CHESTERVILLE — One of Canada’s most influential farms, Sunnylodge Farms Inc., has been awarded its third Master Breeder’s Shield.

Sunnylodge no longer milks cows but has turned its genius and understanding of bovine genetics into an embryo transfer business run by Mark Smith. His parents, Carl and Murial, are co-owners.

Carl Smith has an uncanny gift for breeding, which he plays down. "I didn’t study politics and other things but I did a lot of reading on breeding, and I used the best bulls on cows. Then I stuck my neck out and got lucky," he said.

But more than luck was involved. He inbred two great bulls, Elevation and Mat, which he wove like a master breeder through the pedigrees. Some of the male offspring had as much as 15 per cent in-breeding in their pedigrees.

One consequence was a remarkable improvement in genetics. A fortuitous event occurred when Braedale Farm, in Cumberland, east of Ottawa, bought a half interest in a Sunnylodge calf. From the embryos of that calf emerged Braedale Moonriver, mother of Braedale Gypsy Grand, named Global cow of the year in 2006.

The bulls have also had an enormous influence. Sunnylodge Linjet classified Excellent and was named Supreme Sire at Madison, the biggest dairy show in the United States.

Sunnylodge Prelude Spotty, one of the most influential cows to come out of Ontario, was named Canadian Cow of the Year in 1998 and boasts of 11 generations of cows that have sold around the world.

The farm is now home to about 70 cows, 15 of which are recipient heifers, heifers carrying other females’ offspring.

Other breeding cows are owned in partnership with other farms.The main business now is selling high quality pedigreed embryos on domestic and international markets.