Dairy Horizons V25-No2 by CRI Canada

HORIZONS Dairy Edition

Vol. 25/No. 2

Leading the Charge A Powerhouse of Genetic Leaders Across any Index

NEW

1HO13855 LIVIUS

1HO15058 SURLY

ICC$™

NM$

TPI®

1HO11955 BEYOND

+1235

+916

+2677

1HO13814 WHISKER

+1230

+930

+2745

1HO13855 LIVIUS

+1230

+933

+2719

1HO12996 KANZO

+1227

+900

+2740

NEW

1HO13862 BOUNTY

+1212

+950

+2775

NEW

1HO13857 LOWBOY

+1198

+946

+2737

NEW

1HO13844 GAMECHANGER

+1193

+967

+2841

NEW

1HO13895 MAMBA

+1191

+928

+2734

1HO13813 BUZZARD

+1178

+915

+2733

NEW

1HO15058 SURLY

+1167

+957

+2758

NEW

1HO13896 MARVO

+1158

+928

+2721

NEW

1HO15057 FRENZY

+1154

+891

+2735

1HO13471 HYFLOW

+1151

+872

+2751

1HO13805 AVALINO

+1141

+945

+2780

1HO13836 WORLD CLASS

+1127

+804

+2696

1HO13844 GAMECHANGER

Bull Searching & Sorting Made Easy Download the GENEX Dairy Bull Search app.

CDCB/4-19, HA-USA/4-19, IB-M/USA/4-19, HA-M/USA/4-19, CDN/4-19, GENEX/4-19. TPI is a registered trademark of Holstein Association USA, Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC. App available for download on Windows 10 devices.

HORIZONS Dairy

2019 Vol. 25/No. 2

Published three times a year for GENEX members and customers ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE

GENEX P.O. Box 469, Shawano, WI 54166 info@genex.coop 888.333.1783 www.genex.coop

COOPERATIVE COUNCIL John Ruedinger, President Van Dyne, WI, 920.922.9899 Bobby Robertson, 1st Vice President Tahlequah, OK, 918.822.0020 Harold House, 2nd Vice President Nokesville, VA, 571.722.3356

Ronald Totten, Secretary Stafford, NY, 585.344.0758

Jon Wayne Danielson Cadott, WI, 715.289.3860 Casey Dugan Casa Grande, AZ, 520.251.3492 Terry Frost Roundup, MT, 406.323.3415 Israel Handy St. Johnsville, NY, 518.568.5476 Lamar Gockley Mohnton, PA, 717.283.5586 Kay Olson-Martz Friendship, WI, 608.564.7359 Jody Schaap Woodstock, MN, 507.215.2257 Daniel Tetreault Champlain, NY, 518.298.8690 Bill Zimmerman Foley, MN, 320.355.2191

HORIZONS STAFF Jenny L. Hanson, Editor, jlhanson@genex.coop

CONTENTS 04 Learning in this New Era 06 Membership Matters The Year of the Co-op

07 In the News Dedicated to the Future

08 Helping Shape Agriculture’s Future

GENEX Announces New Internship Program 09 New Additions to Robust

Holstein Lineup

10 New Sires for Jersey

Genetic Progress 13 So Much Data! Where do I Start?

16 Important Tips for Feeding Colostrum 20 Supply the Nutrients Needed for

a Healthy Recovery Post-Calving 25 GENEX Honors Herds for Excellence

in Genetics & Reproduction

Andy Graf, Graphic Designer

REPRINTS Material may not be reproduced in any fashion without permission from GENEX. Genex Cooperative, its agents or employees, cannot and do not guarantee the conception rate, quality or productivity to be obtained in connection with the use of their products or recommended techniques. THEY MAKE NO WA R R A N T I E S O F A N Y K I N D W H AT S O E V E R E X P R E S S E D O R IMPLIED WHICH E X TENDS BE YOND THE DESCRIP TION OF THE PRODUC TS A ND HEREBY DISCL A IM A L L WA RR A NTIES OF MERCHANTABILIT Y AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICUL AR PURPOSE. In the unlikely event that any of the products shall be proven to be defective, damages resulting from their use shall be limited to their purchase price.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE GENEX is the trusted provider of world-class animal genetics, progressive reproductive solutions, value-added products and innovative services to members and customers.

Learning in this New Era By Jenny Hanson, Communications Manager, GENEX

Since 1995, you’ve routinely received the Dairy Horizons magazine in your mailbox. The magazine has been a valuable source of cooperative membership news, sire information and herd management strategies for the past two and a half decades.

Times are Changing, and GENEX is too. Cooperatives – and businesses of any type – adapt and change over time. Technology, economics, member and customer needs, new research and more lead to changes and advancements. While change is often difficult, there’s also a lot to be gained. And so, this is the last printed issue of Horizons to grace your mailbox. This change, however, is a sign of progress as there are new and exciting ways for you to learn, improve your herd management skills and stay up to date on your co-op.

Cars and Cows In that very first issue of Horizons was an article by Dr. Robert Bower. His points from 1995 are perhaps more applicable today than they were then. Here’s how the story went: “I bought my first car in the mid-50s. The car, a 1931 Ford Model A coupe, was older than I was, but it ran and was cheap. Driving with the wind, it would go over 50 miles per hour, although you’d be reluctant to go too

HORIZONS

fast as its mechanical brakes had only a small influence in slowing you down. There was no fuel pump; the gas was delivered to the four-cylinder engine by gravity.

result, today’s cows require more sophisticated management to realize their performance potential. We cannot expect to get it done with ‘screwdriver and pliers’ skills.

Maintenance was a poor man’s dream. A screwdriver, pliers and crescent wrench were the only tools needed for common repairs. I remember resolving a carburetor problem by replacing the old one with a rebuilt one bought from Montgomery Ward for $3.75.

There are two ways you can develop your management skills to optimize performance of your high potential cows. They are to 1) never stop learning and 2) rely on specialists.”

Contrast that old Model A with a contemporary automobile, such as the Ford Taurus SHO. The SHO will go twice as fast as you can legally drive anywhere in North America, has electronic fuel injection, antilock brakes, climate control and other engineering marvels not even dreamed about when the Model A was built. While even a child could identify both the Model A and the SHO as ‘cars,’ no one with even modest experience would fail to recognize the functional differences. The dairy cow has undergone similar changes over the decades. We can easily identify cows of past years as cows but also need to recognize the dairy cow of today is quite a different beast. The productive capability of dairy cows today is significantly higher. As a

Never Stop Learning Cars have changed, cows have changed and where you get your information is changing. You’ve increased your knowledge and skills while reading the printed Horizons magazine for decades. In the decades to come, GENEX will provide you with new ways to learn. After all, education, training and information are among the core principles and practices of a cooperative business. One new educational opportunity is through dairylearning.com, the progressive dairy knowledge hub featured on the back cover of this Horizons. Through this hub, you and your employees can enroll in online courses about reproduction, understanding dairy proofs, newborn calves and colostrum, DairyComp and more. Courses are also available in Spanish at spanish.dairylearning.com.

The journal on the GENEX website (www.genex.coop) features cooperative news and herd management articles. It’s a great source of information easily sortable by topic. Many of these articles are shared on social media as well, so follow GENEX on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube to keep your learning curve on the up and up. Count on GENEX to provide educational and sire highlights delivered directly to your email inbox monthly. Visit the GENEX website and sign up to receive the GENEX Holstein or Jersey e-newsletters. The GENEX Dairy Bull Search app is the talk of the industry, enabling you to sort and compare sires at the touch of a finger. In the future, as more features are released, the knowledge and value delivered through this technology will only increase. Cooperative involvement and events can be the ultimate source for knowledge and networking. Annually, all GENEX members are invited to a local member appreciation event. The events usually feature great food, educational presentations and time for networking with your fellow members and the local GENEX team. Nominating yourself for co-op involvement as a GENEX delegate means further opportunity for

personal growth. Delegates attend a fall input meeting and the annual meeting. GENEX delegate Aimee Moehring, of Wisconsin, shares her viewpoint on this co-opportunity, “Delegate meetings keep me up to date on what is happening in the cooperative and where GENEX is heading. I enjoy giving opinions on issues facing the co-op and the industry. The annual meeting has enabled me to make connections with producers from across the USA. I love hearing how their operations work. Beef, dairy, large, small, registered, grade – all aspects are represented.”

