Selections | Spring 2023

SELECTIONS

SPRING 2023 IN THIS ISSUE

PEOPLE FIRST

David C. Thorbahn, President and CEO

Select Sires is many things to many people. We are the global leader for genetics and reproductive consultation. We are a cooperative, owned by our customers and governed by a board of farmer directors. We are a bull stud that acquires and develops genetic giants used in your herds to create highproducing, efficient and healthy cows. We are researchers and innovators. We develop technology and tools to enhance your success. We are all these things and more, but to me, Select Sires is the product of our people. The most highly trained and successdriven professionals in the industry call our cooperative home.

The secret to Select Sires’ storied success is our people. These people have a strong passion for the agricultural industry and are proud of the work they do and the farmers they serve. For more than 50 years, our culture of passion and dedication has made Select Sires a special place to work.

Proud to be people first

In April, Select Sires held the annual Trusted Advisor Conference in California, hosted by All West/Select Sires. This conference is designed for our consultants to learn from industry experts, better understand customer needs from producer panels and sharpen their skills with farm analysis competitions. We also recognize our very best consultants with awards for outstanding service and unmatched expertise. Congratulations to Carla Stetzer, Tim Hyde, Bekah Meller and Scott Hecker for winning these prestigious honors. You can learn more about these team members at selectsires.com/discover.

Each role within our cooperative is paramount to our success. While you might be most familiar with your local consultant or professional A.I. technician, Select Sires employs a host of different talents. There are many people that work in more behind-the-scenes types of roles, from livestock technicians to IT developers, but they are all working on behalf of you, our farmer-owners. These team members collaborate to develop genetic and reproductive tools.

Tools developed with you in mind

The Select Sires toolbox is immensely important to help herds determine, implement and achieve goals. In addition to new tools, our teams are routinely updating and modifying existing tools to provide you with the best service, including the incorporation of calf recumbency results into our Select Mating Service® (SMS®) program. You can learn more about this on page 3. This edition of Selections includes a variety of tools that can provide benefits to your herd. Improve your chances of a pregnancy during heat stress by looking for sires with high fertility designations found on page 7. Leverage the Herd Health Profit Dollars™ (HHP$™) index to create healthier cows and a more sustainable herd on page 8. Learn how Select Sires’ consultants can analyze your data with proprietary software and uncover significant profit potential on page 10. Above all else, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local Select Sires consultant to help you reach your genetic and reproductive goals. u

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CALF RECUMBENCY 4

What is it?

Calf recumbency is a new genetic defect in Holstein cattle discovered by researchers at Penn State University and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. At this time in the discovery process, researchers believe that the condition is caused by a mutation in the gene that helps develop calcium channels in skeletal muscle. The mutation slows the flow of calcium into muscle cells during muscle contraction.

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What does it look like?

Affected calves are unable to stand but otherwise appear healthy.

What sires are affected?

The Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, Holstein Association USA, Inc., and the National Association of Animal Breeders are working to establish a national database to access test results for A.I. sires. Since the announcement, Select Sires has been aggressively testing all sires. Results for Select Sires bulls can be found by scanning the QR code.

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What are my options to manage it?

Select Sires has the tools and expertise to help manage the impact of calf recumbency without sacrificing genetic progress or backing away from your herd improvement goals.

In early May, Select Sires announced that calf recumbency test results have been incorporated into the Select Mating Service ® (SMS ®) program for sires in the Select Sires lineups. Other bulls will be added as results become available.

Genetic conditions of economic loss are not new to our industry. Reacting to this new condition in a responsible way will provide superior genetic advancement while minimizing the long-term economic effects.

Public testing is readily available with Genetic Visions, Feanix Bio and Neogen and more labs will soon also perform this service. Holstein breeders should consider testing their most valuable females for this condition. If females are not tested, making strategic decisions about all matings based on known sire pedigree stacks will provide another level of safeguards. These methods will allow the use of carrier sires that have extreme economic values, like those ranking high for the Herd Health Profit Dollars ™ (HHP$ ™) index, to drive more dollars into your genetic portfolio. u

GENETICS ARE SHAPING SUSTAINABILITY

A smaller carbon footprint and greater milk components are both possible with HHP$. Did you know genetic progress equals greater sustainability? Select Sires’ Herd Health Profit Dollars™ (HHP$™) index is designed to lower your dairy’s carbon footprint. From feed efficiency and increased components to disease resistance, fertility and beyond – sires that excel for HHP$ can improve sustainability while cultivating more profit.

