Selections | Winter 2024

SELECTIONS

WINTER 2024

4  STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

7  ON-FARM TRIAL: ACCELAIRATE

8  LEVERAGING THEIR STRENGTHS

10  TWO DAIRIES. ONE FAMILY. ONE GOAL.

11  CATTLEMAN’S OUTLOOK

12  WHAT IF?

WHAT’S IN THE BANK?

David C. Thorbahn, President and C.E.O., Select Sires Inc.

Planning for the future is often equated with financial status – investments, savings, bank statements, etc. We are taught from a young age the importance of smart financial decisions and investments to secure the best future. With this concept in mind, I ask you: “What’s in your bank?” Before you reach for your balance sheet, I’m not interested in dollars, I’m challenging you to consider intangible investments. Are you investing your efforts to develop plans, actions and goals that will cash out for the best and brightest future?

Most of my conversations with dairy farmers can be grouped into three distinct themes of investment: genetics, diversification and relationships.

1. Genetics: By selecting sires that excel for Herd Health Profit Dollars® (HHP$®), dairies can create cows that are healthier, more fertile and trouble-free. Reducing health events and developing more robust cattle allows for a faster return on your genetic investment. Cows with HHP$ values live longer, requiring fewer replacements and increased cash flow from the sale of excess cattle, whether that be dairy or beef x dairy.

2. Diversification: As more dairies produce beef x dairy (BxD) calves, the traceability and carcass quality of those calves will secure their marketability and contribute to another source of income for the dairy.

3. Relationships: There’s the old saying that “a farmer wears many hats,” and while that continues to be true, Select Sires has the boots-on-theground experts in the field to help you make genetic and reproductive decisions. When times are uncertain, you can rely on your Select Sires team members to navigate the changes and challenges and deliver the strategies and results that drive your profitability.

Consider these three themes an investment into your future – the future of your herd, your family and your legacy. We know that genetic investment isn’t realized until a cow is in the milking string. A BxD strategy could also take many years to develop and fine-tune. Relationships are built on trust and fostering trust takes time. But investing in the best genetics, diversification opportunities and relationships will grow your “bank account” and provide you with the best opportunities for the future.

Adapting to market changes is an ever-important challenge and working with your Select Sires representative to determine the right plans for your dairy is the best investment for your future. Do you have the best genetics, diversified revenue options and collaborative relationships to ensure a strong financial future? u

NxGEN

CAPTURE

at a

Our current lineup is one of our best yet with sires ranking at the top for every major index. Contact your Select Sires representative to add these genomic giants to your breeding program.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Kevin Jorgensen, Senior Sire Analyst, Select Sires Inc.

Sire development at Select Sires has always been multi-faceted. We serve a wide range of customers around the world and we continually work to identify the different market desires to adapt our sire development strategy. The backbone of our strategy is future focused – our team often quotes Wayne Gretzky’s “Skate to where the puck is going, not where it’s been.” We heavily consider the future needs of our customers because the matings we create today will be the sires we offer in 2026 and those daughters will enter the milking strings in 2028. This exercise requires a multitude of strategies, some of which may look unconventional at face value, yet others are more recognized as the tried and true methods that have served us well for six decades. Most recently, this future-focused thought process resulted in the development of Select Sires’ Herd Health Profit Dollars® (HHP$®) index.

SHOW ME THE NUMBERS

7,500

250

114

different sire fathers among the young and proven lineups

244

different bull dams among the young and proven lineups

112

young sires above +1,100 HHP$

152

young sires above +150 CFP

In 2023, we genomic tested 7,500 Holstein bull calves. From that group, we combed through the information, considered markets around the world and applied our methodologies to add 250 young sires to the GForce™ and NxGEN® lineups. You can see that the selection pressure is extremely high to offer a wide range of sires to meet market demands. Of those 7,500 calves tested, they were sired by nearly 100 different mating sires and hundreds of different dams in the quest to find diversity, as well as high ranking sires in every selection index. There truly is strength in numbers.

However, even by employing different methods of sire development, the dominant sires and dams of a generation remain at the top and receive the most interest from customers. This has held true from the earliest days of sire development. The impact sire portraits that Select Sires has commissioned is a testament to that. 7HO58 ELEVATION was the dominant sire of the 1970s, 7HO543 BELL and 7HO980 MARK dominated the 1980s, 7HO1897 BLACKSTAR and 7HO2236 ELTON dominated the 1990s, 7HO5157 DURHAM and 7HO5375 BW MARSHALL dominated the

2000s, 7HO8081 PLANET, 7HO11314 MOGUL and 7HO11351 SUPERSIRE dominated the 2010s. Now 250HO14134 RENEGADE and 7HO15167 GAMEDAY look to be the dominant sires of the current decade. The same could be said for dominant maternal lines. I mention this to illustrate that even though the genomic era has accelerated the pace of change, some things remain constant in sire development.

