Summer 2020 Selections

Page 1

SELECTIONS IN THIS ISSUE

4

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MASTITIS RESISTANT GENETICS

7

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ACTIVITY MONITORING IMPACT

12

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DRIVING JERSEY GENETICS

14

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NEW BEEF-ON-DAIRY INITIATIVES

SUMMER 2020


TOGETHER, WE WILL SURVIVE AND THRIVE David C. Thorbahn, president and C.E.O.

Recent events have challenged me to shift my perspective and engage in some reflective thoughts. With family at the front of my mind, I stepped back in time to 1925, the year my father was born, and a few years prior to the Great Depression of the United States. At the time, my grandfather milked cows with a large family, and with hard work and faith, they survived some of our nation’s toughest times. As a sophomore, my father had to drop out of school to run the family farm and watch as his father and older brother left to serve in the military. When WWII ended, and both his father and brother returned safely, my father had developed a passion for this industry. He then joined his uncle as a partner on a nearby dairy. Together, they survived more tough times and technological change. Back to the present and the brutal decade of bad prices for dairy farmers and cow calf producers. Today, we face the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the public health crisis, our nation is plagued with economic uncertainty and market restrictions. I cannot adequately express my sincere empathy for the difficulty that each of you face as this market halt damages milk, butter, cheese and beef prices. As we know, there is no way to push pause in agriculture. You continue to work to provide for your family and your farm. It is often said that “farmers feed the world,” but I am sure that sentiment has felt hollow. With household supplies running low and food shelves quickly clearing, our nation is once again recognizing the honest and valuable efforts of farmers. Additionally, your work has been identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as significant and necessary for the security of our country. As an essential part of agricultural business, your cooperative continues to serve you and support our team members. Select Sires values employees and our leadership has established measures to maintain the health of staff and their families. Field and sales force continue to provide services and deliver products in a way that you prescribe. Office staff are primarily working from home, while our animal care professionals, laboratory and packaging teams continue to operate safely on site. Staff with concerns or compromised health are not required to report to work. We are proud that our team continues to answer the call and provide you with the highest quality products and technical assistance to help you and your business navigate through these challenging times. When I reflect on the stories of previous generations, I recognize many practical and timely lessons. Family, friends, faith and hard work are essential components to surviving and thriving during these times. Just as the generations before, we will survive. Your farmer-owned cooperative will continue to partner with you through this difficult time and to the brighter days ahead. u

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BUILT ON FIVE PILLARS DRIVEN BY YOUR GOALS FOCUSED ON YOUR FUTURE CUSTOMIZED FOR YOUR OPERATION INCREASED GENETIC VALUE SUPPORTED WITH TRUSTED SERVICE


ONE YEAR REVIEW It has been one year since NxGEN membership was launched to Select Sires’ customer-owners. In just 365 days, the program has expanded the sire offering and experienced tremendous growth around the globe. As of June 1, 2020, 14 sires are marked as exclusive NxGEN sires and available to member herds. NxGEN membership is approaching 400 members in North America and marketing agreements around the globe are gaining momentum. The NxGEN structure was a true collaboration among Select Sires’ board of directors, grassroots cooperative members and customerowners. The primary purpose of the program was to offer unprecedented genetic access.

NxGEN membership is designed for all dairy producers. Creating sires or restricting genetic progress is not the target goal. The ultimate objective is to extend elite genetic access that would not otherwise be available. “Through the NxGEN program, Select Sires can place bulls into the market at a younger age and offer more opportunities for dairies to take advantage of shorter generation intervals,” explains Jordan Siemers, dairy sire analyst. “As time goes on, this generation interval compounds when multiple generations of NxGEN sires are used successively. In essence, this is what the seed stock herds have done for years, and NxGEN allows all herds to benefit from this advantage.” u

PRODUCER FEEDBACK Corey Zonneveld Located in Laton, Calif., the Zonneveld Dairy herds total 8,500 Holsteins across six facilities. The operation’s breeding goals center on profitable and efficient genetics that include high component percentages and superior pedigrees. As a member of NxGEN, Zonneveld says, “I’m not interested in using NxGEN genetics to create sires for stud, if that were to happen, it would be a nice bonus. Instead, I like that through NxGEN, I can get elite bulls at a fair price and improve the genetics in my herd.”

