US Holstein cow sets new lifetime production record

Owned and bred by the Dankert family at Nor-Bert Farm in Bremen, Indiana, the cow called Nor-Bert Colby Connie has pumped out a record 486,300 pounds (over 22 tonnes) of milk. And she is still producing as Connie has just calved again and is further increasing her production every day.

Connie has equally impressive results for her milk quality components, with a lifetime record of 12,275 kg (27,062 pounds) of fat and 8,045 kg (17,737 pounds) of protein through her last completed lactation.

These tremendous fat and protein totals are currently the highest lifetime totals for fat and protein in the Holstein Association USA database.

This new production record comes in quick succession to the one set by another US cow called Chrome-View Charles 3044, which achieved the record earlier this year with a total of 21.7 tonnes (478,200 pounds) of lifetime milk, 6,553 kg (14,447 pounds) of fat and 5,704kg (12,576 pounds) of protein.

These lifetime production records have highlighted the scope of achievements possible from Holstein cows in the US.

Connie’s owners, Roger and Deb Dankert, farm alongside their son Jeremy Dankert and daughter and son-in-law Jennifer and Monty Freeman. Jennifer and Monty also have 3 children (Dalton, Dillon and Breanne), who are involved in the multigenerational farm.

Quality milk

The team at Nor-Bert Farm say Connie is a low maintenance cow who prefers being alone and doing her own thing, producing lots of high-quality milk. With a classification score of Excellent 94 3E, Connie is easy to pick out in the barn.

Jeremy said: “Connie has open ribs, a big frame, and impressive width, with a really good udder on her. She is out of a really milky family that has good records on them.”

He believes these physical traits, along with good feet and legs, have also had a positive impact on Connie’s ability to produce so much milk. The 14-year-old cow has also achieved Holstein Association USA’s National Elite Performer status.

Connie’s sire is Solid-Gold Colby-ET. The Dankerts say her dam, Nor-Bert Buckeye Christy-ET, was also a good cow with solid production.Connie’s granddam, Nordic-Haven Formation Cara, was bought by Nor-Bert Farms many years ago. Cara is also a sister to Nordic-Haven Mtoto Calico, who was a high TPI cow, and the dam of AI bull Nor-Bert Calypso.

Connie herself has had 9 calves, including 4 daughters who have been high-producing cows in the Nor-Bert herd. For many years, the Registered Holstein cow has been known as the most efficient producer of high-quality milk.

Nor-Bert Colby Connie has fed an impressive amount of people in her lifetime. These calculations help put her lifetime milk production total into perspective. Her lifetime milk production total would feed 10 people for over 80 years, if each person had the daily requirement of 3 servings of milk per day. Connie could also provide the daily dairy requirements for 301,581 people for 1 day.