Rely on Specialists As Dr. Bower cited in his article, “No matter how dedicated a learner you may be, you need to rely on specialists for specific management inputs. Use of specialists is a way to leverage your management time and skills. They bring a depth of knowledge and skill that is the result of a full-time commitment to their field of expertise.”

Put another way, your connections make you stronger. Just as GENEX representatives have done for years, they deliver value to your operation. Working with your local GENEX reproduction specialist, consultant or A.I. trainer means new ideas, expertise and perspectives are brought to your operation. These well-educated and knowledgeable professionals are serving you – the co-op’s members and customers – to deliver solutions that help you meet your goals. While this may be the last issue of Dairy Horizons delivered to your mailbox, count on GENEX to continue helping you develop the management skills needed to optimize herd performance. Utilize the new and exciting educational opportunities to improve your herd management skills and stay up to date. Count on GENEX to help you never stop learning and provide you with knowledgeable, friendly and dependable specialists. 

Read the Virtual Horizons! Find future issues of the digital Horizons magazine online at issuu.com/genexcooperative, shared on GENEX social media or through the GENEX website at www.genex.coop!

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Membership Matters:

The Year of the Co-op By Terri Dallas, Vice President, Member Relations, GENEX

It’s official. I am declaring 2019 as the Year of the Co-op. I’m not talking about co-ops in general. I’m saying 2019 is the Year of the Co-op for GENEX! It’s time to take a stand and remind everyone that being a cooperative differentiates GENEX! Member ownership, member loyalty and cooperative ideals are extremely important to us. They were important when our predecessor cooperatives were formed decades ago, and they are important today. I will be the first to admit we haven’t always waved the cooperative flag as high or as fast as we could have, but that’s changing! This is your GENEX where your membership – and your input – matters! Now is the time to share your input by becoming a GENEX delegate. Each year GENEX holds delegate elections. It’s a time when you – our progressive, business-minded and loyal GENEX members – are asked to step up your involvement in your cooperative. As an elected delegate, you’ll serve your membership region and district for one year. During that year, you have two primary duties. You are expected to attend and share input at a fall delegate meeting and at the GENEX annual meeting held in Minnesota in March. It’s that easy, yet it’s a vital component of GENEX as a cooperative. Here's how it works:

The Co-op Delegate Election Process 1. Any U.S. dairy or beef producer who purchased $500 of semen or products from GENEX between May 1, 2018 and April 30, 2019, and has a signed membership agreement on file with GENEX qualifies as a member. 2. GENEX members will be mailed a letter in June explaining the delegate election process. Enclosed with the letter will be a postcard where a member can nominate himself or herself to be a delegate. 3. Members interested in becoming a delegate should complete the card and mail it back to GENEX. The names of those who nominated themselves will be compiled and ballots created. 4. In early July, ballots will be sent to members. Members will vote for delegates who reside in their membership region and district. 5. Ballots are returned to Shawano, votes are counted, and delegates and alternates are notified. Have questions about the process or about serving as a delegate, contact me (Terri Dallas) at tdallas@genex.coop or 888.333.1783. Remember, your input matters to your co-op, and here's your opportunity to share it! 

Why Become a Delegate? Your fellow members say it best:

“During my time as a delegate, I learned to understand and appreciate the role delegates play in our co-op. A co-op is owned by its members, and delegates are the direct representation of members. I was impressed how the council and management asked for advice during the meetings and how they followed it. Every time.” Israel Handy, Council Member

St. Johnsville, New York

“This was my first year being a delegate. I wanted to be a GENEX delegate because I want to know what’s going on in the field of genetics. I feel genetics is the most important part of a dairy, and I wanted to be a part of a cooperative that is leading the way. As a delegate, I look forward to working with the council members and helping GENEX grow even stronger.” Brian Schouten, Delegate

San Jacinto, California

“Delegates and council members are actively involved in the direction and decision-making for the future of GENEX. I believe the cooperative structure of GENEX is an advantage because it keeps management closer to members and customers.” Aimee Moehring, Delegate

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Waldo, Wisconsin

Dedicated to the Future Demonstrating commitment to the future of agriculture, each year GENEX awards scholarships to college students pursuing degrees in agriculture. These students are actively involved on a member’s farm or ranch and exhibit a passion of leading the way in the agriculture industry. The five recipients of this year’s $750 GENEX Collegiate Scholarship exemplify the drive, dedication and devotion agriculture requires. Their responses to the lessons they learned from their involvement in agriculture are proof:

Leif Annexstad St. Peter, Minnesota Animal Science University of Minnesota “My time on the farm has taught me many things. I’ve learned about animal nutrition by talking to our nutritionist and about animal health by visiting with our veterinarian. I’ve learned even more from conversations with my dad and uncles, including to be patient with animals as well as people.”

Justin Engebretsen Gillett, Wisconsin Agricultural Engineering University of Wisconsin-River Falls “Agriculture is an industry that will always be important because humans need food and other animal by products. One of the lessons I learned from my agricultural involvement is hard work always pays off.”

Jack McCrory Linton, North Dakota Agriculture Economics North Dakota State University

Eric Ranke Waterford, Wisconsin Dairy Science University of Wisconsin-Platteville “There is no doubt agriculture is the single greatest influencer of who I am today. Agriculture is the most diverse, important and sustainable industry we have; we must protect and advocate for its future.”

Ellen Schilderink Hart, Texas Agribusiness-Dairy Management Tarleton State University “Agriculture is the way I grew up and how I Iive every day. My work ethic and determination to get the job done came from countless hours on our dairy.” “We are proud to support youth who are interested in furthering their education and commitment to agriculture,” states Terri Dallas, GENEX Vice President of Member Relations. “Not only do these students understand the importance of agriculture, they are tremendous advocates as well.”

These students are a promise to a bright future in agriculture. The hard work, passion and leadership skills needed for the agriculture industry is not lost on these students. In their applications they described opportunities that helped them grow, such as study abroad programs, working as an assistant research student, attending leadership conferences, delivering Meals on Wheels, taking advanced placement classes to push themselves academically, spearheading educational events to spread agriculture awareness and managing critical roles on the operations where they work.

“Agriculture has a way of helping “These students are a promise to a bright future in people push themselves to develop agriculture,” states Terri. “Along with their exceptional skills and make decisions that will leadership, the heart and determination they demonstrate sends a strong message that tomorrow’s agriculture is in have positive life-long impacts. These connections, no matter how small or distant, always leave a lasting impact.” good hands.” 

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Helping Shape Agriculture’s Future GENEX Announces New Internship Program By Briana Schumacher, Director of Dairy Sales District, GENEX

GENEX focuses on bringing members and customers not only quality products but quality people as well. This summer, these two focus areas are combined in a new initiative – a new internship program for students passionate about the dairy industry! For 10 weeks, some of the next generation's top talent will focus on the GENEX herd care products – such as RumiLife® CAL24™ nutritional supplement – and the benefits these products bring to producers. The interns will meet with members and customers in specific geographies across the USA, gain real-world job experience, and increase their dairy industry knowledge. Please welcome the 2019 Herd Care Line interns and look to them for special product promotions throughout the summer! Read more about each intern below.

Austin Wright Purdue University Austin was born and raised in Greencastle, Indiana, a small town west of Indianapolis. He grew up on a small family farm. In the past 20 years he and his family have dabbled in many species. For a short time they raised pigs, goats and beef cattle. Today, they raise what the family has for generations: show lambs and Ayrshires. In high school, Austin was involved in 4-H and FFA, filling leadership roles with both organizations. This spring, he’s finishing his sophomore year at Purdue University, studying agribusiness with a focus on finance and pursuing certificates in both entrepreneurship and industrial selling. At the university, he is involved with the Agribusiness Club, Block & Bridle and the swine interest group. He also worked at the university sheep farm. Off campus, he has worked at the Hickory Hall Polo Club and Hill View Arabians. Upon graduation, he hopes to find a career in agriculture sales or lending. This summer, he looks forward to working with GENEX members and customers in Michigan.