DIFFERENT CULTURES, COMMON GOAL

Rick Ellerbrock, Eastern Training Service Program Manager, Select Sires Inc.

In fall of 2022, I was approached by Dr. Gabrielle Young and Dr. Patrick Craig from Nutramix, a Select Sires distributor in Jamaica, about doing some A.I. training. We settled on the end of January for the three-day session with 15 students.

Training the trainers

Among this class of individuals, a few were farm employees, however the majority were from government and university entities taking the class in order to grow their knowledge and skills of reproductive management through cattle artificial insemination. During the three-day course we went over anatomy and physiology, A.I. technique, semen handling, estrus synchronization and heat detection. They then planned to return to their parishes, communities, or educational institutions to serve as teachers for other farmers and students. In a sense, the goal was to equip these students with the necessary expertise that would enable them to work in a similar fashion to university extension offices in the U.S. – as a key resource for information, education and training.

It goes without saying that Jamaica, being an island, is heavily dependent on importation of food. Nutramix, along with different government and university partners, have set the important goal of helping the agricultural community improve production efficiency, lessening the island’s dependence on imports and building food security for the Jamaican people. With this goal in mind, it becomes imperative that genetic and reproductive management improve as it directly

Learning about the culture

I didn’t see the typical corn, beans and wheat rotation in the fields, but rather pastures and grazing cows. We visited several dairies while on the island. Most of the dairies milked Jamaican Hope cows. These cattle look very similar to the Jersey breed but were developed to be better acclimated to the island’s climate. Many Jamaican dairies utilize these island-bred genetics. The expected daily milk yield for a Jamaican Hope cow is around 8 liters, or 2.11 gallons, per day on grass. Nutramix put together a technical team, similar to Select Sires’ Select Reproductive Solutions ® (SRS ®) teams, that works with dairy farmers to improve management and genetics. Between the Select Sires genetics and the Nutramix team we should expect to see significant improvement in production over the coming years.

Trips like these tend to put a lot into perspective. Food insecurity is an issue facing many regions around the globe. We might take common dairy management practices for granted, but in many parts of the world, this is new information. It is a humbling experience to share this knowledge through such training opportunities. Select Sires is grateful to work with international partners, including Nutramix, to equip families with the genetics, services and knowledge to feed their communities. u

IT BEGINS WITH THE BULL

Mel DeJarnette, Vice President of Research and Quality Control, Select Sires Inc. Bo Harstine, Ph.D., Director of Research, Select Sires Inc.

There are dozens of variables—related to both the bull and the heifer or cow—that influence fertility. As we approach warmer weather or consider cattle in different climates, managing heat stress and its adverse effects on pregnancy rates becomes a “hot” topic. To improve the likelihood of pregnancy success, Select Sires identifies sires with the best fertility potential based on several data sources, but there’s a lot that transpires behind the scenes for bulls to earn that recognition.

Health, nutrition, comfort and care

Quality semen starts with a healthy sire. Sire health begins at birth on the farm of origin and continues with optimized care upon arrival at Select Sires’ state-of-the-art calf rearing facilities. Before entering the resident herd for semen production, calves must pass extensive Certified Semen Services (CSS) health testing requirements to ensure semen is safe and disease-free for use in artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization scenarios. Throughout their life, sires will continue to undergo semi-annual health testing that goes far beyond the minimum CSS requirements for the industry.

There is limited research regarding sire nutrition for optimum semen production, although meeting baseline nutritional requirements and avoiding toxin exposure via feedstuffs has huge implications on bull health and subsequent semen production and quality. Over-conditioned sires often have semen quality issues, and some common feed ingredients for dairy cow rations can have a negative impact on semen quality. Bulls can be highly sensitive to feed toxins, mycotoxins or other components found in feeds. Select Sires’ bull nutrition team has decades of trial-anderror experience learning what to do, and what not to do, when feeding sires for optimum semen production.

Dairy producers around the world know the important relationship between cow comfort and productivity. Sires are no different. Stall design, bedding type and frequency as well as ventilation are all important considerations. Many of Select Sires’ barns are air conditioned to maintain sire comfort and semen production through the summer months.

Each year, Select Sires’ facilities and sire handling procedures in Ohio and Wisconsin are reviewed by Validus, a third-party animal welfare auditing organization. Select Sires has earned a perfect score at both facilities for many years.

