Congratulations to Paul Ekstein of Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada, who was selected by the Klussendorf Association as the fifth recipient of the Robert “Whitey” McKown Master Breeder Award. This award recognizes a well-managed breeder herd that has been successful at showing and judging, while emphasizing all qualities of the Klussendorf Award, including ability, character, endeavor and sportsmanship.

Ekstein, who immigrated with his parents to Canada from Czechoslovakia as a child, is known for his passion for breeding, showing and developing outstanding Holsteins. In the beginning of his career, Ekstein was building his seed business, Quality Seeds Ltd., while housing his cattle at Sunny Maple Farms. It wasn’t until 1980 that all of his hard work materialized into a farm on 650 acres of land and his herd, Quality Holsteins, in the barn. Currently, Quality Holsteins is 95 percent homebred.

Ekstein is said to have an “innate ability to see potential in cows.” This keen eye led him to purchase Plushanski Valiant Fran, the dam of seven Excellent and 29 Very Good daughters, and five Excellent and 10 Very Good sons. Fran’s legacy of producing stellar offspring earned her 35 stars and the title of the highest Star Brood cow in Canada for many years.

In his career, Paul Ekstein has bred 200 Excellents: 163 females and 37 males. He has been awarded three Master Breeder awards, along with being inducted into the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame. Quality Holsteins has been honored with the title of All Canadian Breeders Herds eight times in the last 23 years. All of these accomplishments, along with Paul’s dedication to breeding and developing superior Holsteins and his passion for doing so, earned him the honor of McKown Master Breeder.

Source: World Dairy Expo