The POINT - Spring 2024

CentralStar largest National DHIA in the U.S.

We recently discovered some very exciting news about CentralStar Cooperative; we have more cows enrolled and on test than any other National DHIA (NDHIA) organization. Becoming the largest DHI organization in the United States is no small feat as we only began offering DHI Services in 2000, and since that time our industry has seen tremendous attrition in the number of dairy herds. Even still, CentralStar continues to consistently grow the number of cows on DHI test. While it's accurate to attribute some growth to mergers, it's essential to highlight three key factors that contribute to this success.

People

Our team of over 100 DHI Specialists provides reliable service and quality data from which you make decisions. Their work ethic is second to none, making it in their nature to go the extra mile to ensure data accuracy for you.

Innovation

Through our research and development arm, AntelBio™, we continually explore solutions that can save you time and money, while offering more in-depth insights from which to manage your herd. Our rigorous research efforts through the years have resulted in the routine use of DHI samples to analyze a variety of production, health, and physiology traits, including pregnancy, Johne’s disease, BVD, and more. Because of this work, you can access previously unavailable insights through a routine DHI sample, eliminating on-farm labor to find, sort, and lock up cows, enhancing cow comfort, while saving you time and money.

Advocacy

CentralStar actively advocates for your interests by being a member

of Dairy Records Management Systems (DRMS) as well as NDHIA which allows a voice with Quality Certification Services (QCS), and the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR). As members of boards and committees with these organizations, the CentralStar team can help shape future improvements and drive change in the DHI system for you and the industry.

100+ years and going strong

Despite its long history, DHI data remains the cornerstone of successful dairy operations. Its significance cannot be understated. If you are not yet experiencing the advantages of CentralStar’s DHI Services to “get more” from your milk and herd data, I encourage you to talk with your CentralStar team or email me at kevin.haase@mycentralstar.com. At pennies a day, DHI is arguably one of the best investments you can make to improve herd performance and profitability.

Photo: Jenna Hedrich, Hedrich Rivers Bend Dairy LLC, Hilbert, Wis. with CentralStar team member Gary Holterman.

Kevin Haase, Director of DHI Services

ProfitSOURCE is a leading beef x dairy program, backed by research trials and everyday results, fueled by traceability. Sires are selected to meet your fertility and calving ease expectations, while also offering different profiles of growth and carcass traits desired by beef supply chain partners. Along with individual sires, you can “pick a pack” that contains a blend of three sires selected to meet the needs of your dairy, the packer, and each supply chain partner in-between. Sires qualify for stringent ProfitSOURCE requirements and offer the most elite EPDs and indexes that impact your bottom line.

ProfitSOURCE Explosive Growth Pack

P Average over +1.0 for Marbling and Ribeye

P Each sire ranks in the Top 10% for $AxH

P More pounds = More pay weight

ProfitSOURCE Calving Ease Confidence Pack

P Sires with growth and carcass merit

P Each sire ranks in the Top 10% for $AxH

P Use to lower dystocia risk

ProfitSOURCE Muscling and Ribeye Pack

P Each sire in the pack ranks over +1.0 for both Marbling and Ribeye

P Each sire ranks in the Top 10% for $AxH P Raise the bar for muscling

TD Beef Balanced Pack

P Proven carcass merit

P Each sire ranks in the Top 10% for $AxH P Covering all the bases

TD Beef Muscling and Ribeye Pack

P Proven carcass merit

P Each sire ranks in the Top 10% for $AxH

P Ribeye and Marbling excellence

TD Beef Prime Pack

P Moderate Birth Weight with elite carcass merit

P Each sire ranks in the Top 2% for $AxH

P Major quality grade advantages

TD Beef Charolais Marbling Pack

P Substantial carcass yield benefits

P Gain more quality premiums

Ask your CentralStar team to learn how ProfitSOURCE can boost your bottom line!

Scan to see the most up-to-date ProfitSOURCE sires.