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Samuel Looper California State University

Samuel is completing his sophomore year at California State University-Fresno where he is majoring in agricultural education with an emphasis in animal science. While attending Fresno State, he enjoys competing in speaking and career development contests like the California’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Association discussion meet. Samuel is also an officer in the Fresno State Young Cattlemen’s Club and Block & Bridle Club. In addition, he works with the school to put on leadership development trainings for prospective students. He’s involved outside the classroom too. Between high school and college, he took a year off to serve as a California State FFA Officer. He also interned with Veregaal Brothers, Inc. and worked at a beef feedlot/ cow‑calf operation. Post-graduation, Samuel wants to work in sales within California's dairy or beef cattle sectors. He is excited to start his GENEX internship and work with producers in California and the Northwest.

Laura Frye

South Dakota State University

Laura hails from Logansport, Indiana, and is completing her senior year at South Dakota State University (SDSU) to earn her bachelor’s degree in dairy science and minor in food safety. During college, she was an active member in the SDSU Dairy Club, worked at the SDSU dairy farm and showed SDSU Brown Swiss cattle at the South Dakota State Fair. During her time in 4-H and FFA, Laura developed her prefix of registered Brown Swiss cows, Miami Hills Swiss. She enjoyed showing her Brown Swiss show cows at local, state and national shows including World Dairy Expo. This past summer, at the National Brown Swiss Convention, Laura was named the senior showman, had the top genomic merit heifer and earned the youth achievement award. She also served as the Indiana Brown Swiss Queen in 2014 and 2017. Following completion of the internship, working with GENEX members in Eastern Wisconsin, Laura aspires to find a career in the dairy industry. 

New Additions to Robust Holstein Lineup

A leading new debut from the April proofs is 1HO13844 GAMECHANGER. He offers an industry-leading +2841 TPI® and debuts at +1193 for the Ideal Commercial Cow™ (ICC$™) index and +967 Lifetime Net Merit (NM$). This Modesty x Jedi carries impressive type traits at +2.10 Udder Composite (UDC) and +2.21 Foot & Leg Composite. With his calving ease (5.5% SCE), he can be used in heifer pens to increase genetic progress and will add yield (+93 Fat and +62 Protein). This elite sire of sons is available in GenChoice™ sexed semen only. 1HO13855 LIVIUS is the highest new release for the ICC$™ index at +1230. He is also +933 NM$ and carries impressive health traits at +2.61 SCS and +7.8 Productive Life. This Achiever son can be used confidently in heifer pens (6.5% SCE) and is an udder improver at +1.75 UDC.

1HO13862 BOUNTY, 1HO13857 LOWBOY and 1HO13895 MAMBA are outstanding Achiever sons at +1212, +1198 and +1191 ICC$™ respectively. This trio adds Fat pounds and sires daughters with great udders (all three are over +1.50 UDC). 1HO15058 SURLY and 1HO14135 FREEZE are new Frazzled sons that check all the boxes for elite production. Both are over +2000 Milk and +135 CFP. Complementing this, both possess great health traits reflected in their +1167 and +1099 ICC$™ index values respectively. 1HO15059 DOGE adds pedigree diversity being a Duke out of a Silver. He is +1112 ICC$™, +969 NM$ and transmits over +120 pounds of Fat. He will also sire daughters with great udders (+1.75 UDC). 1HO13867 LYFT is an early 1HO12433 ROCKSTAR son. He offers a combination of elite udders (+2.50 UDC) and excellent genetic rank (+1050 ICC$™ and +911 NM$). Additionally, LYFT improves daughter fertility and longevity and is calving ease (6.1% SCE).

Familiar Favorites with Outstanding Numbers 1HO12786 PILEDRIVER added daughters and jumped to +965 ICC$™, +894 NM$ and +2648 TPI®, putting him in the breed’s top 20 TPI®. An elite production bull (+2807 Milk), he also adds total component pounds at +185 CFP. This TROY son is +1.46 UDC and, with his low 5.3% Sire Calving Ease, can be used in any breeding program. 1HO13408 CRANE, a 1HO12786 PILEDRIVER son, moves to the top of the GENEX NM$ list at +982. He is also +1022 ICC$™ and +2768 TPI®. Like his sire, CRANE adds yield at over +1700 Milk, +193 CFP and is +1.66 UDC. 1HO11376 TABASCO is +2690 on the TPI® list. This highly reliable JACEY son adds production (+2386 Milk) while moderating frame size. 

1HO14131 LIT PP-RED is an exciting homozygous Polled, Red sire! He is a Lucky PP-RED son that carries the unique combination of elite udders (+1.50 UDC) and calving ease (5.4% SCE). He debuts at +870 ICC$™, +640 NM$ and +2387 TPI®. 

Dam of 1HO13844 GAMECHANGER: Regan-Danhof Jedi Cashmere, VG-88

View the full lineup at www.genex.coop or download the GENEX Dairy Bull Search app.

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New Sires

for Jersey Genetic Progress 1JE01106 STACKHOUSE {4} is the leading new release for the Ideal Commercial Cow™ (ICC$™) index at +871. He also debuts at +203 JPI™ and +685 Cheese Merit (CM$). He adds production with over +1450 pounds of Milk and an impressive +146 Combined Fat & Protein (CFP). With +12.4 JUI™, this Deluca son adds both functional udders and pedigree diversity. STACKHOUSE {4} is available in GenChoice™ sexed semen only.

1JE01074 ZINC {5}

1JE01074 ZINC {5} leads the GENEX Cheese Merit (CM$) list at +690. He is +201 JPI™ and +827 ICC$™. With an extremely balanced genetic profile, this son of 1JE00935 WORLD CUP {5} is +22.2 JUI™ and +0.7 Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR) while maintaining extreme component percentages and +118 CFP. 1JE05000 MR CHAVEZ {4}-P was added to the Jersey catalog in April after being activated earlier this year as a Genomic Giant. A leading polled sire, this WORLD CUP {5} son out of a Marlo adds longevity (+6.2 Productive Life) while improving daughter fertility. MR CHAVEZ {4}-P creates daughters with great udders (+17.2 JUI™) while adding components (+110 CFP). 1JE01102 JAMISON {3} is a unique sire stack being a Stevens {5} out of a Hulk at +770 ICC$™, +598 CM$ and +173 JPI™. He's a huge production sire at +75 Fat and +56 Protein for a +131 CFP with over +1500 Milk.

Dam of ZINC {5}: JX PVF Prop Joe Zip {4}-ET, VG-85%

1JE01105 RASHEED {4} joins the lineup at +169 JPI™, +707 ICC$™ and +582 CM$. An udder specialist (+29.2 JUI™), this 1JE00966 FUTURE {3} son is also +1.0 DPR and +5.7 Productive Life (PL) with +2.8 Livability (LIV). 1JE01107 HUNTER {3} is an early 1JE00984 USAIN BOLT {3} son at +751 ICC$™, +165 JPI™ and +542 CM$. HUNTER {3} adds daughter fertility with a positive DPR while also improving udders (+25.7 JUI™). 1JE01115 UBER-UR, another previously active Genomic Giant, debuts at +681 ICC$™ and +520 CM$. He is an udder specialist and adds impressive health traits (+1.0 DPR, +3.6 PL and +0.3 LIV). 

Overall Outstanding With his first 89 daughters added to his proof, 1JE00935 WORLD CUP {5} now stands at +759 ICC$™, +630 CM$ and +188 JPI™ making him an elite daughter-proven sire. WORLD CUP {5} also improves component percentages along with daughter fertility and udders (+23.1 JUI™). 1JE00922 RONALDO {3} doubled the number of daughters in his proof and ranks well on the daughter-proven list at +166 JPI™. He is +699 ICC$™ with nearly a ton of fluid Milk pounds and +147 CFP. This highly reliable sire exhibits impressive sire fertility too. 

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Leading the Charge With a powerhouse of genetic leaders across any index

1JE01106 STACKHOUSE {4}

Bull Searching & Sorting Made Easy Download the GENEX Dairy Bull Search app.

1JE05000 MR CHAVEZ {4}-P

ICC$™

CM$

JPI™

NEW

1JE01106 STACKHOUSE {4}

+871

+685

+203

NEW

1JE01074 ZINC {5}

+827

+690

+201

1JE01088 FRANCESA {5}

+781

+624

+183

1JE01081 DOX {3}

+775

+598

+178

1JE01102 JAMISON {3}

+770

+598

+173

1JE00935 WORLD CUP {5}

+759

+630

+188

1JE01077 MARCELO-UR*

+753

+521

+163

NEW

1JE05000 MR CHAVEZ {4}-P

+752

+655

+180

NEW

1JE01107 HUNTER {3}

+751

+542

+165

1JE01080 JONES {3}

+735

+538

+157

NEW

*MARCELO-UR is Unregistered and has a URPI.