Creating opportunities with an expansive lineup

Our sire development strategy is designed to create opportunities and access to genetics from the industry’s dominate sires and dams. In the current GForce and NxGEN lineups, there are nearly 20 different sets of full and maternal brothers from dominant bull mothers. Those sets of siblings have competed through all the rounds of genomic testing and secondary screening by the sire development team. They are the cream that rose to the top. Many of these are from the most famous and influential cows in the breed like current Holstein International Global Cow of the Year, Siemers Lmda Paris 27856-ET (EX-91-EX-MS-GMD-DOM). She is the dam of 7HO15085 PARFECT, 250HO16115 PAZZLE, 7HO15523 PARSLY, 7HO16120 PEVE and 250HO16121 PARTAKE

Holstein bull calves tested

young sires in the lineup

Left: Siemers Lmda Paris 27856-ET (EX-91-EX-MS-GMD-DOM)

Below: Ladys-Manor Alphabt Tuba-ET (VG-86-VG-MS-DOM)

as well as more to come in 2024. Ladys-Manor Alphabt Tuba (VG-86-VG-MS-DOM) has full brothers 7HO16315 TAMBORINE and 14HO16316 TUBA. Additionally, her highest son sired by 14HO16391 EASTON just arrived at Select Sires in January 2024. By offering brothers in our lineups, it provides customers access and flexibility to benefit from the influence of these genetic lines. Leveraging cow families and technology

One question we hear often is about the strength of cow families and if that has less importance to our sire development mission. Our answer, “Nothing could be farther from the truth.” There are currently 104 sires in the program with dams scored Excellent (90) or higher and 408 sires with dams scored Very Good. Many of those will earn a higher classification score as they age. There are hundreds of sires in our program with 13 or 14 generations of Very Good or Excellent dams.

While cow families remain front and center in our sire development strategy, Select Sires leverages the latest reproductive technologies to drive our program into the future and create sires the markets demand. These technologies lower the age of donors and some sires are released or used as sire fathers before the dam has completed her first lactation or has been classified. The vast majority develop into great cows, it just takes a bit of time for the data to catch up. It’s also worth mentioning that most of our bull dams live in real-world commercial operations and there are instances in which dams are lost before we are able to collect the data we desire. In these cases, we lean on the strength of the maternal line for the confidence that those sires will deliver the results our customers expect.

Sire development certainly has evolved since many of us entered the A.I. industry decades ago. As a Holstein sire development team, we have nearly 150 years of combined industry experience. New technologies have changed some of the methodology we use to create great sires but the founding principles have not changed; persistence, be diverse, work with great breeders, and never be afraid to take chances. To meet the distinct needs of our customers around the world, it boils down to strength in numbers! u

Respiratory disease is one of the biggest health challenges among young cattle. Contact your Select Sires representative today to learn how you

AccelAIRate is designed to preserve and support respiratory health in young cattle while maximizing growth and development.

ON-FARM TRIAL ACCELAIRATE

EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF ACCELAIRATE ON PNEUMONIA TREATMENTS AND AVERAGE DAILY GAIN

Respiratory tract infections, like bovine respiratory disease (BRD), are one of the most common and costly illnesses affecting cattle worldwide. While calf-rearing programs aim to keep calf mortality low, optimize calf growth, and maintain calf health for fertile and productive animals, young calves are vulnerable to disease. The leading causes of calf deaths on U.S. dairies are respiratory disease and scours. In young calves, BRD can manifest as pneumonia, with clinical signs including coughing, nasal discharge, labored breathing, increased respiratory rate, and lower feed intake. Even if calves survive a respiratory tract infection, there are subsequent effects on growth and performance such as reduced fertility rates, compromised lifetime health and ultimately, efficient milk production. High levels of calf morbidity lead to greater antimicrobial use and the potential for antimicrobial resistance, one of the leading health concerns in human and veterinary medicine worldwide.1 The impact of respiratory disease and treatment methods also contribute to animal welfare concerns.