GOING GLOBAL

Argentina | Australia | Brazil Germany | Italy | Belgium Netherlands | Portugal South Africa | Spain Switzerland | The United Kingdom

For more information about NxGEN, or to apply for a membership, visit www.selectsires.com/NxGEN today!

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More profit per cow is a universal goal, achievable through a myriad of strategies and steps. As herd turnover levels decline, cows with superior resistance to disease will be critical to your success. With dairy wellness research on the rise, there are valuable opportunities to hone in on milk quality and mastitis resistance. Reducing somatic cell count and mastitis events increases milk production per cow, lengthens herd life and works in tandem with new herd turnover recommendations - all leading to more profit per cow. Don’t get caught in the dark without a plan to combat mastitis in your herd. Tools at your service There are three sources of information pertaining to mastitis in dairy cattle evaluations: Somatic Cell Score (SCS), CDCB Mastitis Resistance (MAST) and Zoetis Mastitis Resistance (Z MAST). In your genetic selection, look for sires with low SCS and high CDCB MAST and Zoetis Mastitis Resistance. When all three traits give the same signal, you can use those sires with confidence and reduce incidences of mastitis. In herds with Somatic Cell Count (SCC) and mastitis records, you can see the economic impact of these traits. The quartile analysis graphs on page 5 represent a 3,500-cow dairy in the U.S. Based on genomic data, Figure 1 shows that cows with lower genetic values for SCS are more than two times lower for average SCC and suffer fewer cases of mastitis than cows in the highest quartile for genomic SCS. When you factor in the cost of mastitis at $444* per cow, you can compare the savings for the lowest and highest quartile. The following audit summaries represent an average 2.74 GSCS in the lowest quartile and 3.09 GSCS in the highest quartile.

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FIRST LACTATION COWS: LOWEST QRTL 65 Cows with a Mastitis Event Total Cost = $28,860

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FIRST LACTATION COWS: HIGHEST QRTL 118 Mastitis Events Total Cost = $52,392

Figure 2 references CDCB Mastitis data and shows that cows with higher genetic levels for this mastitis resistance trait are more than twice as low in average SCC. These cows exhibit fewer cases of mastitis than the cows in the lowest quartile for genomic CDCB Mastitis. Using $444 per cow, we can compare the economic impact of CDCB MAST for the lowest and highest quartile. In this audit summary, the lowest quartile averages -0.8 for GMAST and the highest quartile averages +2.4. u

FIRST LACTATION COWS: LOWEST QRTL 135 Cows with a Mastitis Event Total Cost = $59,940

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FIRST LACTATION COWS: HIGHEST QRTL 44 Cows with a Mastitis Event Total Cost = $19,536

When you compare the mastitis event totals for CDCB GMAST, the difference between the low and high quartiles is even greater than the genetic audit for SCS data. These insights reaffirm the legitimacy of the GMAST trait and show that it is a very effective tool for improving mastitis resistance. Zoetis Mastitis Resistance is the third health and wellness trait tool available to genetically reduce mastitis events. The value is derived from Zoetis CLARIFIDEÂŽ Plus testing and factors into Zoetis wellness indexes. The wellness trait predictions from Zoetis are based on nearly 20 million health events from U.S. commercial dairies.


When it comes to Somatic Cell Score (SCS) and mastitis traits, these sires pack a punch! Improve your mastitis resistance with these genetic tools. SCS