Sire selection

Once the health, nutrition and care of these genetic giants have been ensured, our teams will still objectively evaluate each bulls’ semen quality and field fertility closely. Select Sires critically scrutinizes semen quality on each collection of every sire with cutting-edge technologies. Superior fertility potential begins with Select Sires’ proprietary semen extender. Because fertility has always been our priority, we’re not afraid to look at all data and put marginal quality semen where it belongs — in the trash!

Sires that continually produce collections of substandard quality, perhaps due to illness or adverse weather conditions, may be temporarily removed from the collection schedule. Sires will be culled from the program if need be, as well. These procedures ensure only highly fertile semen makes its way to herds and protects profits for farmers.

The best chance

We recognize that semen quality and bull fertility is just one piece of the pregnancy puzzle – but it’s a piece that we, your farmer-owned cooperative, can manage for you. We will continue to prioritize fertility, ensuring that each straw of elite genetics you receive has the highest fertility potential. u

FERTILITY TOOLS

You can be confident that Select Sires delivers the highest-quality semen for your herd. To help simplify breeding decisions and highlight sires with the best fertility, we recommend referring to these three genetic tools: Fertility Index, Elite Sexed Fertility and FertilityPRO.

FERTILITY INDEX

Fertility Index (FI) combines several reproductive components into one overall index: Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR), Heifer Con ception Rate (HCR) and Cow Conception Rate (CCR). By utilizing three measures, FI can provide a more accurate evaluation of daughter fertili ty rather than relying solely on DPR or CCR.

The Elite Sexed Fertility icon designates sires that can help you achieve the highest sex-sorted semen conception rates, enhanc ing the return on your investment! This designation identifies gender SELECTED ™ sires with above average conception performance for sex-sorted semen in both 2M and 4M products.

Elite Sexed Fertility says it all - Achieve the highest sex-sorted semen conception rates, enhancing your return on investment.

Backed by actual field-test data - Sires must have greater than 500 sex-sorted semen inseminations and maintain a two percentage point advantage in conception rate over the average of all their peers.

Stringent requirements safeguard from inferior products - Sires must earn fertility designations based on the performance of each product (conventional, 2M or 4M).

Transparent marketing is a priority - Select Sires was the first in the industry to identify sires that achieve superior fertility in sex-sorted products.

FertilityPRO identifies sires with semen that will likely improve pregnancy rates. This designation is assigned by examining in dustry Sire Conception Rate (SCR) values, along with intensive in-house semen quality evaluations.

Your best chance of a pregnancy - Identifies sires with superior fertility

Considers all possible fertility data sources - Combines extensive laboratory data with actual field fertility data

A tradition of putting fertility first - Select Sires has always placed semen fertility at the top of the priority list. We’re not afraid to look at all data and put marginal performing semen where it belongs — in the trash!

Proprietary extender makes the difference - Superior fertility of all semen products begins with Select Sires’ proprietary semen extender.

FORMULATED TO SUPPORT YOUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.

Genetic progress equates to greater environmental sustainability.

Select Sires’ Herd Health Profit Dollars™ (HHP$™) is the premier index to enhance your dairy’s sustainability. It is designed to create healthier, longer-living cows that reduce your herd turnover while lowering your carbon footprint. Let’s break down the HHP$ index to better understand each component and showcase its ability to improve cow health and improve sustainability without sacrificing genetic merit.

45% Combined Fat and Protein

BOOST COMPONENTS

More pounds of Combined Fat and Protein (CFP) is key to improving sustainability and also equates to more lifetime profit per cow.

16% Cow Health and Calving Ability

LIVE LONGER, LESS HEALTH EVENTS, EASY CALVING

Reduce culling, raise fewer replacements and spend less time and money treating sick cows.

9% Fertility

BREED BACK QUICKLY

Improving pregnancy rate from 19% to 25% reduces total herd methane by 10% and increases profit by $49 per cow per year.

-4% Size, Relative Feed Efficiency

FEED EFFICIENT

Moderate body size and improved feed efficiency means less feed and less water per pound of milk.

15% Mastitis Resistance, Somatic Cell Score

RESIST MASTITIS AND IMPROVE MILK QUALITY

Cows with clinical mastitis have 6% higher carbon footprint per unit of milk.

11% Conformation

CONFORMATION FOR LONGEVITY

Create balanced and robust cows that are easy to milk, easy to manage and built to last.