New Trait Released by CDCB The Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) has made available an Early First Calving (EFC) trait for Holsteins and Jerseys. This new health trait is expressed as age in days at first calving. Animals expected to transmit genetics that decrease the age at first calving have a positive EFC value (seen as more beneficial), whereas animals transmitting genetics that increase the age at first calving have a negative value (less beneficial). The heritability of EFC is 2.3%. The average reliability for young genotyped Holsteins is about 66% and about 51% for Jerseys. 

CDCB Calculating Crossbred Genetic Evaluations The Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) updated genetic evaluations with the April proofs to include crossbred evaluations. A bull’s Breed Base Representation (BBR) value is used to determine whether he has a blended (crossbred) or single breed genetic evaluation. An animal with a BBR ≥ 90% is evaluated with the breed of its highest BBR. An animal with a BBR < 90% has a genetic evaluation based on a weighted combination of marker effects from the different comprising breeds. Genetic value estimates for crossbreds are less accurate than purebred estimates. The changes noted above are most notably seen on lower BBR sires evaluated on the Jersey base. Any Jersey sire under 90 BBR now has a blended evaluation, more accurately representing the genetic makeup of the animal.

Downward Trend in DPR Seen There was a general downward trend in Holstein and Jersey Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR) values with the April proofs. The Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) acknowledged this trend and is looking into the reason. A decrease in DPR negatively impacts a bull’s index values (Lifetime Net Merit, Cheese Merit, TPI® and ICC$™ index). For more detailed information, visit the CDCB website (https:// www.uscdcb.com/news/) for an article entitled “About Fertility Evaluations in April 2019.” 

Learn more about crossbred genetic evaluations on the CDCB website: https://www.uscdcb.com/news/ 

Holstein or Jersey E-Newsletter Visit: bit.ly/GENEXDairyE-News Scan the QR code:

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So Much Data! Where do I Start? By Leah James, Dairy Marketing Manager, GENEX

In today’s genomic era, more data has become available than ever before! More data is a good thing! It means more accuracy and more options than ever before. It means the industry can better predict and, in turn producers can better choose, the best genetics. However, with the overwhelming amount of data available, the question often becomes “Where do I start?”

Graph 1. The industry's increase in milk yield is attributed to both better management practices and improved genetics.

30,000

Milk Yield (lbs)

25,000

First, a little review. What comes to mind when thinking about progressive dairy herds? Good management? Cow comfort? Cutting-edge technology? All these things are critical for profitability in this extremely tight dairy economy, but what about the advancement that lies within a semen tank? Often overlooked, but extremely important to the success of dairy operations, is the genetic component.

57% Genetics 20,000

43% Management

15,000

shows how much of the industry’s production growth is attributed to management and how much is attributed to genetics. As Graph 1 shows, management is important, but the biggest percentage of improvement is from genetics.

Graph 2. Genetic improvement (NM$) by year for US Holstein A.I. sires.

600

Average Net Merit ($)

100

Average Gain: $61/Year Average Gain: $38/Year

0 -100 2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

There are a lot of data points now available for use in genetic selection, and it has led to never-beforeseen rates of genetic improvement. Graph 2 provides a quick glimpse at how fast genetic improvement is happening in the genomic era!

Genomics has allowed genetic progress to happen at a much faster pace than in previous decades, but the reliability levels on genomic-proven sires are slightly lower than their daughter-proven counterparts (see Graph 3 on next page). How does one balance the risk?

500

200

Genetics is important, but how important?

Genomic selection will achieve genetic gain, but what about reliability?

Average Gain: $84Year

300

Cow Birth Year

In a recent presentation, Dr. Francisco Penagaricano, Assistant Professor of Genetics and Genomics at the University of Florida, discussed genomic and genetic selection. He shared a graph outlining historical milk yield growth in pounds. It

400

10,000

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

GENEX has always recommended selecting on an index, and in this genomic era it is more important

Year of Entry Into A.I. Service Source: https://www.uscdcb.com

Continued on page 14.

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Chart 3. Average genetic merit (NM$) and reliability by breed for daughter-proven and genomic proven sires. Holstein

Jersey

700 600

PTA NM$

500 400 300 200 100

reliability

Daughter-Proven

Genomic-Proven

Average Reliability

than ever before. Dr. Penagaricano emphasizes this point as well: “We have to select genetics on economics” (and indexes). With so much data available, it is easy to ultra-focus on one or two traits which could narrow genetic selection. Instead, redirect focus to an economic-based index to ensure selection of the best genetics as a whole. Dr. Penagaricano also suggests using a team of high-ranking genomic sires to balance their slightly lower reliabilities. Increasing the number of sires used in turn increases the reliability of achieving genetic goals for the whole herd (Table 1). Table 1. The most reliable strategy is to use a group of young genomic-tested bulls.

No. Genomic Sires Used

Average Reliability

1 3 6 12

70 90 95 98

Selection through the GENEX Ideal Commercial Cow™ (ICC$™) index matches Dr. Penagaricano’s recommendations. This index is directly tied to farm economic profitability. It also incorporates data from multiple sources and is the

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only index specifically designed to select animals that are ideal for a commercial dairy environment.

What does selection for the ICC$™ index achieve? Just as the name implies, the ICC$™ index creates ideal commercial cows that are problem free, fertile and moderate in frame size, maximizing efficiencies. GENEX Senior Dairy Account Manager Pete Weber from Wisconsin uses the ICC$™ index to help members and customers achieve long-term success. “Using the ICC$™ index as your selection index will create the type of cows needed to be a profitable dairy today – cows that are long lived, healthy and high producing.” Dan Cerretani, GENEX Strategic Account Director in New York, sums up why progressive producers choose the ICC$™ index. “It considers some very complex genetic and economic relationships and delivers an easy-to-use selection tool that’s all about creating a sustainable cow!”

What if I want to narrow my genetic focus? The ICC$™ index was strategically constructed as the summation of sub-indexes enabling producers to easily customize their genetic

selection. The ICC$™ index for Holsteins includes five sub-indexes which represent critical areas of management for commercial herds. Similarly, the ICC$™ index for Jerseys includes three key sub-indexes. This composition makes the ICC$™ index unique, because each sub-index can be used to target focus on a specific management area and each is directly tied to economics and bottom‑line profitability. When narrowing or targeting genetic focus, start by sorting the sire list by the ICC$™ index. This ensures a look at the whole picture without getting too focused on individual traits. Selection on the ICC$™ index emphasizes moderate frame size and heightens focus on health and fertility while also considering yield traits. Once the sire list is sorted on the ICC$™ index, then sort based on the sub-index most appropriate for the dairy. For example, if a Holstein herd is choosing sires to use in heifer pens, first sort by the ICC$™ index and then by the Calving Ability (CABL$) sub-index. If a herd wants to increase production levels, for Holsteins utilize the Production Efficiency (PREF$) sub-index and for Jerseys the Cheese Maximizer (ChMAX$) sub-index.

Data is Exciting! At the end of the day, all of this data is exciting. The amount of progress that can be made through genetics is happening faster than ever before. To ensure one doesn’t get lost in the sea of data, keep in mind these key genetic golden rules: 1. Selection for genetics and good farm management must go hand‑in-hand to reach farm goals. 2. Using the highest team of genomic sires will yield the most progress and highest reliability. 3. Using an economic-driven index, such as the ICC$™ index, focuses on all-round genetic progress. 4. Target genetic focus by first selecting on the ICC$™ index and then sorting on a sub‑index. 

Commercial Cows … It's What We Do! Economic Based: Data and traits used are directly tied to economic impact on the farm.

Multiple Sources: Data sources include the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB), Canadian Dairy Network (CDN) and GENEX research database.

Real-time and Flexible: Can be modified to reflect economic changes, to address emerging trends or to add new traits of economic impact.

Easy-to-use Sub-indexes: Sub-indexes enable you to narrow genetic emphasis to specific areas of farm management.