Given the economic impact of BRD and the potential for antimicrobial resistance, there is a growing emphasis on preventive measures such as vaccination, improving cattle management practices, optimizing nutrition, and providing proper ventilation. Early detection and prompt treatment of affected animals is essential to reducing the severity of BRD outbreaks and minimizing economic losses. AccelAIRate was developed in response to consumer concerns and pressure to reduce medication usage and improve animal welfare. Now with a completed on-farm trial, there is outstanding evidence to support AccelAIRate’s success!

HOW IT WORKED:

3,100 calves were fed AccelAIRate at a half dose based on animal body weight for an extended period. Body weights and pneumonia treatment data were collected and analyzed from August 2022 through May 2023.

August - December 2022

January - May 2023

RESULTS: Supplementing AccelAIRate at half dose for an extended period has reduced the usage of antibiotics and cut pneumonia treatment by 72.6% and 83% on-farm while improving average daily gain by an additional 0.28 lb to 0.55 lb depending on the calf’s age. u

Commercial dairy in South Dakota

3,100

Jersey and BxD Calves

Reduced pneumonia treatments by more than

72.6% 0.55 lb

Increased average daily gain by up to

LEVERAGING THEIR STRENGTHS

In today’s dairy climate, producers strive to utilize management practices that pair well with their facilities and location, creating efficiencies and opportunities to thrive. We connected with four herds that leverage Select Sires’ genetics and consultative services, each focusing on different management practices, to learn more about their operations and what the future holds.

WEGNERLANN DAIRY

Ettrick, WI // Leveraging Consumer Connections

Nestled in west-central Wisconsin is Wegnerlann Dairy, owned and operated by Tom and Annaliese Wegner and Jeff and Betty Wegner. The farm milks 650-head three times per day in a double-eight parallel parlor. Their breeding philosophy focuses on a healthy, trouble-free, medium-sized cow with high milk production. The herd averages 93 pounds of milk per cow with a 4.4% fat and 3.3% protein test.

Annaliese’s role as The Modern Day Farm Chick, sharing her family and farm story on social media, has laid the foundation for the farm’s goal of building a farm and consumer network and educating the public about the dairy industry. There’s great value in a breeding strategy that creates healthier cows that are more efficient and have reduced impact on the environment.

The farm utilizes DairyComp 305 for managing farm records, and in the past five years, implemented an activity monitoring system which allows for cattle to be observed more closely without increased labor inputs. The farm seeks employees who are passionate about their roles and offers continual training on animal handling practices and cow comfort to ensure animals are cared for appropriately.

With their breeding goals in mind, Wegnerlann selects sires based on NM$, Combined Fat and Protein and some functional type traits. They work closely with CentralStar Genetic Consultant, Perry Phend, who uses the Select Mating Service® (SMS®) program to create the most profitable mating combinations.

Growth is on the horizon for Wegnerlann, but not in the traditional sense of adding more cows. “My passion for sharing my farm life with others has me thinking of different ways to grow our operation. I would love to do more things that bring our community directly to our farm,” says Annaliese. “Tom is a cow guy. What he loves most is being with the cows, not the people. So when we think about growth, more cows and more employees is likely not what is going to be the answer for us.”

They are considering diversification into beef x dairy with a directto-consumer beef business. Through direct marketing and potentially delving into agritourism on the farm, they hope to connect the community with their local farmers.

LUCKWALDT AGRICULTURE

Woodville, WI // Leveraging CowManager® Insights

Located in Woodville, Wisconsin, Luckwaldt Agriculture Inc. is owned and operated by Dan and Mary Luckwaldt. Milking just under 1,400 head, the herd averages 92 pounds of milk per cow with a 4.5% fat and 3.4% protein test, and 145,000 SCC. Calves are raised to six months of age and then relocated to a heifer grower in Kansas, returning to the farm two months prior to calving. The farm works 2,300 acres of crop land, of which 600 acres are owned. Roughly 800 acres of hay are put up annually, with an additional 1,200 acres put into corn. The remaining acreage is in a rotation of rye and soybeans.

The Luckwaldts began using CowManager two years ago in an effort to reduce their hormone usage and labor needed to administer injections. The monitoring system continues to be a valuable partner as they look to extend their herd’s overall productive life.

“CowManager has allowed us to focus on individual cows in a pen, maximizing our time and minimizing pen disturbances,” says herdsman, Patrick Kusilek. “We are using more therapeutics now and have been able to increase the average age of the herd by one month.”

Ten years ago, the Luckwaldts transitioned the herd to a double ovsynch program for all first services with a second prostaglandin injection on the second ovsynch.