Did you know Herd Health Profit Dollars is also customized for the Jersey breed? Scan the

to learn more!

Herd Health Profit Dollars Leaders

A better cow for a better future. Emphasis on components, mastitis resistance, udder depth, teat size and placement are a few traits included in HHP$ to help boost your herd’s profitability.

GFORCE™

A MILLION DOLLAR OPPORTUNITY

Kelly Sporer, Ph.D., Records Analysis Consultant, CentralStar Cooperative Inc.

How do you look at new opportunities? Each day, we are faced with a myriad of opportunities, big and small. Sometimes they are easy-to-recognize and other times they are disguised as obstacles. Digging deep, reviewing data and breaking down obstacles in order to create profit-generating opportunities is my passion.

Select Reproductive Solutions® (SRS®) consultants regularly analyze a herd’s reproductive performance from all angles: conception by lactation group, breeding trigger, technician, service sire, and any number of other factors. We know that there are many factors that contribute to a herd’s profitability aside from just pregnancy rate.

Another main area that I like to investigate when analyzing herd data is cows leaving the herd in the first 60 days in milk (DIM). This gives an indication of how well cows are making it through the transition period, which we recognize as a stressful event in the life of the cow – full of changes in group, ration, immunity, uterine and mammary physiology, and more.

Recognizing achievements and pinpointing challenges

I’ll share an example based on a herd that utilizes Select Sires’ genetics and services, including biannual SRS meetings with the nutritionist, herd personnel, CentralStar sales manager, A.I. technician and Select Mating Service® genetic consultant. This herd is doing a lot of things well. They are averaging over 90 pounds of milk per cow at 6.6 pounds Combined Fat and Protein (CFP), a yearly Somatic Cell Count (SCC) average of 109,000 and a 30% 21-day pregnancy rate.

With any herd, there’s opportunity for progress and oftentimes an opportunity to save money or enhance profitability. We analyzed this herd’s data and discovered that 14.1% of cows were leaving the herd in the first 60 DIM, this value did not include dairy culls. Industry benchmarks would recommend this value remain below 6%.

Current replacement costs are estimated at $2,000-$2,500 –meaning these culls are tremendously expensive. First lactation cows haven’t even begun to pay for their rearing costs, nor have mature cows paid for their dry period costs during which they obviously weren’t producing any milk.

Herd records showed that 28% of the cows leaving in the first 60 DIM were, in fact, first lactation cows. The herd has a pretty typical cull rate of approximately 31%, but the vast majority of these culls were occurring involuntarily early in lactation.

Understanding the financial impact

The calculator below shows the estimated cost of this herd’s high losses in those first 60 DIM. Using the current milk price/CWT from a Michigan co-op, current cull cow price from a west Michigan auction yard, dry cow and replacement costs found in recent literature, we put the calculator to work.

Fortunately, this herd values their monthly Dairy Herd Information (DHI) data, so I was able to include Energy-Corrected Milk (ECM) in the calculations. I input the number of cows that were sold and had died from each lactation group, the current 305-day actual ECM

from their records, and Lactation to Date (LTD) ECM to account for any production reclaimed before the cow was culled. It’s also important to note that the herd averages around 60 days dry.

Any revenue from LTD ECM, plus the salvage value of cows sold, was considered and subtracted from the total loss of production plus replacement cost for first lactation cows and dry cow costs for mature cows. When all was said and done, the analysis showed that the herd was losing more than one million dollars per year in these expensive involuntary post-transition culls.

Creating solutions and implementing an action plan

Analyzing data and pinpointing opportunities or challenges is just one part of my job as an SRS consultant. Creating viable solutions and helping herds implement an action plan is the other and perhaps the most critical component of my role.

With this herd, we discussed ways to alleviate overcrowding and improve the environment in the close-up and fresh pens. The SRS and on-farm teams also brainstormed ways to provide the overtaxed herdsman with help to monitor those sensitive pens more frequently.

We also suggested CowManager® as a herd monitoring tool for a constant set of eyes and ears. The herd quickly recognized the value in a herd monitoring system and has since ordered tags for the milking herd. With CowManager installed and other changes on the horizon, fewer cows are expected to leave before recouping their investment costs.