Testing milk samples to gain insights into production, health, and physiology eliminates labor to find, sort, and lock up cows which enhances cow comfort while saving you time and money. Submit samples through routine DHI testing or directly to a CentralStar lab.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

Dr. John Cook and Rebekah Mast, World Wide Sires

Access to relatively cheap and rapid genomic tests allows herds to individually test cows and heifers and to further enhance genetic gain through accurate identification, ranking females, and selecting the mothers of the next generation. With a growing number of tests available to choose from, how do you pick the best test to meet your needs? Here are three questions to ask before selecting a test type.

1. What reference population is the genomic evaluation based on?

Any genomic test is only as good as the reference population on which it is based, so consider the size of the reference population. Does it represent the type of cattle you wish to breed? Many low-cost tests are often based on smaller, and potentially poorer, reference populations that may only be specific to a particular testing laboratory or region.

2. Is the test a one-off evaluation, or will the genome be registered with and evaluated by a validating organization such as the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB)?

Genetic information for animals is continuously being updated and reevaluated, making it critically important to get the most up-todate information on your females. A one-time delivery of genomic data is not recommended, as it will quickly be out of date and no longer accurate. Official registration will most likely carry a fee and increase the cost of the test, but it will ensure that the animal's genetic evaluation can be updated as more information about that individual and her relations becomes available throughout her lifetime.

3. What traits are evaluated?

Before genomic testing, the industry had already begun to provide evaluations for some health traits and to incorporate these traits into selection indices. However, these were based on phenotypic data with limited knowledge of which genome regions were influencing those traits. For genomics to have a true and lasting value, testing should allow access and exploration of regions of the genome that were previously unknown to improve existing traits and create new ones. When you use a genomic test that only evaluates existing traits, the industry misses out on opportunities to make our cows healthier and more productive.

The first complete bovine genome from a Hereford cow was published in 2009 by Elsik et al. Genomic information has since become a tool widely used in cattle breeding and is potentially the single biggest advance in our industry since the advent of A.l. Genomic technology is here to stay and while it is now used across the industry, we are still only beginning to understand what genomic data offers and how to utilize the information it provides.

CLARIFIDE® and CLARAFIDE Plus® genomic evaluations from Zoetis provide ongoing, official CDCB-verified evaluations providing you with the tools to help improve productivity and profitability.

Ask your CentralStar team about accelerating your genetic strategy with the addition of Zoetis genomic testing.

OPT FOR SUPERIOR GENETICS

The genetic choices you make today can provide massive returns - perhaps some of the biggest on your dairy. Expand your options and maximize your herd's potential by opting for the diversity and superiority of the Select Sires brands every time.

Components and mastitis-resistance

Developing cows that have fewer instances of mastitis and deliver more pounds of solids is a profitable strategy. The Select Sires lineup provides you with double the choices to create these trouble-free, high-producing cows.

Health and wellness

Optimize your cow health strategy by choosing sires that excel in health and wellness. HHP$® is a well-rounded health index that doesn’t sacrifice components or functional type traits. It also focuses on the health events that cost your dairy the most dollars: lameness and mastitis. Through HHP$, you can boost cow health and longevity without sacrificing genetic merit or solids.

GENETICS EVERY TIME!

Fertility without compromise

Lifetime performance

An all-encompassing, multi-trait selection index, DWP$® is focused on the overall lifetime merit of the dairy cow. A validation study1 tracked the lifetime performance of 2,185 genomic tested heifers in five herds, and results showed heifers in the top quartile for DWP$ generated $811 more profit during their productive life. For every $1 increase in DWP$, heifers returned an additional $1.84 of lifetime profit.

Select Sires is committed to using the most advanced technology in semen evaluation, processing, storage, and handling. This commitment is also frequently demonstrated by the significant amount of semen discarded that does not meet the rigorous standards in the final evaluation of semen quality. Fertility without compromise to ensure you get the results you deserve!