“The goal is to get cows pregnant as fast as possible after our 70-day voluntary waiting period,” notes Kusilek. Since utilizing the CowManager system, the farm has seen an 8% increase in services from observed heats and a 3% increase in conception rate, as well as significant savings from reduced hormone usage.

The Luckwaldts began utilizing genomic testing in 2016, allowing them to identify elite animals in their herd and focus their breeding program on those superior cows and heifers. The top Dairy Wellness Profit Index® (DWP$®) animals in the herd are bred to gender SELECTED™ semen with the rest of the herd serviced to beef genetics or receiving embryos.

As the farm evolves, Kusilek sees their utilization of CowManager evolving as well. “We are trying to maximize the potential of the herd while taking advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. All the while trying to be good stewards of the land and cattle. Eventually, we would like to utilize CowManager for almost all breedings on the farm.”

NEW HEIGHTS DAIRY LLC

A partnership between Brent Czech, his wife Callie and Brent’s parents, Myron and Debbie Czech, New Heights Dairy LLC began in 2006. As Brent was graduating from the University of Minnesota a neighboring dairy became available. Recognizing there was no room to expand at his parent’s home farm, the family jumped at the opportunity to grow.

Over the past 18 years, the farm has grown from milking 850 head at one location to more than 6,000 animals across multiple locations, farming approximately 6,000 acres. The collective herd has an average production of 78 pounds of milk per cow with a 5.0% fat and 3.7% protein test.

less maintenance and intervention but could still meet or exceed his production goals. Thus he began a crossbreeding regimen. “I had used a three-breed rotation for a long time, using Holstein, Jersey, and Montbeliarde, in that order, and it was successful. But as time went on, I saw many improvements in the Holstein breed,” says Brent. “I wanted to retool my program to capitalize on those improvements. Five years ago, I implemented a program where I rotated Holstein x Jersey x Holstein x Montbeliarde x Holstein. This allowed us to benefit more from the Holstein genetics while still capturing some heterosis.”

New Heights Dairy utilizes DairyComp 305 for the herd’s records and recently installed CowManager to help manage reproduction. In the short time CowManager has been on farm, Brent has seen his 34% pregnancy rate trend upward and is hopeful to experience efficiencies from CowManager.

The Czechs started out with Holsteins, but as the operation grew and expanded to multiple sites, Brent wanted to breed cows that require

Minglewood Inc. is a fifth generation dairy and crop farm located in northwest Wisconsin, owned by Kevin and Roxann Solum and Jacob and Kristin Quist. They milk 1,250 Registered Holsteins and farm 3,300 acres of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. The current rolling herd average is 30,440 pounds of milk with a 4.5% fat and 3.4% protein test. The farm employs 22 team members and Travis Ullom is the herd manager.

In 2018, the farm began milking in eight DeLaval classic robots; today 40% of the herd is milked via robots. “We see a cow that is able to work on her schedule, not ours, and we put them in a barn that is far superior to our other facilities to allow them to perform like the athletes they are,” says Kristin. “We have a never-satisfied mentality and once we reach our goals, the bar keeps getting inched up.”

The farm utilizes an in-house index, placing emphasis on longevity, health traits and component production. “The crossbred cow is designed for longevity and health, and we want to make an animal that’s going to last while producing a lot of fat and protein,” notes Brent. “Crossbreeding really aligns with those goals.”

As far as what’s on the horizon for New Heights Dairy, Brent is keeping things basic. “We are always trying to get better at what we do; making the right decisions at the right time based on what’s best for us.”

icing on the cake. Our cows can be interchangeable, spending time in the parlor and robot herds. Teat placement is important for both facilities. Of course feed efficiency has a direct impact on our bottom line, which is why we take FeedPRO® designations into consideration when selecting sires.”

The past 10 years have brought substantial change to Minglewood Inc., all of which has paid off in increased efficiencies and profitability. “Our goal has been to continually improve our pounds of solids per cow. In 2014 we were happy to be at six pounds of solids, but today that isn’t enough. We want to routinely be at eight pounds of solids, and that doesn’t happen without good forage and management.” Five years ago, the farm put an emphasis on putting up high quality forage while focusing on sound agronomic planning.

The herd is on a double ovsync program, with 60% of animals bred to beef or receiving embryos and the remaining herd being bred to gender SELECTED semen. Focus is given to breeding a moderate-sized, feed-efficient cow, with a quality mammary system and correct teat placement.