I always enjoy working with herds and helping them achieve their genetic and reproductive goals. There are so many metrics to consider when analyzing a dairy’s profitability and there are many times when it isn’t the obvious rates like pregnancy or conception that cost herds the most money. Contact your local SRS consultant to review your dairy’s records, identify opportunities and help you create a strategy that brings more profit to your operation. u

The author would like to acknowledge fellow SRS consultant Emily Middleton, regional consulting manager, CentralStar Cooperative Inc., for building the original version of the calculator featured in this article

DON’T SWEAT HEAT STRESS

“Seeing is believing!” said Glen Sachtlebach, sales representative, Select Sires MidAmerica. “Bovine Accellyte II will give an almost instant return on your investment. Within days, milk loss is about 50% less than before and cows are visibly more comfortable. Respiration rates are lower, intakes are up and cows are active and showing heats. My customers have been extremely satisfied with their results and will definitely be using Bovine Accellyte II again this summer!”

With summer heat approaching, maintaining reproduction, production and growth is vital to profitability. Keep in mind that not all heat stress management has to involve fans and misters. Fight back against heat stress from the inside this summer.

High temperatures can result in large economic losses due to decreased production and compromised reproduction rates. Heat stress can also negatively affect the Immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration of colostrum, reducing quality.

Electrolytes play essential roles in metabolism due to their contribution to the osmotic balance, and integrity of mechanisms that regulate the transport of nutrients across the cell. Cells need to be hydrated and have proper balance to function well. Bovine Accellyte II is your electrolyte solution to combat losses due to dehydration.

Formulated to restore electrolyte balance and promote cell hydration, Bovine Accellyte II can be utilized as a pre-hydration tactic before stress or to rehydrate after stress. Its advanced technology cools cattle from the inside, providing electrolytes, sugar for energy, vitamins and minerals for recovery, and Betaine to support gut integrity.

Bovine Accelyte II can be applied in multiple situations through top dress, mixed into a total mixed ration (TMR) or added to water. Its flexibility allows for daily consumption for extended periods of time, such as throughout the entire summer or leading up to an anticipated or planned event.

According to Sachtlebach, his customers that fed Bovine Accellyte II last summer saw an average loss of 3-4 pounds per cow during hot periods. In comparison, the customers that were not feeding it lost 10-20 pounds of milk per cow.

“The results were instant through visual cues: cows showing more heats, milk production increasing. Once someone goes on Bovine Accellyte II, they never want to get off it,” said Sachtlebach. “Veterinary clinics that do herd checks in my area have noticed how much better the cows look and are performing, so they also recommend the product to other herds.”

“Some customers put Bovine Accellyte II in their mixes at the mill at one ounce. They will also keep some on the farm to have on hand when the heat index rises to increase the dose to two ounces. Many followed this practice last year and thought it was well worth it,” said Sachtlebach.

Combatting heat stress is not just about drinking more water. We must help cattle retain the water and keep cells hydrated for proper electrolyte balance. Don’t sweat heat stress. Let Bovine Accellyte II aid you during the hot summer months. u

YOUNG STOCK SOLUTIONS

Don’t forget to look out for your young stock this summer. Calf Accellyte and Accel RS are available to help young stock fight back against heat stress and dehydration this summer.

CALF ACCELLYTE

• Source of energy and electrolytes

• Restores proper fluid balance

• Improves electrolyte and water absorption

• Can be fed for an extended period of time

ACCEL RS

• Restores gut health

• Re-energizes the body

• Recolonizes the digestive tract

• Rehydrates their system

BxD: TRAITS THAT MATTER MOST

Dairy farmers are most familiar with the traits and indexes for dairy sires. As more dairies invest in the beef x dairy (BxD) market and begin to tailor their programs to create the best calves for the market, understanding beef genetics, and how they meet the unique needs of your aligned buyers, is important. Expected Progeny Difference, more commonly referred to as EPDs, are equivalent to Predicted Transmitting Ability, or PTAs, in the dairy sire world. While some traits may appear to be similar in the way they are named, EPDs can be presented much differently for beef cattle, plus there are various considerations throughout the beef calf’s life that affect your breeding decisions.

THE CALVING EASE CONUNDRUM

We know a smooth transition period is key to maximizing milk in the next lactation. We will always make considerations for Calving Ease when selecting sires for the beef x dairy lineup. At the same time, we need to be cognizant of our partner calf buyer needs. There are challenges with the calves they call ‘itty bitties’ – the smallest of calves that tend to have higher mortality rates, or are poor performers at the very least. We can avoid creating these calves and still maintain smooth transitions by focusing on the appropriate Calving Ease EPDs.

