APRIL 1979 - SEPTEMBER 1998
Farming and agriculture is a large field with many hard-working men and women who dedicate their lives to their work. However, the most important part of many farms, and often the most overlooked aspect of the industry, is the animals who provide for us. One truly incredible animal who provided quite a lot for the agricultural industry and the food industry as a whole was the bull Hanoverhill Starbuck. Born in April of 1979 on Hanover Hill Holstein, Starbuck became an exceptional breeder.
In May of 1979 two sire analysts from Quebec were visiting Ontario looking for new young sires when Starbuck caught their eye. They brought him back to the Centre d'insémination artificielle du Québec where the immediately began to use him as a sire. After the first set of daughters were born from Starbuck their owners were very pleased. The calves had high quality udders as well as impressive legs and indications of style and height. It did not take long for Starbuck’s semen to be in high demand in Quebec due to his incredible milk production results and his genetic value.
Eventually Starbuck was credited with having produced 200,000 daughters and 209 proven sons which led to 406 proven grandsons. Due to this impressive legacy, Starbuck earned the title of “Premier Sire” 27 times at five different North American Holstein shows between the years 1986 to 1995. Evidently, the rest of the world agreed with this title as over 685,000 doses of Starbuck sperm were sold in 45 countries.
Film producer’s took inspiration from Starbuck’s story as their movie’s based very loosely on Starbuck. In 2011 a Québecois comedy group made a movie named after the bull about a 40-something sperm donor who learns he’s the father of over five hundred children and 142 of those children would like to meet him. Hollywood did their own version of the movie and named it Delivery Man in 2013.
After over 19 years of service, Starbuck passed away in September of 1998. Two years after his death he was successfully cloned, however due to Canadian regulation the clone could not be used as a sire. Unfortunately, Starbuck II was cremated in 2010.