ICC$™ Index for inHolsteins Sub-Indexes Included ICC$

ICC$™Sub-Indexes IndexIncluded forin ICC$ Jerseys

5% Calving Ability (CABL$) 10% Milking Ability (MABL$) 14% Fertility & Fitness (FYFT$) 24% Health (HLTH$)

Fertility 23% (FERT$) Fertility 23% (FERT$)

47% Production Efficiency (PREF$)

35% Sustainability Cheese Maximizer (SUST$) (ChMAX$) 43%

Sustainability

43% (SUST$) Cheese 35%Maximizer (ChMAX$)

Important Tips for

FeedingÂ Colostrum Provided by SCCL

The single, most important meal a calf will consume in its lifetime is the first feeding of colostrum. Knowing when and how to intervene are the first steps for ensuring a productive calf. How does good colostrum feeding practices impact long-term productivity?

Under what circumstances do calves need a colostrum supplement or replacement?

The impact of good colostrum feeding practices is often overlooked. Good colostrum feeding practices and feeding more colostrum can lead to improved average daily gain, reduced treatment costs and better feed conversion efficiency. Improvement in these three areas offers financial benefits to any dairy.

There are many instances where calves should be fed a colostrum product. For instance, calves born in very cold weather, twin births and calves born to first-calf heifers. However, calves born with difficulty (also known as dystocia) are at the greatest risk for failure of passive transfer of immunity, since they are often slow to get

HORIZONS

up and suckle. Additionally, these calvesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to absorb antibodies may be compromised due to the delay of nursing and altered metabolicÂ parameters. Whenever calves are born with intervention or assistance, the calf should be given at least a supplement dose of colostrum, if not a full replacement dose. Consider supplementing any calf that has not suckled within 1-2 hours of birth.

When should colostrum be fed? With each minute that passes after birth, a calf’s ability to absorb antibodies is reduced. By 24 hours the gut is almost completely closed and can no longer absorb antibodies. Therefore, colostrum must be fed as soon as possible after birth, ideally within an hour. If bottle or tube feeding is necessary (when it is not possible to milk the cow immediately or get the calf up and suckling) a good quality colostrum supplement or replacer is an excellent alternative to ensure the calf receives a timely first meal. If colostrum has been delayed past 2 hours, feed larger amounts to compensate for reduced absorption.

How much colostrum do calves need? When it comes to colostrum, more is better. Most veterinarians now recommend calves receive at least 1 gallon or 4 liters of good quality colostrum, which should provide calves with at least 200-300g of IgG. Good quality colostrum replacers can be used when the dam does not provide sufficient volume or where colostral quality/IgG/antibody concentration is low. A significant percentage of first-calf heifers

produce only small volumes of colostrum, sometimes less than 1 liter, so their calves would benefit from a colostrum supplement or replacer. New USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System data shows calves with 8 g/L serum IgG (indicative of failure of passive transfer of immunity) had a 40.3% chance of becoming ill and 5.2% risk of mortality. Calves with excellent passive immunity, indicated by serum IgG levels of 30 g/L or higher, had just a 29.3% risk of illness and 2.0% risk of death. If feeding 300g of a colostrum replacer, it is recommended to divide the colostrum into multiple feedings. Do not feed the entire amount at once.

How should colostrum be fed? First, attempt to bottle feed the calf. If the calf does not consume the entire bottle or colostrum feeding is delayed past 6 hours, tube feeding the remainder is suggested in attempt to achieve successful passive transfer of immunity. Since absorption of colostrum slows significantly as each hour passes, calves also benefit from a second and third feeding of colostrum.

Should cold weather calves be treated differently? Calves have a thermal neutral zone of 59 to 77°F (15 to 25°C), and many calves are born into conditions much colder than this. Calves need a timely feeding of colostrum to warm them by providing energy to produce body heat. (Note that bottle fed colostrum should be warm but not too hot to immerse your hand in.) Colostrum contains unique colostral fat that initiates metabolism of brown fat stores which fuels the calf’s internal furnace for heat and energy to get up, suckle, stay warm and stay alive.

Can producers use colostrum from their own cows, and if so, how? Herd colostrum can be used to supplement calves of other dams, but to be done right, it is a demanding process. Colostrum should be collected with sanitized equipment within 2 hours of birth of the calf. Then, it should be tested with a refractometer to measure quality; only colostrum that meets parameters consistent with high IgG/ antibody levels should be used. The colostrum should be cooled in small 1L or less containers, as quickly as possible since bacteria numbers double every 20 minutes. Then, the colostrum should be stored either in a refrigerator for no more than 48 hours or frozen for no more than a year. Avoid freezing and thawing repeatedly as this may reduce the quality and lifespan of colostrum.

What should a producer look for in a colostrum product? Examine ingredient labels carefully. Colostrum products can be made from various sources; however, the greatest benefits to the calf result from feeding actual colostrum rather than formulas of proteins and fats from other sources. Colostrum-based products contain all the immune, metabolic and growth factors naturally found in maternal colostrum. Continued on page 18.

HORIZONS

One very important ingredient is colostral fat. Colostral fat is essential for activating brown fat metabolism, an important energy source required by the calf immediately after birth.

Can colostrum be fed after 24 hours?

Products that contain blood or whey with added vegetable and animal fats not naturally found in colostrum do not provide the same benefits for the calf, and some of these products contain no actual colostrum at all.

Transition milk is produced by the cow for the first six milkings and represents a gradual decline in the bioactive ingredients found in first milk colostrum. Feeding transition milk can be an extra immune booster in addition to its rich composition of nutrients, energy, growth factors and hormones.

Look for products that are regulated by the USDA (United States) or CFIA (Canada) and backed by numerous safety and efficacy studies published in scientific journals.

Although the calf can no longer absorb antibodies directly into its bloodstream, the immune factors in transition milk are useful in providing local immunity and protection against

infections that cause diarrhea. These benefits can also be provided to calves by feeding a colostrum replacement product in an amount equal to feeding 10g IgG (or 1 cup of first milking maternal colostrum) or more per feeding. This strategy is especially beneficial during times of risk of scours. 

Colostrum Products Available through GENEX

What's the Difference?

Calf’s Choice Total® HiCal Colostrum

PureStart™ Colostrum

Genesis Colostrum

Full replacer with one ingredient: Bovine Colostrum

Fractionated Colostrum which concentrates the globulin protein

Instant mix with whisk in 20 seconds using granulator technology

Allows for easy mixing, even shaken (can be mixed right in the Perfect Udder® bag)

Available in bulk with convenient scoop to measure amount of IgG

Available in easy to use, single dose packaging (two bags offer 200 IgG for excellent passive transfer)

Available in two forms: 1. Premeasured in Perfect Udder® bag (clean, safe, easy and disposable) 2. Available in bulk with convenient scoop to measure amount of IgG

Source: Colostrum

Source: Whey Colostrum

Fat Source: Colostral Fat

Fat Source: Animal Fat

USDA veterinary biologic licensed as an aid in the treatment of failure of passive transfer

Only USDA APHIS licensed veterinary biologic bovine IgG colostrum product on the market that is OMRI Listed* (Product code #skt-7351) for organic use

Contains NeoTec4 – an essential fatty acid technology proven to improve calf performance

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*OMRI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides an independent review of products against the organic standards. Acceptable products are OMRI Listed® and appear on the OMRI Products List © or OMRI Canada Products List ©.

INTRODUCING...

NATURAL BOVINE COLOSTRUM DELIVERING HIGH IMMUNITY SCCL colostrum products now available through GENEX.

PureStart™ Colostrum u

100g IgG per bag. Can be used to supplement or replace maternal colostrum (2 bags).

PureStart™ is the only USDA APHIS licensed veterinary biologic bovine IgG colostrum product on the market that is OMRI Listed (Product Code #skt-7351) for organic use.

Calf’s Choice Total® HiCal u

Provides high levels of colostral fat, excellent for energy and thermoregulation.

Pails include 72 scoops per package. 3 scoops offers 100g IgG. Can be used to supplement or replace maternal colostrum (6 scoops).

Contact your GENEX representative to purchase today.