SCS %Rel

Z MAST

Z MAST %Rel

CDCB MAST

MAST %Rel

2.48

99

101

66

1.7

88

2.59

89

105

52

2.2

70

7HO12942 RESOLVE

2.68

89

102

56

1.7

71

7HO12872 TRUMP

2.73

95

109

52

2.4

74

7HO13195 PROFIT

2.75

99

101

90

1.6

95

7HO14194 MOOLA

2.43

78

106

42

3.3

69

14HO14220 RIVETING

2.50

79

105

46

2.7

69

14HO14989 VENICE

2.52

75

109

36

2.3

65

14HO14226 ROME

2.53

79

104

46

1.6

70

2.53

78

108

51

2.5

69

Progeny Proven Sires 7HO12788 FRAZZLED 250HO13531 TOTEM

GForce Sires TM

7HO14455 FREEDOM

Pine-Tree 9839 Fraz 7613-ET (VG-87-VG-MS), FRAZZLED daughter

Let’s talk numbers Surveys from National DHI and National Animal Health Monitoring Service list mastitis as the No. 3 reason for voluntary culling in commercial herds. Mastitis costs U.S. dairy farmers an estimated $2 billion annually. For the global dairy industry, yearly expenses total $19.7 to $30 billion. Treatment of most clinical cases is less than 18 percent of the total cost of the disease. Treatment of clinical mastitis is expensive but the majority of the costs associated with a case of mastitis result from loss of production and other related, subsequent events: u 31% MILK YIELD LOSSES u 24% VETERINARIAN AND DRUGS u 23% PREMATURE CULLING u 18% DISCARDED MILK u 4% EXCESS LABOR DEMAND Extended benefits In addition to the economic benefits of mastitis resistant genetics, there are significant rewards in the consumer space. Consumers care about high-quality milk and they want confidence in the health and safety of dairy products. Udder health is a leading factor in determining milk quality. Genetic strides to reduce mastitis events will improve udder health, increase milk quality, and strengthen consumer trust. u

Figure 1: Mastitis Events by GSCS Quartile

Figure 2: Mastitis Events by CDCB GMAST Quartile

05/20 Zoetis data. CDCB/HA Genomic Evaluation 04/20. All bulls listed on this page qualify for semen export to Canada. FRAZZLED daughter photo by Beth Herges. *Mastitis cost reflects research cited in Preventative Veterinary Medicine, “The cost of clinical mastitis in the first 30 days of lactation: An economic modeling tool.”

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= Elite Sexed Fertility™

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= gender SELECTED™

= FertilityPRO®

= FeedPRO®

= RobotPRO®

Images ©Lea Jordan. 04/20 CDCB / HA GENOMIC REL% Yield 98, SCR 98. Elite Sexed Fertility and gender SELECTED are trademarks of Select Sires Inc. FertilityPRO, FeedPRO and RobotPRO are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc. ®TPI is a registered trademark of Holstein Association USA. All gender SELECTED semen is processed using SexedULTRA™ technology. SexedULTRA is a trademark of Inguran LLC. Product of the U.S.


Jason Huttenga, herdsman and Jason Benthem, co-owner of Benthem Brothers Dairy, McBain, Mich.

LEADS TO ANOTHER

W I T H A C T I V I T Y M O N I T O R I N G AT B E N T H E M B R O T H E R S D A I RY Doug Moyer, director dairy herd information, CentralStar Cooperative

Activity Monitoring Cost/Benefits/Head/Day $1.57

How much different would the past 12 months have been for your dairy if you had an extra $1.57/head/day in revenue? If it’s too early for mental gymnastics I’ll tell you - it would have been a game changer. Would you be interested in learning how to get started down that path? Of course you would. Spoiler alert - like everything else worthwhile you’ve accomplished, it takes investment and work. Benthem Brothers Dairy in McBain, Mich. was an early adopter of electronic activity monitoring, installing Select Detect™ nearly 10 years ago. Their decision was fueled by lack of time, too many synchronization injections and results that did not meet their goals. Skeptics laughed, saying it was a fad and wouldn’t work. A decade later Jason Benthem and his team are the ones smiling.

