At 6, Martha became the youngest cow — of any breed — to achieve a score of EX-97.
Musqie Iatola Martha – owned by MilkSource Genetics – is just the seventh Jersey in history to receive a EX 97 score from the American Jersey Cattle Association. Martha became the youngest cow — of any breed — to achieve that score.
“I have said it before and I’ll say again, Martha is a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ cow. I could spend the rest of my life trying to find an animal as amazing as her, and I wouldn’t succeed,” said Jim Ostrom, a partner in MilkSource Genetics, which co-owns Martha with Guatemalan businessman Fernando Jarquin.
Musqie Iatola Martha – owned by MilkSource Genetics – is just the seventh Jersey in history to receive a EX 97 score from the American Jersey Cattle Association.
The decision culminates a historic, three-year run in international show cow competitions during which Martha was named a three-time consecutive Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Supreme Champion, two time World Dairy Expo Reserve Supreme Champion and WDE Supreme Champion.
In 2014, MilkSource Genetics made history when another cow — Blondin Redman Seisme — became the first Red & White Holstein cow ever to achieve an EX-97 score. “It’s unbelievably rare and just as spectacular,” said MSG Partner John Vosters. “This feels like lightning striking twice.”
In recent years, more than 10,000 guests — including visitors from every continent except Antarctica — visited MilkSource Genetics with the intention of seeing Martha in person. Her international reputation has earned her the nickname “The People’s Champion.” “This score reflects the professionalism and personal passion of MilkSource Genetics Herd Manager Eddie Bue, his wife and partner-in-cow-care, Mandi, and their entire team,” Ostrom said. “It is a privilege to work with them.”
To put Martha’s achievement into more accessible terms, she is to show cows what Hank Aaron was to baseball and Secretariat was to horse racing. “Simply stated, one of the best ever,” Vosters said.
Her career highlights include:
- Supreme Champion, Royal Winter Fair, 2017
- 1st Mature Cow, Senior Champion & Grand Champion, Royal Winter Fair Jersey Show, 2017
- Reserve Supreme Champion, World Dairy Expo, 2017
- 1st Aged Cow, Senior Champion & Grand Champion, International Jersey Show, 2017
- 1st Aged Cow, Senior Champion of Open Show, Grand Champion & Best Udder of Show, WI State Jersey Show, 2017
- Unanimous All-American Five-Year-Old, 2016
- Unanimous All-Canadian Five-Year-Old, 2016
- Supreme Champion Female, Royal Winter Fair, 2016
- 1st Five-Year-Old & BU, Senior Champion, Grand Champion, Royal Winter Fair Jersey Show, 2016
- Supreme Champion, World Dairy Expo, 2016
- 1st Five Year Old, Senior Champion & Grand Champion Female, International Jersey Show, 2016
- Unanimous All-American Four-Year-Old, 2015
- Unanimous All-Canadian Four-Year-Old & All-Canadian Champion Cow, 2015
- Supreme Champion, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, 2015
- Reserve Supreme Champion, World Dairy Expo, 2015
- Grand Champion, Senior Champion, 1st Four-Year-Old & Best Udder, International Jersey Show, 2015
- Supreme Champion Female, WI State Fair Junior Show, 2015
- Grand Champion, Senior Champion, 1st Four-Year-Old, WI Spring Spectacular Jersey Show, 2015
- Nominated All-American Senior Three-Year-Old, 2014
- 3rd Senior Three-Year-Old, International Jersey Show, 2014