Many input costs on your dairy are expensive and depreciate the moment you bring them home. That’s not the case with genetics. Choosing the best genetics available can provide massive returns – perhaps some of the biggest on your dairy. Let CentralStar help you get more from your genetic investment every time!

TIS THE SEASON

Not only are flies and insects a nuisance, but they can also influence productivity. Scan the QR code for all your fly and insect control needs.

Intersect Gold Pour-On™

Controls lice and flies on lactating and non-lactating dairy and beef cattle of all ages. Apply as a pour-on, mist spray, or in back rubber.

AC2839 - 2.5gal $215.00

AC2840 - 1gal (Not on sale)

Cyzmic® CS Insecticide Premise

Encapsulated premise insecticide for use around livestock buildings. Kills flies, ants, spiders, crickets, moths, ticks, mosquitoes, fleas, beetles, bugs, and more. Provides broad-spectrum control, lasts up to 90 days on a surface, mixes with water.

AC2846 - 1qt

Sticky Roll®

Use in dairy barns, horse stables, and animal premises of all kinds. USDA testing shows it captures 92% of available flies. No baits, toxins, or pheromones are necessary.

AC2833 - 1,000ft Roll

AC2832 - Hardware (Not on sale)

Dairy Fly Bomb 55Z

$80.14 $72.13

$44.05 $39.65

$69.29

Kills and repels stable flies, horse flies, face flies, deer and house flies, mosquitoes and gnats. Use on beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses, hogs, chickens, and other livestock; in animal barns and storage facilities. Quick killing pyrethrin.

AC2829 - 25oz

FerAppease®

FerAppease Bovine is a synthetic analogue of the Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (MBAS). Use every time animals are exposed to stressors, where suppression of threat perception is desirable (i.e. castration, dehorning, weaning, vaccination, parturition, breeding, freshening, etc.) Topical administration to the nuchal skin and the skin above the muzzle. AC2849 - 300mL

DISINFECTANT BLOCK THE STRESS!

EfferSan™ Sanitizer

$22.78 $20.50

Sanitizes 99.999% bacteria in 60 seconds. Registered on the Disinfectants for Emerging Viral Pathogens (EVPs) list, can be used against SARS-CoV-2, SARSCoV-2 – Delta Strain, monkeypox, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) when used in accordance with the directions as a disinfectant on hard, non-porous surfaces. Offers 100 times more killing power and effectiveness, while being safer than bleach.

S270 - 24ct

S271 - 100ct

S272 - Spray Bottle

$24.58

$77.00

$6.67

SUPPORT IMMUNE HEALTH

Proactively supporting the immune function of animals of all ages helps improve their ability to fight off disease and reduce the risk of illness, reducing labor and expense from lost performance and treatment costs. The use of direct-fed microbials helps control inflammation in the GI tract and enhances the cow's normal response.

Select BioCycle™

Aids in boosting immune function, digestion, and fights environmental challenges. Producers report increased estrus expression and improved feed intake. Contains two types of L-form Lactobacillus, two sources of yeast, four digestive enzymes, microbial sugars, and specialized proteins.

AC9003 - 50lb

AC9091 - Concentrate 50lb

Tri-Mic 1:50

Improves rumen function and health by establishing beneficial microbial populations which helps crowd out pathogens. Beneficial microbes improve feed utilization, re-establishes beneficial microbial populations following treatment or stressors.

A0000 - 4lb

A0001 - 20lb

Tri-Start Bolus

Encapsulated, highly concentrated source of rumenspecific microbes in bolus form. Enhances the rumen environment to improve digestive performance and repopulate rumen microflora after periods of stress. Contains lactic acid bacteria, live-cell yeast, and fungal extracts.

A0003 - 25ct

A0004 - 100ct

BioFresh® Microbial Gel

Enhances feed intake, improves ruminal fermentation, and supports immune function for dairy and beef cattle of all ages at weaning, receiving, transporting, calving, off-feed, or during low-intake periods. Supplies beneficial bacteria, egg-based specialized proteins, and critical vitamins and minerals. 5ml for calves under 500lbs., 10ml for calves 500lbs. – adult cattle.