Since installing an activity monitoring system, Benthem Brothers Dairy has experienced the financial benefit of positive changes in reproductive performance including more calves and reduced semen expense, as well as improved production, and milk quality. Grab a pen and read along to translate the impact these changes could have to your bottom line. Calf Revenue

Savings

Semen Cost

Quality Bonus

$0.06 Revenue

Cost

LEARN MORE ON THE NEXT PAGE 7 u


Impact of increased conception rate on semen costs

In 2009, Benthem Brothers’ herd already enjoyed a 28,000 pound rolling herd average (RHA) with a 150,000 Somatic Cell Count (SCC) on three-times-a-day milking. These are numbers that most dairies would and should be proud of, but herd reproduction told a different story. Stuck at a 20 percent pregnancy rate, 140 days open and a 14-month calving interval, Jason knew they could do better. Fast forward to 2019. Benthem Brothers’ herd averages 70,000 SCC and over 31,000 pounds of milk. Reproduction has skyrocketed to a 32 percent pregnancy rate, while days open has decreased to 109, and calving interval to 12.8 months. Translating the impact those changes can have to the bottom line doesn’t have to be difficult, in fact I think you’ll enjoy it. Grab a pen and follow along by writing down your numbers in the workspace below. Reduced semen costs Moving pregnancy rate from 20 to 32 percent was simple. Breeding more cows, and at the right time, leads to more pregnant cows and improved pregnancy rates. Improving pregnancy rate has major benefits regarding production and culling opportunities, but also saves on semen cost at about 4 cents/head/day. To figure this out, multiply your herd size by 1.5 and add a zero to the result, that’s how much you could save in a year. Go ahead, write it down. Since adopting this technology, the estimated savings on semen cost alone has paid for two-thirds of the investment to date.

Activity System Adoption

Since installing an activity monitoring system in 2010, the impact of improved conception rate at Benthem Brothers has considerably reduced semen expenses. Using a $15/unit blend and a 13-month calving interval it adds up to $198,322.

More calves More calves to sell can mean more revenue for your operation. While the amount of revenue is largely influenced by market conditions and your breeding strategy, having another revenue stream can be a big help. Do you know how many more calves you have every year when you shave 1.2 months off your calving interval like Benthem Brothers did? Multiply your herd size by 8 percent. At reported average prices as high as $125 for beef cross calves, your return could be about 3 cents/head/day. Do your own math. Add a zero to your herd size to find what your annual revenue increase could be. I’d be wrong if I said all of this is the result of an electronic activity monitoring system. But you would be wrong if you

didn’t agree that it played a significant role. With activity monitoring systems, one thing leads to another. What started as small improvements at Benthem Brothers in conception and heat detection quickly blossomed to impact every facet of the dairy. Everything else got easier. Everything else Reducing the herd’s SCC from 150,000 to 70,000 is the result of excellent management, early actionable health alerts, smart culling decisions and great cow health. In 2014, Benthem Brothers’ original activity monitoring system was reaching the end of its lifespan. A decision had to be made to invest again or go back to how it used to be. Going back was not an option. Fortunately, there was new technology available that could also help with herd health.

DO THE MATH Reduced Semen Costs: (Herd Size) _______ x 1.5 = $_________0.00

Total Additional Yearly Revenue $ ____________.00

More Calves: (Herd Size) _________ x 1 = $_________0.00 Milk Quality: (Herd Size) __________ ÷ 2 = $_______00.00 Production: (Herd Size) _________ ÷ 2 = $______000.00

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Change in Rolling Herd Average and Somatic Cell Count

Activity System Adoption

 SCC

RHA

With adoption of an activity monitoring system, milk production has increased 3,300 pounds and SCC has dropped by 80,000. These improvements are the result of many factors including excellent management, healthy cows, good nutrition, good reproduction and early actionable health alerts.

