COMESTAR GOLDWYN LILAC: 2012 Canadian Cow of the Year Nominee

Monday, February 11th, 2013

“It was a very good year.” can be the opening lyrics for a song or the lyrical description of a remarkable year in the life of Comestar Goldwyn Lilac. In 2012 Lilac had daughters and granddaughters command high prices at sales. Her progeny became list toppers during the year. Owned by Genervations Inc., Mapel Wood Farms and O’Connor Land & Cattle Co., of Jerseyville, Ontario, Lilac was flushed in 2012 to add polled and red to the family. On all sides she expressed what a complete cow she had become: pedigree + performance + progeny. As her owners confirmed, “Lilac, from the Lila Z family, was great to work with in developing and marketing elite genetics.”

COMESTAR GOLDWYN LILAC VG-89-5YR-CAN 3*
ALL-ONTARIO SR.2-YR 2008
NOM. ALL-CANADIAN SR.2-YR 2008
2ND SR.2-YR ON SUMMER 2008
1ST SR.2-YR AUTUMN OPP. 2008

There are Many High Lights in Lilac’s Pedigree

An amazing year doesn’t happen just out of the blue it has to be supported by a great foundation. The sires behind Lilac read like a who’s who of highly proven, well-respected sires: Goldwyn x Durham x Formation x Starbuck x Astro Jet. Now that is a formula for success! And that’s just the sire side. High is more than just a word commonly used with Goldwyn who has high scoring, high producing and high genomic sons and daughters. He has re-written the book on daughters winning at shows.

Let’s take a look back at Lilac’s dam and you face the dazzling resume of Lylehaven Lila Z EX-94, 9* (Read more: LYLEHAVEN LILA Z – 2012 Golden Dam Finalist) . She, herself, has two generations of EX 94 cows with high production preceding her. The Million Dollar Cow was living at Comestar, when she was flushed to Goldwyn to produce several full Goldwyn sisters, including Lilac (Read more: Lylehaven Lila Z : Was She Really Worth $1.15 Million?). They all carry high type, high production and high index. Like Lilac the other daughters have also placed bulls in A.I. and have had global demand for their embryos. Now Lilac carries on the strong transmitting potential she got from this great pedigree.

LYLEHAVEN LILA Z EX-94-CAN 14*
Dam of Lilac
ALL-CANADIAN JR.2-YR,JR.1-YR
HM. ALL-CANADIAN 5-YR,4-YR
HM.INT. ROYAL 2004
1ST JR.2-YR ROYAL 2004

The Limelight Loves Lilac

“It never rains but it pours” could be applied to the showers of accolades that fell on Lilac in 2012. Not only was she in the top four for 2012 Cow of the Year but she topped a field of six finalists, Comestar Goldwyn Lilac was named Holstein World’s Favorite Goldwyn Daughter.

Lilac Blooms in the Spotlight

Even though 2012 was a peak year for Lilac, it merely marked the next step on a path filled with a considerable list of achievements. Over two lactations Lilac produced 53,569 kgs at 4.6% Fat and 3.6% protein. She has garnered two superior lactation awards with records of 2-03 (305D) 14,556 kgs 4.6%F 3.7%P and 4-06 (305D) 19,612 kgs 4.6%F 3.4%P. In addition in 2008, Lilac was named All-Ontario Senior 2 year old and in her second lactation lit up with a VG89 classification score – the maximum possible. Lilac has been competitive on the index list as well. She has placed as high as #6 LPI cow but, even more amazing, is that she has placed in the top 16 on the LPI list no less than 9 consecutive times. That’s blooming great no matter how you look at it.

OCONNORS PLANET LUCIA VG-86-2YR-CAN
Daughter of Lilac
#1 LPI Cow in Canada

Shining Lilac Reflects on her Neon Offspring

This is one family whose reputation has only been enhanced with the arrival of genomics. Lilac’s high indexing sons and daughters are set to follow in her red-carpet footsteps. Her daughters’ star power stands at 3 stars led by Lucia and Lucy. She has 17 classified daughters: 13 Very Good and 4 Good Plus. Nothing lower! Taking a closer look at Planet daughter Lucia, we see she was the #1 LPI Cow in August and December 2012. Lilac’s MOM daughter, Lucy, is her highest DVG LPI daughter. Another special note is that Lilac’s Brewmaster daughter Lauren 3210 DVG LPI has an unheard of +1.15% Fat and 0.40% Protein.

MAPEL WOOD M O M LUCY
Lilac’s highest DGV daughter by Man-O-Man

No doubt this seemingly magical transmitting ability will continue with her sons who are too young yet for official proofs. Having said that Lexor was once the #1 PA gLPI Bull and Latimer (Freddie) has been high on the PA gTPI Bull List. As well as her grandsons Willpower, Liquid Gold, Fuzion and Gizmo also topping the lists (Read more: $750 Dollar Semen! Are You Crazy?)

Lilac Also Transmits the Scent of Money

Lilac’s daughter, Lucia, sold for $410,000 in the Genetics By Design Sale. She and her progeny sold for more than $2.1 Million in that November 2012 sale (Read more:Genetics by Design – Crosses the $4,000,000 Mark). Lucy had a Sudan daughter sell for over $150,000 in 2012 at the International Intrigue Sale, as well as selling for $77,000 herself in the Genetics by Design Sale. All told, Lilac’s family accounted for approximately 66% of the Genetics By Design Sale’s total! As well, son Lexor had many high selling daughters in the November 2012 sales.

BAXTER LILAC Z VG-88-2YR
Baxter Daughter of Lilac in The Netherlands

Lilac’s Growing Legacy

With the tremendous highs of 2012, came the ultimate heartbreak. In July, Lilac suddenly died. Nevertheless, Lilac and the family around her, are in high demand whether for females or semen from sons. The impact of the Lilac family is spreading through numerous herds in many countries. One such daughter is Baxter Lilac Z VG-88-2yr owned by Soureth Holsteins in The Netherlands. Now other breeders will enjoy the sweet smell of success from 2012 Cow of the Year Nominee Comestar Goldwyn Lilac.

Make Your Vote Count

Over the next few days we will be profiling the nominees and encourage you to get your vote in before the deadline. There are 4 ways of voting— Voting options for Holstein Canada members include mail in ballot; faxing your ballot; emailing your vote to cowoftheyear@holstein.ca; or voting online through your Holstein Canada account. Also share this on Facebook to make sure your fellow breeders get out and vote.