46th International Osnabrueck Black & White Days

It was exactly 50 years ago when the OHG presented its breeding work as pioneer for using Holstein blood to an international audience at the 1st International Osnabrueck Black & White Days in January 1974. At this first show, the Telstar daughter Olga was the outstanding cow. At the current event, Karolina, Faible, Hanuta, America and Bombshell made headlines. While in 1974 there was still a panel of judges from 11 different countries, this time there was with Thomas Hannen a recognized judge in charge, who has judged as well the recent national show in summer 2023. For the OHG breeding program and the daughter group presentation, CALVIN and GENIUS confirmed once more the success of the Mabelle cow family for the OHG breeding program. At the Top Genetics Auction, Lukas Harms and auctioneer Jürgen Wiesehahn moderated this sale in an entertaining manner and caused quite a stir towards the end with one of the youngest highly genomic tested heifers by the name Bombshell with the top price of 42.000 €.

Schulze and Kolckhorst-Kahle once again very successful as exhibitors of the open show

At the recent local show for the Wittlage region last autumn, the Kolckhorst-Kahle and Schulze family were particularly successful and at this year’s Holstein Days they repeated this against breeders from other districts again, but mostly different cows than in the autumn.

In the class of the oldest heifers, the extremely stylish red Mirand PP Karolina from Schulze Holstein prevailed against last year’s winner GNH Oceana and made it to the final line for young champion selection. In addition, judge Thomas Hannen brought in the top duo from the middle class with the Haniko daughter Wilt Elaya, presented by the Neßlage/Middelkampf and the balanced, strong uddered Lambda daughter BIL Austria from Bielefeld. Karolina prevailed with her impressive dairy style and as well slightly more correct teat placement over Wilt Elaya.

Champion junior cows: Mirand PP-Tochter Karolina von Schulze Holstein GbR, Vennermoor
Reserve Champion junior cows: Haniko-Tochter Wilt Elaya von Neßlage / Middelkampf

Champion young cows: Lambda-Tochter Faible von der Schulze Holstein GbR, Vennermoor (re.)
Reserve Champion young cows: Royce-Tochter Rekord von der Timmering-Brandl Milch KG, Vehs

In the middle category of second and third calf cows, the first class victories went to two dark second calf cows: Mirand PP Susi from Neßlage/Middelkampf/Kappmeyer and GNH Lea, a Rager Red from Milchhof Kilver. From the two older classes two light-colored third-calf cows emerged as class winners. Both of them have been successful at the Holstein Days last year as well. Lambda Faible from Schulze Holstein was as second calver last at year’s middle champion cow and repeated now this success again in the 3rd lactation. Her main competitor was Royce Rekord from Timmering-Brandl Milch KG, who won last year the daughter group competition. Thomas Hannen was fascinated by the ring presence and the style that Faible showed that day and gave her also slight advantage in body capacity over the Rekord cow, who displayed a magnificent udder. Out of Rekord OHG has currently her polled Sunny P son SUNTRO P in use and he is particularly popular due to his outstanding udder breeding value of 136.

The old cow classes were well attended this year with a total of 4 judging classes and cows from the 4th to 11th lactation. Among the fourth calvers, Wasa (Missouri x Lotus P), presented by Klaus Kettmann, stood out on this day due to her silky skin, dairy character and excellently veined udder. A cow again named Wasa (Louis x Movie by Reinhard Annen) won in the five-calf cow category. In the following class, the former champion heifer, KKH Hanuta (Garant x Select) by Kolckhorst-Kahle, was ahead of last year’s reserve champion, Jetset Lesly by Redecker. The freshness and youthfulness of most of the 8 to 13 year old cows presented in the last judging class was also very impressive. In the end, Marquard’s black, extremely correct and balanced Dolores (Impression x Boateng) prevailed. However, in the final selection of the winners for the oldest cows, Dolores had to be content with honorable mention and KKH Hanuta secured the old champion title due to her outstanding udder attachment and slightly more strength ahead of the extremely dairy and balanced Wasa from Kettmann.