Heat Detection

Activity System Adoption

Jason knew they didn’t want to change batteries or collars. Fortunately, heat detection in the form of an ear tag was available in CowManager®, eliminating those hassles and also offering cow health monitoring. Getting cows bred on time, plus finding and treating cows sooner, equals better transition. Better transition, along with good bedding and good nutrition, equates to a lot of high-quality milk. All things you know, but what’s the real math? Milk quality Improved milk quality can pay significant dividends in the form of quality bonuses. What difference would 20 cents/cwt make at the end of the year? Figure it out by dividing your herd size in half and add two zeros. That is the dollar amount accessing more quality bonuses could have for your dairy. Where you’re starting from will impact what opportunity you have, but it could be as high as 14 cents/head/day. Go ahead, do the math. Production The increase in milk, fat and protein starts with good reproduction, healthy cows and good nutrition. On this dairy it totaled 3,300 more pounds of milk, 72 pounds more fat and 132 pounds more protein. How much could that have helped this past year? Divide your herd size in half and add three zeros. Significant increases in pounds of milk and components can lead to revenue increases of $1.36/head/day. If you’ve followed along you should have some dollar figures scribbled in the section to the left. Add them up and take a minute to consider how that additional revenue might have changed things for your dairy this past year. Admittedly, the math I used was unconventional, but it was intentional. Do the math your own way and I think you’ll find that in the end, we arrive at the same place - electronic activity monitoring is here to stay and can have a significant impact to your bottom line. Whether we are talking about a math exercise or the success of your operation, the key is deciding to start, and to be willing to try something different. Nearly ten years ago, Jason took those steps by leveraging new technology and in doing so, turned long-time challenges into a distant memory. It’s an inspiring story, what will yours be? u

Prior to 2010, Benthem Brothers used synchronization programs for 65 percent of the breedings. Adoption of an activity monitoring system like CowManger has increased heat detection rates, allowing the dairy to dramatically reduce the use of synchronization to less than 15 percent of all breedings. The superior heat detection CowManager provides is the foundation for Benthem Brothers’ reproductive success.

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LET’S TALK BULLS

NM$ is the most popular index for commercial dairies and all ranking tools used for genetic selection are sorted by NM$.

All traits that lengthen cow herd life are critical to sire development. Health and wellness traits are heavily considered, especially mastitis resistance genetics.

Select Sires develops balanced sires without major flaws in the most important genetic traits. Genetically diverse sire lines and cow families are utilized to minimize future inbreeding.

Genetic improvement starts at conception! Good Sire Conception Rate (SCR) is mandatory and Select Sires’ consistently superior ranking on this third-party evaluation is unmatched. Female fertility/Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR) is also closely monitored.

SIRE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES At it’s core, Select Sires is a true cooperative with an unmatched passion for genetics and farmer success. All decisions at Select Sires are customer driven. Our farmer representative board of directors and sire committee members work in tandem with the marketing and sire teams to understand global market conditions and remain at the forefront of genetic direction. Your sire team utilizes all national indexes, including NM$, DWP$®, CM$, TPI®, JPITM and others. Additionally, internal indexes offer added focus for future genetic direction.

Providing genetic diversity with our sire lines, and with the cow families we choose to utilize, ensures our customers will have more genetic options to combat the concern of future inbreeding. The Aggressive Reproductive TechnologiesTM (ARTTM) program provides greater opportunity to create unique matings to maximize diversity. Select Sires takes great pride in developing genetics for tomorrow’s profit-minded dairy producers -no matter what drives each producer’s individual profit model. u

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DRIVING JERSEY GENETICS Tyler Boyd, general manager Jerseyland Sires In the 1980’s, a group of progressive California Jersey breeders began taking trips to the east coast in search of elite Jersey genetics. The group purchased and transported bulls from states like Maine and New York to California and the Jerseyland Sires concept was born. It was during one of their early trips that they expressed interest in a mating at Highland Farms in Maine and the following year they purchased the resulting bull calf. This trip would produce one of the most influential purchases in Jerseyland’s history and would lead to a lease partnership with Select Sires. The young calf purchased from Highland Farms was 7JE177 Highland Magic DUNCAN, a true worldwide impact sire for the Jersey breed. The partnership between Select Sires and Jerseyland Sires is fueled by shared passion and enthusiasm for Jersey cattle and a determination to improve Jersey herds around the world. Through innovative technologies and unique, strategic breeding opportunities, the two organizations work together to strengthen and invigorate Jersey genetics. The exclusive partnership was initiated in 2015 and November 2020 will mark five successful years of developing and marketing chart-topping Jersey genetics. Genetic goals Since its inception, Jerseyland has had one simple goal: acquire bulls to improve our member-owner herds and the herds of Jersey breeders around the world. Our genetic objectives are directly and strongly tied to the success of Jersey breeders. DUNCAN, a sire who did a remarkable job combining production and type, is the earliest example of this concept. Jerseyland Sires’ member-owners and dairy managers have significant input with genetic decisions and selecting sires that qualify for marketing. Transparency is incredibly important to this group and if member herds aren’t excited to use a sire, then he isn’t a good fit for the Jerseyland program. These member-owners and dairy managers drive genetic focus. Currently, Jerseyland Sires places emphasis on sires that increase yield, specifically combined Fat and Protein (CFP), while also providing balanced, functional type. The end goal is to create daughters that thrive in a competitive environment. Fertility has become a higher priority in recent years, and today’s lineup includes 36 sires with positive Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR) values and six sires offering positive Sire Conception Rates (SCR). Jerseyland is determined to offer industry-leading fertility sires without sacrificing production or other critical traits.