Supply the Nutrients Needed for a Healthy Recovery Post-Calving By Liz Binversie, Herd Care Line Advisor, GENEX

Low feed intake and dehydration at calving directly impact cow health. These issues can lead to fresh cow diseases like hypocalcemia, ketosis and displaced abomasum (DA), which negatively impact milk yield, reproduction performance and ultimately, profitability. Today, there are a multitude of products available to supplement fresh cows and promote a healthy recovery, but which options should you choose? Your First Goal Should Be to Hydrate the Fresh Cow Water intake is critical. It’s the most important nutrient for maintenance and productivity of dairy cattle. In a Florida Dairy Production conference presentation, Dr. Beede of the University of Florida explained the many reasons why water and proper hydration is essential: “Water serves as a medium for dispersion or suspension of colloids and ions within the body and is necessary for maintaining osmotic balance. It functions as a medium for processes of digestion, absorption, metabolism, milk and sweat secretion, and elimination of urine and feces. It provides a medium of transport for nutrients, metabolites, hormones, and gases and is a lubricant and support for various organ systems.” Water intake is especially critical at calving. Yet, at that time, the cow is under stress and may limit her free intake of water. Intake is critical because the cow not only loses calving fluid and tissue during calving

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but also water through increased respiration and panting. One study shows cows lose 24.5 to 53 liters of extracellular fluid around calving.1

lost weight of the calf in volume. That doesn’t even take into consideration additional water loss from increased respiration, panting or not drinking.

Also, after calving, the space inside the cow previously occupied by the calf is left unoccupied. This means more space for the abomasum to move around and become displaced. If the rumen is filled with water, the chance of a DA decreases.

Drenching does involve specialized equipment, proper restraint of the cow, proper training and patience. However, several pump systems on the market have made this process easier and safer. One recommended option is the Magrath pump. It can be used by a single person, and 5 gallons of solution can be delivered in just a few minutes.

What Options Do You Have for Hydrating a Cow? One option is to provide clean, fresh and warm water. However, some cows will not drink on their own. In this case, if the cow is only showing signs of moderate dehydration – such as slight eyeball recession and slightly prolonged skin tent (2 to 4 seconds) – then oral drench solutions are preferred over intravenous or subcutaneous methods.1 Most drench products recommend the addition of 5-10 gallons of warm water because it takes approximately 10 gallons of water to replace the

What Other Nutrients are Necessary in a Drench? It takes a combination of proper hydration and nutrition for optimal post-calving recovery, especially since cows are often down on feed intake before, during and following calving. That decreased consumption of essential nutrients and the increased demands on the cow for colostrum and milk production puts a cow in a delicate situation. Calcium, magnesium

and electrolytes are among the necessary nutrients that should be supplemented through a drench.

Primary nutrients needed at freshening Calcium Magnesium Electrolytes (Potassium, Chloride, and Sodium) Calcium is typically included in oral drenches in highly bioavailable and quickly absorbable forms (often as calcium chloride and calcium propionate). Calcium propionate, a glucose precursor, also provides a source of energy for the cow. Calcium is added for multiple reasons. At calving, cows are typically low on blood calcium due to the increased demand for calcium in colostrum and milk. In fact, prior to calving 8-10g of calcium are used per day by the fetus while calving and the initiation of lactation requires several times that amount! Without supplementation, the cow experiences a negative calcium balance otherwise known as hypocalcemia. Hypocalcemia can be seen with visible signs (such as down cows) or without clinical signs (known as subclinical hypocalcemia).

Magnesium is usually included in a fresh cow drench because it’s needed to metabolize calcium and thereby helps prevent hypocalcemia. Magnesium levels are dependent on diet and can be low when dry matter intake drops. Both calcium and magnesium are also necessary for smooth muscle function. If adequate levels are not achieved, a cow is susceptible to an array of metabolic and reproductive disorders early in lactation. Potassium supplies in the body can be quickly depleted post-calving, as this nutrient is also dependent on feed intake. Low potassium can lead to metabolic issues like ketosis. Potassium and other electrolytes (namely chloride and sodium) are often included in a drench product because they address the hydration needs of the cow; they are needed for regulating the amount of fluids throughout the body, which affects cellular function, blood volume and blood pressure. Inclusion of a neutral amino acid, such as glycine, improves electrolyte absorption meaning the cow is hydrated more efficiently. Some type of energy source, such as propionate and dextrose, is included in drench products as glucose precursors. When cows are

in a negative energy balance, blood glucose levels may become too low. In this situation, called hypoglycemia, a cow often responds by mobilizing fat stores. The fat must travel through the liver to be converted to energy and if mobilized too fast, ketone bodies and non-esterified fatty acids are formed creating ketosis. Ketones are known to suppress appetite, leading to further fresh cow problems. A variety of vitamins are also included in a drench. B vitamins are included to stimulate appetite and help maintain carbohydrate metabolism. With low B vitamin levels, appetite loss can occur and lead to additional issues. Other nutrients such as yeast and direct-fed microbials can also be included in a drench to maintain normal rumen function. These products also assist in maintaining appetite. In all, many nutrients are needed to keep a cow healthy and producing well. Freshening can take a lot out of a cow, but using an oral drench product is one solution to help restore vital nutrients and ensure a successful transition. Consider adding RumiLife® M Drench™ nutritional supplement available from GENEX to your fresh cow program. 

Give Her the Nutrients She Needs after Freshening! RumiLife® M Drench™ nutritional supplement is a ready-to-use oral supplement specifically formulated for post-fresh and sick cows. Depending on the nutritional needs of the cow, add one half-pound packet to 5 gallons of warm water or two packets to 10 gallons. Nutrient Highlights: Highly available calcium sources: Calcium propionate and calcium chloride Magnesium sulfate for replenishing magnesium and regulating calcium Potassium, chloride and sodium for electrolyte replacement Glycine for optimal electrolyte absorption Dextrose for added energy

NEW!

Contact your GENEX representative, call 888.333.1783 or visit www.genex.coop to learn more! HORIZONS

Keep her happy and healthy from birth to dry off.

UdderLife™ Mint-eez™ udder edema lotion and spray works to increase blood flow in the udder to better fight infections. Use these products to help reduce udder edema that can damage mammary supportive ligaments and shorten milking longevity.

UdderLife™ OptiShield™ teat sealant helps prevent new intramammary infections throughout the dry period. With a unique design – a tube containing minimal air – you can rest assured the product forms a solid plug seal in the teat’s streak canal.

RumiLife® CAL24™ nutritional supplement promotes calcium levels important for the first 24 hours after calving. One package (two boluses) can be given consecutively, so you don’t have to catch the cow twice.

RumiLife® M Drench™ nutritional supplement promotes fresh cow health during the transition period as a source of key nutrients like calcium, magnesium, electrolytes and water.

ReMOOV™ horn paste inhibits horn growth on calves before it starts. Its unique syringe measures the amount for each horn button, making application simple and precise.

Target Your Genetic Focus

Using ICC$™ Sub-Indexes 1JE00992 RONALDO {3} daughters at Faria Brothers Dairy

Cheese Maximizer (ChMAX$) The ChMAX$ sub-index focuses on component yields and provides equal weighting on Fat and Protein. Unique among Jersey indexes, it is neutral on milk. Focused on total combined Fat and Protein No weighting for fluid volume

Cheese Maximizer (ChMAX$)

ChMAX$ Leaders NEW

Protein 50%

Fat 50%

NEW

ChMAX$ Sub-Index

ChMAX$

CFP

ICC$™

1JE00922 RONALDO {3}

+665

+147

+699

1JE01106 STACKHOUSE {4}

+643

+146

+871

1JE01077 MARCELO-UR

+605

+135

+753

1JE01088 FRANCESA {5}

+595

+134

+781

1JE01102 JAMISON {3}

+576

+131

+770

1JE00921 EUSEBIO {4}

+569

+127

+369

1JE01089 MINKO {5}

+548

+125

+723

1JE01075 AROUND {5}

+537

+123

+697

1JE01074 ZINC {5}

+506

+118

+827

1JE01069 AMPLIFY {3}

+471

+108

+575

1JE01076 JACK BAUER {3}

+471

+106

+509

AJCA/4-19, CDCB/4-19, GENEX/4-19

GENEX Honors Herds for Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction Learn from these industry leaders By Anne Davison, Director of Dairy Sales Support, GENEX

Annually, GENEX recognizes members and customers for their astounding accomplishments through the Excellence in Reproduction & Genetics Awards. Dairies across the USA, and now around the globe, are nominated for the awards by their GENEX representative. Each year the performance level of the nominated and award-winning dairies gets better and better, and the competition gets tougher and tougher. This is truly a testament to the commitment dairy teams have for continual improvement. When the nomination period opens each year, the nominations start flying in from GENEX representatives. Many times, in addition to the nomination form, those representatives share a short note about why they feel the dairy

deserves the award or what makes the dairy special. These notes make it clear how committed GENEX staff are and how excited they are to nominate a customer. Of course, the award placings are based strictly on the dairies’ numbers, but the commentary still provides a great sneak peek into the dairy operation. This year’s platinum, gold, silver and honorable mention winners are listed below. Get your sneak peek into the platinum award-winning dairies on the following pages.

