From his beginnings on a dairy farm in the Netherlands to his leadership in Canadian genetic evaluations, Dr. Gerrit Kistemaker built a career defined by progress and innovation. This year, his lifetime of contributions will be recognized posthumously with the 2025 Dairy Cattle Improvement Industry Distinction Award.
From Farm Roots to Genetic Leadership
Kistemaker grew up on a dairy farm in the Netherlands, where he gained firsthand knowledge of cattle and farming. He went on to earn BSc and MSc degrees at Wageningen University before moving to Canada. At the University of Guelph, he completed his PhD in Animal Breeding and Genetics under the mentorship of Dr. Larry Schaeffer — himself a past recipient of the same award.
In 1998, shortly after the Canadian Dairy Network (CDN) was established, Kistemaker joined as one of its first geneticists. Within a year, he was promoted to Chief Geneticist — a role he held for 25 years. His work laid the foundation for Canada’s modern genetic evaluation system.
Advancing Tools for Producers
Throughout his career, Kistemaker oversaw 83 national genetic evaluation releases. He led the development of new traits and indexes that producers continue to rely on today, including:
-
Canadian Test Day Model (1999)
-
Pro$ profitability index (2015)
-
Feed Efficiency (2021)
-
Methane Efficiency (2023)
These innovations provided producers with practical tools to improve efficiency, profitability, and sustainability.
Pioneering Genomics in Canada
Perhaps his most influential achievement came in 2009 with the launch of genomic evaluations. Under his leadership, Canada became one of the first countries in the world to adopt genomics at the national level. This advancement gave producers faster and more reliable predictions, accelerating herd improvement.
Kistemaker’s impact reached beyond Canada. As a founding member of the Interbull Technical Committee in the late 1990s, he contributed to expanding international evaluations from production traits to conformation, helping set global standards.
Recognition of His Legacy
In announcing the award, Lactanet Board Chair Barbara Paquet said:
“We are especially proud to posthumously recognize one of our own longstanding employees who has directly contributed so significantly to Canada’s genetic evaluation services.”
The 2025 Dairy Cattle Improvement Industry Distinction Award will be presented to Kistemaker’s family during the Dairy Cattle Industry Forum, September 16–17, in Montreal.