“Breeding an average cow is not our jam,” says Kristin. “We want to breed cows that are going to be productive and last, and being stylish is

Kristin sees the next chapter of Minglewood targeting what’s best for the herd as a whole. With 60% of the milking herd going through a 30-year-old double-nine parallel parlor that’s showing its age, is the future more robots or a rotary parlor? In 2020 they began selling some beef by the cut and quarters and halves. Kristin says the family would like to continue expanding the beef business. “We want to continue to be the producer of choice, in all aspects of the dairy industry.”

TWO DAIRIES. ONE FAMILY. ONE GOAL.

They say competition drives innovation, and that’s exactly what’s happening in Hobbs, N.M. at Goff Dairy. Buster and Beverly Goff, their son Jason, and grandson Colton Armstrong own and operate neighboring dairies. One is comprised of Registered Holsteins, the other of Registered Jerseys, both milking 5,500 head. Jason manages the Holstein herd while Buster and Colton manage the Jersey farm.

Even though the makeup of the two farms is different, each has the same goal – to be as profitable as possible with the resources available. Built in 1998, the Goff Holstein herd is milked in a double-50 parallel parlor, averaging 98 pounds of fat corrected milk and 4.0% fat. The Goffs’ Jersey herd is milked in a 72-stall rotary parlor constructed in 2006, and averages 80 pounds of fat corrected milk with 5.5% fat and 3.8% protein. Both herds are milked twice per day and housed in open lot paddocks. Feed for both facilities is raised jointly on 3,200 acres of pivot-irrigated cropland.

Why two different dairies with two different breeds? “When we initially built, milk pricing was based on fluid volume, but component pricing came to our market in the early 2000s, just as we were looking to expand. It was the incentive we needed to start with Jerseys,” says Buster. “Having two different herds is kind of a natural hedge on markets. One dairy is more feed efficient. When feed is high and milk is low, but components are high, the Jerseys thrive. When fluid milk prices are high, the Holsteins do a little better.”

Profitability is the ultimate goal. “Every cow here has to be profitable and that means using the kind of genetics that put milk in the tank. Production is our number one goal,” says Buster. “But, we like good looking cattle too. I’m in the corals every day; I don’t like to look at ugly cows.” With a breeding philosophy that stresses the importance of quality mammary systems and sound feet and legs, the Goffs focus on cow families to prolong the herd’s longevity. “Sound cows with good feet and legs and quality udders rarely end up in the hospital pen and stick around.”

“The team at Goff’s have outlined their goals and painted a picture of their desired cow for each facility,” says Stuart Schooley, district sales manager, Select Sires Member Cooperative. “The next step is identifying the sires that will create the next generation. We focus on linear traits to achieve balanced, well attached mammary systems while also honing in on component levels,

fertility and some health traits to make long-lasting cows.” Included in the current lineup of mating sires at Goff Dairy is 614JE2222 JX INXS {6}, the No. 4 Herd Health Profit Dollars® (HHP$®) sire in the breed.

As well as consistently breeding a more profitable cow, the Goffs look for ways to improve management and facilities to bolster their bottom line. “You have to stay current, or you’re going backwards. We’re always looking at what the industry is presenting. We’re a bottom-line dairy. If cutting-edge works for us, we’ll implement it.” says Buster. With feed costs accounting for the majority of expenses on most dairies, the Goffs reevaluated their feed storage facilities, focusing on feed shrink. In doing so they made the decision to build new commodity storage, transitioning from open-faced barns to fully enclosed. The building project took less than two years to pay for itself in reduced feed shrink savings.

Advancements in technology have helped the farm gain efficiencies as well. “It’s getting harder and harder to find people who are good cattlemen,” says Buster. “It’s easy to find good employees, but more difficult to find people who truly understand the cows.” To help address this challenge, the Goffs implemented a cow monitoring system which has helped them monitor herd health more closely without increasing labor costs.

With no more room to grow in cow numbers or acreage, Buster knows they need to maximize their facilities and genetics to continue being profitable. “We can’t grow in numbers, but we can produce more milk per cow and do more with what we have. Our genetics advance and increase our production each year. We will continue to focus and concentrate on those genetics.” u

Photo below: 7JE5004 CHROME daughter group, Goff Dairy.

Photo right: Colton Armstrong, Buster Goff and Jason Goff of Goff Dairy.

Cover photo: Buster and Beverly Goff with Goff Disco 36341-ET (E-94%), a 7JE1528 DISCO daughter and dam of 7JE1930 DABO-P.