Congratulations to the 2019 Excellence in Reproduction & Genetics Award Winners! < 500 Cows

500-2,000 Cows

2,000+ Cows

Heifers

Platinum

Truttman Dairy LLC

Maple Ridge Dairy

Omro Dairy

Plymouth Dairy Farms, Inc

Gold

Dorrich Dairy

Strassburg Creek Dairy

Spring Breeze Dairy LLC

Lakeview Farms

Silver

Weisenbeck Farms LLC

Schilling Farms

Hudson Dairy

Jauquet’s Hillview Dairy

Blanchardville, Wisconsin

Glenwood, Minnesota

Durand, Wisconsin

Stratford, Wisconsin

Wittenberg, Wisconsin

Darlington, Wisconsin

Stoney Springs Farms Reilly Family Farm Darlington, Wisconsin

Bryant, Wisconsin

Hudson, Michigan

LeMars, Iowa

Bakersfield, California

Luxemburg, Wisconsin

Medina Dairy

Appleton, Wisconsin

Honorable Mention

Omro, Wisconsin

Hudson, Michigan

Jauquet’s Hillview Dairy

Darlington Ridge Farms

Hinsch Farm Inc

Dykstra Dairy

Luxemburg, Wisconsin

Goodhue, Minnesota

Darlington, Wisconsin

Dykstra Dairy Maurice, Iowa

Maurice, Iowa

Continued on page 26.

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Good, Great and Excellent Benchmarking is the process of comparing an individual’s performance metrics to the industry’s best. Reproduction benchmark numbers from the herds recognized as Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction Award winners have been compiled so producers can gauge how their herd is doing and identify where improvement may be needed. Here is a comparison of the 2019 award winners benchmarked against other herds across the USA (both GENEX and non-GENEX herds with more than 425 herds in the reference population). The data is graphed in quartiles. The benchmarks are shown by herd size. As expected, the Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction award‑winning herds surpassed other herds in almost every category regardless of herd size.

<500 Cow Herd Benchmarks 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Conception Rate

Pregnancy Rate

Award Winners

1st Quartile

% Cows Pregnant by 150 DIM

2nd Quartile

3rd Quartile

Service Rate

4th Quartile

500-2,000 Cow Herd Benchmarks 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Conception Rate

Award Winners

Pregnancy Rate

1st Quartile

% Cows Pregnant by 150 DIM

2nd Quartile

3rd Quartile

Service Rate

4th Quartile

2,000+ Cow Herd Benchmarks 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Conception Rate

Award Winners

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Pregnancy Rate

1st Quartile

% Cows Pregnant by 150 DIM

2nd Quartile

3rd Quartile

Service Rate

4th Quartile

How Do They Do It? When looking through the data, the real question becomes why are the award winners so successful, and what can be learned from them? What is it they do that sets them apart? GENEX representatives who work with some of the award-winning herds answered these questions. They narrowed it down to three key behaviors that each Excellence in Reproduction & Genetics Award winner possesses:

Attention to Detail “What sets this dairy apart from others is their attention to detail and overall management. The dairy has a monthly meeting with all key stakeholders and staff. This keeps everyone on the same page, focused on the dairy’s goals and provides time to discuss key areas of the dairy and issues or obstacles that need to be addressed as a group.” Derek Kolpack, Account Manager, GENEX

“The biggest reason I see for their success is the attention to detail: from the timing of the shots in the Ovsynch program, to selecting a group of bulls and ensuring those bulls fit their goals, down to working with GENEX to sort animals and using the Sort-Gate program to make culling and breeding decisions. They let everyone on their repro and genetics team know how important their role is to the success of the program.” SM

Jeff Lutz, Dairy Consultant and Account Manager, GENEX

Commitment “It’s their consistent commitment to looking at all areas of the operation with a careful eye to improve their efficiency and bottom line, such as improving cooling systems or altering the breeding or milking order to decrease lockup times. They have been a longtime GENEX partner and an early adopter of Daughter Pregnancy Rate and fertility as a tool to improve reproductive efficiency. Fast forward to today, with use of genomics and an aggressive strategic breeding program, they take genetic improvement to the next level while capitalizing on a second stream of income with beef x dairy calves. They keep an open mind during farm meetings and are interested in learning about trends and breeding strategies but take a careful approach to whether it makes sense for their operation and long-term goals.” Gwen Powers, Director of Strategic Accounts, GENEX

“The breeding team certainly takes pride in their work. Every six to eight weeks, GENEX staff use the A.I. AccuCHECK program to ensure there is no protocol drift in heat detection, semen handling or insemination technique. Proper functioning and cleanliness of equipment is also inspected. All team members help provide encouragement and training for the ultimate success of the program.” SM

Dr. Kim Egan, Director of Strategic Accounts, GENEX

Teamwork “The dairy is successful because of teamwork and employee retention. They treat employees as part of the team and motivate them to succeed. The manager works alongside the team every day. He goes above and beyond for employees, and they respect him for that. The GENEX team also works closely with the dairy, monitors conception rates and communicates with managers regularly.” Casey Petter, Dairy Consultant and Account Manager, GENEX

“The reproduction program is a team effort between the dairy, the veterinarian and GENEX. There is an open line of communication, and we are all on the same page to keep the dairy moving forward to meet their goals.” Derek Kolpack, Account Manager, GENEX 

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< 500 Cows Category

Truttmann Dairy LLC Blanchardville, Wisconsin

Reproduction at Truttmann Dairy LLC is the result of team effort! Pictured (right to left) are members of the team: Doug Truttmann, Allie (the dog), Collin Legler, Dwight Truttmann, Dan Truttmann, veterinarian Tim Bruns, and GENEX representatives Lindsey Geddes and Scott Schultz.

Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction Platinum Award Winner

Truttmann Dairy LLC, located in southern Wisconsin, is operated by owners Dan and Shelly Truttmann along with Dan’s father Dwight, brother Doug and nine full‑time employees. The family began farming in the early 90s, utilizing rotational grazing while focusing on growing cow numbers. In 1998, they built their first barn. By 2012, the herd outgrew the grazing acreage, and the Truttmanns’ turned their focus to cow comfort and production within a freestall facility (though they still utilize some rotational grazing for bred heifers).

voluntary wait period with cows bred, on average, at 83 DIM. Cows are bred on a natural heat as much as possible with activity information provided through the SCR Heatime® system (now known as an Allflex Livestock Intelligence system). If a cow hasn’t come into heat by 100 DIM, they double lute her and watch for heat. If necessary, the process is repeated 14 days later and in rare instances followed with Ovsynch.

Today, the dairy consists of 472 milk cows, mostly Jerseys with a few Holsteins. The herd averages 67 pounds of milk, 4.9% fat and 3.7% protein.

The top 50% of cows receive up to two services of sexed semen. If needed, one service is to conventional semen before being bred to beef. The bottom 50% of the herd is all bred to beef. Altogether, that equates to 58% sexed semen use along with a 52% sexed semen conception rate.