Dupat Magnum 2847-P (E-91%) Dam of 7JE1570 JX STEPH {3}-P and 7JE1569 JX AVON KLAY {3}-P

JX Avi-Lanche Commisionr Dede 13710 {5} (E-91%) Dam of 7JE1722 JX DASHIELL {6}

HIGH-CALIBER JERSEYLAND SIRES AVAILABLE FROM SELECT SIRES TOP CM$ SIRES

TOP CFP SIRES

7JE1722 JX DASHIELL {6}

543

7JE1722 JX DASHIELL {6}

7JE1760 ROWAN

495

507JE1758 JX THRASHER {6} 475

TOP JUITM SIRES 96

TOP DPR SIRES

7JE1786 JX CARDIFF {4}

14.2

507JE1758 JX THRASHER {6} 3.5

7JE1540 JX STORMCLOUD {4} 93

250JE1616 DYNOMITE

14.1

14JE1780 ROBBER

3.5

14JE1759 JX KINGJAMES {4} 91

7JE1638 RESPECT

13.7

14JE1790 JX ADIOS {4}

2.8

04/20 CDCB/AJCA Rel%: JX DASHIELL {6} Yield 76; ROWAN Yield 77; JX THRASHER {6} Yield 76, DPR 66; JX STORMCLOUD {4} Yield 96; JX KINGJAMES {4} Yield 75; JX CARDIFF {4} Type 75; DYNOMITE Type 77; RESPECT Type 79; ROBBER DPR 68; JX ADIOS {4} DPR 63. All bulls are BBR 100 and JH1F, except JX DASHIELL {6} and JX ADIOS {4} are JH1C and JX KINGJAMES {4} is BBR 91.

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Cow families matter Over the years, Jerseyland has been extremely fortunate to work with some of the breed’s greatest cow families and partner with passionate, like-minded breeders. D&E Abe Violet had a profound impact, both through D&E and Avi-Lanche Jerseys, as well as through her daughter D&E Paramount Violet, owned by David Allen, Wis. Abe Violet’s grandaughter, All Lynns Impuls Virginia, was also highly influential and purchased by Clauss Dairy Farms, California. Several cow families from Ahlem Farms Partnership, California, have made an impact, including the families of Cora, Princess, Roxie and Sarah. Most recently, Dupat Magnum 2847-P, bred by Wickstrom Jersey Farms, California, has placed several sons in stud, including April graduate, 7JE1569 JX AVON KLAY {3}-P, and his brother 7JE1570 JX STEPH {3}-P. JX Avi-Lanche Commisionr Dede 13710 {5} has impressed breeders with outstanding performance. Her son, 7JE1722 JX DASHIELL {6}, is a high-ranking GForceTM sire with extreme potential. The Dede cow family is a fantastic example of the quality and type of cows that the members of Jerseyland Sires want to breed. With at least five generations of the family currently in milk, it is a true testament to their longevity and will to milk. Primus female program Jerseyland’s Primus female program works with some of the breed’s most elite genetics. By far the most significant donor has been River Valley Lemonhead Carnival-ET. She boasts a fantastic pedigree, with high-value production breeding introduced by Buster Goff, New Mexico, on a maternal line that goes back to the famed Pleasant Nook F Prize Circus. Her pedigree has allowed us to create unique matings and work with some very interesting calves. Carnival is the dam of 507JE1787 CALIBAN, 7JE1786 JX CARDIFF {4}, and 7JE1789 JX CHATHAM {4}, and has two descendents on the way. We’re also discovering new cow families to work with. One great example is 507JE1758 JX THRASHER {6}’s dam. Her pedigree shows generation upon generation of Jerseyland breeding in the Clauss herd. You can go back five generations of sires without finding a negative DPR sire. With a five-generation sire stack that averages +3.7 DPR, it’s no surprise that JX THRASHER {6} ranks No. 2 in Select Sires’ lineup for DPR. Driving genetics Jerseyland Sires was built on a passion for Jersey cows and their genetic advancement. Today, we operate with drive and ambition. We are excited to develop and offer elite, dairy producerapproved genetics to the marketplace in partnership with Select Sires. u


