Pine-Tree Dairy. She was named Global Cow of the Year in 2014, and her deep bloodlines trace back to the vast majority of modern elite Holstein pedigrees and high-index AI sires. Missy became a monumental "genetic multiplier" through an intensive embryo flush and breeding programme, producing over 100 direct progeny. Her descendants shaped the genomic era of Holstein breeding:
• Famous AI Sires & Descendants: Sires such as Seagull-Bay Supersire, Mountfield SSI Dcy Mogul, Seagull-Bay Silver, and De-Su Balisto trace back to her family.
• Global Cow of the Year: Named the Global Holstein Cow of the Year in 2014, followed closely by her descendant Ammon-Peachey Shauna in 2015. Read The Bullvine’s story about her the cow that cost her owner $8100: https://www.thebullvine.com/genetics/the-8100-gamble-on-missy-198-dragged-genes-and-the-20-year-breeding-blind-spot-hiding-in-your-herd/