The dairy excels in reproduction with a 37% pregnancy rate, 53.9% pregnant at first service and 80% bred by 150 days in milk (DIM). The breeding protocol includes an 80 DIM

“It has taken a team to get where we are repro-wise,” explains Lindsey Geddes, GENEX Reproductive Program Senior Technician who provides the breeding service. “From

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the healthy happy cows to the owners, employees, nutritionist John Binversie with Quality Liquid Feeds, veterinarian Tim Bruns, and the GENEX team, including reproductive consultant Adam Koppes; sales manager Scott Schultz; and relief technician Charles Hookstead, it’s a team effort.” Dan says he enjoys working with GENEX because of the bull lineup (particularly the positive DPR Jersey sires) and because he can trust GENEX representatives to have the dairy’s best interest at heart. “Lindsey and Scott take great care of us and our herd! Lindsey is the best! Her personality is bigger than even the Jerseys, and she does an amazing job of knowing the herd and not missing a thing. I never have to think about whether the job is done right. It always is.” Three years ago, the dairy’s reproduction program changed after Dan put in the SCR system with activity and rumination monitoring collars. He wanted the system specifically for health monitoring for the pre- and post-fresh cows and wasn’t certain it would do a better job at heat detection than tail chalk. “However, after two weeks, we let the collars do the work and our conception rate improved soon after,” notes Dan. “Our preg rate has gone up by 10 points, all while cutting hormone use to near zero and significantly increasing the use of sexed semen.” Lindsey explains that at first, she too was worried about relying fully on the collars but soon learned to love the system as well. Dan adds, “We don’t miss heats like before. The system is great at detecting estrus and showing how strong a heat is. It has forced us to wait a bit longer before breeding, knowing the optimal time to breed. In addition to helping improve reproductive performance, it has helped keep the herd healthy and minimize lameness too.” 

500-2,000 Cows Category

Maple Ridge Dairy Stratford, Wisconsin It’s the power of consistency. At Maple Ridge Dairy, consistent protocols, consistent care and a consistent team leads to consistent success. That success, for example, came in 2018 when herdsperson Jami Schultze was named the grand prize winner of the Boehringer Ingelheim Producers for Progress recognition program. The program recognizes dairy producers for their commitment to animal well-being, consumers and the industry through the judicious use of antibiotics.

Of course, more important than the award is the reproduction numbers achieved and how they impact farm profitability. For 2018, the dairy averaged a 36% pregnancy rate on cows with 86% pregnant by 150 days in milk. For much of the year, those numbers were achieved while breeding the top 25% of first lactation cows with one service of GenChoice™ sexed semen and breeding the bottom half of cows to beef semen. Towards the end of the year, the breeding strategy was adjusted so the top 65% of first lactation cows receive one service of sexed semen and then roughly the bottom 70% of cows are bred to beef semen. Cows are ranked by Ideal Commercial Cow™

(ICC$™) index parent average through the GENEX Sort‑Gate program. SM

The dairy has been consistent in genetic selection on the sire side too. For years, they’ve focused on creating an efficient cow – not too tall and not too short. They’ve also targeted traits such as components, Daughter Pregnancy Rate and Somatic Cell Score. Sire Conception Rate is considered as well. Back to consistency, it’s taken good cow care and attention to detail to achieve an average somatic cell count of 98,000 and strong energycorrected milk values. It’s taken the same effort to develop an excellent transition cow program where cows are in a negative energy balance for as little time as possible. Owner Brian Forrest comments, “It’s not our facilities or technologies that make us successful; it is the people and their dedication to compliance.” It’s the consistency.  Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction Platinum Award Winner

Jami’s statement following the award announcement demonstrates the level of consistent care provided on the dairy: “We treat cows as individuals and believe that every cow deserves a diagnosis. Our veterinarian regularly reviews our mastitis cases and protocols to make sure we’re up to date and giving the best treatment. When we do treat, we make sure to do it responsibly by using the proper antibiotic, dose and duration.”

That means compliance to their synchronization protocol – a Presynch/Ovsynch program with an added prostaglandin shot. It also means consistency by the GENEX team that walks and chalks in six breeding pens daily.

The dairy’s success also comes in the form of back-to-back Platinum recognition for the GENEX Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction Awards. The same level of consistency and attention to detail that is applied to antibiotic use is also applied in their reproduction program. “We stick to the protocols,” notes Jami. “Compliance is very important to us. We try to get as close to 100% compliance as possible.” Consistency is key for the team at Maple Ridge Dairy, which includes Brian Forrest, Michael Martin, Jami Schultze and Ken Hein. HORIZONS

2000+ Cows Category

Omro Dairy Omro, Wisconsin Omro Dairy has been honored with a platinum recognition in the GENEX Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction Awards contest. This is not surprising, as the team at the dairy is always striving to improve. Omro Dairy joined the Milk Source family of farms in 1999. In recent years, several changes and transformations have taken place on the farm. First, it has been transformed from a Holstein herd to a complete Jersey herd. In early 2017, they also transitioned

from a Pre-Synch program with a 50‑day voluntary waiting period and “cherry‑picking” to a Double Ovsynch program with a 60-day voluntary waiting period for first service. The team at Omro has made the transition from conventional semen to entirely sexed or beef semen as well. Altogether, the team is achieving over 83% of the herd pregnant by 150 days in milk, keeping this Jersey herd under 165 days in milk on average. There are very few fresh cow illnesses or culls, which is also an important

factor in outstanding reproduction. Once confirmed pregnant, only 6% have an abort event. Heat detection is a key component of the reproductive program after first service, with about half of the cows becoming pregnant to standing heat breedings after first service. Calm and quiet cattle handling is important to this team as well, and it is evident in the demeanor of the Jerseys as they play with their tongues and lounge in their sand beds. There is not a seasonal difference in conception either. With curtain sidewalls, fans and sprinklers, cows are kept comfortable year-round. The breeding team at Omro Dairy certainly takes pride in their work. Every six to eight weeks, GENEX staff perform an A.I. AccuCheck to ensure there is no protocol drift in heat detection, semen handling or insemination technique. Proper functioning and cleanliness of equipment is also inspected. SM

Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction Platinum Award Winner

While other things on the farm may change, the dedicated breeding team remains consistent. Only one new member has joined the team, and all team members help provide encouragement and training for the ultimate success of the program. 

GENEX representatives Carlos Marin (far left) and Kim Egan (far right) presented the Omro Dairy team of Victor Montoya, Carlos Zelada, Jorge Montoya and John Vosters with their platinum recognition plaque.

HORIZONS

Heifers Category

Plymouth Dairy Farms, Inc. LeMars, Iowa Plymouth Dairy Farms, Inc. is not a newcomer to the GENEX Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction Awards. The dairy earned the Platinum award for the >2,000 cows category last year (and a gold rating the year before). This year they’ve taken home the Platinum award in the heifers category. That’s some all-round good management! Plymouth Dairy, owned by the Feuerholm family, was founded in 1999 with the first cows milked in August 2000. Over the years, the dairy has expanded to about 3,500 head. The growth, expansion and strong reproduction program are the result of teamwork, with Plymouth Dairy and GENEX sharing a strong and lasting relationship.

“Success is due to quality heifers, good nutrition, and technicians with a drive to do well.”

The dairy's breeding-age heifers are raised offsite, at a nearby facility in Nebraska. A main component of the reproduction success for the heifers is the technician team. They perform professional, high-level heat detection and breeding service day after day. Another driver of success is the nutrition and health of the animals. Heifers that are in a positive energy balance are the engine that run the show. Paired with quality genetics from GENEX sires that emphasize health and fertility, it is no wonder the dairy earned the award! “It’s that simple,” explains Chris McGuire of Plymouth Dairy. “Success is due to quality heifers, good nutrition and technicians with a drive to do well.” What does the award-winning reproduction program look like? Heifers are eligible to breed at 385 days or 12.5 months of age. If a heifer has strong heat expression, then GenChoice™ sexed semen is used on the first two heats. With this strategy, close to 75% of services are to sexed semen. The other 25% is to conventional dairy semen. If a heifer does not show a heat by 405 days or 13.25 months of age, she is checked by a vet and either receives progesterone or an Eazi-Breed™ CIDR®. A heifer gets four services before a culling decision is made. Excellence in Genetics & Reproduction Platinum Award Winner

Combine the excellent genetic and reproduction results along with a knowledgeable and motivated team and an overall focus on employee safety and satisfaction, and you have Plymouth Dairy.  Key members of the team at the Plymouth Dairy heifer facility include (left to right) Paige Browning, Andy Nelsen and Chris McGuire.

HORIZONS

Genex Cooperative PO Box 469 Shawano, WI 54166 Phone 888.333.1783

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID Columbus, WI Permit No. 73

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