Remember, a higher EPD for Calving Ease is better in the beef world! This is different than dairy PTAs, where Sire Calving Ease is expressed oppositely – percentage of difficult births – and therefore lower is better. Also worth noting is that we don’t need to select for extremely low Birth Weight when we know that the Calving Ease EPD accounts for both recorded birth weights and recorded calving ease scores, and therefore is a better reflection of calving ease.

You may find that some sires meant for maternal needs in our native beef x beef market meet your customers’ Calving Ease expectations. But, they are meant to make mama cows, and not to produce impressive carcasses. ProfitSOURCE sires bring the best of both worlds and are specially selected to strongly represent our program, from dairy to packer! Our current Angus lineup averages in the top third of the breed for Calving Ease while still bringing terminal power, for peace of mind in the maternity pen and beyond.

GENETICS AND THE MARKET

When it comes to the rail, quality is king right now. Quality Grade spreads at the packers are higher than ever, particularly between Choice and Select. Branded beef programs continue to desire more carcasses grading Prime due to surprisingly high and consistent consumer demand for high-quality beef. How can we influence quality grades at the beginning of the supply chain?

The Marbling EPD is the most heritable of all the carcass traits, meaning we can influence performance heavily just by selecting for the trait. Compared to available beef x dairy lineups, the ProfitSOURCE Angus sire lineup leads the competition in average Marbling EPD. Traceability of ProfitSOURCE animals from birth to rail has already begun to show us that this selection is paying off, with over 90% of lots reaching Choice or higher. This has been impressing folks up and down the supply chain and will create a consistent and increased demand for ProfitSOURCE program calves.

The ProfitSOURCE sire lineup is specially selected for a reason. Whether marketing through a partner program or selling locally, these tagged BxD calves are a reflection of these genetics. Ultimately, we must acknowledge that our beef value chain partners have unique wish lists for what genetic profile is most valuable to them. We can guide sire selection to align with their needs and help you create the desired calf - a calf that returns the most profit to your operation. u

Lauren Kimble, Manager of ProfitSOURCE® and Low Carbon Technologies Supply Chains, Select Sires Inc.

partners

ProfitSOURCE offers many options for marketing your beef x dairy offspring. Calf ranches, feedlots and packers interested in source-verified, high-quality ProfitSOURCE calves have established partnerships with Select Sires. ProfitSOURCE partners may vary depending on geography, size of dairies, ownership arrangements, breed preferences, genetic criteria and end-product targets. Prefer to feed out your cattle and market to a processor at finish? That’s an option too. Ask your Select Sires representative what might be the best fit for your operation.

Regional ProfitSOURCE Partners

Reach out to your Select Sires representative for a contact in your area.

TD Beef

Power Genetics

Superior Wagyu

Day-Old Calves

Sires

ProfitSOURCE offers maximum flexibility through the availability of ProfitSOURCE sires to fit your local marketing needs, or through specially selected sires designed to meet the needs of both your dairy and our regional partners. Reach out to your representative to learn more about local partners, or for information about other marketing streams including popular video auctions.

TD Beef’s exclusive partnership with Select Sires requires the use of elite terminal bulls selected for their program. Access to the program is contingent upon calf pickup logistics. Producers will be offered a premium for day-old calves, but must agree to utilize Select Sires for all their beef and dairy genetic inputs.

GeneNet offers direct grid access to producers raising their ProfitSOURCE cattle to finish.

Power Genetics is acquiring calves from dairies utilizing qualified SimAngus™ sires to breed purebred Holstein cows. They transport them to calf ranches, on to Power Genetics’ feed yards and ultimately to Cargill Meat Solutions.

Superior Wagyu is currently available in select regions and offers a unique opportunity for purebred Jersey herds to produce a quality, traceable and highly demanded product using elite Select Sires Wagyu semen. Check with your representative regarding availability in your region.

SimVitro® HerdFlex® embryos are a new approach to generating high performance beef calves. With this IVF solution, you can get full-beef calves that have calving ease and deliver value through improved feed efficiency, rate of gain, ribeye area and marbling.

Dairy Direct through Friona Industries is a marketing avenue for dairies interested in raising their ProfitSOURCE crossbreds to a higher weight as a direct-to-feeder marketing option. This option also presents a great opportunity for herds interested in HerdFlex embryos.

S ELECTIONS

11740 US 42 NORTH • PLAIN CITY • OHIO • 43064-0143

For more information, visit www.selectsires.com or call (614) 873-4683.

