Although originally a commercial production dairy, since 1980 Gilles and his sons, Marc, Louis, Vincent and Mathieu, have built the business into a top-class purebred Holstein breeding facility.

Several grandchildren are now involved in the family business, as well as several employees.

Herdsmen Alain Leduc and Marc Charland have been with them since 1986 and 2005, respectively.

Their cows are all registered Holsteins, with about 450 cows milking, a similar number of dry cows and replacement heifers and about 100 bulls.

Ferme Gillette is well known for producing excellent breeding bulls, with sales to A.I. units around the country and export sales around the world.

Milking takes place three times a day in a double-12 parallel parlour with a pipeline.

One of the cows from Ferme Gillette has recently made history by breaking the previous world record for lifetime milk production.

While Canada has long been renowned for the quality of its Holstein cattle, the previous record-holder was from Japan.

Gillette Emperor Smurf has produced more than 217,000 litres of milk in now 11 lactations and is still going strong.

She will be 16 years old in September 2012 and produced another calf in May of this year. She produces 60 litres or 132 pounds per day, far more than the average cow.

Louis Patenaude, second of the four Patenaude sons, feels that she is healthy and strong and will go on for some time yet.

It remains to be seen what her final production record will be. Guinness World Records has created a brand-new category to acknowledge her record.

Only one person in the world has milked both the previous and current record-holders. A Japanese student visiting in Canada was allowed that honour.

Louis Patenaude realized, at the end of her eighth lactation, that Smurf had a chance to beat the Canadian record, which she accomplished easily. She then proceeded to go for the world title, surpassing the record early this year.

Smurf is the third generation of the Patenaudes’ breeding, following in the hoofprints of her mother and grandmother.

She graded Excellent, with a score of 91, at 15 years old – the sixth generation of her family to achieve VG or EX. This is truly a cow that combines form and function.

Smurf has earned the privilege of a private box stall; she is milked there at 4 a.m., at noon and at 8 p.m. and fed the best possible ration.

The Patenaudes have never flushed Smurf, partly because, as a young cow, there was not a demand for her genetics and later because she was going for the record.

Now she is too old to consider flushing. Her only daughter has been flushed and the first granddaughter has arrived.

Embryos have been shipped to Japan and Australia – those calves are due soon.

Smurf is not the only famous cow to live on the Patenaude farm.

In 1994, a devastating fire destroyed the freestall barn, milking parlour and show barn, along with claiming the lives of more than 200 head of cattle. Fortunately, many of their genetics were not lost, due to extensive embryo transfers carried in recipient heifers who were housed elsewhere.

Gillette Blackstar Christiane, who they call their “miracle cow,” was the only one to survive the fire. She went on to calve Renaissance Triumphant, who grew up to become the number one conformation bull in Canada.

Christiane has 11 sons in A.I. and 13 VG daughters. She was named Holstein Canada’s Cow of the Year in 2000.

In 2011, a second cow was named to the same honour. Gillette Blitz 2nd Wind has produced five EX-Extra sons, a record for the breed, and her daughters are considered among the best of the breed.

She has produced more than 300 embryos. Louis explained that this cow was flushed early in her career due to demand for her sons as breeding bulls.

What keeps the Gillette herd in the limelight? Louis credits the success of their herd to top-quality feed, milking three times a day and ensuring the comfort of their cows.

Attention to detail in planning matings is paramount – finding the right bull, whose strengths complement her weaknesses, for each cow. Keeping on track to constantly improve the herd entails careful recordkeeping and always being on the lookout for promising young cattle to be added to the herd roster.

Louis watches advertising and shows, always ready to purchase the right genetics to keep them improving and contributing to the genetic excellence of the Holstein breed in Canada.  PD

Alice Guthrie is a freelance writer from Hagersville, Ontario.

PHOTOS
TOP RIGHT: Members of the Patenaude family farm include, from top left to right, herdsman Marc Charland, Mathieu Patenaude, Vincent Patenaude, Marc Patenaude, Louis Patenaude, herdsman Alain Leduc. Bottom left to right, Marc’s son Eric Patenaude, Lorette Patenaude, Gilles Patenaude.

MIDDLE RIGHT: Gillette Emperor Smurf, world record holder for milk production.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Eric Patenaude gives a thumbs- up to Smurf as he holds her Guinness World Record certificate. Photos courtesy of Patenaude family.