Minnesota DHIA published a list of the 64 top cows ranked by total lifetime pounds of fat and protein combined for 2020. These are truly super cows because they produce a lot, and they have stayed in the herd for many lactations. In the table below are the top six cows. Cow 8302, owned by Pater Dairy, has produced 26,070 pounds of fat and protein, and 401,152 pounds of energy corrected milk. That is 13 tons of fat and protein. 400,000 pounds of milk is eight semi-tanker loads or two tankers per teat. Remarkable.
Farm Cow Age, months Lactations Fat and Protein ECM
Pater 8302 126 9 26,070 lbs. 401,152
Larcrest Crimson 154 6 25,543 lbs. 37,385
GarLin 8251 137 9 25,521 lbs. 387,305
Stelling Lark 115 7 23,848 lbs. 35,934
Selke 973 112 8 23,346 lbs. 360,935
Hollerman 27G 145 9 23,064 lbs. 357,890
How much milk did they produce per day? Below is a table showing the top six cows ranked by total pounds of ECM produced per day in milk. The next column is total pounds of ECM per day of life going all the way back to birth. Hyde-Park’s 3887 produced 134 pounds of ECM for every one of her 2,412 days in milk over eight lactations. She is truly a super cow.
Farm Cow Age, months Lactations ECM/DIM ECM/Day ECM
Hyde-Park 3897 112 8 134 95 322,106
Stelling Orpha 110 7 127 95 317,755
Pater 8302 126 9 126 105 401,152
Hyde-Park 3876 117 8 124 88 312,533
GarLin 11555 102 7 124 100 309,278
Hinckley 2113 114 8 122 88 306,186
To be a super cow, many of these cows had to be reproductively efficient. The table below is the top six cows ranked by lowest days in milk per lactation and shows total pounds of ECM and ECM per productive day. Swenson’s 2112 has averaged 289 days over 10 lactations, and the next five cows’ average days are only a few days longer. These are reproductive super cows.
Farm Cow Age, months Lactations DIM/Lactation ECM ECM/DIM
Swenson 2112 131 10 289 304,080 105
GarLin 10845 120 9 290 302,230 116
Keifland 215reg 119 9 290 277,374 106
Frendshuh 5M1564 120 9 291 238,671 91
Fjelmar 948 125 10 292 309,935 106
Pater 8325 127 10 294 328,305 112
How about milk per lactation? Here are the top six cows ranked by ECM by lactation. Larcrest’s Crimson produced 62,398 pounds of ECM per lactation for six lactations.
Farm Cow Age, months Lactations ECM/Lactation ECM
Larcrest Crimson 154 6 62,398 374,385
Valley Acres 63 113 5 57,836 289,179
Stellling Lark 115 7 51,336 359,354
GarLin 11524 102 6 51,259 307,556
Friendshuh 3J170 131 7 50,126 350,881
Stelling Venice 100 6 49,123 294,739
There are some other breeds on the list too. Here all the other breeds ranked by total pounds of fat and protein. GarLin’s 10340 produced over 20,000 of fat and protein combined. There is even a Jersey: Co-Jo Dairy’s 162. Even small cows can be super cows.
Farm Cow Breed Age, months Lactations Fat and Protein
GarLin 10340 Crossbred 124 9 20,619 lbs.
Valley Acres 10336 Crossbred 123 9 19,896 lbs.
Co-Jo Dairy 162 Jersey 130 8 19,850 lbs.
Valley Acres 11065 Crossbred 107 8 18,497 lbs.
Super cows are super money makers. They produce many tons of product over their lifetimes, and they require far fewer replacements over that time period than the average cow. Consider the cows with the most days in milk in the table below. Gruber’s Susie has produced milk for 3,846 days without needing a replacement and has produced over 300,000 of milk in that time. She is a super money maker.
Farm Cow DIM Age, months Lactations ECM
Gruber Susie 3,846 166 10 306,983
Crystal View 1018 3,813 160 11 325,023
Hunstinger 188 3,793 156 10 320,058
Larcrest Crimson3,758 154 6 374,385
Redalen Kash 3,646 158 11 298,580
Wendt 788 3,523 151 11 311,637
How does one get, or make, a super cow? Surely there are a lot of factors; however, top-quality animal care to animals has to be one of the most significant. One-third of the cows on this list reside in herds owned by clients of our veterinary practice, so I can say that with some authority. I am pretty sure top quality cow care is the standard on the rest of these farms as well. Super cows have super owners. Thank you all for taking such great care of your animals.
Bennett is one of four dairy veterinarians at Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center in Plainview, Minnesota. He also consults on dairy farms in other states. He and his wife, Pam, have four children. Jim can be reached at bennettnvac@gmail.com with comments or questions.