Cow breaks record for producing most milk

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EMBRUN, Ontario, April 23 (UPI) -- Smurf, a cow on a dairy farm near Ottawa, has broken the Guinness World Record for most milk produced in a lifetime, its owners said.

The 15-year-old Holstein has produced more than 57,000 gallons of milk - and is still producing -- at a farm in Embrun, Ont., the Ottawa Citizen reported Monday. That works out to more than enough milk for an 8-ounce glass for every person in Ottawa.

"For us, it's kind of like winning the Stanley Cup," says Eric Patenaude, a sixth-generation dairy man who works at the farm.

Eric Patenaude said good health is the key to Smurf's lactating success. Smurf will deliver her 11th calf in May and she's never developed any lactation, fertility or foot trouble like other cows her age.

"She's a trouble-free cow," Eric Patenaude said.

Louis Patenaude, Eric's uncle, said when most cows reach the end of their lactation life cycle, they're shipped out to be butchered, but not Smurf.

"They end up being ground meat, sausage and baloney and whatever cuts of meat they do with older beef," Louis said. "When she dies, she'll be buried on our farm."