published in 1985, it reveals the sire selection process to reach this remarkable sire. Elevation’s breeder Ronald A Hope and his cousin George A Miller were closer to Elevation throughout his lifetime than any other individuals. Elevation’s grandam, Round Oak Nettie Emaline GP84, was sired by a bull called Glenafton Gaiety EX90, who was brought into the Round Oak herd to transmit size. However, when Ronald Hope assessed Gaiety’s progeny, he was not doing as good a job as they had hoped. Looking for a bull that would sire the kind of stature and upstandingness they wanted, Hope listened when his cousin George Miller, then manager of Virginia ABA, told him about a great, tall bull named Osborndale Ivanhoe. Hope went up to Atlantic Breeders
‘
ABOVE LEFT Mil-R-Mor Roxette EX-CAN was one of Elevation’s best daughters.
ABOVE RIGHT Round Oak Ivanhoe Eve EX94(4E) was Elevation’s dam. She produced 88,919kgs over nine lactations though the 60s and 70s.
Cooperative to take a look at Ivanhoe and was so impressed by his massive frame that he bought 50 amples on the spot. Ivanhoe semen was used to breed Emaline producing Round Oak Ivanhoe Eve EX94(4E). Round Oak’s Ivanhoe daughters looked like they needed strength. Once again George Miller had a suggestion – Tidy Burke Elevation. However this time he knew his idea would not be as easily sold, since the Hopes had always liked following Rag Apple breeding. To convince Ronald Hope to use this inbred Burke bull (a Wis Burke Ideal son out of a Wis Burke Ideal daughter), Miller looked up information on Tidy Burke Elevation and made graphs showing how the daughters ranked well above breed average in terms of strength and shape of udder. Thus, the decision was finally made to breed Eve and a few other Ivanhoe daughters to Tidy Burke Elevation. The resulting calf was Round Oak Elevation. (Progress of the Breed – The History of US Holsteins, Richard H Mansfield, 1985.)
The Elevation kind Elevations were more like Friesians than Holsteins, hence they worked better on the large and extreme dairy cows found in the US and, in Europe, the Italians really only had this kind of cow, again from using Citation R and his sons. Consequently,
Elevation’s record of 4,151 Excellent US daughters was only finally overtaken last year by Durham
’ THE JOURNAL AUGUST 2014 57
Photo by Han Hopman
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124