Champion senior: Garant-Tochter KKH Hanuta von Kolckhorst-Kahle, Haltern

Reserve Champion senior: Missouri-Tochter Wasa von Kettmann, Loxten

Large uniform daughter groups of CALVIN and GENIUS

With CALVIN (Casino x Finder), who is already daughter-proven, and GENIUS (Gywer x Trend), who is in the process of becoming a daughter proven bull, again two offspring tracing back to the Mabelle cow family were presented this year. Both bulls have alternately topped the list of most used sires over the last 3 years and are therefore of great importance for the OHG breeding program. The medium-framed CALVIN daughters – as confirmed by his breeding value, which is now based on 750 daughters – not only have a strong production performance, but also impress in particular with ideal set of feet and legs, fine bone structure and good locomotion, but as well the udders show optimal teat placement and udder balance. Combined with significantly longer teats their udders are ideal suitable for robot milking farms. In addition, they are noticeably calm and easy to handle. From this offspring group, judge Hannen selected Kathleen from Redecker and Gina from Lilie farms as the best individuals.

CALVIN progeny group

The following group of all white, strong, medium-framed 10 GENIUS daughters was certainly in no way inferior to the CALVINs in terms of uniformity. In addition, the GENIUS daughters showed outstanding udder quality. For breeders, who like cows with show winning potential they like for sure the way the udders of the GENIUS daughters: very long and tightly attached in the front and a real high and wide at the back. All information so far about the GENIUS daughters who have already calved fully confirms the all-round qualities of this extremely popular bull. For the final selection of offspring winner, the judge nominated KKH America, which goes back over several generations to a former Holstein Day winner BOSS Annalena and as second GENIUS was Flocke from Wieghaus selected for the offspring champion competition. Due to the outstanding udder quality, Thomas Hannen gave preference to the two GENIUS daughters over the CALVIN’s and KKH America impressed him the most as an absolutely complete heifer due to the slightly stronger topline. So the Kolckhorst-Kahle family could win as well a second champion title at this show.

GENIUS progeny group

Champion progeny groups: Genius daughter KKH America von Kolckhorst-Kahle, Haltern
Reserve Champion progeny groups: Genius daughter Flocke von Wieghaus, Rieste

Top Genetic Sale with a group of outstanding fresh heifer and several genomic highlights

Of the 30 carefully selected animals that were sold at this year’s top genetics auction through bids via the online livestream or by buyers on site, half were primarily assigned to the show segment and the other offers showed high genomic breeding potential. Of course, this information did not exist 50 years ago, when an Elevation calf was the top seller for 3.500 DM.

With 12 freshly calved heifers from world-famous and recognized cow families, this group was able to fully withstand the critical looks of the spectators on site. They were all sold at prices ranging from €3,500 to €5,600. The top price of €5,600 was achieved by the high-milking Huracan offered by Reinermann, which traces via Kerrigan and BOSS back to the Snowman Heaven family.

Among the type animals, the only pregnant one, a red & white McDonald from Wiethege’s S line, achieved the top price of €6,000, followed by a Bullseye from the Dempsey Cheers EX-95 family, which offered an outstanding Canadian-based type breeding value (+18 conformation).

The genomic young heifers all achieved prices of €6,000 and higher. Among the top 3 was one homozygous polled 161er Member PP from Hehmann & Gerdom and the highest available Feit Red daughter from Straten with 163 gRZG. Both of them quickly exceeded the €10,000 threshold. As expected, the 167 gRZG Capitol daughter WW Bombshell from Weber & Weber achieved the outstanding top price of €42,000. This very well developed, impeccable calf is not only No. 1 of the entire birth year, but leaves nothing to be desired in terms of her complete and faultless genomic profile. She continues the tradition of successful TGA sales (her mother was also sold at the TGA 2022). A full brother of this top seller goes to OHG.

WW Bombshell – Top sellers of the auction with the sales team

Even though the breeding work of OHG today with primarily use of genomic information hardly differs from the work of other organizations, the International Osnabrueck Holstein Days are still an absolute must at the beginning of the year for many guests. The immediate proximity to the ring and to the animals and their breeders creates a great atmosphere, so that even first-time visitors are fascinated by this event and the show arena is filled almost to the lasts seat.