Product of the USA.

All gender SELECTED™ semen is processed using Ultraplus™ technology. Limitations and Conditions of Sale: gender SELECTED semen shall be used only for the single insemination of one female bovine during natural ovulation with the intent to produce single offspring unless specifically approved on an individual customer basis by Sexing Technologies in writing. As a condition of purchasing gender SELECTED semen, the purchaser agrees that gender SELECTED semen will not be reverse sorted or re-sorted unless specifically permitted, in advance, on a case-by-case basis by Select Sires in writing. Select Sires intends to monitor the use of the gender SELECTED semen and vigorously enforce these restrictions on use. Please see http://www. selectsires.com/designations/genderselected.html for additional details.

™Herd Health Profit Dollars, HHP$, GForce and gender SELECTED are trademarks of Select Sires Inc. Ultraplus is a trademark of STGen LLC. SimAngus is a trademark of the American Simmental Association. ®NxGEN, GeneNet, FertilityPRO, ProfitSOURCE, Select Mating Service, SMS, Select Reproductive Solutions, SRS and Your Success Our Passion. are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc. Dairy Wellness Profit Index and DWP$ are registered trademarks of Zoetis Inc., its affiliates and/or its licensors. CowManager is a registered trademark of Agis Automatisering. Total Performance Index (TPI) is a registered trademark of Holstein Association USA. SimVitro and HerdFlex are registered trademarks of the J.R. Simplot Company. All rights reserved. Buyer assumes all responsibility for use, storage and handling of herd management products. All claims, representations, and warranties, expressed or implied, are made only by the company responsible for manufacturing and not by Select Sires Inc., its member cooperatives, its agents or employees. 04/23 CDCB/HAUSA Genomic Evaluations. All bulls listed in this issue qualify for semen export to Canada.

KELSO, HAYWARD, BAMBAM, FRAMPTON and BOATSHOW are carriers for calf recumbency. Photo support by Farmgirl Photography, Herdmark Media and Peyton Goff. 7 and 507 = Select Sires, 14 = Accelerated Genetics, 250 = GenerVations

Rebekah Mast, Vice President of Global Talent Development, Select Sires Inc. and World Wide Sires Ltd.

Curiosity is one of my core values. I enjoy asking questions that lead to a greater understanding of people, processes and cultures. When I was a child, I regularly asked: “But why?” In college, my classes rarely ended early, much to the disappointment of my classmates. There was always another question to ask or information to better understand. As an adult, I have continued to ask questions and make connections, traveling in more than 45 countries during the past 11 years on behalf of Select Sires and World Wide Sires. Staying curious has allowed me to appreciate different perspectives as I learn from and build relationships with people around the world.

When I started my first job as an intern for an A.I. company, my dad challenged me to learn something from each herd I visited that we could apply to our dairy – even if it was learning something not to do! This objective fueled my natural propensity for asking questions and I’ve come to realize that often, different ways of doing things are not necessarily right or wrong, they are just different. As I observe different ways of approaching life, I find myself asking: “What if I was faced with this situation?” “What if I tried doing this process a new way?” “What if there are possibilities and solutions outside of my traditional way of approaching this?”

As an industry that impacts every part of the world, we can learn much from our shared experiences and perhaps be better prepared for the future by asking: “What if…” and being equipped with potential solutions. In the next few issues of Selections, I will be sharing a “What if…” scenario with you and providing some helpful insights to best prepare your herd for the future. For this first example, I’d like to share about current phosphate regulations that are impacting dairy producers in the Netherlands.

What if… you were suddenly required to reduce phosphate levels on your farm?

Would you be in the position to sell the majority of your replacements, reduce your cull rate to 20%, and maintain your current level of production? Regardless of whether you are ever faced with such extreme regulations, considering and implementing solutions for these “what if” dilemmas can help you develop a more sustainable herd. While focusing on health and longevity has become a necessity for Dutch producers, every operation can benefit from having a higher percentage of healthy, mature, high-producing cows in the herd. Using a health focused selection index, such as Herd Health Profit Dollars™ (HHP$™) or Dairy Wellness Profit Dollars® (DWP$®), in the development of the next generation can improve the sustainability and resilience of your operation.

To enhance the productivity and profitability of dairy and beef producers, Select Sires is committed to be the premier provider of highly fertile, superior genetics accompanied by effective reproductive- and herdmanagement products and services