Remaining true to their ideals

HUMBIRD, Wis. — For Scott Pralle and Pam Selz-Pralle, their goal has been to remain focused on breeding a balanced cow — one that can excel at production while staying healthy and trouble-free across a long life.

“I believe that cows have to have a strong foundation to do the things we expect of them,” Scott said. “We breed for balance: really good udders, feet and legs and good front ends.”

The Pralles operate Selz-Pralle Dairy near Humbird, where they milk 450 registered Holsteins, with a rolling herd average of 31,593 pounds of milk, 1,276 pounds of fat and 1,000 pounds of protein. With a breed age average of 110.4%, the herd ranks first in the nation among herds with 260 or more cows.

Remaining true to their breeding philosophy and ideals has earned them many accolades throughout their career, including being named the 2024 Wisconsin Holstein Association’s Distinguished Holstein Breeder, an honor they were presented with at the organization’s annual convention Feb. 22.

Making the transition from a tiestall barn to a freestall and parlor facility in 1998 required the Pralles to make adjustments to their breeding philosophy.

“Moving into the parlor, the cows needed to be able to adapt to their environment,” Scott said. “They needed to be more athletic, have better locomotion. They have to have width and strength.”

When the Pralles expanded into their new facility, they purchased two herds of cows to meld with their established herd — an endeavor Scott said took time.

“It was almost 15 years before I was really satisfied that I had turned those two groups of cows around to fit my breeding ideals,” Scott said. “They were a good foundation, but it took several generations to make them look like my cows.”

To create cows that fit their ideal, the Pralles use care in sire selection.

“I wanted to stay true to myself, more down the middle,” Scott said. “I try not to get carried away with the extremes. I focus more on proven bulls than young sires — there is more risk in using young sires. A young sire that doesn’t turn out can haunt you for a long time.”

The Pralles place emphasis on the lineage of the bulls they choose.

“I look at cow families and sire stacks,” Scott said. “If you use a young sire today, you have to be really careful because some of them might have three or four generations of cows that haven’t been scored or don’t have milk records. I don’t fly with that.”

Over time, the Pralles have modified the linear data they emphasize.

“I probably look more at cheese yield dollars and fertility indexes now,” Scott said. “I have looked a lot at (daughter pregnancy rate), but have been reading that it might not be quite as influential as productive life. I might start looking at that a little bit.”

Although they make mating decisions using their own parameters, the Pralles said the bull proofs and information gleaned from them are important.

“You have to respect the data, but we rely on the insurance of the cow family” Pam said. “Scott is really particular about the pedigrees and the generations of performance behind them. When you talk to him about bulls, he’ll go back six generations.”

Braedale Goldwyn is the bull that has earned the honors of being Scott’s all-time favorite.

“Goldwyn’s a bull I could always rely on,” Scott said. “If I purchase something, I usually make sure there is some Goldwyn in there somewhere.”

Consistently creating their kind of cow has paid off for the Pralles.

“We’ve never had a lot of health problems,” Pam said. “Health issues start when cows aren’t as strong. We give them that foundation and provide the best management we can from there.”

The Pralles have learned other dairy farmers appreciate their cows too. Selling dairy replacement animals has provided an additional revenue stream.

“We have a lot of repeat customers because they want to buy cows that will be successful,” Pam said. “By breeding cows with dairy strength, good udders and good feet and legs, we have found people like them because they are trouble-free and they last.”

The success their cows have in other herds is a point of pride for the Pralles.

“The winners of this year’s Distinguished Young (Holstein) Breeder Award, Derrek and Darren Kamphuis, purchased cows from us when they expanded, including a Declan daughter that scored 93 points,” Pam said. “That is cool to have our breeding make an impact on their herd.”

Building generation after generation of cows that reach their maximum potential throughout long lives is where Scott’s passion lies. Pam said her husband is an artisan breeder.

“He is intentional about each mating; he looks for patterns,” Pam said. “There is a mastery to it, just like there is a mastery in athletics or other things. He really loves the art of breeding dairy cattle.”

Two families rise to the top of the herd as favorites — descendants of Joliam Dundee “Phoenix” 3035 EX-92-GMD and those of Selz-Pralle Aftershock 3918 VG-88, who set the national milk record in 2017 with 78,170 pounds of 4.0% butterfat milk.

Phoenix has left her mark on the Pralle’s herd with 32 daughters — 16 of which are scored Excellent.

“Phoenix flushed like a chicken,” Scott said. “Goldwyn worked great on her. Even bulls that shouldn’t have worked, did. She was that consistent. She has Shottle daughters that are scored 93 and 94 points. Half the heifer calves born in the past two months descend from her.”

Aftershock 3918 descends from a cow purchased during the Pralle’s expansion.

“That family had a lot of milk, but it took time to make them the kind of cows we like,” Pam said. “The exciting thing is her daughters are hitting it on all cylinders for type, too. They aren’t show cows, but they are solid, high-type cows.”

Of 19 descendants in the herd, 3918 has 14 milking daughters, three of which are classified Excellent. She also has one Excellent granddaughter who produced over 50,000 pounds of milk.

“That cow threw health traits,” Scott said. “Her daughters have over 12,000 days in milk and they’ve never had mastitis or ketosis problems — they’re never in the sick pen for anything. We participated with the Chippewa Valley Technical College for a herd analysis program and one student picked out all those daughters and found they averaged 10 or 12 pounds more than the rest of the herd.”

Holding steadfast to their breeding philosophy has allowed the Pralles to create a herd they are proud of, full of solid cows that live long, productive lives and are attractive enough to generate marketing opportunities.

The passion for creating those modern cows, the result of years of careful breeding, keeps Scott looking to the future.

“I don’t watch the older breeders anymore,” Scott said. “I watch the younger ones — they are the ones that push you the most. Those are the guys that keep my fire going, the ones I want to stay competitive with.”