Madison 2025: Swiss genetics in all their glory
World Dairy Expo 2025 in Madison, USA once again proved that Brown Swiss breeding from Switzerland ranks among the very best in the world.
Angelo Pozzatti, Export Sales Manager
World Dairy Expo 2025 in Madison, USA highlighted just how strong the influence of Swiss Brown Swiss genetics has become in the United States. With JONGLEUR and NORWIN at the very top and COLLAPS, RAY and ALPIN established as key reference sires, their progeny dominated the placings from the youngest heifers right through to the Grand Champion Cow.
🔗JONGLEUR and NORWIN – the Champions of Madison
The highlight of this year’s show was the double triumph of Iroquois Acres Jong CALI, sired by JONGLEUR. Owned by Brian Pacheco, Kerman, California, and managed by Callum McKinven, CALI not only won the Component Merit Cow class, she was also named Grand Champion of the 2025 International Brown Swiss Show, the second time in her career that she has taken this title. At ten years of age and in her seventh lactation, she is the embodiment of longevity, strength and the clear breeding goals of Swiss Brown Swiss genetics.
Right behind her came Robland Norwin BERMUDA ET, a NORWIN daughter owned by Tony Kohls and Goldfawn Farm, Arlington, Minnesota, as Reserve Grand Champion. NORWIN daughters impressed with type, strength and consistency, traits that further consolidate the international success of this sire line.
🔗COLLAPS, RAY, HALANO P and ALPIN: lines for the future
The younger classes likewise showed a strong Swiss influence. In the opening cow class, Yearling Heifers in Milk, fifteen young cows under two years of age entered the ring. COLLAPS sired six of them. Three placed in the top five and five finished in the top ten. All COLLAPS daughters impressed with outstanding udders, strong feet and legs and, as in Europe, showed exceptionally high milk yield.
In the heifer class Blessing Garbro Pistachio ETV, a RAY daughter, built on her strong track record and was named Junior Champion of the show.
Many other daughters of RAY, COLLAPS, JONGLEUR, FILOMEN P and ALPIN also featured prominently in the rankings, a convincing demonstration of the breadth and depth of the Swissgenetics breeding programme. In total, thirty-one cows with Swissgenetics pedigrees appeared in the rankings at the 2025 International Brown Swiss Show in Madison, including thirteen daughters of RAY, eight of COLLAPS, six of NORWIN and four of ALPIN. This is a strong signal of the international importance of Swiss breeding.
HUGE SG: a name to remember
Hilltop Acres H DAMARA ETV, sired by HUGE SG, was also in the spotlight, earning the title of Honourable Mention Intermediate Champion. Owned by Peter Vail, Valatie, New York, DAMARA embodies the functional elegance and balance for which the HUGE family is known. With her harmonious conformation and consistent performance, she represents a generation of cows combining robustness with modernity.
More than outstanding genetics have led to these results. They are the product of close cooperation between breeders, partners and specialists around the world who place their trust in Swissgenetics. The strong performances in Madison reflect exceptional breeding expertise, passion, not to mention a long term commitment, a testament to the position that Swiss genetics now holds on the international stage.