WH Y

I E S . ..

S... EAN

M IT

IT

WH AT

S... R E TT A M

IT

RK

S . ..

O H W

ID

EN

TI F

HOW WO

IT

AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL As part of the ProfitMAX® portfolio of tools and services, Select Sires introduces ProfitSOURCE SiresTM, ProfitSOURCE PartnersTM and unique identification to enhance the value of beef-on-dairy cross calves. This new program will add traceability to beef-on-dairy calves, help to secure revenue streams and strengthen the market for long-term success. u

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 WHY

 WHAT

Genetic and reproductive audits are increasing efficiencies and driving genetic progress. Dairy herd managers are taking quick actions on breeding strategies with plans to open new revenue streams. It’s only a matter of time until that bonus revenue stream turns into a flooded market and the competition to secure a profit becomes fierce. As the beef-on-dairy market grows, so does the need for a high-quality end product. The use of elite beef sires and appropriate rearing protocols are emphasized, but at the center of it all, there’s a need for identification and traceability.

Calves identified with the red ProfitSOURCE EID tags are offspring of ProfitSOURCE sires and offer increased value to potential buyers based on their genetic merit. When purchasing ProfitSOURCE EID tags, breeders must have a premise ID, sign a ProfitSOURCE agreement and comply with management guidelines, which instill immunity to maintain health and reduce treatment costs, ultimately, reducing mortality and morbidity. Creating calves with market demand is critical to the success of the program. In addition, handling offspring in accordance to beef quality assurance (BQA) protocol is required.

 WHO

 HOW

Select Sires’ ProfitSOURCE Sires have been selected for crossbreeding on Holsteins and Jerseys. These sires excel for calving ease, growth performance, carcass merit, and they offer elite fertility to maximize the reproductive performance in your herd. The lineup of ProfitSOURCE sires includes elite terminal beef bulls designed to meet specific genetic criteria.

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 the following: geography, size of dairies, ownership arrangements, breed preferences, genetic criteria and end product targets.

Angus sires: u Top 30 percent of the breed for five of the six EPD traits related to growth and carcass merit: Weaning Weight (WW), Yearling Weight (YW), Carcass Weight (CW), Marbling, Ribeye Area (REA) and $Beef u Top 55 percent of the breed for Calving Ease u Top 50 percent of the breed for Residual Average Daily Gain (RADG) u Bottom 70 percent of the breed for Yearling Height (YH) Simmental, Charolais and Limousin sires: u Top 50 percent of their respective breed for both Calving Ease and Terminal Index

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Our Passion. YOUR SUCCESS

SELECTIONS MISSION

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

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

gender SELECTED, GForce, ProfitSOURCE Sires, ProfitSOURCE Partners, Select Detect are trademarks of Select Sires Inc. Jersey Performance Index, JPI, and Jersey Udder Index, JUI are trademarks of the American Jersey Cattle Association. ®NxGEN, ProfitMAX, Select Mating Service, SMS, and Select Reproductive Solutions, SRS, are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc. CowManager is a registered trademark of Agis Automatisering. Dairy Wellness Profit Index, DWP$, Wellness Trait Index, WT$, are registered trademarks of Zoetis Inc., its affiliates and/or its licensors. CLARIFIDE is a registered trademark of Zoetis Inc., its affiliates and/or its licensors. Total Performance Index (TPI) is a registered trademark of Holstein Association USA. 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. TM

Minster, Ohio 45865 Permit No. 2


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