Wednesday, March 14, 2012

stud tires out


Cows all over Europe, but especially in France, were devastated by the news yesterday of the passing of Jocko Besne, the 27-year-old bull known as the world's third-most prolific bovine surrogate father.

Rather than becoming bologna or stew beef, Jocko's body will be studied at the Paris natural history museum, where scientists hope to discover what factors contributed to his remarkable output.

Not necessarily a great lover, Jocko's contribution to his species and his strain (Prim'Holstein) was delivered in "sperm straws," of which he produced about 1.7 million. He leaves behind an estimated 300 to 400 thousand offspring, all produced through artificial insemination.

"Artificial insemination," a student once wrote in a high school essay, "is when the farmer does it to the cow instead of the bull."

Jocko Besne, his agonies and ecstasies.

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