What do speedskating and dairy farming have in common besides ice (insert Alberta winters) and hard work? One Holstein breeder: Rolf Van Benthem.

Whether new research was presented or different management tactics were discussed, one question was consistent throughout the conference: How will this affect the longevity of a cow?

Historically, the relative value of traits to the commercial cow-calf sector has been stated as the “10-to-2-to-1 rule of thumb,” where fertility traits are 10 times more important than carcass traits and five times more important than growth traits.

Focusing on cow comfort, calf care and careful breeding decisions, the Kozak family works together to build an exceptional herd to merchandise and grow from within.

The usual suspects (expected progeny differences [EPDs], genomic testing, heterosis) were covered, as were some issues (beef-on-dairy, methane emissions, cardiac health) that may have been a bit more of a surprise to the uninitiated at an event ostensibly dedicated to beef cattle genetics.

Co-owners of Lucky Hill Dairy Ltd. Willem and Joanne van der Linde say lucky is more than just a part of the farm’s name, it is an outlook on farm life itself.