CONVERT™ BIG Calf Powder

Beneficial bacteria and egg-based specialized proteins improve nutrient absorption, restrict pathogen growth, enhance immune function, and stimulate starter-feed intake. Use from birth through weaning. Mix in milk or milk replacer.

AC9058 - 12.5lb pail

$560.00 $504.00

AC9059 - 2.2lb jar $124.00 $111.60 *Save

MITIGATE HEAT STRESS

The four main methodologies for cooling cows are shade, air, time, and water. During heat stress, total water intake should be 50 to 60 gallons per cow per day. Electrolytes play essential roles in helping with heat stress. Use as a pre-hydration tactic before stress or rehydrate after stress. Administer to restore electrolyte balance and promote cell hydration.

Calf Accellyte

A complete electrolyte treatment for calves experiencing scours or dehydration. Contains potassium and sodium to replenish electrolytes and restore proper fluid balance. Blended with glycine and citrate to improve electrolyte and water absorption. Added dextrose provides nutritional energy and buffers to help minimize metabolic acidosis. Easily mixes with water.

Accel RS

A recovery solution aiding in hydration and digestive health for calves. Contains Tri-Mic WD as a source of live, viable, naturally occurring microorganisms. Accel RS works to restore, re-energize, recolonize, and rehydrate calves.

AC11020 - Tube 280cc $55.00

AC11022 - Gel Applicator Gun

CONVERT™ Gel

Contains beneficial bacteria and egg-based specialized proteins which assist in the reduction of scour-causing organisms by altering their growth environment. Antibiotic-free. Use at birth or when calves are lethargic, not eating, or doing poorly.

AC9057 - Single Dose 15cc

AC9006 - Multi Dose 60cc

Tri-Start Jr.+ Paste

Helps stimulate feed intake during periods of change. Contains live, viable, naturally occurring microorganisms, a short-chain fatty acid, egg protein (IgY), vitamins, and selenium. Enhances the environment of the digestive tract which activates the naturally occurring beneficial digestive microbes.

A0622 - Single Dose 15cc $8.50

A0623 - Multi Dose 60cc $19.50

A0651 - Multi Dose 300cc $80.00

A0551 - 300cc Paste Tube Applicator $31.00

A0596 - Single Dose 4oz

A0599 - 6lb

A0597 - 25lb

Bovine Accellyte II

Contains specialized electrolytes to replace those lost during stress, minerals needed to compensate for deficiencies from reduced feed intake, and vitamins necessary for life. Use as a drench, add directly into stock tanks or individual water feedings, or mix dry into feeds for group or herd application. Suitable for cows and calves.

A0009 - 10lb

A0010 - 25lb

800.631.3510 • www.mycentralstar.com

Prices subject to change without notice.

Director Election Results

Paul Trierweiler, Pewamo, Mich.; Patrick Crave, Waterloo, Wis.; Dan Mielke, Marion, Wis.; and Larry Voigts, Platteville, Wis., were re-elected to the CentralStar Board of Directors. Elections are conducted for approximately one-third of the board each year with winning candidates serving a three-year-term.

What is FerAppease?

The active ingredient of FerAppease is a synthetic analogue of the Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (MBAS). MBAS is naturally secreted by a cow’s skin to comfort her calf while nursing. FerAppease is used topically, and the active ingredient (MBAS) is assimilated by the vomeronasal gland located in the nose of the treated animal.

How it helps?

The effects of research-proven FerAppease helps to decrease the treated animal’s threat perception, which also helps decrease stress response. Use FerAppease on dairy or beef cattle any time threat is present. Use it at birth, weaning, dehorning, castrating, vaccinating, hoof trimming, transport, etc. Reducing stress can help decrease morbidity and mortality, improve cattle handling, and more.

To learn more, scan this QR code or talk to your CentralStar team!