CATTLEMAN’S OUTLOOK AND WHY IT MATTERS TO THE BxD MARKET

Native beef population

The National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA) recently hosted its annual CattleCon, and each year this event yields more relevant information for dairy producers engaging in the beef x dairy (BxD) market. Whether you are marketing day-old calves or retaining ownership, if beef semen is part of your genetic strategy, the discussions at this event affect the dollars in your pocket. Here’s what you need to know about the native beef population, market demands and the argument for beef of the highest quality.

The native beef herd is at its lowest in 50 years due to drought, input costs, interest rates and other challenges. It is unlikely to bounce back soon, even with today’s high beef prices. The latest reports from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that U.S. cattle inventory has dropped 2% compared to the same time last year. In an article from Dairy Herd Management reporting on the U.S. Farm Report Roundtable, Derrell Peel, extension specialist for livestock marketing with Oklahoma State University, pointed out that the U.S. beef cow herd is the smallest since 1961, the cattle inventory is the lowest since 1951, and he believes this scenario will lead to even stronger cattle prices.

“We have gotten smaller than we intended to be, smaller than we need to be from a market standpoint, and I think that’s going to be where we jump off to think about where we go from here,” said Peel.

“Not only did the latest report show signs of further contraction, there currently aren’t any signals showing a rebuilding of the U.S. cattle herd has started to take place,” said Nevil Speer, Turkey Track Consulting. “40% of the on-feed population was heifers last quarter. So, there’s no indication that we’re ready to dig back in and start rebuilding.”

Once beef producers begin to retain heifers to regrow their mama cow herd, this will result in reduced supply being shipped to feedlots and on to

packers. The lowest cattle volumes at harvest are expected to be in 2026. For 2024, weekly harvests are expected to be merely half of the total packing plant capacity.

Though beef prices may reduce slightly early this year, they are expected to creep back up to record highs in 2024, and higher yet through 2026. Consumers continue to demand high-quality beef and this has driven Quality Grade spreads to record highs. Research shows that the marketplace favors animals bred for high Marbling – a hallmark of the ProfitSOURCE genetic lineup and a highly heritable trait. Producing highquality cattle is the best strategy to secure your market access. What do these forecasts and trends mean for dairy producers?

Beef x dairy will continue to be sought after to keep feedlot pens and packer space full. If you aren’t using a beef x dairy strategy in your herd, it is not too late to start using ProfitSOURCE sires. By 2026, 15% of cattle packers’ harvest is expected to be beef x dairy – quality cattle will make a difference!

Whether you’re using beef semen in your strategy or not, consider these forecasts and trends and plan for the long-term. Through research trials and carcass data, Select Sires can put a price on performance. Scan the QR code to see the value of ProfitSOURCE cattle. u

Lauren Kimble, Manager of ProfitSOURCE® Supply Chains, Select Sires Inc.

With

highest integrity,

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

WHAT IF YOU COULD HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO?

Brandon Thesing, Vice President of Corporate Accounts, Select Sires Member Cooperative

High producing, feed efficient, long lasting, disease resistant, low somatic cell count, pregnant on the first service – the ideal dairy cow. Since the beginning of time, dairy producers have searched for ways to create the super cow of the future. We continue to hone in on traits and deploy genetic strategies to achieve this goal.

The strengths and weaknesses of different breeds of dairy cattle are common knowledge. What if you could combine the best from each to make your next generation the very best? Crossbreeding is not a novel concept, yet it’s one of the leading questions I get from producers from across the country. What does that super cow look like and “what if” I consider multiple breeds?

So here are my “what if?” challenges for you to consider.

What if:

• you could maximize the genetic progress achieved in different breeds and highlight those strengths?

• you could attack inbreeding head on and maximize heterosis? This strategy allows you full access to any potential sire combination and lineage, while also capitalizing on heterosis.

• you could gain more flexibility in an ever-changing market? You chose your breed of cows many moons ago based on the market conditions of the time. The market has certainly changed. Are you still managing the right breed and creating the most profitable cow for the future?

• beef x dairy is here to stay? Revenue is no longer created solely from milk production. Consider what breed combinations create the most value regardless of gender.

Successful crossbreeding programs require strategic planning and understanding your specific goals – one size does not fit all! Work with your Select Sires representative to make sure your plan is feasible and you can execute the strategy each day and with every decision. Once you’ve implemented your plan, engage in routine evaluations as you learn and adapt with the market. Make the best decision available to your dairy today. u