2024 Master Breeder Awards
2024 Historical Master Breeder
Sunshine Genetics, Inc.
(Chris Keim & Dan Hornickel, Whitewater, WI)
This year’s Historical Master Breeder is known worldwide. If you think about Embryo Technology and a source of elite bovine genetics, you think of Sunshine Genetics of Whitewater, Wisconsin, and the owners, Chris Keim and Dan Hornickel.
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Chris Keim & Dan Hornickel
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Chris and Dan met at the University of Illinois in the early 70’s in the college of Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduation, they went to separate practices in Wisconsin and Illinois. They later formed a partnership with Chris’s father, Lowell, who helped them produce their first ET calves from outstanding Brown Swiss females.
In 1983, they left their individual practices to locate their ET business on a farm near Whitewater, Wisconsin, starting Sunshine Genetics. There they created an international company that provided IVF and ET services to both small farms and large businesses. They also established the Sun-Made Brown Swiss herd.![](/portals/0/Images/Featured Breeders/sunshine_logo.jpg?ver=CEkeCIrdnG_3iiU44l5yWQ%3d%3d)
The pair regularly invested in donor cows from “high profile” cow families. Many of the resulting embryos and ET offspring were marketed as foundation animals for other herds. Through the years, they provided the “home away from home” for their client’s best donor cows. Their focus was using their expertise with technology to develop ET offspring for other breeders. Being a Certified American Embryo Transfer Association Company, embryos have been exported to 25 different countries. Two of the early families developed in their herd include the Mort Matt Tammy family and the Top Acres Present family.
Sunshine was the caretakers for two World Dairy Expo Supreme Champions. The first was Lyndale Convincer Elaine in 1988 and 1989, and then Hoosier Knoll Jade Monay became Supreme in 1994.
Sunshine Genetics’ own herd with the Sun-Made prefix has earned numerous All American and production honors over the years. The herd has won the Group 1 PTPR award 12 times with a run of 7 consecutive years from 1991 to 1997. Animals with the Sun-Made prefix making National production records include the following:
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Sun-Made Jetway
Shatzi ET (M*)
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Sun-Made Jetway Shatzi ET (M*) owned by Kent Thompson became the Breed Champion for Milk, Fat and Protein with her 8-2 365-day record of 53,460 milk, 2766 fat, and 1903 protein in 2006. She won the J. P. Eves and Protein Production Awards that year and the H. R. Searles Award for Fat in 2004.
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Sun-Made Garbro
EG Patsy ET
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In 2009, Sun-Made Garbro EG Patsy ET, owned by the Luttropp family, won the J. P. Eves and Protein Awards with a record at 5-02 in 305 days of 45,080 milk, 2258 fat, and 1511 protein. Both Shatzi and Patsy remain on the All-Time Top 10 Milk records as published in the June 2024 Bulletin.
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Sun-Made Vigor
ET *TM
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Not only did Sun-Made cows make news, but one Sun-Made bull took the world by storm. Sun-Made Vigor ET *TM became one of the most influential bulls worldwide and particularly in Switzerland. Again, as published in the June 2024 Bulletin, three of the Top 10 cows for Living Lifetime Energy Corrected Milk (ECM) are sired by Sun-Made Vigor.
Sunshine has been a great supporter of the Youth programs, especially the Fun Auction. They have purchased the famous cow fly swatter five times and have been the top buyer of the Fun Sale four times.
Chris and Dan have served on national committees and the Wisconsin State Brown Swiss board. Sunshine Genetics has contributed greatly to the progress of the breed through the technology of Embryo Transfer. They were honored by receiving the National Distinguished Service Award in 2016.
Congratulations to the 2024 Historical Master Breeders, Sunshine Genetics, Dan Hornickel and Chris Keim. Chris had a previous family commitment this week, but Dan and his wife, Connie, are here to accept the Historical Master Breeder Award for 2024.