What a guy. Photo / Supplied
Human fathers can be prodigious, boasting bountiful broods numbering in the dozens.
Those are rookie numbers.
Enter Beamer the bull.
The Holstein-Friesian bull, San Ray FM Beamer-ET S2F (Beamer to his mates), has been inducted into a national hall of fame for fathering more than 170,000 daughters for Kiwi farms.
Farmer-owned co-operative LIC gave Beamer, and his breeders Ray and Sandra Hocking, the honour for his "significant contribution to the dairy industry".
Ray Hocking says he and his wife have been proud to follow Beamer's success.
"As breeders we are very proud of his achievements. We know he has delivered a lot of value to a lot of farmers around New Zealand."
So what makes Beamer so special?
LIC says the big unit has "high genetic merit, overall conformation traits and ability to breed capacious daughters with good udders".
High praise indeed.
"Beamer has a lot of things that just 'click' with New Zealand farmers. His daughters are not overly tall but they are very wide. Production-wise, he's also got great numbers and a perfect balance of protein to fat," Hocking said.
Beamer is the 58th bull to be inducted into the co-op's Hall of Fame, an honour dating back to 1954.
"Not only has he fathered more than 170,000 daughters for New Zealand's dairy herd but he has also sired more than 92 sons and 54 grandsons who are now following in his footsteps and achieving tremendous success," LIC livestock selection manager Simon Worth said
"Beamer is an outstanding bull and his contribution will have a prolonged effect on New Zealand farms for many years to come.
He's always had a great nature too and is a favourite with our farm staff – a quality that would be appreciated in his daughters too I'm sure.
"He enjoys a good scratch behind the ears and is often seen in his paddock sitting like a dog, waiting patiently and keeping an eye on his surroundings," Worth said.
“Every bid in this auction brings us closer to ... ensuring no one in NZ goes hungry."